Shoghi Effendi's "Will", or lack thereof

[AdibM]

As I understand it, the Guardian left no Will and Testament, and the reason as to why is largely something that should be taken on faith. There are probably other reasons as to why this was the case; I was just never informed so please share things with me that I've overseen.

Anyway, I found it interesting that Mr. Nakhjavani, former member of the House, made a little slip up somewhere between 4:20 and 4:45 here:

http://bahairants.com/ali-nakhjavani-sp ... 3-528.html

He says "Shoghi Effendi himself, in his Will," but then transitions to the Dispensation of Baha'u'llah, which is something Shoghi wrote or compiled if I'm not mistaken. I've heard that some people actually refer to that work as Shoghi Effendi's "will", perhaps that had something to do with it. Or maybe he just made a slip-up because he's getting on in years - no offense at all to this wonderful man, as it could happen to anyone. And then you see people like Nima Hazini talking about how there really was a document in 1957 attributed to Shoghi, an Afnan member was alive and to be chosen, etc. but I really find that notion to be ridiculous, especially coming from someone who has called us "a dangerous cult like Scientology." But I digress.

Curious about your thoughts on this topic. I personally still don't believe he ever left a Will and that this was probably just a slip-up, but it's always good to have discussions and deepend our understanding of the Faith.

[MontanaDon]

Curious about your thoughts on this topic. I personally still don't believe he ever left a Will and that this was probably just a slip-up, but it's always good to have discussions and deepend our understanding of the Faith.

The Dispensation of Baha'u'llah was a letter addressed to the Western Baha'is by Shoghi Effendi. It's found in World Order of Baha'u'llah. Ruhiyyih Khanum reports that Shoghi Effendi told her that The Dispensation said all he had to say. It was entered and accepted by the Israeli Courts as his will and testament. So tho' it is not in the form of what we would normally think of as a will, many of the older believers routinely referred to it as Shoghi Effendi's will.

A determined prowling of obscure sites and sites by obscure "experts" will yield no end of conspiracy theories about the Faith. In regard to a possible successor to Shoghi Effendi, we also need to remember that a lot of Baha'is believed in 1957 that there was a "Hidden Aghsan" that would come to light in due time. But if there were one, then the entire basis for the Faith as specified in the Covenant of Baha'u'llah would come crashing down. This is because the House of Justice has said there is no successor to Shoghi Effendi or a way to name one. If this is a mistake, then the W & T of Abdu'l-Baha where He refers to the House of Justice is bogus. If that is true, then Baha'u'llah's Will where He refers to Abdu'l-Baha is bogus. If that is true, then Baha'u'llah's claim to be a Manifestation is likewise bogus.

Don C

[AdibM]

Curious about your thoughts on this topic. I personally still don't believe he ever left a Will and that this was probably just a slip-up, but it's always good to have discussions and deepend our understanding of the Faith.

The Dispensation of Baha'u'llah was a letter addressed to the Western Baha'is by Shoghi Effendi. It's found in World Order of Baha'u'llah. Ruhiyyih Khanum reports that Shoghi Effendi told her that The Dispensation said all he had to say. It was entered and accepted by the Israeli Courts as his will and testament. So tho' it is not in the form of what we would normally think of as a will, many of the older believers routinely referred to it as Shoghi Effendi's will.

Thanks very much for that clarification!

[brettz9]

On the one hand, it can, of course, be said that Shoghi Effendi did not leave a will in the sense of designating someone to follow him:

The fact that Shoghi Effendi did not leave a will cannot be adduced as evidence of his failure to obey Bahá'u'lláh -- rather should we acknowledge that in his very silence there is a wisdom and a sign of his infallible guidance. We should ponder deeply the writings that we have, and seek to understand the multitudinous significances that they contain. Do not forget that Shoghi Effendi said two things were necessary for a growing understanding of the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh: the passage of time and the guidance of the Universal House of Justice.

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice, par. 35.3, p. 83)

On the other hand, let's see why it is conceivable to think of the Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh as a "will". Let's first consider what Bahá'u'lláh defined as requirements for writing a will:

Unto everyone hath been enjoined the writing of a will. The testator should head this document with the adornment of the Most Great Name, bear witness therein unto the oneness of God in the Dayspring of His Revelation, and make mention, as he may wish, of that which is praiseworthy, so that it may be a testimony for him in the kingdoms of Revelation and Creation and a treasure with his Lord, the Supreme Protector, the Faithful.

(Kitab-i-Aqdas, par. 109)

As far as heading "this document with the adornment of the Most Great Name", it is, I think, interesting to note that the document was published during the lifetime of Shoghi Effendi as "The Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh", with Baha'u'llah being a form of the Most Great Name.

As far as the need to "bear witness therein unto the oneness of God in the Dayspring of His Revelation"...

The "oneness of God" is a theme full of many meanings. Its implications include, as our Writings explicitly confirm, such concepts as the unknowability of God, the oneness of the Manifestation's will with God's will, the oneness among all of the Prophets. Shoghi Effendi discusses such implications in "The Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh", and of course very clearly indicates the manifestation of that oneness within "the Dayspring of His Revelation"--in other words, Bahá'u'lláh.

Within the context of writing a will, Baha'u'llah further says one should "make mention, as he may wish, of that which is praiseworthy". In the epistle, "The Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh", which Shoghi Effendi himself recommended (see also here for quotes and resources), Shoghi Effendi describes the significance of the new Day of God and outlines the role and stations of Bahá'u'lláh, the Báb, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and the Administrative Order (which encompasses the twin successors of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice). Such a clear, thorough, and succinct exposition on topics so essential to the Faith as Shoghi Effendi gives in that letter is, of course, "praiseworthy", and a great "testimony" and "treasure".

Beyond all of this, in a letter written on Shoghi Effendi's behalf, he even suggested this letter be studied in conjunction with Book of the Covenant of Baha'u'llah (where He designates 'Abdu'l-Bahá as His Successor--read: a Will and Testament) and the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá:

“He feels, indeed, that the time has come for the German believers to acquire a thorough knowledge as well as a full understanding of such important Tablets as Bahá’u’lláh’s “Book of My Covenant” and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Will and Testament, both of which constitute the very bedrock upon which the entire administrative system of the Faith has been raised and established. As to the “Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh” it also constitutes an invaluable supplement to these afore-mentioned Tablets.”

(On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 10 January 1935, Pearls of Wisdom: The Importance of Deepening our Knowledge and Understanding of the Faith, p. 89)

And, in the Priceless Pearl, Ruhiyyih Khanum, Shoghi Effendi's wife and Hand of the Cause, indicates, as far as I can recollect, that Shoghi Effendi considered it as his will (I hope someone on possession of the book can confirm that--unfortunately, it is, I believe, still under copyright so it is not available online) and that he had no possessions to speak of.

best wishes,
Brett

[David Bowie]

MontanaDon wrote:

"Ruhiyyih Khanum reports that Shoghi Effendi told her that The Dispensation said all he had to say. It was entered and accepted by the Israeli Courts as his will and testament. So tho' it is not in the form of what we would normally think of as a will, many of the older believers routinely referred to it as Shoghi Effendi's will."

Ruhiyyih Khanum actually wrote: "I know from his remarks that he considered he had said all he had to say, in many ways, in the Dispensation." (Priceless Pearl, p. 213)

Don, I would love to see a source for the thought that the Dispensation was accepted by the Israeli Courts as his will and testament. There is no mention of this in The Ministry of the Custodians - the book that documents the actions of the Hands of the Cause immediately following the death of Shoghi Effendi.

David

[MontanaDon]

MontanaDon wrote:

Don, I would love to see a source for the thought that the Dispensation was accepted by the Israeli Courts as his will and testament. There is no mention of this in The Ministry of the Custodians - the book that documents the actions of the Hands of the Cause immediately following the death of Shoghi Effendi.

Well I tho't I saw a post supporting this a couple years ago, but I can't find anybody on-line presently that has any kind of documentation. So-o-o-o . . . . . .

Don C

[Keyvan]

Nima Hazini is notorious for manufacturing conspiracy theories.

He wakes up every morning and thinks up how he can go online to Baha'i message boards and spread lies to cause chaos. Seriously he floods message boards with conspiracy theories against the Baha'i Faith that have no documentation backing whatsoever, and they even contradict his other conspiracy theories. I don't think we should give any dignity to anything he says.

Here is Dr. Nakhjavani's speech on The Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice:

http://bahai-library.com/index.php5?fil ... &chapter=2