Huququ'llah (the Right of God)

Definition and Purpose: Huququ'llah is a religious obligation requiring the payment of 19% of the surplus from the annual income of a Baháʼí's work, trade, or crop. It is acknowledged by Baháʼu’lláh in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas as a means of "increasing blessings and bounty, and to cause kindness in different respects".

Private and Personal Affair: The payment of Huququ'llah is considered a private and personal affair. No one is permitted to ask for it, nor allowed to insist upon its payment. Therefore, activities like holding meetings, public invitations, or any planning for its receipt by the USNSA (U.S. National Spiritual Assembly) are deemed "not in compliance with the Baha’i Revelations".

Prohibition on Unauthorized Collection: Baháʼu’lláh, in His tablet Lisan-e-Huzur, prohibited the attempt to own, collect, or consume Huququ'llah without the permission of the authority of the Cause.

The Guardian as the Sole Legitimate Recipient

The sources strongly assert that the Guardian of the Cause of God is the sole lawful recipient of Huququ'llah, a right explicitly tied to the established line of succession:

'Abdu'l-Bahá's Will and Testament: 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Will and Testament "clearly specified that 'only the Guardian is the right authority of the Cause, and the Guardians will be the sole lawful recipients of the Huququ’llah'". It is to be "offered through the Guardian of the Cause of God".

Shoghi Effendi's Confirmation: Shoghi Effendi, the First Guardian, emphasized that "According to the Master's Will, which complements the Aqdas, the Huquq goes only to the Guardian".

Approved Interpretations: An introduction to the Baháʼí Faith by Ahmad Yazdani, approved by Shoghi Effendi, reiterates that Huququ'llah "will be collected by the trustee of the Huququ'llah, and will be submitted to the Guardian of each period...And it will be utilized according to his decision".

Exclusion of the Universal House of Justice (UHJ): The sources explicitly state that "The Universal House of Justice, despite its position in the Baha’i Faith is not allowed to receive the Huququ’llah". Only Shoghi Effendi during his lifetime, and "the Guardians who followed thereafter are authorized to receive and consume the Huququ’llah".

Critique of the "Illegitimate" Universal House of Justice's Collection

Sources vehemently criticize the current Universal House of Justice (UHJ), referred to as the "illegitimate UHJ" or "bogus UHJ," for demanding and collecting Huququ'llah:

"Wrong Doing" and Lack of Authority: The "illegitimate UHJ" is accused of "wrong doing" by "demanding and collecting the Right of God (Huququ’llah), without having any authority to do so and in contradiction to the provisions of the sacred Will and Testament of 'Abdu’l-Bahá". It is deemed "illegitimate" because it was "spuriously created by the former Hands of the Cause, without authority" and in "total contradiction" to 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Will and Testament.

Misrepresentation of Tablets:

The "bogus UHJ" in 1972 allegedly used a selectively picked 13-word answer from 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Tablet of Lisan-e-Huzur, which states: "'Disposition of the Huquq, wholly or partly, is permissible, but this should be done by permission of the authority in the Cause'".

It is accused of adding its own words ("to whom all must turn") to the translation and falsely claiming that 'Abdu'l-Bahá referred to the Universal House of Justice as "the authority to whom all must turn".

The sources claim this justification is baseless, as the UHJ "has yet to this day been able to reveal the claimed tablet... or provide any substantiating reference as to its origin" because "no such table exist" and it would contradict 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Will and Testament, which designates "Guardian of the Cause of God" as "the authority to whom all must turn".

Lack of Financial Transparency: The UHJ is criticized for not providing "any annual or periodic bill" for the "large and frequent amounts received as donations, compensation, Huququ’llah, properties of the heirless deceased, etc., from Baha’is worldwide" over more than 50 years. This "lack of transparency" leads to "severe mistrust" and accusations of "misappropriation of funds" for administrative expansion, staff salaries, or unnecessary expenses, rather than for public welfare or charity.

The Current Guardian's Stance: Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand, identified as the Guardian of the Cause of God, "considers that presently it is not obligatory for the Baháʼis to pay Huququ’llah". Baháʼís are encouraged to "investigate the authorized persons and institutions for receipt of the Right of God (Huququ’llah), before committing to any such payment".

Huququ'llah in the Context of Twin Institutions and Succession

The discussion of Huququ'llah is inextricably linked to the legitimacy and continuity of the Baháʼí Twin Institutions, particularly the Guardianship:

Guardianship as the "Sacred Head": 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Will and Testament clearly ordains that "the guardian of the Cause of God is its sacred head and the distinguished member for life of that body" (the Universal House of Justice). The question is posed: "How can a body live without a head?".

Mutilation Without the Guardianship: The sources, quoting Shoghi Effendi, emphasize that "Divorced from the institution of the Guardianship the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh would be mutilated". Without it, the Faith's "integrity... would be imperiled, and the stability of the entire fabric would be gravely endangered".

Obedience to the Guardian: It is "incumbent upon the members of the House of Justice, Upon all the Aghsán, the Afnán, the Hands of the Cause of God to show their obedience, submissiveness and subordination Unto the guardian of the Cause of God". Opposing the Guardian is seen as opposing the True One and creating "a breach in the Cause of God".

Guardianship for Divine Guidance and Purity: The Guardianship ensures "divine guidance flows on to us in this world after the Prophet’s ascension". The absence of a living Guardian is believed to be causing the Faith to "deviate from the truth", leading to "rampant immorality" and "moral failure" within the "Haifan Baha'i Faith" administration and teachers. The lack of a Guardian is perceived as leading to a "loss of hopes in the administrative order" for sincere Baháʼís.

In summary, the sources present Huququ'llah as a sacred financial obligation whose rightful recipient is exclusively the Guardian of the Cause of God, as ordained by 'Abdu'l-Bahá and confirmed by Shoghi Effendi. The current Universal House of Justice is deemed "illegitimate" and unauthorized to collect Huququ'llah due to the absence of a living Guardian, which, according to these sources, fundamentally compromises its legitimacy and adherence to Baháʼí sacred texts.