Hi everyone!
Just wanted to share about a free film screening at the Tower Theatre on Tuesday, November 30th.
A hundred years ago this month, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá -- the eldest Son of Bahá’u’lláh, who established the Bahá’í Faith -- passed away. He was renowned as a champion of social justice and an ambassador for international peace. After his release from a lifetime of imprisonment due to religious persecution, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá set out on a series of journeys which took Him to Egypt, Europe and North America, including California! Throughout his life, he presented with brilliant simplicity, to high and low alike, Bahá’u’lláh’s prescription for the spiritual and social renewal of society.
To commemorate the centenary of his passing, a film was just released on the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and his contributions to the life of society and social discourse. There will be a FREE screening of this film, titled "Exemplar", followed by a discussion, at The Tower Theatre, 815 E Olive Ave, Fresno, on Tuesday, November 30th, doors open at 7pm.
Since this year is the centennary of His passing, I'm curious how to explain who Abdu'l-Baha was to people who aren't familiar with the Faith.
https://preview.redd.it/xfd4a7c1hd581.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=819327d2f845edc9f5deed525bbf5da2efa0682e
As Baha'is are proud of their Faith's purported commitment to equality of men and women it is unfortunate that 'Abdu'l-Baha's summary of the women's suffrage movement was the following derision:
>I am endeavouring, with Bahá’u’lláh’s confirmations and assistance, so to improve the world of the handmaidens that all will be astonished. This progress is intended to be in spirituality, in virtues, in human perfections and in divine knowledge. In America, the cradle of women’s liberation, women are still debarred from political institutions because they squabble. They are yet to have a member in the House of Representatives. Also Bahá’u’lláh hath proclaimed: “O ye men of the House of Justice.” Ye need to be calm and composed, so that the work will proceed with wisdom, otherwise there will be such chaos that ye will leave everything and run away. “This newly born babe is traversing in one night the path that needeth a hundred years to tread.” In brief, ye should now engage in matters of pure spirituality and not contend with men. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá will tactfully take appropriate steps. Be assured. In the end thou wilt thyself exclaim, “This was indeed supreme wisdom!” I appeal to you to obliterate this contention between men and women.
>http://www.kashkul.org/2020/10/05/education-as-prerequisite-for-women-serving-on-universal-house-of-justice/
He seems to use the lack of a woman being elected in America to justify the ban on women serving on Baha'i institutions (a stipulation which remained in effect in Eastern Baha'i communities until 1954). Interestingly this Tablet also suggests 'Abdu'l-Baha intended for women to eventually serve on the Universal House of Justice, an eventuality the fundamentalism which developed under Shoghi Effendi made impossible.
Also of note is that 'Abdu'l-Baha's solution to contention between men and women is for women to shut up and leave political/administrative matters to men.
Look at these videos.
Design concept for the Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYDk_jl4Voc
‘Akká mayor and religious leaders honor ‘Abdu’l-Bahá at ceremony | BWNS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJcsOzyRi5M
A momentous endeavor begins: Groundwork being laid for the Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá | BWNS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBhPKbBxqzQ
Work presses on at the site for the Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá | BWNS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFIjgbknKwA
Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Foundations completed | BWNS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKjglgjKHug
Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Structure rises above foundation | BWNS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad7Hkq0PGBs
Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá / First steps taken to raise walls of central plaza | BWNS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QecDlabbvEo
Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: First columns of main edifice raised | BWNS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hILwEsu82eY
Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Pillars of main edifice completed | BWNS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVec7SksntY
Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Plaza walls completed, trellis construction begins | BWNS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vSRvXsvgPQ
I wrote about this nonsense here:
> They are taking a HUGE and desperate gamble with this construction. They have been doing construction project after construction project at the Baha’i World Center, but this one is especially noteworthy because it is happening while the Covid-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world!
>
>A popular definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and hoping for a different result than before. So since the results of past construction projects have failed to attract more people to join the Baha’
As a big fan of big lists of songs, I'm passing on this big list of songs from Baha'i Blog that they've published based on the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha:
https://www.bahaiblog.net/2021/11/128-bahai-blog-studio-sessions-writings-abdulbaha/
Here are some of my favorites from the list:
- “Shine Ye” by Devina & Raneesha Saberi https://youtu.be/8JJ-pfKIBF4
- “He May Soar” by Denzil & Ephrim https://youtu.be/3mcYJMMtdqY
- “Be Happy” by Max Weigert https://youtu.be/nne3UgK1Nwg
- “At All Times” by JYSEP Goodna https://youtu.be/Gp_7x8_g_-U
- “O Thixo” by the Joburg Baha’i Choir https://youtu.be/JgnK2wpFTYk
- "Be a Baha'i" by the Joburg Baha'i Choir https://youtu.be/ZD9hsSLTt-E
- “Love Is Not…” by Nadia, Zaynab, Fritz & Earl https://youtu.be/8jFOJ4-zKgc
- “Rendi Radioso Questo Giovane (Make This Youth Radiant)” by Moonshoes https://youtu.be/qXRuI7SK-N0
- “This Is the Rainy Season” by Sara Forouhi https://youtu.be/WMqDvrhToEE
- “Prayer for the Departed” by The Humming Birds https://youtu.be/W9U2K7OhXXQ
- “Loose My Tongue” by The PNW Crew https://youtu.be/4UsZ5tt6g4s
- “Lose Ourselves” by Alex, Asha, Renya and Alia https://youtu.be/hG58lUqmED0
- “Haz Radiante (Make Radiant)” by the Choir of the Baha’i Temple of South America https://youtu.be/7VY5leDDbeo
- “Eternal Truth” by Turning Point https://youtu.be/FjwqdgvoxqU
Dominique Sylvester is joined by seven other members of the South African Baha'i Choir to cover, acapella, his melody to go with the famous quote (printed below) from the 1909 book, “Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas”. I think the intention here is to transform the song into something that can be performed in Houses of Worship.
>My name is Abdul-Baha, my identity is Abdul-Baha, my qualification is Abdul-Baha, my reality is Abdul-Baha, my praise is Abdul-Baha. Thraldom to the Blessed Perfection is my glorious and refulgent diadem; and servitude to all the human race is my perpetual religion. Through the bounty and favor of the Blessed Perfection, Abdul-Baha is the Ensign of the Most-Great-Peace, which is waving from the Supreme Apex; and through the gift of the Greatest name, he is the Lamp of Universal Salvation, which is shining with the light of the love of God. The Herald of the Kingdom is he, so that he may awaken the people of the East and of the West. The Voice of Friendship, Uprightness, Truth and Reconciliation is he, so as to cause acceleration throughout all regions. No name, no title, no mention, no commendation hath he nor will ever have except Abdul-Baha. This is my longing. This is my supreme apex. This is my greatest yearning. This is my eternal life. This is my everlasting glory! Express ye the same thing which is issued from my pen. This is the duty of all. Consequently the friends of God must assist and help Abdul-Baha in the adoration of the True One; in the servitude to the human race; in the well-being of the human world and in divine love and kindness.
Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas p730
I would urge reading covenantstudy.org in its entirely for anyone questioning the authority of the House of Justice of the Baha'i Faith.
Baha'u'llah made very clear that, while some degree of tolerance and differences are allowed, the Covenant is an exception to this. He instructed His followers to avoid those that broke the Covenant of the Bab (the Azaliis) during His life. Near the beginning of the Kitab-i-Aqdas, it states;
>"They whom God hath endued with insight will readily recognize that the precepts laid down by God constitute the highest means for the maintenance of order in the world and the security of its peoples. He that turneth away from them is accounted among the abject and foolish. We, verily, have commanded you to refuse the dictates of your evil passions and corrupt 20 desires, and not to transgress the bounds which the Pen of the Most High hath fixed, for these are the breath of life unto all created things. The seas of Divine wisdom and Divine utterance have risen under the breath of the breeze of the All-Merciful. Hasten to drink your fill, O men of understanding! They that have violated the Covenant of God by breaking His commandments, and have turned back on their heels, these have erred grievously in the sight of God, the All-Possessing, the Most High."
Later, Baha'u'llah states:
>When the ocean of My presence hath ebbed and the Book of My Revelation is ended, turn your faces toward Him Whom God hath purposed, Who hath branched from this Ancient Root.
>
>n....
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>O people of the world! When the Mystic Dove will have winged its flight from its Sanctuary of Praise and sought its far-off goal, its hidden habitation, refer ye whatsoever ye understand not in the Book to Him Who hath branched from this mighty Stock. Bahá’u’lláh, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, paragraph 174
The passage in paragraph 121 is repeated in the Kitab-ii-'Ahd and clarified to refer to 'Abdu'l-Baha. That also clarifies that paragraph 174 of the Aqdas refers to 'Abdu'l-Baha first and foremost:
>The Will of the divine Testator is this: It is incumbent upon the Aghsan, the Afnan and My Kindred to turn, one and all, their faces towards the Most Mighty Branch. Consider that which We have revealed in Our Most Holy Book: ‘**When the ocean of My presence hath ebbed and the Book of My Revelation is ended, turn your faces toward Him Whom God hath purposed, Who hath branched from this Ancient Root.
... keep reading on reddit ➡Dear friends, it’s a new Baha’i Blog Studio Session from Mahikeng, South Africa where Dominique is joined by Solomzi, Semere and Rosemary to cover a song debuted by the Aumua family at the “Music Inspired by the Heroes Teaching Conference” a couple years ago. This new version takes influences from contemporary South African music, adding new harmonies and some rapping.
New version, Nov 2021: https://youtu.be/0Ie6XiYAmUc
The original version is here: https://youtu.be/aBZ574mQ3TU
Dominique Sylvester in previous Baha’i Blog Studio Sessions:
- “Blessed is the Spot” https://youtu.be/srYcRsN--UI
- “I Repair for Refuge” https://youtu.be/WkMJjzGPwTo
- “Abdu’l-Baha” ("My name is Abdul-Baha, my identity is Abdul-Baha, my qualification is Abdul-Baha) https://youtu.be/_IpQ7wviRpw
- "My Name is Abdu'l-Baha" by the South African Baha'i Choir, a cover of the last song here, recorded at the same time as the title song from this post. https://youtu.be/QI0sRscsZqI (apparently this was released while I wrote this post. I guess I'll give it it's own posting.)
On the one hand, the whole year is the Centenary and that has one aspect. Additionally there are the three dates, The Day of the Covenant, The Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Baha and then in January, the one hundredth anniversary of the reading of His will and testament. The Universal House of Justice is holding two gatherings, I believe, the first around the Day of the Covenant and The Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Baha for National Spiritual Assemblies and another in January for the Continental Boards of Councilors and the Auxiliary Boards.
In my community, we're looking forward to the new film and having an outdoor gathering with a campfire, likely.
This is actually the first song released back on Aug 1 from Luke's upcoming Home Of Light album. I was reminded of it by a recent write up on Baha'i Blog:
The lyrics for this song come from Baha'u'llah's "Tablet of the Land of Ba"
Praise be to Him Who hath honored the Land of Bá1 through the presence of Him round Whom all names revolve. All the atoms of the earth have announced unto all created things that from behind the gate of the Prison-city there hath appeared and above its horizon there hath shone forth the Orb of the beauty of the great, the Most Mighty Branch of God—His ancient and immutable Mystery—proceeding on its way to another land. Sorrow, thereby, hath enveloped this Prison-city, whilst another land rejoiceth. Exalted, immeasurably exalted is our Lord, the Fashioner of the heavens and the Creator of all things, He through Whose sovereignty the doors of the prison were opened, thereby causing what was promised aforetime in the Tablets to be fulfilled. He is verily potent over what He willeth, and in His grasp is the dominion of the entire creation. He is the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Blessed, doubly blessed, is the ground which His footsteps have trodden, the eye that hath been cheered by the beauty of His countenance, the ear that hath been honored by hearkening to His call, the heart that hath tasted the sweetness of His love, the breast that hath dilated through His remembrance, the pen that hath voiced His praise, the scroll that hath borne the testimony of His writings. We beseech God—blessed and exalted be He—that He may honor us with meeting Him soon. He is, in truth, the All-Hearing, the All-Powerful, He Who is ready to answer.
(Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh) https://www.bahai.org/r/078450704
Something similar to the Light of the World, I think.
