1. How Many Languages Must One Learn Other than His Mother's Tongue?

Abdul Baha and Bahaullah: At most two languages are needed: the mother tongue and the Universal Auxiliary Language. Great effort must be put to limit this to one language.

Bahaullah, Abdul Baha’, and Shoghi: Other than your mother tongue learn the Auxiliary language, Arabic , Farsi , English, and German!

2. The Meaning of "Putting Great Effort to Limit the Languages of the World to One"
Bahaullah: Great effort must be put to limit the languages to one.

Bahaullah, Abdu’l-Baha, and Shoghi reveal verses, utter words, and give orders in Arabic, Farsi, English, and Turkish.

Bahaullah, Abdu’l-Baha, and Shoghi order their followers to learn five languages other than their mother tongues: the Universal Auxiliary Language, Arabic, Farsi, German and English.

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

3. Is Learning Foreign Languages a Waste of Time?
Bahaullah: Definitely!

Shoghi and Abdul Baha and Bahaullah: Of course not. Learn your mothers tongue, the auxiliary language, Arabic, Farsi, German, and English!

4. Why Reveal Arabic Verses for a Persian Audience?
The Bab and Bahaullah 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.

A Summary and Conclusion of the Three Perspectives:

1) Is a Universal Auxiliary Language a new principle?
The need for a universal auxiliary language has always existed and depending on the conditions, one of the existing languages in the world has played this role either nationally or internationally. Before Bahaullah had spoken about this principle, Communicationssprache, was created by Joseph Schipfer and published in 1839 to serve this purpose. Subsequently many other auxiliary languages were introduced the most important ones being Universalglot in 1868, Volapuk in 1879, and Esperanto in 1887.

2) Did the leaders of Baha’ism act upon this principle?
This principle was ignored by Baha’i leaders to such an extent that they produced their teachings in three different languages: Arabic, Farsi, and English, and ordered their followers to learn five languages other than their mother tongues.

3) Is this principle rational and logical?
The nations of the world, for many different reasons, will not accept a Universal Auxiliary Language chosen for them by another group or party. Furthermore, Abdul Baha believes this principle is a cause of unity and friendship which in most cases is incorrect.

• Universal Auxillary Language
• Did The Founders Follow This Principle - Part I
• Did The Founders Follow This Principle - Part II
• Did The Founders Follow This Principle - Part III
• Is This Principle Logical?
• Universal Auxillary Language: Conclusion

The articles have been based on the book "Avaze Dohol" - the Beating of the Drum by Masoud Basiti, Zahra Moradi.