Let deeds not words, be your adorning”
”Let deeds not words, be your adorning”
The example of Bahiyyih Khanum
Section 1 ‐ Opening
How come some persons grow mentally and spiritually during significant changes, difficulties and crisis whereas others simply don’t?
How come some persons are very resilient, that is able to cope with adversity and bounce back from stressful experiences quickly and efficiently, whereas others fall down to never get up again?
Let us examine the life of Bahíyyih Khanum to see if we can become wiser as to how this is and perhaps learn more about how we can recover more quickly and grow in such situations. Let us examine more about what qualities Bahíyyih Khanum possessed that made her so resilient. Let us take a look at what made her adorning to be deeds and not words.
Section 2 – Archetype of the people of Bahá
Each religious dispensation has had its female heroine who stood out. These outstanding women have more or less been a role model for the female members of that religion. They have been the example of what one would traditionally classify as female qualities such as purity, virginity and mother hood.
So looking at the life of Bahíyyih Khanum, one perhaps could think that the same applies here. But that is not the case, not in the least.
Shoghi Effendi has designated Bahíyyih Khanum as “the archetype of the people of Bahá”
This means that Bahíyyih Khanum is the archetype of all Bahais, men, women, children, juniors and youths.
What does Archetype mean? It comes from the Greek word “Arketypos” which means firstmoulded, “Arke” meaning first and “typos” meaning model or type. More generally it means “the original pattern or model from which copies are made, a prototype”. We can also read on behalf of the Guardian;
Her heavenly ways were a model for the people of Baha, and those who dwell in the pavilions of devotion and the denizens of the Abha Paradise, found in her celestial attributes, their prototype and their guide. Glory be to God, Who created her, fashioned her, called her into being, sent her forth and revealed her, whose like, the eye of the world had never seen. (Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 75)
Bahíyyih Khanum is a model for us to emulate. She is a prototype and a guide.
Now that distinction of female versus masculine has been erased as Bahíyyih Khanum is the role model of both men and women. All the qualities that traditionally have been marked as more female or masculine have been challenged. This one could say has opened the door for a serious reexamination of those qualities that traditionally is regarded as masculine and those that are regarded as feminine.
Listen to this from the Writings of Shoghi Effendi, in this passage Shoghi Effendi is saying that Bahá'u'lláh had the quality of serenity, meekness, qualities that traditionally would be seen as female. So there is no longer female or masculine qualities, it’s all human qualities.
To this bear witness the Company on High, and beyond them God Himself, the Supreme Lord of all the heavens and the earths: that during all thy days, from thine earliest years until the close of thy life, thou didst personify the attributes of thy Father, the Matchless, the Mighty. Thou wert the fruit of His Tree, thou wert the lamp of His love, thou wert the symbol of His serenity, and of His meekness, the pathway of His guidance, the channel of His blessings, the sweet scent of His robe, the refuge of His loved ones and His handmaidens, the mantle of His generosity and grace. (From the Writings of Shoghi Effendi, Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 54)
Section 3 – First major change
The life of Bahíyyih Khanum was not one of comfort and ease. Shoghi Effendi writes;
“From the beginning of her life, from her very childhood, she tasted sorrow's cup; she drank down the afflictions and calamities of the earliest years of the great Cause of God” (Shoghi Effendi, Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 27)
Bahíyyih Khanum was born in 1946 in Persia, two years after the Declaration of the Báb. Bahá'u'lláh was from a wealthy family with all the comforts one could have during those days. We know that the family had several houses, in fact Bahá'u'lláh Himself would spend the summers in another house in Takur. When they got married, it took forty mules to move the possessions of His wife to the home of Bahá'u'lláh. Some six months before the wedding, a jeweler had worked with the buttons for her garment; these buttons were of gold set with precious stones. Bahíyyih Khanum was born in comfort and ease.
My father was Mirza Husayn‐'Ali of Nur, who married my beautiful mother, Asiyih Khanum, when she was very young. She was the only daughter of a Persian Vizier, of high degree, Mirza Isma'il, He, as well as Mirza 'Abbas Buzurg, my paternal grandfather, possessed great wealth. When the brother of my mother married my father's sister, the double alliance of the two noble families roused much interest throughout the land. "It is adding wealth to wealth," the people said. Asiyih Khanum's wedding treasures were extensive, in accordance with the usual custom in families of their standing; forty mules were loaded with her possessions when she came to her husband's home. For six months
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before the marriage a jeweller worked at her home, preparing jewellry ‐‐ even the buttons of her garments were of gold, set with precious stones. (These buttons were destined to be exchanged for bread, on the terrible exile journey from Tihran to Baghdad.) …Immediately everybody, all our relations, and friends, and servants fled from our house in terror, only one man‐servant, Isfandiyar remained, and one woman. Our palace, and the smaller houses belonging to it were very soon stripped of everything; furniture, treasurers, all were stolen by the people. (Lady Blomfield, The Chosen Highway, p. 40)
In 1852, when the attempt on the life of the Shah was made, as you all know, Bahá'u'lláh was arrested and in that one moment, they lost all their wealth and comfort. Shoghi Effendi writes;
In those sinister hours, she often recounted, her parents had so suddenly lost their earthly possessions that within the space of a single day from being the privileged member of one of the wealthiest families of Tihran she had sunk to the state of a sufferer from unconcealed poverty. (Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 32)
Having been driven from their home, the family lived in a little house not far from the place in which Bahá'u'lláh was imprisoned. Bahíyyih Khanum mother managed to save some of the wedding gifts and these she sold to get some money in order to pay the jailors so she would be allowed to have some food sent to Bahá'u'lláh and for daily expenses.
Bahíyyih Khanum explains herself about this time.
“The mob crowded to these fearful scenes, and yelled their execrations, whilst all through the fiendish work, a drum was loudly beaten. These horrible sounds I well remember, as we three children clung to our mother, she not knowing whether the victim was her own adored husband. She could not find out whether he was still alive or not until late at night, or very early in the morning, when she determined to venture out, in defiance of the danger to herself and to us, for neither women or children were spared. How well I remember cowering in the dark, with my little brother, Mirza Mihdi, the Purest Branch, at that time two years old, in my arms, which were not very strong, as I was only six. I was shivering with terror, for I knew of some of the horrible things that were happening, and was aware that they might have seized even my mother. So I waited and waited until she should come back. (Lady Blomfield, The Chosen Highway, p. 42)
Can you even begin to imagine, she was only six years old when suddenly she went from comfort to such a life‐threatening situation? She was very aware of the danger in which they were exposed to, she was very much aware of the fact that Bábis were being persecuted and executed and they could be next.
Bahá'u'lláh was released after 4 months but banished to Iraq, out of Persia. That journey was a very difficult one, it was during winter and it was really cold. Bahíyyih Khanum shared all the
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exiles and banishments that Bahá'u'lláh suffered. The banishments were very difficult and gave much suffering to all the members of the family.
Section 4 – Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh
In 1892 Bahá'u'lláh passed away and this was of course a very sad moment. Reading her letters in which she describes this, it is obvious that she suffered very much. She says on one of her letters
“In reality no pen can depict the poignant feeling that surges in our hearts. Every expression would prove utterly inadequate, even less than the eye of a needle, inasmuch as words and syllables are incapable of conveying the intensity of this dire suffering. They are but a tiny drop compared to an ocean” (Bahíyyih Khanum, Compilation page 97)
Let us think about this situation, they have for 40 years been exiled, suffered and constantly persecuted. It has been very hard times but they were in the presence of the Manifestation of God. Now the Sun of Bahá had set and this was no more. It’s hard even to imagine the feeling of loss, how much they must have missed their Lord. Soon after the passing of Bahá'u'lláh, some of the family members arose to challenge 'Abdu´l‐Bahá, thus breaking the Covenant. This just added to the difficulties of Bahíyyih Khanum.
She not only lost her most precious Father, she also lost family members to the Covenant Breakers and friendships that had grown over the years. Shoghi Effendi writes about this.
"Great as had been her sufferings ever since her infancy, the anguish of mind and heart which the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh occasioned nerved her, as never before, to a resolve which no upheaval could bend and which her frail constitution belied. Amidst the dust and heat of the commotion which that faithless and rebellious company engendered she found herself constrained to dissolve ties of family relationship, to sever long‐standing and intimate friendships, to discard lesser loyalties for the sake of her supreme allegiance to a Cause she had loved so dearly and had served so well. (Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 36)
We must remember that for women in those days, the main arena for women´s social interaction was within the family. This no doubt caused sadness but also increased her feelings of isolation. The same had happened in Bagdad, during the years when her Father was in the mountains of Sulaymaniyyieh.
Section 5 – After the passing of 'Abdu´l‐Bahá
The passing of 'Abdu´l‐Bahá was very hard and difficult for Bahíyyih Khanum. Remember that 'Abdu´l‐Bahá had been with the family all the time, her big brother whom she had a very special bond with. After the Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, when 'Abdu´l‐Bahá was appointed the
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Centre of the Covenant, it was him to whom she turned for consolation. Those years immediately after the Ascension were truly difficult years. She herself says that it was
“[t]he most ruinous of disasters, the most dreaded of ordeals, the most hurtful of misfortunes. It was an earthquake that shook the pillars of the world… (Bahíyyih Khanum, Compilation page 174).
Shoghi Effendi says the following
"The ascension of 'Abdu'l‐Bahá, so tragic in its suddenness, was to her a terrible blow from the effects of which she never completely recovered. To her He, Whom she called 'Aqa', had been a refuge in times of adversity. On Him she had been led to place her sole reliance. In Him she had found ample compensation for the bereavements she had suffered, the desertions she had witnessed, the ingratitude she had been shown by friends and kindred." (Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 41)
Again she lost a dear one, again she found herself friends and family turning away, being disrespectful and alone. Once again, the Covenant Breakers became the cause of much pain and suffering.
Section 6 – The qualities of Bahíyyih Khanum
During all these sufferings and difficulties, Bahíyyih Khanum showed forth qualities of great value. She was entrusted with great responsibilities and tasks. Unfortunately we do not know much about the contributions she made in the early phases of the exile. We know that during the years in Bagdad, while in her teens, she was entrusted with delicate missions. During the years in Adrianople, when it was really tough times, she played a vital role in resolving the misunderstandings of some about the station of Bahá'u'lláh. These were difficult tasks that required a great deal of patience, wisdom and loving kindness. Although these tasks were of such difficult nature, she rose to the challenge with alacrity and joy.
As you all know, the task of completing the construction of the Shrine of the Báb was a very difficult one for 'Abdu´l‐Bahá as the Covenant Breakers did all they could to stop this process. Due to the dangers, it was very important for 'Abdu´l‐Bahá to conceal the casket containing the remains of the Báb. This casket was entrusted to The Greatest Holy Leaf and was for a time hidden in her room she had in the house of Abdullah Pasha.
She was also responsible for sacred writings of the Founders, relics and objects of great historical value. She ensured that they were collected, stored and taken care of. It was she who took the female pilgrims to see the painting of the Báb and the photo of Bahaullah. That is not a small responsibility.
Being in charge of the Household might sound as a fairly common and easy task. Far from it. Had the household consisted of a normal family of say 4 to 8 persons, ok why not. But the household of the Master was more than one hundred persons.
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After the ascension of Bahaullah, managing the household would broadly mean
• the purchase and preparation of food • taking care of guests and wives of officials that visited • further on when the pilgrims started to come, she was responsible for taking care of them in providing food and attend to the daily needs of the pilgrims.
Now as I said, had this been for about 10 people, ok but consider that the household was more than one hundred persons. Image yourselves preparing food, taking care of and receiving 100 guests for one party, it's not an easy task, is it? Just preparing the food takes time and energy, and then just imagine the cleaning up. With all this, consider two more things;
1. We have tools that far exceed those of those days. They did not have running water, any electricity but charcoal for fuel. 2. This work, which she headed, usually required them to get up early in the morning and working until very late. Now for the party, that’s once, this was every day.
Also we need to consider that this was undertaken during periods of extreme pressure, difficulties and hardship either from the officials or the activities of the covenant breakers. She undertook this enormous task so that the everyday needs of her Father and later her Brother would be met so they could do that which only they could.
When 'Abdu´l‐Bahá travelled to the west, he left the affairs of the Faith in the Holy Land to Bahíyyih Khanum who was His deputy. Shoghi Effendi says that Bahíyyih Khanum
“At the time of His absence in the western world, she was His competent deputy, His representative and vicegerent, with none to equal her. (Bahíyyih Khanum in compilation nr 5)
In this capacity, in addition to all other responsibilities;
“She received both dignitaries and officials of both sexes, spoke to the pilgrims on behalf of 'Abdu´l‐Bahá, inspired them, gave assistance to the poor, and offered her medical services to the sick. (Bahíyyih Khanum, Prophets Daughter p 79)
This role of acting head of the Faith was to continue when 'Abdu´l‐Bahá passed away. Remember how struck with grief and difficult it was for her and all the others there when the Master passed away, how sad they all were. In the midst of all this, as she was 77 years old, Bahíyyih Khanum together with other members of the Holy Family did the following;
1. She calmly comforted the grief‐stricken persons present. 2. She asked some persons to inform the friends in Akka of the sad news. 3. She also had a major part in having the whole Bahá'í Community being informed of the passing of 'Abdu´l‐Bahá. 4. She also started the preparations for the funeral of 'Abdu´l‐Bahá. a. She oversaw and worked with the receptions after the the funeral.
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b. During the week following the passing of the Master, about 50 to 100 of the poor of Haifa were daily fed at the Masters House. c. On the seventh day, corn was distributed to about a 1000 of them in memory of the Master d. On the fortieth day, a memorial feast was held in His memory to which about 600 had been invited. 5. Managing the wave of renewed anxiety from covenant breakers, Imagine, the Head of the Faith have passed away, the Bahais are struck with grief together with uncertainty about the future at the same time as the Covenant Breakers are more active than ever. a. Mirza Muhammad Ali renewed his claim to the leadership of the Faith. b. He came to the Masters house to see Bahíyyih Khanum, she did not receive him and instead sent him away. c. Mirza Muhammad Ali set about actively renewing his claim through articles in newspapers, appeals to Bahais in different countries (mainly Persia, Egypt and North America), to the legitimate successor to Bahá'u'lláh.
She was during this period, the point of contact between the Holy Family and the Bahá'í World Wide Community, individuals and institutions addressed their letters to her.
So to comfort the friends and defend the Faith she during this turbulent period of time did the following;
• She kept the contact alive through letters and telegram cables. • She gave assurance in clearly informing all that 'Abdu´l‐Bahá had left instructions in His Will and Testament, that a translation will be sent and that they should inform the friends of this. • Instructed all communities to have memorial meetings world over on January the seventh • Instructions as to how to defend the Faith
“NOW IS A PERIOD OF GREAT TESTS. THE FRIENDS SHOULD BE FIRM AND UNITED IN DEFENDING THE CAUSE. NAKEZEENS STARTING ACTIVITIES THROUGH PRESS AND OTHER CHANNELS ALL OVER THE WORLD. SELECT COMMITTEE OF WISE COOL HEADS TO HANDLE PRESS PROGANADA IN AMERICA. (PD p 117).
When it was clear that Shoghi Effendi was the appointed successor, the Bahá'ís in the entire world were informed. As you know Shoghi Effendi did not have the slightest clue of this and was taken by this. In the midst of the grief of losing his grandfather, to shoulder such an enormous responsibility was too much.
He needed to prepare for this task and therefore was absent for extended periods of time in 1922, 1923 and 1924. During his absence, he in a very clear manner gave Bahíyyih Khanum the authority to conduct the affairs of the Faith in the entire world.
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In this capacity, Bahíyyih Khanum did several things and one of the major tasks was the assisting of the Community in the transition from the Heroic Age to the Formative Age, she was the link so to say. This transition called for realizing two things;
1. Shoghi Effendi is the appointed Guardian of the Faith 2. Adjustment in thinking to accommodate the authority of elected spiritual assemblies, the building of a new administrative order (remember that Shoghi Effendi had consulted with selected friends about establishment of the The Universal House of Justice and came to the conclusion that the foundation in having Local Spiritual Assemblies and National Spiritual Assemblies was necessary.
Bahíyyih Khanum gave encouragement to the friends through
1. Inspiring stories that gave them hope – that of 'Abdu´l‐Bahá and Christ and His few disciples page 136. 2. Reminding about what 'Abdu´l‐Bahá had said, from Writings 3. Reminding of 'Abdu´l‐Bahá as the perfect example 4. Preparation and guidance for tests and difficulties by explaining about the nature and dynamics of tests. 5. Giving attention to the promulgation of the Faith and to begin the task of establishing its institutions. A lot of guidance on how to function as an assembly and the principle of Consultation, all from the letters of the guardian, nothing of her own.
She also oversaw and guided the defending the Faith. She was very systematic which is very tangible in her instructions on how to defend the Faith. When the persecutions were renewed in Persia, she instructed the following;
1. To visit the Persian ambassadors in each country and have them ask their government to protect our brothers and sisters from such aggressions. 2. To encourage their own governments to raise the issue of persecutions of Bahá'ís with their ambassadors in Tehran.
She even wrote what they could say to the representatives they met. Imagine all the Bahá'ís acting to protect their brothers and sisters in Persia.
This brings us to another task that Bahíyyih Khanum did, which was to foster and build a World Wide Bahá'í Identity. One of the ways she did this was by having Bahá'í Communities assist one another and starting to develop administrative capacity. Here are three examples;
1. Financial difficulty in Germany, information to friends in Persia so that spiritual and material help may be forthcoming. 2. News of success Australia has encouraged the teaching in Persia. 3. Earthquake in Japan, contributions made by believers in Haifa and dispatched to Japan.
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For the first time in religious history, I think, a woman was the Head of the Religion. This responsibility she shouldered when she was in her late 70‐ties. An interesting observation is that at the time of the passing of the Master, in 1921, she was in her late 70‐ties and Shoghi Effendi in his mid 20‐ties.
Section 7 – Bahíyyih Khanum as an example of a resilient person
How come some persons grow mentally and spiritually during significant changes, difficulties and crisis whereas others simply don’t?
How come some persons are very resilient, that is able to cope with adversity and bounce back from stressful experiences quickly and efficiently, whereas others fall down to never get up again?
We started out with asking this question, and then we took a look at what Shoghi Effendi says about Bahíyyih Khanum as an archetype. From there we established that she has suffered a lot, have gone through hard times and experienced many changes. We also saw how well she managed these crisis and difficulties. So what can we learn from her example in the light of our question?
Actually there have been studies about this matter and if you google “Qualities resilient people” you will find many homepages where they discuss this issue. You will also find many qualities, attitudes or traits that are found in resilient people. You will find “positive vision, tolerance of negative effects, enduring set of values, sense of purpose, social competence, problem‐solving skills”. One example that is relevant is that the term is used to describe iron. The more resilient the metal is, the greater ability it has to return to its original shape after it has been “bent” or submitted to pressure. Being resilient does not mean that one is completely unaffected by all the pressures. Bahíyyih Khanum was very affected and sad by the passing of her Father and brother. Being resilient means bouncing back to the “original shape”. However, these situations do leave their mark on our iron, stretch marks if you will. Most of the qualities one can find to be necessary to be resilient, boil down to a few basic qualities.
These are;
1. Acceptance of reality: having a realistic or close to realistic view of the situation is very important. It is also equally important to have a sound optimistic view. One needs to be realistic in its view of the situation because that will enable one to take steps to get out of the crisis or the difficulty. If one lives with a view that is far from reality, one never really sees the situation as it is and can never start working with it. Having an optimistic view is also important; there must be hope of coming out of this situation. However, that optimism must be balanced and realistic, call it realistic optimism. Having an unsound optimism will in itself cause a passivity or inaction as well as actually preventing a realistic assessment of the situation.
Looking at her life, we see that she was very well aware of the situation and had faith in the future which she never lost.
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a. Faith in the future, Bahíyyih Khanum had a clear vision of the future and saw the events of her time as the necessary steps in realizing that bright future. In one of her letters, we see how she encourages others and gives them this perspective of why we are doing what we are doing.
It always cheers my heart to hear from the dear friends whose hearts are so full of love and devotion, and desire to serve this Blessed Cause which has been proclaimed by Bahá'u'lláh to all the world, so that all national, racial, and religious prejudices will be abolished, and the world of humanity recognized as one home, and all men as brothers. (Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 223)
2. Strongly held belief that life is meaningful: Having a deep, enduring set of values that gives meaning to life is the key to be able to understand why things are happening. This enables one to find meaning to what is happening; it offers ways to interpret events. Having this vision is what makes it possible to look beyond the current situation into the future and start the journey towards the goal. It helps in interpreting experiences in a new light that helps one to manage the current situation and move into a better one. Lacking this, there is a great risk of considering oneself as a passive, innocent victim who is helpless and unjustly subjected to suffering, with absolutely no hope of improvement. a. Understanding of why we have tests and trials. The Greatest Holy Leaf understood why there are test and the dynamics of it. This she also conveyed to the friends so they would be able to better withstand tests.
“It is certain that tests and trials are inseparable from this life and a vital requirement thereof, especially for the human race and above all for those who claim to have faith and love. Only through trials can the genuine be known from the worthless, and purity from pollution, and the real from the false. The meaning of the sacred verse: 'Do men think when they say 'We believe' they shall be let alone and not be put to proof?' prevails at all times and is applicable at every breath, and fire will only bring out the brightness of the gold. (Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 179
b. Patience and submission, The Greatest Holy Leaf herself in a letter written just after the Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, during those difficult days, she gives her answer as how to cope with tests, trials and difficulties. She writes;
Nevertheless, when faced with the irrevocable decree of the Almighty, the vesture that best befits us in this world is the vesture of patience and submission, and the most meritorious of all deeds is to commit our affairs into His hands and to surrender ourselves to His Will. (Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 97)
c. Cheerful heart, regardless of what kinds of tests or difficulties she was going through, she always presented a very dignified behavior. Shoghi Effendi writes;
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No calamity, however intense, could obscure the brightness of her saintly face, and no agitation, no matter how severe, could disturb the composure of her gracious and dignified behaviour. (Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 35)
It is also very interesting to read that
“Notwithstanding all this, she never grumbled nor lost her faith in the future. She kept cheerful and tried to give cheer to others. She was a source of inspiration to every person that met her” (Compilations, Bahíyyih Khanum p. 89)
3. Finding solutions: The ability to make do with one has, to think of solutions to the problems, to see and imagine possibilities for action, even if there is lack of resources, is crucial in moving to a better state. This ability is important because the situation most often will not disappear of its own; rather one needs to be very active in creating a better situation. Gibbon, the famous author of the book, “The history of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire”, actually comes to the conclusion that the belief in Life after Death that was introduced by Christianity was one of the causes of the decline and the fall of the Roman Empire. This because people did not get involved in the situation of society, they just were waiting for the good times in heaven. We saw previously many examples of how she immediately initiated actions to manage the situations she was presented with. Her ability to solve problems such as the attacks of the Covenant Breakers is impressive. Section 8 – Closing
History will in due time, reveal the importance of The Greatest Holy Leaf has and have for the development of the Faith. Much more can be said about her life, her contributions, her qualities and role model as a leader, as a Bahá'í for us all and the great importance she had in the transition from the Heroic Age to the Formative Age we are currently living in. Just to give a glimpse of how great a role she has played, and how vital she has been, let me end with this letter by Shoghi Effendi sent to the Bahai World after the Passing of the The Greatest Holy Leaf in 1932.
O faithful friends! It is right and fitting that out of honour to her most high station, in the gatherings of the followers of Bahá'u'lláh, whether of the East or the West, all Bahá'í festivals and celebrations should be completely suspended for a period of nine months, and that in every city and village, memorial meetings should be held, with all solemnity, spirituality, lowliness and consecration ‐‐ where, in the choicest of language, may be described at length the shining attributes of that most resplendent Leaf, that archetype of the people of Baha. If it be possible for the individual believers to postpone their personal celebrations for a period of one year, let them unhesitatingly do so thus to express their sorrow at this agonizing misfortune. (Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 30
The example of Bahiyyih Khanum
Section 1 ‐ Opening
How come some persons grow mentally and spiritually during significant changes, difficulties and crisis whereas others simply don’t?
How come some persons are very resilient, that is able to cope with adversity and bounce back from stressful experiences quickly and efficiently, whereas others fall down to never get up again?
Let us examine the life of Bahíyyih Khanum to see if we can become wiser as to how this is and perhaps learn more about how we can recover more quickly and grow in such situations. Let us examine more about what qualities Bahíyyih Khanum possessed that made her so resilient. Let us take a look at what made her adorning to be deeds and not words.
Section 2 – Archetype of the people of Bahá
Each religious dispensation has had its female heroine who stood out. These outstanding women have more or less been a role model for the female members of that religion. They have been the example of what one would traditionally classify as female qualities such as purity, virginity and mother hood.
So looking at the life of Bahíyyih Khanum, one perhaps could think that the same applies here. But that is not the case, not in the least.
Shoghi Effendi has designated Bahíyyih Khanum as “the archetype of the people of Bahá”
This means that Bahíyyih Khanum is the archetype of all Bahais, men, women, children, juniors and youths.
What does Archetype mean? It comes from the Greek word “Arketypos” which means firstmoulded, “Arke” meaning first and “typos” meaning model or type. More generally it means “the original pattern or model from which copies are made, a prototype”. We can also read on behalf of the Guardian;
Her heavenly ways were a model for the people of Baha, and those who dwell in the pavilions of devotion and the denizens of the Abha Paradise, found in her celestial attributes, their prototype and their guide. Glory be to God, Who created her, fashioned her, called her into being, sent her forth and revealed her, whose like, the eye of the world had never seen. (Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 75)
Bahíyyih Khanum is a model for us to emulate. She is a prototype and a guide.
Now that distinction of female versus masculine has been erased as Bahíyyih Khanum is the role model of both men and women. All the qualities that traditionally have been marked as more female or masculine have been challenged. This one could say has opened the door for a serious reexamination of those qualities that traditionally is regarded as masculine and those that are regarded as feminine.
Listen to this from the Writings of Shoghi Effendi, in this passage Shoghi Effendi is saying that Bahá'u'lláh had the quality of serenity, meekness, qualities that traditionally would be seen as female. So there is no longer female or masculine qualities, it’s all human qualities.
To this bear witness the Company on High, and beyond them God Himself, the Supreme Lord of all the heavens and the earths: that during all thy days, from thine earliest years until the close of thy life, thou didst personify the attributes of thy Father, the Matchless, the Mighty. Thou wert the fruit of His Tree, thou wert the lamp of His love, thou wert the symbol of His serenity, and of His meekness, the pathway of His guidance, the channel of His blessings, the sweet scent of His robe, the refuge of His loved ones and His handmaidens, the mantle of His generosity and grace. (From the Writings of Shoghi Effendi, Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 54)
Section 3 – First major change
The life of Bahíyyih Khanum was not one of comfort and ease. Shoghi Effendi writes;
“From the beginning of her life, from her very childhood, she tasted sorrow's cup; she drank down the afflictions and calamities of the earliest years of the great Cause of God” (Shoghi Effendi, Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 27)
Bahíyyih Khanum was born in 1946 in Persia, two years after the Declaration of the Báb. Bahá'u'lláh was from a wealthy family with all the comforts one could have during those days. We know that the family had several houses, in fact Bahá'u'lláh Himself would spend the summers in another house in Takur. When they got married, it took forty mules to move the possessions of His wife to the home of Bahá'u'lláh. Some six months before the wedding, a jeweler had worked with the buttons for her garment; these buttons were of gold set with precious stones. Bahíyyih Khanum was born in comfort and ease.
My father was Mirza Husayn‐'Ali of Nur, who married my beautiful mother, Asiyih Khanum, when she was very young. She was the only daughter of a Persian Vizier, of high degree, Mirza Isma'il, He, as well as Mirza 'Abbas Buzurg, my paternal grandfather, possessed great wealth. When the brother of my mother married my father's sister, the double alliance of the two noble families roused much interest throughout the land. "It is adding wealth to wealth," the people said. Asiyih Khanum's wedding treasures were extensive, in accordance with the usual custom in families of their standing; forty mules were loaded with her possessions when she came to her husband's home. For six months
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before the marriage a jeweller worked at her home, preparing jewellry ‐‐ even the buttons of her garments were of gold, set with precious stones. (These buttons were destined to be exchanged for bread, on the terrible exile journey from Tihran to Baghdad.) …Immediately everybody, all our relations, and friends, and servants fled from our house in terror, only one man‐servant, Isfandiyar remained, and one woman. Our palace, and the smaller houses belonging to it were very soon stripped of everything; furniture, treasurers, all were stolen by the people. (Lady Blomfield, The Chosen Highway, p. 40)
In 1852, when the attempt on the life of the Shah was made, as you all know, Bahá'u'lláh was arrested and in that one moment, they lost all their wealth and comfort. Shoghi Effendi writes;
In those sinister hours, she often recounted, her parents had so suddenly lost their earthly possessions that within the space of a single day from being the privileged member of one of the wealthiest families of Tihran she had sunk to the state of a sufferer from unconcealed poverty. (Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 32)
Having been driven from their home, the family lived in a little house not far from the place in which Bahá'u'lláh was imprisoned. Bahíyyih Khanum mother managed to save some of the wedding gifts and these she sold to get some money in order to pay the jailors so she would be allowed to have some food sent to Bahá'u'lláh and for daily expenses.
Bahíyyih Khanum explains herself about this time.
“The mob crowded to these fearful scenes, and yelled their execrations, whilst all through the fiendish work, a drum was loudly beaten. These horrible sounds I well remember, as we three children clung to our mother, she not knowing whether the victim was her own adored husband. She could not find out whether he was still alive or not until late at night, or very early in the morning, when she determined to venture out, in defiance of the danger to herself and to us, for neither women or children were spared. How well I remember cowering in the dark, with my little brother, Mirza Mihdi, the Purest Branch, at that time two years old, in my arms, which were not very strong, as I was only six. I was shivering with terror, for I knew of some of the horrible things that were happening, and was aware that they might have seized even my mother. So I waited and waited until she should come back. (Lady Blomfield, The Chosen Highway, p. 42)
Can you even begin to imagine, she was only six years old when suddenly she went from comfort to such a life‐threatening situation? She was very aware of the danger in which they were exposed to, she was very much aware of the fact that Bábis were being persecuted and executed and they could be next.
Bahá'u'lláh was released after 4 months but banished to Iraq, out of Persia. That journey was a very difficult one, it was during winter and it was really cold. Bahíyyih Khanum shared all the
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exiles and banishments that Bahá'u'lláh suffered. The banishments were very difficult and gave much suffering to all the members of the family.
Section 4 – Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh
In 1892 Bahá'u'lláh passed away and this was of course a very sad moment. Reading her letters in which she describes this, it is obvious that she suffered very much. She says on one of her letters
“In reality no pen can depict the poignant feeling that surges in our hearts. Every expression would prove utterly inadequate, even less than the eye of a needle, inasmuch as words and syllables are incapable of conveying the intensity of this dire suffering. They are but a tiny drop compared to an ocean” (Bahíyyih Khanum, Compilation page 97)
Let us think about this situation, they have for 40 years been exiled, suffered and constantly persecuted. It has been very hard times but they were in the presence of the Manifestation of God. Now the Sun of Bahá had set and this was no more. It’s hard even to imagine the feeling of loss, how much they must have missed their Lord. Soon after the passing of Bahá'u'lláh, some of the family members arose to challenge 'Abdu´l‐Bahá, thus breaking the Covenant. This just added to the difficulties of Bahíyyih Khanum.
She not only lost her most precious Father, she also lost family members to the Covenant Breakers and friendships that had grown over the years. Shoghi Effendi writes about this.
"Great as had been her sufferings ever since her infancy, the anguish of mind and heart which the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh occasioned nerved her, as never before, to a resolve which no upheaval could bend and which her frail constitution belied. Amidst the dust and heat of the commotion which that faithless and rebellious company engendered she found herself constrained to dissolve ties of family relationship, to sever long‐standing and intimate friendships, to discard lesser loyalties for the sake of her supreme allegiance to a Cause she had loved so dearly and had served so well. (Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 36)
We must remember that for women in those days, the main arena for women´s social interaction was within the family. This no doubt caused sadness but also increased her feelings of isolation. The same had happened in Bagdad, during the years when her Father was in the mountains of Sulaymaniyyieh.
Section 5 – After the passing of 'Abdu´l‐Bahá
The passing of 'Abdu´l‐Bahá was very hard and difficult for Bahíyyih Khanum. Remember that 'Abdu´l‐Bahá had been with the family all the time, her big brother whom she had a very special bond with. After the Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, when 'Abdu´l‐Bahá was appointed the
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Centre of the Covenant, it was him to whom she turned for consolation. Those years immediately after the Ascension were truly difficult years. She herself says that it was
“[t]he most ruinous of disasters, the most dreaded of ordeals, the most hurtful of misfortunes. It was an earthquake that shook the pillars of the world… (Bahíyyih Khanum, Compilation page 174).
Shoghi Effendi says the following
"The ascension of 'Abdu'l‐Bahá, so tragic in its suddenness, was to her a terrible blow from the effects of which she never completely recovered. To her He, Whom she called 'Aqa', had been a refuge in times of adversity. On Him she had been led to place her sole reliance. In Him she had found ample compensation for the bereavements she had suffered, the desertions she had witnessed, the ingratitude she had been shown by friends and kindred." (Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 41)
Again she lost a dear one, again she found herself friends and family turning away, being disrespectful and alone. Once again, the Covenant Breakers became the cause of much pain and suffering.
Section 6 – The qualities of Bahíyyih Khanum
During all these sufferings and difficulties, Bahíyyih Khanum showed forth qualities of great value. She was entrusted with great responsibilities and tasks. Unfortunately we do not know much about the contributions she made in the early phases of the exile. We know that during the years in Bagdad, while in her teens, she was entrusted with delicate missions. During the years in Adrianople, when it was really tough times, she played a vital role in resolving the misunderstandings of some about the station of Bahá'u'lláh. These were difficult tasks that required a great deal of patience, wisdom and loving kindness. Although these tasks were of such difficult nature, she rose to the challenge with alacrity and joy.
As you all know, the task of completing the construction of the Shrine of the Báb was a very difficult one for 'Abdu´l‐Bahá as the Covenant Breakers did all they could to stop this process. Due to the dangers, it was very important for 'Abdu´l‐Bahá to conceal the casket containing the remains of the Báb. This casket was entrusted to The Greatest Holy Leaf and was for a time hidden in her room she had in the house of Abdullah Pasha.
She was also responsible for sacred writings of the Founders, relics and objects of great historical value. She ensured that they were collected, stored and taken care of. It was she who took the female pilgrims to see the painting of the Báb and the photo of Bahaullah. That is not a small responsibility.
Being in charge of the Household might sound as a fairly common and easy task. Far from it. Had the household consisted of a normal family of say 4 to 8 persons, ok why not. But the household of the Master was more than one hundred persons.
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After the ascension of Bahaullah, managing the household would broadly mean
• the purchase and preparation of food • taking care of guests and wives of officials that visited • further on when the pilgrims started to come, she was responsible for taking care of them in providing food and attend to the daily needs of the pilgrims.
Now as I said, had this been for about 10 people, ok but consider that the household was more than one hundred persons. Image yourselves preparing food, taking care of and receiving 100 guests for one party, it's not an easy task, is it? Just preparing the food takes time and energy, and then just imagine the cleaning up. With all this, consider two more things;
1. We have tools that far exceed those of those days. They did not have running water, any electricity but charcoal for fuel. 2. This work, which she headed, usually required them to get up early in the morning and working until very late. Now for the party, that’s once, this was every day.
Also we need to consider that this was undertaken during periods of extreme pressure, difficulties and hardship either from the officials or the activities of the covenant breakers. She undertook this enormous task so that the everyday needs of her Father and later her Brother would be met so they could do that which only they could.
When 'Abdu´l‐Bahá travelled to the west, he left the affairs of the Faith in the Holy Land to Bahíyyih Khanum who was His deputy. Shoghi Effendi says that Bahíyyih Khanum
“At the time of His absence in the western world, she was His competent deputy, His representative and vicegerent, with none to equal her. (Bahíyyih Khanum in compilation nr 5)
In this capacity, in addition to all other responsibilities;
“She received both dignitaries and officials of both sexes, spoke to the pilgrims on behalf of 'Abdu´l‐Bahá, inspired them, gave assistance to the poor, and offered her medical services to the sick. (Bahíyyih Khanum, Prophets Daughter p 79)
This role of acting head of the Faith was to continue when 'Abdu´l‐Bahá passed away. Remember how struck with grief and difficult it was for her and all the others there when the Master passed away, how sad they all were. In the midst of all this, as she was 77 years old, Bahíyyih Khanum together with other members of the Holy Family did the following;
1. She calmly comforted the grief‐stricken persons present. 2. She asked some persons to inform the friends in Akka of the sad news. 3. She also had a major part in having the whole Bahá'í Community being informed of the passing of 'Abdu´l‐Bahá. 4. She also started the preparations for the funeral of 'Abdu´l‐Bahá. a. She oversaw and worked with the receptions after the the funeral.
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b. During the week following the passing of the Master, about 50 to 100 of the poor of Haifa were daily fed at the Masters House. c. On the seventh day, corn was distributed to about a 1000 of them in memory of the Master d. On the fortieth day, a memorial feast was held in His memory to which about 600 had been invited. 5. Managing the wave of renewed anxiety from covenant breakers, Imagine, the Head of the Faith have passed away, the Bahais are struck with grief together with uncertainty about the future at the same time as the Covenant Breakers are more active than ever. a. Mirza Muhammad Ali renewed his claim to the leadership of the Faith. b. He came to the Masters house to see Bahíyyih Khanum, she did not receive him and instead sent him away. c. Mirza Muhammad Ali set about actively renewing his claim through articles in newspapers, appeals to Bahais in different countries (mainly Persia, Egypt and North America), to the legitimate successor to Bahá'u'lláh.
She was during this period, the point of contact between the Holy Family and the Bahá'í World Wide Community, individuals and institutions addressed their letters to her.
So to comfort the friends and defend the Faith she during this turbulent period of time did the following;
• She kept the contact alive through letters and telegram cables. • She gave assurance in clearly informing all that 'Abdu´l‐Bahá had left instructions in His Will and Testament, that a translation will be sent and that they should inform the friends of this. • Instructed all communities to have memorial meetings world over on January the seventh • Instructions as to how to defend the Faith
“NOW IS A PERIOD OF GREAT TESTS. THE FRIENDS SHOULD BE FIRM AND UNITED IN DEFENDING THE CAUSE. NAKEZEENS STARTING ACTIVITIES THROUGH PRESS AND OTHER CHANNELS ALL OVER THE WORLD. SELECT COMMITTEE OF WISE COOL HEADS TO HANDLE PRESS PROGANADA IN AMERICA. (PD p 117).
When it was clear that Shoghi Effendi was the appointed successor, the Bahá'ís in the entire world were informed. As you know Shoghi Effendi did not have the slightest clue of this and was taken by this. In the midst of the grief of losing his grandfather, to shoulder such an enormous responsibility was too much.
He needed to prepare for this task and therefore was absent for extended periods of time in 1922, 1923 and 1924. During his absence, he in a very clear manner gave Bahíyyih Khanum the authority to conduct the affairs of the Faith in the entire world.
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In this capacity, Bahíyyih Khanum did several things and one of the major tasks was the assisting of the Community in the transition from the Heroic Age to the Formative Age, she was the link so to say. This transition called for realizing two things;
1. Shoghi Effendi is the appointed Guardian of the Faith 2. Adjustment in thinking to accommodate the authority of elected spiritual assemblies, the building of a new administrative order (remember that Shoghi Effendi had consulted with selected friends about establishment of the The Universal House of Justice and came to the conclusion that the foundation in having Local Spiritual Assemblies and National Spiritual Assemblies was necessary.
Bahíyyih Khanum gave encouragement to the friends through
1. Inspiring stories that gave them hope – that of 'Abdu´l‐Bahá and Christ and His few disciples page 136. 2. Reminding about what 'Abdu´l‐Bahá had said, from Writings 3. Reminding of 'Abdu´l‐Bahá as the perfect example 4. Preparation and guidance for tests and difficulties by explaining about the nature and dynamics of tests. 5. Giving attention to the promulgation of the Faith and to begin the task of establishing its institutions. A lot of guidance on how to function as an assembly and the principle of Consultation, all from the letters of the guardian, nothing of her own.
She also oversaw and guided the defending the Faith. She was very systematic which is very tangible in her instructions on how to defend the Faith. When the persecutions were renewed in Persia, she instructed the following;
1. To visit the Persian ambassadors in each country and have them ask their government to protect our brothers and sisters from such aggressions. 2. To encourage their own governments to raise the issue of persecutions of Bahá'ís with their ambassadors in Tehran.
She even wrote what they could say to the representatives they met. Imagine all the Bahá'ís acting to protect their brothers and sisters in Persia.
This brings us to another task that Bahíyyih Khanum did, which was to foster and build a World Wide Bahá'í Identity. One of the ways she did this was by having Bahá'í Communities assist one another and starting to develop administrative capacity. Here are three examples;
1. Financial difficulty in Germany, information to friends in Persia so that spiritual and material help may be forthcoming. 2. News of success Australia has encouraged the teaching in Persia. 3. Earthquake in Japan, contributions made by believers in Haifa and dispatched to Japan.
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For the first time in religious history, I think, a woman was the Head of the Religion. This responsibility she shouldered when she was in her late 70‐ties. An interesting observation is that at the time of the passing of the Master, in 1921, she was in her late 70‐ties and Shoghi Effendi in his mid 20‐ties.
Section 7 – Bahíyyih Khanum as an example of a resilient person
How come some persons grow mentally and spiritually during significant changes, difficulties and crisis whereas others simply don’t?
How come some persons are very resilient, that is able to cope with adversity and bounce back from stressful experiences quickly and efficiently, whereas others fall down to never get up again?
We started out with asking this question, and then we took a look at what Shoghi Effendi says about Bahíyyih Khanum as an archetype. From there we established that she has suffered a lot, have gone through hard times and experienced many changes. We also saw how well she managed these crisis and difficulties. So what can we learn from her example in the light of our question?
Actually there have been studies about this matter and if you google “Qualities resilient people” you will find many homepages where they discuss this issue. You will also find many qualities, attitudes or traits that are found in resilient people. You will find “positive vision, tolerance of negative effects, enduring set of values, sense of purpose, social competence, problem‐solving skills”. One example that is relevant is that the term is used to describe iron. The more resilient the metal is, the greater ability it has to return to its original shape after it has been “bent” or submitted to pressure. Being resilient does not mean that one is completely unaffected by all the pressures. Bahíyyih Khanum was very affected and sad by the passing of her Father and brother. Being resilient means bouncing back to the “original shape”. However, these situations do leave their mark on our iron, stretch marks if you will. Most of the qualities one can find to be necessary to be resilient, boil down to a few basic qualities.
These are;
1. Acceptance of reality: having a realistic or close to realistic view of the situation is very important. It is also equally important to have a sound optimistic view. One needs to be realistic in its view of the situation because that will enable one to take steps to get out of the crisis or the difficulty. If one lives with a view that is far from reality, one never really sees the situation as it is and can never start working with it. Having an optimistic view is also important; there must be hope of coming out of this situation. However, that optimism must be balanced and realistic, call it realistic optimism. Having an unsound optimism will in itself cause a passivity or inaction as well as actually preventing a realistic assessment of the situation.
Looking at her life, we see that she was very well aware of the situation and had faith in the future which she never lost.
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a. Faith in the future, Bahíyyih Khanum had a clear vision of the future and saw the events of her time as the necessary steps in realizing that bright future. In one of her letters, we see how she encourages others and gives them this perspective of why we are doing what we are doing.
It always cheers my heart to hear from the dear friends whose hearts are so full of love and devotion, and desire to serve this Blessed Cause which has been proclaimed by Bahá'u'lláh to all the world, so that all national, racial, and religious prejudices will be abolished, and the world of humanity recognized as one home, and all men as brothers. (Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 223)
2. Strongly held belief that life is meaningful: Having a deep, enduring set of values that gives meaning to life is the key to be able to understand why things are happening. This enables one to find meaning to what is happening; it offers ways to interpret events. Having this vision is what makes it possible to look beyond the current situation into the future and start the journey towards the goal. It helps in interpreting experiences in a new light that helps one to manage the current situation and move into a better one. Lacking this, there is a great risk of considering oneself as a passive, innocent victim who is helpless and unjustly subjected to suffering, with absolutely no hope of improvement. a. Understanding of why we have tests and trials. The Greatest Holy Leaf understood why there are test and the dynamics of it. This she also conveyed to the friends so they would be able to better withstand tests.
“It is certain that tests and trials are inseparable from this life and a vital requirement thereof, especially for the human race and above all for those who claim to have faith and love. Only through trials can the genuine be known from the worthless, and purity from pollution, and the real from the false. The meaning of the sacred verse: 'Do men think when they say 'We believe' they shall be let alone and not be put to proof?' prevails at all times and is applicable at every breath, and fire will only bring out the brightness of the gold. (Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 179
b. Patience and submission, The Greatest Holy Leaf herself in a letter written just after the Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, during those difficult days, she gives her answer as how to cope with tests, trials and difficulties. She writes;
Nevertheless, when faced with the irrevocable decree of the Almighty, the vesture that best befits us in this world is the vesture of patience and submission, and the most meritorious of all deeds is to commit our affairs into His hands and to surrender ourselves to His Will. (Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 97)
c. Cheerful heart, regardless of what kinds of tests or difficulties she was going through, she always presented a very dignified behavior. Shoghi Effendi writes;
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No calamity, however intense, could obscure the brightness of her saintly face, and no agitation, no matter how severe, could disturb the composure of her gracious and dignified behaviour. (Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 35)
It is also very interesting to read that
“Notwithstanding all this, she never grumbled nor lost her faith in the future. She kept cheerful and tried to give cheer to others. She was a source of inspiration to every person that met her” (Compilations, Bahíyyih Khanum p. 89)
3. Finding solutions: The ability to make do with one has, to think of solutions to the problems, to see and imagine possibilities for action, even if there is lack of resources, is crucial in moving to a better state. This ability is important because the situation most often will not disappear of its own; rather one needs to be very active in creating a better situation. Gibbon, the famous author of the book, “The history of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire”, actually comes to the conclusion that the belief in Life after Death that was introduced by Christianity was one of the causes of the decline and the fall of the Roman Empire. This because people did not get involved in the situation of society, they just were waiting for the good times in heaven. We saw previously many examples of how she immediately initiated actions to manage the situations she was presented with. Her ability to solve problems such as the attacks of the Covenant Breakers is impressive. Section 8 – Closing
History will in due time, reveal the importance of The Greatest Holy Leaf has and have for the development of the Faith. Much more can be said about her life, her contributions, her qualities and role model as a leader, as a Bahá'í for us all and the great importance she had in the transition from the Heroic Age to the Formative Age we are currently living in. Just to give a glimpse of how great a role she has played, and how vital she has been, let me end with this letter by Shoghi Effendi sent to the Bahai World after the Passing of the The Greatest Holy Leaf in 1932.
O faithful friends! It is right and fitting that out of honour to her most high station, in the gatherings of the followers of Bahá'u'lláh, whether of the East or the West, all Bahá'í festivals and celebrations should be completely suspended for a period of nine months, and that in every city and village, memorial meetings should be held, with all solemnity, spirituality, lowliness and consecration ‐‐ where, in the choicest of language, may be described at length the shining attributes of that most resplendent Leaf, that archetype of the people of Baha. If it be possible for the individual believers to postpone their personal celebrations for a period of one year, let them unhesitatingly do so thus to express their sorrow at this agonizing misfortune. (Compilations, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 30
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