Some Answered Questions (abbreviated SAQ; Persian version: Mufáviḍát-i-‘Abdu'l-Bahá) is a compilation of table talks of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá that were collected by Laura Clifford Barney between 1904 and 1906 across several pilgrimages. The book was first published in English in 1908.[1] ʻAbdu'l-Bahá was the son of Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, and was appointed by him as his successor and interpreter of his words.[2]
The book covers a variety of subjects, including religion, philosophy, science, human evolution, immortality of the soul, labor strikes, reincarnation, and a variety of Christian topics.[3]
Historyedit
ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's answers were first written down in Persian by a secretary, and afterwards revised twice by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá. In 1908, three first editions were published: The Persian text by E.J. Brill in The Netherlands; the English translation of Laura Clifford Barney by Regan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co. in London; and a French edition translated by Hippolyte Dreyfus [fr], published by Ernest Leroux in Paris.[3]
A new English translation revised by a committee at the Baháʼí World Centre was published in 2014 and made available in early 2015.
Overviewedit
The book is divided into five parts:
I. On the Influence of the Prophets in the Evolution of Humanityedit
^Smith, Peter (2000). "Some Answered Questions". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 325. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Tai-Seale, Thomas (1992). Thy Kingdom Come: A Biblical Introduction to the Baháʼí Faith. US: Kalimat Press. pp. 194–195. ISBN 0933770936.
^ abForeword to the 2014 edition of Some Answered Questions.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "God". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 164–165. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "manifestations of God". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 231. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "Abraham". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 22. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "Moses". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 251. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^ abSmith, Peter (2000). "Jesus". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 214. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "Muhammad". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 251. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "Báb". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 55–61. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "Baháʼu'lláh". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 73–86. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Sours, Michael (1996). Understanding Biblical Prophecy. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 9781851681112.
^Tai-Seale, Thomas (1992). Thy Kingdom Come: A Biblical Introduction to the Baháʼí Faith. US: Kalimat Press. ISBN 0933770936.
^Able, John (2011). Apocalypse Secrets: Baha'i Interpretation of the Book of Revelation.
^Lepain, Jean-Marc (2015) [2002]. The Archeology of the Kingdom of God. pp. 246-270.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "Adam". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 23. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "baptism". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 90. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "miracles". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 249. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "resurrection". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 293. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "sin". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 322–323. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Momen, Moojan (2009). "Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit: Chapter 31 of Some Answered Questions". Irfan Colloquia. Vol. 10. Wilmette, IL: Irfan Colloquia. pp. 275–294.
^ abSmith, Peter (2000). "fate". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 157. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "metaphysics". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 245–246. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "time". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 338–339. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "prophets". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 279. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Hemmat, Amrollah (2008). Adam's Wish: Unknown Poetry of Tahirih. Baha'i Publishing Trust. pp. 23–24. ISBN 978-1-890688-36-3.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "infallibility". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 196–197. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "evolution". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 136. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Brown, Keven, ed. (2001). "Evolution and Baháʼí Belief: ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's Response to Nineteenth-Century Darwinism". Studies in the Bábí and Baháʼí Religions. Vol. 12. Los Angeles, US: Kalimat Press. pp. 179–180.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "creation". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 116. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Filson, Gerald. Mind: ‘the Power of the Human Spirit'. Journal of Bahá’í Studies, vol. 32, no. 3-4, July 2023, pp. 9-53. For a general discussion on this topic, see animal cognition
^ abSmith, Peter (2000). "soul". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 325–326. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^ abSmith, Peter (2000). "evolution". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 186. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Taherzadeh, Adib (1987). The Revelation of Baháʼu'lláh, Volume 4: Mazra'ih & Bahji 1877-92. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. pp. 41–42. ISBN 0-85398-270-8.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "astrology". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 52. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "free will". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 160. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "dreams and visions". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 125. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "psychic powers". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 279–280. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "health and healing". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 178–180. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "evil". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 135. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "suffering". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 328. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "reincarnation". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 289. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Brown, Keven (2001). "ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's Response to the Doctrine of the Unity of Existence". Journal of Baháʼí Studies. Vol. 11:3-4. Ottawa, CA: Association for Baháʼí Studies. pp. 1–29.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "knowledge". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 221. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
^Schaefer, Udo (2007). Baháʼí Ethics in Light of Scripture, Volume 1 - Doctrinal Fundamentals. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 978-0-85398-505-1.
^Schaefer, Udo (2009). Baháʼí Ethics in Light of Scripture, Volume 2 - Virtues and Divine Commandments. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 978-0-85398-518-1.
Further readingedit
ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (1990) [1908]. Some Answered Questions. Wilmette, Illinois, US: Baháʼí Publishing Trust. ISBN 0-87743-162-0.
ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (2014) [1908]. Some Answered Questions (Newly revised ed.). Haifa, Israel: Baháʼí World Centre. ISBN 978-0-87743-374-3.
Kluge, Ian (2009). Some Answered Questions: A Philosophical Perspective, in Lights of Irfan, Volume 10.
Ma'ani, Baharieh Rouhani (2017). Some Answered Questions" and Its Compiler, in Lights of Irfan 18.
Oliveira, Marco (2020). Some Answered Questions: An Introduction to Bahá’í Teachings. Wilmette Institute.