An open letter to Sir Abbas Effendi

An open letter to Sir Abbas Effendi
and an Historical answer from the 
Center of Covenant Abdul Baha

By: Gamal Naseer

 

Sir Abbas Effendi

Shuaullah was Son of Mohammed Ali Effendi(son of Bah’a’ullah) and grandson of Bah’a’ullah he was born in Kasr-el-Mazraa, Accre district, Palestine in 1878 A.D. and grew up under the supervision of his Holy grandfather Bah’a’ullah. At the tender age of eleven years he was commended by his Grandfather Bah’a’ullah to accompany his father to Egypt and India for propagation of faith, he travelled extensively along with his father to India and Egypt, in his youth he suffered the loss of his beloved grandfather Bah’a’ullah, and got a shock of life by seeing his uncle Sir Abbas Effendi started preaching his commandments and kept aside the teaching of Baha’u’llah,.

Shuaullah
The Grandson of Bah’a’ullah
The Flag bearer of Baha’i faith to India and Egypt

After Abdul Baha ex-communicated prominent Baha’is like Dr. Ibrahim Khairullah, the rift and conflict arose amongst the followers of American Baha’is  while Sir Abbas Effendi was busy in issuing tablets to his supporter.The Noble son of Bah’a’ullah Mohammed Ali Effendi took the responsibility of teaching the faith. He instructed his eldest son Shuaullah to go to America and continue teachings of Bah’a’ullah.

In 1904 Shuaullah left for America for the sole purpose of teaching faith. He started a Baha’i quarterly magazine and was busy in propagating the faith of his noble grandfather, while he was in California his uncle Sir Abbas Effendi saw that he is losing ground in western believers so he also made a trip to USA to propagate his own self made ideology.

Shuaullah wrote HIS MEMORIES after his returned to Acre (the scan copy is available on internet) here I am quoting his conversation with his Uncle Sir Abbas effendi.

From  his Book “Memories of Shuaullah” page 5-7

During 1912 while my Uncle Abdul Baha was visiting the United States by the authority of my father, I humbly wrote him a letter and asked him for a conference to settle the existing differences in our cause. I hereby reproduce the copy of the same;

“To His excellency Abbas Effendi Abdul Baha.”

Dear Sir;

In as much as your views and doctrines in our religion are radically different from those of my father, your younger brother, Mohammed Ali Effendi who was chosen by God in the Book of My covenant, the Last will of Bah’a’ullah, to occupy after you the same position you occupy now:
And inasmuch as this difference between both of you spread among the followers of Bah’a’ullah and divided them into two parties; one following you and believing in your personal teachings, and the other party joined your brother believing in the teaching of Bah’a’ullah only and considering them final as he declared;
And, inasmuch as we were all commanded in the “Most Sacred Book” Kitab Aqdas, to bring our differences to the utterance of Bah’a’ullah, which sufficed the world, whereby they should be settled: And inasmuch as our duty is to established peace at home, among ourselves first, before we preach others to do so.
I hereby beg your Excellency to appoint a conference of peace and spirituality to hold its meetings at the city of Chicago, or some other place, at a certain time, in order to discuss with the language of love and kindness the differences between the said two parties and settle them in accord with the utterance of Bah’a’ullah and His Commandments.
If it pleases you the said conference would be composed of your Excellency with some learned ones of your followers, myself and Dr. I. G. Kheiralla, who introduced Baha’ism into America and Christendom with a few of our party. 
My father Ghusni Akbar, authorized me to state, that he will accept and sanction whatever your Excellency would established with me and with his representative Dr. I.G. Kheiralla.
The official language of said conference well be the U.S. language, a neutral interpreter should be hired to translate from Arabic language all that you would like to say and in the mean time to translate to you all the discussions of the conference. Also to ask the associated press to send a reporter to write the minutes of the conference, and to invite three American to attend the meetings and act as witnesses and judges.

I suggest the question and discussions to be the following:

1. Why your Excellency concealed a part of the book of My Covenant, the Will of Bah’a’ullah..? that Will was entrusted to you that you might give all of it to the followers of Bah’a’ullah.

2. Ghusn Akbar was chosen to occupy after you the same position which you occupy, and your Excellency claimed that he was out off and fell. How is it possible that he fell from the said position before having a chance to occupy it.

3. What ground you have to claim that you are the Center of Covenant..? God only is    the center of covenant.

4. Why do you claim to be the interpreter of the Utterances of Bah’a’ullah…? He declared in the book of wisdom that there is no Interpreter to them, save Himself.

5. How could it be that you are the manifestation of servitude and Bah’a’ullah declared it to himself only…? Also he taught there are no manifestations after Him until one thousand years passed from His appearance.

6. Why do you claim the great Infallibility calling your letters sacred tablets and revelations..? Bah’a’ullah said; Whosoever claimeth a mission before the completion of one thousand years from His manifestation is a lying imposter.

7. Why do you teach that this greatest Manifestation has three Chiefs, the Bab, Bah’a’ullah and Yourself..? Bah’a’ullah said: There is no one else beside him in the Kingdom. Likewise the Bible taught that at the latter days we shall have one shepherd, only one chief and not three. Also Bah’a’ullah said: he hath no agent, no successor, and no son.”

8. Why do you claim and in the same breath deny that which you claim..?

10. Why do you not teach and spread the teachings of Bah’a’ullah as you were commanded to do, instead of spreading you own one..?

I close this open letter, appealing to your Excellency by justice, love and unity to grant my request.

Your humble servant,
The Grandson of Bah’a’ullah,
Shuaullah.

I forwarded  the above mentioned letter to Abdul Baha to Chicago where he was visiting but unfortunately I did not receive a reply. When I heard of Abdul Baha’s arrival to California, I addressed him the said letter again, this time through the press as an open letter, a copy of the same appeared in several Newspaper throughout the United States.

A reporter from the Los Angeles, Examiner interviewed Abdul Baha and the following reply appears In the said Newspaper;

October 20^th 1912
“Would you listen to the talk of the drunkard in the street”
Reporter asked “do you class your nephew as one no better than a drunkard..?
Abdul Baha Replied:- “Worse”

Conclusion:

Here comes the question:

Why Sir Abbas Effendi was not ready to answer his nephew..?

What was there in Will and Testament of Bah’a’ullah which he was hiding from the followers..? Why Sir Abbas Effendi has kept aside the teaching of Prophet of faith, was he thinking that the teachings are absurd, or he was looking for some fame for himself?

Why he made such a long trip to United States and Europe, and ex-communicated those who propagated faith in those country, and avoided the open challenged made by his Nephew for debate.

Answer:

1.       He wanted to have fame and glory for himself, he was fooling around to simple followers of Baha’u’llah, and were making some fake prophesies to impress them, (like Prophecy: of Daniel 1335 days and made such complicated that the Book Baha’u’llah and New Era has to be revised thrice). Ref. Baha’u’llah and New Era. And prophecies like there will be 24 successors in Baha’i Faith, whereas Shoghi Effendi died childless.

2.       The ground was prepared In the US by the faithful like Dr. I.G Khairullah and he went to ripe the fruits. They should not have objected to his lucrative business so he ex-communicated them.

3. To please them he issued a Tablet in praise of country O God! This American nation is worthy of Thy favors and is deserving of Thy mercy. Make it precious and near to Thee through Thy bounty and bestowal

4. It was as simple as that, the American faithful where not aware about writing of Baha’u’llah, since it was in Arabic and Persian, no one could object him about his talk which was in absolute contrast to the teachings of Baha’u’llah.

5. He was praising them like: they are angel, To Juliet Thompson He said.  “You teach well, Juliet,” He said. “You teach with ecstasy. You ignite the souls. A great bounty will descend upon you. I have perfect confidence in you as a teacher. Your heart is pure, absolutely pure.”

6. The main man who raised the flag of Baha’i  faith in the United States (Dr. I.G Khairullah) was ex-communicated.

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