Recommendations from the Hand of the Cause Mr. Faizi for the Study of Baha'u'llah's Hidden Words

In 1974 the Hand of the Cause Abu'l-Qasim Faizi spent several days giving very precious talks in San Francisco. The photo is of a public talk he gave at the Miyako Hotel in that city during that same several-day visit. The woman on the far left, Marge Gallagher, was our Auxiliary Board member for Protection at that time; I don't remember the name of the lady on the right, she was also an Auxiliary Board member, and I don't know the woman in the center, probably a member of the SF Baha'i Community. The San Francisco Spiritual Assembly has a recording of that talk and perhaps of some of his deepenings given at the Center. Hopefully these will be available for distribution.

Mr. Faizi spoke several times during that week in the San Francisco Baha'i Center, and every chance I got, I took off from the hospital where I worked in Grass Valley and came to his presentations. and in one of them he gave recommendations for studying the Hidden Words. I still have my notes on the categories of guidance he suggested we look for as we read that Book:

Why man is created for this journey

Man's provisions for the journey

Red lights

Green Lights

The destination

Characteristically sweet and profound passages. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The Hidden Words can be found on the website of the Baha'i World Centre here.

A Compilation of authoritative interpretations of the Hidden Words, by Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi, prepared under the direction of the Universal House of Justice, can be found here (on that page please scroll down to the Hidden Words).

"Give ear to the sayings of the Friend and turn towards His paradise. Worldly friends, seeking their own good, appear to love one the other, whereas the true Friend hath loved and doth love you for your own sakes; indeed He hath suffered for your guidance countless afflictions. Be not disloyal to such a Friend, nay rather hasten unto Him. Such is the daystar of the word of truth and faithfulness, that hath dawned above the horizon of the pen of the Lord of all names. Open your ears that ye may hearken unto the word of God, the Help in peril, the Self-existent."

~ Baha'u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words No. 52