Shoghi Effendi, the first born of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s (son of Baha'u'llah) eldest daughter, was born in Akka, Palestine on March 1, 1897.
Shoghi Effendi was raised under his grandfather ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s loving eye. In his letter for admission to Oxford in June of 1920 he explained what, "My sole aim is to perfect my English, to acquire the literary ability to write it well, speak it well and translate correctly and eloquently from Persian and Arabic into English."
While attending Oxford University in 1921, at the age of 25 he heard of the passing of his grandfather ‘Abdu’l-Baha. ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s Will and Testament had appointed Shoghi Effendi Guardian of the Baha’i Faith and interpreter of the holy writings.
‘O ye the faithful loved ones of `Abdu'l-Bahá! It is incumbent upon you to take the greatest care of Shoghi Effendi....
For he is, after `Abdu'l-Bahá, the guardian of the Cause of God.... He that obeyeth him not, hath not obeyed God; he that turneth away from him, hath turned away from God and he that denieth him, hath denied the True One. Beware lest anyone falsely interpret these words.
From ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s Will and Testament
For the next fifteen years Shoghi Effendi spent his years of service establishing and assuring the proper function of the Baha’i administrative structures. Next he began to use this administration in a series of plans to extend the range of the Baha’i Faith throughout the world.
In 1937, The guardian Shoghi Effendi gave the American Baha’is the task of bringing the Baha’i Faith to several countries in Central and South America.
He next gave plans to several National Baha’i Communities. The final aspect of this was a Ten-Year World Crusade (1953-1963) which opened many other countries to the Baha’i Faith.
Shoghi Effendi passed in 1957.
In 1963 the Universal House of Justice was established by election, as ordained by Baha’u’llah in his writings.
b>For more information on the Baha’i Faith:Baha'i Links
