Online Bahá'í Library

The Bahá'í online library contains 100s of books, essays, articles, poems, virtually every conceivable genre of writing for a study of the Bahá’í Faith.

Bahá'í Summer Festival in Germany

The Baha’i House of Worship in Langenhain, Germany, is the site each year for the Sommerfest – a celebration of summer, sociability and spirituality.

The presence of automobile number plates from every region of Germany and many neighboring countries was but one of the signs of success at this year's Baha'i Sommerfest, which drew more than 2,500 people in June for a full day program of music, dance, food, and devotions.

Read the rest of the article from the Baha'i World News Service and view the slide show

The Unity of the Manifestations of God

"The door of the knowledge of the Ancient Being hath ever been, and will continue for ever to be, closed in the face of men. No man's understanding shall ever gain access unto His holy court. As a token of His mercy, however, and as a proof of His loving-kindness, He hath manifested unto men the Day Stars of His divine guidance, the Symbols of His divine unity, and hath ordained the knowledge of these sanctified Beings to be identical with the knowledge of His own Self. Whoso recognizeth them hath recognized God. Whoso hearkeneth to their call, hath hearkened to the Voice of God, and whoso testifieth to the truth of their Revelation, hath testified to the truth of God Himself."

Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 49


"These Manifestations of God have each a twofold station. One is the station of pure abstraction and essential unity. In this respect, if thou callest them all by one name, and dost ascribe to them the same attributes, thou hast not erred from the truth…..

"The other station is the station of distinction, and pertaineth to the world of creation, and to the limitations thereof. In this respect, each Manifestation of God hath a distinct individuality, a definitely prescribed mission, a predestined revelation, and specially designated limitations. Each one of them is known by a different name, is characterized by a special attribute, fulfils a definite mission, and is entrusted with a particular Revelation…..

"It is because of this difference in their station and mission that the words and utterances flowing from these Well Springs of Divine knowledge appear to diverge and differ. Otherwise, in the eyes of them that are initiated into the mysteries of Divine wisdom, all their utterances are, in reality, but the expressions of one Truth. As most of the people have failed to appreciate those stations to which We have referred, they, therefore, feel perplexed and dismayed at the varying utterances pronounced by Manifestations that are essentially one and the same."

Bahá’u’lláh, Ibid, p. 50


"There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God."

Bahá’u’lláh, Ibid, p. 217

Website of interest

Bahá’í International Community United Nations Office Statement Archive

The Bahá’í International Community is an NGO affiliated to the United Nations and issues statements on human rights, universal education, social and economic development, environmental preservation, global peace and stability, and the advancement of women.

‘Abdu’l Bahá on tests

Tests are a means by which a soul is measured as to its fitness, and proven out by its own acts. God knows its fitness beforehand, and also his unpreparedness, but man, with an ego, would not believe himself unfit unless proof were given him. Consequently his susceptibility to evil is proven to him when he falls into the tests, and the tests are continued until the soul realizes its own unfitness, then remorse and regret tend to root out the weakness. The same test comes again in greater degree, until it is shown that a former weakness has become a strength, and the power to overcome evil has been established.

‘Abdu'l Bahá, in The Eternal Quest for God, p 131

Reflections in the botanical gardens

Joy gives us wings!

Joy gives us wings! In times of joy our strength is more vital, our intellect keener, and our understanding less clouded. We seem better able to cope with the world and to find our sphere of usefulness. But when sadness visits us we become weak, our strength leaves us, our comprehension is dim and our intelligence veiled. The actualities of life seem to elude our grasp, the eyes of our spirits fail to discover the sacred mysteries, and we become even as dead beings.

There is no human being untouched by these two influences; but all the sorrow and the grief that exist come from the world of matter – the spiritual world bestows only the joy!

‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 109