Study circle

The term study circle has become common terminology in the Bahá’í Faith to describe a specific type of gathering for the study of the Bahá’í teachings, with an emphasis on "promoting the well-being of humanity.

Study circles are a form of distance learning designed to systematically bring education about spiritual concepts to the grassroots level. Because they are intended to be sustainable and reproducible on a large scale, study circles shy away from formally taught classes, opting instead for participatory methods. They are usually led by a tutor whose role is not to act as an expert but rather to facilitate the rhythm and pace of the study circle. In this way, attendees of study circles are expected to become active participants in their own learning process.
Another foundational principle of study circles is a heavy emphasis on the Writings as a means of finding unity of vision and action by focusing on the essentials of Bahá’í belief.
The most common curriculum used in study circles was originally developed at the Ruhi Institute in Colombia but is now used in Bahá’í communities all over the world.

The curriculum of the Ruhi Institute aims, in its entirety, at achieving three overall objectives: providing insights into spiritual matters, imparting knowledge about the Bahá’í Faith, and helping to develop specific acts of service. There are currently seven books in the first sequence of courses, with two more in development. Each book is broken up into 3 units comprised of many sections. Tutors are encouraged to apply the arts, using music, games, crafts, and such during the training. Each book has one or more practices that can be done outside of the training. For example, the third book trains people to give children's classes, and the practice is to give an actual class. Also encouraged throughout the books is the practice of memorizing passages and prayers.

Reflections on the Life of the Spirit
Book 1

The first book in the sequence of courses is largely concerned with the question of identity. What is the real identity of the “I” in the sentence “I walk a path of service”? Three aspects of identity from a Bahá’í perspective are explored in the book: “The reality of my existence is my soul which passes through this world to acquire the attributes it needs for an eternal and glorious journey towards God. My most cherished moments are those spent in communion with God, for prayer is the daily nourishment that my soul must receive if it is to accomplish its exalted purpose. One of my principal concerns in this life is to study the writings of Bahá’u’lláh, strive to increase my understanding of His teachings, and learn to apply them to my own daily life and to the life of the community.” The book consists of the units “Understanding the Bahá’í Writings”, “Prayer”, and “Life and Death”.

More  to follow ......

Unity of the Prophets.

The Bahá’í Faith teaches that the Messengers from God come from the same source, God, to deliver God's Teachings, while also mirroring forth His attributes. In this light, the Bahá’í writings state that the reality of these Messengers of God is the same reality.
Bahá’u’lláh explains the essential nature of the Manifestations of God as twofold: they are at once human and divine. They are divine in that they all come from the same God and expound His teachings (and can thus be seen in the same light), but at the same time they are separate individuals known by different names, who fulfill definite missions, and who are entrusted with particular revelations.
Regarding the relationships of these prophets Bahá’u’lláh writes:

"God 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. Whoso turneth away from them, hath turned away from God, and whoso disbelieveth in them, hath disbelieved in God . . . They are the Manifestations of God amidst men, the evidences of His Truth, and the signs of His glory."

Bahá’u’lláh on the oneness of the prophets:

"The door of the knowledge of the Ancient of Days being thus closed in the face of all beings, the Source of infinite grace... hath caused those luminous Gems of Holiness to appear out of the realm of the spirit, in the noble form of the human temple, and be made manifest unto all men, that they may impart unto the world the mysteries of the unchangeable Being, and tell of the subtleties of His imperishable Essence.

"These sanctified Mirrors, these Day Springs of ancient glory, are, one and all, the Exponents on earth of Him Who is the central Orb of the universe, its Essence and ultimate Purpose. From Him proceed their knowledge and power; from Him is derived their sovereignty. The beauty of their countenance is but a reflection of His image, and their revelation a sign of His deathless glory."

Bahá’u’lláh, The Kitáb-i-Íqán, p 99.

Concerning their twofold station, Bahá’u’lláh has written:

"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. ... It is clear and evident to thee that all the Prophets are the Temples of the Cause of God, Who have appeared clothed in divers attire. If thou wilt observe with discriminating eyes, thou wilt behold Them all abiding in the same tabernacle, soaring in the same heaven, seated upon the same throne, uttering the same speech, and proclaiming the same Faith. Such is the unity of those Essences of Being, those Luminaries of infinite and immeasurable splendor! Wherefore, should one of these Manifestations of Holiness proclaim saying: "I am the return of all the Prophets," He, verily, speaketh 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.

Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 50. 

Progressive revelation

Progressive revelation is a core teaching in the Bahá’í Faith that suggests that religious truth is revealed by God progressively and cyclically over time through a series of divine Messengers, and that the teachings are tailored to suit the needs of the time and place of their appearance. Thus, the Bahá’í teachings recognize the divine origin of several world religions as different stages of in the history of one religion, while believing that the revelation of Bahá’u’lláh is the most recent (though not the last), and therefore the most relevant to modern society.

Bahá’ís believe God to be generally regular and periodic in revealing His will to mankind through messengers/prophets, which are named Manifestations of God. Each messenger in turn establishes a covenant and founds a religion. This process of revelation, according to the Bahá’í writings, is also never ceasing, which is contrary to many other belief systems that believe in a finality of their prophet/messenger. The general theme of the successive and continuous religions founded by Manifestations of God is that there is an evolutionary tendency, and that each Manifestation of God brings a larger measure of revelation (or religion) to humankind than the previous one The differences in the revelation brought by the Manifestations of God is stated to be not inherent in the characteristics of the Manifestation of God, but instead attributed to the various worldly, societal and human factors, these differences are in accordance with the "conditions" and "varying requirements of the age" and the "spiritual capacity" of humanity. These differences are seen to be needed since human society has slowly and gradually evolved through higher stages of unification from the family to tribes and then nations.

Backbiting "Quencheth the Light of the Heart"

"… Backbiting quencheth the light of the heart, and extinguisheth the life of the soul." 

"Breathe not the sins of others so long as thou art thyself a sinner. Shouldst thou transgress this command, accursed wouldst thou be, and to this I bear witness."

Bahá’u’lláh

 Backbiting—The Most Great Sin

"…Thou hast written regarding aims. How blessed are these aims, especially the prevention of backbiting! I hope that you may become confirmed therein, because the worst human quality and the most great sin is backbiting; more especially when it emanates from the tongues of the believers of God. If some means were devised so that the doors of backbiting could be shut eternally and each one of the believers of God unsealed his tongue in the praise of the other, then the teachings of His Holiness Baha'o'llah (Bahá’u’lláh) would be spread, the hearts illuminated, the spirits glorified and the human world would attain to everlasting felicity.
"I hope that the believers of God will shun completely backbiting, each one praising the other cordially and believe that backbiting is the cause of Divine wrath, to such an extent that if a person backbites to the extent of one word, he may become dishonored among all the people, because the most hateful characteristic of man is fault-finding. One must expose the praiseworthy qualities of the souls and not their evil attributes. The friends must overlook their shortcomings and faults and speak only of their virtues and not their defects.
"It is related that His Holiness Christ—May my life be a sacrifice to Him!—one day, accompanied by His apostles, passed by the corpse of a dead animal. One of them said: 'How putrid has this animal become!' The other exclaimed: 'How it is deformed!' A third cried out: 'What a stench! How cadaverous looking!' But His Holiness Christ said: 'Look at its teeth! How white they are!' Consider, that He did not look at all at the defects of that animal; nay, rather, He searched well until He found the beautiful white teeth. He observed only the whiteness of the teeth and overlooked entirely the deformity of the body, the dissolution of its organs and the bad odour.
"This is the attribute of the children of the Kingdom. This is the conduct and the manner of the real Bahais (Bahá’ís). I hope that all the believers will attain to this lofty station." ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

مقام حضرت عبدالبهاء

حضرت عبدالبهاء شخصیتی بی مثیل در تاریخ بشریّت اند و هیچ یک از ادیان گذشته از موهبت داشتن این چنین شخصیّتی برخوردار نبوده است. فضل و عنایت حضرت بهاءالله که جامعه بهائی را پس از صعود در ظلّ حمایت غصن اعظم، حضرت عبدالبهاء قرار داده ، قابل وصف نیست. حضرت بهاءالله نه تنها ظهور مبارک خود را به عالمیان ارزانی داشته اند؛ بلکه فرزند خود را نیز تقدیم نموده اند که با علم و حکمت وی عالم انسانی منوّر خواهد شد. مشکل بتوان حتّی ذرّه ای از عظمت این ظهور را بدون آگاهی از مقام فرید حضرت عبدالبهاء درک نمود.
اولاً: حضرت عبدالبهاء مرکز عهد و پیمان حضرت بهاءالله می باشند. قوّه میثاق جامعه بهائی را متّحد ساخته، از تعدّی دشمنان حفظ خواهد نمود. قوّه میثاق است که ضامن فتح و ظفر محتوم است. اساساً پیمانی که حضرت بهاءالله با پیروان خود بسته اند، لازمه اش این است که قلبهای خود را به مرکز عهد متوجّه ساخته و به آن وفادار باشیم. حضرت عبدالبهاء مرکز عهد الهی هستند و طبق الواح مبارکه وصایا بعد از آن حضرت شوقی افندی ولی امر و مرکزی هستند که باید به ایشان توجّه نماییم. الیوم مرکز عهد بیت العدل اعظم است که بنا به دستورات صریحه حضرت بهاءالله و تعلیمات واضحه عبدالبهاء و حضرت ولی امرالله تشکیل گشته است.
ثانیاً: حضرت عبدالبهاء مبیّن مصون از خطای حضرت بهاءالله می باشند. ظهور حضرت بهاءالله و آثار منزله چنان وسیع است و معانی مکنونه در هر یک از بیانات نازله چنان عمیق که حضرتشان لازم دانستند بعد از خود مُبیّنی جهت این آثار به جا گذارند و حضرتشان مُلهِمِ ایشان باشند و بدین ترتیب نسلهای آینده بشر می توانند تعالیم مبارکه حضرت بهاءالله را از طریق تبیینات حضرت عبدالبهاء در الواح و خطب عدیده ادراک نمایند و بعد از حضرت عبدالبهاء شوقی افندی مُبیّن آیات الله بوده و با صعودشان وظیفه تبیین تا ابد و تا انتهای دور بهائی خاتمه یافت. همچنین باید بدانیم که با تعیین مُبیّن آیات، حضرت بهاءالله فضل عظیمی شامل جامعه بهائی نمودند. در گذشته هر یک از ادیان به طُرُق متعدّد منقسم شدند؛ زیرا از داشت مرکزی که یاران بتوانند در حین اختلاف نظر درباره معانی کلمات مُنزِله در کتب مقدسه بدان مراجعه نمایند، محروم بودند. ولی در این ظهور چنانچه معنی و مفهوم بیانات حضرت بهاءالله برای یاران روشن نباشد به تبیینات حضرت عبدالبهاء و حضرت ولی امرالله مراجعه می نمایند و چنانچه مطلب واضح نگردد، به بیت العدل اعظم توجّه می کنند و بدین ترتیب فرصتی برای اختلاف در تعالیم مبارکه باقی نمی ماند و وحدت امر الهی محفوظ می گردد.
ثالثاً: حضرت عبدالبهاء مَثَلِ اعلای تعالیم مبارکه پدر بزرگوارشان می باشند. هر چند ما هیچگاه نمی توانیم به آن مرحله از کمال واصل شویم ولی باید همیشه آن حضرت را مَطمَحِ نظر داشته و سعی نماییم در اثر اقدام حضرتشان مشی نماییم. وقتی عشق و مهربانی را مشاهده می نمائیم، وقتی درباره تنزیه و تقدیس، عدالت و انصاف، راستی و صداقت، فرح و سرور، جود و سخاوت می خوانیم، به حضرتش توجّه نموده و در حیات مبارک این صفات را که به حدّ کمال در آن حضرت تجلّی نموده، خواهیم دید. امّا اساس حیات مبارک عبودیّت است... بیان ذیل از حضرت عبدالبهاء نشانه آرزوی مبارک به خدمت است:
« نام من عبدالبهاءست؛ صفت من عبدالبهاءست؛ حقیقت من عبدالبهاءست؛ نَعت من عبدالبهاءست؛ رقیّت به جمال قدم، اکلیل جلیل و تاج وَهّاج من است و خدمت به نوع انسان آئین قدیم من ... نه اسمی دارد نه لقبی؛ نه ذکری خواهد نه نَعتی جز عبدالبهاء. این است آرزوی من. این است اعظم آمال من. این است حیات ابدی من. این است عزّت سرمدی من.»

Ascension of Abdu'l-Baha

Each year Baha’is observe the anniversary of the death of Abdu'l-Baha, son of Baha'u'llah and His appointed succesor. He died at his home in Haifa, in what is now northern Israel, on Nov 28, 1921 at approximately 1:00 a.m., at age 77.

Abdu'l-Baha Abdu’l-Baha, leader of the Baha'i Faith from 1892 to 1921, was known as an ambassador of peace, a champion of justice and the leading exponent of the new religion.

The funeral of `Abdu'l-Bahá, "a funeral the like of which Palestine had never seen," drew "no less than ten thousand people...representing every class, religion and race in that country." "A great throng," the British High Commissioner wrote, "had gathered together, sorrowing for His death, but rejoicing also for His life." The Governor of Jerusalem at the time also wrote in describing the funeral: "I have never known a more united expression of regret and respect than was called forth by the utter simplicity of the ceremony."¹

`Abdu'l-Bahá's funeral, Haifa, Israel.

"The coffin containing the remains of `Abdu'l-Bahá was borne to its last resting-place on the shoulders of His loved ones.... The long train of mourners, amid the sobs and moans of many a grief-stricken heart, wended its slow way up the slopes of Mt. Carmel to the Mausoleum of the Báb... Close to the eastern entrance of the Shrine, the sacred casket was placed upon a plain table, and, in the presence of that vast concourse, nine speakers, who represented the Muslim, the Jewish and Christian Faiths...delivered their several funeral orations. The coffin was then removed to one of the chambers of the Shrine, and there lowered, sadly and reverently, to its last resting-place in a vault adjoining that in which were laid the remains of the Báb."²

Powers and blessings manifested through the Baha’i Covenant

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, cited in “God Passes By”, pp. 238-39

Today the pulsating power in the arteries of the body of the world is the spirit of the Covenant — the spirit which is the cause of life. Whosoever is vivified with this spirit, the freshness and beauty of life become manifest in him, he is baptized with the Holy Spirit, he is born again, is freed from oppression and tyranny, from heedlessness and harshness which deaden the spirit, and attains to everlasting life. Praise thou God that thou art firm in the Covenant and the Testament and art turning thy face to the Luminary of the world, His Highness Baha’u’llah.
’Abdu’l-Baha, cited in “Star of the West, vol. 14, No. 7 (October 1923), p. 225

Baha’i children at a Naw-Ruz (New Year) celebration in Equatorial Guinea. The diversity of Baha’i gatherings is a clear demonstration of the ability of the Covenant of Baha’u'llah to bind together the hearts of the peoples of the world.


 ..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

The Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh

"So powerful is the light of unity," Bahá'u'lláh declared, "that it can illuminate the whole earth."¹ "We, verily," He further stated, "have come to unite and weld together all that dwell on earth."² Bahá'u'lláh made the oneness of humankind the central principle and goal of His Faith, an emphasis that implies the organic and spiritual unity of the whole body of nations and signalizes the "coming of age of the entire human race."³
Humanity's evolution has been marked by such progressive stages of social organization as family, tribe, city-state and nation. Bahá'u'lláh's express purpose was to usher in the next and ultimate stage, namely, world unity -- the harbinger of the Great Peace foretold in the world's religions. As the Word of God as revealed by Bahá'u'lláh is the source and impetus of the oneness of humankind, so the Covenant He has established is the organizing principle for its realization.
Bahá'u'lláh's Covenant guarantees both unity of understanding of His Faith's fundamental doctrines and actualization of that unity in the Bahá'í community's spiritual and social development. It is distinguished by its provision for authentic interpretation of the sacred texts and for an authorized system of administration, at the apex of which is an elected legislative body empowered to supplement the laws revealed by Bahá'u'lláh.
This Covenant is the most remarkable feature of His Revelation, for it is designed, unlike any religious system of the past, to preserve the unity of all humanity through the organic workings of a social order based on spiritual principles. "So firm and mighty" is this Covenant, Bahá'u'lláh's son `Abdu'l-Bahá has affirmed, "that from the beginning of time until the present day, no religious Dispensation hath produced its like."⁴

The Bahá'í Faith is thus the first religion in history that has survived its critical first century with its unity firmly established. "Were it not for the protecting power of the Covenant to guard the impregnable fort of the Cause of God," said `Abdu'l-Bahá, "there would arise among the Bahá'ís, in one day, a thousand different sects as was the case in former ages."⁵ But in this Revelation, Bahá'u'lláh's Covenant is the magnet that draws the hearts of its followers together.

Baha’is to observe two significant holy days

http://www.bahai.us/two-holy-days
Baha’is will commemorate the Day of the Covenant on Nov. 26, and the Ascension of Abdu’l-Baha on Nov. 28.  The Day of the Covenant commemorates Baha’u’llah’s appointment of His eldest son, Abdu’l-Baha, as the protector of the Covenant of Baha’u’llah, which was established to ensure the unity of the Baha'i Faith. The Ascension of Abdu’l-Baha marks the anniversary of his death in 1921.

As protector of the Covenant, Abdu’l-Baha, (sometimes referred as the Center of the Covenant), was charged with safeguarding and protecting the Faith against differences and schisms, making it impossible for anyone to create a new sect or faction of belief.

The Covenant of Baha’u’llah is unique in religious history: No other world religion’s sacred scriptures provide such explicit instructions for the organization of the community of believers after the founder’s passing. The Baha'i Faith is thus the first religion in history that has survived its critical first century with its unity firmly established —and ultimately with a blueprint for a divinely ordered global civilization to bring unity to the world.

After the death of Baha’u’llah in 1892, Abdu’l-Baha carried forth his father’s mission until he died in 1921 at age 77. Abdu’l-Baha was known as an ambassador of peace, a champion of justice and the leading exponent of the new religion.

During visits to Europe in 1911 and more than 40 cities in the United States and Canada in 1912, he was greeted with respect and acclaim by believers and non-believers. In city after city, he was invited to speak at churches and synagogues, and before distinguished groups and organizations. The net effect was to establish the Baha'i Faith as a major new force for social reform and religious renewal.

Affirming that "Love is the most great law" and that the "supreme need of humanity is cooperation and reciprocity" among all its peoples, Abdu'l-Baha reached out to leaders and the public – indeed, to every soul who crossed his path.

Abdu’l-Baha’s funeral on Mt. Carmel was attended by 10,000 mourners from all persuasions and denominations. He is buried in a vault on the north side of the Shrine of the Bab

Life of the Prophet-Founder of the Baha'i Faith:

A short video presentation on the Life of the Prophet-Founder of the newest Independent World Religion: The Baha'i Faith. Baha'u'llah's appearance signals the prophetic fulfillment of the world's major religions as the Promised One of All Ages. Baha'u'llah's message continues to touch hearts around the world - and despite opposition from dogmatic religious institutions, the Baha'i Faith's progressive teachings are increasingly becoming recognised as a spiritual balm to the world's increasing socio-economic, political and moral afflictions.

Bahá'u'lláh: His Teachings

Baha'u'llah presents a vision of life that insists upon a fundamental redefinition of all human relationships--among human beings themselves, between human beings and the natural world, between the individual and society, and between the members of society and its institutions. Each of these relationships must be reassessed in light of humanity's evolving understanding of God's will and purpose. New laws and concepts are enunciated by Bahá'u'lláh so that human consciousness can be freed from patterns of response set by tradition, and the foundations of a global civilization can be erected. "A new life", Bahá'u'lláh declares, "is, in this age, stirring within all the peoples of the earth."¹ Because the implications of Bahá'u'lláh's message are both social and spiritual, His teachings redefine the very concept of religion. He is not the Founder of a religion as religion is conventionally understood, but rather the Prophet of civilization and collective transformation--the "Originator of a new universal cycle" in human history.² His message transcends all religious categories. His vision of the oneness of humankind involves not just the deepening of human solidarity, the safeguarding of human rights, or the establishment of an enduring peace, but rather "an organic change in the structure of present-day society, a change such as the world has not yet experienced."³ His prescriptions for the moral reformation of human nature are unique in their approach and universal in their applicability.

For more information, please visit
http://www.bahaullah.org/.
http://info.bahai.org/

What is the station of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá?

He is, and should for all time be regarded, first and foremost, as the Center and Pivot of Bahá’u'lláh’s peerless and all-enfolding Covenant, His most exalted handiwork, the stainless Mirror of His light, the perfect Exemplar of His teachings, the unerring Interpreter of His Word, the embodiment of every Bahá’í ideal, the incarnation of every Bahá’í virtue, the Most Mighty Branch sprung from the Ancient Root, the Limb of the Law of God, the Being “round Whom all names revolve,” the Mainspring of the Oneness of Humanity, the Ensign of the Most Great Peace, the Moon of the Central Orb of this most holy Dispensation — styles and titles that are implicit and find their truest, their highest and fairest expression in the magic name ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. He is, above and beyond these appellations, the “Mystery of God” — an expression by which Bahá’u'lláh Himself has chosen to designate Him, and which, while it does not by any means justify us to assign to Him the station of Prophethood, indicates how in the person of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá the incompatible characteristics of a human nature and superhuman knowledge and perfection have been blended and are completely harmonized.
Shoghi Effendi, The Dispensation of Bahá’u'lláh, paragraph 75

 Though moving in a sphere of His own and holding a rank radically different from that of the Author and the Forerunner of the Bahá’í Revelation, He, by virtue of the station ordained for Him through the Covenant of Bahá’u'lláh, forms together with them what may be termed the Three Central Figures of a Faith that stands unapproached in the world’s spiritual history. He towers, in conjunction with them, above the destinies of this infant Faith of God from a level to which no individual or body ministering to its needs after Him, and for no less a period than a full thousand years, can ever hope to rise. To degrade His lofty rank by identifying His station with or by regarding it as roughly equivalent to, the position of those on whom the mantle of His authority has fallen would be an act of impiety as grave as the no less heretical belief that inclines to exalt Him to a state of absolute equality with either the central Figure or Forerunner of our Faith. For wide as is the gulf that separates ‘Abdu’l-Bahá from Him Who is the Source of an independent Revelation, it can never be regarded as commensurate with the greater distance that stands between Him Who is the Center of the Covenant and His ministers who are to carry on His work, whatever be their name, their rank, their functions or their future achievements. Let those who have known ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, who through their contact with His magnetic personality have come to cherish for Him so fervent an admiration, reflect, in the light of this statement, on the greatness of One Who is so far above Him in station.
Shoghi Effendi, The Dispensation of Bahá’u'lláh, paragraph 69