Lights of Guidance/toc/Administrative Order

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A. Administrative Order

1. Established First in America
2. Cannot be Identified with Present-day Democracies

B. Bahá’í Administration

3. The Ideal Instrument to Make Spiritual Laws Function
4. Purpose of Administration
5. Social Order of Bahá’u’lláh
6. Relationship of the Cause to the Administration

C. Bahá’í Local Spiritual Assemblies

7. Assemblies Ordained by Bahá’u’lláh
8. Established in Every City—Counsellors to the Number of Bahá (9)
9. Purpose of Spiritual Assemblies
10. Their Defender is ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
11. Assemblies Styled Differently in Future
12. Assembly Operates at First Levels of Human Society
13. Strengthening of Local Spiritual Assemblies—Nerve Centres of Communities
14. Primary Purpose to Promote Teaching Work
15. Areas Under Jurisdiction of Local Spiritual Assemblies—National Spiritual Assembly Must Study
16. Local Spiritual Assemblies—Created by Bahá’u’lláh in His Kitáb-i-Aqdas

D. Formation of Local Spiritual Assemblies

17. Forming Local Assemblies—Obligation to Establish
18. A Community of Nine Adult Believers Must Form an Assembly by Joint Declaration
19. Duty of Every Bahá’í to Take Part in Joint Declaration
20. Believer Must Be "a Resident" to Participate in the Formation of a Spiritual Assembly—Unusual Cases as Exceptions
21. Re-Formation by Election or Joint Declaration—Refusal of a Believer to Participate does not Prevent Re-Forming Assembly
22. Circumstances Under Which an Assembly Should not be Immediately Dissolved
23. Members of Lapsed Assembly are Responsible to Notify National Secretary
24. Spiritual Assembly Jurisdictions Changes as Civil Units Are Modified
25. Assemblies Cannot be Formed in Prison
26. Qualifications of Assembly Members—Subject to Human Limitations
27. Qualifications Outlined Applicable to Anyone Elected
28. Auxiliary Board Members, Eligibility of
29. Board Members May Serve on Assembly Temporarily
30. Annual Elections Provide Opportunity to Remedy Defects the Assembly May Suffer
31. Absence of Nomination in Bahá’í Elections—A Distinguishing Feature
32. Bahá’í Electoral Procedures Develop Spirit of Responsibility
33. Freedom of Believers to Choose—Should be Choicest, Most Varied Elements
34. Believers Should Become Intelligent, Well-Informed and Responsible Electors
35. Canvassing is Deprecated
36. Reference to Personalities Before Election
37. Avoid Intrigues
38. Election Day
39. Prayer and Reflection Before Voting
40. Procedure for Voting by Mail
41. No Quorum Required for Election of an Assembly
42. Bahá’í Elections for Spiritual Assemblies—Cast Nine Votes, Neither More nor Less
43. Believer Has Right to Vote for Himself
44. Votes Confidential
45. Secret Ballot
46. Results of Election Should be Accepted
47. Breaking of Tie Votes
48. If Enrolled Believer Withdraws—Subsequently Elected to Spiritual Assembly
49. Mass Migrations
50. When Conditions Beyond Human Control Prevent Election of Assembly at Ridván
51. Should Guide Believers During Year in Proper Administrative Procedures

E. Annual Conventions

52. The Functions of the National Convention
53. Election of Delegates to National Conventions
54. Area of Assembly Jurisdiction not to be Subdivided for Electoral Districts
55. Delegates Assigned According to Numerical Strength
56. Inactivity Does Not Justify Removing Name from Voting List
57. Replacement of Delegates
58. National Spiritual Assembly Determines Timing in Respect to Unit Conventions
59. Consultation Between Delegates and the National Spiritual Assembly
60. Status of Members of the National Spiritual Assembly at the National Convention
61. Preferably Delegates Attend Convention in Person
62. If Delegate Cannot Pay Own Expenses
63. New Blood Adds to Energy of the Group
64. Election of New Members on the National Spiritual Assembly—Duty of Friends to Acquaint Themselves with Fellow Believers
65. Consultation Among Delegates of a Region Prior to Convention—No Objection, if the Bahá’ís Are Mature Enough
66. National Spiritual Assembly Present as an Institution at the National Convention
67. Only Delegates May Vote in the National Convention
68. Each Voter Must Vote for the Nine Best Suited for Election—Not Betray Sacred Trust
69. National Convention Must be Convened During Ridván
70. Election of National Spiritual Assembly to be Held at Midpoint in the Convention
71. National Teaching Conference and National Convention Should not be Held at the Same Time
72. Attendance Record of National Spiritual Assembly Members May be Provided to Convention Delegates
73. Workshops During National Convention not Suitable
74. Delegates Have Specific Administrative Duties
75. Non-Delegate Can be Permitted to Address Convention—Permissiveness Not to be Abused
76. Auxiliary Board Members Present at National Convention
77. Desirable Auxiliary Board Members be Left Free from Administrative Duties
78. Hands of the Cause and Counsellors' Participation in Conventions
79. Counsellors Ineligible for Membership on Administrative Bodies

F. Instruction of Tellers, Priority of Minorities Approval of Outgoing Assembly

80. Tellers Should be Given Guidelines—Recording of Identical Names
81. Convention Procedure in Connection with Tellers' Report
82. Under Certain Conditions One or More Names May be Invalidated
83. Minority Accorded Priority Without Question
84. Definition of Minority and Majority at Discretion of the National Spiritual Assembly
85. Results Reported to National Assembly for Acceptance and Instruction to Tellers about Re-Voting
86. Only Names of Those Tied Appear on Subsequent Ballots
87. How to Report a Tie
88. First, New Assembly Must Consider Whether to Accept Resignation
89. By-Election Can Be Held During Convention Only if All Delegates Are Present
90. Tie for Ninth Member of the National Spiritual Assembly
91. Duty of Auxiliary Board Member to Advise Assembly, not Delegates, that He Will not Serve
92. Board Members Should not Resign Before a Tie-Breaking Vote Is Cast
93. Preservation of Ballots
94. Assembly Has Right to Examine Ballots
95. Delegates Should be Given Opportunity to Report to the Community

G. Officers of Local and National Assemblies

96. If All Members Present, Permanent Officers Should be Elected Immediately
97. Assembly or Committee Members May Excuse Themselves from Being Elected as Officers
98. It is Preferable that a Person Hold no More than One Office
99. Complete Results of Each Vote must be Known to all Members of the Assembly Present
100. The Integrity of the Elector Must be Relied Upon
101. Any Officer Elected Must Have Received at Least Five Votes
102. The Chairman of the Assembly
103. The Vice-Chairman
104. Duties of the National Secretary
105. The Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly is its Chief Executive Officer
106. Full-Time Services of Secretary May Require Remuneration, about Which the Agreement Should be Duly Recorded
107. Secretary's Helper Can be Non-Member of Assembly
108. Secretariat Should be Situated in the Capital City
109. National Secretary Should Keep in Close Touch with Local Assemblies
110. Contents of Minutes
111. Secretary Should be Careful to Convey Majority Decision
112. Treasurer of the Spiritual Assembly Receives all Donations and Contributions
113. Handling of Funds
114. Obligation of a Bahá’í Who is Elected to an Office Which Requires Full-Time Service
115. Those Elected to an Assembly Should Consider it a Privilege and a Responsibility to Serve
116. Procedure for Assemblies When Dissatisfied with Officers

H. Local and National Administrators

117. Functions and Duties of Elected Representatives
118. They Must Uphold the Standard of Justice
119. Administrators of Faith Like Shepherds
120. The Ones in Real Authority Known by Humility and Self-Sacrifice
121. Keynote of Cause of God Not Dictatorial Authority
122. Assemblies Should Influence Believers to Confidently Present their Problems
123. Breach of Trust by Assembly Members will Destroy Confidence of Believers
124. Administrative Efficiency Should be Accompanied by an Equal Amount of Love
125. Administrators Should Consider Themselves as Mere Channels Whereby God Protects and Guides His Faith
126. National Spiritual Assembly is Supreme Authority, Mainspring of Activities, Sole Link to the Universal House of Justice
127. Obedience to the National Spiritual Assembly is the Basis for Unity
128. The National Spiritual Assembly is the Head and the Local Spiritual Assemblies Are the Various Organs
129. Vital Function of National Spiritual Assembly
130. Authority and Influence of Assemblies Must be Strengthened
131. A "Best" Assembly
132. Centralization of Authority Made Manifest in Master's Will
133. Fundamentals of Bahá’í Administration Must be Adhered to
134. Tendency of All National Assemblies to Over-Administer
135. It is not Necessary to Anticipate Situations
136. Over-Administration Worse than Under-Administration
137. National Spiritual Assemblies Should be Uncompromising in Principle but Flexible in Procedures
138. National Assembly is Guardian of the Welfare of the Faith
139. Tendency of Late-Comers to Belittle Work Done
140. Each Believer Should Have Access to Communications from World Centre of his Faith
141. Legal Standing for Spiritual Assemblies
142. Local Assemblies Should Give Teachers Every Encouragement
143. Class Consciousness Contrary to Actual Teachings of Faith
144. Extension Teaching Goals, Local Assemblies Should Assume Responsibility for
145. Plans of the Assemblies Should be Known to Counsellors and Auxiliary Board Members
146. Local Spiritual Assemblies' Relations with Auxiliary Board
147. All Local Spiritual Assemblies Should Collaborate with Auxiliary Board Members and their Assistants
148. When Local Spiritual Assemblies are Truly Effective
149. A Functioning Local Spiritual Assembly—Salient Objectives to be Attained
150. Prominent People, Foster Cordial Relations with
151. Public Figures
152. Individual Members of the Local Spiritual Assembly Should Deepen
153. Members of Spiritual Assembly Must Face Responsibilities

I. Meetings of Bahá’í Assemblies, Attendance, Resignations

154. Obligation of Assembly Members to Meet and Discharge Sacred Responsibilities
155. Membership in Bahá’í Assembly or Committee is a Sacred Obligation—Should Endeavor to Attend All Meetings
156. Teaching Must be Accorded Precedence When in Session
157. All Meetings Must Revolve Around One Focal Center—Teach
158. Principle on Which to Conduct the Work of an Assembly
159. Why Some Local Assemblies do not Meet
160. How Often to Meet—The Spiritual Assembly Must Decide
161. Bahá’u’lláh's Promise
162. Not Possible to Have Non-Assembly Member in National Spiritual Assembly Meeting
163. Distribution of Minutes of Meetings
164. Access to Records of the Spiritual Assembly
165. Business Can be Conducted with a Quorum
166. Assembly Quorum
167. Duties of Assembly Members
168. Abstaining Does not Arise in Bahá’í Voting
169. Bahá’ís Not Required to Vote Against Consciences
170. Only Under Special Circumstances is it Permissible to Resign from the Spiritual Assembly
171. Differences of Opinion Should not Deter One from Performing His Bahá’í Activities
172. There Should be a Valid Reason for Resignation
173. Should National Assembly Members be Relieved of Local Assembly Service?
174. Not Appropriate to Elect a Temporary Assembly Member
175. Non-Attendance of Assembly Members—No Time Limit Fixed
176. Repeated, Unjustified Absence Cause for Suspension of Voting Rights
177. Criticism, Opposition, Confusion Do not Provide Grounds for Resignation—Sanction May Be Necessary

J. Administrative Rights, Sanctions, Dissimulation

178. Basis for Deprivation of Voting Rights
179. Assembly Should not Deprive Believer of Rights Unless the Matter Is Very Grave
180. No Bahá’í Can Swear to Bring up His Children in Another Religion nor Be Married in Church as a Christian
181. Alcoholic Beverages—Those Who Continue to Drink
182. Divorce
183. Ecclesiastical and Political Associations
184. Politics, Participation in
185. Homosexual Acts Condemned by Bahá’u’lláh
186. Immorality, Blatant Acts of
187. Criminal Offences, Believers Charged with
188. Should be Given Chance to Improve—A Lesser Sanction May Be Applied
189. One Offence of Immorality not Enough to Incur Heavy Penalty
190. Civil Marriage Ceremony Only
191. Parents' Voting Rights Can be Suspended if Consent is Given Contrary to Bahá’í Law
192. Bahá’í Membership in Masonic, Theosophical, Rosicrucian, and Similar Societies
193. Mental Illness
194. Mental Unfitness
195. Withdrawal of Administrative Rights from One Mentally Ill Is not a Sanction
196. National Assembly Can Debar an Individual from Serving on a Local Assembly Without Removing Voting Rights
197. Voting Rights, Only National Assembly Can Deprive Believers of
198. Status of Those Who Lose Voting Rights
199. No Bahá’í Marriage If One is Deprived of Voting Rights—A Bahá’í in Good Standing Cannot Marry One So Deprived
200. Heaviest Sanction We Possess—Deprivation of Voting Rights
201. Before Anyone Deprived of Voting Rights Must be Given Repeated Warnings
202. No Justification Suspension of Voting Rights Pending Investigation
203. Believer Cannot Escape Expulsion by Resignation in Order to Break Law with Impunity
204. Dissimulation is not Withdrawal
205. Ignorance of the Law
206. Child Out of Wedlock
207. Loss of Voting Rights—Is to Be Administratively Expelled
208. Cases Involving Only Civil Ceremony
209. Voting Rights Removed Mistakenly or Justifiably
210. Youth, Disciplinary Action Against
211. If Acts of Immorality Are not Generally Known—Gossip
212. Community Attitude Toward Those Who Are Deprived of Voting Rights
213. The Assemblies Should be Like the Master and the "Good Shepherd"
214. The Believer So Deprived Who Makes an Effort to Mend His Ways Should be Helped
215. Bahá’ís Must not Dissimulate their Faith Under Any Circumstances
216. Summary of the Extent of Deprivation of Voting Rights
217. Summary of the Rights and Privileges not Denied

K. Appeals

218. Right to and Procedure for Appeal
219. Appeal from Local Assembly's Decision to the National Assembly
220. Infringement of Bahá’í Rights
221. Every Bahá’í May Write Directly to the Universal House of Justice, but Appeals Should be Submitted Through the National Spiritual Assembly
222. The Appellant's Request for Referral of Appeal to the Universal House of Justice Cannot be Refused
223. Committees Should Take Up Their Problems with the National Spiritual Assembly

L. By-Laws

224. Purpose of By-Laws
225. A Baby Can be Considered a Bahá’í—Declaration Age 15 for Protection
226. New York Version of By-Laws More Correct
227. Matter of Belief in Bahá’u’lláh not of Availability for Participation
228. The National Spiritual Assembly Must Defend and Uphold Provisions of By-Laws and Declaration of Trust
229. International Uniformity in the Essentials Is to be Maintained—The Local By-Laws
230. Decisions of Local and National Assemblies Subject to Review by Higher Body—No Contradiction in By-Laws
231. Incorporation Is not Necessarily Lost by the Temporary Dissolution of the Local Spiritual Assembly

M. New Believers

232. The Cause of God Has Room for All
233. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's Example—Nurse New Believer Patiently
234. The Two Extremes in Bringing in New Bahá’ís
235. No Obstacles Should be Placed Before Any Soul
236. Enrollments, New—Those Responsible for
237. The Process of Becoming a Bahá’í Is an Evolutionary One
238. Admittance Into the Faith—Essential Prerequisites
239. On Becoming a Bahá’í
240. Warning to Every Beginner in the Faith
241. Not Sufficient to Accept Some Aspects of Teachings and Reject Others
242. When Enrolling New Believers, Must be Wise and Gentle
243. If Requirements to Enroll Made Too Rigorous, Will Cool Off Initial Enthusiasm
244. A Bahá’í Must be Wholly a Bahá’í; Must not be Insular
245. A True Bahá’í Should Justify his Claim to be a Bahá’í
246. The Primary Reason for Becoming a Bahá’í
247. Ploughing Up the Soil of the Heart
248. New Believers Must not be Left to Their Own Devices
249. Deepening the Spiritual Life of the Individual Believers
250. Assemblies and Committees must Enable Believers to Carry Forth Message of God
251. If One Desires to Become a Bahá’í, His Past Should not Be Held Against Him
252. Convert Advised Not to Become Alienated from Parents
253. Assembly Should not Prevent Enrollment of Persons With Questionable Morals—When Accepted New Enrollees Should Henceforth Conduct Themselves As Bahá’ís
254. May be Occasions When Enrollment Must be Postponed
255. Qualifications of a Believer
256. The Process of Acceptance Varies—Stage of Conviction Important
257. Declarants Need Not Know All the Proofs—Spark of Faith
258. Acceptance of New Believers Left to Discretion of Assembly
259. Mental Instability Has no Bearing Upon Acceptance of an Enrollment
260. In These Special Cases, Steps Should be Taken to Deepen their Understanding
261. Declaration of Faith Normally Accepted from Those Living in Immoral Situation or from Member of an Organization not Permissible—To be Given Time to Rectify Situation
262. Children are Accepted as Bahá’ís Regardless of Age
263. Prisoners, Declarations from
264. Signature on Card is to Satisfy Administrative Requirements—There is a Difference Between Character and Faith
265. Enrollment Card—Not a Universal Requirement
266. Duty of Assembly to Newly Enrolled Believer

N. The Believers' Relationship with the Assemblies

267. Being a Bahá’í Essentially an Inner Thing
268. Should Have Respect for National and Local Assemblies
269. This Great Prize, This Gift of God—Local Spiritual Assembly
270. Assembly is a Nascent House of Justice—Individuals Toward Each Other Governed by Love, Unity, etc.
271. Two Kinds of Bahá’ís
272. Spiritual Children Should not Cling to Misconceptions of Their Teachers
273. Assemblies Should Inspire Confidence in Individual Believers
274. Buckets-Full of Administrative Information: Putting Out the First Sparks
275. Look to the Teachings
276. Two Principles to Follow: Doctrinal and Administrative Unity
277. Bahá’í Administration—Instrument of Spirit of the Faith
278. Bahá’í World Community Develops New Cells, New Organs
279. Believers Should Turn to Assemblies for Advice and Help
280. Mission of Bahá’u’lláh, Friends are Trustees of
281. Believers Should Have Confidence in Assembly
282. If Assembly makes Ill-Advised Decision It Must be Upheld
283. If Assembly Makes a Mistake—God Will Right the Wrongs Done
284. Obedience, Patience and Restraint
285. Criticism to Assemblies—Bahá’ís Can Freely Air Their Views
286. No Protection for Faith Unless Friends Submit to Administrative Bodies
287. If Bahá’ís Undermine Leaders
288. Believers Have the Right to Express their Criticism Action of Assembly, but not in a Way to Undermine Its Authority
289. Obedience to the Decisions of the Local Assembly Should be Unqualified and Whole-Hearted
290. Local Assembly Should Not Criticize Policy of National Assembly
291. Only One Remedy—Study the Administration
292. On Individual Believer Depends Fate of Community

O. Inactive Believers

293. Voting List, Names Should Not be Removed from
294. Removal of Names from Voting List
295. Inactive and Unresponsive Believers often Need Encouragement
296. Inactive Believers—Names Removed Only When Clearly Stated No Longer Believe in Bahá’u’lláh
297. Reasons for Inactivity Should be Ascertained
298. Meetings Should be Made so Interesting as to Attract the Old Believers
299. Must Aid Those with Unbecoming Conduct to Mend Their Ways
300. If Person Does Not Wish to be Considered Member
301. The Personal Situation of a Bahá’í May Preclude Activity
302. Those Who no Longer Believe in Bahá’u’lláh…
303. Believers Whose Whereabouts Are Unknown
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