Institution of the Counsellors

The Institution of the Counsellors (Persian: مؤسسهٔ مشاورین, romanized: mošāwerīn)[1] is the current appointed branch in the administrative system of the Baháʼí Faith.

[2] The Counsellors, a respected and high-ranking position,[3][4] are appointed to 5-year renewable terms, and organized into boards working on 5 continents that are coordinated by the International Teaching Centre.

When including the Hands of the Cause, the whole structure is sometimes called the 'appointed branch' of the religion, or the 'Institution of the Learned', to contrast it with the elected Spiritual Assemblies.

[9] The announcement of its creation outlined its duties: "co-ordinate, stimulate and direct" the Continental Counsellors and act as liaison to the House of Justice; provide reports and recommendations to the Universal House of Justice and advice to the Counsellors; be alert to opportunities for growth of the religion; and "determine and anticipate" needs for teaching and propose teaching plans.

It must investigate all cases of Covenant-breaking with the help of the Continental Counsellors and their auxiliaries, evaluate their reports and decide whether to expel the offender from the Baha'i faith, they submit their decisions to the Universal House of Justice for its final words.

[13] They outrank the National Spiritual Assemblies, though only in an advisory role since they have no administrative authority, but they are regarded as lower than the Hands.

[3] Some of the duties assigned to the Counsellors include directing the Auxiliary Boards in their area, advising National Spiritual Assemblies, keeping the Universal House of Justice informed of conditions in their area, and "stimulating, counseling and assisting" individuals and local and national Spiritual Assemblies.

[16] Due to the rapid growth of the religion around the world, the Universal House of Justice in 1973 allowed Auxiliary Board members to appoint their own assistants to maintain adequate contact with assemblies and individuals in their areas.

[16] The institutions within the Baháʼí administrative structure, both elected and appointed, share the goal to serve for two primary functions: Protection and Propagation.

[17] In a letter from the Universal House of Justice to the International Teaching Centre, dated 10 October 1976, it is mentioned: the Auxiliary Boards for Protection should keep 'constantly' a 'watchful eye' on those 'who are known to be enemies or to have been put out of the Faith', discreetly 'investigate' their activities, warn intelligently the friends of the opposition inevitably to come, explain how each crisis in God's Faith has always proved to be a blessing in disguise, prepare them for the 'dire contests' which are 'destined to range the Army of Light against the forces of darkness', and, when the influence of the enemies spreads and reaches their fold, the members of these Auxiliary Boards should be alert to their schemes to 'dampen the zeal and sap the loyalty' of the believers and, by adopting 'wise and effective measures', counteract these schemes and arrest the spread of their influence...[18]