Mr. ... refers to statements concerning the designer of the
House of Worship in 'Ishqabad, which are contained in "The Revelation of
Bahá'u'lláh", vol. 4, p. 122, by Mr. Taherzadeh and in Mr. Balyuzi's
"'Abdu'l-Bahá: The Centre of Bahá'u'lláh's Covenant", pp. 109-110. In
the former, mention is made of the fact that 'Abdu'l-Bahá conceived a plan for
a nine-sided building and that the main features of the design were prepared by
Ustad 'All-Akbar-i-Banna, while in the second book, the general design is
attributed to the Master. Mr. ... enquires whether both 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Ustad
'Ali-Akbar-i-Banna can be described as the authors of the general design of
this House of Worship.
'Abdu'l-Bahá defined the essential architectural
character of the Bahá'í House of Worship as consisting of a nine-sided,
circular building. All Houses of Worship, therefore, incorporate these design
features and the Master's instructions guide the architects in the preparation
of their unique, individual designs. The design of the first 'Ishqábád Temple,
prepared by Ustád 'Ali-Akbar-i-Banná, was likewise influenced and inspired by
'Abdu'l-Bahá's archetypal design. Shoghi Effendi, in "God Passes By",
p. 300, refers to the Master's intense personal interest in the construction of
the 'Ishqábád House of Worship. He affirms that it was "fostered by Him at
every stage in its development".
(Memorandum from the Research Department
of the Universal House of Justice dated 23 May, 1991, on ‘The Secret of Divine
Civilization’, accompanied a letter dated 20 June 1991 written on behalf of the
Universal House of Justice to an individual believer)
