The Local Spiritual Assembly/Establishment and Station
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I. ESTABLISHMENT AND STATION
“The Lord hath ordained that in every city a House of Justice be established wherein shall gather counsellors to the number of Baha (9) ... 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.” —Baha’u'llah
(From the Kitab-i-Aqdas, quoted in Bahai Administration, p. 21)
“Addressing the nations, the Ancient Beauty ordaineth that in every city in the world a house be established in the name of justice wherein shall gather pure and steadfast souls to the number of the Most Great Name (9). At this meeting they should feel as if they were entering the Presence of God, inasmuch as this binding command hath flowed from the Pen of Him Who is the Ancient of Days. The glances of God are directed towards this Assembly.” —Baha’u’lah
(From newly translated Tablet)
““Abdu’l-Baha is constantly engaged in ideal communication with any Spiritual Assembly which is instituted through the divine bounty, and the members of which are in the utmost devotion turning to the divine kingdom and are firm in the Covenant. To them He is heartily attached and with them He is united by everlasting ties.” —‘Abdu’l-Baha
(Published in Bahd’i World Faith, pp. 410-411)
“These Spiritual Assemblies are aided by the Spirit
of God. Their defender is ‘Abdu’l-Baha. Over them He
spreadeth His Wings. What bounty is there greater than
this? . . . These Spiritual Assemblies are shining lamps
and heavenly gardens, from which the fragrances of holiness are diffused over all regions, and the lights of knowl
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edge are shed abroad over all created things. From them
the spirit of life streameth in every direction. They,
indeed, are the potent sources of the progress of man, at
all times and under all conditions.’’—‘Abdu’l-Baha
(Quoted in God Passes By, p. 332)
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. it is of the utmost importance that in accordance with the explicit text of the Kitab-i-Aqdas, the Most Holy Book, in every locality, be it city or hamlet, where the number of adult (21 years and above) declared believers exceeds nine, a local ‘Spirtual Assembly’ be forthwith established. To it all local matters pertaining to the Cause must be directly and immediately referred for full consultation and decision. ‘The importance, nay the absolute necessity of these local Assemblies is manifest when we realize that in the days to come they will evolve into the local House of Justice. . . .-—Shoghi Effendi
(Baha'i Administration, p. 37)
“Let us recall His explicit and often-repeated assurance that every Assembly elected in that rarefied atmosphere of selflessness and detachment is, in truth, appointed of God, that its verdict is truly inspired, that one and all should submit to its decision unreservedly and with cheerfulness.’’—Shoghi Effendi
(Bahai Administration, p. 65)
“Designated as ‘Spiritual Assemblies’—an appellation that must in the course of time be replaced by their permanent and more descriptive title of “Houses of Justice’, bestowed upon them by the Author of the Baha’t Revelation; instituted, without any exception, in every city, town, and village where nine or more adult believers are resident; annually and directly elected, on the first day of the greatest Baha’i Festival by all adult believers, man and woman alike; invested with an au
- When the number of believers is exactly nine, they constitute themselves as
the Local Spiritual Assembly by joint declaration.
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thority rendering them unanswerable for their acts and
decisions to those who elect them; solemnly pledged to
follow, under all conditions, the dictates of the ‘Most
Great Justice’ that can alone usher in the reign of the
‘Most Great Peace’ which Baha’u’llah has proclaimed
and must ultimately establish; charged with the responsibility of promoting at all times the best interests of
the communities within their jurisdiction, of familiarizing them with their plans and activities, and of inviting
them to offer any recommendations they might wish to
make; . . . supported by local funds to which all believers voluntarily contribute; these Assemblies, the representatives and custodians of the Faith of Baha’u’llah .. .
have . . . abundantly demonstrated, by virtue of their
achievements, their right to be regarded as the chief
sinews of Baha’i society, as well as the ultimate foundation of its administrative structure.”—Shoghi Effendi
(God Passes By, p. 331)
“That the Spiritual Assemblies of today will be replaced in time by the Houses of Justice, and are to all intents and purposes identical and not separate bodies, is abundantly confirmed by “Abdu’l-Baha Himself. He has in fact in a Tablet addressed to the members of the first Chicago Spiritual Assembly, the first elected Baha’t body instituted in the United States, referred to them as the members of the ‘House of Justice’ for that city, and has thus with His own pen established beyond any doubt the identity of the present Baha’i Spiritual Assemblies with the Houses of Justice referred to by Baha’u’llah. For reasons which are not difficult to discover, it has been found advisable to bestow upon the elected representatives of Baha’i communities throughout the world the temporary appellation of Spiritual Assemblies, a term which, as the position and aims of the Baha’i Faith are better understood and more fully recognized, will gradually be superseded by the permanent and more appropriate designation of House of Justice.” —Shoghi Effendi
(World Order of Baha'u'llah, pp. 6-7)
. . . the practice of nomination, so detrimental to the atmosphere of a silent and prayerful election, is viewed with mistrust inasmuch as it... (will) deny that Godgiven right of every elector to vote only in favor of those who he is conscientiously convinced are the most worthy candidates. ...”’
‘ . the elector . . . is called upon to vote for none but those whom prayer and reflection have inspired him to uphold.” —Shoghi Effendi (Baha'i Administration, p. 136)