“Keep alive in your hearts the feeling of confidence that the future of Iran holds bright promise, the certitude that the light of knowledge will inevitably dispel the clouds of ignorance, the conviction that concern for justice will protect the nation from falling prey to calumny, and the belief that love will ultimately conquer hatred and enmity.”
May 29 — Anniversary of the Ascension of Baha’u'llah May 28, 2009
May 29 marks the anniversary of the Ascension of Baha’u'llah, the founder of the Baha’i Faith. Following forty years of exile and imprisonment, Baha’u’llah passed away in 1892 in the mansion of Bahji outside Akko (in what is now northern Israel).
His remains were laid to rest in a small stone house adjacent to the mansion. This Shrine is the holiest place on earth for Baha’is, and is the point towards which we turn in prayer each day.
In the early hours of this morn, those lucky enough to be physically present at Bahji gather in prayerful tribute to circumambulate this most sacred spot; while Baha’i communities in localities spanning the planet likewise gather for their own unique commemorations.
(Click on image to enlarge)
While the excerpt below was penned in 1992, I’ve been reflecting on its words today and wanted to share it with you.
Tribute by the Universal House of Justice to Bahá’u'lláh on the Centenary of His Passing
With soul-stirring emotion we gather in the hallowed environs of His resting place to honour the memory of the Supreme Manifestation of God, Bahá’u'lláh, on the solemn, historic occasion of the centenary of His ascension.
We lift our voices at the prompting of our hearts’ desire to pay tribute to a life infinitely beyond compare. But how shall we realize such a wish when it is evident that no mind can attain the comprehension which would make possible the vocabulary worthy of His celestial court? In very truth, our tongues falter in their impotence to describe, let alone extol, the prodigies of a prophetic career which was framed in superlatives. For here at Bahji, one hundred years ago, was drawn the last breath on earth of the world’s greatest Luminary, Founder of the Dispensation marking the culmination of the six- thousand-year-old Adamic Cycle, and Inaugurator of the five-thousand-century Bahá’í Cycle. He, the Most Great Manifestation, appeared in the Most Great Name and endured the greatest suffering in authoring the Most Great Revelation, which is the wellspring of the Most Great Peace. In our attempt to appreciate these matchless bounties, we recite the gem-like names of the Adored One, picked out as pearls from the veritable ocean of His Revelation, bestrewing them throughout our testimonial that they may lend an acceptable gleam to our expression of His glory and majesty.
King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Supreme Mediator, Most Ancient Beauty: He is the Well-Beloved of all worlds. We hail Him as the long-awaited Promised One, the Object of the adoration of the world. And we exclaim: “Hallowed be the Lord in Whose hand is the source of dominion!”
How grievously Bahá’u'lláh suffered to regenerate the world! Wrongly accused, imprisoned, beaten, chained, banished from country to country, betrayed, poisoned, stripped of material possessions, and “at every moment tormented with a fresh torment”: such was the cruel reception that greeted the Everlasting Father, Him Who is the Possessor of all Names and Attributes. For two score years, until the end of His earthly days, He remained a prisoner and exile — persecuted unceasingly by the rulers of Persia and the Ottoman Empire, opposed relentlessly by a vicious and scheming clergy, neglected abjectly by other sovereigns to whom He addressed potent letters imparting to them that which, in His truth-bearing words, “is the cause of the well-being, the unity, the harmony, and the reconstruction of the world, and of the tranquillity of the nations”. “My grief”, He once lamented, “exceedeth all the woes to which Jacob gave vent, and all the afflictions of Job are but a part of My sorrows.”
The voice halts for shame from continuing so deplorable a recitation, the heart is torn by mere thought of the Divine Target of such grief — grief no ordinary mortal could endure. But lest we give way to feelings of gloom and distress, we take recourse in the tranquil calm He induces with such meaningful words as these: “We have borne it all with the utmost willingness and resignation, so that the souls of men may be edified, and the Word of God be exalted.” Thus, the Wronged One, patient beyond measure, preserved a majestic composure, revealing His true Self as the Merciful, the Loving, the Incomparable Friend. Concentrating His energies on the pivotal purpose of His Revelation, He transmuted His tribulations into instruments of redemption and summoned all peoples to the banner of unity.
No worldly power could thwart the purpose of the Most Exalted Pen. Through the copiousness of His writings, He poured upon the planet the healing waters of the Word of God renewed. Descending upon Him like a spring rain, His Revelation comprises some one hundred volumes — “volumes replete with unnumbered exhortations, revolutionizing principles, world-shaping laws and ordinances, dire warnings and portentous prophecies, with soul-uplifting prayers and meditations, illuminating commentaries and interpretations, impassioned discourses and homilies, all interspersed with either addresses or references to kings, to emperors and to ministers, of both the East and the West, to ecclesiastics of divers denominations, and to leaders in the intellectual, political, literary, mystical, commercial and humanitarian spheres of human activity.” Foremost among His Books is His Kitab-i-Aqdas, the charter of the future world civilization in which He has announced the Laws of God for this age. Our hearts thrill to the prospect that during the course of this centennial year, the annotated English translation of this Mother Book of Bahá’u'lláh’s Revelation is to be published. We acknowledge with astonished joy the prolific legacy of this divine outpouring. And we exclaim: “Praised be Thou, Who art the Desire of the world, and thanks be to Thee, O Well-Beloved of the hearts of such as are devoted to Thee!”
Today, we bear witness to the further abundance of a peerless heritage. With the setting of the Sun of Baha, the Moon of His Covenant rose in reflected glory, lifting the darkness of a night of despair, and lighting the path to the unity of all humankind. In the fullness of its radiance stands the magnetic Figure of `Abdu’l-Bahá, the beloved Son Whom Bahá’u'lláh designated as the Interpreter of His Word and Executive of His authority, and Whom He appointed the Centre of His Covenant, an office without parallel in all religious history.
We acknowledge the mysterious power of His wisdom, the illuminating potency of His words, the immortal example and unific character of His deeds. By His untiring exertions the fame of the infant Cause was spread abroad, the design of its Administrative Order was completed, the World Centre of the Faith emerged into clear visibility, and the splendours of the Mountain of God, as alluded to in Bahá’u'lláh’s Tablet of Carmel, began to be manifested. With profound gratitude for such evident blessings we reaffirm our loyalty to the Covenant of Bahá’u'lláh. And we exclaim: “Glorified be the All-Merciful, the Lord of Grace abounding!”
As a result of the phenomenal effects of His Covenant, a world community has been raised up on an “unassailable foundation”. The entire system of the Administrative Order originated by Bahá’u'lláh in His Most Holy Book has been erected. A vigorous network of local, national, continental and international institutions functions in exemplary harmony throughout the planet. Vitalized and nurtured by His stupendous Revelation, watered by the precious blood of countless martyrs, and tended by the loving care of unnumbered, devoted servants, the Tree of the Cause has, in these hundred years, grown mightily, has put forth its far-stretching branches and borne its first and plentiful fruit.
Bahá’u'lláh found the world in a “strange sleep”. But what a disturbance His coming has unloosed! The peoples of the earth had been separated, many parts of the human race socially and spiritually isolated. But the world of humanity today bears little resemblance to that which Bahá’u'lláh left a century ago. Unbeknownst to the great majority, His influence permeates all living beings. Indeed, no domain of life remains unaffected. In the burgeoning energy, the magnified perspectives, the heightened global consciousness; in the social and political turbulence, the fall of kingdoms, the emancipation of nations, the intermixture of cultures, the clamour for development; in the agitation over the extremes of wealth and poverty, the acute concern over the abuse of the environment, the leap of consciousness regarding the rights of women; in the growing tendency towards ecumenism, the increasing call for a new world order; in the astounding advances in the realms of science, technology, literature and the arts — in all this tumult, with its paradoxical manifestations of chaos and order, integration and disintegration, are the signs of His power as World Reformer, the proof of His claim as Divine Physician, the truth of His Word as the All-Knowing Counsellor.
Bahá’u'lláh wrote voluminously about the purpose of this mysterious force and its transformative effects, but the essence can be drawn from these few perspicuous words: “Through the movement of Our Pen of Glory We have, at the bidding of the Omnipotent Ordainer, breathed a new life into every human frame, and instilled into every word a fresh potency. All created things proclaim the evidences of this worldwide regeneration.” And again: “A new life is, in this age, stirring within all the peoples of the earth; and yet none hath discovered its cause or perceived its motive.” And yet again: “He Who is the Unconditioned is come, in the clouds of light, that He may quicken all created things with the breezes of His Name, the Most Merciful, and unify the world, and gather all men around this Table which hath been sent down from heaven.”
Let the denizens of the earth wake from their slumber at the resonances of His Name and arise from their confused dreams to embrace the clarity of the new Day: For “This is the King of Days, the Day that hath seen the coming of the Best-beloved, Him Who through all eternity hath been acclaimed the Desire of the World.”
Our thoughts turn back to the mourning time in 1892 when a vast number of residents from the surrounding area came to join His bereaved followers in lamenting the departure of the immortal Beloved. These were not adherents of His Cause and had no real understanding of His station, but the effect of His presence among them was such as to fill them with a grave sense of loss. Today, a century later, it is we, who identify ourselves with His community, who have come in multitudinous array from the far corners of the earth to pay homage to the King of Glory. With us in spirit are the millions of His lovers scattered among tens of thousands of villages, towns and cities, themselves observing in their own localities this solemn anniversary, their hearts focused on the Primal Spot here at Bahji…” (source)
From April 21 to May 2 each year, it’s Ridvan! April 22, 2009
Happy Riḍván!
عيد رضوان مبارك
In case this is your first time hearing about this 12-day festival, here’s a re-post of a great introduction from the U.S. Baha’i website:
What makes the Festival of Ridvan, celebrated April 21 to May 2, the holiest of days for Baha’is? It commemorates the anniversary of Baha’u’llah’s declaration in 1863 that He was the Promised One of all earlier religions.
Up to this point, Baha’u’llah, who was born into a noble Persian family in 1817, had dedicated His life to improving the world and helping others. He became one of the foremost followers of the Bab, for which He was imprisoned, tortured and banished from His native land.
After spending 10 years in exile in Baghdad, Baha’u’llah was ordered to Constantinople (present-day Istanbul) for another period of exile. Before leaving Baghdad, He spent 12 days in a garden on the banks of the Tigris River. The garden later was named Ridvan, meaning “Paradise” or “good pleasure” in Arabic.
As His followers gathered around Him, Baha’u’llah announced that He was the Promised One of all earlier religions — “Him Whom God shall make manifest.” His declaration marks the beginning of the Baha’i Faith.
Baha’is suspend work on the holiest days of Ridvan – the first (April 21), ninth (April 29) and twelfth (May 2). These mark the day of Baha’u'llah’s arrival in the garden, the arrival of His family and the group’s departure for Constantinople.
Throughout Ridvan, Baha’is gather for devotions and attend social gatherings. It is also during this time that elections take place for Baha’i governing bodies.
tinyus April 8, 2009
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“A mechanism of world communication will be devised, embracing the whole planet, freed from national hindrances and restrictions, and functioning with marvelous swiftness and perfect regularity.”
~ Shoghi Effendi, 11 March 1936
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Springtime Reflections March 26, 2009
6:31 am, 6:08 pm. Then, courtesy of Daylight Savings, 7:29 am to 7:09 pm, 7:27 am to 7:10 pm, and so on…
For 19 days each year, I know *precisely* when the sun will rise and set. I bear daily witness to its majestic displays — the spectacular splashing of golds, pinks and purples across the horizon with every entrance and exit.
In fact, I think I might catch more sunrises and sunsets during those nineteen days than I make time to truly appreciate during the entire remainder of the year. Symptom of not eating or drinking from sunrise to sunset I guess, but from March 2 to March 20 each year, Baha’is the world over definitely have a heightened awareness of that same single, ever-present, life-giving (S)source around which we each, conscious of it or not, revolve.
“As the light of the sun shines on the whole world, so the Mercy of the infinite God is shed on all creatures. As the sun ripens the fruits of the earth, and gives life and warmth to all living beings, so shines the Sun of Truth on all souls, filling them with the fire of Divine Love and understanding.” ~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Powerful metaphor, no? Not something to be read into too literally perhaps, but a number of striking parallels between our physical existence/social interactions and spiritual truths!
“It is a lovely day, the sun shines brightly upon the earth, giving light and warmth to all creatures. The Sun of Truth is also shining, giving light and warmth to the souls of men. The sun is the life-giver to the physical bodies of all creatures upon earth; without its warmth their growth would be stunted, their development would be arrested, they would decay and die. Even so do the souls of men need the Sun of Truth to shed Its rays upon their souls, to develop them, to educate and encourage them. As the sun is to the body of a man, so is the Sun of Truth to his soul.” ~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Arriving each year at winter’s cusp and often at a time when, at least personally, the dross and grind of life’s less important (and all-too consuming!) aspects have built up, these nineteen days of feasting on prayer, meditation, reflection, action, and service exercise a revitalizing influence and remind me of the basics which unite us all.
“Mere abstention from food has no effect on the spirit. It is only a symbol, a reminder.” ~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
“This material fast is an outer token of the spiritual fast; it is a symbol of self-restraint, the withholding of oneself from all appetites of the self, taking on the characteristics of the spirit, being carried away by the breathings of heaven and catching fire from the love of God.” ~ Bahá’u’lláh
It’s a time to think about habits, character traits, relationships, interactions, and so on; and a time to read from Sacred Text and reflect on whatever in our own lives might becloud the “mirrors of our hearts” and prevent us from reflecting the light of the sun.
“…this physical fast is a symbol of the spiritual fast. This Fast leadeth to the cleansing of the soul from all selfish desires, the acquisition of spiritual attributes, attraction to the breezes of the All-Merciful, and enkindlement with the fire of divine love.” ~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
It’s also mind-boggling to know this season is imbued with forces beyond our comprehension and which we may not perceive!
“These are, O my God, the days whereon Thou didst enjoin Thy servants to observe the Fast… Thou hast endowed every hour of these days with a special virtue, inscrutable to all except Thee, Whose knowledge embraceth all created things…” ~ Bahá’u’lláh
And then comes the first day of Spring, the arrival of Naw-Ruz (New Year) and, of course, reunion with that old familiar (tastier than ever) friend… Lunch! 
“… This sacred day, when the sun illumines equally, is called the equinox, and the equinox is the symbol of the Manifestation of God. The Sun of Truth rises on the horizon of Divine Mercy and sends forth its rays. This day is consecrated to commemorate it…” ~ Talk by ‘Abdu’l Bahá, March 21, 1913: Star of the West, Vol. 5, No. 1, p. 4
This photo was taken by an exceptional artist whose work, regardless of the medium, has an unmistakable and distinct quality deriving from the inner beauty of its creator. Click on the image above to see more of her work!
Happy Spring!
Open Letter to Iran’s Prosecutor General March 12, 2009
In the wake of false charges against seven detained Baha’i leaders in Iran, the Baha’i International Community has issued an open letter to Iran’s prosecutor general, Ayatollah Qorban-Ali Dorri-Najafabadi, upholding the innocence of the accused.
The clip below, produced by Mehran Granfar, includes extracts from this letter and images from Baha’i communities around the world. You can read the full-text of the open letter from the BIC here.
“My Father’s Imprisonment” February 21, 2009
Here is an excerpt from a poignant personal reflection by Naeim Tavakkoli, the full text of which you can find here:
“…I remember the time when I was involved in a hi-rise construction project which had a good view of Evin prison. As the building was going up, higher and higher, I was able to obtain a better view of that scary place. That is why today I can clearly remember the asymmetrical outline of Evin. It is the image I go to sleep with at night and wake up with in the morning, trying to picture my father inside it. I know what it looks like…
I remember nine months ago after that morning raid on my parents’ home, I was talking to my mother and I could feel she was shaking on the other side of the line as she was telling me about her conversation with one of the intelligence agents. She was packing a warm sweater for my father as they were taking him away, but the agent refused to allow my father to take that package, saying ‘he is not going to need clothing anymore, only a live person does!’
Now it has been more than nine months that my father has been in jail. It has been more than nine months that I have been working on that picture in my head, imagining my father’s situation. Once I had to paint him in solitary confinement, and in interrogation rooms. I have tried to picture him in a room sitting on a wooden stool for over 20 hours facing two intelligence agents filled with blind religious prejudice. I have moved my father in this picture from solitary confinement to the general ward. Then I moved him back to a small cell with no bed, not enough blankets, sleeping on a cold cement floor in Tehran’s cold winter with his four cell-mates. Now I am working on another corner of this big mental canvas. I am drawing a court. I cannot see a lawyer though. Probably they won’t have access to their lawyers.
Will I have to draw my father and his friends back into the prison after this court case? Will I have to move him around Evin prison in my imaginary drawing one more time? From solitary cells, to interrogation rooms, to torture benches, to larger cells with his friends with him?
When I look more carefully at this big unpleasant picture there is another section in this prison which I can see, with wooden posts or steel posts. And steel rafters. And hand-operated cranes. And hoisting machines. And ropes!
My mind won’t let me move my father and his friends to that corner.”
Please contact your elected officials and help raise awareness amongst your own friends and family members. Hopefully our collective action can assist Naeim’s father and his friends.
The EU Speaks Out February 17, 2009
COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
Brussels, 17 February 2009
6567/09 (Presse 42)
Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union on the trial with seven Baha’i leaders in Iran
The EU expresses its deep concern at the grave charges raised against seven Baha’i leaders in Iran. They have been detained by the Iranian authorities for eight months without charge, during which time they have not had access to legal representation.
The EU is concerned that, after being held for so long without due process, the Baha’i leaders may not receive a fair trial. The EU therefore requests the Islamic Republic of Iran to allow independent observation of the judicial proceedings and to reconsider the charges brought against these individuals.
The EU wishes to express its firm opposition to all forms of discrimination and oppression, in particular on the basis of religious practice. In this context, the EU urges the Islamic Republic of Iran to respect and protect religious minorities in Iran and free all prisoners held due of their faith or religious practice.
The Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania and Montenegro, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova align themselves with this declaration.
* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.
Rainn Wilson, Saving Lives, and You February 17, 2009
What’s the connection between Rainn Wilson, seven individuals facing trial and possible execution this week, and you? Click here, to read Rainn’s news commentary for CNN.
Please take a few minutes to write to your elected officials in support of religious minorities in Iran. Doing so could literally saves lives.
