Passing of Abdu'l-Baha Sources

1922.05.17 - Bahai Congress for Teaching

Src : Star of West Vol 13 No 4 p92 - PDF13-90

The nearness, guidance and confirmation of Abdul-Baha are as tender, powerful and effective for all purposes as when he was present to direct in person.

...

At each stage of the deliberations of the friends the divine wisdom of the selection of Shoghi Effendi for his eminent station was justified. Traditions, personal opinions and viewpoints were set aside. Deliberation revolved around the expressed wishes of the youthful Guardian of the Cause. In this attitude the friends unitedly proved their love, reverence and obedience to Abdul-Baha. Through the youthful Guardian of the Cause Abdul-Baha now speaks. His voice is the music of life, the order and harmony of the world.

Some of the brief and pointed messages sent by Shoghi Effendi to the Convention were:

''Give love to all the friends. The one thing of importance is teaching. The House of Justice will look out for many things. Teaching is the all-important thing today."

"Our love must be real and right from the heart. The friends must be watchful and mindful and refer troubles to the Spiritual Council Board."

"The friends must teach and must be united. If they will not be united, even Abdul-Baha cannot help them."

It became apparent to all that the time of the organization of the Divine Kingdom on earth has come and is in process, not according to human limitations, but in harmony with Supreme Wisdom. The dispatch of business was facilitated at every stage by the spirit of harmony which proved self-sacrifice.

Teaching, the Mashreq 'Ul-Azkar, Children's Education, the expansion of the STAR OF THE WEST, women's cause in the Orient, the linking together and concentration of all Bahai activities, the authority given each local spiritual assembly over the local affairs of the Cause, ignoring geographical considerations...

1922.04.--- - Rouha Khanum

Src : Star of West Vol 13 No 5 p118, Oct 1922 - PDF13-116

A BEAUTIFUL MESSAGE FROM THE HOLY LAND

By ROUHA KHANUM

The Bahai Community, Persian Colony,

Haifa, Palestine, Rizwan 1922.

Dear sisters and brothers in the Cause of God:-

At last I am pleased to be able to answer your very kind letters and to thank those friends, who sent messages of loving sympathy to us in the first days of our crushing sorrow.

Until now I have been broken down with grief, my heart was sore distressed, my eyes were overflowing with bitter tears; I could not collect my thoughts sufficiently, I had no power to write to those dear friends, who had sent such affectionate words of consolation to me in my overwhelming loss.

Now we can comfort our hearts with the assurance that, though our beloved Master is no longer in his mortal body, yet his eternal Spirit is present with us for evermore. Whilst here on earth his humanity was as a cloud, which hid his divine Spirit from us. That veiling cloud is now removed, and we feel the intensity of his spiritual Guidance.

As the Master said after the Ascension of Baha 'Ullah:

"The Light of the Sun of Truth will never set. The waves of the Sea of Truth will surge for all time. The divine rain from the Kingdom of Glory will never fail. Inspiration from the Realm of the Supreme will not cease for evermore.

''Life-giving showers are constantly flowing from the clouds of Mercy. Help is still being poured out from the Heavenly Land, and aid from the Supreme Lord is being given without ceasing. Though that Glorious Sun (Baha 'Ullah) has set in the horizon of this world, it has risen in radiant splendour in the divine sky of celestial grandeur.

"The eyes of the people were veiled by his earthly body from seeing the Light of the Sun of Truth...

"As that veil has been withdrawn, it is now the time to proclaim the Word of God, to send forth the lightnings of the Spirit, to chant the melodies of Faithfulness in the Rose-Garden of God the Beloved,.

''Oh Nightingales of the Garden of Virtue! Now is the day to sing the beautiful harmonies of Heaven!

''Let your heart be no longer troubled, neither sit idle in sorrow and mourning, but arise; wing your flight into the Celestial atmosphere, singing the triumphant hymns of holiness in the garden of Love, always with your heart fixed on that Divine Home of the Radiant Beloved, towards which we are all as pilgrims, making our Pilgrimage!

"In this day of the Spiritual Springtime if we do not arise in the glorious work of establishing the Unity of the Kingdom, at what season should we choose to begin? Verily now is the appointed time."

These words apply equally to our days, when our hearts bear the burden of the agony of parting with our Beloved Master.

Now my friends, I implore you, let us each and all stand together in a vast army of Light, steadfastly and loyally determined to vanquish the Powers of Darkness on the pitiful battlefield of the World.

Let us remember the disciples of His Holiness the Lord Christ - how after his Ascension they, though few in number, stood faithfully together, united in

soul and heart and mind, striving to accomplish that work, for which their Lord had suffered.

Thanks be unto God, that Abdul Baha has left many friends, who are ready to give up all their days, their comfort and earthly happiness, to spread the teachings of the Bahai Cause, which, when known and understood by the noble and pure-minded, will change the heart of the world.

We have been consoled and comforted by the visits of many dear friends from all parts of the world. They have been our great support in these sorrowful days. We are very glad to have one of these friends, Lady Blomfield, still with us. She accompanied our beloved Shoghi Effendi and his sister when they returned from England. She was just like a very kind mother to them in the hour of their deepest sorrow; and ever since she has been here, she has been occupied with many useful works, connected with various matters, necessary to the good of the Cause. We are all extremely sorry that she is leaving us in the immediate future, to continue her work in Europe on her return journey to London.

I am sure we shall achieve much more in these days, than in the earth life of the Master, because the agony of the parting has so softened our hearts, that our one aim and desire is to give joy to his blessed Spirit.

When the Shepherd is gone, the sheep must stand closer together to protect each other from the attacks of wolves.

Therefore let us not be depressed. I know that if we turn our whole hearts to God, we shall surely hear the music of the voice of Abdul Baha singing therein. Listen in the night season, we shall hear him say: ''I am with you, fear not, neither be cast down by sorrow!"

Hearken at morn: He is saying: "Arise for the service of the Cause of God, and the spreading of His Truth."

Listen at noontide, you will hear him say: ''Faint not, though the flame of your sorrow be burning hot, for soon you shall be refreshed by the cooling breeze of God's Mercy."

Listen at twilight - his voice is saying: "Be happy, rest and trust in me, for I love you, and I will never leave you nor forsake you, my children. Be united! Be patient! Be hopeful, be faithful!"

I am sure our Beloved desires for us all, joy, happiness of heart and an abundant baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore let us prepare our souls to receive this great and glorious Gift in these, our wonderful days -which the Prophets and Saints in past ages longed to see! They were deprived of this blessing, to which we have attained!

I am thankful to say that we have glad tidings from Persia, where the friends are arising in renewed strength and unity to serve the Cause with faithfulness and loyalty.

It is ever thus, when our Beloved passes from earth into the wider world, those, whose sorrow is overwhelming, find relief in striving to accomplish all he would wish to have done.

I am glad to say that our dear Protector of the Cause, Shoghi Effendi, is now resting from the work which was so immense. He felt it necessary to go into retreat, in order to pray, and concentrate and meditate on the glorious and difficult task entrusted to him, and to gain the strength needed for its fulfilment. Shoghi Effendi is precious to all the Bahai friends, for he is our leader, bequeathed to us by Abdul Baha.

Concerning him a Persian friend has quoted: "When the rose has faded and its garden is destroyed - how shall we inhale its fragrance? Nowhere, but from the attar which is its essence!''

I conclude my letter by asking all the dear friends to pray for the family of Abdul Baha that they may receive power to transmute the agony of the parting into determination to help Shoghi Effendi in his work, for indeed we all miss the Master more and more every day! He was all the world to us, our spiritual and our earthly father, our comfort, our hope, our companion and our guide in all the affairs of our daily life.

The only joy we have is when, from all countries we hear the good news of the unity of the dear friends and the growth of the Divine Cause.

The Greatest Holy Leaf, my mother and my sisters join me in love and Bahai greeting to you all, and in assuring you that we always pray at the Holy Shrines for the dear friends, that they may be assisted and strengthened in the path of Servitude so that they may accomplish a great work in the spreading of the Divine Cause in this Day, for ''Now is the appointed time."

Ever your loving friend and spiritual sister in the service of the Cause of God.

(Signed) ROUHA.