Teaching

Compilations

• Guidelines for Teaching
• Promoting Entry by Troops
• Particular teaching methods
  • Importance of the Arts in Promoting the Faith
  • Use of Radio and Television in Teaching, The
• Teaching particular groups
  • Aboriginal and Indigenous People, Teaching Among
  • Teaching the Masses
  • Prominent People (compilation)

Phases

• Sequence of teaching
  • Proclamation
  • Expansion
  • Consolidation

Topics

• Teaching planning
• Mass teaching
• Travel teaching
• Firesides
• Pioneering
• Teaching conference
• Meetings for teaching

Letters

• https://bahai-library.com/uhj_teaching_role_institutions

Duty to teach (and promises of blessings and success)

Arise to Serve His Cause

"Whosoever ariseth to aid our Cause, God will render him victorious over ten times ten thousand souls, and, should he wax in his love for Me, him will We cause to triumph over all that is in the heaven and all that is on earth."

(Bahá’u’lláh: cited by Shoghi Effendi in, Messages to the Bahá’í World, p. 101, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1977)

Teaching Enjoined on Believers in Aqdas

"In the Aqdas Bahá’u’lláh considers teaching as a spiritual obligation imposed upon every devoted believer and servant of His Faith. Should the friends become fully conscious of this duty and arise to do their share, this Cause will soon permeate every home throughout the world and the Kingdom of God will be established."

(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer: Bahá’í News, No. 85, p. 8, July 1934, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1978)

Note

• See Kitáb-i-Aqdas, par. 38

The Teachings are not Given to Us to Treasure and Hide

"The world is in great turmoil and its problems seem to become daily more acute. We should therefore not sit idle; otherwise we would be failing in carrying out our sacred duty. Bahá'u'lláh has not given us His teachings to treasure them and hide them for our personal delight and pleasure. He gave them to us that we may pass them from mouth to mouth until all the world becomes familiar with them and enjoys their blessings and uplifting influence."

(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to the Spiritual Assembly of Eliot, Maine, March 27, 1933: Bahá’í News, No. 73, May 1933, p. 2, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1980)

Importance of Teaching—Terrible Problems Confronting Humanity

"The more one observes the conditions of the world and the terrible problems confronting humanity, the more deeply one realizes that the only remedy is that which Bahá’u’lláh has brought, and yet, alas, the masses of the people seem to not yet be aware that the way out of our problems can only be a divine way, given by something far greater than human understanding! However, many souls are seriously thinking and seeking, and the Bahá’ís must try to bring the knowledge of the teachings to all, so that those prepared to accept may not be denied the Message!"

(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer: Ibid., p. 72, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1999)

See also

• Family#Teaching the Faith to one's family

Rewards of teaching

Recompense of Martyr Assuredly Recorded

"In this day, the beloved of God must not hesitate or delay an instant in teaching the Cause of the Manifestation; and reconciling words of the religion of majestic oneness; because, verily, in this day, to the soul who is the cause of guidance to another soul the recompense of a martyr in the way of God will be assuredly recorded by the pen of the Cause for his deed. This is from the Bounty of God unto thee. Do according to what thou hast been commanded and do not be of those who tarry."

(‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Bahá’í Scriptures, p. 204, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1982)

All can and should teach (though depends on effort at study, etc.)

Every One is a Potential Teacher

"… Not until all the friends come to realize that everyone is able, in his own measure, to deliver the Message can they ever hope to reach the goal that has been set for them by a loving and wise Master. It is no use for some able and eloquent teacher to take all the responsibility for the spread of the Cause. For such a thing is not only contrary to the spirit of the Teachings, but to the explicit text of the writings of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, both of Whom place the obligation of teaching not on any particular class as in former ecclesiastical organizations but on every faithful and loyal follower of the Cause. The teaching of the Word is thus made universal and compulsory. How long, then, shall we wait to carry out this command, the full wisdom of which only future generations will be able to appreciate? We have no special teachers in this Cause. Everyone is a potential teacher. He has only to use what God has given him and thus prove that he is faithful to his trust."

(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer: The Bahá’í World, p. 126, Vol. V, in Lights of Guidance, no. 2001)

Each One of the Believers is Like an Ark of Salvation

"I desire that you may see the divine ships. These ships are the blessed sails who are traversing the sea of Divine mercy; their propellors are the powers of spiritual love and their captains are the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. No ship is ever wrecked in this sea; its waves are life-giving. Each one of the friends of God is like unto an ark of Salvation. Each ark saves many souls from the storms of troubles. The signs and traces of these sails are never-ending and eternal. The future centuries and cycles are like the sea on the surface of which these arks glide blissfully toward their spiritual destination."

(Talk by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Star of the West, Vol. 8, No. 8, p. 104, August 11, 1917, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1997)

Teaching not Conditioned by Occupation

"Teaching the Faith is not conditioned by what occupation we have, or how great our knowledge is, but rather on how much we have studied the Teachings, to what degree we live the Bahá’í life, and how much we long to share this Message with others. When we have these characteristics, we are sure, if we search, to find receptive souls.

"You should persevere and be confident that, with effort, success can be yours."

(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi by his secretary to an American believer, 1957: Bahá’í News, No. 351, p. 2, May 1960, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1983)

Conditions for a teacher

First Condition of a Religious Teacher

"It is a wonderful, priceless boon to be a vessel carrying food from God. It cannot be bought with gold. The first condition of a religious teacher is to believe in God; the second, to turn his face toward God; the third to be severed from all save God. Such teachers will constitute illumined lamps of guidance, the stars of the heaven of mercy, the trees of the orchard of Abhá, flowers of the garden of mystery and torches of the path of salvation.

"Teaching the Cause of God is not only through the tongue; it is through deeds, a good disposition, happiness of nature, kindness and sympathy, good fellowship, trustworthiness, holiness, virtue, purity of ideals, and lastly, speech."

(‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Bahá’í News, No. 243, May 1951, p. 8, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1998)

‘Abdu’l-Bahá Teaches How to Teach (role of prayer (and faith?))

"…in the city of Baghdád, I talked with a learned man, Mulla Hassan, some of whose relatives were believers. No matter how hard they tried to give him the Message, he would not accept it. Once, they brought him to my house when I was just getting up from my sleep and combing my hair. They said, 'We have brought so-and-so here and we beg you to come and speak with him; perhaps, he will become a believer.' I said, 'Very well,' and then I turned to the Blessed Beauty and prayed: 'O Blessed Beauty, confirm me!' Afterwards, I talked to him, and in the same hour he became a believer. He became exceedingly good and was so enkindled that, although he was of high rank, he used to go into the kitchen and cook things with his own hand to entertain the friends."

(Talk by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the Holy Land, translated by Dr. Zia Baghdádi: Star of the West, Vol. IX, No. 3, p. 36, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1981)

Need Teachers of Spiritual Capacity, Knowledge of Covenant

"…the National Assembly should pay particular attention to getting teachers with spiritual capacity and a deep knowledge of the Covenant out to the weaker communities on circuit teaching trips, and that an effort should be made for them to stay for some time in each place. It is evident that one of the reasons that the work on the home front in America is so seriously lagging is that the Bahá’ís themselves, though undoubtedly devoted, loyal and conscientious, are not always very deeply grounded in the spiritual fundamentals of their Faith. This produces a maladjustment, so to speak, in the nature of their service to the Cause; and only through a deeper understanding of their Faith and the inner spiritual strength that this understanding brings, will they be able to reinforce themselves to meet their tasks, to see the joy of discharging their duties and grasping their privileges."

(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, July 19, 1956: Bahá’í News, No. 307, September 1956, p. 1, in Lights of Guidance, no. 2000)

Teaching acceptable only when done by a firm believer in God

"Say: Teach ye the Cause of God, O people of Bahá, for God hath prescribed unto every one the duty of proclaiming His Message, and regardeth it as the most meritorious of all deeds. Such a deed is acceptable only when he that teacheth the Cause is already a firm believer in God, the Supreme Protector, the Gracious, the Almighty."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, sec. 128)

Teacher should teach self before teaching others

"Whoso ariseth among you to teach the Cause of his Lord, let him, before all else, teach his own self, that his speech may attract the hearts of them that hear him. Unless he teacheth his own self, the words of his mouth will not influence the heart of the seeker. Take heed, O people, lest ye be of them that give good counsel to others but forget to follow it themselves."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, sec. 128)

Teachers must be reborn, be satisfied with little food, disengaged from temptation and covetousness, and filled with spirit

"As regards the teachers, they must completely divest themselves from the old garments and be invested with a new garment. According to the statement of Christ, they must attain to the station of rebirth—that is, whereas in the first instance they were born from the womb of the mother, this time they must be born from the womb of the world of nature. Just as they are now totally unaware of the experiences of the foetal world, they must also forget entirely the defects of the world of nature. They must be baptized with the water of life, the fire of the love of God and the breaths of the Holy Spirit; be satisfied with little food, but take a large portion from the heavenly table. They must disengage themselves from temptation and covetousness, and be filled with the spirit. Through the effect of their pure breath, they must change the stone into the brilliant ruby and the shell into pearl. Like unto the cloud of vernal shower, they must transform the black soil into the rose garden and orchard. They must make the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, the extinguished one enkindled and set aglow, and the dead quickened."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of the Divine Plan, p. 96, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1985)

Need for progressive teaching

• New believers#Need_for_gradual_introduction_to_challenging_laws_and_observances_and_need_not_know_all_proofs.2C_history.2C_and_principles_before_enrolling_.28though_should_be_some_introduction_before_accepting_into_the_Faith_and_should_continue_after_becoming_a_Bah.C3.A1.27.C3.AD.29

Teaching all vs. teaching capable/pure/willing

Need to confirm people of true capacity and ability

"He (the Guardian) feels that the great point is to confirm people of true capacity and ability--from whatever social stratum they may be, because the Cause needs now, and will ever increasingly need, souls of great ability who can bring it before the public at large, administer its ever-growing affairs, and contribute to its advancement in every field."

(On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 30 October 1941, Unfolding Destiny, p. 438)

Seek pure souls to gain confidence and teach the Faith

"The Friends should seek pure souls, gain their confidence and then teach that person carefully until he becomes a Bahá'í -- and then nurture him until he becomes a firm and active supporter of the Faith."

(On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, Messages to Canada, 10 June 1956, p. 238)

Concentrate on pure hearted people

"The Friends should concentrate on pure hearted people, and continue association and fellowship with them, until they themselves become active workers in the Cause of God."

(On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, letter dated 12/20/55 to an individual believer, attached to letter dated 2/4/85 on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States, in the Power of Unity, no. 34)

The wise are they that speak not unless they obtain a hearing

"The wise are they that speak not unless they obtain a hearing, even as the cup-bearer, who proffereth not his cup till he findeth a seeker, and the lover who crieth not out from the depths of his heart until he gazeth upon the beauty of his beloved."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Hidden Words from the Persian, no. 36)

Teaching methods/techniques

Meditate on Methods of Teaching (including memorization)

"The sanctified souls should ponder and meditate in their hearts regarding the methods of teaching. From the texts of the wondrous, heavenly Scriptures they should memorize phrases and passages bearing on various instances, so that in the course of their speech they may recite divine verses whenever the occasion demandeth it, inasmuch as these holy verses are the most potent elixir, the greatest and mightiest talisman. So potent is their influence that the hearer will have no cause for vacillation…."

(Bahá’u’lláh: Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 200, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1979)

Quoting/referencing the Writings

Be able to recite the divine verses whenever the occasion demands it

"From the texts of the wondrous, heavenly Scriptures they should memorize phrases and passages bearing on various instances, so that in the course of their speech they may recite divine verses whenever the occasion demandeth it, inasmuch as these holy verses are the most potent elixir, the greatest and mightiest talisman."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 200)

Be able to quote from Tablets when discussing subjects pertaining to the Faith

"The friends should read the Writings to be able to quote from the Tablets when discussing subjects pertaining to the Faith."

(From a letter dated 9 May 1932 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; in Importance of Deepening, no. 105)

Refer seeker constantly to the Word itself

"Divine Truth is relative and that is why we are enjoined to constantly refer the seeker to the Word itself--and why any explanations we make to ease the journey of the soul of any individual must be based on the Word--and the Word alone."

(From a letter dated 4 June 1957 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada; in Guidelines for Teaching, no. 2008)

Prove our points by constant reference to the actual words of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá (though we are not limited to this in finding new ways of approach to that truth and explain how they influence our life and condition)

"Surely the ideal way of teaching is to prove our points by constant reference to the actual words of Bahá'u'lláh and the Master. This will save the Cause from being misinterpreted by individuals. It is what these divine Lights say that is truth and therefore should be the authorities of our statements. This, however, does not mean that our freedom of expression is limited. We can always find new ways of approach to that truth or explain how they influence our life and condition. The more deep our studies the more we can understand the significance of the teachings."

(From a letter dated 16 February 1932 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; in Importance of Deepening, no. 103)

See also

• Raising concerns with fellow believers about statements or actions apparently undermining the Covenant (as such discussions may necessitate reference to the Writings)
• Memorization

Use method of expression to attract listener; refrain from terms like "Glory of God" if not suited to mentality

"The Teacher Should Use Whatever Method of Expression That Will Attract the Listener "English is, compared to Latin and oriental languages, lacking (as spoken in daily use) in flowery terms, and the Guardian feels that in teaching you should always use whatever method will most attract your hearers. If such term as 'The Glory of god' are not suited to certain individuals' mentality you should refrain from using them until they draw really close to the spirit of the Cause. The teaching is of primary, the words of secondary importance."

(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, January 23, 1945) (Lights of Guidance, no. 2033, pp. 600-601)

To-dos for this section

• Find other quotes on needing to share the message with all

See also

• Speech
• Words and deeds