In addition to the quotes David found, counsider this from Shoghi
Effendi:
Those who participate in such a [teaching] campaign... must, as an
essential preliminary ... thoroughly familiarize themselves with the
various aspects of the history and teachings of their Faith. In their
efforts to achieve this purpose they must (1) study for themselves,
conscientiously and painstakingly, the literature of their Faith,
delve into its teachings, assimilate its laws and principles, ponder
its admonitions, tenets and purposes, commit to memory certain of its
exhortations and prayers, master the essentials of its
administration, and keep abreast of its current affairs and latest
developments. (2) They must strive to obtain, from sources that are
authoritative and unbiased, a sound knowledge of the history and
tenets of Islam -- the source and background of their Faith -- and
approach reverently and with a mind purged from preconceived ideas
the study of the Qur'án ... They must devote special attention to the
investigation of those institutions and circumstances that are
directly connected with the origin and birth of their Faith, with the
station claimed by its Forerunner, and with the laws revealed by its
Author.
Having acquired, in their essentials, these prerequisites of success
in the teaching field, ...
(Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 48)
I have added the (1) and (2) markers. This seems to answer David's
question in part - *both* a knowledge of the Bahai teachings from
authentic sources, *and* a knowledge of Islam are regarded as
prerequisites. It is not either/or.
Notice that in David's first quote, regarding the Gleanings, Shoghi
Effendi refers to "A *true* and adequate knowledge of the Cause."
That involves two kinds of learning - learning about the Faith, and
learning what is not truly Bahai. If we look at the books about the
Faith and the bahai magazines, we can see that many of the Bahais of
Shoghi Effendi's day believed in things like reincarnation, a Bahai
theocracy, the Guardian as king of the world, the end of monarchy,
the extinction of other religions, etc... and they base this on
things they've heard, on inauthentic texts, on their personal dreams
and interpretations of symbolism. In Gleanings, and in PDC, and the
World Order letters, Shoghi Effendi tries to clear away these
misunderstandings so that what is left is a "true... knowledge of the
Cause." In the context of the beliefs of the time, with the Writings
then available, it was quite reasonable to say that Gleanings was "a
splendid opportunity" to acquire the prerequisites of teaching.
Bear in mind that in ADJ, Shoghi Effendi was speaking about a North
and South American teaching campaign that would see many pioneers
moving out to places where they would be the only Bahai with any
knowledge, and where the new believers would look to them to answer
their questions and criticism from the Churches. If they were
teaching the new believers reincarnation, or if they didn't know how
to answer a criticism that Islam as a religion of law had been
superseded by the Christian gospel of love, they would do a poor job.
Today, we may have few people with comprehensive knowledge, but it is
easier for us to turn to one another for help. We have more authentic
books of scripture than just Gleanings, but we still have to rid
Bahai culture entirely of all the strange ideas the early believers
brought into the Faith from their various backgrounds, or found in
pilgrim's notes and things attributed to Abdu'l-Baha.
Sen
>
>
> Shoghi Effendi wishes me also to express his deep-felt appreciation of
> your intention to study the Qur'an. The knowledge of this revealed
> holy Book is, indeed, indispensable to every Baha'i who wishes to
> adequately understand the writings of Baha'u'llah. And in view of that
> the Guardian has been invariably encouraging the friends to make as
> thorough a study of this Book as possible, particularly in their
> Summer Schools. Sale's translation is the most scholarly we have, but
> Rodwell's version is more literary, and hence easier for reading. (23
> November 1934)
> [Bahá'í Library CD-ROM: Compilations: Importance of Deepening, Page:
> 122]
>
>
> "It is certainly most difficult to thoroughly grasp all the Surihs of
> the Qur'an, as it requires a detailed knowledge of the social,
> religious and historical background of Arabia at the time of the
> appearance of the Prophet. The believers cannot possibly hope,
> therefore, to understand the Surihs after the first or even second or
> third reading. They have to study them again and again, ponder over
> their meaning, with the help of certain commentaries, and explanatory
> notes as found, for instance in the admirable translation made by
> Sale, endeavor to acquire as clear and correct understanding of their
> meaning and import as possible. This is naturally a slow process, but
> future generations of believers will certainly come to grasp it. For
> the present, the Guardian agrees, that it would be easier and more
> helpful to study the book according to subjects, and not verse by
> verse and also in the light of the Bab's, Baha'u'llah's, and
> Abdu'l-Baha's interpretations which throw such floods of light on the
> whole of the Qur'an." (From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian
> to an individual believer, August 22, 1939: Baha'i News, No. 134, pp.
> 2-3, March 1940)
> [Bahá'í Library CD-ROM: Compilations: Lights of Guidance, Page: 1666]
>
> The first letter quoted says that to successfully teach the Faith we
> must have an adequate knowledge of it. The following letter says that
> knowledge of the Qur'an is necessary to adequately understand the
> writings of Baha'u'llah. So knowledge of the Qur'an is necessary to
> adequately understand the Faith. That letter and the one after show
> to what extant Baha'is must study the Qur'an to have the necessary
> knowledge. Presumably the number of Baha'is who satisfy that criteria
> would be less than 1000. If that is true then doesn't that mean that
> most Baha'is have an inadequate understanding of the Faith and are
> unsuccessful at teaching? Has the House ever reiterated this advice?
>
> Finally, immediately following the sentence I quoted at the top Shoghi
> Effendi says:
>
> "The book of "Gleanings" gives the friends a splendid opportunity to
> acquire this necessary knowledge and understanding. It gives them, in
> addition, that inspiration and spiritual fervour which the reading of
> the Holy Words can alone impart."
>
> I don't see how to reconcile this with what is said on the Qur'an, as
> this seems to indicate that studying Gleanings would give someone an
> adequate knowledge to teach.
>
> Regards,David
>
>
>
>
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