The History and Provenance of an Early Manuscript of the Nuqtat al-kaf dated 1268 (1851-52) - McCants,William F.; Milani,Kavian Sadeghzade (Iranian Studies, 2004)
Much controversy has surrounded the early Bábí MSS, the Nuqtat al-kaf. Some of these are resolved by study of a copy discovered in Princeton’s collection of Bábí works, which confirms its value as an important source for understanding early Bábí history.
Found at scribd.com/doc/18949926/The-History-and-Provenance-of-an-Early-Manuscript-of-the-Nuqtat-AlKaf.
Keywords: 1851; Azali Bábís; Kitáb-i-Nuqtatul-Kaf; Mírzá Yaḥyá (Subh-i-Azal)

The History of EBBF: Twenty-Five Years of Contributing to the Discourse of Ethics in Business - Couillard,François (Journal of Baha'i Studies, 2015)
The European Bahá’í Business Forum, a small network of individuals dedicated to promoting ethical behavior and other Bahá’í values in the workplace, has had significant influence at the local, national, and international levels.
Mirrored from journal.bahaistudies.ca/online/article/view/173.
Keywords: Business; Ethical Business Building the Future (EBBF); Ethics; Europe; European Bahá'í Business Forum (EBBF); Work

The History of the Bahá'í Faith in Arizona: The First Fifty Years, 1900-1950 - Thur,Maureen M. (2004)
Historical details and biographies about Arizona, from Nellie French moving from Chicago to Bisbee in 1900, to the formation of LSAs in 1949. Includes biographies of Amelia Collins and Orcella Rexford aka Louise Cutts-Powell (Appendices 1-2).
Keywords: 1900; 1950; 20th century; Amelia Collins; Arizona, USA; Bahá'í history by country; Biography; Orcella Rexford; United States (documents)

The Holy Grail of Objectivity: Some Considerations for Balancing Sacred and Secular in Bahá'í Scholarship - Harmsen,Rick (Deepen, 1995)
Discussion of an apologetic nature about an interpretive or hermeneutic principle relating to Bahá'í scholarship articulated by Shoghi Effendi.
Keywords: Interpretation; Scholarship

The Holy Land's Low-Profile Religion - Ross,Oakland (Toronto Star, 2007)
Brief overview of the Bahá'í Faith and its place in Israel.
Mirrored from thestar.com/news/2007/10/22/the_holy_lands_lowprofile_religion.html.
Keywords: Haifa, Israel; Introductory

The Holy Mariner - Mazandarani,Asadu'llah Fadil
List of meanings of some passages of the Tablet of the Holy Mariner.
From the Emma Maxie Jones Collection. Date unknown, but prior to Jan 8, 1935.
Keywords: Lawh-i-Malláhu'l-Quds (Tablet of the Holy Mariner, Arabic); Words and phrases

The House of Abdu'llah Pasha - Author unknown (Baha'i World, 1986)
Short history and restoration of a house associated with "some of the most dramatic and historically significant events of the Heroic Age of the Bahá'í Faith."
See Bahá'í World volume 18 table of contents. From "Part 3: International Survey of Current Bahá'í Activities."
Keywords: Akka, Israel; Bahá'í World Centre; Bahá'í World Centre buildings, monuments and gardens; Bahá'í history; House of `Abdu'lláh Páshá (Akká)

The House of Bahá'u'lláh and the Struggle for Religious Visibility in Mandatory Iraq - Cooper-Davies,Christopher (International Journal of Middle East Studies, 2025)
On the 1920s–1930s legal and political struggles over the House of Bahá'u'lláh in Baghdad, highlighting colonial modernity’s role in shaping anti-Bahá'í persecution in Iraq.
Mirrored with CC license from cambridge.org.
Keywords: 1920s; 1930s; Baghdad, Iraq; Colonialism and imperialism; House of Bahá'u'lláh (Baghdad); Iraq; League of Nations; Persecution; Persecution, Court cases; Persecution, Iraq; Restoration and renovation; United Kingdom; Visuals

The Human Intellect: A Bahá'í-Inspired Perspective - Davis,Adrian John (Lights of Irfan, 2001)
A study of some of the analogies and differences between the Sufi concept of the "Perfect Man" and the Bahá'í notion of the Manifestation of God; theologies of at-Tirmidhí, Ibn al-'Arabí, Dáwud-al-Qaysarí, Haydar Amulí, et al.; the "Muhammadan Essence."
Presented at the Irfan Colloquia Session #28, London School of Economics (July 14-6, 2000). Mirrored with permission from irfancolloquia.org/28/davis_intellect.
Keywords: Intellect; Irfán Colloquia; Knowledge; Manifestations of God; Mediation; Perfect Man (Sufism); Philosophy; Philosophy, Islamic; Qutb (Pole); Rationality; Reason; Sufism

The Human Soul - Taherzadeh,Adib
Audio posted online at http://bahaimp3.narod.ru/eng.htm
Keywords: Adib Taherzadeh; Life after death (afterlife); Soul

The Human Soul and its Immortality - Furutan,Ali-Akbar (Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1970)
On the three kinds of spirit — human, animal, vegetable; 9 proofs for the existence of the soul; 13 proofs for the immortality of souls; miscellaneous matters relating to the human soul.
Keywords: Life after death (afterlife); Philosophy; Proofs; Soul; `Alí-Akbar Furútan

The Human Spirit in Moral Education - Hsing,Kuek Yi (Singapore Baha'i Studies Review, 1999)
Historical perspectives that have led to the immanence of secular models of moral education in Europe and the U.S., how Singapore has taught moral education, secular models from the U.S. and their inadequacies, and what the Bahá'í Faith can offer.
See the table of contents, editor's note, and biographical data in the complete issue, vol. 4.
Keywords: Education; Moral education; Singapore; United States (documents)

The Humanity of Evil: Bahá'í Reflections on the film The Act of Killing - Kerr,Bernardo Bortolin (2014)
The theology of evil throughout history and in Bahá'í thought; ways in which people de-humanize and become alienated from their own selves; on forgiveness and merciful love in the face of justice and punishment.
Thesis for the degree of MA in Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Nottingham. Read about the movie, "a documentary which challenges former Indonesian death-squad leaders to reenact their mass-killings in whichever cinematic genres they wish," at imdb.com. Posted by author at academia.edu.
Keywords: Arts and crafts; Cinema; Ethics; Evil; Film; Forgiveness; Genocide; Indonesia; Justice; War

The Identity of the Sabi'un: An Historical Quest - Buck,Christopher (The Moslem World, 1984)
This article solves two problems that have long puzzled Islamicists: (1) How can the conflicting identifications of Sabians be explained? and (2) What was the Qur'an's original identification of the Sabians?
Page 174, note 61 mentions Bahá'u'lláh's identification of the Sabians as followers of John the Baptist. Alternate spellings (keywords): Sábi'ún, Sábi'úns, Sabiuns, Sabi'uns, Sabaean, Sabaeans,
Keywords: Islam; Quran; Sabaeans

The Image of the Mystic Flower: Exploring the Lotus Symbolism in the Bahá'í House of Worship - Badiee,Julie (Journal of Baha'i Studies, 2000)
The design of the temple in India creates the visual effect of a large, white lotus blossom emerging from the pools of water around it. Besides many other deep and old cultural meanings, flower imagery symbolizes the appearance of the new Manifestation.
See also journal.bahaistudies.ca/online/article/view/447.
Keywords: Buddhism; Flowers; Hinduism; India; Islam; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, New Delhi; Metaphors and allegories; Mughal empire and architecture; New Delhi, India; Symbolism

The Images of Christ in the writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá - Afshar,Maryam (Lights of Irfan, 2004)
'Abdu'l-Bahá addressed Christian subjects in his talks with Bahá'ís of Christian background and his public talks in the West. He elucidated the meaning of Christian texts and doctrines, and referred to Christ's role and nature.
Presented at the Irfan Colloquia Session #46, Bosch Bahá'í School, California (May 1-4, 2003). Mirrored with permission from irfancolloquia.org/46/afshar_images.
Keywords: Baptism; Bible; Bread; Christianity; Interfaith dialogue; Irfán Colloquia; Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ, Crucifixion of; Jesus Christ, Resurrection of; Jesus Christ, Virgin birth of; Return; Sin; Symbolism; Trinity; Wine (metaphor)

The Immortals - Khianra,Dipchand (Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1988)
Biographies of 16 notable Bahá'ís in Indian history.
Also available in Microsoft Word format, prepared by M. Thomas (2025).
Keywords: 19th century; 20th century; Abu'l-Qásim Faizí; Biography; Gloria Faizi; Hushmand Fatheazam; India; Khusraw Biman; Mihraban Rustam Bulbulan; Narayenrao Rangnath Shethji Vakil; Pritam Singh

The Impact of Fear and Authority on Islamic and Bahá'í Modernisms in the Late Modern Age: A Liberal Perspective - Nash,Geoffrey (Religions, 2015)
Anthony Giddens and Charles Taylor’s conceptualisation of the self in the secular age; rationality, independent inquiry, and theophanic transformation; suggestions for a progressive religious approach in late modernity. Link to article (offsite).
Link to PDF posted at mdpi.com/2077-1444/6/3/1125, where it is also available in HTML and epub formats.

The Importance of Religion: Warwick Leaflets - Warwick Bahá'í Bookshop (2015)
Keywords: Introductory; Religion (general)

The Indiscretion of Marie-Thérèse Beauchamps - White,Roger (The Witness of Pebbles, 1981)
Fictional dramatization of a recollection of seeing Abdu'l-Bahá in Montreal (1912).
Posted with permission of current copyright holder. Also available in Microsoft Word format. Read about this book at bahaipedia.org, goodreads.com, or books.google.com.
Keywords: Arts and crafts; Drama; Plays; Roger White; `Abdu'l-Bahá

The Indispensability of Consultation for Ordering Human Affairs - Semple,Ian C. (Lights of Irfan, 2010)
Consultation is not just another word for discussion. It is not just a technique to be learned, but requires a development of the character of the individuals who are involved in it.
A talk given on December 20 1985 and again on January 3 1986 at seminars held in the multipurpose room of the Seat of the Universal House of Justice. Mirrored with permission from irfancolloquia.org/u/semple_indispensibility. Later republished in Lights of Irfan vol. 12.
Keywords: Consultation; Irfán Colloquia

The Inebriation of His Enrapturing Call (mast-and bulbulán) - Savi,Julio (Lights of Irfan, 2014)
Translation of the early mystical Tablet "Nightingales Are Inebriated" and an analysis of its themes of ecstasy, Mount Sinai, eschatology, dhikr, sama, and fana`.
Presented at the Irfan Colloquia Session #111, Acuto, Italy (2012). Mirrored with permission from irfancolloquia.org/111/savi_call.
Keywords: Baghdad, Iraq; Bahá'u'lláh, Writings of; Dance; Day of Resurrection (or Day of Judgment); Dervish poems (Bahá'u'lláh); Flowers; Fountains; Fragrance; Haft Vádí (Seven Valleys); Houris (huris); Iraq; Love; Lover and the Beloved; Metaphors and allegories; Mount Sinai, Egypt; Musk; Mysticism; Nightingales; Persian language; Poetry; Roses and thorns; Sufism; Sulaymaniyyih, Iraq; Symbolism; Water (metaphor); Words and phrases

The Infallibility of the Universal House of Justice - Vafai,Shahin (The Essence of the Covenant: Features, History, and Implications, 2005)
Short essay on the infallibility of the Universal House of Justice with extensive quotations.
See also excerpts from Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 of the same book.
Keywords: Infallibility; Universal House of Justice

The Influence of Bábí Teachings on Ling Ming Tang and Nineteenth-century China - Wang,Jianping (Lights of Irfan, 2002)
A possible historical linkage between the followers of Bábí and Bahá'i Movements in Iran and the believers of a Qadiriyya Order (the Ling Ming Tang) in China.
Presented at the Irfan Colloquia Session #36, London School of Economics (July 13-15, 2001). Mirrored with permission from irfancolloquia.org/36/wang_tang.
Keywords: 19th century; Bábísm; China; Irfán Colloquia; Ling Ming Tang; Mysticism; Sufism

The Inseparability and Complementarity of the Book and the Universal House of Justice - Rezai,Sana (2018)
Direct references the House of Justice makes to the words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi, as illustrated through the 26 November 2018 message.
Keywords: Center of the Covenant (concept); Covenant; Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh (letter); Quotations; Ridvan messages, Comments; Shoghi Effendi, Writings of; Style (Writings); Tablets of the Divine Plan; Universal House of Justice; Universal House of Justice, Letters and messages; Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Writings and talks of

The Insistent Self: How to Nurture Our Spirit - Shams,Lesley (Bahá'í Publications Australia, 2015)
The nature of our ego and the effort needed to prevent this lower nature taking over and hindering our spiritual destiny; compilation of guidance from the Writings and other sources on the spiritual path, prayer, fasting, sacrifice, tests, love, etc.
See also a blurb about this book on its published cover.
Keywords: Contentment; Detachment; Haft Vádí (Seven Valleys); Kalimat-i-Maknunih (Hidden Words); Living the life; Love; Materialism; Meditation; Prayer; Psychology; Self; Service; Spirituality; Tests and difficulties; Unity; Veils (spiritual); Virtues

The Institution of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár - Bahá'í World Centre, compiler (2017)
A statement and compilation prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice.
See also Extracts on the Institution of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar. Online at bahai.org. Also available in Microsoft Word format. Also available in French translation, L’institution du mashriqu’l-adhkár.
Keywords: Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship)

The Institution of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár - Universal House of Justice; Holley,Horace; Sahba,Fariborz; Nooreyezdan,Sheriar (Baha'i World, 1986)
Five documents from Bahá'í World 18 part four section 5: Institution of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, its spiritual significance, the temple on the Indian sub-continent, the Lotus of Bahapur, and the first Mashriqu'l-Adhkar of the Pacific Islands.
See Bahá'í World volume 18 table of contents.
Keywords: Architecture; Buddhism; Fariborz Sahba; Funds; Hinduism; Horace Holley; Hossein Amanat; India; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Apia, Samoa; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Ishqabad; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, New Delhi; New Delhi, India; Samoa; Symbolism; Taj Mahal

The Institutionalization of Religion: A Sociological Analysis of Religion and Conflict - Mahmoudi,Jalil (World Order, 1967)
The life cycle of a religion can be classified into different phases or stages, such as "cult, sect, denomination, church." Does the Bahá'í Faith fit this schema?

The Instrument of Music: A Musical Comedy - Munro,Sarah; Cerpa,David; Massarrat,Niaz (2019)
Dramatization of the role of music in the expansion and consolidation of Bahá’í communities, drawing on the example of Latin America, and the impact and use of music to contribute to the growth of any community.
Keywords: Arts and crafts; Drama; Latin America; Music; Plays

The Intellectual Life of the Bahá'í Community - Arbab,Farzam (Journal of Baha'i Studies, 2016)
The 34th Hasan M. Balyuzi Memorial Lecture at the ABS conference in Montreal, on the need for us to have intellectual courage, a lack of elitism, and the harmony of science and religion. Includes video, published version, and an outline of the talk.
Mirrored from journal.bahaistudies.ca/online/article/view/212. See also the complete issue [PDF].
Keywords: Farzam Arbab; Hasan M. Balyuzi Memorial Lectures; Knowledge; Scholarship; Science

The Interdependence of Bahá'í Communities: Services of North American Bahá'í Women to Iran - Ma'ani,Baharieh Rouhani (Journal of Baha'i Studies, 1991)
Some early American Bahá’í women’s contribution to the development of the Iranian Bahá’í community.
Mirrored with permission from the Journal of Bahá'í Studies past issues archive.
Keywords: Adelaide Sharp; Bahá'í history by country; Bahá'í schools; Elizabeth Stewart; Equality; Gender; Genevieve Coy; Interdependence and interconnectedness; Iran (documents); Keith Ransom-Kehler; Lillian Kappes; Lua Getsinger; Martha Root; Sarah Clock; Social and economic development; Susan Moody; Tarbiyat School, Tihran; United States (documents); Women

The International Bahá'í Library and the Library of Alexandria - Collins,William P. (Scriptum: Newsletter for Baha'i Librarians & Information Professionals, 1996)
Similarities between the ancient Library of Alexandria and the contemporary Bahá'í archive.
Mirrored with permission from Scriptum.
Keywords: Alexandria, Egypt; Bahá'í World Centre; Bahá'í World Centre; Egypt; International Bahá'í Library; Libraries

The Internet and Literature Review - Bahá'í Internet Agency (2011)
Guidance from the Bahá'í World Centre to two NSAs, that the process of "literature review" does not apply to the Internet for informal publications (like personal blogs), but it does apply for formal ones (like e-journals).
Letter #1 submitted by and posted with permission of recipient, who was inquiring about sharing a book-length compilation from and reflections on the Sacred Writings. Letter #2 excerpted only. Both originals on file. While these letters were not written "on behalf" of the Universal House of Justice, they do have the imprimatur of having been issued by the Bahá'í Internet Agency, an agency of the World Centre serving the House. See also a compilation, Reviewing: Practice and Functions of Literature Review.
Keywords: Bahá'í literature; Internet; Publishing; Publishing, Policy and practice; Publishing, Review

The Interracial "Bahá'í Movement" and the Black Intelligentsia: The Case of W. E. B. Du Bois - Buck,Christopher (Journal of Religious History, 2012)
Du Bois’s encounters with the Baha’i religion from 1910 to 1953, his connection to the New York Baha’i community, and discussion of segregated Baha’i meetings in Tennessee in 1937.
Mirrored with permission from christopherbuck.com/journals.
Keywords: 1910; 1937; 1953; African Americans; Bahá'í history by country; New York, USA; Race; Tennessee, USA; United States (documents); W. E. B. Du Bois

The Interrelationship of Bahá'í, Australian Statute and Common Law: A Family Law Perspective - Khavari,Afshin A. (75 Years of the Bahá'í Faith in Australasia, 1996)
Application of Bahá'í Laws in Australia within the context of the existing common and statue laws of the country, and the history, conceptual basis, and developments of Bahá'í laws.
This document is no longer available at its original host; mirrored from archive.org.

The Invocation 'Is There Any Remover of Difficulties Save God...' - Afnan,Muhammad (2023)
Short overview of the historical background of the Báb's invocation.
This research note, originally written in Persian, was first published in Safíniy-i-‘Irfán, vol. 9 (2006), pp. 263–64.
Keywords: Authenticity; Baghdad, Iraq; Bahá'u'lláh; Báb, Writings of; Dhikr (Remembrance); Invocations; Iraq; Misconduct of believers; Mírzá Aqa Jan (Khadimu'lláh); Mírzá Yaḥyá (Subh-i-Azal); Prayer texts; Prophecies; Qá'im; Remover of Difficulties (invocation); Repetition; Selections from the Writings of the Báb (book); Sulaymaniyyih, Iraq; Tests and difficulties

The Iranians: Persia, Islam, and the Soul of a Nation - Mackey,Sandra (The Penguin Group, 1998)
Brief overview of the Bahá'í Faith during the Qajar period, in the context of Iranian politics.

The Islamic Regime in Iran and the Bahá'í Faith - Kazemzadeh,Firuz (2005)
Lecture in the University of Haifa "Lectures in Bahá'í Studies" series, January 11 2005. Mirrored from bahai.haifa.ac.il/past_lectures.htm.

The Journey Motif in the Bahá'í Faith: From Doubt to Certitude - Danesh,Roshan (Journal of Baha'i Studies, 2012)
The process of individual spiritual growth lies at the heart of human purpose. Bahá’u’lláh speaks about the collective spiritualization of humanity — creating new patterns of community and social relations — as the "journey" of the human body politic.
Mirrored from journal.bahaistudies.ca/online/article/view/155.
Keywords: Africa; Akka, Israel; Baghdad, Iraq; Bahá'u'lláh; Bahá'u'lláh, Banishment of; Báb, Pilgrimage of; Báb, The; Canada; Edirne, Turkey; Europe; Iran (documents); Iraq; Israel; Istanbul, Turkey; Journey (spiritual); Mecca, Saudi Arabia; Medina, Saudi Arabia; Pilgrimage; Saudi Arabia; Shoghi Effendi; Shoghi Effendi, Travels of; Spirituality; Turkey; United States (documents); `Abdu'l-Bahá; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of (documents)

The Journey of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's "Tablet to the Hague": A Photo Chronology - de Vries,Jelle, editor (2019)
Link (offsite) to a visual tour of the history, people, and events relevant to Abdu'l-Bahá's "Letter to the Central Organisation for a Durable Peace."
See this presentation at bahaigeschiedenis.nl/abdul-baha-tablet-to-the-hague, and see other historical material at bahaigeschiedenis.nl.
Keywords: 1910s; 1919; Central Organization for a Durable Peace; Ibn-i-Aṣdaq (Mírzá `Alí-Muḥammad); Lawh-i-Hague (Tablet to The Hague); Netherlands; Photographs; The Hague, Netherlands

The Khamsis: A Cradle of True Gold - Handal,Boris (2020)
Biography of the five-brother Báqirof-Khamsi clan, designated by Bahá'u'lláh as the "Five Siyyids" after they accepted the Bahá'í Faith in 1881.
Purchase this book from amazon.com/Khamsis-Cradle-True-Gold/dp/0648901408.
Keywords: 1880s; 1890s; 20th century; Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum, Journeys of; Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum; Baqirof-Khamsi (Sadat-i-Khams); Biography; Green Light Expedition; Iran (documents); Latin America; Masud Khamsi; Russia; Siyyid Ahmad Khamsi-Baqirof; Siyyid Nasrullah Baqirof

The Kitáb-i Aqdas of Mírzá Husain `Alí Núrí, Bahá'u'lláh: Redating its Beginnings - Ekbal,Kamran (Proceedings of the Third European Conference of Iranian Studies, Part 2: Mediaeval and Modern Persian Studies, 1999)
The exact date when the Aqdas was written is unclear. It may have been composed over a period of about five years and in different locations.
Also available in Microsoft Word format.
Keywords: Dating of Writings; Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Most Holy Book)

The Kitab-i Iqan: An Introduction to Baha'u'llah's Book of Certitude with Two Digital Reprints of Early Lithographs - Buck,Christopher (Occasional Papers in Shaykhi, Babi, and Baha'i Studies, 1998)
Overview of the history and themes of the preeminent doctrinal work of the Bahá'í Faith.
Originally posted at h-net.org. See also the complete book "Symbol & Secret", plus many other links, here.
Keywords: Attainment unto the Divine presence; Dating of Writings; Interpretation; Islam; Kitáb-i-Íqán (Book of Certitude); Seal of the Prophets; Style (Writings)

The Kitáb-i-Aqdas and the Process of Transformation - Davidson,John A. (The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: Studies from the First National Conference on the Holy Book, vol. 1, 1996)
The Kitáb-i-Aqdas is the source and inspiration for the process of transformation initiated by the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh. It defines the goals and provides the means. Its various dimensions (social, mystical, ethical, cultural).
This document is no longer available at its original host; mirrored from archive.org.
Keywords: Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Most Holy Book); Transformation

The Kitáb-i-Aqdas as a Lens with which to Examine some of the Dilemmas of Modernity - Omidvaran,Betsy (Solas, 2002)
Contrast between the Aqdas - the source of laws of future society - and issues of the modern world as it had evolved up to the 19th century. Discussion of Houses of Worship, universal language, financial principles, justice, the Covenant, and unity.
See also a PDF of the complete issue of Solas 2. Mirrored from breacais.demon.co.uk/abs/solas.
Keywords: Covenant; Economics; International auxiliary language; Justice; Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Most Holy Book); Laws; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Modernity; Unity

The Kitab-i-Aqdas: Bahá'í Law, Legitimacy, and World Order - Schweitz,Martha L. (Journal of Baha'i Studies, 1994)
On the Kitáb-i-Aqdas from the perspective of contemporary secular national and international law; its institution-building provisions as a Charter for future world civilization; relationship between law and principle; transformation of international law.
Mirrored with permission from the Journal of Bahá'í Studies past issues archive.
Keywords: Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Most Holy Book); Laws; World order

The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: Studies from the First National Conference on the Holy Book Volume 1 - Various (Association for Bahá'í Studies Australia, 1996)
Five papers, proceedings from a Bahá'í Studies Conference in Sydney, 1993.
This document is no longer available at its original host; mirrored from archive.org.
Keywords: Conferences; Conferences, Bahá'í studies; Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Most Holy Book)

The Kitáb-i-Iqán: Revolutionizing the Concepts of Religion, Eschatology and Theology - Kourosh,Sohrab (Lights of Irfan, 2018)
The Kitáb-i-Íqán resolves and removes eschatological barriers and establishes the fundamentals of a universal religion and a universal theology, that integrates and harmonizes other contending ideologies.
Mirrored with permission from irfancolloquia.org/u/kourosh_iqan.
Keywords: Bible; Christianity; Eschatology; Hidden Imam; Interfaith dialogue; Islam; Jabulqa and Jabulsa; Judaism; Kitáb-i-Íqán (Book of Certitude); Outlines and summaries; Philosophy; Prophecies; Quran; Qá'im; Theology; Twelfth Imam

The Knowledge of God: An Essay on Bahá'í Epistemology - McLean,Jack (World Order, 1978)
Knowledge of the divine is the beginning of all things. This can come through the investigative faculty, the path of reason, or through intuition and mysticism, the path of the heart.
Mirrored with permission from jack-mclean.com.
Keywords: Epistemology; Heart; Intuition; Knowledge; Mysticism; Philosophy; Reason

The Lab, the Temple, and the Market: Reflections at the Intersection of Science, Religion, and Development - Harper,Sharon M. P., editor (International Development Research Centre, 2000)
Essays on what faith, science, and international development have to offer one another; how religion affects globalization, peace, and the environment; how the roles and world views of science, religion, and development intersect in different cultures.
Mirrored under CC license from idrc.ca, where it is also available in HTML format. The complete book is also available for free at Google books.
Keywords: Christianity; E-books; Farzam Arbab; Hinduism; Interfaith dialogue; International Development Research Centre (IDRC); Islam; Religion (general); Science; Social and economic development; Sustainable development; Technology

The Land and Its Book: Biblical Illustrations drawn from the Manners and Customs, the Scenes and Scenery of the Holy Land - Thomson,W. M. (Thomas Nelson and Sons, 1910)
Description of the area around Akka in 1857. Does not mention the Faith.
Keywords: 1857; Bible; Jenin, Palestine

The Language of the Heart: From Dream Language towards Understanding the Language of the Heart - Klebel,Wolfgang A. (Lights of Irfan, 2016)
On the form and style of the language of the heart; ways this language differs from our normal language and thinking as it is developed in the human brain; the language and logic of dreams; effects of heart transplants.
Presented at the Irfan Colloquia Session #130 (Bosch, 2015). Mirrored with permission from irfancolloquia.org/130/klebel_heart.
Keywords: Brain; Dreams and visions; Health and healing; Heart; Mind; Post-traumatic Stress; Psychology; Science

The Language of the Heart: Parallels between Chinese and Bahá'í Approaches to the Spiritual Self - Hong,Sim Tze (Singapore Baha'i Studies Review, 1999)
Parallels between Chinese and Confucian thought vs. Bahá'í teachings about the spiritual self, the nature of the heart, the pathway to perfection, the knowledge of oneself, and symbolism in language like "open heart" and "use heart."
See the table of contents, editor's note, and biographical data in the complete issue, vol. 4.
Keywords: China; Chinese religion; Confucianism; Heart; Knowledge; Philosophy; Philosophy, Chinese

The Languages of Revelation of the Bahá'í Writings - Masumian,Adib; Zein,Violetta (2020)
Statistical analysis of the languages of revelation (Arabic and Persian) of all major works of the Bab, Bahá'u'lláh, and Abdu'l-Bahá.
Mirrored with permission from theutteranceproject.com/resources/downloads.
Keywords: Arabic language; Bahá'u'lláh, Writings of; Báb, Writings of; Persian language; Statistics; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Writings and talks of

The Last Great Revolution: Turmoil and Transformation in Iran - Wright,Robin (Alfred A. Knopf, 2000)
Mentions of the Bahá'ís not having political representation in Iran; brief summary of Bahá'í persecutions (in footnote).
Keywords: Iran (documents); Persecution, Iran; Persecution, Other

The Last Refuge: Fifty Years of the Universal House of Justice - Fatheazam,Shahbaz (Irfan Colloquia, 2015)
History of the House by the son of 40-year member Houshmand Fatheazam, an eye-witness to its development; organizational structure of Bahá'í polity and its vision of politics; connections between institutions and culture; personal recollections.
First presented at the Irfan Colloquia Session #116, Bosch Bahá'í School (2013), later published as Occasional Papers volume 3. The letter from the House (pp. 111-114) was first published separately as Authority and Centrality of the Universal House of Justice. Purchase online at bahaibookstore.com or bahai-verlag.de. Mirrored with permission from irfancolloquia.org/papers3.
Keywords: 1963; 20th century; Biography; Irfán Colloquia; Universal House of Justice (UHJ general); Universal House of Justice, Members of

The Last Words of Jesus: What Were They and What Did They Mean? - Terry,Peter (2015)
The words of Christ according to the gospels of Mark and Matthew in Syriac and Greek; comparisons of the Greek, Syriac, Aramaic and Hebrew editions of Psalm 21/22; paper ends with an interpretation by Abdu'l-Bahá.
Mirrored with permission from academia.edu.
Keywords: Bible; Christianity; Glory (general); Interfaith dialogue; Jesus Christ; Theosophy

The Late Ottoman Sunni Missionary Project - Alkan,Necati (Missions and Preaching: Connected and Decompartmentalised Perspectives from the Middle East and North Africa, 2022)
Excerpts from the author's book Non-Sunni Muslims in the Late Ottoman Empire: State and Missionary Perceptions of the Alawis. Contains only passing mentions of the Bahá'í Faith.
Mirrored with permission from academia.edu.

The Lawh-i-Hamd-i-Musha'sha' (The Tablet of the Effulgent Praise): A Little-Known but Significant Early Writing of Bahá'u'lláh - Masumian,Adib (2023)
The Lawḥ-i-Ḥamd-i-Musha‘sha‘ is a Tablet of Bahá'u'lláh from the early 1850s which gives evidence of His nascent theophany. This paper proposes dates for its revelation, discusses the historical context, and gives an analysis of selected passages.
See full translation at adibmasumian.com/translations/bh00775.
Keywords: Bahá'u'lláh, Writings of; Lawh-i-Hamd-i-Mushasha (Tablet of the Effulgent Praise)

The Lawh-i-Tibb (Tablet to the Physician): Beyond Health Maxims - Ziaei,Misagh (Journal of Baha'i Studies, 2019)
On the tablet's historical context, as well as some of its guidance regarding the study and practice of medicine, including attributes its practitioners must acquire and maintain.
Article mirrored from journal.bahaistudies.ca. See also the complete issue [PDF]. Also available as an updated, corrected Microsoft Word document (prepared by M. Thomas, 2022). See also Tablet to a Physician (Lawh-i-Tibb) (Secretariat of the Universal House of Justice, 2000] and The Tablet of Medicine (Lawh-i Ṭibb) provisional translation by K. Fananapazir and S. Lambden (1992), offsite.
Keywords: Ethics; Food; Health and healing; Lawh-i-Tibb (Tablet to a Physician); Lifestyle; Science

The Left in Contemporary Iran - Zabih,Sepehr (Croom Helm, 1986)
Discussion of "urban guerilla warfare" pre-1979 with one passing mention of an unnamed Bahá'í businessman as owner of Export Bank.
Keywords: 1970s; Iran (documents); Iran, General history; Mentions; Politics

The Legacy of `Abdu'l-Bahá's Visit to America, 1912 - Stockman,Robert (2012)
Overview of Abdu’l-Bahá’s trip to the U.S. and Canada, its impact, his social action and public discourse, and comparison with similar "travel-teaching" trips by Protap Chunder Mozoomdar and Swami Vivekanada (Hindus) and Anagarika Dharmapala (a Buddhist).
Keywords: 1912; Buddhism; Canada; Chronology and timelines; Community building; Growth; Hinduism; Rabindranath Tagore; Statistics; Teaching; Travel Teaching; United States (documents); Vivekananda; `Abdu'l-Bahá; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of (documents)

The Legacy of Verse 42 of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas - Keil,Gerald C. (2021)
Explores the circumstances under which a reading of Verse 42 which indicates that the line of Aghsan might end prior to the establishment of the Universal House of Justice came to predominate. Includes a memorandum from the Research Department.
Keywords: Aghsan; Arabic language; Contradictions; Covenant; Criticism and apologetics; Endowments; Guardianship; Hands of the Cause; Interregnum (1957-1963); Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Most Holy Book); Translation; Universal House of Justice; Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá

The Lesser and the Most Great Peace - Latimer,George Orr (Bahá'ı́ Publishing Committee, 1944)
A discussion of the evolution of world peace from political to spiritual civilization; the need for world control; more than human power is required to help overcome these problems.
Keywords: Lesser Peace; Most Great Peace; Peace

The Lesser Peace and the Most Great Peace - Nakhjavani,Ali (Lights of Irfan, 2008)
The writings of Shoghi Effendi in English give us a comprehensive description and an all-embracing analysis of the state of the world today and an understanding of the various developments which have taken place.
Mirrored with permission from irfancolloquia.org/u/nakhjavani_peace. See also the author's Some Thoughts on the Lesser Peace.
Keywords: Alí Nakhjavání; Irfán Colloquia; Lesser Peace; Most Great Peace; Peace; World peace

The Letters of Ron Price: 1960-2015: Pioneering Over Four Epochs: Section VII--Letters - Price,Ron (Pioneering Over Four Epochs: An Autobiographical Study and a Study In Autobiography, 2005)
This document attempts to place in a general perspective the approximately 10,000 letters, emails and internet posts I have written from 1960 to 2016. None of the collected letters of any Bahai, thus far in the Bahai Era, have been published.
Part 1: This collection of letters, what has become by sensible and insensible degrees a voluminous epistolarium, comes from my Bahai life, 1953 to 2016, and especially that part of my Bahá'í life when I was a pioneer-traveler in and for the Canadian Bahá'í community beginning in August 1962. In 1953 I was 9 and in 2016 I was 72. The letters come from my mid-to-late adolescence, and then from the early, middle and late adulthood stages of human development as the psychologists call the phases of the lifespan from: 15 to 19, 20 to 40, 40 to 60, and 60 to 80. Since no man knows when his own end shall be, I could now be in the early or late evening of my life. I am now in the last decade(70-80) of late adulthood(60-80) according to one model of the life-span used by developmental psychologists. I post this reflection on a lifetime of letter-writing within the context of my society, my Bahai life and especially my pioneer-travel-teaching life. In 1962 my travelling and pioneering life for the Canadian Bahá'í community began; the recollection of my letters before 1962 is very dim, and so the beginning date for my letters as 1960 is somewhat arbitrary. By 1960, though, I had joined the Bahá'í community in Canada. In addition to the 5000 letters, there are 5000 emails and internet posts. I have not kept the internet posts. They are scattered throughout the world-wide-web and, in many cases, will be untraceable. Virtually this entire body of epistolary material was written during what I have come to see as "the dark heart of an age of transition", an age which was and is my life, certainly one of the darkest in history as well as, paradoxically, in that century of light, the 20th century and the first two decades of the new millennium, the first decades, as well, of a new paradigm, a new culture of growth and learning, in the Bahá'í community. Part 2: This collection of 10,000 items including those hybrid forms of letter, the email and internet post, which emerged for most of us in those fin de siecle years, and as the third millennium was opening, are written by and to a home-front pioneer-travel-teacher for a decade(1962-1971). They were then written by and to an international pioneer and travel-teacher over a period of five decades(1971-2016). These are communications written to and from: a friend, a colleague, a family member, a fellow Bahá'í, a person or persons at one of 1000s of sites on the internet, or a Bahá'í institution at the local or regional, national or continental, or global level. There are snailmail, email and internet posts to a multitude of organizations or some personal association in an unnumbered set of contexts. Readers will find here at BLO general commentaries on my letters, and the letter as a genre, as well as many of my prose-poems on the subject of letters. These poems deal not only with my letters, but also those of many of the great letter-writers in history and literature. Except for the occasional letter found below, the vast body of my correspondence is not included here at BLO. That collection of letters will be left in the hands of my executors to do with as they see fit, and the Australian Bahá'í archives in Sydney which now has some 50 years of my correspondence. Part 3: Another 10,000 letters and correspondence of many types were written in connection with my employment from the early 1960s into the 1st decade of this third millennium, but virtually none of them were kept. The number of emails received and sent in the first 25 years of email correspondence(1990-2016) was beyond counting, but 99% of that incoming-and-outgoing correspondence was deleted. The small number of incoming emails that required a detailed response were kept as were my responses if they were more than a few lines. On my demise some or all of this collected correspondence that can be accessed may be published. We shall see. I shall not see for I shall have gone to the land, a hole, for those who speak no more, as The Bab put it so succinctly. He might have added to the land of those who write no more. Those mysterious dispensations of Providence, and my executors, will determine what happens to this lifelong collection of attempts to connect with the minds and hearts of others by means of the traditional letter and its modern, its postmodern, variants. More than a dozen years ago, in 2003, I began to keep all correspondence of significance in my computer directory; the only hard copies kept were: (a) letters from the few people who did not have an email facility and (b) an assortment of quasi-epistolary and literary material that had some relevance to communication with others. When I placed my letters in the National Bahá'í Archives of Australia in 2010 I did make some copies of my incoming and outgoing emails from the period 2003 to 2010. All communications in and out are now kept in my hard drive, and on a memory stick. The result is a collection of hard copy and electronic letters from a 55 year period: 1960 to 2016. Part 4: The art of letter writing suffered a series of grievous blows in the last two centuries, say 1815 to 2015, and even more grievous since the outbreak of the Great War in 1914: the photograph and the telegraph, the telephone and the radio, television and the internet. The most recent blow has been, what might be called: the "e-mail-Facebook-twitter-age". This last blow has only been with us for a decade, perhaps two: 1995 to 2015. The telephone has had a full century or more to erode the letter-writing experience of humankind. Radio and television have now had, each in their own ways and together, nearly a century to erode the letter-writing experience of the peoples of the world. Of course, the experience and the results of all of these technological changes depend somewhat on where one lives. Keeping people's eyes away from print in all its forms is happening as billions more human beings are now on Earth. In 1815 there were 1.1 billion people on Earth, and now there are 7.3 billion people. When I began writing letters in the early 1960s the world's population was 3.1 billion. Paradoxically, there are probably more people reading and writing letters now, especially their hybrid forms the email and the internet post, than at any time in history. Television, of course, makes us all more passive, in many ways more superficial, and also inarticulate--even those who don’t watch, since they must live among those who do. This, of course, is a quite complex topic which I deal with in my writings from time to time. There is reason to doubt, in fact, there is not much reason to believe, that the letter collection business will survive as a literary form for many more decades. Again, such a question has many complex permutations and combinations in the answer department as we all head at the speed-of-light through this 21st century and beyond. What our wired descendants will be missing is on display in many extraordinarily rich volumes, and collections of letters now available in hard copy and in electronic form. It is not my intention, though, to comment in great detail in the following paragraphs of this book-length thread at BLO on the many highly diverse collections of letters. I do so from time to time in a cursory fashion below at Bahá'í Library Online(BLO) to illustrate some aspect or other of the process and the art, the history and the human experience---especially my experience and study---of letter-writing over the last several millennia on the one hand and the last several decades on the other.
Keywords: Ron Price

The Life and Poetry of Robert Hayden: A Bahá'í Perspective - Boyles,Ann (2004)
Lecture in the University of Haifa "Lectures in Bahá'í Studies" series, November 16 2004. Mirrored from bahai.haifa.ac.il/past_lectures.htm. Author affiliation: Senior Editor of The Bahá'í World; Lecturer, University of Prince Edward Island
Keywords: 20th century; Biography; Poetry; Robert Hayden

The Life and Times of August Forel - Banani,Sheila (Lights of Irfan, 2005)
A review of Forel's scientific accomplishments, philosophical/religious perplexities, and social concerns which led him to embrace the Bahá'i teachings as he understood them during the last decade of his life.
Presented at the Irfan Colloquia Session #53, Bosch Bahá'í School, California (May 27-30, 2004). Mirrored with permission from irfancolloquia.org/53/banani_forel.
Keywords: 1848; 1910s; 1920s; 1931; 19th century; Auguste Forel; Biography; Irfán Colloquia; Philosophy; Science; Sheila Banani

The Life of Alexander Whyte - Barbour,G. F. (Hodder and Stoughton, Ltd., 1923)
One-page overview of Abdul'-Baha's visit to a home in Edinburgh in January 1913.
Keywords: 1913; Biography; Edinburgh, Scotland; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of

The Life of Bahá'u'lláh - Mazandarani,Asadu'llah Fadil (Star of the West, 1938)
Life of the Bahá'u'lláh by the historian Jinab-i-Fadil (Asadu'llah Fadil Mazandarani)
Keywords: 1892; Bahá'u'lláh; Biography; Mírzá Asadullah Fadil-i-Mazandarani

The Life of Laura Barney, by Mona Khademi: Review - McLean,Jack (Journal of Baha'i Studies, 2023)
Mirrored from journal.bahaistudies.ca. See also the complete issue [PDF].
Keywords: Laura Clifford Barney; Natalie Clifford Barney

The Life of Shoghi Effendi - Danesh,Helen; Danesh,John; Danesh,Amelia (Studying the Writings of Shoghi Effendi, 1991)
Chapter length biography, and overview of the Guardian's life's work.
Also available as proofread ASCII-formatted text.
Keywords: 1897; 1957; Biography; Shoghi Effendi; Shoghi Effendi, Translations by; Shoghi Effendi, Works of; Shoghi Effendi, Writings of

The Life of the Bab - Mazandarani,Asadu'llah Fadil (Star of the West, 1938)
Life of the Bab by the historian Jinab-i-Fadil (Asadu'llah Fadil Mazandarani)
Keywords: 1840s; 1850; Biography; Báb, The; Mírzá Asadullah Fadil-i-Mazandarani

The Life of Thomas Breakwell - Lakshiman-Lepain,Rajwantee (Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1998)
Breakwell (1872–1902) was a religious seeker who became a Bahá'í in Paris in 1901, the first Englishman to become a Bahá'í as well as the first westerner to contribute to the Huqúqu'lláh.
Text from Ocean. See also a formatted PDF version at paintdrawer.co.uk/david. This book can be purchased from peacefulpages.com.
Keywords: 1872; 1901; 1902; Akka, Israel; Attainment unto the Divine presence; Biography; Cosmology; France; God, Worlds of; Huqúqu'lláh; Life after death (afterlife); Paris, France; Pilgrimage; Ranks, stations and functions; Sadratu'l-Muntahá (Lote Tree); Tablet of Visitation for Thomas Breakwell; Tablets of Visitation; Thomas Breakwell; United Kingdom; Woking, England; Youness Khan Afroukhteh

The Life, Faith, and Death of Helen Clevenger, 1917-1936 - Kolins,Steven (The Journal of the North Carolina Association of Historians, 2023)
On the death of an 18-year-old Bahá'í in North Carolina in 1936; racial injustices of the era; sensationalization of media coverage; implications for racial and religious discourse.
PDF mirrored from cdr.lib.unc.edu/concern/articles/5425kr480. Also available in presentation format at scribd.com. See also Select Clevenger Archives, 1926-1936.
Keywords: 1917; 1936; Asheville, NC; Biography; Helen Clevenger

The Light - Kluge,Ian (2001)
True life war story of an unexpected encounter with the miraculous in a large asylum for the incurably insane.
Keywords: Fiction; War

The Light in the Lantern - Stevens,E. S. (Everybody's Magazine, 1911)
Sympathetic outsider's overview of Bahá'í history and its spread through the Western world. Includes the author's impressions of Abdu'l-Bahá, whom she calls "The Effendi." Text and page scans, illustrated.
This document is online at hathitrust.org.
Keywords: 1900s; Akka, Israel; E. S. Stevens; Haifa, Israel; `Abdu'l-Bahá

The Light of Baha'u'llah: An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith - Author unknown (Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1974)
General introductory book: Bahá'í history, life of Bahá'u'lláh, spiritual teachings, social teachings, Bahá'í laws, administration, community life, and progressive revelation.
Keywords: Introductory

The Light of the World - Latimer,George Orr (self-published, 1920)
A book chronicling Latimer's visit to the Holy Land, November 1919; includes words of Abdu'l-Bahá.
Also available as a Microsoft Word document prepared by M. Thomas, which is newer than the HTML version below: latimer_light_world.doc, and a scan of the original [PDF, 33 MB]. Typist notes: I scanned a paper photocopied copy sent from Haifa, formatted the text and quickly read it, added some diacritical marks, added words are in square brackets ( [] ). So-called extra page breaks are to indicate end of original pages so that page numbers are as per original book. Photographs (not good enough quality to scan in) in the original are indicated by reference to them as a separate paragraph in an approximate postion on the page without breaking a paragraph (text flows alongside some of them). [-M.T.]
Keywords: 1919; Albert Vail; George Latimer; Palestine; Syria; William Harry Randall; `Abdu'l-Bahá

The Light Was in the Darkness: Reflections on the Growth that Hides in the Pain of Suffering - Penn,Michael L. (Baha'i World, 2020)
Existential stress and its relationship to individual growth and development, drawing on the rich spiritual and philosophical heritage of humanity.
Mirrored from
Keywords: Compassion; Depression; Detachment; Drugs; Empowerment; Encouragement; Ethics; Family; Happiness; Health and healing; Meditation; Native Americans; Philosophy; Prayer texts; Psychology; Purpose of life; Self-knowledge; Stories; Stress; Suffering; Suicide; Tests and difficulties; Youth

The Literature of Interpretation: Notes on the English Writings of Shoghi Effendi - Mitchell,Glenford (World Order, 1972)
The influence of the writings of Shoghi Effendi on the Bahá'í Faith is analogous to that of St. Augustine on Christianity, but infinitely more so. Includes discussion of the nature of exegesis, the Guardianship, and the scope of history.
Also available as a Microsoft Word document.
Keywords: Christianity; Interpretation; Literature; Shoghi Effendi, Writings of; St. Augustine

The Literature of Persia: A Lecture delivered to the Persia Society - Browne,E. G. (Persia Society, 1912)
A selection of Persian poetry, featuring poems by Nabil, Tahirih, and Bábí martyrs.
Also available as PDF scan of original.
Keywords: Literature; Literature, Persian; Nabíl-i-A‘ẓam; Poetry; Ṭáhirih Qurratu'l-'Ayn

The Little Religion That Persists: The Bahá'í in Israel - Vick,Kark (Time Magazine, 2011)
Mirrored from time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2081789,00.html.
Keywords: Bahá'í World Centre buildings, monuments and gardens; Báb, Remains of; Báb, Shrine of (Haifa); Haifa, Israel; Tourism

The Local Spiritual Assembly - Universal House of Justice, compiler (Baha'i World, 1986)
The institution of the LSA, its significance, and its by-laws.
See Bahá'í World volume 18 table of contents.
Keywords: By-laws; Local Spiritual Assemblies

The Local Spiritual Assembly - Bahá'u'lláh; Abdul-Bahá; Shoghi Effendi; Universal House of Justice (Compilation of Compilations, 1991)
Also available as a nicely-formatted PDF, prepared by Romane Takkenberg.
Keywords: Local Spiritual Assemblies; Spiritual Assemblies

The Long Healing Prayer: Original Arabic, Transliteration, and Authorized English Translation - Bahá'u'lláh (2021)
A table showing the Long Healing Prayer in Arabic, in Roman transliteration, and in translation. Includes link to audio/video version.
Prepared by theutteranceproject.com. See also this video with audio of the prayer being recited in Arabic, with English subtitles and transliteration, at theutteranceproject.com/2021/04/20/long-healing-prayer. See also Bahá'u'lláh's Long Healing Prayer: Parallel Translation and Notes (Pschaida, 2020).
Keywords: Arabic language; Healing prayer, Long; Health and healing; Translation; Translation, Parallel; Transliteration and diacritics; Utterance Project

The Long Obligatory Prayer - Nakhjavani,Ali (2000)
Notable talk from March 2000 by Ali Nakhjavani, who served on the Universal House of Justice from 1963 to 2003, about various aspects of the long obligatory prayer (link to audio, off-site).
Keywords: Ablutions; Alí Nakhjavání; Cleanliness; Genuflections; Memorization; Obligatory prayer; Obligatory prayer, Long; Qiblih; Words and phrases

The Long, Withdrawing Roar: The Crisis of Faith and Nineteenth-Century English Poetry - McCloughan,Edwin (Solas, 2002)
A Bahá'í response to the argument that the crisis of faith in the late 19th century was conditioned by historical circumstances and has therefore little relevance for a contemporary reader.
See also a PDF of the complete issue of Solas 2. Mirrored from breacais.demon.co.uk/abs/solas.
Keywords: 19th century; Arts and crafts; Literature; Literature, English; Poetry

The Love of the Master: A Visit with Curtis Kelsey - Ashelman,Nathan (2012)
Fictional dialogue of Curtis Kelsey's visit to a Bahá'í Conference in 1958, on the themes of Abdu'l-Bahá's all-encompassing love and joy; firmness in the Covenant; service.
Also available in Microsoft Word format, which can be modified and adapted for your own use. Read more about the 1958 conferences at news.bahai.org/story/693.
Keywords: Arts and crafts; Curtis Kelsey; Drama; `Abdu'l-Bahá

The Lover's Way: A Critical Comparison of the Nazm al-Sulúk by Ibn al-Fárid with the Qasídih-yi Varqá'iyyih by Bahá'ulláh - Miller,Brian A. (2000)
Link to document offsite.
PhD thesis for Near Eastern Studies, University of California, Berkeley.
Keywords: Baghdad, Iraq; Ibn al-Farid; Iraq; Mysticism; Nazm al-Suluk; Poetry; Qasidiyyih-Varqaiyyih (Ode of the Dove); Sufism; Sulaymaniyyih, Iraq

The Mahdi in Persia and Syria - Wallis,Wilson D. (Messiahs: Christian and Pagan, 1918)
Short overview Bahá'í history, with quotes from pilgrims notes, and citations of other scholarly or published sources.
This book is online in a variety of formats at archive.org.
Keywords: Bahá'í history

The Mahdi in Persia and Syria - Badger,Richard G. (Messiahs: Christian and Pagan, 1918)
Extract on the Bábí and Bahá'í Faiths, in a book exploring the concept of the Mahdi, a messianic figure in Islamic tradition.
Keywords: Haifa, Israel; Iran (documents); Mahdi (Mihdi); Mentions; `Abdu'l-Bahá

The Maid of Heaven, the Image of Sophia, and the Logos: Personification of the Spirit of God in Scripture and Sacred Literature - Sours,Michael W. (Journal of Baha'i Studies, 1991)
The Logos in Christianity and the Maiden for Bahá'u'lláh can be equated as one and the same eternal reality; the divine image of wisdom in Proverbs; Sophia and Logos are combined in the feminine personification of the Most Great Spirit.
See also Immanence and Transcendence in Theophanic Symbolism (Sours, 1992).
Keywords: Angels; Apocrypha (Bible); Bible; Bride (metaphor); Buddhism; Christianity; Ethics; Fatimah (daughter of Muhammad); Gender; God, Word of; Hinduism; Holy Spirit; Houris (huris); Islam; Jesus Christ; Laws; Logos; Maid of Heaven; Metaphors and allegories; Most Great Spirit; Quran; Shia Islam (Shiism); Solomon (Solayman); Sophia (wisdom); Symbolism; Síyáh-Chál (Black Pit, Tehran); Trustworthiness; Zoroastrianism

The Maid of Heaven: A Personal Compilation - Báb, The; Bahá'u'lláh; Shoghi Effendi; Universal House of Justice (2020)
Compilation of texts related to the Maid of Heaven, a personification of the “Most Great Spirit."
Also available in Microsoft Word format. See also Bahá’u’lláh’s Symbolic Use of the Veiled Ḥúríyyih (Hatcher et al., 2019).
Keywords: Bahá'u'lláh, Poetry of; Bahá'u'lláh, Writings of; Báb, Writings of; Holy Spirit; Hur-i-Ujab (Tablet of the Wondrous Maiden); Kalimat-i-Maknunih (Hidden Words); Lawh-i-Ghulamul-Khuld (Tablet of the Immortal Youth); Lawh-i-Malláhu'l-Quds (Tablet of the Holy Mariner, Arabic); Lawh-i-Ruya (Tablet of the Vision); Love; Maid of Heaven; Metaphors and allegories; Most Great Spirit; Poetry; Qayyumul-Asma (book); Rashh-i-Ama (Sprinkling from the Cloud of Unknowing); Suriy-i-Haykal (Surih of the Temple); Suriy-i-Qalam (Surih of the Pen)

The Majestic Process: Cycles, Eras, Epochs and Stages - Conkling,John, compiler (2004)
A one page chart developed as a class handout on the "Majestic Process," the Ages and Epochs of the Faith.
Keywords: Bahá'í history; Chronology and timelines; Cycles, Eras, Ages and Epochs; Plans; Tablets of the Divine Plan; Time

The Major Opus: A Study of the German Templers Movement and Its Relationship with the Bahá'í Faith - Izadinia,Fuad (2014)
The story of the journey of two parallel movements to the Holy Land in 1868: the Bahá'ís from Iran and the Templars from Germany. Includes early descriptions of Haifa from both sources, comparative translations of the Tablet to G. Hardegg, and more.
See also A Tablet of Bahá'u'lláh to the Templer Leader Georg David Hardegg (S. Lambden and K. Ekbal, 2003). This paper is noteworthy because it contains the only English translations of Vahid Rafati’s Persian paper about Abdu’l-Baha’s visits to Haifa ("Jamal-i-Qadam dar Haifa" ["Bahá’u’lláh in Haifa"], Pajuheshnameh vol. 3, Autumn 1997; see pp. 48 and 66-72, below).
Keywords: 1868; Ark; Ark of the Covenant; Bahá'u'lláh; Biography; Báb, Shrine of (Haifa); Christianity; Covenant; Georg David Hardegg; Haifa, Israel; Jerusalem, Israel; Judaism; Lawh-i-Hirtik (Tablet to Hardegg); Mount Carmel; Templer Society (German Templer colony); Temples; `Abdu'l-Bahá

The Making of a Survivor: A Foreigner's Story - Ahdieh,Hussein (IranWire, 2019)
The author on his new book, growing up as a Baha’i in Iran, and how his faith and family nourished and taught him to be who he is today.
From iranwire.com/en/blogs/693/6041.
Keywords: 20th century; Biography; Hussein Ahdieh; Iran (documents); Migration; Nayriz, Iran; New York, USA; Persecution; Persecution, Iran; United States (documents)

The Making of Central America: Intervention, Dictatorship, and Revolution - Berryman,Phillip (dialogue magazine, 1986)
History of Western and Christian involvement in Latin America. (No mention of the Bahá'í Faith.)
See also "Ita and the Sandinista Revolution," and "Exile from El Salvador: A Conversation with Antonio." See also list of dialogue articles or image scans.
Keywords: Central America; History (general)

The Making of Iran's Islamic Revolution: From Monarchy to Islamic Republic - Milani,Mohsen M. (Westview Press, 1994)
Passing mentions of the destruction of the Bahá'í "temple" (i.e. the dome of the national Bahá'í centre in Tehran) in 1955, anti-Bahá'í paranoia, and a 1963 anti-Bahá'í uprising.
Keywords: 1955; 1963; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Tihran; Persecution, Iran; Tehran, Iran; Tudeh Party of Iran

The Making of Portraits of Some Bahá'í Women by O.Z. Whitehead - Momen,Wendi (Solas, 2003)
Recollections by the editor/publisher of stories behind the writing of O.Z. 'Zebby' Whitehead's books, and some biographical information about Whitehead himself. Includes brief review by Edwin McCloughan from The Irish Times.
See also a PDF of the complete issue of Solas 3. Mirrored from breacais.demon.co.uk/abs/solas.
Keywords: Biographies (general); George Ronald; O. Z. Whitehead; Women

The Man of Courage: A Brief Account of the Bahá'í Life of Mírzá Áqá Khán Qá'im-Maqámí - Nushabadi,Hasan (2019)
Mirza Aqa Khan Qa'im-Maqami (1868-1954) was the great grandson of Mirza Abu'l-Qasim Farahani, the Qa'im-Maqam, the first Prime Minister of Persia to serve under Muḥammad Sháh, and the first of the Qaʼim-Maqam’s descendants to accept the Bahá'í Faith.
See also Masumian's translation of "Qáʼim-Maqám Faráhání in the Baháʼí Writings" (Lights of Irfan 20).
Keywords: 1868; 1954; Biography; Iran (documents); Mírzá Abu'l-Qasim Farahani (Qaim-Maqam); Mírzá Áqá Khan Qaim-Maqamí

The Manifestation of God - Dunbar,Hooper (2005)
From "Serving the Divine Plan Programme"; see mentions of this program in uhj_turning_point_1996-2006 pages iii, viii, and 223, and haifalife.blogspot.ca. Mirrored with permission from bahaimp3.narod.ru.
Keywords: Hooper Dunbar; Manifestations of God

The Manifestation of God in the View of Process Theology - Faber,Roland (Lights of Irfan, 2019)
On how God can be all-present in the world and at the same time be manifest in the form of human figures, such as Christ or the Hindu Avatars. The philosophy of Whitehead can translate the concept of Manifestation to a multireligious context.
Mirrored with permission from http://irfancolloquia.org/u/faber_manifestation.
Keywords: Manifestations of God; Philosophy; Process philosophy; Theology

The Manifestations of God and Their Function in Human History - Tinto,Iscander Micael (Lights of Irfan, 2004)
The terminology, purpose and mission, sufferings, functions, and the threefold reality of the Manifestations of God.
Mirrored with permission from irfancolloquia.org/u/tinto_manifestations.
Keywords: Irfán Colloquia; Manifestations of God

The Martyrdom of Haji Muhammad-Rida - Gulpáygání,Mirza Abu'l-Faḍl (1999)
Gulpaygani's firsthand account of the events leading up to and following the murder of Muhammad-Rida and the trial of his killers.
See the original Persian text here.
Keywords: 1889; Ashgabat; Biography; Hájí Muhammad-Ridá Isfahání; Murders; Mírzá Abu’l-Faḍl Gulpáygání; Persecution; Persecution, Deaths; Persecution, Turkmenistan; Turkmenistan

The Master Humorist - Ballenger,Robert (dialogue magazine, 1988)
Examples of the humor of Abdu'l-Bahá, jokes he told, and how this aspect of the Master's personality has been downplayed in biographies and portrayals of him which cast him in a more serious light.
See also a Compilation on Humor and Laughter, and for example Mahmud's Diary, p.313 (Open Forum, San Francisco, Thursday, October 10, 1912) and Annemarie Honnold, Vignettes from the Life of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, pp. 149-157. List of dialogue articles or image scans.
Keywords: Humor; Laughter; `Abdu'l-Bahá

The Mathnaví by Rúhu'lláh Varqá, the Martyr: A Few Notes on Its Historical Context and Poetical Content - Savi,Julio; Mardani,Faezeh (Lights of Irfan, 2018)
On the motifs of the cup-bearer and the cup, springtime, and love. Includes translation of "The Mathnaví of Rúhu'lláh, the Martyr."
Mirrored with permission from irfancolloquia.org/146/savi_mathnavi.
Keywords: Literature, Persian; Mathnavi; Poetry; Rúhu’lláh Varqá

The Maxwells of Montreal, volumes 1-2, by Violette Nakhjavani: Review - Hogenson,Kathryn Jewett (Journal of Baha'i Studies, 2013)
Mirrored with permission from journal.bahaistudies.ca/online/article/view/356. See also PDF scan.

The Meaning of Baha'i History - Sharon,Moshe (1999)
Disregarding personal belief, a neutral historian uses tools of objective research to deal with the scriptures of any religion as "literary texts" and not as "divine revelations"; issues of historicity in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Bahá'í Faith.
This paper was first posted in Word format at Hebrew University of Jerusalem [archive.org], where the author was the Chair in Bahá'í Studies.
Keywords: Bahá'í history; Bahá'í studies; Scholarship

The Meaning of Detachment - Peterson,Phyllis K. (1997)
Detachment as it relates to women, teaching, the media, and unity.
Written as an email for a discussion group by the author of Assisting the Traumatized Soul: Healing the Wounded Talisman.
Keywords: Abuse; Detachment; Domestic violence; Media (communication); Psychology; Teaching; Tests and difficulties; Unity; Women

The Meaning of Life - Cobb,Stanwood (Life Guidance Society, 1932)
The sole purpose of life, so far as the individual is concerned, is growth through struggle. Not to be active is to stagnate and atrophy; movement and change is the sign of life.
Mirrored from bahai.works/The_Meaning_of_Life.
Keywords: Purpose of life

The Meaning of Suffering and the Mystery of Sacrifice: Selections from the Bahá'í Holy Writings - Hatcher,Judith, compiler (Juxta Publishing Co., 2007)
Mirrored with permission from juxta.com/books/the-meaning-of-suffering-the-mystery-of-sacrifice. See publisher's Books for the World license.
Keywords: Contradictions; Sacrifice; Suffering; Tests and difficulties

The Memorial Services of Abdu'l-Bahá' on Mount Carmel, Palestine - Bagdadi,Zia M., compiler and translator (1921)
Pamphlet of various materials: article from newspaper Annafir "The Most Great Calamity"; life of Abdu'l-Bahá; funeral procession; eulogies.
Keywords: 1921; Biography; Memorial Service; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Ascension of

The Message of The Quran: Appendices - Asad,Muhammad (Dar al-Andalus Limited, 1980)
Symbolism and allegory in the Qur'án; al-Muqatta'at (opening letters); the term and concept of Jinn; the night journey: four appendices to a translation of the Qur'án by a European scholar and later Muslim convert. No mention of the Bahá'í Faith.
Austrian-born Muhammad Asad (born Leopold Weiss), journalist, diplomat, and scholar, is known for his translation of the Quran and his writings on Islam. He was influenced by Muhammad Abduh. See more in the Wikipedia article The Message of the Qur'an. Mirrored from quranic.org; also online at arthursclassicnovels.com (archived).
Keywords: Disconnected letters of the Quran; Dreams and visions; God; God, Anthropomorphic descriptions of; Heaven and hell; Interfaith dialogue; Interpretation; Islam; Isra and Miraj; Jinn (genie); Life after death (afterlife); Metaphors and allegories; Muhammad Abduh; Muhammad Asad; Quran; Quran translations; Spirits; Symbolism; Throne

The Messianic Roots of Babi-Bahá'í Globalism - Lambden,Stephen (Baha'i and Globalisation, 2005)
Contrast of the continuity between the globalism of the Bab’s Qayyum al-asma’ and Baha’u’llah’s globalism, verses breaks between the two, e.g. the abandoning of jihad as a means of promoting a globalisation process.
Mirrored from hurqalya.ucmerced.edu. This article is also online as a free sample, in clean digital format, at questia.com.
Keywords: Bible; Christianity; Eschatology; Globalization; Hadith; Hidden Imam; Imam Ali; Imams; Islam; Jihad (Holy war); Judaism; Messianism; Peace; Prophecies; Qayyumul-Asma (book); Quran; Qá'im; Shia Islam (Shiism); Suriy-i-Muluk (Surih to the Kings); Tablets to kings and rulers; Twelfth Imam; Unity

The Meta-Narrative of Peasant Religious Conversion: A Case Study of the Baha'i Community In Thailand - Nurish,Amanah (En Arche: Indonesian Journal of Inter-Religious Studies, 2015)
A study of why the peasant peoples of Yasothon, Thailand have turned to the Bahá'í Faith instead of the more common Buddhism; how local political movements and resistance develop among the poor working-class in agricultural areas.
En Arche is a journal published by the Student Council of Indonesian Consortium for Religious Studies. Mirrored from academia.edu.
Keywords: Buddhism; Conversion; Thailand

The Metaphysics and Cosmology of Process According to Shaykh 'Aḥmad al-'Ahsā'ī: Critical Edition, Translation, and Analysis of Observations in Wisdom - Hamid,Idris Samawi (1998)
Analyzes Shaykh Ahmad's groundbreaking process metaphysics and cosmology through "The Wisdom Observations," marking his departure from traditional Muslim substance-based philosophical thought. (Link to document, offsite.)
A dissertation submitted to the Department of Philosophy of State University of New York at Buffalo in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Document online at academia.edu. Also available at walayah.org/project/shaykh-ahmad, where the following note appears: "Dr. Idris Samawi Hamid would like to emphasize that his own research on the Shaykh has developed and grown since finishing the dissertation, and so should not be taken as an expression of his current views on the topic. On the other hand, given the historical and seminal value of this dissertation as the first philosophical investigation in the West devoted to the thought of Shaykh Aḥmad, he has agreed to make it publicly available on this website to the intellectual community".
Keywords: Cosmology; Glossaries; Metaphysics; Philosophy; Philosophy, Islamic; Process philosophy; Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsá'i; Shaykhism; Terminology; Wisdom

The Mi'ráj in Select Shaykhí, Bábí, and Bahá'í Texts - Quinn,Sholeh A. (Religions, 2023)
The ascension of the Prophet Muhammad to heaven, and commentary on its meanings by religious leaders associated with the the Shaykhí, Bábí, and Bahá'í movements. Link to article (offsite).
Published in the Religions special issue "The Bahá'í Faith: Doctrinal and Historical Explorations," online at mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/3/397, where it is also available in HTML, XML, and epub formats.
Keywords: Alchemy; Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem; Concealment; Hájí Mulla Muhammad Karim Khan Kirmani; Illusions; Islam; Isra and Miraj; Kitáb-i-Íqán (Book of Certitude); Knowledge; Magic; Manifestations of God, Gradual disclosure of; Metaphysics; Muhammad (Prophet); Opposition; Physics; Polymaths; Quran; Science; Shaykhism; Tablet of the True Seeker; Taqiyyah (dissimulation); Theophany; Time

The Military Metaphor in Bahá'í Sacred Literature - McLean,Jack (2005)
Martial symbology is common in the Bahá'í Writings, especially those of Shoghi Effendi, yet the Writings are expressly pacifistic. This article examines the apparent contradiction.
Article adapted from chapter 9 of A Celestial Burning: A Selective Study of the Writings of Shoghi Effendi. Mirrored with permission from jack-mclean.com. See also J. Winters, Martyrdom in Jihad.
Keywords: Bahá'í Writings; Jihad (Holy war); Martyrdom; Military; Peace; Symbolism

The Missing Dimension in the Built Environment: A Challenge for the 21st Century - Zrudlo,Leo R. (Journal of Baha'i Studies, 1990)
There is a missing dimension in the built environment -- architecture is unable to satisfy the emotional and aesthetic needs of people. But architects disagree about how to rectify the situation. A spiritual aspect is needed.
Mirrored with permission from the Journal of Bahá'í Studies past issues archive.
Keywords: 21st century; Architecture; Built environment and urban planning; Cities

The Missing Moral Dimension - Sahadevan,Suresh (Singapore Baha'i Studies Review, 1999)
Today's social and economic policies are materially efficient and technically sound, but something vital is missing: graciousness within and between individuals. It may not directly result in revenue or productivity, but is crucial in the long run.
See the table of contents, editor's note, and biographical data in the complete issue, vol. 4.
Keywords: Business; Economics; Ethics; Graciousness; Morality

The Mission of Bahá'u'lláh: And Other Literary Pieces - Townshend,George (George Ronald, 1952)
Poems, meditations, and essays, including "Nabíl’s history of the Báb," "Abdu’l-Bahá: A study of a Christlike character," "Queen Marie of Rumania and the Bahá’í Faith," "The wellspring of happiness," and "The genius of Ireland."
Also available as a Microsoft Word document.
Keywords: Dawn-Breakers (book); George Townshend; Ireland; Poetry; Prayer; Queen Marie of Romania; Romania; `Abdu'l-Bahá

The Mission of the Báb: Retrospective 1844-1994 - Martin,Douglas (Baha'i World, 1996)
The revelation of the Báb in the context of its impact on the Western writers of the period and its subsequent influence.
Mirrored from bahaiworld.bahai.org (includes illustrations), where this article is also available as HTML.
Keywords: 1844; 1994; Appreciations; Báb, Station of; Báb, Teachings of; Báb, The; Báb, Writings of; Douglas Martin; Introductory; Iran (documents); Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Most Holy Book); Laws

The Mizán of Affect in Material v. Metaphysical Models of Human Consciousness - Hatcher,John S. (Journal of Baha'i Studies, 2023)
Though Bahá'í teachings hold that the soul progresses after the body ceases to exist, the physical brain is essential to our development; emotional processing requires a healthy brain; the brain-as-transceiver model can help treat affective disorders.
Mirrored from journal.bahaistudies.ca. See also the complete issue [PDF].
Keywords: Alcohol; Balance; Brain; Death; Depression; Drugs; Emotions; Ethics; Gambling; God; God, Knowledge of; He who knoweth his self knoweth his Lord (Hadith); Health and healing; Knowledge; Life after death (afterlife); Mental health; Mind; Morality; Mythology; Philosophy; Prayer; Psychology; Purpose of life; Radiant acquiescence; Science; Self; Self-knowledge; Soul; Tests and difficulties

The Modern Social Religion - Holley,Horace (Sidgwick & Jackson, Ltd., 1913)
Early introduction to the Bahá'í Faith, its history, and its social teachings.
Also cited under the title "Bahaism: the Modern Social Religion" (see openlibrary.org). Also available at books.google.com, including online viewing. Also available in Microsoft Word format (M. Thomas, 2021).
Keywords: Horace Holley; Introductory

The Modes and Intentions of Biography - Hassall,Graham (Baha'i Studies Review, 2008)
A look at the individual in the context of the community, through the different lenses of documentary, hagiological, and critical modes of biography.
Mirrored with permission from academia.edu.

The Morning of Your Lives: Talk given at a Hawaiian Youth Conference - Faizi,Abu'l-Qasim (British Bahá'í Journal, 1975)
A very short published talk.
While this item is very short, it is posted as a separate document because (1) it was published on its own and (2) it comprises its own chapter in Conqueror of Hearts.
Keywords: Abu'l-Qásim Faizí; Dualism; Hawaii, USA; Service; Servitude; Talks; Youth

The Most Holy Book: Parallel Translation of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas - Bahá'u'lláh (1901)
Two translations, side-by-side: the authorized one (1992) and a more literal one by Anton Haddad (1901). Includes image-scan of Haddad's translation.
See also a scan of a typed copy of Haddad's translation: bahaullah_kitab-i-aqdas_haddad.pdf [PDF, 2MB]. The colophon on page 49 gives the history of this particular document (though the name of the typist is not noted). For another old translation of the Aqdas, by Earl Elder commissioned by William Miller (1961), see the "multilinear translation."
Keywords: Anton Haddad; Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Most Holy Book); Translation; Translation, Parallel

The Mountain of God - Stevens,E. S. (World Order, 1911)
Book excerpts, sympathetic portrayal by a non-Bahá'í of Abdu'l-Bahá and the small band of Bahá’ís who lived in Haifa and 'Akká early in 20th Century.
World Order excerpted this book in a two-part serial in 1970. The preface and dedication praise Abdul Baha and apologizing for attempting to portray Him in a work of fiction. He emphasizes that he has the greatest respect for the Bahá'ís and that his intentions in writing a novel are "honest." The editors wrote that they were not able to find out who E.S. Stevens was (below). Denis MacEoin identified her as "a minor novelist, later better known (as Lady Drower) for her excellent academic studies of Mandaean religion and culture." PDF below exported from the Microsoft Word version (prepared by Alexander Meinhard).
Keywords: 1900s; 1911; E. S. Stevens; Fiction; Haifa, Israel; Literature; Literature, English; Mount Carmel; `Abdu'l-Bahá

The Mystery of Consciousness: Learning from Neuroscience and Insights from Bahá'í Sacred Writings - Khodadad,Jena Khadem (Lights of Irfan, 2019)
On the neural basis of consciousness; the concepts of mind and soul as presented in the Bahá’í writings; whether consciousness may continue after the death of the brain; and if explanations lie in quantum mechanics.
Mirrored with permission from http://irfancolloquia.org/u/khodadad_consciousness.
Keywords: Consciousness; Life after death (afterlife); Mind; Philosophy; Soul

The Mystery of Divinity: A Comparison of Traditional Views of Divinity to Those in Some Answered Questions - Thomas,James B. (Lights of Irfan, 2011)
A new paradigm of spiritual evolution, and a possible platform for philosophical dissertation regarding religious influence on secular matters in the modern world.
Mirrored with permission from irfancolloquia.org/95/thomas_divinity.
Keywords: Divinity; Philosophy; Some Answered Questions (book)

The Mystery of God - Muhajir,Iran Furutan, compiler (Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1971)
Text extracted from a book of rare photographs of 'Abdu'l-Bahá accompanied by extracts from the writings of Bahá'u'lláh, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and Shoghi Effendi.
The PDF below is just the text of the book, missing the many photographs. Order the actual book from bahaibookstore.com/Mystery-of-God-P6756.aspx (revised edition with digitally restored photographs, 2012).
Keywords: `Abdu'l-Bahá

The Mystery of Martyrdom - Shahrokh,Darius; Shahrokh,Grace (Windows to the Past, 1992)
Life stories of many early martyrs, and some explanations of what inspires self-sacrifice.
From a series of deepening talks prepared from Persian and English sources, distributed on cassette tape in the 1990s and converted to online audio in the 2000s. See About Windows to the Past.
Keywords: 1840s; 1850s; Iran (documents); Martyrdom; Persecution; Persecution, Deaths; Persecution, Iran; Sacrifice

The Mystery of the Sworded Warrior in Hindu Apocalypse: Was Kalki Visnuyas Bahá'u'lláh? - Buck,Christopher (1980)
Does Bahá'u'lláh fulfill messianic expectations associated with Kalki Vishnuyasas, the tenth incarnation of Vishnu who shall appear as a sword-wielding warrior riding a winged white steed, to slay the wicked and inaugurate the golden age?
Paper first presented at the American Academy of Religion/Society of Biblical Literature, Vancouver, BC (1981). See also the
Keywords: Hinduism; Prophecies

The Mystic Cup: Essential Mystical Nature of the Bahá'í Faith - Jones,LeRoy (Lights of Irfan, 2001)
Although the Bahá’í Faith is fundamentally mystic in character, American Bahá’ís often do not even understand what  mysticism is. Heart-centered mystic oneness is crucial in individual, societal, and adminstrative spiritual transformation.
See also Jones' related pilgrim's notes. Presented as a homework assignment for the Wilmette Institute's "Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh" Course, year one, 03/1998. Later delivered to the Irfan Colloquia and then published in Lights of Irfan 2. Presented at the Irfan Colloquia Session #32, Bosch Bahá'í School California (November 23-6, 2000). Mirrored with permission from irfancolloquia.org/32/jones_mystic.
Keywords: Heart; Irfán Colloquia; Mysticism; Spiritualization; Transformation; Unity

The Mystic Journey of the Soul - Zaman,Gul Afroz (Singapore Baha'i Studies Review, 1998)
On the journey a soul must make to attain union with the Eternal from the confines of material life on earth; Christian and Sufi esoteric traditions vs. Bahá'í mysticism; the central theme of attaining a "Heavenly Homeland" and closeness with the Creator.
See the table of contents, editor's note, and biographical data in the complete issue, vol. 3.
Keywords: Christianity; Dualism; God; Haft Vádí (Seven Valleys); Interfaith dialogue; Monism; Mysticism; Soul; Sufism

The Mystic's Flight: The Parable of Majnún and Laylí - McLean,Jack (2001)
This classic love tale of the Middle East, quoted by Bahá'u'lláh in the Seven Valleys, is prized by Sufi mystics as a spiritual allegory of the soul's search for union with God. A literary-critical analysis of the text yields theological clues.
Presented at the Irfán Colloquium Session #36, London School of Economics (July 14, 2001). Mirrored with permission from jack-mclean.com.
Keywords: Arts and crafts; Haft Vádí (Seven Valleys); Leyli and Majnun; Literature; Literature, Persian; Love; Metaphors and allegories; Morality; Mysticism; Nizami Ganjavi; Poetry; Rumi (Mevlana); Stories; Sufism

The Mystical Dimensions of the Bahá'í Administrative Order - Milani,Kavian Sadeghzade (Lights of Irfan, 2002)
The Bahá'i Administrative Order can be seen as a mystical entity, and there are some parallels between it and Sufism. For Bahá'is the encounter with the Administrative Order is critical to the mystical path.
Presented at the Irfan Colloquia Session #36, London (July 13-15, 2001). Mirrored with permission from irfancolloquia.org/36/milani_mystical.
Keywords: Administrative Order; Appointed arm; Irfán Colloquia; Laws; Mysticism; Nineteen Day Feast; Pen; Rulers and learned; Theosophy

The Names of the Bahá'í Months: Separating Fact from Fiction - Momen,Moojan (2012)
A blog post, compiled for the Wilmette Institute, on the original source of the names of the months of the Badí calendar — taken from a dawn prayer by the Fifth Shí’í Imám, Muhammad al-Báqir, for the month of Ramadan.
Mirrored from archive.org.
Keywords: Badi calendar; Dua Al Sahar (Dawn supplication); God, Names of; Islam; Nineteen Day Feast; Questions and answers; Words and phrases

The National Convention - Universal House of Justice (1992)
Also available as a nicely-formatted PDF, prepared by Romane Takkenberg.
Keywords: Administration; Conventions; Conventions, National; Elections; National Spiritual Assemblies

The National Convention - Abdul-Bahá; Shoghi Effendi; Universal House of Justice (Compilation of Compilations, 2000)
Also available as a nicely-formatted PDF, prepared by Romane Takkenberg. Add or read quotations or links pertaining to this work here.
Keywords: Administration; Conventions; Conventions, National; Elections; National Spiritual Assemblies

The National Spiritual Assembly - Universal House of Justice; Holley,Horace (Baha'i World, 1986)
Includes Holley's brief overview of the nature of an NSA and the history of Bahá`í Temple Unity, NSA by-laws and a list of new NSAs as of 1980-1983.
See Bahá'í World volume 18 table of contents.
Keywords: 1926; 1980; 1981; Administration; By-laws; National Spiritual Assemblies

The Nature and Challenge of Tests - Khan,Peter J. (1995)
An address by Dr. Khan, of the Universal House of Justice, at the Bahá'í House of Worship at Wilmette.
See also two talks by Khan on the same topic also from 1995, Mental Tests and an audio recording called Victories and Crises, and a 1995 letter from the Universal House of Justice on Mental Tests. Posted with permission of Dr. Khan.
Keywords: Mental tests; Peter Khan; Tests and difficulties

The Nature of God: Some Extracts from the Bahá'í Writings - Bahá'u'lláh; Abdul-Bahá; Shoghi Effendi (1992)
Brief compilation on nature of God.
This compilation was included with a letter from the House, online here: Goddess Religion, Ancient.
Keywords: Gender; God; God, Gender of; Interfaith dialogue; Philosophy; Theology

The Nature of Human Nature - Hatcher,John S. (Journal of Baha'i Studies, 2017)
"From the Editor's Desk": Introduction to this issue's two articles: Ian Kluge's on human nature and Patricia McIlvride’s on mental disorders and depression, stigma, and the soul.
Mirrored from journal.bahaistudies.ca/online/issue/archive. See also the complete issue [PDF].
Keywords: Depression; Human nature; John Hatcher; Philosophy; Psychology

The Navajo Tradition: Transition to the Bahá'í Faith - Covey,Linda S. (Images, imaginations, and beyond: proceedings of the 8th Native American Symposium, November 2009, 2010)
Examines three reasons behind the conversion of some Navajo to Bahá'í in the early 1960s: fulfillment of prophecy, cultural empowerment and autonomy, and protection of traditional practices.
This document is online at se.edu/nas/publications.
Keywords: 1960s; Conversion; Cultural diversity; Indigenous people; Native Americans; Navajo people; Prophecies

The Navjote of a Converted Zoroastrian Bahai - Dhalla,Maneckji Nuserwanji (Dastur Dhalla, the Saga of a Soul: Autobiography of Shams-ul-ulama Dastur Dr. Maneckji Nusserwanji Dhalla, 1975)
Overview of the Faith, and the author's interactions with Bahá'ís in the early 1900s. (Navjote is the initiation ceremony where a child receives his/her ceremonial garments and first performs the Zoroastrian ritual.)
Complete text is online at avesta.org/dhalla/saga.htm. PDF below from Microsoft Word version prepared by Mike Thomas (2022). See also Appendix F: Indian Zoroastrians and the Bahá'í Faith in Zoroastrian Conversions to the Bahá'í Faith in Yazd, Iran, pp. 102-104 (Maneck, 1983).
Keywords: 1900s; Biography; Conversion; India; Iran (documents); Karachi, Pakistan; Mumbai, India; New York, USA; Opposition; Pakistan; Pune, India; Tehran, Iran; United States (documents); Zoroastrianism

The Necessity for Prayer - Abdul-Bahá (2024)
Extract from a Tablet of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá.
Mirrored from bahai.org/library, section "Additional Tablets, Extracts and Talks". PDF dated February 2024.
Keywords: Creation; Criticism and apologetics; God; God, Grace and bounty of; Healing prayer, Short; Prayer

The Need for an Integrative Conceptual Framework for Addressing Mental Health Challenges During the COVID-19 Pandemic - Jalalizadeh,Bayan (Journal of Baha'i Studies, 2022)
Overview of the state of mental health and illness in the world during the Covid pandemic, summary of the prevailing frameworks and practices, and a potential framework which could guide a response to current mental health challenges.
Issue date 2021, published 2022 January. Mirrored from journal.bahaistudies.ca/online/article/view/297. See also the complete issue "Walking the Mystic Path with Practical Feet". [PDF]
Keywords: Covid-19 (Corona virus); Health and healing; Mental health; Psychology

The New Age: Warwick Leaflets - Warwick Bahá'í Bookshop (1992)
Keywords: Introductory; New Age

The New Atheism: A Bahá'í Perspective - Kluge,Ian (Lights of Irfan, 2009)
Logically and philosophically speaking, the works of the "new atheists" are deeply flawed and are often in disagreement with the Bahá’í Writings – though on a number of issues there are points of agreement.
First posted online in 2009 at bahai-studies.ca (see original version, archived), later published in 2012 in Lights of Irfan. Voir aussi en français.
Keywords: Atheism; God; Philosophy; Proofs; Reason; Sam Harris; Science

The New Day: The Bahá'í Revelation - Remey,Charles Mason (Bahá'í Publishing Society, 1919)
"A brief statement of its history and teachings" in summary form. Opens with short "dissertation by Abdu'l-Bahá upon the New Day."
Two versions are given below: a PDF scan, which has been stripped of blank pages, and a corrected text copy. See similar content in "The Bahá'í Movement for Universal Religion" (1912). While Remey later broke the covenant (see uhj_mason_remey_followers), at the time he wrote this paper he was an influential figure in the Bahá'í community and was later appointed Hand of the Cause. This document is thus not "covenant-breaker" material.

The New Garden: An Introduction to the Bahá'í Faith - Fatheazam,Hushmand (Juxta Publishing Limited; Baha'i Publishing Trust, 2002)
A widely-shared introductory text summarizing Bahá'í history and teachings.
Mirrored with permission from juxta.com/ebooks/the-new-garden/. See publisher's electronic distribution license.
Keywords: Basics; Introductory

The New History (tarikh-i-jadid) of Mirza Ali-Muhammed the Bab - Hamadani,Husayn (Cambridge University Press, 1893)
Detailed history of the Bab, translated into English. Also known as Tarikh-i Badi'-i Bayani.
This entire book is also online in other formats at archive.org, two of which are archived here: 1893 Cambridge edition [27 MB) and 1975 Philo reprint [22 MB). See publishing history at worldcat.org.
Keywords: Báb, The; Bábí history; E. G. Browne; Hájí Mírzá Jani Kashaní; Iran (documents); Taríkh-i-Jadíd (New History)

The New Leaven: Progressive Education and Its Effect upon the Child and Society - Cobb,Stanwood (John Day Company, 1928)
On principles of the new education; revolutionizing pedagogy and transforming the child; importance of social engagement in schools; the ages of enrollment of children and preparatory schools, from nursery-primary through secondary school to college.
From hathitrust.org/Record/006539043.
Keywords: Children; Education; Stanwood Cobb

The New morality: An outline - Schaefer,Udo (Baha'i Studies Review, 1995)
Proposal that Bahá'u'lláh's ethical teachings rest on metaphysical premises about God and humankind, specifically the teleological and the deontological.
Keywords: Ethics; God; Philosophy; Udo Schaefer; Virtues

The New Revelation: Its Marvelous Message - Fitzgerald,Nathan Ward (1905)
Summary of the proclamation and teachings of the Bahá'í Faith by an early American believer.
PDF from books.google.com. See also bahaipedia.org/Nathan_Ward_Fitzgerald.

The New World Order: Warwick Leaflets - Warwick Bahá'í Bookshop (1995)
Keywords: Introductory; Peace; World order

The New World-Religion - Strong,Josia (Doubleday, Page & Company, 1915)
Mention of Babism in the context of new faiths supplanting individualistic Christianity.
Keywords: Bahá'í history

"The Newly born babe of that Day": Mysticism in the Age of the Maturity of Humankind - Savi,Julio (Lights of Irfan, 2006)
The dynamic historical processes impacting mysticism. As the Bahá'í Revelation is the revelation of the maturity of humankind, it is free from certain flaws that in the past implied an early development of certain spiritually unacceptable behaviors.
Presented at the Irfan Colloquia Session #62, Centre for Bahá'í Studies, Acuto, Italy (July 8-12, 2005). Mirrored with permission from irfancolloquia.org/62/savi_mysticism.
Keywords: Irfán Colloquia; Maturity of humanity; Mysticism; Philosophy

The Next Five Years: An Internet Perspective - Wasley,Marc (75 Years of the Bahá'í Faith in Australasia, 1996)
Some predictions (made in 1996) of how the Internet will change and how Bahá'ís can make best use of it.
This document is no longer available at its original host; mirrored from archive.org.
Keywords: 1996; Internet

The Next Stage - Martin,Douglas (Journal of Baha'i Studies, 2013)
Bahá'í scholars find themselves at a stage in the Faith’s development where they must construct a discourse that is free of "haughty intellectualism." The Association for Bahá’í Studies can help promote the Bahá'í cause to institutions of higher learning.
Mirrored from journal.bahaistudies.ca/online/article/view/392. See also original scan.
Keywords: Bahá'í Faith, Evolutionary nature of; Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Bahá'í studies; Culture, Western; Decline and renewal of religion; Equality; Ethics; Growth; Human rights; Independent investigation of truth; Institute process; Integration and disintegration; Intellectualism; Manifestations of God; Materialism; Morality; Persecution; Persecution, Iran; Prejudice; Priesthood; Progressive revelation; Public discourse (discourses of society); Scholarship; Science; Social change; Statistics; Transformation; United Nations; Unity; Unity in diversity; Universities; Women

The Nine Valleys - Towards Embodied Experience: Understanding the Confluence of Material and Spirit in the Design of a Bahá'í House of Worship - Haghighi,Vedad (2022)
Detailed proposal, with extensive site photographs and illustrations, for a Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in Thorhill, Ontario (location of the Canada Bahá'í National Centre); discussion of the embodied experience of worship in a temple to promote unity. (offsite)
Thesis for Masters of Architecture, Carleton University. The thesis is online at curve.carleton.ca/6357c8d8-ffd0-475c-b4ad-af8318b92a8f
Keywords: Architecture; Canada; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Toronto; Ontario, Canada; Toronto, ON

The Nine Year Plan and the Destiny of America - National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States (2024)
On this time of great historical consequence and a gathering storm: America to be the standard-bearer; a still more superb mission; advancing within an evolving framework; a profound alteration of thought; the youth must soar; through living sacrifice.
Also available in Persian and Spanish.

The Nine Year Plan: 2022-2031 - Universal House of Justice (Palabra Publications, 2021)
9 letters from November 2021 to January 2022, addressed to the Bahá'í world, Continental Counsellors, Auxiliary Board members, and National Spiritual Assemblies. Link to free download of book (offsite).
Mirrored with licence permission from palabrapublications.com. See the chart on page 93 posted separately here. See also 5-Year Plan 2006-2011, 5-Year Plan 2011-2016, and 1-Year Plan 2021-2022. See also Message to the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors on the 9 Year Plan (2020-12-30), which includes links to study guides, outlines, and translations.
Keywords: 2022; 2031; Community building; Institute process; Nine Year Plan (2022-2031); Plans; Social action; Society building

The Nine-Pointed Star: History and Symbolism - Universal House of Justice (1999)
The history and the proper place and use of the nine-pointed star, a common Bahá'í symbol, in comparison and relation to the official five-pointed star and the Greatest Name symbols.
Keywords: Abjad system; Five (number); Five-pointed star; Greatest Name; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Wilmette; Nine (number); Nine-pointed star; Numerology; Research Department, Questions and answers; Symbolism

The Ninth cycle of the Bahá'í calendar - Nakhjavani,Ali (American Baha'i, 2015)
Essay clarifying some technical issues involved with calculating lunar calendars, and how to appreciate the timing and implications of the Universal House of Justice's 2014 update to the Badí` calendar.
See also "Regarding the implementation of the Badi` calendar," and see a downloadable app and online converter at badi-calendar.com.
Keywords: Alí Nakhjavání; Badi calendar; Cycles, Eras, Ages and Epochs

The Non-Political Character of the Bahá'í Faith: Excerpts from the Writings of Shoghi Effendi - Shoghi Effendi (Baha'i World, 1986)
Published as Section 6 of Bahá'í World 18, preceding a section on "Relationship to Government."
See Bahá'í World volume 18 table of contents.
Keywords: Activism; Politics

The Number 19 in the Qur'an - Lomax,Abdulrahman (1995)
Discussion of a study by a Muslim which purports to demonstrate that the Qur'an is comprised of mystical units of 19. No mention of the Bahá'í Faith.
See also The Mysterious 19 in the Quran: A Critical Evaluation, Mathematical Miracle of the Quran, and Ten Bizarre Facts About the N/19 Magic Square (all offsite).
Keywords: Disconnected letters of the Quran; Islam; Nineteen (number); Numerology; Quran

The Numinous Land: Examples of sacred geometry and geopiety in formalist and landscape paintings of the prairies - Ennis,Kim (2012)
Includes many references to the Bahá'í Faith and its influence on contemporary artists. Link to thesis (offsite).
Thesis for Master of Arts in Art History, University of Saskatchewan.
Keywords: Arts and crafts; Native Americans; Painting; United States (documents)

The Oath of the Prophet Mohammed to the Followers of the Nazarene - Muhammad (Board of Counsel, 1902)
Promise of fair-treatment from Muhammad to the Christians, with commentary by Imam Ali, given in the year A.H. 2 (623 A.D.), published by the Bahá'ís as a 7-page booklet.
See also page scans at end, as posted at h-net.org. Spelling uncorrected; names like Mohammed follow old transliterations. See also the Wikipedia article about this document.
Keywords: Anton Haddad; Christianity; Egypt; Islam; Mount Sinai, Egypt; Muhammad (Prophet); Tolerance

"'The Objectivity Question' and Bahá'í Studies: A Reply to MacEoin" and "A Few Words in Response to Cole's 'Reply to MacEoin'" - Cole,Juan; MacEoin,Denis (British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 1991)
Two responses to MacEoin's article "Crisis in Bábí and Bahá'í Studies."
See related discussions in Debates between MacEoin et al., especially MacEoin's original article.
Keywords: Bahá'í studies; Criticism and apologetics; Scholarship

The Ocean of His Utterances - Ives,Howard Colby (1963)
Unpublished study course in the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh using the books of Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l‑Baha, and Shoghi Effendi, compiled and with commentary by Ives. Not yet formatted.
Inspired by this book, Ives' granddaughter Barbara Ives created her own Deepening Course on the Bahá'í Revelation. Proofread and formatted by Ernie Jones, 2017. Also available in Open Office format.
Keywords: Deepening; Human nature; Meditation; Philosophy; Prayer; Soul; Teachings

The Old Churches and the New World-Faith - Townshend,George (National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'í of the British Isles, 1949)
Pamphlet publication of Townshend's letter of renunciation of the Anglican Church and proclamation of Bahá'u'lláh.
In 1947, at the age of 70, Townshend renounced his orders to the Anglican Church and wrote a pamphlet to all Christians under the title "The Old Churches and the New World Faith" that was sent out to 10,000 so-called "responsible people" in the British Isles on the occasion of this resignation. (Bahá'í World, Vol. XIII, p. 841) The PDF below is generated from an updated Microsoft Word document, prepared by Mike Thomas (2022; transcription errors corrected, quotes properly spaced, translations updated, footnotes added to quotes, and bibliography added). See also scan of original (without footnotes).
Keywords: Christianity; Decline and renewal of religion; George Townshend; Integration and disintegration; Interfaith dialogue; Ireland; Proclamation; Prophecies; Return; Secularism; Tablets to kings and rulers; United Kingdom

The One Who Related the Existence of the Qáʼim - Bahá'u'lláh (2015)
One-paragraph passage related to the coming of the Mahdi.
From Ma`idih-yi Asmani (Heavenly Spread) 1:7 (scan or download). Mirrored with permission from adibmasumian.com.
Keywords: Hidden Imam; Imams; Islam; Mahdi (Mihdi); Qá'im; Shia Islam (Shiism); Twelfth Imam

The One Year Plan: 2021-2022 - Universal House of Justice (Palabra Publications, 2021)
Letter "To the Bahá’ís of the World" (5 November 2020), Ridvan message (20 April 2021), and a chart "Unfoldment of the Divine Plan" (2021). Link to free download of book (offsite).
See the chart on page 27 posted separately here. See also 5-Year Plan 2006-2011, 5-Year Plan 2011-2016, and 9-Year Plan 2022-2031.
Keywords: 2021; 2022; Cycles, Eras, Ages and Epochs; Five Year Plan (2016-2021); Institute process; Public discourse (discourses of society); Ridván messages; Social action; Twelve Month Plan (2021-2022)

The Oneness of Mankind: Basic Principle of the Bahá'í Faith - National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States (Baha'i News, 1956)
Statement of Bahá'í teachings prepared in order to clarify the position of members of the Faith throughout the United States at this critical hour, published as an insert in the U.S. Bahá'í newsletter.
Mirrored from bahai.works. In the first sentence, "Bahá'í World Faith" has been replaced with the current term "Bahá'í Faith".
Keywords: Diversity; Equality; Interracial marriage; Introductory; National Spiritual Assembly, statements; Politics; Race; Statements; United States (documents); Unity; Unity of humanity

The Oneness of Reality: A Response to Moojan Momen's "Relativism as a Basis for Baha'i Metaphysics" - Terry,Peter (2018)
Dialogue on epistemology and ontology as presented in the core literature of the Baha’i religion.
See also Momen's original article "Relativism: A Basis For Bahá'í Metaphysics" (1988).
Keywords: Buddhism; Christianity; Cosmology; Dualism; Hinduism; Islam; Judaism; Metaphysics; Monism; Philosophers; Philosophy; Philosophy, Buddhist; Philosophy, Greek; Philosophy, Hindu; Philosophy, Islamic; Progressive revelation; Relativism; Sufism; Theology; Unity

The Oneness of the Reality of Humankind - Author unknown (Report of the annual Lake Mohonk Conference on International Arbitration, 1912)
Summary of Bahá'í principles: investigation of reality, oneness of humanity, harmony of science and religion, religion as the bond that unites mankind, elimination of prejudices, gender equality, economic equality, and humanity's need for the Holy Spirit.
Mirrored from archive.org. Also online at centenary.bahai.us/talk/oneness-reality-humankind-0.
Keywords: Lake Mohonk Conference on International Arbitration; Principles; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at other places

The Opening of the Academic Mind: The Challenges Facing a Culture in Crisis - Bushrui,Suheil Badi (Journal of Baha'i Studies, 2004)
Perspective on the state of the academy: reforms essential to the progress and development of society: the central place of teaching in the curriculum; humility in place of intellectual arrogance; abrogating the practice of "publish or perish."

The Opening of the Terraces (May 2001): Reflections of a Participant - Batchelor,Thelma (2001)
Contemporary pilgrim's note from May 20-26, 2001, witnessing the historic completion of the Arc project.
Mirrored with permission from listserver posting to bahai-discuss, 2001/06/10. See also Opening the Terraces on Mt. Carmel.
Keywords: 2001; Báb, Shrine of (Haifa); Pilgrims notes; Terraces of the Shrine of the Báb (Haifa)

The Oriental Rose: The Teachings of Abdul Baha Which Trace the Chart of "The Shining Pathway" - Ford,Mary Hanford (Bahá'í Publishing Society, 1910)
Early summary of the history of the Faith by a pilgrim who met Abdu'l-Bahá, including content from Nicolas' book Seyyed Ali Mohammed Dit Le Bab.
Online in various formats at archive.org. This copy scanned By A. Rabbani (2005), typed by C. Smith (2005), OCRed by M. Thomas (2014), formatted/proofed by J. Winters (2014). Also available as a formatted, annotated Word document prepared by M. Thomas (2014).
Keywords: Bahá'u'lláh; Báb, The; Introductory; `Abdu'l-Bahá

The Orientation of Hope and Lessons in World Crisis - Locke,Alain (Baha'i World, 1936)
Two essays meditating on the relevance of Bahá'í principles to the period preceding and during the Second World War.
These are two separate essays (in vol. 5, published 1936, and vol. 9, published 1945) which are combined together for simplicity, and because they seem too short to merit their own pages.
Keywords: Crisis; Hope; Integration and disintegration; Philosophy; Public discourse (discourses of society); Unity; War; World War II

The Origin of the Bahá'í Principle of the Harmony between Science and Religion - Brown,Keven (2001)
On the origin of the principle of scientific/religious harmony in Islamic and Bahá’í Writings, and discussion of a letter by Abdu'l-Bahá on the topic.
Talk prepared for the 2001 ABS-North America conference‏. See also Abdu'l-Bahá's tablet.
Keywords: Islam; Philosophy; Science

The Original Text of the Súriy-i-Haykal - Universal House of Justice (2002)
About the question of which manuscript of this lengthy Tablet of Bahá’u’lláh served as the basis for its authorized translation in The Summons of the Lord of Hosts.
Mirrored from adibmasumian.com/resources. The various versions mentioned in this letter can be accessed from the Partial Inventory, ID BH00007. See in Summons of the Lord of Hosts.
Keywords: Authenticity; Kitáb-i-Mubín; Suriy-i-Haykal (Surih of the Temple)

The Pageant of Persia: A Record of Travel by Motor in Persia with an Account of Its Ancient and Modern Ways - Filmer,Henry (Kegan Paul, 1937)
Three-page overview of Bábí and Bahá'í history, with many more pages of description of Persian culture and history included for context.
Keywords: 1930s; Bábí history; Culture, Persian; Travelogues

The Paradox of Protest in a Culture of Contest - Karlberg,Michael (Peace and Change, 2003)
In our culture, political and legal institutions are structured as contests and reform is characterized as protest. This leads to injustice and unsustainability. Bahá'í models of elections and decision-making offer a practical alternative.
Mirrored with permission from author's website, myweb.wwu.edu [archive.org]
Keywords: Administration; Change; Consultation; Contest; Culture, Western; Elections; Environment; Injustice; Justice; Laws; Materialism; Philosophy; Politics; Protest; Reform; Transformation

The Paranoid Style in Iranian Politics - Abrahamian,Ervand (Khomeinism: Essays on the Islamic Republic, 1993)
A seminal essay which mentions contemporary Iranian attitudes toward the Bahá'ís. Includes three other mentions of the Bahá'í Faith elsewhere in the book in which this essay was first published.
The essay was originally written as a single chapter in a book published in 1993, and reprinted as a stand-alone article, with permission of author, at www.pbs.org in 2009. The other excerpts were scanned separately.
Keywords: Iran (documents); Iran, General history; Opposition; Persecution; Persecution, Iran; Persecution, Other

The Passing of Abdu'l-Baha - Shoghi Effendi; Blomfield,Lady Sarah Louisa (Rosenfeld Bros., 1922)
A compilation on the last days of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, his funeral, and tributes on his behalf. Later published in abridged form in World Order.
This text is a formatted version of the original book published in 1922, with English translation of two passages which were in French in the original, added from the abridgement of the book published in World Order 6:1 (Fall 1971), 6-18. Page numbers refer to original publication. [-M.W., 1998] Add or read comments pertaining to this work here. See a newer version of this essay, posted in 2021 to bahai.org.
Keywords: 1335 days; 1921; Biography; Daniel (Bible); Day-year principle; Haifa, Israel; Lady Sarah Louisa Blomfield; Prophecies; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Ascension of

The Passing of Shoghi Effendi, Ministry of the Hands of the Cause, and Defection of Mason Remey - Vafai,Shahin (The Essence of the Covenant: Features, History, and Implications, 2005)
See also excerpts from Chapter 6 and Chapter 8 of the same book.
Keywords: 1957; 1963; Charles Mason Remey; Covenant; Covenant-breaking; Custodians; Guardianship; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Activities; Shoghi Effendi, Passing of; Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá

The Passing of Shoghi Effendi: 1896-1957 - Khanum,Ruhiyyih; Ferraby,John (Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1958)
Detailed account of the final days of the life of the Guardian.
This document is also available as a PDF scan of the original. Also online at bahai.org and bahai.works.
Keywords: 1896; 1957; Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum; Biography; John Ferraby; Shoghi Effendi; Shoghi Effendi, Passing of

The Passionate Artist - Price,Ron (Australian Baha'i Studies, 2000)
Essay on the inner life and private character, and the origins of the author's own creative inspiration.
See also the rest of this issue.
Keywords: Arts and crafts; Poetry; Ron Price; Writing

The Path of Beauty: The Literary Life of Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum - Hutchison,Sandra Lynn (World Order, 1999)
An extensive review of the varied literary works of Ruhiyyih Khanum – poems, plays, ethical guidance, practical guidelines for Baha’i pioneering and teaching, inspirational essays, literary and scriptural commentary, biography, and even a film script.
An article on Ruhiyyih Khanum's literary work, based on an interview. It appeared in the memorial issue of World Order devoted to her after her passing. Also online at bahai.works.
Keywords: Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum; Arts and crafts; Biography; Custodians; Death; Drama; Indigenous people; Interviews; Meditation; Native Americans; Poetry; Prayer; Shoghi Effendi; Shoghi Effendi, Passing of; Teaching; Writing

The Path of God - Klebel,Wolfgang A. (Lights of Irfan, 2010)
A comparison of the 'Global Ethic' (Hans Küng) with the Bahá'í Faith. The core ethical principles found in all religions are the most likely first step towards the unification of all religions: an inspiration for Unity in Diversity.
Presented at the Irfan Colloquia Session #88, Bosch Bahá'í School, California (May 28-31, 2009). Mirrored with permission from irfancolloquia.org/88/klebel_path.
Keywords: Ethics; Hans Kung; Interfaith dialogue; Irfán Colloquia; Parliament of the World's Religions; Remover of Difficulties (invocation); Unity; Unity of religion

The Path to God: 1937 edition - Baker,Dorothy (1937)
Essay published as a pamphlet about the goal of life, revelation and access to heaven, self-improvement while on earth, prayer and spiritual surrender, loving the Messenger and following his teachings.
This pamphlet does not have a date; Collins' Bibliography lists it as "n.d., 193-, c1937." Also online at bahai.works/The_Path_to_God. See also another version of this essay (1956).
Keywords: Advancement of civilization; Arts and crafts; Certitude; Death; Decline and renewal of religion; Deeds; Dorothy Baker; God, Love of; God, Nearness to; God, Will of; God, Word of; Gold; Heart; Heaven and hell; Intolerance; Introductory; Life after death (afterlife); Love; Manifestations of God; Meditation; Mirrors; Peace; Prayer; Prayer; Prophecies; Purity; Race; Race unity; Religion (general); Return; Revelation; Sacrifice; Science; Service; Soul; Spirituality; Superstition; Tests and difficulties; Unity; Unity of humanity; Unity of religion; `Abdu'l-Bahá

The Path to God: 1956 edition - Baker,Dorothy (Baha'i World, 1956)
Some elements for spiritual success: power through prayer and nine benefits of prayer, victorious living, and immortality.
Text and PDF also online at bahai.works, and HTML also online at bahaitalks.blogspot.com. See also another version of this essay (1937).
Keywords: Concentration; Concourse on High; Death; Deeds; Detachment; Dorothy Baker; Family; Freedom and liberty; God, Love of; God, Nearness to; God, Will of; God, Worlds of; Health and healing; Intercession; Introductory; Life after death (afterlife); Love; Music; Parents; Power; Prayer; Prophecies; Protection; Radiant acquiescence; Recitation; Repetition; Return; Self; Soul; Spirituality; Teaching; Tests and difficulties; Unity; Work

The Pattern of Bahá'í life - Author unknown, compiler (Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1948)
Quotes not readily available elsewhere online, from a compilation of Bahá'í Writings on personal character.
Below are listed only quotations not readily available elsewhere online (see p. 39 and 55) or linked citations otherwise. See also the complete compilation.
Keywords: Behavior; Ethics; Life (general); Living the life; Pattern of Bahá'í Life (compilation); Teachings

The Pattern of Bahá'í Life - Bahá'u'lláh; Abdul-Bahá; Shoghi Effendi (1948)
This compilation was first issued by the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles in 1948, and fully revised in 1990 on behalf of the Universal House of Justice by the National Spiritual Assembly of India.
The scanned publication (1953 edition) is available on Bahai.works (older translations).
Keywords: Basics; Deeds; Ethics; Hidden Words, First (Arabic); Life (general); Living the life; Pattern of Bahá'í Life (compilation); Virtues

The Paucity of Music in Bahá'í Devotional Practice and Considerations in the Composition of Music for Bahá'í Devotional Purposes - Knopf,Michael (1999)
Devotional music in Western communities is limited to local and popular expressions and Eastern chant; it is inconsistent. This study proposes ways in which music can be composed to meet these limitations within the guidelines found in the Writings.
Thesis prepared for the degree of Bachelor of Music, James Cook University, Queensland. See also Of Paramount Importance: Addressing the Paucity of Music in Bahá'í Devotional Practice (2000) and the author's Bahá'í or Spiritual Themed Musical Works.
Keywords: Music