Tabernacle of Unity

Texts and scriptures of the Bahá'í Faith
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From Bahá'u'lláh
Days of Remembrance Epistle to the Son of the Wolf The Four Valleys Gems of Divine Mysteries Gleanings Kitáb-i-Aqdas Kitáb-i-Íqán Kitáb-i-Badí' The Hidden Words The Seven Valleys Summons of the Lord of Hosts Tabernacle of Unity Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh List of writings of Bahá'u'lláh
From `Abdu'l-Bahá
Paris Talks The Secret of Divine Civilization Some Answered Questions Tablets of the Divine Plan Tablet to Dr. Forel Tablet to The Hague Will and Testament
From Shoghi Effendi
Advent of Divine Justice Bahá'í Administration God Passes By World Order of Bahá'u'lláh

The Tabernacle of Unity is a small book, first published in July 2006, containing Bahá'u'lláh's Tablet, from the early `Akká period, to Mánikchí Ṣáḥib, a prominent Zoroastrian, and a companion Tablet addressed to Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl, the secretary to Mánikchí Ṣáḥib at that time.

These, together with three shorter inspirational Tablets, offer a glimpse of Bahá'u'lláh’s relationship with the followers of Zoroastrianism.

The title of this work is taken from the following passage:

Tablet to Mánikchí Ṣáḥib (Lawh-i-Mánikchí Ṣáḥib)

This Tablet, revealed at the request of Mánikchí Ṣáḥib in pure Persian, consists of 19 paragraphs. It emphasizes the universality of Bahá'u'lláh's prophetic claim, and includes some of the central teachings of the Bahá'í Faith.

Responses to questions of Mánikchí Ṣáḥib from a Tablet to Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl

This is a lengthy Tablet revealed on 1 July 1882. Among the subjects discussed are:

• The nature of creation.
• The connection between faith and reason.
• The reconciliation of the differences that exist among the laws and ordinances of various religions (Hinduism, the Mahabad Faith, Zoroastrianism, Christianity and Islam).
• Their respective claims to exclusivity.
• Their differing degrees of eagerness to welcome others into their fold.

Tablet of the Seven Questions (Lawh-i-Haft Pursish)

This Tablet is Bahá'u'lláh's reply to questions asked by Ustád Javán-Mard, an early Bahá'í of Zoroastrian background and ex-student of Mánikchí Ṣáḥib.

The questions are relating to the following subjects:

• In what tongue and towards what direction should God be worshipped?
• The Faith of God
• Opposition
• Sháh Bahrám
• The Bridge of Sirát, Paradise and Hell
• The soul
• The lineage and ancestry of Bahá'u'lláh

Two other tablets

These two short Tablets, each addressed to a believer of Zoroastrian background, are inspirational in nature, calling the believers for deeds, not words.

See also

• Bahá'í Faith and Hinduism
• Bahá'í Faith and Zoroastrianism

References

• Bahá'u'lláh (2006). Tabernacle of Unity. Haifa, Israel: Bahá'í World Centre. ISBN 0-85398-969-9.
• Hatcher, J.S. (1997). The Ocean of His Words: A Reader's Guide to the Art of Bahá'u'lláh. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá'í Publishing Trust. ISBN 0-87743-259-7.
• Taherzadeh, A. (1984). The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, Volume 3: `Akka, The Early Years 1868–77. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0-85398-144-2.

Further reading

• Related documents on Bahá'í Library Online

External links

• BWNS: New volume of Bahá'í sacred writings is published
• Tablet to Mánikchí Ṣáḥib, a provisional translation with an introduction and a brief outline, by Ramin Neshati.
• Baha'u'llah on Hinduism and Zoroastrianism: The Tablet to Mirza Abu'l-Fadl Concerning the Questions of Manakji Limji Hataria, Introduction and Translation by Juan R. I. Cole