Abbas Afnán
Abbas Afnán | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1924 Iran |
| Died | May 10, 1996 Stratford-upon-Avon, England |
| NSA member | British Isles 1965 - 1972 United Kingdom 1972 - 1975 |
Dr. Abbas Afnán (1924 - May 10, 1996) was a Persian Bahá’í who was an active member of the Bahá’í community of Iran and later pioneered to the United Kingdom where he served as a pioneer and National Spiritual Assembly member. He also served as a pioneer in Canada and Slovenia.
Biography[edit]
Afnán was born into a Bahá’í family in Iran in 1924 with both of his parents, Mirzá ‘Abdu’l Latif and Hoviyyeh Khánum, being descended from the maternal uncles of the Báb. He was raised in Shíráz and moved to Tehran in 1942 where he studied medicine at the University of Tehran. He served on the National Pioneering Committee of Iran while studying and helped pioneers settle in the Persian Gulf islands in the mid 1940's.[1]
After graduating with a medical degree in 1949 Afnán completed postgraduate studies in ear, nose, throat, and cosmetic surgery in Switzerland and France. He then settled in England and in 1951 he attended a Bahá’í summer school in Cottingham, Yorkshire, at which Luṭfu’lláh Ḥakím introduced him to Shomais ‘Alá’í and they married later that year. Ḥakím later stated that Shoghi Effendi spoke highly of their marriage which joined the Afnán and ‘Alá’í families, two of the most prominent Bahá’í families of Iran, and had their wedding album placed in the Mansion of Bahjí. After they marrried they planned to pioneer to Africa in March, 1952, but Shoghi Effendi advised Afnán to return to Iran while Shomais moved to Africa.[1]
Afnán went on pilgrimage, meeting with Shoghi Effendi, while traveling back to Iran and he settled in Yazd to reinvigorate the Bahá’í community which had become inactive due to a period of persecution. He facilitated the establishment of deepening classes and the holding of art exhibitions which successfully increased Bahá’í activity in the city. He remained in Yazd from 1952 to March 1954 when he pioneered to Ethiopia where his wife was living.[1] He secured employment with a United Nations project in Gondar which involved training medical students. He was summoned to provide medical treatment to both the Crown Prince and Emperor of Ethiopia while living in the country.[2]
In 1958 Afnán and his wife moved to the United Kingdom as he was aiming to study preventative medicine so he could improve his contributions to medical care in Ethiopia howver while preparing to depart the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles requested they settle in the country to support their efforts in pursuit of the Ten Year Crusade. After arriving in the British Isles Afnán had to undertake medical exams to secure his meical credentials and they lived in Dublin for a year where he completed an internship required to secure medical registration. They then pioneered to Burnely where he helped establish a Local Spiritual Assembly and worked as a medical officer.[2]
The Afnán's later pioneered to Norfolk where Afnán was appointed as a medical officer of health and his appointment was faced with some criticism. He was interviewed by the BBC and questioned on whether his beliefs would reduce his ability to practice medicine and he spoke about the principle of the harmony of science and religion in the Faith. He served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles for several years while living in the country.[2]
In 1975 the Afnán's pioneered to Canada settling in Grand Falls in Newfoundland where he actively taught with his wife making frequent extended travel teaching trips. In 1988 he was in a car accident which was detrimental to his health and he retired and returned to England with his wife.[2] They were settled in England for a short time before pioneering to Ljubljana in Slovenia and Afnán was invited to provide lectures for a comparitive religion course at the University of Ljubljana. Due to ill health the Afnán's returned to England settling in Stratford-upon-Avon where Afnán frequently required hospitalization. Despite his illness he continued to be an active Bahá’í and he and his wife helped establish the Local Spiritual Assembly of Stratford-upon-Avon.[3]
In 1996 Afnán passed away in Stratford-upon-Avon. The Universal House of Justice conveyed the following message after his passing:
HEARTS FILLED WITH GRIEF NEWS PASSING MUCH-LOVED HIGHLY ADMIRED STALWART SERVANT BAHAU’LLAH ABBAS AFNANi HE SERVED THE CAUSE WITH DISTINCTION THROUGH INDOMITABLE FAITH. LOVING NATURE AND RADIANT SPIRIT. HIS DEVOTED ENDEAVOURS TEACHING, PIONEERING. ADMINISTRATIVE FIELDS OVER FOUR DECADES IN FOUR CONTINENTS ASIA, AFRICA, EUROPE, NORTH AMERICA CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO EXPANSION CONSOLIDATION FAITH. PRAYING HOLY SHRINES PROCESS HIS NOBLE SOUL ABHA KINGDOM. CONVEY LOVING SYMPATHY ALL MEMBERS HIS FAMILY.[3]
