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Hands of the Cause

December 12, 2023

Hand of the Cause was a title given to prominent early members of the Baháʼí Faith, appointed for life by the religion's founders. Of the fifty individuals given the title, the last living was ʻAlí-Muhammad Varqá who died in 2007. Hands of the Cause played a significant role in propagating the religion, and protecting it from schism.[1]

With the passing of Shoghi Effendi in 1957, the twenty-seven living Hands of the Cause at the time would be the last appointed. The Universal House of Justice, the governing body first elected in 1963, created the Institution of the Counsellors in 1968 and the appointed Continental Counsellors over time took on the role that the Hands of the Cause were filling.[1][2] The announcement in 1968 also changed the role of the Hand of the Cause, changing them from continental appointments to worldwide, and nine Counsellors working at the International Teaching Centre took on the role of the nine Hands of the Cause who worked in the Baháʼí World Centre.

The most complete list of the Hands available is from The Baháʼí World: Vol XIV. The Universal House of Justice has said that this list may not be complete, and that a study of the letters and archives may reveal others named to this position.

Responsibilities edit

‘Abdu’l-Baha in his will and testament asks the Hands of the Cause of God to be "ever watchful" and "so soon as they find anyone beginning to oppose and protest against the Guardian of the Cause of God, cast him out from the congregation of the people of Baha and in no wise accept any excuse from him."[3]

The Hands of the Cause are also referred to by Shoghi Effendi as the "Chief Stewards of Baháʼu'lláh's embryonic World Commonwealth".[4]

Appointments edit

Four Hands were named by Baháʼu'lláh, four by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá and forty-two by Shoghi Effendi (including ten posthumously).

Appointed by Baháʼu'lláh[5] edit

Appointed posthumously by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá[5] edit

  • Muhammad-Ridá (Mullá Muhammad Ábádí Yazdí)
  • Nabíl-i-Akbar (1829–1892)
  • Ismu'lláhu'l-Asdaq (d. 1889) (Mullá Sádiq Khurasani)
  • Varqá (d. 1896)

Appointed posthumously by Shoghi Effendi[6] edit

Appointed individually by Shoghi Effendi [year of appointment][6] edit

First contingent, appointed 24 December 1951 by Shoghi Effendi[6] edit

Second contingent, appointed 29 February 1952 by Shoghi Effendi[6] edit

Last contingent, appointed 2 October 1957 by Shoghi Effendi[6] edit

Custodians edit

During the period between the death of Shoghi Effendi and the election of the Universal House of Justice the Hands of the Cause held a convocation from which they constituted a body of nine from among their number to serve in the Holy Land and to act as Custodians of the Baháʼí Faith, a body which functioned without officers and with a quorum of five, whose duties included taking care of Baháʼí World Center properties and other assets; corresponding with and advising National and Regional Spiritual Assemblies; acting on behalf of the Baháʼí Faith for its protection; and maintaining close contact with the rest of the Hands, who would henceforth devote their time to the successful completion of the goals of the Ten Year Crusade. The Hands of the Cause maintained the number of Custodians, replacing those who died or were unable, for health or personal reasons, to remain at the Baháʼí World Center permanently.

The idea of a group of nine elected from among the Hands of the Cause to stay at the Baha'i World Centre was referred to in the Will and Testament of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, one of the defining documents of Baháʼí administration. This body of nine was given the duty to validate any appointments made as Guardian:

"The Hands of the Cause of God must elect from their own number nine persons that shall at all times be occupied in the important services in the work of the Guardian of the Cause of God. The election of these nine must be carried either unanimously or by majority from the company of the Hands of the Cause of God and these, whether unanimously or by a majority vote, must give their assent to the choice of the one whom the Guardian of the Cause of God hath chosen as his successor."[7]

Ministry (1957–1963) edit

In 1957 after the unexpected death of Shoghi Effendi while he was travelling to Britain, the living Hands of the Cause gathered in Haifa and elected nine members that would retain the leadership of the religion until the Universal House of Justice was elected in 1963. All eligible appointees as Guardian had been excommunicated and no appointment had been made by Shoghi Effendi, so they left the situation to be decided by the Universal House of Justice, which had the scriptural authority to legislate on matters that were unaddressed in the religion's texts.

In a statement released by the complete body of the Hands of the Cause they wrote:

We the undersigned:
in our capacity as Hands of the Cause of God duly nominated and appointed by the Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith, His Eminence the late Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, assembled this 25 November 1957 at the Baháʼí World Centre and constituting the supreme body of the Baháʼí World Community
DO HEREBY UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVE AND PROCLAIM AS FOLLOWS:
WHEREAS THE Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith, His Eminence the late Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, died in London (England) on 4 November 1957, without having appointed his successor;
AND WHEREAS it is now fallen upon us as Chief Stewards of the Baháʼí World Faith to preserve the unity, the security and the development of the Baháʼí World Community and all its institutions;
AND WHEREAS in accordance with the Will and Testament of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá) "the Hands of the Cause of God must elect from their own number nine persons that shall at all times be occupied in the important services in the work of the Guardian of the Cause of God";
We nominate and appoint from our own number to act on our behalf as the Custodians of the Baháʼí World Faith
Ruhiyyih Rabbani
Charles Mason Remey
Amelia E. Collins
Leroy C. Ioas
Hasan Balyuzi
ʻAlí-Akbar Furútan
Jalal Khazeh
Paul E. Haney
Adelbert Muhlschlegel
to exercise -- subject to such directions and decisions as may be given from time to time by us as the Chief Stewards of the Baháʼí World Faith -- all such functions, rights and powers in succession to the Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith, His Eminence the late Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, as are necessary to serve the interests of the Baháʼí World Faith, and this until such time as the Universal House of Justice, upon being duly established and elected in conformity with the Sacred Writings of Baháʼu'lláh and the Will and Testament of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, may otherwise determine.[8]

In 1959 Mason Remey and Hasan Balyuzi found that they could no longer serve in a permanent capacity as Custodian of the Faith at the Baháʼí World Centre, and thus John Ferraby and Horace Holley were selected to replace them as Custodians. Then in 1960 after the death of Horace Holley, William Sears was elected to replace him and serve as a Custodian.[citation needed]

Closing of their office edit

 
Extract from Bahai texts

The Custodians called for the election of the Universal House of Justice at the close of the Ten Year Crusade in 1963 and excluded themselves from being electable to that institution.[9]

Upon the election of the Universal House of Justice the Custodians closed their office and turned to that newly elected body. They announced:

"WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, DULY NOMINATED AND APPOINTED AS CUSTODIANS OF THE BAHAʼI WORLD FAITH BY THE DECLARATION OF THE HANDS OF THE CAUSE OF GOD MADE AT BAHJI ON NOVEMBER 25TH, 1957... do now declare that the Universal House of Justice was so established and elected by action of the International Baháʼí Convention held at Haifa on April 21st, 22nd and 23rd, 1963 and we hereby release all the said functions, rights and powers which were conferred upon us under the said Declaration of November 25th, 1957 as determined by the Universal House of Justice in its communication of June 7th, 1963, and we declare that all the said functions, rights and powers now devolve rightfully and in full accordance with the Sacred Writings of the Baháʼí Faith upon the Universal House of Justice. We make this statement for the full body of the Hands of the Cause of God in accordance with the powers conferred upon us by the Declaration of November 25th, 1957, and the office of Custodians of the Baháʼí World Faith has thus ceased to exist."[10]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b Britannica 2022.
  2. ^ Adamson 2009, p. 220.
  3. ^ ʻAbdu'l-Bahá 1992.
  4. ^ Effendi 1971, p. 127.
  5. ^ a b Smith 2000.
  6. ^ a b c d e Rabbani 1992, pp. xxii–xxiv.
  7. ^ ʻAbdu'l-Bahá 1992, p. 12.
  8. ^ Rabbani 1992, p. 28.
  9. ^ Rabbani 1992, p. 321.
  10. ^ Rabbani 1992, p. 433.

References edit

  • ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (1992) [Composed 1901-08]. The Will And Testament of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá. Mona Vale, N.S.W, Australia: Baháʼí Publications Australia. ISBN 0-909991-47-2.
  • Adamson, Hugh C. (2009). "Hand of the Cause of God". The A to Z of the Baháʼí Faith. The A to Z Guide Series, No. 70. Plymouth, UK: Scarecrow Press. pp. 217–220. ISBN 978-0-8108-6853-3.
  • Braun, Eunice (2009). "Hands of the Cause of God". Baháʼí Encyclopedia Project. Vol. Online. National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of the United States. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  • Harper, Barron (1997). Lights of Fortitude (Paperback ed.). Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0-85398-413-1.
  • Smith, Peter (2000). "Hands of the Cause of God". A Concise Encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford, UK: Oneworld Publications. pp. 175–177. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.

External links edit

  • Portraits of the Hands of the Cause
  • Fadil-i-Mazandarani - House of Justice message of 1998 concerning the status and rank of Fadil-i-Mazandarani.

December 12, 2023
hands, cause, this, article, rely, excessively, sources, closely, associated, with, subject, potentially, preventing, article, from, being, verifiable, neutral, please, help, improve, replacing, them, with, more, appropriate, citations, reliable, independent, . This article may rely excessively on sources too closely associated with the subject potentially preventing the article from being verifiable and neutral Please help improve it by replacing them with more appropriate citations to reliable independent third party sources December 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Hand of the Cause was a title given to prominent early members of the Bahaʼi Faith appointed for life by the religion s founders Of the fifty individuals given the title the last living was ʻAli Muhammad Varqa who died in 2007 Hands of the Cause played a significant role in propagating the religion and protecting it from schism 1 With the passing of Shoghi Effendi in 1957 the twenty seven living Hands of the Cause at the time would be the last appointed The Universal House of Justice the governing body first elected in 1963 created the Institution of the Counsellors in 1968 and the appointed Continental Counsellors over time took on the role that the Hands of the Cause were filling 1 2 The announcement in 1968 also changed the role of the Hand of the Cause changing them from continental appointments to worldwide and nine Counsellors working at the International Teaching Centre took on the role of the nine Hands of the Cause who worked in the Bahaʼi World Centre The most complete list of the Hands available is from The Bahaʼi World Vol XIV The Universal House of Justice has said that this list may not be complete and that a study of the letters and archives may reveal others named to this position Contents 1 Responsibilities 2 Appointments 2 1 Appointed by Bahaʼu llah 5 2 2 Appointed posthumously by ʻAbdu l Baha 5 2 3 Appointed posthumously by Shoghi Effendi 6 2 4 Appointed individually by Shoghi Effendi year of appointment 6 2 5 First contingent appointed 24 December 1951 by Shoghi Effendi 6 2 6 Second contingent appointed 29 February 1952 by Shoghi Effendi 6 2 7 Last contingent appointed 2 October 1957 by Shoghi Effendi 6 3 Custodians 3 1 Ministry 1957 1963 3 2 Closing of their office 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksResponsibilities edit Abdu l Baha in his will and testament asks the Hands of the Cause of God to be ever watchful and so soon as they find anyone beginning to oppose and protest against the Guardian of the Cause of God cast him out from the congregation of the people of Baha and in no wise accept any excuse from him 3 The Hands of the Cause are also referred to by Shoghi Effendi as the Chief Stewards of Bahaʼu llah s embryonic World Commonwealth 4 Appointments editFour Hands were named by Bahaʼu llah four by ʻAbdu l Baha and forty two by Shoghi Effendi including ten posthumously Appointed by Bahaʼu llah 5 edit Adib 1848 1919 Haji Akhund 1842 1910 Ibn i Asdaq d 1928 Ibn i Abhar d 1917 Appointed posthumously by ʻAbdu l Baha 5 edit Muhammad Rida Mulla Muhammad Abadi Yazdi Nabil i Akbar 1829 1892 Ismu llahu l Asdaq d 1889 Mulla Sadiq Khurasani Varqa d 1896 Appointed posthumously by Shoghi Effendi 6 edit John Ebenezer Esslemont 1874 1925 Haji Amin 1831 1928 Keith Ransom Kehler 1876 1933 Martha Root 1872 1939 John Henry Hyde Dunn 1855 1941 Siyyid Mustafa Rumi d 1942 Abdu l Jalil Bey Sa d d 1942 Muhammed Taqiy i Isfahani d 1946 Roy C Wilhelm 1875 1951 Louis George Gregory 1874 1951 Appointed individually by Shoghi Effendi year of appointment 6 edit Amatu l Baha Ruḥiyyih K hanum 1910 2000 1952 Jalal K haḍih 1897 1990 1953 also transliterated Jalal Khazeh Paul Edmond Haney 1909 1982 1954 ʻAli Muhammad Varqa 1911 2007 1955 Agnes Baldwin Alexander 1875 1971 1957 First contingent appointed 24 December 1951 by Shoghi Effendi 6 edit Dorothy Beecher Baker 1898 1954 Amelia Engelder Collins 1873 1962 ʻAli Akbar Furutan 1905 2003 Ugo Giachery 1896 1989 Hermann Grossmann 1899 1968 Horace Hotchkiss Holley 1887 1960 Leroy C Ioas 1896 1965 William Sutherland Maxwell 1874 1952 Taraz u llah Samandari 1874 1968 Valiyu llah Varqa 1884 1955 George Townshend 1876 1957 Charles Mason Remey 1874 1974 Second contingent appointed 29 February 1952 by Shoghi Effendi 6 edit Siegfried Schopflocher 1877 1953 S hu a u llah ʻAlaʼi 1889 1984 Musa Banani 1886 1971 Clara Dunn 1869 1960 D hikru llah K hadim 1904 1986 Adelbert Muhlschlegel 1897 1980 Corinne Knight True 1861 1961 Last contingent appointed 2 October 1957 by Shoghi Effendi 6 edit Hasan Muvaqqar Balyuzi 1908 1980 Abu l Qasim Faizi 1906 1980 John Graham Ferraby 1914 1973 Harold Collis Featherstone 1913 1990 Rahmatu llah Muhajir 1923 1979 Enoch Olinga 1926 1979 John Aldham Robarts 1901 1991 William Sears 1911 1992 Custodians editDuring the period between the death of Shoghi Effendi and the election of the Universal House of Justice the Hands of the Cause held a convocation from which they constituted a body of nine from among their number to serve in the Holy Land and to act as Custodians of the Bahaʼi Faith a body which functioned without officers and with a quorum of five whose duties included taking care of Bahaʼi World Center properties and other assets corresponding with and advising National and Regional Spiritual Assemblies acting on behalf of the Bahaʼi Faith for its protection and maintaining close contact with the rest of the Hands who would henceforth devote their time to the successful completion of the goals of the Ten Year Crusade The Hands of the Cause maintained the number of Custodians replacing those who died or were unable for health or personal reasons to remain at the Bahaʼi World Center permanently The idea of a group of nine elected from among the Hands of the Cause to stay at the Baha i World Centre was referred to in the Will and Testament of ʻAbdu l Baha one of the defining documents of Bahaʼi administration This body of nine was given the duty to validate any appointments made as Guardian The Hands of the Cause of God must elect from their own number nine persons that shall at all times be occupied in the important services in the work of the Guardian of the Cause of God The election of these nine must be carried either unanimously or by majority from the company of the Hands of the Cause of God and these whether unanimously or by a majority vote must give their assent to the choice of the one whom the Guardian of the Cause of God hath chosen as his successor 7 Ministry 1957 1963 edit In 1957 after the unexpected death of Shoghi Effendi while he was travelling to Britain the living Hands of the Cause gathered in Haifa and elected nine members that would retain the leadership of the religion until the Universal House of Justice was elected in 1963 All eligible appointees as Guardian had been excommunicated and no appointment had been made by Shoghi Effendi so they left the situation to be decided by the Universal House of Justice which had the scriptural authority to legislate on matters that were unaddressed in the religion s texts In a statement released by the complete body of the Hands of the Cause they wrote We the undersigned in our capacity as Hands of the Cause of God duly nominated and appointed by the Guardian of the Bahaʼi Faith His Eminence the late Shoghi Effendi Rabbani assembled this 25 November 1957 at the Bahaʼi World Centre and constituting the supreme body of the Bahaʼi World CommunityDO HEREBY UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVE AND PROCLAIM AS FOLLOWS WHEREAS THE Guardian of the Bahaʼi Faith His Eminence the late Shoghi Effendi Rabbani died in London England on 4 November 1957 without having appointed his successor AND WHEREAS it is now fallen upon us as Chief Stewards of the Bahaʼi World Faith to preserve the unity the security and the development of the Bahaʼi World Community and all its institutions AND WHEREAS in accordance with the Will and Testament of ʻAbdu l Baha the Hands of the Cause of God must elect from their own number nine persons that shall at all times be occupied in the important services in the work of the Guardian of the Cause of God We nominate and appoint from our own number to act on our behalf as the Custodians of the Bahaʼi World FaithRuhiyyih Rabbani Charles Mason Remey Amelia E Collins Leroy C Ioas Hasan Balyuzi ʻAli Akbar Furutan Jalal Khazeh Paul E Haney Adelbert Muhlschlegel dd to exercise subject to such directions and decisions as may be given from time to time by us as the Chief Stewards of the Bahaʼi World Faith all such functions rights and powers in succession to the Guardian of the Bahaʼi Faith His Eminence the late Shoghi Effendi Rabbani as are necessary to serve the interests of the Bahaʼi World Faith and this until such time as the Universal House of Justice upon being duly established and elected in conformity with the Sacred Writings of Bahaʼu llah and the Will and Testament of ʻAbdu l Baha may otherwise determine 8 In 1959 Mason Remey and Hasan Balyuzi found that they could no longer serve in a permanent capacity as Custodian of the Faith at the Bahaʼi World Centre and thus John Ferraby and Horace Holley were selected to replace them as Custodians Then in 1960 after the death of Horace Holley William Sears was elected to replace him and serve as a Custodian citation needed Closing of their office edit nbsp Extract from Bahai textsThe Custodians called for the election of the Universal House of Justice at the close of the Ten Year Crusade in 1963 and excluded themselves from being electable to that institution 9 Upon the election of the Universal House of Justice the Custodians closed their office and turned to that newly elected body They announced WE THE UNDERSIGNED DULY NOMINATED AND APPOINTED AS CUSTODIANS OF THE BAHAʼI WORLD FAITH BY THE DECLARATION OF THE HANDS OF THE CAUSE OF GOD MADE AT BAHJI ON NOVEMBER 25TH 1957 do now declare that the Universal House of Justice was so established and elected by action of the International Bahaʼi Convention held at Haifa on April 21st 22nd and 23rd 1963 and we hereby release all the said functions rights and powers which were conferred upon us under the said Declaration of November 25th 1957 as determined by the Universal House of Justice in its communication of June 7th 1963 and we declare that all the said functions rights and powers now devolve rightfully and in full accordance with the Sacred Writings of the Bahaʼi Faith upon the Universal House of Justice We make this statement for the full body of the Hands of the Cause of God in accordance with the powers conferred upon us by the Declaration of November 25th 1957 and the office of Custodians of the Bahaʼi World Faith has thus ceased to exist 10 See also editApostles of Bahaʼu llah Disciples of ʻAbdu l Baha Institution of the Counsellors Letters of the LivingNotes edit a b Britannica 2022 Adamson 2009 p 220 ʻAbdu l Baha 1992 Effendi 1971 p 127 a b Smith 2000 a b c d e Rabbani 1992 pp xxii xxiv ʻAbdu l Baha 1992 p 12 Rabbani 1992 p 28 Rabbani 1992 p 321 Rabbani 1992 p 433 References editʻAbdu l Baha 1992 Composed 1901 08 The Will And Testament of ʻAbdu l Baha Mona Vale N S W Australia Bahaʼi Publications Australia ISBN 0 909991 47 2 Adamson Hugh C 2009 Hand of the Cause of God The A to Z of the Bahaʼi Faith The A to Z Guide Series No 70 Plymouth UK Scarecrow Press pp 217 220 ISBN 978 0 8108 6853 3 Braun Eunice 2009 Hands of the Cause of God Bahaʼi Encyclopedia Project Vol Online National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahaʼis of the United States Retrieved 2020 12 08 Britannica 2022 03 14 Hands of the Cause of God Encyclopaedia Britannica Retrieved 2022 07 07 Effendi Shoghi 1971 Messages to the Bahaʼi World 1950 1957 Wilmette Illinois USA Bahaʼi Publishing Trust ISBN 0 87743 036 5 Harper Barron 1997 Lights of Fortitude Paperback ed Oxford UK George Ronald ISBN 0 85398 413 1 Rabbani Ruhiyyih ed 1992 The Ministry of the Custodians 1957 1963 Bahaʼi World Centre ISBN 0 85398 350 X Smith Peter 2000 Hands of the Cause of God A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bahaʼi Faith Oxford UK Oneworld Publications pp 175 177 ISBN 1 85168 184 1 Universal House of Justice 2001 01 29 Institution of the CounsellorsUniversal House of Justice 2007 Reflections on the Institution of the Hands of the Cause of God PDF External links editPortraits of the Hands of the CauseFadil i Mazandarani House of Justice message of 1998 concerning the status and rank of Fadil i Mazandarani Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hands of the Cause amp oldid 1126880012, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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