Bahá’í World/Volume 22/Information and Resources

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The Bahá’í World Volume 22

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[Page 319]

OBITUARIES

Houshmand Anvari See pp. 147-150.

Stanley T. Bagley On 15 April 1993 in the United States. Born in Bertrand, Missouri, USA on 2 February 1912, Stanley Bagley accepted the Bahá’í Faith in 1935. For nearly six decades he and his wife, Florence, devotedly spread the teachings and served on various administrative bodies in Belgium, France, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and the United States. Mr. Bagley was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for his services opening Sicily to the Faith.

Shamam Bakhshandegi See pp. 147-150.

Gertrude Blum On 5 June 1993 in the Solomon Islands. Born Gertrude Gewertz on 9 December 1909 in New York City, she accepted the Bahá’í Faith at the age of 19. Mrs. Blum and her husband, Alvin, were named Knights of Bahá’u’lláh for being the first Bahá’ís to settle in the Solomons in 1954. Mrs. Blum’s services to the community and the Bahá’í Faith were recognized when she was awarded the Member of the British Empire (MBE) medal by Elizabeth II, Queen of England, in 1989. She was a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Australia and New Zealand, the first Regional Spiritual Assembly of the South Pacific, and the first National Assembly of the South West Pacific Ocean. [Page 320]

Virginia Breaks

On 8 December 1993 in the Western Caroline Islands. Virginia Breaks was born 9 November 1906 in Crawfordsville, Indiana, USA, and enrolled in the Bahá’í Faith in 1947. She pioneered to Chuuk, Eastern Caroline Islands, in 1953, a service for which she was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh. Her master’s degree in public health statistics from the University of California at Berkeley made it possible for her to move to the Caroline Islands by securing a job as a vital statistician and medical records librarian. She remained in the Caroline Islands for forty years, serving as an Auxiliary Board member for twenty.

Leonard Chiposi

On 10 October 1993 in Zimbabwe. Mr. Chiposi, born in Salisbury (now Harare), Zimbabwe on 8 September 1928, declared his Faith in 1956, becoming one of the earliest indigenous believers in that country. He served on the National Spiritual Assembly of South Central Africa, which formed in 1964, and then on the National Spiritual Assembly of Zimbabwe from 1970 to 1993.

Vuk Echtner

On 20 January 1994 in Czechoslovakia. Vuk Echtner, born 10 July 1905 in southern Bohemia, was one of the first to embrace the Bahá’í Faith in Czechoslovakia. He served the Cause for half a century, translating Bahá’í literature into Czech and proclaiming the Faith in conjunction with his work as an Esperantist. He remained steadfast despite hardship, including two years’ incarceration for his beliefs in the late 1950s. In the course of his work as a teacher of the blind and visually-impaired, he wrote fifty-one textbooks.

Dorothy Ferraby

On 22 March 1994 in England. Born in London in 1904, Dorothy (Cansdale) Ferraby’s services to the Bahá’í Faith extended over more than fifty years, including membership on the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles and the first Auxiliary Board in Europe. She played a vital role in the Africa campaign launched by Shoghi Effendi, served the Bahá’í World Centre with her husband, Hand of the Cause of God John Ferraby, during the period 1957–1963, and in 1968 began seventeen years of service as a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors in Europe.

Marzieh Gail

On 16 October 1993 in the United States. Child of the first marriage between Persian and American Bahá’ís, Marzieh Gail was the daughter of Persian diplomat and scholar Ali-Kuli Khan and American Florence Breed. She graduated “With Great Distinction” and Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford University and earned her master’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley. She was the first woman to work on the staff of a Tehran newspaper. Mrs. Gail is best known for translating original Bahá’í writings from Persian and Arabic [Page 321]into English and authoring several books on the Bahá’í Faith and historical subjects. She also spent ten years in Europe with her husband, Harold, helping to form Local Spiritual Assemblies and serving on the National Spiritual Assembly of Austria.

Emily General

In November 1993 in Canada. Emily General was a distinguished leader, historian, and teacher of the Six Nations people. She embraced the Bahá’í Faith in 1961. A member of the Turtle Clan of the Mohawks, she taught the history of the Six Nations to students from all over Canada and the United States. The Emily C. General School was named in her honor by the people of her Reserve. Mrs. General's strong commitment to the Faith contributed greatly to the respect with which its message was received among Native Canadians.

Fereydoun Khazrai

On 14 February 1994 in France. Mr. Khazrai was born into a Bahá’í family on 20 March 1914 in Sabzevar, Iran. He received a technical education in Belgium and worked in business in Italy before meeting the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith during his pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He subsequently pioneered to Romania where he met his wife, Arecla, and served for thirteen years. He was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for his services to this country.

Edythe MacArthur

In April 1994 in Canada. Born in Lavenham, Manitoba, Canada, on 15 May 1906, Edythe MacArthur enrolled as a Bahá’í in 1944. She was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh in 1953 for introducing the Faith to Canada's Queen Charlotte Islands. In 1954, she pioneered to South Africa, where she served on the first Local Spiritual Assembly of Cape Town, and then she returned to Canada, where her services include helping to form five Local Assemblies and teaching the Faith in numerous new localities.

Olavo Novaes

In March 1994 in Brazil. One of the first native Brazilians to arise to fulfill international pioneering goals, Mr. Novaes settled in Colombia in the early 1960s and was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of that country. He later pioneered to the upper Amazon region where he spread the Bahá’í teachings until his death at the age of 69.

Johannes Palu

On 26 June 1993 in Estonia. Born in Mõisaküla, Estonia, on 27 May 1913, Mr. Palu was exiled to Siberia for fifteen years by the communist regime. Active Esperantists, Mr. Palu and his wife Raia became the first Estonians to accept the Faith in that region in 1968. Mr. Palu translated Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era from Esperanto into Estonian, and in 1990 he was elected to the first Spiritual Assembly of Tallinn. [Page 322]

Riaz Razavi

See pp. 147-150.

Mr. Saliyanto

On 14 November 1993 in Indonesia.

Mr. Saliyanto was born 10 December 1941 in a small village in East Java. After accepting the Bahá’í Faith in 1961, he began more than thirty years of service which included travelling to remote villages to inspire and encourage fellow Bahá’ís, serving on the National Spiritual Assembly from 1967 to 1974, and participating in a number of international Bahá’í conferences.

May Martha Seepe

In August 1993 in South Africa.

Mrs. Seepe, who declared her Faith in 1955, was the first member of South Africa's Coloured community to become a Bahá’í. Speaking English, Afrikaans, Sesotho, Zulu, and Xhosa, May travelled with her husband, Max, to seven countries of southem Africa and throughout her own country to teach the Bahá’í Faith. She served on the Local Spiritual Assembly of Johannesburg for more than thirty years until her death at the age of 75.

Ellen Catherine Sims

On 24 August 1993 in Paraguay.

Bom Ellen Lincoln in Hurley, Wisconsin, USA, on 14 March 1906, Mrs. Sims embraced the Faith in 1938, a few months before her husband, Stuart, enrolled. Her fifty-five years of service to the Cause included pioneering to Paraguay, Colombia, and Bolivia. She was a member and officer of the Regional National Spiritual Assembly of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay, the National Spiritual Assembly of Colombia, and the National Spiritual Assembly of Bolivia.

Vivian Wesson

On 12 January 1994 in the United States. Born 12 March 1895 in Texarkana, Texas, USA, she accepted the Bahá’í Faith in 1921. Mrs. Wesson was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for bringing the Faith to French Togoland (now Togo) in 1954. Unable to stay in that country, she settled in Liberia where she started a literacy school and helped establish a Bahá’í Center and the first Local Spiritual Assembly. She also helped to establish Bahá’í administrative bodies in Sierra Leone between 1977 and 1982.

Valerie Wilson

On 1 October 1993 in the United States. Valerie Wilson was born 7 September 1919 in the United States and became one of the first African-American professional therapists. She placed her skills at the service of the people of Monrovia, Liberia, where she settled in answer to a call by the Guardian. A graduate of the School of Physiotherapy of Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, she introduced physiotherapy to the Monrovia Hospital, treated numerous patients, and organized nutrition classes for women. She served on the Regional National Spiritual Assembly for North and West Africa and helped to establish the National Spiritual Assembly of Liberia. [Page 323]

STATISTICS

General Statistics to sodina a u

Worldwide Bahá’í population More than 5 million

Countries/dependent territories where Bahá’í Faith is established 188 countries/ 45 territories

Continental Counsellors 72

Auxiliary Board members serving throughout the world 846

National/Regional Spiritual Assemblies 165

Local Spiritual Assemblies 17,974

Localities where Bahá’ís reside 116,421

Tribes, races and ethnic groups represented in the Bahá’í community 2,112

Languages into which Bahá’u’lláh’s writings have been translated 802

Bahá’í Publishing Trusts 30

All statistics as of May 1993 [Page 324]

Geographic distribution of Local Spiritual Assemblies

by continent Americas 4881 Africa 5523 Europe 832 Australasia 908 Asia 58301

Growth in the number of localities where Bahá’ís reside¹

120000 100000 80000 60000 40000 20000 0 1954 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

1. Between 1986 and 1988, a numerical decrease of 6,100 localities occurred in India alone due to revised civil areas of jurisdiction; similar changes took place in other countries. [Page 325]

STATISTICST

Growth in the number of National and Regional Spiritual Assemblies 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 lo 1923 1933 1943 1953 1963 1973 1983 1993

Social and Economic Development 2

Bahá’í radio stations 6 Bahá’í schools Academic: 178 Tutorial: 488 Bahá’í literacy programs 186 Bahá’í conservation/ environment projects 52 Bahá’í agricultural projects 21 Bahá’í health projects 56 Bahá’í women and youth projects 52 Other Bahá’í development projects 311 Total number of Bahá’í social and economic development projects in 1992 1,350

2. The figures for social and economic development are as of April 1992, the end of the Six Year Plan. [Page 326]

Geographic distribution of social and economic development projects by continent

Africa 286 Americas 385. 180 Europe 30 Australasia 117 Asia 532 326 [Page 327]

DIRECTORY

Associación de Estudios Bahá’ís Casilla 3731 Santiago 1 Chile

Association for Bahá’í Studies¹ 34 Copernicus Street Ottawa, Ontario K1N 7K4 Canada

Association for Bahá’í Studies, Australia c/o The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Australia P.O. Box 285 Mona Vale New South Wales 2103 Australia

Association for Bahá’í Studies, Central, South and East Africa P.O. Box 47562 Nairobi Kenya

Association for Bahá’í Studies, English-Speaking Europe 27 Rutland Gate London SW7 1PD United Kingdom

Association for Bahá’í Studies, Spain C/Pep Ventura 57 1 C 00810 Pere de Ribes Barcelona Spain

1. For further information on other Associations for Bahá’í Studies around the world, contact this office. [Page 328]Association for Bahá’í Studies, West Africa P.O. Box 2029 Lagos Nigeria

Association Médicale Bahá’íe 45 rue Pergolèse F-75116 Paris France

Bahaa Esperanto-Ligo (BEL) P.O. Box 500133 D-60391 Frankfurt Germany

Bahá’í Association for the Arts Dintel 20 7333 MC Apeldoorn Netherlands

Bahá’í Business and Economic Association P.O. Box 40 Shawnigan Lake British Columbia V0R 2W0 Canada

Bahá’í Business and Professional Association P.O. Box 737 Willoughby New South Wales 2068 Australia

Bahá’í Health Agency c/o the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United Kingdom 27 Rutland Gate London SW7 1PD United Kingdom

Bahá’í International Community Haifa Offices:

• Secretariat
• Office of Public Information

P.O. Box 155 31-001 Haifa Israel

Bahá’í International Community New York Offices

• United Nations Office
• Office for the Advancement of Women
• Office of the Environment
• Office of the Administrator-General

866 United Nations Plaza Suite 120 New York, NY 10017 USA

Bahá’í International Community Geneva Office:

• United Nations Office

Route des Morillons 15 CH-1218 Grand-Saconnex Geneva Switzerland

Bahá’í International Community Paris Office:

• Office of Public Information

45 rue Pergolèse F-75116 Paris France

Bahá’í International Health Agency P.O. Box 510 Westmount, Québec H3Z 2T6 Canada [Page 329]Bahá’í Justice Society 400 Renaissance Center 34th Floor Detroit, MI 48243 USA

Bahá’í Medical Association of Canada Box 143, RR #2 Dugald, Manitoba R0E 0K0 Canada

Bahá’í Office of the Environment for Taiwan 149-13 Hsin Sheng South Road Section 1 Taipei 10626 Taiwan ROC

Comité de l’Association Européen Francophone pour les Etudes Bahá’íes c/o The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Switzerland Dufourstrasse 13 CH-3005 Bern Switzerland

European Bahá’í Business Forum Secrétariat 35 avenue Jean-Jaurès 73000 Chambéry France

European Bahá’í Youth Council 53 Ravenscroft Avenue Wembley Middlesex HA9 9TE United Kingdom

Health for Humanity 467 Jackson Street Glencoe, IL 60022 USA

Hong Kong Bahá’í Professional Society c/o Hankow Centre 11/F Middle Road TST, Kowloon Hong Kong

International Association of Bahá’í Publishers and Distributors Riouwstraat 27 2585 GR The Hague Netherlands

Landegg Academy CH-9405 Wienacht/AR Switzerland

Mottahedeh Development Services 866 United Nations Plaza Suite 119 New York, NY 10017-1811 USA

World Community Foundation 315 West 70th St. Suite 9B New York, NY 10023 USA

Bahá’í Publishing Trusts

ARGENTINA Editorial Bahá’í Indolatinoamericana Otamendi 215 1405 Buenos Aires, C.F. Argentina

AUSTRALIA Bahá’í Publications Australia P.O. Box 285 Mona Vale NSW 2103 Australia [Page 330]BELGIUM Maison d’Editions Bahá’ies 205 rue du Trône B-1050 Brussels Belgium

BRAZIL Editora Bahá’í Brasil Rua Conego Eugenio Leite, 350 05414 São Paulo SP - Brazil

COTE D’IVOIRE Maison d’Editions Bahá’ies 08 B.P. 879 Abidjan 08 Côte d’Ivoire

FIJI ISLANDS Bahá’í Publishing Trust P.O. Box 2007 Government Buildings Suva Fiji Islands

GERMANY Bahá’í-Verlag Eppsteiner Strasse 89 D-65719 Hofheim Germany

HONG KONG Bahá’í Publishing Trust C-6, 11th Floor, Hankow Centre Tsim Sha Tsui Kowloon Hong Kong

INDIA Bahá’í Publishing Trust P.O. Box 19 New Delhi 110 001 India

ITALY Casa Editrice Bahá’í Via Filippo Turati, 9 I-00040 Ariccia (Rome) Italy

JAPAN Bahá’í Publishing Trust 7-2-13 Shinjuku Shinjuku-ku Tokyo 160 Japan

KENYA Bahá’í Publishing Agency P.O. Box 47562 Nairobi Kenya

KOREA Bahá’í Publishing Trust C.P.O. Box 991 Seoul 100-609 Korea

LEBANON²

MALAYSIA Bahá’í Publishing Trust 4 Lorong Titiwangsa 5 Setapak 53200 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

NETHERLANDS Stichting Bahá’í Literatuur Riouwstraat 27 2585 GR The Hague Netherlands

NIGERIA Bahá’í Publishing Trust P.O. Box 2029 Lagos Nigeria

---

2. Address communications to Bahá’í World Centre, P.O. Box 155, 31-001, Haifa, Israel. [Page 331]

DIRECTORY

NORWAY Bahá’í Forlag Drammensveien 110 A N-0273 Oslo Norway

PAKISTAN Bahá’í Publishing Trust P.O. Box 7420 Karachi-74400 Pakistan

PHILIPPINES Bahá’í Publishing Trust 1070 A. Roxas, corner Bautista Street Singalong Subdivision Manila Philippines

POLAND Bahá’í Publishing Trust ul. Kazimierza Wielkiego 3/12 PO-30-074 Kraków Poland

PORTUGAL Editora Bahá’í de Portugal Avenida Ventura Terra, No. 1 1600 Lisbon Portugal

ROMANIA Casa de Editură și Tipografia Bahá’í C.P. 996 O.P. 13 RO-3400 Cluj-Napoca Romania

RUSSIA Unity Bahá’í Publishing Trust Konnogvardayski Boulevard, #21 St. Petersburg 190098 Russia

SPAIN Editorial Bahá’í de España Castellet 17 ES-08222 Terrassa Barcelona Spain

SWEDEN Bahá’í Förlaget AB Box 468 S-194 04 Upplands Väsby Sweden

TAIWAN Bahá’í Publishing Trust

1. 149-13 Hsin Sheng S. Road

Section 1 Taipei Taiwan ROC

UGANDA Bahá’í Publishing Trust P.O. Box 2662 Kampala Uganda

UNITED KINGDOM Bahá’í Publishing Trust 6 Mount Pleasant Oakham Leicestershire LE15 6HU England

UNITED STATES Bahá’í Publishing Trust 415 Linden Avenue Wilmette, IL 60091 USA [Page 333]

Selected New Publications

The Arc of Ascent: The Purpose of Physical Reality II John S. Hatcher. Oxford: George Ronald, 1994. 386 pp.

In a sequel to The Purpose of Physical Reality: The Kingdom of Names, Professor of English Literature John S. Hatcher employs philosophy, theology, psychology, history, and literature to demonstrate how the social order revealed in Bahá’í scripture provides the workshop by which the collective social advancement of civilization will work in concert with the individual’s attempt to fulfill his or her inherent purpose.

Ásíyih Khánum, The Most Exalted Leaf entitled Navváb Baharieh Ma’ani. Oxford: George Ronald, 1993. 96 pp.

This biographical essay about the wife of Bahá’u’lláh and mother of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá sheds light on one of the central female figures in the history of the Bahá’í Faith, who shared her Husband’s long years of exiles and privations.

The Báb: The Herald of the Day of Days H. M. Balyuzi. Oxford: George Ronald, 1994. 272 pp.

Reprinted in honor of the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of the Báb. [Page 334]The Challenge of Bahá’u’lláh Gary L. Matthews. Oxford: George Ronald, 1993. 284 pp. The author explores a number of avenues of inquiry into the claim of Bahá’u’lláh that He is the Messenger of God for this age and that His teachings hold the key to a peaceful world.

The Chinese Religion and the Bahá’í Faith Phyllis Ghim Lian Chew. Oxford: George Ronald, 1993. 244 pp. A study of the development of the Chinese Religion and its roots in Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, comparing its spiritual and social teachings with those of the Bahá’í Faith.

Distinctive Aspects of Bahá’í Education: Proceedings of the 3rd Symposium on Bahá’í Education Edited by Hooshang Nikjoo and Stephen Vickers. London: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1993. 196 pp. This collection of papers by educationalists, teachers, and parents from Europe and North America explores the importance of spiritual principles in the development of moral character and the release of human potential.

Fires in Many Hearts Doris McKay, with Paul Vreeland. Manotick, Ontario: Nine Pines Publishing, 1993. 338 pp. An intimate glimpse into the life of a dedicated Bahá’í teacher and the development of the Bahá’í Faith in America, this autobiography traces the services of Doris McKay and her husband, Willard, which began in 1925.

Friendship and Love: Jewels from the Words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. London: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1994. 48 pp. each. Quotations from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on each topic are accompanied by photographs.

From Vision to Victory: Thirty Years of the Universal House of Justice Eunice Braun. Oxford: George Ronald, 1993. 148 pp. Eunice Braun traces thirty years of Bahá’í development throughout the world since the first election in 1963 of the Universal House of Justice. [Page 335]

NEW PUBLICATIONS

Hidden Bounties: Memories of Pioneering on the Magdalen Archipelago Larry Rowdon. Manotick, Ontario: Nine Pines Publishing, 1994. 142 pp. Introduction by Roger White.

The story of a Canadian couple and their daughter who resettled in the Magdalen Islands from 1954 to 1969 to share the Bahá’í Faith with the people of that archipelago.

Light After Death: A Comparison of the Near Death Experience and the Teachings of the Bahá’í Faith on Life After Death Alan Bryson. India: Sterling Publishers Private, Ltd., 1993. 84 pp.

Mirror of the Divine: Art in the Bahá’í World Community Ludwig Tuman. Oxford: George Ronald, 1993. 336 pp.

This book considers the purpose of art and the ways in which the arts contribute to the well-being of humanity.

Olya's Story: A Survivor's Dramatic Account of the Persecution of the Bahá’ís in Revolutionary Iran Olya Roohizadegan. Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 1993. 236 pp.

A detailed eyewitness account of the situation of members of the Bahá’í community in Iran following the Islamic Revolution in 1979 which chronicles the experiences of one woman who was arrested and imprisoned for her belief.

On the Shoulders of Giants Craig Lochle. Oxford: George Ronald, 1994. 202 pp.

Drawing on the works of both Bahá’u’lláh and Sir Isaac Newton and using his background in mathematical ecology, Dr. Craig Loehle explores how a genuine partnership between religion and science can illuminate humanity's approaches to issues such as racism, the environment, and human development.

The Psychology of Spirituality Hossain B. Danesh. Manotick, Ontario: Nine Pines Publishing, 1994. 272 pp.

Psychiatrist Hossain Danesh examines modern psychology through the lens provided by his understanding of the Bahá’í spiritual teachings. [Page 336]The Quest Gail Radley, with illustrations by Margaret Bremner. Manotick, Ontario: Nine Pines Publishing, 1993. 64 pp. A storybook for children ages 10 to 16 that describes the journey of the fictional character Lona as she traverses the seven valleys described in Bahá’u’lláh’s mystical work by that name.

Racial Unity: An Imperative for Social Progress, second edition Richard W. Thomas. Ottawa: Association for Bahá’í Studies, 1993. Preface by John H. Stanfield II. 202 pp. A professor in the Department of History and the Urban Affairs Program at Michigan State University, Richard Thomas has integrated materials from his areas of research interest, the black urban community, race relations, and interracial cooperation, into a cogent examination of race relations as a central issue in developing an under- ahstanding of American history and social structure.

Robe of Light: The Persian Years of the Supreme Prophet Bahá’u’lláh, 1817-1853 David S. Ruhe. Oxford: George Ronald, 1993. 230 pp. The first volume of Dr. David Ruhe's study of the life of Bahá’u’lláh deals with the years stretching from His birth to His banishment to Iraq, including the period when He was incarcerated in the underground prison in Tehran and became aware of His station as the Manifestation of God for this age.

The Vision of Shoghi Effendi: Proceedings of the Association for Bahá’í Studies 9th Annual Conference Association for Bahá’í Studies. Ottawa: Association for Bahá’í Studies, 1993. 234 pp. This volume contains reminiscences about the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith and essays on various aspects of his ministry. [Page 337]

A Basic BAHÁ’Í READING List

The following list has been prepared to provide a sampling of works conveying the spiritual truths, social principles, and history of the Bahá’í Faith. It is by no means exhaustive. For a more complete record of Bahá’í literature, see Bibliography of English-language Works on the Bábí and Bahá’í Faiths, 1844-1985, compiled by William P. Collins (Oxford: George Ronald, 1990).

SELECTED WRITINGS OF BAHÁ’U’LLÁH

The Kitáb-i-Aqdas "The Most Holy Book," Bahá’u’lláh’s charter for a new world civilization. Written in Arabic in 1873, the volume's first authorized English translation was released in 1993.

The Kitáb-i-ĺqán "The Book of Certitude" was written prior to Bahá’u’lláh’s declaration of His mission as an explanation of progressive revelation and a proof of the station of the Báb.

The Hidden Words Written in the form of a compilation of moral aphorisms, these brief verses distill the spiritual guidance of all the divine revelations of the past. [Page 338]Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh revealed after the Kitáb-l-Aqdas A compilation of tablets revealed between 1873 and 1892 which enunciate important principles of Bahá’u’lláh’s revelation, reaffirm truths He previously proclaimed, elaborate on some of His laws, reveal further prophecies, and establish subsidiary ordinances to supplement the provisions of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas.

Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh A selection of Bahá’u’lláh’s sacred writings translated and compiled by the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith to convey the spirit of Bahá’u’lláh’s life and teachings.

WRITINGS OF THE BÁB

Selections from the Writings of the Báb The first compilation of the Báb’s writings to be translated into English.

SELECTED WRITINGS OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ

Paris Talks Addresses given by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to a wide variety of audiences in Paris in 1911-1912, explaining the basic principles of the Bahá’í Faith.

The Secret of Divine Civilization A message addressed to the rulers and people of Persia in 1875 illuminating the causes of the fall and rise of civilization and elucidating the spiritual character of true civilization.

Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá A compilation of selected letters from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s extensive correspondence on a wide variety of topics, including the purpose of life, the nature of love, and the development of character.

Some Answered Questions A translation of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s answers to a series of questions posed to Him during interviews with Laura Clifford Barney between 1904 and 1906. The topics covered include the influence of the Prophets in the evolution of humanity, the Bahá’í perspective on Christian doctrine, and the powers and conditions of the Manifestations of God. [Page 339]

SELECTED WRITINGS OF SHOGHI EFFENDI

God Passes By A detailed history of the first one hundred years of the Bahá’í Faith.

The Promised Day Is Come A commentary on Bahá’u’lláh’s letters to the kings and rulers of the world.

World Order of Bahá’u’lláh An exposition on the relation between the Bahá’í community and the entire process of social evolution under the dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh, in the form of a series of letters from the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith to the Bahá’ís of the West between 1929 and 1936.

INTRODUCTORY WORKS

Bahá’u’lláh Bahá’í International Community, Office of Public Information, 1991. A brief statement detailing Bahá’u’lláh’s life and work issued on the occasion of the centenary of His passing.

Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era John Esslemont. 5th rev. paper ed. Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1990. The first comprehensive account of the Bahá’í Faith, written in 1923 and updated for subsequent editions.

The Bahá’í Faith: The Emerging Global Religion William S. Hatcher and J. Douglas Martin. San Francisco: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1985. Textbook providing an overview of Bahá’í history, teachings, administrative structures, and community life.

All Things Made New John Ferraby. 2nd rev. ed. London: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1987. A comprehensive outline of the Bahá’í Faith.

Most of the books listed above have been printed by various Bahá’í Publishing Trusts and are available in book shops, libraries, or from the Trusts. Please see the Directory for addresses. [Page 341]

GLOSSARY

‘Abdu’l-Bahá: (1844-1921) Son of Bahá’u’lláh, designated His successor and authorized interpreter of His writings. Named ‘Abbás after His grandfather, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was known to the general public as ‘Abbás Effendi. Bahá’u’lláh gave Him such titles as “the Most Great Branch,” “the Mystery of God,” and “the Master.” After Bahá’u’lláh’s passing, He chose the name ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, meaning “Servant of Bahá’u’lláh.”

Administrative Order: The system of administration as conceived by Bahá’u’lláh, formally established by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and realized during the Guardianship of Shoghi Effendi. It consists, on the one hand, of a series of elected councils, universal, national and local, in which are invested legislative, executive, and judicial powers over the Bahá’í community, and, on the other hand, of eminent and devoted Bahá’ís appointed for the specific purpose of propagation and protection of the Faith under the guidance of the Head of that Faith, the Universal House of Justice.

Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum: Mary Sutherland Maxwell, an eminent North American Bahá’í who became the wife of Shoghi Effendi Rabbání, Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith, in 1937, after [Page 342]which she became known as Rúḥíyyih K͟hánum Rabbání. (Amatu’l-Bahá is a title meaning “Handmaiden of Bahá’u’lláh.”) She served as the Guardian’s secretary during his lifetime and was appointed a Hand of the Cause of God in 1952. She is the most prominent dignitary of the Bahá’í community.

Arc: An arc cut into Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel; along this pathway the international administrative buildings of the Bahá’í Faith are being built.

Auxiliary Boards: An institution created by Shoghi Effendi in 1954 to assist the Hands of the Cause of God. When the institution of the Continental Boards of Counsellors was established in 1968 by the Universal House of Justice, the Auxiliary Boards were placed under its direction.

Báb, the: The title, meaning “Gate,” assumed by Siyyid ‘Alí-Muḥammad, the Prophet-Founder of the Bábí Faith and the Forerunner of Bahá’u’lláh. Born 20 October 1819, the Báb proclaimed Himself to be the Promised One of Islam and announced that His mission was to alert the people to the imminent advent of “Him Whom God shall make manifest,” namely, Bahá’u’lláh. Because of these claims, the Báb was executed by order of Náṣiri’d-Dín S͟háh on 9 July 1850.

Bahá’í Era: The period of the Bahá’í calendar beginning with the Declaration of the Báb on 23 May 1844, and expected to last until the next appearance of a Manifestation (Prophet) of God after the expiration of at least one thousand years.

Bahá’í International Community: A name used generally in reference to the worldwide Bahá’í community and officially in that community’s external relations. In the latter context, the Bahá’í International Community is an association of the National Spiritual Assemblies throughout the world and functions as an international non-governmental organization. Its offices include its Secretariat at the Bahá’í World Centre, a United Nations Office in New York with a branch in Geneva, an Office of Public Information, an Office of the Environment, and an Office for the Advancement of Women. [Page 343]

GLOSSARY

Baḥá’í World Centre: The spiritual and administrative center of the Baḥá’í Faith, located in the twin cities of Acre and Haifa, in Israel.

Baḥá’u’lláḥ: Title assumed by Mírzá Ḥusayn-‘Alí, Founder of the Baḥá’í Faith. Born on 12 November 1817, He declared His mission as the Promised One of all Ages in April 1863 and passed away in Acre, Palestine, on 29 May 1892 after forty years of imprisonment, banishment, and house arrest. Baḥá’u’lláḥ’s writings are considered by Baḥá’ís to be direct revelation from God.

Continental Boards of Counsellors: An institution created in 1968 by the Universal House of Justice to extend into the future the work of the institution the Hands of the Cause of God, particularly its appointed functions of protection and propagation. With the passing of Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baḥá’í Faith, there was no way for additional Hands of the Cause to be appointed. The duties of the Counsellors include directing the Auxiliary Boards in their respective areas, advising and collaborating with National Spiritual Assemblies, and keeping the Universal House of Justice informed concerning the conditions of the Faith in their areas. Counsellors are appointed for terms of five years.

Convention: A gathering called at a regional, national, or international level for consultation on matters affecting the welfare of the Baḥá’í community and for the purpose, respectively, of electing delegates to a National Convention, electing the members of a National Spiritual Assembly, or electing the members of the Universal House of Justice.

German Templer Colony: Group of houses with red-tiled roofs at the foot of Mount Carmel that once housed members of the Society of the Temple, founded in Germany in the mid-1800s. Templers foregathered in Haifa in 1863 to await the second coming of Christ.

Hands of the Cause of God: Individuals appointed first by Baḥá’u’lláḥ, and others named later by Shoghi Effendi, who were charged with the specific duties of protecting and propagating the Faith. With the passing of Shoghi Effendi there is no further possibility for appointing Hands of the Cause; hence, in order to extend into the future the important functions of propagation and protection, the Universal House of Justice in 1968 created [Page 344]Continental Boards of Counsellors and in 1973 established the International Teaching Centre which coordinates their work.

Holy Days: Eleven days commemorating significant Bahá’í anniversaries, on nine of which work is suspended.

Ḥuqúqu’lláh: Arabic for “the Right of God.” As instituted in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, payment to “the Authority in the Cause to whom all must turn” (at present, the Universal House of Justice) of 19 percent of what remains to one’s personal income after one’s essential expenses have been covered. Funds generated by the payment of Ḥuqúqu’lláh are used for the promotion of the Faith and for the welfare of society.

International Teaching Centre: An institution established in 1973 by the Universal House of Justice to bring to fruition the work of the Hands of the Cause of God in the Holy Land and to provide for its extension into the future. The duties of the International Teaching Centre include coordinating, stimulating, and directing the activities of the Continental Boards of Counsellors and acting as liaison between them and the Universal House of Justice. The membership of the Teaching Centre comprises all the surviving Hands of the Cause and also nine Counsellors appointed by the Universal House of Justice. The seat of the International Teaching Centre is located at the Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa, Israel.

Knight of Bahá’u’lláh: Title initially given by Shoghi Effendi to those Bahá’ís who arose to open new territories to the Faith during the first year of the Ten Year Crusade (1953-1963) and subsequently applied to those who first reached those remaining unopened territories at a later date.

Local Spiritual Assembly: The local administrative body in the Bahá’í Faith, ordained in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. The nine members are directly elected by secret ballot each year at Riḍván from among the adult believers in a community.

Monument Gardens: Beautifully landscaped gardens at the heart of the Arc on Mount Carmel where befitting monuments have been erected over the graves of the daughter, wife, and youngest son of Bahá’u’lláh, and also the wife of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. [Page 345]

GLOSSARY

Mount Carmel: The mountain spoken of by Isaiah as the "mountain of the Lord." Site of the Bahá’í World Centre including several Bahá’í holy places, the most important of which are the Shrine of the Báb and the Monument Gardens.

National Spiritual Assembly: The national administrative body in the Bahá’í Faith, ordained in the Bahá’í sacred writings, with authority over all activities and affairs of the Bahá’í Faith throughout its area. Among its duties are to stimulate, unify, and coordinate the manifold activities of Local Spiritual Assemblies and of individual Bahá’ís within its jurisdiction. The members of National Spiritual Assemblies throughout the world constitute the electoral college for the Universal House of Justice. At Riḍván 1993, there were 165 National or Regional Spiritual Assemblies. See also Regional Spiritual Assembly

Nineteen Day Feast: The principal gathering in each local Bahá’í community, every Bahá’í month, for the threefold purpose of worship, consultation, and fellowship.

Regional Spiritual Assembly: An institution identical in function to the National Spiritual Assembly but including a number of countries or regions in its jurisdiction, often established as a precursor to the formation of a National Spiritual Assembly in each of the countries it encompasses.

Ridván: Arabic for "Paradise." The twelve-day festival (from 21 April through 2 May) commemorating Bahá’u’lláh’s declaration of His mission to His companions in 1863 in the Garden of Riḍván in Baghdad.

Shoghi Effendi Rabbání: (1897-1957) The Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith after the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in 1921, designated in His Will and Testament as His successor in interpreting the Bahá’í writings and as Head of the Faith.

Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh: The resting place of Bahá’u’lláh’s mortal remains, located near the city of Acre, Israel. The Shrine is the holiest spot on earth to Bahá’ís and a place of pilgrimage. [Page 346]Shrine of the Báb: The resting place of the Báb’s mortal remains, located on Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel, and a sacred site to Bahá’ís.

Tablet: Divinely revealed scripture. In Bahá’í scripture, the term is used to denote writings revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, the Báb, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

Universal House of Justice: Head of the Bahá’í Faith after the passing of Shoghi Effendi, supreme administrative body ordained by Bahá’u’lláh in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. The Universal House of Justice is elected every five years by the members of the National Spiritual Assemblies who gather at an International Convention. The House of Justice was elected for the first time in 1963 and occupied its permanent Seat on Mount Carmel in 1983.

Adapted from A Basic Bahá’í Dictionary, Wendi Momen, ed. (Oxford: George Ronald, 1989).