its powers, stifle its community
life and deny it its right to be placed on a footing of unqualified
equality with other religious communities in that land.

Inflexibly resolved to be classified no longer as Muslim, Jew, Christian
or Zoroastrian, the members of this community determined, as a first step,
to adopt such measures as would vindicate beyond challenge the distinctive
position claimed for their religion by its avowed enemies. Mindful of
their clear, their sacred and inescapable duty to obey unreservedly, in
all matters of a purely administrative character, the laws of their
country, but firmly determined to assert and demonstrate, through every
legitimate means at their disposal, the independent character of their
Faith, they formulated a policy and embarked in undertakings designed to
carry them a stage further towards the goal they had set themselves to
attain.

The steadfast resolution not to dissemble their faith, whatever the
sacrifices it might entail; the uncompromising position that they would
not refer any matters affecting their personal status to any Muslim,
Christian, Rabbinical or Zoroastrian court; the refusal to affiliate with
any organization, or accept any ecclesiastical post associated with any of
the recognized religions in their country; the universal observance of the
laws prescribed in the Kitab-i-Aqdas relating to obligatory prayers,
fasting, marriage, divorce, inheritance, burial of the dead, and the use
of opium and alcoholic beverages; the issue and circulation of
certificates of birth, death, marriage and divorce, at the direction and
under the seal of recognized Baha'i Assemblies; the translation into
Persian of "The Baha'i Laws affecting Matters of Personal Status," first
published by the Egyptian Baha'i National Assembly; the cessation of work
on all Baha'i Holy Days; the establishment of Baha'i cemeteries in the
capital as well as in the provinces, designed to provide a common burial
ground for all ranks of the faithful, whatever their religious extraction;
the insistence that they no longer be registered as Muslim, Christian, Jew
or Zoroastrian on identity cards, marriage certificates, passports and
other official documents; the emphasis placed on the institution of the
Nineteen Day Feast, as established by Baha'u'llah in His Most Holy Book;
the imposition of sanctions by Baha'i elective Assemblies, now assuming
the duties and functions of religious courts, on recalcitrant memb