The Campaign for Spiritualization
A six step program by the Universal House of Justice

by Ahang Rabbani Ph.D
reprinted in Deepen Magazine, Winter 1995, No. 5 Vol. 2.4

Editor's Note: The concept of spirituality is something which extends far beyond our limited understanding and, considering our human limitations, any analysis of spiritual concepts must rely heavily upon our personal understanding of the revealed word. As is the case with all Bahá’í research, individual interpretations may vary, so our readers are encouraged to turn to the writings themselves so that their understanding and application of such concepts may be enhanced.

The quest for spiritualization is a campaign that has no defined beginning or end. It is not a normal activity, with specific locations, resources, or other specified details. It is a far more fundamental and lasting campaign.

Based on a directive of the Universal House of Justice given to the Bahá’í community of Ireland in 1983, it has universal applicability. It requires the participation of the entire body of the believers and the effects of it will, undoubtedly, completely and permanently change the shape of our Bahá’í community, taking it to a higher level of maturation.

Before discussing the specific steps of this process, however, it is necessary to provide some background in the form of a review the Bahá’í concept and meaning of spirituality.

I. The Meaning of Spirituality

The process of developing one's spiritual capacities is called spiritual growth, or simply, spirituality. In essence, when a person draws near to God, that individual becomes spiritual. A believer whose heart is closely linked with Bahá’u’lláh will grow in spirituality, becoming so enamored of Him to obey His teachings wholeheartedly and serve His Cause in spirit of selfless sacrifice and utmost devotion.

Let us expand on this theme by offering an analogy. Consider a newborn child, who is capable of manifesting very few of the qualities possessed by the mature adult human being. We know that unless the infant is properly cared and provided for, it will never exhibit such qualities. Life, then, is a growth process. We begin the process as a little bundle of potential and proceed, for better or worse, gradually developing our potential through the process of education (considered broadly as the sum of all environmental influences on the individual plus the individual's reaction to these influences).

According to Bahá’u’lláh's teachings, the very purpose of our lives is the proper, harmonious and full development of spiritual capacities. This is our most worthwhile and vital path to tread, since spiritual capacities, being part of the immortal soul, will eternally endure, while the body and its capacities will not. Since the body is the vessel of the soul's development in this earthly life, physical health and development must be made to serve the primary goal of fostering the soul's progress.

In Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh (p. 68), Bahá’u’lláh expresses this truth succinctly and powerfully:

"Through the Teachings of this Day Star of Truth every man will advance and develop. until he attaineth the station at which he can manifest all the potential forces with which his inmost true self hath been endowed. It is for this very purpose that in every age and dispensation the Prophets of God and His chosen Ones have appeared amongst men, and have evinced such power as is born of God and such might as only the Eternal can reveal."

Spirituality is the process of the full, adequate, proper, and harmonious development of one's spiritual capacities. With this definition of spirituality in mind, we can make an assertion concerning Bahá’í morality: That which fosters and advances the process of spiritual development is good, and that which tends to inhibit it is bad. Every law, counsel or behavioral norm contained in the Writings of our Faith can be understood in large measure from this perspective.

II. The Twin Duties

The first step. in the path of spiritual growth is to become as intensely aware as possible of the reality of the spiritual realm of existence. The principal key to such an awareness is knowledge of the Manifestations of God.

Indeed, since the Manifestations constitute such a unique link between man and God, knowledge of the Manifestations is the foundation of the whole process of spiritual development. In this regard, Bahá’u’lláh in Gleanings (p.66) states:

"Neither the candle nor the lamp. can be lighted through their own unaided efforts, nor can it ever be possible for the mirror to free itself from its dross. It is clear and evident that until afire is kindled the lamp. will never be ignited, and unless the dross is blotted out from the face of the mirror it can never represent the image of the sun nor reflect its light and glory."

He goes on to point out that the necessary "fire" and "light" are transmitted from God to man through the Manifestations.

Bahá’u’lláh further affirms that in order to progress beyond a certain level on the path of spirituality, another step. is essential. He is quite clear and emphatic about this, opening His Most Holy Book with this theme:

"The first duty prescribed by God for His servants is the recognition of Him Who is the Day spring of His Revelation and the Fountain of His laws, Who representeth the Godhead in both the Kingdom of His Cause and the world of creation. Whoso achieveth this duty hath attained unto all good; and whoso is deprived thereof hath gone astray, though he be the author of every righteous deed. It behoveth every one who reacheth this most sublime station, this summit of transcendent glory, to observe every ordinance of Him Who is the Desire of the world. These twin duties are inseparable. Neither is acceptable without the other." {Kitab-i-Aqdas p. 19}

Thus, even though the recognition of Bahá’u’lláh is described as equal to "all good," recognition alone is not a sufficient basis for spiritual growth. The effort to conform oneself to the moral and ethical standards expressed within the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh is also an intrinsic, inseparable part of the process. This effort, in the final analysis, must be exerted by the individual himself—wholeheartedly and faithfully.

Bahá’u’lláh, in Gleanings, pp. 81-82, tells us:

"The incomparable Creator hath created all men from one same substance, and hath exalted their reality above the rest of His creatures. Success orfailure, gain or loss, must, therefore, depend upon man's own exertions. The more he striveth, the greater will be his progress."

The beloved Guardian has also stated this point:

"Personal effort is indeed a vital prerequisite to the recognition and acceptance of the Cause of God. No matter how strong the measure of Divine grace, unless supplemented by personal, sustained and intelligent effort it cannot become fully effective and be of any real and abiding advantage." {Compilation on Deepening, p. 14}

This statement of Shoghi Effendi makes clear that recognition of and faith in Bahá’u’lláh are not simply gifts from God. Rather, both involve a reciprocal relationship. requiring an intelligent and energetic response on the part of the believer.

III. The True Seeker

One of Bahá’u’lláh's major works, The Book of Certitude, (the Kitab-i-Iqan) which described by the beloved Guardian second in importance only to the Kitab-i-Aqdas (the Most Holy Book), is largely devoted to a detailed explanation of the way in which God has provided for the spiritual education of mankind through the periodic appearance in human history of a Godsent Prophet. At one point in His discussion of these questions, Bahá’u’lláh gives a wonderfully explicit description of the steps and stages involved in the individual's progress towards full spiritual development. This portion of the Kitab-i-lqan has become popularly known among Bahá’ís as the Tablet to the True Seeker, although Bahá’u’lláh Himself does not designate the passage by this or any other such appellation.

In general terms, a "true seeker" may be seen as being anyone who has realized that spiritual growth and development constitute the basic purpose of existence, and has sincerely and seriously embarked on the enterprise of fostering his spiritual progress. It is quite clear from the context of the passage that Bahá’u’lláh is primarily addressing those who have already reached the stage of acceptance of the Manifestation of God and obedience to His commandments.

Bahá’u’lláh begins by describing in considerable detail the attitudes, thought and behavioral patterns, that characterize a true seeker. He mentions such things as humility, abstention from backbiting and vicious criticism of others, kindness and helpfulness to those who are poor or otherwise in need, and the regular practice of the discipline of prayer and of meditation. He concludes this description by saying "These are among the attributes of the exalted, and constitute the hall-mark of the spiritually-minded.... When the detached wayfarer and sincere seeker hath furfilled these essential conditions, then and only then can he be called a true seeker." {Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 201} He then describes the quality of effort needed for the attainment of spirituality and the state of being which this secures for the individual:

"Only when the lamp. of search, of earnest striving, of longing desire, of passionate devotion, of fervid love, of rapture, and ecstasy, is kindled within the seeker's heart, and the breeze of His loving-kindness is wafted upon his soul, will the darkness of error be dispelled, the mists of doubts and misgivings be dissipated, and the lights of knowledge and certitude envelop. his being. At that hour will the mystic Herald, bearing the joyful tidings of the Spirit, shine forth from the City of God resplendent as the morn, and, through the trumpet-blast of knowledge, will awaken the heart, the soul, and the spirit from the slumber of negligence. Then will the manifold favors and outpouring grace of the holy and everlasting Spirit confer such new life upon the seeker that he willfind himself endowed with a new eye, a new ear, a new heart, and a new mind. He will contemplate the manifest signs of the universe, and will penetrate the hidden mysteries of the soul. Gazing with the eye of God, he will perceive within every atom a door that leadeth him to the stations of absolute certitude. He will discover in all things the mysteries of divine Revelation and the evidences of an everlasting manifestation." 
{Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 202}

IV. Patience is the Key

By its very nature, spirituality is something which can only be achieved as the result of a certain self-aware and self-responsible process of development. 'Abdu'l-Baha often responded to Bahatis who felt overwhelmed by the task of refining their character by stressing the necessity of patience and daily striving. "Be patient, be as I am," He would say. Spirituality was to be won "little by little; day by day." And again:

"He is a true Bahá’í who strives by day and by night to progress and advance along the path of human endeavor, whose most cherished desire is so to live and act as to enrich and illuminate the world, whose source of inspiration is the essence of Divine virtue, whose aim in life is so to conduct himself as to be the cause of infinite progress. Only when he attains unto such perfect gifts can it be said of him that he is a true Bahá’í."{Compilation on Deepening, p. 7}

This passage in particular would seem to indicate that one of the signs of an individual's maturity is his acceptance of the gradual nature of the process of spiritual growth and of the necessity for daily striving.

In a similar vein, Shoghi Effendi has said that we,
"... should not look at the depraved condition of the society in which they live, nor at the evidences of moral degradation and frivolous conduct which the people around them display. They should not content themselves merely with relative distinction and excellence. Rather they should fix their gaze upon nobler heights by setting the counsels and exhortations of the Pen of Glory as their supreme goal. Then it will be readily realized how numerous are the stages that still remain to be traversed and how far off the desired goal lies—a goal which is none other than exemplifying heavenly morals and virtues." {Lights of Guidance, #457}

Indeed, one of Bahá’u’lláh's major works, The Seven Valleys, describes in poetic and powerfully descriptive language the different stages of spiritual perception through which an individual may pass in his efforts to attain to the goal of spirituality. Moreover, in the Tablet of Wisdom, Bahá’u’lláh says: "Let each morn be better than its eve and each morrow richer than its yesterday."{Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 138}

Elsewhere, Bahá’u’lláh has urged us to live in such a way that each day our faith increases over the previous day. All of these passages strongly reinforce the notion that spirituality is to be won only through a gradual process and is not to be attained by any once-and-for-all act of faith.

V. The Six Steps to Spirituality

After developing this understanding of the process of spiritual growth and its dynamics, we stand in need of the practical tools to help. us traverse this path, tools masterly summarized by the Universal House of Justice some eleven years ago in a message to the National Spiritual Assembly of Ireland, dated 1 September 1983. {Ireland Bahá’í News, June 1984, p. 12} In their message to the European communities regarding the six steps to spirituality, it was stated:

"The House of Justice wishes to stress these steps, because they represent the path towards the attainment of true spirituality that has been laid down by the Manifestation of God for this age." {Ireland Bahá’í News, June 1984, p. 13}

These six steps to spirituality enunciated in the Supreme Body's letter are are as follows:

	1)	The recital each day of one of the Obligatory Prayers with pure hearted devotion;

2)	The regular reading of the Sacred Scriptures, specifically at least each morning and 	evening; with reverence, attention and thought;

3)	Prayerful meditation on the teachings, so that we may understand them more deeply, furfill them more faithfully and convey them more accurately to others;

4)	Striving everyday to bring our behavior more into accordance with the high standards that are set forth in the teachings;

5)	Teaching the Cause of God;

6)	Selfless service in the work of the Cause and in carrying on of our trade or profession.

Now, lets us consider these six simple steps one by one.

 The Recital of an Obligatory Prayer

There are several types of prayers in the Bahá’í Faith:, including general prayers, tablets of visitation and the obligatory prayers. The obligatory prayers are different from the others in that they constitute one of the major ordinances of Bahá’u’lláh contained in the Kitab-i-Aqdas. He considered it so important and fundamental to our spiritual development that it is listed as the first ordinance in His Most Holy Book. There are certain rites associated with offering of each obligatory prayer, including turning toward the Qiblih (Point of Adoration) which is fixed as Bahá’u’lláh's shrine. These prayers, offered in privacy of one's own chamber, are three in number and the believers are free to choose any of them.

Bahá’u’lláh, in a number of His Tablets, has attached utmost importance to this particular commandment. 'Abdu'l-Baha, in one of His Tablets, describes the Obligatory Prayer as the "very foundation of the Cause of God" and the "cause of spiritual life" for the individual. In another Tablet, He states that the observance of the ordinance of Obligatory Prayer is binding on all and no excuse is acceptable, except when a person is mentally deranged or confronted by extraordinary circumstances. He further has stated:

“The obligatory prayers are binding in as much as they are, "conducive to humility and submissiveness, to setting one's face toward God and expressing devotion to Him." Through such prayer, "man holdeth communion with God, seeketh to draw near unto Him, converseth with the true Beloved of his heart, and attaineth spiritual stations." {Kitab-i-Aqdas, note #3}

The beloved Guardian has also stated:

"As regards fasting, it constitutes, together with the obligatory prayers, the two pillars that sustain the revealed Law of God. They act as stimulants to the soul, strengthen, revive, and purify it, and thus ensure its steady development." {Compilation on Obligatory Prayer, p. 3}

Should, due to some unforeseen circumstance, a believer miss offering his obligatory prayer, then, a procedure is provided by Bahá’u’lláh to act in its place.

Reading of the Sacred Scripture

Like a mother who offers food to her child several times a day, Bahá’u’lláh had enjoined on His followers to immerse themselves in His words twice a day, in the morning and the evening, stating that those who do not are not faithful to the Covenant of God.

This immersion in the words is not to be confused with prayer, which is a different matter altogether.

Immersion in the words of Bahá’u’lláh exerts the same influence upon the soul as food does on the body. This commandment, then, is analogous to the laws of nature, for one must eat every day to subsist.

In the Kitab-i-Aqdas Bahá’u’lláh states that there is no merit in reading His words when tired or distracted, emphasizing that reading a few lines with spirit of joy and fragrance is better than to read a whole book when depressed and weary. To read the Holy Writings once in a while is not enough. As ordained by Bahá’u’lláh, if the individual is to grow spiritually, he must read His words twice a day.

Prayerful Meditation on the Writings

The words of Bahá’u’lláh with all of their vivifying forces must be allowed to penetrate into the heart to strengthen one's faith. This may be effected by immersion in His Writings only when the individual acknowledges that the words are charged with tremendous potency. Having read in the morning with this spirit, we can then commune with Bahá’u’lláh during the day wherever we may be and mediate on His words, so that, like food which is absorbed in the body, these words may be absorbed in our hearts and souls. It is then that we will hunger for more reading of the words in the evening.

Prayer to become empty of self is a vital necessity for spiritual growth. Our natural link with God is through prayer. A prayer offered without any trace of self and desire can exert a potent influence upon the soul. Through it, the channels of God's grace will be opened and the outpouring of His bounties will refresh and invigorate the soul.

Like a tree which, if alive, stretches its branches and leaves towards the sun to absorb its life-giving rays; the human soul, if illumined with the light of faith, yearns for God in prayer, loves to extol Him, and longs to commune with Him. If not, prayer may become an act of lip-service, devoid of joy and sincerity, and our hearts will then be unable to receive the outpouring of God's favors released in this day. A tree insensitive to the life-giving rays of the sun is dead, though the sun pours out its energies unceasingly. Similarly, the vivifying energies of God's infinite love are diffused throughout the whole of creation; yet not until we turn our hearts towards God in adoration can we become the recipients of these energies.

The power which can be generated in the heart of the believer when he is freed from all desire and turns to God with songs of praise and glorification, is beyond the comprehension of man. Suffice it to say that many heroes of our Faith have derived their courage and steadfastness from this source. They used the power of prayer to teach and, as a result, become worthy instruments to bring thousands under the shadow of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh.

Living the Life

The spiritual growth of the believer is also dependent upon pure and goodly deeds, and obedience to the laws and teachings of Bahá’u’lláh. To live the life in accordance with the teachings of God must be the over-arching goal of every sincere Bahá’í.

One of the wonderful bounties gained by reading the Kitabi-Aqdas is that in a number of passages, Bahá’u’lláh delineates those qualities and characteristics through which a believer must distinguish himself. {Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 160}

These good qualities are:

	  Truthfulness
	  Trustworthiness
	  Faithfulness
	  Righteousness and fear of God
	  Justice and Fairness
	  Tact and Wisdom
	  Courtesy
	  Hospitality
	  Perseverance
	  Detachment
	  Absolute submission to the Will of God

Behaviors to be avoided are:

	  The stirring up of mischief
	  Hypocrisy
	  Pride
	  Fanaticism
	  Preferring one's self to one's neighbor
	  Contention with one's neighbor
	  Indulging in one's passions
	  Lamentation in adversity
	  Contention with those in authority
	  Losing one's temper
	  Angering one's neighbor

Developing these characteristics in ourselves is also a prerequisite of successful and effective teaching. Bahá’u’lláh states in one of His Tablets:

"God hath prescribed unto everyone the duty of teaching His cause. Whoever ariseth to discharge this duty must needs, ere he proclaimeth His message, adorn himself with the ornament of an upright and praiseworthy character, so that his words may attract the hearts of such as are receptive to his call. Without it, he can never hope to influence his hearers." {Compilation on Teaching, p. 2}

This statement leaves no room for doubt, for as Bahá’u’lláh says, "Without it he can never hope to influence his bearers." The word never rules out any and all other possibilities.

Teaching the Cause

Reading the words of Bahá’u’lláh, vital as it is, cannot be conducive to spiritual progress unless it is combined with service to the Cause. Should a person take food regularly and in abundance but fail to move about and use his muscles every day, he would soon become an invalid. In the same way, reading of the writings must be accompanied by action. The greatest services to the Cause in this day are to teach the Faith as a daily act and to engage in the building and consolidation of the institutions of the Cause everywhere.

Teaching, which is the act of conveying the message of God to a soul, has been given a pre-eminent position in this Dispensation. Not only has Bahá’u’lláh enjoined upon every believer the duty of teaching His cause, but He has regarded it as "the most meritorious of all deeds". 'Abdu'l-Baha has stated: "Of all the gifts of God the greatest is the gift of teaching. It draweth unto us the grace of God, and is ourfirst obligation". And again: "Teaching the cause is of utmost importance for it is the head cornerstone of the foundation itself " {Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 9}

The Master has furthermore pointed out that the best way to attract people to the Cause of God, infinitely more effective than any campaign of publicity, is to pray earnestly to be led to receptive souls. Should there be sincerity and perseverance on the part of the Bahá’í teacher, there is no doubt that, as promised by the Founders of our Faith, his prayer will be answered and pure souls will be led to the Fountain of truth.

How clearly Shoghi Effendi has expressed the means for the triumph of the Faith:

"Not by the force of numbers, not by the mere exposition of a set of new and noble principles, not by an organized campaign of teaching—no matter how world-wide and elaborate in its character—not even by the staunchness of ourfaith or the exaltation of our enthusiasm, can we ultimately hope to vindicate in the eyes of a critical and skeptical age the supreme claim of the Abha Revelation. One thing and only one thing will unfailingly and alone secure the undoubted triumph of this sacred Cause, namely, the extent to which our own inner life and private character mirror forth in their manifold aspects the splendor of those eternal principles proclaimed by Bahá’u’lláh." {Baha’í Administration, p. 66}

Selfless Service

There is much that can be said about eelfless service to the Faith, but perhaps the most conclusive statement was made by the Author of our Faith, when He named 'Abdu'l-Baha as the Perfect Exemplar of His teachings. The Master is the embodiment of eelfless service to the Cause, Himself praying for further opportunities to serve the Faith and the friends. In fact, that is the main theme of one of the most important prayers that He has revealed, also known as His Tablet of Visitation. This prayer is so important that He attached these words to the beginning of it: "Whoso reciteth this prayer with lowliness and fervor will bring gladness and joy to the heart of this Servant; it will be even as meeting Him face to face."

'Abdu'l-Baha's Tablet of Visitation

HE IS THE ALL-GLORIOUS

O God, my God! Lowly and tearful, I raise my suppliant hands to Thee and cover my face in the dust of that Threshold of Thine, exalted above the knowledge of the learned, and the praise of all that glorify Thee. Graciously look upon Thy servant, humble and lowly at Thy door, with the glances of the eye of Thy mercy, and immerse him in the Ocean of Thine Eternal Grace.

Lord! He is a poor and lowly servant of Thine, enthralled and imploring Thee, captive in Thy hand, praying fervently to Thee, trusting in Thee, in tears before Thy face, calling to Thee and beseeching Thee, saying: 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 eelfless 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 cloth 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.

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About the Author:
Dr. Ahang Rabbani is a former staff member of the Bahá’í World Center and is presently employed with Dupont in Houston, Texas. The author wishes to thank Mr. Vafa Qa’im Maqami for his assistance in the preparation of this article.