Bahá’u’lláh, seeing what has befallen His loved ones, asks God to help the oppressors achieve justice. The prayer does not stop at protection for the oppressed, though it asks for that too, for the elderly, for nursing infants, for those who bow in prayer and are shown no mercy; it asks that tyranny itself be transformed into justice, denial into acknowledgment, strangers into companions. Lament, patience, steadfastness and a demand for accountability all have their place, and the tension among them is not smoothed away. Psalm 72 opens with the same conjunction, asking that a king be given righteous judgment so that he may defend the needy and break the oppressor [1]. Princes and the learned are to be enabled to execute equity; the throne of tyranny is to be replaced by the seat of justice; the followers of every religion are to be aided toward benevolence. And the person praying is not exempt: discernment, truthful speech and fair dealing are asked for oneself. To pray this way is to begin learning fairmindedness, and to discover how justice and mercy belong to one petition.
Say: My God, my God! Thou seest what hath befallen Thy chosen ones and loved ones at the hands of the oppressors among Thy creatures. I beseech Thee by Thy sovereignty which hath encompassed all existence, and by Thy Name whereby Thou hast subdued both the seen and the unseen, to assist the oppressors in achieving justice and equity, and to make known to them what hath proceeded from them throughout the nights and days.
(Bahá’u’lláh, 1309-01-14 [1891-Aug-20], to Siyyid Mihdi Dahaji et al -- BH01383)
02
I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance and the waves of the ocean of Thy bounty to transform the tyranny of Thy servants into justice, their turning away into turning toward the court of Thy glory, and their denial into acknowledgment of that which Thou hast revealed in Thy Book.
(Bahá’u’lláh, 1307 ? [1889-1890], to Muhammad-Ali et al -- BH02043)
03
Manifest the effulgences of Your favors and grant justice to the oppressors. Make strangers into friends and transform others into companions.
Aid the oppressed from this great injustice and protect Thy weak servants from the tyranny of the cruel ones. Thou seest, O my God, how they show no mercy even to the humble among the elderly, no compassion even to suckling infants, and spare not even those who bow down in prayer.
My God, my God! Thou seest the oppressed ones among the wicked among Thy creation, and Thou witnesseth their sighs and tears in what hath befallen them at the hands of those who have made tyranny their practice in Thy land and oppression their characteristic in dealing with Thy servants. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the waves of the ocean of Thy bounty and the effulgences of the sun of Thy grace to aid the oppressed ones to patience and steadfastness in what hath befallen and will befall them in times of hardship and tribulation.
O my God, my God! I beseech Thee by the sighing of the hearts of the oppressed, by the tears from the eyes of Thy near servants, and by the blood that hath been shed in Thy path, to aid the heedless to act with justice and the deniers to turn unto Thee and to face toward Thy Prophets and Messengers and to cling to the hem of Thy bounty.
(Bahá’u’lláh, 1307-04-16 [1889-Dec-10], to Abu'l-Hasan-i-Ardikani (Haji Amin) -- BH00774)
07
The Wronged One, caught between the fangs of wolves, calleth upon the Lord of Lords: "My God, my God! Adorn Thy servants with the ornament of justice and illumine their hearts with the light of equity.
(Bahá’u’lláh, 1307-05-17 [1890-Jan-9], to Mirza Husayn -- BH02226)
08
Then enable the princes of Thy earth and the learned ones of Thy lands to execute justice and equity in Thy realm. O Lord! Thou seest Thy chosen ones in the hands of the oppressors who have cast behind their backs Thy covenant and Thy testament, who have denied Thy bounty and disputed Thy signs.
I beseech Thee to replace the throne of tyranny with the seat of justice.
(Bahá’u’lláh, 1296-08 [1879-Jul], to Khalil Ayn Ta -- BH09087)
10
O my Lord! Illumine the horizon of Thy justice through Thy sovereignty, then preserve it from the clouds of tyranny and the veils of oppression.
(Bahá’u’lláh, 1296-09-09 [1879-Aug-27], to Yusuf N R -- BH10907)
11
I beseech Thee by the Name through which the heaven of Thy Cause was raised up and the sun of Thy Will shone forth, to illumine Thy earth with the light of Thy justice and the radiance of Thy countenance.
I beseech Thee by the Lamp of Thy mercy wherewith Thou hast illumined the cities of wisdom and utterance, to assist the followers of all religions to justice and benevolence.
(Bahá’u’lláh, 1305 [1887-1888], to Ustad Muhammad Ardikani -- BH08015)
13
O God! O Thou Who showeth mercy to the servant who walketh in the shining path, who holdeth fast to the just and gracious Law, and who is guided to the luminous way: Aid all to practice justice, equity and fairness, and through Thy grace and favor establish them firmly in truth.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1909-Apr-28, to Jinab Fadil et al -- AB05997)
14
I beseech Him, exalted be He, to aid you and sustain you in manifesting justice and fairness in the cities and regions.
(Bahá’u’lláh, 1301-04-02 [1884-Jan-31], to Muhammad Mustafa Baghdadi -- BH05245)
15
I beseech Thee by this Day wherein the earth hath been illumined by the light of Thy countenance and the heaven by the splendor of Thy manifestation, to send down from the heaven of Thy decree that which will adorn the people of Thy kingdom with the ornament of Thy justice and sanctify them from whatsoever beseemeth not Thee and Thy days.
I beseech Thee, O God of existence and Master of the unseen and the seen, by Thy black tresses and Thy white hand and Thy shining brow and Thy radiant countenance and Thy Most Great Sign and the manifestations of Thy Cause in the kingdom of creation, to strip from the temples of Thy servants the garments of tyranny, ignorance and transgression, and to adorn them with the raiment of knowledge, justice and fairness.
(Bahá’u’lláh, 1301-11-14 [1884-Sep-5], to Mirza 1111 Khan -- BH02787)
17
Say: My God, my God! Adorn the heads of Thy servants with the crown of truthfulness and detachment, and their temples with the ornament of godliness. Then aid them to return unto Thee and to enter beneath the gate of Thy grace.
(Bahá’u’lláh, 1307-02-21 [1889-Oct-17], to Aqa Mirza Hasan Munshi -- BH01599)
18
Since you are the leaves of that tree of truth and sincerity, pray that God may guide these foolish ones and grant them insight so they may distinguish the truthful from the false and recognize friend from foe, for He says: "Whom God guides, he is rightly guided; and whom He leads astray, never will you find for him a protecting guide."
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1895-Aug or <, to Daughters of Amin -- AB01602)
19
Be fair in the Cause of God and His Manifestation, and be not of them who disputed His signs and denied His favor and committed that which caused every discerning scholar and every informed mystic to lament.
(Bahá’u’lláh, 1306-05-21 [1889-Jan-23], to Mirza Ayyub -- BH11693)
20
Take hold of the Most Great Handle in the name of the Lord of all mankind and say: O my God, my God! I beseech Thee by the Dawning-Place of Thy signs and the Dayspring of Thy clear tokens to unveil unto Thy servants that which Thou hast unveiled unto us through Thy power and Thy sovereignty.
(Bahá’u’lláh, 1307 ? [1889-1890], to Ibn-i-Abhar -- BH01284)
21
When thou hast attained unto My Tablet and found the fragrance of My utterance, say:
My God, my God! I have turned toward Thee, and I cling to Thy cord, hoping for the wonders of Thy grace. I beseech Thee by the Point through which Thou hast distinguished the Books of the world, and by the Sun of Thy knowledge whereby Thou hast illumined the horizons of the hearts of the nations, to ordain for me through Thy Most Exalted Pen that which shall profit me in all the worlds of Thy worlds.
(Bahá’u’lláh, 1306-10 [1889-May], to Yusuf Khan -- BH05629)
22
Say:
My God, my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name the Almighty, and by Thy Name the Chosen One, and by Thy Name the Powerful, to sanctify the earth and its cities and regions from the likes of these. O my Lord! Thou seest how they have turned away from Thee and pronounced judgment against Thee without any clear proof or Book. Cleanse the earth from the defilement of these who have manifested rancor and hatred. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest, and verily Thou art the Avenger, the Just, the All-Wise.
(Bahá’u’lláh, 1306-06-19 [1889-Feb-20], to Ustad Taqi -- BH11893)
23
O God! Deal with their first and their last and their liars as beseemeth Thee. Verily Thou wrongest not anyone, and judgest, O my God, between all with justice, and forgivest not those who have wronged people without right. I bear witness that they have deserved what none among creation deserves. Deal with them according to what their hands have wrought in Thy path.
(The Báb, Prayer in reply to Mulla Ahmad Khurasani, Di'bil, et al, 1261-09 [1845-Sep], to various inquirers including Mulla Ahmad, Ibn-i-'Ali, and one of the A'rab -- BB00138)