Shoghi Effendi - Recollections - by Ugo Giachery

The author of these ‘Recollections’ has written, not a biography, but his personal experiences of Shoghi EEendi (1896-1957) who, on the death of his Grandfather, 'Abdu'l-Baha, in 1921, found himself Guardian of the Baha’i Faith.

For thirty-six years, Shoghi Effendi bore the daunting responsibilities of his office, guiding and encouraging the Baha’is to carry the Revelation of Baha’u’llah to every part of the globe. During the last nine years of his life he developed in Haifa, on Mt. Carmel and in neighhouring 'Akka, the spiritual and administrative institutions of the World Centre of the Faith. It was Dr. Giachery's privilege and fortune to participate in nearly every aspect of these mighty undertakings, and his account of the work done in Italy for the erection of the golden-domed superstructure of the Shrine of the Bab and the International Archives on Mt. Carmel is unique. His inspired and loyal support of these projects was highly valued and commended by Shoghi EfIendi.

Baha'i Administration - by Shoghi Effendi

Shoghi Effendi was the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith for thirty-six years until his passing in 1957, the interpreter of its teachings, delineator of its goals, and "true brother" to every devoted Baha'i throughout the world. This book consists primarily of his messages to the Baha'is of America, or to their National Spiritual Assembly, during the years when that National Assembly and several others were formed. Herein he outlines the fundamental principles upon which the institutions of the Faith are to be established, based upon the Revelation of Baha'u'llah and the Will and Testament of His Son, 'Abdu'l-Baha.

Shoghi Effendi was a young man, still a student at Oxford University, when the call to Guardianship came to him in 1921 through his appointment in the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha, his beloved Grandfather. His realization of the enormity of this task and of the station of Guardianship is poignantly reflected in his early letters in this volume. As the months and years of Shoghi Effendi's Guardianship progressed and the actual instruments of the administrative order began to evolve under his guidance, the wisdom of that appointment became consummately manifest to the community of Baha'is throughout the world.

'Abdu'l-Baha - by Hand of the Cause, H.M. Balyuzi

The first chapter of this book was written as long ago as 1939. The book owes its inception to a gracious remark by Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith. When my booklet on the life of Baha’u’llah was issued by the Publishing Trust of the Baha’is of the British Isles in June 1938, and copies were sent to him, he expressed his hope in a letter to the National Spiritual Assembly that companion volumes would be written on the life of the Bab and the life of 'Abdu'l-Baha. I set about organizing an outline for a book on the life of 'Abdu'l-Baha, which, because of the abundance of available material, would necessarily be of vaster proportions than the slim booklet on the life of Baha’u’llah. That booklet was reprinted in The Baha’i World, Vol. VIII (1938-40). In future years with added material it grew into a small book and came from the press in the Centenary year of the Declaration of Baha'u'llah.

The Secret of Divine Civilization - by 'Abdu'l-Baha – “’...outstanding contribution to the future reorganization of the world” (Shoghi Effendi)

Never has the spiritual character of true civilization been revealed under such extraordinary circumstances by an author so qualified as in this text by 'Abdu'l-Baha.

Written in the year 1875, the original Persian text was lithographed in Bombay in 1882. The first English translation was published in London, 1910, and later in Chicago, 1918, under the title Mysterious Forces of Civilization. The present translation by Marzieh Gail, a more accurate rendering, reflects the mastery of both languages possessed by an accomplished author whose father was Persian and whose mother was American, and who has lived for years in both countries.

The name 'Abdu'l-Baha has attained unique fame throughout the East and the West, a symbol of wisdom, nobility, heroism and complete consecration to the cause of spiritual unity and universal peace. His name is a title meaning “Servant of Baha." (i.e., Servant of Baha'u'llah) …

The Story of Baha’u’llah , Promised One of All Religions - by Druzelle Cederquist

This remarkable book contains many touching stories mainly about the life of Baha’u’llah, and some of the Bab’s, both during and after the Advent of the Bab. Each story has a heading which helps the reader to focus on pertinent factors involved. The book also contains some explanations of certain historical events that took place outside of Persia during particular periods associated with the Ministries of the Bab and Bah’u’llah.

Below are the headings of the 69 stories that are described in the book, and the titles of the 5 very useful appendices.

Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah - by Baha'u'llah

In 1935 Shoghi Effendi again presented the western Bahá'ís with a magnificent gift, published under the title Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, which the Guardian himself described as "consisting of a selection of the most characteristic and hitherto unpublished passages from the outstanding works of the Author of the Bahá'í Revelation."

Remembering the scanty pages of the New Testament, the reputed words of Buddha, and the mere handful of sayings of some other Divine luminaries, which nevertheless have transfigured for centuries the lives of millions of men, the Gleanings alone seems to provide a source of guidance and inspiration sufficient for the spiritual Dispensation of any Prophet. The most treasured tribute to this book was that of Queen Marie of Rumania who told Martha Root: "even doubters would find a powerful strength in it, if they would read it alone, and would give their souls time to expand." To Shoghi Effendi himself the Queen wrote, in January 1936, after receiving from him a copy, "May I send you my most grateful thanks for the wonderful book, every word of which is precious to me, and doubly so in this time of anxiety and unrest." (Ruhiyyih Khanum, 'The Guardian of the Baha'i Faith')

The Constitution of the Universal House of Justice - by the Universal House of Justice

The Constitution of the Universal House of Justice is referred to by the beloved Guardian as the “Most Great Law of the Faith of Baha’u’llah” (The Universal House of Justice, Ridvan 130, 1973). It contains 16 pages and is divided into two sections:

1. Declaration of Trust; and

2. By-Laws

For an inspiring and informative review of its contents, please see the transcript of a talk given by Mr. Ali Nakhjavani, a member of the House of Justice. A copy is posted at Baha’i Talks.

Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha - by 'Abdu'l-Baha

…the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, that Charter of Bahá'u'lláh's New World Order, the offspring resulting from the mystic intercourse between Him Who is the Source of the Law of God and the mind of the One Who is the vehicle and interpreter of that Law. (Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. xv)

The Charter which called into being, outlined the features and set in motion the processes of, this Administrative Order is none other than the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, His greatest legacy to posterity, the brightest emanation of His mind and the mightiest instrument forged to insure the continuity of the three ages which constitute the component parts of His Father's Dispensation. (Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By)

… a document which confirms, supplements, and correlates the provisions of the Aqdas --

(Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 19)

The Priceless Pearl - by Hand of the Cause Ruhiyyih Khanum

The Priceless Pearl, although biographical in treatment, is what the author prefers to call an appraisal of the life and work of this distinguished, unique and far-visioned man, believing that we stand too near to such a towering figure to assemble, at so early a date, a more detailed record of his achievements.

The panorama of his life, so filled with sorrow and drama, victory and crisis, stretches through the pages of this book in a memorable and moving tale of historic events, ably portrayed by the pen of one who was not only a Baha'i from birth, but honoured by becoming the wife of the Guardian or her Faith, who served him tirelessly as his personal secretary, who was appointed by him a Hand of the Cause of God and who he stated had been his "shield" during difficult days of his life.

Born Mary Sutherland Maxwell the author grew up in Montreal, Canada; since the passing of her illustrious husband in 1957 she has travelled all over the world, giving public lectures and devoting particular attention to villagers and tribal peoples whom she has made a special point of visiting in Asia, Africa and throughout Latin America.

Her previous book Prescription for Living has been widely read and translated into a number of languages.

(From the back cover of the book)

God Passes By – written by Shoghi Effendi

• God Passes By , the most brilliant and wondrous tale of a century that has ever been told, is truly a "Mother" of future histories, a book wherein every word counts, every sentence burgeons with thought, every thought leads the way to a field of its own. Packed with salient facts it has the range and precision of snowflake crystals, each design perfect in itself, each theme brilliant in outline, coordinated, balanced, self-contained, a matrix for those who follow on and study, evaluate and elaborate the Message and Order of Bahá'u'lláh. It was one of the most concentrated and stupendous achievements of Shoghi Effendi's life, the only true book we have from his pen - because all his other communications were, no doubt due to his profound modesty and humility, in the nature of letters addressed to a specific community or section of the Bahá'í world. ((Ruhiyyih Khanum, 'The Priceless Pearl')

• … God Passes By is a flaming narrative. The character and qualities of the innumerable personages in it spring from the personages themselves and not from the author's fantasy. Like a precious and veritable gift from God, Shoghi Effendi's writing is an infinite, passionate cry from his innermost noble soul: the need to relate with great force and vehemence, without pause or rest, the greatest epic of the millennium. One can well sense that the underlying element of urgency is motivated by the inner impelling need to proclaim it, without delay, to all mankind. 
(Ugo Giachery, 'Shoghi Effendi - Recollections')