The Caravan, Volume 2, Edition 1

The publication of the first edition of the Revived “Caravan” magazine has not only led to the revival of the “Caravan”, but it seems that it has also led to the revival of those passions associated with the faith which seemed suppressed by the burden of the Administration.

There are no words to describe the kind of love and support we have received after the publication of the First edition of the Revived magazine. Whether it be messages of support from the Faithful or it be messages conveying the stories of their lives, we have over the past 2 months received plenty.

With over 1400 downloads and increasing we are delighted to proclaim that this endeavor has duly received the blessings of not only mortals but of the divine also. We have received multiple requests from the faithful requesting for permission to print and further distribute copies of this magazine. To them We say this - Mankind is but one family, and to spread the words of the Divine Manifestation amongst them is part of our divine duty. if by further distributing this magazine you can complete even a part of that duty then please do, by all means !!

While initially planned to be a Quarterly publication due to the overwhelming response and demands for early release of future editions we are today humbled to present the “Naw Ruz” Special edition of the Caravan Magazine.

We would hope that you will find this magazine as inspiring as the last one, and show it the same kind of love which the first edition received. And we shall try our best to lovingly work towards spreading the true values of the Divine Manifestation.

Thank you and a very Happy Naw Ruz to you.

To download the magazine, kindly visit Free Baha'is Official Website: http://freebahais.org/the-caravan-magazine/

The Caravan Magazine, Volume 1

The Caravan of East and West was established in 1929 by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, Lewis Stuyvesant Chanler and his wife Julie.

The Caravan was a foundation that had a quarterly magazine called The Caravan in 1929. They also had a quarterly magazine called The Children’s Caravan in 1935, which ‘helps to keep children in touch with each other’. (Educational Digest). They also apparently published some other works.

Originally a part of the Bahá’í Faith, that relationship ended shortly after the New York administration was denied oversight by its founders. Sohrab refused and was ex-communicated in 1939, which then led Julie to also refuse to appear to answer questions. The foundation severed ties, but continued to do work for the Bahá’í cause, without official sanction.

“At its height, just after World War II, the Caravan had grown to a membership of almost 250,000…. and its business soon overshadowed the New History Society.”

Chapter 15 An article in the New York Times, states that in 1949 the German contingent alone had 100,000 members.

Two of the members of the Board of Directors were Syud Hossein, ambassador from India to Egypt and Minister to Trans-Jordan; and Basant Koomer a lecturer and educator.

A Foundation Fund directed by a Board of Directors with attorney Jacob Greenwald as Chairman was set up to continue the work of The Caravan, planning for the day when Sohrab and Julie were no longer around.

In 1953, the Bahá’í materials the group had collected had grown so immense that Julie hired architect, John J. McNamara to design a library within the garden space of the Caravan House. Julia Chanler stated that ….”as part of the construction [of the library] was a block of white marble that `Abdu’l-Bahá had sent to become the corner-stone of the Bahá’í Temple in Wilmette which Sohrab had come to possess.” This stone was not forwarded to the temple site. The actual cornerstone used in the Temple was procured and donated by a Chicago-area Bahá’í, Ester “Nettie” Tobin.

The group’s librarian was Vera Russell.

An ad for a special meeting of the corporation was placed in The New York Times November 21, 1958 naming Ronald K. Bayford as Executive Secretary. On October 29, 1961, an announcement of “Two horticultural lectures presented by the Caravan of East and West, an educational, nonprofit organization” appears in the New York Times. The Caravan of East and West still existed as late as 1967 when Peter Bloch was director.

Read the complete magazine, click here.

THE CASE AGAINST RUHI EFFENDI AFNAN

The narrative of Ruhi Effendi, as I have presented it, was written with the purpose of preserving the memory of this man in the literature which is growing around the Cause. This was necessary, because those who have incurred the displeasure of the Baha'i organization are expunged from the record wherever possible, so that with time even their shadows are practically obliterated. It is true that on occasions, the names of these persons do come up in a mass listing, under a direful heading; but their achievements and good works are totally forgotten and, of course, their stories are never told.

Now, I have not attempted to tell Ruhi Effendi's story from his point of view. Such an effort would have been presumptive for, although I knew him well in his youth and have since observed his development with interest, the barriers of distance and separate channels of activity have intervened between us. Likewise, I could not comment on the events which led to his excommunication, for these are shrouded in mystery; yet, one thing I could do, and have done—this was to state his standing in the Cause which was won on his own merits, and to offer a picture of him based on his writings, for the benefit of the Baha'i public of today and of the years to come.

Needless to say, I have not received a sign of approval from him, for excommunicated persons do not place themselves in one category, to make merry or lament on the same ground. Of this order, there are definite grades which are recognized not only by the Baha'i community but by the outcasts themselves. Consequently I, who am close to black on the tone chart of untouchability, cannot expect to communicate with those who an listed under the greys; although, for my part, I confess to being rather color-blind in this respect and feel myself fundamentally involved with all shades of God's children, however different their opinions may be from my own.

The writing of a biographical sketch on a living person is not an easy task. In praising, one tries to be restrained; in implying a criticism, one hopes to be inoffensive. Through it all, truth is of first importance;otherwise, it were best either to lay down the pen or else devote one's time to fiction.

These difficulties were apparent to some of my friends within the Baha'i organization and to the others outside of it. It was said that I had enough trouble on my hands, and that I should not go hunting for more. Also, I was reminded that my readers had small interest in the internal disputes of the Baha'i organization and that they might lose patience with one altogether. This latter was sound advice and I realized it; nevertheless, -n inner voice insisted that it was incumbent upon me to pay a tribute to his grandson of Abdu'l Baha, which task I have discharged to the best of my ability.



Reasons in Toto
The excommunication of Ruhi Effendi was a totally arbitrary act as can be estimated from the Guardian's cablegrams, passages of which I quote. The reasons given, and all of them, are as follows:

Reason I
Ruhi's sister married covenant-breaker Fayzi.

Reason II
(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

Reason III
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.


Reason IThe First Reason applies to the marriage of Ruhi Effendi’s sister to the son of Furighyyeh Khanum, daughter of Baha'u'llah.

Now, I happen to have known the two elder brothers of this young man, the late Hussein Effendi Afnan when he was aide-de-camp to Fayzal, King of Iraq, and Nayyar Effendi Afnan who was Commissioner of Parks in Cairo, Egypt. Both of them were noble Bahais, who had achieved distinction in their respective fields; yet the Guardian has chosen to stig­matize this entire family, which incidentally was greatly cherished by Abdul Baha, with the name of coven ant-breaker, and he therefore is displeased with the marriage which has taken place between these two cousins of his.

However, this is a story in itself and does not apply to Ruhi Effendi.He did not marry into the honorable family above-mentioned; therefore, I claim that the First Reason given for his excommunication is entirely beside the point and cannot be taken seriously..

Reason II
The Second Reason is on the grounds that Ruhi Effendi failed to ob­tain the Guardian's approval of his second visit to America.

It happens that my readers have seen the advance announcement of this visit, published in Baha'i News by the National Spiritual Assembly, in which it was stated that Ruhi Effendi was expected in this country and that he was coming with the approval of the Guardian. Now, we can say with cer­tainty that the National Assembly had been in communication with the Guardian in regard to this visit; that this announcement was made follow­ing his instructions, and that the warm welcome accorded to, and the series of meetings arranged for the distinguished guest were in conformance with Shoghi Effendi's wishes. It seems incredible that the printed words of the National Spiritual Assembly should now be flouted to so great an extent; yet, such is the case. The Guardian in his cablegram of excom­munication goes back on his trusted administrative organ and brands it with untruth; an action which is unwise, for hereafter no one can put much weight on the statements made by the National Spiritual Assembly.

Let us suppose that Ruhi Effendi's visit to this country was made without the Guardian's approval, but with his permission which we know had to be granted. If such were the case, there was an excellent precedent for it which we will now review:

Shortly before the Master's departure from this life, Shoghi Effendi determined to go to Oxford, England, to continue his education. He had suffered a disappointment at the University of Beirut, having failed to obtain the degree of M.A. upon which he had set his heart; and the fact that his fellow Baha'i students had won this honor made the situation all the harder. Now, Abdu'l Baha was disappointed too, but he did not make a point of it. He felt that his grandson had derived much benefit from the University and that a degree was not absolutely essential. He wished Shoghi Effendi to remain in Haifa to take up the work of the Cause at his side. Undoubtedly, he needed him; also he probably felt that his time on this earth was not to be very long. So, Shoghi Effendi stayed in Haifa for a few years.

Now, Shoghi Effendi has a very strong scholastic leaning and he could not give up the desire for further education; consequently, the time arrived when a definite issue arose in Haifa: Shoghi Effendi insisted on going to Oxford, and the Master insisted that he should remain at home.

To make a long story short, Shoghi Effendi won his point, for the ladies of the household were so sympathetic to his distress that they interceded for him with Abdu'l Baha. Thus, Shoghi Effendi finally went to Oxford, without the Master's approval but with his permission. He was there when Abdu'l Baha passed away from this life and was unable to return until more than a month after the funeral services.

Naturally, the Master did not excommunicate his grandson for this determination to have his own way; therefore, by the same token, if Ruhi Effendi came to America without the Guardian's approval but with his permission, he likewise should not have received punishment. Also, in view of the fact that the National Spiritual Assembly had gone on record as say­ing that the visit was made with the Guardian's approval, the statement should have been honored. Consequently, I claim that the Second Reason given for the excommunication of Ruhi Effendi cannot be sustained in a court of ethics or of law.

Reason III
The Third Reason is in regard to his marriage, although nothing is told us of this event other than the fact. It would seem that Ruhi Effendi had a right to pick out his own wife, and as his choice fell within the family circle it is obvious that he did not marry outside of his class or of the Cause. This excuse of marriage brings to mind an event of world-wide importance which took place in the first family of England, which has a similar aspect to the one with which we are dealing, although it cannot be called a parallel.

In the case of Edward VIII there existed certain disadvantages: the lady was an American; she was divorced; she was not of royal birth. How­ever, in view of prevailing modem conditions, an adjustment could have been made if the Tory element in England had so wished. Yet, the tragic break occurred; the King was deprived of his rights and sent into exile. Why was this? The answer is well known: Edward VIII was too liberal, too progressive, too democratic; the stand-pat dignitaries of the Empire thought him dangerous and longed for his downfall. So, the abdication was con­summated and the idol of the nation became persona non grata. Thus, the royal house of England lost its most gifted and decorative representa­tive, and the nation, a valuable asset which could not be replaced or sup­plemented.

Those who have studied the talks and writings of Ruhi Effendi can see very clearly that this material could not have been pleasing to the Ad­ministration, for it contained an inherent liberality and tolerance which did not fit into a totalitarian pattern. Doubtless, this descendant of Baha-o-llah caused a good deal of anxiety to the authorities. He seemed to be of the old order of Abdul Baha, which is synonymous with being of the new order of a world society; and he constituted a threat to the system which had chosen to forget the universality in the Cause, which was its heritage, and its destiny. Consequently, reasons for his elimination from the picture had to be worked out; and one of the excuses was his marriage.

Now, I claim that the outworn method of excommunication applies to heresy in religion, having nothing to do with the private life of an individual, and that the Third Reason for the excommunication of Ruhi Effendi is totally invalid.

We have examined in their order the excuses given for the expulsion of Abdul Baha's grandson from the Bahai community; and can accept them as just, reject them as unjust, or pass on to other matters with a sigh of relief, finding the whole subject outside of our line of interests. How­ever that may be, the case of the Guardian of the Bahai Cause against Ruhi Effendi, in which the extreme penalty was exacted on grounds that were not legal, nor logical, nor ethical, nor moral, must stand before history as one more example of the overriding irresponsibility of Fascism as expressed in this abnormal age. Let us however expect that, in the per­spective of the future, organized terrorism will appear as but a phase of the great’ day of transition which will have developed into the day of Uni­versal Democracy—the Day of Baha'u'llah.




Foad
But, who is Foad? This question was asked of me by some Baha'is who had noted the name in one of Shoghi Effendi's cables of excommunication. It is included in the Third Reason, as quoted in this chapter.

Foad is the youngest brother of Ruhi Effendi; but he is not merely part of a family that has been placed under spiritual quarantine. He is a wrong doer in his own right. Quote: Foad's departure (to) England without my knowledge, should now be made known (to) believers.

It is questionable whether this action was better or worse than was that of his brother. The latter went to England without the Guardian': approval; the former, without his knowledge. It seems to me that Foad Effendi was wise; he intended to go to England (I surmise, to pursue his studies), and, not wishing to run the risk of being forbidden to do so, he simply took French leave. I hope he got what he wanted out of his sojourn in that country and, certainly, I think no less of him for having conducted his private life as he saw fit.

I remember Foad as a baby of a year or so at the time when I left Palestine in 1918. Since then, I have not returned to that country, so the little knowledge I have of him is derived from the writings of the pilgrims. This actually is not knowledge, but rather a few glimpses of a child as seen through the eyes of visitors to Haifa. It appears that he was an independent little personality even at the age of three, and I have heard that he was a delight to his grandfather who found much amusement in his precocious ways.

In The Light of the World by William H. Randall, published in 1919, we read a description of An Afternoon with the Household. In the above-named chapter, on page 132, Foad makes his appearance as natu­rally as would any child in any ordinary family:—

At this point little Foad entered the room breathlessly and began speaking very fast and excitedly. It seemed that his pet donkey had a fever and he was asking Abdu'l Baha to pray for it. Earlier in the afternoon he had given two oranges to Abdu'l Baha. The Master now gave him one to eat. When he had finished, the other was given to him with the instruction: "Give this to the ladies." He firmly refused, saying the gardener had said that no one but Abdu'l Baha should eat the oranges, and no amount of persuasion could make him give it to the ladies—but be had already eaten one himself.

In the same book, on page 86, we find the children at the supper-table, in the presence of the ever-loving and indulgent Host:—

At supper, Foad and Riaz, the two three-year old grandchildren of Abdu'l Baha, were both seated al one end of the table, their faces shining with joy and happiness for this privilege. We learned that before dinner, the Greatest Holy Leaf had told Foad that as he had been there all the day, it were better for him to go borne for dinner. He quickly left the room, going direct to Abdul Baha and complained of this. He replied with loving kindness; "Of course, you can slay with me for dinner." Immediately Foad returned triumphant to the rest of the family, saying:—"Now you see, the Master wants me to stay with him."

In an article by Miss Genevieve L. Coy printed in Star of the West, October 16, I92l, page 198, we come across the irrepressible Foad offer­ing his services as protector to Abdu'l Baha:—

In a short time the Master came from around the eastern corner of the Tomb, followed by little Foad. The Master was radiantly beau­tiful. He wore a dove-colored overcoat or wrap, for the wind was cool on the mountainside. Foad was dressed in a stiffly starched white dress, and made a staunch little bodyguard for the Master. (Someone told us that one night Foad went up to the Master after supper and said, "You go to bed now and rest. I will take my gun and lie across the threshold. If any thieves come, I will scare them away!")

These simple anecdotes give a picture of Foad Effendi Afnan as he figured in Abdul Baha's household at the start of his life. Now at the age of twenty-five years, he has been excluded from the one-time happy family circle and from the Baha'i community in all parts of the world. He will forever be classed as an enemy of the Cause and be relegated: to the limbo of forgotten things, if the Bahais continue to agree that the punishment of excommunication fitted the crime, which was, to remind my readers, that of traveling to England without permission.

Conclusion
The above digression from the account of Ruhi Effendi is not actually such, for his family is an inextricable part of the sad story -which I have felt called upon to write. My task is now completed and I leave it for whatever it may be worth, happy in the fact that my tribute is paid and is on record. In this work, I have had no arr'tere pensie of any kind, and especially no expectation that Ruhi Effendi should, at any time, lend his talents to the aspect of Baha'i endeavor for which I strive. The world is large; our pathways will probably never cross, but the Light which we follow is the same. It falls on us without distinction and will guide us to the same goal I trust that his journey will be fruitful in the future as it has been in the past; that his name will continue to shine on the records of the Cause and that he, descendant of the Bab, Baha'u'llah and Abdu'l Baha, will fulfill: glorious destiny as a man, the ramparts of whose spirit are unbreached.

Meanwhile, I must express my very ardent hope that the evaluation of an excommunicated person, as set down by the National Spiritual Assembly Baha'i News, No. 134, March 1940, page 2), will seem a ridiculous to Ruhi Effendi as it does to me. This statement reads:—

. . . his expulsion or excommunication from the Faith, which can be effected by the Guardian alone, in his capacity as the supreme spiritual head of the community, has far reaching spiritual implications affecting the very soul of that believer.

And a little further in the same article:—

But in case he is excluded from the body of the Cause by an act of the Guardian he ceases to be a believer, and cannot possibly identify himself even nominally with the Faith.

I know that Ruhi Effendi is far too intelligent to take such an argument seriously; besides, he has had his instructions) long since—instructions from Baha'u'llah himself. They read:—

Verily God hath made it incumbent upon every soul to deliver His Cause according to his ability. Thus hath the command been re­corded by the Finger of Might and Power upon the Tablet of Majesty and Greatness.
—Baha'i Scriptures, p. 257

Again:

Be as the blowing wind of the Merciful to the trees of the cre­ated world, and rear them up in the name of thy Lord, the Equi­table, the Learned One.
—Baha'i Scriptures, p. 189

These teachings cannot be abrogated; they are there to stay, as is the promise:

Whosoever quickens one soul in this Cause is like unto one who quickeneth all the servants and the Lord shall bring him forth in the Day of Resurrection into the Rizwan of oneness, adorned with the Mantle of Himself.
—Baha'i Scriptures, p. 258

And now comes the burden of Abdul Baha's message, delivered on earth. It is his message now, received according to our understanding; and, dare anyone doubt, conveyed at this time to his grandson with peculiar emphasis:

Abandon silence and seclusion and solitary nooks and go forth into the arena of explanation. Convey the Message of thy Lord with clearest speech and most complete elucidation. This is better for thee than solitude.
—Tablets, of Abdul Baha, Vol. III, p. 520

UHJ is interested in having more Martyrs from Iran!

To,

The Bahá’ís of the World

Allahu Abha

In a very recent incidence as mentioned by UHJ in letter dated 7 April 2014 that an Iranian senior cleric has presented to the Bahá’ís of the world, an exquisite calligraphic prepared by him of a passage in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas wherein Baha'u'llah calls upon His followers to: “Consort with all religions with amity and concord, that they may inhale from you the sweet fragrance of God.”  

Ayatollah Abdol-Hamid Masoumi-Tehrani

Ayatollah Abdol-Hamid Masoumi-Tehrani

The letter requested the Bahá’ís to contact their Office of External Affairs to take immediate steps, in consultation with individuals and like-minded organizations, to draw widespread attention to it. The Office of External Affairs was also to call upon its contacts in the mass media, as well as Bahá’ís and others with whom it has established relationships and who have achieved distinction in such fields. The letter assured the Bahá’ís that alongside the foregoing action, the Bahá’í International Community, will be apprising its contacts at the United Nations and among international non-governmental agencies of the significance of this gift. The UHJ also hoped that The Brussels Office of the Bahá’í International Community will, in addition, pursue related action at the level of the European Union.

Surprisingly the letter further states that “Given the considerable risk to the personal freedom and safety of Ayatollah Masoumi-Tehrani on account of this courageous act, the fact that people of prominence in the political, religious, and civil spheres express their support publicly, may well serve as a protection for him. Your Office of External Affairs may consider making approaches to some of its high-level contacts in government and elsewhere on this matter, on a confidential basis.”

I have been a member of NSA of an Eastern country for almost twenty years and since then every month I see a Message from House asking the Bahá’ís to meet the prominent people or government officials or writing open letters to Iranian leaders. It surprises me that what is the purpose of this. It looks like the UHJ has no concern with the teachings of Baha’u’llah and its just involved in political matters. And then claims that Bahá’ís do not indulge in politics.

The recent letter of the UHJ has many unexplained points:

1.     Even if the said cleric has gifted his calligraphy to the Bahá’ís, then it is a gesture. Why  the Government of Iran should eliminate him and moreover in which way the governments of other countries are concerned with it. Isn’t the UHJ itself  suggesting the government of Iran to take some action against the cleric? It looks like the UHJ is playing a part of clever enemy and not a good friend for the cleric inspite of his gesture. UHJ by this way is really putting the life of the said cleric in danger. UHJ is not trying to PROTECT the cleric they want to further EXPOSE the cleric to the Iranian authority.  

2.     The UHJ is trying to make this incidence as an excuse of meeting various governments’ officials and influential people. I guess that the Bahá’ís must have informed and UHJ must have realized that the Government officials of various countries are no more interested in meeting them and are refusing to give any hearing to Bahá’ís. The declining support of countries towards various motion tabled by western countries on human right issue is an indication towards it.

3.     My Persian Bahá’í friends who echoed same sentiments regarding this letter believed that this recent incident is fake, the Website is fake and it is operated from outside Iran. He said that this will put further restrictions on Bahá’ís and Bahá’í Faith. He narrated a recent incident that a couple of months back there was a news originated from some corners that an Iranian Mollah has praised Bahá’í Faith on Iranian TV. He said that we investigated the matter and found that the whole news is fictitious. When he talked to other Bahá’ís they were of the opinion that Bahá’ís themselves are putting these fake news on internet to get some publicity for them and putting their own Bahá’í brothers under more problems. He further said UHJ is interested in having more Martyrs from Iran.

4.     A Persian Bahá’í recently informed me that he has come to certain conclusion that It was only UHJ who was interested in death sentence for Yaran so they could easily gather money from the Bahá’ís of the World. But the Iranian government acted smartly and waved off their death sentence and destroyed the Party of UHJ.

5.     Never UHJ has taken some concrete steps to help the Bahá’ís of Iran. Whatever steps they took resulted in increased persecution of Bahá’ís.

6.     Same policy UHJ has followed in other countries resulting in imprisonment of Bahá’ís in Indonesia, deportation in Uzbekistan, arrest in India. The list is endless.

7.     Isn’t it is the responsibility of parent body to see that if the situation is not favorable in some parts of the world to ask Bahá’ís to slow down their activities till the situation turns favorable but always the Messages of the House and directives of the counselors are “Go to Court” , “Go to police”, register a complaint. Even a layman will understand that UHJ is interested in blowing the situation out of control so as to gain some benefit and in return Bahá’ís are put to more harassment, in the name of reforming and transformation of the society. Really is the Blood of Bahá’ís become so cheap!!!.

8. He was very apprehensive of certain Iranian members of the UHJ whom he thinks are misguiding the UHJ and probably they are more close to Iranian Government then the teachings of Baha’u’llah. Instead of taking inspirations from the writings of Baha’u’llah they are being directed by friends of Iranian regime on regular basis.

9.     The problem of the Bahá’í world are Persian Bahá’ís. They make a group, they decide amongst themselves they dictate terms, they humiliate non-Persian Bahá’ís in every country, make mockery of them and all of them are interconnected to each other. If this tendency went unchecked then very soon we will see all nine members of UHJ as Persians. We will see an Iranian flag over UHJ and the same Ayatollah leading Friday prayers in Haifa.

Source:

Free Baha'is of Singapore

http://www.singaporebahais.blogspot.com