How to “perceive the sweet accents” of the Word of God

O My brother! Sanctify thy heart, illumine thy soul, and sharpen thy sight, that thou mayest perceive the sweet accents of the Birds of Heaven 

- Baha'u'llah  (‘Gems of Divine Mysteries’)

Not to busy oneself with own concerns

Do not busy yourselves in your own concerns; let your thoughts be fixed upon that which will rehabilitate the fortunes of mankind and sanctify the hearts and souls of men. 
- Baha'u'llah  (‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah’)

Need to “sanctify” one’s heart

O Son of Being! Thy heart is My home; sanctify it for My descent.

- Baha’u’llah  (‘The Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah’)

How to treat others

Lay not on any soul a load which ye would not wish to be laid upon you, and desire not for any one the things ye would not desire for yourselves. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)

Cleansing one’s “temple of being”

O Son of Man! The temple of being is My throne; cleanse it of all things, that there I may be established and there I may abide. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘The Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah’)

Preventing sadness enter one’s heart

When your heart is filled with the love of God there will be no room for sorrow. There will only be love and happiness.  

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Words of 'Abdu'l-Baha recorded by Mrs. Crockett; Star of the West, vol. 1, no. 9, August 20, 1910)

“Mental faculties” are “inherent properties of the soul”

…concerning mental faculties, they are in truth of the inherent properties of the soul, even as the radiation of light is the essential property of the sun.  

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Tablet to August Forel’)

To “play nobly our part”

…if we rise to play nobly our part every deficiency in our lives will be more than compensated by the all-conquering spirit of His grace and power.  

- Shoghi Effendi  (Excerpt from a letter dated 3 June 1925 to Bahá'í Convention, ‘Bahá'í Administration’)

The religion of God and His divine law

The religion of God and His divine law are the most potent instruments and the surest of all means for the dawning of the light of unity amongst men. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)

The Báb

I am the Flame of that supernal Light that glowed upon Sinai in the gladsome Spot, and lay concealed in the midst of the Burning Bush. 

- The Báb  (‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb’)

Baha’u’llah

This is the One Whom the heart of the world remembereth, and is promised in the Books of God, the Mighty, the All-Wise. 

- Baha'u'llah  (Tablet to Czar Alexander II, Suriy-i-Haykal [Tablet of Temple]; ‘The Summons of the Lord of Hosts’)

Baha’u’llah

The True One is come! He indeed is the beloved of the worlds! 

- Baha'u'llah  (Tablet to Czar Alexander II, Suriy-i-Haykal [Tablet of Temple]; ‘The Summons of the Lord of Hosts’)

Obligatory Prayers

The Obligatory Prayers are binding inasmuch as they are conducive to humility and submissiveness, to setting one's face towards God and expressing devotion to Him. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet; compilation: ‘The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice; The American Baha’i September 2000)

Forgiveness and mercy

…let your adorning be forgiveness and mercy and that which cheereth the hearts of the well-favoured of God. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas; compilation: ‘Unlocking the Power of Action’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice)

A “consecrated soul”

One consecrated soul is preferable to a thousand other souls. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Selections from the Writings of `Abdu'l-Bahá’; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Consultation)

Love

Love is heaven's kindly light, the Holy Spirit's eternal breath that vivifieth the human soul. 

- 'Abdu'l-Bahá  ('Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá)

Purpose of our creation

The purpose of the creation of man is the attainment of the supreme virtues of humanity through descent of the heavenly bestowals. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha  (From a talk, 'The Promulgation of Universal Peace')

Attributes to show

The companions of God… must show forth such trustworthiness, such truthfulness and perseverance, such deeds and character that all mankind may profit by their example. 

- Baha’u’llah  (Quoted by Shoghi Effendi in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

Turning one's heart to the Manifestation of God

It behoveth every man to blot out the trace of every idle word from the tablet of his heart, and to gaze, with an open and unbiased mind, on the signs of His Revelation, the proofs of His Mission, and the tokens of His glory. 

- Baha'u'llah  (‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah’)

Education and training of children

Among the greatest of all services that can possibly be rendered by man to Almighty God is the education and training of children...

‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’)

Each human being is a “lamp” of God

O Son of Being! Thou art My lamp and My light is in thee. Get thou from it thy radiance and seek none other than Me. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘The Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah’)

One's vision

O Man of Two Visions! Close one eye and open the other. Close one to the world and all that is therein, and open the other to the hallowed beauty of the Beloved.

- Baha'u'llah  (‘The Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah’)

The effect of "pure and goodly deeds"

The betterment of the world can be accomplished through pure and goodly deeds, through commendable and seemly conduct.

- Baha’u’llah  (Quoted by Shoghi Effendi in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

The most glorious fruit of the tree of knowledge

The most glorious fruit of the tree of knowledge is this exalted word: Of one tree are all ye the fruit, and of one bough the leaves. Let not man glory in this that he loveth his country, let him rather glory in this that he loveth his kind. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)

Education of children

He that bringeth up his son or the son of another, it is as though he hath brought up a son of Mine; upon him rest My Glory, My Loving-Kindness, My Mercy, that have compassed the world. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)

Worlds of God

Know thou of a truth that the worlds of God are countless in their number, and infinite in their range. None can reckon or comprehend them except God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. 

- Baha'u'llah  (‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah’)

To become trustworthy and reliable

O ye friends of God! Show ye an endeavor that all the nations and communities of the world, even the enemies, put their trust, assurance and hope in you… 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Tablets of Abdul-Bahá Abbas’, vol. 2; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Excellence in All Things)

To turn away from self

O Son of Man! If thou lovest Me, turn away from thyself; and if thou seekest My pleasure, regard not thine own; that thou mayest die in Me and I may eternally live in thee. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘The Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah’)

Purity of soul

…the soul of man after death… remains in the degree of purity to which it has evolved during life in the physical body… 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a talk, November 3, 1911, Paris; ‘Paris Talks’)

Spirit & Body

Matters related to man’s spirit have a great effect on his bodily condition. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’)

Fellowship, kindliness and unity

It behoveth man to adhere tenaciously unto that which will promote fellowship, kindliness and unity.

- Baha’u’llah  (Lawh-i-Dunya [Tablet of the World]; ‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)

Cleanliness

…although bodily cleanliness is a physical thing, it hath, nevertheless, a powerful influence on the life of the spirit. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’)

Prejudice

Prejudice is the destroyer of human happiness, no matter what form it assumes. 
- 'Abdu'l-Baha  (From a talk, June 9, 1912’ Baptist Temple, Philadelphia; Star of the West, vol. 5, no. 7, July 13, 1914)

Mothers and education of children

O ye loving mothers, know ye that in God’s sight, the best of all ways to worship Him is to educate the children and train them in all the perfections of humankind; and no nobler deed than this can be imagined. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’)

One's words and deeds

Whatever a man’s tongue speaketh, that let him prove by his deeds. If he claimeth to be a believer, then let him act in accordance with the precepts of the Abhá Kingdom. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’)

Enkindled teacher

The teacher, when teaching, must be himself fully enkindled, so that his utterance, like unto a flame of fire, may exert influence and consume the veil of self and passion. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. II, Guidelines for Teaching)

Baha’u’llah

I have come in the shadows of the clouds of glory, and am invested by God with invincible sovereignty. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)

Fortitude

O Son of Man! For everything there is a sign. The sign of love is fortitude under My decree and patience under My trials. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘The Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah’)

Divine Physicians

The Prophets of God should be regarded as physicians whose task is to foster the well-being of the world and its peoples 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)

The “promptings of the self”

Follow not the promptings of the self, for it summoneth insistently to wickedness and lust… 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘The Kitab-i-Aqdas’)

Deeds

 Occupy thyself, during these fleeting days of thy life, with such deeds as will diffuse the fragrance of Divine good pleasure, and will be adorned with the ornament of His acceptance. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Epistle to the Son of the Wolf’)

The “most great healing for the disease of self and passion”

Verily, I say, fasting is the supreme remedy and the most great healing for the disease of self and passion. 

- Baha’u’llah  (Compilation on ‘The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting’, prepared by Research Department of the Universal House of Justice)

The “sun” and “moon” of the “religion of God”

Verily, the religion of God is like unto heaven; fasting is its sun, and obligatory prayer is its moon.

- Baha’u’llah  (Compilation: 'The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting', prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice)

Humbleness

O Son of Man!  Humble thyself before Me, that I may graciously visit thee.

- Baha’u’llah  (‘The Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah’)

A “pure, kindly and radiant heart”

O Son of Spirit! My first counsel is this: Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart, that thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperishable and everlasting. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘The Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah’)

True liberty

Mankind in its entirety must firmly adhere to whatsoever hath been revealed and vouchsafed unto it. Then and only then will it attain unto true liberty. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)

Spiritual civilization

Material civilization is like unto the lamp, while spiritual civilization is the light in that lamp. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a talk on 14 April 1912, Church of the Ascension, New York; ‘The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912’)

Lamp of religion

Should the lamp of religion be obscured, chaos and confusion will ensue, and the lights of fairness and justice, of tranquillity and peace cease to shine. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)

Courtesy

We, verily, have chosen courtesy, and made it the true mark of such as are nigh unto Him. Courtesy is, in truth, a raiment which fitteth all men, whether young or old.  

- Baha'u'llah  (Tablet to Napoleon III, Suriy-i-Haykal [Tablet of Temple]; ‘The Summons of the Lord of Hosts’)

Religion

In truth, religion is a radiant light and an impregnable stronghold for the protection and welfare of the peoples of the world… 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)

Brotherhood

No brotherhood appears in the world as lasting save that of the spiritual type. 

- 'Abdu'l-Bahá  (From a talk, Montreal, Canada, 4 September 1912; Star of the West, vol. 8, no. 11, September 1917)

Truthfulness & Courtesy

Let truthfulness and courtesy be your adorning. 

- Baha’u’llah  (Quoted by Shoghi Effendi in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)