Talks of 'Abdu'l-Bahá
The Difference Between Talks (not given sanction) and Tablets[edit]
"Shoghi Effendi has laid down the principle that the Bahá'ís should not attribute much importance to talks reported to have been given by the Master, if these have not in one form or other obtained His sanction.
"Bahá'u'lláh has made it clear enough that only those things that have been revealed in the form of Tablets have a binding power over the friends. Hearsays may be matters of interest but can in no way claim authority. This basic teaching of Bahá'u'lláh was to preserve the Faith from being corrupted like Islam which attributes binding authority to all the reported sayings of Muhammad.
"This being a basic principle of the Faith, we should not confuse Tablets that were actually revealed and mere talks attributed to the founders of the Cause. The first have absolute binding authority while the latter can in no way claim our obedience. The highest thing this can achieve is to influence the activities of the one who has heard the saying in person.
"Those talks of the Master that were later reviewed by Him, corrected or in some other form considered authentic by Himself, such as the 'Some Answered Questions', these could be considered as Tablets and therefore be given the necessary binding power. All the other talks such as are included in Ahmad's diary or the diary of pilgrims, do not fall under this category and could be considered only as interesting material to be taken for what they are worth.
"For this reason Shoghi Effendi has not been encouraging the publication of reported sayings that were not authenticated by the Master Himself. And when he said that they may be published if quotation marks are taken away, Shoghi Effendi tried to prevent the friends from considering as actual words of the Master things that were not authenticated by Him."
- (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the United States Publishing Committee, December 29, 1931, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1435)
The method of approaching the mind of the public as evident in the Talks of `Abdu'l-Bahá cannot be surpassed[edit]
"He would advise you among other books to study the Talks of `Abdu'l-Bahá, as His method of approaching the mind of the public cannot be surpassed."
- (From a letter dated 21 October 1943 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, in Importance of Deepening Our Knowledge and Understanding of the Faith, no. 137)
The Bahá'í youth should become thoroughly familiar with the language used and example set by `Abdu'l-Bahá in His public addresses[edit]
"The Bahá'í youth must be taught how to teach the Cause of God. Their knowledge of the fundamentals of the Faith must be deepened and the standard of their education in science and literature enhanced. They must become thoroughly familiar with the language used and the example set by `Abdu'l-Bahá in His public addresses throughout the West. They must also be acquainted with those essential prerequisites of teaching as recorded in the Holy Books and Tablets.
- (Shoghi Effendi, from a letter dated 9 June 1925 to the Spiritual Assembly of the East, Importance of Deepening Our Knowledge and Understanding of the Faith, no. 73)
