User:LambaJan/The Guardianship Sandbox

This is the sandbox. Right now it's small. Soon it will be larger.

The intention is to take pieces from the Shoghi Effendi Sandbox to make this one and turn them into two separate articles to replace the real articles and then have people vote on the sandbox versions before making the change for real.LambaJan 01:20, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

Mention of this title and position in the Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá

In the Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá, He stated:

"O my loving friends! After the passing away of this wronged one, it is incumbent upon the Aghsán (Branches), the Afnán (Twigs) of the Sacred Lote-Tree, the Hands (pillars) of the Cause of God and the loved ones of the Abhá Beauty to turn unto Shoghi Effendi--the youthful branch branched from the two hallowed and sacred Lote-Trees and the fruit grown from the union of the two offshoots of the Tree of Holiness,-- as he is the sign of God, the chosen branch, the Guardian of the Cause of God, he unto whom all the Aghsán, the Afnán, the Hands of the Cause of God and His loved ones must turn. He is the Interpreter of the Word of God and after him will succeed the first-born of his lineal descendents.

This paragraph, the 17th, marks the first mention of both "Shoghi Effendi" and "Guardian of the Cause of God."

"The sacred and youthful branch, the Guardian of the Cause of God, as well as the Universal House of Justice to be universally elected and established, are both under the care and protection of the Abha Beauty, under the shelter and unerring guidance of the Exalted One (may my life be offered up for them both). Whatsoever they decide is of God. Whoso obeyeth him not, neither obeyeth them, hath not obeyed God; whoso rebelleth against him and against them hath rebelled against God; whoso opposeth him hath opposed God; whoso contendeth with them hath contended with God; whoso disputeth with him hath disputed with God; whoso denieth him hath denied God; whoso disbelieveth in him hath disbelieved in God; whoso deviateth, separateth himself and turneth aside from him hath in truth deviated, separated himself and turned aside from God. May the wrath, the fierce indignation, the vengeance of God rest upon him!"

S.E. Death

The suddenness of his death caught the Bahá'í world off-guard, and with no will to specify a successor, the Bahá'í Faith was temporarily stewarded by the Hands of the Cause. At the end of the Ten Year Crusade, planned by Shoghi Effendi and concluding in 1963, the Universal House of Justice was first elected. As its first order of business, the Universal House of Justice evaluated the situation caused by the lack of a will from the Guardian. It determined that under the circumstances, given the criteria for succession described in the Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá, there was no legitimate way for another Guardian to be appointed.

Therefore, although a succession of Guardians is envisioned in the Will and Testament, Shoghi Effendi remains the first and last occupant of this office.

NOTE: this is disputed by relatively small groups of Bahá'ís who claim that the Guardianship continues. See Bahá'í Divisions.