"O my God, my Master, the Goal of my desire!..."
O my God, my Master, the Goal of my desire! This, Thy servant, seeketh to
sleep in the shelter of Thy mercy, and to repose beneath the canopy of Thy
grace, imploring Thy care and Thy protection.
I beg of Thee, O my Lord, by Thine eye that sleepeth not, to guard mine
eyes from beholding aught beside Thee. Strengthen, then, their vision that
they may discern Thy signs, and behold the Horizon of Thy Revelation. Thou
art He before the revelations of Whose omnipotence the quintessence of
power hath trembled.
No God is there but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Subduing, the
Unconditioned.
--Baha'u'llah
"How can I choose to sleep, O God, my God,..."
How can I choose to sleep, O God, my God, when the eyes of them that long
for Thee are wakeful because of their separation from Thee; and how can I
lie down to rest whilst the souls of Thy lovers are sore vexed in their
remoteness from Thy presence?
I have committed, O my Lord, my spirit and my entire being into the right
hand of Thy might and Thy protection, and I lay my head on my pillow
through Thy power, and lift it up according to Thy will and Thy good
pleasure. Thou art, in truth, the Preserver, the Keeper, the Almighty, the
Most Powerful.
By Thy might! I ask not, whether sleeping or waking, but that which Thou
dost desire. I am Thy servant and in Thy hands. Do Thou graciously aid me
to do what will shed forth the fragrance of Thy good pleasure. This,
truly, is my hope and the hope of them that enjoy near access to Thee.
Praised be Thou, O Lord of the worlds!
--Baha'u'llah
"O Lord, I have turned my face unto Thy kingdom..."
O seeker of Truth! If thou desirest that God may open thine eye, thou must
supplicate unto God, pray to and commune with Him at midnight, saying:
O Lord, I have turned my face unto Thy kingdom of oneness and am immersed
in the sea of Thy mercy. O Lord, enlighten my sight by beholding Thy
lights in this dark night, and make me happy by the wine of Thy love in
this wonderful age. O Lord, make me hear Thy call, and open before my face
the doors of Thy heaven, so that I may see the light of Thy glory and
become attracted to Thy beauty.
Verily, Thou art the Giver, the Generous, the Merciful, the Forgiving.
--'Abdu'l-Baha