# Baha'i Prayers for Good Governance

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> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Christopher Buck, Baha'i Prayers for Good Governance, bahai-library.com.
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> 
> Bahá’í Prayers for Good Governance
> Christopher Buck
> 
> Precis
> Bahá’u’lláh, in his last will and testament, encouraged, if not obliged, Bahá’ís to
> pray for their respective rulers and governments, which is effectively the same as
> praying for good governance, peace, and prosperity. This essay presents a newly
> authorized translation of a Bahá’í prayer, “A Prayer for the confirmation of the
> American Government”—along with a provisional translation of a prayer of ‘Abdu’l-
> Bahá for the Ottoman State and Caliphate. Bahá’í prayers for good governance are
> analyzed and discussed in comparative perspective with Jewish, Catholic, and Islamic
> prayers for good governance in the American context, introduced as phenomenological
> parallels. Bahá’u’lláh’s injunction to pray for one’s rulers is a precept that ‘Abdu’l-
> Bahá put into practice—to good practical effect. Moreover, he revealed several prayers
> for good governance for use by the Bahá’ís themselves, to offer, wherever they may
> reside, on behalf of their governments. Several such prayers are presented, with com-
> ments as to their respective historical contexts and purpose.
> 
> •
> 
> Introduction
> 
> B    ahá’í prayers for the good of governments—especially by way of good
> governance—are part of a longstanding practice in the history of reli-
> gions. Prayers for good governance are common to most, if not all, world
> religions. Religious leaders, often on public ceremonial occasions, as well
> as many adherents themselves, offer prayers to bless their respective gov-
> ernments. Although there is no quid pro quo—that is, no transactional
> expectations of government assistance for religious support for the
> 
> jour na l of ecumenica l studies
> vol . 56, no. 4 (fa ll 2021) © 2021
> 
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> Buck • Bahá’í Prayers for Good Governance             563
> 
> government of a given state—the pious hope, if not pragmatic expecta-
> tion, is that governments will be divinely blessed if they exercise good
> governance for the commonweal and benefit of all. Bahá’í prayers for
> governments—and for good governance—are among the latest exemplars
> of such prayers, which are surveyed and analyzed here.
> From a phenomenological perspective, such practice, in a new religious
> tradition, is part and parcel of a venerable tradition. Before examining such
> Bahá’í prayers, I offer a few observations about prayer in general by way of
> prolegomena. Prayers may be read, chanted, or put to music in worship,
> both privately in personal devotions and publicly in congregational or
> informal gatherings. Prayers may be piously perfunctory, or they may be
> incentivizing. That is, prayers may be invoked prior to personal and social
> actions carried out by petitioners who, by undertaking post-supplicatory
> actions with prayer-inspired resolve, in a sense, “complete” the prayers they
> offer. Such a petition/action scenario arises from the perspective that
> prayer is more than pious worship and hopeful supplication. Supplication
> implicates application. Put another way, invocation invites implementa-
> tion. In other words, prayers not only may be prayed, but acted upon as
> well. Offering up a prayer is not the end of it if that prayer may be followed
> up as part of its fulfillment. In this sense, prayer may be a call to action,
> although this may not be a popular conception of prayer. In the petition/
> action scenario, prayer is seen as a resource for spiritual resolve and voli-
> tional empowerment. Or, prayers can simply remain inert, without effect,
> other than for pious or perfunctory purposes.
> Thus, prayers have various functions. Prayers for good governance,
> superficially at least, are typically recited in the spirit of a “blessing” and an
> expression of goodwill toward the government, both invoking wisdom
> imparted by divine guidance in the actions and undertakings of govern-
> ment officials and in the formulation of sound public policy. Prayers for
> good governance often express sacred ideals and values, which function as
> human virtues and acts of good citizenship, thereby reinforcing these
> beliefs in the process of praying itself. Praying for the welfare of one’s coun-
> try presupposes that the petitioner also acts accordingly. Ideally, to ask is
> also to act. Thus, such prayers may renew and reinvigorate individual and
> social orientations and outlooks. Whether such prayers can make any dif-
> ference at all, or otherwise be put to good effect, is an important question,
> which depends on time and circumstance.
> 
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> 
> In American Judaism, for instance, there is a longstanding tradition in
> Jewish liturgy of offering benevolent prayers for the welfare of the Ameri-
> can government.1 This venerable practice dates back to King Solomon’s
> prayer for his own good governance in Psalm 72—the first of only two bib-
> lical psalms by Solomon himself (see also Psalm 127). Later on, the prophet
> Jeremiah advocated the practice of praying for one’s government—even
> under oppressive conditions: “And seek the peace of the city whither I have
> caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in
> the peace thereof shall ye have peace” (Jer. 29:7). Jewish prayers for good
> governance for America serve as an ideal example of the traditional reli-
> gious practices of offering prayers for good governance for other govern-
> ments around the world.
> Historically, nearly all Jewish prayer books in America have included a
> prayer for the welfare of the government. This is part of a longstanding
> Jewish practice around the world, as Gordon M. Freeman explained: “In
> fact, a prayer for the government is a feature of every type of prayer book of
> every land of the Jewish diaspora irrespective of the specific religious
> movement of the community.”2 This is an ancient Jewish obligation and a
> venerable tradition that has carried over to the Jewish experience in Amer-
> ica. In the rabbinic commentary, Pirke Avot, Jews are enjoined to “Pray for
> the welfare of the government, because were it not for the fear it inspires,
> every man would swallow his neighbor alive” (3:2). This is as pragmatic as
> it is perhaps cynical.
> While prayer does not have scriptural status, it is a conduit of religious
> ideology. Since there is no Jewish scripture regarding America, one there-
> fore looks to Jewish prayer books for some communal Jewish perspectives
> on America. Prayer books, after all, are not simply liturgy. They are com-
> munal performances of doctrine in a spirit of devotion. “Second only to the
> 
> See Jonathan D. Sarna, “Jewish Prayers for the United States Government: A Study in
> the Liturgy of Politics and the Politics of Liturgy,” in Ruth Langer and Steven Fine, eds., Lit-
> urgy in the Life of the Synagogue: Studies in the History of Jewish Prayer (Warsaw, IN: Eisen-
> brauns, 2005), pp. 205–224.
> Gordon M. Freeman, “The Conservative Movement and the Public Square,” in
> Alan Mittleman, Robert A. Licht, and Jonathan D. Sarna, eds., Jewish Polity and American Civil
> Society: Communal Agencies and Religious Movements in the American Public Square (New York:
> Rowman & Littlefield, 2002), p. 236.
> 
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> Buck • Bahá’í Prayers for Good Governance                  565
> 
> Torah, the siddur (prayer book),” stated one Reform rabbi, “expresses the
> ideology of our people.” As a congregation prays, so it believes.3
> Here, the first and immediate benefit of such a prayer redounds to the
> petitioner himself or herself. In a sense, praying for good governance is a
> gesture of goodwill on the part of citizens who offer such prayers, where
> the relationship between “God and country” is optimized at the level of
> intention. Praying for the welfare of one’s government can be seen as an
> affirmation of loyal patriotism and, intrinsically, as an affirmative act of
> good citizenship. Such religiously inspired well-wishes for institutions and
> individuals in authority are not unlike the healthy, patriotic spirit gener-
> ated by the singing of national anthems and recitals of pledges of alle-
> giance. Such acts blend and merge sacred and secular identity into an
> integrated outlook. Other religious traditions also have prayers for good
> governance. Doing so is encouraged by St. Paul: “I exhort therefore, that,
> first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be
> made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may
> lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good
> and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour” (1Tim. 2:1–3, K.J.V.).
> Intention and integrity go hand-in-hand. Sacred “godliness” (that is, a
> religious virtue) and secular goodliness (for instance, “honesty,” a civic
> virtue) are intentionally intertwined in synergistic fusion for the com-
> monweal of “all men.” In a similar spirit, the first Catholic prayer for
> America, “Prayer for Our Government,” was offered in 1791 by Archbishop
> John Carroll, the first Catholic Bishop for the United States. This prayer
> reads, in part:
> We pray O God of might, wisdom and justice, through whom author-
> ity is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed, assist
> with your Holy Spirit of counsel and fortitude the president of these
> United States, that his administration may be conducted in righteous-
> ness and be eminently useful to your people over whom he presides; by
> 
> Christopher Buck, God & Apple Pie: Religious Myths and Visions of America (Kingston,
> NY: Educator’s International Press, 2015), chap. 6: “Jewish Myths and Visions of America,”
> pp. 126–127, emphasis added (citing Rabbi Elliot L. Stevens, “The Prayer Books, They Are
> A’Changin’,” Reform Judaism [Summer, 2006], https://www.ccarpress.org/content.asp
> ?tid=471; accessed April 24, 2021).
> 
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> 566       Journal of Ecumenical Studies • 56:4
> 
> encouraging due respect for virtue and religion; by a faithful execution of
> the laws in justice and mercy; and by restraining vice and immorality.
> Let the light of your divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Con-
> gress, and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for our rule
> and government, so that they may tend to the preservation of peace, the
> promotion of national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety and
> useful knowledge; and may perpetuate to us the blessing of equal liberty.
> We pray for his excellency, the governor of this state, for the members
> of the assembly, for all judges, magistrates, and other officers who are
> appointed to guard our political welfare, that they may be enabled, by
> your powerful protection, to discharge the duties of their respective sta-
> tions with honesty and ability.
> We recommend likewise, to your unbounded mercy, all our brethren
> and fellow citizens throughout the United States, that they may be blessed
> in the knowledge and sanctified in the observance of your most holy law;
> that they may be preserved in union, and in that peace which the world
> cannot give; and after enjoying the blessings of this life, be admitted to
> those which are eternal. . . .
> Amen.4
> 
> Catholic values of universal scope are enshrined in the noble senti-
> ments that this prayer conveys. In keeping with such sacred benedictions
> upon the secular, this venerable practice can, and does, find a place in the
> devotional practices of other faith communities as well. In kindred com-
> munal practice, Islamic prayers for good governance5 in America (or in any
> other country) can be offered, even in legislative chambers, on being invited
> to do so. For instance, on November 13, 2014, Imam Hamad Ahmad Chebli,
> of the Islamic Society of Central Jersey in Monmouth Junction, gave the
> opening prayer in the U.S. House of Representatives, as follows:
> 
> Gretchen Filz, “A Prayer for America by John Carroll, First U.S. Bishop” ( July 4, 2017),
> https://www.catholiccompany.com/magazine/prayer-for-america-by-john-carroll-first-u-s
> -bishop-6086; accessed December 13, 2018.
> On Islamic principles of good governance, see, e.g., Christopher Buck, “Religion of
> Peace: Islamic Principles of Good Governance,” in Cyrus Rohani and Behrooz Sabet, eds.,
> Winds of Change: The Challenge of Modernity in the Middle East and North Africa (London:
> Saqi Books, 2019), pp. 87–111; for an Arabic translation of the English original, see Christopher
> Buck (tr. Gamal Hassan), “Religion of Peace: Islamic Principles of Good Governance,” in
> Behrooz Sabet and Gamal Hassan, eds., Winds of Change in the Middle East and North Africa:
> Crisis, Catharsis, and Renewal (Beirut: Dar al- Saqi, 2018), pp. 133–166.
> 
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> Buck • Bahá’í Prayers for Good Governance              567
> 
> O God, bless us as we begin a new day. Bless this assembly, bless the peo-
> ple and Nation it represents. O God, at this time in our history, the chal-
> lenges for our Nation and the world are many. O God, grant these men
> and women the wisdom, the guidance, and the strength to pursue com-
> passion, justice, and sound judgment. O God, in Your wisdom, You have
> placed upon them great responsibility and honor. O God, please help
> them with Your guidance and Your light. O God, grant them the will and
> the means to improve the well-being of all inhabitants of this great Nation
> and beyond. Amen.6
> 
> This prayer demonstrates that being a pious Muslim and a loyal American
> are compatible, even commendable.
> 
> Good Governance Defined
> Good governance matters, both politically and economically. The litera-
> ture on good governance is extensive. It treats not only of the benign exer-
> cise of institutional political authority but also of optimal corporate
> operations. A natural point of departure is to offer a working definition of
> “good governance” at the institutional level. One definition offered by the
> United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
> is as follows: “Good governance has 8 major characteristics. It is participa-
> tory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective
> and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law. It assures
> that corruption is minimized, the views of minorities are taken into
> account and that the voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard in
> decision-making. It is also responsive to the present and future needs of
> society.”7 This is only one description, among others, but it is illustrative of
> how good governance works and the parameters by which governance may
> be evaluated.
> 
> See video, “Imam Hamad Ahmad Chebli: Opening Prayer,” at https://www.youtube.
> com/watch?v=nmDBF7XRYG4. See also “Imam Chebli Opening Prayer in Congress,
> November 13, 2014,” at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1044838145550307&
> type=1&l=086607aeb5; accessed December 13, 2018.
> Yap Kioe Sheng (Chief, Poverty Reduction Section), “What Is Good Governance?”
> United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, https://www.
> unescap.org/sites/default/files/good-governance.pdf; accessed July 14, 2019.
> 
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> 
> Good governance, as often noted, has its own social “dividends.” This
> payoff is typically a reflex of sound public policy, when implemented rea-
> sonably well. Paradigms of good governance vary, as one would expect.
> Good governance is one of the social requisites of democracy. Bahá’í
> social principles enrich public discourse on this key topic. For instance,
> Núr University—the second largest private institution of higher learning
> in Bolivia—offers a Bahá’í-inspired “Just Governance Program,” which
> “seeks to promote good governance by exploring the different dimensions
> of moral leadership, [by] strengthening administrative and decision-making
> capacities in the public sector, and by promoting dialogue concerning the
> future development of Bolivian society.”8 The Bahá’í International Commu-
> nity broadens the operational dimensions of good governance as follows:
> While governance is often equated with government, it in fact involves
> much more. Governance occurs at all levels and encompasses the ways
> that formal government, non-governmental groups, community organi-
> zations and the private sector manage resources and affairs. Three factors
> that largely determine the efficacy of any system of governance are the
> quality of leadership, the characteristics of the governed, and the nature
> of the structures and processes employed to exercise authority and meet
> human needs.9
> 
> Here, the dynamic interrelationships among those who govern, the
> governed, and the processes of government offer a useful framework of
> analysis for evaluating the quality of governance in a given setting. Else-
> where, the Bahá’í International Community has stressed that good gover-
> nance is a “moral exercise”:
> The administration of material affairs, governance is a moral exercise. It is
> the expression of a trusteeship—a responsibility to protect and to serve
> the members of the social polity. Indeed, the exercise of democracy will
> succeed to the extent that it is governed by the moral principles that are in
> harmony with the evolving interests of a rapidly maturing human race.
> 
> Bahá’í International Community, “Overcoming Corruption and Safeguarding Integrity
> in Public Institutions: A Baha’i Perspective,” prepared by and presented at the Intergovern-
> mental Global Forum on Fighting Corruption II, The Hague, Netherlands, May 28, 2001,
> https://www.bic.org/statements/overcoming-corruption-and-safeguarding-integrity-public
> -institutions-bahai-perspective; accessed July 14, 2019.
> Ibid.
> 
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> Buck • Bahá’í Prayers for Good Governance                      569
> 
> These include trustworthiness and integrity needed to win the respect
> and support of the governed; transparency; consultation with those
> affected by decisions being arrived at; objective assessment of needs and
> aspirations of communities being served; and the appropriate use of sci-
> entific and moral resources.10
> 
> Historically, religions have been a primary—if not the principal—well-
> springs of individual and social values in societies at large. For better or
> worse, such religious values demonstrate dynamic interrelationships
> between the sacred and the secular. Bahá’í prayers for good governance are
> informed by, or at least presuppose, Bahá’í social principles for the better-
> ment of society.
> 
> Bahá’í Principles of Good Governance
> Briefly, Bahá’í sacred texts have called for various social reforms, some-
> times referred to as “world reforms.” For instance, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá authored a
> treatise, known in English as The Secret of Divine Civilization, written in
> 1875 and published anonymously in Bombay in 1882,11 which is the second
> Bahá’í book to be published as an authorized text.12 This volume was fol-
> lowed by A Treatise on Politics, published in 1893 or 1896.13 These texts,
> 
> See Bahá’í International Community, “The Search for Values in an Age of Transition: A
> Statement of the Bahá’í International Community on the Occasion of the 60th Anniversary of
> the United Nations,” New York, October, 2005, at https://www.bahai.org/documents/bic/
> search-values-age-transition; accessed October 12, 2019.
> See ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Secret of Divine Civilization, tr. Marzieh Gail and Ali-Kuli Khan
> (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1957). On the early Bahá’í Bombay lithographs gener-
> ally, see discussion in Farzin Vejdani, “Transnational Baha’i Print Culture: Community For-
> mation and Religious Authority, 1890–1921,” Journal of Religious History 36 (special issue on
> Baha’i History, ed. Todd Lawson) (December, 2012): 499–515; and Christopher Buck, Symbol
> and Secret: Qur’an Commentary in Bahá’u’lláh’s Kitáb-i Íqán (Los Angeles: Kalimat Press, 1995,
> 2004), pp. 17–29.
> Here, “authorized” means that this publication was commissioned by Bahá’u’lláh, with
> the first such publication having been the Kitáb-i-Íqán, the Book of Certitude, revealed by
> Bahá’u’lláh in January, 1861. See Bahá’u’lláh, The Kitáb-i-Íqán: The Book of Certitude, tr. Shoghi
> Effendi (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1989); and Ahang Rabbani, “The Conversion
> of the Great-Uncle of the Báb,” World Order 30 (Spring, 1999): 34–35, at https://bahai-library.
> com/rabbani_conversion_great-uncle_bab, accessed September 4, 2021.
> See Necati Alkan, “The Young Turks and the Bahais in Palestine,” in Eyal Ginio and
> Yuval Ben Bassat, eds., Late Ottoman Palestine: The Period of Young Turk Rule (London: I. B.
> Tauris, 2011), especially pp. 261 ff.
> 
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> 
> which discourse at length on issues of good governance, were preceded by
> Bahá’u’lláh’s general proclamation to the leading kings and rulers of the
> world, including ecclesiastical authorities, as well as scholars and states-
> persons.14 Bahá’u’lláh’s series of open epistles directed to the political,
> diplomatic, religious, and intellectual leaders of the day may be fairly char-
> acterized as one of the first, if not the first, international peace missions.15
> This international peace mission was a clarion call to world peace, with its
> attendant requirements of multilateral disarmament, except for maintain-
> ing internal security, along with other principles of good governance neces-
> sary to maintain global stability, peace, and prosperity, publicly enunciated
> and exhorted.
> While such Bahá’í-inspired social reforms may or may not be imple-
> mented by any existing government, Bahá’ís themselves are systematically
> incorporating such reforms in developing models of good governance
> through their administrative and community-building endeavors, where a
> given reform becomes the norm. Bahá’í administration, which is an origi-
> nal system for the oversight and guidance of Bahá’í affairs through wisdom
> borne of consultation by elected Bahá’í councils, was described by Shoghi
> Effendi as follows:
> . . . [T]his vast Administrative Order . . . is, both in theory and practice,
> not only unique in the entire history of political institutions, but can find
> no parallel in the annals of any of the world’s recognized religious sys-
> tems. No form of democratic government; no system of autocracy or of
> dictatorship, whether monarchical or republican; no intermediary scheme
> of a purely aristocratic order; nor even any of the recognized types of
> theocracy, whether it be the Hebrew Commonwealth, or the various
> 
> See Christopher Buck and Youli A. Ioannesyan, “Bahá’u’lláh’s Bishárát (Glad-Tidings): A
> Proclamation to Scholars and Statesmen,” Bahá’í Studies Review, vol. 16 (2010), pp. 3–28, at
> https://bahai-library.com/buck_ioannesyan_bisharat_proclamation; accessed April 24, 2021.
> See Buck, God & Apple Pie, chap. 12, “Bahá’í Myths and Visions of America,” p. 314, at
> https://www.academia.edu/37503635/God_and_Apple_Pie_2015_Baha_i_Myths_and_
> Visions_of_America_sample_chapter_released_September_30_2018_, accessed April 24,
> 2021; and Christopher Buck, “The Eschatology of Globalization: Bahá’u’lláh’s Multiple-
> Messiahship Revisited,” in Moshe Sharon, ed., Studies in Modern Religions, Religious Move-
> ments, and the Bābī-Bahā’ī Faiths, Numen Book Series: Studies in the History of Religions 104
> (Leiden: Brill Academic Publishers, 2004), pp. 143–178, at https://www.academia.edu/
> 30670228/_The_Eschatology_of_Globalization_Baha_u_llah_s_Multiple_Messiahship
> _Revisited_2004_, accessed April 24, 2021.
> 
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> Buck • Bahá’í Prayers for Good Governance                   571
> 
> Christian ecclesiastical organizations, or the Imamate or the Caliphate in
> Islám—none of these can be identified or be said to conform with the
> Administrative Order which the master-hand of its perfect Architect has
> fashioned.
> This new-born Administrative Order incorporates within its struc-
> ture certain elements which are to be found in each of the three recog-
> nized forms of secular government, without being in any sense a mere
> replica of any one of them, and without introducing within its machinery
> any of the objectionable features which they inherently possess. It blends
> and harmonizes, as no government fashioned by mortal hands has as yet
> accomplished, the salutary truths which each of these systems undoubt-
> edly contains without vitiating the integrity of those God-given verities
> on which it is ultimately founded.16
> 
> Bahá’í governance is a unique system that is still in its embryonic stage
> of development by the worldwide Bahá’í community, under the guidance
> of the international Bahá’í governing body, known as the Universal House
> of Justice, elected every five years by elected delegates, being the members
> of the various members of National Spiritual Assemblies of the Bahá’ís
> from around the world.
> If Bahá’í principles of good governance were faithfully implemented
> in any given administration, the benefits would redound to society at
> large. Yet, for any system of good governance to be truly effective, the
> moral and ethical character of the general population must be such that
> government policies can truly take hold, so that the goals of sound public
> policy can thereby be realized to their fullest potential. In the interim,
> this same principle applies to present-day governance. As one orientation
> in furtherance of this ideal relationship between the governors and gov-
> erned, religious prayers for good governance can be an asset, especially
> for the goodwill that such prayers inculcate and inspire, along with the
> mindfulness that sacral and civil futures can, and should, coexist in syner-
> gistic harmony. In this sense, Bahá’í prayers for good governance, in
> effect, endow with sacred purpose the secular practice of fair and equita-
> ble administrative processes.
> 
> Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust,
> 1938, 1991), pp. 152–153.
> 
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> 572       Journal of Ecumenical Studies • 56:4
> 
> “Pray ye on their behalf”
> Should Bahá’ís—and good citizens everywhere—pray for their respective
> governments? If so, for what purpose, and to what end? As a point of depar-
> ture for this question, one text stands out. In the Kitáb-i-‘Ahd (Book of the
> Covenant, c. 1891), Bahá’u’lláh exhorted Bahá’ís to pray for their rulers,
> who, in the nineteenth century, were principally monarchs, who held abso-
> lute sway over their subjects: “O ye the loved ones and the trustees of God!
> Kings are the manifestations of the power, and the daysprings of the might
> and riches, of God. Pray ye on their behalf. He hath invested them with the
> rulership of the earth and hath singled out the hearts of men as His Own
> domain.”17 There are many ways to understand Bahá’u’lláh’s exhortation,
> such as a duty to offer prayer, demonstrate respect for authority, and mani-
> fest loyalty and obedience to government—among other interpretations.
> The fact that it was expressed in Bahá’u’lláh’s last will and testament may
> invest this exhortation with an added degree of importance.
> In a broader context, the attitude that Bahá’ís should maintain toward
> governments and governmental officials is one of respect for authority and
> obedience to the law of the land. Since the watchword of the Bahá’í Faith is
> unity—and, more specifically, “unity in diversity”—it makes perfect sense
> that Bahá’ís avoid partisan politics, because the rivalry, rancor, and “grid-
> lock” often generated by “party politics” are held to be quintessentially
> divisive, that is, “partisan,” as the term itself suggests. The Universal House
> of Justice has explained the proper Bahá’í attitude toward governments
> as follows:
> As you are no doubt well aware, in discussing the principle of non-
> involvement in politics, Shoghi Effendi wrote that Bahá’ís are to “refrain
> from associating themselves, whether by word or by deed, with the
> political pursuits of their respective nations, with the policies of their
> 
> Bahá’u’lláh, “Kitáb-i-‘Ahd (Book of the Covenant),” Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh Revealed after
> the Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1988), pp. 220–221. On the Kitáb-i-
> ‘Ahd, see Christopher Buck and Youli A. Ioannesyan, “The 1893 Russian Publication of
> Bahá’u’lláh’s Last Will and Testament: An Academic Attestation of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Succes-
> sorship,” Bahá’í Studies Review 19 ( June, 2013): 3–44 (published May, 2017; DOI: https://
> doi.org/10.1386/bsr.19.1.3_1), at https://www.academia.edu/34197434/_The_1893_Russian
> _Publication_of_Baha_u_llah_s_Last_Will_and_Testament_An_Academic_Attestation
> _of_Abdu_l-Baha_s_Successorship_2013_published_in_June_2017_; accessed Decem-
> ber 13, 2018.
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 572                                                                                             10/18/21 3:17 PM
> Buck • Bahá’í Prayers for Good Governance                      573
> 
> governments and the schemes and programs of parties and factions.” In
> political controversies, they “should assign no blame, take no side, further
> no design, and identify themselves with no system prejudicial to the best
> interests” of their “world-wide Fellowship.” . . . Bahá’ís and Bahá’í institu-
> tions should not take positions on the political decisions of governments,
> including disputes among governments of different nations; should
> refrain from becoming involved in debates surrounding any political con-
> troversy; and should not react, orally or otherwise, in a manner that could
> be taken as evidence of support for a partisan political stance. . . .
> Furthermore, Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá enjoined Bahá’ís to be
> obedient to the government of their land. Unity, order, and cooperation
> are the basis for sound and lasting change. Even civil disobedience, in the
> form of a conscious decision to violate the law to effect social change, is
> not acceptable for Bahá’ís—whatever merit it appears to have had in par-
> ticular political settings. Ultimately, obedience to government has a bear-
> ing on the unity of the Bahá’í community itself. . . .
> The principles of non-involvement in politics and obedience to gov-
> ernment, far from being obstacles to social change, are aspects of an
> approach set forth in the Bahá’í writings to implement effective remedies
> for and address the root causes of the ills afflicting society. This approach
> includes active involvement in the life of society as well as the possibility
> of influencing and contributing to the social policies of government by all
> lawful means. Indeed, service to others and to society is a hallmark of the
> Bahá’í life.18
> 
> Bahá’í prayers for good governance, without exception, are genuine
> expressions of the well-wishes of Bahá’ís for any government. Such prayers
> are by no means transactional. There is no quid pro quo here. These prayers
> should be taken at face value, with no hidden agenda, or even enlightened
> self-interest. As promoters of unity in society, Bahá’ís pray for the welfare
> of the government in a spirit of loyalty and altruism.
> Such respect for governments and leaders is reflected in the very lan-
> guage of Bahá’u’lláh’s writings to the various kings and rulers of the world.
> For instance, in the “Súriy-i-Mulúk,” one encounters such benevolent
> speech and courteous appellations as follows:
> 
> Letter dated April 27, 2017, on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, to an individual
> believer, https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/the-universal-house-of-justice/
> messages/20170427_001/20170427_001.xhtml; accessed May 11, 2019.
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 573                                                                                            10/18/21 3:17 PM
> 574       Journal of Ecumenical Studies • 56:4
> 
> Hearken, O King [Sult. án ‘Abdu’l-‘Azíz], to the speech of Him that
> speaketh the truth, Him that doth not ask thee to recompense Him with the
> things God hath chosen to bestow upon thee, Him Who unerringly tread-
> eth the straight Path. He it is Who summoneth thee unto God, thy Lord,
> Who showeth thee the right course, the way that leadeth to true felicity, that
> haply thou mayest be of them with whom it shall be well. . . .
> ...
> Wert thou to incline thine ear unto My speech and observe My counsel,
> God would exalt thee to so eminent a position that the designs of no man on
> the whole earth can ever touch or hurt thee. . . .
> Render thanks unto God for having chosen thee out of the whole
> world, and made thee king over them that profess thy faith. It well
> beseemeth thee to appreciate the wondrous favours with which God hath
> favoured thee, and to magnify continually His name. Thou canst best
> praise Him if thou lovest His loved ones, and dost safeguard and protect
> His servants from the mischief of the treacherous, that none may any lon-
> ger oppress them. . . .
> Shouldst thou cause rivers of justice to spread their waters amongst
> thy subjects, God would surely aid thee with the hosts of the unseen and
> of the seen, and would strengthen thee in thine affairs.19
> 
> Bahá’u’lláh exhorted Sult. án ‘Abdu’l-‘Azíz to rule wisely and equitably, with
> the assurance that, if he caused “rivers of justice” to spread throughout his
> realm, this would attract divine blessings and confirmations. The foregoing
> language is respectful, and sets the tone for the exemplary Bahá’í prayers
> for good governance that are presented and discussed below.
> 
> Prayers of Bahá’u’lláh for Rulers
> There is a prayer for the Iranian (Qajar) emperor, Nás.iri’d-Dín Sháh
> (“Helper of the Faith,” r. 1848–96), by Bahá’u’lláh: “Glorified art Thou, O
> my God, and my Master, and my Mainstay! Aid Thou His Majesty the
> Sháh to execute Thy laws and Thy commandments, and show forth Thy
> justice among Thy servants. Thou art, verily, the All-Bounteous, the Lord
> of grace abounding, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.”20 And, further,
> Bahá’u’lláh, “Súriy-i-Mulúk,” The Summons of the Lord of Hosts (Haifa: Bahá’í World
> Centre, 2002), pp. 209–211.
> Bahá’u’lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1988),
> p. 139; see also Bahá’u’lláh’s prayer “to aid His Majesty the Sháh to render Thy Cause victori-
> ous” (p. 105).
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 574                                                                                              10/18/21 3:17 PM
> Buck • Bahá’í Prayers for Good Governance                    575
> 
> “Assist Thou, O My God, His Majesty the Sháh to keep Thy statutes amidst
> Thy servants and to manifest Thy justice amongst Thy creatures, that he
> may treat this people [the Bahá’ís] as he treateth others. Thou art, in truth,
> the God of power, of glory and wisdom.”21 In offering a prayer for His Maj-
> esty, the Sháh of Iran, Bahá’u’lláh demonstrated, in practice, his exhorta-
> tion to pray for the leaders of one’s government, notwithstanding the fact
> that this ruthless despot—characterized by Shoghi Effendi as “a selfish,
> capricious, imperious monarch”22—in 1852 incarcerated and then in 1853
> exiled Bahá’u’lláh to Baghdad, all in the broader context of ordering the
> relentless persecution, imprisonment, torture, execution, or exile of count-
> less followers of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.
> Reference to another prayer for good governance, in the Ottoman con-
> text, comes by way of this historical anecdote when, on July 4, 1909,
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá commented on a short prayer that was chanted during “early
> morning tea”:
> 
> 4 July 1909
> Early morning tea
> Munavvar Khánum chanted a prayer.
> Our Lord [‘Abdu’l-Bahá]: “In this prayer which we have just read,
> Bahá’u’lláh meant ‘Abdu’l-Hamíd, the Turkish Sultán who has lately been
> deposed,23 and the verses are:
> ‘I implore Thee, O My God and the King of the nations, and ask Thee by
> the Greatest Name, to change the throne of tyranny into a centre of jus-
> tice and the seat of pride and iniquity into the chair of humbleness and
> justice. Thou art free to do whatsoever Thou wishest and Thou art the All-
> Knowing, the Wise!’ ”
> “A Power above the power of kings,” I whispered to Munavvar.
> “And still,” she whispered back, “and still we ask for miracles.”24
> 
> Bahá’u’lláh, [Tablet to] “Násiri’d-Dín Sháh,” The Summons of the Lord of Hosts (Haifa:
> Bahá’í World Centre, 2002), p. 106.
> Shoghi Effendi, The Promised Day Is Come (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust,
> 1980), p. 67.
> “This had taken place on 27 April 1909.” This note refers to the overthrow by the Young
> Turk Revolution of Sultan Abdülhamid, who reigned from 1876 to 1909.
> Juliet Thompson, The Diary of Juliet Thompson, Preface by Marzieh Gail (Los Angeles:
> Kalimát Press, 1983), p. 39, http://bahai-library.com/thompson_diary&chapter=2; accessed
> April 8, 2020.
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 575                                                                                        10/18/21 3:17 PM
> 576       Journal of Ecumenical Studies • 56:4
> 
> The original Arabic text for this short, but poignant prayer has been
> published and available online,25 although the above is a provisional trans-
> lation, as an authorized (officially endorsed) translation has yet to be pub-
> lished. Bahá’u’lláh’s prayer, it seems, was uncannily prophetic, in having
> anticipated the imminent “change” of the current “throne of tyranny” into
> a “centre of justice.” This did not require “regime change” per se, yet that
> was the ultimate outcome, notwithstanding.26
> While the Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh27 to Sultan Abdülaziz (r. 1861–76)—
> who had exiled Bahá’u’lláh from Baghdad to Istanbul, then to Edirne
> (1863), and finally to ‘Akka (1868)—are well-known, there is also an unpub-
> lished and undated prayer in Arabic, dated 27 Sha’bán 1309 (March 27,
> 1892), revealed for Sultan Abdülhamid II, who came to the throne in 1876
> (after the short interregnum of Murad V for three months in the same
> year). During the reign of Abdülaziz, Bahá’u’lláh stigmatized the seat of
> the Ottoman Empire as being the “throne of tyranny” from where one
> could hear “the hooting of the owl.”28
> In the privately published prayer, of which the following portions have
> been provisionally translated by Necati Alkan, Bahá’u’lláh asked God “to
> protect His majesty, the Sultan [Abdülhamid], and his ministers (wuzará’)
> and state officials (wukalá’) from those who have rejected his [the Sultan’s]
> munificence (ankarú fad.lahu) and have been inflamed with the fire of jeal-
> ousy (ishta‘alú nár al-h.asad) in his days.” Bahá’u’lláh further entreated
> God to “strengthen him with Thy might (‘azzizhu bi-‘izzika) and make him
> victorious with Thy power (wa ans.irhu bi-sult.ánika),” because “Thou seest
> 
> Bahá’u’lláh, Nasá’im al-Rah.mán (Beirut, 1993), https://reference.bahai.org/fa/t/c/
> NR1/nr1-33.html; accessed April 8, 2020.
> See the following by Necati Alkan: “The Young Turks and the Bahais in Palestine,” pp.
> 259–278; Dissent and Heterodoxy in the Late Ottoman Empire: Reformers, Babis, and Bahá’ís
> (revised Ph.D. thesis) (Istanbul: ISIS Press, 2008); “ ‘The Eternal Enemy of Islām’: Abdullah
> Cevdet and the Bahá’í Religion,” Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, vol. 68,
> no. 1 (2005), pp. 1–20; and “Ottoman Reform Movements and the Bahā’ī Faith, 1860s–1920s,”
> in Sharon, Studies in Modern Religions, pp. 253–274.
> The first is unfortunately lost. but there are other addresses in Baha’u’llah’s Summons of
> the Lord of Hosts, available in the Bahá’í Reference Library; see Introduction, pp. v–vi, at
> http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/SLH/slh-3.html; and the “Súriy-i-Mulúk,” paras. 58–83, at
> http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/SLH/slh-13.html; accessed December 13, 2018.
> Kitáb-i-Aqdas, http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/KA/ka-6.html; accessed Decem-
> ber 13, 2018.
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 576                                                                                              10/18/21 3:17 PM
> Buck • Bahá’í Prayers for Good Governance                       577
> 
> him clinging to Thee and holding fast unto Thy luminous hem (taráhu
> mutamassikan bi-ka wa mutashabbithan bi-dhaylika al-munír).” Lastly,
> Bahá’u’lláh beseeched God to cause the Sultan “to remember and speak of
> the Cause of God and be steadfast in it at all times” (thumma ’ j‘alhu fí kulli
> ’l-ah.wál nát.iqan dhákiran rásikhan fí amrika), to “aid him with the visible
> and invisible hosts” (ans.irhu bi-junúd al-ghaybi wa al-shaháda), and “to pro-
> tect his domains from the rebellious on earth” (thumma ’h.faz. mamálikahu
> min t.ughát al-bariyya).29
> As part of the governor/governed interactional dynamic, Bahá’u’lláh’s
> exhortation to “[p]ray . . . on their behalf ” implies—and inspires—a will-
> ingness on the part of the petitioner who, in offering such a prayer, implic-
> itly agrees to obey the law of the land (a universal requirement for Bahá’ís
> worldwide). To what extent is this implicated in Bahá’í prayers for good
> governance?
> 
> Provisional translation by Necati Alkan. Brief advice on his provisional translation was
> given (based on “the Arabic original . . . in the manuscript of the Tablet held in the Archives at
> the World Centre”), courtesy of the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice,
> in a letter dated August 12, 2020, to Alkan and myself). For the published Arabic text, see
> Kamran Ekbal, ed., Majmú‘iy-i Alváh.-i mubárakiy-i H.ad.rat-i Bahá’u’lláh khit.áb bih Jináb-i Muh.
> ammad Mus.t.afá Baghdádí va farzandánishán Jináb-i H.usayn Afandí Iqbál va ‘Alí Afandí Ih.sán va
> Amínu’l-Badí‘ Abú’l-Vafá va Duktur D.iyá Mabsút. Baghdádí (private publication, 2015), p. 182.
> For a review of the Tablets, see Kamran Ekbal, “Murúrí bar Alváh.-i H.ad.rat-i Bahá’u’lláh khitáb
> bih Muh.ammad Mustafá Baghdádí” (“A Review of the Tablets Revealed in Honour of Muham-
> mad Mustafá Baghdádi and His Family”), in Safíniy-i ‘Irfán 4, pp. 192–202. (Abdülhamid is
> mentioned on p. 200.) On Mustafa Baghdadi, see http://bahaisworldwide.blogspot.com/
> 2011/05/mustafa-baghdadi.html; accessed December 13, 2018: “Mustafa Baghdadi lived for
> many years in Beirut, Syria. He was one of the earliest followers of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh. He
> provided countless services for the Faith. Throughout his life he was firm and full of zeal. His
> house was at the disposal of all pilgrims and his services to them were invaluable. Many of the
> American friends, passing through Beirut to visit ‘Abdul-Bahá in Akka and Haifa, bear testi-
> mony to the nobility of his spirit and the strength of his character. All loved and revered him
> and looked up to him as one of the spiritual souls of the earlier days. His winsome manner and
> gentleness of heart attracted all those who came in contact with him and carried away the
> sweet fragrance of his life. He had three sons, Hussein Ighbal, Ali Ehsan and Zia Baghdadi,
> who studied sciences and were active servants in the Cause. Zia Baghdadi was loved and
> respected by all the American friends for his earnestness and enthusiasm. He studied medi-
> cine in the US and assisted with the Persian section of the Star of the West magazine” (adapted
> from the Star of the West 1 [ January 19, 1911] : 10–11). On the Baghdadi family, see Kamran
> Ekbal, “Baḡdádi Family,” in Encyclopaedia Iranica, at http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/
> bagdadi-family; accessed December 13, 2018.
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 577                                                                                            10/18/21 3:17 PM
> 578       Journal of Ecumenical Studies • 56:4
> 
> Prayer of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá for the Ottoman State and Caliphate
> Alkan has provisionally translated the following prayer of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá for
> the Ottoman State, which, characteristically, is also a prayer for good
> governance:
> He is God!
> O my God! O my God!
> I ask Thee by Thy invisible confirmations, Thy eternal assistance and
> merciful bestowals to aid the Sublime Ottoman State and the Muh. am-
> madan Caliphate to be firmly established on earth and on the throne. Protect
> its domains from disasters and guard the centre of its caliphate [Istanbul]
> from misfortunes.
> O Lord! Preserve it in the shelter of Thy defence and care, guard it
> with the eye of Thy loving-kindness and extend to it Thy merciful glance,
> for it safeguards the blessed and luminous Spot [Haifa/Akka], shelters the
> Vale of Sinai and extends the shade of its protective canopy over the heads
> of the Loved Ones [Bahá’ís].
> Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Verily, Thou art, the Most
> Powerful, the Almighty.30
> 
> This prayer is purely of historical interest, in that the Ottoman Empire
> and the Caliphate are no longer in existence, both having been summarily
> abolished under the direct influence of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in 1924—
> or, more precisely, the Ottoman Empire collapsed as a result of its defeat in
> World War I. Although this prayer may be seen as an expression of enlight-
> ened self-interest on the part of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in petitioning, by implica-
> tion, for the protection of Bahá’í persons and property within Ottoman
> domains, it is axiomatic that the litmus test of whether or not a given state
> has acted with justice and fairness is its treatment of all minorities, reli-
> gious and otherwise.
> While Ottoman protection of Bahá’í holy places went far in securing
> them and preserving them intact, such safeguards were not always extended
> to the rights of the Bahá’í religious minority. So, along with the fall of the
> 
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, “Prayer for the Ottoman State and Caliphate,” with provisional transla-
> tion by Alkan. Brief advice on his provisional translation was given, courtesy of the Research
> Department of the Universal House of Justice, in a letter dated August 12, 2020, to Alkan and
> myself. For the original Arabic text, see az Makátíb-i ʻAbdu’l- Bahá, 2:31, at http://
> reference.bahai.org/fa/t/ab/MA2/ma2-312.html; accessed December 13, 2018.
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 578                                                                                          10/18/21 3:17 PM
> Buck • Bahá’í Prayers for Good Governance                    579
> 
> Ottoman state and the Caliphate, this Bahá’í prayer ceased to be offered on
> their behalf, which is why this particular Bahá’í prayer for good gover-
> nance is of historical interest only—not because the rights of Bahá’ís were
> sometimes not protected. Yet, this prayer’s underlying principles may be
> studied for phenomenological and functional purposes, especially as they
> reappear and are articulated in other Bahá’í prayers for good governance.
> 
> Prayer for America
> After the Young Turk revolution of 1908, all political prisoners in the
> Ottoman Empire were liberated, including ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Putting into
> practice the Bahá’í ethic of earning one’s own livelihood, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
> undertook a successful land purchase and farming enterprise in the Jor-
> dan Valley, much of which was used to provide food and other resources
> to the poor and needy in Palestine, especially during World War I.31
> During 1911–13, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá traveled abroad to North Africa, Europe,
> and North America to promulgate Bahá’u’lláh’s universal teachings. On
> May 6, 1912, in Cleveland, Ohio, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá made this remarkable
> prophecy regarding America’s future destiny: “The American continent
> gives signs and evidences of very great advancement; its future is even
> more promising, for its influence and illumination are far-reaching, and
> it will lead all nations spiritually.”32 The best-known Bahá’í prayer for
> good governance may well be ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s “Prayer for America,” as
> found in standard American Bahá’í prayer books:
> O Thou kind Lord! This gathering is turning to Thee. These hearts are
> radiant with Thy love. These minds and spirits are exhilarated by the mes-
> sage of Thy glad-tidings. O God! Let this American democracy become
> glorious in spiritual degrees even as it has aspired to material degrees, and
> render this just government victorious. Confirm this revered nation to
> upraise the standard of the oneness of humanity, to promulgate the Most
> Great Peace, to become thereby most glorious and praiseworthy among
> 
> Iraj Poostchi, “Adasiyyah: A Study in Agriculture and Rural Development,” Bahá’í Stud-
> ies Review, vol. 16 (2010), pp. 61–105 (reference courtesy of Sen McGlinn, November 23, 2018).
> See also Roderic Maude and Derwent Maude, The Servant, the General, & Armageddon
> (Oxford, U.K.: George Ronald, 1998).
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace (Wilmette, IL: Bahai Publishing
> Trust, 1982), p. 104.
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 579                                                                                        10/18/21 3:17 PM
> 580       Journal of Ecumenical Studies • 56:4
> 
> all the nations of the world. O God! This American nation is worthy of
> Thy favors and is deserving of Thy mercy. Make it precious and near to
> Thee through Thy bounty and bestowal.33
> 
> This prayer is presumed to have been recorded contemporaneously, in
> the original Persian, by one of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s entourage of secretaries,
> whose practice it was to record, by way of “real time” notes, the exact words
> of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s extemporaneous talks and speeches delivered while trav-
> eling. At the same time, stenographic notes were routinely taken of the
> English translations of the same talks that were simultaneously offered, in
> the language of the host country. However, no Persian original for this
> prayer has been found to date, as the Research Department explained in a
> Memorandum, dated July 20, 2017, to the Universal House of Justice:
> Dr. Buck also asks for comment on the authenticity of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s
> other prayer for America beginning “O Thou kind Lord! This gathering is
> turning to Thee”. As he mentions, this prayer appears at the end of a talk
> that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gave on 30 April 1912 at the public meeting concluding
> the Bahá’í Temple Unity Convention in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Joseph H.
> Hannen took the notes from which the published version was con-
> structed. The Research Department has not, to date, obtained the origi-
> nal Persian transcript of the talk in question, and the World Centre does
> not hold a copy of the notes taken by Mr. Hannen. However, in Mah.-
> múd’s Diary,[1] the entry for 30 April 1912 includes a brief reference to the
> prayer with which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ended His talk. Moreover, the talk and
> prayer were published in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s lifetime in “Star of the West”,
> volume 3, number 3 (April 28, 1912), in an addendum to this issue titled
> “Wisdom-Talks of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, given at Chicago, Ill., April 30th to May
> 5th, 1912”.34
> 
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, “Prayer for America,” in Bahá’í Prayers: A Selection of Prayers Revealed by
> Bahá’u’lláh, the Báb, and ‘Abdul-Bahá (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1991), p. 25. This
> prayer was revealed on April 30, 1912, during ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s “Talk at Public Meeting Conclud-
> ing Convention of Bahá’í Temple Unity, Drill Hall, Masonic Temple, Chicago, Illinois,” and
> “Translated by Dr. Ameen U. Fareed and taken stenographically by Joseph H. Hannen,” in
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 67.
> Research Department, “Prayers for America,” Memorandum to the Universal House
> of Justice ( July 20, 2017), citing Mah.múd’s Diary: The Diary of Mírzá Mah.múd-i-Zarqání
> Chronicling ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Journey to America, tr. Mohi Sobhani (Oxford, U.K.: George Ron-
> ald, 1998), p. 71.
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 580                                                                                             10/18/21 3:17 PM
> Buck • Bahá’í Prayers for Good Governance                       581
> 
> In the absence of a Persian original for this “Prayer for America,” there
> is some question, therefore, as to whether ‘Abdu’l-Bahá actually used the
> word “democracy” or if this was a benign interpolation on the part of the
> translator.35 That said, there is no question that the “Most Great Peace” is
> an important Bahá’í term, used to express the anticipated world common-
> wealth, which would emerge in due course, ultimately evolving to such
> degree that it would usher in a future golden age of world civilization. One
> of the avowed purposes of the Bahá’í Faith is to help establish the condi-
> tions necessary for such a world civilization to come about. As a necessary
> precondition, the consciousness of the oneness of humankind must first be
> established, as this is the fundamental foundation upon which the world
> commonwealth can, and must, be based.
> In this invocation, there is something of a hoped-for, part-to-whole
> relationship between the immediate audience and America itself. The idea
> is that, somehow, “the message of Thy glad-tidings”—by which the “minds
> and spirits” of those present are “exhilarated”—can and will promote the
> message of world unity, which is at the heart and soul of the Bahá’í Faith
> and may be said to characterize the nature and essence of the Bahá’í social
> gospel and discourse.
> When America (or, for that matter, any other nation) endeavors “to
> upraise the standard of the oneness of humanity” and “to promulgate the
> Most Great Peace,” this will “thereby” redound to America’s honor and
> glory by way of international prestige and acclaim. This can occur only if
> “this American democracy” actually advances “in spiritual degrees even as
> it has aspired to material degrees.” Once those conditions are met, then
> America’s “just government” will be rendered “victorious.”
> So, it seems clear that the primary function of this prayer for America’s
> good governance is to promote world unity and, thereby, international
> 
> Shoghi Effendi stated that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s prayer for America was “revealed”: “A prayer
> revealed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá for America was presented by the elected national representatives of
> the United States Bahá’í Community to President Eisenhower, who acknowledged its receipt
> in warm terms and above his own signature” (Shoghi Effendi, Messages to the Bahá’í World:
> 1950–1957 [Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1971], p. 96). For a discussion of “authentica-
> tion by citation” by Shoghi Effendi, see the brief discussion in Buck, God & Apple Pie, p. 327,
> and n. 101, quoting and commenting on this pronouncement: “The Universal House of Justice
> has asked us to affirm that the utterances of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá quoted in the writings of the Guard-
> ian can be taken as authentic” (letter dated June 15, 2000, to an individual, quoted in a letter by
> the Universal House of Justice, dated August 20, 2014, to the present writer).
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 581                                                                                             10/18/21 3:17 PM
> 582       Journal of Ecumenical Studies • 56:4
> 
> peace and prosperity, which, of course, will also redound to America’s
> enlightened self-interest and goodwill. This is a clear condition for Ameri-
> ca’s spiritual and ultimate success as a nation—if America takes its oppor-
> tunity to promote and materially advance ideal international relations. In
> this prayer, America’s leadership is not seen as one of dominance but,
> rather, as a catalyst in hastening the advent of world peace and prosperity.
> 
> Another Prayer for America
> Another Bahá’í prayer for America exists—this time, with the original
> Persian text extant.36 The English translation is as follows:
> O Lord! Bestow Thy gracious aid and confirmation upon this just
> government. This country lieth beneath the sheltering shadow of Thy
> protection and this people is in Thy service. O Lord! Confer upon them
> Thy heavenly bounty and render the outpourings of Thy grace and favor
> copious and abundant. Suffer this esteemed nation to be held in honor
> and enable it to be admitted into Thy kingdom.
> Thou art the Powerful, the Omnipotent, the Merciful, and Thou art
> the Generous, the Beneficent, the Lord of grace abounding.37
> 
> This prayer for America is part of a longer prayer included in the section for
> “Gatherings” in the standard American Bahá’í prayer book; it has not
> received a great deal of attention as a prayer for America as such.
> Consistent with the previous prayer, divine blessings are invoked for
> America, presumably for the continued furtherance of “Thy service,”
> which is not specified here but is clear from the context of the talk that
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá delivered on May 26, 1912, at the Mount Morris Baptist
> Church in New York. The ideal outcomes, in fact, are presented in the text
> 
> The original Persian text of the full prayer (in which the prayer for America is embed-
> ded) has been published in Khit.ábát, vol. 2; see ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Majmú‘ih-yi Khit.ábát H.ad.rat-i
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá fí Úrúpá va Ámríká (“Collected Talks of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Europe and America”),
> vol. 2 (Hofheim-Langenhain, Germany: Bahá’í-Verlag, BE 127/1970–71; repr. in one vol.,
> 1984), pp. 96–97. The short prayer for America begins on p. 97, on the middle of the sixth line
> from the bottom of the page, beginning with “Khudá” (“O Lord!”). See https://reference.
> bahai.org/fa/t/ab/KA2/ka2-101.html and https://reference.bahai.org/fa/t/ab/KA2/ka2-102.
> html (courtesy of Adib Masumian, personal communication, March 28, 2020).
> ‘Abdul-Bahá, “26 May 1912, Talk at Mount Morris Baptist Church, Fifth Avenue and
> 126th Street, New York,” in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 150; and
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í Prayers.
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 582                                                                                            10/18/21 3:17 PM
> Buck • Bahá’í Prayers for Good Governance      583
> 
> of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s talk in the paragraph immediately preceding the prayer:
> “Let us endeavor to attain capacity, susceptibility and worthiness that we
> may hear the call of the glad tidings of the Kingdom, become revivified by
> the breaths of the Holy Spirit, hoist the standard of the oneness of human-
> ity, establish human brotherhood, and under the protection of divine grace
> attain the everlasting and eternal life.”38
> This prayer is aspirational as well as inspirational. In the conclusion of
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s talk, delivered from the pulpit in the Baptist sanctuary on
> that occasion, the exhortation to “endeavor to attain capacity, susceptibil-
> ity and worthiness” is to enable listeners to “hear the call of the glad tidings
> of the Kingdom,” which is not the gospel of Jesus Christ (as, we may sur-
> mise, most of the listeners understood this religious, even Christian
> expression) but, rather, as the news of the coming of a new Messenger of
> God, Bahá’u’lláh, along with the call, in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s words, to “hoist the
> standard of the oneness of humanity” and to “establish human brother-
> hood.” Whether ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s call to “endeavor to attain capacity, suscep-
> tibility and worthiness” is seen as a set of preconditions—or equally (and
> more usefully, perhaps) seen as the logical outcome of a certain course of
> action—good results may flow from well-intentioned efforts. To what
> extent any of the listeners may have understood and appreciated this
> underlying message is even more conditional, as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá himself
> commented: “Some hearts may be affected, then soon forget; others owing
> to superstitious ideas and imaginations may even fail to hear and under-
> stand; but the blessed souls who are attentive to my exhortation and admo-
> nition, listening with the ear of acceptance, allowing my words to penetrate
> effectively, will advance day by day toward full fruition, yea even to the
> Supreme Concourse.”39 The next prayer is of particular importance and
> interest.
> 
> “A Prayer for the confirmation of the American Government”
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá revealed the first Bahá’í prayer for America sometime around
> 1900. He later praised the American model of government and said, “Hav-
> ing traveled from coast to coast, I find the United States of America vast
> 
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 149.
> Ibid.
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 583                                                                               10/18/21 3:17 PM
> 584       Journal of Ecumenical Studies • 56:4
> 
> and progressive, the government just and equitable, the nation noble and
> independent . . . worthy of raising the flag of brotherhood and international
> agreement.”40 However, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá repeatedly challenged America to
> fulfill its role of peacemaker in the world, stating, “America has become
> renowned for her discoveries, inventions and artistic skill, famous for
> equity of government and stupendous undertakings; now may she also
> become noted and celebrated as the herald and messenger of Universal
> Peace.”41 This prayer for America—for which an authenticated Arabic
> original exists—was originally published as a provisional translation in
> Star of the West, a Bahá’í periodical.42 In 2017, the Universal House of Jus-
> tice released an authorized translation, accompanied by a Memorandum
> that reads, in part, as follows:
> Dr. Buck requests an authorized translation of the prayer of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
> beginning “Alláhumma yá mu’ayyid kull-i sult.atin ‘ádila(tin)” and asks
> whether it was revealed specifically for America. The prayer in question is
> authentic, and its original Arabic text is held in the Archives at the Bahá’í
> World Centre. The manuscript includes the following heading in English:
> “A Prayer for the confirmation of the American Government.” Moreover,
> in a message dated January 4, 1982, to a National Spiritual Assembly, the
> Universal House of Justice stated that the prayer was “specifically revealed
> for the U.S. Government.” A 2017 authorized translation of the prayer
> follows:43
> 
> . . . O my God! O Thou Who endowest every just power and equitable
> dominion with abiding glory and everlasting might, with permanence and
> stability, with constancy and honour! Aid Thou by Thy heavenly grace
> every government that acteth justly towards its subjects and every sover-
> eign authority, derived from Thee, that shieldeth the poor and the weak
> under the banner of its protection.
> 
> Ibid., pp. 386–387.
> Ibid., p. 27.
> See ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, “A Prayer for the confirmation of the American Government:
> Revealed about the Year 1900,” Star of the West 8 (September 27, 1917): 141, at https://bahai.
> works/Star_of_the_West/Volume_8/Issue_11/Text; accessed December 13, 2018. See also
> Star of the West 9 ( June 24, 1918): 75, at https://bahai.works/Star_of_the_West/Volume_9/
> Issue_6/Text; accessed December 13, 2018.
> Bahá’í World Centre, Research Department, Memorandum, “Prayers for America”
> ( July 20, 2017).
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 584                                                                                          10/18/21 3:17 PM
> Buck • Bahá’í Prayers for Good Governance                      585
> 
> I beseech Thee, by Thy divine grace and surpassing bounty, to aid this
> just government, the canopy of whose authority is spread over vast and
> mighty lands and the evidences of whose justice are apparent in its pros-
> perous and flourishing regions. Assist, O my God, its hosts, raise aloft its
> ensigns, bestow influence upon its word and its utterance, protect its
> lands, increase its honour, spread its fame, reveal its signs, and unfurl its
> banner through Thine all-subduing power and Thy resplendent might in
> the kingdom of creation.
> Thou, verily, aidest whomsoever Thou willest, and Thou, verily, art the
> Almighty, the Most Powerful.44
> 
> The original Arabic text of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s “A Prayer for the confirma-
> tion of the American Government” may be found online; it was previously
> published in print in Muntakhabátí az Makátíb-i-H.ad.rat-i-ʻAbdu’l-Bahá,
> vol. 2, p. 313.45 A transliteration, into Latin characters, of the original Arabic
> 
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, “Additional Prayers Revealed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá,” https://www.bahai.org/
> library/authoritative- texts/abdul- baha/additional- prayers- revealed- abdul- baha/190
> 618071/1#764030886; accessed April 24, 2021. The authorized translation was released by the
> Universal House of Justice, Bahá’í World Centre, e-mail communication, July 23, 2017, with
> attachments, in response to a request by Christopher Buck for an authorized translation,
> May 7, 2017.
> See also ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, “A Prayer for the confirmation of the American Government,”
> Arabic text published at https://www.bahai.org/fa/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/
> additional-tablets-talks-abdul-baha/292030620/1#768084884; https://www.bahai.org/fa/lib
> rary/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/additional-tablets-talks-abdul-baha/additional-tablets
> -talks-abdul-baha.pdf, accessed December 13, 2018; and Muntakhabátí az Makátíb-i-H.ad.rat-i-
> ʻAbdu’l-Bahá, vol. 2, p. 313, at http://reference.bahai.org/fa/t/ab/MA2/ma2-313.html, accessed
> December 13, 2018 (reference courtesy of Omid Ghaemmaghami, personal communication,
> May 7, 2017, and Adib Masumian, August 25, 2017). See also the following information pro-
> vided by Bahá’í scholar, Steven Phelps: “AB06000. 130 words, Ara. Mss: None. Pubs: BRL.
> DAK#53, MKT2.313. Trans: BRL.APAB#17, SW v08#11 p.141, SW v09#06 p.075, SW v24#09
> p.258, JHT .A#001. O my God! O Thou Who endowest every just power and equitable dominion
> with abiding glory . . . Notes: Prayer for confirmation of the American Government” (Steven
> Phelps, Loom of Reality: A Partial Inventory of the Works of the Central Figures of the Bahá’í
> Faith [Version 2.02, November 3, 2020], p. 494, http://blog.loomofreality.org/wp-content/
> uploads/2020/12/Partial-Inventory-2.02.pdf; accessed April 24, 2021). As to the manuscript of
> this prayer, note that “its original Arabic text is held in the Archives at the Bahá’í World Cen-
> tre” as stated in the Memorandum cited above at n. 43. See https://www.bahai.org/fa/library/
> authoritative- texts/abdul- baha/additional- tablets- talks- abdul- baha/292030620/1#768
> 084884; accessed March 28, 2020. In Phelps’s Inventory, the category, “Mss,” refers to “publicly
> available” manuscripts, of which there are none known at present, such that the manuscript
> archived in the Bahá’í International Archives is unique and, therefore, exists in “splendid isola-
> tion,” as scholars say.
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 585                                                                                            10/18/21 3:17 PM
> 586       Journal of Ecumenical Studies • 56:4
> 
> text of this prayer for America is as follows—so that, when read aloud, the
> reader can approximate the sound of the Arabic original as well:
> Alláhumma, yá mu’ayyidu kulli sult.atin ‘ádilatin wa salt.anatin qásit.atin
> ‘alá ’l-‘izzati ’l-abadiyyati wa ’l-qudrati ’s-sarmadiyyati wa ’l-baqá’i wa ’l-is-
> tiqrári wa ’th-thabáti wa ’l-iftikhár. Ayyid bi-fayd.i rah.mániyyatika kulla
> h.ukúmatin ta’dilu bayna ra’áyáhá wa kulla sult.atin mamnúh.atin minka tah.
> mí al-fuqará’i wa ’d-du’afá’i biráyátihá.
> As’aluka bi-fayd.i qudsika wa s.ayyibi fad.lika an tu’ayyida hádhihi ’l-h.
> ukúmata ’l-‘ádilata ’llatí d.arabat at.nába khibá’ihá ‘alá mamáliki wási‘atin
> shási’atin wa az.harat al-‘adálata burhánihá fí aqálímihá ’l-‘ámirati
> ’l-báhira.
> Alláhumma, ayyid junúdahá wa ráyátahá wa naffidh kalimatahá wa
> áyátihá wa ah.mi h.amahá wa rá‘i dhimárahá wa adhi‘ s.ítahá wa shayyi‘
> áthárahá wa i‘la ‘alamahá bi-quwwatika ’l-qáhirati ‘alá ’l-ashyá’i wa quw-
> watika ’l-báhirati fí malakúti ’l-inshá’. Innaka anta mu’ayyidu man tashá’
> wa innaka anta ’l-muqtadiru ’l-qadír.46
> 
> Apart from the English note that appears on the original Arabic manu-
> script, there is no internal evidence that appears to be specific to America
> itself. That fact may lend a certain universality to this particular prayer,
> which may commend it for use as a prayer for good governance for other
> countries as well. That said, what follows are some observations on this
> prayer, with an American context in mind.
> From my perspective, this is a universal statement of principle that ide-
> ally applies to every established government throughout the world. Such
> language is general and certainly not specific to America, as the first para-
> graph applies to “every government that acteth justly towards its subjects”
> and to “every sovereign authority . . . that shieldeth the poor and the weak
> under the banner of its protection.” Such governments will be aided by
> God, according to this prayer. First and foremost is protecting the poor
> and weak, as well as extending protections and justice to all subjects within
> any given country.
> The second paragraph of the prayer may concern America, although
> not by name. The descriptions certainly fit: America is a “just government.”
> Here, based on Shoghi Effendi’s interpretation of what ‘Abdu’l-Bahá meant
> 
> Transliteration by Joshua Hall, January, 2017; corrections courtesy of Omid Ghaem-
> maghami and Alkan.
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 586                                                                                   10/18/21 3:17 PM
> Buck • Bahá’í Prayers for Good Governance                     587
> 
> by a “just government,” the word “just” really means “duly constituted”:
> “What the Master’s statement really means is obedience to a duly consti-
> tuted government, whatever that government may be in form. We are not
> the ones, as individual Bahá’ís, to judge our government as just or unjust.”47
> That said, the earnest hope that this prayer expresses is that America—
> duly constituted as a “just government”—will continue to govern with jus-
> tice for all. The prayer goes on to describe America as having a “canopy of
> . . . authority” that “is spread over vast and mighty lands” and to praise “the
> evidences” of its “justice,” which are “apparent in its prosperous and flour-
> ishing regions.”
> What does this prayer specifically ask God to do when it comes to aid-
> ing and assisting America as a nation? Here, God is asked to bless, guide,
> and empower America in nine distinct ways:
> 
> 1. “aid this just government”: “God bless America!” is a familiar phrase,
> especially at the end of presidential speeches. Much of this prayer may
> similarly be recapitulated as, “Behold how God has blessed America!”
> Regardless of how well (or not so well) America may be doing, this
> prayer inspires continued faith in America, at least in terms of fulfilling
> its ideal potential, which Bahá’í authoritative sources variously refer to
> as “America’s spiritual destiny.” It remains, therefore, for each citizen to
> ask God to “aid this just government,” by continuing to inspire, enno-
> ble, and enable America’s public policy and the exercise of good gover-
> nance. So, beseeching God to “aid this just government” is a general
> invocation for divine assistance to America in every respect, whether as
> to America’s legislative, judicial, or executive branches; or to America’s
> state of affairs, domestically and abroad; or to America’s economic, cul-
> tural, social, educational, and scientific military capabilities.
> 2. “Assist . . . its hosts”: Here, “hosts” presumably refers to all civil servants,
> including America’s executive forces, whether police or military. Read-
> ers may be familiar with the biblical expression, “the Lord of hosts”
> (1 Sam. 17:45), where, as here, “hosts” means either the “heavenly host”
> or earthly forces, principally the military. More broadly, “hosts” can
> also simply mean a large number of people—such as the people of one
> country.
> 
> Shoghi Effendi, Directives from the Guardian (National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís
> of the Hawaiian Islands) (New Delhi: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, India, 1973), p. 56.
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 587                                                                                         10/18/21 3:17 PM
> 588       Journal of Ecumenical Studies • 56:4
> 
> 3. “raise aloft its ensigns”: “Ensigns” typically means “flags,” which can be a
> symbol for America’s standards, values, and reputation and for Ameri-
> ca’s influence in the world at large. To “raise aloft” means to exalt,
> uplift, and otherwise promote. There would be no other reason or pur-
> pose for God to do so unless this were meant to further or fulfill a
> greater social good for the world generally.
> 4. “bestow influence upon its word and its utterance”: The way in which
> “raise aloft its ensigns” is described above aptly characterizes this invo-
> cation as well, which asks God to increase America’s influence for the
> betterment of the world. Obviously, by “influence” is not meant
> strengthening America’s ability to align other nations with America’s
> values and policies merely for America’s own sake. Here, “influence”
> presupposes a positive influence, as well as earning and enjoying the
> respect of other nations vis-à-vis America, ideally.
> 5. “protect its lands”: America, as every nation, has its own security inter-
> ests. Protection, first of all, involves domestic peace and tranquility,
> economic stability, and, ideally, prosperity. There may even be an
> “environmental” dimension here, as none of this can happen without
> America’s “lands” remaining in good shape, without serious damage
> due to environmental pollution, degradation, and climate change—
> which, to a certain extent, may be regarded as a national security issue,
> as well as a global environmental crisis of somewhat existential, world-
> historical proportions. There is, moreover, much to commend the idea
> that what is best for the world redounds to America’s enlightened self-
> interest, that is, good for one and all alike.
> 6. “increase its honour”: In the business sense, “honor”—as “goodwill”—
> is a key intangible asset that can even be quantified in business valua-
> tion. To increase America’s honor redounds not only to America’s
> benefit but also, in theory if not in practice, to those countries under
> America’s ideally benign influence, if and when economic values are
> anchored in human values and where humanitarian objectives take
> precedence over purely material interests.
> 7. “spread its fame”: “Fame” also has to do with reputation, in the sense of
> having a “good name” and enjoying the “goodwill” of the international
> community at large. Fame should be well deserved and worthy of
> honor. Otherwise, fame can turn into infamy.
> 8. “reveal its signs”: Here, “signs” can be understood to mean not only
> symbols but also intentions, mission and purpose, values, policies, and
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 588                                                                                10/18/21 3:17 PM
> Buck • Bahá’í Prayers for Good Governance      589
> 
> alliances and commitments, where good governance, domestically,
> translates into effective diplomacy and efficacy in the arena of interna-
> tional relations.
> 9. “unfurl its banner through Thine all-subduing power and Thy resplendent
> might in the kingdom of creation”: “Banner” is likely the equivalent of
> “signs,” which also might be understood as a dual reference to “evi-
> dences.” “Unfurl its banner” may also suggest extending America’s
> positive influence, if it arises to fulfill its destiny to “lead all nations
> spiritually.”48
> 
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s “A Prayer for the confirmation of the American Govern-
> ment,” if widely invoked, has significant potential for inspiring and exert-
> ing a leavening social influence—that is, its ability to potentialize and
> realize ambitious and noble domestic and international initiatives.
> Although this prayer is optimistic—and emphasizes and encourages a pos-
> itive world role that America has the opportunity and enhanced potential
> to exercise—America’s prospective moral and social leadership have been
> compromised by a number of unresolved issues and social maladies that
> threaten the very fabric of American society. That said, this is a prayer for
> blessings that will redound to the greater good of the world. In a letter
> dated February 25, 2017, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of
> the United States stated:
> At this pivotal juncture in our nation’s history, our foremost responsi-
> bility is to everywhere affirm—in the Name of Bahá’u’lláh—the truth of
> the oneness of humanity in a manner that will have an impact for decades
> to come. We must accelerate our efforts to remove the stains of prejudice
> and injustice from the fabric of our society. As you take up this call with
> courage and zeal, we ask that you keep the following concepts in mind.
> The tensions, divisions, and injustices that currently beset America
> are symptoms of a longstanding illness. The nation is afflicted with a deep
> spiritual disorder, manifest in rampant materialism, widespread moral
> decay, and a deeply ingrained racial prejudice. As a result, millions of our
> fellow Americans, subject to systemic injustices in many facets of life, are
> prevented from making their full contributions to society and of partak-
> ing fully in its benefits. No one is immune to this disorder—we are all
> 
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 104.
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 589                                                                              10/18/21 3:17 PM
> 590       Journal of Ecumenical Studies • 56:4
> 
> members of this society and to some degree suffer the effects of its mala-
> dies. That we live in a critical time can be seen in the way essential ques-
> tions of identity, social vision, and global relations are being raised to a
> degree not seen in decades. Increasing numbers of our fellow-citizens are
> actively in search of solutions both moral and practical to answer them.
> The resolution to these challenges lies in recognizing and embracing
> the truth at the heart of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation—the incontrovertible
> truth that humanity is one. Ignorance of this truth—which embodies the
> very spirit of the Age—is itself a form of oppression, for without it, it is
> impossible to build a truly just and peaceful world.49
> 
> Note that this prayer is expressed in an ideal way. In a very real sense, it
> sets forth certain preconditions for good governance, in that “every gov-
> ernment” should act “justly towards its subjects” and “every sovereign
> authority” should shield “the poor and the weak under the banner of its
> protection.” Ideally, any government, if acting with good governance, can
> aspire to better “protect its lands,” “increase its honour,” and “spread its
> fame”—to thereby “reveal its signs” and “unfurl its banner” by virtue of its
> just reputation and good name.
> Bahá’ís should—and often do—pray for their governments. Praying for
> one’s government also means praying for good governance, for they are one
> and the same. Shoghi Effendi, after all, stated that “a sane and intelligent
> patriotism” is perfectly in keeping with the Bahá’í teachings, as well as
> upholding “the allegiance and loyalty of any individual to his country,” as
> long as national loyalties give way to a “wider loyalty” to all of humankind.50
> The Bahá’í Faith, explained Shoghi Effendi, subordinates or relativizes
> patriotism, in particular, within the broader context of world citizenship,
> in general:
> It [the Bahá’í Faith] calls for a wider loyalty, which should not, and
> indeed does not, conflict with lesser loyalties. It instills a love which, in
> view of its scope, must include and not exclude the love of one’s own coun-
> try. It lays, through this loyalty which it inspires, and this love which it
> infuses, the only foundation on which the concept of world citizenship
> 
> See National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, Letter “To the
> American Bahá’í Community” (February 25, 2017), at https://www.bahai.us/static/assets/
> 20170225-NSA-on-America-and-the-Five-Year-Plan.pdf; accessed December 13, 2018.
> Shoghi Effendi, The Promised Day Is Come, p. 122.
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 590                                                                                      10/18/21 3:17 PM
> Buck • Bahá’í Prayers for Good Governance          591
> 
> can thrive, and the structure of world unification can rest. It does insist,
> however, on the subordination of national considerations and particular-
> istic interests to the imperative and paramount claims of humanity as a
> whole, inasmuch as in a world of interdependent nations and peoples the
> advantage of the part is best to be reached by the advantage of the whole.51
> 
> The Bahá’í concept of “a sane and intelligent patriotism” can include
> praying for the welfare of one’s national government and for divine assis-
> tance in its exercise of good governance. Each of us can do our part in help-
> ing our respective governments to act “justly towards its subjects” and to
> shield “the poor and the weak under the banner of its protection”—and to
> make this world a better world.
> Since, internally, “A Prayer for the confirmation of the American Gov-
> ernment” appears to have no distinctively specific reference to America,
> this prayer therefore lends itself as a prayer for good governance for any
> and all governments. In fact, that title, although appearing in the autho-
> rized published Arabic text, is omitted from the authorized English trans-
> lation itself. Although there is no published guidance on its usage, the fact
> that the authorized English translation omits the original heading in the
> authoritative online publication (notwithstanding the fact that the English
> inscription, “A Prayer for the confirmation of the American Government,”
> appears in the original Arabic manuscript itself) implies no restriction
> whatsoever for which government this prayer can be offered—that is, it
> presumably can be prayed for other governments as well. Obviously, it can
> be used as a prayer for America, and the National Spiritual Assembly of the
> Bahá’ís of the United States plans on including this prayer for America in
> the next U.S. edition of Baha’i Prayers. That said, this prayer could just as
> easily be used as a prayer for good governance for any government across
> the world since it is quite universal in its intrinsic content. That, of course,
> is purely a matter of personal preference, and, in so saying, I offer this
> observation as a purely private interpretation.
> 
> Conclusion
> At the beginning of this essay, Jewish, Christian (Catholic), and Islamic
> prayers for good governance in the American context were introduced as
> Ibid.
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 591                                                                           10/18/21 3:17 PM
> 592       Journal of Ecumenical Studies • 56:4
> 
> phenomenological parallels to Bahá’í prayers for good governance. Several
> such Bahá’í prayers were then offered as exemplars, along with prelimi-
> nary phenomenological and functional analyses. Although not a universal
> Bahá’í practice, Bahá’u’lláh, in his last will and testament, encouraged, if
> not obliged, Bahá’ís to pray for their rulers, which is effectively the same as
> praying for good governance.
> Bahá’u’lláh’s injunction to pray for one’s rulers is a precept that ‘Abdu’l-
> Bahá himself put into practice—and to good practical effect, since doing
> so redounds to the benefit of the state and its citizens alike. Moreover, he
> revealed several prayers for good governance for use by the Bahá’ís them-
> selves. Several such prayers have been presented here, with some com-
> ments as to their respective historical contexts. On analysis, these prayers
> exhort and encourage governments to assist the poor, to protect the
> oppressed, and, implicitly, to safeguard religious minority rights—includ-
> ing those of the Bahá’ís, whom ‘Abdu’l-Bahá represented. The prayers for
> good governance that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá revealed are comparable to prayers for
> good governance in other religious traditions—both phenomenologically
> and functionally—in that they offer similar features, such as invoking
> divine blessings for governments that are just, equitable, and protective of
> the poor and oppressed. In pursuing such noble undertakings—pursuant
> to their God-given mission and mandate—governments can attract the
> divine blessings, that is, “confirmations.”
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s “A Prayer for the confirmation of the American Govern-
> ment” expresses the ideal not only that America should champion world-
> wide peace and prosperity but also that its noble founding ideals and
> principles would enjoy considerable influence in the global community of
> nations if America arises to fulfill its spiritual destiny in serving as a catalyst
> in bringing about world peace and prosperity. The Bahá’í teachings indicate
> that such influence cannot be won by sheer might or the brutal force of arms
> but by righting what is wrong in the world—that is, addressing and redress-
> ing injustices, inequities, inequalities, imbalances, and impoverishment
> internationally—even if done so out of enlightened self-interest. Ideally,
> all of this can come true if America, for its part, is true to its founding
> principles, by way of proactive leadership in such ways as championing
> human rights, respecting national self-determination, recognizing and
> protecting territorial sovereignty, encouraging democratic representation,
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 592                                                                               10/18/21 3:17 PM
> Buck • Bahá’í Prayers for Good Governance                  593
> 
> and promoting international cooperation and unity—scientific as well as
> political. That said, note (as previously stated) that there is nothing distinc-
> tively or quintessentially or exclusively “American” about this particular
> prayer. Indeed, it is a universal prayer for the spiritual and moral support of
> any “just and equitable sovereignty”—which includes every duly consti-
> tuted government that strives to govern in the public interest, for the com-
> monweal, and for the welfare of one and all.
> The Bahá’í “Prayer for America” is universal, egalitarian, cosmopoli-
> tan—and, most importantly, nonpartisan. This unique prayer renders the
> venerable presidential benediction—“God bless America!”—more possi-
> ble, more plausible, more immediate, and more realizable, by encouraging
> each of us to do our part to heal the racial, religious, class, gender, and
> other divisions, barriers, and inequities that the United States of America
> and many other nations have yet to address fully. The Bahá’í teachings uni-
> versalize nationalisms into universalisms, wherein “God bless America!”
> expands, in scope and with sincere hope, into a global benediction of “God
> bless Earth!” Or, as Bahá’í philosopher, Alain Locke (1885–1954), stated so
> succinctly, yet eloquently, “Eventually, however, just as world-mindedness
> must dominate and remould [sic] nation-mindedness, so we must trans-
> form eventually race-mindedness into human-mindedness.”52
> Bahá’í prayers for good governance orient those offering such prayers to
> be mindful of their own roles as good citizens, whereby good citizenship—
> in pursuit of progressive social transformation—ideally complements, aids,
> and advances the exercise of good governance by respective governments
> around the world and serves as a reminder of the desirability and need for
> all citizens, in all nations, to manifest civic virtues, that is, personal qualities
> that contribute to the effective functioning of civil and political order, in
> furtherance of its values and principles.
> Meanwhile, Bahá’ís are presently engaged in “community building”
> efforts worldwide to edify their respective societies by offering spiritual and
> moral education for children, youth, and adults through children’s classes,
> 
> Alain Locke, “Stretching Our Social Mind” (1944), in “Alain Locke: Four Talks Rede-
> fining Democracy, Education, and World Citizenship,” ed. and intro. Christopher Buck and
> Betty J. Fisher, World Order, vol. 38, no. 3 (2006/2007), p. 30, https://www.academia.
> edu/29901174/_Alain_Locke_Four_Talks_Redefining_Democracy_Education_and
> _World_Citizenship_2008_; accessed April 24, 2021.
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 593                                                                                    10/18/21 3:17 PM
> 594       Journal of Ecumenical Studies • 56:4
> 
> junior youth groups, devotional gatherings, and study circles.53 While the
> collective efficacy and impact of Bahá’í prayers for good governance may
> be difficult, if not impossible, to determine, such prayers have intrinsic
> merit and extrinsic outcomes: the positive social actions that such prayers
> inspire. They are ecumenical and interfaith in nature, universal in scope,
> altruistic in their intentions, optimistic in their outlook, auspicious in their
> endeavors, and constructive in their ideal outcomes, for such Bahá’í
> prayers wish the very best for all of humankind.
> In closing, Bahá’u’lláh’s injunction, “Pray ye on their behalf ”54 —
> enjoined in the Kitáb-i-‘Ahd (Book of the Covenant)—is a “covenantal”
> obligation on the part of all Bahá’ís. Bahá’u’lláh’s solemn exhortation
> was extended by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to the education of children, by recom-
> mending “the repeating of prayers for the well-being of ruler and ruled.”55
> In the Tablet of Glad-Tidings, Bahá’u’lláh closed with this prayer for rul-
> ers: “We earnestly beseech God—exalted be His glory—to aid the rulers
> and sovereigns, who are the exponents of power and the daysprings of
> glory, to enforce His laws and ordinances. He is in truth the Omnipo-
> tent, the All-Powerful, He Who is wont to answer the call of men.”56 This
> is essentially a prayer for good governance since the “laws and ordi-
> nances” of Bahá’u’lláh embody universal principles and practices of good
> governance. Bahá’u’lláh’s exhortation, “Pray ye on their behalf,” is not
> only for the benefit of the governing elite but for their respective citizens
> and denizens as well—all of whom, collectively and ultimately, are
> “world citizens” in their shared, one-planet destiny.
> 
> Christopher Buck (Bahá’í) has a B.A. from Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma,
> WA; an M.A. from the University of Calgary, AB; and a Ph.D. (1996) in the academic
> 
> See, e.g., “The Development of a Worldwide Community,” at https://www.bahai.org/
> action/response-call-bahaullah/development-worldwide-community; accessed December 13,
> 2018.
> Bahá’u’lláh, “Kitáb-i-‘Ahd (Book of the Covenant),” Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh Revealed after
> the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, p. 220.
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, from a Tablet, translated from the Persian, A Compilation on Bahá’í Educa-
> tion, compiled by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice (Haifa: Bahá’í
> World Centre, August, 1976), p. 33.
> Bahá’u’lláh, “Bishárát (Glad-Tidings),” Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh Revealed after the Kitáb-i-
> Aqdas, p. 29.
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 594                                                                                              10/18/21 3:17 PM
> Buck • Bahá’í Prayers for Good Governance                 595
> 
> study of religion from the University of Toronto. In 2006, he received a J.D. from the
> Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Lansing, MI. He has taught at Carleton University,
> Ottawa, ON (1993–96); Millikin University, Decatur, IL (1997–99); Quincy (IL)
> University (2000–01); Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant (2002–03); Michi-
> gan State University, E. Lansing (2000–04); and Pennsylvania State University’s
> McKeesport, PA, branch (2011). He has served since 2001 on the distance-education
> faculty of the Wilmette (IL) Institute. Since 2007, he has been an associate attorney at
> Pribanic and Pribanic in White Oak, PA, specializing in medical malpractice, per-
> sonal injury, and product liability cases. Hundreds of his articles and reviews have
> appeared in journals and encyclopedia and as book chapters and legal briefs. Most
> recent of his several books are God & Apple Pie: Religious Myths and Visions of America
> (Educator’s International Press, 2015), and Bahá’í Faith: The Basics (ed.) (Routledge,
> 2020). He has lectured throughout North America and in Israel and serves on the
> Council of Religious Advisors at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA.
> 
> 19544-JES_56.4.indd 595                                                                                  10/18/21 3:17 PM
>
> — *Baha'i Prayers for Good Governance (Used by permission of the curator)*