Who was Shoghi Effendi?
-
Guardian and Interpreter: He is the Guardian of the Baha'i faith and one of the two Interpreters (alongside ‘Abdu’l-Baha).
-
Successorship: He represents the second successorship after Baha'u'llah.
-
Fulfillment of Prophecy: The institution of the Guardianship was anticipated by 'Abdu'l-Baha, and Shoghi Effendi himself was predestined and mentioned in Holy Scriptures. 'Abdu’l-Baha confirmed that he was the "little child" prophesied in Isaiah. His name ("Shi") and the duration of his ministry were predicted.
-
Central Task: His greatest task was to form, to start, and to elaborate and unfold the World Order of Baha'u'llah and the Universal House of Justice.
-
Builder of the World Order: He was the builder of the components of the World Order of Baha’u’llah, including the Arc and the Seat of the Universal House of Justice. The dedication of the twin monuments on Mount Carmel was considered the beginning and prelude to the formation of the Universal House of Justice.
-
Global Impact and Crusades: He announced the Ten-Year Crusade and, through his encouragement and plans, raised pioneers and martyrs whose sacrifices led to the victory of the Baha'i Faith. The fruits of the Ten-Year Crusade, such as Houses of Worship worldwide, are a result of his plans.
-
Ministry's Completion: The duration of his ministry lasted more than thirty-seven lunar years, and he felt assured that he had accomplished his assignments from God before his passing. Otherwise he would not have died!
-
Interpreter of Scriptures: He served as the Interpreter of the Writings, elucidating the meaning of passages regarding the future unfoldment of the Faith.
-
Rarity of the Guardianship: The Revelation of Baha'u'llah occurs only once in every 500,000 years, and only then will there be another Guardian of the Cause.
-
Defining the Bab's Station: Based on a verse in the Bayan, Shoghi Effendi defined the Bab as the Forerunner of the World Order of Baha'u'llah.
-
Wisdom and Capacity: He spoke to people according to their capacity and shortcomings, demonstrating that if he revealed his full power and knowledge, "none could stand it".
-
Symbolic Interpretation of the West: He interpreted Baha’u’llah’s poetic verse, stating that the Sun of miracles, mysteries, majesty, and dignity of the Baha'i Faith will rise from the West (America).
-
Spiritual Unity Achieved: His marriage to Ruhiyyih Khanum was announced via cable as the moment the "UNITY OF THE EAST AND WEST HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED".
-
Tireless Dedication: He worked with extraordinary diligence, starting work at 4:00 a.m. every day and finishing after midnight.
-
Defining Glad Tidings: He affirmed that the stories of the sufferings of the Baha'is of Iran were the "great glad tidings" that he instructed believers to deliver to friends in other lands.
-
Mention in Islamic Hadith and Scriptures: Shoghi Effendi was predestined and was mentioned in the Holy Scriptures.
-
The name of the Guardian is there in all these scriptures, specifically cited as the Jafr-i-Jami of Imam-‘Ali.
-
In the Islamic Hadith, the duration of his kingdom is mentioned, predicting how long he and ‘Abdu’l-Baha would live.
-
-
Predicted Duration of Ministry: These references state that 'Abdu'l-Baha's ministry (thirty lunar years) and the Guardian's ministry (more than thirty-seven lunar years) will reign seventy years when rounded off in the Arab custom (1892-1963). Shoghi Effendi knew the time of his passing because this duration was predicted in Holy Scriptures.
-
Fulfillment of Prophecy (Isaiah): He was confirmed by ‘Abdu’l-Baha to be the "little child" prophesied in Isaiah (11:6). ‘Abdu’l-Baha attested that from him would "appear wondrous things" and that he would be "endowed with the most perfect appearance, supreme capacity, absolute perfection, consummate power and unsurpassed might".
-
Interpreter of Ancient Prophecy: He revealed profound interpretations of ancient scriptures. For example, he stated that the fifty-fourth chapter of Isaiah is addressed entirely to the mother of 'Abdu'l-Baha, a meaning that he noted nobody had known for thousands of years.