1940
1940
— 196 —
May 14, 1940
Dear Mr. Vakíl,
Your eagerly awaited message has safely reached our beloved Guardian, and he was indeed thrilled by the perusal of the contents.
It greatly pleased and encouraged him to know that the Annual Convention held this year in Poona has proved such a high success, and that the important decisions taken by the delegates with the view of intensifying the teaching campaign in India and Burma are being effectively implemented by the offer made by so many of the friends to teach and travel in virgin territories. He wishes these dear believers, who have so heroically responded to the call of the hour, every blessing and success in their respective fields of teaching, and will pray most earnestly for the confirmation of their labours in the pursuit of their high and sacred task.[pg 187] The Guardian feels also rejoiced over the result of the nation elections this year, and wishes the newly elected National Spirited Assembly full success and guidance in the discharge of its heap: duties and responsibilities in these crucial times.
Assuring you in particular of his continued prayers for you health, and with his renewed greetings to you and yours.
Dearly valued co-worker:
I was so glad to hear from you after such a long silence, as your letters invariably serve to remind me of the effective yet unassuming manner in which you are, day and night, promoting the manifold interests of the Faith. I will continue to pray for you and for your dear ones from the depths of my heart. You are, I assure you, often in my thoughts and prayers. Persevere, be confident, happy and grateful.
Your true and gratified brother,
Shoghi
— 197 —
October 15, 1940
Dear Mr. Vakíl,
Your letters dated June 2nd and 5th have safely reached our beloved Guardian together with the enclosed statement on the Cause made by Col. Raya Jai Prithvi Bahadur Singh of Nepal.
The very appreciative remarks on the Faith contained in that statement make it indeed most suitable for use in the “Bahá’í World,” and the Guardian wishes me to assure you that he is keeping it for reproduction in Vol. IX, as the manuscript of Vol. VIII covering the period 1938 1940 has already been mailed to the States for publication.
The report of your teaching work in Mysore and Bangalore, and of your meeting with Prof. Shastri and His Highness the Maharaja of Mysore, who had been gracious enough to accord you an audience, has been noted with feelings of highest satisfaction and gratitude by the Guardian. He wishes me to express to you his heart’s warmest congratulations upon the success of your efforts in contacting such eminent personalities who, if closely drawn and attracted to the Faith, can lend invaluable support to the spread and wider recognition throughout India.[pg 188]
Shoghi Effendi would indeed urge that you follow up these important contacts by every means you can, so that you may obtain some more tangible results in the way of confirming some important personalities in these high social and intellectual Indian circles.
Renewing to you and yours the assurances of his prayers for your continued protection, safety and guidance, in these trying and indeed distressing times and reciprocating your greetings.
Dear and prized co-worker.
Though late, I will make every effort to include the appreciation you have sent me in Vol. VIII of the “Bahá’í World,” as I consider it valuable and significant. How deeply I appreciate your constant and eminent services to the Faith, and I pray that despite the dangers, obstacles and anxieties of these critical times you nay be given the strength and guidance required for the effective prosecution of the magnificent work you are achieving for our beloved Faith. I am so glad that you are fully restored physically, and I will always await eagerly the news of the progress of your splendid activities.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
— 198 —
October 15, 1940
[To R.K. Vedady, Secretary of the Youth Group]
Dear Bahá’í Brother,
Your letter dated April 27th enclosing copy of the annual report of the Bahá’í Youth Group in Bombay, and also copies of poems composed by Mrs. Shirin Fozdar and Dr. K. M. Irani, has been duly received by our beloved Guardian, and its contents noted with deepest satisfaction.
He was indeed highly pleased and encouraged to note from the contents of your annual report how alive the members of the Bahá’í youth group in Bombay are to their responsibilities and duties towards the Cause, and he will assuredly pray on their behalf that in spite of the perils, the uncertainties and dangers of the present hour their activities for the Faith may steadily gain in scope and in effectiveness, and that they may each and all receive such confirmations from On High as would enable them to forge ahead, and to attain their high destiny in service to our beloved Cause.[pg 189]
May the Beloved keep you and your co-workers beneath the shadow of His wings, prosper you in your valued and constant activities, increase your unity, deepen your understanding, extend your influence, and aid you to render signal services to His Cause and its institutions.
Your true brother,
Shoghi
— 199 —
November 15, 1940
Dear Mr. Vakíl,
Your letter of the 2nd instant has just reached our beloved Guardian, and he indeed feels most profoundly grieved of the news of the passing away of your elder brother in Navsari on the 14th of October last. He wishes me to hasten in conveying to you and relatives heartfelt condolences on this truly heavy loss you have so cruelly sustained, and specially to assure you of his special prayers on behalf of the deceased, that in the Realms Beyond he may be guided to the recognition and acceptance of the Cause, and thereby progress and advance spiritually. May the Beloved deal mercifully with his soul, and enable it attain to highest spiritual destiny, and may He also protect his bereaved family, and impart abiding solace to their sorrow laden hearts.
As regards your two younger brothers, the Guardian will also pray for them, that they may become spiritually awakened, and maybe gradually led to embrace, unreservedly and wholeheartedly, the Faith.
Renewing to you also the assurances of his supplications for your health and protection, and for the welfare and spiritual advancement of your daughters and with his cordial greetings to both you and dear Mrs. Vakíl.
Assuring you of my deepest and brotherly sympathy in the sudden loss you have so sadly experienced, and of my special prayers at the Hazy Shrines for his spiritual advancement in the Abhá Kingdom.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
— 200 —
November 28, 1940
[To the National Spiritual Assembly][pg 190]
Dear Bahá’í Brother,
I am instructed by our beloved Guardian to acknowledge the receipt of your letters dated September 10th, and November 14th written on behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly of India and Burma, the contents of which he has read with feelings of deepest satisfaction.
The slow yet steady extension of the teaching campaign throughout India is a matter which greatly rejoices his heart, and for which he feels moved to convey his warmest congratulations to the National Spiritual Assembly. Considering the well nigh insufferable obstacles in your way, and the difficult conditions created by the war, the progress so far achieved, though small, has been remarkable in many ways, and augurs well for the future of the Six Year Plan which your Assembly is so energetically carrying out.
The signal success which the able and untiring efforts of Mr. and Mrs. Bakhtiari, Mr. M. Ilmi and Dr. M. A. Samadani have won for the Cause in Kashmir deserves particular mention; and it is to be hoped that the group already established in that centre will steadily develop and soon attain the status of a Spiritual Assembly. To these dear teachers who have so successfully accomplished such high teaching mission, as well as to our new Bahá’í brother Moulvi ‘Abdu’lláh of Kashmir who, notwithstanding the violent opposition and criticisms of the Qadiyani’s has firmly stood by the Cause, the Guardian wishes you to convey his warmest appreciation and gratitude.
In connection with your teaching campaign, the Guardian wishes you to inform the National Spiritual Assembly that although there exists in the Cause no such institution as that of paid teachers, the National Spiritual Assembly, nevertheless should, in view of the urgent and pressing requirements of the Six Year Plan, extend, though only temporarily, any financial assistance in its power to those believers who offer to undertake pioneer work throughout India and Burma. Also, those believers who are not themselves able to offer their services as pioneers, and who wish to directly and effectively participate in the campaign of teaching can instead offer to defray, through the National Fund, the expenses of any believer they choose to deputize for that purpose. Such deputy teachers, however, should[pg 191] for all other purposes be responsible to the National Spiritual Assembly and the teaching bodies concerned.
Regarding Aḥmad Sohrab’s publications; these should be disregarded by the friends and those persons and Assemblies that receive any such tracts, pamphlets or books, either from Aḥmad Sohrab himself or his associates in the New History Society should return them at once to the sender.
Also in regard to the Qadiyani’s; the friends should not feel unduly disturbed by the unfounded and shallow criticisms and the malicious attacks of these enemies of the Cause. Should they ever carry out their intention of publishing the Aqdas in Urdu, the believers should not actively oppose them. The time, however, is not yet ripe for the believers themselves to undertake the publication of this work, either in the original Arabic, or in any translation.
Regarding your question as to the English equivalent weight of a “nakhud”; the Guardian would advise that you communicate on the subject with the National Spiritual Assembly of Írán and adopt, for the present, the system enforced by the Iranian believers.
As to the distinction between “town and “village”; this is a technical matter which devolves on civil and municipal authorities to define. Whatever is specified by them should be adopted by the friends.
In closing, may I ask you to convey the Guardian’s appreciation to dear Siyyid Maḥmúd, our highly esteemed brother and pioneer worker in Delhi, for the message of love and greetings he had transmitted through you. Kindly assure him of his special prayers on his behalf at the Holy Shrines, and assuring you too of his supplications for the guidance of the National Spiritual Assembly.
Dear and valued co-workers:
I regret that owing to present circumstances arising from the war and its grave repercussions, the activities, particularly in the teaching field, connected with the Six Year Plan, so spontaneously initiated by your Assembly, have had to be curtailed. I wish to appeal, however, to all its members, and through them to the general body of the devoted friends in India and Burma, to make a united and supreme endeavour to overcome, while there is yet time, the obstacles that stand in their way, and to refuse to allow the perils, the uncertainties and anxieties that face and afflict their country to deter them from carrying out the original plan they have so nobly conceived. Let them remember that a firm resolution[pg 192] on their part, an absolute re dedication of their resources, and an actual attempt to translate into action their meritorious intentions, coupled with perseverance in the discharge of their duties, would suffice to ensure the success of the mission to which they are now committed. The time is indeed ripe, and the minds and hearts of the suffering multitudes are being mysteriously prepared for the Great Message that can alone redeem, exalt and regenerate a sore tried and bewildered humanity. I will specially and fervently pray for the success of any and every effort the dear cy beloved friends in India and Burma may arise to exert.
Your true and grateful brother,
Shoghi
— 201 —
December 14, 1940
[To the National Spiritual Assembly]
Dear Bahá’í Brother,
Your communication of the 1st instant has just been received by our beloved Guardian, and its contents noted by him with closest care and attention.
Regarding his instruction to the National Spiritual Assembly of Írán to the effect that Bahá’u’lláh’s writings in Arabic should not be translated into Persian; this applies to the translation of the revealed words into Persian only. Your Assembly, therefore, may proceed with its plan for the rendering of the Tablet of Aḥmad, the three daily obligatory prayers and other Tablets, into Urdu.
With reference to the Poona Assembly’s question whether it is permissible for the Bahá’ís to see pictures; there is nothing in the Teachings that would forbid such a practice.
Also with regard to the practice of circumcision; the Teachings bear no reference to this matter, and it is therefore not enjoined upon the believers.
The question of the training and education of children in case one of the parents is a non-Bahá’í is one which solely concerns the parents themselves, who should decide about it in the way they find best and most conducive to the maintenance of the unity of their family, and to the future welfare of their children. Once the child comes of age, however, he should be given full freedom to choose his religion, irrespective of the wishes and desires of his parents…[pg 193]
As regards the membership of the International House of Justice, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá states in a Tablet that it is confined to men, and that the wisdom of it will be revealed as manifest as the sun in the future. In any case the believer should know that, as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Himself has explicitly stated, that sexes are equal except in some cases, the exclusion of women from the International House of Justice should not be surprising. From the fact that there is no equality of functions between the sexes one should not, however, infer that either sex is inherently superior or inferior to the other, or that they are unequal in their rights.
Concerning the appearance of two Davids; there is a Tablet from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’ in which He says that just as there have been two Ishmaels, one the son of Abraham, and the other one of the Prophets of Israel, there have appeared two Davids, one the author of the Psalms and father of Solomon, and the other before Moses.
In closing, the Guardian wishes me once again to stress the all importance of the teaching campaign throughout India and Burma. Much as he is aware of the obstacles that stand in the way of the expansion of pioneer teaching-obstacles which your sister Assembly in the U.S.A. are far in a better position to overcome, owing to the larger resources at their disposal and to their longer and wider experience in matters of teaching — he nevertheless strongly feels that, through the united, determined and passionate resolve of your National Spiritual Assembly, of all the local Assemblies, groups and individuals, much can be accomplished in that direction, and firm foundations laid down for future expansion and consolidation. The greater your handicaps the firmer your determination should wax, and the more abundant will assuredly be the blessings and confirmations of Bahá’u’lláh. May His love and guidance lead you and our dearly beloved friends in that land to still greater heights of selfless accomplishment in His path, and thereby crown with success the Six Year Plan so ably devised and so energetically pursued by the National Spiritual Assembly.
Dear co-workers:
I wish to reassure you in person of my fervent and continued prayers for the protection, the success, and the spiritual advancement of the community of the Indian and Burmese believers who, under your direction, and stimulated by the initiative and example, of their national elected representatives, are arising, in these days of widespread confusion[pg 194] turmoil and danger, to carry out the Plan they are pledged to fulfil. No sacrifice can be regarded as too great for the attainment of so great and splendid an objective. They should persevere in their task, undaunted by the rising tide of calamity and despair which afflicts the world, and which is mysteriously paving the way for its unification and ultimate redemption. May the Beloved guide every step you take, and bless every endeavour you exert in His path.
Your true brother,
Shoghi