Customer Reviews (1)

excellent explanation
This book provides an excellent explanation of the development and roots of Chinese religion and how it is not compartmentalized into strict categories as religions are in Western culture. It also compares Chinese religion with the teachings of the Baha'i Faith, one of youngest world religions, and finds a number of basic parallels. ... Read more

Product Description
Dr Momen examines the Bahá'í approach to:* Darshana* Dharma* Mokshaand gives an account of:* significant Hindu prophecies* the Bahá'í social teachings, laws and history* the Bahá'í community.Hinduism is one of the most ancient of the existing religious traditions; the Bahá'í Faith is the most modern. Here is an introduction to the Bahá'í Faith for those of the Hindu tradition.Most presentations of the Bahá'í Faith have been from Western, Christian or Islamic viewpoint. This approach excludes much of the world's population. By presenting it from the perspective of the Hindu tradition, Dr Momen provides people from this background with information about the Bahá'í Faith in a way which is meaningful to them while giving Bahá'ís new insights into their religion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The need to lsiten
At the beginning of Hinduism and the Baha'i Faith Dr. Momen announces that Baha'is do not believe that the Baha'i Faith has come to supplant Hinduism. Rather one of its aims is to take the tradition on to a further stage of its development. (xi) To the extent that his book has opened up an arena for both current and future dialogue between the Hindu and Baha'i traditions, it must be measured a success. Moreover, its attempts to find a common ground of religious truths shared by the traditions can only help in this enterprise.Where differences are noted and critiqued, it can only be hoped that such analyses will produce among its readers (of whatever religious or secular affiliation) what Huston Smith has termed the wisdom of listening. Without listening, the world is left with a myriad of loud assertions, and even louder counter assertions, to which the fundamentalisms of our time -- including certain strains of militant Hindutva and of theocratic Bahaism -- readily attest. In Smith's own words: "Those who listen work for peace, a peace built not on ecclesiastical hegemonies but on understanding and mutual concern"

People from all religions will profit from this book
All religions have as their foundation stone the Golden Rule which in Christianity is expressed as "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you". In Hinduism the Golden Rule is expressed as: "This is the sum of duty: do naught to others that which if done to thee would cause pain" while the Bahai Faith expresses it as: "Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before himself." If we are to prevent religious rivalry progressing to religious war it is important that we learn about other religions and try to identify and emphasize our common heritage rather than highlight our differences. While "Hinduism and the Bahai Faith" has been written as an introduction to the Bahai Faith to those of the Hindu tradition, it is helpful for those of other religions who wish to gain an insight into both religions and who may, perhaps, seek to identify areas of similarity with their own religion.

Hinduism is not merely a religion, it is a collection of religious traditions that have evolved to represent a wide variety of views about most matters while the pivotal points of the Bahai Faith are the belief in a progressive, recurring divine revelation and the unity of all religions. The Qur'an tells us that God sent messengers to all peoples and that He made known His will and His truth through Noah, Abraham, Moses, Krishna, Buddha, Zoroaster, Christ, and Muhammed. All religions have their origin in God and are different reflections of the same truth. As every age requires a fresh measure of the light of God, every divine revelation has been sent in a manner befitting the circumstances of the age in which it appeared. The Lord Krishna talks about progressive revelation in these words: "Whenever there is a decline in righteousness, O Bharat, and the rise of irreligion, it is then that I send forth My righteousness. I manifest myself from age to age."

Momen explains the philosophy, the law and morals, and the right way of living, in both the Hindu and Bahai Faiths to show that there is no conflict between the two, and provides a table showing the similarities of the two faiths. An Indian once said to 'Abdu'l-Baha, the son of Baha'u'llah the founder of the Bahai Faith: "My aim in life is to transmit as far as in me lies the message of Krishna to the world." 'Abdu'l-Baha replied: "The message of Krishna is the message of love. All God's prophets have brought the message of love." We need to be constantly reminded that love is the only way that we will find a solution to our problems. Whatever the reader's religious background, he or she will profit from learning about the religious truths that unite us.

Two religions compared � with sympathetic insight
At first glance it would seem hard to find two religious systems with less in common than Hinduism and the Baha'i Faith. Both are established "world religions" but that seems to be about all.

Hinduism is very old, has a huge following, and is concentrated in one part of the world, indeed is intimately associated with it ("Hindu" and "India" have the same root). Its rich tapestry includes elements of popular polytheism. Baha'i is only just over a century and a half old, with a much smaller following spread throughout the world, is very definitively of the "Abrahamic" tradition of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and is sternly monotheistic.

And yet it is a basic Baha'i teaching that the world's religions have a common source, share a basic spiritual truth, and have more in common than what divides them. How, then to reconcile these two faiths?

Momen, a noted scholar of the Baha'i teachings, makes a brave attempt in this short book. It is aimed at the general reader and so lacks the weight that academics are looking for, but within that framework the result is interesting and challenging. And it is always good to read a book about different religionswhich is not going down the "I am right, you are wrong" route but rather says "Let's look and see whether we might both be right". ... Read more

Product Description

At Ridván 2002, we addressed an open letter to the world's religious leaders. Our action arose out of awareness that the disease of sectarian hatreds, if not decisively checked, threatens harrowing consequences that will leave few areas of the world unaffected. The letter acknowledged with appreciation the achievements of the interfaith movement, to which Bahá'ís have sought to contribute since an early point in the movement's emergence. Nevertheless, we felt we must be forthright in saying that, if the religious crisis is to be addressed as seriously as is occurring with respect to other prejudices afflicting humankind, organized religion must find within itself a comparable courage to rise above fixed conceptions inherited from a distant past.

Above all, we expressed our conviction that the time has come when religious leadership must face honestly and without further evasion the implications of the truth that God is one and that, beyond all diversity of cultural expression and human interpretation, religion is likewise one. It was intimations of this truth that originally inspired the interfaith movement and that have sustained it through the vicissitudes of the past one hundred years. Far from challenging the validity of any of the great revealed faiths, the principle has the capacity to ensure their continuing relevance. In order to exert its influence, however, recognition of this reality must operate at the heart of religious discourse, and it was with this in mind that we felt that our letter should be explicit in articulating it.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An introduction to the Baha'i Faith for Theravada Buddhists
A very useful introduction to the Baha'i Faith for Buddhists who come from a Theravada Buddhist background which represents what is probably the oldest and largest extant grouping of Buddhists generally found in a large area stretching from Sri Lanka to Burma, Thailand and into Southeast Asia.

The Baha'i scriptures acknowledge the divine station of Lord Buddha which means that everyone who becomes a Baha'i needs also to believe in the Buddha.

The ethical and moral teachings of the Baha'i Faith and Buddhism are very similar.During the course of thousands of years, the author states that there have been from time to time and in different parts of the world a small number of fully enlighted ones whose mission has been to guide humanity in its spiritual and social affairs.The author describes how Baha'is believe that Baha'u'llah is the fulfillment of the prophecies in Buddhist scripture, i.e. the Metteyya.

The same author has also written good introductory books about Islam and the Baha'i Faith and Hinduism and the Baha'i Faith. ... Read more

Product Description
Written in the style of Fritjof Capra's The Turning Point: Science, Society, and the Rising Culture, with one critical difference: Medina includes discussions regarding the role of religion and spirituality in building a new society. Despite the progress of Western Civilization in economic, scientific, and other areas, a lack of corresponding progress with respect to spiritual life has left much of society feeling disoriented and unbalanced. Medina's insight sheds light on ways to address this imbalance. The ultimate goal of this examination is to present a path toward a prosperous global civilization that fulfills humanity's physical, psychological, and spiritual needs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Faith, Physics, and Psychology: Rethinking Society and the Human Spirit
This is excellent for anyone who is interested in science,or a general interest in space. It is interesting to read and does not get bogged down with scientific language. It renewed my interest in Physics and guided me toward other recent ideas about the holographic universe. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Life and Legacy Well Portrayed
Bahíyyih Khánum, the Greatest Holy Leaf, daughter of Bahá'u'lláh, can be considered the woman of highest station in her father's faith, and yet the facts about her life are few. Owing primarily to cultural constraints on her sex, the story and character of her outstanding life must be teased out by the biographer through the scattered references of letters, diaries, and recollections. Armed with a mighty assortment of such citations, researcher Janet Khan weaves a moving tapestry of the Greatest Holy Leaf in Prophet's Daughter: The Life and Legacy of Bahíyyih Khánum, Outstanding Heroine of the Bahá'í Faith.

Through this thoroughly readable book, Janet Khan provides a fresh and accessible approach to Bahá'í history and scholarship. Her insight into and explication of the Greatest Holy Leaf's life highlight the sustaining and even pivotal contributions of this servant to the Bahá'í cause, shaming the many male historians who give nary a mention. Both those new to the Bahá'í Faith and those well acquainted will find inspiration. This is a biography worthy of emulation.

Informative and Loving
This book, truely, covers the life and legacy of Bahiyyih Khanum. A person whose qualities call for close examination. Janet Khan, using all available means for research, in spite of the cultural norms of a women in the mid-19th century Persia, succeeds in portraying the "Greatest Holy Leaf" in a way that makes me fall in love. Her plight and perseverance are something to be admired, especially in context to her historical upbringings. Highly recommended read.

excellent book
This book is a very important book for those studying the history of the Baha'i Faith. The writer opens a vivid window that allows us to view the critical role Bahiyyih Khanum played in the growth of her Father, Baha'u'llah's faith, the Baha'i Faith, in the very turbulent years of its beginning. I enjoyed it immensely. ... Read more

Product Description

Muhammad ‘Abduh (1849-1905) was one of the key thinkers and reformers of modern Islam who has influenced both liberal and fundamentalist Muslims today. ‘Abdul-Baha (1844-1921) was the son of Baha’ullah (1817-1892), the founder of the Baha’i Faith; a new religion which began as a messianic movement in Shii Islam, before it departed from Islam.

Oliver Scharbrodt offers an innovative and radically new perspective on the lives of these two major religious reformers in 19^th century Middle East by placing both figures into unfamiliar terrain. While one would classify ‘Abdul-Baha, leader of a messianic movement which claims to depart from Islam, as an exponent of heresy in Islam, ‘Abduh is perceived as an orthodox Sunni reformer. This book, however, argues against the assumption that both represent two extremely opposite expressions of Islamic religiosity. It shows that both were influenced by similar intellectual and religious traditions of Islam and that both participated in the same discussions on the reform of Islam in the 19^th century.

Islam and the Baha'i Faith provides new insights into the Islamic background of the Baha’i Faith and into ‘Abduh’s own association with so-called heretical movements in Islam.

Customer Reviews (1)

The passages chosen cover a wide range of topics, from marriage, children, love, and healing to loss
Illumine My Family: Prayers and Meditations from the Bahai Faith is an anthology of prayers and meditative selections from writings of the Bahai religion, chosen to aid believers of all walks of life to incorporate more spirituality into their daily routine. The passages chosen cover a wide range of topics, from marriage, children, love, and healing to the loss of a beloved family member or friend. A compilation meant to help families grower closer together and closer to God, Illumine My Family is a spiritual treasury, and highly recommended. "When soldiers of the world draw their swords to kill, soldiers of God clasp each other's hands! So may all the savagery of man disappear by the Mercy of God, working through the pure in heart and the sincere of soul. Do not think the peace of the world an ideal impossible to attain! Nothing is impossible to the Divine Benevolence of God." ... Read more

Product Description
A clear, readable, and informative introduction to all aspects of this 150-year-old tradition. From personal spirituality to social and theological teachings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

a great introduction
This is an excellent introductory book on the Baha'i faith.It is concise and well organized.It presents the Baha'i faith in context and looks at it from the individual, the family, the society, and global perspective. In addition, it covers the history, the laws and the principles of the Faith accurately and in a language that is easy and accessible.The tables and graphs, assist in highlighting the key facts and concepts. Overall it a great short introduction to a wealth of knowledge!

Our Modern Remedy
The Baha'i Faith A Short Introduction is a helpful guide to begin understanding the religion of God, but not the best introductory book out there.The focus is on the teachings, with only a bit about the history.Not only that, but certain teachings are emphasized and others are given less attention or comprehension.For example, I thought Momen did a good job on the nature of God as described by all the previous Divine Revelations, but should have gone into more depth on uniting the other concepts of the world religions, and how to understand them as a Baha'i.But overall he still did pretty all right. I would in now way shape or form discourage you to read this book, unless you were to only read one book on the Faith, and that you should read others.Even I myself have not read many, but from what I have seen Esslemont's work is written very well, enough to be the one I recommend.But I reckon Moojan Momen still atleast gets one thumbs up!!! ;>)

The Baha'i Faith: A Short Introduction
This book is exactly that, a short introduction. It's great for those whowant to find out more about the Baha'i faith but do not know where to lookfirst. For those taking religion or comparative religion classes this is amust-read. Once I began reading, I couldn't put it down, and now I can'tseem to get it back from my friends! ... Read more

Product Description
An introduction to the history, beliefs, and teachings of the Bahai Faith. ... Read more

Product Description
WITHOUT SYLLABLE OR SOUND:The Bahá'í Faith and the World's Sacred Scriptures

By Michael Sours

This volume explores the Holy Scriptures of the world's great religions--Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism and Islam--from aBahá'íperspective. The author finds that all of these scriptures may usher the reader into the presence of God. An inspiring reaffirmation of the unity of all religion.     In this book, Michael Sours argues for the need for all believers to affirm the validity and importance of all of the world's sacred scriptures.  He discusses at length Bahá'u'lláh's defense of the Bible and other past scriptures.  He investigates theBahá'í teachings concerning the Hebrew, Christian, and Muslim texts, as well as the holy books of the religions of India and China.     Also included is a record of an important conversation (newly found and published) that 'Abdu'l-Bahá had with a group of Christian professors and theological students in Paris in 1913.  Fascinating reading!

"This book is no mere academic exercise. Rather, it establishes beyond reasonable doubt that the guiding ethos of the Bahá'í teachings of tolerance, acceptance, respect and love towards the followers of all religions also demands . . . a sincere veneration and openness to the scriptures of all religions. I have gained much in reading this fine contribution toBahá'ístudies." -- Todd Lawson, Ph.D., Islamic Philosophy ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Baha'i Faith and its propagation 2010
Dear Librarian10 March 2010

As a service for readers residing beyond metropolitan Adelaide my wife and I as representatives of the Bahá'ís of South Australia have recently provided many libraries in regional areas with a complimentary copy of THE BAHA'I FAITH by Paula Hartz.

Please consider accepting it for your shelves. These points may assist your decision:

* The Rudd government and the Howard government in recent years have issued several official requests from the Australian Senate calling on Tehran to end the persecution of Iran's largest religious minority - the Bahá'ís.

* Bahá'í Education in State Schools (BESS) has received governmental approval in excess of a decade now. For those parents who want their children to receive spiritual education based on the Bahá'í model BESS is an ongoing fait accompli in hundreds of primary and high schools in Australia. This service is also without charge. (The Bahá'í Faith accepts donations from no source other than our own avowed members. No coercion is involved. There is no registering of the donors.)

* The book we ask you to include in your library, showcasing the award winning Shrine of the Báb in Haifa, is not a Bahá'í publication per se, nor was its author a member of our faith. The work emanates via Amazon.com from New York's `Chelsea House' and forms just one in a famous series describing in detail various religions: Baha'i Faith - World Religions 3rd edition. 2009. Paula R Hartz. ISBN: 978-1-60413-104-8

We hope to visit libraries in your area in the next couple of weeks to hand over with your permission this superb addition to your range of books.

Sincerely yours

Paul and Velanta Desailly
50 Bevan cres
Whyalla 5608
Australia

TEL: 0448515234


... Read more

Product Description
Five scholars explore new areas of Bahai studies in this collection of essays dedicated to the late Hand of the Cuase of God, Hasan M. Balyuzi. Two articles discuss previously neglected topics in Bahai theology. Three articles discuss aspects of Bahai history in Iran and the West. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

we need to instill values, morals, ethics, spirituality
At the 2002 Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development it was decided to declare a decade of Education for Sustainable Development, starting in 2005. Reintroducing values back into the curriculum for school children is an important part of education for a better world and the Oxfordshire Education Authority is paving the way as described in the book "The Quiet Revolution: Encouraging Positive Values in our Children" by Frances Farrer. I turned to "Brilliant Stars" to determine if Dr. Rost's ideas, taken from the writings of the Bahai Faith, might be a worthy contribution to education for sustainable development.

The author starts by looking at some of the things which are wrong in the world today and which have brought the world into crisis. Many of our problems have their root in two things - our loss of spirituality and our education system. A growing number of thinkers agree that if mankind is to survive we must have better human beings in a world of peace, in a world of unity. In fact we need a new world order.Education must address itself to these problems, with child education playing a key role.

It seems to me that this quotation, taken from the Bahai writings clearly identifies the problem: "In man there are two natures: his spiritual or higher nature and his material or lower nature. If he allows his lower nature to overcome him, he is no better than an animal. The child must be lifted up from his lower nature through education. Spiritual education is essential for the victory of man's spiritual nature over his lower nature." Our current education system is obsolete in that it has given such great emphasis to our material or lower nature that many on the fringe of Enron-type fiascoes feel that the only thing that is wrong is getting caught. We really must redress the balance and that is what this book is all about.

It is still unfashionable to talk about ethics, morals and spirituality and most people are afraid to stick their neck out by using such words. However, at the Johannesburg Summit there were a handful of papers such as "Globalization and Sustainable Development: Is Ethics The Missing Link?" and "Sustainable Development: the Spiritual Dimension" showing that leading-edge thinkers have identified the lack of the spiritual dimension as the underlying reason for the world's troubles. The chapters "Education and the Nature of Man" and "Education for Perfections" and "Education for a Unified World" get down to the nitty gritty, the author telling us that the basic purpose of man is to know and to love God and to acquire qualities, attributes and characteristics needed when we pass to the heavenly kingdom. Our attainment of love of God is the key to our attainment of love of mankind.

We need to agree on a general picture of the future of mankind and an educational approach to match. Society is ill and is in need of a highly skilled physician - but who is the physician who can prescribe the remedies for the illness? Unlike the world's thinkers and leaders, handicapped by their inadequate man-made ideologies, theories and practices, the Bahai writings shed the clear light of divine guidance on the problems of the world and lay great emphasis on the education of children and youth. As a result, Bahais are deeply concerned that their children should receive proper character education, proper moral instruction, and proper spiritual education; from an early age Bahai children learn love for all humanity. This kind of education is taking place right now in Bahai houses, Bahai communities and Bahai summer schools. This kind of education has been developed and fine-tuned over many decades. The author believes that it is this kind of education that should spread to the public and private education systems around the world.

The universal crisis facing mankind is essentially spiritual in its causes. Both the individual and society need to acquire spiritual virtues and powers, for the laws and institutions of the future will become effective only when the inner spiritual life of man has reached a much higher plane. A truly spiritualized, unified peaceful world requires the emergence of masses of spiritualized individuals. If you are a person who has concluded that ethics, morals and spirituality are the missing links or if you are a person who believes that our over-materialistic approach has lead us down the wrong path, then you should read this book. You will find the arguments and the template for a new and vastly improved approach to education of children, an approach that postulates a future world society whose characteristics will be peace, unity, and spirituality. If we are to lead the world out of crisis, we need to do a better job of educating our children and instilling values, morals, ethics and spirituality. We should be open to give the author's views a fair hearing. ... Read more

Product Description
There are 100,000 Baha'is in the United States, about five million worldwide including a significant population in Iran, their country of origin. They are also the most persecuted minority in Iran, where they are accused of being heretics by the Shi'i establishment.In fact, Baha'i draws on a diverse heritage that encompasses both East and West. Reflecting their Islamic roots, they observe daily prayers and the reading of sacred texts; a month of fast; pilgrimage to Haifa, Israel, where the religion's relics are preserved; and abstinence from alcohol. They face toward their prophet Baha'u'llah's resting place when praying, which is reminiscent of Muslims facing Mecca to pray.In other ways, the Baha'i religion has dissociated itself from orthodox Shi'ism. Adherents avoid communal prayer, reject the idea of a professional clergy, promote gender equality, and devote a great deal of attention to education, health care, and environmental issues. They work actively through the United Nations system to promote their view of a new world order of peace and harmony that they feel will one day unify humankind across all nations, races, and religions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Holistic, empirical and objective
It is very seldom that so many faces of a religious movement can be captured in some 80 pages (footnotes included).Margit Warburg, associate professor in the sociology of religion at Copenhagen, Denmark, has succeeded in giving a detailed overview of the Baha'i history, doctrine, worship and organisation.

The Baha'i religion has a more universal touch than any other religion in the world today. It is also one of the more liberal religious movements of our day, which since its beginning regarded gender equality a god-given rule, something many religions have had to add to their doctrinal fundaments, yes, even my Lutheran church! At the same time, Warburg is clear about some more restricting nuances of the religion, cause as every religious phenomenon, Baha'i see some exclusiveness in their faith.

The book is divided in five chapters, where the first one being an introduction. The second is about the history of Baha'i, when it was established in 19th century Iran till today. The third is about the doctrine, rituals and ceremonies of the Baha'i. The fourth is a description of the different Baha'i sites in the world (the temples and the Haifa dome) and also about how Baha'i mission looks like - even if it passes unnoticed! The book ends with the fifth chapter, about schisms during Baha'i history, the persecution of Iranian Baha'i and the internal disputes in modern Baha'i, where Warburg evokes the question of academic freedom.

What is exemplary about this book, is its thorough overview and very easy-read style. Warburg has done several studies and inquiries during her 20 years of research about Baha'i, which are referred to in the book, like how many Baha'i do actually fast, if there is any difference between Iranian Baha'i (Baha'i was established in Iran) and Western Baha'i etc. She explains and goes thru almost every perspective of Baha'i expression of faith and show that with each new Baha'i leader or re-organisation there were some opposing fractions, which either continue till today or have vanished. She even describe how the Baha'i services are hold. The services - besides those in the temple - are not open to public (but one nice Baha'i let me in once ...!) It seems that the central government of the Baha'i religion is not totally open about academic freedom, something that is a pity for a tolerant religion like Baha'i; it is not uncommon that many Baha'i marry according to other religion's ceremonies!

I am looking forward to read about the other books in this series, "Studies in contemporary religion", such as Hare Krishna and The Church of Scientology. I highly recommend the book about Baha'i, they are an anonymous feature of our society because they assimilate and want to work with world peace, something that many religions profess doing but never do. This book is far much better than consulting pro- or anti-Baha'i / cult pages cause here it is a scholar writing and discussing the Baha'i with an objective and thorough eye! One should applaud these types of books, cause these can create and facilitate the dialogue between religions.

Good book; terrible first review
Midwest Book Review(er) from (Oregon, WI USA) states that the Baha'i faith is a religious faction of Islam -- that is certainly not true, any more than Christianity is today a religious faction of Judaism.

As for the book itself, however, the author has done a fair job of studying the Baha'i faith and presenting it in a concise manner.

A very handy pocket guide to this religious heritage
There are over a hundred thousand Baha'is in this country, but relatively few books specifically covering this religion factiion of Islam alone. Margit Warburg's Baha'i is a very handy pocket guide to this religious heritage which accessibly examines the defining history and spiritual foundations of Bahai faith, from its Islamic roots and rituals to its attention to contemporary social issues. ... Read more

Product Description
This authoritative account traces the BahNB'! Faith from its origins in mid-nineteenth-century Iran to the spiritual and social concerns of the present. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Amazing Book.A must Read on Baha ullah
The author has tried to conficne within one volume all of the most important teachings of Bahaullah and the chief facts of Bahai history.This is an important reference book not only becuse the author is a scholar of international reputation; but also because he also Bahai; so he writes from within the faith. ... Read more