To read the book, see https://bahai-library.com/bahaullah_gleanings_writings_bahaullah .
Tablet recipients[edit]
- https://bahai-library.com/rafati_maceoin_sources_gleanings (links also to https://bahai-library.com/docs/i/izadinia_sources_gleanings.rtf )
Quotations were gathered from innumerable individual tablets[edit]
"Regarding your questions concerning the Gleanings:
"...The Guardian...gathered the quotations for the Gleanings from innumerable individual tablets and writings, and did not keep a record of all of them."
Comparison between pagination in American and British versions[edit]
Cross-references[edit]
- https://bahai-library.com/bolhuis_crossreference_bahai_prayers&chapter=4 or in Excel format (column "E") (cross-references Gleanings' prayers to other prayer books).
- https://bahai-library.com/resources/leiden.list/leiden.index.html#2 (Leiden list cross-reference for Gleanings)
Significance[edit]
An extremely important volume for acquiring a deeper understanding of the Faith[edit]
"He very much appreciates the translation you have made of the Gleanings, and hopes that it will soon be in the hands of all the believers, as it is an extremely important volume for acquiring a deeper understanding of the Faith, and greatly enriches the literature available in the German language."
- (On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, The Light of Divine Guidance, vol. ii, p. 98)
On the need to read[edit]
“The Guardian feels particularly appreciative of the emphasis your {National Youth} Committee has laid on the study of the “Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh”, which book, he believers, should be the continued guide and companion of every believer, specially those who are actively engaged in teaching the Cause. It is his fervent hope that this book will kindle in the heart of all the friends a new light, whereby they will receive a fuller guidance and a greater measure of inspiration in their labours for the Cause.”
- (On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 28 January 1936, Importance of Deepening, no. 126)
“...A true and adequate knowledge of the Cause is, indeed, indispensable to everyone who wishes to successfully teach the Message. The book of ‘Gleanings’ gives the friends a splendid opportunity to acquire this necessary knowledge and understanding. It gives them, in addition, that inspiration and spiritual fervor which the reading of the Holy Words can alone impart.”
- (On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, quoted in The Guidelines for Teaching, no. 1943)
"...as to what subjects within the Faith you should concentrate on he feels that the young Bahá'ís should gain a mastery of such books as the 'Gleanings', 'The Dawn-Breakers', 'God Passes By', the 'Iqan', 'Some Answered Questions' and the more important Tablets. All aspects of the Faith should be deeply studied - and in England they need to know more about the Administration."
- (On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 4 May 1946, to an individual believer, in Importance of Deepening our Knowledge and Understanding of the Faith, no. 143)
Summary per the Introduction to Gleanings, p. xv:[edit]
"The reader may be further assisted by the fact that the contents of Gleanings may be divided into five parts. Part one, pages 1-46, proclaims this age as the "Day of God." "The advent of such a Revelation hath been heeralded in all the sacred Scriptures." This is the culminating age when the past dispensations will bear fruit as men and women the world over unite in a common faith. Part two, pages 46-136, concerns the Manifestation of God and the significance of the Manifestation in representing the attributes of God. Part three, pages 136-200, deals with basic questions concerning the soul and its immortality. Part four, pages 200-259, concerns spiritual aspects of World Order and the Most Great Peace. Part five, pages 259-346, deals with the duties of the individual and the spiritual meaning of life."
Summary[edit]
- Part 1, pp. 1-46 (sec. 1-18) - this age as the "Day of God."
- Part 2, pp. 46-136 (sec. 19-69) - Manifestation of God and the significance of the Manifestation in representing the attributes of God
- Part 3, pp. 136-200 (sec. 70-99) - basic questions concerning the soul and its immortality
- Part 4, pp. 200-259 (sec. 100-121) - spiritual aspects of World Order and the Most Great Peace
- Part 5, pp. 259-346 (sec. 122-166) - the duties of the individual and the spiritual meaning of life
Specific subjects[edit]
Reincarnation[edit]
Its teachings on life after death incompatible with reincarnation[edit]
"It is clear from the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh about the nature of the soul and of life after death as published in 'Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh', that the Bahá'í position on this subject is wholly incompatible with the theory of reincarnation."
- (From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of Monaco, August 5, 1969, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1820)
Individual Tablets[edit]
To-dos for this page[edit]
- Many of the above need to have "excerpt of" added; many such as the Kitáb-i-Aqdas or Kitáb-i-Íqán links could also include a link to the wiki page for the paragraph excerpted.
