Events in the life of Shoghi Rabbani and Mary Maxwell from 1937 to 1945

Marriage to Mary Maxwell (1937)

Shoghi Effendi married Mary Maxwell (who was given the title Amatu'l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum) on March 25, 1937.

• The Ceremony: The marriage was a simple, private ceremony held in the room of the Greatest Holy Leaf, Bahíyyih Khánum.
• Significance: Shoghi Effendi described the union as a cementing of the "Union of East and West" and a reinforcement of the Institution of the Guardianship through direct association with the American believers.
• Privacy: The marriage was kept secret from the public and even from the local Bahá'ís until after it had taken place, to avoid the "trouble" that major events often stirred up among his enemies.

Excommunication of His Family (1941–1945)

• 1941–1942 (The Major Wave): A series of cablegrams sent between November 1941 and January 1942 announced the excommunication of the majority of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's descendants. This included:
  • His cousin Ruhi Effendi Afnan and his immediate family (November 1941).
  • His own younger sister, Mehr-Angiz Khánum (January 1, 1942).
• "Year of Disgrace" (1942): The year 1942 is referred to in the sources as a "year of disgrace" because Shoghi Effendi’s own parents were forced to publicly denounce and repudiate their daughter, Mehr-Angiz, following her excommunication. (Mirza Ahmad Sohrab in Abdul Baha's Grandson: Story of a Twentieth Century Excommunication)
• Total Isolation (1945): By 1945, the family of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, as well as Shoghi Effendi's own immediate family, had been "hopelessly lost to him." He described himself as having no one left but his wife, Rúḥíyyih Khánum, and her father, Sutherland Maxwell.

This period of purging was described by the Guardian as a necessary "process of purification" to protect the Administrative Order from the "virus" of violation and disloyalty within the Holy Family. (The Priceless Pearl by Rúḥíyyih Rabbani)

Read More

Abdul Baha warned young Shoghi Effendi against drinking coffee in the homes of any of the Baha'is.

From his early years, Shoghi Effendi was introduced to the world of suffering and danger which his grandfather had inherited as the Centre of Bahá'u'lláh's Covenant...., the treachery of the Covenant-breakers in the Holy Land reached a point where the Master felt compelled to warn his young grandson against drinking coffee in the homes of any of the Bahá'ís in the fear that he would be poisoned. At the age of fifteen, however, Shoghi Effendi was forced to drink from the bitter cup of sorrow which the machinations of Covenant-breakers would continue to fill for the rest of his life.

(The Life of Shoghi Effendi by Helen Danesh, John Danesh, Amelia Danesh published in Studying the Writings of Shoghi Effendi ed. M. Bergsmo - Oxford: George Ronald, 1991)

https://bahai-library.com/danesh_life_shoghi_effendi

Read More

What is the Covenant in the Baha'i religious sense?

A Covenant in the religious sense is a binding agreement between God and man, whereby God requires of man certain behaviour in return for which He guarantees certain blessings, or whereby He gives man certain bounties in return for which He takes from those who accept them an undertaking to behave in a certain way. There is, for example, the Greater Covenant which every Manifestation of God makes with His followers, promising that in the fulness of time a new Manifestation will be sent, and taking from them the undertaking to accept Him when this occurs. There is also the Lesser Covenant that a Manifestation of God makes with His followers that they will accept His appointed successor after Him. If they do so, the Faith can remain united and pure. If not, the Faith becomes divided and its force spent. It is a Covenant of this kind that Bahá’u’lláh made with His followers regarding ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá perpetuated through the Administrative Order that Bahá’u’lláh had already created.

(From a letter dated 23 March 1975 written by the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer)

https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/compilations/universal-house-of-justice-compilation/5#692131014

Read More

UHJ has no right at all to change any law that Bahá’u’lláh has specifically revealed.

Although the Universal House of Justice has to apply and supplement the laws of the Aqdas it has no right at all to change any law that Bahá’u’lláh has specifically revealed. As clearly stated by the Guardian, the provisions of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas “remain inviolate” during the entire Dispensation.

(From a letter dated 28 April 1974 written by the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer)

https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/compilations/universal-house-of-justice-compilation/5#692131014

Read More

Baha'i efforts to punish Iran

UHJ asks Baha'is to identify companies, in their countries, interested in doing Business with Iran.

https://archive.org/details/UHJ_LETTERS/2%20May%202016%20UHJ%20letter%20Doing%20Business%20With%20Iran/

UHJ asks Offices of External Affairs (in different countries) to contact government officials / business people visiting Iran.

https://archive.org/details/UHJ_LETTERS/5%20february%202016%20UHJ%20letter%20speaking%20with%20officials%20travelling%20to%20Iran/

UHJ asks Baha'is to lobby against Iran through their Offices of External Affairs, to meet with their government contacts, non-governmental organizations and individuals of influence.

https://archive.org/details/UHJ_LETTERS/24May2016LobbyingAgainstIran/

NSA of the US asks Baha'is across the country to join in a congressional "call-in"... to ensure that House Resolution 220 passes with the same strong bipartisan support.

https://archive.org/details/UHJ_LETTERS/20160502NsaOnMay13CongressionalCall-inCampaign/

Baha'i Comedian Omid Djalili speaks about "change" in Iran

https://youtu.be/os5kzKlqer8

Israeli Channel 12 interviews a Baha'i woman

https://www.reddit.com/r/exbahai/comments/1lowhw1/israeli_channel_12_interviews_a_bahai_woman/

18 Year old Baha'i, Borna Dehghani, takes part in anti-government protests in Iran, loses his life.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DTid3BXkdee/?igsh=MWc4ajM5ZjhpZm9mOQ==

But Baha'i Administration warns Hamid Taheri for being in contact with a Muslim from Iran.

https://taherifiles.blogspot.com/2009/09/april-2002-letter-of-australian-nsa.html

Read More

What is Bada?

Bada is defined as the failing of fulfilment of a prophetic announcement resulting from a change in Divine purpose, though the term literally translates to "appearing in the mind". This concept is illustrated through the story of the Prophet Noah, who repeatedly promised his followers victory at an appointed time; when these promises were not fulfilled as expected, they became "bada". Such occurrences serve as Divine tests to distinguish between those who possess true faith and those who are swayed by outward non-fulfilment, often causing the latter to turn away from the Prophet.

(Extracted from Kitáb-i-Íqán: The Book of Certitude, by Bahá'u'lláh, Translation of Ali Kuli Khan, 1904)

Shoghi Effendi translates "Bada" to "non-fulfillment of the divine promise"

https://bahai-library.com/pschaida_kitab-iqan_interlinear_translation

Read More

Since the time of Bahá’u’lláh dissimulation has been forbidden for Bahá’ís but Abdu’l-Bahá attended the mosque in Akka!!!

It is important to note at this juncture that although Shoghi Effendi did not find it appropriate in his day, there had been great wisdom in Abdu’l-Bahá’s attendance at the mosque during His Ministry. At the time of Bahá’u’lláh’s arrival, the people of Akka considered a man who did not attend a mosque or a church to be an infidel. The Faith had neither formulated its teachings and laws, nor was its true identity known to the inhabitants of the Holy Land. It had been presented to the population as a misguided sect of unbelievers. In these circumstances, refusal to go to the mosque would have stigmatized Bahá’u’lláh and His companions as infidels. By attending the mosque they came to be regarded in the eyes of the public as believers in God. One of the useful by-products of attending the mosque was that Abdu’l-Bahá established a marvellous relationship with the people, and in time emerged, in the words of an admirer, as the ‘Master of Akka’.

(THE COVENANT OF BAHA'U'LLAH By Adib Taherzadeh)

https://holy-writings.com/?a=SHOWTEXT&d=%2F%2Fen%2FBahai+Faith%2F2+-+Bahai+Studies%2FAdib+Taherzadeh%2FThe+Covenant+of+Baha%27u%27llah.txt

Attending a mosque is exactly what a MUSLIM, not a Baha'i, would do. And yet less than a century later, the Universal House of Justice would teach this:

"...it was permissible in Shi’ih Islam for believers to deny their faith in order to escape persecution. since the time of Bahá’u’lláh such an action has been forbidden for Bahá’ís. We do not defend our Faith by the sword, as was permissible in Islam, but Bahá’ís have always held to the principle that when challenged they should `stand up and be counted’, as the modern expression is, and not purchase their safety by denying that which is most important to them in this world and the next. The principle is well known to the Iranian Bahá’ís and is upheld by the overwhelming majority of them when the penalty is martyrdom."

https://bahai-library.com/uhj_dissimulation_iran_emmigrants

Read More

Shoghi Effendi about using AI ??

"The Bahá'ís should not always be the last to take up new and obviously excellent methods, but rather the first, as this agrees with the dynamic nature of the Faith..."

-Shoghi Effendi

https://bahai.works/Bahá’í_News/Issue_659/Text

Read More

Baha'i leaders were ordinary human beings.

Baha'u'llah's Chronic Issues: He suffered from a hernia (fateq), a condition his own sister pointed out he was unable to heal despite claims of divine power. He also had visible hand tremors or shaking; while his followers claimed this was the result of being poisoned by his brother, Mirza Yahya Subh-i-Azal, Avarih suggests this was a convenient excuse for a physical infirmity. Additionally, a traveler who met him noted that his left eye was significantly weaker or more damaged than his right.

Intoxication and Physical Collapse: Mirza Hussain Jarullah (a close confident of Baha'u'llah in Baghdad), found Baha'u'llah unconscious and physically ill from drinking too much wine. He was so intoxicated that he was unable to move or maintain basic hygiene.

Shoghi Effendi's Skin Condition: As a young man, Shoghi Effendi suffered from a skin disease (described as gal or a type of mange/itch) that affected his hands, forcing him to wear gloves while he was a student.

Abdul Baha's Final Sickness: Despite his followers viewing him as a source of healing, Abdul Baha died from a sudden fever. He had to rely on standard medical treatments, such as injections, which ultimately failed to save him.

Baha'u'llah's Cause of Death: He passed away after being bedridden for 22 days with a severe stomach illness and diarrhea (zahir).

(Kashful Hiyal (The Discovery of Deceptions) by Abdol Husayn Ayati 'Avarih')

https://archive.org/details/kashful-heel-part-3/Kashful%20Heel%20-%20Part%201/

Read More

When Friendship Becomes Strategy

And the believers increasingly appreciate the privilege of being able to acquaint a soul with the mission of Bahá’u’lláh—and, beyond this, to lovingly help a soul who stands at the doors of the Faith to step within. In 2021 we drew attention to this infinitely precious moment in a spiritual journey. We have noted with interest that, since then, the friends in many places have focused attention on how to recognize when the city of the heart is open, and on the conversations that lead to this moment and that follow it. Much remains to be learned in this regard, both about how to discern receptivity in different settings and how to acknowledge when it has already matured into faith.

(Message to the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors by The Universal House of Justice 2025-12-31)

https://bahai-library.com/uhj_message_counsellors_2025

Read More

Bahá’u’lláh did not study the Bayán, nor been acquainted with its contents

In the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, Bahá’u’lláh explicitly testified that he had "not perused the Bayán, nor been acquainted with its contents" a statement that Baha'is find surprising given Bahá’u’lláh's years as a prominent leader within the Bábí community. While some claim that physical copies of the Persian Bayán were scarce and not widely distributed during that era due to fierce opposition, the primary theological explanation provided in this reddit post is that Bahá’u’lláh possessed innate and unlearned knowledge. In the Tablet of Wisdom, he explained that whenever he needed to know something, the information would appear before him as if in a book, a spiritual capacity that allowed him to demonstrate a perfect understanding of the Báb’s Revelation without formal study! Consequently, despite never physically reading the text, he was able to quote the Báb accurately and address the laws of the Bayán in his own works, such as the Kitáb-i-Aqdas and the Kitáb-i-Badí’.

https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/epistle-son-wolf/epistle-son-wolf.xhtml?297c50f7

Baha'is discussing this topic:

https://www.reddit.com/r/bahai/comments/lo0rd1/where_can_i_read_more_about_the_relationship/

Read More

The translation of the writings of Bahá'u'lláh is not a priority for the Universal House of Justice

If translating and making available the writings of Bahá'u'lláh were in fact any sort of priority of the Universal House of Justice, they have enormous resources with which to do so. (Anyone who can spend $250 million on building works has the money for other projects, as well). They have simply decided to expend their resources on other things. I once saw in a library a big set of books, The Collected Works of Sri Aurobindo in Bengali with English translations. Aurobindo was a 20th century Indian holy man. But his followers managed to get his *complete* collected works not only published but also translated, not long after his death. Aurobindo's following is tiny and poor compared to that of the Bahá'ís. That only about 5% of Bahá'u'lláh's works have been translated is not an unfortunate side effect of lack of resources in the Bahá'í community. It is a deliberate decision to invest the money in things like monumental architecture instead.

Moreover, the Universal House of Justice's own translations, as represented in Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh and some of the compilations, are riddled with errors and mistranslations that give an extremely misleading impression of the intent of the original on a number of occasions. So it is not as if the UHJ's own record in translation work is spotless. Unfortunately, it is precisely the attitude of suspicion toward qualified academics and the rigidity of their preconceived opinions, evident in their letter on the Tablet of the Houri, that has caused them to so discount solid expertise and resulted in these many errors in their publications.

-Juan Cole

https://bahai-library.com/uhj_lawh_huriyyih_cole

Read More

she took the refreshments away, and ordered the arrogant man to leave her house... all who had adored him, abandoned him. What a miserable ending!

I know you only wanted to hear the story behind the Tablet of Ahmad and its recipient. Well, that was the main course. The menu will not be complete without saying a few words about Ahmad's glorious daughter, Khanum Gawhar. She was a very daring woman for her time and was blessed with a mirror-like pure heart. During the lifetime of Baha'u'llah there were some outstanding teachers who were almost worshipped by the believers. One of them, who had so many exalted tablets from Baha'u'llah, often went to Khanum Gawhar's house. She respected him to the point of cleaning his shoes. Such respect and adoration by the believers, together with the tablets from Baha'u'llah, went to the head of some of them who thought of assuming an independent rank in the Cause.

After the Ascension of Baha'u'llah, one day this teacher visited - Khanum Gawhar who, as usual, brought tea and sweets and stood at the door with folded arms in absolute humility. She noticed that the teacher was quite gloomy and bitter, so she asked for the reason. He said, "I must go to the Holy Land and see to the affairs of the Cause myself. The Faith is left in the hands of a young man." The last phrase was stated with indignation and pride. You like to know that when Baha'u'llah ascended, Abdu'l-Baha was forty-eight years old. Khanum Gawhar, contrary to the usual protocol, raised her voice and said, "Do you think Baha'u'llah did not know who to appoint after Himself?" With these words she took the refreshments away, and ordered the arrogant man to leave her house and never come back. She warned all of the neighboring Baha'i families about his attitude and cautioned them to wait until they hear from Abdu'l-Baha. It did not take too long before that man was cast out as a covenant-breaker, and all who had adored him, abandoned him. What a miserable ending!

(AHMAD, THE FLAME OF FIRE, A transcript of audio-cassette from series "WINDOWS TO THE PAST" by Darius K. Shahrokh, M.D.)

https://bahai-library.com/wttp/PDF/Ahmad%20-%20The%20Flame%20of%20Fire.pdf

Read More

Shoghi Effendi & Abdul Baha used to drink wine!

Sobhi, who served as a scribe for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá before leaving the Bahá’í Faith, provides the following details:

He states that he was personally acquainted with Shoghi Effendi and was aware of the weaknesses of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s family members,. He specifically recounts an incident involving Shoghi Effendi and Dr. Zia Baghdadi. Sobhi describes a time when they were together making jokes typical of young men. He claims that after briefly leaving the room and returning, he witnessed them drinking wine. When Sobhi questioned Dr. Baghdadi about what they were doing, he reports that Shoghi Effendi turned to him and said, "If you want some too, come and drink".

(The Memoirs of Fadlullah Mohtadi Sobhi)

https://archive.org/details/payam-i-pedar-sobhi/payam%20i%20pedar%20sobhi/

For instance, I frequently encountered Haj Mirza Haydar-Ali, their great ninety-year-old missionary, and the sons-in-law of Abbas Effendi in a state of intoxication at the Haifa gathering. I used to wonder if perhaps they were drinking as a sin, contrary to the will of Abdul-Baha.

That was until I fell ill in the Haifa guest house. When my weakness was reported to Varaqiyyi-ulya (the daughter of Baha'u'llah), she sent me a bottle of 'medicine' with a message saying: 'This medicine is strengthening and beneficial; it is exactly the same medicine that His Holiness Abdul-Baha used to partake of.' When I opened it, I saw it was wine. I did not know whether the Lady considered me so foolish and uninformed, or if she sent it knowingly.

At that moment, I understood the intoxication of the sons-in-law, and I also confirmed the statement of Zill-os-Soltan, who had said: 'One night in Paris, I shared a cup (drank) with Abbas Effendi.'"

(Abdul Husayn Ayati 'Avarih', Kashf al-Ḥiyal, Vol. 1)

https://archive.org/details/kashful-heel-part-3/Kashful%20Heel%20-%20Part%201/

Read More

Baha'i Temple on Mount Carmel

"Design for the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (Bahai Temple) on Mount Carmel prepared according to the instruction of Abdul Baha , during the Guardianship of the first guardian Shoghi Effendi “Preliminary steps taken in preparation of final design for the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár on Mount Carmel by President of the International Bahá'í Council, specifically appointed by `Abdu'l-Bahá to be its architect.”

(Shoghi Effendi, [Cablegram, April 25, 1951] Messages to the Bahá'í World -1950-1957, p. 12)

“eighteen plots, a twenty-two thousand square meter area, have been added to the International Bahá’í endowments on the slopes of Carmel. Government survey concluded paving the way for the acquisition of over one hundred forty thousand square meters of property in the precincts of the Most Holy Tomb at Bahjí. The design for the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár on Carmel, conceived by the President of the International Bahá’í Council, completed.”

(Shoghi Cablegram, April 23, 1952, Messages to the Bahá’í World: 1950–1957, p26)

This is what the Heterodox Bahá'í leaders on Mt Carmel did:

"The raising of the obelisk, marking the site of the future Mashriqu'l-Adhkár on Mount Carmel, completes a project initiated by the beloved Guardian."

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1968-1973, p. 119)

Instead of building the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár and despite several warnings, the Heterodox Bahá'í leaders on Mt. Carmel are continuing their plan to disturb and remove the physical remains of Abdu’l Baha from the existing shrine in a sacred place adjoining the holy shrine of the Bab and move to another place which its construction site caught on fire on 8 April 2022 but they did not wake up.

I hope those who call themselves Baha’i investigate the truth and do not blindly imitate what they are telling them.

https://old.reddit.com/r/orthodoxbahai/comments/1pp6b9j/last_warning/

Read More