Category: Central Figures

The Prisoner and the Chief

Published March 15, 2020 by admin

The Prisoner and the Chief

After Baha’u’llah declared His mission in 1863, He and his companions were exiled for shorter terms in the cities of Constantinople and Adrianople, but the spread of His influence led them to be ultimately exiled to the prison city of Akka. It was a harsh imprisonment, and when they arrived, they were denied water and edible food. Two members of their group died of illness shortly after arrival and the guards refused to allow them to bury their bodies, eventually extorting money from the prisoners so that they could be buried in a shallow grave. In response to this imprisonment, Baha’u’llah addressed a Tablet to the “Chief”, one of the two ministers responsible for their exile and the harshness of their imprisonment. Though the Tablet is addressed to the minister, it is really addressed to us as he lays out how people should respond to these kinds of challenges in life. As part of that Tablet, Baha’u’llah tells the “Chief” a story to illustrate the true nature of life and how we should prioritize our attachment to it. The story is of a puppet show he attended while still a child living in Persia.

“When I was still a child and had not yet attained the age of maturity, My father made arrangements in Ṭihrán for the marriage of one of My older brothers, and as is customary in that city, the festivities lasted for seven days and seven nights. On the last day it was announced that the play “Sháh Sulṭán Salím” would be presented. A large number of princes, dignitaries, and notables of the capital gathered for the occasion. I was sitting in one of the upper rooms of the building and observing the scene. Presently a tent was pitched in the courtyard, and before long some small human-like figures, each appearing to be no more than about a hand’s span in height, were seen to emerge from it and raise the call: “His Majesty is coming! Arrange the seats at once!” Other figures then came forth, some of whom were seen to be engaged in sweeping, others in sprinkling water, and thereafter another, who was announced as the chief town crier, raised his call and bade the people assemble for an audience with the king. Next, several groups of figures made their appearance and took their places, the first attired in hats and sashes after the Persian fashion, the second wielding battleaxes, and the third comprising a number of footmen and executioners carrying bastinados. Finally there appeared, arrayed in regal majesty and crowned with a royal diadem, a kingly figure, bearing himself with the utmost haughtiness and grandeur, at turns advancing and pausing in his progress, who proceeded with great solemnity, poise and dignity to seat himself upon his throne.”

Baha’u’llah then goes on to recount more of the details of the show, with the ostentatious king presiding over the portrayal of a battle and the execution of a thief, after which the show ends with much fanfare, and He continues.

This Youth regarded the scene with great amazement. When the royal audience was ended, the curtain was drawn, and, after some twenty minutes, a man emerged from behind the tent carrying a box under his arm.

“What is this box,” I asked him, “and what was the nature of this display?”

“All this lavish display and these elaborate devices,” he replied, “the king, the princes, and the ministers, their pomp and glory, their might and power, everything you saw, are now contained within this box.”

I swear by My Lord Who, through a single word of His Mouth, hath brought into being all created things! Ever since that day, all the trappings of the world have seemed in the eyes of this Youth akin to that same spectacle. They have never been, nor will they ever be, of any weight and consequence, be it to the extent of a grain of mustard seed. How greatly I marveled that men should pride themselves upon such vanities, whilst those possessed of insight, ere they witness any evidence of human glory, perceive with certainty the inevitability of its waning.

Baha’u’llah then goes on to counsel us and all humanity.

It behoveth everyone to traverse this brief span of life with sincerity and fairness. Should one fail to attain unto the recognition of Him Who is the Eternal Truth, let him at least conduct himself with reason and justice. Erelong these outward trappings, these visible treasures, these earthly vanities, these arrayed armies, these adorned vestures, these proud and overweening souls, all shall pass into the confines of the grave, as though into that box. In the eyes of those possessed of insight, all this conflict, contention and vainglory hath ever been, and will ever be, like unto the play and pastimes of children.

Prison of Akka, courtesy of Baha’i Media Bank

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Profiles in Spirituality- Ali Ibn Abu Talib

Profiles in Spirituality- Ali Ibn Abu Talib

Published March 14, 2020 by admin

In the United Nations Human Development report of 2002, recommendations were made for true and principled governance, using as a primary reference the words of Ali Abu Ibn Talib, the son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad. In truth, Ali is one of the most revered human beings of all time, but he is little known in the western world. He was the Prophet’s primary supporter during His lifetime and Ali’s sermons following His death clarified the true nature of Islam. For the Islamic revelation, he was the founder of the principles of governance, philosophy, and metaphysics.

At our time in history, when religion has become so confused and degraded, and a source of dissension among peoples, it is critical to understand the revelations of God in their noblest terms, so that we can remember what they were truly about- wisdom, unity, and progressive principles. We will spend this evening’s post highlighting stories and words from the life of Ali Ibn Talib. These stories are taken for an 11th century compilation known as the “Peak of Eloquence”. All quotes are those of Ali.

“Your first lead and guide is your mind. Nothing is more useful to man than his intelligence and there is nothing wealthier than wisdom. There is no greater bounty of the Lord granted to you greater than the intellect.”

“Everyone is your brother, either they are your brother in faith or your brother in creation.”

A story is told of Ali when he was in battle and his opponent lost his sword. He realized his hopeless plight of standing before Ali without his sword. Ali lowered his sword and said “Run away friend, you are not in a position to defend yourself.” The man said, “but why don’t you kill me. It would mean you have one less enemy”. Ali said
“I cannot strike a man who cannot defend himself.” Now the man became bold and said, “I am told that you cannot deny a begger, I beg of you to give me your sword.”. Ali gave him his sword and the man said- “Now who is going to defend you”. Ali responded, “Of course God, he will defend me if He so wills.” At this the man was defeated and said “O Lord, you are a great man. Allow me to join your fold. I want to be your bodyguard and fight for you.”. Ali responded, “Fight for truth and justice and don’t fight for persons.”

In the midst of one of the early battles against the Muslim community, Ali’s servant brought him some sweet syrup to drink, stating “my lord, the sun is very hot and you have been fighting, have a glass of this cold drink.”. Ali looked around himself and replied “shall I refresh myself when hundreds of people around me are lying wounded and dying of thirst and wounds? Instead of bringing sweet syrup for me, take a few men and give each of these wounded men a cool drink.” The servant said “but my lord, these are your enemies”. Ali said “they may be but they are human beings and attend to them.”

Another story is told of a situation in which Ali’s army was kept from refreshing themselves in a river, as it was presided over by the commander of the enemy. They requested but were denied the ability to refresh themselves. Soon after, Ali’s army attacked and were able to take the river. The enemy now sent men to Ali, asking if they could access the river for themselves and their horses. Ali told them to take as much water as they like and as often as they need. When his officers remarked to him that these were the very people who had refused them access to the river, he replied “they are human beings and, though they have acted inhumanly, yet I cannot follow their example and cannot refuse a man food and drink because he happens to be my enemy”.

After the death of the Prophet, Ali assumed no formal political role initially, spending time delivering sermons on the nature of Islam. He had a deep commitment to learning and protected the library of Alexandria from being harmed after it was taken by the Muslims, stating that none of the learning in it could possibly be against the Quran. When he did accede to leadership, he initiated reforms and systematically promoted education and literacy.

Ali was particularly concerned about the differences between the new Muslim community and the Arab tribal structure it was replacing. There was a constant tension, as there is in the modern day, between various groups who wanted to jockey for resources and power against other tribes and racial groups. Ali taught about the equal distribution of public wealth, even to slaves, and centered much of his attention on the poor and downtrodden. In order to demonstrate this, he sought to reflect these values in his own life, eating humble food and dressing in clothing that was similar to the poorest Muslims.

One man described an encounter with Ali in this way- “One day I went to see Ali in the Government House. It was the time of breakfast and before him there was a cup of milk and some barley bread. The bread was dry, stale, hard, and did not contain any butter or oil. It could not be easily broken into pieces…I turned towards his servant and said “FIzza! Have you no pity upon your old master and cannot give him softer bread and add some butter and oil to it?” She replied “why should I pity him when he doesn’t pity himself? He has strict orders that nothing it to be added to his bread and even the chaff and husks are not to be separated. We are his servants and we eat much better food than him”…. Ali was asked why he ate in this way and he replied- “I want the eat the kind of food which the poorest of this realm can afford at least once a day. I shall improve it after I have improved their standards of life. I want to live, feel, and suffer like them”.

One time, Ali came out of his house and there were patches sown onto his dress and was teased for looking so shabby. He said “Let go, what you you to find objection in my dress. It is the kind our masses can afford. Why can you not think of their lives and dress? I shall improve my standard after I have succeeded in improving theirs. I shall continue to live like them. Such kind of dress makes one feel humble and meek and give up vanity, haughtiness, and arrogance.”

Ali instituted progressive taxation and refused to accept gifts that were over and above the normal taxes. He insisted on the equal distribution of the public taxes, stating that the income of the ruler (from public wealth) must be no more than a commoner. The development of agricultures was more important than taxation stating “so far as the collection of land revenue is concerned, you must always keep in view the welfare of the tax-payer, which is more important than the taxes themselves…, as actual taxable capacity of people rests on the fertility of the land, therefore more attention should be paid to the fertility of the land and prosperity of the subjects than to the collection of revenues.” He also demonstrated benign governance. He laid down rules of war that supported only wars of defense, saying never to attack someone who is wounded or someone who is running away, and never to harm women, children, or the elderly.

In doing all these reforms, he made some natural enemies, particularly from those who wanted to control public wealth in a non-equal way. One of his companions pointed this out to him by saying, “Look my lord, these are the reasons influential people and rich Arabs are deserting you….Of what use are these poor persons, disabled people, aged widows and Negro slaves to you? How can they help and serve you?”. He replied “I cannot allow rich and influential persons to exploit the society of this Muslim state and run an inequitable and unjust system of distribution of wealth and opportunities. I cannot for a moment tolerate this. This is public wealth. It comes from the masses and must go back to them…So far as the usefulness or services of these disabled persons and have-nots is concerned, remember that I am not helping them to secure their services. I fully well know that they are not able to serve me. I help them because they cannot help themselves and they are as much human beings as you and I. May God help me to do my duty as He wishes me to do.”

In addition to being a great statesman, Ali is most known as the center of Islamic metaphysics and his commitment to reason and knowledge. His description of God is illuminating-

“God is not like any object that the human mind can conceive. No attribute can be ascribed to Him which bears the least resemblance to any quality of which human beings have perception from their knowledge of material objects…He is with every object, not from resemblance or nearness. He is outside everything but not from separation or indifference towards His creatures. He works and creates but not in the meaning of motions or actions….He has no relation to matter, time and space. God is omnipotent because knowledge is His Essence, Loving because love is His Essence, Might because power is His Essence, Forgiveness because forgiveness is His Essence, and not because these are attributes apart from His Essence.”

(Passages summarized from Peak of Eloquence (Nahjul Balagha), translated by Sayed Ali Reza and published by Thrice Tarsile Quran, Inc. Sixth Edition 1996)

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About Baha’u’llah

About Baha’u’llah

Published March 11, 2020 by admin

On June 9, 1912, Baha’u’llah’s son, ‘Abdu’l-Baha’ came to Philadelphia and spoke at several venues. He had been invited by Russel Conwell, the founder of Temple University, who had heard ‘Abdu’l-Baha’ speak in Egypt and was deeply impressed. He wanted ‘Abdu’l-Baha’ to come and speak at his church- the Baptist Temple on Broad Street- at that time the largest Protestant congregation in the country. It is now the Performing Arts Center for the University. It is pictured above at the time of a gathering of Baha’is celebrating the event.

‘Abdu’l-Baha’s talk covers a lot of ground! He starts by describing how human can never fully understand the reality of God but that each of the Revelations of God reflect His reality to us. He then goes on to highlight some of primary social teachings of Baha’u’llah, including the oneness of humanity, the equality of men and women, universal education, and the harmony of science and religion.

It is a good introduction to the spirit of Baha’u’llah’s teachings, whose Writings we have been using as part of the Challenge. An essay with more focus on the life of Baha’u’llah can be found here. Enjoy!

I have come from distant countries of the Orient where the lights of heaven have ever shone forth, from regions where the Manifestations of God have appeared and the radiance and power of God have been revealed to mankind. The purpose and intention of my visit is that, perchance, a bond of unity and agreement may be established between the East and West, that divine love may encompass all nations, divine radiance enlighten both continents and the bounties of the Holy Spirit revivify the body of the world. Therefore, I supplicate the threshold of God that the Orient and Occident may become as one, that the various peoples and religions be unified and souls be blended as the waves of one sea. May they become as trees, flowers and roses which adorn and beautify the same garden.

The realm of Divinity is an indivisible oneness, wholly sanctified above human comprehension; for intellectual knowledge of creation is finite, whereas comprehension of Divinity is infinite. How can the finite comprehend the infinite? We are utter poverty, whereas the reality of Divinity is absolute wealth. How can utter poverty understand absolute wealth? We are utter weakness, whereas the reality of Divinity is absolute power. Utter weakness can never attain nor apprehend absolute power. The phenomenal beings, which are captives of limitations, are ever subject to transformation and change in condition. How can such phenomenal beings ever grasp the heavenly, eternal, unchanging reality? Assuredly this is an absolute impossibility, for when we study the creational world, we see that the difference of degree is a barrier to such knowing. An inferior degree can never comprehend a higher degree or kingdom. The mineral, no matter how far it may advance, can never attain knowledge of the vegetable. No matter how the plant or vegetable may progress, it cannot perceive the reality of the animal kingdom—in other words, it cannot grasp a world of life that is endowed with the power of the senses. The animal may develop a wonderful degree of intelligence, but it can never attain the powers of ideation and conscious reflection which belong to man. It is evident, therefore, that difference in degree is ever an obstacle to comprehension of the higher by the lower, the superior by the inferior. This flower, so beautiful, fresh, fragrant and delicately scented, although it may have attained perfection in its own kingdom, nevertheless cannot comprehend the human reality, cannot possess sight and hearing; therefore, it exists unaware of the world of man, although man and itself are both accidental or conditional beings. The difference is difference of degree. The limitation of an inferior degree is the barrier to comprehension.

This being so, how can the human reality, which is limited, comprehend the eternal, unmanifest Creator? How can man comprehend the omniscient, omnipresent Lord? Undoubtedly, he cannot, for whatever comes within the grasp of human mind is man’s limited conception, whereas the divine Kingdom is unlimited, infinite. But although the reality of Divinity is sanctified beyond the comprehension of its creatures, it has bestowed its bounties upon all kingdoms of the phenomenal world, and evidences of spiritual manifestation are witnessed throughout the realms of contingent existence. The lights of God illumine the world of man, even as the effulgences of the sun shine gloriously upon the material creation. The Sun of Reality is one; its bestowal is one; its heat is one; its rays are one; it shines upon all the phenomenal world, but the capacity for comprehending it differs according to the kingdoms, each kingdom receiving the light and bounty of the eternal Sun according to its capacity. The black stone receives the light of the material sun; the trees and animals likewise are recipients of it. All exist and are developed by that one bounty. The perfect soul of man—that is to say, the perfect individual—is like a mirror wherein the Sun of Reality is reflected. The perfections, the image and light of that Sun have been revealed in the mirror; its heat and illumination are manifest therein, for that pure soul is a perfect expression of the Sun.

These mirrors are the Messengers of God Who tell the story of Divinity, just as the material mirror reflects the light and disc of the outer sun in the skies. In this way the image and effulgence of the Sun of Reality appear in the mirrors of the Manifestations of God. This is what Jesus Christ meant when He declared, “the father is in the son,” the purpose being that the reality of that eternal Sun had become reflected in its glory in Christ Himself. It does not signify that the Sun of Reality had descended from its place in heaven or that its essential being had effected an entrance into the mirror, for there is neither entrance nor exit for the reality of Divinity; there is no ingress or egress; it is sanctified above all things and ever occupies its own holy station. Changes and transformations are not applicable to that eternal reality. Transformation from condition to condition is the attribute of contingent realities.

At a time when warfare and strife prevailed among nations, when enmity and hatred separated sects and denominations and human differences were very great, Bahá’u’lláh appeared upon the horizon of the East, proclaiming the oneness of God and the unity of the world of humanity. He promulgated the teaching that all mankind are the servants of one God; that all have come into being through the bestowal of the one Creator; that God is kind to all, nurtures, rears and protects all, provides for all and extends His love and mercy to all races and people. Inasmuch as God is loving, why should we be unjust and unkind? As God manifests loyalty and mercy, why should we show forth enmity and hatred? Surely the divine policy is more perfect than human plan and theory; for no matter how wise and sagacious man may become, he can never attain a policy that is superior to the policy of God.

Therefore, we must emulate the attitude of God, love all people, be just and kind to every human creature. We must consider all as the leaves, branches and fruit of one tree, children of one household; for all are the progeny of Adam. We are waves of one sea, grass of the same meadow, stars in the same heaven; and we find shelter in the universal divine Protector. If one be sick, he must be treated; the ignorant must be educated; the sleeping must be awakened; the dead must be quickened with life. These were principles of the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh.

In proclaiming the oneness of mankind He taught that men and women are equal in the sight of God and that there is no distinction to be made between them. The only difference between them now is due to lack of education and training. If woman is given equal opportunity of education, distinction and estimate of inferiority will disappear. The world of humanity has two wings, as it were: One is the female; the other is the male. If one wing be defective, the strong perfect wing will not be capable of flight. The world of humanity has two hands. If one be imperfect, the capable hand is restricted and unable to perform its duties. God is the Creator of mankind. He has endowed both sexes with perfections and intelligence, given them physical members and organs of sense, without differentiation or distinction as to superiority; therefore, why should woman be considered inferior? This is not according to the plan and justice of God. He has created them equal; in His estimate there is no question of sex. The one whose heart is purest, whose deeds are most perfect, is acceptable to God, male or female.

Furthermore, the education of women is of greater importance than the education of men, for they are the mothers of the race, and mothers rear the children. The first teachers of children are the mothers. Therefore, they must be capably trained in order to educate both sons and daughters. There are many provisions in the words of Bahá’u’lláh in regard to this. He promulgated the adoption of the same course of education for man and woman. Daughters and sons must follow the same curriculum of study, thereby promoting unity of the sexes. When all mankind shall receive the same opportunity of education and the equality of men and women be realized, the foundations of war will be utterly destroyed. Without equality this will be impossible because all differences and distinction are conducive to discord and strife. Equality between men and women is conducive to the abolition of warfare for the reason that women will never be willing to sanction it. Mothers will not give their sons as sacrifices upon the battlefield after twenty years of anxiety and loving devotion in rearing them from infancy, no matter what cause they are called upon to defend. There is no doubt that when women obtain equality of rights, war will entirely cease among mankind.

Bahá’u’lláh promulgated the fundamental oneness of religion. He taught that reality is one and not multiple, that it underlies all divine precepts and that the foundations of the religions are, therefore, the same. Certain forms and imitations have gradually arisen. As these vary, they cause differences among religionists. If we set aside these imitations and seek the fundamental reality underlying our beliefs, we reach a basis of agreement because it is one and not multiple.

Among the other principles of Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings was the harmony of science and religion. Religion must stand the analysis of reason. It must agree with scientific fact and proof so that science will sanction religion and religion fortify science. Both are indissolubly welded and joined in reality. If statements and teachings of religion are found to be unreasonable and contrary to science, they are outcomes of superstition and imagination. Innumerable doctrines and beliefs of this character have arisen in the past ages. Consider the superstitions and mythology of the Romans, Greeks and Egyptians; all were contrary to religion and science. It is now evident that the beliefs of these nations were superstitions, but in those times they held to them most tenaciously. For example, one of the many Egyptian idols was to those people an authenticated miracle, whereas in reality it was a piece of stone. As science could not sanction the miraculous origin and nature of a piece of rock, the belief in it must have been superstition. It is now evident that it was superstition. Therefore, we must cast aside such beliefs and investigate reality. That which is found to be real and conformable to reason must be accepted, and whatever science and reason cannot support must be rejected as imitation and not reality. Then differences of belief will disappear. All will become as one family, one people, and the same susceptibility to the divine bounty and education will be witnessed among mankind.

O Thou forgiving Lord! Thou art the shelter of all these Thy servants. Thou knowest the secrets and art aware of all things. We are all helpless, and Thou art the Mighty, the Omnipotent. We are all sinners, and Thou art the Forgiver of sins, the Merciful, the Compassionate. O Lord! Look not at our shortcomings. Deal with us according to Thy grace and bounty. Our shortcomings are many, but the ocean of Thy forgiveness is boundless. Our weakness is grievous, but the evidences of Thine aid and assistance are clear. Therefore, confirm and strengthen us. Enable us to do that which is worthy of Thy holy Threshold. Illumine our hearts, grant us discerning eyes and attentive ears. Resuscitate the dead and heal the sick. Bestow wealth upon the poor and give peace and security to the fearful. Accept us in Thy kingdom and illumine us with the light of guidance. Thou art the Powerful and the Omnipotent. Thou art the Generous. Thou art the Clement. Thou art the Kind.

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A Bit of History

Published August 20, 2019 by admin

“A Bit of History” is a folder of short essays that describes the lives of the major historical figures of the Baha’i Faith- The Bab, Baha’u’llah, and ‘Abdu’l-Baha’. As many people are also not familiar with the other great religions that we draw on in our posts, we also included essays on Christianity and Islam. All are written by Kendal Williams, the editor of Sifter of Dust. You can read them by scrolling through or skip to the essay of your choice by following the hyperlinks below.

The Prophet of Shiraz tells the story of the forerunner to Baha’u’llah, the young prophet from Shiraz, Persia known as the Bab, who claimed to deliver a divine revelation and prepare the way for an even greater revelation soon to follow.

Baha’u’llah is a short introductory essay describing the life and teachings of Baha’u’llah himself

The Prisoner and the Chief highlights the historical circumstances of a Tablet written by Baha’u’llah to one of his oppressors, teaching spiritual and moral lessons about how we should approach life and treat others.

The Master is a short essay on the life of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’, who was designated by Baha’u’llah as the Center of His Covenant with all humanity, the exemplar, and explainer of the full reality of His teachings.

The Gospels of Jesus describes the historical circumstances of Jesus and the collection of His sayings in the four gospels.It is a short introduction to the gospels for those who are not otherwise familiar with them.

The Quran and Islam provides an introduction to the Islamic Revelation and its unfoldment.

Profiles in Spirituality- the Life of Ali Ibn Talib highlights the life and presents several accounts of one of the most significant figures in Islam. Ali was the Prophet’s son-in-law and a brilliant example of the true spirit of Islam. He is venerated in the Islamic world, but little known in the West. These three short essays are intended to provide insights into his life. (scroll through to see all three)

About Baha’u’llah is a description and excerpt from the talk given in Philadelphia by ‘Abdu’l-Baha’ about his Father and what he means to the world.

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Profiles in Spirituality- The Life of Ali

Profiles in Spirituality- The Life of Ali

Published March 17, 2019 by admin

We’ve spent more time highlighting one of the greatest figures of Islam- Ali Ibn Abu Talib- because of how Islam is often portrayed in the West and the confusion about it generally. When we study other people’s faiths, we often recognize that they believe their faiths for the same reason we believe ours- they are attracted to something noble and true. The writings and teachings of Ali were centuries ahead of their time, and presaged many of the features that characterize the revival of western civilization in the Enlightenment and subsequent developments. He continued along these lines, but unfortunately developed enemies, as he tried to institute reforms that were against the vested interests of others. We conclude the highlights of his life by presenting the story of his death as well as that of his wife, Fatimih, herself deeply honored by Muslims as the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad.

Fatimih was mortally wounded in an attack on their house when their children were still quite small. The house was burned but they were able to escape, but Fatimih’s wounds would lead her to pass away some time later. The description of her death is so intimate that one cannot be struck by how it affects our common humanity.

“She told the household that she was feeling better, that the pain in her ribs and in her hand was not so severe and that her fever had come down. Then she started bathing the children. Immediately, Ali and Fizza came to her assistance. She got the children bathed, dressed and fed, and then sent them away to her cousin. The she called Ali to her side and said “Ali, my dear husband, you known very well why I did all that. Please excuse my fussiness, but they have suffered so much with me during my illness that I want to see them happy on the last da of my life. Yes, Ali, you know also that this is the last day of my life. I am happy and also sad. Happy the my troubles will shortly be over and I shall meet my Father, and sorry that I am to part with you. Please Ali, make note of what I wish you to do….After me, you may marry anyone you like but you must marry my cousin Yamama. She loves my children and Hussain (their youngest son) is very much attached to her. Let Fizza remain with you after your marriage, if she so desires, she was more than just a servant to me. I loved her like my daughter…I know you love my children but be very careful of Hussain. He loves me dearly and will miss me sadly, so be a mother to him….Do not weep Ali, I know with a rough outward appearance what a tender heart you possess. You have already borne too much and will have to bear more. Farewell my lord, farewell my dear husband, farewell Ali”.

Ali himself would live several years longer but himself fell victim to an attack. He was praying in the mosque when he was struck from behind by a poisoned sword. “Ali finished his prostrations and then reeled into the hands of his sons, Hassan and Hussein…The attacker was caught and brought before Ali. Ali saw that the ropes were cutting into the flesh of the murderer. He ordered that they loosen the ropes on his hands so that he was treated more humanely. The kindness touched the heart of the murderer and he began weeping.’

A French philosopher would later extol the virtues of Ali in this manner- “But for his assassination, the Muslim world might have witness the realization of the Prophet’s teaching, in actual amalgamation of the first principles of true philosophy into positive action. The same passionate devotion to knowledge and learning which distinguished the Prophet Muhammad breathed in every word of Ali. With liberality of mind- far beyond the age in which he lived- was joined with a severe devotion of spirit and earnestness of faith. His sermons, his psalms, his litanies portray a devout uploading towards the source of All Good, and an unbounded faith in humanity.”

And we will conclude with a passage from a sermon: “By God, even if I am given all the domains of the seven stars with all that exists under the skies in order that I may disobey God to the extent of snatching one grain of barley from an ant, I would not do it. For me, your world is lighter than the leaf in the mouth of a locust that is chewing it. What has Ali to do with bounties that will pass away and pleasures that will not last? We seek protection from God from the slip of wisdom and the evils of error, and from Him do we seek succor.”

(Passages summarized from Peak of Eloquence (Nahjul Balagha), translated by Sayed Ali Reza and published by Thrice Tarsile Quran, Inc. Sixth Edition 1996)

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Profiles in Spirituality- The Life of Ali

Profiles in Spirituality- The Life of Ali

Published March 16, 2019 by admin

Tonight’s passage continues our “Profile in Spirituality” of Ali Ibn Abu Talib.

In addition to being a great statesman, Ali is most known as the center of Islamic metaphysics and his commitment to reason and knowledge. His description of God is illuminating-

(Passages summarized from Peak of Eloquence (Nahjul Balagha), translated by Sayed Ali Reza and published by Thrice Tarsile Quran, Inc. Sixth Edition 1996)

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The Master

The Master

Published March 1, 2019 by admin

The Revelation of Baha’u’llah, God’s revelation for our time in history, consists of the words of Baha’u’llah but also those of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’- the appointed interpreter of His teachings. ‘Abdu’l-Baha exemplified the ideals of Baha’u’llah- selflessness, purity of heart, keenness of mind, embrace of progress and science, and love of all people. The post below describes the life of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’ and posts that highlight his life or writings are catgeorized and can be found off the link on the main page. ‘Abdu’l-Baha’ is incredibly inspiring and illuminating! Please do take the time to read about him and explore his writings,. You will be very happy that you did!

For Baha’is, two extraordinarily significant things happened on the evening of May 23, 1844. The first was the Báb was announcing his revelation to the first believer, and the other was the birth of Baha’u’llah’s son, `Abdu’l-Bahá. It is remarkable that they occurred simultaneously. Some conjecture that, just as the revelation of God for today was being created, a human who could accept it on behalf of all humanity was also being created. Such mystical things we will never know, but we can say that `Abdu’l-Bahá was an extraordinary human by any measure.

Born with the given name of Abbas, the man we know as `Abdu’l-Bahá was a young child of 9 years of age when His father and family were exiled from their native Persia. He was 19 when His Father formally declared His mission to humanity. During His Father’s lifetime, `Abdu’l-Bahá increasingly represented the community to the outer world, allowing Baha’u’llah to carry out the work of His mission. Made an exile at the age of 9, `Abdu’l-Bahá remained a prisoner until he was 64 years old, with all the “good years’ of his life being spent in the harsh imprisonment of Akka- his only crime being that he was the son of a Prophet of God. When Baha’u’llah passed away in 1892, he made `Abdu’l-Bahá the center of His faith, describing him as the “Mystery of God” and stating “Blessed, doubly blessed, is the ground which His footsteps have trodden, .. the heart that hath tasted the sweetness of His love, the breast that hath dilated through His remembrance, the pen that hath voiced His praise, the scroll that hath borne the testimony of His writings”.

After being released from prison by the overthrow of the Ottoman Empire, `Abdu’l-Bahá then traveled to the US and Europe in 1912 to promote his Father’s teachings. He had no formal education, had never spoken in public, and had been a prisoner all his life, but his presentations captivated people across America and Europe as he unfolded to them a vision of universal peace and justice. His visit encompassed dozens of stops and a variety of venues including talks at Columbia and Stanford Universities. Admired from afar by the founder to Temple University, Dr Russell Conwell, he was invited to speak in Philadelphia at the Baptist Temple on campus where he declared that “an equal standard of human rights must be recognized and adopted”, foreshadowing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that was signed by all nations after the founding of the United Nations in 1945. Throughout these trips, `Abdu’l-Bahá declared the oneness of humanity, promoted the equality of men and women, proclaimed the fundamental unity between science and revelation, and exemplified how religion could be a source of goodness and truth. He had a remarkable mind, a gentle spirit, and an equally remarkable ability to explain spiritual ideas in accessible terms. The clarity, sweetness, and poetry of his language is unlike anything ever seen in the religious history of humankind.

In `Abdu’l-Baha’s travels, he spoke to western audiences and used language and examples that were familiar to those audiences. For that reason, many people find his writings to be very understandable and accessible, particularly if the Baha’i Faith is new to you. His talks in America are compiled in a book called “The Promulgation of Universal Peace”, while those in Europe may be found in “Paris Talks” among other compilations. “Selections of the Writings of `Abdu’l-Bahá” presents a selection of his vast correspondence to the Baha’is of the West and the larger Persian communities that he shepherded. The truths he expressed in these talks and letters, originally spoken and written 100 years ago, feel like they were from just yesterday.

Generations of Baha’i children from around the globe have memorized prayers and passages of `Abdu’l-Bahá- prayers such as ‘O God, refresh and gladden my spirit, purify my heart, illumine my powers”, and passages that teach children to see all humanity as a garden, with different colored flowers whose diversity contribute to the beauty of the whole.

Wherever he went and whatever he did, his sole desire was to demonstrate the truth of his Father’s revelation through word and deed. His public life was only about 20 years, but he left a wellspring of words and stories that will be guide to human civilization for centuries.

‘Abdu’l-Baha’s writings and talks can be found in several publications. “The Promulgation of Universal Peace” is a collection of his talks in America. “Paris Talks” collects his talks given in Paris. “‘Abdu’l-Baha in London” chronicles his visit to the UK. “Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha'” is a compilation of letters he wrote to Baha’is around the world. “Some Answered Questions” addresses various topics that were asked of him in a series of table conversations with Laura Clifford Barney, an educated woman from New York who had become a Baha’i in the early 20th century.

All of these are worth putting on your bedside table!

Photo is of `Abdu’l-Bahá (center) surrounded by a diverse group on one of his stops in America

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Baha’u’llah

Baha’u’llah

Published February 28, 2019 by admin

Baha’u’llah was born in 1817 in Persia to a prominent and wealthy family. He was raised in Tehran and a rural provincial village, known as Nur, where he spent much of his childhood- learning horseback riding, calligraphy, and other skills considered appropriate for those of noble birth. He was not taught Arabic, and similar to Jesus, Muhammad, and the Báb, He was not trained in religion in any formal way. When he was in his late teens, his father died and Baha’u’llah assumed control of the family’s affairs. He soon freed all the family’s slaves, stating later in His revelation that “it was not for him who is himself a servant to own another of God’s servants”. His talents and capacity were well recognized and he was offered a position in the royal court, which he declined, choosing instead to serve the poor in the area around his rural home . He and his young wife turned a portion of their house into a children’s hospital for the province.

When Baha’u’llah was 27 years old, the Báb’s first and most prominent disciple communicated a message to Him through an intermediary, a message that included a Tablet from the Báb himself. Baha’u’llah opened the Tablet, read a few lines, and stated to his brother- who was standing with him at the time- that these were the words of God. Baha’u’llah remained as a background figure while the Báb’s religion played out and they never met in person, always separated by hundreds of miles.

After the execution of the Báb, a young man, disconsolate over the loss of the Báb, took it upon himself to revenge his death and attempted but failed to shoot the Shah. The event raised the ire of the royalty, who went on a rampage of mass imprisonment and execution of the Báb’s followers, of which Baha’u’llah was now one of the most prominent members. He was taken from His home and thrown into a dungeon known as the “Black Pit”. With two heavy chains around His neck and death an imminent possibility, Baha’u’llah’s revelation began. The Gospels describe the holy spirit alighting on Jesus like a “Dove” and Muhammad referred to the Voice of His revelation as the “Angel Gabriel”. Baha’u’llah described a “Maid of Heaven” appearing to Him in the Black Pit and confirming His station as the one chosen to reveal God’s will to humanity.

Baha’u’llah was then exiled from Persia to the provincial capital of the Ottoman Empire, Baghdad, where he was able to move freely about the city for the next 10 years. He gradually assumed greater leadership of the followers of the Báb, and attracted interest by a wide range of peoples who came through the city. In this broader cultural climate, Baha’u’llah continued the conversation with humanity started by the Báb, teaching the ideas of the progressive revelation of religious truth to different audiences using different genres. In the Seven Valleys, he explained the truths in the poetic language of a mystic. In the Book of Certitude, he addressed traditional theological challenges from the perspective of Christian and Muslim scripture. In 1863, in a garden that has come to be known as the “Garden of Ridvan (Paradise)”, Baha’u’llah formally declared openly His mission as the one the Bab had foretold and the fulfillment of the promises of all previous revelations.

With His revelation, Baha’u’llah declared that the standard God expected from humanity had changed. No longer was it acceptable before God to promote exclusiveness and division. The beloved of God in this Day were those who were lovers of the entire human race and worked for the benefit of all. He instructed us to have a “world-embracing vision”, to “make each day better than its yesterday” and to be “worthy of the trust of your neighbor and look upon him with a bright and friendly face”, stating that His first “counsel” was for humans to have a “pure, kindly and radiant heart”. He wanted us to open our minds as well as our hearts, to be just and fair-minded, and “look into all things with a searching eye”. He promoted scientific thinking as an expression of humanity’s God-given and fundamentally spiritual rational mind and said that humans possessed spiritual capacities that were utterly untapped. He saw gems in the hearts of human beings and His religion is meant to mine them.

As Baha’u’llah’s influence grew, the Persian and Ottoman authorities decided to suppress His impact by exiling him further away, eventually to the Crusade fortress of Akka in the Holy Land, just 100 miles from Jerusalem. From this desolate prison, Baha’u’llah revealed the major Tablets of His Revelation, including some of the Tablets to the Kings and other calls for the unity of the human race.

After the declaration of His mission, Baha’u’llah spoke with the Voice of God in all His Tablets and letters, with a power and majesty that is extraordinarily compelling. It is impossible in a single post- or a lifetime of posts- to fully capture the range and majesty of Baha’u’llah’s words. He himself described it as an “ocean inexhaustible in its riches” and invited humanity to “discover all the pearls of wisdom that lie hidden in its depths”.

Photo is of the Shrine of Baha’u’llah in the Holy Land. Courtesy of Baha’i Media Bank.

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The Prophet of Shiraz

The Prophet of Shiraz

Published February 27, 2019 by admin

The Revelation of God for humanity in our time in history actually has two prophetic figures- the Báb and Baha’u’llah himself. The Báb proceeded Baha’u’llah and prepared Persian society for his coming and to accept His teachings, thus forming the community of early believers that have now spread His Revelation all over the world. This post will summarize the story of the Báb. A related post compares the life of the Báb with that of John the Baptist, to whom He is often appropriately compared.

The prophet known to history as the Báb (“the Gate”) was born in the Persian city of Shiraz in 1819 and trained as a merchant before announcing His mission as a Prophet of God in 1844 at the age of 24. Similar to Jesus, He had none of the features that would give him religious authority within His society. He never trained in religion and was not formally taught Arabic, the language of Islam. His claim to prophethood was distinctly against the traditional Muslim belief, who interpreted Muhammad’s self-description as the “Seal of the Prophets” as meaning He was the last prophet. Instead of a new prophet, Muslims anticipated a final Judgment Day, a Day of Resurrection, in which the final battle for ultimate victory would occur, with the “resurrection” of believers from their graves to fight the final battle. But here was a 24 year old merchant, with no army, no seal of authority, revealing verses in Arabic that clearly made claims to be a divine revelation. Virtually none of the things people expected to happen at the “end of time” were associated with His religion. Despite that, His religion spread like wildfire and inspired heroic devotion because of the power of His words.

His initial revelations had features that were reminiscent of the Quran itself, and it was regarded by his initial followers as a “new Quran”. They vigorously promoted it throughout Persian society and it soon became a mass movement of significant energy, matched only by the energy of the government and clergy to suppress it, who regarded it as a heresy and a threat to the State. The Bab was eventually brought to trial in the Persian city of Tabriz, where He was questioned about His claims by senior religious officials in the presence of the Crown Prince, the future Nasir-din Shah. He stood up boldly in the gathering and stated “I am the Promised One, I am the One whose name you have for a thousand years invoked, at whose mention you have risen, and whose advent you have prayed God to hasten.” The boldness of His statement led to the adjournment of the trial and His beating and imprisonment. The Báb remained a prisoner in a far off mountain fortress for the remainder of His mission, until He was put to death by firing squad in the city of Tabriz in May of 1850.

The Báb’s message went through several stages as He gradually revealed the full measure of His claim and His theology, culminating in the revelation of His major work- the Bayan– or “Exposition”- while a prisoner in the mountain fortress. In that and supportive works, He explained that God was an entity beyond human understanding to know in any direct sense, but He made His reality manifest “to His creation, through His creation”, specifically through the revelations that formed the religions of humankind. These revelations had occurred throughout human history and were a “natural phenomenon”, like the rising and setting of the sun, illuminating human understanding like the sun illuminates the material world. The revelations of God were evolutionary, as each one built on the others before it, continually unfolding to humanity the full spectrum of the knowledge of God, a process that could have no end.

Within that framework, traditional religious terms were given new meanings. The “Day of Resurrection’ was not like something out of a fantasy movie, but was the day when a new messenger brought a new revelation to humanity. “Paradise” was when anything reached its stage of perfection, a state that humans could only fully achieve by accepting the revelations of God. One fascinating angle on the Báb is the realization that He was a contemporary of many intellectuals and philosophers in Europe who have had a major influence on the modern conceptions of religion- thinkers like Feuerbach, Darwin, Nietzsche, and Marx. Because of the cultural distance, more so than the geographic one, the two intellectual streams never met, but the young Prophet addressed in creative ways the challenges raised by the their views. Ironically, while they predicted the death of religion, the Báb was almost simultaneously proclaiming its renewal.

He was described by all who met him as extraordinarily gracious and polite, elegant and refined in His bearing. He had to be moved in his prison several times because the guards who were responsible for Him came to be so devoted to Him that they no longer did their jobs effectively. His mission was one of sacrifice and martyrdom, and He knew it, and expressed it frequently in His writings, as there was no chance His society could accept such a challenging claim without severe persecution coming in its wake. Nevertheless, He always acted with dignity and composure, with an air of detachment in His writings that is very striking.

As His religion reached its climax, and He had tens of thousands of followers, He funneled all their devotion into the One who would come after Him- a figure He described as “Him Whom God Shall Make Manifest”. The Báb summarized His mission as to “devise means” whereby people would turn unto Him when he manifested Himself, for “thereby they will have attained the summit of their existence, and will have been brought face to face with their Beloved, and will have recognized, to the fullest extent attainable in the world of being, the splendor of Him Who is the Desire of their hearts.” Virtually every chapter in the Bayan mentions “Him Whom God Shall Make Manifest” and he clearly stated that all His laws and teachings had as their explicit intention that people would accept Him when He came.

The Báb’s promises reached their fulfillment 19 years later, when Baha’u’llah announced a new universal revelation to humanity in a small garden outside of Baghdad in 1863.

Photo is of the Shrine of the Bab and the Baha’i Gardens. Haifa, Israel. Courtesy of Baha’i Media Bank.

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The Quran and Islam

The Quran and Islam

Published February 26, 2019 by admin

Today we continue our survey of the scriptures and sources we will be drawing on at Sifter of Dust, focusing on the Prophet Muhammad, the Quran, and Islam.

The Prophet Muhammad was born in the year 571 AD in a backwater of the civilization of His time, along the trade routes that coursed through Arabia between the ancient Persian empire and the Byzantine empire, a remnant of Roman civilization. He was orphaned early in life and trained and worked as a merchant. After He reached 40 years old, He went to meditate in the cave of Hira, a mountainous cave near his home of Mecca, and was visited by an angel who told Him to “Recite!”, calling Him to be the bearer of a Revelation from God. For the next 23 years, the Prophet revealed the Quran- the “Recitation”- in a beautiful form of Arabic poetry. A community quickly developed around Him and persecution of that community in Mecca led them to flee to neighboring Medina, where the Muslim community continued to grow in influence, leading to further battles and ultimately the conquering of Mecca by the new community centered around the Quran. The Prophet entered the holy shrine of the Kaaba in Mecca, previously devoted to idol worship, and destroyed all the idols personally, teaching that only an immaterial God was worthy of worship. Every chapter of the Quran uses terms to describe the nature of that God, the most common being “the Compassionate, the All-Merciful”.

The new community of Islam was structured around belief in one God, and submission to that God- the Source of all Goodness- was the ultimate responsibility of all human beings. The social laws of Islam were a vast improvement over the tribal structure of the time, and every community member was expected to care for the orphans and the elderly, paying a religious tax that provided subsistence money for the disadvantaged.

Islam was a universal religion that recognized virtually every significant religion known to the people of Arabia before it as valid. There are over 25 previous “prophets” or “messengers” of God noted specifically in the Quran, but even that number was regarded as only a partial list. The Prophet Muhammad taught that both Christ and Moses (as well as other Hebrew prophets) were true, and both Jews and Christians were given special status in Muslim communities.

Islamic civilization spread quickly and within 100 years of the Prophet’s lifetime was already a major civilizing force. It spread into Persia, over Africa, down into the Indian sub-continent, and into southern Europe. It came to be regarded as the most advanced civilization on earth for several hundred years.

The source of all the “civilizing energy” was the Quran itself. The Prophet Muhammad drew a distinction between Himself and the recitations that flowed through Him, with the author of the Quran being the voice of God Himself. Verses of the Quran often start with “Say:”, emphasizing that the Quran comes directly from the Voice of God. The Prophet would comment personally in a less formal way on His religion, and those “sayings”- known as “Hadith”- were another source of guidance and spirituality for the Muslim community.

The Quran was the first Revelation of God that was directly transcribed in written form. (The words of Jesus were recorded and compiled years after His death.) For that reason, the written Word- the “Verses”- are held in high honor as their inner melody is the primordial Word of God itself, something that transcends even the outer words. Mosques devoted to the worship of God are embellished only by Quranic verses, and never images or idols. Quranic interpretation became a spiritual and scholarly pursuit, with enough volumes of interpretative works produced to fill many libraries. Mystical poetry and philosophy flourished under Islam and the depth and beauty of these outpourings is one of humanity’s greatest spiritual and literary treasures.

In addition to the Prophet Muhammad and His sayings, the other sources of guidance include early Muslim leaders, particularly Muhammad’s son-in-law, Ali Ibn Talib. Ali accompanied and supported the Prophet through much of His mission, and married his daughter Fatimah. After the death of the Prophet, Ali continued his sermons on the true nature of Islam and its implications, in addition to ultimately leading the Muslim community before his assassination by those jealous of his influence. Ali’s sermons and story are recorded in an 11th century compilation known as the “Peaks of Eloquence”. Ali’s virtues and greatness can be appreciated by the commonness of his name among Muslim populations, surpassed only by the name “Muhammad” itself. They are sometimes complexed together, as with the great American boxer “Muhammad Ali”.

We draw on the Quran, the Hadith, as well as the sayings and stories from the life of Ali Ibn Talib.

Image is of the Mosque of Karouan in Tunisia, courtesy of Wikipedia Commons, Jean Marc Rosier at www.rosier.pro

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