Guiding
Compilations[edit]
From Lights of Guidance (to categorize)[edit]
The Temple Guide Has a Very Sacred Obligation[edit]
"Regarding the guide work at the Temple…: The Guardian attaches the highest importance to it, inasmuch as it affords a splendid opportunity for presenting the Message on a very large scale. The responsibilities which this function calls for are as vital and far reaching as the privileges and bounties it confers on the individual believer. The Bahá’í guide has indeed a very sacred obligation to discharge. Not only he has to perfect his knowledge of the Cause, but should develop all those qualities of tact, wisdom, and of ability to present the Message which every Bahá’í teacher requires. It is the duty of those who are in charge of organizing the guide work at the Temple to make every effort to widen its scope, raise the standard of its personnel, and thus increase its effectiveness."
- (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, April 17, 1937, in Lights of Guidance, no. 2067)
Bahá’í Guides Should Be Well Informed[edit]
"You have asked as to what information the Bahá’í guides at the Temple should give the visitors; any information, whether in connection with the purely architectural side of the Edifice or with its spiritual and social significance, should be offered to the inquirers, and it is therefore essential that all those who have been appointed as guides should be well informed regarding every aspect of the Temple.
"The Temple Guide Committee should see to it that every one of the guides fulfils these requirements, and should offer them every advice and suggestion they need in the discharge of their task."
- (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, November 14, 1939, in Lights of Guidance, no. 2068)
The Essential Requisites for Guides[edit]
"The essential requisite of guides is that they should know the Temple and the teachings so as to be able to answer questions and attract the hearts of the people through their spirit as well as their words. It is a very important position as it often marks the very first contact of a person with the Faith and on it may hinge that individual's future attitude towards the Cause. Perhaps some of the older Bahá’ís, who are not able to climb so many stairs, could answer questions and interest enquirers and a more active person show people over the building and explain the technical points?"
- (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, December 5, 1944, in Lights of Guidance, no. 2069)
Work at the Temple on Holy Days[edit]
"The beloved Guardian made it absolutely clear that the command to cease work during the nine Holy Days is a matter for conscientious obedience by every individual believer. In the case of businesses and other undertakings entirely under Bahá’í control, they must also close down during the Bahá’í Holy Days, even though non-Bahá’ís may be members of their staffs.
"It is fully appreciated that the Bahá’í Temple must be open for worship on the Holy Days and therefore it is permitted to provide, to the minimum extent possible, essential services. Those necessary tasks, such as cleaning and other preparation of the building, which can be carried out on the previous day should be so done and only those duties which must be performed should be undertaken on the Holy Day. In the case of the Temple it is immaterial whether the workers are Bahá’ís or non-Bahá’ís since it is the duty of the Faith to observe, especially in respect of its own institutions, the command to cease work on the Holy Days."
- (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of Panama, August 12, 1977, in Lights of Guidance, no. 2070)
Land Grant from Government not Acceptable for Temple Site[edit]
"…it is not permissible to accept a free grant of land from the government to be used as a Temple site. The principle of not accepting gifts from non-Bahá’ís for strictly Bahá’í purposes applies to receiving free grants of land from non-Bahá’ís, whether individuals, institutions or governments. There is no objection, however, to accepting free plots of land from the government or civic authorities if such plots are used for Bahá’í cemeteries or for such institutions that are charitable or humanitarian in nature, such as schools."
- (From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of Belize, June 15, 1972, in Lights of Guidance, no. 2071)
