III. Who Can Contribute to the Fund?
To offer contributions towards this end [in support of the activities of the Spiritual Assembly] is one of the pressing requirements of the Cause of God, is deemed highly essential, and is of fundamental importance. Next to the payment of the Ḥuqúq, it is the obligation of every Bahá’í.
(Shoghi Effendi, from a letter dated 27 February 1927 to the Bahá’ís of the East—translated from the Persian) [45]
I feel that only such goods as are owned by believers, whether made by Bahá’ís or non-Bahá’ís, may be sold in the interests of the Temple or any other Bahá’í institutions, thus maintaining the general principle that non-believers are not, whether directly or indirectly, expected to contribute to the support of institutions that are of a strictly Bahá’í character. As to the manner of the disposal of Bahá’í property for such purposes, and the channel through which the sale may be effected, I feel that no rigid rule should be imposed. Individual Bahá’ís are free to seek the help of private individuals or of Spiritual Assemblies to act as intermediary for such transactions. We should avoid confusion on one hand and maintain efficiency on the other, and lay no unnecessary restrictions that would fetter individual initiative and enterprise.
(In the handwriting of Shoghi Effendi, appended to a letter dated 4 January 1929 to a National Spiritual Assembly, published in Bahá’í News, no. 31, April 1929, p. 6) [46]
In regard to Miss ...’s contribution to the fund, Shoghi Effendi wishes you to make it quite clear to her that her money-offerings should be made to the Bahá’í fund, and not to any individual. This being an important principle governing all Bahá’í publications and publishing societies, it should be duly emphasized and clearly understood, so that no difficulty may appear in the future. Of course, contributions should be accepted only when made by the Bahá’ís themselves. You should, therefore, first ascertain whether Miss ... is a true Bahá’í, and then and only then accept her contributions to your book fund.
The question you have raised in connection with the recommendation made by the Convention delegates this year to the effect of installing a Radio sending station in the Temple involves a fundamental principle governing the Temple Fund which the Guardian has already explained in several communications. He wishes me to stress again that under no circumstances should the believers accept any financial help from non-Bahá’ís for use in connection with specific administrative activities of the Faith such as the Temple construction fund, and other local or national Bahá’í administrative funds. The reason for this is twofold: First because the institutions which the Bahá’ís are gradually building are in the nature of gifts from Bahá’u’lláh to the world; and secondly the acceptance of funds from non-believers for specific Bahá’í use would, sooner or later, involve the Bahá’ís in unforeseen complications and difficulties with others, and thus cause incalculable harm to the body of the Cause.
You may not perhaps know that in connection with all National Assemblies the Guardian is advising that rules and regulations should not be multiplied and new statements on “procedure” issued; we should be elastic in details and rigid in principles; consequently he does not want your Assembly to issue statements of a binding nature unless absolutely necessary. In this connection he will answer your questions about sanctions: there is nothing to object to in paragraphs 1, 2 and 4 of your letter of March 4th, but no. 3 is incorrect; it is only those who have been spiritually excommunicated by the Guardian with whom the believers are forbidden to associate, and not a person who is being punished by being deprived of his voting rights. As contributions to Bahá’í Funds are used to support the administration of the Faith, they should not be accepted from those who are deprived of their voting rights; but such believers should not be prevented from being buried in a Bahá’í Cemetery or receiving charity—which we even give to non-Bahá’ís....
(8 May 1947 to a National Spiritual Assembly, published in Dawn of a New Day, p. 123) [49]
Any Bahá’í can give to the Cause’s Funds, adult or child. No statement is required on this subject; Bahá’í children have always given to the Cause, everywhere. Whatever situation may arise in a class which non-Bahá’í children attend is for the teacher of the class to solve. No ruling should be made to cover such things.
Regarding Mr. ...’s bequest to the Temple: your Assembly should inform his widow that, because he was not a Bahá’í, we cannot use his money for our purposes, as we consider our Faith and its institutions our free gift to humanity; you can, however, and indeed should, accept it for charity and expend it in his name.
(5 July 1950 to a National Spiritual Assembly, published in Bahá’í News, no. 236, October 1950, p. 2) [51]
Thank you for the report you enclosed in your letter regarding the Fund, and in this connection he wishes to answer your question about Mrs. ...’s Trust Fund: We cannot accept money from non-Bahá’ís for the Cause. It would seem if the family of Mrs. ... wish to do this for her (and it is certainly a highly praiseworthy idea) they must take action during her lifetime to establish such a Trust as the property of Mrs. ..., otherwise the Cause could only accept to use the money for charitable purposes, for Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í.
As regards the question of the Bahá’í School in India: As this institution is run by Bahá’ís but for the benefit of both Bahá’ís and any other group sending its children there, he sees no reason why a school concert should not receive money from the public attending, and use it for the school itself. It is not the same as a bazaar where the things sold are solely for the Bahá’í Fund.