Chapter 3　 The Mission of Youth

 

Blessings for Young Bahá’í Teachers

1.　　　　　 "Blessed is he who in the prime of his youth and heyday of his life will arise to serve the Cause of the Lord of the beginning and the end, and adorn his heart with his love. The manifestation of such a grace is greater than the creation of the heavens and of the earth.”

(Bahá'u'lláh: Unrestrained as the Wind, x)

 

Capacity of Bahá’í Youth

2. 　　　　 "The endurance of youth under arduous conditions, their vitality and vigour, and their ability to adapt themselves to local situations, to meet new challenges, and to impart their warmth and enthusiasm to those they visit, combined [sic] with the standard of conduct upheld by Bahá'í Youth, make them potent instruments for the execution of the contemplated projects.

"Indeed through these distinctive qualities they can become the spearhead of any enterprise and the driving force of any undertaking in which they participate, whether local or national. Our expectant eyes are fixed on Bahá’í youth.”

(From the Universal House of Justice to National Spiritual Assemblies, 5/25/75: Lights of Guidance, p. 507)

 

Mission of Youth

3.　　　　　 This Cause, although it embraces with equal esteem all ages, has a special message and mission for the youth of your generation. It is their charter for their future, their hope, and their guarantee of better days to come. Therefore, the Guardian is especially happy that the young Bahá’ís are active in the pioneer work.

(Letter on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 6/16/42: Lights of Guidance, p. 507)

 

Exemplar of Bahá’í Life

4. 　　　　 "He feels that the youth, in particular, must constantly and determinedly strive to exemplify a Bahá’í life. In the world around us we see moral decay, promiscuity, indecency, vulgarity, and bad manners. The Bahá’í young people must be the opposite of these things, and by their chastity, their uprightness, their decency, their consideration and good manners, attract others, old and young, to the Faith. The world is tired of words, it wants example, and it is up to the Bahá’í youth to furnish it."

(Letter on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to youth at Green Acre Summer School, 9/19/46: Lights of Guidance, p. 507)

 

Mission of Youth

5. 　　　　 “...From the beginning of the Bahá’í Era, youth have played a vital part in the promulgation of God's Revelation. The Báb Himself was but twenty-five years old when He declared His Mission, while many of the Letters of the Living were even younger. The Master, as a very young man, was called upon to shoulder heavy responsibilities in the service of His Father in Iraq and Turkey; and His brother, he Purest Branch, yielded up his life to God in the Most Great Prison at the age of twenty-two that the servants o God might 'be quickened and all that dwell on earth be united.' Shoghi Effendi was a student at Oxford when called to the throne of his Guardianship and many of the Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, who won imperishable fame during the Ten Year Crusade, were young people. Let it, therefore, never be imagined that youth must await their years of maturity before they can render invaluable services to the Cause of God."

(From the Universal House of Justice to Bahá’í Youth in Every Land 6/10/66: Lights of Guidance, p. 513)

 

Necessity of Bahá’í Scholars

6. 　　　　 "Young men and women in the Faith must be deep and thoughtful scholars of its teachings, so that they can teach in a way that will convince people that all the problems facing them have a remedy. "They must grasp the administration, so that they can wisely and efficiently administer the ever-growing affairs of the Cause; and they must exemplify the Bahá’í way of living…"

(Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 5/12/44: Lights of Guidance, p. 509)

 

Necessity of Bahá’í Scholars

7. 　　　　 "The Cause needs more Bahá’í scholars, people who not only are devoted to it and believe in it and are anxious to tell others about it, but also who have a deep grasp of the Teachings and their significance and who can correlate its beliefs with the current thoughts and problems of the people of the world. The Cause has the remedy for all the world’s ills. The reason why more people don't accept it is because the Bahá’ís are not always capable of presenting it to them in a way that meets the immediate needs of their minds. Young Bahá’ís like yourself must prepare themselves to really bring the Message to their generation who needs it so desperately and who can understand the language it speaks so well. He would advise you among other books to study the Talks of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, as His method of approaching the mind of the public cannot be surpassed...He also advises you to develop yourself as a public speaker so you will be increasingly able to teach the Cause..."

(Letter from Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, l0/21/43: Lights of Guidance, p. 515)

 

Expectation for Youth

8.　　　　　 "It is to the youth the Guardian is today eagerly looking, and it is upon their shoulders that he is laying all the responsibility for the promotion of the Faith. Theirs is the opportunity to arise and serve to their utmost this great Cause of God."

(Letter written on behalf of the Guardian to the Bahá’í Youth of India, 6/6/33: Lights of Guidance, p. 509)

 

Future of Youth

9. 　　　　 "The present condition of the world, its economic instability, social dissensions, political dissatisfaction and international distrust should awaken the Youth from their slumber and make them inquire what the future is going to bring. It is surely they who will suffer most if some calamity sweeps over the world. They should therefore open their eyes to the existing conditions, study the evil forces that are at work and then with a concerted effort arise and bring about the necessary reforms---reforms that shall contain within their scope the spiritual as well as the social and political phase of human life."

(Letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, 3/13/32: Lights of Guidance, p. 508)

 

Teaching Youth

10. 　　　 "Teaching the youth, like teaching this Divine Revelation to anyone else, is a very subtle problem. The people of the world are submerged in an atmosphere, which is the very antithesis, morally, of the Bahá’í atmosphere; we must teach them. If we are too strict in the beginning most---not all---types will be rebuffed and veer away from what they might otherwise be led to accept. On the other hand, we don't want Bahá’ís who do not seriously try to live up to the Teachings. We must therefore use great tact and challenge strong souls and lead weak souls."

(Letter on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 8/7/50: Lights of Guidance, p. 512)

　

Upsurge of Bahá’í Youth

11. 　　　 "The first, the heartwarming upsurge of Bahá’í youth, has changed the face of teaching work; impenetrable barriers have been broken or over passed by eager teams of young Bahá’ís, dedicated and prayerful, presenting the Divine Message in ways acceptable to their own generation from which it has spread and is spreading throughout the social structure. The entire Bahá’í world has been thrilled by this development. Having rejected the values and standards of the old world, Bahá’í Youth are eager to learn and adapt themselves to the standards of Bahá’u’lláh and so to offer the Divine Programme to fill the gap left by the abandonment of the old order.”

(Message from the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the World, Ridvan, 1973: Lights of Guidance, p. 514)

 

Youth Can Move the World!

12.　　　　 “...These expectations reinforce the immediate, vast opportunities begging our attention. To visualize, however imperfectly, the challenges that engage us now, we have only to reflect, in the light of our sacred Writings, upon the confluence of favorable circumstances brought about by the accelerated unfolding of the Divine Plan over nearly five decades, by the untold potencies of the spiritual drama being played out in Iran, and by the creative energy stimulated by awareness of the approaching end of the twentieth century. Undoubtedly, it is within your power to contribute significantly to shaping the societies of the coming century; youth can move the world."

(Message from the Universal House of Just ice to the Bahá’í Youth of the World, l/3/84: Unrestrained as the Wind, p. 183)

 

World Peace

13.　　　　 "A very great responsibility for the future peace and well being of the world is borne by the youth of today. Let the Bahá’í youth by the power of the Cause they espouse be the shining example for their companions."

(From letter from the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, 4/15/65: Lights of Guidance, p. 517)

 

Japan Will Turn Ablaze!

14. 　　　 "What promises He gave us all regarding the future of the Cause in that Land at the close of almost every supplication I read to Him! Let me state, straightway, the most emphatic, the most inspiring of them all. These are His very words, that still keep ringing in my ears:---'Japan will turn ablaze! Japan is endowed with a most remarkable capacity for the spread of the Cause of God! Japan, with (another country whose name He stated but bade us conceal it for the present) will take the lead in the spiritual reawakening of the peoples and nations that the world shall soon witness!' On another occasion,---how vividly I recall it!---as He reclined on His chair, with eyes closed and with bodily fatigue, He waved His hand and uttered vigorously and cheerfully these words in the presence of His friends:---'Here we are seated calm, quiet and inactive, but the Hand of the Unseen is ever active and triumphant in lands, even as distant as Japan. '"

(From letter from Shoghi Effendi to the Bahá’ís in Japan, 1/26/22: Japan Will Turn Ablaze!, p. 58)

 

Educational and Career Plans

15. 　　　 Bahá’í youth should be encouraged to think of their studies and of their training for a trade or profession as part of their service to the Cause of God and in the context of a life-time that will be devoted to advancing the interests of the Faith.

"At the same time, during their years of study, youth are often able to offer specific periods of weeks or months, or even of a year or more, during which they can devote themselves to travel teaching or to serving the Bahá’í community in other ways, such as conducting children’s classes in remote villages. They should be encouraged to offer such service, which will in itself be admirable experience for the future and the National Assembly should instruct an appropriate committee to receive such offers and to organize their implementation so as to derive the greatest possible advantage from them."

(From the Universal House of Justice to all National Spiritual Assemblies, Naw-Ruz, 1974: Lights of Guidance, pp. 512-513)

 

Indispensability of Prayer

16.　　　　 “How to attain spirituality is indeed a question to which every young man and woman must sooner or later try to find a satisfactory answer. It is precisely because no such satisfactory answer has been given or found, that the modern youth finds itself bewildered, and is being consequently carried away by the materialistic forces that are so powerfully undermining the foundations of man’s moral and spiritual life...It is this condition so sadly morbid, into which society has fallen, that religion seeks to improve and transform.

"For the core of religious faith is that mystic feeling which unites man with God. This state of spiritual communion can be brought about and maintained by means of meditation and prayer. And this is the reason why Bahá’u’lláh has so much stressed the importance of worship.

"It is not sufficient for a believer merely to accept and observe the teachings. He should, in addition, cultivate the sense of spirituality which he can acquire chiefly by means of prayer...”

“The believers, particularly the young ones, should therefore fully realize the necessity of praying. For prayer is absolutely indispensable to their inner spiritual development, and this, as already stated, is the very foundation and purpose of the religion of God."

(Letter from the Guardian to an Individual believer, 12/8/35: Lights of Guidance, p. 510)

 

Future Responsibility of Youth

17.　　　　 "You who are at present in your teens, or twenties, must realize that tomorrow, to a large extent, the burden of the Cause will rest on your shoulders; you will have to be the administrators teachers and teachers and scholars of the Faith. Now is the time to prepare yourselves for your future duties.

"He hopes you will study the teachings deeply, their spiritual, moral, and administrative precepts, and at the same time take as active a part as possible in the life of your respective Bahá’í communities."

(Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi: Lights of Guidance, p. 511)

　

Requisites for Spiritual Growth

18. "Bahá’u’lláh has stated quite clearly in His Writings the essential requisites for our spiritual growth, and these are stressed again and again by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in His talks and Tablets. One can summarize them briefly in this way:

1.        The recital each day of one of the Obligatory Prayers with pure-hearted devotion.

2.        The regular reading of the, Sacred Scriptures, specifically at least each morning and evening, with reverence, attention and thought.

3.        Prayerful meditation on the teachings, so that we may understand them more deeply, fulfill them more faithfully, and convey them more accurately to others.

4.        Striving every day to bring our behavior more into accordance with the high standards that are set forth in the teachings.

5.        Teaching the Cause of God.

6. Selfless service in the work of the Cause and in the carrying on of our trade or profession.

“...It is striking how private and personal the most fundamental spiritual exercises of prayer and meditation are in the Faith. Bahá’ís do, of course, have meetings for devotions, as in the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar or at Nineteen Day Feasts, but the daily obligatory prayers are ordained to be said in the privacy of one's chamber, and meditation on the Teachings is, likewise, a private individual activity, not a form of group therapy..."

(Letter from the Universal House of Justice to an European National Spiritual Assembly: Irish Bahá’í News, “New Day”, No. 41, Nov/Dec, 1983)

 

Arise, Bahá’í Youth!

19. "We sincerely hope that the forefront of pioneers, the Bahá’í youth will arise for the sake of God and, through their driving force, their ability to endure inhospitable and arduous conditions and their contentment with the bare necessities of life, they will offer an inspiring example to the peoples and communities they set out to serve, will exert an abiding influence on their personal lives, and will promote with distinction the vital interests of God’s Cause at this crucial stage in the fortunes of the Plan."

(Letter from the Universal House of Justice, 3/25/75: Lights of Guidance, p. 514)

 

Responsibilities of Youth

20. 　　　 "The activities, hopes and ideals of the Bahá’í Youth in America, as well as in all other parts of the world are close and dear to my heart. Upon them rests the supreme and challenging responsibility to promote the interests of the Cause of God in the days to come, to co-ordinate its worldwide activities, to extend its scope, to safeguard its integrity, to exalt its virtues, define its purpose, and translate its ideals and aims into memorable and abiding achievements. Theirs is a mighty task, at once holy, stupendous and enthralling. May the spirit of Bahá’u’lláh protect, inspire and sustain them in the prosecution of their divinely-appointed task!"

(Shoghi Effendi, postscript to letter dated 10/26/32 to an individual believer: Unrestrained as the Wind, p. 83)

 

Duty of Youth

21.　　　　 "It is on young and active Bahá’ís like you, that the Guardian centers all his hopes for the future progress and expansion of the Cause, and it is on their shoulders that he lays the responsibility for the upkeep of the spirit of selfless service among their fellow-believers. Without that spirit no work can be successfully achieved. With it triumph, though hardly won is but inevitable. You should therefore try all your best to carry aflame within you the torch of faith, for through it you will surely find guidance, strength and eventual success.

"...every one of them is able, In his own measure, to deliver the Message...Everyone is a potential teacher. He has only to use what God has given him and thus prove that he is faithful to his trust."

(Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 9/1/33: Unrestrained as the Wind, p. 83)

 

22.　　　　 "This generation of Bahá’í youth enjoys a unique distinction. You will live your lives in a period when the forces of history are moving to a climax when mankind will see the establishment of the Lesser Peace, and during which the Cause of God will play an increasingly prominent role in the reconstruction of human society. It is you who will be called upon in the years to come to stand at the helm of the Cause in the face of conditions and developments, which can, as yet, scarcely be imagined...

“...Now is an opportunity to awaken the interest, set afire the hearts and enlist the active support of young people of every nation, class and creed in that continent. The key to success in this endeavor is, firstly, to deepen your understanding of the Teachings of the Cause so that you will be able to apply them to the problems of individuals and society, and explain them to your peers in ways that they will understand and welcome; secondly, to strive to model your behavior in every way after the high standards of honesty, trustworthiness, courage, loyalty, forbearance, purity and spirituality set forth in the Teachings; and, above all, to live in continual awareness of the presence and all-conquering power of Bahá’u’lláh, which will enable you to overcome every temptation and surmount every obstacle."

(The Universal House of Justice, letter dated 7/4/83 to European Youth Conference, Innsbruck, Australia: Unrestrained as the Wind, p. 85)

 

The Need of Modern Youth

23. 　　　 "...He quite agrees...that the dangers facing the modern youth are becoming increasingly grave, and call for immediate solution. But as experience clearly shows, the remedy to this truly sad and perplexing situation is not to be found in traditional and ecclesiastical religion. The dogmatism of the church has been discarded once for all. What can control youth and save it from the pitfalls of the crass materialism of the age is the power of a genuine, constructive and living Faith such as the one revealed to the world by Bahá’u’lláh. Religion, as in the past is still the world’s sole hope, but not that form of religion, which our ecclesiastical leaders strive vainly to preach. Divorced from true religion, morals lose their effectiveness and cease to guide and control man’s individual and social life. But when true religion is combined with true ethics, then moral progress becomes a possibility and not a mere ideal.

"The need of our modern youth is for such a type of ethics founded on pure religious faith. Not until these two are rightly combined and brought into full action can there be any hope for the future of the race."

(Letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, 4/17/26: Lights of Guidance, pp. 511-512)

 

Necessity of Bahá’í Scholars

24. 　　　 "If the Bahá’ís want to be really effective in teaching the Cause they nee to be much better informed and able to discuss intelligently, intellectually, the present condition of the world and its problems. We need Bahá’í scholars, not only people far, far more deeply aware of what our teachings really are, but also well read and well educated people, capable of correlating our teachings to the current thoughts of the leaders of society.

"We Bahá’ís should, in other words arm our minds with knowledge in order to better demonstrate to, especially, the educated classes, the truths enshrined in our Faith."

(Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 7/5/49: Importance of Deepening, p. 49)

 

Bahá’í Scholarship

25. 　　　 "The Universal House of Justice regards Bahá’í scholarship as of great potential importance for the development and consolidation of the Bahá’í community as it emerges from obscurity."

(Letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, 1/3/79: Unrestrained as the Wind, p. 59)

 

Preservation and Transmission of Skills and Technology

26.　　　　 "Moreover, while aiming at mastering the unifying concepts and swiftly advancing technologies of this era of communications, they can, indeed they must also guarantee the transmittal to the future of those skills which will preserve the marvelous, indispensable achievements of the past. The transformation which is to occur in the functioning of society will certainly depend to a great extent on the effectiveness of the preparations the youth make for the world they inherit."

(From the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’í Youth of the World, 5/8/85: Unrestrained as the Wind, pp 187-188)

 

The obligation to Teach

27. "The obligation to teach is essentially the responsibility of young believers. Their training should therefore be directed in such a way as to make them competent teachers. It is for this very purpose that Bahá’í summer schools, which constitute the very basis upon which the Bahá’í universities of the future will be established, should be widely attended by young believers.”

(Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 5/15/36: Unrestrained as the Wind, pp. 83-84)

 

Education and Pioneering

28. "Shall I continue my education, or should I pioneer now? Undoubtedly this same question is in the mind of every young Bahá’í wishing to dedicate his life to the advancement of the Faith. There is no stock answer, which applies to all situations; the beloved Guardian gave different answers to different individuals on this question. Obviously circumstances vary with each individual case. Each individual must decide how he can best serve the Cause. In making this decision it will be helpful to weigh the following factors:

 

Upon becoming a Bahá’í one’s whole life is, or should become devoted to the progress of the Cause of God, and every talent or faculty he possesses is ultimately committed to this overriding life objective. Within this framework he must consider among other things, whether by continuing his education now he can be a more effective pioneer later, or alternatively whether urgent need for pioneers, while possibilities for teaching are open outweighs an anticipated increase in effectiveness. This is not an easy decision, since oftentimes the spirit, which prompts the pioneering offer, is more important than one's academic attainments.

 

One's liability for military service may be a factor in timing the offer of pioneer service.

 

One may have outstanding obligations to others, including those who may be dependent on him for support.

 

It may be possible to combine a pioneer project with a continuing educational program. Consideration may also be given to the possibility that a pioneering experience, even though it interrupts the formal educational program, may prove beneficial in the long run in that studies would later be resumed with a more mature look.

 

The urgency of a particular goal which one is especially qualified to fill and for which there are no other offers.

 

The fact that the need for pioneers will undoubtedly be with us for many generations to come, and that therefore there will be many calls in future for pioneering service.

 

The principle of consultation also applies. One may have the obligation to consult others, such as one’s parents, one’s Local and National Assemblies, and the pioneering committees.

 

Finally, bearing in mind the principle of sacrificial service and the unfailing promises Bahá’u’lláh ordained for those who arise to serve His Cause, one should pray and meditate on what his course of action will be. Indeed, it often happens that the answer will be found in no other way.

 

We assure the youth that we are mindful of the many important decisions they must make as they tread the path of service to Bahá’u’lláh. We will offer our ardent supplications at the Holy Threshold that all will be divinely guided and that they will attract the blessings of the All-Merciful."

(From the Universal House of Justice to Bahá’í Youth in Every Land, l0/9/68: Unrestrained as the Wind, pp. 106-l07)