all pics are from jo
Friday, June 5, 2009
projet annick
one new couple enrol under the banner of Baha'u'llah
a group of friends in cluster port louis
some children on temple site for prayers
mamijoon and papijoon (jo and syl
sabby in mauritius national youth ctee
all pics are from jo
Sunday, May 31, 2009
MOTHERS DAY MAURITIUS AUSTRALIA MIXED LOVE
A letter to my mother...
To my beloved mother, Sylvana Dholah
Maman,
When I was 5 years, I so wanted to be just like you...
I admired your beauty, your elegance and your grace.
I would pretend to play 'school' and be a teacher just like you. For me, you were the most intelligent lady in the whole wide world.
I remember putting on your high heel shoes, your handbag on my shoulders and some of your clothes, all of which were way too big for me, I would put on your jewelery and make-up, just to be you for a brief moment in time...
Throughout the years, as I grew up and got to know you more and see you for the woman you truly are, and not just as my mother, my admiration for you just kept growing stronger... there couldn't have been any other better model for me to follow...
I envied your strength in times of tests and trials,
your perseverance to keep going on when you felt weak and tired,
your unwavering Faith in God and Baha'u'llah even in the darkest hours,
your dedication to perfection,
your compassion for the many people who came to you for help and support,
your love and the way you cared for my father, my brothers and me,
your patience towards your children when we would not be the little angels we now are (and God knows how many times we were not quite little angels),
the many sacrifices that you made without a second of hesitation for us and your loved ones,
your encouragement and your ongoing support throughout all of our up and downs,
I envied your cleverness and intelligence and how quickly your brain would work to figure out a solution to all the problems we faced throughout the years,
the way people would looked up to you as an example,
I envied your love for literature and words, and the way you always seek the good in everything and everyone you meet...
Maman, you blessed not only our lives, the lives of your own children, but the lives of so many more, all of your students, all of your 'adopted' children, you have been an example for each and everyone of us...
Maman, I could never express how much you have shaped me into being the person I am today, I know I still am not perfect and there is still lots for me to learn and grow from, but I don't think I would have ever been able to face what I have been through in life if it wasn't for the pillar of strength that you have been for me throughout the years....
And even today, in this dark moment of my life, I still look up to you...
I only need to look back into my memories of you to know what I have to do now...
I wished I would have listen to you more often and taken notes of all the wisdom you shared with us... maybe things might have been a little bit different in a lot of ways.... but who's to know what the future reserves for us....
Now that I am a mother myself and I have a daughter of my own,
I can only wish and pray that she loves me as much as I love you today!
And maman, now that I am 30 years old,
I still want to be just like you maman!
Je t'aime Maman!
Happy Mother's Day 2009We love you so much mami-joon!
Bisous from Mona & Sabby
xoxox
Bisous from Mona & Sabby
xoxox
Ascension of Baha'u'llah
Monday, May 4, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
British prime minister sends Ridvan message to Baha'is
24 April 2009LONDON — British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has sent a message to UK Baha'is to mark Ridvan, the most important Baha'i festival. In it he expressed his "respect and admiration" for the British Baha'i community which, he said, "makes a contribution to British life out of all proportion to its size."
In the letter, which was addressed to the annual reception hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Friends of the Baha'is, Mr. Brown welcomed the Baha'is' "participation in public life" and described as "tragic" the prejudice and discrimination faced by some Baha'is in the world.
His sentiments were echoed by leaders of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties, and the archbishop of Canterbury, head of the Church of England, all of whom also sent messages to the reception.
"The Baha'i emphasis on equality, unity, social justice, and human rights does credit to your faith," wrote David Cameron, leader of the Conservative Party.
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Bahar Tahzib, whose father was killed in Iran in the 1980s and whose uncle is currently imprisoned, speaks at the Ridvan reception.
Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrat Party, called Ridvan "a time to acknowledge and reflect on the valuable social and cultural contribution made by the thousands of Baha'is living in the UK."
"The Baha'i community," he said, "can be very proud of its active role in promoting religious tolerance, peace and unity across the world."
The prime minister's message pointedly addressed the persecution of the Baha'is in Iran: "At the forefront of all of our minds this Ridvan is the fate of the seven Baha'i leaders awaiting trial in Iran. We have raised our concerns with the Iranian government and I urge the authorities to ensure that these individuals receive a fair trial and ask them to put an end to discrimination against the wider Baha'i community within Iran."
A message written on behalf of the archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, said he has "made clear to the Iranian authorities his profound disapproval of the way in which the leadership has been treated since their arrest and detention in harsh conditions and without charge last year. The charges now brought go against all the experience of Baha'is as peaceful people and loyal citizens of their countries."
The prime minister's letter was read by Foreign Office Minister Bill Rammell, who attended the reception along with 80 other guests, including leading figures from nongovernmental organizations and different religious communities. The event was held on the terrace of the House of Commons on 22 April.
The 12-day Festival of Ridvan marks the anniversary of the announcement in 1863 by Baha'u'llah that He is God's Messenger for this age, the latest in a line of divine teachers that includes Jesus, Mohammad, Buddha, Krishna, Moses, Zoroaster, and others.
source http://news.bahai.org/
To read the full article, go to:
http://news.bahai.org/story/
To see the Baha'i World News Service home page, go to:
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Brief excerpts from the
Writings of Baha’u’llah
wherein He is speaking explicitly of the Fast
The heading in bold print below is an arbitrary and subjective designation; the numbering is also arbitrary and has no significance other than for referencing within this site.
Purposes of the Fast
1. “…that the fire of Thy love and the heat produced by the fast enjoined by Thee may inflame them in Thy Cause…”
2. “…and make them to be occupied with Thy praise and with remembrance of Thee.”
3. “…the ornament of Thine acceptance…”
4. “…that through it they may purify their souls…”
5. “…and rid themselves of all attachment to any one but Thee…”
6. “…and that out of their hearts may ascend that which will be worthy of the court of Thy majesty and may well beseem the seat of the revelation of Thy oneness.”
7. “Cleanse Thou by its means the hearts of Thy servants…”
8. “…attaining unto that which Thou didst ordain…”
9. “…cleanse us from the noisome savors of our transgressions.”
10. [We get to ask God such as this:] “Do Thou accept all that we have done for love of Thee, and for the sake of Thy pleasure, and all that we have left undone as a result of our subjection to our evil and corrupt desires.”
11. “…We have ordained obligatory prayer and fasting so that all may by these means draw nigh unto God, the Most Powerful, the Well-Beloved.”
12. “…observe that which will draw them nearer unto Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Loving.”
13. “All praise be unto God, Who hath… enjoined on them the Fast that those possessed of means may become apprised of the woes and sufferings of the destitute.”
14. “…be acceptable in the sight of God.”
15. “…that which hath been and will be of profit to them.”
16. “Well is it with the one who fulfilleth My decrees…”
17. “Verily, He hath no purpose therein save to benefit the souls of His servants…”
18. “Blessed is the one who through the heat generated by the Fast increaseth his love…”
19. “…and who, with joy and radiance, ariseth to perform worthy deeds.”
20. “Purification and training are conditioned and dependent only on such rigorous exercises as are in accord with the Book of God and sanctioned by Divine law, not those which the deluded have inflicted upon the people.”
21. “Verily, I say, fasting is the supreme remedy and the most great healing for the disease of self and passion.”
22. “…to fulfill that which hath been decreed in the Book.”
23. “…serveth solely to benefit His friends and loved ones.”
24. “…Thou hast bidden to observe the Fast for the sake of Thy love and good pleasure…”
25. “There are various stages and stations for the Fast and innumerable effects and benefits are concealed therein. Well is it with those who have attained unto them.”
26. “I beg of Thee, O my God, by those who have fasted for love of Thee and have quaffed the living waters of submission from the hands of Thy bounty, to ordain for Thy loved ones, who under the blaze of the orb of Thy trials have clung to the cord of patience, all the good Thou hast reckoned in Thy Books and Thy Tablets.”
27. “I beg of Thee, O my God, by these mighty pillars, [fasting and obligatory prayer] to keep Thy religion safe from the mischief of the ungodly and the plotting of every wicked doer.”
28. “All glory be to Thee, O my God, for Thou hast graciously enabled me to fast during this month which Thou hast related to Thy Name, the Most Exalted, and called Ala (Loftiness). Thou hast commanded that Thy servants and Thy people should fast therein and seek thereby to draw nearer unto Thee.”
29. “The days and the months of the year have culminated with the Fast, even as the first month began with Thy Name, Baha, that all might testify that Thou art the First and the Last, the Manifest and the Hidden…”
30. “…and be well assured that the glory of all names is conferred only through the glory of Thy Cause and the word expounded only by Thy will and revealed through Thy purpose.”
31. “Thou hast ordained that this month be a remembrance and honor from Thee…”
32. “…and a sign of Thy presence among them…”
33. “…that they may not forget Thy grandeur and Thy majesty, Thy sovereignty and Thy glory…”
34. “…and may be well assured that from time immemorial Thou hast ever been and wilt ever be Ruler over the entire creation.”
Key to the Sources
PM – Prayers and Meditations By Baha'u'llah
IOPF – The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting
1. PM, p.67; 2. PM, p.67; 3. PM, p.67; 4. PM, p.79; 5. PM, p.79; 6. PM, p.79; 7. PM, p.79; 8. PM, p.80; 9. PM, p.82; 10. PM, p.84; 11. IOPF, Part 1, I; 12. IOPF, Part 1, I; 13. IOPF, Part 1, II; 14. IOPF, Part 1, VI; 15. IOPF, Part 1, VI; 16. IOPF, Part 1, XIII; 17. IOPF, Part 1, XIV; 18. IOPF, Part 1, XV; 19. IOPF, Part 1, XV; 20. IOPF, Part 1, XVI; 21. IOPF, Part 1, XVII; 22. IOPF, Part 1, XVIII; 23. IOPF, Part 1, XVIII; 24. IOPF, Part 3, VI; 25. IOPF, Part 1, XIX; 26. IOPF, Part 3, IV; 27. IOPF, Part 3, V; 28. IOPF, Part 3, VI; 29. IOPF, Part 3, VI; 30. IOPF, Part 3, VI; 31. IOPF, Part 3, VI; 32. IOPF, Part 3, VI; 33. IOPF, Part 3, VI; 34. IOPF, Part 3, VI 10
Were the mouth of Thy will to address them saying: “Observe, for My Beauty's sake, the fast, O people, and set no limit to its duration,” I swear by the majesty of Thy glory, that every one of them will faithfully observe it, will abstain from whatsoever will violate Thy law, and will continue to do so until they yield up their souls unto Thee, for they have tasted the sweetness of Thy call, and become inebriated with Thy remembrance and praise and with the words proceeding from the lips of Thy command.’ – Baha’u’llah
The heading in bold print below is an arbitrary and subjective designation; the numbering is also arbitrary and has no significance other than for referencing within this site.
Descriptive of the Fast
1. “We have commanded you to pray and fast…”
2. “…this is ordained by God…”
3. “We have enjoined upon you fasting…”
4. “…during a brief period…”
5. “…the season of restraint…”
6. “…this grace that is appointed in the Book.”
7. “In truth, I say that obligatory prayer and fasting occupy an exalted station in the sight of God.”
8. “It is, however, in a state of health that their virtue can be realized.”
9. “…a service due to God…” [Baha’u’llah expands a statement of Muhammad to include fasting.]
10. “Fasting is illumination, prayer is light." [Baha’u’llah corroborates a saying or tradition.]
11. “…We are the Fast…” [Baha’u’llah quotes Imam Jaafar Sadiq, the sixth Shi’ih Imam. (83-148 A.H.)]
12. “…the ornament of the fast prescribed by Thee…”
13. “…Thou didst enjoin Thy servants to observe the fast.”
14. “With it Thou didst adorn the preamble of the Book of Thy Laws revealed unto Thy creatures…”
15. “…and didst deck forth the Repositories of Thy commandments in the sight of all who are in Thy heaven and all who are on Thy earth.”
16. “Thou hast endowed every hour of these days with a special virtue, inscrutable to all except Thee…”
17. “Thou hast, also, assigned unto every soul a portion of this virtue…”
18. “Fasting and obligatory prayer are as two wings to man's life.”
19. “Verily, the religion of God is like unto heaven; fasting is its sun, and obligatory prayer is its moon. In truth, they are the pillars of religion whereby the righteous are distinguished from those who transgress His commandments.”
20. “…that which He hath revealed in His Ancient Book.”
21. “Know thou that religion is as heaven; and fasting and obligatory prayer are its sun and its moon.”
22. “…that which they have been commanded in this Day.”
23. “…in accordance with His good-pleasure.”
24. “Fasting hath been decreed for you in the month of Ala.”
25. “Thus doth the Beloved of mankind instruct you as bidden by God, the All-Powerful, the Unconstrained.”
26. “We, verily, have commanded all to observe the Fast in these days as a bounty on Our part…”
27. “Say: By God! His Law is a fortress unto you, could ye but understand.”
28. “Even though outwardly the Fast is difficult and toilsome, yet inwardly it is bounty and tranquillity.”
29. “Whatsoever God hath revealed is beloved of the soul.”
30. “…that which is pleasing and acceptable unto Him.”
31. “The law of the Fast is ordained for those who are sound and healthy…”
32. “The days of fasting have arrived wherein those servants who circle round Thy throne and have attained Thy presence have fasted.”
33. “These are the days whereon Thou hast enjoined Thy chosen ones, Thy loved ones and Thy servants to observe the Fast, which Thou hast made a light unto the people of Thy Kingdom…”
34. “Since they are turning to the court of Thy good-pleasure, all their days are days of fasting.”
Key to the Sources (Alphabetically)
ESW – Epistle to the Son of the Wolf
IOPF – The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting
KA – Kitab-i-Aqdas
KI – Kitab-i-Iqan
PM – Prayers and Meditations By Baha'u'llah
TB – Tablets of Baha’u’llah
Opening quote: “Were the mouth of Thy will…” (IOPF, Part 3, VI.)
[See also Gleanings CLX, p.337, where Baha’u’llah briefly quotes His own ‘Prayer of Fasting.’]
Brief excerpts from the
Writings of Baha’u’llah
wherein He is speaking explicitly of the Fast
Writings of Baha’u’llah
wherein He is speaking explicitly of the Fast
The heading in bold print below is an arbitrary and subjective designation; the numbering is also arbitrary and has no significance other than for referencing within this site.
Descriptive of the Fast
1. “We have commanded you to pray and fast…”
2. “…this is ordained by God…”
3. “We have enjoined upon you fasting…”
4. “…during a brief period…”
5. “…the season of restraint…”
6. “…this grace that is appointed in the Book.”
7. “In truth, I say that obligatory prayer and fasting occupy an exalted station in the sight of God.”
8. “It is, however, in a state of health that their virtue can be realized.”
9. “…a service due to God…” [Baha’u’llah expands a statement of Muhammad to include fasting.]
10. “Fasting is illumination, prayer is light." [Baha’u’llah corroborates a saying or tradition.]
11. “…We are the Fast…” [Baha’u’llah quotes Imam Jaafar Sadiq, the sixth Shi’ih Imam. (83-148 A.H.)]
12. “…the ornament of the fast prescribed by Thee…”
13. “…Thou didst enjoin Thy servants to observe the fast.”
14. “With it Thou didst adorn the preamble of the Book of Thy Laws revealed unto Thy creatures…”
15. “…and didst deck forth the Repositories of Thy commandments in the sight of all who are in Thy heaven and all who are on Thy earth.”
16. “Thou hast endowed every hour of these days with a special virtue, inscrutable to all except Thee…”
17. “Thou hast, also, assigned unto every soul a portion of this virtue…”
18. “Fasting and obligatory prayer are as two wings to man's life.”
19. “Verily, the religion of God is like unto heaven; fasting is its sun, and obligatory prayer is its moon. In truth, they are the pillars of religion whereby the righteous are distinguished from those who transgress His commandments.”
20. “…that which He hath revealed in His Ancient Book.”
21. “Know thou that religion is as heaven; and fasting and obligatory prayer are its sun and its moon.”
22. “…that which they have been commanded in this Day.”
23. “…in accordance with His good-pleasure.”
24. “Fasting hath been decreed for you in the month of Ala.”
25. “Thus doth the Beloved of mankind instruct you as bidden by God, the All-Powerful, the Unconstrained.”
26. “We, verily, have commanded all to observe the Fast in these days as a bounty on Our part…”
27. “Say: By God! His Law is a fortress unto you, could ye but understand.”
28. “Even though outwardly the Fast is difficult and toilsome, yet inwardly it is bounty and tranquillity.”
29. “Whatsoever God hath revealed is beloved of the soul.”
30. “…that which is pleasing and acceptable unto Him.”
31. “The law of the Fast is ordained for those who are sound and healthy…”
32. “The days of fasting have arrived wherein those servants who circle round Thy throne and have attained Thy presence have fasted.”
33. “These are the days whereon Thou hast enjoined Thy chosen ones, Thy loved ones and Thy servants to observe the Fast, which Thou hast made a light unto the people of Thy Kingdom…”
34. “Since they are turning to the court of Thy good-pleasure, all their days are days of fasting.”
Key to the Sources (Alphabetically)
ESW – Epistle to the Son of the Wolf
IOPF – The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting
KA – Kitab-i-Aqdas
KI – Kitab-i-Iqan
PM – Prayers and Meditations By Baha'u'llah
TB – Tablets of Baha’u’llah
Opening quote: “Were the mouth of Thy will…” (IOPF, Part 3, VI.)
[See also Gleanings CLX, p.337, where Baha’u’llah briefly quotes His own ‘Prayer of Fasting.’]
1. KA, p.22; 2. KA, p.22; 3. KA, p.24; 4. KA, pp.24-25; 5. KA, p.25; 6. KA p.25; 7. KA, p.134; 8. KA, p.134; 9. TB, p.109; 10. KI, p.39; 11. ESW, p.113; 12. PM, p.67; 13. PM, p.143; 14. PM, p.143; 15. PM, p.143; 16. PM, p.143; 17. PM, p.143; 18. IOPF, Part 1, III; 19. IOPF, Part 1, IV; 20. IOPF, Part 1, IV; 21. IOPF, Part 1,V; 22. IOPF, Part 1, XII; 23. IOPF, Part 1, XIII; 24. IOPF, Part 1, XIII; 25. IOPF, Part 1, XIII; 26. IOPF, Part 1, XIV; 27. IOPF, Part 1, XIV; 28. IOPF, Part 1, XVI; 29. IOPF, Part 1, XVI; 30. IOPF, Part 1, XVI; 31. IOPF, Part 1, XXI; 32. IOPF, Part 3, II; 33. IOPF, Part 3, V; 34. IOPF, Part 3, VI
Monday, February 23, 2009
ANGIO TEST
Last wednesday i went to the VICTORIA HOSPITAL FOR A HEART TEST
It was scary lol but when i enter the operation room i know i put HIS NAME IN MY HEART
armed with the power of Thy Name nothing can ever hurt me and with His Love in my heart nothing can alarm me....
So, once more God has taken me through a tests and as always He Suffices. My being is flooded with gratitude for His grace and mercy and His bounties.
thanks to all the friends around the world who say prayers some loud some whispered some say it to the holy shrine what a bounty to be a bahai these days
It was scary lol but when i enter the operation room i know i put HIS NAME IN MY HEART
armed with the power of Thy Name nothing can ever hurt me and with His Love in my heart nothing can alarm me....
So, once more God has taken me through a tests and as always He Suffices. My being is flooded with gratitude for His grace and mercy and His bounties.
thanks to all the friends around the world who say prayers some loud some whispered some say it to the holy shrine what a bounty to be a bahai these days
Friday, February 20, 2009
here are the quotes that the UHJ representative and Counselor, Mr. Birkland, made use of in his presentation; or at least the one he gave in NAIROBI
"If, however, for a few days, in compliance with God's all-encompassing wisdom, outward affairs should run their course contrary to one's cherished desire, this is of no consequence and should not matter. Our intent is that all the friends should fix their gaze on the Supreme Horizon, and cling to that which hath been revealed in the Tablets. They should strictly avoid sedition, and refrain from treading the path of dissension and strife. They should champion their one true God, exalted be He, through the hosts of forbearance, of submission, of an upright character, of goodly deeds, and of the choicest and most refined words."
(Baha'u'llah, Fire and Light, p. 10)
"Even or odd, thou shalt win the wager." The friends of God shall win and profit under all conditions, and shall attain true wealth. In fire they remain cold, and from water they emerge dry. Their affairs are at variance with the affairs of men. Gain is their lot, whatever the deal. To this testifieth every wise one with a discerning eye, and every fair-minded one with a hearing ear.
(Baha'u'llah: Crisis and Victory, p 154)
"One cannot obtain the full force of the sunlight when it is cast on a flat mirror, but once the sun shineth upon a concave mirror, or on a lens that is convex, all its heat will be concentrated on a single point, and that one point will burn the hottest. Thus is it necessary to focus one's thinking on a single point so that it will become an effective force."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections, 111)
"Regarding your own condition: He strongly urges you not to dwell on yourself. Each one of us, if we look into our failures, is sure to feel unworthy and despondent, and this feeling only frustrates our constructive efforts and wastes time. The thing for us to focus on is the glory of the Cause and the Power of Bahá'u'lláh which can make of a mere drop a surging sea!"
(Shoghi Effendi, 13 October, 1947, Unfolding Destiny, 447)
"The champion builders of Bahá'u'lláh's rising World Order must scale nobler heights of heroism as humanity plunges into greater depths of despair, degradation, dissension and distress. Let them forge ahead into the future serenely confident that the hour of their mightiest exertions and the supreme opportunity for their greatest exploits must coincide with the apocalyptic upheaval marking the lowest ebb in mankind's fast-declining fortunes."
(Shoghi Effendi, November 3, 1948, Citadel of Faith, 58)
"Putting on the armor of His love, firmly buckling on the shield of His mighty Covenant, mounted on the steed of steadfastness, holding aloft the lance of the Word of the Lord of Hosts, and with unquestioning reliance on His promises as the best provision for their journey, let them set their faces towards those fields that still remain unexplored and direct their steps to those goals that are as yet unattained, assured that He Who has led them to achieve such triumphs, and to store up such prizes in His Kingdom, will continue to assist them in enriching their spiritual birthright to a degree that no finite mind can imagine or human heart perceive."
(Shoghi Effendi, From a letter dated April 1956; Messages to the Baha'i World, p. 102)
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Baha’i religion believes in self discovery, no recruitment
Followers of this faith tout independence, equality between genders and education
* Judith Perera
* Published: Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Sahba Shayani, a first-year graduate Iranian studies student, recalled an analogy from his holy book, Kitab-i-Aqdas, meaning “most holy faith” in Persian. Shayani belongs to the Baha’i faith and is part of the Baha’i community at UCLA, a group that does not believe in recruitment.
“Men and women are two wings of bird (of life), they are equal and their equality is necessary,” Shayani said.
Sahba believes in the oneness of man, the equality of man and woman, the right of universal education and the right of each individual to “independently investigate the truths for themselves.”
A small group of about 12 Baha’i followers met together Monday night. With eyes shut and heads bowed, they began their prayers. The greeting on the blackboard read, “Allah’u’Abha,” meaning “God is the most glorious” in Arabic.
Because of their emphasis on the self-discovery of faith, the Baha’i are relatively unknown around campus as they do not believe in advertising their faith.
“We welcome members from all different faiths and denominations,” said Shayani. “But there is no compulsion or flier-advertising.”
The Baha’i faith incorporates significant figures from other religions into their own as they believe those individuals to have been manifestations of God during their days of existence.
“The Prophet Baha’u’llah started the faith in 1863 with the declaration that he was a manifestation of God,” Shayani said. “The Baha’i faith is an independent world religion with the purpose of uniting all humankind in one common faith and in one universal cause.”
Although a relatively new religion, the faith has approximately six million followers worldwide, with a majority concentrated in India, according to news reports.
“The religion started in Persia, modern day Iran, when the imprisoned Baha’u’llah received divine revelations from God,” said Shayani. “Today, it exists everywhere around the world.”
It is believed the Prophet, imprisoned for his beliefs was eventually freed and was exiled from Iran to Iraq, from there to Constantinople, then to Adrianople and finally to the City of Akka (Acre) in modern day Israel, where he died in 1892.
“If God was the sun, then the Prophet Baha’u’llah can be seen as a mirror reflecting the rays of the sun on humanity,” Shayani said.
The persecution of Baha’i followers still exists in present day Iran, where young people of the Baha’i faith are not allowed to attend university or to hold official jobs.
“Although the Baha’i are the largest religious minority in Iran they are subjected to lesser human rights than the Muslims,” Shayani said. “My family left Iran because I would not have been able to attend university there because of my faith.”
The present day administrative center of the Baha’i religion is in Haifa, Israel, the destination of the Baha’i pilgrimage.
“The pilgrimage was a life changing experience for me,” said first-year Spanish student Carmel Moazez. “It really confirmed by beliefs ... it was very spiritual.”
Being born into a Baha’i family does not mean a child belongs to the faith. The Baha’i faith places significant emphasis on the notion of self-investigation and declaring one’s faith individually, generally at the age of 15.
“It is important for us to seek the truth for ourselves,” Shayani said. “We must learn about faith with open eyes and with an open heart.”
Declaring one’s faith as a member of the Baha’i following is the same for those born into the faith as well as for new converts.
“Everyone goes through a searching process,” said second-year aerospace engineering graduate student David Tuman. “We are all independently searching for the truth.”
Members of the Baha’i community at UCLA meet weekly on Monday nights to pray and gather in fellowship.
“As humans we are not perfect,” Shayani said. “But we are made in the image of God and therefore we have the ability to aim for perfection.”
Followers of this faith tout independence, equality between genders and education
* Judith Perera
* Published: Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Sahba Shayani, a first-year graduate Iranian studies student, recalled an analogy from his holy book, Kitab-i-Aqdas, meaning “most holy faith” in Persian. Shayani belongs to the Baha’i faith and is part of the Baha’i community at UCLA, a group that does not believe in recruitment.
“Men and women are two wings of bird (of life), they are equal and their equality is necessary,” Shayani said.
Sahba believes in the oneness of man, the equality of man and woman, the right of universal education and the right of each individual to “independently investigate the truths for themselves.”
A small group of about 12 Baha’i followers met together Monday night. With eyes shut and heads bowed, they began their prayers. The greeting on the blackboard read, “Allah’u’Abha,” meaning “God is the most glorious” in Arabic.
Because of their emphasis on the self-discovery of faith, the Baha’i are relatively unknown around campus as they do not believe in advertising their faith.
“We welcome members from all different faiths and denominations,” said Shayani. “But there is no compulsion or flier-advertising.”
The Baha’i faith incorporates significant figures from other religions into their own as they believe those individuals to have been manifestations of God during their days of existence.
“The Prophet Baha’u’llah started the faith in 1863 with the declaration that he was a manifestation of God,” Shayani said. “The Baha’i faith is an independent world religion with the purpose of uniting all humankind in one common faith and in one universal cause.”
Although a relatively new religion, the faith has approximately six million followers worldwide, with a majority concentrated in India, according to news reports.
“The religion started in Persia, modern day Iran, when the imprisoned Baha’u’llah received divine revelations from God,” said Shayani. “Today, it exists everywhere around the world.”
It is believed the Prophet, imprisoned for his beliefs was eventually freed and was exiled from Iran to Iraq, from there to Constantinople, then to Adrianople and finally to the City of Akka (Acre) in modern day Israel, where he died in 1892.
“If God was the sun, then the Prophet Baha’u’llah can be seen as a mirror reflecting the rays of the sun on humanity,” Shayani said.
The persecution of Baha’i followers still exists in present day Iran, where young people of the Baha’i faith are not allowed to attend university or to hold official jobs.
“Although the Baha’i are the largest religious minority in Iran they are subjected to lesser human rights than the Muslims,” Shayani said. “My family left Iran because I would not have been able to attend university there because of my faith.”
The present day administrative center of the Baha’i religion is in Haifa, Israel, the destination of the Baha’i pilgrimage.
“The pilgrimage was a life changing experience for me,” said first-year Spanish student Carmel Moazez. “It really confirmed by beliefs ... it was very spiritual.”
Being born into a Baha’i family does not mean a child belongs to the faith. The Baha’i faith places significant emphasis on the notion of self-investigation and declaring one’s faith individually, generally at the age of 15.
“It is important for us to seek the truth for ourselves,” Shayani said. “We must learn about faith with open eyes and with an open heart.”
Declaring one’s faith as a member of the Baha’i following is the same for those born into the faith as well as for new converts.
“Everyone goes through a searching process,” said second-year aerospace engineering graduate student David Tuman. “We are all independently searching for the truth.”
Members of the Baha’i community at UCLA meet weekly on Monday nights to pray and gather in fellowship.
“As humans we are not perfect,” Shayani said. “But we are made in the image of God and therefore we have the ability to aim for perfection.”
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