World+Tribunal

// Abha Abba Aghsan guardian executive Orthodox Baha'i [|world tribunal]... //
**//[|The Master][|'s Will], Part One, Paragraph 17a, 22: The sacred and youthful branch, the guardian of the Cause of God as well as the Universal House of Justice, to be universally elected and established, are both under the care and protection of the Abhá Beauty, under the shelter and unerring guidance of His Holiness, the Exalted One (may my life be offered up for them both). Whatsoever they decide is of God. Whoso obeyeth him not, neither obeyeth them hath not obeyed God; whoso rebelleth against him and against them hath rebelled against God; whoso opposeth him hath opposed God; whoso contendeth with them hath contended with God; whoso disputeth with him hath disputed with God; whoso denieth him hath denied God; whoso disbelieveth in him hath disbelieved in God; whoso deviateth, separateth himself and turneth aside from him hath in truth deviated, separated himself and turned aside from God. May the wrath, the fierce indignation, the vengeance of God rest upon him! //****//The mighty... stronghold shall remain impregnable and safe through obedience to him who is the guardian of the Cause of God. It is incumbent upon the members of the House of Justice, upon all the A__gh__sán, the Afnán, the Hands of the Cause of God to show their obedience, submissiveness and subordination unto the guardian of the Cause of God, to turn unto him and be lowly before him. He that opposeth him hath opposed the True One, will make a breach in the Cause of God, will subvert His word and will become a manifestation of the Center of Sedition... //** **//"This body of the Hands of the Cause of God is under the direction of the guardian of the Cause of God. He must continually urge them to strive and endeavor to the utmost of their ability to diffuse the sweet savors of God, and to guide all the peoples of the world, for it is the light of Divine Guidance that causeth all the universe to be illumined. To disregard, though it be for a moment, this absolute command which is binding upon everyone, is in no wise permitted, that the existent world may become even as the Abhá Paradise, that the surface of the earth may become heavenly, that contention and conflict amidst peoples, kindreds, nations and governments may disappear, that all the dwellers on earth may become one people and one race, that the world may become even as one home. Should differences arise they shall be amicably and conclusively settled by the Supreme Tribunal, that shall include members from all the governments and peoples of the world. //**

//**The unity of the human race, as envisaged by Bahá'u'lláh, implies the establishment of a world commonwealth in which all nations, races, creeds and classes are closely and permanently united, and in which the autonomy of its state members and the personal freedom and initiative of the individuals that compose them are definitely and completely safeguarded. This commonwealth must, as far as we can visualize it, consist of a world legislature, whose members will, as the trustees of the whole of mankind, ultimately control the entire resources of all the component nations, and will enact such laws as shall be required to regulate the life, satisfy the needs and adjust the relationships of all races and peoples. A world executive, backed by an international Force, will carry out the decisions arrived at, and apply the laws enacted by, this world legislature, and will safeguard the organic unity of the whole commonwealth. A [|world tribunal]will adjudicate and deliver its compulsory and final verdict in all and any disputes that may arise between the various elements constituting this universal system.**// //**-Shoghi Effendi, [|World Order of Baha'u'llah],**// //**[|World Unity the Goal] of [|the Unfoldment of World Civilization]**//





[|//**To **the faithful Bahá'ís** under the Guardianship throughout the world.**//]

[| //**Through Hand of the Cause, **Marilyn Meyer,** Secretary,**//]

[| //**National Bahá'í Council' of the United States.**//]

[| //**__PROCLAMATION__**//] [|//**22 September 2006**//]

//** It gives me great pleasure on the occasion of 88th birthday to proclaim the appointment of [|the Third International Bahá’í Council]—the embryonic Universal House of Justice—with the membership listed below. In this appointment, those believers, who have displayed an exemplary fidelity to the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh and the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, during the many years since the passing of Shoghi Effendi, in their faithful, steadfast and devoted support of and exemplary service to the living Guardian of the Cause of God, may now be assured that I have clearly identified my successor and thereby provided, following the termination of my ministry, for the continuance of the Guardianship in strict compliance with the terms of the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. **// //** Unlike the action taken by the first and second Guardians of the Faith, who did not assume the Presidency of the International Bahá’í Councils appointed by them, I shall assume the Presidency of the third International Bahá’í Council as an actively functioning administrative body that can function, as such, thanks particularly to the facility of the internet, without its members being assembled in one location. **// //** I am taking the opportunity provided in the appointment of this third International Bahá’í Council to identify my appointed successor. His identity is found in the one whom I have designated below as the single Vice President of the Council who will succeed to the Presidency, and thereby the Guardianship, upon my passing, or prior thereto, in the event of any incapacitation in the future that may preclude my being able to continue functioning as the Guardian of the Faith, either as determined and announced by myself or, if unable to make such a determination, as may be announced by my successor on the basis of a decision rendered by competent medical authority. **// //** As the future event of a catastrophic nature prophesied by Bahá’u’lláh may seriously affect the membership of the Council, as shown below, it should be understood that, if the Vice President named below should not survive such an event, succession to the Guardianship will be inherited, in turn, by the surviving member of the Council, in the order named below: **//
 * // [|President], [|Joel Bray Marangella] //
 * ** Vice President, [|Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand] **
 * Secretary General, Franklin Schlatter
 * ** Assistant Secretary, [| David Maxwell] **
 * ** Assistant Secretary, Daniel Havner **
 * ** [|Assistant Secretary], [|Y.H. Taylor] **
 * ** Treasurer: [|Jeffrey Goldberg] **
 * ** Member: [|Ross Campbell] **
 * ** Member: Joel Jani Marangella **

//** I also take this opportunity to announce with great pleasure the elevation of the following faithful believers to the rank of [|Hand of the Cause of God]: **//
 * [|**Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand**]


 * ** Ross Campbell **
 * ** Jeffrey Goldberg **
 * ** David Maxwell **
 * ** Y.H. Taylor **

//** Future declarations submitted by believers enrolling in the Orthodox Bahá’í Faith who reside in countries and other localities that are not under the administrative jurisdiction of one of the Provisional National Bahá’í Councils or Mother Bahá’í Councils will be submitted to the International Bahá’í Council for acceptance, acknowledgement and matter of record. The Secretary General of the Council will upon receipt of this proclamation publish his email and mailing address. **//

//** Copies of future issues of the Bahá’í newsletter, Star of the Covenant, published by the Provisional National Bahá’í Council of the United States, will be sent by that Council to the Secretary General of the International Bahá’í Council for translation by the appropriate Assistant Secretary of all or a part thereof, as determined desirable by the Secretary General, and subsequent distribution to the faithful believers residing in those countries and localities outside of the United States. **//

//** The Treasurer of the Council will establish an account under the name of "International Bahá’í Fund" to which contributions may be made by the faithful friends to cover such expenses as the cost of mailing newsletters and other material. **//

//** The Secretary of the International Bahá’í Council, Hand of the Cause, Frank Schlatter, will henceforth prepare the annual Ridván letter previously prepared by myself, recounting, for the information of the faithful friends, significant achievements that have taken place during the past Bahá’í Year. To enable him to do this, Provisional National Bahá’í Councils and Mother Bahá’í Councils are enjoined to periodically inform the International Bahá’í Council of significant developments that have taken place in their countries so that the Secretary General of the Council may be able to include a summary of same in this Ridván letter. **//

[|//****Joel Bray Marangella.****//]



//**[|Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith]**//

//** [|22 September 2006] **//