The friends should realize that there is nothing in the
Texts to indicate that the election of the Universal House of Justice could be
called only by the Guardian. On the contrary, 'Abdu'l-Bahá envisaged the
calling of its election in His own lifetime. At a time described by the Guardian
as "the darkest moments of His [the Master's] life, under 'Abdu'l-Hamid's
regime, when He stood ready to be deported to the most inhospitable regions of
Northern Africa," and when even His life was threatened, 'Abdu'l-Bahá
wrote to Haji Mirza Taqi Afnan, the cousin of the Báb and chief builder of the
'Ishqabad Temple, commanding him to arrange for the election of the Universal
House of Justice should the threats against the Master materialize. The second
part of the Master's Will is also relevant to such a situation and should be
studied by the friends.
- The Universal House of Justice (From a message dated 9
March 1965; Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986’)