Universal House of Justice

Gamal Naseer

Baha’u’llah and Sir Abbas Effendi practiced Concealment of Faith

As the world knows the problem which Baha’i are facing in Egypt, since we get regular mail about persecution of Baha’is of Egypt, my question was why not we Baha’i in Egypt allowed to do dissimulation/concealment  “Taqqiya” which was practiced by Baha’u’llah himself and Sir Abbas Effendi and some of early Baha’is.

I-Concealment of religious opinions by Sir Abbas Effendi

Sir Abbas Effendi was born of Moslem parents. According to his followers he was born on Jamad-al-Awal 5, A.H. 1260 (23 May 1844), the date of the declaration of the Bab.

According to Mirza Jawad in his Historical Epitome, Materials for the Study of the Babi Religion by Prof. Browne, P.62, “he was born in A.H 1257 (A.H 1841).

Like his father, to all appearance, Sir Abbas Effendi was a practicing Moslem. He kept the Moslem Ramadan and said to his Friday prayers at the mosque at Acre or Haifa. He married lady Munira according to Moslem rites, his funeral and burial services were held according to Moslem rites”.

To ‘Moslem seekers after truth’, Sir Abbas Effendi impressed that ‘Baha’I Faith was a sect or an order of Islam’. To his followers Sir Abbas Effendi stressed that ‘his practice to dissemble his faith was dictated by the exigencies of the time and requirements of expediency and caution’.

Outwardly a practicing Moslem till end of his days and inwardly a Bahai according to him, i.e. Abbas Effendi, the \"Centre of the Covenant\", the \"Mystery of God\", the \"Master of Mankind,\" etc. etc. passed to the mercy of God, having ended a successful career as Sir Abbas Effendi, K.B.E (Knight of the British Empire) thus joining the divinity with the honor of a British Knighthood.\"- Cyprus by Sir Harry Luke, P.123.

In his Payam-i-Padar, PP. 153-155, Mirza Subhi Fazlullah Muhtadi, one time Sir Abbas Effendi’s Persian Scribe and a Baha’i missionary says:

“On Fridays he [i.e. Sir Abbas Effendi] went to the Mosque [in Haifa] and attended the congregational prayers, led by the officiating Minister of the Moslem Sunni faith of the Hanafi rite, and posed as a Moslem. In Ramadan [the ninth month of the Moslem year, the time of the great annual feast] observed the feast. On occasions he met with Moslem scholars and personages and spoke on the superiority of Islamic Faith. He conducted himself in such wise that the people of that land [i.e. the Holy Land] know them [i.e. Baha’is] to be Moslems; they did not suspect that Baha’is had introduced a new religion, had abrogated the commandments of the Quran, had brought in new things in law of the regular prayer, the fast and other laws of Islam, and had put into practice brand new precepts. If Sir Abbas Effendi were asked why they called themselves Baha’is he replied: “Bahai is not a separate religion. It is a branch of the Islamic Faith’.

To a questioner who had put this question he replied in writing in Arabic, penned in my own handwriting, as follows:

‘Designation of Baha’I Faith [called after its founder Baha] is like unto that of Shadhiliya [an order of Dervishes, called after its founder al-Shadhili].’ The head of this Order in Acre was Shaykh Shamati, whom I saw when he visited Sir Abbas Effendi. What helped this practice [of dissimulation] was the fact that Iranians are Shia. When Baha’u’llah left Iran, Iranian Shias used abusive language towards Caliphs of the Prophets for which Baha’u’llah rebuked them. Those who followed Baha’u’llah and befriended the three Caliphs came to be known as Baha’is. These remarks [in explanation of the designation of Baha’i faith] were placed at the disposal of the people of that land [i.e. the Holy Land] … In the company of others and persons who were not after religiousness Sir Abbas Effendi did not regard this faith [i.e. Baha’I faith] as one of the religions of the past and said: “People were involved in adversity, strife, bloodshed and avarice. Baha’u’llah appeared and brought things, which are of use to people and which bring them tranquility.

Occasionally when European scholars visited him and asked him how he regarded Baha’u’llah, Sir Abbas Effendi replied:

“We look upon Baha’u’llah as a teacher and instructor of mankind for truth, integrity, purity and freedom.”

However, he has not mentioned of Baha’u’llah being the Messenger of God, Superior to all the prophets, and in receipt of help from on high, or of his being God who appeared in human garment.”

II-Avareh’s Assessment

Kashful-Hiyal, Vol II, 3rd impression, PP. 108:

“Just as the Blessed Beauty [i.e. Baha’u’llah] impersonated himself as Dervish Muhammad, so did Mirza Abul Fazl held himself as Mulla Abdullah, and Abdul Baha Abbas represented himself as an unknown traveler. Just as Abdul Baha Abbas cited the Traveler’s Narrative, so Mirza Abul Fazl ‘invoked Sheikh Fazlulah of Iran. Just as Mr God (“Mirza Khoda, to wit, Baha’u’llah] sounded the horn and pretended himself to be the guide (‘Murshid’) of Dervishes in the presence of the Ottoman authorities, so did Mirza Abul Fazl carried a rosary and made a show of performing his devotions in the presence of comers, and as Abdul Baha Abbas attracted attention in Mosques performing to be a Sunni.

Note:
Baha’u’llah went by the name of “Dervish Muhammad” during his two years stay in Suleymaniyya in the northern Iraq, Ibn-al-Baha Badiullah’s memoirs

“Nine Infallible members of Universal House of Justice”

III-Universal House of Justice; Please answer:-

1. When Baha’u’llah, Sir Abbas Effendi and noted Scholars were practicing dissimilation and concealment of Faith, Then why we Baha’is who are in danger of being targeted are not allowed to practice dissimulation and live in peace and harmony with Moslems.

2.      Did Baha’u’llah or Sir Abbas Effendi ever said that dissimilation is forbidden..?

3.      Can we conceal our faith and live like Moslem and practice our faith secretly..?

4.      If not please provide some reference and when they can do why we cannot..?

5. Is Universal House of Justice has more power then Baha’u’llah? Because Baha’u’llah and 
Abdul Baha practiced concealment where as UHJ  is forcing us to make entries as Bahai in our birth certificate and school admission forms, by this we are inviting trouble for us..? OR Is the Baitul Adl interested in making us Martyrs so they can extract money from the Baha’is.

6. We always hear that the Universal House of Justice is praying for us then why their prayers for so many years have not been answered..? By sending bulk mail to outside world Or by writing open letters to the Egyptians or by inviting the attention of Human Right organizations which are all controlled by Jews, will not solve our problems.

7.      Our children are been deprived of education and The members of Universal House of Justice are sitting in air condition cabins suited booted are praying for us, please leave your well furnished palace in Israel and come and see what we are going through..?

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