Luṭfu’lláh Ḥakím

Luṭfu’lláh Ḥakím (1888 - 1968) was a prominent Bahá'í who served on the International Bahá'í Council and Universal House of Justice, the supreme governing body of the Bahá'í Faith.[1]

Luṭfu’lláh Ḥakím was born in 1888 in Iran to a prominent Bahá'í family. His paternal grandfather, Hakím Masíh, was the court physician for the Qajar dynasty and the first Jewish convert to the Bahá'í Faith. [1] When Luṭfu’lláh Ḥakím's father, Hakim Sulayman, died, Lutfu'llah was placed under the care of his elder brother, Dr. Arastu Khan.[2]

On September 4, 1911, while studying physiotherapy in London, Ḥakím was among the Bahá'ís who greeted `Abdu'l-Bahá during his visit to Great Britain. During this period, Hakím was close friends with John Esslemont, who would go on to become a Bahá'í in 1915. `Abdu'l-Bahá would dedicate several Tablets to Ḥakím and eventually summoned him to Haifa to serve there. In 1920, `Abdu'l-Bahá sent Ḥakím to England with Shoghi Effendi to accompany him on his journey. By the time of `Abdu'l-Bahá's death on November 28, 1921, Ḥakím had returned to Haifa. In 1924 he went to Iran to work in Susan Moody's clinic.

In 1951, Shoghi Effendi called him to Haifa and appointed him to the International Bahá'í Council. In 1963 Luṭfu’lláh Ḥakím was elected as an inaugural member of the Universal House of Justice, on which body he served until asking to retire in 1967 due to ill health. He died in 1968.[1][2]

On his death, the Universal House of Justice sent the following cablegram:

To all National Spiritual Assemblies
Dear Bahá’í Friends,
We share with you the following cable which we have just sent to the National Spiritual Assembly of Persia:
GRIEVE ANNOUNCE PASSING LUṬFU’LLÁH ḤAKÍM DEDICATED SERVANT CAUSE GOD. SPECIAL MISSIONS ENTRUSTED HIM FULL CONFIDENCE REPOSED IN HIM BY MASTER AND GUARDIAN HIS CLOSE ASSOCIATION WITH EARLY DISTINGUISHED BELIEVERS EAST WEST INCLUDING HIS COLLABORATION ESSLEMONT HIS SERVICES PERSIA BRITISH ISLES HOLY LAND HIS MEMBERSHIP APPOINTED AND ELECTED INTERNATIONAL BAHÁ’Í COUNCIL HIS ELECTION UNIVERSAL HOUSE JUSTICE WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED IMMORTAL ANNALS FAITH BAHÁ’U’LLÁH. INFORM BELIEVERS HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL MEETINGS ALL CENTERS. CONVEY ALL MEMBERS HIS FAMILY EXPRESSIONS LOVING SYMPATHY ASSURANCE PRAYERS PROGRESS HIS RADIANT SOUL ABHÁ KINGDOM.
In view of Dr Ḥakím's long and devoted record of services to the Faith other National Spiritual Assemblies are requested to hold memorial gatherings. Special commemorative services should also be held in the four Mother Temples of the Bahá’í World.
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Adamson, Hugh C. (2007). "Ḥakím, Dr. Luṭfu'lláh (1888-1968)". Historical Dictionary of the Baha'i Faith. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. pp. 216–217. ISBN 0810850966.
  2. 1 2 Faizí, A.Q. (1976). "Dr. Luṭfu'lláh Ḥakím (1888 - 1968)" (PDF). In Universal House of Justice. The Bahá'í World: Volume 15 (1968-1973) (PDF). Book Publishers. pp. 431–434. ISBN 0853980594.
  3. ↑ Universal House of Justice (1996). Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986. p. 139. ISBN 0-87743-239-2. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
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