Trustworthiness:
A Cardinal Bahá'í Virtue
by Bahá'u'lláh,
Abdu'l-Bahá,
and Shoghi Effendi
Extracts From The Writings Of Bahá'u'lláh
2013. O people! The
goodliest vesture in the sight of God in this day is trustworthiness. All
bounty and honour shall be the portion of the soul
that arrayeth itself with this greatest of
adornments.
(From a Tablet -
translated from Persian)
2014. Regard thou faith
as a tree. Its fruits, leaves, boughs and branches are, and have ever been,
trustworthiness, truthfulness, uprightness and forbearance.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
2015. The virtues and
attributes pertaining unto God are all evident and manifest, and have been
mentioned and described in all the heavenly Books. Among them are trustworthiness,
truthfulness, purity of heart while communing with God, forbearance,
resignation to whatever the Almighty hath decreed, contentment with the things
His Will hath provided, patience, nay, thankfulness in the midst of
tribulation, and complete reliance, in all circumstances, upon Him. These rank,
according to the estimate of God, among the highest and most laudable of all
acts. All other acts are, and will ever remain, secondary and subordinate unto
them....
("Gleanings from the
Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, rev. ed. (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1983), sec. 134, p. 290)
2016. Beautify your
tongues, O people, with truthfulness, and adorn your souls with the ornament of
honesty. Beware, O people, that ye deal not
treacherously with any one. Be ye the trustees of God amongst His creatures,
and the emblems of His generosity amidst His people. They that follow their
lusts and corrupt inclinations, have erred and dissipated their efforts. They,
indeed, are of the lost....
("Gleanings from the
Writings of Bahá'u'lláh", sec. 136, p. 297
2017. The purpose of the
one true God in manifesting Himself is to summon all mankind to truthfulness
and sincerity, to piety and trustworthiness, to resignation and submissiveness
to the Will of God, to forbearance and kindliness, to uprightness and wisdom.
His object is to array every man with the mantle of a saintly character, and to
adorn him with the ornament of holy and goodly deeds.
("Gleanings from the
Writings of Bahá'u'lláh", sec. 137, p. 299)
2018. Say: Let
truthfulness and courtesy be your adorning. Suffer not yourselves to be
deprived of the robe of forbearance and justice, that the sweet savors of
holiness may be wafted from your hearts upon all created things. Say: Beware, O
people of Bahá, lest ye walk in the ways of them
whose words differ from their deeds. Strive that ye may be enabled to manifest
to the peoples of the earth the signs of God, and to mirror forth His
commandments....
("Gleanings from the
Writings of Bahá'u'lláh", sec. 139, p. 305)
2019. We ask God, exalted
be His glory, to confirm each one of the friends in that land in the
acquisition of such praiseworthy characteristics as shall conduce to the spread
of justice and equity among the peoples of the world. The first, the
fundamental purpose underlying creation hath ever been, and will continue to
be, none other than the appearance of trustworthiness and godliness, of
sincerity and goodwill amongst mankind, for these qualities are the cause of
peace, security and tranquillity. Blessed are those
who possess such virtues.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
2020. I beseech Thee, O
my God, by all the transcendent glory of Thy Name, to clothe Thy loved ones in
the robe of justice and to illumine their beings with the light of
trustworthiness. Thou art the One Who hath power to do as He pleaseth and Who holdeth within
His grasp the reins of all things, visible and invisible.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Arabic)
2021. Say: O people of
God! Adorn your temples with the adornment of trust- worthiness and piety.
Help, then, your Lord with the hosts of goodly deeds and a praiseworthy
character....
"Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas",
(Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1988), p. 120)
2022. One day of days We repaired unto Our Green Island. Upon Our arrival, We beheld its streams flowing, and its trees luxuriant, and
the sunlight playing in their midst. Turning Our face
to the right, We beheld what the pen is powerless to describe; nor can it set
forth that which the eye of the Lord of Mankind witnessed in that most
sanctified, that most sublime, that blest, and most exalted Spot. Turning,
then, to the left We gazed on one of the Beauties of
the Most Sublime Paradise, standing on a pillar of light, and calling aloud
saying: 'O inmates of earth and heaven! Behold ye My
beauty, and My radiance, and My revelation, and My effulgence. By God, the True
One! I am Trustworthiness and the revelation thereof, and the beauty thereof. I
will recompense whosoever will cleave unto Me, and
recognize My rank and station, and hold fast unto My hem. I am the most great ornament of the people of Bahá,
and the vesture of glory unto all who are in the kingdom of creation. I am the
supreme instrument for the prosperity of the world, and the horizon of
assurance unto all beings.' Thus have We sent down for
thee that which will draw men nigh unto the Lord of creation.
("Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas",
p. 122)
2023. The fourth Taraz concerneth trustworthiness.
Verily it is the door of security for all that dwell on earth and a token of
glory on the part of the All-Merciful. He who partaketh
thereof hath indeed partaken of the treasures of wealth and prosperity.
Trustworthiness is the greatest portal leading unto the tranquillity
and security of the people. In truth the stability of every affair hath
depended and doth depend upon it. All the domains of power, of grandeur and of
wealth are illumined by its light.
("Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas",
p. 37)
2024. Were a man in this
day to adorn himself with the raiment of trustworthiness it were better for him
in the sight of God than that he should journey on foot towards the holy court
and be blessed with meeting the Adored One and standing before His Seat of
Glory. Trustworthiness is as a stronghold to the city of humanity, and as eyes
to the human temple. Whosoever remaineth deprived
thereof shall, before His Throne, be reckoned as one bereft of vision.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
2025. We call to
remembrance every one of the friends and exhort them to have regard to
trustworthiness, which is a charge that God hath entrusted to the safe-keeping
of His servants; to righteousness, which He hath made to be a citadel of
strength for His well-favoured ones and faithful,
humble servants; and to whatever virtues shall conduce to their dignity and honour among all peoples.
(From a Tablet-
translated from the Arabic)
2026. O ye friends of God
in His cities and His loved ones in His lands! This Wronged One enjoineth on you honesty and piety. Blessed the city that shineth by their light. Through them man is exalted, and
the door of security is unlocked before the face of all creation. Happy the man
that cleaveth fast unto them, and recognizeth
their virtue, and woe betide him that denieth their
station.
("Epistle to the Son
of the Wolf, rev. ed. (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing
Trust, 1988), p. 23)
2027. Be ye God's
manifestations of trustworthiness in every land. So perfectly should ye mirror
forth this quality that even were ye to travel through cities heaped with gold,
your gaze would not for a single moment be seduced by its allure. This is the
standard required of you, O assemblage of true believers. Assist ye your
gracious Lord with your wealth and substance so that in all the worlds of God
His servants may perceive from you the sweet savours
of the one true God.
(From a Tablet-
translated from the Arabic)
2028. He is the true
servant of God who, in this day, were he to pass through cities of silver and
gold, would not deign to look upon them, and whose heart would remain pure and
undefiled from whatever things can be seen in this world, be they its goods or
its treasures. I swear by the Sun of Truth! The breath of such a man is endowed
with potency, and his words with attraction ....
(Cited in Shoghi Effendi, "The Advent of Divine Justice"
(Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1984), p. 23)
2029. Say: O bearer of My
Name! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness.
Thou hast ever been adorned with the fair robe of trustworthiness and piety.
These twin qualities are as two companions for thee in whom thou mayest find solace. They are as two sentinels who shall
stand watch over thee, and two guardians that shall,
by God's leave, keep thee from harm.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
2030. Cleave ye to the hem of the raiment of virtue and keep fast hold of
the cord of piety and trustworthiness. Have regard to the good of the world and
not to your own selfish desires. O peoples of God! Ye are the shepherds of the
world. Keep ye your flocks unbesmirched by the mire
of evil passion and desire, and adorn each one with the ornament of the fear of
God. This is the firm command that hath issued forth in this day from the pen
of the Ever-Abiding. I swear by the righteousness of God! The sword of upright
conduct and a goodly character is sharper than blades of steel.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian and Arabic)
2031. We ask God
graciously to grant that all may evince such fairness of character, such
goodliness of deed and kindliness of word as will meet with His good pleasure.
It hath been decreed that the citadels of men's hearts should be subdued
through the hosts of a noble character and praiseworthy deeds. Contention,
discord, strife and sedition have all been forbidden in the Book of God.
Beseech the Lord that He deprive not His dominions of the effulgent light of
the sun of trustworthiness, nor deny them the radiance of the Day-Star of
truthfulness or the splendour of the orb of justice
and equity. Trustworthiness and piety are even as two luminaries shining
resplendent above the horizon of the heaven of the Tablet in which are
inscribed the ordinances of God. Well is it with them that have discerned them,
and woe betide the heedless!
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian and Arabic)
2032. We have counselled
all people, in the most clear and eloquent language, to adorn their characters
with trustworthiness and godliness, and with such qualities as are conducive to
the elevation of man's station in the world of being. This Wronged One testifieth that the purpose for which mortal men have, from
utter nothingness, stepped into the realm of being, is that they may work for
the betterment of the world and live together in concord and harmony.
Dissension and strife have always been, and shall remain, rejected by God. The
Books, the Scriptures and Holy Writings of previous ages have all proclaimed
the joyful tidings that the purpose underlying this most mighty Revelation is
none other than the rehabilitation of the world and its nations; that perchance
the power of utterance may prevail over the power of arms, and the world's
affairs be administered through the potency of love. We ask God, the True One,
to invest all with the mantle of trustworthiness, for that is the world's
comeliest garment.
(From a Tablet-
translated from the Persian)
2033. Cleave thou to the
fear of God and to whatsoever hath been revealed in His Book: thus biddeth thee He Who is the Word of Truth and the Knower of
things unseen. Say: trustworthiness is the sun of the
heaven of My commandments, truthfulness is its moon,
and praiseworthy attributes are its stars. Yet the people, for the most part,
understand not.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Arabic)
2034. We send Our greetings to the faithful followers of the one true God,
who have tasted of the sweet waters of loving-kindness and directed their gaze
toward the Realm of Glory. We enjoin upon them all to conduct themselves with
trustworthiness and rectitude and to lead chaste and virtuous lives.
O beloved friends!
Whoever adorneth his character with such virtues will
be reckoned among the true servants of God, and his name will be commemorated
by the Concourse on High; but he who depriveth himself
thereof shall not be accounted of their number. Strive diligently to acquire
such goodly qualities and traits of character as will be the cause of
everlasting salvation. Make not the fruits of the tree of trustworthiness
targets for the stones of treachery, nor rend its boughs asunder with the
instruments of tyranny and oppression. Truthfulness and sincerity have always
been the ornament of a man's character, and so they shall ever be. O friends!
Let not the deceptive glamour of this fleeting world--to whose impermanence all
things attest--cut you off from God's enduring bestowals, nor deprive you from
partaking of the spiritual sustenance that He hath sent down from the heaven of
His bounty. Keep your gaze centred on Him Who is the
Sovereign Word of Truth: place your whole reliance upon Him, and beg of Him to
destine for you what is meet and fitting. Resign your affairs into the hands of
God, the Lord of creation. Call ye to mind the people
of former ages: whither are they sped, the prideful and vainglorious, the
workers of iniquity and unrighteousness? Where are their hoards
of treasure, their palaces, citadels and thrones? Reflect upon those bygone
days, and the vicissitudes of which they tell, and be ye admonished thereby.
The prayer of this Wronged One is that God may assist all to do what shall meet
with His favour and acceptance.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
2035. Thou art most dear
to Us; and, as We love thee, so love We all in whom
may be perceived the goodly adornments of trustworthiness and uprightness, and
such qualities of virtue and integrity as have been enjoined upon men in the
Book of God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. Happy the lot of the soul that hath
perceived the fragrant breaths of divine utterance, and given ear to what hath
been revealed by God, the Omniscient, the All-Informed. God hath, verily,
willed that His Cause should be assisted by the hosts of goodly deeds and a
righteous character. Blessed, then, be the man that apprehendeth
this truth and acteth conformably; and woe betide
those who ignore or deny it!
(From a Tablet-
translated from the Arabic)
2036. We send our
greetings to the friends and exhort them to conduct themselves with rectitude,
trustworthiness, piety, virtue and loving-kindness--with all those qualities,
in fine, that will serve to bring forth man's true station in the world of
being. He Who is the Eternal Truth, exalted be His
glory, hath ever loved faithfulness. Well is it with him who adorneth his temple with its raiment, and is honoured by this greatest of distinctions.
(From a Tablet-
translated from the Persian)
2037. Trustworthiness,
wisdom and honesty are, of a truth, God's beauteous adornments for His
creatures. These fair garments are a befitting vesture for every temple. Happy
are those that comprehend, and well is it with them that acquire such virtues.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian and Arabic)
2038. Cleave ye at all times to the cord of trustworthiness and hold fast
the hem of the garment of truthfulness: thus biddeth
you He Who is the Truthful, the Trusted One. God is my witness, trustworthiness
is a light that shineth refulgently
from the heavens, and leadeth to the exaltation of
the Cause of God, the Omnipotent, the Incomparable, the
All-Praised. Whoso hath remained faithful to the Covenant hath been steadfast
in his adherence to trustworthiness, whilst those who have repudiated it have
erred grievously.
(From a Tablet-
translated from the Arabic)
2039. It behoveth ye all so to adorn your inner and outer beings that,
robed in trustworthiness, girt with righteousness and arrayed in truthfulness
and rectitude, ye may become a means for the exaltation of the Cause and the
education of the human race.
(From a Tablet-
translated from the Persian)
2040. The companions of
God are, in this day, the lump that must leaven the peoples of the world. They
must show forth such trustworthiness, such truthfulness and perseverance, such
deeds and character that all mankind may profit by their example....
(Cited in Shoghi Effendi, "The Advent of Divine Justice",
p. 23)
2041. They who dwell
within the Tabernacle of God, and are established upon the seats of everlasting
glory, will refuse, though they be dying of hunger, to stretch their hands, and
seize unlawfully the property of their neighbour,
however vile and worthless he may be. The purpose of the one true God in
manifesting Himself is to summon all mankind to truthfulness and sincerity, to
piety and trustworthiness, to resignation and submissiveness to the will of
God, to forbearance and kindliness, to uprightness and wisdom. His object is to
array every man with the mantle of a saintly character, and to adorn him with
the ornament of holy and goodly deeds....
(Cited in Shoghi Effendi, "The Advent of Divine Justice",
p. 24)
2042. O My loved ones! We charge you to conduct yourselves with
trustworthiness and rectitude, that through you the attributes of your Lord may
be manifested to His servants and the evidences of His exalted holiness may
appear in every land. He is, verily, the Ordainer,
the Ancient of Days.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Arabic)
2043. I counsel you, O
friends of God, to comport yourselves with the utmost trustworthiness in your
dealings with my servants and people. By its aid shall the Cause of God be
promoted throughout the world and its exalted sanctity become manifest to all creation. B ye the repositories of the trust of all men.
Thus have We commanded them in the Tablets. Thy Lord
is, verily, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Arabic)
2044. O friends of God in
every land! This Wronged One adjureth you by the
Best-Beloved of the world, Who is calling aloud in the
Kingdom of Utterance, that ye deal not faithlessly with the substance of your
fellow men. Be ye the trustees of God in His dominions and the embodiments of
truthfulness throughout His realms. Blessed the man that heedeth
the counsels of God and observeth His precepts.
(From a Tablet-
translated from the Arabic)
2045. We have enjoined
upon all to become engaged in some trade or profession, and have accounted such
occupation to be an act of worship. Before all else, however, thou shouldst receive, as a sign of God's acceptance, the mantle
of trustworthiness from the hands of divine favour;
for trustworthiness is the chief means of attracting confirmation and
prosperity. We entreat God to make of it a radiant and mercifully showering
rain-cloud that shall bring success and blessings to thy affairs. He of a truth
is the All-Bountiful, the Gracious.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian and Arabic)
2046. Commerce is as a
heaven, whose sun is trustworthiness and whose moon is truthfulness. The most
precious of all things in the estimation of Him Who is the Sovereign Truth is
trustworthiness: thus hath it been recorded in the sacred Scroll of God. Entreat
ye the one true God to enable all mankind to attain to
this most noble and lofty station.
(From a Tablet-
translated from the Persian and Arabic)
2047. In connection with
the demands for payment of which thou hast written in thy letter, it is
manifestly clear that anyone who hath the ability to settle his debts, and yet neglecteth to do so, hath not acted in accordance with the
good pleasure of the one true God. Those who incur debts should strive to
settle them with all diligence and application. God's binding commandments with
respect to trustworthiness, uprightness and the honouring
of rights have been recorded in clear and perspicuous language in all the
sacred Books, Tablets, Scriptures and holy Writings. Well is it with him whom
the fleeting vanities of the world have not deprived of a lasting adornment,
and whom avarice and negligence have not shut out from the illumination of the
sun of trustworthiness. These matters, however, depend on the existence of
ability, for the making of a demand is contingent upon ability to meet it. By
the Lord of the Book, the former is not permissible in the absence of the
latter. To this testifieth the Verse: "Respite
thy debtor till he findeth means to pay." [Note:
Qur'an 2:280]
(From a Tablet-
translated from the Arabic)
2048. In most of Our
Tablets We have counselled the servants of God to be trustworthy and righteous,
just and fair-minded. We have commanded them to eschew iniquity and evil and
bidden them practise piety
and the fear of God. The heedless, however, have been led only into
ever-increasing loss. Truly, had God's creatures but conformed their actions to
the will and pleasure of God, exalted be His glory, the whole earth would by
now be seen as a single country, a blessed land of beauty and light.
(From a Tablet-
translated from the Arabic)
2049. Say: desist from
wickedness and transgression, and lay hold on trustworthiness and piety, candour and sincerity. This is the commandment of God, the
Lord of the Judgement Day. He Whom the world hath
wronged speaketh not through the promptings of
worldly desire, but in accordance with what hath been revealed in the Book of
God, the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days. Righteousness
of character is the means whereby the high stations attainable by man in the
world of being may be made evident: to this testify God's honoured
servants, whom the evil whisperings of the people have not deterred from
arising to render service to their Lord, the King of the Mighty Throne.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Arabic)
2050. Be thou of the
people of hell-fire, but be not a hypocrite.
Be thou an unbeliever,
but be not a plotter.
Make thy home in taverns,
but tread not the path of the mischief-maker.
Fear thou God, but not
the priest.
Give to the executioner
thy head, but not thy heart.
Let thine abode be under
the stone, but seek not the shelter of the cleric.
Thus doth the Holy Reed
intone its melodies, and the Nightingale of Paradise warble its song, so that
He may infuse life eternal into the mortal frames of men, impart to the temples
of dust the essence of the Holy Spirit and the heavenly Light, and draw the
transient world, through the potency of a single word, unto the Everlasting
Kingdom.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
Extract from the
Utterances of the Bab
2051. One day the Bab
asked that some honey be purchased for Him. The price at which it had been
bought seemed to Him exorbitant. He refused it and said: "Honey of a
superior quality could no doubt have been purchased at a lower price. I who am
your example have been a merchant by profession. It behoves
you in all your transactions to follow in My way. You
must neither defraud your neighbour nor allow him to
defraud you. Such was the way of your Master. The shrewdest and ablest of men
were unable to deceive Him, nor did He on His part choose to act ungenerously
towards the meanest and most helpless of creatures." He insisted that the
attendant who had made that purchase should return and bring back to Him a
honey superior in quality and cheaper in price.
(Cited in "The
Dawn-Breakers: Nabil's Narrative of the Early Days of the Bahá'í
Revelation", trans. and ed. Shoghi Effendi,
(Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1974), p. 303)
Extracts from the
Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá:
2052. Truthfulness is the
foundation of all human virtues. Without truthfulness progress and success, in
all the worlds of God, are impossible for any soul. When this holy attribute is
established in man, all the divine qualities will also be acquired.
(Cited in Shoghi Effendi,"The Advent
of Divine Justice" p. 26)
2053. O Sadiq! [Note: The name "Sadiq"
means literally "truthful" or "sincere".] Truthfulness,
uprightness and integrity are the attributes of the righteous and the hallmarks
of the pure. Truthfulness is the goodliest of qualities as it comprehendeth all other virtues. A truthful person will be
protected from all moral afflictions, will shrink from every evil deed, and be
preserved from every wicked act, inasmuch as all vices and misdeeds are the
very antithesis of truthfulness, and a truthful man will hold them all in utter
abhorrence.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
2054. O pure soul! Follow
thou in the footsteps of the truthful and tread the way of the righteous, so
that, through truthfulness, thou mayest come to
occupy a Seat of Truth, [Note: Qur'an, 54:55] and, through righteousness, thou mayest attain to abiding honour.
If the sum of all sins were to be weighed in the balance, falsehood would, on
its own, countervail them; nay, its evils would even outweigh them and its
detriment prove greater. It were better for thee that thou shouldst
be a blasphemer and tell the truth than that thou shouldst
mouth the formulas of faith and yet be a liar. These clear words are addressed
as an admonition to the peoples of the world. Render thanks unto God that it is
through thee that this counsel hath been addressed to all mankind.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
2055. O army of God!
Through the protection and help vouchsafed by the Blessed Beauty--may my life
be a sacrifice to His loved ones--ye must conduct yourselves in such a manner
that ye may stand out distinguished and brilliant as the sun among other souls.
Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a centre
of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty
and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of
the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: 'This man is
unquestionably a Bahá'í, for his manners, his behaviour, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and
disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá'ís.'
Not until ye attain this station can ye be said to have been faithful to the
Covenant and Testament of God. For He hath, through irrefutable Texts, entered
into a binding Covenant with us all, requiring us to act in accordance with His
sacred instructions and counsels.
"Selections from the
Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá" [rev. ed.], (Haifa: Bahá'í World Centre, 1982), sec. 35, pp. 70-1)
2056. ...we, and the
friends of God, should on no account slacken our efforts to be loyal, sincere
and men of good will. We should at all times manifest our truthfulness and
sincerity, nay rather, we must be constant in our faithfulness and
trustworthiness, and occupy ourselves in offering prayers for the good of all.
("Selections from
the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, sec. 225, p. 294)
2057. The primary
characteristic of true believers is trustworthiness whereas the primary
characteristic of the rebellious is faithlessness.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
2058. If a man were to
perform every good work, yet fail in the least scruple to be entirely
trustworthy and honest, his good works would become as dry tinder and his
failure as a soul-consuming fire. If, on the other hand, he should fall short
in all his affairs, yet act with trustworthiness and honesty, all his defects
would ultimately be righted, all injuries remedied, and all infirmities healed.
Our meaning is that, in the sight of God, trustworthiness is the bedrock of His
Faith and the foundation of all virtues and perfections. A man deprived of this
quality is destitute of everything. What shall faith and piety avail if
trustworthiness be lacking? Of what consequence can they be?
What benefit or advantage
can they confer? Wherefore 'Abdu'l-Bahá counselleth the friends--nay, rather, fervently imploreth them--so vigilantly to guard the sanctity of the
Cause of God and preserve their own dignity as individuals that all nations
shall come to know and honour them for their
trustworthiness and integrity. They can render no greater service than this
today. To act otherwise would be to take an axe to the root of the Cause of
God--we take refuge with God from this heinous transgression and pray that He
will protect His loved ones from committing so flagrant a wrong.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
2059. You have written on
the question of how the friends should proceed in their business dealings with
one another. This is a question of the greatest importance and a matter that deserveth the liveliest concern. In relations of this kind,
the friends of God should act with the utmost trustworthiness and integrity. To
be remiss in this area would be to turn one's face away from the counsels of
the Blessed Beauty and the holy precepts of God. If a man in his own home doth
not treat his relations and friends with entire trustworthiness and integrity,
his dealings with the outside world--no matter how much trustworthiness and
honesty he may bring to them--will prove barren and unproductive. First one
should order one's own domestic affairs, then attend to one's business with the
public. One should certainly not argue that the friends need not be treated
with undue care, or that it is unnecessary for them to attach too great
importance to the practice of trustworthiness in their dealings with one
another, but that it is in their relations with strangers that correct behaviour is essential. Talk like this is sheer fantasy and
will lead to detriment and loss. Blessed be the soul that shineth
with the light of trustworthiness among the people and becometh
a sign of perfection amidst all men.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
2060. Since the orderly
running of your association dependeth upon the
devotion, integrity, fair-mindedness and sanctity of purpose manifested by the
friends of God, they should show forth in their management of its affairs such
purity, nobility and far-sighted wisdom that they will become a model for other
societies, and all people may be edified and enlightened by their example. In
this way the Bahá'ís will become known to all as
people who are dependable and honest, virtuous and enlightened, pure and
refined; who are industrious and high-principled, liberal-minded and promoters
of freedom; whose concern is to serve the common good, not to advance their own
interests, and whose aim is to further the welfare and prosperity of the
people, not to foster their own well-being.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
2061. Your criterion
should be to pursue your commercial activities with such fairness and equity as
to be a cause of guidance to others. The friends of God should, through the
instrumentality of their business, lead the people to God's path, and make them
so astonished as to exclaim: "How great is their truthfulness, how high
their trustworthiness, and how true is their good
will!"
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
2062. Every business
company should be established on divine principles. Its foundations should be
trustworthiness, piety and truthfulness in order to protect the rights of the
people.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
2063. Commerce, agriculture
and industry should not, in truth, be a bar to service of the one true God.
Indeed, such occupations are most potent instruments and clear proofs for the
manifestation of the evidences of one's piety, of one's trustworthiness and of
the virtues of the All-Merciful Lord.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
2064. Ye who are the
sincere well-wishers of the state, who are the dutiful and compliant subjects
of the government, should occupy yourselves in constant service. Anyone who entereth the employ of the government should show forth in
all his deeds and actions the highest degree of rectitude and honesty, of
temperance and self-discipline, of purity and sanctity, of justice and equity.
If, God forbid, he should be guilty of the least breach of trust, or approach
his duties in a slack or desultory fashion, or extort so much as a farthing
from the populace, or seek to further his own selfish interests and personal
gain--then it is certain that he shall be deprived of the outpourings of God's grace.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
2065. In discharging the
functions of the office to which thou hast been appointed, thy conduct and
actions should attest to the highest standard of trustworthiness and honesty,
to a degree of sincerity that is altogether above suspicion, and to an
integrity that is immune to the promptings of self-interest. Thus shall all
know that the Bahá'ís are the embodiments of probity,
and the very essence of spotless virtue. If they accept office, their motive is
to render service to the whole of humanity, not to seek their own
self-interest; and their object is to vindicate the cause of truth, not to give
themselves over to self-indulgence and base ingratitude.
(From a Tablet-
translated from the Persian)
2066. As for those who
are engaged in government service, they should perform their duties with the
utmost fidelity, trustworthiness, rectitude, uprightness, integrity and
high-mindedness. Let them not tarnish their good repute by pursuing personal
interests, nor, for the sake of transient worldly benefits, make themselves
objects of public odium and outcasts of the Threshold of Grandeur.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
2067. Those persons who
are selected to serve the public, or are appointed to administrative positions,
should perform their duties in a spirit of true servitude and ready compliance.
That is to say, they should be distinguished by their goodly disposition and
virtuous character, content themselves with their allotted remuneration, and
act with trustworthiness in all their doings. They should keep themselves aloof
from unworthy motives, and be far removed above covetous designs; for
rectitude, probity and righteousness are among the most potent means for
attracting the grace of God and securing both the prosperity of the country and
the welfare of the people. Glory and honour for man
are not to be found in fortunes and riches, least of all in those which have
been unlawfully amassed through extortion, embezzlement and corruption practised at the expense of an exploited populace. Supreme honour, nobility and greatness in the human world, and true
felicity in this life and the life to come--all consist in equity and
uprightness, sanctity and detachment. If a man would seek distinction, he
should suffice himself with a frugal provision, seek to better the lot of the
poor of the realm, choose the way of justice and fair-mindedness, and tread the
path of high-spirited service. Such a one, needy though he be, shall win
imperishable riches and attain unto everlasting honour.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
2068. If any of the
friends should enter into the service of the government, they should make their
occupation a means of drawing nearer to the divine Threshold: they should act
with probity and uprightness, rigorously shun all forms of venality and
corruption, and content themselves with the salaries they are receiving, taking
pride, rather, in the degree of sagacity, competence and judgement that they
can bring to their work. If a person content himself with a single loaf of
bread, and perform his duties with as much justice and fair-mindedness as lieth within his power, he will be the prince of mortals,
and the most praiseworthy of men. Noble and distinguished will he be, despite
his empty purse! Pre-eminent will he rank among the free, although his garb be
old and worn! For man, praise and glory reside in virtuous and noble qualities;
honour and distinction in nearness to the divine
Threshold. The world's wealth is, by contrast, the stuff of illusion. [Note:
Cf. Qur'an, 3:185 and 57:20] Those who lust after it are the followers of evil
and, erelong, they shall be plunged into confusion and despair. Which is
better--that a man should be thus, or that he should comport himself with
consecration and sanctity of purpose and stand out conspicuously for his
integrity, uprightness and honesty? Nay, such qualities are better than the
riches of Korah, [Note: Name synonymous with great
wealth, mentioned (in the form 'Qar'un') in the Qur'an,
28:76] and dearer than all the treasures of existence.
('Abdu'l-Bahá,
from a previous untranslated Tablet)
2069. If one of the
friends ... be appointed to a high administrative office, he should strive
diligently to perform the duties committed to his charge with perfect honesty,
integrity, sincerity, rectitude and uprightness. If, however, he abuse his
position through corrupt or mercenary behaviour, he
will be held in detestation at the Threshold of Grandeur and incur the wrath of
the Abha Beauty--nay, he shall be forsaken by the one
true God and all who adore Him. So far from acting thus, he should content
himself with his salary and allowances, seek out the way of righteousness, and
dedicate his life to the service of state and people. Such must be the conduct
and bearing of the Bahá'ís. Whoso transgresseth
these bounds shall fall at length into manifest loss.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
2070. Those souls who are
employed in government departments should approach their duties with entire
detachment, integrity and independence of spirit, and with complete
consecration and sanctity of purpose. Content with the wages they are
receiving, they should see that they do not stain their fair character through
acts of bribery and fraud. Were one of the friends in this day to
misappropriate so much as a single penny, the sacred mantle of God's Cause
would become sullied by his action and the shame of it would attach to the
whole community. Heaven forbid! Nay, rather, the government and people should
come to repose such trust in the Bahá'ís as to wish
to commit all affairs of state throughout the provinces into the chaste, pure
hands of God's well-beloved.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
2071. All government
employees, whether of high or low rank, should, with perfect integrity, probity
and rectitude, content themselves with the modest stipends and allowances that
are theirs. They should keep their hands unsullied and preserve their fair name
from blemish.... If a man deal faithlessly with a just government he shall have
dealt faithlessly with God; and if he render it faithful service he shall have
rendered that service to God.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian.)
2072. Let them perform
their services with complete sanctity and detachment, and on no account defile
themselves by receiving bribes, harbouring unseemly
motives, or engaging in noxious practices. Let them be content with their
wages, and seek distinction in truthfulness, straightforwardness, and the
pursuit of virtue and excellence; for vanity in riches is worthy of none but
the base, and pride in possessions beseemeth only the
foolish. To attain to true glory and honour, man
should exercise justice and equity, forbear to act in an oppressive manner,
render service to his government, and work for the good of his fellow-citizens.
Were he to seek after aught else but this he would indeed be in manifest loss.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
2073. How foolish and
ignorant must a man be, how base his nature, and how vile the clay of which he
is fashioned, if he would defile himself with the contamination of bribery,
corruption and perfidy towards the state! Truly, the vermin of the earth are to
be preferred to such people!
(From a Tablet - translated
from the Persian)
2074. If it should happen
that one of the friends be called upon to serve his country and people in some
capacity, he should apply himself to his work with heart and soul, and
discharge his duties with perfect honesty, trustworthiness and godliness.
(From a Tablet -
translated from the Persian)
Extracts from letters
written by Shoghi Effendi:
2075. These are the days
for rendering the divine Cause victorious and effective aid! The victory of
God's Faith is dependent upon teaching; and teaching is conditional upon
righteous actions and goodly deeds and conduct. The foundation-stone of a life
lived in the way of God is the pursuit of moral excellence and the acquisition
of a character endowed with qualities that are well-pleasing in His sight. The Bahá'ís should adorn themselves with this holy raiment;
with this mighty sword they should conquer the citadels of men's hearts. People
have grown weary and impatient of rhetoric and discourse, of preaching and
sermonizing. In this day, the one thing that can deliver the world from its
travail and attract the hearts of its peoples is deeds, not words; example, not
precept; saintly virtues, not statements and charters issued by governments and
nations on socio-political affairs. In all matters, great or small, word must
be the complement of deed, and deed the companion of word: each must
supplement, support and reinforce the other. It is in this respect that the Bahá'ís must seek distinction over other peoples and
nations, whom the Pen of the Most High has epitomized in the following words:
"Their words are the pride of the world, and their deeds are the shame of
the nations."
(8 December 1923 to a Bahá'í community - translated from the Persian)
2076. The employment that
the Bahá'ís accept, the tasks and duties that they
perform, should be of a kind whose benefits accrue to the nation as a whole and
not such as are a means of profit to a small circle of high officials and a few
select individuals. Further, the beloved friends and members of the Assemblies
should, in the manifold circumstances of their lives and in all their
multifarious dealings and pursuits, by their deeds, their bearing and demeanour, seek to demonstrate to their fellow-countrymen
the excellence of this sacred Cause, to vindicate its truth, and give living
testimony to its potency and the sublimity of its spirit. It is thus that the
friends should proceed, not confining themselves to the delivery of the
message, to explanations, expositions and elucidations. 'Abdu'l-Bahá,
the Chief Interpreter of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh,
has written:
Wherefore it is incumbent
upon all Bahá'ís to ponder this very delicate and
vital matter in their hearts, that, unlike other religions, they may not
content themselves with the noise, the clamour, the
hollowness of religious doctrine. Nay, rather, they should exemplify in every
aspect of their lives those attributes and virtues that are born of God and
should arise to distinguish themselves by their goodly behaviour.
They should justify their claim to be Bahá'ís by
deeds and not by name. He is a true Bahá'í who
strives by day and by night to progress and advance along the path of human endeavour, whose most cherished desire is so to live and
act as to enrich and illuminate the world, whose source of inspiration is the
essence of divine virtue, whose aim in life is so to conduct himself as to be
the cause of infinite progress. Only when he attains unto such perfect gifts
can it be said of him that he is a true Bahá'í. For
in this holy Dispensation, the crowning glory of bygone ages and cycles, true
faith is no mere acknowledgement of the unity of God, but rather the living of
a life that will manifest all the perfections and virtues implied in such
belief. [Note: Translated by Shoghi Effendi and
published in "The Bahá'í World", vol. 2,
"1925-1928" (New York: Bahá'í Publishing
Committee, 1928), p. xvi.]
See how firm and
strongly-worded is this statement of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's,
and how demanding its requirements!
Notwithstanding, it is
only when the Bahá'ís are able fully and befittingly
to distinguish their characters by the adornment of these divine virtues that
they will appear before the eyes of the world in a worthy and appropriate
manner and that the name of Bahá'u'lláh will set the
universe ablaze.
(30 October 1924 to a
Local Spiritual Assembly - translated from the Persian)
2077. Nothing but the
abundance of our actions, nothing but the purity of our lives and the integrity
of our character, can in the last resort establish our claim that the Bahá'í spirit is in this day the sole agency that can
translate a long-cherished ideal into an enduring achievement.
(24 November 1924 to the
National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada, published in
"Bahá'í Administration: Selected Messages 1922-1932"
[rev. ed.], (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust,
1980), p. 68)
2078. This is the day for
excellence of character and conduct. We should all adorn ourselves with these
ornaments of the Kingdom while still in this world of being, so that we may
render fit service to the Threshold of the Most Merciful.
(In the hand writing of Shoghi Effendi, appended to a letter dated 24 November 1924
written on his behalf to an individual believer- translated from the Persian)
2079. The
responsibilities of the members of the Spiritual Assemblies that are engaged in
teaching the Cause of God in Eastern lands have been clearly laid down in the
holy Texts.
These bid them to work
towards the improvement of morals and the spread of learning; to strive to
eradicate ignorance and unenlightenment, eliminate
prejudice, and reinforce the foundation of true faith in people's hearts and
minds; to seek to develop self-reliance and avoidance of blind imitation; to
aim to enhance the efficient management of their affairs, and observe purity
and refinement in all circumstances; to show their commitment to truthfulness
and honesty, and their ability to conduct themselves with frankness, courage
and resolution.
They similarly enjoin
them to lend their support to agricultural and industrial development, to
consolidate the foundations of mutual assistance and co-operation, to promote
the emancipation and advancement of women and support the compulsory education
of both sexes, to encourage application of the principles of consultation among
all classes, and to adhere in all dealings to a standard of scrupulous
integrity. They further impress upon them the virtue of trustworthiness and
godliness, of purity of motive, kindliness of heart, and detachment from the
fetters of this material world. They call upon them so to sanctify themselves
that they will rise above the corrupt and evil influences that exercise so
powerful a sway over the Western world, and charge them to abide by the counsel
of moderation at all times and under all conditions. They urge them to make
detailed inquiry into the various branches of contemporary learning--arts and
sciences alike--and to concentrate their attention on serving the general
interests of the people; to deepen themselves by attentive study of the sacred
Texts, and to apply the divine guidance they contain to the circumstances,
needs and conditions of society today; to refrain from entering into the
tangled affairs of political parties and to have neither concern for, nor
involvement in, the controversies of politicians, the wranglings
of theologians or any of the ailing social theories current amongst men. They
finally exhort them to be sincerely obedient, in both thought and word, to the
laws duly enacted by the government of the realm, and to distance themselves
from the methods, concepts and ill-grounded arguments of extreme
traditionalists and modernists alike; to accord honour,
veneration and respect to-- and endorse the efforts of-- exponents of the arts
and sciences, and to esteem and revere those who are possessed of extensive
knowledge and scholarly erudition; to uphold the right of freedom of
conscience; and to abstain from criticizing and disparaging the manners, customs
and beliefs of other individuals, peoples and nations. These are among the most
pressing requirements for the nations of the East. These are the basic, the
binding, the inescapable responsibilities of the trustees of the Merciful, the
representatives of the Bahá'í communities, the
members of the Spiritual Assemblies.
(30 January 1926 to the
Spiritual Assemblies throughout the East - translated from the Persian)
2080. The people of Bahá, under the jurisdiction of whatsoever state or
government they may be residing, should conduct themselves with honesty and
sincerity, trustworthiness and rectitude. They should concern themselves with
men's hearts, and hold themselves aloof from the fluctuations and limitations
of the contingent world. They are neither thirsty for prominence, nor
acquisitive of power; they are neither adepts at dissimulation and hypocrisy,
nor are they seekers after wealth and influence; they neither crave for the
pomp and circumstance of high office, nor do they lust after the glory of
titles and ranks. They are averse to affectation and ostentation, and shrink
from the use of coercive force; they have closed their eyes to all but God, and
set their hearts on the firm and incontrovertible promises of their Lord; they
have severed the bonds of earthly expectations and attachments, and connected
their lives to the One Peerless Beloved. Oblivious to themselves, they have
occupied their energies in working towards the good of society; and,
steadfastly adhering to the sound and wholesome principles of God's Faith, they
have turned their backs on the morbid imaginings, the incoherent theories, and
pernicious ideas of the victims of caprice and folly. While vigilantly refusing
to accept political posts, they should whole-heartedly welcome the chance to
assume administrative positions; for the primary purpose of the people of Bahá is to advance the interests and promote the welfare of
the nation, not to further the devious ends and designs of the profligate and
shameless. Such is the method of the Bahá'ís; such is
the conduct of all spiritually illumined souls; and aught else is manifest
error.
(February 1927 to the
believers throughout the East - translated from the Persian)
2081. In their homes, ...
in the daily contact of business transactions, ... the community of the
followers of Bahá'u'lláh should satisfy themselves
that in the eyes of the world at large and in the sight of their vigilant
Master they are the living witnesses of those truths which He fondly cherished
and tirelessly championed to the very end of His days....
(12 April 1927 to the
National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada, published in
"Bahá'í Administration: Selected Messages
1922-1932", p. 130)
2082. Let them so shape
their lives and regulate their conduct that no charge of secrecy, of fraud, of
bribery or of intimidation may, however ill-founded, be brought against
them....
(21 March 1932 to the
believers throughout North America, published in "The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh: Selected Letters", rev. ed. (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1982), p. 64)
2083. It [rectitude of
conduct] must be constantly reflected in the business dealings of all its
members, in their domestic lives, in all manner of employment, and in any
service they may, in the future, render their government or people....
(25 December 1938 to the
believers throughout North America, published as "The Advent of Divine
Justice" p. 26)
Extracts from letters
written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi:
(To individual believers
unless otherwise stated)
2084. The permanence and
stability achieved by any association, group or nation is a result of--and
dependent upon--the soundness and worth of the principles upon which it bases
the running of its affairs and the direction of its activities. The guiding
principles of the Bahá'ís are: honesty, love, charity
and trustworthiness; the setting of the common good above private interest; and
the practice of godliness, virtue and moderation. Ultimately, then, their
preservation and happiness are assured. Whatever misfortunes they may
encounter, wrought by the wiles of the schemer and ill-wisher, shall all pass
away like waves, and hardship shall be succeeded by joy. The friends are under
the protection of the resistless power and inscrutable providence of God. There
is no doubt that every blessed soul who brings his life into harmony with this
all-swaying power shall give lustre to his works and
win an ample recompense. The actions of those who choose to set themselves
against it should provoke not antipathy on our part, but prayers for their
guidance. Such was the way of the Bahá'ís in days
gone by, and so must it be, now and for always.
(18 December 1925 to a
National Spiritual Assembly - translated from the Persian)
2085. The Pen of the Most
High has recorded: "Fear of God is the greatest commander that can render
the Cause of God victorious, and the hosts which best befit this commander have
ever been and are an upright character and pure and goodly deeds." [Note:
From the Kitab-i-Ahd, published in "Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitab-i-'Aqdas" rev. ed. (Haifa: Bahá'í
World Center, 1982), p. 222.]
The people of Bahá should, then, lead their lives and conduct their
affairs with the highest degree of sanctity and godliness, and uncompromisingly
repudiate and dissociate themselves from the disreputable practices, the
deplorable modes and customs prevalent among the people of the West. Piety and
devotion should be the object of all who would be accounted lovers of this
Cause, and the adornment of every righteous soul; otherwise, slowly but surely,
the illumination conferred on the innermost reality of men's hearts by the
virtues of the human world will flicker and fade and die away, to be
overwhelmed by the engulfing darkness of vice and depravity. Courtesy and
dignity are what bring nobility and standing to a man; whereas frivolity and
facetiousness, ribaldry and effrontery will lead to his abasement, degradation
and humiliation. The Bahá'ís should, indeed must,
seek to distinguish themselves in all things, for what difference else would
there be between them and others? Any action, therefore, that is calculated to
detract from the dignity of man's station must be steadfastly avoided and
shunned.
(21 January 1928 -
translated from the Persian)
2086. You brought up the
question of showing forth honesty and trustworthiness when engaged in the
service of the state. These are qualities that must distinguish all the
activities of the friends, and the acquisition of which is a religious duty
incumbent on every believer. That some of the leaders whom they serve may be
unappreciative of their efforts, or fail correctly to value their services,
should give no cause for surprise. The reason for such conduct is the
remoteness of such men from the True Source of justice, equity and
fair-mindedness. We should keep our vision centred on
God, not on the doings of His creatures. Every spotless action, every sincere
intent of ours will win the commendation of the True One, will be exalted and
magnified by Him, and requited with a bounteous recompense.
(8 March 1948 -
translated from the Persian)
2087. It is with deep
concern indeed that he has learned of the difficulties you have encountered in
your business, and [he] was particularly grieved to hear of the bitter
competition you are meeting from some Persians in New York, who seem determined
to ruin and force you out of business, despite the fact that you have shown
them kindness, and refused to deal with them harshly. Though the Guardian would
advise that you continue keeping such [a] true Bahá'í
attitude of forbearance, he wishes you at the same time not to give way, and
not to allow any threat on their part to discourage or demoralize you. However
unethical the methods they may employ, it should be your firm conviction that
such malicious devices cannot in the long run succeed, and that the most
effective way of counteracting them is for you to maintain unreservedly the one
true standard of business conduct inculcated in the Teachings.
(31 October 1938)
2088. May I, in closing,
also express his satisfaction at the improvement in Mr....'s business
conditions. He will continue to pray that the high standard of integrity he has
so well maintained in his business transactions may not only serve to draw upon
him the confirmations and blessings of God, but in addition prove an effective
means for the attraction of many souls to the Faith.
(4 November 1940)
2089. As for your comment
that the Faith has a need for selfless, love-intoxicated followers, for people
of outstanding spiritual endowments, for powerful, eloquent speakers and for
men of material resources and talents to vindicate the truth of our beloved
Cause, the Guardian instructed me to write:
"What is needed is
excellence of character and conduct, and compliance with the laws revealed by Bahá'u'lláh--these are the magnets that attract divine
confirmation, and the means of establishing the validity and uniqueness of the
Cause of the All-Glorious."
He further bade me write:
"The removal of
imperfections is a gradual process. Constant advice and admonition are
necessary so that, step by step, the community may make good the various
deficiencies that beset it and run its affairs on a planned and orderly
basis."
(12 January 1946)
2090. The Guardian feels
that your attitude towards the corrupt practice of accepting commissions from
fellow physicians and pharmacists is most admirable. The more upright and noble
the Bahá'ís are in their conduct, the more they will
impress the public with the spiritual vitality of the Faith they believe in.
(20 October 1953)
2091. He feels you should
both consider the competent running of your business not only a moral
obligation to any creditors outstanding, but also the wise and proper thing to
do.
(6 June 1954)