Seat of The Universal House of Justice

For the building, see the Seat of the Universal House of Justice

The Universal House of Justice is the supreme governing institution of the Bahá'í Faith. The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind Bahá'u'lláh ( ba-haa-ol-laa "Glory of God" ( November 12, 1817 – May 29, 1892) born Mírzá Ḥusayn-`Alí Nuri Siyyid `Alí Muḥammad ( ( October 20, 1819 – July 9, 1850) was the founder of Bábism, and one of three central figures of the ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ( ar عبد البهاء &lrm (23 May 1844 - 28 November 1921 born `Abbás Effendí, was the son of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the The Kitáb-i-Aqdas is a central book of the Bahá'í Faith written by Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the religion The Kitáb-i-Íqán ( "The Book of Certitude" is one of many books held sacred by followers of the Bahá'í Faith; it is their primary theologicial Kalimát-i-Maknúnih (کلمات مکنونه or The Hidden Words is a book written in Baghdad around 1857 by Bahá'u'lláh The Seven Valleys ( Haft-Vádí) is a book written in Persian by Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. The Bahá'í administration refers to the administrative system of the Bahá'í Faith. Shoghí Effendí Rabbání ( March 1, 1897 - November 4, 1957) better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the appointed head of the Spiritual Assembly is a term given by `Abdu'l-Bahá to refer to elected councils that govern the Bahá'í Faith. Bahá'í history is often traced through a sequence of leaders beginning with the Báb 's May 23 1844 declaration in Shiraz and ultimately resting on an The following is a basic timeline of the Bábí and Bahá'í religions emphasizing dates that are relatively well known Bábism () is a religious movement that flourished in Persia from 1844 to 1852 then lingered on in exile in the Ottoman Empire (especially Cyprus) as Shaykh Ahmad ibn Zayn ad-Dín ibn Ibráhím al-Ahsá'í ( was ( 1753 - 1826) was the founder of a 19th century Shi`i school in the Persian and Shoghí Effendí Rabbání ( March 1, 1897 - November 4, 1957) better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the appointed head of the Martha Louise Root ( August 19, 1872 &ndash September 28, 1939) was a prominent traveling teacher of the Bahá'í Faith in the late Táhirih ( "The Pure One" or Qurratu'l-`Ayn ( "Solace of the Eyes" are both titles of Fátimih Baraghání (b Badí‘ (‎(1852 - 1869 was the title of Mírzá Áqá Buzurg-i-Nishapuri, also known by his title the Pride of Martyrs, was the son of `Abdu'l-Majid-i-Nishapuri The Hands of the Cause of God, Hands of the Cause, or Hands (informally were a select group of Bahá'ís, appointed for life whose main function was to The official symbol of the Bahá'í Faith is the Five-pointed star, as mentioned by Shoghi Effendi: "Strictly speaking the 5-pointed Bahá'í laws are laws and ordinances used in the Bahá'í Faith, according to the instructions of the Bahá'u'lláh as written in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas The Bahá'í teachings represent a considerable number of theological social and spiritual ideas that were established in the Bahá'í Faith by its Central Figures Bahá'í literature, like much Religious text, covers a variety of topics and forms including scripture and inspiration interpretation history and biography The Bahá'í calendar, also called the Badí‘ calendar, used by the Bahá'í Faith, is a Solar calendar with regular years of 365 days and Leap The Bahá'í Faith has had challenges to leadership at the death of every head of the religion A Bahá'í pilgrimage currently consists of visiting the holy places in Haifa, Akká, and Bahjí at the Bahá'í World Centre in Northwest Prayer in the Bahá'í Faith is composed of reverent words which are addressed to God, and the act of prayer is one of the most important Bahá'í laws for individual The Bahá'í World Centre buildings are buildings that are part of the Bahá'í World Centre in Israel. The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind Its nine members are elected every five years by an electoral college consisting of all the members of each National Spiritual Assembly. Spiritual Assembly is a term given by `Abdu'l-Bahá to refer to elected councils that govern the Bahá'í Faith. It is a legislative institution with the authority to supplement and apply the laws of Bahá'u'lláh and exercises a judicial function as the highest appellate institution in the Bahá'í administration. Legislation (or " Statutory law " is law which has been promulgated (or " Enacted quot by a Legislature or other Governing Bahá'í laws are laws and ordinances used in the Bahá'í Faith, according to the instructions of the Bahá'u'lláh as written in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas Bahá'u'lláh ( ba-haa-ol-laa "Glory of God" ( November 12, 1817 – May 29, 1892) born Mírzá Ḥusayn-`Alí Nuri The Bahá'í administration refers to the administrative system of the Bahá'í Faith.

The Seat of the Universal House of Justice and its members reside in Haifa, Israel, on the slope of Mount Carmel. The Bahá'í World Centre buildings are buildings that are part of the Bahá'í World Centre in Israel. Haifa (חֵיפָה; حَيْفَا) is the largest City in Northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country with Slope is used to describe the steepness incline gradient or grade of a straight line. Mount Carmel (הר הכרמל Karem El/Har Ha'Karmel; Arabic Kurmul/Jabal Mar Elyas) is a coastal Mountain range in northern Israel It was defined in the writings of Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá, and was officially established in 1963 as the culmination of the Ten Year Crusade. Bahá'u'lláh ( ba-haa-ol-laa "Glory of God" ( November 12, 1817 – May 29, 1892) born Mírzá Ḥusayn-`Alí Nuri ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ( ar عبد البهاء &lrm (23 May 1844 - 28 November 1921 born `Abbás Effendí, was the son of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the The Ten Year World Crusade (1953-1963 was launched by Shoghi Effendi in an effort to facilitate an organized expansion of the Bahá'í Faith.

The books and documents published by the Universal House of Justice are considered authoritative and its legislative decisions are considered infallible to Bahá'ís [1].

Usage note: in the Bahá'í writings it is sometimes called the 'Supreme House of Justice', the 'International House of Justice', or the 'Universal House of Justice'. Bahá'ís now refer to it as the 'Universal House of Justice', which is sometimes abbreviated to the 'House of Justice', or 'the House'.

History

In the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, Bahá'u'lláh ordains the institution of the House of Justice and defines its functions. The Kitáb-i-Aqdas is a central book of the Bahá'í Faith written by Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the religion Its responsibilities are also referred to in several other Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh. The Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas are selected tablets written by Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith

Original members of the first Universal House of Justice, 1963.

`Abdu'l-Bahá, in his Will and Testament, elaborated on its functioning, its composition and outlines the method for its election. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ( ar عبد البهاء &lrm (23 May 1844 - 28 November 1921 born `Abbás Effendí, was the son of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the He first used the term "Universal House of Justice" to distinguish the supreme body from those local 'Houses of Justice' to be established in each community. Shoghi Effendi, during his lifetime, prepared for the election of the Universal House of Justice, by establishing a strong administrative structure at the local and national levels. Shoghí Effendí Rabbání ( March 1, 1897 - November 4, 1957) better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the appointed head of the

In 1951, Shoghi Effendi appointed members to the International Bahá'í Council, and described it as an embryonic international House of Justice. Shoghí Effendí Rabbání ( March 1, 1897 - November 4, 1957) better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the appointed head of the The International Bahá'í Council (IBC is an administrative institution of the Bahá'í Faith, first created in 1951 as a precursor to the Universal House of Justice In 1961 the council was changed to an elected body, with members of all National Spiritual Assemblies voting.

The first Universal House of Justice was elected in April 1963, six years after the passing of Shoghi Effendi, by 56 National Spiritual Assemblies. The date of the election coincided with the completion of the Ten Year Crusade, instituted by Shoghi Effendi, and also with the first Centenary Anniversary of the Public Declaration of Bahá'u'lláh in the Garden of Ridván in April 1863. The Ten Year World Crusade (1953-1963 was launched by Shoghi Effendi in an effort to facilitate an organized expansion of the Bahá'í Faith. The Garden of Ridván (lit garden of paradise is located just outside Baghdad, over the Tigris river

Election process

The Universal House of Justice is elected through secret ballot and plurality vote in a three-stage election by adult Bahá'ís throughout the world. The House is elected without nominations or campaigning and all adult male members of the Bahá'í Faith are eligible for election to the House.

The body is elected every five years during a convention of the members of the various National or Regional Spiritual Assemblies (NSAs) across the world. Spiritual Assembly is a term given by `Abdu'l-Bahá to refer to elected councils that govern the Bahá'í Faith. Each member of the various NSAs, who were themselves elected by the Bahá'ís of their country, votes for nine adult male Bahá'ís. The nine people who have the most votes are elected onto the Universal House of Justice.

The most recent full election was in April 2008 when 166 National and Regional Spiritual Assemblies were in existence. About a thousand Bahá’ís from 153 countries were present at the 10th International Bahá’í Convention at the Bahá'í World Centre in Haifa^[1]

Women are not eligible for election to the Universal House of Justice. The Bahá'í World Centre is the name given to the administrative centre of the Bahá'í Faith. Haifa (חֵיפָה; حَيْفَا) is the largest City in Northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country with `Abdu'l-Bahá stated that the reason for this will become clear in the future, and that women and men are spiritually equal. For more on this issue see Bahá'í Faith and gender equality. One of the main teachings of the Bahá'í Faith is Gender equality; that men and women are equal

Responsibilities

The Universal House of Justice itself states in its constitution that "The provenance, the authority, the duties, the sphere of action of the Universal House of Justice all derive from the revealed Word of Bahá'u'lláh which, together with the interpretations and expositions of `Abdu'l-Bahá and of Shoghi Effendi . . . constitute the binding terms of reference of the Universal House of Justice and are its bedrock foundation. " [2]

The Universal House of Justice today guides the growth and development of the global Bahá'í community. Some of its responsibilities include:

• Promoting the spiritual qualities that characterize Bahá'í life individually and collectively
• Preserving the Bahá'í Sacred Texts
• Defending and protecting the global Bahá'í community
• Preserving and developing the world spiritual and administrative centre of the Bahá'í Faith
• Encouraging the growth and maturation of the Bahá'í community

Furthermore, the Universal House of Justice is instructed by Bahá'u'lláh to exert a positive influence on the general welfare of humankind, to promote a permanent peace among the nations of the world, ensure the "training of peoples, the upbuilding of nations, the protection of man and the safeguarding of his honor. [3]"

The Universal House of Justice is supported by the elected national and local governing bodies of the Bahá'í Faith, (the National Spiritual Assemblies and Local Spiritual Assemblies respectively). Spiritual Assembly is a term given by `Abdu'l-Bahá to refer to elected councils that govern the Bahá'í Faith. Spiritual Assembly is a term given by `Abdu'l-Bahá to refer to elected councils that govern the Bahá'í Faith. It has, furthermore, created several appointed institutions to support its work around the world; among these are the Continental Board of Counselors and the International Teaching Centre. For the building see the Seat of the International Teaching Centre The International Teaching Centre (sometimes referred to as "the ITC"

Jurisdiction

The Universal House of Justice is also given the responsibility of adapting the Bahá'í Faith as society progresses, and is thus given the power to legislate on matters not explicitly covered in the Bahá'í sacred texts. While the Universal House of Justice is authorized to change or repeal its own legislation as conditions change, it cannot dissolve or change any of the laws which are explicitly written in the sacred texts.

". . . the Universal House of Justice has been invested with the function of legislating on matters not expressly revealed in the teachings. . . . whose exclusive right and prerogative is to pronounce upon and deliver the final judgment on such laws and ordinances as Bahá'u'lláh has not expressly revealed. . . . Neither the Guardian of the Faith nor any institution apart from the International House of Justice can ever usurp this vital and essential power or encroach upon that sacred right. Shoghí Effendí Rabbání ( March 1, 1897 - November 4, 1957) better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the appointed head of the "^[2]

In the same book, Shoghi Effendi mentions that certain issues were left intentionally for the House of Justice to apply and legislate on as time progressed.

"Severed from the no less essential institution of the Universal House of Justice this same System of the Will of 'Abdu'l-Bahá would be paralyzed in its action and would be powerless to fill in those gaps which the Author of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas has deliberately left in the body of His legislative and administrative ordinances. The Bahá'í administration refers to the administrative system of the Bahá'í Faith. A seminal document written in three stages by `Abdu'l-Bahá. Several sections were written under imminent threat of harm The Kitáb-i-Aqdas is a central book of the Bahá'í Faith written by Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the religion "^[3]

It is considered to be the Supreme Institution of the Branch of the "elected", alongside the Supreme Institution of the "appointed", which is the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith. Shoghí Effendí Rabbání ( March 1, 1897 - November 4, 1957) better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the appointed head of the

Publications

• The Promise of World Peace (1985).

Statement addressed "To the Peoples of the World", presented to over 160 heads of state and government. It outlines the major prerequisites for, as well as the obstacles working against, the establishment of world peace.

• Bahá'u'lláh (1992).

Marking the centenary of the passing of Bahá'u'lláh, this statement is a review of his life and work.

• The Prosperity of Humankind (1995).

A statement on the concept of global prosperity in the context of the Bahá'í Teachings.

• Century of Light (2001).

Review of the 20th century, focusing on dramatic changes and the emergence of the Baha'i Faith from obscurity.

• Letter to the World's Religious Leaders (2002).

Letter addressing the disease of sectarian hatreds. Calling on all religious movements to "rise above fixed conceptions inherited from a distant past. "

• One Common Faith (2005).

Document primarily intended for a Bahá'í audience, in which it identifies as a major challenge for the Bahá'í community the inculcation of the principle of the oneness of religion and the overcoming of religious prejudices

Members

The current members of the Universal House of Justice are:

• Peter Jamel Khan (1987)
• Hooper Cameron Dunbar (1988)
• Farzam Arbab (1993)
• Kiser Barnes (2000)
• Firaydoun Javaheri (2003)
• Paul Lample (2005)
• Payman Mohajer (2005)
• Gustavo Correa (2008)
• Shahriar Razavi (2008)

Notes

References

• Bahá'u'lláh [1873] (1992). Bahá'u'lláh ( ba-haa-ol-laa "Glory of God" ( November 12, 1817 – May 29, 1892) born Mírzá Ḥusayn-`Alí Nuri The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá'í Publishing Trust. ISBN 0-85398-999-0.  

• Bahá'u'lláh [1873-92] (1994). Bahá'u'lláh ( ba-haa-ol-laa "Glory of God" ( November 12, 1817 – May 29, 1892) born Mírzá Ḥusayn-`Alí Nuri Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá'í Publishing Trust. ISBN 0-87743-174-4.  

• Effendi, Shoghi (1974). Shoghí Effendí Rabbání ( March 1, 1897 - November 4, 1957) better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the appointed head of the Bahá'í Administration. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá'í Publishing Trust. ISBN 0-87743-166-3.  

• Effendi, Shoghi (1976). Shoghí Effendí Rabbání ( March 1, 1897 - November 4, 1957) better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the appointed head of the Principles of Bahá'í Administration, 4th ed. , London, UK: Bahá'í Publishing Trust. ISBN 0-900125-13-6.  

External links

• The Universal House of Justice - from www. bahai. org
• Constitution of the Universal House of Justice
• Religious leaders - List of members of the Universal House of Justice
• Administration - US National Baha'i website
• Location in Haifa - Wikimapia