The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting

8/12/2019 The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting

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The Importance of

Obligatory Prayerand Fasting

Selection of Extracts and Prayers fromthe Bah ritings

!ompiled by the "esearch #epartment of the$ni%ersal &o'se of ('stice


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The Importance ofObligatory Prayer and Fasting

Selection of Extracts and Prayers fromthe Bah ritings

!ompiled by the "esearch #epartment of the$ni%ersal &o'se of ('stice

The $ni%ersal &o'se of ('stice) in re%ie*ing thef'rther applicability of the la*s of Bah'llh in theco'rse of the past fo'r years) determined that it is

imperati%e for all Bahs +to deepen theira*areness of the blessings conferred by the la*s*hich directly foster the de%otional life of theindi%id'al and) th's) of the comm'nity,- .mongthese la*s are obligatory prayer and fasting *hichha%e been characteri/ed by the Blessed Bea'ty as+t*o *ings to mans life,-

This present selection of ne*ly a'thori/edtranslations has been dra*n from the %ast ocean ofthe original ritings of Bah'llh and 0.bd'l1Bah, It is intended to f'rther enhance the belie%ersinsight into the far1reaching significance of these t*ogreat la*s,

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I.e) %erily) ha%e set forth all things in O'r Boooined on them the Fast that thosepossessed of means may become apprised of the*oes and s'fferings of the destit'te,

III.One *ho performeth neither good deeds nor acts

of *orship is li


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to barter s'ch an act or any praise of 6od for all that

existeth in the *orld, Fasting and obligatory prayerare as t*o *ings to mans life, Blessed be the one*ho soareth *ith their aid in the hea%en of the lo%eof 6od) the 8ord of all *orlds,

IV. !ling firmly to obligatory prayer and fasting,?erily) the religion of 6od is li


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setteth abla/e the hearts and capti%ateth the so'ls and

minds of men,VIII. !oncerning obligatory prayer) it hath beenre%ealed in s'ch *ise that *hosoe%er reciteth it) e%enone time) *ith a detached heart) *ill find himself*holly se%ered from the *orld,

IX.O 2y brother &o* great) ho* %ery great) canthe la* of obligatory prayer be) *hen) thro'gh &ismercy and lo%ing 'stice to himself if he *ere to abandon thisladder of ascent and attach himself to earthlytreas'res, It is o'r hope that *e may be assisted to


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perform p're and acceptable deeds, e beseech 6od)

exalted and glorified be &e) to confirm 's in that*hich &e desireth and pleaseth and in that *hich *illdra* 's nigh 'nto &im, ?erily) &e is the .lmighty)the .ll1Po*erf'l) &e ho is *ont to ans*er theprayers of all men,

XI. Of the ne* Obligatory Prayers that *ere laterre%ealed) the long Obligatory Prayer sho'ld be said atthose times *hen one feeleth himself in a prayerf'lmood, In tr'th) it hath been re%ealed in s'ch *ise thatif it be recited to a roc


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yo'rsel%es from s'nrise to s'nset, Th's doth the

Belo%ed of manoy and radiance) ariseth toperform *orthy deeds, ?erily) &e g'ideth*homsoe%er &e *illeth to the straight path,

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XVI.

E%en tho'gh o't*ardly the Fast is diffic'lt andtoilsome) yet in*ardly it is bo'nty and tranH'illity,P'rification and training are conditioned anddependent only on s'ch rigoro's exercises as are inaccord *ith the Boo< of 6od and sanctioned by#i%ine la*) not those *hich the del'ded ha%einflicted 'pon the people, hatsoe%er 6od hathre%ealed is belo%ed of the so'l, e beseech &im that&e may gracio'sly assist 's to do that *hich ispleasing and acceptable 'nto &im,

XVII.?erily) I say) fasting is the s'preme remedyand the most great healing for the disease of self andpassion,

XVIII..ll praise be to the one tr'e 6od ho hathassisted &is lo%ed ones to obser%e the Fast and hathaided them to f'lfill that *hich hath been decreed inthe Boo


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XX.

In clear cases of *ea'ry thela* of the Fast is not binding, This in>'nction is inconformity *ith the precepts of 6od) eternal in thepast) eternal in the f't're, ell is it *ith them *hoact accordingly,

XXI.The la* of the Fast is ordained for those *hoare so'nd and healthy@ as to those *ho are ill ordebilitated) this la* hath ne%er been nor is no*applicable,

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I.Obligatory prayer and fasting are among the most

great ordinances of this holy #ispensation,II. In the realm of *orship) fasting and obligatoryprayer constit'te the t*o mightiest pillars of 6odsholy 8a*, 5eglecting them is in no *ise permitted)and falling short in their performance is of a certaintynot acceptable, In the Tablet of ?isitation &e saith= +Ibeseech 6od) by Thee and by them *hose faces ha%ebeen ill'mined *ith the splendors of the light of Thyco'ntenance) and *ho) for lo%e of Thee) ha%eobser%ed all *here'nto they *ere bidden,-C3D &edeclareth that obser%ance of the commands of 6odderi%eth from lo%e for the bea'ty of the Best1Belo%ed, The see


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III.The la*s of 6od regarding fasting and obligatory

prayer are absol'tely inc'mbent 'pon &is ser%ants,Therefore) they m'st t'rn their faces to the Point of.doration of the celestial !onco'rse) hold fast to themost s'blime Station) and pray and s'pplicate thatthey may be freed from the do'bts ofmisinterpretation, This is the *ay of 0.bd'l1Bah,This is the religion of 0.bd'l1Bah, This is the pathof 0.bd'l1Bah, hoe%er cherisheth the lo%e ofBah) let him choose this straight path, hoe%erabandoneth this path) %erily) he is of them *ho aresh't o't as by a %eil from &im, Sho'ldst tho' obser%eany so'l *ho is in do'bt abo't this commandment or*ho misinterpreteth it) b't hath no secret moti%e ordefiance in *hat he doeth) be friendly to*ards him)and *ith the 'tmost cordiality and thro'gh


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prayer and fasting) and spend yo'r time in diff'sing

the s*eet sa%ors of 6od and in spreading the #i%ine%erses, Tear as'nder the %eils) remo%e the obstacles)proffer the life1gi%ing *aters) and point o't the pathof sal%ation, This is *hat 0.bd'l1Bah admonishethyo' e%ery morn and e%e,

VI.O tho' da'ghter of the Aingdom The ObligatoryPrayers are binding inasm'ch as they are cond'ci%eto h'mility and s'bmissi%eness) to setting ones faceto*ards 6od and expressing de%otion to &im,Thro'gh s'ch prayer man holdeth comm'nion *ith6od) see


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blessing and immerse himself in the ocean of

comm'nion) entreaty and s'pplication, 2oreo%er)obligatory prayer and fasting prod'ce a*areness anda*a


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0.bd'l1Bah, .ccordingly) let e%ery a*a


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threshold, There is a pleas're in offering prayers that

transcendeth all other pleas'res) and there is as*eetness in chanting and singing the %erses of 6od*hich is the greatest desire of all the belie%ers) menand *omen alioy is earthly sa%e this one) thes*eetness of *hich is di%ine,

XIV.Obligatory prayer is the %ery fo'ndation of the!a'se of 6od, Thro'gh it >oy and %itality inf'se theheart, E%en if e%ery grief sho'ld s'rro'nd 2e) assoon as I engage in con%ersing *ith 6od in

obligatory prayer) all 2y sorro*s disappear and Iattain >oy and gladness, . condition descendeth 'pon2e *hich I am 'nable to describe or express,hene%er) *ith f'll a*areness and h'mility) *e'nderta


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thine a*areness may increase) and) thro'gh the

po*er of the


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XXI.

.s to the Obligatory Prayer) it hath a Liblihthat is fixed) specified) holy and blessed, I as< 6odthat &e may open the gate of the


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I.This is) O my 6od) the first of the days on *hich

Tho' hast bidden Thy lo%ed ones to obser%e the Fast,I as< of Thee by Thy Self and by him *ho hath fastedo't of lo%e for Thee and for Thy good1pleas'reMandnot o't of self and desire) nor o't of fear of Thy*rathMand by Thy most excellent names and a'g'stattrib'tes) to p'rify Thy ser%ants from the lo%e ofa'ght except Thee and to dra* them nigh 'nto the#a*ning1Place of the lights of Thy co'ntenance andthe Seat of the throne of Thy oneness, Ill'mine theirhearts) O my 6od) *ith the light of Thy


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II.

In the 5ame of &im ho hath been promised inthe Boo


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IV.O my 6od and my 2aster Tho' seest me among

Thy creat'res *ho ha%e rebelled and transgressedagainst Thee, E%ery time I in%ite them 'nto the oceanof Thy ection of the #a*ning1Placeof Thy ill *axeth greater, I beg of Thee) O my6od) by those *ho ha%e fasted for lo%e of Thee andha%e H'affed the li%ing *aters of s'bmission fromthe hands of Thy bo'nty) to ordain for Thy lo%edones) *ho 'nder the bla/e of the orb of Thy trialsha%e cl'ng to the cord of patience) all the good Tho'hast rec


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omnipotence, .ssist) then) those *ho tr'ly belie%e in

Thee *ith the hosts of the seen and the 'nseen byThy command and Thy so%ereignty, 5o 6od is thereb't Thee) the .lmighty) the 2ost Po*erf'l,

VI. Exalted art Tho') O 8ord my 6od I beseechThee by those *hom Tho' hast bidden to obser%e theFast for the saesty of Thy glory) thate%ery one of them *ill faithf'lly obser%e it) *illabstain from *hatsoe%er *ill %iolate Thy la*) and*ill contin'e to do so 'ntil they yield 'p their so'ls'nto TheeCD) for they ha%e tasted the s*eetness ofThy call) and become inebriated *ith Thyremembrance and praise and *ith the *ords

proceeding from the lips of Thy command,

I beseech Thee) O 8ord) by Thyself) the Exalted)the 2ost &igh) and by Thy 8atter 2anifestationthro'gh hom the


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themsel%es from t'rning to*ard a'ght besides Thee)

to incl'de 's among them and to *rite do*n o'rnames on the Tablet *hereon Tho' hast inscribedtheir names, O 6od) thro'gh the *onders of Thymight and the toect ofthe desire of them that see< Thee) to ca'se 's to soar

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in the atmosphere of Thy nearness and the hea%en of

Thy presence) and to accept from 's *hat *e ha%eperformed in the path*ay of Thy lo%e and good1pleas're, rite do*n o'r names) then) among those*ho ha%e ac


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Thee) no shelter sa%e beneath the shado* of Thy

mercy) and no ref'ge b't before Thy gate) *hichTho' hast opened 'nto all *ho d*ell in Thy hea%enand on Thine earthN 5ay) by Thy glory I am he*hose confidence in Thy lo%ing


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dispensed *ith Thee) *axed pro'd before Thee)

t'rned a*ay from Thy presence) and disbelie%ed inThy signs, S'ffer me) then) O my 6od and myBelo%ed) to be n'mbered *ith those *hom thebree/es of Thy *ill mo%e as they list) not *ith those*hom the *ind of self and passion stirreth anddirecteth as it pleaseth, 5o 6od is there b't Thee) the.lmighty) the Exalted) the 2ost Bo'ntif'l,

.ll glory be to Thee) O my 6od) for Tho' hastgracio'sly enabled me to fast d'ring this month*hich Tho' hast related to Thy 5ame) the 2ostExalted) and called 0.la C8oftinessD, Tho' hastcommanded that Thy ser%ants and Thy people sho'ldfast therein and see< thereby to dra* nearer 'ntoThee, The days and months of the year ha%e

c'lminated *ith the Fast) e%en as the first monthbegan *ith Thy 5ame) Baha) that all might testifythat Tho' art the First and the 8ast) the 2anifest andthe &idden) and be *ell ass'red that the glory of allnames is conferred only thro'gh the glory of Thy!a'se and the *ord expo'nded by Thy *ill andre%ealed thro'gh Thy p'rpose, Tho' hast ordained

that this month be a remembrance and honor fromThee) and a sign of Thy presence amongst them) thatthey may not forget Thy grande'r and Thy ma>esty)Thy so%ereignty and Thy glory) and may be *ellass'red that from time immemorial Tho' hast e%erbeen and *ilt e%er be "'ler o%er the entire creation,5othing created in the hea%ens or on the earth can

hinder Thee in Thy go%ernance) nor can anyone inthe realms of "e%elation and creation pre%ent Theefrom f'lfilling Thy p'rpose,

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I implore Thee) O my 6od) by Thy name *hereby allthe


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.las) alas) O my Belo%ed) for mine inability to

befittingly praise Thee and for my shortcomingsd'ring Thy days If I acclaim Thee) O my 6od) as&im ho


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thro'gh Thy lo%ing pro%idence and inspire me *ith

that *hich shall gi%e peace to my heart d'ring Thydays and tranH'illity to my so'l thro'gh there%elations of Thy sacred presence, .ll created thingsha%e been ill'mined *ith the splendors of the lightsof Thy co'ntenance) O 8ord) and the d*ellers ofearth and hea%en are shining resplendently onacco'nt of the manifestations of Thine incomparablema>esty) in s'ch *ise that I behold nothing *itho'tfirst beholding *ithin it the re%elation of Thyself) are%elation *hich is hidden from the sight of thoseamong Thy ser%ants *ho lie fast asleep,

#epri%e me not) O my 8ord) of Thy grace *hichhath encompassed all the realms of existence)*hether %isible or in%isible, ilt Tho' stay far

remo%ed) O my 6od) after Tho' hast in%ited allman


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generosity) I tremble before the manifestations of

Thy >'stice and the signs of Thy *rath, I recogni/ethat Tho' art


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#a*ning1Place of Thy #i%inityM&e ho is the

Primal Point) the 2ost Exalted !o'ntenance) the.ncient "oot) and the L'ic


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there sa%e Thee) the .lmighty) the .ll16lorio's)

hose help is implored by all men,I beseech Thee) O 8ord) by &im and by them) and

by &im hom Tho' hast established on the throne ofThy Faith and ca'sed to o%ershado* all the d*ellersof earth and hea%en) to p'rify 's from o'rtransgressions) to ordain for 's a seat of tr'th in Thypresence and to ca'se 's to associate *ith those*hom the ad%ersities of the *orld and its misfort'nesha%e not hindered from t'rning to*ard Thee, Tho'art) %erily) the .ll1Po*erf'l) the 2ost Exalted) theProtector) the E%er1Forgi%ing) the 2ost 2ercif'l,

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5OTES

C9D . tradition attrib'ted to the Imam 0.li

C3D +I beseech 6od ,,, *ere bidden)- translated byShoghi Effendi@ see Prayers and 2editations byBah'llh) !8

CD Ibid,

CD + 0Obser%e) for 2y Bea'tys sa


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Documents

The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting