Sects of Baha'i Faith

8/12/2019 Sects of Baha'i Faith

1/42

Sects of the Bah' Faith

Battle of Bah's


2/42

Like any other Faith where division amongst their followers is natural, Bah' Faith is noexception to it. ow much the Bah' leaders may claim that there is no divisionamongst Bah's the fact is that Bah' Faith does have different denominations, eachcalling themselves as the !"#$ Faith . !he fact is that in the small span of %& yearsBah' Faith has seen more divisions than any other religion.

("$)* !$ +-L$!$ /0!"1 F"- +")+20 /3 +4$3)3! ! B)!!L$ F

+4$3)3!05

ere is a 6rief treatise on the history of the division in the Bah' Faith 7 right from itsinception, the Ba6, 0u6he' )8al, Bah'u'llh, )66as $ffendi, 0hoghi $ffendi and finally tillthe present day #niversal ouse of 9ustice.

Division amongst the followers of The Bab

Division amongst the followers of Bah'u'llhDivision amongst the followers of Abdu'l-Bah and Shoghi Effendi

Bah's who believe that ill and Testament of Abdu'l-Bah is fraudulent

!eo"le of Ba#an or Ba#anis

!hese are those who 6elieve the true successor of !he Ba6 is -ir8a 1ahya 0u6h7e7)8aand not -ir8a ussain )li 3oori :Bah'u'llh;.

Daheshists

!hese are those who 6elieve that their leader, *r. *ahesh < 0aleem -oosa $l7)wshee isthe ="eturn= of !he B6 :)li -ohammed 0hira8i;.

Essence of The Bah' Faith

!hese are those who 6elieve in the coming of the !hird -anifestation after Ba6 andBaha>u>llah.

$nitarian Bah's

!hese are those who 6elieve after Baha>u>llah, his younger son -ohammed )li was histrue successor.

%uestioning the ill and Testament of Abdu'l-Bah

%. Free Bah's

?. "eform Bah's


3/42

@. 3ew istory 0ociety

!hese are those who 6elieve that Aill and !estament of )6du'l7Bah is a fraudulentdocument doctored 6y 0hoghi $ffendi "a66ani.

&ontinuation of uardianshi"

%. rthodox Baha'is :followers of 9oel B. -arangella;

?. Baha'is #nder the rovisions of the +ovenant :followers of 3eal +hase;

@. eart of the Bah' Faith :followers of 9acues 0oghomonian;

C. !ar6iyat Baha'is :followers of "ex 2ing et al;

!hese are those who 6elieve in continuation of Duardianship.

(eterodo) Bah's

!hese are those who 6elieve that the Duardianship ended with 0hoghi $ffendi and atpresent #9 is the true leader.

Followers of * Elders

!hese are those who 6elieve that the #9 reuires an infalli6le Duardian in line with theteachings of Bah'u'llh and )6du'l7Bah.

/t looks like the Baha'i denominations will succeed in mounting a significant challenge tothe mainstream aifa76ased Baha'i Faith. n the other hand main stream aifa BasedBaha>is are putting more pressure on their #9 to clarify the concept of Duardianship,rather than asking them to shun the +ovenant Breakers. !he recent court case done 6ythe aifa Based Baha>is on their two other denominations has further internationali8e the

issue of Duardianship. /t looks like the 6alance is tilting more towards Duardianists. /fcurrent trends of infightining continue, it is possi6le that Baha'ism will suffer from moredivisions. /t has to 6e seen.

Cracks in The CovenantBah's present their "Covenant" as something unique to their religion. They present it as an undisputabledocumented contract of inheritance, a ill and testament, that is protected by !od so that any violaters againstit ill be rendered impotent by it. The Bah' aith's history is full of fragmentation, and the course the Bah'aith has ta#en quic# surprise turns on a number of occasions.

Bah' Faith is itself aproduct of Covenant Breaking

First Covenant Breaking

The act that brought the Bah' aith itself into e$istence as in defiance of such a covenant. The Bb'ssuccessor, as actually %ir&a ahya and (ot Bah'u'llh. Bah's produced evidence that Bah'u'llh as theBb's intended successor, but did not deny that the Bb appointed %ir&a ahya.

Second Covenant Breaking


4/42

Bah'u'llh appointed his eldest son )bdu'l*Bah as his successor and after him his younger son %ohammed)li. )fter the death of )bdu'l*Bah although %ohammed )li as alive still many folloed , +hoghi effendi thegrandson of )bdu'l*Bah. (ot folloing %ohammed )li as Covenant Brea#ing of Bah'u'llh's riting.

Third Covenant Breaking

ater, the third Bah' leader, +hoghi -ffendi, died childless. aving failed to produce a ill, and having failedto leave any clear indication of a successor, +hoghi left the Bah' orld in a precarious situation. /hat he didas in apparent violation of the Bah' Covenant. The Bah's hose allegiance lies ith the heterodo$organisation, those loyal to the 0niversal ouse of 1ustice currently seated in aifa, 2srael, maintain that those

ho are true to the Covenant ill be empoered by the Covenant.

Bah' history shos us a different picture. )t many times, the Bah's ho eventually prevailed ere nearlyvanquished. The Bah's loyal to 0niversal ouse of 1ustice claims that they are are dominant group, but eventhat domination seems impotent and obscure, lac#ing the influence to even familiari&e the orld ith the ordBah' in this information age.

Bah' history is mottled ith inheritance disputes. 2n defense of their Covenant, Bah's regard the dar#erperiods as divine tests, arguing that egos are often tested by opportunities for poer.

/hat Bah's do not ac#noledge is the fact that their history is 3ust as fragmented as other religions, ithbrea#s occurring from its first years to the years folloing the death of +hoghi -ffendi.

)t present The Bah's are fragmented in folloing sects.

4. 5eople of Bayan or Bayanis6. -ssence 7f the Baha'i aith8. 0nitarian Baha'is9. ree Baha'is:. ;eform Baha'is. 7rthodo$ Baha'is?folloers of 1oel B. %arangella@A. Bah's 0nder the 5rovisions of the Covenant?1ensen group, %issoula, %[email protected]'is oyal to the !uardian?folloers of 1acques [email protected] Baha'is?folloers of ;e$ ing et [email protected]$ Bah's48.: -lders

49.Daheists

Sects of Bahais

Like any other Faith where division amongst their followers is natural, Bahai Faith is noexception to it. ow much the Bahai leaders may claim that there is no divisionamongst Bahais the fact is that Baha>i Faith does have different denominations all callingthem as the !"#$ Faith . The fact is that in the small s"an of +, #ears BahaiFaith has seen more divisions than an# other religion.

ere is a 6rief treatise on the history of the division in the Bahai Faith 7 right from itsinception, the Ba6, 0u6he' )8al, Bahaullah, )66as $ffendi, 0hoghi $ffendi and finally tilthe present day #niversal ouse of 9ustice.

The Division amongst the Followers of The Bab
http://sectsofbahais.com/bayanis.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/thirdm.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/thirdm.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/unitarian.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/freebahais.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/reform.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/nhs.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/guardian.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/orthodox.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/orthodox.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/pcovenant.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/lguardian.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/lguardian.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/tarbiyat.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/tarbiyat.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/hetex.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/elders.htmlhttp://bahaifaction.sosblog.com/index.htmhttp://sectsofbahais.com/thirdm.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/unitarian.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/freebahais.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/reform.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/nhs.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/guardian.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/orthodox.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/pcovenant.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/lguardian.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/tarbiyat.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/hetex.htmlhttp://sectsofbahais.com/elders.htmlhttp://bahaifaction.sosblog.com/index.htmhttp://sectsofbahais.com/bayanis.html


5/42

!he founder of Baha>/ Faith -ir8a )li -ohammed 0hira8i known as Ba6, was a disciple of0ayed 2a8im "ashti the leader of the 0haikhiya sect.

Ahen 0ayed 2a8im "ashti died in %ECC, Four of his discipiles claimed to 6e the successorof 0ayed 2a8im "ashti

%7-ir8a )li -ohammed 0hira8i

?7ai -ohammed 2arim 2han

@70hafee !a6ri8iC7-ir8a !ahir aa7e7/shfahani

n the ?@rd of -ay -ir8a )li -ohammed 0hira8i announced that he was =!he Ba6= :theDate; .!he first to accept his claim of Ba6hood was -ulla ussain Bushroee whom Ba6gave the title of Ba67ul7Ba6 :!he gate of the Date; and =)wwalo -an )mana= :the firstto 6elieve;. Aithin a short time -ir8a )li -ohammed gathered %E followers aroundhimself. e gave them the title of =uruf7e7ayy= :!he Letters of Life; and sent them todifferent areas of /ran for propagation while he himself went to -ecca for a. /n -ecca,according to one report, he claimed to 6e =!he -ahdi= :!he guided one;.

Ba#anis /A0alis1 and Bahai2s

/n his lifetime -ir8a )li -ohammed had appointed -ir8a 1ahya, the son of -ir8a Bu8urg,and the step6rother of -ir8a usain )li as his successor. !he same -ir8a usain )li latercame to 6e known as =Bahaullah.=

-ir8a )li -ohammed 0hira8i :!he Ba6; had given -ir8a 1ahya the title of =0u6he' )8al=:$verlasting *awn;. e also gave his ring, his personal effects and also the authority toexplain and comment on his :-ir8a )li -ohammed Ba6's; writings.

Ahile in exile in constantinopole where Bahaullah stayed for C years and it was fromthere that he announced that he was the real and true successor of -ir8a )li -ohammedBa6 :)nd not his step 6rother -ir8a 1ahya 0u6h7e7)8al; and also that )llah, the -ost

igh, had given him a more honored and lofty position than his predecessor.*espite -ir8a )li -ohammed's clear announcement of the appointment of -ir8a 1ahyaas his successor, a few others also rose up with claims of successorship after his death.)mongst them was a Bahai from !a6ri8, -ir8a )6dullah, who was thrown in the )ra6ianrivers 6y some Bahais on the orders of -ir8a usain )li. Likewise an /ndian Bahai, )gaBashir -ohammed had also forwarded his claim 6ut he did not receive any response.

0u6h7e7)8al along with most of the %E special companions of -ir8a )li -ohammed Ba6severely opposed this claim of -ir8a usain )li and came to +onstantinople to 6ring 6ack-ir8a usain )li to the right path. !hus a severe discord 6roke out amongst the Bahaisthemselves and they 6egan to kill each other openly. Finally, -ir8a 1ahya went into a

recluse and -ir8a usain )li 6ecame the sovereign leader of Bahais.

/n view of such serious circumstances, the ttoman government intervened and sent0u6h7e7)8al along with his family to +yprus and -ir8a usain )li with his family toalestine. !he Bahais thus got divided into two distinct groups, the followers of 0u6h7e7)8al came to 6e known as =)8alis= :!he Bayanis; and the followers of -ir8a usain )l6ecame famous as =Baha>is.=

Division amongst the followers of Baha2u2llah


6/42

!he 0econd maor division arose amongst the Followers of Baha'u'llah was after hisdeath. -ir8a usain )li :Bahaullah; expired in -ay %EG? leaving 6ehind C sons and @daughters. ) severe dispute of successorship erupted among the 6rothers. !he eldest,)66as $ffendi claimed to 6e the rightful successor in view of the continuation of divineinspirations. owever, his 6rothers -ir8a -ohammed )li, -ir8a Badiullah and -ir8aHiaullah and many other Bahais countered that the *ivine inspiration ended since=Baha>u>llah= had himself written in =)l )das= that anyone who claims thus :*ivineinspiration; 6efore the completion of %, years of Bahaism, indeed was a liar and thatthis claim was false. 3evertheless )66as $ffendi was a6le to tide over these pro6lemsvery soon. e assumed the title of =)6dul Baha= and called his followers as Sabiteen:0teadfasters; and followers of his younger 6rother as Naqizeen:+ovenant Breakers;.

!he followers of -ir8a -ohammed )li call themselves as #nitarian Bahais.

Division amongst the followers of Abdul Baha and Shoghi Effendine of the 6iggest controversies in Baha'i history was rapidly fading out of the memoryof the mainstream Baha'i community. But thanks to the internet and its vast repositoryof free7flowing information and the &ourt casedone 6y the aifa76ased Bahai Faith ontwo of its denomination, the aifa76ased Baha'i Faith will never 6e a6le to cover up what

happened in %GIJ, despite their 6est efforts to ignore it and minimi8e its importance. /nthat year, Baha'ism lost what was supposed to 6e its unending chain of infalli6le spiritualauthority when the first Duardian of the faith died without clearly designating anysuccessor.

Baha'u'llah had appointed his son )6du'l7Baha to succeed him as leader of the religionand inspired interpreter of Baha'i scriptures and teachings. )6du'l7Baha continued thissuccessorship 6y esta6lishing a position called the Duardian of the +ause of Dod, towhich he appointed his grandson 0hoghi $ffendi "a66ani in his will and commanded himto appoint his own successor during his lifetime.

0hoghi $ffendi developed complex theories of a =world order of Baha'u'llah= andappointed two main institutions of Baha'i leadership, the /nternational Baha'i +ouncil andthe ands of the +ause.

Ahen 0hoghi $ffendi suddenly died, childless and without leaving any known will, apower struggle ensued. !he ands of the +ause, led 6y 0hoghi $ffendi's widow "uhiyyih2hanum, asserted a claim to 6e some form of temporary collective Duardianship.

!he +ouncil resident, +harles -ason "emey, claimed to 6e the second Duardian usingarguments from the first Duardian's writings on Baha'i religious administration tosupport his case. !he ands used other arguments from Baha'i sacred texts to repudiatehim, and they ended up convincing a maority of Baha'is in the world to follow their own

claim of authority rather than "emey's./n %G&@ they esta6lished their #niversal ouse of 9ustice :#9; as the internationaruling 6ody at the =Baha'i Aorld +enter= in aifa, despite uestions a6out whether thisinstitution could 6e legitimately constituted without a Duardian as the head mem6er.

!he 3ational 0piritual )ssem6ly of the Baha'is of France, akistan, /ndia and a couple ofmore countries followed the claim of -ason "emey to 6e the second Duardian. )ll itsmem6ers were summarily excommunicated 6y #9. /n "eaction -ason "emy excommunicated all the ands of +ause calling the Aife of 0hoghi $ffendi as )"++4$3)3! B"$)2$"


7/42

) lot of Baha'is simply left the faith in disappointment, reali8ing that a maor leadershipdispute ruins the credi6ility of a religion that prides itself on unity and seeks to rule theworld. )mong those Baha'is who remained committed to their faith, a schism developed,and the minority of Baha'is who followed "emey and reected the =aifan= #9 persist tothis day. !hey have had limited success attracting new converts, though the advent ofthe internet has helped their efforts somewhat in recent years. !hey are commonlyknown as Duardianists, emphasi8ing their 6elief in the continuation of the livingDuardianship as an essential part of Baha'i Faith. = -ost of them currently follow 9oeBray -arangella, who claims to 6e the third Duardian. 0ome others follow Duardian7claimant 9acues 0oghomonian instead.

!he aifan Baha'i Faith stigmati8es the Duardianist Baha'is as =+ovenant76reakers= anddemands that all mem6ers of their organi8ation should shun them, !hen there is a painof shunning if they refuse to shun. aifan Baha'is can 6e severely punished ust forreading Duardianist literature. Both the aifans and the Duardianists 6elieve thatmem6ership in their group is the only way to 6e a true Baha'iK 6oth assert that theirleaders are infalli6le, despite the lack of solid evidence from Baha'i scripture to supporttheir claimK and 6oth teach that one day the whole world should 6e governed 6y a Baha'itheocracy led 6y their particular organi8ation, even though their own religion is notunified under one authority.

0ome writings of -ason "emey

o *aily 6servations -ade to the ands of the Faith in the oly Land

o )ppeals to the ands of the Faith

o )nnouncement to the ands of the Faith from the 0econd Duardian

o roclamation of -ason "emey to the Baha'is of the Aorld

9oel -arangella runs the rthodox Baha'i Faith. !here are many interestingdocuments and materials on his we6site, Bahai7Duardian.com, as well as the site

run 6y the 3ational Baha'i +ouncil of the #nited 0tates, which leads the rthodoxBaha'is in )merica. !o get a good sense of rthodox Baha'i doctrine, check outthese articles 6y -arangella

o )nnouncement to the Baha'i Aorld

o !he $ssentiality of the Duardianship to the Aorld rder of Baha'u'llah

o -ultiple Failures of the ands of the +ause after the assing of 0hogh$ffendi

o /f nly !hey ad !aken the !ime

o )n )ppeal to the eterodox Baha'is

o roclamation of the !hird Duardian. -arangella explains how he assumedthis office.

0ome Duardianist Baha'is 6elieve that *onald arvey was the person "emey reallywanted to succeed him in the Duardianship. Both -arangella and arvey received anappointment, 6ut -arangella's came first, and he attempted to take over the "emeyitemovement claiming that "emey was going senile in his old age and had a6dicated hisposition. "emey later changed his mind and appointed arvey, 6ut 6y then -arangellahad already consolidated his support and arvey was una6le to gain a significantfollowing. arvey appointed 9acues 0oghomonian of France to 6e his successor, and
http://www.bahai-guardian.com/daily.observe.htmlhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/appeals.htmlhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/announce.htmlhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/Mason.proc.htmlhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/http://www.rt66.com/~obfusa/council.htmhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/announcement.htmlhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/essentiality.htmlhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/failures.htmlhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/failures.htmlhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/failures.htmlhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/time.htmlhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/intro.htmlhttp://bahai-guardian.com/jbm.proc.htmlhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/daily.observe.htmlhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/appeals.htmlhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/announce.htmlhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/Mason.proc.htmlhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/http://www.rt66.com/~obfusa/council.htmhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/announcement.htmlhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/essentiality.htmlhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/failures.htmlhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/failures.htmlhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/time.htmlhttp://www.bahai-guardian.com/intro.htmlhttp://bahai-guardian.com/jbm.proc.html


8/42

0oghomonian is now trying to attract support with the help of Brent "eed, an )mericanwho has 6een excommunicated 6y 6oth the mainstream Baha'i Faith and the rthodoxBaha'i Faith. "eed runs a discussion group to promote 0oghomonian's claim, called9ourney to the eart of the Baha'i Faith. !here are files posted there which explain0oghomonian's view that he is the fourth Duardian.

"egency Baha'is6elong to an organi8ation called the !ar6iyat Baha'i +ommunity, whichwas founded 6y "ex 2ing in %GJ@. 2ing argued that -ason "emey was not a full7fledged

Duardian 6ecause, according to the traditional interpretation of Baha'i law, only ahereditary descendent of Baha'u'llah can hold this office. 3evertheless, due to "emey'sappointment as resident of the /nternational Baha'i +ouncil, 2ing understood "emey'sposition as that of a ="egent= who should have 6een o6eyed as the legitimate leader ofthe Baha'is 6ut who should never have gone so far as to claim the Duardianship. 2ingannounced himself as the second "egent, and he prophesied that sometime in the futurea man descended from the 6loodline of Baha'u'llah will arise and restore theDuardianship and usher in the golden age of the Baha'i world order. "egency Baha'is arenow led 6y a +ouncil of "egents appointed 6y 2ing in his will. /t looks that the "egencyBaha'is to 6e somewhat more sensi6le than other Baha'i sects simply 6ecause theyadmit that there can neither 6e a Duardian nor a #niversal ouse of 9ustice currently inexistence which satisfies all the reuirements for these scripturally defined institutions.

*r. Leland 9ensen is the founder of Baha'is #nder the rovisions of the +ovenant9ensen declared that epe "emey :-ason's adopted son; was the Duardian, 6ut epedenied thisK finally telling 9ensen's followers that 9ensen was false, corrupt, and a liar.0ome of 9ensen's followers discovered these letters from epe "emey and then left9ensen and followed 9acues 0oghomonian. 3eal +hase, a firm disciple of 9ensen, was incommunication with epe "emey, and epe "emey :6eing an old man 6y this time; oncereferred to +hase as =my son= :or on several occassions;. !his made +hase to claim thatepe was his spiritual fatherK ust as ')6du'l7Baha was the spiritual father of +harles"emey, calling him =my son=. 0o, while epe "emey said =/ am 3! the Duardian of the

Faith, 9acues 0oghomonian is the Duardian=, 3eal +hase said, =h, well, of course epe"emey was the Duardian, and he called me 'son' so /'m his successor and the thirdDuardian of the Baha'i Faith=. !he current Baha'is #nder the rovisions of the +ovenanthave I =+ommunities=

Bahais who believe that ill and Testament of AbdulBaha is Fraudulent!he only currently existing Baha'i sect that is not 6ased on disputes a6out theDuardianship or any new claim of spiritual authority is the "eform Bahai Faith, headed6y prominent Baha'i -r. Frederick Dlaysher, !hey 6elieve that the Aill and !estament of)6dul Baha is a Fradulent document. !his independent Baha'i denomination seeks topromote a more li6eral, less authoritarian interpretation of the Baha'i faith. /t reects thea6solute, infalli6le authority of any human institution, including the #niversal ouse of9ustice.!hey call early Bahais like -ir8a )hmad 0ohra6, "uth Ahite etc as "eformBahais. ere are two important texts to read 6y Dlaysher in support of his Baha'i sect

GI !heses of the "eform Bahai Faith. Like -artin Luther's Ninety-five Thesesthatis seen as the sym6olic 6eginning of the +hristian "eformation, Frederick Dlayshermakes his stand against the corruption of today's organi8ed Baha'ism in thisfounding document of what he hopes to 6e a Baha'i reformation.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeartoftheBahaiFaith/http://www.obcnhj.org/http://www.reformbahai.org/http://www.reformbahai.org/95Theses.htmhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeartoftheBahaiFaith/http://www.obcnhj.org/http://www.reformbahai.org/http://www.reformbahai.org/95Theses.htm


9/42

n Bahai Li6erty

Free Baha>is, Bah's who 6elieve that Bah' authority ended with the passing ofM)6du'l7Bah, and that the +ovenant, as it has come to 6e known, is a doctrine that wasnot conceived 6y M)6du'l7Bah, 6ut rather 6y the author of a fraudulentdocument.)ccording to them the Aill and !estament of )6dul Baha is a fraudulentdocument. !hey do not 6elieve in 0hoghi $ffendi.

/n addition to all these division there is another group of Bahais the followers of

9amshed -aani. !his group is now 6eing headed 6y 9ohn +arre and calls themselves as$ssence of Bahai Faith. !hey 6elieve in coming of the !hird -anifestation after Ba6 andBahaullah.

3ew istory 0ociety :Followers of -ir8a )hmad 0ohra6;-r8 )mad 0ohr6 was secretary and interpreter to M)6du'l7Bah from %G%? to %G%G.e co7founded the 3ew istory 0ociety and the +aravan of $ast and Aest in 3ew 1ork,as an indirect way of spreading the teachings of the Bah' Faith.e wasexcommunicated from the Bah' Faith in %G@G 6y 0hoghi $ffendi.

3t loo4s li4e the Baha'i denominations will succeedin mounting a significant challenge to themainstream (aifa-based Baha'i Faith. 5n the otherhand main stream (aifa Based Baha2is are "uttingmore "ressure on their $(6 to clarif# the conce"t ofuardianshi"7 rather than as4ing them to shun the&ovenant Brea4ers. The recent court case done b#

the (aifa Based Baha2is on their two otherdenominations has further internationali0e the issueof uardianshi". 3t loo4s li4e the balance is tiltingmore towards uardianists. 3f current trends ofinfightining continue7 it is "ossible that Baha'ism willsuffer from more divisions. 3t has to be seen.

SE&TS 38 BA(A23 FA3T(I. !hose who 6elieve the true successor of !he Ba6 is -ir8a 1ahya 0u6h7e7)8al and

not -ir8a ussai )li 3oori :Bahaullah;


II. !hose who 6elieve in the coming of the !hird -anifestation after Ba6 andBaha>u>llah
http://www.reformbahai.org/on_bahai_liberty.htmhttp://www.reformbahai.org/on_bahai_liberty.htm


10/42

ESSE8&E 5F T(E BA(A23 FA3T(

III. !hose who 6elieve after Baha>u>llah, his younger son -ohammed )li was his truesuccessor

$83TA93A8 BA(:';S

IV. !hose who 6elieve that Aill and !estament of )6dul Baha is a fraudulent documentdoctored 6y 0hoghi $ffendi "a66ani

+1 F9EE BA(A23S1 8ew (istor# Societ#

V. !hose who 6elieve in continuation of Duardianship

+1 5rthodo) Baha'is /followers of 6oel B. =arangella1


11/42

Those who believe the true successor of The Bab is =ir0a ah#aSubh-e-A0al and not =ir0a (ussai Ali 8oori /Bahaullah1


Denerally, historians have referred to those followers of the rimal oint, !he Ba6 whoreected the claims of -ir8a usayn )li 3uri and followed the Ba6>s successor -ir8a

1ahya 3uri :entitled 0u6h7i )8al; as )8alis.

!his naming was mainly used to make a distinction 6etween what they called twofactions of Ba6is :i.e. )8alis and Bahais;./t also suited the Bahai purpose, as it would hide away the relationship 6etween Bayanisand the Ba6. /n fact this is how Bahais refer to Bayanis even though )das :the Bahaprincipal 6ook; uses same term that was used in ersian Bayan i.e. eople of Bayan :orBayanis;.!he term )8ali may also imply that 0u6h7i )8al had a claim of his own and that perhapshe was the author of new teachings which is incorrect. /n essence, Bayanis need not 6e

re7la6elled. !he term Bayani fully and uniuely identifies them and ualifies their 6elief/n summary, there is no such thing as )8ali as all )8alis are Bayanis and all Bayanis are)8alis. !hey have very informative site and looks to 6e an organi8ed sect.

Ae6 0ite

httpNNwww.6ayanic.comN

T(5SE (5 BE?3EE 38 T(E &5=38 5F T(E T(39D=A83FESTAT358 AFTE9 BAB A8D BA(A2$2??A(

ESSE8&E 5F T(E BA(A23 FA3T(


12/42

!hey do not 6elieve in the present #9 . !hey 6elieve that the existing #9 is not inaccord with the interpretations of )6du'l7Baha and 0hoghi $ffendi 6ut it is a creation ofthe ands who did not have the authority they claimed.

0ince )6du'l7Baha is the /nterpreter of the Aord of Dod, is interpretation of what the#9 should 6e is contained in is Aill and !estament. !herein e states clearly that the#9 intended 6y Baha'u'llah must have a Duardian as its head for life. Aithout aDuardian as its permanent head, this #9 is o6viously not the #9 intended 6y

Baha'u'llah if we accept )6du'l7Baha as the )ppointed /nfalli6le /nterpreter of the intentof the Aord of Dod revealed through Baha'u'llah. !o 6e a Baha'i one must accept thestation of )6du'l7Baha and is authority.

E-=A3? 3D-GohncarreH#ahoo.com

ebsites$""3$#0 +L)/-0 F B))'/ "D)3/H$* D"#0 !*)1httpNNwww.angelfire.comNamigaNhumanityNBahaiOrgs.htm

)"!/+L$ )L/F F !$ D"$)!$0! 3)-$ :-/""" 0/!$0;httpNNalif.resonance.orgNhttpNNwww.metavergence.comNohnNhttpNNca.geocities.comNohncarreN-anifestationOcomingOsoon.htmlhttpNNwww.angelfire.comNamigaNhumanityN)lifOofOB).htmlhttpNNwww.angelfire.comNamigaNhumanityN-anifestationOcomingOsoon.html

+-/L)!3 F +--$3!)"/$0 :0)-$ /3F 3 !$0$ !A #"L0;httpNNwww.angelfire.comNamigaNhumanityNcommentariesOcompiled.htmlhttpNNca.geocities.comNohncarreNcommentariesOcompiled.html

/3*$P F !$0$ #"Ls wNB)+2D"#3* /3FhttpNNwww.metavergence.comNohnNhttpNNca.geocities.comNohncarreN9ohnsOpage.html

0/"/!#)L -$*/!)!/30httpNNca.geocities.comNohncarreNislandOofOhope.htmlhttpNNwww.angelfire.comNamigaNhumanityN/slandOofOope.html

!#D!0 )B#! ) F#!#"$ +/4/L/H)!/3 :-/""" 0/!$0;httpNNca.geocities.comNohncarreN0piritualO+ivili8ation.htmlQ!httpNNwww.angelfire.comNamigaNhumanityNethicsOecologyOeconomics.htm

)B#! ) 0/"/!#)L L/F$ :R#!)!/30 F"- !$ A"/!/3D0;httpNNca.geocities.comNohncarreNtariat.html
http://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.angelfire.com%2Famiga%2Fhumanity%2FBahai_Orgs.htmhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Falif.resonance.org%2Fhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metavergence.com%2Fjohn%2Fhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fca.geocities.com%2Fjohncarre%2FManifestation_coming_soon.htmlhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.angelfire.com%2Famiga%2Fhumanity%2FAlif_of_BHA.htmlhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.angelfire.com%2Famiga%2Fhumanity%2FManifestation_coming_soon.htmlhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.angelfire.com%2Famiga%2Fhumanity%2Fcommentaries_compiled.htmlhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fca.geocities.com%2Fjohncarre%2Fcommentaries_compiled.htmlhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metavergence.com%2Fjohn%2Fhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fca.geocities.com%2Fjohncarre%2FJohns_page.htmlhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fca.geocities.com%2Fjohncarre%2Fisland_of_hope.htmlhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.angelfire.com%2Famiga%2Fhumanity%2FIsland_of_Hope.htmlhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fca.geocities.com%2Fjohncarre%2FSpiritual_Civilization.html%23Thttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.angelfire.com%2Famiga%2Fhumanity%2Fethics_ecology_economics.htmhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fca.geocities.com%2Fjohncarre%2Ftariqat.htmlhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.angelfire.com%2Famiga%2Fhumanity%2FBahai_Orgs.htmhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Falif.resonance.org%2Fhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metavergence.com%2Fjohn%2Fhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fca.geocities.com%2Fjohncarre%2FManifestation_coming_soon.htmlhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.angelfire.com%2Famiga%2Fhumanity%2FAlif_of_BHA.htmlhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.angelfire.com%2Famiga%2Fhumanity%2FManifestation_coming_soon.htmlhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.angelfire.com%2Famiga%2Fhumanity%2Fcommentaries_compiled.htmlhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fca.geocities.com%2Fjohncarre%2Fcommentaries_compiled.htmlhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metavergence.com%2Fjohn%2Fhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fca.geocities.com%2Fjohncarre%2FJohns_page.htmlhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fca.geocities.com%2Fjohncarre%2Fisland_of_hope.htmlhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.angelfire.com%2Famiga%2Fhumanity%2FIsland_of_Hope.htmlhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fca.geocities.com%2Fjohncarre%2FSpiritual_Civilization.html%23Thttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.angelfire.com%2Famiga%2Fhumanity%2Fethics_ecology_economics.htmhttp://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/red.cgi?red=http%3A%2F%2Fca.geocities.com%2Fjohncarre%2Ftariqat.html


13/42

T(5SE (5 BE?3EE AFTE9 BA(A2$2??A(7 (3S 5$8E9 S58=5(A==ED A?3 AS (3S T9$E S$&&ESS59

$83TA93A8 BA(:';S

Followers of M)6du'l7Bah's 6rother, -ir8a -uhammad M)l, who was named 6yBah'u'llh to 6e the leader of the Bah's after M)6du'l7Bah's passing, 6ut was

excommunicated 6y M)6du'l7Bah. !here is little evidence that this is an organi8edgroup. )ll these sites are posted on the same we6 hosting service, and most of theirmaterial appears to come from a 6ook of the orientalist $.D. Browne.

ebsites

htt"IIwww.unitarianbahai.comI

)6du'l7Bah !he -ost -ighty BranchhttpNNninetin.tripod.comNa6ahNa6dul6aha.htm

resents $.D. Browne's account of the degradation of M)6du'l7Bah as leader of theBah's.)6dul Baha, Baha'i Faith S $.*. BrownehttpNNmem6ers.tripod.comNTJ$ninetinNBB?Nindex.htm

resents $.D. Browne's account of the degradation of M)6du'l7Bah as leader of theBah's.!he 0ecret )ctivities of )6dul BahahttpNNmem6ers.tripod.comNninetinNa6dul6ahaN$xtracts from $.D. Browne's -aterials For the 0tudy of the Ba6i "eligion.
http://www.unitarianbahai.com/http://ninetin.tripod.com/abah/abdulbaha.htmhttp://members.tripod.com/~ninetin/BB2/index.htmhttp://members.tripod.com/ninetin/abdulbaha/http://www.unitarianbahai.com/http://ninetin.tripod.com/abah/abdulbaha.htmhttp://members.tripod.com/~ninetin/BB2/index.htmhttp://members.tripod.com/ninetin/abdulbaha/


14/42

T(5SE (5 BE?3EE T(AT 3?? A8D TESTA=E8T 5F ABD$? BA(A3S A F9A$DE8T D5&$=E8T D5&T59ED B S(5(3 EFFE8D3

9ABBA83

F9EE BA(A23S

Bah's who 6elieve that Bah' authority ended with the passing of M)6du'l7Bah, andthat the +ovenant, as it has come to 6e known, is a doctrine that was not conceived 6yM)6du'l7Bah, 6ut rather 6y the author of a fraudulent document

"There are no officers in this Cause. I do not and have not 'Appointed' anyone

to perform any special service, but I encourage everyone to engage in the

service of the Kingdom. The foundation of this Cause is pure spiritualdemocracy and not a theocracy. "Abdul Baha

) 7 0hayk)hmad7i7)sai and 0iyyid 2a8im7i7"ashtiB 7 !he Ba6+ 7 Baha'u'llah

* 7 )6dul7Baha$ 7 "uth Ahite and Himmer ermann

&5E8A8T 5F BA(A$??A(

!he promised one of Bahaullah will appear after one thousand or thousands of years.!his is the +ovenant which Bahaullah made...in case of differences, )6dul Baha must 6econsulted.....)fter )6dul Baha whenever the #niversal ouse of 9ustice is organised, itwill ward of differences.

ebsiteshttpNNfree6ahais.comNfree6ahai.htm
http://freebahais.com/freebahai.htmhttp://freebahais.com/freebahai.htm


15/42

9EF59= BA(A23STo be a Bahai simply means to love all the !orld to love humanity and try to

serve it to !or# for universal peace and universal brotherhood.$ % Abdu'l&Baha

!hey claim to 6e the moderate, spiritual religion of Baha>u>llah and )6du>l7Baha andclearly set a new course away from the fanatical and fundamentalist /slamist sect of theaifans, 6ased on their fraudulent will and testament, propagating a manipulative creed

intended only to coerce the individual 6eliever and su6ect him or her to the tyranny ofan illegitimate and mutilated organi8ation.

!hey take their teachings from "uth Ahite, -ir8a )hmad 0ohra6, 9ulie +hanler, etc.

!he 6ooks and pu6lications of Ahite, 0ohra6, and +hanler have kept this vision alive,while the Baha>i upheavals and conflicts of the last three decades have led manythousands of Baha>is to experience for themselves the depth and degree to which theFaith of Baha>u>llah has 6een traduced and desecrated 6y people who seek to use andexploit it for their own worldly 6enefit, power, glory, and material gain. !his group ofBahais are led 6y Fredrick Dlaysier.

9eform Baha2i Articles

!he *ivine Being has created a world of impermanence, evanescence, where nothinglasts forever, and all humanity is su6ected to the vicissitudes of life, the fragility ofhealth and constitution, the limits of human existence that e alone knows and sets.Aith an increasing sense of mortality, / feel it is incum6ent upon me to set down, inwriting, my own testimony of what / 6elieve to 6e the truth a6out the Bahai Faith,having now 6een a mem6er for over thirty years and having watched or participated in

many struggles and de6ates and studied or watched those of many other souls in theirsearch for truth and understanding

!hinking of -artin Luther and 9ohn Aesley, / feel it especially as a duty and o6ligation toleave a record of my views for the "eform Bahai +onvocation, which, Dod willing, oneday, shall convene to restore and revive the moderate, spiritual religion of Baha>u>llahand )6du>l7Baha and clearly set a new course away from the fanatical andfundamentalist /slamist sect of the aifans, 6ased on their fraudulent will andtestament, propagating a manipulative creed intended only to coerce the individua6eliever and su6ect him or her to the tyranny of an illegitimate and mutilatedorgani8ation.


16/42

Article 3

U!he "evelation which, from time immemorial, hath 6een acclaimed as the urpose andromise of all the rophets of Dod, and the most cherished *esire of is -essengers,hath now, 6y virtue of the pervasive Aill of the )lmighty and at is irresisti6le 6idding,6een revealed unto men. !he advent of such a "evelation hath 6een heralded in all thesacred 0criptures.V < Baha>u>llah

Article 33Baha>u>llah>s appointed heir and interpreter is )6du>l7Baha.

Article 333)s scientifically udged 6y *r. +. )insworth -itchell, the purported will and testament of)6du>l7Baha is a fraudulent document U!hat is to say, the writing does not agree withthe hypothesis that it was all written 6y one person.V U) minute comparison of theauthenticated writing with the writing on every page of the alleged will... has failed todetect in any part of the will the characteristics of the writing of )6du>l7Baha, as shownin the authenticated specimens.V < *r. +. )insworth -itchell, Report on the Writing

Shown on the Photographs of the Alleged Will of Abdu'l-aha! "ibrary of #ongress! $%&(

Article 3!he Baha>i organi8ations, 6ased upon the fraudulent document, including the writings of0hoghi $ffendi, are inescapa6ly defective and deficient U!here is apparent contradiction6etween this section of the Aill and his lifelong teachings.V U)6dul Baha had never inspeech or writing given the slightest indication that there would 6e a successor tohimself. n the contrary, a num6er of addresses delivered 6y him on various occasionshad made the opposite impressionV :&%;. < -ir8a )hmad 0ohra6. The Will andTesta)ent of Abdul aha! An Analysis( New *or+, niversal Publishing! $%..(

Article !he results of the spurious document has rever6erated down the generations anddecades, as "uth Ahite rightly perceived Jhether the alleged will of Abdul Bahais authentic or s"urious7 the results of the administration of Shoghi Effendi andthe 8ational S"iritual Assembl# of Baha'is stand as an historical indictmentagainst them.(Boldface in original5 !hey no more represent the Bahai "eligion thanthe 6igots of the dark ages of +hristianityV :%;. < "uth Ahite. Abdul aha's/uestioned Will and Testa)ent( everly 0ills, White! $%.1(

Article 3U!he Bahai -ovement is not an organi8ation. 1ou cannot organi8e the Bahai -ovement.V< )6du>l7Baha. !he mystery of that paradox calls all Bahais to seek its meaning andreturn to the universal, li6eral !eachings of Baha>u>llah and )6du>l7Baha and theirAritings.

Article 33Far from creating a theocratic tyranny, the Founders of the Bahai Faith taught amoderate, universal, glo6al religion, grounded in a spiritual democracy, teaching theseparation of church and state, with science in its own respected domain, each a


17/42

profound differentiation of social duty and responsi6ility, as in )6du>l7Baha>s U0ermon onthe )rt of DovernanceV

Article 333Aith every passing year, the Aritings of Baha>u>llah are 6eing restored to humanity, fromthose who de6ased and lowered them to the level of a trademark and copyright.

Article 3C"eform Bahais choose to leave those who choose hatred, shunning, and intermina6lerecrimination over the fraudulent will and testament and over stultifying legalisms, andlook to the 0pirit of 6rotherhood and love, knowledge and understanding, prayer andmeditation, worship and community, service to one>s country and the world of humanity.

Aith the assurance of )6du>l7Baha that humanity has entered the stage of maturity,wherein the individual can independently search for truth, "eform Bahais testify, in thisuniversal, glo6al age, that e reserves for imself the Uhearts of men,V rendering to+aesar what is +aesar>s, as Baha'u'llah taught in the 2pistle to the Son of the Wolf,accepting and em6racing is multifaceted vision, the mystery that surpasses

understanding.

"eform Bahais invite all Bahais, all humanity, to a +onvocation of cele6ration, peace,love, and 6rotherhood, to seek hum6ly together is Aill and service, for the good of allpeople and nations of this spinning glo6e.

!he "eform Bahai FaithGI !heses 7 n Bahai Li6erty

9eform Baha2is are found in7)frica, $thiopia, )ustralia,)ustria,+anada, British +olum6ia, Rue6ec,+u6a,France,Dermany>3ew Healand, akistan,0weden, #0) ,+alifornia, Los )ngeles, 0an*iego

ebsites www."eformBahai.orghttpNNwww.fglaysher.comNreform6aha>iN
http://www.reformbahai.org/http://www.reformbahai.org/


18/42

8ew (istor# Societ#/Followers of =ir0a Ahmad Sohrab1

-r8 )mad 0ohr6 :%EG@ 7 %GIE; was secretary and interpreter to M)6du'l7Bah from%G%? to %G%G. e was a ersian7)merican author and Bah' who co7founded the 3ewistory 0ociety and the +aravan of $ast and Aest in 3ew 1ork, and was

excommunicated from the Bah' Faith in %G@G 6y 0hoghi $ffendi.

8ew (istor# Societ#By %G%%, he had founded an organi8ation called the ersian7)merican $ducationa0ociety. e along with Lewis 0tuyvesant +hanler and his wife 9ulie. !ogether theyformed the =3ew istory 0ociety= in %G?G as an indirect way of spreading the teachingsof the Bah' Faith.

&aravan of East and est!he 3ew istory 0ociety gave rise in %G@ to the +aravan of $ast and Aest, and the+hanler's 3ew 1ork house was now called +aravan ouse. !his foundation was designedto prepare children and youth to oin the 3ew istory 0ociety. !his group had a uarterlymaga8ine called !he +aravan

S"lit from Shoghi Effendi!he confrontation aroused 6etween 0ohra6 and orace olley, =one of the chief men inthe )merican Bah' )dministration=. But 0ohra6 refused to allow the 3ew 1ork 0piritua)ssem6ly, to have oversight of the affairs of the 3ew istory 0ociety. 0ince olley sat onthe 3ational 0piritual )ssem6ly at this time, this led to a confrontation which resulted in0ohra6 and the +hanlers 6eing expelled from the Bah' community.

8SA of $S files ?awsuit against Sohrab/n %GC%, )llen -c*aniel and others, as mem6ers of the 3ational 0piritual )ssem6ly, filedsuit against 0ohra6 to try to stop him from using the name Bah'.!his suit was filed in the 0upreme +ourt of 3ew 1ork +ounty. !he udge granted amotion to dismiss, stating that =the plaintiffs have no right to a monopoly of the name ofa religion. !he defendants, who purport to 6e mem6ers of the same religion, have aneual right to use the name of the religion...=!he udge mentioned that the complaint could 6e further amended and the 30)appealed 6ut the )ppellate +ourt affirmed the decision of the lower court.

Sohrab &hallenges Shoghi Effendi in court)fter his excommunication, 0ohra6 oined forces with other people who opposed 0hogh$ffendi. art of this com6ination was a court case raised 6y Ramar Bah', 9alal thegrandson of -r8 -Ws and others in a6out %GI7%, challenging 0hoghi $ffendi's right tocarry out maor construction work around the 0hrine of Bah'u'llh. ne of their keywitnesses, 3ayyir )fnan, died shortly 6efore the case was due to open, and it all came tonothing.

Three sects of Bahais tries to built a mausoleum over the grave of =ir0a ah#ane of the culminations of this was a meeting that was held in Famagusta in the late%GIs. "epresentatives of all three main generations of Bahais were present including


19/42

9alal )8al representing the followers of -ir8a 1ahya :Bayanic;, M/smat and othersrepresented the followers of -r8 -uhammad M)l :#nitarian Bahais; , and )hmad0ohra6 represented those opposed to any form of administration. ne of the aims of thisconference was to 6uild a mausoleum over the grave of -r8 1ahy. But the proect didnot see the light of the day.

0ohra6 died )pr ?, %GIE. /n his o6ituary he is descri6ed as =leader of the "eform Bah'-ovement in the #nited 0tates and co7director of the +aravan of $ast and Aest=.

/n ?C, 73et, a scholarly we6site supported 6y -ichigan 0tate #niversity andumanities S 0ocial 0ciences nline, reprinted in digital format the works of -ir8a)hmad 0ohra6, who for over eight years served )6du>l7Baha as a secretary andtranslator in the -iddle $ast and on his )merican and $uropean ourneys. /n 0ohra6>sseveral 6ooks, especially in Broken 0ilence !he 0tory of !oday>s 0truggle for "eligiousFreedom :%GC?; and !he Aill and !estament of )6du>l7Baha )n )nalysis :%GCC;, 0ohra6presents his opinion that the Baha2i Faith was alread# well on the road tobecoming an o""ressive organi0ation in the +Ks7 e)"loitative of theindividual7 and de"arting further7 with ever# #ear7 from the moderation and

"redominatel# democratic liberalism of Baha2u2llah and Abdu2l-Baha. Sohrablocated the source of the emerging "roblems of conscience and religiousfreedom in the desire of some earl# American Baha2is for absolute control7modeled on the 9oman &atholic &hurch and other forms of autocratic religiousorgani0ation7 leading to and encouraging Shoghi Effendi2s increasingl# fanaticalinter"retation of Abdu2l-Baha2s ill and Testament

Selected wor4s of =ir0a Ahmad Sohrab-ir8a )hmad 0ohra6. / eard im 0ay. Aords of )6dul Baha as "ecorded 6y his0ecretary.3ew 1ork !he 3ew istory Foundation, %[email protected]/0.pdf

)hmad 0ohra6's Broken 0ilence !he 0tory of !oday's 0truggle for "eligious Freedom.3ew 1ork #niversal u6lishing, %GC?.httpNNwww.fglaysher.comN6ahaicensorshipNarchivesN0ohra6Broken0ilence.pdf

-ir8a )hmad 0ohra6. )6dul Baha's Drandson 0tory of a !wentieth +entury$xcommunication 3ew 1ork #niversal u6lishing for !he 3ew istory Foundation,%GC@. httpNNwww.fglaysher.comN6ahaicensorshipN)BD.htmhttpNNwww.h7net.orgNX6ahaiNdigli6N6ooksN7!N0Nsohra6N)BD.htm

$xcerpts at 6ottom -ir8a )hmad 0ohra6. !he Aill and !estament of )6dul Baha, )n)nalysis.3ew 1ork #niversal u6lishing, %GCC.httpNNwww.fglaysher.comN6ahaicensorshipNarchivesN0ohra6A!)B.pdf

0ohra6, -ir8a )hmad. !he 0tory of the *ivine lan. !aking lace during, andimmediately following Aorld Aar /. 3ew 1ork !he 3ew istory Foundation, %GCJ.*igitally repu6lished, $ast Lansing, -i. 7Bahai, ?C.httpNNwww.h7net.orgNX6ahaiNdigli6N6ooksN7!N0Nsohra6N0*.htm-ir8a )hmad 0ohra6. -y Bahai ilgrimage. )uto6iography from +hildhood to -iddle )ge.


20/42

3ew 1ork 3ew istory Foundation, %GIG.httpNNwww.fglaysher.comN6ahaicensorshipNarchivesN0ohra6-B.pdf-ir8a )hmad 0ohra6 :%EG@ 7 %GIE; Biography 6y Aill 9ohnson, rofessional DenealogisthttpNNwww.countyhistorian.comNcecilwe6Nindex.phpN)hmadO0ohra6

or4s about =ir0a Ahmad Sohrab

Y Biographical 0ketch of -ir8a )hmad 0ohra6, *irector of the +aravan of $ast andAest, /nc. @. n.p. (3ew 1orkZ5 n.d. (%GIC5. +ollins %?.%.Y Light7Bearer -aga8ine ) ersian "osary, Ainter ?, pg I :reprint from !he!heosophist, %GJE;

T(5SE (5 BE?3EE 38 &58T38$AT358 5F $A9D3A8S(3!

The 34uardian-groups3 have a very interesting history5 asi6ally! there are three groups

whi6h ea6h believe they have a 4uardian! and one group that awaits a 4uardian,

1 5rthodo) Baha'is /followers of 6oel B. =arangella1

2 Baha'is $nder the !rovisions of the &ovenant /followers of 8eal &hase1

3 Baha'is ?o#al to the uardian /followers of 6ac@ues Soghomonian1

4 Tarbi#at Baha'is /followers of 9e) ing et al1

=aGorit# of these grou"s believe that &harles =ason 9em# was the Seconduardian of the Bahai Faith


21/42

7ason Re)ey 6lai)ed that he was the Se6ond 4uardian of the aha'8 9aith be6ause,

1) 0hoghi $ffendi appointed him as resident of the /nternational Baha'i +ouncil, andcalled it the =em6ryonic= /nternational ouse of 9ustice.

2) !he resident of the #niversal ouse of 9ustice was to 6e the Duardian.

3) !hus, 0hoghi $ffendi wanted +harles -ason "emey to 6e the next Duardian 6y hisappointment as resident of the /B+ :which would 6ecome the #9;.

4) -ason "emey was the adopted son of ')6du'l7Baha :spiritually if not legally;, andthus a adopted )ghsan :Branch;.

5) ')6du'l7Baha prophesied that -ason "emey would 6e the next Duardian 6y saying,=$re long thou shalt 6e a sign of guidance unto mankind=.

)t the death of 0hoghi $ffendi, while he was in London, his widow put out a telegraphstating that the Duardian was =very ill=K knowing he was in fact deceased.

Ahen the ands later met in aifa to open the safe, they 6roke the seal, and they foundno Aill and !estament. Later that night, one of the ands :a ersian; later told otherersian ands that the Duardianship was =B)*)= :i.e. Dod changed is mind on thematter;, and that the Duardianship was over for all time. )t first the )merican andBritish Baha'is were appauled 6y such a doctrine, 6ut they later recanted, and all:including "emey; signed a document stateing that the Duardian left no successor, sothe ands would now 6e the $)* of the Faith.

1ears 6efore, "emey claimed that he had 6een approached 6y a num6er ofthe andswho said, =!he Duardian wants you to succeed him should he die without a son[= "emey

pro6a6ly 6elieved that these same ands would come forward and nominate him as ?ndDuardian. !his did not happen.

/nstead, "uhiyyih 2hannum :widow of 0hoghi $ffendi; and the ersian and who cameup with the new =B)*)= doctrine of the Duardianship, and a few others, */0B)3*$* the/nternational Baha'i +ouncil, and formed a new institution called the =+ustodians=. !hesewere 6e G ands who would run the Faith. !his included "uhiyyih 2hannum and some=hand picked= ands who would support her and her decisions. For all practicalpurposes, 2hannum =ruled= the Baha'i Faith from that point until her death.

-ason declared he was the ?nd Duardian, and was declared a +ovenant7Breaker 6y the+ustodians. !he 30) of France and a6out I, individual Baha'is followed -ason"emey. For the next few years the ands went around =declaring= anyone who wouldnot renounce "emey. !he "emeyites started their own group called =Baha'is #nder theereditary Duardianship=. "ex 2ing was nominated =0ecretary Deneral= in the #nited0tatesK which at that time had perhaps %I to ? mem6ers.

Leland 9ensen :a 2night of Baha'u'llah; was elected a -em6er of the 30). 2ing and9ensen were at each other all the time. 9ensen eventually resigned 6ecause of 2ing, andlater 6ecame a follower of *onald arvey :-ason's successor;. 2ing was


22/42

excommunicated 6y -ason "emey for 6eing =satan=. Ahat 2ing did to deserve this /don't know. e apparently =pissed off= uite a few Baha'is 6ecause during his tenure as0ecretary7Deneral of the =rthodox Baha'i 30)= half of the 30) resigned as -0! of the=rthodox Baha'is= either resigned, returned to the =aifan= organi8ation, oined Leland9ensen's group,or went completely inactive.

"ex 2ing then formed his own group called =Baha'i rthodox +ommunity=in Las 4egas,3ew -exico. !hey said that "emey was not =Duardian= 6ut rather merely a ="egent=,and that the /B+ was a =+ouncil of "egents=to rule the Faith until a true descendant ofBaha'u'llah would come forward and 6ecome Duardian :the "egents would declare himsuch;. 2ing appointed himself the next "egent, and his own family mem6ers fellow="egents=. !his group later named themselves MBaha'i Tarbi#at &ommunit#M.

!he largest of the Duardian groups today are the M5rthodo) Baha'isMwho support 9oeBray -arangella.

-ason appointed *onald arvey as his successor in %G&JK a man not among the G. 9oeB. -arangella said that this appointment :of arvey; was invalid since, 6y that time,

"emey had =gone senile= and didn't know what he was doing. -arangella also said thatsince "emey=activated= the /B+ :G men; in %G&I, 9oel 6ecame the =!hird Duardian=atthat timeK since "emey =a6dicated= his Duardianship*r. Leland 9ensen :founder of the Baha'is $nder the !rovisions of the &ovenant;accepted *onald arvey as "emey's successor until arvey excommunicated him :forclaiming to 6e 9esus returned and the =$sta6lisher= of the Baha'i Faith...a positionactually superior to Duardian;. !hen 9ensen declared that epe "emey :-ason's adoptedson; was the Duardian, 6ut epe denied thisK finally telling 9ensen's followers that9ensen was false, corrupt, and a liar. 0ome of 9ensen's followers discovered these lettersfrom epe "emey and then left 9ensen and followed 9acues 0oghomonian. 3eal +hase,a firm disciple of 9ensen, was in communication with epe "emey, and epe "emey:6eing an old man 6y this time; once referred to +hase as =my son= :or on severaoccassions;. !his made +hase to claim that epe was his spiritual fatherK ust as ')6du'l7Baha was the spiritual father of +harles "emey, calling him =my son=. 0o, while epe"emey said =/ am 3! the Duardian of the Faith, 9acues 0oghomonian is theDuardian=, 3eal +hase said, =h, well, of course epe "emey was the Duardian, and hecalled me 'son' so /'m his successor and the third Duardian of the Baha'i Faith=. !hecurrent Baha'is #nder the rovisions of the +ovenant have I =+ommunities=

9acues 0oghomonian was :like 9oel B. -arangella; a mem6er of the 30) of Francewhen -ason "emey declared he was the ?nd Duardian. !he 30) of France accepted

-ason as the ?nd Duardian. !he +ustodians :the G ands who ran the Faith after 0hogh$ffendi died; declared the 30) of France to 6e =defunct= and changed the locks on thedoors and confescated the .R.

!he current group that follows 9acues 0oghomonian /Baha'is ?o#al to the uardian1has a6out I mem6ers worldwide.

!he paper =+harles -ason "emey and !hose !hat Followed im=, written on 6ehalf ofthe #niversal ouse of 9ustice, says that *onald arvey died without appointing a


23/42


24/42

+-5rthodo) Baha'is /followers of 6oel B. =arangella1

8ame 5rthodo) Bahai FaithBelief %st Duardian Shoghi Effendi

?nd Duardian &harles =ason 9eme#@rd Duardian 6oel B. =arangella

:Became !hird Duardian

in %GG%. e Lives in erth)ustralia.;

!his group the second largest, have a living Duardian, the /nternational Bahai +ounciand the /nstitution of ands of +ause.

The 5rthodo) Baha2is are found in #nited 0tates, /ndia, )ustralia, +anada, )ustralia, 3ew -exico, 0pain , France /ran ,

akistan, Bangladesh etc.

ebsites -other Bah' +ouncil of the #0httpNNwww.rt&&.comNTJ$o6fusaNcouncil.htm

*ocumentation concerning the rthodox Faith of Baha'u'llah with the continuingDuardianship of the Faith.!he Duardian of the Bah' FaithhttpNN6ahai7guardian.comN

!he home page of the !hird Duardian of the Bah' Faith.rthodox Baha'is of "oswell 3-

httpNNwww.rt&&.comNTJ$khermanNBahaiN"BOhome.htm

Baha'is under the living Duardianship, which is the source of divine guidance and is whythis is =!he *ay that will not 6e followed 6y night.=!he rthodox Bah' Faith in 0outh )ustralia)n )ustralian we6 site dedicated to the =!hird Duardian=.!"#$B))/httpNNwww.trueseeker.typepad.comNindex.html

) portal to the teachings of the rthodox Bah' Faith.2aren 9o erman's Bah' ome age

httpNNwww.rt&&.comNTJ$khermanNIBahai.htm

)n rthodox Bah''s personal home page.!he Local Bah' +ouncil of the rthodox Bah''s of Bangalore, /ndia.httpNNwww.geocities.comNo6c6angaloreN!he Local Bah' +ouncil of the rthodox Bah''s of +hennae, /ndia.httpNNwww.geocities.comNa6rahamseemaN

!he Local Bah' +ouncil of the rthodox Bah''s of Lucknow /ndia.httpNNwww.o6clucknow.comN
http://www.rt66.com/~obfusa/council.htmhttp://bahai-guardian.com/http://www.rt66.com/~kjherman/Bahai/RB_home.htmhttp://www.trueseeker.typepad.com/index.htmlhttp://www.rt66.com/~kjherman/5Bahai.htmhttp://www.geocities.com/obcbangalore/http://www.geocities.com/abrahamseema/http://www.obclucknow.com/http://www.rt66.com/~obfusa/council.htmhttp://bahai-guardian.com/http://www.rt66.com/~kjherman/Bahai/RB_home.htmhttp://www.trueseeker.typepad.com/index.htmlhttp://www.rt66.com/~kjherman/5Bahai.htmhttp://www.geocities.com/obcbangalore/http://www.geocities.com/abrahamseema/http://www.obclucknow.com/


25/42

!he Local Bah' +ouncil of the rthodox Bah''s of *elhi, /ndia.httpNNo6cdelhi.6ravehost.comN

!he Local Bah' +ouncil of the rthodox Bah''s of 2olkatta, /ndia.httpNNkolkatta.white.prohosting.comN
http://obcdelhi.bravehost.com/http://kolkatta.white.prohosting.com/http://obcdelhi.bravehost.com/http://kolkatta.white.prohosting.com/


26/42


27/42

rovides a viewpoint on Baha'i 0cripture from the perspective of the Baha'is #nder therovisions of the +ovenant. 3ot presently maintained

) site 6y B#+ Baha>is of /ndiahttpNNindia.6upc.orgN

0ee the Aikipedia articles on Leland 9ensen, the 0econd /nternational Bah' +ouncil,and 3eal +hase.


28/42

>-Baha'is ?o#al to the uardian/followers of 6ac@ues Soghomonian1

8ame (eart of the Baha'i FaithBelief %st Duardian Shoghi Effendi

?nd Duardian &harles =ason 9eme#@rd Duardian Donald Alfonse

(arve#7 FranceCth Duardian 6ac@ues Soghomonian

:Became fourth Duardianin%GG% after the death of*onald arvey.e Lives in -arseille,France.;

!here should 6e a living guardian to guide the #9 as per the will of Baha'ullah and)6dul Baha.

!he #9, in haifa is a False one 7 'co8 it is without a guardian.

nly a guardian may declare someone to 6e a U4iolaterV as per the declaration of 0hogh$ffendi in %GI%.

!his group has a living Duardian 6ut no /nternational Bahai +ouncil or the /nstitution ofands of +ause.

ebsites eart of the Baha'i Faith

) discussion group led 6y Brent "eed, spokesman for Duardian 9acues )0oghomonian.httpNNgroups.yahoo.comNgroupNeartoftheBahaiFaithN

Baha'is Loyal to the /4 DuardianBeliefnet discussion group.httpNNwww.6eliefnet.comN6oardsNdiscussionOlist.aspZ6oard/*\@IC?G

E-mail Brent 9eed -ameriacanO6ahai]yahoo.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeartoftheBahaiFaith/http://www.beliefnet.com/boards/discussion_list.asp?boardID=35429http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeartoftheBahaiFaith/http://www.beliefnet.com/boards/discussion_list.asp?boardID=35429


29/42

-Tarbi#at Baha'is /followers of 9e) ing et al1

8ame !ar6iyat Baha'i +ommunityBelief 3ational ouse of 9ustice of the

rthodox Baha'is of the #nited 0tatesand +anada. /ncludes a position paperaimed at =0ans Duardian Baha'is=,

which explains the origins of theorganisation and events associatedwith their current isolation from the#niversal ouse of 9ustice.

"ex 2ing then formed his own group called =Baha'i rthodox +ommunity=in Las 4egas,3ew -exico. !hey said that "emey was not =Duardian= 6ut rather merely a ="egent=,and that the /B+ was a =+ouncil of "egents=to rule the Faith until a true descendant ofBaha'u'llah would comeforward and 6ecome Duardian :the "egents would declare himsuch;. 2ing appointed himself the next "egent, and his own family mem6ersfellow="egents=. !his group later named themselves =Baha'i !ar6iyat +ommunity=.

Ae are an organi8ed community of Baha'is who accept the !eachings of Baha'u'llah,Founder of the Baha'i Faith, and uphold the validity of the continuing Duardianship of the+ause of Dod. !he institution of the Duardianship was esta6lished to provide spirituaguidance to the Baha'i Aorld. !he Faith has 6een without that necessary leadership sincethe death of the first Duardian, 0hoghi $ffendi, in %GIJ. they 6elieve a lineal descendantof Baha'u'llah will arise to take up the mantle of the Duardianship in the future. /n themeantime, this community of 6elievers is led 6y a +ouncil of ="egents= who serve noother purpose than to unite Baha'is in anticipation of that day when the second Duardianarises to restore spiritual guidance to the Faith and reunify the Baha'i Aorld. !o learn

more a6out our specific community, please take a look at our osition aper.

ebsites httpNNwww.o6cnh.orgNredirect.htmlhttpNNwww.tar6iyatcenter.orgNindex.html httpNNtar6iyat6ahai.6logspot.comN
http://www.obcnhj.org/redirect.htmlhttp://www.tarbiyatcenter.org/index.htmlhttp://www.obcnhj.org/redirect.htmlhttp://www.tarbiyatcenter.org/index.html


30/42

Those who believe that the uardianshi" ended with Shoghi Effendiand at "resent $(6 is the true leader

(ETE95D5C BA(A3S

!his is the maor Bahai sect .!hey 6elieve that Duardianship 6ecame B)*) :Dodchanged is lanned; and their will 6e no more Duardians after 0hoghi $ffendi.

)t the death of 0hoghi $ffendi, while he was in London, his widow put out a telegraphstating that the Duardian was =very ill=K knowing he was in fact deceased.

Ahen the ands later met in aifa to open the safe, they 6roke the seal, and they foundno Aill and !estament. Later that night, one of the ands :a ersian; later told otherersian ands that the Duardianship was =B)*)= :i.e. Dod changed is mind on thematter;, and that the Duardianship was over for all time. )t first the )merican andBritish Baha'is were appauled 6y such a doctrine, 6ut they later recanted, and all:including "emey; signed a document stateing that the Duardian left no successor, sothe ands would now 6e the $)* of the Faith.

1ears 6efore, "emey claimed that he had 6een approached 6y a num6er of the andswho said, =!he Duardian wants you to succeed him should he die without a son[= "emeypro6a6ly 6elieved that these same ands would come forward and nominate him as ?ndDuardian. !his did not happen.

/nstead, "uhiyyih 2hannum :widom of 0hoghi $ffendi; and the ersian and who cameup with the new =B)*)= doctrine of the Duardianship, and a few others, */0B)3*$* the/nternational Baha'i +ouncil, and formed a new institution called the =+ustodians=. !hesewere 6e G ands who would run the Faith. !his included "uhiyyih 2hannum and some

=hand picked= ands who would support her and her decisions. For all practicalpurposes, 2hannum =ruled= the Baha'i Faith from that point until her death.

/n %G&@ the ands meet together in aifa and they elected nine mem6er council calledas #niversal ouse of 9ustice to look after the affairs of the Bahais. !his #9 is electedevery five years.

ebsite httpNNwww.6ahai.org

$niversal (ouse of uardianshi"

Followers of * Elders.

!he followers of #niversal ouse of Duardianship 6elieve in -ir8a )li -ohammed 0hira8i:!he Ba6;, -ir8a usain )li 3oori :Baha>u>llah; )66as )ffendi :)6dul Baha; and 0hoghi)ffendi.
http://www.bahai.org/http://www.bahai.org/


31/42

!hey 6elieve, according to the teachings of Baha>u>llah and )6dul Baha #niversal ouseof 9ustice shouldhave a head in form of infalli6le Duardian. )s Bahaullah hasmentioned that in is dispensation there will 6e ?C Duardian namelyBa6 along with his eighteen urufe aiye :Letters of living; makes nineteen. !he namesof remaining five are not mentioned, 6ut they will 6e coming in future.

)ll these ?C Duardians are infalli6le and as per teaching of Bah>u>llah they are the0alateen7e7)lame /lahi.:"ulers of the Aorld of Dod;

)s 0hoghi has not appointed any successor it means the followers of Baha>u>llah shouldwait for the coming of these I $lders.

!hey are mainly 6ased in +anada their we6 site is

www.Ielders.com

DA(ES(3STS

Daheshists believe that their leader7 Dr. Dahesh < 0aleem -oosa $l7)wshee:=eaceful -oses $lisha=; :%G%?7%GEC;, founded a new religion called *)$0/0- inBeirut Le6anonis the M9eturnM of The Bb /Ali =ohammed Shira0i1.

!he followers of *r. *ahesh claim that he was the miracle7working rophet of Le6anon.!hey also claim that he performed thousands of supernatural miracles which werewitnessed 6y hundredsK many of whom are alive still today. e produced five 6ookswhich he claimed were divinely inspired.

Aith respect to the relation of this new Faith to the Bahais, the followers of *r. *aheshclaim that he was the UreturnV of the Ba6 < the forerunner to Bahaullah. 9ust as the Ba6claimed to 6e the Uspiritual returnV of the -ahdi, *r. *ahesh is the return of the Ba6.!he Ba6 did in fact teach a form or reincarnation called =return= in various 6ooks hewrote. !hese 6ooks have not 6een pu6lished 6y the Baha'is, and the #niversal ouse of9ustice in aifa has refused to pu6lish these 6ooks in full. !hey however pu6lish certaincarefully selected =selections= from themK leaving out all inferences of =return= asreincarnation. !he #9 has also denied Baha'i scholars photocopies of the originals forstudy from these 6ooks 6y !he Ba6, 6ut a few have =leaked out= or were in possession
http://www.5elders.com/http://www.5elders.com/


32/42

of Baha'is in /ran for generations, and a few translations are coming forth from formerBaha'i scholars.

!o ustify their point, *aheshis empahsise that Baha'u'llah himself proclaimed that hewas the =return= of the /maam useinK the martyred grandson of the prophet-uhammad.

!he emissary to *r. *ahesh, rof Brax, who is credited with 6eing the return of )postleaul clarified that Bahaullah was a UDuideV and not a Urophet.V ) =Duide= is differentfrom a rophet. ) rophet can perform supernatural miracles, 6ut a Duide cannot. 1et, aDuide can receive divine inspiration like a rophet, 6ut is not a rophet is the strictistsense of the word.

Daheshism raises the following @uestions for the Bahai Faith

By concealing the revelations of the Ba6, the Bahais are attempting to veil thereferences to the concepts of UreturnV or UrecincarnationV that Ba6 preached andwhich forms the crux of the *aheshi faith.

Bahais have misinterpreted the words of Bahaullah which state that there would not6e another revelation for another %, years. Ahile Bahais claim that this edictindicates that there would not 6e another manifestation for %, years afterBahaullah, the *aheshis claim that these words of Bahaullah were directed towardsthe revelation of the Ba6 whose law came exactly %, years after thedisappearance of the /mam -ahdi :Ba6 rose in %?& ), while the /mam is rumoredto have disappeared in ?& );.

!here is ample of evidence that ')6du'l7Baha was 3! infalli6le, and never claimedinfalli6ility. /n %G%J, ')6du'l7Baha predicted that =universal peace= would 6eesta6lished 6y %GIJ. !his prediction was contained in all editions of the 6ookBaha'u'llah and the 3ew $ra 6efore %GI. /n the %GI edition, the prediction wasremoved without explanation. )lso, ')6du'l7Baha has said certain things:datesNnamesNincidents; that do not coincide with known historical or scientificfactsK such as the date of the rise of the #mayyids, 0ocrates visiting the rophetsof /srael, the Law of -oses commanding that thieves have their hand cut off, etc.')6du'l7Baha was clearly 3! infalli6le, and never claimed to 6e.

/n line with "eform Bahais, *aheshis uestion the authenticity of the Aill and

!estament of )6dul Baha. !hey claim that it was doctored in favour of 0hoghi $ffendi.!hey produce documentary evidence to esta6lish their claim.

*aheshis also draw inspirations from the sym6ols produced 6y Bahaullah claiming thatthe "ingstone 0ym6ol actually points to the UadventV of *r. *ahesh.

!he "ingstone is a sym6ol of two I7pointed stars with two )ra6ic letters in the middleB) :twice; and ) :twice;.

\=B= :=6ah=;


33/42

\== :=hah=;=B= :vertical;!wo I7pointed 0tars

Ahat is the =meaning= 6ehind the "ingstone sym6olZ

Baha'is 6elieve that the meaning is this

!op ==\=Aorld of Dod=-iddle =B=\=Aorld of the rophets=Lower ==\=Aorld of +reation=4erticle =B=\="evelation of the rophets=!win 0tars\=!he !win -anifestations of Dod :!he Baa6 and Baha'u'llah;

ere is what we 23A it means

"ead from left to right

^!he first I pointed7star represents !he Baa6, whose sym6ol was a I pointes star....

^!he B) :twice; and ) :twice; is B)) said twice meaning Baha'u'llah and ')6du'7Baha.

^!he 4ertical =B= unites the two ==s togetherB))'u'llah')6du'l7B))!hey are #3/!$* 6ecause they are father and son.

^!he final I pointed7star represents *)$0, whose sym6ol was also a I pointed

star.....

Thus7 for Daheshists7 the 9ingstone contains the following =essage....NThe Baab /*-"ointed star1 will be followed b# T5 BA(AS /Baha'u'llah and'Abdu'l-Baha17 then there shall come Dahesh /*-"ointed star1 to SEA? this9evelation.

:lease put that ringstone;

Daheshists %uestions for Baha'is

%. Ahere in the Aritings of Baha'u'llah does he claim to 6e a =rophet=Z

?. Ahy did 0hoghi $ffendi and the ouse for6id the pu6lishing of 6ooks 6y !he Baa6:other than =selections=;Z


34/42


35/42

Battle of +ovenants

Ailmette 30)'s :aifian Bahai; contempt motion F)/L0 against*ifferent 0ects of Bahais9#*D$ /00#$0 *$+/0/3 /3 F)4" F "!*P B))'/0.

%7"!*P B))/0 :-)")3D$LL) D"#; "$030$

!he +ourt has issued its decision in the court action 6rought 6y the Ailmette 30). !he+ourt has ruled in favor of the rthodox Baha'is. !o read the +ourt's decision, followthis link

htt"IItruesee4er.t#"e"ad.comItrueOsee4erIcourtOcase.html

9udgment in favor of the rthodox Baha>i Faith 3n a decision handed down b# the$nited States District &ourt7 the 5rthodo) Baha2i Faith was found not guilt# ofcontem"t charges levied against it b# the 8ational S"iritual Assembl# of theBaha2is of the $nited States /ilmette 8SA1. The inGunction that the 5rthodo)Baha2i Faith was accused of violating7 would have "rohibited it from using the
http://bahaifaction.sosblog.com/The-first-blog-b1/Wilmette-NSA-s-Haifian-Bahai-contempt-motion-FAILS-against-Different-Sects-of-Bahais-b1-p15.htmhttp://bahaifaction.sosblog.com/The-first-blog-b1/Wilmette-NSA-s-Haifian-Bahai-contempt-motion-FAILS-against-Different-Sects-of-Bahais-b1-p15.htmhttp://trueseeker.typepad.com/true_seeker/court_case.htmlhttp://trueseeker.typepad.com/true_seeker/court_case.htmlhttp://bahaifaction.sosblog.com/The-first-blog-b1/Wilmette-NSA-s-Haifian-Bahai-contempt-motion-FAILS-against-Different-Sects-of-Bahais-b1-p15.htmhttp://bahaifaction.sosblog.com/The-first-blog-b1/Wilmette-NSA-s-Haifian-Bahai-contempt-motion-FAILS-against-Different-Sects-of-Bahais-b1-p15.htmhttp://trueseeker.typepad.com/true_seeker/court_case.htmlhttp://trueseeker.typepad.com/true_seeker/court_case.htmlhttp://trueseeker.typepad.com/true_seeker/court_case.htmlhttp://trueseeker.typepad.com/true_seeker/court_case.html


36/42

name Baha2i7 meaning a follower of Baha2u2llah /as the name &hristian refers toone who follows &hrist.1 The 8SA7 a national branch of the world organi0ationwith over , million members7 brought the legal action against the 5rthodo)Baha2i Faith7 whose membershi"7 in contrast7 numbers less than * in the$nited States7 man# of whom are life-long believers. As a result of the Gudge'sfinding7 the 5rthodo) Baha'i Faith ma# continue to use the name Baha'i inidentif#ing itself and ma# continue to teach its belief in the continuinguardianshi" of the Faith of Baha'u'llah7 a teaching in direct o""osition to thattaught b# the 8SA grou". The 5rthodo) Baha2i Faith recogni0es 6oel B.=arangella as the rightful ?iving uardian of the Baha2i Faith. The originalinGunction was issued over fort# #ears ago to a now e)tinct rival bod# to the8SA. 3n her Gudgment7 the (onorable Am# 6. St Eve wrote JPTQhe chain ofsuccessorshi" lac4s a lin4R ruling on A"ril 7


37/42

httpNNwww.true6ahai.comNcourtN%C7udgment.pdf

MPTQhe chain of successorshi" lac4s a lin47M wrote the (onorable Am# 6. St Eve7$nited States District &ourt 6udge7 in her 6udgment in favor ofthe&hicagoOtrialOGanuar#OO


38/42

have not violated the inGunction.

p. @%After considering the full record in this case7 the &ourt finds that S3B& and theB!$!& are not in "rivit# with the 8SA-$(....

p. @?

+3+L#0/3For the above reasons7 the &ourt finds that the Alleged &ontemnors are not in"rivit# with the 8SA-$( and7 in turn7 that the# are not in contem"t of theinGunction.

6ugde Am# 6. St. Eve

A"ril 7


39/42

ictor#X ictor#X ictor#X Toda#7 this 9idvan


40/42

them to even discus the fact that the true $niversal (ouse of 6ustice /accordingto the e)"licit te)t of the &ovenant Z WT7 ". +*1 must have the livingdescendent of ing David as its "resident to distinguish it from fa4es7 fraudsand imitations.

(a"l# in the shadow of our victor#7 this trium"h of the &ause of od over itsavowed and recalcitrant enemies7 has overshadowed and sheltered allindividuals and grou"s of "eo"le calling themselves JBaha2iR as well be set freefrom the s"ectre of the violation to continue to "ractice the faith and "romotethe &ause the wa# the# understand it. This uni@ue "osition of our &ouncil/uhG.netJseven rites of the Baha2i faithR1 has both ama0ed7 astounded andbaffled both our enemies and well-wishers ali4eX Thus the watchword of J$nit#in diversit#R has been "roclaimed and u"held7 and the truth of the words JSa#A?? A9E &9EATED B 5DXR has been manifested to all the "eo"le of the world.The $nit# of the believers has been "reserved b# adherence and lo#alt# toever# single "rovision of the ill and testament of LAbdu2l-Baha.

These da#s of immanent war against 3ran7 world wide "overt# and starvationlooming7 "olitical corru"tion and intrigue assailing the governments of theworld from within and from without7 economic crisis and ruin threatening onever# turn7 estrangement of the cultures of the East and the est due tointernational JterrorRY from out his gloom7 onl# this reat ?ight of (o"e Z theBaha2i !eace !rogram Z shines luminous above the hori0on of the hearts of allhuman4ind. Blessed and ho"eful and ha""# are those that have seen this greatlight7 and u"on them in whom this light has shinedXSimultaneous with the&hicago Earth@ua4e e"icentered at =t. &armel /3llinois1 that shoo4 the ver#

foundations of the cit# of the midmost heart of the $S7 the ground-brea4ingrit of 6udge Am# St. Eve of the Federal &ourt sends forth the 6udgment andruling that the Baha2i2s $nder the "rovisions of the &ovenant7 and the "erson ofthe current living uardian7 the great grandson of LAbdu2l-Baha are free toteach and "roclaim the truth of the Baha2i Faith and truth of the Baha2i&ovenant fulfilled that LAbdu2l-Baha "assed the throne of David to his aghsan-son &harles =ason 9eme# Aghsan7 who "assed this to his onl# son7 !e"e7 alsoan aghsan7 and that !e"e then "assed this on to his onl# aghsan-son7 8eal&hase ben 6os"eh Aghsan7 the current living hereditar# uardian of the Baha2iFaith and !resident of the true $niversal (ouse of 6ustice of Baha2u2llah7established in the 9oc4# =ountains in America7 that shall bring "eace through

Gustice to all the world.

Through the artifice and stratagem7 these violators sought to hold the "eo"le toa #ears old inGunction "laced in +K,, against the first American 8SA thathad originall# acce"ted =ason 9eme# as LAbdu2l-Baha2s aghsan-son7 beforethe# turned against him. Through machinations from with and without7 thatfirst 8SA was dissolved b# LAbdu2l-Baha2s son himself7 and several brea4awa#grou"s formed in its wa4e outside the "rovisions of the &ovenant as the timesof great confusion and testing continued to ravage the "eo"le enmeshed in the
http://uhj.net/http://uhj.net/


41/42

Baha2i world in the wa4e of the negative s"iritual vorte) set froth b# 9uhi##ihhanum and the (ands. 3n the midst of this maelstrom of violation7 night ofBaha2u2llah7 Dr7 ?eland 6ensen7 se"arated himself and emerged as the greatBaha2i teacher of the


42/42

5n behalf of the &ouncil and all the faithful and lo#al wor4ers at the orld&enter 7

our servant7

8eal &hase ben 6ose"h Aghsan7

uardianI!resident $(6.

htt"IIwww.sectsofbahais.com
http://www.sectsofbahais.com/http://www.sectsofbahais.com/

Documents

Sects of Baha'i Faith