In Memoriam 1992-1997/Nurodin Soraya

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NURODIN SORAYA (Nurredin Soraya) 1920—1995

We are distressed to learn of the passing of Dr. Nurodin Soraya, who served the Faith in Indonesia with exemplary devotion and unswerving loyalty for over four decades, and whose staunchness of faith and dedication were an inspiration and a model to others during the periods of difficulty which the Cause of Baha’u’llah has experienced in these years. He will long be remembered as a pillar ofstrength in the development of the Indonesian Bahá’í community, and future generations of believers in that country will glory in his achievements. Kindly convey our condolences to the members of his family, who are serving the Faith with such distinction in many parts of the world, and assure them of our prayers in the Holy Shrines for the progress of his soul.

Universal House ofjustice October 15, 1995

Dr. Nurredin Soraya was born into a distinguished religious family on March 6, 1920, in Iṣfahán, Iran. He was the youngest of eleven children of whom five survived. Dr. Soraya’s father, Ali Mohammed, was a leading ulama and became a Bahá’í in the early 19005 during the troubled period offiayfl Muhammad Taqiy—i-Najafi'. Suffering persecution as a believer, including his wife’s opposition to the Faith, Ali Mohammed spent many years away from his family and served the Cause as far away as Madras, India. He was the recipient of a number of Tablets from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and died in mm in 1943, never knowing that his youngest child

THE BAHA’I’ WORLD

Numa’in Soraya

would independently accept Bahá’u’lláh two years later.

Dr. Soraya was raised by his mother, Fatimih, a staunch Muslim who established an Islamic religious school in Iṣfahán. He grew into a knowledgeable and active propagator of Islam and as a teenager was a religious teacher in her school. He graduated from high school with distinction and subsequently worked as a high school mathematics teacher in Bdfiir.

In 1943 Dr. Sotaya passed the highly competitive entrance examination to the University of Tihran’s Medical School, and for his academic excellence he was awarded a university scholarship. His parents died during these early years, and he was filled with immense grief. He also became disillusioned with the manner in which Islam was being practiced. He hungered for a new vision. Frequently absent from lectures, although his academic performance remained unaffected, he angered medical authorities who threatened to revoke his scholarship. Dr. Soraya was so distraught

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by their attitude that he terminated the scholarship, and for the remainder of his medical schooling he supported himself as a factory medical superintendent in the evenings and later as a Ministry of Health cholera inoculator. The Hand of God was shaping his life.

His inoculation assistant was Mr. Moheb, a Bahá’í. They had extensive discussions on religious matters, and Dr. Soraya found him to be a decent, kind, and knowledgeable man. Once Mr. Moheb was sick, and Dr. Soraya visited him at home. He sighted a book Mr. Moheb was reading and inquired about it. Mr. Moheb said it was the Most Holy Book of the Bahá’í religion. Dr. Soraya borrowed 7}]6’ Kim'b—iAqdar and read it, and that same evening in 1945 he recognized its power and truth and accepted the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh.

The next day he went to the Bahá’í center in Tihran to declare his Faith. He was not accepted, for he was known to be a staunch and fanatical Muslim. Dr. Soraya was advised to find three suitable character witnesses who would testify to his belief. This proved difficult as no one had taught him the Faith, but he persevered. Two years later Dr. Soraya was registered as a Bahá’í, his Character witnesses being the eminent believers Mr. Tarazu’llah Samandari, Mr. ‘Ali-Akbar Furutan, and Dr. ‘AliMuhammad Varqai. From that day Dr. Soraya actively served the Faith and was a member of the Tihran Youth Teaching Committee.

In 1949 Dr. Soraya graduated as a physician, specializing in internal medicine and pediatrics. He immediately pioneered to Balugestan and served on the Local Spiritual Assembly. He was Head of the Imperial Polyclinic and was permitted to work as a doctor while in compulsory military service as a colonel.

In 1952 he made a pilgrimage and attained the presence of Shoghi Effendi. The overwhelming love he felt for the Guardian, and the Guardian’s encouragement transformed his life. The Guardian dispatched him on missions to Bern and London, and returning to Iran Dr. Soraya pioneered to Niflapur where he served on the Local Spiritual Assembly.

While visiting Mashhad he discovered a jewel, Bahereh Sharifi, who was to become his valiant partner in life. He often recalled that her Character was a “shining light.” They were married in January 1953. After the launching of the Ten Year Crusade, Dr. R. Muhájir encouraged him [0 pioneer to Indonesia, a country desperately in need of medical doctors. The Sorayas with their baby Bahíyyih left Iran on a two—month journey by sea and air and arrived in Indonesia on January 1, 1954, never to leave their pioneering post.

Indonesia was in tremendous upheaval. After years of colonialism and war, this new independent nation comprising over three hundred ethnic groups and languages was in the process of being reconstructed. There were massive economic and social problems, and the people were overwhelmingly poor and illiterate. Indonesia had very few educated people, and doctors were scarce. The population was growing at an unprecedented rate. The next fifteen years would witness separatist movements, guerrilla warfare, and a major military coup in which half a million people were imprisoned or slaughtered.

In this hostile environment Dr. Soraya’s optimism never failed; he always saw the mysterious ways in which the spirit of Bahá’u’lláh dictated the course of his life, as well as the historic forces at work in the world. Forgoing an expatriate contract that would have provided privileged benefits, he was appointed a civil servant

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(0 the Ministry of Health in April. Over the next three years he worked in North Sumatra, South Kalimantan, Jakarta (where he served on the Local Spiritual Assembly), and West Java. During this period his children Ruhangiz and Ruhullah were born.

In these remote areas life was extremely difficult; medical facilities were limited and primitive. As one of the few doctors he was responsible for a vast geographical area. He often spent days traveling over rough terrain. His family was left alone for long periods while he attended to frequent epidemics of cholera, malaria, and dysentery.

In September 1957 Dr. Soraya was sent to Bojonegoro, East Java, one of the most poverty—stricken areas of the country. From Bojonegoro it was an eight—hour drive over potholed roads to the nearest city. Here the family resided for over thirty-eight years. His children Jasbieh and Rahmat were born there. (His sixth child, George, was born in London during the time of the World Congress.)

Dr. Soraya helped to build the local hospital where he worked during the day. In the evenings he established a home Clinic to support his family of eight, as local wages were minuscule. He was well known as a highly skilled doctor, and some patients would make a ten— to fifteen—hour journey to see him. They would eat and sleep in his home, returning to their villages the next day. He gave equal treatment to the rich and the poor, giving the latter his special measure of love, free services, and money to feed or educate their families. Dr. Soraya would utter the Sacred Writings to ease the pain of his patients and to bring cheer to their hearts. Patients believed he had magical hands and recounted that looking into his love—filled eyes immediately released most of their difficulties.

Practicing Bahá’í principles of nondiscrimination and setting an example to local

people, he sent his children to Bojonegoro’s local schools.

Dr. Soraya taught and consolidated the Faith across the length and breadth of Indonesia, frequently visiting all the provinces with the exception of Irian Jaya (Papua). In this largest Muslim nation of the world, he was well known for his knowledge of Islam and comparative religion. He was so courageous in expounding religious proofs that both government and religious authorities were in awe of him. During the Ten Year Crusade the Bahá’í population of the East Java province vastly increased, and many Assemblies were established. For thirty—five years he hosted monthly residential institutes in his home, where as many as seventy believers would gather for intensive deepening. These were the happiest moments of his life, and the institute remains one ofhis legacies.

Dr. Soraya was a staunch promoter and fearless defender of the Faith, and his actions frequently caused government authorities to revoke his work permit, which deprived him of his income and raised the threat of expulsion. For weeks and months he would visit various government departments, and eventually his permit would be temporarily restored. He knew that the road to serving the Cause was paved with pain, and he diligently persevered in service to Baha’u’llah. Ultimately Dr. Soraya received a commendation from the government for his outstanding medical services to Indonesia, and in 1968 his entire family was granted an exceptional permanent residency permit. In 1982, through a presidential decree, Indonesian Citizenship was granted to them.

In 1962 the Bahá’í Faith, along with six other international organizations, had their activities banned in Indonesia. Bahá’í schools were closed, properties confiscated, and the Indonesian believers faced

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persecution. Dr. Soraya’s home became a twenty—four hour open refuge for the friends. Whenever they suffered persecution, he would rush to help and defend them. He often risked his life, and acts of kindness were performed without fanfare, most often secretly. Dr. Soraya financially supported the families of persecuted believers, in some instances for well over ten years. He would send food to believers in prison. Inside the food he would hide paper containing the Holy \Vritings to encourage the friends. When they were released from jail, he provided funds to enable them to resettle and reestablish their homes. He faced interrogation by the authorities, who became captivated 21nd silenced by his eloquent answers. He appealed to the highest authorities to remove the ban, but they were unshaken.

For ten years the institutions remained intact, and Dr. Soraya served on the National Spiritual Assembly for a period. In 1968 he was appointed an Auxiliary Board member. He left his civil servant post as a medical officer and maintained a private practice. His clinic would be open for six months, and the remainder of the year he would devote completely to sewing the Faith. As an Auxiliary Board member he traveled to thirteen Asian countries and also helped to facilitate mass teaching in the Philippines.

In 1972 the Indonesian government reaffirmed the ban that now encompassed Bahá’í institutions. Dr. Soraya continued his service as part of a consulting group, which guided the believers through the years of restrictions. At the age ofseventy-five, at the request of‘the National Spiritual Assembly ofIndia, he traveled to New Delhi to share with the friends his knowledge of Islam. On arriving he became ill and immediately returned to Indonesia, suffering a major stroke, which left him partially blind.

For five months Dr. Soraya’s health continued to deteriorate. To ease his pain he would stand against a wall chanting prayers and visualizing his meeting with the Guardian in 1952. Seated in a wheelchair he continued to host monthly deepenings and inspire the friends. At 3 AM on October 15, 1995, in the sparse and illequipped Bojonegoro hospital with no air—conditioning 0r life—sustaining equipment, Dr. Soraya uttered final words to his grief—filled family, “I am saying good—bye now, and I leave you all under the protection of God," and his soul ascended.

He was buried within twenty—four hours in the cemetery of his desire where the poor of Bojonegoro rest. Over the next week seven hundred people—believers, patients, townspeople, authorities, and friends—fiocked to his home and graveside paying their final respects. Dr. Soraya had been their doctor, teacher, defender, confidant, friend, and beloved father. With steadfastness and courage he heroically served the Faith and the Indonesian people. He inspired a generation of believers to remain staunch and active in the path of God. May his soul be blessed by the

Concourse on High.

Somya Family