True prayer brings joy, gives strength to
overcome difficulties, lifts the mind away from daily cares, and confers inner
peace. "When one supplicates to his Lord, turns to Him and seeks bounty
from His Ocean, this supplication brings light to his heart, illumination to
his sight, life to his soul and exaltation to his being," wrote
'Abdu'l-Báhá.
This vision of what prayer can do implies
more than a dry and formal recitation of words. "The most acceptable
prayer is the one offered with the utmost spirituality and radiance; its
prolongation hath not been and is not beloved by God. The more detached and the
purer the prayer, the more acceptable is it in the presence of God," wrote
the Báb.
Such a concept of prayer is much different
from merely presenting a list of personal wishes to the Creator. Rather, prayer
is seen by the Bahá'í teachings as a means for drawing nearer to God and for
seeking to harmonize our hopes and plans with God's will. Prayer helps to
develop a radiant confidence that is not dependent on success or failure, good
fortune or calamity.
To pray for good health, for assistance in
solving problems, for the welfare of loved ones, and so forth, is natural, and
a fitting expression of our dependence on the blessings of God. But when things
do not turn out as we would like, it is fruitful to pray, too, for
understanding of the wisdom behind events, and for the ability to happily
accept difficulties as well as blessings. This is the key to contentment.
Prayer offered in a dynamic spirit is
energising and does not lead to a passive approach to life. In fact, prayer is
only meaningful when it is lived out in action, which turns the inspiration of
prayer into tangible results. The clarity of mind that comes through prayer
leads to better choices and more effective actions.
Prayer is not a substitute for material
solutions. For example, if one is ill, it is necessary to see a doctor, as well
as praying for healing. The skill of the doctor can be seen as one of the means
through which the prayer is answered. As well, the upliftment of prayer can aid
the healing process, as the body's powers of recovery are greater when a person
is in good spirits.
In the Bahá'í Faith prayer is practiced in
various forms, including Obligatory Prayer, other personal prayer, and
collective worship.
Obligatory prayer is the individual
performance at least once each day of one of the special prayers which
Bahá'u'lláh provided for this purpose. It is one of the few set forms of
worship in the Bahá'í Faith, in which ritual is reduced to a minimum. There are
three obligatory prayers to choose from, one of which is brief and simple,
another being somewhat longer, and the third being of about ten minutes
duration when said aloud.
Daily obligatory prayer, and fasting at a
certain time of year, are core religious duties of a Bahá'í. Adherence to these
spiritual disciplines has a special potency in helping a person to draw nearer
to God. 'Abdu'l-Báhá wrote:
While reciting
the Obligatory Prayer, one converseth intimately and shareth secrets with the
true Beloved. No pleasure is greater than this, if one proceedeth with a
detached soul, with tears overflowing, with a trusting heart and an eager
spirit. Every joy is earthly save this one, the sweetness of which is divine.
The daily obligatory prayers are to be said
personally, not as a group or congregation. Bahá'ís may also offer other
prayers in their personal devotions, from among the numerous prayers on many
themes that were written by the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Báhá. Sometimes
Bahá'ís may use their own words to pray, but the written prayers in the Bahá'í
holy writings are especially uplifting, eloquent, and wide-ranging in the
thoughts and emotions they express, so are used often.
Besides their personal prayers Bahá'ís
often gather together as families or communities for prayer and to read from
the Holy writings. Bahá'í Houses of Worship have been built in various parts of
the world for the purpose of collective worship, and more will be built in the
future. 'Abdu'l-Báhá explained:
The wisdom in
raising up such buildings is that at a given hour, the people should know it is
time to meet, and all should gather together, and, harmoniously attuned one to
another, engage in prayer; with the result that out of this coming together,
unity and affection shall grow and flourish in the human heart.
Yet prayer may be offered anywhere, for any
spot on earth is blessed "where mention of God has been made and His
praise glorified."
Quotations in context
Click on the links below to search for
quotations from this page, in Bahá'í reference websites.
