Relegous Comparison; human spirit

 

How Islam and the Baha'i faith understand the human soul, (from our point of view) 

Islam's view of the human soul (rūḥ)

In Islam, the soul is created by God, judged by Him and to Him shall return.

It is breathed into the human being (Qur’an 15:29).

Its nature is mysterious; the Qur’an says: “Of the spirit, you have been given but little knowledge.”

Its Purpose to worship God (Qur’an 51:56).

Separation at Death: Physical death occurs when the angel of death separates the Ruh from the physical body.

The Barzakh: The soul goes to Barzakh, an intermediate waiting realm between this earthly life and the Day of Judgment.

The Final Return: On the Day of Judgment, God will reunite the soul with the body to account for all earthly deeds and face eternal reward or punishment. 

****************************************************************************

The Baha'i Understanding of the Human Soul Faith:

The Baha'i Faith concur that the human soul created by God, its purpose to know and worship Him, and it continues after death. The Baha'i Writings add more details on the nature of the soul and its on going journey:

Nature of the Soul;

“Know thou that the soul… is a sign of God, a heavenly gem whose reality the most learned of men hath failed to grasp.” Baha'u'llah

Purpose of the Soul; "O Son of Man! I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, love Me, that I may name thy name and fill thy soul with the spirit of life." — Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words

God created us out of love and our purpose is to grow closer to Him; though love, though service, though developing good qualities; like Truthfulness, Kindness, Patience, Generosity..

Mind and Spirit;

“The spirit is immortal; it is not affected by the conditions of the body.” and  “The spirit is the lamp; the mind is the light that shines from the lamp.” 

The Soul after Death;

“The soul is not extinguished at the death of the body. It continues, in the further worlds of God, the journey that began at its first creation and that will continue through the progressive worlds of God infinitely.” 

Spiritual Growth of the Soul

“As the embryo in the womb develops the eyes and limbs it will need in the next world, so the soul in this life develops the spiritual qualities… that will constitute its instrumentation in the further worlds.” Abdu’l‑Bahá

"Know thou of a truth that the soul, after its separation from the body, will continue to progress until it attaineth the presence of God, in a state and condition which neither the revolution of ages and centuries, nor the changes and chances of this world, can alter." - Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings 

While Islam describes Heaven and Hell as final destinations, the Baha'i Faith sees them as State of Being; nearness to God or distance from Him and teaches us that the soul spiritual progress is continuous...

 

"D" Word; Discrimination

Europe (various countries)

• Some countries have laws restricting:
  • Wearing religious clothing (e.g. hijab, niqab)
  • Certain Islamic practices
• European human rights data shows:
  • Many Muslims experience discrimination in public life and institutions [unric.org]
• Reports also mention laws affecting Muslim dress and religious freedoms [uscirf.gov]

---------

India – Citizenship law (CAA)

• A 2019 law fast-tracks citizenship for migrants from neighbouring countries—but excludes Muslims explicitly. [hrw.org]
• Human rights groups warned it could:
  • Leave some Muslims at risk of losing citizenship
  • Create unequal treatment based on religion [hrw.org]

    ---------

South Africa – Muslim marriages

• For many years, Muslim marriages were not legally recognized under national law.

---------

China – Uyghur Muslims

• Reports say over one million Muslims have been detained in Xinjiang. [cfr.org]
• Measures described include:
  • Mass detention
  • Religious restrictions
  • Surveillance and forced labour [cfr.org]

---------

Egypt - Baha'is

Refusal to record the correct marital status in official identification documents for Egyptian Bahá’ís........

=========

Across these examples, the same legal mechanisms recur:

• Recognition vs. exclusion → Who counts as a legitimate religion
• Equality vs. differentiation → Whether all citizens are treated the same under law
• Rights vs. public order → Governments often justify limits using security or stability
• Courts as corrective forces → In some systems, courts push back against discrimination 

“Acceptance of the oneness of humanity demands that prejudice—

whether racial, religious, or gender-related—must be totally eliminated.” [bahai.org]

From The Secret of Divine Civilization, by ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá

“Arts, crafts and sciences uplift the world of being, and are conducive to its exaltation. Knowledge is as wings to man’s life, and a ladder for the ascent of his understanding. In truth, knowledge is a veritable treasure for man, and a source of glory, of bounty, of joy, of exaltation, of cheer and gladness unto him. The light of knowledge is the bestower of life and the cause of the progress of mankind. Knowledge is the most precious of all possessions; a man without knowledge is like a bird without wings.”

Examples from Egypt 

- The Pyramids, Temples.....................Craftsmanship and applied sciences / engineering 

- The Library of Alexandria ..................Knowledge as "wings" expand human potential 

- Cairo Opera House...........................Hub for artistic education, arts that uplift society 

- The Grand Egyptian Museum...........Knowledge as a national treasure transform culture

     

     

 

Bahá’í perspective on politics

Bahá’ís do not seek political power. They will not accept political posts in their respective governments, whatever the particular system in place, though they will take up positions which they deem to be purely administrative in nature. They will not affiliate themselves with political parties, become entangled in partisan issues, or participate in programmes tied to the divisive agendas of any group or faction. At the same time, Bahá’ís respect those who, out of a sincere desire to serve their countries, choose to pursue political aspirations or to engage in political activity. The approach adopted by the Bahá’í community of non-involvement in such activity is not intended as a statement expressing some fundamental objection to politics in its true sense; indeed, humanity organizes itself through its political affairs. Bahá’ís vote in civil elections, as long as they do not have to identify themselves with any party in order to do so. In this connection, they view government as a system for maintaining the welfare and orderly progress of a society, and they undertake, one and all, to observe the laws of the land in which they reside, without allowing their inner religious beliefs to be violated. Bahá’ís will not be party to any instigation to overthrow a government. Nor will they interfere in political relations between the governments of different nations. This does not mean that they are naive about political processes in the world today and make no distinction between just and tyrannical rule. The rulers of the earth have sacred obligations to fulfil towards their people, who should be seen as the most precious treasure of any nation. Wherever they reside, Bahá’ís endeavour to uphold the standard of justice, addressing inequities directed towards themselves or towards others, but only through lawful means available to them, eschewing all forms of violent protest. Moreover, in no way does the love they hold in their hearts for humanity run counter to the sense of duty they feel to expend their energies in service to their respective countries.

The approach, or strategy if you will, with the simple set of parameters outlined in the foregoing paragraph enables the community, in a world where nations and tribes are pitted one against the other and people are divided and separated by social structures, to maintain its cohesion and integrity as a global entity and to ensure that the activities of the Bahá’ís in one country do not jeopardize the existence of those elsewhere. Guarded against competing interests of nations and political parties, the Bahá’í community is thus able to build its capacity to contribute to processes that promote peace and unity.   The Universal House of Justice

a new definition of a good citizen:

“The happiness and greatness, the rank and station, the pleasure and peace of an individual have never consisted in his personal wealth, but rather in his excellent character, his high resolve, the breadth of his learning, and his ability to solve difficult problems. The primary purpose of any government or society is the promotion of the welfare and the tranquillity of the people.” Baha'u'llah 

Aspects of Baha’i Marriage

A Baha’i marriage is different from many other religious marriages 

in a few very specific, meaningful ways. 

Baha’i marriage is the commitment of the two parties one to the other, and their mutual attachment of mind and heart. Each must, however, exercise the utmost care to become thoroughly acquainted with the character of the other, that the binding covenant between them may be a tie that will endure forever. ‘Abdu’l-Baha, 

Consent of both and their parents are required

…marriage is dependent upon the consent of both parties. Desiring to establish love, unity and harmony amidst Our servants, We have conditioned it, once the couple’s wish is known, upon the permission of their parents, lest enmity and rancour should arise amongst them. Baha’u’llah,

The vow and Two witnesses

The couple themselves each saying, in the presence of at least two witnesses, the prescribed verse “We will all, verily, abide by the Will of God.” 

This ceremony is performed under the authority of a Spiritual Assembly which has the responsibility for ensuring that the various requirements of Baha’i law, such as obtaining the consent of the parents, are met, to whom the witnesses must be acceptable, and which issues the marriage certificate.

The Happiness of Mankind will be realized when women and men coordinate and advance equally, for each is the complement and helpmeet of the other. Abdu’l-Baha,

 

to our beloved mother who passed away recently...

A Bahá'í Prayer for One's Mother - YouTube

https://www.google.com/url?esrc=s&q=&rct=j&sa=U&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpIF_WP5R2E&ved=2ahUKEwio7oT6v7yUAxXUpCsGHeU_IekQtwJ6BAgLEAE&usg=AOvVaw2iWRMrzpU7GKqqEPKkaqDZ

O Thou forgiving God! Forgive the sins of my loving mother, pardon her shortcomings, cast upon her the glance of Thy gracious providence, and enable her to gain admittance into Thy Kingdom.

O God! From the earliest days of my life she educated and nurtured me, yet I did not recompense her for her toil and labours. Do Thou reward her by granting her eternal life and making her exalted in Thy Kingdom.

Verily, Thou art the Forgiver, the Bestower, and the Kind.

"The great importance attached to the mother's role derives from the fact that she is the first educator of the child. Her attitude, her prayers, even what she eats and her physical condition have a great influence on the child when it is still in womb. When the child is born, it is she who has been endowed by God with the milk which is the first food designed for it, and it is intended that, if possible, she should be with the baby to train and nurture it in its earliest days and months.                                                  - Universal House of Justice, Lights of Guidance.

Prayer for My Mother | A Prayer for Mom | 'Abdu'l-Bahá | Baháʼí Gospel - YouTubewww.youtube.com › shorts

https://youtu.be/tA-9zd31GPc?t=35 

 

“Glimpses of a Hundred Years of Endeavour”: New film looks at journey of global Bahá’í community

The film provides insight into a hundred years of endeavor and learning since the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in 1921, carried out by a burgeoning Bahá’í community, and outlines the journey that has led to the community’s current efforts to contribute to the emergence of a world organized around the principle of the oneness of humanity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MsMfnkd6_I 

 "However difficult matters are at present, and

  however close to the limits of their endurance some sections of  societies are brought, humanity will ultimately pass through this ordeal, and it will emerge on the other side with greater insight and with a deeper appreciation of its inherent oneness and interdependence.  Universal House of Justice

Our Thoughts and Prayers with all people at War Zone...

Egypt: Short film on Bahá’í community highlights efforts for coexistence

 https://news.bahai.org/story/1604/

CAIRO — A short film titled “A Bahá’í in Egypt: A story of 3 generations” produced by Elsaha, an online news service based in Egypt, offers a perspective on the experience of the Bahá’í community of that country, from its beginnings in the nineteenth century through to the present-day, and its efforts to contribute to the progress of society.

https://news.bahai.org/story/1604/slideshow/2/

Forgiveness

 

The way people treat you has pretty much everything to do with them and not with you. Anais Nin said it best, “We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” Abdul-Baha lived a perfect example of this truth. No matter how he was treated, by friend or foe, he always responded with love and compassion, as shown in this recounting from Baha’i author Earl Redman:

As for His enemies, Abdu’l-Baha never let them feel anything but love. In the early 1900s, a fanatical Protestant missionary from Scotland named Mrs. Ramsey was “consumed with the fire of religious prejudice and hatred ….” Since the Protestant Mission had a dispensary and rented an apartment in the building in which Abdu’l-Baha lived … she was forced to pass Him several times a day. Whenever she encountered Him, “she would writhe in agony, grimace and lower her head while quickening her pace to a run.” One day as she passed by, the Master called her over and asked, “Mrs. Ramsey, do you know how much I love you?”

“How much?” she asked suspiciously.

“Look in your heart and see how much you hate me. To that extent I love you,” He responded.

Abdu’l-Baha encouraged the Baha’is – in fact, he encouraged every human being – to adopt the same attitude and actions. In a talk he gave in the United States in 1912, he said: “Inasmuch as God is clement and loving to His children, lenient and merciful toward our shortcomings, why should we be unkind and unforgiving toward each other?” 

https://bahaiteachings.org/three-simple-steps-for-finding-forgiveness/?utm_source=BT+Subscribers&utm_campaign=8eb32b4df7-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_NEW&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_22fe645b0d-8eb32b4df7-114045481&mc_cid=8eb32b4df7&mc_eid=a5e50159ab 

The Exemplar

 https://youtu.be/PRE8vDU_ufs 

Thoughts on our current World Civilization...

 

Every age hath its own problem, and every soul its particular aspiration. The remedy the world needeth in its present-day afflictions can never be the same as that which a subsequent age may require. Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and centre your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.

Bahá'u'lláh

What is the remedy for the world today? 

هل وحدنا كوفيد؟

 

لقد أزالت العلوم والتكنولوجيا الحواجز المادية ، والآن أثبت كوفيد أنه يمكن إزالة الحواجز الموجودة في قلوبنا وعقولنا لنكون قادرين على رؤية أنفسنا بعين الوحدة ؛ عرق واحد وشعب واحد..... 

 

 

Prayers for Children

O God, 

guide me, protect me, make of me a shining lamp and a brilliant star. 

Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful. — ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ 

O God! 

Educate these children. 

These children are the plants of Thine orchard, 

the flowers of Thy meadow, the roses of Thy garden. 

Let Thy rain fall upon them; 

let the Sun of Reality shine upon them with Thy love. 

Let Thy breeze refresh them in order that they may be trained, grow and develop, 

and appear in the utmost beauty. Thou art the Giver. 

Thou art the Compassionate. —‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ

O my Lord! 

Make Thy beauty to be my food, and Thy presence my drink, 

and Thy pleasure my hope, and praise of Thee my action, 

and remembrance of Thee my companion, 

and the power of Thy sovereignty my succorer, 

and Thy habitation my home, 

and my dwelling-place the seat Thou hast sanctified from the limitations imposed upon them who are shut out as by a veil from Thee. 

Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Most Powerful. —BAHÁ’U’LLÁH

How can we be Distinguished from others?

"I desire distinction for you. 

The Baha’is must be distinguished from others of humanity. 

But this distinction must not depend upon wealth – that they should become more affluent than other people. I do not desire for you financial distinction. It is not an ordinary distinction I desire; not scientific, commercial, industrial distinction. 

For you I desire spiritual distinction – that is, 

you must become eminent and distinguished in morals. 

In the love of God you must become distinguished from all else.

 You must become distinguished for loving humanity, for unity and accord, for love and justice. In brief, you must become distinguished in all the virtues of the human world – for faithfulness and sincerity, for justice and fidelity, for firmness and steadfastness, for philanthropic deeds and service to the human world, for love toward every human being,

 for unity and accord with all people, for removing prejudices and promoting international peace. 

Finally, you must become distinguished for heavenly illumination and

 for acquiring the bestowals of God."

– Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, pp. 189-190.


Reference Article;
https://bahaiteachings.org/why-i-dont-drink-and-why-it-matters?utm_source=BT+Subscribers&utm_campaign=d01f7ecdc3-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_NEW&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_22fe645b0d-d01f7ecdc3-114045481&mc_cid=d01f7ecdc3&mc_eid=a5e50159ab

Wisdom from Gandhi

Renewal of Religion

  Religion Always Requires Renewal

"We testify that when He [Jesus Christ] came into the world, He shed the splendor of His glory upon all created things. Through Him the leper recovered from the leprosy of perversity and ignorance. Through Him, the unchaste and wayward were healed. Through His power, born of Almighty God, the eyes of the blind were opened, and the soul of the sinner sanctified.  

Leprosy may be interpreted as any veil that interveneth between man and the recognition of the Lord, his God. Whoso alloweth himself to be shut out from Him is indeed a leper, who shall not be remembered in the Kingdom of God, the Mighty, the All-Praised. We bear witness that through the power of the Word of God every leper was cleansed, every sickness was healed, every human infirmity was banished. He it is Who purified the world. Blessed is the man who, with a face beaming with light, hath turned towards Him." – Baha’u’llah,                                                                                 Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 86.

"The religion of God is one religion, but it must ever be renewed. Moses, for example, was sent forth to man and He established a Law, and the Children of Israel, through that Mosaic Law, were delivered out of their ignorance and came into the light; they were lifted up from their abjectness and attained to a glory that fadeth not. Still, as the long years wore on, that radiance passed by, that splendour set, that bright day turned to night; and once that night grew triply dark, the star of the Messiah dawned, so that again a glory lit the world.

Our meaning is this: the religion of God is one, and it is the educator of humankind, but still, it needs must be made new. " – Abdu’l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p. 51.

Which one we should develop more; our Brain or our Spirit?

Which one we should develop more; our Brain or our Spirit?

A divine Mine only can yield the gems of divine knowledge, and the fragrance of the mystic Flower can be inhaled only in the ideal Garden, and the lilies of ancient wisdom can blossom nowhere except in the city of a stainless heart. – Baha’u’llah, The Book of Certitude, p. 191.


Baha’is believe that we all need to nurture our spiritual selves just as much as our physical and social selves. As we find ways to better our ability to be generous, just, honest, kind, and loving to one another, we brighten our spirits. As we grow spiritually, we learn to better trust and listen to people of different backgrounds. We also get better at searching for collective truth together, and find more effective solutions to social issues. Through this kind of growth, we gain knowledge that leads to action. 

… the spirit of man is essential and therefore eternal. It is a divine bounty. It is the effulgence of the Sun of Reality and therefore of greater importance than the physical body. – Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 60.

From this link;

https://bahaiteachings.org/your-minds-greatest-potential-is-spiritual?utm_source=BT+Subscribers&utm_campaign=a82ce987e9-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_NEW&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_22fe645b0d-a82ce987e9-114045481&mc_cid=a82ce987e9&mc_eid=a5e50159ab

The True cost of things we buy

please watch the following documentary:Minimalism 
                               A Documentary About the Important Things 
https://www.videoproject.com/Minimalism-Documentary.html

Another one;
https://truecostmovie.com/

The reality of man is his thought, not his material body. The thought force and the animal force are partners. Although man is part of the animal creation, he possesses a power of thought superior to all other created beings. – Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, pp. 17-18.

Why not material body?

In Europe I told the philosophers and scientists of materialism that the criterion of the senses is not reliable. For instance, consider a mirror and the images reflected in it. These images have no actual corporeal existence. Yet if you had never seen a mirror, you would firmly insist and believe that they were real. The eye sees a mirage upon the desert as a lake of water, but there is no reality in it. As we stand upon the deck of a steamer, the shore appears to be moving, yet we know the land is stationary and we are moving. The earth was believed to be fixed and the sun revolving about it, but although this appears to be so, the reverse is now known to be true. A whirling torch makes a circle of fire appear before the eye, yet we realize there is but one point of light. We behold a shadow moving upon the ground, but it has no material existence, no substance … In brief, the senses are continually deceived, and we are unable to separate that which is reality from that which is not. – Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 21.

How about the Human Brain or intelligence  

Like the animal, man possesses the faculties of the senses, is subject to heat, cold, hunger, thirst, etc.; unlike the animal, man has a rational soul, the human intelligence. This intelligence of man is the intermediary between his body and his spirit. – Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 96.

If a man’s thought is constantly aspiring towards heavenly subjects then does he become saintly: if on the other hand his thought does not soar, but is directed downwards to centre itself upon the things of this world, he grows more and more material until he arrives at a state little better than that of a mere animal. – Ibid., pp. 17-18