Mason Remey's Diary: The Inspiration and Intent Behind His Writings

Upon Ruhiyyih Khanum’s insistence, no minutes or written records were kept of the proceedings of the conclave. To me, this seemed unwise. I felt a record should be kept of this most important meeting of the Hands of the Faith…(Daily Observations, as cited in “The Fateful Decisions).

 

This prompted Remey to, for the safety of faith, make a record of the events that happened between November 19 and 20, 1957.

 

Remey notes that the Persian hands spent the night together at Bahji, the mansion of Baha’u’llah, and the next morning—November 20, 1957—all the hands met again.

 

Remey continues:

 

Following prayers and some mention of the Guardianship to the effect that no will or testament had been found in the safe or in the desk of Shoghi Effendi [on the previous day], Dr. Muhajir, the youngest of the Persian Hands, sprang to his feet proposing that the Will and Testament of the Master ‘Abdu’l-Baha be pronounced BADAH and that the Guardianship be ended and closed forever.

 

This was immediately seconded and carried enthusiastically, supported by all the Persian Hands, who spoke to the point supporting the putting aside for a thousand years (until the coming of the next Manifestation) the institution of the Guardianship—allowing that the next coming Manifestation might then possibly see fit to reestablish the Guardianship if he thought best in a thousand years from this present date—but as far as this dispensation was concerned, there should be no more Guardianship.

 

A suggestion by Ugo Giachery prompted Remey to think that the Persian (or Iranian) hands “had consulted together” during the night hours they spent together at Bahji and “had made this arrangement to pronounce the Guardianship Badah and thus railroad the matter through and carry the day.” Since Ruhiyyih Khanum concurred with them, their point was carried by the majority.

 

The hands decided that a proclamation would be made to the world that a Universal House of Justice would be elected in 1963, and no mention of Guardianship would be made in that proclamation.

 

In the “Proclamation” (sent out November 25, 1957), the hands “certified that Shoghi Effendi had left no Will and Testament” and likewise “certified that” he “had left no heir” (The Baha’i World, Vol. XT, p. 342).

 

However, the main question remains the same:

Who gave the right to the hands to abandon Guardianship when its importance is clearly stated in the Will and Testament of Abdul Baha, and even Shoghi Effendi had pointed out several times the continuation of Guardianship?

 

Who was Dr. Muhajir? A manifestation or someone so high to have the authority to pronounce and influence this fateful decision, which created a hole in the faith that would never have been filled had Mason Remey not discovered his Guardianship.

 

Stay tuned for more…