Аматул-Баха Рухийя Ханұм: Шоги Эфендидің әйелі және Бахаи Дінінің қайраткері

Canadian Baháʼí, wife of Shoghi Effendi

Amatu'l Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum (8 August 1910 – 19 January 2000), born Mary Sutherland Maxwell, was the wife of Shoghi Effendi from 1937 to 1957 and a prominent figure in the development of the Baháʼí Faith. In 1952, she was elevated to the Baháʼí rank of Hands of the Cause, for which she attended to issues related to the expansion and protection of the religion, and served an important role in the transfer of authority from 1957 to 1963. Rúhíyyih Rabbání was raised in Montreal, Quebec. After two trips to the Baháʼí holy land in Haifa, Israel, she engaged in many youth activities in the Baháʼí community. She married Shoghi Effendi in 1937. After his death, Rúhíyyih Rabbání became for Baháʼís the last remaining link to the family of ʻAbdu'l Bahá, who headed the Baháʼí Faith from 1892 to 1921 and was the eldest son of the faith's founder, Baháʼu'lláh. In 2004, CBC viewers voted her number 44 on the list of "greatest Canadians" on the television show The Greatest Canadian. Rúhíyyih Khánum was the author of several published books, such as Prescription for Living and The Priceless Pearl.

Rúhíyyih Khánum was born in New York City on August 8, 1910 to William Sutherland Maxwell and May Maxwell, and was raised in Montreal, Quebec where her father was a prominent architect. Through her father, Mary was of Scottish ancestry. ʻAbdu'l Bahá showed much affection to baby Mary. Her mother wanted to give Mary an education that was free of the rigidity of the traditional educational methods in the country, and established the first Montessori school in Canada at their residence, and Mary attended the school. She was also involved in local racial equality conventions, including dances. By 21, she was elected to the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of Montreal, the local Baháʼí governing council there. Mary held talks at Howard University, making a concerted effort to connect with African Americans interested in the Bahá’í Faith. Additionally, during her early twenties, she attended official functions with her father in Montreal, meeting dignitaries such as the Governor General of Canada at events like the Royal Canadian Academy’s Fifty Fourth Exhibition.

As a young woman, Mary had expressed a great desire to learn Spanish. However, her plans to travel to Republican Spain were thwarted with the Spanish Civil War. Instead, Mary chose to live with her cousin in Nazi Germany in 1935, a move which was endorsed by Shoghi Effendi. In Germany, Shoghi Effendi encouraged Mary to strengthen the fledgling Baháʼí community. The young Mary assimilated herself in German culture, wearing a dirndl and learning to speak German fluently. Whilst in Germany, Mary received an invitation from Shoghi Effendi to go on pilgrimage with her mother. Both mother and daughter accepted the invitation. They were initially planning to travel through the Balkans and visit the Baháʼís, but the unrest of the area forced them to travel directly to Haifa.

Mary had spent extended periods with Shoghi Effendi before their marriage, initially meeting him when she was 12 years old. After a pilgrimage three years later, she maintained constant communication with Shoghi Effendi. In January 1937, Mary and her mother arrived in Haifa, initiating a discreet courtship with Shoghi Effendi. By February, the couple was engaged, and Mary promptly cabled her father to join them in Haifa. On March 24, at the age of 26, Mary married Shoghi Effendi in a simple ceremony. It was during this time that Shoghi Effendi bestowed upon her the title "Amatu'l Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum" (Amatu'l Bahá means "Handmaiden of Glory"). The official announcement of their marriage was cabled to the Baháʼí world by Shoghi Effendi's mother, Ḍíyáʼíyyih:Announce Assemblies celebration marriage beloved Guardian. Inestimable honour conferred upon handmaid of Baháʼu'lláh Ruhiyyih Khanum Miss Mary Maxwell. Union of East and West proclaimed by Baháʼí Faith cemented. Ziaiyyih mother of Guardian. As Rúhíyyih was getting used to life in the East, the newlyweds made a trip to Switzerland, and Shoghi Effendi introduced his young bride to his favourite sights in the country. It was initially difficult for her to adjust to her new home and she suffered periods of loneliness and homesickness. With the encouragement of Shoghi Effendi, she studied both the Bible and the Quran and started learning Persian. She later became fluent in the language and was able to deliver talks in Persian. In a letter to her mother a year after her marriage, she wrote that "if anyone asked me what my theme was in life I should say, 'Shoghi Effendi'".