User:Peter Deer/Sandbox/Bahá'í Guardian
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This page is a draft page for a future division of Shoghi Effendi into a biographical page and a page regarding his position as Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith.
This is not a Wikipedia article: This is a workpage, a collection of material and work in progress that may or may not be incorporated into an article. It should not necessarily be considered factual or authoritative. |
The Guardian of the Cause of God is a hereditary appointed position within the administration of the Bahá'í Faith. After the death of `Abdu'l-Bahá in 1921, the Guardian represents the only authoritative interpreter of Bahá'í literature, and as the highest appointed position, can appoint Hands of the Cause.
The first occupant was Shoghi Effendi, who held the position from 1921 until his death in 1957. It was within the rules laid down by `Abdu'l-Bahá that the Guardianship could continue indefinitely, as long as the appointee was a male descendant of Bahá'u'lláh, and that other specific conditions were met. At the time Shoghi Effendi died, he had no children, and there were no eligible appointees to the position. Thus, the position was left permanently vacant and he remains the first and last Guardian.[1] After an interim leadership, the Universal House of Justice was elected in 1963 and is currently the supreme governmental body for Bahá'ís.