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Flora Teckie-A Bahai Perspective
Through prayer we converse with our creator.
Daily prayer, and meditating on the words of God, are tools for our spiritual nourishment and development.
Prayer is also a source of spiritual sustenance and of strength during life’s challenges.
The Universal House of Justice, the governing council of the Bahá’í international community, states that: “Prayer is the essential spiritual conversation of the soul with its Maker, direct and without intermediation. It is the spiritual food that sustains the life of the spirit. Like the morning’s dew, it brings freshness to the heart and cleanses it, purifying it from attachments of the insistent self. It is a fire that burns away the veils and a light that leads to the ocean of reunion with the Almighty. On its wings does the soul soar in the heavens of God and draw closer to the divine reality. Upon its quality depends the development of the limitless capacities of the soul and the attraction of the bounties of God …”.
Some of us may be asking whether there is need for praying, because God is the all-knowing, the all-wise. He knows what we want and what we need. Then why should we pray?
“If one friend loves another, is it not natural that he should wish to say so? Though he knows that that friend is aware of his love, does he still not wish to tell him of it? It is true that God knows the wishes of all hearts; but the impulse to pray is a natural one, springing from man’s love to God”, say the Bahá’í Writings.
We pray for different reasons: to thank God for all his bounties and blessings, to praise him, and so on – and not only when we need something, or we have difficult times in our lives. If a child approaches his father and mother only when he is in need of funds, or when he is in trouble, how would they feel?
According to the Bahá’í Writings, “in the highest prayer, men pray only for the love of God, not because they fear him or hell, or hope for bounty or heaven. …When a man falls in love with a human being, it is impossible for him to keep from mentioning the name of his beloved. How much more difficult is it to keep from mentioning the name of God when one has come to love him. … The spiritual man finds no delight in anything save in commemoration of God”.
Need for prayer, meditation and action
We commune with our creator through prayer, and receive guidance through studying the words of God. Prayer and meditation are primary tools for spiritual growth.
The capacity to meditate, to reflect on what we read, is a distinguishing feature of human beings. The Bahá’í Writings suggest that human progress would be impossible without reflection and contemplation.
“Prayer and meditation are important factors in deepening the spiritual life of the individual, but with them must go also action and example, as these are the tangible results of the former. Both are essential”, state the Bahá’í Writings.
We need to “be humble in our attitude towards God, to be constant in prayer to him, so as to grow daily nearer to him”.
Prayer is food for the soul. Our soul needs regular nourishment, in the same way as our body needs to be fed daily and regularly.
Furthermore, the process of spiritual development requires moral and spiritual choices, often involving challenges. Through sincere and regular prayers, our souls will be strengthened and we can overcome challenges and obstacles in life easier.
Praying with sincerity and dedication
When we pray, it is important to centre our thoughts and our innermost being on God and forget what is going on around us.
It is important to reflect on the words we say. The mere repetition of words is of no value. Sincerity of heart and concentration of mind is what matters most. Praying with sincerity and dedication draws upon the spiritual blessings that flow from the Source of love and mercy to us.
Prayer, according to the Bahá’í Writings, “creates spirituality, creates mindfulness and celestial feelings, begets new attractions of the kingdom and engenders the susceptibilities of the higher intelligence” and “supplication to God at morn and eve is conducive to the joy of hearts, and prayer causes spirituality and fragrance”.
The Bahá’í Writings encourage us to be both deeply spiritual and highly practical. While encouraged to pray and meditate daily, at the same time we are to be engaged with the world at large. Service to humanity, for example, is viewed among the highest priorities in one’s life. Serving humanity, whether within our family or in our communities – by promoting the well-being of others – can also help us develop our own selves. Serving humanity, together with prayer, meditation, and obedience to moral and spiritual laws enable us to develop spiritually and grow closer to our creator.
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