Dawn Prayers

O Thou the Desire of the world and the Beloved of the nations! Thou seest me turning toward Thee, and rid of all attachment to anyone save Thee, and clinging to Thy cord, through whose movement the whole creation hath been stirred up. I am Thy servant, O my Lord, and the son of Thy servant. Behold me standing ready to do Thy will and Thy desire, and wishing naught else except Thy good pleasure. I implore Thee by the Ocean of Thy mercy and the Daystar of Thy grace to do with Thy servant as Thou willest and pleasest. By Thy might which is far above all mention and praise! Whatsoever is revealed by Thee is the desire of my heart and the beloved of my soul. O God, my God! Look not upon my hopes and my doings, nay rather look upon Thy will that hath encompassed the heavens and the earth. By Thy Most Great Name, O Thou Lord of all nations! I have desired only what Thou didst desire, and love only what Thou dost love.

O God, refresh and gladden my spirit. Purify my heart. Illumine my powers.

I lay all my affairs in Thy hand.  Thou art my Guide and my Refuge.  I will no longer be sorrowful and grieved; I will be a happy and joyful being.  O God!  I will no longer be full of anxiety, nor will I let trouble harass me.  I will not dwell on the unpleasant things of life.

O God!  Thou art more friend to me than I am to myself.  I dedicate myself to Thee, O Lord.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Just as the earth attracts everything to the center of gravity, and every object thrown upward into space will come down, so also material ideas and worldly thoughts attract men to the center of self. Anger, passion, ignorance, prejudice, greed and envy, covetousness, jealousy and suspicion prevent man from ascending to the realms of holiness, imprisoning him in the cause of self and the cage of egotism . . . The only power that is capable of delivering man from this captivity is the power of breaths of the Holy Spirit.

O Children of Dust! Tell the rich of the midnight sighing of the poor, lest heedlessness lead them into the path of destruction and deprive them of the tree of wealth. To give, and to be generous, are attributes of Mine. Well is it with him that adorneth himself with My virtues.

Every imperfect soul is self centered and thinking only of his own good. But as his thoughts expand a little, he will begin to think of the welfare and comfort of his family. If his idea is still more widened, his concern will be the felicity of his fellow citizens. And if they still widen, he will be thinking of the glory of his land and of his race. BUt when ideas and news reach the utmost degree of expansion, and attain the stage of perfection, then he will be interested in the exaltation of humankind. He will then be the well wisher of all men and the weal and prosperity of all lands. This is indicative of perfection.

O Lord, my God! Give me Thy grace to serve Thy loved ones, strengthen me in my servitude to Thee, illumine my brow with the light of adoration in Thy court of holiness, and of prayer to Thy kingdom of grandeur. Help me to be selfless at the heavenly entrance of Thy gate, and aid me to be detached from all things within Thy holy precincts. Lord! Give me to drink from the chalice of selflessness; with its robe clothe me, and in its ocean immerse me. Make me as dust in the pathway of Thy loved ones, and grant that I may offer up my soul for the earth ennobled by the footsteps of Thy chosen ones in Thy path, O Lord of Glory in the Highest.

With this prayer doth Thy servant call Thee, at dawntide and in the night-season. Fulfill his heart’s desire, O Lord! Illumine his heart, gladden his bosom, kindle his light, that he may serve Thy Cause and Thy servants.

Thou art the Bestower, the Pitiful, the Most Bountiful, the Gracious, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

O Son of Man, many a day hath passed over thee whilst thou hast buried thyself with thy fancies and idle imaginings. How long art thou to slumber on thy bed? Lift up thy head from slumber, for the sun hath risen to the zenith. Haply it may shine upon thee with the light of beauty. O Son of Man, the light hath shone on thee from the horizon of the sacred mount, and the spirit of enlightenment hath breached the Sinai of thy heart.