The central teaching of the Bahá'í religion is the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh, because it is by firmness in the Covenant that the followers of Bahá'u'lláh will bring to fruition the central mission of the Manifestation of God for this Day: the unification of humanity through the establishment of the world Order of Bahá'u'lláh.
Bahá'u'lláh appointed his
eldest son, `Abdu´l-Bahá, as the Center of His Covenant, in the tablet
known as the Book of the Covenant:
When the ocean of My presence hath ebbed and the Book of My Revelation is ended, turn your faces toward Him Whom God hath purposed, Who hath branched from this Ancient Root. The object of this sacred verse is none other except the Most Mighty Branch (`Abdu´l-Bahá). Thus have we graciously revealed unto you our potent Will, and I am verily the Gracious, the All-Powerful.
In that tablet, Bahá'u'lláh commanded His followers to turn towards His Successor, `Abdu´l-Bahá, and to obey Him, because to disobey `Abdu´l-Bahá is tantamount to disobedience to Bahá'u'lláh Himself:
Render thanks unto God, O people, for His appearance; for verily He is the most great Favor unto you, the most perfect bounty upon you; and through Him every mouldering bone is quickened. Whoso turneth towards Him hath turned towards God, and whoso turneth away from Him hath turned away from My Beauty, hath repudiated My Proof, and transgressed against Me.
Although appointed as Bahá'u'lláh's successor, the Master (`Abdu´l-Bahá) never claimed the station of a Manifestation of God. In His Will and Testament, the Master specifically states:
His Holiness, the Exalted One (the Báb), is the Manifestation of the Unity and Oneness of God and the Forerunner of the Ancient Beauty. His Holiness the Abhá Beauty (may my life be a sacrifice for His steadfast friends) is the Supreme Manifestation of God and the Dayspring of His Most Divine Essence. All others are servants unto Him and do His bidding.
As the Center of the Covenant, the Master led the Bahá'í world after the passing of His Father, and was instrumental in spreading the Cause to the West. In His many talks and letters, the Master authoritatively expounded upon the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh. Probably the most important aspect of His ministry, however, was His authorship of the Will and Testament, because in this momentous document the Master laid out the fundamental principles of the administrative Order of Bahá'u'lláh and appointed His own successor to lead the Bahá'í world after His passing:
O my loving friends! After the passing away of this wronged one, it is incumbent upon the Aghsán (Branches), the Afnán (Twigs) of the Sacred Lote-Tree, the Hands (pillars) of the Cause of God and the loved ones of the Abhá Beauty to turn unto Shoghi Effendi-- the youthful branch branched from the two hallowed and sacred Lote-Trees and the fruit grown from the union of the two offshoots of the Tree of Holiness,-- as he is the sign of God, the chosen branch, the Guardian of the Cause of God, he unto whom all the Aghsán, the Afnán, the Hands of the Cause of God and His loved ones must turn. He is the Interpreter of the Word of God and after him will succeed the first-born of his lineal descendants.
The Master appointed His grandson, Shoghi Effendi, as the first Guardian of the Cause and the sole Interpreter of the Word of God. Not only this, but He also provided for future succession by creating the office of the Guardian.
Shoghi Effendi wrote a number of books and letters to the Bahá'í world. These writings all are authoritative interpretations by the appointed Interpreter and Guardian. In what is perhaps Shoghi Effendi's most important writing, The Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh, the Guardian explains the essential verities of the Bahá'í Faith. In that work, the Guardian expounds upon the importance and meaning of the Will and Testament:
The creative energies released by the Law of Bahá'u'lláh, permeating and evolving within the mind of `Abdu´l-Bahá, have, by their very impact and close interaction, given birth to an Instrument which may be viewed as the Charter of the New World Order which is at once the glory and the promise of this most great Dispensation. The Will may thus be acclaimed as the inevitable offspring resulting from that mystic intercourse between Him Who communicated the generating influence of His divine Purpose and the One Who was its vehicle and chosen recipient. Being the Child of the Covenant-- the Heir of both the Originator and the Interpreter of the Law of God-- the Will and Testament of `Abdu´l-Bahá can no more be divorced from Him Who supplied the original and motivating impulse than from the One Who ultimately conceived it. Bahá'u'lláh's inscrutable purpose, we must ever bear in mind, has been so thoroughly infused into the conduct of `Abdu´l-Bahá, and their motives have been so closely wedded together, that the mere attempt to dissociate the teachings of the former from any system which the ideal Exemplar of those same teachings has established would amount to a repudiation of one of the most sacred and basic truths of the Faith.
The Administrative Order, which ever since `Abdu´l-Bahá's ascension has evolved and is taking shape under our very eyes in no fewer than forty countries of the world, may be considered as the framework of the Will itself, the inviolable stronghold wherein this new-born child is being nurtured and developed. This Administrative Order, as it expands and consolidates itself, will no doubt manifest the potentialities and reveal the full implications of this momentous Document-- this most remarkable expression of the Will of One of the most remarkable Figures of the Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh. It will, as its component parts, its organic institutions, begin to function with efficiency and vigor, assert its claim and 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
In this passage, the Guardian explains that the Will and Testament is the Charter of Bahá'u'lláh's Order, and that it is the offspring of the mystical intercourse between Bahá'u'lláh and the Master. The Guardian explains that the Will and Testament reveals Bahá'u'lláh's purpose and sets forth the pattern of the Order of Bahá'u'lláh.
It should be clear to every faithful follower of Bahá'u'lláh that the Will and Testament cannot be violated or altered, because to do so would be a repudiation of the central truth of the Bahá'í Faith. A firm understanding of the provisions of the Will and Testament is of fundamental importance. The Master states, in His Will and Testament:
O ye beloved of the Lord! The greatest of all things is the protection of the True Faith of God, the preservation of His Law, the safeguarding of His Cause and service unto His Word. Ten thousand souls have shed streams of their sacred blood in this path, their precious lives they offered in sacrifice unto Him, hastened wrapt in holy ecstasy unto the glorious field of martyrdom, upraised the Standard of God's Faith and writ with their life-blood upon the Tablet of the world the verses of His Divine Unity. The sacred breast of His Holiness, the Exalted One (may my life be a sacrifice unto Him), was made a target to many a dart of woe, and in Mazindaran, the blessed feet of the Abhá Beauty (may my life be offered up for His loved ones) were so grievously scourged as to bleed and be sore wounded. His neck also was put into captive chains and His feet made fast in the stocks. In every hour, for a period of fifty years, a new trial and calamity befell Him and fresh afflictions and cares beset Him
The Will and Testament did not just appoint Shoghi Effendi as the Interpreter and Guardian of the Cause of God, but it also set forth fundamental principles and institutions of the administrative Order of Bahá'u'lláh. The unique mission of the followers of Bahá'u'lláh is to build the structure of this Order. If the Bahá'ís should fail to establish this System, then the sufferings and death of the Founders and the thousands of their followers would be for naught. History reveals that Shoghi Effendi recognized the importance of this mission as his ministry was almost exclusively devoted to the raising of the divine institutions of the Bahá'u'lláh's Order.
The central institutions
of the Order are the Guardian and the Universal House of Justice.
In His Will and Testament, the Master states:
The sacred and youthful branch, the Guardian of the Cause of God, as well as the Universal House of Justice to be universally elected and established, are both under the care and protection of the Abhá Beauty, under the shelter and unerring guidance of the Exalted One (may my life be offered up for them both). Whatsoever they decide is of God. Whoso obeyeth him not, neither obeyeth them, hath not obeyed God; whoso rebelleth against him and against themhath rebelled against God; whoso opposeth him hath opposed God; whoso contendeth with them hath contended with God; whoso disputeth with him hath disputed with God; whoso denieth him hath denied God; whoso disbelieveth in him hath disbelieved in God; whoso deviateth, separateth himself and turneth aside from him hath in truth deviated, separated himself and turned aside from God. May the wrath, the fierce indignation, the vengeance of God rest upon him! The mighty stronghold shall remain impregnable and safe through obedience to him who is the Guardian of the Cause of God. It is incumbent upon the members of the House of Justice, upon all the Aghsán, the Afnán, the Hands of the Cause of God to show their obedience, submissiveness and subordination unto the Guardian of the Cause of God, to turn unto him and be lowly before him. He that opposeth him hath opposed the True One, will make a breach in the Cause of God, will subvert His Word and will become a manifestation of the Center of Sedition. Beware, beware, lest the days after the ascension (of Bahá'u'lláh) be repeated when the Center of Sedition waxed haughty and rebellious and with Divine Unity for his excuse deprived himself and perturbed and poisoned others. No doubt every vainglorious one that purposeth dissension and discord will not openly declare his evil purposes, nay rather, even as impure gold, will he seize upon divers measures and various pretexts that he may separate the gathering of the people of Baha. 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 Baha and in no wise accept any excuse from him. How often hath grievous error been disguised in the garb of truth, that it might sow the seeds of doubt in the hearts of men!
The Master's potent words of warning must not go unheeded. All are to obey the Guardian of the Cause of God. Anyone who opposes the Guardian will make a breach in the Cause of God. The Master says that no one may oppose the Guardian, not even the Hands, or the members of the House of Justice. We must be watchful because the enemies of the Covenant will not openly declare their purposes but rather will use pretexts and measures and "Divine Unity" as their excuse to rebel against the Covenant and subvert the Word of God.
Although the Guardianship is a central institution of the Cause, the Master also explained that the functions of the Universal House of Justice are equally vital:
And now, concerning the House of Justice which God hath ordained as the source of all good and freed from all error, it must be elected by universal suffrage, that is, by the believers. Its members must be manifestations of the fear of God and daysprings of knowledge and understanding, must be steadfast in God's faith and the well-wishers of all mankind. By this House is meant the Universal House of Justice, that is, in all countries a secondary House of Justice must be instituted, and these secondary Houses of Justice must elect the members of the Universal one. Unto this body all things must be referred. It enacteth all ordinances and regulations that are not to be found in the explicit Holy Text. By this body all the difficult problems are to be resolved and the Guardian of the Cause of God is its sacred head and the distinguished member for life of that body. Should he not attend in person its deliberations, he must appoint one to represent him. Should any of the members commit a sin, injurious to the common weal, the Guardian of the Cause of God hath at his own discretion the right to expel him, whereupon the people must elect another one in his stead. This House of Justice enacteth the laws and the government enforceth them. The legislative body must reinforce the executive, the executive must aid and assist the legislative body so that through the close union and harmony of these two forces, the foundation of fairness and justice may become firm and strong, that all the regions of the world may become even as Paradise itself.
The Master explains how the twin institutions of the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice are to work together. The Guardian is the appointed sacred head for life of the House of Justice. The other members of the Universal House of Justice are to be elected by the believers in a two-tiered manner: first the secondary (national) houses of justice are to be elected, and then the members of the secondary houses elect the members of the Universal House of Justice. The Guardian has the power to expel a member for cause, at his discretion. The Universal House of Justice is the legislative body.
Shoghi Effendi, in the Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh, explains and clarifies how these twin institutions are to work together:
It should be stated, at
the very outset, in clear and unambiguous language, that these twin institutions
of the Administrative Order of Bahá'u'lláh [the Guardianship and the Universal
House of Justice] should be regarded as divine in origin, essential in
their functions and complementary in their aim and purpose. Their
common, their fundamental object is to insure 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. Acting in conjunction with each other these two
inseparable institutions administer its affairs, coordinate its activities,
promote its interests, execute its laws and defend its subsidiary institutions.
Severally, each operates within a clearly defined sphere of jurisdiction;
each is equipped with its own attendant institutions--instruments designed
for the effective discharge of its particular responsibilities and duties.
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. Far from being incompatible or mutually destructive,
they supplement each other's authority and functions, and are permanently
and fundamentally united in their aims.
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.
Severed from the no less essential institution of the Universal House of Justice this same System of the Will of `Abdu´l-Bahá would be paralyzed in its action and would be powerless to fill in those gaps which the Author of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas has deliberately left in the body of His legislative and administrative ordinances
Shoghi Effendi emphasizes the importance of both institutions operating together. Without the Guardian, the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh would be mutilated, it would be deprived of the hereditary principle, and the integrity and stability of the Faith would be in danger. The Faith's prestige would suffer, there would be no way for the Faith to take a long-term view over a series of generations, and there would be no way to define the legislative sphere of the Universal House of Justice.
Likewise, in the absence of the Universal House of Justice, there would be no way to legislate or to fill in the gaps of ordinances deliberately left by Bahá'u'lláh. The System inaugurated by Bahá'u'lláh would be paralyzed.
The two functions of these institutions are vital and necessary. The Order of Bahá'u'lláh cannot exist without both of these offices and it is important that these two functions remain within their own separate spheres. Shoghi Effendi states in the Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh:
[T]he 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.
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. He interprets what has been specifically revealed, and cannot legislate except in his capacity as member of the Universal House of Justice. He is debarred from laying down independently the constitution that must govern the organized activities of his fellow-members, and from exercising his influence in a manner that would encroach upon the liberty of those whose sacred right is to elect the body of his collaborators.
The Bahá'í world was plunged into turmoil upon the passing of Shoghi Effendi. The vast majority of believers expected the Guardian to leave a will in which he would have appointed his son as the next Guardian. What they failed to realize was that the Master said that the Guardian must appoint his successor "in his lifetime." The Master would not have said this if he intended for the Guardian to leave a will. The Master specifically had provided for a lifetime appointment and he even included a procedure whereby the Hands would acknowledge the validity of the appointment so that differences would not arise after the passing of the Guardian.
The Hands of the Cause of God were appointed by Shoghi Effendi pursuant to the Will and Testament. The institution of the Hands is the "learned" branch of the Order: individuals having no authority but whose function is to teach and protect the Faith in service to the Guardian. Upon Shoghi Effendi's death, the Hands met in a secret conclave to determine whether the Guardian had left a will and appointed a successor. There is no explicit authority in the Will and Testament for the Hands to meet as a group or to make any determinations whatsoever. The Hands subsequently declared that the Guardian had left no will. The Hands proceeded to seize control over the Faith and exercise the powers of the Guardian. There is no authority anywhere in the Bahá'í Writings for the Hands to exercise control over the Faith. There is no authority anywhere in the Bahá'í Writings for any follower of Bahá'u'lláh to obey the Hands. Yet the vast majority of the believers did follow the Hands.
Most of the followers of Bahá'u'lláh, including the Hands, believed that the Guardian must be succeeded by the first-born of his lineal descendents. There is no question that the Will and Testament makes explicit reference to this. However, it is important to understand that the Master provided for appointment of the next Guardian. If not, the next Guardian would automatically be the first-born child. The Will and Testament sets forth the procedure whereby the guardianship is to be continued into the future:
O ye beloved of the Lord! It is incumbent upon the Guardian of the Cause of God to appoint in his own life-time him that shall become his successor, that differences may not arise after his passing. He that is appointed must manifest in himself detachment from all worldly things, must be the essence of purity, must show in himself the fear of God, knowledge, wisdom and learning. Thus, should the first-born of the Guardian of the Cause of God not manifest in himself the truth of the words:--"The child is the secret essence of its sire," that is, should he not inherit of the spiritual within him (the Guardian of the Cause of God) and his glorious lineage not be matched with a goodly character, then must he, (the Guardian of the Cause of God) choose another branch to succeed him
In this passage, the Master provides for the Guardian to appoint his successor during his lifetime and states, that while it is clear that his eldest son is the preferred choice, the Guardian must ensure that the one appointed to the future office possess spiritual qualities, and knowledge, wisdom and learning. If not, the Guardian is to choose another "branch." In the Bahá'í Writings, there are numerous references to the "Branches" (meaning the male descendants of Bahá'u'lláh). In all such references to the Holy Family, including in the Will and Testament, the word "Branch" was translated into English with an upper case "B" (although in the original Persian language, there are no upper case or lower case letters). Shoghi Effendi translated the Will and Testament into English, and he chose to translate the word in the above passage with a lower case "b". This means that, although it is preferable for the Guardian to appoint his lineal descendants, the Master recognized that this might not be possible. This is especially so when one considers the history of the Holy Family in which almost all of the Family rebelled against the appointed Center. This means that the Guardian has the power and discretion, if necessary, to appoint some other person as the Guardian. It is interesting to note that if the Guardianship really had been limited to the male descendants of Baha’u’llah, then even Shoghi Effendi did not qualify since he was a maternal descendant of Baha’u’llah (having been born to Baha’u’llah’s grand-daughter)
It is now historical fact that Shoghi Effendi had no children and that the other members of the Holy Family all had rebelled against the Guardian. Yet, it was "incumbent" upon Shoghi Effendi to appoint his successor during his lifetime. Otherwise, Shoghi Effendi would have been in disobedience to a central requirement of the Will and Testament and also the twin institutions could not function in harmony as Shoghi Effendi had earlier explained how they must do so.
The Hands of the Cause of God controlled the affairs of the Bahá'í Faith from the passing of the Guardian in 1957 until the election of the "Universal House of Justice" in 1963. The Hands ultimately recognized that they had no right to exercise authority and therefore decided that the Bahá'í world must elect the "Universal House of Justice" even though they believed that there could be no Guardian as the head of this institution.
The question that must arise, however, is whether Shoghi Effendi did in fact appoint his successor during his lifetime? If he did not, then Shoghi Effendi disobeyed the Master's clear injunction that he must do so. The only way to conclusively answer this question is to review the letters and writings of Shoghi Effendi.
On January 9, 1951, Shoghi
Effendi sent a cablegram to the Bahá'í world. The cablegram begins
with the word "proclaim." This is the only message Shoghi Effendi
sent to the Bahá'í world that he identified as a proclamation. The
cablegram, which is published in Messages to the Bahá'í World, states in
its entirety as follows:
Proclaim National Assemblies
of East and West weighty epoch-making decision of formation of first International
Bahá'í Council, forerunner of supreme administrative institution destined
to emerge in fullness of time within precincts beneath shadow of World
Spiritual Center of Faith already established in twin cities of 'Akká and
Haifa. Fulfillment of prophecies uttered by Founder of Faith and
Center of His Covenant culminating in establishment of Jewish State, signalizing
birth after lapse of two thousand years of an independent nation in the
Holy Land, the swift unfoldment of historic undertaking associated with
construction of superstructure of the Báb's Sepulcher on Mount Carmel,
the present adequate maturity of nine vigorously functioning national administrative
institutions throughout Bahá'í World, combine to induce me to arrive atthis historic decision marking
most significant milestone in evolution of Administrative Order of the
Faith of Bahá'u'lláh in course of last thirty years. Nascent Institution
now created is invested with threefold function: first, to forge
link with authorities of newly emerged State; second, to assist me to discharge
responsibilities involved in erection of mighty superstructure of the Báb's
Holy Shrine; third, to conduct negotiations related to matters of personal
status with civil authorities. To these will be added further functions
in course of evolution of this first embryonic International Institution,
marking its development into officially recognized Bahá'í Court, its transformation
into duly elected body, its efflorescence into Universal House of Justice,
and its final fruition through erection of manifold auxiliary institutions
constituting the World Administrative Center destined to arise and function
and remain permanently established in close neighborhood of Twin Holy Shrines.
Hail with thankful, joyous heart at long last the constitution of International
Council which history will acclaim as the greatest event shedding luster
upon second epoch of Formative Age of Bahá'í Dispensation potentially unsurpassed
by any enterprise undertaken since inception of Administrative Order of
Faith on morrow of `Abdu´l-Bahá's Ascension, ranking second only to glorious
immortal events associated with Ministries of the Three Central Figures
of Faith in course of First Age of most glorious Dispensation of the five
thousand century Bahá'í Cycle. Advise publicize announcement throughPublic Relations Committee.
--Shoghi
Those familiar with the writings of Shoghi Effendi know that he wrote very deliberately. He rarely wasted any words, but chose his words carefully to communicate exactly what he meant to say.
Pay attention to the words of this cablegram. He proclaims the establishment of the Bahá'í International Bahá'í Council ("IBC") calling it a "weighty epoch-making decision" and an "historic decision marking most significant milestone in evolution of Administrative Order of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh in course of last thirty years" (In other words, this is the most important thing to happen since Shoghi Effendi took office as the Guardian upon the passing of `Abdu´l-Bahá), He says that the IBC is the "forerunner of the supreme administrative institution," and a "nascent" and embryonic institution." He hails its formation with a "thankful" and "joyous heart" stating that "history will acclaim" its formation as "the greatest event shedding luster upon the second epoch of Formative Age of Bahá'í Dispensation potentially unsurpassed by any enterprise undertaken since the inception of Administrative Order." Shoghi Effendi goes on to say that its formation ranks "second only to glorious immortal events associated with Ministries" of the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu´l-Bahá!
Shoghi Effendi explains that the IBC is to evolve in four stages. The first stage was embryonic (at the time of the cablegram). Next, it was to evolve into an officially recognized world court. The third stage was its transformation into an elected body, and the final stage was its efflorescence into the Universal House of Justice. In other words, Shoghi Effendi had proclaimed the establishment of an embryonic Universal House of Justice.
In reading this proclamation, the central question that comes to mind is: what happened to this glorious institution? It is important for the proper understanding of this development to read the Guardian's later cables and to understand what happened to the IBC after its formation.
On March 2, 1951, Shoghi
Effendi sent a cablegram announcing that (Charles) Mason Remey was its
president and Amelia Collins was its vice-president. On April 25,
1951, the Guardian sent a cablegram that stated in part:
Process of the unfoldment of the ever-advancing Administrative Order accelerated by the formation of the International Bahá'í Council designed to assist in the erection of the superstructure of the Báb's Sepulcher, cement ties uniting the budding World Administrative Center with the recently established state, and pave the way for the formation of the Bahá'í Court, essential prelude to the institution of the Universal House of Justice.
In this cable, the Guardian was explaining that the IBC was to establish ties with the new State of Israel so that it could become a recognized Bahá'í Court which he said was an "essential prelude" to the IBC transforming into the Universal House of Justice.
On December 24, 1951, the Guardian sent another cable in which he appointed the first contingent of the Hands of the Cause. He said that this step was being taken in conjunction with six other vital steps in establishing the institutions of the Will and Testament: 1) construction of superstructure of the Báb's Sepulcher; 2) "creation of International Bahá'í Council in precincts Holy Shrine, forerunner of International House of Justice, supreme legislative organ of nascent, divinely-conceived, world-encircling Bahá'í Administrative Order;" 3) acquisition, restoration and embellishment of historic sites associated with incarceration of Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu´l-Bahá;. 4) initiation of formal negotiation with central municipal authorities of Israel to preserve neighborhood of Most Holy Tomb on outskirts of 'Akká, and to acquire properties in vicinity of Báb's Sepulcher for future sites of "auxiliary agencies revolving around twin institutions of Guardianship and House of Justice;" 5) preparation of design of future Mashriqu'l-Adhkar on Mount Carmel; and 6) convocation of four international conferences ("precursor final step summoning assemblage representative communities all sovereign states, chief dependencies, islands, entire planet"). Shoghi Effendi said the establishment of the Hands was made in conformity with provisions of the Master's Testament and that it paralleled formation of "International Council destined to culminate in emergence of Universal House of Justice."
On March 8, 1952, the Guardian sent the following cablegram:
[Announcement of t]he enlargement of the International Bahá'í Council. Present membership now comprises: Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih, chosen liaison between me and the Council. Hands of the Cause, Mason Remey, Amelia Collins, Ugo Giachery, Leroy Ioas, President, Vice-President, member at large, Secretary-General, respectively. Jessie Revell, Ethel Revell, Lotfullah Hakim, Treasurer, Western and Eastern assistant Secretaries. [The ninth member, Sylvia Ioas, was appointed by cablegram of May 4, 1955]
Once the members of the IBC and the Hands were appointed, Shoghi Effendi had completed his primary mission of building the institutions of the Order of Bahá'u'lláh. The next step was to undertake the spread of the Faith throughout the world, as set forth in the Master's Tablets of the Divine Plan, the initial stage of which was incorporated into the Guardians 10-year Crusade beginning in 1953.
Although the Guardian's spouse, Hand of the Cause Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum, was appointed to the IBC and was designated as the liaison between the IBC and the Guardian, it is important to recognize that the IBC never was activated by the Guardian. Although the members of this first embryonic International Institution were assigned specific tasks by the Guardian, the IBC never met as a group, made no decisions, and performed no tasks as the IBC.
Since the IBC was the embryonic form of the Universal House of Justice, it only follows that the Guardian would be the sacred head of this institution. However, Shoghi Effendi appointed Mason Remey as it president. It would have been impossible for Mason Remey and the IBC to conduct business separate and apart from Shoghi Effendi. Thus, it is clear that Shoghi Effendi intended this institution to remain in embryonic form until his own passing.
In his cablegram of May 4, 1953, the Guardian set forth his plan for the 10-year World Crusade. The Guardian stated:
The International Bahá'í Council, comprising eight members, charged with assisting in the manifold activities attendant upon the rise of the World Administrative Center of the Faith, which must pave the way for the formation of a Bahá'í International Court and the eventual emergence of the Universal House of Justice, the supreme legislative body of the future Bahá'í Commonwealth, has been established, enlarged, and the functions of its members defined.....
He then announced twelve national plans as part of the 10-year crusade, one for each of the twelve existing national spiritual assemblies. Among the many goals of the Guardian's plan was "the transformation of the International Bahá'í Council into an international Bahá'í court" and "the establishment of six national Bahá'í Courts in the chief cities of the Islamic East."
Although Western believers are not familiar with the concept of religious courts, the Guardian had emphasized the importance of establishing Bahá'í courts that would be recognized by the governments of Eastern countries (which recognized the authority of other religious courts). The Guardian had planned by 1963 to have six of the National Spiritual Assemblies evolve into Bahá'í courts and to have the IBC transform into a world Bahá'í Court recognized by the State of Israel (and eventually by all of the nations of the world). Thus it can be seen that the national and local spiritual assemblies throughout the world, in the vision of Shoghi Effendi, would parallel the development of the IBC's evolution, passing through stages until they developed from recognized courts and then into local and national Houses of Justice.
Although many Bahá'ís in the world at the time were ignorant of the Guardian's plans and vision for the Order of Bahá'u'lláh, those closest to the Guardian (the Hands) were well aware of what Shoghi Effendi had done and what he intended.
After the passing of Shoghi Effendi in 1957 during the middle of the 10-year crusade, the Hands met in a secret conclave and seized control of the Faith. Although there is no provision or authority in the Will and Testament of `Abdu´l-Bahá (or anywhere else in the Writings) for the Hands to meet as a body, or to act as a collegial head of the Faith, the Hands proceeded to assume this role with only one of the Hands of the Cause objecting. The Hands simply declared themselves the head of the Faith. Hand of the Cause Mason Remey originally accepted the Hands usurpation of authority on the assurance of his fellow Hands that the IBC would be activated in order to take control of the Faith. However, as time passed, Mason Remey learned that his fellow Hands had decided to abandon the IBC and the Guardianship and instead to establish a "Universal House of Justice" without a Guardian as its head to be the central authority in the Faith.
Mason Remey quietly met with the Hands for several years to try to convince them that this was wrong. He told them that it was a violation of the Covenant for the Hands to usurp authority and control over the Faith, that they had no authority to decide on the issue of the Guardian's succession, and that they had no right or authority to destroy the nascent Universal House of Justice established by Shoghi Effendi himself and replace it with an institution of their own fashioning. He patiently explained to the Hands that the Will and Testament and the writings of Shoghi Effendi made it abundantly clear that there would be and must be a Guardian as the sacred head of the Universal House of Justice. Without the Guardian, who would accept the Huquq'llah (which the Will and Testament says should be paid through the Guardian)? Without the Guardian, who would appoint the Hands of the Cause? Without the Guardian, who would define the legislative sphere of the Universal House of Justice and who would have the authority to expel its members? Without the Guardian, did not Shoghi Effendi warn us, would not the Faith be mutilated? Mason Remey came to realize that the Hands had already made up their minds and had a secret plan to establish the "House of Justice" and have it proclaim that no Guardian has been or could be appointed. The Hands already had decided that Shoghi Effendi could not have appointed a Guardian because he had no children.
The Hands made this unauthorized decision even though they knew that Shoghi Effendi had anticipated future Guardians. Even in the later years when Shoghi Effendi knew that he had no children, he had laid out plans for the building on Mount Carmel to house the office of the Guardian, and even less than 10 years before his death, he anticipated future Guardians. In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, November 25, 1948 (published in Bahá'í News, No. 232, p. 8, June, 1950, and Lights of Guidance p. 231-232, it states:
He feels that if...ponders more deeply about the fundamentals of Divine Revelation, she will come to understand the Guardianship. Once the mind and heart have grasped the fact that God guides men through a Mouthpiece, a human being, a Prophet, infallible and unerring, it is only a logical projection of this acceptance to also accept the station of `Abdu´l-Bahá and the Guardians. The Guardians are the evidence of the maturity of mankind in the sense that at long last men have progressed to the point of having one world management for human affairs. In the spiritual realm, they have also reached the point where God could leave, in human hands (i.e. the Guardians'), guided directly by the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh, as the Master states in His Will, the affairs of His Faith for this Dispensation. This is what is meant by 'this is the day which will not be followed by night'. In this Dispensation, divine guidance flows on to us in this world after the Prophet's ascension, through, first the Master, and then the Guardians. If a person can accept Bahá'u'lláh's function, it should not present any difficulty to them to also accept what He has ordained in a divinely guided individual in matters pertaining to the Faith.
In the Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh, Shoghi Effendi also made clear references to future Guardians.
Finally in 1960, after exhausting every effort to convince the Hands not to create a headless "House of Justice" instead of the IBC, Mason Remey published a proclamation to the national spiritual assemblies of the Bahá'í world. He announced that, by virtue of his appointment as the head of the International Bahá'í Council (the embryonic Universal House of Justice), Shoghi Effendi had complied with the Master's requirement that he appoint his successor during his lifetime. Mason Remey announced that he was the Second Guardian of the Cause, appointed by Shoghi Effendi as the sacred head of the Universal House of Justice. Mason Remey denounced the plan of the Hands to establish their own headless version, he pronounced that the Hands were covenant-breakers, and called upon the followers of Bahá'u'lláh to accept the authority of the Guardian and the IBC.
The Hands expelled Mason Remey on the basis that he was a covenant-breaker. Of course, at the time of his so-called expulsion, the Hands were the self-appointed heads of the Faith and had no authority whatsoever to expel him, nor was there any basis for them to insist that he follow them. As for the Bahá'í world, only the national spiritual assemblies of the world received Remey's proclamation but they refused to publish it to the faithful believers of the world. To this day, most Bahá'ís have never been given the opportunity to read or consider Mason Remey's proclamation.
Only the National Spiritual Assembly of France accepted Mason Remey as the Second Guardian. The Hands quickly acted to expel them and replace the French NSA, although there exists no authority whatsoever in the Bahá'í Writings for the Hands to take any administrative actions at all.
At the present time, the so-called "Universal House of Justice" sits on Mount Carmel, without a Guardian. The institution of the Guardianship has been abandoned by most of the Bahá'ís. The Universal House of Justice is the sole authority in the Faith. They accept the Huquq'llah instead of the Guardian. They have replaced the institution of the Hands with one of their own making, the Continental Board of Counselors. The IBC established by Shoghi Effendi, never transformed into a Bahá'í court as envisioned by the Guardian but instead has been simply abandoned and has ceased to exist. The administration now existing on Mount Carmel is a distorted image of the vision set forth in the Master's Will and Testament and the writings of Shoghi Effendi. Almost the entire Bahá'í world has rejected the Covenant, repudiated the Will and Testament, and ignored and rejected the Guardian. They have come out of the shade of the Tree of the Covenant and now vainly attempt to establish their own man-made government in place of God's Kingdom.
The Bahá'í world has expelled the only believers who were true and firm in the Covenant. The Bahá'í world itself is constituted of covenant-breakers, yet they have the audacity to shun the true believers and label them as covenant-breaker. When the veil is lifted from some believers' eyes and they begin to question this violation of the Hands, the Bahá'í world unceremoniously expels them from the ranks. To avoid these questions, the heterodox Bahá'í world is now undergoing a systematic revision of all of the Bahá'í Writings, whereby the Texts are altered by supposedly "new" translations.
The Bahá'í world is in darkness. Yet, the fortunes of the Bahá'í Faith have been very dark in the past. The process of succession from the Báb to Bahá'u'lláh, then to the Master, and to Shoghi Effendi, and thereafter, were all marked by intense antagonism and covenant-breaking by those closest to the Center of the Covenant. The passing of Shoghi Effendi was another test of the believer's firmness in the Covenant and the great majority of the believers failed miserably. Bahá'u'lláh, `Abdu´l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi warned the Bahá'í world of great tests to come, of enemies from within and without who would seek to destroy the Faith. They warned us to be alert and vigilant and to remain firm in the Covenant.
From the Will and Testament:
And now, one of the greatest and most fundamental principles of the Cause of God is to shun and avoid entirely the Covenant-breakers, for they will utterly destroy the Cause of God, exterminate His Law and render of no account all efforts exerted in the past. O friends! It behooveth you to call to mind with tenderness the trials of His Holiness, the Exalted One, and show your fidelity to the Ever-Blest Beauty. The utmost endeavor must be exerted lest all these woes, trials and afflictions, all this pure and sacred blood that hath been shed so profusely in the Path of God, may prove to be in vain.
The Second Guardian, Mason Remey,
appointed Joel Bray Marengella (who was the chair of the French NSA at
the time of the Hand's violation, and who served as an Auxiliary Board
Member of the Hands in Europe, under Dr Herman Grossman of Germany) as
the Third Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith. Joel Bray Marengella is today
the living Guardian of the Cause of God. Those Bahá'ís who have accepted
the guardianship call themselves "Orthodox" Bahá'ís in order to distinguish
themselves from the others.
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