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IBRAHIM GEORGE KHAYRU'LLÁH?

Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 5:11 am
by Ahsan_al_Hadees
Dear Bahai Friends,

I know that Ibrahim G.Khayrullah was the covenant breaker. Can anyone provide me with the details?

Regards,
Ahsan

Re: IBRAHIM GEORGE KHAYRU'LLÁH?

Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 4:16 am
by brettz9
Here are some passages from God Passes By, written by the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, Shoghi Effendi:

...in February 1894, a Syrian doctor, named Ibráhím Khayru'lláh, who, while residing in Cairo, had been converted by Hájí `Abdu'l-Karím-i-Tihrání to the Faith, had received a Tablet from Bahá'u'lláh, had communicated with `Abdu'l-Bahá, and reached New York in December 1892, established his residence in Chicago, and began to teach actively and systematically the Cause he had espoused. Within the space of two years he had communicated his impressions to `Abdu'l-Bahá, and reported on the remarkable success that had attended his efforts. In 1895 an opening was vouchsafed to him in Kenosha, which he continued to visit once a week, in the course of his teaching activities. By the following year the believers in these two cities, it was reported, were counted by hundreds. In 1897 he published his book, entitled the Bábu'd-Dín, and visited Kansas City, New York City, Ithaca and Philadelphia, where he was able to win for the Faith a considerable number of supporters.


...

In the North American continent, the defection and the denunciatory publications of Dr. Khayru'lláh (encouraged as he was by Mírzá Muhammad-`Alí and his son Shu'á'u'lláh, whom he had despatched to America) tested to the utmost the loyalty of the newly fledged community; but successive messengers despatched by `Abdu'l-Bahá (such as Hájí `Abdu'l-Karím-i-Tihrání, Hájí Mírzá Hasan-i-Khurásání, Mírzá Asadu'lláh and Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl) succeeded in rapidly dispelling the doubts, and in deepening the understanding, of the believers, in holding the community together, and in forming the nucleus of those administrative institutions which, two decades later, were to be formally inaugurated through the explicit provisions of `Abdu'l-Bahá's Will and Testament.

...

...the greedy and conceited Ibráhím-i-Khayru'lláh, who had chosen to uphold the banner of his rebellion in America for no less than twenty years, and who had the temerity to denounce, in writing, `Abdu'l-Bahá, His "false teachings, His misrepresentations of Bahaism, His dissimulation," and to stigmatize His visit to America as "a death-blow" to the "Cause of God," met his death soon after he had uttered these denunciations, utterly abandoned and despised by the entire body of the members of a community, whose founders he himself had converted to the Faith, and in the very land that bore witness to the multiplying evidences of the established ascendancy of `Abdu'l-Bahá, Whose authority he had, in his later years, vowed to uproot.


(above from http://www.bahai-library.com/writings/s ... pball.html )

Dr. Robert Stockman has written histories of the early Faith in America and I would venture that these books cover his rebellion and the response of the Baha'i community at that time in more detail.

best wishes,
Brett

Re: IBRAHIM GEORGE KHAYRU'LLÁH?

Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 12:34 am
by Ahsan_al_Hadees
Dear Brett,

Thanks again for your help. Actually I was just suspicious about this person. Otherwise I dont consider such covenant breakers to be the proof of the falsehood of any manifestation of God.

I am not a Bahai and I accept that such people exist in every religion.

What was his main dispute by the way? Did he differ in teachings or he had issues with Bahai administration?

Regards,
Ahsan

Re: IBRAHIM GEORGE KHAYRU'LLÁH?

Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 1:23 am
by brettz9
Sure... We welcome dispassionate investigation of our Faith, whatever its aspects. The issues of Covenant are particularly illuminating we feel, because although the rebellions were often by high-ranking Baha'is, as promised by Baha'u'llah, none succeeding in creating any permanent schism.

This is just from my recollection, but I believe Khayru'lláh was upset by:
1) being told by 'Abdu'l-Baha that he should discontinue his practice of offering the teachings in a secretive manner (he had classes that only "truth-seekers" or something like that could attend and had an air of secrecy to the meetings).
2) being rejected when he dared to offer to 'Abdu'l-Baha to split the control of the Faith to him controlling it in the West and 'Abdu'l-Baha in the East!
3) being declined to marry 'Abdu'l-Baha's daughter.

I don't know if anything related to Assemblies and the administration.

But again, please take the above as hearsay, as I don't have texts where I am to verify that my recollection was correct...

best wishes,
Brett

Re: IBRAHIM GEORGE KHAYRU'LLÁH?

Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 1:31 am
by Ahsan_al_Hadees
Dear Brett,

You wrote:

Sure... We welcome dispassionate investigation of our Faith, whatever its aspects. The issues of Covenant are particularly illuminating we feel, because although the rebellions were often by high-ranking Baha'is, as promised by Baha'u'llah, none succeeding in creating any permanent schism.


I agree with you. Majority is with Universal House of Justice. Azalis, the followers of Yahya Subh-e-Azal have uploaded their website too.

Have you watched the video of Great Grand Daughter of Bahaullah? Her grand father was Mirza Muhammad Ali, another covenant breaker and the Half Brother of Abdul Baha.

Regards,
Ahsan

Re: IBRAHIM GEORGE KHAYRU'LLÁH?

Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 9:46 am
by brettz9
No, I haven't seen or been aware of such a video...

Some family members of Covenant-breakers came back to the Central Figures to ask for forgiveness or express regret at the behavior of their relatives; others fell away from the Faith entirely...

If the video of the great grand-daughter wasn't expressing Covenant-breaking ideas, I'd be interested to see it...

Re: IBRAHIM GEORGE KHAYRU'LLÁH?

Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 8:36 pm
by AdibM
Brettz9, I have seen the video and she is not expressing any anti-Baha'i sentiment; as a matter of fact, she claims to be a true Baha'i.

Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2F-mV4rsNA

Re: IBRAHIM GEORGE KHAYRU'LLÁH?

Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 9:47 pm
by brettz9
Did someone delete my response to this??? I responded here that Baha'is are still not to contact the children of Covenant-breakers, etc.

Brett

Re: IBRAHIM GEORGE KHAYRU'LLÁH?

Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 7:48 am
by Ahsan_al_Hadees
Dear Brett,

How can someone delete your post? By the way you responded in another thread not here

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1984

Regards,
Ahsan

Re: IBRAHIM GEORGE KHAYRU'LLÁH?

Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 4:53 pm
by brettz9
Very sorry, didn't search carefully enough... Thanks for the reference. There are some moderators who help the board occasionally to delete spam, etc.

best wishes,
Brett