1. 2026-02. Three Iranian Intellectual Icons of the 1960s and Their Attitudes Toward the Bahá'ís. Mina Yazdani. Three influential 1960s Iranian intellectuals perpetuated unfounded conspiracy theories linking Bahá'ís to foreign powers, inadvertently normalizing discrimination against their compatriots despite their progressive self-image. Articles.
2. 2025-06. Quddús and the Story of Joseph: A Typological Exploration. Boris Handal. How Quddús can be understood through the lens of Joseph’s narrative of sacrifice, patience, and divine favor; shared motifs of exile, leadership, trials, and ultimate vindication; the possibilities and limits of drawing such typological comparisons. Articles.
3. 2024-08. Lawh-i-Hirtík (Tablet to Hardegg). Bahá'u'lláh, Bahá'í World Centre, trans. . Authorized translation of Bahá'u'lláh's Tablet to Georg David Hardegg, co-founder of the German Templer Society, emphasizing devotion, fulfillment of prophecies, and the transformative power of the Word of God. Writings.
4. 2023-11-28. Reflections on the First Century of the Formative Age. Universal House of Justice. Overview of the Faith's developments and activities during the previous century, including the Guardianship, global expansion, community building and development, participation in societal discourse, and construction of the Bahá'í World Centre. UHJ-letters.
5. 2023. Mi'ráj in Select Shaykhí, Bábí, and Bahá'í Texts, The. Sholeh A. Quinn. The ascension of the Prophet Muhammad to heaven, and commentary on its meanings by religious leaders associated with the the Shaykhí, Bábí, and Bahá'í movements. Link to article (offsite). Articles.
6. 2022. Key Passages from the Kitáb-i-Íqán (Book of Certitude) in Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh. Bahá'u'lláh, Shoghi Effendi, comp, A. Bolhuis, ed. . Cross-reference compilation of 40 passages from the Kitáb-i-Íqán selected by Shoghi Effendi for inclusion in Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, adapted from Hooper Dunbar's Companion to the Study of the Kitáb-i-Íqán. Compilations-personal.
7. 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.
8. 2021. Bible Stories and Themes in the Bahá'í Writings and Guidance. Anonymous, comp. Bahá'í interpretation of Biblical stories and topics. Compilations-personal.
9. 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.
10. 2020. He Whom God Shall Make Manifest: Notes on Gematria, Tetractys, The Báb's identification of Him, and Opposition to Bahá'u'lláh. Grover Gonzales. On the Bab's use of numerology and cabalistic interpretation of scripture, and his use of amulets and talismans, as tools to help his disciples find and recognize the coming Manifestation, the "Qa'im," Man Yuzhiruhu'lláh. Articles-unpublished.
11. 2019-09. Worldview and the Laws of the Bayán. Nader Saiedi. Explores the Persian Bayán's spiritual worldview and laws through four talks, offering insights into the Báb's Dispensation. Audio.
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. 2019. Twelve Table Talks Given by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in 'Akká. Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í World Centre, trans. . Talks from 1904-1907. Writings.
14. 2018/2025. Additional Tablets, Extracts and Talks. Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í World Centre, trans. . 216 selections, last updated 2025. Writings.
15. 2018/2024. Additional Tablets and Extracts from Tablets Revealed by Bahá'u'lláh. Bahá'u'lláh, Bahá'í World Centre, trans. . 85 selections, last updated August 2024. Writings.
16. 2018-01-21. Resurrection and the World to Come. Bahá'u'lláh, William F. McCants, trans. . Extract from the Lawh-i-Yusuf (Tablet of Joseph), explaining the meaning of 'paradise', 'hellfire', 'resurrection', and similar terms. Translations.
17. 2018. Constructive Resilience. Firaydoun Javaheri. How the perseverance of the Bahá'ís in Iran has resulted in the generality of the Iranian people beginning to admire and, in some cases, arising to assist the Bahá'ís. Articles.
18. 2016. Tablet on Understanding the Cause of Opposition to the Manifestations of God. Bahá'u'lláh, Keven Brown, trans. . Summary of some themes from the Kitab-i-Iqan, concluding with a long prayer inviting the reader to see with his/her "own eyes." Translations.
19. 2015 Fall. Wittgensteinian Language-Games in an Indo-Persian Dialogue on the World Religions. Juan Cole. Reflections on Bahá'u'lláh's theology of previous religions and Ludwig Wittgenstein’s concept of "language games"; Hinduism, India, and 19th-century Iranian culture; Manakji’s questions about Hinduism and Zoroastrianism. Articles.
20. 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.
21. 2014. Islám: The Road Ahead: Reflections of a Bahá'í on Islamic Topics. Rowshan Mustapha. Questions about the finality of religion, the Day of Judgment, the role of Jesus and the Mihdi, and what will happen at the End of Time, through the lens of the Bahá’í Teachings. Books.
22. 2013-03-12. Kirk, Durbin Introduce Resolution Condemning Iran's Continued Persecution of Bahá'í Minority. Mark Kirk, Dick Durbin. In recognition of the five-year anniversary of imprisonment of Bahá'í leaders in Iran, senators meet with their family members and friends and introduce a joint resolution calling attention to this persecution. Documents.
23. 2013-03. Violence with Impunity: Acts of aggression against Iran's Bahá'í community. Bahá'í International Community. Book-length report on the rising tide of violence directed against the Iranian Bahá'í community 2005-2012, and the degree to which attackers enjoy impunity from prosecution or punishment. BIC.
24. 2013. Commentary on a Passage in the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf. Moojan Momen. Short biography of the Son of the Wolf, Aqa Najafi; summary of persecutions from 1874-1903; and the Epistle's references to Qayyumu’l-Asma and the Muslim dawn prayer for Ramadan. Articles.
25. 2012. Bahá'í Tradition, The: The Return of Joseph and the Peaceable Imagination. Todd Lawson. Overview of the status of violence in the Bahá'í tradition, and the historical/social conditions in which these doctrines were articulated. Articles.
26. 2012. Surih of Admonition (Suratu'l-Nus'h): Revealed for Siyyid Ja'far-i-Yazdí. Bahá'u'lláh, Afaf A. Stevens, trans. . A tablet in which Bahá'u'lláh identifies with God and speaks as His mouthpiece, describes the appearance of the Prophets from Adam to the Báb, counsels the learned to be ready for the Promised One, and refers to his enemy Shaykh 'Abdu'l-Husayn-i-Tihrání. Translations.
27. 2011-10. What is there to grieve about?. Abdu'l-Bahá, Fares Hedayati, trans, Bryn Higgins, trans. . Translations.
28. 2011. Religious Contentions in Modern Iran, 1881-1941. Mina Yazdani. In 20th-century Iran, anti-Bahaism played a role in transforming Shi'i religious piety into the political ideology known as Islamism; Bahá'ís became branded as Iran's internal "other"; role of The Confessions of Dolgoruki. Link to thesis (offsite). Theses.
29. 2010-04. Abdu'l-Baha's First Thousand-Verse Tablet: History and Provisional Translation. Ahang Rabbani, Khazeh Fananapazir. Tablet revealed in 1897 in response to events in Akka and the rebellion against Abdu'l-Bahá by his family members after the passing of Bahá'u'lláh. Articles.
30. 2010-02. Nature of the Persecution against the Bahá'ís in Iran. Bahá'í International Community. The situation of the Bahá'ís in Iran in 2010; historical and legal context; denial of individual and communal rights; incitement to hatred based on religion or belief. BIC.
31. 2010. Balancing Constancy and Change in the Bahá'í Faith. Peter J. Khan. Address to the 2010 United States Bahá'í convention: transcript, video, and audio. Talks.
32. 2010. Historical Consciousness and the Divine Plan. Douglas Martin. A series of eight short talks (total around two hours), in both audio and video formats, on the evolution of religion and humanity. Includes compilation materials for further study. Audio.
33. 2009-2025. Translation List: Provisional Translations of Baháʼí Texts. Adib Masumian, trans. Index to talks, letters, and other items translated from Persian and Arabic to English by Adib Masumian; listed here for the sake of search engines and tagging. Bibliographies.
34. 2009-10. Nonpartisan Engagement in Public Affairs: A Critical Analysis of the Bahá'í Approach to Dialogue, Democracy, and Diplomatic Relations. Bui Tyril. How to address the dilemma of protesting human rights abuses in Iran while remaining non-partisan. Link to thesis (offsite). Theses.
35. 2009-01-24. Old Charges for a New Religion, Some. Susan Maneck. The background and significance of the fantastic charges made against Bahá’ís in Iran and elsewhere where Bahá’ís face severe persecution (a foreign conspiracy to destroy the unity of Islam; sexual promiscuity, etc.) in the context of other ‘heresies'. Essays.
36. 2009. Debunking the Myths: Conspiracy Theories on the Genesis and Mission of the Bahá'í Faith. Adib Masumian. Response to Iranian conspiracy theories portraying the Bahá'í Faith as a subversive political group, Zionist spies, affiliates of the secret police, British agents, etc. Available in English and Persian. Includes interview with author. Books.
37. 2009. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit: Chapter 31 of Some Answered Questions. Moojan Momen. An examination of covenant-breaking in the Bahá’í Faith in terms of the Biblical reference to blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Articles.
38. 2009. Responding to Criticism and Opposition on the Internet. Bahá'í Internet Agency. Bahá’ís welcome constructive examination of their Faith. While they should not engage in exchanges that are divisive or contentious, Bahá’ís will not hesitate to respond, in a spirit of courtesy and fairness, to serious misrepresentations of their Faith. Essays.
39. 2008-09. Bahá'í Question, The: Cultural Cleansing in Iran. Bahá'í International Community. Books.
40. 2008. Anatomy of Prejudice: Reflections on Secular Anti-Baha'ism in Iran. H. E. Chehabi. On social attitudes toward Bahá'ís in Iranian society; religious and cultural prejudice; anti-Bahá'í arguments and conspiracies; their political prominence under the Sháh; Iranian nationalism and Bahá'í cosmopolitanism; Bahá'ís and Persian culture. Articles.
41. 2007-09-24. Situation of the Bahá'ís in Egypt. Bahá'í International Community. Oral Statement of the Bahá’í International Community to the Human Rights Council (6th Session of the Human Rights Council), Geneva, Switzerland. BIC.
42. 2007. Les Bahaïs du Caucase: b.a.-ba d'une communauté méconnue (The Bahá'ís of the Caucasus, the 'ABCs' of an unknown community). Azer Jafarov, Bayram Balci. Chapter on "the Bahá'ís of the Caucasus, the basics [lit. the ABCs] of an unknown community." Encyclopedia.
43. 2005. One Common Faith. Universal House of Justice. Examines humanity’s spiritual crisis, critiques materialism and religious division, and affirms religion as a progressive, unifying force essential for moral development and global civilization. UHJ-documents.
44. 2004-09-22. Bahá'í Faith and Its Relationship to Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, The: A Brief History. Adam Berry. Bahá'í history in Iran and America; relationship with Christian missionaries in Iran and Christian converts in America; Jewish responses to the Faith. Articles.
45. 2004. Conspiracies and Forgeries: The Attack upon the Bahá'í Community in Iran. Moojan Momen. Early attacks on the Bahá'í community in Iran were made mostly on the basis of religious accusations, but in the 20th century, non-religious accusations based on widely held and often fantastical conspiracy theories have become more prevalent. Articles.
46. 2003. Post-Quranic Religion Between Apostasy and Public Order, A: Egyptian Muftis and Courts on the Legal Status of the Baha'i Faith. Johanna Pink. On how Egypt has adapted and responded to the Bahá'í Faith; legal issues for Muslim jurists and the courts; personal and employment status of Bahá'ís in Egypt; issues raised by a post-Quranic religious minority. Articles.
47. 2002-08-14. Need for Bahá'ís of Capacity and Expertise, The. Peter J. Khan. Slightly edited transcript of a talk given by Dr. Khan at a meeting of a group of Bahá’ís in Sydney, 14 August 2002. Talks.
48. 2002 October. Deriding Revealed Religions?: Bahá'ís in Egypt. Johanna Pink. Shift in Egyptian public perception of the Bahá'í Faith from an Islamic reform movement to an independent religion. Essays.
49. 2002. Selections from the Writings of His Holiness 'Abdu'l-Bahá': 2. Abdu'l-Bahá, Khazeh Fananapazir, trans. . Provisional translations of four selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'. Translations.
50. 2002. Gems of Divine Mysteries. Bahá'u'lláh. A lengthy tablet in Arabic on how the Mahdi was Ali Muhammad, The Báb, the Primal Point. Written during the Baghdad period for Siyyid Yúsuf-i-Sihdihí Isfahání. His questions were brought from Karbila, and answered the same day. Writings.
51. 2002. Exposition on the Fire Tablet by Bahá'u'lláh, An. James B. Thomas. A description of Bahá'u'lláh's Fire Tablet, a dialogue between himself and God on suffering and sacrifice, and an account of its historical context; mystical intercourse between the twin stations of Bahá'u'lláh, human and divine. Articles.
52. 2001-05-06. Internet, Defending the Cause against Opponents on. Universal House of Justice. The nature of opposition to the Bahá'í Faith, and how to respond to it in internet media. UHJ-letters.
53. 2000-07. Bahá'ís in Iran, The: Twenty Years of Repression. Firuz Kazemzadeh. Overview of the modern persecution of Bahá'ís in Iran. Articles.
54. 2000. Fact and Fiction: Interrelationships between History and Imagination. Bahíyyih Nakhjavání. On the tension between "fact" and "fiction," between objective history and our relative and subjective stories, between art as the representation of reality and faith based on the Word of God. We inherited a responsibility to resolve this tension. Articles.
55. 2000. Making the Crooked Straight: A Contribution to Baha'i Apologetics [excerpt]. Udo Schaefer, Nicola Towfigh, Ulrich Gollmer, Geraldine Schuckelt, trans. . Front- and back-matter of the book only: Contents, Preface, Introduction, Conclusion, Bibliography, Index. Books.
56. 1999. Commentary on a Verse of Rumi. Juan Cole. Summary and paraphrase of a tablet about a debate over the unity of being (wahdat al-wujud) in Sufi thought. Essays.
57. 1999. Irish Bahá'í Summer School. Adib Taherzadeh. A wide-ranging talk on the administrative order, anecdotes about George Townshend, and time spent in Ireland. Audio.
58. 1999. Freemasonry, Bahá'ísm, and British Tudehis. Ali Akbar Dareini, trans. Overview of Bahá'í activities during the period of Mohammad Reza Shah, from the hostile perspective of Hossein Fardoust, deputy head of SAVAK. Histories.
59. 1998-07. Television Address of Iranian President Mohammad Khatami. Universal House of Justice, Bahá'í International Community. Questions and answers about a historically unique television interview of Iranian President Khatami, given on CNN Wednesday, Jan 7, 1998. UHJ-letters.
60. 1998-05. Study of the Bahá'í Faith, Issues Related to the. Universal House of Justice. Compilation of guidance from the Universal House of Justice on Bahá’í scholarship, emphasizing responsible study, the review process, academic freedom, institutional trust, and preservation of unity. Compilations.
61. 1997-04-08. Attacks on the Faith. National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States. Response to two recent "attacks": dissidence and graffiti. NSA-letters.
62. 1996. Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986: Third Epoch of the Formative Age. Universal House of Justice, Geoffrey W. Marks, comp. . Books.
63. 1995. Baha'u'llah's Prophetology: Archetypal patterns in the lives of the founders of the world religions. Moojan Momen. Explores the theory that the lives of the prophet-founders of the world religions have in some ways re-capitulated each other. Articles.
64. 1995. Comparative Lives of the Founders of the World Religions. Moojan Momen. Table comparing the lives of the Founders of the world's religions. Resources.
65. 1995. Return of the Dreamtime. Pym Trueman. Brief history of Christianity and missionary work in Samoa and Australia, and how native Samoan customs and beliefs were changed or lost. Articles.
66. 1993. Paranoid Style in Iranian Politics, The. Ervand Abrahamian. A seminal essay which mentions contemporary Iranian attitudes toward the Bahá'ís. Includes three other mentions of the Bahá'í Faith elsewhere in the book in which this essay was first published. Articles.
67. 1992. Commentary on the Azhar's Statement regarding Bahá'ís and Bahá'ísm. Mohsen Enayat. Response to an official 1986 pronouncement on the Faith by this prominent Egyptian university. Articles.
68. 1991-06-20. Secret of Divine Civilization Translation, Capital Punishment, and Other Questions. Universal House of Justice. On the capitalization of pronouns, reference to "we Muslims," works of Abdu'l-Bahá revealed during the time of Bahá'u'lláh, the first person to recognize Bahá'u'lláh, and designer of the temple in Ishqabad. Includes a compilation on capital punishment. UHJ-letters.
69. 1991. Opposition. Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi, Universal House of Justice, Research Department, comp. . Compilations.
70. 1990-11-06. Unity of Religions in This Century, Jews and the Crucifixion, and the Sacrifice of Ishmael, The. Universal House of Justice. UHJ-letters.
71. 1989-10-06. Special Report on Baha'i Burial vs. Maori Custom. National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of New Zealand. Special report about reconciling Bahá'í burial laws with local maori customs where they conflict; includes guidance from the Universal House of Justice. NSA-letters.
72. 1988. Lights of Guidance: A Bahá'í Reference File. Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi, Universal House of Justice, Helen Bassett Hornby, comp. . The classic Bahá'í reference book. This is its first online edition. Compilations-personal.
73. 1987. Tablet to The Times of London. Bahá'u'lláh, Mehdi Wolf, ed. . Short tablet calling newspapers to investigate the Truth. Translations.
74. 1987. Epistle to the Son of the Wolf (Lawh-i-Ibn-i-Dhib): Excerpts from Revelation of Baha'u'llah. Adib Taherzadeh. Excerpts from chapters 24-25, compiled for the Wilmette Institute. Study.
75. 1986. Persecution of the Baha'is in Iran: 1979-1986: A 7-year campaign to eliminate a religious minority. Bahá'í International Community. Overview of activities and propaganda against Bahá'ís in Iran, and the responses of the United Nations. BIC.
76. 1986. Bahá'í World, The: Volume 18 (1979-1983). Various, Universal House of Justice, comp. . Periodic volumes that survey the global activities and major achievements of the Faith. Books.
77. 1986. Iranian Expatriates, Letter to, following 1979 Iranian Revolution. Universal House of Justice, Inayat Rawhani, trans. . Letter of support and guidance to Iranians who had recently fled the Iranian Revolution, dated 10 February 1980. UHJ-letters.
78. 1985. Tablet to Shaykh Kazim-i-Samandar II (Lawh-i-Shaykh Kazim-i-Samandar II). Bahá'u'lláh, Hasan M. Balyuzi, trans. . Translations.
79. 1983-08. Flame Within Us, A. Alí Nakhjavání. Faith must become an inner flame expressed through action, sacrifice, and sincerity, preparing individuals to face trials and contribute to the spiritual transformation of humanity; persecutions in Iran. Transcript not formatted. Audio.
80. 1983-08. Bahá'ísm - Its Origins and Role: A Rebuttal. Bahá'í International Community. The complete Iranian document "Bahaism — its origins and its role" together with BIC commentary on that document. BIC.
81. 1982-11-30. Statement in Rebuttal of Accusations Made against the Bahá'í Faith by the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations. Bahá'í International Community. In a document distributed to the UN, "Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran," Iran made a number of false and damaging statements concerning the Bahá'í Faith. The BIC wishes to refute these false statements and to present the true facts. BIC.
82. 1981. Ahmad Kasravi and the "Purification" of Persian: A Study in Nationalist Motivation. Amin Banani. Political theory of a modernist Iranian reformer, also known for his criticisms of the Bahá'í Faith. Contains no mention of the Faith. (Offsite.) Articles.
83. 1975. Navjote of a Converted Zoroastrian Bahai, The. Maneckji Nuserwanji Dhalla, Gool Sohrab H. J. Rustomji, trans, Behram Sohrab H. J. Rustomji, trans. . Overview of the Faith, and the author's interactions with Bahá'ís in the early 1900s. (Navjote is the initiation ceremony where a child receives his/her ceremonial garments and first performs the Zoroastrian ritual.) Biographies.
84. 1974. Historical Analysis of Critical Transformations in the Evolution of the Bahá'í World Faith, An. Vernon Elvin Johnson. Detailed study of major changes in the Faith's history, opposition to such changes, and their resulting tensions and resolutions. Theses.
85. 1971 [1944]. God Passes By. Shoghi Effendi. The classic — and canonical — historical summary and interpretation of the significance of the development of the Bábí and Baháʼí religions from 1844 to 1944. Writings.
86. 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.
87. 1931. Kitáb-i-Íqán: The Book of Certitude. Bahá'u'lláh, Shoghi Effendi, trans. . Major theological work by Baháʼu'lláh, written prior to his declaration of mission. Writings.
88. 1928. Unpublished Talks by 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Abdu'l-Bahá. Four short talks given by ‘Abdu'l-Bahá in London, December 1912. These talks have not been published elsewhere and the translator is not identified. The original Persian text alluded to at the beginning seems not to be readily available. Translations.
89. 1915-08. Persian Rival to Jesus, and His American Disciples, The. Robert P. Richardson. History and teachings of the Bábi and Bahá'í religions and contemporary American disagreements, from an unsympathetic outsider's perspective. Followed by three letters-to-the-editor from three subsequent issues. Articles.
90. 1912-06-24. Interview Between a Prominent Rabbi and 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Abdu'l-Bahá. Interview in New York, c. April 1912, emphasizing true religion and prophetic influence over tradition, imitation, and doctrinal distractions across major faiths. Pilgrims.

1. 1872-01-22 —
   Three Azalís were murdered by seven Bahá'ís in 'Akká. [BBD163; BKG3256 DH41; GPB189; RB3:235]
   • Siyyid Muhammad Isfahání, Nasr'ulláh Tafríshí, Áqá Ján Ka'j Kuláh and Ridá Qulí, these four kept vigil from the second story window of a building overlooking the land gate to ensure no followers of Bahá'u'lláh would have access to the prison city. For some time they had been successful at preventing the entrance of pilgrims, some of whom who had spend some six months even traveling on foot. This also precluded the possibility of communications from 'Akká reaching the believers in other lands. After two years and a few months, Bahá'u'lláh was released from the His cell and was free to walk among the prison population. Some of the friends, including Salmání, decided to get rid of these enemies and, during the night, went to their place and killed Siyyid Muhammad, Áqá Ján and another person. [Sweet and Enchanting Stories, Aziz Rohani, p. 31.]
   • Bahá'u'lláh was taken to the Governorate where He was interrogated and held for 70 hours. [BKG317-330; GBP190; RB3:234-239, AB34-36]
   • `Abdu'l-Bahá was thrown into prison and kept in chains the first night. Twenty–five of the companions were also imprisoned and shackled. [BKG328; GBP190; RB3:237]
   • See BKG331, GPB191 and RB3:238 for the effect of the murders on the local population.
   • Ilyás `Abbúd put a barricade between his house and the house of `Údí Khammár, which he had rented for use by Bahá'u'lláh's family. [BKG331; GPB191]
   • See BKG330; DH44 and RB3:239 for the fate of the murderers, who were imprisoned for seven years.
   • Siyyid Muḥammad-i-Isfahání has been described by Shoghi Effendi as the "Antichrist of the Bahá'í Revelation." He was a man of corrupt character and great personal ambition who had induced Mírzá Yaḥyá to oppose Bahá'u'lláh and to claim prophethood for himself. Although he was an adherent of Mírzá Yaḥyá, Siyyid Muḥammad was one of the four Azalis exiled with Bahá'u'lláh to 'Akká. He continued to agitate and plot against Bahá'u'lláh. In describing the circumstances of his death, Shoghi Effendi has written in God Passes By:

     A fresh danger now clearly threatened the life of Bahá'u'lláh. Though He Himself had stringently forbidden His followers, on several occasions, both verbally and in writing, any retaliatory acts against their tormentors, and had even sent back to Beirut an irresponsible Arab convert, who had meditated avenging the wrongs suffered by his beloved Leader, seven of the companions clandestinely sought out and slew three of their persecutors, among whom were Siyyid Muḥammad and Áqá Ján.

     The consternation that seized an already oppressed community was indescribable. Bahá'u'lláh's indignation knew no bounds. "Were We," He thus voices His emotions, in a Tablet revealed shortly after this act had been committed, "to make mention of what befell Us, the heavens would be rent asunder and the mountains would crumble." "My captivity," He wrote on another occasion, "cannot harm Me. That which can harm Me is the conduct of those who love Me, who claim to be related to Me, and yet perpetrate what causeth My heart and My pen to groan." [GPB189-190]

   • The Lawh-i Istintaq ("Tablet of the Interrogation") was revealed.
2. 1899-10-00 —
   Stoyan Vatralsky, a Harvard educated, Bulgarian Christian, attacked the Bahá'ís, `Truth-knowers', in a series of talks in a church in Kenosha, Wisconsin. [BFA1:XXIX, 114–15; SBBH2:111 SBBH1p232; SBBH1p232-238]
   • By this time two per cent of the population of Kenosha were Bahá'ís. [BFA1:114]
   • See also WOB83 for others who wrote polemics against the Bahá'í Faith.
3. 1911-09-21 — During 'Abdu'l-Bahá's first visit to Britain, he was invited into churches and welcomed warmly by many Christian clergymen. This outraged more conservative Christian ministers, and an attack on the Bahá'í Faith and its Central Figures was published in the journal Evangelical Christendom by Peter Z Easton. When the article, Bahá'ísm: A Warning, was shown to Mirza Abu'l-Fadl, who was at that time in Beirut, he immediately penned a reply and sent a copy to À'Abdu'l-Bahá who received the manuscript in New York on June 19, 1912. He had it translated and printed, and called it The Brilliant Proof.
   "Each one of you should have a copy. Read, memorize and reflect upon it. Then, when accusations and criticisms are advanced . . . you will be well armed."[The Brilliant Proof]

   The Brilliant Proof was first translated by Ali Kuli Khan and published by the Bahá'í News Service in Chicago in 1912 in which it said: "Written in response to published attacks on the Bahá'í Religion by the British clergyman Peter Z Easton" (1846-1915). [Collins7.15 p41]

   Peter Easton (1846-1915) was a Presbyterian in the Synod of the Northeast in New York who had been stationed in Tabriz from 1873 to 1880. While 'Abdul'Bahá was in England Easton attempted to meet and challenge him. He made those around him uncomfortable and 'Abdu'l-Bahá withdrew him to a private conversation and then after which he left. Later he was able to have printed a polemic attack on the religion, Bahaism — A Warning, in the Evangelical Christendom newspaper of London (Sept.-Oct. 1911 edition.) It was published in the Appendix of The Brilliant Proof (p70-80) [Bahaipedia]

   For more on Peter Easton see 'Abdu'l-Bahá (p149-152).

   Lady Blomfield in her book The Chosen Highway (p183) described such a visit and the affect it had on 'Abdu'l-Bahá.

4. 1912-05-09 — `Abdu'l-Bahá spoke to a capacity gathering at the Parsons' home. He noted that religious ministers in Washington were denouncing Him and the Cause. [APD61-63]
5. 1915-00-01 —
   The publication of Bahaism and Its Claims: A Study of the Religion Promulgated by Baha Ullah and Abdul Baha by Samuel Graham Wilson. It has been described as a "hostile and uninformed Christian missionary's overview of the Bahá'í Faith".
   • See a reference to Wilson SBBH5p234-235.
   • Other publications by Wilson include Bahaism: An Anti-Christian System also published in 1915 and Mahdist Movements. It was published in 1916 and is "{an} unsympathetic Christian missionary's early history of the Faith".
   • See also WOB83 for other missionaries who wrote polemics against the Bahá'í Faith.
6. 1915-09-01 —
   The publication of The Persian Rival to Jesus, And His American Disciples by Robert P. Richardson. This 24-page "history" concludes by saying, "And Bahaism is simply a sectarian religion; it is a reversion to modes of thought that the ideals of civilization have long ago outgrown."
   • See also WOB83 for other missionaries who wrote polemics against the Bahá'í Faith.
7. 1941-00-05 — 'Abdu'l-Jalíl Bey Sa'ad translated The Dawn-Breakers into Arabic. His translation was published, but because of the war it had to be referred to the Publicity Section of the Egyptian government for approval. From that department it was passed to the high Muslim authorities, who determined that it was against the Muslim faith and so should be condemned. The entire publication run was gathered for destruction and upon hearing this 'Abdu'l-Jalíl interviewed all the officers concerned. He not only secured the release of the books, but obtained official permissions to distribute them in Egypt and abroad. [BW-598-599]
8. 1941-05-00 — In response to an article published in The Moslem World by William McElwee Miller titled The Bahai (sic) Cause Today, an article that was reprinted and gratuitously circulated to Bahá'ís on Bahá'í mailing lists, Marzieh Gail published a rebuttal in World Order using the same title The Bahá'í Cause Today.

   The Moslem World publication described itself as being a "A Christian quarterly review of current events, literature and thought among Mohammedans." One of its editors, Miller, is among other things, a missionary, an ordained minister, and the author of such books as Islam-A Challenge to Faith, and Mohammed or Christ. Of ten associate editors, five bear the title of "Reverend," a sixth having the degree of Doctor of Divinity.

   The author of this article, himself a missionary, explains at the outset why it has written. He says, "There are a number of centers in America where Bahais (sic) have been conducting meetings and working for their cause for a number of years, and it sometimes happens that people who come in touch with them wish to know more about the movement." After recommending a study of our literature he says that the editors of The Moslem World have requested the writing of this article "to meet the need of those who wish to consider the movement Issfrom a different point of view." [World Order Vol 7 Issue 2 May 1941 p46-63]

9. 1964-07-04 —
   The House of Worship in Langenhain, Germany, the Mother Temple of Europe, was dedicated. [BW14:483–4]
   The interior of the auditorium is bounded by 27 pillars, supporting the dome. Twenty-seven ribs lead from the floor to the apex of the dome, culminating in a ring which carries a lantern. The dome segments are arranged in a special way in order to permit full access of daylight. These produce an interesting play of lights and shadows, attractively brightened by the sun's reflexes on the 570 glass panels. The supporting parts of the structure consist of prefabricated concrete material reinforced by steel fillings, which were produced in the Netherlands.
   • For the message of the Universal House of Justice see BW14:485–6.
   • For pictures see BW14:482, 483, 485, 491.
   • For a description of the teaching conference accompanying the dedication see BW14:586–8.
   • See also MC14–15; PP432–4.
   • See this brief film on Vimeo on the life of Anneliese Bopp and her part in the building of this Temple.

     Specifics
     

     Location: Frankfurt, Germany (near the village of Langenhain in the Taunus Hills)
     Foundation Stone: 20 November 1960 by Hand of the Cause Amelia Collins representing the World Centre. She placed Sacred Dust from the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh in the foundations.
     Construction Period: 1960-1964
     Site Dedication:4 July 1964 Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum represented the Universal House of Justice.
     Architect: Teuto Rocholl (plans approved by Shoghi Effendi)
     Seating:450 – 600
     Dimensions: Diameter at the base: 48m (158ft), Height from the base to the top of the dome: 28m (92ft), Outer diameter: 25m (82ft); Inner diameter: 23m (69ft), Inner height of the dome: 24m (72ft). Height 20.5m (67ft)
     Cost:
     Dependencies: A home for the aged.
     Note: The construction of this temple was delayed by legal roadblocks instigated by church opposition, both Protestant and Catholic.
     References: BW14p483, BW14p483-484, BW18p104, CEBF241
10. 1981-01-01 —
    The publication of Der Bahā'ismus, Weltreligion der Zukunft?: Geschichte, Lehre und Organisation in Kritischer Anfrage (Bahá'ism-Religion of the Future? History, Doctrine and Organization: A Critical Inquiry) by Francesco Ficicchia under the auspices of the Central Office of the Protestant Church for Questions of Ideology in Germany. This book was distributed by the Protestant Church and became the most widespread book on the Bahá'í Faith in German, and as such was widely accepted as a critical academic publication. At the time of its distribution a decision was taken to not dignify the publication with a rebuttal. This proved to be an error. Making the Crooked Straight was published in 1995 in German and translated/published by George Ronald Publishers in 2000. The purpose of the book, as the name suggests, was to address the distorted views presented in Ficicchia's publication. [MCSintroduction]
    • See The Refutation of Francesco Ficicchia and the Dangers of Silence by Jack McLean.
11. 1994-03-13 — The murder of four Bahá'is, three adults and one youth, at the Bahá'í Centre in Mdantsane, Ciskel. Killed were Dr. Shamam Bakhshandegi, Houshmand Anvari and Vincent and Rias Razavi. The perpetrators were granted amnesty for the killings in May 2002. [BW93-4p147-150, 16 May 2000, SCBC, press release]
12. 2007-04-07 — A memorial removed by the Nazis when the Bahá'í Faith was outlawed in 1937 was restored by municipal authorities in the resort town of Bad Mergentheim in Germany. The stone commemorates the visit of 'Abdu'l-Bahá on April 7-8, 1913. The new memorial was unveiled on 7 April, by Mayor Lothar Barth accompanied by Bahman Solouki, a representative of the Bahá'í community of Germany. Please see the news story for pictures of both the original and the replacement monuments. [BWNS524]
13. 2014-05-28 —
    In the presidential election in Egypt, former Egyptian defence minister Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was elected with 97% of the vote according to government sources. The subsequent 2014 Constitution of the Sisi government, while guaranteeing the 'inviolable' right of freedom of religion, extended this only to Islam, Christianity and Judaism – meaning that Bahá'i were still prohibited from many basic freedoms, such as practicing their religious laws and constructing places of worship. Though Bahá'í representatives lobbied during the constitutional drafting processes to expand religious freedoms to their community, this did not occur.
    • In December 2014, a public workshop was held by the Ministry of Religious Endowments to warn of the dangers of the spread of the Bahá'i faith in Egypt.
14. 2015-07-24 —
    The Qom Seminary* announced the planning of classes called "Understanding Baha'ism" and "Understanding Ahl-e Haqq". These classes, which presented a one-sided view of religious minorities, had the sole purpose of destroying the Bahá'í Faith and the Ahl-e Haqq**.
    • Subsequently, the Qom Seminary started extensive propaganda on these subjects in most government centres and government sponsored news websites. In an advertisement on its site, Tasnim news agency announced that the Qom Seminary intended to hold online introductory courses on the Bahá'í Faith and the Ahl-e Haqq for all seminary students in the country. Similar to other classes held in previous years, these courses provided an entirely one-sided view and no Bahá'í or Ahl-e Haqq citizen had the right to defend his religion. [Iran Press Watch 12642]

      *The Qom Seminary is the largest seminary, or traditional Islamic school of higher learning, established in 1922 by Grand Ayatollah Abdul-Karim Ha'eri Yazdi in Qom. [Wikipedia]
      **Ahl-e Haq (Dervishes)– "The People of the Absolute Truth" ‒ People treading the Ahl-e Haqq Muslim ascetic path, known for their extreme poverty and austerity. Their focus is on the universal values of love and service deserting the illusions of ego to reach God. [Wikipedia]

1. 1960-03-00 —
   Twenty-seven communities in seven provinces participated in the Promulgation Campaign. 12,000 ministers, priests and laypersons received the letter and the newspaper ads reached a total of one million readers. The results could be analyzed in three ways: the spirit of the believers; the response from the churches; and the immediate effect in the teaching work.
   • It was noted that in small communities where economic conditions were more difficult, the level of sacrifice appeared greater.
   • While the responses from the Christian communities was encouraging there was opposition from the pulpit in such places as Saskatoon, Regina, Saint John and Winnipeg. The Premier of Alberta, Ernest Manning, on two occasions, attacked the universal nature of the Cause on national network broadcasts. Other indications are that the awareness of the claims of the Faith is high among some groups and that it is a topic of their discussions.
   • There were some 300 promulgation meetings across Canada and over 50 persons wrote for literature in response to the advertisements.
   • It was realized that with a mass-education program that repetition was essential and so sustained local follow-up was necessary to maintain the momentum. [CBN No 122 March 1960 p4-5]
2. 1960-03-00 — As part of their Promulgation Campaign, the Bahá'ís of Saskatoon sent out some 950 letters. Bill Lacey of Minot, ND spoke to an audience of 68 at a public meeting at the University. There was a barrage of opposition from the floor but there were many who responded in defence of the Bahá'ís. At a subsequent meeting with one of those who rose to defend the Bahá'ís came the idea of having an inter-religious meeting. That brought out 32 people of different nationalities, 11 of which gave short talks on their faith. Members of the International Students Club who attended decided to hold a meeting at the University that was attended by some 150 people. Bill Gossen made a presentation on behalf of the Bahá'í Faith. [CBN No 122 March 1960 p6-7]

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