“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.