Business
Topics[edit]
Honesty conduces to material prosperity not to mention spiritual prosperity[edit]
"The best capital and the most profitable business is honesty in all things. Do thou continue to be honest in thy dealings for one month. Thou wilt see in the end that thou art honored and respected by all thy customers, and not considering thy spiritual welfare, thy material prosperity will be secured."
- (Attributed to 'Abdu'l-Bahá, from the Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, October 17, 1914; in Star of the West, volume 8, issue 2, p. 25)
Truthfulness, trustworthiness, and good-will in business should be the means of their leading the people to God's path[edit]
"The friends of God should, through the instrumentality of their business, lead the people to God's path, and make them so astonished as to exclaim: "How great is their truthfulness, how high their trustworthiness, and how true their good-will."
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Extract from an untranslated Tablet by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Compilation on Professions, extract no. 8)
Small business with steady income better than wild speculations of financiers[edit]
"A small business with a steady income is better than the wild, helter-skelter speculations of the financiers."
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Words of 'Abdul-Bahá; from the Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, August 24, 1914, in Star of the West, vol. 8, issue 2, p. 18)
(Relative unimportance of financial distinction)[edit]
"I desire distinction for you. The Bahá'ís must be distinguished from others of humanity. But this distinction must not depend upon wealth--that they should become more affluent than other people. I do not desire for you financial distinction. It is not an ordinary distinction I desire; not scientific, commercial, industrial distinction. For you I desire spiritual distinction--that is, you must become eminent and distinguished in morals. In the love of God you must become distinguished from all else. You must become distinguished for loving humanity, for unity and accord, for love and justice. In brief, you must become distinguished in all the virtues of the human world--for faithfulness and sincerity, for justice and fidelity, for firmness and steadfastness, for philanthropic deeds and service to the human world, for love toward every human being, for unity and accord with all people, for removing prejudices and promoting international peace. Finally, you must become distinguished for heavenly illumination and for acquiring the bestowals of God. I desire this distinction for you. This must be the point of distinction among you."
Promise of increase in commerce, industry, agriculture via contributions[edit]
"O Friends of God! Be ye assured that in place of these contributions, your agriculture, your industry, and your commerce will be blessed by manifold increases, with goodly gifts and bestowals. He who cometh with one goodly deed will receive a tenfold reward. There is no doubt that the living Lord will abundantly confirm those who expend their wealth in His path."
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Prayers, p. 84)
