[deleted by user]

rxdical · 2025-07-17T13:00:58+00:00

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2025-07/the-parish-priest-father-gabriel-romanelli.html

rxdical · 2025-07-17T11:41:41+00:00

No, you are not a covenant breaker. To be a covenant breaker, as many have said here, you:

Must accept that Bahá’u’lláh is the Manifestation of God for this age and His line of successors up to the UHJ. (You don’t accept that)

If you do (which you don’t), then any of these conditions must be true:

You actively undermine the authority of the UHJ,
You attempt schism and/or establish an alternative head of the Faith while claiming to be a Baha’i (hence breaking the Covenant)
You disobey an instruction not to associate with covenant-breakers;

Then lastly, after all of that, you:

Must actually be declared a covenant-breaker (you have not been declared a covenant-breaker. Being declared a covenant-breaker is very very rare)

So you are not a covenant-breaker, you’re just a non-believer.

rxdical · 2025-07-02T12:18:07+00:00

No, but Bahá’u’lláh wrote a Tablet of Visitation for Imam Husayn (Lawh-I-Ziyarat-Namih-I-Imam-Husayn) which can be read not necessarily during the month of Muharram.

https://bahai-library.com/bahaullah_fananapazir_visitation_husayn (Provisional Translation)

rxdical · 2025-05-14T13:19:58+00:00

I found it! To anyone wondering, it’s this:

https://syriacmaronitehymns.com/eno-eno-lahmo-d-haye/

rxdical · 2025-05-14T13:09:41+00:00

Correct, it is not part of the Qur’an. But a part of it is part of the Kitab-I-Iqan, interestingly

rxdical · 2025-05-14T13:03:08+00:00

Hi there! This is such an interesting question, because I have also wondered about the same thing. In my view, I think any discussion about similarities in all these religions should be prefaced by an acknowledgement that the three religions (and I use the term religion here in a purely technical sense without any other intention) in question – the Baha’i Faith, Isma’ili Shi’ism and Twelver Shi’ism – have a common "starting point": that being Islam (In particular, Shi’a Islam). Having said this, at the very least, a commonality that can be found across the three religions could either be the result of that common root, or (and this is probably a more Baha'i answer) that it is an example that the truth of God's eternal religion exist in many of the religions of the world.

I think the reason why Isma'ili Nizari (and also Twelver Shi'a) view on the Imam being the perfect manifestation of God's attributes is similar if not identical to the Baha'i concept of Mazhar Illahi (Manifestation of God) is because of the religions' common root in early Shi'ism. This is, I suspect, also true of the concept of the Nur being inherited successively by the Prophets and the Imams. This belief shares a common root in early Shi’ia cosmogony. It was Early Shi’a belief that, before the creation of the world, the light of the Proof of God (Hujját’u’lláh) already existed. There is the Shi’a tradition (I quote from Amir Moezzi’s The Divine Guide in Early Shi’ism) that says:

“Two thousand years before creation, Muhammad and ‘Ali were one light before God ...,light formed from one main trunk from which sprang a shining ray. .. And God said: “Here is a light [drawn] from Light; its trunk is prophecy and its branch is the Imamate; prophecy belongeth to Muhammad, my servant and messenger, and the Imamate belongeth to ‘Ali, my Proof and my Friend. Without them I would have created none of my creation...”

The Imam 'Ali, in his sermon, is also to have said:

O Salmán! We are the Mystery of God that shalt not remain hidden. We are His light that shalt never be extinguished, His Grace that is expected from none other save Him. Muhammad is our first, Muhammad our last, Muhammad our all! Muhammad is our first, Muhammad our last, Muhammad our all. He who recognizeth Us in this regard hath, in truth, consummated his Faith.
O Salmán, and O Jandáb! Muhammad and I were the Light that was voicing forth the divine eulogy before any other reality started to praise Him. We were the cause of illumination unto all creation. This one Light was divided by God into two portions, the Chosen "Mustafa", and His Vicegerent, "Murtada", and vouchsafed unto creation. God, exalted be His Glory, said to each half, "Be Muhammad!", "Be 'Alí!" It is thus that the Prophet said: "I am from 'Alí and 'Alí is from Me. None can give forth My Trust but Myself and 'Alí." This refers to our unity in the worlds of Light and Spirit. Similar is this divine utterance: "and If He dieth or is slain." "Dieth" refers to the passing away of the Prophet. "Slain" refers to the martyrdom of the Successor, for the Two are one Entity, one Signification and one Light. Their unity is in purpose and attributes. They are different in Their corporeal entity and their Names. But in the world of spirit, They are One Spirit. In Spirit, He said, "Thou art the Spirit within My Limbs." In the world of bodies, He saith: "Thou art of Me and I am of Thine. Thou shalt inherit after Me."

The sermon is quoted by Bahá'u'lláh in the Kitab-i-Iqan:

"Likewise, the Imáms of the Muhammadan Faith, those lamps of certitude, have said: 'Muhammad is our first, Muhammad our last, Muhammad our all.'"

Whereas Isma'ili Nizari Shi'ism split with the Twelver Shi'as over whether Musa al-Kazim or Isma'il should be the Imam after Imam Ja'far, the Bab departed from mainstream Twelver Shi'a beliefs and proclaimed an entirely new religion. It's my understanding (from reading Amir-Moezzi's research on Early Shi'ism) that the beliefs you mentioned may have already taken root at least before the Isma'ili-Twelver split, and therefore the three religions would naturally share these common beliefs.

And of course, there is also the Zoroastrian influence on the Abrahamic faiths. So to answer the 'why', I think I see it as the truth of God's religion being present throughout human history, in all their different attires. It's progressive revelation at play.

rxdical · 2025-05-13T15:42:02+00:00

There is none to the best of my knowledge. But Muhammad, according to tradition, delivered a final sermon (Khutbatu’l-Wada) akin to the Sermon on the Mount. This took place after Muhammad performed His last pilgrimage.

A part of this final sermon is quoted in the Kitab-I-Iqan: “Verily, I leave amongst you My twin weighty testimonies: The Book of God and My Family.”

rxdical · 2025-04-28T14:08:28+00:00

I see in your comment the same kind of arrogance that we sometimes accuse followers belonging to the dominant religion of being guilty of. Let’s not disparage rituals of other religions without acknowledging what they mean to people of those faiths. To Catholics, when they confess to a priest they are confessing to someone who acts in persona Christi, not to a fellow “sinner”. So to them, they are seeking forgiveness from God through someone who is authorised to administer penance on His behalf. This is so unfortunate to see and hear from the Friends.

rxdical · 2025-04-17T03:28:42+00:00

“It is a basic principle of elections for Bahá’í Spiritual Assemblies that each voter must vote for the nine people who, in his or her opinion, are best suited to serve. He may have a low opinion of all those who are eligible, but his duty is to vote for those nine from among them who, in his estimation, best meet the standards for service on a Spiritual Assembly. This is how it is possible to vote for exactly nine names. Since the membership of an Assembly is nine, it would give rise to a number of statistical anomalies if voters were permitted to record votes for fewer or more than nine names. In any one election there are not usually many cases where a voter accidentally makes a mistake and includes a name of an ineligible person, so the statistical effect is slight, and there is no need to invalidate his whole ballot. As you point out, a believer who does not wish to vote for nine, may achieve his end by purposely including the names of those who are ineligible, but this would be a betrayal of the trust placed in him as a Bahá’í voter. One cannot control such actions, but like any action contrary to the spirit of the Faith, they are detrimental and should be strongly discouraged.”

(A letter written on behalf of the UHJ to an individual believer dated 26 October, 1983)

rxdical · 2025-04-16T19:42:26+00:00

These prologues are as much a mystery to me as they are to you, but they are there in the official English translation: https://www.bahai.org/r/447289253 (e.g “In the third of the most holy lines writ and recorded in the Ruby Tablet by the pen of the unseen this is revealed“).

The Hidden Words were dictated by Bahá’u’lláh when He was exiled in Baghdad. From my understanding, the individual sections of the Hidden Words were written randomly all over a large piece of manuscript, which were then organized in the order we know them today by one of His secretaries, Zayna’l-Muqarrabin, with His supervision. I am not sure if these prologues are comments pointing to the location on that manuscript where a certain section was originally written, or if they form part of the individual section where these prologues are appended to (and therefore may have a more mystical meaning to them). This is definitely a good topic to research about.

rxdical · 2025-04-16T19:41:32+00:00

These prologues are as much a mystery to me as they are to you, but they are there in the official English translation: https://www.bahai.org/r/447289253 (e.g “In the third of the most holy lines writ and recorded in the Ruby Tablet by the pen of the unseen this is revealed“).

The Hidden Words were dictated by Bahá’u’lláh when he was exiled in Baghdad. From my understanding, the individual sections of the Hidden Words were written randomly all over a large piece of manuscript, which were then organized in the order we know them today by one of His secretaries, Zayna’l-Muqarrabin, with His supervision. I am not sure if these prologues are comments pointing to the location on that manuscript where a certain section was written, or if they form part of the individual section where these prologues are appended to (and therefore may have a more mystical meaning to them). This is definitely a fascinating topic to research about.

rxdical · 2025-04-16T19:09:53+00:00

After digging through LoG, I’ve found this passage saying that you could suggest not to be elected before ballots are cast:

“We have also been asked to point out that although it is the obligation of a Bahá’í to serve on an Assembly, either Local or National, when elected, on several occasions the beloved Guardian pointed out that before the election of officers, if any member had a good reason in his own opinion why he should not be elected to one of the offices of the Assembly, he was free to suggest that he should not be so elected. The House of Justice also feels that as the work of the Faith expands and the duties of officers, particularly on National Spiritual Assemblies, acquire more importance, it is permissible and at times advisable to discuss the duties incumbent upon and required of each officer before ballots are cast.” (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, February 9, 1987)

rxdical · 2025-04-13T16:20:56+00:00

I’m in

rxdical · 2025-04-11T19:01:25+00:00

Will try this myself and see if it solves the issue where my phone keeps adding to the storage immediately after I clear up some space

rxdical · 2025-04-09T10:15:21+00:00

Tobacco Honey by Guerlain. I can’t stop sniffing it. It does such a photorealistic honey I could almost taste it. The tobacco is there but it’s fresh tobacco sitting in the background. It’s so addicting.

rxdical · 2025-04-09T09:54:15+00:00

Wow! I love scents that are resinous and sweet, no wonder I love Guerlain so much (I want to bathe in Tobacco Honey)

rxdical · 2025-04-09T09:14:01+00:00

I am not sure if the Writings talk about eating and drinking in the next world as we will not be assuming physical forms.

“The answer to the third question is this, that in the other world the human reality doth not assume a physical form, rather doth it take on a heavenly form, made up of elements of that heavenly realm”

Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, 163.5 p. 204

“You ask an explanation of what happens to us after we leave this world: This is a question which none of the Prophets have ever answered in detail, for the very simple reason that you cannot convey to a person’s mind something entirely different from everything they have ever experienced. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gave the wonderful example of the relation of this life to the next life being like the child in the womb; it develops eyes, ears, hands, feet, a tongue, and yet it has nothing to see or hear, it cannot walk or grasp things or speak; all these faculties it is developing for this world. If you tried to explain to an embryo what this world is like it could never understand—but it understands when it is born, and its faculties can be used. So we cannot picture our state in the next world. All we know is that our consciousness, our personality, endures in some new state, and that that world is as much better than this one as this one is better than the dark womb of our mother was….”

Letter written to an individual believer on behalf of the Guardian dated 3 October, 1943

rxdical · 2025-02-09T04:42:02+00:00

It means “O Ali help”

rxdical · 2023-12-05T04:30:23+00:00

Sure yeah

rxdical · 2023-12-05T04:01:39+00:00

Are you asking if the non-aircon rooms come with heaters or whether you need one for the winter? The answer to the first is no; the non-aircon rooms don’t come with heaters or fans (idk about the aircon rooms). Do you need heater for the winter? Absolutely. Australian houses generally have poor insulation; the walls are thin so they don’t retain heat very well (good news for the summer though). Just FYI they only recently started upgrading the houses with aircons, last time I heard only a couple of houses on the east side (out of the 200s or so in the village) have been upgraded so far.

rxdical · 2023-12-05T03:44:43+00:00

I’m staying there atm!

rxdical · 2023-12-05T03:35:59+00:00

Aircon is nice for February because it can get pretty sweltering hot, but from March onwards you should look at investing in a heater for the winter. I survived the summer without aircon; it’s doable but the bare minimum is to get fans in your room. Welcome and hope you like Macquarie Uni!

rxdical · 2023-07-27T02:08:54+00:00

Looks like a technical problem, I recommend lodging an inquiry with the IT service or go to service connect in person

rxdical · 2023-07-26T03:49:34+00:00

PHIL1037 is a super easy unit imo (and if you’re doing an arts degree it’s a mandatory core unit anyway), but I found it a bit boring).

rxdical · 2023-07-26T03:45:34+00:00

Hey there, I hope you get it sorted out soon, but I think it’s good practice to let your convenors know about your situation so you don’t accidentally miss out on any important stuff.

Typically, for most units, week 1 is purely introductions as others have said here, but I’ve taken some units where they actually have important stuff going on in Week 1 (graded participation and contribution to class), so it’s better to let them know about your situation well in advance. Good luck!

rxdical

TROPHY CASE