History

Shoghi Effendi's definitive survey of the "outstanding events" of the Baha'i Revelation's first century (1844-1944). A matrix for future scholars of the Baha'i Faith and the only book that Shoghi Effendi penned, God Passes By, "stands unique in the annals of religion" as a religious history written soon after the passing of its Prophet by the head of its community "with access to all documents and materials and complete understanding of its nature and purpose."

Read A User’s Guide to God Passes By written by Michael Day on Baha’i Blog

The early histories of all the Baha’i communities of southern Iran are narrated here for the first time. Drawing on original sources including manuscript histories, letters, family records and material previously published only in Persian, Dr Moojan Momen provides a panoramic yet detailed account of the largest and the smallest Baha’i communities during the period 1851 to 1921.

Born of the need to address the plight of men of African descent in the United States, and the unique afflictions imposed upon them, the Black Men's Gathering was founded in 1987 as an individual initiative. From its humble origins in a Greensboro hotel room where the original twelve participants met, the Gathering would grow and evolve over the course of a quarter-century to embrace hundreds in an atmosphere of love, fellowship, and devotion to the Cause of God. Anchor of Faith gives us a glimpse of the vibrant spirit of the Gathering; details its history, evolution, and influence; and brings to light the countless avenues of service pursued by its participants both at home and across the globe.

Perhaps there is no more fitting occasion to revisit this beloved book by one of the great Bahá’í authors than the centenary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s passing. Within the pages of The Sheltering Branch Marzieh Gail offers a tribute to the life and teachings of the Master, highlighting His words and actions, and giving the reader a fleeting glimpse of the days in which He lived. Gail presents passages from the writings and talks of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and draws on the memoirs of her mother, Florence Breed Khan, who spent time in His presence as a pilgrim, to craft this lovingly rendered portrait.

Who is Shoghi Effendi? What is the Formative Age and what is the Administrative Order of the Bahá’í Faith? In a highly readable way, this book aims to answer these questions.

It is the last of the four books by Hitjo Garst about the first 120 years of the Bahá’í Faith and is about Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Faith. His life is inextricably linked to the first forty years of the Formative Age and the building of the Administrative Order, which began in 1921. The Formative Age of the Faith was preceded by the Heroic Age, which began in 1844, in Iran, with the proclamation of the Báb, the Herald of Bahá’u’lláh. After Bahá’u’lláh’s Ascension, the unity of His Faith was preserved through ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, just as now and into the future, unity will be preserved through the Administrative Order.

Doris McKay became a Bahá’í in 1925 through the teaching efforts of Howard and Mabel Ives. This book tells the story of Doris and her husband Willard’s life as early American Bahá’ís, of their friendships with people such as the Ives, Grace and Harlan Ober, Louis Gregory, May Maxwell, Martha Root, Dorothy Baker, and others. It tells the story of the McKay’s work in the racial amity field and their eventual pioneering move to eastern Canada in the 1940s.

Doris tells her story with clear-sightedness, zest, and love. This book provides an intimate glimpse into the spiritual life of a dedicated Bahá’í teacher and the development of the Bahá’í Faith in America.