Hidden Words[no.13]

"Thou hast asked about the statement in the Hidden Words[no.13]: "O Son of Spirit! Turn thy sight unto thyself that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting." This is the same statement as was made by Christ to His apostles in the Gospel: "The Father is in the Son, and the Son is in you."

It is evident that, when a heart is purified and through divine education and heavenly teachings becometh a manifestor of infinite bounty, it is like a clear mirror. The Sun of Truth will be reflected in it with might, power and omnipotence, to such an extent that whatever is brought before it is ignited and consumed. This is a brief interpretation because of lack of time. Therefore, do thou reflect and meditate upon it so that the doors of inner meanings may be opened before thine eyes."

Abdu'l-Baha,

Ridvan celebration

نامه سرگشاده دانشجوی اخراجی بهایی به رهبر جمهوری اسلامی

جمعیت مبارزه با تبعیض تحصیلی –
یکی از دانشجویان اخراجی بهایی در سالگرد انقلاب فرهنگی، در نامه ای سرگشاده به آیت الله خامنه ای از تبعیض های نظام آموزشی ایران سخن گفته است.
 در این نامه او از رهبر جمهوری ایران خواسته است تا به سوالات او و دیگر جوانان بهایی پاسخ دهد. متن کامل این نامه به شرح زیر است:
جناب اقای خامنه ای، رهبر جمهوری اسلامی ایران مدت ها بود که می خواستم در نامه ای چند کلامی با شما  صحبت کنم و از درد دل هایی بگویم که سال هاست بر دل من و سابر جوانان بهایی در ایران سنگینی می کند . هر چند شما تا کنون هیچ واکنش روشن و قابل استنادی نسبت به نامه ها و تظلم نامه هایی که شهروندان بهایی برایتان نوشته اند ، نشان نداده اید اما شاید این بار این رنج نامه را بخوانید و آن را پاسخ گویید. من نیز مانند بسیاری از دوستان و هم کیشانم در ایران مدت هاست که از حق قانونی خود برای ادامه تحصیل در دانشگاه بازمانده ام . اما بگذارید این بار کمی بیشتر به عقب برگردم و سرگذشت یک جوان بهایی را از بدو ورود به مدرسه برای شروع تحصیل علم برایتان شرح دهم . بگذارید از آن روزهایی برایتان بگویم که در کلاس اول برای اثبات انسان بودن مجبور شدم در دستشویی مدرسه شلوار خود را برای یکی از هم کلاسی هایم پائین بکشم تا او باور کند که من دُم ندارم.همین الان هم وقتی به ان موقع فکر میکنم شرمم می شود اما شما بچه ای ۷ ساله را فرض کنید که در کلاس مجبور است صندلی جداگانه داشته و تنها بنشیند به این دلیل که بچه های کلاس نمی خواهند در کنار فردی نجس بنشینند .
وقتی در سالهای بالاترکه معنای واژه هایی چون "نجس "، "کافر" و امثالهم را (در جلساتی که مدرسه با فردی روحانی برایمان ترتیب می داد و من به دستور مدیر مدرسه مجبور به حضور در آن کلاس ها می شدم) فهمیدم اولین سوال ها در ذهنم شکل گرفت. چرا من نجسم ؟ من که هر روز حمام می کنم؟ من که مرتبا لباس هایم را مادرم می شوید؟ چرا من کافرم؟ مگر کافر کسی نیست که خدا را قبول ندارد؟ من که خدا را قبول دارم! نکند خدای ما و شما با هم فرق دارد؟ دردهای یک کودک ۸-۹ ساله  به همین جا ختم نشد . در سال بعد ممنوعیت از حضور در تیم ورزشی مدرسه ، حضور در شورای مدرسه و محرومیت های دیگر.در یک روز زمستانی بسیار سرد که دانش آموزان مدرسه مرا با شلنگ آب خیس کردند و فریاد نجس نجس سر می دادند گریه کنان به خانه آمدم و از مادرم پرسیدم چرا ما نجسیم؟ مگر ما یاد نگرفتیم که خدا پرست باشیم پس چرا بچه ها به من می گویند کافر؟ ومادرم که آن روز پا به پای من گریه کرد و شرح اعد ام های دهه ۶۰ ، زندان های طولانی مدت ، شکنجه ها ، آزار ها و مفقود الاثر شدن ها را برایم گفت . گفت که چطور قبل از تولد من و در بهبوهه ی انقلاب با تهدید و آزار و اذیت فراوانی که همسایه هایشان برای آن ها ایجاد کرده بودند مجبور شدند شهر و دیار عزیز خود را ترک و به این شهر مهاجرت "اجباری" کنند. آن روز برای اولین بار مفهوم "تفاوت" را فهمیدم، فهمیدم من بهایی هستم . برچسبی که بسیاری از حقوق اساسی ات را از تو می گیرد و تو در هیچ دادگاهی مجاز به اعاده ی ان نیستی! سال های راهنمایی آسان تر از ان نگذشت ، از بدو ورود به مدرسه برای ثبت نام مدیر مدرسه با لحنی خشن به بنده اعلام کرد که اگر بخواهم در مدرسه او "فرقه ی بهائیت " را ترویج بدهم بدون معطلی مرا اخراج می کنم و با لبخندی ترسناک به من گفت که چراغ سبز اخراجم را هم دارد و منتظر بهانه ای برای آن است.آقای خامنه ای در درس تاریخ سال سوم وقتی به درس بهائیت رسیدیم معلم تاریخ من را از کلاس اخراج کرد و بدون حضور من آنچه که شایسته و لایق هیچ کس نیست به من و دیانتم نسبت داد. از آن روز حتی رفتار معدود دوستانی که داشتم با من تغییر کرد.تصورم بر این بود که در دبیرستان اوضاع بهتر خواهد شد. اما این یک خیال بود. یک بار که در مدرسه موضوع انشایی برای توصیف سیره امام علی (ع) داده شده بود من نیز داوطلب شدم و راجع به ایشان مطلبی نوشتم. چند روز بعد معاون پروشی مدرسه بنده را صدا زد و در کمال آرامش به من گفت که چون این فراخوان مقاله نویسی از طرف انجمن اسلامی دانشگاه شهرمان بود ما نمی توانیم یک فرد بهایی را به این مسابقات بفرستیم اما چون این مقاله بسیار خوب  نوشته شده از من خواست که ان را به نام یکی از دوستانم در آن مسابقات شرکت دهد.و دوباره سوال های بیشماری که در ذهنم نقش می بست :منی که به قول معلم پروشی شما توانسته بودم به خوبی شخصیت امام علی (ع) را مورد کاووش قرار دهم ، من دشمن اسلام هستم ؟ منی که در تمام سالهای مدرسه بر خلاف اکثر قریب به اتفاق بچه ها در جلوی صف می ایستادم و با نهایت احترام به قران صبح گاهی گوش می دادم ، چون از همان کودکی به من اموخته بودند قران کلام خداست ، من بی دینم؟ من کافرم؟ رهبر کشور عزیزم ایرانمن هم مثل بقیه دوستانم با پایان یافتن دوره پیش دانشگاهی با ذوق و شوقی وصف ناپذیر دفترچه کنکور گرفته و ثبت نام کردم با این امید که بتوانم در دانشگاه و رشته مورد علاقه ام تحصیل کنم. در روز کنکور اغلب کسانی در نزدیکی من نشسته بودند خیلی بی تفاوت از همان ابتدا شروع جلسه پفک و چیپس باز کردند و آب میوه هایشان را خوردند انگار عجله ای نداشتند انگار خیلی راحت می دانستند که اگر امسال نشد خوب سال دیگر! اما من با چنان دقتی می نوشتم که وصفش ممکن نیست شاید چون می دانستم که برای من فرصت دوباره ای وجود ندارد. شاید سال دیگر نتوانم... شاید دیگر نگذارند...هیچ وقت شبی که نتایج کنکور سراسری اعلام شد یادم نمی رود. مهمان داشتیم با ذوقی که  شاید هیچ کس تا آن زمان از من ندیده بود از اتاق بیرون پریدم و گفتم قبول شدم! از میان تمام چهره های شاد جمع فقط چهره ی مادرم خیلی خوب در خاطرم هست. سعی می کرد غم درون چشمانش را پشت لبخندی پنهان کند. غم و نگرانی که ماه ها بعد معنای آن را فهمیدم.اقای خامنه ای، فکر نمی کنم هیچ وقت حس مرا تجربه کرده باشید . تا به حال شده در روز ثبت نام در جایی که قبول شده اید تمام مدت منتظر شنیدن یک جمله آشنا باشید؟ "شما به دلیل بهایی بودن..." وقتی تمام مراحل ثبت نام انجام شد وکارت دانشجویی موقتم را گرفتم انگار بزرگترین نعمت های دنیا را به من داده باشند. خوشحالی که دیگر تا امروز نتوانستم دوباره مزه اش کنم. اما افسوس که تمام این شادی ها خیلی زود تمام شد و روزی با احضار به دفتر دانشگاه به دلیل نداشتن گواهی صلاحیت عمومی از ادامه تحصیل بازماندم و تا امروز به رغم تمام پیگیری هایم به نتیجه ای نرسیدم.نمی دانم آن افرادی که در سازمان سنجش، حراست،  وزارت اطلاعات و شاید نهادی دیگر که من خبر ندارم حکم اخراج یا رد صلاحیت عمومی یک دانشجو را امضا یا صادر می کنن چه تصوری از این جریان دارند؟ آیا تا به حال عزیزان خودشان با چنین وضعیتی روبه رو شده اند؟ یا می دانند که این احکام به هر دلیلی که صادر شود چه تاثیر بر روح و جسم یک انسان می گذارد؟آیا تا به حال کسی ان ها را با الفاظی هم چون "منافق" ، "جاسوس" ، مجرم" و دیگر الفاظ ناجوانمردانه خطاب قرار داده است؟ آیا تا به حال شخصی از عزیزانشان به خاطر پیگیری حقوق از دست رفته خود به زندان های طولانی محکوم شده است؟آیا قاضی هایی که امروز به قول مادر بزرگم "دستشان به کم نمی رود" و احکامی مثل ۵ سال ، ۱۰ سال و حتی در یکی از نا عادلانه ترین آنها نوید خانجانی را به ۱۲ سال حبس محکوم می کنند، تصوری از گذران عمر یک بیگناه در زندان اوین دارند؟ اولین سوالی که بعد از دیدن حکم نوید به ذهنم رسید این بود که اگر فامیل نوید،خانجانی نبود آیا باز هم حقش ۱۲ سال بود؟ما امروز محرومین از تحصیلی مانند سما نورانی و ایقان شهیدی در زندان داریم که جرمشان فقط پیگیری محرومیتشان است.و شاید اشتباه محض است که فکر کنیم محرومیت ها و تبعیض ها فقط مختص به بهائیان است. امروز ده ها نفر دانشجوی زندانی بیگناه فقط برای فعالیت های دانشجویی به حق و مسالمت امیز خود در زندان های ایران روزگار می گذرانند.بهاره هدایت ،مجید توکلی، مجید دری، ضیا نبوی ، کوهیار گودرزی، عاطفه نبوی، شبنم ممدزاده ، مهدیه گلرو و خیلی کسان دیگر که نامشان نامه ای بلند بالانه ی جداگانه می خواهد.صحبت از بهاره هدایت شد . او که دانش اموخته دانشکده اقتصاد است امروز به جای آنکه دوشادوش دیگر اقتصاد دانان دیگر گره از کلاف سر در گم اقتصاد این روزهای ایران باز کند، این روزها تنها استفاده ای که از درسش می کند چوب خط هایی است که برای محاسبه گذران عمرش بر دیوار سرد و سخت اوین می کشد روزهای هفته را برای دیدار کوتاه با همسرش می گذراند. کاش قاضی عزیز او می دانست که ۱۰ سال یعنی چه! اینکه در اوین ساعت ها در روز می گذرد و روزها ، ماه ها و شاید سالها.آقای خامنه ای، این نامه را علی رغم آن که می دانستم چه تبعات احتمالی برایم خواهد داشت نوشتم شاید این بار خوانده شد و جوابی داشته باشد برای چراهای بیشمارم در تمام این سالها.اگر از من سوال شود که تنها آرزوی زندگیت چیست بی درنگ پاسخ خواهم داد: "روزی رسد که برادران و خواهرانم از هر دین و مسلک و نژاد و زبان و فرهنگی که باشند، آرزویشان حقوق انسانیشان نباشد "
به امید آن روزیک جوان محروم از تحصیل بهای
یبیست نهم اسفند ۱۳۹۱

the heart is the dwelling of eternal mysteries,...

"O friend, the heart is the dwelling of eternal mysteries, make it not the home of fleeting fancies; waste not the treasure of thy precious life in employment with this swiftly passing world. Thou comest from the world of holiness-bind not thine heart to the earth; thou art a dweller in the court of nearness-choose not the homeland of the dust.
-- Baha'u'llah,"

The only real difference ....

The only real difference that exists between people is that they are at various stages of development. Some are imperfect-these must be brought to perfection. Some are asleep-they must be awakened; some are negligent-they must be roused; but one and all are the children of God. Love them all with your whole heart; no one is a stranger to the other, all are friends.
-- 'Abdu'l-Baha, "

True happiness depends on

"War and rapine with their attendant cruelties are an abomination to God, and bring their own punishment, for the God of love is also a God of justice and each man must inevitably reap what he sows. Let us try to understand the commands of the Most High and to order our lives as He directs. True happiness depends on spiritual good and having the heart ever open to receive the Divine Bounty."

 'Abdu'l-Baha,

Universal House of Justice, Ridván 2012

"...notwithstanding the laudable efforts, in every land, of well-intentioned individuals working to improve circumstances in society, the obstacles preventing the realization of such a vision seem insurmountable to many. Their hopes founder on erroneous assumptions about human nature that so permeate the structures and traditions of much of present-day living as to have attained the status of established fact. These assumptions appear to make no allowance for the extraordinary reservoir of spiritual potential available to any illumined soul who draws upon it; instead, they rely for justification on humanity's failings, examples of which daily reinforce a common sense of despair. A layered veil of false premises thus obscures a fundamental truth: The state of the world reflects a distortion of the human spirit, not its essential nature. The purpose of every Manifestation of God is to effect a transformation in both the inner life and external conditions of humanity. And this transformation naturally occurs as a growing body of people, united by the divine precepts, collectively seeks to develop spiritual capacities to contribute to a process of societal change.
Universal House of Justice, Ridván 2012

Ridvan 2012

By contrast, relations among the three corresponding actors in the world at large--the citizen, the body politic, and the institutions of society-- reflect the discord that characterizes humanity's turbulent stage of transition.  Unwilling to act as interdependent parts of an organic whole, they are locked in a struggle for power which ultimately proves futile.  How very different the society which 'Abdu'l-Baha, in unnumbered Tablets and talks, depicts--where everyday interactions, as much as the relations of states, are shaped by consciousness of the oneness of humankind.  Relationships imbued with this consciousness are being cultivated by Baha'is and their friends in villages and neighbourhoods across the world; from them can be detected the pure fragrances of reciprocity and cooperation, of concord and love.  Within such unassuming settings, a visible alternative to society's familiar strife is emerging.

The Universal House of Justice Ridvan 2012

Transcendent character of the Baha'u'llah's Revelation

And last but not least is Abdu'l-Baha's own tribute to the transcendent character of the Revelation identified with His Father: "Centuries, nay ages, must pass away, ere the Day-Star of Truth shineth again in its mid-summer splendor, or appeareth once more in the radiance of its vernal glory."
 "The mere contemplation of the Dispensation inaugurated by the Blessed Beauty," He furthermore affirms, "would have sufficed to overwhelm the saints of bygone ages -- saints who longed to partake for one moment of its great glory." "Concerning the Manifestations that will come down in the future 'in the shadows of the clouds,' know verily," is His significant statement, "that in so far as their relation to the source of their inspiration is concerned they are under the shadow of the Ancient Beauty. In their relation, however, to the age in which they appear, each and every one of them 'doeth whatsoever He willeth.'
" And finally stands this, His illuminating explanation, setting forth conclusively the true relationship between the Revelation of Baha'u'llah and that of the Bab: "The Revelation of the Bab may be likened to the sun, its station corresponding to the first sign of the Zodiac -- the sign Aries -- which the sun enters at the vernal equinox. The station of Baha'u'llah's Revelation, on the other hand, is represented by the sign Leo, the sun's mid-summer and highest station. By this is meant that this holy Dispensation is illumined with the light of the Sun of Truth shining from its most exalted station, and in the plenitude of its resplendency, its heat and glory."

Shoghi Effendi

the blind are deprived of ....

"Beware lest ye scatter the pearls of inner significance before every barren, dumb one. Verily, the blind are deprived of witnessing the lights and are unable to distinguish between the stone and the holy, precious pearl.
Verily, wert thou to read the most mighty, wonderful verses to the stone for a thousand years, will it understand, or will they take any effect therein? No! by thy Lord, the merciful, the clement! If thou readest all the verses of God unto the deaf, will he hear a single letter? No! Verily, by the beauty, the mighty, the ancient!

Thus have We delivered unto thee some of the jewels of wisdom and utterance, in order that thou mayest gaze unto the direction of thy Lord and be severed from all the creatures. May the spirit and glory rest upon thee, and upon those who dwell upon the plain of holiness and who remain in the Cause of their Lord in manifest steadfastness!

Baha'u'llah,

The Significance of Ridván.

 In a number of Tablets, most of which have not yet been translated, Bahá'u'lláh has extolled the sacredness and glory of the days of Ridván. One of these, revealed a few years after His Declaration, has been rendered into English by Shoghi Effendi. The following are some excerpts,
 The Divine Springtime is come, O Most Exalted Pen, for the Festival of the All-Merciful is fast approaching. Bestir thyself, and magnify, before the entire creation, the name of God, and celebrate His praise, in such wise that all created things may be regenerated and made new. Speak, and hold not thy peace. The day star of blissfulness shineth above the horizon of Our name, the Blissful, inasmuch as the kingdom of the name of God hath been adorned with the ornament of the name of thy Lord, the Creator of the heavens. Arise before the nations of the earth, and arm thyself with the power of this Most Great Name, and be not of those who tarry...This is the Day whereon the unseen world crieth out: 'Great is thy blessedness, O earth, for thou hast been made the foot-stool of thy God, and been chosen as the seat of His mighty throne.' The realm of glory exclaimeth: 'Would that my life could be sacrificed for thee, for He Who is the Beloved of the All-Merciful hath established His sovereignty upon thee, through the power of His Name that hath been promised unto all things, whether of the past or of the future.' This is the Day whereon every sweet smelling thing hath derived its fragrance from the smell of My garment--a garment that hath shed its perfume upon the whole of creation. This is the Day whereon the rushing waters of everlasting life have gushed out of the Will of the All-Merciful. Haste ye, with your hearts and souls, and quaff your fill, O Concourse of the realms above!
Say: He it is Who is the Manifestation of Him Who is the Unknowable, the Invisible of the Invisibles, could ye but perceive it. He it is Who hath laid bare before you the hidden and treasured Gem, were ye to seek it. He it is Who is the one Beloved of all things, whether of the past or of the future. Would that ye might set your hearts and hopes upon Him!...
The Best-Beloved is come. In His right hand is the sealed Wine of His name. Happy is the man that turneth unto Him, and drinketh his fill, and exclaimeth: 'Praise be to Thee, O Revealer of the signs of God!' By the righteousness of the Almighty! Every hidden thing hath been manifested through the power of truth. All the favours of God have been sent down, as a token of His grace. The waters of everlasting life have, in their fullness, been proffered unto men. Every single cup hath been borne round by the hand of the Well-Beloved. Draw near, and tarry not, though it be for one short moment...Rejoice with exceeding gladness, O people of Bahá, as ye call to remembrance the Day of supreme felicity, the Day whereon the Tongue of the Ancient of Days hath spoken, as He departed from His House, proceeding to the Spot from which He shed upon the whole of creation the splendours of His name, the All-Merciful. God is Our witness. Were We to reveal the hidden secrets of that Day, all they that dwell on earth and in the heavens would swoon away and die, except such as will be preserved by God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Such is the inebriating effect of the words of God upon Him Who is the Revealer of His undoubted proofs, that His Pen can move no longer. With these words He concludeth His Tablet: 'No God is there but Me, the Most Exalted, the Most Powerful, the Most Excellent, the All-Knowing.'

The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, Adib Taherzadeh

... بگو ای دوستان، راهنما آمد . گفتارش از گفتارها پديدار و راهش ميان راه ها نمودار . راه ، راه اوست بيابيد و گفتار ، گفتار
اوست ، بشنويد . امروز ابر بخشش يزدان می‌بارد و خورشيد دانائی روشنی می‌بخشد و به خود راه می‌نمايد . جوانمرد آنکه راه های گمان را گذاشت و راه خدا را گرفت . ای دوستان ، دست توانای يزدان پرده‌های گمان را دريد تا چشم ببيند و گوش از شنيدن باز نماند .امروز روز شنيدن است . بشنويد گفتار دوست يکتا را و به آنچه سزاوار است رفتار نمائيد

Bahá'u'lláh

O phoenix of that immortal flame kindled in the sacred Tree!

Baha'u'llah (may my life, my soul, my spirit, be offered up as a sacrifice unto His lowly servants) hath, during His last days on earth, given the most emphatic promise that, through the outpourings of the grace of God and the aid and assistance vouchsafed from His Kingdom on high, souls will arise and holy beings appear who, as stars, would adorn the firmament of divine Guidance; illumine the dayspring of loving kindness and bounty; manifest the signs of the unity of God; shine with the light of sanctity and purity; receive their full measure of divine inspiration; raise high the sacred torch of faith; stand firm as the rock and immovable as the mountain; and grow to become luminaries in the heavens of His Revelation, mighty channels of His grace, means for the bestowals of God's bountiful care, heralds calling forth the name of the one true God, and establishers of the world's supreme foundation.
 These shall labor ceaselessly by day and by night, shall heed neither trial nor woe, shall suffer no respite in their efforts, shall seek no repose, shall disregard all ease and comfort and, detached and unsullied, shall consecrate every fleeting moment of their life to the diffusion of the divine fragrance and the exaltation of God's holy Word. Their face will radiate heavenly gladness, and their hearts be filled with joy. Their souls will be inspired, and their foundation stand secure. They shall scatter in the world, and travel throughout all regions. They shall raise their voice in every assembly, and adorn and revive every gathering. They shall speak in every tongue, and interpret every hidden meaning. They shall reveal the mysteries of the Kingdom, and manifest unto every one the signs of God. They shall burn brightly even as a candle in the heart of every assembly, and beam forth as a star upon every horizon. The gentle breeze wafted from the garden of their hearts shall perfume and revive the souls of men, and the revelations of their minds, even as showers, reinvigorate the peoples and nations of the world.
 I am waiting, eagerly waiting for these holy ones to appear; and yet, how long will they delay their coming? My prayer and ardent supplication, at eventide and at dawn, is that these shining stars may soon shed their radiance upon the world, that their sacred countenance may be unveiled to mortal eyes, and the billows of grace, rising from His oceans above, may flow upon all mankind. Pray ye also and supplicate unto Him that through the bountiful aid of the Ancient Beauty these souls may be unveiled to the eyes of the world. The glory of God rest upon thee, and upon him whose face is illumined with that everlasting light that shineth from His Kingdom of Glory.

'Abdu'l-Baha,

How foolish are the people of the East ...

How foolish are the people of the East to have incarcerated for well nigh fifty years the like of this glorious Personage! But for His chains and prison, Bahá'u'lláh by this time would have gained absolute ascendancy over the minds and thoughts of the peoples of Europe, would have made of Persia the Garden of Paradise, would have raised its sons in the esteem of mankind, nay He would have made it such that all peoples and governments would seek enlightenment from its people.
Consider and reflect upon the result of My few days stay in London and the profound effect it has had here and in the surrounding regions. Ponder then in your heart, what the coming of Bahá'u'lláh would have achieved! Had He appeared in Europe, its people would have seized their opportunity and His Cause, by virtue of the freedom of thought, would by this time have encompassed the earth. But alas! This Cause, though it first appeared in Persia, yet eventually it shall be seen how the peoples of Europe have wrested it from its hands! Take note of this and remember it in future. Ultimately you shall see how it has come to pass. And yet behold! how the Bahá'ís are still persecuted by the people of Persia!

‘Abdu’l-Baha,

Covenant of Bahá’u'lláh

It is indubitably clear, that the pivot of the oneness of mankind is nothing else but the power of the Covenant…. The power of the Covenant is as the heat of the sun which quickeneth and promoteth the development of all created things on earth. The light of the Covenant, in like manner, is the educator of the minds, the spirits, the hearts and souls of men.

Abdu’l-Baha.

 ...the Covenant of Bahá’u'lláh…is, indeed, the potent instrument by which individual belief in Him is translated into constructive deeds. The Covenant comprises divinely conceived arrangements necessary to preserve the organic unity of the Cause. It therefore engenders a motivating power which, as the beloved Master tells us, “like unto the artery, beats and pulsates in the body of the world”. “It is indubitably clear”, He asserts, “that the pivot of the oneness of mankind is nothing else but the power of the Covenant.” Through it the meaning of the Word, both in theory and practice, is made evident in the life and work of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the appointed Interpreter, the perfect Exemplar, the Centre of the Covenant. Through it the processes of the Administrative Order — “this unique, this wondrous System” — are made to operate.

The Universal House of Justice, 1988 Dec 29

We have rent the veils asunder

"O concourse of divines! When My verses were sent down, and My clear tokens were revealed, We found you behind the veils. This, verily, is a strange thing. Ye glory in My Name, yet ye recognized Me not at the time your Lord, the All-Merciful, appeared amongst you with proof and testimony. We have rent the veils asunder. Beware lest ye shut out the people by yet another veil. Pluck asunder the chains of vain imaginings, in the name of the Lord of all men, and be not of the deceitful. Should ye turn unto God and embrace His Cause, spread not disorder within it, and measure not the Book of God with your selfish desires. This, verily, is the counsel of God aforetime and hereafter, and to this God's witnesses and chosen ones, yea, each and every one of Us, do solemnly attest.

Baha'u'llah,

239 days ....

http://239days.com

 WHEN HE ARRIVED IN AMERICA our newspapers called him the “Apostle of Peace.” He “will surely unite the East and West,” the president of Stanford University remarked, “for he treads the mystic way with practical feet.” “There is no doubt, among thinking people,” a famous columnist wrote, “that this man represents, in great degree, the growing and evolving spirit of our times.” “Let him visit any bank, factory, office building, church, and everything is laid aside, and eyes bulge and ears listen until he takes his departure.”

 His name was ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

On April 11, ‘Abdul-Bahá joined the conversation. For 239 days he traveled across America, reaching across political, religious, racial, class, and gender lines to confront Americans with a vision of human nature, social unity, and the nation’s future that was 100 years ahead of its time.

239 Days in America is a Social Media Documentary; that brings to light this important time in American history. It reconstructs ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s 1912 journey moment by moment, time-shifted 100 years to the present. You will encounter ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as Americans of the time did—little by little, day by day.

Through Him the light of unity hath shone

"The light that is shed from the heaven of bounty, and the benediction that shineth from the dawning-place of the will of God, the Lord of the Kingdom of Names, rest upon Him Who is the Supreme Mediator, the Most Exalted Pen, Him Whom God hath made the Dawning-Place of His most excellent names and the Dayspring of His most exalted attributes. Through Him the light of unity hath shone forth above the horizon of the world, and the law of oneness hath been revealed amidst the nations, who, with radiant faces, have turned towards the Supreme Horizon, and acknowledged that which the Tongue of Utterance hath spoken in the kingdom of His knowledge: "Earth and heaven, glory and dominion, are God's, the Omnipotent, the Almighty, the Lord of grace abounding!"

Baha'u'llah,"

ده هزار روز اسارت

نگاه دوربین به برخی از شهرهای جهان در اعتراض به ده هزار روز اسارت هفت مدیر جامعه بهایی ایران.

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patterns of behavior

 "...the flourishing of the community, especially at the local level, demands a significant enhancement in patterns of behavior: those patterns by which the collective expression of the virtues of the individual members and the functioning of the Spiritual Assembly are manifest in the unity and fellowship of the community and the dynamism of its activity and growth. This calls for the integration of the component elements - adults, youth and children - in spiritual, social, educational and administrative activities; and their engagement in local plans of teaching and development. It implies a collective will and sense of purpose to perpetuate the Spiritual Assembly through annual elections. It involves the practice of collective worship of God. Hence, it is essential to the spiritual life of the community that the friends hold regular devotional meetings in local Baha'i centres, where available, or elsewhere, including the homes of believers.

-- (Ridvan 1996, from the Universal House of Justice to the Baha'is of the World)"

دین بهائی در امریکا

http://www.iranian.com/main/2012/feb-69

اما کمتر کسی در میان ما ایرانیان غیربهائی عبدالبهاء را می شناسیم و یا از سفر او به عنوان  یک ایرانی و سخنرانی های او به عنوان یک مدافع صلح و حقوق زنان و برابری نژادی آگاهی داریم.

ما عبدالبهاء را تنها به عنوان یکی از افراد پایه گذار آئین بهائی می شناسیم و کمتر وی را به عنوان یک روشنفکر می بینیم که صاحب نظر بوده و حرفی برای گفتن داشته است. نقش عبدالبهاء در پایه گذاری آیین بهائی قابل انکار نیست، اما نکته قابل توجه درباره سفر وی به امریکا، پیام هایی بوده که برای مردم امریکا داشته و بینش روشنگرانه او را نشان می دهد. جالب آنکه عبدالبهاء مردم امریکا را مستعد ترین مردم برای اشاعه صلح در جهان می دیده است.

عبدالبهاء به عنوان  یک روشنفکر شرقی عظمت پیشرفت دانش و  فناوری در غرب را درک می کند و  بدان احترام می گذرد، و در همان حال  کمبودهای فرهنگی و نابرابری ها را درمی یابد و این همه را در سخنرانی  های خود به خوبی تصویر می کند. او مخاطبان خود را به صلح، درک متقابل،  مدارا، و برابری انسانها بدون توجه به جنسیت و نژادشان فرا می خواند.  

Beauty of the True One

Mortal charm shall fade away, roses shall give way to thorns, and beauty and youth shall live their day and be no more. But that which eternally endureth is the Beauty of the True One, for its splendour perisheth not and its glory lasteth for ever; its charm is all-powerful and its attraction infinite. Well is it then with that countenance that reflecteth the splendour of the Light of the Beloved One! The Lord be praised, thou hast been illumined with this Light, hast acquired the pearl of true knowledge, and hast spoken the Word of Truth.
'Abdu'l-Baha

By My life and My Cause

By My life and My Cause! Round about whatever dwelling the friends of God may enter, and from which their cry shall rise as they praise and glorify the Lord, shall circle the souls of true believers and all the favored angels. And should the door of the true eye be opened unto some, they shall witness the Supreme Concourse as it circleth and crieth:
“Blessed art thou, O house, for God hath made thee a resting-place for those He favoureth, and a lodging for those He holdeth dear, and a home for those in whom He hath placed His trust. Unto thee be His praise and His glory and His endless grace.”

 Baha’u’llah,

THIS NEW WORLD ORDER

The world's equilibrium hath been upset through the vibrating influence of this most great, this new World Order. Mankind's ordered life hath been revolutionized through the agency of this unique, this wondrous System--the like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed. 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. Take heed that ye do not vacillate in your determination to embrace the truth of this Cause--a Cause through which the potentialities of the might of God have been revealed, and His sovereignty established. With faces beaming with joy, hasten ye unto Him. This is the changeless Faith of God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future. Let him that seeketh, attain it; and as to him that hath refused to seek it--verily, God is Self-Sufficient, above any need of His creatures. Say: This is the infallible Balance which the Hand of God is holding, in which all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth are weighed, and their fate determined, if ye be of them that believe and recognize this truth. Say: Through it the poor have been enriched, the learned enlightened, and the seekers enabled to ascend unto the presence of God. Beware, lest ye make it a cause of dissension amongst you. Be ye as firmly settled as the immovable mountain in the Cause of your Lord, the Mighty, the Loving.

 Bahá’u’lláh

The world with the various calamities ...

"The world with the various calamities that have befallen it, will be completely ravaged and its civilization demolished, if the Baha'is do not come to its help and embue it with the spirit that Baha'u'llah has brought to the world. The economic factions, political parties, national hatreds, racial prejudices, and religious antagonisms, will continue to bring about devastating wars until the spirit of the Cause permeates the heart of man, and its universal teachings pull down the existing barriers. Let us be reminded of our duty by the misery we see around us, and arise for the prosecution of our noble duty."
 From a letter dated 24 November 1931 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the American National Spiritual Assembly.