THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

DEPARTMENT OF THE SECRETARIAT

Bahá’í World Centre • P.O. Box 155 • 31 001 Haifa, Israel

Tel: 972 (4) 835 8358 • Fax: 972 (4) 835 8280 • Email: secretariat@bwc.org

7 August 2002

Dear Bahá’í Friend,

Your email message of 18 July 2002 has been received at the Bahá’í World Centre, and we can reply as follows.

The Universal House of Justice does not understand from the Bahá’í scriptures of which it is aware that a natural disaster of the magnitude you have described is imminent.

Nor is there any assurance that natural disasters on a major scale will not occur in the future, but it is

fruitless for Bahá’ís, who have such important work to do in building a new civilization, to indulge in speculating on such matters.

There are enough calamities afflicting the world or portions of it to remind us of our duty to advance the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh, since unawareness

of the Bread of Life that has come down from Heaven in our time can be the greatest of

calamities for the multitudes that hunger after it. The friends should remain confident in the

knowledge that whatever may happen in the world, however disastrous it may outwardly

appear, will promote God’s unalterable purpose for the unification of humankind.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

Department of the Secretariat