God’s Avenging Wrath
Inform National Assemblies that God’s avenging wrath having afflicted in rapid succession during recent years two sons, brother and sister-in-law of Archbreaker of Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant, has now struck down second son of Siyyid ‘Alí, Nayer Afnán, pivot of machinations, connecting link between old and new Covenant-breakers. Time alone will reveal extent of havoc wreaked by this virus of violation injected, fostered over two decades in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s family. History will brand him one whose grandmother, wife of Bahá’u’lláh, joined breakers of His Covenant on morrow of His passing, whose parents lent her undivided support, whose father openly accused ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as one deserving capital punishment, who broke his promise to the Báb’s wife to escort her to Holy Land, precipitating thereby her death, who was repeatedly denounced by Center of the Covenant as His chief enemy, whose eldest brother through deliberate misrepresentation of facts inflicted humiliation upon defenders of the House of Bahá’u’lláh in Baghdád, whose sister-in-law is championing the cause of declared enemies of Faith, whose brothers supported him attributing to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá responsibility for fatal disease which afflicted their mother, who himself in retaliation first succeeded in winning over through marriage my eldest sister, subsequently paved way for marriage of his brothers to two other grandchildren of the Master, who was planning a fourth marriage between his daughter and grandson of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, thereby involving in shameful marriages three branches of His family, who over twenty years schemed to undermine the position of the Center of Faith through association with representatives of traditional enemies of Faith in Persia, Muslim Arab communities, notables and civil authorities in Holy Land, who lately was scheduled to appear as star witness on behalf of daughter of Badí’u’lláh in recent lawsuit challenging the authority conferred upon Guardian of Faith in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Testament.
—Shoghi
[Cablegram, April 5, 1952]
Irresistible March of the Faith
Soul stirred, heart uplifted by recollection of events signalizing the twelve month period preceding the fateful year destined to witness the consummation of series of plans formulated by Bahá’í National Assemblies of five continents, as well as the inauguration of the second, glorious Jubilee of the Bahá’í Dispensation. The irresistible march of the Faith marked simultaneously by the steady consolidation of its administrative institutions and the rapid enlargement of its limits. No less than eighteen countries have been enrolled, raising the total number within its orbit to one hundred twenty-four. Languages in which Bahá’í literature is printed or is being translated are now ninety, including twelve African languages. The vast process of the rise and establishment of the World Center of the Faith has been accelerated. Contingents of Hands of the Cause have been successively appointed in every continent of the globe, five of whom are shouldering responsibilities in the Holy Land. The International Bahá’í Council has been enlarged and officers designated.