tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30328785510571690702024-03-13T20:58:09.498-07:00Defending the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláhThe Blog dedicated for defending the Guardianship in Bahá'í FaithDeepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-39931457614278985282020-07-17T11:41:00.001-07:002020-07-17T11:41:04.811-07:00The Essentiality of the Guardianship To the World Order of Baha'u'llah <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: New Century Schbk; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
<span style="font-family: New Century Schbk; font-size: small;">According to the divinely-conceived sacred and immutable provisions of the Will and Testament of
'Abdu'l-Bahá, the Guardian of the Cause of God is designated as:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: New Century Schbk; font-size: small;">
<dir>
<i>"The Center of the Cause of God."<br />
"The sign of God."<br />
"The expounder of the words of God."<br />
</i>The <i>"sacred head and the distinguished member for life" </i>of the Universal House of Justice. <br />
<div align="JUSTIFY">
The only one who may <i>"at his own discretion"</i> exercise the <i>"right to expel"</i> any member of the Universal House of
Justice who may <i>"commit a sin, injurious to the common weal."</i></div>
The nominator and appointer of the Hands of the Cause.<br />
The appointer <i>"in his own life-time"</i> of his successor.<br />
<div align="JUSTIFY">
The sole authorized recipient of <i>the "fixed money offering"</i> — the Huqúq'u'llah — <i>"the Right of God"
</i>offered by the believers. </div>
</dir>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
It is should be crystal clear that only a <u>living</u> Guardian can perform the above functions assigned by
'Abdu'l-Bahá and, for this reason, Shoghi Effendi, now in the other world, can no longer be considered the Guardian of the
Faith, as falsely contended by some believers who occupy ill-gotten positions of authority in the Faith.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
The following statements by Shoghi Effendi, as outlined in <b><i>The Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh</i>,</b>
further stress the essentiality of the Guardianship to the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh:</div>
<dir>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
"<i>in the verses of the Kitáb i-Aqdas the implications of which clearly anticipate the institution of the
Guardianship . . ."</i></div>
<i>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
" . . . the <b>twin pillars </b>that support this mighty Administrative Structure–the institutions of the
Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice."</div>
</i><div align="JUSTIFY">
<i> " . . . these<b> two fundamental organs</b> of the Will of 'Abdu'l-</i>Bahá [the Guardianship and the Universal
House of Justice]. . ."</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
" . . . <i>these <b>twin institutions</b> of the Administrative Order of Bahá'u'lláh </i>[the Guardianship
and the Universal House of Justice]<i> should be regarded as<b> divine in origin</b>,
essential in their functions and complementary
in their aim and purpose. Their common, their fundamental object is to
insure the continuity of that divinely-appointed authority
that flows from the Source of our Faith, to safeguard the unity of its
followers and to maintain the integrity and flexibility of its
teachings."</i></div>
<i>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
"Acting in conjunction with each other, these <b>two inseparable institutions</b> administer its affairs, coordinate its
activities, promote its interests, execute its laws and defend its subsidiary institutions."</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
"Severally, each operates within a clearly defined sphere of jurisdiction; each is equipped with its own attendant
institutions–instruments designed for the effective discharge of its particular responsibilities and duties."</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
"Each exercises, within the limitations imposed upon it, its powers, its authority, its rights and prerogatives."</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
"Divorced from the institution of the Guardianship the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh <b>would be mutilated</b>
and permanently <b>deprived of that hereditary principle" </b>which as 'Abdu'l-Bahá has written, has been invariably upheld by
the Law of God."[ the Guardian-to-be inheriting his station from an <b>appointment</b> made<b> 'in his own life-time' </b>by his
predecessor in office] </div>
</i><div align="JUSTIFY">
<i>"Without such an institution</i>, [the Guardianship]<i> the integrity of the Faith would be imperilled and the stability of
the entire fabric would be gravely endangered. Its prestige would suffer, the means required to enable it to take a long and
uninterrupted view over a series of generations would be completely lacking, <b>and the necessary guidance to define the sphere of
the legislative action of its elected</b> <b>representatives would be totally withdrawn </b></i>[the living Guardian providing this
guidance when presiding as the irreplaceable and indispensable <b><i>"sacred head"</i></b> of the Universal House of Justice].<i>
</i></div>
<i>
</i><div align="JUSTIFY">
<i>" . . .the Guardian of the Faith has been made the Interpreter of the Word" </i>of God<i>.</i></div>
<i>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
"The interpretation of the Guardian, functioning within his own sphere, is as authoritative and binding as the enactments of
the International House of Justice. . . "</div>
</i>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
The Guardian <b><i>"is bound to insist upon a reconsideration by them</i></b><i> (</i>the Universal House of Justice) <i>of any
enactment he conscientiously believes to conflict with the meaning and to depart from the spirit of Bahá'u'lláh's
revealed utterance." </i></div>
</dir>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
The above statements by Shoghi Effendi make it clear that the future World Order of Bahá'u'lláh can never
become a reality with only a <u>single</u> institution — the Universal House of Justice — that has assumed both legislative
and executive functions in directing the affairs of the Faith, and a body, moreover, that is obviously incomplete, deformed and
fallible, without a living Guardian presiding as its <b><i>"sacred head."</i></b> For the divinely-conceived, sacred and immutable
provisions of the Will and Testament bequeathed to us by 'Abdu'l-Bahá — the <b>"<i>perfect Architect</i>"</b> of the
Administrative Order — call for <b>twin institutions</b> — the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice — that
are, as Shoghi Effendi has stated, <b><i>"inseparable"</i></b> neither of which "<i>can, nor will ever, infringe upon the sacred and
prescribed domain of the other."</i></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
Lest the believers tend to elevate the Guardian to <i>"a station coequal with those Whose words he is called upon to
interpret"</i> Shoghi Effendi has stressed that <i>"He can exercise that right and discharge this obligation and yet remain inferior
to both of Them in rank and different in nature"</i> and has significantly promised that: "<b><i>To the integrity of this cardinal
principle of our Faith the words, the deeds of its present and FUTURE Guardians must abundantly testify,"</i></b></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
It should be clear from the foregoing that those who have abandoned the Guardianship have, in so doing, not only
declared the major provisions of the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá null and void — a Document whose sacredness and
immutability Shoghi Effendi has equated with Bahá'u'lláh's Most Holy Book , the Kitáb-i-Aqdas — but
repudiated, as well, the words of Shoghi Effendi quoted above. What greater violation of the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh
can there be than this?</div>
<br />
Notes:<br />
<div align="JUSTIFY">
1. The following statement is found in the renowned and well-known Haifa Notes of May Maxwell, Disciple of
'Abdu'l-Bahá, which were actually co-authored by her and her daughter Mary Maxwell who would soon after their pilgrimage in
1937 become the wife of Shoghi Effendi, the late Rúhíyyih <u>Kh</u>anum:</div>
<dir>
<i><div align="JUSTIFY">
"There was a danger that the friends might misunderstand the Master's Will, and thus the <b>'Dispensation of
Bahá'u'lláh' </b>was written<b>, Shoghi Effendi's spiritual testament</b>. He has fixed in it the relation of things to
each other. We cannot go beyond what he has defined. However, <b>the second Guardian</b>
can interpret the 'Dispensation' itself. He
has the same promise to be the inspired interpreter. The Guardian is the
interpreter, expounder of the Cause and the protector of the
Cause."</div>
</i></dir><i>
</i><i>2.</i> Emphasis has been added throughout for obvious reasons.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzCGjIINIx6JTlf0ylZ9wI3pNz5mGf2Ale1gnm9gHnXqItKM26wtQf9tiK2aDoPLE3tRcVhnwLdY4R6b3O7C-rxkVXDUvABoj5TAbRFoL4aAM-Bl-sQv81LSCvvfolYLaSzq8J3_JCQk/s1600/sign.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzCGjIINIx6JTlf0ylZ9wI3pNz5mGf2Ale1gnm9gHnXqItKM26wtQf9tiK2aDoPLE3tRcVhnwLdY4R6b3O7C-rxkVXDUvABoj5TAbRFoL4aAM-Bl-sQv81LSCvvfolYLaSzq8J3_JCQk/s1600/sign.gif" /></a></div>
<div align="CENTER">
<br /></div>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: New Century Schbk; font-size: small;"><b>Joel Bray Marangella</b></span></div>
</div>
Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-63960573927061718572020-07-17T11:35:00.001-07:002020-07-17T11:37:15.842-07:00Shoghi Effendi Informs UN of his Role as the "Appointed Head" of Future "Baha'i World Council" Prior to its Formation in 1951 <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">n July 1947, some three and one half years prior to his
appointment of the International Bahá'í Council on 9 January 1951,
Shoghi Effendi prepared a statement for submission to the United Nations Special
Palestine Committee that has been published in pamphlet form under the title of:
"The Faith of Bahá'u'lláh." with the subtitle, "A World
Religion."</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></span><br />
<div align="JUSTIFY">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">On page three of this document one may note the following
significant paragraph which incontestably proves, in Shoghi Effendi's own words,
that the one who presides as President of the International Bahá'í
Council—this "World Council"—can be none other than the Guardian of the
Faith.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<div align="JUSTIFY">
The pertinent paragraph appears under the heading of
"ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER" and reads as follows:</div>
<i><div align="JUSTIFY">
"<b>The passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá marked the
termination of the first and Heroic Age of the Bahá'í Faith</b>
<b>and signalized the opening of the Formative Age destined to witness the
gradual emergence of its Administrative Order, whose establishment had been
foretold by the Báb, whose laws were revealed by
Bahá'u'lláh, whose outlines were delineated by 'Abdu'l-Bahá
in His Will and Testament, and whose foundations are now being laid by national
and local councils which are elected by the professed adherents of the Faith, and
which are paving the way for the constitution of the World Council, to be
designated as the Universal House of Justice, which in conjunction with me, as
its appointed Head and the authorized interpreter of the Bahá'í
teachings, must coordinate and direct the affairs of the Bahá'í
community, and whose seat will be permanently established in the Holy Land, in
close proximity to its world spiritual center, the resting-places of its
Founders."</b></div>
<b>
</b></i>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
When Shoghi Effendi subsequently proclaimed the appointment of
this "<b>World Council"</b> in his cablegram of 9 January 1951, he significantly
and appropriately addressed this Proclamation to the <b><i>"National Assemblies
of East and West" </i></b>for, as the supreme administrative body in the
Bahá'í World, this Council would exercise administrative authority
over these national bodies. He provisionally named this World Council the
"<b>International Bahá'í Council</b>,<b>"</b> a title that
appropriately described its role and function as the supreme administrative
institution in the Bahá'í Administrative Order, and he outlined the
several intermediary stages through which it would necessarily evolve prior to
<b><i>"its efflorescence into the Universal House of Justice."</i></b> However,
he did not immediately activate this World Council as an administratively
functioning body under his Presidency, as would have been anticipated, in the
light of his statement to the United Nations Committee quoted above, but created
this Council as an <u>embryonic</u> institution, but yet a <u>complete</u>
organism <b><i>"from the first" </i></b>which, as explained by
'Abdu'l-Bahá,<i> </i>is true of all embryonic organisms, (BWF p.313). In
creating this supreme administrative institution in its embryonic form, Shoghi
Effendi appointed both its irremovable embryonic <u>Head</u> (who would remain
that head as long as he lived) and a <u>body</u> of eight other members who,
although initially appointed, would, as he outlined, be elected members when the
Council became <b><i>"an elected body</i></b><i>," </i>in the third stage of its
development. Having thus established <i>"<b>this first embryonic International
Institution</b></i>,"–this embryonic Universal House of Justice–Shoghi
Effendi then carefully retained it as an <u>inactively</u> <u>functioning</u>
<u>institution</u> during the remaining years of his ministry, as attested by
Mason Remey, its appointed President, assigning tasks only to individual members
of the Council. In retaining, in this way, the International
Bahá'í Council as an <u>inactive</u> embryonic institution, Shoghi
Effendi had been able to use it as an instrument for indirectly appointing and
identifying his chosen successor <b><i>"in his own lifetime</i></b>,<b><i>"
</i></b>as enjoined by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in His Will and Testament, for the
embryonic President of this embryonic body and therefore the Guardian-to-be, are
indisputably one and the same person who would be awaiting birth into active life
upon Shoghi Effendi's passing. As neither the Hands of the Cause nor the
believers at large had perceived the significance of this act, Shoghi Effendi had
been successful in ingeniously veiling from the believers at the time the
identity of his chosen successor, Mason Remey, a Hand of the Cause whose
unparalleled services for the Cause had commenced at the turn of the century
during the Ministry of 'Abdul-Bahá, Who had acknowledged his unique and
outstanding services and his exemplary fidelity to the Covenant in his many
eulogies of him that may be read in the early publication, "Star of the West." As
evidence of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's esteem for him, He had addressed a Tablet to
him on 2 March 1915, appearing in that publication, in which he significantly
promised him that: <b><i>"Ere long, Thy Lord shall make thee a sign of
guidance among mankind."</i></b> He was at the time of his appointment as
President of the International Council (identified to the Bahá'í
World as President of the Council in Shoghi Effendi's cablegram of 2 March 1951
)some twenty five years older than Shoghi Effendi. Had he been recognized at
that time, by the Hands and the believers throughout the World as Shoghi
Effendi's successor by reason of that appointment, this would have inevitably
revealed to them, to their great consternation, the inescapable fact that for
Mason Remey to outlive Shoghi Effendi and succeed him as Guardian of the Faith,
Shoghi Effendi had clearly foreseen and had, in effect, predicted his own early
passing (destined to take place some seven years later in November 1957).</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
It should therefore be clear why Shoghi Effendi had retained
the Council as an inactively functioning body during the remaining years of his
ministry which would only, upon his passing, assume its rightful active role, as
the supreme administrative body in the Bahá'í World presided over
by Shoghi Effendi's appointed President, Mason Remey, who could be none other
than his chosen successor. This Council then, for the first time, would become
an actively functioning "World Council," and commence to "<b><i>coordinate and
direct the affairs of the Bahá'í community"</i></b> as Shoghi
Effendi had projected in his letter to the United Nations Committee.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
The projected active role and supreme administrative authority
of the International Council was further confirmed in a message sent to the
Bahá'í World on 23 November 1951 in which Shoghi Effendi stated
that during the evolution of the "<b><i>Master Plan designed by
'Abdu'l-Bahá,"</i></b> the final stage of which he titled
the <b>"Ten Year Global Crusade," </b>would commence at Ridván 1953 and be
designed to: <b><i>"embrace all the continents of the earth and will bring the
Central Body</i></b> [i.e. the International Bahá'í Council]<b><i>
directing these widely ramified operations into direct contact with all the
National Assemblies of the Bahá'í world which in varying degrees,
will have to contribute their share to the world establishment of the Cause of
Bahá'u'lláh, as prophesied by 'Abdu'l-Bahá and envisioned by
Daniel,–a consummation that God willing, will be befittingly celebrated on
the occasion of the Most Great Jubilee commemorating the hundredth anniversary of
the formal assumption by Bahá'u'lláh of His Prophetic Office."</i></b></div>
<b><i>
</i></b>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
As Shoghi Effendi labored to erect, <b><i>"at long last the
machinery of its highest institutions" </i></b>and the <b><i>"supreme organs of
its unfolding Order,"</i></b> he followed up his appointment of the International
Bahá'í Council–this <b><i>"Central Body" </i></b>of the
Faith–with the appointment of the first contingent of twelve living Hands of
the Cause in his cablegram of 24 December 1952. He made additional appointments
during the concluding years of his ministry, raising the number to twenty-seven
at the time of his passing. On 8 October 1957, one month before his passing,
Shoghi Effendi dispatched his last cablegram to the Bahá'í World in
which he referred to the Hands of the Cause as the<b> <i>"Chief Stewards of
Bahá'u'lláh's embryonic World Comonwealth"</i></b> with the clear
implication that unfortunately was never perceived by the Hands, that while they
were the current Chief Stewards–these Hands of the Cause–appointed by
the Guardian of the Faith would, as they died, be no more, but the institution of
the Hands itself as an integral and immortal organ of the embryonic Commonwealth
of Bahá'u'lláh, would continue to exist as long as the Dispensation
of Bahá'u'lláh endured, and that future Hands would continue to be
appointed by future Guardians during the course of the development of this
<u>embryonic</u> Commonwealth and as it achieved ultimate maturity in the Golden
Age of Bahá'u'lláh, similarly to the other institutions of the
Bahá'í Administrative Order, delineated by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in
his sacred, divinely-conceived and immortal Will and Testament.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
Upon Shoghi Effendi's passing, the Hands convened a conclave
in 'Akká less than three weeks later and, as their first act, delegated
nine Hands from their number to undertake a search of the safe and files of
Shoghi Effendi's office in Haifa, which had previously, upon his death, been
carefully sealed and secured. This search was carried out apparently in the
expectation of finding a will and testament in which Shoghi Effendi had named a
successor, in spite of the clear and unambiguous provision of the Will and
Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá which states that: <b><i>"It is incumbent upon
the guardian of the Cause of God to appoint in his own life-time him that shall
become his successor." </i></b></div>
<b><i>
</i></b>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
Of course, no such will and testament was found, for Shoghi
Effendi, in complete fidelity to and compliance with the provisions of
Abdu'l-Bahá's Will and Testament, had not used a testamentary document to
appoint a successor but had accomplished the appointment in the manner discussed
above. Although a will and testament was not found, the Hands
would still have been expected to retain an unwavering faith and assurance that
Shoghi Effendi would not have failed to be completely faithful to the provisions
of the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and to conclude that he had
appointed a successor in some other way unforseen by them at the time. Assuming
that to be the case, they certainly would have been expected to at least have
taken the time to re-examine the provisions of the sacred and divinely-conceived
Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá to discover why or if they had been
wrong in looking for a testamentary document in which Shoghi Effendi had
appointed a successor. For in accomplishig such a review they would have
perceived that 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Will clearly makes it incumbent upon the
Guardian to name his successor <b><i>"in his own life-time," </i></b>and that it
would have been for this reason that Shoghi Effendi had not left a will and
testament naming a successsor. The Hands then would certainly have realized the
necessity of undertaking a careful and thorough review of the important acts
taken, historic decisions announced or statements made by Shoghi Effendi during
his ministry, the significance of which they had obviously overlooked at the time
that had pointed to or had revealed the identity of his appointed successor. Such
a review however was never undertaken by the Hands, as attested by Mason Remey in
his diary titled "Daily Observations," and, in fact, in the opening few minutes
of the first consultative meeting they held after searching in vain for a will
and testament left by Shoghi Effendi, they came to the hasty, tragic and
unwarranted conclusion, as announced by them to the Bahá'í World in
the <b><i>"Unanimous Proclamation</i></b>" they issued on 25 November 1957., that
Shoghi Effendi had passed away<b><i> "without having appointed a
successor</i></b>." </div>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
Seizing upon the appellation that Shoghi Effendi had given
them in his last message to the Bahá'í World, quoted above, the
Hands interpreted this appellation to endow the institution of the Hands with a
primacy over all other institutions of the Faith and an institution now invested
with supreme authority in the Faith, notwithstanding the fact that such authority
is clearly not theirs under the provisions of the Will and Testament of
'Abdu'l-Bahá. Deluded as they now were in this belief of their supreme
authority, the Hands had the temerity to announce to the Bahá'í
World in the Proclamation cited above, that they were <b><i>"the supreme body of
the Bahá'í World Community </i></b>and yet, in the very same
Proclamation, they surrendered most, if not all, of their authority in their
announced appointment of an illicit body of nine Hands from their number to which
they gave the appellation: <b><i>"Custodians of the Bahá'í World
Faith,"</i></b> a body completely outside the provisions of the Will and
Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. This illicitly formed body then ignominiously
proceeded not only to flagrantly usurp the functions that should have been
rightfully exercised by an actively functioning International Council, as Shoghi
Effendi had planned, but, as announced in this same Proclamation, to shamelessly
assume all of the <b><i>"functions, rights and powers in succession to the
Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith."</i></b> Thus, this illicitly
established bogus body disregarded Shoghi Effendi's projected plans for the
International Council, made it subordinate to themselves, and blatantly usurped
its functions as they took over direction of the National Assemblies in their
prosecution of the remaining goals of the Ten Year Global Crusade.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
In their further plans, the Hands announced that the body of
the Custodians in which they had invested such great authority would cease to
exist after its brief reign of some six years with the election of the Universal
House of Justice during Ridván in 1963. Although it would be a body minus
its <b><i>"sacred head</i></b>"–the Guardian of the Faith–and therefore
a headless, fallible and illegitimate body, they nevertheless would pretend that
it was nothiing less than <b><i>"that Supreme body"</i></b> unmindful of the
further fact that its election at this stage in the evolution of the Faith was
far too premature, as Shoghi Effendi's plans, embodied in the goals of the Ten
Year Global Crusade had not envisaged the evolution of the International
Bahá'í Council beyond its second essential stage as an
International Bahá'í Court by Ridván 1963 and even then it's
establishment as an International Court would be contingent upon the
establishment of six national Bahá'í Courts "<i>in the chief cities
of the Islamic East" </i>which he had named. Although, the demise of the
ill-named body of the "Custodians of the Bahá'í World Faith" would,
according to their plans, take place coincident with the election of their
headless Universal House of Justice at Ridván 1963, they made no mention
about the assumption by that illegitimate body of the <b><i>"functions rights and
powers in succession to the Guardian"</i></b> previously usurped by these
Custodians. It may have been inferred that the Hands intended that these
function, rights and powers be assumed by their so-called Universal House of
Justice, even though interpretation of the sacred Writings is a right reserved
solely to the Guardian of the Faith according to the Will and Testament of
'Abdu'l-Bahá. </div>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
It should be clear to any unbiased observer from the foregoing
discussion that, in the Hands' unseemly haste to end the Guardianship of the Cause
of God and in their usurpation of the "<i>functions, rights and powers</i>" of
the Guardian of the Cause of God as well as the role and functions of the
International Bahá'í Council–the embryonic Universal House of
Justice–they had been guilty of an inexcusable lack of faith in the Covenant
of Bahá'u'lláh, a repudiation of the most important provisions of
the Will and Testament of 'Abu'l-Bahá, and a shameful betrayal of both
'Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi in their complete corruption of the
Bahá'í Administrative Order whose Institutions he had so
laboriously labored to erect during his 36 year ministry in complete conformity
with the divinely-conceived, sacred and immutable provisions of the Will and
Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY">
The Hands of the Cause were equally guilty of ignoring other
historic and equally highly significant statements made by Shoghi Effendi in his
writings and cablegrams that undeniably proved the continuation of the
Guardianship and the essentiality of this Institution to the World Order of
Bahá'u'lláh. These failures have been discussed at length in other
writings of the undersigned as well as by many of the believers who have remained
steadfast in their faith in the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh and may be
found in the respective web pages where this documentation has been posted.</div>
<div align="CENTER">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER">
Joel Bray Marangella</div>
<div align="CENTER">
Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith</div>
<div align="CENTER">
September 2004</div>
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Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-89888992554947431912020-04-01T11:23:00.001-07:002020-04-01T11:23:39.971-07:00Birthday of Baha’u’llah<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Baha’u’llah’s
Birthday is recognized & celebrated by the Orthodox Baha’is on November 12th. Regarding this matter, the following quotes,
(from October 16th, 2017), are excerpted from the 4th guardian’s
website: <a class="_3t5uN8xUmg0TOwRCOGQEcU" href="http://www.bahai-guardian.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow ugc" target="_blank">http://www.bahai-guardian.com/</a></div>
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These
days Bahá’í communities around the World are announcing the celebration
of the 200th anniversary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh through their
local newspapers or internet. This is good, but unfortunately those who
follow the directives of the UHJ, knowingly or unknowingly, are
announcing the Birthday of Bahá’u’lláh as October 22nd, although
November 12, 1817, was His birthday. Such a shameful mistake is a result
of them blindly following the bogus UHJs letter of July 10, 2014, in
which the UHJ has written:</div>
<div class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM">
"The
Birth of the Báb and the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, have, in the East, been
traditionally observed according to their correspondence to the first
and second days of Muharram in the Islamic calendar. These two days are
accounted as one in the sight of God, Bahá’u’lláh affirms. Yet, a letter
written on behalf of the Guardian (Shoghi Effendi) states, "In the
future, no doubt all of the Holy Days will follow the Solar calendar,
and provisions be made as to how the Twin Festivals will be celebrated
universally." How to satisfy the intrinsic lunar character of these
blessed Days within the context of a solar calendar has hitherto been
unanswered. We have decided that they will now be observed on the first
and the second day following the occurrence of the eighth new moon after
Naw-Rúz, as determined in advance by astronomical tables using Tihrán
as the point of reference. This will result in the observance of the
Twin Birthdays moving, year to year, within the months of Mashíyyat,
Ilm, and Qudrat of the Badí calendar, or from mid-October to
mid-November according to the Gregorian calendar."</div>
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According
to the Compilation Questions and Answers, in response to a question
about His Birthday and the Birthday of the Báb, Bahá’u’lláh revealed:
"These two days are accounted as one in the sight of God."</div>
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If
those who are running the affairs of the bogus UHJ had studied the
Tablets and Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, they would have noticed that "These
two days are accounted as one in the sight of God," because the Báb
also is a Manifestation of God.</div>
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"Thus,
by the "sun" in one sense is meant those Suns of Truth Who rise from
the dayspring of ancient glory, and fill the world with a liberal
effusion of grace from on high. These Suns of Truth are the universal
Manifestations of God in the worlds of His attributes and names." (
Bahá’u’lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 33 )</div>
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"For
this reason, hath the Point of the Bayan — may the life of all else but
Him be His sacrifice! — likened the Manifestations of God unto the sun
which, though it rise from the "Beginning that hath no beginning" until
the "End that knoweth no end," is none the less the same sun. Now, wert
thou to say, that this sun is the former sun, thou speakest the truth;
and if thou sayest that this sun is the "return" of that sun, thou also
speakest the truth. Likewise, from this statement it is made evident
that the term "last" is applicable to the "first," and the term "first"
applicable to the "last;" inasmuch as both the "first" and the "last"
have risen to proclaim one and the same Faith." ( Bahá’u’lláh, The
Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 161 )</div>
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Shoghi
Effendi during His Ministry always advised Bahá’ís to observe Holy Days
according to the solar calendar, which enables the believers to indicate
and point to the correct date and time for observing occasions and
events in the season and year.</div>
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"Moreover,
request communities observing Bahá’í Holy Days, solar calendar,
celebrate with befitting solemnity the approaching anniversary of
Bahá’u’lláh's Birthday" ( Cablegram, October 8, 1952 — Messages to the
Bahá’í World ( 1950-1957 )</div>
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"Announce
to Bahá’í communities, East and West, on the joyous occasion of the
hundred and thirty-fifth Anniversary Bahá’u’lláh's Birthday, the
successful termination of the protracted negotiations, initiated two
years ago... ( Cablegram, November 12,1952 — Messages to the Bahá’í
World:( 1950-1957 )</div>
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"Dear Bahá’í
Brothers and Sisters: Shoghi Effendi wishes me to acknowledge the
receipt of your joint letter dated November 12th, 1932 written on the
occasion of the birthday of Bahá’u’lláh." ( Shoghi Effendi, The Light of
Divine Guidance v I, p. 44 )</div>
<div class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM">
"It
is advisable to use both the Bahá’í dates, according to the Bahá’í
Calendar, and the usual Gregorian dates as well. The friends at present
are free to do as they please." ( Shoghi Effendi, Directives from the
Guardian, p. 12 )</div>
<div class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM">
Historians and
scholars still are trying to find out the real and exact birthdate of
Jesus Christ since it is not written in the Gospels. Christian sects
celebrate different dates as His Birthday. The Birthdays of the
Bahá’u’lláh and His Herald are clearly announced by Himself and His
Interpreters of the Word.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM">
The Headless body (UHJ) has created confusion by its negligence.</div>
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October 16, 2017</div>
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Nosrat'u'llah Bahremand</div>
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Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-86368020176770860282018-12-28T08:31:00.000-08:002018-12-28T08:31:08.654-08:00Abdu’l Baha the Seventh Angel! - Commentary on the Book of Revelation's "Seventh Angel"by Nosrat Bahremand <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />Abdu’l Baha the Seventh Angel!<br /><br />"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever.” Revelation (11:15)<br /><br /><br />“GOOD NEWS! GOOD NEWS!<br /><br />The doors of the Kingdom of God are open!<br /><br />GOOD NEWS! GOOD NEWS!<br /><br />Armies of Angels are descending from Heaven!<br /><br />GOOD NEWS! GOOD NEWS!<br /><br />The Sun of Truth is rising!<br /><br />GOOD NEWS! GOOD NEWS!<br /><br />Heavenly food is being sent from above!<br /><br />GOOD NEWS! GOOD NEWS!<br /><br />The Trumpet is sounding!<br /><br />GOOD NEWS! GOOD NEWS!<br /><br />The Banner of the Great Peace is floating far and wide!<br /><br />GOOD NEWS! GOOD NEWS!<br /><br />The Light of the Lamp of the Oneness of Humanity is shining bright! <br />GOOD NEWS! GOOD NEWS!<br /><br />The fire of the Love of God is blazing!<br /><br />GOOD NEWS! GOOD NEWS!<br /><br />The Holy Spirit is being outpoured!<br /><br />GOOD NEWS! GOOD NEWS!<br /><br />For Everlasting Life is here!<br /><br />O Ye that sleep, Awake!<br /><br />O ye heedless ones, Learn wisdom!<br /><br />O Blind, receive your sight!<br /><br />O Deaf, Hear!<br /><br />O Dumb, Speak!<br /><br />O Dead, Arise!<br /><br />Be Happy!<br /><br />Be Happy!<br /><br />Be full of Joy!”<br /><br /><br /><br />(Message to the London Baha’is for the Day of the Covenant, November 26th, 1911.--Abdu’l Baha in London, p. 126)<br /><br />In the Dispensation of Baha’u’llah Abdu’l Baha occupies a unique Station unprecedented in the annals of all Religions. Shoghi Effendi explains:<br /><br />“An attempt I strongly feel should now be made to clarify our minds regarding the station occupied by 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the significance of His position in this holy Dispensation. It would be indeed difficult for us, who stand so close to such a tremendous figure and are drawn by the mysterious power of so magnetic a personality, to obtain a clear and exact understanding of the role and character of One Who, not only in the Dispensation of Baha’u’llah but in the entire field of religious history, fulfills a unique function. Though moving in a sphere of His own and holding a rank radically different from that of the Author and the Forerunner of the Baha’i Revelation, He, by virtue of the station ordained for Him through the Covenant of Baha’u’llah, forms together with them what may be termed the Three Central<br /><br />Figures of a Faith that stands unapproached in the world's spiritual history.” (The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 131)<br /><br /><br />Abdu’l Baha’s contribution to the World Order of Baha’u’llah, the Baha’i Faith and humanity in general is enormously great and magnificent. What He did during His lifetime and “His greatest legacy to posterity” i.e. His Will and Testament “the Charter of a future world civilization, which may be regarded in some of its features as supplementary to no less weighty a Book than the Kitab-i-Aqdas” and “an Instrument which may be viewed as the Charter of the New World Order which is at once the glory and the promise of this most great Dispensation.” is so magnificent, glorious and luminous which not only will give light and will illumine many centuries in the future to the end of the Baha’i Dispensation, but His future glory and radiance has been observed and foreseen by the prophets of the past. For instance it is recorded in the Bible in the Book of Revelation (11:15) as follows:<br /><br />"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever.”<br /><br />Abdu’l Baha has explained and unveiled the meaning of this prophecy, in the book<br /><br />Some Answered Questions:<br /><br />“The seventh angel is a man qualified with heavenly attributes, who will arise with heavenly qualities and character. Voices will be raised, so that the appearance of the Divine Manifestation will be proclaimed and diffused. In the day of the manifestation of the Lord of Hosts, and at the epoch of the divine cycle of the Omnipotent which is promised and mentioned in all the books and writings of the Prophets -- in that day of God, the Spiritual and Divine Kingdom will be established, and the world will be renewed; a new spirit will be breathed into the body of creation; the season of the divine spring will come; the clouds of mercy will rain; the sun of reality will shine; the life-giving breeze will blow; the world of humanity will wear a new garment; the surface of the earth will be a sublime paradise; mankind will be educated; wars, disputes, quarrels and malignity will disappear; and truthfulness, righteousness, peace and the worship of God will appear; union, love and brotherhood will surround the world; and God will rule for evermore -- meaning that the Spiritual and Everlasting Kingdom will be established. Such is the day of God. For all the days which have come and gone were the days of Abraham, Moses and Christ, or of the other Prophets; but this day is the day of God, for the Sun of Reality will arise in it with the utmost warmth and splendor.”<br /><br />(Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 56)<br /><br /><br /><br />Although knowledgeable Baha’is may know that Abdu’l Baha was referring to Himself saying: “The seventh angel is a man qualified with heavenly attributes,” it is helpful to note that the definition “a man” is the translation of the word of “ENSAN” used by Abdu’l-Baha which means ‘HUMAN BEING’, ‘HUMAN’, ‘MAN’ or ‘PERSON’ of course without the prefix “a” which has been put in place before “man” due to the<br /><br /><br />requirements of English grammar. In Persian conversation sometimes ENSAN is a reference to self. For example, one may say: ‘Ensan can’t stand quiet when he sees such cruelty to people’ which means ‘I can’t stay calm and say nothing when I see this oppression, and this is why I am protesting.’ Even observation of the sequence of the verbs used in the English translation directs the readers to the fact that at the time of utterance “a man qualified with heavenly attributes” refers to the present since “is” =present indicative of be.<br /><br />“who will arise with heavenly qualities and character.” “who” in this phrase according to the dictionary is a “pronoun; as simple relative, with antecedent expressed: a. in a clause conveying an additional idea. b. used in clauses defining or restricting the antecedent.”. I think the “heavenly attributes” of Abdu’l Baha is known to everyone (at least to those who call themselves Baha’is) and I don’t see that it is necessary to write about His “heavenly qualities and character”, Shoghi Effendi has done it in the best possible way in the following words:<br /><br />“He is, and should for all time be regarded, first and foremost, as the Center and Pivot of Baha’u’llah’s peerless and all-enfolding Covenant, His most exalted handiwork, the stainless Mirror of His light, the perfect Exemplar of His teachings, the unerring Interpreter of His Word, the embodiment of every Baha’i ideal, the incarnation of every Baha’i virtue, the Most Mighty Branch sprung from the Ancient Root, the Limb of the Law of God, the Being “round Whom all names revolve," the Mainspring of the Oneness of Humanity, the Ensign of the Most Great Peace, the Moon of the Central Orb of this most holy Dispensation -- styles and titles that are implicit and find their truest, their highest and fairest expression in the magic name 'Abdu'l-Bahá. He is, above and beyond these appellations, the "Mystery of God" -- an expression by which Baha’u’llah Himself has chosen to designate Him, and which, while it does not by any means justify us to assign to Him the station of Prophethood, indicates how in the person of 'Abdu'l-Bahá the incompatible characteristics of a human nature and superhuman knowledge and perfection have been blended and are completely harmonized.”<br /><br />(The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 133)<br /><br />“The third period (1892-1921) revolves around the vibrant personality of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, mysterious in His essence, unique in His station, astoundingly potent in both the charm and strength of His character. It commences with the announcement of the Covenant of Baha’u’llah, a document without parallel in the history of any earlier Dispensation, attains its climax in the emphatic assertion by the Center of that Covenant, in the City of the Covenant, of the unique character and far-reaching implications of that Document, and closes with His passing and the interment of His remains on Mt. Carmel. It will go down in history as a period of almost thirty years' duration, in which tragedies and triumphs have been so intertwined as to eclipse at one time the Orb of the Covenant, and at another time to pour forth its light over the<br /><br /><br />continent of Europe, and as far as Australasia, the Far East and the North American continent.”<br /><br />(Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. xv)<br /><br />Abdu’l Baha, while explaining the Bible Rev. 11:15 unfolded His plans for the future. His Talks which later were included in the book Some Answered Questions by Laura Clifford Barney took place during the years, 1904-1906 when He was confined to the city of Akka by the Ottoman government and only a limited number of pilgrims were allowed to visit Him. After the revolution of the Young Turks and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire Abdu’l Baha became free and fulfilled His plans, when in 1910 He started his journey to Egypt, Europe and North America.<br /><br /><br /><br />“The establishment of the Faith of Baha’u’llah in the Western Hemisphere -- the most outstanding achievement that will forever be associated with 'Abdu'l-Baha’s ministry -<br /><br />- had, as observed in the preceding pages, set in motion such tremendous forces, and been productive of such far-reaching results, as to warrant the active and personal participation of the Center of the Covenant Himself in those epoch-making activities which His Western disciples had, through the propelling power of that<br /><br />Covenant, boldly initiated and were vigorously prosecuting.”<br /><br />“…'Abdu'l-Bahá was at this time broken in health. He suffered from several maladies brought on by the strains and stresses of a tragic life spent almost wholly in exile and imprisonment. He was on the threshold of three-score years and ten. Yet as soon as He was released from His forty-year long captivity, as soon as He had laid the Bab’s body in a safe and permanent resting-place, and His mind was free of grievous anxieties connected with the execution of that priceless Trust, He arose with sublime courage, confidence and resolution to consecrate what little strength remained to Him, in the evening of His life, to a service of such heroic proportions that no parallel to it is to be found in the annals of the first Baha’i century.”<br /><br />“Indeed His three years of travel, first to Egypt, then to Europe and later to America, mark, if we would correctly appraise their historic importance, a turning point of the utmost significance in the history of the century. For the first time since the inception of the Faith, sixty-six years previously, its Head and supreme Representative burst asunder the shackles which had throughout the ministries of both the Báb and Baha’u’llah so grievously fettered its freedom. Though repressive measures still continued to circumscribe the activities of the vast majority of its adherents in the land of its birth, its recognized Leader was now vouchsafed a freedom of action which, with the exception of a brief interval in the course of the War of 1914-18, He was to continue to enjoy to the end of His life, and which has never since been withdrawn from its institutions at its world center.”<br /><br /><br />“So momentous a change in the fortunes of the Faith was the signal for such an outburst of activity on His part as to dumbfound His followers in East and West with admiration and wonder, and exercise an imperishable influence on the course of its future history. He Who, in His own words, had entered prison as a youth and left it an old man, Who never in His life had faced a public audience, had attended no school, had never moved in Western circles, and was unfamiliar with Western customs and language, had arisen not only to proclaim from pulpit and platform, in some of the chief capitals of Europe and in the leading cities of the North American continent, the distinctive verities enshrined in His Father's Faith, but to demonstrate as well the Divine origin of the Prophets gone before Him, and to disclose the nature of the tie binding them to that Faith.”<br /><br /><br /><br />“Inflexibly resolved to undertake this arduous voyage, at whatever cost to His strength, at whatever risk to His life, He, quietly and without any previous warning, on a September afternoon, of the year 1910, the year following that which witnessed the downfall of Sultan Abdu'l-Hamid and the formal entombment of the Bab’s remains on Mt. Carmel, sailed for Egypt, sojourned for about a month in Port Said, and from thence embarked with the intention of proceeding to Europe, only to discover that the condition of His health necessitated His landing again at Alexandria and postponing His voyage. Fixing His residence in Ramleh, a suburb of Alexandria, and later visiting Zaytun and Cairo, He, on August 11 of the ensuing year, sailed with a party of four, on the S.S. Corsica, for Marseilles, and proceeded, after a brief stop at Thonon-les-Bains, to London, where He arrived on September 4, 1911. After a visit of about a month, He went to Paris, where He stayed for a period of nine weeks, returning to Egypt in December, 1911. Again taking up His residence in Ramleh, where He passed the winter, He embarked, on His second journey to the West, on the steamship Cedric, on March 25, 1912, sailing via Naples direct to New York where He arrived on April 11. After a prolonged tour of eight months' duration, which carried Him from coast to coast, and in the course of which He visited Washington, Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Montclair, Boston, Worcester, Brooklyn, Fanwood, Milford, Philadelphia, West Englewood, Jersey City, Cambridge, Medford, Morristown, Dublin, Green Acre, Montreal, Malden, Buffalo, Kenosha, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Omaha, Lincoln, Denver, Glenwood Springs, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Oakland, Palo Alto, Berkeley, Pasadena, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Cincinnati, and Baltimore, He sailed, on the S.S. Celtic, on December 5, from New York for Liverpool; and landing there He proceeded by train to London. Later He visited Oxford, Edinburgh and Bristol, and thence returning to London, left for Paris on January 21, 1913. On March 30 He traveled to Stuttgart, and from there proceeded, on April 9, to Budapest, visited Vienna nine days later, returned to Stuttgart on April 25, and to Paris on May first, where He remained until June 12, sailing the following day, on the S.S. Himalaya from Marseilles bound for Egypt, arriving in Port Said four days later, where after short visits to Isma'iliyyih and Abuqir, and a prolonged stay in<br /><br /><br />Ramleh, He returned to Haifa, concluding His historic journeys on December 5, 1913.”<br /><br /><br /><br />“It was in the course of these epoch-making journeys and before large and representative audiences, at times exceeding a thousand people, that 'Abdu'l-Bahá expounded, with brilliant simplicity, with persuasiveness and force, and for the first time in His ministry, those basic and distinguishing principles of His Father's Faith, which together with the laws and ordinances revealed in the Kitab-i-Aqdas constitute the bed-rock of God's latest Revelation to mankind. The independent search after truth, unfettered by superstition or tradition; the oneness of the entire human race, the pivotal principle and fundamental doctrine of the Faith; the basic unity of all religions; the condemnation of all forms of prejudice, whether religious, racial, class or national; the harmony which must exist between religion and science; the equality of men and women, the two wings on which the bird of human kind is able to soar; the introduction of compulsory education; the adoption of a universal auxiliary language; the abolition of the extremes of wealth and poverty; the institution of a world tribunal for the adjudication of disputes between nations; the exaltation of work, performed in the spirit of service, to the rank of worship; the glorification of justice as the ruling principle in human society, and of religion as a bulwark for the protection of all peoples and nations; and the establishment of a permanent and universal peace as the supreme goal of all mankind -- these stand out as the essential elements of that Divine polity which He proclaimed to leaders of public thought as well as to the masses at large in the course of these missionary journeys. The exposition of these vitalizing truths of the Faith of Baha’u’llah, which He characterized as the "spirit of the age," He supplemented with grave and reiterated warnings of an impending conflagration which, if the statesmen of the world should fail to avert, would set ablaze the entire continent of Europe. He, moreover, predicted, in the course of these travels, the radical changes which would take place in that continent, foreshadowed the movement of the decentralization of political power which would inevitably be set in motion, alluded to the troubles that would overtake Turkey, anticipated the persecution of the Jews on the European continent, and categorically asserted that the "banner of the unity of mankind would be hoisted, that the tabernacle of universal peace would be raised and the world become another world."<br /><br />(Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 281)<br /><br /><br />“The clarion call which 'Abdu'l-Bahá had raised was the signal for an outburst of renewed activity which, alike in the motives it inspired and the forces it set in motion, America had scarcely experienced. Lending an unprecedented impetus to the work which the enterprising ambassadors of the Message of Baha’u’llah had initiated in<br /><br /><br />distant lands, this mighty movement has continued to spread until the present day, has gathered momentum as it extended its ramifications over the surface of the globe, and will continue to accelerate its march until the last wishes of its original Promoter are completely fulfilled.”<br /><br />(The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 87)<br /><br /><br />“Praised be the Lord that the prophecies of all His Manifestations have now been clearly fulfilled, in this greatest of all days, this holy and blessed age.”<br /><br />(Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 182)<br /></div>
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Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-22936283106079427272018-12-28T08:17:00.001-08:002018-12-28T08:17:18.596-08:00A warning call to obey “The Summons of the Lord of Hosts”<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />It was brought to my attention that the illegitimate organization which is headquartered in Haifa and which undeservedly calls itself “the Universal House of Justice”, recently has organized a Web-page and claims that it is the “Official website of the Bahá’í Faith”! <b>1</b><br /><br />They should have honestly clarified that they meant a version of the Baha’i Faith modified and manipulated by Ruhiyyih Khanum and those former Hands of the Cause who followed her; a faith which repudiates the “Center of the Cause” and does not adhere to the sacred provisions of the Will and Testament of Abdu’l-Baha, a faith that is based on imitation, herd instinct and mind control, and by scare and hate-mongering rhetoric; a version of faith which is compatible with the ill wishes of “The Center of Sedition, the Prime Mover of mischief, Mirza Muhammad Alí,”, by “interpolating and falsifying the words and verses of the Sacred Text,” and consequently they “inflicted a grievous loss upon the true Faith of God,” by ignoring writings of the first Guardian of the Cause of God, especially his Proclamation of 9 January 1951 the only Proclamation during his own life; and opposing the descendant Guardians of the Cause of God.<br /><br />The bogus organization pretends to be real; to be the same Universal House of Justice revealed in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas and the Will and Testament of Abdu’l Baha, and as mentioned throughout the writings of Shoghi Effendi. They are trying to say that their organization has originated from the Most Holy Book, the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, when in reality this organization has been rooted in the violation of the Covenant by Ruhiyyih Khanum and the former Hands of the Cause who followed her.<br /><br />They have written:<br /><br />“In 1951, Shoghi Effendi appointed a number of individuals to an International Bahá’í Council, a forerunner to the Universal House of Justice. In 1961, this appointed Council was reformed as a body elected by all the National and Regional Assemblies then established in the world.<br /><br /><br /><b><i>1 http://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/</i></b><br /><br /><br />After Shoghi Effendi’s sudden passing in 1957, his work was faithfully carried on by the group of distinguished Bahá’ís he had appointed as Hands of the Cause of God. These individuals arranged for the first election of the Universal House of Justice<br /><br />The International Baha’i Council, so contemptuously mentioned in their writing, was truly an august body, the formation of which was announced by Shoghi Effendi, the first Guardian of the Cause of God, in his proclamation of January 9, 1951, the only proclamation of his lifetime to the Baha’i World. Rebellious Hands of the Cause did not have any authority to “reform” the IBC, which by that term they meant the termination of the Embryo IBC.<br /><br />The first Guardian explained the IBC’s significance and virtues:<br /><br />“…, combine to induce me to arrive at this historic decision marking most significant milestone in evolution of Administrative Order of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh in course of last thirty years.”<br /><br />“…in course of evolution of this first embryonic International Institution, marking its development into officially recognized Bahá’í Court, its transformation into duly elected body, its efflorescence into Universal House of Justice, and its final fruition through erection of manifold auxiliary institutions constituting the World Administrative Center destined to arise and function and remain permanently established in close neighbourhood of Twin Holy Shrines. Hail with thankful, joyous heart at long last the constitution of<br /><br />International Council which history will acclaim as the greatest event shedding luster upon second epoch of Formative Age of Bahá’í Dispensation potentially unsurpassed by any enterprise undertaken since inception of Administrative Order of Faith on morrow of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Ascension, ranking second only to glorious immortal events associated with Ministries of the Three Central Figures of Faith in course of First Age of most glorious Dispensation of the five thousand century Bahá’í Cycle.”<br /><br />(Cablegram, January 9, 1951, Messages to the Baha'i World - 1950-1957, p. 7)<br /><br /><br />January 9, 1951 was a major turning point and a milestone in the history of the Baha’i Faith.<br /><br />Earlier local and national Houses of Justice were stabilised in their embryonic forms i.e. the Spiritual Assemblies: “the local as well as national Assemblies, which in the course of time will evolve, with the Master's power and guidance, into the local and national Houses of Justice.”<br /><br />(Shoghi Effendi, The Unfolding Destiny of the British Baha'i Community, p. 5)<br /><br /><br />“But now is not the time -- it is utterly impossible to establish the House of Justice which is mentioned in the Book of Aqdas, nay rather it is impracticable and not to be thought of, that is for the time when the Cause is proclaimed and the Commands have become effective. Therefore now is not the time for the House of Justice, which must be established by general election. Its mention is not permissible and its realization impossible”.<br /><br />(Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 411)<br /><br />“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.”<br /><br />(Shoghi Effendi, Dawn of a New Day, p. 95)<br /><br />On January 9, 1951, the conditions were favorable for the formation of the Universal House of Justice in its embryonic form (The International Baha’i Council). In the course of time and evolution, this embryonic International Institution inevitably must be developed into an officially recognized Bahá’í Court. This process was not only explained in the Proclamation of January 9, 1951; but it has been repeatedly emphasized in many messages of Shoghi Effendi; it having been designated by him as one of the major goals of the Ten Years Crusade synchronous with the establishment of six national Bahá’í Courts in the chief cities of the Islamic countries.<br /><br /><br />At the World Center of the Faith, where, at long last the machinery of its highest institutions has been erected, and around whose most holy shrines the supreme organs of its unfolding Order, are, in their embryonic form, unfolding;<br /><br />(Shoghi Effendi, Messages to the Baha'i World - 1950-1957, p. 33)<br /><br />“-- a process which the newly formed Council, now established at its very heart, is designed to foster, which will gather momentum, with the emergence in the course of time of a properly recognized and independently functioning Bahá'í court, which will attain its consummation in the institution of the Universal House of Justice and the emergence of the auxiliary administrative agencies, revolving around this highest legislative body, and which will reveal the plenitude of its potentialities with the sailing of the Divine Ark as promised in the Tablet of Carmel.”<br /><br />(Shoghi Effendi, Citadel of Faith, p. 94)<br /><br /><br />Process of the unfoldment of the ever-advancing Administrative Order accelerated by the formation of the International Bahá'í Council designed to assist in the erection of the superstructure of the Báb's Sepulcher, cement ties uniting the budding World Administrative Center with the recently established state, and pave the way for the formation of the Bahá'í Court, essential prelude to the institution of the Universal House of Justice.</div>
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(Shoghi Effendi, Messages to the Baha'i World - 1950-1957, p. 12)<br /><br />The International Bahá'í Council, comprising eight members, charged with assisting in the manifold activities attendant upon the rise of the World Administrative Center of the Faith, which must pave the way for the formation of a Bahá'í International Court and the eventual emergence of the Universal House of Justice, the supreme legislative body of the future Bahá'í Commonwealth, has been established, enlarged, and the functions of its members defined.<br /><br />(Shoghi Effendi, Messages to the Baha'i World - 1950-1957, p. 148)<br /><br /><br />The development of the functions of the institution of the Hands of the Cause. The establishment of a Bahá'í Court in the Holy Land, preliminary to the emergence of the Universal House of Justice.<br /><br />Codification of the laws and ordinances of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, Mother Book of the Bahá'í Revelation. Establishment of six national Bahá'í Courts in the chief cities of the Islamic East -- Tihran, Cairo, Baghdad, New Delhi, Karachi, Kabul.<br /><br />(Shoghi Effendi, Messages to the Baha'i World - 1950-1957, p. 42)<br /><br />“the transformation of the International Bahá’í Council into an international Bahá’í court; the codification of the laws and ordinances of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas; the establishment of six national Bahá’í Courts in the chief cities of the Islamic East”<br /><br />(Messages to the Baha'i World: 1950-1957, Page: 152)<br /><br />Tenth, the establishment of a national Bahá'í Court in the capital cities of Persia, of Iraq, of Pakistan and of Afghanistan -- the leading Muslim centres in the Asiatic continent.(Shoghi Effendi, Dawn of a New Day, p. 170)<br /><br />“Sixth, the establishment, circumstances permitting, of a national Bahá’í Court in the capital city of Egypt, the recognized center of both the Islamic and Arab worlds, officially empowered to apply, in matters of personal status, the laws and ordinances revealed in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, the Mother-Book of the Bahá’í Revelation.”(Messages to the Baha'i World: 1950-1957, Page: 139)<br /><br /><br /><b>The origin of the bogus UHJ</b><br /><br />On November 4, 1959, exactly two years after the passing of the first Guardian Shoghi Effendi, the former Hands of the Cause assembled in a conclave (secret meeting) in Haifa and sent a message to the Baha’is, published on page 165 of a book titled Ministry of the Custodians written by Ruhiyyih Khanum and other violators of the Covenant, they wrote:<br /><br />“after long and prayerful deliberations, made plans embracing those final steps which they feel must be taken by all the followers of Bahá'u'lláh in East and West in order to bring to a successful conclusion the World Crusade of our beloved Guardian .<br /><br />Alarmingly little time is now left to us in which to accomplish his design. Well aware of the fact that this great Faith of Bahá'u'lláh stands in sore need of the erection of that infallible and supreme legislative Body which in the words of the Centre of the Covenant Himself "God hath ordained as the source of all good and freed from all error", and which the Guardian said "posterity will regard as the last refuge of a tottering civilization", we have fixed the date for the election of the Universal House of Justice as Ridvan 1963”<br /><br />As it is obvious the inception of the bogus UHJ happened on November 4, 1959 by those who were signatory to the above mentioned message, a group of people who did not had any administrative authority in the Baha’i Faith and who violated the Covenant of Abdu’l Baha.<br /><br />They have quoted out of context from Will and Testament of Abdu’l Baha:<br /><br />“God hath ordained as the source of all good and freed from all error,” They disregard the fact that this expression in that sacred document is a reference to the real and true Universal House of Justice having the Guardian of the Cause of God as “its sacred head and the distinguished member for life of that body”, not to a fake and dummy body of their own making.<br /><br />Abdu’l Baha in His Will and Testaments ordains:<br /><br />“And now, concerning the House of Justice which God hath ordained as the source of all good and freed from all error, it must be elected by universal suffrage, that is, by the believers. Its members must be manifestations of the fear of God and daysprings of knowledge and understanding, must be steadfast in God’s faith and the well-wishers of all mankind. By this House is meant the Universal House of Justice, that is, in all countries a secondary House of Justice must be instituted, and these secondary Houses of Justice must elect the members of the Universal one. Unto this body all things must be referred. It enacteth all ordinances and regulations that are not to be found in the explicit Holy Text. By this body all the difficult problems are to be resolved and the<br /><br />Guardian of the Cause of God is its sacred head and the distinguished member for life of that body. Should he not attend in person its deliberations, he must appoint one to represent him. Should any of the members commit a sin, injurious to the common weal, the Guardian of the Cause of God hath at his own discretion the right to expel him, whereupon the people must elect another one in his stead”<br /><br /><br /><br />From the above text it is apparent that only an institution can be called Universal House of Justice which is elected under the conditions the Master has ordained, having the Guardian of the Cause of God as “its sacred head and the distinguished member for life of that body”.<br /><br />According to the sacred Will and Testament of Abdu’l Baha:<br /><br />First: “in all countries a secondary House of Justice must be instituted,” So in all countries a National Houses of Justice must be established, In 1959 there was not one, and to this day there is not one National House of Justice nor a local House of Justice anywhere around the World.<br /><br />Then: “these secondary Houses of Justice must elect the members of the Universal one.” In the absence of National Houses of Justice, this condition could not be realized.<br /><br />And: Its members must be manifestations of the fear of God and daysprings of knowledge and understanding, must be steadfast in God’s faith and the well-wishers of all mankind. It is obvious that a Universal House of Justice could not be, and has not been established.<br /><br />Nevertheless most important of all: “the Guardian of the Cause of God is its sacred head and the distinguished member for life of that body. Should he not attend in person its deliberations, he must appoint one to represent him.<br /><br /><br />Should any of the members commit a sin, injurious to the common weal, the Guardian of the Cause of God hath at his own discretion the right to expel him, whereupon the people must elect another one in his stead”<br /><br />How do the errant former Hands of the Cause reconcile what they have done in light of the fact that the establishment of an International House of Justice was not part of the goals of the Ten Years Crusade. Establishment of an elected International Baha’i Council was not part of the Crusade either.<br /><br />The actual objectives of the Crusade were:<br /><br />“the formation of the Bahá'í Court, essential prelude to the institution of the Universal House of Justice.” And “the establishment of a national Bahá'í<br /><br />Court in the capital cities of Persia, of Iraq, of Pakistan and of Afghanistan -- the leading Muslim centres in the Asiatic continent.”<br /><br />(Shoghi Effendi, Messages to the Baha'i World - 1950-1957, p. 42)<br /><br /><br />Furtherance of their message proves that they knowingly violated the Covenant.<br /><br />They wrote:<br /><br />“We are also happy to announce that another milestone in Bahá'í history will be reached with the election of the International Bahá'í Council during Ridvan 1961. The embryonic institution established and so highly extolled by the beloved Guardian will thus enter its final stage preceding the election of the Universal House of Justice.”<br /><br />Their statement admits how they acted in contradiction to Shoghi Effendi’s writings and drastically altered and disrupted what he ordained and planned for for the structure and advancement of the Administrative Order, a plan which he had meticulously and painstakingly designed and announced to the Baha’i World and sought them to follow. While putting forth the pretence they wanted to fulfill the goals of the Crusade, still the Violator Hands admitted to the importance of the International Baha’i Council as being the embryo of the Universal House of Justice: “The embryonic institution established and so highly extolled by the beloved Guardian” even while they declared their plan to dissolve that same institution which had established by the Proclamation of January 9, 1951 of the first Guardian. And the president of the IBC and all its members were appointed by him, The Hands of the Cause did not have any authority to dissolve or alter the International Baha’i Council or change its members. In doing so, they interfered with the following steps for the evolution of the Embryo to the Universal House of Justice:<br /><br />"its development into an officially recognized Bahá’í Court."<br /><br />"its transformation into a duly elected body"<br /><br />"its efflorescence into the Universal House of Justice."<br /><br />"its final fruition through the erection of the manifold auxiliary institutions constituting the World Administrative Center."<br /><br /><br />From these stages, only the first step was called for by Shoghi Effendi as one of objectives of the Crusade. In many of his messages he emphasized the essentiality and necessity of this development.<br /><br />The first Guardian in June 30, 1952, in one of his most important Messages titled: “The Summons of the Lord of Hosts”, predicted the possibility of severe tests and grievous “ordeal of temporary separation from the heart and nerve-center of their Faith which future unforeseeable disturbances may impose upon them,” He adjured the Baha’is: “never to hesitate, never to relax, until each and every objective in the Plans to be proclaimed, at a later date, has been fully consummated.”<br /><br />He wrote:<br /><br />“No matter how long the period that separates them from ultimate victory; however arduous the task; however formidable the exertions demanded of them; however dark the days which mankind, perplexed and sorely-tried, must, in its hour of travail, traverse; however severe the tests with which they who are to redeem its fortunes will be confronted; however afflictive the darts which their present enemies, as well as those whom Providence, will, through His mysterious dispensations raise up from within or from without, may rain upon them, however grievous the ordeal of temporary separation from the heart and nerve-center of their Faith which future unforeseeable disturbances may impose upon them, I adjure them, by the precious blood that flowed in such great profusion, by the lives of the unnumbered saints and heroes who were immolated, by the supreme, the glorious sacrifice of the Prophet-Herald of our Faith, by the tribulations which its Founder, Himself,willingly underwent, so that His Cause might live, His Order might redeem a shattered world and its glory might suffuse the entire planet -- I adjure them, as this solemn hour draws nigh, to resolve never to flinch, never to hesitate, never to relax, until each and every objective in the Plans to be proclaimed, at a later date, has been fully consummated.”<br /><br />Your true brother<br /><br />-- Shoghi<br /><br />[June 30, 1952](Shoghi Effendi, Messages to the Baha'i World - 1950-1957, p. 38)<br /><br />Developments in the Administrative Order must be made only in obedience to every clause of the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, They must honor the plans and arrangements that the first Guardian of the Faith made. This requires recognition of the succeeding Guardians after Shoghi Effendi of the fact that he faithfully fulfilled his obligation of appointing his successor during his own lifetime since the obligatory provision of the Will and Testament, quoted below, does not leave any other option for the Guardians:<br /><br />“It is incumbent upon the Guardian of the Cause of God to appoint in his own life-time him that shall become his successor that differences may not arise after<br />his passing.”<br /><br />(The Will and Testament, p. 12)<br /><br />Unfortunately, Ruhiyyih Khanum and those former Hands of the Cause who followed her, sought to extinguish the light of guidance and put an end to the Guardianship of the Cause of God. They committed everything they could do including the dissemination of the following obvious lies:<br /><br />“We wish to assure the believers that every effort will be made to establish a Bahá'í Court in the Holy Land prior to the date set for this election. We should however bear in mind that the Guardian himself clearly indicated this goal, due to the strong trend towards the secularization of Religious Courts in this part of the world, might not be achieved.”<br /><br />Shoghi Effendi, the first Guardian of the Cause of God, as quoted previously in many of his messages emphasised the necessity and essentiality of the “the<br /><br />formation of the Bahá'í Court, essential prelude to the institution of the Universal House of Justice.” and he never wrote anything to show any slightest doubts about that.<br /><br />They wrote: “due to the strong trend towards the secularization of Religious Courts in this part of the world, might not be achieved.”<br /><br />To make their lie less obvious they did not mentioned the name of “this part of the world” Israel, where “a Bahá'í Court in the Holy Land, preliminary to the emergence of the Universal House of Justice” was to be established by the end of the Crusade. Even now, after passage of more than half a century, religious Courts exist in that country.<br /><br />Courtesy of the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, everybody can now know that the Baha’i Faith is mentioned among the religions which according to the law are allowed to have a religious court:<br /><br /><b>“Religious Courts</b><br /><br />While military and Labor courts are not exclusive to the Israeli legal system, the Religious Courts are. The Israeli legal system is unique among modern legal systems in the utilization of various personal status laws in the area of family law, applied by religious courts. This phenomenon has historical and political roots: it existed under Ottoman rule and was retained by the British after they conquered the country.<br /><br />The basic source for the application of the personal status law and the jurisdiction of the various religious courts is found in the Palestine Order in Council (1922). This order provides that "jurisdiction in matters of personal status shall be exercised... by the courts of the religious communities".<br /><br />The order also grants jurisdiction to the District Courts in matters of personal status for foreigners who are non-Muslims, stating that they "shall apply the personal law of the parties concerned". Regarding foreigners, this was defined as "the law of his nationality". Case law determined that regarding non-foreigners, "the court ... have... to apply the religious or communal law of the parties".<br /><br />The Palestine Order in Council recognized eleven religious communities: Jewish, Muslim, and nine Christian denominations. The Israeli government added the Presbyterian Evangelical Church and the Ba'hai to this list. The Knesset also enacted a law vesting jurisdiction in the Druze religious courts.”2<br /> </div>
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Those who are running the affairs of the bogus UHJ, which has nothing in common, except it name, with the real Universal House of Justice mentioned in the Will and Testament of Abdu’l Baha, must realized that their existence is temporal. They must understand that they are partially responsible for the calamities and adversities which humanity is facing. It is necessary to remind them the sacred Words of Baha'u'llah in The Hidden Words:<br /><br />O OPPRESSORS ON EARTH!<br /><br />Withdraw your hands from tyranny, for I have pledged Myself not to forgive any man's injustice. This is My covenant which I have irrevocably decreed in the preserved tablet and sealed with My seal.<br /><br /><br />“O REBELLIOUS ONES!<br /><br />My forbearance hath emboldened you and My long-suffering hath made you negligent, in such wise that ye have spurred on the fiery charger of passion into perilous ways that lead unto destruction. Have ye thought Me heedless or that I was unaware?”<br /><br /><b>2</b>http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/aboutisrael/state/democracy/pages/the%20judiciary- %20the%20court%20system.aspx. Also the information is available in the article written by David Nachmias; “Israel Studies An Anthology: National Government Institutions”<br /><br /><i><b>http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/isdf/text/nachmias.html</b></i><br /><br />“O CHILDREN OF FANCY!<br /><br />Know, verily, that while the radiant dawn breaketh above the horizon of eternal holiness, the satanic secrets and deeds done in the gloom of night shall be laid bare and manifest before the peoples of the world.”<br /><br /><br /><br />O YE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD!<br /><br />Know, verily, that an unforeseen calamity followeth you, and grievous retribution awaiteth you. Think not that which ye have committed hath been effaced in My sight. By My beauty! All your doings hath My pen graven with open characters upon tablets of chrysolite.</div>
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Baha'u'llah<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The mighty stronghold shall remain impregnable and safe through obedience to him who is the Guardian of the Cause of God. It is incumbent upon the members of the House of Justice, upon all the Aghsán, the Afnán, the Hands of the Cause of God to show their obedience, submissiveness and subordination unto the Guardian of the Cause of God, to turn unto him and be lowly before him. He that opposeth him hath opposed the True One, will make a breach in the Cause of God, will subvert His Word and will become a manifestation of the Center of Sedition. Beware, beware, lest the days after the ascension (of Bahá’u’lláh) be repeated when the Center of Sedition waxed haughty and rebellious and with Divine Unity for his excuse deprived himself and perturbed and poisoned others.<br /><br />(The Will and Testament of Abdu'l-Baha)<br /><br />In conclusion, the bogus UHJ sets itself up as if it were the genuine one, ignoring the fact that it was born of violation, none of the essential conditions for its election have been met, and it operates without the Guardian as its sacred head. Contrary to the call of Shoghi Effendi, in his letter entitled Summons of the Lord of Hosts, dated June 30, 1952, adjuring the Baha’is to remain focused on the goals of the Plans no matter what might happen. The prerequisites established by Shoghi Effendi for the embryonic UHJ to grow through successive stages to a religious court, then to an elected body, and finally to effloresce to the Universal House of Justice, have not been met. In 1957, the embryonic International Baha’i Council with the Guardian as its sacred head, existed and should have been activated, and then be recognized as a Baha’i court. However, the errant Hands would not let this be.<br /><br />At this critical time I call up on all to turn towards God and join the true Baha’is under the Guardianship and save their souls. Certainly the Covenant of Baha’u’llah and whatever revealed by His pen; is fulfilled and will be fulfilled.<br /><br />“We have a fixed time for you, O peoples. If ye fail, at the appointed hour, to turn towards God, He, verily, will lay violent hold on you, and will cause grievous afflictions to assail you from every direction. How severe, indeed, is the chastisement with which your Lord will then chastise you!”<br /><br />(Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh)<br /><br />“We exhort mankind in these days when the countenance of Justice is soiled with dust, when the flames of unbelief are burning high and the robe of wisdom rent asunder, when tranquillity and faithfulness have ebbed away and trials and tribulations have waxed severe, when covenants are broken and ties are severed, when no man knoweth how to discern light and darkness or to distinguish guidance from error.”<br /><br />(Tablet of Wisdom)<br /><br />The warning call set forth by the first Guardian went unheeded, Today, this warning call is renewed! Obey the Summons of the Lord of Hosts!<br /><br /><i><b>Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Courtesy :<a href="http://bahai-guardian.com/" target="_blank"> http://bahai-guardian.com/</a></b></i></div>
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Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-34300353990554135742018-12-12T18:32:00.004-08:002018-12-12T18:32:36.904-08:00Membership of the Universal House of Justice and Women's Rights<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Anytime
a Manifestation of God has appeared on Earth, He mirrored the splendor
of God. Spiritual spring emerged; gave new life, and raised humanity.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
rights of women and the slow evolution and progress of their situation
in society is one of the most important principles. For thousands of
years, the status of women was very low; sometimes they even had the
social ranking of a slave. Even today in many parts of the Earth, women
are still being mistreated. Teachings of the religions of the past
required women to be dominated by men and they had to be obedient and
submissive to their husbands.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Holy Bible teaches:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Genesis 3:16–19)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Let
the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a
woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in
silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived,
but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding
she shall be saved in childbearing."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Timothy 2:11—15)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Wives,
submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the
husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the
church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is
subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in
everything."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Ephesians 5:22—24)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since the Revelations of God are progressive, The Qurán elevated women's rights up to half that of men.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"And
get two witnesses, out of your own men, and if there are not two men,
then a man and two women, such as ye choose, for witnesses, so that if
one of them errs, the other can remind her."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(The Qurán, Surah 2)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Divorced
women shall wait concerning themselves for three monthly periods, nor
is it lawful for them, to hide what Alláh hath created in their wombs,
if they have faith in Alláh and the Last Day. And their husbands have
the better right to take them back in that period, if they wish for
reconciliation. And women shall have rights similar to the rights
against them, according to what is equitable; but men have a degree (of
advantage) over them and Alláh is Exalted in Power, Wise."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"The
Dawn of the Supreme Manifestation of God and the Dayspring of His Most
Divine Essence, Bahá’u’lláh, inaugurated a glorious new spiritual spring
in the World unparalleled in the previous Dispensations."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"This
is the King of Days," He thus extols the age that has witnessed the
advent of His Revelation, "the Day that hath seen the coming of the
Best-beloved, Him Who through all eternity hath been acclaimed the
Desire of the World." "The world of being shineth in this Day with the
resplendency of this Divine Revelation. All created things extol its
saving grace and sing its praises. The universe is wrapped in an ecstasy
of joy and gladness. The Scriptures of past Dispensations celebrate the
great jubilee that must needs greet this most great Day of God. Well is
it with him that hath lived to see this Day and hath recognized its
station."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 106)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"This
is a century of life and renewal. Sciences and arts, industry and
invention have been reformed. Law and ethics have been reconstituted,
reorganized. The world of thought has been regenerated"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í World Faith, p. 224)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bahá’u’lláh in His Revelation granted comprehensive rights to women equal to men.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"And
among the teachings of His Holiness Bahá’u’lláh is the equality of
women and men. The world of humanity has two wings — one is woman and
the other man. Not until both wings are equally developed can the bird
fly. Should one wing remain weak, flight is impossible. Not until the
world of woman becomes equal to the world of man in the acquisition of
virtues and perfections, can success and prosperity be attained as they
ought to be."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Foundations of World Unity, p. 29)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Clergies
in the former times did not like that the ordinary people, especially
women, were taught how to read or write; so women remained very
ignorant.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the revelation of Bahá’u’lláh this has been changed:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Education
holds an important place in the new order of things. The education of
each child is compulsory. If there is not money enough in a family to
educate both the girl and the boy the money must be dedicated to the
girl's education, for she is the potential mother. If there are no
parents the community must educate the child."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Divine Philosophy, p. 83)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"The
first duty of the beloved of God and the maid-servants of the Merciful
is this: They must strive by all possible means to educate both sexes,
male and female; girls like boys; there is no difference whatsoever
between them. The ignorance of both is blameworthy, and negligence in
both cases is reprovable. Are they who know and they who do not know
equal?"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"The
command is decisive concerning both. If it be considered through the
eye of reality, the training and culture of daughters is more necessary
than that of sons, for these girls will come to the station of
motherhood and will mold the lives of the children. The first trainer of
the child is the mother."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 111)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After
the ascension of the first Guardian of the Cause of God, Shoghi
Effendi, as a result of the violation of the Covenant by the former
Hands of the Cause, the spiritual advancement of the peoples of the
World came to a halt, and the people become more materialistic. Only a
small group of true Bahá’ís who remained faithful, who believed in the
immortality and Indestructibility of the Will and Testament of
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, "the Charter of the New World Order;" and who understood
the pertinent writings of Shoghi Effendi, and especially his
Proclamation of 9 January 1951; and who believed that Shoghi Effendi had
not failed to appoint a successor when, in his extensive writings,
historic messages and recorded talks to pilgrims they had all abundantly
testified to the fact, that to the very last days of his life, he had
repeatedly and consistently emphasized the continuity and the absolute
essentiality of the Guardianship to the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh for
as long as the Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh endures.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In
recent years, some have raised criticism regarding the equality of men
and women in the Bahá’í Faith and about the membership of the Universal
House of Justice which is restricted to men. The critics mostly are from
Muslim dominated places where women are considered as second grade
citizens; who claim that in the Bahá’í Faith women rights are not equal
to men since they cannot be elected as members of the Universal House of
Justice.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Abdu’l-Bahá revealed:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Know
thou, O handmaid, that in the sight of Bahá, women are accounted the
same as men, and God hath created all humankind in His own image, and
after His own likeness. That is, men and women alike are the revealers
of His names and attributes, and from the spiritual viewpoint there is
no difference between them. Whosoever draweth nearer to God, that one is
the most favoured, whether man or woman. How many a handmaid, ardent
and devoted, hath, within the sheltering shade of Bahá, proved superior
to the men, and surpassed the famous of the earth."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"The
House of Justice, however, according to the explicit text of the Law of
God, is confined to men; this for a wisdom of the Lord God's, which
will erelong be made manifest as clearly as the sun at high noon."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 79)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although
establishment of a true and real Universal House of Justice is not
possible at this time, but the seed (International Bahá’í Council) is
planted.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Consider
not the present condition, but rather foresee the future and the end. A
seed in the beginning is very small, but in the end a great tree. One
should not consider the seed, but the tree and its abundance of
blossoms, leaves and fruits."—</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Bahá’í World Faith – ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Section, p.120)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I
feel the time is come, by virtue of my responsibilities as the Guardian
of the Cause of God, to clarify the issue of the membership of the
Universal House of Justice and women rights.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">True Bahá’ís know that the existence of the Universal House of Justice has not developed further than the embryonic form.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As
time goes on more people will become aware of the mischief and
rebellious action of the former Hands of the Cause against the Will and
Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in creation of a fake and bogus body, called
UHJ with no conformity with the Universal House of Justice as
welldefined by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in His sacred Will and Testament "the
Charter of the New World Order which is at once the glory and the
promise of this most great Dispensation".</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bahá’u’lláh reveals:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"The
Lord hath ordained that in every city a House of Justice be established
wherein shall gather counsellors to the number of Bahá, and should it
exceed this number it does not matter."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ordains:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">—"in
all countries a secondary House of Justice must be instituted, and
these secondary Houses of Justice must elect the members of the
Universal one."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Unfortunately
due to the disruption occurred to the advancement and growth of the
Faith, and the spread of confusion by the headless body which
undeservedly calls itself the Universal House of Justice, today not even
a single House of Justice exists (not locally nor nationally) although
they were established in embryonic form, by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the first
Guardian.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It
must be remembered that wherever there is mention of the International
or Universal House of Justice in the authoritative writings of the
Faith, it means the real and true Universal House of Justice as the
Master specified and clearly explained in His Will and Testament:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"And
now, concerning the House of Justice — By this body all the difficult
problems are to be resolved and the Guardian of the Cause of God is its
sacred head and the distinguished member for life of that body. Should
he not attend in person its deliberations, he must appoint one to
represent him. Should any of the members commit a sin, injurious to the
common weal, the Guardian of the Cause of God hath at his own discretion
the right to expel him." (The Will and Testament, p. 14)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Also ‘Abdu’l-Bahá revealed:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"But
now is not the time — it is utterly impossible to establish the House
of Justice which is mentioned in the Book of Aqdas, nay rather it is
impracticable and not to be thought of, that is for the time when the
Cause is proclaimed and the Commands have become effective. Therefore
now is not the time for the House of Justice, which must be established
by general election. Its mention is not permissible and its realization
impossible."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Bahá’í World Faith — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Section, p.411)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Equality
of men and women concerns rights and privileges, not physical abilities
and duties. Almighty God has created human beings, male and female;
divided the duties related to survival and procreation and assigned each
with different abilities and functions to complete each other. Men were
created masculine, with stronger body to be able to go hunting and
bring food to the family, carry things, do the heavy liftings, face
danger and fight with aggressors in the old times. Women were created
feminine, with delicate body, sensitive and naturally maternity and
motherhood are the closest issues to their hearts. They bear the baby
inside their body for nine months, suffer the pain of delivery and have
to nurse the baby and care for the child.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While
as the result of inventions and advancement of science and technology
in the developed societies, muscle power is not needed as much as
before, women however still must bear the burden of birth and maternity.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rights
are entitlements to perform or not to perform certain actions, to
possess certain states or not to be in certain states; or prerogatives
that others perform or not perform certain actions.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While
voting for the election of the Houses of Justice at all three levels is
the legitimate right of every mature Bahá’í men and women, membership
of the Houses of Justice at all three levels is not a right either for
men or for women.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In
the Bahá’í Faith no one is allowed to nominate her/himself and stand for
the election of the Houses of Justice whether local, national or
international.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">True
Bahá’ís do not consider membership of the Houses of Justice as an
advantage and benefit to themselves. They do not pursue reputation, fame
and popularity through membership of the House of Justice or other
institutions or functions related to the Faith; rather they achieve it
through different branches of science, arts and crafts. If they are
elected to the membership of the House of Justice, they will consider it
as a loving service to the Faith and society in a humble manner.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Membership
of the true and real Universal House of Justice is not an easy task.
Members may need to be away from home for a long period of time; they
have to work long hours and bear the hardship of service.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While
women must serve as a member of the local and national Houses of
Justice if they are elected; but according to the Law of God they are
relieved from the harsh duty of serving as the members of the Universal
House of Justice.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It
must be emphasized that the relief and exemption of women from
membership on the Universal House of Justice in no way reduces the
highly esteemed and honourable position of women in the true Bahá’í
Faith, and in no manner should it be imagined that women are considered
as being inadequate or unequal to men.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Numerous
women have been appointed by the Guardians of the Cause of God, Shoghi
Effendi and Joel B. Marangella, as Hands of the Cause of God. And at
this time several women are serving the true Faith of God as Hands of
the Cause of God.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hands of the Cause of God outrank the members of the Universal House of Justice.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To
achieve the equality of men and women around the world, both men and
women need to be educated and this will only be possible by the spread
of the True Bahá’í Faith.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Nosrat'u'llah Bahremand</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>November 2, 2015 </b></span></span></div>
</div>
Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-33869281057005913962018-07-02T11:21:00.001-07:002018-07-02T11:49:47.069-07:00Shoghi Effendi Never Was Silent- Message from the Guardian to all Bahá’ís<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Enemies of the Baha’i Faith are criticizing the Faith by accusing Shoghi Effendi, the first Guardian of the Cause of God, of being silent despite the fact that Shoghi Effendi wrote:</div>
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</div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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“The Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’ Bahá, which, together with the Kitáb Aqdas, constitute the chief depository wherein are enshrined those priceless elements of that Divine Civilization, the establishment of which is the primary mission of the Bahá’í Faith. A study of the provisions of these sacred documents will reveal the close relationship that exists between them, as well as the identity of purpose and method which they inculcate. Far from regarding their specific provisions as incompatible and contradictory in spirit, every fair minded inquirer will readily admit that they are not only complementary, but that they mutually confirm one another, and are inseparable parts of one complete unit.” (The World Order of Baha’u’llah, p. 3)</div>
</blockquote>
And Shoghi Effendi said:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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“Everything that is written in the Will and Testament [of ‘Abdu’lBahá] will be fulfilled. The Bahá’ís must not be anxious about this.”</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
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The adversaries of the Baha’i Faith said that Shoghi Effendi did not act accordingly to the obligatory commandment of Abdu’l Baha in His Will and Testament which decrees:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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“It is incumbent upon the Guardian of the Cause of God to appoint in his own life time him that shall become his successor that differences may not arise after his passing.”</div>
</blockquote>
The foes of the Faith then say that if Shoghi Effendi could not “appoint in his own life time hm that shall become his successor,” it means that the Administrative Order of the Baha’i Faith was not well designed, and it is imperfect, etc..</div>
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Their wrong supposition is based on the diabolical lies of the bogus UHJ as quoted below:<br />
“There is no doubt at all that in the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l Bahá Shoghi Effendi was the authority designated to appoint his successor, but he had no children and all the surviving Aghsan had broken the Covenant.</div>
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<br />
Thus, as the Hands of the Cause stated in 1957, it is clear that there was no one he could have appointed in accordance with the provisions of the Will. The fact that Shoghi Effendi did not leave a will cannot be adduced as evidence of his failure to obey Bahá’u’lláh rather should we acknowledge that in his very silence there is a wisdom and a sign of his infallible guidance.” (The Compilation of Compilations vol. I, p. 353</div>
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Following is the related statement of the former Hands after their conclave<br />
in 1957:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“On the following morning, November 19th, nine Hands of the Cause, selected from the Holy Land, and the several continents of East and West, with (Amatu’l Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum, broke the seals placed upon the beloved Guardian’s safe and desk and made careful examination of their precious contents. These same Hands, rejoining the other Hands assembled in the Mansion of Bahá’u’lláh at Bahji, certified that Shoghi Effendi had left no Will and Testament. It was likewise certified that the beloved Guardian had left no heir.” (Ministry of the Custodians, p. 35)</blockquote>
</div>
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The Will and Testament of Abdu’l Baha reveals:<br />
“The mighty stronghold shall remain impregnable and safe through obedience to him who is the Guardian of the Cause of God,” and commands that the Guardian:<br />
“appoint in his own life time him that shall become his successor,” not in the form of a will which usually is disclosed after the passing.</div>
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<br />
The Guardian of the Cause of God cannot be silent, and the first Guardian never was silent. What guidance is anticipated from silence, which opens the door to different assumptions and speculations?<br />
<br />
Shoghi Effendi knew better than the errant Hands of the Cause and anyone else that He did not have a son, and all the surviving blood descendants of Baha’u’llah had broken the Covenant. In a letter on his behalf to an individual believer, which can be found in the Bahá’í News, No. 232, p. 8, June 1950 is written:<br />
“He feels that if ... ponders more deeply about the fundamentals of Divine Revelation, she will also come to understand the Guardianship. Once the mind and heart have grasped the fact that God guides men through a Mouthpiece, a human being, a Prophet, infallible and unerring, it is only a logical projection of this acceptance to also accept the station of ‘Abdu’l Bahá and the Guardians. The Guardians are the evidence of the maturity of mankind in the sense that at long last men have progressed to the point of having one world, and of needing one world management for human affairs. In the spiritual realm they have also reached the point where God could leave, in human hands (i.e. the Guardians) guided directly by the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh, as the Master states in His Will, the affairs of His Faith for this Dispensation. This is what is meant by ‘this is the day which will not be followed by night.’ In this Dispensation, divine guidance flows on to us in this world after the Prophet’s ascension, through first the Master, and then the Guardians. If a person can accept Bahá’u’lláh’s function, it should not present any difficulty to them to also accept what He has ordained in a Divinely guided individual in matters pertaining to the Faith.” (Directives from the Guardian, p.34)<br />
<br />
Less than three years prior to His passing to the Abha Kingdom, Valera Allen and John Allen had recorded in their Pilgrims’ Notes:<br />
“The Guardian was asked if the meaning of the verse in the Bible ‘the day that would not be followed by night’ meant that succeeding Manifestations would not be persecuted but immediately accepted by the people. He answered,<br />
“No, there will always be evil in the world and doubtless the succeeding Manifestations would be persecuted though in a lesser degree.” The meaning of the verse was that the Guardians would be sources of guidance and protection for the Faith until the coming of the subsequent Manifestation which might not be for 6000 years although He might come any time after 1000 years depending on need.<br />
<br />
We became slightly involved as to why the people would probably not accept the new Manifestation if they had the Guardian to guide and direct them which led to Shoghi Effendi recounting for us the functions of Guardianship. He stressed the Infallibility of the Guardian as being the essential thing that kept schisms from developing in the Faith. One could not say that he was infallible only as Interpreter of the Writings but he was infallible in anything that he stated he was infallible in. He was the only one who could know when he was guided infallibly. That was the very nature of infallibility. Regardless of what he talked about if he gave his word as an infallible statement then it was so if it were a suggestion he would say so. In speaking of the Guardian, as the Head of the Universal House of Justice, he said that the Universal House of Justice was bound to accept the Guardian’s authority if he spoke from the Station of Infallibility, because of the statement in the “Will and Testament of Abdu’l Baha” which says: “It is incumbent upon the members of the House of Justice, upon all the Aghsan, the Afnan, the Hands of the Cause of God to show their obedience, submissiveness and subordination unto the Guardian of the Cause of God, to turn unto him and be lowly before him.” He spoke with great power and authority when he mentioned the Station of the Guardian and the fun ctions of the Guardianship.” (Haifa Impressions by Valera Allen and John Allen, 1954. Notes from a pilgrimage in December 1954, p. 12. http://bahai-library.com/allen_haifa_impressions)<br />
<br />
A response of Shoghi Effendi to one of the pilgrim’s questions asked priorto his passing in 1957 is as follows:<br />
(The Guardian was asked a question concerning whether or not the next Manifestation of God would be opposed by the people of the world, as had Bahá’u’lláh and all former Messengers of God.)<br />
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“In the future, when the next Manifestation appears, the Guardian of the Cause at that time will tell the believers who the Manifestation is and will call on them to accept Him. What is the use of the infallibility of the Guardian if he does not do this? This is one of the very important things that he will do. Opposition to the next Manifestation will thus be much less than in former times that is to say, the area of opposition will be reduced.<br />
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‘This is the day that shall not be followed by night’ means that divine guidance will not again be withdrawn from the world.” (Pilgrims’ Notes recorded by Isobel Sabri,1957http://bahai-library.com/sabri_pilgrims_notes)<br />
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From Pilgrims’ Notes by William Allison in 1957, who had the distinction of being the last of the Baha’is to visit the first Guardian in Haifa:<br />
“The Guardian said there will be Bahá’í Kings. The Hands of the Cause of God, with their own organization, will be these kings. Their duties, specifically, will be to propagate the Faith and protect it. The Hands of the Cause will outrank the members of the House of Justice. Hujoj. [Huquq.] More will be given on this in later years. It is solely for purification of money and one’s income.<br />
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The institution of the Guardianship interprets, directs the Hands, heads the House of Justice and defines their sphere of legislation.” (Pilgrims’ Notes by William Allison in 1957 http://bahai-library.com/allison_pilgrims_notes)<br />
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In fact, Shoghi Effendi, in accordance to the provisions of the Will andTestament of Abdu’l-Baha, appointed His successor in His life-time.<br />
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In 9 January 1951 Shoghi Effendi by His Only Proclamation issued during his 36-year ministry announced the formation of the first International Bahá’í Council, the real Universal House of Justice, in embryonic form, and by cablegram of 2 March 1951, appointed Mason Remey as the President and Head of the true Universal House of Justice, in embryonic form, i.e. the next Guardian. The presidency of the Universal House of Justice exclusively is the function of the Guardian, and no one other than the Guardian can occupy this position.<br />
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The Head of the true Universal House of Justice is pre-appointed, and this capacity comes as an integral part of the authorities and responsibilities of the Guardian delineated by ‘Abdu’l-Baha in His Testament. The Head of this body is the Guardian who is appointed by the predecessor Guardian.<br />
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No one on earth has the authority to remove the “Sacred Head” of this Body and elect someone instead to replace him.Mason Remey was appointed by the first Guardian, and after the passing of Shoghi Effendi, nobody had the authority to remove him from this Office to which he was appointed by the first Guardian. Moreover, nobody had the authority to dissolve the International Baha’i Council, all of whose members were appointed by the first Guardian, and this same body, as originally appointed, had to evolve “INTO OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED BAHA’I COURT” as the “ESSENTIAL PRELUDE TO THE INSTITUTION OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE” as clearly stated in Shoghi Effendi’s Proclamation of 9 January 1951. But in the third stage of its evolution when the Court would be transformed “INTO A DULY ELECTED BODY,” the Head and President had to continue in his Office while the members would be elected.<br />
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“He [the successor] that is appointed must manifest in himself detachment from all worldly things, must be the essence of purity, must show in himself the fear of God, knowledge, wisdom and learning.”(Abdu’l-Baha, The Willand Testament, p. 11)<br />
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While the appointment of the successor is not tied to writing a will, it must be done during the life-time of the predecessor Guardian. Shoghi Effendi appointed the second Guardian of the Cause of God during his life-time.<br />
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The fact that the former Hands of the Cause under the direction of Ruhiyyih Khanum, widow of the first Guardian, did not find His Will, must not be adduced as He had not written a Will. Shoghi Effendi always encouraged Baha’is to write a will according to the commandments of Baha’u’llah in the Most Holy Book: “Unto everyone hath been enjoined the writing of a will.” It is unlikely that He had not written a will. However, as mentioned before, the appointment of the Guardian’s successor does not need to be done by means of a will and testament.<br />
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The following passage was written by Ruhiyyih Khanum.<br />
“A further large deposit, invested for safekeeping in Switzerland in both his and my name, I later turned over to the Universal House of Justice after itselection”. (Ministry of the Custodians, p. 11)<br />
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This may raise the question about the possibility that the Will of Shoghi Effendi containing the explanation of how He appointed his successor Mason Remey on 2 March 1951 was held in a safe deposit box at the same Swiss Bank which only could be accessed by Ruhiyyih Khanum. But she directed the former Hands to the Guardian’s safe and desk in His office. Shoghi Effendi never was silent. His writings are the best evidence. Shoghi Effendi, during and until the end of his 36-year ministry, had always made it quite clear that the line of Guardians would continue to the end of the Baha’i Dispensation and had made many references to future Guardians in His Writings. Also, many Pilgrims’ Notes are testimonies written by the<br />
pilgrims to the Words of Shoghi Effendi about future Guardians and his emphasis on the continuation of the Guardianship to the end of the Baha’i Dispensation.<br />
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One night the Guardian said, “Pilgrims’ Notes are very important. They should be eagerly received as they bring the Spirit of the Shrines, and the Station of the Guardianship, and the first-hand impressions which the cablegrams and letters cannot convey. Of course they cannot be authoritative, as they are not written by the Master or the Guardian, but they are very important, and should be so considered.” (Visiting the Baha’i World by Ruth Moffett 1954-59,part II B<br />
http://bahai-library.com/moffett_pilgrims_notes–2)<br />
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In 1957 when the first Guardian passed to the Abha Kingdom, the Hands who did not have and could not have administrative authority, justified their usurpation of the authority of the Guardian because of the situation which was portrayed by Ruhiyyih Khanum and the former Hands who followed her. Her false assertion was that after Shoghi Effendi there was no longer any authority. In doing this they (the Hands) ignored the fact that Shoghi Effendi had already established the highest administrative Body of the Faith.<br />
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Why would the Baha’is “cling to the Hands” as Ruhiyyih Khanum told the Baha’i world to do in a telegram, instead of clinging to the supreme international institution of the Faith established by the late Guardian himself? If it was necessary for a group of nine persons to administer the affairs of the Faith, why should it not be the Universal House of Justice, in its embryonic form, similar to the status of the National and Local Bodies, especially when all the members of that International Body had been selected and appointed by the Guardian himself?<br />
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The former Hands did not have any authority to say:<br />
“We nominate and appoint from our own number to act on our behalf as the Custodians of the Baha’i World Faith to exercise subject to such directions and decisions as may be given from time to time by us as the Chief Stewards of the Baha’i World Faith all such functions, rights and powers in succession to the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith,” (The Ministry of the Custodians, p. 29)<br />
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The International Baha’i Council was the legitimate, rightful and highest institution of the Baha’i Faith, while in contrast the Hands of the Cause do not have administrative authority in the Faith. By now many know the famous admission of Ruhiyyih Khanum in this regard: “How to assume the reins of authority, with no document to support us...” (Ministry of the Custodians, p. 9)<br />
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It is of particular importance that they stripped themselves from their station as Hands of the Cause when they denied the fact that the first Guardian had appointed his successor by appointing Him as the Head of the embryonic Universal House of Justice, an Office, which can only be occupied by the Guardian.<br />
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“The Hand of Omnipotence hath established His Revelation upon an unassailable, an enduring foundation. Storms of human strife are powerless to undermine its basis, nor will men’s fanciful theories succeed in damaging its structure.” (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha’u’llah, p. 109)<br />
<br />
<i><b>Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand</b></i><br />
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March 20, 2017<br />
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Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-56113135789953539642018-04-21T09:31:00.004-07:002018-04-21T09:35:30.950-07:00The 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh—the designated Day of Celebration<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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These days Bahá’í communities around the World are announcing the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh through their local newspapers or internet. This is good, but unfortunately those who follow the directives of the UHJ, knowingly or unknowingly, are announcing the Birthday of Bahá’u’lláh as October 22nd, although November 12, 1817, was His birthday. Such a shameful mistake is a result of them blindly following the bogus UHJs letter of July 10, 2014, in which the UHJ has written:<br /><br /><br />"The Birth of the Báb and the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, have, in the East, been traditionally observed according to their correspondence to the first and second days of Muharram in the Islamic calendar. These two days are accounted as one in the sight of God, Bahá’u’lláh affirms. Yet, a letter written on behalf of the Guardian (Shoghi Effendi) states, "In the future, no doubt all of the Holy Days will follow the Solar calendar, and provisions be made as to how the Twin Festivals will be celebrated universally." How to satisfy the intrinsic lunar character of these blessed Days within the context of a solar calendar has hitherto been unanswered. We have decided that they will now be observed on the first and the second day following the occurrence of the eighth new moon after Naw-Rúz, as determined in advance by astronomical tables using Tihrán as the point of reference. This will result in the observance of the Twin Birthdays moving, year to year, within the months of Mashíyyat, Ilm, and Qudrat of the Badí calendar, or from mid-October to mid-November according to the Gregorian calendar."<br /><br /><br />According to the Compilation Questions and Answers, in response to a question about His Birthday and the Birthday of the Báb, Bahá’u’lláh revealed: "These two days are accounted as one in the sight of God."<br /><br />If those who are running the affairs of the bogus UHJ had studied the Tablets and Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, they would have noticed that "These two days are accounted as one in the sight of God," because the Báb also is a Manifestation of God.<br /><br />"Thus, by the "sun" in one sense is meant those Suns of Truth Who rise from the dayspring of ancient glory, and fill the world with a liberal effusion of grace from on high. These Suns of Truth are the universal Manifestations of God in the worlds of His attributes and names." ( Bahá’u’lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 33 )<br /><br /><br />"For this reason, hath the Point of the Bayan — may the life of all else but Him be His sacrifice! — likened the Manifestations of God unto the sun which, though it rise from the "Beginning that hath no beginning" until the "End that knoweth no end," is none the less the same sun. Now, wert thou to say, that this sun is the former sun, thou speakest the truth; and if thou sayest that this sun is the "return" of that sun, thou also speakest the truth. Likewise, from this statement it is made evident that the term "last" is applicable to the "first," and the term "first" applicable to the "last;" inasmuch as both the "first" and the "last" have risen to proclaim one and the same Faith." ( Bahá’u’lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 161 )<br /><br /><br />Shoghi Effendi during His Ministry always advised Bahá’ís to observe Holy Days according to the solar calendar, which enables the believers to indicate and point to the correct date and time for observing occasions and events in the season and year.<br /><br /><br />"Moreover, request communities observing Bahá’í Holy Days, solar calendar, celebrate with befitting solemnity the approaching anniversary of Bahá’u’lláh's Birthday" ( Cablegram, October 8, 1952 — Messages to the Bahá’í World ( 1950-1957 )<br /><br /><br />"Announce to Bahá’í communities, East and West, on the joyous occasion of the hundred and thirty-fifth Anniversary Bahá’u’lláh's Birthday, the successful termination of the protracted negotiations, initiated two years ago... ( Cablegram, November 12,1952 — Messages to the Bahá’í World:( 1950-1957 )<br /><br /><br />"Dear Bahá’í Brothers and Sisters: Shoghi Effendi wishes me to acknowledge the receipt of your joint letter dated November 12th, 1932 written on the occasion of the birthday of Bahá’u’lláh." ( Shoghi Effendi, The Light of Divine Guidance v I, p. 44 )<br /><br /><br />"It is advisable to use both the Bahá’í dates, according to the Bahá’í Calendar, and the usual Gregorian dates as well. The friends at present are free to do as they please." ( Shoghi Effendi, Directives from the Guardian, p. 12 )<br /><br /><br />Historians and scholars still are trying to find out the real and exact birthdate of Jesus Christ since it is not written in the Gospels. Christian sects celebrate different dates as His Birthday. The Birthdays of the Bahá’u’lláh and His Herald are clearly announced by Himself and His Interpreters of the Word.<br /><br />The Headless body (UHJ) has created confusion by its negligence.<br /><br />October 16, 2017<br />Nosrat'u'llah Bahremand</div>
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<br /><a href="http://bahai-guardian.com/" target="_blank">http://bahai-guardian.com/</a><br /><br /> </div>
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Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-23709466619072000122017-05-09T02:44:00.001-07:002017-05-09T03:05:02.445-07:00Message from the Guardian to all Baha'is <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Shoghi Effendi never was silent </span></b></div>
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Enemies of the Baha’i Faith are criticizing the Faith by accusing Shoghi Effendi
the first Guardian of the Cause of God, of being silent despite the fact that Shoghi
Effendi wrote:
“the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, which, together with the Kitáb-i-Aqdas,
constitutes the chief depository wherein are enshrined those priceless elements of
that Divine Civilization, the establishment of which is the primary mission of the
Bahá'í Faith.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyOS8740tgWFVMDI8X6gezMXrWrW2XAG6bqZq-9TZ0vQUX0Rrx8GiQBFiF_trg-KR-1LAAp2ZNY223gyqCzQczQpVPeYa1u87nSxItEMl4CsQe_865uHhOZf1uxRth-Mxi_4ltOrDlmA0/s1600/nosratullah+behremand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyOS8740tgWFVMDI8X6gezMXrWrW2XAG6bqZq-9TZ0vQUX0Rrx8GiQBFiF_trg-KR-1LAAp2ZNY223gyqCzQczQpVPeYa1u87nSxItEMl4CsQe_865uHhOZf1uxRth-Mxi_4ltOrDlmA0/s320/nosratullah+behremand.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A study of the provisions of these sacred documents will reveal the
close relationship that exists between them, as well as the identity of purpose and
method which they inculcate. Far from regarding their specific provisions as
incompatible and contradictory in spirit, every fair-minded inquirer will readily
admit that they are not only complementary, but that they mutually confirm one
another, and are inseparable parts of one complete unit.” (The World Order of
Baha'u'llah, p. 3) </div>
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And although He said:
“Everything that is written in the Will and Testament [of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá] will be
fulfilled. The Bahá’ís must not be anxious about this.”
He did not act according to the obligatory commandment of Abdu’l-Baha in His
Will and Testament which decrees:<b>
</b>“It is incumbent upon the Guardian of the Cause of God to appoint in his own lifetime
him that shall become his successor, that differences may not arise after his
passing.” </div>
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And they say:
If He could not “appoint in his own life-time him that shall become his successor”
means that the Administrative Order of the Baha’i Faith was not well designed and
it is imperfect etc.
Their wrong supposition is relied and based on the diabolical lies of the bogus UHJ
such as:
“There is no doubt at all that in the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Shoghi
Effendi was the authority designated to appoint his successor, but he had no
children and all the surviving Aghsan had broken the Covenant. Thus, as the Hands
of the Cause stated in 1957, it is clear that there was no one he could have
appointed in accordance with the provisions of the Will …</div>
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The fact that Shoghi
Effendi did not leave a will cannot be adduced as evidence of his failure to obey
Bahá'u'lláh -- rather should we acknowledge that in his very silence there is a
wisdom and a sign of his infallible guidance.” (The Compilation of Compilations
vol. I, p. 353) </div>
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Following is the related statement of the former Hands after their conclave in 1957:
“nine Hands of the Cause, selected from the Holy Land, and the several continents
of East and West, with (Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum, broke the seals placed
upon the beloved Guardian's safe and desk and made careful examination of their
precious contents. These same Hands, rejoining the other Hands assembled in the
Mansion of Bahá'u'lláh at Bahji, certified that Shoghi Effendi had left no Will and
Testament. It was likewise certified that the beloved Guardian had left no heir.”
(Ministry of the Custodians, p. 35) </div>
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The Will and Testament of Abdu’l-Baha reveals:
“The mighty stronghold shall remain impregnable and safe through obedience to
him who is the Guardian of the Cause of God.”
And commands that the Guardians:
“appoint in his own life-time him that shall become his successor” not in the form
of a will which usually is disclosed after the passing.”
Guardian of the Cause of God cannot be silent and the first Guardian never
was silent. </div>
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What guidance is anticipated from silence? </div>
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Opening the door to
different assumptions and speculations? </div>
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Shoghi Effendi knew better than errant Hands of the Cause and anyone else that He
did not have a son and all the surviving blood descendants of Baha’u’llah had
broken the Covenant. </div>
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In a letter on his behalf to an individual believer which can
be find in the Bahá'í News, No. 232, p. 8, June 1950 is written:
“He feels that if … ponders more deeply about the fundamentals of Divine
Revelation, she will also come to understand the Guardianship. Once the mind and
heart have grasped the fact that God guides men through a Mouthpiece, a human
being, a Prophet, infallible and unerring, it is only a logical projection of this
acceptance to also accept the station of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the Guardians. The
Guardians are the evidence of the maturity of mankind in the sense that at long last
men have progressed to the point of having one world, and of needing one world
management for human affairs. In the spiritual realm they have also reached the
point where God could leave, in human hands (i.e. the Guardians) guided directly
by the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh, as the Master states in His Will, the affairs of His
Faith for this Dispensation. This is what is meant by ‘this is the day which will
not be followed by night.’ </div>
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In this Dispensation, divine guidance flows on to us
in this world after the Prophet’s ascension, through first the Master, and then
the Guardians. If a person can accept Bahá’u’lláh’s function, it should not
present any difficulty to them to also accept what He has ordained in a
Divinely guided individual in matters pertaining to the Faith.”<b>
(Directives from the Guardian, p.34) </b></div>
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Less than three years prior to His passing to the Abha Kingdom, Valera Allen and
John Allen had recorded in their pilgrim note:
“The Guardian was asked if the meaning of the verse in the Bible "the day
that would not be followed by night" meant that succeeding Manifestations
would not be persecuted but immediately accepted by the people. </div>
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He
answered, "No, there will always be evil in the world and doubtless the
succeeding Manifestations would be persecuted though in a lesser degree."
The meaning of the verse was that the Guardians would be sources of
guidance and protection for the Faith until the coming of the subsequent
Manifestation which might not be for 6000 years although He might come any
time after 1000 years - depending on need.
We became slightly involved as to why the people would probably not accept
the new Manifestation if they had the Guardian to guide and direct them
which led to Shoghi Effendi recounting for us the functions of Guardianship.</div>
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He stressed the Infallibility of the Guardian as being the essential thing that
kept schisms from developing the Faith. One could not say that he was
infallible only as Interpreter of the Writings but he was infallible in anything
that he stated he was infallible in. He was the only one who could know when
he was guided infallibly. That was the very nature of infallibility. Regardless
of what he talked about if he gave his word as an infallible statement then it
was so — if it were a suggestion he would say so. In speaking of the Guardian
as the Head of the Universal House of Justice he said that the Universal House
of Justice was bound to accept the Guardian's authority if he spoke from the
Station of Infallibility, because of statement in the "Will and Testament of
Abdu'l- Baha" which says: "It is incumbent upon the members of the House
of Justice, upon all the Aghsan, the Afnan, the Hands of the Cause of God to
show their obedience, submissiveness and subordination unto the Guardian of
the Cause of God, to turn unto him and be lowly before him." He spoke with
great power and authority when he mentioned the Station of the Guardian
and the functions of the Guardianship” (p.12)
<b>From: Haifa Impressions, by Valera Allen and John Allen (1954). </b></div>
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Notes from a
pilgrimage in December, 1954, p.12
http://bahai-library.com/allen_haifa_impressions
Response of Shogi Effendi to one of pilgrim’s question was recorded by Isobel
Sabri prior to his passing in the year 1957 as the following:
(The Guardian was asked a question concerning whether or not the next
Manifestation of God would be opposed by the people of the world, as had
Bahá'u'lláh and all former Messengers of God.)
In the future, when the next Manifestation appears, the Guardian of the Cause at
that time will tell the believers who the Manifestation is and will call on them to
accept Him. </div>
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What is the use of the infallibility of the Guardian if he does not do
this? This is one of the very important things that he will do. Opposition to the next
Manifestation will thus be much less than in former times — that is to say, the area
of opposition will be reduced. "This is the day that shall not be followed by
night" means that divine guidance will not again be withdrawn from the
world.”
Pilgrim Notes recorded by Isobel Sabri 1957 <a href="http://bahai-library.com/sabri_pilgrims_notes" target="_blank">http://bahai-library.com/sabri_pilgrims_notes</a>
Pilgrim's Notes by William Allison in 1957, who had the distinction of being, the
last Bahá'ís to visit the first Guardian, in Haifa:
[page 3]
“The Guardian said there will be Bahá'í Kings. The Hands of the Cause of God,
with their own organization, will be these kings. Their duties, specifically, will be
to propagate the Faith and protect it. The Hands of the Cause will outrank the
members of the House of Justice.
Hujoj. [Huquq.] </div>
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More will be given on this in later years. It is solely for
purification of money and one's income.
The institution of the Guardianship interprets, directs the Hands, heads the House
of Justice and defines their sphere of legislation.”
http://bahai-library.com/allison_pilgrims_notes
In fact, Shoghi Effendi in accordance to the provisions of the Will and Testament
of Abdu’l-Baha; appointed His successor in His life-time. </div>
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In 9 January 1951 Shoghi Effendi by His only Proclamation issued during his 36-
years ministry announced the formation of first International Bahá’í Council the
real Universal House of Justice, in embryonic form, and by cablegram of 2 March
1951, appointed Mason Remey as the president and Head of the real Universal
House of Justice, in embryonic form, i.e. the next Guardian. The presidency of the
Universal House of Justice exclusively is the function of the Guardian and no one
other than Guardian can occupy this position.
The head of real Universal House of Justice is pre-appointed and this capacity
comes as an integral part of the authorities and responsibilities of the Guardian
delineated by 'Abdu'l-Baha in His Testament. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Head of, this body is the
Guardian who is appointed by the predecessor Guardian. No one on earth has the
authority to remove the "sacred head" of this Body and elect someone instead to
replace him.
Mason Remey was appointed by the first Guardian and after the passing of Shoghi
Effendi nobody had the authority to remove him from this Office to which he was
appointed by the first Guardian. Moreover, nobody had the authority to dissolve
the International Baha’i Council, all of whose members were appointed by the first
Guardian and this same body, as originally appointed, had to evolve “INTO
OFFICIALLY RECOGNAIZED BAHA’I COURT” as the “ESSENTIAL
PRELUDE TO THE INSTITUTION OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF
JUSTICE” as clearly stated in Shoghi Effendi's Proclamation of 9 January 1951.
But in the third stage of its evolution when the Court would be transformed “INTO
A DULY ELECTED BODY,” the Head and President had to continue in his
Office while the members would be elected.
“He that is appointed must manifest in himself detachment from all worldly things,
must be the essence of purity, must show in himself the fear of God, knowledge,
wisdom and learning.”
(Abdu'l-Baha, The Will and Testament, p. 11)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
While appointment of the successor is not tied-up to writing a will and it must
be done during the lifetime of the predecessor Guardian, and Shoghi Effendi
appointed the second Guardian of the Cause of God during his life; the fact
that the former Hands of the Cause under the direction of the Ruhiyyih
Khanum, widow of the first Guardian did not find His Will, must not be
adduced as He had not written a Will. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Shoghi Effendi always encouraged
Baha’is to write a will according to the commandments of Baha’u’llah in Most
Holy Book: “Unto everyone hath been enjoined the writing of a will” It is
unlikely that himself had not written a Will, however as mentioned before the
appointment of the Guardian's successor does not need to be done by means of a
will and testament. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The following passage written by Ruhiyyih Khanum, in the book Ministry of the
Custodians, on page 11:
“A further large deposit, invested for safekeeping in Switzerland in both his and
my name, I later turned over to the Universal House of Justice after its election”.
may raises the question about the possibility that Will of Shoghi Effendi containing
explanation of how He appointed his successor Mason Remey in 2 March 1951
was held in a safe deposit box at the same Swiss Bank which only could be
accessed by Ruhiyyih Khanum but she directed the former Hands to Guardian's
safe and desk in His office.
Shoghi Effendi never was silent, His writings are the best evidence, Shoghi
Effendi, during and until the end of his 36-years ministry, had always made it quite
clear that the line of Guardians would continue to the end of the Baha’i
Dispensation and had made many references to future Guardians in his writings,
also many Pilgrims' notes are testimonies written by the pilgrims to the Words of
Shoghi Effendi about future Guardians and his emphasis on the continuation of the
Guardianship to the end of Baha’i Dispensation. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Visiting the Bahá'í World by Ruth Moffett 1954-09
Part II "B" Page 20
One night the Guardian said, "Pilgrim notes are very important. They should be
eagerly received as they bring the Spirit of the Shrines, and the station of the
Guardianship, and the first-hand impressions which the cablegrams and letters
cannot convey. Of course they cannot be authoritative, as they are not written by
the Master or the Guardian, but they are very important, and should be so
considered."
<a href="http://bahai-library.com/moffett_pilgrims_notes" target="_blank">http://bahai-library.com/moffett_pilgrims_notes </a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In 1957 when the first Guardian passed to the Abha Kingdom, despite the situation
which was portrayed by Ruhiyyih Khanum and the former Hands who followed
her, in her false assertion that because after Shoghi Effendi there was no longer any
authority, the Hands who did not have and could not have administrative authority
justified their usurpation of the authority of the Guardian. In doing this they
ignored the fact that Shoghi Effendi had already established the highest
administrative Body of the Faith, and why would the Baha’is “cling to the Hands”
as Ruhiyyih Khanum told the Baha'i World to do in a telegram, instead of clinging
to the supreme international institution of the Faith established by the late
Guardian himself. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If it was necessary for a group of nine persons to administer the
affairs of the Faith why should it not be the Universal House of Justice, in its
embryonic form, similar to the status of the National and Local Bodies, especially
when all the members of that International Body had been selected and appointed
by the Guardian himself.
Former hands did not have any authority to say:
“We nominate and appoint from our own number to act on our behalf as the
Custodians of the Baha'i World Faith to exercise -- subject to such directions
and decisions as may be given from time to time by us as the Chief Stewards
of the Baha'i World Faith -- all such functions, rights and powers in
succession to the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith,”
(The Ministry of the Custodians, p. 29) </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The International Baha’i Council was the legitimate, rightful and highest institution
of the Baha’i Faith while in contrast the Hands of the Cause do not have
administrative authority in the Faith, by now many knows the famous admission of
Ruhiyyih Khanum in this regard: “How to assume the reins of authority, with no
document to support us,”
It is of particular importance that they stripped themselves from their station as
Hands of the Cause when they denied the fact that the first Guardian had appointed
his successor by appointing him as the Head of the embryonic Universal House of
Justice, an Office, which can only be occupied by the Guardian.
"The Hand of Omnipotence hath established His Revelation upon an unassailable,
an enduring foundation. Storms of human strife are powerless to undermine its
basis, nor will men's fanciful theories succeed in damaging its structure."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b> (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 109)</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i> Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand </i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b> March 20, 2017</b></div>
</div>
Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-48328355063274743392016-12-12T06:16:00.001-08:002016-12-12T06:16:17.165-08:00The Lost Teachings of the Bahá'í Guardianship <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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One of the more interesting aspects of the litigation against the Orthodox Bahá'ís brought by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States headquartered in Wilmette (hereafter called the "sans-Guardian Bahá’ís"), was the way in which the sans-Guardian Bahá’ís acted as if the principles of the Guardianship were created by Charles Mason Remey and Joel B. Marangella. <br /><br />Althought the Orthodox Bahá'ís believe that Shoghi Effendi was the first Guardian, Charles Mason Remey was the second Guardian and Joel B. Marangella was the third Guardian, it was not any of the Guardians who created the idea of the Guardianship. Throughout the litigation, the sans-Guardian Bahá’ís acted as if the principle of the hereditary Guardianship is what distinguishes the Orthodox Bahá'ís from the sans-Guardian Bahá’ís. This, of course, is untrue. The teachings of both organizations have the idea of the hereditary Guardianship. This is a teaching espoused by `Abdu'l-Bahá in His Will and Testament, and Shoghi Effendi (who was accepted by the sans-Guardian Bahá’ís) wrote extensively on the subject. The idea did not originate from the Guardians. The only difference between the sans-Guardian Bahá’ís and the Orthodox Bahá'ís, is that the sans-Guardian Bahá’ís lost their faith in the Covenant after the death of Shoghi Effendi, falsely believing that the essential Institution of the Guardianship had come to an end. However, the fundamental teachings of the Faith have become so lost, that the sans-Guardian Bahá’ís act as if the Guardianship is not part of their teachings. <br /><br />During the deposition taken by Mr. Dolan for the sans-Guardian NSA of Orthodox Bahá'í Hand of the Cause Marilyn Meyer, he questions her about her duties as a Hand, and on the hereditary Guardianship, as if these things were somehow unknown to the Wilmette NSA. On cross-examination, the Orthodox Bahá'í attorney had to get Ms. Meyer to teach these lost but fundamental teachings of the Faith to the Wilmette NSA: <br /><br />EXAMINATION<br /> 12 BY MR. GOLDBERG:<br /> 13 Q. Okay. I have a few questions for you just to<br /> 14 clarify some of the things that you testified to.<br /> 15 A. Okay.<br /> 16 Q. You said that the goal of the National<br /> 17 Spiritual Assembly of the -- under the Remey<br /> 18 organization was to teach the guardianship. Can you<br /> 19 tell me what that means, what does it mean, what is<br /> 20 the guardianship?<br /> 21 A. The guardianship is the unique feature of the<br /> 22 revelation of Baha'u'llah. It is the guardian -- we<br /> 23 should -- that we should never be without a point of<br /> 24 guidance. The guardian's job is to interpret the<br /> 25 writings among other things, to elucidate on the<br /> 00130<br /> 1 writings. And he is head of the Universal House of<br /> 2 Justice without which they cannot function.<br /> 3 Q. Is the guardianship unique to the Remey NSA?<br /> 4 A. To the Remey NSA?<br /> 5 Q. Yes. Did that -- did it arise out of Mason<br /> 6 Remey's teachings or --<br /> 7 A. No, the guardianship is unique. And Shoghi<br /> 8 Effendi has written that it's unique to the Baha'i<br /> 9 faith all together. And Shoghi Effendi stressed that<br /> 10 point.<br /> 11 Q. And Shoghi Effendi you testified earlier was<br /> 12 the first guardian. How did he become the guardian?<br /> 13 A. Shoghi Effendi was appointed by Abdu'l Baha,<br /> 14 [chosen]shows in by Abdu'l Baha to be the first guardian.<br /> 15 Q. And so the guardianship then is a feature of<br /> 16 the heterodox or the Wilmette group as well as the<br /> 17 Remey NSA; is that correct?<br /> 18 A. That's correct.<br /> 19 MR. DOLAN: Objection, leading.<br /> 20 BY MR. GOLDBERG:<br /> 21 Q. So what is the difference between the<br /> 22 Wilmette NSA group and the believers under the<br /> 23 guardianship?<br /> 24 A. We hold the same beliefs up until the passing<br /> 25 of Shoghi Effendi; that is, we believe Baha'u'llah to<br /> 00131<br /> 1 be the manifestation of God. We believe his eldest<br /> 2 son, Abdu'l Baha, to be the center of the covenant.<br /> 3 We believe that Shoghi Effendi was the first guardian.<br /> 4 The -- what are we calling you?<br /> 5 Q. Wilmette group, Wilmette NSA.<br /> 6 A. I forgot, I'm sorry. Has not acknowledged a<br /> 7 guardian since the passing of Shoghi Effendi. That's<br /> 8 the point of divergence. <br /><br />Transcript of deposition of Marilyn K. Meyer, April 18, 2007 (<a href="http://www.truebahai.com/court/54-4-exh-C.pdf">Exhibit C to OBF Sur-reply)</a><br /><br />Later, the OBF attorney has to ask Ms. Meyer to explain the Institution of the Hands, another Institution that has been lost to the sans-Guardian Bahá’ís: <br /><br />Q. Okay. New topic. You testified about --<br /> 4 well, Hands of the Cause and the purpose of the Hands<br /> 5 of the Cause and things like that. Do you recall<br /> 6 whether -- well, let me ask you this, is the Hands of<br /> 7 the Cause an institution created exclusively by Joel<br /> 8 Marangella?<br /> 9 A. It is not.<br /> 10 Q. Where does the Hand of the Cause come from?<br /> 11 A. Again, using the definitive document for the<br /> 12 administrative order, it was designed and implemented<br /> 13 by -- designed and anticipated by Abdu'l Baha. And it<br /> 14 was implemented by the first guardian Shoghi Effendi.<br /> 15 Q. And did Shoghi Effendi appoint Hands of the<br /> 16 Cause then?<br /> 17 A. Shoghi Effendi did appoint Hands of the<br /> 18 Cause.<br /> 19 Q. How about Mason Remey?<br /> 20 A. The only relative statement that I could<br /> 21 remember was that Mason Remey said that all of the<br /> 22 supporters of his organization should be considered<br /> 23 Hands of the Cause. There was no individual<br /> 24 appointment.<br /> 25 Q. Okay. And you -- well, let me ask you this,<br /> 00140<br /> 1 is the Hands of the Cause, does it have any<br /> 2 administrative authority or power?<br /> 3 A. The Hands of the Cause have no administrative<br /> 4 authority or power.<br /> 5 Q. So --<br /> 6 A. Per the document of Abdu'l Baha's Will and<br /> 7 Testament.<br /> 8 Q. So they function on their own or how do --<br /> 9 A. They -- they serve -- they serve the<br /> 10 guardian.<br /> 11 Q. Okay.<br /> 12 A. And they serve them in various ways because<br /> 13 under Shoghi Effendi they had different talents. So<br /> 14 the hands serve at the request and bidding of the<br /> 15 guardian. <br /><br />It is unfortunate that the sans-Guardian Bahá’ís have strayed so far away from the original teachings of the Faith that they barely recognize the teachings when they hear it from the mouths of the Orthodox Bahá'ís. For them, the Guardianship and the Hands of the Cause are relics of history instead of the living and vital Institutions of the Administrative Order of Bahá'u'lláh that they were intended to be and they truly are. <br /><br />For more information about the court case against the OBF, go here:<br /><a href="http://trueseeker.typepad.com/true_seeker/court_case.html">http://trueseeker.typepad.com/true_seeker/court_case.html</a><br /><br /><br /></div>
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Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-78553851238877537242016-10-02T08:20:00.002-07:002016-10-02T08:22:34.677-07:00A Tribute to Charles Mason Remey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-53350074074073961022016-08-30T03:06:00.001-07:002016-08-30T03:06:20.948-07:00Teachings of Baha'i Faith - Videos <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-65889727089806965032016-08-30T02:53:00.001-07:002016-08-30T02:53:07.806-07:00Concerning Will - Part 1 and 2 - Videos <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-54369240592474126262016-08-30T02:40:00.001-07:002016-08-30T02:40:09.776-07:00Concerning Orthodox Baha'i Faith - Videos <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-46342446182037088532016-08-25T06:42:00.002-07:002016-08-25T06:58:31.929-07:00Videos : Orthodox Baha'i Classes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-5169257758418929532016-06-29T06:48:00.000-07:002016-06-29T06:48:03.551-07:00“DESTROY THIS TEMPLE, AND IN THREE DAYS I WILL RAISE IT UP”<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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by Stephen Rhodes</div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>The
Temple of Bahá'u'lláh was destroyed in 1957 by the real Covenant
breakers, and was rebuilt in three days, (three years later, in 1960) by
Mason Remey, the real living Guardian, when he sent out his
proclamation re-establishing the true administrative order on its
intended foundation in accordance with the Will and Testament of
`Abdu'l-Bahá.</b></blockquote>
</blockquote>
"All praise to Him
Who, by the Shield of His Covenant, hath guarded the Temple of His Cause
from the darts of doubtfulness, Who by the Hosts of His Testament hath
preserved the Sanctuary of His Most Beneficent Law and protected His
Straight and Luminous Path." (‘Abdu'l-Bahá)<br /><br />Jesus said: "Destroy
this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." (John 2:19)
Christians interpret this to mean that the body of Christ is the temple,
and that Christ rose on the third day, Easter. However, this biblical
quotation also applies to this day. The temple is the house of God, and
the divine administrative order established by Bahá'u'lláh and
`Abdu'l-Bahá is the true temple of our Faith. ‘Abdu'l-Bahá was its
divine architect, and Shoghi Effendi was the "zeal" who put the
foundational structure in place throughout the Bahá'í world. <br /><br />Following
the death of Shoghi Effendi, the Persian Hands, along with Rúhíyyih
Khánum, destroyed that temple when they met in a secret conclave in
Haifa, and, after much prayerful deliberation, decided that there would
be no more Guardians. This conclusion came out in a document called the
Chicago Manifesto, written by the American National Spiritual Assembly
in cahoots with the American Hands. This document went on to explain
that the reason the Guardianship was to end was this: “GOD CHANGED HIS
MIND.” (Oh, really?) This became the cornerstone of the new structure
Rúhíyyih Khánum and Persian Hands erected in place of the divine edifice
defined in the Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá. They eagerly
continued on their newly chosen path, despite the fact that Mason Remey,
himself a Hand of the Cause,--one whom `Abdu'l-Bahá had called “my dear
son” (Stars of the West v. 10, p. 144) -- repeatedly prodded them to
continue to look for the Guardian. <br /><br />The Hands of the Cause
explained that they had looked for a physical will and testament by
Shoghi Effendi, which they state that they never found. They thought
that a future Guardian would have to be appointed in a will and
testament because Shoghi Effendi had been appointed that way in the Will
and Testament of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá. However, if they had looked with a
diligent eye at the Will and Testament itself, they could have
discovered the fact that the successive line of Guardians was to be
appointed by each Guardian in turn during his lifetime, not in a will
and testament to be read after his death. They also mistakenly believed
that the appointed successor would have to be his eldest son, and, since
Shoghi Effendi had no children, they further erroneously concluded that
the Guardianship had to be ended. In truth, the Will and Testament of
‘Abdu'l-Bahá states that the living Guardian may choose "another
branch," one other than his firstborn son. ‘Abdu'l-Bahá explains that a
branch is another male believer. “Now Muhammed was the root, and Ali the
branch, like Moses and Joshua.” (Some Answered Questions p.57) Neither
Ali nor Joshua was a lineal descendant of Muhammed and Moses. The
emphasis is on spiritual relationships in the writings. <br /><br />The
real will of Shoghi Effendi was his Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh, which
he called his "spiritual will." In this book, Shoghi Effendi referenced
his establishment of the International Bahá'í Council, which he
explained was the embryonic Universal House of Justice, and, further,
that he named Charles Mason Remey as its President. The International
Bahá'í Council was never activated during the life of Shoghi Effendi,
which seemed strange at the time, because its formation in 1951 was
hailed in Shoghi Effendi’s one and only proclamation to the Bahá'í World
in his ministry as the most significant event in the history of the
Faith “in the last thirty years” (since 1921, at the passing of
`Abdu'l-Bahá when His Will and Testament was read, naming Shoghi Effendi
as the first of what was to be an unending succession of living
Guardians.) The International Bahá'í Council was never activated, but it
had served its purpose. The next Guardian had been appointed! True, it
was done in a way that was inconspicuous to all at the time, for reasons
that may never be completely understood. Nevertheless, Mason Remey, as
head of the embryonic Universal House of Justice, thus became Guardian
upon the death of Shoghi Effendi. <br /><br />Rúhíyyih Khánum and the
Persian Hands of the Cause, destroyed the Temple, the divine
administrative order of Bahá'u'lláh, when they decided that the
Guardianship had ended, and that they would take over leadership of the
Faith and wean the Bahá'ís off of their understanding that a living
Guardian was necessary. Bahá'ís, up until that time, knew that the only
proper head of the Bahá'í Faith is to be a living Guardian. The Will
and Testament established the Guardian as the sole member of the
executive branch of the Faith, as well as making him a sitting member of
the Universal House of Justice, the supreme legislative branch, when it
would properly come into existence. Shoghi Effendi explained that the
Universal House of Justice was to evolve from the International Bahá'í
Council to the Bahá'í World Court, and finally to the Universal House of
Justice. The Hands, who had now taken over the Faith, didn’t follow his
directions.<br /><br />Well, of course, one evil thing leads to
another. Next, the Hands at that time, 1957, took over the executive
branch of the Faith and began replacing that divinely-inspired
administrative order with their own, man-made structure, thus forming,
an oligarchy--rule by an elite few. (The Will and Testament of
`Abdu'l-Bahá defines the role of the Hands of the Cause as being
individual members who are to serve the Guardian under his directives.)
The Hands were not even to meet as a separate body and make independent
decisions, let alone, run the Faith. Shoghi Effendi wrote that the
Bahá'í Faith was never to become an oligarchy. Rather, it was always to
be that unique, divinely-inspired structure of Baha’u’llah and
`Abdu'l-Bahá. The Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá is the original
sacred document that lays out the structure, and defines the duties,
powers, and limitations of power of the separate, administrative
institutions of the Bahá'í Faith. Only the Guardian has supreme
executive powers, according to that sacred text. However, the Hands, at
that time, went about making changes; penciling in their preferences and
deleting things from sacred texts and books in order to conceal from
future generations the fact that they had replaced the divine
administrative order with their own man-made substitute. Later, in 1963,
they formed their own--so called--Universal House of Justice without a
living Guardian (since they had none,) as an “esteemed member for life
of that body.” (One must ask, “who is sitting in the Guardian's chair on
their headless UHJ?” That must be a pretty hot seat for someone.) It is
now clear that they had, indeed, destroyed the temple.<br /><br />Back
to the Biblical quote that finishes with, "...and in three days I will
rebuild it.” One day of creation is as 1000 years of the Lord, (Peter
3:8) but a day of prophecy is as a year. This is the formula used by
`Abdu'l-Bahá when explaining the prophecies of Daniel in Some Answered
Questions. If we apply this formula to our present day, the temple was
destroyed in 1957, and three days later would be three years later,
1960. This is when Mason Remey sent out his Proclamation to the Baha’i
world, telling them that he was, in fact, the Guardian, and then went on
to explain in detail how he had become Guardian in compliance with
Bahá'í scripture. Shoghi Effendi had indeed fulfilled his ‘incumbent
duty’ to appoint his successor during his lifetime. Briefly, Mason
Remey’s appointment as head (President) of the embryonic Universal House
of Justice (the International Baha’i Council) is synonymous with the
Guardian-in-waiting, which automatically made him Guardian upon the
death of Shoghi Effendi. <br /><br />Most of the Bahá'í world, led by
the influence of Rúhíyyih Khánum and the Hands of the Cause at that
time, rejected Mason Remey’s claim (with the notable exception of the
French National Assembly, headed by Joel B. Marangella as its
chairperson, the person who was to become the Third Guardian when Mason
Remey, in advanced age, turned over the affairs of the Faith to him,
notifying him in writing that he was to tell the followers of the Bahá'í
Faith under the living Guardian that he, Joel Marangella, was now the
Guardian.) The rejection of Mason Remey by Rúhíyyih Khánum and the Hands
of the Cause, with no scriptural justification on their part, shows
them to be the real Covenant breakers. (Actually, according to the Will
and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá, only a Guardian can name someone a
“Covenant breaker.”) Their out-of-hand rejection of Mason Remey marks
the beginning of the great violation, the real source of division where
they completely fell away from the Covenant.<br /><br />A covenant is a
binding agreement between two parties. There are duties and
responsibilities on both sides. In the Covenant of God, He is to provide
guidance and protection to mankind, which is always given through a
chosen individual--the Great Manifestations of God in the Greater
Covenant, and, in the Lesser Covenant, the Covenant of Baha’u’llah, by
`Abdu'l-Bahá--followed, as He explains in His Will and Testament, by the
Guardians. This unbroken chain of living Guardians is the head of the
divinely-inspired administrative order, which is the channel through
which the Holy Spirit flows from God out to mankind. With this continual
guidance from the Guardians, the pure spirit of the Faith is also
preserved. The establishment of the Guardianship in the Faith by
`Abdu'l-Bahá signaled the fulfillment of the biblical prophecy, “the day
that shall not be followed by night.” In this day, there is an unbroken
chain of divine guidance to mankind, beginning with Baha’u’llah,
continuing with `Abdu'l-Bahá, and on to the succession of living
Guardians. The administrative order of the Faith, designed and
explained by `Abdu'l-Bahá in His Will and Testament, is the vehicle for
God to provide mankind with His guidance and protection. Mankind, on his
part, is responsible for recognizing and obeying the chosen individual,
be it the Manifestation of God in His lifetime, or He and His rightful
successors thereafter. Today, when one recognizes the living Guardian
and obeys his directives, one is obeying the directives of Baha’u’llah
and His Covenant.<br /><br />Ruhiyyih Khanum was to be the ‘liaison’,
whose duty it was to assist in transferring spiritual life from Shoghi
Effendi to the nascent Guardian, Mason Remey. Instead she rejected him
and called those who accepted his legitimate claim Covenant breakers.
Interestingly, Rúhíyyih Khánum once wrote that the Guardian was the hub
of the wheel: throw out the Guardian and you have to throw out the whole
thing. <br /><br />Whose Covenant, one might ask, are those devoted
souls who follow the true Guardian and the true administrative order
breaking? Is it not the height of irony that the followers of the
original, authentic, and complete Bahá'í Faith are labeled Covenant
breakers, the cause of disunity, and members of a ‘splinter group’ to
boot? Who is it that actually splintered away from the true Covenant of
Bahá'u'lláh? And does not `Abdu'l-Bahá warn in His Will and Testament
that Covenant breakers will use divine unity as their excuse for
themselves breaking the Covenant? <br /><br />The Temple of Bahá'u'lláh
was destroyed in 1957 by the real Covenant breakers, and was rebuilt in
three days, (three years later, in 1960) by Mason Remey, the real living
Guardian, when he sent out his proclamation re-establishing the true
administrative order on its intended foundation in accordance with the
Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá.</div>
</div>
Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-50754491494267907282016-03-24T22:52:00.004-07:002016-03-24T22:53:55.175-07:00To : Those directing affairs at the Bahá'í World Center<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
WHAT POSSIBLE ANSWER CAN YOU GIVE TO FUTURE BAHÁ'Í GENERATIONS? <br />
<br />
How can any faithful and devoted believer professing fidelity to the mighty, indestructible and resistless <a href="http://bahai-guardian.com/loyalty.html">Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh</a> maintain the belief that the most important provisions of the <a href="http://bahai-guardian.com/commentary.html">Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá</a> have now become null and void? For has not Shoghi Effendi equated this Document in its sacredness with Bahá’u’lláh’s Most Holy Book – the Kitáb-i-Aqdas – in stating that these two Documents <i><b>"are inseparable parts of one complete unit"</b></i> – <a href="http://bahai-guardian.com/doc.explicit.pdf">the Explicit Holy Text</a> – whose laws and provisions have been promised to endure and remain inviolate for no less than a full thousand years? Does not such a belief, therefore, constitute a flagrant repudiation, in effect, of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s divinely-conceived Testament which has been extolled by Shoghi Effendi as the very <i><b>"Child of the Covenant – the Heir of both the Originator and the Interpreter of the Law of God"</b></i> and thus, <i><b>"Their Will" </b></i>and, moreover the <i><b>"Charter of the New World Order which is at once the glory and promise of this most great Dispensation" ? </b></i><br />
How then can any faithful believer continue to hold the untenable, incredulous, and fallacious belief that Shoghi Effendi would have permitted this divinely conceived and glorious <i><b>"new born child"</b></i> so glowingly eulogized by him to die, as it were, prematurely in its infancy and the God-given <i><b>"Charter of the New World Order"</b></i> to become a dead letter? <br />
<br />
Moreover, how can any faithful believer shamelessly ignore and discount all that flowed from the matchless pen of Shoghi Effendi in such monumental works as <u><b>"The Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh"</b></u> in which he has repeatedly stressed the continuing essentiality of the Guardianship to the World Order of Bahá'u’lláh and the indispensable and irreplaceable role of the <i><b>"Guardian of the Administrative Order"</b></i> in an <i><b>"Order which the master-hand of its perfect Architect has fashioned" ? </b></i><br />
<br />
How can you be convinced that future Bahá’i generations will accept your deluded belief that a man-made, corrupted and imperfect, sans-Guardian organization erected by you as a disfigured substitute for the divinely-conceived Order bequeathed to us by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is able to replace an Order alluded to by Bahá’u’lláh as <i><b>"this unique, this wondrous System – the like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed"</b></i> and an Order that Shoghi Effendi stated has been founded on the bedrock of " <i><b>God’s immutable Purpose for mankind in this day" ? </b></i><br />
<br />
<b>Joel Bray Marangella </b><br />
Third Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith <br />
<br />
Please log on to: <br />
<a href="http://bahai-guardian.com/"><b>http://bahai-guardian.com/ </b></a></div>
</div>
Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-19037091852178583732015-12-20T03:41:00.003-08:002015-12-20T03:41:46.749-08:00Commentary on the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYcMcJCwg3KOIN_kyMvl8NGeUUKSaOfUBvWogauzcnpN5hywjYGbiBV1l_tvYRhFZbKaX9GSUN3qG06ul8dSkrfPjGLAmSp5c8PqefLoUPrJMYG99SLNdvBp1yqkWe0D6PQN_VuuaUTY/s1600/will+and+testament+of+abdul+baha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYcMcJCwg3KOIN_kyMvl8NGeUUKSaOfUBvWogauzcnpN5hywjYGbiBV1l_tvYRhFZbKaX9GSUN3qG06ul8dSkrfPjGLAmSp5c8PqefLoUPrJMYG99SLNdvBp1yqkWe0D6PQN_VuuaUTY/s400/will+and+testament+of+abdul+baha.jpg" width="262" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Role of the Will and Testament in the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh Paperback – May 27, 2010 </b></span><br /><br />by <b>Joel B. Marangella </b><br /><br /> This Commentary by Joel B. Marangella sheds light on both the text and the tragic historic events surrounding this Sacred Document of the Bahá'í Faith. The book recounts the intrigue that took place at the Bahá'í World Center in 1957 that stifled the growth of this infant Faith, threatened to permanently diminish its prestige in the eyes of the world and destroyed the very safeguard built into the Faith that was to prevent it from falling into false leadership. Despite the darkness that has befallen this most recent revelation from God, this brilliant Commentary reveals the truth of what remains alive and well today, the true sign of God on earth who alone maintains the spirit and meaning of the Bahá'í teachings. The Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá is the vital and eternal link between Bahá'u'lláh and the sacred Administrative Order that is the true channel of the spirit. This new book by Mr. Marangella clearly illuminates important passages within it that have been misunderstood, overlooked or intentionally distorted. The question may well be asked, what is so threatening about this book that millions of Bahá'ís around the world won't be allowed by their leadership to read it? Surely, all Bahá'ís must recognize the fundamental principle of Bahá'u'lláh, the Prophet Founder of the Bahá'í Faith, to exercise their human right of an unfettered, independent investigation of truth. Mr. Marangella's book also includes the complete Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l- Bahá, which can be read along with the Commentary, as well as a Summary of the Bahá'í Faith by the author, recognized by Orthodox Bahá'ís as the third Guardian of Bahá'í Faith. This Summary gives the uninitiated an authoritative treatise on the history and teachings of the Bahá'í Faith. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Comments on the Book </b></span><br /><br /><b>1-The Introduction to the book "Commentary on the Will and Testament of Abdu'l-Baha" </b><br /><br />By *The current Guardian of the Baha'i Faith is Nosrat'u'llah Bahremand. <br /><br />This Commentary on the Will and Testament of Abdu'l-Baha is an authoritative interpretation of what is a vital part of the Holy Text of the Baha'i Faith. The Commentary includes a critical examination of the tragic, historic events aimed at destroying the meaning and significance of this Sacred Document. For the novice to follow this commentary, it is helpful to see the Covenant of Baha'u'llah—of which the Will and Testament of Abdu'l-Baha comprises one of its most important written documents—in light of the greater Covenant of God in its biblical and prophetic meaning. <br /><br />A covenant is an agreement between two parties, and the Covenant of God contains a promise of Divine Guidance from God and an obligation of recognition and obedience from the people. The Covenant of God with Abraham is also known as the Greater Covenant. This Covenant contains the promise that great nations would come from Abraham's seed. His lineal offspring through Sarah include Moses and Christ, and his lineal offspring through Hagar and Keturah include the founders of other great world religions. They include Buddha, Zoroaster, Mohammed and, in the mid nineteenth century, the twin Prophet Founders of the Baha'i Faith, the Bab and Baha'u'llah. These founders of the great religions of the world are the fulfillment of God's promise, or Covenant. Their lives, as well as the book that each brings, such as the Bible and the Koran, give divine guidance to mankind. The word 'nation' in the promise God made with Abraham can clearly be seen to mean a great religion, such as “the nation of Islam,” which means the followers of Mohammed, not a geographical location. <br /><br />The special Covenant of Baha'u'llah, the Lesser Covenant, is essentially a continuation of the Greater Covenant of God. It, too, is a promise of continued Divine Guidance to mankind and is the fulfillment of the biblical prophecy that tells us that this is “the day that shall not be followed by night.” Religions of the past have divided over interpretation and over who has the authority to interpret the scriptures. The Covenant of Baha'u'llah established the means for protecting His teachings and religion from schism by clearly appointing, in His own hand, His successor, the one He called “the Center of the Covenant,” the one invested with the power to infallibly interpret the Holy Text, His eldest son, Abdu'l-Baha. <br /><br />But the guidance and protection does not end with Abdu'l-Baha. In His turn, Abdu'l-Baha set in writing the means for safeguarding the Faith of Baha'u'llah, the Baha'i Faith, from schism and misinterpretation. He did this in His most important document, His Will and Testament, which establishes the institution of the Guardianship, appoints Shoghi Effendi as the first Guardian, and explains how each guardian appoints his successor. The Orthodox Baha'i Faith recognizes Joel B. Marangella* as the third Guardian of the Baha'i Faith. <br /><br />Joel B. Marangella's commentary on Abdu'l-Baha's Will and Testament enables the reader to clearly understand important passages within it that have been misunderstood, overlooked or intentionally distorted as well as to examine the tragic recent history surrounding this sacred document. In the end, Mr. Marangella's commentary enables us to discover the true sign of God on earth in our own lifetime. <br /><br />2-<a href="http://www.amazon.com/review/R3LSD9ZHDEP6VS/ref=cm_cr_dp_title/187-1566427-7642308?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1452857431&channel=detail-glance&nodeID=283155&store=books">A MUST-READ for all Baha'is</a> <br /><br />By <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A9TA3JQZNZHGP/ref=cm_cr_dp_pdp/187-1566427-7642308">Jeffrey</a> on July 28, 2010 <br /><br />It is impossible to understand the significance of the Will & Testament of Abdu'l-Baha until you have read this insightful commentary. This book explains in a succinct and straight-forward manner both the meaning and context of the varied provisions of this Sacred Document. Even those who disagrees with the author will benefit from studying it because it will inspire and stimulate an interesting reevaluation of the importance and role of the Will and Testament. <br /><br /> <br />3-<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R384GB78RQZS5B/ref=cm_cr_pr_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1452857431">Excellent gift for Baha'is!</a> <br /><br />By<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A3LF7R81UHLNZO/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp?ie=UTF8">Martin Lavallee</a> on July 28, 2010 <br /><br />in every Baha'i's hands! It explains very well the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh and how the Guardian is the head of the Baha'i Faith. «Non-Baha'is» may find useful to read this book in understanding the concept of Center of the Cause, being now the 3rd Guardian, Joel Bray Marangella. <br /><br /><br />4-<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2TJHTRE9C5PDF/ref=cm_cr_pr_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1452857431">The Emphasis on spiritual relationships in Baha'i symbology.</a> <br /><br />By<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A1G4K91C025EZ1/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp?ie=UTF8">Barbara Walsh </a>on July 31, 2010 <br /><br />I loved learning about the Bab's use of the symbolic terms for the believers - a branch being a male believer, a leaf being a female believer and fruit being offspring and of course the Tree being the Bab Himself as the Holy Prophet. It is explained in this book the continued use of these terms by His Holiness Baha'u'llah and Abdu'l-Baha with references to the writings.<br /> <br /> "Abdu'l-Baha, too, emphasises spiritual relationships in the matter of succession in past Dispensations. In "Some Answered Questions" He states: "Now Muhammad was the root and Ali the branch, like Moses and Joshua" <br /><br /><br /> The footnote to this paragraph reads: In this quotation we observe that the term "branch" denotes a spiritual relationship as neither Ali (the first Iman) nor Joshua were Sons or lineal descendents of these Manifestations. They were spiritual sons or branches of these two Holy Trees."<br /> <br /> This book is full of really interesting information. <br /><br /> <br />5-<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2E296604S8F79/ref=cm_cr_pr_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1452857431">The Charter for a New World Order</a> <br /><br />By<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A27JI7E2UV0AZQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp?ie=UTF8">Michael Luten</a> on October 14, 2014 <br /><br /> <br />"MUTILATED" is the adjective the first Guardian Shoghi Effendi uses in reference to a Baha'i Administrative Order devoid of the Guardianship "(Dispensation of Baha'u'llah). In the Baha'i lexicon, only a living Guardian has the authority to interpret Holy Text and Holy Writ (Will and Testament of Abdu'l Baha = Holy Text). Comparison and contrast of the commentary by Joel B. Marangella and David Hofman should only prove beneficial to all inquirers who have an interest in the document in which faithful Baha'is believe reposes "The Charter for a New World Order". <br /><br /> <br /></div>
Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-43254064322038901052015-07-20T01:19:00.002-07:002015-07-20T01:19:31.221-07:00The independent investigation of truth is violated by authoritarian leadership<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A fundamental principle of the Baha'i Revelation is the independent
investigation of truth. The gist of this principle is for each person to
refuse to accept what others say about truth. This is a do-it-yourself
project. It is not acceptable for other people to tell us what to
believe:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<blockquote>
…every individual member of humankind is exhorted and commanded to
set aside superstitious beliefs, traditions and blind imitation of
ancestral forms in religion and investigate reality for himself.
Inasmuch as the fundamental reality is one, all religions and nations of
the world will become one through investigation of reality.
(Abdu’l-Baha, <em>The Promulgation of Universal Peace,</em> p. 433)<br />
</blockquote>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Take note that oneness of all religions and nations is to come from
each individual investigating reality for himself/herself. Unity does
not come from uniformity of thought or authoritarian rule. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The spiritual basis of this is that truth is one. If everyone investigated properly, they would arrive at the same result. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<blockquote>
The foundation of the divine religions is reality; were there no
reality, there would be no religions. Abraham heralded reality. Moses
promulgated reality. Christ established reality. Muḥammad was the
Messenger of reality. The Báb was the door of reality. Bahá’u’lláh was
the splendor of reality. Reality is one; it does not admit multiplicity
or division. Reality is as the sun, which shines forth from different
dawning points; it is as the light, which has illumined many lanterns.<br />
Therefore, if the religions investigate reality and seek the
essential truth of their own foundations, they will agree and no
difference will be found. But inasmuch as religions are submerged in
dogmatic imitations, forsaking the original foundations, and as
imitations differ widely, therefore, the religions are divergent and
antagonistic. These imitations may be likened to clouds which obscure
the sunrise; but reality is the sun. If the clouds disperse, the Sun of
Reality shines upon all, and no difference of vision will exist. The
religions will then agree, for fundamentally they are the same. The
subject is one, but predicates are many. (Abdu’l-Baha, <em>The Promulgation of Universal Peace,</em> p. 126)<br />
</blockquote>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Baha'i world is overshadowed by the false Baha'is. They have
rejected the guidance of the Guardians. Because their entire
organization is based upon falsehood, and not reality, they have
actively suppressed the independent investigation of truth. They falsely
say that once you have found the truth of the Baha'i Faith, you must
drop the independent investigation and blindly follow everything we say.
They ignore the fact that the very idea of blindly following was
rejected by Abdu'l-Baha. He urged us all to follow our own power of
reason instead of blindly following.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<blockquote>
Furthermore, know ye that God has created in man the power of reason,
whereby man is enabled to investigate reality. God has not intended man
to imitate blindly his fathers and ancestors. He has endowed him with
mind, or the faculty of reasoning, by the exercise of which he is to
investigate and discover the truth, and that which he finds real and
true he must accept. `Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace,
p. 291)<br />
</blockquote>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yes, free and independent thinking, and not blindly following the
"UHJ" is the teaching of the true Faith. The authoritarian leaders of
the false Baha'is attempt to enforce unity by controlling what the
members are allowed to do, to say, and to believe. They use coercion to
enforce their authority and they refuse to allow any questioning or
discussion of the legitimacy of their authority. They fear any
unauthorized discussion.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But those false Baha'is who blindly follow their "UHJ" question the
true Baha'is by suggesting we are hypocrites because obedience to the
living Guardian cannot be reconciled with independent thinking. What
they fail to understand is that obedience in the true Baha'i Faith is
not blind. It is based upon reality. The most independently thinking
Baha'is anywhere are the true Baha'is. Yet they obey the Guardian
because each of them, from moment to moment, independently and freely
accept the Guardian, without any coercion whatsoever. The false Baha'is
cannot handle the truth.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Source - Jeffrey Goldberg's Website</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.truebahai.com/2015/07/authoritarian.html">http://www.truebahai.com/2015/07/authoritarian.html </a></div>
</div>
Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-51050963583276826312015-07-20T01:18:00.002-07:002015-07-20T01:18:23.890-07:00True Bahá'ís follow the true Badí calendar<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If anyone needed evidence that the "UHJ" that now sits in Haifa, Israel, is a false entity without legitimate authority, just look at what they have done to the Badí calendar. They have brazenly abandoned the guidance of the first Guardian about the calendar and have adopted falsehood as their standard. <br /><br />In 2014, their so-called "Universal House of Justice" selected Tehran as the location to which the date of the vernal equinox is to be fixed, thereby "unlocking" the Badí calendar from the Gregorian calendar. Incredibly, this false "UHJ" decided that the birthdays of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh will be celebrated on "the first and the second day following the occurrence of the eighth new moon after Naw-Rúz" (using astronomical tables) and fixed the dates of the Bahá'í Holy Days in the Bahá'í calendar, standardizing dates for Bahá'ís worldwide effective at sunset on March 20, 2015. The Birth of the Bab and the Birth of Baha'u'llah this year will be celebrated by the false Bahá'ís on November 13th and 14th respectively, changing it from October 20th and November 12th. <br /><br />As our living Guardian notes in <a href="http://www.truebahai.com/2015/07/changes-to-badi-calendar.html">his response</a> to this scheme, this action goes directly against the express guidance given by Shoghi Effendi. True Bahá'ís follow the guidance of Shoghi Effendi. False Bahá'ís do not. <br /><br />The true Bahá'ís, those who follow the guidance of the Guardians, continue to follow the Badí calendar as directed by the first Guardian: <br /><br />Holy Days (unless otherwise noted, observed beginning at sundown on the evening before): <br /><br />March 21 - Naw-Rúz Bahá'í New Year (festive)<br />April 21 - First Day of the Ridván Festival (festive) 3pm on 4/21<br />April 29 - Ninth Day of the Ridván Festival (festive)<br />May 2 - Twelfth Day of the Ridván Festival (festive)<br />May 23 - Declaration of the Báb (festive) 2 hours after sunset on 5/22<br />May 29 - Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh (solemn)<br />July 9 - Martyrdom of the Báb (solemn) noon on 7/9<br />October 20 - Birth of the Báb (festive)<br />November 12 - Birth of Bahá'u'lláh (festive)<br />November 26 - Day of the Covenant (work not suspended)<br />November 28 - Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá (work not suspended) <br /><br />Nineteen Day Feast (observed beginning at sundown on the evening before): <br /><br />1. Bahá - Splendour - 21 March<br />2. Jalál - Glory - 9 April <br />3. Jamál - Beauty - 28 April<br />4. 'Azamat - Grandeur - 17 May <br />5. Núr - Light - 5 June<br />6. Rahmat - Mercy - 24 June<br />7. Kalimát - Words - 13 July <br />8. Kamál - Perfection - 1 August<br />9. Asmá' - Names - 20 August <br />10. 'Izzat - Might - 8 September <br />11. Mashíyyat - Will - 27 September<br />12. 'Ilm - Knowledge - 16 October<br />13. Qudrat - Power - 4 November <br />14. Qawl - Speech - 23 November <br />15. Masá'il - Questions - 12 December <br />16. Sharaf - Honour - 31 December <br />17. Sultán - Sovereignty - 19 January<br />18. Mulk - Dominion - 7 February <br /> Ayyám-i-Há February 26-March 1<br />19. 'Alá - Loftiness - 2 March - Nineteen Day Fast <br /><br />As time passes, it becomes more and more clear and obvious how false are the Bahá'ís under the organization of the false "UHJ" and how the Orthodox Bahá'ís are following the true Cause of God.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Source - <b>Jeffrey Goldberg's Website
</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.truebahai.com/2015/07/true-calendar.html">http://www.truebahai.com/2015/07/true-calendar.html</a></div>
</div>
Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-35581193190266081842015-06-16T10:07:00.004-07:002015-06-16T10:08:29.381-07:00Baha'i Deepening 1: Depth and Greatness of the Baha'i Revelation <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nEP_2KMLCB4" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-72356299963178962742015-06-16T10:06:00.002-07:002015-06-16T10:06:50.277-07:00Presentation : 1800 to 1921 A Very Brief History of the Orthodox Baha'i Faith<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/snsXR25Wx_o" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032878551057169070.post-38056744636185228072015-05-09T03:11:00.003-07:002015-05-09T03:14:09.081-07:00The correct interpretation of "Branch" signifies a spiritual relationship<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By Fourth Guardian of Baha’i Faith, <b>Mr. Nosrat'u'llah Bahremand - </b><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
On 15 October, 1960, some three years after the passing of Shoghi Effendi, the first beloved Guardian of the Faith, the former Hands of the Cause in Haifa, who had upon his passing, publicly declared to the Baha’i world that the institution of the Guardianship had come to an end with his passing, notwithstanding, sent a letter to all National Spiritual Assemblies signed by them: “In the service of the beloved Guardian, Hands of the Cause in the Holy Land.” This letter is of considerable historical importance since in making such a declaration they, in fact, the Hands had thereby ignobly registered publicly their infidelity to, and betrayal of, both Abdu’l Baha and Shoghi Effendi, in consequence of which, they had forfeited their rank as Hands of the Cause, a rank that had been bestowed upon them by Shoghi Effendi during the closing years of his ministry. Future Baha’i historians will certainly record their ignominious downfall as one that had reduced the rank of these Hands to an even lower degree than that to which Judah Iscariot and Umar had fallen during the respective Dispensations of Christ and Muhammad. For, instead of remaining faithful to the mandate contained in the sacred Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Baha that enjoined them to remain <i>“under his shadow and obey his command.”</i>* [i.e. the living Guardian of the Cause of God] they had joined the ranks of the unfaithful who sought to <i>“disobey and seek division,”</i>* an act for which they would bring down upon themselves “the wrath of God and His vengeance”*</div>
<br />
*(From the Will and Testament, p. 12)<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">Although their letter had contained a
quotation from the Will and Testament of Abdu’l-Baha they had taken no heed of
the following warning contained in that same Document:</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">"Beware, beware, lest the days after
the ascension (of Baha’u’llah) be repeated, when the Centre of Sedition waxed
haughty and rebellious and with Divine Unity for his excuse deprived himself
and perturbed and poisoned others."</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">And despite of the strong warnings of Abdu’l
Baha in His sacred Will and Testament </span><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“they advanced a pretext, raised the
standard of revolt, waxed stubborn and opened wide the door of false
interpretation.”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">Shamelessly, at the end of their letter, they
have quoted the following from Abdu’l Baha:</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">" ...O God, my God! I call Thee, Thy
Prophets and Thy Messengers, Thy Saints and Thy Holy Ones, to witness that I
have declared conclusively Thy Proofs unto Thy loved ones and set forth clearly
all things unto them, that they may watch over Thy Faith, guard Thy Straight
Path and protect Thy Resplendent Law. Thou art, verily, the All-Knowing, the
All-Wise!"</span></i><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;"> While they had shunned the Guardian of the Cause of God and disregarded
the Will and Testament which proclaims:</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“The mighty stronghold shall remain
impregnable and safe through obedience to him who is the Guardian of the Cause
of God.”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">
(Abdu'l-Baha, The Will and Testament, p. 11)</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">The discussion below shall be confined only to
the false interpretation that the former Hands placed upon the word ‘branch’ as
it appears in the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Baha and the consequent
confusion and misunderstanding that they created amongst the believers in this
regard.</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">The letter of the now violating Hands failed
to present any rational logic and it contains statements that are clearly
contradictory to the provisions of the Will and Testament of Abdu’l Baha and
the writings of Shoghi Effendi. Ironically, they themselves wrote:</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #c0504d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“It has become clear during the past months
that lack of knowledge of the meaning of the word "branch" as used in
the Master's Will and Testament has led to great confusion in certain quarters
in the West.”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">
(Ministry of the Custodians, p. 232)</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">The fact is that there should have been no
confusion. It was the errant Hands themselves, in their rebellion against
and opposition to the continuing Guardianship, who had created confusion about
the meaning of the word ‘branch’ for they, although clearly lacking any
authority to do so, came up with their own erroneous interpretation as to the
meaning of this word as contained in the following statement:</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #c0504d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“The word 'Ghusn' (plural Aghsan) is an
Arabic word, meaning branch. Baha’u’llah used this word<b> specifically</b> to
designate His own male descendants. It does not apply to any other category of
people. He gave the title to 'Abdu'l-Bahá of 'The Most Great Branch,’ His
second son, Mehdi, 'the Purest Branch', etc. The Guardian himself is designated
in the Master's Will as 'the Chosen Branch'. All the male relatives of the Báb.
are invariably referred to as "Afnan", which means "twigs".</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #c0504d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“These two designations are not
interchangeable.” </span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #c0504d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;"> “Over and over in Baha’u’llah’s
Tablets these terms Aghsan and "Afnan" are <b>specifically</b> used
in this sense, </span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #c0504d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“For instance, in the Tablet of the Branch,
the original word "Ghosn" (i.e. branch), refers to 'Abdu'l-Bahá.”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">
(Custodians, Ministry of the Custodians, p. 233)</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">At first glance the first paragraph in the
quotation above seems to be correct, but it is questionable why they
capitalized the first letters of the words ‘ghusn’ and ‘aghsan’ but then didn’t
capitalize the first letter “b” in its translated meaning of ‘branch’?
Later, when their baseless assertion about the use of caps is made,
their reason for doing this comes to light. Their statement in the second
paragraph is an outright falsehood, because the Arabic word ‘ghusn’ refers to a
division or subdivision of the stem or axis of a tree or shrub, similarly to
the meaning of the word ‘branch’ in English. Whenever this word is used by
itself it carries the original meaning of ‘branch’. In the writings of
Baha’u’llah there will be found several instances of the usage of the word
‘ghusn’ and its plural ‘aghsan’ which simply means ‘branch’ or ‘branches’ as
defined previously.</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">It must be noted that similarly to the use of
the word ‘branch’ in English to define sections or subdivisions such as: branches
of learning and science, of a library, a river, etcetera, the word
‘ghusn’ and its plural ‘aghsan’ in its relationship with other words has been
used in the writings of Baha’u’llah in representational or symbolic ways, but
significantly they have usually been employed to portray spiritual
relationships or intellectual realities, even when used in their negative sense
such as in the term </span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">’aghsan-i-kebr’</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;"> which means </span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">‘branches of haughtiness’</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;"> that can be found in
one of Baha’u’llah’s Tablets in its original language in the book:
(Majmuih-yi-Alvah-i-Mubarakih, (Chap-i-Misr, p. 184)</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">Half a century has elapsed since this
false interpretation was made and publicized by the errant Hands of the Cause
and all of these former Hands have died without their having presented any
evidence from the writings of Baha’u’llah in support of their false statement
that He had “used this word <b>specifically</b> to designate all of His male
descendants.” Neither has, nor will, the Hands-made bogus UHJ ever be able to
do so either.</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">Baha’u’llah has conferred a superlative or
comparative appellation upon each of His sons prefaced by the *Ghusn,* such as
*Ghusn-I-Azam* (Greatest Branch), *Ghusn-I-Athar* (Purest Branch), or
*Ghusn-I-Akbar* (Greater Branch). He never conferred upon anyone
other than His sons such titles or never did He write anything designating His <u>other</u>
male descendants in such a manner.</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">The former Hands have written:</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #c0504d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“The Guardian himself is designated in the
Master's Will as 'the Chosen Branch'.”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">It must be noted that in the Master’s sacred
Will and Testament, translated into English by Shoghi Effendi, contrary to the
translation of the terms of the Will and Testament wherein the former Hands
have referred to the Guardian as the “Chosen Branch,” Shoghi Effendi has used
the lower case form of the letter “b” in reference to the Guardian as <i>“the
chosen branch”</i> who had moreover, been identified by Abdu’l-Baha in
this same document as the </span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">‘<i>sign of God’</i> and <i>‘the Guardian of
the Cause of God,’</i> </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">terms that obviously referred to the station of
Guardianship and not solely to the personage of Shoghi Effendi (and, therefore,
not meant as a personally exclusive title that pertained only to him).
Abdu’l Baha enjoins every believer to obey Shoghi Effendi </span><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“as he is the sign
of God, the chosen branch, the Guardian of the Cause of God, he unto whom all
the Aghsan, the Afnan, the Hands of the Cause of God and His loved ones must
turn</span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">.”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">
(Abdu'l-Baha, The Will and Testament, p. 11)</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">The errant Hands have written:</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #c0504d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“All the male relatives of the Báb. are
invariably referred to as "Afnan", which means "twigs"
(i.e. small branches). These two designations are not interchangeable.”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">It must be understood that the relationship to
Baha’u’llah is of two kinds: one is spiritual and the other biological or
genetic, the spiritual relationship being much more important than the other.
This is very clear in His writings, and the beloved Guardian gives the
following example:</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“The following words of Baha’u’llah are to
be found in one of His supplications in the book: PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS
(translated by Shoghi Effendi). This significant phrase is included in the
following passage quoted in its entirety below as it appears on page 154 of
that book:</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">"I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art
my Governor and the Possessor of all names, to protect them that have branched
out from me (Afnán), whom Thou hast caused to be related to Thyself, and to
whom Thou hast, in this Revelation, shown Thy special favor, and whom Thou hast
summoned to draw nigh unto Thee and to turn towards the horizon of Thy
Revelation."</span></i></b><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">It should be clear that the relationship to
which Baha’u’llah refers in the above passage is a spiritual one and it has
been their fidelity to Him that has earned them the designation of spiritual
branches. It is such spiritual relationships in the Faith that have taken
precedence in the past and shall always take precedence in the future over
physical relationships.”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/edit?id=1grtO1uxY5h6eOlTXDZiAQNKW5xuhbnknvx1dYZyv1H0&hl=en"><span style="color: #0012ff; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">http://www.bahai-guardian.com</span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/edit?id=1grtO1uxY5h6eOlTXDZiAQNKW5xuhbnknvx1dYZyv1H0&hl=en"><span style="color: #0012ff; font-size: 14.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><br />
</span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">Similarly, the following attribute of an Afnan
can be seen on page 92 of the book Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah
which has been translated by Shoghi Effendi as well.</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“O Afnan, O thou that hast branched
from Mine ancient Stock</span></i></b><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">! My glory and My loving-kindness rest upon
thee. How vast is the tabernacle of the Cause of God! It hath overshadowed all
the peoples and kindreds of the earth, and will, erelong, gather together the
whole of mankind beneath its shelter.”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">Careful study of the writings of Baha’u’llah
makes it clear to the reader that He has used the word ‘ghusn’ and its plural
‘aghsan’ mostly to indicate a spiritual relationship to Him and has nothing to
do with a physical and biological relationship or descent. Actually,
Baha’u’llah Himself, on several occasions has clearly and explicitly in
unambiguous language explained this fact, but the errant Hands have ignored
this and have shamelessly asserted the opposite. They and their Hand-made and
bogus UHJ have tried to hide this fact. Those who know Persian can read the
book (Majmuih-yi-Alvah-i-Mubarakih, (Chap-i-Misr, p.343) and the book
(Ma'idiy-i-Asmani (Vol 4, p.42) and see with their own eyes the statement
of Baha’u’llah in the original language in which He explains:</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“Since the affectionate and faithful
believers are as the (aghsan) branches</span></i><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "MS Mincho"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-font-width: 100%;"> </span></i><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;"> and the leaves of this Holy Tree, therefore whatever hath
fallen on this Mighty Stock; will also befall the (aghsan) branches, twigs and
leaves as well. This is how in every age these tragedies and nuisances have
been and will be for the lovers of the Beauty of the All-Glorious.”</span></i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;"> </span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "MS Mincho"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-font-width: 100%;"> </span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">Also they can see this for themselves in the
following translation of the original text:</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“O’ Seeker do not consider reference in The
Holy Scriptures to such attributes and names as: the Tree of Blessedness, the
Divine Lote-Tree, the Forbidden Tree, the Leaves, the Fruits and the like of
that Tree, to be imaginary or fictional. In the sight of God, He has made
reference to these attributes in distinguishing the devoted believers in God.
As long as a believer is under the shadow of the Divine Lote Tree he will be a
branch of the Tree of Blessedness and be exalted in the presence of God, but
upon turning away will be consigned to the burning bush of Hell. While
remaining faithful, either as an afnan (twigs), as aghsan (branches), as o’ragh
(leaves) and assmar (fruits) of that Tree, their faith will be perceived as
substantiated but upon their opposition all will be considered as rejected and
abandoned”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">(Baha’u’llah, Ma'idiy-i-Asmani. Vol
7,p.21) </span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">Similarly while we can see the usage of the word ‘Leaf’ and its plural
‘Leaves’ as a title for the mother and sister of Abdu’l Baha in the writings of
Baha’u’llah, Abdu’l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi, the same words without the usage
of caps is noticeable when they have addressed or made reference to other
spiritual women. </span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">For example, caps are
used when Baha’u’llah addressing or referring to female members of the Holy
Family, such as found in a title in which He has addressed Bahiyyih
Khanum –“The Greatest Holy Leaf” as follows:</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“My Leaf! Hearken thou unto My Voice: Verily
there is none other God but Me, the Almighty, the All-Wise. I can well inhale
from thee the fragrance of My love and the sweet-smelling savor wafting from
the raiment of My Name, the Most Holy, the Most Luminous.”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"><br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">
(Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 3)</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;"> Or as He has
revealed to the Most Exalted Leaf, mother of Abdu’l-Baha: </span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">Oh thou blessed and sparkling Leaf! Sing and
chant on the Twigs of the Bower of Baha in this exalted Word; Verily there is
no God but Him, the Lord of the Beginning and the End. We have surely ordained
thee as the best of the maid-servants, and have bestowed upon thee such a
station from before Our Presence to which no women have preceded (thee).</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"><br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">
(Compilations, Baha'i Prayers 9, p. 9)</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"><br />
<br />
</span><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">With
reference to the “question concerning the 54th chapter of Isaiah: This chapter
refers to the Exalted Leaf, the mother of Abdul-Baha.”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"><br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;"> (Abdu'l-Baha,
Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v1, p. 107)</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">And, as used by Shoghi
Effendi in the following message:</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“The Purest Branch, the martyred son, the
companion, and amanuensis of Baha’u’llah, that pious and holy youth, who in the
darkest days of Baha’u’llah’s incarceration in the barracks of 'Akká entreated,
on his death-bed, his Father to accept him as a ransom for those of His loved
ones who yearned for, but were unable to attain, His presence, and the saintly
mother of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, surnamed Navvab by Baha’u’llah, and the first recipient
of the honored and familiar title of "the Most Exalted Leaf," separated
in death above half a century, and forced to suffer the humiliation of an alien
burial-ground, are now at long last reunited with the Greatest Holy Leaf with
whom they had so abundantly shared the tribulations of one of the most
distressing episodes of the Heroic Age of the Faith of Baha’u’llah.”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"><br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">
(Shoghi Effendi, Messages to America, p. 31)</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">As an example of the
use of the lower case is found in the following Tablets of Baha’u’llah that
denote a spiritual relationship:</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“O MY handmaiden, O My leaf! Render thou thanks unto the Best-Beloved of
the world for having attained this boundless grace at a time when the world's
learned and most distinguished men have remained deprived thereof.”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"><br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">
(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 254)</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"><br />
<br />
</span><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“O
My handmaiden and My leaf! Rejoice with great joy inasmuch as thy call hath
ascended unto the Divine Lote-Tree and is answered from the all-glorious
Horizon. Verily, no God is there but Me, the Wronged One, the Exile.”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"><br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">
(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 251)</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">And, as
used by’ Abdu’l-Baha in the following Tablets:</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“O maid-servant of
God! Be rejoiced for God hath made thee a believing maid-servant in His Holy
Threshold and a leaf of the leaves of the Tree of Life.”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;"> (Abdu'l-Baha,
Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v1, p. 140)</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“Convey my greetings to the spiritual leaf,
the servant of God, thy honored wife, the esteemed . . . . . . . ., and say
unto her: "Serve in the olive garden of God, that God may help thee by
those confirmations by which intellects are astounded and the perceptions are
cleared."</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"><br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;"> (Abdu'l-Baha,
Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v1, p. 172)</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">How can anyone who calls her/himself a Baha’i
disregard the clear writings of Baha’u’llah and blindly accept the false
interpretation of the former violating Hands and the bogus organization they
have set up or any other cult which shamefully has concocted and substituted
their own false, alleged and materialistic eligibility qualifications
pertaining to the line of succession. </span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">In the writings of Baha’u’llah He uses the
word ‘Ghusn’ and its plural ‘Aghsan’ when referring to a physical or biological
relationship only when He refers to His sons either individually which was most
often the case and then He identifies them by their full title such as
‘Ghusn-I-Azam’ (Greatest Branch), ‘Ghusn-I-Athar’ (Purest Branch), or when
He mentions them collectively as the ‘Aghsan’ (Branches) such as found in the
Kitab-i-Ahd (Book of the Covenant). Whenever, Shoghi Effendi, the first
Guardian of the Baha’i Faith and the sole authorized interpreter of the Word,
was engaged, during his unique and precious service to the Cause of God, in
translating the sacred writings into English in which he made reference
to the ‘Ghusn’ or ‘Aghsan’, it was invariably a reference to the
sons of Baha’u’llah and accordingly Shoghi Effendi would capitalize the first
letter according to the rules of English grammar. Furthermore, he identified
the ‘Aghsan’ or’ Branches’ (with caps) as the Sons of Baha’u’llah, as can be
seen in God Passes By (p.239). In the Gleanings from the Writings of
Baha’u’llah (p.244), and in Baha'u'llah’s Epistle to the Son of the Wolf
(p. 93). This fact has been explained comprehensively by the
third Guardian of the Baha’i Faith in an article titled </span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“THE AGHSAN MYTH
EXPOSED” </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">and
it can be accessed through his site: </span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/edit?id=1grtO1uxY5h6eOlTXDZiAQNKW5xuhbnknvx1dYZyv1H0&hl=en"><span style="color: #0012ff; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">http://www.bahai-guardian.com</span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">Whenever ‘ghusn’ or ‘aghsan’ has been used in
the original meaning of ‘branch’ such as in a division or subdivision of the
stem or axis of a tree or shrub or in a general reference to the faithful and
devoted believers or in any other general references, Shoghi Effendi would in
his translation use the lower case. In the following quotation from the
writings of Baha’u’llah the usage of both the upper and lower cases may be seen
in one paragraph, thereby clearly enlightening the meaning that is to be given
to the word ‘Branches’:</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“We pray God to protect thee from the heat
of jealousy and the cold of hatred. He verily is nigh, ready to answer."
Thus hath My tongue spoken unto one of <b>My Branches (sons),</b> and We have
mentioned it unto such of Our loved ones as have cast away their idle fancies,
and clung unto that which hath been prescribed unto them in the day whereon the
Daystar of Certitude hath shone forth above the horizon of the will of God, the
Lord of the worlds. This is the day on which the Bird of Utterance hath warbled
its melody upon the <b>branches</b>, in the name of its Lord, the God of
Mercy.”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;"> Baha'u'llah,
“Epistle to the Son of the Wolf” ( p. 93)</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">The errant Hands in the following section of
their letter have exhibited their ignorance, egotism, lack of logic and
laughable reasoning:</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #c0504d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“The ordinary English usage of the word
'branch' has caused a great deal of confusion, whereas there is not a shadow of
ambiguity in the Persian and Arabic texts. Because of ignorance of the Arabic
and Persian languages and the use of these two terms in our sacred texts,
spurious arguments have been put forth by those making the false claim that
Shoghi Effendi could have appointed a successor other than a blood descendant
of Baha’u’llah.”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #c0504d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“It should likewise be pointed out that
neither in Persian nor Arabic are there ever any capital letters, so that it is
impossible to deduce any arguments from a capitalization or lack of
capitalization in the English texts.”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">In saying the above, the violating Hands had
the audacity to criticize the interpretive translation of the Master’s Will and
Testament by the Shoghi Effendi in stating that: “The ordinary English usage of
the word 'branch' has caused a great deal of confusion.” Obviously they were
referring to his translation of the following passage in the Will and
Testament:</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“O ye beloved of the Lord! It is incumbent
upon the Guardian of the Cause of God to appoint in his own life-time him that
shall become his successor, that differences may not arise after his passing.
He that is appointed must manifest in himself detachment from all worldly
things, must be the essence of purity, must show in himself the fear of God,
knowledge, wisdom and learning. Thus, should the first-born of the Guardian of
the Cause of God not manifest in himself the truth of the words: -- "The
child is the secret essence of its sire," that is, should he not inherit
of the spiritual within him (the Guardian of the Cause of God) and his glorious
lineage not be matched with a goodly character, then must he, (the Guardian of
the Cause of God) choose another branch to succeed him.”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">
(Abdu'l-Baha, The Will and Testament, p. 12)</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">By the Hands writing that: </span><i><span style="color: #c0504d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“The ordinary
English usage of the word 'branch' has caused a great deal of confusion,”</span></i><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;"> these inexcusably
ignorant Hands were, in effect, claiming that the word ‘branch’ as used in this
passage of the sacred Will and Testament should have been translated by Shoghi
Effendi as ‘Branch’ so as to confirm their patently false claim that only a
male descendant of Baha’u’llah could inherit the Guardianship!</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">Shoghi Effendi knew perfectly Arabic, English
and Persian. This is a fact that had been admitted by the errant Hands too.
As the divinely appointed authorized interpreter of the Writings, he was </span><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“under the care and
protection of the Abha Beauty, under the shelter and unerring guidance of the
Exalted One”</span></i><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;"> so there can be no question that when Shoghi Effendi translated the
sacred documents of the Faith into English he did it very carefully and
correctly. Not only did he in his translations carefully select the
proper words of the English language to correctly convey the closest meaning to
the writings in their original language but he superbly used English grammar
and whenever it was considered necessary he added an explanation or definitions
to prevent any confusion such as, for example: “the Aghsan (His sons)” and “My
Branches (sons)”.</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">The fact that in Arabic and Persian writings
capital letters are not used has no bearing on their usage in English writing
where capital letters are used and their usage or not usage does make a lot of
differences in the meaning of a sentence. It is very ridiculous to say that
because the original language does not utilize caps, we must not use caps in
English or that we must not care about it. </span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">Moreover, the errant Hands ignored the fact
that the main purpose of this passage in the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Baha
conveys instructions pertaining to the critical and mandatory manner in which
the Guardian is required to appoint his successor, as Abdu’l-Baha states: </span><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“<b>it is incumbent</b>
upon the Guardian of the Cause of God “to appoint in his own life-time him that
shall become his successor”</span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;"> </span></i><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">but He outlines the qualifications that his
successor must possess in stating: </span><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“He that is appointed must manifest in
himself detachment from all worldly things, must be the essence of purity, must
show in himself the fear of God, knowledge, wisdom and learning.”</span></i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">It is obvious from the
foregoing requirement that Abdu’l Baha did not stipulate that the successor
Guardian must be a biological relative or male descendant of Baha’u’llah.</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">The third Guardian has written:</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“ . . .any claim that 'Abdu'l-Bahá had
restricted the Guardian's choice of a successor, under the terms of His Will
and Testament to an Aghsan, is completely without foundation and is patently
false. Furthermore, there is no clause in the Will and Testament that
requires the Guardian to appoint only a descendant of Baha’u’llah or a Persian
as his successor. There is no excuse, therefore, for refusing to </span></i><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "MS Mincho"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-font-width: 100%;"> </span></i><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">accept Shoghi Effendi's undeniable
appointment of a successor "in his own </span></i><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "MS Mincho"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-font-width: 100%;"> </span></i><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">life-time" in complete conformity with
the provisions of the Will and </span></i><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "MS Mincho"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-font-width: 100%;"> </span></i><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá”.</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">(Joel B. Marangella, “The Aghsan Myth
Exposed”)</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">Recently some members of the heterodox
organization have imagined that the letters which appear in the compilation
“The Light of Divine Guidance”(v I, p. 62), allegedly written on behalf of
Shoghi Effendi by his secretary to an individual, provide evidence for their
spurious claim that as: “The word 'Ghusn' (plural Aghsan) is an Arabic word,
meaning branch that Baha’u’llah had used this word solely to designate His own
male descendants.” The obvious falsehood of this same claim, erroneously
produced by the former violating Hands, has been proven previously above, but
before getting back to this document it is necessary to mention that the said
compilation was not prepared during Shoghi Effendi’s lifetime and its contents
were put together by an NSA under the direction of the bogus UHJ nearly a
quarter of a century after his passing. Therefore due to the clear
possibility of a manipulation of the writings it particularly cannot be
considered a reliable source on matters concerning or relating to the
Guardianship.</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">Also paying attention to the following
guidance from the first Guardian is necessary:</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;"> </span><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“Although the secretaries of the Guardian
convey his thoughts and instructions and these messages are authoritative,
their words are in no sense the same as his, their style certainly not the
same, and their authority less, for they use their own terms and not his exact
words in conveying his messages.”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">(Shoghi Effendi, “The Unfolding Destiny of the
British Baha'i Community,” p. 260)</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“The exact status which Shoghi Effendi has
intended the friends to give to those communications he sends to individual
believers is explained in the following statement written through his secretary
to the National Assembly on November 16, 1932:</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">"As regards Shoghi Effendi's letters to
the individual Bahá'ís, he is always very careful not to contradict himself. He
has also said that whenever he has something of importance to say, he
invariably communicates it to the National Spiritual Assembly or in his general
letters. His personal letters to individual friends are only for their personal
benefit and even though he does not want to forbid their publication, he does
not wish them to be used too much by the Bahá'í News. Only letters with special
significance should be published there."</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">
(Shoghi Effendi, Extracts from the USBN)</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">The letter in question is written by a
secretary to Dr. Muhlschlegel on 25 September 1934.</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">This secretary wrote:</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><u><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“I am directed by the Guardian to
acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated August 29th, and to express his
appreciation of your highly-valued efforts for the translation of the
"Kitab-i-Ahd" into German. He hopes that copies of this precious
tablet will soon be made available to all the friends and that through its
study their knowledge of the Teachings will be deepened, and their zeal
for their spread stimulated and sustained.</span></u></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><u><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">The term "afnan" means
literally small branch, and refers to the relatives of the Báb, both men and
women. As the Bab’s only son died while in infancy, the former had no direct
descendants. The "afnan" are, therefore, all directly related to the
Báb.</span></u></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><u><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">As to "aghsan", it also
means branch. But it is a bigger branch than "afnan". It refers to
Baha’u’llah’s descendants.”</span></u></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">Apparently, the comment of the secretary is in
response to a question posed by Dr. Muhlschlegel about the ‘afnan’ and ‘aghsan’
which possibly arrose when he was translating the Kitab-i-Ahd (Book of
Covenant), into German. The question he asked is not known but it gives
the impression that it is not related to the ‘Aghsan’ and ‘Afnan’ mentioned by
the Blessed Perfection in His Book of the Covenant since, in this case,
unlike that sacred document ‘aghsan’, ‘afnan’ and ‘branch’ are written in
lower case, considering the fact that the Guardians are ‘aghsan’ i.e.
‘branches’ of the Holy Tree and <u>spiritual </u>descendants of Baha’u’llah,
and although the answer was not directly provided by Shoghi Effendi it seems to
be correct.</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">The ‘Aghsan’ mentioned in the Kitab-i-Ahd
(Book of Covenant), are clearly identified by Shoghi Effendi as sons of
Baha’u’llah in the book “God Passes By” of which he was the author.</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">My fervent hope is that the Baha’is will
heed the guidance of Abdu’l Baha found in His statement below and completely
discard any semblance of blind imitation and obey the commandment of
Baha’u’llah to investigate the truth for themselves.</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;"> </span></i><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">“It is evident that no vital results
are now forthcoming from the customs, institutions and standpoints of the past.
In view of this, shall blind imitations of ancestral forms and theological
interpretations continue to guide and control the religious life and spiritual
development of humanity today? Shall man gifted with the power of reason
unthinkingly follow and adhere to dogma, creeds and hereditary beliefs which
will not bear the analysis of reason in this century of effulgent reality?
Unquestionably this will not satisfy men of science, for when they find premise
or conclusion contrary to present standards of proof and without real
foundation, they reject that which has been formerly accepted as standard and
correct and move forward from new foundations.”</span></i><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-width: 100%;">
(Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 224)</span><span style="mso-font-width: 100%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Deepak Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12436407821753534630noreply@blogger.com0