Chronology: Date 1981

date	event	tags	firsts
1981 27 Dec	Eight of the nine members of the replacement National Spiritual Assembly of Iran were executed. They replaced the members who had been arrested and who had "disappeared" in August of 1980. The members of the second National Assembly were: Mr. Mihdi Amin Amin, Mrs. Zhinus Mahmudi, Dr. 'Izzatu'lláh Furúhi, Mr. Kamran Samimi, Mr. Jalal Azizi, Dr. Mahmud Madjhub, Mr. Sirus Rawshani Oskui, and Mr. Qudratu'llah Rawhani. Gítí Vahíd was absent from the meeting of the National Spiritual Assembly through illness and so was not arrested. [BI13; BW19:43; Message from the Universal House of Justice 28 December 1981] Note: The Archives of the Bahá'í Persecution in Iran reports that seven members of the second National Assembly after the revolution were executed in December 1981. There is a photo but the members are not identified. See Iran Press Watch # 20394. A video of the trial of the second Assembly was shown on the BBC on the 17th of October, 2015. Mrs Ahinous Ne'mat was not present in the video. The remaining members shown were: Mahmound Madjzoob, Kamran Samimi, Jalal Azizi, Qudrat'u'llah Rohani, Mehdi Amin Amin, Sirous Roshani Oskou'i, and Ezzat'u'allah Fououhi. See Letter From Zhínús Mahmúdí to Her Three Children, 7 June 1981. Her husband Húshang had been elected to the first National Spiritual Assembly. He had been arrested on 21 August 1980 and his whereabouts are still unknown. His wife was arrested on 13 December 1981 and she was executed on the 27th. The Telegraph 22JUN24 [World Order, Series 2, Volume_17 Issue 1 p32-35] IIIII Link to Muna Mahmoudi's talk on Sacrifice & Martydom. See Religion New Service 2 April, 2020 for a story about the execution of Kamran Samimi and his companions. For a brief biography of Kamran Samini see Wikipedia. See Iran Wire for details of the life of Dr Sirous Rowshani Oskui.	National Spiritual Assembly, Iran; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; - Persecution; Iran
1981 10 Dec	The Universal House of Justice announced that the House of Bahá'u'lláh in Tákur, Núr, Iran, had been confiscated by the Revolutionary Government in the spring of 1979, had been totally demolished and the site offered for sale by auction. [BW18:289; BW19:42]	House of Bahá'u'lláh (Takur); Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Destruction; - Persecution; Takur, Iran; Núr, Iran; Iran
1981 5 Dec	The Bahá'í cemetery in Tehran was seized "by order of the Revolutionary Court". Five caretakers and eight temporary workers were arrested and the cemetery was closed. [Mess63-86p510] The Baha'i cemetery, known as "Golestan-i-Javid" – the Eternal Garden – was confiscated. Ten years later, the City of Tehran demolished the cemetery in order to build the Khavaran Cultural Complex. In accordance with Shi'a jurisprudence, the conversion for the purpose of so-called "improvement" of a cemetery is only permissible after 30 years, but in this case only ten years had passed. The construction of the Khavaran Cultural Centre required deep excavation and the disinterment of more than 1,000 bodies. The design for the sunken yard and the vast basement of this complex was in reality a modern solution to the doctrinal problem of cleansing the soil of the "contamination" of the "unclean" remains of Bahá'ís. During the excavation and recycling of the soil, the remains of the "non-believer" Bahá'ís were apparently used in the foundation for the road and a new overpass. [Iran Press Watch 11 June 2018] For the historical background of the mistreatment of the dead in Iran see Iran Press Watch 19288.iiiii Since the Bahá'ís have always been prohibited from burying their dead in Muslim cemeteries, the acquisition of burial grounds has been a major goal of the Bahá'í communities. From the earliest days, Bahá'í dead have been buried in their own private properties, in plots of land donated by individual Bahá'ís to the community as local endowments, or, where possible, in the community-owned cemeteries obtained by collective financial contributions of individual Bahais. A systematic process of acquiring separate Bahá'í cemeteries, however, was inaugurated in most Bahá'í communities in the 1920s and continued in later decades. Prior to the 1979 revolution, most of the principal Bahá'í centers had their own cemeteries run under the supervision of the local Spiritual Assembly. After the revolution most of them have been destroyed and desecrated. [BAHAISM v. The Bahai Community in Iran by V. Rafati]	Cemeteries and graves; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Destruction; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution; Golestan-i-Javid; Eternal Garden; Khavaran Cultural Complex; - Persecution, denial of burial; Tehran, Iran; Iran
1981 1 Dec	The Bahá'í International Community made its first appeal to the Commission on Human Rights to address the situation of the Bahá'í community in Iran and released a publication called The Baha'i's in Iran: A Report on the Persecution of a Religious Minority found in the Iran Human Rights Documentation Centre.	Bahá'í International Community; Persecution, Iran; - BIC statements; New York, USA; USA
1981 26 Nov	The inauguration of Radio Bahá'í Peru at Chucuito near Puno on the shore of Del Lago Titicaca (Lake Titicaca). [Mess63-86p510] Its associated teaching institute was completed for use soon thereafter, going immediately into intensive service. At one point in the 80's they were broadcasting at 1 kw on the medium-wave for ten hours per day in.the Spanish, Quechua and Aymara languages. [BW18p111] See also Bahá'í News May, 1987. Picture of the site.	Bahá'í Radio; Teaching institutes; Bahá'í-owned radio; Puno; Peru
1981 26 Nov	The Comunicación Intercambio y Radiodifusión Bahá'í para America Latina y el Caribe (CIRBAL) was established by the Universal House of Justice to promote the development of Bahá'í radio and mass media activities in Latin America. [BW19:59] The special Committee for Service to the Blind, located in the United Kingdom, was a clearing house and production and distribution centre for materials both on tape and in Braille; and CIRBAL (Centro para Intercambio Radiofonico Baha'i de America Latins), among its other functions, serves as a clearing house for tapes, videotapes, script and other materials suitable for use via radio and television. Its mandated area is South and Central America and the Caribbean. [BW18p115, 117]	Bahá'í Radio; Social and economic development; Universal House of Justice; Committee for Service to the Blindness; Disability; Peru; Latin America
1981 23 Nov	The publication of the compilation entitled "Excellence in all Things" by the Universal House of Justice. [Messages63-86p509-510, Compilation of CompilationsVol 1 p367]	Excellence; - Compilations; * Publications; - Bahá'í World Centre
1981 21 Nov	The passing of 'Abdu'l-Missagh Missaghiyeh (b.1880 in Káshán) in Tehran. [BW18p779-781] He made a pilgrimage in 1912 and a second one in 1919. Upon his departure he was given a gold coin by 'Abdu'l-Bahá which he interpreted as a sign that he would have great wealth. In addition to the services he rendered as a member of Bahá'í institutions and through the teaching trips he made throughout lran offering encouragement to the friends, he made generous gifts of funds which made possible the acquisition of lands and buildings for the Faith in Asia, Europe and Africa. These gifts were made without ostentation, often without even his family being informed and in many cases in response to Shoghi Effendi's wishes. Although it is impossible to compile a complete record, his munificence can be glimpsed by mentioning that in Africa alone he had up to 1958 purchased no less than forty-four Temple sites, Teaching Institutes, Bahá'í Centres and other sites. Another notable contribution was the Missaghiyeh Hospital and Maternity Clinic in Tehran.	In Memoriam; `Abdu'l-Missagh Missaghiyeh; Kashan, Iran; Tehran, Iran
1981 2 Oct	The passing of Hazel Scott (b. 11 June 1920 in Port of Spain and raised in Harlem) in Manhattan. She was buried in Flushing Cemetery in Queens, NY. Her friend Dizzy Gillespie, along with other Bahá'í musician friends, had told her about the Bahá'í Faith over the years. On December 1, 1968, she became a Bahá'í. [Bahá'í Blog] From the Bahá'í Bookstore see Hazel Scott: A Woman, a Piano and a Commitment to Justice by Susan Eagle. See the book Hazel Scott: The Pioneering Journey of a Jazz Pianist, from Café Society to Hollywood to HUAC by Karen Clinton presents the compelling biography of Hazel Scott, who became known not only for her accomplishments on stage and screen, but for her outspoken advocacy of civil rights. During the 1940s and '50s, her international career and her marriage to the controversial Black congressman from Harlem, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., kept her in the headlines. A target of the House Un-American Activities Committee during the McCarthy Era (late 1940s-1950s), she eventually joined the Black expatriate community in Paris. In this first biography of Scott, the author traces the fascinating arc of this star's life and rescues her from obscurity. See Biography of Hazel Scott by Michelle R Brown. See the video essay What Ever Happened to Hazel Scott? which tells the story of the extraordinary pianist and jazz vocalist, Hazel Scott. It was written and edited by Eve Goldberg. See Wikipedia. From the Smithsonian. See the BBC documentary Hazel Scott: Jazz Star and Barrier Breaker. From the History, Art and Archives site of the US House of Representatives, a story that recounts her persecution by the House Committee on Un-American Activities in the US Congress of which her husband, Adam Clayton Powell , was an member. See an article from Time magazine. See entry from the National Women's History Museum.	In Memoriam; Hazel Scott; - Famous Bahá'ís; Port of Spain, Trinidad; Manhattan, NY
1981 16 Sep	The Universal House of Justice addressed a message to all National Assemblies with the compilation of prayers and passages from the Bahá'í Writings with a view to have it translated and distributed where there was a dearth of Bahá'í literature. This was published by the Bahá'í World Centre under the title of "Words of God". [Messages63-86p486, 504-505]	- Compilations; Teaching; Words of God (compilation); * Publications; Translation; Prayer; - Bahá'í World Centre
1981 24 Aug	The publication of the compilation entitled "The Assistance of God" by the Universal House of Justice. It was renamed "The Power of Divine Assistance" when published in the Vol 2 p201. [Messages63-86p504]	Power of Divine Assistance (compilation); - Compilations; * Publications; - Bahá'í World Centre
1981 15 Aug	The passing of Muhamad Mustafá (b.1898 in El Dhahriya, Egypt), stalwart servant and mainstay of the Egyptian and Northern African communities. He was buried in the Bahá'í Cemetery in Cairo. The follow cable was received from the Universal House of Justice: 15th AUGUST 1981. DEEPLY GRIEVED PASSING EMINENT DISTINGUISHED SERVANT BLESSED BEAUTY MEMBER BOARD COUNSELLORS AFRICA KNIGHT BAHA'ULLAH DEARLY LOVED MUḤAMMAD MUSṬAFÁ HIS LONG RECORD DEDICATED SERVICES IN ADMINISTRATIVE TEACHING FIELDS HIS SELF-SACRIFICING AUDACIOUS EFFORTS IN PROMOTION DEFENSE BELOVED FAITH UNFORGETTABLE CONVEY BEREAVED FAMILY FRIENDS LOVING SYMPATHY PRAYING HOLY SHRINES FURTHER UNFOLDMENT PROGRESS HIS NOBLE SOUL ABHA KINGDOM UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE. [BW18p768-771]	In Memoriam; Muhamad Mustafa; Knight of Bahá'u'lláh; Continental Board of Counsellors; Zaytun (Zeitoun), Iran; Egypt
1981 29 Jul	See the story of the martyrdom of pharmacist Dr. Parviz Firouzi,. See the story of the martyrdom of medical doctor Dr Masroor Dakhili.	Persecution, Iran; Martyrdom; Tabríz, Iran; Iran
1981 Jul	The reconstituted Bahá'í Publishing Trust of Uganda met for the first time. [BW18:112]	Publishing Trusts; Uganda
1981 Jul	An International Chinese Teaching Committee was appointed by the Universal House of Justice. [BW19:76]	Universal House of Justice
1981 23 Jun	Dr. Masih Farhangi had spent 502 days in the Evin Prison before his martyrdom by firing squad. For his execution he was accompanied by three other Baha'i souls: Mr. Badi'u'llah Farid, Yadu'llah Pustchi, and Varqa Tibyaniyan. Dr Farhangi was known as the "Prison Angel" for his service as the prison physician by treating his prison mates, who were clearly not receiving the medical care they needed by the prison establishment. [The Life and Services of Dr. Masih Farhangi by Dr. Farhang Farhangi (Jabbari); translated by: Farzin Farhangi; first edition 2020; publisher: Baran, Sweden]. See Iran Wire for details of Dr Farhangi's life. [BW20p393; Abdorrahman Boroumand Center; Bahaipedia ]	Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; Tehran, Iran; Iran
1981 14 Jun	Seven members of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Hamadan were executed by firing squad. These members were: Mr. Muhammad (Suhrab) Habibi, Mr. Muhammad-Baqir (Suhayl) Habibi, Mr. Husayn Khandil, Mr. Tarazu'llah Khuzayn, Mr. Husayn Mutlaq, Dr. Firuz Na'imi, and Dr. Nasir Vafa'i. The ribs of Tarazu'llah Khuzayn were crushed, and his hands were slashed. His legs and thighs had been pierced with a bayonet, and the injuries had turned his skin black and the tissues were swollen. [He was sixty-four when he died.] Suhrab Habibi's back had been branded with a hot ring – his own – and he had severe burns. The fingers of Husayn Khandil were slashed and his abdomen had been cut open. Dr. Na'imi's back had been broken and Dr. Vafa'i's thighs had been cut open; Suhayl Habibi's shoulders had been broken and smashed. Hossein Mutlaq had not been tortured but his body showed the greatest number of bullet wounds. Prior to their execution all six had been held in a 6 X 71/2 ft. cell for 137 days. They had to sleep by turns and they were not allowed to bathe. After their execution the bodies were dumped in the near-by hospital and were transported to the cemetery accompanied by a crowd of Bahá'ís and townspeople alike. Everyone was given an opportunity to view the tortured bodies. [Iran Press Watch; World Order, Series2, Volume_17 Issue 1 p14-31 written by Zhínús Mahmúdí.] See the story of Dr Firouz Naeimi also in Track Persia. See the story of Dr Naser Vafa'i.	- Persecution; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; Hamadán, Iran; Iran
1981 11 Jun	All the title deeds, deeds of ownership and the plans [buildings] in various cities which were available and registered in the books of the Nawnahalan Company, were forfieted to the Iranian government. In addition, the title deed of Gypsum Mines in the Village of Mesgarabad, which belonged to the company, was also confiscated. [Archives of Bahá'í Persecution in Iran]	Nawnahalan; Persecution, Iran; Tehran, Iran
1981 23 May	Helmut Winkelbach, Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for Belarus, married Olga Grigorevna Dolganova, a Russian, their wedding ceremony was the first Bahá'í wedding in the Soviet Union.	Helmut Winkelbach; Olga Grigorevna Dolganova; Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Firsts, other; Weddings; Soviet Union; Russia	first Bahá’í wedding in Soviet Union
1981 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of St Vincent and the Grenadines was established with its seat in Kingstown. [BW19p62]	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
1981 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of Uganda was re-formed after a period of 19 months during which the Faith was banned. [BW18:107, 163; Ridván Message 1981]	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Kampala, Uganda; Uganda
1981 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of Bermuda was formed with its seat in Hamilton. [BW18:107, 171]	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Hamilton, ON; Bermuda	first NSA Bermuda
1981 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of Kiribati was formed. Since 1967 they had been part of the Assembly of the Gilbert (Kiribati) and Ellice (Tuvalu) Islands. [Wikipedia]	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Kiribati; Gilbert and Ellice Islands	first NSA in Kiribati
1981 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of Tuvalu was formed with its seat in Funafuti. [BW18:107; BW19:62] Since 1981 they had been part of the Assembly of the Gilbert (Kiribati) and Ellice (Tuvalu) Islands. [Wikipedia]	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Funafuti, Tuvalu; Tuvalu	first NSA Tuvalu
1981 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of the Windward Islands was formed with its seat in Kingstown, St Vincent. [BW18:171; BW18p515,; BN No 602 May 1981 p19] The National Spiritual Assembly of the Barbados was formed. [Barbados by Patricia Paccassi]	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines; St. Vincent	first NSA Windward Islands
1981 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of the Leeward Islands was formed with its seat in St John's, Antigua. [BW18:107, 171] The National Spiritual Assembly of the Virgin Islands was formed. It has jurisdiction over both the British Virgin Islands and U.S. Virgin Islands. [Virgin Islands, U.S. and British by Patricia Paccassi; BN No 605 August 1981 p5]	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; St. Johns, Antigua; Antigua; Leeward Islands	first NSA Leeward Islands
1981 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of South West Africa/Namibia was formed with its seat in Windhoek. [BW18:107, 163; BN no606 November 1981 p10]	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Windhoek, Namibia; z11	first NSA South West Africa/Namibia
1981 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of Bophuthatswana was formed with its seat in Mmabatho. [BW18:107, 163; BN no606 November 1981 p10] It was a Bantustan or nominally independent state established within South Africa. The South African government abolished Bantustans in 1994 and the Assembly of Bophuthatswana was disbanded in 1995 with the community falling under the administration of the National Spiritual Assembly of South Africa. [National Spiritual Assemblies: Lists and years of formation by Graham Hassall]	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Mmabatho, South Africa; Bophuthatswana, South Africa; South Africa	first NSA Bophuthatswana
1981 Apr	The Canadian Association for Studies on the Bahá'í Faith was renamed the Association for Bahá'í Studies. [BBD202; VV24–5]	Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Association for Bahá'í Studies (North America); Canada
1981 Apr	In Pakistan a constitutional amendment named the Bahá'í Faith among the non-Muslim faiths of the country, thus according it legal recognition. [BW18:107; VV67]	Constitutions (general); Recognition (legal); Pakistan
1981 - 2002	A Persian-language Bahá'í quarterly journal entitled `Andalíb was published from 1981 to 2012 under the auspices of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada. From issue no. 69, responsibility for the publication was moved to the Association of Bahá'í Studies in Persian (an agency of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada). Journals from Year 1 (138-9 BE, 1981-2), Issue 1: Winter to Year 23 (162 BE, 2005-6), Issue 90: Spring are available online at the Afnan Library website.	* Publications; Andalib (journal); Bahá'í studies; Thornhill, ON; Ottawa, ON; Canada
1981 1 Jan	The publication of Der Bahā'ismus, Weltreligion der Zukunft?: Geschichte, Lehre und Organisation in Kritischer Anfrage (Bahá'ism-Religion of the Future? History, Doctrine and Organization: A Critical Inquiry) by Francesco Ficicchia under the auspices of the Central Office of the Protestant Church for Questions of Ideology in Germany. This book was distributed by the Protestant Church and became the most widespread book on the Bahá'í Faith in German, and as such was widely accepted as a critical academic publication. At the time of its distribution a decision was taken to not dignify the publication with a rebuttal. This proved to be an error. Making the Crooked Straight was published in 1995 in German and translated/published by George Ronald Publishers in 2000. The purpose of the book, as the name suggests, was to address the distorted views presented in Ficicchia's publication. [MCSintroduction] See The Refutation of Francesco Ficicchia and the Dangers of Silence by Jack McLean.	Opposition; Criticism and apologetics; Making the Crooked Straight (book); Bahá'í Scholarship; Protestantism; Christianity; Germany
1981 1 Jan	The European branch office of the Bahá'í International Community was established in Geneva. [BW19:33, VV54, BIC-History]	Bahá'í International Community; Geneva, Switzerland; Switzerland
1981 (In the year)	The persecution of the Bahá'ís of Iran continued throughout the year. [BW18:92] Forty–six Bahá'ís were executed and two assassinated. [BW18:292–3; BW19:230–1] For pictures of the martyrs see BW18:295–305 and BW19:236–46. For accounts of some of the martyrdoms see BW18:277–8, 281–4. For excerpts from the wills of some of the martyrs see BW18:284–9. For a list of resolutions adopted by the United Nations, regional bodies, national and provincial governments, and other actions taken, see BW18:92–6 and BW19:44–6. For a list of the actions taken by the Bahá'í International Community, Bahá'í institutions and others see BW18:341–5, 417–20. See Archives of Bahá'í Persecution in Iran for an edited video recording of the secret trial of the members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Iran at Evin Prison in Tehran. (In Farsi) During the year the Bahá'í International Community made its first appeal to the UN Commission in Human Rights to address the situation of the Bahá'í Community in Iran. [BIC History 1981]	Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; - Persecution; United Nations; Bahá'í International Community; Human Rights; NSA; Iran
1981 (In the year)	The National Assembly of Zaire was dissolved temporarily and three administrative committees were appointed in its place. [BW19:62, 147]	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Congo, Democratic Republic of (Zaire)
1981 (In the year)	The site of the House of the Báb, destroyed by a mob in 1979, was made into a road and public square. [BBD108]	Báb, House of (Shiraz); Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Mobs; - Persecution, Destruction; - Persecution; Shíráz, Iran; Iran
Try also a shorter date like 198 try also the Chronology Canada — 1981 or 198

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