A letter of NSA for New Zealand to its members

To the Baha\'is of New Zealand

Dear Baha\'i friends

Lamentable situation calls for Loyal response with heavy hearts, the national spiritual assembly announces to the Baha\'i community that MS Pauline smith, of Masterton, has broken the covenant and been expelled from the Faith by the universal House of Justice. MS smith has unfortunately not heeded the guidance and warnings she has been given over a period of some months, and has decided to maintain contacts and association with known covenant-breakers, who are some of the relatives of Shoghi Effendi, and in particular, MS parvine Afnan Shahid.

MS smith, who had known about the Faith for some years in New Zealand, went to the United Kingdom where she continued learning about the Faith from believers she met there. While in England she also happened to meet the family of covenant-breakers and became friends with them. MS smith later became a Baha\'i in England and, soon afterwards, returned to New Zealand (in 1995). Since then, there have been attempts by the institution of the Faith to counsel MS smith about her association with MS shahid, who intends to come to live in masterton from early 1997. The universal House of Justice says:

\"It has been determined that parvine shahid, who is the granddaughter of the notorious covenant-breaker Nayyir Afnan, is infected with the spirit of covenant-breaking and should be treated as a covenant-breaker\".

A fundamental principle of the Faith is that no believer can have any contact or association with a believer who has been deemed by the Head of the Faith to break the covenant, whether by correspondence, telephone, or in person. Strict adherence to this rule is obligatory. The essential reason for this is to preserve the unity of the Baha\'i Faith. It is because of division within themselves that the religions of the past have not fulfilled their purpose to unify mankind. For a further elaboration of this principle please see the attached extracts from a letter of the Universal House of Justice dated 9 December 1996, to a believer in Masterton [not supplied]. Over the next few months the national spiritual assembly will implement, in collaboration with the Arm of the Learned and working and working through the Local spiritual assemblies and assistants, a systematic deepening programme on the covenant aimed at every believer in New Zealand. In the meantime, the friends are urged to rededicate themselves to study of Abdul-Baha\'s will and testament, and to familiarise themselves with guidance regarding firmness in the covenant, which is found in such publications as *Lights of Guidance*. All communities were recently sent a copy of a publication entitled *the power of the covenant* which consists of a set of three booklets. This provides further reference material for any question you may have about this matter. Audio cassette tapes on the subject of the covenant are also available from the Audio-visual unit. The National spiritual assembly urges you to make a concerted effort to study deeply the subject of the covenant, individually and in groups.

Meeting this challenge represents a new stage in the growth of the Faith in New Zealand. These words of a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi provide reassurance of the progress that comes from a crisis:

\"He urges you not to be discouraged or depressed. But rest assured that Baha\'u\'llah will assist you. Every setback this cause receives in invariably a means of ensuring a future victory, for God will never permit his Faith to be put out or uprooted.\"(2)

As the believers strengthen their understanding of the covenant and more faithfully adhere to its provisions, such firmness will not only increase their own understanding of Baha\'u\'llah\'s revelation and provide protecting for our national community, but will also give additional impetus to deepening our commitment to achieving the purpose and goals of God\'s plan.

We are fully conscious of the distress and shock that many believers will go through as a result of this severe test and we do not underestimate the severe challenge this poses.

The Universal House of justice says:

\"We are confident that the dearly loved New Zealand believers will not allow this lamentable situation to deflect them from their meritorious endeavours to further develop their Baha\'i community and to maintain its unity.\"(3)

Be assured of the ardent prayers of this institution for your reassurance, comfort and strength of faith.

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