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Hands of the Cause of God

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Hands of the Cause of God in the Holy Land, 1960

Hand of the Cause of God is a station to which a Bahá’í could be appointed. It was a lifetime appointment which was also awarded posthumously to Bahá’ís by Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and Shoghi Effendi.[1]

The station of Hand of the Cause was established by Bahá’u’lláh and in accordance with the Guidance of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá the Hands of the Cause as a body were developed into an institution responsible for overseeing the protection and propagation of the Bahá’í Faith by Shoghi Effendi.[2]

Shoghi Effendi assigned Hands of the Cause the responsibility of overseeing protection and propagation of the Faith for Continents and also established the institution of the Auxiliary Board, whose membership was appointed by the Hands, to assist them in undertaking their duties. From 1957 to 1963 nine Hands of the Cause served as Custodians, temporarily serving as the Head of the international Bahá’í community.

The Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá specified that only the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith was able to appoint Hands of the Cause, and as Shoghi Effendi did not appoint a successor the Universal House of Justice concluded that it was not possible for any Hands to be appointed following his passing. The Continental Boards of Counsellors were established to undertake the duties of the Hands of the Cause indefinitely.[3]

Functions[edit]

During the lifetime of Bahá’u’lláh the Hands of the Cause undertook specific assignments on His behalf, and continued to do so for His son and appointed successor ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Under ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's guidance the Hands of the Cause also helped establish elected Bahá’í institutions across Iran.[4]

The Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá outline several principles to govern the functioning of the Hands of the Cause as an institution. The Will establishes that Hands are to be nominated by the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith, to operate under his direction, and are to be obedient to the Guardian without seeking to cause division.[5] Regarding specific duties the Will notes the Hands are to be responsible for promoting deepening and moral development, and propagating the Faith internationally under the direction of the Guardian:

"The obligations of the Hands of the Cause of God are to diffuse the Divine Fragrances, to edify the souls of men, to promote learning, to improve the character of all men and to be, at all times and under all conditions, sanctified and detached from earthly things. They must manifest the fear of God by their conduct, their manners, their deeds and their words.
 This body of the Hands of the Cause of God is under the direction of the Guardian of the Cause of God. He must continually urge them to strive and endeavor to the utmost of their ability to diffuse the sweet savors of God, and to guide all the peoples of the world, for it is the light of Divine Guidance that causeth all the universe to be illumined."[6]

The Will also notes the Hands are responsible for protecting the internal unity of the Bahá’í Faith, responding to opposition to the Guardian and potentially expelling people from the community:

". . . the Hands of the Cause of God must 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 Bahá and in no wise accept any excuse from him."[7]

The Will also instructs the Hands of the Cause to elect nine Hands of the Cause to make up a body which would assist the Guardian at all times and was to be responsible for ratifying the appointment of a successor to the Guardianship:

"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."[8]

Background[edit]

During the Time of Bahá'u'lláh[edit]

The institution was first mentioned by Bahá'u'lláh in an 1887 letter to Ibn-i-Asdaq.[9] Bahá'u'lláh appointed four Hands before His Ascension and outlined the nature of the position in other Tablets including the Tablet of the World:

"Light and glory, greeting and praise be upon the Hands of His Cause through whom the light of fortitude hath shone forth and the truth hath been established that the authority to choose rests with God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Unconstrained, through whom the ocean of bounty hath surged and the fragrance of the gracious favours of God, the Lord of mankind, hath been diffused."[10]

During the Time of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá[edit]

‘Abdu’l-Bahá posthumously designated four Bahá’ís as Hands of the Cause in Memorials of the Faithful and left guidance in His Will and Testament that the Guardian of the Cause of God would nominate and appoint Hands, and that they were to be under his direction and obey his command.[11] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá outlined some of the powers and responsibilities of the Hands of the Cause in His Will, stating that they were to teach the Faith and provide a good example for the community, and address opposition to the Guardian, expelling people from the Faith if necessary:

"The obligations of the Hands of the Cause of God are to diffuse the Divine Fragrances, to edify the souls of men, to promote learning, to improve the character of all men and to be, at all times and under all conditions, sanctified and detached from earthly things." [12]

"No doubt every vainglorious one that purposeth dissension and discord will not openly declare his evil purposes, nay rather, even as impure gold, would he seize upon divers measures and various pretexts that he may separate the gathering of the people of Bahá. My object is to show that the Hands of the Cause of God must 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 Bahá and in no wise accept any excuse from him."[13]

During the Time of the Guardian[edit]

Shoghi Effendi initially awarded the title posthumously, naming ten Bahá’ís Hands upon their passing from 1925 to 1951, however he did not consider the position purely symbolic, stating in a letter that Hands of the Cause would have executive authority in 1949.[14] In 1946 he had informed Amelia Collins that she was elevated to the rank, but asked her to leave the public announcement of the appointment to his discretion.[15]

He officially appointed twelve living Hands of the Cause in 1951, and seven more in 1952 bringing the total to nineteen. This number was maintained for the next five years with new Hands being appointed when Hands passed away. A third contingent of eight Hands was appointed in 1957 bringing the total to twenty-seven.

In 1954 Shoghi Effendi instructed the Hands outside the Holy Land to appoint Auxiliary Board members to act as their deputies, assistants and advisers. The Hands appointed members to five Auxiliary Boards corresponding to the five Continents.[16]

After the Guardian[edit]

‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote in his Will and Testament that the Hands should elect a Council of nine Hands to do the work of the 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. This assent must be given in such wise as the assenting and dissenting voices may not be distinguished"[17]

This instruction was followed after the Ascension of Shoghi Effendi in 1957, when nine Hands were elected to serve as Custodians of the Holy Land and administrate the Bahá’í community in carrying out the detailed plans designed by the Guardian for the Ten Year Crusade.[18] The Custodianship of the Hands ended with the establishment of the Universal House of Justice at the culmination of the Ten Year Crusade, and the Custodians officially relinquished all their functions and powers, transferring them to the House of Justice, on June 7, 1963. The Hands exempted themselves from being elected to the House of Justice.[19]

The Universal House of Justice determined that the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá made it impossible for anyone other than the Guardian to appoint Hands, meaning that the Institution of the Hands would eventually end. This meant that one of the issues the Universal House of Justice needed to resolve was how to ensure the responsibilities of the Hands would be handled indefinitely. Consultation between the Hands and the House led to the establishment of the Continental Boards of Counsellors in 1968, which were to succeed the Institution of the Hands in protecting and propagating the Faith.

There are no longer any living Hands of the Cause, the last surviving Hand being Dr. ‘Alí-Muhammad Varqá. The work of the Hands of the Cause is now fully carried out by the Continental Board of Counsellors and the Auxiliary Boards.

The most complete list of the Hands available is from "The Bahá’í World: Vol XIV". The Universal House of Justice has stated that this list may not be complete, as Shoghi Effendi did address some individuals as Hands of the Cause in personal messages without publicly announcing them as such, but that this matter requires further research.[20]

Appointed by Bahá’u’lláh[edit]

Appointed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá[edit]

Appointed by Shoghi Effendi[edit]

The Hands of the Cause of God, 1957.
The Hands of the Cause of God, 1958.
The Hands of the Cause of God, 1963.
The Hands of the Cause with the Universal House of Justice, 1968.

Appointed posthumously[edit]

First contingent, appointed 24 December 1951[edit]

Second contingent, appointed 29 February 1952[edit]

Supplementary appointments[edit]

Last contingent, appointed 2 October 1957[edit]

Jurisdictions[edit]

The living Hands of the Cause of God appointed by Shoghi Effendi were assigned continental jurisdictions for undertaking their duties of propagation and protection which are listed below.

After the Continental Boards of Counselors were formed in 1968 the Hands of the Cause were able to undertake more extensive international duties.

Holy Land[edit]

Name Served
Amelia Collins 1951 - 1962
William Sutherland Maxwell 1951 - 1952
Charles Mason Remey 1951 - 1959
Leroy Ioas 1952 - 1963
Rúḥíyyih Khánum 1952 - 2000
Hasan Balyuzi 1957 - 1959
1962 - 1963
Abu'l-Qásim Faizi 1957 - 1980
‘Alí-Akbar Furútan 1957 - 2003
Paul Haney 1957 - 1982
Jalal Khazeh 1957 - 1963
John Ferraby 1959 - 1963
Horace Holley 1959 - 1960
William Sears 1960 - 1963
‘Alí-Muhammad Varqá 1983 - 2007
Collis Featherstone 1983 - 1990

Africa[edit]

Name Served
Músá Banání 1952 - 1971
Enoch Olinga 1957 - 1979
John Robarts 1957 - 1966
William Sears 1957 - 1960
1980 - 1984
Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir 1960 - 1963

Americas[edit]

Name Served
Dorothy Baker 1951 - 1954
Horace Holley 1951 - 1959
Leroy Ioas 1951 - 1952
1963 - 1965
Siegfried Schopflocher 1952 - 1953
Corinne True 1952 - 1961
Paul Haney 1954 - 1957
Zikrullah Khadem 1960 - 1986
Jalál Kháḍih 1963 - 1969
1984 - 1990
William Sears 1963 - 1980
1984 - 1992
Ugo Giachery 1964 - 1969
John Robarts 1966 - 1991
Agnes Alexander 1967 - 1971
‘Alí-Muhammad Varqá 1979 - 1983
Shu'á'u'lláh ‘Alá'í 1981 - 1984

Asia[edit]

Name Served
‘Alí-Akbar Furútan 1951 - 1957
Ṭaráẓu’lláh Samandarí 1951 - 1968
Valíyu'lláh Varqá 1951 - 1955
Shu'á'u'lláh ‘Alá'í 1952 - 1978
Zikrullah Khadem 1952 - 1960
Jalál Kháḍih 1953 - 1957
1969 - 1984
‘Alí-Muhammad Varqá 1955 - 1979
Agnes Alexander 1957 - 1967
Abu’l-Qásim Faizí 1957
Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir 1963 - 1979[21]

Australasia[edit]

Name Served
Clara Dunn 1952 - 1960
Collis Featherstone 1957 - 1983
Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir 1957 - 1960

Europe[edit]

Name Served
Ugo Giachery 1951 - 1964
1969 - 1989
Hermann Grossmann 1951 - 1968
George Townshend 1951 - 1957
Adelbert Mühlschlegel 1952 - 1980
Ḥasan Balyúzí 1957
1959 - 1962
1963 - 1980
John Ferraby 1957 - 1959
1963 - 1973
Shu'á'u'lláh ‘Alá'í 1978 - 1981

Bibliography[edit]

  • Bahá’u’lláh (1992) [1873]. The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá’í Publishing Trust. ISBN 0-85398-999-0.
  • Harper, Barron (1997). Lights of Fortitude (Paperback ed.). Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0-85398-413-1.

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Wendi Momen, A Basic Baha'i Dictionary, George Ronald: Oxford, pp 95-96
  2. ↑ Wendi Momen, A Basic Baha'i Dictionary, George Ronald: Oxford, pp 95-96
  3. ↑ 24 June 1968 letter from the Universal House of Justice to the Baha'is of the World
  4. ↑ Hands of the Cause of God, published at bahai-encyclopedia-project.org
  5. ↑ 'Abdu'l-Baha, The Will And Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, US Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1990 reprint, pp 13-14
  6. ↑ 'Abdu'l-Baha, The Will And Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, US Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1990 reprint, p 13
  7. ↑ 'Abdu'l-Baha, The Will And Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, US Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1990 reprint, p 11
  8. ↑ 'Abdu'l-Baha, The Will And Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, US Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1990 reprint, p 12
  9. ↑ Balyuzi, H. M. Eminent Baha'is in the Time of Bahá’u’lláh, 1985
  10. ↑ http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/TB/tb-8.html
  11. ↑ http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/WT/wt-1.html#pg13 pp. 12,13
  12. ↑ http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/WT/wt-1.html
  13. ↑ http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/se/BA/ba-5.html.utf8?query=must%7Cever%7Cwatchful%7Cso%7Csoon&action=highlight#pg8
  14. ↑ http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/se/LDG2/ldg2-95.html.utf8?query=31%7CMarch%7C1949&action=highlight#
  15. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1970). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 13 (1954-1963), Pg(s) 135. View as PDF.
  16. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1956). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. Wilmette, Ill. Volume 12 (1950-1954), Pg(s) 40. View as PDF.
  17. ↑ http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/WT/wt-1.html.utf8?query=Hands%7Cthe%7CCause%7Cmust%7Celect%7Ctheir%7Cown%7Cnumber%7Cnine%7Cpersons&action=highlight#gr20
  18. ↑ https://bahai-library.com/uhj_unassailable_foundation_cause#basis
  19. ↑ https://bahai-library.com/uhj_ministry_custodians&chapter=7
  20. ↑ https://bahai-library.com/uhj_mazandarani_hand_cause
  21. ↑ Baha'i News (1963). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 391, Pg(s) 2. View as PDF.

External links[edit]

Bahai.media has a related page: Hands of the Cause of God
  • Fadil-i-Mazandarani - House of Justice message of 1998 concerning the status and rank of Fadil-i-Mazandarani.


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