Equally unaware were the believers that Shoghi Effendi was the distinguished Branch appointed by `Abdu’l-Baha to lead the Baha’i world after Him. Mirza Muhammad-`Ali, whose opposition to the Centre of the Covenant, had cost him the loss of the right to succeed Him, was hard at work to present himself as the leader of the Baha’i community. The Greatest...
Tuesday, February 28, 2023
Monday, February 27, 2023
NSA Explains Deprivation of Voting Rights
America (United States), Baha'i Law, Covenant-Breakers, Punishment
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Although this subject has been explained many times, it seems necessary for the National Spiritual Assembly to clarify once more what is meant when a Baha'i is deprived of his voting rights.Whether it is reported that a Baha'i has been "deprived of Baha'i membership," "deprived of voting rights," or "removed from Baha'i membership," it means the same...
Saturday, February 25, 2023
Is this partisan politics?
In 1975 the Shah founded the Rastakhiz (Resurrection) Party, the only government authorized political party. In the face of government pressure to join, Bahá’ís refused, in adherence to the Bahá’í principle of non-involvement in political activities.(17 October 1979, Message from the Universal House of Justi...
Different policy for enrolling Baha'is in Australia
With the formation of the National Assembly, however, the character of the Baha'i community in Australia changed from that of a 'movement' toward a more codified religious body. It was decided that investigators and applicants for enrolment in the Baha'i community had first to remain in association with Baha'is for one year, before meeting a Local...
Grand secretary of the Masonic lodges of Tasmania was a Baha'i for 6 years.
Mr H. A. Wilkinson, grand secretary of the Masonic lodges of Tasmania, had chaired a world religion day observance organized by the Baha’is in 1950, and had joined the community in 1952. When a 1954 article in the U.S. publication Baha’i News stated that Baha’is could not be Freemasons, the Hobart Assembly asked the National Spiritual Assembly for...
How to withdraw the membership from the Baha'i faith
Membership WithdrawnMiss Annabelle Ivory, Erie, Pa., has voluntarily withdrawn from the Baha'i Faith and has requested publication in BAHA'I NEWS of the fact that she wishes no contact whatsoever with Baha'is.-U.S. NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY(Baha'i News, U.S. Supplement, No. 27, Baha'i Year 117, May 19...
Friday, February 24, 2023
IT IS AN INJUSTICE TO HOLD ANY RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ILL-DOINGS OF ANY ONE OF ITS MEMBERS
THE VAST MAJORITY OF IRANIAN BAHÁ’ÍS ARE OF THE POORER CLASSES LIVING IN VILLAGES. FEW ARE WEALTHY, AND AMONG THEM A NUMBER WERE BUSINESSMEN WHO PROVIDED FACILITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT OF THOUSANDS OF WORKERS. THE FEW WHO RIGHTLY OR WRONGLY ARE BEING ACCUSED OF CORRUPTION AND OTHER OFFENCES SHOULD NOT BE REGARDED AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BAHÁ’Í COMMUNITY...
Influential Baha'is in Iran
THE FACTS ARE THAT HOVEIDA'S GRANDFATHER WAS A BAHÁ’Í, HIS FATHER WAS EXPELLED FROM THE BAHÁ’Í COMMUNITY BECAUSE HE BECAME INVOLVED IN POLITICAL ACTIVITY, AND HOVEIDA HIMSELF WAS NEVER A BAHÁ’Í. ROUHANI'S FATHER WAS A BAHÁ’Í, HIS MOTHER A DEVOUT MUSLIM, BUT ROUHANI WAS NEVER A BAHÁ’Í. SABETI'S [Director-General of 'SAVAK' that functioned as the Iranian...
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
Hindu and Zoroastrian Baha'is continued to live as the members of their religious communities. And how the first Americans were converted to the Baha'i faith
America (United States), Censorship, Converting People, Hinduism
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The context Garlington chooses is that of depressed caste
conversions in India. Garlington argues that, in contrast to the
other three cases he considers, conversion to the Baha'i faith
fulfilled no specific caste ambition, and there were no prominent
individuals who provided model converts for the masses. In
addition, he contrasts the devaluation...
Monday, February 20, 2023
American Interests in 1939 and the mention of Baha'i faith
On the eve of World War II , American interests in Iran were not sizable. There were slightly more than two hundred American citizens residing in Iran, more than half of whom were native-born Americans. About twenty American citizens reportedly worked with the Anglo- Iranian Oil Company at Abadan, but the consulate at Teheran did not even have them...
Circumambulating Baha'u'llah
Bahá'u'lláh dismissed us from His presence, saying : "Go in God's care." Every one of us prostrated at His blessed feet and circumambulated His bed. We left the room in deepest sorrow, burning from separation from the Beloved.(Moments with Baháʼuʼlláh - Memoirs of the Hand of the Cause of God Ṭarázuʼlláh Samandarí)'Abdu'l-Bahá was present too; as I...
A 'capable and devoted' Baha'i, Husayn Ruhi, was a capable British agent.
Abdul-Baha, Abuse, Baha'i Activities, Dissimulation, Loyalty, Palestine, Politics, Spying
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He appears as a bit character in generally British-focused narratives of the Revolt, and intelligence during the First World War. T. E. Lawrence briefly refers to Ruhi as “more like a mandrake than a man” (perhaps in reference to his multiple wives and numerous children). Storrs, who spent many more months with Ruhi, gave him the codename “the Persian...
O Thou the Desire of the Divine Messengers! (different prophets and manifestations about the greatness of Baha'u'llah)
Had Muhammad, the Apostle of God, attained this Day, He would have exclaimed: "I have truly recognized Thee, O Thou the Desire of the Divine Messengers!" Had Abraham attained it, He too, falling prostrate upon the ground, and in the utmost lowliness before the Lord thy God, would have cried: "Mine heart is filled with peace, O Thou Lord of all that...
Sunday, February 19, 2023
Prostrating and kissing at the Bab, Baha'u'llah and Abdul Baha's feet.
They implored His blessings, and kissed His feet. The Bab expressed his appreciation towards each one of them individually and assured them that He would pray for them.(The Herald and His Heroes)Mulla Husayn needed no further proof. With tears in his eyes, he prostrated himself before the Manifestation of God.(The New Garden)...passing one day before...
Mirza Ahmad Kirmani was connected with the Babis
Mirza Ahmad Kirmani was arrested and sent to Tehran in about 1875, where he spent a year in prison before returning to Kirman. After this, he appears to have become somewhat deranged. His wild and unpredictable behaviour can to some extent be explained by the fact that at this time he became addicted to large quantities of alcohol and drugs. He would...
it becomes again subject to the payment of Huqúqu’lláh.
As to the question raised by Mr. …, kindly inform him that in a letter to an individual believer the beloved Guardian explained that Huqúqu’lláh is payable only once on a given property, whether personal or real, but should this property pass from one person to another, such as through inheritance, it becomes again subject to the payment of Huqúqu’lláh.(1...
Making ablution, praying and opening the letters from Shoghi Effendi
Dhikrullah Khadem, Hand of the Cause of God says:Friends, the beloved Shoghi Effendi gave me many assignments, One of the assignments that I had was to be as errand for the God, a peon to send His, to announce His cables or to deliver to the National Assembly, to the individuals, to different countries and that was, that continued for over 22-23 years...
The grandson of the bitterest enemy of the Faith becomes Baha'i. This is the miracle of the Faith!
Dhikrullah Khadem, Hand of the Cause of God says:We had another Baháʼí, [?] who was very learned and descendant of Sheikh [?]. This is the miracle of the Faith. Sheikh [?] , who was responsible for the exile of Bahá’u’lláh from Baghdad, the bitterest enemy of the Faith. From his family, his grandson became a wonderful Baháʼí [?] and a prominent Baháʼí...
Abha Kingdom
Dhikrullah Khadem, Hand of the Cause of God says:And I tell you, these wonderful souls, many of them in the Abhá Kingdom now. They enjoy the presence of their beloved Shoghi Effendi, in the presence of the Báb, Bahá’u’lláh, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.https://bahai.works/Transcript:Dhikrullah_Khadem/Address_from_the_Hand_of_the_Ca...
... he offered $100,000 ... Can any of the past religions show such devotion from, shown by anyone of these wonderful souls?
America (United States), Money, Shoghi Effendi, Temple
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Dhikrullah Khadem, Hand of the Cause of God says:Fred Schopflocher. Again, Canadian. That wonderful man, this great man. I met him in Chicago at the Intercontinental Conference, and I heard that there was a time that the House of Worship, the building was stopped because of lack of money. And he was in the presence of the Guardian. In the presence...
Oh, God, my God. This is the style of ʿAlī, the Imam ʿAlī... if there was one person in the whole world to write good Persian, it’s Shoghi Effendi.
Dhikrullah Khadem, Hand of the Cause of God says:We had a [?]. The nonBaháʼís custodian of the mosque of Sepahsālār, which is the greatest mosque in Tehran, the mosque and school. The Shah of Persia is custodian. He was acting for the Shah. I don't mention his name just in order to avoid anything for the family or if he's alive. He attended the presence...
Tuesday, February 14, 2023
"valuable public services" to convert more and more people to the Baha'i faith
Medical camps operating through the devoted efforts of Bahá’í physicians and traveling teachers in Bangladesh have led to a large number of enrollments in addition to carrying out a valuable public service.Last November 19, the Ruhí Camp, named after a recent martyr in Iran, treated 150 patients, 54 of whom embraced the Cause.Four days later, the Faizí...
Baha'i - Azali conflict and the business of Afnan family
Azali, Bab, Baha'u'llah, Money, Punishment, Subh-i-Azal
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Haji Shaykh Muhammad-'Ali, known as Nabil Ibn Nabil, was a brother of Shaykh Kazim of Qazvin, to whom Baha'u'llah gave the surname Samandar (Salamander). Both brothers were merchants of high repute. Their father, Shaykh Muhammad, known as Nabil, espoused the Faith of the Bab in early days, and passed away in Baghdad, one year before the Declaration...
Thursday, February 2, 2023
In one dream recounted by him, he believed that he was granted permission to transmit knowledge by each of the twelve Imams.
There is evidence of neo-Qarmaṭī influence in the al-Aḥsā region after
the 1760s, but the possibility of links with the shaikh remains purely
speculative. He himself indicated that, from early childhood, he
developed a predilection for introspection, seclusion, and asceticism.
At an unspecified age—probably during adolescence—he experienced a
series...
Flight of Baha'i Central Figures
Baha'u'llah fled to Kurdistan
On the morning of April 10th, 1854, to their utmost surprise, Bahá'u'lláh's household awoke to find Him gone. He had left Baghdad for the mountains of Sulaymáníyyih in the heart of Kurdish Iraq.
https://bahai-library.com/masumian_bahaullah_kurdistanAbdul Baha fled to TiberiasSuddenly the Master went to Tiberias to spend...
There is no objection that the believers look at the picture of Baháʼu'lláh
Shoghi Effendi, wrote:"There is no objection that the believers look at the picture of Baháʼu'lláh, but they should do so with the utmost reverence, and should also not allow that it be exposed openly to the public, even in their private homes."(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, December 6, 1939, republished...
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
British intelligence and the role of Abbas Effendi
Plans were also made for the handling of agents during the advance. Alexander Aaronsohn in Advanced Intelligence prepared a list of potential agents in Zichron Ya'akov and in nearby Arab villages whom he believed could be recruited once the EEF arrived and sent forward to obtain real-time information. Aaronsohn also made a second list of Jews and Arabs...
This Muslim intellectual respects Abbas Effendi but the Baha'i leaders hate the so-called covenant-breakers!
To underline ‘Abduh’s irenic attitude, Arslan not only mentions his regular
contacts with Christian dignitaries but also the esteem in which he held his own
Druze community. ‘Abduh comes across in his account as somebody who was
more impressed by a person’s erudition and cosmopolitan outlook than their
religious background. Arslan highlights this attitude...
This Holy Land is the happy hunting-ground of cranks and visionaries of all stripes, Oriental and Occidental.
One Christian missionary who visited Syria in the early 1900s, writes his observation:In December an American woman was brought ashore from a steamer and placed in St. John’s Hospital in Beirut in a state of collapse. When sufficiently revived to speak, she said she was Mrs. ____ of Chicago, and had left contrary to her husband’s request to visit the...
is this the tomb of a dead Holy Ghost ?
Abdul-Baha, Christians, Money, Muhammed Ali (Ghusn)
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One Christian missionary who visited Syria, states:In March, 1901, Rev. Mr. Bray of Wisconsin dined with Mohammed Ali and Bedea Effendi, brothers of Abbas. They showed him the tomb of their father, Beha Allah, who they insisted was an incarnation of the Holy Ghost "What," said Mr. Bray, "is this the tomb of a dead Holy Ghost ?" Mohammed Effendi was...
A Christian missionary encounters Baha'ism
In October I received a letter from Chicago inquiring about Mr. Ibrahim Khairullah, the Syrian, who was attempting to propagate Babism in the United States. I sent to Mr. Stowell a "Life of Mr. Ibrahim Khairullah," written by his relative and intimate friend in Beirut I give here a copy of my letter, but the "Memoir" is not of sufficient value to be...
Threatened for not converting to Bahaism
Abdul-Baha, Abuse, Converting People, Punishment
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One Christian missionary, in his book, writes:In February of this year (1905), another professed convert from Islam to Christianity came to Beirut. His name is Ibrahim
Effendi from Bagdad—a man about thirty-five years of age, of
scholarly bearing, refined and courteous. He said he was the
brother of the wife of Abbas Effendi, the new Babi religious
head,...
Based on the Arabic version, Subh Azal added twenty eight units to the Persian Bayan
The Arabic Bayan, written at the same time period as the Persian version, and with identical structure, was completed up to end of the unit 11. Based on the Arabic version, Subh Azal added twenty eight units to the Persian Bayan which brought it to the end of unit 11. He left the rest incomplete for the time of glory (izza), as the Bab have requested....
At the time of writing the Bayan, the Bab was familiar with the new Persian translation of the New Testament
At the time of writing the Bayan, the Bab was familiar with the new Persian translation of the New Testament and therefore must have read John’s Book of Revelation. Yet, it is doubtful that he was inspired by it in his composition of the Bayan or in the choice of the title.(Abbas Amanat, Religious Texts in Iranian Languages: Symposium Held in Copenhagen...
Selling lands to the Jewish National Fund
In the late nineteenth century, Badi'a Effendi of Acre (one of the principal benefactors of the Bahai faith) began buying into Isfiyya's masha'a lands with the consent of the Mukhtar and the village elders. Ultimately he acquired about one fourth of the total. In the mid 1920's he sold the titles to the Jewish National Fund (Keren Kayemet) without...
Wealthy Baha'i community
The German Colony was built in the 19th century by German Templars as a model agricultural community. Its main north-south artery links the sea to Mount Carmel via the newly rehabilitated Bahai Gardens. Haifa Municipality began restoring the area in the late 1990s with funds from the Ministry of Tourism, assisted by the wealthy Bahai community’s newly...