A lost history of the Baha'i Faith : the progressive tradition of Baha'u'llahs's forgotten family

A history of the family of Mirza Husayn Ali Baha'u'llah (d. 1892) told from their own perspective. These are those Baha'i family of Baha'u'llah whom Abbas Effendi 'Abdu'l-Baha made Covenant Breakers and ostracized from the greater Baha'i sect. This book is the first of its kind and an important historical document. Contents 0 A Note on Middle Eastern and Baha’i Terminology xiii Foreword by Maliha and Negar Bahai xvii Preface by Eric Stetson xxxiii 1. The Origin of the Baha’i Movement—by Kamar Bahai 1 2. The Cultural and Religious Precursors of Baha’ism 7 by Shua Ullah Behai 3. A Brief Biography of Baha’u’llah—by Mohammed Ali 27 Bahai 4. Baha’i Principles—by Shua Ullah Behai 37 5. Stories of Baha’i Martyrs—Compiled by Shua Ullah 57 Behai 6. Selections from the Writings of Baha’u’llah 67 Compiled by Shua Ullah Behai 7. Tributes to Baha’u’llah and His Mission—Compiled 97 by Shua Ullah Behai 8. The Teachings and Will of Abdu’l-Baha—by Shua n9 Ullah Behai 9. A Tribute to Abdu’l-Baha and Doubts About His Will 141 by Kamar Bahai 10. The Station of Ghusn-i-Akbar Mohammed Ali Bahai 147 by Shua Ullah Behai 11. Message to the Believers in America—by Mohammed 153 Ali and Badi Ullah Bahai 12. Message upon the Passing of ‘Abdu’l-Baha 161 by Mohammed Ali Bahai 13. On the Baha’i Vision of World Civilization: A Message 163 to Mankind—by Mohammed Ali Bahai 14. On Religious Conflict, Freedom and Unity: A Message to 175 the People of Understanding—by Mohammed Ali Bahai 15. An Interview with Ghusn-i-Akbar—by Shua Ullah 179 Behai and Mohammed Ali Bahai 16. Autobiography—by Mohammed Ali Bahai 183 17. Will and Testament—by Mohammed Ali Bahai 227 18. The Funeral of Mohammed Ali Bahai—by Shua Ullah 251 Behai 19. A Tribute to Mohammed Ali Effendi and Obituary 255 by Kamar Bahai 20. A Tribute to Ghusn-i-At’har Zia Ullah Effendi 261 by Shua Ullah Behai 21. Some Notable Baha’is—by Shua Ullah Behai 265 22. Khadimu’llah’s Epistle—byAqa Jan Kashani 297 23. Events After the Departure of Baha’u’llah 309 by Mohammed Jawad Gazvini 24. Letters About the Sons of Baha’u’llah—by Rosamond 329 D. O. O. Templeton 25. Autobiography—by Ibrahim G. Kheiralla 343 26. Arguments Against ‘Abdu’l-Baha—by Ibrahim G. 361 Kheiralla 27. Unitarian Baha’i Organizations and Teachings 369 by Ibrahim G. Kheiralla 28. Brief Baha’i History and Testimony—by Majdeddin 383 bin Moussa Irani 29. Against War: An Open Letter to World Leaders 389 by Majdeddin bin Moussa Irani 30. Memoirs—by Shua Ullah Behai 395 31. The Importance of Unity: Messages to the Baha’is 417 by Badi Ullah Bahai 32. The Baha’i Faith under Shoghi Effendi Rabbani 423 by Shua Ullah Behai 33. Statements on the Dispute Between the Baha’i Family 437 by Kamar Bahai 34. Mousa Bahai and the Rotary Club of Haifa 449 Compiled from Rotary Publications 35. Messages in Behai Quarterly Magazine—by Shua 455 Ullah Behai 36. Address to an Occidental Gathering—by Shua Ullah 473 Behai 37. A Reminiscence: The Purpose, Condition and 483 Potential of the Baha’i Faith—by Shua Ullah Behai Epilogue by Eric Stetson 491 Appendix A: List of Writings of Baha’u’llah—by Shua 543 Ullah Behai Appendix B: Families of Baha’u’llah and the Bab 547 In the mid 1800s, a Persian nobleman in exile claimed to be a new messenger of God. He called himself Baha'u'llah ("The Glory of God") and taught that all nations, races, and religions should come together to build a global civilization of peace and justice for all. Baha'u'llah's progressive teachings have inspired millions of people around the world. But his own family was torn apart by schism and authoritarian interpretations of the religion. Most of his descendants are remembered today as heretics or have been forgotten by Baha'is. This book tells the story of the Baha'i faith through the eyes of some of the children and grandchildren of its founder, and others who knew Baha'u'llah personally. Despite their sincere belief, they were excommunicated and shunned by their own relatives and fellow believers after the prophet's death. They called themselves Unitarian Baha'is and stood for a broad-minded faith based on reason and individual freedom of conscience. Shua Ullah Behai, the eldest grandson of Baha'u'llah, led a Unitarian Baha'i denomination in the United States and compiled an introduction to the Baha'i faith in the 1940s. This historically significant manuscript was preserved by the author's niece and is published for the first time in this annotated volume.