House of Worship-devotional benefits - joy-peace

The eye is cheered and heart filled with light by His remembrance

"Build ye houses of worship...Then with radiance and joy, celebrate therein the praise of your Lord, the Most Compassionate. Verily, by His remembrance the eye is cheered and the heart is filled with light."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, par. 31)

In every city during the days of the Manifestation when a temple was raised up, it brought security and peace (only in the remembrance of God can the heart find rest)

"Although to outward seeming the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar is a material structure, yet it hath a spiritual effect. It forgeth bonds of unity from heart to heart; it is a collective centre for men's souls. Every city in which, during the days of the Manifestation, a temple was raised up, hath created security and constancy and peace, for such buildings were given over to the perpetual glorification of God, and only in the remembrance of God can the heart find rest. Gracious God! The edifice of the House of Worship hath a powerful influence on every phase of life. Experience hath, in the east, clearly shown this to be a fact. Even if, in some small village, a house was designated as the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, it produced a marked effect; how much greater would be the impact of one especially raised up."

(Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, sec. 60, pp. 95-96)

The Mashriqu'l-Adhkár inspires the lovers of God and delights the hearts

"'Abdu'l-Baha hath long cherished the desire that a Mashriqu'l-Adhkar be upraised in that region. Praised be God, thanks to the strenuous efforts of the friends, in recent days the joyful news of this hath been announced. This service is highly acceptable at the Threshold of God, for the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar inspiriteth the lovers of God and delighteth their hearts, and causeth them to become steadfast and firm."

(Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, sec. 59, pp. 95-96)

The believers shall rejoice and their hearts overflow with the love of God once the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár is completed and prayers recited therein

"When the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar is accomplished, when the lights are emanating therefrom, the righteous ones are presenting themselves therein, the prayers are performed with supplication towards the mysterious Kingdom, the voice of glorification is raised to the Lord, the Supreme, then the believers shall rejoice, the hearts shall be dilated and overflow with the love of the All-living and Self-existent God. The people shall hasten to worship in that heavenly Temple, the fragrances of God will be elevated, the divine teachings will be established in the hearts like the establishment of the Spirit in mankind; the people will then stand firm in the Cause of your Lord, the Merciful. Praise and greetings be upon you."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í World Faith, p. 415)

Reading the Word of God (as at devotional meetings/community dawn prayers, precursors to the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár) for enjoyment and satisfaction of the inner soul

"Can daily early morning prayer sessions be held? If so, where and when? (If this is not feasible every day, an effort could be made to hold such sessions less frequently. At such devotional meetings not only prayers, but suitable selections from the Sacred Writings could be read. Bahá'u'lláh has pointed out that upon the Word of God "must depend the gathering together and spiritual resurrection of all men," that "every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God is endowed with such potency as can instill new life into every human frame," and that were man to "taste the sweetness of the words which the lips of the All-Merciful have willed to utter, he would, though the treasures of the earth be in his possession, renounce them 'one and all, that he might vindicate the truth of even one of His commandments." It is because of such considerations the the Five Year Plan calls for the friends to memorize selections from the Writings. If the believer finds it difficult to memorize, he may be encouraged to make for his own use a selection of extracts, however brief, which he could reread and enjoy at his own leisure, to satisfy his inner soul."

(Universal House of Justice, From a letter addressed to a National Spiritual Assembly, offering examples of local goals that Local Spiritual Assemblies may wish to consider, Developing Distinctive Bahá'í Communities, p. 7.24)