Covenant-breaking in Shoghi Effendi's immediate family

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[edit] Covenant-Breaking

See main article: Covenant-breaker

Covenant-breakers are those who claim to be Bahá'ís but who deny the legitimacy of `Abdu'l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi (the Guardian) or the Universal House of Justice as Centres of the Bahá'í Faith or who wilfully oppose their authority. Only the head of the Bahá’í Faith has authority to expel Bahá’ís for such actions. It does not apply to those who leave the Faith simply because they no longer believe in it. Being declared a Covenant-breaker by the head of the Faith is somewhat equivalent to Cherem in Judaism, Excommunication in Christianity and Takfir in Islamic law, i.e. Bahá'ís avoid association with them, even if the Covenant–breaker is a family member.

`Abdu'l-Bahá explained that Covenant-breakers must be shunned because they carry the equivalent of an infectious spiritual disease. In His Will and Testament `Abdu'l-Bahá exhorts the believers "...to show their obedience, submissiveness and subordination unto the Guardian of the Cause of God, to turn unto him and be lowly before him." Also, concerning shunning Covenant-breakers: "And now, one of the greatest and most fundamental principles of the Cause of God is to shun and avoid entirely the Covenant-breakers, for they will utterly destroy the Cause of God, exterminate His Law and render of no account all efforts exerted in the past." And: "Hence, the beloved of the Lord must entirely shun them, avoid them, foil their machinations and evil whisperings, guard the Law of God and His religion, engage one and all in diffusing widely the sweet savours of God and to the best of their endeavour proclaim His Teachings."

As Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, all Bahá'ís had to be obedient to Shoghi Effendi, especially the family of `Abdu'l-Bahá. Members of the family received great respect from both Bahá'ís and non-Bahá’ís. Nonetheless, the Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá gave them no authority or leadership within the Bahá'í Faith. The effect of this must have been one reason why eventually his siblings and cousins did not remain faithful to `Abdu'l-Bahá's Will, i.e. to demonstrate obedience, submissiveness, subordination and lowliness towards Shoghi Effendi.

[edit] Shoghi Effendi's family

Shoghi Effendi was born 1 March 1897 to Diyá'íyyih Khánum ( - 1951) who was the eldest daughter of `Abdu'l-Bahá and Mírzá Hádí Shirázi ( - 1955) who was a relative of the Báb. He had two brothers and two sisters:

  • Husayn
  • Riaz
  • Ruhangiz
  • Mehrangiz

[edit] Covenant-Breaking in Shoghi Effendi's Immediate Family

In her biography Priceless Pearl, his wife Ruhiyyih Rabbani writes:

"The Guardian told me once the Master came to him in the drawing room, where he was working, and stood and looked out of the window into the garden, His back to Shoghi Effendi; the laughing and chattering voices of the family could be heard in another room. `Abdu'l-Bahá turned to Shoghi Effendi and said, 'I do not want you to be like them -- worldly.'"
(Priceless Pearl, pp. 13-14)

Through the influence of Bahiyyih Khanum, the eldest daughter of Bahá'u'lláh, everyone in the household initially rallied around Shoghi Effendi after the passing of `Abdu'l-Bahá. For several years his brother Husayn and several cousins served him as secretaries. The only ones publicly opposing him were Mirza Muhammad-Ali and his followers, who had been declared Covenant-breakers by `Abdu'l-Bahá. Contrary to `Abdu'l-Bahá's specific instruction, certain family members established illicit links with those declared Covenant-breakers by `Abdu'l-Bahá after Bahiyyih Khanum died in 1932, first resulting in the marriage of Shoghi Effendi's eldest sister--Ruhangiz --to a son of Siyyid Ali Afnan, Bahá'u'lláh's son-in-law, and a long-standing enemy of `Abdu'l-Bahá who had declared him a Covenant-breaker. Through Ruhangiz's efforts, Shoghi Effendi's other sister and his cousin Thurayya also married sons of Siyyid Ali Afnan. Presumably being faced with a choice between shunning their family members and being disobedient to `Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi, his cousins, aunts and uncles chose the latter.

[edit] Announcements to the Bahá'í World

[edit] Ruhi Afnan

After years of silence on these developments, two cables sent by Shoghi Effendi on 2 November 1941 provide background to developments among family members. Ruhi Afnan, Shoghi Effendi's cousin through `Abdu'l-Bahá's daughter Tuba:

  • "Ruhi's sister married Covenant-breaker Faydi whose mother joined and supported arch-enemy Muhammad-'Ali and whose father `Abdu'l-Bahá denounced openly and repeatedly as His deadly enemy. Ruhi's family concurred. Inform all believers all manner communication excommunicated family forbidden."
  • "Flagrant disloyalty Ruhi's family compels me disclose information so long patiently withheld American believers concerning his failure obtain my approval his second visit America. His subsequent conduct regarding his marriage which I refrained from revealing anyone except your Assembly, as well as Fu'ad's [Ruhi's brother] departure England without my knowledge, should now be made known believers. Confident unshakable steadfastness exemplary American Bahá'í community." (Bahá'í News, No. 149)

Then in a 1950 cable:

  • "Inform friends that Ruhi, his mother, with Ruha, his aunt, and their families, not content with years of disobedience and unworthy conduct, are now showing open defiance. Confident that exemplary loyalty of American believers will sustain me in carrying overwhelming burden of cares afflicting me." (Citadel of Faith, p.87)

And in 1953:

  • "Treacherous Ruhi Afnan, not content with previous disobedience, correspondence with Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, contact with old Covenant-breakers, sale, in conjunction with other members of family, of sacred property purchased by Founder of Faith, and allowing his sister to marry son of `Abdu'l-Bahá's enemy, is now openly lecturing on Bahá'í movement, claiming to be its exponent and is misrepresenting the teachings and deliberately causing confusion in minds of authorities and the local population. Inform National Assemblies." (Messages to the Bahá'í World - 1950-1957, p.48)

Later, Ruhi was presented with a copy of Sohrab's book about his excommunication:

"... under ordinary circumstances he would have been very much elated, and therefore thankful to see someone make such records of his services to the Cause, but that the references to the Guardian and the Administration changed his attitude completely. He did not wish to be defended; he felt that he must suffer in silence and be true to the Master’s last will and testament. Then Ruhi Effendi referred to Ahmad as being in the same plight as himself, but reacting differently. He thought this very regrettable." [p. 281] [1]

[edit] Munib Shahid

Concerning Munib Shahid, Shoghi Effendi's cousin through `Abdu'l-Bahá's daughter Ruha, Shoghi Effendi sent the following cable to the Bahá'í world in November 1944:

  • "Monib Shahid, grandson of both `Abdu'l-Bahá and the King of Martyrs, married according to the Moslem rites the daughter of a political exile who is nephew of the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem. This treacherous act of alliance with enemies of the Faith merits condemnation of entire Bahá'í world." (Bahá'í News, No. 172)

[edit] Husayn

Concerning his own brother Husayn, Shoghi Effendi sent the following cable to the Bahá'í world in April 1945:

  • "My faithless brother Husayn, after long period of dishonourable conduct, has abandoned the Master's home to consort with his sister and other Covenant-breakers." (Bahá'í News, No. 174)

Also, the following cable was sent in December 1949:

  • "Faithless brother Hussein [Husayn], already abased through dishonourable conduct over period of years followed by association with Covenant-breakers in Holy Land and efforts to undermine Guardian's position, recently further demeaned himself through marriage under obscure circumstances with low-born Christian girl in Europe. This disgraceful alliance, following four successive marriages by sisters and cousins with three sons of Covenant-breaker denounced repeatedly by `Abdu'l-Bahá as His enemy, and daughter of notorious political agitator, brands them with infamy greater than any associated with marriages contracted by old Covenant-breakers whether belonging to family of Muhammad-'Ali or Badi'u'llah." (Citadel of Faith, p.78-9)

[edit] Riaz

Concerning his own brother Riaz, the following cable was sent in December 1951:

  • "With feeling profound concern, grief, indignation, am compelled disclose Bahá'í world recent developments Holy Land furnishing further incontestable proof relationship established old and new Covenant-breakers demonstrating increasing boldness, marked, tragic decline in character and spiritual condition grandchildren `Abdu'l-Bahá. Their shameful attitude and conduct receiving approbation their elders. Evidences multiplying attesting Ruhi's increasing rebelliousness, efforts exerted my eldest sister pave way fourth alliance members family Siyyid Ali involving marriage his granddaughter with Ruha's son and personal contact recently established my own treacherous, despicable brother Riaz with Majdi'd-Din, redoubtable enemy Faith, former henchman Muhammad-'Ali, Archbreaker Bahá'u'lláh's Covenant. Convey information all National Assemblies." (Messages to the Bahá'í World - 1950-1957, p. 16)

[edit] Mehrangiz

He dispatched a cable concerning his younger sister in December of 1941:

  • "Sister Mehrangis [Mehrangiz] followed example Ruhi's [Ruhi] sister Justice demands announce believers her expulsion." (Unfolding Destiny, p.149)

[edit] References

  • National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United Kingdom, Unfolding Destiny: The Messages from the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith to the Bahá'í Community of the British Isles, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, London, UK (1981), ISBN 0-900125-43-8.
  • Taherzadeh, Adib (1972). The Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0-85398-344-5. 
  • Smith, Peter (1999). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bahá'í Faith. Oxford, UK: Oneworld Publications. ISBN 1-85168-184-1. 
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