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God Passes by
Recent world history from a Baha'i perspective
694 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1944
34 people are currently reading
359 people want to read
About the author
Shoghi Effendi
167 books37 followersShoghí Effendí Rabbání was the Guardian and appointed head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957. After the death of `Abdu'l-Bahá in 1921, the leadership of the Bahá'í community entered a new phase, evolving from that of a single individual to an administrative order with executive and legislative branches, the head of each being the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice. Shoghi Effendi was referred to as the Guardian, and held the explicit authority to interpret the writings of the three central figures of the religion and define the sphere of legislative authority. His writings are effectively limited to commentaries on the works of the central figures, and broad directives for the future.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 10, 2019
This a foundation stone of Religious History and a masterpiece of language and word mastery. Unlike Shakespeare who writes dramas and life's scenarios, here Shoghi Effendi as a world leader of a Religion that has spread throughout the world intentionally, recounts the original genesis of this process of New Revelation from God and its dissemination both geographically and in the hearts of believers. The full spectrum of light of how God works through peoples souls. There is no other documentation of a Religion better than this book, God Passes By.
Yes it took me a long time to read this book but you do not "read" this book, you digest it slowly in order to make the story yours!!
Yes it took me a long time to read this book but you do not "read" this book, you digest it slowly in order to make the story yours!!
June 24, 2020
By definition, this is the only book that Shoghi Effendi ever wrote, but that's only because his other book-length efforts are considered letters. Ruhiyyih Rabbani, in the Priceless Pearl, writes that Shoghi Effendi worked tirelessly to finish God Passes By, amidst a war, and burdened with care, to be able to publish in time for the 100th anniversary of the beginning of his religious history. His efforts were not wasted and I am better for having read it. A good book for study groups, in my opinion.
March 10, 2019
One of my favorite books by Shoghi Effendi
June 13, 2018
Dear Shoghi
AllahuAbha
Old english, very old english, large large sentences, that is too much.
For your grandpa persian people are the best, for you the most miserable people of the world.
Remember your (are they?) The people among whom He appeared were
the most decadent race in the civilized world, grossly ignorant, savage, cruel, steeped in prejudice, servile
in their submission to an almost deified hierarchy, recalling in their abjectness the Israelites of Egypt in
the days of Moses, in their fanaticism the Jews in the days of Jesus, and in their perversity the idolators of
Arabia in the days of Muḥammad.
But why repeating the point of view of european orientalists without giving credit?
You say, sorry you ask, sorry you ask a rhetorical question: jews suffered for 2000 years because they persecuted Jesus Christ for 3 years. muslims persecuted Bahá'Ulláh for 40 (50) years
I do the math for you dear shoghi, it's more than 266 centuries of suffering for muslim people. Are you sure? and what about "a full 1000 years"? So the future Prophet/Manifestations are useless.
Dear Shoghi you are a little bit antisemit anti-jews is'nt it?
These are your words:
Jews:
recalling in their abjectness the Israelites of Egypt in the days of Moses, in their fanaticism the Jews in the days of Jesus
...people—a people more fanatical than the Jews in the days of Jesus—a people …
...the sufferings of Jesus at the hands of the Jews,
“…The divines of Persia … have perpetrated what the Jews have not perpetrated during the Revelation of Him Who is the Spirit (Jesus).”
whereas the chief adversaries of Jesus Christ, in His lifetime, were the Jewish rabbis and their associates,
It was humbled to dust, and, in its ignominious collapse, suffered the same fate as the Jewish hierarchy, the chief persecutor of Jesus Christ, had suffered at the hands of its Roman masters, in the first century of the Christian Era, almost two thousand years before
Are you kiddin'?
You are so harsh with homosexuals, why?
You say homosexuals (are also lesbians included?) will be treated in especial hospitals (in the future), that is fine with me! but are they going to be released then!!
You say Abdulbaha was right when He said Homeopathy is GOOD. And you? are you sure that is science and not fake-science (oops pseudo)?
You sent to whole bahai world a cablogramme to inform the bahaies of the world that an old sick man who was the enemy of the Faith died at age +80, Dear Shoghi that is not nice!
You Shunned your whole family (mother, father brothers) and whole family of the Bahaullah, but Dear Shoghi do you remind these words of your greatest Prophet of all times:
" Whatsoever hath led the children of men to shun one another, and hath caused dissensions and divisions amongst them, hath, through the revelation of these words, been nullified and abolished."
Ok You know that Bahaullah shunned his half brother Abdulbaha shunned his half brother and others, you shunned also, The hands of the Cause shunned, but dear Shoghi, Universal House of Justice has not the theological right to shun.
Dear Shoghi, Sorry that God (Baha) passed by and we not even noticed, ok but I have a question:
Bahaullah ordered
1 to burry the dead and burning is prohibited
2 burn to death (arson) him who burnes a house intentionally.
Help me please with this Paradox
If we burn an alive guilty man (human) then at a point he will die and we are burning a dead body and this is not allowed.
So if we burn him we are breaking the bhaullah law of not burning the corps
if we do not burn we are breaking the law of burning (arson)
give me an answer please here we have a "real" paradox ( I know from Math lesson that they do not exist) But Dear Shoghi this is not a "contraddiction", this is a real Paradox.
Oh I am hungry, so see you later, we will talk again.
AllahuAbha Dear Shoghi
AllahuAbha
Old english, very old english, large large sentences, that is too much.
For your grandpa persian people are the best, for you the most miserable people of the world.
Remember your (are they?) The people among whom He appeared were
the most decadent race in the civilized world, grossly ignorant, savage, cruel, steeped in prejudice, servile
in their submission to an almost deified hierarchy, recalling in their abjectness the Israelites of Egypt in
the days of Moses, in their fanaticism the Jews in the days of Jesus, and in their perversity the idolators of
Arabia in the days of Muḥammad.
But why repeating the point of view of european orientalists without giving credit?
You say, sorry you ask, sorry you ask a rhetorical question: jews suffered for 2000 years because they persecuted Jesus Christ for 3 years. muslims persecuted Bahá'Ulláh for 40 (50) years
I do the math for you dear shoghi, it's more than 266 centuries of suffering for muslim people. Are you sure? and what about "a full 1000 years"? So the future Prophet/Manifestations are useless.
Dear Shoghi you are a little bit antisemit anti-jews is'nt it?
These are your words:
Jews:
recalling in their abjectness the Israelites of Egypt in the days of Moses, in their fanaticism the Jews in the days of Jesus
...people—a people more fanatical than the Jews in the days of Jesus—a people …
...the sufferings of Jesus at the hands of the Jews,
“…The divines of Persia … have perpetrated what the Jews have not perpetrated during the Revelation of Him Who is the Spirit (Jesus).”
whereas the chief adversaries of Jesus Christ, in His lifetime, were the Jewish rabbis and their associates,
It was humbled to dust, and, in its ignominious collapse, suffered the same fate as the Jewish hierarchy, the chief persecutor of Jesus Christ, had suffered at the hands of its Roman masters, in the first century of the Christian Era, almost two thousand years before
Are you kiddin'?
You are so harsh with homosexuals, why?
You say homosexuals (are also lesbians included?) will be treated in especial hospitals (in the future), that is fine with me! but are they going to be released then!!
You say Abdulbaha was right when He said Homeopathy is GOOD. And you? are you sure that is science and not fake-science (oops pseudo)?
You sent to whole bahai world a cablogramme to inform the bahaies of the world that an old sick man who was the enemy of the Faith died at age +80, Dear Shoghi that is not nice!
You Shunned your whole family (mother, father brothers) and whole family of the Bahaullah, but Dear Shoghi do you remind these words of your greatest Prophet of all times:
" Whatsoever hath led the children of men to shun one another, and hath caused dissensions and divisions amongst them, hath, through the revelation of these words, been nullified and abolished."
Ok You know that Bahaullah shunned his half brother Abdulbaha shunned his half brother and others, you shunned also, The hands of the Cause shunned, but dear Shoghi, Universal House of Justice has not the theological right to shun.
Dear Shoghi, Sorry that God (Baha) passed by and we not even noticed, ok but I have a question:
Bahaullah ordered
1 to burry the dead and burning is prohibited
2 burn to death (arson) him who burnes a house intentionally.
Help me please with this Paradox
If we burn an alive guilty man (human) then at a point he will die and we are burning a dead body and this is not allowed.
So if we burn him we are breaking the bhaullah law of not burning the corps
if we do not burn we are breaking the law of burning (arson)
give me an answer please here we have a "real" paradox ( I know from Math lesson that they do not exist) But Dear Shoghi this is not a "contraddiction", this is a real Paradox.
Oh I am hungry, so see you later, we will talk again.
AllahuAbha Dear Shoghi
July 1, 2018
Hello and AllahuAbha to the bahais
This is a book written in 1944, 23 years after being appointed by his grand father Abdulbaha as the Guardian of the bahai faith "Valiy AmruAllah" to celebrate" 100 years of the Babi-Bahai movement.
Soon after this book was published "Christian Century" at 31 january 1945 wrote a review :
This is the first complete and official history of the Bahá'í religion written from the inside and from the top. Shoghi Effendi, great-grandson of Bahá'u'lláh and grandson of Abdu'l- Baha, is "Guardian of the Faith" by his grandfather's appointment, so his book is comparable to a history of the papacy written by the pope. Much of it describes a noble and sincere effort for spiritual uplift. But there have been internal dissensions and opposition from without. The author recites with satisfaction the horrible disasters that have overtaken many who challenged the authority of his house: two "died prematurely," one died of cancer and two others from heart attacks, one "fell a prey to a fatal and loathsome disease," and another "died in obscurity and poverty," and a "greedy and conceited" dissenter who criticized the leader "met his death soon after he had uttered these denunciations." But the movement is a going concern which has gained no little influence in its single century of history.
As you see this review is objective: the history of bahai religion written by the Chief of the religion from inside and from the top.
I see almost all the ratings at 5 star with no reviews just one that is apologetic : Magnificent, Majestic,and profound"
Groupthink? Yes. There is no critical evaluation, just five stars one after another: all bahai believers' ratings.
Who can dare to criticize Shoghi Effendi? Nobody wants to be shunned by Universal House of Justice formed by nine "justices" all of them male members, even if they do not have the right to shun anybody of the bahai community, the last person with the theological right to shun was the last AyadiamrAllah "hands of the Cause of God" he was a persian Bahai.
I think that it is enought to reiterate that Shoghi was the Head of the Movement and wrote the History of the Bahai sect.
The title is really a good example of contradiction: God (the biblical Yahveh) Passes by (intentionally?) human being were impotent to do something about this passing by or God was not really omnipotent to make human beings aware of Himself? It is contradiction in terms the omnipotency of the God and the Power of human beings to not even to give a "notice" to this extraordinary event in the History of humanity and his relation with his God.
Or this is a complaint: no body noticed that God was here on this planet visiting his creatures, He was passed unnoticed. After a century Shoghi is complaining why the whole world is not Bahai?
The tone and voice is so triumphant and pompous, very very harsh words with the enemies of the Bahaullah, another contradiction if the opposers did their job so they were aware of Bahaullah, in this case God just gone past!
The whole book is about the battles, uprisings, opposition, killings, torturing etc. Babi killing unaware shiah muslims, Shiah Muslims killing apostat babi/bahis, so why the title Passes by? past by, has past by? that is in present time. Is it still the bahai Faith Baha/God is unnoticed by humanity? Why He came down? To leave lots of death and He Himself die in Akka?
......
This is a book written in 1944, 23 years after being appointed by his grand father Abdulbaha as the Guardian of the bahai faith "Valiy AmruAllah" to celebrate" 100 years of the Babi-Bahai movement.
Soon after this book was published "Christian Century" at 31 january 1945 wrote a review :
This is the first complete and official history of the Bahá'í religion written from the inside and from the top. Shoghi Effendi, great-grandson of Bahá'u'lláh and grandson of Abdu'l- Baha, is "Guardian of the Faith" by his grandfather's appointment, so his book is comparable to a history of the papacy written by the pope. Much of it describes a noble and sincere effort for spiritual uplift. But there have been internal dissensions and opposition from without. The author recites with satisfaction the horrible disasters that have overtaken many who challenged the authority of his house: two "died prematurely," one died of cancer and two others from heart attacks, one "fell a prey to a fatal and loathsome disease," and another "died in obscurity and poverty," and a "greedy and conceited" dissenter who criticized the leader "met his death soon after he had uttered these denunciations." But the movement is a going concern which has gained no little influence in its single century of history.
As you see this review is objective: the history of bahai religion written by the Chief of the religion from inside and from the top.
I see almost all the ratings at 5 star with no reviews just one that is apologetic : Magnificent, Majestic,and profound"
Groupthink? Yes. There is no critical evaluation, just five stars one after another: all bahai believers' ratings.
Who can dare to criticize Shoghi Effendi? Nobody wants to be shunned by Universal House of Justice formed by nine "justices" all of them male members, even if they do not have the right to shun anybody of the bahai community, the last person with the theological right to shun was the last AyadiamrAllah "hands of the Cause of God" he was a persian Bahai.
I think that it is enought to reiterate that Shoghi was the Head of the Movement and wrote the History of the Bahai sect.
The title is really a good example of contradiction: God (the biblical Yahveh) Passes by (intentionally?) human being were impotent to do something about this passing by or God was not really omnipotent to make human beings aware of Himself? It is contradiction in terms the omnipotency of the God and the Power of human beings to not even to give a "notice" to this extraordinary event in the History of humanity and his relation with his God.
Or this is a complaint: no body noticed that God was here on this planet visiting his creatures, He was passed unnoticed. After a century Shoghi is complaining why the whole world is not Bahai?
The tone and voice is so triumphant and pompous, very very harsh words with the enemies of the Bahaullah, another contradiction if the opposers did their job so they were aware of Bahaullah, in this case God just gone past!
The whole book is about the battles, uprisings, opposition, killings, torturing etc. Babi killing unaware shiah muslims, Shiah Muslims killing apostat babi/bahis, so why the title Passes by? past by, has past by? that is in present time. Is it still the bahai Faith Baha/God is unnoticed by humanity? Why He came down? To leave lots of death and He Himself die in Akka?
......
June 15, 2021
It is an amazing book. The history of the Bahai religion described so nicely in this book, especially it is by Shoghi Effendi.
February 27, 2021
This is a scholarly work of history that only a person well versed in both Persian and English and with such a phenomenal command of the English language could have penned. Its strength lies in that so much is contained within its covers and will be of great assistance to future historians in great measure because of its accuracy. In order to fully appreciate it, I suspect that the reader needs to improve his knowledge of the English language!
January 4, 2022
If you are at all interested to learn about the Baha'i Faith read this book. Shoghi Effendi is an unimpeachable source of truth. The book was written in English, it is not a translation. In addition to the weighty content, the elevated literary style of the language is a rare delight. Don't get me wrong this is not a book you have to slog through, it's an interesting read that'll stay with you. Also, this book is available for free in various formats on bahai.org https://www.bahai.org/library/authori... or for Kobo.
April 7, 2016
Magnificent, majestic, and profound.
December 18, 2024
I enjoyed reading this book. Very well written. The history was exciting to learn and ponder.
December 25, 2020
Bahaullah wrote: who(male man) is NOT believing in me is a son of a bitch, he has to ask her mother with whom she slept and sure his mother slept with satan.His elder daughter even wrote a book against him.
Shoghi has a palestino-ottoman passport. He was the only person to manage the yyuuuuuge money of bahais
he had no children but siblings all shunned his parents shunned by him he ordered to write on the tombstone of his mother and his father detached letters for their names as z i a u l l a h
he shunned Ehsan Yarshater because Yarshater decided to go to Germany to study disobeying his order NOT to leave Iran he shunned each and every member of the family of bahaullah and abdulbaha and bab. He wrote in a letter to the bahais in Germany at the time of infamous hitler that obeying hitler is the "sacred duty of every bahai" Hei angy bahais read his letters before becoming mad. etc etc in this range.... in the future if you make love with your beloved there would be a fine and punishment, obligatory to send to special hospitals to revert and cure homosexuals etc ...
Asored by bahais of the world as GOD.
Shoghi has a palestino-ottoman passport. He was the only person to manage the yyuuuuuge money of bahais
he had no children but siblings all shunned his parents shunned by him he ordered to write on the tombstone of his mother and his father detached letters for their names as z i a u l l a h
he shunned Ehsan Yarshater because Yarshater decided to go to Germany to study disobeying his order NOT to leave Iran he shunned each and every member of the family of bahaullah and abdulbaha and bab. He wrote in a letter to the bahais in Germany at the time of infamous hitler that obeying hitler is the "sacred duty of every bahai" Hei angy bahais read his letters before becoming mad. etc etc in this range.... in the future if you make love with your beloved there would be a fine and punishment, obligatory to send to special hospitals to revert and cure homosexuals etc ...
Asored by bahais of the world as GOD.
June 22, 2022
The definitive insider's history of Bahá'u'lláh and the Baha'i Faith written by Bahá'u'lláh's great-grandson. (Bahá'u'lláh was like a perfect mirror fully shining God's Bright Light, during His time on Earth, God the Father passed us by.
July 17, 2020
Liked it, but I prefer Nabil's way of relating history.
April 9, 2021
Waouuu!
January 15, 2024
Anyone interested in the overall history of the Baha'i Faith should read this. It is wonderful. Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian, of the Baha'i Faith lays it out so wonderfully.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews