Guidance

With Your counsel You guide me”

– Judaism

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Hinduism c. 3000 BC The Bahá'í Faith 1844 AD

The Blessed Lord said: (Continued...)

Attach thy mind to Me:
Engaged in Yogic exercise, put thy trust in Me:
Listen how thou mayest come to know Me
In my entirety, all doubt dispelled.
This wisdom derived from sacred writ
And the wisdom of experience
I shall proclaim to thee, leaving nothing unsaid.
This knowing, never again will any other thing
That needs to be known remain.
How shall we determine whether religion has been the
cause of human advancement or retrogression?
We will first consider the founders of the religions – the
prophets – review the story of their lives, compare the
conditions preceding their appearance with those
subsequent to their departure, following historical
records and irrefutable facts instead of relying upon
traditionary statements which are open to both
acceptance and denial.

— Bhagavad-Gitta — `Abdu'l-Bahá:
Religion and Civilisation
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The Bahá'í Faith 1844 AD Judaism c. 1500 BC

The greatest bestowal of God in the world of humanity is With Your counsel You will guide me,
religion; for assuredly the divine teachings of religion are And afterward receive me to glory.
above all other sources of instruction and development Whom have I in heaven but You?
to man. Religion confers upon man eternal life and And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.
guides his footsteps in the world of morality. It opens the My flesh and my heart may fail,
doors of unending happiness and bestows everlasting But God is the strength of my heart and my portion
honour upon the human kingdom. It has been the basis forever.
of all civilization and progress in the history of mankind.
— Psalms 73–24: 26
We will therefore investigate religion, seeking from an
unprejudiced standpoint to discover whether it is the
source of illumination, the cause of development and the
animating impulse of all human advancement. We will
investigate independently, free from the restrictions of
dogmatic beliefs, blind imitations of ancestral forms, and
the influence of mere human opinion; for as we enter
this question we will find some who declare that religion
is a cause of uplift and betterment in the world, while
others assert just as positively that it is a detriment and a
source of degradation to mankind. We must give these
questions thorough and impartial consideration so that
no doubt or uncertainty may linger in our minds
regarding them.

— `Abdu'l-Bahá:
Religion and Civilisation
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Judaism c. 1500 BC The Bahá'í Faith 1844 AD

Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains
The source of all learning is the knowledge of God,
understanding.
exalted be His Glory, and this cannot be attained save
For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her
wages are better than gold. through the knowledge of His Divine Manifestation.
Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you
— Bahá'u'lláh
desire can compare with her.
Tablets p.156
She offers you long life in her right hand, and riches
and honour in her left.
She will guide you down delightful paths; all her ways
are satisfying.
Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
happy are those who hold her tightly.
By wisdom the Lord founded the earth; by
understanding he created the heavens.
By his knowledge the deep fountains of the earth
burst forth, and the dew settles beneath the night sky.
My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and
discernment.
Hang on to them, for they will refresh your soul.
They are like jewels on a necklace.
They keep you safe on your way, and your feet will not
stumble.
You can go to bed without fear; you will lie down and
sleep soundly.
You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or the
destruction that comes upon the wicked, for the Lord is your
security.
He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.

— Psalms 3–13: 26
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Islam c. 613 AD Buddhism c. 400 BC

And whoso maketh efforts for us, in our ways will we
guide them: for God is assuredly with those who do
righteous deeds.
— Qur’án 29:68
Choose friends, virtuous and excellent.
Shun the low-minded and ill-doing.
To drink Dhamma [enlightenment] is to be serene.
Wisdom finds delight in the noble Dhamma.
Planners make canals,
archers shoot arrows,
craftsmen fashion woodwork,
the wise man moulds himself.

Wind will not move rock,

nor praise and blame a wise man.

The words of the Dhamma flow into him:

He is clear and peaceful like a lake.

Good men do not stop working.

Good men do no gossip, good men are undemanding.
Joy does not affect them, nor sorrow.
Good men are constant.

—Lal, Dhammapada p. 65
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Christianity 1 AD Islam c. 613 AD

It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
— Matthew 4:4
Thou truly canst not guide whom thou desirest; but God
guideth whom He will; and He best knoweth those who
yield to guidance.
— Qur’án 28:56