Hands of the Cause of God (abbreviated as Hands or Hands of the Cause), in the Baha'i Faith, refers to several prominent Baha'is appointed for life by Baha'u'llah, 'Abdu'l-Baha', and Shoghi Effendi to promote the Baha'i teachings and preserve the unity of the Baha'i community. Each one of the appointees is referred to as a Hand of the Cause. Of the fifty individuals given the title, Baha'u'llah appointed four during his lifetime; 'Abdu'l-Baha' also posthumously designated four individuals as Hands of the Cause; and afterwards, Shoghi Effendi appointed forty-two to this rank over the 36 years of his ministry. Hands of the Cause played a significant role in propagating the religion and protecting it from schism.
'Abdu'l-Baha' formally defined the role of these prominent Baha'is, elaborated on their responsibilities, and emphasized their importance. In his Will and Testament, he stated that the responsibility for appointing and guiding the Hands in the future would rest with his successor, Shoghi Effendi. A few weeks before his death in November 1957, Shoghi Effendi appointed the final group of the Hands, and in a letter to the Baha'is of the world, referred to the Body of the Hands as the Chief Stewards of the Baha'i Faith. This Body of 27 men and women assumed the leadership and guidance of the worldwide Baha'i community for six years following the death of Shoghi Effendi, until the election of the Universal House of Justice in April 1963. In the administrative structure of the Baha'i Faith, authority is not held by individuals; rather, decisions are made collectively through consultation in Baha'i councils. The supreme governing institution is the Universal House of Justice in the Baha'i faith.
