Ocean of Lights

400 words

Question:

Why pray? What is the wisdom thereof, for God has established everything and executes all affairs after the best order -- therefore, what is the wisdom in beseeching and supplicating and in stating one's wants and seeking help?

Translation:

Provisional translation

O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom of God! I read thy letter of graceful composition...As to thy question, "Why pray? What is the wisdom thereof..." Know thou, verily, it is becoming of a weak one to supplicate to the strong One

Translations (7)

COC. The Compilation of Compilations (3 vols.). Bahá’í Publishing Trust of Australia, 1991, 2000. Inventory refers to the continuous numbering of original publications, which is lost in the online version. Vol. 1: https://bahai-library.com/compilation_compilations_1, Vol. 2: https://bahai-library.com/compilation_compilations_2, Vol. 3: https://bahai-library.com/compilation_compilations_3

COC#1753x

http://bahai-library.com/compilation_prayer_meditation_devotion#1753

BSC. Bahá'í Scriptures. Brentanos, 1923. Compilation of Writings and talks by Bahá’u’lláh and Abdu’l-Bahá. Early translations, some unreliable. http://bahai-library.com/compilations/bahai.scriptures/

BSC.491 #945x

http://bahai-library.com/compilations/bahai.scriptures/

SW. Star of the West, 25 vols. (1910-1935). Periodical issued each Bahá’í month. Vols. 1-12 reprinted 1978 in 8 volumes by George Ronald. Each issue Includes a section in Persian. https://bahai.works/Star_of_the_West

SW_v08#04 p.044-045x

https://bahai.works/Star_of_the_West/Volume_8/Issue_4

BNE. Esslemont, John. Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era. U.S. Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1980. Standard introduction to the Bahá’í Faith, commissioned by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Mult. editions, catalog refers to 1980 pagination. https://www.bahai.org/library/other-literature/publications-individual-authors/bahaullah-new-era/1#773046298

BNE.092-093x

https://www.bahai.org/library/other-literature/publications-individual-authors/bahaullah-new-era/1#773046298

VLAB. Honnold, Annamarie. Vignettes from the Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. George Ronald, 1982. http://bluefin.live/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/VLAB.pdf

VLAB.129-130

http://bluefin.live/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/VLAB.pdf

BSTW. Dwight Barstow collection. Collection of miscellania in English, mostly old translations and pilgrim’ notes. http://bahai- library.com/file.php?file=lovejoy_dwight_barstow_collection

BSTW#060a

http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/docs/vol13/Barstow_051-100.pdf#page=25

BSTW#111

http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/docs/vol13/Barstow_101-150.pdf#page=21