Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: unknown, The Pattern of Baha'i life, London: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1948/1983, bahai-library.com. ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── The Pattern of Bahá'í life [name of compiler unknown] pp. 4, 39, 55, of 63 pages total London: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1948/1983 Contents Page INTRODUCTION5 PURITY9 KINDLINESS22 RADIANCE43 INDEX62 The following abbreviations are used throughout for the names of Bahá'í books from which passages have been selected. ABL'Abdu'l-Bahá in London ADJAdvent of Divine Justice (The) AHWArabic Hidden Words BPBahá'í Procedure (American edition, 1942) BWFBahá'í World Faith (American edition, 1943) ESWEpistle to the Son of the Wolf GWBGleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh KIKitáb-i-Iqán PTParis Talks PHWPersian Hidden Words PMPrayers and Meditations of Bahá'u'lláh PDCPromised Day is Come (The) PUPPromulgation of Universal Peace SAQSome Answered Questions SBSSelections from Bahá'í Scripture TABTablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá TBTablets of Bahá'u'lláh WTWill and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Introduction "My first counsel is this: possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart, that thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperishable, and everlasting." The writings and recorded utterances of Bahá'u'lláh and of 'Abdu'l-Bahá abound with passages summoning all people to a new life of impeccable conduct. As in so many other fields of revelation, so too in the field of morals the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh are a fruition, a culmination, a fulfilment of the relatively fragmentary statements of the former Manifestations of God. The relationship is as that of the fruit to the bud, of the law of Moses to the fragrant flower of the Speaker of the Mount. So rich in content are these passages that almost they defy classification, and indeed there is an inevitable overlap in meaning between them. The above quotation from the Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh suggested the method that has been adopted, to divide the material into three main groups concerned respectively with the individual's relationship to self, to others, and to God, betokened in essence by purity, kindliness, and radiance. In addition, for their special appropriateness to the present day, three extracts have been chosen from The Advent of Divine Justice, a letter sent by Shoghi Effendi, late Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, to the American Bahá'ís during their first great expansion project. These have been adapted by suitable omissions. With the exception of these and one or two other passages made clear in the context, all that follows takes its origin from Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá. It should not, by any means, be supposed that this selection exhausts the range of the moral teachings of the Faith. Indeed, during compilation, it was found that the material available, after preliminary sifting, was many times too copious, and that material presents only what has so far been translated into English from the original Persian and Arabic, in which the Founder of the Bahá'í Faith and His Son rendered the revelation of truth for this day. Each great Manifestation of God, perfectly reflecting that source of the energy and attractive power which men call love, in manner adapted to the changing needs of a progressively growing mankind, has ever had a threefold purpose; the perpetuation of man's civilization; the purification of his qualities; and the promotion of his happiness in all the worlds of God. It is with the central and pivotal aspect of this purpose, the purification of man's qualities, upon which depend both the others, that this selection is concerned in particular. Man himself, created to know, serve, worship, praise, reflect, and love God, is to be regarded as a mine of attributes, each latent and potential. Through that interaction with the world, which is called education, these attributes are caused to appear. If, in the course of this interaction, man becomes imbued with a desire for self-gratification, these attributes will be turned inward, the bonds of love and regard for others will weakn and disappear, and those qualities which, in reality, denote extreme lack, the opposites of all virtues, will be developed. If, on the other hand, man realizes that his neighbor also has been created to reflect the perfections of God, he will seek to associate with that neighbour so that, through mutual co-operation, each may increase his reflective capacity and so develop, grow, and expand until those perfections are clearly revealed, and the soul so empowered made ready for life in another world. This association, this love, this fellowship, is the foundation of that ever-advancing civilization for the promotion of which all men have come into being. Just as each great Manifestation of God is a perfect mirror of the Divine Essence, so all other human beings are mirrors capable, by turning toward those Manifestations and in particular towards Bahá'u'lláh, the Manifestation of this Day, of reflecting Their glorious attributes, the very attributes needed for perpetuated existence in the heavenly kingdom. "The rewards of this life are the virtues and perfections which adorn the reality of man." COMPILER Purity BODY Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 322) CHASTITY Bahá'u'lláh (ADJ 26, 27) Shoghi Effendi (ADJ 24) CLEANLINESS Bahá'u'lláh (ESW 131) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (TAB 581) CONFESSION Bahá'u'lláh (PHW 44) Bahá'u'lláh (TB 87) DECENCY Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 215, 188) FORTITUDE Bahá'u'lláh (SBS 323; AHW 48) HEALTH Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 154) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (TAB 207) HUMILITY Bahá'u'lláh (ESW 30, 44) INTEGRITY Bahá'u'lláh (ESW 29, 74; GWB 287) LIBERTY Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 335) MATERIAL GOODS Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 138; AHW 56; ADJ 19) MODERATION Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 216, 342) MODESTY Bahá'u'lláh (ESW 27) PATIENCE Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 129; ESW 24) PURITY Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 307; ESW 23) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (ABL 110) SANCTITY Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 297, 299, 93) SELF-KNOWLEDGE Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 178; TB 5; GWB 326) SELFLESSNESS Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 338) Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 328) Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 294) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (TAB 136) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (TAB 97) SINCERITY Bahá'u'lláh (KI 194) Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 233) Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 277) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (TAB 620) SLEEP 'Abdu'l-Bahá (TAB 460) TEMPERANCE Bahá'u'lláh (ADJ 27) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (ADJ 27) WORLD Bahá'u'lláh (AHW 55; GWB 127, 328) Kindliness RECTITUDE OF CONDUCT Shoghi Effendi (ADJ 19, 22, 24) ANIMALS Bahá'u'lláh (KI 194) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (TAB) [Ed. - The quotation cited appears to be instead from BWF 373] ASSOCIATION Bahá'u'lláh (ESW 15; GWB 289) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (ABL 92) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PT 38) BAD LANGUAGE Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 11; TB 90; BWF 208) CHARITY Bahá'u'lláh (TB 57; GWB 202) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (SAQ 349) CHILDREN Bahá'u'lláh (TB 29, 129, 53) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (ABL 116, 91) COMPASSION 'Abdu'l-Bahá (TAB 149; PUP 199) COURTESY Bahá'u'lláh (ESW 50; TB 27) DEFENCE OF THE CAUSE Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 329, 330) DETRACTION Bahá'u'lláh (AHW 27; PHW 66) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (TAB 45) DISPUTATION Bahá'u'lláh (ESW 55) Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 279) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PT 122) DISSENSION Bahá'u'lláh (BWF 209; GWB 9) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (TAB 431) EQUITY Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 315; ADJ 20; GWB 203, 204) FIDELITY Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 161) FRIENDLINESS Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 318, 8) GENEROSITY Bahá'u'lláh (PHW 54; ESW 55; PHW 49) GOOD CHARACTER Bahá'u'lláh (ADJ 19; GWB 299; ADJ 21; TB 7) GOSSIP Bahá'u'lláh (ESW 74) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (WT 9) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (ABL 131) HONESTY Bahá'u'lláh (ESW 23; ADJ 19) HOSPITALITY 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PT 15) JUSTICE Bahá'u'lláh (AHW 2; GWB 106; ADJ 23; AHW 28; GWB 250; ADJ 24) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PT 160) KINDLINESS Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 289) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (ABL 100) LOVE FOR MAN 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PT 180, 36) LOYALTY Bahá'u'lláh (PDC 81; TB 85; ESW 89) MALICE Bahá'u'lláh (PHW 42; KI 193) MEEKNESS Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 315) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (ABL 126) MERCY Bahá'u'lláh (ESW 29) OBEDIENCE Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 241, 207) Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 128) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PT 132) PARENTS Bahá'u'lláh (SBS 166) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (TAB 342) POLITICS Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 95) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (TAB 498) In regard to practical participation in democratic elections, the Guardian has written as follows: "The friends may vote, if they can do it, without identifying themselves with one party or another. To enter the arena of party politics is surely detrimental to the best interests of the Faith and will harm the Cause. It remains for the individuals to so use their right to vote as to keep aloof from party politics, and always bear in mind that they are voting on the merits of the individual, rather than because he belongs to one party or another." Shoghi Effendi (BP 13) SACRIFICE Bahá'u'lláh (PM 95) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (ABL 146) SECLUSION Bahá'u'lláh (TB 56; ESW 49) SELF-EXPRESSION Bahá'u'lláh (PHW 72) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (TAB 432) The Guardian has written, however: "At the very root of the Cause lies the principle of the undoubted right of the individual to self-expression, his freedom to declare his conscience and set forth his views, be it as elected representative of his community or on his own account at the feasts." Shoghi Effendi (BP 32) SERVICE Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 250) Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 93) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PT 177, 168; TAB 161) SEX Bahá'u'lláh (ESW 49) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (ABL 80, 108; PT 164) SYMPATHY Bahá'u'lláh (AHW 30; GWB 316) TRUSTWORTHINESS Bahá'u'lláh (ESW 54; GWB 232) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (TAB 436) TRUTHFULNESS Bahá'u'lláh (TB 12) Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 270) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (TAB 459) VENGEANCE 'Abdu'l-Bahá (SAQ 305, 309) VIOLENCE Bahá'u'lláh (ESW 24, 25) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (ABL 93) WAR 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PT 29, 28) Radiance UNITY Shoghi Effendi (ADJ 29, 19) ADVERSITY Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 313; ESW 95; PHW 51) ATTRACTION Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 277) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PUP 213) CAPACITY 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PUP 143) DEATH Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 345; AHW 14) DISTINCTION 'Abdu'l-Bahá (ADJ 21; PUP 195) EQUALITY 'Abdu'l-Bahá (ADJ 31, 32) FEAR OF GOD Bahá'u'lláh (TB 33; ESW 27, 136; GWB 272) GUIDANCE Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 339, 305) HAPPINESS Bahá'u'lláh (ESW 139) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PT 72) HOLINESS Bahá'u'lláh (PHW 8) IMAGE OF GOD 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PUP 329) INSIGHT Bahá'u'lláh (PHW 31) JOY Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 289) Bahá'u'lláh (AHW 35) Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 329) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PUP 209) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PT 110) KNOWLEDGE Bahá'u'lláh (KI 197; ESW 121) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (SBS 252) Bahá'u'lláh (ESW 26, 111; GWB 128) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PUP 222) LIFE Bahá'u'lláh (TB 145) Bahá'u'lláh (PHW 73) Bahá'u'lláh (ADJ 63) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (ABL 93) LOVE OF GOD Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 261) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (ABL 77) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (TAB 526) MEDITATION 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PT 175-6) NEARNESS TO GOD 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PUP 142) PRAISE Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 234, 38) PRAYER Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 291) Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 280) Bahá'u'lláh (AHW 31) Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 295) "While man prays, he sees himself in the presence of God." 'Abdu'l-Bahá (SBS 250) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PT 81) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (SBS 252, 254, 255, 254, 255) RADIANCE Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 322) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PT 113) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (ABL 131) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PUP 6) RIGHTEOUSNESS Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 323, 94, 287) SPIRITUALITY 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PT 112; TAB 314) STEADFASTNESS Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 246, 253) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (TAB 696) THANKFULNESS 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PUP 231, 465) UNITY Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 140, 288, 218, 94, 215, 338; SBS 109) WISDOM Bahá'u'lláh (ESW 55, 99; GWB 343; PHW 36) WORK Bahá'u'lláh (PHW 82, 80, 89) 'Abdu'l-Bahá (PUP 182) WORSHIP 'Abdu'l-Bahá (ABL 94, PT 176) Bahá'u'lláh (GWB 284) INDEX Page Adversity45 Animals23 Association24 Attraction45 Bad Language24 Body9 Capacity46 Charity25 Chastity9 Children25 Cleanliness12 Compassion26 Confession12 Courtesy26 Death46 Decency13 Defence of Cause26 Detraction27 Disputation27 Dissension28 Distinction47 Equality48 Equity28 Fear of God48 Fidelity29 Fortitude13 Friendliness29 Generosity30 Good Character30 Gossip31 Guidance49 Happiness49 Health13 Holiness49 Honesty31 Hospitality32 Humility14 Image of God50 Insight50 Integrity14 Joy50 Justice32 Kindliness33 Knowledge51 Liberty15 Life52 Love of Man33 Love of God53 Loyalty34 Malice35 Material Goods15 Meditation53 Meekness35 Mercy36 Moderation16 Modesty16 Nearness to God54 Obedience36 Parents36 Patience16 Politics37 Praise54 Prayer54 Purity17 Radiance56 Rectitude of Conduct22 Righteousness56 Sacrifice37 Sanctity17 Seclusion38 Self-expression38 Self-knowledge17 Selflessness18 Service39 Sex39 Sincerity19 Sleep19 Spirituality57 Steadfastness57 Sympathy40 Temperance20 Thankfulness57 Trustworthiness40 Truthfulness41 Unity58 Vengeance41 Violence42 War42 Wisdom59 Work59 World20 Worship60 METADATA Views9049 views since posted 2016-09-11; last edit 2025-01-31 15:33 UTC; previous at archive.org.../pattern_bahai_life Language English Permission © BIC, public sharing permitted. 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