The Bahá'í Faith is the youngest of the world's independent religions. Its founder, Bahá'u'lláh (1817-1892), is regarded by Bahá'ís as the most recent in the line of Messengers of God that stretches back beyond recorded time and that includes Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Zoroaster, Christ and Muhammad.
The central theme of Bahá'u'lláh's message is that humanity is one single race and that the day has come for its unification in one global society. God, Bahá'u'lláh said, has set in motion historical forces that are breaking down traditional barriers of race, class, creed, and nation and that will, in time, give birth to a universal civilization. The principal challenge facing the peoples of the earth is to accept the fact of their oneness and to assist the processes of unification.
One of the purposes of the Bahá'í Faith is to help make this possible. A worldwide community of some five million Bahá'ís, representative of most of the nations, races and cultures on earth, is working to give Bahá'u'lláh's teachings practical effect. Their experience will be a source of encouragement to all who share their vision of humanity as one global family and the earth as one homeland.
For more information on the Bahá'í Faith, please visit the its official website.
The following are some quotations from the Bahá'í Holy Writings on Music:
"Intone, O My servant, the verses of God that have been received by thee,
as intoned by them who have drawn nigh unto Him, that the sweetness of thy
melody may kindle thine own soul, and attract the hearts of all men."
(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 295)
"We, verily, have made music as a ladder for your souls, a means whereby
they may be lifted up unto the realm on high; make it not, therefore, as wings
to self and passion."
(Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 38)
"The diversity in the human family should be the cause of love and harmony,
as it is in music where many different notes blend together in the making of
a perfect chord. If you meet those of different race and colour from yourself,
do not mistrust them and withdraw yourself into your shell of conventionality,
but rather be glad and show them kindness. Think of them as different coloured
roses growing in the beautiful garden of humanity, and rejoice to be among
them."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 53)
"This wonderful age has rent asunder the veils of superstition and has condemned the prejudice of the people of the East.
Among some of the nations of the Orient, music and harmony was not approved of, but the Manifested Light, Bahá'u'lláh, in this glorious period has revealed in Holy Tablets that singing and music are the spiritual food of the hearts and souls. In this dispensation, music is one of the arts that is highly approved and is considered to be the cause of the exaltation of sad and desponding hearts.
Therefore ... set to music the verses and the divine words so that they may
be sung with soul-stirring melody in the Assemblies and gatherings, and that
the hearts of the listeners may become tumultuous and rise towards the Kingdom
of Abha in supplication and prayer."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Bahá'í World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 378)
"The diversity in the human family should be the cause of love and harmony,
as it is in music where many different notes blend together in the making of
a perfect chord."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 53)
"Endeavor your utmost to compose beautiful poems to be chanted with heavenly
music; thus may their beauty affect the minds and impress the hearts of those
who listen."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v1, p. 59)
"As to the wonderful melody whereby thy spirit was revived, verily it is a melody of the melodies of the divine music, which will cause the spirits to ascend unto the Supreme Horizon and will (cause) the mysteries to be unfolded.
O maid-servant of God! Be one of the angels of peace and a saint in the world.
Verily thy Lord will cause thee to listen to that wonderful melody, through
the spiritual instrument."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v1, p. 110)
"O thou Eternal One! Make the friends of that country prosperous, acquaint
them with the mysteries; usher them into the divine rose-garden and reveal
to them the hidden realities and significances; make their hearts the association
of truth and their souls full of divine melodies and sacred (choral) music!"
(Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v2, p. 480)
"Thank thou God that thou art instructed in music and melody, singing
with pleasant voice the glorification and praise of the Eternal, the Living.
I pray
to God that thou mayest employ this talent in prayer and supplication, in order
that the souls may become quickened, the hearts may become attracted and all
may become inflamed with the fire of the love of God!"
(Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v3, p. 512)
"O thou maid-servant of God! This celestial music hath moved the hearts
of the people in the world and the Blessed Tree embraced all communities and
nations
under its shade!"
(Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v3, p. 557)
"Thou beholdest, O my God, how every bone in my body soundeth like a
pipe with the music of Thine inspiration, revealing the signs of Thy oneness
and
the
clear tokens of Thy unity."
(Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations by Bahá'u'lláh, p. 111)
"Therefore .... set to music the verses and the divine words so that
they may be sung with soul-stirring melody in the Assemblies and gatherings,
and
that
the hearts of the listeners may become tumultuous and rise towards the Kingdom
of Abha in supplication and prayer."
(Compilations, Bahá'í World Faith, p. 378)
"...The art of music is divine and effective. It is the food of the soul
and spirit. Through the power of music the spirit of man is uplifted. It has
wonderful sway and effect in the hearts of children, for their hearts are pure
and melodies have great influence on them. The latent talents with which the
hearts of these children are endowed will find expression through the medium
of music. Therefore, you must exert yourselves to make them proficient; teach
them to sing with excellence and effect. It is incumbent upon each child to
know something of music, for without knowledge of this art, the melodies of
instrument and voice cannot be rightly enjoyed. Likewise it is necessary that
the schools teach it in order that the souls and hearts of the pupils may become
vivified and exhilarated and their lives be brightened with enjoyment."
('Abdu'l-Bahá:
Promulgation of Universal Peace, p.52)
(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 410)
"I earnestly hope that thou wilt memorize all the Persian poems revealed
by the Blessed Beauty and wilt sing them in a voice of incomparable sweetness
at Bahá'í meetings and gatherings. The day is not far distant
when these poems will be set to Western music and the sweet accents of these
songs will reach the Abha Kingdom with exceeding joy and gladness."
(Translated from the Persian) [8]
(Compilations, The Importance of the Arts in Promoting the Faith)
Compiled by Mitko Gerensky-Greene, using the program Ocean.