The legendary Baha'i figure Ali Nakhjawani needs no introduction in the Baha'i Faith. The man who rose in Baha'i Administration from just a member of a community to the highest administrative order of the Haifan Baha'is – the Universal House of Justice (UHJ). The man who once extensively traveled spreading the message of Baha'u'llah from Azerbaijan to Haifa to Iran to Uganda to Haifa. The man who shed his sweat and blood for the faith. There is no other parallel to him in the faith.
The same man became disenchanted with the Baha'i administration and thus with the Faith towards the end of his life. It all started with his getting side-lined gradually by the influence of Anti-Persian Jew lobby in the UHJ. This lobby of Jew Baha'is gained prominence in the last 15 years. They have considerable influence in the administration and the governance of the Faith as far as Haifan Baha'is are concerned, although they are rarely in the forefront when sacrifice is required. This lobby has progressively side-lined many such true loyalists of the Faith – those who sacrificed everything. The present top administrative Baha'is are those who have little spiritual connection with the Faith. They are not much known to have offered selfless service.
Ali Nakhjawani, towards the end of his life was disappointed due to the actions of administration of the Haifan Baha'is to such an extent that he spilled a lot of beans. He let out the skeletons from the Baha'i closet. Although publicly he did not renounce the Faith , he gave sufficient evidence of his dis-satisfaction with administration in some of his volunteer talks.
1-As an example refer his talk where Mr. Nakhjavani said:
“I want to tell you, friends, that unfortunately I have seen in the Baha'i community in recent years things that have surprised me. I went to the United States. I saw the problem there. I went to Japan. I saw the problem there. I went to Canada. I saw the problem there. Recently I have been traveling for three months. When I came back from my travels I was so weak I could not eat. I had lost my appetite. What was the problem? The problem was that because the House of Justice has given us the institute process that is the only thing we have to do.”
That is wrong. That is where the mistake is. Dear Friends, the House of Justice has never said that the core activities are the only things we have to do. There is no such thing in the writings that instead of having firesides we have study circles; that the idea of firesides is an "old stuff", this is the "old method". The new method is study circles. This is wrong. There is no such thing in the writings of the House of Justice. Never!
In order to ensure an objective examination of the issues involved and promote a healthy discourse the UHJ should act on the following and let its former member gain his appetite and free him from insomnia. It is quite clear that Mr. Nakhjavani was representing Persian Baha’is who are getting alienated due to this Ruhi curriculum.
2-Very recently another video of Mr. Nakhjavani is being circulated by Iranian Baha'is where he gives his opinion on the photograph of Baha'u'llah. He reveals: There are two photographs of Baha'u'llah – one approved by him and the other dis-approved. The one at Holy Land is approved, the other dis-approved. The one that was disapproved is being circulated by enemies of the Faith and was initiated by Miller. The disapproved photograph is taken at behest of relatives of Baha'u'llah.
Now, let us try to understand it systematically.
First, what was the need for him to talk on this subject of the photo of Baha'u'llah. Mr. Nakhjavani claimed that some Baha'is had asked him to tell about the photograph of Baha'u'llah being circulated. As is known, most Baha'is consider it forbidden to look at photographs of Baha'u'llah, except at Holy Land. They were not aware of the photograph being in circulation. After this opinion of discussion by Mr.Nakhjavani, Baha'is are curious to look at the various photos of Baha'u'llah available on the internet.
Second, have you ever heard photographs being approved? (except guys in Hollywood would do that, not a spiritual entity). Isn't it funny for the Founder Prophet of the faith to approve and disapprove various photographs of His own? Is it not a stupid statement that tries to damage the image of Baha'u'llah?
Third, his statement that photography is not approved is being used by enemies of the Faith. These words would lead to introduction of enemies of faith. So far Baha'is followed the principle of oneness of mankind. They never knew there were enemies of faith.
Fourth, the statement that the dis-approved photograph is leaked out by Miller – an arch enemy of the Faith. Baha'is do not know Miller. Using his name would lead to Baha'is searching his name and getting access to deviating materials in this day and age of internet access.
Fifth, the fact that a dis-approved photograph was taken at behest of Baha'u'llah's family members again raises questions. Why would anyone hurt the sentiments of his family members by dis-approving a photograph to be taken at their request.? Most of all a spiritual person?
Sixth, most Baha'is know Baha'u'llah's immediate family to be his son Abdu'l Baha, although history is evidence to the fact that Baha'u'llah had a very big family, most of whom did not believe in his divine position and were his antagonists. Why touch on this subject?
Even if all what Ali Nakhjawani said was true, it was not appropriate to say. Even if some question had been asked, he could have left it to the so-called infallible UHJ to answer. A wise man like him talking on such a sensitive subject. that too towards the end of his life means that he was disappointed with the behavior of Anti-Persian Jew Baha'is in the UHJ. Clearly he was dis-enchanted with the Baha'i Administration. A life-time effort was wasted. A servant of Baha'u'llah turned treacherous.
As has been the role of the Free Baha'is, we need to bring about a change before more skeletons fall. Let us not accept cunning and corrupt members of the administrative order and administration as a whole. Let’s demonstrate our protest. Let’s not fear excommunication. Let’s remember that a Baha'i is a Baha'i by belief not by approval of assemblies and their superiors. Let’s do this before the Baha'i Faith transforms to a social body from a divine religion.
