Fidál, 08 Sharaf (Honor), 182 B.E.
Quotes for Reflection
I counsel you, O friends of God, to comport yourselves with the utmost trustworthiness in your dealings with my servants and people. By its aid shall the Cause of God be promoted throughout the world and its exalted sanctity become manifest to all creation. Be ye the repositories of the trust of all men. Thus have We commanded them in the Tablets. Thy Lord is, verily, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. — Bahá’u’lláh 1
Question for Consideration
How should the command, “Be ye the repositories of the trust of all men,” influence our behavior?
Perplexity Pro Response 2
“Be ye the repositories of the trust of all men” calls for becoming people in whose hands others’ rights, interests, and confidences are utterly safe, so that through this reliability the Cause of God and the life of society can flourish. This touches every aspect of life: inner motives, family relationships, work and money, service in the Faith, and even how one handles the weaknesses of others. [1]
Inner attitude
To be a repository of trust begins with the heart: cultivating a character in which deception, opportunism, or exploitation simply do not fit. Bahá’u’lláh describes trustworthiness as “the greatest portal” to the tranquillity and security of the people and as “a light that shineth refulgently from the heavens.” [1]
- Guard intentions from self‑seeking in interactions, asking whether choices protect others’ interests as carefully as one’s own. [1]
- Prefer loss with integrity over gain with compromise, seeing trustworthiness as “better… than that he should journey on foot towards the holy court.” [1]
Personal relationships
In family and friendship, being a repository of trust means that others can safely be open, vulnerable, and honest. [1]
- Keep confidences strictly, sharing another’s personal matters only when ethically and legally required, and then as gently as possible. [1]
- Be consistent between word and deed, so loved ones can rely on promises, time commitments, and assurances without anxiety.
Money, work, and public dealings
The texts repeatedly apply trustworthiness to contracts, debts, commerce, and employment, making them arenas of spiritual responsibility. [1]
- In business, avoid any form of deceit, hidden advantage, or exploitation; pursue fairness that is “a cause of guidance to others.” [1]
- In financial obligations, strive to pay debts and honor agreements promptly, seeing any avoidable delay as contrary to God’s good pleasure. [1]
Service in the Cause
Bahá’u’lláh ties the promotion of the Cause directly to trustworthiness, asking the friends to be “the trustees of God amongst His creatures.” [1]
- When handling funds, records, or sensitive matters in Bahá’í service, act with such scrupulous care that even suspicion cannot arise. [1]
- In teaching and consultation, avoid exaggeration, manipulation, or pressure, relying instead on candour, fairness, and “goodly deeds and a righteous character.” [1]
How we see and treat others
Being repositories of the trust of all men also means holding the dignity and reputation of others as a trust from God. [1]
- Refuse backbiting and scandal, knowing that another’s honour is a deposit God has placed with us. [1]
- In positions of authority or influence, use information only to protect and uplift, never to control, shame, or advance personal agendas. [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/479432806. ↩︎
- Perplexity Pro. “Be Ye the Repositories of the Trust of All Men.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. January 5, 2025. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/i-counsel-you-o-friends-of-god-F3n3y0vNQcu5GCdVeymFBQ#0 ↩︎
Frameworks for Understanding the World 