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| Bahá’í News | August 1986 | Bahá’í Year 143 |
A ‘Lotus’ blossoms in India
WITH HEAVY HEARTS WE ANNOUNCE EXECUTION BY HANGING OF FARID BIHMARDI ON 10 JUNE 1986 IN TEHERAN. HIS FAMILY WERE UNAWARE OF HIS EXECUTION AND FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS SAD EVENT A FEW DAYS AFTER HE WAS BURIED BY THE AUTHORITIES. MR. BIHMARDI, AGE 46, WAS ONE OF THE OUTSTANDING BAHÁ’ÍS IN THE CRADLE OF THE FAITH. HE WAS UNDER TORTURE FOR A VERY PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME, BUT HIS ENDURANCE WAS A SOURCE OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO OTHER BAHÁ’Í PRISONERS WHO WERE WITNESSES TO HIS SUFFERING. FIVE OTHER PRISONERS HAVE INDICATED TO THEIR VISITING RELATIVES THAT IT MAY BE THE LAST VISIT THEY WILL HAVE, WHICH IMPLIES THEIR IMMINENT EXECUTION. YOU MAY APPROACH THE GOVERNMENT AND MEDIA SO THAT IMMEDIATE ACTION MAY BE TAKEN TO TRY TO AVERT FURTHER CRUELTIES BEING METED OUT TO THE INNOCENT BAHÁ’ÍS OF IRAN.
JUNE 24, 1986
On the cover: The Bahá’í House of Worship of the Indian Sub-continent, which is nearing completion on the outskirts of New Delhi, is now free of scaffolding and the huge building crane so that one can see the entire edifice with the marble in place. The architect, Fariburz Sahba, is working on the finishing touches to the interior and grounds, and says the Temple and its landscaping will be completed in time for the formal dedication ceremonies December 23-27. Some 10,000 people are expected to attend those events whose climax will be a large public meeting at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
Bahá’í News[edit]
Universal House of Justice alters size, makeup of Auxiliary Boards | 1 |
Hand of the Cause Ugo Giachery sends message of love to friends | 2 |
Bahá’ís in La Ceiba, Honduras, enter float in Grand Carnival parade | 3 |
168 copies of ‘Promise of World Peace’ delivered to heads of state | 4 |
Counsellor Hooper Dunbar takes part in El Salvador’s Peace Seminar | 5 |
6,500 attend Bahá’í-sponsored Peace Exposition in Atherton, Australia | 6 |
Counsellor Adib Taherzadeh offers advice on teaching Cause of God | 8 |
Around the world: News from Bahá’í communities all over the globe | 14 |
Bahá’í News is published monthly by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States as a news organ reporting current activities of the Bahá’í world community. Manuscripts submitted should be typewritten and double spaced throughout; any footnotes should appear at the end. The contributor should keep a carbon copy. Send materials to the Periodicals Office, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, U.S.A. Changes of address should be reported to the Office of Membership and Records, Bahá’í National Center. Please attach mailing label. Subscription rates within the U.S.: one year, $12; two years, $20. Outside the U.S.: one year, $14; two years, $24. Foreign air mail: one year, $20; two years, $40. Payment must accompany the order and must be in U.S. dollars. Second class postage paid at Wilmette, IL 60091. Copyright © 1986, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
World Centre[edit]
Auxiliary Boards to undergo changes[edit]
To the Bahá’ís of the World
Beloved Friends,
The Six Year Plan has been launched and national Bahá’í communities throughout the world are engaged in formulating their national goals. On the Day of the Covenant, 26 November 1986, a new term of five years will begin for those appointed to the Auxiliary Boards. In preparation for that event, we find it propitious to announce the following decisions.
As from last Riḍván, Turkey has been transferred from the area of responsibility of the Continental Board of Counsellors in Asia to that of the Continental Board of Counsellors in Europe. Counsellor Ilhan Sezgin is, therefore, a member of the European Board of Counsellors. It has also been decided to increase the size of the European Auxiliary Board for the Protection of the Faith to 36 members, which is the same as the number currently authorized for the Propagation Board in that continent.
In view of the growth of the Bahá’í community and its emergence from obscurity, we have decided to make the following further changes in the number of members of the Auxiliary Boards, to be effective from 26 November 1986:
| Auxiliary Boards | Present Number | Number Added | New Number | |
| AFRICA | Protection | 81 | 9 | 90 |
| Propagation | 99 | 9 | 108 | |
| AMERICAS | Protection | 54 | 9 | 63 |
| Propagation | 117 | 0 | 117 | |
| ASIA | Protection | 99 | 0 | 99 |
| Propagation | 117 | 9 | 126 | |
| AUSTRALASIA | Protection | 27 | 9 | 36 |
| Propagation | 36 | 9 | 45 | |
| EUROPE | Protection | 36 | 0 | 36 |
| Propagation | 36 | 0 | 36 | |
| TOTAL | 702 | 54 | 756 | |
| Total Protection | 297 | 27 | 324 | |
| Total Propagation | 405 | 27 | 432 | |
This further expansion of the institution of the Auxiliary
Boards reflects the recent increase of the number of Continental Counsellors from 63 to 72 and is required by the
marked growth in the size of the Bahá’í communities, a
growth which it is confidently expected will accelerate during the Six Year Plan as the impact of the Faith’s emergence
from obscurity begins to make itself evident in a growing interest in its teachings by people in all walks of life.
It will also assist the vital development in maturity and experience of the National and local Spiritual Assemblies, a process which must synchronize with the further development of the World Centre of the Faith and the advance of mankind toward the attainment of the Lesser Peace. Who can tell what challenges these burgeoning divine institutions will have to face in the years immediately ahead—years which may well see the realization of mankind’s gravest fears and the appearance of the fulfillment of its highest hopes.
Our prayers at the Sacred Threshold are offered on behalf of every faithful follower of the Blessed Beauty who is laboring for the promotion of His Cause.
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
May 25, 1986
Special message[edit]
‘Dearest friends, we shall win ...’[edit]
| Dear Lovers of Bahá’u’lláh,
The Seven Year Plan has just ended in the midst of celestial strains and the plaudits of the Divine Concourse, ushering with grace and joy another plan, the Six Year Plan (1986-1992), which will pass into history, bearing the name of “Accomplishment and Triumph.” All the believers of this planet are asked to rally together, as never before. It will be the greatest effort to be accomplished by all of us—wherever we are or will choose to go. By this time you may have received from your National Spiritual Assembly the detailed plan, elaborated by our august body, the Universal House of Justice. When I first glanced at the pages, filled with all the objectives we have to attain in such short lapse of time, I felt I was looking through the iron gate of an enchanted garden, filled with the most precious, divinely created remedies to heal the whole world. Dearest friends, we shall win. We are laboring on the side of love, harmony, compassion, humbleness, perseverance, finding joy in working for the Cause of God, with passion and sincerity, by being always happy and partaking in this happiness with the rest of humanity. I have served the Faith of God for many decades, and I am going to hand down the secrets of my blessed wife and myself to all of you. Devote your life to the service of the Cause of God. The highest station man can aspire to is that of service. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá selected that name for Himself ... it means “Servant of Bahá.” Avoid any form of ambition. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, in a Tablet addressed to the North American believers in 1898, said that ambition that is not applied to the service of mankind is an abomination. Place always the needs of the Faith far above any personal affair and interest ... be always polite, kind and generous. Teach your children to grow up like that; plant in them the desire to learn and to love their teachers. Those younger believers who will reach the age of 15 this year, will in 1991 become the voting members. How many? Shall we Say millions! My warmest love to you all and my prayers be around you every day. Ugo Giachery
April 1986 |
Honduras[edit]
Bahá’ís in Grand Carnival Parade[edit]
For the sixth year in a row, the Bahá’ís of La Ceiba, Honduras, made a float for the Grand Carnival parade held May 17. The theme of this year’s float was ‘La Paz Mundial—Unidos Podemos Lograrla’ (World Peace—United We Can Obtain It). Walking in front of the float were four to five Bahá’í youth, each representing a different color of humanity, with a 40-foot-long banner that proclaimed world peace and the Bahá’í Faith. The float itself consisted of two trailers hooked together. The first, which was lower than the second, displayed a revolving model of the world covered in laminated colored paper. Children in costumes representing various countries—Arabia, Germany, Spain, Italy and Honduras—sat around and under the revolving globe as sound equipment on the float continuously played a cassette of the song ‘We Are the World.’ The second trailer displayed a large dove of peace, about six feet high and 10 feet long, holding the traditional olive branch of peace in its beak. The children seated on this trailer also represented many countries including Japan, Guatemala, Greece, Costa Rica, Honduras and the African continent. Seven of the older children held real doves, which they released as the float passed in front of the Municipal Building where the judges—including Jose Azcona, the president of Honduras—were standing on the balcony. Throughout the parade route, the Bahá’ís threw buttons into the crowd that proclaimed the same message of world peace displayed on the float. The Bahá’ís also had a display stand that day in the Central Park of La Ceiba. About 200,000 people were in the city for the parade. The Bahá’í float was made by the local Bahá’ís and their families and friends and financed by the local Bahá’í Fund.
World Centre[edit]
‘Promise’ given to 168 heads of state[edit]
Reports received at the Bahá’í World Centre indicate that to date (June 19) 168 special copies of “The Promise of World Peace” addressed to heads of state have been delivered; 142 of these have gone to heads of independent countries; and of these, 51 were presented directly by representatives of National Spiritual Assemblies and 91 through intermediaries for the most part or through the mail.
The dynamism which has been put in motion by the distribution of the peace statement has been manifested in many ways, some of which are:
• The National Spiritual Assembly of Reunion held a symposium on peace at which they presented the peace statement to the heads of their government, with excellent, media coverage. For the first time, representatives of all the major religions were present, and it was reported that “at the time of the first prayer, spontaneously, all present stood up, some in tears.”
• In Belize a successful “Peace Exhibit” to which Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís contributed paintings, drawings, graphics, sculpture, needlework and stained glass, relating to the theme of peace, ran for six days.
• In an interfaith peace service at the House of Worship in Germany on the anniversary of the Declaration of the Báb, a capacity audience listened to exquisite choir music and readings on peace from Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Bahá’í Faith.
• Another interfaith peace service organized by a Bahá’í was celebrated by ministers, pastors, priests, a Buddhist monk and other spiritual leaders in Colorado together with members of the “Great Peace March,” and copies of “The Promise of World Peace” were distributed.
• In Hong Kong an essay com-
In Hong Kong an essay competition on the topic of peace involved 15 schools in the Southern District, with an award ceremony involving the media; Bahá’ís were thereafter asked to address a Catholic school on peace.
petition on the topic of peace involved 15 schools in the Southern District, with an award ceremony involving the media; Bahá’ís were thereafter asked to address a Catholic school on peace.
• In Montichiari, Italy, the mayor was presented with the peace statement at a Peace Exhibition involving more than 24 non-Bahá’í exhibitor groups, and a peace concert was attended by more than 700 people; neighboring villages requested Bahá’í help to organize similar events.
• From New Caledonia comes a report of presentations of the peace statement to tribal chiefs who accepted news of the Faith with enthusiasm when they understood that “progressive revelation” neither negated nor condemned previous religions, and indeed their own tribal faith predicted the coming of a great “Peacemaker.”
• In New Zealand the well-attended Auckland Regional Peace Conference organized by Bahá’ís opened with a performance by the high school Maori Club and ended with a concert.
• In Arequipa, Peru, thousands of people witnessed the presentation of “The Promise of World Peace” to the President, who suggested that his wife help the Bahá’í Women’s Committee participate in social and economic projects of the nation.
• A banquet for peace in Bangkok, Thailand, was attended by representatives of international agencies, the Sikh community, the World Fellowship of Buddhists, and Chulalongkorn University, all of whom received copies of “The Promise of World Peace.” Speakers included a Bahá’í who addressed the topic of the peace statement, and a professor of philosophy from the university.
• Australia reports another peace exposition, this time in Atherton, Northern Queensland (see page 6), attended by some 6,500 enthusiastic people, 1,000 of whom attended an international concert in which a wide range of cultures was represented; 200 attended an all-day Peace Forum the next day.
• In Mozambique, 35 Bahá’ís joined a Peace March of 4,000 people who witnessed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in the presence of the Ministers of Education and Culture, and of Justice, receiving the peace statement on behalf of the head of state; the presentation, which included the reading of a Bahá’í prayer and a brief statement by the National Spiritual Assembly, was broadcast live on the national radio network and reported in the national newspaper.—Office of Public Information, Haifa
El Salvador[edit]
Two-day peace seminar big success[edit]
Taking advantage of a visit by Hooper Dunbar, a Counsellor member of the International Teaching Centre, the National Spiritual Assembly of El Salvador made plans for a two-day seminar June 6-7 on the theme “The Promise of World Peace.”
On Friday evening a public conference was sponsored by the Bahá’ís at the Centro Cultural Salvadoreño. The program consisted of two talks, the first, on “The Need for World Peace,” by Dr. Salvador Nelson García, dean of the law faculty at José Matías Delgado University and president of the Lawyers Association, and the second, on “The Promise of World Peace,” by Counsellor Dunbar.
The talks were separated by a musical presentation on the theme of peace by Jan and Marvin Dreyer. The program was moderated by Counsellor Rodrigo Tomás of Costa Rica.
Of the 250 people present about 180 were guests including some well-known professional, civic and government leaders. The guests were invited to return the following morning to take part in 10 simultaneous workshops on “The Requisites of World Peace.” Each of the workshops was to cover one of 10 designated areas: education, youth, women, parents, science, religion, human rights and obligations, socio-economic matters, communication, and the arts.
At each table was a Bahá’í moderator and a specially invited guest authority in that field. Included among these guests were recognized educators, psychologists, women’s leaders, and so on. The moderators were instructed not to push the Bahá’í point of view but to seek the broadest possible participation and promote harmonious consultation on what can be done in each of these areas to promote a peaceful society and world.
Among the 100 or so participants were about 50 non-Bahá’ís including nine Franciscan nuns as well as representatives of some six other religious or philosophical groups. The two-hour consultations were preceded by a brief talk and orientation by Counsellor Arturo Serrano of Mexico. Although it was made clear beforehand that the written conclusions of each workshop group would be left entirely to the participants and did not have to agree with the Bahá’í point of view, almost all of them did agree.
At the close of the program several guests asked to speak to the entire audience. All insisted that the initiative of the Bahá’ís must not be lost, and that there should be study groups formed to promote the activities and actions mentioned in the workshop reports. One group declared that a report of the meeting should be sent to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and one of the youth made an emotional appeal to the Bahá’ís to speak out in the schools and universities.
The seminar and other weekend activities were blessed by the presence of four Counsellors: Mr. Dunbar, Mr. Serrano, Mr. Tomás and Dr. Hidayatu’llah Ahmadiyyeh of Belize. Media coverage was good with articles in three newspapers with a combined circulation of 230,000, several radio interviews, and 1,000 invitations given out (mostly by hand) to selected groups and individuals.
On Sunday, June 8, many of the friends traveled with the Counsellors to a meeting in Sonsonate, in the heart of the area of a direct teaching campaign called “We Shall Not Fail Them,” dedicated to the victims of persecution in Iran. There Counsellor Dunbar gave an uplifting talk on the history of the Faith that heightened everyone’s sense of the greatness of its Central Figures and of the importance of the Cause in the history of the world.
Marvin Dreyer, a longtime member of the National Spiritual Assembly of El Salvador, and his wife Jan sing Bahá’í songs of peace during the first evening of a highly successful two-day peace seminar June 6-7 sponsored by the National Assembly.
The Counsellors also met with the friends in the capital area, with the Auxiliary Board members and their assistants, and had a dinner meeting with the National Spiritual Assembly of El Salvador.
One week earlier, a popular commercial television channel presented its second showing of the video “Mona with the Children” with dubbed-in Spanish voices.
Also, at the request and with the cooperation of the National Youth Committee, the National Assembly has sponsored a 13-week “university-type” course on the Faith on Sunday mornings. These sessions treat such topics as “scriptural prophecy,” “analysis of the peace statement,” “spiritual life and laws,” and “Bahá’í history.” Included are the taking of attendance, homework and exams. The course has been well-attended and is most likely only the first of such in-depth institutes.
Australia[edit]
Peace Expo ‘overwhelms’ Atherton[edit]
After nine months of persistent effort, the Far North Queensland Bahá’í communities of Herberton, Mareeba, Atherton and Eacham, supported by a host of community organizations and interested individuals, pulled off a Peace Exposition in Atherton at the end of May, with results that exceeded their wildest dreams.
Six and a half thousand people—representing well over half of Atherton Shire’s population of 8,500—poured through the Exposition venue on the weekend of May 24-25.
On Monday, May 26, the Cairns Post described the public response to the Expo as “overwhelming.”
The first sight to greet the thousands of visitors was the spectacle of more than 1,500 peace banners hanging in a giant display right down the center of the 60-meter-long hall. A floral globe of the earth, two meters in diameter, prepared by the Mareeba Bahá’ís, was the centerpiece of this display.
More than 120 organizations or groups packed the exhibition hall and surrounding grounds with peace exhibits and international food stalls or provided part of the non-stop entertainment that ran all day Saturday.
Such an extraordinary range of exhibits had never before been assembled in North Queensland and covered every aspect of peace. No organization involved even peripherally in the peace movement or having peace concerns was absent. The people attending could be seen to come from every and all walks of life. Aboriginal involvement as entertainers and exhibitors was extensive, and many were present all day as visitors.
The Bahá’í exhibit was deliberately
Such an extraordinary range of exhibits had never before been assembled in North Queensland and covered every aspect of peace. No organization involved even peripherally in the peace movement or having peace concerns was absent.
kept to the same scale as all others. It contained a small video theatre as well as a static display and book display. Attendance at this exhibit was a steady stream through the day.
The International Concert on Saturday evening played to a happy, responsive audience of more than 1,000. This overflow crowd enjoyed such special features as a traditional dance by a troupe from Roper River in the Northern Territory, Papua New Guinean dancers, Torres Straight Island dancers and many other ethnic performances from such backgrounds as the Philippines, the West Indies, Yugoslavia, Spain, Sri Lanka and Japan. Many were impressed by the remarkable range of cultures represented. A professional Australian Bush Dance group and children from the local Dance Academy kept the balance with excellent local acts.
A Peace Dance organized by Mabel Dean, an 81-year-old Bahá’í from Ravenshoe, involved 20 non-Bahá’ís drawn in as volunteers from her Shire. It was a great success and warmed all hearts. Georgia Pitt, a local Bahá’í jazz and blues singer, was a tremendous hit, being called back for encores. The concert ended with a special song entitled “Peace, Peace, It’s Music to Our Ears,” beautifully written by a talented local Bahá’í, Michael Knopf. All performers and audience joined in this song to bring the concert to a joyful conclusion.
Media preparation before the Exposition was extensive, funded in part by a $2,000 grant from the Federal Government to the Atherton Expo Committee. There were 20 television ads, each of 30 seconds duration. Free television and radio interviews were also granted. Newspaper coverage began two months before the event with hundreds of column inches of free publicity, culminating in a four-page supplement lifted-out in the regional newspaper, The Tablelander.
The attendance figures mentioned above, of more than 4,500 for the Saturday exhibits and more than 1,000 for the International Concert, should be seen in relation to the total population of the Shire of Atherton, which is only 8,500 in all. The fact that we Bahá’ís sponsored and organized the event was understood and greatly appreciated by all.
On Sunday some 200 people took part in an all-day Peace Forum, enthusiastically contributing to the workshops conducted by keynote speakers Diane Cilento (a well-known film and theatre personality), Professor John Waiko (first Papua New Guinean professor at the University of Papua New Guinea, Dr. Waiko is now a friend of the Faith), Roxanne Terrel, Dr. Lesley Clark (a conservationist and local government Councillor), and Professor Sirus Naraqi (who spoke on the Bahá’í approach to world peace). Forum chairman Dr. David Podger particularly noted the entirely
| This report of the Peace Exposition held last May in Atherton, Australia, is reprinted from the Australian Bahá’í Bulletin, No. 351 (July 1986). |
friendly and receptive atmosphere of the day-long gathering.
The speakers and other contributors to the Forum, whether Bahá’í or not, generally called for a change in the basic values of society so that people could become more caring of the world
[Page 7]
around them and of each other. Many
sensed that this change toward a more
responsible, sharing and caring community was already under way.
Mention should be made of the great encouragement the joint patrons of the Exposition, Dr. James and Mrs. Joan Wright, gave during the planning stages. The Wrights are a highly respected retired couple, mainstays of the Anglican Church and previously missionaries in Africa. Dr. Wright is now actively investigating the Faith.
Indeed an event on this scale could not have succeeded without the wide range of support that was gradually gained from the public as the Exposition drew nearer. Many business houses provided free printing and free equipment. The media gave substantial discounts. Most of all, all the many entertainers performed free as their contribution to peace. At the end the Exposition had become a community event which pulled in even those mainstream organizations such as Lions, Apex and Rotary which had been reluctant when first approached.
The reaction of the Christian churches was interesting. They were all most cordially invited to be present in any capacity they wished. A Catholic Father came with 10 hand-bell ringers, boys from St. Barnabas School. The Quakers organized a fine display and one fundamentalist group ran a well-presented exhibit. However, in the very same issue of the newspaper which carried the four-page Exposition supplement, a letter appeared from the Ministers Fraternal urging the community not to support the event in any way. The letter spoke on behalf of a number of major Protestant churches. From comments overheard at the Exposition and from remarks made directly to Bahá’ís, it seems that this attempt increased attendance rather than having the desired effect. A number of Christians at the function told the Expo organizers of their intention to write to the paper disassociating themselves from the letter.
A commemorative Peace Tree was planted in a nearby park by the Expo’s patrons, and a plaque will mark its purpose for the future. Fireworks, balloons, two merry-go-rounds, peace lollies, a multitude of children’s events and clowns made the occasion festive.
At the opening ceremony the Chinese community performed a dazzling Lion Dance drawing a crowd of more than 1,000 to hear addresses by the Hand of the Cause of God Collis Featherstone, the Expo chairman, a local government Councillor, and the Expo patron.
A Muslim (left) and a Quaker discuss peace issues during the two-day Bahá’í-sponsored Peace Exposition in Atherton, North Queensland, Australia.
The Expo Committee later wrote:
“There was a great spirit of love and cooperation amongst the Bahá’ís during the arduous months of planning and organizing the event. We were always united throughout the project and with overflowing hearts look forward to a great teaching harvest that will soon come.”
Trinidad/Tobago[edit]
Pictured are Bahá’ís who gathered April 26-27 for the 16th annual National Bahá’í Convention of Trinidad and Tobago held on the campus of the University of the West Indies. Highlights included a slide presentation from the World Centre and consultation on the Six Year Plan.
Perspective[edit]
Some thoughts on teaching the Cause[edit]
The Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh has brought us so many wonderful concepts. One of these relates to teaching the Cause of God. Whereas in non-Bahá’í circles, the basic purpose of teaching a religion is to increase the membership of a community, in the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh, teaching the Cause is an act of devotion to God, and the most praiseworthy deed in His sight.
Bahá’u’lláh exhorts His followers in these words: “Teach ye the Cause of God, O people of Bahá, for God hath prescribed unto everyone the duty of proclaiming His message, and regardeth it as the most meritorious of all deeds.” And ‘Abdu’l-Bahá states: “Teaching the Cause is of the utmost importance for it is the head cornerstone of the foundation itself.”
The main purpose of teaching is not merely to increase the membership of the Bahá’í community, although this happens as a result. The prime motive is that the individual may know Bahá’u’lláh and draw near to Him.
In the whole of creation there is nothing more important than the attraction of the soul to its God. In the physical world we observe the attraction which exists between the earth and every object that comes within its gravitational pull. The earth tends to draw everything to itself and the final goal of every object is to reach and rest upon it.
The same law of attraction binds the Creator to His Creation. The soul is attracted to the worlds of God and if the barriers that intervene between the two
To live the life as a Bahá’í is different insofar as the heart is illumined with the love of Bahá’u’lláh. It is this love that makes the difference and that is capable of ‘mirroring forth’ the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh to others.
are lifted, the individual will reach his ultimate destiny. Teaching the Cause of God is the very act of removing these barriers. When the soul recognizes Bahá’u’lláh, it will reach its abode and there is nothing more meritorious in the sight of God than that His servants should be wholly drawn to Him.
The aim of the Bahá’í teacher is that the Message of God may be glorified and that the individual may be enabled to embrace His Cause, celebrate His praise, and draw nearer to Him. The act of teaching, more than anything else, evokes the good pleasure of God.
In one of His Tablets, Bahá’u’lláh states that there are two things pleasing to God: the tears shed in fear of Him and the blood of the martyr spilt in His path. But since the latter is not always possible, and Bahá’u’lláh has advised His followers not to volunteer to give their lives, He has replaced it with teaching His Cause.
We know how exalted is the station of those who have accepted martyrdom in the path of God. Bahá’u’lláh in The Hidden Words reveals this exalted station when He proclaims: “O Son of Man! By My beauty! To tinge thy hair with thy blood is greater in My sight than the creation of the universe and the light of both worlds ...”
And yet so lofty is the station of teachers in the sight of God that in another Tablet Bahá’u’lláh states that in this Dispensation it is preferable to teach with wisdom than to give one’s life.
Therefore, we can see that teaching has far deeper spiritual significance than it appears on the surface. To carry out such an act of devotion, which has the same merit as laying down one’s life in the path of God, needs some spiritual prerequisites. Without these, teaching becomes a mechanical operation producing no effect upon the hearers.
These prerequisites are to be found in the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Shoghi Effendi enumerated some of them in his letter to the North American believers, The Advent of Divine Justice (pp. 18-34), a year after he gave them their most important plan, the first Seven Year Plan.
One may summarize these prerequisites in one sentence, namely: “living the life in accordance with Bahá’í teachings.”
It is also clear in the Writings that without these prerequisites the individual will not succeed in teaching the Cause. Bahá’u’lláh, in one of His Tablets, states: “God hath prescribed unto every one the duty of teaching His Cause.
| This article on “Teaching the Cause of God” by Adib Taherzadeh, a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors in Europe, appeared in the February 1978 issue of the Bahá’í Journal, a publication of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United Kingdom. |
Whoso ariseth to discharge this duty, must needs, ere he proclaimeth His Message, adorn himself with the ornament of an upright and praiseworthy character, so that his words may attract the hearts of such as are receptive to his call. Without it, he can never hope to influence his hearers ...”
This statement of Bahá’u’lláh is irrevocable, for He says: “Without it, he can never hope to influence his hearers.” The word “never” is emphatic, and rules out any other method. In many other Tablets, Bahá’u’lláh has revealed similar statements.
[Page 9]
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, in one of His Tablets,
writes: “The aim is this: The intention
of the teacher must be pure, his heart
independent, his spirit attracted, his
thought at peace, his resolution firm,
his magnanimity exalted and in the
love of God a shining torch. Should he
become as such, his sanctified breath
will even affect the rock; otherwise
there will be no result whatsoever.”
We note again how emphatic that last sentence is: “Otherwise there will be no result whatsoever.” Here, also, there are numerous Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá with similar conclusions.
Shoghi Effendi also has drawn our attention to this truth in many of his letters. To cite one celebrated passage:
“Not by the force of numbers, not by the mere exposition of a set of new and noble principles, not by an organized campaign of teaching—no matter how worldwide and elaborate in its character—not even by the staunchness of our faith or the exaltation of our enthusiasm, can we ultimately hope to vindicate in the eyes of a critical and sceptical age the supreme claim of the Abhá Revelation.
“One thing and only one thing will unfailingly and alone secure the undoubted triumph of this sacred Cause, namely, the extent to which our own inner life and private character mirror forth in their manifold aspects the splendor of those eternal principles proclaimed by Bahá’u’lláh.”
In this statement Shoghi Effendi has left no room whatsoever for short circuiting or finding an alternative to this vital prerequisite for teaching, i.e., “living the life.” For he says (and let us note his special emphasis):
“One thing and only one thing will unfailingly and alone secure the undoubted triumph of this sacred Cause, namely, the extent to which our own inner life and private character mirror forth in their manifold aspects the splendor of those eternal principles proclaimed by Bahá’u’lláh.”
The Universal House of Justice recently released to the Bahá’í world some quotations from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi on teaching. The perusal of these makes it clear that teaching becomes successful when the teacher is wholly dedicated to the Cause, and adorns himself with the ornament of a goodly character and lives in accordance with the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh.
There are many people who are not Bahá’ís but who are brought up to live a good life in their own traditions. They are trained from childhood to be courteous, kind and loving. They evince many good qualities that are all ingrained in them from childhood and these have become second nature to them. They perform good deeds as a matter of course and as a habit.
Of course such people are praiseworthy, but since they are not endowed with the spirit of faith borne by Bahá’u’lláh, they are like perfect lamps that are not lit.
To live the life as a Bahá’í is different insofar as the heart is illumined with the love of Bahá’u’lláh. It is this love that makes the difference and that is capable of “mirroring forth” the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh to others.
The question always is: How can we begin to live the life as a Bahá’í?
The first step in living the life is to fall in love with Bahá’u’lláh. Without this it is impossible to achieve anything in this Faith.
Indeed, the story of every religion is written in the language of love. Often people recognize Bahá’u’lláh intellectually. This is not sufficient. Not until the individual becomes a lover of Bahá’u’lláh can he acquire the spiritual capacity for serving the Cause of God in this day.
Teaching the Cause needs a purity of motive that derives its origin from the love that the believer entertains in his heart for Bahá’u’lláh.
But like most things in this life that grow, love for Bahá’u’lláh also grows in one’s heart. There is always a beginning for this love.
When an individual embraces the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh, the spark of faith appears in his heart. He then takes the first step in his journey of love toward Bahá’u’lláh. The candle of the heart is then just lighted.
But this love must be allowed to grow, this light must be allowed to become a great fire. Here the individual must continue his journey of love to Bahá’u’lláh. If he immerses himself in the ocean of Bahá’u’lláh’s words, if he opens his heart to the influences of His Revelation, if he associates with devoted Bahá’ís who are on fire with the Faith, and eschews fellowship with the ungodly, and if he arises to serve the Cause, then his love for Bahá’u’lláh will increase day by day, and he will become a deepened Bahá’í.
Deepening in the Faith is often misunderstood. It is taken to mean only study classes, courses, and taking part in intellectual discussions. Often in these discussions we inject our own ideas, as well as modern theories, into the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, and make the Faith appear as complicated as a highly involved scientific theory, whereas the study of the Faith is so simple that any person with common sense, even if he is devoid of education, can fully understand its truth, provided his heart is pure. If we look at the talks of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the Western world we notice how in simple language He explained some profound subjects. His talks ought to become a pattern for our teaching work.
Real deepening occurs when the believer reads the Writings with the eyes of faith, knowing that he is reading the Words of God, not the words of man—words that are charged with tremendous potency. Deepening also takes place when the believer comes in contact with someone who is on fire with the love of Bahá’u’lláh. The mere company of such a man increases one’s faith in God. Bahá’u’lláh states in The Hidden Words:
“... He that seeketh to commune with God, let him betake himself to the companionship of His loved ones; and he that desireth to hearken unto the Word of God, let him give ear to the words of His chosen ones.”
This is the reason why many people who are not even Bahá’ís become spiritually uplifted when they attend a Bahá’í meeting in which the unity among the believers and their love for Bahá’u’lláh are manifested. This is the reason why those who meet a true servant of Bahá’u’lláh become filled with a new spirit.
In the days of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh, the believers did not have access to all the Writings, and often did not know much about the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh. They certainly did not have the explicit guidance of Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice to enlighten them. But their hearts were so filled with the love of Bahá’u’lláh that a great many of them laid down their lives in His path.
One of the best forms of deepening
[Page 10]
for the Bahá’ís in those days was their
meeting together and imparting their
knowledge and love of Bahá’u’lláh to
each other. For instance, one devoted
Bahá’í who had been in the presence of
Bahá’u’lláh, whose heart was filled
with His love, or had some Tablets
from Him, could impart his fire and
faith as well as his knowledge and understanding to others who came in contact with him.
Today, we are so inundated with study courses and teaching techniques that we tend to make deepening a mechanical operation, almost an academic performance. The intellectual approach has so clouded the hearts of men that the rays of the Sun of Truth are unable to shine within.
What we need, in addition to knowledge of the Faith, is to open our hearts to the influences of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, to commune with His spirit, rejoice in His Name and especially seek the companionship of His true lovers.
Without the infusion of the spirit of faith in our lives, without turning with our hearts in humbleness to Bahá’u’lláh, we cannot deepen ourselves in the Cause, because the knowledge of God is first reflected within the heart of man, and then his intellect will grasp it. This is clear in the Writings.
So far we have stated that the first step in living the life as a Bahá’í is to turn our hearts to Bahá’u’lláh, and to allow ourselves to fall in love with Him.
The second step that must follow is to carry out His commandments for the love of Bahá’u’lláh. Bahá’u’lláh states in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas: “Observe My commandments for the love of My Beauty.”
But there is one commandment that, if carried out, will put us on the road to observing the rest, and will gradually deepen us in the Faith and lead us to “live the life.” That commandment is “Teaching the Cause,” because teaching is an act of devotion to God and the most meritorious of all deeds in His sight.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá states: “If the work of delivering the Message be neglected, the assistance shall be entirely cut off, for it is impossible that the friends of God can receive assistance unless they be engaged in delivering the Message.”
It follows, therefore, that one of the most vital commandments that we have to obey in our Bahá’í lives is that of teaching the Cause, for otherwise God’s assistance will not reach us, and without it we can do nothing, including living the Bahá’í life.
As we have already quoted from the Writings, although teaching the Cause of God is the most important step to take, it will not bring forth results unless we exert ourselves to carry out the other commandments of Bahá’u’lláh.
What we need, in addition to knowledge of the Faith, is to open our hearts to the influences of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, to commune with His spirit, rejoice in His Name and especially seek the companionship of His true lovers.
However, should a believer who has love for Bahá’u’lláh in his heart arise with purity of motive to teach the Cause, this action in itself will undoubtedly enable him to “mirror forth” the teachings and principles of our Faith to other people.
Indeed, it has been proven time and again that when Bahá’ís experience difficulties and problems in their lives—problems that seem insoluble—a vital remedy that is capable of relieving them of all their difficulties is teaching the Cause, provided they arise to teach with purity of motive. If a person arises to teach the Faith so that his difficulties may vanish, this is not purity of motive, it is expediency and selfish interest. Such an action has no merit in the sight of God. Bahá’u’lláh has established the criterion for service to His Cause in these words:
“Observe My commandments for the love of My Beauty.”
So far, we have spoken about prerequisites for teaching. Let us now discuss the work of teaching itself.
Teaching takes place when a Bahá’í brings the Message of Bahá’u’lláh and the news of His coming to a soul who is not a Bahá’í. There are no set methods or procedures for teaching. We have been given certain principles and certain guidelines by the Author of our Faith, by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi. These principles and guidelines are completely at variance with the standards and methods of approach that are current in non-Bahá’í circles engaged in teaching various ideologies, using every expedient measure to influence people, and to make converts.
The Cause of Bahá’u’lláh is founded on the Truth of God’s Revelation, and Truth cannot be clothed in expedient measures or in false standards. It cannot employ the techniques of salesmanship and propaganda, of expediency and compromise in teaching work.
In our teaching we present the Message of Bahá’u’lláh to the people as one would offer a gift to a king. Remember that our primary purpose in teaching is not to increase our numbers, but rather to bring a soul to its God.
We approach our fellow men with feelings of love and humility, and above all we take to them the transforming power of Bahá’u’lláh and nothing of ourselves. Indeed, if we try to project ourselves, and impress upon the hearer our knowledge and accomplishments while teaching the Faith, then the power of Bahá’u’lláh cannot reach us. Prayer, to become empty of self, is a vital ingredient in teaching work.
In the early days of the Faith in Persia, the believers radiated the love of Bahá’u’lláh wherever they went. Those who came in contact with them, if they were pure in heart, were attracted to the Cause, great numbers became Bahá’ís, and many of them laid down their lives in the path of their Lord.
It is true to say that during the Heroic Age of the Faith, the pure in heart among the Persian people were brought under the shadow of the Cause. In this period the gem-like essence of that nation embraced the Faith. But most of the teachers were not knowledgeable people. The majority of the believers were uneducated. But they possessed an unshakable faith and a passionate love for Bahá’u’lláh and the Báb. In their contact with people, these heroic souls completely subdued their self and ego and therefore were able to act as perfect channels for the power of Bahá’u’lláh to work through them.
We caught a glimpse of the same spirit a few years ago among the native believers in Ireland when a number of souls came into contact with the Faith
[Page 11]
in Limerick. They were so struck with
the awe-inspiring claims of Bahá’u’lláh
that they earnestly and increasingly
pursued the matter until they were enabled to recognize the station of Bahá’u’lláh, their hearts became filled with His love, and they embraced His Faith.
None of them were scholars or people of learning; the great majority of them had an elementary education, but through their faith and their love they became deepened in the Faith. One could clearly see in their faces and by their actions that they had been transformed by Bahá’u’lláh into a new creation. They broke away from their old habits and put into daily practice the laws and teachings of Bahá’u’lláh.
The first to notice this tremendous change were their friends and fellow citizens, many of whom were also eager to find out about the Faith. There was no publicity, no posters in the streets, no public meetings, but people were drawn to the Faith because they had seen a marvelous transformation in these few souls.
Many came to investigate. There were times when day and night people came to hear about the Faith. Night after night the large room of the first pioneer in that city was filled to capacity. Soon there was an unprecedented entry into the Cause. Many people recognized the truth of the Faith and became ardent believers.
These words of Shoghi Effendi were strikingly fulfilled in those days. “One thing and only one thing will ... secure the undoubted triumph of this sacred Cause. Namely, the extent to which our own inner life and private character mirror forth in their manifold aspects the splendor of those eternal principles proclaimed by Bahá’u’lláh.” These exciting developments presented the whole community with a great challenge—teaching the public.
For the first time in the history of the Faith in Ireland, teaching in the streets of Limerick was approved by the National Assembly, and this project proved to be successful and became a memorable occasion. It was as a result of the first few street teaching efforts in that city that more people embraced the Faith.
If only we could today emulate that same spirit of dedication we could bring many souls into the Cause, even in a continent that is spiritually as cold as Europe.
Under the loving guidance of the National and Local Assemblies, the believers in Limerick gathered on a weekend to take part in the first street teaching event. For some hours they turned their hearts to Bahá’u’lláh, a few prayers were read, then readings from the Writings, then talks were given about Bahá’u’lláh, His Revelation, His Majesty, His Station, the stories of the martyrs and the power of His Cause. Hearts were moved and tears flowed.
Having taken part for some hours in this spiritual atmosphere, the believers then went out in pairs to teach their fellow men in the streets, full of enthusiasm and confidence.
The key to the success of this teaching enterprise was one thing and one thing alone, namely: that the power of Bahá’u’lláh was allowed to play a major part in it.
That we must allow the power of Bahá’u’lláh to work for us is one of the basic principles of creation. God pours out the creative energies of His Revelation upon man. But man can only receive these bounties if he opens his heart to their influences. This is the Covenant of God with man.
The analogy of a power station illustrates this: Although the power station generating electricity is pouring out its energy into the network, not until an appliance is connected to it can it receive energy. A lamp will never light, even if it is situated next door to the power house, unless it is connected.
We know that man is created and sustained through the bounties of God, and if it were not for His love and grace no creation could come into being. Yet when we examine the Covenant of God with man we notice that we cannot draw the power of Bahá’u’lláh in teaching the Cause or in any other field of human endeavor unless we turn to Him empty of self. The principle is: “Love Me, that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee ...” This is an irrevocable principle.
Returning to the story of teaching in the streets of Limerick, the believers prayed to be led to waiting souls. Some pairs who went out to teach their fellow men were not alone, they took the power of Bahá’u’lláh with them. To do that, they knew that they must purify their hearts and live the life as Bahá’ís.
As they walked in the streets, these souls were conscious of the presence of Bahá’u’lláh. So their faces glowed with love and confidence.
They spoke about the coming of Bahá’u’lláh in simple terms to some-
[Page 12]
one they felt might be responsive, and
if the person responded favorably, they
invited him to a fireside. They did not
distribute leaflets, but rather approached the person in such a way as to
enable Bahá’u’lláh to win his heart. In
such an approach there is no room for
argument or lengthy discussions; the
interview is very brief. The impact
upon the hearer occurs through the
power of Bahá’u’lláh.
It is interesting that some of those who became Bahá’ís through street teaching told us that they did not understand anything about the Faith in their first encounter with the Bahá’ís. What attracted them were the youth who approached them in the streets. They saw in their faces a joy and a radiance coupled with a confidence they had never seen before; they were drawn to them and went to their firesides every evening until they were confirmed in the Faith.
This is what happens when a Bahá’í teacher submits himself entirely to Bahá’u’lláh and enables Bahá’u’lláh to attract the souls to His Cause.
Of course, similar victories have been won elsewhere, but if we carefully observe, we may notice that in many cases teaching work goes forward with success and then it slows down. This is very sad.
There is always a reason for this. There need not be more than one Bahá’í in the town who brings this about without ever realizing it. It is a person who openly breaks the laws of Bahá’u’lláh, acts against His commandments and brings disgrace to the Faith in public. When this happens the steady growth of the Faith stops. Another reason is disunity among the believers.
Not only has this happened over and over again, but Bahá’u’lláh also confirms this, stating in one of His Tablets that if the believers had acted faithfully in accordance with His commandments, mankind in its entirety would have recognized Him and embraced His Cause in His days.
Today the Universal House of Justice has given us the task of fulfilling the goals of the Seven Year Plan. Because this body is “the source of all good and freed from all error,” and is under the guidance of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh, all the forces of the world whether constructive or destructive will, directly and indirectly, assist us in achieving these goals provided we arise in the prosecution of the objectives of the Plan with determination and with hearts filled with the love of Bahá’u’lláh.
So the progress of the Cause is in our hands. If we do not open the way for Bahá’u’lláh to act for us, His confirmations cannot reach us. “Love Me, that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me
Faith endows a human being with powers that no earthly agency can equal. By the power of their faith, the believers have overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and won memorable victories for the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh.
not, My love can in no wise reach thee.” We may ask ourselves how to fall in love with Bahá’u’lláh. This is entirely dependent upon our faith in Him. Intellectual recognition of Bahá’u’lláh is not sufficient. The heart must become confirmed.
Acquiring true faith is man’s greatest accomplishment. Faith endows a human being with powers that no earthly agency can equal. By the power of their faith, the believers have overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and won memorable victories for the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh.
To have faith, a man must banish from his heart every trace of vain imagination and idle fancy. Let us examine the road to the achievement of this exalted goal and explore the many pitfalls and obstacles which confront the soul in its quest.
There are two focal points of enormous power within a human being. One is the brain, the center of intellect and thought and the storehouse of his knowledge and learning. Through the agency of this faculty man can manifest the unique powers of the rational soul that distinguish him from the animal. The intellect is the greatest gift of God to man. But since man has free will, he may be led by his intellect either to faith and belief in God, or else to disbelief.
The other focal point is the heart, which is the center of warmth and love. The heart of man falls in love with the world and its own self, but it is also the habitation wherein God’s attributes are revealed. Bahá’u’lláh states:
“O Son of Being!
“Thy heart is My home; sanctify it for My descent ...”
It is within the heart of man that the spark of faith appears. But this can only happen when the heart becomes freed from attachment to the things of the world. Bahá’u’lláh declares in The Hidden Words:
“O Son of Dust!
“All that is in heaven and earth I have ordained for thee, except the human heart, which I have made the habitation of My beauty and glory; yet thou didst give My home and dwelling to another than Me; and whenever the manifestation of My holiness sought His own abode, a stranger found He there, and, homeless, hastened unto the sanctuary of the Beloved. Notwithstanding I have concealed thy secret and desired not thy shame.”
God has created man in such wise that the two focal points in his being, namely the mind and the heart, should complement each other. The mind without the heart illumined by faith does not acquire the capacity to investigate, or the language to understand, the truth of the Cause of God. Similar to the eye when deprived of light, it is unable to explore the world of the spirit. Instead, it develops its powers in the field of materialism and naturally rejects the concept of God and religion. Thus it becomes the most effective barrier to the individual’s acquisition of faith.
In such circumstances the heart becomes filled with love of the world and its own self, for it is a characteristic of the heart to love. If it is not allowed to love God, it will love itself and its worldly possessions. And this is one significance of the “stranger” that Bahá’u’lláh refers to in The Hidden Words:
“O My Friend in word!
“Ponder awhile. Hast thou ever heard that friend and foe should abide in one heart? Cast out then the stranger, that the Friend may enter His home.”
To acquire faith man must cast out the “stranger” from his heart. To the extent that he succeeds in doing this, he
[Page 13]
will acquire faith.
Once the spark of faith is ignited within the heart it must be allowed to grow steadily into a flame, otherwise it could die because of attachment to this world.
For instance, when an individual reaches a point where he recognizes Bahá’u’lláh as a Manifestation of God, his heart becomes the recipient of the light of God’s Faith for this day. If the believer immerses himself from the start in the ocean of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation, reads His Writings daily, not merely to add to his own knowledge, but to receive the food of the spirit, seeks the companionship of the righteous and arises to serve Him with sincerity and detachment, then he may steadily grow in faith and become a radiant and enthusiastic soul. He may obtain a deeper understanding of the Writings and reach a point where both his mind and his heart work together in harmony.
Such a believer will eventually find no conflict between the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh and his own thinking. He will discover many a wisdom hidden in the utterances of Bahá’u’lláh and will recognize the limitations and shortcomings of his own finite mind.
But if a believer, after having recognized Bahá’u’lláh, fails to follow His path, he may soon find himself in conflict with many aspects of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh. His intellect may not be able to understand the wisdom behind many of His teachings, he may indeed reject some of His precepts and eventually lose faith altogether.
Some people struggle for years to overcome this problem, for they long to be confirmed in their faith. Often such an individual may be helped to acquire a true understanding of the Faith by those who truly believe in Bahá’u’lláh and are detached from this world.
But if everything else fails, the only remedy for the individual who still has a glimmer of faith in his heart, but who has doubts about the Cause, is to admit that he may be wrong in his assessment of the teachings of the Faith, to affirm that Bahá’u’lláh’s knowledge is of God, and to surrender his feelings and thoughts completely to Him.
Once he submits himself in this way and perseveres in doing so with sincerity and truthfulness, the channels of the grace of God open and his heart becomes the recipient of the light of true knowledge. He will discover, some time in his life, either by intuition or through prayer and meditation, the answer to all his problems and objections. Every trace of conflict will disappear from his mind. He will readily understand the reasons behind those very teachings that previously baffled his intellect, and will find many mysteries enshrined in the utterances of Bahá’u’lláh, mysteries of which he was completely unaware in earlier days.
The following words of Bahá’u’lláh in The Hidden Words demonstrate that not until man submits himself to God can he attain to the knowledge of His Revelation:
“O Son of Dust!
“Blind thine eyes, that thou mayest behold My beauty; stop thine ears, that thou mayest hearken unto the sweet melody of My voice; empty thyself of all learning, that thou mayest partake of My knowledge; and sanctify thyself from riches, that thou mayest obtain a lasting share from the ocean of My eternal wealth. Blind thine eyes, that is, to all save My beauty; stop thine ears to all save My word; empty thyself of all learning save the knowledge of Me; that with a clear vision, a pure heart and an attentive ear thou mayest enter the court of My holiness.”
Faith comes to a man or woman through submission to God. The surrendering of the self with all its accomplishments renders the soul free of attachment to this mortal world. It drives the “stranger” away from the heart and enables him to receive the “Friend” within its sanctuary. Bahá’u’lláh states:
“O Son of Man!
“Humble thyself before Me, that I may graciously visit thee ...”
In another passage He reveals:
“O Son of Man!
“If thou lovest Me, turn away from thyself; and if thou seekest My pleasure, regard not thine own; that thou mayest die in Me and I may eternally live in thee.”
When man acquires faith in this way he must allow his faith to grow and become stronger. If one’s faith does not increase day by day, this is a sign of spiritual ill-health, for nothing remains stationary in this life. Either one is growing, or one is on the decline.
Bahá’u’lláh in His Tablets has exhorted His followers to conduct their lives in such wise that their spiritual condition may improve daily.
In conclusion, let me summarize some of the points so far mentioned:
- Teaching is the most meritorious of all deeds in the sight of God; it is on a par with martyrdom.
- Without teaching, God’s assistance will not reach the individual.
- Teaching the Cause is an act of devotion to God.
- The prerequisites for such an act of devotion can be summed up as “living the life as a Bahá’í.”
- Without this, the believer “can never hope to influence his hearers.”
- The first step in living the life is to fall in love with Bahá’u’lláh. To do this we must acquire faith, then read the Words of God, associate with devoted Bahá’ís and eschew fellowship with the ungodly.
- The second step is to engage in teaching the Cause with a pure motive for the love of Bahá’u’lláh. This act in itself will help us to live the life, which in turn will make our teaching work more effective.
- We must allow the power of Bahá’u’lláh to work for us in teaching the Cause.
- And last, but not least—indeed the most vital action—is that of prayer, prayer that we may become empty of self and be led to receptive souls.
The world[edit]
Bahá’í co-winner of Media Peace Prize[edit]
A Media Peace Prize, awarded by the New Zealand Foundation for Peace Studies, was presented this year to Dianne Stogre-Power, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of New Zealand, and her non-Bahá’í partner, Robyn Hunt.
The two radio journalists earned national acclaim by producing a two-part documentary on the history of peace-making in New Zealand.
In the ample publicity surrounding the award, Mrs. Power identified herself as a Bahá’í and gave the Faith credit as the main influence on her thinking.
The two hour-long episodes of the documentary were broadcast last August. They are uniquely positive, highlighting New Zealand’s important but little-known contributions to peace-making.
Robyn Hunt, a Quaker, was concerned that her country had been looked at mainly for its participation in various wars and neglected for its role in peace-making. Mrs. Power, meanwhile, was especially interested in examining the role women have played in New Zealand’s peace movement, as well as the Maoris’ philosophy of non-violence preached by several of their prophets, who said that refusing to fight was their only weapon.
The two women tried, according to Mrs. Power, to construct from the country’s historical records “a social history with a human face, rather than just dates.”
Mrs. Power’s next peace-related project was to be a program for the International Year of Peace for use by the Continuing Education Unit of Radio New Zealand. To her amazement, the unit has approved the use of “The Promise of World Peace” as the outline for the program.
An advertising campaign undertaken by the Spiritual Assembly of Wellington, New Zealand, has brought more than a hundred inquiries to the mail box with requests for more information.
San Marino[edit]
The Captains Regent of San Marino receive copies of ‘The Promise of World Peace’ from a delegation of the National Spiritual Assembly of Italy during a ceremony last October 24 at the governmental palace in San Marino.
Canada[edit]
The “Two Wings” Conference, held last February 21-23 in Toronto, Ontario, was successful “beyond the wildest imaginations” of the committee in charge of the conference for youth on the equality of men and women.
The Cabinet Minister for Youth and the lieutenant-governor of Ontario opened the conference, which was attended by well over 450 young people.
The non-Bahá’í speakers were so deeply moved and impressed by the youth that they were reluctant to leave. Talks were interwoven with artistic impressions on the conference theme in song, story, dance and graphic arts.
Ten Indian Nations were represented at the event and at least 50 organizations sponsored participants. About 50 French-Canadian youth, many of them non-Bahá’ís, were surprised and pleased by bi-lingual presentations and continuous translations.
The entire proceedings were video taped.
India[edit]
The Dalai Lama of Tibet (left) is given a copy of the Universal House of Justice’s peace statement at Sarnath, India, by two members of the National Spiritual Assembly of India, Mrs. Bharti Gandhi and Dr. H.M. Munje.
A delegation appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly of India recently presented a copy of the Universal House of Justice’s peace statement to the Dalai Lama of Tibet at Bodhgaya, India.
Mrs. Bharti Gandhi, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly, and Dr. H.M. Munje reported to the National Assembly that “... His Holiness appreciated the Bahá’í Teachings and remarked that the timely issuing of the peace statement will greatly help in molding world opinion in favor of peace and international understanding.”
The State Teaching Committee of Orissa, India, has enrolled more than 8,000 people through its correspondence course on the Faith.
All of the students have been regular in their replies. Among them are members of local Assemblies and some Bahá’í youth. A second, higher level, course is being prepared to follow the present one.
St. Lucia[edit]
A Bahá’í radio program titled “A New Day“ is heard each Tuesday and Friday at 8:25 a.m. in St. Lucia, West Indies.
Brazil[edit]
A panel discussion on “The Promise of World Peace” was held January 20 at the Plenary Hall of the Legislative Assembly of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, in Porto Alegre.
The meeting, sponsored by the local Spiritual Assembly of Porto Alegre in the name of the Bahá’í International Community, drew about 150 people, the majority of whom were not Bahá’ís.
Only one of the six panelists was a Bahá’í—Luis Henrique Beust, an Auxiliary Board member, who spoke on peace and world unity. The panel discussion, mediated by a Bahá’í, Dr. Farhad Shayani, included a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
A newspaper article gave a full account of the event and included a photograph which was captioned, “Bahá’ís work for peace.”
Although still awaiting an audience with the president of that country, the National Spiritual Assembly of Brazil had by January 15 presented copies of the Universal House of Justice’s peace statement to seven state governors, 19 mayors and 939 other government officials through numerous Bahá’í delegations.
Since last October, some 76 articles on Bahá’í activities related to peace have appeared in Brazilian newspapers.
Ciskei[edit]
Three members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Ciskei met last November 4 with President L.L. Sebe to present him with a copy of the Universal House of Justice’s peace statement. It marked the first time that the president, or any high-ranking official in the new republic, had received a Bahá’í delegation.
The president accepted the specially bound volume graciously, and during a 20-minute interview held the book in both hands, never putting it down.
President Sebe told the Bahá’ís he is grateful and happy to have people in his country who are concerned about peace, as too many, he said, are interested only in material wealth. He commented on the fact that the delegation consisted of three women, saying it was appropriate “because women understand peace better than men.”
Grenada[edit]
News of the presention of the Universal House of Justice’s peace statement to Sir Paul Scoon, the governor-general of Grenada, was placed alongside page-one coverage of the visit of Queen Elizabeth II and the prime minister’s meeting with President Reagan in Grenada’s leading newspaper, The Voice.
Participants in the presentation ceremony, held last October 24, reported exciting experiences, with one of them calling it “the best day of my life.”
During the presentation, the governor-general asked that everyone pause for seven minutes at precisely 1 p.m. to pray for peace.
Chad[edit]
In Moissala, Chad, the local Spiritual Assembly has opened the Hakim Dispensary to care for the sick.
Recognizing a need in the villages of the sub-prefecture as well, the Assembly made plans to open a training center for students. More than 100 people applied for 43 openings; the rest were placed on a waiting list for the next course.
Malaysia[edit]
The head of state of Negri Sembilan, one of the states in West Malaysia (center), receives a copy of the peace statement from Bahá’ís acting on behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly of Malaysia. The presentation was made last November 24.
Australia[edit]
Some 700 people attended “Transition ’86,” this year’s weekend of seminars on rural living held in early February and sponsored by the Bahá’ís of Kentish, Tasmania.
The major theme of the event was peace. An outdoor talk on peace by a Tasmanian Bahá’í, Anne Stark, kept many people listening despite a sudden rainstorm that caused it to be moved indoors.
An official of the state government was so excited by a display on alternative building methods that he made a video tape of the display and said he planned to encourage local Councils in Tasmania to copy the ideas.
The Aurora Australis (southern lights) also put on quite a display during the weekend, which seemed to the Bahá’ís to be a reflection in the southern sky of their joyous mood at the close of the highly successful event.
Tonga[edit]
Pictured are participants in the 1986 National Bahá’í Convention held the last weekend of April in ‘Ohonua, on the island of ‘Eua, Tonga. This marks the first time the Tongan Bahá’ís have held their Convention on ‘Eua. After gathering from various island groups throughout Tonga, the delegates and guests were officially welcomed by the police magistrate of ‘Eua.
Guinea Bissau[edit]
The National Spiritual Assembly of Guinea Bissau (formerly the Gambia) has joyously announced the formation of seven local Spiritual Assemblies and the opening of 23 localities, thus exceeding its goals for the Seven Year Plan. Three hundred new believers have been enrolled in the Faith.
Republic of Ireland[edit]
The presentation last October of the Universal House of Justice’s peace statement to Patrick J. Hillery, president of the Republic of Ireland, has been followed by presentations to government ministers and members of the Dail and Senate.
To date, 52 of the 166 members of the Dail and 25 of 60 members of the Senate have received copies of the document. In all, some 3,000 copies have been given to politicians, organizations and leaders of opinion including the attorney general, two bishops, 200 of the country’s most prominent businessmen, and Irish ambassadors overseas. Presently it is being distributed to members of the judiciary, trade and professional organizations, women’s groups, religious leaders, and volunteer groups.
“The Promise of World Peace” was translated into Irish, becoming the second piece of Bahá’í literature to be published in the Irish language.
On the local level, Bahá’ís in Ireland are turning to “the peoples of the world.” In preparation for widespread distribution of the peace statement, a special printing is being undertaken to produce it as cheaply as possible.
In addition, national public meetings on peace-related topics are being held throughout the year. The first of these was held March 8, International Women’s Day. These meetings will culminate in a Peace Conference later in the year. Also, the Association for Bahá’í Studies for English-Speaking Europe plans to hold its first conference this year on the general theme of peace.
Singapore[edit]
The Hand of the Cause of God Collis Featherstone and Mrs. Featherstone attended the funeral January 17 of Mr. Teo Geok Leng, the first Chinese believer of Singapore. At the Bahá’í cemetery in Choa Chu Kang, Mr. Featherstone recited the Prayer for the Dead.
That evening, at the Bahá’í National Centre of Singapore, the Hand of the Cause spent two hours with more than 50 Bahá’ís from many communities, giving them an account of the happenings at the World Centre such as the meeting of the Hands of the Cause, Counsellors and International Teaching Centre to lay the foundation for the coming Six Year Plan.
Uruguay[edit]
Dr. Julio María Sanguinetti (center), the president of Uruguay, shakes hands with youth working at the Bahá’í booth at the 8th International Book Fair held last September-October in Montevideo. More than 123,000 people visited the Fair, among whom were 15,000 who accepted Bahá’í pamphlets.
Hawaii[edit]
On Naw-Rúz, March 21, Dr. Alicia Guajardo, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Hawaii, opened the session of the Hawaii State Senate with a Bahá’í prayer. Meanwhile, her husband, Robert McClelland, chairman of the National Bahá’í Teaching Committee, similarly opened the session of the Hawaii House of Representatives.
Germany[edit]
On December 5, Federal President Richard von Weizsacker became the first German head of state to officially receive a Bahá’í delegation when he hosted a one-hour meeting with three representatives of the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany—Dr. Ingeborg Franken, Dr. Massoud Berdgis and Kurt Henseler—at Villa Hammerschmidt in Bonn.
A considerable amount of time was spent discussing plans for the International Year of Peace. Three weeks before the meeting, the National Assembly had sent Mr. Weizsacker a copy of the Universal House of Justice’s peace statement.
The president expressed great interest in the activities of the German Bahá’í community during the Year of Peace, warmly welcoming the news that 100 local Bahá’í communities in Germany had begun preparing Year of Peace activities.
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