Foreword to ‘God Passes By’ by Shoghi Effendi – a descriptive list

•   1844: “the inception of the Bábí Dispensation, …the inauguration of the Bahá’í Era, …the commencement of the Bahá’í Cycle, and… the birth of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá”
• 1844: The “culmination of a universal prophetic cycle”
• The magnitude of Baha’u’llah’s “shadow” on “successive Prophets destined to be raised up after Him”
• “a tumult in human society such as no mind can fathom”
• “a fermentation in the general life of mankind”
• The “emergence of His [Baha’u’llah’s] embryonic World Order…has ‘deranged the equilibrium of the world and revolutionized mankind’s ordered life’”
• The “spirit” which is ““vibrating in the innermost realities of all created things”
• The “evidences of the travail of an age that has sustained the impact of His [Baha’u’llah’s] Revelation, that has ignored His summons”
• The Guardian’s purpose in writing God Passes By
• In ‘God Passes By’ the Guardian makes a review of certain worldwide events from 1844 to 1944
• In ‘God Passes By’ the Guardian identifies “momentous happenings” within the Faith during its first 100-year worldwide growth and expansion
• Subjects not in the scope of this book
• Baha'i administrative institutions
• Subjects not ignored in the book

“A unity in diversity of actions”: - “each person cannot do everything and all persons cannot do the same thing”

An expansion of thought and action in certain aspects of our work would enhance our possibilities for success in meeting our aforementioned commitments. Since change, ever more rapid change, is a constant characteristic of life at this time, and since our growth, size and external relations demand much of us, our community must be ready to adapt. In a sense this means that the community must become more adept at accommodating a wide range of actions without losing concentration on the primary objectives of teaching, namely, expansion and consolidation. A unity in diversity of actions is called for, a condition in which different individuals will concentrate on different activities, appreciating the salutary effect of the aggregate on the growth and development of the Faith, because each person cannot do everything and all persons cannot do the same thing. This understanding is important to the maturity which, by the many demands being made upon it, the community is being forced to attain. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (Ridvan 1990 message)

The title of 'Hidden Words' and its meaning

"... The title 'Hidden Words' was given by Bahá'u'lláh because there is a tradition in Islam, that Fatimih, Muhammad's daughter, grieved greatly over the Martyrdom of her son, and God sent Gabriel to speak encouraging words to her. These words were 'hidden', only she having heard them, and in these latter days the Promised One has revealed them, thus fulfilling a tradition." (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, December 20, 1949)

"With regard to your question concerning the meaning of the name 'Hidden Words'. It is, indeed, one of the most suggestive titles of the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh. These words are called hidden due to the fact that men have had neither the knowledge nor a true sense of appreciation of them before they were revealed by Bahá'u'lláh. It is through Him, Who is the sole Mouthpiece of God in this age, that spiritual realities and truths have been once more reinterpreted and revealed afresh to mankind. Bahá'u'lláh's Message is thus the only key to a true revealed afresh to mankind. Bahá'u'lláh's Message is thus the only key to a true understanding of the mysteries that envelop man's spiritual life." (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, September 1, 1935)

(Compilation: ‘Lights of Guidance’)

1944: USA - a group of Iranian Baha'i students who came to America to continue their studies

 

(Baha'i News, September 1944)

1955: First Asia Teaching Conference in Nikko Japan

 

Besides Japan, participants were from Caroline Islands, Formosa, Guam, Hong Kong, Korea, Macao, Iran and the United States (Baha'i News, December 1955)

1955: Group of Baha'is of Abaiang, Gilbert Islands

The Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Tuarabu, Abaiang 
was incorporated on September 24, 1955
(The Baha'i World 1954-1963)

1848: The “inauguration of the new Dispensation was sounded” at Badasht by Tahirih, “the noblest of her sex in that Dispensation”

A little over four years had elapsed since the birth of the Báb’s Revelation when the trumpet-blast announcing the formal extinction of the old, and the inauguration of the new Dispensation was sounded. No pomp, no pageantry marked so great a turning-point in the world’s religious history. Nor was its modest setting commensurate with such a sudden, startling, complete emancipation from the dark and embattled forces of fanaticism, of priestcraft, of religious orthodoxy and superstition. The assembled host consisted of no more than a single woman and a handful of men, mostly recruited from the very ranks they were attacking, and devoid, with few exceptions, of wealth, prestige and power. The Captain of the host was Himself an absentee, a captive in the grip of His foes. The arena was a tiny hamlet in the plain of Badasht on the border of Mázindarán. The trumpeter was a lone woman, the noblest of her sex in that Dispensation, whom even some of her co-religionists pronounced a heretic. The call she sounded was the death-knell of the twelve hundred year old law of Islám. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘God Passes By’) 

Introduction to 'The Dawn-Breakers' by Shoghi Effendi - A descriptive list

• 
  Nabil’s chronicle gives us “not only great historical value but high moral power”
• Nabil was “a participant in some of the scenes which he recites”
• Nabil’s style of composition
• The main features of Nabil’s narrative
• One needs to have “some knowledge of the condition of church and state in Persia [at that time] and of the customs and mental outlook of the people and their masters”
• English literature about Persia in the nineteenth century
• Pocket Qur'an of the Báb (photo)
• Nineteenth century Persia as seen by various Western observers
• ‘Abdu’l-Baha compares Persia’s glorious past to her darkened condition in the nineteenth century
• A Church-State Country - The right to take life was vested in the Shah alone; and so were all the functions of government, legislative, executive, and judicial.
• All major and many minor leadership posts were given to descendants of the Shah
• Obstacles to a Shah being able to make just decisions
• Robe of the Báb (photo)
• The system of giving and receiving gifts permeated government and all aspects of life in Persia
• The practice of the “balance of personal advantage” – “usually expressed in money form”: a system “so open, so shameless, or so universal” in the entire country in the nineteenth century Persia; “far from being limited to the sphere of domestic economy or to commercial transactions, it permeates every walk and inspires most of the actions of life.”
• Penalties and prisons in 19th Century Persia
• Features of government administration and judicial procedure in 19th Century Persia

Three kinds of persecution ‘Abdu’l-Baha had to bear

All who stand up in the Cause of God will be persecuted and misunderstood. It has always been so; it will always be so. Let neither enemy nor friend disturb your peace, destroy your happiness, prevent your accomplishment. Fix your soul upon God. Then persecution and slander will make you the more radiant. The purposes of your enemies will be reflected upon themselves. They will be injured instead of you. Oppression is the wind which fans the fire of the love of God. Welcome persecution and bitterness. A soldier may bear arms, but until he has faced the enemy in battle he has no right to a place in the king's army. Let nothing defeat you. God is your helper. God is invincible. Be firm in the Heavenly Covenant. Pray for strength. It will be given you, no matter how difficult the conditions.

When ‘Abdu’l-Baha was sent to Akka, he experienced three kinds of persecution. Two kinds were easy to bear. When he arrived in Akka they placed chains upon his limbs and circlets of steel were locked around his ankles and knees. While the guards were doing this ‘Abdu’l-Baha laughed and sang. They were astonished and said, "How is this? You are laughing and singing. When prisoners are ironed in this way, they usually cry out, weep and lament." ‘Abdu’l-Baha replied, "I rejoice because you are doing me a great kindness; you are making me very happy. For a long time I have wished to know the feelings of a prisoner in irons, to experience what other men have been subjected to. I have heard of this; now you have taught me what it is. You have given me this opportunity. Therefore I sing and am very happy. I am very thankful to you."

How to introduce teachings of the Faith to our friends - learning from ‘Abdu’l-Baha

In my talks with the reverend doctors of religion and men of the peace societies I have spoken the Glad-tidings of Baha’u’llah, but always according to their varying need and capacity. As capacities differ, the purpose must be to satisfy the degree of hunger, destroy all possible antagonism and establish a point of agreement. We cannot induce men to lay clown their arms by fighting with them. War intensifies the spirit of strife. War begets war. We are peacemakers, not destroyers of peace. Therefore ‘Abdu’l-Baba finds the note of harmony which vibrates in every human heart. This is our subtle basis. Build upon it. Follow no other method. Talk about things upon which we agree and say nothing about things upon which we differ. We must disorganize humanism in order to construct a spiritual edifice in the world of humanity. This edifice is heavenly but its foundations are planted in the unity of human hearts. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Utterances of 'Abdu'l-Baha recorded by Howard MacNutt; Star of the West, vol. 4, no. 1, 21 March 1913)