Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. - Bible, Matthew 5.6-9 The believers are brothers; so reconcile between your brothers, and be aware of God, that you may receive mercy. O you who believe, let not any people ridicule other people, for they may be better than they. Nor shall any women ridicule other women, for they may be better than they. Nor shall you mock one another, or call each other names; miserable indeed is the name of wickedness after attaining faith. And anyone who does not repent, then these are the transgressors. O you who believe, you shall avoid much suspicion, for some suspicion is sinful. And do not spy on one another, nor shall you backbite. Would any of you enjoy eating the flesh of his dead brother? You certainly would hate this. You shall observe God. God is Redeemer, Merciful. O people, We created you from a male and female, and We made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Surely, the most honorable among you in the sight of God is the most righteous. God is Knowledgeable, Expert. - The Holy Quran, 49:10-13 Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love. - Lao Tzu I charge you all that each one of you concentrate all the thoughts of your heart on love and unity. When a thought of war comes, oppose it by a stronger thought of peace. A thought of hatred must be destroyed by a more powerful thought of love. Thoughts of war bring destruction to all harmony, well-being, restfulness and content. Thoughts of love are constructive of brotherhood, peace, friendship, and happiness. When soldiers of the world draw their swords to kill, soldiers of God clasp each other’s hands! So may all the savagery of man disappear by the Mercy of God, working through the pure in heart and the sincere of soul. Do not think the peace of the world an ideal impossible to attain! Nothing is impossible to the Divine Benevolence of God. If you desire with all your heart, friendship with every race on earth, your thought, spiritual and positive, will spread; it will become the desire of others, growing stronger and stronger, until it reaches the minds of all men. Do not despair! Work steadily. Sincerity and love will conquer hate. How many seemingly impossible events are coming to pass in these days! Set your faces steadily towards the Light of the World. Show love to all; ‘Love is the breath of the Holy Spirit in the heart of Man’. Take courage! - Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks I vow to understand living beings and their suffering, to cultivate compassion and loving kindness, and to practice joy and equanimity. I vow to offer joy to one person in the morning and to help relieve the grief of one person in the afternoon. - The Refuge Chant (Buddhism) Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide. Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and bow to none. When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and nothing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision. - Chief Tecumseh, Shawnee You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer.  But if anyone strikes you on the right chee, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.  Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. - Bible, Matthew 5.38-42 "Each person's every joint must perform a charity every day the sun comes up: to act justly between two people is a charity; to help a man with his mount, lifting him onto it or hoisting up his belongings onto it is a charity; a good word is a charity; every step you take to prayers is a charity; and removing a harmful thing from the road is a charity." - Prophet Muhammad ﷺ Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair, but manifestations of strength and resolution. - Kahlil Gibran Blessed is he who mingleth with all men in a spirit of utmost kindliness and love. - Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings CLVI Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. - Bible, Proverbs 10.12 May all be filled with lasting joy. Let no one deceive another, Let no one anywhere despise another, Let no one out of anger or resentment Wish suffering on anyone at all. Just as a mother with her own life Protects her child, her only child, from harm, So within yourself let grow A boundless love for all creatures. Let your love flow outward through the universe, To its height, its depth, its broad extent, A limitless love, without hatred or enmity. Then as you stand or walk, Sit or lie down, As long as you are awake, Strive for this with a one-pointed mind; Your life will bring heaven to earth. - Gautama Buddha, Sutta Nipata (Discourse on Good Will) Goodness is stronger than evil. Love is stronger than hate. Light is stronger than darkness. Life is stronger than death. Victory is ours through Him who loves us. - Archbishop Desmond Tutu [Nobility of character] means that you should forgive him who has wronged you, re-establish ties with him who has broken them off, give to him who has denied you something, and tell the truth even if it is against your own interests. - Prophet Muhammad ﷺ The best portion of a good man's life is his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love. - William Wordsworth When a (courteous) greeting Is offered you, meet it With a greeting still more Courteous, or (at least) Of equal courtesy. God takes careful account Of all things. - The Holy Quran, 4.86 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.“ - Bible, Matthew 18.10-14 If you contribute to other people’s happiness, you will find the true goal, the true meaning of life. His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, XIV Dalai Lama It is an absolute human certainty that no one can know his own beauty or perceive a sense of his own worth until it has been reflected back to him in the mirror of another loving, caring human being. - John Joseph Powell Consort with the peoples of religions with joy and fragrance; … The followers of sincerity and faithfulness must consort with all the people of the world with joy and fragrance; for association is always conducive to union and harmony, and union and harmony are the cause of the order or the world and the life of the nations.  Blessed are they who hold fast to the rope of compassion and kindness and are detached from animosity and hatred! - Bahá'u'lláh, Tarazát Cheerfulness is the basis of love, tolerance the burial of faults, conciliation the concealing of shortcomings, and there is no better relative than good character. - Imam Ali عليه السلام If there is to be peace in the world, There must be peace in the nations. If there is to be peace in the nations, There must be peace in the cities. If there is to be peace in the cities, There must be peace between neighbors. If there is to be peace between neighbors, There must be peace in the home. If there is to be peace in the home, There must be peace in the heart. - Lao Tzu The God-conscious being shows kindness to all. No evil comes from the God-conscious being. - Guru Granth Sahib A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love. - Saint Basil And remember We took A Covenant from the Children Of Israel (to this effect): Worship none but God; Treat with kindness Your parents and kindred, And orphans and those in need; Speak fair to the people; Be steadfast in prayer; And practise regular charity. Then did ye turn back, Except a few among you, And ye backslide (even now). - The Holy Quran, 2.83 Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end. - Scott Adams Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Wendy Mass Be in perfect unity. Never become angry with one another. Let your eyes be directed toward the kingdom of truth and not toward the world of creation. Love the creatures for the sake of God and not for themselves. You will never become angry or impatient if you love them for the sake of God. Humanity is not perfect. There are imperfections in every human being, and you will always become unhappy if you look toward the people themselves. But if you look toward God, you will love them and be kind to them, for the world of God is the world of perfection and complete mercy. Therefore, do not look at the shortcomings of anybody; see with the sight of forgiveness. The imperfect eye beholds imperfections. The eye that covers faults looks toward the Creator of souls. He created them, trains and provides for them, endows them with capacity and life, sight and hearing; therefore, they are the signs of His grandeur. You must love and be kind to everybody, care for the poor, protect the weak, heal the sick, teach and educate the ignorant. - Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace Freedom from fear, purity of heart, constancy in sacred learning and contemplation, generosity, self-harmony, adoration, study of the scriptures, austerity, righteousness; Non-violence, truth, freedom from anger, renunciation, serenity, aversion to fault-finding, sympathy for all beings, peace from greedy cravings, gentleness, modesty, steadiness; Energy, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, a good will, freedom from pride - these are the treasures of the man who is born for heaven. - Krishna, Bhagavad Gita, 16.1 A muslim is he whose hand and tongue people feel safe from, whilst a believer is he whom people trust with their belongings and their lives. - Imam Jafar عليه السلام Indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright dislike. - J.K. Rowling Kind words And the covering of faults Are better than charity Followed by injury. God is Free of all wants, And He is most Forbearing. - The Holy Quran, 2.263 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” - Bible, Matthew 6.1-4 Do not be content with showing friendship in words alone; let your heart burn with loving-kindness for all who may cross your path. - Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks Whoever does not have mercy on our young and does not honor our elderly is not one of us. - Prophet Muhammad ﷺ Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle. - Plato If a person seems wicked, do not cast him away. Awaken him with your words, elevate him with your deeds, repay his injury with your kindness. Do not cast him away; cast away his wickedness. - Lao Tzu O ye friends of God! Show ye an endeavor that all the nations and communities of the world, even the enemies, put their trust, assurance and hope in you; that if a person falls into errors for a hundred-thousand times he may yet turn his face to you, hopeful that you will forgive his sins; for he must not become hopeless, neither grieved nor despondent. This is the conduct and the manner of the people of Bahá. This is the foundation of the most high pathway! - Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of Abdu'l-Bahá So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. - Bible, Matthew 7.12 You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late. - Ralph Waldo Emerson May God give happiness To the person who gives happiness to others. I pray for power and courage To defend the good. O God, grant me peace and blessings. - Gatha Song (Zoroastrianism) Consort with all men, O people of Bahá, in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship. If ye be aware of a certain truth, if ye possess a jewel, of which others are deprived, share it with them in a language of utmost kindliness and good-will. If it be accepted, if it fulfil its purpose, your object is attained. If any one should refuse it, leave him unto himself, and beseech God to guide him. Beware lest ye deal unkindly with him. A kindly tongue is the lodestone of the hearts of men. It is the bread of the spirit, it clotheth the words with meaning, it is the fountain of the light of wisdom and understanding…. - Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings CXXII “...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” - Bible, Matthew 20.26-28 He who sees a need and waits to be asked for help is as unkind as if he had refused it. - Dante Alighieri O Companion of my throne! Hear no evil, and see no evil, abase not thyself, neither sigh and weep. Speak no evil, that thou mayest not hear it spoken unto thee, and magnify not the faults of others that thine own faults may not appear great; and wish not the abasement of anyone, that thine own abasement be not exposed. Live then the days of thy life, that are less than a fleeting moment, with thy mind stainless, thy heart unsullied, thy thoughts pure, and thy nature sanctified, so that, free and content, thou mayest put away this mortal frame, and repair unto the mystic paradise and abide in the eternal kingdom for evermore. - Bahá'u'lláh, Hidden Words, Persian 44 O ye who believe! Enter not houses other than Your own, until ye have Asked permission and saluted Those in them: that is Best for you, in order that Ye may heed (what is seemly). - The Holy Quran, 24.27 A warm smile is the universal language of kindness. - William Arthur Ward And never would God Make your faith of no effect. For God is to all people Most surely full of kindness, Most Merciful. - The Holy Quran, 2.143 Facilitate things to people (concerning religious matters), and do not make it hard for them and give them good tidings and do not make them run away (from Islam). - Prophet Muhammad ﷺ Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous, love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly;  it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness,but rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things […] but now abide faith, hope, and love, these three;  but the greatest of these is love. - Bible, 1 Corinthians, 13.4-7,13 You must manifest complete love and affection toward all mankind. Do not exalt yourselves above others, but consider all as your equals, recognizing them as the servants of one God. Know that God is compassionate toward all; therefore, love all from the depths of your hearts, prefer all religionists before yourselves, be filled with love for every race, and be kind toward the people of all nationalities. Never speak disparagingly of others, but praise without distinction. Pollute not your tongues by speaking evil of another. Recognize your enemies as friends, and consider those who wish you evil as the wishers of good. You must not see evil as evil and then compromise with your opinion, for to treat in a smooth, kindly way one whom you consider evil or an enemy is hypocrisy, and this is not worthy or allowable. You must consider your enemies as your friends, look upon your evil-wishers as your well-wishers and treat them accordingly. Act in such a way that your heart may be free from hatred. Let not your heart be offended with anyone. If some one commits an error and wrong toward you, you must instantly forgive him. Do not complain of others. Refrain from reprimanding them, and if you wish to give admonition or advice, let it be offered in such a way that it will not burden the bearer. Turn all your thoughts toward bringing joy to hearts. Beware! Beware! lest ye offend any heart. Assist the world of humanity as much as possible. Be the source of consolation to every sad one, assist every weak one, be helpful to every indigent one, care for every sick one, be the cause of glorification to every lowly one, and shelter those who are overshadowed by fear. - Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace Never lose a chance of saying a kind word. - William Makepeace Thackeray Blessed is he who is illumined with the light of courtesy, and is adorned with the mantle of uprightness! He who is endowed with courtesy is endowed with a great station. - Bahá'u'lláh, Lawh-i-Dunya Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again. - Og Mandino The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the greatest intention. - Oscar Wilde Beware lest ye offend any heart, lest ye speak against anyone in his absence, lest ye estrange yourselves from the servants of God. You must consider all His servants as your own family and relations. Direct your whole effort toward the happiness of those who are despondent, bestow food upon the hungry, clothe the needy, and glorify the humble. Be a helper to every helpless one, and manifest kindness to your fellow creatures in order that ye may attain the good pleasure of God. - Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace "You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Bible, Matthew 5.38-48