Rúhangiz Rabbání
Rúhangiz Rabbání (d. 1992) was a sister of Shoghi Effendi. She served as her brother's secretary but was ultimately declared a Covenant-breaker.
Biography[edit]
Rabbání's father was Mírzá Hádí Shírází, a relative of the Báb, and her mother was Ḍiyá'iyyih Khánum the daughter of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Rabbání was a surname ‘Abdu’l-Bahá granted to Shoghi Effendi as he had requested a surname to distinguish him from his cousins who went by Afnán and his siblings also used it.[1] She was the elder sister of the two daughters in the family.[2]
In the early 1920's Rabbání moved to England to study in London and she was able to comfort Shoghi Effendi when ‘Abdu’l-Bahá passed away in 1921.[3] She accompanied her brother on his journey back to the Holy Land from England on December 16, 1921, with Lady Blomfield,[4] and after he became the Guardian she served as his secretary for some time,[5] sending letters written on his behalf in 1926.[6] When Shoghi Effendi married Rúhíyyih Khánum in 1937 Rabbání was among the only people to know that the marriage was to take place in advance.[7]
At some point Rabbání married Nayyir Afnán, who was the son of Siyyid ‘Alí Afnán and Furúghiyyih Khánum, a daughter of Bahá'u'lláh, both of whom broke the Covenant.[2] The marriage took place while Shoghi Effendi was not in the Holy Land and he was not informed that it was taking place in advance.[8]
Rabbání's marriage to Nayyir was the catalyst for intense disunity in the family of Shoghi Effendi,[2] with her sister Mehrangiz marrying one of his brothers and their cousin Thurayya marrying a third brother shortly afterwards,[9] and Nayyir and Rabbání were named Covenant-breakers in 1941.[10][11] Shoghi Effendi initially did not publicly announce that she was a Covenant-breaker instead concealing the disunity within the family,[12] however in April 1945 he sent a cable to the Bahá’í community regarding his brother which refers to Rúhangiz and her status.:
"My faithless brother Husayn, after long period of dishonourable conduct, has abandoned the Master's home to consort with his sister and other Covenant-breakers."[13]
In 1948 Rabbání and her family left the Holy Land and moved to Lebanon in the wake of the establishment of the State of Israel and Arab-Israeli war due to their links to the Arab community.[14][15] In 1950 she arranged a marriage between her cousin Hasan Shahid and her daughter Bahiyyih,[14] prompting Shoghi Effendi to include the following in a 1950 cable regarding his family:
"With feeling profound concern, grief, indignation, am compelled disclose Baha'i world recent developments Holy land furnishing further incontestable proof relationship established old and new Covenant-breakers demonstrating increasing boldness, marked, tragic decline in character and spiritual condition grandchildren Abdu'l-Baha. Their shameful attitude and conduct receiving approbation their elders. . . .
. . . efforts exerted my eldest sister pave way fourth alliance members family Siyyid Ali involving marriage his granddaughter with Ruha's son . . ."[16]
She passed away in 1992 and was buried in England.[17]
References[edit]
- ↑ Rúḥíyyih Khánum, The Priceless Pearl, Baha'i Publishing Trust: London, 1969, p 17
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Adib Taherzadeh, The Child of the Covenant, George Ronald: Oxford, 2000, p 308
- ↑ Rúḥíyyih Khánum, The Priceless Pearl, Baha'i Publishing Trust: London, 1969, p 36
- ↑ Rúḥíyyih Khánum, The Priceless Pearl, Baha'i Publishing Trust: London, 1969, p 42
- ↑ Nakhjavani, Ali', Shoghi Effendi: The Range and Power of his Pen, p 224.
- ↑ https://bahai-library.com/shoghi-effendi_messages_antipodes&chapter=1#1926
- ↑ Rúhíyyih Khánum, The Guardian, Baha'i Publishing Trust: London, 1988, p 68.
- ↑ Moojan Momen, Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit: Chapter 31 of Some Answered Questions, published in Lights of Irfan Vol. 10, p 290
- ↑ Adib Taherzadeh, The Child of the Covenant, George Ronald: Oxford, 2000, p 308
- ↑ Adib Taherzadeh, The Covenant of Baha'u'llah, George Ronald: Oxford, 1972, p 359
- ↑ Nigel Bufton, A Complete Genealogy Report For MIRZA ABBAS BUZURG NURI, 2008, p 5
- ↑ Adib Taherzadeh, The Covenant of Baha'u'llah, George Ronald: Oxford, 1972, p 360
- ↑ Adib Taherzadeh, The Covenant of Baha'u'llah, George Ronald: Oxford, 1972, p 362
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Ahang Rabbani, The Afnán Family: Some Biographical Notes, 2007
- ↑ Adib Taherzadeh, The Child of the Covenant, George Ronald: Oxford, 2000, p 307
- ↑ Adib Taherzadeh, The Covenant of Baha'u'llah, George Ronald: Oxford, 1972, p 364
- ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/256829857/r%C3%BAhangiz-rabb%C3%A1n%C3%AD
