External Affairs Consultations

5 January 1989

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

GREATLY PLEASED ANNOUNCE IMPORTANT CONSULTATIONS WORLD CENTER PAST WEEKEND WITH SENIOR OFFICERS BAHÁ1 INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HOLY LAND, NEW YORK, GENEVA, AND REPRESENTATIVES OF FIVE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEM BUES. FARREACHING DELIBERATIONS CENTERED ON INCREASED EXTERNAL AFFAIRS ACTIVITIES FAITH. MUCH ENCOURAGED EVIDENCES EVER CLOSER TIES COLLABORATION WITH UNITED NATIONS, ITS AGENCIES AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS MANY LANDS. RESULTING EXPANDED SPHERE INFLUENCE FAITH FIELD INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES. HEARTENED BY REVIEW INDICATING INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES SHARE BAHÁ’U’LLÁH’S WORLD-REDEEMING MESSAGE VAST REGIONS . . . SOVIET UNION AND EASTERN EUROPE. REJOICE IN MOUNTING PRESTIGE CAUSE GOD WORLDWIDE. INVITE ALL FRIENDS JOIN IN OFFERING PRAYERS THANKSGIVING BAHÁ’ULLÁH FOR HIS SUSTAINED ABUNDANT BLESSINGS.

Universal House of Justice

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

Execution of Two Baha’is in Iran

13 December 1988

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

It is with heavy heart that the Universal House of Justice instructed us to inform you that two believers who had been imprisoned in Iran for some time, have recently been executed.

Mr. Bihnám Páshá’í, a resident of Simnán and member of the Local Spiritual Assembly of that city, had been arrested on 19 November 1983 in Tehran. In the summer of 1988 he was transferred to Evin prison and his family has not been permitted to see him since July 1988. The news of his execution was communicated to his family on 3 December 1988. He was 49 years old.

Mr. Páshá’í was from a Muslim family and accepted the Faith some years ago, the only member of his family to do so. It is assumed that this was the reason for his execution, for the authorities in Iran are known to be very severe on those who independently accept the Faith, considering them to be apostates according to Islamic law.

The other Bahá’í recently executed was Mr. Íraj Afshín. He was arrested late in 1986 and his family has not been allowed to see him since 17 July 1988. News of his execution was given to his family on 26 November 1988. He was 55 years old.

Mr. Afshín was a colonel in the Iranian Air Force, and the authorities maintain that his execution was on political grounds due to his connections with royalists, members of a group opposed to the Government. It is established, however, that Mr. Afshín had not engaged in political activities, that he firmly maintained his faith throughout his imprisonment, and that he was assigned to a prison ward where other Bahá’ís were kept.

Success of Collaboration with Network on Conservation and Religion

4 November 1988

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

FULLY ONE YEAR SINCE ACCEPTANCE BAHÁ‘I FAITH INTO NETWORK ON CONSERVATION AND RELIGION OF WORLD WIDE FUND FOR NATURE, WE ARE IMMENSELY PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE OUTSTANDING SUCCESS FUNDRAISING BANQUET AND RECEPTION ON 26 OCTOBER IN LONDON COSPONSORED BY WORLD WIDE FUND FOR NATURE AND BAHÁI INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. HELD AT SYON HOUSE, ANCESTRAL HOME OF DUKES OF NORTHUMBERLAND, EVENT LAUNCHED “ARTS AND NATURE” PROGRAM CONCEIVED BY HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP DUKE OF EDINBURGH, AS MEANS OF DRAWING ON VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS TO ENLIST PUBLIC SUPPORT OF CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL NEEDS AROUND WORLD.

AMATU’L-BAHÁ RUHÍYYIH KHÁNUM, REPRESENTING BAHÁI INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, GAVE CAPTIVATING BRIEF ADDRESS IN WHICH SHE APPEALED TO HER DISTINGUISHED HEARERS TO JOIN IN COMMON EFFORT TO CONSERVE NATURE. IN HIS SUBSEQUENT SPEECH, PRINCE PHILIP REFERRED REPEATEDLY TO POINTS SHE HAD MADE.

ATTRACTING SOME MOST INFLUENTIAL FIGURES IN BRITISH SOCIAL AND PUBLIC LIFE AMONG ITS 200 GUESTS, EVENT BROUGHT TOGETHER NUMBER OF LEADING EUROPEAN ARTISTS IN PERFORMANCES ON THEME "ART AND NATURE,” WHICH WAS FURTHER HIGHLIGHTED BY DISPLAY AT SYON HOUSE OF WORKS OF ART FROM ROYAL COLLECTION WHICH HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN HAD LOANED FOR THE EVENING.

OUR SPIRITS STIRRED BY POWERFUL INDICATIONS THUS GIVEN OF GREAT POTENTIALITIES FOR SERVICE WHICH BAHÁ’Í COMMUNITY WORLDWIDE CAN AND MUST RENDER IN MAKING ITS DISTINCTIVE CONTRIBUTIONS TO CONSERVATION AND ENRICHMENT PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT OUR BOUNTIFULLY ENDOWED PLANET.

Universal House of Justice

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

Remarkable Numbers of New Enrollments

13 October 1988

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

REJOICE EVE WORLDWIDE CELEBRATIONS ANNIVERSARY BIRTH BLESSED BÁB EVIDENCES GROWING NUMBER NATIONAL COMMUNITIES ENGAGED TEACHING INITIATIVES LEADING TO ENTRY BY TROOPS. THIRTY-FIVE NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES HAVE SPONTANEOUSLY REPORTED ENROLLMENTS TOTALING QUARTER MILLION NEW BELIEVERS SINCE RIDVÁN. GRATIFIED NOTEWORTHY CONSOLIDATION ACTIVITIES ESSENTIAL SAFEGUARD HARD-WON VICTORIES. HOUR PROPITIOUS FRIENDS ASSEMBLIES EVERYWHERE REDOUBLE SACRIFICIAL HIGHLY MERITORIOUS EFFORTS CONCENTRATE THEIR ATTENTION ON ALL-IMPORTANT TEACHING ACTIVITIES DESTINED CARRY BAHÁ’ULLÁHS WORLD-REDEEMING FAITH INTO LONG-AWAITED PERIOD UNIVERSAL RESPONSE HIS LIFE-GIVING CALL.

Universal House of Justice

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

Release of a Compilation on Living a Chaste and Holy Life

30 September 1988

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

We enclose a copy of a new compilation entitled A Chaste and Holy Life, which was prepared by the Research Department at the request of the Universal House of Justice.

Given the rapidly declining moral standards in the world, the House of Justice has instructed us to emphasize that it considers it both necessary and timely for the Bahá’í friends to increase their understanding of and adherence to the standard of a chaste and holy life that is upheld in our Teachings. To this end, the House of Justice urges the National Spiritual Assemblies to make the compilation available to the friends on the widest possible scale, having it translated, as necessary, in whole or in part, into the major languages of the country. It is also important that the friends be encouraged to study the implications set forth in these extracts, and to endeavor strenuously to exemplify these noble standards in their personal lives.

As the range of activities and projects in which the Bahá’í community engages necessarily continues to expand and diversify, the House of Justice believes it is vital that the moral and ethical teachings of our Faith be neither overlooked nor mistakenly regarded as being of less importance than our social, administrative and metaphysical teachings. Indeed, Shoghi Effendi, in a letter written on his behalf, stressed the need for such balance and for according appropriate weight to the moral principles of the Faith.

Too much emphasis is often laid on the social and economic aspects of the Teachings; but the moral aspect cannot be overemphasized.

The Importance of Reaching Out to Native Communities

25 July 1988

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Canada

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

Your letter of 30 March 1988 has been received by the Universal House of Justice and we have been asked to respond as follows.

It is abundantly evident, from innumerable passages in Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation, that His Message is intended for the whole of mankind and that every nation and race in human society should regard Him as a Manifestation of God Whose teachings are directed to their upliftment and happiness. He has written that "The summons and the message which We gave were never intended to reach or to benefit one land or one people only." The people of minority backgrounds who have experienced oppression and subjugation might well contemplate the words of Bahá’u’lláh in which He states that "The Ancient Beauty hath consented to be bound with chains that mankind may be released from its bondage, and hath accepted to be made a prisoner within this most mighty Stronghold that the whole world may attain unto true liberty." The Bahá’í community should regard itself as having been commissioned by Bahá’u’lláh to deliver His Message to the whole of humankind, in obedience to His injunction to "Proclaim the Cause of thy Lord unto all who are in the heavens and on the earth." Such considerations should guide the Canadian Bahá’í community in disabusing the Native people of the misconception that the Bahá’í Faith represents one of the "outside agencies" which are perceived as not having the best interests of the Native community at heart.

Your letter raises the issue of cultural diversity within the Bahá’í community. The Faith seeks to maintain cultural diversity while promoting the unity of all peoples. Indeed, such diversity will enrich the tapestry of human life in a peaceful world society. The House of Justice supports the view that in every country the cultural traditions of the people should be observed within the Bahá’í community as long as they are not contrary to the Teachings. The general attitude of the Faith towards the traditional practices of various peoples is expressed in the following statement of Shoghi Effendi‘s, published in The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, U.S. 1982 edition, pages 41—42:

“Let there be no misgivings as to the animating purpose of the worldwide Law of Bahá’u’lláh. ...It does not ignore, nor does it attempt to suppress, the diversity of ethnical origins, of climate, of history, of language and tradition, of thought and habit, that differentiate the peoples and nations of the world. ...Its watchword is unity in diversity such as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Himself has explained: ‘Consider the flowers of a garden. . .. Diversity of hues, form and shape enricheth and adorneth the garden, and heighteneth the effect thereof. . .’”