cropping up in ... and discouraging you in your work, keeping you from
devoting all your spare time in teaching the Cause and spreading its
principles. He does not wish you, however, to lose heart from such things.
As the Cause grows its difficulties will increase and its problems will
become more numerous. The friends, especially the older ones, should
therefore try and stand unmoved by them. In fact the more their
difficulties will increase the more they have to take courage and try to
solve them. The Master has often said that sorrows are like furrows, the
deeper they go the more productive the land becomes. If this problem of
... should be settled other problems will arise. Are the friends to become
discouraged or are they to follow the footsteps of the Master and consider
them more as chances to show their tenacity of belief and spirit of
sacrifice? In short, Shoghi Effendi wishes you to keep on teaching the
principles of the Cause no matter what problems may arise.
[From the Guardian:]
...Let not anxieties and disappointments overwhelm you or oppress your
generous and sensitive heart. Turn to Him in prayer and remember that I am
joining you in your supplications for guidance and strength. Be patient in
tribulation and never relax in your efforts to promote the Divine
Teachings.
Letter of 28 March 1926
28 March 1926
It must have been very distasteful to you to read some of the off-hand and
ungrammatical translations that more out of necessity than choice won
circulation and were even published. Furthermore, it was always the
expressed wish and desire of 'Abdu'l-Baha to have proper and adequate
translations that would not only convey the true spirit of the original
but also possess some literary merit. And for this he emphasised the
necessity of a board of translators. Such a board it has unfortunately
been impossible to form as yet.
Meanwhile Shoghi Effendi, realising the urgent necessity of the
translation of some of the important writings, has translated some of the
passages.
Letter of 16 October 1926
16 October 1926
We should, however, be careful, as you mention in your letter, not to make
this system develop into a hard and fast creed or form. The Cause is pure
and free from such things and it ought to be the task of the friends to
keep it broad and progressive. Man is always apt to fall into the habit of
doing a thing in a certain way, and thereby become captive to prescribed
forms. It should therefore be the duty of the assemblies everywhere to see
that, though certain temporary measures are taken to further the Cause,
they do not crystallise into hard and fast creeds.
Letter of 6 April 1928
6 April 1928
[From the Guardian]
I feel that regarding such interpretations (of verses from the Scriptures)
no one has the right to impose his view or opinion and require his
listeners to believe in his particular interpretation of the sacred and
prophetic writings. I have no objection to your interpretations and
inferences so long as they are represented as your own personal
observations and reflections. It would be unnecessary and confusing to
state authoritatively and officially a dogmatic Baha'i interpretation to
be universally accepted and taught by believers. Such matters I feel
should be left to the personal judgement and insight of individual
teachers....
Letter of 12 December 1929
12 December 1929
Ever since its inception (the "Baha'i World") Shoghi Effendi has cherished
the hope of making it a work that would prove interesting and illuminating
to the reader. Destined mainly for the non-Baha'is, he has tried to
attract through its pages the attention of educated and enlightened people
and especially leaders in every country, with a view to acquaint them with
the broad and fundamental principles of the Faith and to win their
consideration of the Movement as a growing force for good and for peace
throughout the entire world. It is therefore with lively satisfaction that
he has seen the publication grow yearly in importance and this feeling has
been lately enhanced very much by the words of interest or appreciation
which he has received from many quarters and leading men, among which was
a remarkably encouraging letter from Sir Herbert Samuel. Indeed Shoghi
Effendi has made it a point to send copies to as many leading men as
possible and copies of last year's issue were presented to the Emperor of
Japan, the _Sh_ah of Persia and Queen Marie of Rumania.
Letter of 9 February 1930
9 February 1930
The subject you had raised with regard to the date of the publication of
the writings of Baha'u'llah is interesting as it is important. If I
remember correctly the same issue was raised as an open challenge in India
by some spokesman of the Ahmadiyya sect. The earliest published writings
of Baha'u'llah date from the nineties of the last century. Over forty
years ago the Aqdas, a volume of general Tablets including Tarazat,
I_sh_raqat, and others were published in I_sh_qabad (Russia) and Bombay
respectively and copies of these though rare are still procurable.
Simultaneously with these, if not earlier, some of the writings of
Baha'u'llah were published by the Oriental Department of the Imperial
Russian University at St. Petersburgh under the supervision of its
director Baron Rosen (and more particulars about these could be found in
the books of E. G. Browne) and these of course are not undated like some
of those published in Bombay.
The main bulk of the writings of Baha'u'llah however are to be found in
manuscript form written by noted scribes after the fashion of orientals.
These scribes did not leave all their manuscripts undated and Jinabi Zain,
a very noted Baha'i scribe, always dated his copies of the writings of
Baha'u'llah at the end of the volume in what E. G. Browne calls
'colophenes' and the description of some of these colophenes could be
found in the works of the Cambridge Professor.
The son of the above-mentioned scribe is still living in Haifa and does
very much the same work as his father. He claims that as early as 1868 his
father used to write copies of the Iqan for the Baha'is in Persia as a
source of livelihood, and that after 1885 when he went to Akka to join
Baha'u'llah's party his entire work and time was devoted to copying the
sacred writings for sale among Baha'is. These copies are to be found all
throughout the East and are almost invariably dated.
Letter of 9 June 1930
9 June 1930
Concerning the accounts of visits to Haifa, published by the friends
during the Master's life-time, Shoghi Effendi is very reluctant to
attribute to them much authority. Most of these are personal impressions
and are to be valued only as such. Baha'u'llah definitely states that only
His actual writings are to be relied upon. Such reports may be interesting
but not authoritative, no matter who the reporter may be...
Letter of 22 October 1930
22 October 1930
...If those heroic deeds have made such an impression upon you, would not
the reading of the narrative arouse the friends to greater sacrifices and
stimulate them to more intensive service? It was not mere physical torture
that the friends in Persia had to endure but also moral persecution for
they were cursed and vilified by all the people, especially when they
ceased to defend themselves ... the Master used to say sometimes that the
western friends will be severely persecuted but theirs will be primarily
moral....
Letter of 30 November 1930
30 November 1930
He (the Guardian) is enclosing extracts from Lord Curzon's "Persia and the
Persian Question" giving a detailed and faithful description of the state
of Persia in the middle of the 19th century. He thinks that references to
the extracts ... will be of great value in showing to the reader the
contrast between the decadent state of the government and the people at
that time and the heroism and nobility of character displayed by the early
disciples of the Bab... Shoghi Effendi is also sending you ... the
Master's words concerning the situation which led to the defensive action
which the early disciples of the Bab were compelled to take in Mazindaran,
Nayriz and Zanjan. From these words it is evident that a systematic
campaign of plunder and massacre had been initiated by the central
government. Baha'u'llah, Who Himself was an active figure in those days
and was regarded one of the leading exponents of the Faith of the Bab,
states clearly His views in the Iqan that His conception of the
sovereignty of the Promised Qa'im was purely a spiritual one, and not a
material or political one... His view of the sovereignty of the Qa'im
confirms the various evidences given in the text of the narrative itself
of the views held by those who actually participated in these events such
as Hujjat, Quddus, Mulla ?usayn. The very fact that these disciples were
ready and willing to emerge from the fort and return to their homes after
receiving the assurance that they would be no more molested is itself an
evidence that they were not contemplating any action against the
authorities.
Shoghi Effendi is also sending you an account of the doctrines of _Sh_i'ah
Islam from which the Movement originally sprang. It will help you to
connect the origin of the Movement with the tenets and beliefs held by the
_Sh_i'ahs of Persia. The Bab declared Himself at the beginning of His
mission to be the "Bab" by which He meant to be the gate or forerunner of
"Him Whom God will make manifest", that is to say Baha'u'llah, Whose
advent the _Sh_i'ahs also expected in the person of "the return of Imam
?usayn". The Sunnis also believe in a similar twofold manifestation, the
first they call "the Mihdi", the second "the Return of Christ". By the
term Bab, the Bab meant to be the forerunner of the second manifestation
rather than, as some have maintained, the gate of the Qa'im. When He
declared Himself to be the Bab, the people understood by the term that He
was an intermediary between the absent Qa'im and His followers, though He
Himself never meant to be such a person. All He claimed to be was that He
was the Qa'im Himself and in addition to this station, that of the Bab,
namely the gate or forerunner of "Him Whom God will make manifest".
There are many authorised traditions from Mu?ammad stating clearly (as
explained in the Iqan) that the promised Qa'im would bring a new Book and
new Laws. In other words abrogating the law of Islam.
Shoghi Effendi feels that the Unity of the Baha'i revelation as one
complete whole embracing the Faith of the Bab should be emphasised... The
Faith of the Bab should not be divorced from that of Baha'u'llah. Though
the teachings of the Bayan have been abrogated and superseded by the laws
of Aqdas, yet due to the fact that the Bab considered Himself as the
forerunner of Baha'u'llah we should regard His dispensation together with
that of Baha'u'llah as forming one entity, the former being an
introductory to the advent of the latter. Just as the advent of John the
Baptist--who according to various authorities was Himself the originator of
laws which abrogated the teachings current among the Jews--forms part of
the Christian revelation, the advent of the Bab likewise forms an integral
part of the Baha'i Faith. That is why Shoghi Effendi feels justified to
call Nabil's narrative a narrative of the early days of the Baha'i
revelation.
Shoghi Effendi feels that it should be explained that forbidding self
defence by Baha'u'llah should not be taken too literally. To put it as
bluntly as this, he fears that the question might be misunderstood.
Baha'u'llah could surely have not meant that a Baha'i should not attempt
to defend his life against any irresponsible assailant who might attack
him for any purpose whatever, whether religious or not. Every reasonable
person would feel under such circumstances justified in protecting his
life....
Regarding Nabil: He was born on the 18th day of the month of Safar of the
year 1247 A. H. in the village of Zarand in Persia. He was thirteen years
old when the Bab declared Himself. Though still young he himself was
preparing to leave for _Sh_ay_kh_ Tabarsi and join the companions of Mulla
?usayn when the news of the treachery and massacre of the besieged
companions reached him. He met Baha'u'llah in Kirman_sh_ah and ?ihran
before the latter's banishment to 'Iraq. He was a close companion of the
Bab's amanuensis Mirza A?mad. He subsequently met Baha'u'llah in
Ba_gh_dad, Adrianople and Akka and was commissioned by Baha'u'llah to
journey several times to Persia in order to promote the Cause and
encourage the scattered and persecuted believers. He was present in Akka
when Baha'u'llah passed away in 1892 and soon after was so overcome with
grief that he drowned himself in the sea. His body was found along the
shore and was buried in the cemetery of Akka. 'Abdu'l-Baha is reported to
have been struck with deep sorrow at the manner of his death. He states in
his narration that he met the maternal uncle of the Bab, ?aji Mirza Siyyid
'Ali who had visited his nephew in the Castle of _Ch_ihriq and had
recently returned to ?ihran. He started writing his narrative in 1305 A.H.
four years before the passing of Baha'u'llah. It took him about a year and
half to write it. His chief informants were Mirza A?mad the amanuensis of
the Bab and Mirza Musa the brother of Baha'u'llah. Parts of his narrative
were read in the presence of Baha'u'llah and approved by Him. 'Abdu'l-Baha
also went over sections of his narrative....
Shoghi Effendi has found in the papers of 'Abdu'l-Baha a complete set of
the Bab's Tablets to the 18 Letters of the Living, all written in His own
hand-writing and bearing His seal. In addition to these there are two
other Tablets both written by Himself in exquisite hand-writing, the one
addressed to the 19th Letter who was Himself and the other to "Him whom
God will make manifest", i.e. Baha'u'llah. This last one has three seals
and is written on blue paper....
Regarding the question raised in your letter.... The Baha'is in Persia
avoid political posts and positions, abstain from any interference in
matters pertaining to the policy of the state, but fill the more important
administrative posts that have no political character. They feel that in
this manner they can best serve the interest of their country and prove by
their action their integrity and attachment to Persia....
Shoghi Effendi is enclosing an extremely interesting account given by a
certain Dr. Cormick, an English physician long resident in Tabriz of his
meeting with the Bab. He is apparently the only Westerner who has met the
Bab and recorded his impressions... Shoghi Effendi thinks of adding it to
his notes.
Letter of 30 April 1931
30 April 1931
...You could also in a quiet way speak to persons whom you think are ready
for such a message and would appreciate the light when they see it. Try to
form around you a group of Baha'is who are well versed in the teachings
and who are ready to assist you in serving the Cause. In short try to form
an assembly of pure and competent souls. Meanwhile you could write, for
the Cause is in great need of first class literature and you are gifted
along that line.
The Cause surely needs sacrifices, in fact it is only through sacrifice
that it can progress, but such determined activity should be coupled with
wisdom and caution if it is not going to be a temporary flare. Intimate
talk and personal contact has proven the surest and quietest way for
establishing a group....
Letter of 7 November 1931
7 November 1931
The present social and economic problems that are facing the British
people are surely occupying their whole attention, but they should also
operate as a reminder and draw them closer to spiritual matters. The
people have to be made conscious of the fact that without a complete
change in our outlook and a total reform of the guiding principles of our
life, such as the Cause advocates, our social and economic problems cannot
be solved nor our conditions ameliorated. Nothing short of the full
message of Baha'u'llah can end the sufferings that are befalling humanity.
Letter of 2 January 1932
2 January 1932
It is strange how much suffering man has to put up with while on this
earth. Our consolation should be however that it is part of a divine plan
whose worth we cannot yet fathom....
...Shoghi Effendi wishes ... to encourage those who are talented to give
expression to the wonderful spirit that animates them. We need poets and
writers for the Cause.... Some of the poems are written by very youthful
persons yet they ring so true and give expression to such thoughts that
one should halt and admire. In Persia the Cause has given birth to poets
that even non-Baha'is consider them as great. We hope before long we will
have similar persons arise in the West.
Letter of 10 January 1932
10 January 1932
In Persia the Cause gave birth to many poets of national standing. Let us
hope that the west will follow suit and produce similar talents.
Letter of 23 February 1932
23 February 1932
The exact date in which the Hidden Words was written you can find on the
opening page of Mrs. J. E. Stannard's translation published in Cairo. She
gives a line in the Master's own handwriting giving the date as 1274 A.H.
(1857-8 A.D.). It is generally believed that the Hidden Words was dictated
by Baha'u'llah to His secretary as He strolled on the banks of the river
in Ba_gh_dad--in sections rather than all at one time.
As to the date of the Iqan, I think it can be calculated from the actual
text and I have it in my papers as 1278 A.H., i.e. 1861 A.D. You will find
that in the text itself. It was written in answer to questions put by a
distinguished Babi.
Letter of 16 May 1932
16 May 1932
Even though outwardly the number of the friends has not been increasing so
rapidly, yet the spirit has not remained idle. The leaven of spirituality
has been working, and when the time will come it will manifest itself in a
sudden awakening. All that we need is a little more courage, perseverance
and patience. There are many important men that are attentively watching
the progress of the Faith but are reluctant to come forward and extend a
helping hand. In time they will, and then we shall see the Cause of God
spread by leaps and bounds....
Letter of 10 August 1932
10 August 1932
Your touching words of condolence and sympathy in connection with the
sudden removal of the Greatest Holy Leaf from our midst have greatly
comforted (the Guardian's) aching heart and relieved the burden of sorrow
that lies so heavily upon him.
In this great calamity which has seized the entire body of the followers
of the Faith in both East and West our Guardian's loss is the greatest and
the most cruel. His sole comfort, at this terrible hour, is to see the
friends united and working together for the realisation of our departed
_Kh_anum's dearest wishes.
Letter of 15 March 1933
15 March 1933
He deeply appreciates your sincere, well-expressed reference to the
Tribute he has written to the dearly beloved Greatest Holy Leaf.
You cannot imagine to what an extent our dear Guardian has, in this loss,
been deprived for ever of the sustaining influence and kindness that this
Most Exalted Leaf used to shower daily upon him. In this beautiful Tribute
we can trace the life of this beautiful soul, witness with anguish all the
sufferings and deprivations that she has endured. Now we should, all of
us, try in turn to follow her saintly path and direct all our energy to
serve the Cause which has been so dear to her.
Letter of 6 May 1933
6 May 1933
What the Faith needs, even more than teachers, is books that expound the
true significance of its principles in the light of modern thought and
social problems.
Letter of 29 May 1933
29 May 1933
He was deeply touched by the strong attachment of the friends to one who,
besides being the beloved daughter of Baha'u'llah, exemplified perhaps
more than any one the true spirit that animates His Teachings. His (the
Guardian's) sincere hope is that your love for our departed Greatest Holy
Leaf will attain such depth and intensity as to enable you to follow in
her footsteps and to carry out with increasing devotion and vigour all
that she cherished so much during the entire course of her earthly life.
The memory of her saintly life will undoubtedly sustain and feed your
energies and will provide you with that spiritual potency of which we are
all in such a great need.
Letter of 17 October 1933
17 October 1933
How much the Faith is in need of able and devoted souls like you who are
ready to suffer every possible deprivation for its sake. If every believer
was ready to contribute his share, however humble and small, and through
any means, whether intellectual or material, the Faith would have
undoubtedly made a tremendous progress in the world....
Letter of 12 November 1933
12 November 1933
You use the expression "till time ends". This is misleading, for there is
no end to time. The Guardian suggests that you should either use the term
used in the Iqan "till the end that has no end", or express it in such a
manner that would give the idea that time has no end....
Jehovah is a title of God, whereas Baha'u'llah is the title of the
Manifestation of God.
... you count the period of the Christian Dispensation as having lasted
for 1844 years. As in the Baha'i teachings Mu?ammad is considered as an
independent prophet of God, you have to consider His Dispensation as
having begun in 622 A.D. The Christian Dispensation must, therefore, end
in 622 A.D. and from that date till 1844 is the era of Mu?ammad. 1260 is
the calculation based on the lunar system. In other words, it is the
Hegira year or A.H. You should either specify this fact, or base your
calculation on the solar year, in which case it will be less than 1260, as
there is a difference of one year in every 33 years.
... you should point out that, only so far as it is recorded in the
Gospel, Jesus gave two material ordinances only. Our knowledge of Jesus'
life and teachings is rather fragmentary and so it would be more correct
if you specify that these ordinances are only those recorded in the
Gospel, and they may not be the only ones. There may be other teachings
and ordinances too, of which no record is left.
...Muhammadanism is not only the last of the world religions, but a fuller
Revelation than any one preceding it. The Qur'an is not only more
authoritative than any previous religious gospel, but it contains also
much more; ordinances, teachings and precepts, which taken together
constitute a fuller Revelation of God's purpose and law to mankind than
Christianity, Judaism or any other previous Dispensation. This view is in
complete accord with the Baha'i philosophy of progressive revelation, and
should be thoroughly accepted and taught by every loyal ... Baha'i.
Letter of 1 December 1933
1 December 1933
One more European is reported to have seen Baha'u'llah from a distance,
but Professor Browne was the only Westerner who actually met Him.
Letter of 4 June 1934
4 June 1934
You should, nevertheless, persevere in your efforts until your immediate
objective has been fully attained. God cannot, indeed, withdraw from so
devoted and so capable a Baha'i like you all the guidance and assistance
you need for the effective discharge of your responsibilities and
obligations to the Cause. Be, therefore, confident in Baha'u'llah's help.
His Spirit will lead you, and will feed your soul with that spiritual
sustenance whereby you will be able to overcome the obstacles which seem
to so hopelessly beset your path.
Letter of 10 November 1934
10 November 1934
When you quote the Bab, or anyone of His disciples you should make it
clear that the words attributed to them are by no means their exact words.
They constitute the substance of their message, and thus are not as
definite as the quoted words of Baha'u'llah or the Master. So, the
Guardian suggests that you should either omit the quotation marks, or to
specify that the passages quoted are not the exact words used by the Bab
and His disciples. In the future edition of Nabil's Narrative a similar
explanation will have to be inserted in the "Dawn Breakers".
You state that the Christian Dispensation "was six hundred and twenty-two
years old at the time of the Hegira". The Guardian suggests that the words
"at the time of the Hegira" be omitted as they may give the impression
that the Revelation of Christ extended beyond the date of the Hegira.
Letter of 8 February 1935
8 February 1935
Religious conservatism, particularly in England, constitutes indeed a
serious obstacle which the friends have to meet when spreading the
Message, and not until such an obstacle has been completely removed can
the Cause effectively spread and establish itself in the West. This
religious conservatism is in many respects far more dangerous and more
difficult to wipe out than the religious apathy which is so rapidly
invading all classes of society.
In view of that, it is, at least for the present, more advantageous to
teach the Message in an indirect way, so as to gradually attract and
confirm those who have the spiritual capacity of appreciating the Cause in
its fullness.
Letter of 29 May 1935