Message to the Bahá’í Publishers’ Conference, London

26 October 1987

To Bahá'í Publishers' Conference (London)

WE EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO ALL PARTICIPANTS IN THIS TIMELY CONFERENCE ON ENGLISH-LANGUAGE BAHÁ‘I PUBLISHING, THE FIRST OF THIS NATURE SINCE THAT HELD IN MONTREAL FOLLOWING THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF SEPTEMBER 1982. WE COMMEND BOTH THE INITIATIVE TAKEN BY THE UNITED KINGDOM PUBLISHING TRUST IN INAUGURATING THE PRESENT HISTORIC GATHERING AND THE ENTHUSIASTIC RESPONSE IT GENERATED AMONG NATIONAL COMMUNITIES EUROPE AND BEYOND WHO ARE CONCERNED WITH THE VITAL QUESTIONS IT WILL CONSIDER. THIS DEGREE OF RESPONSE BETOKENS RECOGNITION ON PART OF PARTICIPANTS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MAJOR OBJECTIVE OF THE SIX YEAR PLAN SET OUT IN OUR LETTER OF 25 FEBRUARY 1986 CALLING FOR A WORLDWIDE INCREASE IN THE TRANSLATION, PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION AND USE OF BAHÁ‘I LITERATURE. AS YOU BEGIN YOUR DELIBERATIONS WE HASTEN TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE VALUE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ROLE BAHÁ'I PUBLISHING AGENCIES PLAY IN FULFILLING THIS GOAL AS WELL AS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF IMPROVEMENTS IN THE DISTRIBUTION AND THE INCREASED PRODUCTION OF LITERATURE. WE LOOK FORWARD EAGERLY TO THE REPORT OF YOUR GATHERING AND PARTICULARLY YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AN UNPRECEDENTED INCREASE IN THE AVAILABILITY OF THE BAHÁ‘I WRITINGS WHOSE CAPACITY TO UPLIFT, HEAL, INSPIRE AND DIRECT IS THE VERY BEDROCK OF ALL OUR TEACHING EFFORTS.

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

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

Arrest of Six Bahá’ís in Iran

22 October 1987 

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

WE CONVEY WITH PROFOUND SADNESS NEWS OF THE ARREST IN TEHRAN ON 20 OCTOBER OF SIX BAHÁ’IS. OUR DISTRESS IS DEEPENED BY FACT THAT TWO OF THESE, MR. JAMÁLU’D-DIN KHÁNJÁNÍ AND MR. HASAN MAHBÚBÍ, WERE MEMBERS OF THE FORMER NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY, AND THAT THE ARRESTS OF SUCH PERSONS HAVE COME SO SOON AFTER THE EXECUTION ON 28 SEPTEMBER OF TWO OTHER FORMER NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MEMBERS.

THE OTHER FOUR INCLUDED IN THE ARRESTS ARE MR. CHANGÍZ FANÁ’ÍYÁN, MR. SUHRÁB HÁJÍYÁN, MR. BAHMAN SAMANDARÍ AND HIS WIFE, MRS. RUZÍTÁ SAMANDARÍ ALL SIX WERE TOGETHER IN A PRIVATE HOME WHEN THEY WERE ARRESTED AND TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DESTINATION. . . .

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

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

Release of a Compilation on Crisis and Victory

11 October 1987

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

We enclose a copy of a new compilation entitled Crisis and Victory, which was prepared by the Research Department at our instruction. The purpose of this compilation is to orient the believers to the processes, within and without the Faith, that will accompany its progressive emergence on the world stage.

Tribulations attend and fuel the unfoldment of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh. In describing the sweep of Bahá’í history, the beloved Guardian identified a pattern of growth which is characterized by "a series of pulsations, of alternating crises and triumphs, leading it [the Faith] ever nearer to its divinely appointed destiny."

As the stature of the Cause of God increases in the eyes of the world, the 

process of its emergence into the limelight of public attention, resulting, in large part, from the indescribable sacrifices of the beloved friends in Iran, is accelerated, and the Faith, gradually and inevitably, is projected into the next stage of its divinely propelled development.

The shelter of its relatively imperceptible expansion enabled the foundations of the Faith to be established and consolidated, and the community to attain a level of stability. Now, with the entrance of the Faith on the world scene, we call upon the believers everywhere not to allow themselves, even for one moment, to be perturbed by any increase in opposition to the Cause. Rather let them deepen their understanding of the creative interaction between crisis and victory in the evolution of the Faith, and increase their awareness of the power inherent in the Cause to surmount all obstacles that threaten its progress. Armed with this knowledge, let them seize the opportunities that arise and embrace the God-given challenges, confident in the invincibility of the Faith and the steady onward march of its institutions.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

The Universal House of Justice

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

Execution of Two Bahá’ís in Iran

1 October 1987 

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

WITH PROFOUND SORROW AND DEEP SENSE OUTRAGE WE CONVEY REPORT JUST RECEIVED AT WORLD CENTER THAT ON 28 SEPTEMBER TWO BAHÁ’IS WERE EXECUTED IN TEHRAN. MR. ARDISHÍR AKHTÁRÍ AND MR. AMÍR-HUSAYN NÁDIRÍ WERE FORMER MEMBERS OF NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF IRAN. BOTH HAD BEEN IN PRISON SINCE 12 SEPTEMBER 1984. DEATH SENTENCES WERE PASSED WHILE SECRETARY GENERAL OF UNITED NATIONS WAS VISITING IRAN.

MESSRS. AKHTÁRÍ AND NÁDIRÍ, AS WELL AS MR. SURÚSH JABBÁRÍ AND MR. ABUL-QÁSIM SHÁYIQ WHO WERE EXECUTED ON 3 MARCH 1987, WERE AMONG GROUP OF 14 BAHÁ‘I PRISONERS WHOSE FATE HAS BEEN SOURCE ACUTE CONCERN TO BAHÁ’ls IRAN SINCE BEGINNING THIS YEAR. ...

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

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

Support of Bahá’í Funds exclusively by believers

20 August 1987 

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Canada

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

Your letter of 22 July 1987 has been received by the Universal House of Justice, which has asked us to respond as follows.

The provisions set out in the letter of 17 July 1978 written to your National Spiritual Assembly on behalf of the House of Justice remain applicable, including the principle that it is improper for Bahá’ís to solicit funds from non-Bahá’ís in the name of the Faith for any purpose.

The following passage from the Pen of Bahá’u’lláh: "It would be impossible to conceive any act more contemptible than soliciting, in the name of the one true God, the riches which men possess" clearly indicates what the attitude of the Bahá’ís should be.

There is, however, a wide range of fundraising activities in which Bahá’ís may engage. For example, Bahá’í institutions are free to approach governments or institutions which hold themselves out as wishing to fund charitable activities, to apply for grants to assist in specific humanitarian projects. A Bahá’í school which has both Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í pupils is free to raise funds for its own development by such activities as concerts, etc., or by appeals to parents; in this instance, a humanitarian institution is clearly identified, and the funds are being collected in its name rather than in the name of the Faith. Another example is that of a Bahá’í who wishes to sell an item he owns to the general public for a fair market price; he is free to use the proceeds for any purpose he wishes, including contributing them all, or in part, to the Bahá’í Fund, provided he does not represent to the public that the sale is being conducted for the benefit of the Faith.

There would be no objection to the Bahá’í community’s joining with others to give a concert or undertake some other similar activity to raise funds for a deserving charity. Such activities or even the making of donations to humanitarian work should be, and should be seen to be, acts of sincere assistance and cooperation. In choosing to engage in such fundraising, a Bahá'í community would need to ensure that assisting the charity would not have partisan political implications or support purposes contrary to the interests of the Faith. It would need to watch carefully that its involvement in such activities does not divert its energies from the vital work of teaching the Faith and consolidating its institutions.

With loving Bahá'í greetings,

Department of the Secretariat

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

Passing of Knight of Bahá’u’lláh ‘Azíz Navídí

6 August 187 

To all National Spiritual Assemblies in Africa

GRIEVED PASSING DEVOTED DEDICATED SERVANT CAUSE KNIGHT BAHÁULLÁH AZÍZ NAVIDÍ. HIS FEARLESS DEFENSE OPPRESSED BAHÁ’IS CRADLE FAITH HIGHLY PRAISED BY BELOVED GUARDIAN. HIS CONTINUOUS SERVICES PIONEERING FIELD CROWNED BY OUTSTANDING SUCCESSES GAIN RECOGNITION FAITH BY MANY AFRICAN COUNTRIES OBTAINED THROUGH HIS UTTER RELIANCE BAHÁ’ULLÁH AND HIS INDEFATIGABLE RESOURCEFULNESS SACRIFICIAL EFFORTS, ALL SHED LUSTER UPON HIS LOVING MEMORY. REQUESTING NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY UGANDA HOLD MEMORIAL SERVICE MOTHER TEMPLE AFRICA RECOGNITION UNIQUE SERVICES THAT CONTINENT. ASSURE ARDENT PRAYERS PROGRESS SOUL ABHÁ KINGDOM. ADVISE HOLD MEMORIAL GATHERING LONDON.

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

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