Patterns of Activity - Daily

General Considerations for Dividing the Day

...into Halves:

1. material life and dignified appearance
2. acquisition of moral virtues and service at the threshold of God

"...Share your time with God. Spend half of the day in search of livelihood, guaranteeing your material life and dignified appearance, and dedicate the other half in the acquisition of moral virtues and service at the threshold of God..."

(Attributed to 'Abdu'l-Bahá, quoted on back cover of "Economics of the Future" (see here for a discussion of this quotation)) 

(For dividing one's time (in general) between the Cause and one's profession, see Balancing a profession-education with pioneering):

Activities by Time of Day (recommended or obligatory)

Day-time (especially beginning at dawn)

1. (Private) Dawn prayers (strongly recommended but not obligatory)
2. Bringing oneself to account (also repent and ask for assistance to improve)
3. Community dawn prayers (recommended but not obligatory)
4. Light breakfast (recommended) (may be before community prayers?)
5. Children to begin school (from a.m. to noon to learn to read, from noon to about sunset, study a craft) - Children's schedule

(Pilgrim's note description of morning activity among Eastern Bahá'ís)

HERE in the East everybody arises very early so that between five and six o'clock we are all out of our beds with the words, "Allah-o-Abha," on our lips, greeting each other. There are four customs that have impressed me deeply and are significant signs of the religious nature of these people.

First: Their uniform early rising. Although in the West it is taught, "Early to bed and early to rise," it is seldom practiced.

Second: No sooner do they open their eyes than the holy name of God is upon their lips, thanking him for all his past graces and future bestowals.

Third: Their quiet, solitary prayer and concentration lasting from ten to thirty minutes according to the religious spirit of the individual.

Fourth: As soon as they have finished their individual prayer and before taking their breakfast they assemble in the reception room and pray to God, read communes or chant tablets. They will then, refreshed by the spiritual food, gather around the table to partake of the material breakfast.

(From Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, October 3, 1913; cited in Star of the West, vol. 8, issue 19, p. 238)

Day and Evening

1. Recital of the Greatest Name (on arising and just before sleep)
2. Recitation of the verses of God
3. Thanks to God
4. See also: Non-obligatory prayers mentioned for daily recitation

Day and/or Noon/Afternoon and/or Evening

1. Recital of the short, medium, or long obligatory prayer
2. Recitation of 95 Alláh'u'Abhás (according to this unauthenticated source, is potentially by implication to be in the morning)
3. Family prayer and reading

Evening

1. Planning to implement teachings
2. Mother to children reading the Odes of Bahá'u'lláh before bed.
3. Prayer at quiet times such as midnight (recommended but not obligatory)

Material Ordinances Enjoined in the Writings Which are Likely Daily (or at least frequent) without a Specified Time

1. self-cleaning (including requirement to wash the feet (in preferably warm water) at least every day in summer (and at least every 3 days in winter))
2. Work/study

Spiritual Ordinances Enjoined in the Writings Which are Likely Daily (or at least frequent) without a Specified Time

1. Study of/Meditation on the Writings alone (or in family?+) (specified as daily????)
2. creating (and reviewing) teaching plans (individual or family)
3. teaching (this is specified to be a daily activity)