PLEASE NOTE: 2024 is my ninth consecutive year of analysing a book of scripture central to a religion. Before The Kitáb-i-Aqdas, I absorbed the teachings of The Quran (Islam - 2016), The Satanic Bible (LaVeyan Satanism - 2017), Dianetics (Scientology - 2018), The Bible (Christianity - 2019), The Book Of The Law (Thelema - 2020), the Tao Te Ching (Taoism - 2021), The Corpus Hermeticum (Hermeticism - 2022), and The Secret Doctrine (Theosophy - 2023). Check them all out and you will be different for it.
When I initially encountered the Baháʼí Faith, an intense wave of excitement was attached to it. Look at this! A belief whose foundational perspectives are acutely congruent with mine! In particular, it was the understanding that every religion is identical and we can (or even should!) unify them as one.
This ideological meeting point brought eager questions. How snug could my thoughts sit within Baháʼí Faith? Was I, indeed, a Baháʼí all along? To find out, I spent many years dabbing at the knowledge of their history, prophet(s), and teachings. But in 2024, I took the proper plunge by reading their most central text, the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, picking apart the aspects I adored, as well as those I did not adore quite so much. Like every spiritual journey, it is a long one for both the religion and myself, and so I appreciate anyone dedicating themselves to this article as we start from the start.
Islam is the start! Baháʼí Faith is essentially an Abrahamic Religion (i.e. worships the exclusive monotheistic Yahweh/Allah God), so it makes sense that it continues from the most recent faith from the major trilogy. May we never forget that Islam, too, reveres numerous prophets from the Judaism timeline onwards, which includes plenty you may have heard of, such as Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and, of course, their divine founder, Muhammad; peace be upon him.
After Muhammad's passing (632 CE), Islam fractured as to who was the rightful Islamic successor. Two main groups dominated the conversation: Shia Islam and Sunni Islam. Sunni is the most popular (85–90% of adherents), and therefore, there is a high chance that the majority of Muslims you've met subscribe to that domination. But it is the Shia branch where we are headed.
Shia Islam talks of their "Imams" as the line of individuals who supervise the community and interpret the Quran since the Prophet. There have been 12 official Imams, concluding with Muhammad al-Mahdi, who died around 874 CE. Unfortunately, he did not submit an heir, and this caused even greater confusion as people searched and argued over who the rightful leader was. To heighten matters, there was an additional prediction that in the mid-1800s, the Mahdi would return. This figure is supposed to appear at the End of Times, ridding the world of evil before Jesus' Second Coming.
So, when the 1800s rolled along, the anticipation of change vibrated across Islamic nations. And it just so happened that in 1819, a baby was born in Iran, now known as The Báb. Once he came of age, he announced himself as the modern Imam and, later, even the Mahdi himself! Big claims! He founded the Bábism religion in 1844, and everyone welcomed their new prophet with open arms.
Kidding!
While his following spread fast and wide, the hostility from traditional Muslims was fierce, with many murdered on both sides. The Báb was put on trial, and yet, surprisingly, was not executed, which suggests some reluctance from the Persian Empire to kill a potential legit holy leader. Even if they did not believe, they believed enough! Instead, they imprisoned The Báb, where he authored The Bayán, the most crucial text of the Bábi Faith (Bábism). This book is part of what has been called an impossible amount of writings attributed to the man, all of which appear to be heavily inspired by Sufism (Islamic mysticism).
The Báb taught many things, but perhaps his most well-known theory is about the Manifestations of God. These were the prophets of each religion, summoned by the Lord to realign the spirituality of the era. In this way, every faith was not only correct but was identical in that these were messengers of the same God's word, offering revised education for a modern era (with The Báb as the most up-to-date).
One could rightfully point out that this was what Islam had already said about Judaism and Christianity. However, Bábism was even more inclusive, and devotees have placed Krishna, Gautama Buddha, and The Great Peacemaker of Native America on equal podiums. The details check out, as each taught indistinguishable rules. Love one another. Give with compassion. Do unto others as you'd like done unto yourself. Have some belief in a metaphysical reality bigger than us. Find your way to God through prayer or meditation. These are far from conflicting proposals.
The Bábism ambition was to merge every religion under one umbrella to achieve world harmony. Of course, all it managed to do was create further division through yet another religion. Furthermore, as the self-proclaimed most recent development of God's voice, The Báb obviously declared himself as the most correct, so everyone needed to follow him above the others. Such an approach always works, if you speak sarcasm.
In 1850, management had enough, and they ordered the execution of The Báb after all. What's fascinating is that, while the details differ, it is historically agreed that The Báb faced a firing squad and not a bullet hit him. Again, that is not a folklore tale; it is an absolute fact, one that the Báb followers rightfully use as proof of his elevated status. Then again, perhaps the men behind the guns intentionally missed? Each not wanting to be cosmically responsible for killing the legit Mahdi? Still, whatever it was, it wasn't enough to stop the second round, which got the death done.
Now, before The Báb died, he spoke of the next Manifestation of God, who was not only going to be far superior to The Báb but was also expected to arrive very soon. In the meantime, a man named Subh-i-Azal took over Bábism, and while he was considered a holy dude (eventually starting his own religion called Azali), it was his younger brother, Baháʼu'lláh, who seizes this story (much to Subh-i-Azal's dismay, but that's a whole different plotline).
Baháʼu'lláh was born in 1817, Iran. He was a passionate follower of Bábism and, like many of his comrades, found himself imprisoned for these beliefs. During incarceration, he received revelations that he was, in fact, The Báb's next prophesied Manifestation of God. In 1863, he went public with his new religion, which offered some minor tweaks to Bábism. And it was known as... Baháʼí Faith! Finally!
One teaching Baháʼu'lláh doubled down on was that of unification, not only with God and religion but with humanity as well. He claimed that the Manifestation of God's duty was to diagnose the spiritual disease of the current age and then prescribe the cure. In his eyes, our prominent problem was the disconnection of the One Human Being Family, be it through racism, sexism, nationalism, or economic disparity. Baháʼu'lláh also strongly supported science, believing that this field was imperative to advancing spirituality, and the two must be reconciled. Perhaps his most famous quote (and one of my favourites) is:
"Religion without science is superstition. Science without religion is materialism." - Bahá'u'lláh
I agree! Along with this, Bahá'u'lláh had some interest in numerology, declaring nine as the holiest number. It makes some sense, as nine is technically the highest digit; you start combining them after that. For this reason, nine represents completeness and is found everywhere within the Faith. Their symbol is a nine-pointed star. Their buildings must have nine entrances, nine pathways, and nine gardens. If there's a number, it's nine.
Perhaps because of this, but most likely because of other things, the immediate reaction to Baháʼí Faith was mixed. On the one hand, the vast majority of Bábís quickly accepted Bahá'u'lláh's word and made the conversion. Accordingly, Bábism hardly exists anymore, even if some old-school devotees hang around. On the other hand, the religious authorities didn't like these statements, and they imprisoned Bahá'u'lláh in now-Israel for the rest of his life, at first in a jail in 'Akká, but then in the lovely Mansion of Bahjí. After a brief illness, he died in 1892 at age 74. He was buried right by his mansion in the Shrine of Baháʼu'lláh, a sacred pilgrimage spot for Baháʼís.
As one would expect, Bahá'u'lláh wrote a wealth of content during his life, but the Kitáb-i-Aqdas (1873) is the central Baháʼí Faith text as its name literally translates to "The Most Holy Book." Within it, we find short verses covering various principles, including ethics, prophecies, and instructions for the Baháʼí institutions. However, above everything else, it is a collection of laws and practices that followers must obey. The whole thing is a quick read with only 190 passages, but the Baháʼís have fleshed out modern editions with prayers, FAQs, and additional notes, which, to be fair, I would've been completely lost without.
There is a lot to love about the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. By its very design, Baháʼí Faith is a religion of progression, so their rendition of "God" is better suited to our current age. For starters, this supreme being is far less aggressive and pessimistic about our world than the one you'd find in The Quran and definitely The Torah. There's positivity and forgiveness in this book that softens the strict rules to favour guidelines intended to be gradually implemented across the globe. What's more (and something I appreciate) is that there are no clergy to Baháʼí Faith. The route between you and God is a two-way path without intermediatory spiritual police claiming higher levels than yourself. This type of liberal dogma goes a long way in Baháʼí Faith's attempt to include everyone within their boundaries.
That noted, Baháʼí Faith is not as broad-minded as people may think, including me when I first embarked on this study. While it does its best to knead out sexism, it still has a mile to go, as this book certainly prefers the male over the female. God's He/Him pronouns are one example. Inheritance laws, another.
An even stickier position is its absolute forbidding of homosexuality. Such a stance has caused major rifts in the Western world, and the Faith has tried multiple ways around it. Using what they call "sympathetic disapproval," they at least won't treat the gay community with prejudice, nor will they attempt to change them. However, Baháʼí Faith members are not allowed to promote same-sex marriage, and if one cannot "overcome the affliction" of homosexuality, they must remain celibate. Of course, this is a far kinder attitude than every previous Abrahamic religion, but let's also remember that the Kitáb-i-Aqdas was written in 1873. That's nearly a millennia-and-a-quarter after The Quran. If indeed you are a prophet of inclusivity, you should have prophecised that this demographic was about to expand beyond anything containable.
While we're comparing religious texts, I'd like to highlight my position as someone who has read both The Quran and The Bible. As mentioned (and as it's well known), these holy books hold immense intolerance and fierce consequences for those who deny their words. We can find relief in the fact that the Kitáb-i-Aqdas is almost entirely void of such hatred. However, in that same development, it loses so much more. Take The Bible, delivering its profound Jewish/Christian teachings through rich allegorical narratives. Or take The Quran, with its creamy poetic flows that immerse the reader in layers of complex meaning. These pieces continue to bewilder students today as we debate interpretations without ever finding the depths of the symbolic offerings. Meanwhile, The Kitáb-i-Aqdas, the "Most Holy Book," has none of this. There are no esoterics hidden between the lines, no effort required for the study, and consequently, the enigmatic qualities that make its predecessors so special are non-existent.
I am sure that Baháʼís will argue this is the point: it's simplified to reach a wider audience of understanding and, in that way, is superior. But for me, I am into this game for the cosmology, the otherwordly philosophy, the unpicking of the Universe's source code. Instead, we have essentially a compilation of legalities that is so yawny textbook that the resonance of the spirit in spirituality has been evaporated. Truthfully, not since The Satanic Bible have I felt such a distinct lack of emotional enlightenment in a so-called "Sacred Text." I understand that there are other Baháʼu'lláh articles that rub shoulders with Neoplatanism/Sufism, but this specific "Most Holy Book" sounded like a man who was making shit up as he went. Moreover, he was decidedly uninspired as he did so.
I guess with all religions, you're faced with a figure announcing themselves to be "The One," but unlike the obvious comparisons, I am uncertain why I must listen to this dude. What were his miracles? What makes his philosophy more impressive than, say, mine? And as his words droned on and on, and as I felt less and less drawn to him, and as I struggled more and more with his self-celebration, I realised that Bahá'u'lláh was just another guy with a god complex, claiming himself on par with Jesus or Muhammad. And, I mean, to be fair, maybe he was. And, to be even fairer, if he wasn't, his ideologies were still largely wonderful. Yet such a declaration of superiority does not sit well in our current age. Heck, it was a tall order in 1873, too!
How I see it now is that Baháʼí Faith was a successful hijack of Bábism, and even Bábism was little more than an expansion pack on Islam. Consequently, while I disagree with the ongoing oppression of the Baháʼí Faith in Islamic nations, I can completely rationalise why it is happening. Its country of origin, Iran, recognises and protects non-Muslim religions such as Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Baháʼí Faith complains that this is unfair, and yet, when you analyse their statements, they are in direct blasphemy of the Islamic religion. Almost the entire Kitáb-i-Aqdas is about altering the laws of the Quran, going so far as to change the direction of prayer from Mecca to the Shrine of Baháʼu'lláh. What audacity! This is further aggravated by the fact that they've hardly earned these authoritative powers. Granted, with a reported 8 million Bahá'ís worldwide, it's an impressive medium-sized religion growing faster than any other. But to explicitly challenge the holy text of 1.9 billion Muslims is something you better have a solid argument for. Of which, Bahá'í Faith does not.
Still, one has to admire Baháʼí Faith for the same reasons stated above. With their valiant attempts at global harmony, they also encounter grand opposition from extremely unforgiving religious groups, yet persevered until they globally blossomed. Bahá'u'lláh's son, Abdu'l-Bahá, helped spread the Faith to Europe and the United States, where it thrived. Perhaps the most notable Baháʼí is Rainn Wilson (Dwight Schrute in The Office). He is very open about his dedication to the religion, often partaking in promotional materials to circulate the word. In a way, he is like Tom Cruise in his associated theology. In fact, his spoken introduction to Baháʼí Faith is an entertaining source for beginners, and I'd recommend you listen to it here.
Another possible explanation behind Baháʼí Faith capturing the world's imagination is their Houses of Worship. These are architectural masterpieces that you can freely visit on every continent (bar Antarctica). As of 2024, eight are in existence, with many more planned. I have personally walked into four of these facilities, and let me assure you that there is a tangible energy hugged within these buildings that stand as some of the most gorgeous constructions I've had the pleasure—especially the ones in New Delhi, India, and Santiago, Chile.
During these visits and throughout my research for this analysis, I was fortunate enough to converse with numerous Baháʼís. And what I observed was that they each exuded a certain contentment, smiling at me through the peaceful demeanours of holy people who knew something I did not. I have said a lot about Baháʼí Faith above, not all of it favourable, but I feel that my experience with these followers conquers everything else. And while I am satisfied to move on with my spiritual quest without the Baháʼí label, I want my final thought to be one of admiration for a religion that pushes for reconciliation more than any that came before. God knows that is what the world needs right now.
Alright! As customary, the rest of this piece will feature extracts from the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, complete with my two cents on each. As the core texts from this book are a short read, a large section made its way below, but if you're interested in the complete show, you can read the full Kitáb-i-Aqdas for free here.
Again, I'd like to sing high praise for the Notes section of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. Without those, I was nothing.
Additional props to this video series from Let's Talk Religion. I'm not mentioning them because they were my exclusive Baháʼí Faith source (they were not), but because, as a channel, I always get so much for them. Let's Talk Religion deserves love. And yes, their Baháʼí Faith material is likely the best you'll find.
Finally, don't forget to check out my religion, Janthopoyism! Like Baháʼí Faith, we aim to merge every theology, but unlike Baháʼí Faith, we are open to all people, even the LGBTQ+ community.
Ok, please forgive any rushed speling erors and misinterpretations, and awayyyyy weeeee gooooo:
PREFACE/INTRODUCTION/DESCRIPTION
A lot of this section was absorbed into my introduction, such as the history behind the Baháʼí Faith. A fair section is about the English translation which assures us it has managed to maintain its Arabic magic. I have my doubts!
THE KITÁB-I-AQDAS
IN THE NAME OF HIM WHO IS THE SUPREME RULER OVER ALL THAT HATH BEEN AND ALL THAT IS TO BE
That's in the book, I didn't say that.
1. THE first duty prescribed by God for His servants is the recognition of Him Who is the Dayspring of His Revelation and the Fountain of His laws, Who representeth the Godhead in both the Kingdom of His Cause and the world of creation. Whoso achieveth this duty hath attained unto all good; and whoso is deprived thereof hath gone astray, though he be the author of every righteous deed. It behooveth everyone who reacheth this most sublime station, this summit of transcendent glory, to observe every ordinance of Him Who is the Desire of the world. These twin duties are inseparable. Neither is acceptable without the other. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Source of Divine inspiration.
Standard start. Believe in God, it feels good. It's mean to elevate you.
2. They whom God hath endued with insight will readily recognize that the precepts laid down by God constitute the highest means for the maintenance of order in the world and the security of its peoples. He that turneth away from them is accounted among the abject and foolish. We, verily, have commanded you to refuse the dictates of your evil passions and corrupt desires, and not to transgress the bounds which the Pen of the Most High hath fixed, for these are the breath of life unto all created things. The seas of Divine wisdom and Divine utterance have risen under the breath of the breeze of the All-Merciful. Hasten to drink your fill, O men of understanding! They that have violated the Covenant of God by breaking His commandments, and have turned back on their heels, these have erred grievously in the sight of God, the All-Possessing, the Most High.
Don't do bad stuff. Again, fairly typical, but we're warming up.
3. O ye peoples of the world! Know assuredly that My commandments are the lamps of My loving providence among My servants, and the keys of My mercy for My creatures. Thus hath it been sent down from the heaven of the Will of your Lord, the Lord of Revelation. Were any man to taste the sweetness of the words which the lips of the All-Merciful have willed to utter, he would, though the treasures of the earth be in his possession, renounce them one and all, that he might vindicate the truth of even one of His commandments, shining above the Dayspring of His bountiful care and loving-kindness.
What does "the Lord of Revelation" mean, exactly? God reveals stuff?
4. Say: From My laws the sweet-smelling savor of My garment can be smelled, and by their aid the standards of Victory will be planted upon the highest peaks. The Tongue of My power hath, from the heaven of My omnipotent glory, addressed to My creation these words: “Observe My commandments, for the love of My beauty.” Happy is the lover that hath inhaled the divine fragrance of his Best-Beloved from these words, laden with the perfume of a grace which no tongue can describe. By My life! He who hath drunk the choice wine of fairness from the hands of My bountiful favor will circle around My commandments that shine above the Dayspring of My creation.
The garment is in reference to Joseph's garment, the "coat of many colors", which is featured in Genesis, Old Testament. This gift to Joseph from his father, Jacob, makes his brothers jealous. They sell Joseph to some Ishmaelite, tear his coat up, dip it in goat's blood, and show it to their father. In that way, it has become a symbol of identification. Baháʼu'lláh often compared himself to Joseph.
5. Think not that We have revealed unto you a mere code of laws. Nay, rather, We have unsealed the choice Wine with the fingers of might and power. To this beareth witness that which the Pen of Revelation hath revealed. Meditate upon this, O men of insight!
Using wine as a metaphor is a good strategy to sell your message. Funny enough, drinking alcohol is prohibited in Baháʼí Faith.
6. We have enjoined obligatory prayer upon you, with nine rak‘ahs, to be offered at noon and in the morning and the evening unto God, the Revealer of Verses. We have relieved you of a greater number, as a command in the Book of God. He, verily, is the Ordainer, the Omnipotent, the Unrestrained. When ye desire to perform this prayer, turn ye towards the Court of My Most Holy Presence, this Hallowed Spot that God hath made the Center round which circle the Concourse on high, and which He hath decreed to be the Point of Adoration for the denizens of the Cities of Eternity, and the Source of Command unto all that are in heaven and on earth; and when the Sun of Truth and Utterance shall set, turn your faces towards the Spot that We have ordained for you. He, verily, is Almighty and Omniscient.
The obligatory prayers is something the book covers later, and so shall we. "Rak‘ahs" are like verses, naturally there are nine of them in Baháʼí Faith. As for facing "the Spot/Point of Adoration" (known as the Qiblih in Baháʼí), Baháʼu'lláh claims it as his final resting place, The Shrine of Baháʼu'lláh, in Israel. I find this weird, and is another reason why Muslims may have a problem with this religion changing such fundmemtnal details about their practice, such as facing Mecca during prayer.
7. Everything that is hath come to be through His irresistible decree. Whenever My laws appear like the sun in the heaven of Mine utterance, they must be faithfully obeyed by all, though My decree be such as to cause the heaven of every religion to be cleft asunder. He doeth what He pleaseth. He chooseth, and none may question His choice. Whatsoever He, the Well-Beloved, ordaineth, the same is, verily, beloved. To this He Who is the Lord of all creation beareth Me witness. Whoso hath inhaled the sweet fragrance of the All-Merciful, and recognized the Source of this utterance, will welcome with his own eyes the shafts of the enemy, that he may establish the truth of the laws of God amongst men. Well is it with him that hath turned thereunto, and apprehended the meaning of His decisive decree.
God does what he wants.
8. We have set forth the details of obligatory prayer in another Tablet. Blessed is he who observeth that whereunto he hath been bidden by Him Who ruleth over all mankind. In the Prayer for the Dead six specific passages have been sent down by God, the Revealer of Verses. Let one who is able to read recite that which hath been revealed to precede these passages; and as for him who is unable, God hath relieved him of this requirement. He, of a truth, is the Mighty, the Pardoner.
The obligatory prayer doesn't even exist hahaha. It has since been replace by the three used today. The original was on a tablet that was stolen by one of Baháʼu'lláh's sons, Mírzá Muhammad ʻAlí, after his father's death. Muhammad ʻAlí then attempted to take over Baháʼí Faith as its new global leader, but due his forceful apporach, lost everything in a legal battle to Shoghi Effendi, the grandson of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (Baháʼu'lláh's first son). Mírzá Muhammad ʻAlí is now known as the "arch-breaker of the Covenant of Baháʼu'lláh."
The Prayer for the Dead is coming later.
10. We have commanded you to pray and fast from the beginning of maturity; this is ordained by God, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers. He hath exempted from this those who are weak from illness or age, as a bounty from His Presence, and He is the Forgiving, the Generous. God hath granted you leave to prostrate yourselves on any surface that is clean, for We have removed in this regard the limitation that had been laid down in the Book; God, indeed, hath knowledge of that whereof ye know naught. Let him that findeth no water for ablution repeat five times the words “In the Name of God, the Most Pure, the Most Pure,” and then proceed to his devotions. Such is the command of the Lord of all worlds. In regions where the days and nights grow long, let times of prayer be gauged by clocks and other instruments that mark the passage of the hours. He, verily, is the Expounder, the Wise.
Prayer and fasting. "Age of maturity" is considered 15 for both genders, which is fair. Exemption from prayer/fasting if you're sick is also fair, but is nothing different from the Quran. It's around this point that my notes started to turn, where I wrote "I love how these books claim to have a direct line to God." This uncomfortable sense persisted throughout my reading of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas as a book that dubbed itself holy without packing the punch of its predecessors.
11. We have absolved you from the requirement of performing the Prayer of the Signs. On the appearance of fearful natural events call ye to mind the might and majesty of your Lord, He Who heareth and seeth all, and say “Dominion is God’s, the Lord of the seen and the unseen, the Lord of creation.”
Once again in direct conflict with Islam, Baháʼí Faith has annulled their "Prayer of the Signs." What's the point? Are you trying to make people angry? It worked.
13.God hath exempted women who are in their courses from obligatory prayer and fasting. Let them, instead, after performance of their ablutions, give praise unto God, repeating ninety-five times between the noon of one day and the next “Glorified be God, the Lord of Splendor and Beauty.” Thus hath it been decreed in the Book, if ye be of them that comprehend.
Much like Islam, women who are menstrating don't have to follow the rules, which makes sense especially with fasting. They must replace it with extra praise. Baháʼí Faith was pretty progressive on this topic. While many religions consider periods "unclean," this religion was quick to state this was not the case.
14. When traveling, if ye should stop and rest in some safe spot, perform ye—men and women alike—a single prostration in place of each unsaid Obligatory Prayer, and while prostrating say “Glorified be God, the Lord of Might and Majesty, of Grace and Bounty.” Whoso is unable to do this, let him say only “Glorified be God”; this shall assuredly suffice him. He is, of a truth, the all- sufficing, the ever-abiding, the forgiving, compassionate God. Upon completing your prostrations, seat yourselves cross-legged—men and women alike—and eighteen times repeat “Glorified be God, the Lord of the kingdoms of earth and heaven.” Thus doth the Lord make plain the ways of truth and guidance, ways that lead to one way, which is this Straight Path. Render thanks unto God for this most gracious favor; offer praise unto Him for this bounty that hath encompassed the heavens and the earth; extol Him for this mercy that hath pervaded all creation.
It's a big one! If you're not in a safe space, don't risk your life to say your prayers.
16. O Pen of the Most High! Say: O people of the world! We have enjoined upon you fasting during a brief period, and at its close have designated for you Naw-Rúz as a feast. Thus hath the Daystar of Utterance shone forth above the horizon of the Book as decreed by Him Who is the Lord of the beginning and the end. Let the days in excess of the months be placed before the month of fasting. We have ordained that these, amid all nights and days, shall be the manifestations of the letter Há, and thus they have not been bounded by the limits of the year and its months. It behooveth the people of Bahá, throughout these days, to provide good cheer for themselves, their kindred and, beyond them, the poor and needy, and with joy and exultation to hail and glorify their Lord, to sing His praise and magnify His Name; and when they end—these days of giving that precede the season of restraint—let them enter upon the Fast. Thus hath it been ordained by Him Who is the Lord of all mankind. The traveler, the ailing, those who are with child or giving suck, are not bound by the Fast; they have been exempted by God as a token of His grace. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Most Generous.
"Pen of the Most High" is Baháʼu'lláh referring to Baháʼu'lláh, lol. Prayer and fasting, like Islam, are pillars of Baháʼí Faith, but as we've already seen, there are exemptions. If you're outside of the 15 - 70 age range, you don't have to. Same with those who are ill, menstruating, or breastfeeding. I also appreciate that travellers have some leeway. There is some added kindness to this religion.
Naw-Rúz is the Baháʼí New Year, when the sun passes into the Aires constellation, usually around the 20th - 22nd of March. Baháʼí's have their own calendar, where one day is sunset to sunset.
17. These are the ordinances of God that have been set down in the Books and Tablets by His Most Exalted Pen. Hold ye fast unto His statutes and commandments, and be not of those who, following their idle fancies and vain imaginings, have clung to the standards fixed by their own selves, and cast behind their backs the standards laid down by God. Abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sundown, and beware lest desire deprive you of this grace that is appointed in the Book.
Fun to note that Baháʼu'lláh claimed smoke as a type of drink.
18. It hath been ordained that every believer in God, the Lord of Judgment, shall, each day, having washed his hands and then his face, seat himself and, turning unto God, repeat “Alláh-u-Abhá” ninety-five times. Such was the decree of the Maker of the Heavens when, with majesty and power, He established Himself upon the thrones of His Names. Perform ye, likewise, ablutions for the Obligatory Prayer; this is the command of God, the Incomparable, the Unrestrained.
The later notes section in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas pass some interesting information concerning this verse. The "Greatest Name of God" has, in some form, been a conversation since Judaism, yet the answer has remained hidden. I like that, it adds to the mystery, it keeps God as an unattainable force. However, Baháʼu'lláh decided to let it all out and he revealed to his followers that the Greatest Name of God is... Baha. Big fat surprise there.
19. Ye have been forbidden to commit murder or adultery, or to engage in backbiting or calumny; shun ye, then, what hath been prohibited in the holy Books and Tablets.
Straighforward and fair. I love that talking negatively behind someone's back is mentioned in the same breath as murder. Now is a good time to note that Baháʼí Faith probits sex outside of marriage.
20. We have divided inheritance into seven categories: to the children, We have allotted nine parts comprising five hundred and forty shares; to the wife, eight parts comprising four hundred and eighty shares; to the father, seven parts comprising four hundred and twenty shares; to the mother, six parts comprising three hundred and sixty shares; to the brothers, five parts or three hundred shares; to the sisters, four parts or two hundred and forty shares; and to the teachers, three parts or one hundred and eighty shares. Such was the ordinance of My Forerunner, He Who extolleth My Name in the night season and at the break of day. When We heard the clamor of the children as yet unborn, We doubled their share and decreased those of the rest. He, of a truth, hath power to ordain whatsoever He desireth, and He doeth as He pleaseth by virtue of His sovereign might.
Inheritance rules. It is my understanding that the founder of Bábism, Báb, set this out. Like a lot of Baháʼí Faith, it was developed from there.
The next several verses remain on this topic, and so we'll skip over them.
25. We have assigned the residence and personal clothing of the deceased to the male, not female, offspring, nor to the other heirs. He, verily, is the Munificent, the All-Bountiful.
An example of how, for all its progressivness, Baháʼí Faith remains dedicated to patriarchal lineage. The Q&A section later explains that if there is no son, then the daughters can get two-thirds of the father's clothing, one-third to the House of Justice.
It does make some sense, though. Apparently, the daughters inherit the mother's clothing, which isn't stated here but does help to soften the blow. Furthermore, the Q&A section points out that the male gets extra stuff because they also get extra responsibility. For example, when a father dies, the son steps up to take care of the mother.
26. Should the son of the deceased have passed away in the days of his father and have left children, they will inherit their father’s share, as prescribed in the Book of God. Divide ye their share amongst them with perfect justice. Thus have the billows of the Ocean of Utterance surged, casting forth the pearls of the laws decreed by the Lord of all mankind.
But then there's this. If a father's son has passed and leaves offspring, then those children get their grandfather's inheritence. Daughters are bypassed.
29. Say: This is that hidden knowledge which shall never change, since its beginning is with nine, the symbol that betokeneth the concealed and manifest, the inviolable and unapproachably exalted Name. As for what We have appropriated to the children, this is a bounty conferred on them by God, that they may render thanks unto their Lord, the Compassionate, the Merciful. These, verily, are the Laws of God; transgress them not at the prompting of your base and selfish desires. Observe ye the injunctions laid upon you by Him Who is the Dawning-place of Utterance. The sincere among His servants will regard the precepts set forth by God as the Water of Life to the followers of every faith, and the Lamp of wisdom and loving providence to all the denizens of earth and heaven.
Love a bit of hidden knowledge, and like many such claims, it's numerical. Here is first mention of the number nine, which is not only the holiest number in the faith, but also John Lennon's favourite digit.
30. The Lord hath ordained that in every city a House of Justice be established wherein shall gather counselors to the number of Bahá, and should it exceed this number it doth not matter. They should consider themselves as entering the Court of the presence of God, the Exalted, the Most High, and as beholding Him Who is the Unseen. It behooveth them to be the trusted ones of the Merciful among men and to regard themselves as the guardians appointed of God for all that dwell on earth. It is incumbent upon them to take counsel together and to have regard for the interests of the servants of God, for His sake, even as they regard their own interests, and to choose that which is meet and seemly. Thus hath the Lord your God commanded you. Beware lest ye put away that which is clearly revealed in His Tablet. Fear God, O ye that perceive.
Every city must have a local House of Justice. I'm unsure how far they've got with this ambitous instruction, but you'll be surprised either way. Check for your city, you probably have one.
"The number of Bahá" is obviously nine.
31. O people of the world! Build ye houses of worship throughout the lands in the name of Him Who is the Lord of all religions. Make them as perfect as is possible in the world of being, and adorn them with that which befitteth them, not with images and effigies. Then, with radiance and joy, celebrate therein the praise of your Lord, the Most Compassionate. Verily, by His remembrance the eye is cheered and the heart is filled with light.
This explains why the Baháʼí Houses of Worship are sooooo dope. What's cool about them is that they are all strikingly different yet are each a nine-sided shape with nine pathways and nine gardens around. At the time of this post, there are 8 official ones across the globe, at least one on every continent bar Antarctica. I have visited four.
32. The Lord hath ordained that those of you who are able shall make pilgrimage to the sacred House, and from this He hath exempted women as a mercy on His part. He, of a truth, is the All- Bountiful, the Most Generous.
There are two pilgrimage spots in Baháʼí Faith: the final resting place of The Báb, and that of Baháʼu'lláh. Egotistical and tasteless but what do I know? Women are exempt which sounds "All- Bountiful, the Most Generous" but, in my opinion, is condescending.
33. O people of Bahá! It is incumbent upon each one of you to engage in some occupation—such as a craft, a trade or the like. We have exalted your engagement in such work to the rank of worship of the one true God. Reflect, O people, on the grace and blessings of your Lord, and yield Him thanks at eventide and dawn. Waste not your hours in idleness and sloth, but occupy yourselves with what will profit you and others. Thus hath it been decreed in this Tablet from whose horizon hath shone the daystar of wisdom and utterance. The most despised of men in the sight of God are they who sit and beg. Hold ye fast unto the cord of means and place your trust in God, the Provider of all means.
Having a professional occupation is mandatory, which I agree with. The definition of occupation includes "homemaker", which I agree with again. However, in another tablet, Baháʼu'lláh states that those who are genuinely unfit to work should receive funds from the Faith. One more time: I agree.
34. The kissing of hands hath been forbidden in the Book. This practice is prohibited by God, the Lord of glory and command. To none is it permitted to seek absolution from another soul; let repentance be between yourselves and God. He, verily, is the Pardoner, the Bounteous, the Gracious, the One Who absolveth the repentant.
I could argue this as my favourite Baháʼí order. As no human has the power to absolve another's sins, practices like Catholic confession or kissing the hand of a religious figure is forbidden.
36. Amongst the people is he who seateth himself amid the sandals by the door whilst coveting in his heart the seat of honor. Say: What manner of man art thou, O vain and heedless one, who wouldst appear as other than thou art? And among the people is he who layeth claim to inner knowledge, and still deeper knowledge concealed within this knowledge. Say: Thou speakest false! By God! What thou dost possess is naught but husks which We have left to thee as bones are left to dogs. By the righteousness of the one true God! Were anyone to wash the feet of all mankind, and were he to worship God in the forests, valleys, and mountains, upon high hills and lofty peaks, to leave no rock or tree, no clod of earth, but was a witness to his worship—yet, should the fragrance of My good pleasure not be inhaled from him, his works would never be acceptable unto God. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Lord of all. How many a man hath secluded himself in the climes of India, denied himself the things that God hath decreed as lawful, imposed upon himself austerities and mortifications, and hath not been remembered by God, the Revealer of Verses. Make not your deeds as snares wherewith to entrap the object of your aspiration, and deprive not yourselves of this Ultimate Objective for which have ever yearned all such as have drawn nigh unto God. Say: The very life of all deeds is My good pleasure, and all things depend upon Mine acceptance. Read ye the Tablets that ye may know what hath been purposed in the Books of God, the All-Glorious, the Ever-Bounteous. He who attaineth to My love hath title to a throne of gold, to sit thereon in honor over all the world; he who is deprived thereof, though he sit upon the dust, that dust would seek refuge with God, the Lord of all Religions.
HUGE verse. It covers removal of shoes before entering a holy building, and then goes onto diss those who meddle with "esoteric knowledge" followed by those who live in seclusion, depriving themselves of God-given pleasures in the name of higher spirituality.
37. Whoso layeth claim to a Revelation direct from God, ere the expiration of a full thousand years, such a man is assuredly a lying impostor. We pray God that He may graciously assist him to retract and repudiate such claim. Should he repent, God will, no doubt, forgive him. If, however, he persisteth in his error, God will, assuredly, send down one who will deal mercilessly with him. Terrible, indeed, is God in punishing! Whosoever interpreteth this verse otherwise than its obvious meaning is deprived of the Spirit of God and of His mercy which encompasseth all created things. Fear God, and follow not your idle fancies. Nay, rather, follow the bidding of your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Wise. Erelong shall clamorous voices be raised in most lands. Shun them, O My people, and follow not the iniquitous and evilhearted. This is that of which We gave you forewarning when We were dwelling in ‘Iráq, then later while in the Land of Mystery, and now from this Resplendent Spot.
"Whoso layeth claim to a Revelation direct from God, ere the expiration of a full thousand years, such a man is assuredly a lying impostor." but what exactly are you doing differently, Baháʼu'lláh? Anyway, so the next Manifestation of God will come about in a thousand years. It annoys me because the gap between The Báb and Baháʼu'lláh was short. It feels like a strategic move to ensure your people stay put.
The "Land of Mystery" is Adrianople (now Edirne) in Turkey. The "Resplendent Spot" is ʻAkkā (Acre) in Israel.
40. Say: Rejoice not in the things ye possess; tonight they are yours, tomorrow others will possess them. Thus warneth you He Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Say: Can ye claim that what ye own is lasting or secure? Nay! By Myself, the All-Merciful, ye cannot, if ye be of them who judge fairly. The days of your life flee away as a breath of wind, and all your pomp and glory shall be folded up as were the pomp and glory of those gone before you. Reflect, O people! What hath become of your bygone days, your lost centuries? Happy the days that have been consecrated to the remembrance of God, and blessed the hours which have been spent in praise of Him Who is the All-Wise. By My life! Neither the pomp of the mighty, nor the wealth of the rich, nor even the ascendancy of the ungodly will endure. All will perish, at a word from Him. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the All-Compelling, the Almighty. What advantage is there in the earthly things which men possess? That which shall profit them, they have utterly neglected. Erelong, they will awake from their slumber, and find themselves unable to obtain that which hath escaped them in the days of their Lord, the Almighty, the All-Praised. Did they but know it, they would renounce their all, that their names may be mentioned before His throne. They, verily, are accounted among the dead.
Materialism (both in terms of possessions and philsophy) is always stated as the enemy in all doctrines. It's so weird that the evolution of the human has forever strayed further. No one got the memo.
41. Amongst the people is he whose learning hath made him proud, and who hath been debarred thereby from recognizing My Name, the Self-Subsisting; who, when he heareth the tread of sandals following behind him, waxeth greater in his own esteem than Nimrod. Say: O rejected one! Where now is his abode? By God, it is the nethermost fire. Say: O concourse of divines! Hear ye not the shrill voice of My Most Exalted Pen? See ye not this Sun that shineth in refulgent splendor above the All-Glorious Horizon? For how long will ye worship the idols of your evil passions? Forsake your vain imaginings, and turn yourselves unto God, your Everlasting Lord.
The Nimrod mentioned is indeed the same Nimrod from the Bible, the guy who commissioned the Tower of Babel. In this context, he's used as a symbol of pride.
42. Endowments dedicated to charity revert to God, the Revealer of Signs. None hath the right to dispose of them without leave from Him Who is the Dawning-place of Revelation. After Him, this authority shall pass to the Aghṣán, and after them to the House of Justice—should it be established in the world by then—that they may use these endowments for the benefit of the Places which have been exalted in this Cause, and for whatsoever hath been enjoined upon them by Him Who is the God of might and power. Otherwise, the endowments shall revert to the people of Bahá who speak not except by His leave and judge not save in accordance with what God hath decreed in this Tablet—lo, they are the champions of victory betwixt heaven and earth— that they may use them in the manner that hath been laid down in the Book by God, the Mighty, the Bountiful.
"Aghṣán" means male descendents (direct Arabic translation is "branches").
43. Lament not in your hours of trial, neither rejoice therein; seek ye the Middle Way which is the remembrance of Me in your afflictions and reflection over that which may befall you in future. Thus informeth you He Who is the Omniscient, He Who is aware.
The Middle Way is a Buddhist teaching, although who knows the exact corrolation. Baháʼí Faith is probably the biggest Abrahamic faith that recognises Buddha.
44. Shave not your heads; God hath adorned them with hair, and in this there are signs from the Lord of creation to those who reflect upon the requirements of nature. He, verily, is the God of strength and wisdom. Notwithstanding, it is not seemly to let the hair pass beyond the limit of the ears. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Lord of all worlds.
So, word from God is that you must not shave your head but you must also not let your hair grow past your ears (if you're a man). If a God has any concerns for my hair, then I automatically have no interest in that God. If I'm too busy for this shit then what is the Supreme Being's priotities?
45. Exile and imprisonment are decreed for the thief, and, on the third offense, place ye a mark upon his brow so that, thus identified, he may not be accepted in the cities of God and His countries. Beware lest, through compassion, ye neglect to carry out the statutes of the religion of God; do that which hath been bidden you by Him Who is compassionate and merciful. We school you with the rod of wisdom and laws, like unto the father who educateth his son, and this for naught but the protection of your own selves and the elevation of your stations. By My life, were ye to discover what We have desired for you in revealing Our holy laws, ye would offer up your very souls for this sacred, this mighty, and most exalted Faith.
If you're a sloppy thief whose been caught three times, a permanent mark shall be placed upon your forehead. More leniant than, say, chopping off their hands (Quran verse 5:38).
46. Whoso wisheth to make use of vessels of silver and gold is at liberty to do so. Take heed lest, when partaking of food, ye plunge your hands into the contents of bowls and platters. Adopt ye such usages as are most in keeping with refinement. He, verily, desireth to see in you the manners of the inmates of Paradise in His mighty and most sublime Kingdom. Hold ye fast unto refinement under all conditions, that your eyes may be preserved from beholding what is repugnant both to your own selves and to the dwellers of Paradise. Should anyone depart therefrom, his deed shall at that moment be rendered vain; yet should he have good reason, God will excuse him. He, in truth, is the Gracious, the Most Bountiful.
Here are some rules for eating, in case you were worried.
47. He Who is the Dawning-place of God’s Cause hath no partner in the Most Great Infallibility. He it is Who, in the kingdom of creation, is the Manifestation of “He doeth whatsoever He willeth.” God hath reserved this distinction unto His own Self, and ordained for none a share in so sublime and transcendent a station. This is the Decree of God, concealed ere now within the veil of impenetrable mystery. We have disclosed it in this Revelation, and have thereby rent asunder the veils of such as have failed to recognize that which the Book of God set forth and who were numbered with the heedless.
This is actually an interesting verse which means that the latest "Manifestation of God" (world prophet) supercedes any previous scripture, and can change anything they like.
48. Unto every father hath been enjoined the instruction of his son and daughter in the art of reading and writing and in all that hath been laid down in the Holy Tablet. He that putteth away that which is commanded unto him, the Trustees are then to take from him that which is required for their instruction if he be wealthy and, if not, the matter devolveth upon the House of Justice. Verily have We made it a shelter for the poor and needy. He that bringeth up his son or the son of another, it is as though he hath brought up a son of Mine; upon him rest My glory, My loving- kindness, My mercy, that have compassed the world.
The Q&A section elabroates that the education of daughters is more important, as they become mothers, the primary knowledge givers. I get that.
49. God hath imposed a fine on every adulterer and adulteress, to be paid to the House of Justice: nine mithqáls of gold, to be doubled if they should repeat the offense. Such is the penalty which He Who is the Lord of Names hath assigned them in this world; and in the world to come He hath ordained for them a humiliating torment. Should anyone be afflicted by a sin, it behooveth him to repent thereof and return unto his Lord. He, verily, granteth forgiveness unto whomsoever He willeth, and none may question that which it pleaseth Him to ordain. He is, in truth, the Ever- Forgiving, the Almighty, the All-Praised.
The fine for adultery, which includes any sexual intercourse outside of wedlock. The payment is doubled for repeat offenses. Pay up, y'all!
50. Beware lest ye be hindered by the veils of glory from partaking of the crystal waters of this living Fountain. Seize ye the chalice of salvation at this dawntide in the name of Him Who causeth the day to break, and drink your fill in praise of Him Who is the All-Glorious, the Incomparable.
Some rare Baháʼí Faith poetics which are curiously ignored by the later Q&As.
51. We have made it lawful for you to listen to music and singing. Take heed, however, lest listening thereto should cause you to overstep the bounds of propriety and dignity. Let your joy be the joy born of My Most Great Name, a Name that bringeth rapture to the heart, and filleth with ecstasy the minds of all who have drawn nigh unto God. We, verily, have made music as a ladder for your souls, a means whereby they may be lifted up unto the realm on high; make it not, therefore, as wings to self and passion. Truly, We are loath to see you numbered with the foolish.
This is accetpable although it's playing with a line. I know some religions are wholly against music and that is a dealbreaker for me.
52. We have decreed that a third part of all fines shall go to the Seat of Justice, and We admonish its men to observe pure justice, that they may expend what is thus accumulated for such purposes as have been enjoined upon them by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. O ye Men of Justice! Be ye, in the realm of God, shepherds unto His sheep and guard them from the ravening wolves that have appeared in disguise, even as ye would guard your own sons. Thus exhorteth you the Counselor, the Faithful.
There we go. Only men are allowed to sit in the Seats of Justice. Progressive to a point.
54. O peoples of the earth! God, the Eternal Truth, is My witness that streams of fresh and soft- flowing waters have gushed from the rocks through the sweetness of the words uttered by your Lord, the Unconstrained; and still ye slumber. Cast away that which ye possess, and, on the wings of detachment, soar beyond all created things. Thus biddeth you the Lord of creation, the movement of Whose Pen hath revolutionized the soul of mankind.
Dettachment again.
56. The penalties for wounding or striking a person depend upon the severity of the injury; for each degree the Lord of Judgment hath prescribed a certain indemnity. He is, in truth, the Ordainer, the Mighty, the Most Exalted. We shall, if it be Our Will, set forth these payments in their just degrees—this is a promise on Our part, and He, verily, is the Keeper of His pledge, the Knower of all things.
Fair but vague.
60. 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. He, verily, is the Omniscient, the All-Informed. Take heed, however, that ye hunt not to excess. Tread ye the path of justice and equity in all things. Thus biddeth you He Who is the Dawning-place of Revelation, would that ye might comprehend.
Hunting is ok but not to excess. I also read elsewhere that using traps is not allowed.
61. God hath bidden you to show forth kindliness towards My kindred, but He hath granted them no right to the property of others. He, verily, is self-sufficient, above any need of His creatures.
Muhammad's descendents were granted some share of tax money. Baháʼu'lláh's descendents are not. I like that.
62. 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. Take ye hold of the precepts of God with all your strength and power, and abandon the ways of the ignorant. Should ye condemn the arsonist and the murderer to life imprisonment, it would be permissible according to the provisions of the Book. He, verily, hath power to ordain whatsoever He pleaseth.
Eye for an eye. I side with Jesus on this matter.
63. God hath prescribed matrimony unto you. 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. And he who would take into his service a maid may do so with propriety. Such is the ordinance which, in truth and justice, hath been recorded by the Pen of Revelation. Enter into wedlock, O people, that ye may bring forth one who will make mention of Me amid My servants. This is My bidding unto you; hold fast to it as an assistance to yourselves.
The permitted number of four wives in Islam has been further reduced to two. It only took a 1000+ years to get here. I understand that these teachings were introduced to a very different Arab culture than what the West understands, but we are talking about the late 1800s here.
65. It hath been laid down in the Bayán that marriage is dependent upon the consent of both parties. Desiring to establish love, unity and harmony amidst Our servants, We have conditioned it, once the couple’s wish is known, upon the permission of their parents, lest enmity and rancor should arise amongst them. And in this We have yet other purposes. Thus hath Our commandment been ordained.
Parental permission is required for every marriage. I kinda like that.
67. It hath been decreed by God that, should any one of His servants intend to travel, he must fix for his wife a time when he will return home. If he return by the promised time, he will have obeyed the bidding of his Lord and shall be numbered by the Pen of His behest among the righteous; otherwise, if there be good reason for delay, he must inform his wife and make the utmost endeavor to return to her. Should neither of these eventualities occur, it behooveth her to wait for a period of nine months, after which there is no impediment to her taking another husband; but should she wait longer, God, verily, loveth those women and men who show forth patience. Obey ye My commandments, and follow not the ungodly, they who have been reckoned as sinners in God’s Holy Tablet. If, during the period of her waiting, word should reach her from her husband, she should choose the course that is praiseworthy. He, of a truth, desireth that His servants and His handmaids should be at peace with one another; take heed lest ye do aught that may provoke intransigence amongst you. Thus hath the decree been fixed and the promise come to pass. If, however, news should reach her of her husband’s death or murder, and be confirmed by general report, or by the testimony of two just witnesses, it behooveth her to remain single; then, upon completion of the fixed number of months, she is free to adopt the course of her choosing. Such is the bidding of Him Who is mighty and powerful in His command.
Unsure how to take this. In a way, it feels like a law stated to serve the female. But it's not modern thinking whatsoever.
68. 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, that perchance the fragrance of affection may be renewed between them. If, upon the completion of this period, their love hath not returned, it is permissible for divorce to take place. God’s wisdom, verily, hath encompassed all things. The Lord hath prohibited, in a Tablet inscribed by the Pen of His command, the practice to which ye formerly had recourse when thrice ye had divorced a woman. This He hath done as a favor on His part, that ye may be accounted among the thankful. 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. Should she have wed again, then, by this other union, the separation is confirmed and the matter is concluded unless, clearly, her circumstances change. Thus hath the decree been inscribed with majesty in this glorious Tablet by Him Who is the Dawning-place of Beauty.
From here until verse 70, it details divorce. Baháʼí Faith is against the process but allows it. Either the man or woman can file for a divorce, but only after a year of marriage.
72. It is forbidden you to trade in slaves, be they men or women. It is not for him who is himself a servant to buy another of God’s servants, and this hath been prohibited in His Holy Tablet. Thus, by His mercy, hath the commandment been recorded by the Pen of justice. Let no man exalt himself above another; all are but bondslaves before the Lord, and all exemplify the truth that there is none other God but Him. He, verily, is the All-Wise, Whose wisdom encompasseth all things.
I wish the Bible said this.
74. God hath decreed, in token of His mercy unto His creatures, that semen is not unclean. Yield thanks unto Him with joy and radiance, and follow not such as are remote from the Dawning- place of His nearness. Arise ye, under all conditions, to render service to the Cause, for God will assuredly assist you through the power of His sovereignty which overshadoweth the worlds. Cleave ye unto the cord of refinement with such tenacity as to allow no trace of dirt to be seen upon your garments. Such is the injunction of One Who is sanctified above all refinement. Whoso falleth short of this standard with good reason shall incur no blame. God, verily, is the Forgiving, the Merciful. Wash ye every soiled thing with water that hath undergone no alteration in any one of the three respects; take heed not to use water that hath been altered through exposure to the air or to some other agent. Be ye the very essence of cleanliness amongst mankind. This, truly, is what your Lord, the Incomparable, the All-Wise, desireth for you.
Semen is not unclean! Is this verse telling you how to wash cum stains out of your clothing?
77. God hath relieved you of the ordinance laid down in the Bayán concerning the destruction of books. We have permitted you to read such sciences as are profitable unto you, not such as end in idle disputation; better is this for you, if ye be of them that comprehend.
The Bayan are the texts by The Bab, which were the precursor to (but have since been superceded by) the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. The former ordered the desturction of books that were not in the accordance of God. Baháʼu'lláh removes this law.
80. This is the Day in which He Who held converse with God hath attained the light of the Ancient of Days, and quaffed the pure waters of reunion from this Cup that hath caused the seas to swell. Say: By the one true God! Sinai is circling round the Dayspring of Revelation, while from the heights of the Kingdom the Voice of the Spirit of God is heard proclaiming: “Bestir yourselves, ye proud ones of the earth, and hasten ye unto Him.” Carmel hath, in this Day, hastened in longing adoration to attain His court, whilst from the heart of Zion there cometh the cry: “The promise is fulfilled. That which had been announced in the holy Writ of God, the Most Exalted, the Almighty, the Best-Beloved, is made manifest.”
"He Who held converse with God" is Moses. Sinai is the mountain where he did so. "The Spirit of God" is Jesus.
84. How great the blessedness that awaiteth the king who will arise to aid My Cause in My kingdom, who will detach himself from all else but Me! Such a king is numbered with the companions of the Crimson Ark—the Ark which God hath prepared for the people of Bahá. All must glorify his name, must reverence his station, and aid him to unlock the cities with the keys of My Name, the omnipotent Protector of all that inhabit the visible and invisible kingdoms. Such a king is the very eye of mankind, the luminous ornament on the brow of creation, the fountainhead of blessings unto the whole world. Offer up, O people of Bahá, your substance, nay your very lives, for his assistance.
Is this Ark literal? So the people of Bahái will be saved and no one else? What kind of bullshit is that?
85. O Emperor of Austria!
This verse is much longer and continues from 85 - 94 or so, where various locations were name-dropped for different reasons. They include Austria, Berlin, France (specifically Napolean), America, Constantinople (Istanbul), the Rhine river, Tehran (as Ṭá), and Khorasan (as Khá). These are often calls for recognition and are utterly irrelevant by any contemporary standard.
It can't hurt to note that Baháʼu'lláh was born in Tehran and the numerical value of Ṭá is NINE.
95. None must contend with those who wield authority over the people; leave unto them that which is theirs, and direct your attention to men’s hearts.
Don't rebel against authority? Your attention is better spent focused on people's "hearts"? I can't figure out if I agree or disagree.
96. O Most Mighty Ocean! Sprinkle upon the nations that with which Thou hast been charged by Him Who is the Sovereign of Eternity, and adorn the temples of all the dwellers of the earth with the vesture of His laws through which all hearts will rejoice and all eyes be brightened.
Little bit of love for the ocean.
97. Should anyone acquire one hundred mithqáls of gold, nineteen mithqáls thereof are God’s and to be rendered unto Him...
Very long pasage dealing with valuables and prices. From what I understand, you are supposed to donate 19% to God aka the Church aka Baháʼu'lláh at that time. Kinda hate that 19% was chosen to enforce that NINE, while obviously 9% was too low. People gotta make their money, I guess. Baháʼí Faith has never struck me as greedy, they could easily charge entrance to their Houses of Worship but they do not. There also appears to be numerous circumstances where this amount does not apply. I dunno.
99. Say: O leaders of religion! Weigh not the Book of God with such standards and sciences as are current amongst you, for the Book itself is the unerring Balance established amongst men. In this most perfect Balance whatsoever the peoples and kindreds of the earth possess must be weighed, while the measure of its weight should be tested according to its own standard, did ye but know it.
Seems quite ambigious, but as I understand it, there's a fairness in this?
100. The eye of My loving-kindness weepeth sore over you, inasmuch as ye have failed to recognize the One upon Whom ye have been calling in the daytime and in the night season, at even and at morn. Advance, O people, with snow-white faces and radiant hearts, unto the blest and crimson Spot, wherein the Sadratu’l-Muntahá is calling: “Verily, there is none other God beside Me, the Omnipotent Protector, the Self-Subsisting!”
The "crimson Spot" is Acre, Israel, known as the "Prison City" for Baháʼu'lláh was once imprisoned here. The "Sadratu’l-Muntahá" is "The Tree Beyond Which There Is No Passing," a name Baháʼu'lláh has given himself. I beleive it has Islamic roots.
101. O ye leaders of religion! Who is the man amongst you that can rival Me in vision or insight? Where is he to be found that dareth to claim to be My equal in utterance or wisdom? No, by My Lord, the All-Merciful! All on the earth shall pass away; and this is the face of your Lord, the Almighty, the Well-Beloved.
A bit arrogant but ok.
103. Say: This, verily, is the heaven in which the Mother Book is treasured, could ye but comprehend it. He it is Who hath caused the Rock to shout, and the Burning Bush to lift up its voice, upon the Mount rising above the Holy Land, and proclaim: “The Kingdom is God’s, the sovereign Lord of all, the All-Powerful, the Loving!”
The Mother Book refers to any holy scripture of its corrolating religion. In terms of Baháʼí Faith, we're reading it.
105. Whoso interpreteth what hath been sent down from the heaven of Revelation, and altereth its evident meaning, he, verily, is of them that have perverted the Sublime Word of God, and is of the lost ones in the Lucid Book.
Misinterpretation is bad.
106. It hath been enjoined upon you to pare your nails, to bathe yourselves each week in water that covereth your bodies, and to clean yourselves with whatsoever ye have formerly employed. Take heed lest through negligence ye fail to observe that which hath been prescribed unto you by Him Who is the Incomparable, the Gracious. Immerse yourselves in clean water; it is not permissible to bathe yourselves in water that hath already been used. See that ye approach not the public pools of Persian baths; whoso maketh his way toward such baths will smell their fetid odor ere he entereth therein...
This verse goes on but is about hygiene. Not sharing cleaning water was the standout message, which includes public bathhouses. I get that there's a grossness to it but why bring religion into the convo? Godliness is next to cleanliness, I suppose. I like some dirty stuff.
107. It is forbidden you to wed your fathers’ wives. We shrink, for very shame, from treating of the subject of boys. Fear ye the Merciful, O peoples of the world! Commit not that which is forbidden you in Our Holy Tablet, and be not of those who rove distractedly in the wilderness of their desires.
You may not marry (one of) your step-mom(s). Fair! According to further explanation, this applies to the daughter/step-dad connection too. As for "the subject of boys," this is the verse that explicitly prohibits homosexuality. Modern Baháʼís justify the homophobia on the basis that the Faith is about family and the reproduction of bloodlines. On one hand, it negates everything I appreciated about Baháʼí Faith's seemingly liberal disposition. On the other hand, every Abrahamic religion is like this.
108. To none is it permitted to mutter sacred verses before the public gaze as he walketh in the street or marketplace; nay rather, if he wish to magnify the Lord, it behooveth him to do so in such places as have been erected for this purpose, or in his own home.
I agree with this one: don't go around saying prayers just so people think you're holy. That's a super unholy and uncool thing to do.
110. All Feasts have attained their consummation in the two Most Great Festivals, and in the two other Festivals that fall on the twin days...
The four festivals are:
1. The Festival of Riḍván, commemorating Bahá’u’lláh’s Declaration of His Prophetic Mission (April/May 1863)
2. The Báb’s Declaration (May 1844)
3 & 4. The anniversaries of the births of Bahá’u’lláh and the Báb.
These are based in lunar calendars and change per cycle.
113. Resort ye, in times of sickness, to competent physicians; We have not set aside the use of material means, rather have We confirmed it through this Pen, which God hath made to be the Dawning-place of His shining and glorious Cause.
If you’re sick, see a doctor! Logical advice.
114. God had formerly laid upon each one of the believers the duty of offering before Our throne priceless gifts from among his possessions. Now, in token of Our gracious favor, We have absolved them of this obligation. He, of a truth, is the Most Generous, the All-Bountiful.
From what I gather, previous scriptures demanded that people offer up their most rare items to their prophet. However, Baháʼu'lláh has ended that. It's another good example of how Baháʼí Faith is not greedy.
119. It is inadmissible that man, who hath been endowed with reason, should consume that which stealeth it away. Nay, rather it behooveth him to comport himself in a manner worthy of the human station, and not in accordance with the misdeeds of every heedless and wavering soul.
This is an anti-alcohol (and assumedly anti-drug) rule.
121. When the ocean of My presence hath ebbed and the Book of My Revelation is ended, turn your faces towards Him Whom God hath purposed, Who hath branched from this Ancient Root.
After Bahá’u’lláh's death, one must turn to his appointed successor, who turned out to be his first son, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá.
123. Liberty must, in the end, lead to sedition, whose flames none can quench. Thus warneth you He Who is the Reckoner, the All-Knowing. Know ye that the embodiment of liberty and its symbol is the animal. That which beseemeth man is submission unto such restraints as will protect him from his own ignorance, and guard him against the harm of the mischief maker. Liberty causeth man to overstep the bounds of propriety, and to infringe on the dignity of his station. It debaseth him to the level of extreme depravity and wickedness.
Cool verse. "Mischief maker" lol.
124. Regard men as a flock of sheep that need a shepherd for their protection. This, verily, is the truth, the certain truth. We approve of liberty in certain circumstances, and refuse to sanction it in others. We, verily, are the All-Knowing.
Continuation from previous.
125. Say: True liberty consisteth in man’s submission unto My commandments, little as ye know it. Were men to observe that which We have sent down unto them from the Heaven of Revelation, they would, of a certainty, attain unto perfect liberty. Happy is the man that hath apprehended the Purpose of God in whatever He hath revealed from the Heaven of His Will that pervadeth all created things. Say: The liberty that profiteth you is to be found nowhere except in complete servitude unto God, the Eternal Truth. Whoso hath tasted of its sweetness will refuse to barter it for all the dominion of earth and heaven.
Weirdly, I kinda get this. Actual liberty comes in submission? There's many other philsophies that echo the idea, like Stoicism primarily.
126. In the Bayán it had been forbidden you to ask Us questions. The Lord hath now relieved you of this prohibition, that ye may be free to ask what you need to ask, but not such idle questions as those on which the men of former times were wont to dwell. Fear God, and be ye of the righteous! Ask ye that which shall be of profit to you in the Cause of God and His dominion, for the portals of His tender compassion have been opened before all who dwell in heaven and on earth.
Funny how the Báb refused to take questions (unless they were in writing, as I understand). Regardless, Bahá’u’lláh removed that limitation. I respect the evolution.
127. The number of months in a year, appointed in the Book of God, is nineteen. Of these the first hath been adorned with this Name which overshadoweth the whole of creation.
The Badí‘ calendar = nineteen months of nineteen days each. That leaves four extra days (five in a leap year). Not sure what they do with those but I am confident they have a plan.
128. The Lord hath decreed that the dead should be interred in coffins made of crystal, of hard, resistant stone, or of wood that is both fine and durable, and that graven rings should be placed upon their fingers. He, verily, is the Supreme Ordainer, the One apprised of all.
What to do with the dead. If you're interested, verse 129 continues with a ton more.
130. The Lord hath decreed, moreover, that the deceased should be enfolded in five sheets of silk or cotton. For those whose means are limited a single sheet of either fabric will suffice. Thus hath it been ordained by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. It is forbidden you to transport the body of the deceased a greater distance than one hour’s journey from the city; rather should it be interred, with radiance and serenity, in a nearby place.
More dead body instructions. A corpse may not be carried more than an hour away from their death spot.
131. God hath removed the restrictions on travel that had been imposed in the Bayán. He, verily, is the Unconstrained; He doeth as He pleaseth and ordaineth whatsoever He willeth.
Apparently there was a travel ban accoriding to the Báb. Bahá’u’lláh has lifted that. Thank goodness, that would've been a deal breaker.
133. Raise up and exalt the two Houses in the Twin Hallowed Spots, and the other sites wherein the throne of your Lord, the All-Merciful, hath been established. Thus commandeth you the Lord of every understanding heart.
The pilgramage spots of Bahá’u’lláh's house in Baghdád, and the House of the Báb in Shíráz.
134. Be watchful lest the concerns and preoccupations of this world prevent you from observing that which hath been enjoined upon you by Him Who is the Mighty, the Faithful. Be ye the embodiments of such steadfastness amidst mankind that ye will not be kept back from God by the doubts of those who disbelieved in Him when He manifested Himself, invested with a mighty sovereignty. Take heed lest ye be prevented by aught that hath been recorded in the Book from hearkening unto this, the Living Book, Who proclaimeth the truth: “Verily, there is no God but Me, the Most Excellent, the All-Praised.” Look ye with the eye of equity upon Him Who hath descended from the heaven of Divine will and power, and be not of those who act unjustly.
There's something here. Bahá’u’lláh refers to himself as "the Living Book." I think he rates the Kitáb-i-Aqdas too highly. Does he really think his little pamphlet matches up to the Quran?
135. Call then to mind these words which have streamed forth, in tribute to this Revelation, from the Pen of Him Who was My Herald, and consider what the hands of the oppressors have wrought throughout My days. Truly they are numbered with the lost. He said: “Should ye attain the presence of Him Whom We shall make manifest, beseech ye God, in His bounty, to grant that He might deign to seat Himself upon your couches, for that act in itself would confer upon you matchless and surpassing honor. Should He drink a cup of water in your homes, this would be of greater consequence for you than your proffering unto every soul, nay unto every created thing, the water of its very life. Know this, O ye My servants!”
Again, there's something epic to all of this. But those last lines are the work of a madman. Bahá’u’lláh really pushes that he is some sort of a Jesus/Muhammad figure. He's as nuts as the rest of them.
136. Such are the words with which My Forerunner hath extolled My Being, could ye but understand. Whoso reflecteth upon these verses, and realizeth what hidden pearls have been enshrined within them, will, by the righteousness of God, perceive the fragrance of the All- Merciful wafting from the direction of this Prison and will, with his whole heart, hasten unto Him with such ardent longing that the hosts of earth and heaven would be powerless to deter him. Say: This is a Revelation around which every proof and testimony doth circle. Thus hath it been sent down by your Lord, the God of Mercy, if ye be of them that judge aright. Say: This is the very soul of all Scriptures which hath been breathed into the Pen of the Most High, causing all created beings to be dumbfounded, save only those who have been enraptured by the gentle breezes of My loving-kindness and the sweet savors of My bounties which have pervaded the whole of creation.
So full of himself, I am over it. Imagine anyone you met ever said this to you. I don't understand how he managed to convince people.
137. O people of the Bayán! Fear ye the Most Merciful and consider what He hath revealed in another passage. He said: “The Qiblih is indeed He Whom God will make manifest; whenever He moveth, it moveth, until He shall come to rest.”
This goes on, but just to interject to note that the Qiblih is the "Point of Adoration", aka the location you face when you pray. Bahá’u’lláh changed this from Mecca to the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh in Bahjí, and then Baháʼís wonder why Muslims won't accept them.
138. To read but one of the verses of My Revelation is better than to peruse the Scriptures of both the former and latter generations.
This is the most offensive line in the entire book.
139. And now consider what hath been revealed in yet another passage, that perchance ye may forsake your own concepts and set your faces towards God, the Lord of being. He 4 hath said: “It is unlawful to enter into marriage save with a believer in the Bayán. Should only one party to a marriage embrace this Cause, his or her possessions will become unlawful to the other, until such time as the latter hath converted. This law, however, will only take effect after the exaltation of the Cause of Him Whom We shall manifest in truth, or of that which hath already been made manifest in justice. Ere this, ye are at liberty to enter into wedlock as ye wish, that haply by this means ye may exalt the Cause of God.” Thus hath the Nightingale sung with sweet melody upon the celestial bough, in praise of its Lord, the All-Merciful. Well is it with them that hearken.
Confusing, but from what I gather: The Báb forbid marrying outside of Bábism, but added the caveat that such a rule only stood until the next Manifestation of God. That Manifestation, of course, came pretty soon after, as the Bahá’u’lláh, rendering this law void. The Bahá’u’lláh mentions it to affirm that this silliness no longer stands. I could be wrong though.
140. O people of the Bayán, I adjure you by your Lord, the God of mercy, to look with the eye of fairness upon this utterance which hath been sent down through the power of truth, and not to be of those who see the testimony of God yet reject and deny it. They, in truth, are of those who will assuredly perish. The Point of the Bayán hath explicitly made mention in this verse of the exaltation of My Cause before His own Cause; unto this will testify every just and understanding mind. As ye can readily witness in this day, its exaltation is such as none can deny save those whose eyes are drunken in this mortal life and whom a humiliating chastisement awaiteth in the life to come.
Here he directly addresses those who follow Bábism, the religion he essentially hijacked. Worth noting that Bábism still exists even if largely overshadowed by Baháʼí Faith.
141. Say: By the righteousness of God! I, verily, am His Best-Beloved; and at this moment He listeneth to these verses descending from the Heaven of Revelation and bewaileth the wrongs ye have committed in these days. Fear God, and join not with the aggressor. Say: O people, should ye choose to disbelieve in Him, refrain at least from rising up against Him. By God! Sufficient are the hosts of tyranny that are leagued against Him!
Honestly, I just pulled this verse to note the word "bewaileth".
143. He hath previously made known unto you that which would be uttered by this Dayspring of Divine wisdom. He said, and He speaketh the truth: “He is the One Who will under all conditions proclaim: ‘Verily, there is none other God besides Me, the One, the Incomparable, the Omniscient, the All-Informed.’” This is a station which God hath assigned exclusively to this sublime, this unique and wondrous Revelation. This is a token of His bounteous favor, if ye be of them who comprehend, and a sign of His irresistible decree. This is His Most Great Name, His Most Exalted Word, and the Dayspring of His Most Excellent Titles, if ye could understand. Nay more, through Him every Fountainhead, every Dawning-place of Divine guidance is made manifest. Reflect, O people, on that which hath been sent down in truth; ponder thereon, and be not of the transgressors.
Oh so very monothestic, yes, yes, we know, we know.
144. Consort with all religions with amity and concord, that they may inhale from you the sweet fragrance of God. Beware lest amidst men the flame of foolish ignorance overpower you. All things proceed from God and unto Him they return. He is the source of all things and in Him all things are ended.
ALL religions!
145. Take heed that ye enter no house in the absence of its owner, except with his permission. Comport yourselves with propriety under all conditions, and be not numbered with the wayward.
No housebreaking, no trespassing, got it.
146. It hath been enjoined upon you to purify your means of sustenance and other such things through payment of Zakát. Thus hath it been prescribed in this exalted Tablet by Him Who is the Revealer of verses. We shall, if it be God’s will and purpose, set forth erelong the measure of its assessment. He, verily, expoundeth whatsoever He desireth by virtue of His own knowledge, and He, of a truth, is Omniscient and All-Wise.
Zakát is the olibatory charity payments stated by the Quran.
147. It is unlawful to beg, and it is forbidden to give to him who beggeth. All have been enjoined to earn a living, and as for those who are incapable of doing so, it is incumbent on the Deputies of God and on the wealthy to make adequate provision for them. Keep ye the statutes and commandments of God; nay, guard them as ye would your very eyes, and be not of those who suffer grievous loss.
Controverisal: begging is not allowed, nor is giving to beggars. Later in the book, it softens this stance somewhat, specifying that it's against otherwise-abled people who make a career out of begging. It also condones organisations that give to the needy.
148. Ye have been forbidden in the Book of God to engage in contention and conflict, to strike another, or to commit similar acts whereby hearts and souls may be saddened. A fine of nineteen mithqáls of gold had formerly been prescribed by Him Who is the Lord of all mankind for anyone who was the cause of sadness to another; in this Dispensation, however, He hath absolved you thereof and exhorteth you to show forth righteousness and piety. Such is the commandment which He hath enjoined upon you in this resplendent Tablet. Wish not for others what ye wish not for yourselves; fear God, and be not of the prideful. Ye are all created out of water, and unto dust shall ye return. Reflect upon the end that awaiteth you, and walk not in the ways of the oppressor. Give ear unto the verses of God which He Who is the sacred Lote-Tree reciteth unto you. They are assuredly the infallible balance, established by God, the Lord of this world and the next.
Nice, Baháʼí Faith joining the Golden Rule. I love it that making people sad can be fined.
149. Pride not yourselves on much reading of the verses or on a multitude of pious acts by night and day; for were a man to read a single verse with joy and radiance it would be better for him than to read with lassitude all the Holy Books of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Read ye the sacred verses in such measure that ye be not overcome by languor and despondency. Lay not upon your souls that which will weary them and weigh them down, but rather what will lighten and uplift them, so that they may soar on the wings of the Divine verses towards the Dawning-place of His manifest signs; this will draw you nearer to God, did ye but comprehend.
I am guilty.
151. Ye have been enjoined to renew the furnishings of your homes after the passing of each nineteen years; thus hath it been ordained by One Who is Omniscient and All-Perceiving. He, verily, is desirous of refinement, both for you yourselves and for all that ye possess; lay not aside the fear of God and be not of the negligent. Whoso findeth that his means are insufficient to this purpose hath been excused by God, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Bounteous.
You must refurnish your house every 19 years unless... you cannot.
152. Wash your feet once every day in summer, and once every three days during winter.
Specific. But maybe worth noting these are desert scriptures?
153. Should anyone wax angry with you, respond to him with gentleness; and should anyone upbraid you, forbear to upbraid him in return, but leave him to himself and put your trust in God, the omnipotent Avenger, the Lord of might and justice.
Turn the other cheek, with which I agree.
154. 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, that he may make mention of God, his Lord, and the Lord of all mankind. It is pleasing to God that ye should seat yourselves on chairs and benches as a mark of honor for the love ye bear for Him and for the Manifestation of His glorious and resplendent Cause.
Pulpits are also a no-no now. Apparently an elevated platform is better. I do dig the sitting down suggestion.
155. Gambling and the use of opium have been forbidden unto you. Eschew them both, O people, and be not of those who transgress. Beware of using any substance that induceth sluggishness and torpor in the human temple and inflicteth harm upon the body. We, verily, desire for you naught save what shall profit you, and to this bear witness all created things, had ye but ears to hear.
Gambling and opium are banned. This is pretty much the anti-drug verse, which extends to alcohol as previously covered. Baháʼí Faith thankfully allows medical drugs, which is a nice blurry line in our modern age.
159. It hath been forbidden you to carry arms unless essential, and permitted you to attire yourselves in silk. The Lord hath relieved you, as a bounty on His part, of the restrictions that formerly applied to clothing and to the trim of the beard.
Lots of stuff here. No weapons allowed, although there are special circumstances, for example, in dangerous areas or in self defence. I do wonder about Sikhs and their Kirpans? Speaking of which, Baháʼí Faith allows you to cut your beard now, cheers. Silk-wearing was not allowed according to the Quran, I believe, but The Báb had already done away with that.
166. Call ye to mind the shaykh whose name was Muḥammad-Ḥasan, who ranked among the most learned divines of his day. When the True One was made manifest, this shaykh, along with others of his calling, rejected Him, while a sifter of wheat and barley accepted Him and turned unto the Lord. Though he was occupied both night and day in setting down what he conceived to be the laws and ordinances of God, yet when He Who is the Unconstrained appeared, not one letter thereof availed him, or he would not have turned away from a Countenance that hath illumined the faces of the well-favored of the Lord. Had ye believed in God when He revealed Himself, the people would not have turned aside from Him, nor would the things ye witness today have befallen Us. Fear God, and be not of the heedless.
According to this same book, Shaykh Muḥammad-Ḥasan rejected the Báb and expelled one of his followers, Mullá ‘Alí, to Istanbul, condemned to hard labor. Not quite sure what's the moral of the story here.
167. Take heed lest the word “Prophet” withhold you from this Most Great Announcement, or any reference to “Vicegerency” debar you from the sovereignty of Him Who is the Vicegerent of God, which overshadoweth all the worlds.
Here he warns that people are so dedicated to their old prophets that they won't notice when the new one comes. But, the thing is, let's compare prophets. The supposed miracles of Jesus. The revolutionary ideas of the Buddha. The Quran of Muhammad. These were demonstrations of their value. What has Bahá’u’lláh done that I could not do myself? Write some scripture? Dude, I did that shit, and I fail to see what makes the Kitáb-i-Aqdas any better than what I did.
170. Call ye to mind Karím, and how, when We summoned him unto God, he waxed disdainful, prompted by his own desires; yet We had sent him that which was a solace to the eye of proof in the world of being and the fulfillment of God’s testimony to all the denizens of earth and heaven. As a token of the grace of Him Who is the All-Possessing, the Most High, We bade him embrace the Truth. But he turned away until, as an act of justice from God, angels of wrath laid hold upon him. Unto this We truly were a witness.
Ḥájí Mírzá Muḥammad Karím Khán-i-Kirmání was one of the first Shaykhi scholars to reject the Báb, writing many books doing so.
172. We, of a certainty, have had no purpose in this earthly realm save to make God manifest and to reveal His sovereignty; sufficient unto Me is God for a witness. We, of a certainty, have had no intent in the celestial Kingdom but to exalt His Cause and glorify His praise; sufficient unto Me is God for a protector. We, of a certainty, have had no desire in the Dominion on high except to extol God and what hath been sent down by Him; sufficient unto Me is God for a helper.
I like this.
173. Happy are ye, O ye the learned ones in Bahá. By the Lord! Ye are the billows of the Most Mighty Ocean, the stars of the firmament of Glory, the standards of triumph waving betwixt earth and heaven. Ye are the manifestations of steadfastness amidst men and the daysprings of Divine Utterance to all that dwell on earth. Well is it with him that turneth unto you, and woe betide the froward. This day, it behooveth whoso hath quaffed the Mystic Wine of everlasting life from the Hands of the loving-kindness of the Lord his God, the Merciful, to pulsate even as the throbbing artery in the body of mankind, that through him may be quickened the world and every crumbling bone.
Good poetics here. All holy scripture needs good poetics.
174. O people of the world! When the Mystic Dove will have winged its flight from its Sanctuary of Praise and sought its far-off goal, its hidden habitation, refer ye whatsoever ye understand not in the Book to Him Who hath branched from this mighty Stock.
Same as before, it's beautiful.
175. O Pen of the Most High! Move Thou upon the Tablet at the bidding of Thy Lord, the Creator of the Heavens, and tell of the time when He Who is the Dayspring of Divine Unity purposed to direct His steps towards the School of Transcendent Oneness; haply the pure in heart may gain thereby a glimpse, be it as small as a needle’s eye, of the mysteries of Thy Lord, the Almighty, the Omniscient, that lie concealed behind the veils. Say: We, indeed, set foot within the School of inner meaning and explanation when all created things were unaware. We saw the words sent down by Him Who is the All-Merciful, and We accepted the verses of God, the Help in Peril, the Self- Subsisting, which He 11 presented unto Us, and hearkened unto that which He had solemnly affirmed in the Tablet. This We assuredly did behold. And We assented to His wish through Our behest, for truly We are potent to command.
So this is interesting. When the Báb spoke about the next Manifestation of God, he said “May the glances of Him Whom God shall make manifest illumine this letter at the primary school.” Now, Bahá’u’lláh was two years older than the Báb, meaning that he could not be the next Manifestation of God because he was not in primary school at the time of the quote. For this reason, many Bábís rejected the claim. Bahá’u’lláh copped out by saying "the reference is to events transpiring in the spiritual worlds beyond this plane of existence". I dunnooooo.
177. Take heed that ye dispute not idly concerning the Almighty and His Cause, for lo! He hath appeared amongst you invested with a Revelation so great as to encompass all things, whether of the past or of the future. Were We to address Our theme by speaking in the language of the inmates of the Kingdom, We would say: “In truth, God created that School ere He created heaven and earth, and We entered it before the letters B and E were joined and knit together.” Such is the language of Our servants in Our Kingdom; consider what the tongue of the dwellers of Our exalted Dominion would utter, for We have taught them Our knowledge and have revealed to them whatever had lain hidden in God’s wisdom. Imagine then what the Tongue of Might and Grandeur would utter in His All-Glorious Abode!
You'd think "the letters B and E" would be something profound, but it literally means BE. Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith from 1921 to 1957, says it “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.”
179. Beware lest aught that hath been revealed in the Bayán should keep you from your Lord, the Most Compassionate. God is My witness that the Bayán was sent down for no other purpose than to celebrate My praise, did ye but know! In it the pure in heart will find only the fragrance of My love, only My Name that overshadoweth all that seeth and is seen. Say: Turn ye, O people, unto that which hath proceeded from My Most Exalted Pen. Should ye inhale therefrom the fragrance of God, set not yourselves against Him, nor deny yourselves a portion of His gracious favor and His manifold bestowals. Thus doth your Lord admonish you; He, verily, is the Counselor, the Omniscient.
Imagine writing this about yourself.
181. The world’s equilibrium hath been upset through the vibrating influence of this most great, this new World Order. Mankind’s ordered life hath been revolutionized through the agency of this unique, this wondrous System—the like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed.
The New World Order is upon us, comrades!
182. Immerse yourselves in the ocean of My words, that ye may unravel its secrets, and discover all the pearls of wisdom that lie hid in its depths. Take heed that ye do not vacillate in your determination to embrace the truth of this Cause—a Cause through which the potentialities of the might of God have been revealed, and His sovereignty established. With faces beaming with joy, hasten ye unto Him. This is the changeless Faith of God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future. Let him that seeketh, attain it; and as to him that hath refused to seek it—verily, God is Self- Sufficient, above any need of His creatures.
"God is Self- Sufficient, above any need of His creatures" I like that but also why is God so demanding then?
184. Say: O source of perversion! Abandon thy willful blindness, and speak forth the truth amidst the people. I swear by God that I have wept for thee to see thee following thy selfish passions and renouncing Him Who fashioned thee and brought thee into being. Call to mind the tender mercy of thy Lord, and remember how We nurtured thee by day and by night for service to the Cause.
This goes on and is interesting. It's about Subh-i-Azal, Baháʼu'lláh's half-brother. As a religious leader of Azali Bábism, he ultimately also claimed to be the next Manifestation, but failed to convince people. Apparently the two were close to killing one another.
188. Should anyone unintentionally take another’s life, it is incumbent upon him to render to the family of the deceased an indemnity of one hundred mithqáls of gold. Observe ye that which hath been enjoined upon you in this Tablet, and be not of those who overstep its limits.
Coming to the end, and here is the penance for accidental murder.
189. O members of parliaments throughout the world! Select ye a single language for the use of all on earth, and adopt ye likewise a common script.
Calling for a single language for the world to speak.
190. It hath been forbidden you to smoke opium. We, truly, have prohibited this practice through a most binding interdiction in the Book. Should anyone partake thereof, assuredly he is not of Me. Fear God, O ye endued with understanding!
Hahaha literally the final message of the "Holiest Book" is: don't smoke opium.
SOME TEXTS REVEALED BY BAHÁ’U’LLÁH SUPPLEMENTARY TO THE KITÁB-I-AQDAS
These were the tablets that Bahá’u’lláh revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas.
THIS passage, now written by the Pen of Glory, is accounted as part of the Most Holy Book
This is from what's called The Tablet of Ishraqat (Splendors). Bahá’u’lláh is, of course, the Pen of Glory.
Ye are all the leaves of one tree and the drops of one ocean.
Still from The Tablet of Ishraqat. It reminds me of Rumi's quote “You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” Rumi was alive long before Bahá’u’lláh, so that may make sense. To be honest, if Rumi started his own religious branch, I'd be far more inclined to follow. His poetics are like the Pied Piper.
Thy love, O my Lord, hath enriched me, and separation from Thee hath destroyed me, and remoteness from Thee hath consumed me.
I appreciate this philosophy. When things go wrong, it's a separation from God thing. This line is taken from the Long Obligatory Prayer, which is meant to be recited every 24 hours.
O God, my God! My back is bowed by the burden of my sins, and my heedlessness hath destroyed me. Whenever I ponder my evil doings and Thy benevolence, my heart melteth within me, and my blood boileth in my veins.
Also from the Long Obligatory Prayer. This line is a good example of how well-written the prose is, but I more wanted to call attention to the word “melteth”.
Following the Long Obligatory Prayer is the Medium Obligatory Prayer (three times a day) and the Short Obligatory Prayer (once a day at noon).
O God, my God! My back is bowed by the burden of my sins, and my heedlessness hath destroyed me. Whenever I ponder my evil doings and Thy benevolence, my heart melteth within me, and my blood boileth in my veins.
Then there is the Prayer for the Dead, which starts with the word "Oh My God!" I enjoy that.
I like prayers in the same way that I like the concept of casting spells (which are the same thing for me). These ones were as pretty as they were simple and generic. I also see less value in robotically reciting paragraphs like clockwork each day. For me, worship needs to emotionally resonate. Keep it fresh. Keep it mindful.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Nice little FAQ of clarifications here. I've plucked out what stood out.
1. Question: Concerning the Most Great Festival.
Answer: The Most Great Festival commenceth late in the afternoon of the thirteenth day of the second month of the year according to the Bayán. On the first, ninth and twelfth days of this Festival, work is forbidden
Answer: The Most Great Festival commenceth late in the afternoon of the thirteenth day of the second month of the year according to the Bayán. On the first, ninth and twelfth days of this Festival, work is forbidden
If this was a normal calendar, we're talking the day before Valentine's Day. Not sure why I noted that.
3. Question: Concerning the Marriage Verses.
Answer: For men: “We will all, verily, abide by the Will of God.” For women: “We will all, verily, abide by the Will of God.”
Answer: For men: “We will all, verily, abide by the Will of God.” For women: “We will all, verily, abide by the Will of God.”
I like this. There's no difference.
4. Question: Should a man go on a journey without specifying a time for his return without indicating, in
other words, the expected period of his absence—and should no word be heard of him thereafter, and all
trace of him be lost, what course should be followed by his wife?
Answer: Should he have omitted to fix a time for his return despite being aware of the stipulation of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas in this regard, his wife should wait for one full year, after which she shall be free either to adopt the course that is praiseworthy, or to choose for herself another husband. If, however, he be unaware of this stipulation, she should abide in patience until such time as God shall please to disclose to her his fate. By the course that is praiseworthy in this connection is meant the exercise of patience.
Answer: Should he have omitted to fix a time for his return despite being aware of the stipulation of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas in this regard, his wife should wait for one full year, after which she shall be free either to adopt the course that is praiseworthy, or to choose for herself another husband. If, however, he be unaware of this stipulation, she should abide in patience until such time as God shall please to disclose to her his fate. By the course that is praiseworthy in this connection is meant the exercise of patience.
Decent attempt at trying not to be sexist buuuuut.
11. Question: If intercourse take place between a couple during their year of patience, and they become
estranged again thereafter, must they recommence their year of patience, or may the days preceding the
intercourse be included in the reckoning of the year? And once divorce hath taken place, is it necessary
that a further period of waiting be observed?
Answer: Should affection be renewed between the couple during their year of patience, the marriage tie is valid, and what is commanded in the Book of God must be observed; but once the year of patience hath been completed and that which is decreed by God taketh place, a further period of waiting is not required. Sexual intercourse between husband and wife is forbidden during their year of patience, and whoso committeth this act must seek God’s forgiveness, and, as a punishment, render to the House of Justice a fine of nineteen mithqáls of gold.
Answer: Should affection be renewed between the couple during their year of patience, the marriage tie is valid, and what is commanded in the Book of God must be observed; but once the year of patience hath been completed and that which is decreed by God taketh place, a further period of waiting is not required. Sexual intercourse between husband and wife is forbidden during their year of patience, and whoso committeth this act must seek God’s forgiveness, and, as a punishment, render to the House of Justice a fine of nineteen mithqáls of gold.
According to the Baháʼí website: "The YOP is when the best attempts should be made to reach the state of re-dedication to the original pledges upon which the union started in the first place."
13. Question: Is the consent of the parents on both sides prerequisite to marriage, or is that of the parents on
one side sufficient? Is this law applicable only to virgins or to others as well?
Answer: Marriage is conditional upon the consent of the parents of both parties to the marriage, and in this respect it maketh no difference whether the bride be a virgin or otherwise.
Answer: Marriage is conditional upon the consent of the parents of both parties to the marriage, and in this respect it maketh no difference whether the bride be a virgin or otherwise.
Virgin bride makes no difference. This feels progressive.
14. Question: The believers have been enjoined to face in the direction of the Qiblih when reciting their
Obligatory Prayers; in what direction should they turn when offering other prayers and devotions?
Answer: Facing in the direction of the Qiblih is a fixed requirement for the recitation of obligatory prayer, but for other prayers and devotions one may follow what the merciful Lord hath revealed in the Qur’án: “Whichever way ye turn, there is the face of God.”
Answer: Facing in the direction of the Qiblih is a fixed requirement for the recitation of obligatory prayer, but for other prayers and devotions one may follow what the merciful Lord hath revealed in the Qur’án: “Whichever way ye turn, there is the face of God.”
“Whichever way ye turn, there is the face of God" is Quranic (2:115) and Pantheistic.
20. Question: Concerning the age of maturity with respect to religious duties.
Answer: The age of maturity is fifteen for both men and women.
Answer: The age of maturity is fifteen for both men and women.
I love this. So certain. I was sure ready at 15.
23. Question: Concerning the punishment of the adulterer and adulteress.
Answer: Nine mithqáls are payable for the first offense, eighteen for the second, thirty-six for the third, and so on, each succeeding fine being double the preceding. The weight of one mithqál is equivalent to nineteen nakhuds in accordance with the specification of the Bayán.
Answer: Nine mithqáls are payable for the first offense, eighteen for the second, thirty-six for the third, and so on, each succeeding fine being double the preceding. The weight of one mithqál is equivalent to nineteen nakhuds in accordance with the specification of the Bayán.
I like it that punishment is monetrary not physical.
47. Question: Supposing that a man hath wed a certain woman believing her to be a virgin and he hath paid
her the dowry, but at the time of consummation it becometh evident that she is not a virgin, are the
expenses and the dowry to be repaid or not? And if the marriage had been made conditional upon
virginity, doth the unfulfilled condition invalidate that which was conditioned upon it?
Answer: In such a case the expenses and the dowry may be refunded. The unfulfilled condition invalidateth that which is conditioned upon it. However, to conceal and forgive the matter will, in the sight of God, merit a bounteous reward.
Answer: In such a case the expenses and the dowry may be refunded. The unfulfilled condition invalidateth that which is conditioned upon it. However, to conceal and forgive the matter will, in the sight of God, merit a bounteous reward.
Hmmmm, some good and some bad. That last line is powerful.
64. Question: In determining time, is it permissible to rely on clocks and watches?
Answer: It is permissible to rely on clocks and watches.
Answer: It is permissible to rely on clocks and watches.
Weird quesion but ok.
84. Question: Is it permissible for a believer to marry an unbeliever?
Answer: Both taking and giving in marriage are permissible; thus did the Lord decree when He ascended the throne of bounteousness and grace.
Answer: Both taking and giving in marriage are permissible; thus did the Lord decree when He ascended the throne of bounteousness and grace.
Good.
92. Question: In a treatise in Persian on various questions, the age of maturity hath been set at fifteen; is
marriage likewise conditional upon the reaching of maturity, or is it permissible before that time?
Answer: Since the consent of both parties is required in the Book of God, and since, before maturity, their consent or lack of it cannot be ascertained, marriage is therefore conditional upon reaching the age of maturity, and is not permissible before that time.
Answer: Since the consent of both parties is required in the Book of God, and since, before maturity, their consent or lack of it cannot be ascertained, marriage is therefore conditional upon reaching the age of maturity, and is not permissible before that time.
15 again. It does seem a teensie young but maybe because I'm old.
94. Question: Concerning mosques, chapels and temples.
Answer: Whatever hath been constructed for the worship of the one true God, such as mosques, chapels and temples, must not be used for any purpose other than the commemoration of His Name. This is an ordinance of God, and he who violateth it is verily of those who have transgressed. No harm attacheth to the builder, for he hath performed his deed for the sake of God, and hath received and will continue to receive his just reward.
Answer: Whatever hath been constructed for the worship of the one true God, such as mosques, chapels and temples, must not be used for any purpose other than the commemoration of His Name. This is an ordinance of God, and he who violateth it is verily of those who have transgressed. No harm attacheth to the builder, for he hath performed his deed for the sake of God, and hath received and will continue to receive his just reward.
Yes.
SYNOPSIS AND CODIFICATION OF THE LAWS AND ORDINANCES OF THE KITÁB-I-AQDAS
A bullet-list summary of everything we've covered.
NOTES
As I previously stated, this Notes section was imperative to my education. It essentially goes through the Kitáb-i-Aqdas and irons out any confusions with language or references that aren't commonplace. Without it, my analysis would've read very differently and embarrassingly inaccurate.
Done! See you next year!
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