1963-1970: Responses from the Universal House of Justice to questions by believers

See answers listed chronologically and alphabetically

The “elasticity of the Administrative Order”

Now that your Assembly is formed, and is embarking on its independent existence as a National Body, he wishes to emphasize a point which he is constantly stressing to other National Bodies: you must avoid issuing rules and regulations. The fundamentals laid down in the Bahá’í Administration must, of course, be adhered to, but there is a tendency for Assemblies to constantly issue detailed procedures and rules to the friends, and he considers this hampers the work of the Cause, and is entirely premature. As far as is possible cases which come up should be dealt with and settled as they arise, and not a blanket ruling be laid down to cover all possible similar cases. This preserves the elasticity of the Administrative Order and prevents red tape from developing and hampering the work of the Cause. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 4 November 1948 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the NSA of Canada; ‘Messages to Canada’)

The Báb had sent “Gates” to prepare humanity for His appearance in 1844

O ye peoples of the earth! During the time of My absence I sent down the Gates unto you. However the believers, except for a handful, obeyed them not. Formerly I sent forth unto you Ahmad and more recently Kázim, but apart from the pure in heart amongst you no one followed them. What hath befallen you, O people of the Book? Will ye not fear the One true God, He Who is your Lord, the Ancient of Days?… O ye who profess belief in God! I adjure you by Him Who is the Eternal Truth, have ye discerned among the precepts of these Gates anything inconsistent with the commandments of God as set forth in this Book? Hath your learning deluded you by reason of your impiety? Take ye heed then, for verily your God, the Lord of Eternal Truth, is with you and in very truth is watchful over you.… 

- The Báb  (From Qayyumu’l-Asma; ‘Selections from the Writings of the Báb)

Tests from other Baha’is – Some Baha’is “are still to a certain extent affected by the society from which they have sprung”

He was very sorry to hear that you have had so many tests in your Bahá'í life. There is no doubt that many of them are due to our own nature. In other words, if we are very sensitive, or if we are in some way brought up in a different environment from the Bahá'ís amongst whom we live, we naturally see things differently and may feel them more acutely; and the other side of it is that the imperfections of our fellow-Bahá'ís can be a great trial to us.

We must always remember that in the cesspool of materialism, Bahá'ís - that is some of them - are still to a certain extent affected by the society from which they have sprung. In other words, they have recognized the Manifestation of God, but they have not been believers long enough, or perhaps tried hard enough, to become 'a new creation'.

A powerful proof of the truth of this “most resplendent Dispensation”: - The enrollment of “a number of illumined divines, of men of consummate learning, [and] of doctors of mature wisdom” during the days of the Manifestation of God – Baha’u’llah explains

Amongst the proofs demonstrating the truth of this Revelation is this, that in every age and Dispensation, whenever the invisible Essence was revealed in the person of His Manifestation, certain souls, obscure and detached from all worldly entanglements, would seek illumination from the Sun of Prophethood and Moon of Divine guidance, and would attain unto the Divine Presence. For this reason, the divines of the age and those possessed of wealth, would scorn and scoff at these people. Even as He hath revealed concerning them that erred: “Then said the chiefs of His people who believed not, ‘We see in Thee but a man like ourselves; and we see not any who have followed Thee except our meanest ones of hasty judgment, nor see we any excellence in you above ourselves: nay, we deem you liars.’” They caviled at those holy Manifestations, and protested saying: “None hath followed you except the abject amongst us, those who are worthy of no attention.” Their aim was to show that no one amongst the learned, the wealthy, and the renowned believed in them. By this and similar proofs they sought to demonstrate the falsity of Him that speaketh naught but the truth.

In this most resplendent Dispensation, however, this most mighty Sovereignty, a number of illumined divines, of men of consummate learning, of doctors of mature wisdom, have attained unto His Court, drunk the cup of His divine Presence, and been invested with the honor of His most excellent favor. They have renounced, for the sake of the Beloved, the world and all that is therein....

The “true nature of Baha'u'llah's revelation”: “as the sole hope for the pacification and unification of the world”

The entrance of the Cause onto the world scene is apparent from a number of public statements in which we have been characterized as "model citizens," "gentle," "law-abiding," "not guilty of any political offence or crime" -- all excellent but utterly inadequate insofar as the reality of the Faith and its aims and purposes are concerned. Nevertheless people are willing to hear about the Faith, and the opportunity must be seized. Persistently greater and greater efforts must be made to acquaint the leaders of the world, in all departments of life, with the true nature of Baha'u'llah's revelation as the sole hope for the pacification and unification of the world. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (Ridvan 1984 message)

What can a Baha’i do if he/she notices “fellow believers violating Bahá'í laws or engaging in conduct inimical to the welfare and best interests of the Faith” – The Universal House of Justice explains

While it can be a severe test to a Bahá'í to see fellow believers violating Bahá'í laws or engaging in conduct inimical to the welfare and best interests of the Faith, there is no fixed rule that a believer must follow when such conduct comes to his notice. A great deal depends upon the seriousness of the offence and upon the relationship which exists between him and the offender.

If the misconduct is blatant and flagrant or threatens the interests of the Faith the believer to whose attention it comes should immediately report it to the Local Spiritual Assembly. Once it is in the hands of the Assembly the believer's obligation is discharged and he should do no more than pray for the offender and continue to show him friendship and encouragement - unless, of course, the Spiritual Assembly asks him to take specific action.

Sometimes, however, the matter does not seem grave enough to warrant reporting to the Spiritual Assembly, in which case it may be best to ignore it altogether. There are also other things that can be done by the Bahá'í to whose notice such things come. For example he could foster friendly relations with the individual concerned, tactfully drawing him into Bahá'í activities in the hope that, as his knowledge of the teachings and awareness of the Faith deepens, he will spontaneously improve his patterns of conduct. Or perhaps the relationship is such that he can tactfully draw the offender's attention to the teachings on the subject - but here he must be very careful not to give him the impression of prying into a fellow-believer's private affairs or of telling him what he must do, which would not only be wrong in itself but might well produce the reverse of the desired reaction.

If a believer faced with knowledge of another Bahá'í's misconduct is unsure what course to take, he can, of course always consult his Local Spiritual Assembly for advice. If, for some reason, he is reluctant at that stage to inform his Spiritual Assembly, he can consult an Auxiliary Board member or Assistant.

Whatever steps are taken, it is vital that the believers refrain from gossip and backbiting, for this can only harm the Faith, causing perhaps more damage than would have been caused by the original offence.

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 20 February 1977 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; compilation: ‘Removal of Administrative Rights’, prepared by the  Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, 1993)

Baha’u’llah validates an Islamic tradition which mentions “four signs from four Prophets” to be appeared in the Qá’im (the Báb)

In the “Bihár” it is recorded: “In our Qá’im there shall be four signs from four Prophets, Moses, Jesus, Joseph, and Muhammad. The sign from Moses, is fear and expectation; from Jesus, that which was spoken of Him; from Joseph, imprisonment and dissimulation; from Muhammad, the revelation of a Book similar to the Qur’án.” 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘The Kitab-i-Iqan’)

A new site: Baha’u’llah’s Vision of Reality

Exploring spiritual realities and their practical applications – excerpts from the Baha’i Writings

Value of intuition

With regard to your question as to the value of intuition as a source of guidance for the individual: implicit faith in our intuitive powers is unwise, but through daily prayer and sustained effort one can discover, though not always and fully, God’s will intuitively. Under no circumstances, however, can a person be absolutely certain that he is recognizing God’s will, through the exercise of his intuition. It often happens that the latter results in completely misrepresenting the truth, and thus becomes a source of error rather than of guidance. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 29 October 1938 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; compilation: ‘Prayer and Devotional Life, prepared by the Baha’i World Center February, 2019)

“we have no priests in this Faith to interpret or answer for us”

The friends need only read the Writings; the answers are all in them; we have no priests in this Faith to interpret or answer for us. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 23 April 1957 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; compilation: ‘Prayer and Devotional Life, prepared by the Baha’i World Center February, 2019)

Do all souls enjoy eternal life? – ‘Abdu’l-Baha explains

Concerning thy question whether all the souls enjoy eternal life: Know thou those souls partake of the Eternal Life in whom the Spirit of Life is breathed from the Presence of God and all beside them are dead without Life, as Christ hath explained in the texts of the Gospel. Any person whose insight is opened by God seeth the souls in their stations after the disintegration of the bodies. Verily they are living and are subsisting before their Lord and he seeth also the dead souls submerged in the gulfs of mortality.

Then know thou verily all the souls are created according to the nature of God and all are in the state of (unconscious) purity at the time of their births. But afterwards they differ from one another insofar as they acquire excellencies or defects. Nevertheless, the creatures have different degrees in existence insofar as the creation goes, for capacities are different; but all of them are good and pure (in their essence) then afterwards they are polluted and defiled. Although there are different states of creation, yet all of them are beneficial. Glance thou over the temple of man, its members and its parts. Among them there are the eye, ear, nose, mouth, hands and fingers. Notwithstanding the differences between these organs, all of them are useful in their proper spheres. But if one of them is out of order, there is need of a remedy and if the medicine does not heal, then the amputation of that member becomes necessary. 

- 'Abdul Baha  (From a Tablet, Star of the West, vol. 6, no. 19, March 2, 1916)

“primary duties” of Local Spiritual Assemblies

A prime element in the careful and wise direction needed is the achievement of victory in the Seven Year Plan, paying great attention to the development and strengthening of Local Assemblies. Great efforts must be made to encourage them to discharge their primary duties of

• meeting regularly,
• holding the Nineteen Day Feasts and observing Holy Days,
• organizing children's classes,
• encouraging the practice of family prayers,
• undertaking extension teaching projects,
• administering the Baha'i Fund and
• constantly encouraging and leading their communities in all Baha'i activities.

- The Universal House of Justice  (Ridvan 1984 message; ‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice’)

Grouping broadly how people reacted towards a new Messenger from God – Baha’u’llah explains

No sooner had He proclaimed Thy Cause, and risen up to carry out the things prescribed unto Him in the Tablets of Thy decree, than the Great Terror fell upon Thy creatures.

• Some turned towards Thee, and detached themselves from all except Thee, and sanctified their souls from the world and all that is therein, and were so enravished by the sweetness of Thy voice that they forsook all Thou hadst created in the kingdom of Thy creation.
• Others recognized Thee and then hesitated,
• others allowed the world to come in between them and Thee and to withhold them from recognizing Thee.
• Others disdained Thee, and turned back from Thee, and wished to prevent Thee from achieving Thy purpose.

And yet behold how all of them are calling upon Thee, and are expecting the things they were promised in Thy Tablets. 
- Baha’u’llah  (‘Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u’llah’)

The high ideals of Baha’i administration – ‘Abdu’l-Baha explains

…to improve the characters of men; to extend the scope of knowledge; to abolish ignorance and prejudice; to strengthen the foundations of true religion in all hearts; to encourage self-reliance and discourage false imitation; ... to uphold truthfulness, audacity, frankness, and courage; to promote craftsmanship and agriculture; ... to educate, on a compulsory basis, children of both sexes; to insist on integrity in business transactions; to lay stress on the observance of honesty and piety; ... to acquire mastery and skill in the modern sciences and arts; to promote the interests of the public; ... to obey outwardly and inwardly and with true loyalty the regulations enacted by state and government; ... to honour, to extol and to follow the example of those who have distinguished themselves in science and learning. ... to help the needy from every creed or sect, and to collaborate with the people of the country in all welfare services. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Excerpts from some Tablets, quoted in an open letter from the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Iran about the Banning of the Baha'i Administration; included in Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986’)

“It is not merely material well-being that people need”

In our concern for such immediate obvious calls upon our succor we must not allow ourselves to forget the continuing, appalling burden of suffering under which millions of human beings are always groaning -- a burden which they have borne for century upon century and which it is the mission of Bahá'u'lláh to lift at last. The principal cause of this suffering, which one can witness wherever one turns, is the corruption of human morals and the prevalence of prejudice, suspicion, hatred, untrustworthiness, selfishness and tyranny among men. It is not merely material well-being that people need. What they desperately need is to know how to live their lives -- they need to know who they are, to what purpose they exist, and how they should act towards one another; and, once they know the answers to these questions they need to be helped to gradually apply these answers to everyday behavior. It is to the solution of this basic problem of mankind that the greater part of all our energy and resources should be directed. There are mighty agencies in this world, governments, foundations, institutions of many kinds with tremendous financial resources which are working to improve the material lot of human beings. Anything we Bahá'ís could add to such resources in the way of special funds or contributions would be a negligible drop in the ocean. However, alone among men we have the divinely-given remedy for the real ills of mankind; no one else is doing or can do this most important work. . . . 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated November 19, 1974; compilation: Developing Distinctive Baha’i Communities, NSA of USA, 1998 edition)

The exalted station of the Báb – Baha’u’llah explains

It is clear and evident that, in this Dispensation wherein the banner of utterance hath been raised aloft and the candle of discernment hath been lit, there is no Lord but the Exalted One. [the Báb] He it is Who is one in His essence and one in His attributes, single in the kingdom of names and peerless in the realm of actions. It is by virtue of His blessed name that the seas of Divine Unity have been made to surge; it is through the power of His resistless command that the immutable decrees of destiny have been enforced; it is through the potency of His sovereign might that the dictates of fate have been fixed. Who hath the power to soar in that exalted atmosphere or to cherish another beloved than Him? We all abide beneath His shadow and seek our portion from the ocean of His grace. However far the gnat may fly, it can never traverse the length and breadth of heaven, and however high the sparrow may soar, it can never attain the tree of immortality. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘From the Letter Bá to the Letter Há’ Tablet; ‘The Call of the Divine Beloved, Selected Mystical Works of Bahá’u’lláh’, published by the Baha’i World Centre, Online ‘Baha’i Reference Library’) 

Declaration of faith and the process of opening one’s “heart and mind to the reality of the Manifestation”

You have asked if the mere declaration of faith by a newcomer suffices to recognize him as a Bahá'í, and whether living the Bahá'í life should not be regarded as the basis of admission into the Faith. You should bear in mind that the signature on a card, in the sense that it represents a record of the date of the declaration and data about the declarant, is to satisfy administrative requirements enabling the enrollment of the new believer in the community. The deeper implication of the act of declaration of faith are between the individual and God. Shoghi Effendi has made several statements on this important subject, and we have been asked to share with you the following two excerpts from letters written on his behalf to individual believers:

“There is a difference between character and faith; it is often hard to accept this fact and put up with it, but the fact that a person may believe in and love the Cause -- even being ready to die for it -- and yet not have a good personal character or possess traits at variance with the teachings. We try to change, to let the Power of God help recreate us make us true Bahá'ís in deed as well as in belief. But the process is slow, sometimes it never happens because the individual does not try hard enough. But these things cause us suffering and are a test to us in our fellow-believers, most especially if we love them and have been their teacher!”

“The process of becoming a Bahá'ís necessarily slow and gradual. The essential is not that the beginner should have a full and detailed knowledge of the Cause, a thing which is obviously impossible in the vast majority of cases, but that he should, by act of his own will, be willing to uphold and follow the truth guidance set forth in the Teachings, and thus open his heart and mind to the reality of the Manifestation." 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 7 June, 1974, written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; Bahá'í News of India, July/August, 1974; compilation: ‘Lights of Guidance’)

circa 1927: A view of Bahji near Akka where Baha'u'llah lived

(Star of the West, vol, 18, no. 5, August 1927)