If you desire with all your heart, friendship with every race on earth, your thought, spiritual and positive, will spread until it reaches the minds of all men.

'Abdu'l-Bahá

Spiritual and Positive

Theme: Love

I charge you all that each one of you concentrate all the thoughts of your heart on love and unity. When a thought of war comes, oppose it by a stronger thought of peace. A thought of hatred must be destroyed by a more powerful thought of love. Thoughts of war bring destruction to all harmony, well-being, restfulness and content. Thoughts of love are constructive of brotherhood, peace, friendship, and happiness… If you desire with all your heart, friendship with every race on earth, your thought, spiritual and positive, will spread; it will become the desire of others, growing stronger and stronger, until it reaches the minds of all men.

'Abdu'l-Bahá

Abdu’l-Bahá, born Abbas Effendi in May 1844, was an influential religious figure known for his leadership in the Baha’i Faith following the death of his father, Baha'u'llah, the faith's founder, in 1892. His birthplace was Tehran, Iran, a significant location in the history of the Baha'i Faith. Growing up, he witnessed his father's exile due to religious persecution, an experience that deeply impacted his later work and teachings. As the eldest son, he was intimately involved in his father's mission, gaining a profound understanding of the Baha'i teachings. His early life was marked by turmoil and displacement, enduring exiles to Baghdad, Constantinople, Adrianople, and finally to Acre, in the Ottoman Empire. These experiences of adversity and displacement shaped his compassionate worldview.

Upon his father's passing, Abdu'l-Bahá became the appointed leader of the Baha'i community. He played a crucial role in interpreting Baha'u'llah's teachings and ensuring their dissemination. His leadership period was characterized by a significant expansion of the Baha'i Faith, both in the Middle East and internationally. He was known for his charismatic personality, deep spiritual insight, and commitment to the principles of peace, unity, and equality. Abdu'l-Bahá's efforts to spread the Baha'i teachings took a monumental turn when he embarked on a series of travels to the West, visiting Europe and North America between 1911 and 1913. These journeys were pivotal in bringing the Baha'i message to a broader audience, emphasizing the faith's core principles of unity, equality, and world peace.

Abdu’l-Bahá passed away in Haifa, in present-day Israel, on November 28, 1921. His death marked the end of an era for the Baha'i community but left a lasting legacy through his writings, discourses, and the example he set through his life. He was widely recognized for his humanitarian work, his commitment to social justice, and his efforts to promote interfaith dialogue. His teachings and actions continue to inspire Baha'is around the world, serving as a guiding light for the principles of service, unity, and peace central to the Baha'i Faith. His writings and talks, many of which have been preserved, offer a profound insight into the spiritual and practical aspects of the Baha'i teachings and remain a key part of Baha'i literature.

(1844-1921) Baha'i Faith
Paris Talks

Bahá, ‘Abdu’l. “Bahá'í Reference Library.” The Bahá'í Faith - The Website of the Worldwide Bahá'í Community, Bahai.org Home. Bahá’í International Community, www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/paris-talks/, [Paris Talks] pp. 29-30.

'Abdu'l-Bahá

Theme: Love

About This Abdu’l-Baha Quotation [Commentary]

‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s teachings reveal a clear path to peace and unity through the power of love and positive thought. He suggests that a sincere desire for friendship with all races can extend beyond our personal realm, influencing the collective consciousness. This reflects a spiritual truth: positive thoughts, especially those rooted in love, have the potential to reach and transform others, fostering a sense of universal kinship.

The guidance offered by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá encourages us to cultivate love and unity in our hearts, countering any negative thoughts with stronger, positive ones. This conscious effort not only reshapes our own mindset but also contributes to a broader culture of peace. It highlights the individual’s role in creating a more harmonious world through the deliberate nurturing of love and peace in their thoughts and actions.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s message speaks to a universal truth: the foundation for a harmonious world is rooted in our intentions and thoughts. Aiming to befriend every race, we set forth a wave of love that transcends boundaries, touching hearts globally. This vision, grounded in love, guides us toward a future where unity and peace prevail, embodying ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s vision of a world interconnected through love.

Additional Abdu’l-Baha Quotes

“Know thou of a certainty that Love is the secret of God’s holy Dispensation, the manifestation of the All-Merciful, the fountain of spiritual outpourings. Love is heaven’s kindly light, the Holy Spirit’s eternal breath that vivifieth the human soul. Love is the cause of God’s revelation unto man, the vital bond inherent, in accordance with the divine creation, in the realities of things. Love is the one means that ensureth true felicity both in this world and the next. Love is the light that guideth in darkness, the living link that uniteth God with man, that assureth the progress of every illumined soul. Love is the most great law that ruleth this mighty and heavenly cycle, the unique power that bindeth together the diverse elements of this material world, the supreme magnetic force that directeth the movements of the spheres in the celestial realms. Love revealeth with unfailing and limitless power the mysteries latent in the universe. Love is the spirit of life unto the adorned body of mankind, the establisher of true civilization in this mortal world, and the shedder of imperishable glory upon every high-aiming race and nation.”

—Abdu’l-Baha [Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha] p. 27.

“The message of the holy, divine Manifestations is love; the phenomena of creation are based upon love; the radiance of the world is due to love; the well-being and happiness of the world depend upon it. Therefore, I admonish you that you must strive throughout the human world to diffuse the light of love. The people of this world are thinking of warfare; you must be peacemakers. The nations are self-centered; you must be thoughtful of others rather than yourselves. They are neglectful; you must be mindful. They are asleep; you should be awake and alert. May each one of you be as a shining star in the horizon of eternal glory.”

—Abdu’l-Baha [The Promulgation of Universal Peace] p. 337.

Spiritual and Positive

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