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Question of the Week

sirat

Member
salaam friends,
Here is a chance to show you know more than how to type a word into a search engine and press enter.

Question 1: Give a quote, or partial quote, from the Baha'i writings that is used in the movie Avatar.

And for those who don't hang on movie dialog:

Question 2:
What is the underlying symbol or story for the seven valleys? i.e., why are there seven?

That should get things started. Best answer gets the satisfaction on being best, but close answers get the coveted Baha'i quiz loser tee-shirt conveniently available online at every custom tee-shirt printer.

Extra points, where can you find sirat in the Baha'i scriptures? Ok, that one is just type and hit enter.

wa salaam
sirat
 

arthra

Baha'i
Well thanks for posting..

The Seven Valleys was revealed by Baha'u'llah in response to some questiosn by a Sufi Sheik while He lived in Kurdistan.. It is modelled after "The Conference of the Birds" by Farid Ud-Din-Attar which also had seven stages..

The birds must cross seven valleys in order to find the Simorgh: Talab (Quest), Ishq (Love), Marifat (Gnosis), Istighnah (Detachment), Tawheed (Unity of God), Hayrat (Bewilderment) and, finally, Fuqur and Fana (Selflessness and Oblivion in God).

You can read the Seven Valleys on line at

The Seven Valleys of Bahá'u'lláh

I did see the movie Avatar ..the concept of an Avatar is found in Hinduism and of course like a lot of movies they borrow from legends and religious themes such as Matrix and Dune, etc.

The meaning of your name Sirat was well defined I think in the following note in the Revelation of Baha'u'llah by Adib Taherzadeh:

1 Literally 'road'. It is believed in Islam that on the Day of Judgement a very long bridge will be established and only those who are able to cross it will be saved. This bridge, according to tradition, is sharper than a sword, hotter than fire and thinner than a hair. All this signifies that when the Supreme Manifestation of God appears men will be severely tested and only those who pass the tests will attain to His glory.

(Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 2, p. 74)

You can find this also in the Writings:

This is the Day wherein the Sirat calleth aloud: 'I am the straight Path', and Mount Sinai exclaimeth: 'Verily the Lord of Revelation is come.'

~ Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 237
 

sirat

Member
salaam friends,

I am very pleased to make your acquaintance (again) Art. That is very well done. I look forward to continuing to learn from you.

When I saw an answer that good, I wondered if it would make some people think that the question had been completely answered. Yes, it has been answered, no it has not been answered in such a way that there are no more possible answers. If you believe that there are seventy and one meanings in verses then it is easy to see that no answer is the only answer. Likewise, if one believes that the Hidden Words are all scripture condensed as a favor then there must be a Hidden Word or two that apply to this part of scripture or the idea as well.

Finally, as wonderful as the answer is, it is much like a translation of variables. So, where did Attar get his inspiraton for the seven valleys? What do they mean beyond the names listed? As scripture is written like an arabesque, there are many ties to many places. It is not a linear story or a linear question and it does not have a linear answer.

In conclusion, there is always room at the top for more and thank you again Art for the very nice reply and lesson to all.

wasallam,

sirat
 

sirat

Member
salaam friends,

The sufi Rumi (pbuh) strongly suggests that one needs a teacher to make sure progress. This is a common sufi theme. For example, even the contemporary Idries Shah writes the same thing over and over in his books.

In which ways does the greatest Friend, Baha'u'llah let us know that He, may my life be a sacrifice to him, expects us to have a teacher?

wa salaam

sirat
 

arthra

Baha'i
"The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the fifth leaf of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: Above all else, the greatest gift and the most wondrous blessing hath ever been and will continue to be Wisdom. It is man's unfailing Protector. It aideth him and strengtheneth him. Wisdom is God's Emissary and the Revealer of His Name the Omniscient. Through it the loftiness of man's station is made manifest and evident. It is all-knowing and the foremost Teacher in the school of existence. It is the Guide and is invested with high distinction. Thanks to its educating influence earthly beings have become imbued with a gem-like spirit which outshineth the heavens."

~ Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 65
 

BruceDLimber

Well-Known Member
In which ways does the greatest Friend, Baha'u'llah let us know that He, may my life be a sacrifice to him, expects us to have a teacher?

Also, where the Baha'i scriptures speak of making a will, one of the bequests is to go to one's teacher.

Best regards, :)

Bruce
 

sirat

Member
Also, where the Baha'i scriptures speak of making a will, one of the bequests is to go to one's teacher.

Best regards, :)

Bruce

salaam Bruce,

That is a very nice start. Would you care to hazard any further explanations of what it says?

Die before you are dead - Rumi

wa salaam
sirat
 

BruceDLimber

Well-Known Member

There's really not much more to add.

The Baha'i scriptures categorize various bequests for various individuals, and as I mentioned, one of these is a bequest for one's teacher!

You can see this (and other Baha'i scriptures at these sites:


Best regards, :)

Bruce
 

arthra

Baha'i
Teaching is an obligation for all Baha'is...

And further We have said:

"Adorn the body of Thy kingdom with the raiment of My name, and arise, then, to teach My Cause. Better is this for thee than that which thou possessest. God will, thereby, exalt thy name among all the kings. Potent is He over all things. Walk thou amongst men in the name of God, and by the power of His might, that thou mayest show forth His signs amidst the peoples of the earth."

~ Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 53
 

sirat

Member
16. O ESSENCE OF NEGLIGENCE!
Myriads of mystic tongues find utterance in one speech, and myriads of hidden mysteries are revealed in a single melody; yet, alas, there is no ear to hear, nor heart to understand.
(Baha'u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words)
 

BruceDLimber

Well-Known Member
[W]here can I ... have a teacher and learn?

That's very different!

If you'd like to learn, I'm more than happy to help! :)

I suggest you visit various sites from the list below.

And I wish you good hunting! :)

Bruce
_ _ _ _ _

For general information about the Baha’i Faith, please visit:

· www.bahai.org
· www.usbnc.org
· www.bahai.us
· www.info.bahai.org

To see our scriptures and related materials, including our Peace Statement, Prosperity Statement, Race Unity Statement, and Destiny of America Statement:
· www.ibiblio.org/Bahai (This site has includes a search engine.)
· www.bahai-library.org (Click "Baha'i Writings" for our scriptures.)
· www.reference.bahai.org (This site is multi-lingual.)
· www.bahaistudy.org (This also has videos and talking books.)

To use OCEAN, an online collection of the scriptures of many religions, with a searchable concordance:

www.BahaiResearch.com

There's an excellent group of informal discussion areas about the Baha'i Faith at:

www.planetbahai.org (click "Messages").

To view the Baha'i Newsreel:

http://newsreel.bahai.us

To see an online video of the eight Baha'i temples (one per continent) around the world, including the still-under-construction Chile temple:

[youtube]C2FQAQBI0fg[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2FQAQBI0fg


To enjoy Baha’i-oriented music:

www.RadioNur.com

To download and view other Baha'i videos:

http://www.us.bahai.org/media/index.html


You may often find "Baha'i Faith" listings in the White Pages of your phone book.

In the USA, you can also phone 1-800-22-UNITE for free information and literature, and—if you like—to find out where the nearest Baha'is are.
 

sirat

Member
salaam friends,

Thank you Bruce for the time you put into that. Thank each of you for working the problem for me and with me.

Yes, it is the responsibility of each Baha'i to teach and it is the responsibility of each to get to the point where they can teach. That said, there are precious few who can teach how to go to the Abha Kingdom. There are fewer still who can teach how one progresses beyond that. In fact, it seems easier to find a non-Baha'i who can teach the meanings in the writings than to find a Baha'i who can. It is so very odd.

Perhaps, sometime someone might happen across this as a then buried thread. Maybe they will see this and know of a teacher. For that person, one small token seems appropriate: the seven levels are the seven heavens in the night journey and Baha'u'llah (may my life be a sacrifice unto him) is present there in that pantheon of saints as the tree in the seventh heaven.

It rests hidden in this word

1. O YE PEOPLE THAT HAVE MINDS TO KNOW AND EARS TO HEAR!
The first call of the Beloved is this: O mystic nightingale! Abide not but in the rose-garden of the spirit. O messenger of the Solomon of love! Seek thou no shelter except in the Sheba of the well-beloved, and O immortal phoenix! dwell not save on the mount of faithfulness. Therein is thy habitation, if on the wings of thy soul thou soarest to the realm of the infinite and seekest to attain thy goal.
(Baha'u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words)

May each Baha'i be given mastery of the kingdom of Words

wa salaam
sirat
 
Salaam friends,

So, for my final question, where can I find those who would not say this sort of thing so I might have a teacher and learn?

wa salaam

sirat

In Baha'u'llah's Dispensation, we have been given our own minds to be able to think for ourselves, to rationalise, and to seek knowledge. The Prophet Muhammad Himself, may God's glory rest upon Him, said to seek knowledge, even unto China.

In the past Dispensations, God has given us imams, mullahs, sheikhs, priests, panditas, gurus, yogis, rabbis, ministers, pastors, etc. However, in this Age, education and learning has become a collective endeavour, and it is a duty commended unto every Baha'i to teach. A mother's first duty is to teach her children through love, nurturing and to embody the virtues. It is the duty of every father to teach children to read, write, and to chant the verses of God in the most melodious of tones.

And one's school teachers and high school teachers are to be regarded as the closest to a high station of God's manifestation of wisdom and knowledge, since the arts and sciences themselves come from the emanations of the spiritual worlds of God.

If you have any more questions, feel free to give me a private message... I pray that you may be kept in God's safety.

Allah'u'Abha,
Royal Falcon of God.
 

arthra

Baha'i
Well Sirat it's interesting to follow your posts here and I pray that your need will soon be met.. Maybe a warning could be considered that we use discernment in finding a teacher or a teaching..

The Tablet of the True Seeker I believe also is relevant and I post it here:

O My brother! When a true seeker determineth to take the step of search in the path leading unto the knowledge of the Ancient of Days, he must, before all else, cleanse his heart, which is the seat of the revelation of the inner mysteries of God, from the obscuring dust of all acquired knowledge, and the allusions of the embodiments of satanic fancy.

He must purge his breast, which is the sanctuary of the abiding love of the Beloved, of every defilement, and sanctify his soul from all that pertaineth to water and clay, from all shadowy and ephemeral attachments. He must so cleanse his heart that no remnant of either love or hate may linger therein, lest that love blindly incline him to error, or that hate repel him away from the truth. Even as thou dost witness in this Day how most of the people, because of such love and hate, are bereft of the immortal Face, have strayed far from the Embodiments of the Divine mysteries, and, shepherdless, are roaming through the wilderness of oblivion and error.

That seeker must, at all times, put his trust in God, must renounce the peoples of the earth, must detach himself from the world of dust, and cleave unto Him Who is the Lord of Lords. He must never 265 seek to exalt himself above any one, must wash away from the tablet of his heart every trace of pride and vain-glory, must cling unto patience and resignation, observe silence and refrain from idle talk. For the tongue is a smoldering fire, and excess of speech a deadly poison. Material fire consumeth the body, whereas the fire of the tongue devoureth both heart and soul. The force of the former lasteth but for a time, whilst the effects of the latter endureth a century.

That seeker should, also, regard backbiting as grievous error, and keep himself aloof from its dominion, inasmuch as backbiting quencheth the light of the heart, and extinguisheth the life of the soul. He should be content with little, and be freed from all inordinate desire. He should treasure the companionship of them that have renounced the world, and regard avoidance of boastful and worldly people a precious benefit. At the dawn of every day he should commune with God, and, with all his soul, persevere in the quest of his Beloved. He should consume every wayward thought with the flame of His loving mention, and, with the swiftness of lightning, pass by all else save Him.

He should succor the dispossessed, and never withhold his favor from the destitute. He should show kindness to animals, how much more unto his fellow-man, to him who is endowed with the power of utterance. He should not hesitate to offer up his life for his Beloved, nor allow the censure 266 of the people to turn him away from the Truth.

He should not wish for others that which he doth not wish for himself, nor promise that which he doth not fulfil. With all his heart he should avoid fellowship with evil-doers, and pray for the remission of their sins. He should forgive the sinful, and never despise his low estate, for none knoweth what his own end shall be. How often hath a sinner attained, at the hour of death, to the essence of faith, and, quaffing the immortal draught, hath taken his flight unto the Concourse on high! And how often hath a devout believer, at the hour of his soul's ascension, been so changed as to fall into the nethermost fire!

Our purpose in revealing these convincing and weighty utterances is to impress upon the seeker that he should regard all else beside God as transient, and count all things save Him, Who is the Object of all adoration, as utter nothingness.

~ Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 264
 

sirat

Member
In Baha'u'llah's Dispensation, we have been given our own minds to be able to think for ourselves, to rationalise, and to seek knowledge.

salaam friend,

Indeed, it is the duty of everyone to teach and the duty of everyone not to listen. It is so odd.

It is said that "the secret hides itself". The writings are written in such a way that those who are not yet prepared for a certain level of knowledge cannot see it. When they are ready, then they do. It is but one of many wonders.

Without a teacher, for example, who would tell one how Baha'u'llah has taught to shun the ungodly? 3. O FRIEND!
In the garden of thy heart plant naught but the rose of love, and from the nightingale of affection and desire loosen not thy hold. Treasure the companionship of the righteous and eschew all fellowship with the ungodly.
(Baha'u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words)
especially when one does not want to hear that message.

And without a teacher, who is there to tell one that unless someone is complaining about you, calling you a heritic, telling you that you are going to hell, well then you can't be very far on the right path. Those things happen to all of God's favorites.

Having a teacher is like this:

There was a man who fell asleep under an apple tree. Unbeknownst to him a snake crawled through his mouth and into his system. But, there was a teacher who saw this happen.

At first the teacher woke up the man. Then he demanded that the man eat the rotten fallen apples, more and more and more until he could hold no more.

Then, the teacher forced the man to run, threatening him with blows and punishments. The man ran until he could run no more.

And just when the man could run no more and was wondering why this hound of hell was sent to persecute him, the teacher gave him one giant whack on his back. With that stroke, the man became sick and lost everything he had eaten earlier. There, amongst all of the rotten apples and stinking mess was the snake. Suddenly, the man realized that this snake would have killed him if he had not been treated in such a rough manner.

I have had someone do that for me. Books and websites do not whack you on the back.

wa salaam

sirat
 

sirat

Member
Well Sirat it's interesting to follow your posts here and I pray that your need will soon be met.. Maybe a warning could be considered that we use discernment in finding a teacher or a teaching..

salaam friend,

Thank you for your prayers and your interest in my well-being. It is very kind.

wa salaam

sirat
 
salaam friend,

Indeed, it is the duty of everyone to teach and the duty of everyone not to listen. It is so odd.

It is said that "the secret hides itself". The writings are written in such a way that those who are not yet prepared for a certain level of knowledge cannot see it. When they are ready, then they do. It is but one of many wonders.

Without a teacher, for example, who would tell one how Baha'u'llah has taught to shun the ungodly? 3. O FRIEND!
In the garden of thy heart plant naught but the rose of love, and from the nightingale of affection and desire loosen not thy hold. Treasure the companionship of the righteous and eschew all fellowship with the ungodly.
(Baha'u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words)
especially when one does not want to hear that message.

And without a teacher, who is there to tell one that unless someone is complaining about you, calling you a heritic, telling you that you are going to hell, well then you can't be very far on the right path. Those things happen to all of God's favorites.

I have had someone do that for me. Books and websites do not whack you on the back.

wa salaam

sirat

Indeed, everyone can have guidance from each person, and then utilise one's own intellectual faculties to create a mental idea of the philosophy. After all, we are enjoined from Baha'u'llah, may God's glory be upon Him, to hold consultation in regards to making decisions from a local assemblage to a bigger one.

Some people need a teacher, others do not. But we can all agree that the Supreme Teacher is Baha'u'llah, may the glory of God bless Him, for the Manifestations of God are God's Perfect Educators for humanity. That knowledge is revealed, not through man, but through God through His Day-Stars of Revelation, His Primal Educators of Humanity, His Mouthpieces in Every Age.

I agree that no book or website can ever eclipse Baha'u'llah's Words, my my life be a sacrifice unto Him, but all of us can create a collective form of understanding.

May peace be with you,
Royal Falcon of God.
 
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