New Baha'i Writings released: (Jesus, Moses, Earth, paradise, soul)

[arthra]

Just released in the past few days is a newly translated into English volume of the Writings of Baha'u'llah "The Tabernacle of Unity". I ordered my copies back about three months ago and have been eagerly waiting for them to arrive by post and yesterday arrive they did! I was very pleased and excited to receive them. Baha'is are always excited when this happens. This new volume has letters responding to questions from Zoroastrians and has a few references to Hinduism and Zoroastrianism I had not seen before.

Here is the press release:


-- A new volume of selected writings by Baha'u'llah, entitled "The Tabernacle of Unity," has been recently translated and published in English.

This latest publication of the Baha'i World Centre contains five "tablets" - letters - written by Baha'u'llah to individuals of Zoroastrian background in the 1800s. As such, these tablets provide important insights into the interrelatedness of religion.

The first two tablets presented in this book are based on questions posed to Baha'u'llah by a Manikchi Sahib, a diplomat representing the Parsees of India in Persia. Manikchi Sahib had become an admirer of Baha'u'llah and therefore decided to pose certain questions that he had concerning issues of religion.

The last three tablets contained in this book are addressed to other early Baha'is of Zoroastrian background that had similar questions.

Though all of these tablets were addressed to individuals who had Zoroastrian roots, Baha'u'llah's responses to these inquiries are not limited to a Zoroastrian perspective. ..."

(to read the complete article go to the site below)


Source:

http://news.bahai.org/story/466



- Art

[arthra]

Excerpt from the newly translated "The Tabernacle of Unity":
The Perfect Intellect alone can provide true guidance and direction.

Thus were these sublime words revealed by the Pen of the Most High, exalted be His glory, in response to this question:

"The Tongue of Wisdom proclaimeth:

He that hath Me not is bereft of all things.
Turn ye away from all that is on earth and seek none else but am the Sun of Wisdom and the Ocean of Knowledge.
I cheer the faint and revive the dead.
I am the guiding Light that illumineth the way.
I am the royal Falcon on the arm of the Almighty.
I unfold the drooping wings of every broken bird and start it on its flight."

Consider how clearly the answer hath been revealed from the heaven of divine knowledge.

Blessed are those who ponder it, who reflect upon it, and who apprehend its meaning!

By the Intellect mentioned above is meant the universal Divine Mind. ...one most search after Him Who is the untimate Source of knowledge and strive to recognize Him.

~ Baha'u'llah in "The Tabernacle of Unity" 2.22-2.23

[arthra]

"It becometh him who expoundeth the Word of God to deliver it with the utmost goodwill, kindness and compassion. As to him that embraceth the truth and is honoured with recognizing Him, his name shall be recorded in the Crimson Book among the inmates of the all-highest Paradise.

Should a soul fail, however, to accept the truth, it is no wise permissible to contend with him... In matters of religion every form of fanaticism, hatred, dissension and strife is strictly forbidden."

~ Baha'u'llah in The Tabernacle of Unity 2.35

[ayani]

neat, Arthra.

do Baha'is consider Zoroaster to be a messanger of God?

[Booko]

Originally Posted by gracie

neat, Arthra.

do Baha'is consider Zoroaster to be a messanger of God?

Oh definitely. For example:

"The holy Manifestations Who have been the Sources or Founders of the various religious systems were united and agreed in purpose and teaching. Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh are one in spirit and reality. Moreover, each Prophet fulfilled the promise of the One Who came before Him and, likewise, Each announced the One Who would follow."

(Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 197)

[ayani]

thanks, Booko. i'll let my Baha'i friends know about this.

[arthra]

"O servants!

Ye are even as saplings in a garden, which are near to perishing for want of water. Wherefore revive your souls with the heavenly water that is raining down from the clouds of divine bounty.

Words must be followed by deeds. Whoso accepteth the words of the Friend is in truth a man of deeds; otherwise a dead carcass is verily of greater worth."

~ Baha'u'llah

The Tabernacle of Divine Unity" 4.9

[Islam]

Allah yhadeekom

[ayani]

Originally Posted by Islam

Allah yhadeekom

gesudheit.

now, have you any comments or ideas to ad to the debate?

by the way, Arthra (or anyone else) how specifically does this writing speak to Zoroastrians? what message does it relay to them, and to Baha'is in general?

[arthra]

Thank you Gracie for your post..

Actually there is quite a lot of material about the relationship between the Baha'i Faith and Zoroastrianism.

Baha'u'llah's family was descended from the area of Mazindaran which had been a Zoroastrian stronghold for many years. Some even suggested that His family was descended from the last Sassanid ruler of Persia, a Zoroastrian of course and these Sassanids claimed descent from Zoroaster....

Baha'is observe the ancient Persian-Zoroastrian New Year Naw-Ruz and our calendar is a solar one as is the Zoroastrian calendar.

Many Persian Zoroastrians recognized Baha'u'llah as the Shah Bahram that was prophesied to restore the glory of the ancient faith! I have personally met many former Zoroastrians who became Baha'is or they were descendent from Zoroastrian families.

I will close this post with a link to a fascinating article written by Christopher Buck on the subject:

http://bahai-library.com/?file=buck_...strian_saviour

- Art