Bahá’í World/Volume 20/‘Azíz Khabilpour
‘AZÍZ KHABIRPOUR
(‘Azízu’lláh Khabírpúr)
1915—1986
GRIEVED PASSING DISTINGUISHED SERVANT BLESSED BEAUTY AZIZ KHABIRPOUR. HIS OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS PIONEERING TEACHING FIELDS CROWNED BY HIS HISTORIC PARTICIPATION ERECTION SEAT UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE ON MOUNT CARMEL ENSURE HIS MEMORY ANNALS CAUSE. ASSURE DEAR WIFE, CHILDREN, RELATIVES, FRIENDS ARDENT PRAYERS SACRED THRESHOLD PROGRESS HIS RADIANT SOUL, NOW GATHERED ABHA KINGDOM. ADVISE HOLD MEMORIAL GATHERING.
Pure-heartedness, loving kindness, sincerity, trustworthiness, modesty, patience, nobility of character, and generosity ranked among his distinctive qualities. His heart was like a jewel, shining out with all its lustre, illuminating and radiating warmth. Brimming with love for all human beings, he could not bear the mercilessness and injustice of this mortal world, for his heart was sensitive and tender. In the end it ceased beating, replete with devotion and contentment.
Enamoured of service at the Threshold of the Blessed Beauty, from the very outset of his youth, ‘Azíz Khabírpúr served on various committees in Persia such as the National Youth Committee, the National Fund Committee, and the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár Committee, without seeking recognition or distinction. But of those services, the most memorable remains the night he announced, with eyes moist with tears, that he had been instructed to go to Tákur on behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly to implement measures to prevent flooding at the House of Bahá’u’lláh. At that time no road had been built to Tákur, and he and his companions had to travel the mountainous part of the journey by horse and mule. He returned overjoyed. He had brought us a pear from the Holy House.
Never again did I see him as joyful and happy except when he received the glad tidings of his appointment as resident engineer for the construction of the Seat of the Universal House of Justice.
‘Azíz never considered himself worthy of the many blessings and favours showered upon him. One of his highest aspirations was to take part in the construction of a House of Worship. During the years he was carrying out his task at the World Centre he mentioned over and over again his gratitude for the tremendous bounty of being assigned to supervise the construction of the Seat of the Supreme Institution.
‘Azíz was born 21 July 1915 in Ṭihrán. His mother came from a Bahá’í family, whereas his father had embraced the Faith of his own volition. He was very proud of his father and always remembered his good qualities and attributes and his astounding courage, regarding them as guidelines for his own life. He used to describe how his father, a strong man tall in stature, dispersed a crowd of adversaries of the Faith who were threatening to attack a pharmacy owned by a Bahá’í, simply by planting himself in front of the door and saying, ‘If you want to enter and do any harm to the owners you must do so over my dead body’.
‘Azíz was the only son, and his parents cherished him dearly. He was still in secondary school when his father departed from this earthly life and left on his son’s shoulders the full responsibility of providing for his mother and three sisters. With perseverance, one of his most salient characteristics, he continued to work as well as to study, and succeeded in graduating from Ṭihrán’s first technical university, known as Dáru’l—Funún.
Being inclined towards sports, ‘Azíz was an active and successful member of various football and basketball teams during his student days and, until the end of his life, he not only participated in sporting activities but encouraged his friends and associates to do so. He also had a deep love for music, especially classical Persian music. He listened to
it with concentrated devotion. “Music,” he said, “talks to my heart and strikes the chords of my innermost being.”
In October 1950, after he was relieved of the responsibility for his mother and sisters, he married a Bahá’í, Nazenine Monadjem (Názanín Munajjim), and in 1960, following consultations with the National Pioneering Committee, the couple pioneered with their three sons to Luxembourg where their fourth child, a girl, was born.
What an incomparable father he was! Although due to his professional situation he often had to be away on business for long periods, during the time ‘Azíz could spend with his children he lavished love and affection on them with his whole heart and soul and maintained a true friendship and companionship with them, so compensating for his frequent absences. His ardent hope for his children was that they would receive an excellent and thorough training, laying the foundations for their future services in the path of the Blessed Perfection. He never permitted them to work during their holidays, for he wanted them to use their free time solely in the service of the Faith.
For 14 years he served in Luxembourg as a member of the National Spiritual Assembly, the Local Spiritual Assembly, and on different committees. At one time he was granted the privilege of attending the International Convention in Haifa and of participating in the election of the Universal House of Justice.
To the same degree that he was imbued with the spirit of pioneering and servitude, ‘Azíz communicated a love for life. He belonged to those who cultivated ties of friendship and the art of hospitality, always holding the door of his house wide open to everyone, whether young or old, rich or poor. Hence he was successful at his pioneering post, endearing himself to all people. He was admired and deeply loved by his friends.
In 1974, ‘Azíz was called to the Bahá’í World Centre and served there for 11 years,
fulfilling his duties as resident engineer for the construction of the Seat of the Universal House of Justice. The architect of that magnificent building, Mr. Husayn Amánat, has paid the following tribute:
What a great bounty it is when one is
doing what he feels a special love for from the depth of his heart and what gives meaning to one’s entire life, past and present, his education, professional experience, an opportunity to employ all his potential abilities and talents, and virtues, his love and devotion and what brings him a chance to uplift his human attributes. When one deeply feels he will be assisted in what he will do and is certain that the right path will be shown to him all the time.
This was the feeling of Mr. Khabírpúr all through his services as the architect’s representative for the execution of the project of the Seat of the Universal House of Justice...
He had built roads and bridges (some of them in very difficult, mountainous areas of Írán), government buildings, airports, and housing during his entire contracting career in Írán, a career which ceased when he pioneered to Luxembourg. It seemed that for his great love for serving the Faith and pioneering, he had to sacrifice his great love for building and ignore his abilities in the professional field. However, his potential abilities had been stored and were gathering momentum for his future role in a project that he regarded as the main purpose of his professional
life...
Every piece of marble in the building, the doors and windows, the parapets, the plasterwork, the roof tiles, and every other item in the building is a reminder of Mr. Khabírpúr’s constant efforts, his devotion, and love.
Those years spent at the World Centre can be reckoned among the best of his life. He was forever thankful, his heart overflowing with gratitude to the Sacred Threshold
’Azíz Khabirpour
for having been entrusted with so unique a service.
Early during his sojourn in Haifa he dreamt that, accompanied by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, he attained the presence of Bahá’u’lláh. The Blessed Beauty was standing on the balcony of a house situated on a hill, beckoning him to approach while addressing him with the words, ‘Come in! Come in!’ The next morning, as he recounted his dream, he was not able to restrain his tears from running down his cheeks. His friends interpreted this dream as an indication that he would eventually succeed in accomplishing his high task.
And so it was. During his period of service in the Holy Land, ‘Azíz suffered a heart attack which forced him to rest for several months. Following a short period of recovery, he continued serving and became a witness to the sailing of God’s Ark on Mount Carmel.
Shortly after his return to Luxembourg, he attained his heart’s desire and ardent longing, to be forever attached to his pioneering post.