The Journal of Bahá’í Studies

Mathnaví of the Blessed One

John S. Hatcher — 2024-12-27

Baha'u'llah's "Mathnaví of the Blessed One" Provisional Translation with Introduction and Notes by John S. Hatcher, Amrollah Hemmat, and Ehsanollah Hemmat

Turning a Somersault to Land at the Feet of the Báb

Chris Lowry — 2024-12-27

Ross G. Woodman (1922-2014), known to Bahá’ís as a scholar and teacher, had a vivid dream of an encounter with the Báb in 1942. He circled around the question of what the dream called him to do, and to become, for the rest of his life. Woodman’s spiritual journey was troubled and complex. He was preoccupied with questions of poetic faith and religious faith, revelation and knowledge. This essay explores the arc of the flying somersault in his dream of the Báb, which served as a template for the trajectory of his life. Woodman’s life story off ers insights into the question of “aesthetic” versus “ethical” engagement with the Faith, as well as the specific challenge
facing academics or others whose professional life may seem to demand that they compartmentalize their faith.

The Reception of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Britain

Robert H. Stockman — 2024-12-27

Review of The Reception of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Britain: East Comes West, by Brendan McNamara. 224 pages. Brill, 2020.

On the Originality of Species

Douglas Perry — 2024-12-27

Review of On the Originality of Species: The Convergence of Evolutionary Science and Baha’i Teachings by Bryan Donaldson. x + 291 pages, including appendices, glossary, and endnotes (no index). Akka Publishing House, 2023.

Nader Saiedi’s Logos and Civilization Revisited

Christopher Buck — 2024-12-27

Review of Logos and Civilization: Spirit, History, and Order in the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh. By Nader Saiedi. Paperback. Ottawa: Association for Bahá’í Studies, 2023. xxiv + 356 pages, including notes, references.

The Master Key

Michael Sabet — 2024-12-27

Translating the Bahá'í Writings into Languages Other Than English

Mary Goebel Noguchi — 2024-12-27

Given its belief in the transformative power of the Word of God, the Bahá’í Faith places great importance on the translation of its sacred writings into as many languages as possible. Translations into languages other than English need to be approved by the National Spiritual Assembly of the country in which they are published, but are often initiated by individuals, meaning that institutions and individuals have distinct and complementary roles in the translation process. Most of these translations are from English versions—usually those produced by Shoghi Effendi—of the original Bahá’í writings in Arabic, Persian, and Turkish. As linguists who have been involved in translating and reviewing translations of the writings, the authors have encountered a number of challenges in their translation work, including questions about spelling, terminology, and the politeness strategies employed in the original work, as well as idiosyncrasies of English usage. We illustrate these issues and possible approaches to dealing with them using the case of a short passage from Bahá’u’lláh’s Writings translated into Japanese and Tok Pisin. It is hoped that this article will lead to exchanges among translators and reviewers and possibly to the development of a database of exegesis literature on the Writings and other aides to translators.

Comments on Historical Consciousness, Power and Authority, and Modes of Communication

Todd Smith — 2024-12-27