June 1. On this date in 1912, 'Abdu'l-Bahá had his first sitting for his portrait painted by Juliet Thompson in her New York studio. While pictures, sketches, and photographs of 'Abdu'l-Bahá are ubiquitous in Bahá'í homes, those of Bahá'u'lláh are less so although the prohibition is equally applicable to both.
June 1. On this date in 1955, Shoghi Effendi wrote, "The all-important thing of course is that every activity ... is for the purpose of teaching the Faith and confirming people. Therefore you and the other Bahá'ís should watch the situation very closely. You should study those who attend the meetings, and when you find one who you feel would become a strong and active Bahá'í, then you should concentrate on teaching him. Thus, if you are able to confirm some souls, you will have rendered distinguished and outstanding service. Actually this is the goal of all such activities in all of the universities."
1992. The all-important thing of course is that every activity ... is for the purpose of teaching the Faith and confirming people. Therefore you and the other Bahá'ís should watch the situation very closely. You should study those who attend the meetings, and when you find one who you feel would become a strong and active Bahá'í, then you should concentrate on teaching him. Thus, if you are able to confirm some souls, you will have rendered distinguished and outstanding service. Actually this is the goal of all such activities in all of the universities.
(From a letter dated 1 June 1955 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer)
June 1. On this date in 1983, the Universal House of Justice wrote "Huqúqu’lláh is payable only once on a given property, whether personal or real, but should this property pass from one person to another, such as through inheritance, it becomes again subject to the payment of Huqúqu’lláh."
As to the question raised by Mr. …, kindly inform him that in a letter to an individual believer the beloved Guardian explained that Huqúqu’lláh is payable only once on a given property, whether personal or real, but should this property pass from one person to another, such as through inheritance, it becomes again subject to the payment of Huqúqu’lláh. This in effect means that heirs receiving a share of their inheritance from an estate must pay Huqúqu’lláh, if the share they are receiving increases their wealth to a level calling for the discharge of this sacred obligation.
(1 June 1983, written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to a National Spiritual Assembly)
May 17. On this date in 1962, Carl Scheffler died. An American Bahá'í who served on the NSA of the U.S. & Canada, serving as Treasurer from 1926 to 1930, as Financial Secretary from 1930 to 1934, and as Vice-Chairman from 1934 to 1938. He also traveled America to teach the Faith, particularly to youth. In his career he was an artist, and he served as owner and Director of the Evanston Academy of Fine Arts and as Director of Art in North Evanston Public Schools.
Carl Scheffler heard of the Faith in 1897, being introduced by a cousin who had attended Ibrahim Kheiralla's class on the religion. Carl and his family attended lectures by Kheiralla, and Carl became a Bahá'í in Chicago in 1899, the 665th individual to accept the Faith in the city. He was mentored in his studies of the religion by Thornton Chase, Albert Windust, Albert Greenleaf, and others, and remained a Bahá'í after Kheiralla attempted to usurp control of the religion in the West from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, which caused many early believers to leave the Faith. He studied art at Smith Academy and the Chicago Art Institute in Chicago.
In 1907 Carl went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land with Thornton Chase and Arthur S. Agnew and met with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, who instructed them to take steps towards constructing a Mashriqu'l-Adhkár in the United States. After returning home he was elected to the first Chicago House of Justice, and he served as Treasurer of the body for many years. On April 9, 1908, some lots at the site of the House of Worship were purchased by the Bahá'ís in Carl's name.
From 1911 to 1912 Carl was in Europe studying at art academies, and he served as a teacher at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and established the Evanston Academy of Fine Arts after returning to America. He served as teacher at the Chicago Academy for fourteen years.
In 1915, Carl married May Thurn. She was also a Bahá'í and served on the Archives and History Committee of the United States and Canada for many years.
Carl was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada when it was established in 1925, and served on the body until 1938. As of 1925 he was Secretary of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár. In 1926 he was elected as Treasurer of the National Spiritual Assembly, succeeding Florence Morton, and he began preparing quarterly reports of the National Fund. As of 1927 he was serving on the Assemblies Temple Committee, as well as continuing to serve as Treasurer. As of 1928 he was no longer serving on the Temple Committee, instead serving on the Temple Maintenance Committee, the Legal Committee, and the Plan for Unified Action Committee. In 1929 he began serving on the Temple Committee again, which was then known as the Bahá'í Temple Unity
In 1930 Carl was elected to the new position of Financial Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly, which was established to assume responsibility for interpreting the needs and policies of the National Fund, and deepening the Bahá'ís on its significance. In 1931 he was appointed to the Temple Program Committee. By 1933 he was serving as Chairman of the Publicity Committee. By early 1934 he was assisting the National Spiritual Assemblies Treasurer Roy Wilhelm as Assistant Treasurer. He was elected as Vice-Chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly in 1934.
In 1936 Carl spoke at a public meeting held to promote the Faith at Fisk University in Nashville, alongside Mountfort Mills and Allen B. McDaniel. In February 1937 Carl spoke at the 25th Anniversary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's visit to America in New York. He taught the Faith through public talks on the Ohio-Indiana circuit throughout 1937. He began serving on the Teaching and Training Children Committee of the National Assembly in 1937. In 1938 he spoke at Louhelen Summer School, and he was appointed to the Louhelen Summer School Committee. In 1939 Carl, Allen McDaniel, and Rex and Mary Collison were appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly to design Bahá'í exhibits for the 1939 World Fairs, and Carl designed a portable exhibit. In October 1939 he spoke at a Memorial for Martha Root at the House of Worship.
As of 1942 Carl was serving as Chairman of the Bahá'í Exhibits Committee. In 1943 he was appointed to the Centenary Committee, responsible for organizing the celebration of the Bahá'í Centenary in 1944, and he was assigned responsibility for preparing the Temple and preparing decorations. He was also appointed as Chairman of the newly formed Committee on Elementary Education. In 1946 he assisted in a National North American Teaching Campaign, attending a meeting regarding the campaign in New Orleans and speaking at public meetings, and also giving talks in Jackson, Missouri, and Memphis, Tennessee, when returning to Evanston from the meeting. He spoke at a public meeting held in Denver as part of the Campaign in March 1946. In October 1946 he spoke in Minneapolis. In 1947 he spoke on the Faith at the First Presbyterian Church in his hometown of Evanston, as part of a program on Comparative Religions. In 1948 Carl established an art studio in Chicago with his son, Harlan, which produced scratchboard drawings for advertising agencies.
In 1950 Carl was appointed to a Committee responsible for organizing the commemoration of the Centenary of the Martyrdom of the Báb. In 1953 a Bahá'í Calendar featuring illustrations of the Temple grounds by Carl was published. In August 1953 Carl recited a prayer at a memorial for Siegfried Schopflocher at the House of Worship. In 1954 another Calendar featuring Carl's illustrations of Mt. Carmel avenue was published. In 1955 a book for children featuring stories from The Dawn-Breakers and illustrations by Carl was published. In 1957 another Calendar featuring illustrations of the House of Worship by Carl was published.
Carl Scheffler died on May 17, 1962, and the Hands of the Cause in the Holy Land issued the following statement:
"Grieved passing much loved Carl Scheffler steadfast devoted tireless servant Master early days Faith America stop Outstanding services Temple Teaching administrative fields period beloved Guardian's ministry unforgettable stop Convey deepest sympathy family assure ardent prayers Holy Shrines."
Carl was survived by his wife, May Thurn, who died on February 19, 1970, and their two children, Harlan C. and Betty (later de Araujo), both of whom were active Bahá'ís.
May 17. On this date in 2017, Firuz Kazemzadeh, retired professor emeritus of history at Yale University who served on the NSA of the US from 1963 to 2000, died at the age of 92. He was born in Moscow, USSR, to a Russian mother and Iranian father employed at the Iranian embassy in Moscow.
Firuz Kazemzadeh was born in Moscow on October 27, 1924, to an Iranian father and a Russian mother. His father served in the Iranian embassy in Moscow. After completing his primary and secondary education in Moscow, Kazemzadeh (then aged 16) and his family moved to Iran. In 1944, during World War II, he travelled from Tehran to the United States and entered Stanford University, graduating in 1946 and obtaining an MA in 1947. In 1950 Kazemzadeh received a Ph.D. in Russian history from Harvard University.
Kazemzadeh taught at Harvard from 1954 to 1956, then moved to Yale where he was professor of history until his retirement as professor emeritus in 1992. While at Yale, he also served as Master of Davenport College. He was the author and co-author of a number of books on the history of Russia and Iran, as well as numerous articles and reviews for authoritative scholarly publications.
Between May 15, 1998 and May 14, 2003, Kazemzadehserved as a Commissioner on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, first appointed to this position in 1998 by President Bill Clinton, and in 2001, reappointed by US Senate Majority Leader Thomas Daschle.
Kazemzadeh was an adherent of the Bahá'í Faith and, from 1963 to 2000, served as a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States.
Firuz Kazemzadeh died, aged 92, on May 17, 2017.
May 17. On this date in 1953, Shoghi Effendi addressed a cablegram to the Bahá'ís of the word, condemning his one-time close companion, secretary, and first cousin as "treacherous Ruhi Afnan."
Treacherous Ruhi Afnan, not content with previous disobedience, correspondence with Ahmad Sohrab, contact with old Covenant-breakers, sale, in conjunction with other members of family, of sacred property purchased by Founder of Faith, and allowing his sister to marry son of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's enemy, is now openly lecturing on Bahá'í movement, claiming to be its exponent and is misrepresenting the teachings and deliberately causing confusion in minds of authorities and the local population. Inform National Assemblies.
--Shoghi
[Cablegram, May 17, 1953]
April 5. On this date in 1922, some four months after returning to Haifa subsequent to the death of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi left Haifa with his eldest cousin and close friend, Ruhi Afnan who he would later declare a Covenant-breaker, for rest and relaxation in the Bernese Oberland in the Swiss Alps. In his absence, Shoghi Effendi placed Bahíyyih Khánum as Head of the Cause, and later that month the "Star of the West" magazine would publish letters from Shoghi Effendi and Bahíyyih Khánum explaining the situation. Ruhi Afnan would be declared a Covenant-breaker in a series of cablegrams in the 1950's.
The cablegrams concerning the declaration of Ruhi Afnan a Covenant-breaker include one from December 13, 1951 titled "Old and New Covenant-Breakers"where Shoghi Effendi says, "Evidences multiplying attesting Ruhi's increasing rebelliousness, efforts exerted my eldest sister pave way fourth alliance members family Siyyid 'Alí involving marriage his granddaughter with Ruha's son and personal contact recently established my own treacherous, despicable brother Riaz with Majdi'd-Din, redoubtable enemy Faith, former henchman Muhammad-'Ali, Archbreaker Bahá'u'lláh's Covenant.
May 17. On this date in 2008, Brigitte Lundblade, who had pioneered to Sweden, Denmark and Estonia and been named a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for the Shetland Islands, died.
Brigitte Hasselblatt was born on January 21, 1923, into a Baltic German family in Tallinn, Estonia. During World War II, the Hasselblatt family was evacuated to Germany, and after the war Brigitte moved to England, where she became a Bahá’í at a summer school in 1950.
In 1953 Brigitte settled in the Shetland Islands, a territory named by Shoghi Effendi in connection with the Ten Year Crusade, and in doing so became a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh.
In 1956 Brigitte went on Pilgrimage and met Shoghi Effendi, who told her to introduce the Bahá’ís Faith to Estonia. Because it was impossible to go to the Soviet Union at that time, Brigitte chose to pioneer to Finland instead.
While in Finland Brigitte married Milton Lundblade, an American Bahá’í of Swedish descent. In 1961 they pioneered again, this time to Denmark, where there son Laurence was born. Because Milton was unable to find work there they soon had to move to the United States. For the next several years Brigitte worked as a school nurse in California. In 1963, their daughter Luise was born in Downey, California.
After her children were grown and her husband had died, Brigitte moved back to Finland as a pioneer in 1984, still waiting for an opportunity to return to Estonia in accordance with Shoghi Effendi's wishes. Her chance finally came in 1988.
Although a handful of people, predominantly Esperantists, had become Bahá’ís in Estonia prior to Brigitte's arrival, her flat in Tallinn quickly became the center of Bahá’í activity in the country. She was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baltic States in 1993 and remained a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Estonia after it was formed as a separate body in 1999.
On the advice of the Universal House of Justice, she retired in 2006 after many years of service.
Brigitte devoted her final years to writing her memoirs with assistance from a friend, Susanne Pfaff-Grossman. "The Life of a Pioneer" was originally published in German and was then translated into English by Brigitte herself.
Brigitte died on May 17, 2008 and is buried in her native Tallinn.
May 17. On this date in 1957, Shoghi Effendi wrote "...the world is being shaken to its foundations and the people are seeking. If the Bahá'ís will arise as never before to teach the Cause they will find many listeners and many will find eternal life through their sacrificial efforts."
2007. ...the world is being shaken to its foundations and the people are seeking. If the Bahá'ís will arise as never before to teach the Cause they will find many listeners and many will find eternal life through their sacrificial efforts.
(From a letter dated 17 May 1957 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada)
May 17. On this date in 1886, Bahá'u'lláh's daughter Furúghiyyih married Siyyid 'Alí, an Afnán. Siyyid 'Alí sided with Mírzá Muhammad-'Alí in his conflict with 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and 'Abdu'l-Bahá referred to him as 'Siyyid Mutimarid' (rebellious Siyyid). He died in 'Akká in 1916.
In 1928, Shoghi Effendi's sister Ruhangiz, the granddaughter of 'Abdu'l-Bahá through his daughter Zia Khanum and his son-in-law Mirza Hadi Shirazi, would marry Nayer Afnan, Siyyid 'Alí's son. The marriage took place in 'Abdu'l-Bahá former home, where his sister, Bahíyyih Khánum officiated at the wedding in the presence of Munírih Khánum, 'Abdu'l-Bahá's widow, and other members of the family and of the community.
By the time of his death in 1957, Shoghi Effendi had declared all of his siblings and first cousins Covenant-breakers, using the marriage of Ruhangiz to Nayer Afnan and of Mehrangiz to Hassan Afnan as pretexts for their expulsions.
April 16. On this date in 2000, the Universal House of Justice addressed a letter to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Brazil in reply to "a number of questions regarding resignation and membership on Regional Bahá’í Councils."
THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF THE SECRETARIAT
To the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Brazil Dear Bahá’í Friends,
16 April 2000
The Universal House of Justice received your email letter ... in which you ask a number of questions regarding resignation and membership on Regional Bahá’í Councils. We have been asked to reply to you as follows . . .
To begin, we are reminded in letters written on behalf of the beloved Guardian that service as an elected member of a Bahá’í institution is “a bounty, a privilege and a unique responsibility” which “all the friends should stand ready to accept . . . unless they are definitely incapacitated and could not possibly take up office.” Further, we find that,
. . . the Guardian wishes you to make clear to all the believers that membership in a Bahá’í Assembly or Committee is a sacred obligation which should be gladly and confidently accepted by every loyal and conscientious member of the community, no matter how humble and inexperienced.
It is, therefore, clear that a member of an elected body such as a Regional Council in Brazil should not resign from serving, except in extremely rare cases. With this in mind, we turn to the questions raised in your email.
You indicate that one situation that has occurred is when a believer is elected to both a Regional Council and a Local Spiritual Assembly. Further, you state that the procedure you have adopted in such cases is the same as when a believer is elected to both the National Spiritual Assembly and a Local Spiritual Assembly, that is, you consider his or her resignation from the Local Assembly justified.
In this connection, we are instructed to point out that the House of Justice does not approve the automatic resignation of a member of a National Assembly from a Local Assembly, but rather asks that the circumstances of each case be considered separately. Normally those elected to a Local Assembly and the National Assembly should make every effort to serve on both bodies. The House of Justice has stated that
If it is too much of a burden and impractical for an individual member to assume the responsibilities of serving on both the National and the Local Assembly, he should present his case to both bodies, and seek consultation. Each case should be considered separately, depending on the circumstances of each member. It may be found that if a National Assembly member is an officer of the Local Spiritual Assembly, his resignation as officer of the Assembly, instead of the membership of that Assembly, may solve the problem for that individual.
In the event that a solution cannot be found, however, membership on the National Spiritual Assembly would then take precedence over membership on the Local Assembly. The same principles would apply in the case of a believer who is elected to both a Regional Council and a Local Assembly. In such an instance, the Local Assembly would accept the resignation at its own discretion. Only if unusual circumstances arise would the case need to be referred to the National Assembly.
Another situation described in your email is one in which a member of a Regional Council is not able to participate in the meetings of the Council, either occasionally owing to professional
obligations or for prolonged periods. In this connection, you ask what degree of flexibility the National Assembly has in replacing Council members. Here again, the principles are clear in the case of an elected body. In a letter written on behalf of the Guardian, we read the following in relation to membership on a Local Spiritual Assembly:
. . . It is only too obvious that unless a member can attend regularly the meetings of his Local Assembly, it would be impossible for him to discharge the duties incumbent upon him, and to fulfill his responsibilities, as a representative of the community. Membership in a Local Spiritual Assembly carries with it, indeed, the obligation and capacity to remain in close touch with local Bahá’í activities, and ability to attend regularly the sessions of the Assembly.
Further, we share with you the instructions below from the Guardian:
. . . it is establishing a dangerous precedent to allow Assemblies to put a time limit on non- attendance of their members at meetings of the S.A. [Spiritual Assembly], beyond which that person is automatically dropped from the Assembly and a vacancy declared.... There should be no time limit fixed by Assemblies beyond which a person is dropped. Every case of prolonged absence from the sessions of the Assembly should be considered separately by that Assembly, and if the person is seen to not want to attend meetings, or to be held away from them indefinitely because of illness or travel, then a vacancy could legitimately be declared and a new member be elected.
Clearly, then, no hard and fast rules should be made as to the length of the period of absence of an elected member of a Regional Council from its meetings before a vacancy is declared, and each case would need to be decided on its own merit. This is not to say that a National Assembly may not bring to a Council’s attention any problem it notes in the attendance of the members of a Council. Yet, as in the case of a Local Assembly, it is the Regional Council itself which should conclude that a vacancy should be declared—this, presumably, after observing that the member in question does not attend meetings, despite repeated encouragement and attempts to remove possible impediments. However, unlike a Local Assembly which can declare a vacancy and call for a by-election at its own discretion, the Regional Council would need to refer the case to the National Assembly for final decision. In the event that a vacancy is declared, it would be filled as specified in item 2.2.5 of the 30 May 1997 statement, that is, “by the person who had the next highest number of votes on the ballot in the preceding election.”
With loving Bahá’í greetings, Department of the Secretariat
This document has been downloaded from the Bahá’í Reference Library. You are free to use its content subject to the terms of use found at www.bahai.org/legal
April 16. On this date in 1985, the Universal House of Justice wrote an NSA "participation in anti-apartheid demonstrations and protest activities could be construed as involvement in politics, and therefore should be avoided."
"In reply to your letter of 15 July 1985 seeking further clarification on the issue of apartheid, the Universal House of Justice has instructed us to point out that as the policy of apartheid derives from racial discrimination, it cannot be accepted by Bahá'ís wherever, and in whatever form, it may be practised.
"While the friends should, of course, support the principles of the Faith, including those advocating the oneness of mankind, and may associate with groups and engage in activities which promote these principles, they must scrupulously take care not to become involved in political issues. As stated in the letter to you dated 16 April 1985, participation in anti-apartheid demonstrations and protest activities could be construed as involvement in politics, and therefore should be avoided.
"...The world around us is seething with unrest caused by the conflicting interests of governments, peoples, races and individuals. Each of these contending parties has some good and some evil on its side, and, whereas we will unhesitatingly uphold Bahá'í principles, we will never become embroiled in these internecine conflicts by identifying ourselves with one or other of the parties, however much in our hearts we may sympathize with its aims.
"The positive attitude to the question of racial prejudice is radiant and whole-hearted exemplification of the principle of the oneness of mankind, first among the members of your National Spiritual Assembly and then throughout the Bahá'í community...."
(From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to a National Spiritual Assembly, August 18, 1985)
April 16. On this date in 1913, 'Abdu’l-Bahá cabled Ali Kuli Khan "Macnutt repented from violation of covenant but was not awakened." After several months’ correspondence between MacNutt and 'Abdu’l-Bahá via Ali Kuli Khan, MacNutt satisfied 'Abdu’l-Bahá that he had repented for his earlier errors."
From the article titled MacNutt, Howard by Robert Stockman...
Theologically liberal, Howard MacNutt had an extremely high regard for the ability of persons to fulfil their own potential, to the extent of becoming like Christ in one’s spiritual abilities. One consequence was a belief that 'Abdu’l-Bahá had no extraordinary spiritual station; according to Charles Mason Remey, MacNutt did not "regard Him as being different in Spirit from other men. . . that through works and service and overcoming all He attained to this station." His view contrasted sharply with that of most Bahá’ís, and caused the Washington, D.C. Bahá’ís to cease inviting MacNutt to speak at their meetings, about 1906. It resulted in a severe personality clash with Arthur P. Dodge (q. v.), who viewed 'Abdu’l-Bahá as the return of Christ. It also resulted in MacNutt failing to appreciate the Bahá’í teaching that Covenant-breaking is a spiritual disease. When 'Abdu’l-Bahá came to the United States in 1912 He assigned to MacNutt the task of meeting with a group of potential Covenant-breakers in Chicago and warning them. He also ordered MacNutt to break all communication with Ibrahim Kheiralla and other Covenant-breakers. When MacNutt failed to cut his connections with the Covenant-breakers and failed to warn the Chicago group of their actions, 'Abdu’l-Bahá warned Howard MacNutt that he had violated the Covenant himself and commanded him to repent before a group of New York Bahá’ís, which he did on 18 November 1912. But the matter was not resolved; 'Abdu’l-Bahá cabled Ali Kuli Khan on 16 April 1913, "MACNUTT REPENTED FROM VIOLATION OF COVENANT BUT WAS NOT AWAKENED." After several months’ correspondence between MacNutt and 'Abdu’l-Bahá via Ali Kuli Khan, MacNutt satisfied 'Abdu’l-Bahá that he had come to understand and repent for his earlier errors, and 'Abdu’l-Bahá recognized MacNutt as a Bahá’í.
April 16. On this date in 1925, Palle Bischoff was born. He was the first Danish Bahá'í to become a Baha'i in Denmark and the first Bahá'í to pioneer to Greenland. He also served on the NSA of Scandinavia and Finland as Vice-Chair and the NSA of Denmark.
Palle Bischoff was born in Humlebaek, Denmark in 1925. He studied commercial science and obtained a degree in the field. He became a Bahá'í on November 17, 1947, and attended a Feast in Stockholm shortly after his conversion. In 1950 he chaired an evening at the Third European Teaching Conference in Copenhagen, and delivered a talk on Progressive Revelation.
In 1951 Palle was appointed to manage a fishing station at Edgesminde, Greenland for four months and another station in Govkussak in the winter by the Danish government, allowing him to become the first Bahá'í to pioneer to the country. He wrote the following to the Greenland Committee of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada:
"It is exciting and I pray that I will be able to light the fire of the love of God among the people there so that the unity and harmony of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh will be manifested also in that country"
He opened a ski school after retiring from managing the fishing stations, and lived in Greenland until 1954, when he returned to Denmark.
He served as Chairman of the 1956 Bahá'í Summer School of Moss, Norway. In 1957 he was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of Scandinavia and Finlandas Vice-Chair, and he served on that Assembly until 1963. In 1961 he was elected to the first Local Spiritual Assembly of Frederiksberg in Denmark.
In 1964 he was elected to the first National Spiritual Assembly of Denmark, and he served on the Assembly, or as an Auxiliary Board Member, until 2000. He was also elected to the Local Spiritual Assembly of Sollerod in 1964 and served on it until 1998.
The Universal House of Justice noted his "outstanding services" that "earned him an imperishable place in the annals of the Danish Bahá'í community" after his death.
Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum referenced Palle Bischoff in a letter dated October 30, 1951, written to the NSA of Canada "The departure of Mr. Bond for the Arctic made the Guardian very happy; this, as well as the sailing of Mr. Bischoff for Greenland, mark the opening stage of the campaign to carry the Faith to the Eskimos, a planset forth by 'Abdu'l-Bahá and very dear to His heart."
October 30, 1951.
National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada.
Your letters ... have been received, with enclosures, and the beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer you on his behalf.
The Administrative Order is not a governmental or civic body, it is to regulate and guide the internal affairs of the Bahá'í community; consequently it works, according to its own procedure, best suited to its needs. A Bahá'í who does more than visit temporarily a community is considered for our administrative purposes as a resident and can vote and serve accordingly. Students in foreign lands, most obviously not residents, are registered as local Bahá'ís, and therefore entitled to do their share of work and play their part in the local community life. This should be pointed out to ... who seem to be confusing our internal administration with external practices which have no relation to it. As regards their personal attitudes the Guardian, remembering what a devoted worker ... has been in the past, is very sorry to see she is no longer active. He does not feel this will lead to either her happiness or that of ...; for, whenever we compromise with what is noblest and best in ourselves, we are the losers invariably.
The Guardian was delighted to hear the friends are at last responding to the urgent needs of the Plan and going forth as pioneers. Plans are concrete things, and not mere honors, and victories--like all other achievements in life--must be purchased at the cost of persistent efforts! He feels sure the Canadian Bahá'ís, perhaps slow to get under way, will display the counterpart of this British characteristic, and cling like bull dogs to their tasks, once they do get under way.
PIONEER TO GREENLAND
The departure of Mr. Bond 1 for the Arctic made the Guardian very happy; this, as well as the sailing of Mr. Bischoff 2 for Greenland, mark the opening stage of the campaign to carry the Faith to the Eskimos, a planset forth by `Abdu'l-Bahá and very dear to His heart.
Encouraging as these steps are, they do not take care of the main body of the work--the establishment of new Assemblies and groups. In order to accomplish this the entire Canadian Community will have to rise to a new level of activity, consciousness, and sacrifice, just as did the British Bahá'í Community during their Six Year Plan. Their success is perhaps one of the most remarkable ever achieved in the Bahá'í World because they were few in number, run down in health from the long years of suffering during the war, and poor in financial resources. Their determination, dedication and moral stamina, however, carried them through, and Bahá'u'lláh gave them the victory. He will give the same victory to everyone who shows the same characteristics. Success breeds success, and this same Community, now rightfully proud and conscious of its importance, is carrying on its African work in a brilliant manner. The Canadian Bahá'ís, more prosperous, less restricted, and equally capable, can accomplish just as much if they unitedly determine to do so.
The response made by the Canadian friends to the Guardian's appeal for support of the Shrine work has touched him very much. He wishes to thank all those who contributed for their loving generosity, and to assure them that their cooperation in this wonderful task has added to the spiritual beauty of an Edifice already so Holy and so beloved by all the believers the world over.
He wishes you all every success in the discharge of your arduous duties, and is praying for a marked quickening in the pace of the Five Year Plan.
With Bahá'í love,
1 Jameson Bond--first pioneer to the Canadian Arctic (District of Keewatin 1950, District of Franklin 1951-63, with Mrs. Gale Bond from 1953 on).
2 Palle Bischoff--Danish believer, the first pioneer to Greenland (1951-54).
April 16. On this date in 1950, Shoghi Effendi wrote "There are two kinds of Bahá'ís, one might say: those whose religion is Bahá'í and those who live for the Faith. Needless to say if one can belong to the latter category, if one can be in the vanguard of heroes, martyrs and saints, it is more praiseworthy in the sight of God."
"There are two kinds of Bahá'ís, one might say: those whose religion is Bahá'í and those who live for the Faith. Needless to say if one can belong to the latter category, if one can be in the vanguard of heroes, martyrs and saints, it is more praiseworthy in the sight of God."
(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, April 16, 1950: Living the Life, p. 16)
April 16. On this date in 1967, the UHJ wrote "it is necessary that Bahá'ís who intend to divorce be aware that they must consult with their Local or National Assembly, that basically a year of waiting must ensue before divorce can be effected, and that the Assembly has certain responsibilities toward the couple concerned about which they will be informed through consultation with the Assembly."
1317. Bahá'ís Who Intend to Divorce Must Consult with Local or National Assembly
"However, it is necessary that Bahá'ís who intend to divorce be aware that they must consult with their Local or National Assembly, that basically a year of waiting must ensue before divorce can be effected, and that the Assembly has certain responsibilities toward the couple concerned about which they will be informed through consultation with the Assembly."
(From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, April 16, 1967)
April 16. On this date in 2002, an article titled "Bahai feel bashed by local media" appeared in Haaretz noting "Articles have appeared in the local and national press accusing the Bahai World Center of receiving government tax reimbursements which it is not entitled to, of having unethical links with the Labor Party, of using excessive amounts of water to maintain the gardens."
Bahai feel bashed by local media
By Charlotte Halle
The Bahai movement, which plowed $250 million into re-landscaping the gardens of its Haifa world headquarters, charges that it has been unfairly treated by the local media.
Articles have appeared in the local and national press accusing the Bahai World Center of receiving government tax reimbursements which it is not entitled to, of having unethical links with the Labor Party, of using excessive amounts of water to maintain the gardens and, most absurdly, of worshiping idols and using incense during religious practices.
Officials are particularly furious about an "untrue and unfair" article that appeared in the Haifa weekly newspaper Zman Haifa earlier this month, which claimed that the world center had received millions of shekels in irregular payments from the Israeli government. The Bahais are particularly distressed because they say the newspaper gave them just one hour to respond to the allegations before the article went to press.
"It upsets us that people look for an ulterior, negative motive in what we are doing," says Glen Fullmer, senior information officer at the center. He attributes the attacks to the Bahai community's dramatic shift from "obscurity" to "high-profile" target for media coverage following the opening of the new garden project.
"We were silent citizens," he says, "and sometimes the story we have to tell - that we are beautifying our holy places with voluntary contributions from Bahais around the world on a nonprofit basis - just doesn't seem to add up."
Based on an acceptance of all world religions, the Bahai faith supports the unification of humanity and the emergence of a global civilization. Its principles forbid accepting donations from any individual or institution outside of the faith.
The opening of the gardens surrounding the world-famous golden-domed Shrine of the Bab - a tranquil haven for visiting pilgrims - is the result of 15 years of planning and construction, and a $250-million investment by the Bahai community. The center signed an agreement with the Israeli government in 1987, entitling it to tax exemptions on the basis of the fact that it is an international religious, nonprofit organization. The center stands to receive a tax refund on the order of $20 million.
The Zman Haifa article was based on questions about tax reimbursement that were submitted by an independent auditor to the Ministry of Tourism.
Bahai sources claim that all the auditor's queries were satisfactorily answered, and that it was "defamatory" and unfair of the newspaper to portray the questions as based in fact. Furthermore, the world center placed a full-page advertisement in the newspaper a week later, refuting the paper's claims with quotes from Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Finance officials. The Bahai center is still considering taking legal action against the newspaper for the "malicious and unprofessional" article.
Zman Haifa editor Sharon Gal told Anglo File that reporters had given the Bahais about seven hours to repond to the claims. Due to a "technical error," their response to the allegations had not appeared, but added that a response was printed in full the following week, the same week the full-page advertisement was published. He added that many editors would not have agreed to print the advertisement of the Bahais because it was so overtly critical of the newspaper.
Murray Smith, deputy secretary-general of the Bahai World Center, says the gardens have given a "big boost" to the social and economic life of Haifa, with almost 35,000 Israelis visiting the site every week since June. This represents a radical rise in the number of day visitors to the city, at a time when tourism is at an all-time low. He emphasized that entrance to the gardens is free and that they are open daily.
The opening of the gardens, Smith adds, has forced the Bahais into the "limelight," although they prefer to keep a low profile, to avoid "upsetting people in a way that will be of negative consequence to Bahais in other countries."
Smith dismisses as "completely false and erroneous" the claims in the media that the Bahais worship idols and use incense. He also outlined the world center's strict regulations - built into the planning of the gardens - stipulating avoidance of water-intensive plants, and use of state-of-the-art irrigation technology. He adds that many "positive" articles also appeared in the press following the opening of the gardens.
In general, says Smith, the Bahai center has enjoyed good relations with all Israeli governments, a fact that has not escaped the attention of the government of Iran. There, Bahai believers are persecuted under the fundamentalist Islamic regime, which accuses them of being Zionist collaborators. Baha'u'llah, the founder of the monotheistic Bahai faith - which broke off from Islam 150 years ago - arrived in the Holy Land from Iran as a prisoner of the Ottoman Empire in 1868 and died near Acre in 1892. According to Smith, when the Bahais arrived in Palestine, Baha'u'llah instructed his followers that they must not seek or accept converts here, a rule which is still strictly observed today.
The elected governing body of the world's Bahai community, the Universal House of Justice, has its seat in Haifa on Mount Carmel, adjacent to the Shrine of the Bab and the new gardens. Haifa and Acre together comprise the international spiritual and administrative center for the five million followers of the Bahai faith, of whom 800 live in Israel, volunteering for a time at the Haifa headquarters before returning home.
The sentiments in the article are reflected in the 2007 Israeli documentary film "Bahais in My Backyard"which includes interviews with Murray R. Smith (at 9 minutes 20 seconds), Moshe Sharon (at 12 minutes and 10 seconds), Nigar Bahai Amsalem (at 13 minutes 50 seconds), and Frederick Glaysher (at 40 minutes)
Moshe Sharon serves as Professor Emeritus of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem where he serves as Chair in Bahá'í Studies. In the interview he states that the only Bahá'í academic chair in the world is in Israel due to his efforts in convincing Hebrew University to establish one and his efforts in finding a benefactor to fund the position. Even at the time of the interview, there were other Bahá'í academic chairs in existence, such as the ones established at Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, a state university in Madhya Pradesh, in 1991 and at the University of Maryland in 1993.
Moshe Sharon denies the existence of Bahá'u'lláh's descendants in Israel. Despite Sharon's denial of the existence of such relatives, they do exist, and one of Bahá'u'lláh's great-granddaughters, Nigar Bahai Amsalem, is featured in the film. The denial of these descendants, no less by a purported academic who is "Chair of Bahá'í Studies" at arguably Israel's best university, is curious.
Frequently interviewed by Israeli media, Moshe Sharon has been called "Israel's greatest Middle East scholar". Among his political views is that there is "no possibility of peace between Israel and the Palestinians whatsoever, for ever" and that peace agreements with Arabs are "pieces of paper, parts of tactics, strategies...with no meaning." He blames the Bosnians' being Muslim for the Yugoslav conflict of the 1990's and argues that "The only way to avoid military confrontation with Iran is to leave this military confrontation to powers bigger than Israel." "
Who are Bahá'u'lláh's descendants? They are a varied group of people. Some, such as Nigar Bahai Amsalem, have married Israeli Jews. Shoghi Effendi's brother Husayn married someone Shoghi Effendi would describe as a "lowborn Christian girl." Others have married Indians. Still others have married Arabs. In fact, Munib Shahid, Shoghi Effendi's cousin through `Abdu'l-Bahá's daughter Ruha, married Serene Husseini Shahid, and their daughter, Leila Shahid is a prominent Palestinian diplomat currently serving as General Delegate of Palestine to the European Union. She is frequently interviewed, particularly by francophone media,. Although Munib Shahid made trips abroad to promote the Bahá'í Faith, Shoghi Effendi would declare Munib Shahid a Covenant-breaker with the the following cable to the Bahá'í world in November 1944:
Monib Shahid, grandson of both `Abdu'l-Bahá and the King of Martyrs, married according to the Moslem rites the daughter of a political exile who is nephew of the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem. This treacherous act of alliance with enemies of the Faith merits condemnation of entire Bahá'í world." Bahá'í News, No. 172
In March 1950, Shoghi Effendi would send a cable: "Faithless brother Hussein, already abased through dishonorable conduct over period (of) years followed by association with Covenant-breakers (in) Holy Land and efforts (to) undermine Guardian's position, recently further demeaned himself through marriage under obscure circumstances with lowborn Christian girl (in) Europe." Shoghi Effendi would later defend the use of the term "lowborn Christian girl" as follows: "Regarding his cable concerning Hussein: he has been very surprised to note that the terms 'low-born Christian girl ' and 'disgraceful alliance' should arouse any question; it seems to him that the friends should realize it is not befitting for the Guardian's own brother, the grandchild of the Master, an Afnán and Aghsán mentioned in the Will and Testament of the Master, and of whom so much was expected because of his relation to the family of the Prophet, to marry an unknown girl, according to goodness knows what rite, who is not a believer at all.
