thumb|420x420px|Members of the Universal House of Justice with the Hands of the Cause in front of the Mansion of Bahjí, 1963

Hands of the Cause of God (abbreviated as Hands or Hands of the Cause), in the Baháʼí Faith, refers to several prominent Baha'is appointed for life by Baha'u'llah, 'Abdu'l-Baha', and Shoghi Effendi to promote the Baháʼí teachings and preserve the unity of the Baháʼí Faith community. Each one of the appointees is referred to as a Hand of the Cause. Of the fifty individuals given the title, Baha'u'llah appointed four during his lifetime; 'Abdu'l-Baha' also posthumously designated four individuals as Hands of the Cause; and afterwards, Shoghi Effendi appointed forty-two to this rank over the 36 years of his ministry.

The temporary administration of the affairs of the faith by the Hands until the formation of the Universal House of Justice was foreseen in the Kitab-i-Aqdas. After its establishment in April 1963, the Universal House of Justice created the Institution of the Counsellors in 1968, and the appointed Continental Counsellors over time took on the role that the Hands of the Cause were filling. The functions of the Hands were gradually transferred to newly formed institutions of Continental Boards of Counsellors and subsequently the International Teaching Center, whose membership included five Counsellors from around the world and all living Hands of the Cause as permanent members.

Shoghi Effendi, the successor of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, appointed individuals to the position of Hands of the Cause of God during his lifetime. He gradually appointed 42 individuals from various parts of the world to this role. In total, 50 individuals were designated as Hands of the Cause: 4 by Baháʼu'lláh, 4 by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, and 42 by Shoghi Effendi, bringing the total of 50 Hands of the Cause in the Baháʼí Faith.

After the death of Shoghi Effendi in 1957 and until the establishment of the Universal House of Justice the Hands of the Cause collectively as Custodians, led the worldwide Baháʼí community based on the guidance of Shoghi Effendi, as expressed in his final message to the Baháʼís of the world dated October 2, 1957, just weeks before his sudden death. The 27 living Hands continued their activities, focusing on protecting and preserving the Baháʼí community and encouraging the believers to fulfill the goals of Shoghi Effendi's Ten Year Plan, which ultimately led to the election of the Universal House of Justice in April 1963.

In a message (November 1964) the Universal House of Justice announced that since it was no longer possible to appoint Hands of the Cause, the need was the development of new institutions; the Continental Boards of Counsellors (1968) and the International Teaching Centre (1973) to fulfil functions of the Hands of the Cause.

The Hands, in consultation with the Universal House of Justice, served their purpose for the remainder of their lives.

In the book Tadhkirat al-Wafá (Memorials of the Faithful), ‘Abdu’l-Bahá mentioned four prominent Baháʼís who, throughout their lives, devoted themselves to spreading the Baháʼí teachings and promoting its principles and ethics with selflessness, referring to them posthumously as Hands of the Cause of God. These individuals are:

  • Muhammad-Ridá (Mullá Muhammad Ábádí Yazdí)
  • Nabíl-i-Akbar (Aqa Muhammad-i- Qa'ini) (1829–1892)
  • 'Ali-Muhammad Varqá (d. 1896), who, along with his son Rúḥu’lláh, gave his life for the promotion of the Baháʼí Faith teachings.
  • Mullá Sádiq Khurasani, also known among the Baháʼís as Ismu'lláhu'l-Asdaq (d. 1889)

First Phase: Posthumous Appointments

  • John Ebenezer Esslemont (1874–1925) – Scotland
  • Hájí Amín (1831–1928) – Iran
  • Keith Ransom-Kehler (1876–1933) – US
  • Martha Root (1872–1939) – US
  • John Henry Hyde Dunn (1855–1941) – Australia
  • Siyyid Mustafá Rúmí (d. 1942) – Burma (now Myanmar)
  • 'Abdu'l-Jalil Bey Sa'd (d. 1942) – Egypt
  • Muhammed Taqiy-i-Isfáhani (d. 1946) – Egypt
  • Roy C. Wilhelm (1875–1951) – US
  • Louis George Gregory (1874–1951) – US

Second Phase: Appointed individually at different times

Shoghi Effendi appointed the following individuals at various times. (appointment year for each is in brackets)

  • Amatu'l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih K͟hánum (1910–2000) [1952] --Baháʼí World Centre
  • Jalál K͟háḍih (1897–1990) [1953] – Iran
  • Paul Edmond Haney (1909–1982) [1954] – US
  • ʻAlí-Muhammad Varqá (1911–2007) [1955] – Iran
  • Agnes Baldwin Alexander (1875–1971) [1957] – Hawaii

Third Phase: the First contingent, appointed 24 December 1951

  • Dorothy Beecher Baker (1898–1954) – US
  • Amelia Engelder Collins (1873–1962) – US
  • ʻAlí-Akbar Furútan (1905–2003) – Iran
  • Ugo Giachery (1896–1989) – Italy
  • Hermann Grossmann (1899–1968) – Germany
  • Horace Hotchkiss Holley (1887–1960) – US
  • Leroy C. Ioas (1896–1965) – US
  • William Sutherland Maxwell (1874–1952) – Canada
  • Taráz'u'lláh Samandarí (1874–1968) – Iran
  • Valíyu'lláh Varqá (1884–1955) – Iran
  • George Townshend (1876–1957) – Ireland
  • Charles Mason Remey (1874–1974) – US

Fourth Phase: Second contingent, appointed 29 February 1952

  • Siegfried Schopflocher (1877–1953) – Canada
  • S͟hu'á'u'lláh ʻAláʼí (1889–1984) – Iran
  • Músá Banání (1886–1971) – Africa
  • Clara Dunn (1869–1960) – Oceania
  • D͟hikru'lláh K͟hádim (1904–1986) – Iran
  • Adelbert Mühlschlegel (1897–1980) – Germany
  • Corinne Knight True (1861–1961) – US

Fifth Phase: Last contingent, appointed 2 October 1957

This final group was appointed a few weeks before Shoghi Effendi's death:

  • Hasan Muvaqqar Balyúzí (1908–1980) – British Isles
  • Abu'l-Qásim Faizi (1906–1980) – Arabian Peninsula
  • John Graham Ferraby (1914–1973) – British Isles
  • Harold Collis Featherstone (1913–1990) – Oceania
  • Rahmatu'lláh Muhájir (1923–1979) – Pacific Ocean
  • Enoch Olinga (1926–1979) – Africa-Uganda
  • John Aldham Robarts (1901–1991) – South-Western Africa
  • William Sears (1911–1992) – South-Western Africa

Responsibilities

‘Abdu’l-Bahá, in His "Will and Testament", outlined both the method of appointment and the primary responsibilities of the Hands of the Cause of God. The Hands were to be appointed by His successor, Shoghi Effendi.

Their two main responsibilities were:

  1. Protection of the Baháʼí Faith
  2. Guarding the unity of the Baháʼí community
  3. Defending the Faith against division, schism, and opposition
  4. Propagation of the Baháʼí Teachings
  5. Encouraging education and study of the Baháʼí Writings
  6. Promoting moral and spiritual leadership
  7. Inspiring and guiding the community in its teaching efforts The group was to assist the national spiritual assemblies in meeting their set goals of expansion and consolidation of Baháʼí Faith communities in their areas of jurisdiction. Later, their responsibilities expanded to the protection of the Faith from external and internal attacks. By 1957, the original appointed group of twelve had reached twenty-seven. The group included individuals from all continents, plus several members of the first International Council. The continental Hands assisted the Baháʼís with a system of transnational coordination and a form of leadership that differed significantly from that of the assemblies. With the sudden death of Shoghi Effendi, they were to exercise overall headship of the Baháʼís during the period between the death of Shoghi Effendi and the establishment of the Universal House of Justice (1957–1963). During the years 1951–1957, Shoghi Effendi provided further administrative structure and expanded roles for the Hands of the Cause:
  1. Continental Coordination
  2. A group of resident Hands at the Baháʼí World Centre in Haifa acted as the liaison between the Guardian and the Continental Hands.
  3. All Hands were responsible for building relationships with National Spiritual Assemblies to support their efforts.
  4. Support of the Ten-Year Expansion Plan (1953–1963)
  5. Hands of the Cause were tasked with assisting in achieving the global goals of the Ten-Year Plan.
  6. This included support in pioneering, expansion, consolidation, and protection efforts.
  7. Delegation of Authority to Continental Hands of the Cause
  8. Continental Hands were given authority to determine:
  9. The areas of operation for their appointed Auxiliary Boards
  10. Secondary decisions related to the growth and collaboration of teaching efforts
  11. Coordination with National Institutions
  12. Continental Baháʼí Funds
  13. Shoghi Effendi established five Continental Baháʼí Funds, one for each of the continents:
  14. Africa, the Americas, Asia, Oceania, and Europe
  15. These funds were supported only by Baháʼís and intended to assist with the execution of the Hands' responsibilities.

Spread of the Baháʼí Teachings

Shoghi Effendi, although following the instructions in the Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá, continued to expand on the responsibilities of the Hands of the Cause of God in terms of two main tasks: the spread of the Baháʼí Teachings and safeguarding the unity of the Baháʼí Faith. However, in the first five years of his leadership, the tasks he assigned to the Hands of the Cause were entirely focused on spreading the Baháʼí Faith. In 1953, Shoghi Effendi unveiled a comprehensive plan known as the Ten-Year Crusade, which aimed at spreading the Baháʼí Faith worldwide. The goals included increasing the number of Baháʼí National and Regional Assemblies from 12 countries to 48 countries and the establishment of the Universal House of Justice, the highest decision-making body in the Baháʼí Administration. Shoghi Effendi referred to the Hands of the Cause as the vanguards of this plan.

In the same year, he asked five Hands of the Cause to represent him at four intercontinental conferences held to launch the Plan. After the plan commenced, with each new National or Regional Assembly formed (sixteen new National and Regional Assemblies were established by October 1957), Shoghi Effendi sent one of the Hands of the Cause to represent him at the founding session of that Assembly. He also instructed the Hands to establish a nine-member body, known as the "Auxiliary Board," for each continent, to facilitate the spreading of the Baháʼí Faith. These Auxiliary Boards acted as representatives and assistants to the Hands of the Cause, working alongside the National Assemblies of their respective continents. Additionally, to support the Hands and their Auxiliary Boards, Shoghi Effendi established a Continental Fund for each continent and entrusted one of the Hands to oversee it.

Preserving the Unity of the Baháʼí Communities

`Abdu'l-Bahá, in his Will, instructs the Baháʼís and the Hands of the Cause of God to preserve the unity of the Baháʼí community by following the Guardian, who was appointed to manage and guide the Baháʼí communities and, after `Abdu'l-Bahá, is the reference point for the Baháʼí Faith. The goal is to prevent division and discord within the community. In this regard, the Hands of the Cause consistently worked to maintain the integrity and cohesion of the Baháʼí community, taking measures to avoid any form of division or conflict.

Following Shoghi Effendi's guidance, a few years after the establishment of the Auxiliary Boards for the spread of the Baháʼí Faith, new Auxiliary Boards were also formed to help preserve the unity of the Baháʼí community. These Boards assisted the Hands of the Cause in fulfilling this important responsibility in their respective continents. George Townshend, who had been a high-ranking Christian clergy and prolific writer, wrote books such as The Heart of the Gospel and Christ and Bahá'u'lláh after he was appointed Hand of the Cause. John Ferraby wrote a widely-read book introducing the Baháʼí Faith, titled All Things Made New: A Comprehensive Account of the Baháʼí Faith. Hermann Grossmann, who had been writing about the Baháʼí Faith since the 1920s, produced additional works on the subject in German, including the books What is the Baháʼí Faith? and Who is a Baháʼí and What is the Baháʼí Community?. He also translated works of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá into German. Ruhiyyih Khanum, the wife of Shoghi Effendi, who had written a popular book titled A Prescription for Living in 1950, after her appointment to the rank of Hand of the Cause, authored several other books, including a biography of Shoghi Effendi titled The Priceless Pearl and a poetry book. She also produced two long documentaries about her travels in South America and the Baháʼí Faith shrines in the cities of Haifa and Akká. Hasan Balyuzi, who could no longer travel after 1963 due to health issues, focused on research and scholarly work until he died in 1980, producing important scholarly works on the lives and missions of key Baháʼí figures. Abul-Qasim Faizi wrote numerous books and articles and translated works between English and Persian, such as the book The Priceless Pearl, which he translated into Persian. He also wrote a book, Milly, about the life of Hand of the Cause Amelia Collins. Ugo Giachery, in addition to his various travels to meet Baháʼí communities, authored a book titled Shoghi Effendi: Recollections. Ali-Akbar Furutan produced a significant body of scholarly work on the education and upbringing of children in Persian, which was translated into English and other languages, including Mothers, Fathers, and Children, A Practical Guide to Parenting, The Path of Raising Young Children, and Scientific Essays. William Sears produced a television program series on the Baháʼí Faith and organized lectures and presentations on the subject. He also wrote a series of popular books about the Baháʼí Faith, including Thief in the Night, The Wine of Astonishment, God Loves Laughter, and A Cry from the Heart: Bahá'ís of Iran.

Rank of the Hands of the Cause

In the Baháʼí Faith the Hands of the Cause of God are regarded as individuals who have been appointed to this high rank because of their role in preserving unity and promoting the Baháʼí Faith through self-sacrifice and humility. Abdu'l-Bahá, in describing the Hands of the Cause, says that they are those who dedicated themselves to the dissemination of the Baháʼí teachings, severed all ties with anything other than God, lived a life of piety, and ignited the hearts of God's servants with the fire of divine love. He also mentions that their purity and spirituality have made an impact on the hearts of people, drawing them toward good character, righteous intentions, and justice. The role of the Hands of the Cause is seen as one of spiritual guidance and service, but without formal clerical authority. The Hands of the Cause are also referred to by Shoghi Effendi as the Chief Stewards of Baháʼu'lláh's embryonic World Commonwealth.

Management of the Baháʼí World

A few weeks before his death, Shoghi Effendi sent a message (October 1957) to the Bahá’ís of the world in which he referred to the Hands of the Cause of God as the "Chief Stewards of the embryonic World Order of Bahá’u’lláh." Based on this message, the Hands assumed temporary leadership of the global Bahá’í community until the formation of the Universal House of Justice, for a period of six years (from 1957 to 1963), and continued to fulfill their duties in advancing the Bahá’í Faith and carrying out the directives of Shoghi Effendi in his absence.

Three interrelated factors resolved the crisis that the Bahá’í world faced with the sudden death of Shoghi Effendi (November 1957): 1.) From his statements, it was evident that he envisioned the conditions for the election of the Universal House of Justice to be ready after the successful completion of the Ten-Year Crusade. 2.) The Bahá’í community received its essential guidance from Shoghi Effendi's detailed plan, which included the particulars he had in mind. 3.) Finally, in one of his final messages to the Bahá’í world, Shoghi Effendi referred to the Hands of the Cause of God as the "Chief Stewards of the embryonic World Order of Bahá’u’lláh"

Custodians

During the period between the death of Shoghi Effendi and the election of the Universal House of Justice the Hands of the Cause held a convocation from which they constituted a body of nine from among their number to serve in the Holy Land and to act as Custodians of the Baháʼí Faith, a body which functioned without officers and with a quorum of five, whose duties included taking care of Baháʼí World Center properties and other assets; corresponding with and advising National and Regional Spiritual Assemblies; acting on behalf of the Baháʼí Faith for its protection; and maintaining close contact with the rest of the Hands, who would henceforth devote their time to the successful completion of the goals of the Ten Year Crusade. The Hands of the Cause maintained the number of Custodians, replacing those who died or were unable, for health or personal reasons, to remain at the Baháʼí World Center permanently.

The idea of a group of nine elected from among the Hands of the Cause to stay at the Baháʼí World Centre was referred to in the Will and Testament of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, one of the defining documents of Baháʼí administration. This body of nine was given the duty to validate any appointments made as Guardian.

:"The Hands of the Cause of God must elect from their own number nine persons that shall at all times be occupied in the important services in the work of the Guardian of the Cause of God. The election of these nine must be carried either unanimously or by majority from the company of the Hands of the Cause of God, and these, whether unanimously or by a majority vote, must give their assent to the choice of the one whom the Guardian of the Cause of God hath chosen as his successor."

Ministry of the Hands (1957–1963)

In 1957, after the unexpected death of Shoghi Effendi while he was traveling in Britain, the living Hands of the Cause gathered in Haifa and elected nine members who would retain the leadership of the religion until the Universal House of Justice was elected in 1963.

In a statement released by the complete body of the Hands of the Cause, they wrote:

:We, the undersigned:

:

:in our capacity as Hands of the Cause of God duly nominated and appointed by the Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith, His Eminence the late Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, assembled this 25 November 1957 at the Baháʼí World Centre and constituting the supreme body of the Baháʼí World Community

:DO HEREBY UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVE AND PROCLAIM AS FOLLOWS:

:WHEREAS THE Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith, His Eminence the late Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, died in London (England) on 4 November 1957, without having appointed his successor;

:AND WHEREAS it is now fallen upon us as Chief Stewards of the Baháʼí World Faith to preserve the unity, the security and the development of the Baháʼí World Community and all its institutions;

:AND WHEREAS in accordance with the Will and Testament of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, the Hands of the Cause of God must elect from their own number, nine persons that shall at all times be occupied in the important services in the work of the Guardian of the Cause of God.";

:We nominate and appoint from our own number to act on our behalf as the Custodians of the Baháʼí World Faith

::Ruhiyyih Rabbani

::Charles Mason Remey

::Amelia E. Collins

::Leroy C. Ioas

::Hasan Balyuzi

::ʻAlí-Akbar Furútan

::Jalal Khazeh

::Paul E. Haney

::Adelbert Muhlschlegel

:to exercise -- subject to such directions and decisions as may be given from time to time by us as the Chief Stewards of the Baháʼí World Faith -- all such functions, rights and powers in succession to the Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith, His Eminence the late Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, as are necessary to serve the interests of the Baháʼí World Faith, and this until such time as the Universal House of Justice, upon being duly established and elected in conformity with the Sacred Writings of Baháʼu'lláh and the Will and Testament of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, may otherwise determine.

In 1959, Mason Remey and Hasan Balyuzi found that they could no longer serve in a permanent capacity as Custodian of the Faith at the Baháʼí World Centre, and thus John Ferraby and Horace Holley were selected to replace them as Custodians. Then, in 1960, after the death of Horace Holley, William Sears was elected to replace him and serve as a Custodian.

In a message issued in 1976–77, the Universal House of Justice clarified the continued roles of the Hands of the Cause for the Baháʼí community. Its members encourage action, promote individual initiatives, and enhance learning within the Baháʼí communities, plus offer guidance to the Spiritual Assemblies. This Institution has a vital role to play in advancing the interests of the Baháʼí Faith and influencing the life of the Baháʼí communities, from the grassroots to the international level.