Civilizational Revival and Modernity through the Lens of 'Abdu'l-Bahá:

About: This paper seeks to examine ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s approach to modernity, but with a broader lens, one that situates his vision within the framework of civilizational renewal inspired by the new religion. Although some scholarly studies have made significant progress in examining ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s insights in The Secret of Divine Civilization, they have frequently focused on its alignment with modernity, Enlightenment thought, and the European intellectual tradition. This approach marks a shift from traditional hermeneutics toward more contemporary interpretations. However, there is a risk that such discourse may become stagnant, recycling outdated debates or focusing excessively on appeasing Iranian intellectual circles and aligning with liberal ideological trends. A parallel can be drawn to certain Marxist interpretations of the Bábí movement, which, while appreciative, ultimately reduced it to a socio-political phenomenon devoid of its spiritual essence. Although it is valid to recognize elements of social reform in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s worldview, an exclusive focus on these secondary dimensions risks obscuring his deeper concern with the root causes of social transformation, namely, the spiritual and metaphysical foundations grounded in the principle of progressive revelation. This article, therefore, aims to explore how ‘Abdu’l-Bahá employs the concept of progressive revelation as a generative force for social and cultural renewal. (from sabetbehrooz.academia.edu)