Luṭfu'lláh Ḥakím

Luṭfu'lláh Ḥakím (1888 - 1968) was a prominent member of the Baháʼí Faith who served on its supreme governing body, the International Baháʼí Council and the successor Universal House of Justice.[1]

Luṭfu'lláh Ḥakím was born in 1888 in Iran to a prominent Baháʼí family. His paternal grandfather, Hakím Masíh, was the court physician for the Qajar dynasty and the first Jewish convert to the Baháʼí Faith.[1] When Luṭfu'lláh Ḥakím's father, Hakim Sulayman died, Luṭfu'lláh was placed under the care of his elder brother, Dr. Arastu Khan.[2]

On September 4, 1911, while studying physiotherapy in London, Ḥakím was among the Baháʼís who greeted ʻAbdu'l-Bahá during his visit to Great Britain. During this period, Hakím was close friends with John Esslemont, who would go on to become a Baháʼí in 1915. ʻAbdu'l-Bahá would dedicate several Tablets to Ḥakím and eventually summoned him to Haifa to serve there. In 1920, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá sent Ḥakím to England with Shoghi Effendi to accompany him on his journey. By the time of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's death on November 28, 1921, Ḥakím had returned to Haifa. In 1924 he went to Iran to work in Susan Moody's clinic.

In 1951, Shoghi Effendi called him to Haifa and appointed him to the International Baháʼí Council. In 1963, Luṭfu'lláh Ḥakím was elected as an inaugural member of the Universal House of Justice, on which body he served until asking to retire in 1967 due to ill health. He died in 1968.[1][2] He is buried in the Baháʼí Cemetery, Haifa, Israel.[3]

On his death, the Universal House of Justice sent the following cablegram:

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Baháʼí Friends,

We share with you the following cable which we have just sent to the National Spiritual Assembly of Persia:

GRIEVE ANNOUNCE PASSING LUTFULLAH HAKIM DEDICATED SERVANT CAUSE GOD. SPECIAL MISSIONS ENTRUSTED HIM FULL CONFIDENCE REPOSED IN HIM BY MASTER AND GUARDIAN HIS CLOSE ASSOCIATION WITH EARLY DISTINGUISHED BELIEVERS EAST WEST INCLUDING HIS COLLABORATION ESSLEMONT HIS SERVICES PERSIA BRITISH ISLES HOLY LAND HIS MEMBERSHIP APPOINTED AND ELECTED INTERNATIONAL BAHA'I COUNCIL HIS ELECTION UNIVERSAL HOUSE JUSTICE WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED IMMORTAL ANNALS FAITH BAHA'ULLAH. INFORM BELIEVERS HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL MEETINGS ALL CENTERS. CONVEY ALL MEMBERS HIS FAMILY EXPRESSIONS LOVING SYMPATHY ASSURANCE PRAYERS PROGRESS HIS RADIANT SOUL ABHA KINGDOM.

In view of Dr Ḥakím's long and devoted record of services to the Faith other National Spiritual Assemblies are requested to hold memorial gatherings. Special commemorative services should also be held in the four Mother Temples of the Baháʼí World.

With loving Baháʼí greetings,

THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE[4]