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The Guardianship: The Divine Institution that Safeguards the Bahá’í Faith


The Bahá’í Faith is a world religion that was founded by Bahá’u’lláh in the 19th century. He revealed a new covenant for humanity, which included the establishment of a divine and infallible institution called the Guardianship. The Guardianship is the hereditary office of the head of the Bahá’í Faith, who is appointed by the previous Guardian in accordance with the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the son and successor of Bahá’u’lláh.

 

The Guardianship is essential for the preservation and protection of the Bahá’í Faith, as it ensures the continuity and integrity of its teachings and laws. The Guardian is the authorized interpreter of the sacred writings of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and the supreme judge of their application. The Guardian also defines the scope and limits of the legislative authority of the Universal House of Justice, the elected body that administers the affairs of the Bahá’í world community.

 

Without the Guardianship, the Bahá’í Faith would be vulnerable to schism, distortion, and corruption. As Shoghi Effendi, the first Guardian, wrote:

 

“Divorced from the institution of Guardianship the World Order of Baha’u’llah would be mutilated and permanently deprived of that hereditary principle which, as Abdul Baha has written, has been invariably upheld by the law of God… Without such an institution the integrity of the Faith would be imperiled, and the stability of the entire fabric would be gravely endangered. Its prestige would suffer, the means required to enable it to take a long, an uninterrupted view over a series of generations would be completely lacking, and the necessary guidance to define the sphere of the legislative action of its elected representatives would be totally withdrawn.” - Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha’u’llah, 1955, p. 148

 

Therefore, it is imperative for every sincere believer in Bahá’u’lláh to recognize and obey the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith, who is the living link between God and humanity, and the center of His everlasting covenant. The Guardianship is not a human invention or a political position, but a divine institution that safeguards and advances the cause of God on earth. It is through the Guardianship that the Bahá’í Faith can flourish and fulfill its mission of establishing a new world order based on justice, unity and peace.

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