28 November 2023
To the Bahá’ís of the World
Dearly loved Friends,
1.
On 27 November 2021, in the middle of the still, dark
night, nearly six hundred representatives of National Spiritual Assemblies and
Regional Bahá’í Councils gathered, together with members of the Universal House
of Justice and the International Teaching Centre, as well as the staff at the
Bahá’í World Centre, to commemorate with due solemnity, in the precincts of His
Holy Shrine, the centenary of the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Throughout that night, with the turn of
the globe, Bahá’í communities worldwide also gathered in reverent devotion, in
neighbourhoods and villages, towns and cities, to pay homage to a Figure without
parallel in religious history, and in contemplation of the century of
achievement that He Himself had set in motion.
2.
This community—the people of Bahá, ardent lovers of
‘Abdu’l-Bahá—now millions strong, has today spread to some one hundred thousand
localities in 235 countries and territories. It has emerged from obscurity to occupy
its place on the world stage. It
has raised a network of thousands of institutions, from the grassroots to the
international level, uniting divers peoples in the common purpose of giving
expression to Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings for spiritual transformation and social
progress. In many a region, its
pattern of building vibrant local communities has embraced thousands—and in
some, tens of thousands—of souls.
In such settings, a new way of life is taking shape, distinguished by
its devotional character; the commitment of youth to education and service;
purposeful conversation among families, friends, and acquaintances on themes of
spiritual and social import; and collective endeavours for material and social
progress. The Sacred Writings of
the Faith have been translated into more than eight hundred languages. The raising of national and local Mashriqu’l-Adhkárs
heralds the appearance of thousands of future centres dedicated to worship and
service. The world spiritual and
administrative centre of the Faith has been established across the twin holy
cities of ‘Akká and Haifa. And
despite the community’s current, all too obvious limitations when viewed in
relation to its ideals and highest aspirations—as well as the distance
separating it from the attainment of its ultimate objective, the realization of
the oneness of humankind—its resources, its institutional capacity, its ability
to sustain systematic growth and development, its engagement with like-minded institutions,
and its involvement in and constructive influence on society stand at an
unprecedented height of historical achievement.
3.
How far has the Faith come from that moment, a century
ago, when ‘Abdu’l-Bahá departed from this world! At dawn on that woeful day, the news of
His passing spread across the city of Haifa, consuming the hearts with
grief. Thousands gathered for His
funeral: young and old, high and
low, distinguished officials and the masses—Jews and Muslims, Druze and
Christians, as well as Bahá’ís—a gathering the like of which the city had never
witnessed. In the eyes of the
world, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had been a champion of universal peace and the oneness of
humanity, a defender of the oppressed and promoter of justice. To the people of both ‘Akká and Haifa,
He was a loving father and friend, a wise counsellor and a refuge for all in
need. At His funeral they poured
out fervent expressions of love and lamentation.
4.
Naturally, however, it was the Bahá’ís who most keenly
felt His loss. He was the precious
gift bestowed by the Manifestation of God to guide and protect them, the Centre
and Pivot of Bahá’u’lláh’s peerless and all-enfolding Covenant, the perfect
Exemplar of His teachings, the unerring Interpreter of His Word, the embodiment
of every Bahá’í ideal. Over the
span of His life, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá laboured tirelessly in service to Bahá’u’lláh,
fulfilling, in its entirety, His Father’s sacred trust. He faithfully nurtured and protected the
precious seed that had been planted.
He sheltered the Cause in the cradle of its birth and, guiding its
spread in the West, established there the cradle of its administration. He set firm the footsteps of the
believers and raised up a cohort of champions and saints. With His own hands, He interred the holy
remains of the Báb in the mausoleum He raised on Mount Carmel, devotedly tended
the twin Holy Shrines, and laid the foundations of the Faith’s world
administrative centre. He safeguarded
the Faith from its avowed enemies, internal and external. He revealed the precious Charter for
sharing Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings with all peoples across the globe, as well as
the Charter that called into being and set in motion the processes of the
Administrative Order. His life
spanned the entire period of the Heroic Age inaugurated by the declaration of
the Báb; His ascension ushered in a new Age whose features were as yet unknown
to the believers. What was to
befall His loved ones? Without Him,
without His continual guidance, the future seemed uncertain and bleak.
5.
Devastated by the news of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s passing, His
grandson Shoghi Effendi hastened from his studies in England to the Holy Land,
where he received a second stunning blow.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá had appointed him as the Guardian and Head of the Faith,
entrusting the Bahá’í world to his care.
In grief and agony, but sustained by the unfailing solicitude of
Bahá’u’lláh’s beloved daughter Bahíyyih Khánum, Shoghi Effendi donned
the heavy mantle of his office and began to assess the conditions and prospects
of the fledgling community.
6.
The
announcement of Shoghi Effendi’s appointment as the Guardian was received with
relief, gratitude, and declarations of fealty by the body of the
believers. The anguish of their
separation from the Master was assuaged by the assurances in His Will and
Testament that He had not left them alone. A disloyal few, however, challenged
‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s chosen heir and, motivated by their own ambitions and ego, rose
against him. Their betrayal at that
critical moment of transition was compounded by the fresh machinations of the
avowed opponents of the Master.
Yet, although hard-pressed by such heartache and trials, and in the face
of other formidable obstacles, Shoghi Effendi began to mobilize the members of
the widely scattered Bahá’í communities to begin the monumental task of laying
the foundations of the Administrative Order. Individuals previously galvanized by the
unique personality of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gradually began to coordinate their efforts
in a common enterprise under the patient yet resolute guidance of the Guardian.
7.
As the Bahá’ís began to take on their new
responsibilities, Shoghi Effendi impressed upon them how rudimentary was their
grasp, as yet, of the sacred Revelation in their possession and how daunting
the challenges before them. “How
vast is the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh!
How great the magnitude of His blessings showered upon humanity in this
day!” he wrote. “And yet, how poor,
how inadequate our conception of their significance and glory! This generation stands too close to so
colossal a Revelation to appreciate, in their full measure, the infinite
possibilities of His Faith, the unprecedented character of His Cause, and the
mysterious dispensations of His Providence.” “The contents of the Will of the Master
are far too much for the present generation to comprehend”, his secretary wrote
on his behalf. “It needs at least a
century of actual working before the treasures of wisdom hidden in it can be
revealed.” To comprehend the nature
and dimensions of Bahá’u’lláh’s vision of a new World Order, he explained, “We
must trust to time, and the guidance of God’s Universal House of Justice, to
obtain a clearer and fuller understanding of its provisions and implications.”
8.
The present moment, following, as it does, the
completion of a full century of “actual working”, offers a propitious vantage
point from which to garner new insights.
And so we have chosen the occasion of this anniversary to pause to
reflect with you on the wisdom enshrined in the provisions of the Will and
Testament, to trace the course of the Faith’s unfoldment and observe the
coherence of the stages of its organic development, to discern the
possibilities inherent in the processes driving its progress, and to appreciate
its promise for the decades ahead as its power to reshape society is
increasingly made manifest in the world through the growing impact of
Bahá’u’lláh’s stupendous Revelation.
Translating what is written into reality and action
9. Bahá’u’lláh’s
purpose is to usher in a new stage in human development—the organic and
spiritual unity of the peoples and nations of the world—signalizing thereby the
coming of age of the human race and characterized, in the fullness of time, by
the emergence of a world civilization and culture. To this end, He revealed His teachings
for the inner and outer transformation of human life. “Every verse which this Pen hath
revealed is a bright and shining portal that discloseth the glories of a
saintly and pious life, of pure and stainless deeds”, He stated. And in countless Tablets He, the Divine
Physician, diagnosed the ills afflicting humanity and set forth His healing
remedy for “the elevation, the advancement, the education, the protection and
the regeneration of the peoples of the earth”. Bahá’u’lláh explained that “The summons
and the message which We gave were never intended to reach or to benefit one
land or one people only.” “It is incumbent upon every man of
insight and understanding”, He wrote, “to strive to translate that which hath
been written into reality and action….
Blessed and happy is he that ariseth to promote the best interests of
the peoples and kindreds of the earth.”
10. The task of
building a mature, peaceful, just, and united world is a vast undertaking in
which every people and nation must be able to participate. The Bahá’í community welcomes all to join
in this endeavour as protagonists in a spiritual enterprise that can overcome
the forces of disintegration eroding the old social order and give tangible
form to an integrative process that will lead to the unfoldment of a new order
in its stead. The Formative Age is
that critical period in the Faith’s development in which the friends
increasingly come to appreciate the mission with which Bahá’u’lláh has
entrusted them, deepen their understanding of the meaning and implications of
His revealed Word, and systematically cultivate capacity—their own and that of
others—in order to put into practice His teachings for the betterment of the
world.
11. From the
beginning of his ministry, Shoghi Effendi guided the Bahá’ís in their efforts
to gain a deeper understanding of their mission, which would define their
identity and purpose. He explicated
for them the meaning of the coming of Bahá’u’lláh, His vision for humanity, the
history of the Cause, the processes reshaping society, and the part the Bahá’ís
must play in contributing to the advancement of humankind. He outlined the nature of the
development of the Bahá’í community so the friends would appreciate that it
would undergo many transformations, often unexpected, over decades and
centuries. He also described the
dialectic of crisis and victory, preparing them for the tortuous path they must
traverse. He called upon the
Bahá’ís to refine their characters and hone their minds to meet the challenges
of building a new world. He urged
them not to despair when encountering the problems of a nascent and rapidly
evolving community or the privations and the deteriorating milieu of a
tumultuous age, reminding them that the full expression of the promises of
Bahá’u’lláh lay in the future. He
explained that the Bahá’ís were to be as a leaven—a permeating and vivifying
influence—that could inspire others to arise and overcome entrenched patterns
of divisiveness, conflict, and contest for power, so that the highest
aspirations of humanity could ultimately be achieved.
12. While
consolidating these broad areas of understanding, the Guardian also guided the
believers, step by step, to learn how to effectively establish the structural
basis of the Administrative Order and systematically share Bahá’u’lláh’s
teachings with others. He patiently
directed their efforts by gradually clarifying the nature, principles, and
procedures which characterize that Order, while raising their capacity for
teaching the Faith, individually and collectively. On each vital matter, he would provide
direction and the believers would consult and strive to apply his guidance,
sharing their experiences with him and raising questions when they faced
perplexing problems and difficulties.
Then, taking into consideration the accumulating experience, the
Guardian would offer additional guidance and elaborate the concepts and
principles that would enable the friends to adjust their action as needed,
until their efforts proved effective and could be applied more broadly. In their response to his guidance, the
friends demonstrated an unwavering faith in the truth of the revealed Word, an
unfaltering trust in his vision and infallible wisdom, and an unshakeable
resolve to transform the various aspects of their lives according to the
pattern set out in the Teachings.
In this way, a capacity for learning how to apply the Teachings was
gradually cultivated within the community.
The efficacy of this approach was demonstrated
most vividly at the climax of his ministry, when the Bahá’í world combined its forces
for the unprecedented achievements of the Ten Year Spiritual Crusade.
13. The efforts of
Shoghi Effendi to set the believers on a path of learning were further
extended, after his passing, under the direction of the Universal House of
Justice. By the final years of the
first century of the Formative Age, the essential aspects of a process of
learning that was in a fledgling state at the beginning of that century were
consciously grasped and systematically implemented by Bahá’ís worldwide across
the full range of their endeavours.
14. Today the Bahá’í
community is distinguished by a mode of operation characterized by study,
consultation, action, and reflection.
It is steadily increasing its capacity to apply the Teachings in a
variety of social spaces and to collaborate with those in the wider society who
share a yearning to revitalize the material and spiritual foundations of the
social order. In the transformative
alembic of these spaces, to the extent possible, individuals and communities
become protagonists of their own development, an embrace of the oneness of
humanity banishes prejudice and otherness, the spiritual dimension of human
life is fostered through adherence to principle and strengthening of the
community’s devotional character, and the capacity for learning is developed
and directed towards personal and social transformation. The effort to understand the
implications of what Bahá’u’lláh has revealed and to apply His healing remedy
has now become more explicit, more deliberate, and an indelible part of Bahá’í
culture. The conscious grasp of the
process of learning and its extension worldwide, from the grassroots to the
international arena, are among the finest fruits of the first century of the
Formative Age. This process will
increasingly inform the work of every institution, community, and individual in
the years ahead, as the Bahá’í world takes on ever-greater challenges and
releases in ever-greater measures the Faith’s society-building power.
15. In his efforts
to assist the friends in their understanding of the development of the Faith
and their associated responsibilities, Shoghi Effendi referred to “the triple
impulse generated through the revelation of the Tablet of Carmel by Bahá’u’lláh
and the Will and Testament as well as the Tablets of the Divine Plan bequeathed
by the Centre of His Covenant—the three Charters which have set in motion three
distinct processes, the first operating in the Holy Land for the development of
the institutions of the Faith at its World Centre and the other two, throughout
the rest of the Bahá’í world, for its propagation and the establishment of its
Administrative Order”. The processes associated with each of
these Divine Charters are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. The Administrative Order is the chief
instrument for the prosecution of the Divine Plan, while the Plan is the most
potent agency for the development of the Faith’s administrative structure. Advances at the World Centre, the heart
and nerve centre of the administration, exert a pronounced influence on the
body of the worldwide community and are in turn affected by its vitality. The Bahá’í world constantly evolves and
develops organically as individuals, communities, and institutions strive to
translate into reality the truths of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation. Now, at the end of the first century of
the Formative Age, the Bahá’í world is able to apprehend more fully the
implications inherent in these immortal Charters for the development of the
Faith. And because it has increased
its understanding of the process in which it is engaged, it can better
appreciate its own experience over the past century and can act more
effectively to achieve Bahá’u’lláh’s intended purpose for humanity in the
decades and centuries that lie ahead.
The perpetuation of the Covenant
16. To preserve the unity of His Faith, maintain the
integrity and flexibility of His teachings, and guarantee the progress of all
humanity, Bahá’u’lláh established a Covenant with His followers that is unique
in the annals of religious history for its authority and its explicit and
comprehensive nature. In
His Most Holy Book and in the Book of His Covenant, as well as in other
Tablets, Bahá’u’lláh instructed that after His passing the friends should turn
to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Centre of that Covenant, to guide the affairs of the
Faith. In His Will and Testament,
‘Abdu’l-Bahá perpetuated the Covenant by laying down the provisions for the
Administrative Order ordained in Bahá’u’lláh’s Writings, thereby ensuring the
continuation of authority and leadership through the twin institutions of the
Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice, as well as a sound
relationship between individuals and institutions within the Faith.
17. History has
amply demonstrated that religion can serve either as a powerful instrument for
cooperation to propel the advancement of civilization, or as a source of
conflict that yields incalculable harm.
The unifying and civilizing power of religion begins to decline as the
followers come to disagree on the meaning and application of the divine
teachings, and the community of the faithful eventually becomes divided into
contending sects and denominations.
The purpose of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation is to establish the oneness of
humanity and unite all peoples, and this last and highest stage in the
evolution of society cannot be achieved if the Bahá’í Faith succumbs to the
malady of sectarianism and the dilution of the divine Message witnessed in the
past. If Bahá’ís “cannot unite
around one point”, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá observes, “how will they be able to bring about
the unity of mankind?” And He
affirms: “Today the dynamic power
of the world of existence is the power of the Covenant which like unto an
artery pulsateth in the body of the contingent world and protecteth Bahá’í
unity.”
18. Foremost among
the achievements of the past century is the victory of the Covenant, which both protected the Faith from
division and propelled it to embrace and contribute to the empowerment of all
peoples and nations. Bahá’u’lláh’s
penetrating question that lies at the heart of religion—“Where shalt thou
secure the cord of thy faith and fasten the tie of thine obedience?”—takes on a new and vital significance
for those who recognize Him as the Manifestation of God for this Day. It is a call for firmness in the
Covenant. The response of the
Bahá’í community has been unyielding adherence to the provisions of
‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Will and Testament. Unlike relationships of worldly power in which a sovereign entity
compels obedience, the relationship between the Manifestation of God and
the believers, and between the authority designated by the Covenant and the
community, is governed by conscious knowledge and love. In recognizing Bahá’u’lláh, a believer
enters voluntarily into His Covenant as an act of free conscience and, out of
love for Him, remains steadfast in adherence to its requirements. At the close of the first century of the
Formative Age, the Bahá’í world has come to more fully understand and act upon
the provisions of Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant, and a distinctive set of
relationships has been established among the believers that unify and direct
their energies in pursuit of their sacred mission. This achievement, like so many others,
was the fruit of crises overcome.
19. The existence of the Covenant does not
mean that no one will ever attempt to divide the Faith, cause damage to it, or
retard its progress. But it does
guarantee that every such attempt is foredoomed to fail. Following the passing of Bahá’u’lláh,
some ambitious individuals, including the brothers of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, tried to
usurp the authority granted to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá by Bahá’u’lláh and sowed seeds of
doubt within the community, testing and at times misleading those who
wavered. Shoghi Effendi, during his
own ministry, was attacked not only by those who had broken the Covenant and
opposed ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, but also by some within the community who rejected the
validity of the Administrative Order and questioned the authority of the
Guardianship. Years later, when
Shoghi Effendi passed away, a new attack upon the Covenant emerged when one
profoundly misguided individual, despite having served for many years as a Hand
of the Cause of God, made an unfounded and futile attempt to claim the
Guardianship for himself, in spite of the clear conditions set forth in the
Will and Testament. After the election of the Universal House of Justice, it
too became a target of the active opponents of the Cause. In more recent decades, a few from
within the community, presenting themselves as more knowledgeable than others,
fruitlessly sought to reinterpret the Bahá’í teachings pertaining to the
provisions of the Covenant in order to cast doubt on the authority of the House
of Justice and to claim certain prerogatives, in the absence of a living
Guardian, that would enable them to drive the affairs of the Faith in a
direction of their own choosing.
20. Over a century,
then, the Covenant established by Bahá’u’lláh and perpetuated by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
was attacked in various ways by internal and external opponents, but ultimately
to no avail. While, each time, some
individuals were misled or became disaffected, the attacks failed to divert or
redefine the Cause or to make a permanent breach in the community. In each instance, by turning to the
designated centre of authority at the time—‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Guardian, or the
Universal House of Justice—questions were answered and problems resolved. As the body of believers grew in its
understanding of and firmness in the Covenant, it learned to become impervious
to the types of attacks and misrepresentations that, in an earlier era, had
threatened the Faith’s very existence and purpose. The integrity of the Cause of
Bahá’u’lláh remains ever secure.
21. Every generation
of Bahá’ís, however great their spiritual perception, will inevitably have a
circumscribed comprehension of the full implications of Bahá’u’lláh’s
teachings, owing to the limitations of their own historical circumstances and
the particular stage of the Faith’s organic development. In the Heroic Age of the Faith, for
example, the believers had to navigate what they surely experienced at times as
a bewildering and revolutionary series of transitions from the Dispensation of
the Báb to that of Bahá’u’lláh, and then to the ministry of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá—all of
which, with hindsight and the illumination provided by Shoghi Effendi, are now
easily comprehended as sequential acts in a single, divinely unfolding drama. So too, today, after the tireless
labours of the community over a full century, the first of the Formative Age,
it is possible to grasp more completely the significance, purpose, and
inviolability of the Covenant—that priceless bequest of Bahá’u’lláh to His
followers. The hard-won understanding
of the nature of the Covenant and the firmness that such insight engenders and
sustains will continue to be essential for unity and progress over the course
of the Dispensation.
22. It is now
evident and firmly established that Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant provides for two
authoritative centres. The first is
the Book: the Revelation of
Bahá’u’lláh, along with the body of works of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi
that constitute authoritative interpretation and explication of the Creative
Word. With the passing of Shoghi
Effendi, more than a century of the extension of that authoritative centre came
to a close. Yet the existence of
the Book ensures that the Revelation is available to every believer, indeed to
all humanity, unadulterated by human misinterpretations or accretions.
23. The second
authoritative centre is the Universal House of Justice, which, as the Sacred
Writings affirm, is under the care and unerring guidance of Bahá’u’lláh and the
Báb. “Let it not be imagined that
the House of Justice will take any decision according to its own concepts and
opinions”, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá explains.
“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”. “God will verily inspire them with
whatsoever He willeth,” Bahá’u’lláh proclaims. “They, and not the body of those who
either directly or indirectly elect them,” Shoghi Effendi states, “have thus
been made the recipients of the divine guidance which is at once the life-blood
and ultimate safeguard of this Revelation.”
24. The powers and duties with which the
House of Justice has been invested encompass all that is necessary to ensure
the fulfilment of Bahá’u’lláh’s purpose for humanity. For more than a half century, the Bahá’í
world has witnessed first-hand their range and expression, including the
promulgation of the Law of God, the conservation and dissemination of the
Bahá’í Sacred Writings, the raising of the Administrative Order and the
creation of new institutions, the design of successive stages in the unfoldment
of the Divine Plan, and the protection of the Faith and safeguarding of its
unity, as well as efforts conducive to the preservation of human honour, the
progress of the world, and the illumination of its peoples. The elucidations of the House of Justice
resolve all difficult problems, questions that are obscure, problems that have
caused difference, and matters not expressly recorded in the Book. The House of Justice will provide
guidance throughout the Dispensation according to the exigencies of the time, thus
ensuring that the Cause, even as a living organism, is able to adapt to the
needs and requirements of an ever-changing society. And it guarantees that no one can alter
the nature of Bahá’u’lláh’s message or change the essential characteristics of
the Cause.
25. In the
Kitáb-i-Íqán, Bahá’u’lláh asks, “What ‘oppression’ is more grievous than that a
soul seeking the truth, and wishing to attain unto the knowledge of God, should
know not where to go for it and from whom to seek it?” A world largely oblivious to the light
of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation finds itself increasingly divided and disoriented
on matters of truth, morality, identity, and purpose, and bewildered by the
accelerating and corrosive effect of the forces of disintegration. For the Bahá’í community, however, the
Covenant offers a source of clarity and refuge, of freedom and strength. Every believer is free to explore the
ocean of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation, to come to personal conclusions, to humbly
share insights with others, and to strive to apply the Teachings day by
day. Collective endeavour is
harmonized and focused through consultation and the guidance of the
institutions, transforming bonds between individuals, within families, and
among communities, and fostering social progress.
26. Out of love for
Bahá’u’lláh and reassured by His explicit instructions, individuals,
communities, and institutions find in the two authoritative centres of the
Covenant the necessary guidance for the unfoldment of the Faith and the
preservation of the integrity of the Teachings. In this way, the Covenant protects and
preserves the process of dialogue and learning about the meaning of the
Revelation and the implementation of its prescriptions for humankind over the
course of the Dispensation, avoiding the detrimental effects of endless
contention about meaning and practice.
As a result, the balanced relationships among individuals, communities,
and institutions are safeguarded and develop along their proper path, while all
are enabled to attain to their full potential and exercise their agency and
prerogatives. Thus, the Bahá’í
community can unitedly advance and increasingly fulfil its vital purpose by
investigating reality and generating knowledge, extending the reach of its
endeavours, and contributing to the advancement of civilization. After more than a century, the truth of
‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s affirmation is ever more evident: “the axis of the oneness of the world of
humanity is the power of the Covenant and nothing else”.
The unfoldment of the Administrative Order
27. Beyond its
perpetuation of the Covenant, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Will and Testament laid the
foundation for another of the most significant achievements of the first
century of the Formative Age: the
emergence and development of the Administrative Order, the child of the
Covenant. In a single century, the
administration, which began with a focus on the establishment of elected
institutions, grew in breadth and complexity, unfolding throughout the world
until it linked all peoples, countries, and regions. The Writings of Bahá’u’lláh and
‘Abdu’l-Bahá that called these institutions into being also provide the vision
and spiritual mandate for these institutions to assist humanity in constructing
a just and peaceful world.
28. Through the
Administrative Order of His Faith, Bahá’u’lláh has associated individuals,
communities, and institutions as protagonists in a system without
precedent. In keeping with the
needs of an age of human maturity, He abrogated the historical practice whereby
ecclesiastics held the reins of religious authority, instructing the community
of the faithful and directing its affairs.
In order to prevent the contest of competing ideologies, He set out the
means for cooperation in the search for truth and the pursuit of human
well-being. In place of the quest
for power over others, He introduced arrangements that would cultivate the
individual’s latent powers and their expression in service to the common good. Trustworthiness, truthfulness, rectitude
of conduct, forbearance, love, and unity are among the spiritual qualities that
form the basis of association between the three protagonists of a new way of
life, while efforts for social advancement are all shaped by Bahá’u’lláh’s
vision of the oneness of humanity.
29. At the time of
‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s passing, the institutions of the Faith consisted of a small
number of local Assemblies functioning in disparate ways. Only a handful of agencies operated
beyond a local level, and there were no National Spiritual Assemblies. Bahá’u’lláh had appointed four Hands of
the Cause in Iran, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá directed their activities for the progress
and protection of the Faith, but He did not add to their number beyond four
posthumous appointments. Thus, up
to that point, the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh, abundant in spirit and potential, had
yet to form the administrative machinery that would enable it to systematize
its efforts.
30. In the first
months of his ministry, Shoghi Effendi considered establishing the House of
Justice immediately. Yet, after
reviewing the state of the Faith worldwide, he quickly concluded that the
conditions required for the formation of the House of Justice were not yet in
place. Instead, he encouraged the
Bahá’ís everywhere to concentrate their energies on raising Local and National
Spiritual Assemblies. “The National
Spiritual Assemblies, like unto pillars, will be gradually and firmly
established in every country on the strong and fortified foundations of the
Local Assemblies”, he stated. “On
these pillars, the mighty edifice, the Universal House of Justice, will be
erected, raising high its noble frame above the world of existence.”
31. In helping the friends to understand
their work to lay the foundations of their community, Shoghi Effendi emphasized
that the Administrative Order was not an end in itself, but an instrument to
canalize the spirit of the Faith.
He highlighted its organic character, explaining that Bahá’í
administration “is only the first shaping of what in future will come to be the
social life and laws of community living” and that “the believers are only just
beginning to grasp and practice it properly”. He also explained that the
Administrative Order was the “nucleus and pattern” of what would eventually
become a new order for organizing the affairs of humanity envisioned by
Bahá’u’lláh. And thus, as the
friends began to raise the administration, they could appreciate that the
relationships among individuals, communities, and institutions being
established would evolve in complexity, resulting in a growth in capacity over
time as the Faith expanded and generated a new pattern of life that could
engage ever more broadly the peoples of the world.
32. Through a steady
exchange of correspondence, Shoghi Effendi guided the friends step by step in
their efforts to learn to apply the teachings pertaining to the administration,
and to deepen their understanding of its purpose, its necessity, its methods, its
form, its principles, its flexibility, and the manner of its operation, while
confirming for them the explicit basis for such matters in the Bahá’í
Writings. He assisted them in
developing the process of Bahá’í elections, establishing and administering the
Bahá’í Fund, arranging the National Convention, building the relationship
between the National and Local Assemblies, and a host of other matters. He dispelled the doubts and hesitancy of
those who struggled to appreciate the essential continuity between the culture
and practices of Bahá’í life during the time of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the steps that
he, as Guardian, was taking to lay the administrative foundations for the next
stage of the Faith’s development.
As the believers managed their administrative affairs, he patiently
answered their questions, resolved problems, and fostered the collective life
of the Bahá’í world community.
Gradually the friends learned to work in harmony, to uphold the
decisions of their institutions and support their progress, and to appreciate
that both understanding and capacity for action would increase over time. Local Assemblies began to operate
according to consistent procedures for elections, consultation, financial
affairs, and the conduct of community life. National Assemblies
were initially formed in the British Isles, Germany and Austria, India and
Burma, Egypt and the Sudan, the Caucasus, Turkistán, and the United States and
Canada. In keeping with the
organic nature of the Administrative Order, National Assemblies were often
established first at a regional level, encompassing more than one country, and
only later at the level of a nation or territory as the number of believers and
Local Assemblies multiplied. In
their wake, a host of different committees were constituted, appointed at both
the local and national levels, to advance collective efforts across a range of
areas including teaching, translation, publishing, education, pioneering, and
organizing Nineteen Day Feasts and Holy Days.
33. After three
decades devoted to constructing the administration at the local and national
levels, in the final years of his life Shoghi Effendi inaugurated a new stage
in the development of the Administrative Order by bringing into being
institutions at the international and continental levels. It began with the “long anticipated rise
and establishment of the World Administrative Centre of
the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh in Holy Land”. In 1951, he proclaimed the formation of
the International Bahá’í Council.
This new institution, he explained, would evolve through various stages
preparatory to its transformation and efflorescence into the Universal House of
Justice.
34. This dramatic
development was soon followed, at the end of the same year, by Shoghi Effendi’s
appointment of twelve Hands of the Cause of God, equally represented on three
continents and in the Holy Land—the first contingent of Hands of the Cause to
be raised up in conformity with the provisions of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Will and
Testament. These distinguished
individuals were appointed to advance the work of the propagation and
protection of the Faith. The
existence of an institution that plays such a vital role in furthering the
interests of the Cause, but which has no legislative, executive, or judicial
authority and is 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.
After many years of nurturing the system of elected Assemblies and their
associated agencies, Shoghi Effendi began to shape this appointed institution,
and to guide the friends to understand, welcome, and support its unique functions. The appointment, in 1952, of a second
contingent of Hands raised their number to nineteen. The Auxiliary Boards, whose members
served as deputies to the Hands in each continent, were established in
1954. Even up to the final days of
his life, the Guardian continued to expand this institution, appointing a final
contingent of Hands to raise their number to twenty-seven, and establishing an
Auxiliary Board for Protection to complement the Board for Propagation.
35. In reflecting
upon their efforts to build up the nascent form of the administration, Shoghi
Effendi had explained to the believers that much of what was instituted under
his guidance was temporary and that it was the function of the Universal House
of Justice “to lay more definitely the broad lines that must guide the future
activities and administration” of the Faith. On another occasion he wrote that “when
this Supreme Body will have been properly established, it will have to consider
afresh the whole situation, and lay down the principle which shall direct, so
long as it deems advisable, the affairs of the Cause”.
36. Following the
unexpected passing of Shoghi Effendi in November 1957, responsibility for the
affairs of the Cause fell for a brief time to the Hands of the Cause of
God. Only a month earlier they had
been designated by the Guardian as “the Chief Stewards of Bahá’u’lláh’s
embryonic World Commonwealth, who have been invested by the unerring Pen of the
Centre of His Covenant with the dual function of guarding over the security,
and of ensuring the propagation, of His Father’s Faith”. The Hands faithfully and uncompromisingly
adhered to the course laid out by the Guardian. Under their stewardship, the number of
National Assemblies was raised from twenty-six to fifty-six, and by 1961 the
steps he had described for the transition of the International Bahá’í Council
from an appointed to an elected body had been implemented, setting the stage
for the election of the Universal House of Justice in 1963.
37. The organic
unfoldment of the administration, so carefully nurtured by the Guardian, was
systematically cultivated and further extended under the direction of the House
of Justice. The subsequent span of
more than half a century witnessed a host of achievements. Among the most prominent of these, the
Constitution of the Universal House of Justice, hailed by the Guardian as the
“Most Great Law”, was adopted in 1972.
Following consultation with the Hands of the Cause, the functions of
that institution were extended into the future through the creation of the
Continental Boards of Counsellors in 1968 and the International Teaching Centre
in 1973. In
addition, for the first time, Auxiliary Board members were authorized to
appoint assistants to broaden the reach of their ministrations for propagation
and protection at the grassroots. The
number of National and Local Assemblies multiplied, and their capabilities
developed to serve the Bahá’í community and extend their influence through
engagement with the wider society.
Regional Bahá’í Councils were introduced in 1997 to help address the
growing complexity of the issues facing National Spiritual Assemblies while
maintaining the balance between centralization and decentralization in a
community’s administrative affairs.
The system of teaching committees established in the time of the
Guardian gradually gave way to structures that could take responsibility for
planning and decision making at more decentralized levels, penetrating as far
as neighbourhoods and villages.
More than three hundred training institutes, over two hundred Regional
Councils, and administrative arrangements in more than five thousand clusters
were established. At Riḍván 1992
the law of Ḥuqúqu’lláh was applied universally across the Bahá’í world and its
institutional structure subsequently consolidated through the establishment of
a network of Boards of Trustees and Representatives at the regional and
national levels, as well as, in 2005, through the appointment of an
International Board of Trustees.
Following the passing of Shoghi Effendi, the construction of Mashriqu’l-Adhkárs
in Uganda, Australia, Germany, and Panama was completed, and others were
eventually raised in Samoa, India, and Chile; in 2012, the process of
establishing Houses of Worship was extended to the national and local levels.
38. Over the
century, then, through a series of developmental stages, the relationships
among individuals, communities, and institutions have progressively evolved
into ever more complex forms, and the foundations of the administration have
been extended, its methods continually adapted, and arrangements for
collaboration clarified and continually refined. What began at the start of the first
century of the Formative Age as a network of elected bodies had become, by the
end of that century, a vast constellation of institutions and agencies
stretching from the grassroots to the international level, uniting the Bahá’í
world in thought and action within a common enterprise across a diversity of
cultural contexts and social settings.
39. Today, although
the administration has not yet reached its full maturity, the system
inaugurated by Bahá’u’lláh evinces a new pattern of interactions and a marked
dynamism in the relationships among the three protagonists as they engage in
the common purpose of working for the organic development of the Faith and the
betterment of the world. In the
company of like-minded co-workers and in the various settings of study, of
reflection, and of numerous other social interactions, individuals express
their views and seek out the truth through a process of consultation, without
insisting upon the correctness of their own ideas. Together, they read the reality of their
surroundings, explore the depths of available guidance, draw relevant insights
from the Teachings and from accumulating experience, create cooperative and
spiritually uplifting environments, build capacity, and initiate action that
grows in effectiveness and complexity over time. They attempt to differentiate those
areas of activity in which the individual can best exercise initiative from
those which fall to the institutions alone, and with heart and soul they
welcome the guidance and direction of their institutions. Across advanced clusters and within villages
and neighbourhoods that are centres of intense activity, a community emerges
with a sense of common identity, will, and purpose, providing an environment
for nurturing the capacity of individuals and uniting them in a range of
complementary and mutually reinforcing activities that welcome all and seek to
uplift everyone. Such communities
are increasingly becoming distinguished by the sense of unity among their
members, their freedom from prejudices of all kinds, their devotional
character, their commitment to the equality of women and men, their selfless
service to humanity, their educational processes and cultivation of virtue, and
their capacity to systematically learn and contribute to the material, social,
and spiritual progress of society.
Those community members called upon to serve on institutions endeavour
to be conscious of their duty to set aside their own likes and dislikes, to
never consider themselves to be the central ornaments of the Cause or superior
to others, and to eschew any attempt to exercise control over the thoughts and
actions of the believers. In
carrying out their responsibilities, the institutions facilitate creative and
collaborative exchanges among all elements of the community and strive to build
consensus, to overcome challenges, to foster spiritual health and vitality, and
to determine through experience the most efficacious ways to pursue the
community’s aims and purposes.
Through various means, including the establishment of educational
agencies, they help foster the spiritual and intellectual development of the
believers.
40. As a result of
these new relationships and capacities of the three protagonists, the circle of
those with the ability to think and act strategically has widened, while
assistance, resources, encouragement, and loving guidance are extended wherever
needed. Experience and insight are
shared throughout the world, from the grassroots to the international
level. The pattern of life created
by this dynamic engagement encompasses millions of souls from all walks of
life, animated by Bahá’u’lláh’s vision of a united world. In country after country, it has drawn
the attention of parents, educators, traditional leaders, officials, and
leaders of thought to the power of His system to address the world’s pressing
needs. Naturally, not every
community exhibits the characteristics of the most advanced; indeed, in Bahá’í
history this has ever been so.
Nevertheless, the appearance of new capacities in any one place signals
an evident advance and serves as an augury that others will surely follow in
that path.
41. In the epochs
and centuries ahead, the Administrative Order will continue its organic
evolution in response to the growth of the Faith and the exigencies of a
changing society. Shoghi Effendi
anticipated that as “its component parts, its organic institutions, begin to
function with efficiency and vigour,” the Administrative Order will “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”. Thus,
as Bahá’u’lláh’s system crystallizes, it will present humanity with new and
more productive ways of organizing its affairs. In the course of this organic evolution,
relationships among individuals, communities, and institutions will inevitably
unfold in new directions and sometimes unexpected ways. Yet, the unfailing divine protection
that encompasses the House of Justice will ensure that, as the Bahá’í world
navigates the turmoil of a most perilous period in humanity’s social evolution,
it will follow undeviatingly the course set by Providence.
The worldwide spread and development of the Faith
42. From its inception, the community raised
by Bahá’u’lláh, though small in numbers and geographically circumscribed, was
galvanized by His lofty teachings and arose to share them liberally with all
those seeking a spiritual path to personal and social transformation. In time, the friends learned to work
closely with like-minded people and organizations to uplift the human spirit
and contribute to the betterment of families, communities, and society as a
whole. Receptivity to Bahá’u’lláh’s
message was found in every land, and through devoted and sacrificial efforts
over many generations, Bahá’í communities emerged around the globe, in
far-flung cities and villages, to encompass the diversity of the human race.
43. During the
Dispensation of the Báb, the Faith was established in two countries. In the time of Bahá’u’lláh it extended
to a total of fifteen, and by the close of the ministry of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá it had
reached some thirty-five countries.
During the tumultuous years of world war, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá revealed one of
His priceless legacies, the Tablets of the Divine Plan, His grand design for
the spiritual illumination of the planet through the spread of Bahá’u’lláh’s
teachings. This precious Charter
raised a call for collective and methodical endeavour; yet by the time of the
Master’s passing, it had scarcely penetrated the thought and action of the
community, and only a few extraordinary heroes of the Faith, foremost among
them Martha Root, had arisen in response.
44. For twenty years
after the Divine Plan was revealed by the pen of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, its execution
was held in abeyance until such time as the friends, guided by Shoghi Effendi,
were able to create the administrative machinery of the Faith and foster its
proper functioning. Only when the
initial administrative structure was firmly in place could the Guardian begin
to articulate a vision of the unfoldment of the Faith based on ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s
Divine Plan. Just as the
administration evolved through distinct stages of increasing complexity, so too
did the effort to share and apply Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings evolve organically,
giving rise to new patterns of community life that could embrace ever-larger
numbers, enable the friends to take on greater challenges, and contribute to an
increased measure of personal and social transformation.
45. To begin this
systematic endeavour, Shoghi Effendi called upon the communities in the United
States and Canada—the chosen recipients of the Tablets of the Divine Plan, whom
he had designated, respectively, as its chief executors and their allies—to
devise a “systematic, carefully conceived, and well-established plan” which was
to be “vigorously pursued and continuously extended”. This call resulted in the launching of
the first Seven Year Plan in 1937, which carried the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh
to Latin America, followed by the second Seven Year Plan, beginning in 1946,
which emphasized the development of the Faith in Europe. Shoghi Effendi similarly encouraged the
teaching work in other national communities, which subsequently adopted
national plans under his watchful eye.
The National Spiritual Assembly of India and Burma adopted its first
plan in 1938; the British Isles in 1944; Persia in 1946; Australia and New Zealand
in 1947; Iraq in 1947; Canada, Egypt and Sudan, and Germany and Austria in
1948; and Central America in 1952.
Each of these plans followed the same basic pattern: teaching individuals, establishing a
Local Assembly and raising a community, and opening additional localities on
the home front or in another land—and then repeating the pattern once
more. When a sound foundation was
built in a country or territory, a new National Assembly could be raised.
46. During these
years, Shoghi Effendi constantly encouraged the friends to carry out their
responsibility to teach the Faith within the context of the plans adopted by
their National Assemblies. Over
time, methods such as pioneering, travelling teaching, fireside gatherings,
summer schools, and participation in the activities of like-minded
organizations proved to be effective in certain places, and he urged the
friends in other parts of the world to adopt them. Expansion efforts were matched by an
emphasis on the internal development necessary to consolidate the identity and
character of the Bahá’í Faith as a distinct religious community. This transformative process was
carefully cultivated by the Guardian, who expounded for the believers the
history of their Faith, facilitated the use of the Bahá’í calendar, emphasized regular participation in
Feasts and the commemoration of Holy Days, and patiently guided them
to embrace the obligation of obedience to Bahá’í laws, such as the provisions
of Bahá’í marriage. Gradually, the
Faith emerged as a world religion, taking its place among its sister religions.
47. Along with the
inauguration of international institutions, the collective endeavours of the
Faith in the teaching field moved into the arena of international
cooperation. In 1951, five national
communities collaborated in the execution of the “highly promising” and
“profoundly significant” African Campaign to extend the spread of the Faith
across that continent. And in 1953,
the Ten Year Crusade was initiated, uniting the efforts of all twelve existing
National Assemblies in one common global Plan—the first of its kind. In this crowning stage of the ministry
of the Guardian, the network of administrative bodies the friends had raised
and the proven teaching methods they had developed were employed in a
collective spiritual enterprise the like of which the Bahá’í community had
never before witnessed.
48. As the believers
travelled far and wide to share their precious Faith, they found among divers
peoples a great receptivity to its principles and teachings. These populations discovered within the
Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh a deeper meaning and purpose for their lives, as well
as fresh insights that would enable their communities to overcome challenges
and advance spiritually, socially, and materially. A divine light, initially disseminated
gradually from individual to individual, thus began to be diffused rapidly
among the masses of humanity. The
harbinger of the phenomenon of entry by troops foretold by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá became
evident in the enrolment of hundreds of believers in Uganda, the Gambia, the
Gilbert and Ellice Islands, and later, in Indonesia and Cameroon. Before that Plan drew to a close, the
process had begun in a number of other countries, with those individuals
embracing the Faith reaching into the tens of thousands or even more.
49. After the
passing of Shoghi Effendi, the Hands of the Cause ensured the successful
completion of the Ten Year Crusade by following undeviatingly the path he had
outlined. By applying the lessons
learned under the guidance of the Guardian, more was accomplished in the
teaching field over a single decade than in the previous century. The Faith spread to 131 new countries
and territories, and the number of localities where Bahá’ís resided surpassed
eleven thousand, with a total of fifty-six National Spiritual Assemblies and
more than 3,500 Local Assemblies. The
enterprise culminated in the election of the Universal House of Justice by the
members of those National Assemblies, according to the provisions set down by
‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
50. After its
establishment, the House of Justice continued the systematic prosecution of the
Divine Plan, inaugurating its second epoch by gradually broadening and
augmenting the range of activities cultivated by the Guardian, adding to or
extending various aspects of the work, and coordinating and unifying the
activities of all the National Assemblies.
Among the areas of emphasis that emerged or received increased attention
were the universal participation of individuals in service to the Cause and the
deepening of individuals’ understanding of the laws and teachings. In addition, the process of
strengthening the institutions emphasized collaboration between the newly
constituted Boards of Counsellors and the National Assemblies, as well as
between the Auxiliary Board members and Local Spiritual Assemblies. Community life was enhanced through a
focus on children’s classes, the introduction of activities for youth and women,
and the regular holding of Assembly meetings. Other initiatives included the extensive
proclamation of the Faith and its promotion through the media; the development
of centres of learning, including summer schools and teaching institutes;
greater involvement in the life of society; and the fostering of Bahá’í
scholarship.
51. As a result of
all these efforts, by the 1990s the Faith had spread to tens of thousands of
localities and the number of National Assemblies more than tripled to some
180. During this time, the
development of national communities followed two broad patterns which were
largely contingent upon the response of the wider population. In the first, local communities tended
to be small in size, and only some grew to number a hundred believers or
more. These communities were often
characterized by a strong process of consolidation that allowed for a broad
range of activities and the emergence of a strong sense of Bahá’í
identity. Yet, it increasingly
became evident that, though united in shared beliefs, characterized by high
ideals, and proficient in managing its affairs and tending to its needs, such a
small community—however much it prospered or attempted to serve others through
its humanitarian efforts—could never hope to serve as a model for restructuring
the whole of society.
52. The second
pattern took shape in those countries where the process of entry by troops
began, resulting in an exponential increase in membership, new localities, and
new institutions. In several
countries the Bahá’í community grew to comprise more than one hundred thousand
believers, while India reached some two million. Indeed, in a single two-year period in
the late 1980s, more than one million souls embraced the Faith worldwide. Yet, in such places, despite the
creative and sacrificial efforts that were made, the process of consolidation
could not keep pace with expansion.
Many became Bahá’ís, but the means did not exist for all these new
believers to become sufficiently deepened in the fundamental verities of the
Faith and for vibrant communities to develop. Classes for Bahá’í education could not
be established in numbers large enough to serve an ever-increasing number of
children and youth. Over thirty
thousand Local Assemblies were formed, but only a fraction of them began to
function. From this experience, it
became apparent that occasional educational courses and informal community
activities, though important, were not sufficient, for they resulted in raising
up only a relatively small band of active supporters of the Cause who, no
matter how dedicated, could not provide for the needs of thousands upon
thousands of new believers.
53. By 1996, the Bahá’í world had reached
the point where the many areas of activity that had previously contributed to
so much progress over so many years needed reassessment and reorientation. Individuals, communities, and
institutions needed to learn not only how to initiate a mode of action that
could reach large numbers, but also how to rapidly increase the number of
individuals who could engage in acts of service so that consolidation could
keep pace with accelerating expansion.
The effort to introduce the Faith to the many populations of the world
had to become more systematic. The
call in the Four Year Plan for a “significant advance in the process of entry
by troops” was intended to acknowledge that the circumstances of the Faith, as
well as the conditions of humanity, allowed for, and even required, sustained
growth of the Bahá’í world community on a large scale. Only then could the power of
Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings to transform the character of humankind be increasingly
realized.
54. At the outset of
the Four Year Plan, the friends in each region were encouraged to identify the
approaches and methods that applied to their specific conditions and to set in
motion a systematic process of community development in which they would review
their successes and difficulties, adjust and improve their methods accordingly,
learn, and move forward without hesitation. When the course of action was unclear, a
range of approaches to the specific challenges identified by the Plan could be
tested in different places; when an initiative in a particular area proved,
through experience, to be effective, its features could be shared with
institutions at the national or international level and then be disseminated to
other places and even become a component of future Plans.
56. In looking back
over a century of efforts to execute the provisions of the Divine Plan, it
becomes apparent that the Bahá’í world has experienced a significant advance at
the level of culture. Ever greater
numbers have become engaged in a process of consciously learning to apply the
Teachings pertaining to growth and development within a framework for action
that evolves through the experience of the friends and the guidance of the
House of Justice. The rise in
capacity for engaging in this process of learning is evident in characteristics
that are increasingly manifest in the Bahá’í community: maintaining a humble posture of
learning, whether celebrating successes or persevering in the face of obstacles
and setbacks; strengthening Bahá’í identity while preserving an orientation
welcoming to all; and acting in ever-wider spheres of endeavour while
continuing to foster an approach to the work of the Cause that is systematic
and coherent. In thousands of
clusters, growing numbers of people have come to view themselves as
protagonists in the acquisition, generation, and application of knowledge for
their own development and progress.
They are engaging in discussions as families, friends, and acquaintances
on elevated spiritual themes and matters of social import; initiating
activities that shape a pattern of life distinguished by its devotional
character; providing education for young people and increasing their capacity
for service; and contributing to the material and social progress of their communities. They are empowered to contribute to the
betterment of their local community and to the world as a whole. As they think and act in this way, they
have gained a deeper appreciation of the purpose of religion itself.
Involvement in the life of society
57. Yet another
dimension of the unfoldment of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Divine Plan is a greater
involvement of the Bahá’í community in the life of society. From the inception of his ministry,
Shoghi Effendi drew the attention of the friends again and again to the power
of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation to effect an organic change in society—a process
which would ultimately result in the emergence of a spiritual
civilization. Bahá’ís, therefore,
had to learn to apply Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings not only for personal spiritual
transformation but also for material and social change, beginning within their
own communities and then gradually extending their efforts to embrace the wider
society.
58. During the time
of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, some Bahá’í communities in Iran, along with a few others in
nearby countries, had reached a size and attained conditions that enabled them
to pursue systematic endeavours for social and economic development. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá worked tirelessly with the
friends to guide and foster their progress. For example, He encouraged the believers in Iran to establish schools
open to girls as well as boys, from all sectors of society, that would offer
training in good character as well as in the arts and sciences. He dispatched believers from the West to
assist with this development work.
To the Bahá’í villages of nearby ‘Adasíyyih and far-off Daidanaw He
offered guidance for both the spiritual and material flourishing of these
communities. He directed that
dependencies be created for education and other social services around the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár
in ‘Ishqábád. At His
encouragement, schools were founded in Egypt and the Caucasus. After His passing, Shoghi Effendi
provided guidance to expand these efforts.
Activities promoting health, literacy, and the education of women and
girls spread throughout the Iranian community. Spurred by the initial impulse that
‘Abdu’l-Bahá had provided, schools continued to be opened in cities and
villages across that country. These
schools flourished for a time, contributing to the modernization of that
nation, until 1934 when they were compelled to close by the government.
59. Elsewhere,
however, Shoghi Effendi advised the friends to concentrate their limited human
and financial resources on teaching and on raising the Administrative
Order. A letter written on his
behalf explained that “our contributions to the Faith are the surest way of
lifting once and for all time the burden of hunger and misery from mankind, for
it is only through the system of Bahá’u’lláh—Divine in origin—that the world
can be gotten on its feet”. Others
“cannot contribute to our work or do it for us”, the letter continued, “so
really our first obligation is to support our own teaching work, as this will
lead to the healing of the nations”.
While individuals found personal avenues in which they could contribute
to material and social development, generally the Bahá’ís focused their
resources on growth and on building their community. In the early years following the
election of the House of Justice, guidance continued for a time in this same
vein. Thus, although the concept of
social and economic development is enshrined in Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings, owing
to the circumstances of the Faith throughout the Guardian’s ministry and the
years that followed, it was impracticable for most of the Bahá’í world to
undertake development activities.
60. In 1983, after
decades of unrelenting effort in the teaching field and as a consequence of
significant growth in many countries across the world, the community of the
Greatest Name had attained the stage at which the work of social and economic
development could be—indeed, had to be—incorporated into its regular
pursuits. The friends were urged to
strive, through their application of spiritual principles, rectitude of
conduct, and practice of the art of consultation, to uplift themselves and thus
take responsibility as agents of their own development. The Office of Social and Economic
Development was established at the World Centre to assist the House of Justice
to promote and coordinate the activities of the friends in this arena
throughout the world, and over time it evolved to facilitate a global process
of learning about development.
Individual believers arose to initiate various activities embracing not
only Bahá’ís but also the wider community.
61. Within a decade,
hundreds of development activities had been initiated around the world,
addressing a range of concerns such as the advancement of women, education,
health, mass communication, agriculture, economic activity, and the
environment. Activity ranged along
a spectrum of complexity. Fairly
simple activities of short duration in villages and towns were organized in
response to specific problems and challenges faced in those localities. Sustained projects, such as schools and
clinics, were established to meet social needs over an extended period of time,
often along with organizational structures to ensure their viability and
effectiveness. And finally, by
1996, a few Bahá’í-inspired organizations with relatively complex programmatic
structures were founded by individuals to learn to systematically pursue a
coherent approach to development, within a population, that would result in a
significant impact in a region. In
all these efforts, the friends sought to apply spiritual principles to practical
problems.
62. As
Bahá’í-inspired agencies as well as agencies directly under the authority of
Bahá’í institutions began to appear in one country after another, the impact of
their efforts within the community and the wider society became increasingly
evident, manifesting a dynamic coherence between the material and spiritual
dimensions of life. Advances occurred not only in action, but also at the
level of thought. The friends came
to understand a set of fundamental concepts: The world is not divided into categories
of developed and underdeveloped—all are in need of transformation and an
environment that provides the spiritual, social, and material conditions
necessary to their security and flourishing. Development is not a process carried
out by one people on behalf of another; rather, people themselves, wherever
they reside, are the protagonists of their own development. Access to knowledge and participation in
its generation, application, and diffusion is at the heart of the
endeavour. Efforts start small and
grow in complexity as experience accumulates. Programmes whose effectiveness has been
demonstrated in one region can be systematically introduced into others. As these principles and concepts are
applied within a particular setting, the friends become increasingly adept at
analysing their social conditions, drawing insights from the Writings and from
various relevant fields of knowledge, and initiating activities that are fully
integrated with the work of community building.
63. By 2018, the
extensive spread and increasing complexity of Bahá’í development efforts around
the world had prompted the establishment of a new institution in the Holy
Land—the Bahá’í International Development Organization. This global institution assumed, and
further extends, the functions and mandate previously carried out by the Office
of Social and Economic Development, reinforcing the efforts for social action
of individuals, communities, institutions, and agencies everywhere. Like the Office
that preceded it, its primary purpose is to facilitate the global process of
learning about development that is unfolding in the Bahá’í world, by fostering
and supporting action and reflection, the gathering and systematization of
experience, conceptualization, and training—all carried out in the light of the
teachings of the Faith.
Ultimately, it seeks to foster a distinctly Bahá’í approach to
development.
64. Parallel with
the systematic unfoldment of the processes of expansion and consolidation and
of social and economic development, another major area of action emerged: greater participation in the prevalent
discourses of society. In an
increasing number of social settings where deliberations on human problems
occur, Bahá’ís seek to share relevant insights drawn from the ocean of
Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation. It was
Bahá’u’lláh Himself Who initially proclaimed His healing remedy directly to the
world’s leaders and appealed for its adoption by all humanity. Notwithstanding the failure of the kings
and rulers to respond affirmatively to the divine nature of His claim, He
called upon them to apply His principles for the establishment of world
peace: “Now that ye have refused
the Most Great Peace, hold ye fast unto this, the Lesser Peace, that haply ye
may in some degree better your own condition and that of your dependents.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, in Writings such as the
Tablets to The Hague, and especially in talks delivered during His travels to
the West, unceasingly proclaimed His Father’s teachings
to the powerful and the masses grappling
with the myriad
difficulties facing humanity.
65. Early in his
ministry, Shoghi Effendi, cognizant of the vital importance of making known to
the peoples and leaders of the world the insights and wisdom enshrined in the
Bahá’í teachings, fostered initiatives for this purpose. These included, among others, the
opening in 1925 of a Bahá’í information bureau in Geneva, the publication of
the volumes of The Bahá’í World, and the call for knowledgeable Bahá’ís
to correlate the Teachings with contemporary thought in relation to the
manifold pressing problems of the world.
After the founding of the United Nations, the Bahá’í International
Community was established in 1948 as a non-governmental organization
representing Bahá’í communities throughout the world and became increasingly
engaged in aspects of the work of that international body. This opened a new chapter in the Faith’s continuing relationship with governments, global institutions,
and agencies of civil society in the international sphere. While never allowing this area of
endeavour to overshadow the primary importance of the teaching work, the
Guardian encouraged the friends to acquaint the wider society with the
implications of Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings.
“Collateral to this process of reinforcing the fabric of the
Administrative Order and of widening its basis,” he wrote to one national
community, “a resolute attempt should be made” for the establishment of closer
contact with, among others, “the leaders of public thought”. Stressing association rather than
affiliation, and urging the believers to remain untainted by any participation
in political affairs, he encouraged them to engage with kindred organizations
concerned with social issues and to acquaint them with the aims and purposes of
the Faith and the nature of its teachings on such matters as the establishment
of world peace.
66.
After the establishment of
the Universal House of Justice, this process of participation in the discourses
of society was further extended. At
timely moments, the House of Justice itself arranged for widespread
dissemination of the principles of the Faith, as in its message addressed to
the peoples of the world, “The Promise of World Peace”. The Bahá’í International Community
strengthened its position at the United Nations, ultimately securing a more
formal association with various UN agencies in the 1970s. It published statements on
world affairs and created a unique space for engagement with governments as
well as non-governmental organizations.
Recognized by those with whom it associated as harbouring no
self-interested agenda but working for the well-being of all peoples, it played
a constructive role in various international symposia, including the Conference
on Environment and Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, the World
Conference on Women in Beijing, the World Summit for Social Development in
Copenhagen, and the Millennium Forum in New York. Following the Iranian Revolution and the
renewal of persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran, several national
communities were impelled to enter into closer dialogue with various national
and international institutions and agencies. They consequently established national
offices of external affairs to reinforce efforts at the international level to
defend the Faith.
67.
As the twenty-first century began, the organic
progress of the Cause had created conditions for a more systematic engagement
in the discourses of society.
International and national Bahá’í websites dramatically extended the
presentation of the Teachings spanning a range of topics. The Institute for Studies in Global
Prosperity was established to conduct research into the implications of
Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings for pressing social issues; in time it also initiated a
series of seminars to promote understanding and develop capacity among Bahá’í
university students. The work of the Bahá’í International Community, initially centred in New
York and Geneva, was extended to regional centres in Addis Ababa, Brussels, and Jakarta. At the national level,
offices of external affairs increasingly learned how to participate in specific
national discourses in a systematic manner on behalf of their respective
communities. Among the topics
addressed intensively across various nations were the advancement of women, the
role of religion in society, the spiritual and moral empowerment of youth, the
promotion of justice, and the strengthening of social cohesion. Today, a global process of learning from
the experience of contributing to these national discourses is facilitated by
the Office of Public Discourse at the Bahá’í World Centre. And at the grassroots in neighbourhoods
and villages, and in their professions and other social spaces in which they
participate as individuals, the friends are learning to offer concepts from the
Bahá’í Writings as a contribution to the evolution of thought and action among
their compatriots that is necessary to bring about constructive change.
68. Involvement at
all these levels of society becomes more pressing as the process of the
disintegration of the old world order intensifies and discourse becomes
increasingly coarsened and polarized, leading to the recrudescence of conflict
among the competing factions and ideologies that divide humanity. In keeping with their understanding that
the transformation envisioned by Bahá’u’lláh calls for the participation of
everyone, Bahá’ís seek to work with the many sympathetic individuals and
organizations who pursue common objectives. In such collaborative efforts, the
friends share insights from the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh as well as practical
lessons gained in their own community-building efforts, while at the same time
learning from the experience of their collaborating partners. In working with individuals,
communities, and organizations both civic and governmental, the friends
maintain awareness that the discourse on many social issues may become
contentious or entangled with political ambitions. In all settings where Bahá’ís become
more deeply engaged with the wider society, they seek to foster consensus and
unity of thought, and to promote collaboration and a common search for
solutions to humanity’s pressing problems.
To them, the means by which the end is attained is as important as the
end itself.
69. As the process
of becoming ever more involved in the life of the wider society took root in Bahá’í
communities worldwide, it initially unfolded side by side with the teaching
work and the development of the administration. In recent decades, however, the efforts
for social action and involvement in the discourses of society have achieved
marked coherence with those related to expansion and consolidation as the
friends have increasingly applied the elements of the conceptual framework for
action of the global Plans. As the
friends labour in their clusters, they are inexorably drawn into the life of
the society around them, and the learning process that propels efforts for
growth and community building is extended to an expanding range of
activities. Community life is
increasingly characterized by its contribution to material, social, and
spiritual progress as the friends cultivate their capability to understand the
conditions of society around them, create spaces in which to explore concepts
from Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation and from relevant fields of human knowledge,
bring insights to bear upon practical problems, and build capacity among the
believers and within the wider community.
As a result of this burgeoning coherence across the various areas of
endeavour, the most basic grassroots activities for social and economic
development grew from a few hundred in 1990 to several thousand by 2000, and to
tens of thousands by 2021. Bahá’í
engagement in social discourse has been met with a resoundingly affirmative response
in countless settings, from neighbourhoods to nations, as a humanity baffled
and divided by the manifold problems resulting from the operation of the forces
of disintegration eagerly seeks new insights. At all levels of society, leaders of
thought increasingly associate the Bahá’í community with fresh conceptions and
approaches sorely needed by an ever more disunited and dysfunctional
world. The society-building power
of the Faith, mostly latent at the start of the first century of the Formative
Age, is now increasingly discernible in country after country. The release of this society-building
power resulting from a new consciousness and a new capacity for learning among
individuals, communities, and institutions worldwide is destined to be the
hallmark of the current and next several stages in the unfoldment of the Divine
Plan.
The development of the Bahá’í World Centre
70. Parallel with
the growth of the Faith and the unfoldment of the administration, equally
significant developments occurred at the Bahá’í World Centre during the first
century of the Formative Age, set in motion by the impulse of another Charter,
Bahá’u’lláh’s Tablet of Carmel.
Mention has already been made of the interplay among the processes
associated with the three Charters, including the emergence of institutions and
agencies of the administrative centre of the Bahá’í world. To this account can now be added some
reflections on the development of its spiritual centre.
71. When
Bahá’u’lláh’s footsteps touched the shore of ‘Akká, the climactic chapter of
His ministry began. The Lord of
Hosts was manifested in the Holy Land.
His arrival had been presaged through the tongues of the Prophets
thousands of years before. The
fulfilment of that prophecy, however, was not the result of His own volition but
was compelled by His persecution at the hands of His avowed enemies,
culminating in His exile. “Upon Our
arrival,” He stated in one Tablet, “We were welcomed with banners of light,
whereupon the Voice of the Spirit cried out saying: ‘Soon will all that dwell on earth be
enlisted under these banners.’” The
spiritual potency of that land was immeasurably enhanced by His presence and
the interment of His sacred remains and, soon after, those of His Herald,
Himself a Manifestation of God. It is now the point to which every Bahá’í heart is
drawn, the focal centre of their devotions, the goal of every aspiring
pilgrim. The Bahá’í Holy Places
welcome the peoples of the Holy Land, and indeed the peoples of every
land. They are a precious trust
held for all humanity.
72. Yet, tenuous was
the hold of the Bahá’ís on the spiritual centre of their Faith at the close of
the Heroic Age and for many years thereafter. How difficult it was, at times, for
‘Abdu’l-Bahá even to offer prayers at His Father’s resting place. How dire was His situation, being
falsely charged with sedition for raising the structure in which, at the
command of Bahá’u’lláh, the earthly remains of the Báb were laid to rest after
the long journey from the place of His martyrdom. The perilous and insecure condition of
the World Centre persisted into the ministry of the Guardian, as evinced when
the keys of the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh were seized by the Covenant-breakers
shortly after he assumed his responsibilities. Thus, among the first and most vital
duties of Shoghi Effendi, pursued throughout his ministry, were the protection
and preservation, the extension and beautification of the twin Holy Shrines and
other Holy Places. To achieve this
aim, he had to navigate a period of tumultuous change in the Holy Land—including
global economic disruption, war, repeated political transition, and social
instability—while upholding, like ‘Abdu’l-Bahá before him, the immutable Bahá’í
principles of fellowship with all peoples and respect for established
governmental authority. At one
time, he even had to contemplate the transfer of the remains of Bahá’u’lláh to
a suitable setting on Mount Carmel to ensure their protection. And he steadfastly remained in Haifa
during times of tumult and strife, even as he directed the small band of local
believers to disperse to other parts of the world. This taxing yet tirelessly pursued
obligation continued to his final days, when the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh was
finally recognized as a Bahá’í Holy Place by the civil authorities, and the
Bahá’í world was at last free to preserve and beautify its most sacred site.
73. In the course of
his efforts to acquire, restore, and secure the Holy Places, the Guardian
significantly expanded the properties surrounding the Holy Shrine and the
Mansion at Bahjí and initiated what would eventually become extensive formal
gardens. On the Mountain
of God, he brought to its long-delayed completion the Shrine of the Báb, begun
by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, adding three additional rooms, creating its arcade, raising
its golden dome, and surrounding it with verdure. He traced “the far-flung arc around
which the edifices of the World Bahá’í Administrative Order” were to be built;
raised at one end of that arc its first structure, the International Archives
Building; and situated, at its heart, the resting places of the Greatest Holy
Leaf, her brother, and their mother.
The Guardian’s labours for the development of the World Centre were
continued under the direction of the Universal House of Justice. Additional land and Holy Places were
acquired and beautified, the buildings on the Arc raised, and terraces extended
from the bottom to the top of Mount Carmel, as originally envisioned by
‘Abdu’l-Bahá and begun by the Guardian.
Before the end of the first century of the Formative Age, the property
in the vicinity of the Shrine of the Báb was increased to over 170,000 square
metres, while a series of land exchanges and acquisitions extended the property
immediately surrounding the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh from some 4,000 to over
450,000 square metres. And in 2019 construction
began in ‘Akká, near the Riḍván Garden, on a fitting Shrine to serve as the
final resting place of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
74. Over the course
of the century, the pace of the development of the Bahá’í administrative centre
also accelerated. For many years,
early in his ministry, the Guardian longed for the assistance of capable
helpers, but the Bahá’í world was then too small to provide the necessary
support. As the community grew,
however, the House of Justice was increasingly able to benefit from a
continuous stream of volunteers to establish the departments and agencies vital
to a rapidly developing Faith, serving the needs at the World Centre as well as
of the communities multiplying worldwide.
Questions and advice, insights and guidance, visitors and pilgrims now
flow ceaselessly between all parts of the planet and the heart of the Bahá’í
world. In 1987, after decades of
change and uncertainty, the patient efforts begun much earlier by Shoghi
Effendi to establish good relations with the civil authorities in Israel
culminated in the formal recognition of the status of the Bahá’í World Centre
as the spiritual and administrative centre of the worldwide Bahá’í community,
operating under the aegis of the Universal House of Justice.
75. Just as the
relationships among individuals, communities, and institutions have evolved
over time, building upon previous achievements and rising to meet new
challenges, the same can be said of the Bahá’í World Centre and its relations
with the Bahá’ís across the world.
The intimate and inseparable association of the spiritual and
administrative centre with the development of the Bahá’í world was captured in the 24 May 2001 message we addressed to the
believers gathered for the events marking the completion of the projects on
Mount Carmel:
“The majestic buildings that now stand along the Arc traced for them by
Shoghi Effendi on the slope of the Mountain of God, together with the
magnificent flight of garden terraces that embrace the Shrine of the Báb, are
an outward expression of the immense power animating the Cause we serve. They offer timeless witness to the fact
that the followers of Bahá’u’lláh have successfully laid the foundations of a
worldwide community transcending all differences that divide the human race,
and have brought into existence the principal institutions of a unique and
unassailable Administrative Order that shapes this community’s life. In the transformation that has taken
place on Mount Carmel, the Bahá’í Cause emerges as a visible and compelling
reality on the global stage, as the focal centre of forces that will, in God’s
good time, bring about the reconstruction of society, and as a mystic source of
spiritual renewal for all who turn to it.”
Prospect
76. A few weeks
before He passed away, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was at His home with one of the friends. “Come with me”, He said, “that we may
admire together the beauty of the garden.”
Then He observed: “Behold,
what the spirit of devotion is able to achieve! This flourishing place was, a few years
ago, but a heap of stones, and now it is verdant with foliage and flowers. My desire is that after I am gone the
loved ones may all arise to serve the divine Cause and, please God, so it shall
be.” “Ere long”, He promised, will
appear those “who shall bring life to the world.”
77. Dearly loved
friends! At the close of the first
century of the Formative Age, the Bahá’í world finds itself endowed with
capacity and resources only dimly imagined at the time of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s
passing. Generation after
generation has laboured, and today a multitude has been raised up that
stretches across the globe—consecrated souls who are collectively building the
Faith’s Administrative Order, widening the reach of its community life,
deepening its engagement with society, and developing its spiritual and
administrative centre.
78. This brief
review of the past hundred years has illustrated how the Bahá’í community, in
striving to systematically execute the three Divine Charters, has become a new
creation, as anticipated by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
Just as the human being passes through various stages of physical and
intellectual growth and development until it reaches maturity, so too the
Bahá’í community develops organically, in size and structure, as well as in
understanding and vision, embracing responsibilities and strengthening
relationships among individuals, communities, and institutions. Over the course of the century, in local
settings as well as on a global scale, the series of advances experienced by
the Bahá’í community has enabled it to pursue purposeful action across an
ever-wider range of endeavours.
79. When the Heroic Age drew to a close, the
community faced fundamental questions about how to organize its administrative
affairs in order to respond to the requirements of the Divine Plan. The Guardian guided the friends in
learning how to address those initial questions, a process that culminated in
the nascent international arrangements that were in place at the time of his
passing. The capacity that was
built during that period allowed the Bahá’í world to take on a host of new
questions about how it was to carry on the work of the Faith at a greater level
of breadth and complexity under the direction of the Universal House of
Justice. Then, yet again, after
making marked progress over several decades, even more questions about still
greater opportunities concerning the future direction of the Cause emerged
before the beginning of the Four Year Plan, which set out a new challenge for a
further period of development centred on achieving a significant advance in the
process of entry by troops in all parts of the world. It is this growing capacity to resolve
complex questions and then to take on still more complex questions that
characterizes the process of learning that is propelling the progress of the
Faith. Thus, it is evident that
with every step forward in its organic unfoldment, the Bahá’í world develops
new powers and new capacities that enable it to take on greater challenges as
it strives to achieve Bahá’u’lláh’s purpose for humanity. And so it shall continue to be, despite
the changes and chances of the world, through crisis and victory, with many an
unexpected turn, through countless stages of the Formative and Golden Ages to
the end of the Dispensation.
80. By the final
years of the first century of the Formative Age, a common framework for action
had emerged that has become central to the work of the community and which
informs thought and gives shape to ever more complex and effective activities. This framework continually evolves
through the accumulation of experience and the guidance of the House of
Justice. The pivotal elements of
this framework are the spiritual truths and cardinal principles of the
Revelation. Other elements that
also contribute to thought and action involve values, attitudes, concepts, and
methods. Still others include the
understanding of the physical and social world through insights from various
branches of knowledge. Within this
continually evolving framework, Bahá’ís are learning how to systematically
translate Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings into action to realize His high aims for the
betterment of the world. The
significance of this increased capacity for learning, and its implications for
the advancement of humanity at the current stage of its social development,
cannot be overestimated.
81. How much the
Bahá’í world has achieved! How much
remains to be done! The Nine Year
Plan outlines the tasks that lie immediately ahead. Among the areas of focus are the
multiplication and intensification of programmes of growth in clusters
worldwide and increased coherence in the work of community building, social
action, and participation in prevalent discourses through the concerted efforts
of the Plan’s three protagonists.
The training institute will be further strengthened and will continue to
evolve as an educational organization that develops capabilities for
service. The seeds it sows within
the hearts of succeeding cohorts of young people will be nurtured by other
educational opportunities to empower each soul to contribute to social progress
and well-being. The movement of
youth will be complemented worldwide by the unprecedented advancement of women
as full partners in community affairs.
The capacity of Bahá’í institutions will be fostered at all levels, with
particular attention to the establishment and development of Local Assemblies
and to enhancing their engagement with the wider society and its leaders. The intellectual life of the community
will be cultivated to provide the rigour and clarity of thought required to
vindicate to a sceptical humanity the applicability of the healing remedy of
Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings. And all
these efforts will continue through a series of Plans comprising a challenge,
spanning no less than a generation, that will carry the Bahá’í world across the
threshold of its third century.
82. The determined
efforts to gain a fuller understanding of, and to live in accordance with,
Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings take place within the larger context of the twofold
process of disintegration and integration described by Shoghi Effendi. Attaining the objective of the current
series of Plans—the release of ever-increasing measures of the society-building
power of the Faith—calls for an ability to read the reality of society as it
responds to, and is shaped by, these twin processes.
83. A plethora of
destructive forces and events, including environmental degradation, climate
change, pandemics, the decline of religion and morals, the loss of meaning and
identity, the erosion of the concepts of truth and reason, unbridled
technology, the exacerbation of prejudices and ideological contention,
pervasive corruption, political and economic upheaval, war and genocide, have
left their traces in blood and anguish on the pages of history and the lives of
billions. At the same time, hopeful
constructive trends can also be discerned, which are contributing to that
“universal fermentation” which Shoghi Effendi said is “purging and reshaping
humanity in anticipation of the Day when the wholeness of the human race will
have been recognized and its unity established”. The diffusion of the spirit of world
solidarity, a greater consciousness of global interdependence, the embrace of
collaborative action among individuals and institutions, and a heightened
longing for justice and peace are profoundly transforming human
relationships. And thus, the
movement of the world towards Bahá’u’lláh’s vision advances in countless
halting steps, in occasional dramatic leaps, and with intermittent stretches
where progress stalls or is even reversed, as humanity forges the relationships
that constitute the foundations of a united and peaceful world.
84. The destructive
forces that buffet the world do not leave the Bahá’í community untouched. Indeed, the history of every national
Bahá’í community bears their mark.
As a result, in various places and at various times, the progress of a
particular community was retarded by insidious social tendencies or temporarily
restricted or even extinguished by opposition. Periodic economic crises reduced the
Faith’s already limited financial resources, hindering projects for growth and
development. The effects of world
war paralysed for a time the ability of most communities to implement
systematic plans. The upheavals
that have reshaped the political map of the world have created obstacles to the
full participation of some populations in the work of the Cause. Religious and cultural prejudices once
thought to be receding have re-emerged with fresh vehemence. Bahá’ís have striven to address such
challenges with perseverance and resolve.
Yet, over the past century, no nobler response to the hostile forces
unleashed to oppose the advance of the Cause has been witnessed than that of
the Bahá’ís of Iran.
85. From the
earliest years of the Guardian’s ministry, the persecution which the Bahá’ís of
Iran had endured throughout the Heroic Age continued as waves of violent
repression swept over that community, escalating in intensity in the attacks
and systematic campaign of oppression which followed in the wake of the Iranian
Revolution and which continues unremittingly to the present day. Despite all they have endured, the
Bahá’ís of Iran have responded with unbowed courage and constructive
resilience. They have won
imperishable distinction through such achievements as the establishment of the
Bahá’í Institute for Higher Education to ensure the education of succeeding
generations, their efforts to transform the views of the fair-minded among
their compatriots—whether inside or outside the country—and above all, their
endurance of countless injustices, indignities, and privations in order to
protect their fellow believers, maintain the integrity of Bahá’u’lláh’s Faith
in His beloved homeland, and safeguard its presence in that land as a benefit
to its citizens. In such
expressions of unswerving fortitude, of consecrated devotion and mutual support
lie essential lessons for how the Bahá’í world must respond to the acceleration
of the destructive forces that can be expected in the years ahead.
86. At its heart,
the challenge presented by the interplay of the processes of integration and
disintegration is the challenge of holding fast to Bahá’u’lláh’s description of
reality and to His teachings, while resisting the pull of controversial and
polarizing debates and beguiling prescriptions that reflect futile attempts to define
human identity and social reality through limited human conceptions,
materialist philosophies, and competing passions. “The All-Knowing Physician hath His
finger on the pulse of mankind. He
perceiveth the disease, and prescribeth, in His unerring wisdom, the remedy”,
Bahá’u’lláh states. “We can well
perceive how the whole human race is encompassed with great, with incalculable
afflictions.” Yet, He adds, “They
that are intoxicated by self-conceit have interposed themselves between it and
the infallible Physician. Witness
how they have entangled all men, themselves included, in the mesh of their
devices.” If Bahá’ís become
entangled in the delusory notions of contending peoples, if they emulate the
values, attitudes, and practices that define a self-absorbed and self-serving
age, the release of those forces necessary to redeem humanity from its plight
will be delayed and obstructed.
Rather, as the Guardian explains, “The champion builders of
Bahá’u’lláh’s rising World Order must scale nobler heights of heroism as
humanity plunges into greater depths of despair, degradation, dissension, and
distress. Let them forge ahead into
the future serenely confident that the hour of their mightiest exertions and the
supreme opportunity for their greatest exploits must coincide with the
apocalyptic upheaval marking the lowest ebb in mankind’s fast-declining
fortunes.”
87. None can
anticipate precisely what course the forces of disintegration are destined to
take, what violent convulsions will yet assail humanity in this travailing age,
or what obstacles and opportunities may arise, until the process reaches its
culmination in the appearance of that Great Peace that will signalize the
arrival of the stage when, recognizing the unity and wholeness of humankind,
the nations will “put away the weapons of war, and turn to the instruments of
universal reconstruction”. One
thing, however, is certain: The
process of integration will also accelerate, knitting together ever more
closely the efforts of those who are learning to translate Bahá’u’lláh’s
teachings into reality with those in the wider society who seek justice and
peace. In The Advent of Divine
Justice, Shoghi Effendi explained to the Bahá’ís of America that, given the restricted size of their community and
the limited influence it wielded, they must focus, at that time, on its own
growth and development as it learned to apply the Teachings. He promised, however, that the time
would come when they would be called upon to engage their fellow citizens in a
process of working for the healing and betterment of their nation. That time has now come. And it has come not only for the Bahá’ís
of America, but for the Bahá’ís of the world, as the society-building power
inherent in the Faith is released in ever-greater measures.
89. The world is, in
truth, moving on towards its destiny.
As the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh advances into the second century of the
Formative Age, let all take inspiration from the words of the beloved Guardian,
whose guiding hand immutably shaped the century past. Writing in 1938 about the execution of
the first stage of the Divine Plan, he said: “The potentialities with which an
almighty Providence has endowed it will no doubt enable its promoters to
achieve their purpose. Much,
however, will depend upon the spirit and manner in which that task will be
conducted. Through the clearness
and steadiness of their vision, through the unvitiated vitality of their
belief, through the incorruptibility of their character, through the adamantine
force of their resolve, the matchless superiority of their aims and purpose,
and the unsurpassed range of their accomplishments, they who labour for the
glory of the Most Great Name … can best demonstrate to the visionless,
faithless, and restless society to which they belong their power to proffer a
haven of refuge to its members in the hour of their realized doom. Then and only then will this tender
sapling, embedded in the fertile soil of a Divinely appointed Administrative
Order, and energized by the dynamic processes of its institutions, yield its
richest and destined fruit.”
[signed: The Universal House
of Justice]