Major themes in the history
and texts of the Baha’i faith

Online course for the second year of the Bahā’í Studies program for the academic year 2022-2023
(course number: 38325 – Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

Corso online erogato dalla Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Il link sarà inviato in prossimità della prima lezione.

Coordinators: Prof. Meir M. Bar-Asher and Dr. Tiffani Razavi
Assistant: Mr. Eitan Ishai
Coordinamento in Italia: Prof. Fabrizio Mandreoli

Calendar and Program

8/11/22 – Dr. Moojan Momen
The Life of the Bāb
A general introduction to the life of the Bāb, with a focus on how the Bāb dealt
with the messianic expectations of his milieu (in particular the expectation that the
advent of the Mahdi meant violence and a war against evil).

15/11/22 – Dr. Moojan Momen
The Life of Bahā’u’llāh
A general introduction to the life of Bahā’u’llāh, with a focus on the controversy
with Mirza Yahya Azal.

29/11/22 – Dr. Joshua Lincoln
The Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahā
A general introduction to the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahā, with a focus on the regional and
social context.

13/12/22 – Dr. Moojan Momen
The Life of Shoghi Effendi
A general introduction to the life of Shoghi Effendi, with a focus on the globalization
of the Bahā’i Faith during the period of his ministry

27/12/22 – Dr. Sasha Dehghani
The Martyr-Messiah: Three Works in the Ministry of the Bāb
A general introduction to the writings of the Bāb, with a focus on selected passages
from the Qayyūm al-Asmā, the Persian Bayān and Dalā’il Sabih.

10/01/23 – Dr. Sasha Dehghani
From Sunrise to Sunset: Bahā’u’llāh and a Twofold Moral Purpose
A general introduction to the writings of Bahā’u’llāh, with a focus on themes of
individual spiritual transformation and collective social development, including
passages from the Seven Valleys, the Kitāb-i-Iqān, the Kitāb-i-Aqdas, the lawh-i-
Hikmat and the Kitāb-i-‘Ahd.

24/1/23 – Dr. Sasha Dehghani
The Ministry of the Mystery: Religion and Reform
A general introduction to the writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahā, with a focus on selected
passages from The Secret of Divine Civilization, Some Answered Questions,
Tablets of Divine Plan and ‘Abdu’l-Bahā’s Will and Testament.

14/3/23 – Dr. Sasha Dehghani
Shoghi Effendi and The Formative Age
A general introduction to the writings of Shoghi Effendi, with a focus on selected
passages from the World Order Letters, God Passes By, and The Promised Day is
Come.

28/3/23 – Prof. Hoda Mahmoudi – 18/4/23 Prof. Hoda Mahmoudi
The Spiritual Struggle for Global Peace
Through a careful exposition of the Bahā’í concept of peace, ‘Abdu’l-Bahā details
how world leaders have chosen a narrowly focused political approach to peace.
He explains that such an approach is insufficient, and that in order to build a
lasting peace humanity must join together to eradicate the manifold barriers to
peace wherever they occur.

2/5/23 – Dr. Necati Alkan
The Bābi and Bahā’i Religions in the Ottoman Empire
This session will provide the historical context for the genesis of the Bābi and
Bahā’i Religions and their development in the Ottoman Empire. The session
will be Mainly based on the analysis of documents at the Ottoman Archives in
Istanbul and other Ottoman Turkish sources.

16/5/23 – Dr. Necati Alkan
‘Abdu’l-Bahā and Ottoman Reformers
Bahā’u’llāh, and his son and successor ‘Abdu’l-Bahā were in contact with Ottoman
reformers from the 1860s onwards. With a claim to a new religious dispensation,
Bahā’u’llāh, calling himself a “World Reformer,” composed many writings
stressing not only the spiritual regeneration and advancement of humanity but
also material progress.

30/5/23 – Prof. Meir Bar-Asher/panel – Course conclusion

Modalità di verifica:
produzione di un elaborato finale.