You are quite correct in stating that there are two
different provisions in the Sacred Texts for the selection of an International
Auxiliary Language. On the one hand, this task is given to the governments of
the world, on the other it is given to the House of Justice. It is not possible
now to foresee exactly how this will come about, but it would seem reasonable
to suppose that, long before the Bahá’í community is large enough or can
exercise the authority to produce such a world-embracing change, events will
compel the governments, either progressively or all in concert, to select an
International Auxiliary Language to be taught as a second language in all
schools and to be used in all international commerce. At a much later stage,
possibly at the time of the Bahá’í World Commonwealth, the Universal House of
Justice may well decide to review the situation and either confirm the decision
that the governments had made, or change the choice to a more suitable
language.
Of course, conditions may produce a development very
different from the one just outlined. One of the characteristics of Bahá’í
Administration is its flexibility which enables it to deal with unforeseen
developments and continually changing conditions. The one certain thing about
the choice of an International Auxiliary Language is that the Universal House
of Justice does not judge the present time propitious for it to take any action
in this regard.
- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 8 June 1980 written on behalf of the
Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; compilation: The
Principles of an International Auxiliary Language’, prepared by the Research
Department of the Universal House of Justice’, 2002)
