Bahá'í literature
Encyclopedia
Bahá'í literature, like much religious text
, covers a variety of topics and forms, including scripture
and inspiration, interpretation, history
and biography, introduction and study materials, and apologia
. Sometimes considerable overlap can be observed in a particular text.
The 'canonical texts' are the writings of the Báb
, Bahá'u'lláh
, ‘Abdu'l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi
and the Universal House of Justice
, and the authenticated talks of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá. The writings of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh are considered as divine revelation, the writings and talks of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá and the writings of Shoghi Effendi as authoritative interpretation, and those of the Universal House of Justice as authoritative legislation and elucidation. Some measure of divine guidance is assumed for all of these texts.
The Bahá'í Faith
relies extensively on its literature. Literacy
is strongly encouraged
so that believers may read the texts for themselves. In addition doctrinal questions are routinely addressed by returning to primary works.
Much of the early works of the religion were in the form of letters to individuals or communities. These are termed tablets
and have been collected into various folios by Bahá'ís
over time. Today, the Universal House of Justice
still uses letters as a primary method of communication.
Bahá'ís believe that the founders of the religion, The Báb
and Bahá'u'lláh
, received revelation directly from God
. As such their works are considered divinely inspired. These works are considered to be "revealed text" or revelation
.
`Abdu'l-Bahá
was appointed by Bahá'u'lláh to be his successor and authorized him to interpret the religion's "revealed text." The works of `Abdu'l-Bahá are therefore considered authoritative directives and interpretation, as well as part of Bahá'í scripture. He, along with The Báb and Bahá'u'lláh, is considered one of the "Central Figures" of the religion.
Likewise Shoghi Effendi
's interpretations and directives are considered authoritative, but are not considered to expand upon the "revealed text", or to be scripture.
In the Bahá'í view, the Universal House of Justice
does not have the position to interpret the founders' works, nor those of `Abdu'l-Bahá or Shoghi Effendi. However, it is charged with addressing any question not addressed in those works. As such its directives are considered authoritative, as long as they are in force (the Universal House of Justice may alter or revoke its own earlier decisions as needed), and are often collected into compilations or folios.
The works of the Central Figures, Shoghi Effendi, and the Universal House of Justice taken together are the canonical texts of the Baha'i Faith.
A special category of works consist of the prayers of the Central Figures
. These were often included in original letters and have been collected into various prayer books. Bahá'u'lláh's Prayers and Meditations is a significant volume. As Bahá'ís are to pray, meditate, and study sacred scripture daily, these books are common.
, Israel
.
Some large works, for example the Kitáb-i-Íqán
, were revealed in a very short time, as in a night, or a few days.
or Arabic
. English
translations use the characteristic Bahá'í orthography
developed by Shoghi Effendi
to render the original names. His work was not just that of a translator, as he was also the designated interpreter of the writings, and his translations are used as a standard for current translations of the Bahá'í writings.
By way of comparison, "pilgrims' notes" are items, or sayings, attributed to the central figures but have not been authenticated. While these may be inspirational, these are not considered authoritative. Some of `Abdu'l-Bahá's collected talks (e.g. `Abdu'l-Bahá in London, Paris Talks, and The Promulgation of Universal Peace.) may fall into this category, but are awaiting further authentication. The Star of the West, published in the United States from 1910 to 1924, contains many pilgrim's notes and unauthenticated letters of `Abdu'l-Bahá's.
There is no Bahá'í corollary to Islamic Hadith
; in fact, Bahá'ís do not consider Hadith authoritative.
The Bahá'í community seeks to expand the body of authenticated and translated texts. The 1992 publication of the English translation of Bahá'u'lláh The Kitáb-i-Aqdas, and the more recent Gems of Divine Mysteries (2002), The Summons of the Lord of Hosts (2002), and The Tabernacle of Unity (2006) are significant additions to the body of work available.
At the same time there is concerted effort to re-translate, edit, and even redact works that are not authenticated. For example, `Abdu'l-Bahá on Divine Philosophy, published in 1916, was not reprinted at the direction of Shoghi Effendi. Also, early editions of Esslemont's Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era contained several passages that could not be authenticated, or were incorrect. These have been reviewed and updated in subsequent editions. This practice has been criticized by observers, but is considered an integral part of maintaining the integrity of the texts.
Bábí texts are proving very difficult to authenticate, despite the collection of a variety of documents by E.G. Browne
in the latter 19th and early 20th centuries. Browne's principle correspondents were Azalis whom he considered to be the genuine followers of the Báb. In addition to the difficulties of collecting documents at such a distance — Browne was at Cambridge — was the widespread Azali practice of Taqiyya
(Dissimulation
), or concealing one's beliefs. Browne appears to have been unaware of this. In addition to the difficulties of collecting reliable manuscripts, Azali taqiyya had the effect of rendering many early Bábí documents unreliable afterwards, as Azali Bábís would often alter and falsify Bábí teachings and history.
In contrast, dissimulation was condemned by Bahá'u'lláh and was gradually abandoned by the early Bahá'ís.
, is a central text covering the history
of the faith from 1844 to 1944. Nabil-Zarandi's
Dawn Breakers
covers the Bábí period extensively through to Bahá'u'lláh's banishment from Persia in 1853.
Ruhiyyih Rabbani's
Ministry of the Custodians details the interregnum between Shoghi Effendi's death in 1957 and the election of the Universal House of Justice in 1963.
Other authors have revisited the early periods of the religion in the Middle East or addressed historical periods in other places. Some of these contain significant amounts of biographical
data and can be considered biographies. Notably, Balyuzi's and Taherzadeh
's works have focused on the history and biographies of the central figures of the religion and their significant contemporaries.
's Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era. This book, originally published in 1923, has undergone several revisions over time to update, correct, and clarify its contents though `Abdu'l-Bahá was able to personally review several of its chapters. More than sixty years later, it remains in the top ten of cited Bahá'í books.
Several other introductory texts are available. Hatcher & Martin's The Bahá'í Faith: The Emerging Global Religion, Momen's A Short Introduction to the Bahá'í Faith, and Smith's The Bahá'í Religion are some examples.
Of considerable importance to the Bahá'í community worldwide is the Ruhi series of study materials inspired, and largely produced, by the Bahá'í community of Colombia
. These books form the core texts used in "Study Circles
" and "Training Institutes" by Bahá'í communities around the world.
. In addition to being significant doctrinal works, his Kitáb-i-Íqán
(Book of Certitude) and Epistle to the Son of the Wolf
address both Islamic and Bahá'í audiences.
During Bahá'u'lláh's lifetime, both Nabíl-i-Akbar
and Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl Gulpáygání
were noteworthy Shi'a scholars who accepted the religion. Nabíl-i-Akbar was well versed in, and wrote on Shi'a issues. Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl wrote extensively on both Christian
and Shi'a apologia, most notably in his book The Brilliant Proof.
While Townshend's
Christ and Bahá'u'lláh may also be regarded as an apologetic response to Christian concerns, Udo Schaefer, et al.'s Making the Crooked Straight is a decidedly apologetic response to Ficicchia's polemical Der Bahá'ísmus - Religion der Zukunft? (Bahá'ísm – Religion of the future?), a book which was published and promoted by the Evangelische Zentralstrelle für Weltanschauungsfragen (Central Office of the Protestant Church for Questions of Ideology) in the 1980s. This organization has since revoked its affiliation with Ficicchia and now recognizes the Bahá'í Faith
as an important partner in inter-religious dialogue.
For ease, the bibliography is sub-divided by author.
These sites contain online or downloadable searchable databases of collected world religious works. English and French language versions contain extensive Bahá'í, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islamic, Jewish, and other religious texts. Large libraries of Bahá'í texts are available in other, generally European, languages:
Religious text
Religious texts, also known as scripture, scriptures, holy writ, or holy books, are the texts which various religious traditions consider to be sacred, or of central importance to their religious tradition...
, covers a variety of topics and forms, including scripture
Religious text
Religious texts, also known as scripture, scriptures, holy writ, or holy books, are the texts which various religious traditions consider to be sacred, or of central importance to their religious tradition...
and inspiration, interpretation, history
Bahá'í history
Bahá'í history is often traced through a sequence of leaders, beginning with the Báb's May 23, 1844 declaration in Shiraz, and ultimately resting on an administrative order established by the central figures of the religion. The religion had its background in two earlier movements in the...
and biography, introduction and study materials, and apologia
Apologetics
Apologetics is the discipline of defending a position through the systematic use of reason. Early Christian writers Apologetics (from Greek ἀπολογία, "speaking in defense") is the discipline of defending a position (often religious) through the systematic use of reason. Early Christian writers...
. Sometimes considerable overlap can be observed in a particular text.
The 'canonical texts' are the writings of the Báb
Báb
Siyyid `Alí Muḥammad Shírází was the founder of Bábism, and one of three central figures of the Bahá'í Faith. He was a merchant from Shíráz, Persia, who at the age of twenty-four claimed to be the promised Qá'im . After his declaration he took the title of Báb meaning "Gate"...
, Bahá'u'lláh
Bahá'u'lláh
Bahá'u'lláh , born ' , was the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. He claimed to be the prophetic fulfilment of Bábism, a 19th-century outgrowth of Shí‘ism, but in a broader sense claimed to be a messenger from God referring to the fulfilment of the eschatological expectations of Islam, Christianity, and...
, ‘Abdu'l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi
Shoghi Effendi
Shoghí Effendí Rabbání , better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the Guardian and appointed head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957...
and the Universal House of Justice
Universal House of Justice
The Universal House of Justice is the supreme governing institution of the Bahá'í Faith. It is a legislative institution with the authority to supplement and apply the laws of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and exercises a judicial function as the highest appellate institution in the...
, and the authenticated talks of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá. The writings of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh are considered as divine revelation, the writings and talks of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá and the writings of Shoghi Effendi as authoritative interpretation, and those of the Universal House of Justice as authoritative legislation and elucidation. Some measure of divine guidance is assumed for all of these texts.
The Bahá'í Faith
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
relies extensively on its literature. Literacy
Literacy
Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...
is strongly encouraged
Bahá'í Faith and education
The theme of education in the Bahá'í Faith is given emphasis. Its literature gives a principle of universal and compulsory education, which is identified as one of key principles alongside monotheism and the unity of humanity....
so that believers may read the texts for themselves. In addition doctrinal questions are routinely addressed by returning to primary works.
Much of the early works of the religion were in the form of letters to individuals or communities. These are termed tablets
Tablet (religious)
A tablet, in the religious context, is a term traditionally used for religious texts.Jews and Christians believe that Moses brought the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai in the form of two stone tablets. According to the Book of Exodus, God delivered the tablets twice, the first set having been...
and have been collected into various folios by Bahá'ís
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
over time. Today, the Universal House of Justice
Universal House of Justice
The Universal House of Justice is the supreme governing institution of the Bahá'í Faith. It is a legislative institution with the authority to supplement and apply the laws of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and exercises a judicial function as the highest appellate institution in the...
still uses letters as a primary method of communication.
Literary forms
Generally speaking, the literary form of a particular book can generally be observed by noting the author and/or title.Scripture, inspiration and interpretation
| Timeline of Bahá'í writings |
|
|---|---|
| >1844–1850 | The Báb |
| >1852–1892 | Bahá’u’lláh |
| >1892 - 1921 | `Abdu'l-Bahá |
| >1921–1957 | Shoghi Effendi |
| >1963–present | Universal House of Justice |
Bahá'ís believe that the founders of the religion, The Báb
Báb
Siyyid `Alí Muḥammad Shírází was the founder of Bábism, and one of three central figures of the Bahá'í Faith. He was a merchant from Shíráz, Persia, who at the age of twenty-four claimed to be the promised Qá'im . After his declaration he took the title of Báb meaning "Gate"...
and Bahá'u'lláh
Bahá'u'lláh
Bahá'u'lláh , born ' , was the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. He claimed to be the prophetic fulfilment of Bábism, a 19th-century outgrowth of Shí‘ism, but in a broader sense claimed to be a messenger from God referring to the fulfilment of the eschatological expectations of Islam, Christianity, and...
, received revelation directly from God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. As such their works are considered divinely inspired. These works are considered to be "revealed text" or revelation
Revelation
In religion and theology, revelation is the revealing or disclosing, through active or passive communication with a supernatural or a divine entity...
.
`Abdu'l-Bahá
`Abdu'l-Bahá
‘Abdu’l-Bahá , born ‘Abbás Effendí, was the eldest son of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. In 1892, `Abdu'l-Bahá was appointed in his father's will to be his successor and head of the Bahá'í Faith. `Abdu'l-Bahá was born in Tehran to an aristocratic family of the realm...
was appointed by Bahá'u'lláh to be his successor and authorized him to interpret the religion's "revealed text." The works of `Abdu'l-Bahá are therefore considered authoritative directives and interpretation, as well as part of Bahá'í scripture. He, along with The Báb and Bahá'u'lláh, is considered one of the "Central Figures" of the religion.
Likewise Shoghi Effendi
Shoghi Effendi
Shoghí Effendí Rabbání , better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the Guardian and appointed head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957...
's interpretations and directives are considered authoritative, but are not considered to expand upon the "revealed text", or to be scripture.
In the Bahá'í view, the Universal House of Justice
Universal House of Justice
The Universal House of Justice is the supreme governing institution of the Bahá'í Faith. It is a legislative institution with the authority to supplement and apply the laws of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and exercises a judicial function as the highest appellate institution in the...
does not have the position to interpret the founders' works, nor those of `Abdu'l-Bahá or Shoghi Effendi. However, it is charged with addressing any question not addressed in those works. As such its directives are considered authoritative, as long as they are in force (the Universal House of Justice may alter or revoke its own earlier decisions as needed), and are often collected into compilations or folios.
The works of the Central Figures, Shoghi Effendi, and the Universal House of Justice taken together are the canonical texts of the Baha'i Faith.
Prayer in the Bahá'í Faith
Prayer in the Bahá'í Faith refers to two distinct concepts: obligatory prayer and devotional prayer . Both types of prayer are composed of reverent words which are addressed to God, and the act of prayer is one of the most important Bahá'í laws for individual discipline...
. These were often included in original letters and have been collected into various prayer books. Bahá'u'lláh's Prayers and Meditations is a significant volume. As Bahá'ís are to pray, meditate, and study sacred scripture daily, these books are common.
Volume
Bahá'u'lláh wrote many books, tablets and prayers, of which only a fraction has been translated into English until now. He revealed thousands of tablets with a total volume more than 70 times the size of the Qur'an and more than 15 times the size of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. Over 7000 tablets and other works have been collected of an estimated 15,000 texts. However only a relative few have been translated and catalogued.Revelation
Bahá'u'lláh occasionally would write himself, but normally the revelation was dictated to his secretaries, whose tracts are sometimes recorded it in what has been called revelation writing, a shorthand script written with extreme speed owing to the rapidity of the utterance being transcribed. Afterwards, Bahá'u'lláh revised and approved these drafts. These revelation drafts and many other transcriptions of the writings of Bahá'u'lláh's, some of which are in his own handwriting, are kept in the International Bahá'í Archives in HaifaHaifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
Some large works, for example the Kitáb-i-Íqán
Kitáb-i-Íqán
The Kitáb-i-Íqán is one of many books held sacred by followers of the Bahá'í Faith; it is their primary theological work. One Bahá'í scholar states that it can be regarded as the "most influential Koran commentary in Persian outside the Muslim world," because of its international audience. It is...
, were revealed in a very short time, as in a night, or a few days.
Language
Most Bahá'í literature, including all the writings of Bahá'u'lláh, was originally written in either PersianPersian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
or Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
. English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
translations use the characteristic Bahá'í orthography
Bahá'í orthography
Bahá'í orthography refers to the standardized system of orthography when rendering Persian or Arabic words into English in the literature of the Bahá'í Faith...
developed by Shoghi Effendi
Shoghi Effendi
Shoghí Effendí Rabbání , better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the Guardian and appointed head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957...
to render the original names. His work was not just that of a translator, as he was also the designated interpreter of the writings, and his translations are used as a standard for current translations of the Bahá'í writings.
Authenticity and authority
The question of the authenticity of given texts is of great concern to Bahá'ís. As noted, they attach considerable importance to the writings of whom they consider to be authoritative figures. The primary duty of the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice and the International Bahá'í Library is the collection, cataloguing, authentication, and translation of these texts.By way of comparison, "pilgrims' notes" are items, or sayings, attributed to the central figures but have not been authenticated. While these may be inspirational, these are not considered authoritative. Some of `Abdu'l-Bahá's collected talks (e.g. `Abdu'l-Bahá in London, Paris Talks, and The Promulgation of Universal Peace.) may fall into this category, but are awaiting further authentication. The Star of the West, published in the United States from 1910 to 1924, contains many pilgrim's notes and unauthenticated letters of `Abdu'l-Bahá's.
There is no Bahá'í corollary to Islamic Hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
; in fact, Bahá'ís do not consider Hadith authoritative.
The Bahá'í community seeks to expand the body of authenticated and translated texts. The 1992 publication of the English translation of Bahá'u'lláh The Kitáb-i-Aqdas, and the more recent Gems of Divine Mysteries (2002), The Summons of the Lord of Hosts (2002), and The Tabernacle of Unity (2006) are significant additions to the body of work available.
At the same time there is concerted effort to re-translate, edit, and even redact works that are not authenticated. For example, `Abdu'l-Bahá on Divine Philosophy, published in 1916, was not reprinted at the direction of Shoghi Effendi. Also, early editions of Esslemont's Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era contained several passages that could not be authenticated, or were incorrect. These have been reviewed and updated in subsequent editions. This practice has been criticized by observers, but is considered an integral part of maintaining the integrity of the texts.
Bábí texts are proving very difficult to authenticate, despite the collection of a variety of documents by E.G. Browne
Edward Granville Browne
Edward Granville Browne , born in Stouts Hill, Uley, Gloucestershire, England, was a British orientalist who published numerous articles and books of academic value, mainly in the areas of history and literature...
in the latter 19th and early 20th centuries. Browne's principle correspondents were Azalis whom he considered to be the genuine followers of the Báb. In addition to the difficulties of collecting documents at such a distance — Browne was at Cambridge — was the widespread Azali practice of Taqiyya
Taqiyya
Taqiyya , meaning religious dissimulation, is a practice emphasized in Shi'a Islam whereby adherents may conceal their religion when they are under threat, persecution, or compulsion...
(Dissimulation
Dissimulation
Dissimulation is a form of deception in which one conceals the truth. It consists of concealing the truth, or in the case of half-truths, concealing parts of the truth, like inconvenient or secret information. Dissimulation differs from simulation, in which one exhibits false information...
), or concealing one's beliefs. Browne appears to have been unaware of this. In addition to the difficulties of collecting reliable manuscripts, Azali taqiyya had the effect of rendering many early Bábí documents unreliable afterwards, as Azali Bábís would often alter and falsify Bábí teachings and history.
In contrast, dissimulation was condemned by Bahá'u'lláh and was gradually abandoned by the early Bahá'ís.
History and biography
Shoghi Effendi's only book, God Passes ByGod Passes By
God Passes By, written by Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, is a book which provides a historical summary of the first century of the Bahá'í Faith, from 1844 to 1944...
, is a central text covering the history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
of the faith from 1844 to 1944. Nabil-Zarandi's
Nabíl-i-A`zam
Mullá Muḥammad-i-Zarandí , more commonly known as Nabíl-i-A`ẓam or Nabíl-i-Zarandí , was an eminent Bahá'í historian during the time of Bahá'u'lláh, and one of the nineteen Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh...
Dawn Breakers
The Dawn-breakers (book)
The Dawn-Breakers: Nabíl’s Narrative of the Early Days of the Bahá’í Revelation or Nabíl's Narrative is a historical account of the early Bábí and Bahá'í Faiths penned by Nabíl-i-A`zam in 1887-8...
covers the Bábí period extensively through to Bahá'u'lláh's banishment from Persia in 1853.
Ruhiyyih Rabbani's
Rúhíyyih Khanum
Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum , born Mary Sutherland Maxwell was the wife of Shoghi Effendi, the head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921–1957. She was appointed by him as a Hand of the Cause, and served an important role in the transfer of authority from 1957–1963...
Ministry of the Custodians details the interregnum between Shoghi Effendi's death in 1957 and the election of the Universal House of Justice in 1963.
Other authors have revisited the early periods of the religion in the Middle East or addressed historical periods in other places. Some of these contain significant amounts of biographical
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
data and can be considered biographies. Notably, Balyuzi's and Taherzadeh
Adib Taherzadeh
Adib Taherzadeh served as a member of the Universal House of Justice, the supreme governing body of the Bahá'í Faith, between 1988 and 2000.-Biography:...
's works have focused on the history and biographies of the central figures of the religion and their significant contemporaries.
Introduction and study materials
One of the earliest introductory texts available in English is EsslemontJohn Esslemont
John Ebenezer Esslemont M.B., Ch.B. , was a prominent British Bahá'í from Scotland. He was the author of the well-known introductory book on the Bahá'í Faith, Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era, which is still in circulation. He was named posthumously by Shoghi Effendi as the first Hand of the Cause he...
's Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era. This book, originally published in 1923, has undergone several revisions over time to update, correct, and clarify its contents though `Abdu'l-Bahá was able to personally review several of its chapters. More than sixty years later, it remains in the top ten of cited Bahá'í books.
Several other introductory texts are available. Hatcher & Martin's The Bahá'í Faith: The Emerging Global Religion, Momen's A Short Introduction to the Bahá'í Faith, and Smith's The Bahá'í Religion are some examples.
Of considerable importance to the Bahá'í community worldwide is the Ruhi series of study materials inspired, and largely produced, by the Bahá'í community of Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. These books form the core texts used in "Study Circles
Bahá'í study circle
The term study circle has become common terminology in the Bahá'í Faith to describe a specific type of gathering for the study of the Bahá'í teachings, with an emphasis on "promoting the well-being of humanity."...
" and "Training Institutes" by Bahá'í communities around the world.
Apologia
A few of Bahá'u'lláh's works may classify as apologiaApologetics
Apologetics is the discipline of defending a position through the systematic use of reason. Early Christian writers Apologetics (from Greek ἀπολογία, "speaking in defense") is the discipline of defending a position (often religious) through the systematic use of reason. Early Christian writers...
. In addition to being significant doctrinal works, his Kitáb-i-Íqán
Kitáb-i-Íqán
The Kitáb-i-Íqán is one of many books held sacred by followers of the Bahá'í Faith; it is their primary theological work. One Bahá'í scholar states that it can be regarded as the "most influential Koran commentary in Persian outside the Muslim world," because of its international audience. It is...
(Book of Certitude) and Epistle to the Son of the Wolf
Epistle to the Son of the Wolf
The Epistle to the Son of the Wolf is the last major work of Bahá'u'lláh, founder of the Bahá'í Faith, before his death in 1892. It is a letter written to a Muslim cleric, a violent opponent of the Bahá'ís who, along with his father , also a Muslim cleric, had put to death a number of Bahá'ís...
address both Islamic and Bahá'í audiences.
During Bahá'u'lláh's lifetime, both Nabíl-i-Akbar
Nabíl-i-Akbar
Áqá Muḥammad-i-Qá'iní also known as Fadil-i-Qa'ini surnamed Nabíl-i-Akbar , was a distinguished Bahá'í from the town of Qá'in...
and Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl Gulpáygání
Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl
' , or ' was the foremost Bahá'í scholar who helped spread the Bahá'í Faith in Egypt, Turkmenistan, and the United States. He is one of the few Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh who never actually met Bahá'u'lláh...
were noteworthy Shi'a scholars who accepted the religion. Nabíl-i-Akbar was well versed in, and wrote on Shi'a issues. Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl wrote extensively on both Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
and Shi'a apologia, most notably in his book The Brilliant Proof.
While Townshend's
George Townshend (Bahá'í)
George Townshend was born in Ireland and was a well-known writer, clergyman before his conversion to the Bahá'í Faith in which he became a Hand of the Cause.-Early accomplishments:...
Christ and Bahá'u'lláh may also be regarded as an apologetic response to Christian concerns, Udo Schaefer, et al.'s Making the Crooked Straight is a decidedly apologetic response to Ficicchia's polemical Der Bahá'ísmus - Religion der Zukunft? (Bahá'ísm – Religion of the future?), a book which was published and promoted by the Evangelische Zentralstrelle für Weltanschauungsfragen (Central Office of the Protestant Church for Questions of Ideology) in the 1980s. This organization has since revoked its affiliation with Ficicchia and now recognizes the Bahá'í Faith
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
as an important partner in inter-religious dialogue.
Select bibliography
The below list is not complete. William P. Collins, in his Bibliography of English-language Works on the Bábí and Bahá'í Faiths, 1844–1985, gives a list of 2,819 items, which includes multiple editions.For ease, the bibliography is sub-divided by author.
`Abdu'l-Bahá
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- Many of the above are collections but there are estimated to be over 15,000 texts archived, and over 30,000 possibly written in total.
Bahá'u'lláh
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- Over 7000 tablets and other works have been collected of an estimated 15,000 texts. However only a relative few have been translated and catalogued.
Central Figures and Shoghi Effendi: compilations
The Universal House of Justice has prepared several compilations of extracts from the Central Figures and Shoghi Effendi.Universal House of Justice and its agencies
These are original works of the Universal House of Justice and its agencies as distinct from compilations.Periodicals
- Star of the WestStar of the West (Bahá'í magazine)The Star of the West was a Bahá'í periodical which began publication on March 21, 1910 and ended publication under this title in March of 1935....
digitized online at Star of the West (published 1910-1935) - Bahá'í NewsBahá'í NewsBahá'í News was a monthly magazine, published between December 1924 and October 1990, that covered "news and events in the worldwide Bahá'í community." The magazine was first published as Bahá'í News Letter for 40 issues, changing to Bahá'í News from issue 41 onwards...
digitzed online at Bahá'í News (published Dec. 1924 to Oct. 1990) - The Bahá'í World (published since 1925) (some volumes online in various places as well as some maps and charts.
- Herald of the South (published since 1925)
- The American Bahá'í (published since 1970)
- The Journal of Bahá'í Studies (published since 1988 by the Association for Bahá'í Studies (North America)) available for purchase online at Journal of Bahá'í Studies, some monographs available online at Bahá'í-Studies Monograph's
- Journal of the Bahá'í Community of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland…
- The Bahá'í Studies Review (published since 1991 - 2006 by the Association for Bahá'í Studies (English-Speaking Europe)) available online at bahai-library.com/bsr and www.breacais.demon.co.uk/abs
- One Country (2000–present)
- Varqá - International Children's Magazine (published 1970-1986 and 2004–present)
- World Order Magazine (published 1935-1949 and 1966–present)
- OJBS: Online Journal of Bahá'í Studies (published since 2007 by the Association for Bahá'í Studies New Zealand
External links
These sites focus on Bahá'í texts and related documents:- The Bábí and Bahá'í Religions: An Annotated Bibliography An extensive bibliography of Bábí and Bahá'í related books, articles, and letters. Sponsored privately.
- Bahá'í Library Online An extensive online library of Bábí and Bahá'í related books, articles, and letters. Sponsored privately.
- Bahá'í Prayers Online index of, and links to, prayers sorted by topic. Sponsored privately.
- Bahá'í Reference Library Searchable online editions of Bahá'í sacred texts in English, Arabic, and Persian. Sponsored by the Bahá'í International CommunityBahá'í International CommunityThe Bahá'í International Community, or the BIC, is an international non-governmental organization representing the members of the Bahá'í Faith; it was first chartered in March 1948 with the United Nations, and currently has affiliates in over 180 countries and territories.The BIC seeks to "promote...
. - Statements Library Searchable online editions of statements of the Bahá'í International Community. Sponsored by the Bahá'í International Community.
- H-Bahai Discussion Network Babí & Bahá'í texts and studies in English, Arabic, and Persian. Some texts not authenticated and provisional translations. Sponsored privately.
- Windows to the Past Deepening talks (MP3 and transcriptions).
These sites contain online or downloadable searchable databases of collected world religious works. English and French language versions contain extensive Bahá'í, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islamic, Jewish, and other religious texts. Large libraries of Bahá'í texts are available in other, generally European, languages:
- Bahairesearch.com Online. Sponsored privately. Includes several European and Japanese language Bahá'í texts.
- Holy Writings Search Engine Online. Sponsored by the Association for Bahá'í Studies, German-speaking Europe.
- Ocean Downloadable. Sponsored privately.