Posted by Rob on June 21, 2101 at 19:11:51:

In Reply to: Re: Baha'i historical sites in Turkey...? posted by Dawud on June 20, 2101 at 17:31:04:

Dawud,

The Baha'i staff at the Baha'i World Center is permitted to visit the Shrines, but it is a specified time not when pilgrims or tourists are scheduled. Such visits by staff, however, are not considered as fulfillment of pilgrimage obligations.

The only Baha'i sites in and around Istanbul owned by the Baha'is would be the National Baha'i Hazuratu'l-Quds and the property for the the future Mashriqu'l-Adhkar (formerly property owned by the Sultanate). One site associated with a residence where Baha'u'llah lived (no longer standing), I believe, is the garden owned next to the Hazuratu'l-Quds. Much of Constantinople was wood frame homes during Baha'u'llah's days there, and I recal a fire or two leveled much of those sites to the ground decades ago. It has been over twenty years since I visited these places, and other sites may have been acquired since then.

What you say about the misconceptions of Babi and Baha'i revelations by the early believers is true to a great degree. Only with the passage of time and the spread of the interpretive writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha & Shoghi Effendi have the believers come to understand the true unique station and rank of the twin revelations/dispensations.

The Shrine of Baha'u'llah was in dispute for many decades as you indicate; however likening it to the recent Nepalese court murders may be over-stating it, as there were no family murders after the passing of Baha'u'llah. Rather, there were several decades of slanderous charges before the authorities by Muhammad Ali and his meager following about the intentions and character of 'Abdu'l-Baha and later Shoghi Effendi. I recall it was Muhammad Ali's faction that stole the key of the Tomb of Baha'u'llah (not to mention many Tablets of Baha'u'llah) wishing to keep the followers of Abdu'l-Baha, and later Shoghi Effendi, out of the Tomb. The authories forced Muhammad Ali to give the key over to them to hold in trust allowing each party entry to the Tomb upon request.
In the end the authorities gave the key to the Tomb of Baha'u'llah to Shoghi Effendi.
We have had reports of Covenant breakers entering the Shrines unopposed (i.e. Sohrab, Rex King, etc.), so the notion that the Baha'is block entrance to the Shrines based on one's beliefs, etc. is probably not true.

Rob

this topic is closed - post at bahai-library.com/forum