Work starts on the House of Worship in Chile

The CBC.ca website has an interesting article on the work of Canadian based architect, Siamak Hariri, whose design was chosen for the new Baha'i House of Worship, the mother temple of South America, to be built near Santiago, Chile.

The winning design from a field of 185 contenders, Hariri’s blueprint will draw in much natural light through a two-layer sheath of shimmering white alabaster and cast-glass. The hillside site will absorb light during the day and emit it at night, like a lantern, framed dramatically by the Andean backdrop.

See an architectural rendering of this new temple and other Bahá'í Houses of Worship throughout the world.

Siamak Hariri was born in 1958 in Bonn, Germany, to Iranian parents who had been exiled from their predominantly Muslim homeland because of their belief in the Bahá’í Faith. His parents then moved to Canada.

The difference between material wealth and True wealth

South Africans must defeat the tendency towards worshipping personal wealth, said President Thabo Mbeki on Saturday.
He was presenting the fourth Nelson Mandela annual lecture at Wits University in Johannesburg.

President Mbeki said:

"Every day, and during every hour of our time beyond sleep, the demons embedded in our society, that stalk us at every minute, seem always to beckon each one of us towards a realisable dream and nightmare”

In the Bahá'í Writings Bahá’u'lláh sees wealth as

“ …a mighty barrier between the seeker and his desire, the lover and his beloved. The rich, but for a few, shall in no wise attain the court of His presence nor enter the city of content and resignation. Well is it then with him, who, being rich, is not hindered by his riches from the eternal kingdom, nor deprived by them of imperishable dominion. By the Most Great Name! The splendour of such a wealthy man shall illuminate the dwellers of heaven even as the sun enlightens the people of the earth.”

The Hidden Words, Persian no 53


Bahá’u'lláh also shows us that

“Man's distinction lieth not in ornaments or wealth, but rather in virtuous behaviour and true understanding.”

Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 57


And ‘Abdu'l Bahá further explains

“....the honour and exaltation of man must be something more than material riches. Material comforts are only a branch, but the root of the exaltation of man is the good attributes and virtues which are the adornments of his reality. These are the divine appearances, the heavenly bounties, the sublime emotions, the love and knowledge of God; universal wisdom, intellectual perception, scientific discoveries, justice, equity, truthfulness, benevolence, natural courage and innate fortitude; the respect for rights and the keeping of agreements and covenants; rectitude in all circumstances; serving the truth under all conditions; the sacrifice of one's life for the good of all people; kindness and esteem for all nations; obedience to the teachings of God; service in the Divine Kingdom; the guidance of the people, and the education of the nations and races. This is the prosperity of the human world! This is the exaltation of man in the world! This is eternal life and heavenly honour!”

Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, p. 79

Bahá'í Podcasts

Just lately I've been listening to the podcasts of the Emerald Coast Bahá'ís in Florida, USA. A recent podcast talks about what the Bahá'í Writings have to say on the subject of healing.

They also have a new weblog where you can find information about all their podcasts and links to the materials used in them.

Emerald Coast Baha'i Podcast weblog

Emerald Coast Baha'i Podcast RSS feed


To download a podcast, you will need podcast receiving software. I use Juice which is easy to use and free.

HIV/AIDS & Gender Equality: Transforming Attitudes and Behaviours

Here are three excepts from the Bahá'í International Community Statement on HIV/AIDS and gender equality which was prepared for the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS in June 2001.


"The relationship between the AIDS pandemic and gender inequality is gaining recognition globally."

"The denial of equality to women not only promotes in men harmful attitudes and habits that affect their families, the workplace, political decisions and international relations; it also contributes substantially to the spread of HIV/AIDS and retards the progress of society."

"Traditional gender roles that have gone unquestioned for generations must now be re-examined in the light of justice and compassion. Ultimately, nothing short of a spiritual transformation will move men--and women--to forego the behaviours that contribute to the spread of AIDS. Such a transformation is as important for men as it is for women, because “As long as women are prevented from attaining their highest possibilities, so long will men be unable to achieve the greatness which might be theirs¹"

¹‘Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 133


Find out more about this relationship between HIV/AIDS and gender equality. Read or download the complete statement here.

The basic principles of the Bahá’í Faith from the Writings of Bahá’u'lláh and 'Abdu'l Bahá

The oneness of mankind

"It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens."

Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 250.


The oneness of religion

"All these divisions we see on all sides, all these disputes and opposition, are caused because men cling to ritual and outward observances, and forget the simple, underlying truth. It is the outward practices of religion that are so different, and it is they that cause disputes and enmity -- while the reality is always the same, and one. The Reality is the Truth, and truth has no division. Truth is God's guidance, it is the light of the world, it is love, it is mercy."

`Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks, pp. 120-1.


Independent investigation of truth

"Furthermore, know ye that God has created in man the power of reason, whereby man is enabled to investigate reality. God has not intended man to imitate blindly his fathers and ancestors. He has endowed him with mind, or the faculty of reasoning, by the exercise of which he is to investigate and discover the truth, and that which he finds real and true he must accept."

`Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 291.


The elimination of all forms of prejudice

"...again, as to religious, racial, national and political bias: all these prejudices strike at the very root of human life; one and all they beget bloodshed, and the ruination of the world. So long as these prejudices survive, there will be continuous and fearsome wars."

‘Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of `Abdu'l-Bahá, p.249.


Universal education

"Unto every father hath been enjoined the instruction of his son and daughter in the art of reading and writing and in all that hath been laid down in the Holy Tablet. ….. He that bringeth up his son or the son of another, it is as though he hath brought up a son of Mine; upon him rest My Glory, My Loving-Kindness, My Mercy, that have compassed the world."

Bahá’u’lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, p.37


The abolition of the extremes of wealth and poverty

"O Ye Rich Ones on Earth!
The poor in your midst are My trust; guard ye My trust, and be not intent only on your own ease."

Bahá’u’lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh, p.41.


Equality of men and women

"To accept and observe a distinction which God has not intended in creation is ignorance and superstition. The fact which is to be considered, however, is that woman, having formerly been deprived, must now be allowed equal opportunities with man for education and training. There must be no difference in their education. Until the reality of equality between man and woman is fully established and attained, the highest social development of mankind is not possible."

`Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p.76.


Harmony between science and religion


"Religion and science are the two wings upon which man's intelligence can soar into the heights, with which the human soul can progress. It is not possible to fly with one wing alone! Should a man try to fly with the wing of religion alone he would quickly fall into the quagmire of superstition, whilst on the other hand, with the wing of science alone he would also make no progress, but fall into the despairing slough of materialism."

`Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p.143.


An international auxiliary language

"It behoveth the sovereigns of the world -- may God assist them -- or the ministers of the earth to take counsel together and to adopt one of the existing languages or a new one to be taught to children in schools throughout the world, and likewise one script. Thus the whole earth will come to be regarded as one country."

Bahá’u’lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh Revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, p. 22

Discover Bahá'u'lláh

Basic facts about the Bahá'í Faith

All you really need to know to grasp the basic history and teachings of the Bahá’í Faith in 9 concise web pages. These best read in the order in which they are presented.

Ocean – a Bahá’í research and study tool

"Immerse yourselves in the ocean of My words, that ye may unravel its secrets, and discover all the pearls of wisdom that lie hid in its depths."

Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 136)


Ocean is a simple to use research and study tool for the Bahá’í Writings. In addition, Ocean contains a searchable database of the sacred writings of many of the major faiths of the world.

Ocean's library can even be updated over the internet as new texts become available, and you can add your own texts.

The Violence-Free Family: Building Block of Peaceful Civilization by H. B. Danesh, M.D

In this essay, which was the keynote address at the International Symposium on Strategies for Creating the Violence-Free Family, New York City 1994, Dr H B Danesh states:

"The view of the family as essential for the welfare of the individual and society is no longer universally and unhesitatingly accepted."

"One main concern about the family centres on the place of females in the family and the manner in which they are often unjustly and unequally treated by male family members."

"Another serious concern about the family relates to its vital role in parenting and rearing the next generation of children."

"Yet another area of concern is the frequent justification of violence and prejudice against non-family members in the name of family solidarity and "blood" relationships."

He then asks three important questions:

"Should the family as it now exists be abolished?
Can we live without the traditional family?
Is there a viable alternative to the traditional family?"

In answering these questions Dr Danesh puts forward the "main characteristics of the unity-based family as the most practical approach to creating the violence-free family."

Click here to read or download this thought provoking essay.

And on the same subject......

Another link, to Yahoo this time.

Despite the rockets Bahá'í pilgrims arrive in Haifa

Article from BBC News in London

Devotion, prayer, meditation, and reflection lie at the heart of spiritual life.

All around the world Bahá'ís and their friends come together in devotional gatherings to pray and meditate. These devotional gatherings are a means of helping people attain inner peace in this crowded and frenetic world.

To Bahá'ís collective worship is an important ingredient in the flourishing of community life. Prayer also reinforces individual spiritual development; and the spiritual growth that is generated by each individual devotion is strengthened by the friendship and caring among the group, the individual's service to God and fellow human beings, and the support that comes from worshipping as a community.

We look at devotional gatherings as journeys taken together to explore the principal ways by which we can learn to commune with the divine. Drawing on a variety of religious traditions, with use of the words and tablets of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá, we offer prayers of thanks, ask for mercy, compassion, courage, and resolve, pray for peace and justice on earth, and generally deepen our appreciation of grace and our attitude of detachment, reliance on God, contentment, and submission. There are no rituals involved whatsoever.

Organized by local Bahá'í communities, and offered as a service to the wider public, the primary aim of a Bahá'í devotional gathering is worship and not to spread the Bahá'í Faith, (although of course people's questions will be answered and they are welcome to find out more about its teachings).

If you live in Mogale City and you'd like to join us in worship please email me at 1844@global.co.za for information about the time and place of our next devotional gathering. Outside of Mogale City please contact the National Bahá'í office and we will put you into contact with Bahá’ís in your area.

The Mashriqu'l-Adhkar

The Mashriqu’l-Adhkar...

is more than a building, more than an idea, more than a House of Worship, more than a gathering of devoted followers of any religion. The Mashriqu’l-Adhkar is a source of action.

"Although to outward seeming the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar is a material structure, yet it hath a spiritual effect. It forgeth bonds of unity from heart to heart; it is a collective center for men's souls."

'Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 95


The Mashriqu'l-Adhkar is one of the most vital institutions in the world, and it hath many subsidiary branches. Although it has a House of Worship, it is also connected with a hospital, a drug dispensary, a traveler’s hospice, a school for orphans, and a university for advanced studies. Every Mashriqu'l-Adhkar is connected with these five things.

'Abdu'l Bahá, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 99


The Mashriqu'l-Adhkar (meaning the Dawning-place of the Praise of God) is a complex which will, in the future, comprise of a House of Worship and a number of dependencies dedicated to social, humanitarian, educational, and scientific pursuits.

At present Bahá'ís are focusing on creating and developing the social and spiritual institutions of community life rather than on the construction of physical buildings, but in the future every local Bahá'í community in city, town or village will have its own Mashriqu'l-Adhkar.

The Bahá'í House of Worship

The House of Worship is a building contained within the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar.

"…the central House of Bahá'í worship, enshrined within the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar,…"

Shoghi Effendi, Baha'i Administration, p. 185


O people of the world! Build ye houses of worship throughout the lands in the name of Him Who is the Lord of all religions. Make them as perfect as is possible in the world of being, and adorn them with that which befitteth them, not with images and effigies. Then, with radiance and joy, celebrate therein the praise of your Lord, the Most Compassionate. Verily, by His remembrance the eye is cheered and the heart is filled with light.

Baha'u'llah, The Kitáb-i-Aqdas, pp. 29-30, para 31


The first House of Worship was built in Russia, in the city of Ashkhabad in Central Asia. It was completed around 1908 but later damaged by an earthquake and finally demolished in 1963.

The first House of Worship in the West was completed in 1953, in Wilmette, just north of Chicago, USA. Other Bahá’í Houses of Worship have been built in Kampala, Uganda; Sydney, Australia; Frankfurt, Germany; Panama City, Panama; Apia, Western Samoa; and in New Delhi, India. Yet another is soon to be built in Santiago, Chile.

Each House of Worsip has its own distinctive design, and yet conforms to a set of architectural requirements that give a unifying theme. All Bahá'í Houses of Worship must have, nine entrances and a central dome. The nine entrances symbolize the nine religions still practiced in the world and all Houses of Worship are open to people of every religion.

Take a few moments and watch an animated streaming video of the future House of Worship in Santiago, Chile

FLASH for high speed / cable internet)
QuickTime, a mov file
Windows Media Player for slower connections

The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh - Proclamations from His Writings

"Verily I say, this is the Day in which mankind can behold the Face, and hear the Voice, of the Promised One. The Call of God hath been raised, and the light of His countenance hath been lifted up upon men. It behoveth every man to blot out the trace of every idle word from the tablet of his heart, and to gaze, with an open and unbiased mind, on the signs of His Revelation, the proofs of His Mission, and the tokens of His glory.

Great indeed is this Day! The allusions made to it in all the sacred Scriptures as the Day of God attest its greatness. The soul of every Prophet of God, of every Divine Messenger, hath thirsted for this wondrous Day. All the divers kindreds of the earth have, likewise, yearned to attain it."

Bahá’u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp: 10-11


"The Revelation which, from time immemorial, hath been acclaimed as the Purpose and Promise of all the Prophets of God, and the most cherished Desire of His Messengers, hath now, by virtue of the pervasive Will of the Almighty and at His irresistible bidding, been revealed unto men. The advent of such a Revelation hath been heralded in all the sacred Scriptures. Behold how, notwithstanding such an announcement, mankind hath strayed from its path and shut out itself from its glory.

….. This is the Day in which God's most excellent favours have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all created things. It is incumbent upon all the peoples of the world to reconcile their differences, and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and loving-kindness. It behoveth them to cleave to whatsoever will, in this Day, be conducive to the exaltation of their stations, and to the promotion of their best interests.... Soon will the present-day order be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead. Verily, thy Lord speaketh the truth, and is the Knower of things unseen.

….. This is the Day whereon the Ocean of God's mercy hath been manifested unto men, the Day in which the Day Star of His loving-kindness hath shed its radiance upon them, the Day in which the clouds of His bountiful favour have overshadowed the whole of mankind. Now is the time to cheer and refresh the down-cast through the invigorating breeze of love and fellowship, and the living waters of friendliness and charity."

Bahá’u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp: 5-7


"The time foreordained unto the peoples and kindreds of the earth is now come. The promises of God, as recorded in the holy Scriptures, have all been fulfilled. Out of Zion hath gone forth the Law of God, and Jerusalem, and the hills and land thereof, are filled with the glory of His Revelation. Happy is the man that pondereth in his heart that which hath been revealed in the Books of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Meditate upon this, O ye beloved of God, and let your ears be attentive unto His Word, so that ye may, by His grace and mercy, drink your fill from the crystal waters of constancy, and become as steadfast and immovable as the mountain in His Cause.

. . . This is the Day which the Pen of the Most High hath glorified in all the holy Scriptures. There is no verse in them that doth not declare the glory of His holy Name, and no Book that doth not testify unto the loftiness of this most exalted theme. Were We to make mention of all that hath been revealed in these heavenly Books and holy Scriptures concerning this Revelation, this Tablet would assume impossible dimensions. It is incumbent in this Day, upon every man to place his whole trust in the manifold bounties of God, and arise to disseminate, with the utmost wisdom, the verities of His Cause. Then, and only then, will the whole earth be enveloped with the morning light of His Revelation."

Bahá’u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp: 12-14

Religious truth is relative

The fundamental principle enunciated by Bahá'u'lláh ... is that religious truth is not absolute but relative, that Divine Revelation is a continuous and progressive process, that all the great religions of the world are divine in origin, that their basic principles are in complete harmony, that their aims and purposes are one and the same, that their teachings are but facets of one truth, that their functions are complementary, that they differ only in the nonessential aspects of their doctrines, and that their missions represent successive stages in the spiritual evolution of human society....

The Bahá'í Faith upholds the unity of God, recognizes the unity of His Prophets, and inculcates the principle of the oneness and wholeness of the entire human race. It proclaims the necessity and the inevitability of the unification of mankind, asserts that it is gradually approaching, and claims that nothing short of the transmuting spirit of God, working through His chosen Mouthpiece in this day, can ultimately succeed in bringing it about. It, moreover, enjoins upon its followers the primary duty of an unfettered search after truth, condemns all manner of prejudice and superstition, declares the purpose of religion to be the promotion of amity and concord, proclaims its essential harmony with science, and recognizes it as the foremost agency for the pacification and the orderly progress of human society....

Shoghi Effendi, The Promised Day is Come, Preface.

What is a study circle?

A "study circle" is one of the core activities in a Bahá'í community where Bahá'ís and their friends get together in small groups and use discussions and practical exercises to systematically study those spiritual and moral principles that can be directly applied to improving and transforming their lives and expanding their commitment to, and desire for personal and collective change.

All over South Africa people are meeting in these study circles, joining thousands of others in more than 180 countries, who are applying spiritual principles to their lives and communities. This remarkable programme in adult and youth education is perhaps the most widespread single educational programme in the world.

Study circles are organized by the Bahá'í community and are open to everyone who wishes to join, not just Bahá'ís. Rather than passively receiving information from teachers, participants learn through active, cooperative learning methods. Based on Bahá'í principles and universal moral values, study circles aim to improve our lives and make the world a better place.

The course content of the first book of the curriculum currently being used in South Africa, entitled Reflections on the Life of the Spirit, is divided into three units: "Understanding the Bahá'í Writings," "Prayer," and "Life and Death." These units examine, among other things, the reality of life, the purpose of life, and the relationship we have with the spiritual world and our Creator.

If you live in Mogale City why don't you come and join us in a study circle? All you have to do is email me, and I'll send you information about the next course. The email address is 1844@global.co.za

If you live outside of Mogale City and would like to join a study circle please email the National Bahá’í office and we'll help you to find a study circle in your area.

The Golden Rule

A core principle of the Baha'i Faith is that all the world religions come from the same God. Though the social teachings change over time, the essence of religion is always the same. Nowhere is this better seen than in the Golden Rule.

Baha'u'llah and the real Da Vinci Code

I've just listened to a very interesting podcast talk on the subject of Baha'u'llah and the real Da Vinci Code. You can listen to or download the complete talk from the Emerald Coast Baha'i website.

Congressional Testimony on the serious situations of the Baha’is in Iran and Egypt

For the first time since 1988, a representative of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States was invited to testify before a Congressional committee on the situation of the Baha'is in Iran and, for the first time, on Egypt. The hearing was held on Friday, June 30, 2006 before the House International Relations Committee Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations.

Read the full article at US Baha'i.

Commemorating a remarkable day in Baha'i history

On July 9, Baha’is throughout the world commerate the Martyrdom of the Bab which occurred on that date in 1850. A young Persian merchant named Siyyid 'Ali-Muhammad, and known as the Bab (“the gate” in Arabic), was the forerunner of Baha’u’llah, the prophet-founder of the Baha'i Faith.

Read about this remarkable event at the official US Baha'i site.

Martyrdom of the Bab