PROGRAM OF THE III SEMINAR MYSTIC HIDDEN WORDS

Session 1: The Phenomenon of Revelation

• "What a pity that man should deprive himself of this most beautiful gift, this imperishable grace, this eternal life!"
• The three proofs to recognize the Messenger of God
• The process of revelation
• The written word: its inexhaustible meaning unfolds as humans advance in their search
• The need to cast off the "veils of glory" and "vain imaginings"

Session 2: Progressive Revelation

• "What 'oppression' is more grievous than that a soul seeking truth and desiring to attain the knowledge of God should know not where to go for it nor from whom to seek it?"
• Reality unfolds progressively, both from one Dispensation to another and within the same Dispensation
• Religious knowledge and scientific knowledge are complementary
• Religion should not contradict reason or sow discord among people; otherwise, it is superstition
• Every virtue contaminated by ego becomes a defect

Session 3: The Search for Truth

• "No man can attain unto the shores of the ocean of true understanding except he be detached from all that is in heaven and on earth."
• Conditions of the seeker
• Under certain conditions, a mystical transformation of the human soul occurs through an agent known as the "divine elixir"
• Transformation of the "satanic force" (the insistent self) into "celestial power" (power derived from the Kingdom on High)

Bibliography

• The Kitáb-i-Íqán – The Book of Certitude, Bahá’u’lláh, Bahá’í Publishing Trust
• The Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, Adib Taherzadeh, Bahá’í Publishing Trust (Vol. I)

Presentation of the agenda on Rumi:

"In the seminar of Rumi, it is sought to examine, albeit briefly and partially, his philosophy and mysticism. Rumi is one of the foremost mystics, poets, and philosophers of Iran. This seminar studies Rumi's teachings through excerpts from his Masnavi, Fihi ma Fihi ('In It and About It'), and his lyrical evocations, spanning from the 13th century to the 19th century to explore and discuss the same concepts in the Bahá'í works in detail. The main themes covered in these sections include Theism; Spirit; the determinism-free will dichotomy; the progressive journey of man; the imperceptible world of command through the senses and the three worlds, etc."

1. A brief praise of Molana Jalaluddin Rumi
2. Metaphysics / Theism
   • In Rumi
   • In the teachings of the Bahá'í Faith
3. Spirit
   • In Rumi
   • In the teachings of the Bahá'í Faith
4. The theme of "the flute" in the first book of Masnavi by Rumi
   • Abbreviated Bahá'í mysticism
5. The theme of determinism and free will
   • In Rumi
   • In the Bahá'í Faith
6. Lower material world and spiritual worlds
   • The imperceptible world of command from Rumi's perspective
   • The three worlds from the Bahá'í Faith perspective
7. Presentation of the mystical works of Bahá'u'lláh
8. Dance with ecstasy and music
9. Some stories from Masnavi

This conference will feature simultaneous translation.