Although there is no explicit reference to the Guardianship
in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, the Synopsis and Codification lists "Anticipation of
the Institution of the Guardianship."
On page 214 of God Passes By, when summarizing the contents of the
Aqdas, Shoghi Effendi states that in it Baha'u'llah "anticipates by
implication the institution of Guardianship," and again, on page 147 of
The World Order of Baha'u'llah the Guardian refers to "the verses of the
Kitab-i- Aqdas the implications of which clearly anticipate the institution of
the Guardianship." One such implication is in the matter of Huququ'llah
(The Right of God), which is ordained in the Kitab-i-Aqdas without provision
being made for who is to receive it; in His Will and Testament 'Abdu'l-Baha
fills this gap by stating "It is to be offered through the Guardian of the
Cause of God ..." Other implications of this institution can be seen in the
terms in which 'Abdu'l-Baha is appointed as the Successor of Baha'u'llah and
the Interpreter of His Teachings. The faithful are enjoined to turn their faces
towards the one whom "God hath purposed" and who "hath branched
from this Ancient Root" and are bidden to refer whatsoever they do not
understand in the Baha'i Writings to him who "hath branched from this
mighty Stock." Yet another can be seen in the provision of the Aqdas
concerning the disposition of international endowments -- a passage which not only
refers this matter to the Aghsan (male descendants of Baha'u'llah) but also
provides for what should happen should the line of Aghsan end before the coming
into being of the Universal House of Justice. Thus the "Anticipation of
the Institution of the Guardianship" is correctly included in the Synopsis
and Codification of the Kitab-i-Aqdas. - The Universal House of Justice (From a document dated 27 May 1980, entitled
“Extracts from a Reply Written on Behalf of the Universal House of Justice to
Questions about the Kitab-I-Aqdas"; ‘Messages from the Universal House of
Justice 1963-1986)
