| [Ar] Dawning-place of the praises or remembrances or mention of God.
Generally, the Bahá'í House of Worship or Temple and the dependencies clustered around it. |
| In the Kitáb-i-Aqdas Bahá'u'lláh reveals: 'Blessed is he who directeth his steps towards the Mas̲h̲riqu'l-Ad̲h̲kár
at the hour of dawn, communing with Him, attuned to His remembrance, imploring His
forgiveness. And having entered therein, let him sit in silence to hearken unto the
verses of God. . . the Mas̲h̲riqu'l-Ad̲h̲kár
is in truth any House raised in towns or villages, for mention of Me.'15 |
| The term Mas̲h̲riqu'l-Ad̲h̲kár is used primarily to refer to buildings
which conform to particular architectural requirements and which are reserved for devotions
and reading from the revealed Word of God. However, the term Mas̲h̲riqu'l-Ad̲h̲kár
is also used to refer to any building or room which is reserved for devotions; devotional
meetings, particularly dawn prayers; and the heart of the sincere worshipper.16 |
| The Mas̲h̲riqu'l-Ad̲h̲kár is a nine-sided building surmounted by
a dome. 'Abdu'l-Bahá delineated its general design; 'It has nine avenues, nine gardens, nine fountains,
so it is nine on nine, all nines. . . .That is the way it should be.'17 Bahá'u'lláh has forbidden the display of pictures or statues within the walls and the use of musical instruments.
Only the human voice may be used to sing, chant or read the Word of God in the House
of Worship. |
| 'Abdu'l-Bahá stated that the House of Worship is 'also connected with a hospital, a drug dispensary, a
travelers' hospice, a school for orphans, and a university for advanced studies. Every
Mas̲h̲riqu'l-Ad̲h̲kár is connected with these five things.'18 |
| Shoghi Effendi writes,
'From the Mas̲h̲riqu'l-Ad̲h̲kár . . . the representatives of Bahá'í communities, both local and national, together with the members of their respective communities, will as they gather daily
within its walls at the hour of dawn, derive the necessary inspiration that will enable
them to discharge . . . their duties and responsibilities . . .'19 |
| [BD 148-51] |
 |
| Dawning-place of the Praises or "Remembrances" of God. Bahá'í House of
Worship, "Symbol and precursor of a future world civilization" (GPB 350). The first
two have been built respectively at Is̲h̲qábád,
Turkistán, and Wilmette, Illinois. [Written in 1955, see
Bahá'í Houses of Worship for a current list.] |
| [BG 31] |
|
| Literally "the Dawning-place of the praise of God",
the designation of the Bahá'í House of Worship and its dependencies. |
| [KA-G 253] |
|
| See also: |
|
