Mírzá Aḥmad Sohráb

Sohráb, circa 1910.

Mírzá Aḥmad Sohráb (March 21, 1890 – April 20, 1958), born Mírzá Aḥmad-i-Iṣfahání, was a Persian-American author and Bahá’í who served as ‘Abdu'l-Bahá's secretary and interpreter from 1912 to 1919. During this period, he accompanied ‘Abdu'l-Bahá on His journeys to the West, translating a great many of His talks. He was sent to the United States in 1919 to present the Tablets of the Divine Plan, and established himself there, first in Washington, D.C. and eventually in New York City. He worked as a writer while in the United States, and co-founded the New History Society, an organization meant to provide an opening to the Bahá’í Faith, along with the Caravan of East and West, a related initiative.

Although these projects involved spreading Bahá’í teachings, they were independent initiatives with no oversight from the nascent Bahá’í institutions to ensure accuracy; in fact, Sohráb resisted the involvement of both the Local Spiritual Assembly of New York and the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States. As a result, the National Spiritual Assembly eventually classified Sohráb's activities through the New History Society as "entirely independent of the Cause", discouraging the Bahá’ís from becoming involved in them. Sohráb continued to defy the Bahá’í institutions and the counsels from the Guardian, and eventually, in 1939, he was declared a Covenant-breaker.

Early Life

Bahá’ís in Washington, D.C. in 1909. Sohráb is seated on the floor in front of the table.

Sohráb was born into a Bahá'í family in Sedeh, Isfahan Province, Persia (now Iran). Both his mother and his father claimed descent from the Imám Husayn, grandson of Muhammad. His father, ‘Abdu’l-Baghi, was the chief dyer of the town. His mother died when Sohráb was a few months old, while she herself was still a teenager, and he was taken to live with his maternal grandmother in Iṣfahán.

In 1900 he went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land accompanying Aḥmad Yazdí, a Bahá'í travel teacher. He then accompanied Yazdí to Port Said, Egypt, where Yazdí opened a store which sold European apparel and Sohráb worked as a clerk. In 1901 Ali Kuli Khan visited Egypt, and Sohráb requested that he ask ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to send him to America to study. That year Khan was to accompany Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl to America at the direction of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá and Fadl required an attendant for his health so Khan conveyed Sohráb's request to ‘Abdu'l-Bahá Who granted permission for Sohráb to travel to America to assist Fadl, but instructed that he return to the East afterward. Sohrab received clothing from Khan and his expenses were covered by Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl after arriving in America. He disobeyed ‘Abdu'l-Bahá by remaining in the United States when Fadl departed in 1904.

In 1909 Sohrab founded the Persian-American Educational Society, an organization which facilitated scholarships for Persian students to attend the Bahá’í run Tarbiyat School in Tehran. In 1910 the periodical Star of the West was founded and Sohrab contributed Persian language material, serving as Persian editor for the publication for the next two years.

In June 1911 Sohrab participated in the first Annual Conference of the Persian-American Educational Society, and later in the year he sailed to Europe "in the interests of his work" and visited England and France, but returned to America before the end of the year and was summoned to the Holy Land by ‘Abdu'l-Bahá, departing the United States on November 11.

As ‘Abdu'l-Bahá’s secretary

Sohráb with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and other believers at the Parsons' home in 1912.

Sohráb returned to America in 1912 with ‘Abdu'l-Bahá and accompanied Him on most of his visit to North America, acting as His secretary and interpreter and translating a great many of His talks. Among other things, he arranged for ‘Abdu'l-Bahá to speak at the second Annual Conference of the Educational Society early in His tour of America, and visited Montreal ahead of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá to announce His visit in advance.

Extracts from Sohráb's diary of the journey were published in Star of the West, allowing the wider Bahá’í community to follow ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's progress. Sohráb's diary falls into the category of pilgrims' notes, and as such it is treated as "interesting material" which bears no authority and cannot be considered as an authentic record of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's words. Certain passages from the diary attributed to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá were circulated among Bahá’ís during the 20th century, such as the passage known as "the Marriage Tablet", which consisted of an unauthenticated record of a talk by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, rather than one of His written Tablets.

Sohráb continued to serve as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's secretary until 1919, accompanying Him during His time in Egypt and in Haifa after His travels. During his period of service, he showed signs of insincerity and faithlessness. Often deeply saddened by his behaviour, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá predicted that after His passing Sohráb would rebel against the Centre of the Cause.

Sohráb returned to the United States in 1919, sailing as a first class passenger from Port Said, Egypt to New York, on board the S/S Yeboshi Maru with ‘Abdu'l-Bahá’s Tablets of the Divine Plan, which he translated, annotated and presented at the Annual Convention held in Hotel McAlpine, New York, in April 1919. The Bahá'í Temple Unity published these tablets in the form of pamphlets, complete with Sohráb's personal annotations, which Sohráb read as he presented them to the Convention. When the Tablets of the Divine Plan were later reprinted, Sohráb's remarks were deleted, as they were personal impressions, and not direct quotations of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá’s words.

Later life

Personal life and projects

In 1920 Sohrab married American Bahá’í Juanita Storch in New York City and they had a daughter, Laila, however they divorced in 1922.

In the 1920s, while living in Los Angeles, he helped write a scenario for a movie dealing with Mary Magdalene, for the actress Valeska Surratt. In 1927 Cecil B. Demille released The King of Kings which the duo claimed he had stolen from their scenario. Suratt sued Cecil B. Demille and others in 1928, and mentioned that Sohráb had helped her write the play. The case went to trial in 1930 and was quietly settled out of court. He found it necessary to go to New York to discuss business matters with Surratt, and it was through her that he was introduced to Lewis Stuyvesant Chanler and his wife Julie, with whom he would have extensive dealings.

In 1930, Sohráb filed a petition for naturalization in the US District Court of New York City. Sohráb had already published a few books, pamphlets and a movie scenario, when in 1933, with Julie Chanler he wrote a book that provided an overview of many of the events of the Bahá'í movement; it contained a description of the events of the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh — his claim in the Garden of Ridván— Táhirih, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. The book also contains several pictures, including some which may be unique.

Conflict with the Guardian and Bahá’í institutions

Sohráb opposed Shoghi Effendi after his appointment as the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith.

After the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in 1921 Shoghi Effendi became the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, having been appointed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in His Will and Testament. Nellie French reported that Sohráb became agitated when she informed him of this, and expressed the opinion that he should have been appointed as head of the Faith instead. He was dismissive of Shoghi Effendi's understanding of the Cause and believed that the Universal House of Justice should be established immediately, opposing Shoghi Effendi's plan to raise up Local and National Spiritual Assemblies. In this, Sohráb's attitude and views echoed those of Ávárih—another Bahá’í who would later become estranged from the community—so much so that the believers began referring to him as the "Avarih of the West". Despite many attempts on Sohráb's behalf to influence the American Bahá’í community and promote himself in place of Shoghi Effendi, the believers shunned him and remained faithful to the Covenant.

With the help of Julie Chanler, Sohráb formed the New History Society in 1929 as an indirect way of spreading the teachings of the Bahá'í Faith, while at the same time using it as a platform to denounce Shoghi Effendi's plan to raise up Bahá’í institutions. The New History Society, in turn, gave rise to the Caravan of East and West in 1930, which was mainly involved in international correspondence. It also provided a way to attract children and youth and prepare them to join the New History Society. The Chanlers renamed their house in New York to Caravan House, and the group began publishing a quarterly magazine called The Caravan, where Sohráb's partial autobiography first appeared.

Although the activities of the New History Society and the Caravan involved spreading Bahá’í teachings, they amounted to individual initiatives with no oversight from the nascent Bahá’í institutions to ensure accuracy; Sohráb described them as "a movement... for the spreading of the Bahai ideals and principles, independent of and unaffiliated with the Bahai organization." Despite repeated attempts by both the Local Spiritual Assembly of New York and the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada to enter into consultation with Sohráb about the organization's portrayal of the Faith—and despite overtures such as the Local Spiritual Assembly allowing the use of its headquarters for public meetings held by the New History Society's representatives— both Sohráb and Mrs. Chanler resisted the involvement of Bahá’í institutions in their affairs. As a result, the National Spiritual Assembly eventually classified Sohráb's activities through the New History Society as "entirely independent of the Cause", discouraging the Bahá’ís from becoming involved in them:

“ Neither the local nor the National Assembly was consulted in the matter, and the meetings and activities of the New History Society have been maintained apart from the principles of consultation which today, under the Will and Testament of 'Abdu’l-Bahá, form the basis of Bahá'í unity and the protection of the Cause.

Both the local and National Assembly on several occasions attempted, through oral and written communications, to bring about full and frank consultation with the leaders of the New History Society, but without success.

Under these conditions it becomes the obvious responsibility of the National Spiritual Assembly to inform the friends that activities conducted by Ahmad Sohrab through the New History Society are to be considered as entirely independent of the Cause, as outside the jurisdiction of the local and National Assembly, and hence in no wise entitled to the cooperation of Bahá'ís.

” — Bahá’í News

Sohráb continued to defy the Bahá’í institutions and the counsels from the Guardian, and eventually, in 1939, he was declared a Covenant-breaker. In a letter dated May 25, 1941, the Guardian wrote through his Secretary that Sohráb "is no doubt the most subtle, resourceful and indefatigable enemy the Faith has had in America."

During World War II, the New History Society promoted an alleged passage from the Writings of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá which would justify citizens in refusing to obey their governments when drafted into the military forces. Because of this, the National Spiritual Assembly was obliged to clarify the true Bahá’í position to American authorities.

Collaboration with other opponents of Shoghi Effendi

Bahjí in 1954, after Shoghi Effendi's legal authority over the holy sites there was upheld. The apartments surrounding the Mansion of Bahjí have since been removed.

Some time after his excommunication, Sohráb began to collaborate with others who were inimical to Shoghi Effendi. He became involved in supporting a legal case in which a group of Covenant-breakers—unfaithful members of Bahá’u’lláh's family—attempted to challenge Shoghi Effendi's right to carry out major construction work around the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh. In 1952, Sohráb cabled the Minister of Religion in Israel in an attempt to influence the case, declaring that the Caravan of East and West was not under the authority of Shoghi Effendi, and affirming its support for the Covenant-breakers. Despite this, the case did not proceed in their favour; one of the key witnesses for the Covenant-breakers, Nayyir Afnán, died shortly before the case was due to open, and in the end, the court gave full recognition of the Guardian's control of the Bahá'í Shrines and properties.

Sohráb returned to Haifa in 1954 and began associating with those who had opposed ‘Abdu'l-Bahá. Seeking in vain to attract the attention of the public in the Holy Land, he held press conferences and interviews in which, while introducing himself as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's "secretary" and "leading disciple", he turned against the Master, claiming that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had disobeyed the Will of Bahá’u’lláh and eliminated Mírzá Muhammad ‘Alí and that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was a Muslim, and calling for the removal of Shoghi Effendi. Frustrated when these efforts had no effect, Sohráb and his associates continued to throw their support behind the Covenant-breakers in the Holy Land in their unsuccessful claims against the Guardian.

Sohráb's extended collaboration with the Covenant-breakers eventually led to a meeting that was held in Famagusta in the late 1950s between representatives of all three main generations of Covenant-breakers: The followers of Mírzá Yahyá, who had rejected the authority of Bahá’u’lláh; those of Mírzá Muhammad `Alí, who had rejected the authority of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá; and Ahmad Sohráb, who had rejected the authority of Shoghi Effendi. One of the aims of this conference was to build a mausoleum over the grave of Mírzá Yahyá. To this end, an amount of money was collected but it "disappeared" and nothing came of the project.

Moojan Momen, a Bahá'í historian, commented on the meeting:

"This in itself was a remarkable event full of bizarre contradictions. In theory, the second generation, who accepted Bahá'u'lláh, should have had nothing to do with the first generation followers of Azal, the enemy of Bahá'u'lláh. Similarly, the third generation, accounting themselves loyal followers of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, should have had nothing to do with the second generation who were vehement opponents of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá; even less should they support the first generation. But in fact strong links formed between these generations."

Final years

Former residence of Ahmad Sohráb in Washington, D.C.

Sohráb's wife and daughter remained faithful to the Cause, and eventually changed their names.

The Caravan eventually severed the links with the Bahá'í Faith, but Sohráb, Mrs. Chanler, and their organizations continued to claim association with the Bahá'í Faith as long as they both were living. In a letter of July 11 1956, the Guardian wrote through his secretary regarding Sohráb: "Whatever he does cannot but end in failure, because he has cut himself off entirely from the living tree of the Faith and is wholly insincere in his motives."

The New History Society ceased its operations at some point before Sohráb's death on April 20, 1958. In his obituary he is described as "leader of the Reform Bahá'í Movement in the United States and co-director of the Caravan of East and West". After his death, the Hands of the Cause in the Holy Land sent this telegram to the Bahá’í world:

“ Sohrab, relentless enemy faith after witnessing for third of a century the irresistible spread of the Holy Cause, in forty-five hundred centres under guidance beloved Guardian, died the first of Ridvan, every hope frustrated, every plan extinguished, every ambition thwarted. This striking evidence of God’s avenging wrath on the one hand and on the other the unfailing protection of the community and institutions reared by the beloved Guardian inspires believers to arise and serve with renewed courage and dedication to insure the complete success of the crusade. ”

The Caravan existed for a time as a worldwide pen-pal club with social ideals. In addition, there are various references to the Caravan Art Gallery at the former Caravan House's address; there are also references to art showings in Mrs. Chanler's and Sohráb's communications. The building now houses the Caravan Institute, an adult-education Italian language school with no connection to the Bahá'í Faith.

Works

• ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Egypt. New York: J. H. Sears & Co for the New history Foundation, 1929. Approved by the Publishing Committee of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada. Digitally republished, East Lansing, Mi.: H-Bahai, 2005.
• ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Egypt on Bahai Library

See also

• Covenant-breaking

Footnotes

This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Unported License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Ahmad Sohrab.