Contribute
Submit a Paper
Scholars and students are warmly invited to submit papers for presentation at the Irfán Colloquia and for publication in Lights of Irfán. The Colloquia welcome original contributions advancing the study of Bahá'í scripture, history, theology, and philosophy from scholars at all levels.
Online submission portal — coming soon
Account-based submission with file upload and editorial tracking is in development. For now, please submit directly by email to both contacts listed below.
Submission Types
What We Accept
Academic Paper
Original scholarly research on Bahá'í scripture, history, theology, or philosophy. Approximately 5,000–6,000 words (10–12 single-spaced pages). Exceptions considered individually.
Conference Paper
A paper presented orally at one of the Irfán Colloquia sessions and subsequently submitted for publication in proceedings.
Book Review
A critical review of a recent work in Bahá'í studies. Typically 800–2,000 words with full bibliographic citation.
Scholarly Tool
Annotated bibliography, glossary, concordance, index, or other reference resource of use to the Bahá'í studies community.
Course Proposal
A structured course proposal for the Irfán Study Commons. Include learning objectives, syllabus outline, and target audience.
Conference Proposal
Proposal for a new colloquium session, including theme, suggested location, and anticipated participants.
Writer's Guide
Style & Formatting Requirements
Cover Sheet
Every submission must be accompanied by a cover sheet that includes:
- Article title
- Author name and full mailing address
- Telephone number (and fax, if available)
- Email address
Length & File Format
Papers should be approximately 10–12 single-spaced pages (5,000–6,000 words). Longer papers may be considered; please contact the editor before submitting work substantially exceeding this range.
Submit two versions of your file:
- Original format — Microsoft Word (.docx), WordPerfect, or Nisus Writer
- Platform-neutral copy — Rich Text Format (.rtf) or HTML
Avoid non-Roman fonts (Arabic script, Chinese, Turkish, etc.) except where directly and necessarily relevant to your argument.
Transliteration & Style
Use the full standard Bahá'í transliteration with all proper diacritical marks. Key conventions:
- Bahá'u'lláh (not Baha'u'llah or Bahá'alláh)
- 'Abdu'l-Bahá (the opening mark before Abd represents the Arabic letter 'ayn)
- The Báb, Bábí, Bahá'í — all diacritics required
- Under-dotted letters (Ṭ, Ẓ, Ḥ, etc.): mark with @ after the letter in your Word file — e.g.,
Muh@ammad— and the editor will apply the correct glyph - Italicize foreign-language terms in transliteration; do not italicize titles of Sacred Writings
- Capitalize all pronouns referring to God, the Manifestations, or the Holy Spirit
- Published book titles are italicized: e.g., Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh
- American punctuation; American or British spelling both acceptable — be consistent
Citations
Use footnotes or endnotes (one style throughout). Follow the Chicago Manual of Style. All quotations must include full attribution with page numbers; use the most recent available editions of Sacred Writings.
Book
Bahá'u'lláh. The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys. Translated by Ali-Kuli Khan. Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1991.
Chapter in edited volume
Momen, Moojan. "Relativism: A Basis for Bahá'í Metaphysics." In Studies in the Bábí and Bahá'í Religions, vol. 5, edited by Seena Fazel and John Danesh. Los Angeles: Kalimát Press, 1992.
Lights of Irfán
Klebel, Wolfgang. "Bahá'u'lláh's Healing for Today's World." Lights of Irfán 7 (2006): 85–108.
Online source
Winters, Jonah. "Thinking in Bahá'í." Bahá'í Library Online, 1997. https://bahai-library.com/winters_thinking (accessed January 1, 2024).
For email sources, include sender name, recipient, date, and subject line.
Submission Deadline
Papers for each annual volume of Lights of Irfán must be received by January 1st. Earlier submission is encouraged. Late submissions may be held for the following volume at editorial discretion.
Send To
Editorial Contacts
Postal Address
Iraj Ayman5715 South Kenwood, #3N
Chicago, IL 60637
USA
Please send your submission to both email addresses. Include your full name, affiliation (if any), and a brief description of the paper's topic.
Online Form
Submission Portal
Online submission coming soon
Account-based submission with file upload, status tracking, and editorial feedback is in development. Until then, email your paper directly.