naw-rúz
“They that are endued with sincerity and faithfulness should associate with all the peoples and kindreds of the earth with joy and radiance, inasmuch as consorting with people hath promoted and will continue to promote unity and concord, which in turn are conducive to the maintenance of order in the world and to the regeneration of nations.”
“Through association and meeting we find happiness and development, individual and collective.”
“That which is conducive to association and attraction and unity among the sons of men is the means of the life of the world of humanity …
… and whatever causeth division, repulsion and remoteness leadeth to the death of humankind.”
“The religion or guidance of God must be the means of love and fellowship in the world. If religion proves to be the source of hatred, enmity and contention, if it becomes the cause of warfare and strife and influences men to kill each other, its absence is preferable.”
“Shut your eyes to estrangement, then fix your gaze upon unity.”
“That one indeed is a man who, today, dedicateth himself to the service of the entire human race.”
“Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.”
“The supreme need of humanity is cooperation and reciprocity.”
“The stronger the ties of fellowship and solidarity amongst men …
… the greater will be the power of constructiveness and accomplishment in all the planes of human activity.”
“So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.”
Naw-Rúz
“On every side the flame of oppression and tyranny can be discerned …
… tidings have reached Us that Our loved ones have been arrested in the land of Tá (Ṭihrán)
and this notwithstanding that the sun, and the moon, and the land, and the sea all testify that this people are adorned with the adornment of fidelity,
and have clung and will cling to naught except that which can ensure the exaltation of the government, and the maintenance of order within the nation, and the tranquillity of the people.”
“‘Exultest thou over the treasures thou dost possess, knowing they shall perish? Rejoicest thou in that thou rulest a span of earth, when the whole world, in the estimation of the people of Bahá, is worth as much as the black in the eye of a dead ant?
Abandon it unto such as have set their affections upon it, and turn thou unto Him Who is the Desire of the world.’”
“By God! This people have never been, nor are they now, inclined to mischief. Their hearts are illumined with the light of the fear of God, and adorned with the adornment of His love.
Their concern hath ever been and now is for the betterment of the world.
Their purpose is to obliterate differences, and quench the flame of hatred and enmity, so that the whole earth may come to be viewed as one country.”
“‘Rejoice with great joy, O Land of Tá (Ṭihrán),
for God hath made thee ‘the Day Spring of His light’, inasmuch as within thee was born the Manifestation of His Glory.
Be thou glad for this name that hath been conferred upon thee—a name through which the Daystar of grace hath shed its splendor, through which both earth and heaven have been illumined.
Erelong will the state of affairs within thee be changed, and the reins of power fall into the hands of the people.
Verily, thy Lord is the All-Knowing. His authority embraceth all things.
Rest thou assured in the gracious favor of thy Lord.
The eye of His loving-kindness shall everlastingly be directed towards thee.
The day is approaching when thy agitation will have been transmuted into peace and quiet calm.
Thus hath it been decreed in the Wondrous Book.’”
Naw-Rúz
“Glorified, immeasurably glorified art Thou, O Lord! Every man of insight is far astray in his attempt to recognize Thee, and every man of consummate learning is sore perplexed in his search after Thee….”
“Every evidence falleth short of Thine unknowable Essence and every light retreateth and sinketh below the horizon when confronted with but a glimmer of the dazzling splendour of Thy might….”
“Bestow on me, O my Lord, Thy gracious bounty and benevolent gifts and grant me that which beseemeth the sublimity of Thy glory. Aid me, O my Lord, to achieve a singular victory….”
“Open Thou the door of unfailing success before me and grant that the things Thou hast promised may be close at hand. Thou art in truth potent over all things….”
“Refresh my heart, O my God, with the living waters of Thy love and give me a draught, O my Master, from the chalice of Thy tender mercy….”
“Let me abide, O my Lord, within the habitation of Thy glory, and suffer me, O my God, to emerge from the darkness in which Thy divine obscurity is shrouded….”
“Enable me to partake of every good Thou hast vouchsafed unto Him Who is the Point and unto such as are the exponents of His Cause, and ordain for me that which beseemeth Thee and well becometh Thy station….”
“Do Thou graciously forgive me for the things that I have wrought in Thy holy presence, and look not upon me with the glance of justice, but rather deliver me through Thy grace, treat me with Thy mercy and deal with me according to Thy bountiful favours, as is worthy of Thy glory….”
“Thou art the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Glorious, the Bestower of favours and gifts, the Lord of grace abounding. Verily no God is there but Thee. Thou art the All-Possessing, the Most High.”
Naw-Rúz
“Thank ye God that ye have come into the plane of existence in this radiant century wherein the bestowals of God are appearing from all directions, when the doors of the Kingdom have been opened unto you, the call of God is being raised, and the virtues of the human world are in the process of unfoldment.”
“The day has come when all darkness is to be dispelled, and the Sun of Truth shall shine forth radiantly.”
“This time of the world may be likened to the equinoctial in the annual cycle. For, verily, this is the spring season of God….”
“At the time of the vernal equinox in the material world a wonderful vibrant energy and new life-quickening is observed everywhere in the vegetable kingdom; the animal and human kingdoms are resuscitated and move forward with a new impulse.”
“The whole world is born anew, resurrected. Gentle zephyrs are set in motion, wafting and fragrant; flowers bloom; the trees are in blossom, the air temperate and delightful; how pleasant and beautiful become the mountains, fields and meadows.”
“Likewise, the spiritual bounty and springtime of God quicken the world of humanity with a new animus and vivification. All the virtues which have been deposited and potential in human hearts are being revealed from that Reality as flowers and blossoms from divine gardens.”
“It is a day of joy, a time of happiness, a period of spiritual growth. I beg of God that this divine spiritual civilization may have the fullest impression and effect upon you.”
“May you become as growing plants. May the trees of your hearts bring forth new leaves and variegated blossoms. May ideal fruits appear from them in order that the world of humanity, which has grown and developed in material civilization, may be quickened in the bringing forth of spiritual ideals.”
“Just as human intellects have revealed the secrets of matter and have brought forth from the realm of the invisible the mysteries of nature, may minds and spirits, likewise, come into the knowledge of the verities of God, and the realities of the Kingdom be made manifest in human hearts.”
“Then the world will be the paradise of Abhá, the standard of the Most Great Peace will be borne aloft, and the oneness of the world of humanity in all its beauty, glory and significance will become apparent.”
Naw-Rúz
“If there is any hope, it is solely in the bounties of God: that His strengthening grace will come, and the struggling and contending will cease, and the acid bite of blood-dripping steel will be turned into the honey-dew of friendship and probity and trust. How sweet would that day be in the mouth, how fragrant as musk the scent thereof. God grant that the new year will bring a promise of the new peace. May He enable this distinguished assemblage to conclude a fair treaty and establish a just covenant, that you may be blessed forever, across the unborn reaches of time.”
1. alison bird; 2. amy sahba; 3. anjali pala; 4. elizabeth sabet; 5. golriz lucina; 6. kadria simons; 7. layli samimi-moore; 8. leila g. t.; 9. leili towfigh; 10. liam keenan; 11. manijeh afnan-murray; 12. na’im samimi-moore; 13. negeen sobhani; 14. omid toloui; 15. philip blythe; 16. reed t. jones; 17. ronnie yousefzadeh; 18. ryan lash; 19. saleem vaillancourt; 20. shirin sahba; 21. sholeh loehle
wishing everyone a Naw-Rúz full of celebration and joy, leading to a fulfilling new year.
thank you for your presence in this space. it has been a pleasure to share our Fast with all of you, and to have you, in return, provide us with such love, support and encouragement.
we hope to welcome you back here once again, next year.
until then – happy New Year!
Naw-Rúz
“Since Thou hast adorned them, O my Lord, with the ornament of the fast prescribed by Thee, do Thou adorn them also with the ornament of Thine acceptance, through Thy grace and bountiful favor. For the doings of men are all dependent upon Thy good-pleasure, and are conditioned by Thy behest. Shouldst Thou regard him who hath broken the fast as one who hath observed it, such a man would be reckoned among them who from eternity had been keeping the fast. And shouldst Thou decree that he who hath observed the fast hath broken it, that person would be numbered with such as have caused the Robe of Thy Revelation to be stained with dust, and been far removed from the crystal waters of this living Fountain.”
Thank you, each and every one of you, for your love and encouragement these past nineteen days. We hope you have enjoyed viewing our little project as much as we have enjoyed putting it together, and you can rest assured we will be back in this space next year, on march 2nd, 2009.
But the truth is… the two of us enjoyed this regular pictures taking so much that we feel that we cannot stop. So, freed from the time limitations of dawn and dusk imposed by the Fast, we have decided to continue taking pictures, and sharing them with each other. As Bahá’ís we are enjoined to pray and meditate every morning and evening. Inspired by that timing we will also be taking pictures every morning and evening.
We hope you will follow us over at every morn and eve.
You can also keep track of our own personal adventures at our own personal blogs — montague and love from leila. Or you can see amy’s pictures here, and leila’s here.
With love,
amy & leila
nineteen days 
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