Bibliography: BIB29503

web link	bahai-library.com/bibliography/BIB29503
reference type	Journal Article
title	Reflections on The Four Valleys of Bahá’u’lláh
journal	Journal of Bahá'í Studies
author	Hemmat, Amrollah
authority control	Amrollah Hemmat
year	2021
date	Winter 2020
issue	4
volume	30
abstract	The Four Valleys was revealed by Bahá’u’lláh in Baghdad in a mystical language and style, in response to a request made by a prominent Sufi . As such, the text employs traditional Sufi concepts, language, and symbolism, and studies of The Four Valleys often address this context. However, when the text is studied with a focus on a different context—the totality of the Bahá’í Writings—it becomes evident that its main purpose is to guide spiritual wayfarers to the recognition of the Manifestation of God—Bahá’u’lláh Himself, as revealed after the composition of this work. Furthermore, when the two paradigms discernable in the text—four parallel paths towards God and the four stages of a single path—are seen as complementary to each other, new insights into humankind’s nature and capacities are revealed. Such a reading can point to practices that help the wayfarer to maintain a balance between various human capabilities and potentials while attempting to acquire the full range of human perfections, as prescribed in the Bahá’í Writings.
language	English
keywords	BAHA'U'LLAH. FOUR VALLEYS; RECOGNITION; MANIFESTATION OF GOD
pages	11–51