| The Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, born on 1 March 1897 in 'Akká the son of Díyá'íyyih K̲h̲ánum, the eldest daughter of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and Mírzá Hádí S̲h̲írází, a relative of the Báb. He was educated at the American University at Beirut and Balliol College, Oxford. |
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| While at Oxford, Shoghi Effendi was informed of the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and hurried back to Haifa, where he learned that he had been appointed Guardian of the Cause of God in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Will and Testament: 'After the passing away of this wronged one, it is incumbent upon the Aghsán, the Afnán of the Sacred Lote-Tree, the hands of the Cause of God and the loved ones of the Abhá Beauty to turn unto Shoghi Effendi . . . as he is the the sign of God, the chosen branch, the guardian of the Cause of God . . . He is the expounder of the words of God . . . '16 |
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| Unable to bear his grief over the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the crushing weight of the responsibilities so unexpectedly thrust upon him, Shoghi Effendi retired for some time from Haifa leaving Bahíyyih K̲h̲ánum in charge. After about a year he returned to take up his office. He married Mary Maxwell, Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih K̲h̲ánum, in 1937. |
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| Among the achievements if his ministry, the following stand out as the most notable: the establishment of the Administrative Order of the Bahá'í Faith (both its elected bodies and the appointed side of the administration); the spread if the Faith to all parts of the globe in a series of organized Plans; the elaboration of many aspects of the Faith and the guidance of the Bahá'í community through the writing of numerous letters: the defense of the Faith from the actions of the Covenant-breakers; the translation of numerous passages from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh; the writing of books such as God Passes By and the translation of Nabíl's Narrative; the acquisition of land and the planning and supervision of the laying out of the Bahá'í Gardens in the Haifa-'Akká area; the supervision of the building of the Shrine of the Báb and International Archives building. |
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| Shoghi Effendi passed away on 5 November 1957 while in London and is buried in the New Southgate Cemetery there. |
| [BD 208] |
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| Shoghi Effendi (1897-1957), Guardian of the Bahá'í
Faith from 1921-1957. He was the eldest grandson of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and was appointed by Him as the Head of the Faith. |
| [KA 254] |
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| Guardian of the Bahá'í
Faith; 'Abdu'l-Bahá's
eldest grandson, the Chosen Branch appointed in His Will and Testament as "Guardian
of the Cause of God," authorized interpreter of the Teachings and permanent Head of
the Universal House
of Justice. "He is the expounder of the words of God and after him will succeed
the first born of his lineal descendants." The word s̲h̲awq signifies "yearning;"
Effendi is a Turkish honorific signifying "sir, master," and applied to officials and
scholars, etc. in some parts of the Middle East. The Guardian resides at the World Center of the Faith, Haifa, Israel. [Written in 1955] |
| [BG 47] |
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| Grandson of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith. |
| [GWB 351] |
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| See also: |
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