If you are learning about the Baha'i Faith from Baha'i friends, here's a good way to have some fun with them. Ask them what a mashriq is. After they look at you with a blank stare, say the entire phrase "mashriqul-azkaar" (sounded out so you can sort of say it right). "Deepened Baha'is" (and that's a term they use to talk about Baha'is who allegedly know something) will tell you it's really important and all and that we have one, yes, one, in the United States, the Baha'i House of Worship in Wilmette. Big deal.

A mashriqul-Azkaar,  is a building to be built in every Baha'i community for purposes of worship of various kinds, much of it directed inwardly. The word Mashriq means "dawning place" and Azkaar is the plural of zikr – and means "remembrance." Often "mashriq" is used as an abbreviation for the longer term.  In Islam, a common practice of meditation and reciting holy words is often done by Sufis – and they call that zikr. Baha'is are supposed to do this too in their daily devotions, but they are also supposed to build centers for this inward spiritual focus in every community. The importance of this VERY STRONGLY commanded in the Baha'i writings. However, the AO is so preoccupied with its expensive public relations projects and with controlling what Baha'is think and do, that it has pretty much relegated the mashriq to the back of the Crimson Ark.

Now let's look at a couple of quotes about the mashriq as found in the Baha'i writings. Baha'i Angst will also give a link to a very nice compilation of extracts of the writings about the mashriq done by Sen McGlinn.

Anyway, Auxilary Baha'i Founder (ABF), Baha'u'llah, said the following, among other things, about the mashriq in his "Most Holy Book"  which also might be called "The Least Quoted Book" among Baha'is.

Blessed is he who, at the hour of dawn, centring his thoughts on God, occupied with His remembrance, and supplicating His forgiveness, directeth his steps to the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar and, entering therein, seateth himself in silence to listen to the verses of God, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Say: The Mashriqu'l-Adhkar is each and every building which hath been erected in cities and villages for the celebration of My praise. Such is the name by which it hath been designated before the throne of glory, were ye of those who understand.
(Aqdas p 61 para 115)

Assistant to the ABF (AABF), Abdul Baha, also said some interesting things about the mashriq, including his belief that the real mashriq is within each of us and that the outward should express the inward. It's a nice quote, read it.

In reality, the radiant, pure hearts are the Mashrak-el-Azcar and from them the voice of supplication and invocation continually reacheth the Supreme Concourse. I ask God to make the heart of every one of you a temple of the Divine Temples and to let the lamp of the great guidance be lighted therein; and when the hearts find such an attainment, they will certainly exert the utmost endeavor and energy in the building of the Mashrak-el-Azcar; thus may the outward express the inward, and the form (or letter) indicate the meaning (or reality).
(Tablets of `Abdu'l-Baha Abbas p 678)

In addition, the Central Figure of the Baha'i Faith (CFBF), Shoghi Effendi, aka "the beloved Guardian" wrote the following in a book Peter Khan highly recommends Baha'is read.

Let the friends recall and ever bear in mind the repeated exhortations and glowing promises of our beloved Master with reference to the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, the crowning institution in every Baha'i community.
(Baha'i Administration, page 108)

So ask your Baha'i friends where "the crowing institution" is in your local community. Guess what folks, it won't be there. Those kinds of projects would detract from the manipulative huge building projects on Mt. Carmel and other places.

Now, we at Baha'i Angst have had a dream. Yes, a true vision about the mashriq, something Baha'i mystics like Terry Culhane might appreciate, well maybe not, let's see what happens when he reads this.

Anyway, anyone who has ever listened to Baha'i music knows how banal it is, except for when it gets even more digusting that a Cathy Lee Crosby Christmas show, but we at Baha'i Angst have had a vision where music could be united with support of the Mashriq concept. Here's our dream:

Every five years the Infallible Universal House of Justice is elected in a Baha'i World Congress. It's a big event and Baha'is gather from around the world to vote for the nine men, yes, just men, we'll deal with that later, who will get to write really nauseating letters to the faithful for the next five years. For some reason, Baha'is think this is a big deal and those who can afford to, depending on the rates they get from travel agents, come from around the world to bore each other to death. Our vision will add life to the next World Congress, revivify Baha'i arts, and just might bring back the mashriq from oblivion.
 
 

Our vision was inspired by the following:
 
 

And there we were, at the next Baha'i World Congress, for some reason being held in San Franciso, and the auditorium was filled with rich Baha'is listening to boring speech after boring speech about Plans, victories, teaching, teaching, and more teaching, and various attacks on Juan Cole, the Goldstein of the Baha'i Faith, along with anyone who is a fundamentalist when it comes to "independent investigation of truth." But them, suddenly, Lucy Lawless struts out on stage to introduce the musical portion of the proceedings. Dressed in her Xena costume and holding tightly to Gabrielle's hand, she says:

         "Members of the Universal House of Justice, the Institution of the Learned, the Incontinent Counsellors, Auxilary Board members, assistants to the Auxillary board members, those wanting to be assistants to the Auxilary board members, Baha'is in Good Standing, Baha'is in deep shit with the AO, and outright covenant breakers, it is my pleasure to introduce tonight's featured musical group, The Village Baha'is and Ex-Baha'is. Let's give them a big Baha'i welcome."

       Then one by one they each come onto the stage. First is Nima Hazini, the biker. He comes out in leather, chains, and big boots. Something like this:

Suddenly, a couple members of the UHJ wake up and start to look interested.

Then comes Terry Culhane:
 
 

Some Counsellors start to brighten up.
 

Followed by Cal, and I don't mean Ripken:

Then, John Walbridge runs out, looking supremely confident:
 
 

At this point, some of the Incontinent Counsellors become incontinent.
More UHJ members are paying attention. Karen Bacquet is in the back of the auditorium laughing her ass off.

Then, Baha'i Angst, heavily disguised, comes out in the form of a policeman:

Last, but most important, Goldstein himself, Juan Ricardo Irfan Cole, (JRIC) comes strutting out looking all serious and all:

Douglas Martin falls over dead. Nobody notices. Well, at least there'll be one new member elected this time. Probably wont' be Juan though.

So there they are, on stage, ready to perform with Terry in the middle, since it's his song they are about to sing.

And then they burst into song singing their new hit: Mashriq Man (We strongly suggest you get into the spirit by singing along - to the tune of Macho Man.)

Mashriq, mashriq man
I gotta be a mashriq man
Masriq mashriq man
I gotta be a mashriq

And they got a standing ovation, and Baha'i meetings were forever changed.