Recent Articles
  • The Equality of Men and Women

    When ‘Abdu’l-Bahá talked about the problems and challenges humanity must deal with during His travels in Europe and the United States and Canada from 1910 to 1913, He brought up the equality of men and women—a question that, where it has been unaddressed, is causing a crisis in society (and families) and consequently a threat to the social structure.

  • Traditions Differ From Truth

    Knowledge of the truth is the goal of religions. Its progressive revelation in pro- portions corresponding to human spiritual capacity should not be a cause for discord and strife between people.

  • Movement and Life

    In December 1911, ‘Abdu’l- Bahá returned from His tour in London and Paris to spend the winter months in the city of Alexandria and prepare for His journey to America and Canada the following year. The flow of visitors to His residence continued all through the months of the winter…

  • The Springtime of the Soul Returns

    ‘A bdu’l-Bahá’s stay in Paris for the months of October and November 1911 afforded His hearers the pleasure of daily talks in which He discussed various topics related to the principles of Bahá’u’lláh. At the beginning of His visit, on 15 October, He gave a talk about the regularity of the renewal of the divine […]

  • Universal Love

    ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, while on visit to the city of Paris in 1911, more than once addressed the subject of the soul in His public talks. He pointed out in particular its spiritual nature and its essential effect on material life, with emphasis too on its role in establishing a unity of mankind for whose realization in this enlightened age all past religions participated in preparing the way.

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The Twinning of Material Civilization with Spiritual Civilization

Over and over, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke about the necessity of combining the material needs in life with the spiritual needs of the human being. We have already seen this in His talk with ‘Abbás Al-‘Aqqad. It is a subject He detailed in other talks and in His correspondence and writings. One of these talks was delivered on April 14, 1912 in the Church of the Ascension in New York. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá arrived the morning of that day shortly before the morning sermon:

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‘Abbás Al-‘Aqqad’s Visit to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Wherever ‘Abdu’l-Baha went there were meetings well attended by scholars and leaders of thought. Some traveled from country to country to attend such gatherings to learn more from His knowledge and wisdom. The famous Islamic writer Shakíb Arslan, who was living in Beirut, gives a description of some of these meetings for which he often traveled to ‘Akká with the sole purpose of listening to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. This was the case also when ‘Abdu’l-Bahá visited Egypt. Many were the journalists, scholars and leaders who hastened to learn more about Him and about His Faith.

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The Significance of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Journey to the West

It has been mentioned in an earlier article that the prime motive behind ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s journey was His desire to consolidate the efforts of the Bahá’ís of the western hemisphere. But what His journey revealed, as we shall see later as we follow His movements, transcended the limits of the meaning of consolidation. He had in the past received many invitations from the Bahá’ís in the United States soliciting His coming with insistence. How impossible it was for a prisoner of a tyrannous sultan to cross over the walls enclosing Him, let alone to traverse to the northern end of the globe!

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A Commentary on the Azhar’s Statement Regarding ‘Bahá’ís and Bahá’ísm’

This commentary is a refutation of a statement on ‘Bahá’ís and Bahá’ísm’ issued by the Islamic Research Academy at the Azhar, Egypt, and published on 21 January 1986 in a number of newspapers in that and other Arab countries.

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The Centenary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Arrival in Egypt

A hundred years have passed since the arrival of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Egypt on His way to the western hemisphere. Before continuing His journey, He was obliged for health reasons to stop for a few months in Egypt, during which time He illumined the political and intellectual leadership, and changed their suspicious attitude to a friendly one. His visit was welcomed by the government of Egypt and its leaders. On the occasion of the centenary of this historic event, we are highlighting its importance and summarizing some of its spiritual effects, which still radiate light and energy upon the horizons of the world.

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