Servant to mankind.

 

207. Become a servant to mankind: The Bahá’í Writings are filled with hallowed words that define and distinguish the noble character of man. There are numerous passages in the writings that portray some of the highest endeavors a man can achieve as being a servant to mankind. This is also true of the bible and the other religions of God.  Judaism: Deuteronomy 10:18 “He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.” Deuteronomy 14:29 “And the Levite….. and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that The LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.” Job 29:12 “I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.” Proverbs 3:15 “I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.” Proverbs 3:16 “I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.” Proverbs 3:27 “Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.” Proverbs 3:28 “Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.” Ezekiel 18:7 “And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;”  Christianity: Matthew 5:44 “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”  Luke 3:11 “He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.” Romans 15:2 “Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.” 1 Corinthians 9:19 “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all.” 1 Timothy 4:12 “……be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. Galatians 6:10 “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” John 13:3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; 13:4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. John 13:5 After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. John 13:12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13:13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. John 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. John 13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

BAHA’I FAITH: “To be a real Christian is to be a servant in His Cause and Kingdom, to go forth under His banner of peace and love toward all mankind, to be self-sacrificing and obedient, to become quickened by the breaths of the Holy Spirit, to be mirrors reflecting the radiance of the divinity of Christ, to be fruitful trees in the garden of His planting, to refresh the world by the water of life of His teachings — in all things to be like Him and filled with the spirit of His love.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 6)

 BABI RELIGION: “Love humanity and try to serve it.”

(Peter Smith, The Babi & Baha’i Religions, p. 109)

 ISLAM: 36. “Serve Allah (God), and join not any partners with Him: and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbors who are near, neighbors who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (ye meet), and what your right hands possess: for Allah loveth not the arrogant, the vainglorious;”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   4)

Islam: “The Prophet said, ‘Charity is obligatory everyday on every joint of a human being. If one helps a person in matters concerning his riding animal by helping him to ride it or by lifting his luggage on to it, all this will be regarded charity. A good word, and every step one takes to offer the compulsory Congregational prayer, is regarded as charity; and guiding somebody on the road is regarded as charity.’”

(Islam, Hadith, Bukhari Vol 4, Book 52, # 141)

Islam: “Keep good relations with your Kith and kin, speak the truth, help the poor and the destitute, entertain your guests generously and assist those who are stricken with calamities.”

(Hadith, Bukhari Vol 6, Book 60, # 478)

Islam: “My ears heard and my eyes saw the Prophet when he spoke, ‘Anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day, should serve his neighbor generously and anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should serve his guest generously by giving him his reward.’ It was asked. ‘What is his reward, O Allah’s Apostle?’ He said, ‘(To be entertained generously) for a day and a night with high quality of food and the guest has the right to be entertained for three days (with ordinary food) and if he stays longer, what he will be provided with will be regarded as Sadaqa (a charitable gift). And anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should talk what is good or keep quite (i.e. abstain from all kinds of foolish, dirty and evil talk).”

(Hadith, Bukhari Vol 8, Book 73, # 48)

Islam: “I asked ‘Aisha what did the Prophet use to do at home.’ She replied. ‘He used to keep himself busy serving his family and when it was time for the prayer, he would get up for prayer.”’

(Islam, Hadith, Bukhari Vol 8, Book 73, # 65)

 ZOROASTRIANISM: 11. “O Ahura (God), now is help ours, we will be ready to serve those that are of you.”

(Zoroaster, The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 29)

 Zoroastrianism: “Man becomes more and more blissful as he approaches nearer and nearer to Mazda. This is possible through righteous deeds and service to mankind.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan)

 Zoroastrianism: “It is the desire to serve the Beloved with all one’s abilities, the all absorbing yearning, that makes man forget his own self.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 765)

 HINDUISM: 14. “Help every one the other, lend assistance each of you to each, All of you be accordant, give furtherance to this speech of mine.”

(Hindu, Vedas, Rig Veda – Book 10)

 Hinduism: “Remove whatever is unwell. Let one of you aid another, Let one be of assistance to another;”

(Hindu, Vedas, Yajur Veda – Kanda IV)

 BUDDHISM: 14. “The wise man who takes pleasure in giving is thereby happy hereafter.”

(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 (tr. J. Richards))

 Buddhism: “In the practice of all good deeds, disciples should never indulge in indolence. Be indefatigably zealous and never let even the thought of indolence arise in their minds; but steadily and persistently out of deep compassion endeavor to benefit all beings.” (Buddha, Diamond Sutra)

 SABEANISM: “Rise up, go, set off, descend to the earthly world, To that world which is all birth, To be with the Elect Righteous, Men formed of flesh and blood. Hold them in thy grasp, strengthen them, Stand by them, take care of them, Give them strength and fortitude So that they may stand and worship and praise The Mighty Sublime Life (and be servants one of  another)!” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 113)

 BABI RELIGION: “You have been called to this station; you will attain to it, only if you arise to trample beneath your feet every earthly desire, and endeavour to become those ‘honoured servants of His who speak not till He hath spoken, and who do His bidding.’ You are the first Letters that have been generated from the Primal Point, the first Springs that have welled out from the Source of this Revelation.”

The Bab: (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 93)

 Babi Religion: “Thou art the Helper of the needy, the Deliverer of the captives, the Abaser of the oppressors, the Destroyer of the wrong-doers, the God of all men, The Lord of all created things.”

(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 185)

BAHA’I FAITH: “Be a well-wisher of humanity and a servant of mankind. Thus the strength of the Kingdom will uphold thee and the avenues of revelation open to thee. Because today every servant is served and is an honorable lord and every maid-servant the queen of horizons. Grow in humility and meekness daily, until thou attainest eternal glory and everlasting grace.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu’l-Baha v3, p. 523)

Baha’i Faith: “To the orphans be ye kind fathers, and to the unfortunate a refuge and shelter. To the poor be a treasure of wealth, and to the sick a remedy and healing. Be a helper of every oppressed one, the protector of every destitute one, be ye ever mindful to serve any soul of mankind.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 216)

Baha’i Faith: “O people of God! Do not busy yourselves in your own concerns; let your thoughts be upon that which will rehabilitate the fortunes of mankind and sanctify the hearts and souls of men. This can best be achieved through pure and holy deeds, through a virtuous life and a goodly behavior.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 93)

Baha’i Faith: “As Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, so Bahá’u’lláh used Sometimes to cook food and perform other lowly offices for His followers. He was a servant of the servants, and gloried only in servitude, content to sleep on a bare floor if need be, to live on bread and water, or even, at times, on what He called “the divine nourishment, that is to say, hunger!”

(Bahá’í Faith, Dr. J.E. Esslemont, Baha’u’llah and the New Era, p. 45)