Baha'u'llah's ancestral home in Takur

Two views of Baha'u'llah's ancestral home in Takur, in the district of Nur, where He usually spent His summers as a boy.

The Author of "the most colossal religious work written by the pen of a single Man" – 29 May 1992: “the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies met in solemn session to pay tribute to” Baha’u’llah

Iran's crisis of civilization will be resolved neither by blind imitation of an obviously defective Western culture nor by retreat into medieval ignorance. The answer to the dilemma was enunciated on the very threshold of the crisis, in the clearest and most compelling language, by a distinguished Son of lran Who is today honoured in every continent of the world, but sadly not in the land of His birth. Persia's poetic genius captures the irony: "I searched the wide world over for my Beloved, while my Beloved was waiting for me in my own home." The world's appreciation of Baha'u'llah came perhaps most explicitly into focus on 29 May 1992, the centenary of His death, when the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies met in solemn session to pay tribute to Him, to His teachings and to the services rendered to humanity by the community He founded. On that occasion, the Speaker of the Chamber and spokespersons from every party rose, successively, to express their profound admiration of One who was described in their addresses as the Author of "the most colossal religious work written by the pen of a single Man", a message that "reaches out to humanity as a whole, without petty differences of nationality, race, limits or belief”.  

(The Universal House of Justice, from a message dated 26 November 2003 to the ‘Followers of Baha’u’llah in the Cradle of the Faith)

April 2003: The first time the International Baha'i Convention was cancelled and the election of the Universal House of Justice was conducted through mailed ballots

The Universal House of Justice

4 April 2003

To all National Spiritual Assemblies 

Dear Baha'i Friends,  

We have been following closely developments in the world as they affect the Middle East, in the hope that the passage of events would make it possible for the International Baha'i Convention to be held as planned. However, for the sake of all concerned we can wait no   longer. To our regret, current conditions are such that we feel compelled to cancel the holding of the International Convention, and we write to so inform you.  

This is the first time we have had to implement the provision of the Constitution of the Universal House of Justice that states: "If at the time of an election the Universal House of Justice shall consider that it is impracticable or unwise to hold the International Convention it shall determine how the election shall take place." The ballots of the members of all National   Spiritual Assemblies are arriving daily, and we are arranging for the nineteen delegates chosen to be tellers to come to the Holy Land to count the votes on the Ninth Day of Ridvan. Should circumstances make it impossible for these friends to come, we shall adopt another means for the discharge of this task.  

National Conventions should continue to be held in May, around the Anniversary of the Declaration of the Báb, as currently planned.  

We are confident that the friends, surrounded by the confirmations of Baha'u'llah, will pursue the aim of the Five Year Plan with undimmed zeal.  

With loving Baha'i greetings,

The Universal House of Justice      

1929: Certification of Declaration of Trust of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada

Certification of Declaration of Trust of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada, 1929. (The Baha'i World 1940-1944)