(Source: footnote to a message from the Universal House of
Justice to the friends gathered at the Baha'i International Conference in
Montreal, 5 September 1982; Messages from the Universal House of Justice
1963-1986)
February 28, 2018
1921 to about 1946: World convulsions synchronized with Plans of the Faith
The series of world convulsions with which the Plans
synchronized included World War II, the outbreak of which threatened the
security of the World Centre itself. The German Baha'is faced grave danger
throughout the Nazi period; their activities as a community were banned, and
some of their members were killed. Instances of crises within the Faith were
those instigated by the relatives of Shoghi Effendi who rebelled against his
authority as Guardian of the Cause of God and were ultimately expelled from the
Faith as Covenant-breakers. Also troublesome during the 1930s and 1940s were
the activities of a former secretary to 'Abdu'l-Baha, Ahmad Sohrab, who also violated
the provisions of Baha'u'llah's Covenant and was expelled from the Faith by
Shoghi Effendi.