19 February 1979: To National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Baha'i friends,

We have been asked by the Universal House of Justice to draw your attention to its letter sent to you and other selected National Spiritual Assemblies of the world on 6 March 1977. In that letter, a copy of which is enclosed for your ease of reference, permission was given to hold the election of Local Spiritual Assemblies during the twelve days of Ridvan if certain conditions existed in some localities. This is to inform you that, until further notice, it is permissible to follow this procedure every Ridvan where it is called for.

Furthermore, in view of the conditions of the Faith at this stage in its development, the House of Justice has decided that the provision set forth under the Five Year Plan permitting the establishment of Local Spiritual Assemblies which are being formed for the first time, whenever there are nine or more adult believers residing in a locality, will continue to apply after the completion of the Five Year Plan.+F462

With loving Baha'i greetings,

Department of the Secretariat

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

12 January 1979: To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Baha'i friends,

From reports in the news media you have no doubt learned of the disturbances in Iran. The followers of the Faith of Baha'u'llah have in the land of its birth once again been subjected to severe persecution and active repression.

The National Spiritual Assembly compiled during the month of October 1978 a list of 93 cases dealing with personal injuries inflicted upon individual believers and of damages to houses, shops, crops and livestock, as well as to local Haziratu'l-Quds. During the month of December organized mobs attacked Baha'is and their properties in Shiraz and its environs. As a result of these attacks over 300 homes were either burned or destroyed, and some 200 looted.  In these events 15 believers were beaten or wounded, and two were killed. Fortunately the intention of the attackers to destroy the Holy House of the Bab was not carried out, but the spirit of aggressive animosity towards the Baha'is spread to several centres throughout the province of Fars, including the town of Marvdasht, where 31 Baha'i homes were looted and the imposing structure of the local Haziratu'l-Quds reared by that community was razed to the ground.

Following these events, the wave of persecution spread to the north of the country.  In several towns and villages of Adhirbayjan, and particularly in Miyan-Duab, the onslaught was severe. In the latter town the first target was the local Haziratu'l-Quds, which was totally destroyed, and this was followed by the burning or tooting of 80 homes and the brutal murder of two believers, a father and his son, whose bodies were then dragged through the streets, cut in pieces, and consigned to the flames.