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’)

Nations & Just Governments

It is incumbent upon every man, in this Day, to hold fast unto whatsoever will promote the interests, and exalt the station, of all nations and just governments. 

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

Baha’u’llah’s counsels for the world

…the counsels which the Pen of this wronged One hath revealed constitute the supreme animating power for the advancement of the world and the exaltation of its peoples. 

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

Desiring “nearness of God”

If you desire the nearness of God, you must sever yourself from everything and become purified and sanctified from the dross of this transitory world. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha  (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, from a talk, October 19, Los Angeles, USA, recorded by Mahmud Zarqani; ‘Mahmud’s Diary’)

A Baha’i’s “ambition” in life

They who are the people of God have no ambition except to revive the world, to ennoble its life, and regenerate its peoples. 

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