Open letter to Mr. Patrick O’Mara
,Secretary National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United Kingdom
PART-I
To,
Mr. Patrick O’Mara
Secretary
National
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United Kingdom
27
Rutland Gate, London SW7 1PD
Tel:
020-7584-2566 Fax: 020-7584 9402
Subject
: State of Bahai Faith – Serious Introspection
Dear Patrick,
Introspection is
such a priceless activity that it is sufficient to wake one up from a slumber
of complacency. And the Bahai Faith today is in that slumber. Through this
letter I would like to unravel hard realities, so that we understand that much
as we would like to think grand about ourselves, the facts are different. Also,
it would emerge how we get indulged in worthless activities based on vested
instigations, leaving aside priorities.
Lets visit
History of Bahai Faith in the UK, to set the ground for introspection.
One hundred years ago, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the son of the
Founder of the Bahá’í Faith, arrived in the United Kingdom for the first of his
two visits. He was 66 years old. He wasted no time in taking His Father
Bahá’u’lláh’s message of peace and religious renewal to western societies. His
visits were crucial in the establishment of the Bahá’í Faith in the UK. In
London, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gave public lectures at City Temple, St John the Divine in
Smith Square, and elsewhere. At City Temple, he said that, “The gift of God to
this enlightened age is the knowledge of the oneness of mankind and of the
fundamental oneness of religion.” At St John, the translation of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s
remarks was read by the Archdeacon of Westminster, Albert Wilberforce.
There are many stories of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s activities in
Britain. His acts of charity at homeless shelters and for the poor; His audiences
for hundreds of well-wishers and questioners; His constant emphasis on
political reconciliation in the pre-war period; His call for racial harmony and
an end to prejudice; all of these episodes set for Bahá’ís an enduring example
of a life dedicated to the service of humanity.
In response to such services of Abdul Baha, The
British Government honored Abdul Baha with a Knighthood, which he accepted as a
gesture of honoring formally by a just king.
Abdul Baha wrote a letter of gratitude “O God, the
tabernacle of justice has truly been erected on this holy land, and we thank
and praise Thee. O God, may Emperor George V, Ruler of Britain, be assisted in
his divine achievements, and May his shadow over this realm be everlasting.”
Abdu’l-Bahá’s visits were seen by Bahá’ís as a
blessing, as inspiring today as they were a century ago. In celebration of His
visits, Bahá’ís in the UK are rededicating themselves to the service of others.
