Fidál, 19 Mulk (Dominion), 182 B.E.
Quotes for Reflection
We ask God graciously to grant that all may evince such fairness of character, such goodliness of deed and kindliness of word as will meet with His good pleasure. It hath been decreed that the citadels of men’s hearts should be subdued through the hosts of a noble character and praiseworthy deeds. Contention, discord, strife and sedition have all been forbidden in the Book of God. Beseech the Lord that He deprive not His dominions of the effulgent light of the sun of trustworthiness, nor deny them the radiance of the Day-Star of truthfulness or the splendour of the orb of justice and equity. 1 Trustworthiness and piety are even as two luminaries shining resplendent above the horizon of the heaven of the Tablet in which are inscribed the ordinances of God. Well is it with them that have discerned them, and woe betide the heedless! — Bahá’u’lláh 2
Question for Consideration
From a Bahá’í perspective, what is the relationship of trustworthiness to justice?
Perplexity Pro Response 3
Trustworthiness in the Bahá’í writings is presented as an inner moral light that makes justice possible in human affairs; it is both a precondition for justice and one of its chief expressions in daily life. [1]
Trustworthiness as foundation for justice
- Bahá’u’lláh describes trustworthiness as “the greatest portal leading unto the tranquillity and security of the people,” and says that the “stability of every affair” depends on it. [1]
- In the same compilation, He states that the “first, the fundamental purpose underlying creation” is the appearance of “trustworthiness and godliness, of sincerity and goodwill amongst mankind,” because these qualities are “the cause of peace, security and tranquillity.” [1]
From a Bahá’í perspective, justice is the divine principle that orders society; trustworthiness is the personal moral quality that allows justice to be reliably carried out in relationships, institutions, and contracts. [1]
Light, sun and orb: their linkage
- In the passage you quoted, trustworthiness, truthfulness, justice and equity are pictured as celestial lights: “the sun of trustworthiness,” “the Day-Star of truthfulness,” and “the orb of justice and equity.” [1]
- Elsewhere Bahá’u’lláh says “trustworthiness is the sun of the heaven of My commandments, truthfulness is its moon, and praiseworthy attributes are its stars,” linking it directly with the divine law that justice applies. [1]
The imagery suggests that justice (an “orb”) can illumine the world only if the “sun” of trustworthiness is shining in hearts and actions; without trustworthy souls, the light of just laws cannot reach society. [1]
Personal virtue and social justice
- ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá calls trustworthiness “the bedrock of His Faith and the foundation of all virtues and perfections,” saying that a person lacking it is “destitute of everything,” even if other good works are present. [1]
- At the same time, He repeatedly links trustworthiness with “justice and equity” in public service, insisting that government employees and officials must show, “justice and equity,” and complete honesty, otherwise they are “deprived of the outpourings of God’s grace.” [1]
In Bahá’í thought, then, justice is not only a structural principle (right laws, fair institutions) but is inseparable from the trustworthy character of the people who operate those structures. [1]
Mutual reinforcement in community life
- Bahá’u’lláh prays that the friends be “clothed…in the robe of justice and…illumined…with the light of trustworthiness,” pairing the two as complementary garments of the soul. [1]
- The Universal House of Justice’s compilation highlights how trustworthiness in business, administration, and governance becomes a “supreme instrument for the prosperity of the world” and a means for “the spread of justice and equity among the peoples of the world.” [1]
From this perspective, justice protects the rights of all, while trustworthiness assures that those rights are actually upheld in practice; each strengthens the other in building a unified and peaceful society. [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
- Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. “Bahá’í Sacred Writings.” Bahá’í Reference Library, July 2025. https://www.bahai.org/r/250820767. ↩︎
- 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/968216182. ↩︎
- Perplexity Pro. “The Relationship of Trustworthiness to Justice.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. February 23, 2026. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/beseech-the-lord-that-he-depri-LccI7f35QWiyuoQgdSTMeQ#0. ↩︎
Frameworks for Understanding the World 