The King of Kings of the Covenant and the Monarch of Devotion – an ode by Mahmud Zarqani concerning the Master’s voyage to the West

The Beloved of the East

and the Supreme Spirit of Persia

crossed the Atlantic Ocean,

Each second replete with joyful acclamations

exclaiming from the Cedric

That the King of Kings of the Covenant

and the Monarch of Devotion

had consented to come to America.

 

He was welcomed with open arms

and the earth became the envy of heaven.

Existence itself nudged the world of being

The sea raised its ceaseless voice

that the King of Kings of the Covenant

had consented to come to America.

 

On the tenth of April 1912 the illustrious and

beauteous Beloved reached New York

to a great and wondrous welcome,

While heavenly angels proclaimed the glad tidings

that the King of Kings of the Covenant

had consented to come to America.

- Mahmud Zarqani (‘Abdu’l-Baha’s secretary and chronicler during His travels in the West ‘Mahmud’s Diary, vol. 1’)

God is sufficient unto me - by Elika Mahony

 

To The Center of the Covenant: ‘Abdu’l-Baha - May the Souls of all Mankind be a Sacrifice to Him! – by Thornton Chase

[This Ode “To the Center of the Covenant" was composed by Thornton Chase a few weeks before his death. It was read in the holy presence of ‘Abdu’l-Baha]

Thou David of the Promised Kingdom of God!

Thou Princely Leader of all Humanity!

Thou Warrior against the Tribes of Infidelity!

Thou Conqueror of Darkness and Radiator of Light!

Thou Bearer of the Banner of Divine Peace and Prosperity to the Nations!

Thou First Born in the Kingdom of Baha! Beloved of God and Men!

Thou First Citizen of the Royal and Holy City!

Thou Branch of the LORD, Beautiful and Glorious!

Thou Greatest Branch from the Ancient Root!

Thou Fruit-bearing Branch of the Divine Tree!

Thou Host of the Divine Table!

Thou Cup-Bearer of the Divine Knowledge!

Thou Diffuser of the Holy Fragrances!

Thou Interpreter of the Revealed Word!

Thou Liver of the Baha’i Law!

Thou Heart of the World, sending the Blood of Truth through the arteries of Humanity!

Thou Physician of Souls, raising the dead to Life by the Elixir of the Word!

 Behold the candle how it gives its life...

An Invocation

Performed by choir at the dedication of Baha'i Temple in India 

Kindness to Animals - by Nancy Ward

A child's prayer - words adapted from a Baha'i prayer; music by Marion Wilcox

(Child's Way magazine, July-August, 1971)

Be of good cheer - by Marion Wilcox

(Child’s Way Magazine, May-June, 1971)

Declaration of the Báb – by Kay Patcon

The blessed Báb, His turban green.

Shone bright upon the Persian scene.

Sent by God to bring His love

And His laws from above.

'Twas Mulla Husayn the Báb first told

About His Mission and trust to hold.

Dauntless, courageous, brave and true.

The Dawn-Breakers had a task to do.

Of fighting enemies of His Cause;

Only death could bring a pause.

Gaining victory for the Báb,

Imprisoned and hated by the mob.

Alas, the Báb was shot and dead,

But victory followed in His stead

For His Faith remained alive

And soon His Promised One arrived!

(Child’s Way Magazine, May-June, 1971)

Have you heard of Baha'u'llah?

Have you heard of Baha'u'llah

I Think You're Wonderful - by Red & Kathy Grammer

 

  

An ode of Rúmí’s that Baha’u’llah wrote down for one of the believers to sing

‘Abdu’l-Baha tells us that : “At one time, Bahá’u’lláh had written down an ode of Rúmí’s for him, [Ustád Ismá’íl] and had told him to turn his face toward the Báb and sing the words, set to a melody. And so as he wandered through the long dark nights, Ustád would sing these lines:

I am lost, O Love, possessed and dazed,

Love’s fool am I, in all the earth.

They call me first among the crazed,

Though I once came first for wit and worth.

O Love, who sellest me this wine, [1]

O Love, for whom I burn and bleed,

Love, for whom I cry and pine—

Thou the Piper, I the reed.

If Thou wishest me to live,

Through me blow Thy holy breath.

The touch of Jesus Thou wilt give

To me, who’ve lain an age in death.

Thou, both End and Origin,

Thou without and Thou within—

From every eye Thou hidest well,

And yet in every eye dost dwell.

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Memorials of the Faithful’)

[1] This wine, Rúmí says elsewhere, comes from the jar of “Yea verily.” That is, it symbolizes the Primal Covenant established between God and man on the day of “Am I not your Lord?” On that day, the Creator summoned posterity out of the loins of Adam and said to the generations unborn, “Am I not your Lord?” Whereupon they answered, “Yea, verily, Thou art.” Cf. Qur’án 7:171.

Virtues Rap

Verse 1

Now follow me closely, it won't take long.

Virtues are what bring humanity along.

We want you to know that we just don't get it.

Virtues are admired, but rarely get the credit.

Verses 2

Now you got your plants and your animals too,

But they got limits when compared to you.

It's boys and girls who are gonna win.

They're the ones who got Virtues within.

Verse 3

Now you got your kindness and patience galore.

Assertiveness and caring are great, that's for sure.

Courage, love and service and add some forgiveness

Is what the world wants to see, more of not less.

Verse 4

There are lots of virtues, that are really where it's at

Like cleanliness, respect and that little one, tact.

And even with our parents, courtesy's a hit.

The one called enthusiasm's our favorite.

Verse 5

We all know about honesty and justice.

Folks are keen on unity, you'll just have to trust us.

Determination, detachment, obedience, too –

With a little dash of reverence, we'll rap them to you.

Verse 6

Now all these virtues, you know they're just right

And that a man with no virtues is a lamp without a light.

With our virtues revealed, you'll give us the nod.

Hey, a world full of virtues is a world full of God.

Final Chorus

Without virtues,

You're nothin'.

WITH virtues,

You're SOMETHIN'.

(Brilliant Star, September-October 1999)

A Baha’i Mother – a poem by Sydney Sprague

[This incident occurred in Zanjan, Persia, in the Days of the Blessed Beauty, Baha'u'llah]

Alone within she stood; the crowd without,

With horrid taunting jeer and mocking shout,

Were making out of death a ghastly feast,-

As human blood is banquet for the heart.

She knew, alas too well, who was their prey;

In one brief hour they had snatched away

From out her arms, her own, her well-beloved.

Ah, for this crime was Heaven itself not moved!

Why should her boy, a tree of strength and truth,

Be struck down in the beauty of his youth?

Why should the wicked triumph o'er the good,

The lamb be given to the wolves for food?

Yet often, he to her this warning gave:

"Know thou, man cannot soul and body save,—

My soul I give to God; if others lust

For Bahai blood, then bravely die I must."

The woman remembered; strength came to her heart;

"O God," she prayed, "grant unto me a part

Of this day's sacrifice to Thee.

Orientation – a poem by May Maxwell

O thou divine Bird   

From gardens of light!   

Thy heart piercing song   

Hath shattered the night,   

Dispelling the gloom   

And flooding the air!   

The world bath not seen   

But felt thou wert there.     

O thou divine Rose   

From gardens of love!   

Thy form of substance,   

Thy breath from above,   

Exhales to the world   

A perfume so rare,   

That tho' still unseen   

We know thou art there.     

O thou divine Star   

From the realms on high!   

Thy radiant beams   

Fill earth, air, and sky!   

Bereaved of the Sun   

The world unaware   

Now turns to Its Glory   

And sees Thou art there!    

- May Maxwell  (Star of the West, Vol. 15, No. 4, July 1924)  

Songs from 1992 Baha'i World Congress in New York City

Ayyám-i-Há is Coming

Ayyám-i-Há is coming! Ayyám-i-Há is near!

Intercalay’s coming, the time for fun and cheer.

The Báb proclaimed that these are days that we give to the poor.

We have good food and give our gifts and open up our door, door, door, door,

door, door, door, door.

Ayyám-i-Há is coming! Ayyám-i-Há is near!

Intercalay’s coming, the time for fun and cheer.

The Báb proclaimed that these are days that we give to the poor.

We have good food and give our gifts and open up our door, door, door, door,

door, door, door, door.

(Child’s Way magazine, January-February 1978)

Jubliation

Talk about Love

(Child's Way Magazine, September-October 1982)