The Bahá'í Revelation:
including Selections from the Bahá'í Holy Writings and Talks by 'Abdu'l-Bahá

by Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l-Bahá, and Shoghi Effendi

London: Baha'í Publishing Trust (of the British Isles), 1970

Note: Since most of the excerpts included in the print version of this publication are already available elsewhere at this site (see the List of References), only the items not available elsewhere online have been provided below: the Table of Contents, the Preface, the Index, and six quotations of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, originally from the Bahá'í Peace Programme (1930), the Teaching Manual used at the 1948 European Teaching Conference, Star of the West (volumes 4 and 11) and "Selection from Bahá'í Scripture". We have also added a section for pointing out where one can find equivalent versions online for those sources cited in the "List of References" which might not be obvious due to the cited reference being no longer in print or otherwise obscure, and a cross-reference table showing which section numbers correspond to which page numbers.

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CONTENTS
PREFACE	page ix
FOREWORD	xiii
Part I: BAHÁ'U'LLÁH
I. PROCLAMATION TO THE KINGS AND LEADERS OF RELIGION	3
1. To Kings collectively	3
2. To Queen Victoria of Britain	9
3. To the Emperor Napoleon III of France	12
4. To Czar Alexander II of Russia	18
5. To Emperor "William I of Germany	20
6. To Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria-Hungary	21
7. To Sultan 'Abdu'l-'Aziz	21
8. To Nisiri'd-Din Shah of Persia	26
9. To the Pope Pius IX	29
10. To the Leaders of Religion Collectively	31
II. SELECTION FROM "GLEANINGS FROM THE WRITINGS OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH"	35
1. The Day of God	35
2. God and His Manifestations	40
(i) The Unity of God	40
(ii) The Messengers of God	43
(iii) Divine Revelation	49
(iv) The Sequence of the Prophets	52
(v) The Glory of God	59
3. Man	61
(i) The Soul of Man	61
(ii) Life after Death	69
4. Towards World Unity	74
(i) The World's Sickness	74
(ii) The Divine Physician's Remedy	74
(iii) Contribution of the Individual	78
(iv) The Laws of Bahá'u'lláh	83
(v) When the Victory arriveth	87
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5. Individual Conduct and the Path of God	87
(i) General Ethical Teachings	87
(ii) The Cause of God	93
(iii) The Path of God	97
III. SELECTION FROM "THE HIDDEN WORDS"	109
1. From the Arabic	109
2. From the Persian	112
IV. THE SEVEN VALLEYS	117
V. SOME IMPORTANT TABLETS	138
1. Words of Wisdom	138
2. Tablet of Carmel	139
3. Ridván Tablet	141
4. Tablet of Tarázát	146
5. Tablet of Tajallíyát	151
6. Tablet of Ishráqát	156
VI. THE COVENANT	161
VII. MEDITATI0NS	165
Part II: 'ABDU'L-BAHÁ
VIII. THE COVENANT	183
1. The Centre of the Covenant	183
2. The Power of the Covenant	185
3. Firmness in the Covenant	187
IX. THE MASTER'S LAST TABLET TO AMERICA	191
X. FROM THE TABLETS OF THE DIVINE PLAN	200
1. The Need for Detachment	200
2. Means for Unity	201
3. Conditions for success	203
XI. TABLET TO THE HAGUE	208
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XII. TABLET TO DR FOREL	220
XIII. GOD AND HIS MANIFESTATIONS	232
1. God is Beyond Human Comprehension	232
2. The Source of Unity	234
3. Religion is Progressive	237
4. Religious Cycles	240
5. The Universal Cycles	244
6. Two Classes of Prophets	245
7. Commentary on an Old Testament Prophecy	246
XIV. CONCERNING CHRISTIANITY	250
1. Prophecies concerning the Coming of Christ	250
2. The Greatness of Christ is due to His Perfections	251
3. The Resurrection of Christ	253
4. The Symbolism of the Bread and the Wine	254
5. The Second Coming of Christ	256
XV. MAN	259
1. The Origin of Man	259
2. The Significance of human life on Earth	261
3. Soul, Spirit, and Mind	263
4. The Two Natures in Man	264
5. The Power of the Holy Spirit	265
6. Pain and Sorrow	267
7. Healing by Spiritual Means	269
8. Reincarnation	271
9. Immortality of Children	276
10. Psychic Forces	277
11. Perfections are without limit	277
XVI. SOME ETHICAL AND SOCIAL TEACHINGS	280
1. 'Abdu'l-Bahá's first Public Address in the West	280
2. The World is Infirm	281
3. Dispel this Darkness	282
4. O Army of Life	284
5. Harmony in Diversity	286
6. Some Bahá'í Principles	288
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7. Collective Security	292
8. Industrial Justice	294
9. Justice, Crime, and Forgiveness	297
10. Practise Kindness to Strangers	301
11. Kindness to Animals	302
12. Bahá'í Marriage	303
13. Prayer	304
14. Obligation to deliver the Message	305
15. Consultation	305
XVII. EXCERPTS FROM THE WILL AND TESTAMENT OF 'ABDU'L-BAHÁ	307
LIST OF REFERENCES	319
INDEX	323

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PROBABLY no one will find in this compilation every piece of Bahá'í Scripture he seeks. Even the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá available in English are too numerous for any single volume to contain everybody's particular choice. That most people will find in this book most of the passages they value most is the apex of the compiler's aspiration.
      Although intended primarily as a handy comprehensive volume for Bahá'ís, it should serve inquirers well who know something of the history and teaching of the Bahá'í Faith and wish to deepen their knowledge. For many purposes, serious students of religion will also find it adequate.
      Bahá'í Scripture in a broad sense consists of the Words of all the Sacred Figures Who founded the great religions or promulgated their teachings, for Bahá'ís revere all as holy; but usually the phrase denotes the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, the Báb and 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the Sacred Figures of this age. More strictly, the Writings of the Báb belong to the Bábí Dispensation which preceded the Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh and they have for Bahá'ís something of the significance of an Old Testament. In this book, Works of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá only are included.
      Bahá'u'lláh revealed His Message between 1853 and 1892. His earliest Writings, revealed in Baghdád between 1853 and 1863, include the Kitáb-i-Íqán, the Hidden Words and the Seven Valleys. In Adrianople between 1863 and 1868 most of His Tablets to kings and leaders of religion were revealed. After 1868 in 'Akká came the remainder of these and the Tablets expounding His laws. Here also was revealed the Most Holy Book of the Baha'f Revelation, the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, of which much is included in "Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh", a selection of His Writings made and translated by Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith. Throughout the period, Bahá'u'lláh revealed prayers and meditations, and wrote Tablets of varying weight and importance both to His followers and to others. Many of these Tablets are not yet

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collected and others not yet translated into English, but most of His foremost Writings have been collected and translated.
      Since Bahá'ís do not recognize as scripture unauthenticated reports of the sayings of the Founders of their Faith, the authenticity of Scripture is more easily established in the Bahá'í Dispensation than formerly. Only documents in the handwriting of the Central Figures, or signed by Them, or authenticated by Them in some other way, are acceptable. The validity of translations is more difficult to determine. None except those which were made by or in consultation with the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, until his passing in 1957, or by the Universal House of Justice since its election in 1963, are of unexceptionable validity.
      Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá wrote in Persian and Arabic. In the early days of the Bahá'í Faith in the West, translating was done by Eastern Bahá'ís whose English was defective so that many translations of the period are faulty and few have the advantage of good literary English. Fortunately the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, Shoghi Effendi, has rendered into beautiful English most of the important Writings of Bahá'u'lláh and several of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Tablets. His translation has been used wherever one exists.
      'Abdu'l-Bahá's Writings are mostly Tablets to individuals and Bahá'í Assemblies, of which many are still uncollected. Until His passing in 1921, He wrote Tablets in Persian to correspondents all over the world. These Tablets were translated into English with varying competence by Eastern Bahá'ís whose native language was not English. He gave many talks, but few records have been authenticated and even those with an authentic Persian record are available in English only as unauthenticated notes of the imperfect translation accompanying the talk. Extensive compilations of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Works have, therefore, to include either translations of authentic Works into a strange idiom, or more easily read, but unauthenticated, records of talks. Thus the quotations in this compilation from "Paris Talks", "The Promulgation of Universal Peace" and "Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era" are not authentic scripture although consistent with known teaching of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
      All translations which deviate excessively from ordinary English usage, whether of the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh or 'Abdu'l-Bahá, have been excluded from the compilation. Such translations are

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difficult to read with true understanding and probably distort the meaning of the original.
      The book comprises for the most part complete Tablets and excerpts picked out by the Guardian himself. The Tablets represent groups of teachings brought together for some reason by the One Who gave them and these have been separated only when the Guardian's authority or the context gave clear reason for doing so.
      No prayers will be found here, as selections of Bahá'í Prayers are easily available, but meditations which most prayer books omit have been included.
      The classification of items is the compiler's own, and no attempt will be made either to describe or to justify it. If it helps the reader to locate passages, it will have served its purpose.

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Selections in Bahá'í Revelation which cannot readily be found elsewhere online (all are by 'Abdu'l-Bahá):

163. The spirit of this age is the Covenant and the Testament of God. It is like the pulsating artery in the body of the world.

      (Teaching Manual used at the 1948 European Teaching Conference, 48)

164. Turn thy face unto the Kingdom of the Covenant, thy heart beating with the love of God, thy soul attracted to the fragrances of God, thy tongue speaking of the appearances of the Kingdom of God, thy insight rending veils asunder and disclosing the realities of things–and with a power which may move the heart of all in the world.
      This is a confirmation from the Lord of the effulgence, while all else save this shall never profit thee! This is that by reason of which thy face shall gleam, thy heart shall de dilated with joy, thy soul become pure, thy back strengthened, thy spirit rejoiced and thy identity quickened. Leave the people of suspicion behind thy back and adhere to the manifest signs.

      (Star of the West, IV, 10)

165. The world of the Covenant is like unto the Blessed Tree which is growing beside the river of the Water of Life in the utmost delicacy and beauty, and day by day it is developing and adding to its verdancy.

      (Teaching Manual used at the 1948 European Teaching Conference, 49)

171. That which has come out of the centre of the Covenant you must take fast hold of. That which issues from my lips and that which is written with my pen is the reality. With this you can irrigate the vineyard of God. With this you can make the tree of the Cause of God become verdant. Through this the name of the Kingdom of God will be spread over the world. Through this the sun of reality will shine. Through this the clouds of mercy will pour down.

      (Teaching Manual used at the 1948 European Teaching Conference, 50)

The following is only in part at Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 228, no. 192, though it contains two additional sentences as well:

179. Today, those who are firm in the Covenant are soaring by the bounties of the Holy Spirit in lofty regions, while the wavering ones are depressed, dejected and afflicted with a thousand pains and calamities. This is because the confirmations of the Abhá Kingdom have been cut off from them. They have been deprived of the Light of the Sun of Truth and have no share from the breezes of the Holy Spirit. They resemble these souls who arose to agitate the minds of men after the time of Christ. Each one, by every subtle means, gathered around himself a group of souls, but all were eventually led to face disappointment, loss and failure. This was because the result of their principles was like unto a tree destitute of roots, or like the ocean foam. A rootless tree, no matter how tall and hardy it may seem, will ultimately wither away; and the ocean foam, however formidable it may appear, shall at last vanish and disappear.
      In brief—the Covenant is like unto the ocean which preserves Bahá'í unity, and these souls are like unto the foam upon it. They manifest a temporary activity, but soon, like unto Judas Iscariot and his associates and those who approved of his conduct, they shall be completely forgotten. The ocean of the Covenant, on the other hand, is eternally surging, for it preserves Bahá'í unity.
      Today, the Lord of Hosts is the defender of the Covenant, the forces of the Kingdom protect it, heavenly souls tender their services, and heavenly angels promulgate and spread it broadcast. If it is considered with insight, it will be seen that all the forces of the universe, in the last analysis, serve the Covenant. In the future it shall be made evident and manifest. In view of this fact, what can these weak and feeble souls achieve?

      (Star of the West, XI, 240)

Paragraphs 3-4 of the following are in 30 October 1924 to a Local Spiritual Assembly - translated from the Persian, in Compilation on Trustworthiness, no. 2076 and also part of paragraph 3 and paragraph 4 are in Excellence in All Things, no. 19 cited as being from 'Abdu'l-Bahá, in "Bahá'í Year Book" ["The Bahá'í World"], vol. 1 (New York: Bahá'í Publishing Committee, 1926), p. 12:

4. O ARMY OF LIFE

214. O Army of Life! East and West have joined to worship stars of faded splendour, and have turned in prayer unto darkened horizons. Both have utterly neglected the broad foundation of God's sacred laws, and have grown unmindful of the merits and virtues of His religion. They have regarded certain customs and conventions as the basis of the Divine faith, and have firmly established themselves therein. They have imagined themselves as having attained a glorious pinnacle of achievement and prosperity, when in reality they have touched the innermost depths of heedlessness and deprived themselves wholly of God's bounteous gifts.
      The cornerstone of the religion of God is the acquisition of divine perfections and the sharing in His manifold bestowals. The essential purpose of faith and belief is to ennoble the inner being of man with the outpourings of grace from on high. If this be not attained, it is, indeed, deprivation. It is the realization of this deprivation that is the true eternal fire.
      Therefore, it is incumbent upon all Bahá'ís to ponder this delicate and vital matter in their hearts, that, unlike other religions, they may not content themselves with the noise, the clamour, the hollowness of religious doctrine. Nay, rather, they should exemplify in every aspect of their lives the attributes and virtues that are born of God, and should arise to distinguish themselves by their goodly behaviour. They should justify their claim to be Bahá'ís by deeds, not by name.
      He is a true Bahá'í who strives by day and by night to progress and advance along the path of human endeavour, whose cherished desire is so to live and act as to enrich and illumine the world; whose source of inspiration is the Essence of Divine perfection; whose aim in life is to conduct himself so as to be the cause of infinite progress. Only when he attains unto such perfect gifts can it be said of him that he is a Bahá'í.
      In this holy dispensation, the crowning glory of bygone ages and cycles, faith is no mere acknowledgement of the unity of God, but rather the living of a life that manifests the virtues and perfections implied in such belief.
      His Holiness the exalted One, may my life be a sacrifice to Him, has shown us the way of behaviour, has guided us to the path of self-sacrifice, has taught us how to despise earthly rest and comfort, and how to lay down our lives for each other. That sanctioned Being, despite the loftiness of His position and the exaltation of His spirit, chose to be chained and fettered that we might obtain the light of divine guidance. All the days of His life He rested not for a moment. He sought no repose nor laid His head upon the couch of ease and security. His days were passed amid afflictions and suffering. How can we follow Him and yet remain idle and at ease?
      O my friends, arise to tend the pure and widely-scattered seed planted in the hearts of men. Dedicate yourselves wholly to the service of humanity. Then will the world be turned into a paradise; then will the surface of the earth mirror forth the glory of the Abhá Kingdom. Should you fail in this, great will be your deprivation and grievous your loss.
      O servant of truth, wouldst thou obtain the sovereignty of earth and heaven? Seek nought but true servitude upon the threshhold of the Abhá Beauty. Wouldst thou win the joy of liberty in this world and the next? Desire but submission unto His holy will. Wouldst thou discover the true way to God? Follow the path of His covenant. Wouldst thou behold the light of eternal splendour? Fix thy gaze upon His bountiful grace vouchsafed from the Abhá Kingdom.

      (Selection from Bahá'í Scripture, 331)

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Online sources for items in the List of References which might not be readily obvious:

Note: All references to "America's Spiritual Mission" can be found in Tablets of the Divine Plan

Note 2: Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh is published within World Order of Bahá'u'lláh.

159: `Abdu'l-Bahá, Star of the West, Vol. III, No. 14, p. 9 in Covenant and Administration, p. 17

160: World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 133

161: Mirza Ahmad Sohrab: Diary Notes, July 7, 1914, p. 41, in Bahá'í Scriptures, p. 304 (no. 622)

166 `Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablet, Star of the West, Vol. X, p. 233, in Covenant and Administration, p. 34

167: Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 223 (paragraphs reversed in order but are both present on this page)

168: Bahá'í Scriptures, pp. 320-321

169: `Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablet, Star of the West, Vol. VIII, pp. 213-214 in Covenant and Administration, p. 33

172: `Abdu'l-Bahá, Star of the West, Vol. III, No. 14, p. 9; also Vol. XII, p. 227 in Covenant and Administration, p. 25

173: `Abdu'l-Bahá, from Tablet, Star of the West, Vol. X, p. 251, cited in Covenant and Administration, p. 26

175: Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbás, p. 443

176: Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbás, p. 83

180: Ten Days in the Light of Akká (under "Obedience") p. 48, in Star of West, Vol. VIII, p. 222, and cited on p. 25 of Covenant and Administration

182: Bahá'i World Faith, pp. 429-438

186: Tablet on the Hague

187: Tablet to Auguste Forel

213: Bahá'i World Faith, pp. 215-217

217: Secret of Divine Civilization, pp. 64-67

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Abbreviation	Title of book
A.S.M.	America's Spiritual Mission (1936)
B.P.P.	Bahá'í Peace Programme (1930)
B.W.F.	Bahá'í World Faith (1943)
D.B.	Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh (British Edition 1947)
E.T.C.	Teaching Manual used at the 1948 European Teaching Conference
G.	Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh
H.W.A.	Hidden Words (Arabic)
H.W.P.	Hidden Words (Persian)
P.M.	Prayers and Meditations
P.D.C.	Promised Day is Come (1941)
P.T.	Paris Talks (British Edition 1951)
P.U.P.	Promulgation of Universal Peace (1922)
S.A.Q.	Some Answered Questions (1930)
S.W.	Star of the West (various volumes specified)
T.A.B.	Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá (1909)
T.B.	Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh (1917)

      The dates are those of the first impressions of the editions consulted. Where no date is given, references are to section numbers, which remain invariant; otherwise references are to page numbers. American editions were used if no British edition existed.

[Regarding the sources for the foreword, a note at the end of the foreword states, "This material was compiled from two sources, The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh and The Faith of Bahá'u'lláh (a statement prepared for the United Nations Special Palestine Committee) both written by Shoghi Effendi.")]

1. G.CV 2. P.D.C.20, G.CXVI,     G.CXVIII 3. P.D.C.34. G.CXX,     G.CXIX, P.D.C. 35

4. Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, 46 5. P.D.C. 32 6. P.D.C. 36 7. P.D.C. 37 8. G.CXIV

9. P.D.C. 40 10. P.D.C. 30 11. G.XCVIII 12. P.D.C. 81 13. P.D.C. 115

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14. G.III 15. G.IV 16. G.VII 17. G.VIII 18. G.X 19. G.XVI 20. G.LXX 21. G.LXXII 22. G.XXVI 23. G.LXXXIV 24. G.XIX 25. G.XXI 26. G.XXII 27. G.XXIV 28. G.XXV 29. G.XXXVIII 30. G.XCIX 31. G.LXXIV 32. G.LXXXIX 33. G.XIII 34. G.XXXVI 35. G.XLVII 36. G.XLV

37. G.XLVI 38. G.XLIX 39. G.XL 40. G.LXXVII 41. G.LXXXII 42. G.XCV 43. G.LXXIII 44. G.LXXIX 45. G.LXXX 46. G.LXXXI 47. G.LXXXVI 48. G.LXI 49. G.CVI 50. G.CXI 51. G.LXII 52. G.CXVII 53. G.CX 54. G.CIX 55. G.CXXXI 56. G.XLVI 37. G.XLIII 58. G.CLV 59. G.CLIX

60. G.LXXXVIII 61. G.CII 62. G.CL 63. G.II 64. G.CXXX 65. G.CXXXVI 66. G.CXXVI 67. G.CXXXIV 68. G.XLVII 69. G.XLVI 70. G.CXLV 71. G.XCII 72. G.CXLIV 73. G.CLVII 74. G.CXLIX 75. G.CLXI 76. G.XCVI 77. G.CXXV 78. G.CLIII 79. G.CXLVIII 80. G.CXXIX

81.	H.W. Introduction
82-109.	H.W.A. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 16, 18, 27, 30, 31, 32, 33, 36, 40, 42, 44, 48, 49, 50, 54, 55, 59, 61, 67, 68
110-133.	H.W.P. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12, 14, 16, 18, 35, 38, 40, 41, 44, 50, 53, 56, 59, 66, 70, 76, 78, 80

135. B.W.F. 140 136. G.XI

137. G.XIV 138. T.B. 3

139. T.B. 71 140. T.B. 124

141. Kitáb-i-'Ahd

142. G.CLXV