• fire tablet

    The Fire Tablet

    The Fire Tablet, written by Bahá’u’lláh, begins as a lament. Its name is echoed in its opening verses: … the hearts of the sincere are consumed in the fire of separation: Where is the gleaming of the light of Thy Countenance, O Beloved of the worlds? The Fire Tablet was written towards the end of 1871 when Bahá’u’lláh and his closest followers were still imprisoned in the city of Akka. It is in the form of rhyming couplets in three parts. In the first part, Bahá’u’lláh speaks of human suffering. Each verse refers to a form of suffering and searches for divine assistance. For example: Calamity hath reached its height:…

  • Centre for the Study of the Sacred Texts - Book of Certitude

    Solving Problems Beyond Solution – The Book of Certitude

    The goal of Bahá’u’lláh’s entire life’s work, as he describes, is to foster unity among human beings. Of his writings, the Book of Certitude plays a particular role in this purpose. Accordingly, it has been said of the Book of Certitude that by sweeping away the age-long barriers that have so insurmountably separated the great religions of the world, [it] has laid down a broad and unassailable foundation for the complete and permanent reconciliation of their followers.[1] In works such as the Hidden Words, we primarily find guidance directed to the spiritual life of the individual. In Bahá’u’lláh’s later writings, such as those published in the Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, we find…

  • Prison cells in Akka in which Baha'u'llah and his companions were held

    Bahá’u’lláh’s Writings – An Introduction

    At one time We spoke in the language of the lawgiver; at another in that of the truth-seeker and the mystic…. [1] This phrase was written by Bahá’u’lláh almost at the end of his life, in his own summation of his life’s work. If you are new to Bahá’u’lláh’s writings, it might not be obvious where to begin. Indeed, it is likely that where to begin is different for each individual. The aim of this article is to provide a broad description of some of Bahá’u’lláh’s key works which span a forty-year period from the 1850s to the 1890s. Also provided below are some online resources, including ebooks. If you haven’t read Bahá’u’lláh’s writings before, perhaps one…