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Tag: "Free will"

tag name Free will type: Philosophy
web link bahai-library.com/tags/Free_will
related tags Concepts, Philosophical; Fate, destiny and predestination; Human capacity and limitations; Human nature; Will
referring tags Paradise Lost (poem)
Inventory subject Free will and predestination; fate
notes

"... Unto each one hath been prescribed a preordained measure... All that which ye potentially possess can, however, be manifested only as a result of your own volition... Men, however, have wittingly broken His law. Is such a behavior to be attributed to God, or to their proper selves? Be fair in your judgment. Every good thing is of God, and every evil thing is from yourselves..."

Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, LXXVII (BH00431)

"... Certain matters are subject to the free will of man, such as acting with justice and fairness, or injustice and iniquity—in other words, the choice of good or evil actions. It is clear and evident that the will of man figures greatly in these actions. But there are certain matters where man is forced and compelled, such as sleep, death, sickness, failing powers, misfortune, and material loss: These are not subject to the will of man and he is not accountable for them, for he is compelled to endure them. But he is free in the choice of good and evil actions, and it is of his own accord that he performs them...

Moreover, man’s stillness or motion itself is conditioned upon the aid of God. Should this assistance fail to reach him, he can do neither good nor evil. But when the assistance of the all-bounteous Lord confers existence upon man, he is capable of both good and evil. And should that assistance be cut off, he would become absolutely powerless...

... all the doings of man are sustained by the power of divine assistance, but the choice of good or evil belongs to him alone..."

– 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, chapter 70: Free Will and its Limits (AB00441)

See also:

– 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Sacred Writings, chapter 14, section "Free Will"

references en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_will

"Free will" has been tagged in:

46 results from the Main Catalog

from the main catalog (46 results; collapse)

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  1. n.d.. مقام انسان از نظر فلسفی (The status of man from a philosophical perspective). Alí Murád Dávúdí. Transcript of a talk. Date and location not known. Articles.
  2. n.d.. Human Soul, The. Adib Taherzadeh. The human soul is an eternal reality that develops virtues in this world, preparing for spiritual progress in the next life. Around 60 minutes. Audio.
  3. 2025-07. Bahá'í Sacred Writings. Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í World Centre, comp. . A comprehensive collection of selections from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh and the Writings and utterances of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, representing the range of the Bahá’í teachings. Writings.
  4. 2025. Rethinking the Design Question: 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Revolutionary Synthesis of Design, Emergence, and Free Will. Bahman Nadimi. On Darwinian vs the Intelligent Design movement's approach to questions of causation, complexity, and free will; description of a Bahá'í framework, sketching the conceptual terrain, promising lines of argument, and suggestions for further work. Articles-unpublished.
  5. 2023-2026. BWNS Podcasts: Conversations and Insights from the Field. Bahá'í World News Service. Links to 46 interviews highlighting how Bahá’í individuals and communities worldwide apply spiritual principles to education, governance, equality, and social transformation, fostering unity and the betterment of society. Video and audio available. Audio.
  6. 2023-09. La Condition Humaine: âme, raison, conscience. Pierre Daoust. Cet article propose un tour d'horizon des Écrits sur les notions d'âme, de raison et de conscience et en tire des conclusions sur la condition et la noblesse de l'être humain. Articles-unpublished.
  7. 2022. Reis naar het Hart van de Qur'án: Het Heilige Boek van de islam voor hen die nadenken (door een niet-moslim). David Russell Garcia, Kees Poolman, trans. . Een overzicht van de Koran en zijn thema's: islam versus het christendom; wetten, geestelijke en sociale principes; heilige oorlog en vechten; redenen achter de reputatie van de islam als een oorlogsreligie; apocalypse. Books.
  8. 2021. Light of the World: Selected Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Abdu'l-Bahá. Tablets of ‘Abdul-Bahá describing aspects of the life of Bahá’u’lláh including the tribulations He suffered, events in His homeland, the purpose and greatness of His Cause, and the nature and significance of His Covenant. Writings.
  9. 2021. List of Articles by John Hatcher on BahaiTeachings.org. John S. Hatcher. List of online essays and articles by Dr. John Hatcher. Bibliographies.
  10. 2020-04-10. Writings of the Báb, The: Notes from Talks given by Dr. Nader Saiedi. Nader Saiedi, Anonymous, comp. . Structured summarized notes from Dr. Saiedi’s 2019 talks on the Báb’s Writings, delivered at the Swedish and Norwegian Bahá'í summer school 2019, highlighting key theological concepts and themes. Includes some provisional translations quoted in the talks. Talks.
  11. 2019-12-08. Philosophical Statements by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Some Answered Questions. Abdu'l-Bahá, A. Bolhuis, comp. . Quotations extracted from Ian Kluge's article "Some Answered Questions: A Philosophical Perspective" (2009), using the 2014 revised edition of "Some Answered Questions". Compilations-personal.
  12. 2019. Writings of the Báb: Lecture Series at the Norwegian Summer School. Nader Saiedi. On topics including the concept of God; Manifestations of God; Day of Resurrection, heaven and hell; the Imamate, the Hidden Imam; divine justice and free will; reason, independence; human rights, equality, women. Links to audio files, offsite. Audio.
  13. 2018. Freedom and the Bahá'í Writings. Ian Kluge. Bahá'í philosophy is based on principles of reason and non-contradiction. It is coherent because its teachings are interdependent and mutually supportive. The Writings cover a spectrum of issues about freedom and the metaphysical basis of free will. Articles.
  14. 2017. Bahá'í Philosophy of Human Nature, The. Ian Kluge. How the essential reality of the individual — the human soul and its powers of rational thought, willpower, memory, and reflection — translates these capacities into physical action through the intermediary of the brain. Articles.
  15. 2014. Index to Some Answered Questions. Topic references to chapter and paragraph numbers of the 2014 revised authorized translation of this collection of table talks by 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Bibliographies.
  16. 2014. Text and Context in the Bahá'í Heroic Age. Nader Saiedi. A series of 12 talks by Nader Saiedi exploring Bahá'í history, key writings, and the need for scholarly study, translation, and contextual analysis of Bahá'í texts. Audio.
  17. 2014. Answered Questions, Some. Abdu'l-Bahá. 'Table talks' given by ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá in ‘Akká between 1904 and 1906 in response to questions posed by Laura Dreyfus-Barney; first published in 1908, the new 2014 edition has been extensively retranslated. Writings.
  18. 2013-04. Spontaneous Talks by Dr. Khan, at His Sunday Morning Classes, Answering Some of His 95 Questions. Ali Kuli Khan, Terry Nelson Randolph, ed. . Proofs of the Bahá'í Faith, written by a prominent translator and companion of Abdu'l-Bahá. Includes short biography of Ali-Kuli Khan regarding the history of this document, with photographs. Books.
  19. 2013. Human Station in the Bahá'í Faith: Selected Sections: Philosophy and Knowledge of the Divine. Alí Murád Dávúdí, Riaz Masrour, trans, Vahid Rafati, comp. . A collection of talks by the Bahá’í teacher and philosopher Dr. A. M. Dávúdí on selected philosophical topics, including one on the subject of the non-political nature of the Bahá’í Faith and non-involvement in partisan politics. Books.
  20. 2012. I know Not How to Sing Thy Praise: Reflections on a Prayer of Bahá'u'llah. Wolfgang A. Klebel. Theology and the language of revelation vs. atheism and scientific discourse, and apophatic "not-knowing" vs. the impossibility of knowing god. Articles.
  21. 2010. رهایی: مجموعه ای از آثار دکتر علی مراد داودی (Freedom: A collection of works by Dr. Ali Murad Davoudi). Alí Murád Dávúdí, Vahid Rafati, comp. and ed. . 18 articles and various historical materials, including Dr. Davudi's will. Books.
  22. 2009-2011. Provisional Translations of Selected Writings of the Báb, Baháʼuʼlláh, and ʻAbdu'l-Bahá. Peyman Sazedj. Twenty-four translations from 2009, 2010, and 2011 copied from the defunct website peyman.sazedj.org. Translations.
  23. 2009. Mysteries of Alast: The Realm of Subtle Entities and the Primordial Covenant in the Babi-Bahá'í Writings. Farshid Kazemi. One of the more esoteric concepts in Shi'i and Shaykhi thought is the "realm of subtle entities," 'ālam-i dharr, a sort of pre-existence for the archetype of humanity, which is relevant to free will and the seven stages of creation. Articles.
  24. 2009. Answered Questions, Some: A Philosophical Perspective. Ian Kluge. Philosophical foundations of the Bahá’í teachings, including ontology, theology, epistemology, philosophical anthropology and psychology, and personal and social ethics. Articles.
  25. 2008. Gate of the Heart: Understanding the Writings of the Bab (contents and index only). Nader Saiedi. A lengthy, detailed examination of the context, chronology, and content of the writings of the Báb. (Link to document, offsite; only the contents and index are on this site, for keyword searching.) Excerpts.
  26. 2005-11. Collected Essays. John Wiegley. Dozens of essays on numerous topics of Bahá'í thought and practice. Books.
  27. 2003-10. Voyage to the Heart of the Koran: The Holy Book of Islám for Thinking Minds (By a Non-Muslim). David Russell Garcia. A lengthy overview of the Qur'án and its themes for a Bahá'í audience; holy war and fighting; reasons behind Islám's reputation as a war-like religion; theology of Islám vs. Christianity; laws and admonitions; spiritual and social principles; apocalypse. Books.
  28. 2003. Perspectives on the Inseparable Twin Duties Prescribed in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. Eamonn Moane. Religions differ in the balance of faith versus good works, the grace of God versus human strivings, and the scheme of salvation. To Bahá'ís, recognizing the Prophet and obedience to his laws are equal duties. For salvation, faith surpasses deeds. Articles.
  29. 2001. Man: The Crown of Creation or Its Destroyer?. Udo Schaefer. When will deficient humans, no longer able to solve the existential problems of humanity, change for the better? The survival of mankind depends on a new ethic and a substantially new way of thinking. Articles-unpublished.
  30. 2000. Psychology of Spirituality, The: From Divided Self to Integrated Self. Hossain B. Danesh. Explores what is the nature of human reality, the purpose of human life, transcendence, and whether we have free will, using case histories, in-depth analysis, and practical examples. First 3 chapters only. Books.
  31. 1998. Soul in Chinese and Bahá'í Belief, The. Phyllis Ghim-Lian Chew. On Chinese religions and the Bahá'í Faith; their beliefs in the presence of a soul and an afterlife; the nature of the soul and the human being; the human quest for happiness and meaning in life; free will and its relation to justice. Articles.
  32. 1996/2016. Humanity and the Universe: Mirror of the Unknown. Harry Liedtke. A study of the origin and nature of the universe in light of Bahá'í texts; creation and evolution; cosmology and life in the universe; technological progress; science and religion; the nature of time, our senses, and free will. Books.
  33. 1996. Bahá'u'lláh's Teachings on Spiritual Reality. Paul Lample, comp. The quest for spirituality, the spiritual life, material and spiritual reality, the progress of the soul and humanity’s spiritual education. Introductory.
  34. 1995. Bahá'í Cosmological Symbolism and the Ecofeminist Critique. Michael W. Sours. Constituents of Bahá'í cosmological symbolism; introduction to the main feminist/environmentalist arguments; eschatological character of Bahá'í cosmological symbolism; Bahá'í eschatology provides answers to many feminist and ecological objections. Articles.
  35. 1994. "On Human Origins: A Bahá'í Perspective," by Craig Loehle: Response to Commentary. Keven Brown. Reviews.
  36. 1993. "In the Beginning Was the Word": Apocalypse and the Education of the Soul. Ross Woodman. Hidden meanings in scripture and the soul are metaphorically identified with the huris, or brides. The bridegroom, Bahá'ulláh, enters union as the marriage of the Manifestation with the Maid of Heaven, who releases the Logos and the newly created soul. Articles.
  37. 1991. "Evolution of Reality," by George Land: Commentary. Tony Michel. Reviews.
  38. 1989/1990. Immortality and the Human Soul: Lecture Series. Hooper Dunbar. Audio.
  39. 1986. Concept of Spirituality, The. William S. Hatcher. Widely-read ABS monograph, re-published in the Bahá'í World. Includes chapters "The Nature of Man," "Process of Spiritual Growth," and "Collective Dimension of Spirituality." Articles.
  40. 1985-03-14. Human Suffering, the Reconstruction of Society, and the Places the Manifestations of God have Appeared. Universal House of Justice. UHJ-letters.
  41. 1984. Growing in the Bahá'í Faith. Adib Taherzadeh. Talk at an Alaskan summer school, covering topics such as the nature of the soul, our purpose, and personal and collective growth. Audio.
  42. 1982-2023. Encyclopaedia Iranica: Selected articles related to Persian culture, religion, philosophy and history. Encyclopaedia Iranica. Sorted, categorized collection of links to over 170 articles. Encyclopedia.
  43. 1939. Heart of the Gospel: The Bible and the Bahá'í Faith. George Townshend. Using only the text of the Bible, Townshend provides a new reading of Scripture as a guidebook for those who seek a universal view of religion and the contemporary world. Books.
  44. 1933-04. Letter to Frau Alice Schwarz-Solivo of a Talk by Abdu'l-Baha. Josephina Fallscher, Richard Grosser, trans. . On the 'freedom of will', inheritance and instinct. Pilgrims.
  45. 1912. Bahá'ísm, the religion of brotherhood and its place in the evolution of creeds. Francis Henry Skrine. An outsider's sympathetic portrayal of the Bahá'í history and teachings, written with "express approval" of Abdu'l-Bahá. Books.
  46. 1904. Notes Taken in 1904: vol. 1. Ethel J. Rosenberg. Book-length collection of quotations from pilgrims' notes and other sources on many aspects of Bahá'í teachings on philosophy and interpretations of religious symbols. Pilgrims.
 
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