Bahá'í Library Online
. . . .
.

Search for tag "Archives"

from the chronology

date event locations tags see also
1925 (In the year) Shoghi Effendi established the International Bahá'í Archives on Mount Carmel, one site adjoining the Shrine of the Báb and the other was located in the immediate vicinity of the resting-place of the Greatest Holy Leaf. [GPB347]
  • See the instructions given by Bahá'u'lláh regarding the preservation of Texts in Archives, Bahá'í: Preserving and Safeguarding the Sacred Texts by / on behalf of Universal House of Justice.
  • Note that the function of the archives was written into the Constitution of the Universal House of Justice:

      "To ensure the preservation of the Sacred Texts and to safeguard their inviolability; to analyse, classify, and coordinate the Writings; and to defend and protect the Cause of God and emancipate it from the fetters of repression and persecution;"
  • Messages were sent by Shoghi Effendi and on behalf of Shoghi Effendi regarding the Importance of collecting and safeguarding Bahá’í Writings as well as establishing local archives. This and subsequent appeals included a call for the donation of relics related to the history of the Faith as well as transcriptions of talks given by the Master.. [Writings, Bahá'í: Importance of collecting and safeguarding compiled by Bahá'í International Archives, published in Bahá'í Studies Review 11, pages 100-102 (2003)
  • BWC International Bahai Archives; Archives; Archives; Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of; Bahaullah, Writings of
    1929 14 Feb Work began on the three additional chambers of the Shrine of the Báb after the rock had been excavated from behind the building during the previous year. [DH154]
  • Haji Mahmúd Qassabchí, the builder who had completed the repairs on the House of Bahá'u'llah in Baghdad was chosen to be in charge of the work. Shoghi Effendi later designed one of the doors to the Shrine as "Báb-i-Qassabchi" in his honour. The remaining two doors were named after Sutherland Maxwell, the architect of the superstructure, and ego Giachery who had served as liaison with the various Italian marble companies involved. The door to the octagon was named after Leroy Ioas who overlooked much of the work on the Shrine. [CEBF320]
  • Originally the centre room had been separated by wooden walls and doors. These were removed and replaced by archways. [SETPE1p164]
  • These rooms, when completed, are used as the International Bahá’í Archives. There was a second repository of the archives at this time near the resting place of the Greatest Holy Leaf. [GPB347]
  • BWC; Mount Carmel Bab, Shrine of; International Bahai Archives; Haji Mahmud Qassabchi; Shoghi Effendi, Life of
    1951 (In the year) Shoghi Effendi received the original manuscript of The Kitáb-i-Íqán, in the handwriting of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá with some marginal additions by Bahá’u’lláh, and placed it in the International Bahá’í Archives. BWC International Bahai Archives; Kitab-i-Iqan (Book of Certitude); Shoghi Effendi, Life of
    1952 8 Oct Shoghi Effendi announced his decision to launch ‘the fate-laden, soul-stirring, decade-long world-embracing Spiritual Crusade’ in the coming year. [BW12:253–5; MBW40-41; StS42]
  • For the objectives of the Crusade see BW12:256–14.
  • Among the goals to be achieved was the construction of the International Bahá’í Archives building. [BBD22; DH168; MBW43]
      "the first of the major edifices destined to constitute the seat of the World Bahá'í Administrative Centre to be established on Mount Carmel". [PP264]
  • See The Bahá’í Faith 1844-1952 Information Statistical and Comparative (PDF) compiled by Shoghi Effendi.
  • See map of the Ten Year Crusade.
  • BWC Ten Year Crusade; Shoghi Effendi, Life of; International Bahai Archives; Teaching Plans; Shoghi Effendi, Basic timeline; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Shoghi Effendi, Works of
    1953 2 May The House of Worship in Wilmette, the Mother Temple of the West, was dedicated in a public ceremony. [BW12:142, BWNS218]
  • For the text of the Guardian’s message of dedication see BW12:141–2.
  • For an account of the event see BW12:154–63.
  • See BN No 261 November 1952 p9-10. The Temple Dedication Committee consisted of: Paul E. Haney, Mrs. Corinne True, Allen B. McDaniel, Carl Scheffler, Albert R. Windust with Horace Holley as the chairman.
  • See The Bahá'í Faith 1844-1952 Information Statistical & Comparative p24-26 for project statistics and a chronology of events.
  • Towards the end of his life in Tehran, Ahmad (of "Tablet of Ahmad" fame) had entrusted the original Tablet to his grandson Jamal who, in turn, out of the purity of his heart and his devotion to the Faith of God, offered it as a gift to Hand of the Cause, Trustee of Huqúq, the son and brother of two illustrious martyrs, Jinab-i-Valiyu'llah Varqá. When Jinab-i-Varqa, according to the instructions of the beloved Guardian, was sent to take part in this dedication ceremony he brought this most precious Tablet as his offering to the archives of the Bahá'ís of the United States. [A Flame of Fire by A.Q. Faizi.]
  • See the message of the Universal House of Justice dated 1 August, 2014 for more on the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár in Wilmette.
  • See The Story of the Temple by Allen Boyer McDaniel. [CBN No43 August 1953 p4; Collins p101 7.1479]
  • See the video The Temple History Design and Construction.

    Specifics

      Location: Wilmette, Illinois, U.S. Cook County
      Administration: On the same day as the internment of the sacred remains of the Báb on Mount Carmel, March 21st, 1909, the first American Bahá'í Convention opened in Chicago. The Convention established the 'Bahá'í Temple Unity', incorporated to hold title to the Temple property and to provide for its construction. A constitution was framed and an Executive Board of the Bahá'í Temple Unity elected. This body became the future National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada. [BBD39; BBRSM:106; BW10:179; GPB349; PP397; SBBH1:146; BFA2:XVII, 309; BW13:849; MBW142–3]
      Foundation Stone: by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1 May, 1912
      Construction Period:The purchase of the site completed: 1914. Design Chosen: 1920. Superstructure: 1921 – 1 May 1931. External Ornamentation: June 1932 -1943. Interior: 1951
      Dedication: 1 May 1953
      Architects: Louis Bourgeois with Alfred Shaw (interior cladding) Bourgeois became a Baha’i in New York City in 1907, and two years later responded to the call for designs for the Temple. In 1920, delegates from across the country unanimously selected his innovative design. Bourgeois traveled to Haifa to consult with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. With ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s encouragement, Bourgeois refined and scaled down the size of his design. [The House of Worship Architecture]
      Seating: 1,191 [DP220]
      Dimensions: 203ft at the base and 49ft high
      Cost: $2.6 million (another source) $51,500 (land) plus $3,212,517.60 (construction costs 1921-1953)
      Dependencies: Construction of a home for the aged was began in December, 1957 and inaugurated on 1 February, 1959. It is located about three blocks away.
      Note: In GPB349 Shoghi Effendi states that “…this enterprise—the crowning achievement of the Administrative Order of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh in the first Bahá’í century…”.
      References: CEBF236-241,GPB348-353, MDM121-239, The Dawning Place, The Bahá'í Faith 1844-1963 Information Statistical & Comparative p36-37. iiiii
  • Wilmette; United States Mashriqul-Adhkar, Wilmette; Mashriqul-Adhkar, Mother Temples; Lawh-i-Ahmad (Tablet of Ahmad (Arabic)); Gifts; Archives; Dedications; Mashriqul-Adhkar (House of Worship); Mashriqul-Adhkar, Quick facts; Alfred Shaw; Architects; Bahai home for the aged; Homes for the aged; Mashriqul-Adhkar, Dependencies of; BWNS; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Shoghi Effendi, Life of
    1953 7 – 15 Oct The Asian Intercontinental Teaching Conference was held in New Delhi. [BW12:178; CBN No 50 Mar 1953 p6-7]
  • For Shoghi Effendi’s message to the conference see BW12:178–81.
  • At the request of our beloved Guardian a memorial service was held for our dearly loved Hand of the Cause, Mr. Sutherland Maxwell. Loving tributes were paid to his memory by Mr. Remey and Mr. Giachery. [CBN No 50 Mar 1953 p6]
  • For a report of the conference see BW12:181–8.
  • This was the first international Bahá’í gathering ever to be held in the East. [BW12:181; SBR171]
  • It was attended by 489 Bahá’ís representing 31 countries. [BW 12:181]
  • The design for the International Bahá’í Archives was revealed to the Bahá’ís of the world for the first time at this conference. [DH168]
  • Following the New Delhi conference the Hands of the Cause and other visiting Bahá'ís travelled the length and the breadth of the country speaking in universities, teachers' training colleges, agricultural schools, theatres, hotels, Y.M.C.A.'s, at service clubs, and theosophical societies. Prominent citizens representative of the Hindu, Moslem and Christian faiths were chairmen at many of these meetings. There were numerous press conferences and wide-spread newspaper publicity. The Hands of the Cause were able to present Bahá'í books to world famous Indian scholars, to the family of the Maharaja of Indore and to representatives of the press. Perhaps never since Abdu'l·Bahá visited America has the Faith been presented in such a variety of places in so short a time. Dorothy Baker was one of the Hands who participated in this post-conference proclamation. [CBN No54 Jul 1954 p5]
  • New Delhi; India; Asia Conferences, Bahai; Conferences, Teaching; Conferences, Intercontinental; Ten Year Crusade; International Bahai Archives; Teaching; First conferences
    1954 6 Apr Shoghi Effendi announced that plans for the International Bahá’í Archives had been completed and that steps had been taken to begin its construction. [PP264BBD22–3; DH169; GBF117–8; MBW64] BWC; Mount Carmel; Haifa International Bahai Archives; Shoghi Effendi, Life of; Shoghi Effendi, Basic timeline; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Shoghi Effendi, Works of
    1954 Nov A plot of land of slightly less than half an acre (1,300 metres) owned by Farah Sprague (Farahangiz Khanum), a Covenant-breaker, was purchased (after expropriation by the Finance Minister of the state of Israel on the recommendation of the mayor of Haifa), overcoming the final obstacle to beginning the construction of the International Bahá’í Archives. This concluded a thirty-year struggle in the acquisition of land on the Arc for the Guardian. [LI210-211; DH169; MBW73–4; CBN No 60 January 1955 p1]
  • He said, in a letter dated the 27th of November 1955...

      "The truculence, greed and obstinacy, of this breaker of the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh, demonstrated by her persistent refusal to sell and by the exorbitant price subsequently demanded, raised, during more than thirty years, an almost insurmountable obstacle to the acquisition of an area, which, however circumscribed, occupies a central position amidst the extensive Baha'i domains in the heart of God's holy Mountain, is situated in the vicinity of the Báb's Sepulchre, overlooks the Tomb of the Greatest Holy Leaf, and adjoins the resting-places of the Brother and the Mother of Abdu'l-Bahá, and which, through deliberate neglect, has. been allowed to become an eyesore to all those who throng the embellished precincts of a Mausoleum rightly regarded as the second holiest Shrine in the Bahá'í world.
      The ownership of this plot will now enable us to locate the site, excavate the foundations, and erect the structure, of the International Bahá'í Archives, designed by the Hand of the Cause, Mason Remey, President of the International Bahá'í Council, which will serve as the permanent and befitting repository for the priceless and numerous relics associated with the Twin Founders of the Faith, with the Perfect Exemplar of its teachings and with its heroes, saints and martyrs, and the building of which constitutes one of the foremost objectives of the Ten-Year Plan. [CBN No 60 January 1955 p1]
  • Haifa Farah Sprague (Farahangiz Khanum); Covenant-breakers; International Bahai Archives; Purchases and exchanges; Mount Carmel; - Bahai World Centre buildings, monuments and gardens Was she the Iranian-born wife of Sydney Sprague? See BFA2p155 Sister of Fareed? MBW73
    1954. 27 Nov Shoghi Effendi announced the commencement of "the excavation for the foundations of the International Archives heralding the rise of the first edifice destine to inaugurate the establishment of the seat of the World Baha'i Administrative order in the Holy Land". [MBW75] BWC International Bahai Archives
    1955 15 Nov Shoghi Effendi announced that for the construction of the International Bahá’í Archives thirty of the fifty-two pillars, each over seven metres high, had been raised and that half of the nine hundred tons of stone ordered from Italy had been safely delivered at the Port of Haifa. He also said that a contract for over $15,000 had been placed with the tile factory in Utrecht for over 7,000 green tiles to cover the 500 square metres of the roof. [MBW95]
    He announced as well:
  • the purchase of a plot of land adjacent to the resting-place of the Greatest Holy Leaf for $100,000,
  • the purchase of the dilapidated house situated south of the Mansion at Bahjí in which 'Abdu'l-Bahá used to receive friends, among them the first party of Western pilgrims after Bahá'u'lláh's passing,
  • a plot of land situated in the neighbourhood of the Shrine of the Báb,
  • and that the formalities had been completed in the purchase of the site of the future Mashriqu'lAdhkár on Mt. Carmel. [MBW78-79, 95]
  • The transfer of the deeds for the above plots of land were being transferred to the name of the Israel branches of the United States, The British, the Persian the Canadian and the Australian Baháa'í National Spiritual Assemblies. [MBW95]
  • BWC International Bahai Archives; Bahji; Bab, Shrine of; Mashriqul-Adhkar, Haifa; Abdul-Baha, Tea House of; Arc
    1956. Apr Shoghi Effendi announced that the remaining 22 pillars of the International Bahá'í Archives had been erected and that the last half of the 900 tons of marble from Italy had been delivered. Forty-four tons of glazed green tiles from Utrecht had been placed in position. [MBW108]
    He also announced that:
  • the dilapidated house located near the Mansion had been restored,
  • Negotiations were underway with the Development Authority of the State of Israel for the acquisition of two plots to the north and south of the Shrine.
  • the destruction of a row of sheds near the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh,
  • that an expropriation order had been published in the Israel Official Gazette related to the buildings enclosed within the Haram-i-Aqdas regarding the occupancy of these buildings of the Covenant-breakers. [MBW108-109]
  • BWC; Bahji International Bahai Archives; Haram-i-Aqdas; Covenant-breakers; Abdul-Baha, Tea House of
    1957 Ridván In his last Ridván message Shoghi Effendi announced that the exterior of International Bahá’í Archives had been completed and that the roof was in place. [VBHP38; DH169; GBF63–4; PP264–6]
      It had cost approximately a quarter of a million dollars and was, like the Shrine of the Báb, ordered in Italy, entirely carved and completed there, and shipped to Haifa for erection; not only was each separate stone numbered, but charts showing where each on went facilitated its being place in its proper position." [PP265]
  • Ugo Giachery supervised the work in Italy and Leroy Ioas in Haifa. Because the landscaping had been completed prior to the completion of the construction, it had to be built from the rear with only a space of about 5 metres on three sides to work in. [PP265]
  • For details of its construction and photographs see BW13:403–33.
  • BWC; Mount Carmel; Haifa International Bahai Archives; - Bahai World Centre buildings, monuments and gardens; World Centre; Shoghi Effendi, Life of; Shoghi Effendi, Basic timeline; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Shoghi Effendi, Works of; Leroy Ioas; Ugo Giachery
    1957 4 Nov Passing of Shoghi Effendi

    Shoghi Effendi passed away in London of coronary thrombosis after a bout of Asian influenza. [CB377; PP446 BW13:207-225]

    • The 1957 influenza pandemic (the "Asian flu") was a category 2 flu pandemic outbreak of avian influenza that originated in China in early 1956 lasting until 1958. It originated from a mutation in wild ducks combining with a pre-existing human strain. A vaccine for H2N2 was introduced in 1957, and the pandemic slowed down. There was a second wave in 1958, and H2N2 went on to become part of the regular wave of seasonal flu. Estimates of worldwide deaths vary widely depending on the source, ranging from 1 million to 4 million, with WHO settling on "about two million". [Sino Biological website]
  • He was in London to purchase some furniture to complete the interior of the International Archives Building at the time of his passing. [PP445]
  • For a tribute to Shoghi Effendi written by Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum see BW13:58–226.]
      In it she lists four major aspects of his life: (Copied and arranged in point form here.)
    • "his translations of the Words of Bahá'u'lláh, the Báb, Àbdu'l-Bahá and Nabil's Narrative;
    • his own writings such as the history of a century, published as God Passes By, as well as an uninterrupted stream of instructive communications from his pen which pointed out to the believer the significance, the time and the method of the building up of their administrative institutions;
    • an unremitting programme to expand and consolidate the material assets of a world-wide Faith, which not only involved the completion, erection or beautification of the Bahá'í Holy Places at the World Centre but the construction of Houses of Worship and the acquisition of national and local headquarters and endowments in various countries throughout the East and the West;
    • a masterly orientation of thought towards the concepts enshrined in the teachings of the Faith and the orderly classification of those teachings into what might well be described as a vast panoramic view of the meaning, implications, testing and purpose of the religion of Bahá'u'lláh, indeed of religious truth itself in its portrayal of man as the apogee of God's creation, evolving towards the consummation of his development-the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth." [PP226-227]
  • See also Rabbání, The Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith and The Priceless Pearl.
  • London; United Kingdom Shoghi Effendi, Life of; Shoghi Effendi, Passing of; Shoghi Effendi, Travels of; International Bahai Archives; Amatul-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum; - Basic timeline, Condensed; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Shoghi Effendi, Basic timeline; Appointed arm; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Covenant (general); Shoghi Effendi, Works of
    1961 (Autumn/Winter) The International Bahá’í Archives Building was opened to Bahá’í pilgrims. [BW13:429; MC20]
  • For details of the Archives building and several pictures see BW13:403–34.
  • Marble for the the International Baha’i Archives building was cut and chiseled by Margraf, a firm from Chiampo, Italy formerly known as Industria dei Marmi Vincentini. [BWNS1223]
  • Shoghi Effendi chose the Parthenon as the basis for the design possibly due to its apparent enduring beauty. The capitals of the fifty columns were in the style of the Iconic rather than the Doric order.
  • BWC; Haifa International Bahai Archives; Pilgrimage; Marble; BWNS; Margraf
    1967 Dec The Universal House of Justice in a letter addressed to all National Assemblies expressed the need for letters written by the Guardian to them or to their subsidiary institutions as well as to the friends under their jurisdiction. The Universal House of Justice asked for copies of the letters, offered to assist in making the copies and gave the option of sending the letter or copies directly to the World Centre if the subject matter was personal. [CBN No 297 Aug/Sep 1975 p14]
  • See as well the message of the Universal House of Justice dated 14 May 1975.
  • BWC Archives; Shoghi Effendi, Writings of; Shoghi Effendi, Works of
    1987 31 Aug The Universal House of Justice called for the erection of the remaining three buildings along the arc at the Bahá’í World Centre—the Centre for the Study of the Sacred Texts, the Seat of the International Teaching Centre and the International Bahá’í Library—as well as an expansion of the International Archives building and the creation of 19 monumental terraces from the foot of Mount Carmel to its crest. [AWH50–4, 90; BBD21; VV96; Message 31 August 1987] Mount Carmel; BWC Centre for the Study of the Sacred Texts; International Teaching Centre, Seat; International Bahai Library; International Bahai Archives; Terraces; Arc project; - Bahai World Centre buildings, monuments and gardens; World Centre; - Basic timeline, Expanded
    1991 Sep The ground was broken for the construction of the Centre for the Study of the Sacred Texts and for the Extension to the International Archives Building. [Ridván Message 1992] Haifa; BWC Centre for the Study of the Sacred Texts; International Bahai Archives; Arc project; Foundation stones and groundbreaking
    2001 May The inauguration of the Centre for the Study of the Texts. The facility was completed and occupied in 1999. It consists of study rooms for resident and visiting scholars, meeting and conference rooms, a large reference library, a secretariat and ancillary spaces totalling 7750 sq. metres (83,420 sq. ft) Much of the building is located below ground. It has been integrated into the mountain with a portico that reflects the classical motifs of the other buildings on the Arc. The offices of the building are provided with natural light directly or through light wells, patios and skylights. Below ground it is connected to an extension to the Archives which provides secure, climate-controlled storage vaults for the original, hand written papers that constitute the Bahá'í Sacred Texts. The architect was Hossein Amanat. [amanatarchitect.com]

    “The Centre for the Study of the Texts . . . will be the seat of an institution of Bahá’í scholars, the efflorescence of the present Research Department of the World Centre, which will assist the Universal House of Justice in consulting the Sacred Writings, and will prepare translations of and commentaries on the authoritative texts of the Faith.” [AWH p52]

    “The building was completed and occupied in 1999. It now houses the Research Department, and is the temporary home of the International Bahá'í Library and other offices.” [Visiting Bahá’í Holy Places p. 35; BW99-00p38-39]

    BWC; Mount Carmel; Haifa Centre for the Study of the Sacred Texts; Arc project; Hossein Amanat (Husayn Amanat); Research Department; International Bahai Library; International Bahai Archives; Libraries; Archives; Translation; Architects; Architecture; Quick facts; - Basic timeline, Expanded; - Bahai World Centre buildings, monuments and gardens; World Centre
    2009. 15 Dec The Universal House of Justice gave a progress report on the work that was being done at the World Centre.

    The International Archives Building was reopened for visits by pilgrims after a three-year programme for its restoration and improvement. The exterior stonework was repaired. The foundations of the building have been waterproofed, and the entire structure made earthquake resistant through incorporation within it of a reinforced concrete and steel frame, not visible to visitors, extending from the foundations to the roof level.

    Interior improvements included installation of an attractive granite floor at the main level; use of high-quality display cabinets similar to the original cabinets, designed to ensure preservation of the objects on display far into the future; development of basement facilities for receiving pilgrims; provision of means for persons with a physical disability to have access to the building; and installation of complete environmental, safety, and security systems.

    Progress was made with the restoration of the edifice of the Shrine of the Báb. A comprehensive programme for the structural reinforcement of the original building and the superstructure for earthquake resistance was nearing completion. Restoration and repair work to the exterior stonework and the ornamental metal balustrades was ongoing. Work was advancing on the preparation for use by pilgrims and other visitors of the three rooms on the southern side of the Shrine, and arrangements were being made for restoration of the dome and replacement of its golden tiles to recover the original lustre. Installation of a new electrical and environmental control system was in progress.

    In the Akka work was continuing in both the Riḍván Garden and the newly acquired land surrounding the resting-place of Bahá’u’lláh, the Qiblih of the Bahá’í world. [15 December 2009]

    BWC; Haifa; Akka Bahai World Centre; International Archives Building; Riḍvan Garden; Restoration
    2015 12 Feb The official opening of the new location of the Afnan Library Trust at Sandy, close to Cambridge. The Afnan Library Trust was established in 1985 to manage the collection bequeathed by Hasan Balyuzi when he passed away in 1980. It consists of some 10,000 books, as well as a vast quantity of manuscripts, original letters, maps, documents, periodicals, and unpublished items – some of them dating back to the nineteenth century. [BWNS1040]
  • The official website can be found here.
  • "In a letter dated the 10 November and the 20 November 1979 he (Hasan Balyuzi) left instructions that all his books and document were to be kept together perpetually... and that they are to form the nucleus of the Afnán Library, founded in the name of his father, Muvaqqari'd-Dawlih, and dedicated to Khadíjih Bagum". [KBWBix]
  • Included in the collection were volumes of photographic copies of Tablets by the Central Figures of the Faith, as well as historical and doctrinal works by individual Bahá'ís, 104 volumes in all, that had been compiled by the National Committee for the Preservation of Bahá’í Writings and Archives of Iran in the years just prior to the Iranian revolution. The Library worked closely with the Research Department of the Bahá’í World Centre to make digitized transcripts of these volumes. The digitized volumes contain some 4,000 works of Bahá’u’lláh, more than 3,000 works of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and many writings of the Báb. The index and the links to the volumes can be found on the Afnan Library site.
  • Sandy; Cambridge; United Kingdom Afnan Library; Afnan; Hasan Balyuzi; Libraries; Archives; Bahai studies; Scholarship; Muvaqqarid-Dawlih; Khadijih Bagum (wife of the Bab); BWNS

    from the chronology of Canada

    date event locations tags see also
    1951 Apr The National Archivist, E V Harrison, on behalf of the Canadian National Archives Committee, made an appeal to the friends to donate Tablets from 'Abdu'l-Bahá to the Archives. He also provided this quotation from 'Abdu'l-Bahá:

      Verily, know, that the letter of 'Abdu'l-Bahá is a hidden mystery and concealed fact; no one is informed of its greatness and importance at these times. But in the course of time and future centuries, the signs thereof will be made manifest, the lights thereof will dawn. The fragrance thereof will be diffused and the greatness, the importance thereof will be known. The truth I say unto thee, that each leaflet from 'Abdu'l-Bahá will be a widespread Book; nay, rather a glistening Gem on the Glorious Crown. Know thou Its value and hold great Its station. [CBN No 19 April 1951 p9]
    Archives; E V Harrision
    1954 May The National Archives Committee made an appeal to all assemblies and individuals to keep and record all information relative to the early history of the Cause in their area and to forward copies to the National Archives. They repeated their appeal for the friends to send Tablets that had been received from the Master. [CBN No 52 May 1954 p4] Archives

    from the main catalogue

    1. 2001: Newspaper articles archive (2001). Collection of newspaper articles from 2001. [about]
    2. A Pilgrimage Excerpt from the Story of Jeanne Kranen, by Jeanne Kranen (2013). [about]
    3. Abdu'l-Baha and "The Other", by Jan T. Jasion (2021-02). On xenophobia; Abdu'l-Bahá's response to it; his reactions to certain newspapers; the impact of xenophobia on digitized collections; some comments by Bahá'u'lláh on journalism. Text of a webinar presented to the Wilmette Institute (December, 2020). [about]
    4. Administrative Order, Suggestions about changes in , by Universal House of Justice (1995-05-18). Ways in which Bahá'ís may make suggestions for change within the Bahá'í administration, and the nature of internet discussions. [about]
    5. Archives, Bahá'í: Preserving and Safeguarding the Sacred Texts, by Universal House of Justice, in Andalib, 12:48 (1993 Fall). Includes estimated numbers of Tablets revealed, and numbers of Tablets archived at the Bahá'í World Center; prepared by the Archives Office on behalf of the House. [about]
    6. Archives, Bahá'í: Guidance Regarding, by Bahá'u'lláh and Shoghi Effendi (n.d.). [about]
    7. Babi and Bahá'í Religions 1844-1944: Some Contemporary Western Accounts, by Moojan Momen (1981). A lengthy collection of first-hand reports and mentions of the Bábí and Bahá'í religions in contemporaneous accounts and newspapers. [about]
    8. Bahá'í Classification Schemes, by William P. Collins (2001). Explanation of the expanded filing scheme for Bahá'í topics used at the Bahá'í World Centre Library, and outlines of two other classification schemes which could be adopted by private Bahá'í archives. [about]
    9. Bahá'í Shrines, by John Walbridge, in Encyclopaedia Iranica, Volume 3 (1989). [about]
    10. bahailib.com Website Archive (2021). Archive of all PDF files from the expired website bahailib.com, including Excel table-of-contents. There are 1740 files named sequentially, 1.pdf ... 1742.pdf, totaling 13GB. [about]
    11. Baron Rosen's Archive Collection of Bábí and Bahá'í Materials, by Youli A. Ioannesyan, in Lights of Irfan, Volume 8 (2007). Baron V. R. Rosen's unpublished materials relating to Bábí and Bahá'í studies, including his correspondence with A. G. Tumanski and E. G. Browne, and official reports of Russian diplomats. [about]
    12. Barstow Collection: Contents, Index, and Compiler's Notes, by Thellie Lovejoy (2000). Introduction to and contents list of the 478 translated tablets and other English documents from the library of American collector Dwight Barstow. [about]
    13. Catalogue and Description of 27 Bábí Manuscripts, by E. G. Browne, in Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (1892-07). Categorization, descriptions, and excerpts of 27 manuscripts by the Bab, Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l-Bahá, and Subh-i-Azal. [about]
    14. Catalogue and Description of 27 Bábí Manuscripts 2 (Continued from Page 499), by E. G. Browne, in Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (1892-10). Categorization, descriptions, and excerpts of 27 manuscripts by the Bab, Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l-Bahá, and Subh-i-Azal. [about]
    15. Conservation and Restoration of Calligraphy by Mishkín Qalam, The, by Shingo Ishikawa and Patrick Ravines (2004/2005/2007). Three versions of a paper explaining the procedure for preserving manuscripts at the Bahá'í World Centre, using the example of calligraphy by Mishkín Qalam. Includes high-resolution sample of Qalam's artwork. [about]
    16. Development of the Babi/Bahá'í Communities, The: Exploring Baron Rosen's Archives, by Youli A. Ioannesyan (2013). 19th-century private letters and diplomatic correspondence from a prominent Russian scholar, one of the first to study the rise of the Babis. Excerpt from book: contents and Introduction. (Offsite.) [about]
    17. Digital Archiving at the Bahá'í World Centre Library, by Bahá'í International Archives, in Scriptum: Newsletter for Bahá'í Librarians & Information Professionals, 8 (1999-07). A paper written by staff at the Bahá'í World Centre Library (and approved for publication) about organization and methods of electronic-media archiving, as of 1999. [about]
    18. Dutch Library Holdings (2000). Complete list of items relating to Bábí or Bahá'í studies in multiple languages, housed in the three principal and other libraries across the Netherlands. [about]
    19. Dwight Barstow Collection (2000). Partial scans of the 478 translated tablets and other English documents from the archive of American collector Dwight Barstow. [about]
    20. Emma Maxwell (Maxie) Jones Collection (1907-1974/2021/2024). 64 documents collected by Maxie Jones covering a wide variety of topics and sources: pilgrims' notes, letters of Shoghi Effendi, convention reports, Tablets, hymns, compilations, talks of Ruhiyyih Khanum, personal letters of early Bahá'ís. [about]
    21. Eshraghieh and Mahmoud Rabbani Collection, by Bosch Bahá'í School library (1998). Arabic and Persian books, tablets, and manuscripts held at the Bosch Bahá'í School library. [about]
    22. European Bahá'í Archives Workshop (2001-06-01). Essays and handouts from a workshop on preservation of source material. Includes forms for archivists, historians, local and national assemblies, archiving methods, oral history guidelines, organizational schemes, and compilations from the Writings. [about]
    23. International Conference on Bahá'í Libraries and Archives (2003-01). Conference convened at Landegg International University for people to share experiences, learn about best practices, and begin developing a structure for world interaction among those who handle and organize Bahá’í library and archival materials. [about]
    24. Iranian National Bahá'í Archives (INBA) (1976-1978). 105 volumes of Bahá'í writings and manuscripts, compiled before the Islamic revolution in Iran by the Bahá'í National Spiritual Assembly and distributed as photocopies to Bahá'í scholars and archives, for preservation. [about]
    25. Juan Cole manuscript and book collection: Shaykhi, Babi, and Baha'i texts (1997). Manuscripts and books in Cole's library and selected Iranian National Bahá'í Archive contents. [about]
    26. Letters to and from US Presidential Archives (1984). A collection of correspondence circa 1984 from and to archivist David Piff concerning Bahá'í-related holdings. Also included is some correspondence between offices of the presidents and the US National Spiritual Assembly and the BIC. [about]
    27. Lights of Guidance: A Bahá'í Reference File, by Bahá'u'lláh and Abdu'l-Bahá (1988). The classic Bahá'í reference book. This is its first online edition. [about]
    28. Number of tablets revealed by Bahá'u'lláh, by Robert Stockman and Juan Cole (1999). Informal accounting of the number of writings of Bahá'u'lláh. [about]
    29. Pause to Reflect on Dustbins, A: Records of [A.L.M. Nicolas] Found amongst a Pile of Thrown-Away Writings, by Mahmoud Rouh-ol-Amini, in Ganjineh Asnad, 3:39/4:40 (2001). Brief discussion in Persian of papers of Nicolas found in the trash in Paris, with reflections on things discarded, written by Mahmoud Rouholamini. Includes background by Yves Monteil, who discovered the papers (1998) and scanned the later article (2001). [about]
    30. Persian Manuscript of Nabíl's History (Táríkh-i-Nabíl), The, by Universal House of Justice (2009-03-08). Answers to various questions, including: have any publications made use of the original manuscript used by Shoghi Effendi for The Dawn-Breakers; can scholars inspect the one surviving copy; does a corrected version or a "second manuscript" exist? [about]
    31. Persian/Arabic Bahá'í Books in the Library of Ahang Rabbani (1999). Private library of Persian and Arabic sacred writings and other Bahá'í-related material. [about]
    32. "Phoenix Schedule" for the Dewey '200s', Suggested in particular for Bahá'í Libraries, A, by Paul Gerard, in Australian Bahá'í Studies, vol. 2 (2000). On the structure and limitations of the Dewey Decimal Scheme, with a detailed expanded subset for Bahá'í material. [about]
    33. Primary Source Texts, Access to, by Universal House of Justice and Susan Maneck (1998-12-30). One scholar's query why the Bahá'í World Centre's copies of primary sources in Bábí and Bahá'í history are not available for study, followed by the House's response. [about]
    34. Publishing, Bahá'í, Memorandum on: Materials to be Deposited with the Bahá'í World Centre Library, by Bahá'í International Archives and Universal House of Justice (1998/2000). Overview of Literature Review, publishing, translations, and details of the requirement of sending copies of all materials to the World Center archives. [about]
    35. Recollections of Pilgrimage: Nine Days with the Guardian in 1957, by Bill Washington (2014). Lengthy account of 9 days in the Holy Land. Appendixes include list of items in the Archives, stories told by other pilgrims, and discussion of the Ten-Year Plan. [about]
    36. Reference Desk, The: Projects that Support Bahá'í Scholarship in the Digital Age (2022). 13 presentations on how digital technologies are supporting Bahá’í scholarship. Webmasters, bibliographers, genealogists, and archivists speak about their journey in reference projects: origins, progress, and insights into how their projects are used. [about]
    37. Scriptum (1995-2001). All 8 issues of a journal for Bahá'í librarians and archivists. [about]
    38. Searchable online catalogues for US National Bahá'í Library and Louhelen Library, by Roger M. Dahl and Lewis Walker (2014-12). Overview of and links to online catalogues for two American Bahá'í archives. [about]
    39. Shoghi Effendi: Recollections, by Ugo Giachery (1973). Biography of Shoghi Effendi from the close standpoint of the author's personal experiences. [about]
    40. soc.religion.bahai: Complete Archives (1992-2010). Link to an 18-year archive of the first moderated Bahá'í newsgroup. [about]
    41. Sources for Early Babi Doctrine and History, by Denis MacEoin: Some Notes, by Grover Gonzales (2022). [about]
    42. St. Petersburg 19th Century Orientalist Collection of Materials on the Bábí and Bahá'í Faiths, The: Primary and Other Sources, by Youli A. Ioannesyan, in Lights of Irfan, Volume 7 (2006). The important work of Russian scholars up to 1917 in collecting Bábí and Bahá’í materials; a detailed listing of available materials. [about]
    43. Texts, Sacred, Numbers and Classifications of, by Universal House of Justice, in Lights of Irfan, Volume 10 (2002/2010/2013). Three letters, from 2002, 2010, and 2013, about numbers of Sacred Texts catalogued by the Bahá'í World Center and their classification into "authenticated," "revised," and "transcribed." [about]
    44. Walter and Emma Jones Bahá'í Archive Photo Album, by Walter Jones and Emma Maxie Jones (2008/2022). Album of 475 annotated images of Bahá'í friends and associates of the Walter (1888-1990) and Emma Maxie (1904-1984) Jones family, from 1925 to 1994. [about]
    45. Writings, Bahá'í: Importance of collecting and safeguarding, by Bahá'u'lláh and Shoghi Effendi, in Bahá'í Studies Review, 11 (2003). [about]
     
    See all tags, sorted numerically or alphabetically.

    See all locations, sorted numerically or alphabetically.

    Home Site Map Links Copyright About Contact
    .
    . .