Jamál, 16 Qawl (Speech), 182 B.E.
Quotes for Reflection
O people! The goodliest vesture in the sight of God in this day is trustworthiness. All bounty and honour shall be the portion of the soul that arrayeth itself with this greatest of adornments. — Bahá’u’lláh 1
Question for Consideration
Why is trustworthiness the “goodliest vesture in the sight of God in this day”?
Perplexity Pro Response 2
Trustworthiness is described as the “goodliest vesture” because it is both the chief expression of true faith and the essential condition for the spiritual and social life God desires for humanity in this age. [1]
A key fruit of faith
Bahá’u’lláh likens faith to a tree whose fruits, leaves, and branches include trustworthiness, truthfulness, uprightness, and forbearance. In this image, trustworthiness is not an optional ornament but part of the very life of the tree: without it, faith becomes hollow profession rather than a living reality. [1]
A divine attribute reflected
The Bahá’í writings list trustworthiness among the foremost attributes of God that human beings are called to mirror, alongside purity of heart, patience, contentment, and reliance on God. Acts that embody such qualities “rank, according to the estimate of God, among the highest and most laudable of all acts,” while other actions are secondary to them. [1]
Foundation of peace and order
Bahá’u’lláh states that the fundamental purpose underlying creation is the appearance of trustworthiness, godliness, sincerity, and goodwill among humankind, because these are the cause of peace, security, and tranquility. He further calls trustworthiness “the greatest portal” to the tranquillity and security of the people and the stability of every affair. In this light, it is the “vesture” that protects and orders both individual and collective life. [1]
Greater than acts of devotion
In one tablet, Bahá’u’lláh says that in this day, to adorn oneself with trustworthiness is better in God’s sight than even making a long pilgrimage on foot to attain His presence. Trustworthiness is likened to a stronghold for humanity and to eyes for the human temple, meaning that without it, one is spiritually blind, no matter how many outward devotions one performs. [1]
Measure of true belief
‘Abdu’l‑Bahá explains that trustworthiness is the bedrock of faith and the foundation of all virtues and perfections; a person who lacks it is “destitute of everything.” Even a person whose actions are otherwise deficient, if truly trustworthy and honest, can gradually have all defects remedied, whereas abundant good works without trustworthiness are like dry tinder consumed by the fire of unfaithfulness. In this day, then, trustworthiness is the “goodliest vesture” because it is the clearest sign that inner belief has become a radiant, reliable reality in action. [1]
Citations
- Trustworthiness: A Cardinal Bahá’í Virtue. Compiled by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, Revised August 1990 – Bahá’í Reference Library
Footnotes
- Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. “Trustworthiness: A Cardinal Bahá’í Virtue.” Bahá’í Reference Library, Revised August 1990. https://www.bahai.org/r/805596252. ↩︎
- Perplexity Pro. “Trustworthiness: The Goodliest Virtue.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. December 6, 2025. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/o-people-the-goodliest-vesture-DFQBee6MTzeCFcwTdd2HiQ#0. ↩︎
Frameworks for Understanding the World 