The Bahá’í Role in Promoting World Peace

21 June 1987

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Finland

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

. . . The outstanding success of the peace conference in Finlandia Hall which your community sponsored last autumn remains one of the high-lights among the various Bahá’í peace events held throughout the world since the issuance of The Promise of World Peace. The House of Justice is happy to know of your continuing effort to keep the subject of world peace before the Finnish people; however, it advises you to be careful in choosing what such follow-up efforts should be and offers the following comments on your specific question about promoting the idea of a world conference of government leaders.

It is not advisable for Bahá’í institutions or individuals to initiate actions designed to prod government leaders to urge their governments or the leaders of other governments to convene the world conference called for by Bahá’u’lláh and echoed in The Promise of World Peace. Two points should be borne in mind in this regard: (1) Because of the political gravity of the decisions implied by this call and the differing political attitudes which it evokes, such actions on the part of the Bahá’í community would embroil the friends in partisan politics. There is quite a difference between identifying, as does the Peace Statement, the need for a convocation of world leaders and initiating the political processes towards its realization. (2) In the writings of the Faith (e.g., the closing passages of The Promised Day Is Come), it is clear that the establishment of the Lesser Peace, of which the conference of leaders will be a related event, will come about independently of any direct Bahá’í plan or action.

The following reply was written on behalf of the beloved Guardian in a letter dated 14 March 1939 to an individual believer:

Conduct of a National Convention

19 June 1987

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Germany 

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

The Universal House of Justice has considered your letter of 10 June 1987 and has instructed us to send you the following reply.

The House of Justice was very pleased to know how fruitful you have found the consultation at your recent National Conventions to have been.

The Convention is, of course, free to decide that every suggestion made by a delegate be recorded and conveyed to the National Spiritual Assembly. Beyond this, the National Assembly members who are present are always free to note down for their own interest and further discussion any points that are made. It is by no means necessary to have a formal consultation and vote on every recommendation. It is important to remember, however, that the National Convention is not a conference, it is a consultative institution of the Faith; therefore, consultation and formal voting on recommendations should not be ruled out altogether. There may, for example, be disagreement among the delegates on certain proposals put forward, and it would be fruitful for the matter to be discussed and voted upon so that the National Spiritual Assembly will know the recommendation of the Convention as a whole on those issues.

Detailed aspects of Convention procedure which are not defined in the National Bahá’í Constitution, being secondary in nature, are within the discretion of each National Spiritual Assembly to decide. The House of Justice feels that it is generally advisable not to be rigid and to leave it to the discretion of the Convention officers, or the Convention itself, to decide which recommendations need to be discussed and voted upon and which may be recorded without more ado. A distinction should be made in the record between recommendations of the entire Convention and those which are merely the proposals of individual delegates.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

Department of the Secretariat

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001)

Bahá’í Education of Children

6 June 1987

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

Among the Six Year Plan goals for collaboration between national communities, are those concerned with the Bahá’í education of our children. The goals set out in the attached statement are of three kinds: goals for systematic teacher training, for the preparation of lesson plans for all age groups, and for the creation of teaching materials to support the educational process.

The group of national communities summoned to this vital and long overdue program of collaboration are those who are already known to be advanced in providing systematic child education, but also include some few now asked to make a positive contribution to this cooperative venture.

The Universal House of Justice will offer fervent prayers for the success of your labors in carrying out this collaborative project of utmost importance.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

Department of the Secretariat

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001)

International Collaboration Goals

5 June 1987

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

On behalf of the Universal House of Justice, we send herewith the international collaboration goals for the Six Year Plan, based on your own considerations and on consultations with the International Teaching Center.

The goals are devised not only to achieve objectives, but to encourage mutual cooperation and sharing of ideas between National Spiritual Assemblies, processes which will strengthen the unity of the Bahá’í world community and enable it to present to mankind the pattern of a truly organic, universal, diversified but united society.

The House of Justice will offer its fervent prayers at the Holy Shrines that God may guide you in your devoted labors and enable you to carry out the tasks at hand with steadfastness and perseverance to achieve ultimate victory.

With loving Bahá’í greetings, 

Department of the Secretariat

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001)

Recitation of the Prayer for the Dead

22 May 1987

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Australia

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

In response to your letter of 15 April 1987 enclosing a letter from Miss. . . concerning the Prayer for the Dead, the Universal House of Justice instructs us to reply as follows.

The Prayer for the Dead should be read in its entirety by one person, while all others stand in silence. It is not the practice for those present to repeat any part of the prayer in unison.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

Department of the Secretariat

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001)

Pioneer Goals for Remainder of Six Year Plan

14 May 1987

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

We have been asked by the Universal House of Justice to send this list of pioneer goals, which represents the minimum need for pioneers to settle within the next two years of the Six Year Plan. The goals for the Eastern European countries and the USSR are envisioned to cover the entire period of the Plan.

Formulated in consultation with the International Teaching Center, this first pioneer call has taken into consideration the requests for pioneers set forth by National Spiritual Assemblies. As the Bahá’í community grows and matures, its needs become more specialized and this call reflects the degree to which pioneers are needed for specific regions and to perform specific functions once they arrive at their posts.

While the settling of international pioneers is imperative, the House of Justice also wishes to emphasize the importance of homefront pioneering, which, in the majority of countries, is one of the most effective means of promoting and consolidating the Cause. You should feel free to seek assistance from the Continental Boards of Counselors, other National Spiritual Assemblies, and the Continental Pioneer Committees towards the realization of your pioneer goals.

The Universal House of Justice wishes to express its appreciation of the sacrificial services rendered by both international and homefront pioneers throughout the world. It looks forward to seeing the results of further achievements in the pioneering field and will offer prayers in the Holy Shrines for the successful fulfillment of these sacred responsibilities.

With loving Bahá’í greetings, 

Department of the Secretariat

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001)

Codification of the Law of Huqúqu’lláh

25 March 1987

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

In furtherance of the goal of the Six Year Plan to educate the friends throughout the world in the Law of Huqúqu’lláh, the Research Department has prepared a simple codification of the law. A copy of this codification is enclosed for you to share, as you judge appropriate, with the friends under your jurisdiction. It is based largely on a codification produced spontaneously by some friends in Austria and on another written under the auspices of the United States National Spiritual Assembly. References throughout the document are to the sections of the compilation on Huqúqu’lláh which has already been sent to you.

To help the friends increase their understanding of the significance of this Law of God, the Research Department was also requested by the Universal House of Justice to prepare a brief history of the development of the Institution which has been associated with the Law since the early years of its operation. This is also enclosed and is based on an article in Persian written by the Hand of the Cause of God Dr. Alí Muhammad Varqá, apart from the final section about Dr. Varqá himself, which has been added by the Research Department.

It is hoped that National Spiritual Assemblies will use this material as extensively as possible to educate the friends and deepen their understanding of this vital law of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

Department of the Secretariat

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001)

Election of New Member of Universal House of Justice

20 March 1987

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

WARMLY WELCOME NEWLY ELECTED MEMBER HOUSE JUSTICE PETER KHAN.

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001)

Bahá’í Education of Children

6 June 1987

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

Among the Six Year Plan goals for collaboration between national communities, are those concerned with the Bahá’í education of our children. The goals set out in the attached statement are of three kinds: goals for systematic teacher training, for the preparation of lesson plans for all age groups, and for the creation of teaching materials to support the educational process.

The group of national communities summoned to this vital and long overdue program of collaboration are those who are already known to be advanced in providing systematic child education, but also include some few now asked to make a positive contribution to this cooperative venture.

The Universal House of Justice will offer fervent prayers for the success of your labors in carrying out this collaborative project of utmost importance.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

Department of the Secretariat

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001)

Execution of Two Bahá’ís in Iran

13 March 1987

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

CONVEY SAD NEWS PAST FEW DAYS MR. SURÚSH JABBÁRÍ AND MR. ABU’L-QÁSIM SHÁYIQ WERE EXECUTED IN TEHRAN. EXACT DATE AND MANNER OF THEIR EXECUTION ARE NOT KNOWN AS NO ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE, AND THERE IS NO INDICATION WHETHER OR NOT TRIALS WERE HELD. THEIR BODIES WERE BURIED WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE THEIR RELATIVES AND FRIENDS.

MR. JABBÁRÍ WAS 42 YEARS OLD AND HAD BEEN IN PRISON SINCE 15 SEPTEMBER 1984. HE WAS AN ENGINEER. MR. SHÁYIQ WAS 47 YEARS OF AGE AND HAD BEEN IN PRISON SINCE 13 FEBRUARY 1984. HE WAS A GRADUATE IN HISTORY AND WORKED FOR THE GOVERNMENT BEFORE HIS DISMISSAL AS A BAHÁI.

NO OTHER DETAILS ARE AVAILABLE.

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001)

Execution of a Bahá’í in Iran

29 January 1987

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

WITH HEAVY HEARTS ANNOUNCE ANOTHER EXECUTION IN IRAN. AFTER TWO YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT, MOSTLY IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT, AND HAVING BEEN SUBJECTED TO MUCH TORTURE, AIMED AT HIS RECANTATION FAITH, MR. AHMAD KÁVIH WAS EXECUTED ON 26 JANUARY IN ISFAHAN BY FIRING SQUAD. HE WAS IN HIS MID FIFTIES AND A MERCHANT. NO INFORMATION RECEIVED AS TO ANY TRIAL PRIOR HIS EXECUTION. . . .

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001)

Passing of Charles Wolcott, Member of the Universal House of Justice

27 and 28 January 1987

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

DEEPLY GRIEVED PASSING DISTINGUISHED SERVANT CAUSE GOD, DEDICATED WORKER HIS VINEYARD CHARLES WOLCOTT. SELFLESSNESS, HUMILITY, COURAGE, NOBILITY, FAIR-MINDEDNESS, PERSEVERANCE CHARACTERIZED HIS UNINTERRUPTED SERVICES COURSE HALF A CENTURY, IN HIS CAPACITY AS MEMBER AND LATER SECRETARY NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY CRADLE ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER, AS SECRETARY-GENERAL INTERNATIONAL BAHÁ‘1 COUNCIL FOLLOWED BY HIS OUTSTANDING LABORS AS MEMBER UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE SINCE ITS INCEPTION. PRAYING SHRINES PROGRESS HIS RADIANT SOUL, CONFIDENT RICH WELL-DESERVED REWARD ABHÁ KINGDOM HIS UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION PROGRESS CONSOLIDATION FAITH NORTH AMERICA AND AT WORLD CENTER. EXTEND LOVING SYMPATHY HIS BELOVED WIDOW WHO SHARED SUPPORTED HIS SERVICES THROUGHOUT PERIOD HIS DISTINGUISHED PROFESSIONAL CAREER, HIS BRILLIANT LABORS CAUSE GOD AND TO HIS BEREAVED DAUGHTERS AND FAMILY. ADVISE FRIENDS EVERYWHERE HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL GATHERINGS, INCLUDING COMMEMORATIVE SERVICES IN HIS HONOR ALL MASHRIQUL-ADHKÁRS.

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001)

Release of a Compilation on Trustworthiness

18 January 1987

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

The Universal House of Justice felt that a compilation on trustworthiness, a cardinal Bahá’í virtue, would be useful to the friends everywhere, as they are endeavoring in their personal lives to mirror forth the eternal moral precepts inculcated in the teachings. The House of Justice has instructed the Research Department to prepare a compilation of extracts from the Bahá'í Writings on this subject.

A copy of this compilation is attached. The Universal House of Justice leaves it to your discretion to determine how the friends under your jurisdiction can best be informed of its contents and encouraged to study them carefully.

It is of vital importance that the Bahá’í standard of trustworthiness be upheld at this time when the House of Justice has offered the Bahá’í experience to the world as a model for study in its search for peace. Furthermore, the central theme which the compilation helps to stress is a vital element which will contribute to the success of the rapidly increasing number of social and economic development projects undertaken by Bahá’í communities throughout the world.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

Department of the Secretariat

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001)

Conference on Huqúqu’lláh

7 January1987

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

CONVEY ALL BELIEVERS JOYOUS NEWS CONVOCATION HOLY LAND DURING FIRST THREE DAYS JANUARY CONFERENCE ON HUQUQU’LLÁH AS FIRST MAJOR STEP IN SIX YEAR PLAN TOWARDS FULFILLMENT GOAL EDUCATION ENTIRE COMMUNITY THIS GREAT LAW OF GOD.

TRUSTEE HUQUQU’LLÁH HAND CAUSE GOD DR. ALÍ MUHAMMAD VARQÁ AND FIVE HIS DEPUTIES WITH REPRESENTATIVES INTERNATIONAL TEACHING CENTER AND WORLD CENTER FINANCE DEPARTMENT MET IN CONSULTATION WITH UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE EXAMINE ALL ASPECTS APPLICATION THIS LAW WORLDWIDE. ACTION TAKEN DEVELOP MIGHTY INSTITUTION THROUGH APPOINTMENT BY TRUSTEE HUQUQULLÁH THREE ADDITIONAL DEPUTIES, TWO IN AFRICA ONE IN ASIA, AND ADOPTION MEASURES LEADING ULTIMATE ESTABLISHMENT CENTRAL OFFICE HUQÚQULLÁH HOLY LAND AT HEART ADMINISTRATIVE CENTER FAITH.

DECISIONS TAKEN PREPARE CODIFICATION FOR DISTRIBUTION ALL COMMUNITIES TOGETHER WITH OTHER MATERIALS FACILITATE STUDY FRIENDS THIS LAW OBEDIENCE TO WHICH CHARACTERIZED BY BAHÁ’ULLÁH AS “A BOUNTY WHICH SHALL REMAIN WITH EVERY SOUL IN EVERY WORLD OF THE WORLDS OF GOD.”

DELIGHTED ACTIONS TAKEN BY NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES DISSEMINATION TEXTS ISSUED 4TH JULY 1985. CONFERENCE STIRRED BY REPORTS WESTERN BELIEVERS ALREADY SPONTANEOUSLY OFFERING HUQUQULLÁH ON READING COMPILATION, SWELLING RANKS THOSE WHO HAVE LONG CHERISHED PRIVILEGE OBSERVE THIS LAW. URGE NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES WHO HAVE NOT YET PUBLISHED COMPILATION TO EXPEDITE TRANSLATION PUBLICATION. CONDENSED COMPILATION NOW IN COURSE PREPARATION EASE TASK THOSE NATIONAL COMMUNITIES WHICH HAVE LIMITED FACILITIES TRANSLATION.

IT IS OUR ARDENT PRAYER SACRED THRESHOLD THAT BAHÁ’ULLÁH WILL ABUNDANTLY BLESS PROCESSES NOW SET IN MOTION.

Universal House of Justice

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001)

Infallibility of the Manifestations of God

26 November 1986

To a National Spiritual Assembly

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

The International Teaching Center has referred to the Universal House of Justice your letter of 29 September 1986 in which you seek comment on the draft of the letter you plan to send to the Local Spiritual Assembly of ...for the guidance of...,a believer who has written an article entitled, "The Infallibility of the Prophets."

The House of Justice has studied your draft response and . . .‘s paper in which he concludes, by means of logical analysis, based in part on his understanding of an article by Mr. Juan Ricardo Cole on the Tablet of Wisdom, that Bahá’u’lláh, and indeed all the Prophets of God, are not infallible. . . . expresses the opinion that attempts to resolve apparent contradictions in the Writings by seeking a broader context only serve to create insoluble logical difficulties, and he indicates that he is aware that the Institutions of the Faith may not agree with his views causing his status as a Bahá’í to be called into question. We are instructed by the Universal House of Justice to make the following reply.

. . .‘s article raises fundamental issues about the station of the Manifestations and Their authority, as well as about the nature of individual interpretation.

It is clear from a study of the Text that infallibility is an essential attribute of the Manifestation of God. Bahá’u’lláh wrote:

... the Most Great Infallibility is confined to the One Whose station is immeasurably exalted beyond ordinances or prohibitions and is sanctified from errors and omissions. . ..

. . . Were He to pronounce right to be wrong or denial to be belief. He speaketh the truth as bidden by God. This is a station wherein sins or trespasses neither exist nor are mentioned. (Tablets of Bahá'ulláh Revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, pp. 108, 109)

‘Abdu’l-Bahá, in Some Answered Questions, stresses the inseparability of "essential infallibility" from the Manifestation of God, and states:

Passing of the Hand of the Cause of God Zikrullah Khadem

16 November 1986

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

WITH SORROWFUL HEARTS ANNOUNCE PASSING INDEFATIGABLE FEARLESS DEFENDER FAITH DEEPLY LOVED HAND CAUSE ZIKRULLAH KHADEM. HIS STERLING SERVICES TO THE CAUSE, HIS TOTAL CONSECRATION TO TASKS ASSIGNED TO HIM BY BELOVED GUARDIAN, HIS OUTSTANDING EFFORTS AS MEMBER NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY CRADLE FAITH, HIS VALUABLE SOUL-UPLIFTING STIMULATION IMPARTED BODY BELIEVERS NORTH AMERICA, PARTICULARLY UNITED STATES BAHÁ‘I COMMUNITY, HIS UNTIRING ENDEAVORS THROUGH HIS TALKS AND WRITINGS IN SAFEGUARDING COVENANT AND IN INSTILLING APPRECIATION LOVE FOR SHOGHI EFFENDI SHED UNDYING LUSTER OVER PERIOD HIS ADMIRABLE STEWARDSHIP CAUSE GOD. OFFERING PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HIS RADIANT SOUL ABHÁ KINGDOM. URGE HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL GATHERINGS HIS NAME AT ALL HOUSES OF WORSHIP AS WELL AS IN ALL LOCAL BAHÁ‘I COMMUNITIES.

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001)

Murder of Two Bahá’ís in Iran

31 October1986

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

We are saddened to receive the following information from Iran. .. .

Mr. Íraj Mihdí-Nizhád, 59 years old, a prominent Bahá’í in Bandar-Abbás, was stabbed to death by a group of people. Sixteen knife wounds were observed on his body. Mr. Mihdí-Nizhád had been a civil servant and was dismissed from his job because of his faith, like thousands of other Bahá’ís. Out of necessity, he became a peddler, selling various articles in the streets in order to earn an income. Following the murder, his son-in-law and his son were detained for 48 hours by the police for questioning. However, later on, the murderers were apprehended. They belonged to a family, one of whose members had studied the Bahá’í Faith and expressed acceptance of it. It was some of the fanatical members of that family who attacked Mr. Mihdí-Nizhád, a prominent and active Bahá’í.

The police assembled a file of evidence related to the crime and sent it to the Attorney-General. However, the Attorney-General was apparently notified in advance by the members of the murderers’ family, who may even have threatened him. As a result, before the file reached his desk he left his office, instructing his subordinate to refuse to accept the file on the pretext that the Attorney-General had gone on leave. In the meantime, the police, who had correctly carried out their duty in preparing the file, must have subsequently received instructions. As a consequence, when the file was returned to them, they indicated that no action would be taken, and even advised Mr. Mihdí-Nizhád’s family to let the matter drop.

The members of the family, however, have not given up their efforts to pursue their complaint, although it is fraught with danger and there is very little prospect of bringing the murderers to justice.

New Stage in External Affairs of the Faith

29 October 1986

To the meeting of the Senior Officers of the United Nations Office and the Office of Public Information

THE GATHERING IN NEW YORK ON 31 OCTOBER OF THE SENIOR STAFF OF THE OVERSEAS OFFICES OF THE BAHÁ’f INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MARKS A NEW, POTENT STAGE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EXTERNAL AFFAIRS OF THE WORLD- WIDE BAHÁ‘1 COMMUNITY. THIS STAGE BETOKENS THE PROMINENCE ATTAINED BY THE CAUSE OF GOD IN ITS EMERGENCE FROM OBSCURITY AND IS CHARACTERIZED BY THE NEW, INESCAPABLE CHALLENGES IMMEDIATELY TO BE MET AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE OPERATION OF THE ONRUSHING PROCESSES THROUGH WHICH ARE EVOLVING THE RECONSTRUCTIVE INFLUENCES OF BAHÁ’ULLÁH’S WORLD ORDER A STRIKING MANIFESTATION OF THE NEW SITUATION CAN BE SEEN IN THE ACCUMULATING EVIDENCE OF THE SALUTARY RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPING BETWEEN THE BAHÁ‘I COMMUNITY AND THE WORLD AT LARGE. THIS RELATIONSHIP MUST BE EXPANDED. AS WINDOWS OF THE BAHÁ‘I COMMUNITY TO THE WORLD, THESE OFFICES MUST DISPLAY EVER MORE CLEARLY THE UNIFYING PRINCIPLES, THE HOPE, THE PROMISE, THE MAJESTY OF THIS EMERGING ORDER

A GLANCE BACKWARD TO THE EMBRYONIC EFFORTS 39 YEARS AGO TO ASSOCIATE THE INTERESTS OF THE FAITH WITH THE WORK OF THE UNITED NATIONS CANNOT BUT AROUSE IN EVERY OBSERVANT BAHÁ‘I A DEEP SENSE OF PRIDE AND WONDERMENT AT THE MOMENTOUS PROGRESS ACHIEVED. THE FOUNDATION OF EIGHT NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES ON WHICH THOSE EFFORTS WERE LAUNCHED HAS, BY THE ESTABLISHMENT OF 148 NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES, BROADENED NEARLY NINETEENFOLD. FROM THAT SMALL BEGINNING TO THE HISTORIC MOMENT IN 1970 WHEN THE BAHÁ‘I INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WAS ACCORDED CONSULTATIVE STATUS WITH THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL, FOLLOWED BY A SIMILAR ACCREDITATION WITH THE UNITED NATIONS CHILDRENS FUND IN 1976, TO THE REMARKABLE OCCASION IN DECEMBER 1985 WHEN THE NAME OF THE FAITH WAS RECORDED IN A RESOLUTION PASSED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ITSELF, THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ’ULLÁH HAS SURELY JUSTIFIED ITS PROMISE TO COME FORTH AS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH IN THE CLOSING YEARS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.

Apartheid

12 October 1986

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

The above statement which was sent to you with our covering letter of 21 February 1986 has been revised by the Office of Public Information and approved by the Universal House of Justice. At the direction of the House of Justice, we enclose a copy of the revised statement, which supersedes the previous one.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

Department of the Secretariat

Apartheid: A Bahá’í View

A little more than a hundred years ago, Bahá’u’lláh, Founder of the Baha’i Faith, declared that mankind was entering upon a new era in its history when accelerating processes of unification would soon compel universal recognition that humanity is one single race, one distinct species. He appealed to the peoples of the world to accept this central truth and to set aside the barriers of race, nationality, and culture which have been principal causes of war throughout history. There is, He said, no possibility of achievement of world peace until the fundamental principle of unity has been accepted and given practical effect in the organization of society.

Consequently, from the time of its inception more than a century ago, the Baha’i world community has been characterized by the integration of the many religious, racial, ethnic, cultural, linguistic and national elements which it comprises. Marriage between persons of different ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, and particularly between black and white Baha’is, is warmly encouraged in the Baha’i scriptures. In order to make certain that those members who suffer discrimination in society as a whole are not prevented from full participation in the life of the community, the Baha’i teachings contain certain administrative principles which are designed to

overcome the handicaps created by social inequalities. For example, where a tie vote has been cast in a Baha’i community election or where two or more believers are equally qualified for a particular office, priority is given as a matter of principle to the one representing the disadvantaged or oppressed sector of society.

Bahá’í Youth Killed in Iran

8 October 1986

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

IN VARDÁVARD, A VILLAGE IN OUTSKIRTS KARAJ, NEAR TEHRAN, SIXTEEN YEAR OLD BOY, MEMBER DEVOTED BAHÁ’Í FAMILY, BÍZHAN TÁLIBÍ, WAS KILLED A FEW DAYS AGO. FANATICAL ELEMENTS IN VILLAGE HAD REPEATEDLY ABUSED THIS FAMILY AND OTHER LOCAL FRIENDS. BODY FOUND IN GARDEN WITH EVIDENCE SEVERE INJURIES THROUGH BRUTAL BEATING. MURDERERS HAD THE BODY HANGED TO SUGGEST SUICIDE. HOWEVER LOCAL GENDARMES WHO ARRIVED ON SCENE AVERRED DEATH WAS DUE TO INJURIES. MEMBERS FAMILY COMPLAINED TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES, BUT THIS RESULTED IN HIS MOTHER, BROTHER AND COUSIN BEING HELD IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT IN TEHRAN. . . .

Universal House of Justice

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001)

Visit to the World Center by Prime Minister of the Cook Islands

8 August 1986

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

IN HUMBLE ACKNOWLEDGMENT BAHÁ’U’LLÁH’S UNABATING CONFIRMATIONS, WE INFORM FRIENDS EVERYWHERE PRIVATE VISIT TO BAHÁ’f WORLD CENTER PRIME MINISTER COOK ISLANDS SIR THOMAS DAVIS AND LADY DAVIS 3 AND 4 AUGUST. OCCASION MADE HISTORIC BY PRIME MINISTER’S INITIATIVE IN REQUESTING CONSULTATION WITH UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE REGARDING WORLD PEACE.

VISIT ALSO MARKED MOST CONCRETE RESPONSE TO DATE BY POLITICAL LEADER TO PEACE STATEMENT RELEASED TO PEOPLES WORLD LAST OCTOBER. DURING CONSULTATIONS WHICH TOOK PLACE ON FIRST DAY IN COUNCIL CHAMBER FOLLOWING PRIME MINISTER’S VISIT SHRINE BÁB AND ON SECOND DAY AT MANSION BAHJÍ FOLLOWING HIS VISIT SHRINE BAHÁ'ULLÁH, SIR THOMAS DISCUSSED HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT WORLD PEACE AND HIS DESIRE FOR PRACTICAL ACTION CONSONANT WITH CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FACING VAST PACIFIC AREA.

OCCASION ALSO ENABLED LADY DAVIS, LEADING MEMBER COOK ISLANDS NOBILITY AND ONE OF FIRST BAHÁ’ÍS THAT COUNTRY, TO UNDERTAKE BRIEF PILGRIMAGE THUS SPIRITUALLY ENHANCING TOTAL UNPRECEDENTED EXPERIENCE ASSOCIATED WITH VISIT TO WORLD CENTER THESE TWO DISTINGUISHED PERSONS. WHILE SIR THOMAS MET WITH US IN COUNCIL CHAMBER, LADY DAVIS WAS RECEIVED AT SEAT INTERNATIONAL TEACHING CENTER. PUNCTUATED BY BANQUET AT SEAT UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE, THEIR ACTIVITIES AT WORLD CENTER ENDED WITH LUNCH AT MAZRA'IH. SUBSEQUENTLY SIR THOMAS AND LADY DAVIS TRAVELED TO JERUSALEM WHERE THEY WERE ENTERTAINED BY OFFICIALS GOVERNMENT ISRAEL. THEY DEPARTED HOLY LAND ON MORNING 5 AUGUST.

ONCE AGAIN ACTION BY LEADER FROM PACIFIC OCEAN CALLS TO OUR MINDS ONE OF BAHÁ’ULLÁH’S MOST TRENCHANT ASSERTIONS CONCERNING POWER HIS CAUSE: “SHOULD THEY ATTEMPT TO CONCEAL ITS LIGHT ON THE CONTINENT,” HE WROTE, “IT WILL ASSUREDLY REAR ITS HEAD IN THE MIDMOST HEART OF THE OCEAN, AND, RAISING ITS VOICE, PROCLAIM: ‘I AM THE LIFEGIVER OF THE WORLD!’”

Universal House of Justice

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001)

Execution of a Bahá’í in Iran

25 June 1986

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

WITH HEAVY HEARTS WE ANNOUNCE EXECUTION BY HANGING OF FARÍD BIHMARDÍ ON 10 JUNE 1986 IN TEHRAN. HIS FAMILY WERE UNAWARE OF HIS EXECUTION AND FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS SAD EVENT A FEW DAYS AFTER HE WAS BURIED BY THE AUTHORITIES. MR. BIHMARDÍ, AGE 46, WAS ONE OF THE OUTSTANDING BAHÁ’Ts IN THE CRADLE OF THE FAITH. HE WAS UNDER TORTURE FOR A VERY PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME, BUT HIS ENDURANCE WAS A SOURCE OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO OTHER BAHÁ’I PRISONERS WHO WERE WITNESSES TO HIS SUFFERING. FIVE OTHER PRISONERS HAVE INDICATED TO THEIR VISITING RELATIVES THAT IT MAY BE THE LAST VISIT THEY WILL HAVE, WHICH IMPLIES THEIR IMMINENT EXECUTION. . . .

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001)

Martyrdom of Three Bahá’ís in Iran

12 MAY 1986

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

WITH HEAVY HEARTS ANNOUNCE MARTYRDOM THREE VALIANT SOULS IRANIAN BAHÁ’T COMMUNITY. MR. SIRRU’LLÁH VAHDAT-NIHÁMÍ WAS EXECUTED BY HANG- ING 4 MAY 1986 IN TEHRAN. HE HAD BEEN IMPRISONED SINCE 13 FEBRUARY 1984. MR. FIDRUS SHABRUKH, 38, WAS EXECUTED BY HANGING 9 MAY 1986 IN ZÁHIDÁN. HE HAD BEEN IMPRISONED FOR A SECOND TIME SINCE 26 SEPTEMBER 1983. BOTH THESE FRIENDS HAD BEEN SEVERELY TORTURED MUCH OF THEIR TIME IN PRISON.

THE THIRD VICTIM, FIFTEEN YEAR OLD PAYMÁN SUBHÁNÍ WAS TAKEN TOGETH- ER WITH HIS FATHER RÚHU’L-AMÍN SUBHÁNÍ BY A GROUP OF FANATICS ENCOUR- AGED BY OFFICIAL RELIGIOUS ELEMENTS, TO THE MOUNTAINS, WHERE THEY WERE BEATEN AND STONED. BOTH WERE PRESUMED DEAD AND THROWN OVER A CLIFF. ACCIDENTALLY A VEHICLE STRAYED INTO THE AREA AND FOUND THEM. THE FATHER, BARELY ALIVE, WAS TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL IN TEHRAN WHERE HE IS STILL IN SERIOUS CONDITION. THE SON, PAYMÁN WAS DEAD.

THESE CRIMES AFTER RELATIVE QUIET PERIOD IN IRAN HAVE CAUSED CONCERN SAFETY, WELL-BEING IRANIAN BAHÁ’Í COMMUNITY. . . .

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001)

Passing of Angus Cowan, Continental Counsellor

12 March 1986

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Canada

HEARTS GRIEF-STRICKEN PASSING OUTSTANDING PROMOTER CAUSE ANGUS COWAN.  HIS SERVICES AS PRE-EMINENT BAHA'I TEACHER OF INDIAN PEOPLES, HIS UNCEASING LABOURS THROUGHOUT LONG YEARS DEVOTION RANGED FROM LOCAL AND NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES TO AUXILIARY BOARD AND BOARD COUNSELLORS.  HIS COMPASSION, COURTESY, HUMILITY, MAGNANIMITY UNFORGETTABLE.  BAHA'I COMMUNITY CANADA ROBBED OF A DEDICATED NOBLE WORKER WHO BORE HIS SUFFERINGS TO THE VERY END WITH EXEMPLARY FORTITUDE. CONVEY LOVING CONDOLENCES HIS BELOVED WIFE AND FAMILY AND ASSURANCES ARDENT PRAYERS HIS RADIANT SOUL'S PROGRESS THROUGHOUT WORLDS GOD.

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986’)

The Six Year Plan -- Major Objectives and Setting National Goals

25 February 1986

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Baha'i friends,

On 2 January 1986, on the closing day of the Counsellors' Conference, the Universal House of Justice announced certain features of the Six Year Plan and the methods by which the national goals were to be worked out in consultation between the Counsellors and National Spiritual Assemblies. Before Ridvan you will receive a message from the Universal House of Justice to the entire Baha'i world and also one addressed specifically to the Baha'is within the jurisdiction of each National Spiritual Assembly.

In the meantime the House of Justice wishes you to begin your consultations on the goals of the Six Year Plan for your country. The preliminary steps in goal-setting have already been taken, namely the assessment of each country's strengths and weaknesses which the National Spiritual Assemblies recently made at the request of the Universal House of Justice, and which will undoubtedly be of great assistance to each one of you as you enter the next stage of the process. 

The House of Justice has instructed us to send you the following additional guidelines together with the enclosed statement of the major objectives of the plan at the national level, which includes some suggestions for specific goals to provide a basis for your consultations. You should not, however, confine yourselves to those suggestions.

A special characteristic of the Six Year Plan is that the conceiving of the detailed national goals is itself to be one of the tasks of the Plan, but this fact should not hold up in any way the activities of your communities. With this letter you are being acquainted with the major objectives of the plan, and every believer, every Local Spiritual Assembly, and all the national committees can pursue immediately, with increasing vigour, many projects towards their attainment, both projects already in process and others which will be newly conceived, so that when the specific national goals for each community are announced they will be received by a united company of devoted followers of Baha'u'llah already in the full flood of activity.