The Baha'i Fund

Just who can tell the blessings that you'll find

That come from your contributing to the Baha'i Fund.

The bounties of God, an infinite love.

Your giving to the Fund grants you a magical key

That opens up a world of love's most rarest beauty.

Each sacrificial act rewards your soul ten times.

Each meritorious deed awakens the hearts' sunshine.

~

Chorus: The glorious Baha'i Fund is the life blood

For making sacred everything in God's love.

The glorious Baha'i Fund is the bedrock

Of all the Baha'i Institutions we love.

It's like a fountain of love for the whole world. ~~~~~

Divine love eternally.

~

It's time to open up love's portal wide.

The act of giving always spreads His sacred light.

The bounties of God, an infinite love.

And suddenly all your prayers have such magical wings.

They fly with compassion that's so recreating.

Each sacrificial act rewards your soul ten times.

Each meritorious deed awakens the hearts' sunshine. (chorus)

~

References:

"THE BAHÁ'Í FUND

Declared Believers Only.

In the future World Order, Bahá'u'lláh has made provision for taxation, but even then one of the approved sources of revenue is "voluntary contributions". At present all Bahá'í Funds are maintained voluntarily, and by declared believers only. The Cause does not accept money, except for charitable distribution, from people who are not members of the Faith. This is a clear indication of the spiritual basis of the Fund.

The Life-Blood.

The privilege of contributing to the Bahá'í Fund, "the life-blood" of the Administrative Order, can only be won by open declaration of Faith. Bahá'u'lláh says, in effect, that He will receive the things of this world only from those who recognize Him as the "Possessor of all things", the "Giver", the "Independent". His Cause will be built by faith only, and the condition of the Fund, "the bedrock on which all other institutions must necessarily rest and be established", is the measure of this faith. It is this faith which built the Temple in America, which maintains a flow of money to all the varied activities of the Cause.

Strictly Voluntary.

Following this same spiritual principle, there are no collections at meetings, and there can be no compulsion whatever to contribute to the Fund. The Guardian writes on this point: "I feel urged to remind you of the necessity of ever bearing in mind the cardinal principle that all contributions to the Fund are to be purely and strictly voluntary in character. It should be made clear and evident to everyone that any form of compulsion, however slight and indirect, strikes at the very root of the principle underlying the formation of the Fund ever since its inception. While appeals of a general character carefully worded and moving and dignified in tone are welcome under all circumstances it should be left entirely to the discretion of every conscientious believer to decide upon the nature, the amount, and purpose of his or her own contribution for the propagation of the Cause."

Earmarking.

Further, believers are free to specify for what particular Bahá'í purpose their contribution should be spent although the Guardian has written about this: "As I have previously intimated, although individual friends and local Assemblies are absolutely free to specify the object of their donations to the National Spiritual Assembly, yet, in my opinion, I regard it of the utmost vital importance that individuals, as well as local Assemblies throughout the land should, in view of the paramount importance of National Teaching and as an evidence of their absolute confidence in their national representatives, endeavour, however small at first, to contribute freely towards the upkeep and the increase of the National Bahá'í Fund, so that the members of the National Assembly may at their full discretion expend it for whatever they deem urgent and necessary."

Exclusive Control by Spiritual Assembly.

About the Fund itself the Guardian says:

"As the progress and extension 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 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 that

Fund. The members of the Spiritual Assembly will at their own

discretion expend it to promote the Teaching Campaign, to help the needy,

to establish educational Bahá'í institutions, to extend in every

way possible their sphere of service."

Making Your Contribution.

To make your contribution to the Fund, you must find

out who is your local Treasurer. If you are the only believer in your locality

you should send direct to the National Treasurer.

The amount you give is entirely your own affair, and is confidential. Some believers give every week, some every nineteen days, some every calendar month. It is obviously a help to the Spiritual Assembly, or Group, if it can estimate its income. Therefore you will be helping the Cause if you make your contribution regularly.

This contribution to the Fund is an essential part of Bahá'í life. Not the amount you give, but the very act of doing your part to ensure an ample supply of "life-blood" to the body of the Cause, is the important thing. No individual is functioning as a full member of the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh who does not support the Fund, however modestly. Collective action is ensured by everyone contributing; the spiritual reality of "one soul in many bodies" is expressed through the Fund when it is supported by every believer.

The individual Bahá'í shares in his or her community life by contributing to the Fund, and the community shares in the life of the national community by sending regular contributions to the National Fund. In like manner, the National Spiritual Assemblies contribute to the International Fund, and thus every believer who supports the Fund is sharing in the world-wide activities of the Faith.

Measure of Faith.

"Contributions to this fund constitute, in addition, a practical and effective way whereby every believer can test the measure and character of his faith, and prove in deeds the intensity of his devotion and attachment to the Cause."

In these days of building up the Faith, and learning the ways of Bahá'u'lláh's World Order, it is important to do everything which will increase unified action and permit the organic life of the Cause to increasingly express itself. We know that community life is the pattern and basis of the Kingdom, and therefore every individual must share in that life, or the foundation will not be universal and God's wish of seeing the human race as "one soul in one body" will not be realized.

We are asked to be mature and conscious of our responsibilities in this Day, so no believer will be pestered by requests for money. But we should all know that it is part of our Bahá'í life to contribute to the Fund. "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 that Fund.

The Secret of Right Living.

"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 the fear of poverty and reliant on the unfailing bounty of the Source of all wealth and all good - that is the secret of right living."

(Compilations, Principles of Bahai Administration, p. 95)