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Bahá’í News

October 1988

Bahá’í Year 145

Lotus of Bahapur’ wins more honors

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On the cover: The Bahá’í House of Worship in New Delhi, India, has received a major international award for the excellence of its outdoor lighting. The award, given by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, follows the receipt of two other top awards for architectural and engineering excellence since the structure was completed in December 1986. The most recent honor, the Paul Waterbury Award of Special Citation for Outdoor Lighting, was accepted during a ceremony at the IES’s annual conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Temple’s architect has arranged the night-time illumination so as to make it appear that the entire structure is suspended in the air. Last year, the House of Worship received the coveted honor award for religious architecture from the Interfaith Forum on Religious Art and Architecture (IFRAA), which is perhaps the top award for religious architecture in the world; it also won a special award for structural engineering from the British Institute of Structural Engineers.

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Bahá’í News

A commentary on Huqúqu’lláh by the Hand of the Cause A.M. Varqá	1
The UN Secretary-General speaks about its past, present and future	4
The Covenant: Bahá’u’lláh’s protective canopy for all of humankind	8
Around the world: News from Bahá’í communities all over the globe	10

Bahá’í News is published monthly by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States as a news organ reporting current activities of the Bahá’í world community. Manuscripts submitted should be typewritten and double-spaced throughout; any footnotes should appear at the end. The contributor should keep a carbon copy. Send materials to the Periodicals Office, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, U.S.A. Changes of address should be reported to the Office of Membership and Records, Bahá’í National Center. Please attach mailing label. Subscription rates within the U.S.: one year, $12; two years, $20. Outside the U.S.: one year, $14; two years, 24$. Foreign air mail: one year, $20; two years, $40. Payment must accompany the order and must be in U.S. dollars. Second class postage paid at Wilmette, IL 60091. Copyright © 1988, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.

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Huqúqu’lláh: ‘The Rights of God’

Dearly loved friends,

At the inception of the Six Year Plan of the Universal House of Justice, which coincided with dramatic changes in many aspects of society, a new arena for rapid development of the Faith of God has been attained and the purpose and aim of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation have been unveiled before the very eyes of government authorities, heads of state and scholars who were not even aware of its existence.

At this rightful time the Universal House of Justice has emphasized the importance of acquiring knowledge of the laws and ordinances revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, and has adopted the translation of the most Holy Book, the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, into English as one of the sublime goals of this new Plan.

Among the commandments and decrees revealed in this sacred Book is the law of Huqúqu’lláh, previously applicable only to the friends in the East. The Western friends became aware of this law with the dissemination of the compilation of the holy text and the sacred writings prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice.

Huqúqu’lláh is an Arabic word composed of two words, “Huqúq” meaning “rights” and “Alláh” meaning “God.” Therefore, Huqúqu’lláh means “the Rights of God,” a part of the individual’s possessions and income offered at the Threshold of the Lord.

This commentary on the law of Huqúqu’lláh is taken from an address by the Hand of the Cause of God Alí Muhammad Varqá which was given May 1, 1988, during the sixth Bahá’í International Convention in Haifa, Israel.

In a Tablet addressed to Jináb-i-Zayn referring to Huqúqu’lláh, Bahá’u’lláh states that the progress and the promulgation of the Faith of God depend on material means; therefore, the expansion and the advancement of God’s Revelation and the establishment of a new order and a new world civilization cannot be achieved without material means.

The embryo of this sacred law was established by the beloved Báb in the Bayán where, for the first time, the word Huqúqu’lláh was mentioned by Him. Bahá’u’lláh brought some modifications in its contents and accepted it as one of the executive ordinances of His Revelation.

Although Huqúqu’lláh is one of the most significant laws of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, we should not take the word “law” in its rigid and literal meaning, defined in the encyclopedia as “the obligatory rule promoted by a sovereign authority.” It is not a law which is enforced with pressure, but rather a spiritual obligation based on the love of the believer who is eager to obey the will of his Beloved. In this ordinance there is no room for pressure or intimidation. Obedience is a reflection of the highest degree of love and ardent desire.

Huqúqu’lláh, by its special and unique characteristic, combines might and humility, power and humbleness. It is one of the fundamental ordinances of the Bahá’í Faith, like prayer and fasting. Its importance has been manifested by these words of Bahá’u’lláh:

“Say: O people, the first duty is to recognize the one true God—magnified be His glory—the second is to show forth constancy in His Cause and, after these, one’s duty is to purify one’s riches and earthly possessions according to that which is prescribed by God....”

By studying the writings revealed by Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá regarding Huqúqu’lláh, four essential points emerge. First, in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, Bahá’u’lláh states:

“Should a person acquire one hundred mithqáls of gold, nineteen mithqáls thereof belong unto God, the Creator of earth and heaven. Take heed, O people, lest ye deprive yourselves of this great bounty ....”

‘Abdu’l-Bahá emphasizes that Huqúqu’lláh is payable on whatever is left over after deducting the yearly expenses.

The payment of Huqúqu’lláh is based on the calculation of the value of one’s income in respect to the gold unit. Whenever the annual income of the individual, after the deduction of his complete year’s expenses, reaches 19 mithqáls of gold value (equivalent to 2.22456 ounces or 69.19112 grams), 19 per cent of that amount is the Right of God and should be submitted to the Focal Point of the Faith. The calculation of sustaining means of livelihood which are exempted from Huqúqu’lláh depends on the spiritual maturity of every believer and his innermost conscience. No criterion can be established for this purpose, for it varies according to the living conditions and social status of each believer, and the degree of his spiritual attachment and material detachment.

The second point is that the payment of the Right of God is like a magnet, which attracts divine blessings and confirmation. It is the mainspring of God’s mercy and compassion. Bahá’u’lláh, in His writings, showers His limitless benediction upon those who observe this law.

Again, in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, the Pen of Glory decrees:

“... and whoso fulfilleth the things he hath been commanded, divine blessings will descend upon him from the heaven of the bounty of his Lord, the Bestower, the Bountiful, the Most

[Page 2] Generous, the Ancient of Days....”

In another Tablet we read:

“They that have kept their promises, fulfilled their obligations, redeemed their pledges and vows, rendered the Trust of God and His Right unto Him—these are numbered among the inmates of the all-highest Paradise....”

In a Tablet revealed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, we find:

“Those who have observed this weighty ordinance have received heavenly blessings and in both worlds their faces have shone radiantly and their nostrils perfumed by the sweet savors of God’s tender mercy....”

The third factor is that just as the payment of Huqúqu’lláh would attract divine bounty and blessings, its negligence or failure causes deprivation and is interpreted as tantamount to treachery to a Fund rightfully belonging to God.

This Fund is to be spent on whatever is of benefit for the promulgation of the Faith under the complete and absolute decision of the authority “to which all must turn.” Only this authority and none other, not even the donor, has the right to interfere in its management.

In the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, the Pen of Glory warns those who neglect the payment of Huqúqu’lláh:

“O people! Act not treacherously in the matter of Huqúqu’lláh and dispose not of it, except by His leave....”

And He continues:

“Whoso dealeth dishonestly with God will in justice be exposed, and whoso fulfilleth the things he hath been commanded, divine blessings will descend upon him from the heaven of the bounty of his Lord, the Bestower, the Bountiful, the Most Generous, the Ancient of Days....”

Therefore, withholding the payment of Huqúqu’lláh or spending it on other concerns, no matter how charitable their nature, would be interpreted as misappropriation of the funds belonging to God, and an act of dishonesty. Any donation for charity and beneficent purposes such as contributions to the various funds should be made after the contributor is free of his debt to God.

And finally, God Almighty has decreed that the payment of the Right of God is conducive to prosperity and assists the progress of the human soul in the spiritual realms of the Everlasting world.

Bahá’u’lláh says:

“... the treasures laid up by kings and queens are not worthy of mention, nor will they be acceptable in the presence of God. However, a grain of mustard offered by His loved ones will be extolled in the exalted court of His holiness and invested with the ornament of His acceptance....”

The high station of Huqúqu’lláh and its exceptional rank among the commandments of Bahá’u’lláh is endowed with great veneration and respect. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, referring to the words of Bahá’u’lláh, says:

“... the utmost honesty hath to be observed in matters related to the Huqúq. The Institution of Huqúq is sacred.”

In order to respect its sanctity, Bahá’u’lláh strongly forbids soliciting Huqúqu’lláh. No individual or institution is authorized to demand it. Whenever it is necessary to bring the importance of this obligation to the attention of the believers, it should be mentioned as a general reminder. Spiritual maturity must stir the conscience of the believers and nothing else. In a Tablet addressed to Hájí Amin, the second Trustee of Huqúqu’lláh, Bahá’u’lláh says:

“No one should demand the Huqúqu’lláh. Its payment should depend on the volition of the individuals themselves....”

And again:

“... Ye may relinquish the whole world but must not allow the detraction of even one jot or tittle from the dignity of the Cause of God. Jináb-i-Amín—upon him be My glory—must also refrain from mentioning this matter, for it is entirely dependent upon the willingness of the individuals themselves. They are well acquainted with the commandment of God and are familiar with that which was revealed in the Book. Let him who wisheth observe it, and let him who wisheth ignore it....”

The concept of Huqúqu’lláh is an evolutionary process subject to great changes, dependent on our spiritual growth, and our deepening of the Holy writings.

Most of the friends believe Huqúqu’lláh is a way for fund raising, and its aim is to strengthen the material potential of the Faith.

Indeed, the payment of Huqúqu’lláh contributes to a large extent to the needs of the Cause. It is an important instrument for building and strengthening the structure of the edifice of the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, and when it is fully established there will be an ever-flowing source of revenue at the disposal of the Focal Point of the Cause of God to promote the Faith and to meet the growing needs of establishing a new World Order. But, in fact, the purpose and aim of Huqúqu’lláh is far beyond that and much greater and more spiritual than we imagine.

In 1978-79, following the Iranian upheaval, when the most important source of revenue of the Faith stopped functioning, I asked the Universal House of Justice if it was time for the implementation of Huqúqu’lláh in some of the Western countries. The Universal House of Justice replied that Huqúqu’lláh is a very important law, and that its implementation needs time and consultation in the future. At the time, I could not comprehend the wisdom of what had been stated. It was after studying the Holy writings with more depth that I have realized that Huqúqu’lláh, which could be interpreted as the material aspect of the Covenant of God, in reality is a spiritual and learning process, a way of strengthening the link of love and dedication between man and God, and its implementation needs studying and deepening.

Bahá’u’lláh, in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, says:

“Indeed there lie concealed in this command, mysteries and benefits which are beyond the comprehension of anyone save God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed....”

Therefore, we cannot expect to comprehend the essence and the wisdom hidden in this sacred law. They are kept in the treasury of God’s knowledge and are related to the evolution and progress of the human soul in the worlds of God. What we can conceive through our human understanding is that the payment of Huqúqu’lláh is the sign of our love and obedience, a proof of our firmness and steadfastness and a symbol of our trustworthiness in the

[Page 3] Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh. It creates and develops our spiritual quality which leads us toward perfection; it harmonizes and balances our material endeavor, protects us from excessive desire which is born in our human nature, and when unleashed turns into a positive element for our spiritual growth. When man realizes that a part of his income will be honored by the acceptance of the Lord, the presence of God is felt in all his endeavors, and undoubtedly he will strive to live his life in a just and legitimate manner in order that his offering may deserve to be spent in the path of God.

It is important to note that although there is some similarity between Huqúqu’lláh and the other donations, and that all are the marvelous fruits of love, enthusiasm and devotion of the believers to the Faith, there are four major differences between them:

1. The payment of Huqúqu’lláh has priority over all other contributions because it belongs to God. The contribution of the believers to the funds should be made from their possessions and not from what belongs to the Lord.
2. The payment of Huqúqu’lláh according to the explicit text of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas is an obligation subject to specific laws and ordinances, whereas other donations are not considered as a law. They are rather an indication of the sacrifice, generosity, detachment and magnanimity of the contributor to meet the needs of the administration of the Cause.
3. Huqúqu’lláh is determined precisely on accurate calculation, whereas there are no rules related to the frequency or the amount of one’s contribution to the funds.
4. The disposal of the Huqúqu’lláh is left solely to the discretion of the Focal Point of the Faith, and none other, whereas the disposal of the other contributions can depend on the purpose for which the contribution has been earmarked.

Undoubtedly, the awareness of the friends about Huqúqu’lláh will raise many questions, including those related to its calculation and the appraisal of that part of one’s belongings which is subject to exemption. One should consider that what is revealed in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas about Huqúqu’lláh is only the fundamental basis of this injunction, and the approach of the Blessed Beauty is confined to these guidelines and general principles. He has not set any special rules or legislation. In all His writings related to this matter, God’s self-sufficiency and independence of all things has been manifested, and the fragrance of His compassion, generosity and mercy is inhaled. According to the letter written in 1878 by His secretary to an early believer, for the first time the acceptance of Huqúqu’lláh was granted to those Persian friends who had the desire to contribute; therefore, during five years after the revelation of the law, Bahá’u’lláh did not accept Huqúqu’lláh and on many occasions the offering of the friends was returned to them. It could be assumed that since He, Himself, as the Central Figure of His Revelation, is the only recipient of Huqúqu’lláh, He did not want to go into details, but left them, in conformity with the Will of God, to the Universal House of Justice, the Body which has the power to enact laws that are not precisely given in the Book.

When the Kitáb-i-Aqdas reached Iran and as the friends became aware of its contents, a consultative body, which could be the nucleus of our actual local Spiritual Assemblies, was formed in Tehran. In their minutes we notice that the dissemination of the knowledge of Huqúqu’lláh was one of the goals set by that body 101 years ago.

The growing eagerness of the believers for the execution of God’s injunction led them to ask Bahá’u’lláh for elucidation regarding Huqúqu’lláh and this was given to them in various Tablets. The most important guidance was revealed—in response to Jináb-i-Zayn’s request—as an annex to the Kitáb-i-Aqdas in the form of questions and answers. More guidance from the beloved Master, the Guardian, and in recent decades from the Universal House of Justice has shed light on Huqúqu’lláh, which we can find in the compilation issued by the World Centre.

With the increasing awareness of the Bahá’ís and the fast-growing complexity of the social and economic system of society, the Bahá’í community will witness the establishment of rules and guidance on Huqúqu’lláh by the Supreme Authority of the Faith. Meanwhile, according to the Universal House of Justice’s letter of March 1, 1984, in the absence of explicit text and Holy writings on Huqúqu’lláh, the friends are free to honor the obligation of Huqúqu’lláh based on their own judgment and conscience.

Indeed, while the establishment of rules and directions can explain the different aspects of Huqúqu’lláh, the ideal functioning and efficiency of these legislations depends on the spiritual advancement of the friends and their deepening in the Holy Writings.

That is why the Universal House of Justice has, as one of its major goals of the Six Year Plan, adopted education in the law of Huqúqu’lláh as a priority, preparing the way for the implementation of the law of God in the Bahá’í world, and has asked for the fervent collaboration of the major institutions of the Faith such as the National Spiritual Assemblies and the Continental Boards of Counsellors to share this important task with the Institution of Huqúqu’lláh in promoting the education of the friends in God’s injunction to the Bahá’í community at large.

During the last two years, some of the National Spiritual Assemblies—in particular those of the United States, Canada and a few others in other parts of the world—have offered remarkable assistance for this sublime goal, and it is hoped that many more will join in the future to help with this task.

As a result of the effort of such National Spiritual Assemblies, a number of Western friends are contributing to Huqúqu’lláh even before its formal implementation. This leads us to hope that education on this subject will become more widespread and that, by the end of the Six Year Plan, the Bahá’í world will have attained a higher level of flourishing spiritual advancement.

All quotations in this article are taken from the compilation on Huqúqu’lláh compiled in June 1985 by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice.

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Lessons from past, hope for future

The following is the text of a speech, “United Nations: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” given last April 12 at the New York City Public Library by UN Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar.

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It is a great pleasure for me to be here with you in the premises of this storehouse of human knowledge. Both the venue and the theme of this series of lectures suggest a perspective broader than the storm and stress of present-day events. The United Nations is facing more than one challenge at the moment. This evening, however, I would invite you to take a look at the organization not in relation to the contentious issues of today, but in relation to the emergence and evolution of the global community at large.

To talk about the United Nations yesterday, today and tomorrow is really to talk about the phenomenal change which has been the most striking characteristic of our age. It is the massive transition in all domains of human affairs which has determined the composition and agenda of the United Nations. However, the organization has been not only a faithful mirror of a rapidly changing world. In several important respects, it has itself influenced the nature and speed of the historical process. In other words, it has been both witness and agent of the greatest transformation the world has ever undergone.

This link between the working of the United Nations and the process of peaceful change is so organic that the thought occurs to me often that it may well explain both the strengths and the weaknesses of the organization. To the extent that governments have kept pace with change in the international context and adjusted their policies to humanity’s emerging concerns, the UN has achieved results which even its founders could hardly anticipate. To the extent that governments have assumed postures appropriate to an earlier age, the United Nations has found itself bypassed, ignored or rebuffed. Any policy that is oriented toward our global future provides strength and sustenance to the world organization. Any policy, international in its implications but parochial in motivation and backward-looking, in effect weakens it. With my daily experience of dealing with issues in dispute I am, of course, aware of their diverse origins and the different ways in which they need to be handled. But there is one source of difficulty common to all: it is the inability or refusal of one or more parties concerned to accept the solution of an issue on the basis of the principles of a new world order qualitatively different from what prevailed prior to the establishment of the United Nations.

Like all formative principles which have given new direction to human affairs throughout history, these principles are simple and have been stated without ambiguity in the preamble and the first two Articles of the Charter of the United Nations. I assume that all of us here are familiar with them. The world organization is in essence the institutionalized expression of these principles. Take them away and we are back on the road of power politics, trailing wars and mass killings and oppressions and unfathomable misery— in our age, heading toward disaster for the whole planet. The fundamental change which is reflected in the establishment and working of the UN is that, for the first time ever, the nations of the world have agreed to abide by these norms of international behavior and accepted common goals for their joint endeavor. The formulation of these purposes and principles in the Charter was a major global event in itself, but a development of even greater magnitude has been their acceptance by those who did not participate in the original formulation. The founding of the world organization by 51 states in 1945 represented an historic point of departure, but the enlargement of the organization, mostly consequent on decolonization, to embrace virtually the entire world community has signified nothing short of a global revolution. All revolutions, whether sudden or spread over a span of time, unsettle some earlier modes of thought and behavior; this one, a revolution of the vastest scope in human history, is no exception.

It is not, therefore, surprising that resistance to this revolution still lingers in certain forms: some overt, others subtle. The most regrettable is the persistence of international behavior that stems from a disregard for the rights of others and reliance on superior force. The somber fact that a number of states have not yet come to terms with the global revolution is demonstrated painfully by the eruption of scores of wars, especially in the Third World— wars that not infrequently are fueled from well beyond. These wars make a mockery of adherence to the Charter by the states concerned. I have taken every occasion available to me to impress on the states of the Third World, first, that they cannot afford to repeat the experience of conflicts which attended the growth of the nation-state system in Europe in the past; second, that belligerence no longer brings dividends; and third, that they do not now have the alibi which they had before an international machinery for the peaceful settlement of disputes was put in place. The reasons for the recurrence of armed conflicts in the Third World

[Page 5] are complex and the present is not the occasion to analyze them. One of the reasons, however, is certainly a lack of experience—both in the Third World and beyond—in adjusting to the new international environment. But what is disquieting is that, even in societies with mature experience and those that have made major contributions to humanity’s political culture, there are signs that the thrust of the global revolution has not been fully realized. Such trends, if allowed to persist, can jeopardize the whole enterprise of the United Nations.

Let me mention some questioning attitudes toward the United Nations apparent at the present time. One is the tendency to draw unfavorable comparisons between the UN as it is today and what it was when it came into being. It is true that, four decades ago, the organization was a tidier, more manageable and, in some ways, perhaps a more decorous place and, except for the incipient rift between the East and the West, an assembly of mostly like-minded nations, speaking in the same political idiom. There is an understandable nostalgia for those days, but it is nostalgia for expectations which had not yet come face to face with the collisions and congested realities of the world today. Let it not be forgotten that, at that time, the United Nations represented less than one-third the number of peoples in the world; it included only nine Member States from Asia and not more than four from Africa. Its credentials, therefore, were not much stronger than those of its predecessor, the League of Nations. What has given the United Nations the personality that the League entirely lacked is not only the far greater sophistication and evocative power of the Charter when compared to the Covenant of the League, but the universality of its membership on the basis of the sovereign equality of states, large and small. This is a new phenomenon altogether and, against the residual experience of centuries, we have had only a few decades to learn to deal with it. Nothing in the experience of previous ages enabled a power, large or small, to come to terms with the world in all its diversity. Being new, the phenomenon represented by the United Nations calls for a new kind not only of tolerance but also of understanding.

United Nations Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar accepts a copy of the Universal House of Justice’s statement, ‘The Promise of World Peace,’ from the Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum.

Another trend which also reflects a harking back to an ancien régime is apparent from the talk of what is called an “automatic majority” at the UN. The talk stems from an impression which has no basis in fact. The record of votes in the General Assembly on such current major political issues as those relating to Afghanistan, the Middle East, southern Africa and Kampuchea reveals no pattern of alignment by the majority of Member States in a kind of a priori opposition to one or another of the major powers. On the contrary, what it confirms is only the fact that the majority of states from Asia, Africa and Latin America have genuinely chosen non-alignment between the East and the West. It is entirely understandable for one or the other major power to question whether these nations have the right perception of the issues involved. But it would be totally unrealistic to expect that these nations would not develop their own world views on which they would base their own judgment of the merits of different issues. Nor is it fair to believe that they are impervious to argument and are not moved by the cogency and persuasiveness of the positions taken by the main protagonists in the various situations faced by the United Nations.

The states that belong to the majority have different cultural backgrounds, are subject to different compulsions owing to their individual geopolitical positions and are, at present, at different levels of economic development. But they share a common experience of either direct subjugation or indirect domination in the colonial age. Their emphasis on the principles of equal rights and self-determination of people is, therefore, bound to be stronger. However, differences of perception or emphasis in the global society are to be taken in the same way as they are within national contexts, where they stem from the disparities of interests between classes or social strata. No one in a democratic society turns his back on the national legislature when it becomes a theatre of fierce debate between the representatives of different segments of the population. By the same token, no one need look askance at the United Nations simply because the different urges of the different segments of the global society are emphatically expressed there. The quest in one and the other context is the same: to harmonize the different interests and to hammer a consensus out of divergent positions.

I believe that, in this respect, it is useful to cast our minds back to another process of massive change that

[Page 6] took place inside developed societies a century or so ago. Then, too, mass enfranchisement created severe problems of adjustment. These were overcome as the different social strata learned to deal with one another, to engage in dialogue and accommodate one another’s interests in the larger national interest. We will not be misreading the historical process we are going through if we believe that what happened then domestically is what is happening now on the global plane. The United Nations provides nations with an instrument designed precisely to bring about the accommodation of legitimate national interests in the wider international interest. But this demands a sense of purpose, a clear idea of the direction that needs to be given to international affairs and the stamina to pursue that course.

Another disquieting sign of an inability or failure to adjust to the new world is the challenging of international law and the legal obligations which flow from the Charter. One of the ends stated in the very preamble of the Charter is to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained. International confidence would rest on quicksand if the domestic necessities of states were allowed to override the international obligations they have solemnly undertaken.

The idea of a legal order has been a principal motif of the evolution of Western societies. The United States is second to none in the matter of sensitivity to law and the working of law. The global revolution which is my present theme has entailed an effort to make the legal order encompass the whole community of nations. In the highly complex world of sovereign states and conflicting interests, only a legal order can provide the necessary framework for multilateral cooperation.

Prior to the establishment of the United Nations, international law was but rudimentary; it possessed no institutionalized framework of a permanent character for development and adaptation on a multilateral basis or for adjudication by a standing court system. It is one of the achievements of the United Nations that it has fully discharged the mandate to encourage the progressive development and codification of international law. This has been done against the backdrop of a threefold increase in the size of the community of nations and, owing to rapid economic and technological change, of a vast expansion of inter-state activity. In the past 40 years, more has been done by the United Nations in codifying international law than in all the previous years of history together.

It is hardly an exaggeration to say that, without international organizations such as the United Nations which provide permanent machinery for lawmaking, there would be no means to guide international life toward order and growth in conditions that harmonize the interests of all states, powerful or relatively weak. But all this painstaking endeavor would be of little avail if the rule of law were to meet with no respect and international arbitration or adjudication with disdain. It is in the equal interest of all nations, large or small, to work toward a world where nations, like individuals, will operate within a complete, coherent and viable system of law, impartially administered and enforced. Any movement away from this goal holds equal danger for all.

Parenthetically, I might refer to the question which naturally arises in the public mind: what is the use of principles and rules and laws if they are flouted recurrently as they certainly are in the world today? As the prevalence of crime in national societies does not argue for the repeal of criminal law and the abolition of law-making bodies, so the persistence of international conflict in disregard or defiance of the United Nations is not a justification for turning away from the United Nations. Rather, it makes it all the more incumbent, especially in the more privileged and influential states, to set persuasive examples of strengthening the ability of the UN to fulfill its mandate.

We thus see that there still linger attitudes toward the United Nations that are related to the thinking and ‎reponses responses‎ of an earlier age. Parallel to the dual revolutions of industrialization and mass disenfranchisement in the last century have been the dual revolutions of information and decolonization in ours. The emergence of new states has taken place at the same time as there has been a proliferation of global concerns. Among the factors which have brought about this increase, not the least important is a new consciousness of rights which has made old inequalities and discriminations on grounds of race, gender, age or disability totally unacceptable. This determines the tone and content of the international dialogue of which the United Nations will remain the principal center and to which it has endeavored to give a focus. Considering this, assuming rationality on the part of the world’s political leadership and also assuming that international anarchy is not to be countenanced and a nuclear disaster is to be avoided, it is hard to see how nations can manage the vast areas of their joint concern except through the world organization.

The Charter of the United Nations does not promise a problem-free world. All it promises is a way of dealing with problems rationally and through international dialogue and cooperation. It accepts it as an inherent part of the human condition that disputes will arise among nations. But it rejects the proposition that these disputes can be settled by war or by the use of the means of domination or coercion.

Looking to the future, there are four global imperatives for assuring peace and justice, human dignity and freedom and, indeed, the health of human society, which need to be answered by systematic and coherent action on the part of governments. The United Nations provides them with a central instrument for doing so.

The first of these is that of arresting and reversing the arms race. For decades now, the arms race has been allowed to proceed senselessly, draining nations of their treasure, aggravating insecurity, undermining confidence and placing humanity at that extremely perilous point where a combination of accident and miscalculation could send it hurtling into ultimate disaster. Recent moves by the world’s two most powerful states indicate a recognition on their part that the race has reached an absurd limit. If this recognition is sustained, and if it leads to further agreements, as is expected, it will mean a vast improvement of the international scene. But, by itself, it will not be enough. Disarmament, in order to

[Page 7] be meaningful in human terms, has to become the joint undertaking of all nations and extend beyond the nuclear and conventional armories of the great powers to the mass of weaponry which has agglomerated in the hands of others. The United Nations is fully constituted to be the primary vehicle of this process.

The second great challenge requires giving proof that international disputes, no matter how charged with emotion and how hardened through the entrenched attitudes of the parties involved, are capable of being settled by peaceful means. This, more than anything else, will restore credibility to the commitment made by Member States in acceding to the Charter of the United Nations. There are a number of regional conflicts agitating the global society today. For its part, the UN has recommended fair terms of settlement, or the way of arriving at a settlement, in the case of every one of these disputes. The reason for the failure to achieve their settlement on such terms does not lie in any inherent defect in the world organization. It lies in the fact that its potential toward that end has not been fully utilized. The world organization alone offers a forum where all the parties involved in a dispute are equally represented and can receive equal hearing. Nor is the process of negotiating a settlement restricted to public debate. The Charter itself envisages the organization to be also an instrument of multilateral diplomacy at the anticipatory or preventive level. In certain situations, quiet diplomacy, if backed by the permanent members of the Security Council not merely through agreeing to a common text but through a shared understanding of that text and coordinated policy on its basis, can have a most salutary impact. In other situations, where such means are exhausted and negotiations yield no result, the Charter’s provisions for collective action for peace and security need to be put fully into practice.

Through much of its existence, the United Nations has had to function with a vacuum in collective security. This vacuum has been caused by dissension among the permanent members of the Security Council, by the failure of Member States to resort to the Charter’s mechanism for the settlement of disputes, and by their lack of respect for the decisions of the Security Council. While the vacuum is apparent even today, some recent indications hold the promise that we may be on the threshold of a new age that will diminish or even eliminate the first of these causes. If this promise is fulfilled, it will directly affect the other causes as well. In that case, I see a future for the United Nations brighter than its present. Should this prediction prove to be

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‘The fourth challenge is that of encouraging universal respect for human rights. To achieve international cooperation for giving content and meaning to human dignity is one of the principal purposes of the United Nations.’

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untrue, the result will not be only a world organization relegated to marginality but humanity drifting toward anarchy.

The third challenge is that of putting the world economy on a new expansionary path so as to reinvigorate the process of development, not least in the less privileged sections of the global community. This needs to be done in a way that protects our global environment and does not degrade it. This subject is usually surrounded by technical jargon and rhetoric with the result that its human import is often confused. The fact is that for hundreds of millions of human beings in scores of countries, everyday life continues to be a desperate struggle for survival in conditions of absolute poverty. During the present decade, many have even had to suffer a reversal of the modest social and economic gains that had been made earlier. A way has to be found to overcome the economic stagnation and recession of which they remain victims. And it has to be a way to which both the affluent and the disadvantaged can agree. Such a global consensus can best be evolved through the United Nations.

The fourth challenge is that of encouraging universal respect for human rights. To achieve international cooperation for giving content and meaning to human dignity is one of the principal purposes of the United Nations. As long as violations continue to take place, as they do at present on a massive scale in different parts of the world, as long as a government like that of South Africa can with impunity maintain a system of blatant racial discrimination, as long as fear grips an untold number of people that they will be penalized for the color of their skin or for their beliefs, we cannot claim that we have put an end to the brutalities which have darkened human life on earth. With all our vaunted progress, our global future can hardly be considered bright if, with the help of newer technologies, torture and oppression become easier and more lethal. The United Nations has adopted a number of conventions for the safeguarding of human rights. Every one of them constitutes a challenge to men and women of conscience around the globe. It is they who can encourage their governments to strengthen the hand of the United Nations in ensuring that these conventions are fully observed.

We stand at this time at a point where an era of confusion and uncertainties about the common goals of nations as stated in the Charter of the United Nations may be coming to an end. The great powers seem to be beginning to view their relationship in a less obsessive frame of mind than they did during the Cold War. The initial phase of the experience of independence for the newly emerging states has also yielded lessons of the values of international cooperation, regional and global. Optimism about a healthier state of international relations is by no means unwarranted. But it is not a development which will come about automatically. At every stage, it calls for the active engagement of people of thought and goodwill in the struggle for a better world order to which the United Nations is committed.

[Page 8]

Covenant should be our major theme

In its Riḍván 1987 message to the Bahá’ís of the world, the Universal House of Justice makes the following statement:

“Preparations for the Holy Year 1992, when the 100th anniversary of the Ascension of the Blessed Beauty and the inception of the Covenant will be commemorated, have already begun. It is fitting, then, that the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh, which links the past and the future with the progressive stages towards the fulfillment of God’s ancient Promise, should be the major theme of the Six Year Plan. Concentration on this theme will enable us all to obtain a deeper appreciation of the meaning and the purpose of His Revelation—‘A Revelation,’ in the words of the Guardian, ‘hailed as the promise and crowning glory of past ages and centuries, as the consummation of all Dispensations within the Adamic Cycle, inaugurating an era of at least a thousand years’ duration, and a cycle destined to last no less than five thousand centuries, signalizing the end of the Prophetic Era and the beginning of the Era of Fulfillment, unsurpassed alike in the duration of its Author’s ministry and the fecundity and splendor of His mission....’ The questions that such concentrated study should answer will undoubtedly include the meaning of the Bahá’í Covenant, its origin and what should be our attitude towards it.”

This article, “The Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh Is the Assurance of the Unity of Mankind,” was written by Keyvan Nazerian of East Lansing, Michigan.

A concentrated study of the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh as recommended by the Universal House of Justice requires a detailed examination of the Holy Writings of the Faith and is beyond the scope of this article. Here we may reflect, however, on some of the issues presented by the House of Justice in the above passage: (1) 1992 commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh and celebrates the inception of His Covenant; (2) the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh “... links the past and the future with the progressive stages towards the fulfillment of God’s ancient Promise”; (3) the Covenant “should be the major theme of the Six Year Plan,” and (4) “concentration on this theme will enable us all to obtain a deeper appreciation of the meaning and purpose of His Revelation....”

In God Passes By, the Guardian writes about the great sorrow of Bahá’ís all over the world who found themselves totally lost after the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh. He then makes this remarkable statement: “Yet, as the appointed Center of Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant and authorized Interpreter of His teaching had Himself later explained, the dissolution of the tabernacle wherein the soul of the Manifestation of God had chosen temporarily to abide signalized its release from the restrictions which an earthly life had, of necessity, imposed upon it. Its influence no longer beclouded by its human temple, that soul could henceforth energize the world to a degree unapproached at any stage in the course of its existence on this planet.” (p. 244)

During His ministry, Bahá’u’lláh had completely fulfilled the glorious mission entrusted to Him by God. By the power of His Revelation, the whole universe was re-created and a new spiritual springtime was begun. He revitalized humanity’s faith in God and created in us a greater awareness of our constant need for God’s mercy and bestowals. Bahá’u’lláh also revealed social teachings and doctrines essential for the establishment of His new World Order and the consequent elevation of humankind to the stage of maturity. In addition to these, and in contrast to all previous religious systems, as the Guardian pointed out, “Above all, the Covenant that was to perpetuate the influence of that Faith, insure its integrity, safeguard it from schism, and stimulate its world-wide expansion, had been fixed on an inviolable basis.” (God Passes By, p. 244)

After the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh, the splendor of the Manifestation of God was now to shine ever brighter through the legacy of His Covenant and through an administrative order whose essential foundations He Himself had laid, and whose detailed structure was to be delineated by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Center of His Covenant.

It is interesting to note that the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh did not address itself solely to the issue of successorship to the Manifestation of God, but also defined in clear terms the authority and functions of the Center of the Covenant, that is, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, He to Whom all must turn for guidance, the only Person to understand fully the significance of Bahá’u’lláh’s mission and the only one Who could interpret His Writings.

Bahá’u’lláh also created the necessary institutions and administrative channels through which the spirit of His Covenant could flow uninterruptedly in the future, a legacy that was reiterated by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Who, in His Will and Testament, bestowed on Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Cause of God, the same functions and authority that His Father had bestowed upon Him. The authority to interpret the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, an essential element of the Covenant, was given only to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and after him to Shoghi Effendi, and lasted for a period

[Page 9] of 65 years from the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh in 1892 to the passing of Shoghi Effendi in 1957. Both the authenticity and duration of this unique period of interpretation of the Word of God are among the outstanding features of Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant.

After the passing of the beloved Guardian, another aspect of the Covenant, namely that of loyalty and obedience to the Center of the Cause, now the Universal House of Justice, remained fully in effect. This loyalty to the Covenant on the part of Bahá’ís all over the world has carried the Faith triumphantly forward to the present time and will continue to shape the progressive stages of its evolution into the future. Thus one finds a dynamic link between the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh and the soul of the Manifestation of God. As that soul was released from the restrictions of earthly life and began to shed its radiance upon the world, the Covenant appeared as a divine Instrument to “... perpetuate the influence of that Faith, insure its integrity, safeguard it from schism, and stimulate its world-wide expansion....”

The Universal House of Justice says that the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh “... links the past and the future with the progressive stages towards the fulfillment of God’s ancient Promise....” While it is true that all previous religions have contributed to man’s spiritual and social enlightenment and have succeeded in achieving a rather limited but growing sense of unity among segments of human society, neither were they destined, as the Guardian has said, to fulfill the ancient Promise of God and bring about the unity of all peoples in one human family, nor had humanity reached the level of maturity necessary to understand and to work toward achieving that goal. Thus it remained the primary goal of the Bahá’í Revelation to achieve the colossal task of spiritualizing and unifying the entire human race.

A statement by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the Tablets of the Divine Plan illustrates how indispensable is the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh in the realization of the oneness of mankind: “... Today no power can conserve the oneness of the Bahá’í world save the Covenant of God; otherwise differences like unto a most great tempest will encompass the Bahá’í world....It is evident that the axis of the oneness of the world of humanity is the power of the Covenant and nothing else....” (p.18) So we see that it is the power of the Covenant that unites human hearts and cements the tormented fragments of society in the single body of mankind. How could the Bahá’í Faith bring about the unity of mankind if it were not fully united itself? And how could the Faith have been so united were it not for the power of the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh? The answers are clearly stated in the Writings. Without the Covenant, the Bahá’í Faith could neither preserve its own unity nor could it offer the human race any hope for eventual unity.

We are now more than two years into the Six Year Plan, the goals of which are diverse and may vary widely from one national community to another. But whether these goals are related to teaching, pioneering, consolidation, education, publication of Bahá’í literature, or any other goal of the Plan, we are reminded by the Universal House of Justice that the major theme of the Plan should be the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh. It is the Covenant that must permeate all our services to the Faith, to motivate and inspire us to higher levels of sacrifice. It then becomes clear how important it is for each of us to engage in a concentrated study of the Covenant to obtain a clearer understanding of the nature of Bahá’u’lláh’s mission and the significance of His stupendous Revelation. Once we begin to understand more fully the meaning of Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant and to glimpse, however dimly, the significance of His Revelation, we might begin to ponder the nature of our responsibility toward the Covenant and how we can make our belief in it a part of our daily lives. To that end, the Guardian offers the following guidance:

“In order to avoid division and disruption, that the Cause may not fall prey to conflicting interpretations, and lose thereby its purity and pristine vigor, that its affairs may be conducted with efficiency and promptness, it is necessary that every one should conscientiously take part in the election of these Assemblies, abide by their decisions, enforce their decrees, and cooperate wholeheartedly in their task of stimulating the growth of the Movement throughout all regions.” (Bahá’í Administration, p. 41)

In this passage the Guardian outlines three tasks, all based on spiritual principles, which, when practiced “conscientiously” and “wholeheartedly,” will lead to the growth of the Cause of God: (1) participating in the election of Bahá’í Assemblies; (2) abiding by their decisions; and (3) cooperating with them and supporting their plans and programs. It seems that by conscientious participation in the election of one’s local Spiritual Assembly the individual believer achieves a sense of unity and togetherness with that divinely ordained institution; this unity is reinforced as the individual abides by the decisions of the Assembly, adopts its activities and programs as his or her own and works to carry them out. Achieving such a state of unity enables the individual to play a major role in the community and makes him or her an essential component in building a Bahá’í civilization.

We are living in a challenging and exciting time. The Bahá’í community throughout the world is expanding at an accelerated pace. With this expansion, the rest of humanity is gaining a greater awareness of the redeeming power of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh; the influence of the Faith on the social and spiritual well-being of humanity is now being felt by increasing numbers of people and their leaders. Challenges and opportunities undreamed-of even a few years ago are facing us, in whichever field of service we are engaged. Many wonderful promises given by Bahá’u’lláh are being fulfilled here and now. As we face the challenges and the opportunities which the fulfillment of these promises and the emergence of the Faith from obscurity have provided us, we must choose carefully our priorities and take the proper course of action in agreement with the goals of the Six Year Plan. Whatever our circumstances, and to whatever extent we may succeed in becoming humble instruments serving the Cause of God, we have been promised in the Writings that by striving to live a Bahá’í life, teach the Cause, and support wholeheartedly our administrative institutions, we will be playing an essential part in extending the protective wings of the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh over the whole of mankind.

[Page 10]

The world

Panel on ethics draws 600 in Germany

A panel discussion, “Selling off the Creation: Have Our Ethics Failed when Facing the Environment,” sponsored by the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany, was held last July 7 at the city hall in Hofheim.

More than 600 people were present for the event, which explored the role of religion in environmental conservation.

The panelists were Professor Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker, director of the Institute for European Environmental Politics in Bonn, London and Paris; Professor Philip Schmitz of the Philosophical-Theological University of the Jesuits of Frankfurt; Dr. Ingeborg Franken, a physicist and member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany; and Dr. Gottfried Edel, a member of the cultural section of the German federal television network.

The event was especially significant in that panelists came from a variety of religious and scientific backgrounds. Its success, according to a report from the National Spiritual Assembly, was due to the fact that it addressed an issue currently affecting society and included non-Bahá’í speakers.

The panel was one of several events held during a “cultural week” in Hofheim organized by the Federal State of Hessen and publicized by millions of programs distributed throughout the country.

The Bahá’í House of Worship in Langenhain was featured in the program along with a Bahá’í exhibit, the panel discussion, and a Bahá’í program for children entitled “Program for World Peace: Music and Dance.”

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Almost 500 Bahá’ís gathered in Hofheim last May 22, following the National Bahá’í Convention, for a National Teaching Conference.

Consultation was focused on the Riḍván message from the Universal House of Justice and reports from the National Convention. Also, slides and video tapes of the sixth International Convention were shown.

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Several well-known Bahá’ís who were visiting Germany were among those attending a worship service last July 9 at the Bahá’í House of Worship in Langenhain which marked the anniversary of the martyrdom of the Báb.

Nearly 400 Bahá’ís and their guests from several countries enjoyed the service and had the privilege of meeting and hearing from the Hand of the Cause of God ‘Alí Akbar Furútan; Adib Taherzadeh, a member of the Universal House of Justice; Counsellor Hartmut Grossmann, who was en route to Haifa, Israel, where he now serves as a member of the International Teaching Centre; and two former Counsellor members of the Teaching Centre, ‘Azíz Yazdí and Anneliese Bopp.

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Local and regional newspapers throughout Germany continue to publish favorable articles on the activities of local Bahá’í communities, such as the election of local Spiritual Assemblies and the observance of Bahá’í Holy Days.

The great majority of these articles no longer refer to the persecution of Bahá’ís in Iran but reflect instead the broad range of activities presently undertaken by Bahá’ís.

Venezuela

Children at the open-air Sequoya Bahá’í School near Maracaibo, Venezuela, learn mathematics with playing cards. The school serves a specific local need by providing education for children who are not able to attend government schools for reasons of age, learning disabilities, lack of a birth certificate or inability to pay for school supplies.

[Page 11]

Finland

The Bahá’ís of Finland took part last May in a street display festival in Oulu during which 25 local groups presented their development projects in Third World countries.

The Bahá’ís of Oulu introduced to the public their varied social and economic development projects in India, Africa and Latin America.

About 30 color photographs taken from a slide show prepared by the Bahá’í International Community were shown with captions and statistics. There was also a map of the world and several attractive UN posters.

The display sign read, “The international Bahá’í community has more than 1,200 development projects in about 1,000 localities.”

Introductory pamphlets on the Faith and copies of the peace statement were given to visitors, many of whom asked questions about the teachings of the Faith.

The “Market of Possibilities,” as it was called, received coverage on two local radio programs which mentioned the Bahá’í Faith. The event is scheduled to be held again in May 1989.

Pictured is the Bahá’í display at last May’s ‘Market of Possibilities’ in Oulu, Finland. The event, which featured displays from about 25 groups with development projects in Third World countries, was so successful that it is to be repeated in May 1989.

Swaziland

Princess Gcinaphi Lindi Khumalo of Swaziland is a Bahá’í who has been taking part since November 1987 in a course offered by the Hebrew University and Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem leading to the degree of Master of Public Health.

Last July 16, she and 17 of her colleagues in the MPH program were invited by the Secretary-General of the Bahá’í International Community to visit the Bahá’í Holy Places in Haifa and ‘Akká.

The group, representing 10 countries of Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Pacific, was received by Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum. All expressed their gratitude for the warm hospitality shown them throughout their day-long visit, and their delight at the beauty of the Shrines and gardens.

During her stay in Israel, Princess Gcinaphi has been presented formally to the Prime Minister and President of the State of Israel. Both occasions received media coverage.

United Kingdom

Last April 23, the Bahá’ís of Cardiff, Wales, were hosts to 125 guests at the Temple of Peace, where they celebrated the 40th anniversary of the formation of their local Spiritual Assembly, the first in Wales.

Guests from the local council and church took part in the event, creating an apparent “interfaith flavor” in the friendly exchange of spiritual hopes and aspirations.

A Unitarian minister, Roy John, spoke of the close ties that the Bahá’ís of Cardiff have with the United Nations Association and the interfaith group in that city, and praised their persistent work for peace.

Before the celebration, Welsh independent television interviewed two members of the Bahá’í community of Cardiff on the program “Wales on Sunday,” which has an audience of about 70,000.

•

Amid stirring deliberations ignited by the Riḍván message from the Universal House of Justice, “Youth Challenge ’88” was launched at the fourth annual National Youth Convention held May 20-22 in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The “Challenge” is an initiative of the Bahá’í youth of the United Kingdom which is aimed at reaching the mass of young people in those islands with the healing Message of Bahá’u’lláh.

At its heart is a series of projects with the key themes of prayer, audacity and movement.

At the first Youth Challenge evening, in Edinburgh, 9,000 invitations were sent to leading Scottish youth organizations. About 40 young people from a variety of religious, political and social groups responded.

Among exciting results are the forthcoming active participation of Bahá’í youth as voting delegates to the British Youth Council and the proposed publication of a document addressed to young people in the United Kingdom pinpointing current concerns and social issues and inviting them to consult with Bahá’í youth committees on these and other matters.

Sri Lanka

National television in Sri Lanka delighted the hearts of the friends with its coverage of the sixth Bahá’í International Convention in Haifa, Israel, news of which was broadcast in three languages.

[Page 12]

Australia

Thelma Perks, a former Counsellor for Australasia, Auxiliary Board member, and member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia, died last May at the age of 86.

Miss Perks, who became a Bahá’í in 1947, was one of the few remaining Bahá’ís who knew both Clara and Hyde Dunn, the pioneers who opened the continent of Australia to the Faith.

In 1950 she donated nine acres of land to the Yerrinbool Bahá’í School, insisting that it not be named after her. Three years later, when the Ten Year Crusade began, she was one of several Bahá’ís who moved temporarily (in her case, to Grafton, New South Wales) to open goal areas.

In 1954 she was elected for the first time to the National Spiritual Assembly, and shortly afterward was appointed with Collis Featherstone by the Hand of the Cause of God Clara Dunn to serve as an Auxiliary Board member.

Miss Perks served until 1963 as both an Auxiliary Board member and member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia, meanwhile teaching the Faith throughout the Pacific area.

In June 1968, when the Universal House of Justice announced the establishment of 11 Continental Boards of Counsellors, the Board for Australasia consisted of Suhayl Ala’i, Howard Harwood and Thelma Perks.

Miss Perks served as a Counsellor until her retirement from that position in 1980. Her sadness over many years that members of her family took no interest in her Bahá’í activities turned to joy in recent years when her niece, Annette Sherringham, became a Bahá’í.

•

Jack Malardy, a 90-year-old Bahá’í who is the elected leader of six Aboriginal tribes living together in Bidyadanga, 150 km (93 miles) south of Broome in the north of Western Australia, undertook an extensive journey as a delegate to this year’s National Convention, visiting Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís along the way.

Mr. Malardy was the first Aboriginal believer in Bidyadanga. Six months after he embraced the Cause, there were enough Bahá’ís there to form the first local Spiritual Assembly of Bidyadanga.

Last May, Mr. Malardy was elected delegate from his area to the National Convention in Melbourne, which is about 6,500 km (4,030 miles) from Bidyadanga. He was accompanied on his long journey by the delegate from the neighboring region, Firaydun Mithaq.

•

In February the Bahá’ís of Maddington, West Australia, were invited to entertain at an evening celebration given by three local Rotary Clubs to mark the 83rd anniversary of Rotary International.

A program whose theme was peace included cultural dances and choral selections, after which copies of the peace statement were given to two district governors and three presidents.

The chairman referred at length to the Bahá’í teachings, encouraging members of Rotary to become familiar with them and ask questions of the Bahá’ís who were present. Many of the 150 people at the event asked for literature on the Faith.

•

Two local Spiritual Assemblies in New South Wales are working together on a campaign for “entry by troops” that is attracting seekers and transforming the Bahá’í community.

One report said, “It was such an incredible feeling to go to bed every night during that week with a voice so hoarse from teaching the Faith.”

The careful planning includes four aspects: (1) creating mass awareness of what the Faith is and what it has to offer; (2) making the Faith highly visible; (3) making it easily accessible to the public; and (4) creating greater confidence in the believers by assuring them of Bahá’u’lláh’s promised assistance.

One effective teaching aid has been a large badge which reads, “I’m a Bahá’í. Ask me why,” which is worn by both Bahá’í children and adults.

•

In Queensland, Australia, the Bahá’í Faith is now regarded as “a religious body for the purposes of the Stamp Duty Act.” This means that local Spiritual Assemblies in that state are exempted from the payment of stamp duty on any properties they purchase.

The ruling came about after the Spiritual Assembly of Brisbane, about to purchase some property, sought an exemption and found that it had previously been given only to Christian denominations.

Botswana

Dr. Gaositwe Chiepe (left), Botswana’s Minister of External Affairs, accepts a copy of ‘The Promise of World Peace’ from Counsellor Lally Warren as Zia Ahmadzadegan, public relations officer for the Bahá’í community of Botswana, looks on. Dr. Chiepe expressed her personal commitment and that of the government of Botswana to the cause of world peace and commended the Bahá’í community for its efforts in promoting this vital principle.

[Page 13]

Zaire

Bahá’í mothers and representatives from the Department of Women’s Affairs and various religions filled the National Bahá’í Centre in Kinshasa, Zaire, last March 27 to take part in a conference on family health.

The event, which was part of a socioeconomic program organized by the Bahá’í mothers, focused primarily on the prevention of childhood diseases.

The delegate from the Department of Women’s Affairs was so impressed by the instructor, Dr. Farzin Davachi, that she asked the Bahá’í community for permission to place Dr. Davachi at the disposal of her department for a conference tour on the same theme in the zones of the capital.

•

An adventurous traveling teacher trekked through isolated areas of Zaire last December and January, areas generally regarded as inaccessible because of their remoteness and the hostility of local residents toward outsiders.

Makolo Yapanu of Kinshasa, traveling under the aegis of the Auxiliary Board of Western Zaire, went some 57 km (35 miles) on foot to visit the villages of Mabunzi, Pangi Bolia, and Bibelo 1, 2 and 3 in the equatorial forest.

His efforts led to the enrollment of 27 people, among whom was the chief of a village.

Japan

The Bahá’ís of Japan held their annual Teaching Conference last March 25-27 in Yamaguchi.

This year’s event included only two plenary addresses, with the main features of the conference being a teaching project focusing on a questionnaire titled “How International Are You?” and a public Peace Festival.

The festival introduced participants to teaching techniques that have been quite successful in the Nishi-Chugoku area of the country. Featured were thought-provoking displays about world peace and Bahá’í solutions; English and Japanese “conversation corners,” and children’s activities.

Well over 100 people from the area, three of whom embraced the Cause, attended the festival.

Chile

This photograph of the main building of Radio Bahá’í Chile in Labranza, Commune of Temuco, was taken in February, shortly after the celebration of the station’s first anniversary. Radio Bahá’í, operating on 1160 kHz and serving principally the indigenous population of Mapuche Indian communities, was officially opened on December 20, 1986.

During February, the group of young Bahá’ís shown here, from the communities of Las Condes and Temuco, Santiago, volunteered between one and two weeks each to Radio Bahá’í Chile. Their project helped fulfill a youth ‘week of service’ campaign launched by the National Spiritual Assembly as a part of its goals for the Six Year Plan directed specifically toward youth.

Alaska

At the third annual meeting of the Interior Alaska Ecumenical Peace with Justice Council, held last May in Fairbanks, the Bahá’í Faith was given an award in recognition of its “Peace Talks” television series.

David Rychetnik, who represented the National Spiritual Assembly of Alaska at the meeting, said he was pleased to accept the award on behalf of the National Assembly and the Bahá’ís of the Fairbanks area who made the effort to get the spots on the air.

“We have a long road ahead before real peace will be established,” he said, “but Bahá’ís believe there is great hope for mankind, and that slowly, sometimes painfully, our eyes are opening.

“After all, as this television campaign tries to point out, peace truly begins in our hearts ... and under the right circumstances, as we know, hearts have been known to change ... instantly.”

[Page 14]

Nicaragua

El Nuevo Diario, a national daily newspaper in Managua, Nicaragua, has published several recent articles about the Bahá’í Faith voluntarily and free of charge.

One was entitled “The Origin and Principles of the Faith,” another “The Promise of World Peace,” and a third “Participation of Delegates to the 6th International Bahá’í Convention in Haifa.”

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Six members of the Bahá’í New Era Youth Club were interviewed recently by a local radio station in Jinotepe, Nicaragua.

The club, which began with eight members, now boasts an enrollment of 28 youth, the majority of whom are not Bahá’ís. Its purpose is to maintain unity in diversity while enjoying social and cultural activities.

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Cristina Arouz, secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of Nicaragua, and Auxiliary Board member Carlos Manzanares were interviewed for 10 minutes on television last June 14, marking the first time in 13 years that the National Spiritual Assembly of Nicaragua was able to arrange such an interview about the Faith.

India

Pictured are students who are receiving practical experience in rural technology in a course offered by the New Era Development Institute at Panchgani, Maharashtra, India. A selected group of students, Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í, took part in the three-month course.

The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, His Excellency Ranasinghe Premadasa, visited the Bahá’í House of Worship in India last April 5. He was accompanied by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in India.

The Prime Minister, who is the first head of state to visit the Temple, spent an hour there and attended a devotional service.

A packet of literature presented to him contained selections from the Sacred Writings in Sinhalese, a copy of the peace statement, the book The Dawning Place, and photographs of the House of Worship.

In return, Mr. Premadasa, who expressed his appreciation for the Temple’s design and purpose, presented a gift of a lovely brass plaque and instructed the High Commissioner to send a volume of the Dhamapada for the Temple library.

The Bahá’ís took the opportunity to express to the Prime Minister their appreciation for the recognition given annually to World Religion Day in Sri Lanka and for that country’s issuance in 1986 of a commemorative postage stamp honoring the Bahá’í-sponsored event.

The Prime Minister’s visit was televised in India and covered by the Sri Lankan and Indian press.

Arctic Circle

After remaining for four years a pioneering goal for Canada, the Spiritual Assembly of Inuvik, Northwest Territories, was incorporated last April 11 by the government of the Northwest Territories, thus becoming the northernmost incorporated Assembly in North America.

Inuvik, the center of the Inuit people, is situated about 97 km (60 miles) south of the Beaufort Sea and 250 km (155 miles) north of the Arctic Circle.

It is the largest town north of the Arctic Circle and an administrative, communications and fur-trading center with an economy stimulated by oil and gas exploration. The Bahá’í community consists of 17 adults, three youth and a number of children.

United States

Thirty-five people from 10 states, none of whom was a Bahá’í, took part in an Elderhostel program held last April 30 at the Bosch Bahá’í School near Santa Cruz, California.

Three five-hour courses were presented including a course on “The Economics of a World Commonwealth” prepared in cooperation with the Bahá’í Club at the University of California-Santa Cruz. The course, taught by a Bahá’í, explored the economic theories of Marxism, socialism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Bahá’í Faith.

One enthusiastic participant said she looked forward to returning to Bosch for another such program, adding that she would “probably be a Bahá’í by then.”

Elderhostels are a network of more than 900 educational institutions found in 30 countries around the world. They offer special low-cost, short-term residential academic programs for adults over 60 years of age, believing that one’s later years can provide an opportunity for new experiences.

[Page 15]

Guyana

Two Bahá’í physicians from Great Britain, Drs. Rustom Beheshti and Farzin Rahmani, visited Guyana for two weeks last June to conduct lectures and work at Georgetown Hospital.

At a reception at the National Cultural Centre in Georgetown, Prime Minister Hamilton Green said that the coming of a Bahá’í medical team was a tangible demonstration of the ongoing concern the Bahá’ís of Guyana have for the welfare of their countrymen.

The following day, two radio broadcasts mentioned the reception. The report was repeated once or twice on subsequent days.

In the evenings, the Bahá’í physicians took part in teaching activities. On Tuesday evening they attended a public meeting at the Zeeburg School, at which more than 200 people were present and 12 were enrolled in the Faith.

Two public meetings the following evening, one in Leonora that drew 80 people, the other at Grove Village with an audience of 300, resulted in a total of 20 declarations.

Other public meetings were held throughout their visit, attracting many people and inspiring some to declare their faith in Bahá’u’lláh.

•

By the end of May, the teaching goal of Guyana’s “Youth on the Move” campaign was won, with 261 new Bahá’ís enrolled, far surpassing the target of 50.

Other goals—increasing the number of children’s classes conducted by youth, increasing the number of areas holding youth activities, fund-raising, and increasing participation at the Nineteen Day Feast and local deepenings—also met with success.

Phase Two of the campaign was to run from June 1 through July 31.

•

The fifth annual Border Camp of Guyana and Suriname was held last April 1-4 in Corriverton, Courantyne, Guyana.

More than 120 people took part including representatives from all three counties in Guyana.

Also attending were eight members of Guyana’s National Spiritual Assembly, three Auxiliary Board members, and Bahá’ís from Malaysia, Suriname and Barbados.

Dr. Rustom Beheshti of Great Britain (center) explains a point about the Shrine of the Báb to the Prime Minister of Guyana, Hamilton Green, during a reception last June honoring a Bahá’í medical team that visited the country for two weeks. At the left is the other member of that team, Dr. Farzin Rahmani.

Canada

The works of three Bahá’ís—Geoffrey Nash, Nancy Raham and Roger White—were recently featured in two Canadian literary publications, the New Canadian Review (Vol. 1, No. 2), and the White Wall Review 1988.

•

The Chinese Teaching Committee of the Bahá’ís of Montreal, Quebec, supported by the local Spiritual Assembly, undertook an audacious project on the occasion of the Chinese new year last February.

A contest was held by the Bahá’ís for the Chinese communities of Montreal and Toronto. Four quotations from various religions were printed in Montreal’s Chinese-language newspaper, in the Toronto Chinese Canadian Daily, and advertised on a Chinese-language radio station in Montreal. Those entering the contest had to identify the religion in which each quotation originated; first prize was a copy of the new Encyclopedia of Peace.

As a part of the project, a booth was set up in a fair in Chinatown that provided an opportunity for a diverse group of Bahá’ís to talk to many of the thousands of people passing through. Copies of the peace statement were given out along with 500-600 balloons with “the earth is one country” written on them in Chinese.

Lesotho

About 30 people gathered last March 8 at a Bahá’í home in Maseru, Lesotho, to celebrate International Women’s Day. The event was planned by local Bahá’ís in consultation with officers of the United Nations and the Women’s Alliance.

A Bahá’í, Mrs. Debbie Christensen, opened the program with a look back at major efforts to since 1946 to realize the equality of men and women, looking especially at the 1975-85 UN Decade for Women.

Afterward, representatives from the UN office and the Lesotho Alliance for Women presented talks outlining the need to address the issue of equality in a manner appropriate to the people and the cultural environment in Lesotho.

[Page 16]

Hong Kong

On learning of an imminent lecture tour in China by Dr. Ervin Laszlo, the Bahá’ís of Hong Kong organized a five-day itinerary of events coupled by an extensive media and publicity campaign in Hong Kong.

The itinerary included lectures at universities, press conferences attended by 10-15 reporters, tours and receptions.

In his lectures, Dr. Laszlo, an internationally known philosopher and member of the Club of Rome, quoted extensively from the Bahá’í writings, drawing parallels between current scientific thought and the teachings of the Faith.

He has developed a close relationship with the Bahá’í Faith, first through the United Nations office of the Bahá’í International Community in New York and later as a guest speaker at many Bahá’í conferences in Canada and the U.S.

•

Three pioneers to Hong Kong were overwhelmed by the loving reception given to them by Bahá’ís at the Chimawan Refugee Camp on Lan Tao Island when they arrived last April 21 to help with the election of the local Spiritual Assembly.

The devotion of the refugees touched the visitors as well. A picture of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and a vase of flowers graced a table beside a carefully constructed ballot box. Even though some of the refugees hadn’t been Bahá’ís very long, there appeared to be a real sense of appreciation for the significance of the election.

The election itself began with prayers, and afterward an elaborate Vietnamese Riḍván supper was served to all.

•

Under an ordinance passed June 16 by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, that country’s National Spiritual Assembly was officially incorporated.

The move gives the Faith vitally important legal status and protection under the law, even after 1997 when Hong Kong is to become a part of the People’s Republic of China.

Brazil

Enedino Rodrigues Benevides, a Bahá’í youth from Brazil, is one of six recipients worldwide of the Rotary International “Pro-Peace” Prize.

For winning, Mr. Benevides received a one-year scholarship to Leeds University in England where he plans to study international history, philosophy and political science while carrying the title of “Goodwill Ambassador” for Rotary International.

The young Bahá’í from Goiania State attributes his success to the Bahá’í Faith.

•

Last year a Bahá’í committee for the coordination of women’s activities was established with a membership of nine women representing six communities in southern Brazil.

The committee held its first Institute last June 11-12 in Londrina, Parána State, and has distributed 6,000 pamphlets to the public on the equality of men and women as well as a Bahá’í prayer for expectant mothers.

•

The opening of a mass teaching campaign in Paraíba State, Brazil, was one immediate result of a youth conference held last July 8-10 in Salvador, Bahia.

About 150 youth were joined in the effort by Counsellors Eloy Anello and Rolf von Czekus, three members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Brazil, and two Auxiliary Board members.

The conference supplied 30 Bahá’í teachers to local communities as they began to organize a campaign aimed at opening all the municipalities in the State to the Faith and forming 19 new local Spiritual Assemblies by Riḍván 1989.

•

The Bahá’í Development Agency for the Amazon (ADCAM) sponsors a home for abandoned children, called Lar Linda Tanure Home, in Brazil.

Thirty-five children are in residence with a constant flow of admissions and departures as children are prepared for integration into society.

Nine of the children are enrolled in public schools, while others are being trained at the home at the pre-school and first grade levels.

Alaska

The director of the Bahá’í Office of Public Affairs was among 20 people invited to a recent meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, to discuss the topic of world peace with a delegation of Soviet physicians.

During the meeting, the Soviets asked each of those in the audience to introduce himself and present a brief talk on his or her ideas and actions for peace.

The two Bahá’ís present, David Rychetnik and Marian Johnson, had prepared packets of material including copies of the peace statement and other publications. The packets given to the Soviet guests included Russian translations of the peace statement.

•

An incredible personal teaching project was undertaken last April by Judi McClain, a 42-year-old grandmother from Kotzebue, Alaska.

Alone, except for her 11 sled dogs, she traveled more than 300 miles by sled to visit villages in the Nana region. On some days, she traveled up to 60 miles.

Mrs. McClain has planned a similar journey for later this year, traveling this time some 600 miles to visit two villages she did not reach on her first trip.

•

Two Bahá’ís in Petersburg, Alaska, serve as volunteers in the Women Against Violent Emergencies (WAVE) program in their community.

When domestic violence occurs, the program calls upon local ministers and Bahá’í volunteers for help. During a two-year period 26 people have embraced the Faith in Petersburg as a result of contacts made with Bahá’ís involved in this community program.

Republic of Ireland

A 1988 desk calendar, which is being distributed throughout the Republic of Ireland by major companies, lists the Bahá’í Faith among seven religions under the heading “Major Religious Denominations.”

[Page 17]

Tanzania

Pictured are many of the 100 people who attended a National Bahá’í Youth Conference last June at the Ruaha Technical Secondary Bahá’í School in Iringa, Tanzania.

About 100 people attended a National Bahá’í Youth Conference held for four days last June at the Ruaha Technical Secondary Bahá’í School in Iringa, Tanzania.

Because of recent transportation problems within the country, this was considered to be a very high level of attendance.

Members of the National Spiritual Assembly and the Auxiliary Board were among those at the conference, whose theme was “Bringing People Together.”

Belgium

Aid to the needy in the Charleroi region of Belgium was the topic at a youth workshop held last January 30-31.

After an evening of consultation, the 25 youth, several adult Bahá’ís and some non-Bahá’ís reconvened the following day for prayers and inspiration, then went to work repairing moisture-damaged homes, cleaning houses, helping immigrant Moroccan children with their school work, and visiting elderly people who were happy to meet enthusiastic youth.

That evening, stories of the day were shared and everyone agreed that the effort should be continued. Two young people volunteered to keep in touch with the families that were served and to be available when needed.

•

At a gathering in Brussels last March, a group of 13 people embraced the Faith.

The group is composed of highly educated people who had been attending meetings at the Bahá’í Center there for about two months.

Korea

In March the Bahá’ís of Korea undertook mass teaching, fielding a full-time traveling team in various parts of the country, a team in Seoul every day, and another in Cheju every weekend.

At a teaching conference March 5-6, participants heard about the teaching work in Taiwan, which had inspired the current project in Korea.

Nine volunteers completed a teacher training institute held March 24-29, while others attended many of the sessions and have helped in the daily teaching in Seoul.

The National Spiritual Assembly reports that the new spirit of love and unity within the Korean Bahá’í community had attracted 46 new believers during the first two weeks of the campaign.

Gabon

Many new teaching initiatives have been undertaken by individuals and groups of Bahá’ís in Gabon as a result of the first of two Regional Teaching Conferences held last December in Gabon’s capital city, Libreville.

In March, 21 people embraced the Faith in Bounguia II, a Pygmy village some 15 km (9.3 miles) from Franceville. The village chief, Jean-Baptiste Mouyiki, was the first to enroll.

These successes came after an individual Bahá’í had adopted the village as his personal teaching goal.

•

Cooperation among local and regional civil authorities and the Bahá’ís of Gabon has resulted in the start of construction of a dispensary that will serve the needs of about 1,000 people in six localities.

Bahá’ís are coordinating the building project with other local people providing the labor. The regional government is supplying masons and carpenters.

[Page 18]

A CONCORDANCE to the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh compiled by LEE NELSON

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