Visit of Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand to India - 2

Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand

Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand’s response to the Questions raised by the Orthodox Baha’i Friends during his visit to Mumbai and Vasai on 15th and 16th September 2010. 

4. Why Poverty and caste differences?

He rightly pointed out the reason for poverty and suffering – it being the differences between people in the name of caste, creed, race and color. He said that if people were to recognize humanity as a single unit, equality for mankind as stated in the true sense by the Baha’i’ Faith, then the problems of poverty and suffering would disappear. The second point directed was that education lifts humans to new heights; illiteracy was a disease which affected the people.

5. Please give some information about the court case in USA.

 He briefly gave some information about the Contempt Motion by Wilmette NSA

against Orthodox Baha’i Faith, the ruling of the District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division and existing situation that the parties are waiting for the decision of Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in NSA's appeal of decision finding Orthodox Baha’is were not in contempt, and asked the friends to find the complete information presented by the Hand of the Cause Jeffrey Goldberg at True Baha’i Blog:

http://www.truebahai.com/court_case.html

6. Mr. Datta goes to the Ganpati pandal and tries to make the youth aware of the  Baha’i’ Faith.

He replied to this saying that this was a laudatory act. But it should not be in the guise of telling the others that he is Hindu and had come to pray and then trying to convert them. Rather he should never renounce his Faith and when he is questioned about his Faith he should firmly announce his belief in Baha’i Faith. He also pointed out that praying in any form is a way to nearness to God and this does not take one away from the Faith as long as one does not deny his true belief. Beloved Master Abdu’l Baha prayed with the Muslims in the mosques.

November 28: Anniversary of the Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá

Born on May 23, 1844, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was the oldest son of Baha’u’llah.

He passed away in Haifa, Israel, on November 28, 1921.

"O Thou Who art the apple of Mine eye!" Baha’u’llah, in His own handwriting, thus addresses 'Abdu'l-Bahá, "My glory, the ocean of My loving-kindness, the sun of My bounty, the heaven of My mercy rest upon Thee. We pray God to illumine the world through Thy knowledge and wisdom, to ordain for Thee that which will gladden Thine heart and impart consolation to Thine eyes." "The glory of God rest upon Thee," He writes in another Tablet, "and upon whosoever serveth Thee and circleth around Thee. Woe, great woe, betide him that opposeth and injureth Thee. Well is it with him that sweareth fealty to Thee; the fire of hell torment him who is Thine enemy." "We have made Thee a shelter for all mankind," He, in yet another Tablet, affirms, "a shield unto all who are in heaven and on earth, a stronghold for whosoever hath believed in God, the Incomparable, the All-Knowing. God grant that through Thee He may protect them, may enrich and sustain them, that He may inspire Thee with that which shall be a wellspring of wealth unto all created things, an ocean of bounty unto all men, and the dayspring of mercy unto all peoples."

            (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 135)

 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá who is the Center of Baha’u’llah’s Covenant  “incarnates an institution for which we can find no parallel whatsoever in any of the world's recognized religious systems, may be said to have closed the Age to which He Himself belonged and opened the one in which we are now laboring. His Will and Testament should thus be regarded as the perpetual, the indissoluble link which the mind of Him Who is the Mystery of God has conceived in order to insure the continuity of the three ages that constitute the component parts of the Baha’i Dispensation.”

                    (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 143)

“It would, however, be helpful and instructive to bear in mind certain basic principles with reference to the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, which, together with the Kitab-i-Aqdas, constitutes the chief depository wherein are enshrined those priceless elements of that Divine Civilization, the establishment of which is the primary mission of the Baha’i Faith.”

                      (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 3)

In His Will and Testament `Abdu'l-Bahá established the institution of the Guardianship as a hereditary office and outlines one of its essential functions as the Interpreter of the Baha’i writings.

We Baha’is pay homage to our living guardian on the day of passing away of our beloved Master, `Abdu'l-Bahá.

A programme is organised at Vasai, Thane district on Sunday 28th November 2010 at 10.00 AM. Mr. Trivedi will be giving a short talk on the life of `Abdu'l-Bahá.

26th November, Blessed Day of the Covenant

“In a letter dictated by Baha’u’llah and addressed by Mirza Aqa Jan, His amanuensis, to 'Abdu'l-Bahá while the latter was on a visit to Beirut, we read the following: 

"Praise be to Him Who hath honored the Land of Ba (Beirut) through the presence of Him round Whom all names revolve. All the atoms of the earth have announced unto all created things that from behind the gate of the Prison-city there hath appeared and above its horizon there hath shone forth the Orb of the beauty of the great, the Most Mighty Branch of God -- His ancient and immutable Mystery -- proceeding on its way to another land. Sorrow, thereby, hath enveloped this Prison-city, whilst another land rejoiceth... Blessed, doubly blessed, is the ground which His footsteps have trodden, the eye that hath been cheered by the beauty of His countenance, the ear that hath been honored by hearkening to His call, the heart that hath tasted the sweetness of His love, the breast that hath dilated through His remembrance, the pen that hath voiced His praise, the scroll that hath borne the testimony of His writings."

“Abdu'l-Bahá, writing in confirmation of the authority conferred upon Him by Baha’u’llah, makes the following statement: 

"In accordance with the explicit text of the Kitab-i-Aqdas Baha’u’llah hath made the Center of the Covenant the Interpreter of His Word -- a Covenant so firm and mighty that from the beginning of time until the present day no religious Dispensation hath produced its like."

               (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 136)

During the Visit of Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand to India

Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand

Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand’s response to the Questions raised by the Orthodox Baha’i Friends during his visit to Mumbai and Vasai on 15th and 16th September 2010.

1. Can we go for the pilgrimage of the Hallowed Shrines in Haifa and Akka?

 Since at the moment the sacred places of the Faith are under the care and control of the bogus UHJ, it would be difficult or impossible for Orthodox Baha’is to visit there because of the animosity and hostility they would show to us. However, there are public sightseeing tours which guide tourists to visit the shrines. No doubt the shrines and sacred sites hold great importance and significance, but in the end it is the faith of the believer that matters. The true shrine to the Manifestation of God rests in the hearts of the faithful.

2. How we can achieve unity of mankind and love amongst people?

 Man started his material journey from a life of savagery to gradual progress in an industrial environment. During the course of this progress, the Manifestations of God appeared to guide humanity to a higher level of spirituality until the appearance of the most complete Manifestation, Baha’u’llah. Baha’u’llah’s Teachings are the mechanisms that make the accomplishment of these objectives become possible.

3.  How to combat stress in every day modern life?

 This was lauded by the Hand of Cause Nosrat’u’llah as a contemporary issue affecting a majority of lives of urban populace. The problem mostly is the result of focusing on material wealth and possessions. The fight to achieve it caused stress and pain, breaking of relations and decrease of love in humanity. However, the solution was simple and as old as time. We had to return to our spiritual roots, look inwards to the soul and understand the superficial cover of material society. To turn towards the Manifestation is surely an antidote to present afflictions. He guided the believers towards the prayer of Baha’u’llah. This enlightened the hearts of the gathering present and was discussed by the faithful after his leaving.

12th November, Birth Anniversary of Baha'u'llah

Celebrating the Birth Anniversary of Baha'u'llah let us think upon collectively on the continuity of the guardianship, walking on the path of the Covenant.
As our living guardian says:

"The distinguishing characterstic of the Revelation of Baha'u'llah is a Covenant which Baha'u'llah made with His followers to preserve and safe-guard the Faith, following His Ascension, from the divisive and baleful effect of varying interpretations which, have plagued the religions of the past and destroyed the unity of their followers. This Covenant embodied in a specific written Testament designated by Him as the Book of His Covenant (Kitab-i-'Ahd) has no parallel in the Scriptures of any previous Dispensation. In this unique Document, Baha'u'llah conferred the mantle of authority upon His Ascension on the shoulders of His son, 'Abdu'l-Baha, Whome He designated as the Center of His Covenant and "The Most Great Branch" Further in the Most Holy Book of His Revelation (Kitab-i-Aqdas) He proclaimed:"When the ocean of My presence hath ebbed and the Book of My Revelation is ended, turn your Faces towards Him Whom God hath purposed, Who hath branched from this Ancient Root."
Lest there be any misunderstanding as to the intent of the above quoted passage, Baha'u'llah clarified it in the Book of His Covenant (Kitab-i-'Ahd) in these Words:
"The object of this sacred verse is none other except the most Mighty Branch ('Abdu'l-Baha)."