| The Bahá'í Cycle (destined to last not less than 500,000 years) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Bahá'í Era (comprises the Dispensations of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dispen-sation of the Báb | Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh (at least 1,000 years) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Heroic Age (The Primitive, Apostolic Age)1 | The Formative Age (The Transitional, Iron Age) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First Epoch | Second Epoch | Third Epoch | First Epoch | Second Epoch | Third Epoch | Fourth Epoch | Fifth Epoch | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Evolution of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Divine Plan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First Epoch | Second Epoch | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First Stage _____ First Seven Year Plan | Second Stage _____ Second Seven Year Plan | Third Stage _____ Ten Year World Crusade | First Stage _____ Nine Year Teaching Plan | Second Stage _____ Five Year Plan | Third Stage _____ Seven Year Plan | Fourth Stage _____ Six Year Plan | Fifth Stage ____ The Holy Year | Sixth Stage _____ Three Year Plan | Seventh Stage _____ Four Year Plan | Eighth Stage _____ Twelve Month Plan | Ninth Stage _____ Five Year Plan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1844 | 1853 | 1892 | 1921 | 1937 | 1944 | 1946 | 1953 | 1963 | 1964 | 1973 | 1974 | 1979 | 1986 | 1992 | 1993 | 1996 | 2000 | 2001 | 2006 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ministry of the Báb | Ministry of Bahá'u'lláh | Ministry of 'Abdu'l-Bahá | Ministry of Shoghi Effendi | Hands of the Cause | Universal House of Justice | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1. | Concerning the Apostolic Age, the Guardian asserts that this period concluded 'more particularly with the passing' | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| of the Greatest Holy Leaf in 1932. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||