Guardian Letter to Ruhiyyih Khanum

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Letters of the Living

The 18 disciples who first believed in Sayyid Ali Muhammad the Primal Point, the Point are called Letters of the Living. They were created before all things from the Point. They became living because the Point shone forth upon them. The Point is independent of all things, Letters of the Living including. The Point is not a Letter of the Living. These 18 disciples were minor manifestations subject to the major manifestation, the Primal Point.
These 18 disciples were “the return of Muhammad, Ali, Fatima, the Eleven Imams and the Four Original Gates (BÂB).”

What is meant by the “return” is the appearance of another person, born of other parents, but inspired by God with the same spirit and power. This “coming again” of these persons was fulfilled in the appearance of the Letters of the Living.

Grants of Titles and names are the prerogatives of the Point, the manifestation of the age, the Primal Point in the manifestation of the Bayan, to the exclusion of all others, Letters of the Living including.

Of the 19 Letters of the Living the First to believe was Mulla Muhammad Hussein who was the return of Muhammad.

The last believer was Mulla Muhammad Ali entitled Quddus. Which Imam’s return he was is not clear, presumably he was the return of the Imam Hussein.
The 18 disciples received their titles from the Primal Point in 1844 as they embraced the faith.

The Scattered Beads

Writing on the Wall

Mason Remey from Those Who Were There

Accepting Mason Remey's Proclamation, long-time Baha'is Frank and Carole Schlatter, James and Marilyn Meyer, and Stephen Rhodes talk about their acceptance of Mason Remey as the second Guardian, and how they knew him in 1960 and can attest from their own knowledge that he was neither senile or self-centered as the Hands had accused him.

“Religion should unite all hearts and cause wars and disputes to vanish from the face of the earth; it should give birth to spirituality, and bring light and life to every soul. If religion becomes a cause of dislike, hatred and division, it would be better to be without it... Any religion which is not a cause of love and unity is no religion.” 

― Abdu'l-Bahá

O' Son

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)

Ascension of Baha’u’llah

On 29th May the Orthodox Baha’is of the world mark the Ascension of Baha'u'llah.

About a year prior to His passing, Baha’u’llah revealed His Will and Testament, which named His eldest son, Abdu’l-Baha, as His successor and constitutes the Covenant of Baha’u'llah.

Baha’u'llah’s ministry came to an end in 1892. He left to humanity a priceless heritage of spiritual and social teachings.

Now this priceless heritage of spiritual and social teachings are continuing under the living Guardian of Baha’i Faith, Joel Bray Marangella.

Indian Orthodox Baha'is pay homage to all the Baha'is of the world on the Ascension of Baha u llah and pray for all the Baha'is to turn their faces towards the real successor of Baha u llah, The Guardian of Baha'i Faith.

 “That one indeed is a man who, today, dedicated himself to the service of the entire human race. The Great Being saith: Blessed and happy is he that ariseth to promote the best interests of the peoples and kindreds of the earth. It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.”  (Baha’u’llah)

National Baha'i Council of India

Celebration of Ridvan at Tungareshwar

Entrance of the beautiful Ridvan Garden

The National Baha’i Council of Orthodox Baha’is of India take immense pleasure in announcing a unique celebration on the occasion of a great Baha’i Festival the “Ridvan” at Tungareshwar, which is at an altitude of about 2177 feet,  one of the highest mountain plateaus in Vasai/Thane on 21^st  April 2012 near Chinchoti Water Fall.

Celebration will be hosted by Mr. Rajendra Upadhyaye. Orthodox Baha’is from Mumbai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, New Delhi, Dombivili, Kalyan, Baroda, Nagpur and all the friends of Thane District will participate in it.

Ridvan is the Anniversary of Bahá'u'lláh's Declaration of His Prophetic Mission to His followers.

Ridvan Messages, a Tradition of Guardian of the Faith

In the year 1923, the First Guardian of Baha’i Faith Shoghi Effendi sent a letter of encouragement and greeting to the American national Bahá'í convention at Ridvan. Later it was his regular practice to write a Ridvan letter to the Bahá'ís of the world summarizing the progress of the Faith in the previous year and setting out general directions for the coming year.

Living Guardian

The Living Guardian of Baha’i Faith Joel Bray Marangella follows the tradition of the first Guardian and he also writes a Ridvan Letter to the Orthodox Baha’is of the world. (Sans Guardian UHJ cannot write a Ridvan Letter to the Baha’is).

Hands of the Cause of God Appointed by Third Guardian are:

1.  Marilyn Meyer
2.  Madeline Byers (posthumous)
3.  Nosrat'u'llah Bahremand
4.  Jeffrey Goldberg
5.  David Maxwell
6.  Y.H. Taylor
7.  Grace Behrens (posthumous)
8.  Joel JaniMarangella
9.  James Meyer
10. Dr. A. Parikh
11. Martin Lavallee
12. Frank Schlatter (Departed Soul)

We extend our heartiest Ridvan Greetings to all the Bahais of the world and invite them on this great festival to look in the matter of continuity of guardianship.

With Best Abha Greetings,

Rajendra Upadhyaye,

The Chairman of the National Bahai Council of India.

  

Message of Love from Living Guardian

During this holy period of Ayyam-i-Ha, the Third Guardian of Baha’i Faith, beloved Joel Bray Marangella addresses to the Baha’i friends in the words of Master, Abdu’l Baha in which he has emphasized the importance of LOVE in one of his wonderful Tablet.   

     "O thou who warmest thyself by the fire of the love of God, spreading from the Tree of the Covenant!  Let thy soul be at ease and thy heart in peace concerning the perfect success and progress which the pen is not able to express, for in a short time thou shall see the flag of the Kingdom waving in those far and wide regions, and the lights of the Truth shining brilliantly in its dawn above those horizons, and thou shalt know that thou art the center of the circle of the love of God, the axis around which souls revolve in their way and supplication to God.  Therefore,, thou must widen thy heart, dilate thy breast,  have patience in plenty, calmness of soul and cut thyself from everything but God !

The above words of the Master are so appropriate and equally apply to all of us who are assiduously laboring today for the victory of the Covenant of Baha'u'llah and its divinely-conceived, sacred and immortal "Child."

Joel Bray Marangella.

The Guardian of Baha’i Faith.

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:

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

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  

26th November, Blessed Day of the Covenant

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Birth of the Báb

Every religion has a herald, or forerunner, to prepare people for the coming of  that great Spiritual Counselor who is periodically sent by God to humankind to foster our spiritual development – that One whose divinely appointed mission it is to remind people to re-focus on what really matters, the eternal human spirit rather than the physical world, and to be helpful, kind, and loving to one another, rather than brutish, selfish and hateful, and to act with regard to one another responsibly and with justice in all aspects of life.
The Báb is that Herald for Bahá’ís – for those who recognize Baha’u'llah as the Creator’s guiding Voice and Spirit for this age. Today the 20^th October, is the anniversary of the Báb’s birth, according to the Gregorian calendar, the date on which He was born in 1819 in the city of Shiráz, Iran.

The National Baha'i Council of Orthodox Baha'is of India, National Teaching Committee and Local Council of Thane and Mumbai extend the hearties greetings to all the Baha'is of the world.
On this special occasion we pray for the long life of beloved living guardian of the Baha'i Faith Joel Bray Marangella.

A Brief History of Baha'i Faith

History bahai faith

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