Giving to the Fund, therefore, is a spiritual privilege, not open to those who have not accepted Bahá’u’lláh, of which no believer should deny himself. It is both a responsibility and a source of
bounty. This is an aspect of the Cause which, we feel, is an essential part of the basic teaching and deepening of new believers. The importance of contributing resides in the degree of sacrifice of the giver, the spirit of devotion with which the contribution is made and the unity of the friends in this service; these attract the confirmations of God and enhance the dignity and self-respect of the individuals and the community.
—The Universal House of Justice, letter dated 7 August 1985
Contributing to the Bahá’í fund constitutes an act of spiritual discipline which is an intrinsic
element of the devotional life of the individual. No believer should
be unaware of the privilege of contributing to the advancement of the Cause of God,
irrespective of his material circumstances. The practice of giving to the Fund strengthens the
connection between the believer and the Cause and enhances his sense of identification with it. Divine
confirmations redound upon those who offer a portion of their
material resources in a spirit of sacrifice, motivated by their love of the Faith and their desire to
assist in its progress.
—The Universal House of Justice, letter dated 17 September 1992
There is a profound aspect to the relationship between a believer and the Fund, which holds true
irrespective of his or her economic condition. When a human soul accepts Bahá’u’lláh as the Manifestation of God for this age and enters into the divine Covenant, that soul should progressively bring his or her whole life into harmony with the divine purpose—he becomes a co-worker in the Cause of God and receives the bounty of being permitted to devote his material
possessions, no matter how meager, to the work of the
Faith.
—The Universal House of Justice, letter dated 7 August 1985
We must be like the fountain or spring that is continually emptying itself of all that it has and is
continually being refilled from an invisible source. To be continually giving out for the good of our fellows undeterred by fear of poverty and reliant on the unfailing bounty of the Source of all wealth and all good—this is the secret of right living.
—Shoghi Effendi, letter dated September 1926
Contributions to this fund constitute . . . a practical and effective way whereby every
believer can test the measure and character of his faith, and to prove in deeds
the intensity of his devotion and attachment to the Cause.
—On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, letter dated 25 September 1924
Contributing to the Fund is a service that every believer can render, be he poor or wealthy; for this is a spiritual responsibility in which the amount given is not important. It is the degree of the sacrifice of the giver, the love with which he makes his gift, and the unity of all the friends in this service which bring spiritual confirmations.
—The Universal House of Justice, letter dated 18 December 1964
The overwhelming majority of the Bahá’ís in the world are poor people, but it is to the believers, and
to the believers alone, that Bahá’u’lláh has given the bounty of contributing the material
things of this world for the progress of His Faith. It is not the amount of the contribution which is important, but the degree of self-sacrifice that it entails—for it is this that attracts the confirmations of God.
—The Universal House of Justice, letter dated 13 April 1975
And as the progress and execution of spiritual activities is dependent and conditioned upon material
means, it is of absolute necessity that immediately after the establishment of local as well as National Spiritual Assemblies, a Bahá’í Fund be established, to be placed under the exclusive control of the Spiritual Assembly. All donations and contributions should be offered to the Treasurer of the Assembly, for the express purpose of promoting the interests of the Cause, throughout that
locality or country. It is the sacred obligation of every conscientious and faithful servant of Bahá’u’lláh who desires to see His Cause advance, to contribute freely and generously for the increase of hat Fund.
—Shoghi Effendi, letter dated 12 March 1923
That you may reinforce this Teaching Campaign—so vitally needed in these days—and conduct,
properly and efficiently, the rest of your manifold activities, spiritual as well as humanitarian, it is urgently necessary to establish that Central Fund, which if generously supported and upheld by individual friends and local Assemblies, will soon enable you to execute your plans with promptness and vigor.
—Shoghi Effendi, letter dated 6 May 1923
It is only evident that unless the flow of donations is regularly maintained by means of generous and
continual support by all the believers, individually and collectively, theNational Fund will never be able to meet the needs and requirements of the Cause, particularly in these days when the national activities of the American believers are assuming such wide and increasing proportions.
—On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, letter dated 3 February 1941
Bahá’u’lláh has written that, “. . . He Who is the Eternal Truth—exalted be His glory—hath made the
fulfilment of every undertaking on earth dependent on material means.” The community of the Greatest Name is in this day embarked upon the mightiest of undertakings destined to give rise to the spiritualization of mankind and the transformation of human society. Its needs should not, and indeed will not, be met only by the contributions from believers resident in those countries now enjoying a relatively high standard of living; rather should every follower of Bahá’u’lláh, undeterred by the meagerness of his material resources, resolve to offer his share for the work of the Faith.
—The Universal House of Justice, letter dated 17 September 1992
The supply of funds, in support of the national Treasury, constitutes, at the present time, the life-blood of these nascent institutions which you are labouring to erect. Its importance cannot, surely, be overestimated. Untold blessings shall no doubt crown every effort directed to that end.
—Shoghi Effendi, Compilation of Compilations, 1: no. 1231
Each and every believer, undaunted by the uncertainties, the perils and the financial stringency afflicting the nation, must arise and insure, to the full measure of his orher capacity, that continuous and abundant flow of funds into the national Treasury, on which the successful prosecution of the Plan must chiefly depend.
—Shoghi Effendi, postscript to a letter dated 30 January 1938
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