The “Primitive, the Apostolic Age of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh”

With ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s ascension, and more particularly with the passing of His well-beloved and illustrious sister the Most Exalted Leaf—the last survivor of a glorious and heroic age—there draws to a close the first and most moving chapter of Bahá’í history, marking the conclusion of the Primitive, the Apostolic Age of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘The Dispensation of Baha’u’llah’, included in ‘The World Order of Baha’u’llah’)

In ‘God Passes By’ the Guardian identifies “momentous happenings” within the Faith during its first 100-year worldwide growth and expansion

I shall seek to represent and correlate, in however cursory a manner, those momentous happenings which have insensibly, relentlessly, and under the very eyes of successive generations, perverse, indifferent or hostile, transformed a heterodox and seemingly negligible offshoot of the Shaykhí school of the Ithná-‘Asharíyyih sect of Shi‘ah Islám into a world religion whose unnumbered followers are organically and indissolubly united; whose light has overspread the earth as far as Iceland in the North and Magellanes in the South; whose ramifications have spread to no less than sixty countries of the world; whose literature has been translated and disseminated in no less than forty languages; whose endowments in the five continents of the globe, whether local, national or international, already run into several million dollars; whose incorporated elective bodies have secured the official recognition of a number of governments in East and West; whose adherents are recruited from the diversified races and chief religions of mankind; whose representatives are to be found in hundreds of cities in both Persia and the United States of America; to whose verities royalty has publicly and repeatedly testified; whose independent status its enemies, from the ranks of its parent religion and in the leading center of both the Arab and Muslim worlds, have proclaimed and demonstrated; and whose claims have been virtually recognized, entitling it to rank as the fourth religion of a Land in which its world spiritual center has been established, and which is at once the heart of Christendom, the holiest shrine of the Jewish people, and, save Mecca alone, the most sacred spot in Islám.

- Shoghi Effendi  (Preface to ‘God Passes By’)

The Ascension of Baha’u’llah

Already nine months before His ascension Bahá’u’lláh, as attested by ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá, had voiced His desire to depart from this world. From that time onward it became increasingly evident, from the tone of His remarks to those who attained His presence, that the close of His earthly life was approaching, though He refrained from mentioning it openly to any one. On the night preceding the eleventh of Shavvál 1309 A.H. (May 8, 1892) He contracted a slight fever which, though it mounted the following day, soon after subsided. He continued to grant interviews to certain of the friends and pilgrims, but it soon became evident that He was not well. His fever returned in a more acute form than before, His general condition grew steadily worse, complications ensued which at last culminated in His ascension, at the hour of dawn, on the 2nd of Dhi’l-Qa‘dih 1309 A.H. (May 29, 1892), eight hours after sunset, in the 75th year of His age. His spirit, at long last released from the toils of a life crowded with tribulations, had winged its flight to His “other dominions,” dominions “whereon the eyes of the people of names have never fallen,” and to which the “Luminous Maid,” “clad in white,” had bidden Him hasten, as described by Himself in the Lawh-i-Ru’yá (Tablet of the Vision), revealed nineteen years previously, on the anniversary of the birth of His Forerunner. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘God Passes By’)

'Abdu'l-Baha in a garden near His residence in Haifa

The “human soul” is that “all-unifying agency” that connects “the various organs and members, the parts and elements, that constitute the body of man” and “causeth them to function in perfect harmony and with absolute regularity, thus making the continuation of life possible.”

By nature is meant those inherent properties and necessary relations derived from the realities of things. And these realities of things, though in the utmost diversity, are yet intimately connected one with the other. For these diverse realities an all-unifying agency is needed that shall link them all one to the other. For instance, the various organs and members, the parts and elements, that constitute the body of man, though at variance, are yet all connected one with the other by that all-unifying agency known as the human soul, that causeth them to function in perfect harmony and with absolute regularity, thus making the continuation of life possible. The human body, however, is utterly unconscious of that all-unifying agency, and yet acteth with regularity and dischargeth its functions according to its will. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Tablet to August Forel)

To become ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s "associates in servitude" to Baha’u’llah’s Holy Threshold

Verily, I hope from God that ye may become my associates in servitude to His Holy Threshold and my partners at the entrance of the Door of His Oneness; so that ye may equally serve in His great vineyard. Then thank ye your Lord, for He hath favored you with this manifest success. By God, the true One! this cannot be equaled either by the dominion of the world or by the gift of ruling over all regions with pomp, glory and power! Reflect ye upon the chosen ones of God in the earlier ages! How their worth was unknown during their days; how they were known by people as but ordinary individuals and unimportant persons! Afterwards, their arguments appeared, their lights scintillated, their stars beamed, their trees became lofty, their mysteries gleamed forth, their fruits were praised, their reservoirs became overflowing, their gardens adorned, their birds warbled and their joy became perfect in the Kingdom of their Beneficent Lord. 

- ‘Abdu'l-Baha  (Tablets of ‘Abdu'l-Baha vol. 2)

Governor of Isfahan showed “exemplary servitude and devotion” to the Báb

Manuchihr-Khan
the governor of Isfahan

The Mu‘tamidu’d-Dawlih [the Governor of Isfahan] then became aware of the truth of the Cause and manifested exemplary servitude and devotion to His chosen ones. When some of the ignorant people in his city arose to stir up sedition, he defended the divine Truth by affording Me protection for a while in the privacy of the Governor’s residence. At length, having attained the good-pleasure of God, he repaired to his habitation in the all-highest Paradise. May God reward him graciously.… 

- The Báb  (‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)

The Báb’s father passed away early during His childhood

According to Mirza Abu'l-Fadl-i-Gulpaygani, Siyyid Muhammad-Rida, the Báb's father, died when his only child was an infant, unweaned. Then the care of the child devolved upon a maternal uncle, Haji Mirza Siyyid 'Ali. He was the only relative of the Bab to espouse His Cause openly during His lifetime and, as will be seen, to accept martyrdom for His sake. But according to a manuscript history of the Babi-Baha'i Faith in Shiraz by Haji Mirza Habibu'llah-i-Afnan, [1] Siyyid Muhammad-Rida passed away when his son was nine years old, and 'Abdu'l-Baha appears to confirm this account. [2]

- Balyuzi  (‘The Báb, Herald of the Day of Days’)

[1] Haji Mirza Habibu'llah's father, Aqa Mirza-Aqa, was a nephew of the wife of the Bab, and his paternal grandfather, Aqa Mirza Zaynu'l-'Abidin, was a paternal cousin of the father of the Báb

[2] ‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘A Traveller's Narrative’

The Báb was a young merchant of the Pure Lineage. He was born in the year one thousand two hundred and thirty-five [A.H.] on the first day of Muharram, [October 20, 1819] and when after a few years His father Siyyid Muḥammad-Riḍá died, He was brought up in Shíráz in the arms of His maternal uncle Mírzá Siyyid ‘Alí the merchant.

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘A Traveler’s Narrative’)

Bahá'u'lláh and His siblings

• Mirza Aqa -- a half-brother. Baha’u’llah mentions an occasion in His childhood when during the wedding of this brother His attention was drawn to a puppet show.
• Mirza Muhammad -- a half-brother
• Mirza Muhammad-'Ali -- a half-brother
• Sakinih Khanum -- a half-sister
• Sughra Khanum -- a half-sister
• Sarih Khanum -- she is generally known as 'Ukht', Arabic for sister, because Baha'u'llah has thus referred to her.
• Mirza Mihdi -- he died in his father's lifetime
• Bahá'u'lláh (Mirza, Husayn-'Ali)
• Mirza Musa – faithful to Baha’u’llah. He was entitled Aqay-i-Kalim in later years.
• Nisa Khanum -- she married Mirza Majid-i-Ahi, a secretary of the Russian Legation.
• Shah-Sultan Khanum -- a half-sister. She was also called 'Izziyih Khanum. She later became a firm supporter of Mirza Yahya (Subhi-i-Azal).
• Mirza Taqi – a half-brother. He was a poet and became a Shaykhi much opposed to Baha’u’llah.
• Mirza Rida-Quli -- a half-brother. He earned the designation Haji' by his pilgrimage to Mecca, and kept apart from Baha'u'llah even trying to conceal the fact of their relationship. His wife, Maryam, however, became greatly devoted to Baha’u’llah.
• Mirza Ibrahim -- a half-brother. He died in his father's lifetime.
• Fatimih Sultan Khanum -- a half-sister. She also chose later to follow Mirza Yahya.
• Mirza Yahya -- a half-brother
• Husniyyih Khanum -- a half-sister
• Mirza Muhammad-Quli -- a half-brother. He was greatly devoted to Baha’u’llah.

(Adapted from ‘Baha’u’llah the King of Glory’, by H.M. Balyuzi)

Footnotes of 'The Dawn-Breakers' – The Guardian consulted fifty-five books

The footnotes of The Dawn-Breakers, some of which are in French, are another example of his talent in the field of historical research. To appreciate the tremendous background of knowledge he possessed at the time of his translation of that book, it suffices to glance at the titles and authors of the fifty-five books he consulted, as listed in the Appendix. 

- Hand of the Cause Ugo Giachery  (‘Shoghi Effendi – Recollections’)

Prayer for Believers - To "have loving and tender hearts"

O God, my God! Aid Thou Thy trusted servants to have loving and tender hearts. Help them to spread, amongst all the nations of the earth, the light of guidance that cometh from the Company on high. Verily Thou art the Strong, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Subduing, the Ever-Giving. Verily Thou art the Generous, the Gentle, the Tender, the Most Bountiful. 

- ‘Abdu'l-Baha  (Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu'l-Baha)

May 20, 2023 - A funny incident while in the company of the Master - William Copeland Dodge

Although ‘Abdu’l-Baha was a serious expounder of the Baha’i Faith He had a fine sense of humor. One day at dinner, we were eating soup, a nice thick soup. Leaving my spoon in the plate I raised my hand to adjust my collar. As I brought down my hand my elbow came in contact with the handle of the spoon. And soup was spread upon the whiskers of the Persian believer on my right. Of course, I was terribly embarrassed. However, ‘Abdu’l-Baha, observing the incident quickly said: “Do not worry. That is a blessing” and laughed aloud. My brother Wendell then remarked: “Who gets the blessing, Bill, you or the friend with the whiskers?” And ‘Abdu’l-Baha laughed again. Wendell and I were so glad to be with ‘Abdu’l-Baha. At some times we were quite jolly. We were mere boys of 18 and 21. 

- William Copeland Dodge  (Excerpt from the transcript of a talk given by William Copeland Dodge relating the account of his pilgrimage to ‘Akka in 1901)

Horace Holley: “In ‘Abdu’l-Baha I felt the awful presence of Baha’u’llah …I realized that I had thus drawn as near as man now may to pure spirit and pure being…”

It was while Horace and his wife were living in Siena, Italy, in 1911, that he heard of the arrival of ‘Abdu’l-Baha and his party in Thonon-les-Bains, France, As they had been hoping to make the pilgrimage to the Holy Land in order to meet the Master they lost no time in seizing this golden opportunity to attain His presence and left immediately for the small watering place on Lake Geneva, where they arrived on the afternoon of August 29th. Horace, in his account of this meeting with ‘Abdu’l-Baha, wrote that he had felt that if he could only look upon the Master from a distance, this would satisfy his pilgrim’s heart. He then goes on to describe what this privilege of spending a few days near ‘Abdu’l-Baha meant to him:

“I saw among them a stately old man, robed in a cream-coloured gown, his white hair and beard shining in the sun. He displayed a beauty of stature, an inevitable harmony of attitude and dress I had never seen nor thought of in men. Without having ever visualized the Master, I knew that this was He. My whole body underwent a shock. My heart leaped, my knees weakened, a thrill of acute, receptive feeling flowed from head to foot. I seemed to have turned into some most sensitive sense-organ, as if eyes and ears were not enough for this sublime impression. In every part of me I stood aware of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s presence. From sheer happiness I wanted to cry -- it seemed the most suitable form of self-expression at my command. While my own personality was flowing away, a new being, not my own assumed its place. A glory, as it were from the summits of human nature poured into me, and I was conscious of a most intense impulse to admire. In ‘Abdu’l-Baha I felt the awful presence of Baha’u’llah, and, as my thoughts returned to activity, I realized that I had thus drawn as near as man now may to pure spirit and pure being... I yielded to a feeling of reverence which contained more than the solution of intellectual or moral problems. To look upon so wonderful a human being, to respond utterly to the charm of His presence -- this brought me continual happiness. I had no fear that its effects would pass away and leave me unchanged. I was content to remain in the background...

The “perfections of the spirit…appear in this world”

…it is necessary that the signs of the perfection of the spirit should be apparent in this world, so that the world of creation may bring forth endless results, and this body may receive life and manifest the divine bounties. So, for example, the rays of the sun must shine upon the earth, and the solar heat develop the earthly beings; if the rays and heat of the sun did not shine upon the earth, the earth would be uninhabited, without meaning, and its development would be retarded. In the same way, if the perfections of the spirit did not appear in this world, this world would be unenlightened and absolutely brutal. By the appearance of the spirit in the physical form, this world is enlightened. As the spirit of man is the cause of the life of the body, so the world is in the condition of the body, and man is in the condition of the spirit. If there were no man, the perfections of the spirit would not appear, and the light of the mind would not be resplendent in this world. This world would be like a body without a soul. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Compilation: ‘The Baha’i Faith’)

Táhirih's place of confinement in Tihran

The house of the Kalantar in Tihran where Táhirih was confined. 

The upper room behind the tree is the one she occupied. 

(The Dawn-Breakers)

“Arise from the corporeal beds”

O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God! Verily I say unto thee the truth, that I am with you in spirit and in heart, that I rejoice by your joy and am happy by your happiness; and hear with the ear of spirit your calling and scent with the spiritual nostrils the fragrances of your garden.

O ye friends of God! Arise from the corporeal beds (bodies) and ask for the divine favors, so that ye become revived by the Holy Spirit through the breath which the Spirit breathes into the souls.

By the glory of my Lord, there will be for your brilliant assemblage an evident sign and great effects in the spirits and the hearts. Therefore, gladden the friends of the Merciful with the glad-tidings of thy Lord in this time, and convey to them greeting from ‘Abdu’l-Baha in this promised century, so that they may arise with me in servitude to the Threshold of Baha’u’llah. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 1)

Facsimile of Ruhiyyih Khanum's Persian handwriting

(Source: Andalib no. 74, 2000)

The Báb's Pilgrimage to Mecca

During October 1844 the Báb, accompanied by Quddus, left Shiraz on pilgrimage to Mecca. He returned to Bushihr sometime in late April or early May of 1845.

Unity among people – brought about due to necessities versus divine unity

We spoke about the inhabitants of Honolulu: that many nationalities are there represented and yet all are in great harmony.

‘Abdu’l-Baha said: "Time and place play a great influence over the conditions; when in a certain place some strangers meet, necessity requires that they should be in harmony; but our purpose is this, that the divine unity and concord may become well established among all the nations, so that they may become as one spirit in different bodies; the drops of one ocean; the fruits of one tree and the rays of the same sun. In America, when the different people united together they were enabled to drive away the English government and establish a new government for themselves. Consider how great is the result of unity and harmony! There has never been any action performed nor any philanthropic deed achieved except through unity and concord; disagreement and dissension have always been the means of evil and corruption." 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Utterances of 'Abdu'l-Baha recorded by Mirza Moneer Zaine in Haifa during the pilgrimage of Howard Struven and Charles Mason Remey;  Star of the West, vol. 1, no. 8, August 1, 1910)

1912, New York: ‘Abdu’l-Baha and His entourage at the home of Howard MacNutt

As human beings “we have been given the capacity to know and love God and to consciously obey Him”

…basic to the Baha'i Teachings is the concept that it is only God Who knows the purpose of human life, and Who can convey this to us through His Manifestations. A distinguishing feature of human existence is that we have been given the capacity to know and love God and to consciously obey Him. Thus we also have the converse: the ability to turn away from God, to fail to love Him and to disobey Him. Indeed, left to himself, man is naturally inclined towards evil. Human beings need not only assistance in defining acceptable behaviour of one person towards another, but also guidance which will help them to refrain from doing that which is spiritually damaging to themselves. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 11 September 1995 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to a National Spiritual Assembly)

The “greater world, the macrocosm, is latent and involved in the microcosm or the lesser world, and that is the universality of the virtues which is particularized in man.”

When you observe created beings, you find that the mineral kingdom is endowed with certain virtues. And we observe that the vegetable kingdom has not only the virtues of the mineral kingdom but it is endowed with another property namely, the virtue augmentative or the power of growth. The animal kingdom possesses the virtues or powers of the mineral kingdom plus those of the vegetable kingdom, and moreover it possesses certain peculiar properties of its own. The human kingdom is endowed with the virtues or perfections of the mineral kingdom and those of the vegetable kingdom, and the perfections of the animal kingdom, and moreover has the human virtues. This makes it evident that man is superior and most noble, and he is the most glorious of beings!

Man is the microcosm and this endless world is the macrocosm. But the mysteries of the macrocosm, the greater world, are expressed or revealed in the microcosm or the lesser world. The tree is the greater world, so to speak, and a seed holds the relation of the lesser world. But the whole of the tree is potentially latent in the seed. An immense tree, a colossal tree, is latent or hidden within a small seed. So when this seed is cultivated, is planted, then it is made possible of revelation. Likewise the greater world, the macrocosm, is latent and involved in the microcosm or the lesser world, and that is the universality of the virtues which is particularized in man. 

- ‘Abu’l-Baha  (From a talk; ‘Star of the West, vol. 3, no. 4, May 17, 1912’)

“We cannot be too careful. We cannot be too exemplary.”

The eyes of the people of the world are beginning to be focused on us; and, as humanity's plight goes from bad to worse, we will be watched ever more intently by non-Baha'is, to see whether we do uphold our own institutions whole-heartedly; whether we are the people of the new creation or not; whether we live up to our beliefs, principles and laws in deed as well as word. We cannot be too careful. We cannot be too exemplary. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 5 August 1955, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, ‘Unfolding Destiny’)

Robert Turner: - One of 19 Disciples of ‘Abdu’l-Baha

He was born on October 15, 1855 or 1856. He was the first member of the negro race in the Western Hemisphere to embrace the Faith. [‘God Passes By’]. Since it is estimated that Robert was born in Virginia in about 1855-56, it is possible that he was born enslaved. [The American Baha’i, November 23, 2005] He was for some 35 years a butler in the household of Phoebe Hearst, eventually becoming her personal butler -- a position of considerable responsibility. Shortly before 1898, Phoebe Hearst received Lua Getsinger in her San Francisco home. Lua introduced the Faith to her while Robert was in attendance serving tea. Naturally, he overheard the conversation and, like Mrs. Hearst, was touched by what he heard. He was with Phoebe Hearst when, in 1898, she arranged for the first group of Baha’i pilgrims to visit 'Abdu'l-Baha in 'Akka. On 10 December 1898 Robert was warmly received by 'Abdu'l-Baha Who raised him to his feet and embraced him when, on first seeing the Master, he had dropped to his knees calling out, "My Lord! My Lord! I am not worthy to be here. On a later occasion 'Abdu'l-Baha said, "Robert, your Lord loves you.” [Balyuzi, ‘Abdu’l-Baha’] Robert later encountered many difficulties, but remained staunch in his new faith; he died in 1909 not many years after his return from the Holy Land. 

(Adapted from ‘The A to Z of the Baha’i Faith, by Hugh Adamson)

1910: Some of the Baha'is of Mandalay, Burma

With travel teachers Mason Remey (left) and Howard Struven (right)

God will continue sending Prophets till ‘the end that hath no end’

God hath sent down His Messengers to succeed to Moses and Jesus, and He will continue to do so till ‘the end that hath no end’; so that His grace may, from the heaven of Divine bounty, be continually vouchsafed to mankind. 

- Baha’u’llah  (Quoted by Shoghi Effendi in 'The World Order of Baha’u’llah')

How a believer can determine “precisely what his course of conduct should be in relation to situations which he encounters in his daily life”

It is neither possible nor desirable for the Universal House of Justice to set forth a set of rules covering every situation. Rather is it the task of the individual believer to determine, according to his own prayerful understanding of the Writings, precisely what his course of conduct should be in relation to situations which he encounters in his daily life. If he is to fulfil his true mission in life as a follower of the Blessed Perfection, he will pattern his life according to the Teachings. The believer cannot attain this objective merely by living according to a set of rigid regulations. When his life is oriented toward service to Bahá'u'lláh, and when every conscious act is performed within this frame of reference, he will not fail to achieve the true purpose of his life.

Therefore, every believer must continually study the sacred Writings and the instructions of the beloved Guardian, striving always to attain a new and better understanding of their import to him and to his society. He should pray fervently for Divine Guidance, wisdom and strength to do what is pleasing to God, and to serve Him at all times and to the best of his ability. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 17 October 1968 written by the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, a Chase and Holy Life)

The first Baha'i of Hawaiian ancestry

Mrs. Mary Fantom has the distinction of being the first Baha'i of Hawaiian blood. She was affectinately known as Auntie May. She was a long time resident of Maui and closely associated with Hand of the Cause Agnes Alexander. This photograph was taken on Auntie May's ninety-first birthday. 

(Baha'i News, March 1971)

“everyone can find some effective method of teaching according to his own particular capacities and talents”

When the friends realize that the hosts of the Kingdom are waiting to rush forth and assist them, that others from their own ranks have arisen and have been successful, that everyone can find some effective method of teaching according to his own particular capacities and talents, they will then no doubt arise with greater confidence to take the first step, and this, we know, will be aided and guided from on high, for the very act of striving to respond to God's call will bring in its wake countless divine blessings. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated March 3, 1977; compilation ‘The Individual and Teaching – Raising the Divine Call’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice)

“Blessed is the spot… where mention of God hath been made, and His praise glorified”

Blessed is the spot, and the house, and the place, and the city, and the heart, and the mountain, and the refuge, and the cave, and the valley, and the land, and the sea, and the island, and the meadow where mention of God hath been made, and His praise glorified. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Bahá'í prayers: A Selection of Prayers Revealed by Bahá'u'lláh, the Báb, and 'Abdu'l-Bahá’; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. 1, Family Life)

Some impressions about the Báb by His schoolmaster Shaykh ‘Abid

There are left for posterity some overall recollections about the Báb’s personality by His schoolmaster many years after he became aware that the Báb was the Founder of a new religion for humanity. These impressions were in addition to his shock and amazement concerning the Báb’s depth of intelligence and knowledge at such a young age.

One of the qualities that he noticed about the Báb was the nobility of His character and the charm of His personality. He recalled that the Báb was always very dignified, serene and calm. Although He was very handsome He did not show much interest in pursuing those activities that were common to boys His age.

Shaykh ‘Abid also remembered that every now and then the Báb used to come late to the school. When asked why He was late, the Báb would typically remain silent. On some occasions he would become worried about His absence and would end up sending some of His classmates to go and check on His whereabouts. They would come back and tell him that they had found the Báb at His own home engaged in prayers. This wasn’t commonly expected of children his age – He was about ten years old then.

On one occasion when His schoolmaster questioned the Báb why He was late, He quietly replied that He had been in the house of His 'Grandfather'. This was a common way in which those who were descendents of Prophet Muhammad would refer to their time of devotions in the spiritual presence of Muhammad. When Shaykh ‘Abid angrily said that He was only ten years old and that such rigorous attention to devotions was not required of Him, the Báb calmly said ‘I wish to be like My Grandfather’. His schoolmaster did not make of it much and attributed it to the Bab’s innocence and lack of adequate understanding of the subject being covered. 

(Adapted from 'The Báb - The Herald of the Day of Days', by Hand of the Cause Balyuzi)