The friends should realize that there is nothing in the
Texts to indicate that the election of the Universal House of Justice could be
called only by the Guardian. On the contrary, 'Abdu'l-Bahá envisaged the
calling of its election in His own lifetime. At a time described by the
Guardian as "the darkest moments of His [the Master's] life, under
'Abdu'l-Hamid's regime, when He stood ready to be deported to the most
inhospitable regions of Northern Africa," and when even His life was
threatened, 'Abdu'l-Bahá wrote to Haji Mirza Taqi Afnan, the cousin of the Báb
and chief builder of the 'Ishqabad Temple, commanding him to arrange for the
election of the Universal House of Justice should the threats against the
Master materialize. The second part of the Master's Will is also relevant to
such a situation and should be studied by the friends.
- The Universal House of
Justice (From a message dated 9 March 1965; Messages from the Universal House
of Justice 1963-1986’)
