Chronology: Date 1950

Chronology of the Bahá'í Faith

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Date 1950, descending — sort earliest first

date	event	tags	firsts
1950 15 Dec 195-	The Guardian appealed directly to Israel's Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion to recognize the interest of the Bahá'í community in the property known as Mazra'ih as a holy place. After a protracted struggle to obtain ownership of the property, then a Moslem religious endowment, he leased the site from the Department of Moslem and Druze affairs in the Ministry of Religions. [DH93, GBF137, PP290, CB331, MBW7, Bahá'í News, no. 244, June 1951, p. 4]	House of Bahá'u'lláh (Mazraih); David Ben-Gurion; Haifa, Israel; Mazraih, Israel; Akka, Israel; Israel
1950 Dec 195-	Jalál Nakhjavání arrived in Tanganyika, the first Bahá'í pioneer to the country. [BW18:79] History of the Bahá'í Faith in Tanzania says that Claire Gung was the 1st pioneer of the Bahá'í Faith in the country. Her biography, Claire Gung: Mother of Africa p14 confirms that she disembarked the The Warwick Castle sometime in February, 1951.	Jalal Nakhjavani; Pioneers; Claire Gung; Tanganyika, Tanzania	first Bahá’í pioneer to Tanganyika
1950 (Near end of year) 195-	Shoghi Effendi entered into negotiations with the government of Israel to exchange some farm land near the border with Jordan for the same acreage in the vicinity of the Shrine and the Mansion in Bahjí. The difficult and protracted talks lasted two years and involved Mr Hautz and Leroy Ioas, who in March 1952, had become the General Secretariat of the International Bahá'í Council and so had become the lead on the negotiations. [SETPE1p124-125]	* Shoghi Effendi (chronology); Bahji, Israel; Haifa, Israel
1950 1 Nov 195-	Mírzá Badí'u'lláh, the youngest son of Bahá'u'lláh, (b.1867 in Adrianople) described by Shoghi Effendi as the 'chief lieutenant' of the 'archbreaker' of the 'divine Covenant' died. [CB340, 355–6; CF89, BIC162, MSBR63, BBR460, RoB3pg230, CH209, SoB92, CoB340, 355-6, CoF89] A close companion of Mírzá Muhammad-'Alí. [CoB165] All his family became Covenant-breakers. [CoB362] He had a short-lived repentance. [CoB152-3, GPB263, Historical Dictionary of the Bahá'í Faith p321, Interview with Badi'u'llah by Howard MacNutt] He opposed both 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi. [CoB165] As an example, in 1939 when Shoghi Effendi proposed to relocate the remains of Mirza Mihdí and Ásíyih Khánum from 'Akka to Haifa, it was Mírzá Badí'u'lláh who led the dissenting faction claiming that as he was more closely related to Mirza Mihdí, it was he, under Moslem law, who had the right to decide as to the disposal of the remains. [BBR460-461]	Mírzá Badiullah; Covenant-breaking; Haifa, Israel; - Bahá'í World Centre
1950 Nov 195-	From Switzerland, Shoghi Effendi invited five Bahá'ís—Lotfullah Hakim, Jessie and Ethel Revell, Amelia Collins and Mason Remey—to Haifa. [PP251] They, together with Ben and Gladys Weeden who were already there, were told that they would constitute the International Bahá'í Council. [PP251–2]	International Bahá'í Council; Lutfullah Hakim; Jessie Revell; Ethel Revell; Amelia Collins; Charles Mason Remey; Ben Weeden; Gladys Anderson Weeden; Switzerland; - Bahá'í World Centre; Haifa, Israel
1950 Nov 195-	Brian Burland, the first Bermudian to become a Bahá'í, accepted the Faith in Canada.	- First Bahá'ís by country or area; Canada; Bermuda	first Bermudian Bahá'í
1950 23 Oct 195-	Nur Ali, a well-known and respected public servant in Suva, became a Bahá'í, the first to accept the Faith in Fiji.	- First Bahá'ís by country or area; Fiji	first Bahá'í in Fiji
1950 Sep - Oct 195-	Four Bahá'ís in Iran were arrested on trumped-up charges. The trial lasted until 1954, when the accused were given prison sentences. [BW18:390]	* Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution, Court cases; - Persecution; Court cases; Iran
1950 28 - 30 Jul 195-	The First European Teaching Summer School was held in Elsinore, Denmark. [SBBR14p243]	Summer schools; Elsinore, Denmark; Denmark	First European teaching summer School
1950 24–27 Jul 195-	The third European Teaching Conference was held in Copenhagen. [BW12:49; SBBR14p243] 177 Bahá'ís from 22 countries attended.	Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Teaching; - Conferences, International; Copenhagen, Denmark; Denmark; - Europe
1950 9 Jul 195-	The Centenary of the Martyrdom of the Báb was commemorated. For Shoghi Effendi's message to the Bahá'ís on this occasion see BW12:191–3. For accounts of commemorations around the world see BW12:205–8. A small group of Bahá'í pilgrims visited the site of the Báb's martyrdom and other places associated with His life. [BW12:217–26] The columned arcade and parapet of the Shrine of the Báb were completed. [ZK284–5]	Centenaries; Báb, Martyrdom of; Báb, Shrine of (Haifa); Pilgrimage; Pilgrims; Haifa, Israel; Mount Carmel; Iran; - Worldwide
1950 Jul 195-	The British Six Year Plan was successfully completed. [BW11:25; MBW4]	- Teaching Plans; - Teaching Plans, National; United Kingdom
1950 (Early June) 195-	In 1950 Sutherland Maxwell suffered from a severe illness from which he never recovered. He returned to Montreal in early June, 1951. [From CBN undated Memorial Issue]	Sutherland Maxwell; Haifa, Israel; Montreal, QC; Canada
1950 25 May 195-	Dr Khodadad M. Fozdar, a medical officer of the State Railways in India, arrived in Singapore, the first pioneer to the country. [BW13:393] His wife, Shirin Fozdar, joined him in September 1950.	Khodadad M. Fozdar; Shirin Fozdar; Singapore	first pioneer to Singapore
1950 25 Apr 195-	Shoghi Effendi cabled the Bahá'í world with the successes of the Bahá'í work in the past year. [MBW3] The number of sovereign states and dependencies where the Faith was established reached 100, an increase of 22 countries since 1944. Approximate number of Localities where Bahá'ís resided in the largest Bahá'í communities. European Goal Countries: --> Over thirty localities. Germany and Austria: --> Over forty localities. British Isles: --> Over fifty localities. Australia and New Zealand: --> Over sixty localities. Dominion of Canada: --> Over eighty localities. India, Pakistan and Burma: --> Over eighty localities. Latin America: --> Over one hundred localities. Persia: --> Over seven hundred localities. United States of America: --> Over eleven hundred localities. [Baha'i Historical Facts, January 15, 2018 quoted from The Bahá'í Faith 1844-1950 Information Statistical and Comparative compiled by Shoghi Effendi]	Statistics
1950 Ridván 195-	Shoghi Effendi announced the Africa Campaign (1951-1953) in a cable to the British National Convention. [BW12:52; UD245–6] The British community was to lead the campaign supported by the Bahá'ís of the United States and Egypt. Shoghi Effendi expanded the plan to include the cooperation of the National Spiritual Assemblies of Persia and of India, who were to provide additional pioneers. The Plan was not scheduled to start until Ridván 1950 but the British Bahá'í community as soon as possible after the Plan was announced. [UD245] The object was to open the Faith to three countries, Gold Coast, Tanganyika and Uganda. Shoghi Effendi termed it "the first International collaboration plan in Bahá'í history. (CG157, 159] For the objectives of the campaign see UD245–6. For the importance of the enterprise see UD260–3. The plan was to be launched after a year's respite but the British Bahá'ís begin to implement the plan immediately. [CB317] At the time of the Campaign there was "...since the days of the Blessed Beauty and up to the early 1950s, the activities of the friends in Africa had produced the formation of one National Spiritual Assembly with its seat in Cairo, Egypt, the opening of 12 countries to the light of the Faith, and some 50 localities established throughout its vast lands. It was at such a time that the beloved Guardian ushered in the first African Teaching Plan" [Message from the Universal House of Justice To the Friends gathered at the Bahá'í International Conference at Lagos dated 19 August, 1982 ; The UK Bahá'í Journal/History] The first to arise for the Campaign was Claire Gung who departed from England on the Warwick Castle on the 3rd of January, 1951 bound for Tanganyika. [CG13, 26] Others who pioneered were: Philip Hainsworth, Uganda, June 1951; Hasan and Isobel Sabri, Tanganyika, July 1951; and Ted Cardell, Kenya, October 1951. For additional information see The Baha'i Faith in Africa: Establishing a New Religious Movement, 1952–1962 by Anthony Lee.	- Teaching Plans; Africa Campaign; Claire Gung; Philip Hainsworth; Hasan Sabri; Isobel Sabri; Ted Cardell; - Africa; United Kingdom; United States (USA); Egypt	the first International collaboration plan in Bahá'í history
1950 26 Mar - 10 Apr 195-	The British Community needed 22 declarations to complete the goals of their Six Year Plan. The National Spiritual Assembly of Canada sponsored a trip by John Robarts to lend his assistance. During his 13 day stay he visited London, Manchester, Blackpool, Blackburn, Sheffield, Oxford, Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow and Edinburgh and witnessed 18 declarations. By April 10th the goal had been won. [CBN No 13 May, 1950 p4]	John Robarts; London, England; Manchester, England; Blackpool, England; Blackburn, England; Sheffield, England; Oxford, England; Dublin, Ireland; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Glasgow, Scotland; Edinburgh, Scotland
1950 3 Feb 195-	Dr Sulaymán Birgís was martyred in Káshán, Iran. [BW18:390] For his obituary see BW12:684–5. Two men affiliated with the Islamic Development Association of Kashan, asked Dr Sulayman Berjis to attend to a patient at their home. When the doctor arrived at the house, the two men, and others, stabbed the doctor 81 times, killing him. The murderers, who had the support of influential clerics, turned themselves in to the police. They said they had been motivated by their strong religious beliefs. A number of clerics wrote a letter to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, and asked him to free Berjis's murderers. The trials of the murderers took place from August 27 to September 13, 1950, in Tehran. As a result of the efforts of the clerics and a group of their supporters, conservative businessmen with links to the city's bazaar, the court pronounced the accused not guilty. They were all released. [Iran Wire; Towards a History of Iran's Baha'i Community During the Reign of Mohammad Reza Shah, 1941-1979 by Mina Yazdani]	* Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; - Persecution; Kashan, Iran; Iran
1950 15 Jan 195-	The earliest observation of what has become known as World Religion Day was observed in Portland, Maine in October of 1947 and was entitled "World Peace Through World Religion" after a talk by Firuz Kazemzadeh. [Portland Sunday Telegram And Sunday Press Herald. Portland, Maine. October 19, 1947. p. 42.; BN No 229 March 1956 p1] In 1949 there were observances in various communities in the United States and in December of 1949 it was standardized across the United States by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of the United States to be held January 15, 1950. The purpose of World Religion Day is to highlight the ideas that the spiritual principles underlying the world's religions are harmonious, and that religions play a significant role in unifying humanity. [BN No 226 December 1949 106BE p4-5] It is celebrated internationally each year on the third Sunday in January. [Wikipedia] See World Religion Day (January) by Christopher Buck See message from the Universal House of Justice dated 22 October, 1968 to the Spiritual Assembly of Chicago in Lights of Guidance #1710 in which they describe the purpose of World Religion Day. ".....is a celebration of the need for and the coming of a world religion for mankind, the Bahá'í Faith itself." iiiii	World Religion Day; Interfaith dialogue; Firsts, other; Firuz Kazemzadeh; United States (USA)
1950 3 Jan 195-	A woman named Sughrá and her five children were brutally murdered. Members of the Spiritual Assembly of fhte Bahá'ís of Yazd were falsely accused of ordering the crime. The accusations were orchestrated by the judicial authorities from Yazd who were influenced by Mullá Khálisizádih. The trial of these innocent individuals occurred in Tehran with the help of fundamentalist religious authorities. As a result the guilty were never prosecuted and many innocent individuals were imprisoned and executed. [SCF123117]	Mulla Khalisizadih; Abarqu, Yazd, Iran; Yazd, Iran; Iran
1950 (In the year) 195-	The publication of The Covenant, An Analysis by George Townshend. It was published in Manchester by the Bahá'í Publishing Trust 15p. [Collins7.2578]	Covenant; Manchester, England
1950 (In the year) 195-	Ghulam Reza Akhzari and his son Nur Allah were killed near Yazd and Bahram Rawhani was murdered in Taft. [Towards a History of Iran's Bahá'í Community During the Reign of Mohammad Reza Shah, 1941-1979 by Mina Yazdani.]	* Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; - Persecution; Yazd, Iran; Taft, Iran; Iran
1950 (In the year) 195-	The publication of Prescription for Living by Rúhíyyih Rabbani by George Ronald. The first edition was a run of 300 copies, done in a dark blue cloth, serial numbered and autographed by the author. There were subsequent printings in 1950, 1960, 1972, and 1978. [Collins7.2181-2185; CBN No 13 May 1950] In 1971-1972 the book was transcribed by Gertrude D. Schurgast of Tuscon, AZ into braille. Another "printing" was done by the Service for the Blind Committee in Stevenage, England in 1983. [Collins8.118-119]	Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; * Publications
1950 (In the decade) 195-	In Iran, the Hujjatiyya Society was started by Shaykh Mahmúd Halabí to persecute and harass the Bahá'ís. [S1296] During the Pahlaví era it confined itself to this end and was called the Anti-Bahá'í Society. [SI296] See The Anti-Bahá'í Society by Mehdi Abedi and Michael M.J. Fischer.	Hojjatieh Society; * Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Iran
1950 (In the year) 195-	The Court of the First Instance in Karkúk, Iraq, registered a Bahá'í marriage certificate. [MBW4; UD248] This was the first time in the East, outside Israel, that a Bahá'í marriage was recognized as being legal, an important precedent for other Oriental countries. [MBW4; UD248]	Firsts, other; Marriage; Weddings; Recognition (legal); Karkuk, Iraq; Iraq	first Bahá’í marriage recognized in the East (outside Israel)
1950 (In the year) 195-	By this year the Bahá'í population of Black Africa was probably no more than 12. [BBRSM190–1]	Statistics; - Africa


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