Having grown up with the legacy of the Faith of Abdul Baha’ s family, especially his grandchildren who knew him well, – some having had the opportunity of working and serving the Cause during his time, as well as during the early years of Shoghi Effendi’s ministry – I feel blessed to have had the privilege of being part of a sincere and devoted Baha’i family. Despite being labeled as Covenant Breaker from birth, the essence and the principles of the faith I grew up with remain part of my life.
My father, Hassan Jalal Shahid, youngest son of Rouha Khanum, was the last surviving grandchild of Abdul Baha, (he passed away in June of 2015) and as such had a unique knowledge of and insight into the history of our family.
Over the many years he had often told us many stories typically told by a family elder of the various family members and long standing Bahai’s he had personally known.
During Abdu’l Baha’s last days, Rouha Khanum remained by her father’s side. With her in the Master’s room was her youngest son, my father.
He remained close to his mother and her three sisters Zia Khanum, Touba Khanum, and Munavar Khanum until the end of their lives.
The passing of Abdul Baha in 1921 marked a new phase both in the development of the Baha’i Faith and in the lives of Abdul Baha’s daughters and their families.
Members of Abdul Baha’s household have at all times respected both Abdul Baha’s and Shoghi Effend’is positions within the Faith and served the Cause in any capacity they could and as long as they were allowed to do so.
Over the years, some dramatic changes occurred, causing deep rifts both within Shoghi Effendi’s own family and with some loyal and long- standing Baha’is of the time. Cables sent by the Guardian to the Baha’i world sealed their fate within the community. This justice or injustice was never addressed.
In the face of the silence maintained by the members of the family, and since the passing of the Guardian, the reasons for the “excommunication” and labelling of family members as “Covenant Breakers”, has been greatly exaggerated and built upon particularly in the books and articles of Ruhiyyih Khanom, Adib Taherzadeh, Moojan Momen and the Universal House of Justice .
Decades after the passing away of the Guardian the Universal House of Justice in 1996 , publicly passed its judgment about me and without any attempt at discussion or asking of questions ; it was assumed I would wish to bring disruption to the Unity of the Bahai Faith and in the process perpetuating misconceptions .
This website is intended to truthfully answer the inquiries that have been made over the years by Baha’is in an attempt to understand the events that occurred within Abdul Baha’s and Shoghi Effedi’s family members.
Abdu'l-Baha's Family 