Bahá'í literature

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This article refers to the literature of the generally-recognized global Bahá'í community. See disambiguation for others.

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Index of Bahá'í Articles
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Bahá'í literature, like much religious text, covers a variety of topics and forms, including scripture and inspiration, interpretation, history and biography, introduction and study materials, and apologia. Sometimes considerable overlap can be observed in a particular text.

Much of the early works of the religion were in the form of letters to individuals or communities. These are termed "Tablets" and have been collected into various folios by Bahá'í leaders over time. Today, the Universal House of Justice still uses letters as a primary method of communication.

Contents

[edit] Literary forms

Generally speaking, the literary form of a particular book can readily be determined by noting the author and/or title.

[edit] Scripture, inspiration and interpretation

Bahá'ís believe that the founders of the religion, The Báb and Bahá'u'lláh, received revelation directly from God. As such their works are considered divinely inspired. These works are often referred to as "revealed text" or revelation.

`Abdu'l-Bahá was appointed by Bahá'u'lláh to be his successor and authorized him to interpret the religion's "revealed text." The works of `Abdu'l-Bahá are therefore considered authoritative directives and interpretation, as well as part of Bahá'í scripture. He, along with The Báb and Bahá'u'lláh, is considered one of the "Central Figures" of the religion.

Likewise Shoghi Effendi's interpretations and directives are considered authoritative, but are not considered to expand upon the "revealed text" or to be scripture.

In the Bahá'í view, the Universal House of Justice does not have the position to interpret the founders' works authoritatively, nor those of `Abdu'l-Bahá or Shoghi Effendi. However, it is charged with addressing any question not addressed in those works. As such its directives are considered authoritative, as long as they are in force (the Universal House of Justice may alter or revoke its own earlier decisions as needed), and are often collected into compilations or folios.

A special category of works consist of the prayers of the Central Figures. These were often included in original letters and have been collected into various prayer books. Bahá'u'lláh's Prayers and Meditations is a significant volume. As Bahá'ís are to pray, meditate, and study sacred scripture daily, these books are common.

[edit] History and biography

Shoghi Effendi's only book, God Passes By, is a central text covering the history of the faith from 1844 to 1944. Nabil-Zarandi's Dawn Breakers covers the Bábí period extensively through to Bahá'u'lláh's banishment from Persia in 1853.

Ruhiyyih Rabbani's Ministry of the Custodians details the interregnum between Shoghi Effendi's death in 1957 and the election of the Universal House of Justice in 1963.

Other authors have revisited the early periods of the religion in the Middle East or addressed historical periods in other places. Some of these contain significant amounts of biographical data and can be considered as such. Notably, Baluzi's and Taherzadeh's works have focused on the history and biographies of the central figures of the religion and their significant contemporaries.

[edit] Introduction and study materials

One of the earliest introductory texts available in English is Esslemont's Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era. This book, originally published in 1923, has undergone several revisions over time to update, correct, and clarify its contents.[1]

Several other introductory texts are available. Hatcher & Martin's The Bahá'í Faith: The Emerging Global Religion, Momen's A Short Introduction to the Bahá'í Faith, and Smith's The Bahá'í Religion are some examples.

Of considerable importance to the Bahá'í community world-wide is the Ruhi series of study materials inspired, and largely produced, by the Bahá'í community of Colombia. These books form the core texts used in "Study Circles" and "Training Institutes" by Bahá'í communities around the world. [2]

[edit] Apologia

Not a few of Bahá'u'lláh's works would classify as apologia. His Kitáb-i-Íqán (Book of Certitude) and Epistle to the Son of the Wolf are significant works in the area and address both Islamic and Bahá'í audiences. During the time of Bahá'u'lláh, both Nabíl-i-Akbar and Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl Gulpáygání were noteworthy Islamic scholars who accepted the religion. Nabíl-i-Akbar was well versed in, and wrote on Islamic issues. Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl wrote extensively on both Christian and Islamic apologia, most notably in his book The Brilliant Proof.[3]

While Townshend's Christ and Bahá'u'lláh may also be regarded as an apologetic response to Christian concerns, Udo Schaefer, et. al.'s Making the Crooked Straight is a decidedly apologetic response to the polemical Der Bahá'ísmus - Religion der Zukunft? (Bahá'ísm – Religion of the future?), a book which was promoted by the Evangelische Zentralstrelle für Weltanschauungsfragen (Central Office of the Protestant Church for Questions of Ideology) in the 1980's. [4] [5]

[edit] Bibliography

Texts & Scriptures
of the
Bahá'í Faith

Bahá'í literature
From The Báb
Persian Bayán · Arabic Bayán
Writings of the Báb
From Bahá'u'lláh
Hidden Words · Seven Valleys
Gems of Divine Mysteries
Kitáb-i-Íqán · Gleanings
Summons of the Lord of Hosts
Tabernacle of Unity
Kitáb-i-Aqdas
Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh
Epistle to the Son of the Wolf
From `Abdu'l-Bahá
Secret of Divine Civilization
Some Answered Questions
Paris Talks
Tablets of the Divine Plan
Will and Testament
From Shoghi Effendi
World Order of Bahá'u'lláh
Advent of Divine Justice
God Passes By
Bahá'í Administration
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For ease, the bibliography is sub-divided by author.

[edit] Authoritative

[edit] `Abdu'l-Bahá

  • `Abdu'l-Bahá (1918). `Abdu'l-Bahá on Divine Philosophy. Boston, USA: Tudor Press.

[edit] Báb, The

[edit] Bahá'u'lláh

See also: List of writings of Bahá'u'lláh

[edit] Central Figures: prayer books

  • The Báb, Bahá'u'lláh & `Abdu'l-Bahá (1996). Bahá'í Daybook: Passages for Deepening and Meditation. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá'í Publishing Trust. ISBN 087743154X.
  • The Báb, Bahá'u'lláh & `Abdu'l-Bahá (2003). Fountains of Love: A Selection of Prayers and Meditations by Bahá'u'lláh, The Báb, and `Abdu'l-Bahá. Germany: Bahá'í Verlag GmbH. ISBN 3870373970.
  • The Báb, Bahá'u'lláh & `Abdu'l-Bahá (2000). Remembrance of God: A Selection of Bahá'í Prayers and Holy Writings. New Delhi, India: Bahá'í Publishing Trust. ISBN 8185091641.

[edit] Central Figures and Shoghi Effendi: compilations

The Universal House of Justice has prepared several compilations of extracts from the Central Figures and Shoghi Effendi.

[edit] Effendi, Shoghi

[edit] Universal House of Justice and its agencies

These are original works of the Universal House of Justice and its agencies as distinct from compilations.

[edit] Other authors

[edit] Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl Gulpáygání

[edit] Balyuzi, H.M.

  • Balyuzi, H. (2001). `Abdu'l-Bahá: The Centre of the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh, Paperback, Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0853980438.

[edit] Esselmont, J.E.

[edit] Momen, Moojan

  • Momen, M. (1994). Buddhism and the Bahá'í Faith. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0853983844.
  • Momen, M. (2000). Islam and the Bahá'í Faith, An Introduction to the Bahá'í Faith for Muslims. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0-853984468.

[edit] Nabíl-i-Zarandí

[edit] Rabbani, Rúhíyyih

[edit] Schaefer, Udo

  • Schaefer, U., Towfigh, N. & Gollmer, U. (2000). Making the Crooked Straight: A Contribution to Bahá'í Apologetics. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0853984433.

[edit] Sears, William

[edit] Smith, Peter

  • Smith, P. (1988). The Bahá'í Religion, A Short Introduction to its History and Teachings. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0853982775.
  • Smith, P. (1999). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bahá'í Faith. Oxford, UK: Oneworld Publications. ISBN 1851681841.
  • Smith, P. (1999). The Bahá'í Faith: A Short History. Oxford, UK: Oneworld Publications. ISBN 1851682082.

[edit] Taherzadeh, Adib

  • Taherzadeh, A. (2000). The Child of the Covenant. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0853984395.
  • Taherzadeh, A. (1972). The Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0853983445.
  • Taherzadeh, A. (1976). The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, Volume 1: Baghdad 1853-63. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0853982708.
  • Taherzadeh, A. (1977). The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, Volume 2: Adrianople 1863-68. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0853980713.
  • Taherzadeh, A. (1984). The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, Volume 3: `Akka, The Early Years 1868-77. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0853981442.
  • Taherzadeh, A. (1987). The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, Volume 4: Mazra'ih & Bahji 1877-92. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0853982708.

[edit] Townshend, George

[edit] Various

  • Lady Blomfield [1956] (1975). The Chosen Highway. London, UK: Bahá'í Publishing Trust. 0877430152.
  • Cameron, G., & Momen, W. (1996). A Basic Bahá'í Chronology. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0853984022.
  • Hatcher W.S., & Martin, J.D. (1998). The Bahá'í Faith: The Emerging Global Religion. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá'í Publishing Trust. ISBN 0877432643.
  • Hofman, D. (1982). Commentary on the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0853981582.
  • Khan J.A., & Khan, P. (2003). Advancement of Women: A Bahá'í Perspective. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá'í Publishing Trust. ISBN 1931847037.
  • Khan, J.A. (2005). Prophet's Daughter: The Life and Legacy of Bahíyyih Khánum, Outstanding Heroine Of The Bahá'í Faith. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá'í Publishing Trust. ISBN 1931847142.
  • Momen, W. (1989). A Basic Bahá'í Dictionary. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0853982317.
  • Ruhe-Schoen, J. (1998). A Love Which Does Not Wait. Riviera Beach, Florida, USA: Palabra Publications. ISBN 1890101176.
  • Salmani, Ustad Muhammad-`Aliy-i, the Barber, Gail, Marizieh (tr.) (1982). My Memories of Bahá'u'lláh. Los Angeles, USA: Kalimát Press. ISBN 0933770219.
  • Whitmore, B. (1984). The Dawning Place. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá'í Publishing Trust. ISBN 0877431922..
  • Zarqáni, Mírzá Mahmúd-i- (1998). Mahmúd's Diary: Chronicling `Abdu'l-Bahá's Journey to America. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0853984182..

[edit] Periodicals

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ The Universal House of Justice (1996-06-02). "Prophecy of Daniel; Modifications of Baha'u'llah and the New Era".
  2. ^ Bahá'í International Community. Collaborative Study for Individual and Social Transformation. Retrieved on 2006-12-04.
  3. ^ Smith, P. (1999). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bahá'í Faith, p. 40, & p. 133.
  4. ^ Fazel, S. (2004). "Making the Crooked Straight, by Udo Schaefer, Nicola Towfigh, and Ulrich Gollmer: Review". Interreligious Insight 2 (1): 96.
  5. ^ Cannuyer, C. (1998). "Making the Crooked Straight, by Udo Schaefer, Nicola Towfigh, and Ulrich Gollmer: Review". Baha'i Studies Review 8 (1).
  6. ^ a b The Universal House of Justice. Numbers and Classifications of Sacred Writings texts. Retrieved on 2006-12-04.
  7. ^ a b Stockman, R. and Cole, J. Number of tablets revealed by Bahá'u'lláh. Retrieved on 2006-12-04.
  8. ^ McGlinn, S. (1999). The Leiden list of the works of Baha'u'llah. Retrieved on 2006-12-04.

[edit] External links

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