Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh

by Bahá'u'lláh

Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah is an extremely important compilation that sets out the Baha'i teachings on a myriad of subjects. Among the themes that fall within its compass are the greatness of the day in which we live, the spiritual requisites of peace and world order, the nature of God and His Prophets, the fulfillment of prophecy, the soul and its immortality, the renewal of civilization, the oneness of the Manifestations of God as agents of one civilizing process, the oneness of humanity, and the purpose of life, to name only a few.

Genres: Baha I, Religion, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Philosophy

431 pages, Paperback

First published January 13, 2009

About the author

Persian religious leader Bahaullah, originally Mirza Huseyn Ali, a follower of the Bab, founded the Baha'i in 1863.

Baha'i, the word, signifies a follower of Bahaullah, which means the "splendor of God" in Persian.

Bahá'u'lláh, a member of the great patrician family, endowed with wealth and vast estates, ably traced lineage to the ruling dynasties of imperial past. Bahá'u'lláh turned his back on the position at court, which these advantages offered; people knew his generosity and kindliness, which made him deeply loved among his countrymen.

The religious revolution caused much social upheaval, and Bahá'u'lláh announced support for the message, so his privileged position survived not long. After the execution, authorities unleashed the the waves of violence unleashed upon the Bábis; Bahá'u'lláh, engulfed, suffered the loss of all his worldly endowments, and imprisonment, torture, and a series of banishment subjected him. In the first banishment to Baghdad, he in 1863 announced that God promised his coming as the one divine messenger.

From Baghdad, people sent Bahá'u'lláh to Constantinople, to Adrianople, and finally to Acre in the Holy Land, where he arrived as a prisoner in 1868. From Adrianople and later from Acre, Bahá'u'lláh addressed a series of letters among the most remarkable documents in religious history to the rulers of his day. They proclaimed the coming unification of humanity and the emergence of a world civilization. They called upon the monarchs, emperors, and presidents of the 19th century to reconcile their differences, to curtail their armaments, and to devote their energies to the establishment of universal peace.

Bahá'u'lláh passed away at Bahji, just north of Acre, and people buried his body. His teachings already began to spread beyond the confines of the Middle East and brought the world community, focused on the point of his shrine today.

Reviews

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baha’u’llah’s Magnum Opus/Greatest Hits!

Finishing this book is a very bittersweet occasion. It’s contents have influenced my life more than any other piece of art/literature. Now begins the perpetual re-read…

[Maya Bohnhoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is, without doubt, my chief reference book when it comes to the writings of Baha'u'llah ... or the answers to questions about life, the universe and everything. Some of the passages have been highlighted so many times, the paper's wearing thin. It also has a preface by Shoghi Effendi, who translated the tablets and organized them by subject matter.

I have one copy for devotions, one copy for reference (with tabs and annotations) and one that is falling apart because I reference it so often. Thank goodness I now also have an electronic version!

[Matthew LaFave · Rating 5 out of 5]

More excellent stuff to read thru or peruse. I was surprised to find a compilation of the main Baha'u'llah books at my local library. I honestly love this stuff, and feel on many levels it is very enriching to read. Matter of fact, I can't think of a proper word to describe how good this stuff is.

[naree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better known as Baha'u'llah's Greatest Hits according to some :)

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

i've returned to different parts of this book though the years. great spiritual ideas and ideals.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book. Nothing but wisdom inside though I have a long way to go to really comprehend it if that is even possible for me.

I'm going to check out the hardcopy as I had listened to the audiobook and I'm convinced the reader was trying to bore me to sleep with his monotone.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

writings from the Highest Source

[Martin Beckett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Founder of the Baha'i Faith wrote extensively during many decades as a prisoner of the Ottoman Empire in the closing decades of the 19th century and this book is a collection of excerpts from some of His major works translated into English at a time when little in the way of accurate Baha'i scripture existed in the Western world. It gives a major insight into the nature of God, Man's place in the order of things, the nature of the Soul and the need for a New World Order based upon collective security leading to a world peace based upon spiritual values and many other topics. A great work of reference

[Eddie Glenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent.

[V Massaglia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful - beautiful writings. ♥️

V

[Gwendolyn Neal]

(I find it silly to give a rating out of 5 to a religious text)

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful words of Bahá-u-lláh!

[Glenn Franco Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspirational, educational and spiritually significant book. (Full disclosure: I'm a Baha'i.)