Chronology: Date 2004

Chronology of the Bahá'í Faith

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Date 2004, sorted by events, ascending

date	event	tags	firsts
2004 11 Feb 200-	A member of the British Bahá'í community, Lois Hainsworth, received the award of Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) at Buckingham Palace. The announcement of the award for services to three organizations that promote the rights of women was made in the United Kingdom's New Year's Honours List. The citation refers to Mrs. Hainsworth's services to the Women's National Commission, the Bahá'í Office for the Advancement of Women, and UNIFEM UK. [BWNS273]	Lois Hainsworth; Order of the British Empire (MBE); Women; Awards; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Buckingham Palace; London, England; United Kingdom
2004 Jun 200-	After 15 years of negotiations, research, and planning, the restoration work began on the cell used to imprison Bahá'u'lláh when He was first incarcerated in 'Acre. Approved by government authorities keen to preserve the heritage of the site, the project was supervised and financed by the Bahá'í World Centre. [BWNS336]	Bahá'u'lláh, Prison cell of (Akká); - Restoration and renovation; Pilgrimage; - Bahá'í World Centre; - Bahá'í World Centre buildings, monuments and gardens; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Akka, Israel; - Bahá'í World Centre; Haifa, Israel
2004 20 Jun 200-	By order of Ayatollah Kani, director of the Marvi School and the Endowments Office, destruction of the house of Mirza Abbas Nuri (also known as Mírzá Buzurg)in Tehran began. Ostensibly, it was razed to create an Islamic cemetery. Mírzá Buzurg, apart from being the father of Bahá'u'lláh, had his own place in the history of Iran as an eminent provincial governor and was widely regarded as one of Iran's greatest calligraphers. The incident received international press coverage and evoked a reaction similar to that when the Taliban of Afghanistan destroyed the towering Buddhist sculptures at Bamiyan. The house was regarded as an "historical monument, a precious example of Islamic-Iranian architecture, 'a matchless model of art, spirituality, and architecture". [BWNS323]	* Persecution, Iran; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Mírzá Buzurg; - Persecution, Destruction; - Persecution; Tehran, Iran; Iran
2004 Feb 200-	In Babul, Iran, the destruction of the gravesite of Quddús, a house-like structure that marked the resting place of Mullá Muhammad-'Ali Barfurushi, was began and halted temporarily after local Bahá'ís demanded to see a legal permit for the demolition work. Later it was discovered that the dismantling of the gravesite had continued surreptitiously over a period of days until the structure was entirely demolished despite protests from Bahá'ís at the local, national, and international levels. This measure came soon after the international community failed to offer a resolution on the human rights situation in Iran at the United Nations. [One Country Vol.15 Issue 4; BWNS323]	Quddus; * Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Destruction; - Persecution; Babul (Barfurush), Iran; Iran
2004 30 Dec - 2 Jan 200-	The "Growth and Victories" conference was held Otavalo, Ecuador in honour of the Hand of the Cause of God Rahmatu'llah Muhajir who passed away in Quito. (1923-79). Bahá'ís attending the conference came from a range of South American countries as well as from Australia, Canada, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Among those attending were his daughter, Gisu Mahajir Cook who spoke about the life of her father. A member of the Continental Board of Counsellors, Eloy Anello of Bolivia, spoke on the topic "The Life of Dr. Muhajir". [BWNS353; BW33p98 ]	- Hands of the Cause; Rahmatullah Muhajir; - Conferences; Otavalo, Ecuador; Ecuador
2004 (In the year) 200-	The 2004 Circular 49/2004 issued by the Ministry of the Interior specifically instructed officials to refrain from providing cards to anyone other than Muslims, Christians and Jews. In particular, it effectively forced practicing Bahá'ís into a limbo when registering for personal documents. As Egyptian citizens are required to include their religious affiliation and the Bahá'í faith was not officially recognized, unlike Islam, Christianity and Judaism, practicing Bahá'ís were not able to secure official status. [Minority Right website]	Persecution, Egypt; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Human rights; Egypt
2004 24 Nov 200-	The announcement of the completion of the restoration of the prison citadel that was occupied by Bahá'u'lláh and His family upon arrival in Akka I on August 31st, 1868. [BWNS336]	Bahá'u'lláh, Prison cell of (Akká); Citadel (Akká barracks); Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); - Bahá'í World Centre buildings, monuments and gardens; - Bahá'í World Centre; - Restoration and renovation; Akka, Israel; - Bahá'í World Centre; Haifa, Israel
2004 Apr 200-	The completion of the destruction of the gravesite of Mulla Muhammad-'Ali Barfurushi, known as Quddus (The Most Holy). Quddus was the foremost disciple of the Báb, the Prophet-Herald of the Bahá'í Faith. [BWNS293]	Quddus; Cemeteries and graves; * Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Destruction; - Persecution; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Iran
2004 16 Oct 200-	The first annual Australian Bahá'í Film Festival at the Sydney Bahá'í Centre for which more than 30 short films had been submitted. [Australian Bahá'í Film Fest]	- Film festivals; - Film; Sydney, Australia; Australia	first annual Australian Baha’i Film Festival
2004 7 - 13 Jul 200-	The fourth Parliament of the World's Religions was held in Barcelona, Spain. This unique international interreligious gathering took place within the context of the 141-day Universal Forum of Cultures, an unprecedented series of conferences, congresses and debates exploring peace, diversity, and sustainability. It was attended by about 9,000 peo[;e fro, 74 countries. There were 962 global presenters. The theme of the conference was Pathways to Peace: the Wisdom of Listening, the Power of Commitment. [Barcelona 2004]	Parliament of the World's Religions; Barcelona, Spain; Spain
2004 (In the year) 200-	The General Register Office in Northern Ireland officially recognised the Bahá'í Faith as a legitimate religion with authority to marry its members. Dr. Beman Khosravi has been appointed as official Bahá'í Marriage Officer. The first marriage took place in Cullybackey between Carmen Zambrana Candel and John Twiname. [The Belfast Telegraph 28 April, 2004]	Marriage; Recognition (legal); Northern Ireland, UK
2004 15 Nov 200-	The Iranian Bahá'í Community addressed a letter to Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, outlining the scope of the persecution they faced for 25 years. The letter examined the persecution in light of those verses of the Qur'an and Islamic law that proscribe violence and uphold freedom of religion. It also noted that Iran signed and ratified the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and associated covenants that protect freedom of religion. It then recounted the government's recent duplicity in offering university enrollment to Bahá'í youth but then falsely recording them as Muslims. It ends with a call for the full emancipation of the Bahá'í community. The letter in English	Iran
2004 31 May 200-	The launch of the Web site The Bahá'í Reference Library by the Bahá'í International Community. It marked the first time that a voluminous authoritative library of Bahá'í scripture and other Bahá'í publications had been available on the Internet. [reference.bahai.org, BWNS302]	Bahá'í Reference Library; bahai.org; Websites; Internet; * Publications; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Bahá'í International Community; - Bahá'í World Centre
2004 12 Feb 200-	The launch of the Web site for the temple that would be constructed in Chile. temple.cl.bahai.org [BWNS279, BWNS223]	Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Santiago; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Santiago, Chile; Chile
2004 Ridván 200-	The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Iraq was restored after more than thirty years of stifling oppression. [Ridván Message 2004]	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Iraq
2004 26 Oct 200-	The passing of Dr. Helen Elsie Austin (b. 10 May 1908 in Alabama) in San Antonio, Texas. She was a pioneer and Knight of Bahá'u'lláh in Morocco. She also served on the National Spiritual Assemblies of the United States and North West Africa. By profession, she was an attorney, she received a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1930 from the University of Cincinnati, becoming the first black woman to graduate from the law school. In 1937 she served as an assistant attorney general for Ohio. She later opened her own law office in Cincinnati. She was secretary of the Cincinnati branch of the NAACP and chair of the legal committee of Colored Women Federated Clubs. In addition, she was a US Foreign Service Officer. [BWNS338; Bahaipedia] In 1955 Dr. Austin wrote Above All Barriers: The Story of Louis G. Gregory It was reprinted in 1964, 1965,1969, and 1976. [Collins7.82] Find a grave.	- In Memoriam; Elsie Austin; Louis G. Gregory; San Antonio, TX; Texas, USA; - Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Biography
2004 29 Jun 200-	The passing of Gloria Faizi (b. Gloria Alá'í on 12 March, 1921 in Tehran) in Brisbane, Australia. The Universal House of Justice said they remembered with appreciation "her many contributions to the progress of the Bahá'í communities, including her pioneering in Bahrain with her illustrious husband, her work at the Bahá'í World Centre, and her devoted travels far and wide as a teacher of the Cause." Gloria Faizi was born into the Ala'i family, distinguished for its service to the Faith. She met the head of the Faith, Shoghi Effendi, when she accompanied her father to the Holy Land as a child. When she was 17, she married Abu'l-Qásim Faizi, and together they assisted Baha'i communities in a remote rural area of Iran before settling in Bahrain in the mid-1940s. Their two children, Naysan and May, were born during their 15 years there. [BWNW318, BW04-05p287] Some of her publications were: The Bahá'i Faith, An Introduction (1971) Lebanon Fire on the Mountain Top (1973) London Flowers of One Garden (1977) Poona, India Stories about 'Abdu'l-Bahá Bahá'u'lláh: The Promised One (2002) Stories About Bahá'í Funds (1993)	Gloria Faizi; - In Memoriam; - Births and deaths; Abu'l-Qasim Faizi; Brisbane, Australia; Australia; Bahrain; Biography
2004 19 Apr 200-	The passing of Mr Aziz Ismayn Yazdi (b. Alexandria, Egypt in 1909) in Vancouver, Canada at the age of 94. Aziz Yazdi lived in Egypt, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Great Britain, Uganda, Kenya, Israel, and finally Canada. In 1968 he was appointed to the Continental Board of Counsellors in Central and East Africa and was an inaugural member of the International Teaching Centre in Haifa. [BWNS297, BW'03-'04pg239]	Aziz Ismayn Yazdi; Counsellors; International Teaching Centre, Members of; - In Memoriam; - Births and deaths; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Vancouver, BC; Canada; Egypt; Syria; Iran; Iraq; United Kingdom; Uganda; Kenya; Israel; Biography
2004 2 Apr 200-	The passing of Ola Pawlowska (b. Ola Clemens 14 February, 1910 in Lakta, outside Cacow, Poland) in Newfoundland, Canada. Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for St. Pierre and Miquelon, translator of the Writings (into Polish), pioneer to Poland, Luxembourg and Congo (30 years), Auxiliary Board Member. [BW'03-'04pg236, BWNS248] For her biography see Legacy of Courage: The Life of Ola Pawlowska, Knight of Bahá'u'lláh" by Suzanne Schuurman, published by George Ronald in 2008.	- Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Ola Pawlowska; - Births and deaths; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Auxiliary board members; Lakta, Poland; Cacow, Poland; Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada; Canada; St. Pierre and Miquelon; Poland; Luxembourg; Congo, Democratic Republic of; Biography
2004 (In the year) 200-	The publication of the paper Conspiracies and Forgeries: The Attack upon the Bahá'í Community in Iran by Moojan Momen.	Conspiracy theories; Criticism and apologetics; Iran
2004 7 Feb 200-	The release of Mr. Bihnám Mitháqí and Mr. Kayván Khalajábádí who had been imprisoned on April 29, 1989, for "association with Bahá'í institutions." They were both originally sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, but upon appeal, their sentences were commuted to three years' imprisonment plus 50 lashes. Both prisoners appealed this decision, and on April 30, 1991, the Islamic Revolutionary Court sentenced them to death. On February 18, 1996, the Supreme Court of Iran rejected numerous appeals and confirmed the death sentences. In February 2001, after further judicial reviews, the chief of the judicial branch reduced their sentences to 15 years in prison and set February 2004 for their release. [Human Rights Watch (some dates differ from this source)] See message from the Universal House of Justice dated 3 September, 1992, 7 September, 1992 and 10 September, 1992.	* Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Court cases; - Persecution; Court cases; Bihnam Mithaqi; Kayvan Khalajabadi; Iran
2004 (In the year) 200-	The Universal House of Justice established the Bahá'í Internet Agency to operate under the guidance of the International Teaching Centre. In a message to all National Assemblies stated that the Bahá'í Internet Agency were to assist the Counsellors and the National Spiritual Assemblies to address issues related to the propagation and protection of the Faith as they pertain to the internet. An office with a full-time director was established in the United States. The Bahá'í Computer and Communications Association (BCCA) and the Security Advisory Group, which provided this service for a number of years were to function but now under the direction of the new agency. [Message from the Universal House of Justice dated 16 June 2005] Documents by the Bahá'í Internet Agency.	Bahá'í Internet Agency; International Teaching Centre; Bahá'í Computer and Communications Association; Security Advisory Group; - Bahá'í World Centre
2004 20 Dec 200-	United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution expressing "serious concern" over the human rights situation in Iran, making specific mention of the ongoing persecution of the Bahá'í community there. It called on Iran to "eliminate all forms of discrimination based on religious grounds" and took note of the recent upsurge of human rights violations against the Bahá'í s of Iran. Specifically, the resolution noted the "continuing discrimination against persons belonging to minorities, including Christians, Jews, and Sunnis, and the increased discrimination against the Bahá'ís, including cases of arbitrary arrest and detention, the denial of free worship or of publicly carrying out communal affairs, the disregard of property rights, the destruction of sites of religious importance, the suspension of social, educational, and community-related activities, and the denial of access to higher education, employment, pensions, and other benefits." [BWNS341]	United Nations, General Assembly; United Nations; Human rights; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Iran; New York, USA; United States (USA)


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