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Ridván
1995
Bahá'í Era 152
by
Universal House of Justice
1995
THE
UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE
Ridván
152
To the Bahá'ís
of the World
Dearly loved
Friends,
1 At this Season of seasons,
we greet you with profound pleasure at the increased activity throughout the
Bahá'í community during the year just passed and with ardent expectations as
to what must and can be accomplished during the last third of the Three Year
Plan. We feel both concern and hope in the face of the despair besetting
leaders of nations and peoples in their search for solutions to pressing
social problems. Indeed, such desperation is tantamount to a worldwide cry
for the Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh, truly a challenge and a promise no
conscientious Bahá'í institution or individual can ignore.
2 No occasion has more
sharply conveyed this melancholy outlook than the recent World Summit for
Social Development, the latest in a series of international gatherings of
world leaders called by the United Nations. But however little may be the
immediate influence of such events on the policies of governments, however
much the vast majority of the world's population may disregard or be unaware
of them, their successive occurrence indicates to any Bahá'í observer a
gradual movement towards the ultimate fulfilment of the will of Bahá'u'lláh
that the rulers of nations meet to consult and decide on the outstanding
issues confronting an increasingly global society.
3 Propitiously on that
momentous occasion in Copenhagen, an impressive Bahá'í effort, involving some
250 friends from more than 40 countries, was mounted to acquaint the
participants in the Summit and the related NGO Forum with the remedies
prescribed by the Divine Physician. This effort was extended beyond the
Summit and is even now continuing in many places throughout the world. We
applaud with heartfelt gratitude the Bahá'í institutions, agencies and
individuals who produced this spate of action before, during and after the
Summit, for surely it evinced both the further advance of our world community
in influencing the processes towards the Lesser Peace and a multiplication of
opportunities for a wider diffusion of the reformative Message of
Bahá'u'lláh. As such world events take place with greater frequency and the
Bahá'í community pursues its goals with increased intensity, we can see more
clearly the drawing closer together of the parallel processes about which
Shoghi Effendi wrote several decades ago: the one leading to the political
union of nations, the other to the ultimate union of hearts in one common
faith.
4 We make these observations
against an encouraging background of development in the Bahá'í community
during the second year of the Three Year Plan. Even more thrilling than the
leap in external affairs activities at local and national levels are the
evidences of a qualitative change in the response of believers everywhere to
the call to teach. A deeper understanding of this inescapable, individual
duty is implied by the rise in teaching activity, a heartening situation
resulting from several stimulating factors which all together augur well for
the long-awaited influx of troops of new believers. Among these factors are
the attention being given to the compilation on entry by troops as it appears
in an increasing number of languages, the influences of the movement of
International and Continental Counsellors throughout the globe, the evolution
in the functioning of Auxiliary Board members and their assistants, the
effects of the emphasis being placed on the education of children, and the
vigour of the youth in initiating teaching projects and engaging in a range
of other Bahá'í activities.
5 Conducive to this positive
picture is the gathering strength of Spiritual Assemblies, which are called
upon to cope with manifold challenges while endeavouring primarily to focus
on the demands of the teaching work. We are especially mindful of the burdens
borne by National Spiritual Assemblies as the communities within their
jurisdictions grow more diverse in their composition and more complex in
their demands upon the guidance and assistance of these institutions.
6 The combined impression of
the various stages of development at which the community has arrived suggests
that strong effort is being devoted to the triple theme of the Plan, which
calls for enhancing the vitality of the faith of individual believers,
greatly developing the human resources of the Cause, and fostering the proper
functioning of local and national Bahá'í institutions. But as there is yet
much to be done along these lines, a more striking response is required of
individuals and institutions, if our community is to combat the ravages of a
rampant moral decadence, to raise up a massive army of consecrated souls to
meet the demands of teaching and of administering the affairs of the Faith,
and to render our institutions fit for the tasks that a burst in the size of
the community will surely impose upon them.
7 Fundamental to any
effective response to the immediate challenges facing the community are these
requisites which are especially addressed to the individual and the Local
Spiritual Assembly: On the one hand is the initiative that it is the duty and
privilege of the individual to take in teaching the Cause and in obtaining a
deeper understanding of the purpose and requirements of the Faith. Parallel
with the exercise of such initiative is the necessity of the individual's
participation in collective endeavours, such as community functions and
projects. On the other hand is the role of the Local Spiritual Assembly to
welcome, encourage and accommodate the initiatives of individual believers to
the maximum extent possible; and there is, too, the responsibility of the
Assembly to devise or promote plans that will employ the talents and
abilities of the individual members of its community, and that will involve
individuals in collective action, such as teaching and development projects,
institutes, and other group activities. The effects of conscientious attempts
at realizing these inseparable requisites will be to expand and consolidate
the community and to foster a climate of unified action.
8 During the last year, there
was a sharp increase in the visits to the World Centre of high-ranking
government officials, other dignitaries and media representatives,
demonstrating the growing significance of the spiritual and administrative
centre of the Faith in the eyes of the world. This appeared to underscore a
trend towards a greater familiarity of the governments of the nations with
the evolving centre of a World Faith. Viewing this trend from the Mountain of
God, the site of the current construction projects, and considering it in
conjunction with the developments taking place in local and national Bahá'í
communities, we can appreciate more adequately the unfolding reality of the
vision projected by Shoghi Effendi when he explained the implications of the
raising up of buildings that will constitute the world administrative seat of
the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh. "This vast and irresistible process",
he said, "will synchronize with two no less significant
developments---the establishment of the Lesser Peace and the evolution of
Bahá'í national and local institutions". It is a vision which, given
the state of the world, compels the completion of the Mount Carmel Projects
as scheduled.
9 These projects are
advancing with remarkable speed, astonishing pilgrims, tourists and local
residents by their magnitude and emerging magnificence. The construction work
is occurring on all structures at once. Work on seven of the Terraces below
and five above the Shrine of the Báb is in full force. More construction
contracts were signed during this year than in any previous one, including the
contract recently awarded to an Italian firm for the supply of the marble for
the buildings on the Arc. Clearly, the work has gathered a momentum that can
abide no delay. Hence, a matching momentum in the flow of contributions is
imperative, if the remaining forty million dollars towards fulfilment of the
Three Year Plan goal of seventy-four million dollars is to be provided by
Ridván 1996.
10 The new year begins
auspiciously with the formation this Ridván of five National Spiritual
Assemblies. Our representatives to the inaugural National Conventions are the
Hand of the Cause of God Amatu'l-Bahá Ruhíyyíh Khánum, Armenia and
Georgia; the Hand of the Cause `Alí-Muhammad Varqá, Belarus and Sicily;
Counsellor Hushang Ahdieh, Eritrea. Moreover, during this period the
communities of Bophuthatswana, Ciskei, South Africa and Transkei will merge
under the jurisdiction of one National Spiritual Assembly of South Africa, so
as to reflect the recent political reunion of that region. As a result of the
foregoing, the number of National Spiritual Assemblies throughout the world
will rise from 172 to 174.
11 Beloved co-workers: Beyond
the need to win our goals, humanity's current plight summons us to redoubled
action. The cloud of despair hanging over the fortunes of a deranged world is
the very harbinger of the spring rain that can quench the spiritual and
material thirst of every people. It has only to be seeded through constant
and confident acts of teaching. The performance of such acts, though
dependent for reinforcement on the functions of Bahá'í institutions, rests
primarily and ultimately with Bahá'í individuals.
12 Let no excessive
self-criticism or any feelings of inadequacy, inability or inexperience
hinder you or cause you to be afraid. Bury your fears in the assurances of
Bahá'u'lláh. Has He not asserted that upon anyone who mentions His Name will
descend the "hosts of Divine inspiration" and that on such a
one will also descend the "Concourse on high, each bearing aloft a
chalice of pure light"? Step forth, then, into the arena where all
His loved ones are equally summoned, equally chalenged and abundantly
blessed. For to teach, Bahá'u'lláh Himself affirms, is to do the "most
meritorious of all deeds". And at this extraordinary moment in the
history of the planet, nothing whatever is of more critical importance than
inviting people of every sort and every gift to the banquet table of the Lord
of Hosts.
13 As we send you this
message, clearly before us is a vision of untold victories waiting to be
seized. We are certain you can realize a myriad of these in the remaining
time of the Three Year Plan. Just such an accomplishment must earnestly be
striven for, so as to set the stage for the next global enterprise to be
launched at Ridván 1996. There shall be mobilized then a world-embracing
campaign to ensure a befitting crescendo to the achievements of a century
regarded by no less than `Abdu'l-Bahá Himself as a period that will have
"left traces which shall last forever".
With loving Bahá'í
greetings,
[SIGNATURE]
The Universal
House of Justice
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