Thanks to Adib Masumian, we have more information on Baha’u’llah’s attitude to martyrdom. In a previous post, I shared my translations of Arabic hidden words 44-46, and showed that there is a conceptual link between them. The link is between the idea of testifying to one’s truth and the idea martyrdom. That is, a person…
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Soul Boom is brilliant!
Rainn Wilson’s latest book, Soul Boom: why we need a spiritual revolution, is out. I didn’t think I’d read it. I have never related to Rainn’s public persona, and assumed his book would not interest me. But in the end, I was intrigued to know how he’d put the book together; after all, I’m writing…
The Tablets of Holiness
Throughout April, our intrepid translator Adib Masumian has been uploading to his website a series of tablets all with the title Lawh-i-quds (Tablet of Holiness). There are seven Tablets of Holiness. Adib seems to like this approach of translating in batches according to the title, for he has also covered the Tablets of the Hair,…
GPT-4 translates Baha’u’llah
I am now converted to the idea that artificial intelligence can translate Baha’u’llah’s writings. My conversion was brought on by the release of GPT-4, which has amazed the world. It has amazed me too. I would never have believed what GPT-4 can do, but you can’t deny the truth when it stands before you. Of…
Post-Naw Ruz and pre-Ridvan prayer
In the compilation of prayers by Baha’u’llah called Supplications is a post-Naw Ruz and pre-Ridvan prayer. It is meant to be read during the month between Naw Ruz and Ridvan. Supplications is a collection of 200 prayers translated by Joshua Hall. Because it is not well known, the prayer is not well known either, so…
Naw Ruz celebrations on YouTube
It’s time for Naw Ruz celebrations. I’ve collected together a few videos on YouTube in celebration of Naw Ruz. I have made a playlist of them, where you can find all the videos listed below. Here are the videos featured on the playlist:
YouTube as a mashriqu’l-adhkar
I learned pretty much everything I know about the Baha’i mashriqu’l-adhkar (house of worship) from a handbook by Sen McGlinn called A Mashriqu’l-Adhkar Handbook, which is available on Amazon in kindle format for a couple of dollars. For those without a Kindle, Laura Foster has written an excellent essay about the mashriqu’l-adhkar, which gives a…
Laws that never change
Baha’u’llah explains that religious laws are of two kinds – the ones that don’t change and the ones that do. From what I can make out, most laws do in fact change. This is in keeping with the law of change in the contingent world, which guarantees that everything changes. It stands to reason, then,…
What is the heart?
Baha’u’llah refers to the heart throughout his writings, and places a great deal of importance on it. For example, he says in Arabic hidden word no 59 that the heart is his home: “O child of existence, your heart is my home, sanctify it for my appearance, your spirit is my place of revelation, purify…
Avoiding the disingenuous
Everyone experiences situations where people who identify as believers act in ways that are inconsistent with Baha’u’llah’s teachings. Baha’u’llah’s writings are packed with exhortations to be a good person and to have a sin-covering eye as regards the failings of others. However, endeavouring to do this can be difficult when another person’s actions are seriously…