Division, Unity, and the Lord of Books

Division, Unity, and the Lord of Books

A Thanksgiving study with Dr. Riazati

A weekend of deep study with Dr. Habib Riazati :: Thursday, November 26 – Sunday, November 29, 2026

This Thanksgiving, step away from the noise and gather at Desert Rose for a weekend immersed in the Kitáb-i-Íqán -- Bahá'u'lláh's Book of Certitude.

In barely two hundred pages, the Book of Certitude sweeps away the barriers that have stood for ages between the world's great religions and lays a foundation broad enough to reconcile their followers completely and permanently.

It names the disease behind that division: not ignorance, but the heart's attachments -- the loves and hatreds that bend even the most brilliant mind to their will. Understanding God's Word, the Íqán insists, depends on purity of heart, not human learning -- demolishing the illusion of the intelligentsia, religious and secular alike, that a disciplined mind can simply reason its way to truth on its own. Prejudices, religious and racial and national and political, strike at the root of human life. In our secular age the veil rarely wears a religious face at all -- it is political enmity often in souls who are not even religious. The challenge of approaching truth is universal.

Over the weekend Dr. Riazati draws the Book of Certitude together, in a series of lectures, with the Writings that take up the same questions and answer them with great force: Baháʼuʼlláh's Gems of Divine Mysteries; the Báb's Persian Bayán, Seven Proofs, and Five Modes (Panj Shaʼn); and ʻAbduʼl-Bahá's Some Answered Questions -- guided throughout by the interpretations of the Guardian.

Your Guide

The program is facilitated by Dr. Habib Riazati, whose lifetime of study in the Bábí and Bahá'í writings brings these pages alive.

The Weekend at a Glance

Thursday evening -- Thanksgiving Feast.

Friday & Saturday -- full study sessions morning and afternoon

Friday & Saturday evening 7:30pm -- a public evening talk, free and open to the community (bring a friend; no ticket needed).

Sunday morning -- closing session and farewell lunch.

Daily Schedule (Friday & Saturday)

8:00 – 9:00 :: Breakfast

9:00 – 1:00 :: Morning Session (break at 11:00)

1:00 – 2:30 :: Lunch

2:30 – 6:00 :: Afternoon Session (break at 4:00)

6:00 – 7:00 :: Dinner

7:30 :: Public Talk by Dr. Riazati (community welcome)

Where

Desert Rose Bahá'í Institute, near Eloy, Arizona -- south of Phoenix, north of Casa Grande.

1950 West William Sears Dr., Eloy AZ 85131

Registration

Your registration covers all study materials and meals, including Thursday's Thanksgiving feast. [See below for accommodations options.]

• Full Weekend (Adult): $340

• Full Weekend (Youth, under 18): $200

• Public Talk (Fri/Sat evening): No charge

Accommodations Options

• Dormitory lodging is included with every Program registration -- 20 beds each for men and women.

• A few on-campus apartments can be booked separately, first-come first-served: https://bit.ly/drbi-rentals -- reserve early if you prefer not to sleep dormitory-style.

• RV boondocking is available on-site at no charge.

• If you prefer, there are very good hotels in nearby Casa Grande (15 min). You will have to arrange your own transportation.

A Few Notes

Minors must be accompanied by a responsible parent or guardian who is also registered for and attending the program, and are expected to participate fully in all sessions alongside the adults.

Photography: Desert Rose photographs, films, and records portions of its programs for use on our website and promotional materials. By registering and attending, you acknowledge that you and your party may be photographed or recorded, and that there is no expectation of privacy from photography at this event.