Dawn Prayers

In this episode, we share prayers and sacred writings centered on seeking true understanding, illuminating the mind, and aligning our knowledge with a spirit of love and service. Take a moment to connect with God, quiet your surroundings, and let these prayers inspire your mind and heart.

Mashíyyat is the eleventh month of the Baha’i calendar, and is name translates to Will. Mashíyyat represents the omnipresent Will of God—the primal force through which all things are created out of nothingness. Spiritually, Mashíyyat is a time for quelling the insistent self, in order to align completely with God’s purpose and the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh.

Today's prayers for the Feast of Mashiyyat:

This Tablet is read at the Shrines of Bahá’u’lláh and The Báb. It is also frequently used in commemorating Their anniversaries.

The praise which hath dawned from Thy most august Self, and the glory which hath shone forth from Thy most effulgent Beauty, rest upon Thee, O Thou Who art the Manifestation of Grandeur, and the King of Eternity, and the Lord of all who are in heaven and on earth!  I testify that through Thee the sovereignty of God and His dominion, and the majesty of God and His grandeur, were revealed, and the Daystars of ancient splendor have shed their radiance in the heaven of Thine irrevocable decree, and the Beauty of the Unseen hath shone forth above the horizon of creation.  I testify, moreover, that with but a movement of Thy Pen Thine injuction “Be Thou” hath been enforced, and God's hidden Secret hath been divulged, and all created things have been called into being, and all the Revelations have been sent down.

I bear witness, moreover, that through Thy beauty the beauty of the Adored One hath been unveiled, and through Thy face the face of the Desired One hath shone forth, and that through a word from Thee Thou hast decided between all created things, causing them who are devoted to Thee to ascend unto the summit of glory, and the infidels to fall into the lowest abyss.

I bear witness that he who hath known Thee hath known God, and he who hath attained unto Thy presence hath attained unto the presence of God.  Great, therefore, is the blessedness of him who hath believed in Thee, and in Thy signs, and hath humbled himself before Thy sovereignty, and hath been honored with meeting Thee, and hath attained the good pleasure of Thy will, and circled around Thee, and stood before Thy throne.  Woe betide him that hath transgressed against Thee, and hath denied Thee, and repudiated Thy signs, and gainsaid Thy sovereignty, and risen up against Thee, and waxed proud before Thy face, and hath disputed Thy testimonies, and fled from Thy rule and Thy dominion, and been numbered with the infidels whose names have been inscribed by the fingers of Thy behest upon Thy holy Tablets.

Waft, then, unto me, O my God and my Beloved, from the right hand of Thy mercy and Thy loving-kindness, the holy breaths of Thy favors, that they may draw me away from myself and from the world unto the courts of Thy nearness and Thy presence.  Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee.  Thou, truly, hast been supreme over all things.

The remembrance of God and His praise, and the glory of God and His splendor, rest upon Thee, O Thou Who art His Beauty!  I bear witness that the eye of creation hath never gazed upon one wronged like Thee.  Thou wast immersed all the days of Thy life beneath an ocean of tribulations.  At one time Thou wast in chains and fetters; at another Thou wast threatened by the sword of Thine enemies.  Yet, despite all this, Thou didst enjoin upon all men to observe what had been prescribed unto Thee by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

May my spirit be a sacrifice to the wrongs Thou didst suffer, and my soul be a ransom for the adversities Thou didst sustain.  I beseech God, by Thee and by them whose faces have been illumined with the splendors of the light of Thy countenance, and who, for love of Thee, have observed all whereunto they were bidden, to remove the veils that have come in between Thee and Thy creatures, and to supply me with the good of this world and the world to come.  Thou art, in truth, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.

Bless Thou, O Lord my God, the Divine Lote-Tree and its leaves, and its boughs, and its branches, and its stems, and its offshoots, as long as Thy most excellent titles will endure and Thy most august attributes will last.  Protect it, then, from the mischief of the aggressor and the hosts of tyranny.  Thou art, in truth, the Almighty, the Most Powerful.  Bless Thou, also, O Lord my God, Thy servants and Thy handmaidens who have attained unto Thee.  Thou, truly, art the All-Bountiful, Whose grace is infinite.  No God is there save Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

Bahá’u’lláh taught that God’s greatness is beyond the limits of human understanding. No words or descriptions can fully capture divine majesty. Human beings come to know something of that greatness through the Manifestations of God, who reveal divine attributes in ways we can understand.

The signs of God’s grandeur can also be seen throughout creation—in the beauty, order, power, and harmony of the world around us. The Writings encourage us to reflect on these signs, allowing our awareness of the Creator to deepen through thoughtful observation and contemplation.

At the Feast of Grandeur, we can turn our hearts to the majesty of God, consider the role of the Manifestations as channels of divine revelation, and reflect on our own responsibility to bring spiritual teachings into action through our lives.

The Tablet of Visitation, paragraph 1

The praise which hath dawned from Thy most august Self, and the glory which hath shone forth from Thy most effulgent Beauty, rest upon Thee, O Thou Who art the Manifestation of Grandeur, and the King of Eternity, and the Lord of all who are in heaven and on earth! 

The Intention of the Revelation 

The advent of the prophets and the revelation of the Holy Books is intended to create love between souls and friendship between the inhabitants of the earth. Real love is impossible unless one turn his face towards God and be attracted to His Beauty.

The Purpose of God

Verily I say, the creation of God embraceth worlds besides this world, and creatures apart from these creatures. In each of these worlds He hath ordained things which none can search except Himself, the All-Searching, the All-Wise.

One single letter of Thy Book is the mother of all utterances

My God, Thou Whom I adore and worship, Who art Most Powerful! I testify that no description by any created thing can ever reveal Thee, and no praise which any being is able to utter can express Thee. ​

Beautify thy tongues, O people, with trustworthiness, truthfulness, and adorn yourselves with the ornament of honesty…Be ye the trustees of God amongst His creatures and the emblems of his generosity amongst His people.

O  ye children of men! The fundamental purpose animating the faith of God and His religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship among men.

Glory to thee O God.  Deny her not Thy bounty and Thy grace. Supply her, then, with that which excelleth all that can be found on earth.

All beings partake of Thy care and Thy lovingkindness.

The Baháʼí Feast of Loftiness refers to the 19-day fast (March 2–20) during the month of ‘Alá’ (Loftiness), representing a spiritual retreat to elevate the soul, detach from material desires, and rejuvenate spiritual forces. It is a period for meditation, prayer, and self-restraint before the new year (Naw-Rúz), focusing on humility and connecting with the divine. 

Prayers:

Central to the Baha’i teachings is knowing God almighty. The might of God may be understood as an all-encompassing, transcendent power, radiating through all the realms of existence. A power through which creation is sustained, guided and unified in His eternal will.