On Ruhi Study Circle Stories: Talking to Jesus and Danni and Finding the Name of God

"I am a Baha'i, a nerd, a writer, and an incurable people-watcher," Katherine tells us. Katherine is another great story teller of the Faith whose enthusiasm is always a source of wonder. Here's her "Greatest Gift, Greatest Name" from her blog A Thousand Paper Craniums.

A couple of years ago, when I still lived in Indiana, I had the bounty of facilitating the most amazing and unique Ruhi study circle I have ever encountered. Held in the kitchen of a college dorm, the very few Baha'is on campus would tag-team to make the circle what it was: one facilitated, one participated, and one baked cookies for the rest of the group. The study circle itself was an amazingly diverse gathering of people from all faith backgrounds and practices. We had Catholics, Quakers, Jews, Buddhists, even a "99% atheist" who insisted on offering his prayers to "God, if You exist" anyway. It took a whole year to get through Book 1, because our discussions on one quote would often go until 11 at night or later. People would constantly drop in, ostensably for the cookies, but they were inevitably drawn into the circle just so that they could join in the conversation. It was wonderful.

One of these remarkable people was Danni.

[Danni prefers that gender-neutral pronouns be used with reference to zim, so I shall respect that here. If it gets confusing and you have questions, leave a comment and I'll help with sorting out the meanings of things.]

Danni is of a Jewish background, although ze has recently become active in the Quaker faith. At some point during our year as a study circle, the subject of the Greatest Name arose. I shared what I knew of the matter at the time: that it was based in the word Baha, translated as Glory or Splendor; that in the Writings of the Baha'i Faith, it often refers to the greeting "Allah-u-Abha," the invocation "Ya Baha'u'l-Abha," and also to Baha'u'llah Himself. I shared the tradition in Islam that taught that there was a hidden, greatest Name of God that was yet to be revealed by God to anyone. To quote:

Religious scholars have related that Alláh has three thousand Names.

• One thousand are only known by angels,
• 1,000 known only by prophets,
• 300 are in the Torah (Old Testament),
• 300 are in Zabur (Psalms of David),
• 300 are in the New Testament,
• and 99 are in the Qur’an.

This makes 2,999 Names.
One Name which has been hidden by Alláh is called Ism Alláh al–a’zam: The Greatest Name of Alláh.

As Baha'is, I explained, we believe that this hidden Name has been revealed.

Danni got very excited about this. Coming from a Jewish background, ze understood on a very deep level the importance of God's hidden Name. There is a great emphasis in that Faith on never attempting to pronounce God's Name. When I was studying Biblical Hebrew, I was taught in the second lesson (after learning the letters!) that when I came across the Name of God in the text, that I should automatically substitute Adonai (Lord) or even just Hashem (The Name). The holiness and utter sanctity of this Name was thereby preserved.

At the end of that night's study, we went around the circle (as was our custom) and each mentioned the most important thing that we would take away with us.

Danni said, "Today I learned that Baha'is can say the Name of God!"

Of everything that ze had learned, that was the most striking of all.

I try and take my example from Danni.

I was 15 when I became a Baha'i. 14 when I first read the name of Baha'u'llah in an informative booklet given to my younger sister by a friend from school. While I'd spent many a night before that looking out my bedroom window and talking to Jesus about my troubles, I never knew enough on my own to yearn for what was known to none. I waited for Baha'u'llah, innocent and unaware, for 14 years.

What of those who have waited for generations?

What of those who read and reread the Qur'an, learning and memorizing the 99 Names, hoping to catch a glimpse through insight or Divine assistance, of that elusive One?

What of those Christians who wonder what new Name Jesus meant when He promised to return?

What of those Jews who realize that the nicknames they give for God are only that, while the secret of God's true Name was kept by a priesthood that has not existed for centuries? Those who realize that God will not abandon His Chosen People, but yearn for the day when their most precious knowledge will be restored?

www.heartizen.com/

Can we stand complacent, realizing that we have been named the People of Baha?

We have been given this wonderful, this most great gift. We are called not only to recognize, but also to embody the Most Great Name. Many of the early believers were given new names by the Central Figures of the Faith, but Baha'u'llah has placed this new name upon all those who bear witness to His Revelation. You. Me. The People of Baha. And because we contain this knowledge, and because we embody this gift, the world that is waiting for the Name of God is now waiting for us. There is no one else to bring it.

It took another's awe to make me realize the incredible magnitude of that which God has graciously allowed me to see. Now I can only hope to spend the rest of my life attempting to become worthy of this Gift, this glorious Name.

Katherine, "Greatest Gift, Greatest Name," A Thousand Paper Craniums on Blogger