s Innert to Irtre Am- &W$ National publlahd h tht .MM.%~~c tun1 Assembly sf the U n W State# for Bahh'ls onlv.

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I Message fro* House of Justice to Iranian BnhB'is I 'To the dear /mnlan believe@ resident id' &her corrntries throughout the world

In these tumultuous days when the lovers of: the Best Beloved are remote from their homeland, as- sociating with their fellow-believers in other lands, and participating in the services of the loyal supporters throughout the world, we felt it nec- essary to convey our thoughts to those distin- guished friends, with absolute sincerity and affec- tion. and invite them to that which we believe can guaiantee their tranquillity and happiness, an well as their eternal salvation and redemption; so that with firm steps and sure hearts they may, God willihg, withstand the onslaughts which have and will afflict all the countries of the globe. Thus they may fix their gw.e on the dawn of the fulfilment pf the soul-vitalizing promises of GodLand remain certain that behind these dark clouds the Sun of the Will of God is cihining resplendent from its height of glory and might. Defore long these dark clouds of cotltention,, negligence, fanaticism. and, rebellion shall disperse, the day of victory shall dawn above the horizon, and R new age shall il- lumine the world. I t should not be surmised that t he events which have taken place in all corners of the globe, intluding the sacred land of Iran, have occurred as isolated incidents without any aim or purpose. According to the words of our beloved Guardian:"The invisible hand is at work and the convulsions taking place on earth are a prelude to the proclamation of the Cause of God." This is but one of the mysterious forces of this supreme Revelation which is causlng the limbs of mankind to quake and those who are drunk with pride and negligence to he thunderstruck and shaken. To the ttuth of this testifies the sacred verse:"The world's equilibrium hath been upset through the vibrating influence of this most great, this new World Order." and the repeated warnings of the Pen of the Most High, such as:

"The World is encircled with calamities. Even i f at times some good may be evident, it is inevitable that a gredt calamity follow- eth-and yet no one on earth hath pet- ccived its origin." "The world is in travail and its agitation waxeth day by day. Its face is turned to- wards waywardness and unbelief. Such shall be its plight that to disclose it now - would not be meet and seemly. Its pnver- sity will long continue. And when the ap- pointed hour is come, there shall siiddenly appear that which shall cause the limbs of mankind to quake. Then and only then will the Divine Standard be unfurled and the Nightingale of Paradise warble its melody. " Similarly. the Pen of th t Centre of the Coveb

ant has repeatedly prophesied the intolerable cala-

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mitied whith must bestt this C$pard huihjrin'ity ' ere it heeds the life-giving Teachings of Bit' ~ ~ ' l l ~ l ' t .

"Chads and Ennfunion are daily' incfcasb.g in the wofid. They will attain such intensity as t o render the frame of mankind tindbi . to bear them. Then will men he awakened and become aware that religion is the.irn- a pregnable stronghold and the man if^ iight of the world, and its laws, exhortations and teaching6 the source of lift on earth,"

Evny d i~e fn ing eye cleirrly se& that the &arb , stages of ttfis chaos ha* daily ~dnifesfatb'rrs af- fecting the structure of hunlan society; its dcsthtc- tiw forces are vprooting time-honoured.irrrtfit~* tions which were a haven and refwe fot the in- habitants of the earth in bygone days an8,mcur- ies. and arolmcl which Wolved all,huma .aff@. The s a w destructive.forces me a h ~ ~ F R R F B ~ ~ the political, .economic, xieatit3c;. htrrary* mrtE &brat qaillbrium of the world mcl e cW,t~y&@ p e fairest fruits of t h ~ p s e n t civiJ&;alon, ka1'iwd machinations of those in auihuritykawa$Wd the seal of obsolescehce ~tpon the rmt-principles of the world's order. Greed and ~arrsion: deceit. hypocrisy, tyranny, and pride are dominating features afflicting human relations. Discoveries ' I and inventions, which are the fruit of schirtific and tectinologieal advanchnents, have heccsme the meam and tools of mass extermintubn ~ n d destruction and are in the hmds of the ungodly. Even music, ilrt, and literature, which ~ e t o rsp resent and, inspire the noblest sentimenta, &nd highest aspirations and should be a source oT Corn-, ' fort and tranquility for troubled wuls, hrr\rt stray- ed from the straight path and arc now tho mirrors of the soiled hearts of this confused, unprinci- pled, and disordered age. Perversions sich as these shall result in the ordeals which have been prophesied by the Blessed Beauty in inhe following words: "Every day a new calamity Hill seize the

.earth and a fresh tormentin8 trial will appear." "The day is approaching when its (cidlization'n's) flame wiU devour the cities."

Irt duch an afflicted time, wMn mankit& b be-' wildered and the wisest of men are perplexed as to the remedy, the people of ~atk%, who have confib dcnce in His unfailing WBC~ and divine guidmw, wc bsurCC1 that each of thm.tormtnting .trials has a cause, a purpose, asrd a definitd.mUlt, an& all are essential instruments for the c a p ~ b l i r ~ n t of the immutable Will of Ciod on earth, In other words, on the one hand humanity is stnrck by the scourge of His chastisement which kriN inCYiMbly bring together the s c a t t e d and vanquishel tribes of the earth; and on the other, the week few

.whom He ha& nunured undcr thc protection of His loving guidance are, m this formative a& and period of trflnnition. continuing to build d d s t

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's ' thtre tumultuous waves an impregnable strong- .' -hold which will be the sole remaining refuge for ' . rkse lost multitudes. Therefore, the dear friends t ' -of C3od who have such a b ~ o a d and clear vision

, Woke #lappl:are not pertwbad'kiy such events, nor . , are they panic-striekeo by such thundering

;, so&Qs, nor wit1 they face such convulsions with J feat and trepidaiion, nor will they be deterred,

even for a moment, from fulfilling their sacred r e , sponsibilities.

, . .- One of their sacred responsiWlities i s to e x e m p : lify in their lives those attributes which are aecep-

,, ,;-, I: ,tab*at His Sacred Threshold. Others must inhale . from them the holy fragrances of die homeland of

.'",' ., BabYu'lM~, the L i d which b the birthplace of I self-sacrificing martyrs and devoted lovers of the

.' . "' .Omnipotent Lord. They must not forget that Ba- a 1 ha'is throughout the world expect much from the

Iranian believers. They should hearken to the life- ,giving olarinn call which their Peerless Beloved ,ha given to the friends in I r a :

which a t tac t s Hia good-pleasure, a n d in- daed it is His binding command that Ba- .Wfsr In all metters, . even in small daily 4mnaaaionri i n d .dealings with others, should act in e m r d a a c e with the Divine T a g h l w . H 4 . h ~ :wmmanded us nor to be ~ o c ) ~ e n ~ ~ & ~ lirwliness, humility and meek- 1

but rather to become manifestations of

, scattering and annihil-

aiion of the ~ a i t h of BahB'u'llAh." We beseech God to aid and assist them daily to

centre their attentions on these divine admoni- tions and to tread the path of faithfulness so as to secure abiding happiness.

Another of the sacred responsibilities of the be- tievers is their spiritual commitnlent to serve, O#s Sacred Threshold at all times and under all conditions so that they may dedicate the few, fleetiug days of their lives-particularly in this age of transition-to the cause of God, unmindful of the vicissitudes of fortune, trusting in Providence, arid relieved of worries and anxieties. Witness what joyful tidings the Pen of the Most High has given to such blessed souls:

"Whatsoever occurreth in the world of being is light for His loved ones and fire for the people of sedition and strife. Even if all the losses of the world were to be sustained by one of'the friends of God, he would still profit thereby, whereas true 103 woilld be ., borne by such as are wayward, ignorant and contemptuous. Althoilgh the author of the followi~lg saying had intended it otherwise, yet We find it pertinent to t.he operation of God's immutable Will: 'Even or odd, thou . shalt win the wager.' The friends of God shall win and profit under all conditions, ' and shall a ~ t a i n true wealth. In fire they re- main cold, and from water they emerge dry. ' Their atpairs are at variance with the affairs of men. Gain is their lot, whatever the deal. T o this testifieth everywise one with a dis- cerning eye, and every fair-minded one with a hearing ear." Yet another sacred duty is that of clinging to

'the cprd of moderation in all things, lest they who are t o be the essence of detachment and moder- atipn be deluded by the trappings of this nether world or set their hearts or1 its adornments and waste their lives. If they are wealthy they should make these bestowals a means of drawing nigh un- to God's Threshold, rather than being so attached to them that they forget the adn~onitions of the Pen of the Most High. The Voice of Truth has said: "Having attained the stage of fulfillment and reached his maturity, man standeth in need of wealth, and such wealth as he acquireth through crafts o r professions is commendable and pt'aise- worthy in the estimation of men of wisdom." If wealth and prosperity become the means of ser- vice at God's Threshold it is highly meritorious, otherwise it would be better to avoid them. Turn to the Rook of the Covenant. the tiidden Words, and other Tablets. lest t t ~ z cord of your salvation become a rope of woe which will lead to your own destruction. Wow numerous are those negligent souls, particularly from among your own compat- riots, who have been deprived of the blessings qf faith and true understanding. Witness how, no sooner had they attained their newly-amassed wealth and status, than they became so bewitched by [!]em ns t o forget the virtues and true perfec- tions of man's station. They clung to their empty and fruitless life-style. They had naught else but their homes, their commercial success, and their

oinaniental trappings of whkh to be pronh. &- hold their ultimate fate. Many a triumphal arch was reduced to a ruin, many an imperial palace was converted into a barn. Mdny a day of deceit turned into a night of despair. Vast, treasures changed hands and, at the end of their lives, they were left only with tears of loss and regret. " ... all that perisheth ant1 changeth isnot. and hath never been, worthy of attention, except to a recognized measure." Therefore the people of Bahd must not fall prey t o the corruption of the ruthless but rat her cling to contentment and moderation. They must make their homes havens for the believers, folds for their gatherings and centres for the pro- mr~lgation of His Cause and the diffusion of His love. so that people of all strata, whether high or low, may feel at home and be able to consort in an atmosphere of love and fellowship.

Another sacred responsibility of thb9e dear Iranian friends now living abroad is t o consult with the Assemblies and B ~ h h ' l Inrrtilutioris so that their settlen~erlt in needy areas may help the establishment and consolidation of the Faith. They mrtat serve on the pioneer front wherever they reside. They must not Bllow themselves t o be drawn t o and congregate in ateas where their rel- atives or friends reside, unaware of the pioneering needs of the Faith. Praised be Clod that, thrmrgll ' the blegsings of the Greatest Name, the believerti ,. have been imbued with a love arid unity which transcends the ties of kinship and friendship and overcomes.the harriers of language and culture. Therefore there is no need for the Iranian friends to congregate in one place. Often such a congre- gation creates problems. For example; shoultl the number of Iranians exceed the number of native believers in a community, they would inadvat- ently bring about such difficulties as might appear to others aa a religion which is limited and jw- crlliar to Iranians. This could but lead to a waste of time and the disenchantment of both BahB'ls and non-Bahh'is. Under such circumstances the dear Iranian friends would neither enjoy their stay in the1 place nor would they be able t o serve the Faith in a befitting manner. It is our ardent hope that, wherever possible. the Iranian friends may Settle in those towns or villages which are pioneer- ing goals, so that through their stay the founda- tion of the Cause may be strengthened, They must encourage each other to pioneer and disperse in- accordance with the teaching plans wherever they. reside, and sacrifice the happiness and joy which they may othewise obtain from companionship with each other for the sake of the vital interests of the Cause.

Another of the sacred duties incumbent upon' the believers is that of avoiding participation in political discussions and Intrigues which have be-.. come popular nowadays. What have the people of RahA to d o with political contention and contro- versy? With absolute certainty they mugt prove to the world that Bahii'ls, by virtue of their beliefs, are l o y ~ l citizens of whatever country they reside in and are far removed from the machinations of conspirators and the perpetrators of destruction and chaos. Their ideal is the happiness of all the

peoples of t l h world md ~Sfim md w M 1 c h W I 1 ed service t o them. In administrative posi8iw.i they are obedient to their governments and carry : out their duties with the utrnest honesty a n d trustd worthiness. They repard no faction as superior do. another and prefer n o sndividusl above another. , 'They oppose n o one, for the Divine Pen has pro- ' hibited sedition and corruption and enjoined .

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peace and harmcmy upon us. For mdre than a CHI- 1 , tury Bahh'fs have proven by their deeds that they reqard servitude and service to their fellow man an king niore worthy than the privileges o f * y o w a , which can be gained from palitics. In administer- ing their own affairs, they rely on Ood rather than ' . on the inflllcnce of those in power and authority. Particularly in these days when the enemies of t l i t . Faith have afflicted the Cause in the sacred I d , of Iran with the darts of calumny and slander an every side, the dear Iranian friends should k vigilant, both in their-contact with other Jranibns.: abroad and with people in general, and behave in ' such a WRY as t o leave n o doubt as t o theindepoll- . - dence ahd non-al i~nnent of the BahB'fs and their good will, t o all people, whether in Iran o r elm ' where. They must not give a new exmse tocausd -,'

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trouble t o those mischief-makers who hawe &iwm ' I - sought to further their own unworthy ends by makin8 the BahB'I oonirhunityty.a tar@& fop I&&', : snalidoua rrccusrrtirrm. , 1 ' j. 0 belovcd of Cod,' efld m& af, 'w, :-

Ahh& Rsrultyl Your rd1atiodahip to thc hit%&" Perfection merits bdfittiw gratitbdo. Having a p preciated the true value of so inestimable a boun- ty, your forefathers regarded the offering of their , live9 in the path of their kind WloVed a s m y to make. They were put in chains. became WtiVes of the sword, last t h d r h m e a and belongings, yet n o sound was heard from their lacerated throats. ,

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but the cry of "YQ RahB'n'I~AbhB" end "115 , 'Alfyyu'l A1lB." The vibration of the saunrl'of I that Pame soul-burning cry gradually n o i d abroad the call of this world-illuminating Or& Announcement and the ringing notes of that 4x11 resounded in dl regions of the world, and now , too, the beloved friends in Iran, who are t h t da. voted dwellers in the courtyard of the Ekl~ved, gland firm in the same Covenaht and Testament. '. Behold the courage, qrmness, detachment, unity, I cooperation, zeal, and enthusiasm with whib , these loyal lovers of the Belovad daily hQ their tests and prove arid demonstrate to the Ulr0&1, with radiant and shining faces, their purit$, thhr , heritage, their quality, and their virtue. With the utmost meekncm, truthfulne8s. uridom, arid ' courage they meet the chaHengcs prebm&d to thenl, t& challenge of defying the GIIW&$; dkR- * pelling misrmndwstandings which are a m ~ l t of : the proliferation of calumnies .and. false aG ' cnsations, They have met their &ti! with wqwi- ' csccnce. have b&ed t h d r heads in the vmey of' - srrbmiseion and resignation. and have boirne eve* tribulation with radiance, for they know with ab- solute certainty that the fulfildent of divine ' prophecies wjil coincide 4 t h dire events and the bearing of innumerable afflictions, ?'he bclw& $ 5 , Guardian says: "If in the days t o come, adver-

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confirmations of the Concourse on High and has, brought such a resounding success to them as has astortished and startled the people of BahA throughout the world. Others have been inspired by the example of those treasured brethre~i to re-

new their pledge to their All-Glorious Beloveed and to serve I-lis Sacred Threshold with high en- deavour. Thus they endeavour, as far as possible, to make good the temporary disability of the be- lievers in Iran. Inspired by the courage, constan- cy, sincerity, and devotion of those enamoured friends in the path of their Beloved, they are in- creasing their services and renewing and strength- ening their resolve so that they may arise in the arena of the love of God as it beseems true lovers. That is why in these days the followers of the Greatest Name in different parts of the world have u~~dertaken to win liew victories in remem- brance and on behalf of their dear friends in Iran. They have made new plans and their efforts have been confirmed with resounding success, which they attrihute to the influences ofthe high endeav- ours and the corlstallcy of the friends in the Cradle of the Faith. What then will you do, dear friends who come from the sacred land of Iran? You are the birds ofthat rose-garden. Ydu should sing such a song that the hearts of others will re- joice with gladness. Yop are the candles of that Divine Ganctuary. You should shed such a light that it will illumine the eyes of the intimates of God's mysteries. Our eager hearts in these days are expectant to see the rays of loyalty and integri- ty from amidst these dark and threatening clouds. so [hat your blessed names, like those of your self- sacrificing conlpatriots, may be recorded in gold upon the Tablets of Honour. This is dependent upon your own high endeavour.

THE UNIVERSAL ffOUSE OF JUSTICE February 10, 1980

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I Coun$ellors and the, Continental Bahh'i Fund

'&Sic$' Bf various kinds should eqcircle that land a11d national upheavals should further aggravate the present calamities, and intensify the repeated afflictions," the dear friends in that country should not be deflected "from their straight path and chosen highway." He then continues to ad- ctrese the dear friends in these words:

"The liberation of this meek and inno- I cent band of His follgwers from the fetters

'. of its bondage and the talons of the people of tyranny and enmity must needs be pre-

'ceded by the clamour and agiurion of the ' ,k.;di masses. 'The realization of glory, of tran-

~wiility,~and of true security for the people - of Rahh wilt necessitate opposition, aggres- . sion andcnrnmotion on the part of the peo-

I , To aU Spiritual Assemblies, Croups and ' 1 I~dlrldlrql ktlevers in the Wnibgd- Staim '.

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were fondly expected to take their place, are withering und decaying tiefore (he eyes of their dkillusioned adherents. Amidst this decay and dknq~tion, assuiled from every side by the turmoil oj'the age, the Order of Buhd'u'lldh, unshakeahiv fobnded on the Word of God, protected by the shield of the divine Covenartt and assisted by the hosts of the Concourse on High, iE rising in every purl of the world."

We have all noted that whereas there were, in the past, thirteen Boards of Counsellors in the world, there are now five Boards, each having ex- panded territories to service. Instead of three Roards of Counsellors in the Western Hemisphere serving South, Cel~tral and North America respec- tively, there is now one Board known as the Con- tinental Board of Counsellors for the Protection and Propagation of the HahB'I With in the Amer- icas.

Referring to the changes implemented by the Supreme Body, the International Teaching Cen- Ire, addressing the Counsellors, observed "Great posibilities for richer service vibrare in these new

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. - . - L ple of malevobnec add iniquity. Therefore, , &hould the buffeting waves of the sea of - , . tribulallnn intensify and the storms of trials

and trib~datlons assaiI that n~eek wngrega- -T$ tion fr@m all six sides, know of a certainty

:land without a moment's hesitation that the time for their deliverance bas drawn nigh, that the uge-old prornise of the~r assured

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glory will soon be fulfilled, and that at long last the means are provided for the perse- cuted people of Bahii in that lahd to attain

, "salvation and snpreme triumplt. A firm ste@ I . . and an unshakwble resolve m essential so - . - that the repiainingstages may cona to paris

\":-mnd the cherished ideals of the people of ' BahB may be realized on the loftiest SUNI-

* mits, and be ~nade manifest in astounding . brilliance. 'Such IS God's meehpd, and no change shalt thou find in His method.' "

. Thai 1s why those royal falcons who soar in the fm~orncnt of God's bve have, tuisen with such ., / joy, tranquility. m d high dignity that their m e n -

, / b i i y $1616 beconk a magnl?t for the atttaction of the

' Moved Co-workers-Coneernin$ the Cootinen- W Drh4'l Fund for the Americas

The commu~cation of ~ o v e m b e r 3 , 1980,

I from the Universal House of Justice, a@lrmsed to the Baha'is of the world announcing the ap- poinfrnent of the Counsellors to s e w on five C~t~tinentnl Boards of Counsellors thtoughout

re wortd, is now well known to all of us. In a letter of the same date the International

whing Centre referred to this development as ,

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' '" i..this krtest step in the urafoldment of' the di- vinely-orckijned Adminwtrative Order of Bahd . 'u'!ldh. " The ktter from the Universal House of Justice included the following thought-provoking wagntph:

'%uenls of the most pmfounb signiylcane are taking pluce in the world. The river of human h k

. tory is flowing at a bewilder~ng speed. Age-old in- ltutions are eotldping. Tradillonal way,,r are be-

tnt and newly-born ideolbgies which

provisions Your;,. is r k inestimable privilqe and hles.sin~ to explore, exploit and rnnr.~!iall these pnsrihilities:" The sixteen Counpellors rervlng on the Roard of Co~tnsellon in the American humbly besewh your prayers as they aspire Lo he worthy of the trust placecl in them hy the Universal House of Justice.

The Fund that supports the: work of the Coun- sellors and Auxiliary Board members throughout the Americas will now be known as the Conti- nental 13ahl'i Fund for the Americas. Beloved Edna True who served with distinction for 12 1/2 years as Counsellor and Trustee in the North American zone is generously allowing the con: tinued use of her home in Wilmette as an office for the Continental Fund. Accordingly, there is no 'change in the address to which contributions may be sent.

One significant change, however, is that dona-

nl and, sen

aha ah it at ion, companionate marriage in light &f BnhPtl ~ehiogd [[ . i

tiona,' s o ' p n m ~ u s k y prowatrd -in the past try tsu

Cohabitation can be defined as the sharing of a common residence by members of the opposite sex who are unmarried or otherwise tinrelated by immediate family ties.

In many quarters i t has become coinmonplace for couples to live together without having con- secrated and formalized their u n b n by spiritual and legal means.

The UahB'I Faith views such relationships as im- moral. and affirms that marriage is the only rela- tionship through which physical intimacy between a couple should occur.

Cohabitation also assumes other forms. BshP'f youth, for example, have been known to share a common residerice on t c a c h i n ~ ~ r o i e c t s or when

friends in North America will now suppart the services of the Co~nrfeXiors-Auxiliary Board tutioris in all i tw kmerlm. Mow predoua Wed

traveling. Even when properly chsproned, stlch , arrangements can create the impression of im-

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morality. Certainly it would be unacceptable for BmhSl'l

youth to share the same residence without chaixr-

is tbic; privikgel Contribations may be made I , payable t o The Conli~lental Illah4'l Fur to the following address:

C ~ N T l N l ? N T A L BAHA'~ FlJ , ' 418 FORES'~ AVENUE

WILrnTTE, I1,LINOIS 80(191 * , Olrco again the dounsellora ask fbi? your

j a p r a y m as they work in close arUa.bma$im! wdth :- the National Spiritual Aasemblh tiw~u&oit the' I Americas and in support of the p&ms and dipkc tions set by these beloved Grnerda. . -!

With deepest affection, I,lo~+d 'G. ~ n d y r r r , TdsteL \,

Contirrefital BahB'f Fund for the An\ersena f

iid]ng pdi hat the c o

trciple tha nduct of F . .

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t applies- 3alib'f~ mt

miscuity. The g~ in Ltlf c ~ ~ c h

canes is tl 1st be ~:m: pletely beyorrd reproach and must stand in sliarp contrast t o the current practices of society, whose values are thoroughly confused and stray so far from the l3ivin.e Standard.

The friends must realize that the BaM'I ~ r ~ l d is raising up the standards of morality from the I,

ones; and when they attend weekend events ill ~h~ ~ ~ ~ l ~ ~ ~ l ~ p i ~ t u a ~ , ~ a r n n ~ ~ , , dBfitS numbers, a r r a r l ~ e m ~ ~ ~ s dhould be made no that l o the of the friends the f & ~ i m g s ~ the men are housed in one area or building and ' meflt written 0~ behalf of the Univ~nai mu^^ 4

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the women in another. In srlch caseR Assemblies justice advising them not to attend cme or District Teaching Committees sponsoring the monies of bclietrers who are maflying to event should give careful consideration to the Bahgf law i f violation is known beforehad: housing accommodations and advise the youth accordinply. "Further to your letter of September 5, '1974.

Another example of cohabitation is the sharing the CJniversal House Justkc "Ow an of a residence by individuals o f the opposite Sex o ~ ~ o f l ~ ~ n i t ~ to consider your question about b@h who are of considerably different ages. In such lievms attending weddings RahCis who m- cases the Local Assembly must determitie if an im- marying contraQ' to BahVf a~~ we bw pression of immorality or wrongdoing is being been asked to c O n v to You the following: fostered and, if $0, instruct the believers involved " 'If it is known beforehand that a believer b t o make other at rangements. violating such li\ws, it would he inappropriate for _.

instancC ctlat ,q seldom considered but to the friends t o attend the ceremony. This is out of

depths to which they have faltcn &nd that rr chwe and holy lifc, as the beloved Guardian expluitPdi : "can tnlerate no dmprorn ise wilh the €heorit!$, the stmidmds, the habits, and. the excesses o l a dccadedt age." (Fix furthci rcfmences o n living a , chagte and holy life, please see 'Blw! Advent ef && vine Jnstlw, pp, 24-28, and The Dymmk. mrc of P:xarnplie, py. 93-98) .

I Attending martiage ceremmna

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which Bahh'ls should nonetheless be a t t en t ie is for BaW1k'f law* However* if* withollt the common of men and women realizing the situation, believers find t h ~ m ~ t v e s in each other alone in their respective homes, apart- attendance at a ceremony in the f o u a of which it

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create the appearance of promiscuity, especially should not make an issue of it,' " I

ments, or dormitory rooms. Such visits often 1s aPllarent that such a violation is occurring, ikdy '

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when they extent1 late into the evening. RahB'ls (From a letter writtm on behalf of the.U-- should avoid placing themselves in such situa- val House of Justice. "Australibn BahA91 Bui- tions. even when there is not the least trace of pro- Ictin," No, 243, September 1 W5, p. 4)

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c . ' 9 " National / Baha R Rev,e, 6 , P ----- -

:f sl&ificarke' of the period of the IBahd9i fast 1

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'1 thus writes: 'We heve comnianded you to play year and ending on the twentieth of that same +,@ad fat from the bebinning of maturity; this is or- month, irivolves complete abstention from food

% clailned by 00d, your Lord and the Lord of your and drink from sunrise til l sunset. It is essentially forefathers. He has erempted from thin those who a per~od of meditation and prayer, of spiritual le-

'fate weak from illness or age, as a bounty from His cuperation, during which the believer must strive Presmce, and He is the Forgiving, the Generous.' to make the necessary readjustments in hls Inner And in another passage He says: 'We have en- life, and to refresh and relnvrgorate the spiritual jdned upon you fasting during a brief per~od, and forces latent in h ~ s soul. Its significance and pur- at its close have designated for you Naw-Ki~z a8 a pose are, therefore, fundamentally spirirual in

c f w ... The traveler, the ailing, those who are character. Fasrinl~, is symbol~c, and a reminder of with child or giving suck, are not bound by the , abstinence from selfish and carnal de- fa81 ... A t t o t . from food and drink, from sun- s~res."-Shoghi Effendi, through his secretary, rise to sundown^ and beware lea desire deprive RahB'I News,*March 1936

2

@n~ent,f&-~rnw~fia~e from parents living abroad . ,,I * .&,&cm&& &~s&ee$, Bfs a thei) p r m Should a & a 1 Assembly receive writteh per-

?" -, * -0 fion-&ahhif rnatcrs wighiny, to marry have mission directly from parents abroad, the Natio- ' -. @&&a w h ~ regidle lit @$lam uutside the continen- nal Spiritual Assembly must be consulted for veri- *'

1 - H UnlLerd Sates. fication before the marriage can take place. b.'.' . _ T k v r / i f i ~ Y o n ~ f N j _ ~ n w n t un&r these IncI~viduaIs, or Local Assemblies acting on be- : E k c ~ ~ n s t ~ c s muet be ascertained through the hall of ~ndividuals, may contact the National

Spiritual Assembly concerning consent. Local As- semblies should not wrlte directly to National Sp~r~tutrl Assemblies in otlter countries.

Purpose of National Review SpiltuaI Assembly within whore jurisdiction they

, live, nat National AsJcmbly would then inform The BahP'I National Review is a publication the Naional Spiritual of U.S., through which the National Spiritual Assembly

in turn, would relny the to the informs enrolled Bahh'ls of Important matters of bxal Asszmbly concerned, national policy anti explains various teachings of

Allerna*ly, the reql;est that the the Faith. I t should be carefully studied and pre-

~~b~~ Assembly of the U.S. cornmu- served for further reference and inslruct~on. Local bhelr requed fsr parental through Spirilual Assemblies. in particular, shotlld keep

I ~ 1 % ~ Natioml Spiritua3 A8ciembly of the country in all the issues of RnhP'I National Review on hand which rk parent or parents reside. in a ready reference file.

In fbjs instance, detailed infomation should be The Rahl'l National Review is for BahB'ls only ;,, rdJP41 to the Nationd Aqsambly, such as the full and is to be distingu~shed from The American BY-

W e s and addresses of the parents, whether they hP'1 which contmlns rews of events ~ k ~ u g place In ' I ; I me hhd'ls, lhe name and religion of the prospec- the Amerlcan RahB'I community and is written

' five mate, and any other pattit:ulars the applicant for the enjoyment and inspiration of the Bahh'lu. . j: s wishex3 the'parents to consider. While it 16 perm~soible to share The American Ra-

p . This second a p p q c h is most effective in coun- hh'L with fi icnds who are close LO the Faith, the ! , .trb where the BahA'ls have diftia~lty in corn- InhA'1 Natlonal Review is for registered DaM'Ls

, mtnnkathg freely with &c:outuide, such as Iran only and theletore should be removed from The : . find &her Middle Eastern countries. It also is ef- Amellean Ilahl'l before the latter IS shown to any- . fact&r: if the parents lafd'is. one else.

2 . are non-B -

I- 1 , I Relationship of Counsellors, Auxilia@Bosrds

According to the Teachings of Rahh'u'llbh, it is incumbent upon every BahA'l to w'rite a will dur- ing his lifetime to provide for the disposition of his property after his death as well as to give in- structions concerning his burial.

A will is particularly essential if you desire the Baha'i Faith to have a share of your property. You can use it also to record your wishes for the proper di~position of your Bahh'i literature, files and records, and to include a provision that will ensure that your children receive Bah4'I trainin(r.

There is no standard will form approved by the National Spiritual Assembly. Reqides variations in the law from state to state, there are single Ba- hh'ls, married BahB'ls, BahA'ls with children, Ba- hh'is who have personal property, BahA'is who have real property, and Bahl'is who have both; no form could be devised that would cover all of, these various circumstances.

A person preparing a will should cohtact an at- torney. The cost should not be great, and it is the

On June 21, 1968,. the Ulliversal House of Jus- of the Cau*, as&tizq$ thcin hrrheir dcvelofie tice announced to the Bahh'i world the estab- and growth; helping them ta~deepm in their un- '

lishment of the institution of the Continental dentanding of the Teachings of Bahd'u'llBh and .I Boards of Counsellors, an institution that wol~ld to act in accordance with His laws and Ftfincipka; insure the extension into the future of the func- mouraging them to cc~tributt! &kly to the 4- tiond of protection and propagation vested in the ous Funds of the Faith; 'wan% their fun ~ u p w . Hands of thc Cause of God. and devoted participatio~'in plane adopted by

At that time the Auxiliary Boards, which had National Spiritual Aambty; and been in existence since 1954 functioning under the upon them the need to be &r id direction of the Hands of the Cause, were plnctd cumstan&. , . , I

only way t a be rare that in your pWicular set of 1 circumsthnces )tour wilihes Will be carried out.

Before visiting your attorney ych~ should have all the personal inforination on yourself* ycYur 1- family, your relatives, and your beneficiaries. You should have all the facts' concerning yotlr :, property, whether real, personal of mixed; you ,? should identify the lorstion of your safe-deposit box (if you have,one), i n sh raw policies, profit- sharing plans, pen$ions, etc., the name and hcci-, dress of the person you wish t0 be your mecutor, trustee or guardian, md aaiy-special provisions that you, as a Bahl'L, might want in your will: , Neither the Local Splrlturtl Aseernbly nor the Na- tional Spiritual Assembly should be named as ex- ecutor of your will. ,

A believer s h u l d have a bptcial ptwi8ioicinlrik . will for burial In accordance with BahBsf laws. should be spelled out burial must be d h i n place of death, t h ~ t cremation is forbidden, and

under the direction of the Continental Boards of , The Unimuj nouK d ipn&,a~p'Udc"k:&l:, Counsellors. it$ rnmsage dated October 7, 1973'*t0 the &it$'Ts -', Thus the Auxiliaw Boards. one for the protln of the world that h.d lnkm Go dcriSiOns d b ~ , tion and one for the propagation of the Faith, are / signed to em,,d the mica of the., an auxiliaky institution of the Continental Boardsd of Counsellors whose functions are to protect and Boards in Order to mM the @awing needs of an evcr-expanding 0ahb'i world comcu-

: i:L.*i ,

, ;,; , "

propagate the Cause of God. The memberr of the nity. The first raw of Auxiliary Boards are appointed by and serve un- der the direction of the Continental Boards of Board members throughout the world to 270, of whom 81,would serve in the Western Hemiapherc. Counsellors. and act as their deputies, assistants Second, the Universal House of Justice decided tb and advisen.

The task9 of assisting in watching over the se- give to each Continental Board of Counsdlors the discretion to authorize individual Auxiliary Board curity of the Cause, protecting it from its internal members to appoint assistants to help them in the and external enemies, and of insuring the constant discharge of their duties. propagation of the Faith of DahA'u'llhh cover, in Believers appointed as aPsistmts to general, the functions of the Auxiliary Board members-functions they also share with the I,* Board members can serve at the same time ofi ad- ministrative institutions, and are appointed for a ccrl and National Spiritual Assemblies. Their limited period, with of reappoirit2 h, duties include furthering the interests of and as- menla sisting m the execution of the Plans put into mo- % tion by the Universal House of Justice. lending One of the mph firnctione of the Auldliaj impetm to and strengthening the teaching work, Board and its asnistmtr Is to help bring info b;Wfi~ +

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the preservation and consolidation of the victories and consolidate Local Sflritual Asscmbliar., won, and the development of the distinctive char- Individual believers and Lwal Spirituai Assb- acter of Bnhb'l life. blies are encounrged to contact the mmbeh of

The Auxiliary Board members are called upon the Auxiliary Board Fot rotulinamte in the expa&

i

; to work directly with the individual btlievcrs, sion and consolidation of work and for adviccarxzi Groups, and L,ocal Spiritual Assemblies, encour- assistance in mat tm concerning the proteticm of aging, advising and stimulating 4hem in the work the Faith.,

A

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V Importance of writing a last will and testament . f~ t . '

that t h e bodyji~'n@ td.'k e h m e d unless re: quirsd by state law.

The caquirement~ sf A BahB'I burial binding on Western believers are basically three-fold. First, the body should be interred within one hour's journey from the place of deatll. Second, the body should not be cmbdmed ur~less required by Mate lawJjeach Asaembly should be hrniliar with state requirements for burid without errtbalming, as there may be special stipulations concerning the treatment of the body, such as a sealed casket or burial within 24 hours). Third, the body must not

, b e m m a t d . 'Abdo'l-BahA stat& that "The body ' of man, w1dcS has beerr formed graduqlly,. must similarly be decompos~radual ly ."

In response to various questions asked by the friexicls, the beloved Guardian and the Universal

' 'House of Justice have clarified certain matrers. One may receive a Bahd't funeral regardless of

, whether he is a Bahh'f or possesses his adminis- * 'tlxtive rlghts, The decision as to whether the cas- ket should be open or cIosed is up to those making the amugemems. (Since the body is not tabe em- balmed, an open casket could be difficult to ar- range.)

Any individual BahA'i oc group of BahA'Ls may conduct the funeral service, as we have no clergy. The service may consist of prayers, general read-

. 'The showed the Importance of the naw,Age *Wh.Hk m e to announce by starting a new cal- cnrlar. Bah;l"ca'lldh upheld this new measurement

.. of time for the world of today and tomorrow. The &h&I year has 19 months aqd each month

has 19 days. This comm to 361 days. However, , the tarth,takes 365 1/4 days in it& journey around . the sen. That means there are four days (five in . , " l a p yews" that is, every fourth year) that must

be added or put into the calendar. This is the : meani~g of. the word "intercalary" (pronounced

in-TER-hla-ry). The lntercdlary Days are be- tween the 18th Bahrl'i montli (February 7-25) and .the 19th Bahrl'i month (March 2-20).

, The Intercalary Days, called " Ayydm-i-HA," have W n named by Bahh'u'llAh as days to be sptcially devoted to hospitality, to the giving of 'prmts. to visiting a d looking after the sick and the poor. Theae days and activities are both a joy-

' ous. time of fcUawship and service to others, as w d l as a time of preparation for the spiritual ex-

, pmicoce of the Fast that follows immediately after the cbse of Ayydm-i-)Id.

Arst comes the happy expression of Bahd't love .and brotherhood carried out in acts of kindneas toward others, and then comes the time of the .Fast when we Bahti'ls seek our full ration of spiri-

, tual fodd through special remembrance of Clod.--Bused on n letter from the National Spiri- .tual A s m b l y of India, BahPl News (U.S. S u p plement), p. 2, February 196'7

ings, and music, if desired. The tombstone or grave marker may have a

nine-pointed star or rosetta. The word "Bahd'f" may be on the marker, either by itself or within the rosetta or star. An appropriate extract from the Writings is also permissible. The marker should not contain the Greatest Name, ringstone symbol, or the burial ring iriscription upon i t . At this time the requirement to wear the burial ring (now available from the Publishing Trust) is not binding upon the American believers.

It should be noted that the congregational prayer for the dead (see Prayers and Meditations, pp 260-61) and the burial ring are meant to be us- ed by those who have attained the age of maturity (IS years). Children who have yet to reach this age are under a special bounty and and compassion (see Some Answered Questions, pp. 278-79). '

A Bahh'I can give his or her body to mqdical science as long as the conditions that all Ratid'is must observe are met, e.g., treating the body with respect, no cremation, burial within art hour's journey from the place of death, and so on. The~e are no prohibitions against donating organs for use in transplants. A RahA'I may be buried in a vault if it is desired.

The Bahh'is do not seek out their own mme- teries,.as all people return to the same God.'How- ever, Bahli'ls are sometimes excluded from ceme- teries of other religions so it becomes necessary for Bahd'ls to purchase land for this purpose. -

_If a person is single and wiihout family or on welfare, a Local Spiritual Assembly may find it- self in a difficult position, since the person's assets

. are frozer~ and the Assembly has no fund8 to pay for the funeral and burial.

Assqmblies would be well-advised to discuss in advance arrangements with believers and local au- thorities, where appropriate, making whatever legal arrangements are necessary, so that burial arrangements can be made without complication. Leaving provisions for burial in one's will often proves ineffective, since the will is usually read after the funeral.

Guidance for Bahh'is visiting the Holy Land

BahA'is traveling to Israel for any reason, and particularly those wishing to visit the BahB'L Shrines and Holy Places at the World Centre, must first have the permission of the Universal House of Justice. You may write or cable to seek permission. The address is Box 155, Haifa 31 000, Israel.

Important notice Assembly secretaries and Croup correapon-

dents-Please include your telephone numbers at home and at work on all correspondence sent to the Bahh'I National Center. Thank you.

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