Contemplate a globe. That globe sits atop a pillar marking the grave of Shoghi Effendi. We are standing at the Shoghi Effendi Stone. It is a memorial to a man of great importance to the Baháʼí Faith.
Shoghi Effendi was the Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith from 1921 to 1957. He was the grandson and successor of ʻAbdu’l-Bahá. Shoghi Effendi helped expand the Baháʼí Faith to many countries. He also translated important Baháʼí writings.
Born Shoghi Rabbani in Acre, he later studied in Haifa and Beirut. He earned an arts degree in 1918. He served as ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s secretary and translator. In 1920, he went to Balliol College, Oxford. There he studied political science and economics.
News of ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s death reached him before he finished his studies. He returned to Haifa. He learned that ʻAbdu’l-Bahá named him Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith in his will. Shoghi Effendi’s vision for the Faith came from ʻAbdu’l-Bahá. It was based on the writings of Baháʼu’lláh. He focused on building the administration and spreading the Faith.
During his 36 years as Guardian, Shoghi Effendi translated writings. He established plans to spread the Faith globally. He sent more than 17,500 letters. He monitored progress in Baháʼí communities. He responded to the situation in the Middle East. He established Haifa, Israel, as the Baháʼí World Center. He created an International Baháʼí Council to help him.
The community grew from 1,034 localities in 1935 to 2,700 in 1953. It further expanded to 14,437 localities in 1963. The total population of Baháʼís grew from 100,000 to 400,000.
Shoghi Effendi died in London in 1957. He had contracted Asian flu. He is buried at New Southgate Cemetery here in London. The Guardian’s Grave is a common name for the tomb site.
The grave has a vertical pillar. A stone globe and a golden eagle surmount it. The globe shows the shape of Africa. Shoghi Effendi loved the continent. The Baháʼís replaced the eagle when it was stolen. The grave is within a low decorative wall. Paths of red crushed tiles surround adjacent flower beds. The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of the United Kingdom administers the site.
Shoghi Effendi’s resting place is a place of prayer and reflection. Visitors come from all over the world. He was a translator and the authoritative interpreter of the Baháʼí writings. His translations guide future translations. The pillar stands as a reminder of his dedication. It symbolizes his love for all people.