The Long Obligatory Prayer
The long obligatory prayer — one of three prescribed by Bahá'u'lláh — is a profound act of worship encompassing the full range of human spiritual aspiration.
Bahá'u'lláh prescribed three obligatory prayers of different lengths. The long prayer, performed once in twenty-four hours, is a rich liturgical text encompassing confession of God's greatness, acknowledgment of human frailty, supplication for guidance, and expressions of devotion. It accompanies specific physical postures that engage the whole person.
Whose reciteth this prayer with lowliness and fervour will so attune his soul to the music of the heavenly spheres that all the peoples of the world shall hear it and perceive its sweetness.
The Bahá'í obligatory prayer incorporates physical movement in a way that parallels Islamic salát and some contemplative Christian practices.
Prayers and Meditations
Written about in
- What the Bahá'í Faith says about habit and discipline
Bahá'ís choose one of three obligatory prayers; the long one is said once in twenty-four hours and carries prescribed physical postures. Offering three lengths is a concession to real days, and the postures make the discipline bodily rather than purely mental.