Monday

Former UHJ member attacks 'Ruhi system' in his unique Persian style.

Ali Nakhjavani - Voice of alienated Persian Baha'is
Since the establishment of Universal House of Justice in 1963 at Baha’i World Centre, at Haifa the Baha’is cannot make any departure from the norms and the procedures laid down by the UHJ. No amount of failure or development of progressive ideals can supersede whatever is written in the Messages/letters of UHJ.
 
There is a wide divide between the democratic ideals of equality and freedom, rights of citizens, individual liberty and pluralism cherished by Baha’u’llah, Abdul Baha and the rigid format of governance envisaged by the Self-centric and anti-pluralistic Universal House of Justice.
 
As a result, most of the Baha’is have remained isolated from the Baha’i Holy writings of Central figures of the Faith. The widespread and disproportionately higher level of intolerance shown by Universal House of Justice for all other ideas and thinking and fear of excommunication have made the Baha’is to examine the claims of other Sects of Baha’is and to take solace in them especially the one having Universal House of Justice.
 
The terrible failure of Ruhi curriculum and humiliating court case defeats resulting into NSA attorney Mr. Christopher Dolan begging the Sects leader to have a compromise and to find a way out for such a humiliating situation has put further question mark on the UHJ claim of infallibility.
 
The dissatisfaction amongst the Baha’is is brewing up against the policies of UHJ. The Baha’is worldwide are thinking that Ruhi curriculum has arrested the growth of Baha’i community worldwide because of its useless Ruhi Books and Ana’s presentation. The Baha’is think that the world requires Holy writings as the mean to affect the hearts of the people rather than a jumble box prepared by a former NSA member and counselor of Columbia. In fact Dr. Arbab did not resign but he was sacked by UHJ for forming a group inside UHJ to control and manipulate it. Lately this group is given the name of ‘Ruhi brigade’ comprising of Arbab himself, Firaydoun Javaheri, Payman Mohajer second seeded Mr. Shahriyar Razavi, Paul Lample and Gustav Correa.

In this system a highly successful Professor in a University or a Baha’i from a respected Family who served the Faith with distinction for the whole of his life whose two family members have served as Counselor are supposed to go through the rigorous courses of Ruhi Book where a 15 year Old Persian girl appointed as Teacher will teach you the tenets of Baha’i Faith. Any disagreement from this system will make you a recipient of a warning letter from the House of JUSTICE. The language used in the letter will make you further reflect that whether the letter is written by the custodians of the Faith or an international Terrorist organization threatening you to come in line with the UHJ or get ready to be declared as Covenant breaker.

Mr. Nakhjavani who represented the Voice of Persian Baha’is spilled the beans when in his speech he mentioned his observations while visiting different countries and finding out the same thoughts which cannot be attributed of being a rumor.

Mr. Nakhjavani said:
“I want to tell you, friends, that unfortunately I have seen in the Baha'i community in recent years things that have surprised me. I went to the United States. I saw the problem there. I went to Japan. I saw the problem there. I went to Canada. I saw the problem there. Recently I have been traveling for three months. When I came back from my travels I was so weak I could not eat. I had lost my appetite. What was the problem? The problem was that because the House of Justice has given us the institute process that is the only thing we have to do.”

That is wrong. That is where the mistake is. Dear Friends, the House of Justice has never said that the core activities are the only things we have to do. There is no such thing in the writings that instead of having firesides we have study circles; that the idea of firesides is an "old stuff", this is the "old method". The new method is study circles. This is wrong. There is no such thing in the writings of the House of Justice. Never!

Mr. Nakhjavani, if House has not said, then how come the thought was prevalent in every country you went? Moreover you accepted that may be the Assistants of ABM have said it. How it is possible that Assistant of ABMs of all those countries which you visited have said a wrong thing? Mr. Nakhjavani let us not beat around the bush, let us accept the reality and the reality is, It was UHJ’s idea, but because it has failed you want to put the blame on Assistants of ABMs.
 
In order to ensure an objective examination of the issues involved and promote a healthy discourse the UHJ should act on the following and let its former member gain his appetite and free him from insomnia. It is quite clear that Mr. Nakhjavani was representing Persian Baha’is who are getting alienated due to this Ruhi curriculum.
 
1. Baha’is should be free from institutional obstacles and fear of Ex-communication to the harmonious co-existence of Baha’i Administration with Baha’i Intellectuals groups across the globe is the need of time.
2. UHJ should come out clean in it electoral process which is rigged from International to National levels.  
3. UHJ should leave class system and treat Baha’is of every country as equal. There cannot be more than one member from any country.
 
4. They should come out with a clear and exact census data of Baha’is from each country. There is no point is admitting that we do not have his data or otherwise we will be forced to believe that either census is exaggerated or UHJ does not want to disclose it.
 
5. UHJ should appoint morally high Baha’is as counselor of continental Board and International Teaching centers. Baha’is with dubious character, morally bankckrupt Baha’is, divorced Baha’is, eloping Baha’is and Baha’is involved in economic bungling should he kept out from any elected or appointed Posts.
 
6. Ruhi'i'zation of Baha’i community by Universal House of Justice should stop from immediate effect.

7. The Ruhi brigade should own up the responsibility of Ruhi’s Failure and either they should resign or be sacked. The next election of the UHJ in April 2013 will be very crucial for the Baha’i Faith.

Source : TRB

Tuesday

IS SHAHRIAR RAZAVI FIT TO BECOME UHJ MEMBER?

Haifan UHJ Member - Shahriar Razavi
The members of the Universal House of Justice, designated by Baha’u’llah “the Men of Justice”, “the people of Baha who have been mentioned in the Book of Names”, “the Trustees of God amongst His servants and the daysprings of authority in His countries”, shall in the discharge of their responsibilities ever bear in mind the following standards set forth by Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Cause of God:

Mr. Shahriar Razavi – Profile

Mr. Shahriar Razavi is currently serving as a member of the Universal House of Justice, the supreme governing body of the Bahá’í Faith. Prior to his election to the Universal House of Justice in 2008, served as a Counselor at the International Teaching Centre in Haifa, Israel. From 2003 till 2008. Mr. Razavi served as a counselor in Europe from 2000 to 2003.

Mr. SHAHRIAR RAZAVI holds a degree in Physics from the University of London and worked as a management consultant. He also served as an Auxiliary Board member in England.

Mr. Shahriar Razavi – Nature and Characteristics

Dr. Shahriar Razavi fled (spinelessly) from Iran in 1979 during the peak of Iranian revolution, defying orders of the Universal House of Justice. At that time Universal House of Justice (UHJ) was constantly asking the Iranian Bahá’ís not to flee Iran. In fact the UHJ had warned that any Bahá’í leaving Iran from Mehrabad (Tehran) Airport would be risking loosing his voting rights.

As the Iranian authorities at the Airport would not allow any Bahá’í to leave Iran, many Bahá’ís fled Iran declaring themselves as Muslims on the Immigration card. UHJ lost no time in depriving them of their voting rights for such cases.

The Coward Mr. Shahriar Razavi also fled from Iran disobeying the orders of Universal House of Justice. Mr. Razavi wrote on the Immigration form, while leaving Iran, that he is a Muslim. Surprisingly he was not deprived of his voting rights rather he was awarded by being elevated as an ABM in England. Later on he was raised as a Counselor from 2000 to 2003 and in 2003 he was selected for International Teaching Centre where he served for five years. Finally he was elected on the supreme body.

While in UK, Mr. Razavi sowed the seeds of discontent amongst the local Bahá’ís when he would elaborate his close relationship with Mr. Farzam Arbab. He was less of a Bahá’í and more a showman. During his tenure as a counselor he grabbed every achievement of Bahá’í community for himself.

Mr. Razavi’s Election to the supreme body demands an explanation from UHJ

  1. Why was Mr. Razavi not deprived of his voting rights for disobeying UHJ – as UHJ asked the Iranian Bahá’ís not to leave Iran but Mr. Razavi left? Did he not shamelessly sin and can a sinner be elected to UHJ?
  2. Is not depriving Mr. Razavi of his voting rights an injustice to all those Bahá’ís who left Iran through Mehrabad Airport and who were deprived of their voting Rights? Why this double standard with regards to Mr. Razavi?
  3. Why was Mr. Shahriar Razavi not declared a Covenant Breaker – as he broke the covenant with Baha’u’llah by stating (with cowardice) on the immigration card that he was a Muslim. This is in stark contrast to the sacrifice of the Yaraan, presently bravely facing imprisonment.
  4. Why no action was taken against him for sowing discontent amongst the local Bahá’ís and the Persian Bahá’ís in the UK?

The Message of the UHJ to the Counselors says that:

“If it becomes necessary to modify the manner in which a given country is being served, the Board should not hesitate to consult frankly on what changes might need to be made. As all members of the Board bear responsibility for the entire continent, no feelings of territoriality or tradition should cloud their views as they consider what is in the best interests of the Faith in a country at a given time.”
  1. Why no action was taken against him for companying his candidature for UHJ elections. How was he able to get 300 votes for himself?
  2. When Mr. Razavi’s named was announced as the member of UHJ, it took almost half an hour to come on the stage, a case of extreme feigning of humbleness. No doubt Mr. Razavi had become a seasoned actor, by then.
  3. On what grounds was he promoted to ABM, then Counselor for Europe and then ITC counselor. Although the institution of the boards of Counselors was brought into being by the Universal House of Justice to extend into the future the specific functions of protection and propagation conferred upon the Hands of the Cause of God.
WAS THE METEORIC RISE BECAUSE HE BELONGED TO THE ELITE CLASS OF PERSIANS WHO BELONGED TO FARZAM ARBAB-FAREDON JAWAHIRI-PAYMAN MOHAJIR GROUP WHO FORMED AN “AXIS OF EVIL” TO CONTROL THE ELECTION OF UHJ THROUGH “RUHI BRIGADE.”

CAN WE TRUST A MAN WITH SUCH A PROFILE TO REPRESENT BAHAIS AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL? WE CAN ONLY EXPECT INCOMPETENCY TO BLOSSOM WITH SUCH MEN AT HELM OF AFFAIRS.


The Ruhi brigade that is now controlling UHJ has changed the House from House of Justice to House of Injustice. The Language used by the UHJ since this Ruhi brigade became operative is abusive and full of disrespect to those Bahá’ís who have sacrificed their whole life for the Bahá’í Faith. The Bahá’ís are now fearful to express their genuine opinion and always they expect a ruthless retaliation from this Ruhi brigade in form of an official letter from UHJ.

See the language used by UHJ in its letter to two sincere Bahá’ís Mr. Feroz Anaraki and Mr. Jamshed Fozdar

Letter to Mr. Anaraki dated 2 February 2010

“Having considered Dr. Anaraki’s recent conduct, in particular the manner in which he has chosen to respond to the question put to him about the disclosure of confidential information, the House of Justice has concluded that he has shown gross failure to fulfill the basic spiritual obligations of a Bahá’í serving on an institution of the Faith. On that basis, you are instructed to deprive him of his administrative privileges forthwith, a sanction that will, of course, require his immediate removal from membership on the Spiritual Assembly of Bangkok. You should notify the Assembly accordingly, in a manner that you deem appropriate. Dr. Anaraki should be informed of the reason for this decision, and he should also be told that if consideration is to be given to lifting the sanction now imposed upon him he will first need to demonstrate a pronounced change in attitude towards the institutions of the Faith over an extended period of time.”

Letter to Mr. Jamshed Fozdar 18 December 2007

“The House of Justice was most surprised to learn that, beyond expressing such opinions in your letter to the Spiritual Assembly of Sarawak and its attachments, you have been taking steps in a number of countries to gather a cadre of believers around you, urging them to take action in support of your particular views, which are often contrary to the clear direction being given by the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’í world. As you will recall, in the letter to you dated 7 December 2004 sent on its behalf, the House of Justice conveyed its displeasure regarding similar actions on your part. Your obstinacy in persisting in this pattern of behavior demonstrates a total disregard for the appeal made to you in that letter to correct your mode of conduct. You should consider this letter a final warning, which if not heeded will necessitate the removal of your administrative rights in the Bahá’í community. The House of Justice would profoundly regret having to take such action.”

CONSEQUENCES OF THE RUHI BRIGADE IN UHJ

If we want to restore the previous glory of the Universal House of Justice, the Bahá’ís of the world should unite against this Ruhi Brigade which is nothing but the axis of Evil. We should see that this evil axis is voted out in the next International convention and see that sincere Bahá’ís take the seat on UHJ.

Otherwise we will have nice stories to tell to our Grand children that There Existed a Faith Called as Bahá’í Faith. This consequence is indicated in the Message of the UHJ dated Dec 28, 2010 to the Bahá’ís all over the World That:

“A drop in participation, a disruption in the cycles of activity, a momentary breach in the bonds of unity–these are among the myriad challenges that may have to be met.”

(By an ABM who worked with Mr. Shahriar Razavi)