Local Spiritual Assembly
Establishment:
The Lord hath ordained that in every city a House of Justice be
established wherein shall gather counsellors to the number of Baha[9],
and should it exceed this number it doth not matter. They should
consider themselves as entering the Court of the presence of God, the
Exalted, the Most High, and as beholding Him Who is the Unseen.
It behoveth them to be the trusted ones of the Merciful among men and
to regard themselves as the guardians appointed of God for all that
dwell on earth. It is incumbent upon them to take counsel
together and to have regard for the interests of the servants of God,
for His sake, even as they regard their own interests, and to choose
that which is meet and seemly.
(Baha'u'llah: The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 29)
Addressing the nations, the Ancient Beauty ordaineth that in every city
in the world a house be established in the name of justice wherein
shall gather pure and steadfast souls to the number of the Most Great
Name (9). At this meeting they should feel as if they were
entering the Presence of God, inasmuch as this binding command hath
flowed from the Pen of Him Who is the Ancient of Days. The
glances of God are directed towards this Assembly.
(Baha'u'llah: Lights of Guidance, p. 2)
...it is of the utmost importance that in accordance with the explicit
text of the Kitab-i-Aqdas, the Most Holy Book, in every locality, be it
city or hamlet, where the number of adult (21 years and above) declared
believers exceeds nine, a local "Spiritual Assembly" be forthwith
established. To it all local matters pertaining to the Cause must
be directly and immediately referred for full consultation and
decision. The importance, nay the absolute necessity of these
local Assemblies is manifest when we realize that in the days to come
they will evolve into the local Houses of Justice,...
(Shoghi Effendi: Baha'i Administration, p. 37)
The Presence of `Abdu'l-Baha:
Abdu'l-Baha is constantly engaged in ideal communication with any
Spiritual Assembly which is instituted through the divine bounty, and
the members of which, in the utmost devotion, turn to the divine
Kingdom and are firm in the Covenant. To them he is whole-heartedly
attached and with them he is linked by everlasting ties. Thus
correspondence with that gathering is sincere, constant and
uninterrupted.
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Selections ... `Abdu'l-Baha, p. 89)
Over them He [`Abdu'l-Baha] spreadeth His wings. What bounty is
there greater than this? These Spiritual Assemblies are shining
lamps and heavenly gardens, from which the fragrances of holiness are
diffused over all regions, and the lights of knowledge are shed abroad
over all created things. From them the spirit of life streameth
in every direction. They, indeed, are the potent sources of the
progress of man, at all times and under all conditions.
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Selections ... `Abdu'l-Baha, p. 80)
Guidelines for Consultation:
The first condition is absolute love and harmony amongst the members of
the assembly. They must be wholly free from estrangement and must
manifest in themselves the Unity of God, for they are the waves of one
sea, the drops of one river, the stars of one heaven, the rays of one
sun, the trees of one orchard, the flowers of one garden. Should
harmony of thought and absolute unity be non-existent, that gathering
shall be dispersed and that assembly be brought to naught. The
second condition: - They must when coming together turn their faces to
the Kingdom on High and ask aid from the Realm of Glory. They
must then proceed with the utmost devotion, courtesy, dignity, care and
moderation to express their views. They must in every matter
search out the truth and not insist upon their own opinion, for
stubbornness and persistence in one's views will lead ultimately to
discord and wrangling and the truth will remain hidden. The
honored members must with all freedom express their own thoughts, and
it is in no wise permissible for one to belittle the thought of
another, nay, he must with moderation set forth the truth, and should
differences of opinion arise a majority of voices must prevail, and all
must obey and submit to the majority. It is again not permitted
that any one of the honored members object to or censure, whether in or
out of the meeting, any decision arrived at previously, though that
decision be not right, for such criticism would prevent any decision
from being enforced. In short, whatsoever thing is arranged in
harmony and with love and purity of motive, its result is light, and
should the least trace of estrangement prevail the result shall be
darkness upon darkness.... If this be so regarded, that assembly
shall be of God, but otherwise it shall lead to coolness and alienation
that proceed from the Evil One. Discussions must all be confined
to spiritual matters that pertain to the training of souls, the
instruction of children, the relief of the poor, the help of the feeble
throughout all classes in the world, kindness to all peoples, the
diffusion of the fragrances of God and the exaltation of His Holy
Word. Should they endeavor to fulfill these conditions the Grace
of the Holy Spirit shall be vouchsafed unto them, and that assembly
shall become the center of the Divine blessings, the hosts of Divine
confirmation shall come to their aid, and they shall day by day receive
a new effusion of Spirit.
(`Abdu'l-Baha, quoted in Shoghi Effendi: Baha'i Administration, pp. 22-23)
The prime requisites for them that take counsel together are purity of
motive, radiance of spirit, detachment from all else save God,
attraction to His Divine Fragrances, humility and lowliness amongst His
loved ones, patience and long-suffering in difficulties and servitude
to His exalted Threshold. Should they be graciously aided to
acquire these attributes, victory from the unseen Kingdom of Baha shall
be vouchsafed to them. In this day, assemblies of consultation
are of the greatest importance and a vital necessity. Obedience unto
them is essential and obligatory. The members thereof must take
counsel together in such wise that no occasion for ill-feeling or
discord may arise. This can be attained when every member
expresseth with absolute freedom his own opinion and setteth forth his
argument. Should any one oppose, he must on no account feel hurt
for not until matters are fully discussed can the right way be
revealed. The shining spark of truth cometh forth only after the
clash of differing opinions. If after discussion, a decision be
carried unanimously, well and good; but if, the Lord forbid,
differences of opinion should arise, a majority of voices must prevail.
(`Abdu'l-Baha, quoted in Shoghi Effendi: Baha'i Administration, pp. 21-22)
Duties:
When in session it behooveth them to converse, on behalf of the
servants of God, on matters dealing with the affairs and interests of
the public. For instance, teaching the Cause of God must be
accorded precedence, inasmuch as it is a matter of paramount
importance, so that thereby all men may enter the pavilion of unity and
all the peoples of the earth be regarded even as a single body...
Teaching the Cause must be viewed according to
the conditions of the age and of the times so as to see what course is
deemed proper to take. Other matters also should be dealt with in like
manner. They must, however, take care that nothing doth take
place contrary to the divine verses sent down in this glorious
Manifestation, inasmuch as naught but that which hath been prescribed
by the True One - exalted be His glory - would serve the
interests of His servants. He, in truth, is more merciful to you
than ye are unto yourselves. He, verily, is the One Who knoweth
and is well-informed of all.
Should these souls comply with the prescribed
conditions, they shall indeed, be aided through His invisible
bestowals. This is truly a matter whose benefits will be
conferred on all men...
(Baha'u'llah: Local Spiritual Assembly, p. 44)
Discussions must all be confined to spiritual matters that pertain to
the training of souls, the instruction of children, the relief of the
poor, the help of the feeble throughout all classes in the world,
kindness to all peoples, the diffusion of the fragrances of God and the
exaltation of His Holy Word. Should they endeavour to fulfil
these conditions the Grace of the Holy Spirit shall be vouchsafed unto
them, and that assembly shall become the centre of the Divine
blessings, the hosts of Divine confirmation shall come to their aid,
and they shall day by day receive a new effusion of Spirit.
(`Abdu'l-Baha: The Local Spiritual Assembly, p. 47)
The matter of Teaching, its direction, its ways and means, its
extension, its consolidation, essential as they are to the interests of
the Cause, constitute by no means the only issue which should receive
the full attention of these Assemblies. A careful study of
Baha'u'llah's and Abdu'l-Baha's Tablets will reveal that other duties,
no less vital to the interests of the Cause, devolve upon the elected
representatives of the friends in every locality.
It is incumbent upon them to be vigilant and
cautious, discreet and watchful, and protect at all times the Temple of
the Cause from the dart of the mischief-maker and the onslaught of the
enemy.
They must endeavor to promote amity and
concord amongst the friends, efface every lingering trace of distrust,
coolness and estrangement from every heart, and secure in its stead an
active and whole-hearted cooperation for the service of the Cause.
They must do their utmost to extend at all
times the helping hand to the poor, the sick, the disabled, the orphan,
the widow, irrespective of color, caste and creed.
They must promote by every means in their
power the material as well as the spiritual enlightenment of youth, the
means for the education of children, institute, whenever possible,
Baha'i educational institutions, organize and supervise their work and
provide the best means for their progress and development.
They must make an effort to maintain official,
regular, and frequent correspondence with the various Baha'i centers
throughout the world, report to them their activities, and share the
glad-tidings they receive with all their fellow-workers in the Cause.
They must encourage and stimulate by every
means at their command, through subscription, reports and articles, the
development of the various Baha'i magazines, such as the "Star of the
West" and the "Magazine of the Children of the Kingdom" in the United
States of America, the "Baha'i News" of India, the "Sun of the East"
(Khurshid-i Khavar) in Turkestan, the "Star of the East" in Japan, the
"Sun of Truth" in Germany.
They must undertake the arrangement of the
regular meetings of the friends, the feasts and the anniversaries, as
well as the special gatherings designed to serve and promote the
social, intellectual and spiritual interests of their fellow-men.
They must supervise in these days when the
Cause is still in its infancy all Baha'i publications and translations,
and provide in general for a dignified and accurate presentation of all
Baha'i literature and its distribution to the general public.
These rank among the most outstanding
obligations of the members of every Spiritual Assembly. In
whatsoever locality the Cause has sufficiently expanded, and in order
to insure efficiency and avoid confusion, each of these manifold
functions will have to be referred to a special Committee, responsible
to that Assembly, elected by it from among the friends in that
locality, and upon whose work the Assembly will have to exercise
constant and general supervision.
(Shoghi Effendi: Baha'i Administration, pp. 37-39)
The duties of those whom the friends have freely and conscientiously
elected as their representatives are no less vital and binding than the
obligations of those who have chosen them. Their function is not
to dictate, but to consult, and consult not only among themselves, but
as much as possible with the friends whom they represent. They
must regard themselves in no other light but that of chosen instruments
for a more efficient and dignified presentation of the Cause of
God. They should never be led to suppose that they are the
central ornaments of the body of the Cause, intrinsically superior to
others in capacity or merit, and sole promoters of its teachings and
principles. They should approach their task with extreme
humility, and endeavor, by their open-mindedness, their high sense of
justice and duty, their candor, their modesty, their entire devotion to
the welfare and interests of the friends, the Cause, and humanity, to
win, not only the confidence and the genuine support and respect of
those whom they serve, but also their esteem and real affection.
They must, at all times, avoid the spirit of exclusiveness, the
atmosphere of secrecy, free themselves from a domineering attitude, and
banish all forms of prejudice and passion from their
deliberations. They should, within the limits of wise discretion,
take the friends into their confidence, acquaint them with their plans,
share with them their problems and anxieties, and seek their advice and
counsel. And, when they are called upon to arrive at a certain
decision, they should, after dispassionate, anxious and cordial
consultation, turn to God in prayer, and with earnestness and
conviction and courage record their vote and abide by the voice of the
majority, which we are told by our Master to be the voice of truth,
never to be challenged, and always to be whole-heartedly
enforced. To this voice the friends must heartily respond, and
regard it as the only means that can insure the protection and
advancement of the Cause.
(Shoghi Effendi: Baha'i Administration, p. 64)
Principles:
The principle of consultation, which constitutes one of the basic laws
of the Administration, should be applied to all Baha'i activities which
affect the collective interests of the Faith, for it is through
co-operation and continual exchange of thoughts and views that the
Cause can best safeguard and foster its interests. Individual
initiative, personal ability and resourcefulness, though indispensable,
are, unless supported and enriched by the collective experiences and
wisdom of the group, utterly incapable of achieving such a tremendous
task.
(Shoghi Effendi: Consultation, pp. 103-104)
There is only one principle on which to conduct the work of an
Assembly, and that is the supremacy of the will of the majority.
The majority decisions must be courageously adopted and carried out by
the Assembly, quite regardless of the opinionated adherence to their
own views which any minority may cling to.
(Shoghi Effendi: The Local Spiritual Assembly, p. 51)
Relationship with the Baha'i Community:
It is incumbent upon every one not to take any step without consulting
the Spiritual Assembly, and they must assuredly obey with heart and
soul its bidding and be submissive unto it, that things may be properly
ordered and well arranged. Otherwise every person will act
independently and after his own judgment, will follow his own desire,
and do harm to the Cause.
(`Abdu'l-Baha, quoted in Shoghi Effendi: Baha'i Administration, p. 21)
There is no task more urgently necessary than the assurance of perfect
harmony and fellowship among the friends, especially between the Local
Assemblies and individual believers. The Local Assemblies should
inspire confidence in the individual believers, and these in their turn
should express their readiness to fully abide by the decisions and
directions of the Local Assembly. The two must learn to
co-operate, and to realize that only through such a cooperation can the
institutions of the Cause effectively and permanently function.
While obedience to the Local Assembly should be unqualified and
whole-hearted, yet that body should enforce its decisions in such a way
as to avoid giving the impression that it is animated by dictatorial
motives. The spirit of the Cause is one of mutual co-operation,
and not that of a dictatorship.
(Shoghi Effendi: The Local Spiritual Assembly, pp. 54-55)
The members of these Assemblies, on their part, must disregard utterly
their own likes and dislikes, their personal interests and
inclinations, and concentrate their minds upon those measures that will
conduce to the welfare and happiness of the Baha'i Community and
promote the common weal.
(Shoghi Effendi: Baha'i Administration, p. 41)
...he [Shoghi Effendi] feels that you should turn to your Local
Assembly, in the strictest confidence, and seek their aid and
advice. These bodies have the sacred obligation to help, advise,
protect, and guide the believers in every way within their power when
appealed to - indeed they were established just for the purpose of
keeping order and unity and obedience to the law of God amongst the
believers.
You should go to them as a child would to its parents...
(Shoghi Effendi: The Local Spiritual Assembly, p. 48)
Just as the individual believers are bound to support and sustain their
Local Spiritual Assembly, for the preservation of the unity of the
Faith and the strengthening of its as yet embryonic World Order, so
must the Local Assemblies obey and sustain their national
representatives. The closer the co-operation between Local and
National Assemblies, the greater will be the power and radiance which
can and must stream forth from these institutions to the suffering
ranks of humanity.
(Shoghi Effendi: The Local Spiritual Assembly, p. 58)
Election:
These local Spiritual Assemblies will have to be elected directly by
the friends, and every declared believer of 21 years and above, far
from standing aloof and assuming an indifferent or independent
attitude, should regard it his sacred duty to take part conscientiously
and diligently, in the election, the consolidation and the efficient
working of his own local Assembly.
(Shoghi Effendi: Baha'i Administration, p. 39)
Let us recall His explicit and often-repeated assurances that every
Assembly elected in that rarefied atmosphere of selflessness and
detachment is, in truth, appointed of God, that its verdict is truly
inspired, that one and all should submit to its decision unreservedly
and with cheerfulness.
(Shoghi Effendi: Baha'i Administration, p. 65)
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