 |
Abdul Baha with his
grandsons
Respect of Shoghi Effendi towards children of Abdul
Baha
Here we would like to bring the facts about Shoghi Effendi’s cruelty
towards the Holy family of Abdul Baha, as he become Guardian of faith
by will and testaments of Abdul Baha, he turned dictator and started
ex-communicating the holy family of Baha’u’llah, the grand children who served
the faith in Europe and America. Readers might be wondering why he has
ex-communicated the entire grand children of Abdul Baha, what was that heinous
crime which they committed, that Guardian has to take such drastic step to
ex-communicate them, not only this even he ordered that if someone asked about
their well being will also come under wrath of Guardian. First let us list the
Noble family members of and Grand Children of Abdul Baha.
Abdul Baha had four Daughters:
1. Ziayyeh Khanum
2. Touba Khanum
3. Rouha Khanum
4. Monavar Khanum
1) Ziayyeh Khanum- Married to Mirza Hadi Afnan
Children from
this marriage:
I.Shoghi Effendi
Rabbani
II.Ruh-Anghiz
Khanum
III.Mehr-Anghiz
Khanum
IV.Hussain
Effendi Rabbani
V. Riaz
Effendi Rabbani
2)Touba Khanum- Married Mirza Mohsen Afnan
Children from this marriage:
I. Ruhi Effendi Afnan
II.Soroya Khanum
III.Soheil Effendi Afnan
IV.Foad Effendi Afnan
3)Rouha Khanum-Married to Mirza Jalal Effendi Shahid
Children from this marriage:
I.Maryam Khanum
II.Dr. Munib Effendi
III.Zahra Khanum
IV.Hassan Effendi.
4)Munavvar Khanum-Married to Ahmad Effendi Yazdi.
No Issue.
Direct Excommunication
Ø Ruhi
Effendi Afnan: Grandson of Abdul Baha
Ø Zahra
Khanum: Grand daughter of Abdul Baha and wife of Ruhi
Ø Soraya
Khanum: Grand daughter of Abdul Baha and wife of Feyzi Effendi
Ø Foad
Effendi Afnan: Grandson of Abdul Baha
Ø Mehr
Angiz: Grand daughter of Abdul Baha and Sister of Shoghi
Ø Feyzi
Effendi: Grandson of Baha’u’llah
Ø Touba
Khanum: second daughter of Abdul Baha
Ø Rouha
Khanum: Third daughter of Abdul Baha
Ø Mirza
Jalal Shahid: Husband of Rouha Khanum
Ø Furughiya
Khanum: Daughter of Baha’u’llah
Ø Agha
Sayyed Ali Afnan: Husband of Furghiya Kahnum
Let us examine the cause and effects of these excommunications
from the Book of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab “ABDUL BAHA’S GRANDSONS”
Mirza Ahmad Sohrab was confident secretary of Abdul
Baha for many years he was well versed in Bahai teachings and trusted
lieutenant, he was sent to teach and propagate faith to America, there are
numerous tablets of Abdul Baha in respect of Mira Ahmed Sohrab after the sad
demise of Abdul Baha when Shoghi took the charge of Bahai administration he
quickly realize popularity and influence of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, he side lined
him, Mirza Ahmad sohrab wrote many books for faith, when he saw Shoghi is
excommunicating the entire family of Abdul Baha he wrote a Book “Abdul Baha’s
Grandsons ” in which he raised his voice for the oppressed souls of Abdul
Baha’s Grandsons.
Ref: Page 24-26
The year of
Disgrace
The law of excommunication
puts an absolute ban on those who are expelled from the
Faith. The families of these persons and their fellow-believers must leave the ostracized individuals
alone. They must neither communicate nor associate with them. They
must break all ties of friendship and of humanity even; for, if they deviate
one hair's breath from this law, they themselves fall into the same
ditch.
Thus as time goes on, the
number of the excommunicated increases.
for a few are generally to be
found, here and there, who are willing to risk ease and safety in order to
follow their generous impulses. Such evidently was the case in the instance of Touba Khanum; it
probably is the case in the instance
of Rouha Khanum. However, in the instance of Ziayyeh Khanum, the Guardian cables that his parents strongly
condemn Mehr-Angiz's action. Thus,
Shoghi Effendi's father and mother have been forced to publicly denounce
and repudiate their own daughter. Hereafter, they must be as strangers to her. They can never approach her in
her hours of trouble or illness.
They will never hold their grandchildren in their arms. Such is the Bahai Cause in this year of
disgrace—1942.
A
Fact Beyond Realization
I intend to take up the
matter, treating it in connection with historical data and in the light of reason; and, in order to
simplify the subject as far as
possible, I will center my thoughts around the personality of Ruhi
Effendi Afnan. His excommunication and
the reasons given for it tell the story of all the rest.
 |
| Ruhi Effendi Afnan |
Ruhi Effendi Afnan has twice
visited the United States; he has lectured
before numerous Bahai gatherings and outside groups; his articles on the Bahai
Cause are published in Bahai publications and the records of his loyal services to the Guardian and the Bahai
organization are spread on the pages
of Baha’i News. Knowing full well that he has not deserved
the treatment accorded him at the hands of his cousin,
Shoghi Effendi, I am taking it
upon myself to vindicate him, as far as I am able.
Having experienced excommunication together with
the ostracism of all those who are
associated with me, I naturally sympathize with other excommunicated persons. However, this is not the
reason that impels me to raise a voice of protest at this juncture.
During eight years, I was
fed, clothed and educated by Abdul Baha. Throughout that time, the Master's daughters were most gracious to
me and I carry in my memory
lively tokens of their kindness. I associated most intimately with their children, and vividly
remember the ardent respect of these
young ones for their grandfather, and their devotion to him. I hold each
and all of them in high regard.
I never objected to my own
excommunication, nor did I take it at all seriously;
but the
excommunication of the very family of Abdul Baha has shaken my being to its foundations. I am amazed and
indignant. I am outraged and
horror-stricken. The fact that Shoghi Effendi has dared to expel from his own
household these souls, in whose bodies run the blood and life of Abdul Baha, is beyond
realization. The reasons given for their excommunication are childish to the extreme, having
nothing to do with their faith and love for the Baha’i
Cause.
In the writing of this book, I
have not had the opportunity of consulting
with any of the members of Abdul Baha'is family. It is certain that none of them would consult with me. Thus, I
have asked permission of no one,
and am alone responsible for every word appearing here. My own conscience is my sole guide.
Another reason for my taking
up the pen in this regard is that a number of Baha’is have written to me on this subject. To put it very
mildly, they are disillusioned,
shocked and confused. They cannot square the actions of the Guardian with his role in life. They
are wondering what precipice is around the corner; toward what swamp of despair
the Baha’i Cause is being driven. They are
anxiously asking if there may possibly be
a modern rational explanation for these medieval and irrational procedures.
We will therefore face the
issue: and, as a first step, will examine the Bulls of Excommunication as
presented in the up-to-date guise of the cablegram.
Text of Cablegrams (Cablegram received November 10, 1941)
Ruhi's sister married covenant-breaker feyzi, whose
mother joined and supported arch-enemy
Muhammad Ali and whose father Abdul-Baha
denounced openly and repeatedly as His deadly enemy. Ruhi's family concurred, inform all believers
(that) all manner (of) communication (with) excommunicated family
(is) forbidden.
(Signed) Shoghi Rabbani
(Cablegram received November
10, 1941)
(The) flagrant disloyalty (of)
Ruhi’s family compels me (to) disclose
information so long (and) patiently withheld (from) American believers
concerning his failure (to) obtain my approval (of) his second visit (to)
America. His Subsequent conduct regarding his marriage which I
refrained from revealing (to) anyone except your Assembly, as well as Foad's departure (to) England without
my knowledge, should now be made
known (to) believers. Confident (of) Unshakable steadfastness (of) exemplary American Baha'i Community-
(Signed) Shoghi Rabbani
Answer sent on November 17th by the National
Spiritual Assembly:—
Informing friends (of your)
message (about) Ruhi's family. Assure
complete obedience protection unity (of) sacred Faith.
(Cablegram received on November
21, 1941)
My confidence(in) immovable
steadfastness (and) unstinted loyalty
(of) American believers (is) reinforced.
(Signed) Shoghi Rabbani. —Bahai News; December, 1941, No 149,
pp. 1-2
PROTEST
Against the
Excommunication of Members of
Baha-O-Llah's Family
signed by Leaders of Religion and Educators
May 1942
In these days when the
principles of humanity are threatened on all sides, there is urgent need for
men and women of good faith and purpose to band together for the upholding of
the common rights of man, within their
own communities and religions and within the communities and religions
of others.
It is with this thought in
mind that the undersigned consider conditions within a minority group, namely
the Bahai Cause, and make passionate
protest against the recent excommunication by Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, Guardian
of the Cause, of certain members of Baha-O-Llah's family. Excommunication, as we take it, is an order for
severance of ties between the
excommunicated and their fellow-members in Faith. It is an un-Christ-like act which, although practiced in
medieval ages by religious authorities,
is now totally condemned by enlightened persons of every rank and profession.
Therefore we go on record, at
this hour when the Four Freedoms enunciated
by the President of the United States are ringing around the earth, endorsing whole-heartedly and without
qualifications whatsoever a sentence
from Mr. Roosevelt's historic speech before Congress, delivered in January 1941:—
"The second is freedom of
every person to worship God in his own way—everywhere in
the world."
On the basis of this
principle we insist that, in the New World Order which all of us picture and
strive for, the irreligious practice of excommunication be set aside forever and replaced by the practice of Love
and Tolerance as set forth
throughout the ages by Christ and the great company of prophets, seers and spiritual teachers.
We urge men and women of all
Faiths to consistently oppose, and to refuse
to recognize, any and all exclusion acts within their religion, and under
all circumstances to keep open the doors of their temples and hearts to their fellow-believers and to their fellows of
every race, creed and color.
Signed by:
Mr. David P. Berenberg,
Author: A Worker's World; Educator,Lecturer Kedarnath
DasGupta, Author: Essence of Religions and Founder of
World Fellowship of Faiths Dr.
Georgia Dunn, Professor of Psychology, Hunter College, NewYork
Mr. William Floyd,
Editor: Arbitrator; Author, Educator Archbishop William H. Francis
of the Old Catholic Church Miss
Frances Grant, President of Pan-American Women Association, New York
Mr. Jacob Greenwald,
Counsellor-at-Law, New York Dr.
John Haynes Holmes, Minister of Community Church, New York Mr. Gordon S. P. Kleeberg, Counsellor-at-Law, New
York Commander R. E. Lambert, U. S.
N. R.; Editor: Sourcebook Rev.
Leon Rosser Land, Minister of Bronx Free Fellowship, NewYork
Dr. John Rowland Lathrop,
Minister of Church of the Saviour,
Brooklyn, New York Mr. William Pickens, Director of Branches, National
Association
for the Advancement of Colored
People, Washington, D. C. Dr. Haridas T-
Muzumdar, Author: The United Nations of
the World; Lecturer, Sociologist
Mr. John J. O'Neill, Science
Editor, New York Herald-Tribune Rev.
A. J. Muste, Secretary, The Fellowship of Reconciliation, NewYork
The Key. Dr. Charles Francis Potter, Author; The Story of Religion;
The Key. Dr. Charles Francis Potter, Author; The Story of Religion;
Founder and Leader of The
First Humanist Society of New York Miss
Lisa Sergio, Radio Commentator
Dr. Krishnalal Shridharani,
Author: My India, A/y America; Lecturer Dr. Anup Singh, Editor: India To~Day; Author: Nehru,
the Rising Star of India
Dr. George Maychin Stockdale,
Minister of Church of Christ in America,
Methodist Branch, Clinton, N. Y. Dr. Eliot White, Clergyman, Writer, Lecturer
Comment and Some Notable Letters
In the Old World, we were not our brother's keeper;
but were of the cautious type,
looking for our own interests and letting ethers shift for themselves.
In the New World that is to be, we shall recognize the fact that all of us are part of the human organism and will
boldly apply ourselves Io the task of keeping that organism in good
shape. The averted eyes, the careful
picking of one's way on the other side of the road will no longer be the acceptable attitude; but the straight look
and the helping hand will be the characteristic of a new
citizenry, everywhere in the world.
Of such an order are the
distinguished educators who have condemned the action of Shoghi Effendi
Rabbani, Guardian of the Bahai Cause, taken against several members of Baha-O-Llah's family. Excommunication,
to their minds, has no place in
modem society; intolerance, exclusion and cruelty has no place
in any society, and so they have condemned this deed and gone On record in
a Protest that wil make a landmark in religious history. The Protestant Minister, the Catholic Bishop, the
Jewish Rabbi, the Hindu, the Sikh
have arisen together to protect the Bahai—their brother before God and man. So have the boundary lines grown thin
under the penetrating warmth of the
Religion of Love.
Dr. George Maychin Stockdale,
Minister of Church of Christ in America, Methodist Branch, Clinton New York, in
a letter dated March 25, 1942 writes to us that their
Young Men's Class studied Bahaism the previous
week and is to consider Shoghi Effendi's excommunications the following
Sunday. Dr. Stockdale states that he is ready to do anything "to help banish this ancient barbarism of
excommunication from off this earth" and has actually
communicated directly with the Guardian on this subject. He encloses a copy of
his letter, which w£ herewith reproduce:—
CHIRM OF CHHIST IN
AMERICA
Methodist Branch George Maychin
Stockdale, Minister
Clinton, New York, March 25, 1942.
Shoghi Effendi Rabbani,
Guardian of the Bahai Cause, Persian Colony, Haifa, Palestine. Dear Guardian of the
Bahai Cause,
Your Chris like Grandfather,
Abdul Bah a, when asked on one occasion,
"What is a Bahai?" replied,
"TO
BE A BAHAI SIMPLY MEANS TO LOVE ALL THE WORLD: TO LOVE HUMANITY AND TRY TO
SERVE IT; TO WORK
FOR UNIVERSAL PEACE AND UNIVERSAL BROTHER. HOOD."
(J. E. Esslemont,
"Baha'U'Llah and the New Era," page 70.)
I Would like to make the above
my own definition of what it is to be a Christian. On this definition the Hindu Gandhi and the Buddhist Das
Gupta are both Christians and Bahais, as well as true Hindus and Buddhists
respectively. Some of my Bahai friends do me more honor than I deserve by telling me that I am a Bahai,
although I am just trying to be a
Christian.
If we agree on the above, and I
hope we do, it is the more amazing to gel word of what are called, and seem to
be, your excommunications of Ruhi Effendi Afnan, your cousin; his wife; your
sister and others.
What troubles me, my dear Sir,
is the method employed. If we love
all humans, and the Love of God cannot dwell in us unless we do, how can we use any other than Love and Persuasion
as our means of seeking change of mind and heart in those we deem wrong?
Can excommunication be a method of
Love?
Now far be it from us to
prematurely make up our minds in this controversy.
We would hear your side. Sir. Yet we assure you that even if you should submit proof positive of the
commission of the more heinous crimes by any or all of the excommunicated,
(which I am sure you wouldn't,) still
would we say that the WAY of LOVE demands
we retain community with the vilest of sinners. THEY NEED LOVE EVEN MORE THAN NINETY and NINE
SPIRITUALLY TRANSFORMED SOULS,
in whom GOD (LOVE) DWELLS. That seems
dear to me from both the teachings of Christ and of Baha'U'-Llah, interpreted too by Paul and Abdul Baha
respectively.
It troubles me too that it is
reported that you are not too sure amid
this world madness just what loyalty we owe to God and what to the state. We are blessed beyond many here in
America, as in Britain, in that the
Draft Law here specifically makes room for us pacifists, who could not disobey God at the command of man, no
matter what the consequences. We know you have the cares of a world gone
mad in suicidal slaughter on your
mind and heart. Yet it would be heartening
to have from you a word, clear as crystal, that Bahaism officially "although making no attempt to bind the
consciences of its individual members,
will NOT OFFICIALLY ENDORSE, SUPPORT OR PAR-T1CIPATE
IN WAR." I have slipped into the exact words of our Methodist Branch of
the Christian Church, with which I agree one hundred per cent.
Yours, strong in the Faith
that LOVE (GOD) alone can win,
(Signed) George May chin Stock
dale
Shoghi Effendi has not replied to any of this
protest.
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