Universal House of Justice facts for kids

The Universal House of Justice (Persian: بیت‌العدل اعظم) is the highest governing body of the Baháʼí Faith. It has nine members and acts like a world council for the Baháʼí community. Baháʼu'lláh, who founded the Baháʼí Faith, planned for this body to create new laws for things not already covered in the Baháʼí holy writings. This allows the Baháʼí Faith to grow and change with the times. The first members were chosen in 1963. Since then, new members are elected every five years by representatives from Baháʼí National Spiritual Assemblies around the world.

As the head of the Baháʼí Faith, the Universal House of Justice guides the global Baháʼí community. It does this mainly through multi-year plans and special messages given during the Ridván festival each year. These messages often focus on increasing the number of Local Spiritual Assemblies, translating Baháʼí books, building Baháʼí centers, and completing Baháʼí Houses of Worship. They also encourage educational programs for literacy, women's roles, spiritual growth for kids and teens, family life, and community service. The Universal House of Justice has also helped bring attention to the unfair treatment of Baháʼís in Iran.

The books and documents published by the Universal House of Justice are considered very important and true by Baháʼís. Its decisions are also seen as always correct. Even though it can make new laws, it doesn't do this very often.

The main building of the Universal House of Justice and its members are in Haifa, Israel, on the side of Mount Carmel. The most recent election was on April 29, 2023. While most Baháʼí leadership roles are open to both men and women, only men can be members of the Universal House of Justice. The Baháʼí writings say that the reason for this will become clear in the future.

History of the Universal House of Justice

Seat of the Universal House of Justice in Haifa, Israel

Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, first wrote about the House of Justice in his book Kitáb-i-Aqdas. He explained what its jobs would be. He also mentioned it in other writings, like his Tablets of Baháʼu'lláh. Baháʼu'lláh said that the Universal House of Justice would lead the religion. It would also handle things he hadn't covered himself. He believed its members would be guided by God and would care for all people.

Later, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, Baháʼu'lláh's son and chosen successor, gave more details. In his Will and Testament, he explained how it would work and how its members would be chosen. He wrote that the Universal House of Justice would be protected by Baháʼu'lláh and would not make mistakes. He also said that Baháʼís must obey its decisions. ʻAbdu'l-Bahá was the first to use the name "Universal House of Justice." This helped tell it apart from local and national Baháʼí councils. He also confirmed that even though men and women are equal spiritually, only men would serve on this specific body. He said the reason for this would be understood later.

Both ʻAbdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi, who led the religion after Baháʼu'lláh, thought about creating the Universal House of Justice. However, they decided to wait. Shoghi Effendi felt that the Baháʼí community wasn't strong enough yet. There were only a few national and local Baháʼí councils. So, Shoghi Effendi spent his life building up these local and national groups. This prepared the way for the Universal House of Justice to be elected.

In 1951, when there were nine National Spiritual Assemblies, Shoghi Effendi created the International Baháʼí Council. He called it an early form of the international House of Justice. After Shoghi Effendi passed away unexpectedly in 1957, the Hands of the Cause guided the religion. They announced that the Universal House of Justice would be elected in 1963. This was at the end of the Ten Year Crusade, a global teaching plan started by Shoghi Effendi.

In 1961, the International Baháʼí Council became an elected body. Members of all National Spiritual Assemblies voted for its members. Then, in April 1963, the first Universal House of Justice was elected. This happened six years after Shoghi Effendi's passing. Representatives from 56 National Spiritual Assemblies took part. The election date was special because it marked 100 years since Baháʼu'lláh first shared his message in the Garden of Ridván in April 1863. Since then, the Universal House of Justice has been the head of the Baháʼí Faith. Individual members do not have authority on their own; their authority comes only when they act as a group. In 1972, the Universal House of Justice published its constitution, which explains its purpose and how it works.

How Members Are Elected

The Universal House of Justice is elected in a special way. It uses a secret ballot, meaning no one knows who you voted for. There are no nominations or campaigns, and any adult Baháʼí man can be elected. The election happens every five years during a large meeting of members from National or Regional Spiritual Assemblies (NSAs) worldwide. Each NSA member, who was already elected by Baháʼís in their own country, votes for nine adult Baháʼí men. Votes can be sent by mail or brought by delegates. The nine men who get the most votes become members of the Universal House of Justice.

In 2013, about 400 votes were sent in from people who couldn't be in Haifa. This brought the total number of votes to over 1500. This election was also special because it marked 50 years since the first election in 1963. The most recent election was on April 29, 2023.

What the Universal House of Justice Does

Seat of the Universal House of Justice

Today, the Universal House of Justice guides the growth of the global Baháʼí community. Baháʼu'lláh said its main jobs include spreading God's message, keeping the laws, managing community affairs, and helping people grow spiritually. It also ensures children's education, works to make the world prosperous (reducing extreme wealth and poverty), and cares for the elderly and sick who are poor.

According to its constitution, some of its important duties are:

• Encouraging spiritual qualities in Baháʼí life.
• Protecting, translating, and publishing Baháʼí holy writings.
• Defending the global Baháʼí community from unfair treatment.
• Taking care of and developing the spiritual and administrative center of the Baháʼí Faith.
• Helping the Baháʼí community and its administration grow.
• Protecting individual rights, freedoms, and new ideas.
• Applying Baháʼí principles and laws.
• Creating, changing, or removing laws not found in the Baháʼí holy texts, as needed over time.
• Making decisions about violations of Baháʼí law.
• Settling disagreements that are brought to it.
• Managing all religious funds and donations, like Huqúqu'lláh.

The Universal House of Justice is also asked by Baháʼu'lláh to have a good influence on all people. It should work to bring lasting peace among nations. It also helps with the "training of peoples, the up building of nations, the protection of man and the safeguarding of his honour."

Power to Make New Laws

Seat of the Universal House of Justice

The Universal House of Justice is also responsible for helping the Baháʼí Faith adapt as society changes. Because of this, it has the power to make laws about things not clearly mentioned in the Baháʼí holy writings. While it can change or cancel its own laws as conditions change, it cannot change any laws that are clearly written in the sacred Baháʼí texts.

Current Members

All current members of the Universal House of Justice previously served on the International Teaching Centre. They are:

• Paul Lample (elected 2005)
• Payman Mohajer (elected 2005)
• Shahriar Razavi (elected 2008)
• Ayman Rouhani (elected 2013)
• Chuungu Malitonga (elected 2013)
• Juan Francisco Mora (elected 2018)
• Praveen Mallik (elected 2018)
• Albert Nshisu Nsunga (elected 2023)
• Andrej Donoval (elected 2023)

Past Members

The first election in 1963 included five members from the International Baháʼí Council. Two members came from the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States. One was from the National Spiritual Assembly of Britain, and one from India.

The table below shows the members and the year they were first elected. Since 1963, full elections happen every five years. There have also been five special elections to fill empty spots in 1982, 1987, 2000, 2005, and 2010. All members have continued to serve after being re-elected. Amoz Gibson, Charles Wolcott, and Adib Taherzadeh passed away while serving. Other former members were allowed to retire.

See also

In Spanish: Casa Universal de Justicia para niños

• Baháʼí administration