The emergence from obscurity, which has been so marked a
feature of the Cause of God during the first five years of the Seven Year Plan,
has been attended by changes, both external and internal, affecting the Baha'i
world community. Externally, there are
signs of a crystallization of a public image of the Cause -- largely
uninformed, however friendly -- while internally growing maturity and
confidence are indicated by increased administrative ability, a desire for
Baha'i communities to render service to the larger body of mankind and a
deepening understanding of the relevance of the divine Message to modern
problems. Both these aspects of change must be taken into consideration as we
enter the third and final phase of the Seven Year Plan.
The year just closing has been overshadowed by the continued
persecution of the friends in Iran. They have been forced to disband their
administrative structure, they have been harassed, dispossessed, dismissed from
employment, made homeless and their children are refused education. Some six
hundred men, women and children are now in prison, some denied any contact with
their friends and relatives, some subjected to torture and all under pressure
to recant their faith. Their heroic and
exemplary steadfastness has been the mainspring in bringing the Cause out of
obscurity, and it is the consolation of their hearts that their suffering
results in unprecedented advances in teaching and proclaiming the divine
Message to a world so desperately in need of its healing power. For this they
embrace the final service of martyrdom. Our obligation is crystal clear. We
cannot fail them now. Sacrificial action
in teaching and promoting the Cause of God must follow every new instance of
publicity arising from their persecution. Let this be our message to them of
love and spiritual union.
In the international sphere, the beloved Hands of the Cause,
ever-growing in our love and admiration, have, whenever their health has
permitted, continued to uplift and encourage the friends and to promote the
unity and onward march of the army of life. The International Teaching Centre,
operating from its world seat, has provided loving and wise leadership and
direction to the Boards of Counsellors. Its sphere of service has been
immensely extended by the assignment of new responsibilities and by raising the
number of its Counsellor members to seven. The dedicated services of the
Counsellors in all the continents, ably supported by the Auxiliary Board
members, have been invaluable in fostering the spiritual health and integrity
of the world-wide community. To develop further this vital organ of the Administrative
Order, it has been decided to establish a term of five years' service for those
appointed to the Auxiliary Boards, commencing 26 November 1986. The work of the
Baha'i International Community in relationship with the United Nations has brought
increasing appreciation of our social attitudes and principles, and in some
instances -- notably the sessions on human rights -- the Baha'i participation
has been spectacular, again resulting from the heroism of the Persian friends.
The Geneva office has been consolidated and additional staff engaged to deal
with its expanding activities. In spite of severe problems the construction of
the Indian and Samoan Houses of Worship has progressed satisfactorily, and the
latter will be dedicated and opened to public worship between 30 August and 3
September 1984, when the Universal House of Justice will be represented by the
Hand of the Cause Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum. Immediately following the
International Convention last Ridvan, two new National Spiritual Assemblies
were formed -- in St. Lucia and Dominica.
Two new radio stations will make their inaugural broadcasts this year,
namely Radio Baha'i of Bolivia, at Caracollo, and WLGI, the Baha'i radio
station at the Louis Gregory Institute, in the United States. Baha'i membership
in eleven countries, all in the Third World and nine of them island
communities, have reached or surpassed one per cent of the total population.
During the final months of the second phase of the Seven
Year Plan a generous response has been made by believers and institutions alike
to an appeal which set out the increasing needs of the International Fund. We
are confident that sustained and regular contributions during the final phase
of the Plan will enable its aims and objectives to be fully accomplished.
The entrance of the Cause onto the world scene is apparent
from a number of public statements in which we have been characterized as
"model citizens," "gentle," "law- abiding,"
"not guilty of any political offence or crime" -- all excellent but
utterly inadequate insofar as the reality of the Faith and its aims and
purposes are concerned. Nevertheless people are willing to hear about the
Faith, and the opportunity must be seized. Persistently greater and greater
efforts must be made to acquaint the leaders of the world, in all departments
of life, with the true nature of Baha'u'llah's revelation as the sole hope for
the pacification and unification of the world. Simultaneous with such a
programme must be unabated, vigorous pursuit of the teaching work, so that we
may be seen to be a growing community, while universal observance by the
friends of the Baha'i laws of personal living will assert the fullness of, and
arouse a desire to share in, the Baha'i way of life. By all these means the public
image of the Faith will become, gradually but constantly, nearer to its true
character.
The upsurge of zeal throughout the Baha’i world for
exploration of the new dimension of social and economic development is both
heart-warming and uplifting to all our hopes. This energy within the community,
carefully and wisely directed, will undoubtedly bring about a new era of
consolidation and expansion, which in turn will attract further widespread
attention, so that both aspects of change in the Baha'i world community will be
interactive and mutually propelling.
A prime element in the careful and wise direction needed is
the achievement of victory in the Seven Year Plan, paying great attention to
the development and strengthening of Local Assemblies. Great efforts must be
made to encourage them to discharge their primary duties of meeting regularly,
holding the Nineteen Day Feasts and observing Holy Days, organizing children's
classes, encouraging the practice of family prayers, undertaking extension
teaching projects, administering the Baha'i Fund and constantly encouraging and
leading their communities in all Baha'i activities. The equality of men and
women is not, at the present time, universally applied. In those areas where
traditional inequality still hampers its progress we must take the lead in
practising this Baha'i principle. Baha'i women and girls must be encouraged to
take part in the social, spiritual and administrative activities of their
communities. Baha'i youth, now rendering exemplary and devoted service in the
forefront of the army of life, must be encouraged, even while equipping
themselves for future service, to devise and execute their own teaching plans
among their contemporaries.
Now, as we enter the final, two-year phase of the Seven Year
Plan, we rejoice in the addition of nine new National Spiritual Assemblies;
three in Africa, three in the Americas, two in Asia, one in Europe, bringing
the total number to 143. Five more are to be established in Ridvan 1985. They
are Ciskei, Mali and Mozambique in Africa and the Cook Islands and the West
Caroline Islands in Australasia. Thus the Plan will end with a minimum of 148
National Spiritual Assemblies. By that
time plans must be approved for the completion of the Arc around the Monument
Gardens on Mount Carmel, including the siting and designs of the three
remaining buildings to be constructed around that Arc.
There can be no doubt that the progress of the Cause from
this time onward will be characterized by an ever increasing relationship to
the agencies, activities, institutions and leading individuals of the
non-Baha'i world. We shall acquire greater stature at the United Nations,
become better known in the deliberations of governments, a familiar figure to
the media, a subject of interest to academics, and inevitably the envy of
failing establishments. Our preparation for and response to this situation must
be a continual deepening of our faith, an unwavering adherence to its principles
of abstention from partisan politics and freedom from prejudices, and above all
an increasing understanding of its fundamental verities and relevance to the
modern world.
Accompanying this Ridvan message are a call for 298 pioneers
to settle in 79 national communities, and specific messages addressed to each
of the present 143 national communities. They are the fruit of intensive study
and consultation by the Universal House of Justice and the International
Teaching Centre, and set out the goals to be won and the objectives to be
pursued by each national community so that Ridvan 1986 may witness the
completion in glorious victory of this highly significant Plan. It will have
run its course through a period of unprecedented world confusion, bearing witness
to the vitality, the irresistible advance and socially creative power of the
Cause of God, standing out in sharp contrast to the accelerating decline in the
fortunes of the generality of mankind.
Beloved friends, the bounties and protection with which the
Blessed Beauty is nurturing and sheltering the infant organism of His new world
order through this violent period of transition and trial, give ample assurance
of victories to come if we but follow the path of His guidance. He rewards our
humble efforts with effusions of grace which bring not only advancement to the
Cause but assurance and happiness to our hearts, so that we may indeed look
upon our neighbours with bright and shining faces, confident that from our
services now will eventuate that blissful future which our descendants will
inherit, glorifying Baha'u'llah, the Prince of Peace, the Redeemer of Mankind.
With loving Baha'i greetings,
The Universal House of Justice
(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986’)
