Peerless Persian musician: A singer, player and inventor of many ancient musical instruments who lived at the court of Khosrow-Parviz of the Sásání dynasty about 600 A.D.
Renowned Muslim scholar; author of a treatise on music (ca. A.D. 870–950).
Physician/scientist/philosopher known in the west as Avicenna, one of whose major works devotes a section to music theory (ca. A.D. 980–1027).
Shahnáz, the name given to the recipient of this Tablet, is also the name of a musical mode.
The Universal House of Justice, in a letter dated 15 March 1972 written on its behalf, has elucidated this phrase of the Guardian in this manner: “As to your question about the ‘prostitution of arts and literature’ we understand by this, using art and literature for debased ends.”
A newer authorized translation of this passage is found in “Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá” (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1997), paragraph 74.2 (see item [14] of this compilation).