Excerpts From a Social Media Exchange on the Topic of Covenant 2007
It is very sad that the followers of the erroneous path taken by the former Hands of the Cause, under the leadership of Ruhiyyih Khánum, are distancing themselves more and more from the true Faith of God and violating the
Covenant, yet every day they are talking about the Covenant.
Moojan Momen, in an article which was posted to t.r.b. on 04/02/2007, under the name: Piedmont N…@Spam.net, put forth his own opinion, expressed his particular convictions, interpreted and explained the religion of God
according to his own view and opinion. He wrote:
“Second, the lesser covenant, which obliges individual Bahá’ís to accept the leadership of Bahá’u’lláh’s appointed successors and the administrative institutions of the Faith.”
While the first part of the above sentence is correct if referring to the interpreters of the word of God, i.e., the Center of the Covenant and Guardians as the Center of the Cause, the second part is an erroneous and
unauthorized interpretation. This is what ‘Abdu’l-Bahá says:
“Bahá’u’lláh made a covenant concerning a promised One who will become manifest after one thousand or thousands of years. He likewise, with His Supreme Pen, entered into a great Covenant and Testament with all the Bahá’ís whereby they were all commanded to follow the Center of the Covenant after His departure, and turn not away even to a hair’s breadth from obeying Him. In the Book of Aqdas, He has given positive command in two clear instances and has explicitly appointed the Interpreter of the Book.”
(Bahá’í World Faith, p. 358)
Also:
“As to the most great characteristic of the revelation of Bahá’u’lláh — a specific teaching not given by any of the Prophets of the past — it is the ordination and appointment of the Center of the Covenant. By this appointment and provision He has safeguarded and protected the religion of God against differences and schisms, making it impossible for any one to create a new sect or faction of belief. To insure unity and agreement He has entered into a Covenant with all the people of the world including the Interpreter and Explainer of His teachings so that no one may interpret or explain the religion of God according to his own view or opinion and thus create a sect founded upon his individual understanding of the divine words. The Book of the Covenant or Testament of Bahá’u’lláh is the means of preventing such a possibility, for whosoever shall speak from the authority of himself alone shall be degraded. Be ye informed and cognizant of this.”
(Baha’i World Faith, p. 248)
Moojan wrote:
“Firmness in the Covenant is one of the chief Bahá’í religious virtues and includes, not just the acceptance of the legitimacy of the Bahá’í institution, but much more general attitudes of loyalty and a whole-hearted commitment to the Bahá’í Faith and Bahá’í community.”
Again, the above sentence is misleading; there is no quarrel about firmness in the Covenant (obedience to the Guardians who are the centers of the Cause and Interpreters of the word of God), but what does he mean by “Bahá’í
Institution” which he puts as the foundation of his erroneous and unauthorized interpretation on the acceptance of their legitimacy?
Moojan also wrote:
“Challenging the authority of the center of the Bahá’í Faith is the most serious spiritual offence that a Bahá’í can commit.”
This is a pretence, since the writer is following the organization who is challenging the authority of the Center of the Cause, the third Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith; he ignores the fact that only the Guardians are the Center
of the Cause (Head of the Bahá’í Faith).
‘Abdu’l-Bahá says:
“Were it not for the protecting power of the Covenant to guard the impregnable fort of the Cause of God, there would arise among the Bahá’ís, in one day, a thousand different sects as was the case in former ages. But in this Blessed Dispensation, for the sake of the permanency of the Cause of God and the avoidance of dissension amongst the people of God, the Blessed Beauty (may my soul be a sacrifice unto Him), has through the Supreme Pen written the Covenant and the Testament; He appointed a Center, the Exponent of the Book and the annuller of disputes. Whatever is written or said by Him is conformable to the truth and under the protection of the Blessed Beauty. He is infallible. The express purpose of this last Will and Testament is to set aside disputes from the world.”
(Bahá’í World Faith, p. 357-358)
Also, the Master in his Will and Testament says:
“The mighty stronghold shall remain impregnable and safe through obedience to him who is the guardian of the Cause of God. It is incumbent upon the members of the House of Justice, upon all the Aghsan, the Afnan, the Hands
of the Cause of God to show their obedience, submissiveness and subordination unto the guardian of the Cause of God, to turn unto him and be lowly before him. He that opposeth him hath opposed the True One, will make a breach in the Cause of God, will subvert His word and will become a manifestation of the Center of Sedition.”
Nosrat