Baha’i perspective on the concept of “karma”

Memorandum

To: The Universal House of Justice

From: Research Department

Date: 5 September 2006

Baha’i Perspective on the Concept of “Karma”

The Research Department has studied the email letter dated 5 August 2006 from .... She states that she has been unable to find the Baha’i view of "karma” using the Baha'i sources to which she has access, and she wonders whether the term appears in the Bahá’í teachings or whether there is a parallel in the Baha'i terminology for it. She explains that she has many friends in esoteric and non-esoteric circles who speak of karma as something quite normal and important. If we understand correctly, she would like to be able to relate to her friends better by having an accurate understanding of the Baha'i perspective on this concept.

We do not have enough information to know how ... and her friends define and use the term "karma”. It might be helpful to begin, therefore, by drawing attention to the following explanation of the "law of karma” in Hinduism and Buddhism that appears in Moojan Momen’s “The Phenomenon of Religion: A Thematic Approach”:

“Whatever suffering falls to a person is the result of past actions by that person. The law of karma in Hinduism and Buddhism is a law of cause and effect. Every event that occurs is caused by previous events. If suffering occurs in the life of a person, then this has been caused by evil deeds done by that person in the past. With the concept of reincarnation or rebirth, "the past” includes past lives.

As it is outlined above, the concept of karma is based upon the view that our present suffering is the result of the evil deeds we have committed in the past. On the other hand. ...is doubtlessly familiar with statements scattered throughout the Baha'i Writings on the subject of human suffering and its multiple causes. For example,

Use of Masculine Pronouns and Images

 Memorandum

To: The Universal House of Justice

Date: 25 July 2002

From: Research Department

Use of Masculine Pronouns and Images

The Research Department has studied the questions on the above-mentioned subject raised by Mrs. ... in her emailed letter dated 22 June 2002 to the Universal House of Justice. Mrs. ... observes that in the authorized English translations of the Bahá’í Scriptures and in the English writings of the Guardian, God is invariably termed "Father", masculine pronouns are used in reference to the Divinity, and the term "man" is used to represent humanity as well as individuals. From her study of the Bahá’í teachings Mrs. ... is aware that "this usage is a product of convention and the images are generic and intended to be inclusive". She is also cognizant of the fact that "these practices nevertheless raise certain questions because of the importance of language in the formation of worldview”. In this regard she states that "according to [her] understanding, two important spiritual features of this age will be the deanthropomorphization of God in the minds of human beings and the equality of the sexes". However, it is her view that the present "language of the Bahá’í scriptures ... can be seen to repeat and reinforce the sense that the Divine is somehow male", and the "consistent use of‘man’ and masculine pronouns in the Writings to represent humanity and individuals contributes to an image that the human archetype is male". In light of these observations, Mrs. ... poses a number of detailed questions concerning the work of translation—the implications of present practice for future translations, whether "Bahá’í English with regard to gender was crystallized at the point of the Guardian’s translations”, whether the universal auxiliary language will need "to retain masculine imagery in order to be true to the message or will it be able to establish new forms", and whether "there are spiritual implications to sex-specific imagery ... being fixed in holy Scriptures for all time or at least until the end of this dispensation”. We provide the following comment.

By way of introduction, we wish to note that the Research Department has not, to date, been able to locate detailed guidance concerning the specific technical issues raised by Mrs. ... about the practical implications of present translation practices for the future work of translation, especially as they relate to gender issues. To assist Mrs. ... in thinking about the questions she poses, we attach the following four compilations:

Various Topics: Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl on Abraham and Zoroaster; Baby Naming; Minimum Age of Marriage; Smoking; Corporal Punishment; Táhirih as "Women Suffrage Martyr"

Memorandum

28 May 2002

The Research Department has studied the email message of 2 January 2002 to the Universal House of Justice from Mr. ___ in which he asks for assistance in reconciling various statements from the Writings that seem to contradict each other. He states his awareness that "many times the reconciliation of seeming contradictions produces a new spark of truth" and draws attention to two or more apparently contradictory quotations on six different subjects. He offers his thoughts about how each of the apparent contradictions might be resolved, and asks for further clarification. The following is our response.

General Comments

It seems to the Research Department that before addressing Mr. __'s specific concerns it might be useful to offer the following comments:

In a letter of 19 March 1946 written on his behalf, Shoghi Effendi offers the following guidance about apparently contradictory statements:

“We must take the teachings as a great, balanced whole, not seek out and oppose to each other two strong statements that have different meanings; somewhere in between, there are links uniting the two. That is what makes our Faith so flexible and well balanced. For instance there are calamities for testing and for punishment--there are also accidents, plain cause and effect!”

The elucidations of both 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi and the clarifications provided by the Universal House of Justice are often not intended to be a comprehensive treatment of a subject but were written as responses to specific queries of believers.

In attempting to resolve a seeming contradiction between two statements, it is often illuminating to consider each statement in the context in which it appears. It is also important to consider the reliability of the translations. With the obvious exception of translations of the Guardian, early translations may be inaccurate and misleading.

Transsexuality

Memorandum

To: The Universal House of Justice

Date: 26 December 2002

From: Research Department

Transsexuality

The Research Department has studied the questions concerning the Bahá’í perspective on the “medical and social treatments of transsexual people” raised by Mr. ... in his email message of 7 November 2002 to the Universal House of Justice. We provide the following response.

As to the Bahá’í view of transsexuality and sex-change operations, the extract from a letter dated 31 August 1983, written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, cited below, sets out the following guidance:

“The House of Justice has not found any text in the Bahá’í writings which deals explicitly with the subjects of transsexuality or surgical operations carried out to change sex or to establish a single sex. It has decided that changes of sex or attempts to change sex should, at the present time, be considered medical questions on which advice and guidance should be sought from experts in that field.”

Mr. ... is doubtless aware that the issue of transsexuality and the question of determining the circumstances under which sex-change operations should be undertaken are very complex. There is a wide range of gender identity disorders of which transsexuality is one of the most extreme. In addition, international standards of care have been established for gender identity disorders. These include psychotherapy, hormone treatment and surgical therapy, which are frequently offered sequentially to the individual concerned. The specific treatment regimen, necessarily, depends on the diagnosis and decision of the medical experts involved.

With regard to the specific questions raised by Mr. ... we attach for his interest a short compilation of extracts from letters written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice in response to questions concerning the subjects of transsexuality and sex-change operations.

The Original Text of the Súriy-i-Haykal

Memorandum

From: Research Department

To: The Universal House of Justice

Date: 29 September 2002

The Original Text of the Súriy-i-Haykal

The Research Department has been asked by the Universal House of Justice to provide a summary of the considerations that led to its choice of the manuscript which served as the basis for the translation of the Súriy-i-Haykal.

The question of the authenticity of the numerous transcribed copies of the Súriy-i-Haykal held in the Bahá’í World Centre Archives, as well as of the various printed editions, was the subject of detailed study by the Research Department during the preparation of ‘The Summons of the Lord of Hosts’. Its manuscript history can be summarized as follows: Originally revealed in Adrianople, the Súriy-i-Haykal in its initial form had limited circulation and was addressed principally to members of the Bábí community who had not yet recognized Bahá’u’lláh. Soon after the arrival of the exiles in ‘Akká it was recast in scope and content and expanded to include five of Bahá’u’lláh’s principal messages to individual kings and rulers. This early ‘Akká-period text, which can be regarded for all intents and purposes as a separately revealed work, was later revised in the Holy Land, at Bahá’u’lláh’s initiative, in preparation for its publication in Bombay in 1308 A.H. (1890-91) as the first and longest Tablet of the Kitab-i-Mubin. The bulk of these final revisions are primarily stylistic in nature, although in a few cases, such as in paragraph 80 of the translation of the Súriy-i-Haykal, the changes are more substantial.

The Research Department’s conclusion that the final revisions were undertaken with Bahá’u’lláh’s approval is based primarily on the existence of three manuscripts held in the Bahá'í World Centre Archives which corroborate the reading of the Súriy-i-Haykal in the Kitáb-i-Mubín. The first, which was donated to the Archives in 1990, is in the hand of Zaynu’l- Muqarrabin and is dated 30 Jamádíyu'th-Thání 1307 (21 February 1890). The other two are undated draft copies, both in the hand of Mírzá Áqá Ján and also held in the Archives. These three manuscripts match closely the reading of the Bombay Kitáb-i-Mubín, including the revised wording of paragraph 80:

‘Alíyu’lláhí and Nusayrí Sects and the Infallibility of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Memorandum

To: The Universal House of Justice

Date: 6 March 2002

From: Research Department

‘Alíyu’lláhí and Nusayrí Sects and the Infallibility of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

The Research Department has studied the questions raised by Mr. ... in his email message of 16 October 2001 to the Universal House of Justice. He states that in chapter nine of H. M. Balyuzi’s ‘The Báb: The Herald of the Day of Days’, "Mr. Balyuzi establishes that the guards who escorted the Báb from Isfahán to the northern region of Iran were members of the ‘Alíyu’lláhí sect". Mr. ... points out that Mr. Balyuzi indicates that in ‘A Travellers Narrative ‘Abdu’l-Bahá "affirms that those who escorted the Báb were followers of the Nusayrí sect". Mr. ... writes that, "Although Mr. Balyuzi highlights the similarity between these two sects..., as far as beliefs are concerned”, the two sects are very different from one another. He asks, “If Abdu’l-Bahá’s infallibilities include the power to know of far-off or remote historical events such as, for example, His affirmation that Helena, mother of Constantine, knew the actual resting place of Jesus Christ's mortal remains, then would it not be more appropriate to omit other historical references in favor of Abdu’l-Bahá’s assertion of the identity of the horsemen who escorted the Báb?"

Mr. ... further asks, "If it were the case that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s infallibility is relative as concerns historiographical knowledge, then in which aspects is it for certain? Is the infallibility conferred on Abdul-Bahá (al-'isma al-Sifátiyya) comparable in its scope to that of the Guardian of the Faith?" We provide the following response.

1. ‘Alíyu'lláhí and Nusayri sects

The sources that Mr. ... referred to were perused. We provide both references below. On page 11 of A Traveller's Narrative, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá writes:

“A period of four months passed in this fashion, and the Mu'tamid passed away to the mercy of God. Gurgín Khán, the Mu'tamid's nephew, was aware of the Báb's being in the private apartments, and represented the matter to the Prime Minister. Hájí Mírzá Áqásí, that celebrated minister, issued a decisive command and gave instructions that they should send the Báb secretly in disguise under the escort of Nusayrí horsemen to the capital.”

The passage on page 118 of ‘The Báb: The Herald of the Day of Days’ reads as follows:

“Following the instructions of Muhammad Sháh, Gurgín Khán gave the custody of the Báb to Muhammad Big-i-Chápárchí (the chief courier). Muhammad Big belonged to the sect of Ahl-i-Haqq (the People of Truth), commonly known as the ‘Alíyu’lláhí, who have had a long tradition of tolerance, liberalism and rectitude. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá states in ‘A Traveller ‘s Narrative’ that the guards who escorted the Báb, on this journey to the north, were Nusayrí horsemen. Nusayrís and ‘Alíyu’lláhís are almost identical.

Prayer of the Báb, Jungle Story, Statement Concerning Persepolis, Psychic Powers

Memorandum

To: The Universal House of Justice

From: Research Department

Date: 6 August 2007

Prayer of the Báb, Jungle Story, Statement Concerning Persepolis, Psychic Powers

At the instruction of the Universal House of Justice, the Research Department has studied the questions on the above-mentioned subjects posed by Mr.--              in his email letters of 13, 18 and 23 May 2007 received at the Bahá’í World Centre. We provide the following response.

Prayer of the Báb

Mr. refers to Velda Piff Metelmann’s book entitled Lua Getsinger, Herald of the Covenant (Oxford: George Ronald, 1997). He indicates that in this book, it is stated that "Lua used to say a certain prayer that the Báb had given to Táhirih." Mr.-- wishes to know which particular prayer Lua used. From a preliminary perusal of Mrs. Metelmann’s book, the Research Department has located several brief references to Táhirih on pages 55 and 56, page 189, and pages 277 and 278, none, however, relate specifically to Lua's recitation of a prayer by the Báb. If Mr.-- could provide the precise page reference, it might be possible for the Department to undertake an additional search.

Story about a person in a jungle

With regard to the enquiry about "a story about someone trying to get out of a jungle, but repeatedly being put back by a hand to the middle of the jungle, unable to reach the city", the Research Department has found no information about this subject in the authoritative Writings of the Faith.

Statement concerning Persepolis

Letters written on behalf of the Guardian

Memorandum

To: The Universal House of Justice

Date: 12 January 2006

From: Research Department

Letters written on Behalf of the Guardian

In an email letter of 23 July 2005 addressed to the Universal House of Justice, Mr. _ poses a number of questions concerning the degree of authority to be accorded to the letters written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi and to the memoranda prepared by the Research Department, and he enquires whether all statements in the Writings should be accepted as being "based in fact, unless explicitly stated as being conditioned on other information.” The Research Department has studied the issues raised by Mr. and we offer the following comments.

Reference is made to statements on the Internet which apparently infer that the Guardian discontinued the practice of reviewing all letters written on his behalf when the amount of correspondence increased. Mr. _ seeks confirmation of the fact that Shoghi Effendi continued to review all letters written on his behalf until the end of his life. The Research Department sets out below the only information it has, to date, been able to locate on this subject.

In a postscript appended to a letter dated 7 December 1930, written on his behalf to an individual believer, Shoghi Effendi described the normal procedure he followed in dealing with correspondence written on his behalf:

“I wish to add and say that whatever letters are sent in my behalf from Haifa are all read and approved by me before mailing. There is no exception whatever to this rule.”

Given the Guardian’s categorical assertion, it follows that any “exception” to "this rule" would require his explicit permission. For example, in the latter years of his ministry, Shoghi Effendi assigned to the Hand of the Cause Leroy Ioas the special responsibility for monitoring the progress of the goals of the Ten Year Crusade. In implementing this specific function, Mr. Ioas worked under the close supervision of the Guardian; however, not all of his letters — for example, those simply requesting information about the goals — were viewed by Shoghi Effendi before being transmitted.

Repetition of the Greatest Name Ninety-five Times a Day

Memorandum

To: The Universal House of Justice       

Date: 15 September 2003

From: Research Department

Additional References Regarding Repetition of the Greatest Name Ninety-five Times a Day

The Research Department has studied the query raised by Dr. ... in his email message of 14 May 2003 to the Bahá’í World Centre. Dr. ... explains that he has conducted a preliminary search of the Bahá’í Sacred Writings and other references on the subject of the repetition of the Greatest Name ninety-five times a day. He appends a list of citations he has located, and explains that he has not found any additional insights or commentaries on “the law that brings ‘spiritual enrichment’ to our souls ‘by this simple act of worshipful meditation’”. He asks whether any additional references or materials are available on this law. We provide the following response.

Dr. ... is no doubt aware from a perusal of the Synopsis and Codification section of the “Kitáb-i-Aqdas”, that the “Repetition of the Greatest Name 95 times a day” is listed as one of the “Miscellaneous Laws and Ordinances”.

He has already referred to paragraph 18 in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, a segment of which reads:

“It hath been ordained that every believer in God, the Lord of Judgement, shall, each day, having washed his hands and then his face, seat himself and, turning unto God, repeat “Alláh-u-Abhá” ninety-five times.”

We bring to Dr. ...’s attention note 33 of “The Kitáb-i-Aqdas”, which refers to paragraph 18 and provides the following elucidation regarding the significance of the Greatest Name in relation to Bahá’u’lláh:

““Alláh-u-Abhá” is an Arabic Phrase meaning “God the All Glorious.” It is a form of the Greatest Name of God.... In Islám there is a tradition that among the many names of God, one was the greatest; however, the identity of this Greatest Name was hidden. Bahá’u’lláh has confirmed that the Greatest Name is “Bahá”.”

Definition of the word "ungodly"

Memorandum

To: The Universal House of Justice

Date: 10 September 2001

From: Research Department

Definition of the word "ungodly"

In their letter dated 1 June 2001 to the Universal House of Justice, Miss … and Miss … enquire about the meaning of the word "ungodly" as it is used in the following passage from the Hidden Words, and more generally in the Bahá'í Writings:

“O Son of Dust! Beware! Walk not with the ungodly and seek not fellowship with him, for such companionship turneth the radiance of the heart into infernal fire.”[1]

Specifically, Miss … and Miss … seek clarification concerning "who and what is considered ‘ungodly'". The Research Department has studied these issues, and we provide the following comments.

By way of introduction, we wish to note that the Research Department has not, to date, been able to locate in the Writings of the Faith either an authoritative interpretation of the verse cited above, or a detailed definition of the Bahá'í concept of "ungodliness". We note, however, that Bahá'u'lláh appears to link the decline of religion to the rise in the influence of the "ungodly". He states, for example:

“Religion is verily the chief instrument for the establishment of order in the world and of tranquillity amongst its peoples. The weakening of the pillars of religion hath strengthened the foolish and emboldened them and made them more arrogant. Verily I say: The greater the decline of religion, the more grievous the waywardness of the ungodly. This cannot but lead in the end to chaos and confusion”.[2]

Questions about possible misprints in published extracts from letters of Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice

Memorandum

To: The Universal House of Justice

Date: 17 June 2001

From: Research Department

Questions about possible misprints in published extracts from letters of Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice

The Research Department has studied the questions raised by Mr. --- in two electronic mail messages, both dated 19 February 2001, addressed to the Universal House of Justice. Specifically, he enquires about the accuracy of certain words that appear in Bahá'í publications. We provide the following comment.

"Directive" or "Direction"?

Mr. --- cites the following passage from a letter dated 12 November 1973 from the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia, (1) which is published in Lights of Guidance, A Bahá'í Reference File:(2)

"We urge you ever to bear in mind that the purpose of Bahá'í administration is primarily to lend strength and directive (3) to the teaching work and to promote the establishment of the Faith. It should never be regarded as an end in itself but purely as a means to canalize and make effective a spiritual vitality generated by the Word of God in the hearts of the believers."

Mr. --- expresses the view that the word "directive" appears to be out of place. He wonders whether it might be a misprint for the word "direction".

From a study of the issue it is apparent that a typographical error was introduced. The correct word is "direction", as Mr. --- suggests.

"Just" or "First"?

Reference is made to several Bahá'í publications, including the compilation on The Local Spiritual Assembly, Lights of Guidance and Developing Distinctive Bahá'í Communities,(4) all of which quote the following passage from a letter dated 14 October 1941, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to a Bahá'í couple:

Reference by Baha’u’llah to “Two great powers" in the Tablet of Maqsúd

Memorandum

To: The Universal House of Justice

From: Research Department

Date: 1 May 2001

Lawh-i-Maqsúd

The Research Department has studied the questions about the Lawh-i-Maqsúd [1] raised by Mr. ... in his email message of 7 February 2001 to the Universal House of Justice. Specifically, he enquires about the date of the revelation of the Tablet of Maqsúd and he seeks information about the "Two great powers"[2] referred to in this Tablet. We provide the following response.

Date of Revelation of the Tablet

The Lawh-i-Maqsúd was revealed by Bahá'u'lláh in the prison-city of 'Akká on the 29th of Safar 1299 A.H. (January 20 1882).

"Two great powers"

Mr. ... requests information about the "Two great powers", mentioned in the following passage from the Tablet of Maqsúd, that appears on page 170 of Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas.

Two great powers who regard themselves as the founders and leaders of civilization and the framers of constitutions have risen up against the followers of the Faith associated with Him who conversed with God.[3]

The Research Department has not, to date, been able to locate any references in the Bahá'í Writings that explain the identity of the two countries that arose against the followers of Moses. However, from a perusal of European history in the second part of the 19th century, it is suggested that the two powers referred to by Bahá'u'lláh in the Lawh-i-Maqsúd as being persecutors of the Jews would appear to be France and Russia. The world powers of the 1880s were Britain, France, Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia. The Encyclopedia Judaica indicates that the Jews were officially emancipated in Germany during the latter half of the 19th century, and although there was some anti-semitic activity in Austria, it was officially opposed by the government. In France, however, between 1881 and 1894, there was a rise of anti-Jewish publicity and agitation, the founding of the National Anti-Semitic League in 1889, and the demand in 1891 by 32 French deputies (members of parliament) that Jews be expelled from France, culminated in the infamous Dreyfus Affair of 1894. In Russia, the assassination of Alexander II led to pogroms, leading to the so-called "May laws" of 1882 which prohibited Jews from living in villages and in 1886 to the limitation of the number of Jews allowed into University. Discrimination was continued officially until 1918. There was no official anti-semitism in Britain.

Notes:

1 Published in Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1997), pages 159-178.

2 Ibid., page 170.

3 Moses

(Baha’i Library Online)

Attainment of the Unity of Nations and the Lesser Peace

Memorandum

To: The Universal House of Justice       

Date: 19 April 2001

From: Research Department

Re: Attainment of the Unity of Nations and the Lesser Peace

Introduction

The Baha'i Writings about world peace envisage the Most Great Peace coming as the culmination of two distinct processes which unfold gradually over a lengthy period. One of these processes concerns the growth and development of the Baha'i community, with the evolution of the Administrative Order and its efflorescence in the World Order of Baha’u’llah. The other process, the subject of this memorandum, is associated with developments in the wider society, notably the attainment of the unity of nations and the establishment of the Lesser Peace.

Unity of Nations and the Lesser Peace

Shoghi Eftendi refers to Baha’u’llah addressing "all the kings of the earth, summoning them to cleave to the Lesser Peace, as distinct from that Most Great Peace which those who are fully conscious of the power of His Revelation and avowedly profess the tenets of His faith can alone proclaim and must eventually establish...." In the words of Baha’u’llah:

“Now that ye have refused the Most Great Peace, hold ye fast unto this, the Lesser Peace, that haply ye may in some degree better your own condition and that of your dependents.”

“O rulers of the earth! Be reconciled among yourselves, that ye may need no more armaments save in a measure to safeguard your territories and dominions. Beware lest ye disregard the counsel of the All-Knowing, the Faithful.”

Be united, O kings of the earth, for thereby will the tempest of discord be stilled amongst you, and your peoples find rest, if ye be of them that comprehend. Should anyone among you take up arms against another, rise ye all against him, for this is naught but manifest justice. [1]

Definition and Scope of “Devotional Meetings"

Memorandum

2001  

To: The Universal House of Justice

From: Research Department

The Research Department has studied the questions concerning the concept of the devotional meeting raised by ... in his email of 4 August 2001 to the Universal House of Justice. ... mentions a recent meeting called by the Local Spiritual Assembly of ... in which representatives of the Bahá'í institutions who are resident in ... participated. He reports that one important area of consultation was the devotional meeting. In light of this gathering, ... enquires whether the Universal House of Justice has specified in any detail "what a Devotional Meeting looks like". He is particularly interested in "the definition and scope of such a meeting". We provide the following response.

As to the nature of the devotional meetings referred to in recent letters of the House of Justice, in response to a similar question raised by one of the believers, the House of Justice in a letter dated 13 March 2001 written on its behalf, provided the following general guidance:

Regarding your email message dated 14 February 2001, which has been received at the World Centre, questions concerning local devotional meetings should be referred to your Local or National Spiritual Assembly.

While the Research Department has, to date, been unable to locate any comprehensive definition of the nature and scope of devotional meetings, we have assembled, for ... information and study, a short compilation entitled "Selected Guidance Concerning Devotional Gatherings" [see below] The compilation consists of extracts from letters written by and on behalf of the Universal House of Justice. A number of themes emerge from perusal of the extracts contained therein. For example:

Servants in the Households of Bahá'u'lláh and the Báb

Memorandum

To: The Universal House of Justice

From: Research Department

Date: 2 February 2000

The Research Department has considered the questions raised by Mr. ---, in his email message of 2 December 1999. Mr. --- states that on some Internet discussion groups there is a discussion on the personal status of Mubarak, Isfandiyar and other Ethiopian servants in the households of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh (and other believers). Mr. --- ... states that "it has been alleged that the Guardian and the Universal House of Justice deliberately concealed" information on the status of the servants. Mr. Terry requests that he be sent information relevant to the above, or that a statement be prepared by the Research Department "in response to these allegations". We reply as follows.

By way of introduction, we note that, as Mr. --- is no doubt aware, the Bahá'í Faith is the first religion to explicitly ban slavery in its Sacred Scripture. Bahá'u'lláh prohibited this practice in clear and un-ambiguous language. In the Kitab-i-Aqdas (paragraph 72), it is stated:

“It is forbidden you to trade in slaves, be they men or women. It is not for him who is himself a servant to buy another of God's servants, and this hath been prohibited in His Holy Tablet. Thus, by His mercy, hath the commandment been recorded by the Pen of justice. Let no man exalt himself above another; all are but bondslaves before the Lord, and all exemplify the truth that there is none other God but Him. He, verily, is the All-Wise, Whose wisdom encompasseth all things.”

Returning to Mr. ---'s questions regarding the lives of servants of African descent in the households of Bahá'u'lláh and the Báb, we note that very little is known on the subject, and the information available is highly fragmentary and anecdotal in nature. Currently, the only work on this subject is Abu'l-Qasim Afnan's ‘Black Pearls: Servants in the Households of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh” (Los Angeles: Kalimat Press, 1988). In addition, we have found references to servants of the Holy Family in the following works:

Use of Star of the West in electronic form

Memorandum

To: The Universal House of Justice

Date: 3 March 1999

From: Research Department

The Research Department has considered the question raised by Mrs. Erica Toussaint in her email message of 27 December 1998. Mrs. Toussaint states that she and Mr. Chad Jones are involved in a "two-year long electronic scanning project" to make some of the secondary writings of the Faith available in electronic form. As part of this project, searchable electronic text of the Star of the West, volumes 1-25, is being made available, with a feature reminding users that "much of this material falls into the category of 'pilgrim's notes'". Since "some of the material in the Star of the West is not authenticated or is inaccurate," Mrs. Toussaint asks if the Universal House of Justice has any policy regarding republishing the Star of the West in electronic form. We reply as follows;

We have not been able to find any statement by the Universal House of Justice prohibiting the republication of the Star of the West volumes. Mrs. Toussaint may be interested in the following extract from a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, giving some guidelines on the use of the Star of the West volumes:

The House of Justice gave its permission for a republication of the volumes of Star of the West with the provision that the reproduction should be exactly as the originals with no additions, omissions, or comment, except for a brief publisher's note.

Mirza Mihdi; "Holy Family"; capitalization of pronouns, Guardian's use of English

Memorandum

To: The Universal House of Justice

Date: 13 October 1998

From: Research Department

Queries on Various Subjects

The Research Department has studied the queries contained in email messages of 25 March and 20 August 1998 to the International Teaching Centre from Mr. .... We have numbered his queries consecutively beginning with those in the earlier email and answer them below in turn.

1. Who took care of Mírzá Mihdí when Bahá'u'lláh was exiled to Baghdád?

There is apparently very little information available on this subject. In ‘Robe of Light’ it states that the only one of Bahá'u'lláh's relatives who came to say farewell on the day He left for Baghdád was "lady Ásíyih's mother who was to care for her little grandchild Mihdí".[1] According to Ásíyih Khánum: The Most Exalted Leaf, "[Ásíyih Khánum's] mother's name is not mentioned in any of the available historical sources."[2] We found no reference to "an aunt named Mariam" in connection with Mírzá Mihdí.

2. Use of the title "Holy Family"

The Research Department has not found any explicit guidelines in the Bahá'í Writings regarding the appropriate use of the title "Holy Family". It appears to be a general term which has meant different things at different historical times. The following extract from a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi illustrates how he used the terms "Holy Family" and "Holy Household":

“As to your question whether the members of the Holy Family fulfil, as such, any specific function in the Administrative Order, or in the teaching field: the Guardian wishes me to state that, while the members of the Holy Household, who stand loyal to the Cause, are entitled to every respect and consideration by the believers, yet there is no such function which they can inherently claim by being related to the Centre of the Cause. The believers, moreover, are not under any obligation to rise at the entrance or exit of any member of the Holy Family at the meetings. The higher the station of those who have the privilege of being related by ties of blood to the Centre of the Cause the greater indeed must be their responsibility to serve, and thus prove in deeds their worthiness to occupy such an exalted and responsible position.” (26 January 1939 to an individual)

References in the Bahá'í Writings to anti-Semitism and the Holocaust

Memorandum

To: The Universal House of Justice

Date: 24 September 1998

From: Research Department

In an email message of 8 July 1998, Mr. xxx asks for "any and all available references to anti-Semitism" in the Bahá'í Writings, especially in the correspondence of Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice. Furthermore, he asks if there are any references to the Holocaust in the Bahá'í Writings. We reply as follows.

We have been able to find very few references specifically dealing with anti-Semitism and the Holocaust. However, we share with Mr. xxx the attached compilation entitled "The Holocaust and the Greater Plan of God", which was prepared in response to a question as to whether the Holocaust was part of the Greater Plan of God. In a letter on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer dated 3 February 1988, we read that the "Bahá'í attitude to the Holocaust and the massive sufferings inflicted on mankind by the World Wars is clearly set forth by Shoghi Effendi in The Promised Day is Come...." Extracts 3 and 8 of the attached compilation are such references taken from The Promised Day is Come.

Further, Mr. xxx may be interested in the following two extracts from letters written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice regarding the Jewish people:

"It would be impossible for any community, much less the Bahá'í community, to forget the suffering of the Jewish people throughout a long period of history. As you know, Bahá'u'lláh, like the Prophets before Him, stated in His Writings that the Jews would return to their homeland, and this fulfillment of their heart's desire has taken place. Moreover, 'Abdu'l-Bahá has confirmed that the travail of the Jewish people is now to be ended. He wrote in a Tablet:

Mark of the beast and implanted computer chips

Memorandum

To: The Universal House of Justice

Date: 12 August 1998

From: The Research Department

Implantation of computer chip and mark of the beast

The Research Department has studied the questions on the above-mentioned subjects raised by Mr. … in his letter of 16 June 1998 to the Universal House of Justice. Mr. … refers to media reports which claim that each human being will one day be “identified by the use of a computer chip inserted under the skin”. According to Mr. …, “the proposed chip will be inserted into the hand or wrist of each individual”, and all information pertinent to the individual will be stored on the chip, thereby facilitating such things as financial transactions and the retrieval of medical records. Mr. … states that “many people are drawing parallels between this development and ‘the mark of the Beast’” referred to in the following verses from the Book of Revelation, chapter 13:

16. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads;

17. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred three score and six.[1]

He poses a number of questions about the Bahá’í understanding of the Biblical verses quoted above, the relationship between the computer chip and the “mark of the beast”, and what a believer should do if “governments or other authorities require citizens to be implanted with a computer chip”. We provide the following response.