156: PRAYER (Bahá’u’lláh’s in Dispensation)
“The names of those cited in Bahá’u’lláh’s Prayer in the Dispensation are quite correct as you gave them, (Abraham, Moses, Joseph, John the Baptist, Christ, Muhammad, Imám Husayn, the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.)
“The Prophets ‘regarded as one and the same person’ include the lesser Prophets as well, and not merely those who bring a ‘Book’. The station is different, but They are Prophets and Their nature thus different from that of ours.
“In the prayer mentioned above Bahá’u’lláh identifies Himself with Imám Husayn. This does not make him a Prophet, but his position was very unique, and we know Bahá’u’lláh claims to be the ‘return’ of the Imám Husayn. He, in other words, identifies His Spirit with these Holy Souls gone before, that does not, of course, make Him in any way their re-incarnation. Nor does it mean all of them were Prophets.”
157: PRAYERS
“You have asked whether our prayers go beyond Bahá’u’lláh; It all depends whether we pray to Him directly or through Him to God. We may do both, and also can pray directly to God, but our prayers would certainly be more effective and illuminating if they are addressed to Him through His Manifestation Bahá’u’lláh.
“Under no circumstances, however, can we, while repeating the prayers, insert the name Bahá’u’lláh where the word ‘God’ is used. This would be tantamount to blasphemy.”
“In quoting prayers any part may be used, but should be quoted as it is, however short.”