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| List of Map, Figures, and Tables | |
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| Preface | |
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| Chronology | |
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| Prologue: The Middle East in the Nineteenth Century | |
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| History | |
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| The Babi Movement | |
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| Shi'ism and Shaykhism | |
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| Shi'ism | |
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| Shaykhism | |
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| Sayyid 'Ali-Muhammad, the Bab | |
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| The Bab's Declaration and Initial Claims | |
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| The Establishment of a Movement | |
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| Hopes and Tensions, September 1846-July 1848 | |
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| Conflict and the Question of Babi Radicalism | |
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| The Collapse of Babism as an Organized Movement, 1850-53 | |
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| Baha'u'llah and the Emergence of the Baha'i Faith | |
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| Baha'u'llah and the Reanimation of Babism, 1853-66 | |
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| The Vision and Early Writings of Baha'u'llah | |
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| The Rumelian Period, 1863-68 | |
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| The Rumelian Writings | |
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| The Syrian Period, 1868-92 | |
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| The Syrian Writings | |
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| 'Proclamation' | |
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| Law | |
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| Social Reconstruction | |
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| Other Themes | |
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| The Family of Baha'u'llah | |
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| The Emergence of the Baha'i Faith, c. 1866-92 | |
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| Wider Diffusion | |
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| Social Reformist Ideas Within the Movement | |
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| The Ministry of 'Abdu'l-Baha, 1892-1921 | |
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| The Succession | |
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| 'Abdu'l-Baha's Work and Legacy | |
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| 'Abdu'l-Baha and the Baha'is of the East | |
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| The Internationalization of the Baha'i Faith | |
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| The Guardianship of Shoghi Effendi, 1922-57 | |
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| 'Abdu'l-Baha's Will and the Establishment of the Guardianship | |
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| Shoghi Effendi's Leadership | |
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| Administration | |
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| Inspiration and Definition | |
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| History and 'Metahistory' | |
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| 'Planification' | |
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| The 'Baha'i World Centre' | |
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| Opposition and Covenant | |
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| 'Interregnum': The Custodianship of the Hands of the Cause, 1957-63 | |
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| The Universal House of Justice, 1963- | |
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| The Establishment of the Universal House of Justice | |
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| Administration | |
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| Expansion and Development Plans | |
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| Baha'i World Centre | |
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| 'Deepening', Community Development and Law | |
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| External Affairs | |
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| Expansion Since 1921 | |
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| Up to 1953 | |
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| The Period of Global Expansion, 1953- | |
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| Aspects of Expansion | |
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| Distribution | |
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| Regional Developments | |
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| Iran | |
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| Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Middle East, and North Africa | |
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| North America | |
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| Europe and Australasia | |
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| Latin America and the Caribbean | |
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| Sub-Saharan Africa | |
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| Asia | |
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| Oceania | |
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| Beliefs | |
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| Baha'i Texts: Sources of Belief and Practice | |
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| Baha'i Texts | |
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| Interpretation | |
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| Language and Understanding | |
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| Secondary Literature and Review | |
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| Divine Knowledge and Guidance | |
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| God and the Manifestations of God | |
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| God | |
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| The Manifestations of God | |
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| 'Lesser Prophets' | |
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| Progressive Revelation | |
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| The Doctrine of the Dovenant | |
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| Authority and Infallibility | |
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| God and His Creation | |
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| Good and Evil | |
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| Knowledge | |
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| Reason and the Intellect | |
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| Epistemological Skepticism and Relativism | |
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| Being Human | |
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| The Soul and Its Development | |
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| Spiritual Education | |
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| 'Heaven' and 'Hell' | |
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| Levels of Nearness | |
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| Recognition of the Manifestation of God | |
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| Suffering | |
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| Death and the Afterlife | |
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| Prayer and Intercession | |
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| Rationalism | |
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| The Baha'i Faith and Other Religions | |
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| The 'Adamic Cycle' | |
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| The Baha'i View of Other Religions | |
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| Islam | |
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| Judaism and Christianity | |
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| Ancient Middle Eastern Religions | |
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| Indian and Chinese Religions | |
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| Indigenous Religions | |
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| Relations with the Members of Other Religions | |
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| Social Teachings and the Vision of a New World Order | |
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| The Millennial Vision | |
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| Agency and the Creation of a New World Order | |
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| The 'Age of Transition' | |
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| The Role of Religion | |
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| The Goals of World Peace and Unity | |
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| Peace | |
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| Armaments | |
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| Internationalism, the League, and the United Nations | |
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| The Unity of Peoples | |
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| Tolerance and Freedom from Prejudice | |
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| Universal Language | |
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| Social Order and Justice | |
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| Governance | |
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| The Control of Crime | |
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| The Abolition of the Extremes of Wealth and Poverty | |
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| The Role and Advancement of Women | |
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| Gender Equality | |
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| The Qualities of Gender | |
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| Education | |
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| Socio-Economic Development | |
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| Being a Baha'i: Aspects of Baha'i Life | |
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| The Spiritual Path | |
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| 'The Path' | |
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| Turning to God | |
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| Relations with Others | |
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| Community Membership and Baha'i Law | |
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| Community Membership | |
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| The Concept and Practice of Holy Law | |
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| Personal Obligations Towards God | |
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| Prayer and Devotionalism | |
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| Fasting | |
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| Huququ'llah | |
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| Marriage and Family Life | |
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| Divorce | |
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| Family Life | |
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| Procreation Issues | |
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| Domestic Violence | |
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| Aspects of Individual Life | |
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| Alcohol, Drugs, and Tobacco | |
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| Sex | |
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| Wills and Inheritance | |
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| Burial | |
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| Rituals | |
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| General Aspects of Appearance and Behaviour | |
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| Behaviour in Civil Society and Relations with the State | |
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| Sanctions | |
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| Baha'i Administration | |
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| The 'Rulers' and 'Learned' | |
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| The Universal House of Justice | |
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| The Assembly System | |
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| The 'Institutions of the Learned' | |
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| International Institutions | |
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| The Auxiliary Board Members and Their Assistants | |
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| Overall Role | |
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| The Administration and the Baha'i Community | |
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| Consultation | |
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| Consent and Appeal | |
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| Elections | |
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| Funding | |
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| Aspects of Baha'i Community Life | |
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| The Ideal of Baha'i Community Life | |
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| The Baha'i Year | |
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| The Calendar | |
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| Holy Days | |
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| Conferences, 'Summer Schools', and Institutes | |
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| Holy Places and Pilgrimage | |
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| Houses of Worship | |
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| Music and the Arts | |
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| Architecture | |
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| Baha'i Activities and the Wider World | |
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| The Mission of Expansion | |
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| Teaching and Pioneering | |
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| Consolidation and 'Deepening' | |
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| Opposition | |
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| Social Involvement | |
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| Involvement with the United Nations | |
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| Tolerance and Unity in Diversity | |
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| The Advancement of Women | |
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| Gender Differentiation | |
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| Educational Involvement | |
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| Socio-Economic Development | |
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| Learning and Scholarship | |
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| Some Final Comments | |
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| Recent Baha'i Leaders | |
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| Hands of the Cause of God Appointed by Shoghi Effendi, 1951-57 | |
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| Members of the Universal House of Justice | |
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| Select Bibliography | |
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| Index | |
