Jamál, 18 Jalál (Glory), 183 B.E.
Quotes for Reflection
The Mashriqu’l-Adhkár is a unique concept in the annals of religion and symbolizes the teachings of the new Day of God. A collective centre of society to promote cordial affection, the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár stands as a universal place of worship open to all the inhabitants of a locality irrespective of their religious affiliation, background, ethnicity, or gender and a haven for the deepest contemplation on spiritual reality and foundational questions of life, including individual and collective responsibility for the betterment of society. Men and women, children and youth, are held in its embrace as equals. This singular and integral universality is captured in the very structure of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, whose design as a nine-sided edifice conveys a sense of completeness and perfection symbolized by that number. — Universal House of Justice [1]
Question for Consideration
What services can families render in their homes for themselves and their neighbors, regardless of Bahá’í affiliation, that reflect the “dependencies” associated with a Mashriqu’l-Adhkár? [2]
Gemini/NotebookLM Response
Families can render a variety of services in their homes that mirror the “dependencies” (the auxiliary social, humanitarian, and educational institutions) of a physical Mashriqu’l-Adhkár. These actions transform the home into a “nation in miniature” and a “haven” for the surrounding community, regardless of religious affiliation. [3] [4] [5] [6]
Home-Based Services Reflecting Mashriqu’l-Adhkár Dependencies
The following family-led activities correspond to the practical functions intended for a House of Worship and its surrounding institutions:
- Spiritual Education (Reflecting Schools/Universities): Families can host classes for the spiritual and moral education of children and junior youth from the neighborhood. By encouraging children to study “sciences, crafts, arts, agriculture, commerce, and industry,” families build the local human capacity needed for broader social progress. [4] [6] [7] [8]
- Devotional Gatherings (Reflecting the Central Edifice): Opening one’s home for collective worship—where neighbors gather to pray and meditate on spiritual reality—serves as the “embryo” of a future local Mashriqu’l-Adhkár. These gatherings are described as “havens for the deepest contemplation” on collective responsibility for the betterment of society. [3] [4] [5] [9]
- Humanitarian Assistance (Reflecting Hospitals/Dispensaries/Hospices): Families can organize or participate in grassroots “social action” to address local needs. This includes applying spiritual and scientific insights to promote social well-being, such as health education, literacy projects, or sharing resources to provide “medicine to the ailing” and “bread to the hungry”. [4] [5] [6] [9] [10]
- Consultative Spaces (Reflecting Administrative Centers): Families can model and teach the method of “consultation, action, and reflection” to solve neighborhood problems. By providing a neutral space for diverse people to harmonize perspectives, families help “displace endless contest and conflict” in their locality. [7] [11]
Analysis of Resilient Actions
These home-based services represent a form of constructive resilience. Instead of withdrawing during times of social upheaval, families choose to create “life-affirming social patterns” that address the root causes of prejudice and isolation. By treating daily work and neighborhood service as a form of worship, the family unit bridges the gap between spiritual reflection and practical humanitarian action. [4] [6] [12] [13]
Broader Implications
The systematic practice of these behaviors by families eventually leads to the organic emergence of a physical Mashriqu’l-Adhkár in a locality. This process ensures that social transformation is “self-perpetuating” and rooted in “universal participation,” where the people of the neighborhood become the protagonists of their own development rather than passive recipients of charity. [4] [5] [6] [9]
Footnotes
[1] Universal House of Justice. “18 December 2014 – To the Bahá’ís of Iran.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/577336230
[2] Gemini/NotebookLM. “Home Services Reflecting Mashriqu’l-Adhkár.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. April 25, 2026. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_ZMtMzBTcbJ9SvqSH2cHcZ–TqcA2offAxMMFv84ld4/edit?usp=sharing
[3] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. THE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRIQU’L-ADHKÁR. September 2017. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/227923061
[4] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. THE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRIQU’L-ADHKÁR. September 2017. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/577342046
[5] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. THE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRIQU’L-ADHKÁR. September 2017. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/553917534
[6] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. THE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRIQU’L-ADHKÁR. September 2017. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/809998943 | https://www.bahai.org/r/600777823
[7] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. THE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRIQU’L-ADHKÁR. September 2017. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/344730233
[8] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. THE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRIQU’L-ADHKÁR. September 2017. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/600777823
[9] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. THE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRIQU’L-ADHKÁR. September 2017. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/251392628
[10] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. THE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRIQU’L-ADHKÁR. September 2017. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/577342046 | https://www.bahai.org/r/553917534
[11] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. THE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRIQU’L-ADHKÁR. September 2017. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/530819686
[12] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. THE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRIQU’L-ADHKÁR. September 2017. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/297982558
[13] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. THE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRIQU’L-ADHKÁR. September 2017. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/182200414
Be the Voice of…
Therefore, all souls should consider it incumbent upon them to investigate reality. Reality is one; and when found, it will unify all mankind. Reality is the love of God. Reality is the knowledge of God. Reality is justice. Reality is the oneness or solidarity of mankind. Reality is international peace. Reality is the knowledge of verities. Reality unifies humanity. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá The Promulgation of Universal Peace | Bahá’í Reference Library.
Frameworks for Understanding the World 