October 15

This evening, I personally have had a most interesting conversation with Dr. Habíb of Kermanshah who is now on a visit to Shoghi Effendi with his wife and little girl. He was telling us of the continued fanaticism of the Moslems of Persia—and how during two periods of the year especially, the fanatical Mullahs preach against the Bahá’ís from their pulpits—saying to the ignorant “No matter what evil things you have done during your life, or what sins you have committed, if you kill a Bahá’í who is an enemy of Islam, or even if you take his property or severely injure him, all your own sins will be wiped out and forgiven for the sake of this good deed of destroying an enemy of the Faith!!”—in this way they incite the people to deeds of violence and persecution. He said that the Bahá’í teachings are spreading rapidly amongst the more educated classes—but it is difficult to teach the very poor and ignorant fanatical people—tho’ when they do become Believers, they are very strong and faithful. The 2 periods of particular danger for the Bahá’ís in Persia are the fast month and the period of Moharram—which lasts for 8 weeks.

(Ethel J. Rosenberg, from a letter dated 11 January 1927, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; ‘Arohanui: Letters from Shoghi Effendi to New Zealand’)