The wrongdoings of Shoghi Effendi

• Authoritarian Rule: Shoghi Effendi established a leadership style based on "complete conformity, total obedience and unswerving loyalty", acting as the "sole prosecutor, sole judge and one man jury" over both the community and his own family.
• Systematic Expulsion of Family: He expelled and shunned almost his entire immediate family, including his parents, brothers, sisters, aunts (the four daughters of 'Abdu'l-Bahá), and cousins, an act described as "contrary to the Spirit and principles of Bahaism".
• Acts of Physical Violence: He was noted for a "hot temper"; in one instance, he ordered his henchman to beat his brother Hossein in a courtyard, and in another, he struck his cousin Qudsi Onsi with a walking stick for eating a sandwich during a mandated fast while hiking.
• Interference in Marriages: He disregarded the Master’s wish for him to marry his cousin Maryam Shahid and instead attempted to arrange or forbid the marriages of his siblings and cousins based on his own approval. He even threatened that no Baha'is would attend his aunt's funeral if her son proceeded with a marriage he disliked.
• Ostracization of His Parents: He forced his parents, Zia Khanum and Mirza Hadi, into secluded isolation at a small home on Mount Carmel, where they lived in "sadness and desolation" after being shunned by the community they had served.
• Contradicting ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Forgiveness: While 'Abdu'l-Bahá forgave and welcomed descendants of those who opposed the Faith, Shoghi Effendi maintained a strict policy of shunning even the children of relatives, allegedly stating that "covenant breaking is transmitted through the mother’s milk".
• Ending the Guardianship Line: By marrying Mary Maxwell (Ruhiyyih Khanum), who was medically unable to bear children, Shoghi Effendi failed to produce an heir, which resulted in the termination of the line of Guardianship specified in the Will of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
• Restricting the Primary Duty of Teaching: He forbade relatives from teaching or preaching the Cause, despite 'Abdu'l-Bahá’s Will explicitly stating that "if anyone or any assembly forbids [preaching], they must not be obeyed" as preaching is an essential duty.
• Use of Harsh and Libelous Language: He sent cables to the Baha'i world using vitriolic language, labeling his own relatives as "treacherous," "faithless," and "enemies of the Faith," which family members assert were based on hearsay rather than factual evidence.
• Enforcing Blind Obedience: He prioritized "blind, unquestioning obedience" over faith, contradicting the principle that belief and independent investigation of truth should come first.

(https://www.abdulbahasfamily.org)

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Renowned Baha'i artists

Among the numerous renowned artists are poet Michael Fitzgerald; novelist Bahiyyih Nakhjavani; singers Lin Cheng, Tierney Sutton, Rachel Price, Ahdieh, Celeste Buckingham, and Andy Grammar; architects Hussein Amanat, Fariborz Sahba, and Siamak Hariri; actors Rehana Sultan, Eva LaRue, Rainn Wilson, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Shabnam Tolouei, Travis Van Winkle, Penn Badgley, and Justin Baldoni; Lakota musician and dancer Kevin Locke; comedians Omid Djalili and Inder Manocha; photographer Donald Camp; filmmakers Mary Darling and Clark Donnelly; drummer Cindy Blackman; and composers/producers Jack Lenz, Tom Price, KC Porter, and Lasse Thoresen.

(The World of the Bahá’í Faith, Robert H. Stockman)

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You have to know how to defend the Cause.

You have to know how to defend the Cause. Not only to teach the Cause and proclaim the Cause but to defend the Cause. Everywhere it's going to be - it specifies Europe, particularly, everywhere. This is the Cause of God. It is progressing. It is developing. The other religions will be concerned. The House of Justice is telling us we are engaged in the process of entry by troops. When we have entry by troops, the others will be hoping, tell the Baháʼís "Bravo!". They won't say "Bravo!". They will oppose us. They will resist the growth of the Faith. They will try to stop the growth of the Faith. We have to be ready for this. We have to know how to defend the Cause.

(Transcript of: Scholarship, the Power of Understanding and Service by Ali Nakhjavani)

https://bahai.works/Transcript:Ali_Nakhjavani/Scholarship,_Understanding_and_Service

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To refuse to imbue oneself with the spirit of the Administrative Order, to disassociate oneself from its institutions or to withdraw from active collaboration with its agencies constitutes the greatest privation.

To refuse to imbue oneself with the spirit of the Administrative Order, to disassociate oneself from its institutions or to withdraw from active collaboration with its agencies constitutes the greatest privation. The new sap mounts through the majestic trunk of the Divine Order of Bahá’u’lláh, flows through all its branches and reaches the smallest leaves, ourselves, who live from the life of the tree. On the other hand, the institutions find themselves paralyzed wherever the believers fail to recognize their essential responsibility which is to live in accordance with the precepts and regulations and to teach, individually and collectively.

“Without his (the individual believer’s) continual support, at once whole-hearted, continuous and generous, every measure adopted and every plan formulated, by the Body which acts as the national representative of the community to which he belongs, is foredoomed to failure. The World Center of the Faith itself is paralyzed if such a support on the part of the rank and file of the community is denied to it. The Author of the Divine Plan Himself is impeded in His purpose if the proper instruments for the execution of His design are lacking. The sustaining strength of Bahá’u’lláh Himself, the Founder of the Faith, will be withheld from each and every individual who fails in the long run to arise and play his part.”5

The Administrative Order of Bahá’u’lláh is, thus, animated by the same spirit as His Revelation.

(Bahá’í News, Issue 383)

https://bahai.works/Bahá’í_News/Issue_383/Text

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All such outworn practices our Guardian urged us to discard

Today [1934-1935], a marriage has been solemnized here in the Bahá’í form and registered in accordance with the country’s law, and this event, we believe, is without a precedent in the history of our Cause in this land [India]. Heretofore it was the custom of the general body of the friends on all occasions where religious ceremonies were to be observed to follow those prescribed by their past Faiths. For instance, among those believers who hailed from the Zoroastrian fold, even the ceremony initiating their children into the Zoroastrian religion was prevalent. All such outworn practices our Guardian urged us to discard, and our community decided to render “instant, exact and complete obedience” by breaking entirely with the past and enforcing, within the limits of the law, the ordinances of the New Day. The path was not smooth. Enemies offered opposition and ridicule. Friends watched from a reverent distance with folded arms. “Premature,” “unwise,” “rash,” were some of the kind terms applied to our action. But we prevailed, for the Lord of Hosts was with us.

(Bahá’í News, Issue 93)

https://bahai.works/Bahá’í_News/Issue_93/Text#ANNUAL_REPORT_OF_THE_SPIRITUAL_ASSEMBLY_OF_THE_BAHA’IS_OF_POONA

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appealing believers for funds is entirely permissible

Question: We are very upset by the letter written by Dorothy Nelson to each believer in our community concerning the Fund. We believe her letter violates one of the primary principles of the Bahá’í Faith concerning coercion and individual solicitation of funds. Our interpretation of the Writings, as quoted in Guidelines for Local Spiritual Assemblies, pp. 137–138, is that they prohibit this sort of thing from happening in the Faith. We feel that her letter returns the Bahá’í Faith to the realm of the old world order.

Answer: The National Spiritual Assembly consulted on the matter before arriving at the decision to present an appeal to every believer in the American Bahá’í community.

There is a clear distinction between solicitation of funds from certain members of a community and a general appeal addressed to the entire body of believers and sent to every individual in the community. An example of the former would be a letter to individuals who have not been contributing to the Fund, reminding them of their responsibility to do so. Such a singling out of specific individuals is clearly a violation of Bahá’í principle.

The latter method, however, is entirely permissible and, indeed, “welcome under all circumstances” as long as the appeal is “of a general character, carefully worded and moving and dignified in tone,” leaving “entirely to the discretion of every conscientious believer” decisions about “the nature, the amount, the purpose of his or her contribution.” (Guidelines for Local Spiritual Assemblies, pp. 137–138)

This same method of addressing the believers was used by the Universal House of Justice when a crisis in our National Fund precipitated a similar crisis in the Bahá’í International Fund. On December 29, 1970, two letters were sent to every believer in America. They may be found on pp. 57–61 of Messages From the Universal House of Justice, 1968–1973.

We fully support your concern that an “old world” tactic not be employed. This is foremost in our minds as we work to develop an appreciation for the truly unique Institution of the Bahá’í Fund.

It is our bounden duty, however, to ensure that every believer in the American Bahá’í community is well informed of the financial status of the National Fund, “the bedrock upon which all the activities of the Cause ultimately rest,” and toward which “every Bahá’í, no matter how poor, must realize what a grave responsibility he has to shoulder.” (Shoghi Effendi in a letter to the National Spiritual Assembly of India, July 17, 1937)

Our responsibility to educate the believers about this vital Institution of the Faith is incomplete until the goal of universal participation is realized. Toward this end we are earnestly striving.

We are extremely grateful for your vigilance in guarding the principles of the Fund from the corrupting influences of fundraising methods used in the outside world. We are confident that in this instance no principle has been violated.

(The American Bahá’í, October, 1977)

https://bahai.works/The_American_Bahá’í/Volume_8/Issue_10/Text

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Baha'u'llah is Bhargo Devasia in Arya Varta?

"In Kali Yug, people will go against the Vedas and will forget to worship God, whom even Brahma is always worshipping.

At such a time when religion is at its lowest ebb and humanity so thoroughly wayward we are assured by Shree Krishna, in the Gita:

"Whenever there is decay of righteousness, O Bharat, and there is exaltation of unrighteousness then I Myself come forth, for the protection of the righteous, for the destruction of the evil-doers; for the sake of firmly establishing righteousness I am born from age to age.

"As if in fulfillment of this promise a call was raised in 1863 by Bahá’u’lláh (Bhargo Devasia or Glory of God) in Persia (Arya Varta), the land of the Aryas. He proclaimed to have arisen to uproot irreligion and to establish the truth, for He claimed to be the universally expected Manifestation.

(The Bahá’í Faith in India by Shirin Fozdar)

https://bahai.works/World_Order/Volume_13/Issue_5/Text#The_Bahá’í_Faith_in_India

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Disunity is a serious malady in Australia

Although many Assemblies are advancing well, the National Assembly has been saddened to observe a small number whose progress has been arrested, or even reversed, by serious disunity among the members. Disunity is a serious malady; when it impacts the functioning of a Local Assembly, the effects are also suffered by the individuals and community it serves. The National Assembly, in close collaboration with the institution of the Counsellors, has been striving to learn about mechanisms and resources through which Assemblies so afflicted can be supported, over an extended period, to rise above their challenges.

(Annual Ridvan Report, NSA of the Baha'is of Australia Inc. 2025-2026)

https://horizons.bahai.org.au/bahai-institutions/a-year-of-courage-conviction-and-confirmation-national-assembly-releases-annual-report/

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The Babis took up arms

Algar sees the Babi movement as a heresy of Shi‘i origin that sought to overthrow orthodoxy by force. He maintains that the Babi rebellion began in the summer of 1848, when Mulla Husayn-i-Bushrw’i, the Bab’s most renowned disciple, marched toward Mazandaran at the head of a band of Babis. MacEoin has proposed the view that “between 1847 and 1850, following the Bab’s announcement that he himself was the Qa’im, his followers took up arms to begin the last crusade or share in the messianic woes in the hope of hastening the final restitution of things.”

(The Bab and the Babi Community of Iran by Fereydun Vahman)

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The Australian Bahá’í Community had a net increase of 124 individuals but youth are not reaffirming

The Australian Bahá’í Community had a net increase of 124 from 21,651 at the end of 180 B.E. to 21,775 at the end of 181 B.E. There were 111 enrolments, a 63% increase compared to last year. 96 young Bahá’ís reaffirmed their faith in Bahá’u’lláh during the year, but 83 did not reaffirm by age 18. The number of Local Spiritual Assemblies at Ridván 2024 was 165.

(National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Australia Incorporated - Annual Report for 181 B.E.)

National_Spiritual_Assembly_Annual_Report_181_BE_singles

The following statistics from the annual report highlight specific areas of decline or ongoing challenges within the Australian Bahá'í community during the 182 B.E. (2025–2026) period:

• Net Population Decrease: The community experienced a net decrease of 25 members, falling from 21,775 at the end of the previous year to 21,750.
• Declining Enrolments: There were 77 formal enrolments, representing a 31% decrease compared to the previous year. This is described as a "persistently low number".
• Youth Retention Issues: While 75 young Bahá'ís reaffirmed their faith, 83 youth did not reaffirm by age 18, resulting in a net loss in this demographic.
• Reduction in Core Activities: The total number of core activities (devotionals, children's classes, junior youth groups, and study circles) dropped from 3,228 to 3,071, a 4.9% decrease.
• Lower Participation: Overall participation in core activities fell from 20,476 to 19,186, a 6.3% decrease.
• Drop in Study Circles: The number of study circles saw a significant decline from 608 to 525.
• Human Resource Shortages: The community faces difficulty engaging skilled resources to replace staff completing their service, leading to a work overload for existing personnel.
• Institutional Disunity: The report notes that a small number of Local Spiritual Assemblies have had their progress "arrested, or even reversed, by serious disunity among the members".
• Pioneering Vacancies: Replacing international pioneers remains a "high priority," with seven goal areas currently requiring pioneers to be placed as soon as possible.

(National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Australia Incorporated - Annual Report for 182 B.E.)

https://horizons.bahai.org.au/bahai-institutions/a-year-of-courage-conviction-and-confirmation-national-assembly-releases-annual-report/

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One of the covenant-breakers says: ‘Infallibility belonged to Baha'u'llah alone; no other person is infallible.’

One of them [Covenant-breakers] saith: ‘[Bahá’u’lláh] hath made us independent of aught else, and hath left no need unmet.’ The secret intent of such a statement is that there is no need for an appointed Centre. Another exclaimeth: ‘Infallibility belonged to [Bahá’u’lláh] alone; no other person is infallible.’ His inner motive is to assert that [‘Abdu’l-Bahá] is liable to error. Furthermore, they say that one who was regarded with favour, who was a believer or the recipient of a Tablet during the days of [Bahá’u’lláh], cannot possibly be cast out. Their true objective is to hint that were such a person to arise in opposition, or be so bold as to show enmity, no harm would result.... The whole purpose of these words is to violate the Covenant and Testament.

(The World of the Baha'i Faith, Edited by Robert H. Stockman, p. 417)

https://www.routledge.com/The-World-of-the-Bahai-Faith/Stockman/p/book/9781032186078

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Problems with the infallibility of the UHJ

• In the current age of "fallibilism," any claim to infallibility is obsolete and untenable. Critics, including some Christian theologians like Hans Küng, argue that "No one is infallible save God" and point to historically erroneous decisions in other faiths (like the Catholic Church) as evidence against the concept.
• Because the Universal House of Justice relies on potentially fragmentary or misreported information from fallible subordinates, its decisions cannot claim absolute correctness. 'Conditional infallibility' is a contradiction in terms: a judgment built on faulty facts is simply an error, and the very need for later correction concedes that it was never infallible to begin with.
• An extensive interpretation that claims everything the House decides is infallible is extremely risky. Critics and zealous observers need only find a single evident error to falsify and empirically disprove the entire claim to divine guidance.
• Applying the "august concept of infallibility" to trivial matters - administrative appointments or building décor - reduces it to absurdity and trivializes the will of God. Worse, an uncritical, quasi-magical view of guidance recasts the institution as a Delphic Oracle, encouraging believers to evade personal responsibility and surrender their own reason.

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'Abdu'l-Bahá’s infallibility as a complex topic that is distinct from the "Essential Infallibility" of the Manifestations of God.

• Conferred Infallibility vs. Essential Infallibility: While "The Most Great Infallibility" (Essential Infallibility) is confined strictly to the Manifestations of God, the sources note that 'Abdu'l-Bahá was not a Manifestation. Instead, his infallibility is generally categorized as conferred, inherent to his office as the successor of Bahá'u'lláh.
• Sinlessness and "Stainlessness": Conferred infallibility typically refers to immunity against error but does not necessarily imply immunity against sin. However, 'Abdu'l-Bahá is uniquely described in Bahá'í literature as the "Mystery of God" and a "stainless Mirror," with "stainlessness" indicating sinlessness.
• The Nature of His Knowledge: There is ongoing scholarly reflection regarding whether 'Abdu'l-Bahá possessed innate knowledge (like a Manifestation) or if his knowledge was acquired.
• Scope of Utterances: A point of discussion in Bahá'í thought is whether 'Abdu'l-Bahá’s oral and written utterances made before the inception of his office (which began upon the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh) are also considered free from error.
• Role in Defining Institutional Infallibility: 'Abdu'l-Bahá’s own Will and Testament is the primary scriptural authority that proclaims the conferred infallibility of the twin pillars of the Bahá'í Administrative Order: the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice. He assured that both institutions would be under the "care and protection" and "unerring guidance" of God.

(Summary of "Infallible Institutions?" by Udo Schaefer published in Reason and Revelation: Studies in the Babi and Bahá'í Religions, vol. 13, eds. Seena Fazel and John Danesh, pp. 3-37, Los Angeles: Kalimat Press, 2002)

https://bahai-library.com/schaefer_infallible_institutions

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Learning from the analysis of the pattern of resignations from the Faith

Following an earlier analysis of the pattern of resignations from the Faith, a shared learning process has advanced on the spiritual tests that lead to individuals distancing themselves from the Faith. Analysis of the results of a survey of Local Assemblies and Auxiliary Board members is currently being distilled, with the purpose of identifying how local communities can be assisted to identify the early signs and respond in a timely and appropriate manner.

(National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Australia Incorporated - Annual Report for 181 B.E.)

National_Spiritual_Assembly_Annual_Report_181_BE_singles

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Dr. Abbas Milani about Baha'is and Gays in Iran during Shah's regime

Abbas Milani argues that while the Shah's regime restricted direct political criticism, it provided a level of cultural and social freedom for marginalized groups that was unprecedented in Iranian history.

Regarding Baha'is, Milani states:

• They enjoyed more freedom under the Shah than ever before or since.
• He emphasizes that the Iranian Baha'i community lived a "better life" during this period compared to both the times preceding the Shah and the era of the Islamic Republic.

Regarding Gays, Milani highlights several indicators of social tolerance:

• Gay Marriage: He notes that a gay marriage took place in Iran in 1975, involving a carriage covered in flowers and a participant who was "very close to the court of the Shah". The individual involved was neither dismissed from the court nor punished.
• Social Spaces: He mentions the existence of a gay bar during that time.
• The Queen's Intervention: Milani recounts an incident from American archives where the police attempted to harass patrons at a gay bar. Upon hearing of this, the Queen (Empress Farah Pahlavi) intervened with the Shah, asking, "What kind of a brutality is this these people are in a bar enjoying theirelves Let them have their [fun]".

Milani's broader argument is that these types of freedoms—for Baha'is, the LGBTQ+ community, women, and Jews—are as essential to a democratic society as the right to engage in political dissent or organize Marxist groups. He suggests that in retrospect, the right of these groups to live in freedom was just as important as the academic freedom he sought as a young Marxist.

(Unpacking Iran: A Conversation with Dr. Abbas Milani - The Chicago Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSVhjqAv1WY

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no Bahá’í work may be published without approval

Although no Bahá’í work may be published without approval, it is not mandatory to print an approval notice in any publication.

(Publishing, Bahá'í, Memorandum on: Materials to be Deposited with the Bahá'í World Centre Library, Bahá'í International Archives, Universal House of Justice 1998/2000)

https://bahai-library.com/bwc_memorandum_bahai_publishing

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Baha'is have undertaken to reform the Shí’ite sect

Abduh Says:

He [Abdul Baha] only explained that they have undertaken to reform the Shí’ite sect and bring it closer to the Sunnís... They are the sect most in need of reform.

(Muḥammad ‘Abduh and Rashíd Riḍá: A Dialogue on the Bahá’í Faith, Translation by Juan R. Cole)

https://bahai.works/World_Order/Series2/Volume_15/Issue_3_4/Text

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To Horace’s mind, logic dictated that the door to a future Guardian was closed.

Besides the letter to the Bahá'í world, the Hands of the Cause sent a separate letter to all National Spiritual Assemblies asking them to provide written statements pledging their loyalty and specifically consenting to the plan the Conclave of the Hands had arrived at to manage the Faith as Chief Stewards and interim caretakers. As time was of the essence, the requested statements quickly poured into the World Centre. Armed with affidavits from Assemblies from all over the world, as well as with the other documents produced by the Hands, plus the October 1957 letter from Shoghi Effendi containing the term 'Chief Stewards', the Hands were able to convince Israeli officials and courts to recognize the right of the International Bahá'í Council and the Custodians to assume control of all Bahá'í properties in the Holy Land, including the twin Holy Shrines, and bank accounts with the funds of the Faith. Disaster had been averted.

Once Horace returned home, he was informed that many friends continued to be disturbed by the question left unresolved by the Hands as to whether there could ever be another Guardian. Auxiliary Board members reported to the Hands the many questions that were raised about the Guardianship during their meetings held around the country. Waiting until the Universal House of Justice was elected seemed too distant during a period fraught with potential dangers.

During the Conclave, the Hands had concluded from their study of authoritative texts that only the Universal House of Justice could make a definitive statement about the future of the Guardianship, and, as of 1957, a date had not been fixed for the establishment of the House of Justice. To Horace's mind, logic dictated that the door to a future Guardian was closed. He believed the conditions set forth in the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá could no longer be met. The Will had been widely disseminated for decades, making it possible for all Bahá'ís to study it and draw conclusions, as he had.

Concerned by various reports brought to its attention, the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States encouraged the Hands living in America to draft a statement to explain why there could not be another Guardian. Horace produced a draft in consultation with Paul Haney and the National Assembly, giving it the title 'A New Bahá'í Era'. It opened by declaring that, since the passing of Shoghi Effendi, ‘The landscape has changed; in some aspects it is unfamiliar; we pause in temporary confusion until we become accustomed to the new condition and can see its relationship to the eternal verities of the revelation we have accepted with all our hearts.'

As this statement circulated, segments of it were sent to the Custodians in the Holy Land who immediately became alarmed, because they thought it interpreted the Proclamation issued by the Conclave. They cabled the American Hands to delete several sentences, specifically the ones stating that the door to another Guardian was closed and that the Custodians had the authority to expel individuals from the Faith. Horace responded quickly, asking his colleagues in Haifa to consider the full statement, not just the excerpts. After studying the document, the Custodians firmly insisted that 'A New Bahá'í Era' be removed from circulation at once and the matter dropped. Horace was shocked, not only because he believed the statement was a necessary prophylactic, but because he felt the Custodians were censoring believers who were making determinations based upon their own reading of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Will and Testament. He wrote them a frank letter, begging them to reconsider. The response he received showed that the Custodians had a broader view than the Hands serving in the field. Their concern was not the accuracy of the statement, but the wisdom of promulgating it. They wanted the crucial matter of the future of the Guardianship to be addressed with one voice taking into consideration how the message would be understood globally. The Hands in Haifa wrote,

The Custodians from East and West are aware of the wisdom of avoiding statements or points of view on basic issues which cannot be accepted equally by East and West, and indeed by all the Bahá'í world, especially in this period, so soon after the ascension of the beloved Guardian, when we are still unable to grasp the full implications of the present situation.

They also added the aside that, 'It would have been a great help if you yourself could have served here in these early and critical months, and given us the benefit of your experience and clarity of thought on the many pressing issues with which we have had to cope.' Nonetheless, it seems that there was a change of thinking, because on 12 June 1958, the Custodians issued a statement exploring the future of the Guardianship because questions persisted. It included a quotation from the 'A New Bahá'í Era' statement.

(Infinite Horizons - The Life and Times of Horace Holley by Kathryn Jewett Hogenson)

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Ira Lapidus, the American historian, also holds the view that the Russians supported the Baha’is.

Ira Lapidus, the American historian, also holds the view that the Russians supported the Baha’is. Although he does not provide evidence for this view, he claims that Russian support of the Baha’is was one of the reasons for the pre-Constitutional protests in the bazaars; see Ira Lapidus, A History of Islamic Societies, 2nd edn (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000), 475.

(The Forgotten Schools, The Baha’is and Modern Education in Iran, 1899–1934 by Soli Shahvar)

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Baha'i Russian Connections

In the pre-Constitutional period, many in Iran seem also to have regarded the Russians as pro-Baha’i, an image that may have resulted from initial Russian activity on behalf of Baha’u’llah (as early as 1852–3); from Russia’s provision of a safe haven for Iranian Baha’is in the Caucasus and Transcaspia/Turkistan; or from its offer of sanctuary to Baha’is fleeing for their lives from the threat of mob violence. At any rate, it seems that a positive attitude towards Baha’is indeed existed in Russian circles, the main reason for this attitude being the view that the Baha’i faith represented a kind of reformist movement in Islam, which, as result of contacts with Christianity and European culture, had supposedly adopted some of their ideas. Thus it was, in general, viewed as ‘rather favourable to Christianity’, and therefore some regarded it as a possible means for propagating Russian Orthodoxy in Iran and other Islamic countries, in similar fashion to the American Presbyterian Church.

Thus, as the nineteenth century was coming to an end, Russian influence in Iran was rising and the Baha’i community in Ashgabat was booming. It could be that ‘Abdu’l-Baha thought that the time was advantageous for the Baha’is in Iran to continue the momentum that had just began in Ashgabat. After all, the Russian Transcaspian authorities were quite positive and liberal towards the local Baha’is, many of whom still maintained some kind of connection with Iran. As a person who had many followers in Iran, with some of them in the highest places, he was probably aware not only of the growing Russian influence in Iran, but also of the existence of such a school of thought in Russia, which held that the Baha’is could be used to pressure the Iranian government. After all, one member of that school, Baron Rozen, had maintained close and frequent contact with some of his former students, such as Tumanski and Ignatiev, who were collecting data and information on the Baha’is. In this occupation the two Russians maintained contact with many Baha’is, who would presumably have reported their dealings with these and other Russian officials to their leader, ‘Abdu’l-Baha. As far as Muzaffar al-Din Shah was concerned, it could be that having analysed the situation – namely the increase in Russian influence in Iran and the Russians’ positive attitude towards the Baha’is (as reflected in their treatment of the Baha’is of Ashgabat) – he might then have concluded that there was no point in creating a rift with the Russians over the Baha’is. He might have thought that giving the Baha’is such a concession as opening schools would not only help to meet a growing demand for modern schools in his country, but could also pull the rug from under the feet of those in Russia who might have played with the idea of using the Baha’is as a means of pressuring the Iranian government.

According to Shapour Rassekh, Iranian and Ottoman government officials respected ‘Abdu’l-Baha and consulted him on important matters. Given the advanced reformist thought of the Baha’i faith, it is very likely that at least some of these consultations touched upon the reform movement in both countries. Additionally, ‘Abdu’l-Baha, in a number of tablets, encouraged Baha’is to be constantly in touch with ‘important people’ in Iran, and seems himself to have written even to the supreme mujtahid of the Shi‘a world, Ayatullah Mirza Hasan Shirazi, who was residing in Samarra in Iraq.

Apart from good contacts and relations inside and outside Iran, one of the strong points of the Baha’is was their organization, which enabled Baha’u’llah and later ‘Abdu’l-Baha to ‘guide their flock’ from Acre. ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s contacts with the various Baha’i communities in Iran were maintained through what Tumanski described as ‘his secret agents’, who used three main routes for communications, two in the north and one in the south: Baku-Enzeli, Ashgabat-Mashhad, and Bombay – ports of the Persian Gulf. Generally speaking, the main regional points and junctions out of Iran for running this system of communication were Alexandria, Istanbul, Bombay, Baku and Ashgabat. It was this system, with its regional spread, organization, and contacts, which enabled Baha’is outside Iran to have their fingers on the pulse of their persecuted community within Iran, and to do whatever they could in order to help them, either directly by themselves or through enlisting the goodwill of foreign governments and their supporters in Iran and the region.

(The Forgotten Schools, The Baha’is and Modern Education in Iran, 1899–1934 by Soli Shahvar)

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Bahá’í opposition to Shi‘ism and the Shi‘i clergy.

A final reason for anti-Bahá’í attitudes, although rarely stated, must be Bahá’í opposition to Shi‘ism and the Shi‘i clergy. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi were often scathing on these subjects, calling the Shi‘is “the most wretched of sects” [Ma’ida-yi Asmani (Tehran, 1971-3) vol. 7, p. 182.] and its leaders “false, cruel and cowardly,” [Shoghi Effendi, The Promised Day Is Come (Wilmette, 1939) pp. 93-98] hardly attitudes likely to endear the Bahá’ís to the religious establishment. Even if such harsh assessments may have been modified in the more tolerant paths the Bahá’ís have more recently trod they will not have been forgotten by the clergy, even if not publicly expressed.

(Bahá’í News, December 1982, Bahá’í Year 139, ‘The Bahá’ís of Iran’: A special report)

https://bahai.works/Bahá’í_News/Issue_621/Text

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Bahá’ís actually cooperated with the Pahlavis?

...there is evidence that some prominent beneficiaries of the regime were Bahá’ís or had strong Bahá’í connections. The Shah’s personal physician and close confidant, for example, was a Bahá’í, General Ayadi, who was commonly believed to have used his position to advance his co-religionists. Hojabr Yazdani, a rich Bahá’í financier with a reputation for questionable business dealings, became extremely unpopular, and the banks he controlled were special targets in the 1978 riots. The long-serving prime minister Amir Abbas Hoveyda had a Bahá’í father (who was expelled from the community) and was therefore considered by many Iranians to be a Bahá’í or at least to favor Bahá’ís, even though he considered himself a Muslim.

(Bahá’í News, December 1982, Bahá’í Year 139, ‘The Bahá’ís of Iran’: A special report)

https://bahai.works/Bahá’í_News/Issue_621/Text

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Can Baha'is be considered a political group?

Participation in partisan politics is certainly not permitted among Bahá’ís, and anyone breaking this rule is liable to expulsion. Put differently, anyone participating in politics would have ceased to be a practicing Bahá’í by so doing.

Nevertheless, Bahá’ís cannot claim to be completely uninvolved in politics. They believe, after all, that the present world order is doomed and will one day be replaced by their faith. Islam generally, and Ayatollah Khomeini’s interpretation of it in particular, make no clear distinction between religion and politics, and the same can be said for the Bahá’í faith.

The Bahá’ís also have specific views on what most people call political questions. Dr. Denis MacEoin has pointed out that Bahá’ís are opposed to communism and socialism, and have adopted clear positions on such issues as racism, nationalism and world government. In several cases, such as their attitude toward communism, their views coincide with those of the orthodox clergy in Iran, but there is one major difference. Bahá’í texts refer to divinely sanctioned monarchy, and it is clear that this is the form of government they prefer.

Despite the ill-treatment Bábís received from Qajar autocrats, Bahá’í leaders from Bahá’u’lláh onwards were rarely critical of the institution of monarchy, or even autocracy. They took no part in the Constitutional Revolution, for example, and described Mohammad Ali Shah, who tried to overthrow the Constitution, as a “just king.” Bahá’ís apparently said prayers for Mohammad Reza Shah during the 1978-79 Revolution. The Shi‘i clergy, by contrast, were in the main opposed to both the Qajar and Pahlavi regimes, and believe that monarchy is by definition unjust.

(Bahá’í News, December 1982, Bahá’í Year 139, ‘The Bahá’ís of Iran’: A special report)

https://bahai.works/Bahá’í_News/Issue_621/Text

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To Muslims, Baha'is are cancer that must be cut out. Reminds me of the covenant-breakers who are cancer for the Baha'is

They [Baha'is] represent a cancer that must be cut out before it can infect the rest of the body.

[...]

Shi‘a Islam regards itself as a minority faith born of repression and injustice, yet sees nothing wrong in applying such standards, on the rare occasions when it has been in a position to do so, to minority faiths it views as dangerous.

(Bahá’í News, December 1982, Bahá’í Year 139, ‘The Bahá’ís of Iran’: A special report)

https://bahai.works/Bahá’í_News/Issue_621/Text

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Khomeini favors religious freedom for everyone except the Baha'i

Khomeini's statements on individual rights, like many of his statements, sometimes seem progressive, but they can be misleading. He asserts that "woman is equal to man. Like him she is free to choose her destiny and activities." The freedom he would grant to women, however, is the freedom to be "moral." He opposes coeducation because, he claims, it undermines the family, and he favors the veiling of women to avoid temptation. He says he favors religious freedom for everyone except the Baha'i, who are considered heretics by most Muslims and pro-Shah by Khomeini.

(CIA Reading Room 01478463: RUHOLLAH KHOMEINI - IRAN by CIA Reading Room)

https://archive.org/details/cia-readingroom-document-01478463

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Amir Abbas Hoveyda has long been rumored to be a Baha'i

On Saturday, the Shah accepted the resignation of Minister of Court Amir Abas Hoveyda. Hoveyda has long been a close adviser to the throne and was prime minister from 1965 to 1977. He has long been rumored to be a Bahai, a sect strongly denounced by Muslim leaders, and his ouster could be another conciliatory gesture by the Shah toward at least his moderate opponents within Muslim ranks.

(CIA Reading Room cia-rdp79t00975a030800010070-2: CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN)

https://archive.org/details/cia-readingroom-document-cia-rdp79t00975a030800010070-2

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Rewriting history

Totalitarian governments often rewrite history and delete as non-persons those they do not like; I should hope that Bahá’í historians will be more honest.

-Juan R. Cole

https://bahai.works/World_Order/Series2/Volume_16/Issue_4/Text

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Columbia’s Baha’i Club Is Small but Dedicated!

On paper, there are 40 or so members; anywhere from 3 to 10 people usually attend meetings.

(Columbia News, December 02, 2025)

https://news.columbia.edu/news/columbias-bahai-club-small-dedicated

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Dr. Leland Jensen is the authentic establisher of the Baha'i Faith

As John the Baptist was the forerunner for Jesus the Christ, and as the Bab was the forerunner to Baha'u'llah, likewise, the forerunners for Dr. Leland Jensen were George Williams and the Morrisites. The Deer Lodge Valley was pioneered and settled specifically for his coming. This was so all the people of the world could be assured through this proof, that Dr. Leland Jensen is the authentic establisher of the Baha'i Faith, authorized to re-establish what the Covenant-breaking Hands threw out.

(Over The Wall Of Oppression by John Ardent and edited by R.J. Konczyk and J. Daniel)

https://archive.org/details/over-the-wall-of-oppression

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Jinn also applies to disbelievers

• 'Abdu'l-Bahá defines a jinn as a "hidden being" whose internal state, whether it be the light of faith or the fire of rebellion, is concealed from the observation of others,.
• 'Abdu'l-Bahá further explains that the term applies to individuals in whom the temperament of fire dominates their nature, particularly those spurred into motion by the "fire of the divine Word" (Good Jinns, he also calls them Angels).
• In a metaphorical sense, 'Abdu'l-Bahá states that the term also applies to disbelievers because of the pride, arrogance, and litigiousness they display toward the Prophets of God.

(On the Meanings of the Terms 'Angels' and 'Jinn'. Provisional translation by Adib Masumian and Peyman Sazedj 2019)

https://bahai-library.com/abdul-baha_meanings_angels_jinn

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During the Shah's regime Baha'i enjoyed prominent social status, including advanced military posts and involvement in governmental affairs.

The return of the Shah to power, following Mossadeq’s brief rule, empowered secular elements of Iranian society. Iranian society enjoyed many of the features of western society including theater, restaurants, entertainment centers, which operated as central aspects of the citizens’ lifestyle. During this period, the Jewish community, although a small minority, enjoyed substantial influence. In addition, the Baha’i community, a slightly larger minority, enjoyed prominent social status, including advanced military posts and involvement in governmental affairs. The Baha’i community’s loyalty to the Shah was complete, and they enjoyed a wide a variety of governmental positions.

(Iran, Israel, and the “Shi’ite Crescent” Authors: Uzi Rabi and Ronen A. Cohen, November, 2008)

https://israel.fes.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Iran_Israel_Shiite_Crescent_engl.pdf

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1000’s and 1000’s of Indigenous peoples, across America’s have stepped away from the Faith due to Persian Baha'is

Phil Lane Jr. expressed deep concern to Amatu'l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum regarding why thousands of Indigenous peoples across the Americas have "stepped away" from the Baha'i Faith, noting a stark disparity between the "racial" prophecy in the Tablets of the Divine Plan and the reality of low Indigenous participation. Rúḥíyyih Khánum criticized the behavior of some Persian Baha'is at the Peigan Reservation, stating they were "totally lacking in either patience or respect" for the sacred Pipe Ceremony and showed no consideration for Indigenous feelings, conduct she deemed "very detrimental to the Faith". To change this approach, she urged the Baha'i community to stop trying to force Indigenous people into a rigid administrative framework and instead honor their customs and spiritual understanding of the "triangle" of God, man, and nature. She specifically suggested that elderly Persian Baha'is could be utilized as teachers by living on reservations and holding dawn prayer gatherings, drawing on their natural "oriental warmth" and "respect for the elders". Indian swami movements are mentioned as a warning because they are successfully attracting Indigenous people by filling a "spiritual vacuum" and recognizing their culture, tasks the Baha'is are failing to perform, thereby "missing the bus" on fulfilling 'Abdu'l-Bahá’s prophecy.

(Summary of communication between a Bahá'í of Canada and Rúhíyyih Khánum, 1986-10-28)

https://bahai-library.com/khanum_letter_canada_1986

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List of notable and influential individuals with Baha'i heritage in Pahlavi-era Iran

1. General Dr. 'Abd al-Karim Ayadi: The Shah’s personal physician, chief of staff, and head of the army's Health Office.
2. General Asad Allah Sani'i: Former Minister of War and Head of the Shah’s Office while he was Crown Prince.
3. General 'Ali Muhammad Khadimi: Head of Iran’s national airline, HOMA.
4. Colonel Husayn Vahdat-i Haqq: A military engineer and polyglot who served as a military attaché in Germany.
5. Habib Allah Sabit: An industrialist and entrepreneur who introduced television to Iran.
6. Dr. Manuchihr Sharif al-Attiba (Manshadi): A physician and resident at Pahlavi University.
7. Huzhabr Yazdani: An affluent businessman and tycoon known for donating to Baha'i causes.
8. Mansour Rouhani: Minister of Water and Power, and later Agriculture; he had a Baha'i father but did not register as a Baha'i himself.
9. Dr. Sulayman Birjis: A prominent physician based in Kashan.
10. Abbas Shahidzadah: A successful engineer.
11. Sifat Allah Fahandizh: An officer in the Iranian Army.
12. Amir 'Abbas Hoveyda: The long-serving Prime Minister of Iran, who was raised Muslim despite having a Baha'i grandfather.
13. Parviz Sabiti: Second in command of SAVAK, born to Baha'i parents but later identifying as non-religious.
14. Mahnaz Afkhami: A government minister who had one Baha'i parent but did not identify as a Baha'i herself.
15. Shapour Rasekh: An advisor to the Shah and member of several Baha'i National Spiritual Assemblies.
16. Farrokhroo Parsa: Daughter of Afaq Parsa, who was a prominent Baha'i educator and feminist. Farrokhroo Parsa became the first female cabinet minister in Iran, serving as the Minister of Education. She was a Muslim.

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Mirza Yahya poisoning Baha'u'llah and Dr. Shíshmán sacrificing his life for Baha'u'llah

Desperate designs to poison Bahá’u’lláh and His companions, and thereby reanimate his own defunct leadership, began, approximately a year after their arrival in Adrianople, to agitate his mind. Well aware of the erudition of his half-brother, Áqáy-i-Kalím, in matters pertaining to medicine, he, under various pretexts, sought enlightenment from him regarding the effects of certain herbs and poisons, and then began, contrary to his wont, to invite Bahá’u’lláh to his home, where, one day, having smeared His tea-cup with a substance he had concocted, he succeeded in poisoning Him sufficiently to produce a serious illness which lasted no less than a month, and which was accompanied by severe pains and high fever, the aftermath of which left Bahá’u’lláh with a shaking hand till the end of His life. So grave was His condition that a foreign doctor, named Shíshmán, was called in to attend Him. The doctor was so appalled by His livid hue that he deemed His case hopeless, and, after having fallen at His feet, retired from His presence without prescribing a remedy. A few days later that doctor fell ill and died. Prior to his death Bahá’u’lláh had intimated that doctor Shíshmán had sacrificed his life for Him. To Mírzá Áqá Ján, sent by Bahá’u’lláh to visit him, the doctor had stated that God had answered his prayers, and that after his death a certain Dr. Chúpán, whom he knew to be reliable, should, whenever necessary, be called in his stead.

On another occasion this same Mírzá Yaḥyá had, according to the testimony of one of his wives, who had temporarily deserted him and revealed the details of the above-mentioned act, poisoned the well which provided water for the family and companions of Bahá’u’lláh, in consequence of which the exiles manifested strange symptoms of illness. He even had, gradually and with great circumspection, disclosed to one of the companions, Ustád Muḥammad-‘Alíy-i-Salmání, the barber, on whom he had lavished great marks of favor, his wish that he, on some propitious occasion, when attending Bahá’u’lláh in His bath, should assassinate Him. “So enraged was Ustád Muḥammad-‘Alí,” Áqáy-i-Kalím, recounting this episode to Nabíl in Adrianople, has stated, “when apprized of this proposition, that he felt a strong desire to kill Mírzá Yaḥyá on the spot, and would have done so but for his fear of Bahá’u’lláh’s displeasure.

(Shoghi Effendi in God Passes By)

https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/shoghi-effendi/god-passes-by/12#972283719

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Azal poisoned Baha'u'llah with mercury chloride

Jealousy on the part of Azal, intensified by his lust for leadership, grew pejoratively deeper over the course of the Edirne period. As evidence of this, Baha’u’llah apostrophizes ‘you’ who ‘resolved to shed His [Baha’u’llah’s] blood’ (par. 26). This clearly refers to Baha’u’llah’s half-brother and arch-rival, Mīrzā Yaḥyā (‘Azal’), who poisoned Baha’u’llah, ‘probably’ with ‘sublimate of mercury’ (mercury chloride).

Then, failing that, Azal tried to persuade Baha’u’llah’s personal attendant and barber, Ustād Muḥammad-‘Alī Salmānī, to slit Baha’u’llah’s throat.

(Baha’u’llah’s Paradise of Justice: Commentary and Translation, Christopher Buck - Independent Scholar, Pittsburgh, Adib Masumian - Austin)

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322466992_Baha%27u%27llah%27s_Paradise_of_Justice_Commentary_and_Translation

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We speak one word, and by it we intend one and seventy meanings

Indeed, some revealed works, especially those by Baha’u’llah, warrant numerous examinations, each of which will provide an entirely different experience for the reader; often a panoply of meanings becomes apparent at every successive level of interpretation, each of which may well result in further insights into the “intended meaning” of the work. It is in this context that at the conclusion of the Kitab-i-iqan, Baha’u’llah cites Sadiq, the sixth of the Shi’ih Imams, to acknowledge that “We speak one word, and by it we intend one and seventy meanings; each one of these meanings we can explain.”

(The Body of God by John S. Hatcher)

We speak one word, and by it we intend one and seventy meanings; each one of these meanings we can explain.

(Bahá’u’lláh, The Ki tab-i-Ian, p. 255)

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to consider oneself as more learned, more favoured, more accomplished, more righteous or more exalted is a mighty error and sin.

Those souls who have drunk from the sea of the utterance of the All-Merciful and are turning towards the All-High Horizon should see themselves as being of one rank and one station. Should this injunction be firmly established and be realized through the power and might of God, the world would be seen as the Abhá paradise. Verily human beings are exalted, as can be found in every Divine scripture; but to consider oneself as more learned, more favoured, more accomplished, more righteous or more exalted is a mighty error and sin.

(Lawh-i Ittihád, The Tablet of Unity, Bahá’u’lláh - provisional translation by Moojan Momen)

https://bahai-library.com/pdf/m/michot_tablets_bahaullah_3.pdf

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innumerable sects became the cause of the shaking of the foundations of Islam.

The Holy Law (Sharí`ah) of the Messenger of God [Mohammed] may be likened to an ocean from which innumerable gulfs branch out. And this is the cause of the weakness of the Sharí`ah of God among the peoples. Until now no-one, not kings nor subjects nor the indigent have understood the reason for this, nor have they appreciated how to regain that power that has vanished and the learning that has fallen away. Thus one gulf is Shí`a, one gulf is Sunni, one Shaykhi, another Shah Ni`matulláhí, one Naqshbandi, another Malámatí, one Jalálí, another Rifá`í, and yet another Khárábátí. Thus are multiplied the innumerable pathways to hell. Thus do the stones weep and the Pen of the All-High laments. Seest thou what has befallen a Sharí`ah whose light illumined the world and whose fire, that is to say the fire of its love, was the guide of its peoples. Well is it with those who ponder upon these matters and investigate them and are fair in their judgement. Thus did this difference in rituals become the cause of the shaking of the foundations of the Cause of God [Islam].

(Lawh-i Ittihád, The Tablet of Unity, Bahá’u’lláh - provisional translation by Moojan Momen)

https://bahai-library.com/pdf/m/michot_tablets_bahaullah_3.pdf

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Sudden growth also had its negative effects... Withdrawal rates jumped from one-third to one-half

However, sudden growth also had its negative effects. The vast majority of the new Bahá’ís knew little about the teachings of their new religion; hence many of the newly formed local spiritual assemblies had difficulty functioning. Withdrawal rates also jumped; perhaps one-third to one-half of the new believers did not remain Bahá’ís. Since the withdrawals occurred over many years, subsequent Bahá’í membership growth appeared to be less than it really was; for example, by 1979 the American Bahá’í membership had grown to seventy-five thousand, only fifteen thousand more than in 1974, but the increase reflected a much stronger enrollment rate than the net growth suggested. To complicate matters, some new Bahá’ís did not remain active but never notified the National Spiritual Assembly that they no longer considered themselves Bahá’ís. As a result, the percentage of the American Bahá’í membership with known addresses decreased. Nevertheless, the American Bahá’í community had grown significantly in size.

Not all of the expansion of the membership was caused by conversions from the youth culture. The Nine Year Plan was also the time when the American Bahá’í community first used techniques of teaching the Bahá’í Faith to large numbers of people. In the rural south, particularly in South Carolina, the African-American population proved particularly receptive and enrolled in the Faith by the thousands. Consolidation of the new Bahá’ís proved more difficult and occurred at a slower pace. In South Carolina, the Louis G. Gregory Institute was established in 1972 to educate the local Bahá’ís. Hispanic and native American populations also were attracted to the Bahá’í Faith, particularly in the Southwest.

The Five Year Plan, which spanned the years between 1974 and 1979, saw a significant expansion in the number of local spiritual assemblies in the United States—from 822 to 1,489, 89 more than called for in the plan. Diversification of the community also continued. The number of Bahá’í communities on Indian reservations with local spiritual assemblies exceeded twenty-five. After 1975, Southeast Asian refugees became part of the American Bahá’í community. Some had been Bahá’ís in Vietnam and Cambodia, more had converted in Asian refugee camps around the world, and others became Bahá’ís in the United States. After the Islamic revolution in Iran in 1978, Iranian Bahá’í refugees also began to enter the United States; eventually about ten thousand settled.

One goal of the Five Year Plan—expanding the use of radio and television for Bahá’í broadcasts aimed at the proclamation of the Faith to greater numbers of listeners, as well as deepening the faith of Bahá’ís, especially in rural areas—proved of great importance when the persecution of the Iranian Bahá’í community began in 1978. The American Bahá’ís had developed contacts with the media and, to some extent, with government officials. That experience proved useful in creating awareness of the plight of the Bahá’ís in Iran. Throughout the Seven Year Plan (1979-86) and the Six Year Plan (1986-92), press coverage of the Iranian Bahá’ís was considerable, articles about the American Bahá’í community steadily increased, and the consequent awareness of the existence of the Bahá’í religion in the mind of the public steadily improved. In 1984 the Universal House of Justice declared that the Bahá’í Faith was emerging from obscurity, a long-sought goal of the Bahá’ís.

(World Order, Series 2, Volume 25 - Issue 3)

https://bahai.works/World_Order/Series2/Volume_25/Issue_3/Text

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Removing a believer from the Baha'i membership list

Inactivity alone is not a cause for removing a believer from the Bahá’í membership list. Removal can be done only when the believer himself withdraws from the Faith or is removed from the list of voting members by formal administrative action.

(Baha'i News, No. 195, May, 1947)

https://bahai.works/Bahá’í_News/Issue_195/Text

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an administration they must obey

"Those who declare themselves as Bahá’ís should become enchanted with the beauty of the Teachings; and touched by the love of Bahá’u’lláh. The declarants need not know all the proofs, history, laws, and principles of the Faith, but in the process of declaring themselves they must, in addition to catching the spark of faith, become basically informed about the Central Figures of the Faith, as well as the existence of laws they must follow and an administration they must obey."

(Universal House of Justice, 13 July 1964)

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The Babi and Baha'i Faiths arose in the Twelver Shia Islam

The Babi and Bahá'í Faiths arose in the Twelver Shi`i milieu in Iran and are related in many ways to Shi`i belief, practice, and concepts.

(Shi`i Islam, Moojan Momen, 1995)

https://bahai-library.com/momen_encyclopedia_shii_islam

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Temporary Marriages (Mut'a, Sighih) of the Bab, Baha'u'llah and Subh-i-Azal

The Báb and Bahá’u’lláh both entered into temporary marriages (sighih). According to Bahá’í scholar Moojan Momen, "the practice of sighih, [is] a form of prostitution recognized and legalized in Shi'i Islam" (see The Baha'i Communities of Iran 1851–1921 Volume 1: The North of Iran).

The Báb’s temporary wife, Fátimih Khánum, was an Isfahání girl and the sister of the prominent Bábí Mullá Rajab-‘Alí. She was "married" around 1847, at the age of twenty-five, to "serve" the Báb during His sojourn in Isfahán.

After the death of the Báb, despite the fact that he had asked his wives not to remarry (see "Fátimih Khánum" on Bahaipedia, page now deleted but available via archive), Fátimih Khánum married Subh-i-Azal for one month. He later gave her in marriage to Siyyid Muhammad Isfahání (see The Baha'i Communities of Iran 1851–1921 Volume 2: The South of Iran).

---

Baha'u'llah married three times, first Asiyih "Nuvvab" Khanum in his youth, then his cousin, Mahd-i 'Ulya, whose family had been martyred; he had a number of children with each of these co-wives, in accordance with Middle Eastern customs of the time. In Baghdad he married Gawhar Khanum (the latter appears to have been a pro forma temporary marriage [mut'ah] of a sort required of Shi'ite law where a man had a live-in maid, and Gawhar Khanum had been brought into the household in the Shi'ite Karkh district in order to serve Asiyih Khanum). He had only one child, a daughter, with Gawhar Khanum). Baha'u'llah's eldest son and vicar, 'Abdu'l-Baha, later Interpreted the Most Holy Book to require monogamy. Baha'u'llah had altogether fourteen children from his three wives, including four daughters. Five of his sons predeceased him... Baha'u'llah died of a fever in 'Akka on 29 May 1892, at the age of 74."

("A Brief Biography of Baha'u'llah" Juan R.I. Cole, Department of History, University of Michigan)

https://web.archive.org/web/20170422142512/https://bahai-library.com/wwwboard/messages03/665.html

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how the idea of 750 rifles developed

About the firing squad, Sen McGlinn in one of his comment on Youtube, states:

The idea that the firing squad for the Bab's execution was very large is only found in much later reports. There are contemporary accounts that speak of a small firing squad, even a "platoon," and there are multiple contemporary accounts that say there was a firing squad, with no mention of its size, implying that it was what the observer and his expected reader understood by the term "firing squad." We also have some evidence about how the idea of 750 rifles developed, from bad translations and misunderstandings. This "transmission history" is also positive evidence that would have to be refuted to make a claim of a large firing squad plausible. I have some of the sources online on my Bahai Studies blog, under "750 muskets."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2ea2siOww8&lc=Ugz-UGy8ycywZ1Opn_B4AaABAg


This document contains multiple sources that have narrated the execution of the Bab in chronological order. These include multiple non-Baha'i sources including reports from British and Russian officials and etc. What is obvious, is that the earlier non-Baha'i sources do not mention the fancy miraculous and exaggerated claims that were later fabricated and propagated by Baha'is. It's an interesting document:

https://www.paintdrawer.co.uk/david/folders/spirituality/bahai/bab/Martyrdom%20of%20the%20Bab%20(Sources).doc

https://archive.org/details/martyrdom-of-the-bab-sources

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Abdu'l-Baha mistakenly calls Ja'far al-Sadiq "the seventh imam"

In a letter to Adib, Abdu'l-Baha calls Ja'far al-Sadiq "the seventh imam." Of course, Abdu'l-Baha likely knew Ja'far was the sixth imam, so it's a very minor mistake. He's a normal human, so you'd be right to shrug and say "who gives a shit." But for Baha'is who adopt the maximalist position that Abdu'l-Baha never made a mistake, it's a problem.

The letter is found in Mazandarani's Asrar, 1:82-3 (Phelps AB03482), which I typed up below. The context is the Constitutional Revolution, which Abdu'l-Baha says he asked the Baha'is to stay away from (there's a paper on the subject here). Sayyid Ali Akbar, who he mentions in the letter, kept him informed from Iran. Abdu'l-Baha is frustrated that some of the Baha'is aren't heeding his directives so he throws up his hands and says that God had other plans (a Shii idea called bada).

هو اللهان منادی پیمان ... در بدایت انقلاب ( انقلاب مشروطیت در ایران ( عبدالبهاء بنهایت همت کوشید که یاران بی طرف مانند و خیر دو جهت باشند ملاحظه شد که بعضی تأویل مینمایند و مداخله میفرمایند و نتیجه آنست که حکومت بهانه نماید و ماده بعضو ضعیف ریزد و جميع احبای الهی را قتل عام کنند و واسطه صلح نمایند و بسبب این قضیه حکومت نفوذ شدید یابد و اقتدار جدید نماید جناب آقا سید علی اکبر را احضار نمودم گفتم که آنچه خواستیم یاران را از مداخله منع نمائیم ممکن نشد بعضی مایل به مداخله هستند و این نتایج مضره بخشد حال محض اینکه این مداخله را منع نمایم میخواهم که عبارتی در حق مرکز سلف نویسم اگـر چنانچه باید و شاید قیام نماید فبها والا از قضایای مسلمه امر الله است . به حضرت امام جعفر صادق گفتند که ما منتظر معصوم سابع بودیم و سابعهم قائمهم میگفتند چگونه شد که تحقق نیافت فرمودند آن سابع منم ولی بدا شد خلاصه بمومی الیه گفتم که در قائمیت اما جعفر صادق بدا جائز بود حال اگر چنانچه باید و شاید معمول نگردد بدا سهل است .

He is God!

O herald of the covenant….At the beginning of the (Constitutional) Revolution, Abdul-Baha tried very hard to ensure that the friends remained neutral and well-wishers of both sides. It was observed that some were misinterpreting (my instructions) and interfering. The result is that the government uses this (interference) as a pretext to weaken and eliminate a member (of parliament), massacre all the divine loved ones, and make peace through mediation [i.e. play the peacekeeper], thereby allowing the government to gain significant influence and assert new authority.

I summoned Aqa Sayyid Ali Akbar and said, “We wanted to prevent the friends from intervening but it was not possible. Some are inclined to interfere and this will have harmful consequences.

Now, simply to prevent this intervention, I want to write a statement about the center of the predecessors [the Qa’im]. If he arises as he must and should, then good; otherwise, it is one of the settled decrees of God. They said to Imam Ja'far Sadiq, “We were waiting for the seventh infallible (imam), for as the (imams) used to say 'the seventh is their Qa'im.’” When asked why it did not materialize, Ja’far said, “That seventh is me, but bada happened.” In summary, I told (Sayyid Ali Akbar) that for Ja’far Sadiq, being the Qa'im was permissible. If something does not happen as it should, it is simply bada.

https://www.reddit.com/r/exbahai/comments/1co10og/abdulbaha_mistakenly_calls_jafar_alsadiq_the/

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Baha'i administration defends its image at the expense of justice

Dr. Hossain Danesh a former secretary of the NSA of Canada lost his psychiatry license after multiple sexual abuse allegations. Instead of being decisively removed or publicly condemned within the Baha'i community he was given a prominent role at Landegg University and later supported in returning back to Canada to conduct seminars, on topics like "Healthy Marriage and Family Life."!

In another case a young Baha'i girl accused her father (then chair of an NSA) of sexual abuse. Rather than prioritizing the victim, the institutions allegedly focused on protecting their reputation. Baha'i administration defends its image and its important people even at the expense of justice and victims.

See: 

https://web.archive.org/web/20170823184205/http://bahairants.com/hossain-danesh-heavily-promoted-by-nsa-1048.html

https://www.oocities.org/shirinstory/bacquet.html

https://bahaitheway.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html

https://archive.org/details/bahai-scandals

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The BIC owns the copyrights to the texts of the four Central figures of the Baha'i Faith and the texts of letters of the UHJ

The entire contents of the Baha'i World Centre Etext Server are copyrighted by the Baha'i International Community, Copyright (c) 1994, All Rights Reserved, as a collective work (compilation copyright). They may be freely redistributed in their entirety provided that this copyright notice is not removed...

The Baha'i International Community asserts that it owns the copyrights to the texts of the four Central figures of the Baha'i Faith (The Bab, Baha'u'llah, Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi) and the texts of letters of the Universal House of Justice, which are available for distribution by the Baha'i World Centre Etext Server, as part of its compilation copyright.

(February 1997, The Secretariat, Baha'i International Community, P.O. Box 155 31001, Haifa - Israel)

https://sacred-texts.com/bhi/cnote.txt

All material on this website, including but not limited to, text, photographs, images, illustrations, maps, audio clips, and video clips (“Content”) is protected by copyrights, trademarks, and other intellectual property rights. The Bahá’í International Community retains full legal protection for its Content under all applicable national and international laws.

https://www.bahai.org/legal

Trademarks owned by the Baha'i Administration

https://www.trademarkia.com/the-universal-house-of-justice-88806367

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Many tablets revealed to the women have been lost.

In a tablet to Aqā Shāhzāda, Baha'ullah says he is addressing her from the prison in 'Akka with a call that is sweeter than sugar and more luminous than the sun and moon. Baha'ullah says that she has drunk the wine of revelation, and taken hold of his tablets and writings (Baha'ullah and 'Abdu'l- Baha 2005: 208). In another tablet to her, Baha'ullah likens his words to precious gems and pearls which were hidden and which he has now revealed for her. Elsewhere, Baha'ullah tells Shahanshāh Baygum that she has been mentioned at the throne ('arsh) of God, and that her name has been recorded in the tablets, and that he has revealed verses for her so that from them she might perceive the scent of the shirt of her Lord (a reference to the story of Joseph; ibid.: 205). It is impossible to know how many of the tablets originally revealed for these women have been lost. In a tablet to Diya' al-Ḥājjīya, Baha'ullah says she has repeatedly received divine verses (Ibid.: 219), and in a tablet to her from 'Abdu'l-Baha we read that she received many tablets (alvāḥ-i muta'addada) during the time of Baha'ullah (Ibid.: 294).

(The Baha'is of Iran: Socio-Historical Studies. (2012). United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis.)

https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Baha_is_of_Iran/H4YrBgAAQBAJ

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Indian believers teaching the Baha'i faith to Pakistanis!!?

India

Baluchistan site of teaching trip

An extensive teaching trip was made to Baluchistan, Pakistan, in December, by three Indian believers. Baluchistan is an arid and mountainous region.

The first town visited in the province of Baluchistan was Kalat. Nasir Shah, a new believer there, welcomed the travelers and arranged a meeting which was attended by many inquirers. The report of the traveling teachers said, “We held long discussions on many aspects of the Faith and during the course of these conversations, Bahá’u’lláh’s unfailing confirmation blessed the region of Baluchistan with a new Spiritual Assembly, the first in Kalat, where nine souls enrolled in the Army of Light.”

The team also visited the four local believers of Pasni, addressed some inquirers who had been studying the Faith, answered questions they had prepared, and had the joy of witnessing the formation of the first Local Spiritual Assembly as a result of the acceptance of the Faith by some of the inquirers.

Through the enrollment of an inquirer in Jiwini and in Khuzdar, two new localities were opened to the Faith.

(Bahá’í News, Issue 554, May 1977, Bahá’í Year 134)

https://bahai.works/Bahá’í_News/Issue_554/Text#Weekly_teaching_efforts_spreading_Faith

https://bahai.works/index.php?title=File:Baha%27i_News_554.pdf&page=17

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Payam Aryan about false claim of equality of men and women in the Baha'i faith.

Former-Baha'i Payam Aryan states:

People like you are unbelievable. Of course men and women are different, but not in their rights. Becoming a member of international consultation and decision making assembly isn’t a role that women are incapable of doing. All humankind are entitled to be treated equally in the terms of rights and justice. Your reasoning is so weak. According to your “role” logic some people can be masters and some people are their slaves. Don’t forget that even AbdulBaha hasn’t answered a question regarding this injustice and said in the future “wisdom” of this divine law will be known by all. He has basically deceived people by saying that in a “unknown” future the problem will be solved. Moreover, in Bahai inheritance law there are several inequities. The main house goes to first male child. The share of father is more than mother. The share of brother is more than sister and so on….. these are all in contradiction to the “equality of rights between men and women” teaching/principle. False Claim.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V4pKaCw3VE&lc=UgyRG0BAHXx_DZcj5X14AaABAg.ATRd4j1VERVATSc6diYwX6

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Two Bahá’ís were arrested recently in Murree, Pakistan, for teaching the Baha'i Faith.

“Islam and the Bahá’í Faith” is the topic of weekly classes arranged by the Teaching Committee of Islamabad.

The youth committee in Karachi has arranged for deepening classes for pre-youth in that city.

Two Bahá’ís were arrested recently in Murree, Pakistan, for teaching the Faith. Their case is now pending in the courts.

(Bahá’í News October 1981 Bahá’í Year 138)

https://bahai.works/Bahá’í_News/Issue_607/Text#Teaching_campaign_opens_new_areas

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The New World Order of Baha'u'llah is Vitamin C

You can have a person that suddenly has a disease that bleeds all over, so you say "okay", we pick up all kinds of band-aids, and we put one bandage here and one bandage here and everything just to band-aid the person so that you wouldn't bleed. And then this person suddenly finds that his bones are getting very soft and cannot walk. We say "okay", we put all kind of sticks and wrap it around the bones so that he can walk. And the person becomes weak. And so we say "okay", this person is becoming weak so we find a couple of other people to carry him around or put him in a wheelchair. And then gradually the person starts not being able to breathe, and so let's give him oxygen. And if that doesn't work, we just give him a pump that constantly pumps his chest so that he can have the necessary oxygen. And it goes on and on and on, which is what's happening in the medical model today. However, if we had paused for a moment and say, "Let's see what is happening with this person? Could it be that this person doesn't have something that he should have?" And we investigate and find that he lacks vitamin C.

Transcript of: Creating New World Order by Hossain Danesh

https://bahai.works/Transcript:Hossain_Danesh/Creating_New_World_Order

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Iranian National Plan

He [Mas’ud Khamsi] once was a Director of the first television station in Iran established by Mr Sabet, his brother-in-law. Within the Bahá’í environment he was actively occupied with others gaining the goals of Shoghi Effendi’s first 45-month Iranian National Plan which consisted of the consolidation of all Bahá’í local communities, the reestablishment of 62 dissolved Spiritual Assembles, the formation of 22 new groups and the creation of 13 new centres throughout Iran.

(The Khamsis: A Cradle of True Gold by Boris Handal)

https://bahai-library.com/pdf/h/handal_khamsis_cradle_gold.pdf

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Baha'i villages in Iran

Sayyid Nasru’llah Khan Báqirof owned a group of six or seven villages south of Tehran in the area known as Ghar. These included Hasanabad (pop. 380 in 1951), Ja’farabad (5 km southwest of Rayy on the main Tehran to Qumm road, pop. 20 in 1951) and ‘Alíyabad (9 km south of Rayy, 1 km west of the Tehran to Qumm road, pop. 150 in 1951). A former resident of Báqirabad states that in 1950s Báqirabad consisted of a population of 110, of whom 65 were Bahá’ís. From about 1910 Báqirof encouraged Bahá’í villagers to move to these villages, especially from the villages of the Kashan area, which was being ravaged by Na’ib Husayn Kashani and the Sultanabad area. They farmed the area, growing grains and sugar beet and herding livestock. In 1918 ‘Abbas Mahmúdi moved to these villages and began to teach the Bahá’í children there. The Bahá’í villagers often talked about the Bahá’í Faith with the Muslims in these villages and in the surrounding villages such as Sayyid-abad, Khalazir (6 km northwest of Rayy, pop. 395 in 1951) and Pala’in (8 km west of Rayy, pop. 176 in 1951). Among those who tried to spread the Bahá’í Faith in this way were Mírzá Husayn Jawshqani Masiha’i and his son Mírzá Amanu’llah Mudir Masiha’i; Mírzá Hatim Khan (of Ahl-Haqq origin), the clerk at the mill in Hasanabad; Ustad Habibu’llah Vadqani, the master miller; and Haji Ulya. These individuals would invite those Muslims who showed interest to meetings at which ‘Abbas Mahmúdi spoke.

(The Khamsis: A Cradle of True Gold by Boris Handal)

https://bahai-library.com/pdf/h/handal_khamsis_cradle_gold.pdf

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In those days, the Persians cannot meet Rúhíyyih Khánum

In the afternoon when I was coming to the gardens I saw Shoghi Effendi. And I saw Rúhíyyih Khánum from the car. In those days, the Persians cannot meet Rúhíyyih Khánum according to the Persian custom, the man could not see unchadored women. So Shoghi Effendi respected Islam and the Persians could not see Rúhíyyih Khánum. But I saw Rúhíyyih Khánum. I went to Dr Hakim’s room which is in the gardens and saw Rúhíyyih Khánum for the first time but not face to face. The first time I saw Rúhíyyih Khánum in America was at the opening of a conference. So Rúhíyyih Khánum invited for lunch [both] Jane and me to have lunch with her. So that was the first time.

(The Khamsis: A Cradle of True Gold by Boris Handal)

https://bahai-library.com/pdf/h/handal_khamsis_cradle_gold.pdf

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The Nownahálán company

The Nownahálán company (literally “saplings”) was a Bahá’í children’s thrift fund created under ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s approval and blessing in 1917. Established as a non-profit and charitable institution, in 1967 it was composed by 9,000 shareholders with assets amounted to $1,700,000 which were all confiscated by the Islamic revolution. Many Iranian pioneers living overseas relied on the income generated by their savings.

(The Khamsis: A Cradle of True Gold by Boris Handal)

https://bahai-library.com/pdf/h/handal_khamsis_cradle_gold.pdf

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"I will not step in Iran"

I remember that once when speaking about the Iranian government, he mentioned that Shoghi Effendi had said that as long as the current cowardly king is ruling, he would not go to Iran. He said that for a while there was speculation in Iran that Shoghi Effendi had come there to see the country and that he was hiding somewhere in the country. Mr Khamsi said that this was only a rumour as Shoghi Effendi had said that, “until this cowardly king is no longer ruling, I will not step in Iran”.

(The Khamsis: A Cradle of True Gold by Boris Handal)

https://bahai-library.com/pdf/h/handal_khamsis_cradle_gold.pdf

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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)

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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/

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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

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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/

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