“Regarding the five steps of prayer outlined by the Guardian, and recorded by Mrs. Moffett in her booklet, the ‘Call to Prayer’, these, he wishes me to explain, are merely personal suggestions and need not, therefore, be adopted strictly and universally by the believers.” 155: PRAYER BEADS “In the matter of the use and distribution of prayer beads, in this and other matters of secondary importance he does not wish that any hard and fast rules be set up. The believers should not be required to use prayer beads, nor should they be prevented from doing so, as the Teachings do not contain any specific instruction on the subject.” 156: PRAYER (BAHÁ’U’LLÁH’S IN DISPENSATION) “The names of those cited in Bahá’u’lláh’s Prayer in the Dispensation are quite correct as you gave them, (Abraham, Moses, Joseph, John the Baptist, Christ, Muhammad, Imám Husayn, the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.) “The Prophets ‘regarded as one and the same person’ include the lesser Prophets as well, and not merely those who bring a ‘Book’. The station is different, but They are Prophets and Their nature thus different from that of ours. “In the prayer mentioned above Bahá’u’lláh identifies Himself with Imám Husayn. This does not make him a Prophet, but his position was very unique, and we know Bahá’u’lláh claims to be the ‘return’ of the Imám Husayn. He, in other words, identifies His Spirit with these Holy Souls gone before, that does not, of course, make Him in any way their re-incarnation. Nor does it mean all of them were Prophets.” 157: PRAYERS “You have asked whether our prayers go beyond Bahá’u’lláh; It all depends whether we pray to Him directly or through Him to God. We may do both, and also can pray directly to God, but our prayers would certainly be more effective and illuminating if they are addressed to Him through His Manifestation Bahá’u’lláh. “Under no circumstances, however, can we, while repeating the prayers, insert the name Bahá’u’lláh where the word ‘God’ is used. This would be tantamount to blasphemy.” “In quoting prayers any part may be used, but should be quoted as it is, however short.” 158: PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS (BOOK OF) “He is indeed pleased to know that the Book of Prayers and Meditations by Bahá’u’lláh has been out in time to enable the friends to read it during the Fast, and he has every hope that the perusal of such a precious volume will help to deepen more than any other publication, the spirit of devotion and faith in the friends, and thus charge them with all the spiritual power they require for the accomplishment of their tremendous duties towards the Cause...” 159: PRAYERS (DAILY)