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)