People get converted to the Baha'i Faith so easily!

In Oakland, California the community had a Persian dinner Saturday night at a hall in a park. Six Persian families prepared dinner for eighty people, many of whom were guests, The group included American Indians as well as people of other than American backgrounds. A welcoming talk of explanation of the occasion, children’s recitation of verses from...

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Persecution of Baha'is is a golden opportunity for teaching - The UHJ

In 1982, the Universal House of Justice wrote that 'the effect of these developments (i.e. the persecutions in Iran) is to offer such golden opportunities for teaching and further proclamation as can only lead, if vigorously and enthusiastically seized, to large scale conversion and increasing prestige'. Internal documents relating to the subject of...

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The Bab's claims in the beginning of his mission

It is of particular value in helping us form a clear picture of the Bāb’s ideas at this juncture, especially since it seems to represent the first step taken to address himself to a wider audience than the Shaykhi ulama for whom his earlier works had been written. In the course of this work, he states that the Islamic legal system “shall not be abrogated”;...

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"Slay those who have joined partners with God, and leave not a single one of the unbelievers alive upon the earth"

More explicitly, the Bāb links the waging of holy war with the necessary preparations for the advent of the Qāʾim: “O armies of God!”, he writes, “when you wage war with the infidels (al-mushrikīn), do not fear their numbers. ...Slay those who have joined partners with God, and leave not a single one of the unbelievers (al-kafirīn) alive upon the earth,...

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"...his dispatches concerning the Báb and the Bábís were 'laid before the Queen'."

The two British Foreign Secretaries who received news and dispatches regarding the Báb and the Bábís were the Earl of Aberdeen, who held office from September 1841 to July 1846, under Sir Robert Peel; and Viscount Palmerston, whose tenure of office extended from July 1846 to January 1852, under Lord John Russell. The British envoy chiefly involved...

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Qayyum al Asma and the Quran

Major Henry Rawlinson (1810–1895) (the British political agent in Baghdad) elsewhere speaks of Bastāmī’s “perverted copy of the Koran.” The text of the Qayyūm al-asmāʾ itself, however, indicates that this was a most superficial response and that the theory behind the tafsīr was much more complex than mere imitation of the Qurʾān.(The Messiah of Shiraz,...

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Abdul Baha's contacts with British Military heads

It appears that General Allenby, Commander-in-Chief of the British forces, had called upon him at Haifa a week ago and at the Master's wish had driven with him to Acre and taken tea at Bahje, outside the city. The party included Lady Allenby, General Bols, Chief of the General Staff, and also Colonel Staunton, Military Governor of Haifa, who has become...

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Introduction of Babism by Denis MacEoin

Babism was the precursor of Baha’ísm, but unlike its now very widespread successor it began as a highly chiliastic and militant affair during Iran’s Qajar dynastic period, even bent on waging holy war to secure the abrogation of the Islamic order and bring in a new messianic (Mahdist) dispensation. Centered on Sayyid ‘Alī Muhammad Shīrāzī, the Bāb...

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Statistical Report Program

Two major computer programs launched by the Bahá’í World Center are in use worldwide:SRP (Statistical Report Program), implemented in the United States in 2007, a repository of information about how many enrolled Bahá’ís live in each cluster and local community; how many institute courses have been completed; how many core activities, Feasts and Holy...

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"I personally hesitate to commit myself to the Baha'i faith"

Shua Ullah, the eldest grandson of Baha'u'llah said it best:"I personally hesitate to commit myself [to the Baha'i faith] with the existing conditions amongst us, as today we observe only the differences of ideas, lack of cooperation, discord, enmity, selfishness, and hatred—while we should believe that smiles are better than frowns, kindness better...

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According to a prominent Baha'i historical figure, the formation of Israel was "a most remarkable bloodless revolution occurred, when 4,000,000 Moslems fled and 1,000,000 Jews marched in and began tilling their ancestral soil, and a new nation was born."

May 18. On this date in 1954, Ruhaniyyih Ruth Moffett arrived in Israel. She described the founding of that country six years previous as "a most remarkable bloodless revolution occurred, when 4,000,000 Moslems fled and 1,000,000 Jews marched in and began tilling their ancestral soil, and a new nation was born. Today the blue and white flag with the...

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The Russians, fearing the effect of Babi propaganda near their border

After having been protected at Isfahan, in 1847 the Bab was imprisoned in Sunni Kurdistan where he continued to spread his predictions of catastrophe via his disciples. The Russians, fearing the effect of Babi propaganda near their border – they already had faced two Messianic preachers in the Caucasus – demanded that the prisoner be moved away from...

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How Baha'is ask for money?

With two and one-half months still to be accounted for, we are far short of the target. Total receipts must amount to $144,232 monthly to achieve the intermediate goal set for November 12 or $108,298 monthly to reach the final goal of $1,060,000 by March 31.Bahá’ís are privileged to contribute to the International Bahá’í Fund, the Continental Bahá’í...

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The Bab appointed Mirza Yahya (known as Subh-i-Azal), to become the chief of the Babí community upon His passing.

Baha'i Scholar Peter Terry states,The Báb appointed Mirzá Yahyá (known as Subh-i-Azal), to become the chief of the Bábí community upon His passing. Mirzá Yahyá assumed that position but did not exercise it in any systematic or constructive fashion, according to the Bahá'í reports of the period in question, from July 1850 until April 1863. Bahá'u'lláh...

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Abdul Baha also met various diplomats & U.S. military officers

While in North America, 'Abdu'l-Bahá was treated as a dignitary and an eminent advocate for world peace. He met with many of the great American social, religious, and political leaders of the age. These included Jane Addams, founder of Hull House in Chicago; Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone; Samuel Gompers, president of the American...

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Baha'u'llah's writing a will did not save his family.

A niece of Bahíyyih Khánum recounts that nine days after the passing of Bahá'u'lláh, His will was read, first to the men, and then to the women of the household. The will established Bahá'u'lláh's Covenant with the believers, making clear that His son 'Abdu'l Bahá was appointed not only as the Center of the Covenant but also as Bahá'u'lláh's successor......

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Some Covenant-breakers

I reached 'Akká by night, and went to the hospice, where I found Hájí 'Abbás. He was an Arab from Baghdad, and became a Covenant-breaker in the end. Hájí 'Abbás had been in Beirut, heading for 'Akká, and I had said to him, "Don't tell anyone in 'Akká that Ustád Muḥammad-'Alí is coming."Jamal-i-Burujerdi, this man was an important Bahá'í teacher during...

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"my words... are preserved from sin and ignorance and error."

Al-Ahsā’ī went much further than any of his contemporaries in claiming more or less perpetual access to supernatural sources of knowledge, thus: The “ulamā” derive their knowledge one from the other, but I have never followed in their way. I have derived what I know from the [Twelve] Imāms of guidance, and error cannot find its way into my words, since...

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“orders had been given to beat me and throw me out”

"According to Ruhi Afhan, he was even banned from visiting Baha’u’llah’s tomb, and threatened by Shoghi Effendi’s wife, who informed him that “orders had been given to beat me and throw me out” if he ever went to the Shrine. This only changed as a result of a lawsuit by Kamar Bahai in 1952." (Letter by Ruhi Mohsen Afnan to the Baha’i Spiritual Assembly...

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As of October 27 [2021], there were 38 Baha’is in prison.

NGOs reported that as of October 27 [2021], there were 38 Baha’is – 16 men and 22 women – in prison.(INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORTS, by U.S. Department of State, Custom Report - e17950a37d)https://www.state.gov/report/custom/e17950a3...

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sacred obligation is to deliver the message to their fellowmen at once, and on as large a scale as possible.

There is so much suffering, such a great and desperate need for a true remedy and the Bahá’ís should realize their sacred obligation is to deliver the message to their fellowmen at once, and on as large a scale as possible. If they fail to do so, they are really partly responsible for prolonging the agony of humanity.-Shoghi Effendi, Lights of Guidance,...

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The Bab and the law of tattoo

We have already seen how in the Persian Bayán cleanliness and beautification is emphasized as a means of spiritualizing the material body. The Báb even allows the believers to have a tattoo on their bodies: since the heart is the seat of the love of God, the Báb states that it is permitted that the phrase “O Thou My God” (Alláhumma), for males, and...

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The Babi Laws

The apparent tolerance shown in the many positive statements made in the Bayān is quite contradicted by a string of very harsh regulations governing relations with non-believers. The latter are forbidden to live in the five central provinces of Iran; the shrines and holy places of previous religions (including the Shīʿī shrines in Kūfa and elsewhere,...

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Refutation of Abdul-Baha's claims

Read 'The Three Questions' by Dr. Ibrahim Kheiralla. It gives a refutation of Abdul-Baha's claims based on the Kitab-i Aqdas and other writings of Baha'u'llah, and it is a pretty short read.https://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/K-O/K/kheiralla/T3Q.htmThere is a post about it here:https://www.reddit.com/r/FreeSpeechBahai/comments/ttcbw0/dr_khei...

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Some reasons why Fazl'ollah Mohtadi Sobhi left the Baha'i faith

His first real doubts started after seeing 'Abdu'l-Baha for the first time and realizing that he was nothing like how he was described by Baha'i missionaries. Finally after seeing how Mírzá Muhammad ʻAlí was treated by 'Abdu'l-Baha and his followers he devised a plan to extend his 19-day stay in Haifa to investigate the truth (...)He recounts many...

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"And if ye say that He is in need of a guardian for His cause, verily this is an injustice"

The religion basically started with what we would now call 'covenant-breaking', as Baha'u'llah rebelled against Azal who was the legitimate head of the faith at that time. In his defence, Baha'u'llah wrote:"These are the days of the Manifestation and God is manifest like unto the sun in the midst of heaven, and in the courtyard of His sanctity, nothing...

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The local Arabs of Acre did not embrace the new creed.

"Bahá'u'lláh's influence and renown among local Arabs was apparently considerable; however, they did not embrace the new creed. Nowadays there is not a single Bahá'í family of Arab origin in Acre. Local Arabs explain that at the time of Bahá'u'lláh's influence in Acre; in the competition between the Bahá'ís and the Shadliya, the latter predominated....

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on some occasions Abdul Baha led the prayers in the mosque.

During the Mandatory period, the Bahá'ís of Acre, though considered a sect, remained firmly within the confines of Islam. 'Abdul Bahá himself, before he left Acre during the last years of the Ottoman rule, had the use of a separate room in the central mosque of Acre and on some occasions led the prayers in the mosque.(Erik Cohen, “The Baha'i Community...

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Bitter and spiteful attitudes within Baha'u'llah's own family

Sadly, I cannot do justice in providing a fair description of this religion, whose aim it is to unify the world, without taking note of the bitter and spiteful attitudes within Baha'u'llah's own family. One of Baha'u'llah's daughters challenged Shoghi Effendi's authority in court, but she was unsuccessful, partially because some of her key witnesses...

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Messages of delight whenever a tragedy struck anyone who opposed him

He [Shoghi Effendi] communicated messages of delight whenever a tragedy struck anyone who opposed him...(Ref. Shoghi Effendi, Messages to the Baha'i World: 1950-57 [Wilmette, Ill.: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1971], p. 24-25, 54-55, 87-...

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"Baha'is believe that the Faith has never been split into sects!"

Also, there's a little logic problem in Baha'i doctrine that has bothered me for a while. Baha'is believe that the Faith has never been split into sects (lasting ones, anyway), and will in fact remain basically undivided. But those groups that do separate from the mainstream of the Faith are declared non-Baha'is, simply because they separated. It's...

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Conservative & Liberal Baha'is

While it is true that conservative Baha'is object to categorising Baha'is as liberals or conservatives, as gentle or hard-line, for a sociologist to suggest that such divisions do not exist in the community is frankly bizarre.Conservative Baha'is believe it is wrong to criticise the Baha'i institutions publicly. They support the NSA's right to act...

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The Babis of Zanjan rose in arms against the Qajar governor of the town.

May 5. On this date in 1850 the Bábis of Zanjan rose in arms against the Qajar governor of the town.On March 20, 1848, Mullá Ḥusayn-i-Bushru'i, who in 1844 had become the first person to become a follower of the Báb, visited the Báb at Maku prison, where the Báb was incarcerated.Subsequent to his visit, Mullá Ḥusayn-i-Bushru'i became involved in the...

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British and Russians were seriously interested in the Babis

It is undeniable that the British and Russians were seriously interested in the Bābīs (as they were in any movement of potential significance in the Middle East at this period) and that later contacts between Bāhāʾīs and British and Russian government officials or missionaries were often cordial and of mutual benefit, but the sort of evidence that...

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Baha'i faith is a world religion not a Babi sect, Asiatic cult or offshoot of Shia Islam

Ceasing to designate to itself a movement, a fellowship and the like—designations that did grave injustice to its ever-unfolding system—dissociating itself from such appellations as Bábí sect, Asiatic cult, and offshoot of Shí‘ih Islám, with which the ignorant and the malicious were wont to describe it, refusing to be labeled as a mere philosophy of...

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mankind must suffer and be punished sufficiently to make it turn to God. - The UHJ

 '...All we know is that the Lesser and the Most Great Peace will come--their exact dates we do not know. The same is true as regards the possibility of a future war; we cannot state dogmatically it will or will not take place--all we know is that mankind must suffer and be punished sufficiently to make it turn to God.'(From a letter of the Universal...

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The Lesser Peace - "It will be universal in the twentieth century."

The Lesser Peace in the Bahá’í Faith is a prophecy of political peace to be established by the nations of the world in order to bring about an end to war. Its establishment will prepare the way for the Most Great Peace, a condition of permanent peace and world unity to be founded on the spiritual principles and institutions of the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh...

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"the Guardian expected obedience to dictates from afar, but accepted us as the members of the community..."

"Whatever real reasons he had, neither I, nor Hassan, or our respective families, have learnt. For all of us, it simply cast a shadow that we could have done without, reminding us that even when cast out of the Cause, the Guardian expected obedience to dictates from afar, issued by someone who neither accepted us as members of the community nor granted...

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"back-biting is forbidden"

Baha'is say their prejudiced attitude is only towards covenant breakers but it extends to people who criticize the Faith or leave the Faith also.The whole "back-biting is forbidden" thing doesn't apply to people designated as "enemies" who will get blasted from pillar to post for all their character flaws (real or imagined) as soon as Baha'is feel...

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‘shake their faith in what?’

Dr. Moojan Moomen, a well informed, well established writer on Bahai history and Bahai matters, has official permission from the House of Justice to come and visit us. At a recent meeting on December 5, 2011 he made a statement that prompted me to write the following letter to him on April 3, 2012:Dear Dr. Momen:Towards the end of our last meeting...

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14 facts about the Baha'i Faith that any bahá'í will ever tell you!

1- The Bab revealed a series of bizarre laws in the Bayan: The rich should live in a 9 sided house; It's forbidden to read books without permission; reprinting of books after 37 and 200 years; never tear up letters; prohibition on the study of dead languages etc.2- Many writings of The Bab are crystal clear that his dispensation was expected to last...

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