Some synonyms for “Teaching the Cause” found in the Bahá’í Writings

The different synonyms, figures of speech, similes, turns of phrase and metaphors used to describe the sacred duty of teaching the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh found in the Bahá’í writings was compiled by Violetta Zein as an appendix to her compilation on “Personal Teaching”.

In prayers and selections where the word “Thee,” “Thy,” or “His” appears in place of “God’s”, I have replaced the pronoun with “God” in order to let the expression stand on its own when separated from its native context.

For example: « loose my tongue that it may make mention of Thee and sing Thy praise »

Will be listed as: « Make mention of God and sing His praise »

Another example is when I have replaced “sing Thy praise” with “sing the praise of God.” The reason is because these are not meant to be quotes from prayers, this is meant to be a list of synonyms for teaching, and so these replacements are meant to lend a universal connotation to the concepts behind them, to aid us in our personal meditation and contemplation of the act of teaching the Faith.

It is most interesting in personal meditation to ponder on the verbs themselves and their relation to one another: “call,” “cry out,” “speak,” “utter,” “proclaim,” “teach,” “exalt,” “extol,” “announce,” “glorify,” “laud,” “sing,” and “make mention,” among many others.

We see, in exploring this list, that we can consider teaching the Faith as a diamond with a multitude of facets that deserved to be explored in all of their beautiful and intricate complexity. I am certain that a parallel exploration of these beautiful terms in the original Arabic and Persian would shed even more light on the subject than my attempt in the English translations.

The sheer wealth of expressions Bahá’u’lláh, the Báb and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá use to describe teaching is a testament to the spiritual powers enshrined in this Faith.

We learn, in studying these excerpts on teachings, that wisdom is a paramount consideration, as evidenced by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s wise advice:

“Furthermore, the teachers must travel about, and if spreading the Message openly should cause a disturbance, then instead, let them stimulate and train the believers, inspire them, delight them, rejoice their hearts, revive and refresh them with the sweet savors of holiness.”

‘Abdu’l-Bahá – Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá № 209
 

Synonyms for “Teaching the Cause”

 
Adduce clear arguments and proofs
Advance the oneness of the world of man
Aid souls to reach the shore of the sea of faith
Announce the Message
Arise and proclaim unto the entire creation the tidings that He Who is the All-Merciful hath directed His steps towards the Riḍván and entered it
Arise in service
Attract all the hearts to the Kingdom of God
Attract the hearts of men
Awaken a previously heedless soul
Awaken inner perceptions
Awaken slumbering souls
Become the cause of raising high the Word of God
Bestow a heavenly spirit upon souls
Bestow happiness and prosperity upon the children of men
Blazon the remembrance of God
Breathe life into souls
Breathe the breath of life into souls
Breathe the breath of life upon the spirits
Breathe ye into the world’s worn and wasted body the fresh breath of life
Brighten the eyes by beholding the signs of guidance
Brighten the eyes with beholding the mighty signs of God
Bring about universal harmony
Bring all men together under a single tabernacle
Bring this best of all messages
Call in the Name of God
Celebrating the praise of God
Champion this Cause
Change ignorance to knowledge of the truth
Changed the dishonor of prejudiced souls to the highest degree of honor and capacity
Clear and straighten all the paths
Confer life upon souls
Conferred spiritual susceptibilities
Create capacity
Cry out through the power of the Kingdom and the breath of the Holy Spirit
Deliver the good news that the Speaker of the Mount has come
Diffuse God’s holy fragrances
Diffuse of the divine exhortations and advices
Diffuse the breaths of the Holy Spirit
Diffuse the fragrance of God’s holiness
Diffuse the sweet breathings of holiness
Diffusing the sweet savors of God
Disclose these heavenly mysteries
Discover the mine of humanity and find the brilliant pearls of the Kingdom
Dispel the dark clouds so that the Sun of Truth may shine forth with the utmost intensity
Disseminate of these divine teachings
Disseminate the principles of this glorious Being (Bahá’u’lláh)
Emit rays from the Sun of Truth
Engage in calling the peoples of the world to the Divine Guidance
Engage in the promulgation of the divine teachings
Establish the truth
Exalt the Word of God
Exalt the Word of God
Exhilarate and rejoice all the ears with the call of the Kingdom
Exhilarate and rejoice all the nations and peoples with the song of the love of God
Exhilarate the ears with this call
Explain the wisdom of the heavenly books
Extol God’s Name
Gather all the people of the earth under the shadow of God
Give the glad tidings of the manifestation of God’s kingdom amongst mankind
Give the joyful tidings
Give the people the glad tidings of the dawn of His great dispensation
Give the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh
Glorify the Cause of God
Glorify the word of God
Guide a soul aright
Guide of the inhabitants of the globe
Guide souls to the Faith
Guide the human race
Guide the nations and peoples of the world
Guide the souls
Help the heedless to become vigilant
Herald the Covenant
Illuminated their hearts with the splendor of knowledge
Illumine the hearts of humanity
Illumine this dark universe
Increase the illumination of humankind
Inform the people of the wonderful episodes of His marvelous life, the greatness of His power in withstanding the kings of the Orient, the might of His spirit in upholding under all circumstances the standard of the oneness of the world of mankind
Laud the name of God
Lead a soul to an understanding of the validity of the Holy Cause
Lead the people out of darkness and ignorance into the clear light of truth
Loose one’s tongue in praise and thanksgiving
Magnify the Cause of God
Magnify the name of God
Magnify the word of God
Make mention of God
Make the meads of a region green and fertile
Make the melody of universal peace to reach the ears of the East and the West
Make the morning’s light to dawn in the hearts of the righteous
Make the people aware of the divine evidences manifest in Him
Mention the True One
Minister at God’s holy threshold
Noise the fame of the Cause of God
Pass round the cup that brimmeth with the wine of certitude
Perfume the nostrils of the people of the world with this musk-scented breeze
Perfume the nostrils with the fragrances of the Paradise of Abhá
Pitch the tabernacle of unity
Play the melody of international conciliation with such power that every deaf one may attain hearing
Play the melody of international conciliation with such power that every extinct person may be set aglow
Play the melody of international conciliation with such power that every dead one may obtain new life
Play the melody of international conciliation with such power that every indifferent soul may find ecstasy
Proclaim
Proclaim the Cause
Proclaim the Cause of God
Proclaim the Message of God
Proclaim the oneness of the world of humanity
 Proclaim to all humanity the sheltering mercy and infinite grace of God
Promote the divine principles
Promote the divine teachings 
Promote the fundamental of universal peace and the divine principles
Promote the oneness of the world of humanity
Promote the teachings of God
Promote the teachings of God
Promote the Word of God
Promote the Word of God
Promulgate all of the teachings of God
Promulgate the teachings 
Promulgate the teachings and commandments of God
Promulgate the teachings of God
Promulgate universal peace
Propagate the Cause of God
Propagate the divine fragrances.
Quicken to life this dead world
Raise God’s melody in His Supreme Name
Raise the call of “Yá Bahá’u’l-Abhá” in cities, villages, mountains, deserts and oceans
Raise the call of God
Raise the call of the Great Kingdom
Raise the call that God has now been made manifest
Raise the call to the world of unity, “There is no God but One God, and all the Messengers, from the beginning to the Seal of the Prophets (Muḥammad) were sent on the part of the True One!”
Raise the flag of brotherhood and international agreement
Raise the word of God
Raise to the highest heaven the cry of “O Thou the Glory of Glories!” [“Yá Bahá’u’l-Abhá”, an invocation of the Greatest Name of God (the All-Glorious or Most Glorious)]
Raise up the Word
Reach the ears of the people of the world with the divine teachings, which constitute the spirit of this age
refresh and quicken the trees of human souls
Refute what is vain and false
Render assistance unto God
Resuscitate the dead with this spirit
Reveal the splendors
Revive the hearts
Rise up to lead the people aright
Rouse the East and the West with the celestial strains from the Abhá Kingdom
Save all the peoples of the earth (Christian context)
Scatter the holy seed of the Teachings
Scatter throughout the world in order that His teachings may be widespread and be heard by every ear
Serve the Cause of God
Serve the Covenant
Serve the Law of God
Service
Service to the Cause of thy Lord
Set forth the divine teachings, which constitute the spirit of this age, with brilliance and eloquence in the assemblages of men
Set forth the proofs and testimonies
Shed abroad the attar of the love of God
Shed abroad the light of the Sun of Truth
Shed abroad the praise of God
Shed the light of Divine guidance upon souls
Shed the sweetness of the holy breaths of the Spirit of God (Jesus) (Christian context)
Shine forth from the horizon of guidance
Sing the praise of God
Sound the wondrous melodies of the Gospel in the ears of the spiritually illumined (Christian context)
Sow holy seed in the furrows of every region
Sow pure seeds and plant blessed trees
Sow the seed of the Word of God
Speak forth the praise of God
Speak out the wisdom of God
Speak out with arguments and proofs
Spiritual education
Spread abroad signs and tokens of God
Spread far and near the equality of every member of the human race
Spread the blessed Epistles
Spread the blissful tidings that the Sun of Truth had risen
Spread the Cause of the Kingdom
Spread the Faith
Spread the light of guidance
Spread the rays of the Daystar of Truth
Spread the sacred verses abroad
Spread the sweet savors of the Teachings
Spread the synopsis of the divine teachings 
Spread the Teachings of God
Spread the teachings of peace
Spread the true civilization
Subdue the citadels of men’s hearts
Summon the people in countries, capitals, islands, assemblies and churches to enter the Abhá Kingdom
Summon the people to the Kingdom of God
Summon the people to the Kingdom of God
Summon the people to the manifestation of the Kingdom of Abhá
Summon to love
Teach the Cause
Teach the Faith
Teach the inner meanings of the [God’s Holy Books] with eloquence, understanding, vigor and skill
Teach the realities of the knowledge of God and the essence of His wisdom
Teach the reconciliation of religion with science and reason
Teach the self-sufficient to turn humbly towards God
Teach the sinful to sin no more
Teach the souls
Teach the ways of the One True God
Teach this Cause
Teach with the melody of the Concourse on high
The call of the Kingdom was in the very beginning raised
the surface of the earth may become the eternal paradise
The work
Unfurl the flag of the oneness of the world of humanity
Unfurl the standard of fellowship and guidance
Upraise the flag of the oneness of the world of humanity
Upraise the standard of the oneness of the world of humanity
Utter the praise of God
Utter the praises of God and His attributes
Vivify with the breaths of the Holy Spirit