January 16. On this date in 1922, less than two months after 'Abdu'l-Bahá's death, Shoghi Effendi addressed a letter to Herbert Samuel, the British High Commissioner for Palestine, who would recognize its receipt in a letter addressed to Shoghi Effendi one week later, on January 24, 1922.

 

A postcard with photos of Zionist leaders. Theodor Herzl and Herbert Samuel appear in center in Stars of David, linking them is the photo of Lord Balfour.

January 16. On this date in 1922, less than two months after 'Abdu'l-Bahá's death, Shoghi Effendi addressed a letter to Herbert Samuel, the British High Commissioner for Palestine, who would recognize its receipt in a letter addressed to Shoghi Effendi one week later, on January 24, 1922.

On January 24, 1922, Shoghi Effendi received a letterfrom Herbert Samuel, the British High Commissioner for Palestine. The receipt of the letter is mentioned in Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum's The Priceless Pearl. As High Commissioner, Herbert Samuel was the first Jew to govern the historic land of Israel in 2,000 years, and his appointment was regarded by the Muslim-Christian Associations as the "first step in formation of Zionist national home in the midst of Arab people." Herbert Samuel welcomed the arrival of Jewish settlers under the auspices of the Palestine Jewish Colonization Association and recognised Hebrew as one of the three official languages of the Mandate territory.

While Shoghi Effendi was thus occupied and was gathering his powers and beginning to write letters such as these to the Bahá'ís in different countries, he received the following letter from the High Commissioner for Palestine, Sir Herbert Samuel, dated 24 January 1922:

Dear Mr. Rabbani,

I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of Jan. 16., and to thank you for the kind expression it contains. It would be unfortunate if the ever to be lamented death of Sir 'Abdu'l-Bahá were to interfere with the completion of your Oxford career, and I hope that may not be the case. I am much interested to learn of the measures that have been taken to provide for the stable organization of the Bahá'í Movement. Should you be at any time in Jerusalem in would be a pleasure to me to see you here.

Yours sincerely,

Herbert Samuel