May 17. On this date in 1953, Shoghi Effendi addressed a cablegram to the Bahá'ís of the world, condemning his one-time close companion, secretary, and first cousin as "treacherous Ruhi Afnan."

May 17. On this date in 1953, Shoghi Effendi addressed a cablegram to the Bahá'ís of the world, condemning his one-time close companion, secretary, and first cousin as "treacherous Ruhi Afnan."

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]