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Grieve passing servant Baha'u'llah Iraj Mottahedin. He served with great devotion over many years in the cradle of the Faith and later in Britain. His legacy of service at the Guardian's Resting Place, his gentle qualities of love and compassion for those whom he assisted professionally, and his contribution in the pioneering field are lovingly remembered. Praying Holy Shrines progress his soul Abha Kingdom. Convey loving sympathy his wife and members his family.
The Universal House of Justice was saddened by the news of the passing of Syrous Firoozmand. His gentle qualities and devoted services to the Faith in Britain and the former Yugoslavia will be richly rewarded in the Abha Kingdom. The House of Justice will offer prayers in the Holy Shrines for the progress of his noble soul. Kindly convey to his dear wife and other members of his family loving sympathy in their bereavement.
Of the technicalities of Huquq'u'llah I am not qualified to speak. But the overall message I received on Sunday was that it is not a matter of how much one could give, but the amount of heart, love, charity, spirituality and humbleness one gives with. We are only asked to give 19% of what we can spare. This is to the benefit of all. By giving Huquq'u'llah we are giving to the whole world. That way what we give is doing the most good for the many instead of merely benefiting a few....
The meeting itself was a wonderful experience. Not only was our discussion informative, it was also amusing and witty with much laughter. Questions were asked and answered fully with no sense of censure for not understanding fully what was being said. This sort of atmosphere makes you want to learn more and encourages you to question what you don't understand.
On Sunday I left my fellow Baha'is reluctantly, but with a deeper understanding and with the spiritual upliftment offered by this Faith, whose followers I have chosen to join.
(From a report by a Representative of Huquq'u'llah)
Life at the Shrine
I have been volunteering at the Shrine of the Bab guiding tourists in the mornings. There are four of us on duty. Two to greet the tourists at the side of the Shrine and instruct them on the required etiquette, one at the door letting in a small group at a time and one inside.
Last week when I was working at the Threshold an old man in his seventies came in with two friends. They were Israelis and usually come in for a moment to look around and leave, expecting more of a museum than a Shrine. One man put on his glasses and slowly read the Tablet of Visitation one word at a time out loud. It took him a good five minutes or more. I was standing across the Threshold watching him as huge tears filled his eyes.
Just as he was leaving I was relieved from that position and followed him outside. There I thanked him for coming. With tears still in his eyes he said, "I had no idea this was here, it touches straight to the heart".
He had lived in Haifa for 40 years. He put on his shoes and ran over to his friends trying to tell them of his wonderful discovery and wanting them to go back in and read the Tablet. It is so heart warming to witness people seeing beyond the veil. These incidents happen daily with people from all over the world.
We live in French Carmel about one mile west of the Shrine of the Bab. Last night it was warm, clear with a silver moon, and some of us gathered for prayer at the site of the future House of Worship. From the site one can look north to `Akka or west to the setting sun. As we sat and prayed we could face `Akka and see the light of Bahji. I said the prayer for the Western States for my friends and their teaching in the West.
The friends here at the World Centre work very hard. Each one is focused on serving the House and building the Arc. It is a mystery to me to be here. I don't understand, but once in a while I get a glimpse or a feeling that tells me it is way beyond my comprehension but we are all connected to it. So, my friends of Baha, let us continue the work of the Cause and enjoy.
Dan, a Baha'i World Centre volunteer
The Hill of God
Mount Carmel was extolled by the prophet Isiah almost three thousand years ago, when he announced that "it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it."
Now, with the coming of the Lord of Hosts, His devoted servants throughout the world have been summoned to the momentous undertaking with which the fulfilment of this ancient promise is associated. As they dedicate themselves to this mighty task, let them draw inspiration from these Words of Baha'u'llah: "Carmel, in the Book of God, hath been designated as the Hill of God, and His Vineyard. It is here that, by the grace of the Lord of Revelation, the Tabernacle of Glory hath been raised. Happy are they that attain thereunto; happy they that set their faces towards it."
Universal House of Justice, letter dated 4th January 1994 to all National Spiritual Assemblies