The Universal House of Justice
To all National Spiritual Assemblies
The Universal House of Justice wishes to inform you of the progress that has been made in recent weeks with regard to the construction of the Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
Following the fire in early April, the construction site for the Shrine was closed. This was to allow for a thorough investigation of the cause of the fire and its immediate impact, which has now concluded and confirmed that the fire was the result of an accident. Accordingly, the insurance claim for all losses incurred is proceeding well.
While construction work on the areas unaffected by the fire has continued, the site has only recently been reopened for the cleaning of the affected areas. Although the structures are fundamentally sound, to ensure that the project meets the highest standard of excellence and the design intent is fully realized, extensive testing has commenced to ascertain which parts either require repair or need to be replaced. Determination of the nature of this remedial work for some parts of the floor, walls, and columns involves close consultation with the project’s structural engineers and review by external experts.
While no exact date for the conclusion of the project had been set, it is recognized that the accident will result in a substantial delay in the completion of the final resting place of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. However, it will not require a higher level of contributions than had already been announced.