Aspire to Excellence
by Maboubé Maher-Hielscher
Maboubé Maher-Hielscher was born in Iran where she lived only seven years of her life. When the Guardian launched the Ten Year Plan, her parents left Iran in 1953, and went pioneering to Algeria during the turmoil of war, then to France. 
Her education was crowned with travelling and living in Europe, Africa and America. She studied Business Administration, then went to study languages and translation in England and France. This gave her the privilege to translate the Bahá'í Writings, from English into French, for nearly twenty years. Realizing her life needed creativity, she decided to study Fine Arts. She has written poetry in French and has published a book entitled Deux Vies (1969), a selection of nine plays in French entitled Metamorphose (2003) and in 2005 Envol vers l'excellence.
In 1970, she moved to Canada, where she met her husband Klaus Rudiger, who embraced the Bahá'í Faith the same day she entered Canada. They went pioneering to Switzerland and lived there for sixteen years. During this time, their son Cyrus-Michael and daughter Saba Serena were born. They are now living in New Brunswick (Canada) since 1988.
Aspire to Excellence is a Bahá'í primer designed to deepen understanding of the Bahá'í Faith from a primary level with the following goals:
⋅ to search out knowledge for themselves;
⋅ to become responsible for their own relationship with God in a progressive way;
⋅ to think about and process what they read;
⋅ to apply that knowledge to their personal needs;
⋅ to set goals for themselves;
⋅ to express those goals through action;
⋅ to memorize prayers and the Bahá'í writings;
⋅ to serve the Faith;
⋅ to undertake studies that will benefit mankind; and
⋅ to carry forth an ever-advancing civilization.
⋅ to get used to the Bahá'í Writings in a progressive way. Some quotations are difficult to understand at first but with practice and explanation of the vocabulary, they will gradually get used to this kind of writing.
Teachers and parents have to constantly reinforce the idea that the process of acquiring knowledge is not sufficient. This knowledge has to be transformed into action. If we do not apply the teachings to our life, daily study has no purpose.
Consult Table of Contents by clicking here. | FAQ here
ISBN:1-896331-75-0 or 9781896331751 | WMPub# 1011 | 6" x 9"
192 pages Trade paperback | $19.95 CDN
Available In EBook Formats Here: $6.95 | |
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Some Frequently Asked Questions
What does Aspire to Excellence offer?
This book allows Bahá'í children, youth and seekers to get a deeper understanding of the History of the Faith, laws and various teachings, as well as the Bahá'í administration. This book helps the student to search knowledge and become responsible for his own relationship with God, to think about and process what he reads, to set goals for himself and express them through action, and to serve the Faith. Aspire to Excellence brings to the readers attention, through studying and meditating, what is the purpose of life and what are our responsibilities as a Bahá'í. Short stories are also incorporated to better help the understanding of some subjects.
After each chapter, questions and subjects for discussion are presented which are a great asset for children and youth to develop their mind and the way of thinking. At the end of each chapter, the author suggests different books to use as reference, should the student wish to further develop his/her knowledge in the subjects presented.
How can you help the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh?
At the end of the book, different suggestions are offered and presented in order to help the student to choose how they could be part of building the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh; to assist the establishment of peace and unity on earth.
Is Aspire to Excellence complementary to Ruhi materials?
We know that Ruhi courses have two main purposes: "Being and Doing; Purpose and Practice." They allow us to develop our understanding of the Writings and our great capacity to serve. Aspire to Excellence is a tool for parents and teachers to be used to help their children and the students to improve their knowledge of the Bahá'í Faith, as well as to prepare themselves for the fields of service. Moreover, this book prepares them for all the sequences of Ruhi materials.
"The attainment of any object is conditioned upon knowledge, volition and action. Unless these three conditions are forthcoming there is no execution of accomplishment."
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Foundation of World Unity, p. 101
Table of Contents
Foreword 9
Chapter 1 ~God, Religion And The Manifestations Of God
Progressive Revelation 13
What Is the Purpose of Religion? 13
God and His Messengers 14
Chapter 2 The Báb ~The Gate
Declaration 21
What Was the Mission of the Báb? 22
Martyrdom of the Báb 23
The Teachings of the Báb 25
Writings of the Báb 25
Chapter 3 ~ Bahá'u'lláh ~The Glory Of God
His Life 29
The Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh 32
The Mission of Bahá'u'lláh 32
The Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh 32
Writings of Bahá'u'lláh 35
'Abdu'l-Bahá ~ The Servant Of Bahá 37
His Life 37
Chapter 4 ~ The Importance of a Covenant
'Abdu'l-Bahá's Visit to the Western World in 1911: 40
The Passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá 41
The Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá 41
Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá 44
Chapter 5 ~Shoghi Effendi The Guardian Of The Bahá'í Faith
His Life 47
His Mission 48
His Childhood 56
After His Passing 59
Writings of Shoghi Effendi 60
Chapter 6 ~The Bahá'í Administration
The Characteristics and Functions of the Twin Pillars: The Institutions of the Guardianship and of the Universal House of Justice
The Institution of the Rulers 66
The Duties of the Members of the Local Spiritual Assembly 69
Consultation Among the Members of The Local Spiritual Assembly 71
The Institution of the Learned 73
Recommended Reading 76
The Nineteen Day Feast 78
Prayer for The Feast 78
The Bahá'í Calendar 79
Chapter 7 ~What Is The Essence, The Meaning And The Purpose Of Life?
What Are The Duties Of A Bahá'í? 83
Chapter 8 ~Some Baháí Laws
1. Prayer 99
The Bejewelled Sword (A Persian Folk Tale) 101
2. Fasting 102
3. The Right of God~Huqûqu'lláh 104
Story about The Right of God 107
4. Marriage 108
A. Rights of Parents 109
B. Unity And Equality in the Family 110
C. Education of Children 111
5. Alcoholic Drinks and Opium 112
6. Politics 113
7. Divorce 114
8. Burial 116
Chapter 9 ~Various Teachings And Guidance
Backbiting / Fault-finding: 123
Chastity 129
Courtesy 131
Death - Eternal Life 134
Depression 139
Suicide 140
Tests and Difficulties The Purpose of Suffering 141
Deeds Not Words 144
Distinction 146
Faith 148
Reading: Lua's Mission to the King 149
The Bahá'í Funds 152
Investigation of Truth 153
Knowledge 155
Obedience 158
Peace 160
Sacrifice 162
Self-knowledge and Self-Respect 166
Service and Sharing 169
Unity 173
Work and Worship 176
What is My Purpose in Life 178
I Want To Help 184
Index 187