[1] “A universal language would make intercourse possible with every nation. Thus it would be needful to know two languages only, the mother tongue and the universal speech,” `Abdu’l-Bahā, Paris Talks, pp. 155–156.

[2] “We have decreed before that it has been destined to speak with two tongues and a great effort must be put to limit this to one [tongue] and the same [applies] to the handwriting. So that the lives of the people will not be wasted and nullified in learning different languages,” `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, p. 33 (citing Bahā’u’llāh).

[3] “The beloved Guardian has stressed that the children and the youth of the friends must also learn the Arabic language and use this eloquent language to benefit from the tablets and blessed writings,” `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Ganjīniy-i ḥudūd wa aḥkām, chap. 25, p. 206.

[4] “Make as much effort as possible to learn the Farsi language, for this language will soon be sanctified on all of earth and it will have great use in spreading the Breath of God, elevating the Word of God, and deducing the meanings of God’s verses,” `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, p. 114.

[5] “The exalted decision of the beloved Guardian has been for the Baha’i youth to learn firstly English and secondly German and show the utmost effort and seriousness [in learning these languages],” `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Ganjīniy-i ḥudūd wa aḥkām, chap. 25, pp. 205–206.

2. The Meaning of “Putting Great Effort to Limit the Languages of the World to One”

Bahā’u’llāh:

Great effort must be put to limit the languages to one.[6]

Bahā’u’llāh, Abdu’l-Bahā, and Shoghi reveal verses, utter words, and give orders in Arabic, Farsi, English, and Turkish.[7]

Bahā’u’llāh, Abdu’l-Bahā, and Shoghi order their followers to learn five languages other than their mother tongues: the Universal Auxiliary Language, Arabic, Farsi, German and English.[8]

The Universal House of Justice: Translates Baha’i literature into 800 different languages worldwide.[9]

[6] “We have decreed before that it has been destined to speak with two tongues and a great effort must be put to limit this to one [tongue] and the same [applies] to the handwriting. So that the lives of the people will not be wasted and nullified in learning different languages,” `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, p. 33 (citing Bahā’u’llāh)

[7] For Turkish see: `Abdu’l-Bahā, Majmū`iy-i munājāt-hāyi ḥaḍrat `Abdu’l-Bahā, pp. 396–397.

[8] See footnotes in no. 1.

[9] For example see http://news.bahai.org/media-information/statistics (retrieved 25/01/2014)

3. Is Learning Foreign Languages a Waste of Time?

Bahā’u’llāh:

Definitely![10]

Shoghi and `Abdu’l-Bahā and Bahā’u’llāh:

Of course not. Learn your mothers tongue, the auxiliary language, Arabic, Farsi, German, and English![11]

[10] “We have decreed before that it has been destined to speak with two tongues and a great effort must be put to limit this to one [tongue] and the same [applies] to the handwriting. So that the lives of the people will not be wasted and nullified in learning different languages,” `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, p. 33; “One day, while in Constantinople, Kamāl Pāshā visited this Wronged One. Our conversation turned upon topics profitable unto man. He said that he had learned several languages. In reply We observed: ‘You have wasted your life. It beseemeth you and the other officials of the Government to convene a gathering and choose one of the divers languages, and likewise one of the existing scripts, or else to create a new language and a new script to be taught children in schools throughout the world. They would, in this way, be acquiring only two languages, one their own native tongue, the other the language . . . and the people would be relieved and freed from the necessity of acquiring and teaching different languages.’” Bahā’u’llāh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, pp. 137–138.

[11] See previous footnotes.

4. Why Reveal Arabic Verses for a Persian Audience?

The Bāb and Bahā’u’llāh reveal verses in Arabic for a Persian audience, many of which are vague and sometimes incomprehensible.

Adib Taherzade (former UHJ member):

The reason someone speaks Arabic to a Persian audience is to excite their imagination and fascinate them into thinking he is knowledgeable.[12]

[12] “In Persia in the nineteenth century most people were illiterate, under the domination of the clergy whom they blindly obeyed. There were two educated classes, divines and government officials, plus a small number of others. Only the religious leaders and divines, however, could be called learned . . . Since Arabic was the language of the Qur'ān, the divines attached great importance to its study. Many would spend a lifetime mastering the language because of its vast scope and wealth of expression. They considered no treatise worthy of perusal unless it was composed and written in Arabic, and no sermon from the pulpit as moving or eloquent unless the Mullā preaching it had used an abundance of difficult and often incomprehensible Arabic words. By this means they excited the imagination of their often illiterate audiences who were fascinated by the apparently learned discourse of their clergy, despite the fact that they might not understand a single word. The normal yardstick for determining the depth of a man's learning was his knowledge of the Arabic language and the size of his turban!” Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Bahā’u’llāh, vol. 1, pp. 18–19.

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