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| Oxnard-Ventura Bahá'í |
Newsletter of the Oxnard and Ventura Bahá’í
Communities
May 2006 |
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“I
am, I am, I am, the promised one!” ~ The Báb |
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The purpose of the
Oxnard-Ventura Bahá'í News is to provide information about the Bahá'í Faith
and activities of the Bahá'í’s to those who wish to learn more or attend Bahá'í
devotional gatherings. If you have comments or do not want to receive the Bahá'í
News, write PO Box 7344, Oxnard, CA 93031, call 648-1222. No donations requested
or accepted. Informational
Talks A
brief talk on a general topic about the Bahá'í Faith is followed by
discussion. A time to bring up any question in your heart about spiritual
topics. Reflections on the Life of the Spirit classes Monday nights in Ventura. This discussion based interactive class covers the
acquisition of Virtues, Prayer, and Life after Death.
Probably starting around 6 and going until 8 or 8:30 p.m. Are you interested? Or
do you know someone who might be interested?
It will take 3 months to complete; but missed classes can be easily made
up. Come join the fun. Cal
Arnold Stein 653-3179 or Pete Quick 659-4660 to sign up. The 12th Day of Ridvan Monday, May 1, 7:30 pm At the
Camarillo Library, 3100 Ponderosa Drive, Camarillo, hosted by the Ventura County
Bahá’í’s. The Ascension of Bahá’u’llah Monday, May 29, 3:45 pm |
The Declaration of the Báb Monday, May 22, 3:45 pm Will be
hosted by the Bahá’í’s of Oxnard. Call
648-1222 for information. The Declaration of
the Báb By
Dale E. Lehman The Bahá'í Faith marks as its inception May 23, 1844.
Here's how it happened. The story actually begins some years prior, in 1783, when a
learned man known as Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsá'í (1743-1826) began, at the age of
40, to travel through Persia teaching that the advent of a great Day was drawing
near, the Day that would see the advent of the Qá'im, the Promised One of Islám.
As he spread this message, his knowledge and wisdom
impressed many among the clergy and secular leaders of the day and gathered to
him a group of students eager to learn from him. Among these was a gifted young
man named Siyyid Kázim-i-Rashtí (1793-1843), who became Shaykh Ahmad's favored
pupil and eventual successor. After Shaykh Ahmad's death in 1826, Siyyid Kázim continued
to spread the word of the advent of the Qá'im, but opposition to the message
was rising. In an effort to enlist the voices of some well-respected
authorities, he therefore sent one of his pupils, Mullá Husayn-i-Bushrú'í, to
relate Shaykh Ahmad's teachings to these authorities and answer their questions.
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Throughout
this time, however, he continued to steadfastly announce the coming revelation,
although when pressed to reveal the identity of the Qá'im, he always refused,
often adding that even if he did reveal this secret, none would be able to
accept it. Shortly
before his death in 1843, he instructed his students to go out and search for
the Qá'im, saying He was about to be revealed. It was
this quest that led Mullá Husayn, his brother, and a nephew to the city of Shíráz
on May 22, 1844. Having traveled far in search of the Qá'im, he sent his
companions to the mosque to await him while he wandered awhile, promising to
rejoin them for evening prayers. While
walking outside the gates of the city a few hours before sunset, he was
unexpectedly greeted by a young man. Mullá Husayn thought this man must be a
disciple of Siyyid Kázim who had heard of his arrival in Shíráz and had come
to welcome him. He
accompanied the young man to his house, where tea was served and preparations
begun for the evening prayer. Mullá Husayn then relates the astonishing thing
that happened next: "Overwhelmed
with His acts of extreme kindness, I arose to depart. 'The time for evening
prayer is approaching,' I ventured to observe. 'I have promised my friends to
join them at that hour in the [mosque].' |
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