“Through the Zeal and Ardour of the Pure of Heart”

[David Gray]

In the Baha’i Writings we are asked to ponder teachings in our heart.

“The merciful outpourings of that Divine Essence, however, are vouchsafed unto all beings and it is incumbent upon man to ponder in his heart upon the effusions of the Divine Grace.”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith - Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 347)

Although unreliable, the heart is an avenue to knowledge.

“What is inspiration? It is the influx of the human heart. But what are satanic promptings which afflict mankind? They are the influx of the heart also.”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith - Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 253)

“…Satan or whatever is interpreted as evil, refers to the lower nature in man.”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 77)

“It is evident that human personality appears in two aspects, — the image or likeness of God and the aspect of Satan. The human reality stands between these two, — the divine and the satanic. It is manifest that beyond this material body, man is endowed with another reality which is the world of exemplars constituting the heavenly body of man.”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 108-9)

The lights of the Word of God illumine “the realm of thought” and “are the cause of the education of souls and the source of the enlightenment of hearts.” [1]

“When asked for a definition of a pure heart, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said, ‘The pure heart is one that is entirely cut away from self. To be selfless is to be pure.’”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Abdu’l-Baha in London, p. 107)

“That which God desires from men is the heart.”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Abdu’l-Baha in London, p. 68)

“The most important thing is to polish the mirrors of hearts in order that they may become illumined and receptive of the divine light…Our duty lies in seeking to polish the mirrors of our hearts in order that we shall become reflectors of that light and recipients of the divine bounties which may be fully revealed through them. This means the oneness of the world of humanity. That is to say, when this human body-politic reaches a state of absolute unity, the effulgence of the eternal Sun will make its fullest light and heat manifest.”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith - Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 218)

Through detachment and the fear of God, love is possible.

“Love is a light that never dwelleth in a heart possessed by fear.”

(Baha’u'llah, The Four Valleys, p. 58)

“Verily, the wayfarer who journeyeth unto God, unto the Crimson Pillar in the snow-white path, will never reach unto his heavenly goal unless he abandoneth all that men possess: “And if he feareth not God, God will make him to fear all things; whereas all things fear him who feareth God.”

(Baha’u'llah, The Four Valleys, p. 58)

“He saith: “And there shall appear upon the tablet of thine heart a writing of the subtle mysteries of ‘Fear God and God will give you knowledge’; and the bird of thy soul shall recall the holy sanctuaries of preexistence and soar on the wings of longing in the heaven of ‘walk the beaten paths of thy Lord’, and gather the fruits of communion in the gardens of ‘Then feed on every kind of fruit.’”

“By My life, O friend, wert thou to taste of these fruits, from the green garden of these blossoms which grow in the lands of knowledge, beside the orient lights of the Essence in the mirrors of names and attributes — yearning would seize the reins of patience and reserve from out thy hand, and make thy soul to shake with the flashing light, and draw thee from the earthly homeland to the first, heavenly abode in the Center of Realities, and lift thee to a plane wherein thou wouldst soar in the air even as thou walkest upon the earth, and move over the water as thou runnest on the land. Wherefore, may it rejoice Me, and thee, and whosoever mounteth into the heaven of knowledge, and whose heart is refreshed by this, that the wind of certitude hath blown over the garden of his being, from the Sheba of the All-Merciful.”

“Peace be upon him who followeth the Right Path!”

(Baha’u'llah, The Seven Valleys, p. 3-4)

Images of flowers, fruits, and cities are used to describe the heart.

“In the fields and meadows of human hearts variegated flowers of inner significance were blooming and the good fruits of the kingdom of God became manifest.”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith - Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 219)

“In the garden of thy heart plant naught but the rose of love.”

(Baha’u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words, No. 3)

“…What is well-pleasing is that the cities of [men’s] hearts, which are under the dominion of the hosts of selfishness and lust, should be subdued by the sword of the Word, of Wisdom, and of Exhortation. Everyone, then, who desireth “victory” must first subdue the city of his own heart with the sword of spiritual truth and of the Word, and must protect it from remembering aught beside God: afterwards let him turn his regards towards the cities of [others’] hearts.”

(Abdu’l-Baha, A Traveller’s Narrative, p. 64)

Man is one, and hearts communicate.

“The sea of the unity of mankind is lifting up its waves with joy, for there is real communication between the hearts and minds of men…This is a new cycle of human power.”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Abdu’l-Baha in London, p. 19)

“…Qualities of spirit and heart are extremely contagious.”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith - Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 319)

“My hope is that through the zeal and ardour of the pure of heart…this world shall become a new world…Human hearts shall meet and embrace each other.”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Abdu’l-Baha in London, p. 38)

Reference:

[1] Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith - Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 254

Images:

[1] Sacred Heart and Roses. Wikimedia Commons. (accessed February 25, 2008) Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation

[2] Paths and gardens around the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh and the Bahjí Pilgrim House. Baha’i Media Bank (accessed February 25, 2008) Reprinted with permission of the Bahá’í International Community

[3] The Israel Northern Symphony Haifa with the Transylvania State Choir on the entrance plaza of the Terraces of the Shrine of the Báb on Mount Carmel, 22 May 2001. Baha’i Media Bank (accessed February 25, 2008) Reprinted with permission of the Bahá’í International Community