June 25. On this date in 1942, Abdu'l-Jalil Bey Sa'd died. He was a prominent member of the Egyptian Baha'i community in its early days, a Hand of the Cause of God, and a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Egypt and the Sudan.

 

 

June 25. On this date in 1942, Abdu'l-Jalil Bey Sa'd died. He was a prominent member of the Egyptian Baha'i community in its early days, a Hand of the Cause of God, and a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Egypt and the Sudan.

Abdu'l-Jalil was converted to the Baha'i Faith by Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl, and he devoted himself to service of the Cause in Egypt for the remainder of his life.

He was a judge on the Civil Court of Egypt and in 1923 he wrote several articles arguing that religious freedom should be applied to all religions. The government of Egypt decided to legislate religious freedom for all religions later that year. In 1929 Abdu'l-Jalil met with the Prime Minister of Egypt and attempted to negotiate better conditions for the Egyptian Baha'i community.

In 1934 he refuted attacks on the faith from the Muslim scholar Shaykh el Karashi in a series of articles titled 'The Baha'i Faith is an Everlasting Truth'. In response the Egyptian Minister of Justice was asked to prevent Abdu'l-Jalil from publishing, and he requested that Abdu'l-Jalil stop writing articles in defense of the Faith. Abdu'l-Jalil responded by saying:

"If your excellency wishes me to cease defending my belief, then the other side should also cease attacking it"

This lead to the Egyptian House of Parliament banning both parties from publishing, and Abdu'l-Jalil was exiled to Northern Egypt.

While in Northern Egypt he produced the first translation of The Dawn-breakers in Arabic which was published in 1941. All printed copies of the translation were seized by the Muslim authorities of Egypt before they could be distributed. Abdu'l-Jalil garnered support, and managed to not only regain possession of the books, but also permission to distribute them within Egypt and in other countries.

In 1941 he received permission to construct a Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds in Cairo. He personally oversaw the project, but fell ill and passed away before it was completed.

He passed away on June 25, 1942. After his passing Shoghi Effendi sent the following telegram to the Baha'is:

ABDU'L-JALIL BEY SA'D ABU'L-FADL'S MOST RENOWNED DISCIPLE FOREMOST CHAMPION FAITH EGYPT, OUTSTANDING BAHA'I ADMINISTRATOR BRILLIANT AUTHOR, INDEFATIGABLE TEACHER ASCENDED ABHA KINGDOM LOSS IRREPARABLE HEARTS GREIF-STRICKEN. ADVISE BEFITTING MEMORIAL GATHERING TEMPLE TO ASSOCIATE AMERICAN BELIEVERS UNIVERSAL MOURNING DISTINGUISHED HAND CAUSE BAHA'U'LLAH.

A memorial was held at the American Baha'i Temple in Wilmette, Illinois on August 16, 1942.