'Baha'i Faith Incomplete without Guardian'

On September 8, 2010 an interview of the Hand of Cause of God Nosrat'u'llah Bahremand printed on page No.4 in th "Asian Age" Mumbai. There are some mistakes in the report by the reporter. The same is rectified here by the Hand of Cause of God Nosrat'u'llah Bahremand in his letter to Hand of Cause of God Dr. Parikh, which I am posting for the readers.
Rajendra.
____________________________________________________________________________

Dear Dr. Parikh,
Thank you very much for your email. The efforts of the Indian friends is praiseworthy. I saw the newspaper's report with pleasure. There are some mistakes and misrepresentations in the report which may cause confusion and misunderstanding among the non-believers and heterodox Baha'is as, for example: Naming Abdu'l Baha, "the founder of the religion" and the erroneous statement: "12 principals laid down by the first guardian" and in reference to the heterodox Baha'is: "they are the followers and lovers of.." while we know that Baha'u'llah is the Founder of the Baha'i Faith and the 12 Principals were revealed by Him, and we should consider the heterodox Baha'is as believers not "followers" of Baha'u'llah and Abdu'l Baha.

I can appreciate the hardship in summarising what I have said by the reporter due to his inadequate knowledge of the Faith and welcome any attempt that you may make or our friend, to obtain corrections.
With best wishes and regards,

Nosrat

The Baha'i Month of Mashiyyat (Will)

In today’s world, it is apparent that everyone of us has some concept of God being present in our activities, and usually the rationalization of an individual’s activities depends upon God’s will being involved.

The Bahá'í month of Mashiyyat (Will) is observed from September 27.


In thinking of God’s will, the phrase “…the will of God…” or “…God willing…“ has become something heard daily in the English language. Those words are frequently used by the news media, particularly in the event of tragedy, or in the suppositions of future events. Even those who don’t seem to spend much time in some sort of worship use them freely.

The Bahá'í Faith’s advent into the world some 160 years ago has caused great change in all human activity. Its parameters have forced the world into a mode of transition. Although its fragrances are ready and waiting for all of us, humans are generally unaware of its existence. As a result, the world is now jousting between the influences of the religions of the past, and “…this new world Order, the like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed…”

Christians evoke God’s will comfortably through their almost ritual-like use of the Lord’s Prayer over and over again. Its phrase “…Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…” provides them much comfort. Perhaps most believe that when His Kingdom comes, universal peace and harmony will happen with little to no effort required of them. As Baha’is, we understand that magical moments such as that occur only in myth. We know that the heavenly Kingdom, through God’s will, arrived in 1844 with the advent of the Báb. The world has been in warfare and struggle both before and since. The Kingdom will eventually be apparent, but only after the human race accepts God’s will and His terms.

In contemplating God’s will, the guiding force that motivates the direction for most human accomplishments and conclusions in this life, a portion of the Bahá'í Marriage Tablet provides an example of a major difference between the old and new world orders. It is not my intention to discuss or highlight the institution of marriage, but to provide a concrete example concerning the old and the new, particularly since God‘s will is mentioned.

“…they must show forth the utmost attention and become informed of one another’s character and the firm covenant made between each other must become an eternal binding, and their intentions must be everlasting affinity, friendship, unity and love, The bridegroom must, before the bridesman and a few others, say: “Verily, we are content with the will of God.“ And the bride must rejoin: “Verily, we are satisfied with the desire of God.“ This is Bahá'í matrimony…“

Marriage Tablet, Bahá'í World Faith, p.372, 1943 edition

Since Western cultures have for centuries used some form of ritualistic Christian-derived ceremony for the marriage contract, the simplicity of the Marriage Tablet and the lack of the affirmations of the two parties will take some getting used to. But look more closely at its terms; the two parties are enjoined to become aware of each other’s character before proceeding, (and there is also a provision of parental acceptance of the union.) The only spoken requirement of the bridegroom is “…we are content with the will of God…”; the bride must rejoin “…we are satisfied with the desire of God.” That’s it. 

And something else is significant. Whereas the Christian vows determine the union to last until “death do we part,” the Bahá'í ceremony relates that the marriage contract is an eternal binding. A major difference. As societies mature within the new Bahá'í world, I wonder if the act of marriage will itself force humans to ponder more deeply on the will of God? I would hope so, since marriage is perhaps the most significant and binding activity that is undertaken by humans. The union itself provides daily activity of continual thinking of another person’s needs rather than concentrating only on oneself. And wasn’t it `Abdu'l-Bahá who enjoined us to “…marry as an assistance to yourselves…?”

In today’s world, it is apparent that everyone of us has some concept of God being present in our activities, and usually the rationalization of an individual’s activities depends upon God’s will being involved. They sleep better at night because they have followed God’s will. But, what is the definition of God’s will? What truly determines God’s will in today‘s world? Does it come from life lessons learned from mommies and daddies? Of course it does, since the personality of the child is influenced largely by what she sees at home. And where did the parents learn of God’s will? Right. It becomes a never-ending chain to the past. We are all influenced greatly by the activities of our fore fathers and theirs.

I submit that the new world order will determine its definitions of God’s will from the meditative forces of one’s own understanding of the Bahá'í Teachings. And the Teachings themselves are structured so that prejudices of the past will disappear, and be displaced by a unique and wondrous system, the likes of which mortal eyes have never witnessed. The example learned from the Marriage Tablet will play a large part in the thought process since it speaks of an eternal bond between two individuals, and requires them to live their lives within an aura of God’s will and His desires for them.     

A transformation of our world for the better will occur through an understanding of, and a love for, the Bahá'í Teachings.

David Maxwell

Baha'i Faith is Incomplete Without a Guardian

The visit of hand of the cause and the vice-president of International Baha'i Council Mr. Nosratullah Bahremand was highly successful. He gave an interview to Mumbai English daily newspaper and gave his view on the current situation of the Baha'i Faith. We have uploaded the clip of the news appeared in "The Asian Age" of today's edition. Please click on image to enlarge.

He does not burden us with His boasting of his Might, nor does He overpower us by forcing us to accept that which we are not capable of understanding. Could a loving parent do more than that?

Might honors the tenth of the nineteen months of the Bahá'í calendar. It is observed from September 8 until September 27. When thinking of Might an overwhelming feeling may occur as one wonders how it may be possible to distil from Bahá'u'lláh’s mighty Writings any one segment, to the exclusion of the thousands of references to any one attribute.

And then His “Hidden Words” comes to mind, that gem of simplicity that Shoghi Effendi declared was identified with the “Hidden Book of Fatimah,” believed to have been revealed by the Angel Gabriel through the Imam Ali for consolation of Muhammad’s daughter after His death. It had remained hidden from the world until Shoghi Effendi released it. As an aside, the 1954 edition contains a beautiful Introduction by George Townshend, which is absent in later versions, including a splendid discussion of ego. 

Among the verses in “Hidden Words” are the following which mention Might:
HE IS THE GLORY OF GLORIES
“This is that which hath descended from the realm of glory, uttered by the tongue of power and might, and revealed unto the Prophets of old. We have taken the inner essence thereof and clothed it in the garment of brevity, as a token of grace unto the righteous, that they may stand faithful unto the Covenant of God, may fulfill in their lives His trust, and in the realm of spirit obtain the gem of Divine virtue.”
-- Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 3 --

24. O SON OF MAN!
“Transgress not thy limits, nor claim that which beseemeth thee not. Prostrate thyself before the countenance of thy God, the Lord of might and power.”
-- Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 9 --

67. O SON OF BEAUTY!
“By My spirit and by My favor! By My mercy and by My beauty! All that I have revealed unto thee with the tongue of power, and have written for thee with the pen of might, hath been in accordance with thy capacity and understanding, not with My state and the melody of My voice.”
-- Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 19, 20 --

In considering the concept of might, it is all too easy to fall into the trap of modern times which celebrate victories of one over another, whether on the athletic field or in the boardroom. We are a society of winners and losers. Even children playing together are conditioned to learn the feelings of pride to be gained through being better than another in many of their activities; my (whatever) is better than your (whatever.) This is not to say that each of us should not do the very best we can in all our daily activities. But do all our accomplishments need to come at the expense of another? Why do we not perform our very best in order to experience the satisfaction of knowing that we did the best we could, and then celebrate the accomplishments of our peers? Why not surround our activities in the aura of love as demonstrated by our Creator?
David Maxwell

MONTH OF ASMA (NAMES) 20th AUGUST TO 8th SEPTEMBER

The month of Asma provides example of His love and bounty, and a potent tool
The Bahá'í Calendar includes the month of Asma’, Names, and is observed by believers during the period between August 20 and September 8.

“Say: Nature in its essence is the embodiment of My Name, the Maker, Creator. Its manifestations are diversified by varying causes, and in this diversity there are signs for men of discernment. Nature is God’s Will and is its expression in and through the contingent world. It is a dispensation of Providence ordained by the Ordainer, the All-Wise.”

-- Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Baha’u’llah, page 142 –

It is most fortunate that the Báb provided special recognition for the month of Names in His calendar, which was later adopted by Bahá'u'lláh for His believers. This is a time when a special efficacy may be available to us while we ponder another of the spiritual avenues that leads to God’s bountiful release of His love, in order that we may worship Him in a fuller capacity than was available to any of the generations of the past. Indeed this is the Day of wondrous events that will guide humanity to the promised Kingdom of God on earth. The month of Names provides one more example of His love and bounty, and a potent tool for our contemplation and growth during our spiritual journey. For detail read:

Hand of the Cause of God David Maxwell

A Brief History of Baha'i Faith

History bahai faith

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Commentary on the Will and Testament of Abdu'l-Baha

Review
This Commentary by Joel B. Marangella sheds light on both the text and the tragic historic events surrounding this Sacred Document of the Bahá'í Faith. The book recounts the intrigue that took place at the Bahá'í World Center in 1957 that stifled the growth of this infant Faith, threatened to permanently diminish its prestige in the eyes of the world and destroyed the very safeguard built into the Faith that was to prevent it from falling into false leadership. Despite the darkness that has befallen this most recent revelation from God, this brilliant Commentary reveals the truth of what remains alive and well today, the true sign of God on earth who alone maintains the spirit and meaning of the Bahá'í teachings. The Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá is the vital and eternal link between Bahá'u'lláh and the sacred Administrative Order that is the true channel of the spirit. This new book by Mr. Marangella clearly illuminates important passages within it that have been misunderstood, overlooked or intentionally distorted. The question may well be asked, what is so threatening about this book that millions of Bahá'ís around the world won't be allowed by their leadership to read it? Surely, all Bahá'ís must recognize the fundamental principle of Bahá'u'lláh, the Prophet Founder of the Bahá'í Faith, to exercise their human right of an unfettered, independent investigation of truth. Mr. Marangella's book also includes the complete Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l- Bahá, which can be read along with the Commentary, as well as a Summary of the Bahá'í Faith by the author, recognized by Orthodox Bahá'ís as the third Guardian of Bahá'í Faith. This Summary gives the uninitiated an authoritative treatise on the history and teachings of the Bahá'í Faith.

About the Author:

Compiled: PNBC of India

Joel Bray Marangella is recognized by Orthodox Bahá'ís as the third Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, the authorized interpreter of the Bahá'í Writings and the president and sacred head for life of the Universal House of Justice (provisionally named, in its embryonic form, as the International Bahá'í Council of the Orthodox Bahá'ís). Born on September 22, 1918 in Lynn, Massachusetts, to his parents Phillip Amalfi Marangella and Edith Brooks Guthrie Marangella, both of whom enrolled as Bahá'ís when Joel was a baby, it may be concluded that young Joel was exposed to the teachings of the Faith at an early age. His parents encouraged him to independently investigate the truth including the investigation of other religious movements and faiths. As a young boy, Joel spent many summers at Green Acre Bahá'í summer school where he came in contact with most of the early believers in America. He declared his intentions of becoming a Baha'i as soon as he was able to do so, at the age of 15 years, and later became a Baha'i at the then legal age of 21. He resided in many of the major cities of the United States and participated both in the spiritual and administrative activities of their various Bahá'í communities. He married Irene, also a Bahá'í, in 1945, and five years later they answered the call of Shoghi Effendi (the first Guardian of the Faith) for pioneers to go to Europe to help spread the Faith and spent eighteen years in France. In 1954, the Hands of the Cause appointed Joel as an Auxiliary Board Member for the propagation of the Faith. He participated in the formation of the first National Spiritual Assembly of France in May 1958 becoming its first  President and again following its two successive elections until its forced disbandment in May 1960 by an heterodox Baha'i organization that had rejected Mason Remey as the second Guardian of the Faith, had then illegally seized control over the Faith and had taken this action against this national administrative body because of its outright rejection of this control and had, instead, been the only NSA to recognize the validity of the proclamation of Mason Remey on the clear facts presented therein, had duly accepted him as the second Guardian of the Faith. In 1965, Joel became the third Guardian of the Faith, having been appointed by Mason Remey as his successor both in a hand-written letter and through his appointment of him as the President of the Second International Bahá'í Council (the embryonic Universal House of Justice of which only the Guardian is the authorized legitimate head). After leaving France in 1968, Joel lived successively in Germany, Switzerland and Australia before his return to the United States in March of 2010.

DOES THE RUHI BOOK CONVEY THE TRUE MEANING OF ABDU'L BAHA’S SACRED WORDS?

Do the authors of the manuscript, titled: The Covenant, Unit 2, fairly, completely and honestly teach the true meaning and significance of the Master’s sacred words?
Most certainly, they do not. Cunningly, they totally ignore the first realm of Divine guidance, the interpretation of Bahá'í Holy Writ and the Holy Text, (the “Law of God”), an authority divinely that has been assigned exclusively to the Guardians of the Bahá'í Faith, and, notwithstanding, have the temerity to insidiously pretend that a currently established illegitimate sans-Guardian and so-called Universal House of Justice provides an infallible source of divine guidance. Following is what they have writtten in support of this position on page 68 of the publication: The Covenant, Unit 2, on the same page in which the Master’s words are quoted.

Read in detail

Martyrdom of the Bab

July 9th is a Bahá'í Holy Day, commemorated at noon as the anniversary of the martyrdom of The Báb. Siyyid 'Alí-Muhammad, Forerunner of Bah u llah, a merchant of Shíráz, declared himself to be The Báb, meaning Gate of God, the Promised One of Islam, on May 23, 1844.

The Báb, having told His secretary a few days before that He was looking forward to the bounty of martyrdom. One of his converts had literally thrown himself at his Master’s feet in the streets of Tabríz and begged not to be parted from Him, so the guards obligingly arrested him, too.

Early in the morning of July 9th, The Báb was engaged in a confidential conversation with His secretary when the prison official in charge of the execution interrupted. The Báb rebuked him, saying, "Not until I have said to him all those things that I wish to say, can any earthly power silence Me. Though all the world be armed against Me, yet shall they be powerless to deter Me from fulfilling, to the last word, My intention."

Báb's declaration on 23rd May 1844

Báb announced that He was the Bearer of a long- promised Divine Revelation destined to transform the spiritual life of the human race. "O peoples of the earth," the Báb declared, "Give ear unto God's holy Voice...Verily the resplendent Light of God hath appeared in your midst, invested with this unerring Book, that ye may be guided aright to the ways of peace...",

Love and Compassion

The Báb's declaration that spiritual renewal and social advancement rested on "love and compassion" rather "than force and coercion," aroused hope and excitement among all classes, and He quickly attracted thousands of followers.

The central theme of His major work the “Bayan” was the imminent appearance of a second Messenger from God, one Who would be far greater than the Báb, and Whose mission would be to usher in the age of peace and justice promised in Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and all the other world religions.

Bahá'u'lláh paid tribute to the Báb

"Behold what steadfastness that Beauty of God hath revealed. The whole world rose to hinder Him, yet it utterly failed. The more severe the persecution they inflicted on that Sadrih [Branch] of Blessedness, the more His fervour increased, and the brighter burned the flame of His love. All this is evident, and none disputeth its truth. Finally, He surrendered His soul, and winged His flight unto the realms above."

The Sacred Head of the Baha’i Faith?

The Bab is the forerunner of Baha u llah
Baha u llah.
Abdu’l Baha.
Shoghi Effendi, the First Guardian of Baha’i Faith.
Mason Remey, the Second Guardian of Baha’i Faith.
Joel Marangell, the Third Guardian of Baha’i Faith.

Joel Marangella is the LIVING GUARDIAN OF BAHA'I FAITH. We the Indian Orthodox Baha'i will commemorate on 9th July 2010 in Vasai Road, New Delhi and Lucknow in morning between 10 to 12.

THEY ARE UNDENIABLY PSEUDO BAHÁ’ÍS

Those individuals who identify themselves as Baháˆís but belong to an organization that does not have a living Guardian of the Cause of God as the Head of the Faith—“the Center of the Cause”—and the “sacred head” of its Universal House of Justice, as stipulated under the provisions of the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, are seriously deluded and, however blindly, are blatantly misrepresenting themselves as Bahá’ís, who, undeniably, at best, are no more than pseudo Bahá’ís.

Requirements of membership in the Bahá’í Community under the following qualifications
set forth by the Guardian of the Faith:

“...Full recognition of the stations of the Báb as Forerunner, of Bahá’u’lláh as Author and of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as True Exemplar of the Bahá’í religion, unreserved acceptance of, and submission to whatsoever has been revealed by their Pen; loyal and steadfast adherence to every clause of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s sacred Will; and close association with the spirit as well as the form of Bahá’í Administration throughout the world. . .”
For detail Click

FLAGRANT VIOLATION AND THE SUBTLE APOSTASY EXPOSED

The above book is a critique written by Hand of Cause of God, Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand of an article written by Dr. ALI NAKHJAVANI, a former member of the illegitimate and bogus Universal House of Justice since 1963 to 2003.
IS UHJ A LEGITIMATE SUBSTITUTE FOR THE GUARDIANSHIP?
Dr. Ali Nakhjavani previously wrote an article entitled “THOUGHT ON THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE.” In this article he has attempted to misguide the believers in to believing that this present UHJ is a legitimate substitute for the Guardianship and in numerous instances throughout the article has used fractured quotation from both the sacred Writings and the writings of Shoghi Effendi in a deliberately perverted way to support his arguments that Guardianship of the Faith is no longer an essential institution of World Order of Baha’u’ llah and in so doing he has nefariously repudiated the sacred and immutable provisions of the Will and Testament of Abdu’l-Baha and shamelessly nullified the writings of Shoghi Effendi on the Baha’i Administrative Order.
APPEAL TO READ FRACTURED QUOTATIONS.
Dear Baha’i Friends.
Read the book “Flagrant Violation and the Subtle Apostasy Exposed” to be acquainted with the FRACTURED QUOTATIONS used by Dr. Ali Nakhjavani which he used to support his arguments that guardianship of the Faith is no longer essential institution of World Order of Baha’u’llah.
Write to get a copy of the book on email: parikhsec@yahoo.co.in or rajendraup@gmail.com or ntcobf@yahoo.co.oin
Vinod Kumar,
Secretary,
The National Teaching Committee of Orthodox Baha’is of India.
New Delhi.

Ascension of Baha'u'llah

On May 29, all over the world, The Orthodox Baha’is will commemorate the Ascension of Baha’u’llah, the Manifestation of God. In 1892, on this day Baha’u’llah passed away quietly at the age of 75.

Baha’u’llah in is His Will and Testament appointed his eldest son ‘Abdu’l-Baha as the Center of His Covenant and solely the Expounder of His revealed Word.

Abdu’l Baha in his Will and Testament appointed his successor Shoghi Effendi as the Guardian of the Faith and wrote that:

It is incumbent upon the guardian that to appoint in his life time his successor (Guardian after him) thus Shoghi Effendi appointed in his life time his successor to Mason Remey as the second Guardian of the Faith.

Following the Will and Testament of Abdul Baha, Mason Remey appointed in his life time his successor to Joel Bray Marangella as the third Guardian of the Bahai Faith. He is The LIVING GUARDIAN for the Baha’is of the world.

Declaration of the Báb

The Báb declared his mission to Mullá Husayn on 23 May 1844. On this auspicious day the PNBC of India invite the attention of all the Baha'i friends in brienf that:

What do Orthodox Bahá'ís believe?
1) We believe just the same as all Bahá'ís believed before 1957 that the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh requires obedience to the Guardian of the Cause of God. We believe the present Guardian is Joel B. Marangella.
2) Orthodox Bahá'ís have all of the Institutions of the Cause of God as set forth in the Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá, including the Hands of the Cause of God, and an international body with the Guardian at its head, the International Bahá'í Council which is destined in time to become the Universal House of Justice.
3) The Orthodox Baha'is, being under the shade of the Tree of Covenant are divinely guided and blessed. The "table of heaven is prepared" for them, "the angels of heaven" are their "assistants and helpers", and "the life of the Holy Spirit is breathing upon" them (from `Abdu'l-Bahá, Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 214.
for more visit. www.bahai-guardian.com.

Commemoration Commemorations will be held at Vasai Road (W), Rohini, New Delhi and at Lucknow in the evening of 23rd May 2010.

Abdu’l Baha the Seventh Angel

The “Will and Testament of Abdu’l Baha” may be regarded in some of its features as supplementary to no less weighty a Book than the Kitab-i-Aqdas.
In the Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh, `Abdu'l-Bahá occupies a unique Station unprecedented in the annals of all Religions. Shoghi Effendi explains:
“An attempt I strongly feel should now be made to clarify our minds regarding the station occupied by 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the significance of His position in this holy Dispensation. It would be indeed difficult for us, who stand so close to such a tremendous figure and are drawn by the mysterious power of so magnetic a personality, to obtain a clear and exact understanding of the role and character of One Who, not only in the Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh but in the entire field of religious history, fulfills a unique function. Though moving in a sphere of His own and holding a rank radically different from that of the Author and the Forerunner of the Baha’i Revelation, He, by virtue of the station ordained for Him through the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh, forms together with them what may be termed the Three Central Figures of a Faith that stands unapproached in the world's spiritual history.” (The World Order of Bahá'u'lláhh, p. 131)
`Abdu'l-Bahá’s contribution to the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, the Bahá'í Faith and humanity in general is enormously great and magnificent. What He did during His lifetime and “His greatest legacy to posterity” i.e. His Will and Testament “the Charter of a future world civilization, which may be regarded in some of its features as supplementary to no less weighty a Book than the Kitab-i-Aqdas” and “an Instrument which may be viewed as the Charter of the New World Order which is at once the glory and the promise of this most great Dispensation.” is so magnificent, glorious and luminous which not only will give light and will illumine many centuries in the future to the end of the Bahá'í Dispensation, but His future glory and radiance has been observed and foreseen by the prophets of the past. For instance it is recorded in the Bible in the Book of Revelation ( 11:15) as follows:"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever.”`Abdu'l-Bahá has explained and unveiled the meaning of this prophecy, in the book Some Answered Questions. For detail refer:>>>

Happy Ridvan to All

Ridvan is the king of the Baha'i festivals.
It is a 12 day festival of the Baha'i Faith. Which begins from 21st April until 2nd May.
The 3 Holy Days in these 12 days are 21st April, 29th April & 2nd May.
We celebrate Baha'u'llah's declaration of His mission in the Najibiyyah Garden across the Tigris in Baghdad.

A LIVING INTERPRETER FOR THE FAITH

BAHÁ’U’LLÁH PROMISES CONTINUOUS ACCESS TO A LIVING INTERPRETER OF HIS WORD
"Those words uttered by the Luminaries of Truth must needs be pondered, and should their significance be not grasped, enlightenment should be sought from the Trustees of the depositories of Knowledge, that these may expound their meaning, and unravel their mystery. For it behooveth no man to interpret the holy words according to his own imperfect understanding, nor having found them to be contrary to his inclination and desires to reject and repudiate their truth. For such, today, is the manner of the divines and doctors of the age, who occupy the seats of knowledge and learning, and who have named ignorance knowledge, and called oppression justice."
Kitáb-i-Iqán (p.182)
Similarly to Muhammad Who, in referring to the Imams who were destined to succeed Him and be the sole interpreters of His word, stated in the Qu’ran: "Ask ye therefore, of them that have the custody of the Scriptures, if ye know it not." Bahá’u’lláh has likewise cautioned "no man to interpret the holy words according to his own imperfect understanding..." or "contrary to his inclination and desires..." and has enjoined those who do not grasp the significance of the revealed Word to seek enlightenment from the "Trustees of the depositories of Knowledge" (the depositories of Knowledge being their revealed Writings).
It is obvious that these Trustees (note the plurality) must be living to provide this sole source of interpretation as long as the Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh endures. Is it not clear, therefore, that Bahá’u’lláh promised that there would be this continued source of interpretation following the Ascension of `Abdu’l-Bahá? And, therefore, `Abdu’l-Bahá provided for this continuing source of interpretation in the Institution of the Guardianship in His Will and Testament, a sacred Document that should actually be considered a part of the immutable explicit holy Text and nothing less than "Their Will" for, as Shoghi Effendi has explained in his work God Passes By : "This Instrument can, if we would correctly appraise it, no more be divorced from the One Who provided the motivating impulse for its creation than from Him Who directly conceived it."
Yet, in complete disregard of the foregoing, this divinely-conceived, co-authored, immutable and sacred Document has been shamefully and inexplicably repudiated by those who contend that the Guardianship of the Cause of God has come to and end only thirty-six years after the inception of the Administrative Order "fashioned by the hand of its perfect Architect" in which the Guardian has been designated both the Head of the Faith and the "sacred head for life" of its supreme legislative Organ.
Joel B. Marangella
(Third Guardian of Baha'i Faith)

Let's Celebrate Naw Ruz with the Living Guardian

We extend our heartiest greetings to all the Baha’i friends throughout the world and we pledge on this day (March 21) to be obedient, submissive and subordinate to the living Guardian of the Cause of God, Joel Bray Marangella, in faithful conformity with the following commands of the Master, Abdu'l Baha, in His Will and Testament:
"The Mighty stronghold shall remain impregnable and safe through obedience to him who is the guardian of the Cause of God. It is incumbent upon the members of House of Justice, upon all the Aghsan, the Afnan, the Hands of the Cause of God to show their obedience, submissuveness and subordination unto the guardian of the Cause of God to turn unto him and be lowly before him."
(Will and Testament - 12).

Celebration:
On 21st March between 2.30 to 4.30
Vasai-Thane (Mumbai)
At the House of
Dr. A Parikh,
Vasai Road (W), Dt. Thane.
New Delhi
At the house of Vinod Kumar,
Ruhini, Sector 9, New Delhi.

60 second explanation of the Baha'i Covenant

A Question from a Baha'i Who Is Investigating The Truth Independently

Q: Should I Tell My Bahá'í Friends That I am Studying the Orthodox Faith?

Ans: Of course, that is entirely up to you. However, you should be aware that just as soon as the heterodox organization finds out that you are reading Orthodox Bahá'í material, the organization will put pressure upon you to stop reading it and to affirm your faith in and obedience to the heterodox organization. Don't make the mistake of believing that your Bahá'í friends will keep the matter confidential. They will not. They will notify an institution of the heterodox organization. You will most likely receive a call from an Auxiliary Board Member who will question you. The ABM will act like he or she is looking out for your own "spiritual health." In fact, the ABM is gathering facts to determine whether or not you should be declared a covenant-breaker for "the good of the entire community." Don't believe you will have a fair hearing or that your "Universal House of Justice" will carefully deliberate about whether or not you are a covenant breaker. They won't. If the ABM does not like your answers, it is likely that your community will be informed that you have a spiritual disease and must be shunned. The ABM will contact your spouse and insist that he or she leave you, together with your kids, and if your family refuses to do so they will be shunned also. You may not have heard about it but this has happened a number of times to others just like you. It will happen to you also. Why do this to yourself? While you are reading the material and before you have made up your mind, the last thing you need is to have this kind of pressure used against you. It may force you to make a decision before you are ready. Why not just quietly read the materials and refrain from telling anybody until you are ready to make a decision?

DOES THE RUHI BOOK CONVEY THE TRUE MEANING OF ABDU'L BAHA’S SACRED WORDS?

Do the authors of the manuscript, titled: The Covenant, Unit 2, fairly, completely and honestly teach the true meaning and significance of the Master’s sacred words?

Most certainly, they do not. Cunningly, they totally ignore the first realm of Divine guidance, the interpretation of Bahá'í Holy Writ and the Holy Text, (the “Law of God”), an authority divinely that has been assigned exclusively to the Guardians of the Bahá'í Faith, and, notwithstanding, have the temerity to insidiously pretend that a currently established illegitimate sans-Guardian and so-called Universal House of Justice provides an infallible source of divine guidance. Following is what they have writtten in support of this position on page 68 of the publication: The Covenant, Unit 2, on the same page in which the Master’s words are quoted. .for detail read

DO THEY TEACH IN THE RUHI BOOKS THE TRUE MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MASTER’S SACRED WORDS?

Do the authors of the manuscript, titled: The Covenant, Unit 2, fairly, completely and honestly teach the true meaning and significance of the Master’s sacred words? Most certainly, they do not. Cunningly, they totally ignore the first realm of Divine guidance, the interpretation of Bahá'í Holy Writ and the Holy Text, (the “Law of God”), an authority divinely that has been assigned exclusively to the Guardians of the Bahá'í Faith, and, notwithstanding, have the temerity to insidiously pretend that a currently established illegitimate sans-Guardian and so-called Universal House of Justice provides an infallible source of divine guidance. Following is what they have writtten in support of this position on page 68 of the publication: The Covenant, Unit 2, on the same page in which the Master’s words are quoted. .for detail read

Might Of The Covenant

"So firm and mighty is this Covenant," He Who is its appointed Center has affirmed, "that from the beginning of time until the present day no religious Dispensation hath produced its like." "It is in dubitably clear," He, furthermore, has stated, "that the pivot of the oneness of mankind is nothing else but the power of the Covenant." "Know thou," He has written, "that the 'Sure Handle' mentioned from the foundation of the world in the Books, the Tablets and the Scriptures of old is naught else but the Covenant and the Testament." And again:"The lamp of the Covenant is the light of the world, and the words traced by the Pen of the Most High a limitless ocean." "The Lord, the All-Glorified," He has moreover declared, "hath, beneath the shade of the Tree of Anísá (Tree of Life), made a new Covenant and established a great Testament . . . Hath such a Covenant been established in any previous Dispensation, age, period or century? Hath such a Testament, set down by the Pen of the Most High, ever been witnessed? No, by God!" And finally:"The power of the Covenant is as the heat of the sun which quickeneth and promoteth the development of all created things on earth. The light of the Covenant, in like manner, is the educator of the minds, the spirits, the hearts and souls of men." To this same Covenant He has in His writings referred as the "Conclusive Testimony," the "Universal Balance," the "Magnet of God's grace," the "Upraised Standard," the "Irrefutable Testament," "the all-mighty Covenant, the like of which the sacred Dispensations of the past have never witnessed" and "one of the distinctive features of this most mighty cycle."

To Live the Life

"To be no cause of grief to anyone.

To be kind to all people and to love them with a pure spirit.

Should opposition or injury happen to us, to bear it, to be as kind as ever can be, and through all, to love the people. Should calamity exist in the greatest degree, to rejoice, for these things are the gifts and favors of God.

To be silent concerning the faults of others, to pray for them, and to help them, through kindness, to correct their faults.

To look always at the good and not at the bad. If a man has ten good qualities and one bad one, look at the ten and forget the one. And if a man has ten bad qualities and one good one, to look at the one and forget the ten.

Never to allow ourselves to speak one unkind word about another, even though that other be our enemy.

To do all of our deeds in kindness.

To cut our hearts from ourselves and from the world.

To be humble.

To be servants of each other, and to know that we are less than anyone else.

To be as one soul in many bodies, for the more we love each other, the nearer we shall be to God; but to know that our love, our unity, our obedience must not be by confession, but of reality.

To act with cautiousness and wisdom.

To be truthful.

To be hospitable.

To be reverent.

To be the cause of healing for every sick one,
a comforter for every sorrowful one,
a pleasant water for every thirsty one.
a heavenly table for every hungry one,
a star to every horizon,
a light for every lamp,
a herald to everyone who yearns for the kingdom of God"

`Abdu'l-Bahá

Megan, why she is an Orthodox Bahá'í

Most Baha'is are in error

Hand of the Cause David Maxwell discusses how the Baha'is are in error when they believe that Shoghi Effendi was the only Guardian.