> Having been raised as a Roman Catholic, I have an > aversion to rosaries. I had always assumed that we had > put this type of religious expression behind us and > that ritualistic devotionals were no longer the way of > this dispensation.
We have been asked similar questions by friends in our community here in Estonia. Below is the answer that was printed in our national newsletter (minus footnote references, which don't copy easily, sorry). QUESTION: Why does Bah�'u'll�h ask us to say the Obligatory Prayer and recite "All�h'u'Abh�" 95 times a day? If we have to say a particular prayer at a given time in a special way (with all the gestures and movements that go with the medium and long prayers, for example) isn't this a ritual? How is this any different from the empty forms we so often see in other faiths, when believers repeat words or gestures without understanding them? ANSWER: As the Universal House of Justice has written, "It is not accurate to state that the Bah�'� Faith has no ceremonies... The Faith has certain basic laws and simple rites prescribed by Bah�'u'll�h and . its teachings warn against developing these into a system of uniform and rigid rituals by introducing into them man-made forms and practices." One important difference between such rites and the rituals of the past is due to the very fact that they have been "prescribed by Bah�'u'll�h" Himself, by the Voice of our Creator. `Abdu'l-Bah� assures us that "in every word [and] movement of the obligatory prayer there are allusions, mysteries and a wisdom that man is unable to comprehend, and letters and scrolls cannot contain." Another difference becomes clear in the light of Bah�'u'll�h's injunction to "Observe My commandments, for the love of My beauty." Even if we do always not understand why Bah�'u'll�h has prescribed a certain law, if we love Him, trust in Him, put our souls in His hands, and obey, then the act of following the divine command will itself become a blessing, and in time the "mysteries" will be revealed to us. Our love in and of itself gives meaning to the prayer. "Obligatory prayer causeth the heart to become attentive to the Divine kingdom... If one performeth the Obligatory Prayer with his heart in a state of utmost purity, he will obtain the confirmations of the Holy Spirit, and this will entirely obliterate love of self. I hope that thou wilt persevere in the recitation of the Obligatory Prayer, and thus will come to witness the power of entreaty and supplication." Moreover, as Shoghi Effendi points out, if we cannot bring ourselves to carry out the gestures and movements required by the medium and long Obligatory Prayers, we can always use the short one. The fact that Obligatory Prayers are to be said individually also helps to prevent it becoming an empty ritual observed for the sake of society. Instead, it is a profoundly personal experience: "While reciting the Obligatory Prayer, one converseth intimately and shareth secrets with the true Beloved." The House of Justice explains, similarly, that "The essentials of these laws are known to all Bah�'�s, but acquiring greater insight into their significance must include carrying out all the divinely revealed aspects of their observance." With particular reference to the repetition of "All�h'u'Abh�" it adds, "Let all experience the spiritual enrichment brought to their souls by this simple act of worshipful meditation." Whether we recite, chant or sing the Greatest Name, it is a form of spiritual discipline which teaches us the virtues of obedience, patience, detachment, and to see with the eye of God. Perhaps it can also be seen as a call to meditation on His Beauty. "This is the Beauty of God amongst you, and the power of His sovereignty within you, could ye but understand," says the Maid of Heaven, speaking about Bah�'u'll�h in the S�rih of the Temple. And `Abdu'l-Bah� explains, "The love which exists between the hearts of believers is. attained through the knowledge of God... Each sees in the other the Beauty of God reflected in the soul, and finding this point of similarity, they are attracted to one another in love... This love will bring the realization of true accord, the foundation of real unity." __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web - http://list.jccc.net/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.net/bahai-st http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist (public) http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] (public)
