A New World Order/The Covenant
THE COVENANT:[edit]
In this Revelation the Covenant has two forms:
- "First is the Covenant that every prophet makes with humanity or, more definitely, with His people that they will accept and follow the coming Manifestation who will be the reappearance of His reality.
- The second form of Covenant is such as the one Bahá’u’lláh made with His people that they should accept the Master [‘Abdu’l-Bahá]. . . . Under the same category falls the Covenant the Master made with the Bahá’ís that they should accept His administration after Him. . . ."
- Shoghi Effendi
- (through his secretary),
- quoted in
- Bahá’í News, no. 80
- (January 1934), p. 5
. . . Bahá’u’lláh, we should readily recognize, has not only imbued mankind with a new and regenerating Spirit. He has not merely enunciated certain universal principles, or propounded a particular philosophy, however potent, sound and universal these may be. In addition to these He, as well as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá after Him, has, unlike the Dispensations of the past, clearly and specifically laid down a set of Laws, established definite institutions, and provided for the essentials of a Divine Economy. . . .
They have also, in unequivocal and emphatic language, appointed those twin institutions of the House of Justice and of the Guardianship as their chosen Successors. . . .
- Shoghi Effendi,
- The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh,
- pp. 19-20
The Promulgation of Universal Peace[edit]
Inasmuch as great differences and divergences of denominational belief had arisen throughout the past, every man with a new idea attributing it to God, His Holiness Bahá’u’lláh desired that there should not be any ground or reason for disagreement among the Bahá’ís. Therefore with His Own Pen He wrote the Book of His Covenant, addressing His relations and all people of the world, saying,
"Verily, I have appointed One Who is the Center of My Covenant. All must obey Him; all must turn to Him; He is the expounder of My Book and He is informed of My purpose. All must turn to Him. Whatsoever He says is correct, for verily He knoweth the texts of My Book. Other than He, no one doth know My Book."
The purpose of this statement is that there should never be discord and divergence among the Bahá’ís but that they should always be unified and agreed. . . . Therefore whosoever obeys the Center of the Covenant appointed by Bahá’u’lláh has obeyed Bahá’u’lláh, and whosoever disobeys him has disobeyed Bahá’u’lláh. . . .
Beware! Beware! lest anyone should speak from the authority of his own thoughts or create a new thing out of himself. . . His Holiness Bahá’u’lláh shuns such souls.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá,
The Promulgation of Universal Peace,
P. 317
[Page 28]
To insure unity and agreement He has entered into a Covenant with all the people of the world including the Interpreter and Explainer of His teachings so that no one may interpret or explain the religion of God according to his own view or opinion and thus create a sect founded upon his individual understanding of the divine words. The Book of the Covenant or Testament of Bahá’u’lláh is the means of preventing such a possibility. . . .
- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá,
- The Promulgation of Universal Peace,
- p. 451
[Page 29]
The first condition [necessary for Bahá’ís to become the Apostles of Bahá’u’lláh] is firmness in the Covenant of God. For the power of the Covenant will protect the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh from the doubts of the people of error. It is the fortified fortress of the Cause of God and the firm pillar of the religion of God. Today no power can conserve the oneness of the Bahá’í world save the Covenant of God; otherwise differences like unto a most great tempest will encompass the Bahá’í world. It is evident that the axis of the oneness of the world of humanity is the power of the Covenant and nothing else. Had the Covenant not come to pass, had it not been revealed from the Supreme Pen and had not the Book of the Covenant, like unto the ray of the Sun of Reality, illuminated the world, the forces of the Cause of God would have been utterly scattered. . .
‘Abdu’l-Bahá,
Tablets of the Divine Plan, p. 18
[Page 30]
The sacred and youthful branch, the guardian of the Cause of God as well as the Universal House of Justice . . . are both under the care and protection of the Abhá Beauty, under the shelter and unerring guidance of His Holiness, the Exalted One [the Báb]. . . .
Whatsoever they decide is of God.
Whoso obeyeth him not, neither obeyeth them, hath not obeyed God; whoso rebelleth against him and against them hath rebelled against God; whoso opposeth him hath opposed God; whoso contendeth with them hath contended with God; whoso disputeth with him hath disputed with God; whoso denieth him hath denied God; whoso disbelieveth in him hath disbelieved in God; whoso deviateth, separateth himself and turneth aside from him hath in truth deviated, separated himself and turned aside from God. May the wrath, the fierce indignation, the vengeance of God rest upon him!
‘Abdu’l-Bahá,
Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 11
[Page 31]
THE COVENANT:[edit]
What does the word ‘Covenant’ mean?
Can you explain what the Covenant is? Why is it important?
Why does ‘Abdu’l-Bahá say that without the Covenant the “forces of the Cause of God would have been utterly scattered”?
What does the Covenant have to do with the Administrative Order?
What does it mean to break the Covenant?
What does it mean to be firm in the Covenant?
‘Abdu’l-Bahá is the Center of the Covenant. What does this mean? How is this relevant to you? Why is He called this?