Another Bahá'í resource page

I recently found a very good resource page for things Baha'i which includes a list of links to many non-English Web pages that provide information on the Bahá'í Faith. The languages on this list run from from Afrikaans to Urdu, and even Welsh!

Check out the Bahá'í Association of the University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.

Bahá'í Holy Day - the Birth of The Báb

A short history of the Báb

Siyyid Ali-Muhammad was born on October 20, 1819 in Shiraz, Persia (now Iran). His father died when He was at a young age and He was raised by his uncle, Haji Mirza Siyyid Ali. As a young man He joined the family business in Bushehr as a merchant.

On May 23, 1844, in an upper room of His home in Shiraz, the Báb declared to a young man, Mulla Husayn, that He was the Promised One foretold in Islamic and Bible scripture. The word Báb means Gate or Door and the Báb declared that He was the gate to One greater than Himself who was to follow Him. He called this great One, "Him whom God shall make manifest." Mulla Husayn was the first to believe in Him.

Seventeen others found the Báb independently and they became His first disciples whom He called The Letters of the Living.

He sent out His disciples to spread His message. The news that the Báb had declared that He was the Promised One crossed the land of Persia like wildfire and thousands of people embraced the new Faith. This caused fear and anger in the government and clergy and they arose to wipe out the Faith and all its followers.

After having made a pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina where He openly declared His Mission, he was arrested and taken to the Governor of Shiraz who publicly vilified and humiliated Him and then placed Him under house arrest in His uncle's house.

He was then forced to leave Shiraz and made His way to Isfahan. As he neared the city of Isfahan, the Báb wrote a letter to the Governor of the city asking him to appoint the place where He should live. The Governor was so moved by the courtesy of the Báb's letter that he instructed the highest religious official of the province to receive Him at his home and gave him a warm and generous reception.

Mosque in Isfahan

Again the Báb's fame spread through the city and people came to see Him every day and listen to His wisdom. This aroused the wrath of the clergy who secretly plotted to have the Him killed. The Governor, aware of their plans moved Him into his own home for His safely. During their conversations the Governor came to understand the greatness of the Báb's Revelation.

The Governor died just three months later. His successor did not know what to do with the Báb so sent a message to the Shah informing him that He was in his home. The Báb was invited by Muhammad Shah, the king of Persia to Tehran to meet him so he could learn of the new Revelation.

But the Shah’s Prime Minister was scared that if the Báb met with the Shah he would lose his position and his wealth so he convinced the Shah to change his orders and have the Báb taken to the mountain fortess of Mah Ku by the way of the city of Tabriz.

The Báb was in Mah Ku from July, 1847 to April, 1848. The Prime Minster had thought that by sending the Báb to this remote and inhospitable region His influence would wane and His Faith would be forgotten.

Through His majesty and loving kindness though, the Báb soon won the love and respect of both the official in charge of the fortress and the people in the region. The severe discipline placed upon Him was relaxed and the doors of the fortress were opened to His followers who came from far and wide to visit Him.

It was in Mah Ku that the Báb wrote the most important of all His Works, the Persian Bayan, which contained the laws of His Dispensation and clearly announced the coming of another Revelation greater than His Own, and urged His followers to seek and find "Him whom God shall make manifest."

Learning of the popularity of the prisoner of Mah Ku, the Prime Minister ordered Him to be taken to another prison, the fortress of Chihriq, in an even more remote region than before. Soon, here too, the people of the surrounding towns and the official of the fortress were attracted to the Báb's magnetic personality. Some of the most distinguished clergy of the region even accepted the new Faith and gave up their privileged positions to follow Him.

When the Prime Minister heard of the Báb's growing popularity he had Him sent to Tabriz where he was interrogated by the religious authorities in the hope of finding an effective way to put an end to His influence. At this meeting the clergy and government officials tried to humiliate Him but were overpowered by His majesty and greatness. His enemies were now convinced that as long as He was alive it would be impossible to stop His influence growing.

A few days later he was taken back to Chihriq where he stayed until in 1850, when a new Prime Minister, more bloodthirsty than the previous one, ordered His execution. From Chihriq, The Báb was taken back to Tabriz where, on July 9, 1850, in the barracks square, He was martyred with a companion.

Today the remains of the Báb and His companion are laid to rest in a beautiful Shrine on the slopes of Mt Carmel in Israel, brought there by the command of Bahá'u'lláh, the Glory of God, Him whom God did, indeed, make manifest.

The Shrine of the Báb on Mt Carmel, Haifa, Israel

Spiritual Springtime

Do ye know in what cycle ye are created and in what age ye exist?
This is the age of the Blessed Perfection
and this is the time of the Greatest Name!
This is the century of the Manifestation,
the age of the Sun of the Horizons
and the beautiful springtime of His Holiness the Eternal One!

The earth is in motion and growth;
the mountains, hills and prairies are green and pleasant;
the bounty is overflowing;
the mercy universal;
the rain is descending from the cloud of mercy;
the brilliant Sun is shining;
the full moon is ornamenting the horizon of ether;
the great ocean-tide is flooding every little stream;
the gifts are successive;
the favours consecutive;
and the refreshing breeze is blowing,
wafting the fragrant perfume of the blossoms.
Boundless treasure is in the hand of the King of Kings!
Lift the hem of thy garment in order to receive it.

If we are not happy and joyous at this season,
for what other season shall we wait
and for what other time shall we look?
This is the time for growing;
the season for joyous gathering!
Take the cup of the Testament in thy hand;
leap and dance with ecstasy
in the triumphal procession of the Covenant!
Lay your confidence in the everlasting bounty,
turn to the presence of the generous God;
ask assistance from the Kingdom. . .;
seek confirmation from the Supreme World;
turn thy vision to the horizon of eternal wealth;
and pray for help from the Source of Mercy!

Soon the whole world, as in springtime, will change its garb.
The turning and falling of the autumn leaves is past;
the bleakness of the winter time is over.
The new year hath appeared and the spiritual springtime is at hand.
The black earth is becoming a verdant garden;
the deserts and mountains are teeming with red flowers;
from the borders of the wilderness the tall grasses are standing
like advance guards before the cypress and jessamine trees;
while the birds are singing among the rose branches
like the angels in the highest heavens,
announcing the glad-tidings of the approach of that spiritual spring,
and the sweet music of their voices
is causing the real essence of all things to move and quiver.

‘Abdu'l Bahá, Bahá’í World Faith p 351

In this Day deeds rather than words are necessary

O SON OF MY HANDMAID!
Guidance hath ever been given by words, and now it is given by deeds. Everyone must show forth deeds that are pure and holy, for words are the property of all alike, whereas such deeds as these belong only to Our loved ones. Strive then with heart and soul to distinguish yourselves by your deeds. In this wise We counsel you in this holy and resplendent tablet.

Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, Persian No. 76


O SON OF DUST!
Verily I say unto thee: Of all men the most negligent is he that disputeth idly and seeketh to advance himself over his brother. Say, O brethren! Let deeds, not words, be your adorning.

Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words, Persian No 5


What profit is there in agreeing that universal friendship is good, and talking of the solidarity of the human race as a grand ideal? Unless these thoughts are translated into the world of action, they are useless.

'Abdu'l Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 16



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! God never forsakes His children who strive and work and pray! Let your hearts be filled with the strenuous desire that tranquillity and harmony may encircle all this warring world. So will success crown your efforts, and with the universal brotherhood will come the Kingdom of God in peace and goodwill."

'Abdu'l Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 29