Custodial Hands of the Cause

The Custodians is terminology in the Bahá'í Faith, which refers to nine Hands of the Cause assigned specifically to work at the Bahá'í World Centre to assist Shoghi Effendi as head of the religion, referred to as Guardian. After his death they were chosen by secret ballot, with all living Hands of the Cause voting.

The position of the Custodians was referred to in the Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá:

The Hands of the Cause are also referred to by Shoghi Effendi as the "Chief Stewards of Bahá'u'lláh's embryonic World Commonwealth". (Shoghi Effendi, Messages to the Bahá'í World - 1950-1957, p. 127)

In 1957 after the unexpected death of Shoghi Effendi while he was travelling to Britain, the leadership of the religion passed from Shoghi Effendi to the Custodians, who were entrusted with the protection of the Bahá'í Faith, until the Universal House of Justice was elected in 1963. This period is referred to as the Ministry of the Custodians.

The nine Hands of the Cause who constituted the Custodians of the Bahá'í Faith were selected by a unanimous proclamation by the whole body of the Hands of the Cause in `Akká, Israel, shortly after Shoghi Effendi died. In a statement released by the complete body of the Hands of the Cause they wrote:

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 Bahá'í 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.

The Custodians called for the election of the Universal House of Justice at the close of the Ten Year Crusade.

Upon the election of the Universal House of Justice the Custodians closed their office and turned to that group.

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