To read the writings of the Faith and to strive to obtain a
more adequate understanding of the significance of Bahá’u’lláh’s stupendous
Revelation are obligations laid on every one of His followers. All are enjoined
to delve into the ocean of His Revelation and to partake, in keeping with their
capacities and inclinations, of the pearls of wisdom that lie therein. In this
light, local deepening classes, winter and summer schools, and specially
arranged gatherings in which individual believers knowledgeable in the writings
were able to share with others insights into specific subjects emerged
naturally as prominent features of Bahá’í life. Just as the habit of daily reading
will remain an integral part of Bahá’í identity, so will these forms of study
continue to hold a place in the collective life of the community. But
understanding the implications of the Revelation, both in terms of individual
growth and social progress, increases manifold when study and service are
joined and carried out concurrently. There, in the field of service, knowledge
is tested, questions arise out of practice, and new levels of understanding are
achieved. In the system of distance education that has now been established in
country after country—the principal elements of which include the study circle,
the tutor and the curriculum of the Ruhi Institute—the worldwide Bahá’í
community has acquired the capacity to enable thousands, nay millions, to study
the writings in small groups with the explicit purpose of translating the
Bahá’í teachings into reality, carrying the work of the Faith forward into its
next stage: sustained large-scale expansion and consolidation.
- The Universal
House of Justice (Ridvan 2010)
