Maid of Heaven refers to a vision that Bahá’u’lláh, founder of 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....

 had of a maiden from God, through whom he received his mission as a Messenger of God

Manifestation of God

The Manifestation of God is a concept in the Bahá'í Faith that refers to what are commonly called prophets. The Manifestations of God are a series of personages who reflect the attributes of the divine into the human world for the progress and advancement of human morals and civilization...

.

In his Súriy-i-Haykal (Tablet of the Temple) Bahá’u’lláh describes his vision as follows:

"While engulfed in tribulations I heard a most wondrous, a most sweet voice, calling above My head. Turning My face, I beheld a Maiden - the embodiment of the remembrance of the name of My Lord - suspended in the air before Me. So rejoiced was she in her very soul that her countenance shone with the ornament of the good-pleasure of God, and her cheeks glowed with the brightness of the All-Merciful. Betwixt Earth and Heaven she was raising a call which captivated the hearts and minds of men. She was imparting to both My inward and outer being tidings which rejoiced My soul, and the souls of God's honoured servants. Pointing with her finger unto My head, she addressed all who are in Heaven and all who are on Earth saying: "By God! This is the best beloved of the worlds, and yet ye comprehend not. This is the Beauty of God amongst you, and the power of His sovereignty within you, could ye but understand."

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...

 compares the Maid of Heaven with the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...

 as manifested in the burning bush

Burning bush

The burning bush is an object described by the Book of Exodus as being located on Mount Sinai; according to the narrative, the bush was on fire, but was not consumed by the flames, hence the name...

 of Moses, the dove to Jesus, the angel Gabriel

Gabriel

In Abrahamic religions, Gabriel is an Archangel who typically serves as a messenger to humans from God.He first appears in the Book of Daniel, delivering explanations of Daniel's visions. In the Gospel of Luke Gabriel foretells the births of both John the Baptist and of Jesus...

 to Muhammad. She appears in several tablets of Bahá’u’lláh’s: Tablet of the Maiden (Lawh-i-Ḥúrí), Tablet of the Deathless Youth (Lawh-i-Ghulámu’l-khuld), Tablet of the Holy Mariner

Tablet of the Holy Mariner

Lawh-i-Malláhu'l-Quds or the Tablet of the Holy Mariner is a tablet written by Bahá'u'lláh, founder of the Bahá'í Faith, in Baghdad in 1863...

(Lawh-i-Malláhu’l-quds) and The Tablet of the Vision (Lawh-i- Ru’yá). The first three of these were written in Baghdad

Baghdad

Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...

).

See also

• Angel (section Bahá'í Faith)
• Holy Spirit (section Bahá'í Faith)

Further reading

• Lambden, Stephen. (2001). Cherubim, Seraphim and Demythologization: Some aspects of Babi-Bahá'i angelology and the mala' al-a`la (Supreme Concourse). ‘Irfán Colloquium #36

External links

• Maid of Heaven - a compendium
• Baha'u'llah's "Tablet of the Maiden," trans. Juan Cole