Note 53

53. Build ye houses of worship throughout the lands # 31

The &Baha'i House of Worship is dedicated to the praise of God. The House of Worship forms the central edifice of the &Mashriqu'l-Adhkar (the Dawning-place of the Praise of God), a complex which, as it unfolds in the future, will comprise in addition to the House of Worship a number of dependencies dedicated to social, humanitarian, educational, and scientific pursuits. &Abdu'l-Baha describes the +P191 &Mashriqu'l-Adhkar as "one of the most vital institutions in the world", and Shoghi Effendi indicates that it exemplifies in tangible form the integration of "&Baha'i worship and service". Anticipating the future development of this institution, Shoghi Effendi envisages that the House of Worship and its dependencies "shall afford relief to the suffering, sustenance to the poor, shelter to the wayfarer, solace to the bereaved, and education to the ignorant". In the future, &Baha'i Houses of Worship will be constructed in every town and village.