Arise with every power to assist the Covenant of God and serve in His vineyard. Be confident that a confirmation will be granted unto you and a success on His part is given unto you. Verily, He shall support you by the angels of His holiness and reinforce you with the breaths of the Spirit that ye may mount the Ark of Safety, set forth the evident signs, impart the spirit of life, declare the essence of His commands and precepts, guide the sheep who are straying from the fold in all directions, and give the blessings. Ye have to use every effort in your power and strive earnestly and wisely in this new century. By God, verily the Lord of Hosts is your support, the angels of heaven your assistance, the Holy Spirit your companion and the Center of the Covenant your helper. Be not idle, but active and fear not. Look unto those who have been in the former ages - how they have resisted all nations and suffered all persecutions and afflictions, and how their stars shone, their attacks proved successful, their teachings established, their regions expanded, their hearts gladdened, their ideas cleared and their motives effective. Ye are now in a great station and noble rank and ye shall find yourselves in evident success and prosperity, the like of which the eye of existence never saw in former ages.
Arise with every power to assist the Covenant of God and serve in His vineyard. Be confident that a confirmation will be granted unto you and a success on His part is given unto you. Verily, He shall support you by the angels of His holiness and reinforce you with the breaths of the Spirit that ye may mount the Ark of Safety, set forth the evident signs, impart the spirit of life, declare the essence of His commands and precepts, guide the sheep who are straying from the fold in all directions, and give the blessings. Ye have to use every effort in your power and strive earnestly and wisely in this new century. By God, verily the Lord of Hosts is your support, the angels of heaven your assistance, the Holy Spirit your companion and the Center of the Covenant your helper. Be not idle, but active and fear not. Look unto those who have been in the former ages - how they have resisted all nations and suffered all persecutions and afflictions, and how their stars shone, their attacks proved successful, their teachings established, their regions expanded, their hearts gladdened, their ideas cleared and their motives effective. Ye are now in a great station and noble rank and ye shall find yourselves in evident success and prosperity, the like of which the eye of existence never saw in former ages.
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Each of the 11 individuals pictured here will be described, starting from the left, for those standing, and then returning to the left for those sitting.
Standing L - R:
[1] Hájí Mírzá Haydar-`Alí of Isfahán, "The Angel of Carmel." Portions of his memoirs were published in English and abridged by Hand of the Cause A.Q. Faizi in the book, "The Delight of Hearts" (1980). See also "The Angel of Carmel," pp.237-250 in "Eminent Bahá'ís in the Time of Bahá'u'lláh." He died in Haifa on 27 December 1920.
[2] and [3] The identity of this individual was not known at the time of this publication.
[4] Mishkín-Qalam ("musk-scented pen") is the 15th Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh and the most celebrated calligrapher of the Bahá'í Faith. The calligraphic symbol of "The Greatest Name" which adorns most Bahá'í households, is a reproduction of his original rendering. A brief biography of his life appears on pages 270-272 of "Eminent Bahá'ís in the Time of Bahá'u'lláh."
[5] Siyyid Mustafá Rúmí, builder of the Burmese Bahá'í community, posthumously appointed a Hand of the Cause of God by Shoghi Effendi in 1945. Mustafá Rúmí was taught the Faith by Sulaymán Khán, the spiritual conqueror of the Indian subcontinent. A photograph and a brief mention of him is made on pages 127-128 of "Eminent Bahá'ís in the Time of Bahá'u'lláh."
[6] The identity of this individual was not known at the time of this publication.
Seated L - R:
[7] and [8] The identity of this individual was not known at the time of this publication.
[9] Mírzá Muhsin, an Afnán. (Afnán's are descendents of the Báb "The Gate".) `Abdu'l-Bahá's second oldest daughter, Túbá Khánum, "married Mírzá Muhsin, an Afnán, a son of Hájí Mírzá Siyyid Hasan (the Great Afnán); the brother of the wife of the Báb. They had three sons: Rúhí, Suhayl, and Fuád, and one daughter, Thurayyá. Their family name was Afnán." (p.358 "The Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh") Mírzá Muhsin died in 1927. "Shoghi Effendi described him as the beloved son-in-law of the Master and distinguished servant of His Cause." (Ibid, p.360) "His wife and all of his children were declared Covenant-breakers." (Ibid.)
[10] "Mírzá Hádí Shírází was an Afnán, a grandson of Hájí Mírzá Abu'l-Qásim, who was a cousin of the mother of the Báb and a brother of His wife." (Ibid.) Mírzá Hádí Shírází married the eldest daughter of `Abdu'l-Bahá, Díyá'íyyih Khánum. From this union Shoghi Effendi was born on 1 March 1897 in the house of `Abdu'l-Bahá in `Akká. The other children were Husayn, Riáz, Rúhangíz and Mehrangíz. "Their family name was Rabbání, a name given to them by `Abdu'l-Bahá." (Ibid.) Shoghi Effendi eventually had to put his entire family out of the Faith.
[11] Mullá Zaynu'l-Ábidín, surnamed Zaynu'l-Muqarrabín ("the Ornament of the Near Ones"), the 18th Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh. Born in Rajab in May of 1818 he died in 1903. His transcriptions of Bahá'u'lláh's Tablets are accounted to be the most accurate. In the original "Album of Views" commentary, the authorship of "A Traveller's Narrative" is wrongly attributed to him. `Abdu'l-Bahá was the Author of that work. A biographical note on Zaynu'l-Muqarrabín is given on pages 274 to 276 of "Eminent Bahá'ís in the Time of Bahá'u'lláh."
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