Chapter 35

'Abdu'l-Baha of this verse of the Aqdas. In this chapter He stresses, among other things, the inseparability of essential "infallibility" from the Manifestations of God, and asserts that "whatever emanates from Them is identical with the truth, and conformable to reality", that "They are not under the shadow of the former laws", and "Whatever They say is the word of God, and whatever They perform is an upright action".

76. Unto every father hath been enjoined the instruction of his son and daughter in the art of reading and writing #48

'Abdu'l-Baha, in His Tablets, not only calls attention to the responsibility of parents to educate all their children, but He also clearly specifies that the "training and culture of daughters is more necessary than that of sons", for girls will one day be mothers, and mothers are the first educators of the new generation. If it is not possible, therefore, for a family to educate all the children, preference is to be accorded to daughters since, through educated mothers, the benefits of knowledge can be most effectively and rapidly diffused throughout society.

77. God hath imposed a fine on every adulterer and adulteress, to be paid to the House of Justice #49

Although the term translated here as adultery refers, in its broadest sense, to unlawful sexual intercourse between either married or unmarried individuals (see note 36 for a definition of the term), 'Abdu'l-Baha has specified that the punishment here prescribed is for sexual intercourse between persons who are unmarried. He indicates that it remains for the Universal House of Justice to determine the penalty for adultery committed by a married individual. (See also Q and A 49.)

In one of His Tablets, 'Abdu'l-Baha refers to some of the spiritual and social implications of the violation of the laws of morality and, concerning the penalty here described, He indicates that the aim of this law is to make clear to all that such an action is shameful in the eyes of God and that, in the event that the offence can be established and the fine imposed, the principal purpose is the exposure of the offenders--that they are shamed and disgraced in the eyes of society. He affirms that such exposure is in itself the greatest punishment.

The House of Justice referred to in this verse is presumably the Local House of Justice, currently known as the Local Spiritual Assembly.

78. nine mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qals of gold, to be doubled if they should repeat the offence #49

A mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qal is a unit of weight. The weight of the traditional mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qal used in the Middle East is equivalent to 24 nak{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}uds. However, the mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qal used by the Baha'is consists of 19 nak{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}uds, "in accordance with the specification of the Bayan" (Q and A 23). The weight of nine of these mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qals equals 32.775 grammes or 1.05374 troy ounces.

In relation to the application of the fine, Baha'u'llah clearly specifies that each succeeding fine is double the preceding one (Q and A 23); thus the fine imposed increases in geometrical progression. The imposition of this fine is intended for a future condition of society, at which time the law will be supplemented and applied by the Universal House of Justice.

79. We have made it lawful for you to listen to music and singing. #51

'Abdu'l-Baha has written that "Among certain nations of the East, music was considered reprehensible". Though the Qur'an contains no specific guidance on the subject, some Muslims consider listening to music as unlawful, while others tolerate music within certain bounds and subject to particular conditions.

There are a number of passages in the Baha'i Writings in praise of music. 'Abdu'l-Baha, for example, asserts that "music, sung or played, is spiritual food for soul and heart".

80. O ye Men of Justice! #52

It has been elucidated in the writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi that, while the membership of the Universal House of Justice is confined to men, both women and men are eligible for election to Secondary and Local Houses of Justice (currently designated as National and Local Spiritual Assemblies).

81. The penalties for wounding or striking a person depend upon the severity of the injury; for each degree the Lord of Judgement hath prescribed a certain indemnity. # 56

While Baha'u'llah specified that the extent of the penalty depends upon "the severity of the injury", there is no record of His having set out the details of the size of the indemnity with regard to each degree of offence. The responsibility to determine these devolves upon the Universal House of Justice.

82. Verily, it is enjoined upon you to offer a feast, once in every month #57

This injunction has become the basis for the holding of monthly Baha'i festivities and as such constitutes the ordination of the Nineteen Day Feast. In the Arabic Bayan the Bab called upon His followers to gather together once every nineteen days to show hospitality and fellowship. Baha'u'llah here confirms this and notes the unifying role of such occasions.

'Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi after Him have gradually unfolded the institutional significance of this injunction. 'Abdu'l-Baha emphasized the importance of the spiritual and devotional character of these gatherings. Shoghi Effendi, besides further elaborating the devotional and social aspects of the Feast, has developed the administrative element of such gatherings and, in systematically instituting the Feast, has provided for a period of consultation on the affairs of the Baha'i community, including the sharing of news and messages.

In answer to a question as to whether this injunction is obligatory, Baha'u'llah stated it was not (Q and A 48). Shoghi Effendi in a letter written on his behalf further comments:

Attendance at Nineteen Day Feasts is not obligatory but very important, and every believer should consider it a duty and privilege to be present on such occasions.

83. If ye should hunt with beasts or birds of prey, invoke ye the Name of God when ye send them to pursue their quarry; for then whatever they catch shall be lawful unto you, even should ye find it to have died. #60

By this law, Baha'u'llah greatly simplifies practices and religious regulations of the past relating to hunting. He has also stated that hunting with such weapons as bows and arrows, guns, and the like, is included in this ruling, but that the consumption of game if it is found dead in a trap or a net is prohibited (Q and A 24).

84. hunt not to excess #60

While hunting is not forbidden by Baha'u'llah, He warns against excessive hunting. The Universal House of Justice will, in due course, have to consider what constitutes an excess in hunting.

85. He hath granted them no right to the property of others. #61

The injunction to show kindness to Baha'u'llah's kindred does not give them a share in the property of others. This is in contrast to S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}i'ih Muslim practice, in which lineal descendants of Muhammad are entitled to receive a share of a certain tax.

86. Should anyone intentionally destroy a house by fire, him also shall ye burn; should anyone deliberately take another's life, him also shall ye put to death. #62

The law of Baha'u'llah prescribes the death penalty for murder and arson, with the alternative of life imprisonment (see note 87).

In His Tablets 'Abdu'l-Baha explains the difference between revenge and punishment. He affirms that individuals do not have the right to take revenge, that revenge is despised in the eyes of God, and that the motive for punishment is not vengeance, but the imposition of a penalty for the committed offence. In Some Answered Questions, He confirms that it is the right of society to impose punishments on criminals for the purpose of protecting its members and defending its existence.

With regard to this provision, Shoghi Effendi in a letter written on his behalf gives the following explanation:

In the Aqdas Baha'u'llah has given death as the penalty for murder. However, He has permitted life imprisonment as an alternative. Both practices would be in accordance with His Laws. Some of us may not be able to grasp the wisdom of this when it disagrees with our own limited vision; but we must accept it, knowing His Wisdom, His Mercy and His Justice are perfect and for the salvation of the entire world. If a man were falsely condemned to die, can we not believe Almighty God would compensate him a thousandfold, in the next world, for this human injustice? You cannot give up a salutary law just because on rare occasions the innocent may be punished.

The details of the Baha'i law of punishment for murder and arson, a law designed for a future state of society, were not specified by Baha'u'llah. The various details of the law, such as degrees of offence, whether extenuating circumstances are to be taken into account, and which of the two prescribed punishments is to be the norm are left to the Universal House of Justice to decide in light of prevailing conditions when the law is to be in operation. The manner in which the punishment is to be carried out is also left to the Universal House of Justice to decide.

In relation to arson, this depends on what "house" is burned. There is obviously a tremendous difference in the degree of offence between the person who burns down an empty warehouse and one who sets fire to a school full of children.

87. Should ye condemn the arsonist and the murderer to life imprisonment, it would be permissible according to the provisions of the Book. #62

Shoghi Effendi, in response to a question about this verse of the Aqdas, affirmed that while capital punishment is permitted, an alternative, "life imprisonment", has been provided "whereby the rigours of such a condemnation can be seriously mitigated". He states that "Baha'u'llah has given us a choice and has, therefore, left us free to use our own discretion within certain limitations imposed by His law". In the absence of specific guidance concerning the application of this aspect of Baha'i law, it remains for the Universal House of Justice to legislate on the matter in the future.

88. God hath prescribed matrimony unto you. #63

Baha'u'llah, in one of His Tablets, states that God, in establishing this law, has made marriage "a fortress for well-being and salvation".

The Synopsis and Codification, section IV.C.1.a.-o., summarizes and synthesizes the provisions in the Kitab-i-Aqdas and Questions and Answers concerning marriage and the conditions under which it is permitted (Q and A 3, 13, 46, 50, 84, and 92), the law of betrothal (Q and A 43), the payment of the dowry (Q and A 12, 26, 39, 47, 87, and 88), the procedures to be adopted in the event of the prolonged absence of a spouse (Q and A 4 and 27), and sundry other circumstances (Q and A 12 and 47). (See also notes 89-99.)

89. Beware that ye take not unto yourselves more wives than two. Whoso contenteth himself with a single partner from among the maidservants of God, both he and she shall live in tranquillity. #63

While the text of the Kitab-i-Aqdas appears to permit bigamy, Baha'u'llah counsels that tranquillity and contentment derive from monogamy. In another Tablet, He underlines the importance of the individual's acting in such a way as to "bring comfort to himself and to his partner". 'Abdu'l-Baha, the authorized Interpreter of the Baha'i Writings, states that in the text of the Aqdas monogamy is in effect enjoined. He elaborates this theme in a number of Tablets, including the following:

Know thou that polygamy is not permitted under the law of God, for contentment with one wife hath been clearly stipulated. Taking a second wife is made dependent upon equity and justice being upheld between the two wives, under all conditions. However, observance of justice and equity towards two wives is utterly impossible. The fact that bigamy has been made dependent upon an impossible condition is clear proof of its absolute prohibition. Therefore it is not permissible for a man to have more than one wife.

Polygamy is a very ancient practice among the majority of humanity. The introduction of monogamy has been only gradually accomplished by the Manifestations of God. Jesus, for example, did not prohibit polygamy, but abolished divorce except in the case of fornication; Muhammad limited the number of wives to four, but making plurality of wives contingent on justice, and reintroducing permission for divorce; Baha'u'llah, Who was revealing His Teachings in the milieu of a Muslim society, introduced the question of monogamy gradually in accordance with the principles of wisdom and the progressive unfoldment of His purpose. The fact that He left His followers with an infallible Interpreter of His Writings enabled Him to outwardly permit two wives in the Kitab-i-Aqdas but uphold a condition that enabled 'Abdu'l-Baha to elucidate later that the intention of the law was to enforce monogamy.

90. he who would take into his service a maid may do so with propriety #63

Baha'u'llah states that a man may employ a maiden for domestic service. This was not permissible under S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}i'ih Muslim practice unless the employer entered into a marriage contract with her. Baha'u'llah emphasizes that the "service" referred to in this verse is solely "such as is performed by any other class of servants, be they young or old, in exchange for wages" (Q and A 30). An employer has no sexual rights over his maid. She is "free to choose a husband at whatever time she pleaseth", for the purchase of women is forbidden (Q and A 30).

91. This is My bidding unto you; hold fast to it as an assistance to yourselves. #63

While marriage is enjoined in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, Baha'u'llah clarifies that it is not obligatory (Q and A 46). Shoghi Effendi, in a letter written on his behalf, also declared that "marriage is by no means an obligation", and he affirmed that "in the last resort, it is for the individual to decide whether he wishes to lead a family life or live in a state of celibacy". If a person has to wait a considerable period of time before finding a spouse, or ultimately must remain single, it does not mean that the individual is thereby unable to fulfil his or her life's purpose, which is fundamentally spiritual.

92. We have conditioned it ... upon the permission of their parents #65

In a letter written on his behalf, Shoghi Effendi has commented on this provision of the law:

Baha'u'llah has clearly stated the consent of all living parents is required for a Baha'i marriage. This applies whether the parents are Baha'is or non-Baha'is, divorced for years or not. This great law He has laid down to strengthen the social fabric, to knit closer the ties of the home, to place a certain gratitude and respect in the hearts of the children for those who have given them life and sent their souls out on the eternal journey towards their Creator.

93. No marriage may be contracted without payment of a dowry #66

The Synopsis and Codification, section IV.C.1.j.i.-v., summarizes the main provisions concerning the dowry. These provisions have their antecedents in the Bayan.

The dowry is to be paid by the bridegroom to the bride. It is fixed at 19 mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qals of pure gold for city-dwellers, and 19 mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qals of silver for village-dwellers (see note 94). Baha'u'llah indicates that, if, at the time of the wedding, the bridegroom is unable to pay the dowry in full, it is permissible for him to issue a promissory note to the bride (Q and A 39).

With the Revelation of Baha'u'llah many familiar concepts, customs and institutions are redefined and take on new meaning. One of these is the dowry. The institution of dowry is a very ancient practice in many cultures and takes many forms. In some countries it is a payment made by the parents of the bride to the bridegroom; in others it is a payment made by the bridegroom to the parents of the bride, called a "bride-price". In both such cases the amount is often quite considerable. The law of Baha'u'llah abolishes all such variants and converts the dowry into a symbolic act whereby the bridegroom presents a gift of a certain limited value to the bride.

94. for city-dwellers at nineteen mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qals of pure gold, and for village-dwellers at the same amount in silver #66

Baha'u'llah specifies that the criterion for determining the dowry payment is the location of the permanent residence of the bridegroom, not of the bride (Q and A 87, 88).

95. Whoso wisheth to increase this sum, it is forbidden him to exceed the limit of ninety-five mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qals... If he content himself, however, with a payment of the lowest level, it shall be better for him according to the Book. #66

In answer to a question about the dowry, Baha'u'llah stated:

Whatever is revealed in the Bayan, in respect to those residing in cities and villages, is approved and should be carried out. However, in the Kitab-i-Aqdas mention is made of the lowest level. The intention is nineteen mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qals of silver, specified in the Bayan for village-dwellers. This is more pleasing unto God, provided the two parties agree. The purpose is to promote the comfort of all, and to bring about concord and union among the people. Therefore, the greater the consideration shown in these matters the better it will be... The people of Baha must associate and deal with each other with the utmost love and sincerity. They should be mindful of the interests of all, especially the friends of God.

'Abdu'l-Baha, in one of His Tablets, summarized some of the provisions for determining the level of the dowry. The unit of payment mentioned in the extract, cited below, is the "vahid". One vahid is equivalent to nineteen mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qals. He stated:

City-dwellers must pay in gold and village-dwellers in silver. It dependeth on the financial means at the disposal of the groom. If he is poor, he payeth one vahid; if of modest means, he payeth two vahids; if well-to-do, three vahids; if wealthy, four vahids; and if very rich, he giveth five vahids. It is, in truth, a matter for agreement between the bridegroom, the bride, and their parents. Whatever agreement is reached should be carried out.

In this same Tablet, 'Abdu'l-Baha encouraged the believers to refer questions concerning the application of this law to the Universal House of Justice, which has "the authority to legislate". He stressed that "it is this body which will enact laws and legislate upon secondary matters which are not explicit in the Holy Text".

96. should any one of His servants intend to travel, he must fix for his wife a time when he will return home #67

If the husband leaves without informing his wife of the date of his return, and no news of him reaches her and all trace of him is lost, Baha'u'llah has stated that, should the husband have been aware of the law prescribed in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, the wife may remarry after waiting a full year. If, however, the husband was unaware of the law, the wife must wait until news of her husband reaches her (Q and A 4).

97. it behoveth her to wait for a period of nine months, after which there is no impediment to her taking another husband #67

In the event of the husband's failure, either to return at the end of the specified period of time or to notify his wife of a delay, the wife must wait nine months, after which she is free to remarry, though it is preferable for her to wait longer (see note 147 for the Baha'i calendar).

Baha'u'llah states that, in such circumstances, should news reach the wife of "her husband's death or murder", she must also wait nine months, prior to remarrying (Q and A 27). 'Abdu'l-Baha, in a Tablet, has further clarified that the nine months' waiting period following news of the husband's death applies only if the husband had been away at the time of his death, and not if he dies while at home.

98. she should choose the course that is praiseworthy #67

Baha'u'llah defines "the course that is praiseworthy" as "the exercise of patience" (Q and A 4).

99. two just witnesses #67

Baha'u'llah sets out "the criterion of justness" in relation to witnesses as "a good reputation among the people". He states that it is not necessary that the witnesses should be Baha'is since "The testimony of all God's servants, of whatever faith or creed, is acceptable before His Throne" (Q and A 79).

100. Should resentment or antipathy arise between husband and wife, he is not to divorce her but to bide in patience throughout the course of one whole year #68

Divorce is strongly condemned in the Baha'i Teachings. If, however, antipathy or resentment develop between the marriage partners, divorce is permissible after the lapse of one full year. During this year of patience, the husband is obliged to provide for the financial support of his wife and children, and the couple is urged to strive to reconcile their differences. Shoghi Effendi affirms that both the husband and wife "have equal right to ask for divorce" whenever either partner "feels it absolutely essential to do so".

In Questions and Answers, Baha'u'llah elaborates a number of issues concerning the year of patience, its observance (Q and A 12), establishing the date of its beginning (Q and A 19 and 40), the conditions for reconciliation (Q and A 38), and the role of witnesses and the Local House of Justice (Q and A 73 and 98). In relation to the witnesses, the Universal House of Justice has clarified that in these days the duties of the witnesses in cases of divorce are performed by the Spiritual Assemblies.

The detailed provisions of the Baha'i laws on divorce are summarized in the Synopsis and Codification, section IV.C.2.a.-i.

101. The Lord hath prohibited ... the practice to which ye formerly had recourse when thrice ye had divorced a woman. #68

This relates to a law of Islam set out in the Qur'an which decreed that under certain conditions a man could not remarry his divorced wife unless she had married and been divorced by another man. Baha'u'llah affirms that this is the practice which has been prohibited in the Kitab-i-Aqdas (Q and A 31).

102. He who hath divorced his wife may choose, upon the passing of each month, to remarry her when there is mutual affection and consent, so long as she hath not taken another husband ... unless, clearly, her circumstances change. #68

Shoghi Effendi states, in a letter written on his behalf, that the intention of "the passing of each month" is not to impose a limitation, and that it is possible for a divorced couple to remarry at any time after their divorce, so long as neither party is currently married to another person.

103. semen is not unclean # 74

In a number of religious traditions and in S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}i'ih Muslim practice semen has been declared ritually unclean. Baha'u'llah has here dispelled this concept. See also note 106 below.

104. Cleave ye unto the cord of refinement #74

'Abdu'l-Baha refers to the effect of "purity and holiness, cleanliness and refinement" on the exaltation of "the human condition" and "the development of man's inner reality". He states: "The fact of having a pure and spotless body exercises an influence upon the spirit of man." (See also note 74.)

105. Wash ye every soiled thing with water that hath undergone no alteration in any one of the three respects #74

The "three respects" referred to in this verse are changes in the colour, taste or smell of the water. Baha'u'llah provides additional guidance concerning pure water and the point at which it is considered unsuitable for use (Q and A 91).

106. God hath ... abolished the concept of "uncleanness", whereby divers things and peoples have been held to be impure. #75

The concept of ritual "uncleanness", as understood and practised in some tribal societies and in the religious communities of certain earlier Dispensations, has been abolished by Baha'u'llah. He states that through His Revelation "all created things were immersed in the sea of purification". (See also notes 12, 20, and 103.)

107. first day of Ridvan #75

This is a reference to the arrival of Baha'u'llah and His companions in the Najibiyyih Garden outside the city of Bag{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}dad, subsequently referred to by the Baha'is as the Garden of Ridvan. This event, which took place thirty-one days after Naw-Ruz, in April 1863, signalized the commencement of the period during which Baha'u'llah declared His Mission to His companions. In a Tablet, He refers to His Declaration as "the Day of supreme felicity" and He describes the Garden of Ridvan as "the Spot from which He shed upon the whole of creation the splendours of His Name, the All-Merciful". Baha'u'llah spent twelve days in this Garden prior to departing for Istanbul, the place to which He had been banished.

The Declaration of Baha'u'llah is celebrated annually by the twelve-day Ridvan Festival, described by Shoghi Effendi as "the holiest and most significant of all Baha'i festivals" (see notes 138 and 140).

108. the Bayan #77

The Bayan, the Mother Book of the Babi Dispensation, is the title given by the Bab to His Book of Laws, and it is also applied to the entire body of His Writings. The Persian Bayan is the major doctrinal work and principal repository of the laws ordained by the Bab. The Arabic Bayan is parallel in content but smaller and less weighty. When describing the Persian Bayan in God Passes By Shoghi Effendi indicated that it should be regarded "primarily as a eulogy of the Promised One rather than as a code of laws and ordinances designed to be a permanent guide to future generations".

'Abdu'l-Baha has written: "The Bayan hath been superseded by the Kitab-i-Aqdas, except in respect of such laws as have been confirmed and mentioned in the Kitab-i-Aqdas."

109. the destruction of books #77

In the Tablet of Is{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}raqat Baha'u'llah, referring to the fact that the Bab had made the laws of the Bayan subject to His sanction, states that He put some of the Bab's laws into effect "by embodying them in the Kitab-i-Aqdas in different words", while others He set aside.

With regard to the destruction of books, the Bayan commanded the Bab's followers to destroy all books except those that were written in vindication of the Cause and Religion of God. Baha'u'llah abrogates this specific law of the Bayan.

As to the nature and severity of the laws of the Bayan, Shoghi Effendi in a letter written on his behalf provides the following comment:

The severe laws and injunctions revealed by the Bab can be properly appreciated and understood only when interpreted in the light of His own statements regarding the nature, purpose and character of His own Dispensation. As these statements clearly reveal, the Babi Dispensation was essentially in the nature of a religious and indeed social revolution, and its duration had therefore to be short, but full of tragic events, of sweeping and drastic reforms. Those drastic measures enforced by the Bab and His followers were taken with the view of undermining the very foundations of S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}i'ih orthodoxy, and thus paving the way for the coming of Baha'u'llah. To assert the independence of the new Dispensation, and to prepare also the ground for the approaching Revelation of Baha'u'llah, the Bab had therefore to reveal very severe laws, even though most of them were never enforced. But the mere fact that He revealed them was in itself a proof of the independent character of His Dispensation and was sufficient to create such widespread agitation, and excite such opposition on the part of the clergy that led them to cause His eventual martyrdom.

110. We have permitted you to read such sciences as are profitable unto you, not such as end in idle disputation #77

The Baha'i Writings enjoin the acquisition of knowledge and the study of the arts and sciences. Baha'is are admonished to respect people of learning and accomplishment, and are warned against the pursuit of studies that are productive only of futile wrangling.

In His Tablets Baha'u'llah counsels the believers to study such sciences and arts as are "useful" and would further "the progress and advancement" of society, and He cautions against sciences which "begin with words and end with words", the pursuit of which leads to "idle disputation". Shoghi Effendi, in a letter written on his behalf, likened sciences that "begin with words and end with words" to "fruitless excursions into metaphysical hair-splittings", and, in another letter, he explained that what Baha'u'llah primarily intended by such "sciences" are "those theological treatises and commentaries that encumber the human mind rather than help it to attain the truth".

111. He Who held converse with God #80

This is a traditional Jewish and Islamic title of Moses. Baha'u'llah states that with the coming of His Revelation "human ears have been privileged to hear what He Who conversed with God heard upon Sinai".

112. Sinai #80

The mountain where the Law was revealed by God to Moses.

113. the Spirit of God #80

This is one of the titles used in the Islamic and Baha'i Writings to designate Jesus Christ.

114. Carmel ... Zion #80

Carmel, the "Vineyard of God", is the mountain in the Holy Land where the Shrine of the Bab and the seat of the world administrative centre of the Faith are situated.

Zion is a hill in Jerusalem, the traditional site of the tomb of King David, and is symbolic of Jerusalem as a Holy City.

115. the Crimson Ark #84

The "Crimson Ark" refers to the Cause of Baha'u'llah. His followers are designated as the "companions of the Crimson Ark", lauded by the Bab in the Qayyumu'l-Asma.

116. O Emperor of Austria! He Who is the Dayspring of God's Light dwelt in the prison of Akka at the time when thou didst set forth to visit the Aqsa Mosque. #85

Francis Joseph (Franz Josef, 1830-1916), Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary, made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1869. While in the Holy Land he failed to take the opportunity to inquire about Baha'u'llah Who at that time was a prisoner in Akka (Acre).

The Aqsa Mosque, literally, the "Most Distant" Mosque, is referred to in the Qur'an, and has become identified with the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

117. O King of Berlin! #86

Kaiser William I (Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig, 1797-1888), the seventh king of Prussia, was acclaimed first Emperor of Germany in January 1871 at Versailles in France, following the victory of Germany over France in the Franco-Prussian War.

118. the one whose power transcended thy power, and whose station excelled thy station #86

This is a reference to Napoleon III (1808-1873), the Emperor of the French, who was regarded by many historians as the most outstanding monarch of his day in the West.

Baha'u'llah addressed two Tablets to Napoleon III, in the second of which He clearly prophesied that Napoleon's kingdom would be "thrown into confusion", that his "empire shall pass" from his hands, and that his people would experience great "commotions".

Within a year, Napoleon III suffered a resounding defeat, at the hands of Kaiser William I, at the Battle of Sedan in 1870. He went in exile to England, where he died three years later.

119. O people of Constantinople! #89

The word here translated as "Constantinople" is, in the original, "Ar-Rum" or "Rome". This term has generally been used in the Middle East to designate Constantinople and the Eastern Roman Empire, then the city of Byzantium and its empire, and later the Ottoman Empire.

120. O Spot that art situate on the shores of the two seas! #89

This is a reference to Constantinople, now called Istanbul. Located on the Bosphorus, a strait about 31 kilometres long which links the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, it is the largest city and seaport of Turkey.

Constantinople was the capital of the Ottoman Empire from 1453 until 1922. During Baha'u'llah's sojourn in this city, the tyrannical Sultan 'Abdu'l-'Aziz occupied the throne. The Ottoman Sultans were also the Caliphs, the leaders of Sunni Islam. Baha'u'llah anticipated the fall of the Caliphate, which was abolished in 1924.

121. O banks of the Rhine! #90

In one of His Tablets written before the First World War (1914-1918), 'Abdu'l-Baha explained that Baha'u'llah's reference to having seen the banks of the Rhine "covered with gore" related to the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), and that there was more suffering to come.

In God Passes By Shoghi Effendi states that the "oppressively severe treaty" that was imposed on Germany following its defeat in the First World War "provoked 'the lamentations'" of Berlin "which half a century before, had been ominously prophesied".

122. O Land of Ta #91

"Ta" is the initial letter of Tihran, the capital of Iran. Baha'u'llah has often chosen to represent certain place names by reference to their initial letter. According to the abjad system of reckoning, the numerical value of Ta is nine, which equals the numerical value of the name Baha.

123. within thee was born the Manifestation of His Glory #92

This is a reference to the birth of Baha'u'llah in Tihran on 12 November 1817.

124. O Land of K{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}a! #94

A reference to the Iranian province of K{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}urasan and neighbouring areas, which include the city of Is{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qabad (Ashkhabad).

125. Should anyone acquire one hundred mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qals of gold, nineteen mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qals thereof are God's and to be rendered unto Him #97

This verse establishes Huququ'llah, the Right of God, the offering of a fixed portion of the value of the believer's possessions. This offering was made to Baha'u'llah as the Manifestation of God and then, following His Ascension, to 'Abdu'l-Baha as the Centre of the Covenant. In His Will and Testament, 'Abdu'l-Baha provided that the Huququ'llah was to be offered "through the Guardian of the Cause of God". There now being no Guardian, it is offered through the Universal House of Justice as the Head of the Faith. This fund is used for the promotion of the Faith of God and its interests as well as for various philanthropic purposes. The offering of the Huququ'llah is a spiritual obligation, the fulfilment of which has been left to the conscience of each Baha'i. While the community is reminded of the requirements of the law of Huquq, no believer may be approached individually to pay it.

A number of items in Questions and Answers further elaborate this law. The payment of Huququ'llah is based on the calculation of the value of the individual's possessions. If a person has possessions equal in value to at least nineteen mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qals of gold (Q and A 8), it is a spiritual obligation to pay nineteen percent of the total amount, once only, as Huququ'llah (Q and A 89). Thereafter, whenever one's income, after all expenses have been paid, increases the value of one's possessions by the amount of at least nineteen mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qals of gold, one is to pay nineteen percent of this increase, and so on for each further increase (Q and A 8, 90).

Certain categories of possessions, such as one's residence, are exempt from the payment of Huququ'llah (Q and A 8, 42, 95), and specific provisions are outlined to cover cases of financial loss (Q and A 44, 45), the failure of investments to yield a profit (Q and A 102) and for the payment of Huquq in the event of the person's death (Q and A 9, 69, 80). (In this latter case, see note 47.)

Extensive extracts from Tablets, Questions and Answers, and other Writings concerning the spiritual significance of Huququ'llah and the details of its application have been published in a compilation entitled Huququ'llah.

126. Various petitions have come before Our throne from the believers, concerning laws from God... We have, in consequence, revealed this Holy Tablet and arrayed it with the mantle of His Law that haply the people may keep the commandments of their Lord. #98

"For a number of years", Baha'u'llah states in one of His Tablets, "petitions reached the Most Holy Presence from various lands begging for the laws of God, but We held back the Pen ere the appointed time had come." Not until twenty years from the birth of His Prophetic Mission in the Siyah-C{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}al of Tihran had elapsed did Baha'u'llah reveal the Kitab-i-Aqdas, the Repository of the laws of His Dispensation. Even after its revelation the Aqdas was withheld by Him for some time before it was sent to the friends in Persia. This divinely purposed delay in the revelation of the basic laws of God for this age, and the subsequent gradual implementation of their provisions, illustrate the principle of progressive revelation which applies even within the ministry of each Prophet.

127. crimson Spot #100

This is a reference to the prison-city of Akka. In the Baha'i Writings the word "crimson" is used in several allegorical and symbolic senses. (See also note 115.)

128. the Sadratu'l-Muntaha #100

Literally "the furthermost Lote-Tree", translated by Shoghi Effendi as "the Tree beyond which there is no passing". This is used as a symbol in Islam, for example in the accounts of Muhammad's Night Journey, to mark the point in the heavens beyond which neither men nor angels can pass in their approach to God, and thus to delimit the bounds of divine knowledge as revealed to mankind. Hence it is often used in the Baha'i Writings to designate the Manifestation of God Himself. (See also note 164.)

129. the Mother Book #103

The term "Mother Book" is generally used to designate the central Book of a religious Dispensation. In the Qur'an and Islamic Hadit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}, the term is used to describe the Qur'an itself. In the Babi Dispensation, the Bayan is the Mother Book, and the Kitab-i-Aqdas is the Mother Book of the Dispensation of Baha'u'llah. Further, the Guardian in a letter written on his behalf has stated that this concept can also be used as a "collective term indicating the body of the Teachings revealed by Baha'u'llah". This term is also used in a broader sense to signify the Divine Repository of Revelation.

130. Whoso interpreteth what hath been sent down from the heaven of Revelation, and altereth its evident meaning #105

In several of His Tablets, Baha'u'llah affirms the distinction between allegorical verses, which are susceptible to interpretation, and those verses that relate to such subjects as the laws and ordinances, worship and religious observances, whose meanings are evident and which demand compliance on the part of the believers.

As explained in notes 145 and 184, Baha'u'llah designated 'Abdu'l-Baha, His eldest Son, as His Successor and the Interpreter of His Teachings. 'Abdu'l-Baha in His turn appointed His eldest grandson, Shoghi Effendi, to succeed Him as interpreter of the holy Writ and Guardian of the Cause. The interpretations of 'Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi are considered divinely guided and are binding on the Baha'is.

The existence of authoritative interpretations does not preclude the individual from engaging in the study of the Teachings and thereby arriving at a personal interpretation or understanding. A clear distinction is, however, drawn in the Baha'i Writings between authoritative interpretation and the understanding that each individual arrives at from a study of its Teachings. Individual interpretations based on a person's understanding of the Teachings constitute the fruit of man's rational power and may well contribute to a greater comprehension of the Faith. Such views, nevertheless, lack authority. In presenting their personal ideas, individuals are cautioned not to discard the authority of the revealed words, not to deny or contend with the authoritative interpretation, and not to engage in controversy; rather they should offer their thoughts as a contribution to knowledge, making it clear that their views are merely their own.

131. approach not the public pools of Persian baths #106

Baha'u'llah prohibits the use of the pools found in the traditional public bath-houses of Persia. In these baths it was the custom for many people to wash themselves in the same pool and for the water to be changed at infrequent intervals. Consequently, the water was discoloured, befouled and unhygienic, and had a highly offensive stench.

132. Avoid ye likewise the malodorous pools in the courtyards of Persian homes #106

Most houses in Persia used to have a pool in their courtyard which served as a reservoir for water used for cleaning, washing and other domestic purposes. Since the water in the pool was stagnant and was not usually changed for weeks at a time, it tended to develop a very unpleasant odour.

133. It is forbidden you to wed your fathers' wives. #107

Marriage with one's stepmother is here explicitly prohibited. This prohibition also applies to marrying one's stepfather. Where Baha'u'llah has expressed a law between a man and a woman it applies mutatis mutandis as between a woman and a man unless the context should make this impossible.

'Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi confirmed that, while stepmothers are the only category of relatives mentioned in the text, this does not mean that all other unions within a family are permissible. Baha'u'llah states that it devolves upon the House of Justice to legislate "concerning the legitimacy or otherwise of marrying one's relatives" (Q and A 50). 'Abdu'l-Baha has written that the more distant the blood-relationship between the couple the better, since such marriages provide the basis for the physical well-being of humanity and are conducive to fellowship among mankind.

134. the subject of boys #107

The word translated here as "boys" has, in this context, in the Arabic original, the implication of paederasty. Shoghi Effendi has interpreted this reference as a prohibition on all homosexual relations.

The Baha'i teachings on sexual morality centre on marriage and the family as the bedrock of the whole structure of human society and are designed to protect and strengthen that divine institution. Baha'i law thus restricts permissible sexual intercourse to that between a man and the woman to whom he is married.

In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi it is stated:

No matter how devoted and fine the love may be between people of the same sex, to let it find expression in sexual acts is wrong. To say that it is ideal is no excuse. Immorality of every sort is really forbidden by Baha'u'llah, and homosexual relationships He looks upon as such, besides being against nature. To be afflicted this way is a great burden to a conscientious soul. But through the advice and help of doctors, through a strong and determined effort, and through prayer, a soul can overcome this handicap.

Baha'u'llah makes provision for the Universal House of Justice to determine, according to the degree of the offence, penalties for adultery and sodomy (Q and A 49).

135. To none is it permitted to mutter sacred verses before the public gaze as he walketh in the street or marketplace #108

This is an allusion to the practice of certain clerics and religious leaders of earlier Dispensations who, out of hypocrisy and affectation, and in order to win the praise of their followers, would ostentatiously mutter prayers in public places as a demonstration of their piety. Baha'u'llah forbids such behaviour and stresses the importance of humility and genuine devotion to God.

136. Unto everyone hath been enjoined the writing of a will. #109

According to the Teachings of Baha'u'llah, the individual has a duty to write a will and testament, and is free to dispose of his estate in whatever manner he chooses (see note 38).

Baha'u'llah affirms that in drawing up his will "a person hath full jurisdiction over his property", since God has permitted the individual "to deal with that which He hath bestowed upon him in whatever manner he may desire" (Q and A 69). Provisions are set out in the Kitab-i-Aqdas for the distribution of inheritance in the case of intestacy. (See notes 38-48.)

137. the Most Great Name #109

As explained in note 33, the Greatest Name of God can take various forms, all based on the word "Baha". The Baha'is in the East have implemented this injunction of the Aqdas by heading their wills with such phrases as "O Thou Glory of the All-Glorious", "In the name of God, the All-Glorious" or "He is the All-Glorious" and the like.

138. All Feasts have attained their consummation in the two Most Great Festivals, and in the two other Festivals that fall on the twin days #110

This passage establishes four great festivals of the Baha'i year. The two designated by Baha'u'llah as "the two Most Great Festivals" are, first, the Festival of Ridvan, which commemorates Baha'u'llah's Declaration of His Prophetic Mission in the Garden of Ridvan in Bag{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}dad during twelve days in April/May 1863 and is referred to by Him as "the King of Festivals" and, second, the Bab's Declaration, which occurred in May 1844 in S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}iraz. The first, ninth and twelfth days of the Festival of Ridvan are Holy Days (Q and A 1), as is the day of the Declaration of the Bab.

The "two other Festivals" are the anniversaries of the births of Baha'u'llah and the Bab. In the Muslim lunar calendar these fall on consecutive days, the birth of Baha'u'llah on the second day of the month of Muharram 1233 A.H. (12 November 1817), and the birth of the Bab on the first day of the same month 1235 A.H. (20 October 1819), respectively. They are thus referred to as the "Twin Birthdays" and Baha'u'llah states that these two days are accounted as one in the sight of God (Q and A 2). He states that, should they fall within the month of fasting, the command to fast shall not apply on those days (Q and A 36). Given that the Baha'i calendar (see notes 26 and 147) is a solar calendar, it remains for the Universal House of Justice to determine whether the Twin Holy Birthdays are to be celebrated on a solar or lunar basis.

139. the first day of the month of Baha #111

In the Baha'i calendar the first month of the year and the first day of each month are given the name "Baha". The day of Baha of the month of Baha is thus the Baha'i New Year, Naw-Ruz, which was ordained by the Bab as a festival and is here confirmed by Baha'u'llah (see notes 26 and 147).

In addition to the seven Holy Days ordained in these passages of the Kitab-i-Aqdas, the anniversary of the Martyrdom of the Bab was also commemorated as a Holy Day in the lifetime of Baha'u'llah and, as a corollary to this, 'Abdu'l-Baha added the observance of the Ascension of Baha'u'llah, making nine Holy Days in all. Two other anniversaries which are observed, but on which work is not suspended, are the Day of the Covenant and the anniversary of the Passing of 'Abdu'l-Baha. See the section on the Baha'i calendar in The Baha'i World, volume XVIII.

140. The Most Great Festival is, indeed, the King of Festivals #112

A reference to the Ridvan Festival (see notes 107 and 138).

141. God had formerly laid upon each one of the believers the duty of offering before Our throne priceless gifts from among his possessions. Now ... We have absolved them of this obligation. #114

This passage abrogates a provision of the Bayan which decreed that all objects unparalleled of their kind should, upon the appearance of Him Whom God will make manifest, be rendered unto Him. The Bab explained that, since the Manifestation of God is beyond compare, whatever is peerless in its kind should rightfully be reserved for Him, unless He decrees otherwise.

142. the hour of dawn #115

With reference to attending dawn prayers in the Mas{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}riqu'l-Ad{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}kar, the Baha'i House of Worship, Baha'u'llah has explained that, although the actual time specified in the Book of God is "the hour of dawn", it is acceptable at any time from "the earliest dawn of day, between dawn and sunrise, or even up to two hours after sunrise" (Q and A 15).

143. These Tablets are embellished with the seal of Him Who causeth the dawn to appear, Who lifteth up His voice between the heavens and the earth. #117

Baha'u'llah repeatedly affirms the absolute integrity of His Writings as the Word of God. Some of His Tablets also bear the mark of one of His seals. The Baha'i World, volume V, p. 4, contains a photograph of a number of Baha'u'llah's seals.

144. It is inadmissible that man, who hath been endowed with reason, should consume that which stealeth it away. #119

There are many references in the Baha'i Writings which prohibit the use of wine and other intoxicating drinks and which describe the deleterious effect of such intoxicants on the individual. In one of His Tablets, Baha'u'llah states:

Beware lest ye exchange the Wine of God for your own wine, for it will stupefy your minds, and turn your faces away from the Countenance of God, the All-Glorious, the Peerless, the Inaccessible. Approach it not, for it hath been forbidden unto you by the behest of God, the Exalted, the Almighty.

'Abdu'l-Baha explains that the Aqdas prohibits "both light and strong drinks", and He states that the reason for prohibiting the use of alcoholic drinks is because "alcohol leadeth the mind astray and causeth the weakening of the body".

Shoghi Effendi, in letters written on his behalf, states that this prohibition includes not only the consumption of wine but of "everything that deranges the mind", and he clarifies that the use of alcohol is permitted only when it constitutes part of a medical treatment which is implemented "under the advice of a competent and conscientious physician, who may have to prescribe it for the cure of some special ailment".

145. turn your faces toward Him Whom God hath purposed, Who hath branched from this Ancient Root #121

Baha'u'llah here alludes to 'Abdu'l-Baha as His Successor and calls upon the believers to turn towards Him. In the Book of the Covenant, His Will and Testament, Baha'u'llah discloses the intention of this verse. He states: "The object of this sacred verse is none other except the Most Mighty Branch." The "Most Mighty Branch" is one of the titles conferred by Baha'u'llah on 'Abdu'l-Baha. (See also notes 66 and 184.)

146. In the Bayan it had been forbidden you to ask Us questions. #126

The Bab forbade His followers to ask questions of Him Whom God will make manifest (Baha'u'llah), unless their questions were submitted in writing and pertained to subjects worthy of His lofty station. See Selections from the Writings of the Bab.

Baha'u'llah removes this prohibition of the Bab. He invites the believers to ask such questions as they "need to ask", and He cautions them to refrain from posing "idle questions" of the kind which preoccupied "the men of former times".

147. The number of months in a year, appointed in the Book of God, is nineteen. #127

The Baha'i year, in accordance with the Badi calendar, consists of nineteen months of nineteen days each, with the addition of certain intercalary days (four in an ordinary year and five in a leap year) between the eighteenth and nineteenth months in order to adjust the calendar to the solar year. The Bab named the months after certain attributes of God. The Baha'i New Year, Naw-Ruz, is astronomically fixed, coinciding with the March equinox (see note 26). For further details, including the names of the days of the week and the months, see the section on the Baha'i calendar in The Baha'i World, volume XVIII.

148. the first hath been adorned with this Name which overshadoweth the whole of creation #127

In the Persian Bayan, the Bab bestowed the name "Baha" on the first month of the year (see note 139).

149. The Lord hath decreed that the dead should be interred in coffins #128

In the Bayan, the Bab prescribed that the deceased should be interred in a coffin made of crystal or polished stone. Shoghi Effendi, in a letter written on his behalf, explained that the significance of this provision was to show respect for the human body which "was once exalted by the immortal soul of man".

In brief, the Baha'i law for the burial of the dead states that it is forbidden to carry the body for more than one hour's journey from the place of death; that the body should be wrapped in a shroud of silk or cotton, and on its finger should be placed a ring bearing the inscription "I came forth from God, and return unto Him, detached from all save Him, holding fast to His Name, the Merciful, the Compassionate"; and that the coffin should be of crystal, stone or hard fine wood. A specific Prayer for the Dead (see note 10) is ordained, to be said before interment. As affirmed by 'Abdu'l-Baha and the Guardian, this law precludes cremation of the dead. The formal prayer and the ring are meant to be used for those who have attained the age of maturity, i.e. 15 years of age (Q and A 70).

With regard to the material from which the coffin is to be made, the spirit of the law is that coffins should be of as durable a material as possible. Hence, the Universal House of Justice has explained that, in addition to the materials specified in the Aqdas, there is no objection to using the hardest wood available or concrete for the casket. For the present, the Baha'is are left free to make their own choices in this matter.

150. the Point of the Bayan #129

The "Point of the Bayan" is one of the titles by which the Bab referred to Himself.

151. the deceased should be enfolded in five sheets of silk or cotton #130

In the Bayan, the Bab specified that the body of the deceased should be wrapped in five sheets of silk or cotton. Baha'u'llah confirmed this provision and added the stipulation that for "those whose means are limited a single sheet of either fabric will suffice".

When asked whether the "five sheets" mentioned in the law referred to "five full-length shrouds" or "five cloths which were hitherto customarily used", Baha'u'llah responded that the intention is the "use of five cloths" (Q and A 56).

Concerning the way in which the body should be wrapped, there is nothing in the Baha'i Writings to define how the wrapping of the body is to be done, either when "five cloths" are used or only "a single sheet". At present, the Baha'is are free to use their judgement in the matter.

152. It is forbidden you to transport the body of the deceased a greater distance than one hour's journey from the city #130

The intention of this command is to limit the duration of the journey to one hour's time, irrespective of the means of transport that are chosen to carry the body to the burial site. Baha'u'llah affirms that the sooner the burial takes place, "the more fitting and acceptable will it be" (Q and A 16).

The place of death may be taken to encompass the city or town in which the person passes away, and therefore the one hour's journey may be calculated from the city limits to the place of burial. The spirit of Baha'u'llah's law is for the deceased to be buried near where he or she dies.

153. God hath removed the restrictions on travel that had been imposed in the Bayan. #131

The Bab decreed certain restrictions on travel which were to remain in force until the advent of the Promised One of the Bayan, at which time the believers were instructed to set out, even if on foot, to meet Him, since the attainment of His presence was the fruit and purpose of their very existence.

154. Raise up and exalt the two Houses in the Twin Hallowed Spots, and the other sites wherein the throne of your Lord ... hath been established. #133

Baha'u'llah identifies the "two Houses" as His House in Bag{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}dad, designated by Him as the "Most Great House", and the House of the Bab in S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}iraz, both of which have been ordained by Him as sites of pilgrimage. (See Q and A 29, 32 and note 54.)

Shoghi Effendi explained that "the other sites wherein the throne of your Lord ... hath been established" refers to those places where the Person of the Manifestation of God has resided. Baha'u'llah states that "the people of the areas where these are situated may choose to preserve either each house" wherein He resided, "or one of them" (Q and A 32). Baha'i institutions have identified, documented, and where possible, acquired and restored a number of the historical sites associated with the Twin Manifestations.

155. Take heed lest ye be prevented by aught that hath been recorded in the Book from hearkening unto this, the Living Book #134

The "Book" is the record of the revealed Word of the Manifestations of God. The "Living Book" is a reference to the Person of the Manifestation.

These words contain an allusion to a statement of the Bab in the Persian Bayan about the "Living Book", which He identifies as Him Whom God will make manifest. In one of His Tablets Baha'u'llah Himself states: "The Book of God hath been sent down in the form of this Youth."

In this verse of the Aqdas, and again in paragraph 168 of the Aqdas, Baha'u'llah refers to Himself as the "Living Book". He cautions the "followers of every other Faith" against seeking "reasons in their Holy Books" for refuting the utterances of the "Living Book". He admonishes the people not to allow what has been recorded in the "Book" to prevent them from recognising His Station and from holding fast to what is in this new Revelation.

156. tribute to this Revelation, from the Pen of Him Who was My Herald #135

The "tribute" that Baha'u'llah quotes in this passage is from the Arabic Bayan.

157. "The Qiblih is indeed He Whom God will make manifest; whenever He moveth, it moveth, until He shall come to rest." #137

For a discussion of this verse see notes 7 and 8.

158. It is unlawful to enter into marriage save with a believer in the Bayan. Should only one party to a marriage embrace this Cause, his or her possessions will become unlawful to the other #139

The passage of the Bayan which Baha'u'llah here quotes draws the attention of the believers to the imminence of the coming of "Him Whom God will make manifest". Its prohibition of marriage with a non-Babi and its provision that the property of a husband or wife who embraced the Faith could not lawfully pass to the non-Babi spouse were explicitly held in abeyance by the Bab, and were subsequently annulled by Baha'u'llah before they could come into effect. Baha'u'llah, in quoting this law, points to the fact that, in revealing it, the Bab had clearly anticipated the possibility that the Cause of Baha'u'llah would rise to prominence before that of the Bab Himself.

In God Passes By Shoghi Effendi points out that the Bayan "should be regarded primarily as a eulogy of the Promised One rather than a code of laws and ordinances designed to be a permanent guide to future generations". "Designedly severe in the rules and regulations it imposed," he continues, "revolutionizing in the principles it instilled, calculated to awaken from their age-long torpor the clergy and the people, and to administer a sudden and fatal blow to obsolete and corrupt institutions, it proclaimed, through its drastic provisions, the advent of the anticipated Day, the Day when 'the Summoner shall summon to a stern business', when He will 'demolish whatever hath been before Him, even as the Apostle of God demolished the ways of those that preceded Him'" (see also note 109).

159. The Point of the Bayan #140

One of the titles of the Bab.

160. Verily, there is none other God besides Me #143

The Baha'i Writings contain many passages that elucidate the nature of the Manifestation and His relationship to God. Baha'u'llah underlines the unique and transcendent nature of the Godhead. He explains that "since there can be no tie of direct intercourse to bind the one true God with His creation" God ordains that "in every age and dispensation a pure and stainless Soul be made manifest in the kingdoms of earth and heaven". This "mysterious and ethereal Being", the Manifestation of God, has a human nature which pertains to "the world of matter" and a spiritual nature "born of the substance of God Himself". He is also endowed with a "double station":

The first station, which is related to His innermost reality, representeth Him as One Whose voice is the voice of God Himself... The second station is the human station, exemplified by the following verses: "I am but a man like you." "Say, praise be to my Lord! Am I more than a man, an apostle?"

Baha'u'llah also affirms that, in the spiritual realm, there is an "essential unity" between all the Manifestations of God. They all reveal the "Beauty of God", manifest His names and attributes, and give utterance to His Revelation. In this regard, He states:

Were any of the all-embracing Manifestations of God to declare: "I am God", He, verily, speaketh the truth, and no doubt attacheth thereto. For it hath been repeatedly demonstrated that through their Revelation, their attributes and names, the Revelation of God, His names and His attributes, are made manifest in the world...

While the Manifestations reveal the names and attributes of God and are the means by which humanity has access to the knowledge of God and His Revelation, Shoghi Effendi states that the Manifestations should "never ... be identified with that invisible Reality, the Essence of Divinity itself". In relation to Baha'u'llah, the Guardian wrote that the "human temple that has been the vehicle of so overpowering a Revelation" is not to be identified with the "Reality" of God.

Concerning the uniqueness of Baha'u'llah's station and the greatness of His Revelation, Shoghi Effendi affirms that the prophetic statements concerning the "Day of God", found in the Sacred Scriptures of past Dispensations, are fulfilled by the advent of Baha'u'llah:

To Israel He was neither more nor less than the incarnation of the "Everlasting Father", the "Lord of Hosts" come down "with ten thousands of saints"; to Christendom Christ returned "in the glory of the Father"; to S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}i'ah Islam the return of the Imam Husayn; to Sunni Islam the descent of the "Spirit of God" (Jesus Christ); to the Zoroastrians the promised S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}ah-Bahram; to the Hindus the reincarnation of Krishna; to the Buddhists the fifth Buddha.

Baha'u'llah describes the station of "Divinity" which He shares with all the Manifestations of God as

...the station in which one dieth to himself and liveth in God. Divinity, whenever I mention it, indicateth My complete and absolute self-effacement. This is the station in which I have no control over mine own weal or woe nor over my life nor over my resurrection.

And, regarding His own relationship to God, He testifies:

When I contemplate, O my God, the relationship that bindeth me to Thee, I am moved to proclaim to all created things "verily I am God"; and when I consider my own self, lo, I find it coarser than clay!

161. payment of Zakat #146

Zakat is referred to in the Qur'an as a regular charity binding upon Muslims. In due course the concept evolved into a form of alms-tax which imposed the obligation to give a fixed portion of certain categories of income, beyond specified limits, for the relief of the poor, for various charitable purposes, and to aid the Faith of God. The limit of exemption varied for different commodities, as did the percentage payable on the portion assessable.

Baha'u'llah states that the Baha'i law of Zakat follows "what hath been revealed in the Qur'an" (Q and A 107). Since such issues as the limits for exemption, the categories of income concerned, the frequency of payments, and the scale of rates for the various categories of Zakat are not mentioned in the Qur'an, these matters will have to be set forth in the future by the Universal House of Justice. Shoghi Effendi has indicated that pending such legislation the believers should, according to their means and possibilities, make regular contributions to the Baha'i Fund.

162. It is unlawful to beg, and it is forbidden to give to him who beggeth. #147

In a Tablet 'Abdu'l-Baha expounds the meaning of this verse. He states that "mendicancy is forbidden and that giving charity to people who take up begging as their profession is also prohibited". He further points out in that same Tablet: "The object is to uproot mendicancy altogether. However, if a person is incapable of earning a living, is stricken by dire poverty or becometh helpless, then it is incumbent on the wealthy or the Deputies to provide him with a monthly allowance for his subsistence... By 'Deputies' is meant the representatives of the people, that is to say the members of the House of Justice."

The prohibition against giving charity to people who beg does not preclude individuals and Spiritual Assemblies from extending financial assistance to the poor and needy or from providing them with opportunities to acquire such skills as would enable them to earn a livelihood (see note 56).

163. A fine ... had formerly been prescribed ... for anyone who was the cause of sadness to another #148

Baha'u'llah abrogates the law of the Persian Bayan concerning the payment of a fine in reparation for causing sadness to one's neighbour.

164. the sacred Lote-Tree # 148

The "sacred Lote-Tree" is a reference to the Sadratu'l-Muntaha, the "Tree beyond which there is no passing" (see note 128). It is used here symbolically to designate Baha'u'llah.

165. Recite ye the verses of God every morn and eventide. #149

Baha'u'llah states that the essential "requisite" for reciting "the verses of God" is the "eagerness and love" of the believers to "read the Word of God" (Q and A 68).

With regard to the definition of "verses of God", Baha'u'llah states that it refers to "all that hath been sent down from the Heaven of Divine Utterance". Shoghi Effendi, in a letter written to one of the believers in the East, has clarified that the term "verses of God" does not include the writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha; he has likewise indicated that this term does not apply to his own writings.

166. Ye have been enjoined to renew the furnishings of your homes after the passing of each nineteen years #151

Baha'u'llah confirms the injunction in the Arabic Bayan regarding the renewal, every nineteen years, of the furnishings of one's home, provided one is able to do so. 'Abdu'l-Baha relates this ordinance to the promotion of refinement and cleanliness. He explains that the purpose of the law is that one should change those furnishings that become old, lose their lustre and provoke repugnance. It does not apply to such things as rare or treasured articles, antiques or jewellery.

167. Wash your feet #152

The believers are exhorted in the Kitab-i-Aqdas to bathe regularly, to wear clean clothes and generally to be the essence of cleanliness and refinement. The Synopsis and Codification, section IV.D.3.y.i.-vii., summarizes the relevant provisions. In relation to the washing of the feet, Baha'u'llah states that it is preferable to use warm water; however, washing in cold water is also permissible (Q and A 97).

168. Ye have been prohibited from making use of pulpits. Whoso wisheth to recite unto you the verses of his Lord, let him sit on a chair placed upon a dais #154

These provisions have their antecedent in the Persian Bayan. The Bab forbade the use of pulpits for the delivery of sermons and the reading of the Text. He specified, instead, that to enable all to hear the Word of God clearly, a chair for the speaker should be placed upon a platform.

In comments on this law, 'Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi have made it clear that in the Mas{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}riqu'l-Ad{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}kar (where sermons are prohibited and only the words of Holy Scripture may be read) the reader may stand or sit, and if necessary to be better heard, may use a low moveable platform, but that no pulpit is permitted. In the case of meetings in places other than the Mas{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}riqu'l-Ad{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}kar, it is also permissible for the reader or speaker to sit or stand, and to use a platform. In one of His Tablets, when reiterating the prohibition of the use of pulpits in any location, 'Abdu'l-Baha has stressed that when Baha'is deliver their speeches in gatherings, they are to do so in an attitude of utmost humility and self-abnegation.

169. Gambling #155

The activities that are included in this prohibition have not been outlined in the Writings of Baha'u'llah. As both 'Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi have indicated, it is left to the Universal House of Justice to specify the details of this prohibition. In response to questions about whether lotteries, betting on such things as horse races and football games, bingo, and the like, are included under the prohibition of gambling, the Universal House of Justice has indicated that this is a matter that will be considered in detail in the future. In the meantime, the Assemblies and individuals are counselled not to make an issue of these matters and to leave it to the conscience of the individual believers.

The House of Justice has ruled that it is not appropriate for funds for the Faith to be raised through lotteries, raffles, and games of chance.

170. the use of opium ... any substance that induceth sluggishness and torpor #155

This prohibition of the use of opium is reiterated by Baha'u'llah in the final paragraph of the Kitab-i-Aqdas. In this connection, Shoghi Effendi stated that one of the requirements for "a chaste and holy life" is "total abstinence ... from opium, and from similar habit-forming drugs". Heroin, hashish and other derivatives of cannabis such as marijuana, as well as hallucinogenic agents such as LSD, peyote and similar substances, are regarded as falling under this prohibition.

'Abdu'l-Baha has written:

As to opium, it is foul and accursed. God protect us from the punishment He inflicteth on the user. According to the explicit Text of the Most Holy Book, it is forbidden, and its use is utterly condemned. Reason showeth that smoking opium is a kind of insanity, and experience attesteth that the user is completely cut off from the human kingdom. May God protect all against the perpetration of an act so hideous as this, an act which layeth in ruins the very foundation of what it is to be human, and which causeth the user to be dispossessed for ever and ever. For opium fasteneth on the soul so that the user's conscience dieth, his mind is blotted away, his perceptions are eroded. It turneth the living into the dead. It quencheth the natural heat. No greater harm can be conceived than that which opium inflicteth. Fortunate are they who never even speak the name of it; then think how wretched is the user.

O ye lovers of God! In this, the cycle of Almighty God, violence and force, constraint and oppression, are one and all condemned. It is, however, mandatory that the use of opium be prevented by any means whatsoever, that perchance the human race may be delivered from this most powerful of plagues. And otherwise, woe and misery to whoso falleth short of his duty to his Lord.

In one of His Tablets 'Abdu'l-Baha has stated concerning opium: "the user, the buyer and the seller are all deprived of the bounty and grace of God".

In yet another Tablet, 'Abdu'l-Baha has written:

Regarding hashish you have pointed out that some Persians have become habituated to its use. Gracious God! This is the worst of all intoxicants, and its prohibition is explicitly revealed. Its use causeth the disintegration of thought and the complete torpor of the soul. How could anyone seek the fruit of the infernal tree, and by partaking of it, be led to exemplify the qualities of a monster? How could one use this forbidden drug, and thus deprive himself of the blessings of the All-Merciful? Alcohol consumeth the mind and causeth man to commit acts of absurdity, but this opium, this foul fruit of the infernal tree, and this wicked hashish extinguish the mind, freeze the spirit, petrify the soul, waste the body and leave man frustrated and lost.

It should be noted that the above prohibition against taking certain classes of drugs does not forbid their use when prescribed by qualified physicians as part of a medical treatment.

171. the "mystery of the Great Reversal in the Sign of the Sovereign" #157

S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}ayk{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~} Ahmad-i-Ahsa'i (1753-1831), who was the founder of the S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}ayk{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}i School and the first of the "twin luminaries that heralded the advent of the Faith of the Bab", prophesied that at the appearance of the Promised One all things would be reversed, the last would be first, the first last. Baha'u'llah in one of His Tablets refers to the "symbol and allusion" of the "mystery of the Great Reversal in the Sign of the Sovereign". He states: "Through this reversal He hath caused the exalted to be abased and the abased to be exalted", and He recalls that "in the days of Jesus, it was those who were distinguished for their learning, the men of letters and religion, who denied Him, whilst humble fishermen made haste to gain admittance into the Kingdom" (see also note 172). For additional information about S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}ayk{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~} Ahmad-i-Ahsa'i see The Dawn-Breakers, chapters 1 and 10.

172. the "Six" raised up by virtue of this "Upright Alif" #157

In his writings, S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}ayk{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~} Ahmad-i-Ahsa'i placed great emphasis on the Arabic letter "Vav". In The Dawn-Breakers, Nabil states that this letter "symbolized for the Bab the advent of a new cycle of Divine Revelation, and has since been alluded to by Baha'u'llah in the Kitab-i-Aqdas in such passages as 'the mystery of the Great Reversal' and 'the Sign of the Sovereign'".

The name for the letter "Vav" consists of three letters: Vav, Alif, Vav. According to the abjad reckoning, the numerical value of each of these letters is 6, 1 and 6 respectively. Shoghi Effendi in a letter written on his behalf to one of the believers in the East provides an interpretation of this verse of the Aqdas. He states that the "Upright Alif" refers to the advent of the Bab. The first letter with its value of six, which comes before the Alif, is a symbol of earlier Dispensations and Manifestations which predate the Bab, while the third letter, which also has a numerical value of six, stands for Baha'u'llah's supreme Revelation which was made manifest after the Alif.

173. It hath been forbidden you to carry arms unless essential #159

Baha'u'llah confirms an injunction contained in the Bayan which makes it unlawful to carry arms, unless it is necessary to do so. With regard to circumstances under which the bearing of arms might be "essential" for an individual, 'Abdu'l-Baha gives permission to a believer for self-protection in a dangerous environment. Shoghi Effendi in a letter written on his behalf has also indicated that, in an emergency, when there is no legal force at hand to appeal to, a Baha'i is justified in defending his life. There are a number of other situations in which weapons are needed and can be legitimately used; for instance, in countries where people hunt for their food and clothing, and in such sports as archery, marksmanship, and fencing.

On the societal level, the principle of collective security enunciated by Baha'u'llah (see Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, CXVII) and elaborated by Shoghi Effendi (see the Guardian's letters in The World Order of Baha'u'llah) does not presuppose the abolition of the use of force, but prescribes "a system in which Force is made the servant of Justice", and which provides for the existence of an international peace-keeping force that "will safeguard the organic unity of the whole commonwealth". In the Tablet of Bis{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}arat, Baha'u'llah expresses the hope that "weapons of war throughout the world may be converted into instruments of reconstruction and that strife and conflict may be removed from the midst of men".

In another Tablet Baha'u'llah stresses the importance of fellowship with the followers of all religions; He also states that "the law of holy war hath been blotted out from the Book".

174. and permitted you to attire yourselves in silk #159

According to Islamic practice, the wearing of silk by men was generally forbidden, except in times of holy war. This prohibition, which was not based on the verses of the Qur'an, was abrogated by the Bab.

175. The Lord hath relieved you ... of the restrictions that formerly applied to clothing and to the trim of the beard. #159

Many rules about dress had their origins in the laws and traditional practices of the world's religions. For example, the S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}i'ih clergy adopted for themselves a distinctive headdress and robes and, at one time, forbade the people to adopt European attire. Muslim practice, in its desire to emulate the custom of the Prophet, also introduced a number of restrictions with regard to the trim of the moustache and the length of the beard.

Baha'u'llah removed such limitations on one's apparel and beard. He leaves such matters to the "discretion" of the individual, and at the same time calls upon the believers not to transgress the bounds of propriety and to exercise moderation in all that pertains to dress.

176. O Land of Kaf and Ra! #164

Kaf and Ra are the first two consonants of Kirman, the name of a city and province of Iran.

177. We perceive that which secretly and stealthily diffuseth from thee. #164

This passage is a reference to the intrigues of a group of Azalis, followers of Mirza Yahya (see note 190), associated with the city of Kirman. They include Mulla Ja'far, his son S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}ayk{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~} Ahmad-i-Ruhi and Mirza Aqa K{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}an-i-Kirmani (both sons-in-law of Mirza Yahya), as well as Mirza Ahmad-i-Kirmani. They not only sought to undermine the Faith, but involved themselves in political intrigues which culminated in the assassination of Nasiri'd-Din S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}ah.

178. Call ye to mind the s{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}ayk{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~} whose name was Muhammad-Hasan #166

S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}ayk{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~} Muhammad-Hasan, one of the leading exponents of S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}i'ih Islam, rejected the Bab. The author of voluminous writings on S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}i'ih jurisprudence, he is reported to have died around 1850.

Nabil, in The Dawn-Breakers, describes the encounter that took place in Najaf between Mulla 'Aliy-i-Bastami, one of the Letters of the Living, and S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}ayk{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~} Muhammad-Hasan. During the meeting, Mulla 'Ali announced the manifestation of the Bab and extolled the potency of His Revelation. At the instigation of the s{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}ayk{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}, Mulla 'Ali was forthwith pronounced a heretic and expelled from the assembly. He was put on trial, transported to Istanbul, and condemned to hard labour.

179. a sifter of wheat and barley # 166

This is an allusion to Mulla Muhammad Ja'far Gandum-Pak-Kun, the first person in Isfahan to accept the Faith of the Bab. He is mentioned in the Persian Bayan and praised as one who "donned the robe of discipleship". In The Dawn-Breakers, Nabil describes the unreserved acceptance of the Message by the "sifter of wheat" and his zealous advocacy of the new Revelation. He joined the company of the defenders of the Fort of S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}ayk{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~} Tabarsi and perished during that siege.

180. Take heed lest the word "Prophet" withhold you from this Most Great Announcement #167

Baha'u'llah cautions people "of insight" not to allow their interpretations of the Holy Scriptures to prevent them from recognizing the Manifestation of God. Followers of each religion have tended to allow their devotion to its Founder to cause them to perceive His Revelation as the final Word of God and to deny the possibility of the appearance of any subsequent Prophet. This has been the case of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Baha'u'llah denies the validity of this concept of finality both in relation to past Dispensations and to His own. With regard to Muslims, He wrote in the Kitab-i-Iqan that the "people of the Qur'an ... have allowed the words 'Seal of the Prophets' to veil their eyes", "to obscure their understanding, and deprive them of the grace of all His manifold bounties". He affirms that "this theme hath ... been a sore test unto all mankind", and laments the fate of "those who, clinging unto these words, have disbelieved in Him Who is their true Revealer". The Bab refers to this same theme when He warns: "Let not names shut you out as by a veil from Him Who is their Lord, even the name Prophet, for such a name is but a creation of His utterance."

181. any reference to "Vicegerency" debar you from the sovereignty of Him Who is the Vicegerent of God #167

The word here translated "Vicegerency" is, in the original Arabic, "vilayat", which has a range of meanings including "vicegerency", "guardianship", "protectorship" and "successorship". It is used in relation to God Himself, to His Manifestation, or to those who are the appointed Successors of a Manifestation.

In this verse of the Aqdas, Baha'u'llah warns against allowing such concepts to blind one to the "sovereignty" of the new Divine Manifestation, the true "Vicegerent of God".

182. Call ye to mind Karim #170

Haji Mirza Muhammad Karim K{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}an-i-Kirmani (1810- circa 1873) was the self-appointed leader of the S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}ayk{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}i community after the death of Siyyid Kazim, who was the appointed successor to S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}ayk{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~} Ahmad-i-Ahsa'i (see notes 171 and 172). He dedicated himself to the promotion of the teachings of S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}ayk{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~} Ahmad. The opinions he expressed became the subject of controversy among his supporters and opponents alike.

Regarded as one of the leading savants and prolific authors of his age, he composed numerous books and epistles in the various fields of learning that were cultivated in those times. He actively opposed both the Bab and Baha'u'llah, and used his treatises to attack the Bab and His Teachings. In the Kitab-i-Iqan, Baha'u'llah condemns the tone and content of his writings and singles out for criticism one of his works which contains negative allusions to the Bab. Shoghi Effendi describes him as "inordinately ambitious and hypocritical" and describes how he "at the special request of the S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}ah had in a treatise viciously attacked the new Faith and its doctrines".

183. O ye the learned ones in Baha #173

Baha'u'llah eulogizes the learned among His followers. In the Book of His Covenant, He wrote: "Blessed are the rulers and learned among the people of Baha." Referring to this statement, Shoghi Effendi has written:

In this holy cycle the "learned" are, on the one hand, the Hands of the Cause of God, and, on the other, the teachers and diffusers of His Teachings who do not rank as Hands, but who have attained an eminent position in the teaching work. As to the "rulers" they refer to the members of the Local, National and International Houses of Justice. The duties of each of these souls will be determined in the future.

The Hands of the Cause of God were individuals appointed by Baha'u'llah and charged with various duties, especially those of protecting and propagating His Faith. In Memorials of the Faithful 'Abdu'l-Baha referred to other outstanding believers as Hands of the Cause, and in His Will and Testament He included a provision calling upon the Guardian of the Faith to appoint Hands of the Cause at his discretion. Shoghi Effendi first raised posthumously a number of the believers to the rank of Hands of the Cause, and during the latter years of his life appointed a total of 32 believers from all continents to this position. In the period between the passing of Shoghi Effendi in 1957 and the election of the Universal House of Justice in 1963, the Hands of the Cause directed the affairs of the Faith in their capacity as Chief Stewards of Baha'u'llah's embryonic World Commonwealth (see note 67). In November 1964, the Universal House of Justice determined that it could not legislate to make it possible to appoint Hands of the Cause. Instead, by a decision of the House of Justice in 1968, the functions of the Hands of the Cause in relation to protecting and propagating the Faith were extended into the future by the creation of the Continental Boards of Counsellors, and in 1973 through the establishment of the International Teaching Centre, which has its seat in the Holy Land.

The Universal House of Justice appoints the Counsellor members of the International Teaching Centre and the Continental Counsellors. Members of Auxiliary Boards are appointed by the Continental Counsellors. All these individuals fall within the definition of the "learned" given by Shoghi Effendi in the statement quoted above.

184. refer ye whatsoever ye understand not in the Book to Him Who hath branched from this mighty Stock #174

Baha'u'llah invests 'Abdu'l-Baha with the right of interpreting His holy Writ (see also note 145).

185. the School of Transcendent Oneness #175

In this verse and the ones which immediately follow it, Baha'u'llah confronts one of the reasons some of the Babis rejected His claim to be the Promised One of the Bayan. Their rejection was based on a Tablet addressed by the Bab to "Him Who will be made manifest" on the reverse side of which the Bab had written: "May the glances of Him Whom God shall make manifest illumine this letter at the primary school." This Tablet is published in Selections from the Writings of the Bab.

These Babis maintained that, since Baha'u'llah was two years older than the Bab, it was not possible for Him to receive this Tablet "at the primary school".

Baha'u'llah here explains that the reference is to events transpiring in the spiritual worlds beyond this plane of existence.

186. We accepted the verses of God ... which He presented unto Us #175

In His Tablet addressed to "Him Who will be made manifest", the Bab characterizes the Bayan as an offering from Him to Baha'u'llah. See Selections from the Writings of the Bab.

187. O people of the Bayan! #176

Reference to the followers of the Bab.

188. the letters B and E were joined and knit together #177

Shoghi Effendi, in letters written on his behalf, has explained the significance of the "letters B and E". They constitute the word "Be", which, he states, "means the creative Power of God Who through His command causes all things to come into being" and "the power of the Manifestation of God, His great spiritual creative force".

The imperative "Be" in the original Arabic is the word "kun", consisting of the two letters "kaf" and "nun". They have been translated by Shoghi Effendi in the above manner. This word has been used in the Qur'an as God's bidding calling creation into being.

189. this new World Order #181

In the Persian Bayan, the Bab stated: "Well is it with him who fixeth his gaze upon the Order of Baha'u'llah, and rendereth thanks unto his Lord. For He will assuredly be made manifest. God hath indeed irrevocably ordained it in the Bayan." Shoghi Effendi identifies this "Order" with the System Baha'u'llah envisages in the Aqdas, in which He testifies to its revolutionizing effect on the life of humanity and reveals the laws and principles which govern its operation.

The features of the "new World Order" are delineated in the Writings of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha and in the letters of Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice. The institutions of the present-day Baha'i Administrative Order, which constitute the "structural basis" of Baha'u'llah's World Order, will mature and evolve into the Baha'i World Commonwealth. In this regard, Shoghi Effendi affirms that the Administrative Order "will, as its component parts, its organic institutions, begin to function with efficiency and vigour, assert its claim and demonstrate its capacity to be regarded not only as the nucleus but the very pattern of the New World Order destined to embrace in the fullness of time the whole of mankind".

For additional information on the evolution of this new World Order, see, for example, the letters of Shoghi Effendi published in The World Order of Baha'u'llah.

190. O source of perversion! #184

This is a reference to Mirza Yahya, known as Subh-i-Azal (Morning of Eternity), a younger half-brother of Baha'u'llah, who arose against Him and opposed His Cause. Mirza Yahya was nominated by the Bab to serve as a figure-head for the Babi community pending the imminent manifestation of the Promised One. At the instigation of Siyyid Muhammad-i-Isfahani (see note 192), Mirza Yahya betrayed the trust of the Bab, claimed to be His successor, and intrigued against Baha'u'llah, even attempting to have Him murdered. When Baha'u'llah formally declared His Mission to him in Adrianople, Mirza Yahya responded by going to the length of putting forward his own claim to be the recipient of an independent Revelation. His pretensions were eventually rejected by all but a few, who became known as Azalis (see note 177). He is described by Shoghi Effendi as the "Arch-Breaker of the Covenant of the Bab" (see God Passes By, chapter X).

191. remember how We nurtured thee by day and by night for service to the Cause #184

In _God Passes By_, Shoghi Effendi refers to the fact that Baha'u'llah, Who was thirteen years older than Mirza Yahya, had counselled him and watched over his early youth and manhood.

192. God hath laid hold on him who led thee astray. #184

A reference to Siyyid Muhammad-i-Isfahani, who is described by Shoghi Effendi as the "Antichrist of the Baha'i Revelation". He was a man of corrupt character and great personal ambition who induced Mirza Yahya to oppose Baha'u'llah and to claim prophethood for himself (see note 190). Although he was an adherent of Mirza Yahya, Siyyid Muhammad was exiled with Baha'u'llah to Akka. He continued to agitate and plot against Baha'u'llah. In describing the circumstances of his death, Shoghi Effendi has written in God Passes By:

A fresh danger now clearly threatened the life of Baha'u'llah. Though He Himself had stringently forbidden His followers, on several occasions, both verbally and in writing, any retaliatory acts against their tormentors, and had even sent back to Beirut an irresponsible Arab convert, who had meditated avenging the wrongs suffered by his beloved Leader, seven of the companions clandestinely sought out and slew three of their persecutors, among whom were Siyyid Muhammad and Aqa Jan.

The consternation that seized an already oppressed community was indescribable. Baha'u'llah's indignation knew no bounds. "Were We", He thus voices His emotions, in a Tablet revealed shortly after this act had been committed, "to make mention of what befell Us, the heavens would be rent asunder and the mountains would crumble." "My captivity", He wrote on another occasion, "cannot harm Me. That which can harm Me is the conduct of those who love Me, who claim to be related to Me, and yet perpetrate what causeth My heart and My pen to groan."

193. Select ye a single language ... adopt ye ... a common script. #189

Baha'u'llah enjoins the adoption of a universal language and script. His Writings envisage two stages in this process. The first stage is to consist of the selection of an existing language or an invented one which would then be taught in all the schools of the world as an auxiliary to the mother tongues. The governments of the world through their parliaments are called upon to effect this momentous enactment. The second stage, in the distant future, would be the eventual adoption of one single language and common script for all on earth.

194. We have appointed two signs for the coming of age of the human race #189

The first sign of the coming of age of humanity referred to in the Writings of Baha'u'llah is the emergence of a science which is described as that "divine philosophy" which will include the discovery of a radical approach to the transmutation of elements. This is an indication of the splendours of the future stupendous expansion of knowledge.

Concerning the "second" sign which Baha'u'llah indicates to have been revealed in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, Shoghi Effendi states that Baha'u'llah, "...in His Most Holy Book, has enjoined the selection of a single language and the adoption of a common script for all on earth to use, an injunction which, when carried out, would, as He Himself affirms in that Book, be one of the signs of the 'coming of age of the human race'".

Further insight into this process of mankind's coming of age and proceeding to maturity is provided by the following statement of Baha'u'llah:

One of the signs of the maturity of the world is that no one will accept to bear the weight of kingship. Kingship will remain with none willing to bear alone its weight. That day will be the day whereon wisdom will be manifested among mankind.

The coming of age of the human race has been associated by Shoghi Effendi with the unification of the whole of mankind, the establishment of a world commonwealth, and an unprecedented stimulus to "the intellectual, the moral and spiritual life of the entire human race".

GLOSSARY

'Abdu'l-Baha The "Servant of Baha", Abbas Effendi (1844-1921), the eldest son and appointed Successor of Baha'u'llah, and the Centre of His Covenant. Abjad The ancient Arabic system of allocating a numerical value to letters of the alphabet, so that numbers may be represented by letters and vice versa. Thus every word has both a literal meaning and a numerical value. Bab, The Literally the "Gate", the title assumed by Mirza 'Ali-Muhammad (1819-1850) after the Declaration of His Mission in S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}iraz in May 1844. He was the Founder of the Babi Faith and the Herald of Baha'u'llah. Baha Baha means Glory. It is the Greatest Name of God and a title by which Baha'u'llah is designated. Also, the name of the first month of the Baha'i year and of the first day of each Baha'i month. Baha'u'llah The "Glory of God", title of Mirza Husayn-'Ali (1817-1892), the Founder of the Baha'i Faith. Bayan The Bayan ("Exposition") is the title given by the Bab to His Book of Laws, and it is also applied to the entire body of His Writings. The Persian Bayan is the major doctrinal work and principal repository of the laws ordained by the Bab. The Arabic Bayan is parallel in content but smaller and less weighty. References in the annotations to subjects found in both the Persian Bayan and the Arabic Bayan are identified by use of the term "Bayan" without further qualification. Huququ'llah The "Right of God". Instituted in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, it is an offering made by the Baha'is through the Head of the Faith for the purposes specified in the Baha'i Writings. Mas{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}riqu'l-Ad{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}kar Literally "the Dawning-place of the praise of God", the designation of the Baha'i House of Worship and its dependencies. Mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qal

A unit of weight, equivalent to a little over 3 1/2 grammes, used in the Kitab-i-Aqdas with reference to quantities of gold or silver for various purposes, usually in amounts of 9, 19 or 95 mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qals. The equivalents of these in the metric system and in troy ounces (which are used in the measurement of precious metals), are as follows:

- 9 mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qals = 32.775 grammes = 1.05374 troy ounces - 19 mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qals = 69.192 grammes = 2.22456 troy ounces - 95 mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qals = 345.958 grammes = 11.12282 troy ounces

This computation is based on the guidance of Shoghi Effendi, conveyed in a letter written on his behalf, which states "one mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qal consists of nineteen nak{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}uds. The weight of twenty-four nak{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}uds equals four and three-fifths grammes. Calculations may be made on this basis." The mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qal traditionally used in the Middle East had consisted of 24 nak{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}uds but in the Bayan this was changed to 19 nak{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}uds and Baha'u'llah confirmed this as the size of the mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qal referred to in the Baha'i laws (Q and A 23).

Nak{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}ud A unit of weight. See "mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qal". Qayyumu'l-Asma The Bab's commentary on the Surih of Joseph in the Qur'an. Revealed in 1844, this work is characterized by Baha'u'llah as "the first, the greatest, and mightiest of all books" in the Babi Dispensation. Shoghi Effendi Shoghi Effendi (1897-1957), Guardian of the Baha'i Faith from 1921-1957. He was the eldest grandson of 'Abdu'l-Baha and was appointed by Him as the Head of the Faith. Siyah-C{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}al Literally "the Black Pit". The dark, foul-smelling, subterranean dungeon in Tihran where Baha'u'llah was imprisoned for four months in 1852.

FOOTNOTES

1 Napoleon III

2 Tihran

3 K{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}urasan

4 The Bab

5 The Bab's

6 Baha'u'llah

7 The Bab

8 The Bab

9 Baha'u'llah

10 Kirman

11 The Bab

12 Baha'u'llah

13 First month of the Islamic lunar calendar

14 In Arabic the two verses differ in gender

15 This relates to the minimum duration of a journey which exempts the traveller from fasting

16 The vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere

17 The Tablet containing the three Obligatory Prayers now in use

18 Qur'an 2:115

19 This refers to a volume of approximately one half of a cubic metre

20 Colour, taste and smell

21 Adrianople

22 The method of dividing the estate is to be applied in cases of intestacy. See item o. in this section