Bahaullah - Illumine My Heart: Bahai Prayers for Every Occasion

Illumine
My Heart

Bah Publishing

415 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091-2844

Copyright 2008 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahs of the United States

All rights reserved. Published 2008

Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper

11 10 09 4 3 2

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Bahullh, 18171892.

[Prayers. English. Selections]

Bah Prayers for every occasion / by Bahullh, the Bab, and Abdul-Baha.

p. cm.

ISBN 13: 978-1-931847-53-7 (alk. paper)

ISBN 10: 1-931847-53-3

ISBN: 978-1-931847-93-3 (ebook)

1. Bahai FaithPrayers and devotions. I. Bab, Ali Muhammad Shirazi, 18191850. II. Abdul-Bah, 18441921. III. Title.

BP360.B35313 2008

297.93433dc22

2007040266

Cover design by Misha Maynerick

Book design by Suni D. Hannan

I ntone, O My servant, the verses of God that have been received by thee, as intoned by them who have drawn nigh unto Him, that the sweetness of thy melody may kindle thine own soul, and attract the hearts of all men. Whoso reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the scattering angels of the Almighty shall scatter abroad the fragrance of the words uttered by his mouth, and shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb. Though he may, at first, remain unaware of its effect, yet the virtue of the grace vouchsafed unto him must needs sooner or later exercise its influence upon his soul. Thus have the mysteries of the Revelation of God been decreed by virtue of the Will of Him Who is the Source of power and wisdom.

Bahullh

Introduction

Since time immemorial, prayer and supplication to God have been an essential part of our relationship with our Creator. Prayers can take many forms and can have many purposes, from a prayer of gratitude in a moment of quiet contentment to an intense and earnest plea for Gods guidance through difficult times. All of these are part of our communion with our Creator. In its purest form, prayer requires no ritual or artifice, only our pure intent. As the Bah writings state, The state of prayer is the best of conditions, for man is then associating with God. Prayer verily bestoweth life, particularly when offered in private and at times when freed from daily cares.

The prayers included in this volume are all means for engaging with that best of conditions, of imploring Gods grace and bounty, and of deepening our connection with our Creator. The selections are drawn from the sacred scriptures of the Bah Faith: the writings of Bahullh, the Bb, and Abdul-Bah. The rich and powerful language of these devotions, translated from their original Persian and Arabic, will surely serve as a potent means for inviting Gods divine influence into your heart. Though they are divided into categories for ease of reference, these are purely arbitrary, and readers should use these prayers however they feel inspired.

Whether you open this book needing assistance, seeking grace, or simply desiring to acknowledge the glory of God, we hope that you will find these verses a source of spiritual inspiration.

__________________

Abdul-Bah, Selections from the Writings of Abdul- Bah, no. 172.

Praise and Thanksgiving

Blessed is the spot, and the house, and the place,
and the city, and the heart, and the mountain,
and the refuge, and the cave, and the valley,
and the land, and the sea, and the island,
and the meadow where mention of God
hath been made, and His praise glorified.

Bahullh

I bear witness, O my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee.

I testify, at this moment, to my powerlessness and to Thy might, to my poverty and to Thy wealth.

There is none other God but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

Bahullh

M y God, my Adored One, my King, my Desire! What tongue can voice my thanks to Thee? I was heedless, Thou didst awaken me. I had turned back from Thee, Thou didst graciously aid me to turn towards Thee. I was as one dead, Thou didst quicken me with the water of life. I was withered, Thou didst revive me with the heavenly stream of Thine utterance which hath flowed forth from the Pen of the All-Merciful.

O Divine Providence! All existence is begotten by Thy bounty; deprive it not of the waters of Thy generosity, neither do Thou withhold it from the ocean of Thy mercy. I beseech Thee to aid and assist me at all times and under all conditions, and seek from the heaven of Thy grace Thine ancient favor. Thou art, in truth, the Lord of bounty, and the Sovereign of the kingdom of eternity.

Bahullh

I know not, O my God, what the Fire is which Thou didst kindle in Thy land. Earth can never cloud its splendor, nor water quench its flame. All the peoples of the world are powerless to resist its force. Great is the blessedness of him that hath drawn nigh unto it, and heard its roaring.

Some, O my God, Thou didst, through Thy strengthening grace, enable to approach it, while others Thou didst keep back by reason of what their hands have wrought in Thy days. Whoso hath hasted towards it and attained unto it hath, in his eagerness to gaze on Thy beauty, yielded his life in Thy path, and ascended unto Thee, wholly detached from aught else except Thyself.

I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by this Fire which blazeth and rageth in the world of creation, to rend asunder the veils that have hindered me from appearing before the throne of Thy majesty, and from standing at the door of Thy gate. Do Thou ordain for me, O my Lord, every good thing Thou didst send down in Thy Book, and suffer me not to be far removed from the shelter of Thy mercy.

Powerful art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou art, verily, the All-Powerful, the Most Generous.

Bahullh

P raise be unto Thee, O my God! I am one of Thy servants, who hath believed on Thee and on Thy signs. Thou seest how I have set myself towards the door of Thy mercy, and turned my face in the direction of Thy loving-kindness. I beseech Thee, by Thy most excellent titles and Thy most exalted attributes, to open to my face the portals of Thy bestowals. Aid me, then, to do that which is good, O Thou Who art the Possessor of all names and attributes!

I am poor, O my Lord, and Thou art the Rich. I have set my face towards Thee, and detached myself from all but Thee. Deprive me not, I implore Thee, of the breezes of Thy tender mercy, and withhold not from me what Thou didst ordain for the chosen among Thy servants.

Remove the veil from mine eyes, O my Lord, that I may recognize what Thou hast desired for Thy creatures, and discover, in all the manifestations of Thy handiwork, the revelations of Thine almighty power. Enrapture my soul, O my Lord, with Thy most mighty signs, and draw me out of the depths of my corrupt and evil desires. Write down, then, for me the good of this world and of the world to come. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. No God is there but Thee, the All-Glorious, Whose help is sought by all men.

I yield Thee thanks, O my Lord, that Thou hast wakened me from my sleep, and stirred me up, and created in me the desire to perceive what most of Thy servants have failed to apprehend. Make me able, therefore, O my Lord, to behold, for love of Thee and for the sake of Thy pleasure, whatsoever Thou hast desired. Thou art He to the power of Whose might and sovereignty all things testify.

There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Beneficent.