SHOGHI EFFENDI INFORMS THE UNITED NATIONS OF HIS ROLE AS THE
"APPOINTED HEAD" OF THE FUTURE BAHÁ'Í "WORLD COUNCIL"
PRIOR TO ITS FORMATION IN 1951
In July 1947, some three and one half years
prior to his appointment of the International Bahá'í
Council on 9 January 1951, Shoghi Effendi prepared a statement for
submission to the United Nations Special Palestine Committee that has
been published in pamphlet form under the title of: "The Faith of
Bahá'u'lláh." with the subtitle, "A World
Religion."
On page 3 of this document one may note the
following significant paragraph which incontestably proves, in Shoghi
Effendi's own words, that the one who presides as President of the
International Bahá'í Council — this "World
Council" — can be none other than the Guardian of the Faith.
"The passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá
marked the termination of the first and Heroic Age of the
Bahá'í Faith and signalized the opening of the
Formative Age destined to witness the gradual emergence of its
Administrative Order, whose establishment had been foretold by the
Báb, whose laws were revealed by Bahá'u'lláh,
whose outlines were delineated by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in His Will and
Testament, and whose foundations are now being laid by national and
local councils which are elected by the professed adherents of the
Faith, and which are paving the way for the constitution of the World
Council, to be designated as the Universal House of Justice, which in
conjunction with me, as its appointed Head and the authorized
interpreter of the Bahá'í teachings, must coordinate
and direct the affairs of the Bahá'í community, and
whose seat will be permanently established in the Holy Land, in close
proximity to its world spiritual center, the resting-places of its
Founders."
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
SHOGHI EFFENDI FORETELLS THE
IMMINENCE OF HIS PASSING COINCIDENT WITH THE ACTIVATION OF THE
INTERNATIONAL BAHÁ’Í COUNCIL BEFORE RIDVÁN
1963.
SHOGHI EFFENDI’S MESSAGE OF NOVEMBER 23, 1951 THAT
INDIRECTLY AND UNDENIABLY PORTENDED HIS IMMINENT PASSING AND
CONFIRMED THE IDENTITY OF HIS APPOINTED SUCCESSOR
* * * * * * * * *
EXTRACT: "For unlike the first and second Seven
Year Plan, inaugurated by the American Bahá’í
Community, the scope of the third Seven Year Plan, the termination of
which will mark the conclusion of the first Epoch in the evolution of
the Master Plan designed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá will
embrace all the continents of the earth, and will bring the Central Body directing these widely
ramified operations into direct contact with all the National
Assemblies of the Bahá’í world, which, in varying
degrees, will have to contribute their share to the world
establishment of the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh, as
prophesied by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and envisioned by
Daniel,—a consummation that, God willing, will be befittingly
celebrated on the occasion of the Most Great Jubilee commemorating
the hundredth anniversary of the formal assumption by
Bahá’u’lláh of His Prophetic
Office."
* * * * * * * * *
Shoghi Effendi unquestionably indicated that
he envisaged an active role for the International
Bahá’í Council before the expiration of the Ten
Year Global Crusade (at Ridván 1963) and that the Council, in
this role, would be directing the NSA’s in achieving the
respective goals that had been assigned to them during this Crusade.
And, furthermore, Shoghi Effendi had indirectly and in this obscure
way, predicted his own passing which would have to take place in
order for the Council to become an actively functioning body under
the Presidency of Mason Remey but a prediction which none of the
believers perceived at the time or afterwards and, most critically,
none of the Hands of the Cause, following his passing, with such dire
consequences for the Faith.
As Shoghi Effendi had indicated, in the
message quoted above, that this
"Central Body"
— the International
Bahá’í Council — would be assuming,
if not initially, at least some time during the
World Crusade starting in 1953, an active role in
"directing these widely ramified
operations" of the National Assemblies throughout
the world as they endeavored to accomplish the
respective goals that had been assigned to them by him, it was
crystal clear that, upon the assumption of this
active role at some time during the Crusade, Mason Remey, as the
President of this now active supreme
Administrative Body of the Faith would automatically become the
second Guardian of the Faith.
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
SHOGHI EFFENDI’S ONLY PROCLAMATION IGNORED
On 9 January 1951, Shoghi Effendi issued the
one and only
Proclamation of his ministry. As this Proclamation was
dispatched in cablegram form and even though it opened
with the words: "Proclaim to National Assemblies of
East and West weighty epoch-making decision of
formation of the first International Bahá’í
Council..." subsequent events would prove that it
was never recognized as such, not only by the National Assemblies
to which this Proclamation was significantly
addressed but by the entire Bahá’í world as
well, in spite of the superlative and unprecedented
terms used by Shoghi Effendi to describe this
"historic" decision and "the greatest event
shedding lustre on the...
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
A LETTER AND FIVE MESSAGES ACCLAIMING SHOGHI
EFFENDI'S "EPOCH-MAKING" DECISIONS, BOTH IGNORED AND FORGOTTEN AND
THEIR IMPORT UNPERCEIVED.
In the
first conclave held by
the Hands of the Cause in 'Akká, following the passing
of Shoghi Effendi, upon finding that Shoghi Effendi had not left
a will and testament and ignoring the fact that the Guardian is
enjoined under the terms of the Will and Testament of
'Abdu'l-Bahá to appoint his successor "in his own
life-time," took no time to review, much less consider, the
importance and significance of several "epoch-making"
and "historic" decisions that he had acclaimed
and in one case proclaimed, in messages he had dispatched to the
Bahá'í World during the closing years of his ministry,
hastily and tragically reached the erroneous conclusion that the
Guardianship had come to a premature end.
Having overlooked, inexcusably ignored and
obviously forgotten these decisions, one of which was of such
momentous import that it was announced in a Proclamation sent via cablegram to the then
National Spiritual Assemblies of the Bahá'í World. This
message, opening with the word: "Proclaim," pertained
to his decision to establish "at long last" the
"first International Institution" of the Faith at the
World Center. This decision was followed by a message of unsurpassed
significance that projected his early passing and identified,
indirectly his appointed successor.
The messages in which these decisions were
acclaimed and, in one instance proclaimed, are published, with one
notable exception, in the book entitled: MESSAGES TO THE
BAHÁ'Í WORLD, 1950-1957.
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
THE ESSENTIALITY OF THE
GUARDIANSHIP TO THE WORLD ORDER OF
BAHÁ’U’LLÁH.
A paper written by Joel Bray Marangella
IRREFUTABLE EVIDENCE THAT SHOGHI
EFFENDI, THE FIRST GUARDIAN OF THE BAHÁ’Í
FAITH, APPOINTED A SUCCESSOR.
A paper written by Joel Bray Marangella
"EVEN NOW THEY REFUSE TO FACE THE UNDENIABLE
FACTS"
"If
indeed the Hands had given due consideration to this message of
supreme importance that had been unquestionably a Proclamation issued
by Shoghi Effendi (and the only one he had issued during his
ministry) they would have further noted in his follow-up message of 2
March 1951, that he had publicly identified Mason Remey, whose
unparalleled services to the Faith for half a century had made him
unquestionably the most distinguished living Hand of the Cause and
eminently worthy of his appointment by Shoghi Effendi as the
President of “this first embryonic International
Institution”—an Institution which could be
none other than the embryonic Universal House of Justice.
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
UNANSWERED LETTERS TO
RUHÍYYÍH KHÁNUM.
Preface and Index of Unanswered Letters sent
to Rúhíyyih
Khánum by the Third Guardian of the
Bahá’í Faith: Ridván 1988 —
Naw-Rúz, 1999
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
THE FINAL LETTER TO RUHÍYYÍH
KHÁNUM.
The fourth and final letter sent to
Rúhíyyih Khánum by the Third
Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith, dated
Naw-Rúz, 1999
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
EXCERPTS FROM MAY MAXWELL’S HAIFA NOTES
January–March 1937
AN ILLUSTRATIVE CHART
A chart (PDF) depicting the development of the
International Bahá'í Council as projected by Shoghi
Effendi in his one and only Proclamation of 9 January, 1951 and the
parallel development of the other institutions of the Administrative
Order.
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
OPEN LETTERS OF 9 JULY 1960 AND 21
OCTOBER 1960
Written by Joel Bray Marangella, former Chairman of the National
Spiritual Assembly of France and Auxiliary
Member to the Hands of the Cause in Europe, stating the reasons
for his acceptance of Mason Remey as the second
Guardian of the Faith. These "Open
Letters" were posted to a large number of friends, following
receipt of Mason Remey's Proclamation.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE VIOLATION OF
THE COVENANT OF BAHÁ’U’LLÁH AT THE WORLD
CENTER OF THE
BAHÁ’Í FAITH FOLLOWING THE PASSING OF THE
FIRST GUARDIAN OF THE BAHÁ’Í FAITH.
Written by Joel Bray Marangella
"HERALD OF THE COVENANT" WINTER 1974/75
"THE TREE OF THE COVENANT"
A Statement of Beliefs of the Orthodox
Bahá’ís under the Living Guardianship.
"HERALD OF THE
COVENANT"— WINTER 1973/74
(Published by the European Bureau of the Orthodox
Bahá’í Faith)
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LOYALTY TO THE COVENANT OF
BAHÁ'U'LLÁH AND WHO ARE THE PRESENT
DAY COVENANT BREAKERS?
Written by Joel Bray Marangella
"HERALD OF THE COVENANT"—NOVEMBER 1977
COMMENTARY ON THE WILL AND
TESTAMENT OF
‘ABDU’l-BAHÁ
Written by Joel Bray Marangella
"HERALD OF THE
COVENANT" — JANUARY 1985
THIS BODY REIGNS INGLORIOUSLY,
SHAMELESSLY AND IGNOBLY OVER THE WRECKAGE NEFARIOUSLY WROUGHT BY
THE FORMER HANDS OF THE CAUSE OF THE DIVINELY-CONCEIVED
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER BEQUEATHED TO US BY
‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ, DECLARING THIS ORDER NOW DEFUNCT
AND THE GUARDIANSHIP OF THE FAITH ENDED FOR ALL
TIME.
The body referred to above is the
sans-Guardian and hence headless, illicitly formed and illegitimate
Universal House of Justice, with its seat in Haifa, the election of
which first took place at Ridván 1963.
The wreckage of the divinely-conceived
Bahá’í Administrative Order and the man-made
substitute organization over which this so-called Universal House of
Justice now presides is the tragic result of the following
inexcusable multiple failures on the part of the former Hands of
the Cause immediately following the passing of Shoghi Effendi in
their first conclave held in ‘Akká from 18-25 November,
1957.
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
TO:
THOSE DIRECTING AFFAIRS AT THE BAHÁ’Í WORLD
CENTER:
WHAT POSSIBLE ANSWER CAN YOU GIVE TO FUTURE
BAHÁ’Í GENERATIONS?
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
TO: THOSE DIRECTING AFFAIRS AT THE
BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTER:
THE TABLET OF THE HOLY
MARINER DOOMS BOGUS UHJ TO EXTINCTION
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
A CRITIQUE OF ADIB TAHERZADEH’S BOOK: "THE COVENANT
OF BAHÁ’U’LLÁH" REVEALING ERRONEOUS
STATEMENTS AND INTERPRETATION PERTAINING TO THE CONTINUATION OF THE
GUARDIANSHIP.
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
THE ILLEGITIMATE REIGN OF THE "CUSTODIANS" AT THE
BAHÁ’Í
WORLD CENTER THAT WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE
"How [was this body of the Hands] to assume
the reins
of authority with no document to support us, other than general
theological statements about the
Hands?"
The above question posed by
Rúhíyyih Khánum, widow of Shoghi
Effendi, first Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith,
is found in the introduction of a book titled:
"The Ministry of the Custodians" and, while she is
referring to the entire body of the Hands, the
question is equally applicable to the body of nine Hands of the
Cause that the Hands selected from their own
number, to direct the affairs of the Faith from Haifa following
the passing of Shoghi Effendi in November 1957 upon
which they bestowed the appellation of "Custodians of the
Bahá’í World Faith."
In a resolution signed by all the Hands on 25 November, 1957,
they stated that "The Custodians shall be
deemed to succeed the Guardian of the Bahá’í
Faith." As this body is not one of the
Institutions delineated in the divinely-conceived and sacred Will
and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, it
clearly possessed no legitimacy in the divinely-conceived
"Administrative Order which the master-hand of
its perfect Architect [‘Abdu’l-Bahá] has
fashioned" and therefore was never meant to be.
(The last quote is from the writings of Shoghi Effendi.)
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
THE UNDENIABLE FALSEHOOD PROPAGATED BY THE TWENTY-SIX
HANDS OF THE CAUSE THAT ONLY AN AGHSÁN COULD INHERIT
THE GUARDIANSHIP
The Aghsán have been identified
by Shoghi Effendi, both in God Passes By (p.239) and in the
Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh
(p.244), as the sons of
Bahá’u’lláh. Therefore, the
Aghsán were contemporaries of
‘Abdu’l-Bahá and could never have outlived Shoghi
Effendi and been available, even if they had remained loyal to the
Covenant, for appointment as successors to Shoghi Effendi.
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
AFNÁN as "branch"
Believers holding the view that the Guardian
has been restricted in his choice of a
successor to an Aghsán can do nothing less than
reconsider their stand in view of the quoted phrase.
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
IF ONLY THE HANDS HAD TAKEN THE TIME
Most importantly, the Hands would have come to
understand that, upon the passing of Shoghi Effendi, the
embryonic Head of this embryonic Universal House of Justice appointed
by Shoghi Effendi, now activated as a functioning body, would remain
its
permanent and "sacred head" throughout
all the stages of its development, projected by Shoghi Effendi (as
long as he
lived). Upon attaining this understanding, the Hands would have
been startled by the sudden realization that the
appointed and hence permanent and irremovable HEAD of this
embryonic organism — THE PRESIDENT OF THE
INTERNATIONAL BAHÁ’Í COUNCIL — Mason
Remey, who had been appointed by Shoghi Effendi to
this office could be none other than the second Guardian of the
Faith who had been awaiting recognition by both
them and the believers throughout the world.
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
"ET TU" FAITHLESS HANDS OF THE CAUSE
For those unfamiliar with the history of
Julius Caesar, it was he who is alleged to have made this surprised
exclamation, "Et tu Brutus!" as recounted by Shakespeare in
one of his plays and since portrayed on both stage and screen, when
Brutus, who had been appointed to a high postion and had been highly
trusted as a faithful subject, so unexpectedly proved unfaithful as
he treacherously joined a group of fellow-conspirators in stabbing
Caesar to death.
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
THE LAMENTATION OF SHOGHI EFFENDI
Consider the lamentation of Shoghi Effendi in
the
Abhá Kingdom and his deep sorrow when he observes that his
untiring labors of thirty-six years to faithfully
erect the administrative institutions of the Faith strictly in
complete accordance with the sacred,
divinely-conceived and immortal provisions of the Will and
Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and which, in
the closing years of his ministry, had culminated so gloriously
in the erection, "at long
last" of the highest institutions of the
Administrative Order at the World Center of the Faith
had been, upon his passing, almost completely brought to naught
by a tragic, hasty and unwarranted decision of the
Hands of the Cause.
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
"THIS MOST GREAT ORDER"
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
HOW AND WHY SHOGHI EFFENDI OBSCURED
THE APPOINTMENT OF HIS SUCCESSOR AND THE CONSEQUENCES.
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
THE FAILED ABORTION OF "THE CHILD OF THE
COVENANT" — THE "DIVINELY-CONCEIVED"
BAHÁ’Í ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER DELINEATED IN THE WILL
AND TESTAMENT OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ
"Furthermore, the Hands did not permit the
International Bahá’í Council to exercise the
active role that Shoghi Effendi had projected for it in his message
of 23 November 1951, cited above, but
appointed a body of nine Hands titled "Custodians of the
Bahá’í World Faith," a superfluous and illegitimate body completely outside the
provisions of the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
which usurped not only the functions of the International Council but
those of the Guardianship as well for a brief period of some five and
a half years when they were assumed by an equally illegitimate
sans-Guardian Universal House of Justice elected in 1963."
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
KNOWLEDGE OF WHICH LANGUAGE IS
ESSENTIAL FOR PRESENT-DAY AND FUTURE GUARDIANS OF THE FAITH?
"Some of the heterodox believers have
expressed the view that it is essential that any successor to Shoghi
Effendi, as Guardian of the Faith, possess a knowledge of Persian
(Farsi) or Arabic to be able to properly perform the function of
Guardianship under the provisions of the Will and Testament of
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, not to mention their equally
fallacious view that only an Aghsan is eligible to inherit the
Guardianship which is patently false based on Shoghi Effendi's
statement in God Passes By that the term Aghsan refers to the
Sons of
Bahá’u’lláh and therefore, as
contemporaries of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, they would obviously
never outlive Shoghi Effendi and be available for appointment as his
successor.
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
EVEN NOW, I COULD ALSO SIGN IT
One of the arguments that has been used
against the second Guardian of the Faith, Mason Remey, in refutation
of his accession to the Guardianship, is that he signed the
proclamation issued by the Hands of the Cause on 25 November 1957 at
the conclusion of their first conclave in the Holy Land in which they
stated three reasons why Shoghi Effendi had been unable to appoint a
successor and therefore, as they believed, the Guardianship of the
Cause of God, as delineated in the divinely-conceived and sacred Will
and Testament of `Abdu´l-Bahá had already come to its
untimely end only thirty-six years after His Ascension and the
inception of the Administrative Order. which "the
master-hand of its perfect Architect" had
fashioned.
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
THE SATANIC COLLUSION TO TERMINATE THE INSTITUTION OF
THE GUARDIANSHIP
Between ten Persian Hands of the Cause who,
during the first conclave of 26 of the 27 Hands of the Cause held in
‘Akká,some two weeks following the passing of Shoghi
Effendi, ignominiously conspired, to put an end to the Guardianship
and the widow of Shoghi Effendi, Rúhíyyih
Khánum, a very charming, intelligent, much loved and
revered person who had served for many years as a highly capable,
devoted and faithful secretary to Shoghi Effendi in his
correspondence with the English speaking believers
Author: Joel Bray Marangella
