Bahaullah is regarded as the prophetfounder of the bahai faith and the manifestation of god for today. Mr bijan motlagh, understanding the kitabiiqan, book of certitude. Bahaullah taught that god is the creator of the universe and its absolute ruler. Baha u llah s kitabiiqan revealed in 1861, is one of the foremost among the works of his revelation, unequalled by any work in the entire range of baha. A decade before that momentous declaration, in 1853, the persian government had exiled baha u llah to baghdad, fearing the rapid spread of his teachings and their progressive impact on society. Coming from a catholic background, i am very comfortable with the biblical references it makes. Bahaullah synonyms, bahaullah pronunciation, bahaullah translation, english dictionary definition of bahaullah. The book of certitude kitabi iqan is the preeminent doctrinal work of the baha i faith. Some are implemented now and some will be for the future of mankind. The book of certitude by bahaullah, paperback barnes. A unique repository of inestimable treasures shoghi effendi.
Bahaullah stood before the grand vizier dressed in the dirty, ragged clothes of a prisoner. Briefly, there hath been revealed in the kitabiiqan book of certitude concerning the presence and revelation of god that which will suffice the fairminded. Jun, 2008 much of the early works of the bahai faith were in the form of letters to individuals or communities, mostly written by the bab or bahaullah. Nov 07, 2011 mr bijan motlagh, understanding the kitabiiqan, book of certitude. In passages that draw not only on the quran, but with equal facility and insight on the old and new testaments, the messengers of god are depicted as agents of a single. Bahaullahs writings an introduction beyond foreignness.
He was born mirza husaynali on 12 november 1817 to a noble family of nur in mazandaran, iran. Baha u llah went on to found his own religion, and in 1873 revealed a new, concise book of laws. For it hath been repeatedly demonstrated that through their revelation, their attributes and names, the revelation of god, his name and his attributes, are made manifest in the world bahaullah, the book of certitude, p. The kitabiiqan the book of certitude an online bahai. Baha u llah s writings were very formal and elegant in style and translated into a king james style of english so as to match that style and tone. From the very first verse of this sacred book, baha u llah demonstrates that his theme is to prove the mission of the bab. Administrative order the guardianship universal house of justice spiritual assemblies. This is a book of unsurpassed preeminence among the writings of the author of the baha i revelation. This firstever trade edition of baha u llah s book of certitude offers the prolific authors account of the tenets of the faith and the universal mission of all religions. Feb 06, 2012 a journey through the book of certitude the kitabiiqan is one of the most important writings of bahaullah, the founder of the bahai faith. Jun 01, 2017 known as the book of the covenant kitabiahd, the will and testament, written in bahaullahs own hand, was unsealed and read before nine witnesses nine days after bahaullahs passing. The book elucidates allegorical passages from the new testament and the quran that have caused misunderstandings among religious leaders. Known as the book of the covenant kitabiahd, the will and testament, written in baha u llah s own hand, was unsealed and read before nine witnesses nine days after baha u llah s passing.
Termed by shoghi effendi the most important book written on the spiritual significance of the cause, it should be read and read over again by every soul who desires to serve bahaullah. The earliest bahai publication the british library. The quran in the writings of bahaullah and the bab. Faith matters members used the puppets to tell stories from the bahaifaith, to mark the birthdays of two central figures, the bab and baha u llah. That noah actually lived 950 years or that his dispensation lasted that long. Bahaullahs kitabiiqan, revealed in 1861, is one of the foremost among the works of his revelation, unequalled by any work in the entire range of bahai literature, except the kitabiaqdas. His body was bruised and cut from the heavy chains he had worn, his feet still not healed from the bastinado beating. Bahaullah writes his most holy book the life of bahaullah.
Jun, 2014 he verily speaketh the truth, and no doubt attacheth thereto. This course will study the kitabiiqan the book of certitude, an early work by baha u llah. More about the life and mission of baha u llah more about this publication. He begins with the words, in the name of our lord, the exalted. The kitabiiqan, the book of certitude, is one of the most important scriptural works in all of the religious history. The book of certitude was written in 1862, a year or so before baha u llah declared himself to be the messianic figure, he whom god shall make manifest, foretold by the bab. For the first time in religious history, we have reliable evidence of how the word of god is revealed. Refer to the library to find the volume relevant to your studies. Apr 16, 2017 the bahai writings, whether from bahaullah, the bab, abdulbaha, the beloved guardian or the house of justice are characterized by a consistent and powerful admiration for. This old version of the bahai reference library will be replaced at a later date. Bahaullah called it the lord of the books, and in his last major writing, the epistle to the son of the wolf, states. An introduction to baha u llah s book of certitude, with two digital reprints of early lithographs. One bahai scholar states that it can be regarded as the most influential quran commentary in persian outside the muslim world, because of its international audience. Bah u llah describes the role of prophets throughout history and calls some of his contemporaries to task for promulgating false or selfserving views about religion.
One of the foremost books of the revelation of baha u llah, the kitabiiqancontains baha u llah s explanations of the basic tenets of the baha i faith and of the continuity of religion as it has been revealed throughout the ages. His voice is calling you unto that which shall profit you, and enjoineth you to. Epistle to the son of the wolf was revealed by bahaullah about one year before his death, and though it is addressed to the son of an official, it can be found relevant to a contemporary reader as well. There is neither a thing green nor sere 191 but it is noted in the unerring book. Later printing, baha i publishing trust, wilmette, illinois, 1974. It was revealed by aha ullah in aghdad, in january 1861. Bahai faith bahaullah, prophetfounder god manifestation. Translated by shoghi effendi, reprinted in many editions. The bahai faith the official website of the worldwide bahai community.
Hippolyte dreyfusbarney bahaipedia, an encyclopedia. The sickle has been a sign of the harvest and reaping since ancient times. In it, baha u llah gives a sweeping overview of religious truth, explaining the underlying unity of the worlds religions, describing the universality of the revelations humankind has revceived from the prophets of god, illuminating their fundamental teachings, and. The seven valleys haftvadi was written by bahaullah around 1860. I am currently reading the kitabiiqan the book of certitude, but i am struggling. The book was originally known as risaliyikhal, epistle to the uncle, and later entitled by bahaullah himself as the kitabiiqan. It has been referred to by shoghi effendi as bahaullahs greatest mystical composition god passes by140. Bahaullah article about bahaullah by the free dictionary. The bab was considered both by babis and baha is an independent. The hope is that it may assist others in their efforts to approach what must always be regarded as the unattainable goal a befitting rendering of baha u llah.
In 1873, bahaullah completed his most important work, the most holy book kitabiaqdas, written in the house of udi khammar, now part of the house of abbud. They describe the content and background of numerous tablets and books. Information and translations of kitab in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. A new version of the bahai reference library is now available. Baha i the kitabiiqan the book of certitude revealed by baha u llah. Baha u llah s presentation of the major themes of progressive revelation. Some answered questions, 1908 edition by abdul baha. Baha u llah, book of certitude what is baha u llah saying here. Translated by ali kuli khan, assisted by howard macnutt 3d ed. Bahaullah definition of bahaullah by the free dictionary. The book of certitude is a work of exegesis, where nontransparent passages of the ible and the qur an parables.
The sickle may also symbolize baha u llah as the divine reaper of chapter 14, verse 14. The work holds a position of unsurpassed preeminence among baha u llah s ethical writings. This is a tablet containing bahaullah s own writing anthology chosen to illustrate major themes of his revelation. Incidentally, the successive exiles of baha u llah form a sickleshaped pattern enclosing the sickle of figure 8 with the two blades touching at smyrna. There is so much evidence that during the period when the iqan was written, baha u llah was still at least outwardly a faithful babi and follower of subhi azal, so in order to not diminish the station which baha u llah later claimed for himself, they have come up with this narrative that baha u llah heavily implied this station in the iqan. It became probably the most copied, widely circulated and influential of all baha i works. Later the same day, a large company gathered in baha u llah s shrine where its provisions were read again.
A treatise revealed by baha u llah in baghdad in 186162 in response to questions posed by one of the maternal uncles of the bab, translated by shoghi effendi and first published in english in 1931. His voice is calling you unto that which shall profit you, and enjoineth you to observe that which shall draw you nigh. The kitabi iqan book of certitude is one of baha u llah s major works dating from the early 1860s while he was exiled in baghdad, but before he openly announced his claim to be the promised one of all religions. It is as if baha u llah had distilled the crux of progressive revelation from the babs teaching and placed it at the heart of his revelation. This is the day in which the testimony of the lord hath been fulfilled, the day in which the word of god hath been made manifest, and his evidence firmly established. About this site for information on the bahai faith in the us call 180022unite.
Bahai reference library a website containing authoritative writings and guidance of bahaullah, the bab, abdulbaha, shoghi effendi and the universal house of justice, as well as other bahai texts. A selection of prayers by bahaullah online at alibris. Baha u llah is not in the practice of overstating things, so what is he saying exactly. Bahaullah revealed this book within the space of two days and two nights, in the last years of his stay in baghdad ah 1278ad 1862. The book of certitude an online bahai learning center. Baha u llah s book of certitude kitabiiqan buck, christopher. The kitabiiqanthe book of certitude was written by bahaullah around 1861. This firstever trade edition of bah u llah s book of certitude offers the prolific authors account of the tenets of the faith and the universal mission of all religions. The page is dedicated to the study of a bahai book entitled, the kitabiiqan or book of certitude. Epistle to the son of the wolf by baha u llah translated from the french edition by. Syllabus for a study of bahaullahs kitabiiqan, the. This is a fourvolume series surveying the writings of bahaullah. Baha u llahs book of certitude, however, is much more accessible than the writings of the bab and certainly the shaykhi texts.
Baha u llah has set forth the laws that will be used to build anew the whole world. Bahaullahs kitabiaqdas or the most holy book and kitabiiqan or the book of certitude are among his major writings or revelations. Book of certitude is one of many books held sacred by followers of the bahai faith. The book of certitude baha u llah, effendi, shoghi on. The kitabiiqan, the book of certitude, is one of the an important scriptural works in the baha i faith. The book of the everlasting covenant of god baha u llah entrusted the kitabiahd to abdul baha during his last illness before his ascension and informed the members of his family a few days before he departed from this world that in a document entrusted by him to abdul baha, he had commended them all to his care. The book was originally known as risaliyikhal, epistle to the uncle, and later entitled by baha u llah himself as the kitabiiqan. The first duty prescribed by god for his servants is the recognition of him who is the dayspring of his revelation and the fountain of his laws, who representeth the godhead in both the kingdom of. It is therefore impossible for mortal men and women, with limited intellect and finite capacities, to directly comprehend or understand the divine reality, its motives or the way it operates. In it, baha u llah gives a sweeping overview of religious truth, explaining the underlying unity of the worlds religions, describing the universality of the revelations humankind has revceived from the prophets of god, illuminating their fundamental teachings, and elucidating allegorical. In it, bahaullah gives a sweeping overview of religious truth, explaining the underlying unity of the worlds religions, describing the universality of the revelations humankind has revceived from the prophets of god. Later the same day, a large company gathered in bahaullahs shrine where its provisions were read again. Yet baha u llah, founder of the baha i faith, writing 150 years ago, was optimistic about the future of the planet.
Baghdad 185363 including the kitabiiqan, seven valleys and the tablet of the holy mariner volume 2. The book outlines the essential laws and principles to be observed by his followers, lays the groundwork for bahai institutions, and articulates his vision for the. Study of the kitabiiqanbook of certitude home facebook. Dreyfusbarney translated from arabic or persian, the following works of baha u llah into french. The bab gate of god, in 1844 young man called the bab announced that a new messenger of god to all the peoples of the world would soon appear. So, they can be a bit much to read and absorb for persons unfamiliar with the terms and language.
Bahais believe that bahaullah fulfills those expectations for every great faith. In april of 1863, because baha u llah s message of oneness and harmony continued to spread and. As a result of hbahai discussions of my paper conversion of the great uncle of the bab the issue came up regarding a letter of the khali akbar, dated 5 rajab 1277 a. Bahaullahs will and testament the kitabiahd beyond.
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