July 14. On this date in 1945, Shoghi Effendi posthumously named Siyyid Mustafá Rúmí a Hand of the Cause sending the following cablegram:
“Hearts griefstricken passing Supreme Concourse distinguished pioneer Faith Baha’u’llah, dearly beloved staunch high minded noble soul Siyyid Mustafa. Long record his superb services (in) both teaching (and) administrative fields shed lustre on both heroic and formative ages (of) Baha’i Dispensation. His magnificent achievements fully entitle him join ranks (of the) Hands of (the) Cause (of) Baha’u’llah. His resting place should be regarded foremost shrine (in the) community of Burmese believers Advise holding (of) memorial gatherings throughout India (to) his imperishable memory. Urge Indian (and) Burmese Baba’is participate construction (of his) tomb. Cabling three hundred pounds (as) my personal contribution (for) so praiseworthy (a) purpose.”
Siyyid
Mustafa was born in Baghdad, but his family moved to Madras, India
while he was a child. He first encountered the Baha'i Faith in 1876
through Jamal Effendi, and became a Baha'i in Calcutta late in 1877. In
May, 1878 he traveled to Burma with Jamal Effendi.
In
the late 1800's the Burmese Baha'i community constructed a sarcophagus
for the Báb, and in 1899 Siyyid Mustafa brought it to the Holy Land
where he presented it to 'Abdu'l-Baha. The remains of the Báb were
placed in the sarcophagus in 1909. He traveled to the Dutch East Indies
with Jamal Effendi in the 1880's, and the two converted the King and
Queen of Boné
in Celebes on the journey. He was elected to the National Spiritual
Assembly of India and Burma in the late 1930's. Siyyid Mustafa was
invited to live in the village of Daidanaw by the headman of the
village, who had learnt about the Faith from two Baha'is who had vouched
for him in a legal dispute. He converted approximately 800 residents of
Daidanaw to the Baha'i Faith and established a school there. In his
later years he translated the Kitab-i-Iqan, The Hidden Words and Some
Answered Questions into Burmese, and the Maoala-i-Sayyah into Urdu.
On
March 13, 1945, a mob of 3000 nationalists attacked foreigners in
Daidanaw, destroying many Baha'i properties and murdering eleven Baha'is
including Siyyid Mustafa.
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