Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Irfanira (1875-1957)
Dialogue on polygamy with some women
After Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II’s[ra] speech, [published in the previous 27 September 2024 issue of Al Hakam], many attendees departed, though a few women remained present at the gathering. These women requested a mulaqat [audience] with Huzoor[ra], which was granted. There were 4 women, three of whom were European and American, while one was Iranian.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] graciously invited them to ask any questions they had. The first to speak was an American woman, followed by a British woman, while the Iranian woman assisted both during their questions. The detailed dialogue will be published in the travelogue, insha-Allah. Here, I will only mention a few points.
After a long introduction to gender equality, the American woman highlighted one aspect of Bahá’u’lláh’s greatness – his directive that a man should only marry one woman, thus prohibiting polygamy.
Huzoor[ra], in a concise and decisive manner, asked whether Bahá’u’lláh himself had only one wife, or if he had two. This question struck the American woman and the other Bahá’í women like a bolt of lightning, leaving them completely stunned and speechless. After much deliberation, she offered this explanation that Bahá’u’lláh had contracted these marriages according to the old custom, but once he made his claim, he treated these wives as sisters, not in the manner of spouses.
I cannot fully describe her state when Huzoor[ra] responded to this explanation. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] said, “Very well, please explain this: Bahá’u’lláh made his claim in Iraq, and even while in Adrianople, he had children. Were these children born to his wives or his sisters?”
The readers can imagine the state of these women after hearing this response. The woman said that if this fact could be proven, she would not ask any more questions. When the Iranian woman affirmed this, and Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] referenced the history [book] of Kashani, the woman concluded her argument and, after a brief pause, left the gathering. The British woman continued to ask a few more questions afterwards.
Huzoor[ra]’s first English lecture
For the first time, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] delivered a speech in English without the aid of a translator, in Jerusalem. From that point onward, whenever the opportunity arose, he would speak in English himself. The British people were astonished when they learned that Huzoor[ra] had begun speaking English fluently in such a short time. Local newspapers expressed high regard for his English proficiency. This ability is a divine blessing, for when Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] speaks Arabic, it is with ease, and when he speaks English, it is also fluent and unstrained.
From a historical perspective, I must also mention that the telegram sent from the seashore was written by the Huzoor’s own hand. In fact, even before that, while between Batala and Amritsar, he personally wrote a telegram. However, the one sent from the coastline was significant and lengthy, covering many important matters. Since then, Huzoor[ra] has generally penned the telegrams himself.
The evening of 9 September 1924 will remain a memorable day in the history of the Jamaat, when Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] delivered his first English lecture to the public in England. Mr Das Gupta had persistently requested Huzoor’s[ra] presence at a gathering on 9 September, where a Ceylonese Buddhist leader was to deliver a lecture on the life of Buddha. He requested, “I hope His Holiness will bless us with his presence and address us as well.” Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] agreed and prepared a brief address, which was translated into English.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] himself read the address to the British audience, who greatly appreciated it, expressing their approval through repeated cheers in their own manner. The lecture (Huzoorra delivered in English on the night of 9 September 1924 at the gathering of the Union of East and West held at Guild House) is as follows:
I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the accursed.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
We praise Him and send salutations upon His Noble Messengersa.
By the grace and mercy of God. He is the Helper.
Mr President, brothers, and sisters!
Although you have gathered today to listen to another lecture, Mr N Das Gupta, the Director of the Union of East and West, has kindly expressed a desire for me to speak for a few minutes. Therefore, I would like to share some of my thoughts.
Unity as the objective of the Society
I believe there is no subject more subtle and fitting to address today than the primary objective of this society, which, as its name suggests, is to foster unity between the East and the West. This goal holds particular significance for me, as the esteemed individual whose guidance I am honoured to follow – and whose successorship God has graciously bestowed upon me – was sent to eliminate discord from the world and to instil a spirit of love and affection among all people. One of the titles bestowed upon him [the Promised Messiahas] by God was “The Prince of Peace,” as he came to bring peace to the entire world.
Hence, it gives me immense pleasure, as well as to every follower of my faith, to see any group striving to fulfil the very mission for which our Imamas was sent. Therefore, I feel a special connection with your association, and I pray that God blesses your efforts and strengthens your resolve.
Advance toward the Central Supreme Being
Brothers and sisters! I would like to draw your attention to something that will certainly aid in your work and without which true success is difficult to achieve. You must advance toward the being that is the central point for all creation. A circle teaches us that all distances from the centre are due to their remoteness from it. As we move closer to the centre, no matter from which direction we approach, we simultaneously draw nearer to each other. Once we reach the centre, no separation remains between us.
The centre of this entire creation is God, and without His complete love and proximity, we cannot establish true unity. Conflicts arise when we turn away from Him. His perfect love fills our hearts with feelings of compassion and eliminates hatred and contempt.
People often give the example of the love between brothers as an example of strong bonds, but why does this love exist? It is because they come from the same source. The bond between children and their parents strengthens their mutual relations. Similarly, when people give priority to God’s love over all other affections, their relationships with one another will grow stronger. They will realise that since they have the same Creator and are all sheltered under His merciful care, there is no reason to allow feelings of hatred or contempt toward one another.
How can world peace be achieved?
World peace cannot be achieved by the people of the world alone, because a peace mediator will either be from the West or the East, leading one nation or another to view their efforts with suspicion. True peace can only come through the Being Who is neither Eastern nor Western, Who is free from all such distinctions. By moving toward that Being, we in reality move closer to one another. It is only through someone sent by Him that we can be united, for one who descends from the heavens cannot be called Eastern or Western. Those who belong to such a Being also transcend the confines of East and West.
Needless conflict and strife
I am deeply perplexed when I witness nations harbouring animosity toward one another without reason. What connection does the difference in place of residence have with mutual enmity and strife? Is there any country capable of accommodating the entire population of the world? Could Europe, or its various nations, house the populations of America, Africa, and Asia? Could Africa, America, or Asia hold the people of other continents? If not, then the distance between nations is merely a matter of necessity, and no one has control over it. So why do such disputes and conflicts arise?
When I look at religious, cultural, and intellectual differences, I still do not see any cause for such animosity. If one nation has progressed further in religion, culture, or knowledge than others, it should strive to uplift other nations rather than despise them. When a noble person witnesses a fallen brother, do they feel compassion or disdain? True friendship is shown in times of hardship, not merely in comfort and ease.
As the Holy Quran teaches, nations go through different phases of advancement and decline. Today, one nation may flourish, while tomorrow another will rise. Which nation has upheld the torch of knowledge throughout history without interruption? Therefore, no nation has the right to look down upon others. Every nation in the world has been both a student and a teacher to others. All have exchanged roles of mentorship and apprenticeship throughout history. So, why this division and hostility?
The root of this division is that people consider themselves confined to this world and, as a result, the differences in places and circumstances affect their hearts. The day people across the globe change this perspective will be the day peace and reconciliation begin to reign.
Our true place
Brothers and sisters! Let us elevate our perspective and realise that we are not confined to this world, which is divided into East and West by the Earth’s orbit around the sun. Our place is extensive. We belong to the God who created all the worlds. Therefore, our status is above the sun, and East and West are our servants, not our masters.
Let us not be influenced by such relative and illusory concepts. The question of East and West is disrupting the peace of the world. And I ask, where is the West that is not an East from another side, and where is the East that is not a West from another angle? Let us prove ourselves to be above these illusions and turn toward [God], the centre of the creation, who unites all.
(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu, published in the 8 October 1924 issue of Al Fazl)