IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST BENEFICENT, THE MOST MERCIFUL |
The Universal House of Justice is the highest body and the supreme governing institution of the Bahai Faith. The books and documents published by the House are considered authoritative and its legislative decisions infallible for the Bahais. It is the interpreter of the Bahai teachings and laws. All Bahais are directed to obey it; disagreement and questioning its decisions could even lead to ex-communication and being labeled a covenant-breaker. It was formed in 1963 and is based in Haifa, Israel. Its powers and position in the Bahai faith can well be understood, from the following citation "As for the House of Justice, God has made it a source of all goodness and safe from all evil. It is a must for the selection of the public that it is established with believers who should be manifestation of piety, a place of knowledge and knowing, steadfastness on religion and altruistic to humanity. The aim of the House of Justice generally is to establish the house of justice in all cities and they in turn form the House of Justice. It is a source of all affairs and foundation for laws and religious edict. It will stipulate the words of God and solve all the problems. Wali Amr Ilah will be the head of this and cannot be removed from the position."
I ask a simple question, where is the Wali-e-Amr or the Guardian who would head this? And the continuation “cannot be removed from the position” necessarily means he always has to be present and no edict can annul his presence. The presence of the Guardian is reinforced in other places as well. On pg 75 in Nazre Ijmaali it is quoted from chain 105 of Badee written by Shoghi Effendi: 'This new order rests on two pillars. The first and greatest pillar is the guardianship of God which is the centre of interpretation. The second pillar is the House of Justice of God which must be referred to for interpretation. In this divine regulation is the interpretation of the laws of the Shariat. This is the foundation of the covenant and the pledge which is not possible without taking both pillars together as one cannot exist without the other.' On page 82 of Daur-e-Bahai, Shoghi writes 'The Wali-e-Amr is present (at all times) and even in the future they will be present. With their sayings and actions they will testify to this reality.' Also he writes on page 31 of Nazr-e-Ijmaali: 'The instituting of Shoghi Rabbani to the position of Wali-e-Amr by Abdul Baha and the laws to appoint the subsequent leaders (Wali-e-Amr) point towards the permanent existence of a Wali-e-Amr (in every era) and his continuous leadership of the Universal House of Justice.' On page 76 of Daur-e-Bahai, there is mention of the Universal House of Justice and a Guardian '…since both these pillars (Universal House of Justice and the Guardian) are necessary for the fulfillment of responsibilities and other comprehensive issues and the rectification of the divine affair (i.e. both are necessary and one cannot do without the other). Shoghi died in 1957 while the House of Justice was formed in 1963. There was not a single day when the House of Justice was headed by someone. The Guardian and the House of Justice have both to exist with one another, and the imperativeness that “one cannot exist without the other” only means such an institution without a Guardian is as good as it does not exist. Can the Bahais let me know who is the Guardian in the present constitution of the nine-member body of the House of Justice. It is interesting to note that its nine members are appointed by individual Bahais (directly or indirectly) but the words and directives issues by this body are considered infallible, while the members in their individual capacity are not only fallible but even have no attestation from God. Would any wise man believe in such an organization which is not recognized by the founders and interpreters of faith, moreso because history is replete with examples of people who displayed a marked degree of abstinence and piety, but with the sole purpose to deceive the people. All in all, to conclude,
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