Böcker av Moojan Momen

An exploration of the development of the Bahá'í community of the British IslesThe British Bahá'í community has been in existence since 1899 and its elected national leadership council, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United Kingdom, was first elected in 1923. Although a number of monographs, articles and biographies have appeared over the years, no overall survey of the community's history has yet been published. The Bahá'í Community of the British Isles, 1844-1963 is an attempt to fill some of the gap.The book begins with the earliest news about the new religion which reached the British government through diplomatic and consular channels and the British public through newspaper articles as early as 1845. During the late 19th century, there was a rising tide of awareness of the Bábí and Bahá'í religions in Britain.Although one or two Bahá'ís were in Britain from 1885 onwards, a British Bahá'í community did not form until two residents of London joined in 1888-9 the first party of western Bahá'ís to visit 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the son of Bahá'u'lláh, in the Holy Land. 'Abdu'l-Bahá made two visits to Britain and received widespread newspaper coverage. Prompted by British Bahá'ís, the British government made efforts to save 'Abdu'l-Bahá during World War I and recognized the value of his work in the Holy Land, knighting him after the war.'Abdu'l-Bahá chose Britain for the further education of his grandson, Shoghi Effendi, who was his successor. Britain was among the first three countries to form in 1923 a National Spiritual Assembly. In 1957 Shoghi Effendi passed away in London and is buried there. The British Bahá'í community was chosen to host the first Bahá'í World Congress, held in London in 1963, commemorating the hundredth anniversary of the announcement by Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, of His mission. During this Congress, some of the earliest meetings of the Universal House of Justice took place in London, which are the only occasions on which the Universal House of Justice has met outside the Holy Land.In the years between the early accounts of the Bahá'í religion and the events of 1963 there developed a small but vibrant community across England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. This book tells the fascinating, and little known, story of the lives of many of these early followers, how they came to hear of the religion, their efforts to spread it to others, the struggles they faced, the goals they strove to achieve, their efforts in Africa and around the world to share their religion with others, their steadfastness and their victories. Their successes were greatly praised by Shoghi Effendi. The Bahá'í Community of the British Isles, 1844-1963 was conceived by the late Adam Thorne, who spent over two decades collecting material on the history of the Bahá'í community of the British Isles. Moojan Momen is the author of numerous books and articles about the Bahá'í Faith and related subjects, most recently two volumes on the history of the Bahá'í communities of Iran.Janet Fleming Rose is the author of A Seed in Your Heart: The Life of Louise Mathew Gregory.Earl Redman is the author of a number of books on the Bahá'í Faith, most recently Agnes Baldwin Alexander: Hand of the Cause of God, with co-author Duane Troxel.

A history of the Momen (Ulfat) family, giving information about how the family became Baha'is in the latter part of the nineteenth century in Yazd and giving biographies of the first three generations of the family. These members of the family lived at first in Yazd and the book contains eye-witness accounts of the major persecution of the Baha'i community in Yazd in 1903. There is also information about the journey of two members of the family to visit `Abdu'l-Baha in 1919. Provisional translations of some of the Tablets of `Abdu'l-Baha to members of the family are given. The family moved to Tehran in the aftermath of the 1903 persecution, and later generations of the family have migrated to many countries of the world across five continents. The book gives accounts of the experiences of two members of the family who were imprisoned as Baha'is in the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran. It contains a detailed genealogy of the family as well as over 100 photographs. The chapter headings give an indication of the members of the family about whom short biographies have been given and some of the other contents of the book: Áqá Muhammad Husayn 'Attár Yazdí (Ulfat), Fátimih-Sughrá, Prayer and Tablet of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Khadíjih Ulfat, Sakínih Ulfat, 'Alí Ulfat, Vadí'ih Momen, Muhammad Labib, Mahboubeh Kouchekzadeh, Sedratollah Momen, Eshghollah Momen, Zoghollah Momen, Majzoob Behrouzmand, Mahin Vahdat, Farid Vahdat's Imprisonment, Family Tree, Photographs.

From infallible Imams to Ayatollahs in Iran, Shi'ism has long been a prominent, if misunderstood, branch of Islam. It regards Ali, Muhammad's son-in-law, as the Prophet's legitimate successor. But theological differences between the Shi'ah and Sunni Muslims have led to sectarian violence, massacres and the desecration of holy sites. In this Beginner's Guide, Dr Moojan Momen offers an accessible and comprehensive overview of Shi'ism, tracing the history of the community, its leadership and doctrines, from its inception to modern times. Packed with useful tables, family trees and text boxes, this engaging and up-to-date guide is a perfect introduction to the historical and geopolitical causes of religious tensions still troubling the Middle East today.

A valuable and relevant insight into the youngest world religion.The youngest of the world religions and the second most widespread after Christianity, the Baha'i Faith is well known for its belief in the oneness of all religions. In this clear, readable, and informative guide, Momen provides a vibrant introduction to all aspects of this fast-expanding faith, which now has over 5.5 million adherents. From its teachings on the spiritual development of the individual to the belief in the need for world peace, Momen's comprehensive study gives anyone interested in the contemporary religious landscape an authoritative insight into this 150-year old tradition, whose spiritual and social teachings are so much in tune with the concerns of today.

Worldwide in its membership and increasingly being recognized as the youngest of the world religions, the Baha'i Faith is enjoying rapid expansion. In this captivating book, Moojan Momen gives a brief survey of the life, the works, and the teachings of Baha'u'llah, its founder. Covering the resistance he encountered - including successive forced exiles and vitriolic opposition - this is a carefully constructed account of the eventful life of this influential nineteenth-century religious figure. Comprehensive and yet concise, this is a perfect book for anyone interested in knowing more about the Baha'i Faith and its founder.

Drawing from all major religious traditions in the world, as well as a variety of non-religious disciplines such as psychology, philosophy and sociology, this study presents the role of religion in society, covering various things from art and history to theology and the World Wide Web.