Jalál Nakhjavání
Jalál Nakhjavání | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | September 17, 1917 Baku, Azerbaijan |
| Died | May 9, 1982 Canada |
| NSA member | Central & East Africa 1956 - 1957 Tanganyika & Zanzibar 1964 - ???? |
| ABM | Africa 1954 - 1964 |
Jalál Nakhjavání (September 17, 1917 - May 9, 1982) was a Bahá’í who pioneered to Africa where he served as a National Spiritual Assembly member and Auxiliary Board member. He later served the Bahá’í communities of Germany and Canada.
Biography[edit]
Nakhjavání was born in Baku, Southern Russia (now Azerbaijan) to Mírzá ‘Alí-Akbar Nakhjavání and Fatimih Khanum in 1917.[1] His younger brother, Alí, was born in 1919. After the passing of ‘Ali-Akbar in 1920 the family was summoned to live in the Holy Land by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, however He passed while they were still travelling so Fatimih awaited permission from Shoghi Effendi before continuing to the Holy Land where Jalál and Alí were raised.[2]
In 1937 the Nakhjavání's moved to Iran from the Holy Land on the instructions of Shoghi Effendi and Jalál served in the military for two years and then worked in banking. In 1943 he married Darakshandih Na’imi and they pioneered within Iran to Burujird and then Kirmanshah until in 1950 they decided to pioneer to Africa with Jalál resigning from his position as head of the Foreign Exchange Department of Bank Melli and arriving in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, in October 1950. He had to survive for two years off his savings as he was unable to find work.[2]
In 1952 the Local Spiritual Assembly of Dar-es-Salaam was formed with Nakhjavání serving as an inaugural member, in 1954 he was appointed as an inaugural Auxiliary Board member for Africa by Músá Banání, and in 1956 he was elected to the first National Spiritual Assembly of Central and East Africa.[2] He later attempted to pioneer to a virgin territory but Shoghi Effendi instructed him to remain in Tanzania.[3]
In 1967 he pioneered to West Germany where he served on the Local Spiritual Assembly of Hamburg before moving to Neumuenster to assist in efforts to establish an Assembly. In 1978 Jalál and his wife moved to Canada where their daughter Mona was living and he served on the Local Spiritual Assembly of Selkirk and on the National Pioneering Committee, also travel teaching throughout Quebec and the Maritimes.[3]
In October 1981 Nakhjavání fell ill after an extensive teaching tour across Canada and he underwent surgery in January 1982, however his health continued to decline and he passed on 9 May 1982.[4]
After his passing the Universal House of Justice cabled:
DEEPLY GRIEVED PASSING DEVOTED SERVANT BLESSED BEAUTY JALAL NAKHJAVANI. RECALL WITH DEEP AFFECTION HIS DEDICATED SERVICES IN AFRICA IN VANGUARD FIRST PIONEERS TO SETTLE THAT CONTINENT LATER IN GERMANY AND MORE RECENTLY IN CANADA PARTICULARLY FRENCH SPEAKING AREAS. ASSURE BELOVED MEMBERS HIS FAMILY LOVING SYMPATHY ASSURANCE PRAYERS FURTHER UNFOLDMENT HIS RADIANT SOUL ABHA KINGDOM[1]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1986). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 18 (1979-1983), Pg(s) 797. View as PDF.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1986). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 18 (1979-1983), Pg(s) 798. View as PDF.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1986). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 18 (1979-1983), Pg(s) 799. View as PDF.
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1986). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 18 (1979-1983), Pg(s) 800. View as PDF.
