‘Abdu’l-Jalíl Bey Sa‘d

‘Abdu’l-Jalíl Bey Sa‘d
Died	May 25, 1942
NSA member	Egypt & Sudan
Title(s)	Hand of the Cause
Appointed by	Shoghi Effendi, Posthumously

‘Abdu’l-Jalíl Bey Sa‘d (d. May 25, 1942) was an Egyptian Bahá’í who served on the National Spiritual Assembly of Egypt and Sudan and was posthumously appointed a Hand of the Cause of God.

Background

‘Abdu’l-Jalíl was introduced to the Bahá’í Faith in the 1890's while attending the University of al-Azhar in Cairo, Egypt, learning about the religion from Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl who was teaching at the University. He became a Bahá’í through Fadl and an active member of the Egyptian Bahá’í community serving on the National Spiritual Assembly of Egypt and Sudan after it was established often as the bodies chairman.

In his professional career ‘Abdu’l-Jalíl became a Judge and was serving on the Civil Court of Egypt as of the early 1920's. When the constitutional laws of Egypt were being developed in 1923 he wrote essays arguing that the law should have provisions to recognize and protect religious freedom which were ultimately passed. In 1925 a Muslim Court in Egypt made a ruling against the Bahá’í community of Kom El Sa’ayda and in May 1929 ‘Abdu’l-Jalíl met with the Prime Minister of Egypt alongside American Bahá’í lawyer Mountfort Mills to negotiate improved conditions. ‘Abdu’l-Jalíl continued negotiations after Mills departed ultimately securing official recognition of the National Spiritual Assembly of Egypt and Sudan in 1934.

During 1934 ‘Abdu’l-Jalíl wrote several refutations of criticisms of the Faith made by a hostile writer, Shaykh el Kharashi, which resulted in several complaints being submitted to the Egyptian Minister of Justice objecting to his position as a Judge as he was not Muslim. The Minister directed him to cease publishing material on the Faith and ‘Abdu’l-Jalíl argued that Kharashi should also be advised to stop publishing material attacking the religion and as a result they were both banned from publishing. ‘Abdu’l-Jalíl was also transferred to a remote town in southern Egypt to prevent him from participating in the Egyptian Bahá’í communities activities.

While in southern Egypt ‘Abdu’l-Jalíl continued to serve the Faith by translating The Dawn-Breakers into Arabic. He completed the translation in 1941 and submitted it to the Egyptian Government for approval of its distribution however it was declared to be against Islam by Muslim authorities and all copies were seized for destruction. ‘Abdu’l-Jalíl negotiated with the government and was able to receive the copies of the book before they were destroyed and also secured permission to distribute them in Egypt and abroad. During 1941 he also received permission from the government for the Egyptian Bahá’ís to construct a Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds in Cairo and he was able to establish himself in Cairo to oversee construction. He dedicated himself to the project for the rest of his life passing shortly before it was completed.

‘Abdu’l-Jalíl passed away on June 25, 1942. After his passing Shoghi Effendi conveyed the following telegram:

‘ABDU’L-JALÍL BEY SA‘D ABU’L-FAḌL’S MOST RENOWNED DISCIPLE FOREMOST CHAMPION FAITH EGYPT, OUTSTANDING BAHÁ’Í ADMINISTRATOR BRILLIANT AUTHOR, INDEFATIGABLE TEACHER ASCENDED ABHÁ KINGDOM LOSS IRREPARABLE HEARTS GRIEF-STRICKEN. ADVISE HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL GATHERING TEMPLE TO ASSOCIATE AMERICAN BELIEVERS UNIVERSAL MOURNING DISTINGUISHED HAND CAUSE BAHÁ’U’LLÁH.