The List of Nineteen Letters of Living

First                         Mullá Husayn-i-Bushrú’í
Second                    Muhammad Hasan (His Brother)
Third                       Muhammad-Báqir (His Nephew)
Fourth                    Mullá ‘Alíy-i-Bastamí
Fifth                       Mullá Khudá-Bakhsh-i-Quchání (later named Mullá ’Ali)
Sixth                     Mullá Hasan-i-Bajistání
Seventh                  Siyyid Husayn-i-Yazdí
Eighth                    Mírzá Muhammad Rawdih-Khán-i-Yazdí
Ninth                    Sa’íd-i-Hindí
Tenth                   Mullá Mahmúd-i-Khú’í
Eleventh                Mullá Jalíl-i-Urúmí
Twelfth                 Mullá Ahmad-i-Ibdal-i-Marághi’í
Thirteenth             Mullá Báqir-i-Tabrízí
Fourteenth            Mullá Yusif-i-Ardibílí
Fifteenth              Mírzá Hádí (Son of Mullá ‘Abdu’l-Vahháb-i-Qazvíní)
Sixteenth      Mírzá Muhammad-i ‘Alíy-i-Qazvíní
Seventeenth         Táhirih
Eighteenth      Quddús
Nineteenth            The Báb Himself

::: We Firmly Believe :::

RIDVAN MESSAGE (APRIL 2014) BY THE 4TH GUARDIAN NOSRAT U LLAH BAHREMAND

Through the Care of the Hand of the Cause of God,
Jeffrey Goldberg, Secretary-General of the International Bahá'í Council;

To the Faithful and true Bahá'ís around the world,
Dear Friends,
Today, the last day of the Festival of Ridván, is the anniversary of the departure of Bahá'u'lláh from the Garden of Ridván.
During the one and a half century since then, the believers many times and in different condition have been under the fire of tests and trials.
Bahá'u'lláh reveals:
“O COMRADES!
The gates that open on the Placeless stand wide and the habitation of the loved one is adorned with the lovers' blood, yet all but a few remain bereft of this celestial city, and even of these few, none but the smallest handful hath been found with a pure heart and sanctified spirit.” (The Hidden Words)

Friends, be thankful that you are blessed to be among the handful “with a pure heart and sanctified spirit.” This distinction and privilege obligates the Friends to help those who are left behind and awaken those who are misled, before the retributive afflictions and calamities which have been prophesied hit with full force. Humanity at the moment is tasting only a small sample of what is to come.

“The world is in travail, and its agitation waxeth day by day. Its face is turned towards waywardness and unbelief. Such shall be its plight, that to disclose it now would not be meet and seemly. Its perversity will long continue. And when the appointed hour is come, there shall suddenly appear that which shall cause the limbs of mankind to quake. Then, and only then, will the Divine Standard be unfurled, and the Nightingale of Paradise warble its melody.”
  (Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 118)

My fervent hope is that the friends, in cooperation with each other, will illumine the minds and spirits by the light of the teachings of the true Faith of God and save as many misled souls as you can while the time allows.

With best wishes and loving regards,

Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand

Martyrdom of the Báb

Orthodox Baha’i Community of India Commemorate the Martyrdom of the Báb

On May 23, 1844, a young man, surnamed the Báb (the Gate), proclaimed the advent of a new Era and announced that He was the "Forerunner" of the Promised One, the One Who had been the "sole Object of all previous Revelations."

In spite of the overwhelming forces of opposition within His native land, the Báb succeeded during His six year ministry in winning to His Cause the adherence of several thousand believers, including some of the ranking divines and scholars of Persia. His turbulent ministry ended with His martyrdom at the hands of a military firing squad in the public square of Tabríz in 1850.

-(Joel B. Marangella,The Third Guardian of Bahai Faith)-

On 9^th July 1850 at Noon Bab martyred. Although the widespread persecution and martyrdom of His followers had reduced their ranks to a remnant, the spiritual flame which the Báb had ignited in Persia could not be extinguished. This flame was destined to burn with renewed intensity with the appearance of the One foretold and heralded by the Báb.

The remains of the Báb, secretly kept in a plain wooden box and hidden in various places over many decades, in 1909 were finally laid to rest by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in a beautiful shrine on the slopes of Mt. Carmel.

The National Baha’i Council of India has announced a central program to commemorate the martyrdom of Bab on Monday 8^th July 2013 at Vasai Road.

A. Parikh, Secretary NBC of India.

God's Glorious Bounty Prevails in this Troubled World

Divine Springtime of Thy tender mercies

Glory to Thee, O my God! The first stirrings of the spring of Thy grace have appeared and clothed Thine earth with verdure. The clouds of the heaven of Thy bounty have rained their rain on this City within whose walls is imprisoned Him Whose desire is the salvation of Thy creatures. Through it the soil of this City hath been decked forth, and its trees clothed with foliage, and its inhabitants gladdened.

The hearts of Thy dear ones, however, will rejoice only at the Divine Springtime of Thy tender mercies, whereby the hearts are quickened, and the souls are renewed, and the trees of human existence bear their fruits.

The plants that have sprung forth, O my Lord, in the hearts of Thy loved ones have withered away. Send down upon them, from the clouds of Thy spirit, that which will cause the tender herbs of Thy knowledge and wisdom to grow within their breasts. Rejoice, then, their hearts with the proclamation of Thy Cause and the exaltation of Thy sovereignty.

Their eyes, O my Lord, are expectantly turned in the direction of Thy bounty, and their faces are set towards the horizon of Thy grace. Suffer them not, through Thy bounty, to be deprived of Thy grace. Potent art Thou, by Thy sovereign might, over all things. No God is there but Thee, the Almighty, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

Bahá’u’lláh

(Posted by our guest Hand of Cause of God Mr. David Maxwell on 2nd June 2013)

Bogus Universal House of Justice has illegitimately and erroneously altered and interpreted Verse 42 of Aqdas

We have received the Comment and its reply by anonymous readers. We are posting it for our friends. The Comment is posted on 9th May and replied on 12th May 2011.
Rajendra Upadhyaye.
 
Anonymous said...
Has the Guardian interpreted verse 42 of the Aqdas? If so I would like to know his interpretation.
 
Anonymous said...
“Has the Guardian interpreted verse 42 of the Aqdas? If so I would like to know his interpretation.”
If you mean the Verse regarding the “Endowments dedicated to charity” the answer is no, none of the Guardians have interpreted that Verse. If it was necessary they would have done it.
Unfortunately bogus UHJ has illegitimately and erroneously altered and interpreted this passage of Aqdas disregarding the following warning of Baha’u’llah in The most Holy Book and by doing so has transgressed against the Aqdas, violated this most Holy Book and has confused majority of the Baha’is.

“Whoso interpreteth what hath been sent down from the heaven of Revelation, and altereth its evident meaning, he, verily, is of them that have perverted the Sublime Word of God, and is of the lost ones in the Lucid Book.” (The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 57)

For further information please read this  article:
Specially refer to parts 3 and 4 of this article:

Reply to Kevin - Part 2

When the Hand of the Cause Mr. Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand replied to the aggressive comment of Kevin, we posted it on the blog under the heading “Followers of Bogus UHJ are confused”, Kevin has written as under:
KEVIN WROTE:
On April 1, 2011 4:03 PM
"Well Mr. Nosrat, I asked the reply from the guardian and not you. Whoever you are, have a rude approach. This is not the way to reply."
And on April 12, 2011 12:03 PM
"It is not the Universal House of Justice that is Bogus, but, the bogus is the self-proclaimed, uncertified and power hungry so-called guardians are.
Hiding behind the veils, attacking anonymously and sowing seed of infidelity and discontent. It will serve no purpose. The Orthodox Baha'i Faith and disputed guardianship castle is built on sand. How long will it stand....We will watch."

Dr. Parikh replied to these comments of Kevin:
Dear Kevin,
I have gone through your questions and reply of the Hand of Cause Nosrat'u'llah Bahremand and also read your comment on the reply of Mr. Nosrat.
I am writing to you, assuming that you are a Baha'i and a follower of majority group UHJ.
First of all I would like to write you that the reply by Mr. Nosrat is to the point and correct. Here I would like to clarify that the Universal House of Justice in Haifa without its head (Guardian) is Bogus.
As for the self-proclaimed, uncertified and power hungry guardians who are hiding behind the veils, attacking anonymously and sowing seed of infidelity and discontent, I also believe that it will serve no purpose. But I want to ask you whether the guardian in Baha’i Faith is essential or not?
I assume you to be a Baha’i. You will investigate the matter of continuity of guardianship in the writings of Baha'u'llah, Abdu’l Baha and Shoghi Effendi. And if you are not a Baha'i, you can comment on anything as millions do on the internet.
And as for your comment that “The Orthodox Baha'i Faith and disputed guardianship castle is built on sand. How long will it stand....We will watch”, I feel that as the guardianship is pivotal requisite for the continuity of the Baha’i Faith, for power hungry people, it is good opportunity to proclaim for “False and bogus guardianship.” This is the testing time for the believers thus the duty of the believers is to follow the true guardian, as per the Will and the Testament of Abdu'l Baha.
I would like to request to you and all the readers of our blog that if you are Baha'i, please adorn yourself with the moral and teachings of Baha'u'llah. I found lots of comments in this blog which shows that commentators are Baha'is but their manner is not a “Baha'i Manner”
Dr. A. Parikh,
Secretary, PNBC of India.

An Anonymous supported Dr. Parikh and Nosrat and wrote that “How do you request them (follower of bogus UHJ) for moral and good behavior? Please read:
Anonymous wrote:
Dear Mr. Parikh.
I think it is useless to request the followers of illegitimate UHJ to adorn with the morals. They are selfish people. They talk about universal peace; equality etc but they do not practice it.
They don't believe in the Will and Testament of Abdu'l Baha. They are cheating in India to the Government of India. They are cheating to UNO. Then how do you request them for moral and good behavior.

Reaction of Kevin to anonymous:
You are wrong my dear anonymous. Don't utter a word against us without any evidence. Give the proof of your accusation. I know you do not have it. Your approach reflects that how desperate you people are?
Anonymous replied to Kevin:
Anonymous Mr. Kevin,
What kind of proof you need? Do you want the proof that UHJ is bogus?
Please note that when guardian is not there in UHJ, it is bogus. You read the Will and Testament of Abdu'l Baha, you will find that without the guardian UHJ cannot function.
As for cheating to Govt. of India, do you not know the newspaper reports of espionage by Baha’is in India or do you not know the forgery of Iranian Baha’i of India in connection to his passport, ration card. Do you not know the case of FERA by the officials of Baha’is in New Delhi?
I hope that you will now investigate about the cheating and the frauds done by the key Baha’is of India holding important position in the Baha’i administration.
I would also love to suggest you to read the Will and Testament profoundly to confirm that the present UHJ is real or bogus. You yourself will come to the conclusion that who is WRONG and who is RIGHT, if you have the capacity for it.

CONCLUSION:
Kevin was frustrated and made a comment as under:
"The so-called self-claimed Guardian is in hiding and has deputed some ego-centric person to ambiguously answer the relevant questions with an irrelevant approach. God will only bring him to his senses. Central figures of the Faith are anxiously waiting in the Abha Kingdom for his arrival."
At the end of Part – 2, I would like to inform to Mr/Mrs/Ms. Kevin and the one who has deputed him/her to comment ambiguously, anybody can reply him/her. Let the reader decide that the reply is as per the Holy Writings of Baha’is Faith or against it?
Dr. A. Parikh,
Secretary, PNBC of India.
5th June 2011.

Reply to Kevin

Dear Readers,
I am posting here the action and reaction in the form of comments received in blog. Comments done by Kevin is replied by the honorable Hand of Cause and the Vice President of third International Bahai Council. Also some of the Anonymous friends replied it. I will post it in the next postings.
Rajendra.

PART-I
Kevin said...
Can the third guardian explain this question and answer from Kitab-i-Aqdas. I could not get it.

36. QUESTION: If the anniversary either of the Twin Birthdays or of the Declaration of the Báb occurreth during the Fast, what is to be done?

ANSWER: Should the feasts celebrating the Twin Birthdays or the Declaration of the Báb fall within the month of fasting, the command to fast shall not apply on that day.
(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 118)

March 22, 2011 10:35 PM

FOLLOWERS OF BOGUS UHJ ARE CONFUSED
The Hand of Cause, the Vice President of Third International Baha'i Council, Nosrat u llah Bahremand replies to the comment:
Kevin’s question shows how the Baha’is who are following the bogus UHJ are confused due to their disobedience and infidelity to the current Guardian, Joel B Marangella, and on the other hand because of the misrepresentation of the bogus UHJ and its infringement upon the sacred and prescribed domain of the Guardian.

In 1992 when they translated and published the Aqdas in English without having authority to do so, they added some notes to this sacred Book, many of which contain unauthorized and erroneous interpretations. Equally they were guilty of similar transgressions in the introduction which they added to the Book.

Baha’u’llah, Himself, in that Most Holy Book has warned:
“Whoso interpreteth what hath been sent down from the heaven of Revelation, and altereth its evident meaning, he, verily, is of them that have perverted the Sublime Word of God, and is of the lost ones in the Lucid Book.” 
 (The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 57)

The Birthdays of Baha’u’llah and the Bab were registered in the Hijri calendar which is a lunar calendar previously used in Iran and other Muslim dominated countries but today is mostly used for religious purposes. The Hijri calendar which is based on the Moon’s cycles consists of 12 months without a link to the seasons, a Hijri lunar year is usually 11 to 12 days shorter than a solar year so that an event which is registered at the same time in both calendars takes approximately 33 Hijri years to match up again. The Baha’is in Iran and the Middle East still celebrate these Holy Days on the lunar basis: the birth of the Bab on the first day and the birth of Baha’u’llah on the second day of the month of Muharram (the first month of Hijri calendar). The Baha’i calendar is on the solar basis, so it becomes obvious why the question is raised. Baha’u’llah relieved Baha’is from fasting if those Holy Days fall on the month of Alá’ (Loftiness).

To decide whether the Baha’is of Iran and the Middle Eastern countries will continue to celebrate these Holy Days on the basis of the solar calendar, as the Baha’is of the West currently do, or otherwise, will be left to the establishment of a true Universal House of Justice which will then have the Guardian of the Cause of God as its “Sacred Head,” as stipulated in the Will and Testament of Abdu'l-Baha, and accordingly thereby posses “the necessary guidance to define the sphere of legislative action of its elected representatives”.

Nosrat
March 28, 2011 5:40 AM

Abdu'l-Baha on Fasting

Living Guardian's Message in Asian Age Newspaper

Guardian's Message for the Indian Baha'is appeared in Asian Age Mumbai edition on 27February 2011 on the occasion of Ayyam-i-ha

Accepting Remey's Proclamation

The month of Mulk (Dominion)

The month of Mulk (Dominion) is the nineteen day period beginning February 7.

“Strive then, O My brother, to apprehend this matter, that the veils may be lifted from the face of thy heart and that thou mayest be reckoned among them whom God hath graced with such penetrating vision as to behold the most subtle realities of His dominion, to fathom the mysteries of His kingdom, to perceive the signs of His transcendent Essence in this mortal world, and to attain a station wherein one seeth no distinction amongst His creatures and findeth no flaw in the creation of the heavens and the earth.” 

--Bahá'u'lláh, Gems of Divine Mysteries 

“…that the veils may be lifted from the face of thy heart…” Now, isn’t that interesting? Bahá'u'lláh is asking that we strive to lift the veils from the face of our hearts. I expect that very few of us consider that our hearts have a face. But in spiritual terms, apparently they do. We must remember that all of Bahá'u'lláh’s admonishments and instructions deal with the spirit within. We should also consider that upon leaving this world, as is our destiny, the world beyond is based upon a spiritual existence, a dimension that none of us has the capacity to comprehend or understand while we dwell in our temporal body. There can be no doubt about the existence of another world beyond this one since all the Messengers of the past have told us so, although in the limited terms that humans were able to comprehend at the time. And now, with the Message of Bahá'u'lláh, humans have received a full measure of His knowledge. We may partake of that knowledge by aligning ourselves within an aura of spirituality, a spirituality of God’s definition, not our own.   

So, we must strive to lift the veils from the face of our hearts in order that we may begin an alignment that allows us to behold the most subtle realities of His dominion. According to His message, we may then proceed with the (no doubt lifetime) adventure of grasping His attributes and finally to find no flaw in the creation of the heavens and the earth. Doesn’t the reality of that assignment make your head spin? The words in that sentence from His “Gems of Divine Mystery” could form the basis for a discovery of the Truths that Bahá'u'lláh wants us to understand in order that we may more fully appreciate and enjoy the fruits to be found within His Dominion. If that seems too much for one to accomplish, we need to remind ourselves that His pathway is available to all, whether they come to His Message as an infant, or have already lived several decades.

I expect that the veils of our heart-face are developed from the prejudices we allow into our lives over a period of time. Even if we were fortunate enough to be raised in a Bahá'í family relationship we have prejudices to overcome since we are all fallible creatures. If it were not so there would have been no reason for any of God‘s Messengers to appear. As humans we know that the heart is used as a metaphor when feelings of love, compassion or good deeds is considered, even though it is physically the organ that continuously propels the lifeblood through our bodies. This is a concept that each of us is aware of, whether we consider God in our lives or not. All of us, whether a hardened criminal or the most praiseworthy, follows her heart in most matters, whether they be emotional or materialistic. How often do you reference your heart on a daily basis?

We should also consider the mission of our striving, to “…apprehend this matter…that thou mayest be reckoned among them whom God hath graced with such penetrating vision as to behold the most subtle realities of His dominion…” Bahá'u'lláh may be telling us that the matter at hand is elusive. It must be apprehended. Hmm. Like a thief in the night? Many of us may have already have found that spiritual growth is indeed elusive, something to be apprehended. We all want a spiritual connection with God, that feeling of being personally connected with His will by the thread from His Kingdom to our very souls. Although He does not use the word perfection in this example, He is providing a process that may lead to our realizing the utmost of our spiritual capacity.

And from that may we assume that our striving will provide the beginnings of building a stronger foundation toward understanding His Dominion? The American Heritage dictionary defines dominion as a territory or sphere of influence or control; a realm. Bahá'u'lláh proclaimed that every fixed star has its planets and every planet its creatures. That gives a hint, within human understanding, of the size of His dominion. But I submit that that is probably just the beginning, for when we enter the next world and begin to use the criteria of a more advanced spirituality than we can ever imagine in this life, the mind boggles at what we may encounter there. 

So while we pass through the days of this nineteen day period it is an opportunity for us to turn our hearts toward thoughts of the realm of His Dominion. There is probably a special potency during this month that will allow us to gain a greater insight of His vastness, if we but strive to remove the veils from the face of our hearts, and venture unafraid along newly-brightened spiritual avenues. We may pray with loving thoughts for His assistance during this time, and await with keen anticipation for the love He will extend to us all.

Hand of the Cause of God David Maxwell  

Bahá’í Faith: Under the Guardianship

The Bahá’í Faith, under the Guardianship, is distinguished by the acceptance of the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Son of the Founder of the Faith, as a divinely-conceived, sacred, immutable and immortal Document which delineates the essential Institutions of an unique Administrative Order which, together with the application of the Laws and Principles revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, constitutes the basis for the establishment of the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh and a future World Civilization.

This Order was established in embryonic form by Shoghi Effendi, the first Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith during a 36 year ministry. He had been appointed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in His Will and Testament, a Document which also provided for the continuity of this Institution as long as the Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh endured through a succession of Guardians of the Faith each appointed by his predecessor "in his own lifetime." Sole interpretative authority of Bahá’í Holy Writ has been vested by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the Guardians who also serve as the "sacred head and the distinguished member for life" of the Universal House of Justice, the highest legislative organ of the Administrative Order and in this capacity provide "the necessary guidance to define the sphere of the legislative action" of this institution and insure that such subsidiary laws as are enacted by this body are in conformity with the immutable Laws revealed by Bahá’u’lláh in His Most Holy Book. Shoghi Effendi stated that the twin institutions of the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice "supplement each other’s authority and functions" are inseparable and are "the twin pillars that support this mighty Administrative Structure."

Unlike sans-Guardian Bahá’ís who believe that the Guardianship ended with the passing of Shoghi Effendi, the Bahá’ís under the living Guardian believe that Shoghi Effendi appointed his successor, Mason Remey, in faithful compliance with the sacred provisions of the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and that only complete acceptance of him as the second Guardian and the "Center of the Cause"and, in turn, his appointed successor, constitutes fidelity to the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh.