First, let us understand what a covenant is: In the Bahá'í Faith, the term "Covenant" refers to the agreement or contract between God and humanity. The Bahá'í Covenant establishes a relationship between God and humanity that is founded on the recognition of Bahá'u'lláh as the Manifestation of God for this age, and the acceptance of His teachings as the source of guidance for humanity. The Bahá'í Covenant is seen as a vital and unifying force that protects the integrity of the religion and ensures the continuation of its spiritual and social progress. The Covenant includes the concept of succession, which means that after the passing of Bahá'u'lláh, the leadership of the Bahá'í community was passed on to His appointed successor, `Abdu'l-Bahá, and after him to a line of individuals known as the Guardians of the Bahá'í Faith. According to mainstream Baha'is, the Guardianship ended upon the passing away of Shoghi Effendi, ...