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.

The Third Guardian of Baha'i Faith Joel Bray Marangella says: 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)

Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh

Bahá'u'lláh died on the morning of 29th May 1892. He now lies buried in Bahji

This important holy day is celebrated on the 29th May, at 3am by all the Baha’is of the world irrespective of the sects.

All the Orthodox Bahais of India are directed by the PNBC of India to commemorate the Ascension of Baha’u’llah last night at 3.00 am in their houses.

A teaching program of Will and Testament of Abdu’l Baha is arranged today in Vasai Road at the house of Mr. Rajendra between 10.00 am to 1.00 pm.  

Rajendra Upadhyaye.

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

Declaration of the Báb

This is celebrated 22-23 May (from 2 hours after sunset on the 22nd).

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."

BAHÁ'Í NSA OF UNITED STATES LOSES ITS COURT CASE

The court action in Chicago, brought by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States of America, under the Bahá'í organization loyal to the sans-Guardian Universal House of Justice (“Bahá'í World Faith” or “BWF”) is now finally concluded in favor of the Orthodox Bahá'í Faith (“OBF”). The NSA brought this action on November 16, 2006 against the OBF in the United States but the NSA lost the case both in the trial court and the appeals court. The NSA trapped itself in its own net.


A. Parikh,
Hand of Cause of God
For More detail read

The man made institution which undeservedly calls itself Universal House of Justice is bogus because it has no similarity with the real Universal House of Justice delineated by Abdu’l Baha

The man made institution which undeservedly calls itself Universal House of Justice is bogus because it has no similarity with the real Universal House of Justice delineated by Abdu’l Baha. Abdu’l Baha clearly prescribed and explained the establishment of a true Universal House of Justice in His sacred Will and Testament “the Charter of the New World Order” as followings:

“And now, concerning the House of Justice which God hath ordained as the source of all good and freed from all error, it must be elected by universal suffrage, that is, by the believers. Its members must be manifestations of the fear of God and daysprings of knowledge and understanding must be steadfast in God's faith and the well-wishers of all mankind. By this House is meant the Universal House of Justice, that is, in all countries a secondary House of Justice must be instituted, and these secondary Houses of Justice must elect the members of the Universal one. Unto this body all things must be referred. It enacteth all ordinances and regulations that are not to be found in the explicit Holy Text. By this body all the difficult problems are to be resolved and the Guardian of the Cause of God is its sacred head and the distinguished member for life of that body. Should he not attend in person its deliberations, he must appoint one to represent him. Should any of the members commit a sin, injurious to the common weal, the Guardian of the Cause of God hath at his own discretion the right to expel him, whereupon the people must elect another one in his stead.”
(Abdu'l-Baha, The Will and Testament, p. 14)

“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 the House of Justice, upon all the Aghsan, the Afnan, the Hands of the Cause of God to show their obedience, submissiveness and subordination unto the Guardian of the Cause of God, to turn unto him and be lowly before him. He that opposeth him hath opposed the True One, will make a breach in the Cause of God, will subvert His Word and will become a manifestation of the Center of Sedition.”
(Abdu'l-Baha, The Will and Testament, p. 11)

Nosrat u llah Bahremand,
Hand of Cause of God

Guardianship is essential for the continuity of the Baha’i Faith

Dear Kevin,


I have gone through your questions and reply of Hand of Cause Nosrat ullah Bahremand and 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 hope that as I assumed that you are a Bahai, 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 Bahai, you can comment anything.
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 an essential factor 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.
At the end, I request to you 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 have seen lot of comments in blog which shows that commentators are Baha'is but their manner is not a “Baha'i Manner”


Dr. A. Parikh,
Secretary, PNBC of India.

The Feast of Beauty (Jamal)

Though my body be pained by the trials that befall me from Thee, though it be afflicted by the
revelations of Thy Decree, yet my soul rejoiceth at having partaken of the waters of Thy Beauty,
and at having attained the shores of the ocean of Thine eternity. Doth it beseem a lover to flee 
from his beloved, or to desert the object of his heart's desire? Nay, we all believe in Thee,
and eagerly hope to enter Thy presence. 
 
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations, p. 96

Consider the past. How many, both high and low, have, at all times, yearningly awaited the advent
of the Manifestations of God in the sanctified persons of His chosen Ones. How often have they
expected His coming, how frequently have they prayed that the breeze of divine mercy might blow, 
and the promised Beauty step forth from behind the veil of concealment, and be made manifest to 
all the world. And whensoever the portals of grace did open, and the clouds of divine bounty did
rain upon mankind, and the light of the Unseen did shine above the horizon of celestial might,
they all denied Him, and turned away from His face--the face of God Himself. Refer ye, to verify
this truth, to that which hath been recorded in every sacred Book. 


-- Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 4

Although both Arabic and English are languages with rich vocabularies and varied modes of expression,
their forms differ widely from one another. The Arabic of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas is marked by intense
concentration and terseness of expression. It is a characteristic of this style that if a 
connotation is obvious it should not be explicitly stated. This presents a problem for a reader 
whose cultural, religious and literary background is entirely different from that of Arabic.
A literal translation of a passage which is clear in the Arabic could be obscure in English. 
It therefore becomes necessary to include in the English translation of such passages that element 
of the Arabic sentence which is obviously implicit in the original. At the same time, it is vital
to avoid extrapolating this process to the point where it would add unjustifiably to the original 
or limit its meaning. Striking the right balance between beauty and clarity of expression on the 
one hand, and literalness on the other, is one of the major issues with which the translators have
had to grapple and which has caused repeated reconsideration of the rendering of certain passages. 
Another major issue is the legal implication of certain Arabic terms which have a range of meanings 
different from those of similar terms in English.


-- Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 10

BAHA’IS (ORTHODOX) SET TO CELEBRATE THIS RIDVAN IN THE MOOD OF VICTORY OF COURT CASE

Ridvan, festival of the twelve day period, observed from sunset 20 April to sunset, 2 May. Baha’is throughout the world celebrate Baha'u'llah's announcement of his claim to the prophethood and His departure from Baghdad in 1863. The first, ninth and twelfth days of Ridvan are major Baha'i holy days on which Bahais exempt themselves from work.



The Baha’is under the Guardianship of Joel Bray Marangella, will celebrate this Ridvan in a special spirit. The Baha’I Administrative year 167 B.E is recorded as historical for the Orthodox Baha’is, Indian Orthodox Bahais are for historical Victory that the Court Action brought by the National Spiritual Assembly under the bogus Universal House of Justice, in the Court of Chicago, Illinois, USA, on November 16, 2006, has now finally concluded in their favor. The deadline for the NSA to file a petition for writ of certiorari to the United States Supreme Court was March 29, 2011. The deadline has come and gone therefore court decision in their favor is now final.


The nature of the court case filed by the above NSA that:


The NSA claims to be the owner of the following federal trademark registrations granted the United States Patent Office:


1. Arabic Symbol “The Greatest Name”.

2. National Spritual Assembly of the Bahais of United States.

3. Baha’i.

4. Baha u llah.

Conclusion:

The NSA obtained a Judgment against the NSA loyal to Mason Remey back in 1966 which prohibited that NSA from using the above "trademarks." The Court decided that the Orthodox Baha'is are not bound by the old Judgment. The Orthodox Baha'is asserts that:

"the Baha’i Faith is not a product that can be trademarked. It is a religion. An individual or a group cannot be the owner of the religion or religious terminology, and the Courts cannot decide religious controversies. Thus anybody who follows the teachings of the Bab, Baha u llah, Abdu’l Baha and Shoghi Effendi and follow the belief and the principles given them can call themselves Baha'is in the United States."

Nosrat’u’allah Bahremand in India

In this year the faithful friends also had the pleasure of meeting Hand of the Cause, the Vice President of Third International Baha’i Coucil, Mr. Nosrat’u’allah Bahremand as he travelled to India in September 2010.

Orthodox Baha’is celebrated the festival with devotionals and gatherings at the following places: 

1. Vasai Road, at the House of Mr. Rajendra Upadhyaye.

2. New Delhi, at the House of Mr. Vinod Kumar.

3. Lucknow, at the House of Mr. S. P. Pandey.

Happy Ridvan to All the Bahais irrespective of the sects.

Dr. A. Parikh, Secretary, National Baha'i Council of India. 

SHOGHI EFFENDI INFORMS THE UNITED NATIONS OF HIS ROLE AS THE "APPOINTED HEAD" OF THE FUTURE BAHÁ'Í "WORLD COUNCIL" PRIOR TO ITS FORMATION IN 1951

In July 1947, some three and one half years prior to his appointment of the International Bahá'í Council on 9 January 1951, Shoghi Effendi prepared a statement for submission to the United Nations Special Palestine Committee that has been published in pamphlet form under the title of: "The Faith of Bahá'u'lláh." with the subtitle, "A World Religion."

On page 3 of this document one may note the following significant paragraph which incontestably proves, in Shoghi Effendi's own words, that the one who presides as President of the International Bahá'í Council — this "World Council" — can be none other than the Guardian of the Faith.

"The passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá marked the termination of the first and Heroic Age of the Bahá'í Faith and signalized the opening of the Formative Age destined to witness the gradual emergence of its Administrative Order, whose establishment had been foretold by the Báb, whose laws were revealed by Bahá'u'lláh, whose outlines were delineated by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in His Will and Testament, and whose foundations are now being laid by national and local councils which are elected by the professed adherents of the Faith, and which are paving the way for the constitution of the World Council, to be designated as the Universal House of Justice, which in conjunction with me, as its appointed Head and the authorized interpreter of the Bahá'í teachings, must coordinate and direct the affairs of the Bahá'í community, and whose seat will be permanently established in the Holy Land, in close proximity to its world spiritual center, the resting-places of its Founders."

Joel Bray Marangella

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

THE DAY OF GOD

Today the 21st March, the National Bahai Council of Orthodox Bahais of India congratulate to all the Bahais on the Day of God, the Naw-Ruz and pray on this auspicious day for the abolition of the Bogus House of Justice and establishment of a Universal House of Justice under the control of the Guardian of Bahai Faith.

All religions and nations celebrate a new year determined by their leaders and guides due to an auspicious or momentous significance. The Day of Naw Ruz has been itself described as the Day of God in Kitab-i-Aqdas. We thence turn ourselves unto Him on His own day in hope of Guidance unto Him seeking the path through His words:

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… (Kitab-i-Iqan)

Indeed then, the secret of true nearness unto Him is the nearness unto the Trustees. So, we renew our pledge on this day (March 21) to be obedient, submissive and subordinate to the Trustee of the depositories of Knowledge - 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).

Heartiest greetings of Naw Ruz to all the Baha’i friends throughout the world

Rajendra Upadhyaye
Coordinator,

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 Laws of Fasting in Kitab-i-Aqdas

The Laws of Fasting in Kitab-i-Aqdas and its description

1. The sublime station occupied by fasting in the Bahá’í Revelation.

2. The period of fasting commences with the termination of the Intercalary Days, and ends with the Naw-Rúz Festival.

3. Abstinence from food and drink, from sunrise to sunset, is obligatory.

4. Fasting is binding on men and women on attaining the age of maturity, which is fixed at 15.

5. Exemption from fasting is granted to:

a. Travellers

i. Provided the journey exceeds 9 hours.

ii. Those travelling on foot, provided the journey exceeds 2 hours.

iii. Those who break their journey for less than 19 days.

iv. Those who break their journey during the Fast at a place where they are to stay 19 days are exempt from fasting only for the first three days from their arrival.

v. Those who reach home during the Fast must commence fasting from the day of their arrival.

b. Those who are ill.

c. Those who are over 70.

d. Women who are with child.

e. Women who are nursing.

f. Women in their courses, provided they perform their ablutions and repeat a specifically revealed verse 95 times a day.

g. Those who are engaged in heavy labour, who are advised to show respect for the law by using discretion and restraint when availing themselves of the exemption.

6. Vowing to fast (in a month other than the one prescribed for fasting) is permissible. Vows which profit mankind are however preferable in the sight of God.

Ayyam-i-Ha (The Intercalary Days)

Happy Ayyam-i-Ha to all the Baha'i Friends

Ayyam-i-Ha ( Intercalary Days) occur between the eighteenth and nineteenth months of the calendar i.e. February 26 to March 1 inclusive. The intercalary days are five in leap year and four in ordinary years. 

O Pen of the Most High! Say: O people of the world! We have enjoined upon you fasting during a brief period, and at its close have designated for you Naw-Rúz as a feast. Thus hath the Day-Star of Utterance shone forth above the horizon of the Book as decreed by Him Who is the Lord of the beginning and the end. Let the days in excess of the months be placed before the month of fasting. We have ordained that these, amid all nights and days, shall be the manifestations of the letter Há, and thus they have not been bounded by the limits of the year and its months. It behoveth the people of Bahá, throughout these days, to provide good cheer for themselves, their kindred and, beyond them, the poor and needy, and with joy and exultation to hail and glorify their Lord, to sing His praise and magnify His Name; and when they end—these days of giving that precede the season of restraint—let them enter upon the Fast. Thus hath it been ordained by Him Who is the Lord of all mankind. The traveller, the ailing, those who are with child or giving suck, are not bound by the Fast; they have been exempted by God as a token of His grace. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Most Generous.

Baha'u'llah,  Kitab-i-Aqdas

Our Responsibilities in these days

·         To provide hospitality to relatives and brothers and sisters in Faith.

·         To help the poor and needy

·         To glorify Lord

·         To sing praise and magnify the Name of the Lord

·         These days are preparation for the days of fast

We pray for the long life of our beloved Guardian Joel Bray Marangella.

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  

They sent their Big Guns!

Hand of the Cause Marilyn Meyer talks about the time when the Quincy, Illinois Baha'i community accepted Mason Remey as the second Guardian, and how the sans-Guardian organization sent all their big guns to Quincy to try to dissuade them, but they had to give up because they could not refute the arguments in favor of the Guardianship.

Nobody Should Die of Hunger

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.

Wilmette NSA's Petition Rejected

The Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit DENIED the Wilmette NSA's petition for rehearing.  The next step, if the NSA decides to take it, is to file a petition for certiorari with the US Supreme Court.  They have 90 days. After that, the decision is final.

Such stupid petitions puts the Justice of the Baha'i Faith in a ridiculous position. The so-called House of Justice's approval for such actions, questions the sans-guardian's administrative legitimacy.

The Bahá'í Month of Honor

The Bahá'í Month of Honor is the nineteen day period beginning December 31.

“They who are the beloved of God, in whatever place they gather and whomsoever they may meet, must evince, in their attitude towards God, and in the manner of their celebration of His praise and glory, such humility and submissiveness that every atom of the dust beneath their feet may attest the depth of their devotion. The conversation carried by these holy souls should be informed with such power that these same atoms of dust will be thrilled by its influence. They should conduct themselves in such manner that the earth upon which they tread may never be allowed to address to them such words as these: "I am to be preferred above you. For witness, how patient I am in bearing the burden which the husbandman layeth upon me. I am the instrument that continually imparteth unto all beings the blessings with which He Who is the Source of all grace hath entrusted me. Notwithstanding the honor conferred upon me, and the unnumbered evidences of my wealth--a wealth that supplieth the needs of all creation--behold the measure of my humility, witness with what absolute submissiveness I allow myself to be trodden beneath the feet of men...."

-- Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 7, 8

Only the eloquence of Bahá'u'lláh could permeate the most basic platform of human life with such power and spirituality, to the degree of becoming a reality check for all who would listen. Do not the words of that quote give one pause? I should hope so, since we are living in an age of awareness that has already rallied many humans to recognize that we must alter our destructive and wasteful ways which currently do little to benefit our Planet. In fact, most of our actions have a negative result on the physical qualities of the world we depend upon for life itself. Bahá'ís recognize that the foremost contributing factor to the world’s pollution is humanity’s spiritual shortcomings. While many sound the alarm of global warming, pointing to material solutions as the answer to solve the problem, we know that a change in the hearts of men, as foretold by Bahá'u'lláh, is the only true solution to the physical maladies of global imbalance.

Although I may have read the above quote at some point in my Bahá'í life, I have no recollection of it. When finding it recently, I was struck with its elemental goodness. This very paragraph would be a wonderful place to start for all those who want to do something about their world and themselves. “The conversation carried by these holy souls (remember, it the Baha’is of the world to whom this is addressed) should be informed with such power that these same atoms of dust will be thrilled by its influence.” Did you ever consider that the very earth we trod upon might be thrilled by the spiritual power of our influence? I never had. To me, Bahá'u'lláh is admonishing us in the very basest of terms, the degree that we should all aspire to in our reflection of His Teachings.

Our World’s composure was radically changed by the vibrating influence of Bahá'u'lláh’s Message for this Day, altering the life processes that our fathers and fore-fathers had learned to rely upon. We, as citizens of this recently altered world have not a clue of the magnitude of that alteration. No doubt, many of the Baha’is would find fault with that assessment. But do we really have a clue? Do we really understand the nuances of this Revelation that is the result of the release of 25 Letters of (God’s) Knowledge upon a hapless society? According to Holy Writ, the entire Adamic Cycle had released only two of those Letters. Along with the release of those 25 remaining Letters, humans became endowed with the capacity to live within the bounds of the marvels of that new presentation. I would presently opine that although humans will eventually be able to handle the new guidelines, at this point we are in what may be described as an embryonic status of understanding; we will eventually understand the requirements, but only have a glimmering of it now. As children go through succeeding levels of learning before understanding the complexities of life, adults now have new lessons to learn as well.

And so it is with all of us; we must first overcome our fear of water in order to progressively learn how to swim. I submit that meditating upon the enormity of the above paragraph could eventually guide us in the direction of beginning to understand the magnitude of grandeur that has been presented to us, and more importantly, the role that we must all present, to the best of our ability, in our acceptance and furtherance of the principles of this New World Order.

Hand of the Cause of God, Nosrat Bahremand, recently reminded us that we need to understand that believers of Bahá'u'lláh and followers of Bahá'u'lláh are two distinct categories. Do I dare suggest that the above quoted paragraph provides a further distinction for us to be aware of in our quest: that is that we must additionally become students of Bahá'u'lláh, beginning with the most basic truths of This Revelation. Acceptance of Bahá'u'lláh is only the beginning of a completely new avenue of life for us, and we need to begin at the most basic level of understanding to be able to truly comprehend its magnitude.

Hand of the Cause of God David Maxwell

Claims of Neal Chase to the Guardianship of the Bahá'í Faith

Few things are so confusing as the situation of having multiple claimants to the Guardianship of the Bahá'í Faith.  It is straightforward enough to understand that the larger Bahá'í organization has done away with the Guardianship after the death of the first Guardian.  It is very confusing, however, for those who believe that Shoghi Effendi did not fail in his duty, under the explicit provisions of `Abdu'l-Bahá's Will and Testament, to appoint his successor during his lifetime. There are a number of present claimants to the Guardianship. The only thing to do is to carefully consider and assess the arguments put forth by these claimants in a reasonable and rational manner. Read Full Article