Millennial fervor gripped many people around the world in the early nineteenth century. While Christians anticipated the return of Jesus Christ, a wave of expectation swept through Islam that the "Lord of the Age" would soon appear. In Persia, this reached a dramatic climax on May 23, 1844, when a twenty-five-year-old merchant from Shiraz named Siyyid 'Alí-Muhammad, later title "The Báb," announced that He was the bearer of a divine Revelation destined to transform the spiritual life of the human race. Furthermore, He claimed that He was but the Herald of another Messenger, who would soon bring a far greater Revelation that would usher in an age of universal peace. Against a backdrop of wide-scale moral decay in Persian society, this declaration aroused hope and excitement among all classes. The Báb quickly attracted tens of thousands of followers, including influential members of the clergy--and the brutal hand of a fearful government bent on destroying this movement that threatened to rock the established order.
){kind=link}
Release the Sun by William Sears
This is the first Baha'i book I read from cover to cover. As a second generation Baha'i I've read several books, but not necessarily in their entirety; I've resourced & referenced Baha'i sacred writings on varied topics all my life. In my early years as a declared believer back in the very early 60's this book so enthralled me I sat up all night reading for I could not put it down. Since that time I've read two other books, cover to cover, they are 'God Loves Laughter' also by William Sears and 'Portals to Freedom' by Howard Colby Ives. All these wondrous books firmly cemented my belief and devotion to the Blessed Beauty, Baha'u'llah <3 YA'BAHA'U'L-ABHA <3