Editing Universal House of Justice (section)

==Publications==

While being empowered to legislate on matters, the Universal House of Justice has, since its inception in 1963, limited its exercise of this function. Instead, it has provided general guidance to Baháʼís around the world, and not specific laws; this guidance has generally been through the form of letters and messages, much like Shoghi Effendi's communications. Many of these letters have been published in compilations and are regarded as divinely empowered and authoritative; its decisions are considered infallible to Baháʼís.{{sfn|Smith|2000|pp=350}}{{sfn|The World of the Bahá'í Faith… The Universal House of Justice|2022}} The letters cover a range of subjects including teaching, [[Prayer in the Baháʼí Faith|prayer]], family life, education and Baháʼí administration.{{sfn|Smith|2000|pp=350}} Each year on the first day of [[Ridván]] (which may be on April 20 or 21 depending on the dating of [[Baháʼí Naw-Rúz|Naw-Rúz]]), the Universal House of Justice addresses a message to the worldwide Baháʼí community, known as Ridván messages.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ridván Messages |url=http://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/ridvan-messages/ |publisher=Baháʼí International Community |access-date=30 March 2014 |archive-date=21 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321171548/https://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/ridvan-messages/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The institution has also collected and published extracts from the writings of the [[Báb]], Baháʼu'lláh and ʻAbdu'l-Bahá. In 1992 they published the [[Kitáb-i-Aqdas]], Baháʼu'lláh's book of laws in [[English language|English]], and further translations have since been published.{{sfn|Smith|2000|pp=350}} During these endeavours, they established departments of research and archives at the [[Baháʼí World Centre]], and, as of 1983, have collected over 60,000 letters of Baháʼu'lláh, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi. These collected works have been used as a base in the deliberations of the Universal House of Justice.{{sfn|Smith|2000|pp=350}}
* [[The Promise of World Peace]] (1985) <ref>{{Citation |last=Smith |first=Todd |title=The Writings of the Universal House of Justice |date=2021-11-26 |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9780429027772/chapters/10.4324/9780429027772-14 |work=The World of the Bahá'í Faith |page=151 |access-date=2023-07-17 |edition=1 |place=London |publisher=Routledge |language=en |doi=10.4324/9780429027772-14 |isbn=978-0-429-02777-2}}</ref>
:Statement addressed "To the Peoples of the World", presented to over 160 heads of state and government. It outlines the major prerequisites for, as well as the obstacles working against, the establishment of world peace.
* [https://www.bahai.org/library/other-literature/official-statements-commentaries/bahaullah Baháʼu'lláh] (1992)
:Marking the centenary of the passing of Baháʼu'lláh, this statement is a review of his life and work.
* [https://www.bahai.org/library/other-literature/official-statements-commentaries/prosperity-humankind The Prosperity of Humankind] (1995)
:A statement on the concept of global prosperity in the context of the Baháʼí Teachings.
* [https://www.bahai.org/library/other-literature/official-statements-commentaries/century-light Century of Light] (2001)
:Review of the 20th century, focusing on dramatic changes and the emergence of the Baha'i Faith from obscurity.
* [https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/the-universal-house-of-justice/messages/20020401_001/1#024035169 Letter to the World's Religious Leaders] (2002)
:Letter addressing the disease of sectarian hatreds. Calling on all religious movements to "rise above fixed conceptions inherited from a distant past."
* [https://www.bahai.org/library/other-literature/official-statements-commentaries/one-common-faith One Common Faith] (2005)
:Document primarily intended for a Baháʼí audience, in which it identifies as a major challenge for the Baháʼí community the inculcation of the principle of the oneness of religion and the overcoming of religious prejudices.