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Title: Dawn of a New Day
Author: Shoghi Effendi, 1897-1957
Language: English
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*** Start of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "Dawn of a New Day" ***
Dawn of a New Day
by Shoghi Effendi
Edition 1, (September 2006)
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CONTENTS
Baha’i Terms of Use
[Frontispiece]
PREFACE
LETTERS ADDRESSED TO THE N.S.A. OF INDIA
Letter to believers in India & Burmah
Excellent Field of Service
Position of Baha’i Women
The Baha’i News
An Era of Unprecedented Activity
Nothing Must Dampen Our Zeal
Unite in Promoting the Work of the Cause
Consolidation of the Foundations of the N.S.A.
The House of Baha’u’llah in Baghdad
Inaugurate a Fresh Campaign of Teaching
Increasing Activities
Bring Together the Hindus and Mohammedans
Cause Will Ultimately Conquer
Publication of Kaukab
The Baha’i News
Widen the Scope of Activities
Conduct of the Work of N.S.A.
Extend the Scope of Activities
[Letter of November 16, 1927]
[Letter of May 6, 1928]
[Letter of June 22, 1928]
[Letter of August 21, 1928]
Present the Teachings at Various Conventions & Gatherings
The Faith Publicized in Turkey
Maintain and Strengthen the Unity of the National Assembly
“Baha’i World”—Foremost Baha’i Publication
“Huquq”
Syed Jenab Ali—Distinguished Baha’i Leader
Martha Root Visits India
Baha’i Representation at the All-Asian Women’s Conference
Publication of the “Dawn-Breakers”
Advertisements in Baha’i Periodicals
Mrs. Ransom Kehler Visits India
Translation of Baha’u’llah & the New Era
Mrs. Kehler Visits Calcutta
Translation of Baha’u’llah and the New Era
Need of Baha’i Teachers all over the World
Passing Away of the Greatest Holy Leaf
Publication of Baha’u’llah & the New Era
Baha’i Center in Calcutta
Teaching Among the Masses in India
Baha’i Magazine
Publication of Baha’u’llah & the New Era
Passing Away of Brilliant Teacher—Mrs. Kehler
Twentyfive Printed Versions of Baha’u’llah & the New Era
Registration of Bombay Assembly
Bedrock of Baha’i Administrative Order
Accept Justified Resignation
Revival of the Spirit of Fellowship
Changes in Membership of Baha’i Assemblies
Intensify Teaching Throughout India
Persecution of the Baha’is in Iran
Training of Baha’i Teachers
Registration of L.S.A. of Karachi
Formation of an Assembly in Lahore
Circulation of Abdu’l-Baha’s Photographs
Splendid Initiative
Baha’i Holidays must be Observed
Effective Publicity Throughout India
Correspondence with the Guardian
“New-Era” in Sindhi & Bengali Printed
Union With Loved Ones in the Next World
Voting is Sacred Obligation
It is But a Beginning
Daidanaw Baha’i School
Two Main Principles to Follow
Visit of Mr. Schopflocher to India
Inflexible Determination Required
Welcome Extended to Mr. Schopflocher
Theosophists
Baha’i Holidays
Baha’i Administration
Obligatory Prayers
Progress of Teaching Most Gratifying
National Fund
Martha Root’s Teaching Trip
Resting Place of Holy Mother
L.S.A. & Summer School in Simla
Six-Year Plan
First Indian Baha’i Summer School
Task Immense—Time Short
Splendid Work Accomplished by Miss Root
Baha’i Youth Groups
Summer School
David
Inheritance
Reason of Severe Laws Revealed by the Bab
Teaching—The Paramount Task
Meaning of Resurrection
Teaching—The Paramount Task
Martha Root’s Arrival in Bombay
Paramount Task Facing the Believers
Passing Away of Dearest Martha
Sacred Task
Steady Extension of the Teaching Campaign
Financial Assistance to Baha’i Teachers
Translation of Baha’u’llah’s Writings
Training of Children
Appearance of two Davids
Importance of the Teaching Campaign
Greatest Need of the Hour
Priceless Days
Refrain from Imposing New Rules
Every Obstacle Should Be Surmounted
Persecution of Baha’is of Kadwai
Use of A’rabs (Vowel Points)
Two Davids
He Whom God Will Make Manifest
The Holy Book—The Aqdas
Use of A’rabs (Vowel Points)
Writings of the Bab
The Universal House of Justice
Surmount Every Obstacle
Remarkable Evidence of Activity
Future is Blessed and Glorious
New Assemblies of Hyderabad & Kotah
Prizes to be Won
Passing of Abd’ul-Jalil Beg Saad
Painstaking and Fruitful Efforts
Placing of Burial Stone
Ensure the Triumphant Conclusion
Proper Administrative Headquarters
Passing Away of Mr. Vakil
Secretary of the N.S.A.
Election of L.S.A.’s
National Administrative Headquarters
Baha’is Can Undertake Philanthropic Work
Centenary Celebrations
Friends Should Unite
The Six-Year Plan Has Progressed Magnificently
Centenary Celebrations
Historic Achievements
Baha’u’llah and the New Era in Kanarese
Achieved Mighty Victories
Re-instate Assemblies in Burma
Teach a Wider Range of Indians
Passing Away of Siyyid Mustafa
Baha’i Marriage
Task Urgent, Vast and Sacred
Shoulder Heavy Responsibilities
Threefold Task
Baha’i Holy Days
Voting Rights
Responsibilities Immense
Answer to Various Matters
Unstinted Devotion Displayed
More Pioneers to Go Forth
Esslemont Book in Karen Language
Rules & Regulations Should Not Be Multiplied
Added Responsibility
Threshold of a New Epoch
Set the Highest Example of Tolerance
Greater Dedication to Service
Opportunity Which May Never Occur Again
Excommunication is a Spiritual Matter
Unite to Serve Him
Seeking to Purify the World
Stormy Yet Glorious Path of Service
Old and Tried Community
Arcade of the Shrine of the Bab
Grave Challenge
Superstructure of the Shrine of the Bab
Keep in Close Touch With Pioneers
End of Six-Year Plan Approaches
Arcade of the Shrine
Baha’is May Join Non-Partisan Organisations
A Baha’i Cannot be a Theosophist
Killing of a Believer in Kamarhatti
Convention Delegates
No Effort is Too Great
Photos of the Arcade of the Shrine
Inter-Assembly Conferences
Assembly in Moulmein, Burma
Centenary Pamphlet Excellent
Increase the Number of Delegates to 95
Pioneering to Siam
Registration of Assemblies
Contribution for the Shrine of the Bab
Baha’is Cannot Become Freemasons
Reviewing of Baha’i Books
Pioneers for Indonesia and Siam
Great Historic Enterprise
Increase of Believers in Benares
Teaching in South-East Asia
The 19-Month Plan
Pioneers to Settle in Africa
First Pilgrims from India
Inter-Continental Conference
No Harm in Taking Part in Dramas
Encouraging the Hindu Baha’is
The Work is Still Formidable
No Age Limit for Serving the Cause
Answer to Various Questions
Consolidation of the Manifold Institutions
The Most Important Thing is to Serve
Youth & the Ten-Year Crusade
Translation of Literature
Keynote of the Crusade
Consultation of Delegates
Concentrate on Home Front
Increase Number of Assemblies
Translation of Baha’i Books into Russian
Many Victories Won
Pioneering to Ceram
Baha’i Literature in Native Tongues
Pioneers in Sikkim
Pioneers to be Sent to Maldive Islands
Historic and Heart-Stirring
LETTERS ADDRESSED TO THE BAHA’I YOUTH OF INDIA
Letter of June 19, 1941
Letter of May 5, 1943
Letter of June 6, 1941
Letter of June 19, 1941
Letter of June 19, 1941
Letter of June 19, 1941
Letter of December 27, 1941
Letter of July 3, 1942
Letter of June 27, 1942
Letter of April 8, 1946
Letter of April 12, 1945
Letter of October 15, 1940
Letter of April 8, 1946
LETTERS ADDRESSED TO INDIVIDUAL BAHA’IS IN INDIA
Letter of June 20, 1923.
Letter of November 5, 1924
Letter of May 17, 1926
Letter of March 2, 1929
Letter of December 17, 1929
Letter of January 14, 1931
Letter of July 10, 1931
Letter of October 27, 1933
Letter of November 3, 1934
Letter of October 15, 1940
Letter of October 12, 1932
Letter of May 2, 1947
Letter of May 8, 1942
Letter of February 2, 1957
Letter of September 19, 1929
Letter of December 1, 1944
Letter of July 29, 1942
Letter of March 28, 1945
Letter of December 19, 1949
Letter of May 14, 1932
Letter of June 6, 1933
Letter of December 27, 1933
Letter of January 7, 1934
Letter of September 25, 1934
Letter of September 4, 1935
Letter of April 17, 1936
Letter of May 7, 1941
Letter of April 7, 1952
Letter of January 27, 1957
Letter of February 7, 1937
Letter of March 31, 1937
Letter of March 27, 1938
Letter of October 29, 1938
Letter of November 16, 1939
Letter of April 27, 1946
LETTERS ADDRESSED TO BURMESE BAHA’IS
Letter of June 1, 1923
Letter of June 2, 1923
CABLEGRAMS
Cablegram of 18.11.1935
Cablegram of 29.4.1937
Cablegram of 27.6.1937
Cablegram of 2.9.1937
Cablegram of 22.9.1938
Cablegram of 27.6.1942
Cablegram of 8.7.1942
Cablegram of 3.1.1943
Cablegram of 15.1.1943
Cablegram of 28.1.1943
Cablegram of 5.3.1943
Cablegram of 12.3.1943
Cablegram of 23.4.1943
Cablegram of 2.5.1943
Cablegram of 6.5.1943
Cablegram of 10.5.1943
Cablegram of 27.7.1943
Cablegram of 6.8.1943
Cablegram of 9.10.1943
Cablegram of 17.10.1943
Cablegram of 15.2.1944
Cablegram of 24.4.1944
Cablegram of 22.5.1944
Cablegram of 24.5.1944
Cablegram of 24.8.1944
Cablegram of 31.10.1944
Cablegram of 26.11.1944
Cablegram of 15.12.1944
Cablegram of 15.2.1945
Cablegram of 13.3.1945
Cablegram of 4.4.1945
Cablegram of 30.4.1945
Cablegram of 9.1.1946
Cablegram of 10.1.1946
Cablegram of 16.7.1946
Cablegram of 11.11.1946
Cablegram of 18.11.1946
Cablegram of 14.1.1947
Cablegram of 4.4.1947
Cablegram of 5.4.1947
Cablegram of 11.4.1947
Cablegram of 24.4.1947
Cablegram of 30.4.1947
Cablegram of 28.5.1947
Cablegram of 5.6.1947
Cablegram of 9.7.1947
Cablegram of 7.8.1947
Cablegram of 23.10.1947
Cablegram of 11.11.1947
Cablegram of 21.11.1947
Cablegram of 27.12.1947
Cablegram of 5.5.1948
Cablegram of 19.6.1948
Cablegram of 9.1.1949
Cablegram of 23.3.1949
Cablegram of 29.4.1949
Cablegram of 26.11.1949
Cablegram of 9.4.1950
Cablegram of 29.4.1950
Cablegram of 13.6.1950
Cablegram of 29.4.1951
Cablegram of 6.5.1951
Cablegram of 31.8.1951
Cablegram of 7.10.1953
Cablegram of 12.10.1953
Cablegram of 15.10.1953
Cablegram of 13.4.1954
Cablegram of 26.4.1955
Cablegram of 29.4.1955
[FRONTISPIECE]
DAWN OF A NEW DAY
SHOGHI EFFENDI
“...the dawn of a New Day shall break upon that land and the Rays of this
Divine Revelation shall make of India a spiritually-quickened, peaceful
and united country.”—Shoghi Effendi, Jan. 9, 1923
BAHA’I PUBLISHING TRUST
POST BOX 19
NEW DELHI (India)
Note: The passages marked with a * are in Guardian’s own handwriting.
(C) BAHA’I PUBLISHING TRUST, INDIA
Reprinted by
K.L. Sachdeva - for Skylark Printers,
479, Matia Mahal, Jama Masjid, Delhi-6
PREFACE
The sub-continent of India, favoured by special mention in the
Qayyumu’l-Asma, on the Day of the Declaration of the Bab, is a land of the
greatest spiritual potentialities. During the life time of Abdu’l-Baha a
steady stream of teachers from East and West arrived to establish the
Faith, and at the time of His passing, there was a sizeable community of
Baha’is in India. This was the community that grew into spiritual
maturity, expanded and developed under the unerring guidance of our
beloved Guardian who fostered its growth, ever beckoning it forward.
The Guardian summoned the believers to achieve great victories, local
movements and limited projects would not be commensurate with the
greatness of the Revelation of Baha’u’llah; he led them to self-sacrifice,
to big undertakings, and to bold ventures. Gradually, he brought to light
the vastness of the realm of service, pointing out the many races and
tribes that inhabited this land of ancient civilization and cradle of
important world religions. He gave instructions and plans to this
Community to take the healing Message of God to all these peoples and
tribes. Step by step, Shoghi Effendi guided the Community on how to plan
and organize a comprehensive teaching plan.
As far back as 1933, the beloved Guardian summoned the Baha’is of India to
teach among the masses, and to reach persons of capacity in every strata
of society. He guided us in every accomplishment, pointing out the
objectives, counselling and urging the completion of goals set for the
Community.
The reader will find for himself what great victories still remain to be
won and what great potentialities still remain hidden in India—“a vast
country and an excellent field of service”. This book is for those,
anywhere in the world, who wish to arise individually and collectively to
establish the World Order of Baha’u’llah and the Kingdom of God on earth.
Dr. R. Muhajir
New Delhi,
March 9, 1970
LETTERS ADDRESSED TO THE N.S.A. OF INDIA
Letter to believers in India & Burmah
The beloved of the Lord and the handmaids of the
Merciful throughout India and Burmah,
Care of the members of the Spiritual Assembly.
Beloved co-workers in the Vineyard of God!
It has been my great pleasure and privilege to send you, since my return
to the Holy Land, first my general message of confidence and of love
addressed to all believers throughout the East, and later another letter
wherein I appeal in particular to those faithful lovers of His Cause in
that vast and distant dominion to labour whole-heartedly and to the very
end for the diffusion of His Light and the spread of His Cause.
Remembering, however, the few among my friends in that land who are as yet
unfamiliar with the Persian Tongue, I have thought of sending these few
lines to them in particular and through them to the rest of my brethren
and sisters in those regions who, despite the diversity of tongue, of race
and custom are all united at heart and animated by one common desire to
uplift humanity and carry out His Divine Purpose for this world.
What an alluring field of service India with all its possibilities unfolds
to our eyes at the present time and how vast are the opportunities of
sowing the seeds of unity and loving kindness in the hearts of its divers
peoples!
True, that land seems now unhappily to be plunged in the darkness of
prejudice, hate and mistrust, yet however dark the immediate prospect may
appear, our confidence remains unshaken that ere long these mists shall
clear away, the dawn of a New Day shall break upon that land and the Rays
of this Divine Revelation shall make of India a spiritually-quickened,
peaceful and united country.
The universal Teachings of Baha’u’llah if declared and propounded with
wisdom and judgement, determination, selflessness and sincerity, and above
all if exemplified in our lives and dealings with our fellow-men, cannot
fail to inspire and stimulate the mind of the enlightened seeker and win
the admiration and allegiance of all mankind. Ours then is the duty and
privilege to bring to the attention of this distressed and war-weary world
this Message of Eternal Salvation and help to establish the Era of Peace
and Brotherhood as purposed and foretold by Baha’u’llah.
The welcome news of the progress of the Third All-India Baha’i Convention
as well as the favourable comment made upon it by the Press of that
country have been fully shared with the pilgrims and resident friends in
the Holy Land and we have all admired and rejoiced at the efforts you are
exerting for the consolidation of the Movement in that ancient land.
May your endeavours in every sphere of your spiritual activities be
crowned with brilliant success, that His glorious Promise regarding the
future of that land may be speedily fulfilled!
It is my earnest hope that “The Baha’i News”, the representative organ of
the Baha’i Community in India, may expand and develop, may widen the
sphere of its correspondence, add to the number and quality of its
articles in Persian as well as in English, report regularly in its columns
the news of the spiritual activities of all Baha’i centres in India and
elsewhere, and in general provide for the full, correct and dignified
presentation of the Cause to the general public.
Assuring every one of you of my constant prayers on your behalf and
wishing you success in your noble task,
I am your brother and co-worker,
SHOGHI
January 9, 1923
Excellent Field of Service
As you mentioned India is a vast country and an excellent field of
service. If the younger Baha’i generation, in whom Shoghi Effendi has
great hopes, take the pain of studying the Cause deeply and thoroughly,
read its history, find its underlying principles and become both well
informed and energetic, they surely can achieve a great deal. It is upon
their shoulders that the Master has laid the tremendous work of teaching.
They are the ones to raise the call of the Kingdom and arouse the people
from slumber. If they fail the Cause is doomed to stagnation. May we all
hope and earnestly pray that through God’s infinite grace, through the
Master’s spiritual guidance and through Shoghi Effendi’s tender care we
may do justice to this tremendous work and not fail to do the Master’s
bidding.
As Shoghi Effendi has not yet taken up the tremendous work and
responsibility of attending to the correspondence of the individual
friends, he asked me to write you this note, acknowledge the receipt of
your letter, and ask you to do the following things: (1) Change the name
of your Executive Committee to “The National Spiritual Assembly”, because
the corresponding Assembly in England and America bear the same name, and
uniformity in such matters is most advisable. (2) He likes to receive
regular and detailed reports of the position of the Cause as well as the
activities of the friends in India drafted as well as sent by the
Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly. So as to be informed of the
conditions there and administer to your needs. (3) He wishes to have the
postal as well as telegraphic address of the secretary so as to send his
communications to him.
Shoghi Effendi earnestly hopes and prays that this National Spiritual
Assembly will be able to achieve a great deal and herald a new era of
spiritual awakening in that land.
April 26, 1923
Position of Baha’i Women
[From the Guardian:]
Regarding the position of the Baha’i women in India and Burma, and their
future collaboration with the men in the administrative work of the Cause,
I feel that the time is now ripe that those women who have already
conformed to the prevailing custom in India and Burma by discarding the
veil should not only be given the right to vote for the election of their
local and national representatives, but should themselves be eligible to
the membership of all Baha’i Assemblies throughout India and Burma, be
they local or national.
This definite and most important step, however, should be taken with the
greatest care and caution, prudence and thoughtfulness. Due regard must be
paid to their actual capacity and present attainments, and only those who
are best qualified for membership, be they men or women, and irrespective
of social standing, should be elected to the extremely responsible
position of a member of the Baha’i Assembly.
This momentous decision, I trust, will prove to be a great incentive to
the women Baha’is throughout India and Burma who, I hope, will now bestir
themselves and endeavour to the best of their ability to acquire a better
and more profound knowledge of the Cause, to take a more active and
systematic part in the general affairs of the Movement, and prove
themselves in every way enlightened, responsible and efficient co-workers
to their fellow-men in their common task for the advancement of the Cause
throughout their country.
May they fully realise their high responsibilities in this day, may they
do all in their power to justify the high hopes we cherish for their
future, and may they prove themselves in every respect worthy of the noble
mission which the Baha’i world is now entrusting to their charge.
December 27, 1923
The Baha’i News
[From the Guardian:]
Your long-awaited letter, penned by our dear and devoted brother, Mr. N.
R. Vakil, has been received and read with profound interest. I note with
deep satisfaction the vigour and earnestness with which you are conducting
the affairs of the Movement throughout the length and breadth of that vast
and distant land, and ardently pray that you may achieve, individually and
collectively, the highest success in all your endeavours.
Regarding the Baha’i News, I strongly urge those responsible for its
publication, and in particular, our beloved friends, Prof. Pritam Singh,
Mr. Vakil, ... Mr. M. U. Abasi, Mirza Niku, Mr. Ardeshir Khodadad, and
Haji Ahmad, to do their utmost that this Baha’i organ may increase in
volume, widen in scope, broaden in its outlook, improve in style and
general presentation, and reflect more extensively the activities of the
friends in India, Burma, and elsewhere. As a magazine that has been
established in the days of our departed Master, and been the recipient of
His special favours and blessings, it ought, and I have no doubt it will,
with your active support and under your constant and general supervision,
carry out the great plan it is destined to fulfill in this world.
With regard to Burma and its Baha’i activities, I trust you realise that
that province falls directly within the sphere of your activities, and
although a Central Council for all Burma is in the process of
establishment, that Council as well as all local Assemblies throughout
Burma will have to be under the protection, care and direction of the
All-India Spiritual Assembly.
I would indeed welcome regular, frequent and comprehensive reports from
the National Assembly on the various branches of its manifold activities,
and will spare no effort to contribute my humble share in consolidating
and extending the Teaching Campaign throughout that vast Dominion.
I would be pleased to receive the permanent postal and telegraphic address
of the Secretary of the National Assembly, and am confident that by the
grace of Baha’u’llah and under the guiding Hand of our beloved Master, we
shall all carry triumphantly the noble task entrusted to our charge to a
speedy and successful conclusion.
June 1, 1923
An Era of Unprecedented Activity
[From the Guardian:]
It is a great pleasure and privilege for me to renew the bonds of
fellowship and affection that have always united our hearts in the service
of our beloved Master. I need not recall to your minds the warm and
abiding place which that gifted Dominion has always occupied in our
Beloved’s heart, and the high hopes he cherished for its future
contribution towards the triumph of the Movement in those distant regions
of the earth.
I am sure the hour has struck when those dearly-beloved pioneers of the
Master’s Cause, scattered throughout the length and breadth of that vast
and promising land, should unite, consolidate their forces, and
effectively combine for the laying of a firm foundation for the future
progress of their noble task. It is my earnest hope and my most cherished
desire that at the forthcoming Convention the vigour and enlightened
efforts of the Baha’i youth of India, coupled with the generous support
and devotion of the old beloved Parsee friends, and reinforced by the vast
numbers of the ardent followers of the Faith in Burma, may, by imparting
power and brilliancy to its proceedings, herald an era of unprecedented
activity for the ultimate recognition of the Cause by the peoples of that
country.
I shall welcome with genuine satisfaction every effort which that talented
and untiring servant of Baha’u’llah, our highly-esteemed sister Mrs.
Stannard, may exert in this connection, and would feel truly gratified to
learn of her determination to play a conspicuous part in the presentation
of the Cause to the eyes of the enlightened public. May the sustaining
grace of God, the power of Baha’u’llah, and the loving counsels of our
beloved ‘Abdu’l-Bahá guide you and aid you in your mighty endeavours for
the accomplishment of your task.
I shall eagerly await any particulars you might wish to send me regarding
your various activities in the service of the Cause, and I trust that
during the interval between now and Ridvan a complete and careful
arrangement for the successful conduct of the coming Convention will have
been drawn by all the friends and assemblies of India and Burma, and to
which, I assure you, I shall be most pleased to contribute my humble share
of cooperation and advice.
Hoping to hear from you, individually and collectively, and assuring you
of my constant prayers on your behalf.
December 5, 1923
Nothing Must Dampen Our Zeal
Nothing, I dare say, can be more encouraging and gladsome to Shoghi
Effendi than the news of the activities of the friends in such a vast and
promising field as India. In the last few years the harvest of the
friends’ endeavours was not as rich and abundant as we all would wish and
undoubtedly the political throes through which India has been passing and
the general unrest which such conditions have brought about, account to a
large measure for this comparative unfruitfulness in the self-sacrificing
efforts of the Indian Baha’is. Yet nothing must damp our zeal and we
cannot for a moment doubt the remarkable change that the Master said would
take place in that country.
We have been all very much interested in the first-hand information which
Mrs. Stannard has given us and we lament the formidable difficulties and
obstacles with which the Baha’is must cope in their effort to imbue the
individual with a new spirit and to bring new measures of reform in the
social order. We shall, however, pray for you all and eagerly await every
good news you have to share with us.
[From the Guardian:]
I always eagerly await detailed and frequent reports from the National
Assembly and desire strongly its members to meet as often as possible and
actively, efficiently and constantly direct, co-ordinate and reinforce the
activities of the individuals and Local Assemblies throughout India and
Burma. I thirst for more specific information and urge its secretary to
ensure that every communication from the Holy Land or from any other
Baha’i centre is promptly and widely distributed. I assure you of my
loving prayers.
March 5, 1925
Unite in Promoting the Work of the Cause
We were sorry to know of the state of tension that exists between India
and Burma. Let us hope that Shoghi Effendi’s letter will draw both parties
nearer together and so ease up the matter. It is very sad to see two
sections of such a continent though closely connected together, unable to
work in harmony. Let us pray and also try our best that all petty
misunderstandings should be forgotten and that the work should start on a
new basis firmer than before.
[From the Guardian:]
I do hope and pray that the Indians and Burmese friends will once the new
N.S.A. is elected support their representatives and whole-heartedly unite
in promoting the work of the Cause. An earnest, capable, energetic, loyal
and experienced soul must discharge the responsible and arduous duties of
a National Secretary. So much depends upon him. You will have my fullest
and unqualified support in impressing upon the friends the supreme
necessity of establishing forthwith and maintaining to the best of their
ability the institution of the National Fund. I will pray for you all and
assure you personally of my great affection.
April 1, 1925
Consolidation of the Foundations of the N.S.A.
By now the election of the new National Spiritual Assembly and of its
office-bearers will probably be completed. The office of Secretary of the
National Spiritual Assembly is most important and the smooth and efficient
working of the Baha’i organisation in India and Burmah will depend to a
large extent on him. Shoghi Effendi hopes that the new Secretary of the
National Assembly will send him as soon as possible a full list of the
members and office-bearers of the Assembly with his own postal address. He
would like him also, as soon as possible, to procure from each of the
local assemblies in India and Burmah a full list of the members and
office-bearers of the Local Spiritual Assembly with the address of the
Secretary, and to transmit a copy of that list to Shoghi Effendi. This is
to be done every year immediately after the election of the National
Spiritual Assembly.
Further it is desirable that each local Assembly should have a register of
the names and addresses of all declared Baha’is in their district and
should be careful to keep the register up-to-date, promptly noting any
changes in the address or number of the believers. It is also desirable
that the National Secretary should have a list of all believers in India
and Burmah who are living in districts where there is no Local Spiritual
Assembly, with full postal address in each case, so that these believers
may be kept in touch with the body of believers by letters, literature
etc., and travelling Baha’is visiting these districts may be put in touch
with the believers there. Shoghi Effendi would like to have a copy of this
list also.
The National Secretary should keep in as close touch as possible with the
Local Spiritual Assemblies, should urge the secretaries of these Local
Assemblies to furnish regular reports of the progress of the movement in
their respective localities, and should, by means of circular letters
etc., keep these local assemblies and isolated believers informed of all
matters of importance affecting the Cause, remind them of the importance
of contributing as regularly and generously as possible to the National
Fund, and so on.
It is obvious that to carry out these manifold duties efficiently,
thoroughly and tactfully is no easy task and Shoghi Effendi greatly hopes
that some one may be found who will be able to devote the necessary
ability, time and energy to carry them out satisfactorily.
A Baha’i Year Book is now in course of preparation and Shoghi Effendi
wishes to include in this Year-Book a complete list of the local Spiritual
Assemblies throughout the world, with the address of the Secretary in each
case, also a complete list of those localities where there are resident
Baha’is but where no local Spiritual Assembly exists. It will probably be
impracticable to include the addresses of all isolated believers, but
these should be known to the Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly
in each country, so that they may be available on application to him.
It will interest you to know that the Baha’is of Egypt have just elected
their first National Spiritual Assembly.
[From the Guardian:]
Your past and present efforts are indeed worthy of the deepest admiration
and the highest praise. Concentrate as much as you can at present on the
consolidation of the foundations of the N.S.A. of India and Burma. This is
the first and most essential step to further expansion in any direction.
The institution of the National Fund is of vital importance and should be
greatly stressed and emphasized in every circular or communication
addressed to the friends. I will continue to pray for you from all my
heart and assure you of my support and brotherly love.
May 12, 1925
The House of Baha’u’llah in Baghdad
Yesterday he ordered me to write a few words and acknowledge the receipt
of your letter, conveying to you his love and greeting. He was much
pleased to see that you have followed his telegraphic instructions
concerning the Baghdad House promptly.
From other centres also telegraphic communications have been done to both
the High Commissioner and to His Majesty King Faisal. We are hoping for a
desirable result. Up to this time no definite information has reached us.
We shall keep you informed as soon as we receive any.
[From the Guardian:]
The prompt and effective measures you have taken are worthy of the highest
praise. I will inform you if further action is deemed necessary. I hope
and pray your devoted efforts will yield abundant fruit in the near
future.
November 18, 1925
Inaugurate a Fresh Campaign of Teaching
Shoghi Effendi prays for all of you and hopes that through your practical
devotion, you will all attract divine assistance more and more day by day
and so this coming year the Cause of God will make unprecedented progress
in that country. He sends you and all the members of the National
Spiritual Assembly his affectionate greeting and expects your good news
regularly.
[From the Guardian:]
I pray that your newly constituted National Spiritual Assembly may grow
from strength to strength, may co-ordinate and consolidate the
ever-expanding activities of the friends in India and Burma and inaugurate
a fresh campaign of Teaching that will redound to the glory and power of
the Most Great Name.
May the projected Congress at Cawnpore attract widespread interest and
stimulate the work undertaken by the friends in that promising country. I
assure you of my best wishes for your success.
November 24, 1925
Increasing Activities
It is always a source of immeasurable joy and encouragement to our dear
Guardian to learn of your increasing activities in serving our dear Cause
and also of the growing measure of success which you are meeting with in
all your endeavours. The unity of the friends in India and Burma, the
spread of the Cause in that vast country and especially among the real
natives, intelligent connections with the universities and schools and the
direction of the thoughts of the students to a proper understanding of the
Cause and its great mission on earth, will not only be real accomplishment
on the part of our dear fellow-workers but will relieve to a very large
extent our dear Guardian of the stupendous task that he shoulders, and
will give him the deepest joy and confidence. We earnestly trust that
through the help of our dear Master from on high all your efforts will be
crowned with success.
Shoghi Effendi is always interested to hear from you on the work in India
and to help you in every possible way.
You are, I am sure, in touch with Mr. Horace Holley in America and you
would be interested to know that they are publishing soon a Baha’i Year
Book which will be of widespread interest not only to the Baha’is but also
to many interested men and women in our dear Cause.
Mrs. Stannard is very successful in her work in Geneva and she has already
started a fine center there. She is able to make many connections with
influential men and learned people and this is in itself a great work.
[From the Guardian:]
I am very pleased and gratified to learn of your persistent efforts in
advancing and consolidating the Cause. The establishment of a Central
Office in Delhi is a great step forward and I await very eagerly the first
issue of the publication of the National Spiritual Assembly of India &
Burma. The Burmese friends are very satisfied and pleased with the
consideration shown and the activity displayed by your Assembly and my
prayer is that the relations of the National Body with the local
Assemblies will grow firmer everyday. I will specially remember the
friends who are promoting the Cause among the Qadiyani community whenever
I visit the Shrines. I wish them the fullest success.
March 27, 1926
Bring Together the Hindus and Mohammedans
Shoghi Effendi received your letter dated June 11th and was very glad to
see the result of the election of the National Spiritual Assembly. He
sincerely hopes that this year will witness a great change and progress
for the Cause in India. As the friends are sincere in their love and
devotion, the members of the Assembly strong in their faith and unfailing
in their services, there is full assurance of an ultimate victory and
final settlement of the existing difficulties. Shoghi Effendi has great
hopes in you personally and trusts in your wise judgment, watchful
attentiveness and absolute assurance in the Cause you serve. He wants me
to assure you of his prayers.
He also hopes that the friends in India will do their very best to bring
together the Hindus and Mohammedans. In such cases the friends can show
their good-will, devotion to humanity, and disinterestedness in the
material result obtained. He will pray that ... Prof. Pritam Singh will be
guided in this undertaking and ably represent the spirit of the Cause as
well as its teachings. Being competent themselves and having the necessary
divine blessing and guidance it is sure that they will achieve much. May
be this will be a good chance for attracting the attention of some of the
prominent leaders to the reality of the Cause.
[From the Guardian:]
I have written in person to the Bombay Assembly and urged them most
emphatically to support morally and financially the National Assembly and
the National Fund. ...We have to repeat and repeat over and over again
until the truth, the necessity and the urgency of our Beloved’s
instructions sink in the hearts and minds of the believers. I am sure you
will continue to remind the friends of their primary obligations. Assuring
you again of my prayers for your success in your high endeavours.
July 10, 1926
Cause Will Ultimately Conquer
‘Abdu’l-Bahá used often to say that the difference between a prophet and
an ordinary person is that the latter looks only to the present. He does
not try to imagine the future victories and thereby forget the present
trivial obstructions. The prophet, however, having a deep insight in the
future condition of things sees his ultimate victory and does not get
disheartened even though he sees a whole-sale massacre of his followers.
As Baha’is we should follow the prophet’s method. We know that the Cause
will ultimately conquer and its ranks be fully united. We know that the
Master’s promises will ultimately be realized, therefore why be
discouraged by trivial oppositions we see on our way. We should rather add
to our zeal and persist in our prayers and endeavours... It always takes
time for a people to change from one administration to another. Up to the
present they have been accustomed to think of the local assemblies as next
only to the Center of the Cause, and it will take some time and training
before they can admit another superior.
[From the Guardian:]
I have cabled to Bombay and will soon confirm it by letter. I have urged
them to support consistently and whole-heartedly the very essential and
vital institutions of the National Fund and the National Assembly. It must
be made clear to them all that continuous support to these twin
institutions is the corner-stone of all future achievements, the
mainspring from which all future blessings will flow. Persevere in your
heroic effort and remember that the end is glorious and bright.
September 7, 1926
I take pleasure in thanking you on behalf of our dear Guardian, Shoghi
Effendi, for your letter...
As it announced the election of a new body to take up the responsible but
lofty work of supervising and guiding the promulgation of the Baha’i Cause
throughout India and Burma, Shoghi Effendi wishes me to take this
opportunity and assure each and every member of that distinguished body
not only of his heartfelt congratulations and prayers but also of the high
hopes that he cherishes for you all. It is from you and through you that
he expects to see emanating that glorious spirit for which our departed
Master gave his entire life; and with your earnest endeavours, your
consummate wisdom and your unflinching faith he awaits to see you lead the
humble workers of that great country to an ultimate victory.
May I also take this opportunity and express the great desire of Shoghi
Effendi that the National Assembly should try to be in close communication
with him. To him it is a joy beyond words to try to do all in his power to
help you in the noble work you have undertaken.
[From the Guardian:]
Now that the N.S.A. has been properly constituted and its officers duly
appointed, it is incumbent upon each and all to introduce and promote such
measures as will consolidate the work that you have so well begun. The
institution of the National Fund, a Baha’i Bulletin similar to the News
Letter issued by the American N.S.A., a rigorous and well-conceived
campaign of Teaching, a continuous and purposeful endeavour to coordinate
the activities of the local Assemblies and groups throughout India and
Burma and the sending of detailed and frequent reports to the Holy Land
are among the most primary and urgent requirements of the new day that has
dawned upon India. I eagerly await your reports and assure you of my
continued prayers for the success of your arduous labours.
October 28, 1926
Publication of Kaukab
The news that the difficulties, which for a time prevailed and threatened
grave disturbances between the N.S.A. and the Local Assemblies, have
vanished, was a source of great satisfaction and gratification to him. We
were quite sure that it was all due to misunderstandings and that they
would be easily overcome...
In a letter which I have lately written to Seyed Jenabe Ali on behalf of
Shoghi Effendi, I intimated his desire that a special committee of the
N.S.A. should be created to undertake the management of everything
pertaining to the Kaukab. Furthermore, if a certain sum is offered to the
National Fund with the expressed desire that it should be spent for the
Kaukab, i.e., if the offer is labelled, then the N.S.A. should take into
consideration the wish of the giver and spend it only for that purpose.
Though the friends are advised to give unlabelled contributions they
cannot in any way be prevented from using their choice in the way it
should be spent.
Though the Local Assemblies should give the N.S.A. all the moral and
financial support the latter needs, it is the duty of the N.S.A. to
inspire the necessary confidence in keeping the management of its work as
efficiently as possible.
In a cable recently sent to the N.S.A. Shoghi Effendi recommended the
publication of the Kaukab. He desires this paper to play an important role
in drawing the attention of the more thoughtful and seeking people to the
potency of this divine Cause. I herein enclose a cheque for L19 which
Shoghi Effendi desires to be spent for this all important organ of the
Cause in India.
[From the Guardian:]
I am enclosing a general message, clearly worded, emphatically expressed,
and vitally important in all its bearings, conveyed through Mirza Mahmood
to the National Assembly for the information of all Baha’is in India and
Burma. I am sure you will promptly and effectively take all necessary
measures for its dissemination throughout India and Burma. The ‘Kaukab’
must, at all costs be continued, and I feel that its two editors ... are
the most suitable to form a committee which will conduct its affairs under
the direct supervision of the National Assembly. Whatever is contributed
to the National Assembly for a specific purpose should be expended for
that purpose only, but I would encourage the friends to send unlabelled
contributions in order not to tie the hands of the National Assembly
although I do not in the least require them to do so. I will pray for your
success from all my heart.
November 16, 1926
The Baha’i News
It is most gratifying to him to hear that the difficulties that darkened
the horizon of the Cause in India have vanished and the National as well
as Local Assemblies are united to further the interests of the Cause. He
hopes that Kaukab will become a Baha’i organ administered even better than
before.
Shoghi Effendi hopes that Aqa Mirza Moneer will cause another stir in
India and draw many individuals into a full understanding of the movement.
His zeal as well as knowledge of the Cause stand to his credit and are
sure to win him success wherever he goes. Please convey to him Shoghi
Effendi’s loving greetings and assure him of his prayers.
[From the Guardian:]
I hope to hear soon of the re-establishment and circulation of the Kaukab.
The matter of the publication of a Baha’i News Letter issued by the
National Assembly is also of utmost importance. May the support to the
National Fund be such as to render it a truly worthy and representative
Baha’i periodical. Persevere in your splendid efforts and do not lose
heart for I will continue to pray for you from the depth of my heart.
December 21, 1926
Widen the Scope of Activities
With the opening of this new Baha’i year our Guardian trusts that it will
be marked by a new and greater effort, by a more intense cooperation among
the friends in India and Burma and by an unsurpassed record of success.
Now that Mrs. Schopflocker has in many places broken the ground, it
devolves upon the faithful workers in India to follow up the work, to
seize every opportunity and to give to her hasty and in many places
insufficient services a more permanent and lasting character.
I express the hopes of our Guardian without disregard to your many
problems and difficulties, but the field is so vast and the ground so
fresh and fertile that it cannot but evoke almost unreasonable
expectations. This feeling and yearning, I am sure, is much more yours
than ours could be.
[From the Guardian:]
I urge you to take every means at your disposal ... to follow up the work
that has been so splendidly begun by Mrs. Schopflocker. I would also urge
you to arrange for the preparation of an annual report by the National
Assembly of the activities of the friends in India and Burma, to be
forwarded to the American National Spiritual Assembly for insertion in the
next issue of the Annual Baha’i Year Book. A representative group
photograph of the Baha’is of divers races and creeds in that land would
also greatly enhance the Year Book, if such a thing is possible.
April 25, 1927
He is very glad to learn of the good work of Nabilzadeh and Mrs.
Schopflocker and hopes that the friends will follow up their work in order
to obtain some definite and permanent results. For a teacher to fly from
one end of India to another is not sufficient, there must be somebody who
can stay long enough in one place and start regular gatherings.
The latter function naturally falls upon the friends in India and he
earnestly hopes that the new year may bring fresh and lasting
achievements.
Shoghi Effendi awaits eagerly the results of the election of the N.S.A.
and he should like to see that body accomplish something more than routine
work. They should take new steps and carry out a regular campaign in India
and Burma.
[From the Guardian:]
It is my hope and prayer that the newly-elected National and Local
Assemblies may widen the scope of their activities, initiate new and
valuable measures, extend the circle of their correspondence with foreign
Baha’i centres, and promote the independence and distinctiveness of the
Baha’i Faith. I would urge you to inform the Year Book Committee through
Mr. Holley of the results of all elections in India and to send if
possible an annual report to that Committee. Wishing you success and
happiness.
May 24, 1927
In the midst of his work and many responsibilities, it is a source of
comfort for him to feel that the initiative and guidance of the Cause in
India is in such able hands and he trusts to see in the near future
greater and fuller results.
True, the minds of many are turned away from all that sounds religious,
but it is only because they are ill-advised as to the meaning of true
religion and it is just that mission that devolves upon us—to give a new
viewpoint, to revive fresh hopes and to guide by the sacred utterances the
thoughts and actions of mankind.
Perhaps India has not yet reached the high mark which our hopes have made
us expect, but the time still remains and the hopes of our Guardian are
anxiously turned to the educated, sincere and zealous fellow-brothers he
so much loves in India and Burma.
[From the Guardian:]
I have received lately your second letter dated June 10th enclosing the
list of the members of the newly-elected Indian Assemblies as well as the
report of the receipts and expenditures of the National Fund. Your loyal
and untiring attention to the pressing manifold requirements of our
beloved and steadily expanding Cause is a thing never-to-be forgotten and
worthy of unqualified praise. I trust you will continue to keep in touch
with the American National Assembly whose Secretary is only too anxious to
incorporate in the newsletter and the Year Book every bit of news
regarding the progress of the Faith in India & Burma.
July 14, 1927
Conduct of the Work of N.S.A.
He is very glad indeed to hear of the interview of Mr. Nabilzadeh with the
Governor of Burma. He will pray that the seeds he has sown will germinate
in the course of time and will prove of great benefit to our beloved
Cause.
Our Guardian hopes that henceforth the secretaries of all local and
national Assemblies will immediately upon their election inform the
American National Assembly of their membership and the address, that the
results may without delay be published in the Baha’i Year Book.
Our Guardian will not cease to pray for you all that the Beloved may guide
you to achieve that which will conduce to the consolidation and extension
of the influence of the Cause.
[From the Guardian:]
I trust the newly-elected Assembly will endeavour to follow the example of
the American National Assembly in method, action, and procedure. The
American Newsletter will indicate clearly the lines along which Baha’i
National Assemblies are to conduct their work in future and I earnestly
urge you to encourage the friends to follow and adopt the method outlined
in its columns.
August 19, 1927
Extend the Scope of Activities
For a country like India and also Burma where the Baha’i communities are
so much scattered and are of varied extraction a common centre to
coordinate the different efforts and to link up together both the
Assemblies within India and in the various parts of the world, is also ...
necessary, and our Guardian hopes and trusts to see in time great results
from this new measure. Of course much depends upon how well this organ
functions.
Shoghi Effendi is in good health having taken a good rest during the
summer. He awaits as much as ever the good news of the friends in India
and above all news of real accomplishment.
[From the Guardian:]
I hope that nothing has transpired of late that might have in any manner
affected the expansion of the work in those regions. I fully realize your
single-handedness in such a vast and varied field, but I assure you,
dearest friend, that your reward is proportionately great, for He that
watches over you is aware of the great devotion which animates you in the
pursuit of your arduous and noble task.
November 1, 1927
[Letter of November 16, 1927]
Your frequent communications keeping him in close touch with your
activities and the work in India, are deeply appreciated, and he relies
much upon your efforts to coordinate the work in India and to have more
direct and material results than we have been accustomed to lately. When
compared to some other countries and remembering the many years since the
Cause was first known there, India, I am afraid, does not come up to
expectations. Are we going to accept this secondary position or has the
future a surprise in store? At any rate we patiently wait.
November 16, 1927
[Letter of May 6, 1928]
He was greatly pleased with the news of the work of Prof. Pritam Singh in
Karachi and Lahore and he read his well-worded lectures with interest. It
gives him immense pleasure to keep in touch with his activities and he
prays for the success of his efforts from the bottom of his heart. He is
confident that when his plans are carried out and he does travel
throughout the whole of India in the interests of the Cause, he will show
a record of constant progress and would have rendered valuable services to
the Baha’i Faith. Please assure him of our Guardian’s unfailing prayers
and good wishes and also kindly convey to the Amritsar Baha’is the loving
greetings of Shoghi Effendi...
I am sure it will interest you to know that we have had during the Ridwan
festivals the first Baha’i pilgrim from Tunis. The representative of the
Tunis Assembly is a young man full of hopes and schemes for the future.
[From the Guardian:]
I will specially supplicate, on behalf of my dear brethren in India &
Burma, at the Beloved’s Shrine, that they may arise with heart and soul
and in perfect harmony and understanding to extend the scope of their
activities, to consolidate the foundations of their work, to deepen their
knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of the Faith, and to carry
out the Beloved’s explicit instructions for the establishment of
Baha’u’llah’s undisputed sovereignty on this earth. May they be richly
blessed and guided in their endeavours.
May 6, 1928
[Letter of June 22, 1928]
Among the subjects that the Guardian would expect your body to take are a
coordination of the various efforts and endeavours throughout India and
Burma, an acceleration and increase in the number of Baha’is and
fellow-workers, ways and means to attract the attention of Indians from
every class and creed to the message and vital dynamic spirit of the
Baha’i Faith and as a cumulative and culminating step the final
recognition of the Baha’i Community as a separate religious organization
similar to what has been already achieved in America.
June 22, 1928
[Letter of August 21, 1928]
The news that we obtain from the various parts of the world are most
gratifying, for though there are some great problems to solve, yet no one
can fail to see the constant realization of those ideals we cherish. May
that day soon dawn when the source of this spiritual power, which is
permeating the whole of society, will be appreciated and venerated.
August 21, 1928
Present the Teachings at Various Conventions & Gatherings
This is to acknowledge the receipt of your letter ... reporting the events
of the Brahmo Samaj Centenary gathering to Shoghi Effendi. Such meetings
are wonderful occasions for showing the spirit and teachings of the
Cause.... Shoghi Effendi’s hope is that at such Conventions and gatherings
the friends would present the teachings to persons otherwise inaccessible
for individual contact.
[From the Guardian:]
I heartily approve the project of a Baha’i Convention and would leave the
choice of the site and other arrangements to the National Assembly. The
Cause in various countries is making a great headway and the reference of
the case of the Baghdad House to the Mandates Commission of the League of
Nations is a great step forward.
October 10, 1928
The Faith Publicized in Turkey
He was glad to hear from you and he has read with deep satisfaction the
account of the good work of Syed Ilmi in Burma. Shoghi Effendi has always
wondered as to the reasons why despite so many years of effort and
activity, the Cause has not spread more rapidly either in India or Burma,
perhaps the latter can be more proud of its results. He would in fact
appreciate your own personal opinion, although God’s ways are often hard
to understand. We have lately had a remarkable illustration in Turkey
where the Baha’is were an insignificant little group. Suddenly accused of
constituting a secret political society the members of the N.S.A. in
Constantinople and the S.A. in Smyrna were dragged to the police and kept
for one night pending the formation of the Board of Inquiry. The next day
the court sat and the president of the N.S.A. was cross-examined for eight
consecutive hours. The result was that they were all dismissed, with the
members of the Court deeply influenced and impressed by the teachings and
principles which the President boldly and eloquently described. They asked
for literature and many of them carried from that session much food for
thought. Furthermore every paper in Turkey filled its front pages with the
incident and a repetition of the teachings and good many a Turk heard of
the Cause in a way that Baha’is could never bring about.
[From the Guardian:]
I trust and pray that circumstances will be favourable and the means
provided for the holding of a Baha’i convention this year representative
of India and Burma. A closer touch and more frequent interchange of
thought among the Baha’i Centres in those lands are absolutely essential.
I am sending you a copy of the recently issued “Baha’i World”, and wish
you to urge the National and Local Assemblies in India & Burma to order as
many copies as they possibly can from America for distribution among the
enlightened public as well as a means for the assistance and encouragement
of the Baha’i Publishing Committee in New York which is doing excellent
service at the present time.
November 15, 1928 Assemblies Must Endeavour to Inspire Confidence
Although I had never meant that my enquiry from you as to the reasons of
lack of progress of the Cause in India, should be asked from every
individual Baha’i, yet I am sure, our Guardian will be interested to know
the ideas and opinions of various sections of the friends both in India
and Burma.
The expression of our views in written form sometimes helps us to think
better and deeper and often brings various matters into proper
perspective, enabling us thereby to disregard what is extraneous and
unimportant. The answers to the question put forth, would, I feel, be
extremely valuable to the N.S.A. in India, and with the proper backing,
respect and support of the entire friends, they should not lose a minute
in an endeavour to remedy and inspire what ought not and what should be
done, in an effort to spread the Cause.
[From the Guardian:]
I trust that the forthcoming Convention will remedy most if not all the
present deficiencies in the Cause and lend an unprecedented impetus to the
progress of the Faith. The Teaching work should be stressed as it is the
Fountain-head from which all future blessings will flow. We must first and
foremost add to our small numbers, and introduce fresh blood into the
organic life of the community. I will specially supplicate this bounty for
the representative delegates to be assembled at Convention this year.
December 19, 1928
Maintain and Strengthen the Unity of the National Assembly
He was very glad to hear of the success of the Convention. He hopes that
such gatherings will become yearly and, like in other countries, lead to a
better understanding among the friends. It is surely true that as the
Cause progresses differences will more and more arise. So unless there be
a meeting place where the different views are thrashed, true unity of
purpose and activity will not be obtained.
Just as much as the result of the Convention made him happy he was sorry
to hear of the differences that exist between the N.S.A. members. The real
source of the difficulty is, I believe, the lack of constant intercourse
between the different members. As the country is so very vast meetings
cannot be very frequent and well attended, and this ultimately leads to
misunderstandings and lack of faith in each other. Shoghi Effendi knows
the different individuals involved, he knows their integrity and faith in
the Cause and its spirit. He is sure that they, each and all, have no
other purpose but to serve the progress of the movement and uphold its
interests. And they will surely not commit an act that would retard the
very Cause they are serving. What the solution is, I do not know. What
Shoghi Effendi has been hoping during the last two or three years is a
spirit of mutual trust that would overcome physical handicaps. But that
seems to be impossible. A lurking dissatisfaction is sure to appear at the
end.
[From the Guardian:]
Your subsequent letter dated Jan. 24 has also reached me. I will specially
remember our dear and valued co-worker Prof. Pritam Singh when I visit the
sacred Shrine that the spirit of Baha’u’llah may inspire, guide and
sustain him in his great task. Regarding your last convention and the
non-participation of the Burma delegates, I feel that the utmost effort
must be exerted during the coming elections in April to elect those who
are best fitted for this supreme and responsible position, and once
elected, resignation is not to be accepted. The members must meet and
consult in person. Persia is preparing for the holding of national
elections, and for India and Burma to revert to a system that is being
abandoned by the Persian believers would be a decidedly retrograde step.
We must at all costs maintain and strengthen the unity of the National
Assembly. Everything must be subordinated to this end. I will supplicate
our Beloved to enable you to achieve His purpose.
February 12, 1929
It is his sincere hope and desire to see the newly-elected National
Assembly during its term of office, infuse a new and fresh spirit into
every Baha’i activity both in India and Burma, and while establishing
perfect unity and harmony within its own ranks and the entire body of the
believers, should take vigorous steps to teach the Cause and to establish
a progressive and representative Baha’i community in both countries.
June 20, 1929
With regard to your proposal that the N.S.A. should meet once in Burma and
once in India, the Guardian wishes me to record his hearty approval and to
even suggest that if it should be feasible they should meet even more
often than that in both places.
It is his sincere hope that in this manner and through the individual
effort of every member the misunderstandings existing between India and
Burma will be wiped out altogether and that a fresh start will be made in
a spirit of true and whole-hearted accord.
July 8, 1929
He hopes that the new National Assembly will do its utmost to bring about
unity in its group and among the friends. For, as he has often stated, the
work of the Cause will remain cramped unless that unity is obtained. The
petty differences that do exist are the result of misunderstandings and
these can surely be eliminated.
August 20, 1929
“Baha’i World”—Foremost Baha’i Publication
I write on behalf of the Guardian to remind you that the next issue of the
‘Baha’i World’ will soon appear and its editors are already busy compiling
material.
He has been asked by the editors in America to request you please to make
a special effort to contribute as much material as you possibly can in the
form of photographs, reports, accounts, and individual articles; and to
send them as soon as possible to America in order that a work which the
Guardian considers our foremost Baha’i publication in the world, may be as
representative of the many countries and especially Eastern peoples as we
would all wish it to be.
December 15, 1929
“Huquq”
...As regards “Huquq”, it is really 19 per cent of one’s income payable to
the Guardian. But it is not obligatory now.
December 19, 1929
Syed Jenab Ali—Distinguished Baha’i Leader
He was very sorry to learn of the illness of Syed Jenab Ali and since the
receipt of your letter, he has been extremely grieved to learn of his
passing. His sudden departure throws a shadow of gloom upon all of us here
and in India and while Burma loses a distinguished and truly earnest
Baha’i leader, it must be especially unfortunate to you that just at a
time when you were considering and preparing the ground for Government
Recognition and a temporary consideration of Baha’i laws, you were
deprived of his valued cooperation. The Cause in India is as yet in such a
tender age that we can ill afford the loss of those few that keep the
torch aflame.
[From the Guardian:]
The news of the passing of our dear and able friend and collaborator Syed
Jenab Ali has brought profound sorrow to our hearts. He leaves a great gap
behind him. I hope that the friends far from feeling disheartened and
discouraged at such a great loss will arise and redouble their efforts in
order to compensate for the loss which they have sustained. Kindly assure
his relatives of my deep grief, and my prayers for his departed soul.
January 6, 1930
Martha Root Visits India
...Miss Root is at present in Tehran and she does not know just how long
she will stay, but surely before leaving for India she would inform you of
her plans in time.
It is such a pity that Mr. Vakil is unwell. He is a man we cannot spare
just as the passing of Syed Jenab Ali leaves a serious gap in Burma.
[From the Guardian:]
Miss Root will soon be with you, and I trust her visit may lend a fresh
impetus to your work of consolidation and spread of the Cause. I will
continue to pray for your efforts and activities from the depths of my
heart. Be not disheartened. Persevere in your labours and rest assured
that the Beloved will richly reward those who stand firm in the Faith, and
those who persevere in their endeavours.
March 1, 1930
Miss Root has been delayed by the enthusiastic reception she has received
in Persia and she is now planning to visit southern and eastern Persia
where she has not yet been. We hope her visit to India will prove of some
value in attracting the attention of the intelligent classes among the
non-Baha’is, but perhaps the political agitation will entirely defeat that
purpose at the present time.
April 26, 1930
He was very glad to hear of the activities of Miss Martha Root in India
and hopes that they will all bear some wonderful fruits for the progress
of the Cause in India. It is sure that with the existence of the present
political unrest in that country few are ready to pay any attention to
religious matters, but among the very intelligent people there are
undoubtedly people whose vision extends further than the present
difficulties and desire a spiritual rebirth for that much divided and
troubled nation. To these the Baha’i teachings should undoubtedly present
a much desired reform movement. Anyhow Shoghi Effendi hopes that with the
help of Miss Root you have been able to approach such eminent persons and
have sown in their heart the seed of faith.
July 4, 1930
Concerning the trip of Miss Martha Root, we have already heard about her
activities from many sources. Shoghi Effendi sincerely hopes that the
National Assembly will undertake such measures as would keep up the work
and produce some tangible result from her visit. It is very important to
follow up the work that she started and keep in touch with the people she
has been able to interest.
[From the Guardian:]
With the assurance of my deep appreciation of your many and highly
successful endeavours in connection with the visit of Miss Root and of my
fervent and loving prayers for your own happiness and spiritual
advancement.
September 19, 1930
Baha’i Representation at the All-Asian Women’s Conference
Concerning Baha’i representation at the All-Asian Women’s Conference; this
is undoubtedly a most commendable thing to do especially as the Cause has
so much concerning the position of women in society. Shoghi Effendi hopes
that the National Assembly will do its best to win the admiration of all
the assembled delegates for the teachings of the Cause along that line. We
should always take such opportunities that present themselves. May be we
would succeed to render some service to society and alleviate its ills.
November 10, 1930
Shoghi Effendi hopes that with the combined efforts of the friends and the
Master’s infinite mercy a great success will be achieved at both of the
conferences. While visiting the Blessed Shrines he will remember the
delegates and ask for them divine guidance. If presented properly the
position of women in the Baha’i teachings will surely attract much
attention, for it is not only legal but also spiritual and educational.
Our ideals are so high and at the same time so practicable that all other
views will fall short if compared to them.
Shoghi Effendi hopes that many will be able to attend these conferences
and render all the assistance they possibly can.
[From the Guardian:]
I trust that the message sent on behalf of the Greatest Holy Leaf and
myself has reached in time and been conveyed to the members of the
conference. May the Almighty Hand of Baha’u’llah guide your steps and
sustain your efforts in the manifold services you are rendering to the
Cause. I will continue to pray for you from the depths of my heart.
January 7, 1931
Publication of the “Dawn-Breakers”
The Guardian has also received the account of the National Fund of the
National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of India & Burma and he read it
with careful attention and deep interest.
He was very pleased to learn with what self-sacrificing efforts our Indian
brothers are toiling and he fervently prays that the Almighty may
continually shower His blessings upon them that they may be able to spread
the Cause in the most rapid and in the most efficient way.
Shoghi Effendi was particularly rejoiced at the perseverance with which
our talented Baha’i brother, Dr. Pritam Singh, is carrying on his work in
connection with the publication of the “Baha’i Weekly”, copies of which he
has received and read with deepest interest.
You may have heard of the projected publication by the Baha’i Publishing
Committee of the book entitled “The Dawn-Breakers” being Nabil’s narrative
of the early days of the Baha’i revelation, recently translated by the
Guardian. It is hoped that the Indian friends will order a few copies of
this highly valuable book and that they will send a few others to some of
the leading libraries in India and Burma.
[From the Guardian:]
My prayers will continue to be offered on behalf of the loyal and
self-sacrificing friends in India and Burma. Prof. Pritam Singh’s notable
and ever-increasing share in the administrative, literary and financial
activities of the Faith in that land is a source of genuine and constant
satisfaction. I would specially request your Assembly to prepare a
comprehensive and detailed report on the activities and progress of the
Faith in India and Burma during the last two years, 1930–32, for inclusion
in the forthcoming issue of the Baha’i World. Will you kindly forward the
report to Mr. Horace Holley as soon as possible, as he has been charged to
draw up a survey similar to the one published in the last volume. I would
also urge the friends in India and Burma to order as many copies of the
“Dawn-Breakers” as they possibly can as I regard its circulation of vital
importance to the Cause.
August 29, 1931
Advertisements in Baha’i Periodicals
Shoghi Effendi wishes me to drop you these few lines to draw your
attention to a general principle he has laid down for all the Baha’i
periodicals, namely that they should be very careful in selecting the
advertisements they accept to publish. It should be highly dignified, such
as books for example, otherwise it would detract from the dignity of the
periodical itself. This may cause certain difficulty in financially
establishing the paper, but we should face the sacrifice and not endanger
the prestige of our publications. He wishes you to take note of this
general recommendation in accepting advertisements for the Baha’i Weekly.
January 7, 1932
Mrs. Ransom Kehler Visits India
Mrs. Ransom Kehler has informed us of her trip to India. Shoghi Effendi
hopes that the friends will give her all the necessary facilities to make
of her tour a real success. The report of her work in Australia and New
Zealand has been brilliant. There is no reason why she should not do the
same in India and Burma if she is given the chance, and be put in touch
with really open-minded and interested people. In America she is
considered among the first class national teachers and is well informed as
to the progress of modern thought and the teachings of the Cause. May be
she will be able to give a new impetus to the teaching work....
He trusts that through the efforts of you and the other members of the
National Assembly the Cause will take a real lead in uniting the different
elements existing in India and turn the face of its people to the light of
God shining through Baha’u’llah.
[From the Guardian:]
Your most welcome letter interrupting a prolonged silence on your part,
has brought joy and strength to my heart. I will most assuredly pray for
your complete recovery, for in you the Cause in India has an invaluable
asset which I, for my part, greatly value and prize. I trust and pray that
Mrs. Kehler’s visit will lend a fresh impetus to the work which you are so
ably conducting. I would certainly advise her to prolong her stay in your
midst if it is practicable for her to do so. It is a splendid opportunity
which the friends in India should utilize to the utmost possible extent.
May the Beloved bless and reinforce your high endeavours, remove every
obstacle from your path, and enable you at once to broaden and reinforce
the foundations of the Faith in that troubled land.
February 11, 1932
Shoghi Effendi was very glad to hear of the arrangements you have made for
the trip of Mrs. Ransom Kehler to India. Being thoroughly familiar with
the teachings and a competent speaker, she should succeed to render
wonderful services to the progress of the movement in India. She could be
easily ranked as a first class teacher among the Baha’is of America and
has been the cause of guidance to innumerable souls. Guided and helped by
Prof. Pritam Singh she should be able to awaken many souls to the spirit
and teachings of Baha’u’llah.
March 12, 1932
Translation of Baha’u’llah & the New Era
[From the Guardian:]
I wish to urge you to take as soon as you possibly can, the necessary and
most effective steps to ensure the translation of Dr. Esslemont’s book
into Urdu and Gujrati. I have already expressed the desirability to have
these translations to a number of pilgrims, but so far my hopes have not
materialized. This book has already been translated and printed into eight
different languages, the latest being Russian, Hebrew and Chinese. The
Persian, the Albanian, the Bulgarian, the French and the Swedish versions
will be printed this year. I wish you to do all in your power to ensure
the speedy and correct translation of this book into these two languages,
and if necessary to hire the services of a competent non-Baha’i
translator. I shall be only too pleased to assist financially both with
regard to their translation and publication. May the Beloved guide and
assist you in this vital and important task.
March 12, 1932
Mrs. Kehler Visits Calcutta
Shoghi Effendi wishes me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated
March 14th 1932 informing him about the arrival of Mrs. Ransom Kehler to
Calcutta. He was very glad to know that her visit was successful and that
it has very much stimulated the teaching work in that city. He sincerely
hopes that as a consequence a number of souls will enter the Cause and be
inspired by its divine teachings and ennobling spirit.
Such teachers of the Cause who, with all sincerity and determination,
undertake such long trips, should be very much helped by the resident
believers if real progress is to be achieved. They ought to be assisted to
reach important people speak to intelligent and receptive audiences, and
obtain interviews with persons whose heart is open to the light of God.
Otherwise, during their short stay they would, like a helpless man in a
strange country, be impotent to achieve their purpose.
Shoghi Effendi is very glad the friends have taken the necessary step to
assist Mrs. Ransom Kehler by appointing Professor Pritam Singh to
accompany her in her trip through India. May God help her and help you in
proclaiming the Word of God through the length and breadth of that vast
land.
March 28, 1932
He was very glad to learn of the plans you made for Mrs. Ransom Kehler. He
sincerely hopes that in these meetings and public lectures delivered in so
many cities, she has been able to attract some new souls to the Cause and
confirm people who until now have been merely interested. We should admit,
however, that the time at her disposal was too short to give her the
chance of doing her best. A teacher ought to remain at least a few months
in the same city if he wants to really confirm souls. Mere passing and
giving a lecture or two is not sufficient unless there are resident
Baha’is to continue the work that was merely started. Anyhow Mrs. Ransom
Kehler is expected to reach Haifa in about 3 weeks and Shoghi Effendi will
hear the report of her journey from herself.
Translation of Baha’u’llah and the New Era
The Guardian was very glad to learn of your quick response to his
expressed desire in having Dr. Esslemont’s book translated into Urdu and
Gujrati. As he comes to learn from one of the Parsee pilgrims here in
Haifa, the book has already been translated by a competent Baha’i in India
into Gujrati. So there remains only Urdu. So Shoghi Effendi wishes you to
concentrate upon having the book translated only into Urdu.
[From the Guardian:]
I wish you to concentrate your efforts on the completion of the Urdu
version of Dr. Esslemont’s book, and to take the necessary step for its
early publication. I shall be only too glad to assist financially in its
printing as soon as its translation is completed. I also desire to stress
the paramount importance of following up the valuable work accomplished by
Mrs. Kehler and which I hope other international Baha’i teachers will
reinforce. How vast is the field and how small the number of competent
teachers! Baha’u’llah will however bless and crown our efforts with
success if we persevere and labour with unabated confidence and vigour.
April 5, 1932
Need of Baha’i Teachers all over the World
He sincerely hopes that as a result of her (Mrs. Kehler’s) trip the Cause
will make a great progress in India and many souls will be drawn into the
Cause. It was surely very nice and wise on the part of the National
Assembly to appoint Mr. Pritam Singh to travel with her and help her make
openings into intellectual circles. It is unfortunate, however, that she
cannot stay long in every centre and make really confirmed believers such
as she did in certain centres in Australia. But perhaps the National
Assembly will attend to that task and keeping in touch with persons she
will interest, and gradually make them embrace the Faith and lend a help
towards its progress. We need teachers in every part of the world, and as
those who are in active service are few we should create some from the
material we have. It is the work of the N.S.A. to attend to such matters
and develop some of our young Baha’is into competent teachers. Baha’u’llah
and the New Era to be Translated into Urdu & Hindi
In a previous letter I informed you on behalf of Shoghi Effendi that as we
already have a translation of Dr. Esslemont’s book into Gujrati, you
concentrate your efforts on having it rendered only into Urdu, so that the
work may soon be completed and published.
[From the Guardian:]
I trust you have by now taken the necessary steps for a prompt and careful
translation of the book into Urdu. This service will, I am sure, be an
added blessing to the masses of India, whom you are striving so devotedly
and energetically to arouse and teach. May it prove a prelude to an
intensive and fruitful teaching campaign that shall bring in its wake
enlightenment, peace and hope to the distracted multitudes of that
agitated country.
April 12, 1932
Even though we can refer to a non-Baha’i when we have no one among the
friends to undertake a proper work of translation, yet it is always
preferable to have it accomplished by a person who is imbued with the
spirit and is already familiar with the different expressions of Baha’i
conceptions unfamiliar to a non-Baha’i. Shoghi Effendi wishes him success
and will pray for his guidance.
Mrs. Ransom Kehler is now in Haifa taking some rest before starting for
Persia, where she expects to stay a few months. Shoghi Effendi was very
glad to hear of her great success in India. He hopes that she will after
Persia pay another visit to that country and resume the work she has
started. She is surely a very competent teacher and well versed in the
Writings.
[From the Guardian:]
I trust and pray that you will be enabled to start promptly the
publication of the Hindi translation on one hand, and to ensure, on the
other, the early completion of the Urdu version, both of which, I feel are
indispensable preliminaries to an intensive teaching campaign among the
great masses of the Indian people. I am confident that the publication of
the Gujrati version together with these and the Burmese translations, will
reinforce the impetus which the projected visit of Mrs. Kehler to India
next autumn will lend to the onward march of our beloved Cause in India.
May the Almighty reinforce your labours and bless your high endeavours.
May 31, 1932
He is very glad to know that the different translations of Dr. Esslemont’s
book, that you have undertaken to have made, are progressing rapidly. He
sincerely hopes that before long they will be passed through the press and
be ready for distribution.
Even though the book was written by a Christian and was meant to be for
people of that Faith to read, yet it is a very fine presentation of the
teachings as a whole and might prove interesting to other people as well.
Shoghi Effendi surely hopes that before long the Cause may produce
scholars that would write books which would be far deeper and more
universal in scope, but for the present this is the best we possess to
give a general idea as to the history and teachings of the Faith to new
seekers. After reading this they get the necessary introduction to delve
more deeply into the fundamental tenets such as are explained in the Iqan.
Shoghi Effendi hopes that these books will greatly stimulate the teaching
work in India and become the cause of guidance to many sincere souls.
Passing Away of the Greatest Holy Leaf
The Guardian wishes me also to thank you for your kind words of sympathy
in connection with the passing away of the Greatest Holy Leaf. This great
loss will be felt by every Baha’i but especially the pilgrims to whom she
used to be such a source of inspiration and joy. All those who met her
left her presence with a new spirit and a firm determination to serve the
Cause for which she suffered so much and whose progress was so near to her
heart.
What the Guardian is glad about is that her passing is creating a new
spirit among the friends and arousing them to greater effort. May her
death do for the progress of the Faith as much as her life did.
Publication of Baha’u’llah & the New Era
[From the Guardian:]
I wish to emphasize afresh the vital necessity of speeding up the work of
the translation and publication of the Gujrati, the Urdu and the Hindi
versions of the ‘New Era’, a book that has already been published into 14
different languages and is being translated into sixteen additional
tongues. I am deeply appreciative of what you have already achieved, and
wish to assure you of my continued prayers for the success of your
painstaking efforts and the realization of your dearest wish in the
service of our beloved Faith.
October 19, 1932
Shoghi Effendi wishes me to communicate with you to inquire regarding the
Hindi and Urdu translations of Dr. Esslemont’s book. It is sometime that
he has had no definite word as to the progress of that work which you have
so kindly undertaken to supervise. He sincerely hopes that gradually that
task will be successfully achieved and that they will be ready to be
submitted to the printers and then to the readers who may be anxiously
awaiting to study them and benefit from their contents.
This work once completed will become a great stimulus to the teaching
activities of the friends, for books can do infinitely more work than
teachers. Sitting in a chair in a solitary corner one is infinitely more
receptive to truth than in a lecture hall or in a discussion group. The
public has learned the habit of reading. It is through that channel
therefore that we have to approach them.
November 19, 1932
He was very glad to obtain some news regarding the translation of Dr.
Esslemont’s book into Urdu and Hindi, for he feels deeply interested in
the work. He feels that it is only when such books are accessible to the
public that the Cause will begin to spread and its followers increase in
number.
He, therefore, wishes you to exert your effort along that line so that the
task may be achieved properly and without any needless delay. Also please
keep him informed regarding any new development or any progress made.
We do not now have any pilgrims, but the news we receive from different
parts of the world show great progress achieved by the friends. Even
though material conditions in some instances hamper their activities to an
appreciable extent, yet their devotion and self-sacrifice are daily
winning for them the admiration and sympathy of the world around them.
Every day a new group is formed and new souls attracted to the faith.
[From the Guardian:]
I grieve to learn of the delay in the translation and publication of the
various translations of Dr. Esslemont’s valuable book, and I urge you to
do all you possibly can to hasten the realization of our cherished
hopes—hopes which when fulfilled will no doubt lend a great and fresh
impetus to the advancement of the Faith in that land. I am enclosing a
copy of my recent letter concerning the Greatest Holy Leaf and the
measures which, I feel, must be taken by the friends in Persia preliminary
to the formation of the House of Justice.
January 10, 1933
Baha’i Center in Calcutta
He sincerely hopes that through God’s infinite blessings the necessary sum
will be forthcoming and that in time a Center worthy of the prestige and
name of the Cause will be purchased or built.
Such institutions greatly help the spread of the Faith, for there will be
a permanent place where the interested souls can go for information. It
also operates as the center of the different activities of the Spiritual
Assembly of that locality.
In his moments of prayer at the Blessed Shrines, the Guardian will think
of you as well as of the other friends in that locality and ask for you
all divine guidance and help.
He was also delighted to hear that three new souls have accepted the Faith
in Calcutta. He hopes that before long we will have large groups,
comprising hundreds of earnest and seeking souls, enter the Cause and take
part in spreading the Message. Please assure the three of them of Shoghi
Effendi’s loving greetings.
February 8, 1933 Translation of Baha’u’llah & the New Era into Burmese
Shoghi Effendi wishes me to write you this short note to enclose a check
for thirty pounds.
This is his contribution towards the publication of the translation of Dr.
Esslemont’s book into Burmese which has been made by Sayed Mustafa Rumi.
Please inform the latter about its receipt because he has asked the
Guardian to send this contribution through you and he may be anxious to
receive this news.
March 1, 1933
He was very glad to learn that the Burmese translation has been completed
and that it is now in the hands of the printers.
Now the translation into Burmese and Gujrati have been completed and the
latter is even printed and circulated the Guardian feels we should
concentrate upon the Hindi and Urdu translations. We should not permit so
much unnecessary delay. If one way seems closed or difficult we could try
another and strive for the speedy completion of those books. The more we
see the crying need of the world for the spiritual teachings of our Faith
the more restless we should feel in giving out the Message and improving
the means of diffusing the precepts of the Cause.
In his moments of prayers at the Blessed Shrines the Guardian will think
of you and ask God to guide and sustain your efforts. He knows fully how
difficult it is these days to bring a task to a speedy and successful
conclusion, but to a person who is determined and lays his trust in God
nothing is impossible.
Teaching Among the Masses in India
[From the Guardian:]
I rejoice to hear of the steps that are being taken for the printing of
the Burmese edition of the ‘New Era’ but deplore the delay in the
translation of the book into Hindi and Urdu. The Gujrati copies have
already been placed in the library of the Mansion at Bahji, and I long
with all my heart to witness these remaining translations in their final
and printed form, side by side with the nineteen printed versions which
have already been collected and distributed throughout the world. I would
urge you to concentrate your energy on this important and essential
preliminary to an intensive campaign of teaching among the masses in
India. Persevere and rest assured that my prayers will continue to be
offered on your behalf.
March 24, 1933
He was very glad to receive the Gujrati translation of Dr. Esslemont’s
book, and he hopes that through your efforts the Hindi and Urdu
translation of it will soon be ready for publication. As you may know,
this work has already been translated into 19 different languages and its
rendering into 11 others will be soon completed. This is really
encouraging.
[From the Guardian:]
I long to hear from you and of the progress of your devoted and incessant
activities in the service of our beloved Faith. I am also eager to receive
the good news of the completion of the translation and early publication
of the Urdu and Hindi versions of the ‘New Era’. The utmost effort should
be exerted to ensure the consummation of this work which, I feel, must
precede an intensive teaching campaign among the masses in India. I am
arranging for Mrs. Kehler to visit southern Persia this autumn after which
she is expecting to visit India, this winter.
June 8, 1933
Baha’i Magazine
He was particularly glad to learn that some of our Indian friends have
encouraged you to start a fortnightly paper on the Cause. The idea is,
undoubtedly, most genuine and meets with our Guardian’s wholehearted
approval. He wishes you, however, not to act hurriedly, to take all the
necessary steps which can insure its safety and development. Such projects
are not so easy to carry out, especially in these days when the economic
crisis is getting so acute. At any rate, if you find that your financial
conditions allow you to undertake such an important work, you should
persevere in your efforts and try to make your paper an indispensable
adjunct to the teaching activities of the friends.
The Guardian hopes that you will be more successful in this, your second
attempt. The unexpected death of the ‘Baha’i Weekly’, he feels, had badly
affected the prestige of the Cause. It is hoped that your new fortnightly
paper will enable all to appreciate more adequately the divine potency
with which it is endowed.
Mrs. Keith Ransom-Kehler, who has been doing such a fine work in Persia,
is planning to leave for India at the beginning of winter. Her presence
among you will be certainly appreciated. She is such a wonderful soul, so
devoted, so active and so capable. The Guardian hopes that you will make
the utmost use of her stay in India.
[From the Guardian:]
Your unswerving loyalty and inflexible resolve to carry on the work you
have so nobly initiated are indeed worthy of the highest praise. I will
pray for your success and the steady and uninterrupted progress of your
activities whenever I lay my head on the sacred Threshold and will
supplicate for you all the strength and guidance you need for the
prosecution of your task. The friends in India and Burma should bestir
themselves and, under the guidance and by the aid of the National Assembly
prepare the way for the forthcoming visit of our able and brilliant
international teacher Mrs. Kehler. May the Lord sustain and guide them in
their endeavours and reward them for their acts of self-sacrifice in His
Path.
June 13, 1933
Publication of Baha’u’llah & the New Era
As regards the Urdu translation of Dr. Esslemont’s book, Shoghi Effendi
wishes you to make all the necessary effort to have it published as soon
as possible. He is fully aware of the difficulties that have caused an
inevitable delay in the publication of this highly important work, but he
feels certain that, through your perseverance and through the kind and
invaluable assistance of Prof. Pritam Singh ... the translation will be
soon completed and be ready for publication.
The Guardian would like you also to take all the necessary steps for the
Hindi translation of this same work. It is hoped that no delay will be
caused this time.
[From the Guardian:]
The Serbian and Hungarian versions of “The New Era” have been recently
published through the efforts of Martha Root. The Rumanian translation has
been undertaken and the Greek version will soon be started. I long to see
the Urdu, the Hindi and the Burmese versions in print and circulated among
the masses of the Indian people. Persevere and redouble in your efforts.
August 6, 1933
Shoghi Effendi was deeply gratified to learn of the important steps you
have taken for the translation and publication of Dr. Esslemont’s book
into Hindi. He has greatly appreciated the assistance of Dr. Kaushal
Kishore, and sincerely trusts that through your combined efforts the work
will be soon completed and will be ready for circulation. In a recent
communication to the Guardian, our devoted friend Siyyid, Mustafa Rumi,
has given the news of the publication of this same book in Burmese. It is
hoped that this will serve to encourage our Indian believers to follow his
example.
[From the Guardian:]
I am so pleased and grateful to you for your incessant efforts in
connexion with the translation and publication of the ‘New Era’, and I am
deeply gratified to learn of the progress already achieved. I will
continue to pray for the speedy realization of your hopes, plans and
wishes in the service of this glorious Faith.
September 10, 1933
Passing Away of Brilliant Teacher—Mrs. Kehler
The sudden passing of that wholly-consecrated and brilliant teacher and
international promoter of the Cause Mrs. Keith Ransom-Kehler, has plunged
Shoghi Effendi into deepest sorrow for in her he has lost not only a
valuable co-worker but a dear friend. After more than a year of intense
teaching work in Persia, where she was entrusted by the Guardian with the
mission of acquainting our Persian brethren with the basic principles of
the Administration and of liberating them from the appalling persecutions
to which they have been lately subjected, our precious Keith left this
world under so tragic circumstances that she was given by the Guardian the
title of the first western martyr on Persian soil, and was raised by him
to the station of one of the Hands of the Cause. Her deep-rooted and
unshakable faith, her unqualified loyalty to the Cause of the
Administration and her profound knowledge of the Teachings, all these
fully entitle her to occupy such an eminent rank among the faithful.
Our Indian friends, who have been so appreciative of her last visit to
them, must have been particularly affected by such an irretrievable loss.
May the memory of her services inspire them to follow in her footsteps,
and to tread the path of service as firmly and as successfully as she did.
Twentyfive Printed Versions of Baha’u’llah & the New Era
[From the Guardian:]
I am so eager to receive the news of the completion and publication of the
Hindi and Urdu versions of the “New Era”, and it will please and encourage
you to know that we have already twentyfive different printed versions of
this precious book translated into Eastern and Western tongues.
November 26, 1933
Registration of Bombay Assembly
The Guardian was greatly pleased to read the minutes of the last meeting
of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of India and Burma and
he wishes me to express his genuine appreciation of the important steps
which your Assembly has taken for the further extension and consolidation
of the administrative institutions of the Faith in that country. He would
be very grateful if you send him regularly the minutes of the meetings of
the N.S.A. and he would be only too glad to offer any suggestion or advice
which may help its members to better discharge their manifold and delicate
functions. He sincerely hopes that your Assembly will meet as regularly
and as frequently as possible in order to maintain the efficiency of its
functioning and to raise the standard and to widen the scope of its
activities.
The important decision of the N.S.A. relative to the registration of the
Bombay Assembly as a recognized religious body is, in the Guardian’s
opinion, a leading step towards the official recognition of the Cause as
an independent religious organisation by the Government authorities both
in India and Burma. He would strongly urge, however, that the constitution
to be adopted should not only be based on that which the New York Assembly
has adopted for its own registration but should reproduce it identically
without any change whatsoever but with due consideration to all local and
geographical differences.
The Guardian wishes also to stress the necessity of completing the Urdu
and the Hindi translations of Dr. Esslemont’s ‘New Era’. He has already,
in several communications addressed to Mr. N.R. Vakil, requested him to
take all the necessary steps in this direction. May the decision of the
N.S.A. on this point hasten and insure the completion of this task to
which the Guardian has so repeatedly drawn the attention of the friends.
December 27, 1933
Bedrock of Baha’i Administrative Order
The Guardian was very pleased to learn of the progress done by the Indian
N.S.A. in its efforts to consolidate, widen and maintain the scope of its
national activities. The difficulties in your way are tremendous. The
differences of language and of social and intellectual background do,
undoubtedly, render the work somewhat difficult to carry out and may
temporarily check the efficient and smooth working of the national
administrative machinery of the Faith. They, nevertheless, impart to the
deliberations of the National Assembly a universality which they would be
otherwise lacking, and give to its members a breadth of view which is
their duty to cultivate and foster. It is not uniformity which we should
seek in the formation of any national or local assembly. For the bedrock
of the Baha’i administrative order is the principle of unity in diversity,
which has been so strongly and so repeatedly emphasized in the writings of
the Cause. Differences which are not fundamental and contrary to the basic
teachings of the Cause should be maintained, while the underlying unity of
the administrative order should be at any cost preserved and insured.
Unity, both of purpose and of means is, indeed, indispensable to the safe
and speedy working of every Assembly, whether local or national.
Another factor which, in the Guardian’s opinion, is essential to the
development of your N.S.A. is the holding of frequent meetings. Although
the members are stationed at great distances from one another, yet they
can communicate through correspondence. It is not necessary that all the
members should be present in all the sessions. Those who for some reason
or another are unable to attend in person the meetings of the N.S.A., can
express their views in a written form and send them to the Assembly. The
main point is that your national activities should not be let to suffer in
any way, and its work be retarded and postponed because of such
necessarily unimportant and secondary considerations.
[From the Guardian:]
I wish to assure you in person of my prayers for the removal of the
difficulties, domestic and otherwise, that beset your path in these days.
I will supplicate the Almighty to guide you in your manifold and valuable
activities in the service of His Faith, to cheer your heart, and to deepen
your understanding of the fundamentals of His Faith. You should
concentrate your efforts at the present time on whatever will, in your
opinion reinforce the basis and extend the influence, of the
administrative institutions and the teaching activities of the Faith. The
Cause will, no doubt, surmount the obstacles that now hinder its growth
and will establish its ascendency in the fulness of time and at the
appointed hour. We should persevere and never feel disheartened.
January 2, 1934
Accept Justified Resignation
The N.S.A. cannot refuse accepting a resignation when it is well
justified, and when it is done not with the purpose of shirking
responsibility but with the intention of giving a chance to others to
prove themselves worthy of occupying responsible posts in the
administrative field.
April 10, 1934
Revival of the Spirit of Fellowship
The resolutions passed by your N.S.A. at its recent meeting at Delhi have
given him sufficient evidence of the new spirit that has come to animate
its members. It is his hope that through the continued development of that
same spirit your Assembly will be enabled to do more effective work for
the Cause.
[From the Guardian:]
The splendid resolutions passed by the National Assembly at Delhi are
admirable and indicate the revival of the spirit of fellowship and
determination to consolidate the administrative basis of the Faith in
India and Burma. I am eagerly anticipating to hear the news that these
resolutions have been duly carried out, particularly regarding the
incorporation of the Bombay Assembly and the translation and publication
of the New Era into Urdu and Sindhi.
May 29, 1934
Changes in Membership of Baha’i Assemblies
He fully agrees with the Bombay Assembly that they are in need of an
English-speaking Secretary, in view of the increasingly large volume of
correspondence they receive in English. But he feels that this emergency
does not afford sufficient justification to any believer or Assembly to
make the slightest departure from the recognized and duly established
principles governing the election of the members of any Assembly, whether
local or national. If the Bombay Assembly feels it necessary to have a
Secretary for the English correspondence they can appoint an Assistant
Secretary from outside the Assembly. It is only the body of Baha’i
electors who can bring about any change in the membership of the Assembly,
and this during the Ridvan feast which for all administrative purposes is
the beginning of the Baha’i Year.
June 5, 1934
Intensify Teaching Throughout India
He notes with deep satisfaction the important steps taken by your N.S.A.
for intensifying the spread of the Cause throughout India and Burma, and
particularly values the encouragement and help which they have extended to
dear Mr. Pritam Singh in his teaching tour in Northern India. He is
praying from the depth of his heart for the success of this trip, as well
as for the speedy and complete materialisation of the plans which you, in
close collaboration with your fellow-members in the National Assembly, are
initiating for the wider diffusion of the teachings throughout your
country.
He fully appreciates, indeed, the suggestions you have offered him in this
connection. The lack of competent teachers is no doubt a serious obstacle
facing the Indian believers at present. But it is by no means the most
difficult problem with which they have to deal. The essential is that all
the friends, without any exception whatever, should realise the full
measure of the responsibility which Baha’u’llah has placed on them for
teaching far and wide His Message. It is only through such an awakened
consciousness of their heavy and sacred responsibilities and duties that
the believers can hope to effectively promote and safeguard the interests
of the Cause. The Baha’i era is thus the age of individual
responsibility—the age in which everyone is called to consider the spread
of the Cause as his most sacred and vital obligation.
This is the point which the Guardian wishes your Assembly to emphasize in
connection with the problem of teaching in India. He hopes that through
their collective efforts a new zeal for teaching will come to animate the
entire community of the believers throughout India and Burma.
Shoghi Effendi approves of your suggestion to utilize the fifty pounds
which he sent to you, for the publication of the Bengali translation of
the “New Era”. He hopes that this work will soon be ready for
distribution.
November 25, 1934 “Kitab-i-Iqan” Translated in Many Languages
I am directed by the Guardian to request you to kindly mail to his address
five copies of the Urdu translation of the “Kitab-i-Iqan” (Book of
Certitude).
You will certainly be interested to know that the Iqan has already been
translated and published into Russian, English, French, German, Chinese,
Albanian, Urdu and Braille. Steps have also been taken for its rendering
and publication into Arabic, Armenian, Swedish and Danish.
November 27, 1934
Persecution of the Baha’is in Iran
The persecutions from which the Persian friends are now suffering
represent, indeed, the culmination in the long and nation-wide campaign
which the authorities in that country have during the last two years
launched against the Faith. In many of its aspects this campaign is
reminiscent of the persecutions suffered by the early Babis,...
The first incident which led to this outburst of fierce antagonism on the
part of the Government was in connection with the Tarbiat Schools in
Tehran. The school authorities having, after due consultation with the
N.S.A. and in strict conformity with the principle governing the
observance of Baha’i holidays, decided to close the schools on the
occasion of the celebration of the anniversary of Bab’s martyrdom, the
authorities in the capital immediately issued orders that the schools be
permanently closed, and that also no public meetings of any kind be held
by the believers. This has been done in spite of the fact that other
religious communities, such as the Muslims and the Zoroastrians, are
allowed to celebrate their own feasts, and as such enjoy full religious
freedom. Similar orders were issued to the believers in all other parts of
Persia, with the result that today the friends find their activities in
Persia completely paralyzed. Their schools have all been definitely
closed, their meetings suspended, their correspondence intercepted, and
their assemblies and committees for the most part dissolved.
The situation, as it stands at present, is highly disconcerting. The
friends, however, faithful to the injunctions of the Master regarding
obedience to government in all administrative matters as distinguished
from those affecting their conscience and loyalty to the Cause strictly
adhere to the laws and orders of the government. Their sole hope is the
assurance that in due time all these restrictions are bound to
disappear....
In the meantime, the Guardian would urge all the friends to patiently and
prayerfully wait until these sad happenings take their due course. For the
history of the Cause, particularly in Persia, is a clear illustration of
the truth that such persecutions invariably serve to strengthen the
believers in their faith, by stimulating the spiritual powers latent in
their hearts, and by awakening in them a new and deeper consciousness of
their duties and responsibilities towards the Faith. Indeed, the mere
progress of the Cause, by provoking the hatreds and jealousies of peoples
and nations, creates for itself such difficulties and obstacles as only
its divine spirit can overcome. Abdu’l-Baha has emphatically stated that
the enmity and opposition of the world will increase in direct proportion
to the extension and progress of the Faith. The greater the zeal of the
believers and the more striking the effect of their achievements, the
fiercer will be the opposition of the enemy.
Many are the passages in the Writings of Baha’u’llah wherein He
foreshadows the persecutions awaiting His Faith. But side by side with
such emphatic predictions is the assurance that out of these sufferings
and trials His Cause will emerge triumphant and purified. May we not,
therefore, gather strength from such an assurance, and with hearts filled
with confident and joyous hope arise to fulfil our part in the
establishment of His Cause?
January 20, 1935
Training of Baha’i Teachers
With regard to the teaching outline you had enclosed, Shoghi Effendi has
read it with interest and appreciation and wishes me to assure you of his
whole-hearted approval. The method you have adopted for the training of
Baha’i teachers is, indeed, very similar to the one used by the American
friends. It is very thorough, yet clear and highly effective. The Guardian
trusts that the believers in India and Burma will make full use of your
Assembly’s suggestions and directions, and in this way help in
inaugurating a new and effective teaching campaign throughout India and
Burma.
July 8, 1935
Registration of L.S.A. of Karachi
He has been particularly pleased and encouraged to receive the copy of the
Certificate of Registration of the Karachi Baha’i Assembly, and is eagerly
awaiting for the registration papers of the Delhi and Rangoon Spiritual
Assemblies. He hopes that the N.S.A. will expedite the matter of
legalizing all the Local Assemblies of India and Burma and in this way
insure the stability of the administrative institutions of the Cause in
these two countries.
August 12, 1935
Formation of an Assembly in Lahore
He is pleased to learn of the possibility of establishing an Assembly in
Lahore in the near future. He would urge you, and through you your
fellow-members in the N.S.A., to make a special effort to bring about such
a formation as soon as conditions are found to be favourable. He hopes
that the establishment of a local Assembly in so important and central a
town in India will greatly help the expansion of the Faith, and will
consolidate the foundations of its institutions throughout that country.
October 17, 1935 Historic Step in Development of Administrative Order
He wishes me to congratulate you, and through you your fellow-members in
the N.S.A., for the steps you have taken for the registration of the
Delhi, Calcutta, Rangoon and other local Assemblies. He hopes that by the
end of the year six out of the eight Assemblies will be duly registered.
Needless to say that the obtention of such an official recognition from
the authorities is an historic step in the development of the
Administrative Order of the Faith throughout India and Burma, and one
which shall greatly enhance its prestige, and consolidate its position in
the eyes of the public. May Baha’u’llah continue to guide and assist your
efforts for the fulfilment of this task.
The Guardian is also very much gratified to learn that the N.S.A. is
considering the possibility of establishing a local Assembly in Lucknow.
He trusts that in Jaunpur too an Assembly will be formed very soon, and
that through these two valuable additions to the list of local Baha’i
Assemblies, the administrative work of the Cause in India will make
further and steady advancement.
In connection with the Teaching School which the N.S.A. is planning to
start, the Guardian wishes me to express his approval, as well as his
appreciation of this important action taken by your Assembly for the
extension of their teaching work. He is also very pleased at the news of
the teaching tour undertaken by Prof. Pritam Singh throughout Northern
India and Bengal. He is praying for the success of this trip, and
cherishes the hope that it may serve to bring into the Cause people of
capacity and of true spiritual vision.
Circulation of Abdu’l-Baha’s Photographs
Regarding the use of Abdu’l-Baha’s photographs; Shoghi Effendi sees no
objection to their circulation. He would, however, suggest that the Paris
photograph be used, as well as the American reproduction of it, printed on
yellow paper with a quotation from the Kitab-i-Ahd at the bottom.
Splendid Initiative
[From the Guardian:]
My heart swells with pride and gratitude as I witness, in rapid succession
and with ever-increasing dearness, the evidences of the splendid
initiative, the unwavering determination and solidarity which have
characterized your accomplishments in recent months. The National Assembly
of India and Burma may be said to have resuscitated our Cause and its
institutions throughout the length and breadth of that land. A mighty
power whose source is centred in Baha’u’llah Himself is copiously flowing
through and permeating the various organs of the Administrative Order of
His Faith in both India and Burma. You and your collaborators stand on the
threshold of unparalleled achievements. I cannot but congratulate you on
the start you have made and on your choice of the path, which, after so
many trials and vicissitudes, you are so confidently treading. Persevere,
and be happy and thankful to Baha’u’llah.
November 15, 1935
Baha’i Holidays must be Observed
The Guardian ... feels truly delighted at the news of the splendid
meetings that were held in Bombay in honour of the anniversary of the
birthday of His Holiness Baha’u’llah. This fresh evidence of the loyalty
and devotion with which the Bombay friends are upholding the institutions
of the Faith is highly gratifying and encouraging to him, indeed.
But he cannot but deplore the fact that some of the believers are
reluctant to observe, as strictly as they should, the Feasts and
anniversaries prescribed by the Cause. This attitude, which may be
justified in certain exceptional circumstances, is fraught with
incalculable dangers and harm to the community, and will, if allowed to
persist, seriously endanger its influence and prestige in the public eye.
Unity of action, in matters of so vital an importance as the observance of
Baha’i holidays, is essential. It is the responsibility of the N.S.A. to
remind and urge the friends to faithfully carry out all such laws and
precepts of the Cause, the enforcement of which does not constitute an
open violation of the laws of their country.
[From the Guardian:]
The striking evidences of renewed Baha’i activity throughout India and
Burma, the recent manifestations of loyalty, solidarity and self-sacrifice
on the part of individuals, groups and Assemblies in both the teaching and
administrative spheres of Baha’i service, rejoice my heart and revive and
enliven my hopes for the future of that land. The friends in India and
Burma have made a splendid start. They have laid a firm foundation within
the framework of the administrative order of our Faith. They have
weathered manifold and distressing difficulties and successfully
surmounted formidable obstacles. A new era is opening before them. I have
no doubt that they will rise to the height of the occasion, and will prove
themselves worthy of their high destiny.
November 22, 1935
Effective Publicity Throughout India
He feels greatly rejoiced at the important steps you have taken for giving
the Cause a wide and effective publicity throughout India. He has read
with much interest the newspaper clipping which you had enclosed, and
sincerely hopes that your masterly sketch of the history and teachings of
the Cause will serve to attract leading personalities among the Indian
public to the Faith.
Regarding the publication of the Hindi, Sindhi and Bengali translations of
“Baha’u’llah and the New Era,” the Guardian very much appreciates your
N.S.A.’s response to his call for speeding up the printing of these works
which, he hopes, will, when widely circulated throughout the country open
a new era of unprecedented teaching activity not only in India and Burma,
but also in Ceylon and other neighbouring countries.
January 3, 1936
He feels really proud of you and of your distinguished and able co-workers
in the National Assembly for the unity, efficiency and zeal with which you
are labouring for the consolidation of the Administration throughout India
and Burma. He is convinced that your sustained and collective efforts in
this connection will soon result in ushering in a new era in the history
of the Cause in that country.
Correspondence with the Guardian
The N.S.A. should, indeed, advise the believers to lessen their
correspondence with the Guardian. But under no circumstances it can
prevent them from writing to him. For this is a sacred right and a supreme
privilege which every believer can rightly claim to possess, as through it
alone he can get in direct touch with his Guardian. If individuals feel,
after the advice of the N.S.A. to lessen correspondence, an inner urge to
write to the Guardian they should not be prevented or discouraged.
“New-Era” in Sindhi & Bengali Printed
Shoghi Effendi is delighted to learn that the Sindhi and the Bengali
translations of the “New Era” have been already sent to the press. He
hopes that the Hindi version will also be completed very soon. He is also
very pleased that the N.S.A. is taking the necessary steps for presenting
to the authorities the pamphlet regarding various laws and ordinances of
the Cause on matters of personal status. He sincerely hopes that the bill
you are planning to submit to the government will be approved. He is
eagerly awaiting to read the text himself.
Union With Loved Ones in the Next World
...the possibility of securing union with his beloved in the next world is
one which the Baha’i Teachings are quite clear about. According to
Baha’u’llah the soul retains its individuality and consciousness after
death, and is able to commune with other souls. This communion, however,
is purely spiritual in character, and is conditioned upon the
disinterested and selfless love of the individuals for each other. Effort
in the Field of Teaching Urgently Required
[From the Guardian:]
The evidences of the rise, the consolidation, and expansion of the
Administrative Order of our beloved Faith in India and Burma are highly
significant and most encouraging. The incorporation of several local
Assemblies is of historic importance. Reproduction of all the Certificates
of Incorporation will adorn the pages of the forthcoming Biennial. Now
that the basis of Baha’i institutions has been firmly laid, an
unprecedented effort in the field of teaching is urgently required. Such
an effort is of vital and paramount importance. May the Almighty sustain,
inspire and guide you in this meritorious endeavour.
March 10, 1936
...He would also appeal to all the friends to lend full and continued
support to the Cause of teaching throughout India. He would suggest that
those believers who have the means and the necessary physical
requirements, to settle in those localities where the light of the Cause
has not yet penetrated, with the view of establishing a new group. This,
he feels, is a very effective way of spreading the Cause in a vast and
exceptionally varied country like India.
Voting is Sacred Obligation
Regarding voting; it is not only the right but the sacred obligation of
every member of any Baha’i administrative body, whether permanent, or
temporary like the Convention, to fully and freely exercise this function.
Abstention from voting is, as a rule, not advisable, as it implies a
shirking of responsibility which every loyal and conscientious believer
should consider it a privilege to shoulder.
It is But a Beginning
[From the Guardian:]
The work thus far achieved, in both the teaching and administrative
spheres of Baha’i service, is highly reassuring and truly meritorious in
the sight of God. It is but a beginning however. Much remains to be
achieved. A systematic effort, aiming at the settlement of individual
believers in those states and provinces of India where the banner of the
Faith has not yet been hoisted, must be deliberately exerted and
vigorously sustained. Southern India particularly, the island of Ceylon
and other outlying centres on the fringe of the Indian Empire as well as
within its very heart should be won over, through your strenuous, constant
and devoted labours, to the ever-advancing Cause of Baha’u’llah. To extend
the outposts of our far-flung Faith should be your immediate objective.
May 31, 1936
Daidanaw Baha’i School
Much as he realizes the heavy and ever-increasing expenses which your
Assembly is incurring, particularly in these hard times, he feels
nevertheless the urge to impress upon you the vital necessity for the
Indian and Burmese believers to help in maintaining this Baha’i school in
Daidanaw which, in addition to the educational advantages it offers to the
Baha’is, can be of great help in promoting the cause of teaching
throughout Burma.
In view of that the Guardian wishes you to lay this matter before the
N.S.A. and to urge them to give it their careful consideration. He himself
is sending through the care of Siyyid Mustafa Roumie, thirty pounds as his
contribution towards the upkeep of the school at Daidanaw.
July 10, 1936
Two Main Principles to Follow
With regard to the problems confronting the believers; these, the Guardian
fully realizes, are by no means easy to solve. But the friends should be
confident that the very progress of the Cause will enable them to find the
necessary solution to the difficulties which appear now to so seriously
puzzle their minds.
There are two main principles which the Guardian wishes the friends to
always bear in mind and to conscientiously and faithfully follow. First is
the principle of unqualified and whole-hearted loyalty to the revealed
Word. The believers should be careful not to deviate, even a hair-breadth,
from the Teachings. Their supreme consideration should be to safeguard the
purity of the principles, tenets and laws of the Faith. It is only by this
means that they can hope to maintain the organic unity of the Cause. There
can and should be no liberals or conservatives, no moderates or extremes
in the Cause. For they are all subject to the one and the same law which
is the Law of God. This law transcends all differences, all personal or
local tendencies, moods and aspirations.
Next is the principle of complete, and immediate obedience to the
Assemblies, both local and national. It is the responsibility of these
Baha’i administrative bodies to enable the community to acquire, and
increasingly deepen in the knowledge and understanding of the Cause.
Doctrinal unity and administrative unity, these are the two chief pillars
that sustain the edifice of the Cause, and protect it from the storms of
opposition which so severely rage against it.
September 5, 1936
Visit of Mr. Schopflocher to India
I am addressing you these few lines on behalf of our beloved Guardian to
ask you to kindly inform your fellow-members in the Indian N.S.A. of the
happy news of the projected visit of dear Mr. Siegfried Schopflocher to
India, and to request you to take any step that your Assembly deems
advisable in order to make his journey as fruitful and abundant in its
results as possible.
Mr. Siegfried Schopflocher is not in need of any introduction, as his long
and manifold services to the Cause in America and particularly his
generous and unfailing support of the local, national as well as
international Baha’i funds, have endeared him to all the friends, whether
in the East or in the West.
For many years he has been a member of the American N.S.A. and he
contributed no small part in the steady development and consolidation of
the Administration ever since the early days of its establishment in the
States. He is indeed an outstanding champion of the Administration not
only in America but also in the West, and has proved in deeds his profound
attachment and loyalty to all its principles, laws and institutions.
His name will be ever associated with the beloved Temple in Wilmette. Had
it not been for the continued and whole-hearted support, both financial
and moral, which he so generously extended to it, that edifice could have
never been reared so steadily and efficiently. The friends will always
remember with deep gratitude the eminent services he has rendered the
Faith in this connection.
In view of these labours so devotedly accomplished, the Guardian wishes
your Assembly to urge the friends to draw full benefit from Mr.
Schopflocher’s visit to India. He is confident that you will extend to him
a most hearty welcome, and will, through association with him, draw fresh
strength and inspiration in your arduous labours for the Cause.
September 25, 1936 Systematized and Nation-wide Teaching Campaign
Our beloved Guardian has read with intense interest and deepest
satisfaction your most welcome letter of the fifth October conveying to
him the joyful news of the teaching travels undertaken by Prof. Pritam
Singh and Dr. G.Y. Chitnis throughout India. He wishes you to congratulate
most warmly on his behalf these two distinguished friends upon their
determination to carry the Message to those numerous and varied sections
of the Indian population who have not received as yet the blessings which
the knowledge of the Cause confers. He is deeply grateful to them, and to
those who have, whether directly or indirectly, assisted them in the
pursuit of this truly noble aim.
The Guardian wishes also to express his heartfelt thanks to the Indian
N.S.A. for its splendid efforts for the extension of the teaching work
throughout India. The evidences of its warm and effective response to his
earnest appeal for the inauguration of a new systematized and nation-wide
teaching campaign in that country are indeed such as to give him fresh
hopes concerning the future expansion and consolidation of the Faith not
only in India and Burma but in the neighbouring regions where the light of
the Teachings has not yet penetrated. It is his sincere hope that the
National Assembly will, faithful to its pledge, continue exerting its
utmost for the furtherance of the cause of teaching in India, and
particularly in Southern India and Ceylon where there are almost no
centres at present. Nothing short of the unity, self sacrifice and
intelligent and systematized planning which the local and national
assemblies and also the individual believers may show forth throughout the
coming years can enable them to attain this vital teaching goal.
[From the Guardian:]
I hasten to assure you in person of my personal and intense satisfaction
and of my special and fervent prayers for these two stalwart pioneers who
have arisen to accomplish so noble a task in such difficult circumstances.
The hosts of the Abha Kingdom will assuredly guide and sustain them, and
will, if they persevere, crown their high endeavours with success. May
their example be followed by an increasingly large number of their fellow
workers.
October 22, 1936
Inflexible Determination Required
Now, that the teaching work is making a steady headway, the friends should
be on their guard lest they lose the opportunity they have of spreading
the Message in every corner throughout India and Burma.
In this connection, he feels, he must congratulate most warmly the members
of the N.S.A. for the valuable steps they have taken for the introduction
of the Cause in central and southern India.
[From the Guardian:]
The progress of the teaching activities initiated by your Assembly is
highly gratifying. Inflexible determination is required to carry it to a
successful conclusion. The methods adopted by the American Baha’i
community, the zeal, the initiative, the efficiency, the fidelity with
which they are prosecuting their enterprise should be exemplified by
individuals and Assemblies in India and Burma. The administrative
machinery which the American believers have erected and perfected has
already had its counterpart in the institutions you have so nobly reared
in recent years. Your teaching campaign, the supreme purpose for which
this machinery has been fashioned, should likewise be modelled according
to the plan which your sister community has devised and is now developing
so strenuously and successfully.
November 7, 1936
Welcome Extended to Mr. Schopflocher
He wishes me now to express in particular to you, and to your
distinguished fellow-members in the Indian N.S.A., his most loving
appreciation and thanks for the cordial welcome you have extended to our
dearly-beloved friend, Mr. Siegfried Schopflocher, during his visit to
India and Burma. He is confident that the steps you have taken to render
his trip successful will greatly help in giving the Faith a wide and
long-needed publicity. The opportunity that has been offered you has been
truly splendid, and you certainly deserve to be heartily congratulated for
having fully availed yourselves of it. May the Beloved reward you a
thousand-fold for your ceaseless and devoted endeavours in His Path.
January 7, 1937
Theosophists
With regard to the Theosophists and their activities; although they
obviously try to copy and claim as their own some of the principles of the
Cause, yet the Guardian feels that it would be of no advantage to oppose
them and to refute their arguments. The best attitude for the friends to
adopt in such cases at the present time is to totally disregard and even
neglect their opponents. This has invariably been his advice to the
friends, whether in the East or in the West.
Baha’i Holidays
Regarding the sale of tea and other refreshments in a cinema under
non-Baha’i ownership; those friends who have hired from the owner of the
cinema a stall for the sale of such refreshments should make every effort
to obtain permission to close on Baha’i holidays. In case, however, the
non-Baha’i owner or partner refuses to grant their request their only
alternative is to obey.
The case is different with a bread bakery owned by a believer. In this
case there can be no excuse whatever why the shop should not be closed
during Baha’i holidays, as there are always non-Baha’i bakers from whom
the public can buy.
Baha’i Administration
Concerning the LSA’s right to suspend one of its members from Assembly
membership; the Assembly can, by a majority vote, take such an action,
even though the suspension may be for a long period.
As regards your question whether the President of the N.S.A. is entitled
to give any ruling during the period of his tenure; the Guardian wishes me
to state that no such ruling can be valid unless approved by the other
members of the National Assembly. The President has no special legislative
capacity, except as a member of the Assembly.
As to the question of removing a believer from the voting list; although
every duly constituted local Assembly has the right to take such an action
against any individual believer in the community, nevertheless the
Guardian feels the advisability for the Local Assemblies to seek the
advice and approval of the N.S.A. in this most delicate and vital matter,
as it is one fraught with grave and far-reaching responsibilities.
Before closing I wish to express to you, and through you to your
fellow-members in the N.S.A., how happy the Guardian feels to learn of the
strong preparations your Assembly has made for the holding of the next
Annual Convention of the friends in Karachi. He is the more rejoiced that
the main item of the discussions will be the problem of teaching. He is
fervently praying that the program upon which the delegates and the N.S.A.
will decide will mark the inauguration of an unprecedented teaching
campaign throughout India and Burma.
[From the Guardian:]
I am delighted to learn of the work which is being steadily and
efficiently accomplished in so many spheres of Baha’i activity throughout
India and Burma. My heart is filled with gratitude as I witness the
progress you have achieved, the enterprises you have initiated, the method
and measures you have adopted, the plans you have conceived and above all
the spirit of exemplary loyalty and magnificent devotion that impels you
forward in the great mission you are destined to fulfil.
February 28, 1937
Obligatory Prayers
...concerning the three daily obligatory prayers. The friends are free to
choose any one of these three prayers, but have to follow the instructions
revealed by Baha’u’llah concerning them. The long prayer should be recited
once in every 24 hours, and is accompanied by certain physical acts. The
short prayer, consisting of one verse, should be recited once a day at
noon; while the medium prayer should be said three times a day: in the
morning, at noon and in the evening. The believer is entirely free to
choose any one of these three prayers for daily use.
While praying it would be better to turn one’s thoughts to the
Manifestation as He continues, in the other world, to be our means of
contact with the Almighty. We can, however, pray directly to God Himself.
April 27, 1937
Progress of Teaching Most Gratifying
The reports of the progress of the teaching work in India and Burma are
most gratifying, and all indicate the high measure of devotion and zeal
which the friends are putting at the service of this most noble and sacred
task. Dr. Ali of Rangoon is specially active working through the press,
and has already succeeded in giving a very wide publicity to the Faith in
many circles, both native and foreign. He is certainly the most promising
teacher we have in Rangoon, and the N.S.A. would do well to encourage him,
and to give him every possible assistance with the view of further
extending the scope of his teaching activities throughout Burma.
[From the Guardian:]
I am so glad ... of the progress of the teaching work in India and Burma.
I pray that Martha’s forthcoming visit to your shores may greatly
stimulate the splendid work which has been so nobly initiated and is being
so painstakingly continued.
July 12, 1937
National Fund
I wish, in particular, to express his gratification at the success that
has attended your annual Convention this year, and at the recommendations
and decisions taken by the N.S.A. with the view of intensifying the
teaching campaign throughout India and Burma. He would strongly urge your
Assembly to maintain the standard of the teaching work, and to appeal to
the friends to rise up to the call of the hour, and to be ready to undergo
any sacrifice that their sacred task requires.
Above all he wishes through you to reiterate his wish, already expressed
in his recent cable to the N.S.A., that the National Fund, which
undoubtedly constitutes the bedrock upon which all the activities of the
Cause ultimately rest, should receive the continued and whole-hearted
support of all the believers. Both the local Assemblies and the individual
believers should realize that unless they contribute regularly and
generously to that Fund the progress of the Faith in India and Burma will
not only be considerably retarded, but will inevitably come to a
standstill. There should be a continual flow of funds to the National
treasury of the N.S.A., if that body wishes to properly administer the
manifold and ever-increasing activities of the Faith. Every Baha’i no
matter how poor, must realize what a grave responsibility he has to
shoulder in this connection, and should have confidence that his spiritual
progress as a believer in the World Order of Baha’u’llah will largely
depend upon the measure in which he proves, in deeds, his readiness to
support materially the divine institutions of His Faith.
With reference to your question in connection with the observance of
Baha’i Holy Days; the Baha’i day begins and ends at sunset. The night
preceding a Holy day is therefore included in the day, and consequently
work during that period is forbidden.
The Guardian is most delighted to hear of the activities initiated
recently by various local Assemblies in India, and wishes you to convey to
these dear friends, and particularly to Prof. Abdu’l-Aziz of Hyderabad and
the members of his teaching group, the expression of his keenest
appreciation of their labours for the spread of the Cause. He would urge
them each and all to lend every effort to assist your N.S.A. in its
nation-wide teaching endeavours, and is most ardently praying that they
may be assisted and guided by the confirmations from on high.
[From the Guardian:]
I am deeply touched by the varied and compelling evidences of the vigour
and loyalty which characterize the National Assembly’s conduct of Baha’i
affairs in both India and
Burma. The Cause, as a result of their self-sacrificing endeavours and
inflexible resolve, is being firmly consolidated and widely propagated in
those regions. Perseverance will enable you to attain your goal and to lay
an unassailable foundation for your future work in both the teaching and
administrative spheres of Baha’i service. I will continue to pray for you
from the depths of my heart.
July 17, 1937
Martha Root’s Teaching Trip
Shoghi Effendi has been most pleased to receive your letter of October
25th and to learn of the very warm reception you have accorded Miss Martha
L. Root upon her arrival in India. He has every reason to hope that with
the program the N.S.A. has so carefully arranged for her she will be able
to do an extensive teaching work, and to contact as many classes and
sections of the population as her time and energies permit.
The Guardian would call upon you specially to make every effort possible
to render Miss Root’s teaching trip successful in every way, and wishes
you to continually urge the friends to make her visit an occasion for
giving the Faith a widespread publicity throughout India and Burma.
[From the Guardian:]
I am so glad to hear of the plans that have been conceived and the
activity that is being displayed by the friends in connexion with dear
Martha’s visit to India.
November 7, 1937
He was particularly delighted to know of the warm hospitality and
wholehearted assistance which the friends have so kindly extended to dear
Miss Root all through her travels throughout India and Burma.
This truly memorable visit of Miss Root to the friends in that vast
continent is indeed a God-sent opportunity, of which the believers should
fully avail themselves in order to give the Faith the widest possible
publicity, and also to attract to it the attention and sympathy of
responsible leaders throughout India and Burma.
The Guardian will continue to pray that at the termination of this year
the results of this historic teaching trip undertaken by our beloved Miss
Root may prove to be such as to ensure for many years to come the
uninterrupted extension of the teaching work in all parts of India.
March 20, 1938
Resting Place of Holy Mother
It will surely please and interest the believers to know that the Holy
Mother’s remains have been laid to rest in a spot in the vicinity of, and
overshadowed by the resting-place of the Greatest Holy Leaf on Mt. Carmel.
L.S.A. & Summer School in Simla
The Guardian was delighted to hear of the formation of a Spiritual
Assembly in Simla, and wishes that body to apply soon for official
registration. He would very much appreciate receiving two copies of the
Certificate of Incorporation of the Assembly, as soon as they are obtained
from the authorities.
The news of the projected holding of the first Indian Baha’i Summer School
in Simla has also considerably rejoiced the heart of our beloved Guardian.
He will pray that this excellent and indeed historic project may be
satisfactorily carried out, and receive the whole-hearted, generous and
sustained support of the entire body of the believers throughout India and
Burma.
Six-Year Plan
The Six-Year Plan which your N.S.A. has resolved to initiate with the
purpose of furthering the teaching work has met with the full approval of
the Guardian. He wishes your Assembly every success in this remarkable and
nation-wide undertaking which you have decided to launch.
[From the Guardian:]
Your letter of June 19, enclosing reports of great interest and value, has
also reached me and I am filled with a sense of happiness and gratitude
for these incessant evidences of your zeal and united endeavours. I am
truly impressed by the sound progress and expansion of the activities in
which the believers of India and Burma are so earnestly and devotedly
engaged. The institutions you have recently initiated, the plan of
teaching you have launched, the degree of unity, of consecration and
solidarity you have attained, the measures for internal consolidation you
have devised, the support you have consistently and cordially extended to
our dear Martha, all proclaim the depth of your devotion and attest the
nobility and staunchness of your faith. The utmost care is now required to
nurse, foster, multiply and coordinate these nascent institutions and
activities. Every nerve should be strained, every sacrifice should be made
to enable them to fructify and prosper.
July 4, 1938
First Indian Baha’i Summer School
I am instructed by our beloved Guardian to acknowledge with thanks the
receipt of your communication dated October 17th, together with the
enclosed report on the first Indian Baha’i Summer School held in Simla
during last September.
And as to the photographs of the Summer School you had submitted under
separate cover, these will be placed in the Mansion of Baha’u’llah at
Bahji, and will also appear in the “Baha’i World” Vol. VIII.
The Guardian wishes me in this connection to express his profound
satisfaction at the success that has attended the N.S.A.’s efforts for the
formation of this first Baha’i Summer School in India—a step which, he
strongly feels, is bound to accelerate the extension of the teaching
activities of the believers in that land.
He is truly delighted to know that the attendance at the school has been
satisfactory, and that the young believers, in particular, have been most
enthusiastic about it. What he feels now is most essential for the N.S.A.
is to make arrangements to have this school held regularly every year, so
that it may develop into an effective, and increasingly vital, instrument
for the propagation of the Faith, and also for the education and training
of Baha’i teachers.
It is the Guardian’s fervent hope that as this Institution expands, and
fulfils the high hopes you all set upon it, it will be felt advisable by
the N.S.A. to consider the possibilities of establishing, in due time, one
or two more of such schools, thus permitting those friends, who in view of
their limited means are not in a position to travel over large distances,
to avail themselves of the benefits derived from these nascent Baha’i
institutions of learning.
Task Immense—Time Short
[From the Guardian:]
The Six-Year Plan, initiated by the National Assembly of India and Burma
with such spontaneous devotion, admirable zeal and unflinching resolve,
marks a milestone on the road of progress trodden by them and their
fellow-workers in both of those countries. The task is immense, the time
is short, the hour critical but the faith that animates and sustains them
is strong enough to surmount all obstacles, however formidable, that may
stand in their way. That they may persevere, redouble their efforts and
win signal success in their mighty enterprise is the dearest wish of my
heart and the object of my constant and earnest prayers.
December 1, 1938
Splendid Work Accomplished by Miss Root
The Guardian was most pleased to receive your letter of the 3rd inst. and
has noted with genuine satisfaction the farewell meeting which the N.S.A.
had arranged in Bombay in honour of our indefatigable and distinguished
Baha’i sister Miss Martha L. Root on the occasion of her departure to
Australia.
The feelings of unbounded joy with which you all unanimously acclaimed her
arrival in India, and the expressions of deep and sorrowful regret which
your National Assembly, as the official mouthpiece of all the Indian and
Burmese believers, had been moved to convey to her upon her leaving your
shores, all attest the high value which the friends have attached to her
presence in India and the splendid work accomplished by her throughout her
travels in that country. The cooperation she had received from the
Assemblies and individual believers in every centre she visited, and the
effective support, both moral and material, so lovingly and continually
extended to her by the N.S.A. in the execution of her teaching plans, have
contributed to a marked degree to the success of her journey, which has
been indeed the longest and most fruitful she had ever undertaken to your
shores.
The Guardian hopes that the friends, and in particular the N.S.A., will
now endeavour to follow up, with united and unflinching resolve, the
splendid work accomplished by Miss Root. The contacts she has formed with
leading personalities in social, religious and university circles should
be maintained, nay extended and consolidated, and every effort exerted in
order to speed up the progress of the teaching work which has received
such a fresh impetus as a result of her uninterrupted teaching activity
during this past year.
January 25, 1939
He has noted with profound appreciation, in particular, the account of the
farewell meeting held in Bombay under the auspices of your Assembly on the
occasion of the departure of our indefatigable and highly esteemed Baha’i
sister Miss Martha Root from India. No more eloquent tribute could have
been paid indeed to the historic work accomplished by that well-beloved
star-servant of the Cause during her stay of one full year in that country
than that beautiful and impressive gathering which had met to bid her a
last farewell upon her leaving your shores. The warmth and spontaneity of
your love must have profoundly impressed and moved her heart, and given
her an added proof of the unbounded gratitude which you all surely cherish
for her, after these many months of ceaseless teaching activity she has
spent in your midst.
The Guardian wishes to express his own gratitude to the members of the
N.S.A., and through them to the community of believers throughout India
and Burma for the hospitality and loving assistance you have all,
individually as well as collectively, continually extended to Miss Root
all through her stay in your country. The essential now, he feels, is for
each one of the friends, and particularly the local Assemblies, to arise
and with unflinching resolve to endeavour to follow up the splendid work
she has so ably, yet so unostentatiously, accomplished. They would be
certainly failing in their debt of gratitude to her, if they allow the
seeds she has faithfully and painstakingly scattered, during these months
of arduous and uninterrupted effort, to get lost. Rather, they should
spare no effort to water these seeds and enable them to germinate and
yield in due time most abundant and lasting results.
Baha’i Youth Groups
With regard to the formation of Baha’i Youth groups; the Guardian is most
pleased to hear of the satisfactory progress that has been accomplished
along this line, and of the extensive programme you have arranged for the
development of Baha’i Youth activity during the coming year. He wishes me
to express, in particular, his appreciation of the very warm response made
by six of these youth groups to the suggestion of the National Youth
Committee of America regarding the holding of special youth meetings on
the 26th of this month. He wishes you to assure them of his special
prayers for the success and confirmation of their efforts. Six-Year
Plan—Spontaneous Undertaking of Indian Baha’i Community
In connection with the Six-Year Plan initiated by your N.S.A.; the
Guardian cannot too highly praise this undertaking of unprecedented
magnitude which your Assembly has resolved to carry out. One year has
already elapsed since that Plan was first launched, and the task that will
have to be accomplished during the remaining five years is indeed immense,
and calls for no less than a combined and tremendous sacrificial effort by
every Assembly, group and individual believer throughout India and Burma.
But the friends should derive much encouragement at the realization that
their efforts for the prosecution of this Plan are, in a way, far more
meritorious than those which their fellow-believers in the American
Continent are exerting in connection with the Seven-Year Plan of the
American N.S.A.
Whereas this latter Plan, which, it should be fairly admitted, is the
largest enterprise of its kind ever undertaken by any national Baha’i
Community, has been conceived and formulated directly by the Guardian
himself, the Six-Year Plan adopted by the Indian N.S.A. has been initiated
solely through the efforts of the elected body of the national
representatives of the Indian and Burmese believers, and represents
therefore the spontaneous undertaking of the Indian Baha’i Community
itself, and as such is endowed with a special merit and a unique spiritual
potency. When successfully completed this Plan will constitute indeed an
abiding monument to the resourceful energy, the unstinted devotion, and
the unquenchable enthusiasm of the Indian Baha’is, from which future
generations of believers in that land will derive endless inspiration and
guidance.
In view of the paramount importance of this Six-Year Plan, and the urgency
which the friends must undoubtedly feel to carry it out as speedily and
efficiently as possible during the remaining five years, the Guardian
would advise that in the next Annual Convention meeting in Calcutta a
special session be devoted to the findings and consideration by all the
delegates and friends present of such policies and means as, in their
considered opinion, can best insure the speedy and timely completion of
this glorious undertaking.
The Guardian would particularly suggest that special stress be laid on the
necessity for pioneer teaching in those states and provinces in India and
Burma, where the Cause has not yet been introduced. Those believers who
have the means, and also the capacity to teach, should be encouraged, no
matter how great the sacrifice involved, to settle in these virgin
territories, until such time as a local assembly has been constituted, or
at least a group of firm believers formed that can safely and gradually
evolve into a firmly-organized and properly-functioning local assembly.
This policy of teaching by settlement which the Guardian has also advised
and indeed urged the American believers to adopt has been proved by
experience to be the most effective way of establishing the Faith in new
territories, and he therefore confidently recommends it for adoption by
your Assembly.
Summer School
As regards the Indian Summer School; its importance, the Guardian feels,
cannot be overstressed, specially in view of its recognized teaching
value, both as a centre for the training of Baha’i teachers, and also for
the attraction of outsiders to the Cause. The wide popularity which this
newly-established yet highly-promising institution is already enjoying,
truly attests its high value as one of those vital institutions of the
Faith in this formative age of its development.
David
...The David referred to by the Bab, and stated by Him to have preceded
Moses, is not the same one as King David, the father of King Solomon, who
lived in the tenth century B.C. and who obviously lived many years, and
indeed many centuries after Moses. Abdu’l-Baha has explained this in a
Tablet.
Inheritance
...Although in the “Questions & Answers” Baha’u’llah has specifically
stated that non-Baha’is have no right to inherit from their Baha’i parents
or relatives, yet this restriction applies only to such cases when a
Baha’i dies without leaving a will and when, therefore, his property will
have to be divided in accordance with the rules set forth in the Aqdas.
Otherwise, a Baha’i is free to bequeath his property to any person,
irrespective of religion, provided however he leaves a will, specifying
his wishes. As you see therefore it is always possible for a Baha’i to
provide for his non-Baha’i wife, children or relatives by leaving a will.
And it is only fair that he should do so.
Reason of Severe Laws Revealed by the Bab
...The severe laws and injunctions revealed by the Bab can be properly
appreciated and understood only when interpreted in the light of His own
statements regarding the nature, purpose and character of His own
Dispensation. As these statements clearly reveal, the Babi Dispensation
was essentially in the nature of a religious and indeed social revolution,
and its duration had therefore to be short, but full of tragic events, of
sweeping and drastic reforms. These drastic measures enforced by the Bab
and His followers were taken with the view of undermining the very
foundations of Shi’ah orthodoxy, and thus paving the way for the coming of
Baha’u’llah. To assert the independence of the new Dispensation, and to
prepare also the ground for the approaching Revelation of Baha’u’llah the
Bab had therefore to reveal very severe laws, even though most of them,
were never enforced. But the mere fact that He revealed them was in itself
a proof of the independent character of His Dispensation and was
sufficient to create such widespread agitation, and excite such opposition
on the part of the clergy that led them to cause His eventual martyrdom.
The Bab specified that the “Bayan” is not completed and that “He Whom God
would manifest” (Baha’u’llah) would complete it, though not in its actual
form, but only spiritually in the form of another book. The “Iqan” is
believed to be its continuation.
February 17, 1939
Teaching—The Paramount Task
He is truly delighted to know that your Annual Convention this year has
been most united, and highly constructive and fruitful in its result, and
trusts that the important discussions and deliberations held by the
delegates at various Convention sessions will have the result of
stimulating afresh the progressive and systematic penetration of the
teaching work throughout India and Burma. The Six-Year Plan of teaching
inaugurated last year by your N.S.A., the Guardian feels, however, cannot
succeed unless it receives the continued moral and material support of the
entire body of the Indian and Burmese believers, and it is this fact which
the National Assembly should continually endeavour to impress upon them
all, through frequent appeals destined at once to encourage and provide
the facilities required for all those friends who are qualified to work in
the field of pioneer teaching. The Guardian would particularly recommend
that the N.S.A. should make every possible effort to open up to the Cause
those Indian provinces which still remain deprived of the light of the
Teachings, and to this end would suggest that those believers who can
arrange to settle in those virgin territories should at once be urged to
do so, and the necessary facilities extended to them by the N.S.A., with
the view of enabling them to prolong their stay until some definite
results are accomplished. Also, he feels, your Assembly should endeavour
to strengthen the weak areas which have been recently opened, and also
launch a wide and systematic campaign for the dissemination of Baha’i
literature throughout the whole country. Membership in Baha’i Assembly or
Committee is a Sacred Obligation
...The Guardian wishes you to make clear to all the believers that
membership in a Baha’i Assembly or Committee is a sacred obligation which
should be gladly and confidently accepted by every loyal and conscientious
member of the Community, no matter how humble and inexperienced. Once
elected to serve in a given Assembly a believer’s duty is to do his utmost
to attend all Assembly meetings, and cooperate with his fellow-members,
unless, however, he is prevented from doing so by some major reason such
as illness, and even then he should notify the Assembly to this effect.
The N.S.A.’s duty is to urge, and also facilitate attendance at assembly
meetings. If a member has no valid reason to justify his repeated absence
from assembly meetings, he should be advised, and even warned, and if such
warning is deliberately ignored by him, the assembly will then have the
right to suspend his rights as a voting member of the Community. Such
administrative sanction would seem to be absolutely imperative and
necessary, and while not tantamount to a complete expulsion of such a
member from the Cause, deprives him of any real participation in its
administrative functions and affairs, and is thus a most effective
corrective measure which the Assembly can use against all such
half-hearted and irresponsible individuals in the Community.
Meaning of Resurrection
...Concerning the meaning of “Resurrection”: although this term is often
used by Baha’u’llah in His Writings, as in the passage quoted in your
letter, its meaning is figurative. The tomb mentioned is also allegorical,
i.e. the tomb of unbelief. The Day of Resurrection, according to Baha’i
interpretation, is the Judgement Day, the Day when unbelievers will be
called upon to give account of their actions, and whether the world has
prevented them from acknowledging the new Revelation.
The passage in Baha’u’llah’s Tablet in which He explains the Sura of “The
Sun” should not be interpreted literally. It does not mean that after the
Day of Resurrection praise and peace will cease to be vouchsafed to the
Prophet. Rather it means to the end of time, i.e. indefinitely and for all
times.
The intercession spoken of by Baha’u’llah in one of His prayers which you
have quoted is a purely spiritual act and is applicable to Muhammad as
well as to all Prophets. This passage, however, refers more particularly
to that kind of intercession in which Muslims believe, though the manner
and circumstances of it, according to Baha’i belief, are mysterious and
unknowable.
Teaching—The Paramount Task
[From the Guardian:]
I long to hear of the progress of your teaching work in those areas and
provinces where the light of the Faith has not as yet shone forth.
Teaching is the paramount task that urgently demands the concentrated
attention and the complete consecration of the united and persistent
efforts of the believers of India and Burma at the present stage of the
Six-Year Plan which they of their own accord have so magnificently
initiated. No dissipation of efforts, no delay in the initiation and
execution of the necessary measures for its success should be allowed. All
assemblies, all committees and individuals should regard the teaching work
as the most essential factor in the discharge of their obligations to the
Faith of Baha’u’llah, and as the supreme purpose of the machinery of the
Administrative Order which they have lately so laboriously and faithfully
erected. I will from all my heart pray that the high aim they pursue may
be reached, that their hopes may be fulfilled, and that their individual
and corporate lives may equally reflect the noble principles that animate
their Cause.
July 2, 1939
Martha Root’s Arrival in Bombay
Your joint and welcome message of October 18th written on the occasion of
our beloved sister Miss Martha Root’s arrival in Bombay has duly reached
the Guardian and his heart is filled with gratitude to you for the very
warm and befitting welcome you have so kindly extended to that
well-beloved star-servant of the Cause. This is truly in keeping with the
tradition of warm hospitality for which our Indian believers have already
won such a high reputation. The cordiality you have shown this
distinguished international teacher on her previous visits to India could
have hardly been surpassed, and there is every reason to believe,
therefore, that on this trip, which will be probably the most extended one
she has ever been able to undertake throughout that continent, she will be
the object of the same devotion and love manifested towards her on
previous occasions.
[From the Guardian:]
May the Almighty bless you for the magnificent welcome accorded to such an
outstanding champion of the Cause, and may He enable you, in conjunction
with her, to lend a mighty impetus to the progress of the Faith and the
extension of its institutions.
November 4, 1939
Paramount Task Facing the Believers
What you had written him regarding the various steps taken by the N.S.A.
to further the Six-Year Plan of Teaching has immeasurably rejoiced his
heart, and he too joins with your Assembly in humbly supplicating
Baha’u’llah to vouchsafe to all those dear friends who have offered to
undertake pioneer teaching in various parts of India such measure of His
guidance and blessings as would enable them to effectively further the
interests of this Plan. He would urge you all to persevere in your
self-sacrificing exertions, and, notwithstanding the various handicaps
under which you may be compelled to labour, to confidently strive to
achieve this high teaching objective.
[From the Guardian:]
The energetic prosecution of the Six-Year Plan, despite the perils, the
uncertainties and gravity of the present hour, is the paramount task
facing the believers of India and Burma. All projects and activities,
however desirable and urgent, must henceforth be subordinated to this most
pressing and vital issue, inasmuch as it is the fountain-head from which
all future blessings will flow and the one and only instrument which can
at the present time, most effectively establish and consolidate the
administrative order of the Faith throughout the Indian Peninsula. My
prayers for your signal success in such a mighty and glorious enterprise
will continue to be offered, with increasing fervour, at the Threshold of
Baha’u’llah. Persevere and be confident.
November 26, 1939
Passing Away of Dearest Martha
Your very kind message ... expressing your profound sorrow and sympathy at
the passing away of our beloved sister Miss Martha Root has just reached
our dear Guardian, and he feels indeed most deeply touched by the very
thoughtful words which you had been moved to convey to him. The loss which
the entire Baha’i world has come to sustain through her untimely departure
from this world is indeed enormous, and can be compensated only partially
by the self-sacrificing efforts which our dear Baha’i teachers in East and
West are now exerting in their respective fields of teaching.
The Guardian’s hope, however, is that, spurred by the noble example of
Martha’s life and character, the friends in every land will make a supreme
and united effort to carry onward the great teaching task which she had so
untiringly been endeavouring to accomplish during all these years, and
thus bring eternal joy and impart infinite hope and solace to her heart in
the other world.
[From the Guardian:]
I deeply appreciate, and am greatly touched by, the noble sentiments you
have expressed. The passing of dearest Martha, that distinguished hero of
the Cause of Baha’u’llah, is indeed a great loss to those who labour for
His Cause, both in the East and West. May her glorious example continue to
inspire the friends in India and Burma to tread in her footsteps, and to
extend the work she so nobly initiated.
December 8, 1939
Sacred Task
It greatly pleased and encouraged him to know that the Annual Convention
held this year in Poona has proved such a high success, and that the
important decisions taken by the delegates with the view of intensifying
the teaching campaign in India and Burma are being effectively implemented
by the offer made by so many of the friends to teach and travel in virgin
territories. He wishes these dear believers, who have so heroically
responded to the call of the hour, every blessing and success in their
respective fields of teaching, and will pray most earnestly for the
confirmation of their labours in the pursuit of their high and sacred
task.
May 14, 1940
Steady Extension of the Teaching Campaign
The slow yet steady extension of the teaching campaign throughout India is
a matter which greatly rejoices his heart, and for which he feels moved to
convey his warmest congratulations to the N.S.A. Considering the well-nigh
insufferable obstacles in your way, and the difficult conditions created
by the war, the progress so far achieved, though small, has been
remarkable in many ways, and augurs well for the future of the Six-Year
Plan which your Assembly is so energetically carrying out.
The signal success which the able and untiring efforts of Mr. & Mrs.
Bakhtiari, Mr. M. H. Ilmi ... have won for the Cause in Kashmir deserves
particular mention; and it is to be hoped that the group already
established in that center will steadily develop and soon attain the
status of a Spiritual Assembly. To these dear teachers who have so
successfully accomplished such high teaching mission, as well as to our
new Baha’i brother Moulvi Abdullah of Kashmir who, notwithstanding the
violent opposition and criticisms of the Qadianis has firmly stood by the
Cause, the Guardian wishes you to convey his warmest appreciation and
gratitude.
Financial Assistance to Baha’i Teachers
In connection with your teaching campaign, the Guardian wishes you to
inform the N.S.A. that although there exists in the Cause no such
institution as that of paid teachers, the N.S.A. nevertheless should, in
view of the urgent and pressing requirements of the Six-Year Plan, extend,
though only temporarily, any financial assistance in its power to those
believers who offer to undertake pioneer work throughout India and Burma.
Also, those believers who are not themselves able to offer their services
as pioneers, and who wish to directly and effectively participate in the
campaign of teaching can instead offer to defray, through the National
Fund, the expenses of any believer they choose to deputize for that
purpose. Such deputy teachers, however, should for all other purposes be
responsible to the N.S.A. and the teaching bodies concerned. Great Message
Can Redeem Bewildered Humanity
[From the Guardian:]
I regret that owing to present circumstances arising from the war and its
grave repercussions, the activities, particularly in the teaching field,
connected with the Six-Year Plan, so spontaneously initiated by your
Assembly, have had to be curtailed. I wish to appeal, however, to all its
members, and through them to the general body of the devoted friends in
India and Burma to make a united and supreme endeavour to overcome, while
there is yet time, the obstacles that stand in their way, and to refuse to
allow the perils, the uncertainties and anxieties that face and afflict
their country to deter them from carrying out the original plan they have
so nobly conceived. Let them remember that a firm resolution on their
part, an absolute rededication of their resources, and an actual attempt
to translate into action their meritorious intentions, coupled with
perseverance in the discharge of their duties, would suffice to ensure the
success of the mission to which they are now committed. The time is indeed
ripe, and the minds and hearts of the suffering multitudes are being
mysteriously prepared for the Great Message that can alone redeem, exalt
and regenerate a sore-tried and bewildered humanity. I will specially and
fervently pray for the success of any and every effort the dearly-beloved
friends in India and Burma may arise to exert.
November 28, 1940
Translation of Baha’u’llah’s Writings
Regarding his instruction to the N.S.A. of Iran to the effect that
Baha’u’llah’s writings in Arabic should not be translated into Persian;
this applies to the translation of the revealed words into Persian only.
Your Assembly, therefore, may proceed with its plan for the rendering of
the Tablet of Ahmad, the three daily obligatory prayers and other Tablets,
into Urdu.
. . . .
With reference to ... question whether it is permissible for the Baha’is
to see pictures; there is nothing in the Teachings that would forbid such
a practice.
. . . .
Also with regard to the practice of circumcision; the Teachings bear no
reference to this matter, and it is therefore not enjoined upon the
believers.
Training of Children
The question of the training and education of children in case one of the
parents is a non-Baha’i is one which solely concerns the parents
themselves, who should decide about it the way they find best and most
conducive to the maintenance of the unity of their family, and to the
future welfare of their children. Once the child comes of age, however, he
should be given full freedom to choose his religion, irrespective of the
wishes and desires of his parents. Membership of the International House
of Justice
As regards the membership of the International House of Justice,
Abdu’l-Baha states in a Tablet that it is confined to men, and that the
wisdom of it will be revealed as manifest as the sun in the future. In any
case the believers should know that, as Abdu’l-Baha Himself has explicitly
stated that sexes are equal except in some cases, the exclusion of women
from the International House of Justice, should not be surprising. From
the fact that there is no equality of functions between the sexes one
should not, however, infer that either sex is inherently superior or
inferior to the other, or that they are unequal in their rights.
Appearance of two Davids
Concerning the appearance of two Davids; there is a Tablet from
Abdu’l-Baha in which He says that just as there have been two Ishmaels,
one the son of Abraham, and the other one of the Prophets of Israel, there
have appeared two Davids, one the author of the Psalms and father of
Solomon, and the other before Moses.
Importance of the Teaching Campaign
The Guardian wishes me once again to stress the all-importance of the
teaching campaign throughout India and Burma. Much as he is aware of the
obstacles that stand in the way of the expansion of pioneer
teaching—obstacles which your sister Assembly in the U.S.A. are far in a
better position to overcome, owing to the larger resources at their
disposal and to their longer and wider experience in matters of
teaching—he nevertheless strongly feels that, through the united,
determined and passionate resolve of your N.S.A., of all the local
Assemblies, groups and individuals, much can be accomplished in that
direction, and firm foundations laid down for future expansion and
consolidation. The greater your handicaps the firmer your determination
should wax, and the more abundant will assuredly be the blessings and
confirmations of Baha’u’llah. May His love and guidance lead you and our
dearly-beloved friends in that land to still greater heights of selfless
accomplishment in His path, and thereby crown with success the Six-Year
Plan so ably devised and so energetically pursued by the N.S.A.
[From the Guardian:]
I wish to reassure you in person of my fervent and continued prayers for
the protection, the success and the spiritual advancement of the community
of the Indian and Burmese believers who, under your direction, and
stimulated by the initiative and example, of their national elected
representatives, are arising, in these days of widespread confusion,
turmoil and danger, to carry out the Plan they are pledged to fulfil. No
sacrifice can be regarded as too great for the attainment of so great and
splendid an objective. They should persevere in their task, undaunted by
the rising tide of calamity and despair which afflicts the world, and
which is mysteriously paving the way for its unification and ultimate
redemption. May the Beloved guide every step you take, and bless every
endeavour you exert in His path.
December 14, 1940
Greatest Need of the Hour
Whenever the Guardian receives news of the spread of the Cause it brings
him fresh hope and helps to lighten his heavy burden. This is the greatest
need of the present hour in India; more teachers in new fields! His
prayers are always being offered for the advancement of this all-important
work and the fulfilment of the Six-Year Teaching Plan.
April 19, 1941
Priceless Days
He was very happy to note the spirit of true and profound dedication to
their holy task of spreading the Faith in India and Burma which the
members of the N.S.A. manifest, and he feels sure that, if they exert the
utmost effort, they will, through the confirmations of Baha’u’llah,
succeed in fulfilling what is required of them under the Six-Year Plan.
He regrets very much that circumstances have prevented any active
furtherance of the teaching work during the past Baha’i year. Because of
this the Guardian felt impelled, after reading your Assembly’s letter, to
transmit by cable the sum of two hundred pounds sterling to be set aside
by your Assembly as the nucleus of a special fund to be established for
the specific purpose of furthering the all-India teaching campaign of the
Six-Year Plan. He trusts that this will stimulate the body of Indian and
Burmese Baha’is to also contribute to this fund generously and by
providing the necessary means to enable them to speedily fulfil the task
they have vowed to carry out.
Concerning the methods to be adopted for the realization of your urgent
task, Shoghi Effendi approves of the suggestion that some business firms
open branches in new districts and thus provide Baha’i settlement by this
means. However, he feels that this will not be enough, and that all the
Spiritual Assemblies, as well as each individual believer, should rally to
this great opportunity which, indeed, may not again be presented to them,
of spreading the Faith through the length and breadth of India while they
are still in a position to do so. The world is day by day becoming
increasingly involved in this cataclysmic struggle, but so far the Baha’is
of India, Australia, New Zealand and the American continents have not felt
either the dangers or the restrictions imposed on less fortunate
communities which find themselves either over-run and temporarily
eclipsed, or in the actual theatre of war. Therefore the believers of
India should not allow these truly priceless days to slip by without
exerting themselves to the utmost and sacrificing comfort, home, and
money, to the great duty of giving the Divine Message to the people of
their vast country.
Smallness of numbers, lack of skilled teachers, and modesty of means
should not discourage or deter them. They must remember the glorious
history of the Cause, which, both in East and West, was established by
dedicated souls who, for the most part, were neither rich, famous, nor
well educated, but whose devotion, zeal and self-sacrifice overcame every
obstacle and won miraculous victories for the Faith of God. Such spiritual
victories can now be won for India and Burma by the friends. Let them
dedicate themselves—young and old, men and women alike—and go forth and
settle in new districts, travel, and teach in spite of lack of experience,
and be assured that Baha’u’llah has promised to aid all those who arise in
His Name. His strength will sustain them; their own weakness is
unimportant.
Refrain from Imposing New Rules
In reading your annual Convention report the Guardian has noted the
request made that the N.S.A. should lay down certain rules of procedure.
He has already informed the American N.S.A. that they should henceforth
refrain from laying down any further rules and regulations, as these would
tend to rigidify the affairs of the Cause and ultimately obscure its
spirit and retard its growth. He feels that your Assembly should exercise
the same care, and avoid introducing any rules of procedure not already in
existence. Every case coming before the Assembly should be judged on its
own merits, and be decided individually without any recourse to new
rulings.
The Guardian will constantly pray for the success of all your
undertakings, as well as for the welfare and progress of all the dear
believers in India and Burma. Particularly will he remember in his prayers
the members of the National Assembly who are called upon to direct,
coordinate, and carry out the Indian Baha’is’ great and noble teaching
enterprise. Prosecute Six-Year Plan With Unremitting Energy
[From the Guardian:]
The Six-Year Plan, which you have so nobly conceived and so
enthusiastically initiated, must, during these crucial years, when the
first century of the Baha’i Era is drawing to a close, be prosecuted with
unremitting energy, and unshaken determination. The vastness of the field,
the smallness of your numbers, the indifference of the masses, must
neither discourage nor appal you. You should at all times fix your gaze on
the promise of Baha’u’llah, put your whole trust in His creative Word,
recall the past and manifold evidences of His all-encompassing and
resistless power and arise to become worthy and exemplary recipients of
His all-sustaining grace and blessings. I appeal to every Indian and
Burmese believer, however modest his position, however limited his
knowledge, however restricted his means, to rise to the height of this
great opportunity which if missed will not recur again. To disperse, to
settle, to teach by word and deed, to persevere and sacrifice are the
requirements of the present hour. May the Almighty, Whose Cause you are
labouring to advance, endow you and your fellow-workers with all the
wisdom, the strength, and guidance that you need to acquit yourselves
worthily of this task.
June 29, 1941
Shoghi Effendi was also very happy to hear from you that you consider the
Faith is making substantial progress in India, due to the tireless and
devoted efforts of our Baha’i brothers and sisters in that land. He would,
however, urge the friends to follow the example of the American believers
by sending out more pioneers to work in territories where there are no
Baha’is. This is in accordance with the idea expressed by the beloved
Master in the “Divine Plan” Tablets, and should be followed by all
Baha’is.
The Guardian will pray for the success of the Summer School to be held in
Surat. He is delighted that the Indian friends are so well organised and
are, year by year, strengthening the administrative institutions of their
Faith.
[From the Guardian:]
I am eagerly and hopefully awaiting to witness fresh evidences of the
renewed determination of the believers throughout India and Burma, to
carry aloft and into virgin territories the torch of Divine Guidance
despite the dark clouds that threaten on the horizon. In these days of
stress and peril, every effort expended, every victory achieved, every
sacrifice made, will be rewarded a hundredfold. I will pray earnestly and
continually that the friends may evince such zeal and perseverance as to
ensure the complete success of the Six-Year Plan which they, of their own
accord, have so splendidly initiated.
October 5, 1941
Every Obstacle Should Be Surmounted
He was very happy to receive so much good news of the progress of the
Baha’i teaching work in India, as well as the success of the Summer
School.
The fact that the friends of India, and also of Iran, are now finding
themselves in a position where they can arise and teach the Cause far and
wide, greatly cheers the Guardian’s heart. He hopes that the Baha’is of
India, in spite of the fact that the war is now so close to their native
land, with all its attendant dangers and problems, will allow nothing to
deter them in their prosecution of their Six-Year Teaching Plan for India
and Burma.
Now is the time of true test and trial—the time when the friends must
follow in the footsteps of the first Persian believers, who, heedless of
comfort and even life itself, raised the Banner of Baha’u’llah’s Faith
aloft, for all the world to see and follow.
He feels confident that the believers, led by their National Spiritual
Assembly, and aided and inspired by their Local Spiritual Assemblies, will
arise to new heights of service, and distinguish themselves in the eyes of
the Baha’i world. His constant prayers will be offered on their behalf,
and he will remember them in the Shrines with love and yearning for their
success.
[From the Guardian:]
I wish to add a few words in person and appeal to you, and through you to
the dear friends in Burma and India, not to allow, despite the increasing
gravity of the international situation and the dangers that threaten the
East, the work, which has been so enthusiastically initiated, to suffer
through any relaxation of effort, or any deflection of purpose, on the
part of any individual or Assembly. These perils, sufferings and
commotions are blessings in disguise, which pave the way and prepare the
hearts of those who face and sustain them for a deeper realization and an
earlier and fuller acceptance of the Divine Message of Baha’u’llah. The
opportunities are manifold and priceless. Every effort should be exerted,
every sacrifice should be made, every obstacle should be surmounted.
December 16, 1941
It rejoices his heart to see that the Indian believers are now rising to
such noble heights of self-sacrifice and utter devotion to the Faith of
God, and that they are, despite the great difficulty of these war times we
are living through, determined to fulfil their Six-Year Plan of teaching
the Baha’i Cause in India and Burma and complete the spread of its divine
and healing message to her peoples before the end of the first Baha’i
century.
Persecution of Baha’is of Kadwai
He was very sad to hear of the persecution of the Baha’is of Kadwai by the
fanatical Muslim population. Please convey to the friends there the
assurance of his most loving prayers for their protection, and tell them
that, though they are suffering for their Faith, this very persecution is
a blessing to the believers of India, as we know that wherever the Cause
has suffered it has always grown stronger and attracted more attention and
more adherents.
He was also very pleased to hear of the success of the Summer School this
year. The Indian Baha’is have every reason to feel encouraged by the
marked progress of their activities in all fields.
Use of A’rabs (Vowel Points)
Regarding your question as to the use of A’rabs on the Arabic texts of the
Tablets: The Guardian feels that this is a matter which concerns the
entire Baha’i world, and requires to be worked out by a highly specialized
group of qualified people at some future date. He, therefore wishes you
not to print the A’rabs on the Holy Tablets except on rare occasions where
it is absolutely necessary in order to distinguish the word from some
other word just like it.
Two Davids
Abdu’l-Baha is the one who has interpreted the reference of the Bab
concerning David, by saying that there were two Davids, one of them was
the author of the Psalms. The Tablet in which the Master states this is
absolutely authentic, but at the moment the original is not available.
He Whom God Will Make Manifest
The Bab said that whenever “He whom God will make manifest” appears,
accept Him. He never said don’t accept Him until after the lapse of 1000
years. Also Baha’u’llah says that in the year 9 of the Babi Dispensation
the time was ripe for the Revelation of “He whom God will make manifest”.
As the Bab was not only a Manifestation but a Herald of this Baha’i Faith,
the interval between His Revelation and that of Baha’u’llah was of shorter
duration. His Dispensation in a sense will last as long as Baha’u’llah’s
lasts.
The Holy Book—The Aqdas
There are no doubtful verses in the Holy Book, the Aqdas. The reason it is
not circulated amongst all the Baha’is is, first, because the Cause is not
yet ready or sufficiently matured to put all the provisions of the Aqdas
into effect and, second, because it is a book which requires to be
supplemented by detailed explanations and to be translated into other
languages by a competent body of experts. The provisions of the Aqdas are
gradually, according to the progress of the Cause, being put into effect
already, both in the East and the West.
Use of A’rabs (Vowel Points)
No vowel points, as A’rabs, should be published with any part of the text
of the Aqdas. Certain of the Tablets may be translated in Urdu, but not
the Aqdas itself, for the reasons mentioned above.
Writings of the Bab
The books of the Bab have not as yet been printed in the original. Except
for the Bayan, the Seven Proofs and Commentary on the Surih of Joseph, we
cannot be sure of the authenticity of most of His other works as the text
has been corrupted by the unfaithful.
The Universal House of Justice
The Universal House of Justice is elected by the members of the National
Houses of Justice. At this time when the National Assemblies in the Cause
are not yet functioning sufficiently or fully representative of all the
various important elements within it, and when some of the Baha’is are not
even free to practise their faith, despite their numbers, it is quite
impracticable to seek to establish the Universal House of Justice.
Whenever conditions permit, it will be established.
Surmount Every Obstacle
The Guardian wishes the members of your Assembly to persevere, in spite of
the dangers of the war now raging near to India, in the all-important task
of fulfilling the Six-Year Plan.
He is confident that the friends of India and Burma like their Baha’i
brothers and sisters of other lands, will surmount every obstacle,
overcome every difficulty, and emerge victorious at the end of the first
Baha’i Century.
[From the Guardian:]
The news conveyed by your latest communication has rejoiced my heart. The
manner in which the friends have arisen to promote the teaching work
throughout their country merits the highest praise. By their enthusiasm,
their self-abnegation, the determination and vigour they display, they
have lent a fresh impetus to the onward march of the Faith and the
expansion of its institutions and the multiplication of its administrative
centres. The perils of the present hour, the repercussions of this
tremendous world ordeal on their native land, must, in no wise, alarm or
discourage them. Their purpose must never be deflected, their enthusiasm
never dimmed, their vision never obscured, their exertions never
discontinued. Adversity prepares the hearts of men, and paves the way for
a wholehearted and general acceptance of the tenets and claims of our
beloved Faith. Challenged by the obstacles in their path, encouraged by
work already initiated, assured of the Divine Promise of Baha’u’llah, let
them forge ahead until their goal is attained. My prayers will ever
surround them.
December 27, 1941
Remarkable Evidence of Activity
He has been greatly encouraged by the work the Indian believers are doing
in the pioneer teaching field. It makes him proud to behold the way this
great eastern nation is arising, through its enlightened Baha’is, to serve
the Cause of God, and is fast pushing to the forefront of Baha’i service,
and becoming an example and an inspiration to the other Baha’i communities
in the Orient and Far East.
The noble response the Indian friends are making to his appeals has
encouraged him to send them further donations for their teaching work, and
he trusts that, under the indefatigable leadership of the National
Spiritual Assembly, they will redouble their efforts, and push on to the
full and glorious completion of the Six-Year Plan they laid down for
themselves with such courage and devotion.
The establishment of the Hyderabad Assembly and that of Bangalore are
great steps forward, and the Guardian is waiting hopefully to receive the
good news of more new spiritual Assemblies in this coming Baha’i year.
He was also very pleased to hear that the Summer School is becoming an
institution of national importance, and that the friends are increasingly
attending it and realizing its great value in the life of the entire
Community of believers. In a country such as India it might grow to be the
first permanent institution of Baha’i learning if the believers support it
sufficiently and carry out their teaching campaign with whole-hearted
devotion and zeal; for, with the influx of many new Baha’is into the Cause
in that country, it should not be difficult to evolve it into a Baha’i
university as time goes by.
The Guardian wishes to convey, through you, his loving appreciation of
their noble services to all the dear Indian believers who have gone out as
pioneers and teachers in these momentous days. He will remember them, and
all the Indian friends, in his prayers in the Holy Shrines, and supplicate
for them a victorious conclusion for their Six-Year Plan by 1944.
[From the Guardian:]
I have been greatly heartened in my arduous task by the remarkable
evidences of activity, devotion and perseverance which the believers in
India have lately manifested, and by the manner in which they have arisen
to promote the cause of our Beloved, and extend the range of its
institutions. I admire, their spirit, and feel truly proud of their
achievements. The field is indeed vast, and the problems manifold, but the
spirit they have demonstrated will, if kept alive, enable them to surmount
every obstacle. My prayers will continue to be offered on their behalf and
particularly for those who are planting the banner of the Faith in virgin
territories. How glorious their task, how meritorious their
accomplishments.
January 10, 1942
Future is Blessed and Glorious
He was very relieved to hear from Mr. Butt that the Burmese Baha’is were
all safe, and he trusts that, in spite of the grave dangers now so near
them, God will continue to over-shadow them and protect them in His mercy
and wisdom.
We Baha’is are indeed most blessed in that we know that, however dark the
days immediately ahead of the human race, the future is blessed and
glorious. It is for this future that the believers must labour day and
night, heedless of the state of the world and the dangers threatening.
The Guardian will continuously pray that Baha’u’llah will strengthen and
guide the Indian friends to succeed in their teaching plans, and to
persevere in their efforts until they have completed the Six-Year Plan.
[From the Guardian:]
In these days when perils are fast gathering about India and Burma my
heart and my thoughts turn increasingly towards the friends, and
particularly those who are vigorously and devotedly promoting the
interests of the Six-Year Plan. I will specially and fervently pray for
them all, that their vision may not be obscured, that their efforts may
not diminish, that their courage many remain undaunted, and their
steadfastness and loyalty unshaken. The greater their problems and
anxieties and the more formidable the obstacles in their way, the more
glorious and abundant will be the recompense and blessings that will be
bestowed upon them by their all-seeing, their all-bountiful, all-powerful
Master.
February 23, 1942
New Assemblies of Hyderabad & Kotah
The Guardian has written the new Hyderabad Assembly, and he will indeed
pray for their protection and blessing. They are an important group in an
important State, and he hopes that your Assembly will render them every
assistance and help possible, in order to deepen them in the knowledge of
the teachings and in Faith.
The establishment of the Assembly of Kotah, no less than that of
Hyderabad, must be viewed in the light of another milestone in the forward
march of the Faith in India. The Guardian would like you to convey to all
the dear pioneers and teachers whom you have enumerated in your letters,
the expression of his deep gratitude for, and appreciation of the
wonderful work they are doing. The believers of India, though few in
number in relation to the millions that form their nation, are performing
a service to their fellow-countrymen which in the future will be seen in
the true magnitude. Let them rest assured and toil ceaselessly for the
establishment of the Faith which they serve, and which alone can
ultimately heal the ills of sorely-tried mankind.
[From the Guardian:]
The pioneer activities in which the friends in India are so steadfastly,
so energetically and so devotedly engaged, in spite of the perils, the
uncertainties and the stress of the present hour, are a marvellous
evidence of the indomitable spirit that animates them in the service of
the Cause of Baha’u’llah. Perseverance is the magnet that will, in these
days, attract the promised blessings of the Almighty Author of our beloved
Faith. Unity and harmony constitute the basis on which the structure of
these activities can securely rest. Self-sacrifice, audacity, undeviating
adherence to the essentials of the Faith, will reinforce that structure
and accelerate its rise. That the dear friends in India are increasingly
demonstrating the quality and depth of their faith and the character and
range of their accomplishments is a source of intense satisfaction to me,
and I will continue to supplicate our Beloved to guide their steps, cheer
their hearts, illumine their understanding, and fulfil their highest and
noblest aspirations. He indeed is well pleased with the record of their
past services, and will, if they redouble their efforts, enable them to
achieve a signal victory.
June 27, 1942
Prizes to be Won
...The extremely good news of the way the Baha’is of India are arising and
serving in new fields in spite of the war conditions prevailing, and the
formation of the new Assemblies of Hyderabad and Kotah, the work in
Kashmir and various other centres, has all greatly cheered his heart, and
impelled him to contribute the sum he forwarded through you to help carry
out the many teaching enterprises now under way. The rate at which the
Indian believers are advancing is increasingly entitling them to a
position in the foremost ranks of the Faith, and will no doubt greatly
inspire and encourage other Baha’is of the East to follow their example.
Such prizes are to be won in these days of universal trial and suffering,
and it makes the Guardian very happy to feel that some of them are
evidently going to be merited by the Indian believers!
It is a great deprivation that the friends should be cut off from their
devoted fellow-Baha’is in Burma. We can only hope and pray that
Baha’u’llah will protect and watch over them until the ordeal of these
times is past, and the faithful believers the world over can again join
hands and work together for the peace and progress of the entire world.
Passing of Abd’ul-Jalil Beg Saad
The passing of Abd’ul-Jalil Beg Saad was a great loss to the Faith in
Egypt, and the Guardian was pleased to hear that his co-workers in India
held memorial meetings for him. Such occasions constitute eloquent
testimonials to the profound love that binds Baha’is to each other,
whoever and wherever they may be.
Painstaking and Fruitful Efforts
[From the Guardian:]
I wish to reaffirm my deep sense of satisfaction and gratitude for the
sustained, the painstaking and fruitful efforts exerted so far by the
Indian believers for the promotion of the Six-Year Plan. The limits of the
Faith have been enlarged, the centres and groups have multiplied, and the
determination and zeal of the prosecutors of the Plan are visibly
increasing. I am greatly cheered and encouraged, and will, with redoubled
fervour, pray at the holy Shrines, for the victorious conclusion of the
campaign initiated with such devotion, energy, and resolution. May the
Beloved sustain them in their noble task.
July 27, 1942
The marked, and extremely encouraging, progress which the Cause is making
in India has so pleased the Guardian and cheered his over-burdened heart
that he felt impelled to forward to your Assembly the sum of two hundred
pounds to be expended for the further promotion of the teaching work.
That at such a time, when dangers threaten on every side and the whole
planet is plunged in war and confusion, the Indian believers should, so
steadily and patiently, with such devotion and enthusiasm, pursue their
tasks of teaching under the Six-Year Plan, is, indeed, a cause for
universal acclaim and rejoicing on the part of their fellow-Baha’is. They
are ever increasingly arising to take their place as one of the foremost
Baha’i Communities, and their spirit and their accomplishments are
arousing the envy and the admiration of their fellow-workers in Eastern
lands.
Placing of Burial Stone
The placing of the burial stone on the dead has no other significance than
to emphasize our profound conviction that our souls come from our Creator
and to Him they return, and in Him we believe and trust.
Ensure the Triumphant Conclusion
[From the Guardian:]
The accomplishments of the believers of India, in virgin fields and in
furtherance of the interests of the Six-Year Plan, merit the highest
praise. Prompted by their achievements, and as a token of my keen
appreciation of their notable services, and in order to facilitate further
expansion and consolidation of their teaching activities, I have forwarded
to you a contribution which I trust will serve as a nucleus for a Fund
designed to promote the vital and urgent interests of the nation-wide
teaching enterprise in which you have embarked, and which constitutes the
greatest single organized undertaking launched in the service of
Baha’u’llah in that country. Perseverance, coupled with a spirit of
complete dedication to the cause of teaching, will, I feel confident,
ensure the triumphant conclusion of your labours. I will continue to pray
for you from the depths of my heart. Redouble your efforts and be
confident.
July 29, 1942
Proper Administrative Headquarters
Concerning his recent cable to the National Spiritual Assembly: The
Guardian feels that, if feasible, it is highly desirable and necessary
that the rapidly growing and strengthening Indian Baha’i Community should
have a proper administrative Headquarters, situated in the
capital—Delhi—and suitable for the next few years at least. He wishes the
N.S.A. to find a building or house which will suit their requirements in
every way, and inform him at once of the price required. He considers that
it is premature at present to think of purchasing a site for a future
Baha’i Temple. The thing for the friends to concentrate on at present is
the Haziratu’l-Quds.
He has been greatly encouraged of late to witness the marked increase of
activity shown by the Baha’i Communities everywhere in India. They are
demonstrating their right to a place in the foremost ranks of the Baha’i
World, and he is very pleased with them and eager that they should forge
ahead in every field of Baha’i life.
[From the Guardian:]
May the Almighty graciously assist the Indian believers to establish, at
the close of the first Baha’i Century, their administrative headquarters
in the capital city of India, and thus befittingly crown their meritorious
teaching activities.
January 28, 1943
Passing Away of Mr. Vakil
He was very sad to hear of the passing of our dear and esteemed brother,
Mr. Vakil. His loss will be much felt by the Indian believers, and the
many services he rendered the Cause will never be forgotten. It is too bad
that he was denied the burial he himself longed for, but no doubt his
spirit is now rejoicing in the Abha Kingdom after its long and faithful
labours in this world.
Secretary of the N.S.A.
Regarding your question concerning the Secretary of the N.S.A.: There
cannot be any permanently elected Secretary who would year after year hold
office, as this would be contrary to the principles of the administration;
however, the Guardian feels that the N.S.A. should supply the Secretary
with a paid helper in order to enable him to carry on his duties properly
and at the same time pursue his own profession, if that is necessary for
him. In other words the Secretary of the N.S.A. can have a full-time
secretary under him if the work requires it.
Election of L.S.A.’s
The Guardian has notified the friends in other countries that, in view of
the fact that this is the hundredth year of the Faith and we are going to
celebrate our Centenary next May, Spiritual Assemblies may be constituted
or elected anytime before next April, wherever there are 9 or more
believers. He has done this in order to encourage the friends and
stimulate the work everywhere. He would like you to impress this fact on
the believers in India so that they may redouble their efforts and have a
truly impressive number of Assemblies by next May.
National Administrative Headquarters
He is sorry to hear that you have not as yet been able to find a suitable
house for the National administrative Headquarters. The establishment of
this headquarters will greatly enhance the prestige of the Indian Baha’i
Community and stimulate the growth and work of the Cause. He hopes you
will soon meet with success, and cable him the glad news he is eagerly
waiting to receive.
Baha’is Can Undertake Philanthropic Work
Mr. Mani Mehta forwarded to the Guardian a copy of the N.S.A.’s decision
informing him that he must either give up his connection with the War
Comforts Fund or his Baha’i administrative work. The Guardian feels that
there is no objection to a Baha’i undertaking work of a philanthropic or
humanitarian nature and at the same time being on elected Baha’i bodies or
holding office in them. The War Comforts Fund is in no way contrary to our
principles, and there can be no objection to Mr. Mehta’s work in this
connection. He hopes that the N.S.A. will clarify this matter and remove
any misunderstandings that have arisen.
Centenary Celebrations
The friends in India are, after years of labour and devotion, beginning to
find their number greatly increased, their assemblies multiplied, their
Faith increasingly well-known to the public; they are about to initiate
their first national headquarters, and in a few months will be celebrating
the glorious occasion of the hundredth anniversary of their Faith. At such
a critical time they should, one and all, devote their energies to
achieving their objectives and impressing upon the public the nobility and
beauty of their teachings, divinely inspired, and of such vast import to
the entire world, and cast aside, once for all, any differences of opinion
or personal viewpoints or prejudices that may hinder the success of their
plans and cast a blight on the wonderful achievements they have carried
out and are about to crown with still greater victories.
The Guardian feels that the N.S.A. must from now on coordinate its plans
and set in motion its preparations for the Centenary Celebration. The
believers must hold gatherings for the Baha’is at exactly 2 hours and 11
minutes after sunset on May 22nd, 1944 as this is the exact time when the
Bab declared His Mission to Mulla Hussayn. They should also arrange to
hold public gatherings on May 23rd and enlist the support of prominent
friends of the Faith as speakers, together with Baha’i speakers, on that
occasion. They should, as far as possible, hold festive gatherings at this
time, give banquets at which friends of the Cause and believers are
present, obtain as much space in the press of India as possible, and in
general devise ways and means of making this a glorious and memorable
celebration. He would also like to have the N.S.A. publish, in conjunction
with the Centenary, a pamphlet giving a brief outline of the Faith’s
origin and teachings and major events in India, since its establishment
there, and a detailed outline of the accomplishments of the Indian Baha’i
Community, its early history, its development, etc.
He has been greatly encouraged by the progress made by the Indian Baha’i
Community in recent years, and he longs to see them shine still brighter
amidst its fellow communities the world over.
You may be sure that his loving prayers will be offered on your behalf and
on behalf of all the other N.S.A. members, that you may speedily find a
suitable Hazira, that the Cause may go on to still greater triumphs during
this last year of the Century, and that the unity of the friends may be
increased everywhere, as befits our Holy Faith.
[From the Guardian:]
The celebration of the Centenary of our glorious Faith by the friends in
India should, under your direction, and with your encouragement and the
assistance of individuals and local Assemblies throughout India,
constitute a befitting conclusion to the magnificent labours and
accomplishments that have marked your stewardship in the service of the
Cause of Baha’u’llah in recent years. A special fund should be initiated,
a strong committee should be set up, the utmost care should be taken, the
most diligent efforts should be exerted and every sacrifice should be made
to ensure the unqualified success of this great undertaking. I will pray
for your success from the depths of my heart. There is no time to lose.
The Beloved will, no doubt, crown your exertions with signal victory if
you arise and persevere.
June 22, 1943
Friends Should Unite
He was very pleased to hear that the Convention was so well attended, and
the believers enthusiastic and united. One of the most paramount needs of
the Cause in India is that the friends should unite, should become really
keenly conscious of the fact that they are one spiritual family, held
together by bonds more sacred and eternal than those physical ties which
make people of the same family. If the friends will forget all personal
differences and open their hearts to a great love for each other for the
sake of Baha’u’llah, they will find that their powers are vastly
increased; they will attract the heart of the public, and will witness a
rapid growth of the Holy Faith in India. The N.S.A. should do all in its
power to foster unity among the believers, and to educate them in the
administration as this is the channel through which their community life
must flow, and which, when properly understood and practised, will enable
the work of the Cause to go ahead by leaps and bounds.
The excellent news you conveyed of the progress of the Faith in so many
hitherto virgin territories of India greatly rejoiced the Guardian’s
heart, and he is proud to witness the manner in which the Indian believers
are arising, teaching, and sacrificing for the Faith of God. The friends
themselves must be astonished at the rapidity with which the devoted
pioneers have succeeded in establishing new spiritual Assemblies; and he
hopes that many more souls will, thrilled by these achievements, follow in
their footsteps, and thus ensure a truly glorious celebration of the
hundredth anniversary of the Cause next May. The eyes of the Baha’i world
are being increasingly attracted by the achievements of the Indian
friends, and they have the opportunity of crowning their Centenary
celebrations with a victory outstanding in the records of the Baha’is of
the East. The Guardian hopes that in this connection many more Baha’i
young people will arise and serve. They have the advantages of health and
freedom from family responsibilities which are not always enjoyed by older
people, and they should cooperate to the full with more experienced
believers in carrying on the pioneer work of the Cause.
He is most anxious that now that the National administrative Headquarters
of the Faith has been successfully established—a tremendous step forward
for the Faith there—you should give special attention to getting out the
Esslemont book in three additional languages as soon as possible.
The Six-Year Plan Has Progressed Magnificently
[From the Guardian:]
The achievements of the Indian believers in recent months have been truly
stupendous. The Six-Year Plan has progressed magnificently; the
dissemination of Baha’i literature has been stimulated, the national
administrative headquarters, to be henceforth designated as the
Haziratu’l-Quds, has been established; a new spirit stirs in the hearts of
the believers, teachers, pioneers as well as administrators; the evidences
of a fast-developing community life are evident everywhere. The impetus
lent to these activities must be continually reinforced in these
concluding months of the first Baha’i century. The Indian believers have
amply demonstrated the vitality of the faith they profess. They must win
fresh laurels. They cannot rest on their oars. They must scale still
loftier heights. They must persevere till the end. They must sacrifice to
the utmost. They must unite as never before. They must prove themselves
worthy of the task they have so nobly initiated and are now so
energetically prosecuting. I will, with redoubled fervour, pray for its
consummation. Rest assured.
October 26, 1943
Centenary Celebrations
He approves of the plans for holding the Centenary, and wishes the annual
Baha’i Convention to be held in conjunction with it (as already confirmed
by cable to you). All Baha’i Communities free to convene conventions will
be also meeting this year during the Centenary celebrations. This will
both facilitate the work of the Cause, stimulate the friends, and be of
added interest to the public.
The truly remarkable work accomplished by the pioneers and teachers in
India during this last year has greatly pleased, and even astonished, the
Guardian, and he hopes that the friends, newly enlisted under the banner
of Baha’u’llah, will study the teachings deeply, help to promote unity and
concord among the believers, and greatly aid in spreading the Divine
Message among the people of India.
Historic Achievements
[From the Guardian:]
The truly splendid and indeed historic achievements of the Indian
believers during the concluding months of the first Baha’i century deserve
the highest praise. The repeated and striking evidences of their high
accomplishments invigorate, encourage, and excite the admiration of, their
sister communities in East and West. They are holding aloft the standard
of Divine guidance in a manner that cannot but evoke the unstinted praise
and the unqualified gratitude of their brethren throughout the Baha’i
world. The Beloved is well pleased with their magnificent record of
service. I feel truly proud of their stewardship of the Faith of
Baha’u’llah, of the spirit which animates them, and of the steadfastness
with which they pursue their manifold and ever-expanding activities in the
service of this glorious Faith.
March 19, 1944
Baha’u’llah and the New Era in Kanarese
A few days ago the Kanarese volumes reached him and he was very happy to
see them; he has placed most of them in the Mansion of Baha’u’llah and the
others he has distributed to various Assemblies and Baha’i libraries. He
is eagerly awaiting copies of the various other translations your Assembly
has undertaken, and in this connection he urges you again to persevere in
your efforts to overcome every obstacle and get these further additions to
your Baha’i literature in India speedily out and in the hands of the
newly-attracted souls.
Achieved Mighty Victories
The Guardian wishes to once again stress the immediate tasks which face
your Assembly: the important—and almost miraculous—work achieved during
the closing years of our first Baha’i Century in forming so many
Assemblies, most of them in virgin territory, should be carefully
consolidated through travelling teachers, additional pioneers (if
necessary), extension of financial help, etc., so that none of them will
be weakened and forced to revert to group status. Also the newly formed
groups should be given every assistance to enable them to become
Assemblies and take part in the administrative order of the Cause in
India. He urges you to concentrate on these three things: the publication
and distribution of the newly translated books; the firm consolidation of
the new Assemblies; and the development of existing groups, that they may
speedily achieve Assembly status.
Important as new teaching undertakings are they should not be given
precedence at the present time until these other objectives are well on
the way to being realized.
In closing let me assure you that the beloved Guardian cherishes the
brightest hopes for the future development of the Cause there, and expects
great things of the Indian believers in view of the truly remarkable tasks
they have been accomplishing these last few years with such a spirit of
zeal and devotion. His loving prayers are offered on your behalf and for
your fellow-members of the N.S.A., that you may be blessed and guided
always.
[From the Guardian:]
The achievements of the Indian Baha’i Community during the closing years
of the first Baha’i Century have shed a great lustre on the record of
their imperishable services ever since the inception of the Faith in their
vast and promising country. Both in the teaching and administrative
spheres of Baha’i activity they have assiduously laboured, nobly
persevered, generously given of their resources, consistently
collaborated, achieved mighty victories and raised to a new level the
standard of Baha’i stewardship. The field now stretching before them
during the opening year of the second Baha’i Century is vast and highly
promising. The call is urgent, the opportunities priceless, the need of
the waiting masses desperate, the machinery for the execution of the
Divine Purpose already erected and vigorously functioning, the promise of
signal victory clear and definite. A higher degree of administrative
efficiency; a closer collaboration between the various elements
constituting the organic Baha’i Community; a greater measure of self
sacrifice; a still more intensified exertion aiming at the consolidation
and preservation of the newly constituted Assemblies and the rapid
conversion of the existing groups into full-fledged Assemblies; a
systematic, sustained and nation-wide endeavour for the purpose of
disseminating the literature of the Faith, increasing its volume and
adding to its diversity and lastly a more audacious and convincing
presentation of its tenets to the masses of the people—these constitute
the primary tasks facing now the Indian believers. That they may achieve
their high destiny is my constant hope and fervent prayer.
December 20, 1944
Re-instate Assemblies in Burma
First let me say that he was very pleased to receive your cable telling
him the Baha’is in at least a part of Burma have survived. His thoughts
and prayers have often been with them during these terrible years of war.
He wishes to urge the N.S.A. to concentrate above all on re-instating any
Spiritual Assemblies which were disbanded last Baha’i year owing to
insufficient numbers. This must always be the first consideration, so that
the hardly won prizes of these new Assemblies may not be lost. Depriving
of Voting Rights—Function of N.S.A.
Also he wishes to point out that the power to put a person outside the
Faith administratively must be solely, for the present time, in the hands
of the N.S.A. This applies only to the cases where believers are deprived
of their voting rights. Such extremely important and dramatic measures
should never be resorted to unless absolutely necessary, and should
certainly never be left in the hands of local assemblies, where personal
feelings might colour the Assembly’s decision. On the other hand, the
right to enroll believers has always been given to the Local Assemblies.
But they should be strongly urged to make sure the applicant is sincere
and fully understands and accepts the fundamentals of the Faith.
Teach a Wider Range of Indians
He also feels that now that you have so much literature on hand in various
languages you should endeavour to teach a wider range of Indian races;
especially the Hindus and Moslems as they form the preponderating mass of
the people. Also Hindu and Moslem believers should be encouraged to teach,
pioneer, lecture, and be appointed on Committees, and elected to
Assemblies, so that our true inter-racial, inter-religious character may
be incontestably demonstrated to the world.
The Guardian does not feel that it is necessary to wait one whole year
before an applicant is admitted into the Faith. The Assemblies must not be
too strict, but should make every effort to increase the membership of
their communities.
June 26, 1945
Passing Away of Siyyid Mustafa
He was deeply grieved to hear of the death of our very dear and esteemed
Baha’i brother, Siyyid Mustafa. He was truly an example of steadfast
devotion and one of the outstanding pioneers the Faith produced during the
first century of its existence. He was also very sad to hear of the ruin
of the Baha’i Haziras and the plight of the Baha’is in general. He wishes
your Assembly to exert its utmost in alleviating the suffering of the
Burmese friends, and assisting them in every way possible. Convey to them
all the assurance of his ardent and loving prayers on their behalf, and
for the speedy re-establishment of the Faith and its institutions in
Burma.
Baha’i Marriage
Regarding the question of ... marriage: She should have performed the
Baha’i marriage rites, but, as the Guardian already wrote her, she can now
be re-instated in her voting rights by having a Baha’i marriage ceremony
performed. As she was married by civil, and not religious, law she need
have no divorce or annulment of her civil marriage.
As at present a Baha’i marriage is not yet legally recognized by the
authorities, the friends should also have the civil marriage in addition.
We have no objection to it at all, as it is non-sectarian and in no way
affects our Baha’i status.
As long as both the Baha’i and the other religious (whatever it may be)
ceremony are both performed prior to the consummation of the marriage, we
do not mind which ceremony is performed first. It should be left to the
individuals concerned to decide among themselves.
Task Urgent, Vast and Sacred
[From the Guardian:]
The task facing the members of the Indian Baha’i community in these days
of stress and trial, is urgent, vast and sacred. The responsibilities they
shoulder are growing in number and complexity. The obstacles in their path
are numerous and seemingly insurmountable. The victories, however, which
they have won during the concluding years of the first Baha’i century,
augur well for the future, and constitute only a preliminary stage in the
great work they are destined to accomplish in the years that lie ahead. A
unity that is truly unshakable, a consecration to their task which no
trial or test can impair, a resolve that no force, however inimical, can
shake, a united and systematic endeavour to proclaim and firmly establish
their Faith which enemies neither from within nor from without can
undermine—all these are vitally required to enable them to achieve their
high destiny. To you as their national elected representatives I desire to
appeal in particular to exercise the utmost forbearance, care and
vigilance, to exert the utmost endeavour, to deliberate, cooperate and
carry out with exemplary vigour the necessary measures which the urgency
of the task and the criticalness of the hour imperatively demand. That
their glorious mission may be crowned with signal success is the object of
my constant and fervent prayers at the holy Shrine.
August 9, 1945
Shoulder Heavy Responsibilities
He was very sad to read of the sufferings of the beloved Burmese friends,
of the death of that bright star of the Faith, Siyyid Mustafa, and of the
murder of many other of the friends! At the same time his heart swelled
with pride when he saw that already the believers have re-assembled,
elected an Assembly, and started their school again. This shows how deep
their faith is, and presages a glorious future for the Cause there.
As you already know he has sent you a sum to be devoted to rebuilding the
Baha’i institutions, teaching the Faith, and assisting the friends who are
in desperate need. He has also invited other National Assemblies to
contribute to this fund, and thus assist your Assembly to carry out this
very important task of re-establishing a flourishing Community in Burma.
The Indian believers are finding themselves increasingly called upon to
shoulder heavy responsibilities; they are becoming more numerous, have
spread to many new centres, undertaken a large publishing program,
increased the number of their institutions, and are gradually becoming
known to their fellow-Indians as followers of a new and glorious Faith. In
view of this he feels your Assembly should constantly exhort the friends
to be more conscious of their duties, and to be very careful of having
differences of opinion which are so strong as to lead to disputes and thus
humiliate our beloved Faith in the eyes of non-Baha’is. The public is
beginning to observe them, and they must therefore conduct themselves at
all times as befits those who bear the glorious Name of Baha. They must be
forgetful of self, but ever mindful of the Cause of God!
[From the Guardian:]
The rehabilitation of the community of the sore-stricken believers
throughout Burma constitutes the most urgent task of the Indian believers,
and is a direct challenge which they cannot ignore or neglect. The
reconstitution of dissolved assemblies, the extension of relief to the
needy, the promotion of the teaching work, the dissemination of Baha’i
literature, the construction of the Haziras, the re-establishment of
schools and committees are all vitally urgent, and should be carried out
fully, systematically, and with the utmost speed. I long to hear of the
progress of your labours in this important field, upon which the future
welfare of the Burmese community depends, and with which the destinies of
the Indian believers are closely interwoven. I will pray from the depths
of my heart that your meritorious efforts may soon be crowned with
magnificent success.
December 18, 1945
Threefold Task
There is no objection to permitting the name of a Baha’i or his relative,
to be placed on a stone incorporated in some Baha’i building he has
donated to the Faith.
He is delighted with the progress your work is making in every field, and
he urges you all to continually stimulate and inspire the friends to make
ever greater effort and sacrifice in the service of their beloved Faith.
The opportunity is unique and the rewards of Baha’u’llah inestimably
glorious.
[From the Guardian:]
My heart swells with joy, pride, and gratitude as I contemplate the range
of the services rendered in recent years by the Indian believers to the
Cause of Baha’u’llah. I particularly rejoice at the splendid initiative,
the magnificent zeal, the unconquerable spirit that have characterised
their recent understanding associated with the new Plan which they have
audaciously conceived, and which, I feel confident, they will prosecute
with exemplary vigour and constancy. Simultaneous with the united efforts
that must be strenuously exerted to ensure its success, a systematic
endeavour must be made to proclaim the verities of our glorious Faith to
the masses, and to disseminate far and wide its literature. This threefold
task requires the concentrated and sustained attention of the rank and
file of the believers, the subordination of every consideration to its
paramount interests, the extension of generous financial assistance to the
agencies designed for its promotion. The believers in India have set an
inspiring example to their fellow-believers throughout the East, and even
to the great mass of their co-religionists in Baha’u’llah’s native land,
and have abundantly demonstrated to them all, what organized activity,
boldly conceived and soundly and energetically conducted, can achieve when
directed and animated by the ennobling influences and the generative
spirit of the Faith of Baha’u’llah. Their exploits are indeed unsurpassed
by those of any community throughout the Baha’i world except those which
stand associated with the community that may well claim to be the
standard-bearer of the Cause of God in the West. That these exploits may
be the forerunners of still mightier and nobler achievements is my fervent
hope and prayer.
March 20, 1946 Baha’is Can Accept Grants-in-aid From The Government
Your question about whether Baha’is can accept grants-in-aid and free
plots from Government....
There is no objection, the beloved Guardian says, to the Baha’is receiving
this type of help from the Government and civic authorities.
March 24, 1946
Baha’i Holy Days
He thinks it is better for Baha’i doctors not to work on our 9 Holy
Days—but, of course, that does not mean they should not attend to very
sick people and emergencies on these days.
Voting Rights
As he already told you in a previous communication he feels that your
Assembly should not deprive people of their voting rights unless the
matter is really very grave; this is a very heavy sanction, and can
embitter the heart if lightly imposed, and also make people think we
unduly resort to pressure of a strong nature. The friends must be nursed
and assisted, for they are still mostly immature spiritually, and their
“sins” are those of immaturity! Their hearts are loyal to the Cause, and
this is the most important thing.
Responsibilities Immense
[From the Guardian:]
The responsibilities confronting the Indian and Burmese Baha’i
Communities, in these days of stress and turmoil, are immense and
inescapable. The task facing them is urgent, complex and rich in
possibilities. The Plan which they are now striving to carry out demands
the utmost vigilance, care, vigour and perseverance. All must arise to
lend their assistance, and ensure its unqualified success in all its
aspects. An intensification of effort aimed at increasing the number of
pioneers who are labouring throughout the length and breadth of that land;
a more vigorous and systematic endeavour to ensure the speedy publication
of Baha’i literature in all the languages that have already been
determined upon and its immediate dissemination as an adjunct to the
all-important teaching work; the elimination of every trace of inharmony,
misunderstanding and ill-will so detrimental, at this juncture, to the
interests of the Plan; the initiation of measures designed to give greater
publicity to the aims and purposes of the Faith and its fundamental
teachings, through the Press and radio; the adoption and enforcement of
whatever measures are required to increase the number of Indian and Muslim
converts to the Faith, on whom its ultimate triumph and recognition must
depend; the steady consolidation and expansion of newly-established
institutions, such as the Summer School, the hostel and the local Haziras;
a more liberal and widespread contribution of funds to the National
Treasury for the support of these institutions, and for the promotion of
the general interests of the Faith—these stand out as the primary duties
and obligations of both the participants of the Plan and of those who
conduct its operation.
A special effort must simultaneously be exerted to provide whatever is
required to re-establish the long-suffering and dearly-loved Burmese
community on a secure foundation.
The despatch of competent teachers and visitors to that sorely-tried land;
the extension of the necessary relief to those who are still in need; the
reconstruction of the administrative headquarters and the re-establishment
of the Baha’i school; the construction of the memorial to the beloved and
unforgettable pioneer and martyr Siyyid Mustafa; the formation of
Assemblies and Groups in as many localities as possible—these constitute
the immediate tasks confronting your Assembly in addition to the
responsibilities you are called upon to discharge under the new Plan.
No sacrifice can be deemed too great for the achievement of this dual
purpose, no effort should be spared in order to carry out in its entirety
this twofold objective. May the Beloved grant you the strength you require
for the accomplishment of your historic task.
August 2, 1946
Answer to Various Matters
Concerning ... divorce: He has no right to demand from his wife a refund
of the marriage expenses he incurred. In the Aqdas it is quite clear that
the husband must not only give the dowry but must support his wife until
the time when the divorce is completed. In view of this she is not
required to repay expenses of the marriage, etc.
The paying of the Huquq is a spiritual obligation; the friends must not be
obliged by the Assemblies to pay it, but they should be encouraged to
fulfil this spiritual obligation laid upon them in the Aqdas.
He is very pleased to note the list of literature the publishing committee
is forwarding to him, and urges you to persevere in pressing the
translation and publishing of the New Era in the important languages
already chosen for the purpose, as he attaches the greatest importance to
this work.
He was also delighted to see that the Srinagar Assembly held its
elections. These new Assemblies must receive every aid and encouragement
from your Assembly and every effort must be made to carry the Faith to new
Centres, and to stimulate pioneering amongst the friends.
The Indian believers have a great opportunity to compete with both the
American and British Baha’is in pioneer services; they already have a
record to be proud of, and are first among the countries of the East in
the record they hold of achievements in this field. He hopes they will go
on from victory to victory, and vindicate the high hopes he cherishes for
their future.
If the National Assembly is sure that it was Siyyid Mustafa Roumie’s wish
to be buried next to his wife in Mandalay, then you should, by all means,
arrange for the interment of his remains there. A befitting memorial can
then be erected over the vault. The spirit of this great and valiant
teacher surely watches over the land of his adoption, and will aid the
Burmese believers in their efforts to rebuild their centres and promulgate
the Cause of God there.
As we see the confusion in the world spreading, and the hatreds that
divide men augmenting steadily, we, as the trustees of our Lord’s glorious
Faith, must rise to higher levels of self-sacrifice and devotion. He prays
that the Indian believers may achieve wonderful victories for Baha’u’llah
in the months that lie ahead, and prove themselves worthy of the great
destiny that beckons to them.
Unstinted Devotion Displayed
[From the Guardian:]
The perseverance, the tenacity, the unstinted devotion displayed
consistently by the Indian Baha’i Community, so clearly demonstrated by
the reports recently received by their national elected representatives,
are truly exhilarating and augur well for the future of the Plan. The
members of this Community, however, must not be content with the standard
already achieved, but must exert themselves ever more determinedly and
unitedly to fulfil the high hopes cherished for the success of their
collective enterprise. The Burmese Baha’i Community, which they are so
devotedly striving to rehabilitate, must, likewise participate without
reserve, in the glorious task that confronts them, and demonstrate,
thereby, its virility and resilience in the face of the trials and
obstacles which it has had to struggle against in the past. The
establishment of new centres in Burma, the consolidation of the reinstated
Assemblies, are both equally vital and urgent. The verities of the Faith
must be proclaimed, its literature must be disseminated and its
institutions reinforced and multiplied throughout that land. Both
communities must collaborate and through sustained, vigorous and
systematic effort and mutual assistance lend an unprecedented impetus to
the onward march of the Faith in India and Burma. The greater the effort
and self-sacrifice, the richer the benefits that will accrue, and the more
potent the blessings that will be vouchsafed from on high. The goals are
clearly defined. The prizes to be won are within reach and inexpressibly
glorious. Time is running out and the opportunity is priceless. The
promise of Divine unfailing assistance is assured. All are challenged to
arise, to toil and to persevere, until their solemn pledge under the Plan
is completely and totally fulfilled. That they may prove themselves worthy
of their high mission is my fervent hope and constant prayer.
October 12, 1946
More Pioneers to Go Forth
He has been very encouraged to see the way the Indian, and now the Burmese
friends have responded to his repeated call for greater sacrifice and for
more pioneers to go forth into the teaching field. Your country is so vast
that less valiant hearts than those possessed by the indomitable Baha’is
might well have quailed before the tasks to be undertaken. But, on the
contrary, the Indian and Burmese friends have arisen and demonstrated the
calibre of their faith and courage in a manner which excites the
admiration of their fellow Baha’is East and West.
Now is not the time to rest on their oars, but rather to re-double their
efforts and go on from victory to victory, and to add new fame to their
exploits, conscious that the eyes of their fellow-believers are focussed
upon them to see what they will achieve next.
He was particularly happy to see how active the beloved Burmese friends
are, and that through the efforts of some members of their Community and
Indian friends they have now established a new centre in Kyigone, where a
Spiritual Assembly can exist. This is a great step forward, and he hopes
many new Baha’i Assemblies will be developed in Burma during the coming
Baha’i year.
He was also very pleased to hear of the book exhibit held in Kolhapur, and
of the interest shown in our Baha’i literature by persons of standing in
the Community. Such exhibitions offer a great opportunity to show the
public what the Cause is doing and what it stands for, and every advantage
of them should be taken.
Although your Assembly has succeeded in getting out a number of new
language publications, you should not relax for a moment in your efforts
to translate and publish the New Era in the remaining languages chosen, as
this work is of the utmost importance, enables you to teach new language
groups the Faith, and adds to the prestige of the Cause not only in India
but abroad. Although you have many obstacles to overcome the results in
the future will be great.
He cannot impress too strongly upon the friends the need for action: they
must arise in still greater numbers to pioneer; those who cannot go
themselves should remember the admonition of Baha’u’llah and send, through
the N.S.A., someone in their stead; the young people should learn to teach
and go forth in the field in the days of their youth and receive this
great blessing; more qualified teachers should arise, and circulate among
the new and weak Assemblies in order to consolidate them.
[From the Guardian:]
The rich and varied material which you have been forwarding during recent
months to the Holy Land proclaim and demonstrate, beyond the shadow of a
doubt the assiduous care, the magnificent devotion, the exemplary
fidelity, the increased efficiency with which you are conducting the
affairs, and consolidating the activities of a steadily growing community.
My heart swells with gratitude as I witness, in so many fields, the
striking evidences of the growth, the multiplication and establishment of
highly diversified communities throughout the length and breadth of India
and Burma, the expansion of Baha’i literature, the rise of new
institutions, the growing consciousness and solidarity of the teachers and
administrators of the Faith, and of the contact that is being established
between them and the great masses of their countrymen, at so critical a
period in their history. However much these communities have already
achieved, they cannot afford, for a moment, to rest content with the
laurels that they have won. Spurred on by these initial and superb
victories—victories unprecedented in the annals of their Faith in that
land—they must press on, more diligently than ever, to reinforce their
unity, to deepen their understanding of the spiritual verities of their
Faith and of the administrative principles underlying its new world order,
to multiply its nascent institutions, to broadcast its Message, to
disseminate its literature, to exemplify its spirit, to proclaim its
truths, and to swell the ranks of its unreserved supporters. The greater
the effort they exert along these lines, the more abundant the measure of
celestial grace that will be vouchsafed to them from on high. That they
may go from strength to strength, that they may add still more glorious
chapters to the distinguished record of their immortal services to the
Cause of Baha’u’llah is my constant prayer and the most cherished desire
of my heart.
March 13, 1947
Esslemont Book in Karen Language
He advises you to make every effort to have the Esslemont book translated
into Karen at present, and to persevere in your attempts to find someone
to translate it into Chin in the future. He urges you to make a supreme
effort to complete these translations and publication of the Esslemont
book in the remaining chosen languages.
Rules & Regulations Should Not Be Multiplied
You may not perhaps know that in connection with all National Assemblies
the Guardian is advising that rules and regulations should not be
multiplied and new statements on “procedure” issued; we should be elastic
in details and rigid in principles; consequently he does not want your
Assembly to issue statements of a binding nature unless absolutely
necessary.... It is only those who have been spiritually ex-communicated
by the Guardian with whom the believers are forbidden to associate, and
not a person who is being punished by being deprived of his voting rights.
As contributions to Baha’i funds are used to support the administration of
the Faith, they should not be accepted from those who are deprived of
their voting rights; but such believers, should not be prevented from
being buried in a Baha’i Cemetery or receiving charity—which we even give
to non-Baha’is—if in dire need.
Added Responsibility
As the N.S.A. of Persia is, it would seem, unable to send pioneers to
Bahrayn or Afghanistan, he fully approves of your Assembly doing so, if
some of the dear Indian believers are willing to assume this added
responsibility and perform this valuable service, highly meritorious in
the sight of God.
The recent news conveyed to him by you of the achievement of the immediate
goals that lay before the Indian and Burmese Baha’is, pleased him greatly.
He feels that the Community of believers there, as they see their own Plan
developing and their own labours bearing fruit, their fame spreading
amongst their sister-communities and their star rising in the heaven of
the Baha’i world, are now acquiring a new zest for teaching, and are ever
more ready to sacrifice themselves in order to win complete victory for
their Plan! This pleases him greatly and encourages him to believe the
future of the dear Indian and Burmese believers is very bright.
He was also delighted and relieved to hear that unity was achieved at
Convention amongst the friends, and that all of them have resolved to put
away childish differences, unworthy of them as servants and custodians of
our glorious Faith in that great country, and unitedly strive for the good
of the Cause and the successful completion of their sacred tasks.
He wishes once more to impress upon your Assembly the great importance of
immediately finding and purchasing, and moving into, a befitting Hazira in
Delhi. This will bring upon the entire community great confirmations.
Threshold of a New Epoch
[From the Guardian:]
The perusal of your Annual Report and the messages conveyed by the elected
representatives of the Indian and Burmese Baha’i communities, assembled at
Convention, have served to deepen my sense of admiration for the work
collectively achieved by the members of these communities, and of my
gratitude for the magnificent qualities they display, and for the spirit
which so powerfully animates them in their stewardship to the Faith of
Baha’u’llah.
They now stand on the threshold of a new epoch in the history of the
evolution of the Administrative Order in their land. The transfer of the
central institution of that Order to the capital of India; the wide
measure of centralization which this historic step must needs involve; the
purchase of a befitting seat for the ever expanding activities and
multiplying agencies of that institution in that same capital, the
progressive transfer of the national committees to the national
Haziratu’l-Quds—all these must synchronize with a remarkable, and indeed
unprecedented, intensification of effort in the pioneer field of Baha’i
activity, as well as in the sphere of public teaching, designed to arouse
the masses and proclaim the verities of the Faith throughout the length
and breadth of that subcontinent and its adjoining territory of Burma.
In this twofold activity, supporting directly and indirectly the interests
of the Plan, committed to your charge, the Hindu, the Moslem, the Burmese
and Zoroastrian believers must jointly, unitedly, and effectively
participate. The minority elements in these ever-expanding communities
must be continually stimulated, encouraged, trained and in some cases, as
when an equal number of ballots have been cast in an election, given
priority, in order to reinforce the representative character of Baha’i
institutions, demonstrate the distinction of these institutions from all
other man-made agencies, and win, to an ever-increasing degree, the
sympathy and support of the teeming masses of Hindu and Moslem extraction,
on whose adherence to the Faith, the ultimate progress, establishment, and
triumph of the Cause of Baha’u’llah must chiefly depend.
Courage, good-will, resolution, self-abnegation, are imperatively
required, at this momentous stage in the evolution of these nascent
communities, who, having reared, with assiduous care, the machinery of
their Administrative Order, and launched the Plan which the institutions
of that Order are now so efficiently promoting, have arisen to initiate a
crusade which, as it gathers momentum, must embrace all the diversified
races, classes and creeds of that vast country, and its adjoining
territories. May the impelling power of the Faith which they champion
enable them to surmount every obstacle, and reach their destined goal.
May 8, 1947
Set the Highest Example of Tolerance
During the great period of transition that vast land has been, and still
is, going through his thoughts have been very frequently with you all, and
his anxiety for the safety of the beloved friends there is very keen.
He fully appreciates the fact that the Baha’is, in spite of their total
lack of religious or other prejudice, and their strict political
neutrality, are nevertheless placed in danger sometimes by the passions
and unrest of their countrymen. His ardent prayers are offered for their
protection, and he urges them to, at all times, set the highest example of
tolerance, freedom from any form of partisanship in the present troubles
and disputes going on, and sympathy with the deep sufferings of all
classes and creeds.
Greater Dedication to Service
The work of your Assembly is even more onerous and delicate than before.
Now that India, Burma and Pakistan no longer form one unit, in the sense
of being under one regime, you will, no doubt, have many new problems to
meet. But he feels assured that the experience the Community of believers
has gained during recent years, the increased awareness of the glory of
this Cause, and the greater dedication to its service which unites the
hearts of all the Baha’is out there, will now manifest themselves in the
Community’s wholehearted cooperation with the N.S.A., and in a renewed
determination to achieve its Plan.
The believers must realize that they, in fulfilling the immediate goals of
this Plan, are hastening the day when India, Pakistan and Burma can
respectively have each its own National Spiritual Assembly, which, in due
time, will become one of the pillars of the International House of
Justice. Although three N.S.A.’s and not one must be envisaged in the
future, how appropriate it is that, at present, when political division
has taken place and animosities are fanned into flame, the believers in
the Cause of God are united under one Spiritual Assembly, guiding and
aiding all believers with love and understanding!
Please particularly assure the Serampur Baha’is of his loving prayers, and
that he is proud of their devotion to the Faith.
He also wishes to assure you of his prayers for the progress of all the
work your Assembly is doing, and especially for the solution of the
problems involved in the National Headquarters’ purchase. He attributes
great importance to this undertaking, and is delighted to see the
determined and self-sacrificing manner in which the believers are
supporting it.
Opportunity Which May Never Occur Again
[From the Guardian:]
The strife and bloodshed, with their attendant misery, sorrow and
confusion, that have afflicted the entire subcontinent of India, in recent
months, have caused me the gravest concern. The disorders, following in
the wake of this great crisis in the life of its people, constitute a
challenge, which the Community of the steadfast followers of Baha’u’llah
in that land must resolutely face, and demonstrate in meeting it the
quality of their faith, the depth of their devotion, the strength of their
unity, the solidity of their institutions and the heroic character of
their resolve. They must neither feel alarmed, nor falter or hesitate in
the execution of their Plan. Shielded by the institutions which their
hands have reared, abiding securely in the stronghold of their love for
Baha’u’llah and their devotion to His Faith, pursuing with unrelaxing
vigilance and singleness of purpose the course set by the Plan they
themselves have inaugurated, heartened by the initial success already
achieved since that Plan was set in motion, they, however much buffeted by
present circumstances, and no matter how perilous the path they now tread,
must press forward, unafraid of persecution, scorn of calumny, towards the
shining goals they have set themselves to attain.
The newly-fledged Assemblies, constituted with so much labour and
sacrifice, must above all be thoroughly safe-guarded. The administrative
nuclei formed throughout the length and breadth of that land, must,
however great the effort demanded, be preserved and continually fostered,
and enabled to develop into groups destined in time to evolve into firmly
knit Assemblies. The obstacles that have arisen in connection with the
purchase and registration of the Haziratu’l-Quds in Delhi must be
resolutely overcome and all the subsidiary issues connected with it
definitely and speedily settled, enabling thereby the attention of your
Assembly to be focussed on the vital requirements of the teaching work on
which the prosperity of the community and its rapid growth must ultimately
depend. Attention, moreover, should be directed to the completion of the
task undertaken in connexion with the translation and publication of the
New Era in the few remaining languages selected for that purpose. The
dissemination of Baha’i literature should, likewise, be simultaneously
carried out with increasing vigour. Whatever measures are required to
ensure a more systematic and extensive propagation of the teaching of the
Faith among the masses must be promptly and unhesitatingly adopted.
The hour is indeed propitious. The ordeals and tribulations which the
hungry, the dispossessed, the sick, as well as the disillusioned and
restless multitudes, are now experiencing, offer the bearers of the
Message of the Most Great Name, an opportunity which may never again
recur. There is no time to lose. Every warrior in the ever-advancing army
of Baha’u’llah must arise and participate in this holy crusade. The
rewards and prizes to be won are inestimable. However circumscribed its
resources, however small its numbers, however formidable the obstacles
with which it is confronted, the entire community of the believers in
India, Burma and Pakistan, must arise as one man, and, pledging anew its
fidelity to its Faith prove itself fully worthy of the Cause it has
espoused and the high mission it has undertaken.
October 24, 1947
Excommunication is a Spiritual Matter
Excommunication is a spiritual thing and up until now the Guardian has
always been the one who exerted this power, and he feels for the present
he must continue to be. Only actual enemies of the Cause are
ex-communicated. On the other hand, those who conspicuously disgrace the
Faith or refuse to abide by its laws can be deprived, as a punishment, of
their voting rights; this in itself is a severe action, and he therefore
always urges all National Assemblies (who can take such action) to first
warn and repeatedly warn the evil-doer before taking the step of depriving
him of his voting rights. He feels your Assembly must act with the
greatest wisdom in such matters, and only impose this sanction if a
believer is seriously injuring the Faith in the eyes of the public through
his conduct or flagrantly breaching the laws of God. If such a sanction
were lightly used the friends would come to attach no importance to it, or
to feel the N.S.A. used it every time they got angry with some
individual’s disobedience to them. We must always remember that, sad and
often childish, as it seems, some of those who make the worst nuisances of
themselves to their National Bodies are often very loyal believers, who
think they are protecting the true interests of their Faith by attacking
N.S.A. decisions!
Unite to Serve Him
The Guardian feels very strongly that everywhere, throughout the entire
Baha’i world, the believers have got to master and follow the principles
of their divinely laid down Administrative Order. They will never solve
their problems by departing from the correct procedure... The Baha’is have
got to learn to live up to the laws of Baha’u’llah which are infinitely
higher, more exacting and more perfect than those the world is at present
familiar with. Running away, fighting with each other, fostering
dissension, is not going to advance the Indian or any other Community; all
it is going to do is to bring Baha’u’llah’s plans and work to a standstill
until such time as the believers unite to serve Him, or new and more
dedicated souls arise to take their place.
Seeking to Purify the World
He also feels very strongly, as he has pointed out in the enclosed letter
to the Calcutta Assembly, that the Baha’is must be mature and realize
that, whether they are conscious of it or not, the intense feelings of
hatred, suspicion and jealousy which are flaming up everywhere in India
and Pakistan, are tinging the attitudes of the believers themselves. At
such a time, seeing this colossal example before them of the very essence
of everything we are seeking to purify the world from, the Hindu, Moslem
and Zoroastrian Baha’is should determine to show a love for each other and
an inner spiritual solidarity so great as to forcibly attract the
attention of their countrymen and impress them with the fact that
Baha’u’llah’s Message is, indeed, the only remedy for the ills afflicting
the great multitudes of the Far East. It would seem, however, from your
reports and those of individuals who write him, that the Baha’is are doing
the very opposite and enabling outsiders to point the finger at them and
say “the very rivalry we are experiencing between various communities, the
Baha’is are also experiencing!” How terrible, how tragic, if Baha’is
should let such a situation develop, such a betrayal of not only the trust
God has placed in their hands but also a betrayal of the glorious
victories they themselves won during the past decade!
The Guardian assures you all, and through you, the believers of India,
Pakistan and Burma, that he will supplicate in the Holy Shrines that the
labours you have all achieved together may be preserved from blemish, and
that you may go on together to fulfil your plan and raise still higher the
name of your fame.
Stormy Yet Glorious Path of Service
[From the Guardian:]
The work now engaging the attention of the members of the Baha’i
Communities in India, Pakistan and Burma, as it develops and is further
consolidated, acquires momentous importance, and should be pursued with
added zeal, ever deepening consecration, firmer unity, closer
collaboration, greater vigilance and nobler self-sacrifice. The sufferings
and trials they have recently experienced, the disappointments and
anxieties they have borne, the obstacles and setbacks they have
encountered in their path, should, far from causing them to flinch in
their determination or to relax in their efforts, act as a stimulant and
challenge, to scale loftier heights, and win mightier victories in their
strenuous labours for the propagation of their beloved Faith.
Though they are pressed by the multitudinous demands of an ever-growing
task, though overburdened by the manifold responsibilities of an
ever-expanding administration, I have, in my desire to enable them to
enrich the splendid record of their stewardship to the Faith in recent
years, and enhance the prestige of all three communities, urged them to
push still further the outposts of the Faith, both southward and eastward
of the present field of their joint labours. In the island of Ceylon, the
Republic of Indonesia and the sovereign State of Siam, which due to their
proximity must, sooner or later be opened up to the Faith by these
Communities, an effort, however tentative, must be made to establish a
nucleus, through the settlement of one or two pioneers which will, as
Plans are initiated in the years to come, develop into full-fledged
communities capable of illuminating the eastern and southern fringes of
the continent of Asia.
Through the successful conclusion of this added task to be shouldered by
these communities, the believers in these three communities will have
contributed, to a marked degree, to the raising to one hundred of the
number of countries included within the pale of the ever-advancing Faith
of Baha’u’llah. They will be emulating the example of their American,
Canadian and Persian brethren, who, through their respective plans, are
hastening this glorious consummation by initiating Baha’i activities in
Latin America, in Greenland and New Foundland and the territories of the
Arabian Peninsula.
Their solid achievements in recent years, the marvellous multiplication of
Baha’i Centres, the establishment of befitting national headquarters, the
remarkable impetus lent to the translation, publication and dissemination
of Baha’i Literature, embolden me to appeal to them, to undertake fresh
enterprises, ere the termination of the present Plan, and on however small
a scale, beyond the confines of India and Burma.
The greater the range of their collective enterprises, the mightier the
effusion of the Abha grace from on high, a grace that will sustain,
protect, guide and cheer them as they
tread the stormy yet glorious path of service for the furtherance of their
beloved Cause.
Let them, at this momentous stage of their historic labours, eliminate,
once and for all, every trace of inharmony from their midst, purge their
hearts from every lingering suspicion, prejudice and animosity, acquire a
clearer vision of the greatness of their Faith and the significance of
their mission, give heed to the urgent and tragic needs of the vast
multitudes of their disillusioned and sore-tried countrymen, now hungering
for the Bread of Life, and arise, as one man, to discharge their sacred
and inescapable responsibilities. The hour is propitious, the situation
critical, the Cause infinitely precious, the prize within reach and
inexpressibly glorious.
May 8, 1948
Old and Tried Community
The news that from Calcutta two souls have volunteered to go forth as
pioneers to Siam and Indonesia greatly pleased him. Likewise, he was
rejoiced to hear a pioneer for Ceylon has been found.
The Burmese, Indian and Pakistan Baha’is, forming as they do a relatively
old and tried Community of believers, have heavy responsibilities to
discharge. They cannot be looked upon as children or youngsters in this
great Cause, but rather must be considered more in the light of elders,
and consequently their Baha’i brothers and sisters expect great things of
them, and look to them for signs of leadership in that part of the world!
Therefore, the fulfilment of their Plan, and the sending forth of their
pioneers to neighbouring Asiatic countries, is of crucial importance in
maintaining their leadership in this field and their prestige in the
Baha’i world.
He was very glad to see your Assembly has not relaxed its efforts in the
matter of translating and publishing the Esslemont book. As you know, he
considers this a vital service being rendered by your Community to not
only the peoples of that part of the world, but to the Faith as a
world-wide movement. He has begun to receive lately some of your
publications, and trusts, now the mails are again running, to receive
safely all the material you are sending.
Arcade of the Shrine of the Bab
The Foundation of the arcade of the Shrine has now been laid and all the
heavy threshold stones placed in position. More than half of the stone
work ordered in Italy for this first unit of the beautiful shell, which
will enclose and protect for all-time the sacred building built by the
beloved Master Himself, has now been received on the Shrine property, and
plans are being made for the next stage of construction to go ahead.
This glorious work, so cheering to all our hearts, is, however, greatly
increasing the burden our beloved Guardian bears, and he hopes the friends
will understand this when they find letters to him can no longer be
answered promptly. At such a time, when this country has passed through so
much danger and difficulty, it is little short of miraculous the way this
work on the Shrine has been facilitated and protected and gone ahead
steadily! It is greatly enhancing the prestige of the Faith here, and the
authorities have been cooperative and helpful.
Grave Challenge
[From the Guardian:]
The communications addressed to me several months ago by your Assembly
have, after considerable delay in transmission, reached the Holy Land,
and, together with the reports and minutes accompanying them, were read
with deep and sustained interest.
The tremendous task facing the Baha’i Communities in India, Pakistan and
Burma, constitutes a grave challenge to the followers of the Faith of
Baha’u’llah in these countries and must be faced and met with courage,
determination and a spirit of complete dedication to His Cause. The
disturbances that have so gravely shaken the peoples of these countries,
on the morrow of a world-convulsing international conflict; the
unfortunate and sudden cessation of communications between these countries
and the World Centre of the Faith in the Holy Land during the past year;
the fears and anxieties engendered by a steadily deteriorating
international situation which cannot but dismay the stoutest hearts, have
no doubt contributed, in varying degrees, and in no small measure, to a
slowing down of the progress of the collective enterprise, so nobly, so
enthusiastically and so energetically initiated by the upholders of the
Faith throughout the sub-continent of India and Burma.
The reverses they have suffered, with their attendant disappointments,
confusion and relaxation of effort, must never be allowed, however short
the period remaining before the termination of their Plan, to jeopardize
the chance of a success which is still in their power to achieve. They
must close their ranks, gird up their loins, rededicate their souls and
spirits to the unfinished tasks which face them, purge themselves of every
taint of communal prejudice, detach themselves from every thought of
self-interest, and arise, while there is yet time, to attain the goals
they have pledged themselves to attain.
The final phase of the Plan with which they stand identified, and on which
their immediate destiny depends, coincides with the hundredth anniversary
of the most bloody, tragic and turbulent period in the history of their
Faith—a period immortalised by the noblest evidences of Baha’i
self-sacrifice, marked by acts of sublime heroism, and ennobled by a
spirit of dedication and determination unsurpassed at any subsequent stage
in Baha’i history. Now, if ever, is the time to emulate the example of
these heroes, saints and martyrs. Now is the time to pour out one’s
substance as copiously and as readily, as the Dawn-breakers of the Heroic
Age of the Faith have shed their life-blood in the path of this most
precious Cause. No more befitting tribute can be paid to the memory of
these luminous souls, by those who carry the torch of Divine Guidance
after them, than by a corresponding
manifestation of solidarity, self-abnegation, zeal and devotion, which
will impel them to forsake their homes, sacrifice their treasure, brave
every danger, endure every hardship, expend every ounce of energy, that
the Plan which they have spontaneously and unitedly sponsored may, through
its triumphant termination, carry them a stage further along the broad
highway of their destiny.
The multiplication of Baha’i Assemblies, at any cost and with the utmost
speed; the reconstitution of dissolved Assemblies, however great the
effort required; the completion of the translation into, and the printing
of the New Era, in the few remaining languages, within the shortest
possible time, the despatch of no more than one pioneer, to the
neighbouring Island of Ceylon, to Siam and to Indonesia, ere the
termination of the closing year of the Plan—these stand out as the
immediate requirements of the present challenging hour—requirements that
the prosecutors of the Plan must meet. The eyes of their fellow-workers in
East and West, are fixed upon them. The Concourse on high watches their
actions, and stands ready to bless and reinforce their labours. The Centre
of the Covenant Himself is eagerly waiting to witness the evidences of
their victory, and will no doubt intercede, on their behalf, before the
throne of Baha’u’llah, if they but arise resolutely and spur their
chargers into the arena of service.
The sands are indeed running out. The task that remains to be accomplished
is indeed colossal. The distractions, temptations, and pitfalls that might
interfere with its consummation are many and varied. The resources however
spiritual and material still at the disposal of the members of these
communities, are still adequate, if they but resolve to utilize them, to
the needs of the present hour. The blessings from on high, ready to be
showered upon them, are more than adequate to ensure their complete and
total victory. So much hangs on the fortunes of the present Plan! So much
must necessarily depend on the manner and the spirit in which they
discharge their terrific responsibilities, during the few fleeting months
still allotted them ere the expiry of the Plan!
I entreat them, with all the fervour of my soul, not to allow this golden
opportunity to slip from their grasp. They have, in the past, proved
themselves capable, in times of crisis, of overleaping the most formidable
barriers, and of wresting victory from the jaws of impending defeat.
Theirs is the opportunity, now if ever, to demonstrate a similar
resolution, a no less spectacular outburst of enthusiasm, an even nobler
heroism and self-sacrifice than they have ever shown in the past.
Then, and only then, will the next stage in the evolution of their common
destiny be unveiled to their eyes. Then, and only then, will the call
summoning them to press forward to yet another landmark in their history
be sounded. Then, and only then, will a still fuller measure of heavenly
prizes be laid up for them in reward for their inestimable and arduous
services in the treasuries of the Abha Kingdom by Him who alone knows how
to re-ignite His faithful servants.
April 9, 1949
Superstructure of the Shrine of the Bab
He would like you to please thank on his behalf those friends who have
forwarded Huquq to him and contributions for the building of the
Super-structure of the Bab’s Shrine.
This building is now beginning to take shape and promises to be very
beautiful, befitting and dignified. It is the realization of the fond hope
of the beloved Master, who stated to Badi Bushrui one day, as He looked up
at the building He Himself had already completed: “The Shrine is as yet
unbuilt.... God willing, it will be built. We have brought it up to this
stage.”
The friends should be told this, as many of them do not realize it was the
Master’s own plan to go much further, and erect a dome over the Resting
Place of the Bab.
Keep in Close Touch With Pioneers
The Guardian desires your Assembly to keep in close touch with your
pioneers abroad and give them strong moral, as well as financial support.
It will please you to know two Dutch Baha’is are going out to Indonesia,
and he has asked them to communicate with your Assembly and cooperate with
you in spreading the Faith there and in having at least a pamphlet, to
begin with, translated into the most needed native language.
His heart has been very anxious over the fate of the believers in Burma,
and it relieved him greatly to hear that you received news they were safe.
Please assure them his loving prayers are with them and offered for their
protection.
End of Six-Year Plan Approaches
[From the Guardian:]
As the end of the Plan to which your community stands committed inexorably
approaches, my anxious thoughts increasingly turn towards you and your
fellow workers, on whose shoulders a staggering responsibility—grave as
well as inescapable—is weighing so heavily in these days. I am fully aware
of the character of the manifold and unexpected trials this community has
been called upon to face in India, Pakistan and Burma since its inception.
The ordeal of internal disorder and of civil strife; the dislocation of
the machinery of internal administration, the inevitable consequence of
the vast political changes that have been effected in these countries; the
reverses suffered by this same community through the temporary seizure of
its newly acquired administrative headquarters and the loss of some of its
precious assets in both India and Burma; the hardships endured by the
pioneers of this community as well as its administrators as a consequence
of severely imposed restrictions, outbursts of fanaticism and civil
riots—have been such as to dismay the stoutest heart and tax to the
uttermost the determination of the most resolute.
And yet, in spite of these successive afflictions the members of this
community have forged ahead, valiantly, unitedly and determinedly, and
have even extended the original range of their Plan by embarking on fresh
and historical enterprises beyond the confines of these territories,
through the despatch of pioneers to the neighbouring Dominion of Ceylon
and the adjacent Kingdom of Siam and the Republic of Indonesia. Whatever
the fate of the Plan which they are now seeking to bring to its
consummation, this striking evidence of the indomitable spirit of faith
that animates the rank and file of this community, and which has prompted
it to seek fresh laurels in virgin territories beyond the frontiers of its
homeland, will, without the slightest doubt, redound eternally to its
credit, and be abundantly rewarded by a vigilant and all-Bountiful Master.
To enhance the value of so rich a prize won, in so short a period, by a
community so burdened by cares and anxieties, in territories for the most
part overshadowed by discord and internal revolution, through the
triumphant conclusion of the major task entrusted to its hands, and the
successful conclusion of the second collective enterprise embarked upon by
its indefatigable and resolute members, on the morrow of a
world-encircling conflict, must now be the paramount and all-absorbing
purpose of all who are privileged to participate in this mighty endeavour.
Time is short. Every week is precious. The resources of the community,
financial, moral and spiritual are, I firmly believe, adequate to meet the
needs of this critical hour. So golden an opportunity, if missed, will not
recur for who knows how extensive a period. The launching of subsequent
enterprises destined to culminate in the triumph and ascendancy of a
struggling Faith in the subcontinent of India, as well as in the
establishment of its institutions in South-East Asia, will be inevitably
and indefinitely postponed.
Undaunted by the setbacks it has experienced; heartened by the settlement
and the initial victory won by its pioneers in the newly opened virgin
territories in the North, the South and the East; fully conscious of its
ability
to perform adequately its task and discharge befittingly its
responsibility; relying on the unfailing grace of an all-Powerful, ever
solicitous, continually watching Providence; deriving fresh inspiration
and confidence from the amazing feat achieved, by the small band of its
brethren, in the West, and in a continent more devastated by the ravages
of war than any other continent of the globe; let this community, while
time still remains, gird up its loins, sink its differences, rededicate
itself to its urgent task, sweep away every barrier that confronts it, and
rise, with an upsurge of unprecedented enthusiasm and determination, to
those heights to which its spiritual destiny is now beckoning it.
With a heart, aglow with gratitude for what this community has in the
initial stage of its administrative development accomplished, filled with
confidence in the potentialities with which our beloved Master has endowed
it in the years of His earthly ministry, and overflowing with love for
those who, through their incessant labours and heroic self-sacrifice, have
achieved unforgettable victories in recent years, I will continue to
supplicate for all its members, at home and abroad, in their
administrative spheres of activity as well as in the teaching field such
blessings as will enable them to crown their concerted efforts with a
success that will resound throughout the Baha’i world.
November 6, 1949
Arcade of the Shrine
The past winter and spring have been very arduous months for our beloved
Guardian and very anxious ones. As you know, he has been pressing the work
on the arcade of the Shrine of the Bab in order to have it completed by
the Centenary of His martyrdom. As the arcade which fits about and
protects the Holy Tomb, built by our beloved Master, is considerably
larger than the original edifice, it has been necessary to excavate the
mountain immediately behind the Shrine, and this very difficult work was
carried out under the close and constant supervision of the Guardian
himself in order to ensure it was accomplished safely, quickly and
economically. This absorbed, for many months, his precious time and
energies. When this was accomplished he looked forward to turning his
attention to the various National Assembly letters piled up, but,
unfortunately, Mr. Maxwell, the architect of the Shrine, became
dangerously ill at the beginning of April, and is still in hospital. His
condition was so grave that for weeks our Guardian and household were
prevented from concentrating on the many tasks waiting to be attended to
owing to the constant anxiety, the coming and going of doctors, etc. He
feels you should be informed of these facts as an explanation of the long
delay in hearing from him. Mr. Maxwell, thanks to the mercy of God and the
determination of the Guardian, is now recovering, and we hope will live to
continue his work on the Shrine.
The contributions sent by the Indian believers for the Holy Shrine were
very much appreciated. Ever since the Burmese friends contributed the
Sarcophagus for the Holy Remains, the friends in that part of the world
have been linked with this sacred enterprise. Their joy will be great
when, once the pilgrimage can be resumed, their eyes fall upon the beauty
of this Shrine.
Baha’is May Join Non-Partisan Organisations
There is no objection to the Baha’is associating with such organisations
as the World Government Organisation. The instructions he gave to the
British Baha’is may be followed. However, great care should be taken to
make sure these organisations are absolutely non-partisan in their
political views and lean neither to East or West.
A Baha’i Cannot be a Theosophist
A Baha’i cannot at the same time be a theosophist; many theosophists have
become believers and very enlightened ones, but as we do not believe in
reincarnation we obviously cannot be active as theosophists and Baha’is at
the same time.
Killing of a Believer in Kamarhatti
The tragic killing of a believer in Kamarhatti grieved the Guardian very
much. If you are in touch with any of the relatives please convey his
sympathy to them, and assure them of his prayers. Terrible as persecution
is, we must always remember that it waters the tree of Religion, and that
from such deeds as this the believers—far from being cowed and
silenced—must derive inspiration and courage.
Convention Delegates
The Guardian feels that, if a delegate is elected to represent an Assembly
(or community having Assembly status) during the administrative year in
which the Assembly existed he is properly qualified, even if at Ridvan
that community falls back to group status. A community, however, which
reverts to group status at Ridvan cannot have a delegate to the following
year’s Convention.
No Effort is Too Great
[From the Guardian:]
The severe restrictions to which the dearly-loved, highly devoted, long
struggling Baha’i community of India, Pakistan and Burma have been
subjected, the repeated setbacks they have suffered, the grave
disturbances in the wake of which their manifold and meritorious
activities have been caught, evoke my heartfelt sympathy and arouse my
deep concern. The spirit which, despite adversities, delays and
dislocations, they have consistently manifested in recent years is,
however, worthy of the highest praise, and will, no doubt, triumph over
every obstacle, and will enable them to weather every storm and win
ultimate victory.
Though the course of the Plan they spontaneously undertook has, of
necessity, been affected by these constant vicissitudes and unexpected
developments, their achievements, beyond the confines of their homelands,
as well as in the publishing field, have ennobled the record of their
service to the Cause of Baha’u’llah, and constitute a memorable chapter in
the history of the Faith in the sub-continent of India.
The translation and publication of the “New Era” in more than twenty
languages in recent years, the planting of the banner of the Faith in the
Island of Ceylon, the Republic of Indonesia and the Kingdom of Siam—though
not originally an integral part of their Plan—has signalized the opening
of a new epoch in the evolution of the Faith in South Eastern Asia, and
has marked the formal association of the Indian the Pakistani and Burmese
believers with their brethren in Europe, America, Egypt and Persia, in
carrying the torch of the Faith beyond the confines of their respective
continents and countries, and in executing the last wishes of the Centre
of the Covenant so movingly expressed in His Will & Testament.
Whatever these communities, so valiantly labouring in that disturbed and
strife-ridden corner of the Asiatic continent, undertake to perform within
the confines of their homelands in the years ahead, this double process of
extending the range of the literature of the Faith and of propagating its
Message within the virgin territories, lying to the North and South-East
of their native lands, must continue with undiminished momentum, and must
receive the undivided attention of the elected representatives of these
communities.
Consolidation at home, and the provision of the necessary measures to
ensure the speedy and effective extension of the influence of the Faith
abroad, constitute the dual, the immediate and inescapable
responsibilities of all the members of these communities, who are
labouring, at so critical a period, with such steadfast zeal and devotion,
amidst the masses of their fearful and harassed countrymen, for so lofty
an ideal and so precious a Faith.
Firmly united in their purpose, banishing, once and for all, every trace
of estrangement and prejudice from their midst, assured of the
all-compelling, ever-sustaining power of Baha’u’llah, deriving fresh
inspiration from the triumphs collectively achieved by their brethren in
all continents of the globe, undeflected in their resolve by any setback,
opposition or injustice, let them, with so notable a record of service
behind them, march resistlessly forward, entering still wider fields,
scaling nobler heights, plumbing still greater depths of heroism and
self-sacrifice.
As the Centenary of the birth of Baha’u’llah’s prophetic mission
approaches, these sorely tried, much loved, indefatigable communities,
must brace themselves, however challenging future circumstances may prove
to be, however arduous the tasks they are called upon to discharge, to
contribute, in whatever, way possible in whatever field they may find it
practicable, a memorable share to the collective tribute which the
followers of the Most Great Name are now arising to pay, through action in
the field of service, to the Founder of their Faith on the occasion of the
hundredth anniversary of the inception of His Revelation.
The hour is indeed both precious and propitious. The opportunity is
glorious and will not recur in the lifetime of this generation. No effort
is too great to ensure the success of so historic a commemoration. Time is
short for an adequate preparation for the celebration, through collective
and sound achievement, of so great a jubilee. All must arise and
contribute a share worthy of the name they bear and of the privilege
bestowed upon them.
That all three communities may rise to this occasion, may rededicate
themselves with renewed resolve and fresh vigour, is my ardent and
constant prayer.
June 28, 1950
Photos of the Arcade of the Shrine
Under separate cover two enlargements of the arcade of the Shrine of the
Bab have been mailed you. The Guardian wishes this gift from him to be
shown to the believers as widely as possible, and then be hung in the
National Headquarters.
He has sent the American N.S.A. two negatives of the Shrine, and the
Baha’is can order from the States copies if they desire to purchase some.
He feels it will make the friends happy to see the beauty of this blessed
building so dear to all our hearts.
November 2, 1950
Inter-Assembly Conferences
He was very pleased to see that the policy of holding inter-assembly
conferences has been adopted and is meeting with success; and he urges
your Assembly to encourage the believers to hold more of such gatherings.
It cannot but have a stimulating effect upon the teaching work, and
inspire the friends to make greater efforts in their respective
communities.
Assembly in Moulmein, Burma
The news of the formation of an Assembly in Moulmein pleased him very
much; and he wishes you to assure the believers there that he will pray
for them in the Holy Shrines. The devotion and loyalty of the Burmese
believers, in the face of so much turmoil in their native land, has
aroused his admiration and increased his affection for this long-standing
Baha’i Community, so persevering and so attached to the Cause of
Baha’u’llah.
Centenary Pamphlet Excellent
In connection with your publications, he would like to say that he found
your “Centenary of the Martyrdom of the Bab” pamphlet excellent in every
way, and was delighted to see that the Indian Baha’is had shown so much
initiative in getting out this memorial pamphlet.
Increase the Number of Delegates to 95
The increase in the number of delegates to 95 is an important milestone in
the history of the Cause in those parts; and he feels that the friends,
proud of the progress they have made, should determine that the coming
Convention will be distinguished as one of the most harmonious and
constructive ever held.
Pioneering to Siam
The Guardian is very anxious that pioneer activities should be carried
forward in Siam; and he urges your Assembly to push this matter further,
and ... send some other pioneer there.
Registration of Assemblies
The Guardian hopes that wherever you have a strongly established Spiritual
Assembly, you will make every effort to register it legally, as he
attaches great importance to the registration and incorporation of
Spiritual Assemblies, and hopes that you will make every effort to add to
their number in areas under your jurisdiction.
Contribution for the Shrine of the Bab
The contributions sent by the believers for the construction of the Tomb
of the Bab have been deeply appreciated by our beloved Guardian. It is
only right that this old Baha’i Community, so tried in the fire of tests,
and having been in existence from practically the days of the beloved Bab
Himself, should play a part in building his sepulchre. The Guardian is now
undertaking the second phase of the construction work, which involves
raising the Edifice above the level of the original Tomb.
Baha’is Cannot Become Freemasons
The Guardian does not consider it advisable for Baha’is to become
Freemasons.
Reviewing of Baha’i Books
...Local Spiritual Assemblies are not empowered to review material which
is for national circulation. The Guardian thinks that your Assembly, or
the Committee that you delegate such authority to, should review the
pamphlet in question; and if it is in accordance with the Teachings, there
is certainly no reason why it should not be circulated; but in the future,
the Spiritual Assemblies should be more careful about publishing
literature which is for more than local use.
Pioneers for Indonesia and Siam
In closing, he would like to urge the members of your Assembly to redouble
your efforts to assist pioneers to go forth to Indonesia and Siam. The
extraordinary success the promulgation of the Faith has met with in Ceylon
should be sufficient evidence for all concerned of the way in which God
strengthens the endeavours of His servants, and blesses their seed-sowing,
and brings it to harvest. He hopes that many of the believers, not only in
India, but in Pakistan and Burma as well, will volunteer to go forth as
pioneers, and will make every effort to do so.
The success of your past endeavours should encourage you all and the
Community whom you represent, to forge ahead, unmindful of obstacles, and
forgetful of personal differences of opinion in one united and unanimous
effort to carry out all the work you have set for yourselves and achieve
all your goals.
Great Historic Enterprise
[From the Guardian:]
The communications received in recent months from your Assembly testify to
the perseverance and devotion with which the Baha’i Communities of India,
Pakistan and Burma have pursued the course of their activities in the face
of manifold obstacles and trials and despite the severity of the problems
which have confronted them since the outbreak of the political
disturbances that have agitated the Indian sub-continent. Though suffering
from various reverses, though afflicted with disappointment, though
sustaining repeated losses they have persevered in their labours, widened
the scope of their task, pushed further the outposts of the Faith, and won
their initial victories beyond the confines of their respective homelands.
In the field of Baha’i publications, in the publicity given to the Baha’i
teachings, in their negotiations with the civil authorities under whose
jurisdiction they function, in their constant encouragement and support of
the pioneers labouring both at home and abroad, the national elected
representatives of these communities have, likewise, demonstrated a spirit
of dedication, a zeal and fidelity worthy of the highest praise.
The great historic enterprise launched by them in recent years in the
neighbouring territories of Ceylon, Siam, Indonesia and the Malayan
Peninsula,—a vast and highly meritorious undertaking still in its initial
stage of development, and conferring a great and imperishable lustre on
its valiant initiators—must be energetically prosecuted notwithstanding
the unsettled political situation prevailing in those territories, and
however threatening the clouds gathering on the international horizon. The
movement and settlement of pioneers throughout India, Pakistan and Burma
must, moreover, continue unabated and must be paralleled by a steady
multiplication of Baha’i Centres and the consolidation of nascent
institutions, the negotiations with the civil authorities, however
disillusioning and unfruitful they have been so far in their results, must
continue to be conducted with extreme vigilance and unrelaxing vigour. The
highly commendable task of completing the translation and publication of
the “New Era” in the languages already chosen should be promptly and
befittingly consummated. The efforts exerted to publicize the Faith,
disseminate its teachings and spread its fame, should be redoubled by all
administrative agencies concerned with this vital sphere of Baha’i
activity. The sacred duty of deepening and enriching the spiritual life of
the newly enrolled believers should be faithfully discharged by both the
local and national elected representatives of these communities. The added
responsibility of contributing to the raising of the superstructure of the
Bab’s holy Sepulchre, now entering upon the second phase of its
construction, and of speeding its consummation in view of the increasingly
critical world condition, should be valiantly faced and nobly discharged.
Above all, the inescapable obligation of guarding the integrity of the
Faith, of preserving the unity of its followers, and of reinforcing its
spiritual and administrative foundations, must be continually borne in
mind not only by the representatives of these communities but by every
individual believer labouring for the good name and the glorification of
the Cause of Baha’u’llah.
The Baha’i Communities of the Indian sub-continent and of Burma
constituting the largest entity throughout the Orient, next to the body of
believers residing in the Cradle of the Faith, and enjoying, unlike their
Eastern sister communities in Persia, Egypt and Iraq, the blessings of
relative freedom from repression or persecution, and including within
their fold a greater variety of races, creeds and tongues than any of
their sister communities throughout the world, are faced with both a
peculiar challenge and a unique opportunity. The resources at their
disposal, the privileges they possess, the facilities they enjoy should,
with clear vision, with confident hearts and inflexible resolve, be
consecrated to the noble objectives which it is their mission to pursue.
Conscious of their high calling, aware of the potentialities with which
their homelands have been endowed, these communities, placing their
reliance on the all-conquering power of Baha’u’llah must unitedly arise,
however numerous the barriers imposed between them, to achieve their
destiny, and contribute collectively and effectively, to the world-wide
propagation, the universal recognition and ultimate world triumph of the
Cause of Baha’u’llah.
March 10, 1951
Increase of Believers in Benares
The wonderful news of the increase of believers in the Benares area,
thanks largely to the heroic determination and great faith of Mr.
Badi-uz-Zaman, brought great happiness to the Guardian. Please assure this
devoted soul that the Guardian is very pleased about the wonderful
services he is rendering the Cause of God, and that he is praying for him
to be richly blessed by Baha’u’llah. He has suffered from the enemies of
the Cause, but his reward will be very great!
Teaching in South-East Asia
It brought great joy to the Guardian’s heart to see there are so many
believers now in the area of South-East Asia. This marks a new epoch in
the unfoldment of our Faith and an important one. Just as Ceylon, at one
time empty of believers, has now developed an active and devoted community
of Baha’is, so now, in these far-flung territories, Assemblies and groups
must be built up.... He urges the younger believers, who are less held
down by family ties, to make an effort to migrate there and seek
employment.
The 19-Month Plan
He was delighted over the formulation of your Assembly’s 19-Month Plan.
This spirit of initiative shown by you is highly commendable, and he hopes
that all the Baha’is, whether of Indian or Persian origin, will arise to
unitedly see it achieve its goals. Determination, courage, faith and
perseverance are necessary if the Plan is to be a success, but he feels
sure the friends will not hesitate to demonstrate their capacity to meet
the challenge it presents.
Pioneers to Settle in Africa
He, likewise, wishes to call special attention to the work in Africa which
is very promising and which is going ahead very well. Your Assembly must
do all it can to speedily get pioneers settled in the two countries
allotted to you as your portion in this historic campaign. Also, you
should keep in close touch with the British NSA as they are the
co-ordinators of this work, and well situated in order to give advice as
English experts, having had such a long contact with Africa, its peoples
and problems, are available in London and elsewhere for consultation with
the British Africa Committee. 19-Month Plan—Third of its Kind
[From the Guardian:]
The initiation of the 19-Month Plan by the elected representatives of the
Baha’i Communities of the sub-continent of India and of Burma—the third of
its kind undertaken by them since the inception of the epoch marking the
commencement of the Formative Age of the Baha’i Dispensation—evokes my
deepest admiration. Through this spontaneous act, momentous in its
consequences, and eloquently testifying to the initiative, the zeal and
the valour of the followers of Baha’u’llah in India, Pakistan and Burma,
the body of their elected national representatives can well boast of the
distinction it has achieved, throughout the Baha’i world through the
successive formulation of no less than three far-reaching Plans since the
inauguration of the First Epoch in the history of the systematic
prosecution of Abdu’l-Baha’s Divine Plan. This striking demonstration of
their resourcefulness and dedication to the interests of the Faith is,
indeed, highly praiseworthy, extremely encouraging and augurs well for the
future of the Mission which it is theirs to carry out, in the years to
come, not only in that subcontinent and the adjoining territories and
neighbouring islands, but in South Asia as well.
They cannot, however, ensure the success of the Plan they have devised,
unless the unity and solidarity of those who are participating in its
execution, and above all the harmony of the body directing its operation,
are safeguarded, maintained and consolidated. Time is pressing. The issues
involved are momentous. The centenary celebrations of the birth of
Baha’u’llah’s prophetic Mission will soon be upon us. The inauguration of
the first organized Crusade, in which several Baha’i National Spiritual
Assemblies, in no less than four continents of the globe will be
intimately associated, for the purpose of proclaiming the Message of
Baha’u’llah in the South Pacific Islands as well as in South Eastern Asia,
must directly depend upon the successful conclusion of the Plan now
envisaged. The obligations involved in, and the privileges conferred by,
such an association—an association that will find its parallel in the
collective and organized effort now being exerted in the African
Continent, as well as in the joint campaign destined to be launched, by
other national Baha’i communities, in both Northern and North Eastern
Asia,—are at once sacred and unique. Their significance, at this early
stage, cannot be fully apprehended. It is not for them, however, to
attempt at the present time, to assess their value. Theirs, rather, is the
duty, to avoid any action or thought that might delay the unfoldment of so
glorious a Plan or damage so splendid a destiny.
The members of all the communities participating in this Nineteen-Month
Plan, which may be regarded as a prelude to the mighty and historic
Crusade, of still vaster dimensions and nobler scope, that is to be
launched in the future, irrespective of race, creed, or class, of either
sex and of every age, must rise as one man to the occasion that now
presents itself.
No trace of bickering, no consciousness of racial distinction, no petty
jealousies, must be allowed, under any circumstances, to darken the
glorious prospect opening before them. They must neither flinch, nor
hesitate nor lose sight, however briefly, of the distant and shining goal.
An all-powerful, all-loving, all-Bountiful Master, watching their
exertions from on high, will, surely, bless their effort, will intercede
on their behalf before the throne of His all-glorious Father, and will, if
they persevere in their high endeavours, render them victorious.
I, for my part, will, with a prayerful heart, follow the course of their
activities, and will continue to lend them whatever assistance that lies
in my power, for the complete discharge of their inescapable duty and the
total fulfilment of their united pledge to the Author of their Faith.
October 16, 1951
First Pilgrims from India
It has been a great pleasure to the beloved Guardian to welcome recently
in Haifa the first pilgrims from India; their love and devotion to the
Faith have brought their brethren in that far-off land very close, and he
hopes that they, in turn, will carry back to the friends there a new sense
of nearness to the World Center at Haifa, and thus serve to create greater
unity and dedication amongst the believers.
Inter-Continental Conference
The Guardian attaches the greatest possible importance to the forthcoming
Inter-continental Conference to be held during the Holy Year in New Delhi;
as the National Assemblies of Persia, United States, Canada, Central and
South America, Iraq, Australia and New Zealand, as well as your own body,
are to send representatives to it, it will, through having eight N.S.A.s
pooling their thoughts and suggestions, be, no doubt, the most important
of the four Inter-continental Conferences to be held. Also, aside from the
numerical importance of the participating bodies, the vast field their
plans must embrace is truly awe-inspiring. In view of this he feels that
the members of your Assembly have very heavy responsibilities to discharge
during the coming months, and that all petty details and misunderstandings
must be put aside, once and for all, in order to ensure a brilliant
success—a success, whose repercussions must be felt during ten years of
Baha’i history between this coming great Jubilee and the Most Great
Jubilee which will take place in 1963.
As convenor of this great Conference you must lay your plans very
carefully to ensure that the representatives of the various N.S.A.s., the
visiting Hands of the Cause, the many Baha’is attending, are properly
accommodated, the sessions of the Conference held in an efficient manner,
and suitable publicity given to this event. The Guardian also suggests
that one or two private sessions could be held at which the N.S.A.
representatives and the Hands of the Cause could meet to better and more
effectively suggest plans for the future campaign. There will, naturally,
be no delegates to the Conference, as it is in no sense a convention, but
more concentrated consultation can be obtained through a smaller number
being present. No doubt you will also, without sacrificing the interests
of the Conference, make good use of any visiting teachers and lecturers.
No Harm in Taking Part in Dramas
In the teachings there is nothing against dancing, but the friends should
remember that the standard of Baha’u’llah is modesty and chastity. The
atmosphere of modern dance halls, where so much smoking and drinking and
promiscuity goes on, is very bad, but decent dances are not harmful in
themselves. There is certainly no harm in classical dancing or learning
dancing in school. There is also no harm in taking part in dramas.
Likewise in cinema acting. The harmful thing, nowadays, is not the art
itself but the unfortunate corruption which often surrounds these arts. As
Baha’is we need avoid none of the arts, but acts and the atmosphere that
sometimes go with these professions we should avoid.
Encouraging the Hindu Baha’is
As regards the question you asked about minorities: because the Hindu
believers are a minority at present in the Faith in India, preference
should be given to them in India, where the majority of the population is
Hindu. A special effort should be made to convert them, so that our
enemies may have no excuse for stating that the Cause has scarcely
affected the largest elements in the country. There is also an added
reason for encouraging the Hindu Baha’is because within the Faith in India
they are a minority. In every country throughout the Baha’i World the
Baha’is must make a special effort to attract to the Faith the element
which constitutes the majority, whether religious or national.
The Work is Still Formidable
[From the Guardian:]
The multiplicity of the vital issues that have of late confronted me at
the World Centre of the Faith, the opening of the door of pilgrimage, and
the unexpected problems which, by their urgency, have required my
immediate and close attention have, to my extreme regret, prevented me
from acknowledging, as promptly as I would have wished the communications
which various Baha’i National Assemblies have addressed me in recent
months. I have followed, however, with admiration and keen interest the
progress of the activities initiated under the 19-Month Plan by the
valiant Baha’i Communities of India, Pakistan and Burma. The generous,
unceasing contributions made by them for the completion of the Bab’s holy
Sepulchre proclaim, in unmistakable terms, their devotion to the Cause for
which He laid down so heroically His life. The expansion of the activities
initiated by the high-minded and resolute pioneers in Ceylon, Indonesia,
Siam, Malaya and Sarawak indeed merit the highest praise. The efforts
exerted for the multiplication of the institutions of the Faith and their
consolidation both in the subcontinent of India and beyond its confines
augur well for the future of the Plan, the third of its kind embarked upon
by the followers of the Faith of Baha’u’llah, who are destined to play a
predominant part in the unfoldment of His World Order throughout the
territories of South East Asia. The steady endeavours made for the
translation, publication and dissemination of the literature of the Faith
by your Assembly have greatly enriched and ennobled the record of the
services you have rendered it in recent years.
Great as have been the victories already won in its service, the work that
still remains to be accomplished under this same Plan during the fleeting
months that lie ahead is still formidable, and demands unrelaxing
vigilance, heroic self-sacrifice, and inflexible resolve on the part of
not only the elected representatives of these communities but of all their
members as well. The uninterrupted and rapid multiplication of Baha’i
administrative centres; the conversion of groups into assemblies; the
development of isolated centers into
groups; a marked increase in the number of incorporated Local Assemblies;
the early completion of the highly important task assumed in connexion
with the translation and publication of the New Era in the remaining
languages already selected for that purpose; the despatch, without further
delay, of no more than one pioneer for the present to Nepal and
Indo-China, as well as to Zanzibar and Madagascar, in pursuance of the
Plan initiated in both Africa and South East Asia; the maintenance, at any
cost, of the present status of the newly formed assemblies; the
concentration of effort for the promotion of unity and cooperation among
the divers elements that constitute the warp and woof of these
communities—these stand out as the predominating obligations facing the
entire body of the followers of the Faith in the subcontinent of India and
its neighbouring territories.
Nor must the privileged members of these communities, and particularly
their elected representatives, neglect, for a moment, the paramount duty,
of preparing, by every means at their disposal, for the historic and in
some respects, the most vital, Conference to be held in the course of the
Holy Year which the entire Baha’i world will soon befittingly celebrate.
As the Convenor of such a fate-laden Conference, whose task is to
facilitate the execution of the most far-reaching, the most challenging,
and the most dramatic of all the enterprises destined to be launched by
the followers of the Faith throughout the whole planet, your Assembly
assumes a responsibility at once immense, soul-stirring and inescapable.
In providing adequate facilities for the accommodation of the Hands of the
Cause and of the official representatives of no less than eight National
Spiritual Assemblies and of the large number of visitors who will
participate in its proceedings; in ensuring wide publicity through the
press and radio for such a unique gathering; in exerting their utmost for
the maintenance of harmony and for full consultation on the weighty issues
that will face its attendants; in fostering the spirit of heroic adventure
and noble resolve on the part of the members of the communities that are
to act as hosts to the honoured participants of such an epoch-making
assemblage, which will, God willing, enable them to play a notable role in
the Crusade destined to embrace the continents of Asia and Australasia and
of the Pacific Islands—in all these the members of your Assembly,
supported by the rank and file of the faithful, must display a
determination, a valour and consecration that will excite the admiration
of the entire Baha’i world.
The work that calls for unswerving fidelity, urgent attention and
continuous vigilance, during the swiftly passing months ahead, is immense,
truly sacred and infinitely meritorious. The consummation of the Plan
already initiated would constitute the best preparation for the assumption
of the still greater functions, and the discharge of still weightier
responsibilities, that await the patiently labouring, the steadfast, the
loyal and devoted followers of the Most Great Name in India, Pakistan and
Burma. That they may victoriously discharge their present
responsibilities, that they may befittingly embark on the glorious Mission
that lies ahead of them, that they may distinguish themselves through
their collective contribution to the success of the World Crusade soon to
be inaugurated by the followers of Baha’u’llah in both the East and the
West, is the object of my constant prayer and one of the most cherished
desires of my heart.
June 30, 1952
No Age Limit for Serving the Cause
There is no age limit whatsoever for serving the Cause in administrative
capacities after one has reached twenty-one years. Indeed we are supposed
to serve the Cause to our last breath. Contributions Not Accepted From
Those Whose Voting Rights are Suspended
As regards the question of accepting contributions from people whose
voting rights are suspended, the Guardian says this is not permissible.
Answer to Various Questions
Local Haziras may be converted to National ones; this is premature at
present.
The recognition of our Laws of Personal Status must naturally precede
formation of Baha’i courts; as long as your translation is correct his
approval is not needed.
You should start a Temple Fund; the site need not exceed two or three
acres, and should be inside Delhi or near the city limits.
You will be able to consult with the members of Australian N.S.A. at the
time of the Conference in New Delhi about literature; they will certainly
assist your Assembly with the publications.
Baha’is from India, Pakistan and Burma are eligible for your Asian
Teaching Committee.
Consolidation can mean the establishment of the institutions you
enumerate, but it is not essential at present; to increase the assemblies
and groups, and bring in new believers, is the most important part of
consolidation; as the plan unfolds, he will have to see what other things
are really essential and call your attention to them.
Consolidation of the Manifold Institutions
[From the Guardian:]
The splendid efforts, so devotedly exerted by the members of the Baha’i
communities in India, Pakistan and Burma, extending over more than a
decade, in connexion with the launching and prosecution of no less than
three successive Plans, formulated for the promotion of the interests of
the Faith in South-East Asia, have raised their prestige in the eyes of
the Baha’i World, and have fitted them to undertake, at this auspicious
hour in the evolution of its institutions in the Indian sub-continent and
its neighbouring territories and islands, yet another collective
enterprise, of still vaster dimensions, of far greater possibilities,
requiring the utmost exertion and consecration for a period of no less
than ten years, and culminating in the Most Great Jubilee, designed to
commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of the Mission of
the Founder of their Faith.
The task they now assume involves the consolidation of the manifold
institutions which, through the operation of three successive Plans, have
been patiently and laboriously established, as well as the erection of the
administrative structure of the Faith in the virgin territories along the
shores, and in the vicinity, of the Indian sub-continent, in the Islands
of the Indian Ocean, in African Dependencies, and as far as the Islands of
the South Pacific Ocean.
Through the prosecution of the Plans initiated by your Assembly these
communities have acquired the training and experience that have qualified
them to embark upon so extensive and momentous an undertaking—an
undertaking which if victoriously consummated will eclipse all the joint
efforts and enterprises which have illuminated the pages of Indian Baha’i
history since the inception of the Formative Age of the Baha’i
Dispensation.
The first and most sacred obligation confronting them, on the morrow of
the launching of their Ten-Year Plan, is the despatch and settlement,
during the current year and the one succeeding it, of pioneers in the
sixteen virgin territories and islands, assigned to your Assembly
according to the provisions of the aforementioned Plan. The opening of the
six dependencies along the eastern and western coasts of the Indian
subcontinent must be given careful attention, and must be carried out with
promptitude and vigour. The despatch and definite settlement of no more
than one or two pioneers in each of these territories and islands is a
task not only of great urgency but of infinite merit, and constitutes the
most important feature of the initial phase of the Plan.
Next in importance and of no less urgency is the selection and purchase,
either within or in the outskirts of the capital-city of India—in which
the Administrative Headquarters of the Faith has already been
established—of the site of the
First Mashriq’ul Adhkar of the Indian sub-continent, covering an area of
approximately one or two acres at least which can gradually be enlarged in
the course of the coming years.
Collateral with this vital project is the preparation in conjunction with
the Australian National Assembly of a suitable pamphlet by your Assembly,
and the adoption of energetic measures for its translation into the
languages allocated to the Australian and Indian National Assemblies.
While this threefold objective is being assiduously pursued, the process
of the multiplication of local Assemblies, of groups and isolated centres
must be maintained, nay accelerated, for upon it will depend the early
formation of independent National Spiritual Assemblies in India, Pakistan,
Burma, Ceylon and South-East Asia.
The responsibilities devolving upon your Assembly in the course of the
opening stage of the Plan are enormous, sacred and pressing. All Baha’i
communities participating in this glorious enterprise must bend every
effort, and sacrifice to the utmost of their power to ensure the
unqualified success of the great work that lies immediately ahead.
There is no time to lose. The newly launched Plan demands a vigilance, an
expenditure of effort and resources on a scale unprecedented in Indian
Baha’i history. Baha’i communities in East and West, embarked on a similar
Crusade, are vying with one another and with your Assembly in the
world-wide field of Baha’i pioneering. The glory of the prizes to be won,
the benefits that will accrue to all participants are unimaginable.
I direct my appeal to your Assembly and, through its members, to all
communities participating in this unprecedented enterprise, to arise to
this great and unique occasion that now presents itself, at this critical
hour in the fortunes of mankind and at so significant a stage in the
evolution of the Faith, and to resolve, with inflexible determination, to
consummate, at the appointed time, this fate-laden enterprise on which all
our hearts are set and upon which the immediate destinies of the Cause of
Baha’u’llah so largely depend.
In my hours of prayer and meditation in the holy Shrines I will supplicate
on behalf of your Assembly, as well as on behalf of the communities you
represent, that Divine Guidance may direct your steps, that God’s
sustaining grace may aid you to overcome every obstacle, that His strength
may be poured out upon you, that His providence and love may enfold you,
and that the inspiration of the Dawn-breakers, who proclaimed the birth of
His Cause, may carry you to ultimate and total victory.
June 21, 1953
The Most Important Thing is to Serve
The most important thing we know from the Teachings is to serve. In
carrying out the Plans of God we are strengthened, blessed and purified;
we attract the loving attention of Baha’u’llah; our efforts are confirmed;
and we are enabled through His power to achieve great victories for His
Faith.
He urges you, one and all, as one soul in many bodies, to consecrate
yourselves to fulfilling the objectives of the Ten-Year Plan. He feels
sure that when the proper unity and dedication prevail in the National
Body, it will be sensed by the mass of the believers, and react upon their
efforts. As Abdu’l-Baha said, nothing is impossible if we have faith; and
this must always be the standard for all the Baha’is. As we have faith, so
are our powers and our blessings.
[From the Guardian:]
May the Almighty enable you to lend a fresh and unprecedented impetus to
the onward march of the Faith, revive the spirit of its supporters,
enlarge its limits, multiply its local institutions, consolidate its
foundations, safeguard its rights, spread abroad its fame, and aid its
followers to discharge befittingly their responsibilities, and concentrate
on the attainment of the objectives of the Ten-Year Plan, on which the
immediate destiny of the entire community depends.
December 26, 1955
Youth & the Ten-Year Crusade
The Guardian urges as many of the Baha’i youth of India, Pakistan and
Burma as possible to attend the historic Conference to be held in New
Delhi, in October. At that Conference, plans will be made for the carrying
of the Message of Baha’u’llah, during the coming ten years, far beyond the
borders of their homeland; and it will be the youth who will shoulder a
great part of this and the other tasks that will be given to your
Community. In fact, the settling of these virgin fields both close to your
own lands, and in far-off areas, is the very first responsibility of the
believers, in this Ten-Year World Crusade. Therefore, each one of you
should think now seriously what you are going to do about it, and start
making your plans accordingly. The sooner the virgin fields are settled,
the sooner will be witnessed the tremendous power that is released in this
day; and the bounties that await those who go forth to pioneer in these
lands, are great indeed.
May 28, 1953
Translation of Literature
Naturally it will be difficult for the Faith to be established in the new
territories or amongst the new tribes if they do not have at least a
pamphlet for distribution to the new contacts.
He therefore feels that along with the sending of pioneers into the virgin
areas, the translation of literature into the languages assigned to the
Indian National Assembly should take place.
The Guardian feels that one of the existing pamphlets would be
satisfactory, or a new one, which you may feel it desirable to prepare. At
this time it is not necessary to enter into the question of translation of
Baha’i books, simply a pamphlet, which can be used for teaching purposes.
The Guardian wishes you to budget the necessary funds to cover this work,
and to see that it is actively pursued, so that the literature will be
available at an early date.
June 8, 1953
Keynote of the Crusade
Our beloved Guardian has been greatly encouraged by reports reaching him
from all parts of the Baha’i world; of the victories already gained, and
the plans being laid for the prosecution of the Ten-Year Crusade.
They have evoked his awe-inspiring, and soul-stirring cablegram of May
28th, calling for the immediate settlement of all the 131 virgin areas of
the Plan, just as quickly as possible. He is convinced, that the friends
will arise and translate their enthusiasm into Action, because the Keynote
of the Crusade, must be Action, Action, Action!
The beloved Guardian has directed me to write your Assembly to amplify
some of the aspects of his dynamic message.
The settlement of these virgin areas is of such an emergency nature, that
he feels pioneering in one of them takes precedence over every other type
of Baha’i service—whether it be in the teaching or administrative fields
of the Faith. So important is it that the National Assembly may delay
initiation of steps to fulfill other phases of the Plan, until all these
areas are conquered for the Faith. Nothing, absolutely nothing, must be
allowed to interfere with the placing of pioneers in each of the 131 goal
countries.
In America some 150 people have volunteered for pioneer service, and some
of them already are preparing to leave for their posts. The beloved
Guardian fully expects the dear friends in India, Pakistan and Burma to
follow this example, and quickly settle the areas allotted to them.
Because of it being the Chief Executor of the Divine Plan, and having so
many pioneers available, the Guardian has given permission to the United
States to send pioneers into any area of the globe regardless of whom it
may be assigned to. Thus pioneers from the United States may ask
permission to settle in one of the areas assigned to your Assembly. If
this is done, you should assist them in every way possible.
There are some general observations which the Guardian shares with you,
and then some specific suggestions which are enumerated below:
1. Every individual who has offered to pioneer, must be encouraged in
every way by the National Assembly.
2. The National Assembly should assist each pioneer, so they may be placed
in their post just as quickly as possible.
3. The handling of each application for pioneering service, must be
expedited, and not allowed to be bogged down for any reason, or in the
hands of Committees.
4. The National Assembly should make it their first order of business to
follow up actively this most important task. They must make it the first
order of business at each Assembly meeting, to see that each application
is being progressed rapidly. This does not mean the special committees
should not handle the details; but it does mean the Assembly itself, must
review each application at each meeting; and see that the pioneer gets
into the field as soon as possible.
5. A large number of pioneers should not be sent to any one country. One,
or even two, will be sufficient for the time being. Later on, if
supplementary assistance is needed, that of course can be taken care of.
The all important thing now, is to get at least one pioneer in each of the
131 virgin areas.
6. The National Assembly may exercise its prerogatives and suggest to
applicants where their services are most needed. This, of course, applies
particularly to pioneers, where a large number wish to go to the same
place.
The specific suggestions of the Guardian, are:
a. Areas close at hand and easy of settlement should be filled first. Then
the areas more difficult, and finally, those which will be difficult.
b. Whenever a pioneer enters a new territory, a cable should be sent at
once to the Guardian, giving the name, place, and any pertinent
information.
c. A monthly report of progress is to be sent by your Assembly to the
Secretary-General of the International Baha’i Council. Special matters of
report nature, for the Guardian, in connection with the plan of settling
these 131 areas, should be sent to the Secretary-General of the Council
also.
This does not mean that any administrative matters in connection with the
settlement of pioneers should be handled with the council. These should
continue to be handled with the Guardian direct. The Council is simply to
coordinate reports, consolidate them, keep maps up to date, etc. for the
Guardian, and your reports will enable them to do this.
d. The Guardian feels the following areas should be easily settled, and he
would appreciate your early cable advice of such new victories:
Bhutan, Daman, Diu, Goa, Karikal, Mahe, Pondicherry, Sikkim, as pointed
out in his cable to your Assembly of May 30th, 1953. These have first
precedence.
The beloved Guardian feels the friends living in large Baha’i Centres,
could easily move into these territories, which are a part of India
itself.
As his dramatic cable indicates, the Guardian will have prepared an
illuminated “Roll of Honor” on which will be inscribed the names of the
“Knights of Baha’u’llah” who first enter these 131 virgin areas. This
“Roll of Honor” will be placed inside the entrance door of The Inner
Sanctuary of the Tomb of Baha’u’llah.
From time to time, the Guardian will announce to the Baha’i World, the
names of those Holy Souls who arise under the conditions outlined in his
message, and settle these areas and conquer them for Baha’u’llah.
Now is the time for the Baha’is of the World to demonstrate the spiritual
vitality of the Faith, and to arise as one soul to spread the Glory of the
Lord, over the face of the Earth. The Guardian is sure, that the Baha’is
of India, Pakistan and Burma who have served and sacrificed so long for
the Faith, will continue their glorious record by winning many new
victories for the Faith.
June 8, 1953 Message to the Inter Continental Conference, New Delhi
[From the Guardian:]
To the Hands of the Cause, the members of the National Spiritual
Assemblies, the pioneers, the resident believers and visitors attending
the Asian Intercontinental Teaching Conference in New Delhi, India.
Well-beloved friends:
With high hopes and a joyful heart I acclaim the convocation, in the
leading city of the Indian sub-continent, of the fourth and last of the
Intercontinental Teaching Conferences of a memorable Holy Year
commemorating the centenary of the birth of the prophetic Mission of
Baha’u’llah.
On this historic occasion, when the members of the National Spiritual
Assemblies of the Baha’is of the United States of America, of the Dominion
of Canada, of Central and of South America, of Persia, of the Indian
subcontinent and of Burma, of Iraq and of Australasia, as well as
representatives of the sovereign states and dependencies of the Asiatic
continent, of the Republics of North, Central and South America, and of
Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania are assembled, and are to deliberate
on the needs and requirements of the recently launched triple Campaign
embracing the Asiatic mainland, the Australian continent and the islands
of the Pacific Ocean—a campaign which may well be regarded as the most
extensive, the most arduous and the most momentous of all the campaigns of
a world-girdling Crusade, and which, in its scope, is unparalleled in the
history of the Faith in the entire eastern Hemisphere—my thoughts, on such
an occasion, go back to the early dawn of our Faith, to those
unforgettable scenes of matchless heroism, of dark tragedy, of
imperishable glory which heralded its birth, and accompanied the spread,
of its infant Light, in the heart of the Asiatic continent.
I vividly recall the meteoric rise of the Faith of the Bab in the
provinces of Persia and the stirring episodes associated with His cruel
incarceration in the mountain-fastnesses of Adhirbayjan, with the
revelation of the laws of His Dispensation, with the proclamation of the
independence of His Faith, with the peerless heroism of His disciples,
with the fiendish cruelty of His foes—the Chief Magistrate, the civil
authorities, the ecclesiastical dignitaries and the masses of the people,
of His native land—with the humiliation, the spoliation, the dispersal,
the eventual massacre of a vast number of His followers, and, above all,
with His own execution in the City of Tabriz.
With a throb of wonder I call to mind the early and sudden fruition of His
Dispensation in the capital city of that land, and the dramatic
circumstances attending the birth of Baha’u’llah’s Revelation culminating
in His precipitate banishment to Iraq.
I am reminded, moreover, of the initial spread of the light of this
Revelation, in consequence of the banishment of Baha’u’llah, to the
adjoining territories of Iraq, and, as far as the western fringes of that
continent, to Turkey and the neighbouring territories of Lebanon, Jordan
and Syria, and, at a later stage, to the Indian sub-continent and China,
situated on the southern and eastern extremities of that continent as well
as to the Caucasus and Russian Turkistan.
Nor can I fail to remember the series of alternating crises and
victories—each constituting a landmark in the evolution of the Faith—which
it has experienced in some of these territories, associated with the
distressful withdrawal of its Author to the mountains of Sulaymaniyyih;
with the glorious Declaration of His Mission in Baghdad; with His second
and third banishments to Constantinople and Adrianople; with the grievous
rebellion of His half-brother; with the proclamation of His own Mission;
with His fourth banishment to the desolate and far-off penal colony of
Akka in Syria; with the revelation of the Kitab-i-Aqdas, His Most Holy
Book; with His ascension in the Holy Land; with the establishment of His
Covenant and the inauguration of the Ministry of Abdu’l-Baha, His son and
the Exemplar and authorized interpreter of His teachings.
These opening stages in the evolution of His Faith in the Asiatic
continent were followed, while the first and Apostolic Age of His
Dispensation was drawing to a close, by the opening of the Islands
situated in the Pacific Ocean, Japan in the north, and the Australian
continent in the South. To these memorable chapters of Asian Baha’i
history another was soon added, on the morrow of the ascension of the
Centre of Baha’u’llah’s Covenant, and during the initial epoch of the
Formative Age of the Faith, distinguished by the rise of the
Administrative Order and the erection of its pillars in the cradle of that
Faith, in Iraq, in India, Pakistan and Burma and in the Antipodes. This
memorable episode in its development in that vast continent was succeeded
by the initiation, during the second Epoch of that same Age, of a series
of Plans in those same territories in support of Abdu’l-Baha’s Divine Plan
and as a prelude to the opening of the recently launched world-embracing
Spiritual Crusade.
The hour has now struck for this continent, on whose soil, more than a
century ago, so much sacred blood was shed, in whose very heart deeds of
such tragic heroism were performed, and in many of whose territories such
brilliant victories have been won, to contribute, in association with its
sister continents, to the progress and ultimate triumph of this global
Crusade, in a manner befitting its unrivalled position in the entire
Baha’i world.
The various Baha’i Communities dwelling within the borders of this
continent and those situated to the south of its shores in the Antipodes,
which include the oldest and most venerable among all the communities of
the Baha’i world, and whose members in their aggregate constitute the
overwhelming majority of the followers of Baha’u’llah, are called upon, in
close association with four other Baha’i communities in the Western
Hemisphere, to undertake in the course of the coming decade: First, the
construction of the first Mashriqu’l-Adhkar in Baha’u’llah’s native land,
in the City of Tihran, surnamed by Baha’u’llah “Mother of the World”.
Second, the purchase of land for the future construction of three
Mashriqu’l-Adhkars, one in the city of Baghdad, enshrining the “Most Great
House”, the third holiest city of the Baha’i world, one in New Delhi, the
leading city of the Indian sub-continent, and the third in Sydney, the
oldest and foremost Baha’i Centre in the Antipodes. Third, the formation
of no less than eleven National Spiritual Assemblies, one each in
Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon, under the aegis of the National Spiritual
Assembly of the Baha’is of India, Pakistan and Burma; one in Turkey and
one in Afghanistan, under the aegis of the National Spiritual Assembly of
the Baha’is of Persia; one in Japan, under the aegis of the National
Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States of America; one in
New Zealand, under the aegis of the National Spiritual Assembly of the
Baha’is of Australia and New Zealand, as well as four regional National
Spiritual Assemblies, one in the Arabian Peninsula, under the aegis of the
National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Persia; one in South-East
Asia, under the aegis of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of
India, Pakistan and Burma; a third in the South Pacific, under the aegis
of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States of
America; and a fourth in the Near East, under the aegis of the National
Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is in Iraq. Fourth, the opening of the
following forty-one virgin territories and islands: Andaman Islands,
Bhutan, Daman, Diu, Goa, Karikal, Mahe, Mariana Islands, Nicobar Islands,
Pondicherry, Sikkim, assigned to the National Spiritual Assembly of the
Baha’is of India, Pakistan and Burma; Caroline Islands, Dutch New Guinea,
Hainan Island, Kazakhstan, Macao Island, Sakhalin Island, Tibet, Tonga
Islands, assigned to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the
United States of America; Brunei, Chagos Archipelago, Krigizia, Mongolia,
Solomon Islands, Tadzhikistan, Uzbekistan, assigned to the National
Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Persia; Admiralty Islands, Cocos
Island, Loyalty Islands, Mentawei Islands, New Hebrides Islands,
Portuguese Timor, Society Islands, assigned to the National Spiritual
Assembly of the Baha’is of Australia and New Zealand; Gilbert and Ellice
Islands, Marshall Islands, Tuamotu Archipelago, assigned to the National
Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Central America; Hadhramaut,
Kuria-Muria Islands, assigned to the National Spiritual Assembly of the
Baha’is of Iraq; Marquesas Islands, Samoa Islands, assigned to the
National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Canada; Cook Islands,
assigned to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of South
America. Fifth, the translation and publication of Baha’i literature in
the following forty languages, to be undertaken by the National Spiritual
Assembly of the Baha’is of India, Pakistan and Burma, in association with
the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Australia and New
Zealand: Abor Miri, Aneityum, Annamese, Balochi, Bentuni, Binandere,
Cheremiss, Chungchia, Georgian, Houailou, Javanese, Kado, Kaili, Kopu,
Kusaie, Lepcha, Lifu, Manchu, Manipuri, Manus Island, Marquesas, Mentawei,
Mongolian, Mordoff, Mwala, Na-Hsi, Nicobarese, Niue, Ossete, Ostiak, Pali,
Panjabi, Pashto, Perm, Petats, Samoan, Tho, Tibetan, Tonga, Vogul. Sixth,
the consolidation of Aden Protectorate, Adhirbayjan, Afghanistan, Ahsa,
Armenia, Bahrayn Island, Georgia, Hijaz, Saudi-Arabia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Yemen, allocated to the National
Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Persia; of Baluchistan, Borneo,
Burma, Ceylon, Indo-China, Indonesia, Malaya, Nepal, Pakistan, Sarawak,
Siam, allocated to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of
India, Pakistan and Burma; of China, Formosa, Japan, Korea, Manchuria,
Philippine Islands, allocated to the National Spiritual Assembly of the
Baha’is of the United States of America; of Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon,
Qatar, Syria, Trucial Sheikhs, Umman, allocated to the National Spiritual
Assembly of the Baha’is of Iraq; of Bismarck Archipelago, Fiji, New
Caledonia, Australian New Guinea, allocated to the National Spiritual
Assembly of the Baha’is of Australia and New Zealand; of Hong Kong,
allocated to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the British
Isles. Seventh, the incorporation of the eleven above-mentioned National
Spiritual Assemblies, as well as those of Persia and Iraq. Eighth, the
establishment by these above-mentioned eleven National Spiritual
Assemblies of national Baha’i endowments. Ninth, the establishment of a
national Haziratu’l-Quds in the capital cities of each of the countries
where National Spiritual Assemblies are to be established, as well as one
in Suva, one in Jakarta, one in Bahrayn and one in Beirut. Tenth, the
establishment of a national Baha’i Court in the capital cities of Persia,
of Iraq, of Pakistan and of Afghanistan—the leading Muslim centres in the
Asiatic continent. Eleventh, the establishment of two National Baha’i
Publishing Trusts, one in Tihran and one in New Delhi. Twelfth, the
formation of Israel Branches of the National Spiritual Assemblies of the
Baha’is of Persia, of Iraq and Australia; authorized to hold on behalf of
their parent institutions property dedicated to the holy Shrines at the
World Centre of the Faith in the State of Israel. Thirteenth, the
appointment, during Ridvan 1954, by the Hands of the Cause in Asia and in
Australia of an auxiliary Board of nine members who will, in conjunction
with the eight National Spiritual Assemblies participating in the Asiatic
and Australian campaigns, assist, through periodic and systematic visits
to Baha’i centres, in the efficient and prompt execution of the Plans
formulated for the prosecution of the teaching campaigns in the continent
of Asia
and in the Antipodes.
The Asiatic continent, the cradle of the principal religions of mankind;
the home of so many of the oldest and mightiest civilizations which have
flourished on this planet; the crossways of so many kindreds and races;
the battleground of so many peoples and nations; above whose horizon, in
modern times, the suns of two independent Revelations—the promise and
consummation of a six thousand-year-old religious Cycle—have successively
arisen; where the Authors of both of these Revelations suffered banishment
and died; within whose confines the Centre of a divinely-appointed
Covenant was born, endured a forty-year incarceration and passed away; on
whose Western extremity the Qiblih of the Baha’i world has been definitely
established; in whose heart the City proclaimed by Baha’u’llah as the
“Mother of the World” is enshrined; within whose borders another City
regarded as the “cynosure of an adoring world” and the scene of the
greatest and most glorious Revelation the world has witnessed is
embosomed; on whose soil so many saints, heroes and martyrs, associated
with both of these Revelations, have lived, struggled and died—such a
continent, so privileged among its sister continents and yet so long and
so sadly tormented, now stands, at the hour of the launching of a
world-encompassing Crusade, on the threshold of an era that may well
recall, in its glory and ultimate repercussions, the great periods of
spiritual revival which, from the dawn of recorded history have, at
various stages in the revelation of God’s purpose for mankind, illuminated
the path of the human race.
May this Crusade, launched simultaneously on the Asiatic mainland, its
neighbouring islands and the Antipodes, under the direction of eight
National Spiritual Assemblies, and through the operation of eight
systematic Teaching Plans, and the concerted efforts of Baha’i communities
in both the East and the West, provide, as it unfolds, an effective
antidote to the baneful forces of atheism, nationalism, secularism and
materialism that are tearing at the vitals of this turbulent continent,
and may it re-enact those scenes of spiritual heroism which, more than any
of the secular revolutions which have agitated its face, have left their
everlasting imprint on the fortunes of the peoples and nations dwelling
within its borders.—SHOGHI
October, 1953
Consultation of Delegates
It should be pointed out to the delegates that the function of
consultation of the delegates takes place only when they are in session at
the Annual Convention. They do not have any consultative status prior to
the Convention or after the Convention. In other words, they are elected
to serve as electors of the new National Assembly during the Convention,
and to consult on all matters properly coming before the Convention during
the Convention period, not before and not after.
April 27, 1956
Concentrate on Home Front
The Guardian has been greatly pleased with the results of the expansion of
the Faith in the new centers during the past year, and the establishment
of new Assemblies. He urges the National Assemblies to concentrate on this
type of teaching work, and particularly on the home front. The Ten-Year
Crusade is making most remarkable progress in all fields except the
teaching on the home front. If the Baha’is remaining “at home” would arise
with the same spirit of devotion and fervor as animates the pioneers,
there is no question of the remarkable results that would be achieved.
May 6, 1956
Increase Number of Assemblies
The Guardian was very happy to note the intensive manner in which your
Assembly is taking hold of the very important matter of increasing the
number of Baha’is, isolated Centers, Groups and particularly Assemblies in
the territories under your jurisdiction, particularly those where National
Assemblies are to be elected.
He feels every effort should be made to bring as many groups up to
Assembly status during this critical year as possible. The Assemblies
formed at Ridvan 1957, cannot take part in the election of the National
Assemblies elected during that same Ridvan period; but they do make a much
stronger base on which the National Assembly can be formed.
In other words, answering directly your question, the Guardian advises the
practice prevalent now throughout the world that a local Assembly may not
participate in the election of a National Assembly, until a year after its
coming into being, must continue, and be applicable in the areas referred
to by you.
September 11, 1956
Translation of Baha’i Books into Russian
With regard to the translations into the languages of the countries of the
Russian Zones—the Guardian feels you should under no circumstances contact
Universities in Russia. He feels this might create great difficulty for
the Faith, particularly during these troublesome times.
If there are Universities in India, or Great Britain where the
translations can be made, there is no objection to utilizing such sources,
but no University or institution in Russia. Perhaps the British NSA can be
helpful—or the Italo-Swiss NSA, as there are many Russian refugees in
Switzerland.
November 12, 1956
Many Victories Won
He is quite distressed that some of the hard won goals have become virgin
again. He requests that your Assembly study the matter carefully, to see
if you cannot send pioneers into these areas that have fallen back. He is
thinking particularly of Nepal, Bhutan, and Goa. Also, he is very anxious
indeed that some assistance be given our lone pioneer in Tibet. That noble
soul is holding the difficult post, without any aid, and the Guardian
hopes you will be able to send a pioneer into that land to cooperate in
establishing the Faith.
He assures you of his prayers in your behalf so you may quickly regain the
lost ground in these virgin areas, and go forward to new victories.
The fact of the matter is, in some countries, they have been able to add
new areas to the Crusade—in other words, they have established the Faith
in areas, where the Faith has not existed, and which were not included in
the Crusade.
In other areas, many other victories have been won, not contemplated in
the Crusade. The Guardian has set up a new map, showing the supplementary
goals won, so far,—outside the Crusade goals. It would be wonderful if
India could add some objectives to this supplementary map.
December 27, 1956
Pioneering to Ceram
The Guardian feels it is most important the teaching work in the areas
mentioned by Abdu’l-Baha in the Tablets of the Divine Plan, be carried
forward with intensive activity....
It has been over 40 years since the Master wrote the Tablets of the Divine
Plan, and only now has this center mentioned by him, been settled. Surely
the Master will watch over his devoted servant who is labouring so
diligently in this center, and guide and protect him; as well as to
confirm his work.
January 19, 1957
Baha’i Literature in Native Tongues
He was very happy to receive these reports, which indicate that the work
of translating is actively in hand. He feels this is a very important
aspect of our teaching work, as it is impossible, or at least, most
difficult to teach natives, without some of the literature being
translated into their languages. Thus he hopes you will follow up the
matter quite actively.
January 19, 1957
Pioneers in Sikkim
The beloved Guardian has directed me to write you concerning the wonderful
news that he has received of the fact that there are now ten Baha’is in
Sikkim.
The pioneers there have been very successful and have been able to win
souls to the Cause of God. This is a distinct victory for the Faith, and
all are to be congratulated. The Guardian wishes them to know how much he
values their services.
The most difficult goals, and the most arduous duties win the greatest
spiritual rewards. Thus, he hopes that the friends in Sikkim, who
naturally are looking forward to their Spiritual Assembly this coming
Ridvan, will realise how great would be their reward, if they were able
now to reinforce the work in Tibet. There is only one pioneer there, and
perhaps some of the new Baha’is could enter Tibet to assist in the work
there. Great would be their reward if they could do so.
Should others be able to go to Nepal and Bhutan, that would be most
helpful. In other words, the Guardian feels that more important than an
Assembly in Sikkim, would be the reinforcing of the pioneers and teaching
work, first in Tibet, and then in Bhutan and Nepal.
January 26, 1957
Pioneers to be Sent to Maldive Islands
The beloved Guardian has directed me to write to your Assembly with regard
to the Maldive Islands.
He attaches great importance to these Islands, and hopes they can be
settled by one or more pioneers at an early date. The Light of Divine
Guidance should shine in that area, and if one of the friends will arise
to pioneer there, he is sure they will win many signal victories for the
Cause of God.
February 17, 1957
Historic and Heart-Stirring
The beloved Guardian has been very pleased with the teaching work which
has been done in the Virgin Areas of the Ten-Year Crusade. Indeed, all the
pioneers have rendered historic and heart-stirring service to the Cause of
God. Now, the banner of the Faith is firmly established over the entire
face of the Globe. Blessed and happy is everyone who has been able to join
in this, the Greatest Spiritual Crusade of all times.
March 6, 1957
LETTERS ADDRESSED TO THE BAHA’I YOUTH OF INDIA
Letter of June 19, 1941
Though as yet your youth group is small in number he hopes that through
your efforts during the coming year it will grow and become a strong and
vital one and play an important part in helping the youth of India to
better serve the Cause of Baha’u’llah.
The field of work open to Baha’i young people is very great, and they must
increasingly bear their share of the all-important teaching campaign which
the Indian Baha’is have embarked upon.
June 19, 1941
Letter of May 5, 1943
[From the Guardian:]
I have just heard the very sad news of the passing of your dearly-loved
father. This is a great loss to the Baha’i Community in that land and
indeed to the Baha’i world. His exemplary devotion, his indefatigable
efforts, his shining faith, his unswerving fidelity, his zeal, his
magnificent achievements, in both the administrative and teaching spheres
of Baha’i activity have enriched the annals of the Cause of Baha’u’llah. I
personally greatly loved and admired him. The Beloved, I assure you, was
pleased with him, and will now bless his soul in the Great Beyond. I will
pray for him from the depths of my heart. (Letter addressed to the
daughters of Mr. N.R. Vakil).
May 5, 1943
Letter of June 6, 1941
The responsibility of young believers is very great, as they must not only
fit themselves to inherit the work of the older Baha’is and carry on the
affairs of the Cause in general, but the world which lies ahead of them—as
promised by Baha’u’llah—will be a world chastened by its sufferings, ready
to listen to His Divine Message at last; and consequently a very high
character will be expected of the exponents of such a religion. To deepen
their knowledge, to perfect themselves in the Baha’i standards of virtue
and upright conduct, should be the paramount duty of every young Baha’i.
June 6, 1941
Letter of June 19, 1941
He was very happy to see how active and devoted the young Baha’is of India
are. The interests of our beloved Faith require that the youth in
particular exert every effort to spread it, while at the same time
deepening their own knowledge of the Teachings and perfecting their
private lives in accordance with the standards of conduct laid down by
Baha’u’llah.
Upon the present generation of youth will devolve the weighty task of
helping to construct a new world after the effects of this tragic war have
passed away. They must be ever conscious of their supreme duty towards
their fellow-men—the duty of holding up to their enquiring gaze the model
upon which a sound future society can be constructed. This is the system
of Baha’u’llah which the Baha’is must first learn themselves to live up
to, and then share with the whole world.
June 19, 1941
Letter of June 19, 1941
He has been most encouraged by the increasing evidences of the activity of
the Baha’i youth of India and their determination to play their part in
the great teaching campaign which the believers of that country have
undertaken.
The responsibility of the Baha’i youth is very great indeed, as they
constitute the generation of Baha’is who will be called upon to help
re-construct the world after this devastating war is over. They should
devote their lives to the supreme objective of perfecting themselves as
members in Baha’u’llah’s divine World Order.
The Guardian hopes that during the coming year an ever-increasing number
of young believers will devote themselves to teaching the Cause and
helping the Six-Year Plan to be fulfilled.
June 19, 1941
Letter of June 19, 1941
The Guardian feels that the role of Baha’i youth in these days is becoming
increasingly important, and that your Committee, as well as all local
youth committees, should do all in your power to encourage the Baha’i
young people to a greater activity and sense of responsibility. In the
field of teaching, in pioneer service and settlement, in the
administration of the Cause, they must increasingly take an active part,
as upon these same youth will devolve the many and heavy responsibilities
of the future when the Baha’is will be called upon to demonstrate to their
fellow-men the perfection of Baha’u’llah’s laws and World Order in such a
manner that bewildered humanity will turn to them as their only refuge.
[From the Guardian:]
I was greatly cheered and heartened by the expressions of devotion,
determination and loyalty conveyed in the welcome message enclosed in your
letter, attesting the significant spirit that animates the Baha’i youth of
India. They are indeed the object of my unfailing solicitude and of my
ardent and constant prayers. I feel proud of the work which they are so
strenuously promoting. Baha’u’llah is indeed well pleased with them, and
our Beloved Master will no doubt reinforce their labours. May their work
prosper, and their numbers increase, and their influence extend and their
enterprises be consolidated and their highest hopes be fulfilled.
June 19, 1941
Letter of December 27, 1941
The young Baha’is of India must take part in all the work of the Indian
Baha’i Community, whether it be in teaching the Cause, pioneering in new
territory, attending the Summer School, or aiding in the administrative
work of the Faith. Only in this way can they prepare and train themselves
for all that they will have to do in the future.
December 27, 1941
Letter of July 3, 1942
That at such a time the young believers should be so busy, both studying
the teachings and spreading them, is an eloquent testimony to the
character of their Faith and the devotion it inspires in its adherents.
The Guardian hopes that in these days of universal danger and suffering,
the young Baha’is of Karachi will play an ever-increasing part in the
spread and consolidation of the Faith in that city and nearby centres, and
arise and help lighten the load of the older believers who have so
patiently and tirelessly served the Cause in that land.
July 3, 1942
Letter of June 27, 1942
He is greatly pleased to note the progress which the young Baha’is of
India are making. Year by year he sees them growing stronger in faith,
more conscious of their duties and privileges as Baha’is; more anxious to
develop their knowledge of the teachings and their capacity to serve in
the administration.
He strongly feels that now is the time for them to arise and follow the
example of their American brothers and sisters, and begin, wherever
possible, to undertake pioneer teaching work. The services rendered in
this field by some of the American youth have been little short of
astounding, and he sees no reason why the young believers of India should
not win for themselves similar laurels in the path of Baha’u’llah.
Their beginning has been excellent, and he hopes that their future will be
even more outstanding and praiseworthy.
June 27, 1942
Letter of April 8, 1946
[From the Guardian:]
I was deeply touched by your messages, and I greatly value the sentiments
you have expressed, and your determination to promote the interests of our
beloved Faith. The Plan conceived by your national elected representatives
offers you a wide field in which to demonstrate your resourcefulness, your
energy, your perseverance, and your devotion to the vital interests of the
Cause and its nascent institutions. May the Beloved, whose Cause you are
so eager to serve, bless your activities, increase your numbers, guide
your steps, and enable you to contribute a notable share to the
advancement of its institutions.
April 8, 1946
Letter of April 12, 1945
It pleased him greatly to see that there are so many active Baha’i youth
groups in India, and his heart was particularly rejoiced to receive
messages from such far-off centres as Kashmir and Baluchistan, where, a
few years ago, there were practically no Baha’is at all!
He hopes that in the years that lie ahead of us—years of unrest, of
trouble; of transition for the whole world—that the Baha’i youth will
increasingly rise to meet the challenge of the times, and to carry the
Message of Baha’u’llah, through both teaching and example, all over India
and, indeed, Asia.
You who are at present in your teens, or twenties, must realize that
tomorrow, to a large extent, the burden of the Cause will rest on your
shoulders; you will have to be the administrators and teachers and
scholars of the Faith. Now is the time to prepare yourselves for your
future duties.
He hopes you will study the teachings deeply, their spiritual, moral, and
administrative precepts, and at the same time take as active a part as
possible in the life of your respective Baha’i communities.
April 12, 1945
Letter of October 15, 1940
He was indeed highly pleased and encouraged to note from the contents of
your annual report how alive the members of the Baha’i Youth Group in
Bombay are to their responsibilities and duties towards the Cause, and he
will assuredly pray on their behalf that in spite of the perils, the
uncertainties and dangers of the present hour their activities for the
Faith may steadily gain in scope and in effectiveness, and that they may
each and all receive such confirmations from On High as would enable them
to forge ahead, and to attain their high destiny in service to our beloved
Cause.
October 15, 1940
Letter of April 8, 1946
He feels that, in the important teaching Plans now being undertaken by the
Indian Baha’is, the youth have an ever-increasingly significant part to
play; they are standing at the threshold of active Baha’i service in both
the pioneer and administrative fields, and they must prepare themselves
for the future and follow, at the same time, the example of American
Baha’i young people, so many of whom have entered the field as pioneers
during the last ten years, and not only rendered the Cause great services
but prepared themselves, through this experience, for their future tasks
as administrators and teachers of the Faith.
April 8, 1946
LETTERS ADDRESSED TO INDIVIDUAL BAHA’IS IN INDIA
Letter of June 20, 1923.
Our dear Shoghi Effendi owing to the shock he received at the sudden news
of the Ascension of our Master and owing to the great fatigue occasioned
to him through the excess of work has become susceptible to malaria of
which Haifa is a great centre. This summer is very hot too. He was
troubled with malaria two days or three in every week. So the members of
the Holy Family conjointly with the Haifa Spiritual Assembly repeatedly
begged him to change his residence during these hot summer months to some
cooler climate. At last he affectionately accepted our humble entreaty and
left this morning for Egypt whence he’ll proceed to some summer resort as
he considers suitable. He wishes all the friends to be more active in his
absence.
June 20, 1923.
Letter of November 5, 1924
[From the Guardian:]
I trust that the National Assembly of which you are the honoured and
esteemed President will distinguish itself by its unremitting labours, its
profound wisdom, its distinct contribution to the deepening of the spirit
of love, service, unity, understanding and confidence amongst the friends.
It is the vital and urgent duty of the Secretary to keep in close and
constant touch with Burma and the various other Baha’i localities and
distribute with efficiency and promptitude all the glad tidings it
receives from the Holy Land and elsewhere.
November 5, 1924
Letter of May 17, 1926
Shoghi Effendi trusts that your elections are over and that they were
conducted in the proper manner. He earnestly hopes that the new N.S.A.
will be able to accelerate the progress of the Cause in India and Burma
and will bring in the dawning of a new day for the Baha’i movement in
India. Both Shoghi Effendi and the friends have had to satisfy their
eagerness with insufficient progress in the past, and although there are
many difficulties to meet and overcome and in spite of the fact that no
one is more alive to them than Shoghi Effendi himself, we hope and pray
that the future may have great accomplishments in store for us.
May 17, 1926
Letter of March 2, 1929
[From the Guardian:]
I trust that by now a better understanding and more substantial
cooperation has been attained by the friends of India and Burma. It is for
the delegates who are to be chosen by them this year, to elect those whom
they think are best qualified for membership of the National Spiritual
Assembly, and once elected, the unity and efficiency of this body must at
any cost be maintained. I cannot but pray that they may be guided in their
choice, and discharge honourably their functions.
March 2, 1929
Letter of December 17, 1929
He was very glad that your N.S.A. meeting in Bombay was such a success and
he is extremely happy of your decision to hold your next meeting in Burma,
for he shares your hope that by meeting the friends in Burma and
ventilating in a spirit of goodwill all past misunderstandings and
problems, a new and enduring unity of purpose and effort may prevail and
the Cause may make a fresh start.
[From the Guardian:]
I trust and pray that your gathering in Rangoon may prove a landmark in
the history of the Cause in India and Burma and may lend a fresh and
unprecedented impetus to the onward march of the Cause in those lands. May
the Beloved strengthen you and guide you and enable you to consolidate the
foundations of His Faith.
December 17, 1929
Letter of January 14, 1931
He is pleased to hear of the receipt of his cablegram addressed to the
Asian Women’s Conference through Prof. Pritam Singh and he sincerely hopes
that the Baha’i members attending will take an active share in its
proceedings and will thereby be putting to actual effect the teachings of
Baha’u’llah. Various and innumerable contacts will naturally be made and
the effort should be to take advantage of this unique opportunity.
January 14, 1931
Letter of July 10, 1931
Shoghi Effendi is as usual extremely busy. But his health is in a very
good condition and he is anxiously awaiting the news of further
achievements for the spreading of the Cause. The conditions in India are
now quite favourable but what the Baha’is need is a group of well-educated
and seriously-minded people who would spend a good deal of their time in
lecturing before large audiences and in writing and distributing books and
pamphlets. We are in need of such people. They are, as you know very well,
very few in number and the Guardian hopes that you will do your utmost to
organize or to encourage and assist the formation of such a group.
July 10, 1931
Letter of October 27, 1933
[From the Guardian:]
Your previous letter of Aug. 25 has reached me and I rejoice to learn that
the Burmese version of the “New Era” is being circulated. I long to hear
of the completion and publication of the Hindi and Urdu versions. The
utmost effort should be exerted in order to expedite this most important
and urgent work.
October 27, 1933
Letter of November 3, 1934
[From the Guardian:]
I am so glad to note a decided improvement in the administrative conduct
of Baha’i affairs in India, and I trust and pray that the teaching work
will as a result receive a fresh and unprecedented impetus. To teach the
Cause is the ultimate purpose and the supreme objective of all Baha’i
institutions. These are but means to an end. May the Beloved grant you
strength to enhance the splendid work you have already achieved. I am
eagerly awaiting the news of the publication of the Urdu and the Sindhi
editions of the “New Era”.
November 3, 1934
Letter of October 15, 1940
The report of your teaching work in Mysore and Bangalore, and of your
meeting with Prof. Shastri and His Highness the Maharaja of Mysore, who
had been gracious enough to accord you an audience, has been noted with
feelings of highest satisfaction and gratitude by the Guardian. He wishes
me to express to you his heart’s warmest congratulations upon the success
of your efforts in contacting such eminent personalities who, if closely
drawn and attracted to the Faith, can lend invaluable support to its
spread and wider recognition throughout India.
Shoghi Effendi would indeed urge that you follow up these important
contacts by every means you can, so that you may obtain some more tangible
results in the way of confirming some important personalities in these
high social and intellectual Indian circles.
October 15, 1940
Letter of October 12, 1932
The Guardian wishes me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated
September 14th 1932 expressing your words of sympathy for the passing away
of the Greatest Holy Leaf.
She was such a source of joy, hope and inspiration to those who met her
that not only Shoghi Effendi but every single Baha’i pilgrim will miss her
terribly. To the lady pilgrims it was a real treat to go and have tea with
her in the afternoons. She was always so radiantly hopeful and tried to
persuade others that sorrows are passing and have to be disregarded. The
only consolation of Shoghi Effendi is that she has been freed from the
physical weakness that during these last years was confining her to her
room for most of the time. He is sure that in the realm in which she now
is she is thinking of her friends and asking for them divine guidance and
help.
October 12, 1932
Letter of May 2, 1947
The Indian believers, in spite of the troubled condition of their country,
its vastness, and the relative fewness of their numbers, are really
demonstrating a remarkable tenacity of purpose in carrying out their
pioneer teaching plan and in organizing and supporting their Baha’i
activities. He is therefore very pleased with them, and wishes the young
people to take part more and more in the work of the Cause in India.
May 2, 1947
Letter of May 8, 1942
There is no refuge in the world today except the Cause of Baha’u’llah. The
believers must rest assured that, having the Faith, they have everything.
They must place their lives in the Hand of God, and, confident of His
mercy and protection, go on teaching the Cause and serving it, no matter
what happens.
May 8, 1942
Letter of February 2, 1957
He considers that the most important thing, as he has often pointed out to
the friends, is to maintain the Spiritual Assemblies already in existence
throughout India, to create Spiritual Assemblies out of Groups, and to
establish new Centres. He therefore does not feel that, if the Cause is
precarious in Surat and this goal of the Assembly has not been
successfully achieved, the Baha’is who are working there should leave and
go elsewhere.
The principle he has laid down has invariably been that the friends must
establish a Spiritual Assembly on a firm and enduring basis with a nucleus
of about fifteen Baha’is in the Community, so that the Assembly would be
maintained, and then the other believers are free above the number fifteen
to disperse and teach elsewhere; in fact they should consider it their
duty to do so. This instruction of our beloved Guardian applies to Surat
as well as to other Centres.
February 2, 1957
Letter of September 19, 1929
Your frank expression of the situation in India and your energetic desire
to see things moving after years of practical stagnation, is gladly
welcomed by the Guardian, and he is refreshed to see a feeling of
dissatisfaction with present conditions and a desire for fresh endeavours
along enlightened lines, evident among a good many of our friends in India
and Burma.
It is especially gratifying to see you realize the fact that when the
world has developed and been enlightened enough through the unseen powers
of the Almighty, to be led to the teachings and spirit of the Cause, it
will be our shameful task to go round proclaiming such principles as we
were taught so many years before and none of which we had lived up to.
Concerning Huquq, the Guardian wishes me to inform you that at present it
is not obligatory for the friends to pay, but that they should be urged to
contribute to the local and national funds.
September 19, 1929
Letter of December 1, 1944
Concerning the Esslemont book in languages read by Hindus: The text of the
book can in no way be changed, but two things can be done to make it more
suitable for teaching Hindus: a footnote can be added informing the reader
that the book was written by a Scotsman who was anxious to present to the
Christians the Baha’i Faith in relation to their own religion, and hence
he used many Biblical quotations with Baha’i interpretations given;
secondly an appendix may be added which will include quotations from the
Baha’i writings suitable to the Hindu mind and interests.
Regarding Baha’i women using facial make-up: individuals are entirely free
to do as they please in such purely personal matters. As Baha’is are
enjoined to use moderation in all things, and to seek the Golden mean, the
N.S.A. can, if it deems it necessary or advisable, counsel the believers
to use moderation in this respect also.
Concerning your question as to whether a person may sign a registration
card and then request his declaration to not be made public: all such
administrative details must be referred to the N.S.A. for decision and
their instructions followed.
The Guardian counsels you to refrain by all means from criticizing and
attacking the National Assembly and its members or any local assemblies.
The good that you think can be done by such criticism is far out-weighed
by the harm it does. The new assemblies and believers will cease to have
confidence in the administration, cease to love and respect their
representatives and the pioneer work you have done will suffer in general.
December 1, 1944
Letter of July 29, 1942
The Guardian has been very pleased to note the progress the Bombay friends
have been making in their various activities. He would, however, urge the
Bombay Assembly and community to redouble their efforts in the field of
teaching; to send forth new souls into the pioneer field; and to devote as
much time as possible to fostering the spread of the Cause in nearby
centres.
He hopes that the contemplated celebration of the anniversary of the
Birthday of Baha’u’llah will prove to be a great success, and he sees no
objection to the friends helping nearby centres to hold a similar public
meeting to attract new souls and teach the Faith.
In all matters of national importance, or which in any way transcend the
purely local jurisdiction of the assembly, the Guardian would urge your
Assembly to consult with, and seek the advice of, the N.S.A., as only in
this way can administrative authority be upheld, and the work of the Cause
progress swiftly and smoothly just as the individual believers are bound
to support and sustain their local assembly, for the preservation of the
unity of the Faith and the strengthening of its as yet embryonic World
Order, so must the local assemblies obey and sustain their national
representatives. The closer the cooperation between local and national
assemblies, the greater will be the power and radiance which can and must
stream forth from these institutions to the suffering ranks of humanity.
[From the Guardian:]
The activities of the Indian believers in the teaching field, in these
days of uncertainty and peril, deserve the highest praise. I will
specially pray at the holy Shrines for the expansion of these activities
to which I attach the utmost importance in these concluding years of the
First Baha’i Century. What the Bombay believers have accomplished in this
respect is noteworthy, and I trust and pray that the Beloved may aid,
sustain and guide them to achieve great victories in the pioneer field in
the days to come.
July 29, 1942
Letter of March 28, 1945
Regarding your question concerning Baha’is printing and circulating matter
on the Faith: Whether the person writes it openly, as a Baha’i, or gives
the impression he is not a Baha’i, (in order to make his statements seem
those of a dispassionate observer and thus carry more weight with some
minds), if he is a voting member of our Faith he should submit the
material to the N.S.A., or its appointed Committee, to be passed upon as
to its accuracy and acceptability. Naturally non-Baha’i material the
individual is free to do as he likes about. The National Assembly should
deal efficiently with such matters and thus encourage the friends to
follow the correct procedure. The whole object in Baha’i administration is
not only to manage the affairs of the Cause, but to stimulate the
believers to work for it and to teach it to the masses. When the N.S.A.
provides competent and quick service, in its own work and that of its
Committees, it will see a far greater manifestation of enthusiasm and
enterprise on the part of the believers.
[From the Guardian:]
The steady extension of the activities of the Indian Baha’i Community, in
accordance with the fundamental administrative principles of the Faith,
constitutes a landmark in the early history of the Formative Age of the
Baha’i Dispensation, and augurs well for the ultimate triumph and official
recognition of the Cause of Baha’u’llah in the course of the second Baha’i
Century. The concerted endeavours of the Indian believers during the
closing years of the first century have been crowned with signal success.
A solid foundation has been laid. The machinery for the systematic and
efficient development of the institutions of the Faith in the capital and
in the provinces is now functioning. Its literature is being widely
disseminated. Its pioneers are labouring in distant fields. What is now
required is an intensification of effort to establish direct contact with
the masses, proclaim audaciously the verities of the Faith, to consolidate
the work already achieved and to lend further impetus to the settlement of
pioneers in areas where the light of the Faith has not as yet penetrated.
A greater measure of self-sacrifice, closer cooperation, and a higher
degree of consecration to the task facing them are required of the
believers of India in the course of the second year of the second Baha’i
Century. May the Beloved sustain, aid and bless their concerted and
meritorious endeavours.
March 28, 1945
Letter of December 19, 1949
He admires very much the devoted manner in which the Kolhapur Baha’is have
built up the Spiritual Assembly there and caused that community to be one
of the most active in Southern India. You must not now become discouraged
because some of your teachers have left and gone to serve the Cause
elsewhere. This gives you the opportunity of learning to do more of the
work yourselves, and of also putting your reliance on Baha’u’llah and
realizing that He will assist all those who arise to serve Him.
The Guardian assures you he will pray in the Holy Shrines for your
protection and that God may assist you in your work, aid you to be united
and show the greatest love, one for another, and bless your work.
[From the Guardian:]
May the Almighty guide every step you take in the path of service, and
enable you to proclaim the verities of His Faith, and contribute
effectively to the consolidation of its newly-born institutions.
December 19, 1949
Letter of May 14, 1932
He was surely very sorry to hear of the passing away of your father who
was such an old and devoted servant of the Cause. Such persons, at their
passing, proceed to the presence of Baha’u’llah and partake of His
infinite blessings and divine bounties. They enter into a state which,
should we only have the eye to see, we would envy and earnestly desire. It
is only because we ignore the beautiful and glorious life of the world
beyond that we seem attached to our earthly abode and often forget the
goal of our very existence here.
May 14, 1932
Letter of June 6, 1933
It is to the youth that the Guardian is today eagerly looking, and it is
upon their shoulders that he is laying all the responsibility for the
promotion of the Faith. Theirs is the opportunity to arise and serve to
their utmost this great Cause of God.
June 6, 1933
Letter of December 27, 1933
Concerning the use of alcoholic drinks and drugs the Guardian wishes you
to know that they have been explicitly forbidden in the “Kitab-i-Aqdas”.
Opium is, undoubtedly, prohibited. But smoking, though allowed, is
discouraged. Various other points which may be raised in this connection
and which have not been explained in the Holy Writings have to be
carefully considered and acted upon by the future International House of
Justice which is the body empowered by Baha’u’llah to legislate in all
matters which have not been explicitly revealed in the Sacred Writings of
the Faith.
December 27, 1933
Letter of January 7, 1934
What, in the last resort, is most essential to every believer is a
conscious and an unwavering faith in the mission which the Cause has been
called upon to fulfill. Through the light of faith the darkness which
envelops our thoughts and feelings gives way to a radiance and a splendour
before which every gloom vanishes.
January 7, 1934
Letter of September 25, 1934
While secrecy in matters of religious faith should be deprecated as being
against the spirit of the Cause yet, it is always recommendable to
exercise full tact and wisdom whenever, by too frank and open a
declaration of our beliefs, we run the risk of exciting the animosity and
opposition of those around us.
September 25, 1934
Letter of September 4, 1935
With regard to your question relative to the advisability of having
Baha’is join film companies. Although on principle there is no objection
if any believer wishes to become a cinema actor, yet in view of the
excessive corruption that now prevails along such a line of occupation,
the Guardian would not advise any believer to choose this kind of
profession, unless he finds this to be the only means of earning his
livelihood.
Concerning the passage in the Old Testament in which Abraham is reported
to have addressed his wife as his sister, the interpretation given it by
some Christians cannot hold, as it implies that the Messengers of God are
all sinners. A much more plausible explanation would be, that in doing so
Abraham wished to emphasize the superiority of the spiritual relationship
binding him with his wife to the purely physical and material one.
September 4, 1935
Letter of April 17, 1936
As regards your study of the Hindu religion. The origins of this and many
other religions that abound in India are not quite known to us, and even
the Orientalists and the students of religion are not in complete accord
about the results of their investigations in that field. The Baha’i
Writings also do not refer specifically to any of these forms of religion
current in India. So, the Guardian feels it impossible to give you any
definite and detailed information on that subject. He would urge you,
however, to carry on your studies in that field, although its immensity is
well-nigh bewildering, with the view of bringing the Message to the
Hindus. The task of converting this section of the Indian population is a
most vital obligation, although the Guardian is fully aware of the many
difficulties that it presents. Nevertheless the friends should do their
best to make as many converts among the Hindus as they possibly can.
Also with regard to the problem of inter-marriage between the Zoroastrian
and Hindu Baha’is, this is a highly delicate and vital question, as
important as the problem of the black and white in America. The friends
should all realize that racial considerations do not, in the light of the
Baha’i Teachings, constitute any hindrance to any kind of intercourse
between the believers. The Hindu and Zoroastrian Baha’is should forget
their former and traditional prejudices whether religious, racial or
social, and commune together on a common basis of equality, love and
devotion to the Cause. While the goal is quite clear yet, wisdom and
caution are needed in order to carry this ideal into full practice.
April 17, 1936
Letter of May 7, 1941
In these days when the forces of inharmony and disunity are rampant
throughout the world, the Baha’is must cling to their Faith and to each
other, and, in spite of every difficulty and suffering, protect the unity
of the Cause. Often the first efforts at getting the administration of the
Faith to mark harmoniously, are painful because the individual must learn
to subject his will to the whole—but these are all minor details, and the
friends must all concentrate on constructive work for the Cause.
Of course no one is debarred from becoming a Baha’i; rich or poor, learned
or ignorant, all have a sacred and equal right to accept the Supreme
Manifestation for this age.
The question of residence and taking part in administrative affairs hangs
together: wherever a Baha’i has his legal residence, he belongs to the
community that is established in that same civil area as his residence,
and he cannot vote or be elected to any Baha’i body outside of that area
except, of course, National Assembly and Committees. This, of course, does
not prevent his teaching in nearby towns or anywhere else. But he cannot
live in one city and be a voting Baha’i in another.
May 7, 1941
Letter of April 7, 1952
He urges you to redouble your efforts during the coming year, to teach the
youth this great Message of Baha’u’llah. It is indeed the one hope for the
spiritual and material security of the world; and although the response
may be slow at first, through your perseverance and devotion, you will
gradually succeed in attracting a very large group to the Cause of
Baha’u’llah.
April 7, 1952
Letter of January 27, 1957
He was also delighted to hear that the Message was given to such large
crowds of people in a spot associated with the enlightenment of the
Manifestation of God, Buddha. The Guardian attaches great importance to
the conversion of Buddhists to the Faith as well as Hindus, and he urges
your Assembly to do everything in your power to attract the members of
these Faiths and convert them.
January 27, 1957
Letter of February 7, 1937
The Guardian is confident that the ceremony of your marriage will be
conducted along strictly Baha’i lines and feels certain that your example
will create a deep impression upon the non-believers, and will also serve
to greatly encourage the believers in their efforts for the emancipation
of the Cause from the doctrines and traditions of the past, and for its
wide and effective recognition as an independent religion.
February 7, 1937
Letter of March 31, 1937
In this connection, the Guardian feels the necessity of bringing to your
attention the fact that the validity of a Baha’i marriage is conditioned
upon the consent of the two parties and their parents only. So that in
case the other members of your family show any dislike or opposition to
your sister’s union ... their objection does under no circumstances
invalidate it. Your parents’ approval would be sufficient, even though all
the rest of your family may violently oppose it.
March 31, 1937
Letter of March 27, 1938
1. In the passage “eschew all fellowship with the ungodly”, Baha’u’llah
means that we should shun the company of those who disbelieve in God and
are wayward. The word “ungodly” is a reference to such perverse people.
The words “Be thou as a flame of fire to My enemies and a river of life
eternal to My loved ones” should not be taken in their literal sense.
Baha’u’llah’s advice is that again we should flee from the enemies of God,
and instead seek the fellowship of His lovers.
2. A believer has the right to vote for himself during the election time,
if he conscientiously feels the urge to do so. This does not necessarily
imply that he is ambitious or selfish. For he might conscientiously
believe that his qualifications entitle him to membership in a Baha’i
administrative body, and he might be right. The essential, however, is
that he should be sincere in his belief, and should act according to the
dictates of his conscience. Moreover, membership in an assembly or
committee is a form of service, and should not be looked upon as a mark of
inherent superiority or a means for self-praise.
3. The Baha’i view of “reincarnation” is essentially different from the
Hindu conception. The Baha’is believe in the return of the attributes and
qualities, but maintain that the essence or the reality of things cannot
be made to return. Every being keeps its own individuality, but some of
his qualities can be transmitted. The doctrine of metempsychosis upheld by
the Hindus is fallacious.
4. The eating of pork is not forbidden in the Baha’i Teachings.
5. Genesis XIX, 29–38—the text makes it quite clear that Lot was not
responsible for the action committed by his two daughters, as they gave
him wine and made him drunk.
6. Electioneering and all forms of propaganda are against the spirit of
Baha’i elections. The chief opportunity which the friends have for
discussion on administrative questions is during the Nineteen Day Feasts,
at which time the members of the assembly can meet with the body of the
believers and discuss in common the affairs of the Cause, and suggest new
policies and methods. But even then no reference to individuals should be
made.
7. Baha’is are permitted to marry non-believers but they should insist on
observing the Baha’i marriage ceremony and should also not object if their
non-Baha’i partner wishes to observe the marriage ceremony of his or her
particular religion. Civil marriage is generally practised amongst the
Western believers, but in most of the East it is unknown.
March 27, 1938
Letter of October 29, 1938
...as to the meaning of the passage in the “Iqan” in which Baha’u’llah
refers to the renewal of the “City of God” once in about a thousand years;
this, as the word about implies, is simply an approximate date, and should
not therefore be taken literally.
The Administrative Order of the Cause, though first established in
America, copied as a model by other national Baha’i communities, is not an
American production, but is a universal system based on the teachings of
Baha’u’llah. It is not simply by coincidence however that it was first
initiated and perfected by the American believers.
October 29, 1938
Letter of November 16, 1939
The task of bringing up a Baha’i child, as emphasized time and again in
Baha’i Writings, is the chief responsibility of the mother, whose unique
privilege is indeed to create in her home such conditions as would be most
conducive to both his material and spiritual welfare and advancement. The
training which the child first receives through his mother constitutes the
strongest foundation for his future development...
November 16, 1939
Letter of April 27, 1946
The Baha’is all over the world are subject sometimes to suffering, along
with their fellow-men. Whatever vicissitudes befall their country, they
will be protected though, and watched over by Baha’u’llah, and should not
fear the future but rather fear any failure on their part to carry out the
work of His Cause. This applies to the Indian Baha’is.
April 27, 1946
LETTERS ADDRESSED TO BURMESE BAHA’IS
Letter of June 1, 1923
[From the Guardian:]
Your most welcome letter has rejoiced my heart, and has redoubled my
confidence and hope in that little band of earnest and ardent followers of
the Baha’i Faith who labour so devotedly for the diffusion of the Light of
Baha’u’llah throughout the world.
The glowing account you give me of your recent efforts and activities to
extend and consolidate the Campaign of Service in that land has been
shared with the resident friends and pilgrims in the Holy Land, and
incorporated in the circular letters which the Haifa Spiritual Assembly
addresses to the Baha’i world. It will send, I am sure, a thrill of
enthusiasm and courage throughout the body of the friends the world over,
and will serve to strengthen the ties that bind us all to you, our beloved
co-workers in that far-eastern land!
I am looking forward with the greatest interest, to the time when your
high hopes will have been fully realized, your plans fulfilled and your
selfless efforts crowned with glorious success. It is my fervent hope and
prayer that your endeavours to constitute a Central Council for all Burma,
and establish a Baha’i Magazine, exclusively devoted to the progress of
the work in that province, will soon bear abundant fruit, and will stand a
testimony to the efficiency, the energy and the zeal of the beloved
Burmese friends.
May our loving and ever-watchful Master, guide and protect you in all the
services you are so whole-heartedly tendering to His sacred Threshold, and
may He enable you to contribute your full share in carrying out His Great
Purpose for mankind! This is my prayer for you all whenever I visit the
Three Holy Shrines, and I feel certain that He will not fail to answer it,
if we but hold fast to those principles for which He lived, laboured and
died.
June 1, 1923
Letter of June 2, 1923
[From the Guardian:]
The detailed report I have recently received from the tried and faithful
servant of Baha’u’llah, Aqa Syed Mustapha, regarding the progress of your
labours in those remote regions of the world has filled my heart with hope
and gladness, and has served to fortify the ties of loving fellowship that
bind our hearts together in the service of His Cause.
I have read and re-read the account of your activities with profound
interest, and have been deeply touched to realize how constantly and
fervently you are carrying on the work entrusted to your charge. May His
Spirit guide you, sustain you and protect you in all your endeavours, and
make of you the vanguard of His Host that shall conquer the world.
I shall await the joyful news of the expansion of your work, the
establishment of your Magazine, the consolidation of your Assemblies, the
increase of your numbers, with keen interest, and wish to assure you again
and again of my readiness and desire to help you and serve you in your
efforts to promote the Cause in even the uttermost corners of the world.
By day and by night, in my hours of prayer and meditation, I tenderly
remember every one of you, and pray from the bottom of my heart, for your
spiritual happiness, material prosperity, and ultimate success in your
sacred mission in this world.
I shall be most pleased to receive frequent and direct letters from every
Baha’i locality in Burma, and will not fail to do all I can to stimulate
your work, and extend your activities throughout that distant province.
May the day be not far distant when the few and ardent followers of the
Faith in that land, will have increased a hundred-fold, and the promises
of our beloved Abdu’l-Baha strikingly and speedily fulfilled.
June 2, 1923
CABLEGRAMS
Cablegram of 18.11.1935
18.11.1935 Urge exert supreme effort publication Bengali Sindhi Hindi
publication Esslemonts book praying success love—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 29.4.1937
29.4.1937 Ardently praying success deliberations. Earnest prayerful
consultation intensify teaching campaign already energetically initiated
India Burma vitally required. Anticipate epoch making success loving
remembrance Holy Shrines—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 27.6.1937
27.6.1937 Earnestly urge every loyal Believer particularly local
assemblies India Burma demonstrate their ever ready eagerness rally round
elected body national representatives by stimulating flow their
contributions to national fund the bedrock upon which security expansion
their newborn institutions must ultimately rest—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 2.9.1937
2.9.1937 Martha Root arriving Bombay September sixteenth urge individuals
Local National Assemblies vigorously participate ensure triumphant success
her extended stay accord magnificent welcome best beloved star servant
Baha’u’llah—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 22.9.1938
22.9.1938 Assure first Summer School signalized presence beloved Martha
fervent prayers success deliberations—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 27.6.1942
27.6.1942 Baha’i world deplores loss distinguished promoter Faith
Abduljalil Saad his eminent services as champion Cause in Egypt as teacher
author administrator unforgettable inform friends hold memorial gatherings
his honour—SHOGHI RABBANI.
Cablegram of 8.7.1942
8.7.1942 Notable progress achieved dear Indian believers teaching Faith
Baha’u’llah impels me contribute two hundred pounds teaching fund. Appeal
intensification efforts wider dispersion increase number volunteers
multiplication groups Assemblies praying conspicuous victories—SHOGHI
RABBANI
Cablegram of 3.1.1943
3.1.1943 Greatly cheered remarkable expansion teaching activities valiant
pioneers urge perseverance cabling three hundred pounds facilitate Baha’i
settlement virgin states praying magnificent victories resounding success
historic task—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 15.1.1943
15.1.1943 Completion temple by American believers necessitates direct
attention establishment administrative centre for Faith in India. Enquire
whether purchase suitable house in Delhi as temporary centre pending
construction special edifice in future possible. Wire after prompt
consultation with members Assembly result inquiries regarding site prices.
Praying its early establishment ere conclusion first Baha’i Century—SHOGHI
RABBANI
Cablegram of 28.1.1943
28.1.1943 Urgent expedite choice suitable building wire fully results
inquiries to save time—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 5.3.1943
5.3.1943 Wire prices demanded purchase suitable building—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 12.3.1943
12.3.1943 Owing exorbitant price advise rent suitable house—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 23.4.1943
23.4.1943 Desire address plea representatives Indian believers assembled
convention last year first Baha’i Century deliberate necessary measures
prompt establishment much needed Baha’i national headquarters capital city
India. Cabling one thousand pounds contribution fund dedicated meritorious
purpose stop Advise consider ways means ensure befitting celebration May
1944 Centenary Faith and publication survey history Faith since inception
India. Urge unrelaxing vigilance redoubled efforts ensure success six year
plan praying Almighty’s blessings guidance mighty undertakings. Heroic
self sacrifice imperative—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 2.5.1943
2.5.1943 Rejoice multiplication centres urge ensure unity harmony
believers indispensable condition further progress Faith advise renewed
efforts early establishment Baha’i administrative headquarters—SHOGHI
RABBANI
Cablegram of 6.5.1943
6.5.1943 Share fully poignant grief Indian Baha’i Community passing its
distinguished champion firm pillar able teacher administrator beloved
Vakil. Concourse on high acclaim his pioneer historic services. Advise
hold befitting memorial gatherings recognition tribute his high
station—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 10.5.1943
10.5.1943 Assure youth conference delegates members loving remembrance
shrines. Urge continued endeavours safeguard consolidate unity. Exert
immediate efforts wider dispersion teaching virgin territories establish
urgently required administrative headquarters marking consummation recent
notable achievements dear Indian believers in teaching field. Wire
permanent street address for future use—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 27.7.1943
27.7.1943 Praying success concentrate purchase building and promotion
teaching activities—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 6.8.1943
6.8.1943 Advise undertake prompt measures translation publication
Esslemonts book into Mahratti Tamil and three other languages selected by
National Assembly. Multiplication assemblies establishment administrative
headquarters must be speedily supplemented by measures aiming much needed
publicity. Praying still greater victories. Cabling three hundred pounds
this meritorious purpose—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 9.10.1943
9.10.1943 Wire price purchased Hazira also whether any surplus funds
left—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 17.10.1943
17.10.1943 Cabling one thousand pounds nucleus formation special fund for
translation printing widespread dissemination Baha’i literature...—SHOGHI
RABBANI
Cablegram of 15.2.1944
15.2.1944 Overjoyed magnificent successes praying abundant blessings three
newly formed assemblies. Local assemblies should be elected as usual
during Ridvan. Annual Convention should be held same week as Centenary
Celebrations. Advise fix number convention delegates at fifty-seven or
three times nineteen. Choice place celebrations left discretion National
Assembly—SHOGHI RABBANI April 1953 Assembled delegates communities India
Pakistan
Burma lovingly remembered Shrines occasion Most Great Festival Holy Year
coinciding launching world, Spiritual Crusade designed diffuse light
Baha’u’llahs Revelation entire planet. Members all three communities
constituting next cradle Faith second stronghold its institutions Asiatic
continent distinguished record services His Cause extending three quarters
century called upon enrich considerably coming decade annals Faith Indian
Subcontinent Burma. Ten Year Plan fourth series plans undertaken these
communities designed carry stage further collective achievements within
beyond borders homelands involves first opening following virgin
territories eleven Asia Andaman Islands Bhutan Daman Diu Goa Karikal Mahe
Mariana Islands Nicobar Islands Pondicherry Sikkim five Africa Comoro
Islands French Cameroons Gambia Ruanda Urundi Socotra Island second
consolidation Faith following territories eleven Asia Baluchistan Borneo
Burma Ceylon Indo-China Indonesia Malaya Nepal Pakistan Sarawark Siam
three Africa Madagascar Mozambique Zanzibar third establishment National
Spiritual Assemblies Pakistan Burma Ceylon South East Asia fourth
incorporation each aforementioned National Assemblies fifth establishment
national endowments same assemblies sixth establishment national
haziratulquds Karachi Rangoon Colombo Jakarta seventh establishment
national Baha’i court New Delhi eighth establishment national Baha’i court
Karachi ninth purchase land New Delhi anticipation first Mashriquladhkar
India tenth translation Baha’i literature forty languages collaboration
National Spiritual Assembly Australasia Abor Miri Aneityum Annamese
Balochai Bentuni Binandere Cheremiss Chungchia Georgian Houailou Javanese
Kado Kaili Kopu Kusaie Lepcha Lifu Manchu Manipuri Manus Island Marquesas
Mentawei Mongolian Mordoff Mwala Na-Hsi Nicobarese Niue Ossete Ostiak Pali
Panjabi Pashto Perm Petats Samoan Tho Tibetan Tonga Vogul eleventh
doubling number Spiritual Assemblies localities India Pakistan Burma
twelfth doubling number incorporated Spiritual Assemblies India Pakistan
Burma thirteenth establishment Baha’i Publishing Trust New Delhi
fourteenth expansion Panchgani School fifteenth formation Asian Teaching
Committee designed stimulate coordinate teaching activities Plan. May
valiant followers Faith representatives four principal religions mankind
recruited highly diversified classes races boasting already noteworthy
share unfoldment Administrative Order Baha’u’llah arise ennoble past
achievements be enabled through future victories pay befitting tribute His
memory occasion hundredth anniversary declaration His Mission—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 24.4.1944
24.4.1944 Appreciate Ridvan greetings loving remembrance. Extraordinary
progress Baha’i teaching activities initiated by Indian believers
necessitates corresponding extension field Baha’i literature cabling one
thousand pounds for this meritorious purpose as well as further
multiplication Baha’i centres. Praying continually abundant blessings.
Advise undertake immediately translation Esslemonts into Rajasthani—SHOGHI
RABBANI
Cablegram of 22.5.1944
22.5.1944 Deeply appreciate heartily reciprocate Centenary greetings
beloved valiant victorious community Indian believers. Triumphant
conclusion Six Year Plan sheds imperishable lustre record community’s
services Faith Baha’u’llah course first Baha’i century and augurs well
still greater victories opening years second century. With grateful heart
supplicate this glorious occasion unprecedented blessings historic task so
vast field in both teaching administrative spheres Baha’i activity—SHOGHI
RABBANI
Cablegram of 24.5.1944
24.5.1944 Announce friends joyful tidings hundredth anniversary
declaration mission martyred Herald Faith signalized by historic decision
complete structure His sepulchre erected by Abdu’l Baha on site chosen by
Baha’u’llah. Recently designed model dome unveiled presence assembled
believers. Praying early removal obstacles consummation stupendous plan
conceived by Founder Faith and hopes cherished by Centre His
Covenant—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 24.8.1944
24.8.1944 Intensification teaching activity and extension range Baha’i
literature as necessary prelude inauguration systematic teaching campaigns
neighbouring territories course opening years second Baha’i century
imperative. Urge undertake immediate measures translation Esslemonts New
Era into Nepali Assamese Chin languages. Cabling one thousand pounds
promotion two fold purpose praying abundant blessings unprecedented
victories—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 31.10.1944
31.10.1944 Urge expedite translation publication New Era thirteen
languages already chosen. Redoubled efforts urgently required necessary
prelude mighty tasks ahead praying success. Wire progress meritorious
enterprise—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 26.11.1944
26.11.1944 Overjoyed magnificent extension publication activities. Urge
similar exertions no less vital teaching tasks particularly conversion
existing groups into local assemblies. Mail whenever ready hundred copies
each Esslemont translation and fifty each other publications praying ever
increasing success abiding gratitude—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 15.12.1944
15.12.1944 Hundred copies Kinarese received. Loving appreciation advise
mail five copies each national assembly also future version. Wire date
publication Tamil Telugu urge expedite translation reviewing publication
remaining languages—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 15.2.1945
15.2.1945 Wire date despatch hundred copies Tamil Telugu versions New Era
also wire progress translation publication other languages praying speedy
success—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 13.3.1945
13.3.1945 Urge renewed exertion expedite translation publication New
Era—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 4.4.1945
4.4.1945 Urge translation publication remaining languages Punjabi
Rajasthani Nepali Chin praying removal obstacles persevere—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 30.4.1945
30.4.1945 Convey delegates sixteenth Baha’i convention deepest loving
appreciation message assurance remembrance Shrines. Second year second
Baha’i century must witness alike steady consolidation newly fledged
assemblies multiplication groups unprecedented expansion teaching
activities nation wide dissemination Baha’i literature. Incoming
assembly’s paramount duty initiate sound measures ensure effective
prosecution urgent tasks—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 9.1.1946
9.1.1946 Admire initiative overjoyed magnificent spontaneous decision
national representatives Indian believers inaugurate plan designed
consolidate extend range splendid achievements associated termination
first Baha’i century. Fervently supplicating outpourings Baha’u’llahs
blessings mighty undertaking. Pledging one thousand pounds furtherance
highly meritorious purpose—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 10.1.1946
10.1.1946 German Baha’i community emerging ten years trials bitterest
endured by followers Faith throughout West. Urge Indian believers transmit
contribution token Baha’i solidarity through Valiollah Varqa Trustee
Fund—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 16.7.1946
16.7.1946 Hearts griefstricken passing Supreme Concourse distinguished
pioneer Faith Baha’u’llah dearly beloved staunch high minded noble soul
Siyyid Mustafa. Long record his superb services both teaching
administrative fields shed lustre on both heroic and formative ages Baha’i
Dispensation. His magnificent achievements fully entitle him join ranks
Hands Cause Baha’u’llah. His resting place should be regarded foremost
Shrine community Burmese believers. Advise holding memorial gatherings
throughout India honour his imperishable memory. Urge Indian Burmese
Baha’is participate construction tomb. Cabling three hundred pounds my
personal contribution so praiseworthy purpose—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 11.11.1946
11.11.1946 Greatly deplore tribulations afflicting dearly beloved Burmese
friends profoundly moved circumstances attending assassination heroic
apostle Baha’u’llah Sayed Mustafa and associates. Admire unquenchable
spirit animating long suffering brethren Rangoon Mandalay Daidanow assure
them admiration gratitude strong attachment fervent prayers revival
activities. Soon transmitting one thousand pounds my contribution relief
rebuilding institutions promotion teaching activities. Urge National
Assembly immediate concentrated continual attention promote vital
interests Burmese community—RABBANI
Cablegram of 18.11.1946
18.11.1946 Praying success mission Indian Burmese believers lovingly
remember appreciate greetings invoke blessings Baha’u’llah both
communities—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 14.1.1947
14.1.1947 Deepest loving appreciation noble sentiment dearly beloved
coworkers India Burma proud their historic exemplary achievements praying
ever increasing success mighty endeavours—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 4.4.1947
4.4.1947 Cable number local assemblies groups and isolated believers India
Burma separately. Cable approximate value Baha’i endowments local and
national in May 1944 and at present. Cable present status translations
publication New Era urge redouble efforts early completion this vital
task—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 5.4.1947
5.4.1947 Cable how much money has been set aside for future National
Haziratul Quds cable also present approximate value Delhi Haziratul
Quds—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 11.4.1947
11.4.1947 Advise take immediate steps purchase Delhi befitting building
for national Haziratul Quds. Utilize funds reserved this purpose also
proceeds sale present Delhi structure. Owing overriding importance
suitable national headquarters advise divert temporarily sum raised
Panchgani School this meritorious purpose. Cabling one thousand pounds my
contribution. Urge friends arise unitedly contribute generously meet vital
urgent need Faith present hour—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 24.4.1947
24.4.1947 Deeply appreciate greetings Indian Burmese Baha’is fervently
praying success their activities urge prompt action purchase vitally
needed Hazira Delhi fulfil without delay urgent national need Faith—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 30.4.1947
30.4.1947 Deeply appreciate message convention delegates. Heartily
congratulate communities India Burma magnificent achievements. Opening
phase historic plan victoriously concluded. Appeal all members both
communities demonstrate greater solidarity higher resolve nobler self
sacrifice keener understanding fuller dedication in wider fields pursuance
more glorious victories. Valiant prosecutors plan lovingly remembered Holy
Shrines occasion Most Great Festival—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 28.5.1947
28.5.1947 Approve borrow for purchase six hundred thousand
structure—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 5.6.1947
5.6.1947 Urge all assemblies groups individual believers arise unitedly
contribute generously redeem promise debt incurred purchase Hazira focus
all national activities powerful magnet Divine Blessings—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 9.7.1947
9.7.1947 Delighted magnificent response believers appeal funds purchase
Hazira. Praying complete success. Congratulate national elected
representatives community holding harmonious historic session Indias
capital. Convey friends decision celebrate this occasion through
initiation of negotiations by me with authorities Holy Land aimed secure
authorization transfer portion Baha’i international endowments precincts
Shrine Mt Carmel to Palestine branch Indian National Assembly already
incorporated religious association Palestine. Praying successful outcome
entitling Indian National Assembly unique distinction throughout Baha’i
world of sharing with sister Assembly America honour ownership property
permanently dedicated Bab’s Holy Shrine—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 7.8.1947
7.8.1947 Advise register Hazira names two or three individuals if
registration Assemblys name absolutely impossible—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 23.10.1947
23.10.1947 Heartfelt appreciation greetings Indian Burmese friends
lovingly remembered praying continually protection unity triumph removal
obstacles transfer possession Haziratul Quds deepest love abiding
gratitude—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 11.11.1947
11.11.1947 Profoundly regret complications urge vigilant strenuous
unrelaxing effort ardently supplicating removal difficulties ensure legal
transfer early occupation Hazira—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 21.11.1947
21.11.1947 Owing possibility antagonize authorities advise postpone
representations by National Assemblies. If after lapse year promise
unfulfilled representations advisable. Urge continued efforts your
Assembly ensure early release. Supplicating fervently success endeavours
protection dearly beloved friends—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 27.12.1947
27.12.1947 Rejoice registration Hazira Assembly’s name praying success
representations authorities loving appreciation—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 5.5.1948
5.5.1948 Number countries opened Faith Baha’u’llah approaching hundred.
Prompt response valiant Indian believers regarding Ceylon prompts me
appeal dispatch volunteers Siam Indonesia thereby hastening glorious
consummation Abha reward inestimable—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 19.6.1948
19.6.1948 Shrines safe appreciate progress New Era publications urge
translation Chin last remaining version—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 9.1.1949
9.1.1949 Delighted progress translation New Era. Greatly heartened
response pioneers assure them fervent prayers highly meritorious mission
eager news their settlement urge perseverance. Announce friends despite
turmoil Holy Land foundation arcade Babs sepulchre designed safeguard
structure raised hands Beloved Master completed. Of total six hundred tons
material one-third already received. Contemplating commence building
operations destined culminate erection dome envisaged by Centre
Covenant—SHOGHI RABBANI
Cablegram of 23.3.1949
23.3.1949 Dearly beloved friends India Pakistan Burma remembered Shrines
supplicating manifold blessings diversified activities total success plan.
Announce believers commencement building operations arcade Babs Shrine
coinciding fortieth anniversary placing Sacred Remains by Centre Covenant
in sarcophagus presented by valiant Burmese believers deepest love—SHOGHI
RABBANI
Cablegram of 29.4.1949
29.4.1949 Assembled delegates lovingly remembered Shrines. Appeal through
them entire community’s save fortunes plan. Work so nobly initiated so
vigorously prosecuted must be gloriously consummated dispatch pioneers
Ceylon Siam Indonesia must be expedited remaining translations publication
New Era completed praying ardently restoration Hazira fulfilment dearest
hopes—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 26.11.1949
26.11.1949 Delighted rising hopes brighter prospects success plan entreat
entire community steadfastly pursue high objectives rise higher level
enthusiastic support vigorous prosecution this fateful hour historic plan.
Advise all centers local national commemorate centenary through public
meetings press radio invitation participation notables—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 9.4.1950
9.4.1950 Delighted magnificent achievement fields translation publication
Baha’i literature. Urge crown this achievement through speedy publication
Punjabi and translation publication New Era Kachin Shans Malay Indonesian
languages. Announce friends translation literature Eskimo Welsh and three
African languages raising total languages Baha’i world sixtythree—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 29.4.1950
29.4.1950 Assembled delegates lovingly remembered Shrines fervently
praying blessings Almighty their deliberation. Approve election assemblies
till July ninth. Urge continued effort homefront foreign fields absolute
necessity maintenance present status assemblies groups at home abroad
determined endeavour enlist further countries dependencies South East Asia
under banner Faith enhancing thereby record service already performed
beyond confines Indian subcontinent—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 13.6.1950
13.6.1950 Community believers Indian subcontinent Burma lovingly
remembered historic occasion glorious centenary Bab’s martyrdom may
poignant memories His supreme sacrifice galvanize enable them rededicate
themselves twin historic tasks within confines homeland adjacent
territories win signal unprecedented victories—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 29.4.1951
29.4.1951 Deeply appreciate sentiments assembled delegates. Urge
rededicate themselves manifold tasks confronting them. Consolidation
multiplication institutions laboriously established homeland translation
publication New Era remaining languages vigorous prosecution enterprises
launched Ceylon expansion activities Indonesia Malaya Siam initiation
extension work Indochina participation erection superstructure Bab’s Holy
Sepulchre outstanding inescapable responsibilities present hour.
Supplicating unprecedented blessings historic labours loving remembrance
Shrines—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 6.5.1951
6.5.1951 Appeal community valiant followers Faith Indian subcontinent
arise lend assistance vast momentous newly launched historic African
enterprise involving participation British American Persian Egyptian
Baha’i National Assemblies. Number territories African continent already
settled course settlement over twenty. Baha’i literature translated
process translation twelve African languages. Urge despatch pioneers
virgin territories preferably Zanzibar Madagascar. Praying great African
victories expansion international tasks already initiated dearly beloved
self-sacrificing Indian friends South East Asia—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 31.8.1951
31.8.1951 Overjoyed momentous highly meritorious nineteen months plan
spontaneously initiated valiant representatives Baha’i communities Indian
subcontinent Burma. Signal act distinguishes Indian Pakistani Burmese
believers as sole community Baha’i world able boast inauguration three
successive plans since inception opening epoch evolution Abdul Baha’s
divine plan. Heartily approve chosen objectives. Advise fix date
termination Ridvan 1953 same as plans other sister Assemblies. Fervent
prayers ascending throne Baha’u’llah supplicating triumphant conclusion
enterprise exercising direct influence immediate spiritual destinies Faith
Pacific Islands Asiatic African continents. Contributing thousand pounds
furtherance interests magnificent plan—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 7.10.1953
7.10.1953 Occasion conclusion Holy Year overjoyed share following triple
announcement attendants fourth final intercontinental teaching conference
marking termination festivities associated centenary birth Baha’u’llahs
prophetic mission. Five year old three quarter million dollar enterprise
constituting final stage initial epoch evolution process initiated over
sixty years ago Founder Faith heart mountain God consummated. Finishing
touches installation stained glass windows drum octagon removal
scaffolding exterior interior edifice interior calcimining dome drum
octagon tuckpointing cleaning floodlighting entire structure completed
synchronizing closing weeks glorious twelvemonth annals Holy Faith.
Steadily swelling throng visitors far near many days exceeding thousand
flocking gates leading inner sanctuary majestic mausoleum paying homage
Queen Carmel enthroned Gods Mountain crowned glowing gold robed shimmering
white girdled emerald green enchanting every eye from air sea plain hill.
Moved request attendants conference hold befitting memorial gathering pay
tribute Hand Cause Sutherland Maxwell immortal architect arcade
superstructure Shrine. Feel moreover acknowledgment be made same gathering
unflagging labours vigilance Hand Cause Ugo Giachery negotiating contracts
inspecting despatching all materials required construction edifice as well
as assiduous constant care Hand Cause Leroy Ioas supervising construction
both drum dome. To two doors Shrine recently named after first two
aforementioned Hands octagon door now added henceforth associated third
Hand who contributed raising stately sacred structure. Second announcement
worldwide process settlement virgin areas globe accelerated arrival
following pioneers respective posts Cora Oliver British Honduras Carole
Dwight Allen Greece Mr Mrs Xavier Rodriques Portuguese Guinea Brigitte
Hasselblatt Shetlands Elizabeth Hopper Ada Schott Sara Kenny Mrs Duffield
Madeira H. Snider Key West Hugh McKinley and mother Cyprus Max Kenyerezi
French Equatorial Africa Elsa Grossmann Frisian Islands Helen Robinson
Baranof Mr Mrs Ted Anderson Yukon Tabandeh Payman San-Marino Una Townshend
Malta Rolf Haug Crete swelling roll honour raising number territories pale
Faith hundred sixty seven. Two additional pioneers proceeding leper
colonies Puerto Rico French Guinea. Two valiant pioneers India America
preparing entry Tibet. Two more members United States National Assembly
volunteered pioneer raising number five. United States pioneers departing
twenty four virgin territories ere conclusion Holy Year. Total United
States pioneer applications two hundred forty nine. Feast names celebrated
last August two stalwart crusaders weather station Buchanan Bay desolate
Ellesmere Island seventy nine latitude less seven hundred miles North
Pole. Irresistibly unfolding crusade sanctified death heroic eighty eight
year old Ella Bailey elevating her rank martyrs Faith shedding further
lustre American Baha’i community consecrating soil fast awakening African
continent. Third announcement preliminary steps taken aiming acquisition
extensive area head Holy Mountain scene revelation Tablet Carmel
preparatory purchase site future Mother Mashriquladhkar Holy Land made
possible munificent hundred thousand dollar donation Hand Cause Amelia
Collins signalizing opening second stage unfoldment mighty process set
motion Author Faith. Triple bounty vouchsafed community Most Great Name
scattered face planet calls for tremendous immediate concerted exertion
assembled believers adequately discharge triple responsibility. First
redoubled consecration pioneering task particularly Pacific area
emphasized Tablets Divine Plan raising thereby ere adjournment conference
number territories opened Faith or assigned pioneers immediate settlement
above two hundred. Second demonstration increasing self-sacrifice through
inauguration funds purchase land future temples Asiatic continent
Antipodes Baghdad New Delhi Sydney. Contributing three thousand pounds
furtherance meritorious enterprises. Third earnest consultation
representatives Persian Iraqi National Assemblies directly concerned holy
task with assembled Hands Cause ways means conduct through investigation
ensure purchase holy places particularly site Siyahchal cradle revelation
Author Faith as well as identification transfer Baha’i cemeteries
relatives Bab Baha’u’llah constituting vital objectives Ten Year Plan.
Ardently hoping fervently supplicating epochal conference setting seal
celebration second Baha’i jubilee contribute unprecedented degree through
character its deliberations solidity achievements scope accomplishments
ultimate attainment shining goals World Crusade destined culminate not far
distant Most Great Jubilee associated hundredth anniversary assumption
Baha’u’llah His prophetic office—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 12.10.1953
12.10.1953 Eve conclusion festivities commemorating centenary birth
Baha’u’llahs ministry moved direct following specific message Hands
assembled conference. In grateful recognition multiple bounties showered
rapid succession army Lord Hosts course Holy Year auspiciously ushered
through proclamation objectives world crusade whose opening months
witnessed convocation heart African continent first intercontinental
teaching conference whose climax signalized simultaneous holding heart
North America Intercontinental Conference Western Hemisphere dedication
Mother Temple West launching Ten Year Plan whose record been ennobled two
additional intercontinental gatherings successively convened European
Asiatic continents all eleven Hands called upon arise enhance abiding
value strenuous exemplary labours last twelve months constituting initial
chapter their steadily unfolding world mission. Hour propitious morrow
last intercontinental conference gird loins yet another still wider
dispersal extending one or two months embracing Asia Africa Australasia
purpose establishing close contact national assemblies advising assisting
local assemblies individuals attain goals globe girdling plan. Adoption
following itinerary recommended. Mason Remey Dorothy Baker Horace Holley
India Pakistan Burma Ceylon Ugo Giachery Persia Valiullah Varqa Shuaullah
Alai Iraq Turkey Egypt Clara Dunn Ali Akbar Furutan Australia New Zealand
Zikrullah Khadem Malaya Japan Tarazullah Samandari Musa Banani Arabian
Peninsula. Contributing three thousand pounds assistance execution
meritorious enterprise. Urge Persian Indian Australian Egyptian Iraqi
National Assemblies extend utmost assistance arrange schedules publicize
Faith wherever advisable direct local assemblies utilize every means their
power add momentum most ambitious undertaking embarked followers
Baha’u’llah hundred ten years Baha’i history—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 15.10.1953
15.10.1953 As Holy Year expires overjoyed announce assembled believers no
less thirteen additions roll honour since transmission last message
conference week ago. Claire Gung Southern Rhodesia Ursula von Brunn
Frisian Islands Richard Nolen family Azores Katherine Meyer Margarita
Island Geraldine Craney Hebrides Fawzi Zeinolabedin family Spanish Morocco
Manouchihr Hezari Morocco International Zone Chicago believer St. Thomas
Island Ted Cardell South West Africa William Danjon Andorra Fred Jean
Allen Cape Breton Island Frederick Elizabeth Laws Basutoland Amin Batt Rio
de Oro. Total number virgin areas inscribed scroll with names conquerors
since launching world crusade last Ridvan mounted fifty. Number
territories included orbit Faith raised within unbelievably short time
hundred seventyeight marking increase hundred countries since celebration
first jubilee nine years ago. In addition sixty unopened areas bespoken
including Ukraine Albania. No more eight volunteers required be despatched
Ashanti Protectorate Bechuanaland Chagos Archipelago Comoro Islands
Marquesas Islands Marshall Islands Spanish Sahara Tonga Islands in order
ensure attainment preeminent goal global crusade excluding socialist
republics satellite countries. Moment arrived last day year forever
sanctified memory future generations owing its sacred associations be
linked closing already narrow gap separating vanguard army crusaders
victory most glorious phase grandest collective spiritual enterprise
embarked organized firmly knit communities Most Great Name scattered
planet—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 13.4.1954
13.4.1954 Beloved Guardian feels utmost importance all virgin areas
susceptible be settled before end Ridvan. 98 areas settled. Ten of
remaining 18 outside iron curtain can should be settled during first year
Crusade Guardian urges you consider settlement following areas most
important task next three weeks Admiralty Anticosti Chagos Archipelago
Cocos Comoro Hainan Loyalty Mariana Marshall Portuguese Timor. In order
assure spiritual victory Guardian extending settlement period to end
Ridvan. This emergency should be followed vigorously daily by assembly in
conjunction appropriate teaching committee. Cable progress fulfilment
strategic goals this cable sent National Assemblies America Canada
Australia India—IOAS
Cablegram of 26.4.1955
26.4.1955 Cable immediately names new assemblies India Pakistan
Burma—SHOGHI
Cablegram of 29.4.1955
29.4.1955 Urge delegates rouse all communities concentrate objectives Plan
particularly intensification teaching activities dispersal multiplication
centres assemblies homefront consolidation centres allotted newly opened
territories. Neglect sacred duties harmful interests Faith immediate
sustained response essential—SHOGHI
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