WHO
CREATED THE SECTS IN THE BAHÁ'Í FAITH?
My Dear
Bahá'í Friends!
Some of
the friends enquire as to why the Divine Cause (Bahá'í
Faith) has become divided into different sects? What are the factors
behind it? Who is responsible for this division?
It is well
understood why such questions should come to mind. But it is sad that
there is no discussion on such questions nor do we investigate the
answers to such questions. While ‘Abdu’l–Bahá
insisted that:
(‘Abdu’l–Bahá, Selections from the Writings of
‘Abdu’l–Bahá, p. 87) Friends
claim that, according to the sayings of
‘Abdu’l–Bahá, the "Guardian" should
be from the Lineage of Bahá'u'lláh. This is
not correct in any way. Bahá'u'lláh has never placed, or
written, any such condition concerning the Guardianship. In fact, He has
only alluded to the Guardianship in His Writings, and it remained for
‘Abdu’l–Bahá to establish the institution of the
Guardianship in His Will and Testament.
I request
the friends whenever you quote what ‘Abdu’l–Bahá
says, to please quote His correct and exact words and do not insert the
doubtful ideas of your own mind.
The
majority of the friends are unaware of and lack knowledge of the truth
but, on the other hand, accept whatever has been stated by the UHJ, the
NSA or LSA and rely completely upon erroneous facts. They do not strive
to know anything other than those confused ideas and attribute those
baseless, adverse and confused ideas and facts to
Bahá'u'lláh.
In the
Writings and Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh and
‘Abdu’l–Bahá, preference is given to impeccability
and perfection and it is emphasized that preference should be given to
spiritual relationships over physical relationships. Therefore,
‘Abdu’l–Bahá explains the matter as follows:
"The
lineage of descendents is in two types one is physical descendents and
the other is spiritual. One is born of clay and water, and the other
from the soul and heart."
(Ma'idiy-i-Asmani. Vol 5, p. 161)
"O dear one of ‘Abdu’l–Bahá! Be the
son of thy father and be the fruit of that tree. Be a son that hath been
born of his soul and heart and not only of water and clay. A real son is
such a one as hath branched from the spiritual part of man. I ask God
that thou mayest be at all times confirmed and strengthened." (Selections
from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l–Bahá, p. 140)
The
Friends should note that Assemblies do not have any right to decide or
discuss "any matter" outside the powers and
responsibilities fixed by ‘Abdu’l–Bahá and Shoghi
Effendi. Then, who authorizes them to either change or falsify the
intent of statements made in the "Tablets and Will and Testament" and
thereby go against the explicit Holy Text?
They
cannot decide that the Guardianship shall continue or not continue in
the Bahá'í Faith, because according to the Will and
Testament, the Guardianship of the Cause of God will continue till the
end of the Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh. Even if all the
people of the world should stand against him, the truth cannot be
changed by the decision of the people.
As for the
current sects in the Bahá'í Faith, this is due to those
Bahá'ís who, following the passing of Shoghi Effendi,
stood against the Expounder and Interpreter of the Words of God –
"The Guardian of the Faith" – and, unfortunately, the majority of
the Bahá'ís blindly followed them. It was far better had
they paid attention to the words of ‘Abdu’l–Bahá.
For He said:
"Were it not for the protecting power of the
Covenant to guard the impregnable fort of the Cause of God, there would
arise among the Bahá'ís, in one day, a thousand different
sects as was the case in former ages. But in this Blessed Dispensation,
for the sake of the permanency of the Cause of God and the avoidance of
dissension amongst the people of God, the Blessed Beauty (may my soul be
a sacrifice unto Him), has through the Supreme Pen written the Covenant
and the Testament; He appointed a Center, the Exponent of the Book and
the annuller of disputes. Whatever is written or said by Him is
conformable to the truth and under the protection of the Blessed Beauty.
He is infallible. The express purpose of this last Will and Testament is
to set aside disputes from the world."
(‘Abdu’l–Bahá, Bahá'í World
Faith – ‘Abdu’l–Bahá Section, p.
357) Further,
‘Abdu’l–Bahá wrote in His Will and Testament:
"The Mighty stronghold shall remain impregnable and safe through
obedience to him who is the guardian of the Cause of God. It is
incumbent upon the members of the House Justice, upon all the
Aghsán, the Afnán, the Hands of the Cause of God to
show their obedience, submissiveness and subordination unto the guardian
of the Cause of God, to turn unto him and be lowly before him. He that
opposeth him hath opposed the True One, will make a breach in the Cause
of God, will subvert His word and will become a manifestation of the
Centre of Sedition." (Will & Testament of
‘Abdu’l–Bahá p. 12) My Dear
Bahá'í Friend! Do you now
realize why the different sects came into existence among the
Bahá'ís? Do you understand to whom
‘Abdu’l–Bahá has referred to as the Disputer and
Creator of the Sects?
It should
now be clear from the terms of His "Will" that disobedience to the
Guardian and rebelling against him have now caused the several sects to
come into existence.
The true
Bahá'ís are those who are under the Shelter of the
Guardian. The deviated sects are those who have turned away from the
true Guardian.
It is my
fervent hope that soon all the friends will turn unto the living
guardian of the Faith and will be submissive unto him.
Written by
Dr. A. Parikh, Secretary, PNBC of India on 27th July 2007.
Provisional National
Bahá'í Council of India
"The shining spark of truth cometh forth only
after the clash of differing opinions."
P.O. Box 54,
Vasai Road, District: Thane: 401207, Maharashtra, INDIA.
email : parikhsec@yahoo.co.in