Banani Article Abdul Baha

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II



A BAH{ MAGAZINE. VOLUME 6 NIIMBER 1 . PUBLISHED QUARTERTY

Eclitorial Board:

FIRUZ KAZEMZADEH

BETTY FISHER

HOWARD GAREY

ROBERT HAYDEN

GLENFORD E. MITCHELL

GAYLE MORRISON

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19

29

IN THIS ISSUE

'Abdu'1-Bah6'Abb 6s ( 7844- 19 2l)Editoial

The Passing of 'Abdu'l-Bah6

l:y Sbogbi Effend.i and, Lad.y Blomfiehl

'Abdu'l-Bah6: Through the lflar Years

by H. M. Balyuzi

'Abdu'l-Bah6; Portrayals from East and \fest

by Marzieh Gail

47 A Glimpse of rhe Master

from the diary of /uliet Thom|son

67 The Nfrirjngs of 'Abdu'l-Bahi

by Arnin Ban,ini

76 Five Books About 'Abdu'l-Bah6

a review by Kazem Kazernzatleb

ald Fbaz Kazemzadeb

Inside Back Cover: Authors and Artists in This Issue

{



pup q€rv 'ao; pu€ puer{ dq paauSo>.rsEra. yr{eg-J.npqy, f,rJotaril uo urnrrua;d

qSrq u pareld ttqr ernllnJ e u1 sSur{IU( srH uo;1 ayqeqsn8ur:srpur uauo alzsaq>ads snoauu.roduarxe slg 1o suolrdr::-sue.r1 sa8en8uel ealql asaqt ql ruenboTa

PUP ruenu qtoq sE,r\ yqEgl.npqv, Jrq€rvur aJ"-qsr>lJnJ ur sJeltal pue sre,(e.rd;o

laqlunu IIEurs .,fue,,r r: ;o uonda:xa aqr qrrn

-tseJaql :u€rsJed ur a.le sSur:1.12tr s.gqlg

1.npqv, ]o sqqg-rnoJ llareurrxo:ddy'suoneslaluol papJoJal pup 's>11er trlqnd'suraod 's.ralB;d 's1ooq 'satuer{t Jgrlads

uo stalqet 'srayqer 1v.reua3 'atruepuodsal

-ror leuos.rad Jo tsrsuotr s8unu2q stg'lx3a1

,{;y;arq sr11 3unr11o: pue 'Surzdleuu '3ur-;aqry3 ul auop aq ol sumulal rpntu puE

:uidou>Jun lad su sr aurnlo,r IJnJ Jraql aJrJ

srg ;o rr:a,{ leug pue qrq8ra-druales eqt ol

sat1ua,rl f1.rea srH uroJJ :oql1 :grto.rd;o,{rnrue: r JIEr-l ucrlr JJoru Jo }rnJJ Jql TJrp pqpgJ.npqv..to sDNL-rdlfr I H!_L/



6s \{ORLD ORDER: FALL 1911

Persian, as a paragon of distincrive style

and eloquence.

It is the intent of this article to touch

upon the charactcr oI that sryle and toprcsent an overvien' of 'Abdu'l-Bah6's

\\ ririrrg. in ririoLr\ !( nrer and |. ateSorie..

Discussion of the language and style is

inhercntly limited, as it must be attempted

across t\\'in barriers of colture ancl tongue;

thc attempt at categorizlttion is necessarily

erbitrary and is mcant tct serve only as a

caraloguc. Obviously any numbcr o{ crite-

ria, such as chronological, thcmirtic, and

linguistic, clrr provide dilferent sets ofcategories. Fr,rrthcttnore, some $orlis cited

a5 cxampies of certain categories could

easily be put undcr others.

'ABr)u'L-BAH,{ \'as, of cotlrse, not a

proplret uncl at no timc clairned to have

receivccl clirect rcvel:rtion from God. BLrt

as thc Centcr of thc Covenant of His

Flther and the appointed Interpretcr of

His Revelation. Bahi'is believc, 'Abdu'l-

BahlL *'ls clivinell inspired tncl guidccl.

I{is Writings, thcrefore, constitule fot the

Bah/r'is at oncc x fart ancl:rn elaboration

of their Scriprures.

Thc cluesrion of divincl,v inspired ltn-gurgc has traditionally posed a dilcl.rma

and given risc to baselcss dogma in the

religions of the past. In thejr litcral-

mindcd zeal to aver the authenticity of

thcir Ho11, \l,-rir, devotees o{ traditional

religions hrve often insisted on the divioeauthorship of the vcrl' lexicaL end svntlc-

tic forn of that rW'rit. This vies not only

reduces God to the usc of perticular and

diffcrcnt human tongues, but ic also at-

temprs to isolate rcligior-rs sritings from

the boci,v of the langu:rge in ui.iich thel

\\cr \rir'\r. l, ,1r.rrc. dirin, ori:inrr llr rl'.o ..re lingui. i, .'rJ lircr.'ri ori1.

in..l,rt. Tlror r.'ro..llrrlJ Lhi''irr .'rt

resentful of any comparison and ptece-dence. lWirh their pervertccl notion of

originalitl', the,v completely miss thc often

striking litcrary originality ol holy books

that can only be perceived in the lighr of

rr"dirions in rheir l.rngu.rg.s. B1 ignoring

che literary traditions, conceptual methods,

cultural associarions in short by denyingtl.re life of the language-they reduce

rather than enhance comprehension and

rrue appreciation of holv scriptures.

'Abdril'Bahh's t*o primary languages

h:rve vigorous and highly developed liter-

ary traditions s,ith morc than a thousand

years of life. Only thc briefest mention of

facets of thesc tradirions that are Eiermane

to the rJ7ritings of 'Abdu'1-Bahh is possible

herc. Since most of 'Abdu'l Bahi's $irrit-in-e;s are in Pcrsian, the main focus here is

on Pcrsian literary traclirions. But so manv

of these :rre shared q'ith Arabic indeed

in manv cases thcy arc reflections of

Arabic norms in Persian that thc obser-

vetions uill generally bc true of the

Arabic literary traditions as u ell.

lior nearly a thousand years sincc the

formulation encl the crystallization of cl:rs-

sicrl critcria in Arabic and Persien litera-'..-r rrrrrr rr,r' cri.'..1 J I'r,o.c. l\rion* ith and a prin.racy of form. Needless to

se!, tightllLmetered and fully-rh-vmed

poetry) as the most formal of literar,v arts,

h:rs bccn the nrlstcr art form for thc

Ar;rbs end rhc Pcrsians. Prose.rrirers from

their acsthctically inferiot position have

attempted to ennoblc their sork uithqualities of poetrr', evolving a technicpe

knosn es iri. It introduccs the besicpoetic ingrcclicuts of rhlrne ancl rirythrr-r

in,.';'-o.c r' irrto.,r . . r'1. lly r-.rrr'l,,rrrt.': t

into eclual-footccl lines. A symmctry of

cxpression is echievccl b-r' Lrsc of Icxical

dericcs sr,rcl-r is svlrofrlDrsi tntonYms, ancl

homonlnrs giving prosc an arctritccturll

plesticitl' .rncl rcnclcring it rnemoral>le.'fhis sq,lc of u ritiog in Pctsirn rcached its

airex dLrring rhc thirtecnth centurl' A.D.

ancl clcclined ra;,icll1'thererftcr. Bl rhc endof rhc cightcenth century it had reacl-tecl a

nadir of ertillcial r'erbosiq' ancl lost its

porver to comn-tunicate.



'.lournq'e,\ol'qtur.ru,n'-'{:r:urnur'sstLitJaJrp,{q pa1;rru aru llll arucF ,{rulotsrda

uctslad Jo sa:rld:ltsr:tu aJt sJallJJ s,rlJug-l,nPqY, sPueq r,"rleg-uou ut sureula.r

rroitJod e pur'rsoy llqe,rar:tallr uaaq srqe3r:lrraq snona:d srqr ;o uon:ocl e trqt 1:r;

pJlqnopun aqr alclsap 'tuaurfls tsa.q:r:1 aql.rr; .{q satnrrsuot (sltnpr^rpur or stJJq.I)e:uepuocisa::or lruosrld q.lrq,s. 1o sdno:;-

J\lJ\rr orur pJpl \:p JQ -r' .dur.::.rX\

s.€qeg-J,npqy, srs,{1r:ur 3o sasod:nd :og1

'rqlr€lJ nPqv, Jo ]ualLr

-lrrsal PUr l|l( .rr1l jo slilqrl eql PUE

ueld aulÎo aqr Jo sralqrJ aqt slr s[l.Llrl1-fop IrtsaurppunJ qtns ot a:uapuodsarror

p:uos:ad sr11 uro:; 3urqt,{:ara ot perlclcle

$ l q)ns sy sdno:3 :o s1r:npr,Lipur rqr:eclsor passErppe a:u ttqt sSuur;r1tr srH Jo llesareu8rsap lI slro4\ srH Jo ,{tr.rohru eqt

or parlclcir sr qrrq.r (?,r/1) trlgEt ,rujJl

Ipuourpzlt sqt ,{Jurl) ot 1n;dy.rt1 Jq lqn-iur

I sbunuAr s,9qrgJ,npqv, 1o sauosetr:r

snorJr^ eqr jo uoI]11]uaJJlJrp aql ot n-urpiJ:)

-orcl a:o1ag uraqt ot atrr:clo:cldu afen8-ue1 ur passardxa a:e 'suraod JrnrlrpJulor sasnDeJt 1r:rqdosolrqd uro:1 liur8r:r.r

'st)efqns sIH 3ui.{:r,run sr 'puos.racl puuelqezrufiorar selun Ilir tE q3noqtlr 'uqr:g-l,npqy, lo a1,ts aqr ruqr raJur or rapraraqi PEJI tou Plnoqs 5Nro9:tuol sHI

'pJrrputts enjl u sn tJaJ srq's:a,{u:d s,r-qrg-l,nPqY, lo euos Jo suor]rlsurJ] srq ur

,{1:r:lnrrtrrd'rpuagg rqSoqg'tr1ar:unt:og'spur:r1 atcnbapeur ur lsol eq url rl1nLlr

puu :Jolrlsurjt arlt uo uJpjnq snour.louJ

uE a)€Jd sanrTrnb Jurrsarlt lpql peululprlaq tsnlu rl Surur:aur srg ;o Suqrurts

Japuu s.ruo Jlurque ol sr siullr.rA srH

yo sanqrnb rnaod aql rol uonerta.rdde uu

atEllrinf oI .sSuurrul\ s.pqtg-l,npqv, Io{jpluJJrrl r sr asod:nd puc Suiuvoru 1o uors

-sardxa aq: JoJ LuJoJ rnsnJl Jo asn srql',ltrlrurnq pul apur,r:as ;o ltrlrqou

aqt pJurlrapun seq eqrgl.npqy, safuull

JO uOISJJ\ur Jll rUfrP )rLlr ,lg F.trut,r

pu€ 'epud 'druod

;ouorse::o ue f11e

-uonrPpl-lurl qfrq 1o yrllotseq aqr puz

aruarpnt 1r,{o; r yo luoura'1rt aql eloâ

llr :aqoJ pJlJ.!\alrq lusolurla.r rrll Jo 8ur-tutr8 pue ':o,t;1o dn: aqr;o Surr;r;1orcl

'l:no) ot etuelrrxpu ;o saSron lernlpr:>pottlal Jo sarJas r Jo eprur sr qdr:8

',rld..q1.. ,/,, d/' l. , , u

t./'l.stauttaljTa: lo aJtlpqr aqt u.u,,,tt 4t.ntp olau a,L/9 -

,, :uoDl]]rsr^ Jo talql,I u,\\o sti{ul pJlo,\J ,{.ta3r:ut aql st aydurxa raqloeql isrpq 1o s8ur:aqte8 .rt,ro Suru,nrp ,(rr

-Jlr)U Jo unq eqt ot parrDler lqpg-l,npqv,uel]o ,\\oH uns aqt Pto^r] ttqt sJJntEeJ)

JO Sn PTiJLLTEJ Upl OSJII lt tng ',a,rlszlrad

pu r'3ur,u.,a-a;r 1'l LJaprâ-JIas Jf uo tc-aJeq]llljlsqr Jqr Pur JrJJluQr aqr Jo uorl-Eu[unllr ]rll]llul sr Jiaql qrlJ.n.eqlrg Jo

uonDIa^JU aq::o1 1oqru.{s u pue .roqdetorue sP qtoq sSuDulN srH ur trPuanba:;

slnrro r{rrq.!\ (qra11 lo uxg aq!. a*;r1<I

aqr sI ts.IIC rrltg-J.npqy, 1o sfurrrrlXJLlr ur ruJ.uoJ l\ut ru-lo1 1o (uoLul q

slql etrlJtsrlllr ftu salclurexa JaiJq o,\\J'r\uJ\ Jyl-rr. {1rr.Lr r - rulol 1,, rrr.r

-3arur :rurSro pur ,{trlrur:o1 alrJots uae.\\l

-aq eluejegrP ;qt sr sql uonllltur pur'uonruSol 'uoucla:r:ad ;o saulld rua:agrp

q8norqr Il1r.r.r Jlurs aqt Io uoll:r:r;a: lqpurru s,raprrr aqt purclxe ol tnq 'tlllqnsJql Punorr Ira.\ r.\\PJP ot JePlo ur lou'saluEuossrp puil isJluNUossil'suol]tJeltJ

-1r:'sar:ofal1r'sJoqtuls'saltruis's-ror{duaur

sr LlJ1lS SelrâP ,{:urIJ pur: lrttJotaql1o .rfuer rsi:,r. r;o pur,{raflrur tltaod 1oasn sJltru aH ruJruol Jqt ol qteotddr ursr rurol yrllrg-l,npqy, 1o sSurl:1X aqr u1

'af rlIlJr Pe^rJtuol Parlsrurq serl

aH :lualuol PUlr urjoJ 8rtlzruotu:rq iq Irq:ruroj rurlrrrrJ" otur elrT ,\\JU pJqtErJq

sr:q yqrg'l.npqv, ,lLtt lo Surra.tog

r\as l.z sr tJ uonrptJt .{rrrall 1o pJour

rsarnd aqr ur sr lr re1 lrur8r:o a:o;a.raqt

Puu'ltuosrad,ilqelrtsrruun'a^n)urlsrpsr 11 el,ts anbrun ? olur r surro; uos;ad

srg ;o trrars.{ur eqJ s)usrlatJerpqf str

qr,s. a8lnSur:1 utrsrJd arlt sI &lr aql qgll-.n.rqPg Jo uoDrla^rll aqt sl snulluE aql'uorssardxJ puu uone:rdsur srH

]oepour

Prp,\\lno aqr $ gqvgl.npqv, lo ull.ls sHJ

69 VHYB I.NCSV, :IO SSNIIIXA. AHJ,



05 S'ORID ORDIR FALL ]q-1

Persian, as a paragon of distinctive style

and eloquence.

It is the intent of this article to touch

upon thc character of that sryle and topresenr an overvierv of 'Abdu'l-Bah6's

Wriring. in r.rriou' gerrc: rnd (Jlegnrier'

l)iscussion of the language and style is

inhcrently limitecl, as it must be attempted

across twjn barriers of culture and tonguc;

the attempt lt categorization is necessarily

arbitrary and is t-t-leant to scrve only as a

c:rtalogue. ObviorLsly any number of crite"

ria, such as chronological, thematic, and

ling;uistic. can provide differcnt sets ofcatcgories. Furrhermore, some uorks cited

as examples of cert;rin categories could

easily be put under othcrs.

'ABDU'L IIAHA \\'as, of course, not a

prophet and nt no time claintcd to heve

received dircct revcl.ltion from Gocl. But

as the (lcnter of the Covena[t of His

Fathcr and thc appointcd Intcrpreter of

His Rcvclation, Rahr'r'is beli"r'e, 'Abdu'l-

Bahri qus divinely inspirecl end guidccl

His Writings, rhercfore, constitute for the

Bah/.r'is at once lr ptrr ;rnd an eiaboration

of their Scripturcs.

Thc qocstion of divinel.v inspired lan-

guage has traditionalll' posccl a dilemn.ta

and givcn rise to baseless dogma in t}.re

rcligions of the past. In thcir literal-

minded zcal ro avcr tl're authenticity of

tlreir Ho11' \\/rit, devotecs of traditional

rcligions har,c ofren insisted on the clivine

authorship of dre verl' lexicaL ancl sl ntac-

tic forn.r of thirt Vrit. This vieu'not onli'

redLrccs (lod to tbe use of pirrticular and

diflerent human tongues, but it also at-

renlpts ro isolrtc leligittus urirings from

tbe bodv of the langurLge in thich thci'

\\ r r( \\ r r rr'r . I r' 1. .r I L- .lrr icc rr i- irr

rritr ,rb'olrrrL lin;..i' i, .rrrd lircr.rrr orig-

rrr..lirt. Th,^e rrlro ..ph,'lJ rlri' rier 'rr,.

rcsentful of an1' comparison and prece-dcncc. Wir1.r their perverted notion of

origintrlitl', thcy con.rpletely miss the often

striking Jirerary originalitv of hol1'books

that can only bc perceived in the light of

rr-di'ion. in thcir l.,ngrrg.s. By ignorirg

the literarl' traditions, conceptual methods,

cultural associations-in short by denyingthe life of the languagc-thel' reduce

rather than enhance comprel-rension aod

true appreciation of holy scriptures.

'Abdu'l Bahl's trr o prim:rry languages

h;rve vigorous and highly developed liter-

ary raclitions uith morc than a thousaod

ycars of life. Only the briefest mention of

facets of thesc traditions that are germane

to thc Writings of 'Abdu'lBahi is possible

herc. Since mov of 'Abdu'l-Bahir's 'ii/rit-inqs are in Persian, the n.tain focus here is

on Persian literary traditions. But so manv

of thcsc are shared u itir Arabic-indeed

in n-ian1, cascs they arc rellections of

Arabic norms in Persian that the obser-

vatioos \\'ill generally bc true of the

Arabic literary traditions as uell.

for nearly a thousand ycars sincc tl-re

forniulation anci the crystrllization of clas-

sical critcria in Arabic und Persian iitera-r'tr( r'rC\ lr.'. , ri.,.r .r l'r('O((Lll'..'ionu ittr and a prin-rrrc,v of form. Needicss to

say, tightl,v n.retered ancl fullv-rhymed

poetr'', as the most formal of litcrarl'lrts.lils bccn the mrstcr art loru for thc

Alb, .'rd Lhe Ptr.i .' .. Prr* '.r "rr--. frn rr

their acsthcticalll inferior position hevc

attcn-rpted to cnnoblc rhcir urtrk uith

clualities of poetrl', evolling e tcchniciue

knosn es rrrj-. It inrroduccs the basic

poctic ingredicnts of rhyme encl rh1'thn.r

,rro I'ru\L \rirlto.tt .. r.r..l.r'rr.' ..forr' : i

into cclual footecl lines- A synn-ietr,v of

cxptession is echicvccl b-v rtsc of lcxicel

cler iccs such is svnon\11)s, antonvn-rs, ancl

homontttts giving prosc an arctritectutal

plesticitl' ancl renclcrin.q it nenorable.

This srllc of uliting in Pctsian rcached irs

apcx during rhe tl-rirtecnth centurl' A.D

end dcclinecl rapidly thererftcr. By thc cndol rhc cightccrrth centurf it had rcachecl a

nadir of altillcial verbosiry ancl lost its

pon er to conn-iunicate.



'Jolunq'erol'rltrurp.{',{lrllrr}ur'sseutJJJlp,{q prryetr Jw traql arua8 trrelotsrda

urrslad ]o satlrd:llsrut JJlr s:altal s,rqlfl-l,nPqY, sPupq r,erlpg-uou r1r sutputaJ

uoqJocl l: PUc'lsoJ,ilqrâr:telJr ueeq srqefuuaq slrone:d srqt 1o uoruod c lcqt tw1

pJlqnopull aql JtrdsEp 'tuaurS:s rs;r8rl1 erltru; ,{q satll]I]suot (slrnpr^rpur o] sralclrJ)e:uepuodsa::or lruosrld qtrqs. yo sclno:S

a^Je,\\t otul pJpr^rp rq uer sliuur.U(s.lrrpg-l,npqy, srs,{1rur: 1o sasocl:nd :o,1 1

'rqrg-l.nPqv, Jo lueul-lrrsal Plirr lJuN Jtll Jo slrJqrJ, JLlt Purlueld )ur^r(I ar{r Jo sreiqrl Jqt sU sruaiun

-f,op Irlueuepun1 qlns or JruJpuodsJrJo-)

leuos:ad sr11 urorl 3un1t,{.ra,ra ot p.trlddr:

$ l q)ns sy sclno;8:o slrnpr,r.rpur tqr:adsot passerppr a:u ttqt sfuurl76 srH Jo llesereufrsrp tI s:Iro6\ srg 1o ,{l:ohur aqt

or parlddr: sr r{rrq.\\ (7,1/1) telqct 'turel

JeuourpzJt eqt ,{Jrrrl) ot 1n;d1et1 aq tr13ru

tI sbunult\ s,grpg-l,r1pqV, 1o sarrofalr:snorJr^ Jqt

'o

uonrltu;l-1.)Irp Jrp ot.*urpla:-o:ci a:olag uaqt ot atr:r.tclorclcfu aSen8

-uz1 ur pessarcixa e:c 'suraod a^DutrpJuJ

or sasirpaJr p:lqdosolrqd uo:1 3ul8ur-r

'sr:alqns sr11 '3ur,{re,run si 'l"uos:ad puoalqrzrufora; seluu JIp tr q8noqtp 'r:qr:g-l,npqy, Jo a1trrs aqr:uqt JaJUr ot laprarJrlt PEJI tou plnoqs sNroD:luoi sHJ

'pJrpurts JnJr u sn UeJ srq'sra,{r.td s,rqrg

1,nPqY, lo eulos Jo suol]ulsuur] sq ur

,{1:r1n:n.rrcl'rpuagg rtlSoqg',{lattunt:o,lsputq atr:nbapr:ur ur tsol eq uc) qlnuJ

Puc :rotulsueJr aqr uo u.lpjl1q snour]oui)

uE a)uJd senrTpnb eurrs eqtlErlt

palr{rrpe

aq rsnur rJ Sulurau sr11 1o Surpuus-Japun s.auo e)urqua ol sr s8unrr2tr sr11

;o sanrlenb rltaod aqt JoJ uoqerJalddp uc

eruÎrlnr oI sfunrrlg s.9qug-J,npqv, lo)iJlrLlIJJuq e st asod:nd pue Surura[u Jo uors

-sa-rdxa aql JoJ luJoJ fnsnJr Jo asn srql'&lyrurnq pur apnl,r:as 1o ,{trlrqou

eql peulJrepun srrl"qeg-l,npqv,

sabDurr

Jo uorsJrûr )nf,uJe:p srqt ,(g ,(lur,rpue 'epud 'durod

1ouorser:o ur llyr

-uolllPurr-{url qfrq Jo le,uorsaq aqr puz

a:uarpne yrtror e ;o ,{uoura_ra: aqt e)ole

11r laqo: p.tle.naleq IpruoluJral aqt Jo 3ur-turJf pur'.ro,ru;;o chu aqr 1o 8ur:a;1ord

'tJ11ol ot c)urllruJpe yo sa8eurr 1un:1ntParrlel JO SJIIJS u Jo apruur st qde:"Q

-c;rd aqa .. a t aq:/oF a.lat rfi clltrt. !taturtalp! to atloqt a./i u/otl ilu./tf .) jatu aat)

":uoDrtrsr^ Jo tJJqD,L u,\lo srH

ur pa:loê,ira.Srul aqr sr alclucxa raqtoeql isrtq 1o s8uueqtr:S raô 8uru,$rp trlr

lrau io unq eqt ot prrrr]ar yql]g-l,npqy,uerJo ,\\oH Uns rqt plo^r trql sJlnlxJjl

JO Sl1 PUraUaJ UrJ OSJII lr lng a,rtsu,r.lad

pul '3ul,r3-a7r1 'lurpt^J-JlJs eJuo te-rJJqrrlrrsql] eLil Pup alJlluol arll Jo uorl-eurrunllr lrnlnLu sr aJJqI qull.n,pqtg Jo

uontlJrraU aqr ro; loqurds r pur .loqcleteuE s? qtoq sfurrrrlX sr11 ur ,(ltuanbetl

srnr:ro qrrq,\\ . (14ra21 lo utg aqt. aseryd

rqt sr lsrrg 'fqpg i.npqy, 1o slrunr:r1,

Jrlr Jr ruJ.u.) pur LLl,l Jo truouiri q

srrlt Jt"ltsnlJi ,(rru saldurlxa Jet:q o.\I'asuas r,\lttaJf lln:t r ui uuol 3o,{ltr

-8atut trurS:o puc,{l1ru:o1 aluJts uJJ,\\l-Jq a)LreJaJrP erF sr srql uoDrntur puD

'uouuSol 'uoudJrJed p sauzlcl lua.ragrp

q3no:rf,{rr1ra: armrs erlt Jo uon:u1ar trqpuiru s,JepreJ erp puedxr ot tnq 'ttalqnsJql PunoJN ira,\ r.\\rJP ol JePJo ur tou'salueuossrp pur's.lluruossr'suol]rl.ltlI-1r'sar:o8a11r'sloqruis'sJltulrs's:oqdetaur

sr qrns sarrâp I.tu:atrJ puc JrlrJotaql

1o a8ue-r rsu,r r 1o puu J:a8uun :ltaocl ;oasn sJ>luur aH ruJlrol aqt ot r1:eo:dde ursr ruro1 g!ir[1,npqy, 1o s3uur.r1tr aqr uy

'afuDJt P.^rJluoJ PaqsruEq seq

JH tueruoJ puD uuoJ 3ulzruoul:rq ,{q:nq:turoj JprJlrutj E otul aJrJ .\\eu paqieaJq

sr?rl yqrg l,npqv, /zr ;o 8ur:a,rog

,lreu ? sr lI uorliprlJl ,{.re:al1 p plour

rsa:nd aqr ui sr tr re;1 JyulSrro aro;eraqt

puE'Jvuosjed tryqeryrs[uun'a^l]lunsrpst :1 01,{rs anbrun r otur :r surro; uos.rad

sr11 1o tr;ars,{ru aql slnsr:alJpJ€rll slql,n a8eniuel urrsJed Jql sr ,{u1: aq1 ql11

-.n,rqDg Jo uo[elaâ]I aqr $ snturuE aqJ'uotssa;dxa pue uont.udsur srH

Joapour

PrE,\\tno eqt sr erl"gl.nPqv, Jog'r,{.l,s IIHI

VHVS -I.NOSY, :IO SSNIIIYA EHl.



r0 $a/ORLD ORDER: FALL 1971

forbearance, and a myriad other qualitics

th:rt reveal the exemplary perfection ofHis pcrsonalitl'.'Abdu'l-Bahi addresses

e\rcryone as an equal in theservice of

Bahri'u'llih. His letters often open with an

invocation of the quaiity of faith of the

recipient rathcr dran his name or identity

-cpithetssuch as ''O the Firn. O ne in the

Cctteuant," 'O Loter ol the Ble:sed

Beatt1." (Lttct lhcn the Persians uere

rcquired by lau to adopt family names,

many Bahf is chose as surnamcs u orcls ofadclrcss from thc Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bah6

to themselves or to their fathers.) Insubject matter 'Abdu'l-Rahi's Ietters range

from responses to the personal and

epheneral requests of His correspondents

to profound elaborations, elucidations, and

interprctations of the Bahi'i Rcvelation.

Bnt mostly thcy are concerned ,,', ith direc-

tion ancl cxhortation of the friends to

sprcad the Teachings.

II. Tablets of spccific topical or then.ratic

signilicance adclressed to jodividuals are

perhaps best.exemplihed by the Tablet toProfessor Augustc Forel, u,hich is in fact a

philosophical treatise \\,rittcn bv 'Abdu'l-

Bahri in Septernber 1921 in ans\\,er to

cluestions put to Him bl the noted S$'iss

psychologist.

III. Tablcts adclrcsscd to Batri'i commu-

nities in various parts of the rlorld chron-

i. Ie 'AbJrr l-8..h: r lur ing ..t,J virorou.

leadersi.rip of thc Causc of Bahri'u'11/rh and

its propagation from a handfLrl of coun-tries in the Near and the Middlc East to

.ome rlrirry-6ve (oLnlrje\ in evcrl tonti-

nt nr on 'hc qlohe. I he mo'r inrlort.rnt in

this group are uncloubtedly the scries of

rhe 'l-h cr. ot he Dir in, PlJr , \\ riren ,rl

the close of the First World \Y/ar.

IV. Among the Tablets lritten to uorld

Broul\5 or .L'ngre\\c(. rhc be.' Lnosn i.

the Tablc sent in l9l9 to thc Central

Organization for a Durablc Peace at theHague.

V. The Tablets of the \flill and Testa-

ment of 'Abclu'l-Bah6 is a unique docu-

ment, l'ritten in thrce parts, that consti-

tutes an integral part of the charter of the

Bahf i Administrative Order. Alrhough un-

dated. itis clear from its contents that the

6rst part uas uritren in 1!06/7 during

rhe most perilous and yet most prolilic

period of His life.

VL The nexr category is that of ptayers.

The Arabic and Persian languages distin-

guish betu een uhat is translated io Eng

lislr as prayer (mtnrijtitl and obligatory

prayer (sal'b). The prayers of 'Abdu'l-

Bahi are ntrnijrit. Approximately one

half of tl.rese arc in Persian and the otherin Arabic, r'ith a very ferv in Turkish.

The term ".r, t.t1tt hs r hi.rory in

Persian literature bcginning nith Kh*ijih'Abdu'liih-i-Aos;iri, a Sirfi mystic of thc

clcventlr century A.D. The nzrnij'it ofA'.5. rr .rru highlr srl lizcd upi!rr.nrm.rric

forms of communion ri ith God. From a

lircr-ry;oinr of rie'r rhe'e bricf ero.ative

compositions bear only the slightest gcner-

jc rescnrblancc to thc n/lnlj;t of Bahi-'u'116h ancl 'Abdu'l-Bahi, r'hich, although

called by th€ sane name, are clearly a

li , r.,n innorrtion "nd origin.rl creations

in the Persian and Arabic languages.

Their chief distinguisl.ring qualitl' i5 thq

sustained and expanding cxpression of

man's experience of the Hol,v by means ofpoetic language.

The prayers of 'Abdu'l-Balii, particular-

ly, partake in the fuliest mcasure of poeticqualitics. Some actually include fragments

or lines of metrical verse l,hich are indis-

tingLrishable from the texturc of tl.re rl,hole

prayer. The purity end sanctjty of natural

inagery rcvcal a state of cosmic harmonl'.

The musicaliw of somc of them tran-

scends limitations of lrnguage. Poetry is

madc to sen'e rhe ulrimate goal of risin-q

above "the twnttr ol sllldhle: axd

sotndt." Thc cnotiooal intensity of someof 'Abdu'l-Bahi's prayers, espccially those

that recall thc suf{erings of and separa

tion from Bahir'u'llih, is unrivalcd.



HSI'I{)N'I NI CIIN9ISvHvat-'I n(gv rq

{gMl'Iag v ol rsrnvl v co 1_1Ir{Isl\,j:I



tt \{ORID ORDER: FAIL 1971

VIL Prayers q'ritteo for spccial occlisrons

such as meetings of Spiritual Assemblies, or

embarking on terching trips, focr.rs upon

overcoming of self and reliance uponconiirmarions frorr-i God.

VIII. Tablets of Visitation, virtuallv all

l rirten in Arebic, are primarily for com-

memoration of individual heroes and mar-

tyrs of tlre Faith, ancl are to be chantecl

rrrcn ri,irir': rhcir pr.tre". Th. In.rj,'riry

uere sritrcn in tlre linal verrs of 'Abdri'l-

Bahh's lifc and:rre another testimony of

His abiding lovc end faithfulness to the

memorl' of those r'ho sacrillccd them-sclves for the Cause of Gocl.

IX. 'Abdu'l-Bahi's poems are ferr' in

number, and mostly in nzathnaul (.rb1'ned

cor4rler ) form. His lovc for this form

nnir.r'.r.1) . .oci..r. I "irl, rl'e;r,,'r .pir-

itual masterplece of the ts'elfih ccnrury

poet Ritmi and His love for Rirmi's

poctry are furthcr evinced by frequent

(lLlotarions of lines from thc latter's q'orks

in His Writings.X. Books and trcatises. of nhich 'Abdu'l-

Bahi lcft three, ere 'l he.\ecret ttl Diuine

Ciyjliz:ttiott, *'rittcn in 181) (and tlso

knonn as A Treatite on Cit'ilizdtir'n), A'fut,eller's Natttttite, sritten about 1886;

.,nd.r .horr rolr.rrte erri lcJ A ft,.tti . t.

Politicr. .*'ritten in 1891. The hrst trvo

have been translated into English. The

latter, available oniy in Pcrsian, rnal be

coosidered a sequel in subiect and prirpose,

o T Le Sectet of Dit ine Cit ilization. T\efundamcntel thenre is thc gcnerative force

of rcligioo ancl the degenerative role of

priestly poser in human affairs. Thc lirst

Looli is .'JJr.' ed to th, P.r.irr n rri,'n .r.

a uhole: the scconci is directed to the

Rah/r'i comrnunity in drat land. Their

inport obviously tt,rnscends the historical

aims and the immediatc occasion of their

l riting, but thel' also constitutc signilrcant

ckrcurnents * irhin that context.

1. ',, ',r Ilti.i,. r itilr.,.i t. 1,rticr.rlarly, occupics a preemincnt historical

position among the litcrrture of moclcrni'

zation in Persia. Seen in the light of an

unfolding Bahh'i Rcvclarion, it is, of

course. 'Abdu'lBah;i's elaboration of the

principlcs enunciated by Bahd'u'll'ih inHis Tablets to the ruicrs of the earth. But

read in the light of moclern analytical

lirerature on the naturc ancl problcms of

modcrnizarion, it is a uniclue documelt of

erlually profound impiicarions. In it'Abdu'l-Bahi prcscnts l coherent program

I,,r rllq Ic en(r. tio' or P, r.i.tn " .jt r'..

The program is pr-eclicrted on universrtl

cducation and eradication of ignorance

and fanaticisn. It calls for rcsponsibilityancl prrticipation of the pcoplc in govcrn-

menr through a representative assembl-v. Itseeks to safeguard thcir rights and liberties

rlrrnr g\ ,odiri..rrion ol 1..tr. ,rn'l in.ritu-

tionalizrLtion of justice. It argues for the

humane benelits of moclern scicncc and

technology. It conclemns militarisn.i and

underscorcs rhc immor:rlitv of heavy ex-

penditures for arriamcnts. It promuJgates

a more equitable sharing of the *'ealth of

the nation.

Of the long list of indictments that

could be brought against thc one huodred

rnd tlcnry-five years of Qljir misrule of

Pcrsil, ferv corLlcl bc as drmaging as thcir

neglect of this blueprint in 181). Not

rrntil ncrLrly r\\entv ye',1rs larer clo some of

these idees appcer piecemeal tnd rLrire-

lated in the uritings of other so-celled

refonners and moclernists in Persia. But

rhc signi6crrncc o['ll:e Settet r,f Diri'ter 'tili ...i r r\ n, r m, r( lr in lr..t jr rel r'

senrs rhe earliest ancl the onlv cohcrcnt

scheme for thc modernization of Persia.

\Vc heve come to rccollnize as the frtal

11au of ncarl,v all reforuist icleas and

nodcrnizing .-lJorrs ol rhc llst hunclrcd

. (.,rr , nJ ,,nlI jqP, t. r b lr in rn.rrr

parts of the s,orld), ;r naivc imitation of

effccts s'ithout grlsping thc causes snper-

licial borron ing of forms unrcl'rlecl to

thcir unclerlying values. Everything in

'Abdu'l-Ilahis proposals is 1irml1 besed

upon rhe validitl, encl potency of divinc



llJznt;r,l a,u.rw urarlt Jo euros .urH rllr,rreq ol JerJJeq lta,La auro:la,lo pur? saJuirl-srp tst^ Ia^r:l d11ual1 ,{aqr tuqt se^rl

laql ur aJlo1 lneu8"ui srqt sr trelS oS'qgll.n.gqlg roJ aôl rrarp,(q pallado-rcl a;edaql uouruo: ur Surqt auo at?qs

JIealarl

par:rdep e:e,,se^rJ,, rsoq,\ eldoad aq1'sr^rl

esoqr Ilu Jo a:roy Sunrurue rrlt sE,!\ qrrll,\\trl1enb 1:nuassa tpqt jo a)urJqLulua.ttnq 'se^lJ lenpr^tpur Jo sJrJoureru tsnl tou

-sseulnJqrEJ-z/z/r. lo JfuuJquarual e

sI )ooq srp,{11erarr1 aln} ,(lJr:nb trqt taq'ujaLuar oq,\\ 11r uo tq8rl sprqs puz Jetsnl

IUrJorualuulr pruJpe srrq qliq.\ eJrl lprlljo itllpnb aqtlcqlrJ lnq'a;rl uNunq E sJZr

-lrrJoruaul oq\\ lapral aq: :ou raqdr:8olqaqt tou sr lr tzql sarldrur lJ rfue:qurJ[uJJ tue]a^JJ-uonuau: 1n;ta,(t:d sur:aur

JllD Jqt ur tvtcry p pto,tt toor JqI'JJeLl

snfo] arll sr Ilqt upul ut eur^rp Jrlt Jo uoll-JaHa.I eql PUt',{tIuEtUnq lenurssaturnb aqt

':r.rds;o sarnqulte aqt'Jnos Jo.{:llenb aqr

sI rJ.;JrJ upurnq;o st:adsl 1u:auraqda rqtpuE 'lEuosJad aql'.ttJnfltJEd Jrll qL\\ op ol

JJrrrT eÊq q!47W" j lo urro; ,{lr:a1l rrlt olasll uJ^rH aÊrl trqt saslndur 1e:ntp: pur:

yunl:rds aql lgijy, raod tus,tru lJntlralr{rJlar\r aqr Jo (sturps }o eluErqueur-JX) //tlfn7 l,a/u,it|qpa1 arp pufis: ots.3urrq ry p1o saunturl JUru auJos uoltrppJl,{:e:atq uersra4 ? ur.u sa)rld ,l/11A

l,xtp,tlV-c1pt1'purSrn aql ur eJtn stJ .seqJtlris

JeJ-rqdr:8orq Jarrq Io uonrello) e t ytfqttogaqt to rrJ.,)tuall Jo urro1 ple,$rno arlJ

rpuagE rq8oqg .{q pazrroqtneurE8e s!,\\ tr uaq,\\ ,tZ6i

lrrun paqsrlqnd

rou se^\ >Jooq eqt JIUDJE,1\ JO SaJnlJtJlS

aql ol anP rnq '! l6 t ur patu1rJ8 se.\\ uonef-rTqnd Jreqr .ro1 uorssru:ad s,gqrgl,npqv,pue 'palrdruot ara,\ aserll J r€l( pJrol(

Jo slEJl dJJEa orlt Suunp xJIltH ur sr,uqEg

;o sSur:aqre8 ot ualods 'src,r.ar1aq d1.rza

llua,Las ecros Jo sarur?Jqua.ua.r s,Er{"g-J,npqV, Jo runrpuadruot ? sr ,rlsrTSug

olw PerelsuEJl ueaq (It6I) ,nou lluosPq r{trrq,!\ 'l/4qiul ..:li to t1mtozua1y

'106I ur porlsrJqnd ls:g se,u uonelrdruo:raql 806j ur ulopaar] e^DpJrJ sleqeg

J,npqy, ?urperJrd,{1a:erpaurur s:ratr

]lnlglrP ;rP ur pJJjnlto uonptDUeqtnepue '8unrpi) 'Surplolal JrJrlt ,suoDeslJ,!

-uor aqI s;arlrq urnsiJrl3 eurosJo 8ur-PU€tsraPun r,tqpg Jrlt uo puP qlru{ r,g.Pg

aqr lo slaual Irrurrrds uo laur€g pJoJiJJe:nu1 trq ulg ot tnd suorrsanb ot esuodseJ

ur 9qEg-l,nPqv, Jo s>Jlu] elqEr aqr Jo uorl-elrdurot e sr sttcttltattfi pata,Dsu.V aruos

'uor:r:r1qnd roy pa,ro.iclde pur gqeg-J.n-pqy, ,{q pauruexJ arr,\\ rltoq Jo suorsre,{

uJlriJ,\ lPug aqJ 'tuarallrp ,{1apr,n arr,{aqt ralrur tlelqns ur :o; lJeru:o1 .{1tr:ts'Jeê^\orl'sr slJo,r o,!\t aseqr

3o

{Iur;;e:r-.reuall aql lnlcltug aqt to rf:,rntuary pueruo4tauQ fa.ta,nJ&V autas JJe a:ua8 cqlyo saldrur:xa :olrru o,lu eq1 .strdot snorre,ruo salueJJlln sr11 ;o suonclr;:suzlr e,us-uJrxa aJe srsrnofsrp s,rqeg-T,npqy, IX

'st:oge srH uro.rl ure8 yruos:ed

aulale /o prres a.1J ur tno slurod agse 'azlszqc[ua o] parlsr,r osle JH Jaql"CsrH Jo elunJJrJ aqr 8ur:np llunururo:

r.erleg eqt puotraq rrlqnd er{l JoJ aloJ^\eH slooq o,\\l eql uo erueu srg a:u1d

tou prp aH reqt rpll,n,rqeg rro;aq hrpui-nrl s,rqeg-J.npqy, Jo uonptrpur rarFou!aq lzur t1 ilsnour,(uouz paqslqnd se,r

Iooq crqr 'uout,:11/t/) a,rttg lo uttaSoqJ a>.l'I a1,ts a,rnel;eu Sur,roru puealduns e ur uorlrsuadsrp snotuet;od llql 1otunoJ)e etruorssrdsrp puu +euq ? sluasaJd

tJ snorjnr rqr puE laleJs aql JQJ uc]]lJ,\\

s?,r 'q€g aqt Jo aposrde aqt 1o ,{:o:s[lr? sI qlrq.\\ 'aotp.t,t N !,hlPlpJJ v

or1

-€zr1r^rt aut^rp lln:t r:;o uoutpuno1 erllle1 or-sutro; 1e:nr1od elqrr,r put suorl-rrtnsur

^\3uateaJl ot slaas gqptr_J,npqv,

uew to saurJunua:od p:our pue lenrrlclser{l Jo uoneJgr^târ e q8no:g; rrs:a4jo sldoad aqt ol sr, tselx\ It Jo saDa

-r:os paqsrra,rodrur dlllnll:rds aqr ot &s

or qtrnul se srq 3H salulo^pp eH terlt tspaeql Jo uonpzruJrtsat tou sr r1 'a:ueprnS

VHYS"I,NOAY, rIO S'NI],IU,IN ]HJ



,14 \a.ORLD ORDER: FALL 1971

wirh their dying breath, ro expire happily

after having seen the face of their Be-

loved; some die on the arduous path.

Despite the peculiarities of time andplace, it should not take the reader long

to recognize a gallcry of tinelcss and uni-

versal human types in this book.

The spoken language of 'Abdu'l-Bah6 is

hgurative and almost indistinguishable

from His u,ritten style. He makes use of a

rich fund of Iiterary devices-rhymed

prrrd\e.. .ymmerrir.tl form.. ellircrariont.

assonances, metaphors, similes, and allu-

sions-that, far from sounding contrivedand artificial, are naturally matched to the

subject matter: the essence of faithfulness.

Wirh ton. rere imrges He dcscribes spirit-

urrl 'r.,re'and psy.lric le\el. of (onscioL.

ness, as if to assert the primacy and realily

of the rcalm of spirit. Should the reader

experience difficulty with the style, let him

savor it siowly, allowing the unfamiliar

language to create its on'n spirit and

brcathe life into its allusions. Let the

*'ords of 'Abdu'l-Bahi trace in his mind

the shape of thc valley of love and

faithfulness.

In His usual self-efiacing way, 'Abdu'l-

Bahi says almost nothing about Himself

in this book. But occasional events in the

lives of these companionsare inten'oven

s'ith His own. In these passages u'e have

some thrilling glimpscs of that essence of

humanity and humility that was 'Abdu'l-

Bahi.

XII. Next to His personal correspon-

dence, talks comprise the largest segment

of 'Abdu'l-Bahi's recorded words. One

mry di.ringui'h berrreen rrlks giren to

Bahf is and addresses to thc general pub-

lic, :uch r: :oLierie.. group.. .tniversirics.

and congregations. Generally they have

the sanre literary marks and rhetorical

pafterns that are characteristic of 'Abdu'l-

Bai.rih's \(ritings.This vast body of \Writing, boundless in

its wisdom, consummate in form, generous

and loving in spirit, and rich in signili-

cance, is 'Abdu'l-Bah6.'s literary legacy, a

lega.y rh.rr. like His own prayer. rises

'ahoae words ancl letters" and transcends

"tbe utrtntr ol tllable: and sotwJs"

It is the realiry of 'Abdu'l-Bah6 so far as

u'e the gratefr.rl reaclers are capable of

perceiving.

Banani Article Abdul Baha

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