August 3

Concerning your question whether the heirs to whom the principal residence, furniture and clothing of the deceased are transferred by way of inheritance will be exempt from the payment of Huqúq or not, he said: Since the residence, furniture and the tools of trade have, in accordance with the explicit Text, been granted exemption from the Huqúq, therefore when the transfer of ownership takes place such possessions continue to be exempt. 

- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 29 September 1942 to the National Spiritual Assembly of Iran, translated from the Persian; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Huququ’llah)

August 1

We have observed with particular interest how a pronounced community spirit can increasingly be felt among all those involved in the pattern of activity in third milestone clusters, even when it is not very strong in the wider society. It is often expressed as a feeling of belonging and a sense of common endeavour and mutual support. This and other advances at the level of culture are becoming especially evident in the cluster’s centres of intense activity—not only where participation can be measured as a significant proportion of the population, but in any neighbourhood or village where large numbers are attracted to the programmes and activities of the community. There is a rise, too, in various collaborative arrangements, which are doing much to build or reshape a shared social identity and collective purpose. These arrangements include the groups of families and households we mentioned in 2021 and also other natural groupings such as women or youth, farmers or educators, and animators or children’s class teachers, often with a supportive network of friends. Groups of this kind set about organizing their own efforts to improve some aspect of the life of the community, and they promote broader participation in those efforts. In other words, they are helping the growth and development of the community to become self-perpetuating, and they are doing so without the need for new layers of administrative structure. This is consequential. It demonstrates the emerging capacity of the community to be a visible protagonist in the Plan. Buttressed by the full confidence and loving guidance of the institutions, the community is steering the trajectory of its own development with creativity and ingenuity, and exploring how the principles contained in Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation can be applied to the issues that confront it within its immediate reality. 

- The Universal House of Justice (From a message dated 31 December 2025:to the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors; online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

July 30

An attempt I strongly feel should now be made to clarify our minds regarding the station occupied by ‘Abdu’l Bahá and the significance of His position in this holy Dispensation. It would be indeed difficult for us, who stand so close to such a tremendous figure and are drawn by the mysterious power of so magnetic a personality, to obtain a clear and exact understanding of the role and character of One Who, not only in the Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh but in the entire field of religious history, fulfills a unique function. Though moving in a sphere of His own and holding a rank radically different from that of the Author and the Forerunner of the Bahá’í Revelation, He, by virtue of the station ordained for Him through the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh, forms together with them what may be termed the Three Central Figures of a Faith that stands unapproached in the world’s spiritual history. He towers, in conjunction with them, above the destinies of this infant Faith of God from a level to which no individual or body ministering to its needs after Him, and for no less a period than a full thousand years, can ever hope to rise. To degrade His lofty rank by identifying His station with or by regarding it as roughly equivalent to, the position of those on whom the mantle of His authority has fallen would be an act of impiety as grave as the no less heretical belief that inclines to exalt Him to a state of absolute equality with either the central Figure or Forerunner of our Faith. For wide as is the gulf that separates ‘Abdu’l-Bahá from Him Who is the Source of an independent Revelation, it can never be regarded as commensurate with the greater distance that stands between Him Who is the Center of the Covenant and His ministers who are to carry on His work, whatever be their name, their rank, their functions or their future achievements. Let those who have known ‘Abdu’l Bahá, who through their contact with His magnetic personality have come to cherish for Him so fervent an admiration, reflect, in the light of this statement, on the greatness of One Who is so far above Him in station. 

- Shoghi Effendi (‘The Dispensation of Baha’u’llah; included in ‘The World Order of Baha’u’llah’)

July 28

You indicate that you have decided to focus on spreading the Faith among African Americans and to dedicate yourself to their advancement and upliftment. This will, no doubt, allow you to learn how to create a social space for individuals to come together in a new pattern of engagement. The House of Justice hopes that you might find one or two other like-minded believers who can assist you in applying the instruments and methods of the Plan to cultivate a dynamic and growing pattern of community life. In this regard, when reaching out to those from the wider community, you can present the message of Bahá’u’lláh as the healing remedy for the ills of humanity and invite the receptive souls you encounter to become protagonists of a constant effort to learn to apply His teachings effectively, explaining that Bahá’ís are also learning to walk this same path. As ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is reported to have remarked: “The earth plane is a workshop, not an art gallery for the exhibits of perfect powers. This is not the plane of perfection, but earth is the crucible for refining and moulding character”. 

- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 15 December 2020, written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; US Baha’i National Administrative website)

July 26

From the beginning the Báb must have divined the reception which would be accorded by His countrymen to His teachings, and the fate which awaited Him at the hands of the mullás. But He did not allow personal misgivings to affect the frank enunciation of His claims nor the open presentation of His Cause. The innovations which He proclaimed, though purely religious, were drastic; the announcement of His own identity startling and tremendous. He made Himself known as the Qá’im, the High Prophet or Messiah so long promised, so eagerly expected by the Muhammadan world. He added to this the declaration that he was also the Gate (that is, the Báb) through whom a greater Manifestation than Himself was to enter the human realm.

Putting Himself thus in line with the traditions of Islám, and appearing as the fulfilment of prophecy, He came into conflict with those who had fixed and ineradicable ideas (different from His) as to what those prophecies and traditions meant. 

- Shoghi Effendi (‘Introduction to ‘The Dawn-Breakers’)

July 24

Regarding your question about reincarnation: we Baha'is do not believe that one individual soul keeps returning to this earthly life in different bodies. This is a very ancient belief, and based on a great truth—namely that the soul does go on developing and unfolding and returning towards its Creator. But the concept of its returning to this physical world is erroneous, and an outgrowth of man-made doctrines which have grown up about the fundamental concept of the progress of the soul. It would be like putting the child over and over again back into the world of the womb. It is unnecessary; but from state to state spiritually, after death, the soul does go on and go higher, so to speak. 

- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter dated 26 December 1948, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to two individual believers; Memorandum from the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice dated 5 September 2006; Baha’ Library Online)

July 22

It is reported that upon receipt of this first Message that superficial, tricky, and pride-intoxicated monarch [Napoleon III] flung down the Tablet saying: “If this man is God, I am two gods!” The transmitter of the second Tablet had, it is reliably stated, in order to evade the strict surveillance of the guards, concealed it in his hat, and was able to deliver it to the French agent, who resided in Akká, and who, as attested by Nabíl in his Narrative, translated it into French and sent it to the Emperor, he himself becoming a believer when he had later witnessed the fulfillment of so remarkable a prophecy. 

- Shoghi Effendi (‘The Promised Day Is Come’)

July 20

Bahá’ís perceive humanity as a single body. All are inseparably bound to one another. A social order structured to meet the needs of one group at the expense of another results in injustice and oppression. Instead, the best interest of each component part is achieved by considering its needs in the context of the well-being of the whole. 

- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 23 December 2008, written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; ‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 2001-2022’)

July 18

You are, of course, well aware of the principle of noninvolvement in politics enunciated by Shoghi Effendi. Bahá’ís are to “refrain from associating themselves, whether by word or by deed, with the political pursuits of their respective nations, with the policies of their governments and the schemes and programs of parties and factions.” They “assign no blame, take no side, further no design, and identify themselves with no system prejudicial to the best interests” of the Faith and eschew “the entanglements and bickerings inseparable from the pursuits of the politician”. They are to “rise above all particularism and partisanship, above the vain disputes, the petty calculations, the transient passions that agitate the face, and engage the attention, of a changing world”. This principle, which demands strict avoidance of any type of partisan political activity, must be scrupulously upheld. However, as society and its political processes evolve and as the Faith grows, the interaction between the two becomes increasingly complex. The House of Justice will provide the necessary guidance over time to apply this principle to existing circumstances.

July 16

This ancient and glorious festival of the Persian people [Naw-Ruz] has, with the coming of Bahá’u’lláh, found a new splendour and vibrancy, for it has become a symbol of the arrival of the divine springtime and a reminder of the renewal, regeneration, and transformation that is made possible in the human world after the rising of the Sun of Truth…

We hope that by now you have received our recent letter addressed to the Bahá’ís of the world, which describes and analyses events of the first century of the Formative Age and reflects on a hundred years of striving and effort by the community of the followers of Bahá’u’lláh. From the condition of burning grief and painful uncertainty that afflicted the Bahá’í community immediately following the ascension of its loving Master, that same community has reached a stage in which its endeavours now far transcend internal concerns and are centred on society building. In the course of that century, the Faith gradually reached the peoples of the world, and the community of the Greatest Name became a reflection of the beauty of humanity and a symbol of the efficacy of unity in diversity. Wherever people encountered this Faith, they quickly made it their own and strove to draw on the teachings and the spiritual power of the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh in order to achieve practical advancement in their individual and collective lives. Reflection on this process of transformation and progress reveals the latent power vested in this Faith for the realization of the oneness of the world of humanity and the establishment of universal peace. 

- The Universal House of Justice (From a message dated addressed to 'the followers of the Greatest Name and the helpers of the Ancient Beauty in the sacred land of Iran'; online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

July 14

…complete freedom from prejudice in their dealings with peoples of a different race, class, creed, or color…should be the immediate, the universal, and the chief concern of all and sundry members of the Bahá’í community, of whatever age, rank, experience, class, or color, as all, with no exception, must face its challenging implications, and none can claim, however much he may have progressed along this line, to have completely discharged the stern responsibilities which it inculcates. 

- Shoghi Effendi (‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

July 12

You ask whether stem cell therapy is acceptable in Bahá'í law. As you are no doubt aware, this new area of scientific inquiry involves a distinction between embryonic and other aspects of stem cell research. Reports appearing in the press and in scientific literature indicate that such exploration is at an early stage. Many fundamental questions about the biological and genetic features of the processes involved, and the physiological implications, remain unresolved, and will become clear only with the passage of time.

Nothing specific has been found in the Bahá'í Writings regarding stem cell research and the types of therapy to which it may apply. The House of Justice regards it as premature for it to give consideration to these matters and their spiritual consequences. For the present, believers faced with questions about them are free to come to their own conclusions based on their knowledge of the Baha' i teachings on the nature and purpose of life. However, they should be careful not to make dogmatic statements or to offer their own understanding as a teaching of the Faith. 

- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 23 August 2001, written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; Baha’i Library Online)

July 10

A more significant light, however, is shed on this episode, marking the Declaration of the Mission of the Báb, by the perusal of that “first, greatest and mightiest” of all books in the Bábí Dispensation, the celebrated commentary on the Súrih of Joseph, the first chapter of which, we are assured, proceeded, in its entirety, in the course of that night of nights from the pen of its divine Revealer. The description of this episode by Mullá Husayn, as well as the opening pages of that Book attest the magnitude and force of that weighty Declaration. A claim to be no less than the mouthpiece of God Himself, promised by the Prophets of bygone ages; the assertion that He was, at the same time, the Herald of One immeasurably greater than Himself; the summons which He trumpeted forth to the kings and princes of the earth; the dire warnings directed to the Chief Magistrate of the realm, Muhammad Sháh; the counsel imparted to Hájí Mírzá Áqásí to fear God, and the peremptory command to abdicate his authority as grand vizir of the Sháh and submit to the One Who is the “Inheritor of the earth and all that is therein”; the challenge issued to the rulers of the world proclaiming the self-sufficiency of His Cause, denouncing the vanity of their ephemeral power, and calling upon them to “lay aside, one and all, their dominion,” and deliver His Message to “lands in both the East and the West”—these constitute the dominant features of that initial contact that marked the birth, and fixed the date, of the inception of the most glorious era in the spiritual life of mankind. 

- Shoghi Effendi (‘God Passes By)

July 8

A more significant light, however, is shed on this episode, marking the Declaration of the Mission of the Báb, by the perusal of that “first, greatest and mightiest” of all books in the Bábí Dispensation, the celebrated commentary on the Súrih of Joseph, the first chapter of which, we are assured, proceeded, in its entirety, in the course of that night of nights from the pen of its divine Revealer. The description of this episode by Mullá Husayn, as well as the opening pages of that Book attest the magnitude and force of that weighty Declaration. A claim to be no less than the mouthpiece of God Himself, promised by the Prophets of bygone ages; the assertion that He was, at the same time, the Herald of One immeasurably greater than Himself; the summons which He trumpeted forth to the kings and princes of the earth; the dire warnings directed to the Chief Magistrate of the realm, Muhammad Sháh; the counsel imparted to Hájí Mírzá Áqásí to fear God, and the peremptory command to abdicate his authority as grand vizir of the Sháh and submit to the One Who is the “Inheritor of the earth and all that is therein”; the challenge issued to the rulers of the world proclaiming the self-sufficiency of His Cause, denouncing the vanity of their ephemeral power, and calling upon them to “lay aside, one and all, their dominion,” and deliver His Message to “lands in both the East and the West”—these constitute the dominant features of that initial contact that marked the birth, and fixed the date, of the inception of the most glorious era in the spiritual life of mankind. 

- Shoghi Effendi (‘God Passes By)

July 6

Another area to which the Bahá’í community has been giving a progressively greater share of attention is participation in discourses which have a significant bearing on the wellbeing of humanity. Its efforts in this regard have been directed towards engaging in conversations in a widening range of spaces at the international and national levels, working shoulder to shoulder with like-minded organizations and individuals, seeking, where possible, to stimulate consultative processes and draw out underlying principles around which agreement and mutual understanding can be built. A number of these discourses, such as those on the role of religion in society, religious coexistence, and freedom of religion or belief, directly address the imperative of overcoming the challenge of religious prejudice.

In this light, the Bahá’í community has particularly been a vigorous promoter of interfaith activities since the time of their inception, working alongside others to increase understanding and cooperation among religions. The achievements of the interfaith movement were highlighted in a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the world’s religious leaders in April 2002. The letter also emphasized that the efforts of the movement to date, however constructive, were not sufficient to effectively address the growing challenge posed by religious prejudice and fanaticism; more was required. “With every day that passes,” the letter stated “danger grows that the rising fires of religious prejudice will ignite a worldwide conflagration the consequences of which are unthinkable”, and the House of Justice urged earnest consideration of the challenge this poses for religious leadership. 

- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated27 December 2017, written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

July 4

The House of Justice hopes that those friends in the United States who resolve to renew their commitment to uprooting racism and laying the basis for a society that reflects interracial harmony can draw insight and inspiration from the unwavering resolve of the Bahá’ís in Iran. The messages written to the friends there in recent years, most of which have been translated into English and are publicly available, are instructive in this regard. For almost two centuries, and particularly the last four decades of relentless oppression, the Bahá’ís in Iran have remained forward-looking, dynamic, vibrant, and committed to serving Iranian society. They have refused to allow apprehension and anxiety to take hold or let any calamity perturb their hearts. They have drawn on the highest reservoirs of solidarity and collaboration and responded to oppression with constructive resilience, eschewing despair, surrender, resentment, and hate and transcending mere survival, to transform conditions of ignorance and prejudice and win the respect and collaboration of their fair-minded countrymen. Those believers in the United States who have labored so persistently to promote race unity, especially the African American friends, should appreciate in their own efforts over the years the same expression of constructive resilience, born of their great love for Bahá’u’lláh, and see in the recent turmoil opportunity rather than obstacle. They cannot, as you know, respond to the current reality in the manner consuming most of their fellow citizens; they must, by word and by deed, elevate the existing conversation and set in motion constructive approaches that will prove ever more effective over time. Shoghi Effendi has explained that such problems as are now being witnessed are inevitable as the process of disintegration advances. “All humanity”, a letter written on his behalf observes, “is disturbed and suffering and confused; we cannot expect to not be disturbed and not to suffer—but we don’t have to be confused.” The way forward has never been clearer, particularly with the new initiative of your National Assembly to organize these matters within the proven framework for action guiding the Bahá’í world’s systematic endeavors. 

- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 4 February 2018, written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; US Baha’i National Administrative website)

July 2

A Baha’i cannot at the same time be a theosophist; many theosophists have become believers and very enlightened ones, but as we do not believe in reincarnation we obviously cannot be active as theosophists and Baha’is at the same time. 

- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter dated 6 November 1949 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to NSA of India; ‘Dawn of a New Day’)

June 30

...there are calamities for testing and for punishment—there are also accidents, plain cause and effect! 

- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter dated 19 March 1946 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; included in a Memorandum by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice dated 5 September 2006 concerning “Baha’i perspective on the concept of ‘karma’”; Baha’i Library Online)

June 28

Bahá’u’lláh’s previous Message, forwarded through one of the French ministers to the Emperor, [Napoleon III] had been accorded a welcome the nature of which can be conjectured from the words recorded in the “Epistle to the Son of the Wolf”: “To this [first Tablet], however, he did not reply. After Our arrival in the Most Great Prison there reached Us a letter from his minister, the first part of which was in Persian, and the latter in his own handwriting. In it he was cordial, and wrote the following: ‘I have, as requested by you, delivered your letter, and until now have received no answer. We have, however, issued the necessary recommendations to our Minister in Constantinople and our consuls in those regions. If there be anything you wish done, inform us, and we will carry it out.’ From his words it became apparent that he understood the purpose of this Servant to have been a request for material assistance.” 

- Shoghi Effendi (‘The Promised Day Is Come’)