Ridvan 1995: Five New National Spiritual Assemblies

7 December 1994

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

With joyful hearts we announce the formation next Ridván of five new National Spiritual Assemblies.

• One will be in Africa: Eritrea with its seat in Asmara;
• two in Asia:
• Armenia with its seat in Yerevan and
• Georgia with its seat in Tbilisi;
• and two in Europe:
• Belarus with its seat in Minsk and
• Sicily with its seat in Palermo.

The Regional Spiritual Assembly of Russia, Georgia and Armenia will then become the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the Russian Federation, and the Regional Spiritual Assembly of the Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova will become the Regional Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the Ukraine and Moldova.

Moreover, a simultaneous occurrence will be the merging of the Bahá’í communities of Bophuthatswana, Ciskei, South Africa and Transkei under the one National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of South Africa, to reflect the recent political reunion of that region.

These thrilling prospects denote the quickening pace of the consolidation process in different parts of the world, making possible a further thrust in the evolution of the wondrous System originated by the Lord of the Age for ordering the affairs and ultimately guaranteeing the peace of the entire planet. In their contemplation of such impending victories, may the friends everywhere derive fresh encouragement to increase and accelerate their manifold efforts in spreading the Message of Bahá’u’lláh in all regions.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

The Universal House of Justice

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001’)

1852: Eight-year-old ‘Abdu’l-Baha attempts to see His Father in the Siyah-Chal

Siyah-Chal (The Black Pit) of Tehran - a depiction

When I visited the dungeon in Tihrán, as a child, in order to see Bahá’u’lláh — when the door was opened there were some steps leading down into the place. They took me as far as midway. I peered through the darkness; I could not find any one; it was exceedingly gloomy. Then I heard the Blessed voice saying: "Take him away." When I heard His voice I tried to see the Blessed Beauty, but because of the great darkness I could not. Then I was taken out; they seated me. They said it is customary, about midday, to take the prisoners out for their meals; so there I sat. About noontime the jailers were all ready and the prisoners were taken out. I saw Bahá’u’lláh’s neck in chains, bound to another, both of them chained to the same link, one about His neck and another about the person who was chained to Him. The weight of the chains was so excessive that His neck was bent and He walked with great difficulty, and He was in a very sad condition. His clothes were tattered and battered; even the hat on His head was torn. He was in the utmost of ordeal and His health was quite visibly failing. They brought me and seated me, and they took Him to the place where there was a pond, in order that He might wash His face. After that they took Him back to the dungeon, and I, although I was a child, was so overcome I was unconscious. And then Bahá‘u’lláh said: "Take the child away to the house," and therefore I was taken away. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a talk, October 19, Los Angeles; ‘World Order magazine, January 1945)

October 1863: Baha'u'llah reveals the Tablet of Subhánika-Yá-Hú, also known as Lawh-i-Náqús (Tablet of the Bell)

Subhánika-Yá-Hú: A beautiful tablet in Arabic and in Bahá'u'lláh's own hand was revealed in Constantinople on the eve of the 5th of Jamadiyu'l-Avval 1280 A.H. (19 October 1863), the anniversary of the Declaration of the Báb.[1] This Tablet, because of its opening verse, is known as Lawh-i-Náqús (Tablet of the Bell) and is also referred to as the Subhanika-Ya-Hu. It was revealed following a request made through 'Abdu'l-Bahá by one of Bahá'u'lláh's companions, Aqa Muhammad-'Ally-i-Tambaku-Furush-i-Isfahani. The revelation of this Tablet on such an auspicious occasion brought immense joy to the hearts of those who were celebrating that historic festival. Bahá'u'lláh opens this Tablet with these words:

“O Monk of the Incomparable One! Ring out the Bell, inasmuch as the Day of the Lord hath shone forth and the Beauty of the All-Glorious is established upon His holy and resplendent Throne.”

These few lines give us a glimpse of the majesty and sublimity of the Tablet. Like those revealed near the time of Bahá'u'lláh's declaration, this Tablet pulsates with an indescribable power that can emanate only from the Pen of the Supreme Manifestation of God. Here, the matchless utterances of Bahá'u'lláh, original and profound, are possessed of such beauty and rhythm as no pen can describe. Composed in a style that lends itself to collective chanting, this Tablet creates an atmosphere of ecstasy and joy when chanted by the believers.[2] Revealed soon after His departure from Baghdad, it announces in clear and majestic terms the rising of the Orb of His Revelation, asserts that He[3] who was hidden behind the veils of concealment is now made manifest, extols the potency and glory of His Cause, declares that the Day of God has come, summons the inhabitants of the highest Paradise to prepare themselves and acquire the capacity for attaining the presence of God, bids his lovers rejoice and celebrate the coming of the Well-Beloved, and calls upon all created things to proclaim the glad-tidings of this Revelation to mankind. And finally, He prays for His companions: that they may become detached from everything besides Him, that their hearts may burn with the fire of His love and become pure and without desire. He also prays that His companions, devoted to the promotion of His Cause, may become victorious over all who dwell on earth. 

[1] The Declaration of the Báb was on the evening of 5 Jamadiyu'l-Avval, 1260 A.H. (22 May 1844), but at present in the East, the anniversary of this festival is celebrated according to the lunar calendar.]

[2] Not to be confused with congregational prayer, which (with the exception of the Prayer for the Dead) is forbidden by Bahá'u'lláh. Tablets in the original language are chanted by an individual. Occasionally, when there is a refrain in a Tablet, it has been customary for others to join in the refrain if it is suitable to do so.]

[3] Baha’u’llah

- Adib Taherzadeh (The Revelation of Baha'u'llah vol. 2)

March 1994: All nine members of United States NSA met with the Universal House of Justice

We recall with much joy and deep gratitude to Bahá'u'lláh your presence in the Holy Land only a short while ago during the month of the Fast. Your urgent request to which we acceded by meeting with all nine of your members in intensive consultations over a period of three days—a new fact of history in itself—initiated another phase in the evolution of your Assembly and reinforced the bonds that bind the American Baha’i community to the World Center of the Faith. Our hearts were touched by the candor, courage, and sincerity with which your members presented your concerns, as well as by the spirit of optimism you displayed despite the overwhelming challenges and burdens which prompted your request for a meeting with us. 

- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 19 May 1994 to NSA of USA; Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001)

1955: First Spiritual Assembly of Serekunda, Gambia

(Baha'i News, December 1955)

1993: Formation of Seven New National and Regional Spiritual Assemblies - Ridván 1994

The gathering momentum now evident in the continual teaching successes, notably in lands recently opened to the Faith, impels us to announce that conditions make it ripe for the formation next Ridván of seven new National and Regional Spiritual Assemblies.

There will be established in Asia:

• the National Spiritual Assemblies of Cambodia, with its seat in Phnom Penh;
• Kazakhstan, with its seat in Alma-Ata;
• Kyrgyzstan, with its seat in Bishkek;
• Mongolia, with its seat in Ulaan Baatar;
• Tajikistan, with its seat in Dushanbe;
• Uzbekistan, with its seat in Tashkent;
• the Regional Spiritual Assembly of Central Asia will become the National Spiritual Assembly of Turkmenistan, with its seat in ‘Ishqábád.

and in Europe:

• the Regional Spiritual Assembly of Slovenia and Croatia, with its seat in Ljubljana.

(Adapted from a message of the Universal House of Justice dated 26 November 1993 to all National Spiritual Assemblies; ‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001’)

1856-1863: “the Bahá’í community, under the name and in the shape of a re-arisen Bábí community was born and was slowly taking shape”

 During the seven years that elapsed between the resumption of His labors and the declaration of His prophetic mission—years to which we now direct our attention—it would be no exaggeration to say that the Bahá’í community, under the name and in the shape of a re-arisen Bábí community was born and was slowly taking shape, though its Creator still appeared in the guise of, and continued to labor as, one of the foremost disciples of the Báb.

• It was a period during which the prestige of the community’s nominal head steadily faded from the scene, paling before the rising splendor of Him Who was its actual Leader and Deliverer.
• It was a period in the course of which the first fruits of an exile, endowed with incalculable potentialities, ripened and were garnered.
• It was a period that will go down in history as one during which
• the prestige of a recreated community was immensely enhanced,
• its morals entirely reformed,
• its recognition of Him who rehabilitated its fortunes enthusiastically affirmed,
• its literature enormously enriched, and
• its victories over its new adversaries universally acknowledged.

- Shoghi Effendi (‘God Passes By’, chapter 8)