THE
BAHÁ’Í FAITH UNDER THE GUARDIANSHIP
The Bahá’í Faith, under
the Guardianship, is distinguished by the acceptance of the Will and Testament of
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Son of the Founder of the Faith, as a divinely-conceived,
sacred, immutable and immortal Document which delineates the essential Institutions of an
unique Administrative Order which, together with the application of the Laws and
Principles revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, constitutes the basis for the
establishment of the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh and a future World
Civilization.
This Order was established in
embryonic form by Shoghi Effendi, the first Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith during a
36 year ministry. He had been appointed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in His Will and
Testament, a Document which also provided for the continuity of this Institution as long
as the Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh endured through a succession of Guardians
of the Faith each appointed by his predecessor "in his own lifetime." Sole
interpretative authority of Bahá’í Holy Writ has been vested by
‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the Guardians who also serve as the "sacred head and the
distinguished member for life" of the Universal House of Justice, the highest
legislative organ of the Administrative Order and in this capacity provide "the
necessary guidance to define the sphere of the legislative action" of this
institution and insure that such subsidiary laws as are enacted by this body are in
conformity with the immutable Laws revealed by Bahá’u’lláh in His Most Holy
Book. Shoghi Effendi stated that the twin institutions of the Guardianship and the
Universal House of Justice "supplement each other’s authority and
functions" are inseparable and are "the twin pillars that support this mighty
Administrative Structure."
Unlike sans-Guardian
Bahá’ís who believe that the Guardianship ended with the passing of Shoghi Effendi,
the Bahá’ís under the living Guardian believe that Shoghi Effendi appointed his
successor, Mason Remey, in faithful compliance with the sacred provisions of the Will and
Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and that only complete acceptance of him as the
second Guardian and the "Center of the Cause" and, in turn, his appointed
successor, constitutes fidelity to the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh.
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