- 1922-02-19 —
Shoghi Effendi called together a group of well-known Bahá'ís to discuss the future development of the Faith and the possible election of the Universal House of Justice. It was the commonly held opinion of the members of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's family, the British officials in Palestine, many believers and indeed Shoghi Effendi himself as evidenced by his letter to Persia dated 16 January, 1922, that the Universal House of Justice would be elected. [BBRSM:120, 126; EJR207; PP247-8]
- Those invited to attend were: Major Tudor Pole, Ethel Rosenberg and Lady Blomfield from England; Emogene Hoagg (she had been living in Haifa for some time at this point), Laura and Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney from France, Consul and Alice Schwarz from Germany, Siyyid Mustafá Rúmí of Burma, Roy Wilhelm, Mountfort Mills, Mason Remey, from North America as well as Corinne True and her daughter Katherine. Two well-known Bahá'í teachers from Persia, Avarih and Fazel had been invited to attend but due to complications their arrival was long delayed. [EJR207-8; PP55]
- In a letter dated the 5th of March, 1922 Shoghi Effendi urged the Bahá'ís to subordinate firmly and definitely all personal likings and local interests to the interests and requirements of the Cause. He called for the establishment of local spiritual assemblies in every locality where the number of adult believers exceeded nine. He also described the tasks and functions of the assemblies saying that they would evolve into the local and national Houses of Justice. [PP248; SBR66]
- See UD3-9; BA17-25 for the letter.
- 1929-06-00 —
Shoghi Effendi made plans to hold an international conference to consider, among other things, how to establish national spiritual assemblies as a prelude to the Universal House of Justice. [PP250]
- He cancelled the conference when he perceived that the Bahá'ís would find it a source of confusion and misunderstanding. [BBRSM126; PP250]
- 1951-01-09 —
Shoghi Effendi announced the formation of the International Bahá'í Council. [BBD118; BBRSM127; GBF109; MBW7–8; PP252; UD261]
Proclaim National Assemblies of East and West weighty epoch-making decision of formation of first International Bahá'í Council, forerunner of supreme administrative institution destined to emerge in fullness of time within precincts beneath shadow of World Spiritual Center of Faith already established in twin cities of 'Akká and Haifa....
- The members were: Rúhíyyih Khanum (1951–61) Liaison with Shoghi Effendi; Hand of the Cause of God Charles Mason Remey (1951–61) President; Hand of the Cause Amelia Collins (1951–61) Vice President; Hand of the Cause Leroy Ioas (1952–61) Secretary General; Hand of the Cause Jessie Revell (1951–61) Treasurer Luṭfu'lláh Ḥakím (1951–61) Eastern Assistant Secretary Ethel Revell (1951–61) Western Assistant Secretary
Ugo Giachery (1952–61) Member-at-large; Hand of the Cause Ben Weeden (1951–52); Gladys Weeden (1951–52); Sylvia Ioas (1955–61).
- See UD261 for the significance of the establishment of the International Bahá'í Council.
Between 1951 and 1957 Shoghi Effendi directed the members and used the Council to create an image of an international body handling the Bahá'í affairs in Haifa. According to Shoghi Effendi, the Council's responsibilities were to:
- establish links with the Israeli authorities, and
- negotiate with them concerning and establishing of a Bahá'í court to deal with personal matters,
- Shoghi Effendi to complete the superstructure of the Shrine of the Báb
- as an international Bahá'í secretariat.
This body functioned until the election of the Universal House of Justice in 1963.
- It was a forerunner to the Universal House of Justice. [BBD118]
- For its functions see MBW7–8.
- Its seat is the Western Pilgrim House. [BBD178]
- For the stages of its evolution see CB324.
- 1957-11-26 —
Interregnum
Following the passing of Shoghi Effendi the international administration of the Faith was carried on by the Hands of the Cause of God with the complete agreement and loyalty of the National Spiritual Assemblies and the body of the believers. This was in accordance with the Guardian's designation of the Hands as the "Chief Stewards of Bahá'u'lláh's embryonic World Commonwealth." [Message of 9 March 1965]
The beginning of the six year ministry of the Hands of the Cause residing in the Holy Land, or 'Custodians'. [BW16:90; WG45–6]
- This period is known as the 'interregnum'. [BBD 120]
- See BW14:467 for a summary of the work of the Hands of the Cause during this period.
- The International Bahá'í Council continued to perform its duties at the World Centre under the direction of the Custodians. The appointed Council was replaced by an elected Council at Ridván of 1961. All National Assemblies and Regional National Assemblies participated in the election by postal ballot. [BBD118]
- See alsoThe Ministry of the Custodians 1957-1963: An Account of the Stewardship of the Hands of the Cause.
- 1961-04-21 —
The International Bahá'í Council was elected by postal ballot of the members of the national spiritual assemblies. It was to serve a two-year term of office. [BW13:397; MoC282]
- The members were Jessie Revell (Treasurer), 'Alí Nakhjavání (President), Lutfu'lláh Hakím, Ethel Revell, Charles Wolcott (Secretary General), Sylvia Ioas (Vice-President), Mildred Mottahedeh, Ian Semple (Assistant Secretary), and Borah Kavelin (Member-at-Large. He continued serving on the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States). [MoC282, 291]
- See BW13:398 for picture.
- See also BBD118; BBRSM131; BW16:90; CB324; MoC168, 242. iiiii
- 1961-11-05 —
The Hands of the Cause issued a message from their fifth Conclave. [MoC313–23]
- They called for the election of the Universal House of Justice at a convention to be held in the Holy Land on the first, second and third days of Ridván 1963. [CB392; MoC321]
- They asked the electors to leave the Hands free to 'discharge their duties'. [MoC321]
- The celebration of the Most Great Jubilee, the Centenary of the Declaration of Bahá'u'lláh, was to be held in London rather than Baghdád, owing to the situation in the Middle East. [MoC322]
- 1963-05-07 —
The Universal House of Justice issued its first message to national conventions. [WG4–8]
- It announced that the body had no officers and that its communications will be signed 'Universal House of Justice' over an embossed seal. [WG6]
- It paid tribute to the Hands of the Cause. [WG5]
- See the message from the Universal House of Justice dated 26 November, 2007 for a list of accomplishments of the Hands of the Cause during the period between the passing of the Guardian and the election of the Universal House of Justice.
- 1963-10-01 —
After the International Conference in London, those members of the newly elected Universal House of Justice who were not already resident in Haifa returned to their homes to make plans to relocate. This was finally completed by October.
- The Universal House of Justice announced the launch, at Ridván 1964, of the Nine Year Plan. [WG14]
- As a preliminary step 19 new national spiritual assemblies were to be formed at Ridván 1964. [WG15–17]
- The next election of the Universal House of Justice will be in spring 1968. [WG17]
- The Faith had now entered the third epoch of the Formative Age. [WG17]
- 1963-11-23 —
At the request of the Universal House of Justice, Bahá'ís around the world prayed at the Feast of Qawl for favourable action to be taken in the case of the Bahá'ís under threat of death and imprisoned in Morocco. [BW14:98]
- Shortly after the Feast the Moroccan Supreme Court heard the appeals, reversed the decision of the trial court and ordered the release of the prisoners. [BW14:98]
- 1964-11-01 —
The Universal House of Justice announced that 'there is no way to appoint, or to legislate to make it possible to appoint, Hands of the Cause of God'. [WG41]
- For decisions of the Universal House of Justice regarding the development of the institution of the Hands of the Cause of God see WG40–3.
- 1966-06-10 — The Universal House of Justice addressed its first letter to 'Bahá'í Youth in Every Land'. [BW15:324; WG92–7]
- 1967-02-21 —
The Universal House of Justice established the International Bahá'í Audio-Visual Centre in Victor, New York. William Richter was named the manager. [BW14:91–2]
- The first assignment of the International Bahá'í Audio-Visual Centre was to arrange for audio-visual coverage of the six Intercontinental conferences that were held the following October.
- A counterpart of the International Bahá'í Audio-Visual Centre was established at the World Centre throught the creation of an Audio-Visual Department responsible directly to the Universal House of Justice. The first secretary was Juan Cabán.
- 1967-04-21 — The Universal House of Justice called upon the Bahá'ís to launch a global campaign proclaiming the message of Bahá'u'lláh to every stratum of society. A special edition of The Proclamation of Bahá'u'lláh was to be presented to Heads of State. [BW14:211, Ridván 1967]
- 1967-10-01 —
A special edition of The Proclamation of Bahá'u'lláh was published by the Universal House of Justice for presentation to 140 heads of state. [BW14:204–6; CB406]
- For a picture of the book see BW14:194.
- For pictures and descriptions of some of the rulers addressed by Bahá'u'lláh see BW14:196–203.
- For responses from present-day leaders to the book, and pictures, see BW14:207–10.
- 1968-06-21 —
The Universal House of Justice established the Continental Boards of Counsellors to continue the functions of the Hands of the Cause in the protection and propagation of the Faith. [BBD58–9, 97; BW15:611–13; BW17:319; MUHJ4–5; WG141, Mess63-86p130, 21 June, 1968, CEBF112]
- For details of the eleven Boards and their membership see BW15:612 and WG140–4.
- Among the eleven people named to the Boards
in Africa were three native believers: Oloro Epyeru and Kolonario Oule in Uganda, and
Seewoosumbur-Jeehiba Appa in Mauritius.
- For pictures of the Counsellors see BW15:614, 615, 618, 619, 622, 623, 625, 627.
- For a history of the development of the institutions of the International Teaching Centre and the Continental boards of Counsellors see BW20p673-693.
- 1968-10-09 — The Universal House of Justice addressed its second letter to Bahá'í Youth. [BW15:324; WG152–4; 9 October 1968]
- 1971-08-00 — The Universal House of Justice erected an obelisk on the site of the future House of Worship of the Holy Land on land that was purchased in 1953 with a gift of $50,000 from Milly Collins. [MBW63, 78-79, BBD 172; BW15:177–8; DH175; MUHJ83–4, SES18-20]
- 1971-09-00 — The Universal House of Justice distributed a memorandum to all National Assemblies to provide clarification to the publishing review policy. The purpose of review is to protect the Faith from misrepresentation and to ensure dignity and accuracy in its presentation. In general the function of a reviewing committee is to say whether the work submitted gives an acceptable presentation of the Cause or not.
[National Bahá'í Review Issue 45 September 1971 p2]
- 1972-11-26 —
- 1974-03-21 — In its Naw-Rúz Message the Universal House of Justice announced that there would be eight International Teaching Conferences will be held during the middle part of the Five Year Plan; two for the Arctic, one in Anchorage and one in Helsinki during July 1976, one in Paris in August 1976, one in Nairobi in October 1976, one in Hong Kong in November 1976, one in Auckland and one in Bahia, Brazil in January 1977 and one in Mérida, Mexico in February 1977. The theme of these conferences was the urgent need for the Bahá'ís to ARISE to teach the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh. (Arise-Reach-Individual-Souls-Everywhere). 14,500 Bahá'ís attended.
[Naw-Rúz 1974.]
- 1979-10-24 — The publication of the compilation Inspiring the Heart by the Universal House of Justice. This compilation was published as a book by the Bahá'í Publishing Trust of the United Kingdom in 1981. [Messages63-86p430]
- 1981-07-01 — An International Chinese Teaching Committee was appointed by the Universal House of Justice. [BW19:76]
- 1981-11-26 —
The Comunicación Intercambio y Radiodifusión Bahá'í para America Latina y el Caribe (CIRBAL) was established by the Universal House of Justice to promote the development of Bahá'í radio and mass media activities in Latin America. [BW19:59]
- The special Committee for Service to the Blind, located in the United Kingdom, was a clearing house and production and distribution centre for materials both on tape and in Braille; and CIRBAL (Centro para Intercambio Radiofonico Baha'i de America Latins), among its other functions, serves as
a clearing house for tapes, videotapes, script and other materials suitable for use via radio and television. Its mandated area is South and Central America and the Caribbean. [BW18p115, 117]
- 1983-05-23 — A five year term for the Counsellor members of the International Teaching Centre was established by the Universal House of Justice. [Message 19 May, 1983; BW19:27]
"... a five-year term for the Counsellor members of the International Teaching Centre. Each term will start on 23 May immediately following the International Bahá'í Convention, and the current term will end on 23 May 1988. Should circumstances prevent the Universal House of Justice from making new appointments at the end of any five-year term, the Counsellors will remain in office until such time as new appointments can be made." - 1984-01-03 — The Universal House of Justice addressed a letter to the Bahá'í youth of the world encouraging them to volunteer a period of service to the Bahá'í Faith. [AWH14–17; BW19:297–8, 299, 311–13; VV116]
- 1984-04-21 —
Delegates at the United States National Convention petition the Universal House of Justice requesting that the law of Huqúqu'lláh be made binding on the American Bahá'ís. [AWH30; ZK146–77]
- The Universal House of Justice replied that it is not yet the time to take this step. [AWH30, Message from the Universal House of Justice dated 6 August, 1984]
- 1984-11-09 — The Universal House of Justice met with representatives of the Bahá'í International Community and various national spiritual assemblies at the World Centre.
- 1985-01-23 — The plans of the Universal House of Justice for the International Year of Peace were outlined to national spiritual assemblies. [AHW31–4; VV86; Messs63-86p420]
- 1985-10-24 —
In anticipation of the United Nations International Year of Peace, and on the fortieth anniversary of the United Nations, the Universal House of Justice addressed a message "To the Peoples of the World" inviting them to consider that a new social order can be fostered by all peoples' seeing themselves as members of one universal family. This message, The Promise of World Peace was presented to world leaders and countless others during the United Nations International Year of Peace. [BBD174, 187–8; BW19:139, 155; VV59, 86–8, The Promise of World Peace]
- See BW20p131 for the logistics involved in distributing it throughout the world.
- Within six months national spiritual assemblies present copies to 167 world leaders, including 140 to leaders of independent countries. [BW19:139, 334–6]
- For pictures see BW19:337–44.
- For text see BW19:324–33.
- See the compilation on Peace compiled by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice.
- See the oral statement from the Bahá'í International Community of the 17th of April 1986 addressed to the NGO committee for the University of Peace.
- See the Message of the Universal House of Justice dated 18 January 2019 on the subject of world peace.
- 1986-08-03 —
The Honourable Sir Thomas David, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, at his request, consulted with the Universal House of Justice at the Bahá'í World Centre about world peace, 'the most concrete response to date by a political leader to the Peace Statement'. BINS157:1; VV88]
- For picture see VV86.
- 1989-04-04 — The Universal House of Justice announced a vast majority of prisoners that had been held by authorities in Irán had been released. [AWH62]
- 1989-06-25 —
The Universal House of Justice said in a message it was timely for the knowledge of the Bahá'í Faith to be disseminated on the mainland of China as quickly as possible. [PH80]
- Also see [SWvol13no7pg185; VV104]
- 1989-07-10 — The Universal House of Justice issued statement on literacy. [AWH142-3]
- 1989-10-26 — The Universal House of Justice issued statement on the environment. [AWH144]
- 1993-05-23 — The following Counsellors were appointed to the International Teaching Centre for a five-year term: Mr. Kiser Barnes, Mr. Hartmut Grossmann, Mrs. Lauretta King, Mrs. Joan Lincoln, Mr. Shapoor Monadjem, Mr. Donald Rogers, Mr. Fred Schechter, Mrs. Kimiko Schwerin, Mrs. Joy Stevenson. Retiring members were: Mr. Mas'úd Khamsí and Mr. Peter Vuyiya. [From a message from the Universal House of Justice dated the 13th of May, 1993]
- 1993-06-12 —
The Honourable Sir Julius Chan, KBE, Deputy Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea consulted with the Universal House of Justice on the future role of his country as an emerging nation and on the destiny of the Pacific region. [BINS297:9; BW93–4:78]
- For pictures see BINS297:9 and BW93–4:78
- 1996-04-21 —
- 2001-03-00 — The publication of Century of Light, a statement by the Universal House of Justice. The purpose of the book is to provide members of the Faith with a perspective on two defining processes that unfolded during the 20th century; on the one hand, the sequence of events that made the unification of humanity the principal feature of modern history and, on the other, the emergence from obscurity of the Cause of God and its Administrative order. It is primarily a resource for Bahá'í study and deepening. It is not a public information publication. [TP777-778]
- 2001-11-12 — The World Centre Endowment Fund was inaugurated by the Universal House of Justice.
"…we have decided to set up the World Centre Endowment Fund, for the preservation, upkeep, and security of the edifices and precincts of the Spiritual and Administrative Centres of the Faith — activities that currently form so large a part of the responsibilities of the Bahá'í International Fund. This decision follows the example of Shoghi Effendi, who during his ministry dedicated the income from lands in the environs of the Jordan Valley for the upkeep of the Holy Shrines."
• The Universal House of Justice, 2001 Nov 12, International Endowment Fund
- 2002-04-21 —
The Universal House of Justice issued a letter addressed to the world's religious leaders warning of "the danger posed by "the rising fires of religious prejudice" and called for decisive action against fanaticism and intolerance". [One Country Vol.14 Issue 1]
- For the text of the letter see To the World's Religious Leaders.
- Also see One Country Vol.14 Issue 1 for an abridged version.
- See also BWNS200; BWNS168, BWNS200; BW'02-'03pg79-98.
- The essential message was that God is one and all religions are from that same God and that recognition of these truths is a prerequisite that must be at the heart of all religious discourse. Bahá'i institutions throughout the world delivered thousands of copies of this message to influential figures and the major faith communities. Although some were dismissed out of hand, in general the message was warmly welcomed. [One Common Faith p.ii]
- 2007-03-25 — The Universal House of Justice addressed a message to the Bahá'ís of the World regarding Bahá'í elections.
- 2007-11-21 — The Universal House of Justice responded to a communications from the Bahá'ís attending event of the 2nd of October advising the Friends in Iran to explore contacts with other Iranian individuals and organizations sympathetic to the plight of the Bahá'ís and to continue the effort to secure legal representation for the Bahá'í students. It also encouraged them to convey the gratitude of the Iranian Bahá'ís to the Defenders of Human Rights Centre. [The referenced website is no longer in existence.]
- 2011-07-15 —
The passing of former Universal House of Justice member Dr. Peter J. Khan (b. 2 November, 1936 in New South Wales) in Brisbane, Australia. He was buried in the Toowong Cemetery in Brisbane. Dr Khan served as a member of the Universal House of Justice from 1987 until April 2010. [BWNS840, BWNS841]
- See Dr Peter J. Khan Memorial video.
- See the tribute on Bahá'í Blog.
- See Wikipedia.
- See Bahaipedia.
- Find a grave.
He was buried in the Toowong Cemetery in Brisbane.
- 2012-05-11 — The Universal House of Justice sent a message to the Bahá'ís of Iran near the four-year anniversary of the illegal arrest and imprisonment of the former members of the Yárán and the more recent injustice meted out against the co-workers of the Bahá'í Institute for Higher Education (BIHE). [BWNS823, Message from the Universal House of Justice dated 11 May, 2012, In Farsi]
- 2015-10-01 — 2015 saw an unprecedented number of refugees to Europe fleeing the conflict in the Middle East, particularly from Syria. In response for their request for guildance, the Universal House of Justice in its message to the National Spiritual Assemblies, defined the principles to assist the Bahá'í communities through the social changes that must need follow such a migration. It stated that the Bahá'í community had insufficient resources at this stage of development for a response at the institutional level however the situation presented an opportunity for some individual believers to become involved to lend humanitarian assistance.
- 2020-00-00 — The publication of The Last Refuge: Fifty Years of the Universal House of Justice by Shahbaz Fatheazam. It was published by 'Irfán Colloquia.
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