THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE
Baha'i World Centre
Ridvan 1987, BE 144
To
the Baha'is of the World
Dearly-loved Friends,
- The launching of the Six Year Plan at Ridvan 1986 coincided with the
opening of a new epoch--the fourth--in the organic unfoldment of the
Formative Age of our Faith. The administrative institutions of this
growing Cause of God had already begun to show signs of an increasing
maturity, while at the same time emerging from the protective obscurity of
their early days into the larger arena of public notice. These twin
processes were signalized by a development of far-reaching consequence to
the internal life of the Baha'i community and by an outward activity of a
magnitude unprecedented in its entire history.
- The former was a devolution of responsibility whereby all national
communities, through their National Spiritual Assemblies, in consultation
with Counselors, Local Spiritual Assemblies and the generality of
believers, were requested to formulate, for the first time, their own
objectives for achievement during the new Plan. This expectation of maturity
challenging the national communities was matched by their formulation of
national plans submitted to the World
Center for
coordination into the world-embracing Six Year Plan.
- The latter was a united uprising of the entire Baha'i world community
to distribute the statement, "The Promise of World Peace,"
issued in October 1985, to the peoples of the world. Heads of State, large
numbers of the members of national governments, diplomats, teachers, trade
unionists, leaders of religion, eminent members of the judiciary, the
police, legal, medical and other professions, members of local
authorities, clubs and associations, and thousands of individuals have
been presented with the statement. It is estimated that more than a
million copies, in some seventy languages, have so far been distributed.
These two activities alone have heavily reinforced the growing strength
and maturity of the Baha'i world community and given it a more clearly
defined and readily recognizable public image.
- Other factors have contributed greatly to the rapid entrance of the
Faith onto the world stage. Indeed it appears that every activity of the
widespread Army of Life is now observed or commented upon by some section
of the public, from the General Assembly of the United Nations to small
and even remote local communities.
- The steadfastness of the sorely-tried Persian believers continues to
be the mainspring of this world-wide attention increasingly being focused
upon the Faith. While the brutal executions of heroic martyrs are now less
frequent, the harassment and deprivations, vilification and plundering of
the long-persecuted community continue--more than 200 are still in
prison--giving the representatives of the Baha'i International Community
at the United Nations firm grounds for strong and persistent appeals,
which have aroused the concern of the General Assembly itself, and
resulted in representations to the Iranian Government on behalf of the
defenseless Baha'is by the Commission on Human Rights, and by many
powerful nations including the various governments constituting the
European Community.
- All this has kept our beloved Faith under international observation,
an interest increased not only by the circulation of the Peace Statement
but also by the rapidly expanding activities in the field of economic and
social development, ranging from the inauguration and operation of radio
stations--of which there are seven now broadcasting--to schools, literacy
programs, agricultural assistance and a host of small but valuable
undertakings at village level in many parts of the world.
- National Baha'i communities have organized and successfully conducted
inter-religious conferences, peace seminars, symposiums on racism and
other subjects on which we have a specific contribution to make, often
achieving widespread publicity and the interest of highly-placed leaders
of society. Baha'i youth, inspired and uplifted by the vision and idealism
of "the new race of men" have, through their many gatherings,
attracted large numbers of their compeers and galvanized their own members
to direct their lives towards service in the many fields in which a rich
harvest awaits the dedicated Baha'i worker.
- Added to this rapidly burgeoning association of our fellowmen with
Baha'i activities, has been one outstanding magnificent achievement, the
completion and dedication of the wondrous Baha'i Temple in New Delhi,
which received, within the first thirty days of its dedication to the
worship of God, more than 120,000 visitors. This symbol of purity,
proclaiming the Oneness of God and His Messengers in that land of myriad
diverse religious beliefs, befittingly marks the power and grandeur with
which these portentous days in the life of God's Holy Cause have been
endowed.
- The stage is set for universal, rapid and massive growth of the Cause
of God. The immediate and basic challenge is pursuit of the goals of the
Six Year Plan, the preliminary stages of which have already been
initiated. The all-important teaching work must be imaginatively,
persistently and sacrificially continued, ensuring the enrollment of ever
larger numbers who will provide the energy, the resources and spiritual
force to enable the beloved Cause to worthily play its part in the
redemption of mankind. To reinforce this process the international goals
of the Plan have been adopted, calling for the undertaking of many
hundreds of inter-assembly assistance projects, the re-formation of the
National Spiritual Assembly of Zaire at Ridvan 1987 and the establishment,
in the course of the Plan, of new National Spiritual Assemblies, of which
those of Angola, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Macau have already been
approved. During the first year of the Six Year Plan 338 pioneers, guided
by the needs set forth in previous plans, have already arisen and settled
in 119 countries. A new appeal is now being prepared, details of which
will be announced shortly. The promotion and facilitation of service
projects for Baha'i youth in the emergent countries of the world are now
called for. National Spiritual Assemblies are asked to arrange, in
consultation with each other and with the assistance of the Continental
Board of Counselors, the best means of ensuring the effective service of
those who respond.
- Preparations for the Holy Year 1992, when the 100th Anniversary of
the Ascension of the Blessed Beauty and the inception of the Covenant will
be commemorated, have already begun. It is fitting, then, that the
Covenant of Baha'u'llah, which links the past and the future with the
progressive stages towards the fulfillment of God's ancient Promise,
should be the major theme of the Six Year Plan. Concentration on this
theme will enable us all to obtain a deeper appreciation of the meaning
and purpose of His Revelation--"A Revelation," in the words of
the Guardian, "hailed as the promise and crowning glory of past ages
and centuries, as the consummation of all the Dispensations within the
Adamic Cycle, inaugurating an era of at least a thousand years' duration,
and a cycle destined to last no less than five thousand centuries, signalized
the end of the Prophetic Era and the beginning of the Era of Fulfillment,
unsurpassed alike in the duration of its Author's ministry and the
fecundity and splendor of His mission...." The questions that such
concentrated study should answer will undoubtedly include the meaning of
the Baha'i Covenant, its origin and what should be our attitude towards
it.
- Ever present in our contemplation of these profound questions is the magnetic
figure of 'Abdu'l-Baha, the Center of the Covenant, the Mystery of God,
the perfect Exemplar, Whose unerring interpretation of the Holy Texts and
luminous examples of their application to personal conduct shed light on a
way of life we must strive diligently to follow. During the course of the
Six Year Plan the 75th anniversary of His visit to the West will be
observed with befitting celebrations and proclamation activities.
Simultaneously, there will be observed the 50th anniversary of the first Seven
Year Plan in the Americas, launched in 1937 at the instigation of Shoghi
Effendi, and which, in setting in motion the systematic execution of
'Abdu'l-Baha's grand design for the spiritual conquest of the planet,
marked the opening of the first epoch of the Divine Plan.
- Great and wonderful tasks challenge us as never before. They demand
equally great and wonderful sacrifice, dedication and single-minded
devotion from every one of us. At present, the Baha'i International Fund
is utterly inadequate to support the tremendous expansion now required in
all the multitudinous activities of the Baha'i world community. The record
of the Seven Year Plan, just completed, stands witness to our ability to
meet the growing demands of the Cause. The heroism of the beloved friends
in Iran,
the eager response of 3,694 dedicated pioneers to the call raised for this
essential service, the unceasing activity of teachers, administrators,
local communities and individual believers throughout the entire organism
of the embryonic world order, have endowed this growing Army of Life with
new strengths and capacities. As we stride forward into the future we may
be fully assured of His ever present bounty and the final victory of our
efforts to establish His Kingdom in this troubled world.
With loving Baha'i greetings,
The Universal House of Justice