Course:Meetings for teaching/Bounties of God

This lesson aims to establish the bounties of God (despite our undeserving).

This page is particularly for Deists or apatheists who cannot believe a God would intervene, care about us, allow suffering, be bountiful, or provide us life in the next world, etc. (even if they accept that a Creator may exist)

Before we can get to the notion of God being bountiful, we have to demonstrate that God must be capable of intervening in His creation. Read the following passages.

God is capable of intervening (for us)

"Again with regard to your question relative to the birth of Jesus: He wishes me to inform you that there is nothing further he can add to the explanation he gave you in his previous communication regarding this point. One thing, however, he wishes again to bring to your attention, namely that miracles are always possible, even though they do not constitute a regular channel whereby God reveals His power to mankind. To reject miracles on the ground that they imply a breach of the laws of nature is a very shallow, well-nigh a stupid argument, inasmuch as God Who is the Author of the universe can, in His Wisdom and Omnipotence, bring any change, no matter how temporary, in the operation of the laws which He Himself has created.

(From a letter dated February 27, 1938 written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1638)

"Regarding the question you have asked in connection with a passage in Dr. Einstein's 'Cosmic Religion': According to the Bahá’í conception there is and can be no incompatibility between the idea of causal law and that of an omnipotent and omniscient God, Who, if He deems it fit, may at times interfere with the normal sequence of events in the world, and thus retard or altogether stop the operation of certain laws, whether in the physical universe, or in any other worlds of nature and man.

(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, December 6, 1939, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1703)

The following speaks to God being potentially interventionist for us. Believing that God must be aloof says more about our individual attitude toward "greatness" than it does about what God actually is.

Personal God

God is a personal God

"Within a compass of two hundred pages it [the Kitáb-i-Íqán] proclaims unequivocally the existence and oneness of a personal God, unknowable, inaccessible, the source of all Revelation, eternal, omniscient, omnipresent and almighty..."

(Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 139)

What is Meant by a Personal God--God is Not Anthropomorphic

(Also under heading "Meaning of Personal God: Value of Religion", in Lights of Guidance, no. 1708)

"What is meant by a personal God is a God Who is conscious of His creation, Who has a Mind, a Will, a Purpose, and not, as many scientists and materialists believe, an unconscious and determined force operating in the universe. Such conception of the Diving Being, as the Supreme and ever present Reality in the world, is not anthropomorphic, for it transcends all human limitations and forms, and does by no means attempt to define the essence of Divinity which is obviously beyond any human comprehension. To say that God is a personal Reality does not mean that He has a physical form, or does in any way resemble a human being. To entertain such belief would be sheer blasphemy."

(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, April 21, 1939, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1574)

While one might accept that God could exist and could intervene, many are more stuck on the existence of suffering. While the following suggests that this is indeed a mystery that we simply cannot fathom, there are some arguments made here which offer some glimpse into how suffering is not as bleak as it seems.

Commit to memory the three general categories of responses in the following, i.e., about how there is compensation in the next life, about the fact that suffering eventually terminates at the end of this life, and that there are positive purposes for some suffering in this life, too.

The mind of man cannot fathom the trials of the innocent

"the trials of the innocent are indeed heartrending and constitute a mystery that the mind of man cannot fathom."

(Universal House of Justice, Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-86, no. 425.2, p. 661)

Recompense in the next world

Embryos, infants, children, or weak ones afflicted by oppressors will be recompensed

"As to the subject of babes and infants and weak ones who are afflicted by the hands of oppressors: This contains great wisdom and this subject is of paramount importance. In brief, for those souls there is a recompense in another world and many details are connected with this matter. For those souls that suffering is the greatest mercy of God. Verily that mercy of the Lord is far better and preferable to all the comfort of this world and the growth and development of this place of mortality. If it be the will of God, when thou shalt be present this will be explained in detail by word of mouth."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, pp. 337-338)

Suffering of babes and infants contains great wisdom; these souls have a mighty recompense in the next world

"As regards the question of young children and of weak, defenseless souls who are afflicted at the hands of the oppressor, in this a great wisdom is concealed. The question is one of cardinal importance, but briefly it may be stated that in the world to come a mighty recompense awaiteth such souls. Much, indeed, might be said upon this theme, and upon how the afflictions that they bear in life become a cause for them of such an outpouring of Divine mercy and bestowal as is preferable to a hundred thousand earthly comforts and to a world of growth and development in this transitory abode; but, if possible, God willing, all this will be explained to thee in detail and by word of mouth when thou arrivest here."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, from a Tablet of 'Abdu'l-Bahá; earlier translation in Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, pp. 337-338)

Children who die before maturity are favoured by God and God's mercy will be turned upon them

"Question: What happens to children who die before reaching the age of maturity or before the appointed time of birth?

"Answer: These children abide under the shadow of the Divine Providence, and, as they have committed no sin and are unsullied by the defilements of the world of nature, they will become the manifestations of divine bounty and the glances of the eye of divine mercy will be directed towards them."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, Chapter 66)

At the end of this world, one's suffering will ultimately end

"As to the statement of Job, chapter 19, verses 25-27, `I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth,' the meaning here is: I shall not be abased, I have a Sustainer and a Guardian, and my Helper, my Defender will in the end be made manifest. And although now my flesh be weak and clothed with worms, yet shall I be healed, and with these mine own eyes, that is, mine inner sight, I shall behold Him. This did Job say after they had reproached him, and he himself had lamented the harms that his tribulations had wreaked upon him. And even when, from the terrible inroads of the sickness, his body was covered with worms, he sought to tell those about him that still he would be fully healed, and that in his very body, with his very eyes, he would gaze on his Redeemer."

(Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, sec. 145, pp. 171-172)

For our development

Necessary to go through many processes in evolution

"Man must walk in many paths and be subjected to various processes in his evolution upward. Physically he is not born in full stature but passes through consecutive stages of fetus, infant, childhood, youth, maturity and old age. Suppose he had the power to remain young throughout his life. He then would not understand the meaning of old age and could not believe it existed. If he could not realize the condition of old age, he would not know that he was young. He would not know the difference between young and old without experiencing the old. Unless you have passed through the state of infancy, how would you know this was an infant beside you? If there were no wrong, how would you recognize the right? If it were not for sin, how would you appreciate virtue? If evil deeds were unknown, how could you commend good actions? If sickness did not exist, how would you understand health? Evil is nonexistent; it is the absence of good. Sickness is the loss of health; poverty, the lack of riches. When wealth disappears, you are poor; you look within the treasure box but find nothing there. Without knowledge there is ignorance; therefore, ignorance is simply the lack of knowledge. Death is the absence of life. Therefore, on the one hand, we have existence; on the other, nonexistence, negation or absence of existence.

"Briefly, the journey of the soul is necessary. The pathway of life is the road which leads to divine knowledge and attainment..."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Promulgation of Universal Peace, pp. 295-296)

Disasters may be lessons to teach us to rely on God

"...these events [as the Titanic disaster] have deeper reasons. Their object and purpose is to teach man certain lessons. We are living in a day of reliance upon material conditions. Men imagine that the great size and strength of a ship, the perfection of machinery or the skill of a navigator will ensure safety, but these disasters sometimes take place that men may know that God is the real Protector."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 48)

Disability (of blindness) to teach others gratitude

""Jesus states that this defect [blindness from birth] exists in order to prove and show that the gift of sight is from God alone and is one of his bounties. Because were all created with sight the people would consider it a mere natural fact that they must be so made, and not give God thanks for His great gift."

(Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Note 1 on p. 643)

Sufferings and trials are sent to test and perfect God's creatures

"Sufferings and trials, sent by God to test and perfect His creatures, are an integral part of life."

(On behalf of the Universal House of Justice, at https://bahai-library.com/uhj_oppression_children )

Some suffering is inevitable, but can be used for happiness as a reminder and guide to self-improvement; but may only discover wisdom after it has passed and should not push too far to discover wisdom

As to your question concerning the meaning of physical suffering and its relation to mental and spiritual healing. Physical pain is a necessary accompaniment of all human existence, and as such is unavoidable. As long as there will be life on earth, there will be also suffering, in various forms and degrees. But suffering, although an inescapable reality, can nevertheless be utilised as a means for the attainment of happiness. This is the interpretation given to it by all the prophets and saints who, in the midst of severe tests and trials, felt happy and joyous and experienced what is best and holiest in life. Suffering is both a reminder and a guide. It stimulates us better to adapt ourselves to our environmental conditions, and thus leads the way to self-improvement. In every suffering one can find a meaning and a wisdom. But it is not always easy to find the secret of that wisdom. It is sometimes only when all our suffering has passed that we become aware of its usefulness. What man considers to be evil turns often to be a cause of infinite blessings. And this is due to his desire to know more than he can. God's wisdom is, indeed, inscrutable to us all, and it is no use pushing too far trying to discover that which shall always remain a mystery to our mind.

(Shoghi Effendi, Unfolding Destiny, p. 434)

Importance of accepting fact of God's dominion regardless of our limited understanding

We should recognize that all are in God's hands, even those who die, and can be compensated; remember that God can bear to see them suffer so and not for us to question His wisdom

"But what we do know is that all we can do as Bahá'ís is to teach and to exemplify the Faith. We cannot bear the burden of suffering of others, and we should not try to. All men are in God's hands, and even if they do get killed we know there is another life beyond this than can hold great hope and happiness for the soul.

"No matter what happens, nothing is as important as our feeling of trust in God, our inner peacefulness and faith that all, in the end, in spite of the severity of the ordeals we may pass through, will come out as Bahá'u'lláh has promised.

"He urges you to put these dark thoughts from your mind, and remember that if God, the Creator of all men, can bear to see them suffer so, it is not for us to question His wisdom. He can compensate the innocent, in His own way, for the afflictions they bear."

(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, September 30, 1950; Lights of Guidance, no. 791)

Have no choice in God's will, so better to obey and trust

"He doeth as He doeth, and what recourse have we? He carrieth out His Will, He ordaineth what He pleaseth. Then better for thee to bow down thy head in submission, and put thy trust in the All-Merciful Lord."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, sec. 22, p. 51)

Refocusing thoughts about suffering of others

(Role of service to the Cause in moving beyond too much preoccupation with suffering)

"As to your own torment and suffering arising from your perception of the fate of children and their oppressors, the way to peace and security for you and for humanity as a whole, is through service to the Cause, to which you have so earnestly committed yourself."

(On behalf of the Universal House of Justice, at https://bahai-library.com/uhj_oppression_children )

Defects as blindness exist in order to demonstrate their absence is God's bounty and presence should prompt thanks

"As he passed by he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him."

(Bible, John 9:1-3)

"Abdul-Baha elucidated Jesus' teaching against the theory of "blindness from birth" and the defects being caused by the sin of the individual in a former state (see St. John 9:1–3), thus:

""Jesus states that this defect exists in order to prove and show that the gift of sight is from God alone and is one of his bounties. Because were all created with sight the people would consider it a mere natural fact that they must be so made, and not give God thanks for His great gift."

"—Translator"

(Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Note 1 on p. 643)

For the extended course, read the page on the rejection of reincarnation given how it does not provide abundant hope for true happiness.

With concerns about suffering being addressed, we may be more ready to consider the fact that, however difficult suffering is to understand, God is nevertheless in fact demonstrably bountiful. Read all of the following passages on God's bounteousness.

The whole of creation is dependent on God's loving-kindness and bounty

"I can have no doubt that should the holy breaths of Thy loving-kindness and the breeze of Thy bountiful favor cease, for less than the twinkling of an eye, to breathe over all created things, the entire creation would perish, and all that are in heaven and on earth would be reduced to utter nothingness."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations of Bahá'u'lláh, sec. LVIII)

Benefits of creation prove God's bounteousness (and need to turn to Him)

(God gives every atom for us, gives us a loving mother, etc. for love of us, but man neglects these bounties)

O SON OF BOUNTY! Out of the wastes of nothingness, with the clay of My command I made thee to appear, and have ordained for thy training every atom in existence and the essence of all created things. Thus, ere thou didst issue from thy mother's womb, I destined for thee two founts of gleaming milk, eyes to watch over thee, and hearts to love thee. Out of My loving-kindness, 'neath the shade of My mercy I nurtured thee, and guarded thee by the essence of My grace and favor. And My purpose in all this was that thou mightest attain My everlasting dominion and become worthy of My invisible bestowals. And yet heedless thou didst remain, and when fully grown, thou didst neglect all My bounties and occupied thyself with thine idle imaginings, in such wise that thou didst become wholly forgetful, and, turning away from the portals of the Friend didst abide within the courts of My enemy.

(Bahá'u'lláh, Hidden Words, from the Persian, no. 29)

Ignorance to believe that God created and nurtured man (with blessings, the sun, etc.) but did not love him (of whatever religion or no faith)

"How ignorant therefore the thought that God who created man, educated and nurtured him, surrounded him with all blessings, made the sun and all phenomenal existence for his benefit, bestowed upon him tenderness and kindness, and then did not love him. This is palpable ignorance, for no matter to what religion a man belongs even though he be an atheist or materialist nevertheless God nurtures him, bestows His kindness and sheds upon him His light."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Star of the West, Vol. 8, issue 7, p. 78)

With a Creator loving its creation, and God nurturing all regardless of religion or belief, this is a proof of God loving us

"In other respects all humanity is submerged in the ocean of divine mercy. God is the Father of all. He educates all. He provides for all. He loves all. For they are all His servants and His creation. Surely the Creator loves His creatures. It would be impossible to find an artist who does not love his own production. Have you ever seen a man who did not love his own actions? Even though they be bad actions he loves them. How ignorant therefore the thought that God who created man, educated and nurtured him, surrounded him with all blessings, made the sun and all phenomenal existence for his benefit, bestowed upon him tenderness and kindness, and then did not love him. This is palpable ignorance, for no matter to what religion a man belongs even though he be an atheist or materialist nevertheless God nurtures him, bestows His kindness and sheds upon him His light."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Star of the West, Vol. 8, issue 7, pp. 77-78)

Study Questions: Bounties of God

I. General Bounties and Universal Providence

According to the excerpt from Prayers and Meditations (sec. LVIII), what would happen to creation if the "holy breaths" of God's loving-kindness were to cease for even a fraction of a second?

Potential answer: Creation would instantly cease to exist, as all beings depend continually upon the sustained outpouring of divine grace.

How does Bahá'u'lláh describe God's preparation for human life prior to birth in Persian Hidden Words, No. 29?

Potential answer: God prepared for human existence by providing spiritual and material provisions long before soul and body were brought into being, preparing nourishment, protection, and care even while in the womb.

What is the ultimate divine purpose behind all the physical provisions and care provided to human beings during their development?

Potential answer: The physical sustenance and care provided throughout human growth are intended to enable humanity to attain spiritual awareness, know and love God, and develop divine virtues.

In what ways does 'Abdu'l-Bahá argue that divine providential love extends to all human beings, regardless of their religious beliefs or lack thereof? How does He use the analogy of an artist to demonstrate this point?

Potential answer: God's providence is universal, bestowing life, rain, and sun on all people equally; just as an artist loves all of their handiwork, God cherishes all human souls as His creation.

Read the following on the existence and immortality of the soul.

The soul persists after the body

"To hold that the spirit is annihilated upon the death of the body is to imagine that a bird imprisoned in a cage would perish if the cage were to be broken, though the bird has nothing to fear from the breaking of the cage. This body is even as the cage and the spirit is like the bird...Therefore, should the cage be broken the bird would not only continue to exist but its senses would be heightened, its perception would be expanded, and its joy would grow more intense."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, Chapter 61, par. 3)

Proofs of

Our spiritual instinct itself points to continuance of existence

"The very fact that our spiritual instinct, surely never given in vain, prompts us to pray for the welfare of those, our loved ones, who have passed out of the material world: does it not bear witness to the continuance of their existence?"

(Attributed to 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 90)

For the brief Paris Talks quote, the following outline examines its underlying logic

Background and outline of proof from Paris Talks on the existence of the soul

While the passage from Paris Talks is phrased around prayer rather than physical hunger, it relies on the exact same logical premise as such a proof (the teleological argument from desire/instinct):

1. The Premise: No natural or spiritual capacity/instinct in creation is created in vain or without a purpose.

2. The Observation: Humans possess a universal, innate spiritual instinct that prompts them to pray for and love those who have passed away.

3. The Conclusion: That instinct would be pointless and meaningless ("given in vain") if the departed ceased to exist. Therefore, the instinct itself bears witness to the continuance of the soul.

It is conceptually identical to the classic "argument from hunger" (that an innate capacity implies a corresponding reality), applied specifically here to the human heart's instinctual outreach toward the deceased.

Here is a dialogue about this proof

Setting: Another dialogue between a Bahá'í and skeptic.

Alex: I’ve been reading some of these Bahá’í texts, and I noticed this argument: the idea that our innate spiritual instincts—like praying for the dead, or a deep hunger for the transcendent—somehow prove that a spiritual reality or an immortal soul actually exists. To be honest, it feels like a logical leap. Physical hunger doesn't guarantee you'll get a meal; it just means your body needs fuel.

Sam: That’s a fair distinction, but consider what physical hunger actually demonstrates. Experiencing hunger doesn't guarantee you’ll eat tonight, but it does prove that food is a real category in the universe. A creature born into a universe entirely devoid of matter and organic nutrients wouldn't evolve a complex digestive system or a hunger mechanism. The existence of the capacity points to the reality of the realm that satisfies it. We might misidentify what will truly satisfy our hunger, or struggle to find the right nourishment, but the fundamental urge points directly to a real counterpart.

Alex: Okay, but couldn't these "spiritual urges" just be psychological misfires or evolutionary byproducts? People desire all kinds of things that aren't real. I might desire to live forever with invincible superpowers, or wish that my parents were immortal beings who would never die. Just wanting something doesn't mean the universe owes me a mechanism for it.

Sam: But look at what those specific desires are made of. You desire invincible power or immortal parents because you are observing the concepts of power, protection, and life, and your mind is attempting to stretch them to their ultimate limits. The wish for an invincible protector or abiding life doesn't come out of a vacuum—it points to the existence of real categories like sovereignty, love, and eternal existence. A child crying in the dark for a parent doesn't guarantee a parent is standing in the room at that exact second, but the crying mechanism itself—the hardwired expectation of a protector—only exists because parents and caregiving are a baseline reality of human existence.

Alex: So you're saying our misdirected or exaggerated wishes are just crude reflections of actual spiritual truths?

Sam: Exactly. We often mistake the shadow for the substance. We might channel our innate drive for eternal security into wanting our physical parents to live forever, or channel our drive for true spiritual sovereignty into a desire to rule the world. The specific form the desire takes in our imagination might be impossible or absurd, but the underlying urge isn't an accident. We don't have fundamental, universal human capacities—whether for reason, love, or the recognition of the sacred—that exist without a corresponding reality in the structure of existence.

Alex: I can see the internal logic of that—that our deepest drives might be clues rather than just random noise. It's an interesting way to look at human longing, even if I'm still skeptical about where those clues ultimately lead.

Sam: Skepticism is healthy! The goal isn't to take a wild leap, but to start paying attention to what those deep longings are actually telling us about the kind of universe we inhabit.

In Some Answered Questions, Chapter 15 hints at the true spiritual source of happiness for man, Chapter 48 (outline) establishes the existence of the soul, and chapters 60 (outline) and 61 (outline) provide proofs for the immortality of the soul. For the extended course, please read the four chapters and their outlines as well.