The system of Bahá'í Administration is "indissolubly
bound with the essential verities of the Faith" as set forth in the
writings of Bahá'u'lláh and Abdu'l-Bahá. A unique feature of this system is the
appointment of authorized interpreters, in the persons of Abdu'l-Bahá and the
Guardian, to provide authoritative statements on the intent of Bahá'u'lláh's
revelation. Writing in The Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh, Shoghi Effendi stated
that "Abdu'l-Bahá and the Guardian share ... the right and obligation to
interpret the Bahá'í Teachings". In relation to his own function as
interpreter, he further stated that "the Guardian has been specifically
endowed with such power as he may need to reveal the purport and disclose the implications
of the utterances of Bahá'u'lláh and of Abdu'l-Bahá". The significance of
this important provision is that the religion of God is safeguarded and
protected against schism and its essential unity is preserved.
- The Universal
House of Justice (From a message dated 31 May 1988; Teach Canada Supplement, Issue #6 December 1989)
