‘Abbás Rafí‘í
‘Abbás Rafí‘í | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1937 Iran |
| NSA member | Austria ???? - ???? Luxembourg 1968 - 1993 |
‘Abbás Rafí‘í (b. 1937) was a Persian Bahá’í who was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for pioneering to Morocco. He later pioneered to Europe where he served on the National Spiritual Assembly of Luxembourg.
Biography[edit]
Rafí'í was born into a Bahá’í family in 1937. His parents were ‘Alí Akbar Rafí‘í Rafsanjání and Sháyistih Rafí'í.[1]
In 1953 Rafí‘í accompanied his parents to all four of the Intercontinental Conferences held to launch the Ten Year Crusade in Uganda, the United States, Sweden, and India. At the Stockholm, Sweden, conference his parents consulted with Hand of the Cause Ugo Giachery who advised them to pioneer to Tangier, Morocco.[1] They traveled through India, Beirut, Egypt, Italy, and Spain then arrived in Tangier on November 5, 1953. After arriving the authorities would not grant them a visa, however negotiations undertaken with the French Ambassador in Tehran on behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly of Iran secured them visas after two months of negotiations allowing them to remain in Morocco.[2]
After settling in Tangier Rafí‘í was able to study classical Arabic under fellow pioneer Muhammad ‘Alí Jalálí.[3] In July 1954 he accompanied his father on a trip back to Iran. They remained in Iran for two months and during their visit they went to the House of the Báb in Shiraz and visited his fathers village Rafsanján where they encouraged the Bahá’í community to pioneer.[2]
In May 1955 Rafí‘í moved to Hamburg, Germany, in order to pursue higher education which was unavailable in Morocco. He was able to stay with a German family while undertaking studies and graduated with a degree in March, 1958.[2] In October 1958 he move to Leoben, Austria, where he continued his studies undertaking a degree in steel engineering.[4]
In 1963 Rafí‘í married Joubine and they had a daughter, Neda, in 1964. At some point he was appointed to the National Teaching Committee of Austria and later he was elected to the Austrian National Spiritual Assembly. In 1967 he move to Luxembourg where he was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly in 1968 and served until 1993. He also served as a representative for Ḥuqúqu’lláh for Luxembourg.[4]
As of 2017 Rafí‘í had moved to Indonesia.[4]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Redman, E. The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press, London. p 21
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Redman, E. The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press, London. p 24
- ↑ Redman, E. The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press, London. p 18
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Redman, E. The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press, London. p 25
