The Baha'i Studies Listserv
On 9 Feb 2010 at 23:26, shahram rohani wrote:
> according to the words of Abdul-Baha,we were supposed to have 24
> Guardians,
The reference it to a verse in Revelation:
"And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats,
fell upon their faces, and worshipped God."
of which Abdu'l-Baha says :
In each cycle the guardians and holy souls have been twelve. ... But
in this glorious manifestation there are twenty-four, double the
number of all the others, for the greatness of this manifestation
requires it.
(Some Answered Questions, 57)
The Guardian was apparently not one of these "guardians and holy
souls," or if he was, he did not tell his secretary about. The
secretary writes:
"Regarding the four and twenty elders: The Master in a Tablet, stated
that they are they Báb, the 18 Letters of the Living and five others
who would be known in the future. So far we do not know who these
five other are."
(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual
believer, July 22, 1934: Bahai News, No. 171, November 1944, p. 2)
In fact we do know the name of one other: Haji Mirza Muhammad-Taqi,
the Vakilu'd-Dawlih and cousin of the Bab, a distinguished believer
who was designated by 'Abdu'l-Baha as one of the 'four and twenty
elders' in this verse of the Book of Revelation (see Adib
Taherzadeh, The Child of the Covenant, 240) and was given the task of
arranging for the election of the Universal House of Justice
(Taherzadeh, The Covenant of Baha'u'llah, 241) should that become
necessary (presumably meaning, if Abdu'l-Baha was dead or unable to
lead the community). He directs Muhammad-Taqi to gather the Afnan and
the Hands of the Cause and make the necessary arrangements.
The fact that we do not know the names of 4 more of the elders does
not mean that God has changed his plan (Bada') - it just means He has
not told us all the details (yet). God often does that
Sen
senmcglinn.wordpress.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
--
The influence of individual souls is and always will be beloved. For
the influence
of each soul is its fruit, and a soul without influence is considered
a tree without
fruit in the most great realm. Speak forth for the sake of God, and
spread the
cause for his sake. Do not look at whether others accept or deny,
but rather at
the service you are commanded to perform by God.
Baha'u'llah -- Tablet of the Son -- http://www-
personal.umich.edu/~jrcole/bahai/2001/bhson.htm
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