Sanctions when a breach of Bahá'í Marriage Law has been committed - May 20, 1971

As soon as the Assembly has evidence satisfying it that a breach of Bahá'í Marriage Law has been committed, and if it is satisfied that the party concerned knew the law, it should not delay deprivation of voting rights beyond a reasonable time. It does not have to wait for a response from the offender. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated May 20, 1971, to a National Spiritual Assembly. Developing Distinctive Baha'i Communities, NSA of USA, 1998 edition)

Having a belated marriage ceremony - May 20, 1971

Where, for example, the only offense is that no Bahá'í ceremony took place, it may be possible to contact the couple concerned and arrange for the early celebration of the Bahá'í marriage, and thus avoid the necessity of depriving them of their voting rights. But such a delay between the ascertainment of the offense . . . and the imposition of sanctions should not extend into months, and certainly not into years. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated May 20, 1971, to a National Spiritual Assembly; Developing Distinctive Baha'i Communities, NSA of USA, 1998 edition)

When a Bahá'í divorce or observance of a year of waiting is not required - May 20, 1971

If a Bahá'í has married without a Bahá'í ceremony, after becoming a Bahá'í, and then dissolves this marriage by divorce, there is no question of requiring a Bahá'í divorce or observance of a year of waiting, because there was, in Bahá'í law, no recognized marriage. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated May 20, 1971, to a National Spiritual Assembly; Developing Distinctive Baha'i Communities, NSA of USA, 1998 edition)

Ignorance of the Baha’i law and sanctions - May 20, 1971

If the Assembly has reason to suspect that the person concerned was ignorant of Bahá'í Law it will wish to investigate this fact before applying sanctions. . . . This should not involve unreasonable delay, especially if the Assembly is unable to evoke any response from the offender.

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated May 20, 1971, to a National Spiritual Assembly; Developing Distinctive Baha'i Communities, NSA of USA, 1998 edition)

Withdrawing to Avoid Bahá'í Law and the rejoin with impunity - May 20, 1971

A believer cannot escape administrative expulsion by the ruse of resigning from the Faith in order to break its law with impunity. However, the Assembly should be satisfied that there was indeed such an ulterior motive behind the withdrawal. A believer's record of inactivity and his general attitude to the Faith may well lead the Assembly to conclude that his withdrawal was bona fide . . . and in such a case the withdrawal may be accepted. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated May 20, 1971, to a National Spiritual Assembly; Developing Distinctive Baha'i Communities, NSA of USA, 1998 edition)

Bahá'í and civil marriage ceremonies - April 23, 1971

As to the holding of the Bahá'í and civil marriage ceremonies on the same day, as the consummation of the marriage should not take place until both ceremonies have been held, a night should not intervene between the two ceremonies. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated April 23, 1971, published in Handbook for Local Spiritual Assemblies in Australia; Developing Distinctive Baha'i Communities, NSA of USA, 1998 edition)

Marriages according to native custom prior to enrollment - April 6, 1971

We have reviewed your letter ... about the application of Bahá'í marriage laws to persons who had married according to the native custom, which we assume was prior to their enrollment in the Faith.

Persons who are married according to native custom prior to their enrollment as Bahá'ís are fully married in the eyes of the Faith, and there is no point in their going through a Bahá'í ceremony.

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 6 April 1971 to a National Spiritual Assembly; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. III, Cultural Diversity in the Age of Maturity)

Who is a Pioneer - March 30, 1971

The place of settlement of any pioneer depends on his circumstances. If therefore, he can not settle in the localities suggested by the receiving National Spiritual Assembly, this does not mean that he should not be considered a pioneer. Any believer who arises and leaves his home to journey to another country for the purpose of teaching the Cause is a pioneer.

As you know, one of the objectives of every pioneer is to settle and become self-supporting, if possible. If the localities where this condition can be met are not the same as the goals of the National Spiritual Assembly, such goals may have to be filled by the National Assembly making use of home-front pioneers. The friends are free to go wherever they like and even those supported by the Fund should not be subjected to rigid rules. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 30 March, 1971 to a National Spiritual Assembly, March 30, 1971; compilation: ‘Lights of Guidance’)

Fitting songs for devotional portion of 19-Day Feasts - February 22, 1971

...we feel that it will be helpful to you to know that songs whose words are the primary Writings of the Bab, Bahá'u'lláh or ‘Abdu'l-Bahá are all quite fitting for the devotional portion of the Feast. Indeed, the Persian chants are such songs, out of a different tradition; they are a way of giving music to the holy Word, and each person who chants does it in a way which mirrors his feeling and expression of the Words he is uttering. As for songs whose words are poetic and the composition of persons other than the Figures of the Faith, these may be desirable but in their proper place, for, as you know, "music is the language of the spirit.

Inasmuch as the spirit of our gatherings is so much affected by the tone and quality of our worship, of our feeling and appreciation of the Word of God for this day, we would hope that you would encourage the most beautiful possible expression of the human spirits in your communities, through music among other modes of feeling. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 22 February 1971 to a National Spiritual Assembly; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. III, The Importance of Arts in Promoting the Faith)