"God Passes By, the most brilliant and wondrous tale of a century that has ever been told,..."--Rúhíyyih Khánum
Those words of Rúhíyyih Khánum are recorded on page125 of The Bahá'í World 1954-1963. She wrote:
"God Passes By, the most brilliant and wondrous tale of a century that has ever been told, is truly a "Mother" of future histories, a book wherein every word counts....Packed with salient facts it has the range and precision of snow flake crystals, each design perfect in
itself....It was one of the most concentrated and stupendous achievements of Shoghi Effendi's life."
"...every word counts"
"...each design perfect in itself"
Let's keep those words of Rúhíyyih Khánum in mind as we examine what Shoghi Effendi wrote in God Passes by concerning the Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá:
"The Administrative Order which this historic Document has established, it should be noted, is, by virtue of its origin and character, unique in the annals of the world’s religious systems. No Prophet before Bahá’u’lláh, it can be confidently asserted, not even
Mu?ammad Whose Book clearly lays down the laws and ordinances of the Islamic Dispensation, has established, authoritatively and in writing, anything comparable to the Administrative Order which the authorized Interpreter of Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings has instituted, an Order which, by virtue of the administrative principles which its Author has
formulated, the institutions He has established, and the right of interpretation with which He has invested its Guardian, must and will, in a manner unparalleled in any previous religion, safeguard from schism the Faith from which it has sprung. Nor is the principle
governing its operation similar to that which underlies any system, whether theocratic or otherwise, which the minds of men have devised for the government of human institutions. Neither in theory nor in practice can the Administrative Order of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh be said to conform to any type of democratic government, to any system of
autocracy, to any purely aristocratic order, or to any of the various theocracies, whether Jewish, Christian or Islamic which mankind has witnessed in the past. It incorporates within its structure certain elements which are to be found in each of the three recognized forms of secular government, is devoid of the defects which each of them
inherently possesses, and blends the salutary truths which each undoubtedly contains without vitiating in any way the integrity of the Divine verities on which it is essentially founded. The hereditary authority which the Guardian of the Administrative Order is called upon to exercise, and the right of the interpretation of the Holy Writ solely conferred upon him; the powers and prerogatives of the Universal House of Justice, possessing the exclusive right to legislate on matters not explicitly revealed in the Most Holy Book; the ordinance exempting its members from any responsibility to those whom they represent, and from the obligation to conform to their views, convictions or sentiments; the specific provisions requiring the free and democratic election by the mass of the faithful of the Body that constitutes the sole legislative organ in the world-wide
Bahá’í community—these are among the features which combine to set apart the Order identified with the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh from any of the existing systems of human government."
Rúhíyyih Khánum:
"...every word counts"
"...each design perfect in itself"
When Shoghi Effendi wrote: "these are among the features which combine to set apart the Order identified with the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh from any of the existing systems of human government.", he had just listed some of those features, and the first feature which he specifically mentioned is the Guardianship of the Bahá'í Faith:
"the institutions He has established, and the right of interpretation with which He has invested its Guardian, must and will, in a manner unparalleled in any previous religion, safeguard from schism the Faith from which it has sprung."
Rúhíyyih Khánum:
"...every word counts"
"...each design perfect in itself"
One might expect some Christian clergyperson to read these words of the first Guardian which he wrote concerning the Administration of God's Kingdom on Earth: "the Institutions He has established, and the right of interpretation with which He has invested its Guardian, must and will, in a manner unparalleled in any previous religion, safeguard from schism the Faith from which it has sprung.", and after reading those words to say: "It won't happen that way. There won't be any such "Guardian" in God's Kingdom on Earth."
Yes, as Bahá'ís, we might expect Christians to make such a statement or other religionists or their leaders. However, could any true Bahá'í expect her/his fellow Bahá'ís to make or to endorse/support such a statement or attitude of negation and contradiction towards the official written words of the first of our Guardians, Shoghi Effendi?
Concerning those quoted words of Shoghi Effendi recorded in God Passes By, " the most brilliant and wondrous tale of a century that has ever been told", of which history Rúhíyyih Khánum wrote :
"...every word counts"
"...each design perfect in itself",
Orthodox Bahá'ís certainly believe his words.
Evidently Rúhíyyih Khánum believed neither Shoghi Effendi's words, nor even her own words which she wrote concerning his words recorded in God Passes By. He wrote very specificaly about the hereditary Guardianship of the Bahá'í Faith and its accompanying power and authority to interpret "the words of God", which " must and will, in a manner unparalleled in any previous religion, safeguard from schism the Faith from which it has sprung."
Othodox Bahá'ís believe that those words of the first Guardian all count.
Heterodox Bahá'ís demonstrate by their words and actions that they believe that his words do not count.
The website of the living Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith:
http://www.Bahai-Guardian.com
Hand of Cause Ross Campbell
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