The House of Worship - the Baha'i concept

arthra

arthra

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Since the House of Worship in Sydney Australia is having it's fiftieth anniversary I thought it appropriate to begin a thread on the significance of a "house of Worship" and what it's function is for Baha'is and what potential it offers for the future .. Here are a few excerpts to start:

The contribution that thou hast made to the Temple is beloved. The Temple is the most great foundation of the world of humanity and it hath many branches. Although the Temple is the place of worship, with it is connected a hospital, pharmacy, pilgrims' house, school for the orphans, and a university for the study of high sciences. Every Temple is connected with these five things. I hope that now in America they will build a Temple and gradually add to it the hospital, school, university, pharmacy and pilgrims' house with the utmost efficiency and thoroughness. Thou shouldst make known to the believers these details, so that they may realize how important the Temple is. The Temple is not only a place for worship; nay, it is perfect in every way.

~ Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith, p. 416

Note the passage begins with an acknowledgement of a contribution... only Baha'is can contribute to the building and maintenance of a House of Worship.

Also note the five things the House of Worship is ideally to offer humanity not just Baha'is:

Although the Temple is the place of worship, with it is connected a hospital, pharmacy, pilgrims' house, school for the orphans, and a university for the study of high sciences. Every Temple is connected with these five things.
 
WHAT IS MASHRIQUL-ADHKAR?


"Mashriqu'l-Adhkár [AR] Dawning-place of the praises or remembrances or mention of God. Generally, the Bahá'í House of Worship or Temple and the dependencies clustered around it. In the Kitáb-i-Aqdas Bahá'u'lláh reveals: 'Blessed is he who directeth his steps towards the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár at the hour of dawn, communing with Him, attuned to His remembrance, imploring His forgiveness. And having entered therein, let him sit in silence to hearken unto the verses of God ... the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár is in truth any House raised in towns or villages, for mention of Me.'
"The term Mashriqu'l-Adhkár is used primarily to refer to buildings which conform, to particular architectural requirements and which are reserved for devotions and reading from the revealed Word of God. However, the term Mashriqu'l-Adhkár is also used to refer to any building or room which is reserved for devotions; devotional meetings, particularly dawn prayers; and the heart of the sincere worshipper.



"The Mashriqu'l-Adhkár is a nine-sided building surmounted by a dome. 'Abdu'l-Bahá delineated its generaldesign: 'It has nine avenues, nine gardens, nine fountains, so it is nine on nine, all nines. . . . That is the way it should be.' Bahá'u'lláh has forbidden the display of pictures or statues within its walls and the use of musical instruments. Only the human voice may be used to sing, chant or read the Word of God in the House of Worship.
"'Abdu'l-Bahá stated that the House of Worship is 'also connected with a hospital, a drug dispensary, a travellers' hospice, a school for orphans, and a university for advanced studies. Every Mashriqu'l-Adhkár is connected with these five things.'

From:

Tree of Life, The





From the Kitab-i-Aqdas:


Build ye houses of worship throughout the lands

# 31

The Baha'i House of Worship is dedicated to the praise of God. The House of Worship forms the central edifice of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar (the Dawning-place of the Praise of God), a complex which, as it unfolds in the future, will comprise in addition to the House of Worship a number of dependencies dedicated to social, humanitarian, educational, and scientific pursuits.

Abdu'l-Baha describes the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar as "one of the most vital institutions in the world", and Shoghi Effendi indicates that it exemplifies in tangible form the integration of "Baha'i worship and service".

Anticipating the future development of this institution, Shoghi Effendi envisages that the House of Worship and its dependencies "shall afford relief to the suffering, sustenance to the poor, shelter to the wayfarer, solace to the bereaved, and education to the ignorant".

In the future, Baha'i Houses of Worship will be constructed in every town and village.

Notes to Aqdas, Sentence #70


 
Koan #57 from Shakesi-shu "Stone and Sand" by Muju (13th-century Zen teacher):

A soldier named Nobushige came to Hakuin, and asked: "Is there really a paradise and a hell?"

"Who are you?" inquired Hakuin.

"I am a samurai," the warrior replied.

"You, a soldier!" exclaimed Hakuin. "What kind of ruler would have you as his guard? Your face looks like that of a beggar."

Nobushige became so angry that he began to draw his sword, but Hakuin continued: "So you have a sword! Your weapon is probably much too dull to cut off my head."

As Nobushige drew his sword Hakuin remarked: "Here open the gates of hell!"

At these words the samurai, perceiving the master's discipline, sheathed his sword and bowed.

"Here open the gates of paradise," said Hakuin.
 
Thanks Bob for the "Koan"!

In terms of swords and paradise and so on you might like the following:

O people of Baha!

Subdue the citadels of men's hearts with the swords of wisdom and of utterance. They that dispute, as prompted by their desires, are indeed wrapped in a palpable veil. Say: The sword of wisdom is hotter than summer heat, and sharper than blades of steel, if ye do but understand.

~ Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 78

O SON OF MAN!

Ponder and reflect. Is it thy wish to die upon thy bed, or to shed thy life-blood on the dust, a martyr in My path, and so become the manifestation of My command and the revealer of My light in the highest paradise? Judge thou aright, O servant!

~ Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words
 
The koan was supposed to go on the "Baha'i, Hell, and Judgment" thread; I glitched somehow, but I'm not going to make a duplicate.
 
That's alright Bob!

Here is something more on the Baha'i House of Worship:

The Mashriqu'l-Adhkar (The Dawning-Place of the Praise of
God) comprises a central House of Worship and, clustered
around it, a number of dependencies which, in the words of
Shoghi Effendi,

"shall afford relief to the suffering, sustenance
to the poor, shelter to the wayfarer, solace to the bereaved, and
education to the ignorant."

Within the central edifice there shall be read, chanted or sung only the words of the Sacred Scriptures of the revealed religions, or hymns based upon those words.

"Blessed is he", wrote Bahá'u'lláh in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas,
"who directeth his steps towards the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar at the hour
of dawn, communing with Him, attuned to His remembrance, imploring His
forgiveness. And having entered therein, let him sit in
silence to hearken to the verses of God, the Sovereign, the Almighty,
the All-Praised."

~ Baha'u'llah, Synopsis and Codification of the Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 61

 
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