Celebrating the birth of Baha’u’llah

"I was but a man like others, asleep upon My couch, when lo, the breezes of the All-Glorious were wafted over Me, and taught Me the knowledge of all that hath been. This thing is not from Me, but from One Who is Almighty and All-Knowing. And He bade Me lift up My voice between earth and heaven, and for this there befell Me what hath caused the tears of every man of understanding to flow."
Baha'u'llah

Bahá'u'lláh, a title in Arabic that means "The Glory of God", was born on November 12, 1817 in Iran. The son of a wealthy government minister, Mirza Buzurg-i-Nuri, His given name was Husayn Ali and His family could trace its ancestry back to the great dynasties of Iran's imperial past. Bahá'u'lláh led a princely life as a young man, receiving an education that focused largely on horsemanship, swordsmanship, calligraphy and classic poetry.

In October 1835, Bahá'u'lláh married `Asiyih Khanum, the daughter of another nobleman. They had three children: a son, `Abdu'l-Bahá, born in 1844; a daughter, Bahiyyih, born in 1846; and a son, Mihdi, born in 1848. Bahá'u'lláh declined the ministerial career open to Him in government, and chose instead to devote His energies to a range of philanthropies which had, by the early 1840s, earned Him widespread renown as "Father of the Poor."

Because of His teachings, He was banished into an exile, eventually lasting forty years, that took Him to the Holy Land. The first was to Baghdad where, in 1863, He announced Himself as the One promised by His Forerunner, the Báb. From Baghdad, Bahá'u'lláh was sent to Constantinople, to Adrianople, and finally to Acre, in the Holy Land, where He arrived as a prisoner.

Beginning in September 1867, Bahá'u'lláh wrote a series of letters to the world leaders of His time, addressing, among others, Emperor Napoleon III, Queen Victoria, Kaiser Wilhelm I, Tsar Alexander II of Russia, Emperor Franz Joseph, Pope Pius IX, Sultan Abdul-Aziz, and the Persian ruler, Nasiri'd-Din Shah.

In these letters, Bahá'u'lláh openly proclaimed His station. He spoke of the dawn of a new age. But first, He warned, there would be catastrophic upheavals in the world's political and social order. To smooth humanity's transition, He urged the world's leaders to pursue justice. He called for general efforts at disarmament and urged the world's rulers to band together into some form of commonwealth of nations. Only by acting collectively against war, He said, could a lasting peace be established.

Continued agitation from opponents caused the Turkish Government to send the exiles to Acre, a penal city in Ottoman Palestine. Acre was the end of the world, the final destination for the worst of murderers, highway robbers and political dissidents. A walled city of filthy streets and damp, desolate houses, Acre had no source of fresh water, and the air was popularly described as being so foul that over flying birds would fall dead out of the sky.

It was in Acre that Bahá'u'lláh's most important work was written. Known more commonly among Bahá'ís by its Arabic name, the Kitab-Al-Aqdas(the Most Holy Book), it outlines the essential laws and principles that are to be observed by His followers, and lays the groundwork for Bahá'í administration.
In the late 1870s, Bahá'u'lláh was given the freedom to move outside the city's walls, and His followers were able to meet with Him in relative peace and freedom. He took up residence in an abandoned mansion and was able to further devote Himself to writing.

On 29 May 1892, Bahá'u'lláh passed away. His remains were laid to rest in a garden room adjoining the restored mansion, which is known as Bahji. For Bahá'ís, this spot is the most holy place on earth.

His teachings had already begun to spread beyond the confines of the Middle East, and His Shrine is today the focal point of the world community which these teachings have brought into being.

United Nations Day - يوم الامم المتحدة

The name "United Nations", coined by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was first used in the "Declaration by United Nations" of 1 January 1942, during the Second World War, when representatives of 26 nations pledged their Governments to continue fighting together against the Axis Powers.

In 1945, representatives of 50 countries met in San Francisco at the United Nations Conference on International Organization to draw up the United Nations Charter.

The United Nations officially came into existence on 24 October 1945, when the Charter had been ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and by a majority of other signatories. United Nations Day is celebrated on 24 October each year.
It has traditionally been marked throughout the world by meetings, discussions and exhibits on the achievements and goals of the Organization. In 1971, the General Assembly recommended that Member States observe it as a public holiday.

The Bahá'í International Community and the United Nations

More than a century ago, Bahá'u'lláh called for the creation of a system of international governance, based on the principle of collective security, which would encompass all of the nations of the world and lay the foundations for a lasting and universal peace. In seeking to promote this concept, as well as to engender justice, peace and prosperity at the international level, the worldwide Bahá'í community has, as a duly accredited non-governmental organization, long worked closely with the United Nations, supporting many of its goals and programs. Bahá'í representatives were present in 1945 in San Francisco at the founding of the United Nations. in 1948, the Bahá'í International Community itself was recognized by the UN DPI as an international non-governmental organization.

In May 1970, the Bahá'í International Community was granted consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), allowing for a greater degree of interaction with the Council and its subsidiary bodies in efforts to promote social and economic development worldwide. In March 1976, the Bahá'í International Community was granted consultative status with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), similarly extending opportunities for interaction with the United Nations to promote the health, education and well-being of children.

The Bahá'í International Community participates actively in United Nations consultations dealing with minority rights, the status of women, crime prevention, the control of narcotic drugs, the welfare of children and the family, and the movement toward disarmament.
Among the measures which the Bahá'í community advocates as contributions to world unity are a federation of nations, an international auxiliary language, the coordination of the world's economy, a universal system of education, a code of human rights for all peoples, an integrated mechanism for global communication, and a universal system of currency, weights and measures.

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وضع تسمية "الأمم المتحدة" رئيس الولايات المتحدة الأسبق فرانكلين د. روزفلت، واستُخدم هذا الاسم للمرة الأولى في "إعلان الأمم المتحدة" الصادر في 1 كانون الثاني/يناير 1942، خلال الحرب العالمية الثانية، عندما أخذ ممثلو 26 أمة من حكوماتهم تعهدا بمواصلة القتال سويا ضد قوات المحور.

وقد اشترك في وضع ميثاق الأمم المتحدة ممثلو 50 بلدا في أثناء مؤتمر الأمم المتحدة المعني بالمنظمة الدولية، ثم برز كيان الأمم المتحدة رسميا إلى حيز الوجود يوم 24 تشرين الأول/أكتوبر 1945، عندما صدق على الميثاق كل من الاتحاد السوفياتي والصين وفرنسا والمملكة المتحدة ، والولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، ومعظم الدول الموقعة عليه. واصبح هذا اليوم هو يوم الامم المتحدة. وبدأ الاحتفال به منذ عام 1948. ويتسم الاحتفال بهذا اليوم عادة في جميع أنحاء العالم بتنظيم اجتماعات ومناقشات وعروض عن أهداف المنظمة وإنجازاتها. وفي عام 1971، أوصت الجمعية العامة أن تحتفل الدول الأعضاء بهذا اليوم باعتباره مناسبة عامة.

الجامعة البهائية العالمية وعلاقتها بالامم المتحدة

للجامعة البهائية تاريخ حافل بالعمل مع المنظمات الدولية. فقد تأسس "المكتب البهائي العالمي" في مقر عصبة الأمم في جنيف عام1926 ، وخدم هذا المكتب كمركز للبهائيين الذين يشاركون في نشاطات عصبة الأمم. وحضر البهائيون توقيع ميثاق الأمم المتحدة في سان فرانسيسكو عام1945. وفي عام 1948 جرى تسجيل الجامعة البهائية العالمية منظمةً عالميةً غير حكومية مع الأمم المتحدة، وفي عام 1970 مُنحت مركزاً استشاريّاً (يُسمّى الآن مركزاً استشاريّاً "خاصّاً") مع المجلس الاقتصادي والاجتماعي للأمم المتحدة (ECOSOC)، ثم مركزاً استشاريّاً مع منظمة الأمم المتحدة للطفولة (اليونسيف) عام 1976، ومع صندوق الأمم المتحدة الإنمائي للمرأة (اليونيفيم) عام 1989. كما أسست علاقات عمل مع منظمة الصحة العالمية (WHO) عام 1989 أيضاً. وعلى مدى سنوات، عملت الجامعة البهائية العالمية عن قرب مع برنامج الأمم المتحدة للبيئة (UNEP)، ومفوضية حقوق الإنسان، ومنظمة الأمم المتحدة للتربية والعلم والثقافة (اليونسكو)، وبرنامج الأمم المتحدة الإنمائي (UNDP).

:تسعى الجامعة البهائية العالمية في تعاونها مع منظمة الامم المتحدة ، لنشر المبادئ التي يمكن للسلام الدائم أن يقوم عليها

- وحدة الجنس البشري: إن الاعتراف بوحدة الجنس البشري هو أسّ أساس السلام والعدالة والنظام في العالم. وينطوي عليه تغييرٌعضويٌّ في تركيبة المجتمع.
- المساواة بين الرجال والنساء: إن تحرير المرأة هو مطلب مهمّ من مُتطلبات السلام، ولن يستقرّ المناخ الخلقيّ والنفسيّ الذي سوف يتسنى للسلام العالمي أن ينمو فيه، إلا عندما تدخل المرأة بكلّ ترحاب سائر ميادين النشاط الإنساني كشريكة كاملة للرجل.
- معيار عالمي لحقوق الإنسان: فحقوق الإنسان جزء لا يتجزّأ من الواجبات، وإذا ما أردنا تحقيق السلام والتقدم الاجتماعي والاقتصادي، فيجب الاعتراف بحقوق الإنسان وحمايتها محليّاً ووطنيّاً وعالميّاً. وعلاوة على ذلك، يجب العمل على تثقيف الأفراد للاعتراف بحقوقهم وحقوق الآخرين واحترامها.
- العدالة الاقتصادية والتعاون: رؤيةٌ لازدهار وتقدم إنساني بكل ما تحمله هذه العبارة من معنى. إن بعث إمكانات الرفاه المادي والروحاني لسكان الأرض قاطبة سوف يساعد على تحريك الإرادة الجماعية للتغلب على الحواجز الموضوعة أمام السلام كالهوّة السحيقة بين الغني والفقير.
- التعليم الشامل: لأنَّ الجهل هو السّبب الرّئيسيّ في انهيار الشّعوب وسقوطها وفي تغذية التّعصّبات وبَقائها. فلا نجاح لأيّة أُمَّةٍ دون أن يكون العلم من حقّ كلّ مُواطِن فيها، رجلاً كان أم امرأة. على التعليم أن يروج التوافق بين العلم والدين.
- لغة عالمية إضافية: مع تقدم العالم ليصبح أكثر استقلالاً، فلا بُدَّ له من اتِّخاذ لغةٍ عالميّةٍ واحدةٍ مُتَّفق عليها وخطّ عموميّ ليُدرَّس في المدارس في جميع أنحاءِ العالم؛ وستكون لغةً إضافيّةً إلى جانب اللّغة أو اللّغات الأصليّة للقُطر. والهدف منه توفير سبلٍ أفضل للاتّصال بين الشّعوب، وتخفيض التّكاليف الإداريّة، وخلق روابط أمتن بين كافّة الشعوب والأمم.

One Common Faith

The Bahá’í Faith is a world religion whose purpose is to unite all the races and peoples in one universal Cause and one common Faith. Bahá’ís are the followers of Bahá’u’lláh, Who they believe is the Promised One of all Ages. The traditions of almost every peo­ple include the promise of a future when peace and har­mony will be established on earth and humankind will live in prosperity. Bahá’ís believe that the promised hour has come and that Bahá’u’lláh -Whose title means the Glory of God- is the great Personage Whose Teachings will enable humanity to build a new world. In one of His Writings, Bahá’u’lláh says:

“That which the Lord hath ordained as the sovereign remedy and mightiest instrument for the healing of all the world is the union of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common Faith.” (Gleanings, p. 255)

God is un­knowable in His Essence

Bahá’u’lláh explains that God is un­knowable in His Essence. This means that people should not make images of God in their minds, thinking of Him, for example, as a man. In general, that which has been cre­ated cannot understand its creator. For instance, a table cannot understand the nature of the carpenter who made it. The carpenter’s existence is totally incomprehensible to the objects he makes.

God is the Creator of all things. He has made the heavens and earth, with its mountains and valleys, its de­serts and seas, its rivers, its meadows and trees. God has created the animals and God has created the human be­ing. The reason behind our creation, is love. Bahá’u’lláh says:

“O Son of Man! I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, do thou love Me, that I may name thy name and fill thy soul with the spirit of life.” (The Hidden Words, Arabic No. 4)

The Eternal Covenant

So although God’s existence is far be­yond our understanding, His love touches our lives and our beings ceaselessly. The way this love flows to us is through His Eternal Covenant. According to this Eternal Covenant, God never leaves us alone and without guid­ance. Whenever humanity moves away from Him and for­gets His Teachings, a Manifestation of God appears and makes His Will and Purpose known to us.

The Manifestation of God

The word “manifest” means to reveal, to bring forth something that was not known before. The Manifestations of God are those special Beings Who reveal to humanity the Word and the Will of God; thus when we listen to Them, we are responding to the Call of God.
There is an example from the physical world that helps us to understand the concept of “Manifestation” as taught by Bahá’u’lláh. In this world, the sun is the source of all warmth and light, without which life would not exist on the planet. Yet the sun itself does not descend to earth, and if we tried to approach it, we would be totally consumed.

But suppose we take a well-polished mirror and point it towards the sun. In it we will see the image of the sun, and the more perfectly polished the mirror, the more perfect the image will be. The Mani­festations of God are like perfect Mirrors that reflect the Light of God in all its Splendor. And all these Mirrors re­flect the same Light. While God is beyond our reach, these perfect Beings come to us from time to time, live among us, give us guidance, and fill us with the energy we need to progress, materially and spiritually.

Bahá’u’lláh is The Manifestation of God for this Age

Bahá’ís believe that all the religions teach the same truth. The only difference between them is that each have appeared in a different time in the history of humanity in order to help people to be educated according to the needs of that time. Bahá’u’lláh’s Teachings are in perfect harmony with the Teachings of all previous religions, such as Christianity, and Islam, but they address the condition of humanity today. If we think for a moment about the plight of humanity, we will agree that the time is right for another Manifestation of God to have appeared. This is a passage from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh that speaks about the Day in which we live:

“This is the Day in which God’s most excellent favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all created things. It is incumbent upon all the peoples of the world to reconcile their differences, and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and loving-kindness.” (Gleanings, p. 6)

Purpose of the Bahá’í Faith: Unity

The aim of the Bahá’í Faith is to unify humanity. Bahá’ís believe that, we are the fruits of one tree and the leaves of one branch. Although we differ from one another physically and emotionally, although we have different talents and capacities, we all spring from the same root; we all belong to the same human family.

Humanity can be likened to a vast garden in which grow side by side flowers of every form, color and perfume. The charm and beauty of the garden lie in this diversity. We should not allow the differences that exist among us—in our physical characteristics, our temperaments, our backgrounds, our thoughts and opinions—to give rise to conflict and strife. We should see the members of the human race as beautiful flowers growing in the garden of humanity and rejoice in belonging to this garden.

“Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch.”
from the writings of Baha'u'llah

“Bahá’u’lláh has drawn the circle of unity, He has made a design for the uniting of all the peoples, and for the gathering of them all under the shel­ter of the tent of universal unity. This is the work of the Divine Bounty, and we must all strive with heart and soul until we have the reality of unity in our midst, and as we work, so will strength be given unto us.”
Abdul-Baha (Paris Talks, p. 46)