Persian
From Bahai9
Need for Iranian parents to teach their children Persian
“...the Bahá’í parents from an Iranian background should endeavor to teach their children the Persian language, for Persian is one of the two languages of revelation in this glorious Dispensation. Bahá’u’lláh says: “In this Day when the sun of knowledge hath appeared and is resplendent from the firmament of Iran, whatever is said in praise of this language is meet and seemly.” He also says: “The Beloved of the world speaks in the Persian language. It would be praiseworthy in His eyes if His loved ones also converse and write in this language.”
- (Universal House of Justice, to the Iránian believers throughout the world, 154 B.E. at http://bahai-library.com/?file=uhj_history_bahais_iran.html )
Classes in Persian (language and study of the Writings) recommended in cities where number of Iranian Baha'is reside
“It would be a great service if, in every city and region where a number of Iranian Bahá’ís reside, some Persian friends would exert a special effort to teach this language to the children and youth, study together the Writings in Persian, and drink their fill from the billowing source of the Creative Word and the Sacred Writings. We praise God for having enabled some Bahá’í institutions abroad to devise ways and develop programs to teach the Persian language to those Iranians who live outside their homeland. Such programs can be put to good use for the achievement of this blessed service.”
- (Universal House of Justice, to the Iránian believers throughout the world, 154 B.E. at http://bahai-library.com/?file=uhj_history_bahais_iran.html )
Persian language recommended
"Acquire the Persian tongue, so as to learn of the meanings of the divine words and to know the divine mysteries, to develop an eloquent speech and to translate the blessed Tablets of Baha'u'llah. The Persian language shall become noteworthy in this cycle; nay, rather, the people shall study it in all the world."
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of Abdu'l-Bahá, Vol. II, p. 306, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1143)
“Shoghi Effendi was very glad to hear that you are planning to study Persian very seriously. Should you do it you will obtain ample reward for your labours, for you will then be able to go straight to the writings themselves.”
- (On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, The Light of Divine Guidance (vol2), p. 21)
“Such testimonies bearing on this theme {inestimable wealth which Bahá’u’lláh, the Báb, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá bequeathed to posterity (in the greatness of this Day)} are impregnated with such power and reveal such beauty as only those who are versed in the languages in which they were originally revealed can claim to have sufficiently appreciated.”
"O thou maid-servant of God! Do not be slow in the study of the Persian language and be thou engaged in the service."
- (Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbás, p. 218)
"Exert thyself in studying the Persian language in order that with perfect eloquence and fluency thou mayest talk, read and write."
- (Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbás, p. 210)
Believers in the West encouraged to learn Persian; final choice for world language to leaders or possibly the House of Justice
“With regard to Arabic, in several Tablets Baha'u'llah praises the vastness and eloquence of the Arabic language, but in none of His Writings does He state that His followers are required to learn that language. In a number of instances `Abdu'l-Baha and the Guardian have both encouraged the believers in the West to learn Persian. Similarly, `Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi on occasion encouraged believers in Europe and Asia to study English. And, as you are no doubt aware, the involvement of the friends in the study of Esperanto has also been deemed praiseworthy. However, the choice as to which language will ultimately be selected as the international auxiliary language has been left by Baha'u'llah, in His Book of Laws, to the leaders of the nations or possibly to the House of Justice to decide.”
- (On behalf of the Universal House of Justice, an email dated 10 February 1998 to an individual)
Persian is beautiful when chanted
"Question: In preparing the readings, shall we use only Holy Books extant and available in English for religions listed by you in the series of recognized Revelations?
"Reply: Yes. But if occasionally a reading is in another language there can be no objection, as long as the text is from a Holy Scripture. Persian, Arabic and Hebrew are all very beautiful when chanted.
- (Compilation on Service in Bahá'í Temples, no. 455, 10th question)
