| ←Previous | Bahá’í News Issue 713 |
Next→ |
 Proofread onceReturn to PDF view
|
| Bahá’í News | September 1990 | Bahá’í Year 147 |
Special Issue:
The Bahá’í Administrative Order
PROFOUNDLY DEPLORE TRAGIC CIRCUMSTANCES SUDDEN PASSING DEARLY LOVED, WHOLLY DEVOTED, INDEFATIGABLE SERVANT BAHÁ’U’LLÁH HEDAYATOULLAH AHMADIYEH. HIS CONSTANT PROMOTION SACRED CAUSE THROUGH HIS INTENSIVE IMMENSELY SUCCESSFUL INVOLVEMENT TEACHING WORK INCLUDING HIS AUTHORSHIP WIDELY USED TEACHING BOOKLET WAS AT CORE HIS DYNAMIC SERVICES AS CONTINENTAL COUNSELOR IN AMERICAS, AS MEMBER AND CHAIRMAN FOR MANY YEARS OF NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY BELIZE AND AS PIONEER DURING HIS YOUTHFUL YEARS IRAN. OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS HIS EXTENSIVE TEACHING TRIPS THROUGH CENTRAL, NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA WILL FOREVER BE ASSOCIATED WITH BRILLIANT CHAPTERS DEVELOPMENT FAITH THESE AREAS. DEEPLY SYMPATHIZE MEMBERS HIS BELOVED FAMILY WHOSE WHOLEHEARTED SUPPORT HIS ACTIVITIES WAS EXEMPLARY. PRAYING HOLY THRESHOLD THAT HIS SOUL MAY RECEIVE RICH REWARDS MAY BE IMBUED WITH ETERNAL HAPPINESS THROUGHOUT DIVINE WORLDS.
ADVISING MEMORIAL SERVICES BE HELD TEMPLES PANAMA CITY AND WILMETTE AND IN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT AMERICAS IN HIS HONOR.
AUGUST 29, 1990
Bahá’í News[edit]
The Universal House of Justice: its election, infallibility and authority | 1 |
Relationship between the Guardian and Universal House of Justice | 4 |
Relationship of Boards of Counsellors to Hands of the Cause of God | 8 |
A commentary on the Institution of the Hands of the Cause of God | 10 |
Relationship of the Counsellors to the National Spiritual Assemblles | 13 |
Bahá’í News is published monthly by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States as a news organ reporting current activities of the Bahá’í world community. Manuscripts submitted should be typewritten and double-spaced throughout; any footnotes should appear at the end. The contributor should keep a carbon copy. Send materials to the Periodicals Office, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, U.S.A. Changes of address should be reported to the Management Information Systems, Bahá’í National Center. Please attach mailing label. Subscription rates within the U.S.: one year, $12; two years, $20. Outside the U.S.: one year, $14; two years, 24$. Foreign air mail: one year, $20; two years, $40. Payment in U.S. dollars must accompany the order. Second class postage paid at Wilmette, IL 60091. Copyright © 1990, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
Universal House of Justice[edit]
Its election, infallibility, and authority[edit]
The following letter, addressed to a National Spiritual Assembly by the Universal House of Justice, appeared in Bahá’í News No. 410 (May 1965). Although its purpose was to clear up questions raised immediately after the House of Justice was first elected in 1963, its contents are as timely today as they were then, and it is reprinted here for the edification of the friends and as an indispensable aid in deepening on the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh.
The National Spiritual Assembly
of the Bahá’ís of the Netherlands
Dear Bahá’í Friends,
We are glad that you have brought to our attention the questions perplexing some of the believers. It is much better for these questions to be put freely and openly than to have them, unexpressed, burdening the hearts of devoted believers. Once one grasps certain basic principles of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh such uncertainties are easily dispelled. This is not to say that the Cause of God contains no mysteries. Mysteries there are indeed, but they are not of a kind to shake one’s faith once the essential tenets of the Cause and the indisputable facts of any situation are clearly understood.
The questions put by the various believers fall into three groups. The first group centers upon the following queries: Why were steps taken to elect a Universal House of Justice with the foreknowledge that there would be no Guardian? Was the time ripe for such an action? Could not the International Bahá’í Council have carried on the work?
The basis for election[edit]
At the time of our beloved Shoghi Effendi’s death it was evident, from the circumstances and from the explicit requirements of the Holy Texts, that it had been impossible for him to appoint a successor in accordance with the provisions of the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. This situation, in which the Guardian died without being able to appoint a successor, presented an obscure question not covered by the explicit Holy Text, and had to be referred to the Universal House of Justice. The friends should clearly understand that before the election of the Universal House of Justice there was no knowledge that there would be no Guardian. There could not have been any such foreknowledge, whatever opinions individual believers may have held. Neither the Hands of the Cause of God, nor the International Bahá’í Council, nor any other existing body could make a decision upon this all-important matter. Only the House of Justice had authority to pronounce upon it. This was one urgent reason for calling the election of the Universal House of Justice as soon as possible.
Following the passing of Shoghi Effendi the international administration of the Faith was carried on by the Hands of the Cause of God with the complete agreement and loyalty of the National Spiritual Assemblies and the body of the believers. This was in accordance with the Guardian’s designation of the Hands as the “Chief Stewards of Bahá’u’lláh’s embryonic World Commonwealth.”
From the outset of their custodianship of the Cause of God, the Hands realized that since they had no certainty of divine guidance such as is incontrovertibly assured to the Guardian and to the Universal House of Justice, their one safe course was to follow with undeviating firmness the instructions and policies of Shoghi Effendi. The entire history of religion shows no comparable record of such strict self-discipline, such absolute loyalty and such complete self-abnegation by the leaders of a religion finding themselves suddenly deprived of their divinely inspired guide. The debt of gratitude which mankind for generations, nay, ages to come, owes to this handful of grief-stricken, steadfast, heroic souls is beyond estimation.
The Guardian had given the Bahá’í world explicit and detailed plans covering the period until Riḍván 1963, the end of the Ten Year Crusade. From that point onward, unless the Faith were to be endangered, further divine guidance was essential. This was the second pressing reason for the calling of the election of the Universal House of Justice. The rightness of the time was further confirmed by references in Shoghi Effendi’s letters to the Ten Year Crusade’s being followed by other plans under the direction of the Universal House of Justice. One such reference is the following passage from a letter addressed to the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles on February 25, 1951, concerning its Two Year Plan which immediately preceded the Ten Year Crusade:
“On the success of this enterprise, unprecedented in its scope, unique in its character and immense in its spiritual potentialities, must depend the initiation, at a later period in the Formative Age of the Faith, of undertakings embracing within their range all National Assemblies functioning throughout the Bahá’í world, undertakings constituting in themselves a prelude to the launching of world-wide enterprises destined to be embarked upon, in future epochs of that same Age, by the Universal House of Justice, that will symbolize the unity and co-ordinate the activities of these National Assemblies.”
Having been in charge of the Cause of God for six years, the Hands, with absolute faith in the Holy Writings, called upon the believers to elect the Universal House of Justice, and even went so far as to ask that they themselves be not voted for. The sole, sad instance of anyone succumbing to
[Page 2]
the allurements of power was the pitiful attempt of Charles Mason Remey to usurp the Guardianship.
The following excerpts from a Tablet of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá state clearly and emphatically the principles with which the friends are already familiar from the will and Testament of the Master and the various letters of Shoghi Effendi, and explain the basis for the election of the Universal House of Justice. This Tablet was sent to Persia by the beloved Guardian himself, in the early years of his ministry, for circulation among the believers.
“... for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is in a tempest of dangers and infinitely abhors differences of opinion....Praise be to God, there are no grounds for differences.
“The Báb, the Exalted One, is the Morn of Truth, the splendor of Whose light shineth through all regions. He is also the Harbinger of the Most Great Light, the Abhá Luminary. The Blessed Beauty is the One promised by the sacred books of the past, the revelation of the Source of light that shone upon Mount Sinai, Whose fire glowed in the midst of the Burning Bush, We are, one and all, servants of Their threshold, and stand each as a lowly keeper at Their door.
“My purpose is this, that ere the expiration of a thousand years, no one has the right to utter a single word, even to claim the station of the Guardianship. The Most Holy Book is the Book to which all peoples shall refer, and in it the Laws of God have been revealed. Laws not mentioned in the Book should be referred to the decision of the Universal House of Justice. There will be no grounds for difference. ... Beware, beware lest anyone create a rift or stir up sedition. Should there be differences of opinion, the Supreme House of Justice would immediately resolve the problems. Whatever will be its decision, by majority vote, shall be the real truth, inasmuch as that House is under the protection, unerring guidance and care of the One True Lord. He shall guard it from error and will protect it under the wing of His sanctity and infallibility. He who opposes it is cast out and will eventually be of the defeated.
“The Supreme House of Justice should be elected according to the system followed in the election of the parliaments of Europe. And when the countries would be guided the Houses of Justice of the various countries would elect the Supreme House of Justice.
“At whatever time all the beloved of God in each country appoint their delegates, and these in turn elect their representatives, and these representatives elect a body, that body shall be regarded as the Supreme House of Justice.
“The establishment of that House is not dependent upon the conversion of all the nations of the world. For example, if conditions were favorable and no disturbances would be caused, the friends in Persia would elect their representatives, and likewise the friends in America, in India and other areas would also elect their representatives, and these would elect a House of Justice. That House of Justice would be the Supreme House of Justice. That is all.” (Persian and Arabic Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Vol. III, pp. 499-501)
The friends should realize that there is nothing in the Texts to indicate that the election of the Universal House of Justice could be called only by the Guardian. On the contrary, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá envisaged the calling of its election in His own lifetime. At a time described by the Guardian as “the darkest moments of His (the Master’s) life, under ‘Abdu’l-Hamid’s regime, when He stood to be deported to the most inhospitable regions of Northern Africa,” and when even His life was threatened, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote to Hájí Mírzá Táqí Afnán, the cousin of the Báb and chief builder of the Ishqábád Temple, commanding him to arrange for the election of the Universal House of Justice should the threats against the Master materialize. The second part of the Master’s Will is also relevant to such a situation and should be studied by the friends.
The infallibility[edit]
The second series of problems vexing some of the friends centers on the question of the infallibility of the Universal House of Justice and its ability to function without the presence of the Guardian. Particular difficulty has been experienced in understanding the implications of the following statement by the beloved Guardian:
“Divorced from the institution of the Guardianship the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh would be mutilated and permanently deprived of that hereditary principle which, as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá has written, has been invariably upheld by the Law of God. ‘In all the Divine Dispensations,’ He states, in a Tablet addressed to a follower of the Faith in Persia, ‘the eldest son hath been given extraordinary distinctions. Even the station of prophethood hath been his birthright.’ Without such an institution the integrity of the Faith would be imperiled, and the stability of the entire fabric would be gravely endangered. Its prestige would suffer, the means required to enable it to take a long, an uninterrupted view over a series of generations would be completely lacking, and the necessary guidance to define the sphere of the legislative action of its elected representatives would be totally withdrawn.” (“The Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh,” in The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 148)
Let the friends who wish for a clearer understanding of this passage at the present time consider it in the light of the many other texts which deal with the same subject; for example, the following passages gleaned from the letters of Shoghi Effendi:
“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, destined to apply the principles, promulgate the laws, protect the institutions, adapt loyally and intelligently the Faith to the requirements of progressive society, and consummate the incorruptible inheritance which the Founders of the Faith have bequeathed to the world.” (Letter dated March 21, 1930, in The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 20)
“It must be also clearly understood by every believer that the institution of the Guardianship does not under any circumstances abrogate, or even in the slightest degree detract from the powers granted to the Universal House of Justice by Bahá’u’lláh in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, and repeatedly and solemnly confirmed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in His Will. It does not constitute in any manner a contradiction to the Will and Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, nor does it nullify any of His revealed instructions. It enhances the prestige of that exalted assembly, stabilizes its supreme position, safeguards its unity, assures the continuity of its labors, without presuming in the slightest to infringe upon the inviolability of its
[Page 3]
clearly-defined sphere of jurisdiction. We stand indeed too
close to so monumental a document to claim for ourselves a
complete understanding of all its implications, or to presume to have grasped the manifold mysteries it undoubtedly
contains.” (Letter dated February 27, 1929, in The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 8)
“From these statements it is made indubitably clear and evident that the Guardian of the Faith has been made the Interpreter of the Word and that the Universal House of Justice has been invested with the function of legislating on matters not expressly revealed in the teachings. The interpretation of the Guardian, functioning within his own sphere, is as authoritative and binding as the enactments of the International House of Justice, whose exclusive right and prerogative is to pronounce upon and deliver the final judgment on such laws and ordinances as Bahá’u’lláh has not expressly revealed. Neither can, nor will ever, infringe upon the sacred and prescribed domain of the other. Neither will seek to curtail the specific and undoubted authority with which both have been divinely invested.” (“The Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh,” in The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 150)
“Each exercises, within the limitations imposed upon it, its powers, its authority, its rights and prerogatives. These are neither contradictory, nor detract in the slightest degree from the position which each of these institutions occupies.” (“The Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh,” in The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 148)
“Though the Guardian of the Faith has been made the permanent head of so august a body he can never, even temporarily, assume the right of exclusive legislation. He cannot override the decision of the majority of his fellow-members....” (“The Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh,” in The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 150)
Above all, let the hearts of the friends be assured by these words of Bahá’u’lláh:
“The Hand of Omnipotence hath established His Revelation upon an unassailable, an enduring foundation. Storms of human strife are powerless to undermine its basis, nor will men’s fanciful theories succeed in damaging its structure.” (Quoted on p. 109 of The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh)
and these of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá:
“Verily, God effecteth that which He pleaseth; naught can annul His Covenant; naught can obstruct His favor nor oppose His Cause! He doeth with His Will that which pleaseth Him and He is Powerful over all things!” (Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Vol. III, p. 598)
It should be understood by the friends that before legislating upon any matter the Universal House of Justice studies carefully and exhaustively both the Sacred Texts and the writings of Shoghi Effendi on the subject. The interpretations written by the beloved Guardian cover a vast range of subjects and are equally as binding as the Text itself.
There is a profound difference between the interpretations of the Guardian and the elucidations of the House of Justice in exercise of its function to “deliberate upon all problems which have caused difference, questions that are obscure, and matters that are not expressly recorded in the Book.” The Guardian reveals what the Scripture means; his interpretation is a statement of truth which cannot be varied. Upon the Universal House of Justice, in the words of the Guardian, “has been conferred the exclusive right of legislating on matters not expressly revealed in the Bahá’í writings.” Its pronouncements, which are susceptible of amendment or abrogation by the House of Justice itself, serve to supplement and apply the Law of God. Although not invested with the function of interpretation, the House of Justice is in a position to do everything necessary to establish the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh on this earth. Unity of doctrine is maintained by the existence of the authentic texts of Scripture and the voluminous interpretations of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi, together with the absolute prohibition against anyone propounding “authoritative” or “inspired” interpretations or usurping the function of Guardian. Unity of administration is assured by the authority of the Universal House of Justice.
Statements such as these indicate that the full meaning of the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, as well as an understanding of the implications of the World Order ushered in by that remarkable Document can be revealed only gradually to men’s eyes, and after the Universal House of Justice has come into being. The friends are called upon to trust to time and to await the guidance of the Universal House of Justice which, as circumstances require, will make pronouncements that will resolve and clarify obscure matters.
The authority to expel[edit]
The third group of queries raised by the friends concerns details of functioning of the Universal House of Justice in the absence of the Guardian, particularly the matter of expulsion of members of the House of Justice. Such questions will be clarified in the Constitution of the House of Justice, the formulation of which is a goal of the Nine Year Plan. Meanwhile, the friends are informed that any member committing a “sin injurious to the common weal,” may be expelled from membership of the House of Justice by a majority vote of the House itself. Should any member, God forbid, be guilty of breaking the Covenant, the matter would be investigated by the Hands of the Cause of God, and the Covenant-breaker would be expelled by decision of the Hands of the Cause of God residing in the Holy Land, subject to the approval of the House of Justice, as in the case of any other believer. The decision of the Hands in such a case would be announced to the Bahá’í world by the Universal House of Justice.
We are certain that when you share this letter with the friends and they have these quotations from the Scriptures and the writings of the Guardian drawn to their attention, their doubts and misgivings will be dispelled and they will be able to devote their every effort to spreading the Message of Bahá’u’lláh, serenely confident in the power of His Covenant to overcome whatever tests an inscrutable Providence may shower upon it, thus demonstrating its ability to redeem a travailing world and to upraise the Standard of the Kingdom of God on earth.
With loving greetings,
Haifa, Israel
March 9, 1965
Universal House of Justice[edit]
Its relation to the Guardianship[edit]
The following passages from a letter written by the Universal House of Justice in response to questions asked by an individual believer about the relationship between the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice first appeared in Bahá’í News No. 426 (September 1966).
Dear Bahá’í Friend,
... You query the timing of the election of the Universal House of Justice in view of the Guardian’s statement: “... given favorable circumstances under which the Bahá’ís of Persia and the adjoining countries under Soviet rule, may be enabled to elect their national representatives ... the only remaining obstacle in the way of the definite formation of the International House of Justice will have been removed.” On April 19, 1947, the Guardian, in a letter written on his behalf by his secretary, replied to the inquiry of an individual believer about this passage: “At the time he referred to Russia there were Bahá’ís there, now the community has practically ceased to exist, therefore the formation of the International House of Justice cannot depend on a Russian N.S.A., but other strong N.S.A.s will have to be built up before it can be established.”
You suggest the possibility that, for the good of the Cause, certain information concerning the succession to Shoghi Effendi is being withheld from the believers. We assure you that nothing whatsoever is being withheld from the friends for whatever reason. There is no doubt at all that in the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi was the authority designated to appoint his successor, but he had no children and all the surviving Aghsán had broken the Covenant. Thus, as the Hands of the Cause stated in 1957, it is clear that there was no one he could have appointed in accordance with the provisions of the Will. To have made an appointment outside the clear and specific provisions of the Master’s Will and Testament would obviously have been an impossible and unthinkable course of action for the Guardian, the divinely-appointed upholder and defender of the Covenant. Moreover, that same Will had provided a clear means for the confirmation of the Guardian’s appointment of his successor, as you are aware. The nine Hands to be elected by the body of the Hands were to give their assent by secret ballot to the Guardian’s choice. In 1957 the entire body of the Hands, after fully investigating the matter, announced that Shoghi Effendi had appointed no successor and left no will. This is documented and established.
The fact that Shoghi Effendi did not leave a will cannot be adduced as evidence of his failure to obey Bahá’u’lláh—rather should we acknowledge that in his very silence there is a wisdom and a sign of his infallible guidance. We should ponder deeply the writings that we have, and seek to understand the multitudinous significances that they contain. Do not forget that Shoghi Effendi said two things were necessary for a growing understanding of the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh: the passage of time and the guidance of the Universal House of Justice.
The infallibility of the Universal House of Justice within its ordained sphere[edit]
The infallibility of the Universal House of Justice, operating within its ordained sphere, has not been made dependent upon the presence in its membership of the Guardian of the Cause. Although in the realm of interpretation the Guardian’s pronouncements are always binding, in the area of the Guardian’s participation in legislation it is always the decision of the House itself which must prevail. This is supported by the words of the Guardian: “The interpretation of the Guardian, functioning within his own sphere, is as authoritative and binding as the enactments of the International House of Justice, whose exclusive right and prerogative is to pronounce upon and deliver the final judgment on such laws and ordinances as Bahá’u’lláh has not expressly revealed. Neither can, nor will ever, infringe upon the sacred and prescribed domain of the other, Neither will seek to curtail the specific and undoubted authority with which both have been divinely invested.
“Though the Guardian of the Faith has been made the permanent head of so august a body he can never, even temporarily, assume the right of exclusive legislation. He cannot override the decision of the majority of his fellow-members, but is bound to insist upon a reconsideration by them of any enactment he conscientiously believes to conflict with the meaning and to depart from the spirit of Bahá’u’lláh’s revealed utterances.”
However, quite apart from his function as a member and sacred head for life of the Universal House of Justice, the Guardian, functioning within his own sphere, had the right and duty “to define the sphere of the legislative action” of the Universal House of Justice. In other words, he had the authority to state whether a matter was or was not already covered by the Sacred Texts and therefore whether it was within the authority of the Universal House of Justice to legislate upon it. No other person, apart from the Guardian, has the right or authority to make such definitions. The question therefore arises: In the absence of the Guardian, is the Universal House of Justice in danger of straying outside its proper sphere and thus falling into error? Here we must remember three things: First, Shoghi Effendi, during the 36 years of his Guardianship, has already made innumerable such definitions, supplementing those made by ‘Abdu’l-
[Page 5]
Bahá and by Bahá’u’lláh Himself. As
already announced to the friends, a
careful study of the Writings and interpretations on any subject on which the
House of Justice proposes to legislate
always precedes its act of legislation.
Second, the Universal House of Justice, itself assured of divine guidance,
is well aware of the absence of the
Guardian and will approach all matters
of legislation only when certain of its
sphere of jurisdiction, a sphere which
the Guardian has confidently described
as “clearly defined.” Third, we must
not forget the Guardian's written statement about these two institutions:
“Neither can, nor will ever, infringe upon the sacred and prescribed domain of the other.”
Enactments of the Universal House of Justice are inspired and spiritual[edit]
As regards the need to have deductions made from the Writings to help in
[Page 6]
the formulation of the enactments of
the Universal House of Justice, there is
the following text from the pen of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá:
“Those matters of major importance which constitute the foundation of the Law of God are explicitly recorded in the Text, but subsidiary laws are left to the House of Justice. The wisdom of this is that times never remain the same, for change is a necessary quality and an essential attribute of this world, and of time and place Therefore the House of Justice will take action accordingly.
“Let it not be imagined that the House of Justice will take any decision according to its own concepts and opinions. God forbid! The Supreme House of Justice will take decisions and establish laws through the inspiration and confirmation of the Holy Spirit, because it is in the safekeeping and under the shelter and protection of the Ancient Beauty, and obedience to its decisions is a bounden and essential duty and an absolute obligation, and there is no escape for anyone.
“Say, O People: Verily the Supreme House of Justice is under the wings of your Lord, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful, that is, under His protection, His care, and His shelter; for He has commanded the firm believers to obey that blessed, sanctified and all-subduing body, whose sovereignty is divinely ordained and of the Kingdom of Heaven and whose laws are inspired and spiritual.
“Briefly, this is the wisdom of referring the laws of society to the House of Justice. In the religion of Islám, similarly, not every ordinance was explicitly revealed; nay not a tenth part of a tenth part was included in the Text; although all matters of major importance were specifically referred to, there were undoubtedly thousands of laws which were unspecified. These were devised by the divines of a later age according to the laws of Islamic jurisprudence, and individual divines made conflicting deductions from the original revealed ordinances. All these were enforced. Today this process of deduction is the right of the body of the House of Justice, and the deductions and conclusions of individual learned men have no authority, unless they are endorsed by the House of Justice. The difference is precisely this, that from the conclusions and endorsements of the body of the House of Justice whose members are elected by and known to the worldwide Bahá’í community, no differences will arise; whereas the conclusions of individual divines and scholars would definitely lead to differences, and result in schism, division and dispersion. The oneness of the Word would be destroyed, the unity of the Faith would disappear, and the edifice of the Faith of God would be shaken.”
Ensures continuity of authority which flows from the Source of our Faith[edit]
In the Order of Bahá’u’lláh there are certain functions which are reserved to certain institutions, and others which are shared in common, even though they may be more in the special province of one or the other. For example, although the Hands of the Cause of God have the specific functions of protection and propagation, and are specialized for these functions, it is also the spiritual duty of the Universal House of Justice and the Spiritual Assemblies to protect and teach the Cause—indeed teaching is a sacred obligation placed upon every believer by Bahá’u’lláh. Similarly, although after the Master authoritative interpretation was exclusively vested in the Guardian, and although legislation is exclusively the function of the Universal House of Justice, these two institutions are, in Shoghi Effendi’s words, “complementary in their aim and purpose.” “Their common, their fundamental object is to ensure the continuity of that divinely-appointed authority which flows from the Source of our Faith, to safeguard the unity of its followers and to maintain the integrity and flexibility of its teachings.” Whereas the Universal House of Justice cannot undertake any function which is exclusively appertained to the Guardian, it must continue to pursue the objective which it shares in common with the Guardianship.
As you point out with many quotations, Shoghi Effendi repeatedly stressed the inseparability of these two institutions. Whereas he obviously envisaged their functioning together, it cannot logically be deduced from this that one is unable to function in the absence of the other. During the whole 36 years of his Guardianship, Shoghi Effendi functioned without the Universal House of Justice. Now the Universal House of Justice must function without the Guardian, but the principle of inseparability remains. The Guardianship does not lose its significance nor position in the Order of Bahá’u’lláh merely because there is no living Guardian. We must guard against two extremes: one is to argue that because there is no Guardian all that was written about the Guardianship and its position in the Bahá’í World Order is a dead letter and was unimportant; the other is to be so overwhelmed by the significance of the Guardianship as to underestimate the strength of the Covenant, or to be tempted to compromise with the clear texts in order to find somehow, in some way, a “Guardian.”
This is God’s Cause: its light will not fail[edit]
Service to the Cause of God requires absolute fidelity and integrity and unwavering faith in Him. No good but only evil can come from taking the responsibility for the future of God’s Cause into our own hands and trying to force it into ways that we wish it to go regardless of the clear texts and our own limitations. It is His Cause. He has promised that its light will not fail. Our part is to cling tenaciously to the revealed Word and to the Institutions that He has created to preserve His Covenant.
It is precisely in this connection that the believers must recognize the importance of intellectual honesty and humility. In past dispensations many errors arose because the believers in God’s Revelation were over-anxious to encompass the Divine Message within the framework of their limited understanding, to define doctrines where definition was beyond their power, to explain mysteries which only the wisdom and experience of a later age would make comprehensible, to argue that something was true because it appeared desirable and necessary. Such compromises with essential truth, such intellectual pride, we must scrupulously avoid.
If some the statements of the Universal House of Justice are not detailed the friends should realize that the cause
[Page 7]
of this is not secretiveness, but rather
the determination of this body to refrain from interpreting the teachings
and to preserve the truth of the Guardian’s statement that “Leaders of religion, exponents of political theories,
governors of human institutions ... need have no doubt or anxiety regarding the nature, the origin or validity of
the institutions which the adherents of
the Faith are building up throughout
the world. For these lie embedded in
the teachings themselves, unadulterated and unobscured by unwarranted
inferences, or unauthorized interpretations of His Word.”
Distinction between authoritative and individual interpretation[edit]
A clear distinction is made in our Faith between authoritative interpretation and the interpretation or understanding that each individual arrives at for himself from his study of its teachings. While the former is confined to the Guardian, the latter, according to the guidance given to us by the Guardian himself, should by no means be suppressed. In fact, such individual interpretation is considered the fruit of man’s rational power and conducive to a better understanding of the teachings, provided that no disputes or arguments arise among the friends and the individual himself understands and makes it clear that his views are merely his own. Individual interpretations continually change as one grows in comprehension of the teachings. As Shoghi Effendi wrote: “To deepen in the Cause means to read the writings of Bahá’u’lláh and the Master so thoroughly as to be able to give it to others in its pure form. There are many who have some superficial idea of what the Cause stands for. They, therefore, present it together with all sorts of ideas that are their own. As the Cause is still in its early days we must be most careful lest we fall into this error and injure the Movement we so much adore. There is no limit to the study of the Cause. The more we read the Writings, the more truth we can find in Them, the more we will see that our previous notions were erroneous.” So, although individual insights can be enlightening and helpful, they can also be misleading. The friends must therefore learn to listen to the views of others without being over-awed or allowing their faith to be shaken, and to express their own views without pressing them on their fellow Bahá’ís.
The Cause of God is organic, growing and developing like a living being. Time and again it has faced crises which have perplexed the believers, but each time the Cause, impelled by the immutable purpose of God, overcame the crisis and went on to greater heights.
‘Unto the Most Holy Book every one must turn’[edit]
However great may be our inability to understand the mystery and the implications of the passing of Shoghi Effendi, the strong cord to which all must cling with assurance is the Covenant. The emphatic and vigorous language of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Will and Testament is at this time, as at the time of His own passing, the safeguard of the Cause:
“Unto the Most Holy Book every one must turn and all that is not expressly recorded therein must be referred to the Universal House of Justice. That which this body, whether unanimously or by a majority doth carry, that is verily the Truth and the Purpose of God Himself. Whoso doth deviate therefrom is verily of them that love discord, hath shown forth malice, and turned away from the Lord of the Covenant.” And again: “All must seek guidance and turn unto the Center of the Cause and the House of Justice. And he that turneth unto whatsoever else is indeed in grievous error.”
The Universal House of Justice, which the Guardian said would be regarded by posterity as “the last refuge of a tottering civilization” is now, in the absence of the Guardian, the sole infallibly guided institution in the world to which all must turn, and on it rests the responsibility for ensuring the unity and progress of the Cause of God in accordance with the revealed Word. There are statements from the Master and the Guardian indicating that the Universal House of Justice, in addition to being the Highest Legislative Body of the Faith, is also the body to which all must turn, and is the “apex” of the Bahá’í Administrative Order, as well as the “supreme organ of the Bahá’í Commonwealth.” The Guardian has in his writings specified for the House of Justice such fundamental functions as the formulation of future worldwide teaching plans, the conduct of the administrative affairs of the Faith, and the guidance, organization and unification of the affairs of the Cause throughout the world. Furthermore, in God Passes By the Guardian makes the following statement: “The Kitáb-i-Aqdas ... not only preserves for posterity the basic laws and ordinances on which the fabric of His future World Order must rest, but ordains, in addition to the function of interpretation which it confers upon His Successor, the necessary institutions through which the integrity and unity of His Faith can alone be safeguarded.” He has also, in “The Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh,” written that the members of the Universal House of Justice “and not the body of those who either directly or indirectly elect them, have thus been made the recipients of the divine guidance which is at once the life-blood and ultimate safeguard of this Revelation.”
As the Universal House of Justice has already announced, it cannot legislate to make possible the appointment of a successor to Shoghi Effendi, nor can it legislate to make possible the appointment of any more Hands of the Cause, but it must do everything within its power to ensure the performance of all those functions which it shares with these two mighty Institutions. It must make provision for the proper discharge in future of the functions of protection and propagation, which the administrative bodies share with the Guardianship and the Hands of the Cause; it must, in the absence of the Guardian, receive and disburse the Huqúqu’lláh, in accordance with the following statement of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: “Disposition of the Huqúq, wholly or partly, is permissible, but this should be done by permission of the authority in the Cause to whom it must turn.”; it must make provision in its Constitution for the removal of any of its members who commit a sin “injurious to the common weal.” Above all, it must, with perfect faith in Bahá’u’lláh, proclaim His Cause and enforce His Law so that the Most Great Peace shall be firmly established in this world and the foundation of the Kingdom of God on earth shall be accomplished.
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
May 27, 1966
The Counsellors[edit]
The ‘rulers’ and the ‘learned’[edit]
The following letter from the Universal House of Justice, dated April 24, 1972, is reprinted from Bahá’í News No. 495 (June 1972).
To the Continental Boards of Counsellors and National Spiritual Assemblies
Beloved Friends,
Recently we have received queries from several sources about the nature of the Institution of the Continental Boards of Counsellors and its relationship to the Institution of the Hands of the Cause, and we feel it is timely for us to give further elucidation.
As with so many aspects of the Administrative Order, understanding this subject will develop and clarify with the passage of time as that Order grows organically in response to the power and guidance of Almighty God and in accordance with the needs of a rapidly developing world-wide community. However, certain aspects are already so clear as to require a proper understanding by the friends.
In the Kitáb-i-‘Ahd (the Book of His Covenant), Bahá’u’lláh wrote: “Blessed are the rulers and the learned in Al-Bahá,” and referring to this very passage the beloved Guardian wrote on November 4, 1931:
“In this holy cycle the ‘learned’ are, on the one hand, the Hands of the Cause of God, and, on the other, the teachers and diffusers of His teachings who do not rank as Hands but who have attained an eminent position in the teaching work. As to the ‘rulers,’ they refer to the members of the local, National and International Houses of Justice. The duties of each of these souls will be determined in the future.” (Translated from the Persian)
The Hands of the Cause of God, the Counsellors and the members of the Auxiliary Boards fall within the definition of the “learned” given by the beloved Guardian. Thus they are all intimately interrelated and it is not incorrect to refer to the three ranks collectively as one institution.
However, each is also a separate institution in itself. The Institution of the Hands of the Cause of God was brought into being in the time of Bahá’u’lláh, and when the Administrative Order was proclaimed and formally established by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in His Will, it became an auxiliary institution of the Guardianship. The Auxiliary Boards, in their turn, were brought into being by Shoghi Effendi as an auxiliary institution of the Hands of the Cause.
When, following the passing of Shoghi Effendi, the Universal House of Justice decided that it could not legislate to make possible the appointment of further Hands of the Cause, it became necessary for it to create a new institution, appointed by itself, to extend into the future the functions of protection and propagation vested in the Hands of the Cause and, with that in view, so to develop the Institution of the Hands that it could nurture the new institution and function in close collaboration with it as long as possible. It was also vital so to arrange matters as to make the most effective use of the unique services of the Hands themselves.
The first step in this development was taken in November 1964 when the Universal House of Justice formally related the Institution of the Hands to itself by stating that “Responsibility for decisions on matters of general policy affecting the institution of the Hands of the Cause, which was formerly exercised by the beloved Guardian, now devolves upon the Universal House of Justice as the supreme and central institution of the Faith to which all must turn.” At that time the number of members of the Auxiliary Boards was increased from 72 to 135, and the Hands of the Cause in each continent were called upon to appoint one or more members of their Auxiliary Boards to act in an executive capacity on behalf of and in the name of each Hand, thereby assisting him in carrying out his work.
In June 1968 the Institution of the Continental Boards of Counsellors was brought into being, fulfilling the goal of extending the aforementioned functions of the Hands into the future, and this momentous decision was accompanied by the next step in the development of the Institution of the Hands of the Cause: the continental Hands were to serve henceforth on a world-wide basis and to operate individually in direct relationship to the Universal House of Justice; the Hands ceased to be responsible for the direction of the Auxiliary Boards, which became an auxiliary institution of the Continental Boards of Counsellors; the Hands of the Cause residing in the Holy Land were given the task of acting as liaison between the Universal House of Justice and the Boards of Counsellors; and the working inter-relationships between the Hands and the Boards of Counsellors were established. Reference was also made to the future establishment by the Universal House of Justice, with the help of the Hands residing in the Holy Land, of an international teaching center in the Holy Land.
In July 1969 and at Riḍván 1970, further increases in the numbers of Counsellors and Auxiliary Board members were made.
Other developments in the Institution of the Hands of the Cause and the Institution of the Continental Boards of Counsellors will no doubt take place in the future as the international teaching center comes into being and as the work of the Counsellors expands.
We have noted that the Hands, the Counsellors and the Auxiliary Boards are sometimes referred to by the friends as the “appointive arm” of the Administrative Order in contradistinc-
[Page 9]
tion to the Universal House of Justice
and the National and local Assemblies
which constitute the “elective arm.”
While there is truth in this description
as it applies to the method used in the
creation of these institutions, the
friends should understand that it is not
only the fact of appointment that particularly distinguishes the institutions
of the Hands, Counsellors and Auxiliary Boards. There are, for instance,
many more believers appointed to
committees in the “elective arm” than
are serving in the so-called “appointive
arm.” A more striking distinction is
that whereas the “rulers” in the Cause
function as corporate bodies, the
“learned” operate primarily as individuals.
In a letter written March 14, 1927, to the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Istanbul, the Guardian’s secretary explained, on his behalf, the principle in the Cause of action by majority vote. He pointed out how, in the past, it was certain individuals who “accounted themselves as superior in knowledge and elevated in position” who caused division, and that it was those “who pretended to be the most distinguished of all” who “always proved themselves to be the source of contention.” “But praise be to God,” he continued, “that the Pen of Glory has done away with the unyielding and dictatorial views of the learned and the wise, dismissed the assertions of individuals as an authoritative criterion, even though they were recognized as the most accomplished and learned among men, and ordained that all matters be referred to authorized centers and specificied Assemblies. Even so, no Assembly has been invested with the absolute authority to deal with such general matters as affect the interests of nations. Nay rather, He has brought all the Assemblies together under the shadow of one House of Justice, one divinely-appointed Center, so that there would be only one Center and all the rest integrated into a single body revolving around one expressly-designated Pivot, thus making them all Proof against schism and division.” (Translated from the Persian)
Having permanently excluded the evils admittedly inherent in the institutions of the “learned” in past dispensations, Bahá’u’lláh has nevertheless embodied in His Administrative Order the beneficent elements which exist in such institutions, elements of which are of fundamental value for the progress of the Cause, as can be gauged from even a cursory reading of the Guardian’s message of June 4, 1957.
The existence of institutions of such exalted rank, comprising individuals who play such a vital role, who yet have no legislative, administrative or judicial authority, and are entirely devoid of priestly functions or the right to make authoritative interpretations, is a feature of Bahá’í administration unparalleled in the religions of the past. The newness and uniqueness of this concept make it difficult to grasp; only as the Bahá’í community grows and the believers are increasingly able to contemplate its administrative structure uninfluenced by concepts from past ages, will the vital interdependence of the “rulers” and the “learned” in the Faith be properly understood, and the inestimable value of their interaction be fully recognized.
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
April 24, 1972
The Hands of the Cause of God[edit]
An element of the new World Order[edit]
Our understanding of the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh is at best imperfect. Only gradually do we begin to realize that it is an entirely new creation, based on a knowledge, infinitely beyond our comprehension, of man, his needs, and his destiny. We come to it stained with the prejudices of the various cultures in which we have been reared, and can but dimly perceive its principles and its implications. Thus, in the formative age of this new Dispensation, blinded by the old and too immature to understand the new, we have the double task of clearing our hearts of all love and hate engendered by former cultures and deepening our knowledge of a System hitherto unknown in human experience.
Established by Bahá’u’lláh[edit]
The Institution of the Hands of the Cause of God is one of the elements of the World Order which we are familiar with and profit by but do not fully comprehend. Unprecedented in human history, it was one of the first of the institutions of the Faith to be actually established when Bahá’u’lláh Himself appointed the first Hands of His Cause. Of these He wrote:
“May My praise, salutations, and greetings rest upon the stars of the heaven of Thy knowledge—the Hands of Thy Cause—they who circled round Thy Will, spoke not save after Thy leave, and clung not save unto Thy hem. They are servants whose mention and praise are recorded in the Holy Writ, Thy Books and Tablets, wherein are extolled their services, victories, and high resolve. Through them the standards of Thy oneness were raised in Thy cities and realms, and the ban-
When in October 1957, in his last message to the Bahá’í world, Shoghi Effendi augmented the number of Hands to 27, he referred to them as the ‘Chief Stewards of Bahá’u’lláh’s embryonic World Commonwealth.’
ners of Thy sanctity were uplifted in Thy Kingdom. They utter not a word on any subject ere Thou hast spoken, for their ears are attuned to hear Thy Command, and their eyes are expectant to witness the effulgence of Thy Countenance. They are servants who have been well-favored, have attained Thy good-pleasure, and have arisen in Thy Cause. The people of the world, the denizens of the Kingdom, and the dwellers of Paradise and the Realm on High, and beyond them, the Tongue of Grandeur send salutations upon them. Praise be to Thee, O my God, that Thou hast aided me to make mention of them and to praise them for their stations in Thy Cause in Thy days.
“No God is there save Thee, the Reckoner, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” (Tablet of Bahá’u’lláh translated in the Holy Land)
Explained by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá[edit]
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, in His Will and Testament, which was regarded by Shoghi Effendi as a supplement to the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, provided for the appointment, by the Guardian, of the Hands of the Cause of God and specified as their functions the protection and the promulgation of the Faith. “... My object is to show that the Hands of the Cause of God must be ever watchful and so soon as they find anyone beginning to oppose and protest against the Guardian of the Cause of God cast him out from the congregation of the people of Bahá and in no wise accept any excuse from him.” (p. 12)
“The obligations of the Hands of the Cause of God are to diffuse the Divine Fragrances, to edify the souls of men, and to be, at all times and under all conditions, sanctified and detached from earthly things. They must manifest the fear of God by their conduct, their manners, their deeds and their words.” (p. 13)
In this document, the Hands of the Cause of God are referred to as “pillars” and are mentioned immediately after the Guardian and those of the “offshoots of the Tree of Holiness” who have stood firm in the Covenant. In the second paragraph ‘Abdu’l-Bahá praises them as those who have “declared His Proofs, proclaimed His Faith, published abroad His Law, detached themselves from all things but Him, stood for righteousness in this world, and kindled the Fire of the Love of God in the very hearts and souls of His servants.”
Appointed by the Guardian[edit]
In conformity with the Will and Testament of the Master, on December 24, 1951, the Guardian announced the appointment of the first 12 Hands of the Cause of God. Two months later, when he brought the number up to 19, he further clarified their station:
| This article, “The Institution of the Hands of the Cause of God,” by Garreta Busey, is reprinted from Bahá’í News No. 420 (March 1966). It was written before the creation in 1968 of the Continental Boards of Counsellors. |
“Members august body, invested in conformity with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Testament, twofold sacred function, the propagation and preservation of the unity of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh, and destined to assume individually in the course of time the direction of institutions paralleling those revolving around the Universal House of Justice, the supreme legislative body of the Bahá’í world, are recruited from all five continents of the globe and representative of the three principal world religions of mankind.” (Messages to the Bahá’í World, p. 21)
Chief Stewards[edit]
When in October 1957, in his last
[Page 11]
message to the Bahá’í world, Shoghi
Effendi augmented the number of
Hands to 27, he referred to them as the
“Chief Stewards of Bahá’u’lláh’s embryonic World Commonwealth.” His
unerring foresight, his divinely inspired
infallibility, is well illustrated by this title. A steward is one who takes charge
of the running of a household or an estate. Less than a month after this message was written, when the believers
had not yet recovered from the shock
of the loss of their beloved Guardian,
the Hands of the Cause of God were
called upon to take authoritative
charge of the affairs of the Bahá’í
world. In the interim between the passing of the Guardian and the election of
the Universal House of Justice, they
protected the Faith by such actions as
the expulsion of Covenant-breakers
and the dissolution of the defecting
National Spiritual Assembly of France,
which they re-established by calling a
new election. At the same time, they
reassured the believers, stimulated
them to unremitting activity in fulfilling the goals of the Guardian’s Ten
Year Crusade, arranged for a glorious
celebration of the Centenary of Bahá’u’lláh’s declaration of His Mission,
and conducted, according to strictest
Bahá’í principles, the election of the
Universal House of Justice.
In spite of their high station and the authority which, as Chief Stewards of the Faith, they have been called upon to exercise, the Hands of the Cause of God, like all the institutions of the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, submit to certain limitations. Although they function under the Guardianship, they have no right to interpret the sacred Writings. Indeed, all such interpretation came to an end with the passing of Shoghi Effendi. The Hands devote themselves to the protection and propagation of the Faith, and now, since the election of the Universal House of Justice, they are released from all administrative activity.
Relation to the Universal House of Justice[edit]
The relationship that exists between the two international institutions of the Bahá’í Faith is one of the strongest proofs of the power of the Covenant. It was briefly defined by the Hand of the Cause Leroy Ioas at the Conference of the Hands of the Western Hemisphere and their Auxiliary Board members in January 1964, when he said that the Institution of the Hands is the Remnant of the Guardian with the responsibility of protecting and promulgating the Faith and preserving its unity; it supports the pillar of the Universal House of Justice.
Discord between the Hands of the Cause and the Universal House of Justice is inconceivable. The appreciation of the supreme authoritative body of the Bahá’í administration for its supporting pillar, the Hands of the Cause, is beautifully expressed in a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Netherlands, March 9, 1965. Among other things, it points out the undeviating adherence of the Hands to the instructions of Shoghi Effendi during their custodianship and says: “The entire history of religion shows no comparable record of such strict self-discipline, such absolute loyalty and such complete self-abnegation by the leaders of a religion finding themselves suddenly deprived of their divinely inspired guide. The debt of gratitude which mankind for generations, nay, ages to come, owes to this handful of grief-stricken, steadfast, heroic souls is beyond estimation.”
The Hands on their part have again and again in their correspondence with one another and with the believers expressed their great joy that God has at last sailed His Ark on His Holy Mountain, as Bahá’u’lláh prophesied in the Tablet of Carmel. They take great pains to educate the friends to appreciate the majesty of its station by referring to the House of Justice in their letters as “that Supreme, Infallible Body,” “the source of all good and freed from all error.” They show it the utmost respect. Any matter, for instance, which an individual Hand of the Cause feels should be brought before it is respectfully submitted through their elected body residing in the Holy Land.
A moving account of their first meeting with the newly elected Universal House of Justice was offered by the Hand of the Cause Jalál Kházeh on a visit to the United States last year (1965). When a spokesman for the House of Justice, in announcing a decision, began to cite passages from the Writings on which it was based, one of the Hands expressed the thought that the acts of that Supreme Body are divinely inspired and need no justification. Then one of the members of the Universal House of Justice, asking permission to speak for the whole, replied that this is indeed true. When the House acts as a body, its decisions are infallible and not to be questioned. And yet, he pointed out, the station of its individual members is lower than that of the Hands, each one of whom had been appointed by the beloved Guardian.
The aristocratic principle[edit]
Thus the Hands of the Cause of God are the most august individuals in the Bahá’í community. They represent the aristocratic principle of the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh mentioned by the Guardian in The Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh (p. 60). Each was chosen by the Sign of God on earth for the character and capacities which he possessed, and each should be treated with great respect and reverence.
This we forget in America, because it is our national habit to show respect to no one. Reared in a democratic society, which from its beginning has looked askance at the claims of an hereditary aristocracy, and increasingly informal in our way of life, we are inclined to neglect the courtesy due these great souls, especially when, in their humility, they fail to demand it. That very humility is an evidence of their high station. It was one of the qualities of Bahá’u’lláh Himself, Who said: “I would love to lay My face upon every single spot of Thine earth, that perchance it might be honored by touching a spot ennobled by the footsteps of Thy loved ones!” (Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 44)
For one who is not a member of the Institution of the Hands of the Cause of God but has had the great privilege of working with it, the opportunity to see how the divine virtues are exemplified in the way it functions has been an illuminating experience. Although the Hands were given the duty by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá of casting out from the congregation of the people of Bahá those who oppose the Covenant, they do not go about this in a summary or dictatorial fashion. On the contrary, with the necessary firmness they combine the utmost patience, making every effort to
[Page 12]
touch the heart of a defecting believer
and to warn him of the gravity of his
act before recommending to the World
Centre his expulsion from the Faith.
Demonstrate love[edit]
The well-spring of all religion is love, and this the Hands of the Cause pour forth upon the believers in great abundance. It is an education in the Bahá’í way of life to see how they follow the example of the Master and the beloved Guardian in their generous praise of the friends for their accomplishments, how wisely they ignore those errors and shortcomings which time and the grace of Bahá’u’lláh will correct.
The promulgation of the Faith includes not only giving the Message to the world (and this the Hands and their deputies, the members of the Auxiliary Boards, do in public talks and firesides) but also deepening the believers and, what is more difficult, arousing them to an awareness of their part of the Covenant, specified in the Master’s Testament, the obligation of “one and all to bestir themselves and arise with heart and soul and in one accord, to diffuse the sweet savors of God, to teach His Cause and promote His Faith.” (p. 10)
We little realize the sacrifices the Hands of the Cause are continually making for us. The burdens under which they labor are heavy and unremitting. Their correspondence with the World Centre, with the members of the Auxiliary Boards, and with individual believers is enormous. They travel widely and as inexpensively as possible, spending themselves in an exhausting effort to arouse us from our apathy. If only we could realize that by a more active response we could keep a little longer this precious heritage from our beloved Shoghi Effendi! In spite of the illness of many of them, the Hands of the Cause are in ceaseless activity, justifying the wisdom of the Guardian, who appointed them knowing that they could be trusted to fulfill the obligation laid upon them by the Master to “strive and endeavor to the utmost of their ability to diffuse the sweet savors of God, and to guide all the peoples of the world,” and on all of us as well “not to rest for a moment, neither to seek repose.”
The Auxiliary Boards[edit]
Less than a year after the appointment of the first Hands of the Cause in our time, Shoghi Effendi called upon them to establish Auxiliary Boards, who were to act as their “adjuncts or deputies” in the promulgation of the Faith. Again, in October 1957, he announced “a further expansion of the august institution of the Hands of the Cause, in view of the recent assumption by them of their sacred responsibility as protectors of the Faith,” by the addition of Auxiliary Boards specifically appointed for protection (although any of these “deputies, advisers, assistants” to the Hands may be called upon to perform either of the two functions of that institution). Now, with the growth of the Faith and the demands of the Nine Year Plan, the number of Auxiliary Board members has been doubled.
These devoted servants work closely with the Hands of the Cause of God and receive their authority from them. They do not act without their permission. They are their messengers, shuttling back and forth to weave, through travel and correspondence, the web of loving unity which binds together the Bahá’ís of the world and to extend it to all mankind. They, too, by virtue of their appointment, through the Hands, partake of the aristocracy of the institution they serve.
The ceaseless activity of the Hands of the Cause and their Auxiliary Board members is made possible by the five Continental Funds, instituted for this purpose by the Guardian. These funds pay the necessary expenses of travel and correspondence of the institution. They do not provide the living expenses of the Hands nor do they supply the means of livelihood of the members of the Auxiliary Boards except temporarily when it is necessary for the fulfillment of their duties.
The Auxiliary Boards too have their limitations. They take no part in the administrative activities of the local and National Spiritual Assemblies, which alone have authority over the teaching of the Cause in their areas. They assist in this work only by invitation. Their primary functions are to aid the Hands of the Cause in the protection of the Faith, to deepen the believers, and to stimulate each individual to teach.
The bounties of this time[edit]
Each period in the history of the Faith has its special bounties, which we tend to take for granted. Ours, in this historic period, are very great. We have seen the Ark of God launched upon Mount Carmel and are secure in its infallible guidance. We live in the time of the Hands of the Cause of God, the remnants of the beloved Guardian, appointed individually by him. We can meet them personally and inhale the “divine fragrances” which they diffuse. We know the wholesome, the healing power which comes down to us from the unity of these two great institutions of the Faith. The love, the mutual respect, the close cooperation, without a trace of envy or contention for power, demonstrated by the highest bodies in the Bahá’í World Order, is unique in the annals of the world and is an example to Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís alike.
As we purify ourselves from the misconceptions of the past, as we read and re-read the divine Writings, we become more deeply aware of the age in which we live and of Bahá’u’lláh’s gifts to us at this particular time. Then we realize that these blessings are bestowed on us for one purpose only: that we may act—here and now. Only by action can we make them fully ours.
The Counsellors[edit]
Relationship to National Assemblies[edit]
The following address concerning the relationship and functions of the Continental Boards of Counsellors and National Spiritual Assemblies, which was given by Counsellor Edna M. True at the North Atlantic Bahá’í Conference in Reykjavik, Iceland, on September 5, 1971, is reprinted from Bahá’í News No. 490 (January 1972).
In his cablegram of June 4, 1957, one of his very last messages to the Bahá’í world, the beloved Guardian called, with marked emphasis, for the closest collaboration of the Hands of the Cause and National Spiritual Assemblies, referring to them as “the two Institutions occupying, with the Universal House of Justice, next to the Institution of the Guardianship, (the) foremost rank in the divinely ordained administrative hierarchy of the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh.”
Continuing, in this same message, Shoghi Effendi asserts that “the security of our precious Faith, the preservation of the spiritual health of the Bahá’í communities, the vitality of the faith of its individual members, the Proper functioning of its laboriously erected institutions, the fruition of its worldwide enterprises, the fulfillment of its ultimate destiny, are all directly dependent upon the befitting discharge of the weighty responsibilities now resting upon the members of these two institutions ...” (Messages to the Bahá’í World, p. 123)
Both the content and the tone of this vital message emphasize profoundly the great importance of our understanding, as clearly as possible, the subjects we are now considering, namely, the functions and relationships of these two Institutions, as a necessary first step toward realizing the nature and scope of the constant and close collaboration called for by the Guardian in this stirring message—a collaboration which is so essential to the health and progress of our beloved Faith.
The most fruitful approach to our task, it seems to me, is to reflect together on the true nature and theory of operation of Bahá’u’lláh’s Administrative Order, of which all the institutions, including the two with which we are presently concerned, are inseparable, component parts. To do this, we must clear our minds of all former concepts of organization which we have heretofore experienced or known, and open our hearts, even more than our intellects, to a wholly new theory, completely unique and different from any hitherto practiced, either in former religious dispensations or governments. As the Guardian has told us:
“A word should now be said regarding the theory on which this Administrative Order is based and the principle that must govern the operation of its chief institutions. It would be utterly misleading to attempt a comparison between this unique, this divinely-conceived Order and any of the diverse systems which the minds of men, at various periods of their history, have contrived for the government of human institutions.” (The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 152)
“The Administrative Order ... it should be noted, is, by virtue of its origin and character, unique in the annals of the world’s religious systems.” (God Passes By, p. 326)
It is the Guardian who, in his World Order Letters addressed to the early believers—at the very beginning of his ministry—has, with such painstaking care, loving patience and understanding, clarified for us the vital necessity, the unique characteristics, the unimaginable dynamic power, and assured accomplishment of Bahá’u’lláh’s Administrative Order. It is through this inexhaustible source of infallible knowledge that we have been enabled to at least glimpse the character and manner of the operation of this unique instrument bestowed by God for the fulfillment of His ultimate purpose for mankind.
What, then, are the basic features of this supreme Administrative Order of Bahá’u’lláh?
That the “bedrock” on which it is founded is “God’s immutable Purpose for mankind in this day.” (The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 156)
That it is divine in origin and authority.
“It should be remembered by every follower of the Cause that the system of Bahá’í Administration is not an innovation imposed arbitrarily upon the Bahá’ís of the world since the Master’s passing, but derives its authority from the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, is specifically prescribed in unnumbered Tablets, and rests in some of its essential features upon the explicit provisions of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. It thus unifies and correlates the principles separately laid down by Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and is indissolubly bound with the essential verities of the Faith.” (The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 5)
That it is vitally necessary.
“... the Spirit breathed by Bahá’u’lláh upon the world ... can never permeate and exercise an abiding influence upon mankind unless and until it incarnates itself in a visible Order, which would bear His Name, wholly identify itself with His principles, and function in conformity with His laws ...” (The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 19)
That it is unique and different from any other organization of the present or the past.
That it operates solely on the spiritual principles and the laws embedded in the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh.
That it provides all the essentials for the establishment of the Faith and for
[Page 14]
the fulfillment of its ultimate purpose.
“... the apostles of Bahá’u’lláh in every land ... have before them in clear, in unequivocal and emphatic language, all the laws, the regulations, the principles, the institutions, the guidance they require for the prosecution and consummation of their task.” (The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 21)
In this Order personality and prestige, wealth, intellectual prowess and material power are not needed for its progress and success. In the words of the Guardian:
“... the Cause associated with the name of Bahá’u’lláh feeds itself upon those hidden springs of celestial strength which no force of human personality, whatever its glamor, can replace; ... its reliance is solely upon that mystic Source with which no worldly advantage, be it wealth, fame or learning, can compare; ... it propagates itself by ways mysterious and utterly at variance with the standards accepted by the generality of mankind....” (The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 51)
In contrast to the organizations of the world, the success and progress of the Bahá’í Administrative System is through the spiritual growth and development of those who are responsible for the actual functioning of its institutions. Such development by the individuals is attained by following the spiritual laws and principles upon which it is based.
It is vitally important for us to know and fully understand that the inexhaustible and dynamic spiritual power inherently existing in this new World Order can only be released through the attainment and practice of spiritual qualities. The regenerating spirit of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, flowing freely throughout this System, will continue to strengthen and renew those operating within it, enabling the Cause to progress to its ultimate purpose and mission. “... This Administrative Order, as it expands and consolidates itself, will ... demonstrate its capacity to be regarded not only as the nucleus but the very pattern of the New World Order destined to embrace in the fullness of time the whole of mankind.” (The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 144)
The Hand of the Cause of God Horace Holley, whom the Guardian called the “Champion Builder of the Administrative Order,” has said:
“The administrative aspect of the Bahá’í Cause is in reality no mere set of external regulations but the very fruit of its universal spirit. Bahá’í administration is nothing less than a worldwide ethic, the special characteristic of which is to transform subjective faith into positive cooperative action—unifying the whole being of each believer through his unity with his spiritual brothers.” (Introduction, Bahá’í Administration, p. viii)
How few are the specific administrative directives given by Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and then the beloved Guardian; and in contrast, how detailed are the guidelines of how we are to serve! In delineating the spiritual qualities we should practice, the beloved Master listed them as “conditions,” and the Guardian pointed them out as being “obligations incumbent upon the members of consulting councils”—thus implying that the desired results could not otherwise be obtained. Let us briefly review some of these conditions:
“The first condition is absolute love and harmony amongst the members of the Assembly....Should harmony of thought and absolute unity be nonexistent, that gathering shall be dispersed and that Assembly be brought to naught.
“The second condition:—They must when coming together turn their faces to the Kingdom on High and ask aid from the Realm of Glory.
“They must then proceed with the utmost devotion, courtesy, dignity, care and moderation to express their views.
“They must in every matter search out the truth and not insist upon their views.
“The honored members must with all freedom express their own thoughts, and it is in no wise permissible for one to belittle the thought of another, nay he must with moderation set forth the truth, and should differences of opinion arise a majority of voices must prevail, and all must obey and submit to the majority....
“In short, whatsoever thing is arranged in harmony and with love and purity of motive, its result is light, and should the least trace of estrangement prevail the result shall be darkness upon darkness....” (Bahá’í Administration, p. 22)
Let us remember that at the time of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Ascension the organization (of the World Order) was fully defined but not yet established. It became the responsibility and life work of the beloved Guardian to erect the institutions of this Administrative Order, according to the laws and principles embedded in Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation and the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. (The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 147 and 195)
Speaking of the Master’s Will and Testament, the Charter of this new World Order, the Guardian wrote in a letter to an individual in March 1930:
“The contents of the Will of the Master are far too much for the present generation to comprehend. It needs at least a century of actual working before the treasures of wisdom hidden in it can be revealed....” (Quoted by the Universal House of Justice in a letter dated December 7, 1969)
Any review of the activities of the Faith during these 50 years since the Master’s passing confirms these statements, for we cannot help but be aware of two clear facts:
- That the functioning of this mighty Order is in its very, very beginning stages, and
- that we stand too close to the beginning of this unique System ordained by Bahá’u’lláh to be able to fully understand its potentialities or the interrelationships of its component parts.
Dear friends, far from discouraging those who are presently serving in the Cause, these statements should spur them on to greater endeavor, and deeper faith. For throughout the Writings we are promised that through our increased efforts to function more and more according to the spiritual laws which govern the operation of this divine System, our understanding of its greatness and power will deepen, and our accomplishments will grow in quality and extent.
It is the process of applying these spiritual laws and ideas to every aspect of administration and of translating them into practical action that, to me, represents the greatest challenge facing the body of believers and particularly those who serve on the institutions of
[Page 15]
this Cause. To me also, it is this aspect of administration that is the least understood and that most urgently requires our prayerful study and concentrated efforts to comprehend and demonstrate.
As we consider the functions of the two institutions before us, let us bear in mind, with particular emphasis, that they are severally component parts of the same living organism, and not separate institutions each with its own exclusive, clearly defined responsibilities. In fact, in reviewing the functions of the Continental Boards of Counsellors and National Spiritual Assemblies, we will find that while certain responsibilities have been assigned to each of these institutions, others are shared in common, even though these may be more in the special province of one or the other.
The establishment of the Continental Boards of Counsellors (11 in number) was announced by the Universal House of Justice in its cablegram to the world dated June 21, 1968:
“(We) rejoice (to) announce (the) momentous decision (to) establish eleven Continental Boards of Counsellors (for the) protection (and) propagation (of the) Faith.... (The) adoption (of) this significant step following consultation with (the) Hands (of the) Cause (of) God ensures (the) extension (into the) future (of the) appointed functions (of) their institution.... Details (of these) new developments (are) being conveyed by letter. Fervently supplicating (at the) Holy Threshold (for) divine confirmations (in this) further step (in the) irresistible unfoldment (of the) mighty Administrative Order (of) Bahá’u’lláh.”
In this cable, and in the letters which followed, the Counsellors are “charged with specific functions relating to the protection and propagation of the Faith in the areas under their jurisdiction.” The Universal House of Justice also stated:
“They will operate in a manner similar to that set forth by the beloved Guardian for the Hands of the Cause in his communications outlining the responsibilities they are called upon to discharge in collaboration with National Spiritual Assemblies.” (Letter of the Universal House of Justice to the Continental Boards of Counsellors, June 24, 1968)
However, the responsibility for expulsion and reinstatement remained vested in the Hands of the Cause:
“The authority of expulsion and reinstatement will be exercised by the Hands of the Cause of God, subject in each instance to the approval of the Universal House of Justice.” (Letter of the Universal House of Justice to the Continental Boards of Counsellors, June 24, 1968)
In general, therefore, the functions of the Continental Boards of Counsellors included propagation of the Faith; protection of the Faith; appointment and direction of Auxiliary Board members; trusteeship of the Continental Bahá’í Funds; and consultation with the National Spiritual Assemblies.
And, since the announcement stating the appointment of the Continental Boards of Counsellors ensures the extension into the future of the appointed functions of the Institution of the Hands of the Cause, it is assumed that the following obligations of the Hands of the Cause, as set forth in the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, apply to them: to “diffuse the Divine Fragrances”; to “edify the souls of men”; to “promote learning”; to “improve the character of all men,” and “to be at all times and under all conditions, sanctified and detached from earthly things. They must manifest the fear of God by their conduct, their manners, their deeds and their words.” (Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 13)
In delineating the functions of the National Spiritual Assemblies, the Guardian has stated in general:
- Their immediate purpose is to stimulate, unify and coordinate the manifold activities of the believers and the local Spiritual Assemblies;
- they exercise full authority over the local Spiritual Assemblies in their province;
- they are to initiate measures and di-
- rect in general the affairs of the Cause in the whole country or nation;
- they direct the vital matters affecting the interests of the Cause in their country, such as the matter of translations, publications, the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, organizing and administering the teaching work and other similar undertakings that stand distinct from strictly local affairs; and
- it is the members of the National Spiritual Assemblies throughout the world who elect the members of the Universal House of Justice.
In addition, as revealed by Bahá’u’lláh in His Most Holy Book:
“It behooveth them to be the trusted ones of the Merciful among men and to regard themselves as the guardians appointed of God for all that dwell on earth. It is incumbent upon them to take counsel together and to have regard for the interests of the servants of God, for His sake, even as they regard their own interests, and to choose that which is meet and seemly....” (Bahá’í Administration, p. 21)
The beloved Guardian emphasized that:
“Theirs is the duty to purge once for all their deliberations and the general conduct of their affairs from that air of self-contained aloofness, from the suspicion of secrecy, the stifling atmosphere of dictatorial assertiveness, in short, from every word and deed that might savor of partiality, self-centeredness and prejudice. Theirs is the duty, while retaining the sacred and exclusive right of final decision in their hands, to invite discussion, provide information, ventilate grievances, welcome advice from even the most humble and insignificant members of the Bahá’í family, expose their motives, set forth their plans, justify their actions, revise if necessary their verdict, foster the sense of interdependence and co-partnership, of understanding and mutual confidence between them on one hand and all local Assemblies and individual believers on the other.” (Bahá’í Administration, pp. 143-44)
In considering the relationships of these two important institutions—the Continental Boards of Counsellors and the National Spiritual Assemblies—we should keep in mind that:
- Bahá’í administration is founded on institutions, laws and principles embedded in Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation;
- all of its institutions are divinely ordained—are integral, inseparable components of a living organism, interdependent and inclusive, not independent and exclusive; and that
- the health, strength and success of each is closely affected by the condition of the whole. As the Universal House of Justice has written:
“The Bahá’í world community, growing like a healthy new body, develops new cells, new organs, new functions and powers as it presses on to its maturity, when every soul, living for the Cause of God, will receive from that Cause health, assurance, and the overflowing bounties of Bahá’u’lláh which are diffused through His divinely ordained Order.” (Wellspring of Guidance, p. 38)
In communications from the Universal House of Justice since the appointment by them of the Continental Boards of Counsellors—some of which have been addressed to the National Assemblies and the Boards of Counsellors jointly; others specifically to one or the other—the Supreme Body has explained and clarified many important aspects of the relationships of these two institutions.
It is completely clear that in Bahá’í administration the National Spiritual Assemblies are the “administrators” of the affairs of the Cause in their respective countries.
In one of the letters of the Universal House of Justice addressed to both the Counsellors and the National Assemblies, it is clearly stated:
“The Counsellors are responsible for stimulating, counseling and assisting the National Spiritual Assemblies, and also work with the individuals, groups and local Assemblies.” (Letter dated October 1, 1969)
And further:
“It is the responsibility of Spiritual Assemblies, assisted by their committees, to organize and direct the teaching work, and in doing so they must, naturally, also do all they can to stimulate and inspire the friends.... It is, however, inevitable that the Assemblies and committees, being burdened with the administration of the teaching work as well as with all other aspects of Bahá’í community life, will be unable to spend as much time as they would wish on stimulating the believers.
“Authority and direction flow from the Assemblies, whereas the power to accomplish the tasks resides primarily in the entire body of the believers. It is the principal task of the Auxiliary Boards to assist in arousing and releasing this power. This is a vital activity....”
In this same letter, the Universal House of Justice points out that:
“Assemblies sometimes misunderstand what is meant by the statement that Counsellors and Auxiliary Board members are concerned with the teaching work and not with administration. It is taken to mean that they may not give advice on administrative matters. This is quite wrong. One of the things that Counsellors and Auxiliary Board members should watch and report on is the proper working of administrative institutions. The statement that they do not have anything to do with administration means, simply, that they do not administer. They do not direct or organize the teaching work nor do they adjudicate in matters of personal conflict or personal problems.... If an Auxiliary Board member finds a local Spiritual Assembly functioning incorrectly he should call its attention to the appropriate Texts; likewise if, in his work with the community, an Auxiliary Board member finds that the teaching work is being held up by inefficiency of national committees, he should report this in detail to the Counsellors.... Similarly, if the Counsellors find that a National Spiritual Assembly is not functioning properly, they should not hesitate to consult with the National Spiritual Assembly in a frank and loving way.”
Again, in this same letter, it says:
“It is the Spiritual Assemblies who plan and direct the work, but these plans should be well known to the Counsellors and Auxiliary Board members, because one of the ways in which they can assist the Assemblies is by urging the believers continually to support the plans of the Assemblies.”
And in a letter addressed to all National Spiritual Assemblies, the House of Justice stated:
“With the rapid development of the work of the Continental Boards of Counsellors and their Auxiliary Boards, it is increasingly important that there be a maximal sharing of information from each national community with them. Your most effective
[Page 17]
collaboration depends largely upon the
thoroughness of your mutual exchange
of information....
“We ask that you keep the Continental Board of Counsellors of your area completely and specifically informed of national activities of teaching and consolidation through such actions as placing the Board of Counsellors, and Auxiliary Board members assigned to areas within your jurisdiction, on mailing lists for circular letters to local Spiritual Assemblies, schedules and programs of summer schools, conferences and institutes, etc.” (Letter of March 25, 1969)
In another letter sent on the same date to all Continental Boards of Counsellors, the Supreme Body stated:
“Information transmitted by National Spiritual Assemblies and their committees to Continental Boards of Counsellors and their Auxiliary Board members should be as complete as possible. Conversely, a maximum of material from the Counsellors and Auxiliary Board members’ reports should be made available to National Spiritual Assemblies.”
In regard to conferences, the Hands of the Cause residing in the Holy Land wrote to the Continental Board of Counsellors in North America on March 14, 1971, as follows:
“... we felt it would be useful to distinguish between those conferences involving joint consultation of the Hands of the Cause, the Counsellors, the Auxiliary Board members and representatives of National Assemblies on the one hand, and on the other, the type of deepening conferences which are not primarily for consultation but which are designed to meet a need for deepening the believers, and the programs of which are geared to this objective.
“In the case of the first category, that is, conferences called for joint consultation, these are very properly sponsored and called for or convened by Continental Boards of Counsellors.
“In the case of other conferences for encouraging, inspiring or educating the friends, while it is highly desirable to call such conferences in cooperation with National Assemblies, each institution supporting the other, the Continental Boards of Counsellors are fully authorized to call conferences of this type when they deem them necessary.
“The statement of principle outlined above makes it very clear that the sponsorship of deepening conferences is a proper function of the Counsellors. As stated, it is highly desirable that projects of this type be sponsored in cooperation with the administrative bodies, but it is also clear that the House of Justice wishes the Continental Boards to be free to call conferences of this type when they deem them necessary, regardless of whether there is joint sponsorship.”
Conclusion[edit]
As important and necessary as is the understanding of the functions and specified relationships of these two institutions, the Continental Boards of Counsellors and the National Spiritual Assemblies, the Writings of our Faith clearly show that of still greater import and significance is the spirit in which their members serve. When the relationship between them is one of mutual understanding, of confidence and trust, of sincere love and cooperation; when in their deliberations and actions they are following the precepts and guidelines which have their source in divine wisdom and which have been so clearly and so fully delineated for them, any matters or questions which arise in regard to their respective functions can be frankly and openly discussed and all issues easily and amicably resolved.
Such a relationship, we must recognize, is unique to this divinely-ordained Administrative Order. The secular world is increasingly characterized by destructive competition between institutions—when there are two legislative bodies, they maneuver against each other for power; legislative bodies compete with the judiciary and with the executive branch.
In contrast, the relationship between Bahá’í institutions is one of warm cooperation and collaboration, based upon genuine love and dedication to a common goal. It resembles a marriage, in that there is space for each partner to grow and develop; there is mutual respect and encouragement, and differences are settled by taking counsel together in an atmosphere of loving understanding.
So close are we all to the ways and standards of the world, it is difficult to wholly believe in the efficiency of spiritual means for practical accomplishments. Our human intellect can so easily guide us other ways which, in its light, seem more desirable and effective. In one of their precious messages (May 27, 1966), the Universal House of Justice gives us such understanding and wise counsel in this respect:
“Service to the Cause of God requires absolute fidelity and integrity and unwavering faith in Him. No good but only evil can come from taking the responsibility for the future of God’s Cause into our own hands and trying to force it into ways that we wish it to go regardless of the clear texts and our own limitations. It is His Cause. He has promised that its light will not fail. Our part is to cling tenaciously to the revealed Word and to the institutions that He has created to preserve His Covenant.”
And so, dear friends, we can see that such collaboration as the Guardian has asked for between the two institutions calls for far more than our human idea of cooperation—even loving cooperation. It is a matter of spiritual growth, and for this, we need divine wisdom. But we are blessed, so greatly blessed to have for our assistance all the guidance needed. Ours is the clear task of striving to understand and obey that guidance.
To all of the other qualities and virtues needed on our journey must be added faith—unshakable faith in Bahá’u’lláh’s divinely ordained Administrative Order and in its inherent, dynamic spiritual power to fulfill every aspect of His worldwide Mission. As Shoghi Effendi so wisely counseled the early believers, soon after he became the Guardian of the Faith:
“Is not faith but another word for implicit obedience, wholehearted allegiance, uncompromising adherence to that which we believe is the revealed and express will of God, however perplexing it might first appear, however at variance with the shadowy views, the impotent doctrines, the crude theories, the idle imaginings, the fashionable conceptions of a transient and troublous age? If we are to falter or hesitate, if our love for Him (‘Abdu’l-Bahá) should fail to direct us and keep us within His path, if we desert Divine and emphatic principles, what hope can we any more cherish for healing the ills and sicknesses of this world?” (Baha’i Administration, pp. 62-63)
Zikrullah Khadem
The Itinerant Hand of the Cause of God
With Love
by Javidukht Khadem
| by Mr. Khadem, each one illustrating the emphasis he placed on obedience to the institutions, on Bahá’í family life and unity, and on fasting, prayer, pilgrimage, and teaching.
HC $24.95 / SC $14.95 |
| AN INSPIRING BIOGRAPHY of the Hand of the Cause of God Zikrullah Khadem, this book is a story of love—one man’s love of God, of the Central Figures of the Bahá’í Faith, and of his unfaltering devotion to
Shoghi Effendi. Written by Zikrullah Khadem’s wife, Javidukht Khadem, this book is a tender portrait of her husband, depicting over sixty-one years of service to the Bahá’í Faith. Also contained in the biography are essays written by the five Khadem children that capture the spirit of love and guidance given |
