‘Their Union Will Endure’

I was saddened to read that Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani- a Baha’i unjustly imprisoned for ten years in Iran’s harsh Gohardasht prison- has been refused leave to attend his wife’s funeral. Mrs. Ashraf Khanjani passed away after an illness lasting a few months. The couple had been married for over fifty years and had raised four children together. Mr Khanjani’s ‘crime’ was to be a member of an ad-hoc committee serving the needs of the Baha’i community in Iran. The dedication of this man and wife both to each other and their faith put me in mind of `Abdu’l-Baha’s description of an ideal Baha’i marriage.

When, therefore, the people of Bahá undertake to marry, the union must be a true relationship, a spiritual coming together as well as a physical one, so that throughout every phase of life, and in all the worlds of God, their union will endure; for this real oneness is a gleaming out of the love of God. In the same way, when any souls grow to be true believers, they will attain a spiritual relationship with one another, and show forth a tenderness which is not of this world. They will, all of them, become elated from a draught of divine love, and that union of theirs, that connection, will also abide forever. Souls, that is, who will consign their own selves to oblivion, strip from themselves the defects of humankind, and unchain themselves from human bondage, will beyond any doubt be illumined with the heavenly splendours of oneness, and will all attain unto real union in the world that dieth not.

Selections From the Writings of `Abdu’l-Baha, Pages 117-118: gr3

This vision of a spiritual union also has interesting parallels with the Swedenborgian concept of Marriage in Heaven’-

Marriage in Heaven is the bonding of two individuals into one mind. The essential element of marriage is the union of personalities or minds. Further, we can know from this that the intrinsic quality of the personalities or minds determines the quality of the union, and also the quality of the love between the two. Now it is possible to see from where true marriage love comes from – namely, that its first formation occurs in the minds of people who are in a married state. From there, it descends and branches out into the body, where it is perceived and felt as love. Actually, anything that is perceived and felt in the body has its original in the body’s spiritual level, because it originates from discernment and intention. Discernment and intention make up the spiritual person.

Emanuel Swedenborg, Heaven and Hell

The Marriage Of Mírzá Dáwúd And Núr Mahal Khánum

I was touched by this account of a Baha’i Wedding in London in 1911 given by the Bridegroom Mírzá Dáwúd-

After receiving us, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said, “You are very welcome and it makes me happy to see you here in London.” Looking at me he said, “Never have I united anyone in marriage before, except my own daughters, but as I love you much, and you have rendered a great service to the Kingdom of Abhá, both in this country and in other lands, I will perform your marriage ceremony today. It is my hope that you may both continue in the blessed path of service.” Then, first, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá took Núr Mahal Khánum into the next room and said to her, “Do you love Mírzá Yuhanna Dáwúd with all your heart and soul?” She answered, “Yes, I do.” Then ‘Abdu’l-Bahá called me to him and put a similar question, that is to say, “Do you love Núr Mahal Khánum with all your heart and soul?” I answered “Yes, I do.” We re-entered the room together and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá took the right hand of the bride and gave it into that of the bridegroom and asked us to say after him, “We do all to please God.” We all sat down and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá continued; “Marriage is a holy institution and much encouraged in this blessed cause. Now you two are no longer two, but one. Bahá’u’lláh’s wish is that all men be of one mind and consider themselves of one great household, that the mind of mankind be not divided against itself.“It is my wish and hope that you may be blessed in your life. May God help you to render great service to the kingdom of Abhá and may you become a means of its advancement.“May joy be increased to you as the years go by, and may you become thriving trees bearing delicious and fragrant fruits which are the blessings in the path of service.”When we came out, all the assembled friends both of Persia and London congratulated us on the great honour that had been bestowed upon us, and we were invited to dine by the kind hostess.

Source: http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/ABL/abl-38.html

A Marriage Prayer

 

 The Baha’i writings are full of beautiful prayers for many different events-such as marriage-

O Thou kind Lord! These are Thy servants who have gathered in this meeting, have turned unto Thy kingdom and are in need of Thy bestowal and blessing. O Thou God! Manifest and make evident the signs of Thy oneness which have been deposited in all the realities of life. Reveal and unfold the virtues which Thou hast made latent and concealed in these human realities. 

O God! We are as plants, and Thy bounty is as the rain; refresh and cause these plants to grow through Thy bestowal. We are Thy servants; free us from the fetters of material existence. We are ignorant; make us wise. We are dead; make us alive. We are material; endow us with spirit. We are deprived; make us the intimates of Thy mysteries. We are needy; enrich and bless us from Thy boundless treasury. O God! Resuscitate us; give us sight; give us hearing; familiarize us with the mysteries of life, so that the secrets of Thy kingdom may become revealed to us in this world of existence and we may confess Thy oneness. Every bestowal emanates from Thee; every benediction is Thine. 

Thou art mighty. Thou art powerful. Thou art the Giver, and Thou art the Ever-Bounteous. 

  ‘Abdu’l-Bahá 

‘The Marriage Of East And West’

The artist Bernard Leach concludes his autobiography ‘Beyond East and West’ with an expression of yearning for world unity-

I have seen a vision of the Marriage of East and West, and far off down the Halls of Time I heard the echo of a childlike voice. How long? How long?

Leach’s art was a conscious attempt to unify the traditions of East and West. In the years since his passing the world has seen the ‘Marriage Of East and West’ having an increasingly literal reality with a growing number of loving inter-cultural relationships. The occident and orient are reuniting like estranged lovers. In the words of Bahá’u'lláh-

…Whither can a lover go but to the land of his beloved? and what seeker findeth rest away from his heart’s desire? To the true lover reunion is life, and separation is death. His breast is void of patience and his heart hath no peace. A myriad lives he would forsake to hasten to the abode of his beloved.

‘Boughs That Will Grow Green’

A few days ago I had the pleasure of attending the wedding celebration of a friend, an Egyptian Bahá’í.  As part of the programme I read the following prayer by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on the subject of marriage.

“O my Lord, O my Lord! These two bright orbs are wedded in Thy love, conjoined in servitude to Thy Holy Threshold, united in ministering to Thy Cause. Make Thou this marriage to be as threading lights of Thine abounding grace, O my Lord, the All-Merciful, the luminous rays of Thy bestowals, O Thou the Beneficent, the Ever-Giving, that there may branch out from this great tree boughs that will grow green and flourishing through the gifts that rain down from Thy clouds of grace. Verily, Thou art the Generous. Verily, Thou art the Almighty. Verily, Thou art the Compassionate, the All-Merciful”. 

According to Abdu’l-Bahá the ideal marriage should be an expression of both spiritual and physical unity.

 It reminded me of when Minoo and I were married twenty years ago and we recited the marriage vow revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, “We will all, verily, abide by the Will of God.”

 Our wedding ceremony was followed by Persian food and dancing of kinds both oriental and occidental (most memorably my brother-in-law’s break dancing..).