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"lighten and uplift
them, so that they may soar on the wings of the Divine verses"
-Baha'u'llah
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The
Universal House of Justice |
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At the head of the Bahá'í administrative structure
stands the Universal House of Justice, the international
governing council of the Bahá'í Faith. Composed of nine
individuals, the Universal House of Justice is elected every
five years by the combined membership of all of the world's
National Spiritual Assemblies.
The process of election is much the same as for local and
National Spiritual Assemblies: there are no nominations,
campaigning is forbidden, and the nine persons who receive the
most votes are elected. As with local and national elections,
voters are expected to consider only individuals of recognized
ability and spiritual capacity.
Members of the first Universal House of Justice, as
elected in 1963.
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The
entire election process is a powerful expression of
democratic ideals. Although it is an international
institution, the Universal House of Justice is
nevertheless surprisingly close to the grassroots. The
final election of the Universal House of Justice is just
three steps away from the local level: every adult
Bahá'í is eligible to participate in the election of a
"district" delegate; district delegates in
turn elect the members of their respective National
Spiritual Assemblies; and the members of all National
Spiritual Assemblies around the world in turn elect the
Universal House of Justice.
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Bahá'u'lláh
Himself established the institution of the Universal House
of Justice, and it occupies a unique position in the
Bahá'í administrative order. Bahá'ís understand that its
decision-making on spiritual matters is unerringly guided by
God.
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Bahá'u'lláh's
teachings are the foundation of Bahá'í belief and
practice. The Universal House of Justice has the
authority to legislate on all matters which
Bahá'u'lláh Himself did not address. If, for example,
the development of some future technology poses a moral
question which was unknown at the time of Bahá'u'lláh,
it would fall to the Universal House of Justice to
determine how to address that question. In this way,
Bahá'ís believe, the Bahá'í Faith will continue to
be guided by God until such time as the next
Manifestation of God appears--an event which Bahá'u'lláh
said will not occur before the passing of no less than a
thousand years. |
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"The
purpose of justice is the appearance of unity
among men. The ocean of divine wisdom surgeth
within this exalted word, while the books of the
world cannot contain its inner
significance."
- Bahá'u'lláh |
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It is important to note that, like members of national and
local Assemblies, individual members of the Universal House of
Justice have no power or authority on their own--however
respected and honoured as individuals they may be. Only when
they are gathered together, meeting officially as the
Universal House of Justice, are they considered to be divinely
inspired. The cult of personality has been entirely avoided.
Click here to read a brief
history of the establishment of the Universal House of
Justice.
Excerpted
from The Bahá'ís, a publication of the Bahá'í
International Community.
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