These quotations were discussed during the November 18, 2009 study class at our home.
1. "O ye the faithful loved ones of 'Abdu'l-Baha! It is incumbent upon you to take the greatest care of Shoghi Effendi... that no dust of despondency and sorrow may stain his radiant nature, that day by day he may wax greater in happiness, in joy and spirituality..." (The Will and Testament of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 25)
2. “Out of the immense treasury of all the Writings, I memorized one sentence and did my utmost to follow that one injunction. It served as a lamp of guidance, shedding light on the dark and obscure paths of my life. That phrase is from the Will and Testament of the Master, where He says that the friends should make Shoghi Effendi happy. Whatever step I took in my life, any vote cast in the Assemblies, any trip taken, even any thought, I would first ask myself whether my vote, words, trip or thought would make him happy. When I was sure, then I would take action without fear.”
(Hand of the Cause of God Amelia Collins, in "Milly" by Abu'l-Qasim Faizi, p. 18.)
3. “One righteous work performed in this Day, equalleth all the virtuous acts which for myriads of centuries men have practised -- nay, We ask forgiveness of God for such a comparison! For verily the reward which such a deed deserveth is immensely beyond and above the estimate of men.”
(Baha'u'llah, Kitab-i-Iqan, paragraph 153, p. 144)
4. "Be thankful to God for having enabled you to recognize His Cause. Whoever has received this blessing must, prior to his acceptance, have performed some deed which, though he himself was unaware of its character, was ordained by God as a means whereby he has been guided to find and embrace the Truth."
(Baha'u'llah, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 586)
5. “Cause me to taste, O my Lord, the divine sweetness of Thy remembrance and praise. I swear by Thy might! Whosoever tasteth of its sweetness will rid himself of all attachment to the world and all that is therein, and will set his face towards Thee, cleansed from the remembrance of any one except Thee. Inspire then my soul, O my God, with Thy wondrous remembrance, that I may glorify Thy name. Number me not with them who read Thy words and fail to find Thy hidden gift which, as decreed by Thee, is contained therein, and which quickeneth the souls of Thy creatures and the hearts of Thy servants.”
(Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, LVI, p. 82)
6. “The friends need only read the Writings; the answers are all in them; we have no priests in this Faith to interpret or answer for us.”
(From a letter on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 23 April 1957; Compilation on Deepening; The Compilation of Compilations Vol. I, p. 233, #523)
7. “A clear distinction is made in our Faith between authoritative interpretation and the interpretation or understanding that each individual arrives at for himself from his study of its teachings. While the former is confined to the Guardian, the latter, according to the guidance given to us by the Guardian himself, should by no means be suppressed. In fact such individual interpretation is considered the fruit of man's rational power and conducive to a better understanding of the teachings, provided that no disputes or arguments arise among the friends and the individual himself understands and makes it clear that his views are merely his own. Individual interpretations continually change as one grows in comprehension of the teachings. As Shoghi Effendi explained:
To deepen in the Cause means to read the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh and the Master so thoroughly as to be able to give it to others in its pure form. There are many who have some superficial idea of what the Cause stands for. They, therefore, present it together with all sorts of ideas that are their own. As the Cause is still in its early days we must be most careful lest we fall under this error and injure the Movement we so much adore. There is no limit to the study of the Cause. The more we read the Writings, the more truths we can find in them and the more we will see that our previous notions were erroneous. [Written by the Guardian's secretary on his behalf to an individual believer, on 25 August 1926]
“So, although individual insights can be enlightening and helpful, they can also be misleading. The friends must therefore learn to listen to the views of others without being overawed or allowing their faith to be shaken, and to express their own views without pressing them on their fellow Bahá'ís.”
(Extract from a letter of the Universal House of Justice, Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986, paragraph 35.13, p. 88)
8. "The Sacred Books are full of allusions to this new dispensation. In the Book of Iqan, Baha'u'llah gives the key-note and explains some of the outstanding passages hoping that the friends will continue to study the Sacred Books by themselves and unfold the mysteries found therein."
(From a letter dated 11 March 1923 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; The Compilation on Deepening, page 28)
9. "Shoghi Effendi hopes that you will exert all your efforts first in deepening your own knowledge of the teachings and then strive to attract other people. You should form study classes and read the important books that have been published, especially the Iqan which contains the basic tenets of the Faith. The one who ponders over that book and grasps its full significance will obtain a clear insight into the old scriptures and appreciate the true mission of the Bab and Baha'u'llah."
The Guardian's secretary on his behalf, in a letter to the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of St. Louis, Missouri, Compilation on Deepening.
And these quotations will be discussed at the next session, as they address questions raised at the last session:
Blessed those who have distinguished both the outward and the inward meaning: these, verily, are servants who have believed in the All-Embracing Word.
Know, then, that whosoever adhereth to the outward meaning while oblivious of the inward meaning is of the ignorant; that whosoever adhereth to the inward meaning while oblivious of the outward meaning is of the heedless; and that whosoever understandeth the inward meaning in the light of the outward meaning is of the truly learned.
(Baha'u'llah, provisional translation, quoted in Paul Mantle, “Revelation,& Social Reality,” , p. 39)
"Surely the ideal way of teaching is to prove our points by constant reference to the actual words of Bahá'u'lláh and the Master. This will save the Cause from being misinterpreted by individuals. It is what these divine Lights say that is truth and therefore they should be the authorities of our statements. This, however, does not mean that our freedom of expression is limited. We can always find new ways of approach to that truth or explain how they influence our life and condition. The more deep our studies the more we can understand the significance of the teachings. In the Cause we cannot divorce the letter from the spirit of the words. As Bahá'u'lláh says we should take the outward significance and superimpose upon it the inner. Either without the other is wrong and defective."
(From a letter on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 16 February 1932; from the Compilation on Deepening)
The question is that whereas in past Scriptures Isaac is said to have been the sacrifice; in the Qur'an this station is given to Ishmael. This is, undoubtedly, true. All, however, must fix their gaze upon the word which hath dawned from the Divine Horizon: it is incumbent upon every soul to ponder upon its sovereignty, influence, might, and on its all- encompassing nature. There hath never been any doubt whatsoever that all these things are confirmed and corroborated only by the Word of God. It is the Word of God that transcendeth all things, creates the universe, educateth the people, guideth them who are sore athirst from separation unto the ocean of reunion, and penetrateth through the darkness of ignorance with the light of understanding. Consider: all those who believe in past Scriptures think of Isaac as the Sacrifice; likewise, the people of the Qur'an confirm this station for Ishmael. It is clear and evident to every possessor of insight and every religious person that no one was outwardly sacrificed; all agree that an animal was sacrificed. So, ponder upon this: Why is it that a person who hath gone to the altar of sacrifice for the Beloved and yet hath come back [alive], is adorned with the raiment of 'Sacrifice of God' and accepted as such? There is no doubt that this is so because of the Word of God. Therefore, the criterion for the manifestation of all names and for confirmation and fulfillment of all stations is dependent upon the Word of God. Likewise, there is no doubt, that the Inaccessible, Unknowable [God] doth not talk, as He is, and hath always been, sanctified from such conditions; rather, He speaketh through the tongue of His Manifestations. Thus the Torah issued from the tongue of Moses. The same is true of other Holy Scriptures: all were revealed by the tongues of Prophets and Messengers but, the real Speaker in all these Holy Books is the One true God.... It is now, therefore, established and confirmed that the station of 'Sacrifice of God' was, according to past Books, given to Isaac by Abraham and that very same station is, according to Divine Revelation, Ishmael's in the Qur'anic Dispensation.
(Baha'u'llah, provisional translation, quoted in Paul Mantle, “Revelation,& Social Reality,” , pp. 19-20)
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Divine Verses Cited in the Ruhi Books on Holding Gatherings and Reciting the Divine Verses
It will be helpful if you will review these, prior to participating in the study sessions, as we will refer to them at various times throughout the course:
1. The quotation from Baha'u'llah at the beginning of Section 8 in the Unit on Prayer in Ruhi Book One "Recite ye the verses..."
and
2. Section 5 of "Deepening Themes" in Ruhi Book Two, through the quotation from Abdu'l-Baha which ends with the words "...on being upright and detached, and fervent, and afire..."
and
3. Exercises 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d in Section 5 of "Deepening Themes" in Ruhi Book Two.
1. The quotation from Baha'u'llah at the beginning of Section 8 in the Unit on Prayer in Ruhi Book One "Recite ye the verses..."
and
2. Section 5 of "Deepening Themes" in Ruhi Book Two, through the quotation from Abdu'l-Baha which ends with the words "...on being upright and detached, and fervent, and afire..."
and
3. Exercises 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d in Section 5 of "Deepening Themes" in Ruhi Book Two.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Study Sessions on the Book of Certitude
Baha'u'llah directs us to “mediate on that which the Scriptures … have revealed” (Tablet to Maqsud, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 162, quoted in Ruhi Book 1, Section 13). Also in Ruhi Book One, Sections 8 and 9 we read that “when we recite the verses of God we are being faithful to His Covenant,” paraphrasing this verse from the Most Holy Book (paragraph 149): “Recite ye the verses of God every morn and eventide.” At the end of the First Unit of Book 1, it is suggested, “Baha'u'llah teaches that each person should read from the Holy Writings every morning and every evening. During this course, you have already begun to form this habit which is extremely important for your spiritual progress. Now you may wish to acquire a book of the Writings of Baha'u'llah and read parts of it every day.”
This website is in support of study sessions on the Book of Certitude, for those of you who have selected the Book of Certitude for your morning and evening reading.
The Book of Certitude is Baha'u'llah's greatest work, second only to the Most Holy Book. The Guardian calls it Baha'u'llah's greatest "doctrinal" work, which he translated because he said it would "infinitely enhance the teaching work in the West." He urged us to form study classes, and read the important literature of the Faith, "especially the Iqan which contains the basic tenets of the Faith"; stating that the study of the Iqan is of "special importance" and we should "master" it; and that we should acquaint ourselves with "each and every detail" in it, so that we can present the Faith in a "befitting manner." (The citations to these quotations are found in the links to Quotations at the top right of this website)
The essential thing is not what we will discuss in the study sessions, or what is written here; the important thing is the individual believers' communion with the Word, drawing sustenance from it in their morning and evening recitation of the Word of God.
One of the skills we learn in the Ruhi courses, is the sharing of deepening themes with others. One of these suggested themes is the Covenant of God, and this is the central theme of the Book of Certitude. By studying this Book we will gain a greater depth, will increase our ability to present the Covenant and to respond to questions about it, and about the nature of the Manifestations of God.
In these brief sessions we cannot cover the entire ocean of this great Book; we can only address a few themes, pick a few pieces of fruit from this Tree. One of the important things for the friends to realize, is that consistency in studying the Word of God results in gaining greater familiarity with the Revelation, through our repeated study of the same Texts. Often, the friends think that the amount of Revelation Baha'u'llah has given to us, far exceeds our ability to read it. In fact, if a person were to read only 6 pages per day, in one year he or she would read the entire body of Baha'u'llah's revelation which we have at present in the English language. This can be seen by totaling the pages of all of His Books we presently have in English:
181 Epistle to the Son of the Wolf
79 Gems of Divine Mysteries
346 Gleanings
52 Hidden Words
254 Kitab-i-Aqdas
257 Kitab-i-Iqan
339 Prayers and Meditations
122 Proclamation of Baha'u'llah
65 Seven Valleys and Four Valleys
272 Summons of the Lord of Hosts
80 Tabernacle of Unity
269 Tablets of Baha'u'llah
______________________
2316 pages total.
This actually overstates the total, because only 121 pages of the Aqdas consists of sacred Text-- about half of the Book; and all 122 pages of the Proclamation of Baha'u'llah and about 70 pages of the Gleanings are quotes from Baha'u'llah's other Books. If we divide this total by 365, this comes to 6 pages per day. If a person reads 3 pages every morning, and 3 pages every evening, for one year, he or she will read the entire body of Baha'u'llah's Writings we have in English; and establish a pattern of re-reading the sacred Text every year. But speed is not the point; reading with understanding, reading to gain inspiration and insight, and ability to share the Message is the point. It is hoped that these sessions will prime the pump, so that the real study will occur in the privacy of the person's own home, the pattern of daily study will become established and will provide fuel for the believer's study and sharing of the Word through the Ruhi courses and practices. Among the themes studied, particular emphasis will be paid to those sections of the Iqan that help us to teach the Faith to believers in the Bible. In addition to the Iqan itself, we will rely on Mr. Hooper Dunbar's excellent book "A Companion to the Study of the Kitab-i-Iqan" available here.
“It behoveth the friends in whatever land they be, to gather together in meetings, and therein to speak wisely and with eloquence, and to read the verses of God; for it is God's Words that kindle love's fire and set it ablaze.” (Baha'u'llah, quoted in Ruhi Book 2, Unit 2, Section 5)
“We hear that thou hast in mind to embellish thy house from time to time with a meeting of Baha'is, where some among them will engage in glorifying the All-Glorious Lord... Know that shouldst thou bring this about, that house of earth will become a house of heaven, and that fabric of stone a congress of the spirit.”
(Abdu'l-Baha, quoted in Ruhi Book 2, Unit 2, Section 5)
In Part 7 of Unit Two of Book Two, there is discussion of setting a weekly meeting for the study of the Writings. It is hoped that these study sessions will assist the friends in their personal study of this great Book. The focus will be on the believer's own individual relationship with the Word of God, in his or her morning and evening readings; which will energize the friends to spiritually advance, and to carry out the activities of the Five-Year Plan.
Brent
This website is in support of study sessions on the Book of Certitude, for those of you who have selected the Book of Certitude for your morning and evening reading.
The Book of Certitude is Baha'u'llah's greatest work, second only to the Most Holy Book. The Guardian calls it Baha'u'llah's greatest "doctrinal" work, which he translated because he said it would "infinitely enhance the teaching work in the West." He urged us to form study classes, and read the important literature of the Faith, "especially the Iqan which contains the basic tenets of the Faith"; stating that the study of the Iqan is of "special importance" and we should "master" it; and that we should acquaint ourselves with "each and every detail" in it, so that we can present the Faith in a "befitting manner." (The citations to these quotations are found in the links to Quotations at the top right of this website)
The essential thing is not what we will discuss in the study sessions, or what is written here; the important thing is the individual believers' communion with the Word, drawing sustenance from it in their morning and evening recitation of the Word of God.
One of the skills we learn in the Ruhi courses, is the sharing of deepening themes with others. One of these suggested themes is the Covenant of God, and this is the central theme of the Book of Certitude. By studying this Book we will gain a greater depth, will increase our ability to present the Covenant and to respond to questions about it, and about the nature of the Manifestations of God.
In these brief sessions we cannot cover the entire ocean of this great Book; we can only address a few themes, pick a few pieces of fruit from this Tree. One of the important things for the friends to realize, is that consistency in studying the Word of God results in gaining greater familiarity with the Revelation, through our repeated study of the same Texts. Often, the friends think that the amount of Revelation Baha'u'llah has given to us, far exceeds our ability to read it. In fact, if a person were to read only 6 pages per day, in one year he or she would read the entire body of Baha'u'llah's revelation which we have at present in the English language. This can be seen by totaling the pages of all of His Books we presently have in English:
181 Epistle to the Son of the Wolf
79 Gems of Divine Mysteries
346 Gleanings
52 Hidden Words
254 Kitab-i-Aqdas
257 Kitab-i-Iqan
339 Prayers and Meditations
122 Proclamation of Baha'u'llah
65 Seven Valleys and Four Valleys
272 Summons of the Lord of Hosts
80 Tabernacle of Unity
269 Tablets of Baha'u'llah
______________________
2316 pages total.
This actually overstates the total, because only 121 pages of the Aqdas consists of sacred Text-- about half of the Book; and all 122 pages of the Proclamation of Baha'u'llah and about 70 pages of the Gleanings are quotes from Baha'u'llah's other Books. If we divide this total by 365, this comes to 6 pages per day. If a person reads 3 pages every morning, and 3 pages every evening, for one year, he or she will read the entire body of Baha'u'llah's Writings we have in English; and establish a pattern of re-reading the sacred Text every year. But speed is not the point; reading with understanding, reading to gain inspiration and insight, and ability to share the Message is the point. It is hoped that these sessions will prime the pump, so that the real study will occur in the privacy of the person's own home, the pattern of daily study will become established and will provide fuel for the believer's study and sharing of the Word through the Ruhi courses and practices. Among the themes studied, particular emphasis will be paid to those sections of the Iqan that help us to teach the Faith to believers in the Bible. In addition to the Iqan itself, we will rely on Mr. Hooper Dunbar's excellent book "A Companion to the Study of the Kitab-i-Iqan" available here.
“It behoveth the friends in whatever land they be, to gather together in meetings, and therein to speak wisely and with eloquence, and to read the verses of God; for it is God's Words that kindle love's fire and set it ablaze.” (Baha'u'llah, quoted in Ruhi Book 2, Unit 2, Section 5)
“We hear that thou hast in mind to embellish thy house from time to time with a meeting of Baha'is, where some among them will engage in glorifying the All-Glorious Lord... Know that shouldst thou bring this about, that house of earth will become a house of heaven, and that fabric of stone a congress of the spirit.”
(Abdu'l-Baha, quoted in Ruhi Book 2, Unit 2, Section 5)
In Part 7 of Unit Two of Book Two, there is discussion of setting a weekly meeting for the study of the Writings. It is hoped that these study sessions will assist the friends in their personal study of this great Book. The focus will be on the believer's own individual relationship with the Word of God, in his or her morning and evening readings; which will energize the friends to spiritually advance, and to carry out the activities of the Five-Year Plan.
Brent
Excerpts from Interview of Hooper Dunbar regarding the Book of Certitude
This interview with Mr. Dunbar, a member of the Universal House of Justice, gives insights into the importance of studying this divine book.
"....I think it is hard for any of us to define a position for such an exalted book but we can take hints from the marvellous statements of Shoghi Effendi about it, which really are the things that awoke me to the significance of the book -- to the feeling that I had to do a careful study of it. Of course, I had read it early on as a Bahá'í -- I had read it in my pioneer years -- but the "point of departure", if you will, for this endeavour, was a quotation that I found in a letter of the Guardian to one of the friends in California, where he writes that the friends who want to become competent and useful teachers of the Cause should consider it to be their first duty to acquaint themselves as thoroughly as they can with each and every detail contained in the Kitáb-i-Íqán so that, he concludes, "they may be able to present the message in a befitting manner". "...befitting manner..."? "...each and every detail..."? My goodness, I thought to myself, I am going to have to get into this book in a big way!"
"It has been interesting for me to observe the diversity of people that The Book of Certitude has attracted and confirmed to the Cause -- on the different continents of the world, in different periods of Bahá'í development. The Kitáb-i-Íqán has a dynamic that is always there and not something that a believer will want to miss out on! And it provides us with the tools to assist in the Blessed Beauty's project of reconciling the followers of past religions into a single vision -- bringing them to that position of unity that is the consummation of all of the work of all of the Prophets of the past. The Kitáb-i-Íqán gives us insights into the Sacred Scriptures of the past -- the way Bahá'u'lláh quotes them, the significances he implies to the different symbolic terms that are there -- that are crucial to teaching the Faith or learning about the Faith from a different religious background. Then, beyond the significance of the contents of the book in teaching, Shoghi Effendi mentions how the book holds several examples of teaching by Bahá'u'lláh -- indeed the whole book is a study in how to teach, being addressed to a non-believer. The whole nature of the Kitáb-i-Íqán resounds with the attitude that one must have in teaching."
The full text of this interesting interview of Mr. Dunbar is found here.
"....I think it is hard for any of us to define a position for such an exalted book but we can take hints from the marvellous statements of Shoghi Effendi about it, which really are the things that awoke me to the significance of the book -- to the feeling that I had to do a careful study of it. Of course, I had read it early on as a Bahá'í -- I had read it in my pioneer years -- but the "point of departure", if you will, for this endeavour, was a quotation that I found in a letter of the Guardian to one of the friends in California, where he writes that the friends who want to become competent and useful teachers of the Cause should consider it to be their first duty to acquaint themselves as thoroughly as they can with each and every detail contained in the Kitáb-i-Íqán so that, he concludes, "they may be able to present the message in a befitting manner". "...befitting manner..."? "...each and every detail..."? My goodness, I thought to myself, I am going to have to get into this book in a big way!"
"It has been interesting for me to observe the diversity of people that The Book of Certitude has attracted and confirmed to the Cause -- on the different continents of the world, in different periods of Bahá'í development. The Kitáb-i-Íqán has a dynamic that is always there and not something that a believer will want to miss out on! And it provides us with the tools to assist in the Blessed Beauty's project of reconciling the followers of past religions into a single vision -- bringing them to that position of unity that is the consummation of all of the work of all of the Prophets of the past. The Kitáb-i-Íqán gives us insights into the Sacred Scriptures of the past -- the way Bahá'u'lláh quotes them, the significances he implies to the different symbolic terms that are there -- that are crucial to teaching the Faith or learning about the Faith from a different religious background. Then, beyond the significance of the contents of the book in teaching, Shoghi Effendi mentions how the book holds several examples of teaching by Bahá'u'lláh -- indeed the whole book is a study in how to teach, being addressed to a non-believer. The whole nature of the Kitáb-i-Íqán resounds with the attitude that one must have in teaching."
The full text of this interesting interview of Mr. Dunbar is found here.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Some Observations on Rhetorical Approaches used by Baha'u'llah in the Book of Certitude
In a classical sense, rhetoric is the science of persuasive speech. In his Rhetoric Aristotle described three major types of rhetorical approach, three modes of proof: The appeal to reason ("logos"), the appeal to emotion ("pathos"), and the ethical appeal ("ethos"). The focus of this comment is compile a number of verses from the Book of Certitude illustrating each of these, and showing a unique use by Baha'u'llah of the ethical appeal. I do not by any means suggest that Baha'u'llah's persuasive approaches are limited to these three. For example, Baha'u'llah also uses the fulfillment of prophecy as a form of proof (Iqan, paragraphs 266-282).
First, a brief comment on the logical and emotional appeals.
I. PATHOS
Pathos, the appeal to emotion (and there is no pejorative implied in this appeal in rhetoric) might be described as positive or negative. It can summon up a negative emotion such as moral outrage, or revulsion toward a situation, to persuade a person to take action to remedy it. For example, in perhaps the greatest of His Tablets of the Divine Plan, addressed to the "Apostles of Baha'u'llah" and revealed to the Baha'is of the United States and Canada during World War I, `Abdu'l-Baha graphically described the carnage of the ongoing war, with blood flowing and severed heads fallen on the dust. He then implored God to raise up "humble and submissive souls" as teachers and called on them to diffuse the fragrances of holiness, illumine the nations and still the tempest of war. (Tablets of the Divine Plan, pp. 45-56)
An example of the use of the appeal to "positive" emotions might be this verse from one of Baha'u'llah's mystic Tablets:
"Arise, therefore, and, with the whole enthusiasm of your hearts, with all the eagerness of your souls, the full fervor of your will, and the concentrated efforts of your entire being, strive to attain the paradise of His presence, and endeavor to inhale the fragrance of the incorruptible Flower, to breathe the sweet savors of holiness, and to obtain a portion of this perfume of celestial glory. Whoso followeth this counsel will break his chains asunder, will taste the abandonment of enraptured love, will attain unto his heart's desire, and will surrender his soul into the hands of his Beloved. Bursting through his cage, he will, even as the bird of the spirit, wing his flight to his holy and everlasting nest." (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 321)
II. LOGOS
There are many examples of Baha'u'llah's appeal to logos in the Iqan. Without examining them here, I will only mention that this Book is described by Shoghi Effendi as "cogent in argument" (God Passes By, p. 138), which Baha'u'llah Himself confirms: "Such is the meaning of these verses, every word of which hath been expounded by the aid of the most lucid texts, the most convincing arguments, and the best established evidence." (Iqan, para. 87) And again, He describes Himself as "… having having set forth all these weighty and infallible proofs which no understanding mind can question, and no man of learning overlook…" (Iqan, para. 152) These appeals are accessible, as He here writes, to the "man of learning," to anyone possessed of an "understanding mind."
III. ETHOS
In the third form of persuasion identified by Aristotle, ethos, the speaker generally strives to impress upon the listener the speaker's virtue or benevolent motives. Baha'u'llah frequently draws attention to the moral pre-eminence of the Manifestation, that He, par excellence, has the highest moral claim; but there is another, unique aspect to the ethical appeal, discussed below in III.C.
III.A. THE MORAL EXCELLENCE OF THE MANIFESTATION:
In His Writings, Baha'u'llah often demonstrates the ethical appeal in the classical sense, in that His Words demonstrate His own excellence. For example, in the Most Holy Book, He writes: "Know ye from what heights your Lord, the All-Glorious is calling?" (p. 39, paragraph 55) Similarly, in the Iqan He writes: "O my beloved! Immeasurably exalted is the celestial Melody above the strivings of human ear to hear or mind to grasp its mystery! (para. 180). Baha'u'llah directly expresses His benevolence in such passages as: "God is Our witness that what We even now mention is due solely to Our tender affection for thee," (para. 68) and, "To everyone We have been a most kindly companion, a most forbearing and affectionate friend." (para. 277).
III.B. THE DENIER NOT YET HAVING PURIFIED HIS SIGHT IS UNABLE TO ACCEPT SOME ARGUMENTS OF THE MANIFESTATION:
Baha'u'llah describes those who reject His arguments as those who have "weighed the testimony of God by the standard of their own knowledge" (Iqan, para. 14), and as those who engage in "the interpretation of God's holy Book in accordance with their idle imaginings and vain desires." (para. 93)
That the truths contained in the Word of God are not seen until one is purified is also stated by the Bab:
"For on that Day whatever cause prompteth the believer to believe in Him, the same will also be available to the unbeliever. But when the latter suffereth himself to be wrapt in veils, the same cause shutteth him out as by a veil. Thus, as is clearly evident today, those who have set their faces toward God, the True One, have believed in Him because of the Bayan, while such as are veiled have been deprived because of it." (The Persian Bayan, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 103). This principle is expressed in the Qur'an: "And their unbelief shall only increase for the unbelievers their own perdition." (Qur'an 35:39, cited in paragraph 9 of the Iqan)
III.C. THE READER MUST STRIVE FOR MORAL EXCELLENCE AND SPIRITUAL QUALITIES AS A PREREQUISITE TO GRASPING THE TRUTHS PRESENTED IN THE WORD OF GOD
In what is perhaps a unique use of the ethical appeal, Baha'u'llah calls on the listener to grow spiritually in order to grasp the truths He presents. While ordinary human literature is suffused with examples of ethical persuasion, perhaps this is a new genre of ethical appeal in Baha'u'llah's Writings, particularly seen in the Iqan. In this mode Baha'u'llah calls on the reader to see with a higher vision, and states that only by possessing the most refined moral sense and disinterested motivation can the reader grasp the truth of His statements. While His logical arguments can be grasped by any "understanding mind" and "man of learning," as quoted above, some aspects of His exposition are not accessible universally; they become increasingly visible as one grows spiritually. It seems to me that Baha'u'llah uses this mode of persuasion in the Iqan at least as often as the logical appeal. Here is a sampling of such expressions from the Iqan:
"With fixed and steady gaze, born of the unerring eye of God, scan for a while the horizon of divine knowledge, and contemplate those words of perfection which the Eternal hath revealed, that haply the mysteries of divine wisdom, hidden ere now beneath the veil of glory and treasured within the tabernacle of His grace, may be made manifest unto you." (Paragraph 16)
"None except the righteous shall partake of this cup, none but the godly can share therein." (Para. 41, paraphrasing Qur'an 76:5)
"And now, with fixed gaze and steady wings enter thou the way of certitude and truth.... Then shalt thou witness all these mysteries with thine own eyes." (para. 43)
"If the eye of justice be opened, it will readily recognize ... " (para. 63)
"Wert thou to cleanse the mirror of thy heart from the dust of malice, thou wouldst apprehend the meaning of the symbolic terms revealed by the all-embracing Word of God..." (para. 75)
"Not, however, until thou consumest with the flame of utter detachment those veils of idle learning, that are current amongst men, canst thou behold the resplendent morn of true knowledge." (para. 75)
"The heart must needs therefore be cleansed from the idle sayings of men, and sanctified from every earthly affection, so that it may discover the hidden meaning..." (para. 77)
"It is incumbent upon thee, by the permission of God, to cleanse the eye of thine heart from the things of the world, that thou mayest realize the infinitude of divine knowledge, and mayest behold Truth so clearly that thou wilt need no proof to demonstrate His reality, nor any evidence to bear witness unto His testimony." (para. 89)
"Wert thou to attain to but a dewdrop of the crystal waters of divine knowledge, thou would readily realize ..." (para. 128)
"Only those will attain to the knowledge of the Word of God that have turned unto Him, and repudiated the manifestations of Satan." (para. 130)
"Not withstanding the obviousness of this theme, in the eyes of those that have quaffed the wine of knowledge and certitude..." (para. 172)
"Only when the lamp of search, of earnest striving, of longing desire, of passionate devotion, of fervid love, of rapture, and ecstasy, is kindled within the seeker's heart, and the breeze of His loving-kindness is wafted upon his soul, will the darkness of error be dispelled, the mists of doubts and misgivings be dissipated, and the lights of knowledge and certitude envelop his being....Gazing with the eye of God, he will perceive within every atom a door that leadeth him to the stations of absolute certitude." (para. 216)
"When the channel of the human soul is cleansed of all worldly and impeding attachments, it will unfailingly perceive the breath of the Beloved across immeasurable distances..." (para. 217)
"The understanding of His words and the comprehension of the utterances of the Birds of Heaven are in no wise dependent upon human learning. They depend solely upon purity of heart, chastity of soul, and freedom of spirit…. Well is it with the sincere in heart for their share of the light of a mighty Day!" (para. 233)
"The wine of renunciation must needs be quaffed, the lofty heights of detachment must needs be attained, and the meditation referred to in the words 'One hour's reflection is preferable to seventy years of pious worship' must needs be observed, so that the secret ... might be discovered..." (para. 267)
"They that have hearts to understand, they that have quaffed the Wine of love, who have not for one moment gratified their selfish desires, will behold, resplendent as the sun in its noon-tide glory, those tokens, testimonies, and evidences that attest the truth of this wondrous Revelation, this transcendent and divine Faith." (para. 280)
"None apprehendeth the meaning of these utterances except them whose hearts are assured, whose souls have found favour with God, and whose minds are detached from all else but Him." (para. 283)
First, a brief comment on the logical and emotional appeals.
I. PATHOS
Pathos, the appeal to emotion (and there is no pejorative implied in this appeal in rhetoric) might be described as positive or negative. It can summon up a negative emotion such as moral outrage, or revulsion toward a situation, to persuade a person to take action to remedy it. For example, in perhaps the greatest of His Tablets of the Divine Plan, addressed to the "Apostles of Baha'u'llah" and revealed to the Baha'is of the United States and Canada during World War I, `Abdu'l-Baha graphically described the carnage of the ongoing war, with blood flowing and severed heads fallen on the dust. He then implored God to raise up "humble and submissive souls" as teachers and called on them to diffuse the fragrances of holiness, illumine the nations and still the tempest of war. (Tablets of the Divine Plan, pp. 45-56)
An example of the use of the appeal to "positive" emotions might be this verse from one of Baha'u'llah's mystic Tablets:
"Arise, therefore, and, with the whole enthusiasm of your hearts, with all the eagerness of your souls, the full fervor of your will, and the concentrated efforts of your entire being, strive to attain the paradise of His presence, and endeavor to inhale the fragrance of the incorruptible Flower, to breathe the sweet savors of holiness, and to obtain a portion of this perfume of celestial glory. Whoso followeth this counsel will break his chains asunder, will taste the abandonment of enraptured love, will attain unto his heart's desire, and will surrender his soul into the hands of his Beloved. Bursting through his cage, he will, even as the bird of the spirit, wing his flight to his holy and everlasting nest." (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 321)
II. LOGOS
There are many examples of Baha'u'llah's appeal to logos in the Iqan. Without examining them here, I will only mention that this Book is described by Shoghi Effendi as "cogent in argument" (God Passes By, p. 138), which Baha'u'llah Himself confirms: "Such is the meaning of these verses, every word of which hath been expounded by the aid of the most lucid texts, the most convincing arguments, and the best established evidence." (Iqan, para. 87) And again, He describes Himself as "… having having set forth all these weighty and infallible proofs which no understanding mind can question, and no man of learning overlook…" (Iqan, para. 152) These appeals are accessible, as He here writes, to the "man of learning," to anyone possessed of an "understanding mind."
III. ETHOS
In the third form of persuasion identified by Aristotle, ethos, the speaker generally strives to impress upon the listener the speaker's virtue or benevolent motives. Baha'u'llah frequently draws attention to the moral pre-eminence of the Manifestation, that He, par excellence, has the highest moral claim; but there is another, unique aspect to the ethical appeal, discussed below in III.C.
III.A. THE MORAL EXCELLENCE OF THE MANIFESTATION:
In His Writings, Baha'u'llah often demonstrates the ethical appeal in the classical sense, in that His Words demonstrate His own excellence. For example, in the Most Holy Book, He writes: "Know ye from what heights your Lord, the All-Glorious is calling?" (p. 39, paragraph 55) Similarly, in the Iqan He writes: "O my beloved! Immeasurably exalted is the celestial Melody above the strivings of human ear to hear or mind to grasp its mystery! (para. 180). Baha'u'llah directly expresses His benevolence in such passages as: "God is Our witness that what We even now mention is due solely to Our tender affection for thee," (para. 68) and, "To everyone We have been a most kindly companion, a most forbearing and affectionate friend." (para. 277).
III.B. THE DENIER NOT YET HAVING PURIFIED HIS SIGHT IS UNABLE TO ACCEPT SOME ARGUMENTS OF THE MANIFESTATION:
Baha'u'llah describes those who reject His arguments as those who have "weighed the testimony of God by the standard of their own knowledge" (Iqan, para. 14), and as those who engage in "the interpretation of God's holy Book in accordance with their idle imaginings and vain desires." (para. 93)
That the truths contained in the Word of God are not seen until one is purified is also stated by the Bab:
"For on that Day whatever cause prompteth the believer to believe in Him, the same will also be available to the unbeliever. But when the latter suffereth himself to be wrapt in veils, the same cause shutteth him out as by a veil. Thus, as is clearly evident today, those who have set their faces toward God, the True One, have believed in Him because of the Bayan, while such as are veiled have been deprived because of it." (The Persian Bayan, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 103). This principle is expressed in the Qur'an: "And their unbelief shall only increase for the unbelievers their own perdition." (Qur'an 35:39, cited in paragraph 9 of the Iqan)
III.C. THE READER MUST STRIVE FOR MORAL EXCELLENCE AND SPIRITUAL QUALITIES AS A PREREQUISITE TO GRASPING THE TRUTHS PRESENTED IN THE WORD OF GOD
In what is perhaps a unique use of the ethical appeal, Baha'u'llah calls on the listener to grow spiritually in order to grasp the truths He presents. While ordinary human literature is suffused with examples of ethical persuasion, perhaps this is a new genre of ethical appeal in Baha'u'llah's Writings, particularly seen in the Iqan. In this mode Baha'u'llah calls on the reader to see with a higher vision, and states that only by possessing the most refined moral sense and disinterested motivation can the reader grasp the truth of His statements. While His logical arguments can be grasped by any "understanding mind" and "man of learning," as quoted above, some aspects of His exposition are not accessible universally; they become increasingly visible as one grows spiritually. It seems to me that Baha'u'llah uses this mode of persuasion in the Iqan at least as often as the logical appeal. Here is a sampling of such expressions from the Iqan:
"With fixed and steady gaze, born of the unerring eye of God, scan for a while the horizon of divine knowledge, and contemplate those words of perfection which the Eternal hath revealed, that haply the mysteries of divine wisdom, hidden ere now beneath the veil of glory and treasured within the tabernacle of His grace, may be made manifest unto you." (Paragraph 16)
"None except the righteous shall partake of this cup, none but the godly can share therein." (Para. 41, paraphrasing Qur'an 76:5)
"And now, with fixed gaze and steady wings enter thou the way of certitude and truth.... Then shalt thou witness all these mysteries with thine own eyes." (para. 43)
"If the eye of justice be opened, it will readily recognize ... " (para. 63)
"Wert thou to cleanse the mirror of thy heart from the dust of malice, thou wouldst apprehend the meaning of the symbolic terms revealed by the all-embracing Word of God..." (para. 75)
"Not, however, until thou consumest with the flame of utter detachment those veils of idle learning, that are current amongst men, canst thou behold the resplendent morn of true knowledge." (para. 75)
"The heart must needs therefore be cleansed from the idle sayings of men, and sanctified from every earthly affection, so that it may discover the hidden meaning..." (para. 77)
"It is incumbent upon thee, by the permission of God, to cleanse the eye of thine heart from the things of the world, that thou mayest realize the infinitude of divine knowledge, and mayest behold Truth so clearly that thou wilt need no proof to demonstrate His reality, nor any evidence to bear witness unto His testimony." (para. 89)
"Wert thou to attain to but a dewdrop of the crystal waters of divine knowledge, thou would readily realize ..." (para. 128)
"Only those will attain to the knowledge of the Word of God that have turned unto Him, and repudiated the manifestations of Satan." (para. 130)
"Not withstanding the obviousness of this theme, in the eyes of those that have quaffed the wine of knowledge and certitude..." (para. 172)
"Only when the lamp of search, of earnest striving, of longing desire, of passionate devotion, of fervid love, of rapture, and ecstasy, is kindled within the seeker's heart, and the breeze of His loving-kindness is wafted upon his soul, will the darkness of error be dispelled, the mists of doubts and misgivings be dissipated, and the lights of knowledge and certitude envelop his being....Gazing with the eye of God, he will perceive within every atom a door that leadeth him to the stations of absolute certitude." (para. 216)
"When the channel of the human soul is cleansed of all worldly and impeding attachments, it will unfailingly perceive the breath of the Beloved across immeasurable distances..." (para. 217)
"The understanding of His words and the comprehension of the utterances of the Birds of Heaven are in no wise dependent upon human learning. They depend solely upon purity of heart, chastity of soul, and freedom of spirit…. Well is it with the sincere in heart for their share of the light of a mighty Day!" (para. 233)
"The wine of renunciation must needs be quaffed, the lofty heights of detachment must needs be attained, and the meditation referred to in the words 'One hour's reflection is preferable to seventy years of pious worship' must needs be observed, so that the secret ... might be discovered..." (para. 267)
"They that have hearts to understand, they that have quaffed the Wine of love, who have not for one moment gratified their selfish desires, will behold, resplendent as the sun in its noon-tide glory, those tokens, testimonies, and evidences that attest the truth of this wondrous Revelation, this transcendent and divine Faith." (para. 280)
"None apprehendeth the meaning of these utterances except them whose hearts are assured, whose souls have found favour with God, and whose minds are detached from all else but Him." (para. 283)
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Quotations from the Baha'i Writings about the study of the Book of Certitude
"...all the Scriptures and the mysteries thereof are condensed into this brief account. So much so, that were a person to ponder it a while in his heart, he would discover from all that hath been said the mysteries of the Words of God, and would apprehend the meaning of whatever hath been manifested by that ideal King."
(Baha'u'llah, the Book of Certitude, paragraph 266)
"Refer to it [the Kitab-i-Iqan] so that you may be informed of the truth of the divine mysteries."
‘Abdu’l-Baha, Some Answered Questions p. 289.
"O thou who are athirst for the water of Life! This manifest Book is the fountainhead of the Water of Life eternal. Drink so much as thou art able from the fountain of the living water. O thou who art seeking after the knowledge of God! Immerse thyself in the ocean of the explanation of the Beauty of the Merciful, so that thou mayest gather from its depths the pearls of the wisdom of God.
"This is a translation of the 'Preserved Tablet,' the 'Expanded Parchment,' the Divine Charter, the Firman of the Merciful, that is, the Book of Iqán which hath emanated from the Supreme Pen and proceeded from the pure lips of the Blessed Beauty (may my soul be a sacrifice to His beloved ones)."
‘Abdu’l-Baha, from the frontispiece to ‘Ali-Kuli-Khan's 1913 translation of the Kitáb-i-Iqan.
"The Sacred Books are full of allusions to this new dispensation. In the Book of Iqan, Baha'u'llah gives the key-note and explains some of the outstanding passages hoping that the friends will continue to study the Sacred Books by themselves and unfold the mysteries found therein."
From a letter dated 11 March 1923 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; quoted in "The Importance of Deepening our Knowledge and Understanding of the Faith", compiled by the Universal House of Justice ("The Compilation on Deepening") page 28.
"As the Iqan is the most important book wherein Baha'u'llah explains the basic beliefs of the Faith, he [Shoghi Effendi] thought a proper rendering of it would infinitely enhance the teaching work in the West."
Excerpt from a letter from the Guardian's secretary on his behalf to
the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States, Baha'i News #46, November 1930, p. 2.
"Unable to find a good typist, I have had to do the work myself, and I trust that the proofreaders will find it easy to go over and will not mind the type errors which I have tried to correct. I would especially urge you to adhere to the transliteration which I have adopted. The correct title is, I feel, 'The Kitab-i-Iqan' the sub-title 'The Book of Certitude.' May it help the friends to approach a step further, and obtain a clearer idea of the fundamental teachings set forth by Baha'u'llah."
Shoghi Effendi in a letter published in Baha'i News #46, November 1930, p. 2 (Postscript to the above letter on his behalf)
"Shoghi Effendi hopes that you will exert all your efforts first in deepening your own knowledge of the teachings and then strive to attract other people. You should form study classes and read the important books that have been published, especially the Iqan which contains the basic tenets of the Faith. The one who ponders over that book and grasps its full significance will obtain a clear insight into the old scriptures and appreciate the true mission of the Bab and Baha'u'llah."
The Guardian's secretary on his behalf, in a letter to the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of St. Louis, Missouri, Compilation on Deepening.
"Shoghi Effendi hopes that you will exert all your effort to deepen your knowledge of the literature of the Movement, until you become fully acquainted with its spirit and tenets. Unless you do obtain such a firm hold you will never be able to teach others and render real service to the promulgation of the Faith. Of special importance is the Book of the Iqan which explains the attitude of the Cause towards the prophets of God and their mission in the history of society. Besides this there is Some Answered Questions of the Master and the Dawn-Breakers of Nabil. Every Baha'i should master these books and be able to explain their contents to others. Besides their importance, they are interesting and most absorbing."
The Guardian's secretary on his behalf, Compilation on Deepening.
"Books such as the Iqan, Some Answered Questions, the Tablets of Baha'u'llah, Nabil's Narrative and Dr. Esslemont's books should be read and read over again by every soul who desires to serve the Movement or considers himself an active member of the group."
The Guardian's secretary on his behalf, Compilation on Deepening.
Shoghi Effendi's Description of the Book of Certitude
Foremost among the priceless treasures cast forth from the billowing ocean of Bahá'u'lláh's Revelation ranks the Kitab-i-Iqan (Book of Certitude), revealed within the space of two days and two nights, in the closing years of that period (1278 A.H. -- 1862 A.D.). It was written in fulfillment of the prophecy of the Bab, Who had specifically stated that the Promised One would complete the text of the unfinished Persian Bayan, and in reply to the questions addressed to Baha'u'llah by the as yet unconverted maternal uncle of the Bab, Haji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad, while on a visit, with his brother, Haji Mirza Hasan-'Ali, to Karbila. A model of Persian prose, of a style at once original, chaste and vigorous, and remarkably lucid, both cogent in argument and matchless in its irresistible eloquence, this Book, setting forth in outline the Grand Redemptive Scheme of God, occupies a position unequalled by any work in the entire range of Baha'i literature, except the Kitab-i-Aqdas, Baha'u'llah's Most Holy Book. Revealed on the eve of the declaration of His Mission, it proffered to mankind the "Choice Sealed Wine," whose seal is of "musk," and broke the "seals" of the "Book" referred to by Daniel, and disclosed the meaning of the "words" destined to remain "closed up" till the "time of the end."
Within a compass of two hundred pages it proclaims unequivocally the existence and oneness of a personal God, unknowable, inaccessible, the source of all Revelation, eternal, omniscient, omnipresent and almighty; asserts the relativity of religious truth and the continuity of Divine Revelation; affirms the unity of the Prophets, the universality of their Message, the identity of their fundamental teachings, the sanctity of their scriptures, and the twofold character of their stations; denounces the blindness and perversity of the divines and doctors of every age; cites and elucidates the allegorical passages of the New Testament, the abstruse verses of the Qur'an, and the cryptic Muhammadan traditions which have bred those age-long misunderstandings, doubts and animosities that have sundered and kept apart the followers of the world's leading religious systems; enumerates the essential prerequisites for the attainment by every true seeker of the object of his quest; demonstrates the validity, the sublimity and significance of the Bab's Revelation; acclaims the heroism and detachment of His disciples; foreshadows, and prophesies the world-wide triumph of the Revelation promised to the people of the Bayan; upholds the purity and innocence of the Virgin Mary; glorifies the Imams of the Faith of Muhammad; celebrates the martyrdom, and lauds the spiritual sovereignty, of the Imam Husayn; unfolds the meaning of such symbolic terms as "Return," "Resurrection," "Seal of the Prophets" and "Day of Judgment"; adumbrates and distinguishes between the three stages of Divine Revelation; and expatiates, in glowing terms, upon the glories and wonders of the "City of God," renewed, at fixed intervals, by the dispensation of Providence, for the guidance, the benefit and salvation of all mankind. Well may it be claimed that of all the books revealed by the Author of the Baha'i Revelation, this Book alone, by sweeping away the age-long barriers that have so insurmountably separated the great religions of the world, has laid down a broad and unassailable foundation for the complete and permanent reconciliation of their followers.
(Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, pp. 138-139)
Shoghi Effendi adds that this Book is one of Baha'u'llah's “outstanding contributions to the world's religious literature” occupying a position of “unsurpassed preeminence among the doctrinal ... writings of the Author of the Baha'i Dispensation”. (Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 140)
Within a compass of two hundred pages it proclaims unequivocally the existence and oneness of a personal God, unknowable, inaccessible, the source of all Revelation, eternal, omniscient, omnipresent and almighty; asserts the relativity of religious truth and the continuity of Divine Revelation; affirms the unity of the Prophets, the universality of their Message, the identity of their fundamental teachings, the sanctity of their scriptures, and the twofold character of their stations; denounces the blindness and perversity of the divines and doctors of every age; cites and elucidates the allegorical passages of the New Testament, the abstruse verses of the Qur'an, and the cryptic Muhammadan traditions which have bred those age-long misunderstandings, doubts and animosities that have sundered and kept apart the followers of the world's leading religious systems; enumerates the essential prerequisites for the attainment by every true seeker of the object of his quest; demonstrates the validity, the sublimity and significance of the Bab's Revelation; acclaims the heroism and detachment of His disciples; foreshadows, and prophesies the world-wide triumph of the Revelation promised to the people of the Bayan; upholds the purity and innocence of the Virgin Mary; glorifies the Imams of the Faith of Muhammad; celebrates the martyrdom, and lauds the spiritual sovereignty, of the Imam Husayn; unfolds the meaning of such symbolic terms as "Return," "Resurrection," "Seal of the Prophets" and "Day of Judgment"; adumbrates and distinguishes between the three stages of Divine Revelation; and expatiates, in glowing terms, upon the glories and wonders of the "City of God," renewed, at fixed intervals, by the dispensation of Providence, for the guidance, the benefit and salvation of all mankind. Well may it be claimed that of all the books revealed by the Author of the Baha'i Revelation, this Book alone, by sweeping away the age-long barriers that have so insurmountably separated the great religions of the world, has laid down a broad and unassailable foundation for the complete and permanent reconciliation of their followers.
(Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, pp. 138-139)
Shoghi Effendi adds that this Book is one of Baha'u'llah's “outstanding contributions to the world's religious literature” occupying a position of “unsurpassed preeminence among the doctrinal ... writings of the Author of the Baha'i Dispensation”. (Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 140)
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