My reply to comments posted by dear Brent Poirier and Dr. Kavian S. Milani.

Your comment lacked sincerity and humbleness. It was devoid of Baha’i moral and Ethics. You cannot hurt the feelings of a fellow believer. You are unaware about the behavior of Central figures of the Faith certainly not of Beloved Shoghi Effendi. You have not seen the sincerity and humbleness of the Members of House of Justice. You are unaware of Baha’i way of consultation. Before commenting on any of my posting, I would advise you to follow Ethics of Internet.

Here I am compelled to answer your comment just because you claim yourself to be a Baha’i.

You claimed to be a self appointed spokesman on behalf of the Baha’is of Jewish background claming to know the Jew mentality very well. I am sure you are not authorized for it. It was not proper at all. The Jews whether “Baha’is” or “Not yet Baha’is” are the most soft spoken, sincere and humble people on earth.

You have done a thorough spell check of my bog and questioned me whether spell checks are not available on Iranian computers? Well the answer to your allegation is that I am REALLY unaware about the Iranian computers and its working but with absolute certainty I can say that spell checks are available on every American computer and must be available on the computers of followers of Mason Remy as well. Be assured I have not gone through your SITES and will never go, even for spell checks. We shun the Covenant Breakers.

I would advise you that next time when you log on to any Baha’i site do not go for spell checks but go for understanding the content

You very well tried to put a doubt, regarding Infallibility of the HOUSE in the minds of Baha’is under the grab of "misspell". I assure you that none of the Baha’is will fall in your trap. They will continue to believe that the Noble body is Infallible.

In Baha’i Faith we do not have preferences of Nationalities. Our two members of International Centre are Persian. Four members of the infallible body are Persian. We have a large number of Counselors and ABMs who are Persian. What more 10 out of 26 Hands of Cause were Persian. Mind it 26 and not 27.

In fact in every NSA we have at least one member who is Persian usually the Treasurer or the Secretary.

Regarding the Concept of A cluster producing 1000 converts, I would say, please update your knowledge about Baha’i Plans. Let me remind you that ENVITY is bad. In future when ENTRY BY TROOPS will begin, we will have more than 1000 converts in a year.

Well your enmity was reflected most in your last sentence calling “Anti Baha’i”. I fail to understand that if the Teaching is permitted in the Holy Land, how it can be termed as Anti Baha’i. Are you aware that in the present world only two types of people exist “Baha’is” and “Not Yet Baha’is”? It clearly points out that a day will come when the whole world will be following Baha'u'llah, that includes Jews as well.

Gathering for Baha'is of Jewish Descent in NYC

The Regional Bahá'í Council is delighted to announce this gathering to the believers in the region.

Gathering for Baha'is of Jewish Descent
New York City Baha'i Center 53 East 11th Street Between University Place and Broadway in Manhattan
Saturday, November 27th , from 4:30pm to 7:30pm second floor, front room with Baha'u'llah's announcement that the Promised One of Judaism has come, that the Burning Bush which spoke to Moses on Mt. Sinai has now appeared, thousands of Jews have accepted His Faith and became Jewish - Baha'is. With such a decision come untold blessings, challenges and responsibilities.
If you or your ancestors are of Jewish heritage, you are invited to an inaugural meeting for Baha'is of Jewish descent. The purpose of this meeting and the activities that will hopefully spring from are to facilitate the integration of Jewish Believers into the Baha'i community and to strengthen their grasp of the Covenant of Baha'u'llah.

The Department of the Secretariat, responding recently on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, has said that this is indeed a worthy intention. At this meeting we will come together to broaden our understanding of the Baha'i Writings as they relate to Judaism and the Jewish people, and to consult as to how to translate those Words into deeds.

Appeal of Jewish background Baha'is to the State of Israel.

Dear Sir,
We the Baha'is of the Jewish background plead you to please lift this restriction/ban from teaching this Most Divine, the Most Peace loving and the Newest religion to the citizens of Israel.

Dear Sir,
Let us make Local Spiritual Assembelies in all the different cities of Israel and a National Spiritual Assembely of the State of Israel. Let the Counsellors of the International teaching centre make yearly plans for the spread of Bahai Faith in Israel. Let the Israeli children attend Bahai moral classes , let the Bahai youth start intensive programme of Growth for the Israeli citizen, let these young pure souls sign the Bahai youth card.

Dear Sir,
Let us group the various local spiritual Assembelies in Israel into different clusters like A, B, C, D. Let us make plans to have more and more “A” clusters as we are trying in other countries. Dear Sir, by ‘A’ cluster we mean there are 1000 convert in a year and a cluster which can launch intensive programme of Growth (IPG) for the spread of Bahai Faith.

Dear Sir,
Let the Israeli citizen after accepting the Bahai Faith donate generously to the Bahai Fund and pay their Huququllah (The Right of God) . Dear sir, please do not deprive your citizens of this spiritual bounty, Because donation in the Bahai Faith is considered as a spiritual Bounty given only to the Bahais and we do not accept it from Non Bahais.

Dear Sir,
Let our Infalliable ‘House of Justice’ issue special Messages to the Bahais “How to Teach Jew Youths”.

Dear Sir,
By now we have nine Temples or the Houses of Worship in countries like Australia, India, Germany, Panama, Samoa, Etc. We have purchased lands in more than 120 countries for building our future House of Worship. Dear Sir, please give us permission to purchase a land for constructing the House of Worship in Israel also.

Dear Sir,
We do not take part in politics, it is prohibited to a Baha'i. Moreover we never go against the Law of any Government, we promise that we will abide by this Law.

Dear Sir,
Baha’u’llah is the Promised One of all religions: the return of Christ to the Christians, the Messiah to the Jews, Shah Bahram to the Zoroastrians. Al Qaem for the Muslims.

Dear Sir,
Whenever our Honorable members of ‘House of Justice’ visit different countries they make a covenant with the Bahais. The covenant is ‘they will pray in the Holy Shrines on our behalf and the Bahais should propagate the Bahai Faith on their behalf’. As staying in Israel as they are deprived of the bounty of teaching the Bahai Faith. Dear sir, We plead you to please lift this ban, let them get this bounty of teaching. After all, these nine members are the one that when God looked at the earth, the first nine member which he selected to serve his Faith were these Members of the House of Justice.

Dear Sir,
All the religions like Judaism, Chritanity, Islam Buddhism, Hindiusm are rusted and their followers are spiritually dead as they have failed to recognise Baha’u’llah, infact these religions are Kindergarden and Bahai Faith is a Graduate School.

Dear Sir,
Let the Israelis accept the Bahai Faith and make a spiritual progress in Abha Kingdom. Dear Sir please do not deprive your people of the progress of their soul in Abha Kingdom.

Dear Sir,
Christianity has become a spiritual desert, Islam has been taken over by hallucinating ayatollahs, likewise all other religions have been rusted as they have been taken over by superstitions. It is the Bahai Faith which has all its full Glory and Honour.

Dear Sir,
Bahai Faith has become the second most widespread religion on earth and it has the fastest conversion rate. It is the most comfortable religion but such a religion is not allowed to preach and propagate to the Israeli is just a matter of great concern to us.

The problems of the Citizen of the State of Israel

1-However, in keeping with a policy that has been strictly followed since the days of Bahá'u'lláh, We Bahá'ís do not teach the Faith in Israel. Likewise, the Faith is not taught to Israelis abroad if they intend to return to Israel. When Israelis ask about the Faith, their questions are answered, but this is done in a manner which provides factual information without stimulating further interest."
(Ref: The Universal House of Justice, 1995 Jul 23, Teaching Israelis)

2-"Whenever an Israeli citizen living in the West, irrespective of his background and religious affiliation, declares his belief and interest in becoming a member of the Bahá'í community, he is informed that the Faith is not taught in Israel and that there is no Bahá'í community there apart from those who are associated with the Bahá'í World Center. He cannot be accepted into the Bahá'í community if he is planning to return to Israel to reside there.

3-"If he plans to continue to reside outside Israel, his enrollment can be accepted, but he will then be subject to the same restrictions about travel to Israel as any other Bahá'í, in that he could do so only with the express permission of the Universal House of Justice. In any event, the Universal House of Justice should be informed of any such declaration.
(Ref: Letter from the Universal House of Justice, dated October 20, 1994, to several National Spiritual Assemblies.")

(Compilations, NSA USA - Developing Distinctive Baha'i Communities)

Co-operation between the State of Israel and Baha’i Faith

1-Bahai Faith is officially recognized in State of Israel.

2-All their possessions and properties are being exempted from Government taxes and duties and even for their necessary imports the Baha'is enjoy exemption of custom duties.

3-The publication of Bahai news and information in Israeli news paper and their broadcast over the Israeli radio is permissible and moreover radio Israel sometimes congratulates the Baha'is on their festivals

4-Mrs. Ruhiya Rabbani in one newspaper where she had said "I prefer that the youngest religion i.e. Bahai Faith grows and expands in the most newly country in the world i.e. Israel. we belong to this place and have attachment to each other and in fact it must be said that the future of us and Israel is like the rings of one chain connected to each other."

5-When a Baha'i from other country wants to visit State of Israel, the Israel security exempts the Baha'is from rigorous questioning, if he shows the letter from the UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE.

6-We acknowledge the periodical visits of Israeli Prime Ministers, Presidents and other high ranking officials at our World Centre. The Kind and the good words which they spoke for our Faith cannot be easily forgotten. The last which we heard was former Prime Minister Mr. Arien Sharon.

7-The Government officials in Israel have access to factual information about the Faith, its history and general principles. Books concerning the Faith are available in libraries throughout the State of Israel, and Israelis are welcome to visit the Shrines and the surrounding gardens.

The Support of State of Israel to Baha'i Faith

(a) The Israeli president and his wife Mrs. Ben Zoy paid a scheduled visit to the holy sites of Mount Carmel, following the reception given in their honor at the home of His Holiness Abdul-Baha.”

(b) “The Israeli Government’s relations with His Holiness Vali Amrollah and the international Bahai delegation are friendly and sincere. It is a pleasure that successes have been achieved in recognition of the faith in the holy land.”

(c) 12th November 1952, Contract was signed with the Development Authority of the State of Israel whereby the Bahá’í Community secured some 40 Acres of land surrounding the sacred Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh.

(d) January 1954,(On the behalf of the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi) The President of the International Bahá’í Council (Charles Mason Remey who later on was declared a Covenant Breaker) and Secretary General (Leroy Ioas), asked permission to call on the President of the State of Israel to greet him officially.

(e) Many years ago, the following statement appeared in the official Bahai publication “We are very proud and pleased to announce to the Baha'is the expansion and development of relations between the Bahaism and the officials of the Israeli Government.”

(f) Dr. Lutfullah Hakim, a member of the Universal House of Justice in Israel, in a letter to the Bahai community, wrote:
“ These days the Israeli newspapers, whether in Hebrew, Arabic or English, publish detailed articles on the Bahai religion and His Holiness.”

(g) Amatul Baha Mrs. Roohieh Khanum in a press conference, said:
“ I prefer to have the youngest religion, Bahaism germinate in the newest country of the world, Israel. We belong to, and depend on this country, Israel. Indeed, I should say that ours and Israel’s future are interlinked like a chain.”

(h) The Bahai representatives had meetings with Ben Gorivan the then Prime Minister of Israel in which they expressed their gratitude and appreciation towards Israeli Government and also spoke about sincere feelings and affections of the Bahais for the progress and fate of the Israeli government.

(i) Our Beloved Guardian of the Bahai Faith Shoghi Effendi had a meeting with Master Benzavi of the ex-President of Israel, He told him “I hope that the world Bahai centre in Israel will in an ever- increasing manner be always effectual in progress and lofty position of the country and in the welfare of its citizens."

(j) The official visit of the former president of Israel, Mr. Zalman Shahzar to the Bahai centre on 7th april 1964 and heartly exchanges of compliments between them to the sign of intense connection and cooperation between the Bahai's and the Jews.

The Baha'i Role in creation of Holy Land of Israel

At a time when the international community of the World were pleading to the United Nations to give official status to their government of Israel, Our Beloved Guardian Shoghi Effendi (grandson of Abbas Effendi), in a letter to the United Nations on behalf of the Palestinians, emphasized his sincere relationships with the Jews and supported their plans for establishment of Holy Land of Israel.

The Declaration of the First Jew of City of Hamadan

The declaration of the first Jews of Hamadan were equally unexpected. In 1877 a Jewish physician Hakim Aqa Jan was called upon to treat the malaria stricken wife of Muhammad Baqir, a prominent Bahá'í of Hamadan. Accidentally, Aqa Jan gave her strychnine pills instead of quinine. When she nearly died, Aqa Jan became panic stricken, expecting violent repercussions, not only for himself but towards the entire Jewish community as well. Seeing his consternation, Muhammad Baqir assured him that he would not hold him responsible for what was obviously a mistake. The wife recovered, but Aqa Jan was so impressed by Muhammad Baqir's kindness that he assumed Baqir could not be a Muslim and asked him regarding his religion. Muhammad Baqir then informed him that "a new religion has appeared in the world by the name of Bahá'í". Aqa Jan made a thorough investigation of the tenets of the Bahá'í religion and eventually embraced it along with some forty friends and family members, including his father, a leading rabbi of the town.
(quoted in Sulaymani, Masabih-i 4:452-53).

Mr. Lutfullah Hakim
He was the member of the first Universal House of Justice formed in 1963 and was from Jewish background.

Jews and Baha'i Faith

Jews acceptance of Bahai Faith

Although Bahá'u'lláh's writings addressed Christians more than any other non-Muslim religious groups and addressed them at an earlier date, but it were the Jews who accepted the Bahai Faith more than any other religious groups.

The Jewish acceptance movement began in Hamadan around 1877, and by 1884, according to the historian of Persian Jewry Habib Levy, involved some one hundred and fifty of the eight-hundred Jewish households.
(Levy, Tarikh-i-Yahud-i-Iran 657).

From there, the Bahá'í Faith spread to the Jewish communities of other Iranian cities, including Kashan (where half of the Bahá'í community was of Jewish origin), Tehran, Isfahan, Bukhara, and Gulpaygan (where seventy-five percent of the Jewish community was said to have accepted The Baha’I Faith)
(Curzon, Persia 500).

According to the our Bahá'í historian Hasan Balyuzi, Táhirih was instrumental in converting a number of Jews to the Babí Faith in Hamadan
(Balyuzi, The Báb 165).

These acceptance do not appear to have had any connection with later Bahá'í declarations. It should be noted however, that of all the Babí leaders, Táhirih was the most outspoken in departing from Islamic norms.