Serving in teaching and administrative spheres of Baha’i work

Regarding the statement made by the Guardian in his letter to Mr. Willard Hatch concerning the fact that believers can serve both as teachers and administrators. Shoghi Effendi would approve your Assembly making this fact known to all the friends. For although it is essential for the believers to maintain always a clear distinction between teaching and administrative duties and functions, yet they should be careful not to be led to think that these two types of Baha’i activity are mutually exclusive in their nature, and as such cannot be exercised by one and the same person. As a matter of fact, the friends should be encouraged to serve in both the teaching and the administrative fields of Baha’i service. But as there are always some who are more specially gifted along one of these two lines of activity it would seem more desirable that they should concentrate their efforts in acquiring the full training for that type of work for which they are best suited by nature. Such a specialization has the advantage of saving time, and of leading to greater efficiency, particularly at this early stage of our development. The great danger, however, lies in that by so doing the friends may tend to develop a sort of class consciousness which is fundamentally contrary to both the spirit and actual teachings of the Faith. It is precisely in order to overcome such a danger that the Guardian thinks it advisable that the friends should be encouraged to serve from time to time in both the teaching and the administrative spheres of Baha’i work, but only whenever they feel fit to do so. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated July 29, 1935, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi; Baha’i News, no. 95, October 1935)

“Prayer… transcends all ritualistic forms and formulae”

The important thing that should always be borne in mind is that with the exception of certain specific obligatory prayers, Baha’u’llah has given us no strict or special rulings in matters of worship, whether in the Temple or elsewhere. Prayer is essentially a communion between man and God, and as such transcends all ritualistic forms and formulae.” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated June 15, 1935, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, Baha’i News, no. 93, July 1935)

Variations in the three versions of the Bible – two examples

…the Torah, held to be the most ancient of histories, existeth today in three separate versions: the Hebrew, considered authentic by the Jews and the Protestant clergy; the Greek Septuagint, which is used as authoritative in the Greek and other Eastern churches; and the Samaritan Torah, the standard authority for that people. These three versions differ greatly, one from another, even with regard to the lifetimes of the most celebrated figures.

In the Hebrew Torah, it is recorded that from Noah’s flood until the birth of Abraham there was an interval of two hundred and ninety-two years. In the Greek, that time-span is given as one thousand and seventy-two years, while in the Samaritan, the recorded span is nine hundred and forty-two years… Refer to the commentary by Henry Westcott, for tables are supplied therein which show the discrepancies among the three Torahs as to the birthdates of a number of the descendants of Shem, and thou wilt see how greatly the versions differ one from another.

1953: Ruhiyyih Khanum at the grave site of her father, William Sutherland Maxwell

Ruhiyyih Khanum at the grave site of her father, William Sutherland Maxwell, Hand of the Cause of God, in Mount Royal Cemetery, Montreal. Floral spray sent by the Guardian of the Baha'i World Faith from Haifa, in foreground. Mrs. Amelia Collins stands to the right of Ruhiyyih Khanum, and others include National Spiritual Assembly members and Montreal Baha'is. May, 1953. 

(The Baha’i World 1950-1954)

“Material and spiritual science” - “the two wings of human uplift and attainment”

Scientific knowledge is the highest attainment upon the human plane, for science is the discoverer of realities. It is of two kinds: material and spiritual. Material science is the investigation of natural phenomena; divine science is the discovery and realization of spiritual verities. The world of humanity must acquire both. A bird has two wings; it cannot fly with one. Material and spiritual science are the two wings of human uplift and attainment. Both are necessary – one the natural, the other supernatural; one material, the other divine. By the divine we mean the discovery of the mysteries of God, the comprehension of spiritual realities, the wisdom of God, inner significances of the heavenly religions and foundation of the law. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a talk, 23 May 1912, Cambridge, Massachusetts; ‘The Promulgation of Universal Peace’; the Compilation of Compilations, vol. III, Scholarship)

“The principle of the Oneness of Mankind – the pivot round which all the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh revolve”

Let there be no mistake. The principle of the Oneness of Mankind – the pivot round which all the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh revolve – is no mere outburst of ignorant emotionalism or an expression of vague and pious hope. Its appeal is not to be merely identified with a reawakening of the spirit of brotherhood and goodwill among men, nor does it aim solely at the fostering of harmonious co-operation among individual peoples and nations. Its implications are deeper, its claims greater than any which the Prophets of old were allowed to advance. Its message is applicable not only to the individual, but concerns itself primarily with the nature of those essential relationships that must bind all the states and nations as members of one human family. It does not constitute merely the enunciation of an ideal, but stands inseparably associated with an institution adequate to embody its truth, demonstrate its validity, and perpetuate its influence. It implies an organic change in the structure of present-day society, a change such as the world has not yet experienced. It constitutes a challenge, at once bold and universal, to outworn shibboleths of national creeds–creeds that have had their day and which must, in the ordinary course of events as shaped and controlled by Providence, give way to a new gospel, fundamentally different from, and infinitely superior to, what the world has already conceived. It calls for no less than the reconstruction and the demilitarization of the whole civilized world–a world organically unified in all the essential aspects of its life, its political machinery, its spiritual aspiration, its trade and finance, its script and language, and yet infinite in the diversity of the national characteristics of its federated units.

Role of the community, as one of “the three protagonists” of the divine Plan

The community… draws on everything within its power to augment its fruitful activities. As a dynamic and growing entity, it endeavours to

• create an environment in which the inner capacities of all of its members—whether new or veteran, men or women, young or old, urban or rural dwellers, and of whatever tribe or race throughout that land—flourish,
• and the ability 
• to take counsel together,
• to make decisions, and
• to cooperate at the grassroots level is raised to new heights so that its members may serve more effectively towards the betterment of society.
• This community learns to read effectively the reality of its environment,
• to recognize existing opportunities,
• to utilize its resources, and
• to respond to present needs.

1948: First Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Brussels, Belgium

(The Baha'i World 1946-1950)

Creating a possible “to-do” list for a Spiritual Assembly based on the attributes of “an evolving framework for action”, identified by the Universal House of Justice in their Ridvan 2016 message

(Ridvan 2016 message)

• To “progressively nurture and refine essential capacities”
• To initiate “simple acts of service”.
• To start “a systematic process of human resource development and community building”.
• To inspire “confidence” in “believers…to share accounts of Bahá’u’lláh’s life and discuss the implications of His Revelation and peerless Covenant”.
• To encourage the “friends, at the very grassroots of the community” to become more able “to describe in eloquent terms their experience of a process capable of transforming character and shaping social existence”.
• To increase the “numbers of those indigenous” to the country who, “as members of Bahá’í institutions and agencies” will guide “the affairs” of its community.
• To encourage “reliable, generous, and sacrificial giving to the Fund”
• To aim for an “unprecedented efflorescence of individual initiative and collective action in support of community-building activities”.
• To inspire “enthusiasm” in “selfless souls in the prime of youth” to bring “immense vigour” to “the spiritual education of younger generations”.
• To enhance “the devotional character of the community through regular gatherings for worship”.
• To “rise in capacity at all levels of Bahá’í administration”
• To increase LSA’s “readiness” to “think in terms of process”, “to read…[its] immediate reality” and assess…[its] resources in the [place]…where they live”, and “to make plans on that basis”.
• To encourage LSA’s committees, task forces, liaisons, to “think in terms of process”, “to read…[its] immediate reality” and assess…[their] resources in the [place]…where they live”, and “to make plans on that basis”.
• To increase community members to “think in terms of process”, “to read…[their] immediate reality” and assess…[their] resources in the [place]…where they live”, and “to make plans on that basis”.

The right of voting in Baha’i elections – “to exercise that right intelligently and with understanding”

I feel I must reaffirm the vital importance and necessity of the right of voting -- a sacred responsibility of which no adult recognized believer should be deprived, unless he is associated with a community that has not as yet been in a position to establish a local Assembly. This distinguishing right which the believer possesses, however, does not carry with it nor does it imply an obligation to cast his vote, if he feels that the circumstances under which he lives do not justify or allow him to exercise that right intelligently and with understanding. This is a matter which should be left to the individual to decide himself according to his own conscience and discretion. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated April 28, 1935, addressed to NSA of United States and Canada, Baha’i News, no. 93, July 1935)

A Baha’i Principle: The “Prophets of the one, the unknowable God, including Bahá'u'lláh…[are]… all…, the channels of God's grace…the exponents of His unity…the mirrors of His light and the revealers of His purpose…”

…it is our clear duty to make it indubitably evident to every seeker after truth that from "the beginning that hath no beginning" the Prophets of the one, the unknowable God, including Bahá'u'lláh Himself, have all, as the channels of God's grace, as the exponents of His unity, as the mirrors of His light and the revealers of His purpose, been commissioned to unfold to mankind an ever-increasing measure of His truth, of His inscrutable will and Divine guidance, and will continue to "the end that hath no end" to vouchsafe still fuller and mightier revelations of His limitless power and glory.

We might well ponder in our hearts the following passages from a prayer revealed by Bahá'u'lláh which strikingly affirm, and are a further evidence of, the reality of the great and essential truth lying at the very core of His Message to mankind:

Variations in grammatical styles of the Verses of God – Baha’u’llah explains

The verses are sent down at one time in a form that is untroubled by the rules of grammarians, transcending what the minds of men have yet conceived; and at another time they are sent down in a style that conformeth to the standards of men. Thy Lord, verily, is potent over whatsoever He willeth by virtue of His words "Be, and it is." Wert thou to view them with Mine eyes thou wouldst see that they are in conformity with the most consummate rules, and wouldst give thanks to the Lord, the Almighty, the Best-Beloved. 

- Baha’u’llah  (Quoted by the Universal House of Justice in a letter dated 26 November 1986written on its behalf to a National Spiritual Assembly; ‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001’)

1953: Canadian National Baha'i Convention 1953, Toronto, Ontario

(The Baha'i World 1950-1954)

A sample of calligraphy by Mishkin Qalam

Opening passage of Baha'u'llah's 'The Hidden Words' in the calligraphy of Mishkin Qalam 

(Baha'u'llah, The King of Glory, by Balyuzi)

1949: First Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Barcelona, Spain

(The Baha'i World 1946-1950)

2005: The unfoldment of a “framework for action”

(Excerpts from a message of the Universal House of Justice to the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors, 27 December 2005)

The “elements required for a concerted effort to infuse the diverse regions of the world with the spirit of Baha’u’llah's Revelation”

Over the past four and a half years, as the believers throughout the world have striven to pursue the aim of advancing the process of entry by troops, it has become increasingly clear that the close of the present Five Year Plan will mark a decisive moment in the unfoldment of the historical enterprise on which the community of the Greatest Name is embarked. The elements required for a concerted effort to infuse the diverse regions of the world with the spirit of Baha’u’llah's Revelation have crystallized into a framework for action that now needs only to be exploited. (UHJ, Dec. 27, 2005)

First step in framework for action:  “develop the human resources of the Cause through a network of training institutes.”

Our 26 December 1995 message, which focused the Baha'i world on a path of intense learning about the sustained, rapid growth of the Faith, described in general terms the nature of the work that would have to be undertaken in meeting the challenges ahead. As a first step, Baha'i communities were urged to systematize their efforts to develop the human resources of the Cause through a network of training institutes. While every national community took measures to create institutional capacity to perform this essential function, it was not until the outset of the Five Year Plan that the significance of a well-conceived programme of training became widely appreciated. (UHJ, Dec. 27, 2005)

“The introduction of the concept of the cluster” and its benefits

The introduction of the concept of the cluster made it possible for the friends to think about the accelerated growth of the community on a manageable scale and to conceive of it in terms of two complementary, reinforcing movements: the steady flow of individuals through the sequence of institute courses and the movement of clusters from one stage of development to the next. (UHJ, Dec. 27, 2005)

Harmonization of activities into one forward movement

A discernible outcome of the emphasis on capacity building has been a steady increase in the exercise of individual initiative-initiative that is disciplined by an understanding of the requirements of systematic action in advancing the process of entry by troops. Endeavours are pursued in a humble posture of learning within the framework defined by the Plan. As a result, activities that give expression to a diversity of talents become harmonized into one forward movement, and the stagnation caused by endless debate over personal preferences about approach is avoided. Commitment to long-term action grows, putting in context the initiatives undertaken by the believers at any particular moment. (UHJ, Dec. 27, 2005)

An example of the incredible ability of the Manifestation of God - Baha’u’llah explains

Thou knowest full well that We perused not the books which men possess and We acquired not the learning current amongst them, and yet whenever We desire to quote the sayings of the learned and of the wise, presently there will appear before the face of thy Lord in the form of a tablet all that which hath appeared in the world and is revealed in the Holy Books and Scriptures. Thus do We set down in writing that which the eye perceiveth. Verily His knowledge encompasseth the earth and the heavens.

- Baha'u'llah  (‘Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh Revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas’)

Difference between inspiration and imagination

As to the difference between inspiration and imagination: Inspiration is in conformity with the Divine Texts, but imaginations do not conform therewith. A real, spiritual connection between the True One and the servant is a luminous bounty which causeth an ecstatic (or divine) flame, passion and attraction. When this connection is secured (or realized) such an ecstasy and happiness become manifest in the heart that man doth fly away (with joy) and uttereth melody and song. Just as the soul bringeth the body in motion, so that spiritual bounty and real connection likewise moveth (or cheereth) the human soul. 

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

The awesome greatness of the Revelation of Baha’u’llah - 'Abdu'l-Baha and the Guardian explain

As a further testimony to the greatness of the Revelation identified with Bahá'u'lláh may be cited the following extracts from a Tablet addressed by 'Abdu'l-Bahá to an eminent Zoroastrian follower of the Faith:

"Thou hadst written that in the sacred books of the followers of Zoroaster it is written that in the latter days, in three separate Dispensations, the sun must needs be brought to a standstill. In the first Dispensation, it is predicted, the sun will remain motionless for ten days; in the second for twice that time; in the third for no less than one whole month. The interpretation of this prophecy is this: the first Dispensation to which it refers is the Muhammadan Dispensation during which the Sun of Truth stood still for ten days. Each day is reckoned as one century. The Muhammadan Dispensation must have, therefore, lasted no less than one thousand years, which is precisely the period that has elapsed from the setting of the Star of the Imamate to the advent of the Dispensation proclaimed by the Báb. The second Dispensation referred to in this prophecy is the one inaugurated by the Báb Himself, which began in the year 1260 A.H. and was brought to a close in the year 1280 A.H. As to the third Dispensation -- the Revelation proclaimed by Bahá'u'lláh -- inasmuch as the Sun of Truth when attaining that station shineth in the plenitude of its meridian splendor its duration hath been fixed for a period of one whole month, which is the maximum time taken by the sun to pass through a sign of the Zodiac. From this thou canst imagine the magnitude of the Bahá'í cycle -- a cycle that must extend over a period of at least five hundred thousand years." 

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