Lights of Guidance

Lights of Guidance A Baha'i Reference File
Lights of Guidance
A Bah Reference File
Compiled by Helen Bassett Hornby
Copyright National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahs of Ecuador
irst Edition! "#$%
Second &e'ised and Enlarged Edition! "#$$
&eprints! "##() "##*) "##+) "###) ,--" . ,--(
/SBN! $"0$1-#"0(*0%
Bah 2ublishing 3rust
0%4*) 56hla /ndustrial Area) 2hase0/
Ne7 8elhi ""- -,- /ndia
2rinted at 9:;: 5ffset . 2ac6aging) 2hone! ,*$"$1#1) Ne7 8elhi
Reproduced with the kind permission of the
National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahs of Ecuador
Table of Contents
/ntroduction
2reface
Ac6no7ledgements
<emorial
Contents
=ights of >uidance
Bibliography
/nde?

INTRO!CTION
@3he Bah aith is an independent 7orld religion: A/t proclaims the necessity and ine'itability of the
unification of man6ind::: /t) moreo'er) enBoins upon its follo7ers the primary duty of an unfettered
search after truth) condemns all manner of preBudice and superstition) declares the purpose of religion to
be the promotion of amity and concord) proclaims its essential harmony 7ith science) and recogniCes it
as the foremost agency for the pacification and the orderly progress of human society: /t uneDui'ocally
maintains the principle of eDual rights) opportunities and pri'ileges for men and 7omen) insists on
compulsory education) eliminates e?tremes of po'erty and 7ealth) abolishes the institution of
priesthood) prohibits sla'ery) asceticism) mendicancy and monasticism) prescribes monogamy)
discourages di'orce) emphasiCes the necessity of strict obedience to ones go'ernment) e?alts any 7or6
performed in the spirit of ser'ice to the le'el of 7orship) urges either the creation or the selection of an
au?iliary international language) and delineates the outlines of those institutions that must establish and
perpetuate the general peace of man6ind: E
"
3his 'olume contains letters from Central igures of the Bah aith and its guiding institutions)
applying the spiritual principles of the Bah aith) as e?pressed in the re'ealed 7ord of Bahullh) to
the practical problems and issues facing indi'idual Bahs and their local communities:
9ust as 9esus Christ referred His follo7ers to the spiritual teachings of <oses and <u ammad in turn
directed His belie'ers to the teachings of Christ) Bahullhs &e'elation ac6no7ledges its position as
the ne7est in an ancient succession of religions: Each of the 7orlds great religions dra7s on a sacred
body of te?t that e?presses eternally 'alid spiritual principles and applies those principles to the time and
place of the <essenger of >od 7hose 7ords form the basis of that Holy Scripture:
3he Bb Fthe @>ateEG) Himself a <essenger of >od) established the Bb religion in 2ersia in "$((:
His e?ample and teachings in'igorated the people 7ith the force of spiritual re'olution: Before His
martyrdom in "$1-) the Bb instructed His follo7ers to search for the 2romised 5ne) 7hose &e'elation
the Bb aith heralded:
A period of persecution follo7ed 7hen more than ,-)--- Bbs 7ere tortured and e?ecuted for their
steadfast beliefs: 3hen in "$*%) in garden near Baghdd) Bahullh Fthe @>lory of >odEG re'ealed
Himself to a group of Bbs as the <essenger so long a7aited: 3he Bah aith is the religion founded
on Bahullhs &e'elation of >ods Hord for this age:
Before His death in "$#,) Bahullh appointed His eldest son) AAbdul0Bah Fthe @Ser'ant of the
>loryEG) to guide the Bah community by e?ample and by 7ords) authoriCing Him to interpret the
sacred te?t: AAbdul0Bah did so until His death in "#,") tra'elling to Africa) America and Europe:
3he Hill and 3estament of AAbdul0Bah designated His grandson) Shoghi Effendi &abbani) >uardian
of the Cause and authoriCed interpreter of Bahullhs &e'elation: 8uring his lifetime) the Bah aith
gre7 rapidly and communities 7ere founded throughout the 7orld: Shoghi Effendi &abbani guided the
de'elopment of local) national) and international institutions prescribed in Bahullhs teachingsI these
allo7ed Bah communities to be nourished by their di'ersity and frame7or6s 7hich promoted unity: A
fe7 years after his death) the administrati'e structure Shoghi Effendi &abbani so lo'ingly fostered
blossomed in the election of the first Jni'ersal House of 9ustice) an institution ordained by Bahullhs
&e'elation:
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice is the supreme go'erning body of the BahK aith: Elected
DuinDuennially at international con'entions) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice gi'es spiritual guidance to
and directs the administrati'e acti'ities of the 7orld7ide Bah community that numbers bet7een three
and four million:E
,) "
a"n #$ %&ith
": Addendum to The Promise of World Peace) Hilmette) "#$1
,: /n "##%) o'er fi'e million
'R(FAC(
TO 1983 EDITIO
3he purpose of this compilation is to ser'e as a ready reference for the institutions) pioneers) teachers)
et! al: 3he maBority of the material cited herein is from the original or ?ero? copies of letters of the
belo'ed >uardian Shoghi Effendi) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice and) to a lesser degree) from tal6s and
3ablets of the three Central igures of the aith: All letters or Duotes from ABah Ne7s) Bournals and
bulletins 7ere authenticated or 'erified from transcripts from the Horld Centre or from 'arious National
Archi'es: /n a fe7 cases 7here no record of an item could be found other than from the publications)
permission 7as granted to use it until such time as the original is found and corrections 7ill then be
made if necessary:
Apparent inconsistencies in the annotations of sources are the conseDuence of ha'ing recei'ed a
number of 'erified transcripts from the Horld Centre: 3hese transcripts often noted corrections of
published material Duoted) and sometimes cited more of the original letter than 7as pre'iously published
7ith the suggestion noted that for the sa6e of clarity the compiler might li6e to use the entire letter or
paragraph:
A number of compilations by the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice or its &esearch 8epartment ha'e been
published by different 2ublishing 3rusts subseDuent to the drafting of this A&eference ile) therefore a
published source may or may not be cited: Ho7e'er) a7are that many of the friends 7ould not ha'e
access to original copies of compilations or letters) the compiler 7ent bac6 and found a number of
citations and inserted references from a'ailable published sources:
3he ine?perienced reader may also Duestion the inconsistencies in spelling and the diacritical mar6ings
throughout the compilation: /n accordance 7ith the standard set by the House of 9ustice) it appears that
liberties should not be ta6en 7ith letters 7ritten by or on behalf of the >uardian) nor of the tal6s and
3ablets of the 3hree Central igures of the aith: 3he compiler has adhered strictly to this standard and
only in t7o or three instances of glaring errors is the correct spelling cited in parenthesis:
3he compiler humbly desires to e?press her heartfelt than6s and sincere gratitude to the Jni'ersal
House of 9ustice and the 8epartment of Secretariat for their guidance) help) stimulation and
encouragement 7hich engendered hope and the necessary courage for her to dare to thin6 of finishing
this &eference ile during the most critical period of her life) and for their 6indness and concern in
sending innumerous transcripts for 'erification and authentication of material 7hich could not be located
else7hereI to the Counsellors of South America Fbefore the merger to form the Continental Board of
Counsellors for the AmericasG for their stimulating influence and assistance o'er the years) for their lo'e
and infinite patience and sharing of material for this proBect: Special than6s to the National Spiritual
Assembly of Ecuador for its ne'er failing help) boundless lo'e and understanding and unlimited
assistance 7ith this 7or6 so that it could become a reality: /t 7ould indeed ta6e a boo6 to cite the names
of all the friends 7ho so 6indly helped or contributed in some 7ay to the successful completion of this
reference 7or6: >rateful ac6no7ledgement is e?tended to each and e'ery one of you 7here'er you areL
and a Aspecial measure of gratitude to the friends in Ann Arbor and Mpsilanti) <ichigan for sacrificing
so much of their time and energy) often after long hours of 7or6 and study) to help finish this proBect:
Hithout their assistance it 7ould ha'e ta6en se'eral more months to complete it:
Sometimes one 7ishes for the spiritual language of the other plane to e?press ones deep emotions:
No7) is one of the momentsI the compiler cherishes such desire to e?press her lo'e and than6s to 8r:
&ahmatullh <uhBir) the Hand of the Cause of >od) for his stimulating influence and help and for his
re'ie7 of the &eference ile the night before he passed a7ay:
<any Duestions ha'e been recei'ed as to ho7 this compilation came into being or 7as initiated: 3he
compiler e?plains that her lo'e for the >uardians letter is 7hat inspired her to start collecting them from
old ABah Ne7s) magaCines and bulletins 7hen she 7as a Abrand ne7 Bah: 3hen during the Nine0
Mear 2lan she 7as as6ed to ma6e some international teaching trips and learned that such Ateachers are
e?pected to 6no7 a little of e'erything: 3his 7as the impetus behind her gathering the precious Arescued
letters that at the time she felt 7ere lost in those dusty stac6ed a7ay magaCines and bulletins) and then
putting them together to be used especially on such trips: 3hen a 2ersian friend came to 'isit) a
CounsellorN) and he sa7 the then small compilation: /t 7ould be interesting if his e?act 7ords could be
recalled but in essence he said that @Bahs cannot be selfishI 7hen one does something li6e this) it
must be shared) no7 this is no longer yours:E
No7 friends this is yoursL
N <asud ;hams
Preface to the 1988 Re"ised Edition
Hhile updating this reference 7or6 an effort 7as made to pro'ide an accessible 'olume) including some
re'ised) retranslated 3ablets and letters 7hich 7ould be in'aluable to those 7ho ha'e limited time to do
their o7n research and to those 7ith insufficient reference material a'ailable 7hen it is needed:
Considering that the Holy 3e?t comprises more than "-- 'olumes and 3ablets re'ealed by the
2rophet4ounder of the aith) Bahullh) and to this &e'elation ha'e been added e?tensi'e 7ritings
and interpretations by AAbdul0Bah and Shoghi Effendi as 7ell as special messages and letters from the
Jni'ersal House of 9ustice) one can readily understand 7hy it is impossible for one boo6 to encompass
such a bountiful supply of 7ritten guidance: 3herefore) an attempt 7as made to collect from these
primary sources Duotations 7hich address topics of 6no7n freDuent concern to the /nstitutions) pioneers)
tra'elling teachers and the indi'idual Bahs:
3his is a Areference 7or6 and not an attempt to pro'ide a comprehensi'e treatment of e'ery subBect
mentioned in its entirety: /t 7ill indicate to a reader that the subBect has been addressed and) if needed)
further information can be obtained from the /nstitutions:
Again friends) this is yoursL
)elen Bassett )ornb*
Compiler
AC#NO+L(G(,(NT%
/ 7ish to e?press my heartfelt appreciation to the many 7onderful friends Bahs and non0Bahs) from
around the globe for your encouragement and beautiful e?pressions of gratitude for #i$hts of %uidance:
A 'ery special than6s to those 7ho did a critical and content analysis of the 7or6 7hich 7as 'ery
beneficial to me and / hope the benefit 7ill be reflected in this re'ised editionI and for the cooperation of
the 'arious /nstitutions of the aithI to the 'ery efficient and esteemed <rs: <ercedes Buc6ingham 2:)
7ho inde?ed both editionsI and to <r: rederic6 <cClus6y 7ho helped to e?pedite this edition by ta6ing
on the responsibility of the 3able of ContentsI to those star ser'ants of Bahullh <rs: Helen
<cClus6y) <rs: <ary Holters and <rs: Erma Hayden) 7ho pro'ided encouragement and assistance in
too many 7ays to recount in this spaceI and to the Bah Community of Ann Arbor and the =ouhelen
Bah School:
/t is also a bounty as 7ell as a pri'ilege for me to than6 the students of the first class of the =ouhelen
FBahG &esidential College in 8a'ison) <ichigan 7ho participated in assembling some chapters of
#i$hts of %uidance) 7hen their time permitted) as part of their e?tra0curricular acti'ities on 7ee60endsI
and the participants in a class to discuss the boo6 during Homecoming Hee6 in September "#$+) 7ho
assembled 'arious topics under #aws: / certainly hope that <r: and <rs: Albert and 2atti in6) formerly
of Ann Arbor) <ichegan) realise that / can ne'er forget the in'aluable ser'ice they rendered o'er the
years helping me in e'ery 7ay to get this 7or6 ready for future publicationI and last but certainly not
least) my gratitude and than6s to my husband Charles Hornby for assisting 7ith a great deal of the
research and paste0ups) filling me 7ith 'itamins to 6eep my health together and for assuming
responsibility for the maBority of the un0numbered e'eryday tas6s one must perform: 3o all of you again)
than6 you for helping me to ser'e His Cause:
HBH
"#$$
,(,ORIAL
Helen Bassett Hornby) the compiler4author of this monumental 7or6) died 5ctober "+) "##,: He hope
that this 3hird) "##() Edition of Lights of Guidance 7ill more nearly reflect her Ceal for e?cellence and
perfection) e?emplified to her by the publications and guidance of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice
The (ditors
AO letter from the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice dated 5ctober ,-) "##,!
National %-iritual Asse&bl* of the
Bahs of the !nited %tates
5ur hearts are grie'ed by the ne7s of the passing of Helen Hornby) steadfast) stal7art upholder of the
aith of Bahullh: Her 7ell nigh three decades of teaching and pioneering ha'e left indelible traces in
the AmericasI her success in preparing an e?tensi'e compilation on Bah subBects 7as a cro7ning
achie'ement: He pray in the Holy Shrines that her noble soul may be richly re7arded in the Abh
;ingdom: ;indly e?tend our sympathy to her dear family:
!ni.ersal )ouse of /ustice
cc! National Spiritual Assembly of Ecuador
@::: /t is clear that life in this fast0fading 7orld is as fleeting and inconstant as the morning 7ind) and
this being so) ho7 fortunate are the great 7ho lea'e a good name behind them) and the memory of a
lifetime spent in the path7ay of the good pleasure of >od:

@/t is all one) if it be a throne
5r the bare ground under the open s6y)
Hhere a pure soul lays him
8o7n to die:E
&'()du*l+,ah- . 3he Secret of 8i'ine Ci'iliCation/ p! 012
CONT(NT%
/: A8</N/S3&A3/PE 5&8E&
A$ Ad&inistrati.e Order
": Established irst in AmericaQot (merican Production
,: Cannot be /dentified 7ith 2rinciples of 2resent08ay 8emocracies
B$ Bah Ad&inistration
%: 3he /deal /nstrument to <a6e Spiritual =a7s unction 2roperly
(: 2urpose of Administration
1: Social 5rder of Bahullh
*: &elationship of the Cause to the Administration
C$ Bah Local %-iritual Asse&blies
+: Assemblies 5rdained by Bahullh
$: Established in E'ery CityQ3ounsellors to the um)er of ,ah- &92
#: 2urpose of Spiritual Assemblies
"-: 3heir 8efender is AAbdul0Bah
"": Assemblies Styled 8ifferently in uture
",: Assembly 5perates at irst =e'els of Human Society
"%: Strengthening of =ocal Spiritual AssembliesQer"e 3entres of 3ommunities
"(: 2rimary 2urpose to 2romote 3eaching Hor6
"1: Areas Jnder 9urisdiction of =ocal Spiritual AssembliesQational 4piritual (ssem)l5 6ust 4tud5
"*: =ocal Spiritual AssembliesQ3reated )5 ,ah-*u*ll-h in 7is 8it-)+i+(9das
$ For&ation of Local %-iritual Asse&blies
"+: orming =ocal AssembliesQO)li$ation to Esta)lish
"$: A Community of Nine Adult Belie'ers <ust orm an Assembly by 9oint 8eclaration
"#: 8uty of E'ery Bah to 3a6e 2art in 9oint 8eclaration
,-: Belie'er <ust Be @a &esidentE to 2articipate in the ormation of a Spiritual AssemblyQ:nusual 3ases as
E;ceptions
,": &e0ormation by Election or 9oint 8eclarationQRefusal of a ,elie"er to Participate does not Pre"ent Re+
<ormin$ (ssem)l5
,,: Circumstances Jnder Hhich an Assembly Should not be /mmediately 8issol'ed
,%: <embers of =apsed Assembly are &esponsible to Notify National Secretary
,(: Spiritual Assembly 9urisdictions Changes as Ci'il Jnits Are <odified
,1: Assemblies Cannot be ormed in 2rison
,*: Rualifications of Assembly <embersQ4u)=ect to 7uman #imitations
,+: Rualifications 5utlined Applicable to Anyone Elected
,$: Au?iliary Board <embers) Eligibility of
,#: Board <embers <ay Ser'e on Assembly 3emporarily
%-: Annual Elections 2ro'ide 5pportunity to &emedy 8efects the Assembly <ay Suffer
%": Absence of Nomination in Bah ElectionsQ( Distin$uishin$ <eature
%,: Bah Electoral 2rocedures 8e'elop Spirit of &esponsibility
%%: reedom of Belie'ers to ChooseQ4hould )e 3hoicest/ 6ost >aried Elements
%(: Belie'ers Should Become /ntelligent) Hell0/nformed and &esponsible Electors
%1: Can'assing is 8eprecated
%*: &eference to 2ersonalities Before Election
%+: A'oid /ntrigues
%$: Election 8ay
%#: 2rayer and &eflection Before Poting
(-: 2rocedure for Poting by <ail
(": No Ruorum &eDuired for Election of an Assembly
(,: Bah Elections for Spiritual AssembliesQ3ast ine >otes/ either 6ore nor #ess
(%: Belie'er Has &ight to Pote for Himself
((: Potes Confidential
(1: Secret Ballot
(*: &esults of Election Should be Accepted
(+: Brea6ing of 3ie Potes
($: /f Enrolled Belie'er Hithdra7sQ4u)se9uentl5 Elected to 4piritual (ssem)l5
(#: <ass <igrations
1-: Hhen Conditions Beyond Human Control 2re'ent Election of Assembly at &id'n
1": Should >uide Belie'ers 8uring Mear in 2roper Administrati'e 2rocedures
($ Annual Con.entions
1,: 3he unctions of the National Con'ention
1%: Election of 8elegates to National Con'entions
1(: Area of Assembly 9urisdiction not to be Subdi'ided for Electoral 8istricts
11: 8elegates Assigned According to Numerical Strength
1*: /nacti'ity 8oes Not 9ustify &emo'ing Name from Poting =ist
1+: &eplacement of 8elegates
1$: National Spiritual Assembly 8etermines 3iming in &espect to Jnit Con'entions
1#: Consultation Bet7een 8elegates and the National Spiritual Assembly
*-: Status of <embers of the National Spiritual Assembly at the National Con'ention
*": 2referably 8elegates Attend Con'ention in 2erson
*,: /f 8elegate Cannot 2ay 57n E?penses
*%: Ne7 Blood Adds to Energy of the >roup
*(: Election of Ne7 <embers on the National Spiritual AssemblyQDut5 of <riends to (c9uaint Themsel"es with
<ellow ,elie"ers
*1: Consultation Among 8elegates of a &egion 2rior to Con'entionQo O)=ection/ if the ,ah-*?s (re 6ature
Enou$h
**: National Spiritual Assembly 2resent as an /nstitution at the National Con'ention
*+: 5nly 8elegates <ay Pote in the National Con'ention
*$: Each Poter <ust Pote for the Nine Best Suited for ElectionQot ,etra5 4acred Trust
*#: National Con'ention <ust be Con'ened 8uring &id'n
+-: Election of National Spiritual Assembly to be Held at <idpoint in the Con'ention
+": National 3eaching Conference and National Con'ention Should not be Held at the Same 3ime
+,: Attendance &ecord of National Spiritual Assembly <embers <ay be 2ro'ided to Con'ention 8elegates
+%: Hor6shops 8uring National Con'ention not Suitable
+(: 8elegates Ha'e Specific Administrati'e 8uties
+1: Non08elegate Can be 2ermitted to Address Con'entionQPermissi"eness ot to )e ()used
+*: Au?iliary Board <embers 2resent at National Con'ention
++: 8esirable Au?iliary Board <embers be =eft ree from Administrati'e 8uties
+$: Hands of the Cause and Counsellors 2articipation in Con'entions
+#: Counsellors /neligible for <embership on Administrati'e Bodies
F$ Instruction of Tellers0 'riorit* of ,inorities
A--ro.al of Outgoing Asse&bl*
$-: 3ellers Should be >i'en >uidelinesQRecordin$ of Identical ames
$": Con'ention 2rocedure in Connection 7ith 3ellers &eport
$,: Jnder Certain Conditions 5ne or <ore Names <ay be /n'alidated
$%: <inority Accorded 2riority Hithout Ruestion
$(: 8efinition of <inority and <aBority at 8iscretion of the National Spiritual Assembly
$1: &esults &eported to National Assembly for Acceptance and /nstruction to 3ellers about &e0Poting
$*: 5nly Names of 3hose 3ied Appear on SubseDuent Ballots
$+: Ho7 to &eport a 3ie
$$: irst) Ne7 Assembly <ust Consider Hhether to Accept &esignation
$#: By0Election Can Be Held 8uring Con'ention 5nly if All 8elegates Are 2resent
#-: 3ie for Ninth <ember of the National Spiritual Assembly
#": 8uty of Au?iliary Board <ember to Ad'ise Assembly) not 8elegates) that He Hill not Ser'e
#,: Board <embers Should not &esign Before a 3ie0Brea6ing Pote /s Cast
#%: 2reser'ation of Ballots
#(: Assembly Has &ight to E?amine Ballots
#1: 8elegates Should be >i'en 5pportunity to &eport to the Community
G$ Officers of Local and National Asse&blies
#*: /f All <embers 2resent) 2ermanent 5fficers Should be Elected /mmediately
#+: Assembly or Committee <embers <ay E?cuse 3hemsel'es from Being Elected as 5fficers
#$: /t is 2referable that a 2erson Hold no <ore than 5ne 5ffice
##: Complete &esults of Each Pote must be ;no7n to all <embers of the Assembly 2resent
"--: 3he /ntegrity of the Elector <ust be &elied Jpon
"-": Any 5fficer Elected <ust Ha'e &ecei'ed at =east i'e Potes
"-,: 3he Chairman of the Assembly
"-%: 3he Pice0Chairman
"-(: 8uties of the National Secretary
"-1: 3he Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly is its Chief E?ecuti'e 5fficer
"-*: ull03ime Ser'ices of Secretary <ay &eDuire &emuneration) about Hhich the Agreement Should be 8uly
&ecorded
"-+: Secretarys Helper Can be Non0<ember of Assembly
"-$: Secretariat Should be Situated in the Capital City
"-#: National Secretary Should ;eep in Close 3ouch 7ith =ocal Assemblies
""-: Contents of <inutes
""": Secretary Should be Careful to Con'ey <aBority 8ecision
"",: 3reasurer of the Spiritual Assembly &ecei'es all 8onations and Contributions
""%: Handling of unds
""(: 5bligation of a Bah Hho is Elected to an 5ffice Hhich &eDuires ull03ime Ser'ice
""1: 3hose Elected to an Assembly Should Consider it a 2ri'ilege and a &esponsibility to Ser'e
""*: 2rocedure for Assemblies Hhen 8issatisfied 7ith 5fficers
)$ Local and National Ad&inistrators
""+: unctions and 8uties of Elected &epresentati'es
""$: 3hey <ust Jphold the Standard of 9ustice
""#: Administrators of aith =i6e Shepherds
",-: 3he 5nes in &eal Authority ;no7n by Humility and Self0Sacrifice
",": ;eynote of Cause of >od Not 8ictatorial Authority
",,: Assemblies Should /nfluence Belie'ers to Confidently 2resent their 2roblems
",%: Breach of 3rust by Assembly <embers 7ill 8estroy Confidence of Belie'ers
",(: Administrati'e Efficiency Should be Accompanied by an EDual Amount of =o'e
",1: Administrators Should Consider 3hemsel'es as <ere Channels Hhereby >od 2rotects and >uides His aith
",*: National Spiritual Assembly is Supreme Authority) <ainspring of Acti'ities) Sole =in6 to the Jni'ersal
House of 9ustice
",+: 5bedience to the National Spiritual Assembly is the Basis for Jnity
",$: 3he National Spiritual Assembly is the Head and the =ocal Spiritual Assemblies Are the Parious 5rgans
",#: Pital unction of National Spiritual Assembly
"%-: Authority and /nfluence of Assemblies <ust be Strengthened
"%": A @BestE Assembly
"%,: CentraliCation of Authority <ade <anifest in <asters Hill
"%%: undamentals of Bah Administration <ust be Adhered to
"%(: 3endency of All National Assemblies to 5'er0Administer
"%1: /t is not Necessary to Anticipate Situations
"%*: 5'er0Administration Horse than Jnder0Administration
"%+: National Spiritual Assemblies Should be Jncompromising in 2rinciple but le?ible in 2rocedures
"%$: National Assembly is >uardian of the Helfare of the aith
"%#: 3endency of =ate0Comers to Belittle Hor6 8one
"(-: Each Belie'er Should Ha'e Access to Communications from Horld Centre of his aith
"(": =egal Standing for Spiritual Assemblies
"(,: =ocal Assemblies Should >i'e 3eachers E'ery Encouragement
"(%: Class Consciousness Contrary to Actual 3eachings of aith
"((: E?tension 3eaching >oals) =ocal Assemblies Should Assume &esponsibility for
"(1: 2lans of the Assemblies Should be ;no7n to Counsellors and Au?iliary Board <embers
"(*: =ocal Spiritual Assemblies &elations 7ith Au?iliary Board
"(+: All =ocal Spiritual Assemblies Should Collaborate 7ith Au?iliary Board <embers and their Assistants
"($: Hhen =ocal Spiritual Assemblies are 3ruly Effecti'e
"(#: A unctioning =ocal Spiritual AssemblyQ4alient O)=ecti"es to )e (ttained
"1-: 2rominent 2eople) oster Cordial &elations 7ith
"1": 2ublic igures
"1,: /ndi'idual <embers of the =ocal Spiritual Assembly Should 8eepen
"1%: <embers of Spiritual Assembly <ust ace &esponsibilities
I$ ,eetings of Bah Asse&blies0
Attendance0 Resignations
"1(: 5bligation of Assembly <embers to <eet and 8ischarge Sacred &esponsibilities
"11: <embership in Bah Assembly or Committee is a Sacred 5bligationQ4hould Endea"or to (ttend (ll
6eetin$s
"1*: 3eaching <ust be Accorded 2recedence Hhen in Session
"1+: All <eetings <ust &e'ol'e Around 5ne ocal CenterQTeach
"1$: 2rinciple on Hhich to Conduct the Hor6 of an Assembly
"1#: Hhy Some =ocal Assemblies do not <eet
"*-: Ho7 5ften to <eetQThe 4piritual (ssem)l5 6ust Decide
"*": Bahullhs 2romise
"*,: Not 2ossible to Ha'e Non0Assembly <ember in National Spiritual Assembly <eeting
"*%: 8istribution of <inutes of <eetings
"*(: Access to &ecords of the Spiritual Assembly
"*1: Business Can be Conducted 7ith a Ruorum
"**: Assembly Ruorum
"*+: 8uties of Assembly <embers
"*$: Abstaining 8oes not Arise in Bah Poting
"*#: Bahs Not &eDuired to Pote Against Consciences
"+-: 5nly Jnder Special Circumstances is it 2ermissible to &esign from the Spiritual Assembly
"+": 8ifferences of 5pinion Should not 8eter 5ne from 2erforming His Bah Acti'ities
"+,: 3here Should be a Palid &eason for &esignation
"+%: Should National Assembly <embers be &elie'ed of =ocal Assembly Ser'iceS
"+(: Not Appropriate to Elect a 3emporary Assembly <ember
"+1: Non0Attendance of Assembly <embersQo Time #imit <i;ed
"+*: &epeated) JnBustified Absence Cause for Suspension of Poting &ights
"++: Criticism) 5pposition) Confusion 8o not 2ro'ide >rounds for &esignationQ4anction 6a5 ,e ecessar5
/$ Ad&inistrati.e Rights0 %anctions0
issi&ulation
"+$: Basis for 8epri'ation of Poting &ights
"+#: Assembly Should not 8epri'e Belie'er of &ights Jnless the <atter /s Pery >ra'e
"$-: No Bah Can S7ear to Bring up His Children in Another &eligion nor Be <arried in Church as a Christian
"$": Alcoholic Be'eragesQThose Who 3ontinue to Drink
"$,: 8i'orce
"$%: Ecclesiastical and 2olitical Associations
"$(: 2olitics) 2articipation in
"$1: Homose?ual Acts Condemned by Bahullh
"$*: /mmorality) Blatant Acts of
"$+: Criminal 5ffences) Belie'ers Charged 7ith
"$$: Should be >i'en Chance to /mpro'eQ( #esser 4anction 6a5 ,e (pplied
"$#: 5ne 5ffence of /mmorality not Enough to /ncur Hea'y 2enalty
"#-: Ci'il <arriage Ceremony 5nly
"#": 2arents Poting &ights Can be Suspended if Consent is >i'en Contrary to Bah =a7
"#,: Bah <embership in <asonic) 3heosophical) &osicrucian) and Similar Societies
"#%: <ental /llness
"#(: <ental Jnfitness
"#1: Hithdra7al of Administrati'e &ights from 5ne <entally /ll /s not a Sanction
"#*: National Assembly Can 8ebar an /ndi'idual from Ser'ing on a =ocal Assembly Hithout &emo'ing Poting
&ights
"#+: Poting &ights) 5nly National Assembly Can 8epri'e Belie'ers of
"#$: Status of 3hose Hho =ose Poting &ights
"##: No Bah <arriage /f 5ne is 8epri'ed of Poting &ightsQ( ,ah-*? in %ood 4tandin$ 3annot 6arr5 One 4o
Depri"ed
,--: Hea'iest Sanction He 2ossessQDepri"ation of >otin$ Ri$hts
,-": Before Anyone 8epri'ed of Poting &ights <ust be >i'en &epeated Harnings
,-,: No 9ustification Suspension of Poting &ights 2ending /n'estigation
,-%: Belie'er Cannot Escape E?pulsion by &esignation in 5rder to Brea6 =a7 7ith /mpunity
,-(: 8issimulation is not Hithdra7al
,-1: /gnorance of the =a7
,-*: Child 5ut of Hedloc6
,-+: =oss of Poting &ightsQIs to ,e (dministrati"el5 E;pelled
,-$: Cases /n'ol'ing 5nly Ci'il Ceremony
,-#: Poting &ights &emo'ed <ista6enly or 9ustifiably
,"-: Mouth) 8isciplinary Action Against
,"": /f Acts of /mmorality Are not >enerally ;no7nQ%ossip
,",: Community Attitude 3o7ard 3hose Hho Are 8epri'ed of Poting &ights
,"%: 3he Assemblies Should be =i6e the <aster and the @>ood ShepherdE
,"(: 3he Belie'er So 8epri'ed Hho <a6es an Effort to <end His Hays Should be Helped
,"1: Bahs <ust not 8issimulate their aith Jnder Any Circumstances
,"*: Summary of the E?tent of 8epri'ation of Poting &ights
,"+: Summary of the &ights and 2ri'ileges not 8enied
#$ A--eals
,"$: &ight to and 2rocedure for Appeal
,"#: Appeal from =ocal Assemblys 8ecision to the National Assembly
,,-: /nfringement of Bah &ights
,,": E'ery Bah <ay Hrite 8irectly to the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice) but Appeals Should be Submitted
3hrough the National Spiritual Assembly
,,,: 3he Appellants &eDuest for &eferral of Appeal to the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice Cannot be &efused
,,%: Committees Should 3a6e Jp 3heir 2roblems 7ith the National Spiritual Assembly
L$ B*1La"s
,,(: 2urpose of By0=a7s
,,1: A Baby Can be Considered a BahQDeclaration ($e 1@ for Protection
,,*: Ne7 Mor6 Persion of By0=a7s <ore Correct
,,+: <atter of Belief in Bahullh not of A'ailability for 2articipation
,,$: 3he National Spiritual Assembly <ust 8efend and Jphold 2ro'isions of By0=a7s and 8eclaration of 3rust
,,#: /nternational Jniformity in the Essentials /s to be <aintainedQThe #ocal ,5+#aws
,%-: 8ecisions of =ocal and National Assemblies SubBect to &e'ie7 by Higher BodyQo 3ontradiction in ,5+
#aws
,%": /ncorporation /s not Necessarily =ost by the 3emporary 8issolution of the =ocal Spiritual Assembly
,$ Ne" Belie.ers
,%,: 3he Cause of >od Has &oom for All
,%%: AAbdul0Bahs E?ampleQurse ew ,elie"er Patientl5
,%(: 3he 37o E?tremes in Bringing in Ne7 Bahs
,%1: No 5bstacles Should be 2laced Before Any Soul
,%*: Enrollments) Ne7QThose Responsi)le for
,%+: 3he 2rocess of Becoming a Bah /s an E'olutionary 5ne
,%$: Admittance /nto the aithQEssential Prere9uisites
,%#: 5n Becoming a Bah
,(-: Harning to E'ery Beginner in the aith
,(": Not Sufficient to Accept Some Aspects of 3eachings and &eBect 5thers
,(,: Hhen Enrolling Ne7 Belie'ers) <ust be Hise and >entle
,(%: /f &eDuirements to Enroll <ade 3oo &igorous) Hill Cool 5ff /nitial Enthusiasm
,((: A Bah <ust be Hholly a BahI <ust not be /nsular
,(1: A 3rue Bah Should 9ustify his Claim to be a Bah
,(*: 3he 2rimary &eason for Becoming a Bah
,(+: 2loughing Jp the Soil of the Heart
,($: Ne7 Belie'ers <ust not be =eft to 3heir 57n 8e'ices
,(#: 8eepening the Spiritual =ife of the /ndi'idual Belie'ers
,1-: Assemblies and Committees must Enable Belie'ers to Carry orth <essage of >od
,1": /f 5ne 8esires to Become a Bah) His 2ast Should not Be Held Against Him
,1,: Con'ert Ad'ised Not to Become Alienated from 2arents
,1%: Assembly Should not 2re'ent Enrollment of 2ersons Hith Ruestionable <oralsQWhen (ccepted ew
Enrollees 4hould 7enceforth 3onduct Themsel"es (s ,ah-*?s
,1(: <ay be 5ccasions Hhen Enrollment <ust be 2ostponed
,11: Rualifications of a Belie'er
,1*: 3he 2rocess of Acceptance PariesQ4ta$e of 3on"iction Important
,1+: 8eclarants Need Not ;no7 All the 2roofsQ4park of <aith
,1$: Acceptance of Ne7 Belie'ers =eft to 8iscretion of Assembly
,1#: <ental /nstability Has no Bearing Jpon Acceptance of an Enrollment
,*-: /n 3hese Special Cases) Steps Should be 3a6en to 8eepen their Jnderstanding
,*": 8eclaration of aith Normally Accepted from 3hose =i'ing in /mmoral Situation or from <ember of an
5rganiCation not 2ermissibleQTo )e %i"en Time to Rectif5 4ituation
,*,: Children are Accepted as Bahs &egardless of Age
,*%: 2risoners) 8eclarations from
,*(: Signature on Card is to Satisfy Administrati'e &eDuirementsQThere is a Difference ,etween 3haracter and
<aith
,*1: Enrolment CardQot a :ni"ersal Re9uirement
,**: 8uty of Assembly to Ne7ly Enrolled Belie'er
N$ The Belie.ers Relationshi- "ith the Asse&blies
,*+: Being a Bah Essentially an /nner 3hing
,*$: Should Ha'e &espect for National and =ocal Assemblies
,*#: 3his >reat 2riCe) 3his >ift of >odQ#ocal 4piritual (ssem)l5
,+-: Assembly is a Nascent House of 9usticeQIndi"iduals Toward Each Other %o"erned )5 #o"e/ :nit5/ etc!
,+": 37o ;inds of Bahs
,+,: Spiritual Children Should not Cling to <isconceptions of 3heir 3eachers
,+%: Assemblies Should /nspire Confidence in /ndi'idual Belie'ers
,+(: Buc6ets0ull of Administrati'e /nformation! 2utting 5ut the irst Spar6s
,+1: =oo6 to the 3eachings
,+*: 37o 2rinciples to ollo7! 8octrinal and Administrati'e Jnity
,++: Bah AdministrationQInstrument of 4pirit of the <aith
,+$: Bah Horld Community 8e'elops Ne7 Cells) Ne7 5rgans
,+#: Belie'ers Should 3urn to Assemblies for Ad'ice and Help
,$-: <ission of Bahullh) riends are 3rustees of
,$": Belie'ers Should Ha'e Confidence in Assembly
,$,: /f Assembly ma6es /ll0Ad'ised 8ecision /t <ust be Jpheld
,$%: /f Assembly <a6es a <ista6eQ%od Will Ri$ht the Wron$s Done
,$(: 5bedience) 2atience and &estraint
,$1: Criticism to AssembliesQ,ah-*?s 3an <reel5 (ir Their >iews
,$*: No 2rotection for aith Jnless riends Submit to Administrati'e Bodies
,$+: /f Bahs Jndermine =eaders
,$$: Belie'ers Ha'e the &ight to E?press their Criticism Action of Assembly) but not in a Hay to Jndermine /ts
Authority
,$#: 5bedience to the 8ecisions of the =ocal Assembly Should be JnDualified and Hhole0Hearted
,#-: =ocal Assembly Should Not CriticiCe 2olicy of National Assembly
,#": 5nly 5ne &emedyQ4tud5 the (dministration
,#,: 5n /ndi'idual Belie'er 8epends ate of Community
O$ Inacti.e Belie.ers
,#%: Poting =ist) Names Should Not be &emo'ed from
,#(: &emo'al of Names from Poting =ist
,#1: /nacti'e and Jnresponsi'e Belie'ers often Need Encouragement
,#*: /nacti'e Belie'ersQames Remo"ed Onl5 When 3learl5 4tated o #on$er ,elie"e in ,ah-*u*ll-h
,#+: &easons for /nacti'ity Should be Ascertained
,#$: <eetings Should be <ade so /nteresting as to Attract the 5ld Belie'ers
,##: <ust Aid 3hose 7ith Jnbecoming Conduct to <end 3heir Hays
%--: /f 2erson 8oes Not Hish to be Considered <ember
%-": 3he 2ersonal Situation of a Bah <ay 2reclude Acti'ity
%-,: 3hose Hho no =onger Belie'e in Bahullh:::
%-%: Belie'ers Hhose Hhereabouts Are Jn6no7n
II$ BAC#BITING0 CRITICI%,0
FA!LTFINING0 GO%%I'0
LI(%0 %LAN(R (TC$
%-(: 3he Hidden Hords of Bahullh
%-1: Bac6biting 8efined
%-*: Abstain from ault0inding and Bac6biting
%-+: 9ealousy or 2etty Attitudes Can 5nly Be 5'ercome by =o'e and 3act
%-$: 8ealing 7ith Bahs Hho Act in Hays 8etrimental to the Cause
%-#: =earning Not to Concern 5ursel'es 7ith the aults of 5thers
%"-: 3he Belie'ers Need <ore 2eace0<a6ers Circulating Among 3hemQ( <unction of the Older and the 6ore
6ature ,ah-*?s
%"": 3o Be orbearing) 2atient) <erciful) &ather than Succumbing to Bac6biting and Criticism
%",: Bac6bitingQThe 6ost %reat 4in
%"%: Bac6biting @Ruencheth the =ight of the HeartE
%"(: Criticism a Calamity
%"1: Suppress E'ery Critical 3hought and E'ery Harsh Hord
%"*: An Jn7ise Act or Statement
%"+: 2ersonal 8ifferences and 2etty 2re05ccupations
%"$: =i6e 2loughmen Each Has his 3eam to <anage
%"#: Be a riend to the Hhole Human &ace
%,-: Bahs <ust be 8istinguished
%,": Belie'ers Should 8ra7 on Each 5thers =o'e
%,,: Horst Enemies of the Cause Are in the Cause
%,%: Bac6biting is 8i'isi'e
%,(: Hhen Criticism and Harsh Hords Arise
%,1: /f He =isten) He Are >uilty of Complicity
III$ BA)23
A$ Bah Archi.es
%,*: Bahullh Admonishes Care in 2reser'ation of the 3ablets
%,+: 3ablets and Perses to be >athered into the Archi'es
%,$: Bah Archi'es) /nstitution of
%,#: uture >enerations Hill Appreciate Archi'es
%%-: All Assembly <embers Should Ha'e Access to the ilesQ3ertain Items 3an ,e #isted as A3onfidentialB
%%": E'ery Belie'er Has &esponsibility to Assist 7ith 2reser'ation of Sacred &elics
%%,: Bah Archi'es to be Established in Each Bah Administrati'e Centre
%%%: 8ocuments of Historical Palue Should not be 8estroyed
B$ Bah Arts and ra&a
%%(: 3hree Central igures Cannot be 2ortrayed
%%1: 8ramatic Hor6s
%%*: 8ancers <ust be 8ecently Clad
%%+: 3he Artistic 2resentation of the aith Hill Attract a Certain 3ype of /ndi'idual
%%$: Art Can Better A7a6en Noble Sentiments
%%#: 3a6ing 2art in 8ramasQDancin$
%(-: ilm Companies
%(": <o'ies
%(,: 8ramatiCing Historic Episodes of the aith
%(%: /f =ight Suggests 2ersonification of the <anifestation) /t Should not be Jsed
%((: 2rohibition on &epresenting <anifestations of >od in 2aintings or 8ra7ings Applies to All <anifestations
%(1: Need for S6ill to 2roduce an Effecti'e ilm about History of the aith
C$ Bah Authors4+riters
%(*: Bah Authors Should Hrite in Such <anner as to Attract the Souls
%(+: Bah Hriters Should Ha'e their Hor6s Appro'ed for 2ublication by National Assembly of Country Hhere
2ublished
%($: Bah Authors4Hriters Should Helcome &e'ie7 of their Hor6s
%(#: &e'ie7 of <agaCine Articles Hritten by /ndi'idual Belie'ers
%1-: 3he &e'ie7ing Committee
%1": 5bligation of Bahs to 2resent the aith in 8ignified <anner
%1,: 3he unction and 2urpose of &e'ie7ing
%1%: 2urpose of &e'ie7
%1(: No 5bBection to Bahs Hriting No'els 2ortraying Historical E'ents
%11: 9ournalists
%1*: Sciences that Begin and End 7ith HordsQ,ah-*u*ll-h e"er 6eant to Include 4tor5 Writin$ :nder this
3ate$or5
%1+: 3he aith Needs Bah Authors
%1$: 8octoral 3heses and Similar 3reatises
%1#: No 2ublisher has the &ight to Alter Authors <anuscript
$ Bah 'ublication0 Translation0 Re.ie" and Co-*right
%*-: Bah Ne7sletters and BulletinsQWh5 3irculation is Restricted to A,ah-*?s Onl5B
%*": Jsage in Spanish 3e?ts of Accents on 2ersian and Arabic Hords
%*,: 2ublications from Horld CentreQo Restriction on :se of Cuotations
%*%: Copyright Clearance on Sacred Hritings not Necessary for Assemblies and Bah Belie'ers
%*(: CapitaliCing 2ronouns in English
%*1: CapitaliCing 2ronouns in 5ther =anguages
%**: Ruotation <ar6sQ6ust :phold Ri$id 4tandard Inculcated )5 the 3ause
%*+: National Spiritual Assembly Authorises 3ranslation 3hrough a Committee of Bah 3ranslatorsQThe
%uardian*s 6ethod of Transliteration 4hould )e :sed
%*$: >uidelines for the 3ranslation of Bah Sacred Hritings
%*#: An /ndi'idual Can Be Commissioned to <a6e 3ranslationsQTranslations ,ecome Propert5 of the (ssem)l5
%+-: 3ranslation of Bah =iterature into E'eryday =anguageQ4implifications and Paraphrasin$ not to )e
Pu)lished as 4cripture
%+": 3ranslators Should JtiliCe <ost &ecent Editions of Boo6s
($ ,iscellaneous %ub5ects
%+,: riday is 8ay of &est in Bah Calendar
%+%: Jse of Bah 8ates
%+(: Bah aith) 8esignation of
%+1: Symbol of Bah aithQ<i"e+Pointed 4tar
I6$ BA)23 LIF(7 (GO0 %ACRIFIC(0
%(LF AN %(R6IC(
A$ Bah Life
%+*: 3he >reat 3hing is to @=i'e the =ifeE
%++: /f Health is Spent in Sensual 8esires) 8eath 2referable to Such a =ife
%+$: 3o Attract the Hearts of 5thers it is Necessary to =i'e up to the 3eachings
%+#: Bahs <ust Cling to their aith and to Each 5ther
%$-: 3he Ad'ertisements for the aith Are =o'e) Hospitality) Jnderstanding and the Hill to Help
%$": Ho7 to AcDuire 2eace of <ind
%$,: 5ne Should not >i'e the /mpression of Being anaticQ4eek to )e 6an5+4ided/ ormal and Well+,alanced
%$%: 3he /nner =ife of the Spirit is Hhat Counts
%$(: 3hrough 8eep Study and =i'ing the =ife to Become =i6e irm &oc6s
%$1: E'olution of the Soul
B$ (go8%elf
%$*: 3he <eaning of Self
%$+: 3he Ego is the Animal 7ithin Js
%$$: =ife is a Constant Struggle Against orces Around us and 5ur 57n @EgosE
%$#: 3he 2rophets Are the only 5nes ree of the @8ross of SelfE
%#-: Self <astery) ;ey to
%#": 3hrough the Search for >od) He Become AcDuainted 7ith 5ursel'es
%#,: Becoming Conscious of Self is a >radual 2rocess
%#%: <ans E'olution is both /ndi'idual and Collecti'e
%#(: 3he Cause Has the Spiritual 2o7er to &e0Create Js
%#1: 5ur 3houghts Should be 3urned 8eterminedly) /ntelligently and Jnemotionally to >od
%#*: He Should ocus on the >lory of the Cause and not on 5ur ailures
%#+: 8o not 87ell on 5thers 3houghts and Attitudes
C$ %elf1efense
%#$: Bah 9ustified in 8efending his =ife in Emergency
%##: Self08efense
(--: 2ioneer =i'ing in a &emote Area =ac6ing 2rotection! Circumstances Jnder 7hich a Bah is 9ustified in
8efending Self
$ %elf1%acrifice and %er.ice
(-": 3he <ystery of Sacrifice
(-,: Self0Sacrifice) <eaning of
(-%: 3o Hhat E?tent Should He Sacrifice 5ur =i'es for the /nterest of the CauseS
(-(: Accepting to Suffer for Each 5thers Sa6e
(-1: Ser'ice as <agnet for 8i'ine Confirmation
(-*: Assistance of Hosts of 8i'ine Concourse
(-+: An /rresistible Jrge to Ser'eQDo ot #ook at Dour 4hortcomin$s
(-$: 3here is no &ule or Standard &eDuiring a Belie'er to Ser'e in one ield at the E?clusion of 5thers
6$ B(GGING0 C)ARITI(%
AN T)( 'OOR
A: Begging
(-#: Begging is orbiddenQ7ouse of Eustice to Pro"ide for Disa)led
("-: BeggarsQ6ost Despised of 6en in the 4i$ht of %od
B$ Charit*
("": Charity is the Pery Essence of the 3eachings
(",: Contributions to Charity by Assemblies and /ndi'iduals
("%: Surest Hay of =ifting 5nce and for All Burden of Hunger and <isery
("(: 3here Are <any Hays that Help Can be &endered to Suffering ello70<en
("1: Bahs Ha'e the 8i'inely0>i'en &emedy for the /lls of <an6ind
("*: Hhen a Bah inds it Essential to See6 the Help of 5thers
("+: =ocal Spiritual Assembly Should E?tend Helping Hand to the 2oor
("$: Ho7 a Bah <ay Help his ello70Belie'er 3hrough the /nstitutions
C$ The 'oor
("#: 3hose 2ossessed of &iches <ust Ha'e the Jtmost &egard for the 2oor
(,-: 3he >reatest >ift He Can >i'e to the 2oor
(,": 8o Not >rie'e for Being 2oorQ4ome %reat 4ouls Were of the Poorest in the World
6I$ CALA,ITI(% AN CRI%I%
(,,: 3he Horld is in 3ra'ail
(,%: 2o7erful orces Are 5perating to Bring to a Clima? this 2ortentous Century
(,(: 3he 2eople of Bah Are Assured of 8i'ine >uidance
(,1: /f Bahs ail 3hey Are 2artly &esponsible for Agony of <an6ind
(,*: 3he Horld Hill E?perience 3ra'ails and 3esting as Ne'er Before
(,+: Calamities Hill Continue Jntil <an6ind is Chastened Sufficiently:::
(,$: Bahs Should not Haste 3ime Speculating on the Coming Calamity
(,#: /t is /mportant that Bahs Ha'e Correct Attitude &egarding 2ending Catastrophe
(%-: Should Bahs be Cut off from Horld Centre or from 5ne Another) 3hey 7ill Be >uided by Spiritual
Assemblies) =ed by Counsellors) Au?iliary Board <embers
(%": Bahs Can Help to <itigate Suffering of <an6ind
(%,: 3he 2eople of 3oday Are Suffering for 3heir o7n Sins of 5mission and Commission
(%%: He <ust 2ut the aith irst for 5ur Eternal Security and Happiness
(%(: He 8o Not ;no7 ho7 ar0&eaching the Catastrophe Hill Be
(%1: 3he Jnification of <an6ind
(%*: 3he Crisis is Ser'ing a >reat 2urpose
(%+: 3he >uardian 8oes Not 3hin6 that >od Hill 2ermit <an to Annihilate Himself:::
(%$: Hardship and 2ri'ation) rustration and 8espair Shall Encompass the 2eople:::
(%#: Apocalyptic Jphea'al
((-: Horld Condition Bringing <any /ssues to a Head
((": Calamities and Crises
((,: /nternal 8isintegration and E?ternal Chaos Being Accelerated
((%: Horsening Horld SituationQ6an5 4tand (side and Wrin$ Their 7ands
(((: A Ma7ning >ulf 3hreatens
((1: orces of a Horld CatastropheQThe <ire of Ordeal
((*: Hhen Crisis S7eeps 5'er the Horld) Bahs Should not =et Hardships Hea6en 3heir Hope in the uture
((+: Stage of 2urgation is /ndispensableQ,ah-*?s 4hould ot 7ope to Remain :naffected
(($: 8angers acing America
((#: <ans 5utloo6 on =ife 3oo Crude and <aterialistic
(1-: <ental 3ests to be Suffered by Belie'ers in the Hest
(1": A Ci'iliCation 3orn by Strife
(1,: ierce and <anifold Hill Be Assaults aith to Suffer
(1%: 5ur 8uty to &edeem ello7 <en
(1(: Bahs Are the =ea'en of >od) the Chosen 2eople of >od
(11: Eyes of the Horld ocussed on Js
(1*: Bahs Ha'e 3as6 of Cleansing Humanity by 2recept and E?ample
(1+: Chosen 5nes of >od Should not be Content 7ith &elati'e 8istinction and E?cellence
(1$: 5bstacles that Stand in the 2ath
(1#: Ci'iliCation Jndergoing Se'ere and Jnparalleled 3ests
6II$ C(R(,ONI(%
(*-: Not Accurate to State that Bah aith Has no Ceremonies
(*": Naming Ceremonies
(*,: Spiritual Baptism of Children
(*%: Baptism of Child
(*(: Bahs <ay and Should 2articipate in Harmless Cultural) 3raditional 5bser'ances
(*1: 3here Are Some &eligious Ceremonies in Hhich Bahs Should not 2articipate
(**: Bah 2arent <ay Attend Baptismal Ceremony) but Cannot <a6e any Commitment or Po7
6III$ C)ILR(N
A$ Ado-ted Children and Or-hans
(*+: @He that Bringeth up His Son or the Son of Another:::E
(*$: Bahullh and AAbdul0Bah =aud 3hose 7ho Adopt Children
(*#: Adopted Child and /ts Natural 2arents
(+-: A Bah Cannot 3a6e Po7 to Educate Adopted Child in Another &eligion
(+": A Bah Hho S7ears to &ear his Children in Another aith is SubBect to Administrati'e Sanction
(+,: 8uty 3o7ards 5rphans
B$ God-arents or Co1'arenthood
(+%: Bahs Ser'ing as >odparents
(+(: Bah Couple Should not Ha'e 3heir Child BaptiCed
(+1: A Bah <ay Become >odparent of a Non0Bah Child if Conditions Are Clear
(+*: 3hose Hho 3oo6 Po7s as >odparents 2rior to Becoming Bahs
(++: Non0Bah >odparents of Bah Children
(+$: 37o Bahs <ay Enter into a Co02arental Agreement
C$ (ducation and Training of Children
(+#: <ust irst 3rain Children in 2rinciples of &eligion
($-: Encourage the Children from Early Childhood
($": /ncumbent Jpon Bah Children to Surpass 5ther Children
($,: 2arents Held &esponsible to >od for Education of Children
($%: 3eachers of Children Ser'ing Bahullh
($(: ailure to Educate Child is an Jnpardonable Sin
($1: Child =eft in Natural State >ro7s Jp in /gnorance:::
($*: /f Babe 8id not =i'e at All) Better than to >ro7 /gnorant
($+: 3raining in <orals and >ood Conduct is ar <ore /mportant 3han Boo6 =earning
($$: 2upil <ust be Encouraged
($#: Station of 3hose Hho Ser'e and 3each Children
(#-: <ethods of 3eaching Children
(#": A Hise Schoolmaster
(#,: Curriculum of Study! <ust ollo7 Same Curriculum for 8aughters and Sons
(#%: Beginning of ormal Education
(#(: SubBects to be 3aught in Childrens Classes
(#1: ormal Education <ust Begin at the Age of i'e
(#*: Nothing in 3eachings States Child <ust not be Separated from 2arents for irst i'e Mears
(#+: <other Has Chief &esponsibility for Bringing Jp Child
(#$: <others 5rdained 2rimary 3rainers of Children and /nfants
(##: 3raining of Children in Case 5ne of 2arents is Non0Bah
1--: >reatest of All Ser'ices &endered by <an to Almighty >odQTeach 3hildren to Deli"er 4peeches of 7i$h
Cualit5
1-": 2referable that Child Should &ecei'e irst 3raining at Home under <other /nstead of in the Nursery
1-,: Spiritual Assemblies Should 2ro'ide <others 7ith Hell02lanned 2rogramme
1-%: 8ifficult to 3each and &efine Character 5nce 2uberty is 2assed
1-(: Should 3rain Children to <emoriCe 2rayers and 3ablets
1-1: Sacred 8uty of Children 3o7ards 3heir 2arents
1-*: Children Should be 3rained to Jnderstand Spiritual Significance of Bah <eetings
1-+: e7 Children Are &eally Bad
1-$: Children ighting
1-#: 2hysical 2unishment
1"-: 2roblem Child! 8iscipline of Some Sort /ndispensable
1"": /t is not 2ermissible to Stri6e a Child
($ Registration of Children
1",: Bah Children no not Automatically /nherit aith of 2arents
1"%: Children Hhose 2arents Become Bahs
1"(: Status of Children Jnder the Age of "1
1"1: Age "1 &elates to Spiritual unctions and 5bligations
1"*: Children Jnder "1 Cannot <arry
1"+: Children Are of Age at "1 as far as ;eeping =a7s of ADdas
1"$: Children of Bah 2arents Considered as Bahs
1"#: &egistering Children Jpon Attaining Age "1
1,-: Jpon Attainment of Age "1 Child <ust &eaffirm his aith
1,": &egistration of Children of Bah 2arents
1,,: <ay be Circumstances in 7hich Children Should Not be &egistered
F$ ,iscellaneous To-ics in Reference to Children
1,%: Children Should be ree to Choose 3heir 57n &eligion
1,(: 3each Child to Say >reatest Name in <oments of Crisis
1,1: CriticiCing the aith in ront of Children
1,*: 3he &eal 5bBect of =ifeQThe %uardian Pra5s for 3hildren
1,+: 3each Children to be ;ind to Animals
1,$: Bah Children Can >i'e to the undQon+,ah-*? 3hildren/ no Rulin$ madeF Teacher to 4ol"e Pro)lem
1,#: 3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice &esponds to Childrens Ruestions &egarding the Catastrophe
I9$ C)!RC)(%
1%-: Bahs <ust Ha'e no Affiliation 7ith Churches
1%": He <ust Ha'e the Courage of 5ur Con'ictions
1%,: 5n Becoming a Bah Should Hithdra7 from Church
1%%: Bahs Are Ardent Belie'ers in Christ
1%(: <inisters Hho Consider 3hemsel'es Bahs Should Hithdra7 from Church <embership
1%1: <embership in 9e7ish Synagogue
1%*: Hithdra7al of Bah Mouth from Church <embership
1%+: or Sa6e of amily Jnity Concession <ade for Mouth
1%$: Bah Attitude 3o7ard the Church
1%#: 5n Being E?pelled from Church
1(-: 2aying Church 3a?
1(": Contributions to a Church
1(,: History of the Early Church
9$ CO,,ITT((%
A$ A--ointing Co&&ittees
1(%: reedom to Appoint Any Bah Rualified for the Hor6
1((: Continuity of Committee 2ersonnel
1(1: 2referable Some Rualified Nati'e Belie'ers Ser'e on Committee
1(*: 8esirability of Easy <eeting of National 3eaching CommitteeQIf Possi)le/ not to )e ,urdened with other
Duties
1(+: Committees Can be Constituted 7ith Eye for /mpro'ement and Change
1($: Assembly Should Jse 8iscretion Hhen Appointing Committee <embersQIncompati)le Personalities on
3ommittees
1(#: National Committees 5rdinarily Appointed by and &esponsible to the National Spiritual Assembly
11-: Non0<embers of Assemblies Should be >i'en the 5pportunity to 8e'elop Administrati'e S6ills
11": Not Necessary that Committee Appointments E?pire at &id'n
B$ (lection of Co&&ittee Officers
11,: All Committee <embers <ust be >i'en 5pportunity to Cast BallotQElection of Officers )5 6a=orit5/ not
Pluralit5
11%: /f <ember Has a >ood &eason) he is ree to Suggest he Should not be Elected to 5ffice
C$ %tructure and Function of National Co&&ittees
11(: An Efficient 3eaching Structure <ust be Adopted by the National Spiritual Assembly
111: unction of the National 3eaching Committee
11*: National Committees Constituted to Ser'e Needs of =ocal Assemblies
11+: National Assembly Should /ssue /nstructions to National 3eaching Committee to A'oid Confusion
11$: Some Committees Need =arger <embership
$ %-ecial Co&&ittees
:Ad&inistrati.e0 Ad )oc0 (&ergenc*8National and Regional Teaching Co&&ittees;
11#: Administrati'e Committees Ha'e Authority only as >i'en 3hem by National Spiritual Assembly
1*-: Ad Hoc Committees Can be Appointed to 8eal 7ith 2ersonal 2roblems
1*": Hhen an Assembly =apses) Administrati'e Committee can be Named from Adult Belie'ers of Community
1*,: Scope of the unctions of the Emergency Committee
1*%: =atitude of Actions that <ay be 3a6en by an Emergency Committee
1*(: National Assembly 8efines =imits 2laced on Emergency CommitteeQDecisions of 3ommittee (re 4u)=ect
to 4u)se9uent (ppro"al of (ssem)l5 as a Whole
1*1: Ruorum of Emergency Committee <embers
1**: Special Committee Can be Named to Assume &esponsibility for Consolidation
1*+: Not Necessary for National Committees to be Centred at National HeadDuarters
1*$: &egional CommitteesQ4u)+3ommittees of ational Teachin$ 3ommittee
1*#: 3oo <any Committees Confuse &ather 3han Clarify the Hor6
1+-: &elationship of National 3eaching Committee to &egional 3eaching Committees
1+": Au?iliary Board <ember Can Ser'e on Certain Special Committees
1+,: Collaboration Bet7een Au?iliary Board <embers and National and &egional 3eaching Committees
1+%: National Mouth Committee
1+(: Moung Bahs Jnder ," <ay Ser'e on Committees
1+1: =ocal Committees
1+*: Structure of National and &egional 3eaching Committees
9I$ CON%!LTATION
1++: No Helfare) Hell0Being can be Attained E?cept 3hrough Consultation
1+$: Consultation and Compassion
1+#: Consultation) ran6 and Jnfettered
1$-: 3he 2urpose of ConsultationQ4hould the People of a >illa$e 3onsult One (nother!!!
1$": Each Bosom <ust be a 3elegraph Station
1$,: Any 2erson Can &efer a <atter to the Assembly
1$%: E'ery <ember to E?press reely and 5penly his Pie7s
1$(: Abstaining 8oes not Arise in Bah Poting
1$1: <aBority 8ecisionsQInstances When (ssem)l5 6a5 Decide that all ine 6em)ers 6ust )e Present
1$*: No 8issenting Potes in the Cause
1$+: Suspend Consultation 7hen Enmity and 3hreats 5ccur
1$$: 3a6e no /mportant Step in 2ersonal Affairs Hithout Consultation
1$#: Hhen a Belie'er Has a 2roblem Se'eral Courses 5pen to Him
1#-: Assembly Cannot &eDuire a <ember to Absent Himself from Consultation
1#": A <ember <ay Hish to Absent Himself Hhile 57n Situation Being 8iscussed
1#,: ran6) ull) JnpreBudiced Consultation <ust >o'ern Hor6
9II$ T)( CO6(NANT
A$ Bah Co.enant
1#%: 3he Bah Co'enant
1#(: irmness in the Co'enantQ@,e 7e an Insi$nificant (nt!!!E
1#1: 3he Crimson Boo6
1#*: &egarding Co'enant Entered into on <ount 2aran
1#+: 3o Hithstand 3ests Belie'ers Need to be 8eepened in the Co'enant
1#$: 3he Hill and 3estament of AAbdul0BahQeeds a 3entur5 to 3omprehend
1##: 3he Hill and 3estament Safeguards the Jnity of the Cause
*--: Spea6ing Against the Co'enant
B$ Co.enant Brea<ers8(=-ulsion
*-": Co'enant0Brea6ers) 8efined
*-,: Co'enant0Brea6ing is a Spiritual 8isease
*-%: Co'enant0Brea6ing =i6e Contagious Consumption and Cancer
*-(: Afflicted 7ith Contagious Spiritual 8isease
*-1: Association 7ith Non0Bahs Hho Are in Association 7ith Co'enant0Brea6ers
*-*: Enemies of the aith
C$ Belie.ers Forbidden to Associate "ith
Co.enant1Brea<ers
*-+: E?0Communication
*-$: No 5ne Has the &ight to see Co'enant0Brea6ers Hithout 2ermission
*-#: Bahs Cannot Associate 7ith 3hose 7ho ha'e =eft the Cause and are Associating 7ith Co'enant0Brea6ers
*"-: Bah may &emain at Non0Bah meeting if Co'enant0Brea6er Appears
*"": 2ersonal &elations 7ith Co'enant0Brea6ers
*",: All Co'enant0Brea6ers &egardless of Nature of 8isobedience <ust Be 3reated in E?actly the Same <anner
*"%: 5pposition 8ue to /gnorance or =ac6 of 2roper 3raining is Not Co'enant0Brea6ing
*"(: &ole of Au?iliary Board <ember for 2rotection
*"1: >ods <ercy E?ceeds His 9ustice
*"*: 3o be the Enemy of the Enemies of >od is >ood Characteristic
*"+: /t is Better to Be 3oo Pigilant 3han to Be 3oo =a?
*"$: 2ossibly No >roup Ha'e Softer 3ongues 3han the Co'enant0Brea6ers
*"#: National Assembly Should Consider /tself as Committee of Pigilance
*,-: Bahs Need more 3han Anything Else in the Horld 8eeper Jnderstanding Co'enants of Bahullh and
<aster
$ (=-ulsion and Reinstate&ent7 'rotection
Res-onsibilities7 Boo<s "ritten b* (ne&ies of the Faith
*,": E?pulsion of Co'enant0Brea6ers
*,,: 2rotection Specific unction of the Hands of the Cause
*,%: E?pulsion and &einstatement
*,(: Accomplishments to be Attained 7ith the Co'enant of the E'erlasting ather
*,1: Course on Co'enant0Brea6ing Should be /ncluded in Summer School Curriculum
*,*: Should Not Accept Contributions from 3hose Hho =ose Poting &ights! 3hey Can be Buried in Bah
Cemetery) &ecei'e Charity
*,+: =iterature Hritten by Enemies of the aith
*,$: Boo6s by Jnenlightened Enemies of the Cause
*,#: 5bedience to the Center of the Co'enant
9III$ (AT)
A$ +ills
*%-: E'ery Bah is Encouraged to <a6e a Hill and 3estament
*%": By 2reparing a =egal Hill) the Belie'er Can 8ispose of His Estate as He Chooses) Hithin =imits of =a7
*%,: Neither National nor =ocal Assembly Should be Named E?ecutor) if the /nstitution So 2refers
*%%: Bahs Should <a6e their Hill Specifying the 8esire for a Bah uneralQ4hould inform the (ssem)l5
and the on+,ah-*? Relati"es
*%(: 3he Spiritual Assembly <ust Carefully Consider BeDuest of the 3estatorQ:nreasona)le Demands ma5 )e
Refused
*%1: A 2ro'ision in the Hill Contrary to Bah =a7 Should be 8eclared Null and Poid by the Assembly
*%*: Bahs Are ree to ormulate 2ro'isions of their HillsQWe (re not Permitted to 3hallen$e Pro"isions of
(nother*s Will
B$ Burial La"s
*%+: orbidden to Carry Body <ore than an Hours 8istance
*%$: Burial =a7 Binding on Belie'ers in the Hest
*%#: 2reparation for BurialQEm)almin$ not permitted
*(-: Bah Burial =a7Q3offin 4hould )e of 3r5stal/ 4tone or Wood
*(": oetus to be 3reated Hith &espect) no <atter Ho7 Moung
*(,: Cremation is Contrary to Bah =a7Q,ah-*? Relati"es and the 4piritual (ssem)l5 are Responsi)le
*(%: /n Case of 8eath at Sea) <aritime =a7 is ApplicableQ,urial on #and is Prefera)le
*((: Belie'er Should Ensure that He Hill be Buried According to Bah =a7
*(1: Enfolding the Body of the 8eceased
*(*: ace of the 8ead Should be 3urned 3o7ard the Riblih
*(+: Hours 9ourney <ay be Calculated from City =imits
*($: >ra'eyard <ore than an Hour on oot from a Pillage
*(#: 3he Burial Stone
*1-: Bury the 8ead in Sil6
*1": Should Ad'ise Bahs in <ilitary Ser'ice of Burial =a7s
C$ Bah Ce&eteries
*1,: Bahs Are 2ermitted to Accept =and from the >o'ernment for Cemetery
*1%: 8isinterment
*1(: At 2resent no 8efinite &egulations for Bah Cemeteries
*11: Should not &efuse to Bury Bah Hho =ost Poting &ightsQ(ssem)l5 6a5 Permit ,urial of on+,ah-*?s
*1*: 3he <ost >reat Name or &ingstone Symbol not Appropriate on >ra'estones
$ Funeral ser.ices
*1+: 5fficial Bah uneral Ser'ice for Belie'ers 5nly
*1$: Jtmost Simplicity and le?ibility Should be 5bser'ed:::
*1#: No 5bBection to Bahs Attending Non0Bah uneral of Bahs
**-: 5bligatory 2rayer for the 8eadQPermissi)le to 3han$e %ender
**": 2rayer for the 8ead to be &ecited by 5ne Belie'er
**,: Non0Bahs Can be 2resent Hhen =ong 2rayer for the 8ead is &ead
**%: 2rayer for the 8eadQ4pecial 3onditions
**(: Any 2rayer <ay be Said for a HomanQTe;t 6ust not 3han$e
**1: <emorial >atherings
($ Cre&ation
***: Cremation
**+: Body Can be =eft to <edical Science) &emains not to be Cremated
**$: 3he /nner 3emple Beholdeth /ts 2hysical rame
**#: Body ormed >radually) <ust 8ecompose >radually
*+-: Spiritual Assembly Cannot Arrange for the Cremation of the &emains of a Bah
*+": Hord ABah in Centre of Nine02ointed Star Can be Jsed
*+,: Can Jse Ruotations from the 3eachings on 3ombstones
*+%: 2ossible 3hat Non0Bah &elati'es Can be Buried in Bah Cemetery
F$ %uicide
*+(: Suicide Strongly Condemned in the 3eachings
*+1: 3he =ight <anifested by Bahullh Can Ease 8espair of Moung 2eople
*+*: Bahs Are ree to 2ray for the 8ead
*++: 5ne Should 2ut all 3hought of Suicide and 8eath out of <ind
*+$: Consolation for the Berea'ed 2arent
G$ Life after eath7 the %oul
*+#: >ifts and >ood 8eeds in <emory of 3hose 2assed 5n
*$-: <an is 8estined by >od to 8e'elop Spiritually 3hrough Eternity
*$": &egarding Non0Bah 3raditions
*$,: 3he Soul Hill Continue to Ascend 3hrough <any Horlds
*$%: He Can Help E'ery Soul Attain High Station
*$(: /ntercession in the 5ther Horld
*$1: BeDuests to the 2oor
*$*: 3he Nature of the Soul After 8eath Can Ne'er be 8escribed
*$+: 3here are no Earth0Bound Souls
*$$: 3here is no 2o7er E?ercised 5'er 2eople by E'il Souls that Ha'e 2assed A7ay
*$#: Soul <ates
*#-: /nfluence of Holy and Spiritual Souls
*#": 3he Soul Acts
*#,: 3he 5ther Horld is Hithin 3his Horld
*#%: 3he Soul of a <urderer
*#(: Jnion in the Ne?t Horld
*#1: 8eath Can =ose its Sting
*#*: Hith Pision to See Blessings of 5ther Horld) no one Hould Care to &emain in 3his Horld
*#+: >ood Souls Enter a State of Being ar Nobler and <ore Beautiful:::
*#$: 3he Nature of the Soul
*##: All Souls progress Spiritually in the Ne?t HorldQRelati"es of the ,elie"ers Will at #east Partiall5 (ttain
8in$dom
+--: Certain 3hings &emain a <ystery to Js in 5ur 2resent Stage of 8e'elopment
+-": 3he 2rophets Ne'er &e'ealed Hhat Happens to Js After 8eathQ,elief in %od and 7is Prophet Elicits
4piritual %rowth
+-,: 5ur Speculations on the Nature of =ife After 8eath Ha'e =ittle Palidity
+-%: >od Can be ;no7n only 3hrough His 2rophetsQ7ea"en and 7ell (re 3onditions Within our own ,ein$s
+-(: 3he 9ourney of Spiritual 2rogress is Endless
+-1: Ho7 to @>et to Hea'enEQIs Dependent on Two Thin$s
9I6$ (!CATION
A$ Acade&ic and %-iritual
+-*: Education of <an
+-+: Education of the 2hysical and /ntellectual) Spiritual and Ethical Aspects of <an
+-$: <an said to be >reatest &epresentati'e of >od
+-#: <odern Education =ac6ing in Ability to 2roduce a <ature <ind
+"-: Each Should be Educated According to his Needs and 8eserts
+"": Education E?tended to 2risoners
+",: Human6ind Are as Children in School) and 2rophets Are 3heir 3eachers
+"%: =earning is the >reatest Besto7al of >od
B$ !ni.ersities and Colleges
+"(: 3he Academic =ife
+"1: 3here is no Bah Curriculum As Met
+"*: 3hree Cardinal 2rinciples
+"+: Characteristics of Bah College Students
+"$: AAbdul0Bah EnBoins Bahs to E?cel All 5ther StudentsQEmphasis on Truthfulness
+"#: Challenge to 2ersian Students
+,-: 3eaching in Jni'ersities and Colleges
+,": Hhen Studying at School or Jni'ersity
96$ (NO+,(NT%0 LOCAL AN NATIONAL
+,,: Endo7ment =and Jsed for Site of a ratul0Ruds Ceases to be Endo7ment in the Bah Sense
+,%: National Endo7ments
+,(: =ocal Endo7ments
+,1: Endo7ment =andQThere is no O)=ection to Raisin$ a Temporar5 4tructure
+,*: Endo7ment =and to be &egarded as an /n'estment for =ocal Assemblies
+,+: Endo7ment 2roperty <ay be Jsed for Sports acilities or to 2roduce /ncome for the Hor6 of the aith
+,$: Summary of 2rinciples Hhich Should >o'ern Acceptance of ree =and for Bah Jse
96I$ T)( FA,IL>
A$ Fa&il* Relationshi-s
+,#: amily 3ies
+%-: 3he amily! A Special ;ind of CommunityQEach 6em)er 7as Ri$hts and Responsi)ilities
+%": 3he amily 2rogresses Hhen 3here is Jnity
+%,: Bahullh 2ro'ides Hay to &emo'e Hostility and 8issension from the Horld
+%%: /t is /mportant or <an to &aise a amily
+%(: ;eys to Strengthening of amily
+%1: <other0in0=a7 2roblem
+%*: A 3ruly Bah HomeQ( <ortress :pon Which the 3ause can Rel5
+%+: 3he Home is an /nstitution Bahullh Has Come to Strengthen and Not to Hea6en
+%$: 2reser'e Bah amilies! Harmony) Jnity and =o'e Highest /deals in Human &elationships
+%#: &ights and 2rerogati'es of Each <ember of the amily
+(-: Piolence in the Home
+(": =o'e can Change Pile) <ean 2erson into Hea'enly Soul
+(,: Belie'er <ust be 2atient 7ith Non0Bah Spouse) Attract 7ith =o'ing ;indness) Hisdom) 3act
+(%: 3eaching &elati'es
+((: Earn &ight to 2lead on Behalf of amily
+(1: 5ne Should not be 8ecepti'e 7ith Non0Bah Spouse or 2arents
+(*: 8uty of Belie'er to Endea'our to =ead amily to the aith
+(+: /f amily <embers Are Hostile) A'oid AntagoniCing them) =ea'e 3hem to 3hemsel'es
B$ The Relationshi- Bet"een )usband and +ife
+($: ;eys to Strengthening of amily
+(#: Honour and 2ri'ilege 5rdained for Homen! 5bedience to Husbands
+1-: 8omination by Husband or Hife not &ight
+1": 3ime Hhen Hife Should 8efer to Husband and 3ime Hhen Husband Should 8efer to Hife
+1,: /n 3ablet of the Horld Homen and <en En'isaged as Bread7inners
+1%: =o'e Bet7een Husband and Hife
+1(: 3he /nstitution of <arriage
+11: Husband and Hife as a Single Soul
+1*: Hife Should 3reat Husband 7ith ;indness
+1+: 3olerate Cruel Actions) /ll 3reatment) 8emonstrate =o'ing ;indness
+1$: 2ray to Bahullh for Help) 3hin6 of AAbdul0Bah as 2erfect E?ample
+1#: Bahs should <a6e Almost a Superhuman Effort to A'oid 8i'orce
C: Ancestors and escendants
+*-: aith of Belie'er Attracts >ods <ercy to Souls of 2arents
+*": 3rue Belie'er in Better 2osition to /ntercede for Ancestors
$ The Relationshi- Bet"een 'arents and Children
+*,: 3he <ost /mportant of All 8uties After the &ecognition of >odQDue Re$ard for Ri$hts of Parents
+*%: /f Children 8o Not 5bey 2arentsQThe5 Will ot O)e5 %od
+*(: 3he Son <ust Ser'e His ather
+*1: Consultation Bet7een ather and Son
+**: ather <ust >i'e Son Ad'iceQ4on 6ust O)e5 <ather
+*+: 2arents <ust be &espectedQ4hould not 8eep 3hild ,ack <rom 4er"in$ the 3ause
+*$: /f 5ne <ust <a6e Choice Bet7een Ser'ice to Bahullh or Ser'ice to 2arents
+*#: /t is a 2ri'ilege to =oo6 After 2arents
++-: 2ray for 2arents
++": ather Hho ails to Educate His Children orfeits &ights of atherhood
++,: <others are not Necessarily Confined to the Home
++%: Jnderage Child Needs 2arental Consent to 2ioneer
++(: 2arents and Children in the 2ioneering ield
96II$ T)( FA%T
++1: astingQ4piritual in 3haracter
++*: 5bser'ance of the ast is a Jni'ersal 5bligationQ,ah-*u*ll-h Permits 3ertain E;ceptions to <astin$
+++: asting has a Salutary Effect Both 2hysically and Spiritually
++$: 3he 8octors Ad'ice Should Be Sought if 3here is a Health 2roblem
++#: 3he 8i'ine Hisdom in asting
+$-: 3ra'ellers Are E?empt from astingQIf One Eats :nconsciousl5/ <ast is ot ,roken
+$": asting in High =atitudes
+$,: Smo6ing is a orm of 8rin6ing
+$%: 5bser'ance of ast Hhen Attending <ilitary School
+$(: 2rayer for the ast
96III$ F(AR
+$1: ear of >od and Sense of Shame 2rotect <an from Jnseemly Conduct
+$*: 3each Children the ear of >od 3hrough Concept of 5neness and the =a7s
+$+: 3he ;no7ledge Hhich 7ill =argely Eliminate ear
+$$: =ac6 of aith in /mmortality is a Cause of ear) Hea6ened Hill 2o7er and Human 8egradation
+$#: <eaning of the 3erm @ear of >odE
+#-: E?plaining ear of >od to Children
+#": ear 8oes not Sol'e 2roblems
+#,: 5'ercoming ear
+#%: orget ears) 3each and Ser'e the aith
+#(: ear of >odQ7uman ,ein$s eed Element of <ear
9I9$ T)( NIN(T((N A> F(A%T
A$ Nature and Function
+#1: 2urpose of the Nineteen 8ay east
+#*: 3he =ordKs SupperQThe ineteen Da5 <east
+#+: AAbdul0Bah is 2resent in Heart and Soul
+#$: Attendance at Nineteen 8ay easts not 5bligatory
+##: /f easts be Held in 2roper ashion:::
$--: 2rophecies About easts
$-": Pisitors can 3a6e 2art in Consultation) 3hey Cannot Pote
$-,: 5mit Consultati'e 2art of east if Non0Bah Appears
$-%: Poting &ights Cannot be &emo'ed for ailure to Attend east
$-(: Non0Bah Attendance at Nineteen 8ay east
$-1: 3he Nineteen 8ay east for Bahs E?clusi'elyQo >ariation from this Principle Permitted
$-*: Bah >roups) /solated Belie'ers and riends Should 5bser'e the Nineteen 8ay east
$-+: Hhere Nineteen 8ay east Should be Held
$-$: 3he 57ner of the House <ust 2ersonally Ser'e
$-#: Children up to Age ifteen 2ermitted to Attend easts
$"-: 8istrict Nineteen 8ay easts
B$ Ti&e for )olding Nineteen a* Feast
$"": 3ime for Holding the Nineteen 8ay east
$",: /f east Clashes 7ith &egular 8ay for 2ublic <eeting
$"%: east Should be Held on 2rescribed 8ay Before Sunset
$"(: east Can be Celebrated 8uring /ntercalary 8ays) Also <onth of asting
$"1: /n High =atitudes 2ermissible to >o by the Cloc6
$"*: @<ost SuitableE 8ay for Celebrations of the Nineteen 8ay east
C$ 'rogra&&e for the Nineteen a* Feast
$"+: 8e'otional 2art of east
$"$: 2rogramme for 8e'otions 5utlined
$"#: Hritings Hhich Can be &ead in Spiritual 2art of east
$,-: &eading from Hritings of the >uardian at east in 2ersia
$,": Ad'isable to &ead from 5ur 57n Holy Hritings
$,,: <usic at Bah easts
$,%: Ad'isable Belie'ers <a6e Jse of Hymns) 2oems and Chants
$,(: /nstrumental <usic <ay be Jsed at easts
$,1: Shoghi Effendi 2ro'ided for the 2eriod of Consultation
$,*: Consultation in the Nineteen 8ay east
$,+: Selling of /tems at the Nineteen 8ay east
99$ FIR(%I(%
$,$: iresides <ore Effecti'e 3han 2ublicity
$,#: <ust Hold ireside in Home 5nce in "# 8ays
$%-: Ser'ice 5nce &endered by 2riest is the Ser'ice a Bah /s E?pected to &ender /ndi'idually to His &eligion
$%": 3hat Home is a >arden of >od
$%,: ireside in Home is E?ample of /ndi'idual >oal
$%%: <ust Aid Ne7 Belie'ers to Become @3rue BahsEQThen Introduce Them to the 3ommunit5
$%(: 3he Holy Spirit Ruic6ens riendsQ6ust ,ecome 3hannels for Its Diffusion
99I$ T)( BA)23 F!N
A$ Contributions8Res-onsibilit* of Bahs
$%1: 3o >i'e and to be >enerous
$%*: >od 8oes Not As6 from Any Soul E?cept According to his Ability
$%+: &esponsibility of E'ery Bah
$%$: 3here Can be no =imit to 5nes Contributions
$%#: Ser'ice E'ery Belie'er Can &ender
$(-: Commerce) Agriculture and /ndustries Blessed <any 3imes
$(": Belie'ers Alone Ha'e Bounty of Contributing
$(,: Should not /ncur 8ebts for 2urpose of Contributing to und
B$ Those (ligible to Contribute
$(%: 8istinguishing eatures of the Cause of >od
$((: >i'ing to the und is a Spiritual 2ri'ilege
$(1: Hhen a Soul Accepts Bahullh He Becomes a Co0Hor6er in the Cause of >od
$(*: 3hose Hho 5penly 2roclaim &ecognition of Bahullh 2ermitted to Contribute
$(+: 3hey <ust Create a Sense of Belonging
$($: Contributions from Children of Non0Bahs or in Case 5ne 2arent is Bah
$(#: Selling /tems for the Benefit of the Bah und
$1-: /t is not 2roper for a Bah /nstitution to Sponsor a und0&aising Sale 5pen to 2ublic
$1": Auctions Among BahsQ3ontri)utin$ to the <und is a 4piritual Responsi)ilit5
$1,: Holding of &affles
$1%: >uidelines 3o7ards Establishing a Business Penture 57ned by Bahs
$1(: &easons for not Accepting 8onations from Non0Bahs for Administration of the aith
$11: >uidelines for Accepting unds from >o'ernmental and 5ther Non0Bah Sources
$1*: Should &ecipient of 2ublic Charity Contribute to the Bah undS
C$ The Treasurer and the %-iritual Asse&bl*
$1+: 3rust7orthinessQ( Prime Re9uisite for Those Responsi)le for the <unds
$1$: >reat &esponsibility of <embers of the National Spiritual AssemblyQ4hould Re9uire Two 4i$natures for
Withdrawal of <unds
$1#: 3he 3reasurer of an Assembly Should Ne'er Commingle His 57n unds and 3hose of the aith
$*-: =ocal Assembly of a =arge Community <ight Appoint a Committee to Assist 3reasurer
$*": 3reasury Committees) unctions of
$*,: National 3reasury Committee
$*%: 3he 3reasurer is 5fficer in Charge) but all National Spiritual Assembly <embers are &esponsible
$*(: 3each 3rust7orthiness 3hrough HritingsQE;plain to Indi"iduals that The5 Will )e 7eld Responsi)le for
6one5 The5 7andle
$*1: 3he National Spiritual Assembly Should &eDuire Annual Audit of 3reasurers Accounts
$**: Some >uidelines for 3reasurers
$*+: 8esirable for Assembly to <aintain inancial &eser'e
$*$: 8uty of the National Assembly not to Allo7 National /nterests to be 9eopardiCed by /ndi'idual
Considerations
$*#: Assembly Should Neither eel Embarrassed nor Ashamed in 3urning to the riends
$+-: 3he >eneral and National /nterests of the Cause 3a6e 2recedence 5'er the =ocal 5nesQ,ut it 6a5 )e
E;pedient to De"elop #ocal <und <irst
$+": Assembly 5bligated to Ad'ise Belie'ers of all undsQInternational/ 3ontinental/ ational and #ocal
$+,: Contributions Can be Sent 8irect to Haifa
$+%: Continental und
$+(: 2ledges Can be a Jseful <eans of Encouraging Contributions
$+1: riends in <ass 3eaching Areas Should ;no7 3heir Blessings and &esponsibilities
$+*: @Bring and BuyE <eetings
$++: Assembly <ay Sell Contributions in ;ind 3hrough a 2rofessional Auctioneer
$+$: /t is not 2ermissible to /mpose a 3a? or An Assessment on =ocal Spiritual Assemblies
$+#: =ocal Spiritual Assembly 8ecides for /tself Ho7 to Jse undsQational 4piritual (ssem)l5 3an onl5 6ake
a 4u$$estion
$$-: Soliciting unds from 5ther Countries
$$": /ndi'idual Bahs ree to Contribute to 2roBects in any Country 3hey Hish
$ (ar&ar<ed Funds
$$,: 2urpose of Earmar6ing unds Should not be 8efeated
$$%: Earmar6ed unds for Specific 2urchases or 2roBects
$$(: Hhen Earmar6ed Contribution is /mpractical or Jn7ise:::
$$1: 2roceeds from Sale of 2roperty 2urchased 7ith Earmar6ed unds &etain Same Earmar6ing
$$*: 3he 2roper Accounting for Earmar6ed unds is Pery /mportant
$$+: 8onor Has no &ight to Change Earmar6ed 2urpose Jnless the Assembly Accepts the &eDuest to 8o So
$$$: 3he Assembly Should 3ry to 2reser'e &eal Palue of unds in /ts CareQEspeciall5 True of Earmarked <unds
$$#: 5ften it is Better that the riends 8o not &estrict unds
$#-: Care to be 3a6en Not to Piolate &ight of Earmar6ingQEarmarked 3ontri)ution 4hould )e O"er and ()o"e
(ssem)l5*s (llocation to a <und
$#": Confidentiality of Belie'ersK Contributions) Earmar6ed or 5ther7ise) <ust be &espected
99II$ GR(AT(%T NA,( OF GO
A$ The Greatest Na&e
$#,: 3he >reatest Name is the Name of Comfort) 2rotection) etc:
$#%: Bahs <ay >reet Each 5ther 7ith @Allh0u0AbhE
$#(: 3he >reatest Name is the Name of Bahullh
$#1: 3he >reatest Name is an /n'ocation and a Symbol of 5ur aith
$#*: Jse of >reatest Name SymbolQot (ppropriate on (rticles Put to 3ommon :se
$#+: >uidelines on the Jse of the Symbols of the >reatest Name on Stationery and in 2aintings
$#$: Stic6ers) Jse of not Encouraged
$##: 3ombstones
#--: Emblems
#-": Belie'er can <anufacture and Sell /tems Jsing the >reatest Name
#-,: No 2rohibition Against Jse of >reatest Name) Names of the <anifestations or Names of Central igures in
Songs
#-%: &eproducing >reatest Names on 9e7ellery Commercially
#-(: 2icture of the >reatest Name <ay be 8estroyed) if Necessary
#-1: &eciting the >reatest Name #1 times 8aily
#-*: 3he >reatest Name or 2icture of AAbdul0Bah Should be 2laced in a 8ignified 2osition
B$ Ringstone (&ble& and /e"eller*
#-+: &ingstone Emblem is orm of the >reatest NameQ:se of on Eewelr5
#-$: Bahs not &eDuired to Hear &ingstone
#-#: &ingstone /nscription E?plained
#"-: 3he Significance of the Stars
#"": >reatest NameQ(n In"ocation
99III$ a ratul1?uds
#",: a ratul0RudsQ Its 6ain <unction
#"%: 8ancing not Appropriate in a ratul0Ruds
#"(: =ocal and National a ratul0Ruds
#"1: 2rinciples that >o'ern Acceptance of >ifts of =and
#"*: National Spiritual Assembly Should Budget Annually for <aintenance of 2roperties
#"+: &esponsibility of National Spiritual Assembly to <aintain and /mpro'e 2ropertiesQIndi"idual ,ah-*?s can
7elp in 6an5 Wa5s
#"$: 2urchase and Sale of a ratul0Ruds
#"#: National a ratul0Ruds Need not Ser'e Needs of =ocal Spiritual AssemblyQ Prefera)le that ational
4ecretar5 #i"e in a ?ratu*l+Cuds
#,-: 3he National Spiritual Assembly <ust 5perate from the National a ratul0RudsQ E"entuall5/ <ull Time
4er"ice Will )e Re9uired of the ational 4ecretar5
#,": 2referable Arrangement and Bah Norm that the National Secretary =i'e in the a ratul0RudsQ ot to
)e 3onsidered a ARi$ht of OfficeB
#,,: A 8istrict a ratul0Ruds Ser'es the =ocal Community As a >athering 2lace for Bahs of Hider Area
99I6$ )(ALT)0 )(ALING AN N!TRITION
A$ %-iritual and 'h*sical )ealing
#,%: Consult Competent 2hysicians Hhen /ll
#,(: 2rayers for Spiritual and <aterial Healing
#,1: 3he >reatest Name /nfluences Both Spiritual and 2hysical <atters
#,*: 37o Hays of Healing Sic6ness
#,+: 37o 2rocesses of HealingQPra5er (lone not 4ufficient
#,$: Spiritual and <aterial Healing Essential and Complementary
#,#: 2hysical Healing <ust be &einforced by Spiritual Healing
#%-: Healing of /llnessQThere is no such thin$ as A,ah-*? 7ealersB
#%": 3o Associate Such 3hings 7ith the Cause Jltimately /nBures /t
#%,: Not a JniDue 2henomenon
#%%: 3o be Able to Help Another Soul Hho is Suffering
#%(: 3ry not to Ha'e the aith /dentified 7ith Such 3hings
#%1: Should not Become Healer
#%*: Healing by the Holy Spirit
#%+: Pisiting the Sic6
#%$: Ho7e'er Critical and Hopeless Consult and ollo7 3reatment of Competent 2hysician
#%#: Both Spiritual and 2hysical orces Needed to Secure Speedy &eco'ery
#(-: 2hysical Ailments Ha'e No Effect on the Soul
#(": Bahs <ust A'oid 8epleting their orces and Suffering Brea6do7ns
#(,: 3he Supreme Need of the Horld 3oday is for Spiritual HealingQ,ah-*?s (re the #ea"en that 6ust #ea"en
the #ump
#(%: Some /llnesses Ha'e to do 7ith the Spiritual 8e'elopment of the 5ne Affected or of the =o'ed 5nes
#((: 2hysical 2ain is Necessary to E?istence and is Jna'oidableQIn E"er5 4ufferin$ One 3an <ind a 6eanin$
and a Wisdom
#(1: 8ecree of Bahullh Consult Competent 8octor
#(*: /t is the &esponsibility of the Belie'ers to =oo6 After the Sic6
B$ ,ental Illness
#(+: =ittle is ;no7n About the <ind and its Hor6ings
#($: <ental /llness 8oes Not Affect 5ur Spirit or 5ur /nner &elation to >od
#(#: 8isease of 37o ;indsQ6adness 3an )e 3ured Throu$h Pra5er
#1-: Some Serious 8eficiencies) 2hysical or <ental) Can /ncapacitate 5ne to Contract <arriage
#1": No 5bBection to 5ne Seeing a 2sychiatrist
#1,: Bahs Should not Become Healers
#1%: 3he <ind Can Be Helped by 2rofessionals) but the Soul is not Aided by 2sychotherapy
#1(: 3he Science of the <ind is in its &elati'e /nfancyQTherap5 of 6ental Disorders is (d"ancin$
#11: <ental /llness is not Spiritual
#1*: Bahs Should not 3a6e a 8efeatist Attitude 3o7ard <ental /llnesses
#1+: 2sychiatry
C$ octors
#1$: 2hysician is Blessed Hho Heals in the Name of >od
#1#: 3o See6 <edical 3reatment and 5bey the 8octor is a 8i'ine 5rdinance
#*-: 5ne must 5bey Command of >od and Submit to <edical 5pinion
#*": 3he Science of <edicine is E?tremely Jseful
#*,: 3he Sic6 <ust &efer to a S6illed 8octor
#*%: 3he 2hysician Has 37o 2o7ers
#*(: Hhen >i'ing 3reatment) 3urn to the Blessed Beauty) Bahullh
#*1: /t is /mperati'e to Consult a 8octor E'en if 5ne is an Eminent 2hysician
#**: >od Alone Has the 2o7er to >i'e 3rue Healing:::6an5 6en 7a"e Died of the >er5 Disease of Their
4pecialt5
#*+: Ser'ice is 2rayer
#*$: 8octors Persed in <edical Science Can 3reat Case Better 3han =o'ing <others
#*#: 2o7ers &eleased by Bahullh 8estined to &e'eal 3hemsel'es 3hrough /nstrumentality of His ollo7ers
#+-: 8octors Should not Hor6 on # Holy 8ays
#+": Corrupt 2ractices
$ Illnesses and ,edical 'ractices
#+,: <edical Science 7ill >reatly /mpro'e 7ith the Spiritual A7a6ening of <an
#+%: Surrogate <others and Artificial /nsemination
#+(: Artificial 2roduction of =ife
#+1: Conception Hithout <ale Sperm
#+*: Hypnotism
#++: Auto0Suggestion or Hypnotism
#+$: Cancer
#+#: CancerQot 4tated it is a 4piritual Disease
#$-: Chiropractic
#$": Circumcision
#$,: &eference to Certain Aspects of <edical 2rofession not ound in Sacred Hritings
#$%: Heart4;idney 3ransplant
#$(: 5rgan 8onor for 2arts of the Body /ncluding the Eyes
#$1: Euthanasia F<ercy ;illingG
#$*: Hhen 8issecting Human Body /t <ust be 3reated 7ith &espect
#$+: =ife Support
#$$: 3elepathy
#$#: Before Serious 5peration Consult <ore 3han 5ne 2hysician
##-: 2rotect Mour Health by Sleeping Enough
##": 3a6e Care of Health as a Necessary <eans of Ser'ing the Cause
##,: Paccination
##%: Pi'isection
##(: 3orture of AnimalsQWhen the 7earts of 6en 3han$e 6edical Research will Eliminate as 6uch 4ufferin$ of
(nimals as Possi)le
##1: 8uring Pi'isection Animal <ust be Hell AnaesthetiCed
##*: Sins Are 2otent Cause of 2hysical Ailments
($ 'h*sical (ducation
##+: <aterial Education
##$: 3he Essentiality of 3a6ing 2roper Care of Child rom the Early 8ays of His =ife
###: >i'e 3hem Ad'antage of E'ery Jseful ;ind of ;no7ledge
"---: 3raining and 8e'elopment of 2hysical Body Ensures Strength and >ro7th
"--": 3here Should be a 2rogram for the 8e'elopment of Mouth All 5'er the Horld
"--,: 2laying >ames
F$ iet and Nutrition
"--%: 3reat 8isease 3hrough 8iet) but do not Neglect <edical Care
"--(: 5ne Course <eal <ore 2leasing in the Sight of >od
"--1: <others <il6 Normally is Best for the Child
"--*: Abstinence rom Eating Animal lesh
"--+: 3he our Canine 3eeth in <an
"--$: AAbdul0Bah Has Said that Bahs <ust 8e'elop <edical Science So that /llness <ay Be Healed by
oods
"--#: <edical Science is 5nly in /ts /nfancy
"-"-: Should 5ne ;ill Animals for oodS
"-"": <any Ailments that Affect <an also Afflict AnimalsQ(nimals 7eal Themsel"es with <ood and (liments
"-",: Eating of 2or6 is not orbidden
"-"%: 3he Body is =i6e a Horse that Carries the 2ersonality and Spirit
"-"(: 3he 2rophets of >od are not /mmune from 3hings Hhich <en Suffer
"-"1: No Specific School of Nutrition or <edicine has been Associated 7ith the Bah 3eachings
"-"*: He ha'e >uidelines) /ndications and 2rinciples 7hich E?perts 7ill Carefully Study in the uture
"-"+: Belie'ers Should See6 Help and Ad'ice of E?pertsQThe Teachin$s 4a5 othin$ a)out Eatin$ 6eat or <ish
996$ )OL> A>%
"-"$: 37o Holy 8ays Hhen Hor6 is Not 2rohibitedQThe 4i$nificance of the Da5 of the 3o"enant E;plained
"-"#: Suspension of Bah Administrati'e Acti'ities on Bah Holy 8ays
"-,-: Bah &adio Should &efrain from Hor6 on Nine Holy 8aysQ>olunteers 6a5 Present 4pecial Pro$rams
"-,": Business 2laces 57ned by Bahs <ust Close 8uring 3he Nine Holy 8aysQIn the ,ah-*? Temple
6inimal Essential 4er"ices ma5 )e Pro"ided
"-,,: E?ceptions Can be <ade Hhen Contract 8emands Ser'ice
"-,%: >ift >i'ing is not an /ntegral 2art of Any of the Bah Holy 8aysQor is there a Prohi)ition
"-,(: 2roper 3ime to Hold <eetings of Commemoration
"-,1: Na70&TC
"-,*: Na70&TC Has Nothing to 8o 7ith the Nineteen 8ay east
"-,+: Na70&TC Should be Celebrated According to the Pernal EDuino?
"-,$: Na70&TC Cards
"-,#: Celebration of the Christian Holidays Among the Bahs Should be 8iscontinued
"-%-: Holy 8ays are Appropriate 5ccasions to ound /nstitutions and 2roBects for Social and Economic
8e'elopment
996I$ T)( IN%TIT!TION OF T)( )!?@?!LL2)
"-%": 2ayment of HuDTDullh 2urifies 5nes 2roperty) Attracts 2rosperity and Blessings
"-%,: A Bounty Hhich Shall &emain 7ith E'ery Soul in E'ery Horld of >od
"-%%: <oderation Persus E?tra'agance
"-%(: Solicitation of the HuDTDullh is not 2ermitted
"-%1: 3rust7orthiness in HuDTDullhQOn (c9uirin$ 111 6ith9-ls of %old/ 19 ,elon$ :nto %od
"-%*: HuDTDullh 8esignated as an /nstitution of the CauseQ3alculation of E9ui"alent of One 6ith9-l of %old
"-%+: 2romulgation of the HuDTDullh a &esponsibility of the Spiritual AssembliesQThe :ni"ersal 7ouse of
Eustice Determines 7ow 7u9G9u*ll-h can )e :sed
"-%$: 2ersonal Accounting Should Separate HuDTDullh from ContributionsQ7u9G9u*ll-h 3omes <irst
"-%#: As a 3o6en of <ercy) Cost of Burial and 8ebts 3a6e 2recedence 5'er HuDTDullh
"-(-: 3he 3rusteeship of the HuDTDullhQ3annot )e Turned O"er to E"er5 Person
"-(": 3he HuDTD is not 2ayable on Entire 2ossessions Each Mear
"-(,: HuDTD is Not 2ayable on Agricultural 3ools and EDuipment
"-(%: Palue of &esidence) urniture and 3ools of 3rade E?empt from HuDTDullh of Heir
"-((: 2ayment of the HuDTDullh is a Binding Spiritual 5bligationQ3onduces to Prosperit5 and 7onour/
Ensures (ttainment of True 7appiness
996II$ %'(CIAL IN%TIT!TION%
A$ Institutions efined
"-(1: 8efinition of /nstitution
"-(*: Clarification of the /nstitutions Attendant to the >uardianship
B$ The Guardianshi-
"-(+: 3he >uardianshipQ(cceptance ofHDa5 that Will not )e <ollowed )5 i$ht
"-($: 3he Hord @>uardianshipE Jsed 7ith Parious <eanings
"-(#: 2rerogati'es and 8uties /n'ested in the >uardian are of 3hree ;inds
"-1-: /nfallibility of the >uardian is not for /ndi'idual Belie'ers to =imit or to 9udge
"-1": Authoritati'e /nterpretation of the 3eachings is the E?clusi'e &ight of the >uardian after AAbdul0Bah
"-1,: 3he 8istinction Bet7een Authoritati'e /nterpretation and /ndi'idual Jnderstanding
"-1%: >od 5rdained) in this 8ay) that >uidance has been Pouchsafed to <an 3hrough /nstitutions
"-1(: uture >uardians
"-11: 3he >uardian is Assured the >uidance of Both Bahullh and the Bb
"-1*: He is the /nterpreter of the Hord! 8i'ine 3ruth is &elati'e
"-1+: >uardianship 8oes not =ose Significance nor 2osition Because 3here is no =i'ing >uardian
"-1$: Station of >uardianship Cannot be Claimed Ere the E?piration of "--- Mears
C$ The !ni.ersal )ouse of /ustice
"-1#: 3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice Called into Being by the Author of the aith
"-*-: Ape? of Bahullhs Horld 5rder
"-*": =egislati'e unctions
"-*,: 2rocess of =egislating
"-*%: Has >eneral unctions of 2rotecting and Administering the Cause
"-*(: /nfallibility of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice is not 8ependent on the 2resence of the >uardian
"-*1: 3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has Conferred /nfallibility
"-**: 3he 2rocess of 8educing Subsidiary =a7s from the 5riginal 3e?t is the &ight of the House of 9ustice
"-*+: /n the Horld 5rder of Bahullh Certain unctions are &eser'ed to Certain /nstitutions
"-*$: 3he 8ecisions and =a7s <ade by the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice Are /nspired and Confirmed by the Holy
SpiritQThis E;clusi"e (uthorit5 Will Preclude Errors of Past Dispensations
"-*#: 3he Strong Cord to Hhich All <ust Cling is the Co'enant
"-+-: 3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice is the @=ast &efuge of a 3ottering Ci'iliCationE
"-+": 3he Chosen Successors of Bahullh and AAbdul0Bah
"-+,: 3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice Bears &esponsibility for E?ecuti'e and 9udicial unctions as Hell as
=egislati'e
"-+%: Appointment of a Successor to Shoghi Effendi or <ore Hands of the Cause not 2ossible
$ %u-re&e Tribunal
"-+(: actor in Establishing the =esser 2eace
"-+1: 3he Supreme 3ribunal Hill ulfil 3as6 of Establishing Jni'ersal 2eace
"-+*: 3he <ission of the Supreme 3ribunal is to 2re'ent Har
"-++: /nternational E?ecuti'eQ( 4tep #eadin$ to ,ah-*? World %o"ernment
($ )ands of Cause of God
"-+$: 3he /nstitution of @3he =earnedE
"-+#: 3he Hands of the Cause Not Heirs of Any Name or 3itle
"-$-: 3ablet &e'ealed for the Hands of the Cause
"-$": Au?iliary /nstitution of >uardianship
"-$,: unctions of the Hands of the Cause
"-$%: 3he Authority of E?pulsion and &einstatement E?ercised by the Hands of the Cause
"-$(: 2rerogati'e and 5bligation of the Hands of the Cause to Consult Hith Boards of Counsellors and National
Assemblies
"-$1: /nappropriate for 3hem to Ser'e on Administrati'e /nstitutions
"-$*: 3he &an6 and 2osition of the Hands of the Cause of >od
F$ International Teaching Centre
"-$+: 3he /nternational 3eaching Centre Establishment and 8uties
G$ Continental Boards of Counsellors
"-$$: 8uties of Continental Boards of Counsellors
"-$#: 3erms of 5ffice of the Continental Counsellors
"-#-: &elationship of Counsellors to National Spiritual Assemblies
"-#": &elationship Bet7een Boards of Counsellors and National Spiritual Assemblies
"-#,: 3he Counsellors and Au?iliary Board <embers are ree from Administrati'e &esponsibilities
"-#%: 3he Counsellors and the National Spiritual Assemblies Ha'e 5ne Common 5bBecti'e
"-#(: 3he Counsellors ollo7 in the ootsteps of the Hands of the Cause
"-#1: 3he unctions of the Counsellors and the Spiritual Assemblies are Complementary
"-#*: 3he 2roper unctioning of Society &eDuires 2reser'ation of &an6s and Classes
"-#+: 2ride and Self0Aggrandisement are Among the <ost 8eadly of Sins
"-#$: 8ifferentials of &an6 <eant to CanaliCe) not 5bstruct the Hor6 of the Cause
"-##: Counsellors Should >i'e Hide =atitude to Au?iliary Board <embers in Carrying out 3heir Hor6
""--: Assemblies 2lan and 8irect the Hor6QThe Plans 4hould )e Well 8nown to 3ounsellors and (u;iliar5
,oard 6em)ers
""-": 3he Counsellors <ay &eport <isconduct of /ndi'iduals to the National Spiritual Assembly 3hrough Board
<ember
""-,: E'ery /nstitution of this 8i'inely Created 5rder is 5ne <ore &efuge or a 3ottering Society
)$ Au=iliar* Boards for 'rotection and 'ro-agation
""-%: 37o Au?iliary Boards 7ith 8istinct But Complementary unctions Established by the >uardian
""-(: Areas for the 2rotection Board and 2ropagation Board are not Necessarily the Same
""-1: /n E?ceptional Circumstances 5ne Board <ember <ight Co'er an Area
""-*: Ad'isable that Au?iliary Board <ember &eside in Area Hhich He Ser'es
""-+: <any of the unctions of <embers of the t7o Boards and Assemblies are Held in Common
""-$: 3he <embers of the Boards Should Encourage the riends and Assemblies to be Jnified
""-#: Au?iliary Boards Hill Stimulate and Help 3eaching Hor6
"""-: Au?iliary Board <embers ree to Ha'e 8irect Contact 7ith /ndi'iduals and =ocal Assemblies
"""": 3he riends Should eel ree to &efer to Either Au?iliary Board <ember
""",: 2rotection Board <embers &esponsibilities
"""%: <oral 2roblems Should be 8ealt 7ith 5nly Hhen they Arise
"""(: 2ropagation Board <embers &esponsibilities
"""1: <embers of Au?iliary Boards Should be reed rom Administrati'e &esponsibilities
"""*: Au?iliary Board <ember <ust 8ecide Hhat to &eport to the =ocal Spiritual AssemblyQ%enerall5/ the
more <reel5 Information is 4hared ,etween Institutions/ the ,etter
"""+: Board <ember Should eel &esponsible Before >od in the 8ischarge of his &esponsibilities
I$ Au=iliar* Board ,e&ber Assistants
"""$: Appointment of Au?iliary Board <embers Assistants
"""#: 2rimary Aim of Assistants is to Stimulate and Assist the Belie'ers
"",-: An Assistant <ay Ser'e 37o Board <embers
"",": 3he House of 9ustice 2refers that Assistants not &etire from Administrati'e Hor6
"",,: Assistant unctions /ndi'idually) 8oes not unction in &elation to National Assembly) Should oster Harm
&elationship Bet7een =ocal Assembly and Board <ember
"",%: 2rinciple of Confidentiality Applies to Assistant Hho is Assembly <emberQ6ost 4u)=ects Dealt with (re
not 3onfidential
/$ Relationshi-s Bet"een Counsellors0 Au=iliar* Board ,e&bers0
Assistant and National and Local Asse&blies and Co&&ittees
"",(: Authority and 8irection lo7 rom the AssembliesQ3ounsellors/ (u;iliar5 ,oard 6em)ers and (ssistants
(d"ise/ 4timulate and (ssist
"",1: Au?iliary Board <ember <ay <eet 7ith =ocal Spiritual Assembly 5ccasionally
"",*: &elationship Bet7een Au?iliary Board <embers and =ocal Assemblies Should not be Hampered by
&egulations
"",+: 2roblems 7ith Board <embers to be &eported 3o Counsellors
"",$: Counsellors Need not Consult 7ith National Spiritual Assembly About Appointments
"",#: >atherings of Counsellors) Board <embers) National Assembly <embers and Committee <embers
Encouraged
""%-: Au?iliary Board <embers and Committees Should E?change /nformation
""%": Board <ember &eports and &ecommendations are Sent to Counsellors) not to National Assembly or
Committees
""%,: National Spiritual Assemblies Should &efer to 2rotection Board <embers for 2rotection <atters
""%%: Administrati'e /nstitutions <ay &eDuest Au?iliary Board <ember to 2erform Certain 3as6s
""%(: Au?iliary Board <embers 3each) Ad'ise on) 5bser'e and &eport on Administration
""%1: /t is not Necessary to /nform National Assembly Hhen Board <embers Are Hor6ing 7ith a =ocal Spiritual
Assembly
""%*: National Assemblies Should A'ail 3hemsel'es of Ser'ices of Au?iliary Board <embers and 3heir
Assistants
996III$ LANG!AG(%
""%+: =ea'e >ranted to be /nstructed in 8i'ers 3ongues
""%$: 3he Jtmost /mportance of an Au?iliary =anguage
""%#: <ans Speech is the &e'ealer of His Heart
""(-: Esperanto
""(": 3he 2resent Need of An Au?iliary =anguage
""(,: Esperanto Hill Spread to a Certain 8egree
""(%: 3he 2ersian 3ongue
99I9$ LA+% AN ORINANC(%
A$ Introduction
""((: 5bedience to the =a7s of Bahullh 7ill /mpose Hardships and 3ests in /ndi'idual Cases
""(1: Certain =a7s are Jni'ersally and Pitally Applicable at the 2resent 3ime
""(*: =a7s >o'erning 2hysical and Spiritual =i'es
""(+: /t is 8ifficult to ollo7 the =a7s of Bahullh
""($: 2unishments 8ecided by the House of 9ustice
""(#: =a7s Should be 5beyed but not 3hrough ear of 2unishment
""1-: He <ust 5bey 5rdinances) E'en 3hough at irst He See no Need for 3hem
""1": 5ne Cannot Continue 8rin6ing As a BahQ4hould )e 6ade (ware %raduall5
""1,: Jnfair to &eDuire Ne7 Applicants for <embership to irst Accept All =a7s of the aith
""1%: 8ifference Bet7een Ad'ice FE?hortation) CounselG and A Binding Command
B$ Abortion
""1(: Abortion <erely to 2re'ent the Birth of an Jn7anted Child is Strictly orbidden in the Cause
""11: Surgical 5peration and AbortionQThe 4oul (ppears at 3onception
C$ Adulter*
""1*: aith &ecogniCes Se? /mpulse but Condemns /ts /llegitimate E?pression
""1+: Se? &elationships 5utside of <arriage not 2ermissible
""1$: Se?ual /ntercourse 2ermissible 5nly Bet7een <an And Hife
""1#: Adultery &etards 2rogress of the Soul
$ Birth Control
""*-: Ruestion of Birth Control not Specifically Ans7ered in Hritings
""*": 2opulation E?plosion) no &eference in Hritings! 3ime of Appearance of Human Soul) etc:
""*,: Hhen E?ercised to 2re'ent 2rocreation of Any Children
""*%: Husband and Hife to 8ecide Ho7 <any Children to Ha'e
""*(: Pasectomy to A'oid Ha'ing Jn7anted Children not 2ermitted if it &esults in 2ermanent Sterility
""*1: 3ubal =igation
""**: Should 3a6e into Consideration A'ailability) &eliability and &e'ersibility of 5peration
""*+: No &eference in Hritings &egarding Contraception to 2re'ent 3ransmission of Jndesirable 3raits
""*$: /n0Pitro ertiliCation and Surrogate <others
""*#: /ndi'iduals <ust 8ecide HaCards of Contracepti'e Agents at 2resent! 2ermanent SteriliCation
""+-: =etter to a 2hysician SpecialiCing in 5bstetrics and >ynecology
($ Alcohol0 rugs And Tobacco
A$ Alcohol
""+": Both =ight and Strong 8rin6s 2rohibited Jnless 2rescribed by a 8octor
""+,: /n the ;itb0i0ADdas it is orbidden to 3a6e Anything that 8eranges the <ind
""+%: 8rin6ing orbidden) No E?cuse to 3ouch /t E'en in 2lum 2udding
""+(: Ca6e la'ours and E?tracts
""+1: Strictly 2rohibited oods la'oured 7ith Alcoholic =iDuors
""+*: Alcohol for Home &emedies) no /nstruction Allo7ing /ts Jse
""++: 3he Ser'ing of Alcoholic 8rin6s by Bahs and Bah /nstitutions
""+$: A Business 2artnership Bet7een a Bah and Non0Bahs
""+#: Assemblys &ole 3o7ard 3hose Hho Continue to 8rin6
""$-: Alcoholism and Alcoholics Anonymous
""$": Bah Ad'ertising Agent Should Jse Hisdom in A'oiding the 2romotion of /nto?icating 8rin6s
""$,: 3he &ight of the Non0Bah 2arentQThe 4er"in$ of 3hampa$ne
B$ rugs
""$%: Hallucinogens) a orm of /nto?ication
""$(: 3he Jse of <ariBuana) =S8 and 5ther 2sychedelic 2roducts
""$1: 2eyote
""$*: 5pium 8estroys the Conscience) the <ind and the 2erceptions
""$+: 8ealing in Heroin and 5ther Narcotics orbidden
""$$: 3he &enouncing of 3obacco) Alcohol and 5piumQPurit5 and 4anctit5 4hould Distin$uish the People of
,ah-
C$ Tobacco
""$#: Smo6ing is 8iscouraged) But Not orbidden
""#-: Smo6ing Has Nothing to 8o 7ith irmness in the Co'enant
""#": 3o Ne7 Bahs) He Should Not Stress >i'ing Jp Smo6ing
""#,: Smo6ing by 8egrees /nBurious
""#%: >uidelines for /ndi'iduals and Assemblies About 3obacco Smo6ing
F$ Cri&e0 Cri&inals and 'risoners
""#(: Belie'ers Charged Hith Criminal 5ffences
""#1: Bah /nstitutions Cannot Enforce Criminal =a7s at 2resentQ4uch 3ases are 7andled in 3i"il 3ourt
""#*: &ehabilitation of Criminals =eft to E?perts in that ield
""#+: Administrati'e Action in Cases /n'ol'ing 8isobedience to Ci'il =a7
""#$: 2enalty for ArsonQ#aws for a 6ore E"ol"ed 4ociet5
""##: Capital 2unishment and the Criminally /nsane
",--: Suicide is orbidden in the Cause
G$ Ga&bling
",-": 3he Sale or 2urchasing of =ottery 3ic6ets
",-,: Horse &acing) Betting and &affles
",-%: Betting on ootball >ames) Bingo and the =i6e
",-(: Bingo and 5ther >ames of Chance for the und
)$ Chastit* and %e= (ducation
",-1: Se? Education &eDuires Hisdom and >ood 9udgment on the 2art of 2arents
",-*: Bah Mouth Should Stand out Against the =a?ity and 8epra'ity of a 2ermissi'e Society
",-+: 3he /ndi'idual Belie'er in Accordance 7ith His 2rayerful Jnderstanding of the Hritings Should 8etermine
His Course of Conduct
",-$: Bahs Should Not Hesitate to See6 Ad'ice from Assemblies 7hen 3hey eel the Need and <ust =earn
through Study and 2rayer to 5btain a Clearer Pision of 3heir <ission
",-#: 5ne <ust =earn to Control Animal /mpulses) not be a Sla'e to 3hem
","-: ;issing in <odern Society is 8etrimental to <orals
","": Bahs <ust Set the E?ample and =ead the Hay to a 3rue Human Standard of =ife
",",: Chastity /mplies Before <arriage Absolutely Chaste) After <arriage Absolutely aithful to 5nes Chosen
Companion
","%: Bah Mouth Should Study the 3eachings on Chastity or >uidance in 8eciding Hhich /ntimacies are
2ermissible and Hhich Are Not
","(: Mouth Should Be 3aught Self0Control
","1: Chastity Should be Strictly 2racticed by Both Se?es
","*: Chastity is 5ne of the <ost Challenging Concepts in this 2ermissi'e Age
","+: Children 5ut of Hedloc6
","$: /n Se?ual <orality 2eople 5ften Stumble and all Short of the /dealQThe 4piritual (ssem)l5 4hould (ct
as a #o"in$ <ather Rather than a Eud$e
","#: 3he /nstitutions Should Adopt Such 2rograms as 7ill 8eepen the Belie'ers in their Jnderstanding as to
Ho7 to Attain to the High Standards of Spotless Chastity /nculcated by Bahullh
",,-: <asturbation
I$ )o&ose=ualit*
",,": Acts of /mmorality
",,,: Homose?uality and 3ransse?uality
",,%: 3hrough Ad'ice) Help of 8octors) and 2rayer) Can 5'ercome this Handicap
",,(: Bah =a7 2rotects and Strengthens <arriage
",,1: 3he Ruestion Should not be if a 2racticing Homose?ual Can be a Bah) but as Such Can He 5'ercome
His 2roblem 3hrough the 3eachings
",,*: &ecogniCing the 8i'ine 5rigin of the Se? /mpulse in <an) &eligion 3eaches it <ust Be Controlled
",,+: He are Assured of the >uidance of >od Hhen He <a6e an Effort to 5bey Him
",,$: 5ne <ust <a6e an Effort to &esist Hay7ard /mpulses Hhen 3hey Arise by 3urning to the Sacred Hritings
to 8i'ert 5nes 3houghts
",,#: A Homose?ual &elationship Sub'erts the 2urpose of Human =ife
",%-: Homose?uality) /mmorality and Adultery Are orbidden in the aith
/$ La"s of ,arriage
A$ 'arental Consent
",%": ;no7ledge of Character &esponsibility of 37o 2arties and 2arents
",%,: <ust Become 3horoughly AcDuainted 7ith Characters of Each 5ther
",%%: =a7 &eDuiring 2arental Consent Should Encourage Moung 2eople to Consider <arriage Seriously
",%(: Consent &eDuired of 2arents for Adults) for Second <arriages) for Bahs or Non0Bahs
",%1: 3he =a7 of 2arental Consent is to Strengthen amily &elationships
",%*: Consent of 2arents =a7 of >reat /mportance Affecting the oundation of Human Society
",%+: Consent of All =i'ing 2arents 2laces a >ra'e &esponsibility on Each 2arent
",%$: 2arents <ay See6 Ad'ice of Spiritual Assembly) But 8ecision &ests 7ith the 2arents
",%#: 3he 5pposition of amily <embers 5ther than 2arents 8oes not Affect Palidity of the <arriage
",(-: <arriage to Non0Bah) Consent of 2arents of Both 2arties &eDuired
",(": 3he Child <ay As6 2arents to &econsiderQ6a5 Re9uest (ssistance of (ssem)l5
",(,: Consent of 2arents 5ften Hithheld for &easons of Bigotry
",(%: /f 2arents Are Ali'e) Consent <ust be 5btained
",((: Circumstances Jnder Hhich 2arental Consent for Bah <arriage not &eDuired
",(1: Hithdra7al rom the aith in 5rder to E'ade =a7 of Bahullh is not 2ossible for 3rue Belie'er
",(*: 2arents >i'e Consent to <arriage) not to a Bah &eligious Ceremony
",(+: E'ery &easonable A'enue of Search <ust be E?hausted to ind 2arentQThe Responsi)le (ssem)l5 6ust
)e 4atisfied this 7as ,een Done
",($: 5ne <ay As6 5thers to Approach 2arent on His or Her Behalf
",(#: <arriages Are Supposed to 2romote Jnity and HarmonyQ(lienated Parent and 3hild 6i$ht )e ,rou$ht
To$ether
",1-: Summary of &eDuirements for Adopted Children in &espect to Consent
",1": Adopted Children and the Special Significance of their &elationship 7ith the Natural 2arents
",1,: Jniform Adoption =a7
",1%: 8uty of Assembly to Ascertain if Consent is reely >i'en: /t is 8esirable to Ha'e Signed Consent) is not
&eDuirement Jnder =a7
",1(: /f 2arents 8o not Name uture Spouse in =etter of Consent
B$ Bah (ngage&ent
",11: irst Mou <ust Select 5ne
",1*: 2eriod of Engagement and Announcement of Engagement
",1+: /f Both 2arties are 2ersian Engagement Should not E?ceed #1 8ays
",1$: 3he Ninety0i'e 8ays Should Commence 7hen the 37o 2arties Ha'e Been Betrothed
",1#: 3he Brea6ing of an Engagement 8oes not Piolate Bah =a7
",*-: /t is Jnla7ful to Announce a <arriage Earlier than #1 8ays Before Hedding
",*": /t /s Jnla7ful to Become Engaged to a >irl Before She Attains <aturity
C$ Bah ,arriage
",*,: 3he Bah 3eachings &aise <arriage 3o the Status 5f a 8i'ine /nstitution Ho7e'er 3here /s a Small
Section of Humanity Hho Should not <arry:::
",*%: 3he /nstitution of <arriage as Concei'ed and Established by Bahullh Constitutes the oundation of
Social =ife
",*(: 3he 2hysical Aspect of <arital Jnion is Subordinate to the <oral and Spiritual 2urposes and unctions
",*1: <arriage Bet7een 37o Bahs Can Be A 2otent orce in the =i'es of 5thers
",**: Bah Jnion <ust be a 3rue &elationship that Hill Endure
",*+: <oral 8uty to <arry but <arriage is not an 5bligation
",*$: Bahullh Has Jrged <arriage as the Natural and &ightful Hay of =ife
",*#: 3he Bah aith 8oes not Contemplate Any orm of A3rial <arriage
",+-: &egarding Couples =i'ing 3ogether Hithout Being <arried
",+": 3he Basic 8ifference Bet7een the 37o Categories of &elationships
",+,: aith Accepts in Certain Cases Jnions 7hich Are @/mmoral But AcceptedE by Society in 7hich the 2eople
=i'e
",+%: =egaliCing E?isting Situation 8oes Not &eDuire Bah <arriage
",+(: 8ifference bet7een Companionate <arriage and Common =a7 <arriage
",+1: Companionate <arriage and lagrantly /mmoral &elationships
",+*: Piolation of <arriage =a7) Ascertain if Bah /nformed of &eDuirements
",++: /ncorrect /nformation >i'en By Assembly
",+$: Bahs /gnorant of =a7 in a 8ifferent Category Altogether
",+#: Be 2atient and orbearing in Application of =a7s to /ndigenous 2eople! <ust Not 2ry into 2eoples
2ersonal =i'es
",$-: Bigamy Not 2ermitted
",$": Summary of Bah &eDuirements Concerning <arriages 7ith ollo7ers of 5ther &eligions
",$,: <i?ed <arriages Fi:e:) Bah and Non0BahG
",$%: &oman Catholic <arriage &eDuirements 7ith Non0Catholics
",$(: /n &eality no /ndi'idual 2erforms the <arriage Ceremony and if for any &eason Non0Bah &efuses to
&ecite Perse) Bah Cannot <arry that 2erson
",$1: <arriage of Bah to Atheist
",$*: <arriage by 2ro?y
",$+: Hindu Ceremony is 2ossible for Bah) 2ro'ided:::
",$$: /nter0&acial <arriage
",$#: <arriage Bet7een &elati'es
",#-: <arriage Ceremony for 37o Non0Bahs
",#": 3he @So0CalledE <arriage 3ablet
",#,: Hedding 2lans Should be =eft Entirely in the Hands of the Bride and >room
",#%: Belie'ers Should not Attend Heddings of Bahs <arrying Contrary to Bah =a7
",#(: 3he Compulsory 2art of a Bah Hedding is the 2ledge of <arriage in the 2resence of 37o Assembly
Hitnesses
",#1: Hhen a Bah <arries a Non0Bah both Ceremonies Can Be Held in the 2lace of Horship of Another
&eligion) if &eDuested) and 2ro'ided that:::
",#*: Hitnesses Can be Any 37o 3rust7orthy 2eople Acceptable to Assembly! <a6es 2ossible for =one 2ioneer
to Ha'e Bah <arriage in a &emote 2ost
",#+: 37o Essential 5bligations &egarding Education of Children
",#$: Bah Ceremony Should be as Simple as 2ossible) No &ituals
",##: <eaning of Consummation of <arriage
"%--: Consummation of <arriage <ust 3a6e 2lace Hithin 37enty0our Hours of Bah <arriage Ceremony
"%-": &eporting Bah <arriage! /ndi'idual 5nly Acts for Assembly
#$ i.orce
"%-,: Attitude of 2resent0day Society 3o7ards 8i'orce
"%-%: 3here are no >rounds for 8i'orce in the aithQDi"orce should onl5 )e 3onsidered if there is a 4tron$
A("ersionB to One*s Partner
"%-(: Mouth Should be So 8eepened in the 3eachings that the 3hought of 8i'orce 7ill be Abhorrent to them
"%-1: 3he 2arty 7ho is the Cause of 8i'orce Hill Become Pictim of ormidable Calamities
"%-*: 3he riends <ust Strictly &efrain from 8i'orce
"%-+: 8i'orce is Conditional Jpon the Appro'al and 2ermission of the Spiritual Assembly
"%-$: Should 3hin6 of uture of Children
"%-#: 8i'orce Concerns Childrens Entire uture and 3heir Attitude 3o7ards <arriage
"%"-: 5ne <ay 8isco'er He Has Not 2urchased Either reedom or Happiness
"%"": Cannot Jse the Cause or Ser'ice to /t as &eason for 8i'orce
"%",: E'ery Effort Should be <ade to Sal'age <arriageQIn 3ase of Pioneers/ It is E"en 6ore Important
"%"%: Bah amily Should be 2reser'ed
"%"(: 5ne Mear of Haiting Hhether Bah Hhen <arried or not
"%"1: /f 8i'orce is /llegal Hithin a Country) Bahs are Bound by the =a7 of the Country
"%"*: /f 5ne 2arty is <entally /ll
"%"+: Bahs Hho /ntend to 8i'orce <ust Consult 7ith =ocal or National Assembly
"%"$: 3he Belie'ers Should 6no7 that Although 8i'orce /s 2ermitted /n Bah =a7) it is Condemned
"%"#: 3he Assembly should 8etermine that /rreconcilable Antipathy E?ists Before Setting the 8ate of the
Beginning of the Mear of Haiting
"%,-: 2rocedure for an Assembly 7hen Application for 8i'orce /s &ecei'ed
"%,": 3he Setting of the 8ate of the Beginning of the Mear of 2atience is Not Automatic
"%,,: Beginning of the Mear of 2atience Normally Commences 7hen 2arties Notify Assembly of their Separation
7ith /ntent to 8i'orce
"%,%: 8uties of Assembly or Committee on 8i'orce 2rocedures
"%,(: 8ating 8uring the Mear of 2atience
"%,1: SummaryQRelatin$ to the <i;in$ of the Date of 4eparation
"%,*: /t is not 2ossible to Shorten the 2eriod of Haiting
"%,+: 3he Assembly is 5bliged to Consider Application for a Mear of Haiting
"%,$: 8uring 2eriod of =egal Separation 8ating in the Spirit of Courtship is 5utside Bounds of 2ropriety
"%,#: 2arties <ay Hithdra7 their Application for 8i'orce at Any 3ime 8uring the Mear of Haiting
"%%-: Assembly Should not /nterfere into <arital Affairs until Belie'ers Bring 3heir 2roblems to the Assembly
"%%": 3here /s no =a7 to &emo'e Poting &ight for 5btaining Ci'il 8i'orce Before the year of Haiting
3erminates
"%%,: Annulment or 8i'orce
"%%%: &efund of <arriage E?penses
"%%(: Not Hise to Announce Ne7 <arriage 2lans Before 8i'orce is inal
"%%1: >uidance &egarding inancial Support in 8i'orce Cases
"%%*: /t is 2referable that Couple Should Amicably Agree on the Custody of the ChildrenQThe 7us)and is
O)li$ated to 4upport Wife and 3hildren :ntil Di"orce is %ranted and he 7as 3ontinuin$ O)li$ation to
4upport his 3hildren
"%%+: Hife Support 8uring Mear of 2atience and After 8i'orceQ(ssem)l5 4hould Encoura$e 7us)and to 7onor
7is Responsi)ilities in Pa5in$ Re9uired 4upport 6one5
"%%$: No Husband Should Batter his Hife
999$ LO6( AN !NIT>
"%%#: 3he Best &emedy for Hate is =o'e) as Hate is the Absence of =o'e
"%(-: 3he Standard 7hich must >o'ern the Conduct of Belie'ers 3o7ard each other is =o'e
"%(": He <ust =o'e >od and thus =o'e for All <en Becomes 2ossible
"%(,: 3he ;ind of =o'e E'ery Belie'er Should Culti'ate
"%(%: AAbdul0Bah E?plained the <eaning of Bahullhs Hords &egarding =o'e of Humanity
"%((: Spiritual &elationships are ar <ore /mportant than &ules and &egulations
"%(1: 3he 2eople of the Horld Need to See the =o'e Engendered by the aith in the Hearts of the Belie'ers
"%(*: 3he <orbid and 3urbulent /nfluence of the 8ar6 orces of the Horld is elt by All
"%(+: He <ust 2ray to be 2rotected from the Contamination of Society
"%($: Heroism is Needed by the Belie'ers
"%(#: >ods Hays do not Necessarily Coincide 7ith Human 8e'ices and 2olicies
"%1-: /f 8i'ided) Both Sides to a 8ifference are HrongI /f Jnited) 3hey are Both &ight
999I$ ,ILITAR> %(R6IC(
"%1": Bahs Cannot Poluntarily Enlist Hhere SubBect to 3a6ing Human =ife
"%1,: Bahs are not Conscientious 5bBectors
"%1%: 3here are <any A'enues 3hrough Hhich the Belie'ers Can Assist in 3ime of Har
"%1(: Bahs &ecogniCe the &ight and 8uty of >o'ernments to 2rotect 3heir 2eople
"%11: /t is 3heir 8uty as =oyal and 8e'oted CitiCens to 5ffer 3heir Ser'ices to 3heir Country
"%1*: @Specifically Aggressi'e or 8irectly <ilitaryE Acti'ities are to be A'oided
"%1+: A Bah <ay Enlist in the Armed orces if not <ade =iable for Combatant Ser'ice
"%1$: National Ser'ice 3hrough 2rofessions Jseful to <an6indQational 4piritual (ssem)l5 7as Responsi)ilit5
to 3ounsel Douth
"%1#: Bahs are not As6ing to be >i'en a Safe Berth 8uring Hours of National Crisis
999II$ ,!%IC
"%*-: <usic is a =adder by Hhich Souls <ay Ascend
"%*": <usic is an /mportant <eans to the Education and 8e'elopment of Humanity
"%*,: /t is Necessary 3hat the Schools 3each <usic
"%*%: <usic as a 2raise7orthy Science
"%*(: <usic as 5ne of the Arts
"%*1: 2rayers Set to <usic
"%**: Singing and Chanting 2rayers in Jnison
"%*+: Not Appropriate to Set 5bligatory 2rayers to <usic
"%*$: Standing on the 3hreshold of Bah Culture) He Cannot oresee orms and Characteristics of the uture
Arts
"%*#: 3he >reatest Name and the Names of the <anifestations of >od or the Central igures Should be Jsed 7ith
&espect
"%+-: <usic <ore Helpful Before a 3al6
"%+": <usic Helps to Communicate Hith 3he Soul
999III$ T)( N!,B(R NIN(
"%+,: 3he Number Nine is &e'erenced for 37o &easons by Bahs
"%+%: 3he Number Nine is Considered by Bahs as Sacred
"%+(: 3he Number Nine SymboliCes the Nine >reat Horld &eligions and 2erfection and is the Numerical Palue of
Bah
"%+1: Nine as the Highest 8igit SymboliCes Comprehensi'eness) Culmination
"%+*: 3he Bb JtiliCed the Numerical Palue of Hords to SymboliCe Spiritual Concepts
"%++: Superstition Concerning the Number "%
999I6$ O''O%ITION
"%+$: No Need to ear 5pposition if the /nner =ife be Sound and Pigorous
"%+#: &efuting Attac6s and Criticisms Against the Cause 8e'ol'e upon the National Spiritual Assembly to
Consider
"%$-: 3he Cause cannot be Effecti'ely Established Jnless it Encounters and 3riumphs 5'er the orces of
5pposition
"%$": Bah Hife Should Sho7 Jtmost =o'e and ;indness to Husband in Spite of His 5pposition to aith
"%$,: Ho7 to &ehabilitate 5ur 2erturbed Society and Eliminate Har
"%$%: 3he Church and the Clergy 5ften are the <ost Bitter 5pponents of the Cause
9996$ ORGANI%ATION%0 NON1BA)23
"%$(: Affiliation 7ith aith Alone is /nsufficient
"%$1: Affiliation 7ith Non0Bah 5rganiCations
"%$*: Association and Affiliation 8efined for Bah 2urposes
"%$+: Bahs Belonging to Churches) Synagogues) reemasonry and the =i6e
"%$$: Bahs &eDuested to Hithdra7 from <asonic and other Secret Societies
"%$#: Hhy Bahs are &eDuested to Hithdra7 from <embership in the Church) Synagogue) etc:
"%#-: &esignation from the <asonic 5rder
"%#": 3he Belie'ers should 8issociate 3hemsel'es from Secret 5rganiCations
"%#,: 3heosophists! 5ne Cannot be Bah and 3heosophist at the Same 3ime
"%#%: Horld >o'ernment 5rganiCationQ4hould )e on+Partisan and on+Discriminator5
"%#(: Ne7 History SocietyQ("owed Enemies of the <aith
"%#1: Social 5rganiCations) &elief Hor6QThe ,elie"ers are ,uildin$ a Refu$e for 6ankind
"%#*: <embership in Non0Bah &eligious 5rganiCations
"%#+: 3eaching in a <ission School
"%#$: Bahs Should not Attac6 the Church
"%##: A Bah Cannot be a Spiritist
"(--: &elationship of Bah Community to the Jnited Nations
"(-": All Social <o'ements Ha'e Some Spar6 of 3ruth
"(-,: A Bah Should Not See6 inancial Help from a &eligious 5rganiCation as a Bah
"(-%: <embership in 3rade JnionsQElection Procedures
"(-(: As to 2articipation in Stri6es
9996I$ ORI(NTAL%
"(-1: Harning Concerning 5riental <oslems
"(-*: 3he <ere Name of Bah does not Constitute a Bah
"(-+: A'oid <a6ing any Effort to Con'ert 5rientals to the aithQi:e:) <uslims from the <iddle East) 2a6istan
and /ndia
"(-$: /ranian Bahs Need not A'oid all Contact 7ith /ranian <uslimsQ7owe"er/ the5 4hould not 4eek Them
Out for <riendl5 3ontacts nor for Teachin$
"(-#: /n Certain Cases /ranian <uslims could be Considered for EnrolmentQEach Instance to )e Referred to the
:ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice for (ppro"al
"("-: Bah 2rofessionals Should not &efuse to <a6e 3hemsel'es A'ailable 2rofessionally to /ranian <uslims
9996II$ '(AC(
"("": 3he <inisters of the House of 9ustice to 2romote 2eace
"(",: 3he 3ime and <eans 3hrough 7hich the =esser and the <ost >reat 2eace Hill be Established
"("%: Jnless the <essage of Bahullh &eaches into the Hearts of <en and 3ransforms 3hem) 3here Can be no
2eace
"("(: 2redictions of 2eace) 2rophecy of 8anielQ"%%1 8ays
"("1: 2rereDuisite to 2eace
"("*: &adiation of 3hought Hill not Bring 2eace
"("+: No >reater Bliss 3han to ind 5ne Has Become the Cause of 2eace
"("$: Polition and Action are Necessary Before /nternational 2eace can be Established
"("#: E'ery <eans that 2roduces Har <ust be Chec6ed
"(,-: E'ery Century Holds the Solution of 5ne 2redominating 2roblem
"(,": 8o not &est Jntil the 2eace oretold by the 2rophets is 2ermanently Established
"(,,: 3o 8isregard the Bah Solution for 2eace is to Build on oundations of Sand
"(,%: 3he Jnification of <an6ind is Assured by Bahullh and no 2o7er can 2re'ent /t
"(,(: Bahullhs 3eachings Hill Establish a Jni'ersal Consciousness and a Jni'ersal Hay of =ife
"(,1: 2eace Hill Come
"(,*: 3he Aims and 2urpose of the aith are to Eliminate Har and Establish 2eace and Jnity
"(,+: Nuclear 8isarmament
"(,$: 3he 3ransition from the 2resent System of National So'ereignty to a System of Horld >o'ernment
"(,#: Bahs Are not 2acifists
"(%-: 3he =esser 2eace Hill /nitially be a 2olitical Jnity
9996II$ 'ILGRI,% NOT(%
"(%": Any Narrati'e not Authenticated by a 3e?t Should not be 3rusted
"(%,: 2ri'ilege of riends to Share &esults of 3hese Pisits
"(%%: 2ilgrims Notes are Hearsay and Cannot Claim the Authority of the Sacred 3e?t
"(%(: 3he Notes of 2ilgrims are for 3heir 57n Jse
"(%1: 3he 8ifference bet7een 3al6s and 3ablets
"(%*: Stories 3old About AAbdul0Bah
"(%+: 5nly Signed or Sealed 3ablets are Considered Authentic
"(%$: 2ilgrims Notes &eporting the <asters Hords on Embracing and ;issing
"(%#: Haifa Notes Collected by <rs: <a?7ell
999I9$ 'OLITIC% AN GO6(R,(NT%
A$ 'olitics
"((-: 2olitical igures
"((": 2oliticians! Non02olitical >o'ernment 9obs
"((,: No Bah Can be &egarded as &epublican or 8emocrat
"((%: Poting in Ci'il Elections
"(((: A'oid /dentification 7ith 2olitical 2arties
"((1: or Bahs =i'ing in Countries Hhere the 2olitical Structure is Based on a 5ne02arty System
"((*: No =oyal Belie'er should Commit Himself to a 2olitical 2rogram
"((+: Bahs Should &efrain from Poting) if they <ust /dentify 7ith a 2olitical 2arty or 8octrine
"(($: Enrolment 7hen 2olitical Affiliation or Acti'ities are /n'ol'ed
"((#: <embership in any 2olitical 2arty Entails &epudiation 2rinciples of 2eace and Jnity
"(1-: &egarding A Bah 2roducing 3ele'ision Ad'ertising for a 2olitical Campaign
"(1": Bahs Can neither Campaign for 5ffice nor Jnderta6e 2artisan 2olitical Acti'itiesQThe5 6a5 7old
(ppointi"e Posts which are not Political
"(1,: No 5bBection to Bah Being Elected as a Neighbourhood Captain or Ser'ing on a Neighbourhood
Council) 2ro'ided:::
B$ Go.ern&ents and Ci.il Authorities
"(1%: Shun 2olitics =i6e the 2lague and be 5bedient to the >o'ernment in 2o7er
"(1(: 3he Bah Cause is abo'e 2olitical 2arties) but the Belie'ers are 5bliged to Hhole0Heartedly 5bey
E?isting 2olitical &egime
"(11: 3he Bahs Should 5bey the >o'ernment e'en at &is6 of Sacrificing Administrati'e AffairsQIn 6atters
of <aith no 3ompromise (llowed/ e"en thou$h Outcome is Death
"(1*: 2rinciple of 5bedience to >o'ernment does not 5blige Bah 3eachings to be /dentified 7ith 2olitical
2rogram
"(1+: Employment 7ith the oreign Ser'ice
"(1$: Bahs must be =oyal to their Spiritual Assembly and at the same 3ime to Ci'il >o'ernment) 7hether
3ribal Council) a CaciDue or a <unicipal Authority
"(1#: Electi'e or Appointi'e 2osts in >o'ernment Should be Accepted 5nly if 3hey do not Contra'ene >i'en
>uidelines
"(*-: 3he aith is Not 5pposed to 3rue /nterests of Any Nation
"(*": Not 5ur 2urpose to Piolate Any Countrys Constitution
"(*,: Bahs 5bey the =a7) ederal or State
"(*%: 5bedience to 9ust >o'ernmentsQWhat it 6eans
"(*(: 3a6ing of 5aths
"(*1: /mplicit 5bedience to Administrati'e &egulations
"(**: 3here is no 5bBection to 3a6ing Case to Ci'il Court if Assembly and Bahs are Jnable to Negotiate a
Settlement of a 8ispute
"(*+: =et the Horld ;no7 the &eal Aim of Bahullh
"(*$: Non0/nterference in 2olitical AffairsQWe 6ust 4hun Pronouncements ()out 45stems of Politics and not
Write ()out 3urrent Political (ffairs
"(*#: 5ne <ethod by Hhich 5ne Can CriticiCe the 2resent 8ay Socio02olitical 5rder
"(+-: ;ingship in the uture
"(+": 2resident Hilson and 8r: 9ordan
C$ Go.ern&ent (&-lo*ees
"(+,: 3hose Engaged in >o'ernment Ser'ice Should 2erform 3heir 8uties 7ith Jtmost idelity)
3rust7orthiness:::
"(+%: >o'ernment Employees Should 2erform 8eeds and Actions of the Highest 8egree of &ectitude and
Honesty
"(+(: 3hose 7ho are Selected to Ser'e the 2ublic should 2erform their 8uties in a Spirit of the 3rue Ser'itude
"(+1: 3hose Hho Enter Ser'ice of the >o'ernment should Shun all orms of Penality and Corruption
"(+*: /f 5ne Abuses His 2osition 7ith the >o'ernment 3hrough Corrupt or <ercenary Beha'ior:::
"(++: /f a <an 8eals aithlessly 7ith a 9ust >o'ernment) He 8eals aithlessly 7ith >od
"(+$: Content 7ith Hages &ecei'ed) 3hey should not Stain their Character through Acts of Bribery and raud nor
<isappropriate a Single 2enny
9L$ 'RA>(R AN ,(ITATION
A$ 'ra*er and ,editation
"(+#: A 2rayerful Condition is the Best of Conditions) Especially in 2ri'ate and at <idnight
"($-: 3he &eason for 2ri'acy Hhen Communing Hith >od
"($": 3he <ore 8etached and 2ure the 2rayer the <ore Acceptable to >od
"($,: 3he /nspiration &ecei'ed 3hrough <editation
"($%: Hith 2rayer and <editation <ust >o action and E?ample
"($(: 3he /mportance and 2o7er of <editation
"($1: E'ery 8ay upon Arising 5ne Should Compare 3oday 7ith Mesterday and 2ray:::
"($*: Ho7 to 2rayQOne 6ust 4tart out With the Ri$ht 3oncept of %od
"($+: Hiser to Jse <editations >i'en by BahullhQot 4et <orm Recommended )5 4omeone Else
"($$: 3urn to <anifestation
"($#: 2raying to Bahullh
"(#-: 2raying to BahullhQ(s the Door
"(#": He may 3urn to the >uardian in 2rayer) but Should not Confuse His Station 7ith 3hat of a 2rophet
"(#,: 3urning 3o7ard the Shrine of Bahullh in 2rayer
"(#%: 3hrough AAbdul0Bah 5ne Can Address Bahullh
"(#(: 2eople Hho 8esire to <eet and 2ray
"(#1: 2rayers Should be &ead as 2rinted
"(#*: Strictly Adhere to the 3e?t of the Holy Hritings
"(#+: /n Ruoting 2rayers
"(#$: Specific 3ime for &emembrance of >od
"(##: 8a7n 2rayers
"1--: <orning 2rayers
"1-": He should not <a6e a 2ractice of Saying >race or of 3eaching it to 5ur Children
"1-,: Congregational 2rayer 5nly for the 8ead
"1-%: 2rayers <ay be &ecited in Jnison
"1-(: 5ne 2erson should &ead the uneral 2rayer
"1-1: &ecital or Chanting of 2rayersQPra5er is Essentiall5 3ommunion ,etween %od and 6an
"1-*: Healing 2rayer and 2rayers for the ast
"1-+: Effecti'eness of Healing 2rayer
"1-$: 2rayers Ans7ered 3hrough Action
"1-#: 2ray to be 2rotected from Contamination of Society
"1"-: i'e Steps of 2rayer
"1"": &eciting Any 2rayer Nine 3imes not 5bligatory
"1",: 3he Spiritual <an 2rays 5nly for =o'e of >od
"1"%: 2rayer Beads) Chanting) Congregational 2rayer) etc:
"1"(: &eading 2rayers on the &adio
"1"1: Bah Children) Communes and 2rayers
"1"*: <others or 5thers 8elegated Should Choose E?cerpts from the Sacred Hord for Children to <emoriCe
"1"+: 3here are no Special /nstructions for &epeating 2rayers of the Bb
"1"$: Community 2rayer Sessions
"1"#: Bahs Should be 3aught to <editate) but Also to >uard Against Superstitious 2ractices
"1,-: @5 Subduer of HindsE) an /n'ocation for <oments of 8anger
B$ Obligator* 'ra*er
"1,": 3here are <ysteries and A Hisdom in E'ery Hord and <o'ement of the 5bligatory 2rayers
"1,,: 5bligatory 2rayers
"1,%: 3urning 3o7ards AA66 in 2rayer is a 2hysical Symbol of an inner &ealityQOne Who Does not
:nderstand the (cts (ccompan5in$ the #on$ Pra5er 3an :se the 4hort
"1,(: /f a Belie'er is ill or 2hysically Jnable to 2erform >enufle?ions
"1,1: 3he <edium 2rayerQRepeatin$ the %reatest ame 9@ times
"1,*: 2hysical >estures and Hashing Hands and ace in Connection 7ith 5bligatory 2rayers are =a7s of
Bahullh
"1,+: Each 5ne <ust Say his 5bligatory 2rayer by Himself
"1,$: &egarding &eading the Bbs 2rayer 1-- 3imes
"1,#: 3he <edium 2rayer to be &ecited <orning) Noon and E'eningQ3hree 3imes a 8ay
"1%-: 8efinition of A<orning) ANoon and AE'ening
"1%": /n High =atitudes the National Spiritual Assembly <ay i? Hours of 2rayer and asting by the Cloc6:
"1%,: Based on 3e?ts in the @;itb0i0ADdasE and @Ruestions and Ans7ersE) The :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice
Permits :se of 3lock
"1%%: AAllh0u0Abh is the orm of the >reatest Name to be Jsed in the =ong 5bligatory 2rayer
"1%(: /nstructions in the =ong 5bligatory 2rayer
"1%1: /nstructions for the <edium 5bligatory 2rayer
"1%*: 3he Correct 2osition for @SittingE 8uring 5bligatory 2rayers
"1%+: Ablutions and <o'ements to Accompany the &ecitation of the =ong 5bligatory 2rayer
"1%$: Ablutions Before 5bligatory 2rayers and &epetition of the >reatest Name
"1%#: 3he Perse to be &ecited 7hen 3here is no Hater
9LI$ 'RO')(T%8,ANIF(%TATION% OF GO
A$ The Bb
"1(-: 8uration of the Bbs 8ispensation
"1(": 8eclaration of the Bb
"1(,: 3he 8eclaration of the Bb and the Birthday of AAbdul0Bah
"1(%: 3he Bayn
"1((: 3he UDn and the Bayn
"1(1: &eason for Se'ere =a7s &e'ealed by the Bb
"1(*: 2ortrait of the Bb
"1(+: Hour of Birth of the Bb
"1($: 3he 3erm AAfnn &efers to &elati'es of the Bb
"1(#: 3he Sacrifice of "# =ambs by the Bb 7as 2rior to His &e'elation
B$ Bahullh
"11-: No 2rophet in Same Category as Bahullh
"11": Bahullh Has Appeared in >ods >reatest Name
"11,: Bahullh Con'ersed 7ith <oses in the Burning Bush
"11%: Bahullh is not >odQ,ut Throu$h 7im We 3an 8now %od
"11(: Hhy He Jses the 2ronoun @HeE
"111: 3here is no &ecord of a 2rophet Similar in Station to Bahullh
"11*: Hour of Bahullhs Birth
"11+: 3he 8ispensation of Bahullh) Certain 2assages Clarified
"11$: &ec6oning of 8ays <entioned in the @8ispensationE
"11#: Bahullh 7as a 8escendent of Abraham 3hrough Both ;aturah and SarahQEesse/ 4on of 4arah/ was the
<ather of Da"id and (ncestor of ,ah-*u*ll-h
"1*-: As the &eturn of Christ
"1*": Appearance of =ater 2rophets
"1*,: ears for Ne?t <anifestation
"1*%: He 8oes Not As6 Js to ollo7 Him Blindly
"1*(: Christ and Bahullh
"1*1: 8uration of the Bah Cycle and 8ispensation
"1**: No E?planation >i'en for 1--)--- Mear 2eriod of Bah Cycle
"1*+: /dentifies Himself 7ith 5ther 2rophets
"1*$: Bahullh 8id not Name @=etters of the =i'ingE or Himself
"1*#: 3he A3rustees of ;no7ledge
"1+-: 3he Bah aith is a Hay of =ife not a <ere 2hilosophical or Social 8octrine
"1+": 3he 3eachings Should be Concei'ed of as 5ne >reat Hhole 7ith <any acets
"1+,: 3he Hhole 3heory of 8i'ine &e'elation &ests on the /nfallibility of the 2rophets
"1+%: 3here is a <inimum of &ituals in the Bah aith and no <an0<ade 8ogmas
C$ (=-lanation of %o&e Bah Teachings
"1+(: Hhat is <eant by a 2ersonal >odQ%od is not (nthropomorphic
"1+1: <an =i'es in a 3hree 8imensional 2lane of Consciousness
"1+*: 2ossibly /ndians of America 7ere /nfluenced by 2rophets in Asia
"1++: <ustaghath
"1+$: &eference in >ospel of St: 9ohn to &e'elation of Bahullh
"1+#: @=ordE and @>odE &efer to the Creator in Bah Hritings
"1$-: Copper Can be 3ransmuted into >old
"1$": Creatures are to be ound on E'ery 2lanet
"1$,: @8ayspringE 8efined
"1$%: Absolute Being Can be Attributed only to >odQ7is 3reation 7as Relati"e E;istence/ a 4eparate Realit5
"1$(: <eaning of @Sciences that Begin and End in HordsE
"1$1: Atomic EnergyQ@( 4tran$e and Wonderful InstrumentE
"1$*: Bahullh E?horts <an to 3ry to 8e'elop His 8ormant Rualities
"1$+: 3he @PeilsE are Pery 3hin at the 3ime of the <anifestation
"1$$: 3oday it is a >reater &esponsibility to &eBect the <anifestation
"1$#: Cornerstone of all the 3eachingsQOneness of 7umanit5
"1#-: @He Hho =o'es His ;indE
"1#": @rom /t FEarthG He Ha'e Created MouE
"1#,: 3he Spiritual &esurrection of <an
"1#%: 3he 8ay of &esurrection) of 9udgement) and the 3omb
"1#(: &e'elation of Bahullh 2rimarily for 3his 2lanet
"1#1: Abh ;ingdom
"1#*: @Singled 5utE
"1#+: E'olution of the Soul
"1#$: @2erishingE
"1##: @No <an Attaineth E'erlasting =ifeE
"*--: 8ifferences of Station and Classes in Society
"*-": @Hidden HordsE
"*-,: UDn) ;itb0/0UDnQ@3it5 of %odB/ 6eanin$ of
"*-%: @Hho 5ut of Jtter NothingnessE
"*-(: @Hosts of His 3estamentE and @CordE
"*-1: Sura of the Sun) E?planation of
"*-*: /ntercession
"*-+: @;no7ledge Consists of 37enty0Se'en =etters:::E
"*-$: 3ablet of AhmadQThe Word A:n$odl5B
"*-#: 3he 3ablet of the Holy <ariner
"*"-: 3ablet to the 2residents of the &epublics of the Americas
"*"": 3ablet of 9oseph
"*",: <eaning of @Perities of the aithE
"*"%: <eaning of the Hord @2atronE in Se'en Palleys
$ DAbdul1Bah
"*"(: AAbdul0Bah
"*"1: All 3hy 8oings &ecorded
"*"*: Chief 5bBecti'es of AAbdul0Bahs <inistry
"*"+: E?periences 7ith AAbdul0Bah
"*"$: Stories About AAbdul0Bah
"*"#: 8ay of the Co'enant) 8ay of the Ascension
"*,-: Hhen the /nterpreter of the Hritings Says Nothing on a SubBect then the /ndi'idual is ree to Accept or
&efute
"*,": 2raying to AAbdul0Bah
"*,,: 3hrough Him 5ne Can Address Bahullh
"*,%: 2hotographs of AAbdul0Bah
"*,(: 2hotograph placed in a 8ignified 2osition
"*,1: 2reser'ation of &elics
"*,*: Ages of the aith and Epochs of the Ages
"*,+: 3he 8i'ine 2lan
"*,$: 3he 3ablets of the 8i'ine 2lan Are the Charter for 3eaching
"*,#: Apostolic and Heroic Age of the aith
"*%-: 3he Application of the 3erm @/ron AgeE
($ )idden +ords
"*%": 3he @Hidden HordsEQ( 3ollection of %em+#ike :tterances
"*%,: 3he <eaning of the Name @Hidden HordsE
"*%%: 3he Hidden Hords Ha'e no SeDuence
"*%(: 2assages in Hhich Bahullh &efers to <an as @Son of SpiritE
"*%1: Hidden Hords FArabicG No: "% E?plained
F$ Christ
"*%*: 8ate of Birth of 9esus Christ
"*%+: Christ) Pirgin Birth of
"*%$: <iracles are Al7ays 2ossible
"*%#: Bah 3eachings in Agreement 7ith 8octrines of Catholic Church Concerning the Pirgin Birth
"*(-: Christs Brothers and Sisters Here Born in the Natural Hay
"*(": High Station of <aryQ<alse accusations
"*(,: @8o'eE Simply a <etaphor
"*(%: 3he Bah aith &ecogniCes the 8i'ine 5rigin of Christianity and the /mmaculacy of the Pirgin <ary
"*((: &egarding the Station of 9esusQ(ll Prophets can )e Re$arded as 4ons of %od for the5 (ll Reflect 7is #i$ht
"*(1: According to the >ospel 9esus >a'e 5nly 37o <aterial 5rdinances
"*(*: 3he Crucifi?ion as &ecorded in the Ne7 3estament is Correct
"*(+: 3he ather Himself has Come and ulfilled the <ission of Christ the Son
"*($: Bahs do not Belie'e in a Bodily &esurrection After the Crucifi?ion
"*(#: Bahs Should 3ry to ind a Spiritual <eaning to the So0Called <iraculous E'ents &ecorded in the >ospel
"*1-: 9esus Christ Established Beyond a 8oubt the 2rimacy of 2eter
"*1": &egarding the Signs that Hould Herald the Ad'ent of the Ne7 <anifestation
"*1,: 3he Rurn Concerning Christ
"*1%: 3he &eformation Has a Challenge to <an0<ade 5rganiCation of the Church
"*1(: 3he 2eriod of 3urmoil 7hich Accompanies a Ne7 <anifestation
"*11: Ecclesiastes ",!*Q6an*s e$lect of %od
"*1*: 3here is a Spar6 of 8i'inity in <an
"*1+: &eference to Bahullh in St: 9ohn
"*1$: He do not Belie'e in >enesis =iterallyQThe World was not 3reated in 4e"en Da5s
"*1#: 3he Mears of Noah are not Mears as 7e Count 3hem and He Cannot Substantiate Stories of the 5ld
3estament
"**-: Hhen AAbdul0Bah States that He Belie'e Hhat is in the Bible) He <eans in Substance
G$ Isl&
"**": 3he 8ate of Birth of uarded the Cause of Human 8e'elopment
"**1: Clarification of Certain /ssues &egarding /slm) the /mm Husayn) the /mamate) etc:
"***: Ho7 to Study the Rurn
"**+: <eaning of @9inE or @>eniiE
"**$: Caliphate and /mamate
"**#: <u ammad Says 3hat the 9e7s 8id not Crucify Christ
"*+-: <u ammadanism is a uller &e'elation than any 5ne 2receding it
"*+": <u ammads 3eachings ostered the National State
"*+,: 3he 2lurality of Hi'es in <uslim Countries 8oes not Conform Hith the 3eachings of athering of /srael
"*+$: 9ourney of the /sraelites
"*+#: Erroneous Belief
"*$-: 3en 3ribes of /srael
"*$": 3he 9e7s Ha'e a >reat Spiritual 8estiny and Hill Enter the aith in =arge >roups
"*$,: >ree6 2hilosophers Pisited /sraels Scholars and &eligious =eaders
I$ 'ro-hets and 'ro-hecies of 6arious Religions
"*$%: Bahullh is the Culmination of the Adamic Cycle and the /naugurator of the Bah Cycle
"*$(: Buddha Has a <anifestation =i6e Christ
"*$1: Confucius Has not a 2rophet But a >reat &eformer
"*$*: 8aniel) 2rophecies of
"*$+: ;ing 8a'id
"*$$: >enesis ,,!#Q4acrifice of Ishmael
"*$#: =ot
"*#-: VoroasterQWas not ()raham
"*#": Beginning of Voroastrian Era
"*#,: Hindu &eligion
"*#%: Sabeanism
"*#(: =ao03se and the Sabeans
"*#1: 3here 7ere no ollo7ers of the Bb and Bahullh from the ar East 8uring their <inistry
"*#*: Hinduism) Buddhism and Voroastrianism
"*#+: E?istence is of 37o ;inds
"*#$: <anifestations Had Some Consciousness of 3heir Station
"*##: 3he Souls of the 2rophets are 2re0E?istent
"+--: HadrtQ7is 7oliness
"+-": undamental 2urpose of All &eligions
"+-,: undamentals of &eligions
"+-%: Cosmic &eligion
"+-(: Core of &eligious aith
"+-1: 5neness of <an6ind Cornerstone of 3eachings
"+-*: 2rimary /mportance of the Cause Among E?isting &eligions
"+-+: <eaning of @<ysterious 2o7er 3hat Creates Ne7 Spiritual HorldsE
"+-$: <eaning of 2ersonal >od! Palue of &eligion
"+-#: &eligion Should Change our Acts as Hell as 5ur 3houghts
"+"-: Horld &eligion 8ay) 2urpose of
"+"": Significance of &emains of the 2rophets
"+",: 3he Atoms of the 2rophets are 9ust Atoms
"+"%: 3he our and 37enty Elders
"+"(: 2erfection of >od ound in His 2rophets
"+"1: &eferences to Bahullh
"+"*: 3he Ar6 and the lood
"+"+: >eneration) the Hord Has 8ifferent <eanings
"+"$: 3he CrossQThis <i$ure E;ists in (ll Thin$s
"+"#: 3he 3eachings of S7edenborg and Emerson Should be Considered as Ad'anced Stirrings of the 3ime
"+,-: Emanuel S7edenborg
"+,": AAbdul0Bah 2raised Emanual S7edenborg for his Efforts for Social and &eligious &econstruction
"+,,: Because of the 2rogressi'eness of the 3eachings of S7edenborg He can be Considered a Herald of this 8ay
"+,%: 2eople =i6e Emerson Here no 8oubt /nspired by >od
"+,(: 3he 8ifference Bet7een the >nostics and the &eligionists
"+,1: Christ &eferred to the Horld of the 2rophets as the @HordE) AAbdul0Bah Calls it the @HillE
"+,*: >od Hill Continue to Send His 2rophets that <an <ay 5btain His Highest >oal
"+,+: 9oseph Smith and the Boo6 of <ormon
"+,$: Status of 9oseph Smith
"+,#: 3he <ormons Ha'e High 2rinciples and /deals
9LII$ '%>C)IC ')(NO,(NA
"+%-: Source of E'il 3houghts
"+%": E'il Spirits
"+%,: /nfluence of E'il Spirits
"+%%: E'il Spirits &efer to =o7er Nature of <an
"+%(: E'il E?ists
"+%1: 2sychic 2o7ers in ChildrenQDan$erous to 3ulti"ate
"+%*: 3he ourth 8imension
"+%+: A'oid 2sychic 2henomena
"+%$: 2ossession
"+%#: Should Stri'e to Ha'e 2ure 3houghts and 8reams
"+(-: 8ifficult to 8istinguish 3ruth from /magination
"+(": 8ifference Bet7een 8i'ine &e'elation and 2ersonal E?perience
"+(,: 3rue <ystical E?periences &are
"+(%: No Need for /ndi'idual &e'elations
"+((: =et the uture 3a6e Care of /tself
"+(1: 8e'elopment of 2sychic aculties Hea6ens Spiritual Capacities
"+(*: Astronomy is a Science) Astrology is Not
"+(+: Non0Sensical 2seudo0Science
"+($: Horoscopes
"+(#: ruitless sciences
"+1-: /nfluence of the Stars and 2lanets
"+1": Numerology
"+1,: Neither Numerology nor Astrology Needed by the Belie'ers
"+1%: Automatic Hriting
"+1(: Horlds >reatest Hriters and 2ainters Ha'e not Been Jnder 2sychic /nfluence
"+11: 3able Hriting
"+1*: Spiritualism and 2sychic 2henomena
"+1+: Numerology) 2hysiognomyQToo 6uch E;a$$erated
"+1$: 3elepathy
"+1#: Be Not Afraid Anyone Can Affect Mour <ind
"+*-: Spiritualists
"+*": <esmerism or 3rumpet Communications
"+*,: <aterialiCation of Spirits 3hrough <ediums
"+*%: @<astersE Behind the Scenes
"+*(: 2yramids
"+*1: 2yramid of Cheops
"+**: 2rotection of the Holy Spirit
"+*+: Hea'en and Hell Conditions Hithin 5ur 57n BeingsQThe Prophets 8now %od!!!
"+*$: 2sychic ArtsQThe Influence of 4uch (rts is Dependent on 3on"iction of the Person (ffected
"+*#: Bahs &ecogniCe that E'il is Negati'e and Can 3a6e Control of 5ur =ife But 7e Ha'e the 2o7er to
Become ree of Such orces
"++-: E'il Souls 7ho Ha'e 2assed A7ay Can E?ercise no 2o7er 5'er the 2eople
"++": 3he Solution to Such Beliefs and 2roblems /n'ol'es a 2rocess of Educating the riends /n the 3eachings
"++,: Hhat is Commonly Called E'il spirits is Normally an /maginary Creation but E'il /nfluences Both in 3his
Horld and the Ne?t
"++%: 5ccult 2ractices of Certain Hindus /ntroduced in 3he States Are Completely Contrary to the 3eachings and
Should be A'oided by 3he riends
"++(: Spiritual E?periences can Ha'e >reat /nfluence 5n Js but the Call 3oday is to 3ry to Sa'e the Human &ace
QThis is the Dut5 of E"er5 4oul
9LIII$ RAC(%
"++1: Aboriginal /nhabitantsQDown+Trodden People
"++*: 3ablets of the 8i'ine 2lanQati"es of (merica 6a5 ,ecome %reat 4tandard ,earers of the <aith
"+++: 2reBudice and CondescensionQ3ontact with 3it5 Indians
"++$: Afro0Americans and Amerindians
"++#: irst <ember of His &ace to Embrace the Cause
"+$-: Ser'ice of the Negro
"+$": >uardians Appeal to Negro &ace
"+$,: Concentrate on 3eaching the Negroes
"+$%: Compared 7ith 2upil of the Eye
"+$(: Hor6 of Negro Has Been of >reatest Help
"+$1: 3he Negroes Ha'e A Contribution to <a6e to Bahullhs Horld 5rder
"+$*: 2ure0hearted) Spiritually &ecepti'e Negro &ace
"+$+: aces are as 2upil of the Eye
"+$$: 3he 2rinciple of the 5neness of <an6ind 2recludes 2ossibility of Considering &ace as a Bar to Social
/nteraction
"+$#: 3he >uardian Addresses the Negro
"+#-: Addressed to <embers of the Hhite &ace
"+#": =et the Hhite <a6e a Supreme Effort
"+#,: Jnity in 8i'ersity
"+#%: 3he >uardian Addresses Both &acesQeither Race 3an 3laim to )e ()sol"ed from O)li$ation
"+#(: >od <a6es No 8istinction
"+#1: 2reBudice 8estroys Edifice of Humanity
"+#*: 5bBect of /nter0&acial Hor6QEapanese/ (mericans/ 6e;icans/ 3hinese/ e$roes
"+#+: 9ust /nterest of <inorities
"+#$: 3he Coloured riends Need the aithQ7a"e 4uffered and )een down+trodden
"+##: >uilty Before >od to Allo7 2reBudice to <anifest /tself
"$--: 3o be a Bah is to be 8ifferent
"$-": Bahs are not 2erfect
"$-,: AAbdul0Bah oretold for the /ndians of America a >reat uture if 3hey Accepted the 3eachings of
Bahullh
"$-%: Bahs Appro'e of /nter0&acial Jnions
"$-(: Campus 2rotest Against &acial 2reBudice
"$-1: 3he Bah <ust Scrupulously A'oid /n'ol'ement in 2olitical /ssues 3herefore Cannot 2articipate in Anti0
Apartheid 8emonstrations
"$-*: 3eaching <ulti0&acial Students in the Jni'ersities and 5ther <inority >roups in America) Such as CCechs)
2oles) &ussians:::
"$-+: &acial 2reBudice /s Simply a Negation of aith
"$-$: /t is the &esponsibility of the Belie'ers to Combat and Jproot &acial 2reBudice in 3heir <idst
"$-#: >od Has &ichly Endo7ed the Negro &ace
"$"-: 3he Negro &ace and the Hhite &ace <ust do All in 3heir 2o7er to 8estroy the 2reBudice Hhich E?ists on
Both Sides
"$"": 3he Negro Bahs Ha'e a >reat &esponsibility 3o7ards 3heir 57n &ace and ello7 Belie'ers
"$",: 2rinciple of the 5neness of <an6indQIncompati)le with Racial Pre=udices
"$"%: 3he E'il orces of 2reBudice
"$"(: 3he Negroes Should be 2roud and Happy in the 2raises 7hich Bahullh Besto7ed upon 3hem and 5ther
8o7n03rodden &aces
"$"1: 3he >uardian Encourages 2articipation 7ith Non02olitical 2rogressi'e >roups
"$"*: 3he Hhites Should Helcome Negroes /n 3heir Homes and E'en <arry 3hem if 3hey HishQ,oth 4ides
7a"e Pre=udice to O"ercome
"$"+: 3he Sufferings and 3ribulations of the 9e7s Hill 3erminate 8uring the Bah Era
"$"$: 3he >lorious 8estiny of the 9e7s
"$"#: Belie'ers of 9e7ish 8escent Should Call 3hemsel'es Bahs
9LI6$ R(INCARNATION
"$,-: Bah 2osition on &eincarnation
"$,": E'erybody is Entitled to 3heir 57n 5pinion
"$,,: =earning Can be the Peil Bet7een the Soul of <an and 3ruth
"$,%: Ha'e Not Had 3ime to E'ol'e Bah Scholars Hho Can 8eal 7ith 3hese SubBects
"$,(: Jnli6ely Mou Hill be Able to Con'ert 2eople Hho Study 3hese 3opics
"$,1: Hhat Bahullh <eans by aculty of Sight and Hearing
"$,*: &eincarnation 8oes not E?ist
"$,+: He <ust Jse Hritings of the 2rophets as 5ur <easurement
9L6$ R(6(R(NC( AN %'IRIT!ALIT>
A$ Re.erence
"$,$: &e'erence and &espect 3o7ard 3he Holy 2laces
"$,#: 3he &ecord of AAbdul0Bahs Poice Should be =istened to 7ith the Jtmost &e'erence
"$%-: Pie7ing the ilm of AAbdul0Bah
"$%": 2ortrayal of Any of the <anifestations of >od orbidden
"$%,: Sho7ing &e'erence 8iffers from Culture to Culture
"$%%: 2hotograph of Bahullh
B$ %-iritualit*
"$%(: <an is at 3he Beginning of Spirituality
"$%1: &eDuisites for Spiritual >ro7th
"$%*: 2oints 3o7ards 3he Attainment of 3rue SpiritualityQ4piritual E;ercises of Pra5er and 6editation
"$%+: Bahullh Specified no 2rocedure to be ollo7ed /n <editation and no <ethod Should be 3aught in
Summer Schools
"$%$: or 2ri'ate <editation) Belie'er <ay 8esire to Jse the >reatest Name
"$%#: Cleanliness Contributes to Spirituality
"$(-: 3he 5bligatory 2rayers and &eading Sacred Scriptures E'ery <orning and E'ening Nourish >ro7th of
Spirituality
"$(": 3he oundation of Spirituality is Steadfastness in the Co'enant
"$(,: 2eople are so <ar6edly =ac6ing in Spirituality 3hese 8ays
"$(%: 3here is a Need for a 3rue Spiritual A7areness
"$((: Spiritual Education and 2rogress 8epend on &ecognition of the /nfallibility of the <anifestation of >od
"$(1: 2rayer Absolutely /ndispensableQTo (ttain 4piritualit5
9L6I$ %OCIAL AN (CONO,IC (6(LO',(NT
A$ Guidelines
"$(*: A Hider HoriCon is 5pening Before Js
"$(+: 3he Concept of Social and Economic 8e'elopment is Enshrined in the 3eachings of Bahullh
"$($: His 3eachings EmphasiCe Bringing into Being a Horld Jnified in all Essential Aspects of =ife
"$(#: Steps to be 3a6en to Attain this >oal <ust Begin in the Bah Community
"$1-: Establishment of 5ffice of Social and Economic 8e'elopment in the Horld Centre
"$1": 3he 2o7ers &eleased by Bahullh <atch the Needs of the 3ime
"$1,: 2rogress in 8e'elopment ield 8epends on Stirrings at the >rass &oots
"$1%: 3he <aBor 3as6s of National Spiritual Assemblies
"$1(: Applying Systematically 2rinciples of the aith to Jpraising Ruality of Human =ife
"$11: Jni'ersal House of 9ustice Calls /ndi'idual to Action
"$1*: 3he Nature and E?tent of Belie'ers /n'ol'ement <ust Pary from Country to Country
B$ Agriculture
"$1+: Stri'e to Become 2roficient in the Science of Agriculture
"$1$: Solution to Economic 2roblem should Begin 7ith the armer
"$1#: A >eneral Harehouse 7ill be ounded Hhich Hill Ha'e Se'en &e'enues
C$ (cono&ics
"$*-: Bah System 2re'ents E?tremes of Health and 2o'erty
"$*": Should not Confuse <ethods E?plained by AAbdul0Bah 7ith 2resent 8ay Systems
"$*,: &egarding 2roblems of 57nership) Control and 8istribution of Capital
"$*%: Poluntary Sharing
"$*(: Spirit that 2ermeates Economic =ife 7ill CrystalliCe into 8efinite /nstitutions
"$*1: Social /neDuality
"$**: @EDuality is a ChimeraLE
"$*+: Hages
"$*$: Application of Spiritual 2rinciples to Economic System
"$*#: 2rofit Sharing &ecommended to Sol'e 5ne orm of Economic 2roblems
"$+-: <an Hill Al7ays Ha'e to 3oil to Earn His =i'ing
"$+": &eligion Alone Can Enable <an to AdBust the Economic &elationships of Society
"$+,: A Ne7 Jni'ersal Attitude Needs to be osteredQ,ased on 4piritual >erities
$ 'ro5ects
"$+%: 2articipation in 2roBects 8epends =argely on Certain Conditions in the Community
"$+(: 3he 2rimary 5bBecti'e of Such 2roBects Should be Ser'ice to the Community) not as a Business
"$+1: Social and Economic 8e'elopment 2roBects Should <eet Needs and Aspirations of =ocal Belie'ers
"$+*: 37o undamental 2rinciples
"$++: Social and Economic 8e'elopment <ust be 2laced on a Spiritual Basis to 2ro'e 2roducti'e
"$+$: Suggestions for 2roBects are Helcome
"$+#: 2roBects may &ecei'e Help in inances and <anpo7er from Bah Sources
($ Ob5ecti.es for %ocial and (cono&ic e.elo-&ent
"$$-: 3he 2reser'ation of Cultural /dentities and Customs
"$$": Arts) Crafts and Sciences
"$$,: Health is 2raise7orthyQIf (c9uired )5 Efforts and %race of %od/ and if E;pended for Philanthropic
Purposes
"$$%: 3he 2romotion of Education
F$ ReEuisites for %uccess
"$$(: 3he <ashriDul0Adh6rQThe 4piritual Precedes the 6aterial
"$$1: 3he Spiritual 2rinciple /nduces an Attitude) a 8ynamic) a Hill) an Aspiration
G$ Tutorial %chools
"$$*: 3he /mportance of Establishing 3utorial Schools
"$$+: Bah Mouth and Moung Adults Should be Hilling to Become 3eachers
"$$$: School Should be planned By Bahs in Consultation 7ith Non0Bahs
"$$#: A 2ri'ately 57ned ;indergarten Could Be Considered a Social and Economic Acti'ity for Statistics
"$#-: Contributions from Non0Bahs for <aintenance of 3utorial Schools
9L6II$ BA)23 %!,,(R %C)OOL% AN IN%TIT!T(%
A$ %u&&er %chools
"$#": 2urpose of Summer Schools
"$#,: Jndue 3ime Should Not be Spent on 2hilosophic and Esoteric SubBects
"$#%: Summer Schools can Attract <any Souls
"$#(: =ecture <ethod not Sufficient
"$#1: Super'ised by National Assembly
"$#*: Summer Schools /nseparable 2art of 3eaching Campaign
"$#+: /ntroduce Bah Atmosphere
"$#$: 8ancing) Nothing in 3eachings Against
"$##: 3opics to be 8iscussed
"#--: 3he Summer School Curriculum Should Concentrate on 8eepening the Students >rasp of the 3eachings
"#-": /t is /mportant that Courses on Co'enant0Brea6ing be /ncluded in the Summer School Curriculum
"#-,: /ndispensable for Students to Study the 2attern of the Horld 5rder of Bahullh
"#-%: 3he /mportance of the Study of /slmQeed 3ompetent #ecturers and Writers/ not ecessaril5 ,ah-*?s
"#-(: 3eaching of the Rurn is Absolutely /ndispensable
"#-1: Character Building and Ethics
"#-*: e7 8ays not Sufficient to =earn E'erything
"#-+: Bah Mouth Attendant at =ouhelen Shoulder &esponsibility in Connection 7ith 8e'elopment of the Bah
Jni'ersity
B$ Bah Teaching Institutes
"#-$: 3eaching /nstitutes
"#-#: /nstitute Should be Centre of Comple? Acti'ities
"#"-: SubBects to be 3aught
"#"": /ssuing 8iplomas 8iscouragedQ4ometimes the5 are 6isused
"#",: A 3eaching /nstitute at 2resent is a unction and not Necessarily a Building
9L6III$ T(AC)ING
A$ ee-ening
"#"%: /ncumbent on Belie'ers to &ead Sacred Hritings 8aily
"#"(: 8eepeningQHhat it <eansQo #imit to the 4tud5 of the 3ause
"#"1: 8eepening >enerates Stimulus
"#"*: Study 7ith 5thers
"#"+: Study ClassesQ#ittle 8nowled$e is Dan$erousHCuote from the Ta)lets
"#"$: 8eepen 3heir ;no7ledge
"#"#: Jnderstanding the /mport of His 3eachings <oti'ates Ne7 Belie'ers to 8edicate their =i'es to His Ser'ice
"#,-: Study and Application
"#,": Spiritual 3eachings of aithQWill and Testament/ <irm %roundin$ eeded
"#,,: 2resenting the <asters Hill to Ne7comers
"#,%: 3he Cause Needs 2eopleQWhose <aith 4tands on a Rock/ no Trial 3an 6o"e
"#,(: Education of Ne7 Belie'ers
"#,1: &egarding Spiritual Children) Each Soul &ecei'es >ift of aith for Himself) /ndependent of 3eachers
"#,*: 5ne Cannot Catch the Spirit of the Cause 3hrough the &eading of Boo6s Alone
"#,+: /mperati'e Need to 8eepen in the CauseQ%od*s Purpose for 6an
"#,$: 3he Study of 8a7n0Brea6ers 7ill Arouse the riends to &ene7ed Veal
"#,#: 3heme 2ursued in Effort to 8eepenQWhat is %od*s Purpose for the 7uman RaceI
"#%-: 2resenting >reatest Name 2rematurely
"#%": 5ne <ust 8eepen His ;no7ledge of the =iterature in 5rder to 3each 5thers and &ender Ser'ice to the
aith
"#%,: 3he 3eachings of Bahullh 8eal 7ith <any Aspects of <ans /nner and Communal =ife
"#%%: 2rogress of Cause No7 to be CharacteriCed by /ncreasing &elationship 7ith Non0Bah HorldQOur
Preparation 6ust )e 3ontinual Deepenin$
B$ 'ioneers and 'ioneering
"#%(: 2ioneersQ7omeless and Wanderers in the Path of %od
"#%1: Not for a <oment Are Me Alone
"#%*: lee 3heir Homelands
"#%+: House of 9ustice 8efines @2ioneerE and @2ioneeringEQThere can )e no Cuestion of ARecallin$B a Pioneer
from 7is <ield of 4er"ice
"#%$: 2ioneer Status Clarified! Hho is a 2ioneerS
"#%#: E'ery Bah) Especially 3hose Hho =ea'e 3heir Homes to Ser'e in oreign =ands) Should 3urn 3heir
>aCe to <arion 9ac6
"#(-: A Self0Supporting 2ioneer Cannot be &eDuired to Settle in any >i'en =ocality
"#(": 5nly if Especially &eDuired for a Specific =ocality can a 2ioneer be &eDuired to Settle 3here
"#(,: 3he >uardians E?hortations to Bahs to =ea'e Centres 7here =arge Numbers Had Congregated Here to
8isperse them to Needy >oalsQThe 4piritual Importance of Remainin$ at Their Posts
"#(%: All Bahs Ha'e the 8uty to 3each and Ser'eI Some Hho Settle for 2ersonal 2urposes <ay ill 2ioneer
>oals
"#((: /ranians 7ho Settle in the Americas
"#(1: 2ersians can &ender Jtmost Ser'ice to the 3eaching Hor6) but 3hey <ust Settle as 2ioneers and be in the
<inority
"#(*: Hhether Mouth and Children Should be =isted as 2ioneers
"#(+: 3he Nati'e Belie'ers Should be Encouraged to Become the 2i'ot of the 3eaching Acti'ities
"#($: 2ioneering is the Highest form of Bah Cooperation in <arriage
"#(#: Neither 2ersian nor American 2ioneers Should Congregate in a e7 Chosen 2laces
"#1-: 2ioneer Should not =ea'e 2ost Jntil 3here is Nothing Else to 8oQThe5 4hould 3onfirm ati"e People
#ike Enoch Olin$a Who Will I$nite the <lame of <aith in Others
"#1": /nitial 5bscurity Surrounding Hor6 of 2ioneerQProtection to <aith
"#1,: 3he 2urpose of 8ispersal
"#1%: 2ioneers Entering 2ioneer ield Should &ealiCe 3hey >o as National Spiritual Assembly &epresentati'esQ
To Represent the 3ause
"#1(: 3he Hor6 of the 2ioneer /s the <ost /mportant 3as6 an /ndi'idual Can 2erformI /ts Blessings are >reat
"#11: Hhen an Administrati'e Body is Established) the 2ioneer Ceases to ha'e a JniDue Status
"#1*: 2ioneers Enhance 2restige of aith
"#1+: 2erse'erance of 2ioneers Assured &e7ard in Both Horlds
"#1$: /solated 2ioneers are =i6e a =ight0House of Bahullh
"#1#: Struggles of a 2ioneerQ%od Will (ssist (ll Those who (rise to 4er"e 7im
"#*-: E'en if Bereft of E'ery Human ;no7ledge) E'eryone Hho 7ith a 2ure) 8etached Heart Arises to Ser'e
His Cause is 2romised Bahullhs 8i'ine Assistance
"#*": Bahullh is Al7ays on the Hatch) &eady to Come to 5ur Assistance
"#*,: /n the Best and Highest Sense of the 3erm @<issionaryE it can be Applied to 5ur 3eachersQThere is no
O)=ection to the Word (ppearin$ on Passports
"#*%: Assembly Should Arrange to &eplace 2ioneer Before he =ea'es 2ost
"#*(: No Ser'ice in Entire Bah Horld as /mportant as 2ioneering Hor6 in Pirgin Areas
"#*1: 2ioneers in Pirgin Areas Cannot Pote in National Elections
"#**: 2ioneers Should Hor6 in Close Harmony 7ith =ocal Belie'ers
C$ 'ublicit* and 'rocla&ation
"#*+: Mouth Should not be Stultified
"#*$: <ass 8istribution of &eply 2aid /nDuiry Cards
"#*#: /mportance of &eaching 8istinguished 2ersons 7ith the 3eachings
"#+-: Eminent <en are 5ften Capti'es of 3heir Cherished /deas) but Hhen the 2endulum Starts to S7ing:::
"#+": 2roclaiming the aith to <odern 3hin6ers and =eaders of Society
$ Radio
"#+,: 2o7er of &adio for 2roclamation
"#+%: Historic or7ard Step in 2roclamation
"#+(: Bring to Attention of the 2ublic the act that the aith E?ists
"#+1: E?amples of 2rudence to be E?ercised in 2resenting History and 3eachings of the aith
"#+*: Poluntary Contributions <ay be AcceptedQ7owe"er/ <und+Raisin$ (cti"ities 4hould not )e 3arried out )5
,ah-*? Radio
($ Teaching
"#++: Arise to Ser'e His Cause
"#+$: 3eaching EnBoined on Belie'ers in ADdas
"#+#: <editate on <ethods of 3eaching
"#$-: 3he 3eachings are not >i'en to Js to 3reasure and Hide
"#$": AAbdul0Bah 3eaches Ho7 to 3each
"#$,: &ecompense of <artyr Assuredly &ecorded
"#$%: 3eaching not Conditioned by 5ccupation
"#$(: /ntensi'e Hor6 is of <ore =asting Nature
"#$1: 3eachers <ust be Satisfied 7ith =ittle ood
"#$*: 8e'elop a system of 3ra'elling 3eacher Circuits
"#$+: 3ra'elling 3eachers &einforce Hor6 of 2ioneers
"#$$: Hhat Pisiting 3eachers are Supposed to 8o
"#$#: 3ra'elling 3eachers Ha'e No Special Status
"##-: 3ra'elling E?penses of 3eachers
"##": No Bah 3eachers 2ermanently Employed by aith
"##,: 3ra'elling 3eachers Should be Assisted inancially to Carry out Assigned 2roBects
"##%: He ha'e no 5ne in the aith Hhose 2osition is Comparable to 2rofessional Clergymen or 2riests
"##(: Support by the und 5nly 3emporary
"##1: 3ra'elling 3eachers and Belie'ers Hho 3ra'el reDuently
"##*: Spiritual <aturing is a Slo7 2rocess
"##+: Each 5ne of the Belie'ers is =i6e an Ar6 of Sal'ation
"##$: irst Condition of a &eligious 3eacher
"###: /mportance of 3eachingQTerri)le Pro)lems 3onfrontin$ 7umanit5
,---: Need 3eachers of Spiritual Capacity) ;no7ledge of Co'enant
,--": E'ery 5ne is a 2otential 3eacher
F$ ,ass Teaching
,--,: 8istribution of Bah <aterial in <ail Bo?es of Homes and Apartments
,--%: >reat Care Should be E?ercised in Selecting 3eachers to 3each
,--(: E?ercise Care in 2resenting Cause to A'oid <isconceptions
,--1: <an6ind Has the &ight to Hear the <essage of Bahullh
,--*: 3he 2urpose of Consolidation
,--+: 3rue Consolidation
,--$: 2roclamation) E?pansion and Consolidation
,--#: Consolidation is 3hat Aspect of 3eaching Hhich Assists Belie'ers to 8eepen 3heir ;no7ledge of the
3eachings:::
,-"-: Consolidation is an Essential and /nseparable Element of 3eaching
,-"": E?pansion and Consolidation Are Co0EDual
,-",: 3he 2urpose of 3eaching is not Complete 7ith a 8eclaration of aith
,-"%: Rualities NecessaryQ2ure Spirit and =o'eQIlliterates 3annot Read for Themsel"es
,-"(: Simplicity in >i'ing the <essageQThe :nsophisticated People <orm 6a=orit5
,-"1: 2oorer Classes Should be 3aughtQ3onfirm People
,-"*: 3eaching Campaigns
,-"+: Aim of All Bah /nstitutions and 3eachers
,-"$: Challenge to E'ery Belie'er and /nstitution
,-"#: Challenge to =ocal and National Administrati'e /nstitutions
,-,-: Challenge to the /ndi'idual Bah
,-,": Ho7 Can 3rue Belie'er &emain Silent
,-,,: Charitable and Humanitarian Aspects of aithQ,e 3areful not to EmphasiJe
,-,%: Honoraria or E?penses for 3al6ing on the aith at Non0Bah E'ents
,-,(: 3eachers as Administrators
,-,1: Bahs Should be A7are 3hat 5pening a Ne7 3erritory or 3o7n is only the irst <o'e
,-,*: 3he Basic 5bBecti'e of 3eaching
,-,+: 3he >uardian Encouraged Early Enrollment of Ne7 Belie'ers
,-,$: /ndirect 3eaching! Hhat it Constitutes
,-,#: 3he 3eaching of the /ndians in America
,-%-: 3eaching the <uslims
,-%": /t is the Holy Spirit 3hat Confirms and the /ndi'idual Should Become as a &eed 3hrough Hhich the Spirit
<ay 8escend
,-%,: <any 2eople Are &eady or and =onging to ind 3hese 3eachings
,-%%: 3he 3eacher Should Jse Hhate'er <ethod of E?pression that Hill Attract the =istener
,-%(: Audacity in 3eaching is Essential) but 7ith 3act) Hisdom and Consideration
,-%1: &egarding 3hose Hho are Enrolled) but do not Consider 3hemsel'es Bahs
,-%*: 3he <ost Successful Hay for the /ndi'idual to Carry on the 3eaching Hor6
9LI9$ T(%T%
,-%+: Bahs 5ften Each 5thers >reatest 3est
,-%$: >ro7ing 2ains E'ery Bah Community E?periences
,-%#: ailures) 3ests and 3rials are <eans of 2urifying 5ur Spirits
,-(-: >od Sometimes Causes Js to Suffer <uch 3hat He <ay Become Strong in His Cause
,-(": A <an <ay orget >od Hhile Happy
,-(,: 8ifficulties Are <eans or the Spirit to >ro7
,-(%: /s /t &ight to 3ell Jntruth to Sa'e AnotherS
,-((: No Comfort in 3his HorldQ4ome :nder Pressure 3ommit 4uicide
,-(1: He Can 3urn 5ur Stumbling Bloc6s /nto Stepping Stones
,-(*: =ife Afflicts Js Hith Pery Se'ere 3rials Hhich He <ust Accept 2atiently
,-(+: <any 3ests Are 8ue 3o 5ur 57n Nature
,-($: 5nly 3hrough Suffering Can Nobility of Character Be <ade <anifestQThe Ener$5 we 4pend Endurin$ the
Intolerance of Others is not #ost
,-(#: Suffering Seems to be 2art of the 2olish >od Employs to Enable Js to &eflect <ore of His Attributes
,-1-: Sometimes 3hings Hhich Seem 8ifficult to Jnderstand Ha'e a Simple) &easonable E?planation
L$ T)( T(,'L(8,ASHRI?!L1A8H#2R
A$ Founding of the Te&-le
,-1": ounding of 3emple <ar6s /nception ;ingdom of >od on Earth
,-1,: 3emple 5rdained to be Ar6 to &ide 3idal Ha'e
,-1%: irst /nstitute by the 8isciples Has a 3emple
,-1(: Effect on 3hose Hho Built itQ(rise for the 4er"ice of Temple
,-11: Accessories to the <ashriDul0Adh6r
,-1*: 5ne of the <ost Pital /nstitutions in the Horld is the <ashriDul0Adh6r
,-1+: 3he &elationship of an Administrati'e Building to the 3emple is Horship and Ser'ice
B$ +orshi- in the Te&-le
,-1$: 3he &eason or a 2lace of Horship
,-1#: 3he Character of <eetings in the Auditorium
,-*-: Non0Bah 2ublic Helcome
,-*": Horship in 3emple
,-*,: 3al6ing in the 3emple
,-*%: Scriptures of 5ther &eligions) &eaders) <usic in 3he House of Horship
,-*(: 3he Auditorium <ay be Jsed for Special 2rayers by Pisiting >roups) Bah or Non0Bah
,-*1: 3he Chanting of 3ablets in the 3emple
,-**: Ruestions and Ans7ers Concerning Ser'ices in 3he House of Horship
C$ Te&-le Guiding and Other Acti.ities
,-*+: 3he 3emple >uide Has a Pery Sacred 5bligation
,-*$: Bah >uides Should Be Hell /nformed
,-*#: 3he Essential &eDuisites for >uides
,-+-: Hor6 at the 3emple on Holy 8ays
,-+": =and >rant from >o'ernment not Acceptable for 3emple Site
LI$ +O,(N
,-+,: Both Homen and <en Ha'e been Created in the /mage of >od
,-+%: Clarification E?clusion of Homen on House of 9ustice
,-+(: 3he <embership of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice is Confined to <enI 3his is not a unction 8esignated
or Homen
,-+1: Homen are 8estined to Attain to the Pery Highest Station of the Horld of HumanityQ,ah-*u*ll-h 7as
Willed It 4oK
,-+*: &eference to the @<en of 9usticeE Cited in the ;itb0i0ADdas is Based on a Certain 2rinciple 8eri'ing from
Bahullh
,-++: All <an6ind are the Creatures of 5ne >odQ@6anB is a %eneric Term (ppl5in$ to all 7umanit5
,-+$: Bahullh <ade Homen &espected By 2roclaiming that All Homen be EducatedQIn 4ome 4ocieties It
was Prefera)le that 4he 4hould not 8now Readin$ and Writin$
,-+#: 3he Ne7 Age 7ill be an Age =ess <asculineI the eminine and <asculine Elements 7ill be <ore E'enly
Balanced
,-$-: Homan Hould be the 2eer of <en if EDual 5pportunity Here >ranted
,-$": Hith 3he Same Educational Ad'antages Homen Hill Sho7 EDual Capacity for Scholarship
,-$,: She is the CoadButor of <an
,-$%: 3he Need to Educate and >uide Homen in 3heir 2rimary &esponsibility as <others
,-$(: No Nation Can Achie'e Success Jnless Education is Accorded to All /ts CitiCens
,-$1: /f <other is Educated then Her Children Hill be Hell 3aught
,-$*: 3he Assumption of Superiority by <en Hill Continue to be 8epressing to the Ambition of Homen
,-$+: 3he Boldness Hhich the Homen Hho Enlisted in the &an6s of the aith Ha'e E'inced is 5ne of the
<iracles Hhich 8istinguish 3his Sacred 8ispensation
,-$$: 3he Homens =iberation <o'ement
,-$#: Hhat AAbdul0Bah <eant by Homen Arising or 2eace
,-#-: 3he Emancipation of Homen and 3he Achie'ement of ull EDuality is one of the <ost /mportant
2rereDuisites or 2eace
,-#": 3he Hearts of Homen are <ore 3ender and Susceptible 3han the Hearts of <en and 3hey are <ore
2hilanthropic and &esponsi'e 3o7ard the Needy and Suffering
,-#,: Homan by Nature is 5pposed to Har
,-#%: 3he Homan has >reater <oral Courage 3han <an and is of the >reater /mportance to the &ace
,-#(: 3he 8uty 5f Homen in Being the irst Educators of <an6ind
,-#1: At 2resent 3he EDuality of <en and Homen is not Jni'ersally Applied
,-#*: 5ne of the actors in Bringing About /nternational 2eace is Homans Suffrage
,-#+: EDuality of <en and Homen is Conduci'e to the Abolition of Harfare
,-#$: 3he 2rinciple of EDuality Can be Effecti'ely and Jni'ersally Established Hhen 2ursued in ConBunction
Hith All 5ther Aspects of Bah =ife
,-##: >od 8oes Not /nDuire) @Art 3hou Homan or Art 3hou <anSE
,"--: Homan <ust Study the /ndustrial and Agricultural Sciences in 5rder to Assist <an6ind in 3hat Hhich is
<ost Needful
,"-": Hhen Homan &ecei'es Education and ull &ights to the 2rerogati'es of <an) She Hill &efuse to Send Her
Sons to the Battlefield and She 7ill Abolish Harfare Among <an6ind
,"-,: AAbdul0Bah &egards Such /neDualities as &emain Bet7een the Se?es in 3his Age As Being @NegligibleE
,"-%: 3he Horld of Humanity Consists of 37o Complementary 2arts! <ale and emale: /f 5ne is 8efecti'e the
5ther 7ill Necessarily be /ncomplete
,"-(: Jni'ersal 2eace is /mpossible Hithout Jni'ersal Suffrage! It is 7istoricall5 True That E"er5 Influential
:ndertakin$ in the World Where Woman Was a Participant 7as (ttained Importance
LII$ +OR#
A$ +or< is +orshi-
,"-1: Hor6 is Horship
,"-*: /dle 2eople Ha'e no 2lace in the Horld 5rder
,"-+: AAbdul0Bah Ad'ocates 3he Need or a 2rofession00He said His 7as <at0<a6ing
,"-$: Bahullh Commands 3hat E'eryone Should Engage in Some Sort of 2rofession
,"-#: 8i'ision of 3ime
,""-: Art is Horship
,""": Hor6ing or the Cause 8oes not Constitute 2rofessional Acti'ity
,"",: 2ractice Economy
,""%: All Humanity <ust 5btain a =i'elihood
,""(: &etirement from Hor6
,""1: Hor6 in the Cause at Hhate'er Age
,""*: @5ccupy Moursel'es Hith that Hhich 2rofiteth Moursel'es and 5thersE
,""+: <ust a Hife and <other Hor6 or Her =i'elihood as Her Husband 8oesS
,""$: 3he <an Has 2rimary &esponsibility for the inancial Support of the amily and the Homan is the Chief
and 2rimary Educator of the Children
,""#: Concerning the Amount of 3ime a <other <ay Spend 5utside the Home
,",-: 3he /mportance of the <others &ole 8eri'es rom the act 3hat She is the irst Educator of the Child
B$ Trade !nions and %tri<es
,",": >uidelines in &espect to <embership in 3rade Jnions and 2articipation in Stri6es
LIII$ >O!T)
,",,: 5ur E?pectant Eyes are i?ed on Bah MouthL
,",%: 3eenagers
,",(: Special <essage and <ission for Mouth
,",1: Mouth Should 5pen 3heir Eyes to E?isting Situation of Horld Conditions and /nDuire About Hhat the
uture is >oing to Bring
,",*: 3o <a6e 3heir Pie7s ;no7n to 5thers the Moung 2eople Should ;eep in 3ouch Hith =ocal Mouth
Acti'ities
,",+: Mouth Should be Scholars of the aithQ6aterial Trainin$ and 6aterial Pro$ress are Insufficient
,",$: Saints) Heroes) <artyrs and Administrators
,",#: Cause 8oomed to Stagnation /f Mouth ail
,"%-: 3he &esponsibility for 3eaching is 2laced on the Shoulders of the Bah Mouth
,"%": Mouth Hill /nherit the Hor6 of the 5lder Bahs
,"%,: 3he Need of <odern Mouth or a 3ype of Ethics ounded on 2ure &eligious aith
,"%%: Associate in a riendly Spirit 7ith 5thers
,"%(: rom Beginning Bah Era Mouth 2layed Pital 2art
,"%1: He <ay Hell Emulate the Mouth
,"%*: Jpsurge of Bah Mouth
,"%+: Mouth Should be Encouraged to 3hin6 of 3heir Studies
,"%$: Mouth Hill Arise for the Sa6e of >od
,"%#: 3he House of 9ustice Calls on the Bah Mouth as @=egatees of the Heroic Early Belie'ersE to &e08ouble
3heir Efforts in Spreading the 8i'ine <essage
,"(-: Mouth Should not /ndict Non0Bah riends or 3hey 5nly See a Horld Crumbling but He See a Ne7
Horld Being Built Jp
,"(": Education) 5ne of the <ost undamental actors of 3rue Ci'iliCation
,"(,: uture 2eaceQ%reat Responsi)ilit5 ,orne )5 Douth
,"(%: 3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice Calls on Bah Mouth to &ededicate 3hemsel'es to the Jrgent Needs of the
Cause
,"((: 3he Bah Mouth of 3oday Ha'e the 8istinction of Seeing the Establishment of the =esser 2eace and the
&econciliation of Society
,"(1: 3he ;ey to Success is to 8eepen Mour Jnderstanding of the 3eachings and be Able to E?plain 3hem to
Mour 2eers
,"(*: Mouth and ello7 Belie'ers E?horted to Arise and &e'olutioniCe the 2rogress of the Cause
,"(+: Courses of Study that 5ne can 2ursue to AcDuire S6ills Needed to Assist the 8e'eloping Countries
,"($: Simultaneously Hith the 2roclamation Engendered by the 2ersecutions in /ran) <ore 2eople Are See6ing
3heir 3rue /dentity
,"(#: 2erse'ere in Mour /ndi'idual Efforts to 3each the aith) Study the Hritings) Ser'e <an6ind) Polunteer or
2roBects
,"1-: 3he Assembly Should Encourage the /n'aluable Aid of Mouth as 3ra'elling 3eachers) to Hold Mouth Class)
etc:
,"1": Mouth <ust be Encouraged to 8e'ise and E?ecute 3heir 57n 3eaching 2lans
,"1,: 3he House of 9ustice Applauds Efforts of Mouth to AcDuire Spiritual Rualities
,"1%: 3he Mouth Ha'e the /nescapable 8uty of &eflecting the 3ransforming 2o7er of the aith to Society
,"1(: 3he Mouth <ust Aspire to E?cellence) <o'e 3o7ards ront &an6s of 2rofessions) 3rades) Arts and Crafts
,"11: 3he Mouth <ust Constantly Stri'e to E?emplify a Bah =ife Hhich is the 5pposite of the <oral 8ecay of
Society
,"1*: Contact 7ith &acial <inorities in a Country Hith Such a =arge Element of 2reBudice is /mportant
,"1+: 3he Bah aith is a &eligion that Belongs to the Mouth
,"1$: Second 8eclaration! no Such 3hing
,"1#: 3he Solution to 8ifficulties Hhich Stand in the Hay of Co05peration Bet7een Moung and 5ld Belie'ers
,"*-: =a7s and 2recepts Hhich Some Moung Belie'ers are /nclined to &esent
,"*": After Each 2rayer Supplicate >od to Besto7 <ercy and orgi'eness Jpon Mour 2arents
,"*,: &eaching the Age of Nineteen
,"*%: &egarding a National Committee to Super'ise the Hor6 of the Mouth
I$ A,INI%TRATI6( OR(R
A$ Ad&inistrati.e Order
1. Established First in Americaot (merican Production
@3he Administrati'e 5rder of the Cause) though first established in America) copied as a model by other
national Bah communities) is not an American production) but is a uni'ersal system based on the
teachings of Bahullh: /t is not simply by coincidence ho7e'er that it 7as first initiated and perfected
by the American belie'ers:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L9/ 1938. 8a7n of a Ne7 8ay/ p! L1L2
2. Cannot be Identified with Principles of Present-Day Democracies
@::: 3he administrati'e order 7hich lies embedded in the 3eachings of Bahullh) and 7hich the
American belie'ers ha'e championed and are no7 establishing) should) under no circumstances) be
identified 7ith the principles underlying present day democracies: Nor is it identical 7ith any purely
aristocratic or autocratic form of go'ernment: 3he obBectionable features inherent in each of these
political systems are entirely a'oided: /t blends) as no system of human polity has as yet achie'ed) those
salutary truths and beneficial elements 7hich constitute the 'aluable contributions 7hich each of these
forms of go'ernment ha'e made to society in the past ::::E
&Postscript written )5 the %uardian to a letter written on his )ehalf to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/
o"em)er 18/ 1933. 3he National Spiritual Assembly/ p! LM2
B$ Bah Ad&inistration
. !he Ideal Instr"ment to #a$e %pirit"al &aws F"nction Properly
@He hopes you 7ill de'ote as much of your spare time as possible to the 7or6 of the Cause) especially in
impressing upon the belie'ers the importance of the Administration and helping them to really
understand its purpose and all it can achie'e once they get it to function properly: /n other 7ords it is a
perfect form 7hich must be animated by the spirit of the Cause: /t is the ideal instrument to ma6e
spiritual la7s function properly in the material affairs of this 7orld:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 1M/ 19N@2
'. P"rpose of Administration
@Mour letter of 5ctober "#) "#+% gi'ing a comprehensi'e sur'ey of de'elopments throughout Australia is
of great interest and 7e commend you on your manifold efforts to promote the aith throughout that 'ast
continent:
@He urge you e'er to bear in mind that the purpose of Bah administration is primarily to lend
strength and direction to the teaching 7or6 and to promote the establishment of the aith: /t should ne'er
be regarded as an end in itself but purely as a means to canaliCe and ma6e effecti'e a spiritual 'itality
generated by the Hord of >od in the hearts of the belie'ers:
@3he dedication and Ceal 7ith 7hich you promote the Cause of >od are highly commendable and 7e
7ill pray at the Sacred 3hreshold that the process of e?pansion and consolidation 7ill be greatly
intensified as a result of your efforts:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia/ o"em)er 1L/ 19032
(. %ocial )rder of *ah+,",ll+h
@:::3o accept the Cause 7ithout the administration is li6e to accept the teachings 7ithout ac6no7ledging
the di'ine station of Bahullh: 3o be a Bah is to accept the Cause in its entirety: 3o ta6e e?ception
to one basic principle is to deny the authority and so'ereignty of Bahullh) and therefore is to deny
the Cause: 3he administration is the social order of Bahullh: Hithout it all the principles of the Cause
7ill remain aborti'e: 3o ta6e e?ception to this) therefore) is to ta6e e?ception to the fabric that
Bahullh has prescribedI it is to disobey his la7:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ 6a5 31/ 1931.
Bah Ne7s/ o! N3/ (u$ust 1931/ p! 32
-. .elationship of the Ca"se to the Administration
@&egarding the relationship of the Cause to the Administration! the Bah aith) as the >uardian himself
has repeatedly and emphatically stated) cannot be confined to a mere system of organiCation) ho7e'er
elaborate in its features and uni'ersal in its scope it may be: 5rganiCation is only a means to the
realiCation of its aims and ideals) and not an end in itself: 3o di'orce the t7o) ho7e'er) 7ould be to
mutilate the Cause itself) as they stand inseparably bound to each other) in 'ery much the same
relationship e?isting bet7een the soul and body in the 7orld of human e?istence:E
&<rom a letter on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er (pril 19/ 19392
C$ Bah Local %-iritual Asse&blies
/. Assemblies )rdained by *ah+,",ll+h
@Addressing the nations) the Ancient Beauty ordaineth that in e'ery city in the 7orld a house be
established in the name of Bustice 7herein shall gather pure and steadfast souls to the number of the
<ost >reat Name F#G: At this meeting they should feel as if they 7ere entering the 2resence of >od)
inasmuch as this binding command hath flo7ed from the 2en of Him Hho is the Ancient of 8ays: 3he
glances of >od are directed to7ards this Assembly:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. <rom a newl5 translated Ta)let cited in 3he =ocal Spiritual Assembly/ p! M/ compiled )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice2
0. Established in E1ery City3ounsellors to the um)er of ,ah- &92
@the =ord hath ordained that in e'ery city a House of 9ustice be established 7herein shall gather
counsellors to the number of Bah F#G) and should it e?ceed this number it does not matter::::E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 8it-)+i+(9das/ 8 31/ p! L92
2. P"rpose of %pirit"al Assemblies
@:::3hese bodies ha'e the sacred obligation to help) ad'ise) protect and guide the belie'ers in e'ery 7ay
7ithin their po7er 7hen appealed to Q indeed they 7ere established Bust for the purpose of 6eeping
order and unity and obedience to the la7 of >od amongst the belie'ers:
@Mou should go to them as a child 7ould to its parents::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er L8/ 19N1. 3he =ocal Spiritual Assembly/ compiled
)5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice2
13. !heir Defender is 4Abd",l-*ah+
@3hese Spiritual Assemblies are aided by the Spirit of >od: 3heir defender is AAbdul0Bah: 5'er them
He spreadeth His 7ings: Hhat bounty is there greater than thisS::: 3hese Spiritual Assemblies are shining
lamps and hea'enly gardens) from 7hich the fragrances of holiness are diffused o'er all regions) and the
lights of 6no7ledge are shed abroad o'er all created things: rom them the spirit of life streameth in
e'ery direction: 3hey) indeed) are the potent sources of the progress of man) at all times and under all
conditions:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. %od Passes ,5/ p! 33L and 3he =ocal Spiritual Assembly2
11. Assemblies %tyled Differently in F"t"re
@::: Not only 7ill the present0day Spiritual Assemblies be styled differently in future) but 7ill be enabled
also to add to their present functions those po7ers) duties) and prerogati'es necessitated by the
recognition of the aith of Bahullh) not merely as one of the recogniCed religious systems of the
7orld) but as the State &eligion of an independent and So'ereign 2o7er::::E
&4ho$hi Effendi. 3he Bah Horld/ >ol! III/ p! 1182
12. Assembly )perates at First &e1els of 5"man %ociety
@3he di'inely ordained institution of the local Spiritual Assembly operates at the first le'els of human
society and is the basic administrati'e unit of Bahullhs Horld 5rder: /t is concerned 7ith
indi'iduals and families 7hom it must constantly encourage to unite in a distincti'e Bah society)
'italiCed and guarded by the la7s) ordinances and principles of Bahullhs &e'elation: /t protects the
Cause of >odI it acts as the lo'ing shepherd of the Bah floc6:E
&6essa$e from the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the world/ aw+RGJ 190N/ para$raph 132
1. %tren6thenin6 of &ocal %pirit"al Assemblieser"e 3entres of 3ommunitiesO
@>reat attention should be paid to the strengthening of =ocal Spiritual Assemblies 7hich must act as the
ner'e centres of the Bah communities in the to7ns and 'illages) promote Bah education of the
youth and children) and increase cooperation and participation of the belie'ers in Bah community life:
3ra'elling teachers and all 7ho are acti'ely engaged in spreading the <essage should rededicate
themsel'es to their 'ital 7or6 and set out 7ith rene7ed enthusiasm: 3hey should aim at assisting as
large a number as possible of Bah communities to stand on their o7n feet and become capable of
carrying out the thrilling tas6s 7hich they are called upon to discharge in the Pineyard of >od in this
8ay:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ <e)ruar5 8/ 190L2
O &4ee also. o! 19882
1'. Primary P"rpose to Promote !eachin6 7or$
@And since the primary purpose for 7hich =ocal Spiritual Assemblies are established is to promote the
teaching 7or6) it is clear that e'ery National Spiritual Assembly must gi'e careful consideration to 7ays
and means to encourage each =ocal Assembly under its Burisdiction to fulfil its principal obligation::: it is
important that =ocal Assemblies share 7ith the local friends stories of successes achie'ed by some of
them) descriptions of effecti'e presentations found useful by them) e?amples of 'arious 7ays that a
Bah subBect could be introduced to inDuirers) or illustrations of methods 7hich 7ould enable the
belie'er to relate the needs of society to our teachings: Such information and suggestions should be
offered to the friends at Nineteen 8ay easts) through a local ne7sletter) or by any means open to each
=ocal Assembly: /n all these contacts 7ith the belie'ers) each =ocal Spiritual Assembly should impress
upon the friends the uniDue and irreplaceable role the indi'idual plays in the prosecution of any Bah
underta6ing::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ 6arch 3/ 19002
1(. Areas 8nder 9"risdiction of &ocal %pirit"al Assembliesational 4piritual (ssem)l5 6ust
4tud5
@3he matter of the areas under the Burisdiction of a =ocal Spiritual Assembly is one 7hich the National
Assembly must study) and apply the principles laid do7n by the >uardianI namely) that 7ithin a
municipal area) 7here the people resident in the area pay ta?es and 'ote) the Assembly can be elected)
and holds Burisdiction: Anyone li'ing outside of that area is not a member of that Community and cannot
enBoy the administrati'e pri'ileges of that Community: Although this 7ill affect your Assembly roll) it
7ill place the 7or6 of the aith on a much sounder bases) and increase the number of Centres 7here the
Bahs reside:::: /t 7ill challenge the friends to 7or6 harder to create ne7 Assemblies and ma6e up for
those dissol'ed::: E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia and ew Pealand/ Eune 13/ 193M. =etters
from the >uardian to Australia and Ne7 Vealand/ pp! 131+1312
1-. &ocal %pirit"al Assemblies3reated )5 ,ah-*u*ll-h in 7is 8it-)+i+(9das
@As to your Duery about the =ocal Spiritual Assembly) it is indeed a di'ine institution) created by
Bahullh in His ;itb0i0ADdas as the =ocal House of 9ustice: AAbdul0Bah has clearly set out its
pro'enance) authority and duties and has e?plained the differences bet7een it and other administrati'e
institutions) 7hether of the past or the present: He refer you to the boo6 @Selections from the Hritings of
@Abdul0BahE) %+) %$) and (-:
@/t is clear that 7hile =ocal Spiritual Assemblies must super'ise all Bah matters in their areas)
including arrangements for the Nineteen 8ay east) the obser'ance of the Holy 8ays) the election of the
members of the Assembly) promoting the teaching 7or6) caring for the spiritual 7elfare and Bah
education of the friends and children) etc:) they and the friends themsel'es must at the same time be
good citiCens and loyal to the ci'il go'ernment) 7hether it be a 3ribal council) a CaciDue or a municipal
authority:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,raJil/ (pril 13/ 19832
$ For&ation of Local %-iritual Asse&blies
1/. Formin6 &ocal AssembliesO)li$ation to Esta)lish
@Shoghi Effendi feels that in any locality 7here the number of adult belie'ers reaches nine) a =ocal
Assembly should be established: He feels this to be an obligation rather than a purely 'oluntary act:
5nly in e?ceptional cases has the National Spiritual Assembly the right to postpone the formation of an
Assembly if it feels that the situation does not 7arrant such a formation: 3his right) ho7e'er) should be
e?ercised if the situation absolutely demands it: As to the principle according to 7hich the area of
Burisdiction of a =ocal Assembly is to be determined) he feels) this is to be the function of the National
Spiritual AssemblyI 7hate'er principle they uphold should be fairly applied to all localities 7ithout any
distinction 7hate'er:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ (pril 11/ 1931.
BahK Ne7s/ o! @@/ 4eptem)er 1931/ p! 12
10. A Comm"nity of :ine Ad"lt *elie1ers #"st Form an Assembly by 9oint Declaration
@/n reply to your letter of ,$ 5ctober "#$- 7e are instructed to ma6e the follo7ing points!
F"G 3here is nothing in the directi'es of the belo'ed >uardian or in the by0la7s of =ocal Spiritual
Assemblies to reDuire that the Boint declaration of a ne7 =ocal Spiritual Assembly be signed: 3he
7ay the declaration is made is 7ithin the discretion of the National Spiritual Assembly to
determine) and it may or may not reDuire signatures:
F,G Hhere'er at &id'n there are nine or more adult belie'ers resident in an area properly Dualified for
the establishment of a =ocal Spiritual Assembly) the Assembly must be formed at &id'n:
F%G /f the number of adult resident belie'ers is e?actly nine the =ocal Spiritual Assembly must be
formed by Boint declaration in a manner acceptable to the National Spiritual Assembly and the
secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly 7ill record the formation of the =ocal Assembly:
F(G Hhen the Spiritual Assembly is to be formed for the first time and one or more of the adult belie'ers
refuses to Boin in the declaration) the Spiritual Assembly cannot be formed:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Iceland/ Decem)er L/ 19812
12. D"ty of E1ery *ah+,; to !a$e Part in 9oint Declaration
@3he statement that it is a condition to the formation of a =ocal Spiritual Assembly that there be at least
nine adult belie'ers 7ho are ready) 7illing and able to ser'e on the =ocal Assembly) should not be
construed as gi'ing any Bah the right to refuse to ta6e part in the formation of the Assembly: /t is
merely a statement of a factual condition: 3he National Bah Constitution specifies! AHhen ::: the
number of Bahs in any authoriCed ci'il area is e?actly nine) these shall on April ,"st of any year) or in
successi'e years) constitute themsel'es the =ocal Spiritual Assembly by Boint declaration: Jpon the
recording of such declaration by the Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly) said body of nine
shall become established 7ith the rights) pri'ileges and duties of a =ocal Spiritual Assembly :::: /t can
therefore be seen that it is the duty of e'ery Bah in such a situation to ta6e part in the Boint declaration:
/f a Bah) ho7e'er) refuses to do so he should be helped to realiCe that he has committed a gra'e
dereliction of his Bah duty: /n this stage of the de'elopment of the Cause a National Spiritual
Assembly should not) generally) depri'e a belie'er of his 'oting rights for such an offence) but should
lo'ingly and patiently educate the friends in the importance of their responsibilities:
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ew Pealand/ Octo)er 1L/ 19M92
23. *elie1er #"st *e <a .esident= to Participate in the Formation of a %pirit"al Assembly
:nusual 3ases as E;ceptions
@3o count as a member of a local Bah community for the purpose of forming or maintaining the =ocal
Spiritual Assembly) a belie'er must be resident in that area of Burisdiction on the irst 8ay of &id'n:
3his is the principle: Hhat constitutes Aresidence is a secondary matter for each National Spiritual
Assembly to decide) but there is no e?ception to the principle that a belie'er must be resident in order to
participate in the formation of the Spiritual Assembly:
@Mou 7ill see from the abo'e instruction that it is not possible for belie'ers li'ing outside the ci'il
limits of a locality to count as members of that community: 3here are) of course) many unusual cases:
or e?ample) it may be that a uni'ersity student spends some si? months of the year in the to7n 7here
his uni'ersity is) and the other half0year in the home of his parents: /n such a case it is normal to permit
him to choose 7hich of the t7o places is to count as his residence for Bah purposesI one cannot count
as being Aresident in t7o places at once: /t is) moreo'er) not essential for a person to be physically
present to be resident: 3here are many instances of a sailor or salesman 7ho spends most of his time
mo'ing from place to place but 7ho is indisputably resident in the to7n 7here his family li'es: All such
matters must be decided by the National Spiritual Assembly in the light of the circumstances of each
case 7ithin the general frame7or6 of the definition of Aresidence that it adopts: Such a definition must)
of course) be a reasonable one) other7ise the principle 7ould be nullified:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of <rance/ 4eptem)er 18/ 198@2
21. .e-Formation by Election or 9oint DeclarationRefusal of a ,elie"er to Participate does not
Pre"ent Re+<ormin$ (ssem)l5
@/n subseDuent years the Assembly must be re0formed each &id'n) either by election) if the number of
'oting belie'ers e?ceeds nine) or by Boint declaration if the number is e?actly nine: 3he failure or refusal
of a belie'er to ta6e part in the Boint declaration 7ould not be a bar to the re0formation of the Assembly:
@Hhere the number of 'oting belie'ers resident in a community falls belo7 nine during the course of a
year) the =ocal Spiritual Assembly is not automatically dissol'edI it can continue in e?istence so long as
the National Spiritual Assembly has the hope and e?pectation of being able to restore the number) by
enrolment or pioneers: /f) ho7e'er) the number is not restored by the follo7ing &id'n) the Assembly
7ill lapse:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ Eul5 LL/ 19812
22. Circ"mstances 8nder 7hich an Assembly %ho"ld not be Immediately Dissol1ed
@He feels that 7here the dissolution of an Assembly is in Duestion each case should be treated separately
in this sense) that if a member mo'es a7ay permanently) lea'ing less than # to function) the Spiritual
Assembly should not immediately be dissol'ed if they) its members) see an immediate remedy in 'ie7I
in other 7ords if they are going to confirm soon) or recei'e 7ithin a reasonable length of time) someone
to ta6e the persons place) they need not gi'e up Assembly status: /f they do) for insurmountable reason)
fall belo7 Assembly status) then they can only be reconstituted on April ,"st: Also if certain members
temporarily absent themsel'es from meetings there is no need to dissol'e the AssemblyI on the contrary
the reluctant ones should be educated and encouraged to reassume their spiritual obligations as belie'ers:
A Spiritual Assembly is not based on # people being a'ailable for e'ery single meeting but on # resident
Bahs doing their best to discharge their duty to the Spiritual Assembly 7hen they are not pre'ented by
illness or absence or some legitimate reason for doing so:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ 6arch 31/ 19N@2
2. #embers of &apsed Assembly are .esponsible to :otify :ational %ecretary
@:::any Assembly 7hich is dissol'ed must immediately report to the national secretary) 7ho must al7ays
6eep an up0to0date list of Assemblies: Any dissol'ed Assembly cannot be reconstituted until the time of
election in April::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ (pril 13/ 19NN. 3he
Co'enant and Administration/ p! ML2
2'. %pirit"al Assembly 9"risdictions Chan6es as Ci1il 8nits Are #odified
@3he general principle is that =ocal Spiritual Assemblies may be formed in the smallest ci'il
administrati'e units of the country: /f these areas are enlarged or reduced in siCe by the >o'ernment the
area of Burisdiction of the =ocal Spiritual Assembly should li6e7ise be changed:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Pam)ia/ Eune 8/ 19082
2(. Assemblies Cannot be Formed in Prison
@:::the Hands of the Cause residing in the Holy =and ha'e shared 7ith us a portion of the ebruary %rd
letter of ::: referring to teaching in the prison in ::: and to the formation of =ocal Assemblies in cell
bloc6s: Hhile this teaching 7or6 is commendable those 7ho accept Bahullh under these conditions
cannot underta6e administrati'e responsibilities) nor can =ocal Assemblies be formed in prisons:
Ho7e'er) they may obser'e Nineteen 8ay easts) Bah Holy 8ays) and other Bah e'ents: Hhen
they return to their o7n communities they may participate in administrati'e affairs as 7ell:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ <e)ruar5 9/ 190L. E;tract from a letter
written to another ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eune 11/ 19MN2
2-. >"alifications of Assembly #embers4u)=ect to 7uman #imitations
@Hith reference to your ne?t Duestion concerning the Dualifications of the members of the Spiritual
Assembly! 3here is a distinction of fundamental importance 7hich should be al7ays remembered in this
connection) and this is bet7een the Spiritual Assembly as an institution) and the persons 7ho compose it:
3hese are by no means supposed to be perfect) nor can they be considered as being inherently superior to
the rest of their fello7 belie'ers: /t is precisely because they are subBect to the same human limitations
that characteriCe the other members of the community that they ha'e to be elected e'ery year: 3he
e?istence of elections is a sufficient indication that Assembly members) though forming part of an
institution that is di'ine and perfect) are ne'ertheless themsel'es imperfect: But this does not necessarily
imply that their Budgment is defecti'e:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 1@/ 193@2
2/. >"alifications )"tlined Applicable to Anyone Elected
@/n regard to your Duestion about Dualifications of delegates and Assembly members! 3he Dualifications
7hich he outlines are really applicable to anyone 7e elect to a Bah office) 7hate'er its nature: But
these are only an indication) they do not mean people 7ho dont fulfill them cannot be elected to office:
He must aim as high as 7e can:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ Octo)er LN/ 19N0. 3he Spiritual
Character of Bah Elections/ p! 32
20. A"?iliary *oard #embers@ Eli6ibility of
@All adult Bahs) including members of the Au?iliary Board) are eligible to 'ote in elections for
delegates or in elections for members of the =ocal Spiritual Assembly:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of :$anda and 3entral (frica/ (pril 11/ 19MM2
22. *oard #embers #ay %er1e on Assembly !emporarilyA
@/n all three areas of election) Au?iliary Board members are eligible to be elected: 3herefore) a ballot
should not be in'alidated because it contains the name of a member of an Au?iliary Board: 3he basic
principle in'ol'ed is that the Board member himself must decide 7hether or not to accept his election:
As you ha'e stated in your letter) if the membership in a Bah community drops to nine) including the
Au?iliary Board member resident there) the Au?iliary Board member may ser'e temporarily as a
member of the Assembly to preser'e its Assembly status:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 6arch L@/ 19MM/ cited in the
compilation/ Au?iliary Board <embers2
O&4ee also. os! 91+9L2
3. Ann"al Elections Pro1ide )pport"nity to .emedy Defects the Assembly #ay %"ffer
@or as AAbdul0Bah has repeatedly emphasiCed Bah Assemblies are under the guidance and
protection of >od: 3he elections) specially 7hen annual) gi'e the community a good opportunity to
remedy any defect or imperfection from 7hich the Assembly may suffer as a result of the actions of its
members: 3hus a safe method has been established 7hereby the Duality of membership in Bah
Assemblies can be continually raised and impro'ed: But) as already stated) the institution of the Spiritual
Assembly should under no circumstances be identified 7ith) or be estimated merely through) the
personal Dualifications of the members that compose it:E
1. Absence of :omination in *ah+,; Elections( Distin$uishin$ <eature
@As to the practice of nomination in Bah elections) this the >uardian firmly belie'es to be in
fundamental disaccord 7ith the spirit 7hich should animate and direct all elections held by the Bahs)
be they of a local or national character and importance: /t is) indeed) the absence of such a practice that
constitutes the distinguishing feature and the mar6ed superiority of the Bah electoral methods o'er
those commonly associated 7ith political parties and factions: 3he practice of nomination being thus
contrary to the spirit of Bah Administration should be totally discarded by all the friends: or
other7ise the freedom of the Bah elector in choosing the members of any Bah Assembly 7ill be
seriously endangered) lea'ing the 7ay open for the domination of personalities: Not only that) but the
mere act of nomination leads e'entually to the formation of partiesQa thing 7hich is totally alien to the
spirit of the Cause:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 N/ 193@2
2. *ah+,; Electoral Proced"res De1elop %pirit of .esponsibility
@/n addition to these serious dangers) the practice of nomination has the great disad'antage of 6illing in
the belie'er the spirit of initiati'e) and of self0de'elopment: Bah electoral procedures and methods
ha'e) indeed) for one of their essential purposes the de'elopment in e'ery belie'er of the spirit of
responsibility: By emphasiCing the necessity of maintaining his full freedom in the elections) they ma6e
it incumbent upon him to become an acti'e and 7ell0informed member of the Bah community in
7hich he li'es:E
&I)id!2
. Freedom of *elie1ers to Choose4hould )e 3hoicest/ 6ost >aried Elements
@:::/ do not feel it to be in 6eeping 7ith the spirit of the Cause to impose any limitation upon the freedom
of the belie'ers to choose those of any race) nationality or temperament) 7ho )est com)ine the essential
Dualifications for membership of administrati'e institutions: 3hey should disregard personalities and
concentrate their attention on the Dualities and reDuirements of office) 7ithout preBudice) passion or
partiality: 3he Assembly should be representati'e of the choicest and most 'aried and capable elements
in e'ery Bah community:E
&<rom a letter of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust 11/ 1933. 3he Spiritual Character of Bah Elections/ p! 32
'. *elie1ers %ho"ld *ecome Intelli6ent@ 7ell-Informed and .esponsible ElectorsA
@3o be able to ma6e a 7ise choice at the election time) it is necessary for him to be in close and
continued contact 7ith all of his fello70belie'ers) to 6eep in touch 7ith all local acti'ities) be they
teaching) administrati'e or other7ise) and to fully and 7hole0heartedly participate in the affairs of the
local as 7ell as national committees and assemblies in his country: /t is only in this 7ay that a belie'er
can de'elop a true social consciousness) and acDuire a true sense of responsibility in matters affecting
the interests of the Cause: Bah community life thus ma6es it a duty for e'ery loyal and faithful
belie'er to become an intelligent) 7ell0informed and responsible elector) and also gi'es him the
opportunity of raising himself to such a station: And since the practice of nomination hinders the
de'elopment of such Dualities in the belie'er) and in addition leads to corruption and partisanship) it has
to be entirely discarded in all Bah elections:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 N/ 193@2
O&4ee also. o! M82
(. Can1assin6 is Deprecated
@3he strength and progress of the Bah Community depend upon the election of pure) faithful and
acti'e souls:::: Can'assing is deprecated::::
@Bah elections of the Community are ::: sanctified from all traces of can'assing and plotting that
characteriCe the acti'ities of the perfidious:E
&<rom a letter of 4ho$hi Effendi to the friends in Persia/ (pril 9/ 193L. 3he Spiritual Character of Bah Elections/ p! 32
-. .eference to Personalities *efore Election
@/ feel that reference to personalities before the election 7ould gi'e rise to misunderstanding and
differences: Hhat the friends should do is to get thoroughly acDuainted 7ith one another) to e?change
'ie7s) to mi? freely and discuss among themsel'es the reDuirements and Dualifications for such a
membership 7ithout reference or application) ho7e'er indirect) to particular indi'iduals) but should
stress the necessity of getting fully acDuainted 7ith the Dualifications of membership referred to in our
Belo'eds 3ablets and of learning more about one another through direct) personal e?perience rather than
through the reports and opinions of our friends:E
&<rom a letter of 4ho$hi Effendi to the 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (kron/ Ohio/ 6a5 1N/ 19L0. 2rinciples of Bah Administration/ p! NM2
/. A1oid Intri6"es
@Be7are) be7are lest the foul odour of the parties and peoples of foreign lands in the 7est) and their
pernicious methods) such as intrigues) party politics and propagandaQpractices 7hich are abhorrent
e'en in nameQshould e'er reach the Bah Community) e?ert any influence 7hatsoe'er upon the
friends) and thus bring all spirituality to naught: 3he friends should) through their de'otion) lo'e) loyalty
and altruism) abolish these e'il practices) not imitate them: /t is only after the friends completely ignore
and sanctify themsel'es from these e'ils) that the spirit of >od can penetrate and operate in the body of
humanity) and in the Bah Community:E
&<rom a letter of the %uardian to the friends in Persia/ Eanuar5 31/ 19L3. 3he Spiritual Character of Bah Elections/ p! 12
0. Election Day
@5n the election day the friends must 7hole0heartedly participate in the elections) in unity and amity)
turning their hearts to >od) detached from all things but Him) see6ing His guidance and supplicating His
aid and bounty:E
&<rom a letter of the %uardian to the friends in Persia/ <e)ruar5 L0/ 19L3. 3he Spiritual Character of Bah Elections/ p! 12
2. Prayer and .eflection *efore Botin6
@:::the elector::: is called upon to 'ote for none but those 7hom prayer and reflection ha'e inspired him
to uphold: <oreo'er) the practice of nomination) so detrimental to the atmosphere of a silent and
prayerful election) is 'ie7ed 7ith mistrust) inasmuch as it gi'es the right::: to deny that >od0gi'en right
of e'ery elector to 'ote only in fa'our of those 7ho he is conscientiously con'inced are the most 7orthy
candidates:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ 6a5 L0/ 19L0.
Bah Administration/ p! 13M2
@::: in the time of election) the friends should be in the mood of prayer) disinterestedness and detachment
from 7orldly moti'es: 3hen they 7ill be inspired to elect the proper members to the assemblies:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 0/ 19LN2
'3. Proced"re for Botin6 by #ail
@3he same procedure in 'oting should be follo7ed) namely) the ballot should be placed and sealed in an
unmar6ed inner en'elope and that en'elope placed in an outer en'elope mar6ed 7ith the name of the
'oter:::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Eanuar5 L1/ 19032
'1. :o >"or"m .eC"ired for Election of an Assembly
@No Duorum is reDuired in the holding of an election for a =ocal Spiritual Assembly: 3his rule also
applies in the case of by0elections: 3he mere fact that less than nine 'ote for the members of the =ocal
Spiritual Assembly does not in'alidate the election:
@As you 6no7) the National Assembly can al7ays loo6 into the circumstances surrounding a =ocal
Spiritual Assembly election and use its discretion in determining 7hether) considering all circumstances)
the e?istence of the =ocal Spiritual Assembly should be recogniCed:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ (pril 1M/ 19M92
'2. *ah+,; Elections for %pirit"al Assemblies3ast ine >otes/ either 6ore nor #essO
@Concerning the Duestion you ha'e as6ed as to 7hether in elections for Spiritual Assemblies the electors
should cast e?actly nine 'otes) or may cast less than this number: /nasmuch as Spiritual Assembly
membership) according to the principles of Bah Administration) has been limited for the present to
nine members) it follo7s that no electoral 'ote can be effecti'e unless it is cast for e?actly that number:
/t is) therefore) the sacred duty of e'ery Bah elector to cast nine 'otes) neither more nor less) e?cept
under special circumstances so as to insure that the results of the elections for the Spiritual Assembly
7ill be effecti'e and on as 7ide a basis of representation as possible:E
&<rom a letter dated 6arch L0/ 19N1 written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles2
O&4ee also. os! 81/ 912
'. *elie1er 5as .i6ht to Bote for 5imself
@A belie'er has the right to 'ote for himself during the election time) if he conscientiously feels the urge
to do so: 3his does not necessarily imply that he is ambitious or selfish: or he might conscientiously
belie'e that his Dualifications entitle him to membership in a Bah administrati'e body) and he might
be right: 3he essential) ho7e'er) is that he should be sincere in his belief) and should act according to the
dictates of his conscience: <oreo'er) membership in an assembly or committee is a form of ser'ice) and
should not be loo6ed upon as a mar6 of inherent superiority or a means for self0praise:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ Pakistan and ,urma/ 6arch L0/ 1938. 8a7n
of a Ne7 8ay/ pp! L11+L112
''. Botes Confidential
@5nes 'ote should be 6ept confidential: /t is not permissible to ma6e any reference 7hatsoe'er to
indi'idual names: 3he friends must a'oid the e'il methods and detestable practices of the politicians:
3hey must turn completely to >od) and 7ith a purity of moti'e) a freedom of spirit and a sanctity of
heart) participate in the electionsI other7ise the outcome 7ill be chaos and confusion) serious difficulties
7ill ensue) mischief 7ill abound and the confirmation of >od 7ill be cut off:E
&<rom a letter of the %uardian to the friends in Persia/ Eanuar5 1M/ 193L. 3he Spiritual Character of Bah Elections/ p! L2
'(. %ecret *allot
@=et them e?ercise the utmost 'igilance so that the elections are carried out freely) uni'ersally and by
secret ballot: Any form of intrigue) deception) collusion and compulsion must be stopped and is
forbidden:E
&<rom a letter of the %uardian to the friends in Persia/ Eanuar5 1M/ 193L. 3he Spiritual Character of Bah Elections/ p! L2
'-. .es"lts of Election %ho"ld be Accepted
@:::5nce Assembly elections are o'er) the results should be conscientiously and unDuestionably accepted
by the entire body of the belie'ers) not necessarily because they represent the 'oice of truth or the 7ill of
Bahullh) but for the supreme purpose of maintaining unity and harmony in the Community: Besides)
the acceptance of maBority 'ote is the only effecti'e and practical 7ay of settling deadloc6s in elections:
No other solution is indeed possible:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 11/ 19392
'/. *rea$in6 of !ie Botes
@&egarding your Duestion about the brea6ing of tie 'otes) a balloting to brea6 such a tie 'ote for
members of a Spiritual Assembly may be held after the first day of &id'n if necessary) but ob'iously
the day of balloting should not be delayed too long:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of El 4al"ador/ Eul5 N/ 190L2
'0. If Enrolled *elie1er 7ithdraws4u)se9uentl5 Elected to 4piritual (ssem)l5
@&egarding your last Duestion) if) prior to local elections an enrolled belie'er 7ithdra7s from the aith
and this leads to the remo'al of his name from Bah membership) and yet he is subseDuently elected to
the =ocal Assembly) such 'otes as ha'e been cast in his name are disregarded 7ithout in'alidating the
remaining 'otes on the ballots: /f) ho7e'er) the process of 7ithdra7al has not ta6en place) that is) the
belie'er refuses on the day of election to participate and e?presses then his desire to 7ithdra7 from the
community) and yet he is subseDuently elected to the Assembly) since his 7ithdra7al is generally
un6no7n to the friends) in such a case the remaining eight elected members should meet) consider the
7ithdra7al) and if his name has to be remo'ed from Bah membership) a by0election should be held to
fill the 'acancy:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ Decem)er 11/ 19092
'2. #ass #i6rations
@=ocal Assemblies cannot be formed any time during the year) unless it is for the first time: 3he House
of 9ustice fully understands the problems you face each year in forming the ::: Assemblies due to the
mass migration of the friends during the pine nuts har'est: Ho7e'er) the Assemblies in that area cannot
be elected before 9anuary "1 or after <ay "1) as you ha'e suggested: He ha'e noted from your letter
that not all of the ::: friends may migrate to the higher regions during the &id'n period) 7hich means
that those remaining at home may hold elections: 3hose Bahs 7ho lea'e their homes and are absent
during the &id'n period may lea'e their 'otes 7ith those belie'ers remaining behind) 7ho 7ill on the
irst 8ay of &id'n count the ballots and report the results of the election to the National Spiritual
Assembly or its representati'e:
@/f all the friends from one Spiritual Assembly Burisdiction go a7ay to 7or6 at different locations and
there is nobody left in the 'illage to recei'e their 'otes) they may 7rite out their ballots before dispersing
and send them to the National Assembly or to any committee appointed by that body) 7ho at &id'n 7ill
open and count the 'otes and inform the Bahs 7hen they return home of those elected to the =ocal
Assembly:
@Hhen the entire Bah population of a 'illage mo'es a7ay together to a ne7 location and is absent
during the &id'n period) they may elect their Assembly at &id'n and function as a =ocal Assembly
7hen they return home:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3hile/ Eanuar5 1/ 198N2
(3. 7hen Conditions *eyond 5"man Control Pre1ent Election of Assembly at .id1+n
@=ocal Spiritual Assemblies 7hich ha'e not been re0elected during the &id'n period must be
considered as groups: Ho7e'er) there may be cases 7hen conditions beyond the control of the local
belie'ers e?ist) such as) as you ha'e said) the Bahs had left the community because of flooding) or
e?tremely inclement 7eather conditions made it impossible to hold the election: /n such cases 7hich) by
their 'ery nature) should be rare) the National Spiritual Assembly may use its discretion in recogniCing
the =ocal Spiritual Assembly) considering it a group) or decide to hold the election of such =ocal
Spiritual Assemblies at a later date 7hen the friends ha'e returned to their communities:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ 4eptem)er @/ 19832
(1. %ho"ld D"ide *elie1ers D"rin6 Eear in Proper Administrati1e Proced"res
@3he conditions of limited manpo7er) of difficulties in tra'elling and of illiteracy among the local
people are found in 'arying degrees in other countries of the 7orld) and 7e ha'e al7ays and e'ery7here
urged the National Spiritual Assemblies concerned to guide and teach the friends in proper Bah
administrati'e procedures) not only during the 7ee6s immediately preceding local elections but indeed
throughout the year) so that the friends 7ould a7ait the ad'ent of &id'n 7ith anticipation and
determine to obser'e and uphold correct principles of Bah administration:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 4eptem)er LN/ 19032
($ Annual Con.entions
(2. !he F"nctions of the :ational Con1ention
@3he assembled delegates at a National Con'ention ha'e t7o basic functionsQto elect and to
recommend::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eune 8/ 19M02
@:::3he function of the Con'ention is purely ad'isory and though the ad'ice it gi'es is not binding in its
effects on those on 7hom rest the final decision in purely administrati'e matters) yet) the utmost caution
and care should be e?ercised lest anything should hamper the delegates in the full and free e?ercise of
their functions: /n discharging this sacred function no influence 7hate'er) no pressure from any Duarter)
e'en though it be from the National Assembly) should under any circumstances affect their 'ie7s or
restrict their freedom: 3he delegates must be 7holly independent of any administrati'e agency) must
approach their tas6 7ith absolute detachment and must concentrate their attention on the most important
and pressing issues:E
&<rom letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ (u$ust 18/ 1933. 3he
National Spiritual Assembly/ pp! L3+LN2
(. Election of Dele6ates to :ational Con1entions
@As you are a7are) some national communities elect their delegates to the National Con'ention on the
basis of areas 7hich ha'e =ocal Spiritual Assemblies) 7hile in other) larger) national communities
delegates are elected on the basis of electoral units in 7hich all adult belie'ers ha'e the 'ote:
@/n 'ie7 of the gro7th of the aith and the de'eloping life of the Bah communities) the Jni'ersal
House of 9ustice has decided that) not7ithstanding that in some countries the number of belie'ers and of
=ocal Spiritual Assemblies is still small) the time has come for delegates to National Con'entions
e'ery7here to be elected on the basis of electoral units) but 7ith the option of introducing certain
differences from the procedures follo7ed to date: 3hese differences are e?plained belo7 and are
designed to ma6e the system adaptable to the 'ariations in the ma6e0up of the many Bah communities
and in the geography of the lands in 7hich they are situated:
@Hhen establishing the electoral unit basis for the election of delegates) a National Spiritual Assembly
should di'ide the territory under its Burisdiction into electoral units) based on the number of adult
Bahs in each area) in such a 7ay that each unit 7ill be responsible for electing preferably one delegate
only:
@/n addition to the 'oting) the opportunity for consultation 7ith the delegates is important: Hitherto
this has been achie'ed by calling a con'ention in each unit to 7hich all the belie'ers in that electoral
unit are in'ited: 3he 'oting for delegates has then ta6en place at the unit con'entions 7ith pro'ision for
'oting by mail for those 7ho do not attend: /n some areas these meetings ha'e been 'ery fruitful and
ha'e helped to foster collaboration among the belie'ers in the unit: Ho7e'er) in other areas) no doubt for
a number of reasons) attendance at unit con'entions has been 'ery lo7) as has been the 'oting by mail)
and this has meant that the delegates ha'e been elected by a relati'ely small proportion of the electorate:
National Assemblies are free to call unit con'entions if they find they are successful) but if they find
problems of attendance they may follo7 the alternati'e method described belo7:
@Hhere holding unit con'entions has pro'ed ineffecti'e) or does not seem to be a 'iable procedure) a
National Assembly may di'ide each electoral unit into sub0units of a con'enient siCe: A meeting could
then be held in each sub0unit to 7hich all the adult belie'ers residing therein 7ould be in'ited: 3his
should result in the participation of a large number of the belie'ers: /t is important to remember)
ho7e'er) that the delegate to be elected represents the entire unit and therefore) although the 'oting may
be carried out in sub0units) each 'oter has all the adult belie'ers resident in the entire unit to choose from
in 'oting for the delegate:
@/n some countries) it may e'en be too difficult to e?pect the belie'ers throughout a sub0unit to gather
together at a certain time) and so it 7ould not be practical to hold sub0unit meetings: /n such places a
central point in each sub0unit could be chosen for the establishment of a polling station to 7hich the
friends 7ould come to lea'e their ballots on the 'oting day as and 7hen they can do so:
@Each National Spiritual Assembly should study and master the broad outlines of this system: All
matters of detail should be decided by the National Assembly 7hich should ensure that the friends are
fully informed and thoroughly understand 7hat they are e?pected to do: 3he help and ad'ice of the
Counsellors and their Au?iliary Board members and assistants could be sought in 7or6ing out these
details and in educating the friends: /t may also be desirable for the National Assembly to appoint a
special national committee to organiCe the elections and to o'ersee them through unit or sub0unit
committees or representati'es: Such matters of detail could include the follo7ing!
Q 3he number of delegates to be allocated to each unit: Although one for each unit is preferable) this
may not be practicable in certain instances) such as in a unit 7hich contains one or more 'ery large
local communities: /n such cases it may be necessary to ma6e the unit large enough to be the
electoral base for t7o or possibly three delegates:
Q 3he number and siCe of sub0units: 3hese could be as many as there are =ocal Spiritual Assemblies in
a unit) the boundaries being so delineated as to include the surrounding isolated belie'ers and Bah
groups: /t may e'en be necessary in some remote areas to ha'e sub0units in 7hich there are no =ocal
Spiritual Assemblies:
Q 3he body to be responsible for organiCing a unit con'ention or sub0unit meeting or for establishing
and super'ising a polling station: 3his could be a centrally located) firmly established =ocal Spiritual
Assembly or a committee:
Q 3he day or days on 7hich the elections should ta6e place: Elections could be carried out in different
sub0units on different days) e?tended o'er a reasonable period of time) if this is felt to be desirable:
Q 3he manner in 7hich ballots are to be cast) collected) counted) and consolidated 7ith other ballots
from the same unit:
Q 2rocedures to be follo7ed in consultation) if the procedure chosen allo7s for consultation:
Q A method for monitoring the balloting to ensure that proper Bah procedures are follo7ed) that the
ballots are safeguarded) and that a Bah 'oter cannot cast more than one ballot:
Q 3he procedure for holding a second ballot should there be a tie0'ote for the delegate:
Q 3he means for announcing to the friends in all units the names of their elected delegates:
@/t is the hope of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice that the implementation of these instructions this year
and thereafter 7ill promote Bah solidarity) broaden the basis of representation at the National
Con'entions and that thereby the 7or6 of the aith in each country 7ill be characteriCed by greater
efficiency and enhanced harmony:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Eul5 L1/ 198@2
('. Area of Assembly 9"risdiction not to be %"bdi1ided for Electoral Districts
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has recei'ed your letter of "( April "#$* and has instructed us to
confirm the principle that the area of Burisdiction of a =ocal Spiritual Assembly should not be sub0
di'ided by boundaries of districts for the election of delegates to the National Con'ention: He are as6ed
to e?plain the policy in more detail) as follo7s:
@3he basic guideline for the fi?ing of the boundaries of electoral districts 7hich 7as gi'en in the letter
of ," 9uly "#$1 7as that a National Spiritual Assembly should di'ide the territory under its Burisdiction
into electoral units) based on the number of adult Bahs in each area) in such a 7ay that each unit 7ill
be responsible for electing preferably one delegate only: =ater in the letter it 7as further clarified that
although one delegate for each unit is preferable) this may not be practicable in certain instances) such as
in a unit 7hich contains one or more 'ery large local communities: /n such cases it may be necessary to
ma6e the unit large enough to be the electoral base for t7o or possibly three delegates:
@/n some national Bah communities 7hich are comparati'ely small numerically in relation to the
number of delegates allocated for their National Con'entions) it may be found that) to a'oid sub0
di'iding localities Fi:e:) the areas of Burisdiction for =ocal Spiritual AssembliesG) it 7ill be necessary to
ha'e some electoral districts elect more than three delegates: 3his does not matter) as long as the
principle of proportionality is follo7ed as closely as possible:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of <rance/ Eune 3/ 198M2
((. Dele6ates Assi6ned Accordin6 to :"merical %tren6th
@8elegates must be assigned according to the numerical strength of a Bah community uniformly in all
parts of the country: 3he Duestion as to 7hether the friends are acti'e or not is not to be ta6en into
considerationI all persons accepted by you as Bahs must be included on the 'oting list: 5f course) if
some of the belie'ers cannot be found after reasonable efforts ha'e been made to locate them) they need
not be counted on the 'oting list:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of <rench %uiana/ Eanuar5 L1/ 19802
(-. Inacti1ity Does not 9"stify .emo1in6 :ame from Botin6 &ist
@<ere inacti'ity on the part of a belie'er does not Bustify remo'ing his name from the 'oting list:
Neither is it in accordance 7ith Bah principles to ta6e into account the degree of acti'ity in allocating
delegates: Belie'ers 7hose 7hereabouts are un6no7n should be considered Duite separately from those
7ho are inacti'e) and a distinction is to be made bet7een those 7ho are interested in the aith but
remain inacti'e and those 7hose inacti'ity indicates complete lac6 of interest to the e?tent that they no
longer consider themsel'es to be Bahs:E
&I)id!2
(/. .eplacement of Dele6ates
@3here is no pro'ision in the National Bah Constitution for replacement of a delegate and this is)
therefore) a matter left to the decision of each National Spiritual Assembly: /n general) one of the
follo7ing procedures is follo7ed: /f a delegate dies or becomes unable to ser'e before Con'ention) the
belie'er polling the ne?t highest number of 'otes may replace him) or another election may be held: /f a
delegate ceases to be able to ser'e after the Con'ention and there is need for a by0election to the
National Spiritual Assembly) you may decide 7hether or not the delegate should be replaced) and if so)
ho7: /n the e'ent of an elected delegate remo'ing to another place) either before or after Con'ention)
you may decide 7hether to replace him or allo7 him to continue as an elected delegate: Hhate'er
procedure is adopted should be uniformly follo7ed in all such cases:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (r$entina/ Eul5 3/ 19032
(0. :ational %pirit"al Assembly Determines !imin6 in .espect to 8nit Con1entions
@:::all matters of detail concerning Jnit Con'entions are left to the discretion of the National Spiritual
Assembly and this includes the timing of the allocation of delegates and the holding of the Jnit
Con'entions: 3he House of 9ustice points out) ho7e'er) that the allocation of delegates should be left as
late as possible so that the National Assembly 7ill be able to ta6e into consideration any increases in
membership 7hich 7ould affect the number of delegates assigned:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 8en5a/ 6arch L9/ 19802
(2. Cons"ltation *etween Dele6ates and the :ational %pirit"al Assembly
@/ fear this letter 7ill reach you after the closing of the con'ention) but / hope that it 7ill ser'e to assure
you of the necessity of adopting for future con'entions the essential method of a full) fran6 and
unhampered consultation bet7een the National Assembly and the assembled delegates: /t is the 'ital
duty of the delegates to unburden their hearts) state their grie'ances) disclose their 'ie7s) and e?plain
their moti'es: /t is the duty of the National Assembly to gi'e earnest) prompt and prayerful consideration
to the 'ie7s of the delegates) 7eigh carefully their arguments and ponder their considered Budgements)
before they resort to 'oting and underta6e to arri'e at a decision according to the dictates of their
conscience: 3hey should e?plain their moti'es and not dictateI see6 information and in'ite discussion:E
&<rom a postscript to a letter dated (pril 13/ 19L0/ written )5 the %uardian to the 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 6ontreal/ 3anada. E;tracted in
,ah-*? ews/ o! 18/ Eune 19L0/ p! 32
-3. %tat"s of #embers of the :ational %pirit"al Assembly at the :ational Con1ention
@Concerning the status of members of the N:S:A: at Con'ention sessions) the >uardian feels that the
members of both the incoming and the outgoing assemblies should be gi'en the full right to participate
in the Con'ention discussions: 3hose members of the N:S:A: 7ho ha'e been elected delegates 7ill) in
addition to the right of participation) be entitled to 'ote: 3he >uardian 7ishes thereby to render more
effecti'e the deliberations and the recommendations of the national representati'es: He feels that the
e?ercise of such a right by the members of the N:S:A: 7ill enable them to consult more fully 7ith the
assembled delegates) to e?change fully and fran6ly 7ith them their 'ie7s) and to consider collecti'ely
the interests) needs and reDuirements of the Cause: 3his) he belie'es) is one of the primary functions of
the Con'ention:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Decem)er L@/ 19332
-1. Preferably Dele6ates Attend Con1ention in Person
@:::/t should) ho7e'er) be made clear to e'ery elected delegateQ7ho should be continually remindedQ
that it is a sacred responsibility and admittedly preferable to attend if possible in person the sessions of
the Con'ention) to ta6e an acti'e part in all its proceedings) and to acDuaint his fello707or6ers on his
return 7ith the accomplishments) the decisions and the aspirations of the assembled representati'es of
the :::belie'ers:E
&<rom a letter written )5 the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Octo)er LN/ 19L@. Bah
Administration/ pp! 91+9L2
-2. If Dele6ate Cannot Pay )wn E?penses
@:::/n the matter of attendance of delegates at Con'entions) the desirability of the friends themsel'es
being self0supporting should be pointed out by the National Assembly: /f a delegate cannot pay his o7n
e?penses in attending the Con'ention) the =ocal Assembly or the belie'ers in the electoral unit from
7hich the delegate comes should be encouraged by the National Assembly to defray such e?penses) so
that only 7hen funds are una'ailable from those sources) the National Assembly is approached to
consider offering financial assistance: 3he same principle holds true about other acti'ities) such as
attendance at /nstitutes) Conferences and Summer Schools:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a num)er of ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ <e)ruar5 9/ 19M02
-. :ew *lood Adds to Ener6y of the Dro"p
@Shoghi Effendi has ne'er said that the members of the National Assembly ha'e to be rene7ed partially
e'ery year: 3he important thing is that they should be properly elected: /t 7ould be nice if there should
be ne7 members elected) for ne7 blood al7ays adds to the energy of the group and 7ill 6eep up their
spirit: But this depends entirely upon the 7ill of the delegates as represented in the result of their
'oting:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril L0/ 193L. Bah Ne7s/ o! M0/ Octo)er 193L/ p! N2
-'. Election of :ew #embers on the :ational %pirit"al AssemblyDut5 of <riends to (c9uaint
Themsel"es with <ellow ,elie"ers
@As regards the election of ne7 members on the National Assembly) Shoghi Effendi finds no other
practical method that is in conformity 7ith the spirit of the teachings) e?cept through better acDuaintance
of the friends during the annual con'entions and summer schools: /t is the duty of the indi'idual friends
to come to 6no7 one another and find out 7ho are the persons best fitted to become members of that
body: 3his is a slo7 process but surely the best one and gi'es the greatest amount of freedom of choice
to the electors: /t is the duty of the friends indi'idually to become more intelligent 'oters and 'ote only
after studying the situation conscientiously:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 1M/ 19332
-(. Cons"ltation Amon6 Dele6ates of a .e6ion Prior to Con1entiono O)=ection/ if the ,ah-*?s
(re 6ature Enou$h
@3he House of 9ustice sees no obBection to consultation among the delegates of a region prior to the
Con'ention) if they 7ish to underta6e this: /ndeed) one of the important functions of a &egional
Con'ention) at 7hich the delegates are elected) is for the delegates to consult 7ith the belie'ers present
so that they may be familiar 7ith their 'ie7s and interests in preparation for their o7n participation in
the National Con'ention: As you 6no7) any belie'er at the National Con'ention can reDuest a delegate
to put for7ard a point for him) and the delegate is free to do this if he so 7ishesI li6e7ise) there 7ould
be no obBection to one delegates spea6ing on behalf of all the delegates from his region to sa'e time) if
they and he agree: 5n the other hand) one must remember that the National Con'ention is a national
Bah institution) and that e'ery delegate should ha'e in the forefront of his mind the interests and
needs of the Cause throughout the nation) not merely those of the region from 7hich he happens to ha'e
been elected: All these details are secondary matters) not co'ered in the National Bah Constitution)
and therefore it is for the National Spiritual Assembly to ma6e decisions 7here they are called for: /n
one country the delegates may be mature enough to ha'e prior consultation in regional groupsI in
another it might indeed lead to Acaucusing or other undesirable de'elopments: 3he National Spiritual
Assembly must ensure that not merely the letter but also the spirit of Bah elections and consultation is
upheld:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er LM/ 19832
--. :ational %pirit"al Assembly Present as an Instit"tion at the :ational Con1ention
@3he National Spiritual Assembly is present at the Con'ention as an institution) and its members are
present as indi'idual participants in the consultations: 3hese t7o facts are not incompatible: All the
delegates and the members of the National Spiritual Assembly should ta6e part in the Con'ention in the
spirit of free) fran6) lo'ing Bah consultation: <ost Bahs perform many different functions in their
li'es: Pery often a member of the National Assembly is also a delegate) a member of a =ocal Assembly)
a member of one or more committees) and possibly also an assistant to an Au?iliary Board member:
3hese multiple functions should not pre'ent him from e?pressing his 'ie7s fran6ly and courteously in
any consultation:E
&I)id!2
-/. )nly Dele6ates #ay Bote in the :ational Con1ention
@5nly the delegates may 'ote at the National Con'ention) 7hether it be in the election of the National
Spiritual Assembly or in arri'ing at decisions: Some decisions at the Con'ention can be implemented
immediately) such as a decision to send a cable of ne7s or greetings to the Horld Centre or to another
Bah body) but most are decisions on 7hether or not to ma6e a specific recommendation to the
National Spiritual Assembly:E
&I)id!2
-0. Each Boter #"st Bote for the :ine *est %"ited for Electionot ,etra5 4acred TrustO
@/t is a basic principle of elections for Bah Spiritual Assemblies that each 'oter must 'ote for the nine
people 7ho) in his or her opinion) are best suited to ser'e: He may ha'e a lo7 opinion of all those 7ho
are eligible) but his duty is to 'ote for those nine from among them 7ho) in his estimation) best meet the
standards for ser'ice on a Spiritual Assembly: 3his is ho7 it is possible to 'ote for e?actly nine names:
Since the membership of an Assembly is nine) it 7ould gi'e rise to a number of statistical anomalies if
'oters 7ere permitted to record 'otes for fe7er or more than nine names: /n any one election there are
not usually many cases 7here a 'oter accidentally ma6es a mista6e and includes a name of an ineligible
person) so the statistical effect is slight) and there is no need to in'alidate his 7hole ballot: As you point
out) a belie'er 7ho does not 7ish to 'ote for nine) may achie'e his end by purposely including the
names of those 7ho are ineligible) but this 7ould be a betrayal of the trust placed in him as a Bah
'oter: 5ne cannot control such actions) but li6e any action contrary to the spirit of the aith) they are
detrimental and should be strongly discouraged:E
&I)id!2
O&4ee also. o! 3N2
-2. :ational Con1ention #"st be Con1ened D"rin6 .id1+n
@Concerning the dates of your National Con'ention) the Con'ention must begin) and the election of the
National Assembly must ta6e place) before sundo7n on ,nd <ay: /t is permissible to e?tend the
Con'ention beyond <ay ,nd) as long as it is con'ened during &id'n:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Para$ua5/ Eune LL/ 198M2
/3. Election of :ational %pirit"al Assembly to be 5eld at #idpoint in the Con1ention
@/t 7as noted that although you held a Con'ention of t7o days duration) the election of the ne7
National Spiritual Assembly 7as scheduled to ta6e place immediately after the election of Con'ention
officersI that is 'ery early in the program: Mou should 6no7 that Shoghi Effendi stated that the election
of the National Spiritual Assembly should be held as nearly as possible at the mid7ay point of
Con'ention:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3hile/ Eul5 10/ 19832
/1. :ational !eachin6 Conference and :ational Con1ention %ho"ld not be 5eld at the %ame !ime
@/n response to your letter of ,1th 9une "#$, as6ing 7hether or not it 7ould be permissible to hold a
national teaching conference either simultaneously 7ith the National Con'ention or in the days
immediately before or follo7ing the Con'ention) 7e ha'e been as6ed by the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice
to inform you that the National Con'ention) for 7hate'er number of days it is arranged) should be
independent of a national teaching conference: 3hey should not be held simultaneously) but 7hether the
conference is held before or after the Con'ention is left to your discretion:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ Eul5 LL/ 198L2
/2. Attendance .ecord of :ational %pirit"al Assembly #embers #ay be Pro1ided to Con1ention
Dele6ates
@/n the matter of reporting to the delegates to the National Con'ention on the attendance record of the
outgoing National Spiritual Assembly) the House of 9ustice confirms that this is entirely 7ithin the
discretion of your National Assembly: Mou could) if you 7ish to do so) include this information in the
National Assembly report to the Con'ention: 3he same guidance applies to pro'iding information to the
belie'ers in a local community about the attendance record of the members of the outgoing =ocal
Spiritual Assembly:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 6e;ico/ Eul5 LM/ 19812
/. 7or$shops D"rin6 :ational Con1ention not %"itable
@He does not feel that 7or6shops are suitable at the National Con'ention) the time at the disposal of the
delegates is short) and the 7hole purpose of delegates to a Con'ention is that as a body they should ta6e
up the affairs of the Cause presented for discussion and air ideas and ma6e recommendations: No doubt
the 7or6shop itself is a good techniDue and should be used at summer schools and e'en if found
desirable) at Conferences) but for the Con'ention it is out of place:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ (u$ust L@/ 19N9. Bah Ne7s/
o! LLM/ Decem)er 19N9/ p! L2
/'. Dele6ates 5a1e %pecific Administrati1e D"ties
@3he delegates ha'e specific administrati'e duties to perform as a body and to di'ide them into smaller
groups to consult upon matters 7hich are the business of the Con'ention as a 7hole is not correct)
particularly as the time of the delegates is limited:E
&I)id!2
/(. :on-Dele6ate Can *e Permitted to Address Con1entionPermissi"eness ot to )e ()used
@/f a suggestion that a non0delegate be permitted to address the Con'ention is appro'ed by the delegates)
this is in order: 3he National Assembly) ho7e'er) should be careful that such a permissi'eness is not
abused) as it 7ill defeat the original purpose of stimulating the delegates and depri'e them of the limited
time at their disposal to engage in their 'ital deliberations: 3he delegates should bear in mind that they
ha'e business to attend to) and in all such cases the benefits of the Con'ention should be considered:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (r$entina/ 4eptem)er 18/ 19M82
/-. A"?iliary *oard #embers Present at :ational Con1ention
@Au?iliary Board members present at a National Con'ention do not ha'e the pri'ilege of the floor unless
deputiCed by the Continental Board of Counsellors or gi'en the pri'ilege of the floor by the
Con'ention:E
&To all 3ontinental ,oards of 3ounsellors from the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ 6arch L@/ 19M92
//. Desirable A"?iliary *oard #embers be &eft Free from Administrati1e D"ties
@National Assemblies in 7hose areas of Burisdiction Board <embers reside) should point out to the
delegates at Con'ention that 7hilst teaching and administrati'e duties are not mutually e?clusi'e) it is
desirable that Au?iliary Board <embers) 7hether for teaching or protection) be left free to concentrate
on the 7or6 allotted to them:::: 3he follo7ing e?tract from the >uardians letter) 7ritten through his
secretary) could be shared 7ith the delegates for their guidance 7hen casting their 'otes!
@A3eachers of the Cause can surely become members of any Assembly or Committee: 3here should be
no incapacity attached to them: But) Shoghi Effendi 7ould Bust prefer to see them de'ote all their time to
teaching and lea'e the administrati'e functions for those 7ho cannot ser'e as teachers: F,ah-*? ews)
5ctober "#%,GE
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ o"em)er L@/ 19M32
/0. 5ands of the Ca"se and Co"nsellors, Participation in Con1entions
@He as6 you to e?tend a cordial in'itation to the Continental Board of Counsellors of your area to attend
each of your Annual Con'entions: All Counsellors present at a Con'ention should be accorded the same
freedom of the Con'ention as is gi'en to the Hands of the Cause: /f no Counsellors can attend a
Con'ention) they may appoint for that Con'ention one or t7o Au?iliary Board <embers to act as their
special deputies) 7ho should be 7armly 7elcomed and gi'en the courtesy of ta6ing part in the
Con'ention as representati'es of the Board of Counsellors:E
&I)id!/ 6arch L@/ 19M92
/2. Co"nsellors Ineli6ible for #embership on Administrati1e *odies
@3he members of these Boards of Counsellors 7ill ser'e for a term) or terms) the length of 7hich 7ill be
determined and announced at a later date) and 7hile ser'ing in this capacity 7ill not be eligible for
membership on national or local administrati'e bodies::::E
&The :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice. Hellspring of >uidance/ pp! 1N1+1NL2
F$ Instruction of Tellers0 'riorit* of ,inorities
A--ro.al of Outgoing Asse&bl*N
03. !ellers %ho"ld be Di1en D"idelinesRecordin$ of Identical ames
@/t is for your National Assembly to determine ho7 to properly instruct the delegates beforehand in the
recording of identical names on ballots and to gi'e the tellers guidelines for handling these Duestions
7hen they arise in the counting of the ballots: 3hereafter) it is for the tellers to ma6e the decision and
gi'e the results to the Con'ention or Assembly::::
?: /n the case of a tie bet7een fi'e persons for three 'acancies should the names of the fi'e be read for
the delegates 'oteS
A: Mes:
?: /n 'oting for officers is it permissible to read the names of those persons 7ho ha'e tiedS
A: Hhen 'oting for officers of an Assembly a result is only reached 7hen one member recei'es fi'e or
more 'otes: Jntil that result is reached all members are eligible for the office in Duestion and the
results of all inconclusi'e ballots should be made 6no7n to the meeting:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Eamaica/ Eul5 L9/ 19012
O&4ee also. os! 31+N12
01. Con1ention Proced"re in Connection with !ellers, .eport
@Normal Con'ention procedure 7ould call for a tellers report announcing the names of the nine
belie'ers elected to the National Spiritual Assembly plus statistical information as to the balance of the
'otes cast: Ho7e'er) if the Con'ention 'otes to ha'e the complete report of the tellers) or any part of it)
the Con'ention is entitled to ha'e the information 7hich 7ill thereupon be presented by the tellers in
accordance 7ith the 'ote of the Con'ention:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Decem)er 1M/
19M@2
02. 8nder certain Conditions )ne or #ore :ames #ay be In1alidatedA
@Jnder certain conditions an entire ballot may be declared in'alid: 3hese are! F"G <ore than nine names
on ballot paperI F,G =ess than nine names on ballot paperI F%G 8uplication of names: Jnder other
conditions) because of specified irregularities) one or more of the names may be in'alidated but the rest
of the ballot 7ould be considered 'alid: 3hese irregularities are! F"G A name not identifiable) or illegibleI
F,G 3he name of an ineligible person) such as a youth or person not resident in the Burisdiction of the
'oting area) pro'ided of course that each ballot contains no more or less than nine names and no name
has been duplicated:E
&<rom a letter dated Eul5 L9/ 1901 from the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Eamaica2
OBallot Should Not be /n'alidated Because it Contains Name of Au?iliary Board <ember &4ee os! L8+L92
0. #inority Accorded Priority 7itho"t >"estion
@Since the >uardians instruction on this point is uneDui'ocal 7here it is ob'ious that one of the persons
in'ol'ed represents a minority) that person should be accorded the priority 7ithout Duestion: Hhere
there is doubt further balloting 7ill allo7 e'ery 'oter present to participate:
@Hith reference to the pro'ision in Article P of the National By0la7s go'erning the situation 7here
t7o or more members ha'e recei'ed the same highest number of 'otes) if one of those members
represents a minority that indi'idual should be gi'en priority as if selected by lot:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eanuar5 L@/ 19M02
0'. Definition of #inority and #aFority at Discretion of the :ational %pirit"al Assembly
@:::the definition of a minority in any locality is in the discretion of the National Spiritual Assembly: /t is
clear that pioneers from other lands should not be regarded as belonging to a minority) neither do the
categories Duoted by the >uardian in A3he Ad'ent of 8i'ine 9ustice) namely) Afaith) race) class or
nation) include se?: 3he o'erriding principle is al7ays that if there is any doubt as to 7hether the
minority principle should be in'o6ed) then a further ballot should be ta6en:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 8in$dom/ 6arch @/
198M2
0(. .es"lts .eported to :ational Assembly for Acceptance and Instr"ction to !ellers abo"t .e-
Botin6
@/n ans7er to your Duestion about 7ho should decide this matter) the House of 9ustice states that it is the
duty of the tellers to report the entire result of the 'oting to the National Spiritual Assembly 7hich has a
duty of accepting the tellers report before it is presented to the Con'ention: /f the National Assembly
sees that the ninth place is tied and that one of the persons tied is a member of a minority) it 7ould
instruct the tellers to report the results on this basis 7ithout calling for a re0'ote: /f) ho7e'er) there is any
doubt at all as to 7hether a minority is in'ol'ed) the Assembly should resol'e the matter by instructing
that a re0'ote for the ninth place should be held:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4witJerland/ (pril 13/ 190@2
0-. )nly :ames of !hose !ied Appear on %"bseC"ent *allots
@ollo7ing the 'oting in an election of an Assembly) =ocal or National) results of the balloting should be
announced) including the names of those tied for ninth place: A ne7 ballot must then be cast to decide
bet7een those 7ho ha'e recei'ed the same number of 'otes for ninth place: 5nly those 7ho are tied to
be 'oted for on that ballot) and the tie may be bro6en by the delegates present at the Con'ention:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of The ,ahamas/ 6a5 18/ 198L2
0/. 5ow to .eport a !ie
@/t is not correct to sho7 that Senorita ::: recei'ed "% 'otes: /f she is to be listed among those recei'ing
'otes on the first ballot it should be sho7n that she 7as tied for ninth place 7ith * 'otes and that on the
second ballot she recei'ed "% of the 'otes cast:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3olom)ia/ Eune 1M/ 19MN2
00. First@ :ew Assembly #"st Consider 7hether to Accept .esi6nation
@:::your Assembly should first ha'e considered 7hether to accept <iss::: resignation) and then) if the
Assembly had accepted her resignation) the 'acancy should ha'e been filled by a by0election in 7hich
all:::delegates should ha'e been gi'en an opportunity to 'ote: /t is only a tie 'ote that may be bro6en by
a 'ote of those delegates present at Con'ention) not a by0election unless) of course) all delegates are
present:@
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eul5 M/ 19812
02. *y-Election Can be 5eld D"rin6 Con1ention )nly if All Dele6ates Are Present
@/f a by0election is necessary) ho7e'er) all delegates must be gi'en an opportunity to 'ote: /f all
delegates are present at the Con'ention) the by0election can of course ta6e place at one of the sessions: /f
there are absent delegates) the by0election can still be arranged so that the delegates present may cast
their ballots before the Con'ention disbands) and ballots from absent delegates be recei'ed at a later
date:E
&I)id!/ 6a5 18/ 19812
23. !ie for :inth #ember of the :ational %pirit"al Assembly
@/n the case of a tie for the ninth member of a National Spiritual Assembly) a 'ote can be held
immediately at the Con'ention among the delegates present) to brea6 the tie: Ho7e'er) if a 'acancy is
declared at the Con'ention because a resignation of one of the members of the ne7ly elected National
Assembly is accepted) a by0election must be called) i:e:) all delegates must be gi'en an opportunity to
'ote for someone to fill the 'acancy:E
&I)id!/ Eune 13/ 190M2
21. D"ty of A"?iliary *oard #ember to Ad1ise Assembly@ not Dele6ates@ that 5e 7ill not %er1e
@3he Au?iliary Board member:::should ha'e been listed as elected and gi'en the opportunity to decide
7hether to continue to ser'e on the Board or to resign and accept the election to the administrati'e body:
/t is his duty to ad'ise the National Assembly itself and not the delegates or the Con'ention: /f he
decides to remain on the Board) and the National Assembly declares a 'acancy 7hile Con'ention is still
in session) a by0election could be arranged before the Con'ention disbands:E
&I)id!/ Eune LM/ 19082
22. *oard #embers %ho"ld not .esi6n *efore a !ie-*rea$in6 Bote Is Cast
@A Board <ember should not be gi'en the opportunity to resign before a tie0brea6ing 'ote is cast since
there are other factors in'ol'ed and it is possible that he may not be elected: Ho7e'er) if he is elected) he
should ad'ise the National Assembly of his decision to accept the elected post or continue his role as an
Au?iliary Board member: /f he resigns from the Assembly) then that body declares a 'acancy and
arranges for a by0election:E
&I)id!2
2. Preser1ation of *allots
@/n the minutes of your meetings of :::) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice noted the items about ABallots of
the 3hird National Assembly Election and your instruction to the Secretary to destroy the ballots: He
are directed to con'ey the follo7ing to you for your guidance:
@Hhile it is 7ithin the discretion of a National Spiritual Assembly to determine 7hat to do about
preser'ation of the ballots follo7ing the annual election) the House of 9ustice points out that should any
Duestion concerning the balloting arise during the year follo7ing the election) it 7ould be helpful if the
ballots 7ere a'ailable for National Spiritual Assembly scrutiny: 5b'iously) after the ne?t follo7ing
election) such need to preser'e the ballots cast in the pre'ious years election 7ould no longer e?ist:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eul5 LL/ 19812
2'. Assembly 5as .i6ht to E?amine *allots
@He considers that the National Spiritual Assembly has e'ery right to e?amine the ballots if there is
some doubt as to the election ha'ing been properly conducted: By Apreser'ation of the ballots is meant
that they are preser'ed in the National files:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia and ew Pealand/ 6arch 1N/ 19N02
2(. Dele6ates %ho"ld be Di1en )pport"nity to .eport to the Comm"nity
@A Con'ention delegate should certainly be gi'en an opportunity to report to the Community his or her
e?periences at Con'ention and impressionsLE
&I)id!2
G$ Officers of Local and National Asse&blies
2-. If All #embers Present@ Permanent )fficers %ho"ld *e Elected Immediately
@Hhile it is certainly true that the permanent officers of an Assembly should be elected immediately
follo7ing the election of that Assembly) it is eDually important) as stated in Article /P of the By0la7s of
the National Assembly) that A3he officers shall be elected by a maBority 'ote of the entire membership of
the Assembly ta6en by secret ballot: 3hat is all members of the Assembly must be properly notified and
gi'en an opportunity to 'ote) and in cases of una'oidable absence it does not contra'ene the spirit of the
By0la7s if the absent member should cast his ballot by mail or e'en by telephone:
@3emporary officers may be elected until all nine are properly notified of the election:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eul5 L0/ 19812
2/. Assembly or Committee #embers #ay E?c"se !hemsel1es from *ein6 Elected as )fficers
@He ha'e also been as6ed to point out that although it is the obligation of a Bah to ser'e on an
Assembly) either =ocal or National) 7hen elected) on se'eral occasions the belo'ed >uardian pointed
out that before the election of officers) if any member had a good reason in his o7n opinion 7hy he
should not be elected to one of the offices of the Assembly) he 7as free to suggest that he should not be
so elected: 3he House of 9ustice also feels that as the 7or6 of the aith e?pands and the duties of
officers) particularly on National Spiritual Assemblies) acDuire more importance) it is permissible and at
times ad'isable to discuss the duties incumbent upon and reDuired of each officer before ballots are
cast:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 9/ 19802
20. It is Preferable that a Person 5old no #ore than )ne )ffice
@:::7e are as6ed to say it is preferable that a person hold no more than one office) but it is 7ithin the
discretion of your Assembly to permit a member to hold t7o offices:
@&egarding the specific instance you ha'e cited) you should consider carefully 7hether one person can
effecti'ely perform as both Chairman and Secretary) gi'en the reDuirements of each office:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of To$o/ Eul5 N/ 198N2
22. Complete .es"lts of Each Bote m"st *e Gnown to all #embers of the Assembly Present
@3he complete results of each 'ote should be 6no7n to all members of the Assembly: 3herefore) the
names and tally should be gi'en by the tellers) and if no member has recei'ed the reDuired maBority) the
members should proceed to 'ote again: Poting should not be confined to those recei'ing the highest
number of 'otes:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust N/ 1981. cited in a letter to the ational
4piritual (ssem)l5 of 6e;ico/ 4eptem)er L/ 19812
133. !he Inte6rity of the Elector #"st be .elied 8pon
@Mou 7ill note in the abo'e e?tract that the tellers should report both names and tally: 3he House of
9ustice suggests that 7e must rely on the integrity of the elector to consider dispassionately those names
he lists on his ballot) irrespecti'e of the results of the pre'ious balloting:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 6e;ico/ 4eptem)er L/ 19812
131. Any )fficer Elected #"st 5a1e .ecei1ed at &east Fi1e Botes
@Any officer elected must ha'e recei'ed at least fi'e 'otes) e'en if only fi'e members are present: 3he
ballots of any absentee members cannot be counted if re0'oting is necessary: /f for any reason no
member recei'es fi'e 'otes) then the Assembly must in consultation appoint one or more temporary
officers to function until the ne?t meeting) and must call another meeting as soon as possible to elect
permanent officers:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the #ocal 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %ua5na)o/ Puerto Rico/ 4eptem)er
LM/ 19832
132. !he Chairman of the Assembly
@Concerning the duties of the Chairman of the =ocal Spiritual Assembly or the National Spiritual
Assembly! He is supposed to share) freely and fully) in the discussions of all subBects under the
consideration of these bodies) and to register his 'ote regarding each one of them: 3he duty of a Bah
Chairman is not only to guide the course of the discussion) but also to e?press his o7n 'ie7point
7ithout any reser'ation 7hate'er: He is entitled to e?ercise both of these functions:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 11/ 193M2
13. !he Bice-Chairman
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has as6ed us to ad'ise you that the appropriate procedure 7ould be for
the Pice0Chairman of the Assembly to chair the meetings in the absence of the Chairman: /f the Pice0
Chairman happens to be also absent) then the Assembly should decide 7ho among the members present
should chair the meeting:E
&<rom a letter on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3iskei/ <e)ruar5 11/ 19802
13'. D"ties of the :ational %ecretary
@3he proper gro7th of a community is possible only 7hen the National Spiritual Assembly) through its
office and secretary) is able to maintain a steady flo7 of communication to the belie'ers in its
Burisdiction) offering guidance and encouragement to them: E'ery effort should be made to enable the
National Assembly secretary to discharge his or her duties 7ithout being hampered by too many
administrati'e regulations: 3he manner in 7hich this is done) of course) is left to the discretion of each
National Spiritual Assembly:
@A 6ey factor in determining ho7 much responsibility is to be placed on the secretary is trust: Hhen
there is trust and lo'e among the members of the Assembly) many problems 7ill be a'oided: 3he
National Assembly secretary should be empo7ered to ta6e the initiati'e in matters of a routine nature: /t
is not normally necessary for the secretarys letters to be scrutiniCed by other members of the Assembly
although they may al7ays ha'e access to such correspondence:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,an$ladesh/ 4eptem)er L1/ 19832
13(. !he %ecretary of the :ational %pirit"al Assembly is its Chief E?ec"ti1e )fficer
@Hhate'er the personal circumstances of the belie'er employed) the National Assembly should realiCe
that its Secretary is its chief e?ecuti'e officer) and as such acts not only as liaison 7ith the national
committees) the =ocal Spiritual Assemblies and all the friends) but generally represents the National
Spiritual Assembly and the aith itself to the non0Bah 7orld) a duty becoming e'er more important as
the Cause becomes more 7idely 6no7n:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ital5/ Eanuar5 L3/ 19812
13-. F"ll-!ime %er1ices of %ecretary #ay .eC"ire .em"neration@ abo"t 7hich the A6reement
%ho"ld be D"ly .ecorded
@A national Bah community 7hich reaches that stage of de'elopment 7here the 7or6 of its National
Spiritual Assembly reDuires the full0time ser'ices of its Secretary) faces many difficult) and sometimes
delicate) considerations: /t is generally a thought0pro'o6ing occasion to the community itself) 7hich has
become used to the 7or6 of the Cause being discharged by 'oluntary) dedicated) part0time and often
amateur ser'iceI and the realiCation that the Cause has reached the point 7here its 7or6 and public
imageQso important to future progressQcan no longer be maintained in the old 7ay) may be disturbing
at first: 3he friends) ho7e'er) Duic6ly respond to the ne7 capacity for leadership and guidance and the
increased status 7hich its National Assembly acDuires by establishing a sounder foundation for its
operations) and are encouraged by the ad'ancement of the Cause:
@3he specific remuneration and conditions of ser'ice of the national Secretary must ob'iously be the
result of consultation) and 7hen agreement has been reached the result should be recorded) not
necessarily in a contract) but certainly in a <inute of the Assembly and4or an e?change of letters:E
&I)id!2
13/. %ecretary,s 5elper Can be :on-#ember of Assembly
@/n reply to your letter of No'ember +th) "#+% there is no obBection 7hatsoe'er to a non0member of the
National Spiritual Assembly typing your <inutes or such other confidential reports: <any National
Spiritual Assemblies employ typists in their national offices 7ho are intimately connected 7ith all the
7or6 of the National Spiritual Assembly: 5f course) the person so employed should enBoy the confidence
of the National Spiritual Assembly:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the %il)ert and Ellice Islands/ o"em)er L1/ 19032
130. %ecretariat %ho"ld be %it"ated in the Capital City
@He 7as sorry that he felt it necessary to insist that the secretary of your Assembly must be located in
Buenos Aires so that the Secretariat can be located in the HeadDuarters of this regionI this is a general
principle 7hich he has insisted the friends adhere to e'ery7here::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (r$entina/ 3hile/ :ru$ua5/ Para$ua5 and ,oli"ia/
Eul5 L9/ 19@0. 3he National Spiritual Assembly/ p! N32
132. :ational %ecretary %ho"ld Geep in Close !o"ch with &ocal Assemblies
@Shoghi Effendi firmly belie'es that consultation must be maintained bet7een the N:S:A: and the entire
body of the belie'ers and that such a consultation) 7hen the Con'ention is not in session) can best be
maintained through the agency of the local assemblies) one of 7hose essential functions is to act as
intermediaries bet7een the local communities and their national representati'es:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi. 2rinciples of Bah Administration/ pp! M0+M82
113. Contents of #in"tes
@3he content of some of the minutes 7e recei'e could be impro'ed) and 7e therefore offer the follo7ing
suggestions! 3he purpose of the minutes is to record the action of the Assembly 7ith sufficient
bac6ground information so that one reading the minutes 7ill understand the reason for the action:
National Assemblies may find it helpful if the bac6ground and the action are separated and not typed
together: 5n the other hand) minutes should not be a 'erbatim report of the National Assembly meeting)
and it is not the purpose of the minutes to record the 'ie7s of indi'idual members: Names of indi'iduals
ma6ing motions need not be recorded: Names should be included) ho7e'er) 7hene'er reDuired to ma6e
clear the assignments of persons responsible for actions: Each set of minutes should reflect the time and
place of the ne?t meeting:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ 6a5 L0/ 19012
111. %ecretary %ho"ld be Caref"l to Con1ey #aFority Decision
@>enerally spea6ing the Secretary of an Assembly must be careful to con'ey e?actly 7hat the maBority
decision or ad'ice of the body 7as: 3here can surely be no obBection to his putting it in proper terms and
clarifying the matter according to the decisions or instruction of the Assembly: But he should of course
not introduce his personal 'ie7s unless endorsed by the Assembly:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 19/ 19N02
112. !reas"rer of the %pirit"al Assembly .ecei1es all Donations and Contrib"tions
@And as the progress and e?ecution of spiritual acti'ities is dependent and conditioned upon material
means) it is of absolute necessity that immediately after the establishment of local as 7ell as National
Spiritual Assemblies) a Bah und be established) to be placed under the e?clusi'e control of the
Spiritual Assembly: All donations and contributions should be offered to the 3reasurer of the Assembly)
for the e?press purpose of promoting the interests of the Cause) throughout that locality or country: /t is
the sacred obligation of e'ery conscientious and faithful ser'ant of Bahullh 7ho desires to see His
Cause ad'ance) to contribute freely and generously for the increase of that und::::E
&<rom a letter of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ dated 6arch 1L/ 19L3. Bah
Administration) pp! N1+NL2
11. 5andlin6 of F"ndsA
@As to your Duestion! 3he friends can gi'e their contributions to the treasurer) or) if they 7ish to remain
anonymous and gi'e small sums) a receptacle can be pro'ided: 3he =ocal Assembly can decide this
matter:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er L9/ 19@1. Bah unds and Contributions/ a
compilation of e;tracts from the %uardian*s letters on the su)=ect dated Eanuar5 1901/ from the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational
4piritual (ssem)lies of the World2
O&4ee also. QQI! 3! 8@0+8MM2
11'. )bli6ation of a *ah+,; 7ho is Elected to an )ffice 7hich .eC"ires F"ll-!ime %er1ice
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has recei'ed your letter mailed ,%rd 9anuary) "#$+ concerning the
obligation of a Bah 7ho is elected to an office 7hich reDuires full0time ser'ice: He are as6ed to share
7ith you an e?cerpt of a letter dated +th August "#$- 7ritten on behalf of the House of 9ustice addressed
to an indi'idual belie'er facing a problem similar to the one you pose:
A3he delicate balance bet7een the claims of the Cause of >od and the claims of ones
profession is an intensely personal matter 7hich can only be resol'ed e'entually in the heart
and soul of each indi'idual: <any Bahs ha'e become) and are) distinguished in their
professions and at the same time ha'e rendered and are rendering great ser'ices to the Cause
and it is ob'iously possible to achie'e distinction in ones profession and calling and to ser'e
the Cause of >od at the same time: 3he House of 9ustice realiCes) ho7e'er) that
circumstances can conspire) at critical times in the fortunes of the aith) to reDuire
indi'iduals to ma6e the heart0searching decision of sacrificing ones o7n prospects for the
apparent good of the Cause: Here again) the history of the Cause pro'ides many e?amples of
belie'ers 7ho ha'e 7illingly foregone promotion in) or e'en the continued practice of) their
professions in order to meet the needs of the aith: As in all difficult decisions facing
indi'idual belie'ers) the >od0gi'en process of consultation is a'ailable to them) and e'ery
indi'idual may consult either one of the institutions of the aith or an indi'idual officer) such
as a Counsellor or Board member) or e'en one or t7o friends of his o7n choosing: E'en
then) ho7e'er) the e'entual decisions rests 7ith the indi'idual himself: E
11(. !hose Elected to an Assembly %ho"ld Consider it a Pri1ile6e and a .esponsibility to %er1e
@:::those 7ho ha'e been elected to such membership should consider it a pri'ilege and also a
responsibility to ser'e in that body) and should therefore refrain from any resignation) e'en though they
may disagree 7ith the maBority of the members: 5bedience to the considered 'ie7s and policies of the
maBority should be 7hole0hearted) for it implies obedience and loyalty to the Administrati'e 5rder
itself:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 8/ 19392
11-. Proced"re for Assemblies 7hen Dissatisfied with )fficers
@As regards the Duestion of 7hat procedure the Bah Assemblies should adopt 7hen dissatisfied 7ith
the ser'ices of any of their officers: Should such dissatisfaction in'ol'e the loyalty of an Assembly
officer to the aith) he should) follo7ing a maBority 'ote) be dismissed: But in case the dissatisfaction is
due to the incompetence of a member) or simply to a neglect on his part to discharge his duties) this does
not constitute sufficient Bustification to force his resignation or dismissal from the Assembly: He should
be 6ept in office until ne7 elections are held:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ o"em)er LL/ 19N1. 3he National
Spiritual Assembly/ p! NL2
)$ Local and National Ad&inistrators
11/. F"nctions and D"ties of Elected .epresentati1es
@:::3heir function is not to dictate) but to consult) and consult not only among themsel'es) but as much as
possible 7ith the friends 7hom they represent: 3hey must regard themsel'es in no other light but that of
chosen instruments for a more efficient and dignified presentation of the Cause of >od: 3hey should
ne'er be led to suppose that they are the central ornaments of the body of the Cause) intrinsically
superior to others in capacity or merit) and sole promoters of its teachings and principles: 3hey should
approach their tas6 7ith e?treme humility) and endea'our by their open0mindedness) their high sense of
Bustice and duty) their candour) their modesty) their entire de'otion to the 7elfare and interests of the
friends) the Cause) and humanity) to 7in not only the confidence and the genuine support and respect of
those 7hom they ser'e) but also their esteem and real affection: 3hey must) at all times) a'oid the spirit
of e?clusi'eness) the atmosphere of secrecy) free themsel'es from a domineering attitude) and banish all
forms of preBudice and passion from their deliberations:E
&<rom a letter of the %uardian to the ,ah-*?s of (merica/ <e)ruar5 L3/ 19LN. Bah Administration/ p! MN2
110. !hey #"st 8phold the %tandard of 9"stice
@/n all cases submitted for its consideration the Assembly must uphold the standard of Bustice in
deli'ering its 'erdict) and in all its dealings 7ith the community and the outside 7orld it must stri'e to
e'ince the Dualities of leadership: 3he follo7ing Duotation from a letter of the >uardian summariCes in
simple terms the immediate goal e'ery Assembly should set for itself in its efforts to pursue the e?alted
standard of perfection inculcated in our 7ritings!
@ A3he first Duality for leadership both among indi'iduals and Assemblies is the capacity to
use the energy and competence that e?ists in the ran6 and file of its follo7ers: 5ther7ise the
more competent members of the group 7ill go at a tangent and try to find else7here a field
of 7or6 and 7here they could use their energy:
@ AShoghi Effendi hopes that the Assemblies 7ill do their utmost in planning such teaching
acti'ities that e'ery single soul 7ill be 6ept busy: E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ dated (u$ust
31/ 19312
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,oli"ia/ Eul5 31/ 190L2
112. Administrators of Faith &i$e %hepherds
@3he administrators of the aith of >od must be li6e unto shepherds: 3heir aim should be to dispel all
the doubts) misunderstandings and harmful differences 7hich may arise in the community of the
belie'ers: And this they can adeDuately achie'e pro'ided they are moti'ated by a true sense of lo'e for
their fello70brethren coupled 7ith firm determination to act 7ith Bustice in all cases 7hich are submitted
to them for their consideration:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 9/ 193N. 3he =ocal Spiritual Assembly/ p! L32
123. !he )nes in .eal A"thority Gnown by 5"mility and %elf-%acrifice
@3he ones in real authority are 6no7n by their humility and self0sacrifice and sho7 no attitude of
superiority o'er the friends: Some time ago a tablet 7as 7ritten stating that none are appointed to any
authority to do anything but to ser'e the Cause as true ser'ants of the friendsQand for this no tablet is
necessaryI such ser'ice 7hen true and unselfish) reDuires no announcement) nor follo7ing) nor 7ritten
document: =et the ser'ant be 6no7n by his deeds) by his lifeL 3o be appro'ed of >od alone should be
ones aim:E
&'()du*l+,ah- in the 7ol5 #and answers 9uestions of Dr! Edward 3! %etsin$er and recorded )5 Dr! %etsin$er at the time &191@2. 4tar of
the West/ >ol! >I/ o! M/ p! N32
121. Geynote of Ca"se of Dod :ot Dictatorial A"thority
@=et us also bear in mind that the 6eynote of the Cause of >od is not dictatorial authority but humble
fello7ship) not arbitrary po7er) but the spirit of fran6 and lo'ing consultation: Nothing short of the spirit
of a true Bah can hope to reconcile the principles of mercy and Bustice) of freedom and submission) of
the sanctity of the right of the indi'idual and of self0surrender) of 'igilance) discretion) and prudence on
the one hand) and fello7ship) candor) and courage on the other:E
&4ho$hi Effendi. Bah Administration/ pp! M3+MN2
122. Assemblies %ho"ld Infl"ence *elie1ers to Confidently Present their Problems
@:::Mou are no doubt a7are of the e?hortations of the belo'ed >uardian concerning the attitude that
National Assemblies must endea'our to maintain in their dealings 7ith the friends under their
Burisdiction: He indicated that a National Assembly should be li6e a lo'ing parent) 7atching o'er and
helping its children) and not li6e a stern Budge) 7aiting for an opportunity to display his Budicial po7ers:
@Shoghi Effendi has pointed out the National Assemblies must assume such a role as to influence the
belie'ers to confidently ta6e their problems to the Assembly) and to respect and unhesitatingly obey its
7ishes and decrees: 3he Assemblies should e'idence not e'en the least trace of dictatorial asserti'eness)
but should remember that most of the sins of the belie'ers are the sins of immaturity: 3hese friends
should be nursed and assisted into a fuller understanding of their responsibilities as Bahs and
encouraged to conduct themsel'es in a Bah manner:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of >eneJuela/ Eune 3/ 19092
12. *reach of !r"st by Assembly #embers 7ill Destroy Confidence of *elie1ers
@:::regarding the e?tent to 7hich confidential information about belie'ers may be shared 7ith other
belie'ers for their protection) and 7e offer in reply the follo7ing considerations!
": Any information 7hich comes to the notice of an Assembly member) solely by reason of his
membership on that Assembly must not be di'ulged by that member) e'en though the Assembly
itself may later decide to share it:
,: 3he Assembly must itself carefully consider 7hich information should rightly fall in the
category of confidential information and 7hich should not be shared 7ith others) and 7hich
information may be di'ulged under special circumstances) and ho7 such information may be
di'ulged: Should confidential matters regarding personal problems be freely shared 7ith others)
upon application) the confidence of the belie'ers in the Assembly and its members 7ill ob'iously be
destroyed:
%: /t must be remembered that indi'iduals can reform) and a reprehensible past does not
necessarily disDualify a belie'er from building a better future:
@Hithin the general frame7or6 of these principles) 7e feel you should be able to handle each case as it
may come to your attention: No hard and fast rule should be laid do7n in such cases) as each case
reDuires careful handling) sound Budgement and utmost discretion:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 4eptem)er 18/
19M82
12'. Administrati1e Efficiency %ho"ld be Accompanied by an EC"al Amo"nt of &o1e
@Administrati'e efficiency and order should al7ays be accompanied by an eDual degree of lo'e) of
de'otion and of spiritual de'elopment: Both of them are essential and to attempt to dissociate one from
the other is to deaden the body of the Cause: /n these days) 7hen the aith is still in its infancy) great
care must be ta6en lest mere administrati'e routine stifles the spirit 7hich must feed the body of the
Administration itself: 3hat spirit is its propelling force and the moti'ating po7er of its 'ery life:
@But as already emphasiCed) both the spirit and the form) are essential to the safe and speedy
de'elopment of the Administration: 3o maintain full balance bet7een them is the main and uniDue
responsibility of the administrators of the Cause:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Decem)er 11/ 19332
12(. Administrators %ho"ld Consider !hemsel1es as #ere Channels 7hereby Dod Protects and
D"ides 5is Faith
@3he Cause::: is a di'ine institution 7hose responsible administrators should consider themsel'es as
mere channels 7hereby >od protects and guides His aith: 3he Administration should ne'er be allo7ed
to become a bone of contention bet7een indi'iduals and groups: /t stands abo'e human personalities and
transcends the scope of their limited and ine'itably selfish ideas: /ts custodians should continually purge
themsel'es of e'ery trace of personal desire or interest and become 7holly imbued 7ith the spirit of
lo'e) of cooperation and of genuine self0sacrifice:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ (u$ust 8/ 19332
12-. :ational %pirit"al Assembly is %"preme A"thority@ #ainsprin6 of Acti1ities@ %ole &in$ to the
8ni1ersal 5o"se of 9"stice
@/ 7ish to reaffirm) in clear and categorical language) the principle already enunciated upholding the
supreme authority of the National Assembly in all matters that affect the interests of the aith in that
land: 3here can be no conflict of authority) no duality under any form or circumstances in any sphere of
Bah Burisdiction 7hether local) national or international: 3he National Assembly) ho7e'er) although
the sole interpreter of its 8eclaration of 3rust and by0la7s) is directly and morally responsible if it allo7s
any body or institution 7ithin its Burisdiction to abuse its pri'ileges or to decline in the e?ercise of its
rights and prerogati'es: /t is the trusted guardian and the mainspring of the manifold acti'ities and
interests of e'ery national community in the Bah 7orld: /t constitutes the sole lin6 that binds these
communities to the /nternational House of 9usticeQthe supreme administrati'e body in the 8ispensation
of Bahullh:E
&Postscript )5 4ho$hi Effendi to a letter written on his )ehalf to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eune 11/
193N2
12/. )bedience to the :ational %pirit"al Assembly is the *asis for 8nity
@:::the >uardian 7ishes me to again affirm his 'ie7 that the authority of the National Spiritual Assembly
is undi'ided and unchallengeable in all matters pertaining to the administration of the aith:::and that)
therefore) the obedience of indi'idual Bahs) delegates) groups) and assemblies to that authority is
imperati'e) and should be 7hole0hearted and unDualified: He is con'inced that the unreser'ed
acceptance and complete application of this 'ital pro'ision of the Administration is essential to the
maintenance of the highest degree of unity among the belie'ers) and is indispensable to the effecti'e
7or6ing of the administrati'e machinery of the aith in e'ery country:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eune 11/ 193N2
120. !he :ational %pirit"al Assembly is the 5ead and the &ocal %pirit"al Assemblies Are the
Bario"s )r6ans
@:::the best 7ay to insure and consolidate the organic unity of the aith is to strengthen the authority of
the =ocal Assemblies and to bring them 7ithin the full orbit of the National Assemblys Burisdiction: 3he
National Assembly is the head) and the =ocal Assemblies are the 'arious organs of the body of the
Cause: 3o insure full cooperation bet7een these 'arious parts is to safeguard the best interests of the
aith by enabling it to counteract those forces 7hich threaten to create a breach 7ithin the ran6s of the
faithful: 3his is the delicate and highly significant mission 7ith 7hich the >uardian 7ishes to entrust
you: Not only to teach the outsiders) through public lecturing) but in addition to that) and in 'ie7 of
ma6ing your efforts more 'aried and successful) to acDuaint the friends 7ith the essentials of the
Administration) upon the full understanding of 7hich the future progress of the Cause greatly depends:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er L1/ 19332
122. Bital F"nction of :ational %pirit"al Assembly
@:::/t is one of the 'ital functions of the National Spiritual Assembly to be al7ays in touch 7ith local
conditions in e'ery community and to endea'our through personal contacts and by means of regular
correspondence) to guide the friends) indi'idually and collecti'ely) in all their acti'ities:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 31/ 1938. 3he National Spiritual Assembly/ p! 332
13. A"thority and Infl"ence of Assemblies #"st be %tren6thened
@:::the steady progress and consolidation of the Cause of >od on the one hand and progressi'e
disintegration of a moribund 7orld on the otherQ7ill undoubtedly impose upon us ne7 tas6s) the
obligation of de'ising ne7 approaches to teaching) of demonstrating more clearly to a disillusioned
7orld the Bah 7ay of life and ma6ing more effecti'e the administrati'e institutions of the aith: 3he
authority and influence of National and =ocal Spiritual Assemblies 7ill ha'e to be strengthened in order
to deal 7ith larger Bah communities::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ Rid"-n/ 1901. <essages from the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice/
19M8+1903/ p! 0L2
11. A <*est= Assembly
@:::3he best Assembly is the one that capitaliCes the talents of all the members of the group and 6eeps
them busy in some form of acti'e participation in ser'ing the Cause and spreading the <essage:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust 193L. Bah Ne7s/ o! M8/ o"em)er 193L/ p! 32
12. CentraliHation of A"thority #ade #anifest in #aster,s 7ill
@3he need for the centraliCation of authority in the National Spiritual Assembly) and the concentration of
po7er in the 'arious local Assemblies) is made manifest 7hen 7e reflect that the Cause of Bahullh is
still in its age of tender gro7th and in a stage of transitionI 7hen 7e remember that the full significance
of the <asters 7orld07ide instructions) as laid do7n in His Hill) are as yet not fully grasped) and the
7hole <o'ement has not sufficiently crystalliCed in the eyes of the 7orld:E
&4ho$hi Effendi. Bah Administration/ p! NL2
1. F"ndamentals of *ah+,; Administration #"st be Adhered to
@3he fundamentals laid do7n in the Bah Administration must) of course) be adhered to) but there is a
tendency for Assemblies to constantly issue detailed procedures and rules to the friends) and he
considers this hampers the 7or6 of the Cause) and is entirely premature: As far as is possible cases
7hich come up should be dealt 7ith and settled as they arise) and not a blan6et ruling be laid do7n to
co'er all possible similar cases: 3his preser'es the elasticity of the Administrati'e 5rder and pre'ents
red tape from de'eloping and hampering the 7or6 of the Cause::: Jniformity in fundamentals is
essential but not in e'ery detail: 5n the contrary) di'ersity) the sol'ing of the local situation in the right
7ay) is important:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ o"em)er N/ 19N8. <essages to Canada/
pp! 8+92
1'. !endency of All :ational Assemblies to )1er-Administer
@Mour Assembly must be 'ery careful not to o'er0load the Bahs 7ith rules and regulations) circulars
and directions: 3he purpose of the Administration at this time is to blo7 on the fire ne7ly 6indled in the
hearts of these people 7ho ha'e accepted the aith) to create in them the desire and capacity to teach) to
facilitate the pioneer and teaching 7or6) and help deepen the 6no7ledge and understanding of the
friends: 3he belo'ed >uardian issues this 7ord of 7arning) as long e?perience has sho7n that it is a
tendency on the part of all N:S:A:s to o'er0administer: /n their enthusiasm they forget that they only
ha'e a handful of ine?perienced souls to guide) and attempt to deal 7ith their 7or6 as if they had a large
population to regulateL 3his then stifles the spirit of the friends and the teaching 7or6 suffers:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of orth East (sia/ Eul5 1@/ 19@0. 9apan Hill 3urn
AblaCeL/ p! M02
1(. It is not :ecessary to Anticipate %it"ations
@:::/t is not necessary for your Assembly to anticipate situations 7hich ha'e not arisen) and to lay do7n
general rules and regulations to meet them: /t 7ould be 7iser to consider e'ery case indi'idually as it
arises) and then to resol'e the problem connected 7ith it in the most suitable and practical manner::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ o"em)er L0/ 1930.
3he National Spiritual Assembly/ p! N92
1-. )1er-Administration 7orse than 8nder-Administration
@:::5'er0administration can be e'en 7orse for the aith at this time than under0administration: 3he
belie'ers are) for the most part) young in the Cause) and if they ma6e mista6es it is not half as important
as if their spirit is crushed by being told all the timeQdo this and dont do thatL 3he ne7 National Body
should be li6e a lo'ing parent) 7atching o'er and helping its children) and not li6e a stern Budge) 7aiting
for an opportunity to display his Budicial po7ers: 3he reason he points this out to you is that constantly)
for the past t7enty years and more) he has been pointing this out to the old and tried National
Assemblies) and he does not 7ant the younger bodies to ma6e the same mista6es: /ndi'idual cases
should be dealt 7ith as they arise) according to the 3eachings) of 7hich the belie'ers ha'e Duite
sufficient a'ailable to handle all of their problems at this time) and no more additional rules and
regulations need be introduced:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (laska/ Eune 31/ 19@0. 3he National Spiritual
Assembly/ p! @L2
1/. :ational %pirit"al Assemblies %ho"ld be 8ncompromisin6 in Principle b"t Fle?ible in
Proced"res
@/n the Bah aith there are matters of principle affecting the operation of Bah institutions) 7hich
are outlined in the 7ritings of the aith as 7ell as in the Constitutions of National and =ocal Spiritual
Assemblies: 5b'iously) National Assemblies 7ill face situations and problems 7hich ha'e to be
resol'ed but are not fully co'ered by these te?ts: /n such matters the National Assembly should adopt its
o7n procedures suited to the conditions and reDuirements of its o7n national community: /t may be
found useful to adopt a procedure follo7ed by another National Spiritual AssemblyI certainly there is no
obBection to such a course of action) pro'ided it is clear that in the final analysis such issues are left to
the discretion of the National Assembly itself:
@/n matters of principle) therefore) there should be uniformity) 7hile in matters of detail and procedure
not only is di'ersity permitted) it is also encouraged: As conditions 'ary from country to country and)
indeed) can 'ary from community to community 7ithin the country) Shoghi Effendi repeatedly ad'ised
the friends that they should be uncompromising in principle but fle?ible in subsidiary details:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,urundi/ Octo)er LL/ 198M2
10. :ational Assembly is D"ardian of the 7elfare of the Faith
@3he National Assembly is the guardian of the 7elfare of the aith) a most sacred and hea'y
responsibility and one 7hich is inescapable: 3hey must be e'er 'igilant) e'er on the loo6out) e'er ready
to ta6e action) and) on all matters of fundamental principle) refuse to compromise for an instant: 5nly in
this 7ay can the body of the aith be free of disease:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %erman5 and (ustria/ (u$ust 1N/ 19@0. 3he
National Spiritual Assembly/ p! M12
12. !endency of &ate-Comers to *elittle 7or$ Done
@:::So often::: situations arise because there is a tendency) 'ery human but not 'ery 6ind) for late0comers
to belittle the 7or6 done by the first belie'ers and hurt their feelings: 3hose responsible therefore) for
carrying on the 7or6) must be e?tremely tactful and lo'ing in their efforts to pre'ent a rift from
occurring: /t is 'ery difficult for the administrators of the Cause to learn to be absolutely impartial)
patient and 7ise) and 'ery difficult for the belie'ers to learn to gi'e up personal 7ill to the 7ill of the
maBorityL But this is Bahullhs standard) and they must all constantly stri'e to attain it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the Inter+(merica 3ommittee/ 6arch L8/ 19@12
1'3. Each *elie1er %ho"ld 5a1e Access to Comm"nications from 7orld Centre of his Faith
@3he importance of communicating the progress of the aith to e'ery indi'idual belie'er can hardly be
o'er0emphasiCed: =earning of the 'ictories achie'ed by the 'aliant souls 7ho ha'e arisen to ser'e
Bahullh can inspire others and can create a sense of 7orld perspecti'e 7hich raises ones sights
abo'e his o7n petty pre0occupations and ma6es being a Bah more meaningful and purposeful:
@Each belie'er should ha'e access) for e?ample) to the communications from the Horld Centre of his
aithQthe <essages from the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice and the Hands of the Cause as 7ell as ne7s
emanating from the Horld Centre:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to ational 4piritual (ssem)lies in #atin (merica/ (frica and the 4outh Pacific/ (u$ust L8/
19M@2
1'1. &e6al %tandin6 for %pirit"al AssembliesA
@/t is surely 'ery important to gi'e to the =ocal Assemblies some legal standing for as the Cause
progresses and its adherents increase) they 7ill be confronted 7ith duties they cannot e'en imagine at
present: Not only 7ill they ha'e to ma6e contracts for acDuiring halls for their meeting place) but also
they 7ill be obliged to create ne7 institutions to care for their sic6) poor and aged people: He hope that
before long the Bahs 7ill e'en afford to ha'e schools that 7ould pro'ide the children the intellectual
and spiritual education as prescribed in the Hritings of Bahullh and the <aster:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Decem)er L@/ 1931.
2rinciples of Bah Administration/ p! N02
O&4ee also. I!#! os! LLN+L312
1'2. &ocal Assemblies %ho"ld Di1e !eachers E1ery Enco"ra6ement
@&egarding the principle that the Cause must not be allo7ed to centre around any Bah personality) the
>uardian 7ishes to ma6e it clear that it 7as ne'er intended that 7ell Dualified indi'idual teachers should
not recei'e from =ocal Assemblies e'ery encouragement and facilities to address the public: Hhat the
>uardian meant 7as that the personality and popularity of such a spea6er should ne'er be allo7ed to
eclipse the authority) or detract from the influence of the body of the elected representati'es in e'ery
local community: Such an indi'idual should not only see6 the appro'al) ad'ice) and assistance of the
body that represents the Cause in his locality) but should stri'e to attribute any credit he may obtain to
the collecti'e 7isdom and capacity of the Assembly under 7hose Burisdiction he performs his ser'ices:
Assemblies and not indi'iduals constitute the bedroc6 on 7hich the Administration is built: E'erything
else must be subordinated to) and be made to ser'e and ad'ance the best interests of these elected
custodians and promoters of the =a7s of Bahullh:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust 1L/ 1933. 2rinciples of Bah Administration/ p! 192
1'. Class Conscio"sness Contrary to Act"al !eachin6s of Faith
@:::although it is essential for the belie'ers to maintain al7ays a clear distinction bet7een teaching and
administrati'e duties and functions) yet they should be careful not to be led to thin6 that these t7o types
of Bah acti'ity are mutually e?clusi'e in their nature) and as such cannot be e?ercised by one and the
same person: As a matter of fact) the friends should be encouraged to ser'e in both the teaching and
administrati'e fields of Bah ser'ice: But as there are al7ays some 7ho are more specially gifted along
one of these t7o lines of acti'ity it 7ould seem more desirable that they should concentrate their efforts
in acDuiring the full training for that type of 7or6 for 7hich they are best suited by nature: Such a
specialiCation has the ad'antage of sa'ing time) and of leading to greater efficiency) particularly at this
early stage of our de'elopment:
@3he great danger) ho7e'er) lies in that by doing so the friends may tend to de'elop a sort of class
consciousness 7hich is fundamentally contrary to both the spirit and actual teachings of the aith:
@/t is precisely in order to o'ercome such a danger that the >uardian thin6s it ad'isable that the friends
should be encouraged to ser'e from time to time in both the teaching and the administrati'e spheres of
Bah 7or6) but only 7hene'er they feel fit to do so:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eul5 L9/ 193@. I)id!/
p! 32
1''. E?tension !eachin6 Doals@ &ocal Assemblies %ho"ld Ass"me .esponsibility For
@3he time has come) 7e belie'e) 7hen increasing numbers of =ocal Spiritual Assemblies should assume
responsibility for helping the teaching 7or6 of groups) isolated belie'ers) and other Spiritual Assemblies
in their neighbourhood: Such e?tension teaching goals should be assigned by the National Spiritual
Assembly or one of its teaching committees) or can be spontaneously adopted by =ocal Spiritual
Assemblies) and should be carried out 7ithin the frame7or6 of the o'erall teaching plans of the country:
/t should also be made clear that by being gi'en such goals a Spiritual Assembly is not being gi'en any
Burisdiction o'er belie'ers outside its area) still less o'er other =ocal Spiritual Assemblies) but is being
called upon to collaborate 7ith them in their 7or6:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ aw+RGJ 190N2
1'(. Plans of the Assemblies %ho"ld be Gnown to Co"nsellors and A"?iliary *oard #embers
@/t is the Spiritual Assemblies 7ho plan and direct the 7or6) but these plans should be 7ell 6no7n to the
Counsellors and Au?iliary Board members) because one of the 7ays in 7hich they can assist the
Assemblies is by urging the belie'ers continually to support the plans of the Assemblies: /f a National
Spiritual Assembly has adopted one goal as preeminent in a year) the Au?iliary Board members should
bear this in mind in all their contacts 7ith the belie'ers and should direct their attention to the plans of
the National Assembly) and stimulate them to enthusiastically support them:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Octo)er 1/ 19M9. <essages from 3he Jni'ersal
House of 9ustice/ 19M8+1903/ pp! 3L+332
1'-. &ocal %pirit"al Assemblies, .elations with A"?iliary *oard
@/t is at this local le'el of Bah community life) the 'ery foundation of the administrati'e structure of
the aith) that 7e so often find lac6 of adeDuate strength and efficiency: /t is at this same le'el that our
belo'ed >uardian urged Au?iliary Board members to establish contact 7ith =ocal Spiritual Assemblies)
groups) isolated centres and the indi'idual belie'ers) and through periodic and systematic 'isits to
localities as 7ell as by correspondence help in promoting the interests of the 2lan) assist in the efficient
and prompt e?ecution of the goals) 7atch o'er the security of the aith) stimulate and strengthen the
teaching and pioneer 7or6) impress upon the friends the importance of indi'idual effort) initiati'e and
sacrifice) and encourage them to participate in Bah acti'ities and be unified under all circumstances:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all 3ontinental ,oards of 3ounsellors/ o"em)er 10/ 19012
1'/. All &ocal %pirit"al Assemblies %ho"ld Collaborate with A"?iliary *oard #embers and their
Assistants
@Hhen a =ocal Spiritual Assembly begins to function properly) it does not mean it can dispense 7ith the
ser'ice and 7or6 of Au?iliary Board members and their assistants) 7ho can and should continue to
pro'ide stimulation and inspiration not only generally to the Assembly and local Bah acti'ities) but to
indi'idual belie'ers as 7ell:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 9/ 19812
1'0. 7hen &ocal %pirit"al Assemblies are !r"ly Effecti1e
@Such a firmly0founded) busy and happy community life as is en'isioned 7hen =ocal Spiritual
Assemblies are truly effecti'e) 7ill pro'ide a firm home foundation from 7hich the friends may deri'e
courage and strength and lo'ing support in bearing the 8i'ine <essage to their fello7men and
conforming their li'es to its bene'olent rule:E
&<rom the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice*s aw+RGJ 6essa$e to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ 190N2
1'2. A F"nctionin6 &ocal %pirit"al Assembly4alient O)=ecti"es to )e (ttained
@/n reply to your letter of 9uly "(th as6ing guidance as to 7hat is a functioning =ocal Spiritual
Assembly) 7e offer you the follo7ing comments!
@=ocal Spiritual Assemblies are at the present ne7ly0born institutions) struggling for the most part to
establish themsel'es both in the Bah community and in the 7orld: 3hey are as yet only embryos of
the maBestic institutions ordained by Bahullh in His Hritings: 3his is also true of National Spiritual
Assemblies: /n the follo7ing passage 7ritten by the Secretary of the >uardian on his behalf this point is
elucidated!
A3he Bah administration is only the first shaping of 7hat in future 7ill come to be the
social life and la7s of community li'ing: As yet the belie'ers are only first beginning to
grasp and practice it properly: So 7e must ha'e patience if at times it seems a little self0
conscious and rigid in its 7or6ings: /t is because 7e are learning something 'ery difficult but
'ery 7onderfulQho7 to li'e together as a community of Bahs) according to the glorious
teachings:
&<rom a letter dated Octo)er 1N/ 19N1 to an indi"idual )elie"er2
@Hhat 7e find e?pounded in the 7ritings of our aith is the lofty station =ocal Spiritual Assemblies
must attain in their gradual and at times painful de'elopment: /n encouraging these assemblies to attain
this aim) there is no harm in the National Spiritual Assembly mentioning certain minimum reDuirements
from time to time) pro'ided it is clear that non0attainment of such standards) 7hich by their 'ery nature
must be continuously re'ised 7ith changing conditions) do not Bustify the 7ithdra7al of recognition
from any 7ea6 Assemblies: /t 7ould not be profitable therefore for the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice to lay
do7n uni'ersal minimum standards for properly0functioning =ocal Spiritual Assemblies) as these must
necessarily differ from country to country) and e'en from district to district 7ithin the same country in
the process of the e'olution of these Assemblies into Houses of 9ustice) as en'isaged by Bahullh:
@Among the more salient obBecti'es to be attained by the =ocal Spiritual Assembly in its process of
de'elopment to full maturity are to act as a lo'ing shepherd to the Bah floc6) promote unity and
concord among the friends) direct the teaching 7or6) protect the Cause of >od) arrange for easts)
Anni'ersaries and regular meetings of the community) familiariCe the Bahs 7ith its plans) in'ite the
community to offer its recommendations) promote the 7elfare of youth and children) and participate) as
circumstances permit) in humanitarian acti'ities: /n its relationship to the indi'idual belie'er) the
Assembly should continuously in'ite and encourage him to study the aith) to deli'er its glorious
message) to li'e in accordance 7ith its teachings) to contribute freely and regularly to the und) to
participate in community acti'ities) and to see6 refuge in the Assembly for ad'ice and help) 7hen
needed:E
1(3. Prominent People@ Foster Cordial .elations with
@A 'ery important acti'ity 7hich has been pursued effecti'ely in all too fe7 countries) is the underta6ing
by the National Spiritual Assembly of a sustained) planned effort to foster cordial relations 7ith
prominent people and responsible go'ernment officials and to familiariCe them personally 7ith the basic
tenets and the teachings of the aith: Such an acti'ity must be carried out 7ith 7isdom and discretion)
and reDuires the constant attention of a responsible committee as 7ell as periodic re'ie7 by the National
Spiritual Assembly itself: Hhere successful it can effecti'ely forestall opposition to the aith and smooth
the 7ay for many essential aspects of the de'elopment of the Bah community:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ aw+RGJ/ 190N2
1(1. P"blic Fi6"res
@3o approach such 7ell06no7n and important persons is al7ays an e?tremely delicate matter) since it
reDuires a good deal of 7isdom) courage and ability: But those friends 7ho really feel the urge to do so)
and possess the necessary Dualifications) should culti'ate such friendships 7hich) if properly done) can
be of an immense benefit to the Cause: /n any case) ho7e'er) the assistance and help of either the local
or the National Assembly is not only useful but necessary if important contacts of this sort are to be
fruitful and promising: 3he principle of consultation) 7hich constitutes one of the basic la7s of the
Administration) should be applied to all Bah acti'ities 7hich affect the collecti'e interests of the
aith) for it is through cooperation and continued e?change of thoughts and 'ie7s that the Cause can
best safeguard and foster its interests: /ndi'idual initiati'e) personal ability and resourcefulness) though
indispensable) are) unless supported and enriched by the collecti'e e?periences and 7isdom of the
group) utterly incapable of achie'ing such a tremendous tas6:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust 31/ 1933. Bah Ne7s/ o! 09/ pp! 3+N/ o"em)er
19332
1(2. Indi1id"al #embers of the &ocal %pirit"al Assembly %ho"ld Deepen
@5nly as indi'idual members of =ocal Spiritual Assemblies deepen themsel'es in the fundamental
'erities of the aith and in the proper application of the principles go'erning the operation of the
Assembly 7ill this /nstitution gro7 and de'elop to7ard its full potential:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ (u$ust 11/ 19012
1(. #embers of %pirit"al Assembly #"st Face .esponsibilities
@All o'er the 7orld the >uardian is constantly encouraging and enBoining the belie'ers to learn to
function according to Bah la7s and principlesI members of Spiritual Assemblies must learn to face
their responsibilitiesI indi'iduals must learn to turn to them and abide by their decisions: Hhen 7e
realiCe that all marriages) di'orces) disposal of inheritance) etc:) are no7 handled in Egypt and 2ersia
solely through the Assemblies and that the belie'ers abide by their decisions) 7e see that in Hestern
countries the friends still ha'e a long 7ay to goQthe sooner they start the better for themsel'es and for
the aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 10/ 19NN2
I$ ,eetings of Bah Asse&blies0 Attendance0 Resignations
1('. )bli6ation of Assembly #embers to #eet and Dischar6e %acred .esponsibilities
EAfter the formation of the National Spiritual Assembly) la?ity and negligence in the holding of its
meetings) in the coming together of its nine members) and in the discharge of its sacred responsibilities)
7ill ha'e undesirable repercussions in the community) 7ill 7ea6en and disgrace the Cause) 7ill create
chaos and confusion) and 7ill cause the aith to decline and retrogress:E
&<rom a letter written )5 4ho$hi Effendi to the 3entral 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Persia/ (pril LL/ 1931. <eetings of the National Spiritual
Assembly/ ( 3ompilation/ p! 1/ Octo)er 19812
1((. #embership in *ah+,; Assembly or Committee is a %acred )bli6ation4hould Endea"or to
(ttend all 6eetin$s
E:::3he >uardian 7ishes you to ma6e clear to all the belie'ers that membership in a Bah Assembly or
Committee is a sacred obligation 7hich should be gladly and confidently accepted by e'ery loyal and
conscientious member of the Community) no matter ho7 humble and ine?perienced: 5nce elected to
ser'e in a gi'en Assembly a belie'ers duty is to do his utmost to attend all assembly meetings) and
cooperate 7ith his fello70members) unless) ho7e'er) he is pre'ented from doing so by some maBor
reason such as illness) and e'en then he should notify the Assembly to this effect: 3he N:S:A:s duty is to
urge) and also facilitate attendance at assembly meetings: /f a member has no 'alid reason to Bustify his
repeated absence from assembly meetings) he should be ad'ised) and e'en 7arned) and if such 7arning
is deliberately ignored by him) the Assembly 7ill then ha'e the right to suspend his rights as a 'oting
member of the Community: Such administrati'e sanction 7ould seem to be absolutely imperati'e and
necessary) and 7hile not tantamount to a complete e?pulsion of such member from the Cause) depri'es
him of any real participation in its administrati'e functions and affairs) and is thus a most effecti'e
correcti'e measure 7hich the Assembly can use against all such half0hearted and irresponsible
indi'iduals in the Community:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India and ,urma/ Eul5 L/ 1939. I)id!/ p! L2
1(-. !eachin6 #"st be Accorded Precedence 7hen in %ession
EHhen in session it behoo'eth them to con'erse) on behalf of the ser'ants of >od) on matters dealing
7ith the affairs and interests of the public: or instance) teaching the Cause of >od must be accorded
precedence) inasmuch as it is a matter of paramount importance) so that thereby all men may enter the
pa'ilion of unity and all the peoples of the earth be regarded e'en as a single body:::
EShould these souls comply 7ith the prescribed conditions) they shall) indeed) be aided through His
in'isible besto7als: 3his is truly a matter 7hose benefits 7ill be conferred on all men::::E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3he =ocal Spiritual Assembly/ p! 112
1(/. All #eetin6s #"st .e1ol1e Aro"nd )ne Focal CenterTeach
E/f the meetings or Spiritual Assembly has any other occupation) the time is spent in futility: All the
deliberations) all consultation) all the tal6s and addresses must re'ol'e around one focal center and that
is! Teach the 3auseK TeachK TeachK 3on"e5 the 6essa$eK (waken the soulsK
Eothin$ else will )e useful/ toda5::: 3he interests of such a >lorious Cause 7ill not ad'ance 7ithout
undi'ided attention: Hhile 7e are carrying this load 7e cannot carry any other loadLE
&'()du*l+,ah-. Bah <eetings and the "# 8ay east/ p! 92
1(0. Principle on 7hich to Cond"ct the 7or$ of an Assembly
E3here is only one principle on 7hich to conduct the 7or6 of an Assembly) and that is the supremacy of
the 7ill of the maBority: 3he maBority decisions must be courageously adopted and carried out by the
Assembly) Duite regardless of the opinionated adherence to their o7n 'ie7s 7hich any minority may
cling to:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er L1/ 19N1. 3he =ocal Spiritual Assembly/ p! 192
1(2. 7hy %ome &ocal Assemblies do not #eet
E<any =ocal Spiritual Assemblies do not meet) because they do not 6no7 or see 7hat they should meet
about: A compilation on the functions of a =ocal Spiritual Assembly) or the By0=a7s of a =ocal
Assembly 7ill not usually pro'ide the impetus to the members to meet: 5ne of the stipulations of the
i'e Mear 2lan is the desirability for each =ocal Assembly to ha'e local goals: 9ust as there are
international and national goals) there should be local goals for each =ocal Assembly and throughout the
Bah 7orld: 3hese goals) as indicated in our Na70&TC "#+( <essage) can either be adopted
spontaneously by the =ocal Assemblies) or assigned to them by the National Spiritual Assembly: 3he
adoption of a local plan by the =ocal Assembly can e?ert a far0reaching influence on its 7or6 and on the
life of the community:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (frica/ Decem)er LN/ 190@2
1-3. 5ow )ften to #eetThe 4piritual (ssem)l5 6ust Decide
E3he Spiritual Assembly must decide ho7 often it should meet in order to properly handle the affairs of
the Cause under its Burisdiction: 37ice a 7ee6 or t7ice a month is not the point) the point is that it should
be alert and carry on the 7or6 adeDuately:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L3/ 19N9. Bah Ne7s/ (u$ust 19@1/ p! L2
1-1. *ah+,",ll+h,s Promise
EBahullh has gi'en the promise that in e'ery Assembly 7here unity and harmony pre'ail) there His
glorious spirit 7ill not only be present) but 7ill animate) sustain and guide all the friends in all their
deliberations:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the E"anston and Wilmette 4piritual (ssem)lies/ o"em)er 10/ 1933. The #ocal
4piritual (ssem)l5/ p! 1M2
1-2. :ot Possible to 5a1e :on-Assembly #ember in :ational %pirit"al Assembly #eetin6
E:::in the light of the <asters statement that the deliberations of Assemblies must be secret and
confidential) it is not possible to ha'e a non0Assembly member in the National Spiritual Assembly
meeting: Mou must al7ays remember that) in matters of principle) there can be no de'iationI::: Highly
personal subBects) damaging to the honor and happiness of others) are often ta6en up by National
Assemblies) and the danger that confidence 7ill be betrayed is already great enough 7ith the # chosen
representati'es of the 7hole community) let alone introducing non0Assembly members: Mou 7ill Bust
ha'e to ma6e your minutes a little more compact and sacrifice) if necessary) a certain amount of
efficiency in order to follo7 this 'ery important principle:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eul5 @/ 19@1. 3he National
Spiritual Assembly/ p! 192
1-. Distrib"tion of #in"tes of #eetin6s
EHe ha'e your letter:::) regarding distribution of the minutes of your National Assembly meetings to
members of the National Assembly:
E37o principles apply) namely!
": E'ery member of the National Spiritual Assembly is entitled to ha'e access to the minutes of the
National Assembly meetings:
,: 3he National Assembly must ta6e measures to safeguard the confidential nature of many matters
referred to in the minutes:
E/t is 7ithin the discretion of your National Spiritual Assembly to decide 7hat should be done to gi'e
effect to these t7o principles:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of orth East (sia/ 6arch L@/ 19012
1-'. Access to .ecords of the %pirit"al Assembly
E/n reply to your letter of <ay "%th) "#+*) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice instructs us to say that all
members of the Spiritual Assembly are eDual and should ha'e access to the files and minutes of the
Assembly of 7hich they are members: /t is) ho7e'er) 7ithin the discretion of any Spiritual Assembly to
so organiCe its files and records that certain items could be listed as Aconfidential and access to those so
classified could only be had by a specific decision of the Assembly itself:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ireland/ Eune 8/ 190M2
1-(. *"siness Can be Cond"cted with a >"or"m
E:::/t is) as you say) highly desirable for all nine members of a Spiritual Assembly to be present but
business can be conducted 7ith a Duorum of fi'e) pro'ided that all ha'e been properly notified of the
meeting:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ Eune 1N/ 190L2
1--. Assembly >"or"m
EHe ha'e your letter of 9uly ,-) "#*+ as6ing for clarification of Article P///) Section " of the By0=a7s
of a =ocal Spiritual Assembly 7hich appears on 2age "# of the 8eclaration of 3rust:
EA maBority of the members present and constituting a Duorum is sufficient to carry a motion: 3hus) if
only fi'e members of the Assembly are present at a meeting) a maBority 'ote of three is sufficient:
EHo7e'er) Assemblies should ta6e into account the last clause of the first sentence of Section " of
Article P/// reading as follo7s!
:::and 7ith due regard to the principle of unity and cordial fello7ship in'ol'ed in the
institution of a Spiritual Assembly:A
E/n other 7ords) members of a Spiritual Assembly should not ta6e ad'antage of a Duorum as an
e?pedient to pass a motion 7hich 7ould 'iolate the spirit of the abo'e Duoted passage:
EAs your National Assembly has stated) it is desirable that all nine members of a =ocal Spiritual
Assembly be present at e'ery meeting) and 7e hope that you 7ill be able to educate members of
Assemblies to assume their responsibilities in this regard:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ (u$ust M/ 19M02
1-/. D"ties of Assembly #embers
E/n its o7n meetings it must endea'our to de'elop s6ill in the difficult but highly re7arding art of Bah
consultation) a process 7hich 7ill reDuire great self0discipline on the part of all members and complete
reliance on the po7er of Bahullh: /t should hold regular meetings and ensure that all its members are
currently informed of the acti'ities of the Assembly) that its Secretary carries out his duties) and its
3reasurer holds and disburses the funds of the aith to its satisfaction) 6eeping proper accounts and
issuing receipts for all contributions: <any Assemblies find that some of their acti'ities such as
teaching) obser'ance of easts and Anni'ersaries) solution of personal problems) and other duties are
best dealt 7ith by committees appointed by the Assembly and responsible to it::::E
1-0. Abstainin6 Does not Arise in *ah+,; Botin6
E/t is important to realiCe that the spirit of Bah consultation is 'ery different from that current in the
decision0ma6ing processes of non0Bah bodies:
E3he ideal of Bah consultation is to arri'e at a unanimous decision: Hhen this is not possible a 'ote
must be ta6en: /n the 7ords of the belo'ed >uardian! A:::7hen they are called upon to arri'e at a certain
decision) they should) after dispassionate) an?ious and cordial consultation) turn to >od in prayer) and
7ith earnestness and con'iction and courage record their 'ote and abide by the 'oice of the maBority)
7hich 7e are told by the <aster to be the 'oice of truth) ne'er to be challenged) and al7ays to be 7hole0
heartedly enforced:
EAs soon as a decision is reached it becomes the decision of the 7hole Assembly) not merely of those
members 7ho happened to be among the maBority:
EHhen it is proposed to put a matter to the 'ote) a member of the Assembly may feel that there are
additional facts or 'ie7s 7hich must be sought before he can ma6e up his mind and intelligently 'ote on
the proposition: He should e?press this feeling to the Assembly) and it is for the Assembly to decide
7hether or not further consultation is needed before 'oting:
EHhene'er it is decided to 'ote on a proposition all that is reDuired is to ascertain ho7 many of the
members are in fa'our of itI if this is a maBority of those present) the motion is carriedI if it is a minority)
the motion is defeated: 3hus the 7hole Duestion of Aabstaining does not arise in Bah 'oting: A
member 7ho does not 'ote in fa'our of a proposition is) in effect) 'oting against it) e'en if at that
moment he himself feels that he has been unable to ma6e up his mind on the matter:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ 6arch M/ 1901. Consultation! A
Compilation/ p! 1L/ <e)ruar5 19082
1-2. *ah+,;s :ot .eC"ired to Bote A6ainst Consciences
EBahs are not reDuired to 'ote on an assembly against their consciences: /t is better if they submit to
the maBority 'ie7 and ma6e it unanimous: But they are not forced to: Hhat they must do) ho7e'er) is to
abide by the maBority decision) as this is 7hat becomes effecti'e: 3hey must not go around undermining
the assembly by saying they disagreed 7ith the maBority: /n other 7ords) they must put the Cause first
and not their o7n opinions: He Fa Spiritual Assembly memberG can as6 the assembly to reconsider a
matter) but he has no right to force them or create inharmony because they 7ont change: Jnanimous
'otes are preferable) but certainly cannot be forced upon assembly members by artificial methods such
as are used by other societies:E
1/3. )nly 8nder %pecial Circ"mstances is it Permissible to .esi6n from the %pirit"al Assembly
EHith reference to your Duestion 7hether it 7ould be permissible for a belie'er to resign from the =ocal
AssemblyI under special circumstances) such as illness) one may do so) but only after) and ne'er before
one has been elected to the membership of the Assembly: 2ersonal differences and disagreements among
Assembly members surely afford no sufficient ground for such resignation) and certainly can not Bustify
absence from Assembly meetings: 3hrough the clash of personal opinions) as AAbdul0Bah has stated)
the spar6 of truth is often ignited) and 8i'ine guidance re'ealed: 3he friends should therefore not feel
discouraged at the differences of opinion that may pre'ail among the members of an Assembly) for
these) as e?perience has sho7n) and as the <asters 7ords attest) fulfil a 'aluable function in all
Assembly deliberations: But once the opinion of the maBority has been ascertained) all the members
should automatically and unreser'edly obey it) and faithfully carry it out: 2atience and restraint)
ho7e'er) should at all times characteriCe the discussions and deliberations of the elected representati'es
of the local community) and no fruitless and hair0splitting discussions indulged in) under any
circumstances:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 18/ 19392
1/1. Differences of )pinion %ho"ld not Deter )ne from Performin6 5is *ah+,; Acti1ities
ENeedless to say ho7 much he 7as afflicted to learn that you both had offered your resignation from
the :::Spiritual Assembly: or he is con'inced that your action in this matter 7ill ha'e a bad effect on the
rest of the belie'ers) and in this 7ay cause great inBury to the Cause: 8ifferences of opinion) specially
7hen they arise in connection 7ith personalities) should under no circumstances lead any belie'er to
turn his attention from his maBor Bah acti'ities: And 7hat acti'ity can be said to be more 'ital) and
hence of a more 7eighty responsibility than to ser'e in an Assembly) and specially in the capacity of a
Pice0Chairman: Mour responsibilities) in this connection) are indeed manifold) and it 7ould be a pity)
therefore) if you fail in the least to carry them out to the fullest possible e?tent:
EBesides) you can easily realiCe that by resigning from the Assembly you 7ould be encouraging) Duite
unintentionally but through the mere effect of e?ample) your fello70members to ta6e a similar action in
the future if necessary: 3his) of course) cannot but lead e'entually to the disruption of your Assembly)
and 7ould in the meantime greatly detract from the authority and prestige of that body in the eyes of the
public:
E/n 'ie7 of all these) the >uardian 7ould specially appeal to you) to e?ert your utmost in order to
retain your membership in the::: Assembly) and thus put a good e?ample before the friends: Should you
act in this 7ay) Bahullh 7ould undoubtedly assist and strengthen you in o'ercoming the obstacles
7hich) at present) so sadly retard the effecti'e 7or6ing and progress of your Assembly:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 L8/ 193@2
1/2. !here %ho"ld be a Balid .eason for .esi6nation
EAlthough it is highly desirable that all members of the National Assembly attend e'ery meeting of the
Assembly) the fact that a member is pre'ented by business or other circumstances from ha'ing a good
attendance record is not a ground upon 7hich a resignation can be accepted: /t is not Bustified to accept a
resignation or other7ise declare a 'acancy on the National Assembly 7ithout a 'alid reason such as in
the case of prolonged absence or serious illness 7hich pre'ents one from discharging his duties as a
member of the National Assembly:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ o"em)er L0/
19M82
1/. %ho"ld :ational Assembly #embers be .elie1ed of &ocal Assembly %er1iceI
EHe ha'e your letter of April ,$) "#+- raising the Duestion as to 7hether belie'ers elected to both a
=ocal Spiritual Assembly and the National Spiritual Assembly may resign their membership in the =ocal
Assembly and dedicate their full efforts to the 7or6 of the National Assembly:
ENormally those elected to a =ocal Assembly and the National Assembly should ma6e e'ery effort to
ser'e on both bodies) 7hate'er the personal sacrifices may be: /f it is too much of a burden and
impractical for an indi'idual member to assume the responsibilities of ser'ing on both the National and
=ocal Assembly) he should present his case to both bodies) and see6 consultation: Each case should be
considered separately) depending on the circumstances of each member: /t may be found that if a
National Assembly member is an officer of the =ocal Spiritual Assembly) his resignation as officer of the
Assembly) instead of the membership of that Assembly) may sol'e the problem for that indi'idual:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of orth East (frica/ 6a5 0/ 1901. 6ala5sian Bah
Ne7s/ >ol! 8/ o! N/ Decem)er 190L to <e)ruar5 1903/ p! L82
1/'. :ot Appropriate to Elect a !emporary Assembly #ember
EAs regards electing a temporary member to replace one 7ho is absent) the present practice of Bah
Administration is not in fa'or of this but prefers to ascertain the duration of the absence of any member
7ho has to be a7ay: Should this period of time be e?cessi'e it is 7ithin the discretion of the Assembly to
recogniCe a 'acancy and call for a by0election: Ho7e'er this should not be lightly decided and the
members declared elected at the Con'ention should remain in office unless there are insuperable
difficulties 7hich pre'ent it:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 6ala5sia/ Decem)er 11/ 1901. <eetings of the
National Spiritual Assembly/ p! 3/ Octo)er 19812
1/(. :on-Attendance of Assembly #emberso Time #imit <i;ed
E:::it is establishing a dangerous precedent to allo7 Assemblies to put a time limit on non0attendance of
their members at meetings of the Spiritual Assembly beyond 7hich that person is automatically dropped
from the Assembly and a 'acancy declared::: 3here should be no time limit fi?ed by Assemblies beyond
7hich a person is dropped: E'ery case of prolonged absence from the sessions of the Assembly should
be considered separately by that Assembly) and if the person is seen to not 7ant to attend meetings) or to
be held a7ay from them indefinitely because of illness or tra'el) then a 'acancy could legitimately be
declared and a ne7 member be elected:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er. Bah Ne7s/ o! L18/ Eune 19N82
1/-. .epeated@ 8nF"stified Absence Ca"se for %"spension of Botin6 .i6hts
E:::3he National Spiritual Assemblys duty is to urge) and also facilitate attendance at assembly
meetings: /f a member has no 'alid reason to Bustify his repeated absence from assembly meetings) he
should be ad'ised) and e'en 7arned) and if such 7arning is deliberately ignored by him the Assembly
7ill then ha'e the right to suspend his rights as a 'oting member of the Community: Such administrati'e
sanction 7ould seem to be absolutely imperati'e and necessary) and 7hile not tantamount to a complete
e?pulsion of such a member from the Cause) depri'es him of any real participation in its administrati'e
functions and affairs) and is thus a most effecti'e correcti'e measure 7hich the Assembly can use
against all such half0hearted and irresponsible indi'iduals in the Community:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India and ,urma/ Eul5 L/ 1939. 8a7n of a Ne7
8ay/ p! 092
1//. Criticism@ )pposition@ Conf"sion Do not Pro1ide Dro"nds for .esi6nation%anction ,a* Be
Necessar*
EConcerning the Duestion of refusal by certain belie'ers to accept election to an administrati'e post! 3he
>uardian strongly feels that criticism) opposition) or confusion) do not pro'ide sufficient grounds for
either refusal or resignation: 5nly cases of physical or mental incapacity) 7hich) by their 'ery nature) are
e?tremely rare) constitute 'alid reasons for such an act: 3he difficulties and tests in'ol'ed in the
acceptance of administrati'e posts) far from inducing the belie'ers to disassociate themsel'es from the
7or6 of the Cause) should spur them on to greater e?ertions and to a more acti'e participation in the
pri'ileged tas6 of resol'ing the problems that confront the Bah community: 5nly in cases 7here
indi'idual belie'ers) 7ithout any 'alid reason) deliberately refuse the repeated e?hortations) pleas) and
7arnings addressed to them by their Assemblies) should action be ta6en in remo'ing them from the
'oting list: 3his is a measure designed to sustain the institutions of the aith at the present time) and to
insure that the abilities and talents of its) as yet) limited number of supporters are properly consecrated to
its ser'ice::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eanuar5 1@/ 19NL.
,ah-*? ews/ o! 1@L/ p! L/ (pril 19NL2
/$ Ad&inistrati.e Rights0 %anctions0 issi&ulation
1/0. *asis for Depri1ation of Botin6 .i6hts
@3he general basis for the depri'ation of 'oting rights is of course gross immorality and open opposition
to the administrati'e functions of the aith) and disregard for the la7s of personal statusI and e'en then
it is the duty of the National Assembly) before e?ercising this sanction) to confer 7ith the indi'iduals
in'ol'ed in a lo'ing manner to help them o'ercome the problemI second) to 7arn them that they must
desistI third) to issue further 7arnings if the original 7arnings are not follo7edI and finally) if there
seems no other 7ay to handle the matter) then a person may be depri'ed of 'oting rights:
@3he >uardian ho7e'er) 7ishes the National Assemblies to be 'ery cautious in using this sanction)
because it might be abused) and then lose its efficacy: /t should be used only 7hen there seems no other
7ay to sol'e the problem:
@Ans7ering specifically the Duestions you raise) if a person is depri'ed of his 'oting rights) he may not
contribute to the =ocal or National undsI he may not attend Nineteen 8ay easts: 5f course) not
attending the Nineteen 8ay easts) he can ta6e no part in consultation: Hhile it is not forbidden for the
friends to associate 7ith the indi'idual) yet their association should be on a formal basis:
@So far as the indi'idual 7ho has been depri'ed of his 'oting rights) teaching the Cause) he is of
course free to do this) as e'ery indi'idual has been encouraged by Bahullh to teach the Cause:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4outh (merica/ 6arch 0/ 19@@2
1/2. Assembly %ho"ld not Depri1e *elie1er of .i6hts 8nless the #atter Is Bery Dra1e
@As he already told you in a pre'ious communication he feels that your Assembly should not depri'e
people of their 'oting rights unless the matter is really 'ery gra'eI this is a 'ery hea'y sanction) and can
embitter the heart if lightly imposed) and also ma6e people thin6 7e unduly resort to pressure of a strong
nature: 3he friends must be nursed and assisted) for they are still mostly immature spiritually) and their
Asins are those of immaturityL 3heir hearts are loyal to the Cause) and this is the most important thing:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India and ,urma/ (u$ust L/ 19NM2
103. :o *ah+,; Can %wear to *rin6 "p 5is Children in Another .eli6ion nor *e #arried in
Ch"rch as a Christian
@:::As the >uardian pointed out:::) no Bah can conscientiously s7ear to bring up his children in
another religionI and of course he has no right to lieI therefore it becomes impossible for him to ma6e
such a promise on his marriage to a non0Bah: Any Bah doing this should be depri'ed of his 'oting
rightsI and) as he has already made plain before) Bahs 7ho go to the church and are married as
Christians must also of necessity be depri'ed of their 'oting rights:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the European Teachin$ 3ommittee/ 6a5 13/ 193M2
101. Alcoholic *e1era6esThose Who 3ontinue to Drink
@/n the case of a belie'er 7ho continues to ta6e alcoholic drin6s) the Assembly should decide 7hether
the offence is flagrant) and) if it is) should try to help him to understand the importance of obeying the
Bah la7: /f he does not respond he must be repeatedly 7arned and) if this is unsuccessful) he is
subBect to loss of his 'oting rights: /n the case of an alcoholic 7ho is trying to o'ercome his 7ea6ness
the Assembly must sho7 especial patience) and may ha'e to suggest professional counselling and
assistance: /f the offence is not flagrant) the Assembly need ta6e no action at all:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 4eptem)er LM/ 19082
102. Di1orce
@:::no sanctions should be imposed merely because the belie'er has commenced a ci'il action for di'orce
before the e?piration of the year of patience: Ho7e'er) the belie'er 7ill be subBect to sanctions if he
should marry a third party 7ithin the year of patience) not only because it is a 'iolation of the year of
patience itself) but also because e'en though a ci'il di'orce has been granted) the Bah di'orce cannot
be granted until the end of the year of patience: or this reason no marriage is possible during the
running of the year of patience unless the parties to the di'orce re0marry each other again in a ci'il
ceremony:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (laska/ 6arch L9/ 19MM2
10. Ecclesiastical and Political Associations
@:::3he same sanction Fdepri"ation of "otin$ ri$htG should apply to those 7ho persistently refuse to
dissociate themsel'es from political and ecclesiastical acti'ities: 3his is a general principle 7hich is
being maintained throughout the Bah 7orld) and the belie'ers throughout the East are already a7are
of the absolute necessity of refusing any political or <oslem ecclesiastical office:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eanuar5 1@/ 19NL2
10'. Politics@ Participation in
@Mour understanding and attitude regarding participation in politics is correct) namely) you immediately
7arn and Duic6ly remo'e the 'oting rights) as such prompt action is necessary to protect the interests of
the aith:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4outh and West (frica/ o"em)er 1L/ 19M@2
10(. 5omose?"al Acts Condemned by *ah+,",ll+hA
@&egarding the Duestion you as6ed him about one of the belie'ers 7ho seems to be flagrantly a
homose?ualQalthough to a certain e?tent 7e must be forbearing in the matter of peoples moral conduct
because of the terrible deterioration in society in general) this does not mean that 7e can put up
indefinitely 7ith conduct 7hich is disgracing the Cause: 3his person should ha'e it brought to his
attention that such acts are condemned by Bahullh) and that he must mend his 7ays) if necessary
consult doctors) and ma6e efforts to o'ercome this affliction) 7hich is corrupti'e for him and bad for the
Cause: /f after a period of probation you do not see an impro'ement) he should ha'e his 'oting rights
ta6en a7ay: 3he >uardian does not thin6) ho7e'er) that a Bah body should ta6e it upon itself to
denounce him to the Authorities unless his conduct borders on insanity:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada. <essages to Canada/ p! 392
O&4ee also. os! 1LL1+1L312
10-. Immorality@ *latant Acts of
@Any blatant acts of immorality on the part of the Bahs should be strongly censuredI the friends
should be urged to abandon such relationships immediately) straighten out their affairs) and conduct
themsel'es as BahsI if they refuse to do this) in spite of the 7arnings of the Assembly) they should be
punished through being depri'ed of their 'oting rights: 3he N:S:A: is empo7ered to settle such cases of
flagrant immorality 7ithout referring them to the >uardian:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eul5 L1/ 19NM.
2rinciples of Bah Administration/ p! 8@2
10/. Criminal )ffences@ *elie1ers Char6ed with
@He ha'e carefully re'ie7ed your letter of April "$) "#*+ inDuiring about the attitude to be adopted by
your National Assembly regarding belie'ers 7ho ha'e been charged 7ith criminal offences) suspected to
ha'e committed such offences) or con'icted by the court: 3he principle to bear in mind is that each case
falling in any of the aforementioned categories should be considered separately and on its o7n merits:
No hard and fast rule should be applied:
@/f the belie'ers actions conspicuously disgrace the aith and such actions seriously inBure its
reputation) the National Assembly may in its discretion apply the sanction of depri'ation of 'oting
rights:
@He feel that the Assembly should e?ercise its utmost 7isdom 7hen depri'ing belie'ers of their
administrati'e pri'ileges) each case should be considered on its indi'idual merits) and it should be
realiCed that the application of Bah sanctions is not an automatic action in response to a 'erdict of the
court:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4outh and West (frica/ 6a5 3/ 19M0. >uidelines for
=ocal Spiritual Assemblies/ p! 812
100. %ho"ld *e Di1en Chance to Impro1e( #esser 4anction 6a5 ,e (pplied
@&egarding those 7hose conduct is immoral) the matter should first be referred to the =ocal Spiritual
Assembly: Hhether the belie'er is a member of the =ocal Assembly or not) he should be first lo'ingly
e?horted) then 7arned and reDuired to rectify his conduct: /f the conduct of the belie'er does not
impro'e and continues to be a disgrace to the aith) the National Spiritual Assembly may decide merely
to remo'e him from the membership of the =ocal Assembly) if he is a member of it) or to apply the full
sanction of depri'ing him of his 'oting rights) depending upon the circumstances in each case: /t is
impossible and un7ise to lay do7n a general ruling to co'er all circumstances:E
&<rom a letter on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ital5/ Eanuar5 1N/ 19MM2
102. )ne )ffence of Immorality not Eno"6h to Inc"r 5ea1y Penalty
@/n case of immoral conduct one offence is generally not enough to incur this hea'y penalty) but only
after patient counselling and in the face of flagrantly immoral conduct or blatant misbeha'iour should it
be in'o6ed:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of >ietnam/ Eanuar5 11/ 19M02
123. Ci1il #arria6e Ceremony )nly
@::: if a Bah has a ci'il marriage ceremony only) he is subBect to loss of his 'oting rights: /f the
Assembly is satisfied that such a couple is repentant) their 'oting rights may be restored on condition
that they ha'e the Bah ceremony:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of PerG/ Eune L3/ 19M92
121. Parents, Botin6 .i6hts Can be %"spended if Consent is Di1en Contrary to *ah+,; &aw
@/n connection 7ith your Duestion regarding the case of <r: <rs:::: and their daughter) the >uardian
considers that your Assembly did Duite right to depri'e all three of their 'oting rights: 3heir conduct in
carrying out a <oslem marriage in the circumstances set forth by you in your letter) and contrary to
Bah la7) are most reprehensible) to say the least) and if such actions) are not strongly censured by the
Bahs) other friends may be encouraged in moments of 7ea6ness) to err:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ Pakistan and ,urma/ 6arch 11/ 19@12
122. *ah+,; #embership in #asonic@ !heosophical@ .osicr"cian@ and %imilar %ocietiesA
@3he follo7ing t7o principles should help to guide your Assembly in dealing 7ith the problems of
Bah membership in <asonic) 3heosophical) &osicrucian) and similar societies!
F"G ormal affiliation 7ith and acceptance of membership in organiCations 7hose programs or
policies are not 7holly reconcilable 7ith the 3eachings is not permissible to the friends:
F,G 3he friends should not become members of secret societies:
@Mour Assembly is ad'ised to carefully inform the friends of these principles and to deepen them in
their understanding and appreciation of them: Ha'ing made certain that all friends) especially those
directly concerned) ha'e been so deepened) your Assembly should then set a time limit by 7hich the
friends must obey your directi'e to 7ithdra7 their membership in the organiCations: Each case 7ill ha'e
to be considered on its o7n merits: Some of the friends may ha'e to fulfill certain commitments as
officers before they can 7ithdra7 7ith honor: 3he time limit should ma6e allo7ance in such cases:
@Hhereas persistence in membership in these and in similar organiCations is ample ground for
depri'ation of 'oting rights) your Assembly is ad'ised to gi'e sufficient time for each of the friends to
be thoroughly deepened) and to comply 7ith the principles before any disciplinary action is ta6en:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3olom)ia/ Decem)er LM/ 19M32
O&4ee also. QQQ>/ 138N+1N1N2
12. #ental Illness
@&egarding persons 7hose condition Fi:e:) mental conditionG has not been defined by the ci'il authorities
after medical diagnosis) the Assembly on the spot must in'estigate e'ery case that arises and) after
consultation 7ith e?perts) deli'er its 'erdict: Such a 'erdict ho7e'er) should) in important cases) be
preceded by consultation 7ith the National Spiritual Assembly: No doubt) the po7er of prayer is 'ery
great) yet consultation 7ith e?perts is enBoined by Bahullh: Should these e?perts belie'e that an
abnormal case e?ists) the 7ith0holding of 'oting rights is Bustified:E
&<rom a letter of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ 6a5 31/ 193M. Bah Ne7s/ o! 1@3/
Eune 19NL/ p! 1L2
12'. #ental 8nfitness
@&egarding the interpretation of mental unfitness) this is not the same as being physically incapacitated:
By the latter is meant a condition much more serious than any temperamental deficiency or
disinclination to conform to the principle of maBority rule: 5nly in rare cases 7hen a person is actually
unbalanced) and is admittedly pro'ed to be so) should the right of membership be denied him: 3he
greatest care and restraint should be e?ercised in this matter:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ 6a5 1@/ 19N1. Bah
2rocedure/ p! L12
12(. 7ithdrawal of Administrati1e .i6hts from )ne #entally Ill is not a %anction
@3he 7ithdra7al of administrati'e rights from a person 7ho is suffering from a mental illness is not a
sanction) but merely a recognition of the fact that the belie'ers condition renders him incapable of
e?ercising those rights: rom this you 7ill see that the mental incapacity must be 'ery serious for this
step to be ta6en) and 7ould normally be dependent upon a certification of insanity by medical authorities
or confinement in a mental hospital: Again) depending upon the 6ind of mental illness) such suspension
of 'oting rights may or may not in'ol'e non0receipt of Bah ne7sletters) inability to attend Nineteen
8ay easts) etc:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustria/ 6a5 1L/ 198L2
12-. :ational Assembly Can Debar an Indi1id"al from %er1in6 on a &ocal Assembly 7itho"t
.emo1in6 Botin6 .i6hts
@/t is also Duite permissible for a National Spiritual Assembly to debar an indi'idual belie'er from
ser'ing on a =ocal Spiritual Assembly 7ithout remo'ing his or her 'oting rights and they may also debar
a belie'er from attending the consultati'e part of a Nineteen 8ay east: Mou may also debar a belie'er
from 'oting in elections 7ithout imposing all the other administrati'e sanctions in'ol'ed in
administrati'e e?pulsion:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Panama/ Eanuar5 31/ 190L2
12/. Botin6 .i6hts@ )nly :ational Assembly Can Depri1e *elie1ers of
@/n the <inutes of your meeting of <arch "%) "#+" 7e ha'e noted an item on 7hich 7e 7ish to
comment:
@/t concerns your decision to inform the Spiritual Assembly of::: that they can depri'e a belie'er of his
administrati'e rights if they feel that the belie'ers actions merit this: or the present only the National
Assembly may depri'e a belie'er of his administrati'e rights and this authority should not be gi'en to
=ocal Spiritual Assemblies:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 7onduras/ (pril 18/ 19012
120. %tat"s of !hose 7ho &ose Botin6 .i6hts
@Concerning your Duestion as to the status of those indi'iduals 7hom the =ocal Assembly or the
National Spiritual Assembly ha'e considered it necessary to depri'e of the 'oting right and to suspend
from local meetings and gatherings! Such action 7hich =ocal and National Assemblies ha'e been
empo7ered to ta6e against such recalcitrant members) ho7e'er Bustified and no matter ho7 se'ere)
should under no circumstances be considered as implying the complete e?pulsion of the indi'iduals
affected from the Cause: 3he suspension of 'oting and other administrati'e rights of an indi'idual
belie'er) al7ays conditional and therefore temporary) can ne'er ha'e such far0reaching implications)
since it constitutes merely an administrati'e sanctionI 7hereas his e?pulsion or e?0communication from
the aith) 7hich can be effected by the >uardianN alone in his capacity as the supreme spiritual head of
the Community) has far0reaching spiritual implications affecting the 'ery soul of that belie'er:
@3he former as already stated) is an administrati'e sanction) 7hereas the latter is essentially spiritual)
in'ol'ing not only the particular administrati'e relationship of a belie'er to his =ocal or National
Assembly) but his 'ery spiritual e?istence in the Cause: /t follo7s) therefore) that a belie'er can continue
calling himself a Bah e'en though he may cease to be a 'oting member of the community: But in case
he is e?cluded from the body of the Cause by an act of the >uardian he ceases to become a belie'er and
cannot possibly identify himself e'en nominally 7ith the aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 8/ 19392
N 3he function of e?pulsion or e?0communication from the aith is no7 effected by the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice @as supreme spiritual
head of the Community:E
122. :o *ah+,; #arria6e if )ne is Depri1ed of Botin6 .i6hts( ,ah-*? in %ood 4tandin$ 3annot
6arr5 One 4o Depri"ed
@A Bah depri'ed of his 'oting rights cannot be married in a Bah marriage ceremonyI a Bah in
good standing cannot marry a Bah 7ho has lost his 'oting rightsI the marriage of a Bah 7ho has
lost his 'oting rights does not fall 7ithin the Burisdiction of a Bah administrati'e institution:
@/n other 7ords) Bahs 7ho ha'e lost their 'oting rights cannot be constrained to Bah
administrati'e reDuirements although their consciences should lead them to act as closely to the
standards and ordinances of Bah life as possible:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ <e)ruar5 L@/ 190M/ cited )5 the International Teachin$
3enter2
233. 5ea1iest %anction 7e PossessDepri"ation of >otin$ Ri$hts
@:::he feels that all National Spiritual Assemblies should bear in mind that this is the hea'iest sanction 7e
possess at present in the aith) short of e?0communication) 7hich lies 7ithin the po7ers of the >uardian
alone) and is conseDuently a 'ery 7eighty 7eapon to 7ield:
@He considers that under no circumstances should any Bah e'er be suspended from the 'oting list
and depri'ed of his administrati'e pri'ileges for a matter 7hich is not of the utmost gra'ity: By that he
means brea6ing of la7s) such as the consent of parents to marriage) etc:) or acts of such an immoral
character as to damage the good name of the aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ 6arch 3/ 19@@. <essages to Canada/ p!
@12
231. *efore Anyone Depri1ed of Botin6 .i6hts #"st be Di1en .epeated 7arnin6s
@He has informed) some years ago) the American National Spiritual Assembly that) before anyone is
depri'ed of their 'oting rights) they should be consulted 7ith and lo'ingly admonished at first) gi'en
repeated 7arnings if they do not mend their immoral 7ays) or 7hate'er other e?tremely serious
misdemeanor they are committing) and finally) after these repeated 7arnings) be depri'ed of their 'oting
rights:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ 6arch 3/ 19@@. <essages to Canada/ pp!
@1+@L2
232. :o 9"stification %"spension of Botin6 .i6hts Pendin6 In1esti6ation
@3here is no Bustification for the suspension of a belie'ers administrati'e rights pending in'estigation
and re'ie7 of the facts of the matter in 7hich he is in'ol'ed: As 7e ha'e repeatedly stated) the
application of sanctions is a 'ery serious action and should be imposed only in e?treme cases:
urthermore) any decision in'ol'ing a belie'ers administrati'e rights is to be made by action of the
Assembly itself:
@Hhile the Assembly should al7ays be concerned about matters 7hich might affect the good name of
the aith) it should be remembered that a belie'er in'ol'ed in such matters is entitled to the
understanding of the Assembly and may need its guidance and assistance both before and after any
decision regarding sanctions is made:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eul5 1M/ 19M92
23. *elie1er Cannot Escape E?p"lsion by .esi6nation in )rder to *rea$ &aw with Imp"nity
@As you 6no7) a belie'er cannot escape administrati'e e?pulsion by the ruse of resigning from the aith
in order to brea6 its la7 7ith impunity: Ho7e'er) the Assembly should be satisfied that there 7as indeed
such an ulterior moti'e behind the 7ithdra7al: A belie'ers record of inacti'ity and his general attitude
to the aith may 7ell lead the Assembly to conclude that his 7ithdra7al 7as bona fide) e'en though
immediately succeeded by marriage) and in such a case the 7ithdra7al may be accepted:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 6a5 L1/ 19012
23'. Dissim"lation is not 7ithdrawal
@3o deny that one is a Bah 7hile one still belie'es in Bahullh is not 7ithdra7al) it is dissimulation
of ones faith) and Bah la7 does not countenance the dissimulation of a belie'ers faith for the
purpose of brea6ing the la7:
@/f a belie'er 7ho did not li6e a particular la7 7ere to be permitted to lea'e the community to brea6
the la7) and then reBoin 7ith impunity) this 7ould ma6e a moc6ery of the =a7 of >od::: /t is abundantly
clear from his letters that he has continually belie'ed in Bahullh) that he 6ne7 the la7 that marriage
is conditioned on the consent of parents) that he dissimulated his faith in order to be able to brea6 this
la7 7ith impunity: He must) therefore) be regarded as a Bah 7ithout administrati'e rights::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 6a5 1@/ 19M02
23(. I6norance of the &aw
@/n all matters concerning the depri'ation of 'oting rights your Assembly should bear in mind that at the
present time) 7hen Bah la7s are being progressi'ely applied and 7hen a large proportion of the
community consists of ne7ly declared belie'ers) you may accept ignorance of the Bah la7 as a 'alid
e?cuse if your Assembly is fully con'inced that such ignorance e?isted:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Octo)er 11/ 19M@2
23-. Child )"t of 7edloc$
@>enerally) administrati'e rights should not be suspended because of the birth of a child out of 7edloc6:
3he Duestions to be considered are 7hether the party is guilty of blatant and flagrant immorality)
7hether such conduct is harming the aith) and 7hether the belie'er has refused or neglected to impro'e
her conduct despite repeated 7arnings:
@As you no doubt 6no7) depri'ation of administrati'e rights is a 'ery serious sanction) and the belo'ed
>uardian repeatedly cautioned that it should be e?ercised only in e?treme situations: /n a letter 7ritten
on behalf of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice to another National Spiritual Assembly 7hich as6ed similar
Duestions) it 7as pointed out that it 7as the tas6 of the institutions to pro'ide both counsel and education
for the belie'ers) and thereafter it is for the indi'idual Bah to determine his course of conduct in
relation to the situations of his daily life:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ 6arch L3/ 19832
23/. &oss of Botin6 .i6htsIs to )e (dministrati"el5 E;pelled
@A Bah 7ho has lost his administrati'e rights is administrati'ely e?pelled from the community and
therefore is not subBect to the Burisdiction of the Spiritual Assembly in the matter of la7s of personal
status) such as di'orce) unless) of course) he is in'ol'ed in such a matter through ha'ing a Bah spouse
in good standing from 7hom the di'orce is ta6ing place: His obser'ance of such la7s is a matter of
conscience and he 7ould not be subBect to further sanctions for non0obser'ance of Bah la7s during
the period he is 7ithout 'oting rights:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ (pril M/ 198L2
230. Cases In1ol1in6 )nly Ci1il Ceremony
@He ha'e your letter of 5ctober #) "#+" informing us of your action to depri'e::: of his 'oting rights for
'iolation of Bah marriage la7 in that he married 7ithout ha'ing consent of all li'ing parents: /t is
noted that he had a ci'il ceremony and a Catholic ceremony: 3he Duestion you ha'e as6ed deals 7ith
possible restoration of his 'oting rights:
@/n cases in'ol'ing only the ci'il ceremony) 'oting rights may be restored if the Assembly feels that
the belie'er is truly repentant and 7ishes to comply 7ith the Bah la7 pre'iously bro6en: 3he ci'il
marriage ceremony itself is not contrary to Bah la7) and therefore the dissolution of the ci'il marriage
is not a prereDuisite to restoration of 'oting rights: /n such cases the Bah marriage ceremony may ta6e
place if the parents no7 gi'e their consent to the marriage and the Assembly is satisfied that the consent
has been genuinely and freely gi'en and is not conditioned by the fact that the parties ha'e already had a
ci'il ceremony: /n such cases the Assembly 7ould restore 'oting rights immediately before the Bah
ceremony on the condition that it be performed:
@Should::: apply for restoration of his 'oting rights) and should your Assembly feel that he is truly
repentant) you should offer assistance in arranging the other details including helping him to obtain the
consents of parents:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ o"em)er 18/ 19012
232. Botin6 .i6hts .emo1ed #ista$enly or 9"stifiably
@Hhen belie'ers 7ho ha'e been depri'ed of their 'oting rights ha'e mo'ed into the area of Burisdiction
of another National Spiritual Assembly they are under the Burisdiction of that Assembly: Hhen they
apply for the restoration of their 'oting rights that Assembly should correspond 7ith the National
Assembly 7hich applied the sanction in order to obtain the full particulars of the case and also any 'ie7s
the Assembly may ha'e on the matter of restoration: /t is then for the National Assembly in 7hose
Burisdiction the belie'ers are li'ing to decide the matter and ta6e action accordingly:
@/n ans7er to the second Duestion in your letter of "+th <ay "#+*) no hard and fast rule can be laid
do7n: /t can happen) for e?ample) that 'oting rights are remo'ed mista6enly and the incorrect action of
the Assembly is the basis for the belie'ers application for their restoration: /f the 'oting rights ha'e
been remo'ed Bustifiably it is generally sufficient for the belie'er to ta6e the necessary actions to ha'e
them restoredI his application for restoration and compliance 7ith the reDuirements of Bah la7 are
sufficient e'idence of repentance: Ho7e'er) if the Assembly sees that the belie'er does not understand
the reason for the depri'ation and has a rebellious attitude it should endea'our to ma6e the matter clear
to him: /f his attitude is one of contempt for the Bah la7 and his actions ha'e been in serious 'iolation
of its reDuirements) the Assembly may e'en be Bustified in e?tending the period of depri'ation beyond
the time of the rectification of the situationQbut such cases) by their nature) are 'ery rare:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of PerG/ 4eptem)er L1/ 190M2
213. Eo"th@ Disciplinary Action A6ainst
@Hith reference to the Duestion in your second letter as to 7hat disciplinary action can be ta6en against
youth 7ho are not of 'oting age) it must be remembered that the remo'al of his 'oting rights is
administrati'e e?pulsion: /n addition to being depri'ed of his right to 'ote) the belie'er cannot attend
easts or other meetings for Bahs onlyI cannot contribute to the undI or) cannot ha'e a Bah
marriage ceremony: 3he restrictions against 'oting 7ould become operati'e 7hen the young offender
reaches 'oting age:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ (pril 1N/ 19M@2
211. If Acts of Immorality Are :ot Denerally Gnown%ossip
@He feel that each and e'ery case should be re'ie7ed on its o7n merits: /n some cases it is clear that
there is no alternati'e to the remo'al of 'oting rights as in the case of marriage 7ithout the consent of
parents: /n other cases) such as those in'ol'ing fla$rant immoralit5) the remo'al of 'oting rights should
be resorted to only in rare cases: /f the acts of immorality are not generally 6no7n and are disco'erable
only on in'estigation) a serious Duestion is raised as to 7hether this immorality is Aflagrant:
@He realiCe that a great problem is presented by gossip 7hen it occurs in Bah communities) and the
poison it can instill into the relationship bet7een the friends: Ho7e'er) depri'ation of 'oting rights is
usually of little help in such circumstances and should be resorted to only after other remedies ha'e been
tried and failed:
@He thin6 it 7ould be much better for the National Assembly to pro'ide for the proper deepening of
the friends and in a lo'ing and patient manner attempt to instill in them a respect for Bah la7s: &ash
action can dampen the Ceal of the community) and this must be a'oided at all costs:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice written to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4outh and West (frica/ (u$ust L1/ 19M92
212. Comm"nity Attit"de !oward !hose 7ho Are Depri1ed of Botin6 .i6hts
@3he degree to 7hich a community should be acti'e or passi'e to7ards a belie'er 7ho is depri'ed of his
'oting rights depends upon the circumstances in each indi'idual case: 5b'iously) it is desirable that such
a person should come to see the error of his 7ays and rectify his condition: /n some cases friendly
approaches by the Bahs may help to attain thisI in other cases the indi'idual may react more
fa'ourably if left to his o7n de'ices for a time:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ o"em)er 1/ 19032
21. !he Assemblies %ho"ld be &i$e the #aster and the <Dood %hepherd=
@As regards the admittance of ne7 members into the different groups as declared Bahs) and the
e?pulsion of any from the Community! Shoghi Effendi belie'es that the Assemblies should not act
hurriedly: 3hey should be 7ise and most considerate) other7ise they can do much harm to the body of
the Cause: 3hey should see to it that the ne70comer is truly con'ersant 7ith the teachings) and 7hen he
e?presses his beliefs in the re'elation of Bahullh) 6no7s 7hat he is saying and 7hat are the duties he
underta6es:
@5n the other hand 7hen any person is e?pelled) the Assembly should not act hurriedly: 3here is a
great spiritual responsibility attached to the act: 3he Assemblies do not ha'e only rights against the
indi'iduals) they ha'e great duties also: 3hey should act li6e the good Shepherd 7hom Christ mentions
in His 7ell06no7n parable: He also ha'e the e?ample of the <aster before us: 3he indi'idual Bahs
7ere organic parts of His spiritual being: Hhat befell the least one of the friends brought deep affliction
and sorro7 to Him also: /f by chance one of them erred He counselled him and increased His lo'e and
affection for him: 5nly after months of constant attention) if the <aster sa7 that that friend 7as still
stubbornly refusing to reform his 7ays) and that his being among the other Bahs endangered the
spiritual life of the rest) then He 7ould e?pel him from the group: 3his should be the attitude of the
Assemblies to7ards the indi'iduals: 3he best criterion 7hereby you can measure the spiritual attainment
of an Assembly is the e?tent its members feel themsel'es responsible for the 7elfare of the group: And
perchance they feel forced to depri'e a person from his 'ote it should be only to safeguard the rest and
not merely to inflict punishment:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ (pril 11/ 19332
21'. !he *elie1er %o Depri1ed 7ho #a$es an Effort to #end 5is 7ays %ho"ld be 5elped
@3he depri'ation of a persons 'oting rights should only be resorted to 7hen absolutely necessary) and a
National Spiritual Assembly should al7ays feel reluctant to impose this 'ery hea'y sanction 7hich is a
se'ere punishment: 5f course sometimes) to protect the Cause) it must be done) but he feels that if the
belie'er so depri'ed ma6es an effort to mend his 7ays) rectifies his mista6es) or sincerely see6s
forgi'eness) e'ery effort should be made to help him and enable him to reestablish himself in the
Community as a member in good standing:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ 6a5 18/ 19N82
21(. *ah+,;s #"st not Dissim"late their Faith 8nder Any Circ"mstances
@3he Belo'ed >uardian has directed me to 7rite you concerning information 7hich he has Bust recei'ed
of your ha'ing indicated in your application for permanent residence in:::) that you 7ere 2rotestantsQ
and you did not indicate in any 7ay that you 7ere Bahs:
@3he >uardian has instructed me to inform you that he is shoc6ed and surprised to recei'e this ne7s)
and this action meets 7ith his disappro'al: He said that if ad'ance information had been gi'en that such
action must not be ta6en under any circumstancesI then there 7ould be only one thing he could do and
that 7ould be remo'al of 'oting rights:
@Certainly such action in the future 7ould result in immediate remo'al of 'oting rights:
@/n 2ersia) e'en during the period of persecution) 7hen life 7as in danger) and complete freedom
offered to those 7ho indicated they 7ere <uslims and not Bahs) the >uardian not only depri'ed
anyone 7ho did not openly declare his aith of his 'oting rights) but e'en indicated they 7ere Co'enant
brea6ers:
@3hus you 7ill see that it is completely inconsistent for a Bah under any circumstances 7hatsoe'er)
to indicate they are anything but a Bah) regardless of 7hat the result may be:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to two )elie"ers/ (pril 31/ 19@02
21-. %"mmary of the E?tent of Depri1ation of Botin6 .i6hts
@:::5ne 7ho has lost his 'oting rights is considered to be a Bah but not one in good standing: 3he
follo7ing restrictions and limitations apply to such a belie'er!
He cannot attend Nineteen 8ay easts or other meetings for Bahs only) including /nternational
Conferences) and therefore cannot ta6e part in consultation on the affairs of the community:
He cannot contribute to the Bah und:
He cannot recei'e ne7sletters and other bulletins 7hose circulation is restricted to Bahs:
He cannot ha'e a Bah marriage ceremony and therefore is not able to marry a Bah:
He may not ha'e a Bah pilgrimage:
Although he is free to teach the aith on his o7n behalf) he should not be used as a teacher or
spea6er in programs sponsored by Bahs:
He is debarred from participating in administrati'e matters) including the right to 'ote in Bah
elections:
He cannot hold office or be appointed to a committee:
He should not be gi'en credentials F7hich imply that he is a Bah in good standingG:E
&<rom an attachment to a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the etherlands/
Decem)er 9/ 198@2
21/. %"mmary of the .i6hts and Pri1ile6es not Depri1ed
@:::Although generally spea6ing a belie'er depri'ed of his 'oting rights is not restricted e?cept as stated
abo'e) the follo7ing pri'ileges ha'e been e?pressly stipulated as not denied!
He may attend the obser'ances of the nine Holy 8ays:
He may attend any Bah function open to non0Bahs:
He may recei'e any publication a'ailable to non0Bahs:
He is free to teach the aith as e'ery indi'idual belie'er has been enBoined by Bahullh to teach:
Association 7ith other belie'ers is not forbidden:
He may ha'e the Bah burial ser'ice if he or his family reDuests it) and he may be buried in a
Bah cemetery:
Bah charity should not be denied him on the ground that he has lost his 'oting rights:
Bah institutions may employ him) but should use discretion as to the type of 7or6 he is to
perform:
He should ha'e access to the Spiritual Assembly:E
&I)id!2
#$ A--eals
210. .i6ht to and Proced"re for Appeal
@Hhen the =ocal Assembly has gi'en its decision in the matter) you then ha'e the right to appeal) if you
7ish) to the National Spiritual Assembly for further consideration of your case: But before ta6ing such
an action it is your duty as a loyal and steadfast belie'er to 7hole0heartedly and unreser'edly accept the
National Spiritual Assemblys reDuest to enter into Boint conference 7ith your =ocal Assembly: Mou
should ha'e confidence that in obeying the orders of your National Assembly you 7ill not only succeed
in sol'ing your o7n personal problems 7ith the friends) but 7ill in addition set a noble e?ample before
them:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L/ 193@. 3he National Spiritual Assembly/ p! @@2
212. Appeal from &ocal Assembly,s Decision to the :ational Assembly
@Appeal can be made from the =ocal Assemblys decision to the National Assembly) and from the
National Assemblys decision to the >uardian:N But the principle of authority in'ested in our elected
bodies must be upheld: 3his is not something 7hich can be learned 7ithout trial and test:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %erman5 and (ustria/ Eune 31/ 19N92
O&ow to the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice2
223. Infrin6ement of *ah+,; .i6hts
@:::7hene'er there is any infringement of Bah rights) or lapse in the proper procedure) the friends
should ta6e the matter up 7ith the Assembly concerned) and if not satisfied) then 7ith the National
Spiritual Assembly: 3his is both their pri'ilege and their duty:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 11/ 19NL. 3he National Spiritual Assembly/ p! @@2
221. E1ery *ah+,; #ay 7rite Directly to the 8ni1ersal 5o"se of 9"stice@ b"t Appeals %ho"ld be
%"bmitted !hro"6h the :ational %pirit"al Assembly
@/t 7ould seem that your National Assembly has misunderstood the procedure for submitting appeals:
<r: and <rs:::: 7ere Duite correct in sending the appeal to your Assembly and you should ha'e then
for7arded it to the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice together 7ith your comments on the case:
@/t is true) as you state in your letter of ,*th <ay "#+1) that e'ery Bah may 7rite direct to the
Jni'ersal House of 9ustice but this does not apply in the case of appeals 7hich should be submitted
through the National Spiritual Assembly: 5nly if the Assembly fails to for7ard the appeal 7ithin a
reasonable time should the appellant ta6e the case directly to the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice: 3his
process is e?plained in Article P/// of the Constitution of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %erman5/ Eune 10/ 190@2
222. !he Appellant,s .eC"est for .eferral of Appeal to the 8ni1ersal 5o"se of 9"stice Cannot be
.ef"sed
@3he House of 9ustice understands and appreciates your moti'e in stri'ing to contain matters at the
national le'el) and agrees that e'ery effort should be made to resol'e them 7ithout recourse to the Horld
Centre: At the same time) if an appeal is turned do7n by the National Spiritual Assembly) the appellants
reDuest for referral to the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice cannot be refused) nor should the referral be unduly
delayed:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eul5 10/ 19092
22. Committees %ho"ld !a$e 8p !heir Problems with the :ational %pirit"al Assembly
@Committees should first ta6e up their problems 7ith the National Spiritual Assembly and see6 to sol'e
them satisfactorilyI if they are dissatisfied they ha'e the right to appeal to the >uardianN himself: 3he
>uardian 7ill then decide 7hether it is a matter for him to pronounce upon) or if he 7ill refer it bac6 to
the National body:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch L8/ 19N32
O&ow the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice2
@/n the e'ent of a committee member disagreeing 7ith the rest of his fello70members on a particular
issue) he has no right to appeal to the Assembly) but must follo7 the maBority:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er LM/ 19382
L$ B*1La"s
22'. P"rpose of *y-&aws
@3he purpose of the By0=a7s is to clarify and strengthen the administrati'e legal functions of a Bah
community:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eul5 @/ 19@1. Bah Ne7s) o!
L3M/ Octo)er 19@1/ pp! L+32
22(. A *aby Can be Considered a *ah+,;Declaration ($e 1@ for Protection
@:::As a belie'er of "1 cannot 'ote he FShoghi EffendiG sees no reason for including a statement
regarding the age of "1 in the By0=a7s: A baby can be considered a BahI "1 is merely the age of
maturity for fasting) marriage) etc:) and in the case of America) a declaration at that age is in'ited from
the youth in order to protect them) at a future date) from being forced to do acti'e military ser'ice:E
&I)id!2
22-. :ew Eor$ Bersion of *y-&aws #ore Correct
@::: 3he original Ne7 Mor6 By0=a7s are more correct) because they differentiate clearly bet7een all
members of the Community and 'oting members 7ho are ," years of age or more: /n other 7ords
children under "1 are Bahs according to the Ne7 Mor6 'ersion) 7hich is correct) but according to your
'ersion only people o'er "1 years are Bahs 7hich is not correct:::: 3he declaration of faith by children
7hen they reach the age of "1 in the Jnited States is in order to enable the American Mouth to apply for
e?emption) under the American la7s) from acti'e military ser'ice: /t has no other purpose) but in that
country is e?pedient: /t is not necessary to add such a clause to your By0=a7s:
@He 7ishes the essentials to be maintained as per the Ne7 Mor6 By0=a7s) but not amplified and added
to) as this 7ill gradually lead) all o'er the Bah 7orld) to a steady addition of unessential rules and
restrict the freedom and plasticity of the Cause: As he has repeatedly told the American and other
National Assemblies) it is much better to deal 7ith situations and ne7 reDuirements as they arise) and not
to ha'e it all do7n in blac6 and 7hite and rigid before hand:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia and ew Pealand/ (u$ust LL/ 19N9. =etters
from the >uardian to Australia and Ne7 Vealand/ p! 002
22/. #atter of *elief in *ah+,",ll+h not of A1ailability for Participation
@:::all declarants of the age of "1 years or older 7ho Dualify are accepted by your Assembly under the
pro'ision of your By0=a7s are Bahs and should be so registered in local communities or in your
National office: /t is a matter of declaration of belief in Bahullh and not necessarily of a'ailability
for participation 7ith fello7 belie'ers in their community acti'ities:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 6a5 18/ 19M0. National Bah
&e'ie7/ <e)ruar5 19M8/ o! L/ p! 32
220. !he :ational %pirit"al Assembly #"st Defend and 8phold Pro1isions of *y-&aws and
Declaration of !r"st
@:::3he National Assembly :::must at all times 'igilantly uphold) defend) Bustify and enforce the
pro'isions of the 8eclaration of 3rust and By0=a7s 7hich are binding on the Con'ention no less than on
themsel'es: 3he National Spiritual Assembly has the right to lay do7n) enforce and interpret the
National Constitution of the Bahs in that land: /t cannot) if it 7ishes to remain faithful to that
Constitution) lay do7n any regulations) ho7e'er secondary in character) that 7ould in the least hamper
the unrestricted liberty of the delegates to ad'ise and elect those 7hom they feel best combine the
necessary Dualifications for membership of so e?alted a body:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ (u$ust 18/ 19332
222. International 8niformity in the Essentials is to be #aintainedThe #ocal ,5+#aws
@3he >uardian is stri'ing to build up uniformity in essentials all o'er the Bah Horld) and this
freDuently in'ol'es a small measure of delay in achie'ing our 'arious goals set locally: But he considers
it sufficiently important to 7arrant the sacrifices it sometimes in'ol'es:
@/n this connection he 7ould li6e to mention your =ocal By0=a7s! He feels that they should conform
much more closely to the original one of the Ne7 Mor6 Assembly: Hhat is absolutely essential 7as
incorporated in those) and all other =ocal Assemblies being incorporated should follo7 this pattern as
closely as local legal technicalities permit: 3his again is in order to maintain international uniformity in
essentials: /t is not a Duestion here of 7hether the By0=a7s dra7n up by your =egal Committee are not
more up0to0date and do not represent the last 7ord) undoubtedly they are and do) but if e'ery country)
7hen dra7ing up its local By0=a7s) continues this process of elaboration) in the end uniformity 7ill be
lost: 3he Eastern Assemblies ha'e adhered to the original By0=a7s so carefully that they ha'e
practically translated them 7ord for 7ord and adopted them:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia and ew Pealand/ Decem)er 31/ 19N82
23. Decisions of &ocal and :ational Assemblies %"bFect to .e1iew by 5i6her *odyo
3ontradiction in ,5+#aws
@:::<r:::: e?plained that it 7as felt that there is a seeming contradiction bet7een the right of appeal to the
Jni'ersal House of 9ustice and the right of a National Spiritual Assembly to ma6e Afinal decisions on
certain matters as stated in the National Bah Constitution:
@3he House of 9ustice instructs us to e?plain that 7here'er Afinal Burisdiction is gi'en to the =ocal or
National Spiritual Assembly in its constitution there is a balancing pro'ision: or e?ample!
@Article /P of the =ocal Assembly By0=a7s states! A7hile retaining the sacred right of final decision in
all matters pertaining to the Bah community) the Spiritual Assembly shall e'er see6 the ad'ice and
consultation of all members of the community) 6eep the community informed of all its affairs) and in'ite
full and free discussion on the part of the community in all matters affecting the aith: Met) Article /// of
those same =ocal By0=a7s states! A3he Spiritual Assembly) ho7e'er) shall recogniCe the authority and
right of the National Spiritual Assembly to declare at any time 7hat acti'ities and affairs of the Bah
community of::: are national in scope and hence subBect to the Burisdiction of the National Assembly:
And in Article // is stated! A::: the Spiritual Assembly shall act in conformity 7ith the functions of a
=ocal Spiritual Assembly as defined in the By0=a7s adopted by the National Spiritual Assembly:::
@Hith respect to those articles that accord final Burisdiction to the National Spiritual Assembly) there is
the o'erriding pro'ision of Article /O of the National By0=a7s! AHhere the National Spiritual Assembly
has been gi'en in these By0=a7s e?clusi'e and final Burisdiction) and paramount e?ecuti'e authority) in
all matters pertaining to the acti'ities and affairs of the Bah Cause in :::) it is understood that any
decision made or action ta6en upon such matters shall be subBect in e'ery instance to ultimate re'ie7
and appro'al by the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice:
@/t is clear) therefore) that the 7ord Afinal is not used in an absolute sense: /t is) rather) an indication of
the principle enunciated by AAbdul0Bah that the belie'ers should 7hole0heartedly and loyally support
their Assemblies and abide by their decisions) e'en if they see them to be in error: At the same time) the
Assemblies ha'e the duty to lo'ingly and fran6ly consult 7ith those 7ho are under their Burisdiction and)
if a belie'er For =ocal AssemblyG feels that a serious inBustice is being committed or the interests of the
aith are being ad'ersely affected) he has the right of appeal: Hhen an appeal is made) the Assembly
7hose decision is being Duestioned should lo'ingly collaborate in the process and Boin 7ith the appellant
in submitting all rele'ant information to the higher body for decision:
@3he 7hole matter of appeals is clearly summariCed in Articles P// and P/// of the By0=a7s of the
Jni'ersal House of 9ustice:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4pain/ 6arch LN/ 198L2
21. Incorporation Is not :ecessarily &ost by the !emporary Dissol"tion of the &ocal %pirit"al
Assembly
@3he problem posed by an Assemblys being incorporated 'aries from country to country 7ith
differences in the ci'il la7: Ho7e'er) the House of 9ustice as6s us to dra7 to your attention that in many
countries it is only changes in the membership or officers of an incorporated body that ha'e to be
reported to the authorities) and therefore it is not al7ays necessary to report the full membership each
year: 3here ha'e e'en been instances 7here an Assembly has had to be dissol'ed for a period but the
corporation continued to e?ist as far as the ci'il la7 7as concerned:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ Eul5 LL/ 19812
,$ Ne" Belie.ers
22. !he Ca"se of Dod 5as .oom for All
@3he Cause of >od has room for all: /t 7ould) indeed) not be the Cause of >od if it did not ta6e in and
7elcome e'eryoneQpoor and rich) educated and ignorant) the un6no7n and the prominentQ>od surely
7ants them all) as He created them all:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to two indi"idual )elie"ers/ Decem)er 11/ 19NL. 3he /ndi'idual and 3eaching/ p! L@2
2. 4Abd",l-*ah+,s E?ampleurse ew ,elie"er Patientl5
@::: =et him remember the e?ample set by AAbdul0Bah) and His constant admonition to sho7er such
6indness upon the see6er) and e?emplify to such a degree the spirit of the teachings he hopes to instill
into him) that the recipient 7ill be spontaneously impelled to identify himself 7ith the Cause embodying
such teachings: =et him refrain) at the outset from insisting on such la7s and obser'ances as might
impose too se'ere a strain on the see6ers ne7ly0a7a6ened faith) and endea'our to nurse him) patiently)
tactfully) and yet determinedly) into full maturity) and aid him to proclaim his unDualified acceptance of
7hate'er has been ordained by Bahullh: =et him) as soon as that stage has been attained) introduce
him to the body of his fello70belie'ers) and see6) through constant fello7ship and acti'e participation in
the local acti'ities of his community::: =et him not be content until he has infused into his spiritual child
so deep a longing as to impel him to arise independently) in his turn) and de'ote his energies to the
Duic6ening of other souls) and the upholding of the la7s and principles laid do7n by his ne7ly0adopted
aith:E
&4ho$hi Effendi. 3he Ad'ent of 8i'ine 9ustice/ p! @L2
2'. !he !wo E?tremes in *rin6in6 in :ew *ah+,;s
@3he belie'ers must discriminate bet7een the t7o e?tremes of bringing people into the Cause before
they ha'e fully grasped its fundamentals and ma6ing it too hard for them) e?pecting too much of them)
before they accept them: 3his reDuires truly 6een Budgment) as it is unfair to people to allo7 them to
embrace a mo'ement the true meaning of 7hich they ha'e not fully grasped: /t is eDually unfair to
e?pect them to be perfect Bahs before they can enter the aith: <any teaching problems arise out of
these t7o e?tremes:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er LL/ 19N1. Bah Ne7s/ o! LN1/ p! L/ 6arch 19@12
2(. :o )bstacles %ho"ld be Placed *efore Any %o"l
@No obstacle should be placed before any soul 7hich might pre'ent it from finding the truth:
Bahullh re'ealed His directions) teachings and la7s) so that souls might 6no7 >od) and not that any
utterance might become an obstacle in their 7ay:E
&'()du*l+,ah- in the 7ol5 #and answers 9uestions of Dr! Edward 3! %etsin$er in 191@. Star of the Hest/ >ol! M/ o! M/ p! N32
2-. Enrollments@ :ewThose Responsi)le for
@:::3herefore) those responsible for accepting ne7 enrollments must Bust be sure of one thingQthat the
heart of the applicant has been touched 7ith the spirit of the aith: E'erything else can be built on this
foundation gradually:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3entral and East (frica/ (u$ust 8/ 19@0. A Special
<easure of =o'e/ p! L12
2/. !he Process of *ecomin6 a *ah+,; Is an E1ol"tionary )ne
@3he >uardian fully shares your 'ie7 that it 7ould be most un7ise) and unfair to those 7ho apply for
membership in the Community to reDuire that they should at first accept all the la7s of the aith: Such a
reDuirement 7ould be impossible to carry out as there are many la7s in the AADdas 7ith 7hich e'en the
7ell0confirmed and long0standing belie'ers are not yet familiar: As you rightly point out the process of
becoming a Bah is an e'olutionary one) and reDuires considerable time) and sustained effort on the
part of the ne7 belie'er: Such Duestions as the 7ithdra7al from Church membership and that of
abstention from alcoholic liDuors should not be thrust upon the ne7comer) but e?plained to him
gradually) so that he himself may be con'inced of the truth underlying these ordinances of the Cause:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 10/ 19382
20. Admittance Into the FaithEssential Pre+Re9uisites
@/ndeed) the essential prereDuisites of admittance into the Bah fold of 9e7s) Voroastrians) Hindus)
Buddhists) and the follo7ers of other ancient aiths) as 7ell as of agnostics and e'en atheists) is the
7hole0hearted and unDualified acceptance by them all of the 8i'ine origin of both /slm and
Christianity) of the 2rophetic functions of both <u ammad and 9esus Christ) of the legitimacy of the
institution of the /mamate) and of the primacy of St: 2eter) the 2rince of the Apostles: Such are the
central) the solid) the incontro'ertible principles that constitute the bedroc6 of Bah belief 7hich the
aith of Bahullh is proud to ac6no7ledge) 7hich its teachers proclaim) 7hich its apologists defend)
7hich its literature disseminates) 7hich its summer schools e?pound) and 7hich the ran6 and file of its
follo7ers attest by both 7ord and deed:E
&4ho$hi Effendi. 3he 2romised 8ay is Come/ p! 11N2
22. )n *ecomin6 a *ah+,;
@Hhen a person becomes a Bah) he gi'es up the past only in the sense that he is a part of this ne7 and
li'ing aith of >od) and must see6 to pattern himself) in act and thought) along the lines laid do7n by
Bahullh: 3he fact that he is by origin a 9e7 or a Christian) a blac6 man or a 7hite man) is not
important anymore) but) as you say) lends color and charm to the Bah community in that it
demonstrates unity in di'ersity:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 1L/ 19N9. Bah Ne7s/ o! L@1/ p! L/ Eanuar5 19@L2
2'3. 7arnin6 to E1ery *e6inner in the Faith
@/ consider it my duty to 7arn e'ery beginner in the aith that the promised glories of the So'ereignty
7hich the Bah teachings foreshado7) can be re'ealed only in the fulness of time) that the implications
of the ADdas and the Hill of AAbdul0Bah) as the t7in repositories of the constituent elements of that
So'ereignty) are too far0reaching for this generation to grasp and fully appreciate: / cannot refrain from
appealing to them 7ho stand identified 7ith the aith to disregard the pre'ailing notions and the fleeting
fashions of the day) and to realiCe as ne'er before that the e?ploded theories and the tottering institutions
of present0day ci'iliCation must needs appear in sharp contrast 7ith those >od0gi'en institutions 7hich
are destined to arise upon their ruin:E
&4ho$hi Effendi. 3he Horld 5rder of Bahullh/ p! 1M2
2'1. :ot %"fficient to Accept %ome Aspects of !eachin6s and .eFect )thers
@:::3he belie'ers) and particularly those 7ho ha'e not had sufficient e?perience in teaching) should be
'ery careful in the 7ay they present the teachings of the Cause: Sincerity) de'otion and faith are not the
sole conditions of successful teaching: 3actfulness) e?treme caution and 7isdom are eDually important:
He should not be in a hurry 7hen 7e announce the message to the public and 7e should be careful to
present the teachings in their entirety and not to alter them for the sa6e of others: Allegiance to the aith
cannot be partial and half0hearted: Either 7e should accept the Cause 7ithout any Dualification
7hate'er) or cease calling oursel'es Bahs: 3he ne7 belie'ers should be made to realiCe that it is not
sufficient for them to accept some aspects of the teachings and reBect those 7hich cannot suit their
mentality in order to become fully recogniCed and acti'e follo7ers of the aith: /n this 7ay all sorts of
misunderstandings 7ill 'anish and the organic unity of the Cause 7ill be preser'ed:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 1L/ 1933. Bah Ne7s/ o! 81/ p! @/ Eanuar5 193N2
2'2. 7hen Enrollin6 :ew *elie1ers@ #"st be 7ise and Dentle
@Hhen enrolling ne7 belie'ers) 7e must be 7ise and gentle) and not place so many obstacles in their
7ay that they feel it impossible to accept the aith: 5n the other hand) once accorded membership in the
Community of the follo7ers of Bahullh) it must be brought home to them that they are e?pected to
li'e up to His 3eachings) and to sho7 forth the signs of a noble character in conformity 7ith His =a7s:
3his can often be done gradually) after the ne7 belie'er is enrolled:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ,ritish ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eune L@/ 19@3. 3eaching the <asses/ p! M2
2'. If .eC"irements to Enroll #ade !oo .i6oro"s@ 7ill Cool )ff Initial Enth"siasm
@:::/f 7e ma6e the reDuirements too rigorous) 7e 7ill cool off the initial enthusiasm) rebuff the hearts
and cease to e?pand rapidly: 3he essential thing is that the candidate for enrollment should belie'e in his
heart in the truth of Bahullh: Hhether he is literate or illiterate) informed of all the 3eachings or not)
is beside the point entirely: Hhen the spar6 of faith e?ists the essential <essage is there) and gradually
e'erything else can be added unto it:::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4outh and West (frica/ Eul5 9/ 19@0. 3eaching the
<asses/ p! 1L2
2''. A *ah+,; #"st be 7holly a *ah+,;J #"st not be Ins"lar
@::: the 'ery essence of the reason a person has accepted Bahullh is that he has decided this Hay
alone is the solution to the absolutely hopeless problems facing humanity: A Bah must be 7holly a
Bah) concentrate on the 7or6 of the Cause) and put aside from his mind the distracting influences that
scream at him from e'ery ne7spaper these days: Naturally) this does not mean he must be insular) it
means he must concentrate more consciously on doing the 7or6 of the CauseLE
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ o"em)er L3/ 19@1. :nited 4tates
4upplement to Bah Ne7s/ o! 8L/ p! @/ Decem)er 19MN2
2'(. A !r"e *ah+,; %ho"ld 9"stify his Claim to be a *ah+,;
@3hey should Bustify their claim to be Bahs by deeds and not by name:::
@He is a true Bah 7ho stri'es by day and by night to progress along the path of human endea'or)
7hose cherished desire is so to li'e and act as to enrich and illumine the 7orldI 7hose source of
inspiration is the essence of 8i'ine 2erfection) 7hose aim in life is to conduct himself so as to be the
cause of infinite progress: 5nly 7hen he attains unto such perfect gifts can it be said of him that he is a
Bah:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Bah &e'elation/ p! L8@2
2'-. !he Primary .eason for *ecomin6 a *ah+,;
@3he primary reason for anyone becoming a Bah must of course be because he has come to belie'e
the doctrines) the teachings and the 5rder of Bahullh are the correct thing for this stage in the
7orlds e'olution: 3he Bahs themsel'es as a body ha'e one great ad'antage! 3hey are sincerely
con'inced Bahullh is rightI they ha'e a planI and they are trying to follo7 it: But to pretend they are
perfect) that the Bahs of the future 7ill not be a hundred times more mature) better balanced) more
e?emplary in their conduct) 7ould be foolish:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 @/ 19N0. 3eaching Hor6 Among the <asses/ p! L2
2'/. Plo"6hin6 8p the %oil of the 5eart
@Hhen a person becomes a Bah) actually 7hat ta6es place is that the seed of the spirit starts to gro7
in the human soul: 3his seed must be 7atered by the outpourings of the Holy Spirit: 3hese gifts of the
spirit are recei'ed through prayer) meditation) study of the Holy Jtterances and ser'ice to the Cause of
>od: 3he fact of the matter is that ser'ice in the Cause is li6e the plough 7hich ploughs the physical soil
7hen seeds are so7n: /t is necessary that the soil be ploughed up) so that it can be enriched) and thus
cause a stronger gro7th of the seed: /n e?actly the same 7ay the e'olution of the spirit ta6es place
through ploughing up the soil of the heart so that it is a constant reflection of the Holy Spirit: /n this 7ay
the human spirit gro7s and de'elops by leaps and bounds:
@Naturally there 7ill be periods of distress and difficulty) and e'en se'ere testsI but if that person turns
firmly to7ard the di'ine <anifestation) studies carefully His spiritual teachings and recei'es the
blessings of the Holy Spirit) he 7ill find that in reality these tests and difficulties ha'e been the gifts of
>od to enable him to gro7 and de'elop:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er M/ 19@N. =i'ing the =ife/ pp! 18+192
2'0. :ew *elie1ers #"st not be &eft to !heir )wn De1ices
@After declaration) the ne7 belie'ers must not be left to their o7n de'ices: 3hrough correspondence and
dispatch of 'isitors) through conferences and training courses) these friends must be patiently
strengthened and lo'ingly helped to de'elop into full Bah maturity: 3he belo'ed >uardian referring to
the duties of Bah Assemblies in assisting the ne7ly declared belie'er has 7ritten! A:::the members of
each and e'ery Assembly should endea'our) by their patience) their lo'e) their tact and 7isdom) to nurse)
subseDuent to his admission) the ne7comer into Bah maturity) and 7in him o'er gradually to the
unreser'ed acceptance of 7hate'er has been ordained in the 3eachings: E
&<rom a letter written )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Eul5 13/ 19MN. Hellspring of >uidance/ pp!
3L+332
2'2. Deepenin6 the %pirit"al &ife of the Indi1id"al *elie1ers
@Abo'e all) the duty of deepening the spiritual life of your ne7ly0enrolled co07or6ers is paramount) for
the fate of the entire community depends upon the indi'idual belie'ers: Hithout the 7hole0hearted
support of each and e'ery one of the friends) e'ery measure adopted) no matter ho7 7ell thought out) is
fore0doomed to failure: /t is the indi'idual belie'ers 7ho must maintain the =ocal Assemblies) and the
centres already 7on at the cost of such great sacrifice: /t is they 7ho must) afire 7ith the lo'e of
Bahullh) go forth to further broaden the base of administrati'e acti'ity by forming ne7 Assemblies
and implanting the standard of Bahullh in ne7 localitiesI 7ho must arise in response to the call to
tra'el to the remote outposts of the aith and push bac6 the frontiersI and 7ho must) through your 7ise
and lo'ing guidance) become your collaborators in carrying out your >od0gi'en mission:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ (u$ust 1N/ 19M8. National Bah
&e'ie7/ o! 11/ p! 1/ 11RM8. <essages from 3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice/ 19M8+1903/ p! 1M2
2(3. Assemblies and Committees #"st Enable *elie1ers to Carry Forth #essa6e of Dod
@No7 that they ha'e erected the administrati'e machinery of the Cause they must put it to its real useQ
ser'ing only as an instrument to facilitate the flo7 of the spirit of the aith out into the 7orld: 9ust as the
muscles enable the body to carry out the 7ill of the indi'idual) all Assemblies and Committees must
enable the belie'ers to carry forth the message of >od to the 7aiting public) the lo'e of Bahullh) and
the healing la7s and principles of the aith to all men:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 M/ 19NL2
2(1. If )ne Desires to *ecome a *ah+,;@ 5is Past %ho"ld not be 5eld A6ainst 5im
@3he >uardian does not feel that) if a person has approached this Cause and desires to become a Bah)
and is determined to change his 7ay of life) his past should be held against him: Hhere 7ould
forgi'eness be if e'ery prospecti'e Bah 7as Budged by his pastS But once a Bah) a change of life is
e?pected and hoped for) and the friends must help people to change:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune L9/ 19@12
@Also there is no reason 7hy a prisoner should not be accepted as a declared belie'er on the same
basis as anybody else: 3hey are no7 e?piating their crime against society) and) if their hearts ha'e
changed) and they accept the Cause) there is no reason 7hy they should be e?cluded from membership:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 7onolulu/ (pril L3/ 19@@2
2(2. Con1ert Ad1ised :ot to *ecome Alienated from Parents
@/t made him 'ery happy to 6no7 of the recent confirmation of your young 9e7ish friend) and of her
earnest desire to ser'e and promote the aith: He 7ill certainly pray on her behalf that she may)
not7ithstanding the opposition of her parents and relati'es) increasingly gain in 6no7ledge and in
understanding of the 3eachings) and become animated 7ith such a Ceal as to arise) and bring into the
Cause a large number of her former co0religionists:
@Jnder no circumstances) ho7e'er) should she allo7 her parents to become completely alienated from
her) but it is her bounden duty to stri'e) through patient) continued and lo'ing effort) to 7in their
sympathy for the aith) and e'en perhaps) to bring about their confirmation) ho7e'er deep0rooted their
attachment to the 9e7ish aith may be:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 M/ 19382
2(. Assembly %ho"ld not Pre1ent Enrollment of Persons 7ith >"estionable #oralsWhen
(ccepted ew Enrollees 4hould 7enceforth 3onduct Themsel"es (s ,ah-*?s
@3he young lady in Duestion should be ad'ised by you or the belie'er 7ith 7hom she has been studying
that the decision as to 7hether or not she 7ishes to enroll in the aith rests 7ith her and her alone: Mour
Assembly should not pre'ent her from enrolling should she so decide) but if she does apply for
membership in the community) she ob'iously should understand that she 7ill be e?pected to conduct
herself as a Bah by adBusting her relationship to the man 7ith 7hom she is presently li'ing: 3his
means that either they must become legally married or she should se'er the e?isting relationship
bet7een them:
@Mour =ocal Spiritual Assembly is responsible to guide and assist this young lady) including helping
her to obtain 7hate'er 7elfare and legal assistance may be a'ailable from State or ederal sources:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a #ocal 4piritual (ssem)l5/ (pril N/ 19002
2('. #ay be )ccasions 7hen Enrollment #"st be Postponed
@3here may be occasions 7hen an enrollment must be postponed) as in the case of someone holding a
political post) unless that person is able and can) in good conscience) resign from such a post
immediately: 5ther cases may permit acceptance but indicate a need for fi?ing a time 7hen the
indi'idual 7ill be reDuired to conform to certain la7s) such as membership in the <asonic 5rder)
church) or other ecclesiastical organiCations: Still other times an indi'idual may be encouraged to
become better acDuainted 7ith the spirit) la7s) and principles of the aith before submitting his
application: Ho7e'er) the >uardian has cautioned us not to be too rigid in our reDuirements for
accepting ne7 belie'ers or to place hindrances in their 7ay: 3he Duestion of conforming ones character
and the pattern of ones life to the standards of conduct upheld in the Bah 7ay of life is a matter
7hich should be inculcated in the ne7 belie'er in the course of his spiritual education and deepening:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 13/ 19092
2((. >"alifications of a *elie1er
@&egarding the 'ery delicate and comple? Duestion of ascertaining the Dualifications of a true belie'er) /
cannot in this connection emphasiCe too strongly the supreme necessity for the e?ercise of the utmost
discretion) caution and tact) 7hether it be in deciding for oursel'es as to 7ho may be regarded a true
belie'er or in disclosing to the outside 7orld such considerations as may ser'e as a basis for such a
decision: / 7ould only 'enture to state 'ery briefly and as adeDuately as present circumstances permit
the principal factors that must be ta6en into consideration before deciding 7hether a person may be
regarded a true belie'er or not: ull recognition of the station of the orerunner) the Author) and the 3rue
E?emplar of the Bah Cause) as set forth in AAbdul0Bahs 3estamentI unreser'ed acceptance of) and
submission to) 7hatsoe'er has been re'ealed by their 2enI loyal and steadfast adherence to e'ery clause
of our Belo'eds sacred HillI and close association 7ith the spirit as 7ell as the form of the present day
Bah administration throughout the 7orldQthese / concei'e to be the fundamental and primary
considerations that must be fairly) discreetly and thoughtfully ascertained before reaching such a 'ital
decision::::E
&4ho$hi Effendi. Bah Administration/ p! 912
2(-. !he Process of Acceptance Baries4ta$e of 3on"iction Important
@3he process by 7hich a ne7 belie'er reaches this stage of acceptance 'aries according to his indi'idual
capacity: /n some societies) for e?ample) most belie'ers must go through all sorts of intellectual
processes and a re0orientation of their thin6ing before coming to this acceptance: /n a primiti'e society
the ne7 belie'er may reach this stage of con'iction Duite easily and directly: 3he stage of con'iction is
the important thing) and not the method by 7hich he arri'es at this con'iction:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ o"em)er 9/ 19M32
2(/. Declarants :eed :ot Gnow All the Proofs4park of <aith
@:::3hose 7ho declare themsel'es as Bahs should become enchanted 7ith the beauty of the 3eachings)
and touched by the lo'e of Bahullh: 3he declarants need not 6no7 all the proofs) history) la7s) and
principles of the aith) but in the process of declaring themsel'es they must) in addition to catching the
spar6 of faith) become basically informed about the Central igures of the aith) as 7ell as the e?istence
of la7s they must follo7 and an administration they must obey:E
&<rom a messa$e from the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Eul5 13/ 19MN. 3eaching the <asses/ p! L2
2(0. Acceptance of :ew *elie1ers &eft to Discretion of Assembly
@As regards the accepting of ne7 belie'ers) it is for the National Spiritual Assembly to decide the
appropriate procedure to be follo7ed: Naturally) 7hen there is a firmly established =ocal Spiritual
Assembly) as in Bombay) the National Assembly 7ill normally endorse the =ocal Assemblys decision
unless there is a particular reason to Duery it in any specific case: Ho7e'er) in the case of declarations
from an area 7here there is no =ocal Assembly) or 7here the Assembly is ha'ing difficulty in
functioning) the National Spiritual Assembly itself 7ill ha'e to decide 7hether to accept them) basing its
decision on the 'ie7s of such teaching committee) indi'iduals or neighbouring =ocal Spiritual
Assembly) as it may feel necessary:
@He ha'e noted that you ha'e ad'ised the =ocal Spiritual Assemblies to meet ne7 belie'ers at the time
of their enrollment in the aith: Hhile it 7ould be desirable for ne7 belie'ers to become acDuainted 7ith
the elected members of their community) this should not be a reDuirement for acceptance of the ne7
belie'er in the community:
@/t is entirely 7ithin the discretion of your National Assembly to set up proper procedures for enrolling
belie'ers in accordance 7ith the reDuirements of the areas under your Burisdiction) bearing in mind that
7here there are local Assemblies it 7ould be preferable to enroll ne7 belie'ers in their area of
Burisdiction through the =ocal Assembly:E
&E;tracts from letters written )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice on this su)=ect cited in a letter to an indi"idual )elie"er/ dated <e)ruar5 L8/
19032
2(2. #ental Instability 5as no *earin6 8pon Acceptance of an Enrollment
@/n response to your letter of "" <arch "#$") con'eying the Duestion of one of your =ocal Spiritual
Assemblies about the enrollment of indi'iduals 7ho are mentally incompetent) drug users) alcoholics)
etc:) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice as6s us to con'ey the follo7ing:
@3he acceptance of a person into the Bah community should be based not on 7hether he is leading
an e?emplary life) but on 7hether the Assembly is reasonably certain that he is sincere in his declaration
of faith in Bahullh and that he 6no7s of the la7s 7hich 7ould affect his personal conduct) so that he
does not enter the community under a misapprehension: 3he Duestion of mental instability has no
bearing upon the acceptance of an enrollment unless it is of such a nature that it affects the ability of the
declarant to Budge 7hether or not he belie'es in Bahullh:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the 7awaiian Islands/ (pril 19/
19812
2-3. In !hese %pecial Cases@ %teps %ho"ld be !a$en to Deepen their 8nderstandin6
@Concerning the acceptance into the aith of indi'iduals 7ho ha'e mental problems or are drug addicts)
etc:) the House of 9ustice instructs us to say that if the Assembly is satisfied that the person is sufficiently
in command of his faculties to understand 7hat his declaration of faith implies) he may be accepted as a
belie'er: /n other 7ords you should apply the normal guidelines of acceptance of ne7 belie'ers: /n such
cases) ho7e'er) you may ha'e to ensure that special steps are ta6en to deepen the understanding of the
ne7 Bah: A drug addict or alcoholic should) of course) be told that the ta6ing of drugs and alcohol is
strictly forbidden in Bah la7) and he 7ill ha'e to do 7hate'er is necessary to brea6 himself of the
addiction: Mou may find it necessary and helpful to put him in touch 7ith organiCations 7hich specialiCe
in helping such cases: /f a case is se'ere you may ha'e to 7arn the person that if he does not o'ercome
this problem 7ithin a reasonable time you may ha'e to consider depri'ing him of his 'oting rights:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustria/ 6a5 1L/ 198L2
2-1. Declaration of Faith :ormally Accepted from !hose &i1in6 in Immoral %it"ation or from
#ember of an )r6aniHation not PermissibleTo ,e %i"en Time to Rectif5 4ituation
@/n the case of people 7ho accept the aith 7hile li'ing in a situation 7hich is not morally acceptable) or
7hile being a member of an organiCation to 7hich it is not permissible for a Bah to belong) the
normal procedure is for the Assembly to accept the declaration of faith so that the ne7 belie'er may
become a member of the Bah community and his ne7ly0born belief in Bahullh can be nurtured)
and at the same time for the Assembly to e?plain that his situation is one that he must change 7ithin a
reasonable time: /f the belie'er does not rectify his situation as a result of the Assemblys e?hortations
and assistance) and follo7ing due 7arnings 7hen the time limit e?pires) the Assembly 7ould ha'e to
consider depri'ing him of his administrati'e rights: /t may 7ell be) ho7e'er) that in a particular case) it
is preferable to e?plain the matter to the indi'idual concerned and ad'ise the postponement of the
registration of his acceptance of the aith until such time as he has been able to rectify his situation: 3his
has happened) for e?ample) in some countries 7here a person 7ho holds a prominent political post has
accepted the aith and needs to complete his term of office before being able to 7ithdra7 honourably
from politics:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 18/ 198@2
2-2. Children are Accepted as *ah+,;s .e6ardless of A6e
@:::if the non0Bah parents of a youth under fifteen permit their child to be a Bah) 7e ha'e no
obBection 7hatsoe'er from the point of 'ie7 of our 3eachings to permitting such a youth to declare as a
Bah) regardless of age: Hhen he declares his faith in Bahullh) he 7ill then be accepted in the
community and be treated as other Bah children:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of El 4al"ador/ Decem)er 1N/ 19012
2-. Prisoners@ Declarations from
@He ha'e your letter of "*th No'ember) "#*# inDuiring about the status of Bahs 7ho are imprisoned
and 7hether it is permissible to enroll prisoners 7ho 7ish to Boin the aith:
@Mou are free to accept declarations of faith from inmates of a prison) but their participation as 'oting
belie'ers can ta6e place only after they ha'e been discharged from prison: 3he fact of ha'ing been in
prison does not depri'e a Bah from e?ercising his 'oting rights 7hen he is released and there is no
need for a probationary period: Ho7e'er) if there is some other factor 7hich 7ould indicate to the
National Assembly that in a particular case the 'oting rights should be suspended) the National
Assembly may then e?ercise its discretion:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the 4outh Pacific Ocean/ Decem)er 8/ 19M92
2-'. %i6nat"re on Card is to %atisfy Administrati1e .eC"irementsThere is a Difference ,etween
3haracter and <aith
@Mou ha'e as6ed if the mere declaration of faith by a ne7comer suffices to recogniCe him as a Bah)
and 7hether li'ing the Bah life should not be regarded as the basis of admission into the aith: Mou
should bear in mind that the signature on a card) in the sense that it represents a record of the date of the
declaration and data about the declarant) is to satisfy administrati'e reDuirements enabling the
enrollment of the ne7 belie'er in the community: 3he deeper implications of the act of declaration of
faith are bet7een the indi'idual and >od: Shoghi Effendi has made se'eral statements on this important
subBect) and 7e ha'e been as6ed to share 7ith you the follo7ing t7o e?cerpts from letters 7ritten on his
behalf to indi'idual belie'ers!
A3here is a difference bet7een character and faithI it is often 'ery hard to accept this fact and
put up 7ith it) but the fact remains that a person may belie'e in and lo'e the CauseQe'en to
being ready to die for itQand yet not ha'e a good personal character) or possess traits at
'ariance 7ith the teachings: He should try to change) to let the 2o7er of >od help recreate
us and ma6e us true Bahs in deed as 7ell as in belief: But sometimes the process is slo7)
sometimes it ne'er happens because the indi'idual does not try hard enough: But these
things cause us suffering and are a test to us in our fello70belie'ers) most especially if 7e
lo'e them and ha'e been their teacherL
A3he process of becoming a Bah is necessarily slo7 and gradual: 3he essential is not
that the beginner should ha'e a full and detailed 6no7ledge of the Cause) a thing 7hich is
ob'iously impossible in the 'ast maBority of cases) but that he should) by an act of his o7n
7ill) be 7illing to uphold and follo7 the truth and guidance set forth in the 3eachings) and
thus open his heart and mind to the reality of the <anifestation: E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 0/ 190N. Bah Ne7s of India/ p! L/
Eul5R(u$ust/ 190N2
2-(. Enrolment Cardot a :ni"ersal Re9uirement
@3here is no reDuirement in Bah administration for a ne7 belie'er to sign an enrolment card: /t is for
each National Spiritual Assembly to decide) in the light of conditions in the territory under its
Burisdiction) ho7 it 7ishes a declaration of faith to be made: or a number of reasons it has been found
in most countries that an enrolment card is a simple and useful 7ay of registering ne7 belie'ers) but this
is not a uni'ersal reDuirement::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %erman5/ Octo)er L8/ 190@2
2--. D"ty of Assembly to :ewly Enrolled *elie1er
@Abo'e all) the utmost endea'our should be e?erted by your Assembly to familiariCe the ne7ly enrolled
belie'ers 7ith the fundamental and spiritual 'erities of the aith) and 7ith the origins) the aims and
purposes) as 7ell as the processes of a di'inely appointed Administrati'e 5rder) to acDuaint them more
fully 7ith the history of the aith) to instil in them a deeper understanding of the Co'enants of both
Bahullh and of AAbdul0Bah) to enrich their spiritual life) to rouse them to a greater effort and a
closer participation in both the teaching of the aith and the administration of its acti'ities) and to inspire
them to ma6e the necessary sacrifices for the furtherance of its 'ital interests: or as the body of the
a'o7ed supporters of the aith is enlarged) and the basis of the structure of its Administrati'e 5rder is
broadened) and the fame of the rising community spreads far and 7ide) a parallel progress must be
achie'ed) if the fruits already garnered are to endure in the spiritual Duic6ening of its members and the
deepening of their inner life:E
&Postscript )5 the %uardian to a letter written on his )ehalf to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ Eune LM/ 19@M. <essages to
Canada/ pp! M1+ML2
N$ The Belie.ers Relationshi- "ith the Asse&blies
2-/. *ein6 a *ah+,; Essentially an Inner !hin6
@/t is good for the Bahs to learn that being a Bah is essentially an inner thing) or 7ay of life) and
not dependent on fi?ed patterns: /mportant as our organiCed institutions are) they are not the aith itself:
3he strength of the Cause gro7s no matter ho7 much disrupted its acti'ities may temporarily be: 3his
7e see o'er and o'er again) in lands 7here the aith has been temporarily bannedI at times 7hen the
belie'ers are persecuted and e'en 6illedI 7here they are ser'ing all alone or scattered and isolated::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the Pro$ram 3ommittee of %e5ser"ille/ o"em)er 11/ 19@1. Bah Ne7s/ o! L@0/ p!
N/ Eul5 19@L2
2-0. %ho"ld 5a1e .espect for :ational and &ocal Assemblies
@He should respect the National Spiritual Assembly and the =ocal Spiritual Assembly because they are
institutions founded by Bahullh: /t has nothing to do 7ith personality) but is far abo'e it: /t 7ill be a
great day 7hen the friends) on and off the Assemblies) come to fully grasp the fact that it is not the
indi'iduals on an Assembly 7hich is important) but the Assembly as an institution:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 0/ 19N9. 3he National Spiritual Assembly/ p! 192
2-2. !his Dreat PriHe@ !his Dift of Dod#ocal 4piritual (ssem)l5
@::: 3he friends are called upon to gi'e their 7hole0hearted support and cooperation to the =ocal
Spiritual Assembly) first by 'oting for the membership and then by energetically pursuing its plans and
programmes) by turning to it in time of trouble or difficulty) by praying for its success and ta6ing delight
in its rise to influence and honour: 3his great priCe) this gift of >od 7ithin each community must be
cherished) nurtured) lo'ed) assisted) obeyed and prayed for:E
&<rom the aw+RGJ 6essa$e of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ 190N2
2/3. Assembly is a :ascent 5o"se of 9"sticeHIndi"iduals Toward Each Other %o"erned )5 #o"e/
:nit5/ etc!
@::: 3here is a tendency to mi? up the functions of the Administration and try to apply it in indi'idual
relationships) 7hich is aborti'e) because the Assembly is a nascent House of 9ustice and is supposed to
administer) according to the 3eachings) the affairs of the community: But indi'iduals to7ard each other
are go'erned by lo'e) unity) forgi'eness and a sin0co'ering eye: 5nce the friends grasp this they 7ill get
along much better) but they 6eep playing Spiritual Assembly to each other and e?pect the Assembly to
beha'e li6e an indi'idual::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er @/ 19@1. =i'ing the =ife/ p! 102
2/1. !wo Ginds of *ah+,;s
@3here are t7o 6inds of Bahs) one might say! those 7hose religion is Bah and those 7ho li'e for
the aith: Needless to say if one can belong to the latter category) if one can be in the 'anguard of
heroes) martyrs and saints) it is more praise7orthy in the sight of >od:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 1M/ 19@1. =i'ing the =ife/ p! 1M2
2/2. %pirit"al Children %ho"ld not Clin6 to #isconceptions of !heir !eachers
@As to your Duestion about the spiritual children of people 7ho enter the Cause 7ith some old ideas still
clinging to them! E'eryone should study the aith for himself) and Bust because a persons Bah
teacher has some concept not strictly Bah it does not stand to reason that the ne7 belie'er must be
saddled 7ith itI old belie'ers) as 7ell as ne7) should constantly endea'our to gro7 more fully into the
Bah pattern of thought and of life: Each soul recei'es the gift of faith for himself) and from then on is
a Bah in his o7n right) independent of his teacher:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 10/ 19N@2
2/. Assemblies %ho"ld Inspire Confidence in Indi1id"al *elie1ers
@:::the =ocal Assemblies should inspire confidence in the indi'idual belie'ers) and these in their turn
should e?press their readiness to fully abide by the decisions and directions of the =ocal AssemblyI the
t7o must learn to co0operate) and to realiCe that only through such a co0operation can the institutions of
the Cause effecti'ely and permanently function: Hhile obedience to the =ocal Assembly should be
unDualified and 7hole0hearted) yet that body should enforce its directions in such a 7ay as to a'oid
gi'ing the impression that it is animated by dictatorial moti'es: 3he spirit of the Cause is one of mutual
co0operation) and not that of a dictatorship:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L8/ 193@. 3he =ocal Spiritual Assembly/ p! L32
2/'. *"c$ets-F"ll of Administrati1e InformationK P"ttin6 )"t the First %par$s
@::: 3he process of educating people of different customs and bac6grounds must be done 7ith the
greatest patience and understanding) and rules and regulations not imposed upon them) e?cept 7here a
roc60bottom essential is in Duestion: He feels sure that your Assembly is capable of carrying on its 7or6
in this spirit) and of fanning the hearts to flame through the fire of the lo'e of >od) rather than putting
out the first spar6s 7ith buc6ets0full of administrati'e information and regulations:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4outh and West (frica/ Eul5 9/ 19@0. I)id!2
2/(. &oo$ to the !eachin6s
@::: Mou should) under no circumstances) feel discouraged) and allo7 such difficulties) e'en though they
may ha'e resulted from the misconduct) or the lac6 of capacity and 'ision of certain members of the
Community) to ma6e you 7a'er in your faith and basic loyalty to the Cause: Surely) the belie'ers) no
matter ho7 Dualified they may be) 7hether as teachers or administrators) and ho7e'er high their
intellectual and spiritual merits) should ne'er be loo6ed upon as a standard 7hereby to e'aluate and
measure the di'ine authority and mission of the aith: /t is to the 3eachings themsel'es) and to the li'es
of the ounders of the Cause that the belie'ers should loo6 for their guidance and inspiration) and only
by 6eeping strictly to such true attitude can they hope to establish their loyalty to Bahullh upon an
enduring and unassailable basis: Mou should ta6e heart) therefore) and 7ith unrela?ing 'igilance and
unremitting effort endea'our to play your full share in the gradual unfoldment of this 8i'ine Horld
5rder:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust L3/ 1939. =i'ing the =ife/ p! 02
2/-. !wo Principles to FollowK Doctrinal and Administrati1e 8nity
@3here are t7o main principles 7hich the >uardian 7ishes the friends to al7ays bear in mind and to
conscientiously and faithfully follo7: irst is the principle of unDualified and 7holehearted loyalty to the
re'ealed Hord: 3he belie'ers should be careful not to de'iate) e'en a hair0breadth) from the 3eachings:
3heir supreme consideration should be to safeguard the purity of the principles) tenets and la7s of the
aith: /t is only by this means that they can hope to maintain the organic unity of the Cause: 3here can
and should be no liberal or conser'ati'es) no moderates or e?tremes in the Cause: or they are all subBect
to the one and the same la7 7hich is the =a7 of >od: 3his =a7 transcends all differences) all personal
or local tendencies) moods and aspirations:
@Ne?t is the principle of complete and immediate obedience to the Assemblies) both =ocal and
National: /t is the responsibility of these Bah administrati'e bodies to enable the community to
acDuire) and increasingly deepen in) the 6no7ledge and understanding of the Cause: 8octrinal unity and
administrati'e unity) these are the t7o chief pillars that sustain the edifice of the Cause) and protect it
from the storms of opposition 7hich so se'erely rage against it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India and ,urma/ 4eptem)er @/ 193M. 8a7n of a
Ne7 8ay/ p! M12
2//. *ah+,; AdministrationInstrument of 4pirit of the <aith
@3he friends must ne'er mista6e the Bah administration for an end in itself: /t is merely the
instrument of the spirit of the aith: 3his Cause is a Cause 7hich >od has re'ealed to humanity as a
7hole: /t is designed to benefit the entire human race) and the only 7ay it can do this is to reform the
community life of man6ind) as 7ell as see6ing to regenerate the indi'idual: 3he Bah administration is
only the first shaping of 7hat in future 7ill come to be the social life and la7s of community li'ing: As
yet the belie'ers are only first beginning to grasp and practice it properly: So 7e must ha'e patience if at
times it seems a little self conscious and rigid in its 7or6ings: /t is because 7e are learning something
'ery difficult but 'ery 7onderfulQho7 to li'e together as a community of Bahs) according to the
glorious teachings:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 1N/ 19N1. 3he =ocal Spiritual Assembly/ pp! L8+L92
2/0. *ah+,; 7orld Comm"nity De1elops :ew Cells@ :ew )r6ans
@/n the human body) e'ery cell) e'ery organ) e'ery ner'e has its part to play: Hhen all do so the body is
healthy) 'igorous) radiant) ready for e'ery call made upon it: No cell) ho7e'er humble) li'es apart from
the body) 7hether in ser'ing it or recei'ing from it: 3his is true of the body of man6ind in 7hich >od
Ahas endo7ed each humble being 7ith ability and talent) and is supremely true of the body of the Bah
Horld Community) for this body is already an organism) united in its aspirations) unified in its methods)
see6ing assistance and confirmation from the same Source) and illumined 7ith the conscious 6no7ledge
of its unity::: 3he Bah Horld Community) gro7ing li6e a healthy ne7 body) de'elops ne7 cells) ne7
organs) ne7 functions and po7ers as it presses on to its maturity) 7hen e'ery soul) li'ing for the Cause
of >od) 7ill recei'e from that Cause) health) assurance) and the o'erflo7ing bounties of Bahullh
7hich are diffused through His di'inely ordained 5rder:E
&6essa$e from the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ 4eptem)er 19MN. Hellspring of >uidance/ pp! 30+382
2/2. *elie1ers %ho"ld !"rn to Assemblies for Ad1ice and 5elp
@3he belie'ers should learn to turn more often to their Assemblies for ad'ice and help and at an earlier
date) and the Assemblies) on the other hand) should act 7ith more 'igilance and a greater sense of
community responsibility to7ards e'ery situation that may damage the prestige of the aith in the eyes
of the public: Hhen decisions ha'e been reached by the Assembly) they must be carried out loyally and
7illingly) by all concerned:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 13/ 19NN. 3he =ocal Spiritual Assembly/ p! LM2
203. #ission of *ah+,",ll+h@ Friends are !r"stees of
@3he friends ha'e a great duty) first to7ards the Cause and then to7ards society at large: Bahullh has
come to the 7orld 7ith a di'ine <essage and de'oted all His life and 7ithstood all forms of persecution
in the hope of establishing it firmly: He are no7 the trustees of that <ission: /t is for us to bring that tas6
begun by Bahullh to a final consummation: Should 7e fail) 7e ha'e been untrue to our =ord and also
remained deaf to the cry of humanity see6ing sal'ation:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 1@/ 1931. Bah Ne7s/ o! 01/ p! L/ <e)ruar5
19332
201. *elie1ers %ho"ld 5a1e Confidence in Assembly
@3he belie'ers should ha'e confidence in the directions and orders of their Assembly) e'en though they
may not be con'inced of their Bustice or right: 5nce the Assembly) through a maBority 'ote of its
members) comes to a decision the friends should readily obey it: Specially those dissenting members
7ithin the Assembly 7hose opinion is contrary to that of the maBority of their fello70members should set
a good e?ample before the community by sacrificing their personal 'ie7s for the sa6e of obeying the
principle of maBority 'ote that underlies the functioning of all Bah Assemblies:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L8/ 193@. 3he =ocal Spiritual Assembly/ p! LM2
202. If Assembly #a$es Ill-Ad1ised Decision It #"st be 8pheld
@5ne of the fundamentals in'ol'ed in our Administrati'e 5rder) 7hich 7e must remember 7ill become
the pattern for our Horld 5rder) is that e'en if an Assembly ma6es an ill0ad'ised decision it must be
upheld in order to preser'e the unity of the community: Appeal can be made from the =ocal Assemblys
decision to the National Assembly::: But the principle of authority in'ested in our elected bodies must be
upheld: 3his is not something 7hich can be learned 7ithout trial and test::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %erman5 and (ustria/ Eune 31/ 19N9. I)id!2
20. If Assembly #a$es a #ista$e%od Will Ri$ht the Wron$s Done
@3he Assembly may ma6e a mista6e) but) as the <aster pointed out) if the Community does not abide by
its decisions) or the indi'idual Bah) the result is 7orse) as it undermines the 'ery institution 7hich
must be strengthened in order to uphold the principles and la7s of the aith: He tells us >od 7ill right
the 7rongs done: He must ha'e confidence in this and obey our Assemblies: He therefore strongly urges
you to 7or6 directly under your Bah Assembly) to accept your responsibilities as a 'oting member)
and do your utmost to create harmony 7ithin the community:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er in 19N9. I)id!/ p! L02
20'. )bedience@ Patience and .estraint
@3he friends should therefore not feel discouraged at the differences of opinion that may pre'ail among
the members of an Assembly for these) as e?perience has sho7n) and as the <asters 7ords attest) fulfil
a 'aluable function in all Assembly deliberations: But once the opinion of the maBority has been
ascertained) all the members should automatically and unreser'edly obey it) and faithfully carry it out:
2atience and restraint) ho7e'er) should at all times characteriCe the discussions and deliberations of the
elected representati'es of the local community) and no fruitless and hair0splitting discussions indulged
in) under any circumstances:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 18/ 1939. I)id!/ pp! 18+192
20(. Criticism to Assemblies,ah-*?s 3an <reel5 (ir Their >iews
@3he Bahs are fully entitled to address criticisms to their AssembliesI they can freely air their 'ie7s
about policies or indi'idual members of elected bodies to the Assembly) =ocal or National) but then they
must 7hole0heartedly accept the ad'ice or decision of the Assembly) according to the principles already
laid do7n for such matters in Bah administration:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia and ew Pealand/ 6a5 13/ 19N@. =etters
from the >uardian to Australia and Ne7 Vealand/ p! @@2
20-. :o Protection for Faith 8nless Friends %"bmit to Administrati1e *odies
@::: 3here can be no protection for the aith unless the friends are 7illing to submit to their
administrati'e bodies) especially 7hen these are acting in good faithI the indi'idual belie'ers are not in a
position to Budge their National Body: /f any 7rong has been done) 7e must lea'e it in the hands of >od)
6no7ing) as AAbdul0Bah said) that He 7ill right it) and in the meantime not disrupt the Cause of >od
by constantly harping on these matters:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 3/ 19@0. 3he National Spiritual Assembly/ p! 302
20/. If *ah+,;s 8ndermine &eaders
@3he >uardian belie'es that a great deal of the difficulties from 7hich the belie'ers::: feel themsel'es to
be suffering are caused by their neither correctly understanding nor putting into practice the
administration: 3hey seemQmany of themQto be prone to continually challenging and criticiCing the
decisions of their Assemblies: /f the Bahs undermine the 'ery leaders 7hich are) ho7e'er immaturely)
see6ing to coordinate Bah acti'ities and administer Bah affairs) if they continually criticiCe their
acts and challenge or belittle their decisions) they not only pre'ent any real rapid progress in the aiths
de'elopment from ta6ing place) but they repel outsiders 7ho Duite rightly may as6 ho7 7e e'er e?pect
to unite the 7hole 7orld 7hen 7e are so disunited among oursel'esLE
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er LM/ 19N3. I)id!/ pp! 3N+3@2
200. *elie1ers 5a1e the .i6ht to E?press their Criticism Action of Assembly@ b"t not in a 7ay to
8ndermine Its A"thority
@::: 7ith reference to your::: letter in 7hich you::: as6ed 7hether the belie'ers ha'e the right to openly
e?press their criticism of any Assembly action or policy! /t is not only the right) but the 'ital
responsibility of e'ery loyal and intelligent member of the Community to offer fully and fran6ly) but
7ith due respect and consideration to the authority of the Assembly) any suggestion) recommendation or
criticism he conscientiously feels he should in order to impro'e and remedy certain e?isting conditions
or trends in his local community) and it is the duty of the Assembly also to gi'e careful consideration to
any such 'ie7s submitted to them by any one of the belie'ers: 3he best occasion chosen for this purpose
is the Nineteen 8ay east 7hich) besides its social and spiritual aspects) fulfils 'arious administrati'e
needs and reDuirements of the Community) chief among them being the need for open and constructi'e
criticism and deliberation regarding the state of affairs 7ithin the local Bah Community:
@But again it should be stressed that all criticism and discussions of a negati'e character 7hich may
result in undermining the authority of the Assembly as a body should be strictly a'oided: or other7ise
the order of the Cause itself 7ill be endangered) and confusion and discord 7ill reign in the
Community:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 13/ 19392
202. )bedience to the Decisions of the &ocal Assembly %ho"ld be 8nC"alified and 7hole-5earted
@3he most 'ital matter on 7hich the >uardian 7ishes you to fully concentrate is that of consolidating the
foundations of the Administration: Not until your group learns to 7or6 efficiently through obedience to
the =ocal Assembly and under its guidance can there be any hope for future e?pansion: 3he friends must
all realiCe the necessity of internal discipline and order 7hich only a properly elected and efficiently
functioning body such as the =ocal Assembly can effecti'ely maintain: 5bedience to the decisions of the
=ocal Assembly should be unDualified and 7hole0hearted) as by this means alone can the community
7or6 as a united body and achie'e something constructi'e and enduring:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ,ah-*?s of >ienna/ (pril @/ 193M2
223. &ocal Assembly %ho"ld :ot CriticiHe Policy of :ational Assembly
@As to the problem 7hich has arisen in connection 7ith the Ne7sletter published and circulated by the :::
Assembly) the >uardian has already 7ritten about it to your National Spiritual Assembly) e?pressing the
'ie7 that under no circumstances should any =ocal Assembly be gi'en the right to criticiCe) and much
less oppose) the policy duly adopted and appro'ed by the National Spiritual Assembly: /t is his hope that
henceforth the problem of the relationship bet7een the National Spiritual Assembly and the =ocal
Spiritual Assemblies in matters of this nature 7ill) in the light of his instructions) be carefully understood
by indi'iduals and Assemblies ali6e:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ 6a5 19/ 193N2
221. )nly )ne .emedy4tud5 the (dministration
@3here is only one remedy for this! 3o study the administration) to obey the Assemblies) and each
belie'er see6 to perfect his o7n character as a Bah: He can ne'er e?ert the influence o'er others
7hich 7e can e?ert o'er oursel'es: /f 7e are better) if 7e sho7 lo'e) patience) and understanding of the
7ea6ness of others) if 7e see6 to ne'er criticiCe but rather encourage) others 7ill do li6e7ise) and 7e
can really help the Cause through our e?ample and spiritual strength: 3he Bahs e'ery7here) 7hen the
administration is first established) find it 'ery difficult to adBust themsel'es: 3hey ha'e to learn to obey)
e'en 7hen the Assembly may be 7rong) for the sa6e of unit5: 3hey ha'e to sacrifice their personalities)
to a certain e?tent) in order that the Community life may gro7 and de'elop as a 7hole: 3hese things are
difficult) but 7e must realiCe that they 7ill lead us to a 'ery much greater) more perfect 7ay of life 7hen
the aith is properly established according to the administration:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er LM/ 19N3. 3he National Spiritual Assembly/ p! 3@2
222. )n Indi1id"al *elie1er Depends Fate of Comm"nity
@3his challenge) so se'ere and insistent) and yet so glorious) faces no doubt primarily the indi'idual
belie'er on 7hom) in the last resort) depends the fate of the entire community: He it is 7ho constitutes
the 7arp and 7oof on 7hich the Duality and pattern of the 7hole fabric must depend: He it is 7ho acts as
one of the countless lin6s in the mighty chain that no7 girdles the globe: He it is 7ho ser'es as one of
the multitude of bric6s 7hich support the structure and insure the stability of the administrati'e edifice
no7 being raised in e'ery part of the 7orld: Hithout his support) at once 7hole0hearted) continuous and
generous) e'ery measure adopted) and e'ery plan formulated) by the body 7hich acts as the national
representati'e of the community to 7hich he belongs) is foredoomed to failure: 3he Horld Center of the
aith itself is paralyCed if such a support on the part of the ran6 and file of the community is denied it:
3he Author of the 8i'ine 2lan Himself is impeded in His purpose if the proper instruments for the
e?ecution of His design are lac6ing: 3he sustaining strength of Bahullh Himself) the ounder of the
aith) 7ill be 7ithheld from e'ery and each indi'idual) 7ho fails in the long run to arise and play his
part:E
&4ho$hi Effendi. Citadel of aith/ pp! 131+1312
O$ Inacti.e Belie.ers
22. Botin6 &ist@ :ames %ho"ld :ot be .emo1ed from
@Mour Assembly should not remo'e the names of Bahs from the 'oting list Bust because they do not
attend meetings or Bust because their addresses are un6no7n: /t is hard to ma6e BahsI and you must
try and help them and reacti'ate them) and find those 7hose addresses are un6no7n if you can:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational (ssem)l5 of (r$entina/ ,oli"ia/ 3hile/ Para$ua5 and :ru$ua5/ 4eptem)er
LM/ 19@02
22'. .emo1al of :ames from Botin6 &ist
@2eople 7ho for years ha'e ceased to either attend meetings or sho7 the slightest interest in the Cause
can be dropped from the 'oting listI but any 7ho are unable to attend meetings) but still consider
themsel'es to be Bahs and are desirous of 6eeping up their contact 7ith the aith) should naturally be
6ept on the 'oting list:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ 6a5 L9/ 19NM2
22(. Inacti1e and 8nresponsi1e *elie1ers often :eed Enco"ra6ement
@He feels that people 7ho are inacti'e should not automatically be remo'ed from the 'oting listI each
indi'idual) in such matters) must be considered as an indi'idual case: He is constantly trying to a'oid the
needless multiplication of rules and procedures) and that is 7hy he urges the friends) and responsible
bodies) to use patience) good Budgement) and tact in handling such cases) and not Bust start a ne7 rule of
thumb to sol'e the Duestion en masse:
@Hhen accepting ne7 belie'ers 7e must certainly not hold their past against them) but hope that the
faith they ha'e in Bahullh 7ill help them to change their characters and 7ays of li'ingQas 7e 6no7
so often happens: He must not add any conditions for Bah membership beyond those already outlined
by the >uardian himself as absolutely necessary:
@/t is 'ery discouraging to find inacti'e and unresponsi'e belie'ersI on the other hand 7e must al7ays
realiCe that some souls are 7ea6 and immature and not capable of carrying on an acti'e administrati'e
burden: 3hey need encouragement) the lo'e of their fello7 Bahs) and assistance: 3o blame them for
not doing more for the Cause is useless) and they may actually ha'e a 'ery firm belief in Bahullh
7hich 7ith care could be fanned into flame:
@/f some of these isolated and inacti'e people gradually turn to other 7or6 than the Cause 7e should
not al7ays blame themQthey probably needed more help) more stimulating) more teaching and Bah
comradeship than they recei'ed:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril L@/ 19N02
22-. Inacti1e *elie1ersames Remo"ed Onl5 When 3learl5 4tated o #on$er ,elie"e in
,ah-*u*ll-h
@urther guidance might be 7elcome and 7e share portions of a letter 7ritten by the Jni'ersal House of
9ustice to another National Spiritual Assembly on ( September "#**! A:::Hhilst it is embarrassing to
lea'e names of inacti'e belie'ers on a membership list) inacti'ity and lac6 of attendance at Bah
meetings are not the bases for remo'ing names of belie'ers from the membership roster: A name should
be remo'ed only 7hen the person clearly states that he no longer belie'es in Bahullh and 7ishes his
name to be remo'ed from Bah membership: /f the belie'ers 7hereabouts are un6no7n) his name
should still not be remo'ed from membership) but 6ept in a special list of belie'ers 7hose addresses are
un6no7n) and 7ho ob'iously are not counted in determining the allocation of delegates:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 6ala5sia/ 4eptem)er L@/ 1903.
6ala5sian Bah Ne7s/ >ol! 9/ os! L 3/ EuneRo"em)er 19032
22/. .easons for Inacti1ity %ho"ld be Ascertained
@Concerning your Duestion about inacti'e belie'ers) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice feels that it 7ould be
some7hat abrupt to drop them from the roster simply because they ha'e been absent from meetings or
other7ise inacti'e: 3hey should be approached and the reasons for their absence or inacti'ity
ascertained) and only 7hen such in'estigation leads you to the conclusion that the belie'er concerned no
longer belie'es in Bahullh should this definitely be recogniCed: E'ery case of inacti'ity should be
in'estigated and the belie'ers lo'ingly encouraged to become acti'e: A distinction is to be made bet7een
those 7ho are interested in the aith but remain inacti'e and those 7hose inacti'ity indicates complete
lac6 of interest in the aith to the e?tent that they ha'e in fact ceased to be Bahs: /n this latter instance
remo'al from the list is simply recognition of this fact:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the orth West Pacific Ocean/
Decem)er 18/ 190N2
220. #eetin6s %ho"ld be #ade so Interestin6 as to Attract the )ld *elie1ers
@Mou mentioned in one of your letters that some of the old belie'ers 7ho for many years had 6ept a7ay
are no7 coming bac6 and attending the meetings: Ho7 7onderful it 7ould be if all such persons
together 7ith all those 7ho met the <aster and 7hose life 7as changed through His influence 7ould
come along and help us in spreading these di'ine teachingsL 2erhaps the friends should ta6e the initiati'e
and ma6e their meetings so inspiring and their acti'ities so interesting and far reaching in importance
that they 7ould of their o7n accord come for7ard and lend us their help: Anyho7 they 7ould be a large
armyLE
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 9/ 193L2
222. #"st Aid !hose with 8nbecomin6 Cond"ct to #end !heir 7ays
@As to certain of your 'oting members 7ho ha'e long been inacti'e) and 7hose conduct you disappro'e
of) he suggests you ma6e an effort to find out if they still belie'e in the aith) and if they do) and 7ish to
be members of it) then they should be helped to mend their 7ays: /f this patient and lo'ing method does
not pro'e successful and they refuse to identify themsel'es 7ith the aith) they should be remo'ed from
the 'oting list:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ 6a5 8/ 19N02
33. If Person Does :ot 7ish to be Considered #ember
@::: /f a person ma6es it Duite clear that they do not 7ish to be considered an acti'e member of the Bah
Community and be affiliated 7ith it and e?ert their 'oting right) then their name should be remo'ed
from the 'oting listI but if a person considers himself or herself a Bah) and for 'arious reasons is not
able to be acti'e in the affairs of the Community) then they should certainly not be remo'ed from our
'oting list::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %erman5 and (ustria/ 6arch L/ 19@1. 3he
Nineteen 8ay east/ p! 82
31. !he Personal %it"ation of a *ah+,; #ay Precl"de Acti1ity
@3he House of 9ustice has as6ed us to point out that normally once a person has declared his belief in
Bahullh and this declaration has been accepted by the Assembly it should be assumed that he
continues to be a Bah until he states the contrary: /f belie'ers become inacti'e it is naturally desirable
that the =ocal Spiritual Assemblies attempt to maintain contact 7ith them and encourage them to
become acti'e unless) of course) it is ob'ious that their personal situation precludes such acti'ity: or
e?ample) a Bah 7ho is married to a non0Bah may 7ell ha'e to limit his acti'ities to some degree in
order to maintain the unity of his family: /f during this process of encouragement it becomes apparent
that the Bah in Duestion has in fact ceased to belie'e in Bahullh and 7ishes not to be a member of
the Bah community) the Assembly 7ould be fully Bustified in accepting his 7ithdra7al:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4pain/ 6a5 0/ 190@
32. !hose 7ho no &on6er *elie1e in *ah+,",ll+h...
@Basically it is for your National Spiritual Assembly to decide 7ho should be retained on the 'oting lists)
but guidelines ha'e been gi'en by the belo'ed >uardian and by the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice:
5b'iously) people 7ho do not belie'e in Bahullh and those 7ho ha'e become inacti'e to the e?tent
that they do not sho7 the slightest interest in the aith can be dropped from the 'oting list: 5n the other
hand) people 7ho are inacti'e should not automatically be remo'ed from that list: Each case should be
considered on its o7n merits: /n some cases a spar6 of faith may be found 7hich 7ith care may be
fanned into flame: 2atience and good Budgement are called for:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 11/ 190@2
3. *elie1ers 7hose 7hereabo"ts Are 8n$nown
@Hhere a belie'er has been sought and his 7hereabouts and address are not 6no7n) the belie'ers name
can be held in a suspended file against possible reappearance in another community) and need not be
counted in delegate assignments: Mou are correct in ac6no7ledging that such belie'ers retain their full
administrati'e rights: Ho7e'er) a category can be added to the 'oting list for those indi'iduals 7hose
addresses are un6no7n: Hhile this category need not be included in allocation of delegates) it can be
included in such lists as total number of belie'ers) semi0annual reports) etc:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Para$ua5/ (pril LL/ 198L2
II$ BAC#BITING0 CRITICI%,0
FA!LT1FINING0 GO%%I'0
LI(%0 %LAN(R0 (TC$
3'. !he 5idden 7ords of *ah+,",ll+h
@Breathe not the sins of others so long as thou art thyself a sinner: Shouldst thou transgress this
command) accursed 7ouldst thou be) and to this / bear 7itness:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3he Hidden Hords) (ra)ic o! L02
3(. *ac$bitin6 Defined
@As regards bac6biting) i:e:) discussing the faults of others in their absence) the teachings are 'ery
emphatic: /n a 3ablet to an American friend the <aster 7rote! A3he 7orst human Duality and the most
great sin is bac6biting) more especially 7hen it emanates from the tongues of the belie'ers of >od: /f
some means 7ere de'ised so that the doors of bac6biting 7ere shut eternally and each one of the
belie'ers unsealed his lips in praise of others) then the teachings of His Holiness Bahullh 7ould
spread) the hearts be illumined) the spirits glorified) and the human 7orld 7ould attain to e'erlasting
felicity: FRuoted in Star of Hest) Pol: /P: p: "#,G Bahullh says in the Hidden Hords! ABreathe not the
sins of others so long as thou art a sinner: Shouldst thou transgress this command ACCJ&SE8 A&3
3H5J: 3he condemnation of bac6biting could hardly be couched in stronger language than in these
passages) and it is ob'iously one of the foremost obligations for Bahs to set their faces against this
practice: E'en if 7hat is said against another person be true) the mentioning of his faults to others still
comes under the category of bac6biting) and is forbidden:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ <e)ruar5 11/ 19L@2
3-. Abstain from Fa"lt-Findin6 and *ac$bitin6
@5n no subBect are the Bah teachings more emphatic than on the necessity to abstain from fault0
finding and bac6biting 7hile being e'er eager to disco'er and root out our o7n faults and o'ercome our
o7n failings:
@/f 7e profess loyalty to Bahullh) to our Belo'ed <aster and our dear >uardian) then 7e must
sho7 our lo'e by obedience to these e?plicit teachings: 8eeds not 7ords are 7hat they demand) and no
amount of fer'our in the use of e?pressions of loyalty and adulation 7ill compensate for failure to li'e in
the spirit of the teachings:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 1L/ 19L@. =i'ing the =ife/ p! 32

3/. 9ealo"sy or Petty Attit"des Can )nly *e )1ercome by &o1e and !act
@:::he suggests you 7rite the National Spiritual Assembly in a lo'ing spirit) and point out to them ho7 it
distresses you to thin6 that) after so many years of ser'ice) statements about you 7hich you consider
unBustified should be preser'ed: But e'en if these are not ta6en from the records it still does not ma6e
them either true or false: <any things are preser'ed in records as matters of opinionI no one has gi'en a
'erdict on this matterL
@3he only 7ay Bealousy or petty attitudes can be o'ercome is by the lo'e and tact of the teacherI these
are not things that can be sol'ed by a Aruling:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 31/ 19NM1
30. Dealin6 with *ah+,;s 7ho Act in 7ays Detrimental to the Ca"se
@3he Duestion of dealing 7ith those 7ho call themsel'es Bahs but 7ho act in 7ays 7hich 7e belie'e
to be detrimental to the interests of the Cause is a 'ery difficult one: /f 7e thin6 7e can help matters by a
fran6 and friendly tal6 7ith the indi'idual concerned) refraining from Budging or condemning) but
pointing out in as 6ind a manner as possible the 7ay in 7hich) as it seems to us) the sort of conduct in
Duestion is harmful to the Cause or of a nature forbidden by the teachings) then it seems 7ell to try that
method before resorting to the more formidable method of bringing the matter before the Spiritual
Assembly: But if that fails or if 7e feel that it is hopeless to try and deal 7ith the matter in that 7ay)
7hile at the same time the case is so serious that the interests of the Cause reDuire that it should be
firmly dealt 7ith) then the proper course is to bring the matter before the Spiritual Assembly::: and ha'e
it fran6ly and fully discussed) calling such e'idence as is necessary for the elucidation of the matter:
After full consideration) the Spiritual Assembly should ta6e such action as it deems ad'isable) and it is
incumbent upon all members of the group to be loyal to 7hate'er decision is arri'ed at by the Spiritual
Assembly: 3here is) of course the right of appeal from the =ocal to the National Assembly) and from that
to Shoghi Effendi)N but the matter ought to be dealt 7ith) in the first instance) by the =ocal Spiritual
Assembly:
@:::Hhen a difficulty is brought out into the daylight and freely discussed by a duly authorised and
responsible group of people 7ho are sincerely desirous of finding the best solution and are free from
preBudice or personal moti'e) then there is a good chance of o'ercoming it) but discussion of the faults of
others behind their bac6s by unauthorised people 7ho ha'e no authority to ta6e action in the matter) is
surely one of the most fertile causesQprobably 3HE most fertile causeQof disunity) and the importance
of putting an end to this practice should be impressed on all Bahs:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ followed )5 an e;tract from the
%uardian*s postscript/ <e)ruar5 11/ 19L@2
32. &earnin6 :ot to Concern )"rsel1es with the Fa"lts of )thers
@As to bac6biting) the House of 9ustice points out that learning not to concern oneself 7ith the faults of
others seems to be one of the most difficult lessons for people to master) and that failing in this is a
fertile cause of disputes among Bahs as it is among men and 7omen in general: /n AStar of the Hest)
Polume $) No: "-) on page "%$) there is a record of a reply gi'en by AAbdul0Bah in a pri'ate inter'ie7
in 2aris in "#"%: He 7as as6ed AHo7 shall / o'ercome seeing the faults of othersQrecogniCing the
7rong in othersS) and He replied! A/ 7ill tell you: Hhene'er you recogniCe the fault of another) thin6 of
yourselfL Hhat are my imperfectionsSQand try to remo'e them: 8o this 7hene'er you are tried through
the 7ords or deeds of others: 3hus you 7ill gro7) become more perfect: Mou 7ill o'ercome self) you
7ill not e'en ha'e time to thin6 of the faults of others:::
@Mou are Duite correct in your understanding of the importance of a'oiding bac6bitingI such conduct
stri6es at the 'ery unity of the Bah community: /n a letter 7ritten to an indi'idual belie'er on behalf
of the >uardian it is stated!
A/f 7e are better) if 7e sho7 lo'e) patience) and understanding of the 7ea6ness of others) if
7e see6 to ne'er criticiCe but rather encourage) others 7ill do li6e7ise) and 7e can really
help the Cause through our e?ample and spiritual strength:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ (u$ust 13/ 19812
13. !he *elie1ers :eed #ore Peace-#a$ers Circ"latin6 Amon6 !hem( <unction of the Older
and the 6ore 6ature ,ah-*?s
@Hhat the belie'ers need is not only) as you state) to really study the teachings) but also to ha'e more
peace0ma6ers circulating among them: Jnfortunately) not only a'erage people) but a'erage Bahs) are
'ery immatureI gossip) trouble0ma6ing) criticism) seem easier than the putting into practice of lo'e)
constructi'e 7ords and cooperation: /t is one of the functions of the older and the more mature Bahs
to help the 7ea6er ones to iron out their difficulties and learn to really function and li'e li6e true
belie'ersLE
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 11/ 19@12
11. !o *e Forbearin6@ Patient@ #ercif"l@ .ather than %"cc"mbin6 to *ac$bitin6 and Criticism
@Mou as6 in your letter for guidance on the implications of the prohibition on bac6biting and more
specifically 7hether) in moments of anger or depression) the belie'er is permitted to turn to his friends to
unburden his soul and discuss his problem in human relations: Normally) it is possible to describe the
situation surrounding a problem and see6 help and ad'ice in resol'ing it) 7ithout necessarily mentioning
names: 3he indi'idual belie'er should see6 to do this) 7hether he is consulting a friend) Bah or non0
Bah) or 7hether the friend is consulting him:
@AAbdul0Bah does not permit ad'erse criticism of indi'iduals by name in discussion among the
friends) e'en if the one criticiCing belie'es that he is doing so to protect the interests of the Cause: /f the
situation is of such gra'ity as to endanger the interests of the aith) the complaint) as your National
Spiritual Assembly has indicated) should be submitted to the =ocal Spiritual Assembly) or as you state to
a representati'e of the institution of the Counsellors) for consideration and action: /n such cases) of
course) the name of the person or persons in'ol'ed 7ill ha'e to be mentioned:
@Mou also as6 7hat one should do to Ahandle depression and anger 7ith someone one feels A'ery
positi'ely about: 3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice suggests that you call to mind the admonitions found
in our Hritings on the need to o'erloo6 the shortcomings of others) to forgi'e and conceal their
misdeeds) not to e?pose their bad Dualities) but to search for and affirm their praise7orthy ones) and
endea'our to be al7ays forbearing) patient) and merciful: Such passages as the follo7ing e?tract from
one of the letters 7ritten on behalf of the belo'ed >uardian by his secretary 7ill also be helpful!
@ AEach of us is responsible for one life only) and that is our o7n: Each of us is
immeasurably far from being @perfect as our Hea'enly ather is perfectE and the tas6 of
perfecting our o7n life and character is one that reDuires all our attention) our 7ill0po7er
and energy:::: 5n no subBect are the Bah teachings more emphatic than on the necessity to
abstain from fault0finding and bac6biting) 7hile being e'er eager to disco'er and root out
our o7n faults and o'ercome our o7n failings: E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er L3/ 190@2
12. *ac$bitin6The 6ost %reat 4in
@:::3hou hast 7ritten regarding aims: Ho7 blessed are these aims) especially the pre'ention of
bac6bitingL / hope that you may become confirmed therein) because the 7orst human Duality and the
most $reat sin is )ack)itin$I more especially 7hen it emanates from the tongues of the belie'ers of >od:
/f some means 7ere de'ised so that the doors of bac6biting could be shut eternally and each one of the
belie'ers of >od unsealed his tongue in the praise of the other) then the teachings of His Holiness
Bahaollah FBahullhG 7ould be spread) the hearts illuminated) the spirits glorified and the human
7orld 7ould attain to e'erlasting felicity:
@/ hope that the belie'ers of >od 7ill shun completely bac6biting) each one praising the other cordially
and belie'e that )ack)itin$ is the cause of Di"ine wrath) to such an e?tent that if a person bac6bites to
the e?tent of one 7ord) he may become dishonored among all the people) because the most hateful
characteristic of man is fault0finding: 5ne must e?pose the praise7orthy Dualities of the souls and not
their e'il attributes: 3he friends must o'erloo6 their shortcomings and faults and spea6 only of their
'irtues and not their defects:
@/t is related that His Holiness ChristQ<ay my life be a sacrifice to HimLQone day) accompanied by
His apostles) passed by the corpse of a dead animal: 5ne of them said! AHo7 putrid has this animal
becomeL 3he other e?claimed! AHo7 it is deformedL A third cried out! AHhat a stenchL Ho7 cada'erous
loo6ingL But His Holiness Christ said! A=oo6 at its teethL Ho7 7hite they areL Consider) that He did not
loo6 at all at the defects of that animalI nay) rather) He searched 7ell until He found the beautiful 7hite
teeth: He obser'ed only the 7hiteness of the teeth and o'erloo6ed entirely the deformity of the body) the
dissolution of its organs and the bad odour:
@3his is the attribute of the children of the ;ingdom: 3his is the conduct and the manner of the real
Bahais FBahsG: / hope that all the belie'ers 7ill attain to this lofty station:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Ta)let to Dr! 6! %! 4kinner/ (u$ust 1L/ 1913. Star of the Hest/ >ol! I>/ o! 11/ p! 19L2
1. *ac$bitin6 <>"encheth the &i6ht of the 5eart=
@::: Bac6biting Duencheth the light of the heart) and e?tinguisheth the life of the soul:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3he ;itb0i0UDan/ p! 1932
1'. Criticism a Calamity
@::: Picious criticism is indeed a calamity: But its root is lac6 of faith in the system of Bahullh) i:e:)
the Administrati'e 5rderQand lac6 of obedience to HimQfor He has forbidden itL /f the Bahs 7ould
follo7 the Bah la7s in 'oting) in electing) in ser'ing and in abiding by Assembly decisions) all this
7aste of strength through criticising others could be di'erted into cooperation and achie'ing the 2lan::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 18/ 19N9. Bah Ne7s/ o! L33/ p! L/ Eul5 19@12
1(. %"ppress E1ery Critical !ho"6ht and E1ery 5arsh 7ord
@Hhen 7e see the condition the 7orld is in today) 7e must surely forget these utterly insignificant
internal disturbances) and rush) unitedly) to the rescue of humanity: Mou should urge your fello70Bahs
to ta6e this point of 'ie7) and to support you in a strong effort to suppress e'ery critical thought and
e'ery harsh 7ord) in order to let the spirit of Bahullh flo7 into the entire community) and unite it in
His lo'e and in His ser'ice:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 1M/ 19@1. =i'ing the =ife/ p! 102
1-. An 8nwise Act or %tatement
@:::an un7ise act or statement by a Bah in one country could result in a gra'e set0bac6 for the aith
there or else7hereQand e'en loss of the li'es of fello7 belie'ers:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 8/ 19M0. Hellspring of >uidance/ p! 1312
1/. Personal Differences and Petty Pre-)cc"pations
@He feels that you should do your utmost to call the attention of the friends to these large things) and real
triumphs) and a7ay from their personal differences and petty pre0occupations: No7 is certainly not the
time for any man to thin6 of himself) or busy himself 7ith the 7ea6nesses of his brotherI but) rather each
and e'ery Bah must concentrate on the tas6s ahead and be reborn in the ser'ice of Bahullh:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the (rea ational Teachin$ 3ommittee &:!4!(!2/ Eul5 10/ 19@1. Bah Ne7s/ Octo)er
1901/ p! 32
10. &i$e Plo"6hmen Each 5as his !eam to #ana6e
@::: Each of us is responsible for one life only) and that is our o7n: Each of us is immeasurably far from
being Aperfect as our hea'enly ather is perfect and the tas6 of perfecting our o7n life and character is
one that reDuires all our attention) our 7ill0po7er and energy: /f 7e allo7 our attention and energy to be
ta6en up in efforts to 6eep others right and remedy their faults) 7e are 7asting precious time: He are li6e
ploughmen each of 7hom has his team to manage and his plough to direct) and in order to 6eep his
furro7 straight he must 6eep his eye on his goal and concentrate on his o7n tas6: /f he loo6s to this side
and that to see ho7 3om and Harry are getting on and to criticise their ploughing) then his o7n furro7
7ill assuredly become croo6ed:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 1L/ 19L@. =i'ing the =ife/ pp! L+32
12. *e a Friend to the 7hole 5"man .ace
@5ne must see in e'ery human being only that 7hich is 7orthy of praise: Hhen this is done) one can be
a friend to the 7hole human race: /f) ho7e'er) 7e loo6 at people from the standpoint of their faults) then
being a friend to them is a formidable tas6:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ p! 1M92
23. *ah+,;s #"st be Distin6"ished
@/ desire distinction for you: 3he Bahs must be distinguished from others of humanity: But this
distinction must not depend upon 7ealthQthat they should become more affluent than other people: / do
not desire for you financial distinction: /t is not an ordinary distinction / desire! not scientific)
commercial) industrial distinction: or you / desire spiritual distinctionI that is) you must become
eminent and distinguished in morals: /n the lo'e of >od you must become distinguished from all else:
Mou must become distinguished for lo'ing humanityI for unity and accordI for lo'e and Bustice: /n brief)
you must become distinguished in all the 'irtues of the human 7orldI for faithfulness and steadfastnessI
for philanthropic deeds and ser'ice to the human 7orldI for lo'e to7ard e'ery human beingI for unity
and accord 7ith all peopleI for remo'ing preBudices and promoting international peace: inally) you
must become distinguished for hea'enly illumination and acDuiring the besto7als of >od: / desire this
distinction for you: 3his must be the point of distinction among you:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ p! 1912
21. *elie1ers %ho"ld Draw on Each )ther,s &o1e
@/ndeed the belie'ers ha'e not yet fully learned to dra7 on each others lo'e for strength and consolation
in time of need: 3he Cause of >od is endo7ed 7ith tremendous po7ers) and the reason the belie'ers do
not gain more from it is because they ha'e not learned to dra7 fully on these mighty forces of lo'e and
strength and harmony generated by the aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 8/ 19NL. =i'ing the =ife/ p! 82
22. 7orst Enemies of the Ca"se Are in the Ca"se
@3he 7orst enemies of the Cause are in the Cause and mention the Name of >od: He need not fear the
enemies on the outside for such can be easily dealt 7ith: But the enemies 7ho call themsel'es friends
and 7ho persistently 'iolate e'ery fundamental la7 of lo'e and unity) are difficult to be dealt 7ith in this
day) for the mercy of >od is still great: But ere long this merciful door 7ill be closed and such enemies
7ill be attac6ed 7ith a madness::::E
&'()du*l+,ah- answers 9uestions asked )5 Dr! E! 3! %etsin$er in the 7ol5 #and. Star of the Hest/ >ol! >I/ o! M/ p! N@2
2. *ac$bitin6 is Di1isi1e
@::: /f any soul spea6 ill of an absent one) the only result 7ill clearly be this! he 7ill dampen the Ceal of
the friends and tend to ma6e them indifferent: or bac6biting is di'isi'e) it is the leading cause among
the friends of a disposition to 7ithdra7: /f any indi'idual should spea6 ill of one 7ho is absent) it is
incumbent on his hearers) in a spiritual and friendly manner) to stop him) and say in effect! 7ould this
detraction ser'e any useful purposeS Hould it please the Blessed Beauty) contribute to the lasting honour
of the friends) promote the holy aith) support the Co'enant) or be of any possible benefit to any soulS
No) ne'erL 5n the contrary) it 7ould ma6e the dust to settle so thic6ly on the heart that the ears 7ould
hear no more) and the eyes 7ould no longer behold the light of truth:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ pp! L31+312
2'. 7hen Criticism and 5arsh 7ords Arise
@Hhen criticism and harsh 7ords arise 7ithin a Bah community) there is no remedy e?cept to put the
past behind one) and persuade all concerned to turn o'er a ne7 leaf) and for the sa6e of >od and His
aith refrain from mentioning the subBects 7hich ha'e led to misunderstanding and inharmony: 3he
more the friends argue bac6 and forth and maintain) each side) that their point of 'ie7 is the right one)
the 7orse the 7hole situation becomes:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 1M/ 19@1. =i'ing the =ife/ p! 1L2
2(. If 7e &isten@ 7e Are D"ilty of Complicity
@/t is ob'ious that if 7e listen to those 7ho complain to us about the faults of others 7e are guilty of
complicity in their bac6biting: He should therefore) as tactfully as possible) but yet firmly) do our utmost
to pre'ent others from ma6ing accusations or complaints against others in our presence:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ <e)ruar5 11/ 19L@2
III$ BA)23
A$ Bah Archi.es
2-. *ah+,",ll+h Admonishes Care in Preser1ation of the !ablets
@:::3he people of >od should do all that lieth 7ithin their po7er to protect and preser'e the 3ablets: /n
the =and of 3 7hate'er there 7as in the homes of the friends 7as ta6en and fell into the hands of the
heedless: He ha'e commanded all to safeguard that 7hich hath proceeded from the 2en of the <ost
High: He as6 >od to aid them to act in accordance 7ith His 7ish and desire) and to dra7 them nigh to
Him: He) 'erily) is the Almighty) the 2o7erful:E
@He ha'e commanded all to obser'e 7isdom) but from the friends 7e see heedlessness and
negligence: 3hey should guard the 3ablets as they guard their eyes) nay 7ith greater 'igilance) if they be
of them that comprehend:E
@3ruly) none must be careless in the matter of safeguarding the di'ine 3ablets: /n former times) 7hen
plans 7ere laid to seiCe some of the friends) before all else it 7as the 7ritings that fell into the hands of
the enemy: 3his is not permissible: 3he friends should designate a strong) secure place for storing the
di'ine 'erses so that they may not be e?posed to the touch of un7orthy hands) e'en though these 'erses
are) and shall al7ays be) such as Anone shall touch but the purified
"
E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. <rom three pre"iousl5 unpu)lished Ta)lets/ 3he /mportance of Collecting and Safeguarding the Bah Hritings/ p! 1/
Octo)er 198M2
": Ruotation from the Rurn) +#!1*
2/. !ablets and Berses to be Dathered into the Archi1es
@/n one of the 3ablets) the 2en of the <ost High) referring to this foundation)
"
7hich pro'ides the best
and surest) the soundest and most perfect means of collecting) safeguarding and classifying the scattered)
but gro7ing body) of Sacred Hritings and relics) states!
@/t is the concern of the 3rue 5ne to re'eal) and the concern of men to spread 7hat hath been
re'ealed: He 7ill) 'erily) promulgate His Cause by the hands of His scattering and 7ell0
fa'oured angels: Spiritual souls 7ill assuredly emerge from behind the 'eil of di'ine
protection 7ho 7ill gather together the to6ens and 'erses of >od and put them into the most
e?cellent order: 3his is His sure and irre'ocable decree:E
&4ho$hi Effendi*s 19@N aw+RGJ 6essa$e to the ,ah-*?s of the East/ translated from the Persian. I)id!/ p! L2
,: 3he /nternational Archi'es Building
20. *ah+,; Archi1es@ Instit"tion of
@3he importance of the institution of Bah Archi'es is not due only to the many teaching facilities it
procures) but is essentially to be found in the 'ast amount of historical data and information it offers
both to the present day administrators of the Cause) and to the Bah historians of the future: 3he
institution of Bah Archi'es is indeed a most 'aluable storehouse of information regarding all aspects
of the aith) historical) administrati'e as 7ell as doctrinal:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ 4eptem)er L@/
193M2
22. F"t"re Denerations 7ill Appreciate Archi1es
@::: uture generations of belie'ers 7ill be surely in a better position than 7e are to truly and adeDuately
appreciate the many ad'antages and facilities 7hich the institution of the Archi'es offers to indi'idual
belie'ers and also to the community at large:E
&I)id!2
3. All Assembly #embers %ho"ld 5a1e Access to the Files3ertain Items can )e #isted as
A3onfidentialB
@/n reply to your letter of <ay "%th) "#+* the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice instructs us to say that all
members of the Spiritual Assembly are eDual and should ha'e access to the files and minutes of the
Assembly of 7hich they are members: /t is) ho7e'er) 7ithin the discretion of any Spiritual Assembly to
so organiCe its files and records that certain items could be listed as Aconfidential and access to those so
classified could only be had by a specific decision of the Assembly itself:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational (ssem)l5 of Ireland/ Eune 8/ 190M2
1. E1ery *elie1er 5as .esponsibility to Assist with Preser1ation of %acred .elics
@:::has suggested to the >uardian that he should as6 your N:S:A: to address an appeal to the ::: belie'ers
urging them to co0operate 7ith the National and =ocal Bah Archi'es::: in their efforts for the
collection of Bah sacred relics) and specially the 3ablets) and their safe preser'ation:
@As this is undoubtedly one of the most urgent tas6s facing the belie'ers at present) he strongly feels it
ad'isable that your N:S:A: should once more impress upon the friends the necessity of their gi'ing full
and continued support to the truly 'aluable 7or6 7hich the National as 7ell as the =ocal Archi'es
Committees are accomplishing for our belo'ed aith:::
@No7 that the Cause is rapidly passing through so many different phases of its e'olution is the time for
the friends to e?ert their utmost in order to preser'e as much as they can of the sacred relics and 'arious
other precious obBects that are associated 7ith the li'es of the ounders of the aith) and particularly the
3ablets 3hey ha'e re'ealed:
@E'ery belie'er should realiCe that he has a definite responsibility to shoulder in this matter) and to
help) to 7hate'er e?tent he can) in rendering successful the 'aluable 7or6 7hich National and =ocal
Bah Archi'es Committees are so de'otedly accomplishing for the aith in ::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ L@ 4eptem)er 193M. 3he
/mportance of Collecting and Safeguarding the Bah Hritings/ ( 3ompilation/ p! N2
2. *ah+,; Archi1es to be Established in Each *ah+,; Administrati1e Centre
@Another necessary and highly commendable underta6ing is the founding of a Bah Archi'es in each
of the Bah pro'incial administrati'e centres: :::Anyone 7ho) spontaneously and of his o7n free 7ill)
donates material to the Archi'es of his National Spiritual AssemblyQ7hether this be 3ablets) boo6s)
pictures) obBects or the li6eQand especially if his inheritors are not accounted of the people of Bah) or
are not considered by him as trust7orthy or reliable) 7ill ha'e performed a highly meritorious act in the
sight of >od) and his name 7ill be perpetuated in the records of the Spiritual Assemblies and his
memory enshrined in the Archi'es for e'er:E
&<rom a letter of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ,ah-*?s of the East/ Eul5 19L@/ translated from the Persian. I)id!/ p! L2
. Doc"ments of 5istorical Bal"e %ho"ld not be Destroyed
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has recei'ed your letter of "%th No'ember) "#+1 as6ing about the
policy to be follo7ed for 6eeping correspondence and 7e ha'e been as6ed to reply as follo7s!
@Hhile it is 7ithin the Burisdiction of the National Spiritual Assembly to decide 7hich papers in its
files are not of long0term 'alue and to ha'e them destroyed you should al7ays bear in mind the
historical 'alue of your files: =etters 7hich at this time seem to be of little 'alue could pro'e to be of
great interest to future historians of the de'elopment of the Cause of Bahullh in the::: He suggest
that 7hen your secretary has sorted out from among your files the papers 7hich she feels could be
destroyed) you should appoint a committee composed of members of your National Assembly to go o'er
them 7ith their historical 'alue in mind and submit a recommendation to your National Assembly:
5b'iously) those records or letters needed for legal purposes should be retained:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the %il)ert and Ellice Islands/
o"em)er LM/ 190@2
B$ Bah Arts and ra&aN
'. !hree Central Fi6"res Cannot be Portrayed
@:::the aith can certainly be dramatiCed) but t7o things must be remembered! no personal presentation
of the Bb) Bahullh or the <aster) only 3heir 7ords can be used) but no figure must represent 3hem!
great dignity must be the 6eynote:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust 19/ 19@12
O&4ee also. 13M1S13012
(. Dramatic 7or$s
@Hith reference to your Duestion 7hether the igures of the Bb and Bahullh should be made to
appear as characters in dramatic 7or6s 7ritten by the belie'ers) Shoghi Effendis opinion is that such an
attempt to dramatiCe the <anifestations 7ould be highly disrespectful) and hence should be a'oided by
the friends) e'en in the case of the <aster: Besides it 7ould be practically impossible to carry out such a
plan faithfully) and in a dignified and befitting manner:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eanuar5 L0/ 193@2
-. Dancers #"st be Decently Clad
@8ancers may appear) but great care should be used that they are not indecently clad or the dances
'ulgar in any 7ay: Naturally) there should be no dancers at regular Bah meetings: Pocal soloists) of
course) may appear:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust 19/ 19@12
/. !he Artistic Presentation of the Faith 7ill Attract a Certain !ype of Indi1id"al
@=ighting) sound) floral decorations) etc:I the House of Horship) too) may all be used) but the point to
remember is that real beauty and dignity must be achie'ed) and all impression of our being in any
remote sense a cult) or a group of Aartistes be a'oided:
@/t is al7ays good to remember that this more artistic presentation of the Cause 7ill attract only a
certain typeQand) fortunately) a type hitherto ignored in our approach to the publicQof personI other
methods must also be used to attract other types) such as the intellectual and more reser'ed type:E
&I)id!2
0. Art Can *etter Awa$en :oble %entiments
@Shoghi Effendi 7as 'ery much interested to learn of the success of the A2ageant of Nations you
reproduced:::
@/t is through such presentations that 7e can arouse the interest of the greatest number of peoples in
the spirit of the Cause: 3hat day 7ill the Cause spread li6e 7ild fire 7hen its spirit and teachings 7ill be
presented on the stage or in art and literature as a 7hole: Art can better a7a6en such noble sentiments
than cold rationaliCing especially among the mass of the people:
@He ha'e to 7ait only a fe7 years to see ho7 the spirit breathed by Bahullh 7ill find e?pression in
the 7or6 of the artists: Hhat you and some other Bahs are attempting are only faint rays that precede
the effulgent light of a glorious morn: He cannot yet 'alue the part the Cause is destined to play in the
life of society: He ha'e to gi'e it time: 3he material this spirit has to mould is too crude and un7orthy)
but it 7ill at last gi'e 7ay and the Cause of Bahullh 7ill re'eal itself in its full splendour:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 11/ 193L2
2. !a$in6 Part in DramasDancin$
@/n the teachings there is nothing against dancing) but the friends should remember that the standard of
Bahullh is modesty and chastity: 3he atmosphere of modern dance halls) 7here so much smo6ing
and drin6ing and promiscuity goes on) is 'ery bad) but decent dances are not harmful in themsel'es:
3here is certainly no harm in classical dancing or learning dancing in school: 3here is also no harm in
ta6ing part in dramas: =i6e7ise in cinema acting: 3he harmful thing) no7adays) is not the art itself but
the unfortunate corruption 7hich often surrounds these arts: As Bahs 7e need to a'oid none of the
arts) but acts and the atmosphere that sometimes go 7ith these professions 7e should a'oid:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ Eune 31/ 19@L. 8a7n of a Ne7 8ay/ p! 1@32
'3. Film Companies
@Hith regard to your Duestion relati'e to the ad'isability of ha'ing Bahs Boin film companies:
Although on principle there is no obBection if any belie'er 7ishes to become a cinema actor) yet in 'ie7
of the e?cessi'e corruption that no7 pre'ails along such a line of occupation) the >uardian 7ould not
ad'ise any belie'er to choose this 6ind of profession) unless he finds this to be the only means of earning
his li'elihood:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er N/ 193@2
'1. #o1ies
@Hith reference to ::: Duestion 7hether it is permissible for the Bahs to see pictures! 3here is nothing
in the 3eachings that 7ould forbid such a practice:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ Decem)er 1N/ 19N1. 8a7n of a Ne7 8a5/ p!
8@2
'2. DramatiHin6 5istoric Episodes of the Faith
@As to your Duestion concerning the ad'isability of dramatiCing Bah historic episodes! 3he >uardian
7ould certainly appro'e) and e'en encourage that the friends should engage in such literary pursuits
7hich) no doubt) can be of an immense teaching 'alue: Hhat he 7ishes the belie'ers to a'oid is to
dramatiCe the 2ersonages of the Bb) Bahullh and AAbdul0Bah) that is to say to treat 3hem as
dramatic figures) as characters appearing on the stage: 3his) as already pointed out) he feels 7ould be
Duite disrespectful: 3he mere fact that 3hey appear on the scene constitutes an act of discourtesy 7hich
can in no 7ay be reconciled 7ith 3heir highly e?alted station: 3heir message) or actual Hords) should be
preferably reported and con'eyed by 3heir disciples appearing on the stage:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 L@/ 193M2
'. If &i6ht %"66ests Personification of the #anifestation@ It %ho"ld not be 8sed
@3he use of light) either of great intensity or in different colours) needs your careful consideration: /f the
use of light in any 7ay at all suggests a personification of the <anifestation of >od it should not be
used) but if it can be done 7ithout in any 7ay gi'ing the impression that the 2rophet is being represented
or personified then there is no obBection to its use:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust 1L/ 190@2
''. Prohibition on .epresentin6 #anifestations of Dod in Paintin6s or Drawin6s Applies to All
#anifestations
@3he prohibition on representing the <anifestation of >od in paintings and dra7ings or in dramatic
presentations applies to all the <anifestations of >od: 3here are) of course) great and 7onderful 7or6s
of art of past 8ispensations) many of 7hich portrayed the <anifestations of >od in a spirit of re'erence
and lo'e: /n this 8ispensation ho7e'er the greater maturity of man6ind and the greater a7areness of the
relationship bet7een the Supreme <anifestation and His ser'ants enable us to realiCe the impossibility
of representing) in any human form) 7hether pictorially) in sculpture or in dramatic representation) the
2erson of >ods <anifestations: /n stating the Bah prohibition) the belo'ed >uardian pointed out this
impossibility:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 9/ 19002
'(. :eed for %$ill to Prod"ce an Effecti1e Film abo"t 5istory of the Faith
@As you are no doubt a7are) it is not permissible to portray the <anifestations of >od in dramatic 7or6s
and it can be understood that great s6ill 7ill be needed to produce an effecti'e film about the history of
the aith in 7hich neither the Bb nor Bahullh could actually appear: Because of the o'er7helming
significance of the Bah message and the Bah &e'elation) any such film produced under the aegis of
the Bah community 7ould ha'e to be of the 'ery highest Duality in all respects:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 4eptem)er LN/ 19082
C$ Bah Authors4+riters
'-. *ah+,; A"thors %ho"ld 7rite in %"ch #anner as to Attract the %o"ls
@::: Hhate'er is 7ritten should not transgress the bounds of tact and 7isdom) and in the 7ords used there
should lie hid the property of mil6) so that the children of the 7orld may be nurtured there7ith) and
attain maturity: He ha'e said in the past that one 7ord hath the influence of spring and causeth hearts to
become fresh and 'erdant) 7hile another is li6e unto blight 7hich causeth the blossoms and flo7ers to
7ither: >od grant that authors among the friends 7ill 7rite in such a 7ay as 7ould be acceptable to fair0
minded souls) and not lead to ca'illing by the people:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. E?tracts from the Bah Hritings on the SubBect of Hriters and Hriting) A Compilation/ p! 3/ Eul5 19812
'/. *ah+,; 7riters %ho"ld 5a1e their 7or$s Appro1ed for P"blication by :ational Assembly of
Co"ntry where P"blished
@/t is not the practice of the Horld Centre to re'ie7 the 7ritings of indi'idual Bahs intended for
publication: As you 6no7) Bah authors) 7riting about the aith) are reDuested to ha'e their 7or6
appro'ed for publication by the National Spiritual Assembly of the country 7here such 7or6 is
published: 3here is no obBection 7hate'er) to your submitting your manuscript to a non0Bah firm)
pro'ided that the appro'al of the manuscript by the National Assembly is first obtained:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 11/ 19812
'0. *ah+,; A"thorsL7riters %ho"ld 7elcome .e1iew of their 7or$s
@Bah authors should 7elcome re'ie7 of their 7or6s) and can greatly assist promptness in re'ie7 by
supplying a sufficient number of copies of the manuscript for each member of the &e'ie7ing Committee
to ha'e one:
@Bah authors may submit their 7or6s for re'ie7 to any National Spiritual Assembly) and may send
their 7or6s) once appro'ed) to any publisher they li6e) Bah or non0Bah) at home or abroad: /t
should be remembered) ho7e'er) that the appro'al should be gi'en by the National Spiritual Assembly
of the country 7here the 7or6 is to be first published: And in the case of a non0Bah publisher the
author should insist on use of the system of transliteration at present used by the aith for languages
employing the &oman alphabet:
@/t is hoped that Bah authors 7ill pro'ide a constant stream of ne7 7or6s: /ntroductory boo6s)
commentaries) dissertations on 'arious aspects of the &e'elation) te?t boo6s) histories) re'ie7s) audio0
'isual material are all needed to stimulate study of the aith and to promote the 'ital teaching 7or6:E
&The :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice. from <emorandum on Bah 2ublishing) &id'n "#+"2
'2. .e1iew of #a6aHine Articles 7ritten by Indi1id"al *elie1ers
@/n the eb: ABah Ne7s) page %) it mentions that magaCine articles about the Cause ::: A7ritten by
indi'idual belie'ers as their personal understanding of the teachings :::need not be re'ie7ed officially:
He feels this is un7ise) in 'ie7 of the <asters o7n instructions that articles about the Cause should not
be published by indi'iduals 7ithout proper appro'al of some responsible body:
@3he >uardian says the =ocal Assemblies can pass upon such articlesI it is not necessary to refer them
to a National Committee:
@So often persons can be carried a7ay by their enthusiasm and e?press something detrimental to the
aith: 3herefore they must either refer their articles to their =ocal Spiritual Assembly or the National
&e'ie7ing Committee:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ (pril 13/ 19NM2
(3. !he .e1iewin6 Committee
@/t is recommended that &e'ie7ing Committees be small) composed of t7o or three belie'ers 7ith
adeDuate education and 6no7ledge of the Cause: /t is essential that 7or6s submitted be dealt 7ith
promptly: 3he standards to be upheld by re'ie7ers are the follo7ing! FaG conformity 7ith the 3eachings)
FbG accuracy) FcG dignity in presentation: 3he Spiritual Assembly) on the basis of its &e'ie7ing
Committees report) gi'es or 7ithholds appro'al of the 7or6:
@::: /n general the function of a re'ie7ing committee is to say 7hether the 7or6 submitted gi'es an
acceptable presentation of the Cause or not: &e'ie7ers may 7in the gratitude and good 7ill of authors
by calling attention to such things as occasional grammatical or spelling errors) but appro'al should not
be refused on such groundsI all such details are editorial matters for agreement bet7een author and
publisher:E
&<emorandum on Bah 2ublishing+Rid"-n 1901/ from the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ 6arch L8/ 1901 to the ational 4piritual
(ssem)lies of the ,ah-*? world/ pp! 1+L2
(1. )bli6ation of *ah+,;s to Present the Faith in Di6nified #anner
@He appro'e your action in 7riting to the 2ublic /nformation 8epartment and in publishing a statement
instructing Bahs 7ho are authors not to attempt or be persuaded to 7rite articles on the aith for
unsa'oury publications:
@/t is an obligation of all Bahs to present the aith in a dignified manner and therefore 7hen 7riting
articles about the aith they should ta6e into consideration the type of magaCine or other publication in
7hich the article is to appear: Should there be any Duestion about its character they should consult 7ith
the National Spiritual Assembly: /n addition) all authors should bear in mind that anything 7ritten about
the aith for publication is subBect to re'ie7 before submission to the publishers:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice written to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 4eptem)er 1@/ 19M82
(2. !he F"nction and P"rpose of .e1iewin6
@3he function of re'ie7ing is) essentially) to chec6 the Authors e?position of the Bah aith and its
teachings) 7hich may include 'erification of any Duotations from Bah 7ritings: 3his function should
not be confused 7ith e'aluation of the literary merit of a 7or6 or of its 'alue as a publication) 7hich are
normally the prerogati'e of the publisher::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ 6arch 11/ 19M@2
(. P"rpose of .e1iew
@::: 3he purpose of re'ie7 is to protect the aith against misrepresentation by its o7n follo7ers at this
early stage of its e?istence 7hen comparati'ely fe7 people ha'e any 6no7ledge of it: An erroneous
presentation of the 3eachings by a Bah 7ho is accounted a scholar) in a scholarly Bournal) 7ould by
that 'ery fact) do far more harm than an erroneous presentation made by an obscure Bah author 7ith
no pretensions to scholarship:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 8/ 19812
('. :o )bFection to *ah+,;s 7ritin6 :o1els Portrayin6 5istorical E1ents
@3here is no obBection to Bahs 7riting no'els portraying historical e'ents and figures of the aith:
Ho7e'er) in 'ie7 of the impossibility of e'er portraying adeDuately the <anifestation of >od as a
character in a no'el) and of the disrespect implicit in such an attempt) the House of 9ustice feels that no
such portrayal should be attempted: 5f course) His sayings and the e'ents of His life may be recounted)
but in this case care should be ta6en to Duote His e?act 7ords as 7e ha'e them in authoriCed
translations) and e'ents in Bah history should not be distorted:
@>enerally spea6ing) 7or6s of fiction 7hich the 7riters hope 7ill help to promote 6no7ledge of the
Cause of >od 7ill fulfill this purpose better if they are set against the bac6ground of particular e'ents or
de'eloping processes in the Cause of >od) and not used to portray the actual historical e'ents
themsel'es and the figures ta6ing part in them: 3he reality of the actual e'ents and the actual personages
is so much more con'incing than any fictional account: /n this connection the >uardians secretary 7rote
on his behalf!
AHe 7ould not recommend fiction as a means of teachingI the condition of the 7orld is too acute to
permit of delay in gi'ing them the direct teachings associated 7ith the name of Bahullh: But any
suitable approach to the aith) 7hich appeals to this or that group) is certainly 7orthy of effort) as 7e
7ish to bring the Cause to all men) in all 7al6s of life) of all mentalities: E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er L3/ 19812
((. 9o"rnalists
@3here is no obBection to your being a Bournalist as long as you try to 6eep off political issuesI especially
the big East0Hest issues: Mou ha'e a talent for 7riting) and it might be of help to you financially and in
ma6ing contacts for the aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 31/ 19@12
(-. %ciences that *e6in and End with 7ords,ah-*u*ll-h e"er 6eant to Include 4tor5 Writin$
under this 3ate$or5
@Hhat Bahullh meant primarily 7ith Asciences that begin and end in 7ords are those theological
treatises and commentaries that encumber the human mind rather than help it to attain the truth: 3he
students 7ould de'ote their life to their study but still attain no7here:
@Bahullh surely ne'er meant to include story 7riting under such a categoryI and shorthand and
type7riting are both most useful talents 'ery necessary in our present social and economic life:
@Hhat you could do) and should do) is to use your stories to become a source of inspiration and
guidance for those 7ho read them: Hith such a means at your disposal you can spread the spirit and
teachings of the CauseI you can sho7 the e'ils that e?ist in society) as 7ell as the 7ay they can be
remedied: /f you possess a real talent in 7riting you should consider it as gi'en by >od and e?ert your
efforts to use it for the betterment of society:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 31/ 193L. E?tracts from the Bah Hritings on the
SubBect of Hriters and Hriting) a compilation/ Eul5 1981/ p! M2
(/. !he Faith :eeds *ah+,; A"thors
@&egarding the ad'ice you as6ed him for) he feels that to de'ote all ones studies 7ith the obBect of
becoming a Bah author is rather ris6y: He need Bah authors badly) but you ha'e to be assured that
you ha'e the talent to earn your li'ing in that field) and also ser'e the aith in it:
@He feels that the best thing for you to do is to de'ote your studies to acDuiring a sound education) if you
li6e along literary lines) and then see 7hat de'elops:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 1N/ 19@02
(0. Doctoral !heses and %imilar !reatises
@/t has been decided that doctoral theses and similar treatises submitted to institutions of learning for the
obtaining of a degree are not subBect to Bah re'ie7 unless they are to be published more 7idely than
is reDuired for the degree in Duestion:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 11/ 198L2
(2. :o P"blisher has the .i6ht to Alter A"thor,s #an"script
@A publishing trust has the right to refuse publication of any particular title) and a National Assembly has
the right to re'ie7 any proposed Bah publication for accuracy and propriety: But no publisher has the
right to alter or change an authors manuscript 7ithout his 6no7ledge and consent:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice written to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eul5 L8/ 19MM2
$ Bah 'ublication0 Translation0 Re.ie" and Co-*right
-3. *ah+,; :ewsletters and *"lletinsWh5 3irculation is Restricted to A,ah-*?s Onl5B
@/n reply to your inDuiry of "$th No'ember "#$, about Bah ne7sletters and bulletins being for
Bahs only) 7e are as6ed by the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice to Duote belo7 from letters 7ritten by the
Jni'ersal House of 9ustice or at its instruction to other National Assemblies 7hich ha'e as6ed similar
Duestions:
AHith reference to your letter of 5ctober %"st as6ing 7hy the circulation of Bah Ne7s should be
restricted to Bahs 7e 7ish to point out that the same reasons that ma6e it necessary to restrict the
attendance at a Nineteen 8ay east to Bahs only apply also to the circulation of Bah Ne7sletters:
AA Bah ne7s bulletin assumes that the reader is a Bah and it 7ould therefore normally contain
items 7hich are purely of a domestic nature of no interest to the general public and 7hich) in some
cases) may gi'e the 7rong impression to those not familiar 7ith the Bah teachings: Ho7e'er) there is
no obBection to the friends sho7ing their ne7sletters to non0Bahs if they so 7ish or find it useful at
times: urthermore) if the 7ords Aor Bahs 5nly 7hich appear on some ne7sletters are found to be
offensi'e to the non0Bah) there is no reDuirement for these 7ords to appear on e'ery copy of the
ne7sletter:
A/n ans7er to your Duery concerning the policy of 6eeping @Bah Ne7sE for Bahs only) the House
of 9ustice instructs us to e?plain that the circulation of Bah Ne7sletters is restricted to Bahs
because they are 'ehicles of ne7s that is primarily of internal interest to the friends and the Assembly
should be able to 7rite freely to the belie'ers 7ithout ha'ing to so 7ord the information that it 7ould be
easily understandable to a non0Bah reader: /n other 7ords) a Bah ne7sletter is not secret but is an
internal Bournal intended for an informed readership:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 6e;ico/ Decem)er 19/ 198L2
-1. 8sa6e in %panish !e?ts of Accents on Persian and Arabic 7ords
@3he Duestion as to 7hether or not the accents on the 7ord Bah Fand indeed on other 7ords
transliterated from the 2ersian and ArabicG should be used 7hen the 7ord is printed entirely in capital
letters is one that should be uniform in usage throughout the Spanish0spea6ing 7orld unless usage 'aries
significantly from country to country: /t is suggested) therefore) that you refer this Duestion to the t7o
Bah 2ublishing 3rusts in Spain and Argentina for their comments: 3he guiding consideration should
not be the usage in relation to accents on Spanish 7ords) but the usage in Spanish te?ts of accents on
capital letters on foreign 7ords appearing in Spanish te?ts) such as the >erman umlaut) etc: /t should be
borne in mind that) 7hereas the accent in Spanish indicates merely a presence of stress) in the
transliteration of 2ersian 7ords it indicates a difference in articulation of the 'o7el: or e?ample) the
7ords APWH/8 and APAHU8 are t7o 7ords 7ith different meanings and different pronunciations:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 6e;ico/ Eul5 LL/ 198N2
-2. P"blications from 7orld Centreo Restriction on :se of Cuotations
@3here is no restriction on Bah authors) institutions and publishing agencies using Duotations from the
publications of the Horld Centre) and permission to do so need not be sought: 3his freedom to Duote
li6e7ise applies to compilations of the Horld Centre 7hich ha'e been published:
@2ermission to Duote from publications of 2ublishing 3rusts should be sought from the 3rust
concerned e?cept in cases 7here the 3rust has merely printed a compilation issued by the Horld Centre:
@5f course) Bah authors should see6 re'ie7 of their 7or6s by the National Assembly of the country
in 7hich it 7ill be printed:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ Decem)er 11/ 19812
-. Copyri6ht Clearance on %acred 7ritin6s not :ecessary for Assemblies and *ah+,; *elie1ers
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has been concerned of late to note an apparently gro7ing impression
among Spiritual Assemblies and indi'idual belie'ers in many parts of the 7orld) that they must obtain
copyright clearance before they may Duote from the Sacred 3e?ts of the aith in any publication: /t has
no7 instructed us to ma6e it clear that the Spiritual Assemblies and indi'idual belie'ers are free to Duote
in their publications from any of the Hritings of the three Central igures of the aith or from the
7ritings of the belo'ed >uardian) 7hether in the original language or in translation) 7ithout obtaining
clearance from the copyright holder) unless the copyright holder in the case of a translation is an
indi'idual or is a non0Bah institution: /t is recogniCed that this ruling may endanger copyrights) but
7e feel that this is a ris6 that must be ta6en:
@3he ruling is made to ensure that the Sacred Scriptures of our aith and the 7ritings of the belo'ed
>uardian may be freely used by the belie'ersI it does not change the e?isting reDuirements for indi'idual
belie'ers to submit their 7or6s on the aith for re'ie7 before publication) neither does it relie'e
Spiritual Assemblies of their responsibility to protect the dignity of the aith and uphold the proper
standard of re'erence in the use of its Sacred Scriptures: 3hus) if any Assembly sees that one of the
friends is ma6ing use of any of the Holy 3e?ts in an unbefitting manner) it should remonstrate 7ith him
and) if necessary) reDuire him to stop doing so:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 4eptem)er N/
19812
-'. CapitaliHin6 Prono"ns in En6lish
@3he >uardian 7ishes your Committee to capitaliCe all pronouns 7hen referring to Bahullh) the Bb
and the <aster) e'en though the ne7spapers do not use them:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ,ah-*? ews 4er"ice 3ommittee/ <e)ruar5 @/ 19382
@/n regard to your Duestion about capitaliCing the pronouns! 3he >uardian realiCes this loo6s a little
strange to non0Bahs) but he feels 7e) being belie'ers) and ha'ing the full sense of the Stations of the
Central figures of our aith) should do this as a sign of respect under all circumstances:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er LL/ 19N92
-(. CapitaliHin6 Prono"ns in )ther &an6"a6es
@He is interested in accomplishing t7o thingsQhe 7ould li6e in the European languages to ha'e as
much uniformity 7ith the English translations as possibleI he does not 7ish the Bah translations to be
in any 7ay a flagrant 'iolation of the rules of the language into 7hich our literature is being translated:
@Mour Committee must conscientiously study this Duestion) and then do the best you can to ha'e the
Bah literature in rench meet the high standards of the rench language and grammar:
@/f the possessi'e and demonstrati'e adBecti'es and pronouns in rench are ne'er capitaliCed 7here
they stand for A>od) then this should not be done in the Bah literature: /f there is a precedent for
doing so in the rench language) ho7e'er) they should be: 3he same is true of the attributes of >od:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational Translation and Pu)lication 3ommittee of <rance/ <e)ruar5 1@/ 19@02
--. >"otation #ar$s6ust :phold Ri$id 4tandard Inculcated )5 the 3ause
@Also the >uardian feels it is absolutely essential that in all releases issued by your Committee Duotation
mar6s be used 7hen passages from Bah Sacred Hritings are Duoted: 3he friends should be careful to
uphold under all circumstances the rigid standard inculcated by the Cause) and not to compromise easily
7ith the common and accepted standards of the time:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ,ah-*? ews 4er"ice 3ommittee/ <e)ruar5 @/ 19382
-/. :ational %pirit"al Assembly A"thorises !ranslations !hro"6h a Committee of *ah+,;
!ranslatorsThe %uardian*s 6ethod of Transliteration 4hould ,e :sed
@3he National Spiritual Assembly 7hich underta6es the translation) usually through a committee of
Bah translators) is the body 7hich AauthoriCes the translation) if it is appro'ed: /n some instances) if
there are no Bah translators a'ailable) there is no obBection) in principle) to employing non0Bahs for
this purpose: /t is usual for the National Spiritual Assembly to appoint a &e'ie7ing Committee) or
establish some means of pro'iding re'ie7 of the completed translation: Mou 7ill note from the enclosed
memorandum that) 7ith the e?ceptions enumerated therein) ne7 translations of the Sacred 3e?t into
languages other than English must be made from the >uardians English translation 7here it e?istsI and
7hen no such translation e?ists) ad'ice should be sought from the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice: /n the
case of Spanish) to a'oid duplication of effort and to achie'e the highest standard of accuracy) the
National Assembly concerned should feel free to consult EB/=A and4or the National Spiritual Assembly
of Spain) and indeed the House of 9ustice encourages the closest co0operation bet7een all administrati'e
bodies and publishing trusts responsible for the production of literature in Spanish:
@&egarding the transliteration of 2ersian and Arabic 7ords the House of 9ustice reDuests that the
method adopted by the belo'ed >uardian) and 7hich is described in the 'arious 'olumes of A3he Bah
Horld) be follo7ed) as it permits all languages 7hich use the &oman alphabet to transliterate such terms
in the same 7ay throughout the Bah 7orld:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Panama/ Eul5 1M/ 19092
-0. D"idelines for the !ranslation of *ah+,; %acred 7ritin6s
@3ranslations into languages other than those a6in to 2ersian and Arabic should normally be made from
appro'ed English translations rather than from the original 2ersian and Arabic: /n such cases it is an
ad'antage if it is also possible for the translatorFsG to chec6 7ith the original:
@All ne7 translations into English) and all re'isions of earlier translations in that language must be
chec6ed at the Horld Centre and officially appro'ed before publication:
@Any belie'er is free to translate for his o7n use anything he 7ishes) but dissemination or publication
of such translation is dependent upon their appro'al by the appropriate National Spiritual Assembly or)
in the case of translations into English) by the Horld Centre:
aG /f an indi'idual Bah spontaneously ma6es his o7n translation of a passage he may 7illingly
ma6e it a'ailable to a Spiritual Assembly but he cannot be compelled to do so:
bG /f a translation made spontaneously by an indi'idual is appro'ed and published) he retains the
copyright of his translation unless) of course) he 7ishes to surrender it:
@Hhen a Spiritual Assembly 7ishes to ha'e a translation made it should) if possible ha'e the tas6
underta6en by a committee rather than by indi'iduals) as is e?plained by AAbdul0Bah:
aG 3he members of such a committee need not all be Bahs:
bG 3ranslations made by a committee are the property of the Assembly appointing the committee) and
not of the members of the committee:
cG E?cept for translations into English) a translation made by a committee does not ha'e to be chec6ed
unless the Assembly deems it ad'isable:
dG /n accordance 7ith the instructions of Shoghi Effendi the name of the committee should appear in
the boo6 as the translator) but the names of the members must not so appear:E
&<rom >uidelines for the 3ranslation of Bah Sacred Hritings attached to a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to
the ational (ssem)l5 of Panama/ Eul5 1M/ 19092
-2. An Indi1id"al Can *e Commissioned to #a$e !ranslationsTranslations ,ecome Propert5 of
the (ssem)l5
@/f it is not feasible to form a translation committee) translations must) perforce) be made by indi'iduals:
aG Hhen an indi'idual is commissioned by an Assembly to ma6e a translation for it the translation
should become the property of the Assembly) not of the indi'idual) e'en if the 7or6 is done 7ithout
remuneration: /t is ad'isable to ha'e this and other matters agreed in 7riting before the 7or6 is
underta6en so that there may be no ground for subseDuent misunderstandings:
bG A translation made by an indi'idual should be chec6ed before being published) if possible) and such
chec6ing should be done by a committee rather than by an indi'idual) if this is feasible:
cG Hhen a translation made by an indi'idual is published) his name may appear as translator if he so
7ishes:
@Normally credit for translation should appear on all complete 7or6s and compilations that are
published) as 7ell as on boo6s that Duote translated passages:
aG Credit for translation should not appear in the case of passages Duoted in communications from
Bah institutions) e'en 7hen these are published:
bG Credit for translation need not appear on published leaflets and pamphlets unless there is a legal
reDuirement that it do so:E
&I)id!2
/3. !ranslation of *ah+,; &iterat"re into E1eryday &an6"a6e4implifications and Paraphrasin$
not to )e Pu)lished as 4cripture
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice) in response to your letter of ,- April concerning translations into
rench or Creole using simpler 7ords than the original te?t) has reDuested us to send the follo7ing three
Duotations: 3hese ma6e it clear that a Duotation in English may be rendered into simple English in order
to facilitate its translation into another language or dialect: Ho7e'er) it is not permissible to publish
simplifications and paraphrased e?tracts of Bah Hritings as Bah Scripture:
AHe ha'e noticed a tendency in a number of countries to attempt to translate Bah literature
into the current) easy) e'eryday language of the country: 3his) ho7e'er) should not be an
o'erriding consideration: <any of the 3ablets of Bahullh and AAbdul0Bah are in
e?alted and highly poetic language in the original 2ersian and Arabic and you 7ill see) for
e?ample) that 7hen translating Bahullhs Hritings into English the belo'ed >uardian did
not use present0day colloDuial English but e'ol'ed a highly poetic and beautiful style) using
numbers of archaic e?pressions reminiscent of the translations of the Bible:
&<rom a letter dated 0 Octo)er 1903 written )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l52
A5b'iously teaching literature and boo6s about the aith can be 7ritten in simple English:
Ho7e'er) 7e feel that 7hen the Sacred Hritings are published the standard English
translation should be used) but there 7ould be no obBection to printing alongside it the
translation into simple English 7hich should be described as a paraphrase of the Holy Hord:
3hus) for the people of ::: 7ho ha'e difficulty in comprehending standard English) the simple
English 'ersion 7ould be in the nature of an e?planation of the Hritings 7hich they could
understand: /n the case of teaching literature in 7hich Duotations from the Hritings appear)
these could either be paraphrased or a simple English 'ersion could be used 7ith the
standard 'ersion printed as a footnote: 3his method 7ould also pro'ide a means 7hereby the
people of ::: could impro'e their 6no7ledge and understanding of the English language:
&<rom a letter dated L1 4eptem)er 1903 written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l52
A/t is) of course) permissible to translate Bah Hritings into other languages and dialects of
languages: /t is also possible to simplify or paraphrase the Bah Hritings in order to
facilitate their translation into languages and dialects ha'ing small 'ocabularies: Ho7e'er) it
is not permissible to publish simplifications and paraphrases of Bah Hritings as Bah
Scripture:E
&<rom a letter dated 13 6arch 19M9 written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l52
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %uadeloupe/ 6a5 13/ 198M2
/1. !ranslators %ho"ld 8tiliHe #ost .ecent Editions of *oo$s
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has reDuested us to ad'ise you to base your translations on current
editions of all the boo6s referred to) if translation is in'ol'ed: /n each instance you should consult the
original publisher and obtain a copy of the latest printing or edition to ensure that all appro'ed
corrections are embodied in your translation:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Taiwan/ 6a5 LL/ 198N2
($ ,iscellaneous %ub5ects
/2. Friday is Day of .est in *ah+,; Calendar
@AAbdul0Bah gi'es no reason 7hate'er 7hy riday has been chosen as the day of rest in the Bah
calendar: He Bust affirms it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 11/ 1939. Bah Ne7s/ o! 1ML/ (pril 19N3/ p! @2
/. 8se of *ah+,; Dates
@/t is ad'isable to use both the Bah dates) according to the Bah Calendar) and the usual >regorian
dates as 7ell: 3he friends at present are free to do as they please:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er LN/ 19N3. ,ah-*? ews/ o! 103/ <e)ruar5 19N@/ p!
112
/'. *ah+,; Faith@ Desi6nation of
@/n reply to your letter of 9anuary ,*th) 7e realiCe that there are occasions on 7hich the use of the term
ABah Horld aith may be Bustified and useful: Ho7e'er) it is our hope that the friends 7ill gradually
lose the habit of using this term as 7idely as they do no7: 3he designation A3he Bah aith is more
dignified and preferable: Any adBecti'e added to this name tends to a diminution of its stature and might
be ta6en to mean that there are other ABah aiths:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ <e)ruar5 @/ 19M0. 3opies to "arious
ational 4piritual (ssem)lies2
/(. %ymbol of *ah+,; Faith<i"e+Pointed 4tar
@:::Strictly spea6ing the fi'e0pointed star is the symbol of our aith) as used by the Bb and e?plained by
Him: But the >uardian does not feel it is 7ise or necessary to complicate our e?planation of the 3emple
by adding this:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L8/ 19N9. :!4! 4upplement to ,ah-*? ews/ o! @1/ p! N/
(pril 19ML2
I6$ BA)23 LIF(0 (GO0 %ACRIFIC(0
%(LF AN %(R6IC(
A$ Bah Life
/-. !he Dreat !hin6 is to <&i1e the &ife=
@3he great thing is to A=i'e the =ifeQto ha'e our li'es so saturated 7ith the 8i'ine teachings and the
Bah Spirit that people cannot fail to see a Boy) a po7er) a lo'e) a purity) a radiance) an efficiency in our
character and 7or6 that 7ill distinguish us from 7orldly0minded people and ma6e people 7onder 7hat
is the secret of this ne7 life in us: He must become entirely selfless and de'oted to >od so that e'ery
day and e'ery moment 7e see6 to do only 7hat >od 7ould ha'e us do and in the 7ay He 7ould ha'e us
do it: /f 7e do this sincerely then 7e shall ha'e perfect unity and harmony 7ith each other: Hhere there
is 7ant of harmony there is lac6 of the true Bah Spirit: Jnless 7e can sho7 this transformation in our
li'es) this ne7 po7er) this mutual lo'e and harmony) then the Bah teachings are but a name to us:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 L/ 19L@2
//. If 5ealth is %pent in %ens"al Desires@ Death Preferable to %"ch a &ife
@/f the health and 7ell0being of the body be e?pended in the path of the ;ingdom) this is 'ery acceptable
and praise7orthyI and if it be e?pended to the benefit of the human 7orld in generalQe'en though it be
to their material For bodilyG benefitQand be a means of doing good) that is also acceptable: But if the
health and 7elfare of man be spent in sensual desires) in a life on the animal plane) and in de'ilish
pursuitsQthen disease 7ere better than such health) nay) death itself 7ere preferable to such a life: /f
thou art desirous of health) 7ish thou health for ser'ing the ;ingdom::::E
&'()du*l+,ah-. <rom a Ta)let to the ,ah-*?s of Washin$ton. Bahullh and the Ne7 Era/ pp! 11N+11@2
/0. !o Attract the 5earts of )thers it is :ecessary to &i1e "p to the !eachin6s
@/ndeed if the friends could see6) and e?ert themsel'es) to become "-- percent Bahs they 7ould see
ho7 greatly their influence o'er others 7ould be increased) and ho7 rapidly the Cause 7ould spread:
3he 7orld is see6ing not a compromise but the embodiment of a high and shining ideal: 3he more the
friends li'e up to our teachings in e'ery aspect of their li'es) in their homes) in business) in their social
relationships) the greater 7ill be the attraction they e?ercise o'er the hearts of others:
@He is pleased to see you ha'e naturally) 7ith con'iction and good 7ill to7ards all) been mingling
7ith and teaching the colored people: Hhen the Bahs li'e up to their teachings as they should)
although it may arouse the opposition of some it 7ill arouse still more the admiration of fair0minded
people:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 L3/ 19N@2
/2. *ah+,;s #"st Clin6 to their Faith and to Each )ther
@/n these days 7hen the forces of inharmony and disunity are rampant throughout the 7orld) the Bahs
must cling to their aith and to each other and) in spite of e'ery difficulty and suffering) protect the unity
of the Cause: 5ften the first efforts at getting the administration of the aith to 7or6 harmoniously are
painful because the indi'idual must learn to subBect his 7ill to the 7holeQbut these are all minor details)
and the friends must all concentrate on constructi'e 7or6 for the Cause:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to a $roup of )elie"ers/ 6a5 0/ 19N12
03. !he Ad1ertisements for the Faith Are &o1e@ 5ospitality@ 8nderstandin6 and the 7ill to 5elp
@He is 'ery pleased to see 7ith 7hat lo'e and de'otion you ha'e accepted our belo'ed aith and long to
ser'e it:
@Not all of us are capable of ser'ing in the same 7ay) but the one 7ay e'ery Bah can spread the
aith is by e?ample: 3his mo'es the hearts of people far more deeply than 7ords e'er can:
@3he lo'e 7e sho7 others) the hospitality and understanding) the 7illingness to help them) these are
the 'ery best ad'ertisements of the aith: 3hey 7ill 7ant to hear about it 7hen they see these things in
our li'es:
@3he >uardian 7ill pray that Bahullh 7ill aid you and strengthen you to teach His Cause to many
souls:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 1N/ 19N32
01. 5ow to AcC"ire Peace of #ind
@::: 2eace of mind is gained by the centering of the spiritual consciousness on the 2rophet of >odI
therefore you should study the spiritual 3eachings) and recei'e the Hater of =ife from the Holy
Jtterances: 3hen by translating these high ideals into action) your entire character 7ill be changed) and
your mind 7ill not only find peace) but your entire being 7ill find Boy and enthusiasm:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 1@/ 19@L2
02. )ne %ho"ld not Di1e the Impression of *ein6 Fanatic4eek to )e 6an5+4ided/ ormal and
Well+,alanced
@Mou as6 about Aspiritual indigestion! Bahs should see6 to be many0sided) normal and 7ell0balanced)
mentally and spiritually: He must not gi'e the impression of being fanatics but at the same time 7e must
li'e up to our principles:E
&( letter written from the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 19/ 1903. Bah 9ournal of the Jnited ;ingdom/
o!L10/ p! 0/ Eune 19032
0. !he Inner &ife of the %pirit is 7hat Co"nts
@/f people only realiCed it) the inner life of the spirit is that 7hich counts) but they are so blinded by
desires and so misled that they ha'e brought upon themsel'es all the suffering 7e see at present in the
7orld: 3he Bahs see6 to lead people bac6 to a 6no7ledge of their true sel'es and the purpose for
7hich they 7ere created) and thus to their greatest happiness and highest good:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 LN/ 19N32
0'. !hro"6h Deep %t"dy and &i1in6 the &ife to *ecome &i$e Firm .oc$s
@He hopes that these recepti'e souls you ha'e succeeded to attract into the mo'ement 7ill through deep
study and li'ing the life become li6e firm roc6s upon 7hich the Cause can build its future spiritual
templeQthe temple of the hearts: /n one of His 'ery beautiful and stirring poems 7ritten in the early
days of His <ission Bahullh bids us stay a7ay and not become an encumbrance if 7e desire to li'e
and ha'e our 7ell0being: /n case) ho7e'er) 7e are ready to sacrifice our all in the path of >od then 7e
should hasten to Him and follo7 His 7ay:
@Hhat the Cause needs is such ardent and self0sacrificing ser'ants and not lu6e7arm follo7ers 7ho
are ready to reap the fruit but un7illing to ta6e a part in 7inning that 'ictory: Shoghi Effendi) therefore)
hopes that you 7ill endea'our to ma6e of your spiritual children of the type Bahullh sought to ha'e
and create not passi'e admirers but acti'e ser'ants of the ne7 7orld order:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er M/ 193L2
0(. E1ol"tion of the %o"l
@&egarding your Duestions concerning the condition of the soul during illness: 3he passages in the
@>leaningsE ma6e it Duite clear that physical ailments) no matter ho7 se'ere) cannot bring any change in
the inherent condition of the soul: As Bahullh says! A3he spirit is permanent and steadfast in its
station: 3he 'eil or hindrance that interposes bet7een soul and body during physical disease is sic6ness
itself: Sic6ness re'eals a lac6 of balance in human organism) an absence of eDuilibrium in the forces
essential for the normal functioning of the human body:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 8/ 193M2
B$ (go8%elf
0-. !he #eanin6 of %elf
@&egarding the Duestions you as6ed! Self has really t7o meanings) or is used in t7o senses) in the Bah
7ritings! one is self) the identity of the indi'idual created by >od: 3his is the self mentioned in such
passages as Ahe hath 6no7n >od 7ho hath 6no7n himself etc:: 3he other self is the ego) the dar6)
animalistic heritage each one of us has) the lo7er nature that can de'elop into a monster of selfishness)
brutality) lust and so on: /t is this self 7e must struggle against) or this side of our natures) in order to
strengthen and free the spirit 7ithin us and help it to attain perfection:
@Self0sacrifice means to subordinate this lo7er nature and its desires to the more godly and noble side
of oursel'es: Jltimately) in its highest sense) self0sacrifice means to gi'e our 7ill and our all to >od to
do 7ith as He pleases: 3hen He purifies and glorifies our true self until it becomes a shining and
7onderful reality:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 11/ 19N02
0/. !he E6o is the Animal within 8s
@3he ego is the animal in us) the heritage of the flesh 7hich is full of selfish desires: By obeying the
la7s of >od) see6ing to li'e the life laid do7n in our teachings) and prayer and struggle) 7e can subdue
our egos: He call people Asaints 7ho ha'e achie'ed the highest degree of mastery o'er their ego:
@3here is no contradiction bet7een >leanings 2 ** and 2 ,*,: /n one place He says the mirror 7ill
ne'er be free from dross) in the other He says it 7ill be Aso cleansed as to be able etc: /t is a relati'e
thingI perfection 7ill ne'er be reached) but great) and e'er greater) progress can be made:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 8/ 19N92
00. &ife is a Constant %tr"66le A6ainst Forces Aro"nd "s and )"r )wn <E6os=
@=ife is a constant struggle) not only against forces around us) but abo'e all against our o7n Aego: He
can ne'er afford to rest on our oars) for if 7e do) 7e soon see oursel'es carried do7n stream again:
<any of those 7ho drift a7ay from the Cause do so for the reason that they had ceased to go on
de'eloping: 3hey became complacent) or indifferent) and conseDuently ceased to dra7 the spiritual
strength and 'itality from the Cause 7hich they should ha'e: Sometimes) of course) people fail because
of a test they Bust do not meet) and often our se'erest tests come from each other: Certainly the belie'ers
should try to a'ert such things) and if they happen) remedy them through lo'e: >enerally spea6ing nine0
tenths of the friends troubles are because they dont do the Bah thing) in relation to each other) to the
administrati'e bodies or in their personal li'es:E
&I)id!2
02. !he Prophets Are the )nly )nes Free of the <Dross of %elf=
@&egarding the Duestions you as6ed in your letter! 3he only people 7ho are truly free of the Adross of
self are the 2rophets) for to be free of ones ego is a hall0mar6 of perfection: He humans are ne"er going
to become perfect) for perfection belongs to a realm 7e are not destined to enter: Ho7e'er) 7e must
constantly mount higher) see6 to be more perfect:E
&I)id!2

23. %elf #astery@ Gey to
@3oday the confirmations of the ;ingdom of Abh are 7ith those 7ho renounce themsel'es) forget their
o7n opinions) cast aside personalities and are thin6ing of the 7elfare of others::: Hhosoe'er is occupied
7ith himself is 7andering in the desert of heedlessness and regret: 3he A<aster ;ey to self0mastery is
self0forgetting: 3he road to the palace of life is through the path of renunciation:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Star of the Hest/ >ol! Q>II/ p! 3N82
21. !hro"6h the %earch for Dod@ 7e *ecome AcC"ainted with )"rsel1es
@3he more 7e search for oursel'es) the less li6ely 7e are to find oursel'esI and the more 7e search for
>od) and to ser'e our fello70men) the more profoundly 7ill 7e become acDuainted 7ith oursel'es) and
the more in7ardly assured: 3his is one of the great spiritual la7s of life:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 18/ 19@N2
22. *ecomin6 Conscio"s of %elf is a Drad"al Process
@Mou ha'e as6ed as to 7hat point in mans e'olution he becomes conscious of self: 3his consciousness
of self in man is a gradual process) and does not start at a definite point: /t gro7s in him in this 7orld
and continues to do so in the future spiritual 7orld:
@<an can certainly recall past e?periences in his e'olution) and e'en 7hen his soul lea'es this 7orld it
7ill still remember its past:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er L1/ 19302
2. #an,s E1ol"tion is both Indi1id"al and Collecti1e
@<ans e'olution is both indi'idual and collecti'e) because of his t7ofold relationship to himself and to
the society in 7hich he li'es: /ndi'idual e'olution starts 7ith the early stages of ones e?istence:
Consciousness too gro7s 7ith this e'olution:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 1N/ 19382
2'. !he Ca"se 5as the %pirit"al Power to .e-Create 8s
@3he belie'ers) as 7e all 6no7) should endea'our to set such an e?ample in their personal li'es and
conduct that others 7ill feel impelled to embrace a aith 7hich reforms human character: Ho7e'er)
unfortunately) not e'eryone achie'es easily and rapidly the 'ictory o'er self: Hhat e'ery belie'er) ne7
or old) should realiCe is that the Cause has the spiritual po7er to re0create us if 7e ma6e the effort to let
that po7er influence us) and the greatest help in this respect is prayer: He must supplicate Bahullh to
assist us to o'ercome the failings in our o7n characters) and also e?ert our o7n 7ill po7er in mastering
oursel'es:
@He 7ill certainly pray for the 7or6 of the belo'ed Cause there and especially that ne7 souls may be
attracted and embrace the aith: He 7ill also pray that the belie'ers may) for the sa6e of >od) dra7 close
to each other and not permit each others short0comings to be a source of disunity and conseDuently a
means of depri'ing thirsty souls of this life0gi'ing <essageL 3he 7orld is full of e'il and dar6 forces and
the friends must not permit these forces to get hold of them by thin6ing and feeling negati'ely to7ards
each other:E
2(. )"r !ho"6hts %ho"ld be !"rned Determinedly@ Intelli6ently and 8nemotionally to Dod
@He 7as 'ery sorry to hear of the condition of your dear sister: He 7ould ad'ise her to turn her thoughts
determinedly and intelligentlyQby that / mean unemotionallyQto >od) realising that He is forgi'ing)
that in one moment He can) through His blessed mercy) ta6e a7ay our sense of failure and help us to do
better in the futureQif 7e sincerely 7ish toI to turn to Him in prayer and see6 to dra7 closer to HimI
and to accept His Hill and submit her o7n desires and opinions to His 7ish and plan for her:
@3here is a tremendous dar6ness in the 7orld today) the dar6ness caused by man6inds going against
the =a7s of >od and gi'ing 7ay to the animal side of human nature: 2eople must recogniCe this fact)
and consciously struggle against pessimism and depression:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 1N/ 19N@2
2-. 7e %ho"ld Foc"s on the Dlory of the Ca"se and not on )"r Fail"res
@&egarding your o7n condition! He strongly urges you not to d7ell on yourself: Each one of us) if 7e
loo6 into our failures) is sure to feel un7orthy and despondent) and this feeling only frustrates our
constructi'e efforts and 7astes time: 3he thing for us to focus on is the glory of the Cause and the 2o7er
of Bahullh 7hich can ma6e of a mere drop a surging seaL Mou certainly ha'e no right to feel
negati'eI you ha'e embraced this glorious aith and arisen 7ith de'otion to ser'e it) and your labours
are greatly appreciated by both the >uardian and your fello70Bahs: Hith something as positi'e as the
aith and all it teaches behind you) you should be a 'eritable lion of confidence) and he 7ill pray that
you may become so:
@3here is) unfortunately) no 7ay that one can force his o7n good upon a man: 3he elements of free
7ill is there) and all 7e belie'ersQand e'en the <anifestation of >od HimselfQcan do is to offer the
truth to man6ind: /f the people of the 7orld persist) as they seem to be doing) in their blind materialism)
they must bear the conseDuences in a prolongation of their present condition) and e'en a 7orsening of it:
5ur duty as Bahs is to build up such a lo'e and unity 7ithin our o7n ran6s that the people 7ill be
attracted by this e?ample to the Cause: He also must teach all 7e can and strengthen the Bah
Community in the administration: But more 7e cannot do to a'ert the great sufferings 7hich seemingly
still lie ahead of the 7orld in its present e'il state:E
2/. Do not Dwell on )thers, !ho"6hts and Attit"des
@He must ne'er d7ell too much on the attitudes and feelings of our fello70belie'ers to7ards us: Hhat is
most important is to foster lo'e and harmony and ignore any rebuffs 7e may recei'eI in this 7ay the
7ea6ness of human nature and the peculiarity or attitude of any particular person is not magnified) but
pales into insignificance in comparison 7ith our Boint ser'ice to the aith 7e all lo'e:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er 19/ 19N82
C$ %elf1efense
20. *ah+,; 9"stified in Defendin6 his &ife in Emer6ency
@&egarding the Duestion you raised! /n an emergency) 7hen there is no legal source at hand to appeal to)
a Bah is perfectly Bustified in defending his life:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 LN/ 19N32
22. %elf-Defense
@rom the te?ts you already ha'e a'ailable it is clear that Bahullh has stated that it is preferable to be
6illed in the path of >ods good0pleasure than to 6ill) and that organiCed religious attac6 against Bahs
should ne'er turn into any 6ind of 7arfare) as this is strictly prohibited in our Hritings:
@3he House of 9ustice does not 7ish at the present time to go beyond the guidelines gi'en in the
abo'e0mentioned statements: 3he Duestion is basically a matter of conscience) and in each case the
Bah in'ol'ed must use his Budgment in determining 7hen to stop in self0defense lest his action
deteriorate into retaliation:
@5f course the abo'e principles apply also in cases 7hen a Bah finds himself in'ol'ed in situations
of ci'il disorder: He ha'e) ho7e'er) ad'ised the National Spiritual Assembly of the Jnited States that
under the present circumstances in that country it is preferable that Bahs do not buy nor o7n arms for
their protection or the protection of their families:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ 6a5 LM/ 19M9. <essages from the Jni'ersal
House of 9ustice/ 19M8+1903/ p! LM2
'33. Pioneer &i1in6 in a .emote Area &ac$in6 ProtectionK Circ"mstances 8nder 7hich a *ah+,; is
9"stified in Defendin6 %elf
@He ha'e your letter of <arch ,) "#+, as6ing if ::: a pioneer couple li'ing in a remote area lac6ing
police protection may ha'e a 7eapon in their possession for defending themsel'es as thie'es ha'e
bro6en into their house t7ice and robbed them:
@A hitherto untranslated 3ablet from AAbdul0Bah points out that in the case of attac6 by robbers and
high7aymen) a Bah should not surrender himself) but should try) as far as circumstances permit) to
defend himself) and later on lodge a complaint 7ith the go'ernment authorities: A statement in a letter
7ritten on behalf of the >uardian indicates that in an emergency 7hen there is no legal force at hand to
appeal to a Bah is Bustified in defending his life: Although 7e ha'e ad'ised certain National
Assemblies in countries facing increasing ci'il disorder that it is preferable that Bahs do not buy or
o7n arms for their protection or the protection of their families) 7e feel that in the circumstances you
ha'e outlined in your letter it 7ould be permissible for the pioneer family to 6eep a 7eapon in the house)
pro'ided the la7 permits:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 7onduras/ 6arch L1/ 190L2
$ %elf1%acrifice and %er.ice
'31. !he #ystery of %acrifice
@5 maid0ser'ant of >odL 3he mystery of sacrifice is that man should sacrifice all his conditions for the
di'ine station of >od: 3he station of >od is mercy) 6indness) forgi'eness) sacrifice) fa'our) grace and
gi'ing life to the spirits and lighting the fire of His lo'e in the hearts and arteries: / as6ed >od to ma6e
thee a sign of mercy) the banner of 6indness among His maid0ser'ants:
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3ablets of AAbdul0Bah/ >ol! I/ p! M@2
'32. %elf-%acrifice@ #eanin6 of
@Self0sacrifice means to subordinate this lo7er nature and its desires to the more godly and noble side of
oursel'es: Jltimately) in its highest sense) self0sacrifice means to gi'e our 7ill and our all to >od to do
7ith as He pleases: 3hen He purifies and glorifies our true self until it becomes a shining and 7onderful
reality:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 11/ 19N0. =i'ing the =ife/ p! 1N2
'3. !o 7hat E?tent %ho"ld 7e %acrifice )"r &i1es for the Interest of the Ca"seI
@3he problem of to 7hat e?tent 7e should sacrifice our time for the interest of the Cause depends for its
solution upon indi'idual means and circumstances: /t is a personal problem that 7e ought to settle
indi'idually: 5ne person may gi'e all his time to teaching and rely upon small personal income and
another may find himself more fitted to business and gi'e his share of ser'ice in the form of financial
assistance:E
'3'. Acceptin6 to %"ffer for Each )ther,s %a$e
@Hith reference to your Duestion as to 7hether indi'iduals can help each other by accepting to suffer for
each others sa6e: Surely such sacrifice for our fello70humans can ha'e helpful results: 3his la7 of
sacrifice operates in our o7n li'es) as 7ell as in the li'es of the 8i'ine <anifestations:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 31/ 19382
'3(. %er1ice as #a6net for Di1ine Confirmation
@::: 3here is nothing that brings success in the aith li6e ser'ice: Ser'ice is the magnet 7hich dra7s the
di'ine confirmations: 3hus) 7hen a person is acti'e) they are blessed by the Holy Spirit: Hhen they are
inacti'e) the Holy Spirit cannot find a repository in their being) and thus they are depri'ed of its healing
and Duic6ening rays:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 1L/ 19@L. =i'ing the =ife/ p! 182
'3-. Assistance of 5osts of Di1ine Conco"rse
@::: An indi'idual must center his 7hole heart and mind on ser'ice to the Cause) in accordance 7ith the
high standards set by Bahullh: Hhen this is done) the hosts of the Supreme Concourse 7ill come to
the assistance of the indi'idual) and e'ery difficulty and trial 7ill gradually be o'ercome:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er M/ 19@N. I)id!/ p! 192
'3/. An Irresistible 8r6e to %er1eDo ot #ook at Dour 4hortcomin$s
@::: 3his irresistible urge to ser'e 7hich you feel and 7hich has prompted you to offer yourself for 7or6
in the teaching field is itself a clear indication that you are being guided by the Almighty to attain your
highest and noblest goal in this life: or 7hat a greater destiny can you hope to see6 e?cept that 7hich
Bahullh has traced for e'ery one of His loyal belie'ers) namely to consecrate ones all to the ser'ice
and glorification of His aithL 3his assurance should indeed fortify your hopes) and enable you to banish
e'ery sense of dissatisfaction) and of un7orthiness 7hich may linger in your heart) and 7hich may deter
you from participating Boyously and acti'ely in ser'ing the Cause: Mou should not loo6 at your
limitations) but deri'e full confidence at the thought that) ho7e'er limited your resources and capacities
may be) your efforts 7ill be reinforced by 8i'ine confirmations) pro'ided you do your share and
discharge your obligations as a belie'er) fully and conscientiously: Mour perse'erance 7ill) e'en as a
magnet) dra7 upon you the fa'ours and blessings of Bahullh: 8o feel happy and confident)
therefore) and fortified by such an assurance arise to contribute all that is in your po7er to7ards the
furtherance and promulgation of our belo'ed Cause:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 31/ 19392
'30. !here is no ."le or %tandard .eC"irin6 a *elie1er to %er1e in one Field at the E?cl"sion of
)thers
@Hhate'er the particular field of ser'ice you may choose) 7hether teaching or administrati'e) the
essential is for you to perse'ere) and not to allo7 any consciousness of your limitations to dampen your
Ceal) much less to deter you from ser'ing Boyously and acti'ely:
@3here is no general rule) or any particular standard reDuiring a belie'er to ser'e in one field at the
e?clusion of others: E'ery belie'er is to choose for himself any a'enue of 7or6 in 7hich he
conscientiously feels he can render the greatest amount of ser'ice to the Cause: He can see6 the ad'ice
of his Assembly) and of his fello70belie'ers before ta6ing such a step) but there is no obligation
reDuiring him to do so:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 M/ 19392
6$ B(GGING0 C)ARITI(% AN T)( 'OOR
A$ Begging
'32. *e66in6 is Forbidden7ouse of Eustice to Pro"ide for Disa)led
@He ha'e been as6ed to share 7ith you the follo7ing e?tract from one of the 3ablets of AAbdul0Bah on
the subBect of begging!
ABy the sacred 'erse! @Begging is forbidden) and it is also prohibited to dispense alms to a
beggarE is meant that mendicancy is forbidden and that gi'ing charity to people 7ho ta6e up
begging as their profession is also prohibited: 3he obBect is to 7ipe out mendicancy
altogether: Ho7e'er) if a person is disabled) stri6en by dire po'erty or becomes helpless)
then it is incumbent upon the rich or the trustees to pro'ide him 7ith a monthly allo7ance
for his subsistence: Hhen the House of 9ustice comes into being it 7ill set up homes for the
incapacitated: 3hus no one 7ill be obliged to beg) e'en as the supplementary part of the
blessed 'erse denotes! @/t is enBoined upon e'eryone to earn his li'elihoodEI then He says!
@As to those 7ho are disabled) it de'ol'eth upon the trustees and the rich to ma6e adeDuate
pro'ision for them:E By @trusteesE is meant the representati'es of the people) that is to say
the members of the House of 9ustice:
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice does not 7ish to go beyond the elucidation gi'en by the <aster in the
abo'e passage and 7ishes) for the time being) to lea'e any matter not entirely co'ered by this te?t to the
conscience of indi'idual belie'ers:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust 13/ 190N2
'13. *e66arsH6ost Despised of 6en in the 4i$ht of %od
@3he most despised of men in the sight of >od are those 7ho sit idly and beg: Hold ye fast unto the cord
of material means) placing your 7hole trust in >od) the 2ro'ider of all means: Hhen anyone occupieth
himself in a craft or trade) such occupation itself is regarded in the estimation of >od as an act of
7orshipI and this is naught but a to6en of His infinite and all0per'asi'e bounty:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3ablets of Bahullh re'ealed after the ;itb0i0ADdas/ p! LM2
B$ Charit*
'11. Charity is the Bery Essence of the !eachin6s
@3his Bah teaching of human fello7ship and 6indness implies that 7e must be al7ays ready to e?tend
e'ery assistance and help 7e can to those 7ho are in distress and suffering: Bah charity is of the 'ery
essence of the 3eachings) and should therefore be de'eloped in e'ery Bah community: Charitable
institutions such as orphanages) free schools and hospitals for the poor) constitute an indispensable part
of the <ashriDul0Adh6ar: /t is the responsibility of e'ery local Bah community to insure the 7elfare
of its poor and needy members) through 7hate'er means possible:
@But) of course) this e?tension of assistance to the poor) in 7hate'er form should under no
circumstances be allo7ed to seriously interfere 7ith the maBor collecti'e interests of the Bah
Community) as distinguished from the purely personal interests of its members: 3he demands of the
Cause transcend those of the indi'idual) and should therefore be gi'en precedence: But these t7o phases
of Bah social life) though not of eDual importance) are by no means contradictory: Both of them are
essential) and should be fostered) but each according to its o7n degree of importance: /t is the
responsibility of Bah Assemblies to decide 7hen indi'idual interests should be subordinated to those
affecting the collecti'e 7elfare of the community: But) as already stated) the interest of the indi'idual
should al7ays be safeguarded 7ithin certain limits) and pro'ided they do not seriously affect the 7elfare
of the group as a 7hole:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune LM/ 193M2
'12. Contrib"tions to Charity by Assemblies and Indi1id"als
@irst there is the principle that any belie'er may sell personal ser'ices or property to anyone and do
7ith the proceeds as he 7ishes) including gi'ing any or all of them to Bah purposes: 3hus if a Bah
concert artist gi'es a concert to 7hich admission is charged) he is free) if he so 7ishes) to gi'e the
money so earned to the und or to any charity of his choice: /n gi'ing the concert) ho7e'er) he should
not represent to non0Bahs that the concert is for the benefit of the Bah und or is gi'en on behalf of
Bahs for a charity) 7hich brings us to the second principle! 3hat it is improper for Bahs to solicit
funds from non0Bahs in the name of the aith for any purpose: /f a non0Bah insists on ma6ing a
monetary contribution it may be accepted 7ith the e?press understanding that it 7ill be used only for
charitable or philanthropic purposes) but such contributions should be discouraged) not encouraged:
@3he third principle concerns contributions made to charity by Bahs themsel'es: Spiritual
Assemblies are) of course) permitted to ma6e contributions to charityQindeed care of the poor and
needy is one of the duties assigned to them in the Bah HritingsQbut they must 7eigh their
responsibilities 'ery carefully and remember that in a highly organised country li6e the Jnited ;ingdom
the poor are helped by a multitude of agencies) both go'ernmental and pri'ate) 7hereas only the Bahs
can contribute to7ards the building of the ;ingdom of >od on earth: 3his) clearly) is a matter for 7ise
moderation: Assemblies) moreo'er) should perform their charitable 7or6s 7ith a pure moti'e) and not
7ith the thought of propagandiCing for the aith:
@An indi'idual Bah is) of course) free to contribute to charity from his o7n resources if he 7ishes)
but as a Bah he should bear in mind the needs of the Bah und) 7hich only belie'ers can support:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a #ocal 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 6arch 19/ 19032
'1. %"rest 7ay of &iftin6 )nce and for All *"rden of 5"n6er and #isery
@:::in the first place e'ery belie'er is free to follo7 the dictates of his o7n conscience as regards the
manner in 7hich to spend his o7n money: Secondly) 7e must al7ays bear in mind that there are so fe7
Bahs in the 7orld) relati'e to the 7orlds population) and so many people in need) that e'en if all of us
ga'e all 7e had) it 7ould not alle'iate more than an infinitesimal amount of suffering: 3his does not
mean 7e must not help the needy) 7e shouldI but our contributions to the aith are the surest 7ay of
lifting once and for all time the burden of hunger and misery from man6ind) for it is only through the
system of BahullhQ8i'ine in originQthat the 7orld can be gotten on its feet and 7ant) fear) hunger)
7ar) etc:) be eliminated: Non0Bahs cannot contribute to our 7or6 or do it for usI so really our first
obligation is to support our o7n teaching 7or6) as this 7ill lead to the healing of the nations:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 8/ 19N0. =ifeblood of the Cause/ 1901/ #ondon/ pp!
1L+132
'1'. !here Are #any 7ays that 5elp Can be .endered to %"fferin6 Fellow-#en
@/t is understandable that Bahs 7ho 7itness the miserable conditions under 7hich so many human
beings ha'e to li'e) or 7ho hear of a sudden disaster that has struc6 a certain area of the 7orld) are
mo'ed to do something practical to ameliorate those conditions and to help their suffering fello70
mortals:
@3here are many 7ays in 7hich help can be rendered: E'ery Bah has the duty to acDuire a trade or
profession through 7hich he 7ill earn that 7here7ith he can support himself and his familyI in the
choice of such 7or6 he can see6 those acti'ities 7hich are of benefit to his fello70men and not merely
those 7hich promote his personal interests) still less those 7hose effects are actually harmful:
@3here are also the situations in 7hich an indi'idual Bah or a Spiritual Assembly is confronted 7ith
an urgent need 7hich neither Bustice nor compassion could allo7 to go unheeded and unhelped: Ho7
many are the stories told of AAbdul0Bah in such situations) 7hen He 7ould e'en ta6e off a garment He
7as 7earing and gi'e it to a shi'ering man in rags:
@But in our concern for such immediate ob'ious calls upon our succour 7e must not allo7 oursel'es to
forget the continuing) appalling burden of suffering under 7hich millions of human beings are al7ays
groaningQa burden 7hich they ha'e bourne for century upon century and 7hich it is the mission of
Bahullh to lift at last: 3he principal cause of this suffering) 7hich one can 7itness 7here'er one
turns) is the corruption of human morals and the pre'alence of preBudice) suspicion) hatred)
untrust7orthiness) selfishness and tyranny among men: /t is not merely material 7ell0being that people
need: Hhat they desperately need is to 6no7 ho7 to li'e their li'esQthey need to 6no7 7ho they are) to
7hat purpose they e?ist) and ho7 they should act to7ards one anotherI and) once they 6no7 the ans7ers
to these Duestions they need to be helped to gradually apply these ans7ers to e'ery0day beha'iour: /t is
to the solution of this basic problem of man6ind that the greater part of all our energy and resources
should be directed::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ital5/ o"em)er 19/ 190N2
'1(. *ah+,;s 5a1e the Di1inely-Di1en .emedy for the Ills of #an$ind
@::: 3here are mighty agencies in this 7orld) go'ernments) foundations) institutions of many 6inds 7ith
tremendous financial resources 7hich are 7or6ing to impro'e the material lot of human beings:
Anything 7e Bahs could add to such resources in the 7ay of special funds or contributions 7ould be a
negligible drop in the ocean: Ho7e'er) alone among men 7e ha'e the di'inely0gi'en remedy for the real
ills of man6indI no one else is doing or can do this most important 7or6) and if 7e di'ert our energy and
our funds into fields in 7hich others are already doing more than 7e can hope to do) 7e shall be
delaying the diffusion of the 8i'ine <essage 7hich is the most important tas6 of all:
@Because of such an attitude) as also because of our refusal to become in'ol'ed in politics) Bahs are
often accused of holding aloof from the Areal problems of their fello70men: But 7hen 7e hear this
accusation let us not forget that those 7ho ma6e it are usually idealistic materialists to 7hom material
good is the only Areal good) 7hereas 7e 6no7 that the 7or6ing of the material 7orld is merely a
reflection of spiritual conditions and until the spiritual conditions can be changed there can be no lasting
change for the better in material affairs:
@He should also remember that most people ha'e no clear concept of the sort of 7orld they 7ish to
build) nor ho7 to go about building it: E'en those 7ho are concerned to impro'e conditions are
therefore reduced to combatting e'ery apparent e'il that ta6es their attention: Hillingness to fight
against e'ils) 7hether in the form of conditions or embodied in e'il men) has thus become for most
people the touchstone by 7hich they Budge a persons moral 7orth: Bahs) on the other hand) 6no7 the
goal they are 7or6ing to7ards and 6no7 7hat they must do) step by step) to attain it: 3heir 7hole energy
is directed to7ards the building of the good) a good 7hich has such a positi'e strength that in the face of
it the multitude of e'ilsQ7hich are in essence negati'eQ7ill fade a7ay and be no more: 3o enter into
the Dui?otic tournament of demolishing one by one the e'ils in the 7orld is) to a Bah) a 'ain 7aste of
time and effort: His 7hole life is directed to7ards proclaiming the <essage of Bahullh) re'i'ing the
spiritual life of his fello70men) uniting them in a di'inely0created Horld 5rder) and then) as that 5rder
gro7s in strength and influence) he 7ill see the po7er of that <essage transforming the 7hole of human
society and progressi'ely sol'ing the problems and remo'ing the inBustices 7hich ha'e so long
bede'illed the 7orld:E
&I)id!2
'1-. 7hen a *ah+,; Finds it Essential to %ee$ the 5elp of )thers
@Hhen a Bah finds it essential to see6 the help of others) and after his o7n efforts and those of his
family and close friends ha'e pro'ed inadeDuate) he may certainly turn to his =ocal Spiritual Assembly)
7hich 7ill consult on his problem) e?tend a helping hand to him) if the conditions of the =ocal und
permit) and e'en more importantly) 7ill counsel and ad'ise him on 7hat opportunities are open to him)
and 7hat steps he might ta6e to see6 a solution to his problem: /f the =ocal Assembly feels that the help
or guidance of the National Assembly should be sought) it 7ill no doubt refer the matter to the National
Assembly:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er 1/ 1981. >i'ing to the 2oor) a
compilation of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice2
'1/. &ocal %pirit"al Assembly %ho"ld E?tend 5elpin6 5and to the Poor
@3hey F=ocal Spiritual AssembliesG must do their utmost to e?tend at all times the helping hand to the
poor) the sic6) the disabled) the orphan) the 7ido7) irrespecti'e of colour) caste and creed:
@3hey must promote by e'ery means in their po7er the material as 7ell as the spiritual enlightenment
of youth) the means for the education of children) institute) 7hene'er possible) Bah educational
institutions) organiCe and super'ise their 7or6 and pro'ide the best means for their progress and
de'elopment:E
&4ho$hi Effendi. Bah Administration/ p! 382
'10. 5ow a *ah+,; #ay 5elp his Fellow-*elie1er !hro"6h the Instit"tions
@/n our dealings 7ith the belie'ers) ho7e'er) apart from the need to gi'e priority to the needs of the
aith) one has to bear in mind) as you point out in your letter) such considerations as 7isdom as 7ell as
the importance of a'oiding actions that may BeopardiCe our cordial relationships 7ith the belie'ers: /f the
indi'idual belie'er is unable personally and prayerfully to resol'e such a problem) he should) as each
case may indicate) either himself refer to the Spiritual Assembly for guidance) or refer the belie'ers to
that institution: A Bah 7ho 7ishes to help his needy fello70belie'er may do so by e?tending his
assistance either personally) or impersonally through the Spiritual Assembly if he feels that this method
7ill pro'ide the means to obBecti'ely assess the real needs in'ol'ed) or 7ill maintain and preser'e better
relations bet7een him and the belie'er concerned:
@3his is Bust one more reason 7hy 7e should endea'our to support) strengthen the foundations) and
foster the de'elopment of =ocal Spiritual Assemblies so that they may become rallying points of the
friends and the true shepherds of the di'ine floc6:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 9/ 19032
C$ The 'oor
'12. !hose Possessed of .iches #"st 5a1e the 8tmost .e6ard for the Poor
@3hey 7ho are possessed of riches) ho7e'er) must ha'e the utmost regard for the poor) for great is the
honor destined by >od for those poor 7ho are steadfast in patience: By <y =ifeL 3here is no honor)
e?cept 7hat >od may please to besto7) that can compare to this honor: >reat is the blessedness a7aiting
the poor that endure patiently and conceal their sufferings) and 7ell is it 7ith the rich 7ho besto7 their
riches on the needy and prefer them before themsel'es:
@2lease >od) the poor may e?ert themsel'es and stri'e to earn the means of li'elihood: 3his is a duty
7hich) in this most great &e'elation) hath been prescribed unto e'ery one) and is accounted in the sight
of >od as a goodly deed: Hhoso obser'eth this duty) the help of the in'isible 5ne shall most certainly
aid him: He can enrich) through His grace) 7homsoe'er He pleaseth: He) 'erily) hath po7er o'er all
things::::E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. >leanings from the Hritings of Bahullh/ pp! L1L+L132
'23. !he Dreatest Dift 7e Can Di1e to the Poor
@&egarding your Duestion concerning helping the poor! 3he Bahs should not go so far as to refrain
from e?tending charity to the needy) if they are able and 7illing to do so: Ho7e'er) in this) as in many
other things) they should e?ert moderation: 3he greatest gift that 7e can gi'e to the poor and the do7n0
trodden is to aid to build up the di'ine institutions inaugurated in this day by Bahullh as these
institutions) and this Horld 5rder 7hen established) 7ill eliminate the causes of po'erty and the
inBustices 7hich afflict the poor: He should) therefore) do both) support our Bah und) and also be
6ind and generous to the needy:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 11/ 19NL2
'21. Do :ot Drie1e for *ein6 Poor4ome %reat 4ouls Were of the Poorest in the World
@8o not grie'e) dear brother) for being poor) for you are rich instead in faith and in spirit: 3his is a di'ine
7ealth for 7hich the richest of the 7orld 7ill cra'e for in 'ain: 3rue 7e must 7or6 hard) earn money
and 6eep our family in happiness and prosperity) but 7e must al7ays realiCe that our li'es must be
de'oted to things higher and more sublime: He must remember 7hat great souls) 7hose li'es still
inspire hundreds and thousands) 7ere of the poorest in the 7orld:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 18/ 19L02
6I$ CALA,ITI(% AN CRI%I%
'22. !he 7orld is in !ra1ail
@3he 7orld is in tra'ail and its agitation 7a?eth day by day: /ts face is turned to7ard 7ay7ardness and
unbelief: Such shall be its plight that to disclose it no7 7ould not be meet and seemly: /ts per'ersity 7ill
long continue: And 7hen the appointed hour is come) there shall suddenly appear that 7hich shall cause
the limbs of man6ind to Dua6e: 3hen) and only then) 7ill the 8i'ine Standard be unfurled) and the
Nightingale of 2aradise 7arble its melody:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. >leanings from the Hritings of Bahullh/ Wilmette/ 1983/ p! 1182
'2. Powerf"l Forces Are )peratin6 to *rin6 to a Clima? this Portento"s Cent"ry
@::: Both 7ithin and 7ithout the Cause of >od) po7erful forces are operating to bring to a clima? the
t7in tendencies of this portentous century: Among the many e'idences 7hich re'eal this process may be
cited) on the one hand) the continual increase of la7lessness) terrorism) economic confusion) immorality
and the gro7ing danger from the proliferation of 7eapons of destruction) and on the other) the 7orld0
7ide) di'inely propelled e?pansion) consolidation and rapid emergence into the limelight of 7orld
affairs of the Cause itself) a process cro7ned by the 7onderful efflorescence of <ount Carmel) the
mountain of >od) 7hose 8i'ine springtime is no7 so magnificently burgeoning:E
&<rom a messa$e of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the world/ Rid"-n 19832
'2'. !he People of *ah+ Are Ass"red of Di1ine D"idance
@:::the 2en of the Centre of the Co'enant has repeatedly prophesied the intolerable calamities 7hich
must beset this 7ay7ard humanity ere it heeds the life0gi'ing 3eachings of Bahullh:
AChaos and confusion are daily increasing in the 7orld: 3hey 7ill attain such intensity as to render the
frame of man6ind unable to bear them: 3hen 7ill men be a7a6ened and become a7are that religion is
the impregnable stronghold and the manifest light of the 7orld) and its la7s) e?hortations and teachings
the source of life on earth:
@E'ery discerning eye clearly sees that the early stages of this chaos ha'e daily manifestations
affecting the structure of human societyI its destructi'e forces are uprooting time0honoured institutions
7hich 7ere a ha'en and refuge for the inhabitants of the earth in bygone days and centuries) and around
7hich re'ol'ed all human affairs: 3he same destructi'e forces are also deranging the political)
economic) scientific) literary) and moral eDuilibrium of the 7orld and are destroying the fairest fruits of
the present ci'iliCation: 2olitical machinations of those in authority ha'e placed the seal of obsolescence
upon the root0principles of the 7orlds order: >reed and passion) deceit) hypocrisy) tyranny) and pride
are dominating features afflicting human relations: 8isco'eries and in'entions) 7hich are the fruit of
scientific and technological ad'ancements) ha'e become the means and tools of mass e?termination and
destruction and are in the hands of the ungodly: E'en music) art) and literature) 7hich are to represent
and inspire the noblest sentiments and highest aspirations and should be a source of comfort and
tranDuility for troubled souls) ha'e strayed from the straight path and are no7 the mirrors of the soiled
hearts of this confused) unprincipled and disordered age: 2er'ersions such as these shall result in the
ordeals 7hich ha'e been prophesied by the Blessed Beauty in the follo7ing 7ords! AE'ery day a ne7
calamity 7ill seiCe the earth and a fresh tormenting trial 7ill appear: A3he day is approaching 7hen its
Fci'iliCationsG flame 7ill de'our the cities:
@/n such an afflicted time) 7hen man6ind is be7ildered and the 7isest of men are perple?ed as to the
remedy) the people of Bah) 7ho ha'e confidence in His unfailing grace and di'ine guidance) are
assured that each of these tormenting trials has a cause) a purpose) and a definite result) and all are
essential instruments for the establishment of the immutable Hill of >od on earth: /n other 7ords) on the
one hand humanity is struc6 by the scourge of His chastisement 7hich 7ill ine'itably bring together the
scattered and 'anDuished tribes of the earthI and on the other) the 7ea6 fe7 7hom He has nurtured under
the protection of His lo'ing guidance are) in this formati'e age and period of transition) continuing to
build amidst these tumultuous 7a'es an impregnable stronghold 7hich 7ill be the sole remaining refuge
for those lost multitudes: 3herefore) the dear friends of >od 7ho ha'e such a broad and clear 'ision
before them are not perturbed by such e'ents) nor are they panic0stric6en by such thundering sounds) nor
7ill they face such con'ulsions 7ith fear and trepidation) nor 7ill they be deterred) e'en for a moment)
from fulfilling their sacred responsibilities:
@5ne of their sacred responsibilities is to e?emplify in their li'es those attributes 7hich are acceptable
at His Sacred 3hreshold:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the Iranian )elie"ers resident in "arious countries throu$hout the
world/ <e)ruar5 11/ 19812
'2(. If *ah+,;s Fail !hey Are Partly .esponsible for A6ony of #an$ind
@3here is so much suffering) such a great and desperate need for a true remedy and the Bahs should
realiCe their sacred obligation is to deli'er the <essage to their fello7men at once) and on as large a
scale as possible: /f they fail to do so) they are really partly responsible for prolonging the agony of
humanity:E
'2-. !he 7orld 7ill E?perience !ra1ails and !estin6 as :e1er *efore
@He are instructed to say that although there is e'ery reason to e?pect that the 7orld 7ill e?perience
tra'ails and testing as ne'er before) 7e do not 6no7 7hat form these uphea'als 7ill ta6e) 7hen e?actly
they 7ill come) ho7 se'ere they 7ill be) nor ho7 long they 7ill last: 3he aith itself as it emerges from
obscurity 7ill suffer se'ere trials: Sensiti'e souls such as yourself are particularly a7are of these
impending de'elopments: Ho7e'er) Bahullh has gi'en us the Administrati'e 5rder 7hich is the
channel through 7hich the spirit and guidance flo7 to the Bahs and to man6ind: 3he belo'ed
>uardian spent his entire lifetime unfolding and e?plaining the pattern) and it is this administrati'e
machinery that 7e should see6 to support and strengthen: As 7ea6 and fragile as it is in these formati'e
years of the aith) it is still the ha'en and protection of the Bahs and of the 7orld: Mou are therefore
encouraged to e?pend your energies and your many0faceted talents in teaching and consolidating the
Bah communities under the direction of the National Spiritual Assembly and its agencies:E
'2/. Calamities 7ill Contin"e 8ntil #an$ind is Chastened %"fficiently...
@Mou ma6e reference to calamities and reDuest specific ans7ers if there are any as to 7hen they may
occur and 7ith 7hat magnitude: 3he House of 9ustice noted your comments that you ha'e read 7hat
Bahullh had to say about the collapse of the old 7orld order and the coming of the ne7) and that in
recent times friends returning from their pilgrimages spo6e of meetings 7ith Hands of the Cause and
members of the House of 9ustice in 7hich the coming of great 7orld uphea'als 7as related to a time
Aaround the end of the i'e Mear 2lan and after7ards: 3he House of 9ustice points out that calamities
ha'e been and are occurring and 7ill continue to happen until man6ind has been chastened sufficiently
to accept the <anifestation for this day: AAbdul0Bah anticipated that the =esser 2eace could be
established before the end of the t7entieth century: Ho7e'er) Bahs should not be di'erted from the
7or6 of the Cause by the fear of catastrophes but should try to understand 7hy they occur: 3he belo'ed
>uardian) in innumerable places) has e?plained the reasons for these occurrences) and since they happen
from time to time as e?plained abo'e 7e should not be concerned as to 7hen they occur:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 1@/ 190M2
'20. *ah+,;s %ho"ld not 7aste !ime %pec"latin6 on the Comin6 Calamity
@3he House of 9ustice points out that Bahullh in no uncertain terms has said! A5 ye peoples of the
7orldL ;no7) 'erily) that an unforeseen calamity follo7eth you) and grie'ous retribution a7aiteth you:
3hin6 not that 7hich ye ha'e committed hath been effaced in <y sight: 3herefore it considers that it
7ould be fruitless to attempt to foresee the time or the nature of a calamity 7hich Bahullh Himself
said 7as Aunforeseen: No doubt the remar6able progress being made in scientific endea'our holds true
in the study by e?perts of geological uphea'als: But 7e cannot be certain that predictions of earthDua6es)
'olcanic eruptions or tidal 7a'es caused by such phenomena can be identified as the cataclysmic e'ents
to 7hich Bahullh refers:
@/n letters to other belie'ers 7ho ha'e as6ed Duestions similar to yours) the House of 9ustice has
emphasiCed that the friends should not 7aste their time and energies in fruitless speculations on this
Duestion: &ather) they should concentrate e'ery ounce of energy on the 7inning of the goals of the i'e
Mear 2lan) 7hich they ha'e clearly before them) confident in the 6no7ledge that 7hate'er may happen
in the 7orld) ho7e'er calamitous it may out7ardly appear) 7ill promote >ods unalterable purpose for
the unification of man6ind:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune L1/ 190M2
'22. It is Important that *ah+,;s ha1e Correct Attit"de .e6ardin6 Pendin6 Catastrophe
@3he important aspect for the Bahs is that their attitude and actions and response to the pending
catastrophe be correct: He all 6no7 that the Cause of Bahullh is the 7orlds only sal'ation) and that
our duty is to acti'ely teach recepti'e souls) and to do our utmost to help in the consolidation of the
institutions of the aith: 5nly in this 7ay can 7e contribute our share of ser'itude at His 3hreshold) and
7e should then lea'e the rest to Him:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 18/ 19812
'3. %ho"ld *ah+,;s be C"t off from 7orld Centre or from )ne Another@ !hey will be D"ided by
%pirit"al Assemblies@ &ed by Co"nsellors@ A"?iliary *oard #embers
@E'ery institution of this di'inely created 5rder is one more refuge for a distraught populaceI e'ery soul
illumined by the light of the sacred <essage is one more lin6 in the oneness of man6ind) one more
ser'ant ministering to the needs of an ailing 7orld: E'en should the Bah communities) in the years
immediately ahead) be cut off from the Horld Centre or from one anotherQas some already ha'e been
Qthe Bahs 7ill neither halt nor hesitateI they 7ill continue to pursue their obBecti'es) guided by their
Spiritual Assemblies and led by the Counsellors) the members of the Au?iliary Boards and their
assistants::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the world/ o"em)er 3/ 19812
'1. *ah+,;s Can 5elp to #iti6ate %"fferin6 of #an$ind
@No doubt to the degree 7e Bahs the 7orld o'er ::: stri'e to spread the Cause and li'e up to its
teachings) there 7ill be some mitigation to the suffering of the peoples of the 7orld: But it seems
apparent that the great failure to respond to Bahullhs instructions) appeals and 7arnings issued in
the "#th Century) has no7 sent the 7orld along a path) and released forces) 7hich must culminate in a
still more 'iolent uphea'al and agony: 3he thing is out of hand) so to spea6) and it is too late to a'ert
catastrophic trials:E
'2. !he People of !oday Are %"fferin6 for !heir own %ins of )mission and Commission
@Mou should not consider yourself unfeeling because you see in this 7orld agony the birth of a ne7 and
better 7orld: 3his is Bust 7hat the Bahs should belie'e and should teach to others: Ho7e'er much pity
and sympathy 7e may ha'e for humanity) 7e ne'ertheless realiCe that people today are suffering for
their o7n sins of omission and commission: He must help them to see this and to turn their thoughts and
acts into the channels di'inely prescribed by Bahullh:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 1N/ 19N32
'. 7e #"st P"t the Faith First for o"r Eternal %ec"rity and 5appiness
@He do not 6no7 7hat form the immediate future 7ill ta6e) any7here: Because the passions of man6ind
are so unregenerate) and it is so deaf to the 'oice of Bahullh) no doubt great suffering 7ill be
e?perienced: Hhat 7e do 6no7) ho7e'er) is that 7e are Bahs and that our sal'ation lies in this >od0
sent aith: As 7e gi'e to >od) as 7e ser'e Him and lo'e Him) so 7ill He 'ouchsafe to us His mercy)
guidance and protection: He must) at all times) put the aith first and our personal desires and comfort
second: Ha'ing this aith 7e ha'e eternal security and happiness 7hich nothing can ta6e a7ay from us
e'er) no matter 7hat afflictions may befall a faithless 7orld: 3he Cause of >od is our security) and
confidence in Bahullh our protection:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er @/ 19N92
''. 7e Do not Gnow how Far-.eachin6 the Catastrophe 7ill *e
@Shoghi Effendi has ne'er stated ho7 far0reaching the effects of a future 7ar 7ill be) or 7hat other
catastrophes may accompany it or follo7 it: rom our teachings 7e 6no7 humanity can and must be
7elded into some form of political unityQsuch as a Horld ederal StateQthrough suffering as it seems
only intense suffering is capable of rousing men to the spiritual efforts reDuired: /t seems clear to any
thin6ing person that 7ar 7ill be the main cause of this degree of suffering:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er @/ 19@N2
'(. !he 8nification of #an$ind
@::: Hhate'er our shortcomings may be) and ho7e'er formidable the forces of dar6ness 7hich besiege
us to0day) the unification of man6ind as outlined and insured by the Horld 5rder of Bahullh 7ill in
the fullness of time be firmly and permanently established: 3his is Bahullhs promise) and no po7er
on earth can in the long run pre'ent or e'en retard its adeDuate realiCation: 3he friends should) therefore)
not lose hope) but fully conscious of their po7er and their role they should perse'ere in their mighty
efforts for the e?tension and the consolidation of Bahullhs uni'ersal dominion on earth:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er M/ 19332
'-. !he Crisis is %er1in6 a Dreat P"rpose
@3he crisis that e?ists in the 7orld is not confined to the farmers: /ts effects ha'e reached e'ery means of
li'elihood: 3he farmers are in a sense better off because they at least ha'e food to eat: But on the 7hole
the crisis is ser'ing a great purpose: /t is broadening the outloo6 of man) teaching him to thin6
internationally) forcing him to ta6e into consideration the 7elfare of his neighbours if he 7ishes to
impro'e his o7n condition: /n short it is forcing humanity to appreciate the significance and follo7 the
precepts laid by Bahullh: 3he present and perhaps the near future is dar6) but 7e ha'e the 7onderful
promises of the <aster before us and they shall all become true::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 3/ 193L2
'/. !he D"ardian Does not !hin$ that Dod 7ill Permit #an to Annihilate 5imself...
@/n regard to your Duestions! 3he degree of rapidity 7ith 7hich human beings are to ad'ance certainly
depends on their o7n effortsI but he does not thin6 >od 7ill permit man to annihilate himself: 3oo much
e'olution is behind him and too much before him for thatL He should certainly not procrastinate for a
moment: or almost a hundred years no7 the 7arnings of Bahullh ha'e been ringing in mens ears)
and 7e ha'e e'ery reason to belie'e terrible things may still befall man6ind) if they do not listen to the
di'ine solution proposed by >ods <anifestation for this day: /n this connection he is constantly pointing
out to the Bahs that their direct Bah 7or6Qteaching) perfecting the administration) propagating the
Cause of >od is their Bob and of immediate importance because) it is) so to spea6) spiritually organic:
Hhat they are doing 7ill release forces 7hich 7ill combat the terrible disintegration of society 7hich 7e
7itness today in e'ery field) political) economic or other7ise::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 @/ 19N02
'0. 5ardship and Pri1ation@ Fr"stration and Despair %hall Encompass the People...
@;no7 thou that hardship and pri'ation shall increase day by day) and the people shall thereby be
afflicted: 3he doors of Boy and happiness shall be closed on all sides) and terrible 7ars shall occur:
rustration and despair shall encompass the people until they are forced to turn to the 5ne 3rue >od:
3hen 7ill the light of most Boyful tidings so illumine the horiCons that the cry of AM Bahul0Abh
7ill be raised from e'ery direction: 3his shall come to pass:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. from a Ta)let to Isa)ella D! ,rittin$ham/ Bahullh and the Ne7 Era/ p! LN8/ Hilmette "#$-) corrected in a letter 7ritten
on behalf of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice to all National Spiritual Assemblies/ Eanuar5 1M/ 198N2
'2. Apocalyptic 8phea1al
@He ad'ises you to go ahead and plan your college education: He ha'e no indication of e?actly 7hat
nature the apocalyptic uphea'al 7ill be! it might be another 7ar ::: but as students of our Bah 7ritings
it is clear that the longer the A8i'ine 2hysician Fi:e:) BahullhG is 7ithheld from healing the ills of the
7orld) the more se'ere 7ill be the crises) and the more terrible the sufferings of the patient:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er L1/ 19N92
''3. 7orld Condition *rin6in6 #any Iss"es to a 5ead
@:::the condition that the 7orld is in is bringing many issues to a head: /t 7ould be perhaps impossible to
find a nation or people not in a state of crisis today: 3he materialism) the lac6 of true religion and the
conseDuent baser forces in human nature 7hich are being released) ha'e brought the 7hole 7orld to the
brin6 of probably the greatest crisis it has e'er faced or 7ill ha'e to face: 3he Bahs are a part of the
7orld: 3hey too feel the great pressures 7hich are brought to bear upon all people today) 7hoe'er and
7here'er they may be: 5n the other hand) the 8i'ine 2lan) 7hich is the direct method of 7or6ing
to7ard the establishment of peace and Horld 5rder) has perforce reached an important and challenging
point in its unfoldmentI because of the desperate needs of the 7orld) the Bahs find themsel'es) e'en
though so limited in numbers) in financial strength and in prestige) called upon to fulfill a great
responsibility:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eul5 19/ 19@M. Bah Ne7s/ o!
310/ 4eptem)er 19@M/ pp! 1+L2
''1. Calamities and Crises
@As humanity plunges deeper into that condition of 7hich Bahullh 7rote) Ato disclose it no7 7ould
not be meet and seemly) so must the belie'ers increasingly stand out as assured) oriented) and
fundamentally happy beings) conforming to a standard 7hich) in direct contrast to the ignoble and
amoral attitudes of modern society) is the source of their honour) strength) and maturity: /t is this mar6ed
contrast bet7een the 'igour) unity) and discipline of the Bah community on the one hand) and the
increasing confusion) despair) and fe'erish tempo of a doomed society on the other) 7hich) during the
turbulent years ahead) 7ill dra7 the eyes of humanity to the sanctuary of Bahullhs 7orld0redeeming
aith:E
&<rom a messa$e of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ Rid"-n 19MM. Hellspring of >uidance/ pp! 09+812
''2. Internal Disinte6ration and E?ternal Chaos *ein6 Accelerated
@::: 2regnant indeed are the years looming ahead of us all: 3he t7in processes of internal disintegration
and e?ternal chaos are being accelerated and e'ery day are ine?orably mo'ing to7ards a clima?: 3he
rumblings that must precede the eruption of those forces that must cause Athe limbs of humanity to
Dua6e can already be heard: A3he time of the end) Athe latter years) as foretold in the Scriptures) are at
long last upon us: 3he 2en of Bahullh) the 'oice of AAbdul0Bah) ha'e time and again) insistently
and in terms unmista6able) 7arned an unheeding humanity of impending disaster: 3he Community of
the <ost >reat Name) the lea'en that must lea'en the lump) the chosen remnant that must sur'i'e the
rolling up of the old) discredited) tottering order) and assist in the unfoldment of a ne7 one in its stead) is
standing ready) alert) clear0'isioned) and resolute:::E
&<rom a letter of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eul5 @/ 1938. <essages to America/
193L+19NM/ pp! 13+1N2
''. 7orsenin6 7orld %it"ation6an5 4tand (side and Wrin$ Their 7ands
@/n the 7orsening 7orld situation) fraught 7ith pain of 7ar) 'iolence and the sudden uprooting of long0
established institutions) can be seen the fulfillment of the prophecies of Bahullh and the oft0repeated
7arnings of the <aster and the belo'ed >uardian about the ine'itable fate of a lamentably defecti'e
social system) an unenlightened leadership and a rebellious and unbelie'ing humanity: >o'ernments and
peoples of both the de'eloped and de'eloping nations) and other human institutions) secular and
religious) finding themsel'es helpless to re'erse the trend of the catastrophic e'ents of the day) stand
be7ildered and o'erpo7ered by the magnitude and comple?ity of the problems facing them: At this
fateful hour in human history many) unfortunately) seem content to stand aside and 7ring their hands in
despair or else Boin in the babel of shouting and protestation 7hich loudly obBects) but offers no solution
to the 7oes and afflictions plaguing our age:
@Ne'ertheless a greater and greater number of thoughtful and fair0minded men and 7omen are
recogniCing in the clamour of contention) grief and destruction) no7 reaching such horrendous
proportions) the e'idences of 8i'ine chastisement) and) turning their faces to7ards >od) are becoming
increasingly recepti'e to His Hord: 8oubtless the present circumstances) though tragic and a7ful in
their immediate conseDuences) are ser'ing to sharpen the focus on the indispensability of the 3eachings
of Bahullh to the needs of the present age) and 7ill pro'ide many opportunities to reach countless
7aiting souls) hungry and thirsty for 8i'ine guidance:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ o"em)er 1M/ 19M9. <essages from the Jni'ersal House of
9ustice/ pp! 33+3N2
'''. A Eawnin6 D"lf !hreatens
@::: E'ery system) short of the unification of the human race) has been tried) repeatedly tried) and been
found 7anting: Hars again and again ha'e been fought) and conferences 7ithout number ha'e met and
deliberated: 3reaties) pacts and co'enants ha'e been painsta6ingly negotiated) concluded and re'ised:
Systems of go'ernment ha'e been patiently tested) ha'e been continually recast and superseded:
Economic plans of reconstruction ha'e been carefully de'ised) and meticulously e?ecuted: And yet crisis
has succeeded crisis) and the rapidity 7ith 7hich a perilously unstable 7orld is declining has been
correspondingly accelerated: A ya7ning gulf threatens to in'ol'e in one common disaster both the
satisfied and dissatisfied nations) democracies and dictatorships) capitalists and 7age0earners) Europeans
and Asiatics) 9e7 and >entile) 7hite and coloured: An angry 2ro'idence) the cynic might 7ell obser'e)
has abandoned a hapless planet to its fate) and fi?ed irre'ocably its doom: Sore0tried and disillusioned)
humanity has no doubt lost its orientation) and 7ould seem to ha'e lost as 7ell its faith and hope: /t is
ho'ering) unshepherded and 'isionless) on the brin6 of disaster: A sense of fatality seems to per'ade it:
An e'er0deepening gloom is settling on its fortunes as she recedes further and further from the outer
fringes of the dar6est Cone of its agitated life and penetrates its 'ery heart:E
&4ho$hi Effendi. 3he Horld 5rder of Bahullh/ p! 1912
''(. Forces of a 7orld CatastropheThe <ire of Ordeal
@::: 3hat the forces of a 7orld catastrophe can alone precipitate such a ne7 phase of human thought is)
alas) becoming increasingly apparent: 3hat nothing short of the fire of a se'ere ordeal) unparalleled in its
intensity) can fuse and 7eld the discordant entities that constitute the elements of present0day
ci'iliCation) into the integral components of the 7orld common7ealth of the future) is a truth 7hich
future e'ents 7ill increasingly demonstrate:
@::: Nothing but a fiery ordeal) out of 7hich humanity 7ill emerge) chastened and prepared) can
succeed in implanting that sense of responsibility 7hich the leaders of a ne7born age must arise to
shoulder:E
&I)id!/ p! NM2
''-. 7hen Crisis %weeps )1er the 7orld@ *ah+,;s %ho"ld not &et 5ardships 7ea$en !heir 5ope in
the F"t"re
@::: Hhen such a crisis s7eeps o'er the 7orld no person should hope to remain intact: He belong to an
organic unit and 7hen one part of the organism suffers all the rest of the body 7ill feel its conseDuence:
3his is in fact the reason 7hy Bahullh calls our attention to the unity of man6ind: But as Bahs 7e
should not let such hardship 7ea6en our hope in the future::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to a ,ah-*? famil5/ (pril 1N/ 193L2
''/. %ta6e of P"r6ation is Indispensable,ah-*?s 4hould not 7ope to Remain :naffected
@::: Mou seem to complain about the calamities that ha'e befallen humanity: /n the spiritual de'elopment
of man a stage of purgation is indispensable) for it is 7hile passing through it that the o'er0rated material
needs are made to appear in their proper light: Jnless society learns to attribute more importance to
spiritual matters) it 7ould ne'er be fit to enter the golden era foretold by Bahullh: 3he present
calamities are parts of this process of purgation) through them alone 7ill man learn his lesson: 3hey are
to teach the nations) that they ha'e to 'ie7 things internationally) they are to ma6e the indi'idual
attribute more importance to his moral than his material 7elfare:
@/n such a process of purgation) 7hen all humanity is in the throes of dire suffering) the Bahs should
not hope to remain unaffected: Should 7e consider the beam that is in our o7n eye) 7e 7ould
immediately find that these sufferings are also meant for oursel'es) 7ho claimed to ha'e attained: Such
7orld crisis is necessary to a7a6en us to the importance of our duty and the carrying on of our tas6:
Suffering 7ill increase our energy in setting before humanity the road to sal'ation) it 7ill mo'e us from
our repose for 7e are far from doing our best in teaching the Cause and con'eying the <essage 7ith
7hich 7e ha'e been entrusted::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er in repl5 to a letter dated Octo)er 1N/ 1931. Bah Ne7s/ o!
@8/ Eanuar5 193L/ p! 12
''0. Dan6ers Facin6 America
@He has been told that some of the friends are disturbed o'er reports brought bac6 by the pilgrims
concerning the dangers facing America in the future 7hene'er another 7orld conflagration brea6s out:
@He does not feel that the Bahs should 7aste time d7elling on the dar6 side of things: Any
intelligent person can understand from the e?periences of the last 7orld 7ar) and 6eeping abreast of
7hat modern science has de'eloped in the 7ay of 7eapons for any future 7ar) that big cities all o'er the
7orld are going to be in tremendous danger: 3his is 7hat the >uardian has said to the pilgrims:
@Entirely aside from this) he has urged the Bahs) for the sa6e of ser'ing the aith) to go out from
these centers of intense materialism) 7here life no7adays is so hurried and grinding and) dispersing to
to7ns and 'illages) carry the <essage far and 7ide throughout the cities of the American Jnion: He
strongly belie'es that the field outside the big cities is more fertile) that the Bahs in the end 7ill be
happier for ha'ing made this mo'e) and that) in case of an outbrea6 of 7ar) it stands to reason they 7ill
be safer) Bust the 7ay any other person li'ing in the country) or a7ay from the big industrial areas) is
safer:
@/t is remar6s such as these that the pilgrims ha'e carried bac6 in their notes: He sees no cause for
alarm) but he certainly belie'es that the Bahs should 7eigh these thoughts) and ta6e action for the
sa6e of spreading the aith of Bahullh) and for their o7n ultimate happiness as 7ell: /ndeed the t7o
things go together:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eune L1/ 19@N. Bah Ne7s/ o!
L83/ 4eptem)er 19@N/ p! L2
''2. #an,s )"tloo$ on &ife !oo Cr"de and #aterialistic
@/ndeed) the chief reason for the e'ils no7 rampant in society is the lac6 of spirituality: 3he materialistic
ci'iliCation of our age has so much absorbed the energy and interest of man6ind that people in general
do no longer feel the necessity of raising themsel'es abo'e the forces and conditions of their daily
material e?istence: 3here is not sufficient demand for things that 7e should call spiritual to differentiate
them from the needs and reDuirements of our physical e?istence:
@3he uni'ersal crisis affecting man6ind is) therefore) essentially spiritual in its causes: 3he spirit of the
age) ta6en on the 7hole) is irreligious: <ans outloo6 on life is too crude and materialistic to enable him
to ele'ate himself into the higher realms of the spirit:
@/t is this condition) so sadly morbid) into 7hich society has fallen) that religion see6s to impro'e and
transform::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 8/ 193@2
'(3. #ental !ests to be %"ffered by *elie1ers in the 7est
@And yet) ho7 often 7e seem to forget the clear and repeated 7arnings of our belo'ed <aster) 7ho in
particular during the concluding years of His mission on earth) laid stress on the se'ere mental tests that
7ould ine'itably s7eep o'er His lo'ed ones of the Hest ::: tests that 7ould purge) purify and prepare
them for their noble mission in life:
@5urs then is the duty and pri'ilege to labour) by day) by night) amidst the storm and stress of these
troublous days) that 7e may Duic6en the Ceal of our fello70man) re6indle their hopes) stimulate their
interests) open their eyes to the true aith of >od and enlist their acti'e support in the carrying out of our
common tas6 for the peace and regeneration of the 7orld:E
&<rom a letter written )5 4ho$hi Effendi to the )elie"ers in (ustralia and ew Pealand/ Decem)er L/ 19L3. =etters from the >uardian to
Australia and Ne7 Vealand/ 19L3+19@0/ pp! 1+L2
'(1. A Ci1iliHation !orn by %trife
@/n the midst of a ci'iliCation torn by strifes and enfeebled by materialism) the people of Bah are
building a ne7 7orld: He face at this time opportunities and responsibilities of 'ast magnitude and great
urgency: =et each belie'er in his inmost heart resol'e not to be seduced by the ephemeral allurements of
the society around him) nor to be dra7n into its feuds and short0li'ed enthusiasms) but instead to transfer
all he can from the old 7orld to that ne7 one 7hich is the 'ision of his longing and 7ill be the fruit of
his labours:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the East and West/ Decem)er 18/ 19M32
'(2. Fierce and #anifold 7ill be Assa"lts Faith to %"ffer
@::: 3he generality of man6ind) blind and ensla'ed) is 7holly una7are of the healing po7er 7ith 7hich
this community has been endo7ed) nor can it as yet suspect the role 7hich this same community is
destined to play in its redemption: ierce and manifold 7ill be the assaults 7ith 7hich go'ernments)
races) classes and religions) Bealous of its rising prestige and fearful of its consolidating strength) 7ill
see6 to silence its 'oice and sap its foundations: Jnmo'ed by the relati'e obscurity that surrounds it at
the present time) and undaunted by the forces that 7ill be arrayed against it in the future) this
community) / cannot but feel confident) 7ill) no matter ho7 afflicti'e the agonies of a tra'ailing age)
pursue its destiny) undeflected in its course) undimmed in its serenity) unyielding in its resol'e) unsha6en
in its con'ictions:E
&4ho$hi Effendi. <essages to America/ p! 1N2
'(. )"r D"ty to .edeem Fellow #en
@::: /t is our duty to redeem as many of our fello7 men as 7e possibly can) 7hose hearts are enlightened)
before some great catastrophe o'erta6es them) in 7hich they 7ill either be hopelessly s7allo7ed up or
come out purified and strengthened) and ready to ser'e: 3he more belie'ers there are to stand forth as
beacons in the dar6ness 7hene'er that time does come) the betterI hence the supreme importance of the
teaching 7or6 at this time::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4outh and West (frica/ Eul5 9/ 19@0. 3eaching the
<asses/ p! 112
'('. *ah+,;s Are the &ea1en of Dod@ the Chosen People of Dod
@::: 3he Bahs are the lea'en of >od) 7hich must lea'en the lump of their nation: /n direct ratio to their
success 7ill be the protection 'ouchsafed) not only to them but to their country: 3hese are the immutable
la7s of >od) from 7hich there is no escape! Aor unto 7homsoe'er much is gi'en) of him shall be much
reDuired:
@3hey cannot be the chosen people of >od)Qthe ones 7ho ha'e recei'ed the bounty of accepting Him
in His 8ay) the recipients of the <asters 8i'ine 2lanQand do nothing about it: 3he obligation to teach
is the obligation of e'ery Bah) and particularly) the obligations of the American Bahs to7ards
humanity are great and inescapable: 3o the degree to 7hich they discharge them 7ill they be blessed and
protected) happy and satisfied:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 4eptem)er L1/ 19@0. Bah Ne7s/
o"em)er 19@02
'((. Eyes of the 7orld Foc"ssed on 8s
@::: 3he eyes of the people of the 7orld are beginning to be focussed on us) and as humanitys plight
goes from bad to 7orse) 7e 7ill be 7atched e'er more intently by non0Bahs) to see 7hether 7e do
uphold our o7n institutions 7holeheartedlyI 7hether 7e are the people of the ne7 creation or notI
7hether 7e li'e up to our beliefs) principles and la7s in deed as 7ell as 7ord: He cannot be too careful:
He cannot be too e?emplary:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ (u$ust @/ 19@@. Canadian Bah
Ne7s/ 4pecial 4ection/ 6arch 1903/ p! M2
'(-. *ah+,;s 5a1e !as$ of Cleansin6 5"manity by Precept and E?ample
@/n many letters and on many occasions the belo'ed >uardian 7arned that the disintegrating process
7ill penetrate deeper and deeper into the 'ery core of human society and that much suffering is in store
ere man6ind is fused by the fires of uni'ersal affliction into one organic common7ealth: E'en 7hen
uni'ersal suffrage and all other rights presently sought by ci'il rights mo'ements are fully attained) there
still remains for the Bahs the unaccomplished tas6 of cleansing humanity) by precept and e?ample) of
e'ery trace of racial preBudice: Nothing but the aith of >od can accomplish this:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 6arch 31/ 19M@. :nited 4tates
4upplement to Bah Ne7s/ o! 91/ (u$ust 19M@/ p! L2
'(/. Chosen )nes of Dod %ho"ld not be Content with .elati1e Distinction and E?cellence
@3he chosen ones of >od:::should not loo6 at the depra'ed conditions of the society in 7hich they li'e)
nor at the e'idences of moral degradation and fri'olous conduct 7hich the people around them display:
3hey should not content themsel'es merely 7ith relati'e distinction and e?cellence: &ather they should
fi? their gaCe upon nobler heights by setting the counsels and e?hortations of the 2en of >lory as their
supreme goal: 3hen it 7ill be readily realiCed ho7 numerous are the stages that still remain to be
tra'ersed and ho7 far off the desired goal liesQa goal 7hich is none other than e?emplifying hea'enly
morals and 'irtues:E
&<rom a letter of 4ho$hi Effendi to the #ocal 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Tihran/ Octo)er 31/ 19LN. =i'ing the =ife/ p! L2
'(0. )bstacles that %tand in the Path
@3he gross materialism that engulfs the entire nation at the present hourI the attachment to 7orldly
things that enshrouds the souls of menI the fear and an?ieties that distract their mindsI the pleasure and
dissipations that fill their time) the preBudices and animosities that dar6en their outloo6) the apathy and
lethargy that paralyCe their spiritual facultiesQthese are among the formidable obstacles that stand in the
path of e'ery 7ould0be 7arrior in the ser'ice of Bahullh) obstacles 7hich he must battle against and
surmount in his crusade for the redemption of his o7n countrymen:E
&4ho$hi Effendi. Citadel of aith/ p! 1N92
'(2. Ci1iliHation 8nder6oin6 %e1ere and 8nparalleled !ests
@=et us pray to >od that in these days of 7orld0encircling gloom) 7hen the dar6 forces of nature) of
hate) rebellion) anarchy and reaction are threatening the 'ery stability of human society) 7hen the most
precious fruits of ci'iliCation are undergoing se'ere and unparalleled tests) 7e may all realiCe) more
profoundly than e'er) that though but a mere handful amidst the seething masses of the 7orld) 7e are in
this day the chosen instruments of >ods grace) that our mission is most urgent and 'ital to the fate of
humanity) and) fortified by these sentiments) arise to achie'e >ods holy purpose for man6ind:E
&4ho$hi Effendi. ,ah Administration/ p! 3@2
6II$ C(R(,ONI(%
'-3. :ot Acc"rate to %tate that *ah+,; Faith 5as no Ceremonies
@/t is not accurate to state that the Bah aith has no ceremonies: 3he marriage ceremony and the
funeral ser'ice are e?amples of such obser'ances in our teachings:
@/t 7ould be correct) ho7e'er) to state that the aith has certain basic la7s and simple rites prescribed
by Bahullh and that its teachings 7arn against de'eloping these into a system of uniform and rigid
rituals by introducing into them man0made forms and practices: &ituals in other religions usually consist
of elaborate ceremonial practices) such as those of the Catholic Church in the celebration of the <ass
and the administration of the sacraments) 7hich are performed by a member of the clergy:
@/n carrying out the basic la7s of our aith the friends should al7ays maintain a standard of utmost
simplicity and obser'e fle?ibility in all matters of detail:E
&<rom a letter to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3olom)ia from the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ (u$ust 31/ 19M02
'-1. :amin6 Ceremonies
@He ha'e your letter of August ,,) "#** inDuiring 7hether Anaming ceremonies for children should be
encouraged as a community acti'ity: /n a letter to an indi'idual belie'er) dated 8ecember ,-) "#%$) the
belo'ed >uardian said!
A&egarding your Duestion 7hether there is any special ceremony 7hich the belie'ers should
perform 7hen they 7ish to Aname a baby! 3he 3eachings do not pro'ide for any ceremony
7hate'er on such occasions: He ha'e no Abaptismal ser'ice in the Cause) such as the
Christians ha'e: 3here could be no obBection) ho7e'er) for the friends to come together on
such happy occasions) pro'ided they do not hold an official public ceremony) and pro'ided
also they strictly a'oid any uniformity and rigidity in all such practices:::
@He feel that this acti'ity should be left to the discretion of the parents:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 4eptem)er 0/ 19MM. American
Bah/ Decem)er 1901/ p! 112
'-2. %pirit"al *aptism of Children
@3hou hast as6ed regarding the naming of children! Hhen thou 7ishest to name a babe) prepare a
meeting thereforeI chant the 'erses and communes) and supplicate and implore the 3hreshold of 5neness
and beg the attainment of guidance for the babe and 7ish confirmated firmness and constancyI then gi'e
the name and enBoy be'erage and s7eet0meat: 3his is spiritual baptism:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3ablets of AAbdul0Bah/ >ol! I/ pp! 1N9+1@12
'-. *aptism of Child
@He ha'e your letter of September "(th inDuiring about the baptism of a child 7here one of the partners
to the marriage is a Christian and the other is a Bah:
@5b'iously) if both parties are Bahs they cannot baptiCe their child) ho7e'er) in the case of a non0
Bah spouse insisting upon the baptism of the children) 7e said in a letter to the National Assembly of
Spain on "$ ebruary "#*1!
A3he Bah parent may attend the ceremony 7ith the understanding that he 7ill not
underta6e any commitment or 'o7 7hich is contrary to the principles of his aith:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 4eptem)er L1/ 19MM2
'-'. *ah+,;s #ay and %ho"ld Participate in 5armless C"lt"ral@ !raditional )bser1ances
@/n deciding 7hether or not to participate in such traditional acti'ities) the Bahs must guard against
t7o e?tremes: 3he one is to disassociate themsel'es needlessly from harmless cultural obser'ances and
thus alienate themsel'es from their non0Bah families and friendsI the other is to continue the practice
of abrogated obser'ances of pre'ious dispensations and thus undermine the independence of the Bah
aith and create undesirable distinctions bet7een themsel'es and their fello70Bahs::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 6ala5sia/ 6a5 LM/ 198L2
'-(. !here Are %ome .eli6io"s Ceremonies in 7hich *ah+,;s %ho"ld not Participate
@3here are some e?clusi'e religious ceremonies in 7hich Bahs should not participate) in order to
safeguard the independence of the aith: /n this regard) the belo'ed >uardian has gi'en the follo7ing
ad'ice to another National Assembly! A/n these days the friends should) as much as possible)
demonstrate through their deeds the independence of the Holy aith of >od) and its freedom from the
customs) rituals and practices of a discredited and abrogated past: /n obser'ing this principle) the House
of 9ustice ad'ises the Bahs to maintain a balance bet7een their adherence to the Cause and obedience
to its la7s on the one hand) and their role in society on the other: Hhen an indi'idual becomes a Bah
he acDuires) as you are a7are) a 7ider loyalty to the <anifestations of >od: Ha'ing found this ne7 7ay
of life) he should be careful not to isolate himself from his family and his people) and he should sho7
respect for his former religion: 3he Bahs should) of course) a'oid performing any acts 7hich could be
considered as implying their membership in another religion or 7hich are contrary to Bah principles:
3here is a clear distinction bet7een participating in festi'e and cultural e'ents) as opposed to performing
religious ceremonies and rituals:
@/t should also be remembered that the 7eaning a7ay of the Bahs from customs and traditions)
7hich ha'e been established among communities for centuries) ta6es time and is a gradual process:
3herefore) 7hile the National Assembly should a'oid rigidity in these matters) it should also not
compromise 7hen the interests of the aith and its integrity and independence are at sta6e:E
&I)id!2
'--. *ah+,; Parent #ay Attend *aptismal Ceremony@ b"t Cannot #a$e any Commitment or Bow
@/n reply to your letter of 1 September "#$( saying that a ::: belie'er 7ill soon marry a member of the
&oman Catholic Church and as6ing 7hether it is permissible for their children to be baptiCed) the
Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has instructed us to con'ey its guidance:
@Children of such a union may be baptiCed if the Christian parent so 7ishesI from the Bah point of
'ie7 the baptism has no effect: /t must be emphasiCed) ho7e'er) that the Bah parent) 7hile perfectly
free to attend the baptismal ceremony) should not underta6e any commitment or 'o7 contrary to Bah
la7 and should not surrender her parental right to impart the Bah teachings to her child:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4witJerland/ 4eptem)er L1/ 198N2
6III$ C)ILR(N
A$ Ado-ted Children and Or-hans
'-/. <5e that *rin6eth "p 5is %on or the %on of Another...=
@::: He that bringeth up his son or the son of another) it is as though he hath brought up a son of <ineI
upon him rest <y >lory) <y lo'ing06indness) <y <ercy) that ha'e compassed the 7orld:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3he ;itb0i0ADdas/ 8! N8/ p! 302
'-0. *ah+,",ll+h and 4Abd",l-*ah+ &a"d !hose who Adopt Children
@/t 7as a pleasure to Shoghi Effendi to recei'e your letter of <ay ,*th and to hear about your adopted
children: 3his is a truly Bah act especially as it 7as often lauded both by Bahullh and AAbdul0
Bah) and the >uardian trusts that they 7ill gro7 to become Bah 7or6ers) and thus repay your 6ind
generosity:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune L1/ 19312
'-2. Adopted Child and Its :at"ral ParentsA
@/t is clear that the separation of a child from its natural parents is a tragedy that society must do its best
to pre'ent or mitigate: /t is also clear that in certain cases the actual separation may be better for the
child than to continue li'ing 7ith a parent 7hose conduct and character ma6e him un7orthy of this
sacred function) for the >uardian has e?plicitly stated that the se'ering of family ties and renunciation of
responsibilities bet7een parents and the children is) in certain cases) permissible under the la7 of >od)
but that the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has to ma6e the la7 go'erning such matters:
@Hhene'er the la7 of the land or the agreement of adoption prohibits future contact bet7een an
adopted child and its natural parents) the Bah la7 does not reDuire the child to see6 the consent of
those parents to its marriage:
@/n the situation) ho7e'er) 7here contact 7ith the natural parent is permitted) it should be a matter of
7ise discretion at 7hat stage contact) in cases 7here it has been bro6en) should be re0established: 9ust as
lo'e for one person need not reduce the lo'e one bears to another) so unity 7ith the adopti'e parents
need not destroy or reduce the unity a child has 7ith its natural parents) or 'ice 'ersa: 3he characters and
attitudes of the indi'iduals concerned 7ill ha'e an effect upon this::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 10/ 19012
O&4ee also. >III! E! 1! =a7s of <arriage) 2arental Consent/ &1L31+1L@N2
'/3. A *ah+,; Cannot !a$e Bow to Ed"cate Adopted Child in Another .eli6ion
@A Bah may not underta6e a 'o7 7hich commits him to any action contrary to the principles of the
aith: /n other 7ords) <rs: :::cannot agree to rear a child in the Catholic aith:
@urthermore) if it is necessary to go through the Catholic marriage ceremony for the sa6e of the
adoption) <rs: ::: must ma6e it clear to the church authorities that she is a Bah) intends to remain a
Bah) and that she cannot underta6e any 'o7 7hich is contrary to the la7s and principles of her aith:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ o"em)er LM/ 19MN2
'/1. A *ah+,; 7ho %wears to .ear his Children in Another Faith is %"bFect to Administrati1e
%anction
@:::no Bah can conscientiously s7ear to bring up his children in another religionI and of course he has
no right to lieI therefore it becomes impossible for him to ma6e such a promise on his marriage to a non0
Bah: Any Bah doing this should be depri'ed of his 'oting rightsI and) as he has already made plain
before) Bahs 7ho go to the church and are married as Christians must also of necessity be depri'ed of
their 'oting rights:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the European Teachin$ 3ommittee/ 6a5 13/ 19@M2
'/2. D"ty !owards )rphans
@/n this holy Cause the Duestion of orphans hath the utmost importance: 3he greatest consideration must
be sho7n to7ards orphansI they must be taught) trained and educated: 3he 3eachings of Bahullh)
especially) must by all means be gi'en to them as far as possible:
@/ supplicate >od that thou mayest become a 6ind parent to orphaned children) Duic6ening them 7ith
the fragrances of the Holy Spirit) so that they 7ill attain the age of maturity as true ser'ants of the 7orld
of humanity and as bright candles in the assemblage of man6ind:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Bah Education/ p! NM2
B$ God-arents or Co1'arenthood
'/. *ah+,;s %er1in6 as Dodparents
@/n ans7er to your letter of ,$ September "#$( on the abo'e subBect) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has
instructed us to send you the follo7ing guidelines:
@3he position of Agodparent 'aries considerably from country to country) and from one Christian
denomination to another:
@/n many cases it in'ol'es the godparent in participation in a religious ser'ice as a member of the
church in Duestion) and in assumption of the obligation to bring the child up in the teachings of that
church: /t is clearly impossible for a Bah to become a godparent in such circumstances: Ho7e'er)
7here indi'iduals ha'e underta6en 'o7s as godparents prior to becoming Bahs) the aith does not
reDuire them to disa'o7 their promise) but the ne7 Bah should inform the parents of his change in
religion so that they may ma6e a change in godparents if they so desire:
@/n some countries a godfather or godmother is regarded by most people simply as a good friend of the
family 7ho sends gifts to the child annually: /f that 7ere all) there 7ould) of course) be no obBection to a
BahKs accepting to be a godfather or godmother: Ho7e'er) e'en in such countries it is li6ely that)
beyond assuming this responsibility) the godparent 7ould ha'e to ta6e part in the baptismal ceremony of
the infant and) although many nominal Christians may treat such matters 'ery lightly) a Bah should be
a7are of the solemnity 7ith 7hich the church regards the rite and should not assume an underta6ing
7hich he cannot fulfil or do anything 7hich 7ould imply a denial of his faith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4witJerland/ o"em)er N/ 198N2
'/'. *ah+,; Co"ple %ho"ld not 5a1e !heir Child *aptiHed
@3he House of 9ustice has noted your strong emphasis upon the social and economic aspects of co0
parenthood in your country) and your mention of the religious basis for the custom: Hhile the diminution
of Christian fer'or among the ran6 and file of 8ominicans may be great) ne'ertheless the baptismal
origin and other religious aspects of godparenthood cannot be minimiCed) particularly for rural people
7ho may 7ell be under pressure from parish priests: Mour Assembly understands that a conscientious
Bah couple must not ha'e their children baptiCed) nor should Bahs ordinarily participate as
godparents in a baptismal ceremony for this also may seem to imply their affiliation 7ith the church::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the Dominican Repu)lic/ <e)ruar5
10/ 19812
'/(. A *ah+,; #ay *ecome Dodparent of a :on-*ah+,; Child if Conditions Are Clear
@Mou as6 7hether a Bah may Abecome the godparent of the child of a non0Bah if he made it clear
that he is a Bah) cannot promise to bring up the child in the Catholic religion) is not affiliated 7ith the
Church:::: He may do so) for in such a case all concerned are informed of his beliefs: /f called for) an
agreement may be dra7n up) through the =ocal Assembly or a la7yer) 7hich 7ould define the social
elements of the co0parental relationship 7hile omitting the religious ones:E
&I)id!2
'/-. !hose 7ho !oo$ Bows as Dodparents Prior to *ecomin6 *ah+,;s
@Mou as6 about those 7ho ha'e underta6en 'o7s as godparents prior to becoming Bahs:
3rust7orthiness is one of the great Dualities 7hich must characteriCe Bahs) and the ne7 belie'er
therefore) far from repudiating any commitments entered into before becoming a Bah) must be e'er
more conscientious in discharging them: Ho7e'er there are certain actions 7hich 7ould 'iolate Bah
principles and from 7hich the belie'er must abstain: 5thers 7ould be incompatible 7ith his allegiance
to the aith) such as the promise made by a godparent to bring up the godchild in the teachings of the
Catholic church: /n such a case the ne7 belie'er could suggest to the parents that because of his ne7
understanding of Christianity they 7ould probably prefer to cancel that part of the agreement) at the
same time e?plaining his 7illingness to continue to discharge the social and economic functions of the
godparenthood: 3he 7hole matter should be dealt 7ith in a gentle and conciliatory manner) in the hope
of retaining the friendship and trust of all concerned:E
&I)id!2
'//. :on-*ah+,; Dodparents of *ah+,; Children
@/n the case of non0Bahs 7ho are godparents of Bah children) the changed obligations of their roles
may be Duietly discussed 7ith them by the Bah parents) 7ho 7ould point out that they may no7 7ish
to be freed of their commitments) and that in any case the religious aspects of the relationship are no
longer in effect:E
&I)id!2
'/0. !wo *ah+,;s #ay Enter into a Co-Parental A6reement
@Mou ha'e as6ed about the possibility of t7o Bahs entering into a co0parental agreement 7ithin the
aith) there is no obBection to this:E
&I)id!2
C$ (ducation and Training of Children
'/2. #"st First !rain Children in Principles of .eli6ion
@::: Schools must first train the children in the principles of religion) so that the 2romise and the 3hreat
recorded in the Boo6s of >od may pre'ent them from the things forbidden and adorn them 7ith the
mantle of the commandmentsI but this in such a measure that it may not inBure the children by resulting
in ignorant fanaticism and bigotry:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3ablets of Bahullh/ p! M82
'03. Enco"ra6e the Children from Early Childhood
@Encourage the children from their earliest years to master e'ery 6ind of learning) and ma6e them eager
to become s6illed in e'ery artQthe aim being that through the fa'ouring grace of >od) the heart of each
one may become e'en as a mirror disclosing the secrets of the uni'erse) penetrating the innermost reality
of all thingsI and that each may earn 7orld7ide fame in all branches of 6no7ledge) science and the arts:
@Certainly) certainly neglect not the education of the children: &ear them to be possessed of spiritual
Dualities) and be assured of the gifts and fa'ours of the =ord:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Bah Education/ pp! L0+L82
'01. Inc"mbent 8pon *ah+,; Children to %"rpass )ther Children
@/t is incumbent upon Bah children to surpass other children in the acDuisition of sciences and arts) for
they ha'e been cradled in the grace of >od:

@Hhate'er other children learn in a year) let Bah children learn in a month: 3he heart of AAbdul0
Bah longeth) in its lo'e) to find that Bah young people) each and all) are 6no7n throughout the 7orld
for their intellectual attainments: 3here is no Duestion but that they 7ill e?ert all their efforts) their
energies) their sense of pride) to acDuire the sciences and arts:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ p! 1N12
'02. Parents 5eld .esponsible to Dod for Ed"cation of Children
@/t is for this reason that) in this ne7 cycle) education and training are recorded in the Boo6 of >od as
obligatory and not 'oluntary: 3hat is) it is enBoined upon the father and mother) as a duty) to stri'e 7ith
all effort to train the daughter and the son) to nurse them from the breast of 6no7ledge and to rear them
in the bosom of sciences and arts: Should they neglect this matter) they shall be held responsible and
7orthy of reproach in the presence of the stern =ord:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ 198L/ pp! 1LM+1L02
'0. !eachers of Children %er1in6 *ah+,",ll+h
@:::this teaching of the children is a ser'ice to the Blessed 2erfection: Hhosoe'er ser'es the 7orld of
humanity in this or any other 7ay is ser'ing His Holiness Bahullh: Mour hea'enly re7ard is 7ith
Him: 3he education of children is one of the most great ser'ices: All these children are mine: /f they are
educated and illumined) it is as though my o7n children 7ere so characteriCed:::E
&Talk of '()du*l+,ah- in the 7ol5 #and. Star of the Hest/ >ol! QIII/ o! M/ p! 10L2
'0'. Fail"re to Ed"cate Child is an 8npardonable %in
@3his is a sin unpardonable) for they ha'e made that poor babe a 7anderer in the Sahara of ignorance)
unfortunate and tormented! to remain during a lifetime a capti'e of ignorance and pride) negligent and
7ithout discernment: Perily) if that babe depart from this 7orld at the age of infancy) it is s7eeter and
better: /n this sense) death is better than lifeI depri'ation than sal'ationI non0e?istence lo'elier than
e?istenceI the gra'e better than the palaceI the narro7) dingy tomb better than the spacious) regal homeI
for in the sight of man6ind that child is abased and degraded and in the sight of >od 7ea6 and defecti'e:
/n gatherings it is ashamed and humiliated and in the arena of e?amination subdued and defeated by
young and old: Hhat a mista6e is thisL Hhat an e'erlasting humiliationLE
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3ablets of AAbdul0Bah/ >ol! III/ p! @092
'0(. Child &eft in :at"ral %tate Drows 8p in I6norance...
@/f a child is left in its natural state and depri'ed of education) there is no doubt that it 7ill gro7 up in
ignorance and illiteracy) its mental faculties dulled and dimmedI in fact it 7ill become li6e an animal:::E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ p! 311/ 198L ed2!
'0-. If *abe Did not &i1e at All@ *etter than to Drow I6norant
@3herefore the belo'ed of >od and maid0ser'ant of the <erciful must train their children 7ith life and
heart and teach them in the school of 'irtue and perfection: 3hey must not be la? in this matterI they
must not be inefficient: 3ruly) if a babe did not li'e at all it 7ere better than to let it gro7 ignorant) for
that innocent babe) in later life) 7ould become afflicted 7ith innumerable defects) responsible to and
Duestioned by >od) reproached and reBected by the people: Hhat a sin this 7ould be and 7hat an
omissionL
@Be7areL Be7areL that ye fail not in this matter: Endea'our 7ith heart) 7ith life) to train your children)
especially the daughters: No e?cuse is acceptable in this matter:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3ablets of AAbdul0Bah/ >ol! III/ p! @092
'0/. !rainin6 in #orals and Dood Cond"ct is Far #ore Important !han *oo$ &earnin6
@3raining in morals and good conduct is far more important than boo6 learning: A child that is cleanly)
agreeable) of good character) 7ell0beha'edQe'en though he be ignorantQis preferable to a child that is
rude) un7ashed) ill0natured) and yet becoming deeply 'ersed in all the sciences and arts: 3he reason for
this is that the child 7ho conducts himself 7ell) e'en though he be ignorant) is of benefit to others) 7hile
an ill0natured) ill0beha'ed child is corrupted and harmful to others) e'en though he be learned: /f)
ho7e'er) the child be trained to be both learned and good) the result is light upon light:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ pp! 13@+13M2
'00. P"pil #"st be Enco"ra6edA
@/f a pupil is told that his intelligence is less than his fello70pupils) it is a 'ery great dra7bac6 and
handicap to his progress: He must be encouraged to ad'ance) by the statement) AMou are most capable
and if you endea'our you 7ill attain the highest degree:E
O&4ee also. >III! 3! Education and 3raining of Children2
'02. %tation of !hose 7ho %er1e and !each Children
@5 thou teacher of the children of the ;ingdomL
@3hou hast arisen to perform a ser'ice 7hich 7ould Bustly entitle thee to 'aunt thyself o'er all the
teachers on earth: or the teachers of this 7orld ma6e use of human education to de'elop the po7ers)
7hether spiritual or material) of human6ind) 7hilst thou art training these young plants in the gardens of
>od according to the education of Hea'en) and art gi'ing them the lessons of the ;ingdom:
@3he result of this 6ind of teaching 7ill be that it 7ill attract the blessings of >od) and ma6e manifest
the perfections of man:
@Hold thou fast to this 6ind of teaching) for the fruits of it 7ill be 'ery great: 3he children must) from
their infancy) be raised to be spiritual and godly Bahs: /f such be their training) they 7ill remain safe
from e'ery test:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Bah Education/ p! 3N2
'23. #ethods of !eachin6 Children
@Among these children many blessed souls 7ill arise) if they be trained according to the Bah
3eachings: /f a plant is carefully nurtured by a gardener) it 7ill become good) and produce better fruit:
3hese children must be gi'en a good training from their earliest childhood: 3hey must be gi'en a
systematic training 7hich 7ill further their de'elopment from day to day) in order that they may recei'e
greater insight) so that their spiritual recepti'ity be broadened: Beginning in childhood they must recei'e
instruction: 3hey cannot be taught through boo6s: <any elementary sciences must be made clear to
them in the nurseryI they must learn them in play) in amusement: <ost ideas must be taught them
through speech) not by boo6 learning: 5ne child must Duestion the other concerning these things) and the
other child must gi'e the ans7er: /n this 7ay) they 7ill ma6e great progress: or e?ample) mathematical
problems must also be taught in the form of Duestions and ans7ers: 5ne of the children as6s a Duestion
and the other must gi'e the ans7er: =ater on) the children 7ill of their o7n accord spea6 7ith each other
concerning these same subBects: 3he children 7ho are at the head of the class must recei'e premiums:
3hey must be encouraged and 7hen any one of them sho7s good ad'ancement) for the further
de'elopment they must be praised and encouraged therein: E'en so in godli6e affairs: 5ral Duestions
must be as6ed and the ans7ers must be gi'en orally: 3hey must discuss 7ith each other in this manner:E
&Talks of '()du*l+,ah-. 3he Bah Horld/ >ol! IQ/ p! @N3F Bah Education/ p! 032
'21. A 7ise %choolmaster
@A 7ise schoolmaster should send his scholars out to play or to practice gymnastics for an hour) so that
their minds and bodies may be refreshed) and during the hour of the lesson they may learn it better: /f the
teacher pro'es that his scholars are ad'ancing) no on0loo6er has a right to obBect to his system) or to
Duestion his 7isdom and say he 7astes the boys time: /f a 7ise father plays 7ith his children) 7ho has a
right to say it is not good for themS He calls them to come to him as the hen calls her chic6sI he 6no7s
that they are little and must be coa?ed alongQcoa?ed along because they are young and tiny:E
&Words of '()du*l+,ah-. Star of the Hest/ >ol! IQ/ o! 8/ p! 912
'22. C"rric"l"m of %t"dyK #"st Follow %ame C"rric"l"m for Da"6hters and %ons
@He promulgated the adoption of the same course of education for man and 7oman: 8aughters and sons
must follo7 the same curriculum of study) thereby promoting unity of the se?es: Hhen all man6ind shall
recei'e the same opportunity of education and the eDuality of men and 7omen be realiCed) the
foundations of 7ar 7ill be utterly destroyed: Hithout eDuality this 7ill be impossible because all
differences and distinction are conduci'e to discord and strife: EDuality bet7een men and 7omen is
conduci'e to the abolition of 7arfare for the reason that 7omen 7ill ne'er be 7illing to sanction it:
<others 7ill not gi'e their sons as sacrifices upon the battle0field after t7enty years of an?iety and
lo'ing de'otion in rearing them from infancy) no matter 7hat cause they are called upon to defend:
3here is no doubt that 7hen 7omen obtain eDuality of rights 7ar 7ill entirely cease among man6ind:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3he 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ pp! 10N+10@2
'2. *e6innin6 of Formal Ed"cation
@::: rom the age of fi'e their formal education must begin: 3hat is) during the daytime they should be
loo6ed after in a place 7here there are teachers) and should learn good conduct:
@Here they should be taught) in play) some letters and 7ords and a little readingQas is done in certain
countries 7here they fashion letters and 7ords out of s7eets and gi'e them to the child: or e?ample)
they ma6e an Aa out of candy and say its name is Aa) or ma6e a candy Ab and call it Ab) and so on 7ith
the rest of the alphabet) gi'ing these to the young child: /n this 7ay children 7ill soon learn their
letters:::
@Hhen the children are ready for bed) let the mother read or sing them the 5des of the Blessed Beauty)
so that from their earliest years they 7ill be educated by these 'erses of guidance:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Bah Education/ pp! 39+N12
'2'. %"bFects to be !a"6ht in Children,s Classes
@3he subBects to be taught in childrens schools are many) and for lac6 of time He can touch on only a
fe7! irst and most important is training in beha'iour and good characterI the rectification of DualitiesI
arousing the desire to become accomplished and acDuire perfections) and to clea'e unto the religion of
>od and stand firm in His =a7sI to accord total obedience to e'ery Bust go'ernment) to sho7 forth
loyalty and trust7orthiness to the ruler of the time) to be 7ell 7ishers of man6ind) to be 6ind to all:
@And further) as 7ell as in the ideals of character) instruction in such arts and sciences as are of benefit)
and in foreign tongues: Also) the repeating of prayers for the 7ell0being of ruler and ruledI and the
a'oidance of materialistic 7or6s that are current among those 7ho see only natural causation) and tales
of lo'e) and boo6s that arouse the passions:
@3o sum up) let all the lessons be entirely de'oted to the acDuisition of human perfections:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. from a Ta)let pu)lished in 3he Bah Horld/ >ol! Q>I/ p! 302
'2(. Formal Ed"cation #"st *e6in at the A6e of Fi1e
@3he 3ablet of AAbdul0Bah concerning the education of children refers particularly to their formal
education 7hich He says must begin at the age of fi'e: 3he <aster ma6es it clear that during the daytime
children of that age and older should be loo6ed after in a place 7here there are teachers: 3hey should
learn good conduct and be taught ho7 to spell and to read and He indicates that spelling and reading can
be learned by the use of simple games: Children of all ages can benefit from the guidance gi'en to
mothers by AAbdul0Bah in 7hich He ad'ises that 7hen the children are ready for bed their mothers
should read or sing to them 'erses of Bahullh so that from their earliest years the children 7ill be
educated by these 7ords of the Blessed Beauty: 3he House of 9ustice adds that you should feel free to
hold classes for children under the age of fi'e pro'ided you 6eep in mind that their attention span is
relati'ely short and so the duration of their class periods should be measured accordingly:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ewton/ 8ansas/ 6arch LN/ 190M2
'2-. :othin6 in !eachin6s %tates Child #"st not be %eparated from Parents for First Fi1e Eears
@3here is nothing in the teachings specifically to state that a child must not be separated from its parents
and its home for the first fi'e years of its life: /n a 3ablet) ho7e'er) AAbdul0Bah points out that formal
education at school begins 7hen the child is fi'e years old: Shoghi Effendi has indicated in one of his
letters that the formulation of a system of education based on the teachings can only be gradually
underta6en) and has to be accomplished by Bah scholars and educationalists of the future::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 6arch 11/ 190@2
'2/. #other 5as Chief .esponsibility for *rin6in6 8p Child
@3he tas6 of bringing up a Bah child) as emphasiCed time and again in Bah 7ritings) is the chief
responsibility of the mother) 7hose uniDue pri'ilege is indeed to create in her home such conditions as
7ould be most conduci'e to both his material and spiritual 7elfare and ad'ancement: 3he training 7hich
the child first recei'es through his mother constitutes the strongest foundation for his future
de'elopment::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er in India/ o"em)er 1M/ 1939. 8a7n of a Ne7 8ay/ p! L1L2
'20. #others )rdained Primary !rainers of Children and Infants
@::: /t is incumbent upon you to train the children from their earliest babyhoodL::: /t is incumbent upon
you to attend to them under all aspects and circumstances) inasmuch as >odQglorified and e?alted is
HeLQhath ordained mothers to be the primary trainers of children and infants: 3his is a great and
important affair and a high and e?alted position) and it is not allo7able to slac6en therein at allLE
&'()du*l+,ah-. Tablets of AAbdul0Bah/ >ol! III/ p! M1M2
'22. !rainin6 of Children in Case )ne of Parents is :on-*ah+,;
@3he Duestion of the training and education of children in case one of the parents is a non0Bah is one
7hich solely concerns the parents themsel'es) 7ho should decide about it the 7ay they find best and
most conduci'e to the maintenance of the unity of their family) and to the future 7elfare of their
children: 5nce the child comes of age) ho7e'er) he should be gi'en full freedom to choose his religion)
irrespecti'e of the 7ishes and desires of his parents:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ Decem)er 1N/ 19N1. 8a7n of a Ne7 8ay/ p!
8M2
(33. Dreatest of All %er1ices .endered by #an to Almi6hty DodTeach 3hildren to Deli"er
4peeches of 7i$h Cualit5
@Among the greatest of all ser'ices that can possibly be rendered by man to Almighty >od is the
education and training of children:::
@/t is) ho7e'er) 'ery difficult to underta6e this ser'ice) e'en harder to succeed in it: / hope that thou
7ilt acDuit thyself 7ell in this most important of tas6s) and successfully carry the day) and become an
ensign of >ods abounding graceI that these children) reared one and all in the holy 3eachings) 7ill
de'elop natures li6e unto the s7eet airs that blo7 across the gardens of the All0>lorious) and 7ill 7aft
their fragrance around the 7orld:
@Me should consider the Duestion of goodly character as of the first importance: /t is incumbent upon
e'ery father and mother to counsel their children o'er a long period) and guide them unto those things
7hich lead to e'erlasting honour:
@Encourage ye the school children) from their earliest years) to deli'er speeches of high Duality) so that
in their leisure time they 7ill engage in gi'ing cogent and effecti'e tal6s) e?pressing themsel'es 7ith
clarity and eloDuence:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ pp! 133+13N2
(31. Preferable that Child %ho"ld .ecei1e First !rainin6 at 5ome "nder #other Instead of in the
:"rsery
@Hith reference to the Duestion of the training of children! >i'en the emphasis placed by Bahullh
and AAbdul0Bah on the necessity for the parents to train their children 7hile still in their tender age) it
7ould seem preferable that they should recei'e their first training at home at the hand of their mother)
rather than be sent to a nursery: Should circumstances) ho7e'er) compel a Bah mother to adopt the
latter course) there can be no obBection:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 13/ 19N12
(32. %pirit"al Assemblies %ho"ld Pro1ide #others with 7ell-Planned Pro6ramme
@So long as the mother faileth to train her children) and start them on a proper 7ay of life) the training
7hich they recei'e later on 7ill not ta6e its full effect: /t is incumbent upon the Spiritual Assemblies to
pro'ide the mothers 7ith a 7ell0planned programme for the education of children) sho7ing ho7) from
infancy) the child must be 7atched o'er and taught: 3hese instructions must be gi'en to e'ery mother to
ser'e her as a guide) so that each 7ill train and nurture her children in accordance 7ith the 3eachings:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ p! 1382
(3. Diffic"lt to !each and .efine Character )nce P"berty is Passed
@/t is e?tremely difficult to teach the indi'idual and refine his character once puberty is passed: By then)
as e?perience hath sho7n) e'en if e'ery effort be e?erted to modify some tendency of his) it all a'aileth
nothing: He may) perhaps) impro'e some7hat todayI but let a fe7 days pass and he forgetteth) and
turneth bac67ard to his habitual condition and accustomed 7ays: 3herefore it is in early childhood that a
firm foundation must be laid: Hhile the branch is green and tender it can easily be made straight:
@5ur meaning is that Dualities of the spirit are the basic and di'ine foundation) and adorn the true
essence of manI and 6no7ledge is the cause of human progress: 3he belo'ed of >od must attach great
importance to this matter) and carry it for7ard 7ith enthusiasm and Ceal:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Bah Education/ pp! LN+L@2
(3'. %ho"ld !rain Children to #emoriHe Prayers and !abletsA
@He is 'ery glad to 6no7 that you attach importance to the training of the children) for 7hate'er they
learn in that early stage of their de'elopment 7ill lea'e its traces upon their 7hole life: /t becomes part
of their nature:
@3he <aster used to attach much importance to the learning by heart of the 3ablets of Bahullh and
the Bb: 8uring His days it 7as a usual 7or6 of the children of the household to learn 3ablets by heartI
no7) ho7e'er) those children are gro7n up and do not ha'e time for such a thing: But the practice is
most useful to implant the ideas and spirit those 7ords contain into the mind of the children:
@Hith Athe 8a7n0Brea6ers in your possession you could also arrange interesting stories about the
early days of the <o'ement 7hich the children 7ould li6e to hear: 3here are also stories about the life of
Christ) <u ammad and the other 2rophets 7hich if told to the children 7ill brea6 do7n any religious
preBudice they may ha'e learned from older people of little understanding:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the 4piritual (ssem)l5 of West En$lewood/ Octo)er 19/ 193L2
O&4ee also. o! 1@1M2
(3(. %acred D"ty of Children !owards !heir Parents
@::: 3he fruits that best befit the tree of human life are trust7orthiness and godliness) truthfulness and
sincerityI but greater than all) after recognition of the unity of >od) praised and glorified be He) is regard
for the rights that are due ones parents: 3his teaching hath been mentioned in all the Boo6s of >od) and
reaffirmed by the <ost E?alted 2en::::E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3he ;itb0i0ADdas) Ruestions and Ans7ers) C! 11M/ p! 1392
@3here are also certain sacred duties of children to7ard parents) 7hich duties are 7ritten in the Boo6 of
>od) as belonging to >od: 3he FchildrensG prosperity in this 7orld and the ;ingdom depends upon the
good pleasure of parents) and 7ithout this they 7ill be in manifest loss:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Bah Education/ p! @12
(3-. Children %ho"ld be !rained to 8nderstand %pirit"al %i6nificance of *ah+,; #eetin6s
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has recei'ed your letter of "(th September "#$, concerning the role of
=ocal Spiritual Assemblies in guiding parents and children in standards of beha'iour for children at
community gatherings) such as Nineteen 8ay easts and Bah Holy 8ay obser'ances:
@urther to the letter 7e 7rote on its behalf on ,$th 9une "#++) the House of 9ustice has instructed us
to say that children should be trained to understand the spiritual significance of the gatherings of the
follo7ers of the Blessed Beauty) and to appreciate the honour and bounty of being able to ta6e part in
them) 7hate'er their out7ard form may be: /t is realiCed that some Bah obser'ances are lengthy and it
is difficult for 'ery small children to remain Duiet for so long: /n such cases one or other of the parents
may ha'e to miss part of the meeting in order to care for the child: 3he Spiritual Assembly can also
perhaps help the parents by pro'iding for a childrens obser'ance) suited to their capacities) in a separate
room during part of the communitys obser'ance: Attendance at the 7hole of the adult celebration thus
becomes a sign of gro7ing maturity and a distinction to be earned by good beha'iour:
@/n any case) the House of 9ustice points out that parents are responsible for their children and should
ma6e them beha'e 7hen they attend Bah meetings: /f children persist in creating a disturbance they
should be ta6en out of the meeting: 3his is not merely necessary to ensure the properly dignified conduct
of Bah meetings but is an aspect of the training of children in courtesy) consideration for others)
re'erence) and obedience to their parents:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ Octo)er 1N/ 198L2
(3/. Few Children Are .eally *ad
@He is sorry to hear your little boy is not de'eloping satisfactorilyI 'ery fe7 children are really bad:
3hey do) ho7e'er) sometimes ha'e complicated personalities and need 'ery 7ise handling to enable
them to gro7 into normal) moral) happy adults: /f you feel con'inced your son 7ill really benefit from
going to :::s school you could send him there: But in general 7e should certainly al7ays a'oid sending
Bah children to orthodo? religious schools) especially Catholic) as the children recei'e the imprint of
religious beliefs 7e as belie'ers 6no7 are out0dated and no longer for this age: He 7ill especially pray
for the solution of this problem:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi/ 6a5 31/ 19N02
(30. Children Fi6htin6
@&egarding your Duestion about children fighting! 3he statement of the <aster) not to stri6e bac6) should
not be ta6en so e?tremely literally that Bah children must accept to be bullied and thrashed: /f they
can manage to sho7 a better 7ay of settling disputes than by acti'e self0defence) they should naturally
do so:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 11/ 19N@2
(32. Physical P"nishment
@As to your Duestion about the use of physical punishment in child training) although there is a 3ablet of
the <aster 7hich considers beating as not permissible) this does not necessarily include e'ery form of
corporal punishment: /n order to ha'e a full grasp of the <asters attitude to7ards punishment) one has
to study all His 3ablets in this respect: or the time being no hard and fast rule can be laid do7n) and
parents must use their o7n 7ise discretion in these matters until the time is ripe for the principles of
Bah education of children to be more clearly elucidated and applied:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust 1L/ 190@2
(13. Problem ChildK Discipline of %ome %ort Indispensable
@Hith regard to the statement attributed to AAbdul0Bah and 7hich you ha'e Duoted in your letter
regarding a Aproblem child! 3hese statements of the <aster) ho7e'er true in their substance) should
ne'er be gi'en a literal interpretation: AAbdul0Bah could ha'e ne'er meant that a child should be left to
himself) entirely free: /n fact Bah education) Bust li6e any other system of education is based on the
assumption that there are certain natural deficiencies in e'ery child) no matter ho7 gifted) 7hich his
educators) 7hether his parents) school masters) or his spiritual guides and preceptors should endea'our
to remedy: 8iscipline of some sort) 7hether physical) moral or intellectual) is indeed indispensable) and
no training can be said to be complete and fruitful if it disregards this element: 3he child 7hen born is
far from being perfect: /t is not only helpless) but actually is imperfect) and e'en is naturally inclined
to7ards e'il: He should be trained) his natural inclinations harmoniCed) adBusted and controlled) and if
necessary suppressed or regulated) so as to insure his healthy physical and moral de'elopment: Bah
parents cannot simply adopt an attitude of non0resistance to7ards their children) particularly those 7ho
are unruly and 'iolent by nature: /t is not e'en sufficient that they should pray on their behalf: &ather
they should endea'our to inculcate) gently and patiently) into their youthful minds such principles of
moral conduct and initiate them into the principles and teachings of the Cause 7ith such tactful and
lo'ing care as 7ould enable them to become Atrue sons of >od and de'elop into loyal and intelligent
citiCens of His ;ingdom: 3his is the high purpose 7hich Bahullh Himself has clearly defined as the
chief goal of e'ery education:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 9/ 1939. Bah Education/ pp! M@+MM2
(11. It is not Permissible to %tri$e a Child
@=et the mothers consider that 7hate'er concerneth the education of children is of the first importance:
=et them put forth e'ery effort in this regard) for 7hen the bough is green and tender it 7ill gro7 in
7hate'er 7ay ye train it: 3herefore is it incumbent upon the mothers to rear their little ones e'en as a
gardener tendeth his young plants: =et them stri'e by day and by night to establish 7ithin their children
faith and certitude) the fear of >od) the lo'e of the Belo'ed of the 7orlds) and all good Dualities and
traits: Hhensoe'er a mother seeth that her child hath done 7ell) let her praise and applaud him and cheer
his heartI and if the slightest undesirable trait should manifest itself) let her counsel the child and punish
him) and use means based on reason) e'en a slight 'erbal chastisement should this be necessary: /t is not)
ho7e'er) permissible to stri6e a child) or 'ilify him) for the childs character 7ill be totally per'erted if
he be subBected to blo7s or 'erbal abuse:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Bah Education/ pp! N9+@12
($ Registration of Children
(12. *ah+,; Children Do not A"tomatically Inherit Faith of Parents
@/n letters replying to Duestions on the registration of children and youth the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice
has attempted to a'oid laying do7n rulings that are uni'ersally applicable: Ho7e'er) for the assistance
of National Spiritual Assemblies it is no7 pro'iding the follo7ing summary of guidelines and
elucidations that ha'e been gi'en: He are to emphasiCe that no hard and fast lines should be dra7n) and
procedural matters must ne'er be allo7ed to eclipse the spiritual reality of belief) 7hich is an intensely
personal relationship bet7een the soul and its Creator:
@Jnli6e the children of some other religions) Bah children do not automatically inherit the aith of
their parents: Ho7e'er) the parents are responsible for the upbringing and spiritual 7elfare of their
children) and Spiritual Assemblies ha'e the duty to assist parents) if necessary) in fulfilling these
obligations) so that the children 7ill be reared in the light of the &e'elation of Bahullh and from
their earliest years 7ill learn to lo'e >od and His <anifestations and to 7al6 in the 7ay of >ods =a7: /t
is natural) therefore) to regard the children of Bahs as Bahs unless there is a reason to conclude the
contrary: /t is Duite 7rong to thin6 of Bah children as e?isting in some sort of spiritual limbo until the
age of fifteen at 7hich point they can Abecome Bahs: /n the light of this one can conclude the
follo7ing!
@Children born to a Bah couple are regarded as Bahs from the beginning of their li'es) and their
births should be registered by the Spiritual Assembly:
@3he birth of a child to a couple) one of 7hom is a Bah) should also be registered unless the non0
Bah parent obBects:
A Spiritual Assembly may accept the declaration of faith of a child of non0Bah parents) and register
him as Bah child) pro'ided the parents gi'e their consent:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 8in$dom/ Eul5 19/ 198L2
(1. Children 7hose Parents *ecome *ah+,;s
@/n the cases of children 7hose parents become Bahs) much depends upon the ages and reactions of
the children concerned: 3hey 7ill reDuire great lo'e and understanding) and each case must be Budged on
its o7n merits: 3his applies to an added degree) of course) if only one of the parents has accepted the
aith) in 7hich case the attitude of the other parent is an important factorI the aim of the Bahs should
be to foster family unity: 3he important thing is that the children) 7hether registered as Bahs or not)
should be made to feel 7elcome at Bah childrens classes and other community gatherings:E
&I)id!2
(1'. %tat"s of Children 8nder the A6e of 1(A
@He ha'e your letter of "$th August "#+" concerning the status of children under the age of "1 years
7ho 7ish to become Bahs: He share 7ith you an e?tract of a letter on the subBect 7ritten on behalf of
the belo'ed >uardian by his secretary!
AJp to the age of "1 years) children are under the direction of their parents: At the age of "1)
they may declare their aith as a con'iction) and be registered as Bah youth) 7hether the
parents are Bahs or not: Children under the age of "1 of Bah parents 7ho 7ish to attend
meetings and associate 7ith the friends as Bahs may do so: /f non0Bah parents permit a
child of less than "1 to attend Bah meetings) and in fact) to be a Bah) this is li6e7ise
permissible: F3o the National Spiritual Assembly of >ermany) dated 9uly ,%) "#1(GE
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia/ (u$ust L9/ 1901. Australian Bah
Bulletin/ o! L1@/ 4eptem)er 1901/ p! 1N2
O&4ee also. o! LML2
(1(. A6e 1( .elates to %pirit"al F"nctions and )bli6ations
@&egarding the age of fifteen fi?ed by Bahullh! 3his relates only to purely spiritual functions and
obligations and is not related to the degree of administrati'e capacity 7hich is a totally different thing)
and is) for the present) fi?ed at t7enty0one:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 6a5 1@/ 19N1. Bah Ne7s) o!
138/ p! 1/ 4eptem)er 19N12
(1-. Children 8nder 1( Cannot #arry
@?!(%TIONF /n a treatise in 2ersian on 'arious Duestions) the age of maturity hath been set at fifteenI
is marriage li6e7ise conditional upon reaching maturity) or is it permissible before that timeS
@AN%+(RF Since the consent of both parties is reDuired in the Boo6 of >od) and since) before maturity)
their consent or lac6 of it cannot be ascertained) marriage is therefore conditional upon reaching
maturity) and is not permissible before that time:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3he ;itb0i0ADdas) Ruestions and Ans7ers/ C! 9L/ pp! 133+13N2
(1/. Children Are of A6e at 1( as far as Geepin6 &aws of ACdas
@&egarding children! At fifteen a Bah is of age as far as 6eeping the la7s of the ADdas is concernedQ
prayer) fasting) etc: But children under fifteen should certainly obser'e the Bah Holy 8ays) and not go
to school) if this can be arranged on these nine days:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Octo)er L@/ 19N02
(10. Children of *ah+,; Parents Considered as *ah+,;s
@Although the children of Bah parents are considered to be Bahs) there is no obBection at the
present time) for purposes of 6eeping a correct census) and also ascertaining 7hether the young people
are) sincerely belie'ers) and 7illing to do their share in ser'ice to the aith) to as6ing them to ma6e a
declaration of their intention) at the age of fifteen or so: 5riginally the >uardian understands this 7as
adopted in America to enable young Bah men to ma6e certain arrangements in connection 7ith their
application for non0combatant status) upon their attaining the age of military ser'ice: 3here is really
nothing about it in the 3eachings or in the Administration: Mour Assembly is free to do as it pleases in
this matter:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ Eune 10/ 19@N. <rom a compilation
to the 7ouse of Eustice of E;tracts from letters written on )ehalf of the %uardian on "arious aspects of a$e and o)li$ations2
(12. .e6isterin6 Children 8pon Attainin6 A6e 1(
@:::the 7ay in 7hich Bah children should be registered upon reaching the age "1 is 7ithin the
discretion of each National Spiritual AssemblyI there is no obBection to using for this purpose the general
enrolment card) if such a card is adopted) or a ne7 and separate one specially for Bah children
attaining the age of fifteen: /t is important) ho7e'er) that 7hate'er method of enrolment is used or card
adopted) it is clear to such children that they had been Bahs up to that time) and that on attaining the
age of spiritual maturity they are reaffirming their belief in Bahullh:
@3he form and 7ording of an enrolment or registration card is also 7ithin the discretion of a National
Spiritual Assembly:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %erman5/ Octo)er L8/ 190@. <rom
a compilation of letters written on )ehalf of the %uardian and the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice re$ardin$ enrolment of children! Included in
a letter from the 7ouse of Eustice to the ational (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ (u$ust 9/ 19092
(23. 8pon Attainment of A6e 1( Child #"st .eaffirm his Faith
@::: Both children of Bah parents) and children 7ho) 7ith their non0Bah parents consent) declare
their faith in Bahullh before they are fifteen years old) are regarded as Bahs and it is 7ithin a
Spiritual Assemblys discretion to reDuest such children to underta6e 7or6 of 7hich they are capable in
the ser'ice of the aith) such as ser'ice on suitable committees: Ho7e'er) upon attaining the age of
fifteen a child becomes spiritually mature and is responsible for stating on his o7n behalf 7hether or not
he 7ishes to remain a member of the Bah community: /f he does not then reaffirm his faith) he must
be treated) administrati'ely) as a non0Bah:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,raJil/ Decem)er 1L/ 190@. I)id!2
(21. .e6istration of Children of *ah+,; Parents
@/n ans7er to your letter::: concerning the registration of children of Bah parents the Jni'ersal House
of 9ustice has instructed us to say that at the present time it prefers to lea'e the details of such matters to
the discretion of each National Spiritual Assembly: 5ne National Assembly) for e?ample) sends a 'ery
nice letter to each Bah child in its community on the occasion of its fifteenth birthday Funless) of
course) it has reason to doubt that the child in Duestion is a BahG) e?plaining the meaning of attaining
the age of maturity) and e?tending the good 7ishes of the Assembly for his or her future ser'ices to the
Cause: 3his does not reDuire an acti'e response from e'ery child but does pro'ide each 7ith an
opportunity to ma6e his or her position clear if desired:
@3he House of 9ustice points out that the Assembly must 7isely steer a course bet7een seeming to
doubt the faith of a child 7ho has been brought up as a de'out Bah on the one hand) and seeming to
compel a child to be a member of the Bah community against his 7ill) on the other:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %erman5/ Octo)er @/ 1908. I)id!2
(22. #ay be Circ"mstances in 7hich Children %ho"ld :ot be .e6istered
@/t is 7ithin the discretion of your National Spiritual Assembly to determine 7hether children should be
registered as Bahs in cases 7here one parent is not a Bah) although children of Bah parents
under age "1) are generally considered Bahs) there may be circumstances in 7hich they should not be
registered as such) and this is also left to your discretion: =ocal Spiritual Assemblies should help by
ad'ising the parents to consider it one of their primary obligations to raise their children in a spirit of
lo'e and dedication to7ards the aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ Octo)er 13/ 190M2
F$ ,iscellaneous To-ics in Reference to Children
(2. Children %ho"ld be Free to Choose !heir )wn .eli6ion
@Shoghi Effendi 7ishes me to ac6no7ledge the receipt of your letter ::: 7hich you 7rote concerning
Catholic marriage and the promise that any resulting children should be Catholic:
@3he basic principle of the Cause is independent in'estigation of truth: 3his applies to us as much as to
our children: 3hey should be free to choose for themsel'es any religion they 7ish: 3o promise that they
7ill belong to a certain aith and not to another is therefore not only contrary to our precepts) but is also
a futile promise to gi'e: Ho7 can 7e ma6e the future generation thin6 as 7e do or follo7 our dictates:
>od has made them free: All that 7e can do is to open their eyes and tell them of 7hat 7e thin6 to be the
truth:E
(2'. !each Child to %ay Dreatest :ame in #oments of Crisis
@He thin6s you are 7ise in not separating yourself from your childI and he 7ill pray that he may gro7
out of this condition) and gain in physical and spiritual strength: /t 7ould be a great ad'antage to him if
you could teach him to say the >reatest Name) 7hen he is himself going through a moment of crisis and
suffering:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to a ,ah-*? couple/ Decem)er N/ 19@N2
(2(. CriticiHin6 the Faith in Front of Children
@&egarding the Duestion you as6ed about the attitude of criticiCing the aith in front of children in a
Bah family! 3he >uardian feels that this is not something that one can lay do7n a general rule for: A
great deal 7ould depend on the age of the children) and 7hether they are able to thin6 for themsel'es)
and 7hether one of the parents has sufficient influence o'er them to offset the effect of the criticism of
the other parent: /t 7ould seem that if the children are 'ery young) and torn bet7een the influences of
both parents) it 7ould be 7iser to a'oid discussing the aith in front of themI but only encourage them
7hen the staunch Bah is alone 7ith them) to re'ere and uphold the aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 1M/ 19@12
(2-. !he .eal )bFect of &ifeThe %uardian Pra5s for 3hildren
@3he >uardian 7ill pray that each of you may become a brilliant light in this dar6 7orld) and in due
time) lead many see6ing souls to the Splendor of the Cause of >od: 3his is the real obBect of life) and he
hopes all your training) 7ill be a means of training your characters) and enriching your spirits) so you
may teach the aith) and become strong supporters of its institutions:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ,ah-*? children of 8enosha/ Wisconsin/ Decem)er L8/ 19@M2
(2/. !each Children to be Gind to Animals
@3rain your children from their earliest days to be infinitely tender and lo'ing to animals: /f an animal be
sic6) let the children try to heal it) if it be hungry) let them feed it) if thirsty) let them Duench its thirst) if
7eary) let them see that it rests:
@<ost human beings are sinners) but the beasts are innocent: Surely those 7ithout sin should recei'e
the most 6indness and lo'e Q all e?cept animals 7hich are harmful) such as bloodthirsty 7ol'es) such
as poisonous sna6es) and similar pernicious creatures) the reason being that 6indness to these is an
inBustice to human beings and to other animals as 7ell::: 3enderness and lo'ing06indness are basic
principles of >ods hea'enly ;ingdom: Me should most carefully bear this matter in mind:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ pp! 1@9+M12
(20. *ah+,; Children Can Di1e to the F"ndon+,ah-*? 3hildren/ o Rulin$ 6adeF Teacher to
4ol"e Pro)lem
@Any Bah can gi'e to the Causes unds) adult or child: No statement is reDuired on this subBect:
Bah children ha'e al7ays gi'en to the Cause) e'ery7here: Hhate'er situation may arise in a class
7hich non0Bah children attend is for the teacher of the class to sol'e: No ruling should be made to
co'er such things:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ <e)ruar5 1L/ 19N9. =ifeblood of
the Cause/ p! 182
(22. !he 8ni1ersal 5o"se of 9"stice .esponds to Children,s >"estions .e6ardin6 the Catastrophe
@3he heart07arming messages from the children attending the /ndiana 8istrict Con'ention for7arded
7ith your recent letter brought much Boy to the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice) and the House of 9ustice as6s
if you 7ill 6indly relay to these dear ones its comments on the se'eral Duestions posed by the children:
@Hhen telling about the aith to people 7ho disagree 7ith 7hat you are saying) dont argue 7ith them:
3ry to find a point of agreement and if you cant) then lea'e them alone: Mou ha'e done 7hat you can by
spea6ing of the aith: No7 lea'e them to Bahullh:
@&egarding the sad plight of the Bahs in /ran and 7hat children can do about it) the House of 9ustice
suggests that you remember these dear friends in your daily prayers) and encourage your parents to
support the efforts of their =ocal Spiritual Assemblies and National Spiritual Assembly to bring this
terrible situation to the attention of the media and the authorities:
@5ne of the children as6s) AHhy did they call it the Jni'ersal House of 9usticeS /n the <ost Holy
Boo6 the ;itb0i0ADdas) Bahullh has 7ritten) A3he =ord hath ordained that in e'ery city a House of
9ustice shall be established:::I 7e 6no7 them by the name =ocal Spiritual Assemblies: AAbdul0Bah) in
His Hill and 3estament) has stated Aand no7 concerning the House of 9ustice 7hich >od hath ordained
as the source of all good and freed from error) it must be elected by uni'ersal suffrage) that is) by the
belie'ers::: By this House is meant the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice) that is) in all countries) a secondary
House of 9ustice FNational Spiritual AssemblyG must be instituted) and these secondary Houses of 9ustice
must elect the members of the Jni'ersal one: Hhen you study the 7onderful Hritings of Bahullh
and AAbdul0Bah) and the e?planations of Shoghi Effendi) you 7ill find many references to this
supreme administrati'e institution 7hich 7ill help you to understand 7hy it is called the Jni'ersal
House of 9ustice:
@37o of the Duestions are) in a 7ay) interrelated! AHill the sun die on us pretty soonS and AHill the
7orld end if there is a nuclear 7arS No doubt both are prompted by the current 7a'e of rumors about
impending calamities that are circulating amongst adults and 7hich are o'erheard by the children:
@Hithout minimiCing the serious situation facing a 7orld heedless of Bahullhs admonitions) it
must be remembered that He also refers to the >olden Age of ci'iliCation to come: 3he House of 9ustice
hopes that Bah teachers and parents 7ill do their utmost to encourage the children to study the
e?planations of the belo'ed >uardian about the t7in processes at 7or6 in the 7orldQthe steady gro7th
of the aith) and the de'astating forces of disintegration assailing the out7orn institutions of present0day
society:
@He are as6ed to assure you that the House of 9ustice 7ill remember you and the children of your class
at the Holy 3hreshold:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er L9/ 19812
I9$ C)!RC)(%
(3. *ah+,;s #"st 5a1e no Affiliation with Ch"rches
@:::7e) as Bahs) must not ha'e any affiliations 7ith churches or political parties: But he feels certain
that 7hen you meditate on this matter you yoursel'es 7ill see the 7isdom of it: He) as Bahs) can
ne'er be 6no7n as hypocrites or as people insincere in their protestations and because of this 7e cannot
subscribe to both the aith of Bahullh and ordinary church dogma: 3he churches are 7aiting for the
coming of 9esus ChristI 7e belie'e He has come again in the >lory of the ather: 3he churches teach
doctrinesQ'arious ones in 'arious creedsQ7hich 7e as Bahs do not acceptI such as the bodily
&esurrection) confession) or) in some creeds) the denial of the /mmaculate Conception: /n other 7ords)
there is no Christian church today 7hose dogmas 7e) as Bahs) can truthfully say 7e accept in their
entiretyQtherefore to remain a member of the Church is not proper for us) for 7e do so under false
pretences: He should) therefore) 7ithdra7 from our churches but continue to associate) if 7e 7ish to)
7ith the church members and ministers:
@5ur belief in Christ) as Bahs) is so firm) so unsha6eable and so e?alted in nature that 'ery fe7
Christians are to be found no70a0days 7ho lo'e Him and re'erence Him and ha'e the faith in Him that
7e ha'e: /t is only from the dogmas and creeds of the churches that 7e dissociate oursel'esI not from
the spirit of Christianity:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ,ah-*?s of >ienna/ Eune LN/ 19N02
(1. 7e #"st 5a1e the Co"ra6e of )"r Con1ictions
@::: No Bah can any longer dissimulate his faith and practise the la7s and ordinances of a pre'ious
dispensation and call himself at the same time a belie'er: No compromise) no 'acillation can any longer
be tolerated: He must ha'e the courage of our con'ictions and preser'e the integrity of our glorious
Cause::::E
&Postscript )5 the %uardian to a letter written on his )ehalf to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 L1/ 19332
(2. )n *ecomin6 a *ah+,; %ho"ld 7ithdraw from Ch"rch
@/f a person is registered as a member of a church or similar religious organiCation he should 7ithdra7
from it on becoming a Bah:
@/n the case of ne7 belie'ers) it should be made clear to them in the course of teaching them the aith
that one cannot be a Bah and also a member of another religious organiCation: 3his is simply a matter
of straight0for7ardness and honesty: A great part of the teaching of 9esus Christ concerned His Second
Coming and the preparation of His follo7ers to be ready for it: 3he Bahs belie'e He has come: No
Christian Church belie'es thisI on the contrary) they either loo6 for Him still) or ha'e ceased to belie'e
that He 7ill come: or a Bah to be a member of a community 7hich holds such beliefs is disloyalty to
Christ and hypocrisy to7ards the Christians:
@Mou should not formaliCe the method by 7hich the 7ithdra7al from the church is to be made) and
certainly nothing should be added to a declaration form) if you use one: /t should be left to the =ocal
Spiritual Assembly 7hich is accepting the declaration to satisfy itself) as it deems best in each case) that
the ne7 belie'er has already resigned from the church) or does so 7ithin a reasonable time of his
declaration:
@/n regard to the old belie'ers) your Assembly should tactfully) and in a 6indly 7ay) ma6e the Bah
position clear to them and gently persuade them to resign from their former churches: 3his is a matter
for great tact and discretion: /f such a belie'er remains adamant you 7ill ha'e to consider depri'ing him
of his 'oting rights:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4witJerland/ o"em)er L1/ 19M8. 3anadian Bah
Ne7s/ 4pecial 4ection/ 6arch 1903/ p! M2
(. *ah+,;s Are Ardent *elie1ers in Christ
@3he friends should by all means be encouraged to 7ithdra7 from church membership and be made to
realiCe that) though 7e as Bahs are ardent belie'ers in Christ) 7e do not and cannot support) church
institutions and doctrines 7hen Christ has come again and brought ne7 la7s for the 7orld today and its
present needsI to adhere to forms) mostly man0made) and no7 out0moded and no longer needed) is
meaningless: 3his does not mean they should no longer associate 7ith the church membersI they should
cease to be registered members of it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 @/ 19N32
('. #inisters 7ho Consider !hemsel1es *ah+,;s %ho"ld 7ithdraw from Ch"rch #embership
@As he has already informed you) the >uardian feels that the time has no7 come to as6 any ministers
still affiliated 7ith churches) but 7ho consider themsel'es practising Bahs) to 7ithdra7 from the
church openly: 3his is follo7ing the e?ample of the Hand of the Cause) former Archdeacon 3o7nshend)
7ho courageously defied the opinion of his fello70clergymen) his relati'es and the public) and stepped
forth from his high office as a Bah: Hhen the friends realiCe that many of the first to accept the Bb
7ere priests and suffered martyrdom for their act) it does not seem to be as6ing much that they should
rally openly to the ;ingdom of the ather 7hich they belie'e in and for 7hose ad'ent they cannot 'ery
7ell go on encouraging people in their churches to pray:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eul5 19/ 19@M2
((. #embership in 9ewish %yna6o6"e
@Concerning the membership of <r: ::: in the synagogue! As this concerns his non0Bah 9e7ish 7ife
and means a great deal to herQe'en in'ol'ing the place of her burialQthe >uardian does not feel it is
right to reDuest him to ta6e a step 7hich 7ould depri'e her of her o7n religious rights: 5n the other
hand) he sees no reason 7hy <r: ::: should not 7rite a letter to the appropriate authority in this
synagogue) e?plaining that he is a practising Bah) but is 6eeping his synagogue membership for the
benefit of his 7ife and children:::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ 6a5 8/ 19N02
(-. 7ithdrawal of *ah+,; Eo"th from Ch"rch #embership
@Mour letter of ,1th 5ctober has been recei'ed and 7e fully appreciate the problem posed in the case of
youth 7ho accept Bahullh but 7hose parents strongly oppose their 7ithdra7al from the Church: /n
such cases 7here the parents oppose their 7ithdra7al and insistence upon it by the youth 7ould
undermine the unity of the family it is permissible for the 7ithdra7al to be postponed until the youth
attain the age of ,": 3his 7ould not) of course) in any 7ay affect his acceptance into the Bah
community: As you mention) this is the 'ery time at 7hich such a ne7ly0declared belie'er needs all the
deepening and confirmation he can recei'e:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %erman5/ o"em)er M/ 190L2
(/. For %a$e of Family 8nity Concession #ade for Eo"th
@/n reply to your letter of 9anuary ,*th) 7e feel that 7hile it is important to be fle?ible in reDuesting ne7
belie'ers) particularly youth 7ho may encounter parental opposition) to 7ithdra7 from membership of
other religious organiCations) such fle?ibility cannot be allo7ed to e?tend to compromising Bah la7:
37o Bahs) 7hen getting married) cannot ha'e the religious ceremony of another aith:
@As to the age of maturity) 'oting rights in the Bah Administrati'e 5rder are acDuired 7hen a
belie'er becomes ," and you might 7ell ma6e that point the period for se'erance of those religious ties
7hich members of the Bah community cannot maintain: 3he main point is that 7hile) for the sa6e of
family unity) the concession has been made to youth on the matter of 7ithdra7al from church
membership) e'ery effort should be made to encourage all belie'ers) as 7ell as Bah youth) to obser'e
reDuirements of Bah membership e'en at the cost of some hardship or incon'enience:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 8in$dom/ <e)ruar5 11/ 19032
(0. *ah+,; Attit"de !oward the Ch"rch
@&egarding church matters! 3he article of 8r: 3o7nshend should be 7idely circulated and used: No
matter 7hat the attitude of people to7ards the churches in general may be) it has nothing to do 7ith our
Bah attitude) and 3o7nshend has courageously stated this) and it has 7eight) in 'ie7 of his former
position in the church:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ (u$ust 18/ 19N9. ,ah-*? ews/
o! LLM/ Decem)er 19N9/ p! L2 &This letter is in reference to Dr! Townshend*s article/ The Old 3hurches and the ew World <aith/ which is
pu)lished as a pamphlet2
(2. )n *ein6 E?pelled from Ch"rch
@::: 3hou has 7ritten that they ha'e e?pelled thee from the church and thy friends are manifesting
a'ersion to7ards thee: 3his is the beginning of thy trials: 3here are greater trials than these: 3herefore)
be not sad) nay rather) be thou happy and full of glad0tidings: 3here is no harm done if they ha'e
e?pelled thee from the church:::: 3hou hast entered into the Hea'enly 9erusalem and disco'ered the Hay
to the Holy of Holies of the ;ingdom: 3hat church is of stone and cement) 7hereas this Holy of Holies
is of o'er7helming =ight:
@But the more the tormenting friends shun thee) go thou the nearer to them: 3he more they deride and
blame thee) sho7 thou forth the greater lo'e and affection: 8o not loo6 upon their shortcomings: =oo6
thou upon all of them as the people of >od and endea'our thou in right0doing and 7ell0meaning:
/gnorant are theyI understand they do not: 3herefore they are a'oiding) criticiCing and scorning thee:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Ta)lets of '()du*l+,ah-/ >ol! III/ p! @1N2
('3. Payin6 Ch"rch !a?
@:::as regards paying the church ta?: /f there is a la7 in ::: reDuiring citiCens to pay such a ta?) the
belie'ers should obey the la7 and do so: /f there is no la7 co'ering this matter) but it is a Duestion of a
'oluntary act and left to the indi'idual they should not pay it:
@/n case there is no la7) and the Bahs conseDuently stop paying this contribution to church up6eep)
ne7 contacts and belie'ers should not be tactlessly told they must stop doing this) but first confirmed)
and strengthened in their faith and then the 7isdom and necessity of this step be brought home to them:
Certainly no publicity should be gi'en to such a delicate Duestion: /n other 7ords) 7e as Bahs must
first clearly define the issue in'ol'ed) set our goal before us) and 7or6 7isely) persistently and patiently
to7ards its accomplishment:
@/f) in connection 7ith this church ta? matter delicate situations arise) such a school teachers position)
it is for the Assembly to go into the matter and try and find the right solution) bearing in mind the goal
to7ards 7hich the friends are 7or6ing! the right to be citiCens in good standing) but not church
members:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the European Teachin$ 3ommittee/ Octo)er LM/ 19N92
('1. Contrib"tions to a Ch"rch
@3he first case is that of the elderly Catholic 7oman 7ho is suffering from se'ere heart disease and is
thus liable to die at any time: /n this case) as also in that of suffering belie'ers) the Assemblies) 7hether
=ocal or National) should act tactfully) patiently) and in a friendly and 6indly spirit: ;no7ing ho7
painful and dangerous it is for such belie'ers to repudiate their former allegiances and friendships they
should try to gradually persuade them of the 7isdom and necessity of such an action) and instead of
thrusting upon them a ne7 principle to ma6e them accept it in7ardly) and out of pure con'iction and
desire: 3oo se'ere and immediate action in such cases is not only fruitless) but actually harmful: /t
alienates people instead of 7inning them to the Cause:
@3he other point concerns the ad'isability of contributing to a church: /n this case also the friends must
realise that contributions to a church) specially 7hen not regular) do not necessarily entail affiliation: 3he
belie'ers can ma6e such offerings occasionally pro'ided they are certain that 7hile doing so they are not
counted as members of any church: 3here should be no confusion bet7een the terms affiliation and
association: Hhile affiliation 7ith ecclesiastical organiCations is not permissible) association 7ith them
should not only be tolerated but e'en encouraged: 3here is no better 7ay to demonstrate the uni'ersality
of the Cause than this: Bahullh indeed) urges His follo7ers to consort 7ith all religions and nations
7ith utmost friendliness and lo'e: 3his constitutes the 'ery spirit of His message to man6ind:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Decem)er 11/ 193@2
('2. 5istory of the Early Ch"rch
@::: 3here is certainly an element of truth at the basis of the organiCation of the Christian Church: or
instance) the primacy of 2eter and his right to succession after 9esus ha'e been established by the latter)
though only orally and not in an e?plicit and definite language: 3he real reason 7hy Christ did not ma6e
some e?plicit statement regarding His succession is not 6no7n) and cannot be 6no7n: or ho7 can 7e)
poor humans) claim to unra'el the mysteries of >ods mind and purpose) and to grasp the inscrutable
dispensations of His pro'idence: 3he utmost 7e can do is to gi'e some e?planations) but these must
necessarily fail to gi'e the fundamental reason to the problem 7e see6 to sol'e:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er L8/ 193M2
9$ CO,,ITT((%
A$ A--ointing Co&&ittees
('. Freedom to Appoint Any *ah+,; >"alified for the 7or$
@/n going o'er the minutes of your recent N:S:A: meeting he noticed that you had decided to try as far as
possible to eliminate National Spiritual Assembly members from the National Committees: Although he
fully realiCes your reasons for ta6ing this decision) he feels it infringes on one of the fundamental
principles of our administrati'e order 7hich is freedom of choiceQfreedom of electors to elect anyone
they please to =ocal or National bodies) and freedom of the members of these bodies to appoint any
Bah) 7ho seems best Dualified for the 7or6) to function on Committees:
@3he first consideration must al7ays be the person best Dualified for a Bob) and National Assembly
members should in such matters not be either discriminated against) or in fa'our of) because of the
position they occupy on the National body:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eune 1M/ 19N0. Bah
Ne7s/ o! 198/ (u$ust 19N0/ p! 32
(''. Contin"ity of Committee Personnel
@Although National Assemblies and =ocal Assemblies may pro'ide for continuity of Committee
personnel by re0appointment of members each year) Assemblies should not appoint members of
Committees for a term of more than one year:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Decem)er L1/ 19MM2
('(. Preferable %ome >"alified :ati1e *elie1ers %er1e on Committee
@3here is no obBection to a National Spiritual Assembly member ser'ing on the National 3eaching
Committee) but if National Spiritual Assembly members 7ere to predominate on the Committee the
purpose of appointing it) 7hich is to relie'e the National Assembly of the details of the 7or6) 7ould be
defeated: /t is also preferable for some Dualified nati'e belie'ers to ser'e on the National 3eaching
Committee so that they may thus be trained to carry on 7ith the 7or6:
@:::the belo'ed >uardian paid great attention to the administrati'e arrangements for teaching and 7as
highly in fa'our of one central National 3eaching Committee 7ith &egional Committees responsible to
it: He once pointed out that absorption of the petty details of Bah administration by the personnel of
the National Spiritual Assembly is manifestly inBurious to efficiency and an e?pert discharge of Bah
duties:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,raJil/ Eune L3/ 19012
('-. Desirability of Easy #eetin6 of :ational !eachin6 CommitteeIf Possi)le/ not to )e ,urdened
with Other Duties
@:::7e ::: suggest that for future consideration you should bear in mind the desirability of easy meetings
of this important committee 7hich 7ould) of course) be facilitated by members being in the same
'icinity: /t is also desirable that the members of this 'ital right arm of the National Spiritual Assembly
should) as far as possible) not be burdened 7ith other duties: /t has been found that the most effecti'e
arrangement is to ha'e a strong) centrally located 3eaching CommitteeQalthough not necessarily at the
National HeadDuartersQ7ith its members free to de'ote all their efforts and energies to the 7or6 of that
committee: 3he &egional 3eaching Committees are in a sense the e?ecuti'e agents of the National
3eaching Committee and 7hile there is no harm in members of the &egional Committees being also on
the National 3eaching Committee it is generally better for them to concentrate on the 7or6 in their o7n
particular areas:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3olom)ia/ Eune L3/ 19012
('/. Committees Can be Constit"ted with Eye for Impro1ement and Chan6e
@::: He feels that it 7ould be good to infuse more ne7 lifeQby using different belie'ers of capacityQ
into National Committees: ::: more young people and more people 7ho are capable professional or
business people in their pri'ate li'es are no7 in the aith than e'er before) and such material should be
tapped and e?ploited so that all Committees possess a certain amount of ne7 blood and get an infusion
of fresh ideas: As elections are by secret ballot only the education of the electorate can bring about
changes on Assemblies 7hich often stagnate from lac6 of fresh bloodQbut Committees appointed as
they are by Spiritual AssembliesQcan be constituted 7ith an eye for impro'ement and change:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ 6arch 31/ 19N@2
('0. Assembly %ho"ld 8se Discretion 7hen Appointin6 Committee #embersIncompatible
Personalities on Committees
@He are as6ed by the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice to ac6no7ledge your letter ::: in 7hich you as6 for
guidelines on the follo7ing Duestions!
@a: Hhat attitude should a National Spiritual Assembly ta6e 7hen belie'ers accept appointment to a
committee but do not attend its meetings because of 7hat you term incompatible personalities or lac6 of
unity 7ith other members of the committee) and yet they do not resign from the committeeS
@As you are already a7are) in your choice of members for committees) you must use careful
Budgement and discretion) 7ith the aim of appointing a membership) 7hich) from the outset) has good
prospects of operating 7ith full force: /f) despite your efforts to do this) there is disharmony among the
committee members) the follo7ing e?tract from a letter of "% <ay "#(1 7ritten on behalf of the belo'ed
>uardian may be helpful to you:
A&egarding the matter of ::: and the inharmony that seems to e?ist among certain of the friends :::!
Hhen Bahs permit the dar6 forces of the 7orld to enter into their o7n relationships 7ithin the aith
they gra'ely BeopardiCe its progressI it is the paramount duty of the belie'ers) the =ocal Assemblies) and
particularly the N:S:A: to foster harmony) understanding and lo'e amongst the friends: All should be
ready and 7illing to set aside e'ery personal sense of grie'anceQBustified or unBustifiedQfor the good
of the Cause) because the people 7ill ne'er embrace it until they see in its community life mirrored 7hat
is so conspicuously lac6ing in the 7orld! lo'e and unity:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,oli"ia/ (u$ust 19/ 198@2
('2. :ational Committees )rdinarily Appointed by and .esponsible to the :ational %pirit"al
Assembly
@National Committees are ordinarily appointed by and responsible to the National Spiritual Assembly)
but 7ithin the limits of 7ise discretion the National Spiritual Assembly may authoriCe a particular
Committee to appoint a sub0committee or to as6 indi'iduals to assist it in carrying out its assigned
functions:
@/n calling these principles to the attention of the belie'ers) ho7e'er) care must be e?ercised not to
dampen the enthusiasm or initiati'e of the friends:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the orth West Pacific Ocean/
4eptem)er @/ 190N2
((3. :on-#embers of Assemblies %ho"ld be Di1en the )pport"nity to De1elop Administrati1e %$ills
@/n the list of national committees for "#$%0$() it 7as noted that eight members of the National
Assembly had been appointed to ser'e: /ndeed) your treasurer 7ill be on three committees) and your
secretary on t7o: Hhile it is understandable that those elected to a National Spiritual Assembly generally
ha'e great capacity to assume manifold duties) the House of 9ustice points out that the opportunity for
non0members of Assemblies to de'elop administrati'e s6ills is lost 7hen members of a National
Assembly ser'e on a large number of national committees:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Decem)er L8/ 19832
((1. :ot :ecessary that Committee Appointments E?pire at .id1+n
@As regards the appointment of committees on a yearly basis) 7e refer to the >uardians instructions on
page "(" of Bah Administration that A:::the rene7al) the membership) and functions ::: should be
reconsidered separately each year by the incoming National Assembly: ::: /ndi'iduals appointed to
committees should identify themsel'es 7ith functions and obBecti'es 7hich normally e?tend beyond the
term of their appointment: 9ust as members of the National Assembly relate themsel'es to goals of the
Nine Mear 2lan) members of =ocal Assemblies and committees should do li6e7ise) so that a single
dynamic spirit may animate the important 7or6 for 7hich each Assembly or committee is responsible:
@/t is not necessary) ho7e'er) that the term of committee appointments e?pire at &id'n: /t may be
ad'isable) in order to pro'ide continuity) to begin the committee year in 9une or 9uly: urthermore) the
fact that) generally spea6ing) there are fe7 radical changes in committee personnel should also ma6e for
continuity of thought and action:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ah-*?s of the :nited 4tates/ Eanuar5 L3/ 19M02
B$ (lection of Co&&ittee Officers
((2. All Committee #embers #"st be Di1en )pport"nity to Cast *allotElection of Officers )5
6a=orit5/ not Pluralit5O
@Concerning the Duestion of the election of committee officers) the House of 9ustice has instructed us to
e?plain that pro'ided all members of the committee ha'e been gi'en the opportunity to be present at the
meeting or to send their ballots by mail) the election of the committees officers is 'alid) e'en if a
member does not a'ail himself of the opportunity to 'ote: 5f course) as you are no doubt a7are) election
of officers must be by maBority 'ote) not plurality: 3he House of 9ustice also points out that it is
preferable to ha'e an odd number of members appointed to a committee: 3his 7ould lessen the chance
of a tie 'ote result:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 6e;ico/ 4eptem)er L/ 19812
O&4ee also. o! 111! (n5 Officer Elected 6ust 7a"e Recei"ed at least <i"e >otes2
((. If #ember 5as a Dood .eason@ he is Free to %"66est he %ho"ld not be Elected to )ffice
@::: Hith regard to your Duestion 7hether members of an Assembly and4or a committee may e?cuse
themsel'es from being elected to ser'e as an officer!
@5n se'eral occasions the belo'ed >uardian pointed out that before the election of officers) if any
member had a good reason in his o7n opinion 7hy he should not be elected to one of the offices of the
Assembly) he 7as free to suggest that he should not be so elected: 3he House of 9ustice also feels that as
the 7or6 of the aith e?pands and the duties of officers) particularly on National Spiritual Assemblies)
acDuire more importance) it is permissible and at times ad'isable to discuss the duties incumbent upon
and reDuired of each officer before ballots are cast:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,oli"ia/ (u$ust 18/ 198@2
C$ %tructure and Function of National Co&&ittees
(('. An Efficient !eachin6 %tr"ct"re #"st be Adopted by the :ational %pirit"al Assembly
@3he teaching committee structure that each National Assembly may adopt to ensure best results in the
e?tension of its teaching 7or6 is a matter left entirely to its discretion) but an efficient teaching structure
there must be) so that the tas6s are carried out 7ith dispatch and in accordance 7ith the administrati'e
principles of our aith: rom among the belie'ers nati'e to each country) competent tra'elling teachers
must be selected and teaching proBects 7or6ed out: /n the 7ords of our belo'ed >uardian) commenting
upon the teaching 7or6 in =atin America! Astrong and sustained support should be gi'en to the 'itally
needed and meritorious acti'ities started by the nati'e::: tra'elling teachers) ::: 7ho) as the mighty tas6
progresses) must increasingly bear the brunt of responsibility for the propagation of the aith in their
homelands:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies en$a$ed in mass teachin$ work/ <e)ruar5 L/ 19MM2
(((. F"nction of the :ational !eachin6 Committee
@3he function of a National 3eaching Committee is to ta6e charge) under the direction of the National
Spiritual Assembly) of the entire teaching program of the country: /t should be gi'en its terms of
reference 7hich 7ill specifically define the general obBecti'es and methods of the teaching on the
homefrontI it should be pro'ided 7ith a budget and be reDuired to submit to the National Spiritual
Assembly an o'erall plan for the accomplishment of its tas6s: 5nce this plan has been appro'ed) the
Committee should be allo7ed to carry out its 7or6) although of course you should recei'e regular
reports of its progress and of its financial position:
@5ne of the great benefits deri'ing from such an arrangement is that the National Spiritual Assembly is
freed from the day0to0day details of the teaching 7or6 and 7hile retaining super'ision of this most
important method in its o7n hand) has an e?ecuti'e arm in its National 3eaching Committee) 7hich
should be gi'en the full confidence and support of the National Spiritual Assembly:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Trinidad and To)a$o/ o"em)er 1L/ 19012
((-. :ational Committees Constit"ted to %er1e :eeds of &ocal Assemblies
@He feels that the =ocal Assemblies should be encouraged to realiCe that National Committees are
constituted to ser'e their needs) not to dictate arbitrarily to them and to unify the 7or6 of the Cause:::
3he Committees in Duestion should be 'ery tactful in dealing 7ith a young Assembly 7hich is beginning
to Afeel its oats as this spirit of independence) if properly handled) can lead it to be strong and
independent rather than 7ea6 and al7ays relying on other bodies to carry it for7ard: Assemblies)
ho7e'er) should certainly cooperate 7ith National Committees and not refuse their assistance:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ o"em)er @/ 19N8. The ational
4piritual (ssem)l5/ p! N82
((/. :ational Assembly %ho"ld Iss"e Instr"ctions to :ational !eachin6 Committee to A1oid
Conf"sion
@3o a'oid confusion and follo7 the proper procedure the National Spiritual Assembly should issue its
instructions to the National 3eaching Committee 7ho 7ould then transmit them to the &egional
Committee: &egional Committees) though appointed by the N:S:A:) are the au?iliaries of the National
3eaching Committee: 3he >uardian does not feel he should go into the details of this matter) as they
should be arranged by the National Spiritual Assembly itself: He merely lays do7n the principle to be
adhered to:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch L8/ 19N32
((0. %ome Committees :eed &ar6er #embership
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has noted in the minutes of your meeting of "st <ay "#$1 that ::: you
ha'e adopted a pattern of restricting the membership of each committee to three:
@Hhile the House of 9ustice appreciates that some committees dealing 7ith technical matters) such as
the National a ratul0Ruds Committee) could 'ery 7ell ha'e only three members) ne'ertheless there
are some 'ery important committees) such as the National 3eaching and 8eepening Committee) the
Mouth Committee and the Committee for Homen and Education of Children) and so on) to 7hich are
assigned responsibility for significant aspects of Bah community life) 7hich should ha'e a larger
membership to enable consultation to ta6e place more effecti'ely:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4ene$al/ (u$ust LM/ 198@2
$ %-ecial Co&&ittees
:Ad&inistrati.e0 Ad )oc0 (&ergenc*8National and Regional
Teaching Co&&ittees;
((2. Administrati1e Committees 5a1e A"thority only as Di1en them by :ational %pirit"al Assembly
@Mour letter of ,( <ay) "#$1 to the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has been recei'ed and 7e are as6ed to
con'ey its response to your Duestion concerning the role of administrati'e committees in dealing 7ith
personal problems:
@Mour caution in clarifying the functions of appointed administrati'e committees is commendable) for
such committees ha'e authority and responsibilities only through the authority and duties gi'en them by
the National Assembly appointment: 2ersonal problems arising in communities under acti'ation by such
committees should be referred) as you ha'e suggested) to your Assembly for consultation and ad'ice:
Should you) 6no7ing its membership) see fit to reDuest a committee to assist in resol'ing a specific
problem) it may do so 7ith your authorityI similarly you are free to authoriCe consultation on a personal
problem by an indi'idual ha'ing the e?pertise needed:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the #eeward Islands/ Eul5 0/ 198@2
(-3. Ad 5oc Committees Can be Appointed to Deal with Personal Problems
@&egarding your letter of "# September) "#$( addressed to the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice) 7e ha'e been
directed to con'ey the follo7ing 7ith reference to the three points that you ma6e:
@3he first concerns cases of a personal nature 7hich apparently ha'e been on the increase and are
consuming a great deal of the time of your Assembly during its meetings: /n a letter addressed to your
Assembly) dated %-th August "#+") ad'ice 7as gi'en by the House of 9ustice to you on this same point:
Ho7e'er) for ease of reference) that portion is Duoted!
A2ersonal problems are often best dealt 7ith by the =ocal Spiritual Assembly or Assemblies
concerned: 3here is no obBection to the National Assemblys appointing a committee or
committees to deal 7ith such problems as come before it) pro'ided that the final decision
remains in the hands of the Assembly itself:
@/n addition to the foregoing) 7e ha'e been instructed to Duote the follo7ing passage from a letter
addressed to another National Assembly!
@ A/n reply to your letter of ebruary (th as6ing 7hether you may assign personal problems
7hich a =ocal Spiritual Assembly is unable to deal 7ith to a nearby =ocal Spiritual
Assembly) 7e feel that in such cases it 7ould be better for your National Spiritual Assembly
to appoint an ad hoc committee for each case) the membership of 7hich could be dra7n
from one or t7o nearby communities as 7ell as the community 7here the particular problem
e?ists: E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of El 4al"ador/ Octo)er LL/ 198N2
(-1. 7hen an Assembly &apses@ Administrati1e Committee can be :amed from Ad"lt *elie1ers of
Comm"nity
@Mour Assembly is empo7ered to name an administrati'e committee for the ::: community: Such a
committee should be 'ie7ed as being a temporary e?pedient for maintaining the life and 'igour of the
community until such time as the =ocal Assembly can be re0formedI it is not a replacement for the
di'ine institution of the =ocal Spiritual Assembly:
@Hith reference to your specific Duestions) the Administrati'e Committee for ::: can be named from
among the adult belie'ers of the community) 7ithout regard for their election or non0election to the no70
lapsed =ocal Assembly: 3he single acti'e youth can be called upon by the Committee for 7hate'er
duties he may be able to underta6e: 3he Committee can continue the =ocal Bah und and also 7ill
maintain the incorporation of the =ocal Assembly:
@3he National Spiritual Assembly has the authority to call for a by0election for a =ocal Assembly in
the absence of a Duorum of local belie'ers:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ o"em)er 8/ 19832
(-2. %cope of the F"nctions of the Emer6ency Committee
@/t is entirely appropriate to appoint an emergency committee and to authoriCe it to ta6e action bet7een
National Spiritual Assembly meetings: Mour Assembly can also authoriCe such a committee to deal 7ith
routine matters in the interim bet7een your Assembly meetings: /n both cases full reports of such
committee meetings should be made to all members of the Assembly and all decisions arri'ed at should
be confirmed) or other7ise) at the ne?t meeting of the National Assembly:
@Mou may decide on the number of the members of the National Assembly to compose such a
committee: Ho7e'er) 'alid meetings of this committee can ta6e place only 7hen all its appointed
members are duly notified: 3he House of 9ustice feels that gi'ing notice by public ser'ice
announcements on radio is not a satisfactory means of ensuring that all members ha'e been notified:
inally) you are ad'ised to ha'e regular meetings of your National Assembly and not to allo7 the
arrangement for routine and4or emergency actions to ta6e the place of such meetings:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of #i)eria and %uinea/ Eune 1@/ 19002
(-. &atit"de of Actions that #ay be !a$en by an Emer6ency Committee
@3he latitude of actions that may be ta6en by an emergency committee of your National Assembly in
any matter it deals 7ith must be 7ithin the frame7or6 of guidance and authority gi'en to it by your
body:
@3his same principle 7ould apply to the actions in 7hich t7o members of an emergency committee of
three feel they ha'e the right to ta6e upon any matter before it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ Decem)er L/ 198L2
(-'. :ational Assembly Defines &imits Placed on Emer6ency CommitteeDecisions of 3ommittee
(re 4u)=ect to 4u)se9uent (ppro"al of (ssem)l5 as a Whole
@:::it is for your Assembly to define the limits placed upon an emergency committee appointed by you
from among your o7n membership to ta6e action 7hen absolutely necessary on emergencies 7hich arise
bet7een meetings: 8ecisions of the committee of course al7ays are subBect to the subseDuent appro'al
of the National Assembly as a 7hole and you should assure yoursel'es that you are adeDuately informed
of all its actions ta6en in your name:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,ar)ados and Windward Islands/
Eul5 L/ 19012
(-(. >"or"m of Emer6ency Committee #embers
@Hith regard to the Duestion as to 7hether a Duorum of the Emergency Committee members may act)
there are no standard rulings and conditions for Emergency Committees: E'ery National Spiritual
Assembly must 7or6 out its o7n procedures in these matters: /t may also pro'ide procedures go'erning
the attendance of members of the National Spiritual Assembly 7ho are not also members of the
Emergency Committee:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Eamaica/ Octo)er LN/ 19012
(--. %pecial Committee Can *e :amed to Ass"me .esponsibility for Consolidation
@/f a National Spiritual Assembly finds that its National 3eaching Committee cannot de'ote sufficient
attention to the 7or6 of consolidation) it should not hesitate to appoint) in addition) special committees
7hose tas6s 7ould be the conduct of the 'arious acti'ities 7hich are essential for consolidation:
Acti'ities falling 7ithin this category include the organiCation of circuits of tra'elling teachers s6illed in
consolidation 7or6I the holding of summer and 7inter schools) 7ee6end institutes and conferencesI the
initiation and operation of tutorial schoolsI the dissemination of Bah literature and the encouragement
of its study by the friendsI and the organiCation of special courses and institutes for =ocal Spiritual
Assembly members:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ (pril 10/ 19812
(-/. :ot :ecessary for :ational Committees to be Centred at :ational 5eadC"artersA
@/t is not necessary) of course) that the National 3eaching Committee be centred at National
HeadDuarters and it need not be a large committee: /t is essential) ho7e'er) that the members appointed
be so situated that they can meet freDuently during the year and that they be dedicated) acti'e)
6no7ledgeable) creati'e and reliable: As the National 3eaching Committee has high priority in your
administrati'e responsibilities) you should consider) if necessary) the possibility of relie'ing its members
of other committee responsibilities) in order that they may de'ote their fullest possible time and energy
to the 7or6 of the 3eaching Committee: 2referably at least one of the members should ha'e secretarial
s6ills and be capable of carrying the hea'y burden of correspondence 7hich results 7hen plans are being
implemented:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Trinidad and To)a$o/ o"em)er 1L/ 19012
O&4ee also. o! @NM! 8esirability of Easy <eeting of National 3eaching Committee2
(-0. .e6ional Committees%"b-Committees of :ational !eachin6 Committee
@::: the >uardian has ::: re0emphasiCed the necessity of a'oiding o'ercentraliCation in the conduct of the
affairs of the Cause) thereby relie'ing your Assembly of an unmanageable amount of detail and routine
7or6) 7hich 7ould interfere 7ith its clear and paramount duty of maintaining a thorough and 'igilant
super'ision o'er the 7or6 of the Cause as a 7hole: E?cessi'e de0centraliCation) on the other hand)
7ould tend to nullify the principle 7hich places ultimate authority and responsibility in the hands of the
National Spiritual Assembly: His recent instruction regarding the relationship of the &egional 3eaching
Committees to the National 3eaching Committee safeguards this principle 7hich lies at the 'ery basis of
the Administrati'e 5rder: 3he &egional Committees) although appointed by the N:S:A:) should) unli6e
all other Committees) be 'ie7ed as special adBuncts created specifically for the purpose of helping
directly the National 3eaching Committee in its all0important tas6 of stimulating the teaching acti'ities
of the aith:::: /n a sense they are sub0Committees of the National 3eaching Committee) to 7hom their
reports and all details of National 3eaching acti'ity should be constantly and directly referred:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ 6a5 L@/ 19N12
(-2. !oo #any Committees Conf"se .ather !han Clarify the 7or$
@A National 3eaching Committee) 7ith the regional ones under it) 7ill) he belie'es) run the 7or6 much
better: 3oo many committees) li6e too many circulars) confuse rather than clarify the 7or6:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eune 31/ 19@L2
(/3. .elationship of :ational !eachin6 Committee to .e6ional !eachin6 Committees
@&egarding the Duestion of the relationship of the National 3eaching Committee to the &egional
3eaching Committees 7hich you had raised in your last t7o letters! 3he >uardian has carefully noted
your 'ie7s on the subBect) and 7hile he feels that) as a matter of principle) the appointment of the
&egional Committees should be entrusted to the N:S:A:) their immediate super'ision and control) he
belie'es) directly concern the National 3eaching Committee) 7hich body is solely responsible for the
organiCation and conduct of the teaching campaign throughout the J:S:A: and Canada: 3he N:S:A: has
certainly ultimate Burisdiction o'er all these Committees) 7hether national or regional) but should) in
'ie7 of the e'er0e?panding teaching acti'ities of the Cause :::) lea'e to the N:3:C: the tas6 of super'ising
and coordinating the teaching 7or6 of the &egional Committees: 3he immediate responsibility of these
Committees is thus to the N:3:C:) 7hich in turn is directly and solely responsible to the N:S:A:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 L8/ 19N12
(/1. A"?iliary *oard #ember Can %er1e on Certain %pecial Committees
@3he House of 9ustice feels that committees such as the administrati'e committee of the Bah
/nternational Health Agency) or committees responsible for aspects of social and economic de'elopment)
7hich reDuire professional e?pertise in their members) fall in a different category from other Bah
committees: Belie'ers 7ho ha'e the necessary professional s6ills are often in short supply) and therefore
the House of 9ustice has no obBection to Au?iliary Board members ser'ing on such committees at the
present timeQindeed it is often highly desirable that they do soQpro'ided) of course) that such ser'ice
does not so occupy their time and energies that they are unable to carry out their highly important
ser'ices for the Au?iliary Board:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ 4eptem)er 9/ 198N2
(/2. Collaboration *etween A"?iliary *oard #embers and :ational and .e6ional !eachin6
Committees
@/t has become apparent that in some areas the progress of the teaching 7or6 reDuires closer
collaboration bet7een Au?iliary Board members and National or &egional 3eaching Committees than
heretofore: ollo7ing consultation 7ith the /nternational 3eaching Centre on the matter) 7e ha'e
concluded that the possibilities pro'ided by the present policy are adeDuate and that 7here a lac6 of
collaboration has been felt it has arisen from an insufficiently full and freDuent e?change of information
bet7een the institutions:
@Hhile the members of the Au?iliary Boards and their assistants should ne'er attempt to direct the
7or6 of committees or become in'ol'ed in the administrati'e 7or6 associated 7ith the committees
functions) it is absolutely 'ital that they be 6ept fully informed of the committees acti'ities and plans
and their hopes for the 7or6 in the area: 5nly then can the members of the Au?iliary Boards be
confident that the ser'ices to 7hich they are e?horting the belie'ers and the proBects in 7hich they are
encouraging them are in harmony 7ith the o'erall plans and obBecti'es of the National Spiritual
Assembly and its committees:
@3he e?isting policy and the reasons for it 7ere con'eyed to the Continental Boards of Counsellors
and all National Spiritual Assemblies in our letter of " 5ctober "#*#) a copy of 7hich is attached: /t
should be noted that under this policy it is permissible and highly desirable to ha'e a direct and regular
e?change of information bet7een the committees and the Au?iliary Board members: <oreo'er) at the
outset of the 7or6 of the year or at times during the year 7hen ne7 plans are being e'ol'ed) it is often
helpful to arrange for consultations to be held bet7een the Au?iliary Board members and the National or
&egional 3eaching Committees before such plans are finaliCed:
@He are confident that a greater a7areness of the importance of close collaboration bet7een the t7o
arms of the Administrati'e 5rder and of the 7ays a'ailable to achie'e this 7ill lead to a much0needed
intensification of the teaching 7or6 in e'ery land:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Eul5 M/ 19002
(/. :ational Eo"th Committee
@:::if 7e say that no older person should ta6e part in the organiCation of the youth it 7ill be depri'ing
them of the necessary e?perience needed to ha'e a permanent and 7or6ing institution:
@Shoghi Effendi belie'es that the best solution is to ha'e some reasonable age limit for the actual
membership of the body of the organiCation so that only the young people may ta6e part in the different
acti'ities and ha'e no older person usurp the floor or depri'e them from their chances to train
themsel'es) and e?press their ideas: At the same time the National Assembly could appoint on the
National Committee that is to super'ise their 7or6 some older and e?perienced persons 7ho could co0
operate 7ith them and guide them in their acti'ities: 3he National Committee should be composed of
both people 7ithin the age limit and also older people:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Octo)er L0/ 193L2
(/'. Eo"n6 *ah+,;s 8nder 21 #ay %er1e on Committees
@3he Duestion of young Bahs being permitted to ser'e on Committees other than the Mouth
Committee has been raised in a number of letters recently) and in considering the matter he felt that
Bah young people under ," should not be denied the pri'ilege of Committee 7or6: 3hough they
cannot be 'oting members of Bah Communities For e?ercise the electoral 'ote at all until they reach
that ageG) and though they cannot) li6e7ise) be elected to Assemblies) there is no reason 7hy they should
not ser'e the Cause on 'arious Committees) as all Committees) National or =ocal) are subordinate to
Assemblies) and their members are not elected but appointed) and appointed by Assemblies: He ha'e
many de'oted and talented young belie'ers 7ho can be of great assistance to the Cause e'en though not
yet legally of age:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ <e)ruar5 L8/ 19N@2
(/(. &ocal Committees
@:::regarding local Bah committees! 3hese) though different in their functions enBoy eDual rights) and
are subBect to responsibilities and obligations 7hich) although 'arying in degree) are eDually binding on
them all:
@3hese local committees) being appointed by the =ocal Spiritual Assembly itself) are responsible to
that body alone) and they can be dissol'ed) and their membership altered by it at any time: 3he local
committees are the hands of the Spiritual Assembly that has appointed them :::) and as such are subBect to
its rulings:
@3he =ocal Spiritual Assembly cannot delegate to any one of the local committees the authority to
e?ercise any control or super'ision o'er any other committee or body 7hich it has itself appointed: All
local committees are directly and solely responsible to the local assembly 7hich alone can e?ercise the
po7er of super'ision o'er them:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 1M/ 19392
(/-. %tr"ct"re of :ational and .e6ional !eachin6 Committees
@::: Hhether it be the body of their elected national representati'es) or its chief au?iliary institution) the
National 3eaching Committee) or its subsidiary organs) the regional teaching committees) or the local
Spiritual Assemblies and their respecti'e teaching committees) they 7ho labor for the spread of the
Cause of Bahullh should) through constant interchange of ideas) through letters) circulars) reports)
bulletins and other means of communication 7ith these established instruments designed for the
propagation of the aith) insure the smooth and speedy functioning of the teaching machinery of their
Administrati'e 5rder: Confusion) delay) duplication of efforts) dissipation of energy 7ill) thereby) be
completely a'oided) and the mighty flood of the grace of Bahullh) flo7ing abundantly and 7ithout
the least obstruction through these essential channels 7ill so inundate the hearts and souls of men as to
enable them to bring forth the har'est repeatedly predicted by AAbdul0Bah:E
&4ho$hi Effendi. The (d"ent of Di"ine Eustice/ pp! @L+@3/ 198N ed!2
9I$ CON%!LTATION
(//. :o 7elfare@ 7ell-*ein6 can be Attained E?cept !hro"6h Cons"ltation
@::: Say! No man can attain his true station e?cept through his Bustice: No po7er can e?ist e?cept through
unity: No 7elfare and no 7ell0being can be attained e?cept through consultation:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3onsultation. ( 3ompilation/ p! 3/ from a pre"iousl5 untranslated Ta)let2
(/0. Cons"ltation and Compassion
@:::3he hea'en of di'ine 7isdom is illumined 7ith the t7o luminaries of consultation and
compassion::::E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3ablets of Bahullh re'ealed after the ;itb0i0ADdas/ p! 1LM2
(/2. Cons"ltation@ Fran$ and 8nfettered
@:::Consultation) fran6 and unfettered) is the bedroc6 of this uniDue order: Authority is concentrated in
the hands of the elected members of the National Assembly: 2o7er and initiati'e are primarily 'ested in
the entire body of the belie'ers acting through their local representati'es:E
&<rom a postscript )5 the %uardian to a letter written on his )ehalf to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/
o"em)er 18/ 19332
(03. !he P"rpose of Cons"ltation4hould the People of a >illa$e 3onsult One (nother!!!
@3he purpose of consultation is to sho7 that the 'ie7s of se'eral indi'iduals are assuredly preferable to
one man) e'en as the po7er of a number of men is of course greater than the po7er of one man: 3hus
consultation is acceptable in the presence of the Almighty) and hath been enBoined upon the belie'ers) so
that they may confer upon ordinary and personal matters) as 7ell as on affairs 7hich are general in
nature and uni'ersal:
@or instance) 7hen a man hath a proBect to accomplish) should he consult 7ith some of his brethren)
that 7hich is agreeable 7ill of course be in'estigated and un'eiled to his eyes) and the truth 7ill be
disclosed: =i6e7ise on a higher le'el) should the people of a 'illage consult one another about their
affairs) the right solution 7ill certainly be re'ealed: /n li6e manner) the members of each profession)
such as in industry) should consult) and those in commerce should similarly consult on business affairs:
/n short) consultation is desirable and acceptable in all things and on all issues:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Consultation! A Compilation/ 9uoted in the %uardian*s letter to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Persia/ <e)ruar5 1@/
19LL/ p! 8/ Wilmette 1981 ed!2
(01. Each *osom #"st be a !ele6raph %tation
@Each bosom must be a telegraph stationQone terminus of the 7ire attached to the soul) the other) fi?ed
in the Supreme ConcourseQso that inspiration may descend from the ;ingdom of Abh and Duestions
of reality be discussed: 3hen opinions 7ill coincide 7ith truthI day by day there 7ill be progression and
the meetings become more radiant and spiritual: 3he attainment is conditioned upon unity and
agreement: 3he more perfect the lo'e and agreement) the more the di'ine confirmations and assistance
of the Blessed 2erfection 7ill descend::: /n discussions loo6 to7ard the reality 7ithout being self0
opinionated: =et no one assert and insist upon his o7n mere opinionI nay) rather) let each in'estigate the
reality 7ith the greatest lo'e and fello7ship: Consult upon e'ery matter and 7hen one presents the point
of 'ie7 of the reality itself) that shall be acceptable to all: 3hen 7ill spiritual unity increase among you)
indi'idual illumination 7ill be greater) happiness more abundant and you 7ill dra7 nearer and nearer to
the ;ingdom of >od:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3he 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ p! 1832
(02. Any Person Can .efer a #atter to the Assembly
@&egarding consultation! Any person can refer a matter to the Assembly for consultation 7hether the
other party 7ishes to or not: /n matters 7hich affect the Cause the Assembly should) if it deems it
necessary) inter'ene e'en if both sides dont 7ant it to) because the 7hole purpose of the Assemblies is
to protect the aith) the Communities and the indi'idual Bahs as 7ell:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 10/ 19NN2
(0. E1ery #ember to E?press Freely and )penly his Biews
@But before the maBority of the Assembly comes to a decision) it is not only the right but the sacred
obligation of e'ery member to e?press freely and openly his 'ie7s) 7ithout being afraid of displeasing
or alienating any of his fello70members: /n 'ie7 of this important administrati'e principle of fran6 and
open consultation) the >uardian 7ould ad'ise you to gi'e up the method of as6ing other members to
'oice your opinion and suggestions: 3his indirect 7ay of e?pressing your 'ie7s to the Assembly not
only creates an atmosphere of secrecy 7hich is most alien to the spirit of the Cause) but 7ould also lead
to many misunderstandings and complications: 3he Assembly members must ha'e the courage of their
con'ictions) but must also e?press 7hole0hearted and unDualified obedience to the 7ell0considered
Budgment and directions of the maBority of their fello70members:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L8/ 193@2
(0'. Abstainin6 Does not Arise in *ah+,; Botin6
@/t is important to realiCe that the spirit of Bah consultation is 'ery different from that current in the
decision0ma6ing processes of non0Bah bodies:
@3he ideal of Bah consultation is to arri'e at a unanimous decision: Hhen this is not possible a 'ote
must be ta6en: /n the 7ords of the belo'ed >uardian! A:::7hen they are called upon to arri'e at a certain
decision) they should) after dispassionate) an?ious and cordial consultation) turn to >od in prayer) and
7ith earnestness and con'iction and courage record their 'ote and abide by the 'oice of maBority) 7hich
7e are told by the <aster to be the 'oice of truth) ne'er to be challenged) and al7ays to be 7hole0
heartedly enforced:
@As soon as a decision is reached it becomes the decision of the 7hole Assembly) not merely of those
members 7ho happened to be among the maBority:
Hhen it is proposed to put a matter to the 'ote) a member of the Assembly may feel that there are
additional facts or 'ie7s 7hich must be sought before he can ma6e up his mind and intelligently 'ote on
the proposition: He should e?press this feeling to the Assembly) and it is for the Assembly to decide
7hether or not further consultation is needed before 'oting:
@Hhene'er it is decided to 'ote on a proposition all that is reDuired is to ascertain ho7 many of the
members are in fa'our of itI if this is a maBority of those present) the motion is carriedI if it is a minority)
the motion is defeated: 3hus the 7hole Duestion of Aabstaining does not arise in Bah 'oting: A
member 7ho does not 'ote in fa'our of a proposition is) in effect) 'oting against it) e'en if at the
moment he himself feels that he has been unable to ma6e up his mind on the matter:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ 6arch M/ 1901. Consultation! A
Compilation/ p! 1L/ <e)ruar5 19082
(0(. #aFority DecisionsInstances When (ssem)l5 6a5 Decide that all ine 6em)ers 6ust )e
Present
@Concerning a maBority decision) ordinarily) the maBority referred to is the maBority of those present at a
particular Assembly meeting: /n any e'ent) the Assembly can ta6e no action unless at least a Duorum of
the members is present: 3here may be instances) ho7e'er) in 7hich the Assembly may specify that
before 'oting on particularly important Duestions all nine members of the Assembly should be present
and participate in the consultation and 'oting: 3his is 7ithin the discretion of the Assembly to decide:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 6e;ico/ Eul5 LL/ 198N2
(0-. :o Dissentin6 Botes in the Ca"se
@3here are no dissenting 'otes in the Cause: Hhen the maBority of an Assembly decides a matter the
minority) 7e are told by the <aster) should accept this: 3o insist on ha'ing ones dissenting 'ote
recorded is not good) and achie'es no constructi'e end: He must learn to loo6 upon the la7s of the
Cause and administrati'e principles and not the shortcomings of the indi'idual members of an
Assembly:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 19/ 19@12
(0/. %"spend Cons"ltation when Enmity and !hreats )cc"r
@3he honoured members of the Spiritual Assembly should e?ert their efforts so that no differences may
occur) and if such differences do occur) they should not reach the point of causing conflict) hatred and
antagonism) 7hich lead to threats: Hhen you notice that a stage has been reached 7hen enmity and
threats are about to occur) you should immediately postpone discussion of the subBect) until 7ranglings)
disputations) and loud tal6 'anish) and a propitious time is at hand:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3onsultation. ( 3ompilation/ from a pre"iousl5 untranslated Ta)let2
(00. !a$e :o Important %tep in Personal Affairs 7itho"t Cons"ltation
@Settle all things) both great and small) by consultation: Hithout prior consultation) ta6e no important
step in your o7n personal affairs: Concern yoursel'es 7ith one another: Help along one anothers
proBects and plans: >rie'e o'er one another: =et none in the 7hole country go in need: Befriend one
another until ye become as a single body) one and all::::E
&'()du*l+,ah-. I)id!2
(02. 7hen a *elie1er 5as a Problem %e1eral Co"rses )pen to 5im
@Mour letter of "(th ebruary "#+% enDuiring about the uses of Bah consultation has been recei'ed:
@3his is) of course) a matter in 7hich rigidity should be a'oided:
@Hhen a belie'er has a problem concerning 7hich he must ma6e a decision) he has se'eral courses
open to him: /f it is a matter that affects the interests of the aith he should consult 7ith the appropriate
Assembly or committee) but indi'iduals ha'e many problems 7hich are purely personal and there is no
obligation upon them to ta6e such problems to the institutions of the aithI indeed) 7hen the needs of the
teaching 7or6 are of such urgency it is better if the friends 7ill not burden their Assemblies 7ith
personal problems that they can sol'e by themsel'es:
@A Bah 7ho has a problem may 7ish to ma6e his o7n decision upon it after prayer and after
7eighing all the aspects of it in his o7n mindI he may prefer to see6 the counsel of indi'idual friends or
of professional counsellors such as his doctor or la7yer so that he can consider such ad'ice 7hen
ma6ing his decisionI or in a case 7here se'eral people are in'ol'ed) such as a family situation) he may
7ant to gather together those 7ho are affected so that they may arri'e at a collecti'e decision: 3here is
also no obBection 7hate'er to a Bah as6ing a group of people to consult together on a problem facing
him:
@/t should be borne in mind that all consultation is aimed at arri'ing at a solution to a problem and is
Duite different from the sort of group baring of the soul that is popular in some circles these days and
7hich borders on the 6ind of confession that is forbidden in the aith: 5n the subBect of confession the
>uardians secretary 7rote on his behalf to an indi'idual belie'er! AHe are forbidden to confess to any
person) as do the Catholics to their priests) our sins and shortcomings) or to do so in public) as some
religious sects do: Ho7e'er) if 7e spontaneously desire to ac6no7ledge 7e ha'e been 7rong in
something) or that 7e ha'e some fault of character) and as6 another persons forgi'eness or pardon) 7e
are Duite free to do so: 3he >uardian 7ants to point out) ho7e'er) that 7e are not obliged to do so: /t
rests entirely 7ith the indi'idual: E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ 6arch 19/ 1903. Consultation! A
Compilation/ pp! 1L+132
(23. Assembly Cannot .eC"ire a #ember to Absent 5imself from Cons"ltation
@/n your letter of ( April you enDuire further about the principles go'erning the presence of a member of
the National Assembly 7hen a matter concerning him or her personally is being discussed:
@3he first principle to bear in mind is that e'ery member of an Assembly has an absolute and
incontro'ertible right to be present at e'ery meeting of that body and to be fully informed of e'ery
matter coming before it:
@3he second principle is that of detachment in consultation: 3he members of an Assembly must learn
to e?press their 'ie7s fran6ly) calmly) 7ithout passion or rancour: 3hey must also learn to listen to the
opinions of their fello7 members 7ithout ta6ing offence or belittling the 'ie7s of another: Bah
consultation is not an easy process: /t reDuires lo'e) 6indliness) moral courage and humility: 3hus no
member should e'er allo7 himself to be pre'ented from e?pressing fran6ly his 'ie7 because it may
offend a fello7 memberI and) realiCing this) no member should ta6e offence at another members
statements:
@3he third principle is that if a belie'er feels that he has been done an inBustice by the Assembly) he
should appeal the decision in the normal 7ay:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ital5/ (u$ust LM/ 19M@2
(21. A #ember #ay 7ish to Absent 5imself 7hile )wn %it"ation *ein6 Disc"ssed
@He note that ::: left the room 7hile the National Assembly discussed 7ays and means of helping her:
Naturally) if one 7ishes to absent himself 7hile his o7n situation is being discussed by the National
Assembly) there is no obBection: 3he National Assembly cannot reDuire a member to remo'e himself
from the consultation) and he is fully entitled to remain:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ital5/ <e)ruar5 L3/ 19M@2
@/t should also be understood that a member may 7ish to absent himself from a meeting at 7hich
subBects in 7hich he is personally in'ol'ed are to be discussed: /n such cases he may do so unless the
Assembly reDuires him to be present:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the International Teachin$ 3entre/ Eanuar5 LL/ 190@2
(22. Fran$@ F"ll@ 8npreF"diced Cons"ltation #"st Do1ern 7or$
@3here cannot be in our aith any room for the political maneu'erings so common to the outside 7orld:
ran6ness) full unpreBudiced consultation) must go'ern all Assembly and committee 7or6) and anything
less than this is not only un7orthy of a Bah) but a direct disobedience to the <asters instructions and
a sign of lac6 of faith:E
9II$ T)( CO6(NANT
A$ Bah Co.enant
(2. !he *ah+,; Co1enant
@As regards the meaning of the Bah Co'enant! 3he >uardian considers the e?istence of t7o forms of
Co'enant both of 7hich are e?plicitly mentioned in the literature of the Cause: irst is the co'enant that
e'ery 2rophet ma6es 7ith humanity or) more definitely) 7ith His people that they 7ill accept and follo7
the coming <anifestation Hho 7ill be the reappearance of His reality: 3he second form of co'enant is
such as the one Bahullh made 7ith His people that they should accept the <aster: 3his is merely to
establish and strengthen the succession of the series of =ights that appear after e'ery <anifestation:
Jnder the same category falls the co'enant the <aster made 7ith the Bahs that they should accept
His administration after Him:::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual/ Octo)er L1/ 19L12
@3he <ost >reat Co'enant is different from the E'erlasting Co'enant:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 19/ 19N@. Bah Ne7s/ o! L11/ (u$ust 19N8 p! 32
(2'. Firmness in the Co1enant<*e 5e an Insi6nificant Ant...=
@::: &est ye assured that if a soul ariseth in the utmost perse'erance and raiseth the Call of the ;ingdom
and resolutely promulgateth the Co'enant) be he an insignificant ant he shall be enabled to dri'e a7ay
the formidable elephant from the arena) and if he be a feeble moth he shall cut to pieces the plumage of
the rapacious 'ulture:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 4elections from the Writin$s of '()du*l+,ah-/ p! L192
(2(. !he Crimson *oo$
@:::7hat Bahullh did not elaborate but 7hat He meant by the A7ord recorded in the Crimson Boo6
7as the po7er of the Co'enant:
@3he Crimson Boo6 refers to the Boo6 of His Co'enant) and the reference abo'e means the po7er for
unity 7hich the Co'enant possesses and radiates: 5n 2age ,%$ of >od 2asses By you 7ill find the cross0
reference to the Crimson Boo6 and the Epistle to the Son of the Holf:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 @/ 19N8. Bah Ne7s/ o! L11/ (u$ust 19N8/ p! 32
(2-. .e6ardin6 Co1enant Entered into on #o"nt P+r+n
@As for the reference in 3he Hidden Hords regarding the Co'enant entered into on <ount 2rn) this
signifieth that in the sight of >od the past) the present and the future are all one and the sameQ7hereas)
relati'e to man) the past is gone and forgotten) the present is fleeting) and the future is 7ithin the realm
of hope: And it is a basic principle of the =a7 of >od that in e'ery 2rophetic <ission) He entereth into a
Co'enant 7ith all belie'ersQa Co'enant that endureth until the end of that <ission) until the promised
day 7hen the 2ersonage stipulated at the outset of the <ission is made manifest: Consider <oses) He
Hho con'ersed 7ith >od: Perily) upon <ount Sinai) <oses entered into a Co'enant regarding the
<essiah) 7ith all those souls 7ho 7ould li'e in the day of the <essiah: And those souls) although they
appeared many centuries after <oses) 7ere ne'erthelessQso far as the Co'enant) 7hich is outside time)
7as concernedQpresent there 7ith <oses: 3he 9e7s) ho7e'er) 7ere heedless of this and remembered it
not) and thus they suffered a great and clear loss:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 4elections from the Writin$s of '()du*l+,ah-/ p! L102
(2/. !o 7ithstand !ests *elie1ers :eed to be Deepened in the Co1enant
@:::the belie'ers need to be deepened in their 6no7ledge and appreciation of the Co'enants of both
Bahullh and AAbdul0Bah: 3his is the stronghold of the faith of e'ery Bah) and that 7hich
enables him to 7ithstand e'ery test and the attac6s of the enemies outside the aith) and the far more
dangerous) insidious) lu6e7arm people inside the aith 7ho ha'e no real attachment to the Co'enant)
and conseDuently uphold the intellectual aspect of the teachings 7hile at the same time undermining the
spiritual foundation upon 7hich the 7hole Cause of >od rests:
@He feels you and your dear family should do all you can to teach the belie'ers the Hill and 3estament
and to strengthen their understanding of its important pro'isionsI for all the authority of the
administrati'e bodies) as 7ell as of the >uardian himself) is mainly deri'ed from this tremendous
document:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 1@/ 19N92
(20. !he 7ill and !estament of 4Abd",l-*ah+eeds a 3entur5 to 3omprehend
@3he contents of the Hill of the <aster is far too much for the present generation to comprehend: /t
needs at least a century of actual 7or6ing before the treasures of 7isdom hidden in it can be re'ealed:
Ho7 can 7e at this stage and 7ith our limited understanding denounce its spirit and purport:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch L@/ 19312
(22. !he 7ill and !estament %afe6"ards the 8nity of the Ca"se
@Hhat he considers) ho7e'er) to be no7 of the utmost importance is for the belie'ers) each and all) to
cling firmly to the pro'isions of our belo'ed <asters Hill and 3estament) as by this means alone the
unity of the Cause) and its safe and speedy gro7th can be maintained) safeguarded and insured: Such an
absolute and un7a'ering fidelity to AAbdul0Bahs Hill) and firm adherence to the principles of the
Administrati'e 5rder is indeed incumbent upon e'ery one of the friends) 7ithout any distinction
7hate'er: Jpon this basis alone the aith can be safeguarded and flourish:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eul5 18/ 19382
-33. %pea$in6 A6ainst the Co1enant
@<y purpose is to e?plain to you that it is your duty to guard the religion of >od so that none shall be
able to assail it out7ardly or in7ardly: /f you find harmful teachings are being set forth by some
indi'idual no matter 7ho that indi'idual be) e'en though he should be my o7n son) 6no7 'erily that /
am completely se'ered from him: /f anyone spea6s against the Co'enant) e'en though he be my o7n
son) 6no7 that / am opposed to him: 3hose 7ho spea6 falsehoods) 7ho co'et 7orldly things and see6 to
accumulate the riches of this earth are not of me: But 7hen you find a person li'ing up to the teachings
of Bahullh) follo7ing the precepts of the Hidden Hords) 6no7 that he belongs to Bahullh and
'erily / proclaim that he is of <e:::E
&'()du*l+,ah-. The Promul$ation of :ni"ersal Peace/ p! N@M+N@02
B$ Co.enant Brea<ers8(=-ulsion
-31. Co1enant-*rea$ers@ Defined
@2eople 7ho ha'e 7ithdra7n from the Cause because they no longer feel that they can support its
3eachings and /nstitutions sincerely) are not Co'enant0brea6ersQthey are non0Bahs and should Bust
be treated as such: 5nly those 7ho ally themsel'es acti'ely 7ith 6no7n enemies of the aith 7ho are
Co'enant0brea6ers) and 7ho attac6 the aith in the same spirit as these people) can be considered)
themsel'es) to be Co'enant0brea6ers: As you 6no7) up to the present time) no one has been permitted to
pronounce anybody a Co'enant0brea6er but the >uardianN himself:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ 6arch 31/ 19@02
NFNo7 the Jni'ersal House of 9usticeG
-32. Co1enant-*rea$in6 is a %pirit"al Disease
@::: Co'enant0brea6ing is truly a spiritual disease) and the 7hole 'ie70point and attitude of a Co'enant0
brea6er is so poisonous that the <aster li6ened it to leprosy) and 7arned the friends to breathe the same
air 7as dangerous: 3his should not be ta6en literallyI He meant 7hen you are close enough to breathe
the same air you are close enough to contact their corrupting influence: Mour sister should ne'er imagine
she) loyal and de'oted) has become a Acarrier:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 L9/ 19NM2
-3. Co1enant-*rea$in6 &i$e Conta6io"s Cons"mption and Cancer
@::: 3hou hadst as6ed some DuestionsI that 7hy the blessed and spiritual souls) 7ho are firm and
steadfast) shun the company of degenerate persons: 3his is because) that Bust as the bodily diseases li6e
consumption and cancer are contagious) li6e7ise the spiritual diseases are also infectious: /f a
consumpti'e should associate 7ith a thousand safe and healthy persons) the safety and health of these
thousand persons 7ould not affect the consumpti'e and 7ould not cure him of his consumption: But
7hen this consumpti'e associates 7ith those thousand souls) in a short time the disease of consumption
7ill infect a number of those healthy persons: 3his is a clear and self0e'ident Duestion:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Ta)let to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 19L1. 4tar of the West/ >ol! QII/ o! 1N/ p! L332
-3'. Afflicted with Conta6io"s %pirit"al Disease
@&egarding <r: ::: Duestion about the Co'enant0brea6ers) Bahullh and the <aster in many places and
'ery emphatically ha'e told us to shun entirely all Co'enant0brea6ers as they are afflicted 7ith 7hat 7e
might try and define as a contagious spiritual diseaseI they ha'e also told us) ho7e'er) to pray for them:
3hese souls are not lost fore'er: /n the ADdas) Bahullh says that >od 7ill forgi'e <rC Mahy if he
repents: /t follo7s) therefore) that >od 7ill forgi'e any soul if he repents: <ost of them dont 7ant to
repent) unfortunately: /f the leaders can be forgi'en it goes 7ithout saying that their follo7ers can also
be forgi'en:
@Also) it has nothing to do 7ith unity in the CauseI if a man cuts a cancer out of his body to preser'e
his health and 'ery life) no one 7ould suggest that for the sa6e of unity it should be reintroduced into the
other7ise healthy organism: 5n the contrary) 7hat 7as once a part of him has so radically changed as to
ha'e become a poison:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 31/ 19NN. 2rinciples of Bah Administration/ pp!
LL+L32
-3(. Association with :on-*ah+,;s 7ho Are in Association with Co1enant-*rea$ers
@He ha'e your letter of "(th <arch "#+- as6ing 7hether it is forbidden for the friends to associate 7ith
non0Bahs 7ho are in close association 7ith Co'enant0Brea6ers:
@3here are no hard and fast rules about such things: Jnder some conditions the in'ol'ement of the
non0Bah party may be superficial and harmless) in 7hich case no action should be ta6en: or
e?ample) Bahs ha'e at times used non0Bahs) such as la7yers) to contact Co'enant0brea6ers in
certain matters of business:
@/f) ho7e'er) the Co'enant0brea6er is using the non0Bah party to spread his ideas among the friends)
the matter should be reported to the Continental Board of Counsellors) and 7hate'er they decide in such
cases in consultation 7ith the National Spiritual Assemblies concerned should be unreser'edly accepted
by the friends:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ (pril L/ 19012
-3-. Enemies of the Faith
@No7 some of the mischief0ma6ers) 7ith many stratagems) are see6ing leadership) and in order to reach
this position they instill doubts among the friends that they may cause differences) and that these
differences may result in their dra7ing a party to themsel'es: But the friends of >od must be a7a6e and
must 6no7 that the scattering of these doubts hath as its moti'e personal desires and the achie'ement of
leadership:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ p! L1N2
C$ Belie.ers Forbidden to Associate "ith Co.enant1Brea<ers
-3/. E?-Comm"nication
@E?0communication is a spiritual thing :::: 5nly actual enemies of the Cause are e?0communicated: 5n
the other hand) those 7ho conspicuously disgrace the aith or refuse to abide by its la7s can be
depri'ed) as a punishment) of their 'oting rightsI this in itself is a se'ere action) and he therefore al7ays
urges all National Assemblies F7ho can ta6e such actionG to first 7arn and repeatedly 7arn the e'il0doer
before ta6ing the step of depri'ing him of his 'oting rights: He feels your Assembly must act 7ith the
greatest 7isdom in such matters) and only impose this sanction if a belie'er is seriously inBuring the
aith in the eyes of the public through his conduct or flagrantly brea6ing the la7s of >od: /f such a
sanction 7ere lightly used the friends 7ould come to attach no importance to it) or to feel the N:S:A:
used it e'ery time they got angry 7ith some indi'iduals disobedience to them: He must al7ays
remember that) sad and often childish as it seems) some of those 7ho ma6e the 7orst nuisances of
themsel'es to their National Bodies are often 'ery loyal belie'ers) 7ho thin6 they are protecting the true
interests of their aith by attac6ing N:S:A: decisionsLE
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ 6a5 8/ 19N82
-30. :o )ne 5as the .i6ht to %ee Co1enant-*rea$ers 7itho"t Permission
@No one has any right to see the Co'enant0Brea6ers 7ithout the permission of the N:S:A:) and <rs: ::: in
doing so should realiCe she is putting herself in contact 7ith a dangerous) contagious) spiritual disease)
as the <aster pointed out o'er and o'er againL She is also disobeying e?press instructions of the <aster
and the >uardian by contacting Co'enant0Brea6ers:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to two indi"idual )elie"ers/ 6a5 @/ 19N02
-32. *ah+,;s Cannot Associate with !hose 7ho 5a1e &eft the Ca"se and are Associatin6 with
Co1enant-*rea$ers
@3here is no e?cuse for belie'ers continuing to associate 7ith ::: and those 7ho) 6no7ing e'erything)
still insist on doing so) should be shunned by their fello70Bahs: 3he same applies to people 7ho ha'e
left the Cause and associate 7ith :::: 3he point is that if the belie'ers 6no7 and meet 7ith people 7ho are
acDuainted 7ith Co'enant0brea6ers there is no harm in this) for such indi'iduals are not Bahs and
ha'e nothing to do 7ith the issues concerned: But those 7ho ha'e left the Cause) 6no7ing all about such
matters) and deliberately associate 7ith Co'enant0brea6ers) are 7ell a7are of 7hat they do) and 7e must
not associate 7ith them at all: /t is for the =ocal Assembly) guided by the N:S:A:) to enforce such
decisions and protect the Cause in its area of Burisdiction:
@3he friends should) 7ithout too much d7elling on these negati'e things) be made to understand that
some people are spiritually sic6 and that their disease is) alas) contagious: Some reco'er from it) as did
<r: ::: 7hose heart could not rest till he returned to the foldI others do not: 3he <aster and Bahullh
ha'e taught us that associating 7ith these souls is not li6ely to heal them at all) but on the contrary
e?poses one to gra'e danger of contagion: 3he history of the aith has pro'ed this o'er and o'er again:
3he only 7ay 7e can pro'e to such people that they are 7rong is to censure their conductI if 7e
sympathise 7ith them 7e only fortify their per'ersity and 7ay7ardness:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 L3/ 19N@2
-13. *ah+,; #ay .emain at :on-*ah+,; #eetin6 if Co1enant-*rea$er Appears
@Hith regard to a'oiding association 7ith declared Co'enant0brea6ers: Shoghi Effendi says that this
does not mean that if one or more of these attends a non0Bah meeting any Bahs present should feel
compelled to lea'e the meeting or to refuse to ta6e part in the meeting) especially if that part has been
prearranged: Also if in the course of some business transaction it should become necessary to negotiate
7ith one of these people) in order to clear up the business) that is permissible) pro'ided the association is
confined to the matter of the business in hand: /t is different if one of these people should come to
Bah meeting: 3hen it 7ould become necessary to as6 him in a most tactful and dignified 7ay to lea'e
the meeting as Bahs are forbidden to associate 7ith him:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 1M/ 19L@2
-11. Personal .elations with Co1enant-*rea$ers
@3o read the 7ritings of Co'enant0brea6ers is not forbidden to the belie'ers and does not constitute in
itself an act of Co'enant0brea6ing: /ndeed) some of the Bahs ha'e the unpleasant duty to read such
literature as part of their responsibilities for protecting the Cause of Bahullh: Ho7e'er) the friends
are 7arned in the strongest terms against reading such literature because Co'enant0brea6ing is a spiritual
poison and the calumnies and distortions of the truth 7hich the Co'enant0brea6ers gi'e out are such that
they can undermine the faith of the belie'er and plant the seeds of doubt unless he is forearmed 7ith an
unsha6able belief in Bahullh and His Co'enant and a 6no7ledge of the true facts:
@2ersonal relations 7ith Co'enant0brea6ers) ho7e'er) such as personal contact or entering into
correspondence 7ith one is strictly forbidden: /n this connection) ho7e'er) it is important to remember
t7o Dualifications!
@irst) the ci'il rights of Co'enant0brea6ers must be scrupulously upheld: or e?ample) if a Bah
o7es a debt to a person 7ho brea6s the Co'enant he must be sure that it is repaid and that his obligations
are met:
@Secondly) although the belie'ers are reDuired to a'oid) if possible) all contact 7ith Co'enant0brea6ers
it sometimes happens that contact on business matters cannot be a'oided: or e?ample) in one city the
head of the rate collection department 7as a Co'enant0brea6er: /n such situations the belie'ers should
restrict their contact 7ith the Co'enant0brea6er to a purely formal business le'el and to an absolute
minimum:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Octo)er L9/ 190N2
-12. All Co1enant-*rea$ers .e6ardless of :at"re of Disobedience #"st *e !reated in E?actly the
%ame #anner
@&eference is made to your letter of April $th in 7hich you as6! A8oes a disciplinary action for
disobedience to the >uardian carry the same implications as Co'enant0brea6ing of an ideological orderS
3here is no distinction bet7een the t7o concepts: All Co'enant0brea6ers) regardless of the nature of
their disobedience to the Co'enant should be treated in e?actly the same manner:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eul5 19/ 19MN2
-1. )pposition D"e to I6norance or &ac$ of Proper !rainin6 is :ot Co1enant-*rea$in6
@Hhene'er 7e find a person 7ho opposes some fundamental of our aith) such as the /nstitution of the
>uardianship) 7e must first be sure this is not due to ignorance or lac6 of proper training) before 7e ta6e
action: He must not suppose immediately that that person is necessarily tainted by the spirit of the
Co'enant0Brea6ers: /f) ho7e'er) this should pro'e to be the case) then strong action must be ta6en by the
Assembly:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune LN/ 19N82
-1'. .ole of A"?iliary *oard #ember for ProtectionA
@3he need to protect the aith from the attac6s of its enemies) both 7ithin and outside the aith) is not
generally appreciated by the friends) particularly in the Hest 7here such attac6s ha'e so far been
intermittent: 5ne of the 'ital functions of the 2rotection Boards is the deepening of the friends
6no7ledge of the Co'enant and increasing their lo'e and loyalty to it) and fostering the spirit of lo'e and
unity 7ithin the Bah community:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of >eneJuela/ Octo)er 1/ 19092
O&4ee also. o! 111L2
-1(. Dod,s #ercy E?ceeds 5is 9"stice
@:::7e belie'e that >ods <ercy e?ceeds His 9ustice) and that through the repentance of a soul) the
prayers and supplications of other souls) and the goodness of >od) e'en a person 7ho has passed a7ay
in great spiritual dar6ness can be forgi'en) educated spiritually in the ne?t 7orld and progress:
@57ing to :::s deliberate choice in lea'ing the >uardian to Boin the Co'enant0brea6ers) and in his
continuous association 7ith them) it is e'ident he certainly has a spiritual disease:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 0/ 19N02
-1-. !o be the Enemy of the Enemies of Dod is Dood Characteristic
@3o be the enemy of the enemies of >od is a good characteristic: He are not against them personally)
Bust as any intelligent man is not personally against a man 7ho has a dangerous contagious disease: But
he carefully isolates the sic6 indi'idual so that the contagion 7ill not spread: So 7e shun the spiritually
sic6) 7ishing for their cure) but 6eeping clear of them: Mou are right to ta6e a firm stand regarding
5rientals: 5ne 7ould thin6 that 7orld e'ents 7ould be opening the eyes of the Americans to certain
unreliable and mischie'ous characteristics of nationals of the <iddle East:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er LL/ 19@12
-1/. It Is *etter to *e !oo Bi6ilant !han to *e !oo &a?
@3he >uardian feels that your attitude of 'igilance and intense loyalty is Duite right: /n such matters as
the Co'enant it is far better to be too 'igilant than too la?: Ho7e'er) he does not feel <r: ::: is lac6ing in
firmness and aith: <any of the Bahs) ::: 7hile loyal to the Cause and the >uardian) do not fully grasp
the implications of the <asters Hill and the full station of the >uardians of the Cause: 3hey need to
study more deeply the spiritual side of the 3eachings and the Hill itself: And this he has ad'ised the::: to
do:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 @/ 19N92
-10. Possibly no Dro"p 5a1e %ofter !on6"es !han the Co1enant-*rea$ers
@::: /t is a pity that some of the Hestern friends) 7ith remar6able nai'ete) do not grasp the fact that there
is absolutely nothing 6eeping those 7ho ha'e bro6en the Co'enant) 7hether Bahullhs or the
<asters) out of the Cause of >od e?cept their o7n inner spiritually sic6 condition: /f they 7ere sound)
instead of diseased) and 7anted to enter the ser'ice of our aith) they 7ould apply direct to the
>uardian) and he 7ould be able to adBudge of their sincerity and) if sincere) 7ould 7elcome them into
the ran6s of the faithful as he did 7ith Sydney Sprague: Jnfortunately a man 7ho is ill is not made 7ell
Bust by asserting there is nothing 7rong 7ith himL acts) actual states) are 7hat count: 2robably no group
of people in the 7orld ha'e softer tongues) or proclaim more loudly their innocence) than those 7ho in
their heart of hearts) and by their e'ery act) are enemies of the Center of the Co'enant: 3he <aster 7ell
6ne7 this) and that is 7hy He said 7e must shun their company) but pray for them: /f you put a leper in a
room 7ith healthy people) he cannot catch their healthI on the contrary they are 'ery li6ely to catch his
horrible ailment:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ (pril 11/ 19N92
-12. :ational Assembly %ho"ld Consider Itself as Committee of Bi6ilance
@He feels that your Assembly should redouble its 'igilance) in fact he feels that the National Assembly
should consider itself) aside from its other duties) as a Committee of Pigilance to 7atch o'er the aith
and protect it from its internal enemies) and from the constantly carried on and insidious acti'ities::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 4eptem)er L1/ 19@02
-23. *ah+,;s :eed more !han Anythin6 Else in the 7orld Deeper 8nderstandin6 Co1enants of
*ah+,",ll+h and #aster
@3he >uardian has been considerably disturbed by the inharmony that has arisen in ::: He feels that 7hat
the ::: Bahs needQand must ha'eQmore than anything else in the 7orld is a far deeper understanding
of the Co'enants of both Bahullh and the <aster: 3his is the roc60foundation 7ithout 7hich no
sound super0structure can be built: Neither the administration) nor the general teaching 7or6 of the
Cause:::) 7ill progress) or be able to accomplish anything) unless the belie'ers are truly firm) deep)
spiritually con'inced Bahs: An intellectual grasp of the 3eachings is purely superficialI 7ith the first
real test such belie'ers are sha6en from the boughL But once a Bah has the profound con'iction of the
authority from >od) 'ested in the 2rophet) passed on to the <aster) and by Him) to the >uardians) and
7hich flo7s out through the Assemblies and creates order based on obedienceQonce a Bah has this)
nothing can sha6e him: He) therefore) urges you) and the other members of the :::) to de'ote as much
time as you possibly can) to educating the belie'ers in the Co'enant:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 11/ 19N92
$ (=-ulsion and Reinstate&ent7 'rotection
Res-onsibilities7 Boo<s "ritten b* (ne&ies of the Faith
-21. E?p"lsion of Co1enant-*rea$ers
@3he authority of e?pulsion and reinstatement 7ill be e?ercised by the Hands of the Cause of >od)
subBect in each instance to the appro'al of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the 3ontinental ,oard of 3ounsellors/ Eune LN/ 19M82
-22. Protection %pecific F"nction of the 5ands of the Ca"se
@:::although the Hands of the Cause of >od ha'e the specific functions of protection and propagation)
and are specialiCed for these functions) it is also the duty of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice and the
Spiritual Assemblies to protect and teach the CauseQindeed teaching is a sacred obligation placed upon
e'ery belie'er by Bahullh:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 L0/ 19MM. Hellspring of >uidance/ p! 8M2
-2. E?p"lsion and .einstatement
@Authority for the e?pulsion and reinstatement of Co'enant0brea6ers remains 7ith the Hands of the
Cause of >od: All such matters 7ill be in'estigated locally by the relati'e Continental Board of
Counsellors in consultation 7ith any Hand or Hands 7ho may be in the area: 3he Continental Board of
Counsellors and the Hands concerned 7ill then ma6e their reports to the /nternational 3eaching Center
7here they 7ill be considered: 3he decision 7hether or not to e?pel or reinstate 7ill be made by the
Hands of the Cause residing in the Holy =and 7ho 7ill) as at present) submit their decision to the
Jni'ersal House of 9ustice for appro'al:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ Eune 8/ 19032
-2'. Accomplishments to be Attained with the Co1enant of the E1erlastin6 Father
@3he progress of the Cause of >od gathers increasing momentum and 7e may 7ith confidence loo6
for7ard to the day 7hen this Community) in >ods good time) shall ha'e tra'ersed the stages predicated
for it by its >uardian) and shall ha'e raised on this tormented planet the fair mansions of >ods 57n
;ingdom 7herein humanity may find surcease from its self0induced confusion and chaos and ruin) and
the hatreds and 'iolence of this time shall be transmuted into an abiding sense of 7orld brotherhood and
peace: All this shall be accomplished 7ithin the Co'enant of the e'erlasting ather) the Co'enant of
Bahullh:E
&<rom the messa$e of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to ,ah-*?s of the World/ Rid"-n 19032
-2(. Co"rse on Co1enant-*rea$in6 %ho"ld be Incl"ded in %"mmer %chool C"rric"l"m
@:::and your Assembly cannot be too careful or 'igilant in 7atching o'er the Community see6ing out the
sources of corruption and protecting the friends: He feels that a course on Co'enant0brea6ing should be
included in the Summer School curriculum) so that the friends may understand the nature of this e'il)
and ho7 it has affected our aith for one hundred years) and other aiths in the past: 3he American
Bahs) aside from the older ones) do not seem to ha'e any concept 7hatsoe'er of 7hat a Co'enant0
brea6er is) and the place to educate them in these matters is in the Summer Schools and on other
occasions 7hen they meet in large numbers:E
-2-. %ho"ld :ot Accept Contrib"tions from !hose 7ho &ose Botin6 .i6htsK !hey Can be *"ried in
*ah+,; Cemetery@ .ecei1e Charity
@::: As contributions to Bah funds are used to support the administration of the aith) they should not
be accepted from those 7ho are depri'ed of their 'oting rightsI but such belie'ers) should not be
pre'ented from being buried in a Bah cemetery or recei'ing charityQ7hich 7e e'en gi'e to non0
BahsQif in dire need:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi/ 6a5 8/ 19N0 to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India. 8a7n of a Ne7 8ay/ p! 1L32
-2/. &iterat"re 7ritten by Enemies of the Faith
@/n reply to your letter of September ,-) "#+1) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice instructs us to say that the
friends should be ad'ised to ignore these boo6s and any similar ones 7hich might be 7ritten by enemies
of the aith: 3here should certainly be no attempt made to destroy or remo'e such boo6s from libraries:
5n the other hand there is no need at all for the friends to acDuire them and) indeed) the best plan is to
ignore them entirely:E
&Referrin$ to )ooks )5 7ermann Pimmer and William 6iller! #etter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational
4piritual (ssem)l5 of Panama/ Octo)er L/ 190@2
-20. *oo$s by 8nenli6htened Enemies of the Ca"se
@/t is better not to read boo6s by Co'enant0brea6ers because they are haters of the =ight) sufferers from a
spiritual leprosy) so to spea6: But boo6s by 7ell meaning yet unenlightened enemies of the Cause can be
read so as to refute their charges:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 19/ 19N@. >uidelines for =ocal Spiritual Assemblies/ pp!
110+1182
-22. )bedience to the Center of the Co1enant
@:::7hosoe'er obeys the Center of the Co'enant appointed by Bahullh has obeyed Bahullh) and
7hosoe'er disobeys Him has disobeyed Bahullh ::::E
&'()du*l+,ah-. The Promul$ation of :ni"ersal Peace/ p! 3L32
9III$ (AT)
A$ +ills
-3. E1ery *ah+,; is Enco"ra6ed to #a$e a 7ill and !estament
@/n the A;itb0i0ADdas Bahullh has stated!
@/t is incumbent upon e'eryone to 7rite his testament: /t behoo'eth him to adorn its heading 7ith the
<ost >reat Name) to testify therein to the oneness of >od as manifested in the 8ay0Spring of His
re'elation and to set forth such good deeds as he may 7ish to be realiCed) that these may stand as his
testimony in the 7orlds of &e'elation and of Creation and be as a treasure stored up 7ith his =ord) the
2rotector) the 3rusted 5ne: E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 4eptem)er N/ 198L2
-1. *y Preparin6 a &e6al 7ill@ the *elie1er Can Dispose of 5is Estate as 5e Chooses@ 7ithin
&imits of &aw
@According to the 3eachings of Bahullh) the ma6ing of a 7ill is essentially an obligation of the
indi'idual Bah: Each belie'er is free to dispose of his estate in 7hate'er manner he chooses) 7ithin
the limits imposed by ci'il la7 and after payment of burial e?penses and other debts and obligations:
3here are se'eral 7ays a belie'er can lea'e instructions regarding his burialI there is no obBection for
such instructions to be included in the 7ill) if the la7 permits) and the belie'er so 7ishes:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,oli"ia/ Octo)er 1/ 19812

-2. :either :ational nor &ocal Assembly %ho"ld be :amed E?ec"tor@ if the Instit"tion so Prefers
@Should a belie'er e?press a desire to ma6e a beDuest to a National or =ocal Spiritual Assembly) you
may furnish information as to the correct name and address of such institution) and you are free to
inform those 7ho as6 that neither the National or =ocal Spiritual Assemblies should be named as
e?ecutor of a 7ill:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the 7awaiian Islands/ Eanuar5 1N/
19012
-. *ah+,;s %ho"ld #a$e their 7ill %pecifyin6 the Desire for a *ah+,; F"neral4hould Inform
the (ssem)l5 and the on+,ah-*? Relati"es
@3he friends should be strongly ad'ised to ma6e 7ills specifying that they 7ant their funerals to be
conducted under the auspices of the Bah aith or at least in conformity 7ith its reDuirements and they
should ma6e this 6no7n both to the =ocal Spiritual Assembly and to their o7n relati'es) 7hile they are
still ali'e: /n this 7ay it is Duite possible that agreements may be reached 7ith non0Bah relati'es
before death ta6es place:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of <rance/ (u$ust 18/ 190L2
-'. !he %pirit"al Assembly #"st Caref"lly Consider *eC"est of the !estator:nreasona)le
Demands 6a5 )e Refused
@/n the eyes of Bah la7 a 7ill is sacred and thus) 7hen a testator ma6es a beDuest to a Spiritual
Assembly and attaches thereto certain duties and conditions) the Assembly has the responsibility to fulfil
them: Ho7e'er) if the 7ill imposes an unreasonable financial burden or a condition 7hich could become
an unreasonable financial burden) or if fulfilment of the conditions 7ould be preBudicial to the best
interests of the aith) the Assembly may ha'e no alternati'e to refusing the beDuest) for if it accepts the
beDuest it is in honour bound to fulfil the conditions:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %erman5/ Eanuar5 11/ 19082
-(. A Pro1ision in the 7ill Contrary to *ah+,; &aw %ho"ld be Declared :"ll and Boid by the
Assembly
@5n the other hand) if the testator) being a Bah) ma6es a pro'ision in his 7ill that is contrary to Bah
la7 Fe:g:) to bury his remains in a place more than one hours Bourney from the place of deathG) that
pro'ision is null and 'oid in Bah la7 and the Assembly must not fulfil it e'en if failure to do so 7ould
cause the beDuest to be re'o6ed in ci'il la7: /f failure to fulfil such a condition does not cancel the
beDuest in ci'il la7) the Assembly is not reDuired to refuse the beDuest as it 7ould ha'e to do in the case
of failure to fulfil a 'alid condition:E
&I)id!2
--. *ah+,;s Are Free to Form"late Pro1isions of their 7illsWe (re not Permitted to 3hallen$e
Pro"isions of (nother*s Will
@Shoghi Effendi urged =ocal Spiritual Assemblies to admonish the friends not to o'erloo6 the
importance of 7ills: /n letters 7ritten on his behalf 7e find the follo7ing important points:
": 3he friends are free to formulate the pro'isions of their 7ills as they please) and the Spiritual
Assembly has the obligation to support and enforce these pro'isions unless) of course) they are
in conflict 7ith the principles of the aith:
,: Hhile it is appropriate and ad'isable for the friends to deposit a copy of their 7ills 7ith the
Spiritual Assembly) they should not be reDuired to do so) but should be left free in this matter:
%: /t is not necessary for the Spiritual Assembly to publish the te?t of a Amodel 7ill: Each belie'er
should compose his 7ill according to his o7n 7ish:
@5ther points to remember are that an indi'idual is entirely free to lea'e his or her possessions as he
7ishes) pro'ided all his debts are paid) and pro'ided there are no legal limits on the freedom of
indi'iduals to beDueath their property: A persons 7ill is sacred and therefore a Bah is not permitted to
challenge the pro'isions of anothers 7ill: 3he ci'il la7 in relation to the ma6ing of 7ills is sometimes
Duite comple?: /t is) therefore) highly ad'isable for an indi'idual to consult a la7yer 7hen he ma6es his
7ill to ensure that his intention is not nullified by some possible breach of the reDuirements of the la7 in
the dra7ing up or e?ecution of the 7ill: /t is also highly desirable for a Bah to ta6e steps during his
lifetime to ensure that he 7ill be gi'en a funeral in accordance 7ith Bah la7 and that his remains be
not cremated: /t may be possible to include such a pro'ision in the 7ill) or some other procedure may
need to be follo7ed) depending upon the ci'il la7:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 4eptem)er N/ 198M2
B$ Burial La"s
-/. Forbidden to Carry *ody #ore than an 5o"r,s Distance
@::: /t is forbidden you to transport the body of the deceased a greater distance than one hours Bourney
from the cityI rather should it be interred) 7ith radiance and serenity) in a nearby place:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3he ;itb0i0ADdas/ 8! 131/ p! MM2
@?!(%TIONF Is the ordinance that the )od5 of the deceased should )e carried no $reater distance
than one hour*s =ourne5 applica)le to transport )5 )oth land and seaS
@AN%+(RF 3his command applieth to distances by sea as 7ell as by land) 7hether it is an hour by
steamship or by railI the intention is the hours time) 7hate'er the means of transport: 3he sooner the
burial ta6eth place) ho7e'er) the more fitting and acceptable 7ill it be:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3he ;itab0i0ADdas) Ruestions and Ans7ers/ C! 1M/ pp! 111+11L2
-0. *"rial &aw *indin6 on *elie1ers in the 7est
@As to the la7 of burial) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice suggests that you confine your statement to the
follo7ing parts of this la7 7hich are no7 binding on the belie'ers in the Hest!
F"G 3hat the body must be buried) not cremated:
F,G 3hat the 2rayer for the 8ead is to be recited for a belie'er of the age of "1 years or o'er: 3his)
as you 6no7) is the prayer 7hich appears as number C=OP// in Pra5ers and 6editations )5
,ah-*u*ll-h:
F%G 3hat the body not be transported more than an hours Bourney from the place of death: 3he
method of transport is not specified) but the Bourney must not ta6e longer than one hour:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ Decem)er 3/ 190@2
-2. Preparation for *"rialEmbalmin6 :ot Permitted
@&egarding the Duestions 7hich you as6) concerning Bah burials:::) etc: At the present time) the
>uardian is not stressing these matters) as their establishment might di'ert attention to the supreme tas6s
7e ha'e before us: Ho7e'er) the ans7ers are as follo7s! Jnder the Bah teachings it seems clear that
the body is not to be embalmed: 3he burial should ta6e place 7ithin an hours tra'el time from the place
of death: 3he preparation for the body for burial is a careful 7ashing) and placing in a shroud of 7hite
cloth) sil6 preferably: 3here is nothing in the teachings 7ith regard to turning the body o'er to scientific
institutions for scientific research) and therefore the indi'idual may do as he 7ishes) until such a time as
the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice may legislate on this matter) if they e'er do: 3he practice in the 5rient) is
to bury the person 7ithin ,( hours of the time of deathI sometimes e'en soonerI although there is no
pro'ision in the teachings as to the time limit:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril L/ 19@@2
-'3. *ah+,; *"rial &awCoffin %ho"ld be of Crystal@ %tone or 7ood
@/n brief) the Bah la7 for the burial of the dead states that it is forbidden to carry the body for more
than one hours Bourney from the place of deathI that the body should be 7rapped in a shroud of sil6 or
cotton) and on its finger should be placed a ring bearing the inscription A/ came forth from >od) and
return unto Him) detached from all sa'e Him) holding fast to His Name) the <erciful) the
CompassionateI and that the coffin should be of crystal) stone or hard fine 7ood: A specific 2rayer for
the 8ead Fsee note "-G is ordained) to be said before interment: As affirmed by AAbdul0Bah and the
>uardian) this la7 precludes cremation of the dead: 3he formal prayer and the ring are meant to be used
for those 7ho ha'e attained the age of maturity) i:e:) "1 years of age::::E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3he ;itb0i0ADdas) Notes) ! 1N9/ p! LL92
-'1. Foet"s to be !reated 7ith .espect@ no #atter 5ow Eo"n6
@rom a Bah point of 'ie7) the soul is present from conception and therefore the foetus) no matter
ho7 young) should not be treated 7ith disrespect and carelessly discarded into an incinerator) if this can
be pre'ented: 3he House of 9ustice 6no7s of nothing in the Hritings specifically referring to the burial
of embryos) and) in pre'ious instances) has left such details to the discretion of the parents: /n one case it
7as reported to the Horld Centre that the parents had buried the foetus in a corner of their o7n garden
and had said a fe7 prayers for the progress of their childs soul:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er M/ 19802
-'2. Cremation is Contrary to *ah+,; &aw,ah-*? Relati"es and the 4piritual (ssem)l5 are
Responsi)le
@As 7as e?plained to your Assembly in a letter 7ritten on behalf of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice on "-
9anuary "#+$) if a Bah ma6es a pro'ision in his 7ill that is contrary to Bah la7) that pro'ision is
null and 'oid in Bah la7) and neither the Bah relati'es nor the Spiritual Assembly are permitted to
fulfil it: 3hus) if a Bah states in his 7ill that his remains are to be cremated he should) ne'ertheless) be
buried in accordance 7ith Bah la7 unless there is some element of the ci'il la7 7ould pre'ent such
an occurrenceQin 7hich case the ci'il la7 7ould ha'e to be follo7ed) but the Assembly) as indicated
abo'e) could ta6e no part in it::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %erman5/ Decem)er 9/ 198N2
-'. In Case of Death at %ea@ #aritime &aw is Applicable*"rial on &and is Preferable
@3he la7s of burial as re'ealed by Bahullh in the ;itb0i0ADdas do not refer to the occurrence of
death at sea: Jntil such time as the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice legislates on these matters) the friends
7hen faced 7ith such incidents should be guided by 7hate'er ci'il or maritime la7 is applicable under
the circumstances: Should land be reached) ho7e'er) ob'iously the body must be buried on land in the
nearest suitable place:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual/ 9uoted in a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal
7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ew Pealand/ Octo)er L1/ 190N2
@Bah la7s of burial do not refer to burial at sea and the House of 9ustice has not yet legislated on the
matter: Ho7e'er) it is preferable that Bah burial should ta6e place on land 7hene'er this is possible:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ Decem)er L3/ 198@2
-''. *elie1er %ho"ld Ens"re that 5e 7ill be *"ried Accordin6 to *ah+,; &aw
@3he friends should certainly be informed of the Bah la7s relating to burial and encouraged to do all
they can to ensure that after their passing they are buried according to Bah la7: /t is not al7ays
possible to ensure this by stating it in a Hill and Assemblies should consult upon the matter) ta6ing legal
ad'ice if necessary) and ma6e the best arrangements possible to enable the Bahs in their care to be
buried in the Bah 7ay:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Decem)er 31/ 190L2
-'(. Enfoldin6 the *ody of the Deceased
@/n the Bayn) the Bb specified that the body of the deceased should be 7rapped in fi'e sheets of sil6
or cotton: Bahullh confirmed this pro'ision and added the stipulation that @for those whose means
are limited a sin$le sheet of either fa)ric will sufficeE:
@Hhen as6ed 7hether the Afi"e sheets mentioned in the la7 referred to Afi'e full0length shrouds or
Afi'e cloths 7hich 7ere hitherto customarily used) Bahullh responded that the intention is the Ause
of fi"e cloths:
@Concerning the 7ay in 7hich the body should be 7rapped) there is nothing in the Bah Hritings to
define ho7 the 7rapping of the body is to be done) either 7hen Afi"e cloths are used or only Aa sin$le
sheet: At present) the Bahs are free to use their Budgement in the matter:E
&The :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice. AotesB appended to 3he ;itb0i0ADdas/ n1@1/ pp! LL9+L312
-'-. Face of the Dead %ho"ld be !"rned !oward the >iblih
@3he dead should be buried 7ith their face turned to7ards the Riblih: 3here is also a congregational
prayer to be recited: Besides this there is no other ceremony to be performed:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 M/ 193@2
-'/. 5o"r,s 9o"rney #ay be Calc"lated from City &imits
@He ha'e been instructed by the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice to con'ey its reply to your enDuiry of ,-th
9une "#+$ about the Bah burial la7 concerning the one hours tra'el from the place of death:
@3he House of 9ustice ad'ises that the place of death may be ta6en to be the city or to7n in 7hich the
belie'er passes a7ay) and therefore the hours Bourney may be calculated from the city limits to the place
of burial: Ho7e'er) it should be borne in mind that the spirit of Bahullhs la7 is to be buried near
7here one dies:E
&#etter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ Eul5 9/ 19082
-'0. Dra1eyard #ore than an 5o"r on Foot from a Billa6e
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has recei'ed your letter of "-th August "#$" in 7hich you as6 for
guidance in obser'ing the la7 for the burial of the dead in cases 7here the gra'eyard is more than an
hours Bourney on foot from a 'illage:
@/f alternati'e means of transport are not a'ailable or practicable in cases such as you mention) another
possibility is for the Bahs of such a 'illage to acDuire a gra'eyard nearer to the 'illage so that it can be
reached 7ithin one hour from the 'illage limits: /f no such solution is feasible the belie'ers 7ill Bust
ha'e to do their best for the present to 6eep the Bourney as short as possible: /n any case the House of
9ustice presumes that the Bourney is not li6ely to greatly e?ceed the one hour limit:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Panama/ 4eptem)er L1/ 19812
-'2. !he *"rial %tone
@3he placing of the burial stone on the dead has no other significance than to emphasiCe our profound
con'iction that our souls come from our Creator and to Him they return) and in Him 7e belie'e and
trust:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ Eul5 L9/ 19NL2
-(3. *"ry the Dead in %il$
@3he Bb has told us to bury the dead in sil6 Fif possibleG in coffins of crystal: HhyS Because the body)
though no7 dust) 7as once e?alted by the immortal soul of manLE
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 13/ 19NN2
-(1. %ho"ld Ad1ise *ah+,;s in #ilitary %er1ice of *"rial &aws
@Mou should also ad'ise all indi'idual Bahs 7ho are in ser'ice that they should ta6e 7hate'er
measures are necessary to see that Bah la7s regarding burial are obser'ed: Such indi'iduals should
also notify their families or ne?t of 6in about these la7s and of their 7ish to be buried according to
Bah la7:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eanuar5 11/
19M82
C$ Bah Ce&eteries
-(2. *ah+,;s Are Permitted to Accept &and from the Do1ernment for Cemetery
@/n response to your Duestion about acDuiring land from the >o'ernment for the specific purpose of
establishing a Bah cemetery) the House of 9ustice ad'ises that it is permissible for Bahs to be
granted by go'ernment authorities the o7nership or use of land for this purpose:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,raJil/ <e)ruar5 L1/ 19082
-(. Disinterment
@Mou ha'e stated in your letter that it is a custom there for the body to be disinterred after three years and
put in a smaller cas6et for reburial: Since this is apparently not reDuired by la7) it 7ould be best for you
to ad'ise the friends to ma6e the necessary arrangements 7ith the cemetery authorities so that
disinterment of the body does not ta6e place:E
&I)id!2
-('. At Present no Definite .e6"lations for *ah+,; Cemeteries
@At the present time there are no definite regulations for preparing Bah cemeteries: Ho7e'er) in a
3ablet of the <asters) He emphasiCes the need for the cemetery to ha'e a beautiful out7ard appearance
and states that the gra'es should not be Boined together but that each one should ha'e a flo7er bed
around its four sides: He also indicates that it 7ould be pleasing if a pool 7ere located in the center of
the cemetery and beautiful trees 7ere planted around it as 7ell as around the cemetery itself:E
&I)id!2
-((. %ho"ld not .ef"se to *"ry *ah+,; 7ho &ost Botin6 .i6hts(ssem)l5 6a5 Permit ,urial of
on+,ah-*?s
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has recei'ed your letter of "1th 9une "#$( as6ing 7hether it is
permissible to bury non0Bahs in a Bah cemetery) and has as6ed us to con'ey the follo7ing to you:
@/t 7ould not be right to refuse to bury in a Bah cemetery one 7ho has lost his 'oting rights:
urthermore) it is Duite possible that non0Bah relati'es of belie'ers or others may be permitted to be
buried in a Bah cemetery: Ho7e'er) a deciding factor could be 7hether the area of land chosen for use
as a Bah cemetery 7ould be large enough to permit burial of non0Bahs: /t is suggested that no hard
and fast rules be adopted) but that each case be considered on its o7n merits:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,raJil/ Eul5 1L/ 198N2

-(-. !he #ost Dreat :ame or .in6stone %ymbol not Appropriate on Dra1estones
@Normally the building of structures or headstones on gra'es should be left to the family of the
deceased) and all e?penses should be co'ered by them:
@3he use of the <ost >reat Name or the ringstone symbol on gra'estones is not appropriate: /n a letter
dated September "+) "#+" to an indi'idual belie'er 7e 7rote the follo7ing!
@ AConcerning the Duestions you as6 in your postscript) there is no specific ruling regarding
the type of headstone that may be used at a gra'e site: Ho7e'er) regarding the inscription on
a headstone) the belo'ed >uardian as6ed the belie'ers not to use any form of the >reatest
Name but a nine0pointed star may be used: 5r) you may 7ish to ha'e an appropriate te?t
from the Sacred Hritings inscribed on the headstone: 3he position of the body in the gra'e
should be 7ith the feet pointing to7ard the Riblih) 7hich is BahB in AA66:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of :$anda/ 6a5 N/ 190L2
$ Funeral %er.ices
-(/. )fficial *ah+,; F"neral %er1ice for *elie1ers )nly
@An official Bah funeral ser'ice should only be gi'en for a belie'er) but there is no obBection to the
reading of Bah prayers) or indeed to a Bah conducting the funeral ser'ice of a non0Bah) if this
has been reDuested:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eul5 L1/ 19NM2
-(0. 8tmost %implicity and Fle?ibility %ho"ld be )bser1ed...
@&egarding the Bah funeral ser'ice! /t is e?tremely simple) as it consists only of a congregational
prayer to be read before burial:::: Mour National Spiritual Assembly should ta6e great care lest any
uniform procedure or ritual in this matter be adopted or imposed upon the friends: 3he danger in this) as
in some other cases regarding Bah 7orship) is that a definite system or rigid rituals and practices be
de'eloped among the belie'ers: 3he utmost simplicity and fle?ibility should be obser'ed::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eanuar5 11/ 193M2
-(2. :o )bFection to *ah+,;s Attendin6 :on-*ah+,; F"neral of *ah+,;s
@3here is no obBection to Bahs attending the non0Bah funeral ser'ice of a Bah 7hose non0Bah
relati'es ha'e pre'ented the Bah funeral from ta6ing place: 3he Bahs should) ho7e'er) endea'our
to offer Bah prayers for the progress of the soul of their departed friend) if circumstances permit: /f
they cannot be offered on the occasion of the funeral they should be offered at another time:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3olom)ia/ 6a5 N/ 19MM2
--3. )bli6atory Prayer for the DeadPermissi)le to 3han$e %ender
@He ha'e your letter of ,% 8ecember "#** as6ing 7hether it is permissible to change the gender of the
pronoun in Bah prayers for the dead 7hen the deceased person is a 7oman:
@3he prayer for the dead 7hich is obligatory appears on page ,*- of A2rayers and <editations: 3his
prayer allo7s for a change in gender:
@5ther prayers for the dead are optional) but if used they are to be used as re'ealed:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eanuar5 10/ 19M02
--1. Prayer for the Dead to be .ecited by )ne *elie1er
@3he 2rayer for the 8ead is the only Bah obligatory prayer 7hich is to be recited in congregationI it is
to be recited by one belie'er 7hile all present stand in silence: Bahullh has clarified that the 2rayer
for the 8ead is reDuired only 7hen the deceased is an adult) that the recital should precede the interment
of the deceased) and that there is no reDuirement to face the Riblih 7hen saying this prayer:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h/ 8it-)+i+(9das/ otes/ n112
--2. :on-*ah+,; Can be Present 7hen &on6 Prayer for the Dead is .ead
@3here is no obBection 7hatsoe'er to non0Bahs being present 7hen the long prayer for the dead is
read) as long as they respect our manner of reading it by rising and standing as the Bahs do on this
occasion: Nor) indeed) is there any obBection to non0Bahs being present during the reading of any
Bah prayer for the departed:E
&<rom letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eul5 L1/ 19NM2
--. Prayer for the Dead%pecial Conditions
@3he 2rayer for the 8ead should be recited at the funeral if the deceased is "1 years old or more: /f there
is no one at the funeral able to read) it is sufficient to say only that part of the 2rayer 7hich reDuires the
repetition nineteen times of each of si? short 'erses:
@3he body must be placed in the gra'e in such a position that the feet point to7ards AA66 Fthe
RiblihG:E
&<rom a statement prepared )5 a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 in (frica and appro"ed )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice on Eune 1N/ 198L2
--'. Any Prayer #ay be %aid for a 7omanTe;t 6ust ot 3han$e
@/n connection 7ith the Duestion you as6ed about the prayer for the dead! any of the prayers 7hich 7ere
originally re'ealed for a man or a 7oman can be said for the opposite se?) but the te?t must not be
changed:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 11/ 19NM2
--(. #emorial Datherin6s
@As you 6no7) the offering of prayers on behalf of the departed) 7hether Bah or non0Bah) is
encouraged in our teachings) as such prayers are conduci'e to the progress of their souls in the 7orld
beyond: As to the holding of memorial gatherings at regular inter'als) there is nothing in the teachings
specifically prohibiting such gatherings) but 7e find general guidelines in the letters of the belo'ed
>uardian) in 7hich he 7arns the belie'ers against adhering to the rites and customs of past systems and
of former religions) and instead urges them to sho7 forth the Bah 7ay of life and demonstrate the
independent character of the teachings of the aith:
@Ad'ertising memorial gatherings by the family is entirely a personal matter for the family to decide:
/t is left to the discretion of your National Spiritual Assembly 7hether =ocal Spiritual Assemblies may
permit the use of their Bah Centres for such gatherings:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %hana/ 6a5 LN/ 190N2
($ Cre&ation
---. Cremation
@He feels that) in 'ie7 of 7hat AAbdul0Bah has said against cremation) the belie'ers should be strongly
urged) as an act of faith) to ma6e pro'isions against their remains being cremated: Bahullh has laid
do7n as a la7) in the ADdas) the manner of Bah burial) and it is so beautiful) befitting and dignified)
that no belie'er should depri'e himself of it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eul5 0/ 19N02
--/. *ody Can be &eft to #edical %cience@ .emains not to be Cremated
@3here is nothing in the teachings against lea'ing our bodies to medical science: 3he only thing 7e
should stipulate is that 7e do not 7ish to be cremated) as it is against our Bah la7s:
@As many people ma6e arrangements to lea'e their bodies to medical science for in'estigation) he
suggests that you inDuire) either through some la7yer friend or through some hospital) ho7 you could do
this) and then ma6e the necessary pro'ision in your Hill) stipulating that you 7ish your body to be of
ser'ice to man6ind in death) and that) being a Bah) you reDuest that your remains not be cremated and
not be ta6en more than an hours Bourney from the place of your death:
@3he spirit has no more connection 7ith the body after it departs) but as the body 7as once the temple
of the spirit) 7e Bahs are taught that it must be treated 7ith respect:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch LL/ 19@02
--0. !he Inner !emple *eholdeth Its Physical Frame
@As this physical frame is the throne of the inner temple) 7hate'er occurs to the former is felt by the
latter: /n reality that 7hich ta6es delight in Boy or is saddened by pain is the inner temple of the body) not
the body itself: Since this physical body is the throne 7hereon the inner temple is established) >od hath
ordained that the body be preser'ed to the e?tent possible) so that nothing that causeth repugnance may
be e?perienced: 3he inner temple beholdeth its physical frame) 7hich is its throne: 3hus) if the latter is
accorded respect) it is as if the former is the recipient: 3he con'erse is li6e7ise true:
@3herefore) it hath been ordained that the dead body should be treated 7ith the utmost honour and
respect:E
&The ,-). Selections from the Hritings of the Bb/ p! 9@2
--2. *ody Formed Drad"ally@ #"st Decompose Drad"ally
@Be assured that your letter 7as not a bother to us: /ndeed) 7e 7ere happy to learn that in the autumn
years of your physical life your soul 7as illumined by the eternal light shed upon the 7orld by
Bahullh:
@Concerning your Duestion about cremation) the Bah la7 stipulates burial: 3he instructions of
Bahullh contained in His <ost Holy Boo6 ma6e this la7 clear: Shoghi Effendi) in a letter 7ritten on
his behalf to an indi'idual belie'er in "#11) comments that AAbdul0Bah A:::also e?plained that burial is
natural and should be follo7ed: 3he e?planation of the <aster referred to by Shoghi Effendi is found in
3ablets re'ealed by Him: 5ne of those 7as published in Star of the Hest) Polume O/) No: "#) page %"+)
from 7hich 7e Duote!
A3hy letter has been recei'ed: 8ue to scarcity of time) / 7rite the ans7er briefly! 3he body of
man) 7hich has been formed gradually) must similarly be decomposed gradually: 3his is
according to the real and natural order and 8i'ine =a7: /f it had been better for it to be
burned after death) in its 'ery creation it 7ould ha'e been so planned that the body 7ould
automatically become ignited after death) be consumed and turned into ashes: But the di'ine
order formulated by the hea'enly ordinance is that after death) this body shall be transferred
from one stage to another different from the preceding one) so that according to the relations
7hich e?ist in the 7orld) it may gradually combine and mi? other elements) thus going
through stages until it arri'es in the 'egetable 6ingdom) there turning into plants and flo7ers)
de'eloping into trees of the highest paradise) becoming perfumed and attaining the beauty of
color:
ACremation suppresses it speedily from attainment to these transformations) the elements
becoming so Duic6ly decomposed that transformation to these 'arious stages is chec6ed:
@Hhen 7e realiCe that our physical bodies are composed of elements placed in the earth by their
Creator) and 7hich through the orderly processes of His =a7 are continually being used in the formation
of beings) 7e can better understand the necessity for our physical bodies to be subBected to the gradual
process of decomposition: As at the time of death) the real and eternal self of man) his soul) abandons its
physical garment to soar in the realms of >od) 7e may compare the body to a 'ehicle 7hich has been
used for the Bourney through earthly life and no longer needed once the destination has been reached:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune M/ 19012
-/3. %pirit"al Assembly Cannot Arran6e for the Cremation of the .emains of a *ah+,;
@5b'iously a Spiritual Assembly cannot itself arrange for the cremation of the remains of a Bah e'en
if it 7as that persons 7ish that his body be disposed of in this 7ay: Bah relati'es) li6e7ise) are under
the obligation of obeying the Bah la7 and must not agree to the cremation of a Bah: Hhere non0
Bah relati'es of the deceased Bah ha'e charge of the body and are proposing to cremate the
remains) the responsible Spiritual Assembly should do all it can to e?plain the Bah attitude to the
relati'es in an effort to pre'ent the cremation: /f these efforts fail) the Assembly can ha'e nothing
officially to do 7ith the cremation of the bodyI the belie'ers) ho7e'er) are free to do as they 7ish about
attending the funeral and the cremation and they may certainly offer a prayer for the progress of the soul
of the deceased: 3he Assembly could) if it seemed appropriate) arrange a meeting at a time other than the
funeral) at 7hich the 2rayer for the 8ead could be said on behalf of the deceased:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %erman5/ Decem)er 9/ 198N2
-/1. 7ord <*ah+,;= in Centre of :ine-Pointed %tar Can be 8sed
@As regards your Duestion! 3here is no reason 7hy the 7ord ABah should not appear in the centre of a
nine0pointed star on the tombstone of dear Elsa Pento) but the ring0stone emblem should not be used)
nor the >reatest Name:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er 31/ 19@@2
-/2. Can 8se >"otations from the !eachin6s on !ombstones
@/n regard to your Duestion regarding the use of the >reatest Name on tombstones of Bahs or non0
Bahs) the >uardian considers this too sacred to be placed in such a position in general use) and the
friends should not use it on their tombstones: 3hey can use Duotations from the 3eachings) if they 7ish
to) but not the >reatest Name: Naturally) if anyone has already used it) it does not matter:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eune L1/ 19@N2
-/. Possible !hat :on-*ah+,; .elati1es Can be *"ried in *ah+,; Cemetery
@:::it is Duite possible that non0Bah relati'es of belie'ers or others may be permitted to be buried in a
Bah cemetery:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ Decem)er 3/ 190@2
F$ %uicideG
-/'. %"icide %tron6ly Condemned in the !eachin6s
@&egarding the A/n <emoriam section of ABah Ne7s! Although suicide is so strongly condemned in
the teachings) it does not mean that a person has ceased to be a Bah because he 6illed himselfI he
should) therefore) be mentioned) the same as other belie'ers) in this section:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ 6arch L9/ 19N@2
O&4ee also. o! 1L112
-/(. !he &i6ht #anifested by *ah+,",ll+h Can Ease Despair of Eo"n6 People
@/t is too bad that young and promising men) 7ho if they remain li'ing can render great ser'ices to
humanity) should ta6e a7ay their life at a moment of despair:
@3he 7orld) especially in these days) is full of 7oes and sufferings: He should be bra'e and ha'e a
stout heart: 3rials and tribulations should arouse in us added 'igour and greater determination and not
dampen our Ceal and 6ill our spirit:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 1L/ 19332
-/-. *ah+,;s Are Free to Pray for the Dead
@A Bah is certainly free to pray for those 7ho ha'e passed on regardless of the cause of their death)
using the 7ords of any of the prayers of his choice 7hich ha'e been re'ealed through the bounty of >od:
3he manner in 7hich the Supreme Being) in His Bustice as 7ell as in His mercy) 7ill deal 7ith e'ery
indi'idual soul is a mystery un6no7n to us on this earthly plane:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er L1/ 19082
-//. )ne %ho"ld P"t all !ho"6ht of %"icide and Death o"t of #ind
@/n reply to your letter of "st <ay "#+#) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has instructed us to share 7ith
you the follo7ing e?cerpt from a letter 7ritten on behalf of Shoghi Effendi by his secretary to a belie'er
7ho as6ed about suicide:
ASuicide is forbidden in the Cause: >od Hho is the Author of all life can alone ta6e it a7ay)
and dispose of it in the 7ay He deems best: Hhoe'er commits suicide endangers his soul)
and 7ill suffer spiritually as a result in the other Horlds Beyond:
@3he House of 9ustice admonishes you to put all thought of suicide and death out of your mind and
concentrate on prayer and effort to ser'e the Cause of Bahullh:E
-/0. Consolation for the *erea1ed Parent
@::: He 7as 'ery sad to hear of your sadness and difficulties: Should that be only due to the passing of
your son) it is not fully Bustified) at least in the light of the teachings of Bahullh: He e?plicitly states
that) had 7e the 'ision to see the other 7orld) and the mind to concei'e its glory) 7e 7ould not desire to
remain here e'en for a moment: <an is destined by >od to undergo a spiritual de'elopment that e?tends
throughout eternity: His life upon this earth is only the first stage of that de'elopment: Hhen 7e outgro7
our physical form) and are considered by >od ready to reap the fruit of our spiritual de'elopment) 7e
proceed to the other 7orld: He term it death only because of our shortsightedness: A more proper term
7ould be Aa more abundant life: /t is a for7ard step 7e ha'e ta6en: /n the light of the teachings)
therefore) the proper attitude for you) is to pray that >od may encompass your son 7ith His infinite
blessings) that He may enhance his de'elopment and gi'e him that felicity 7hich a7aits e'ery ::: soul:
@:::the 7orld is full of suffering: Bahullh tells us that the deeper are the furro7s it digs into our 'ery
being) the greater 7ill be the fruit of our life and the more enhanced our spiritual de'elopment: All the
Saints that shine in the history of society had to pass through tribulations: 3heir form 7as 'arious but
their effect has al7ays been the same) namely) the purification of our heart and soul for recei'ing the
light of >od:E
G$ Life after eath7 the %oul
-/2. Difts and Dood Deeds in #emory of !hose Passed )n
@3he <aster has told us that gifts and good deeds done in memory of those 7ho ha'e passed on) are
most helpful to the de'elopment of their souls in the realms beyond::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 11/ 19@L2
-03. #an is Destined by Dod to De1elop %pirit"ally !hro"6h Eternity
@Hith regard to the soul of man: According to the Bah 3eachings the human soul starts 7ith the
formation of the human embryo) and continues to de'elop and pass through endless stages of e?istence
after its separation from the body: /ts progress is thus infinite:E
-01. .e6ardin6 :on-*ah+,; !raditions
@/n regard to your Duestion concerning the truth of the statement that it ta6es a soul three days to ma6e
complete se'erance from the body) the >uardian 7ishes me to inform you that there is no specific
reference to this point in the Sacred Hritings of the Cause: But as to the ad'isability of praying for the
departed for forty days after their passing this is entirely an originally <oslem practice) and constitutes
in no 7ay an obligation on any belie'er: 3o pray for the dead is 'ery beneficial and helpful and is al7ays
a source of comfort and satisfaction: But there is no reason 7hy it should be confined to a definite period
of forty days:E
-02. !he %o"l 7ill Contin"e to Ascend !hro"6h #any 7orlds
@Concerning the future life) 7hat Bahullh says is that the soul 7ill continue to ascend through many
7orlds: Hhat those 7orlds are and 7hat their nature is 7e cannot 6no7: 3he same 7ay that the child in
the matri? cannot 6no7 this 7orld so 7e cannot 6no7 7hat the other 7orld is going to be:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 18/ 193L2
-0. 7e Can 5elp E1ery %o"l Attain 5i6h %tation
@Concerning your Duestion 7hether a soul can recei'e 6no7ledge of the 3ruth in the 7orld beyond:
Such a 6no7ledge is surely possible) and is but a sign of the lo'ing mercy of the Almighty: He can)
through our prayers) help e'ery soul to gradually attain this high station) e'en if it has failed to reach it
in this 7orld: 3he progress of the soul does not come to an end 7ith death: /t rather starts along a ne7
line: Bahullh teaches that great and far0reaching possibilities a7ait the soul in the other 7orld:
Spiritual progress in that realm is infinite) and no man) 7hile on this earth) can 'isualiCe its full po7er
and e?tent:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 LL/ 193@2
-0'. Intercession in the )ther 7orld
@3he 7ealth of the other 7orld is nearness to >od: ConseDuently) it is certain that those 7ho are near the
8i'ine Court are allo7ed to intercede) and this intercession is appro'ed by >od: But intercession in the
other 7orld is not li6e intercession in this 7orld: /t is another thing) another reality) 7hich cannot be
e?pressed in 7ords:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Some Ans7ered Ruestions/ 198N ed!/ p! L312
-0(. *eC"ests to the Poor
@/f a 7ealthy man at the time of his death beDueaths a gift to the poor and miserable) and gi'es a part of
his 7ealth to be spent for them) perhaps this action may be the cause of his pardon and forgi'eness) and
of his progress in the di'ine ;ingdom:
@Also a father and mother endure the greatest troubles and hardships for their childrenI and often 7hen
the children ha'e reached the age of maturity) the parents pass on to the other 7orld: &arely does it
happen that a father and mother in this 7orld see the re7ard of the care and trouble they ha'e undergone
for their children: 3herefore) children) in return for this care and trouble) must sho7 forth charity and
beneficence) and must implore pardon and forgi'eness for their parents: So you ought) in return for the
lo'e and 6indness sho7n you by your father) to gi'e to the poor for his sa6e) 7ith greatest submission
and humility implore pardon and remission of sins) and as6 for the supreme mercy:E
&I)id!/ pp! L31+L3L2
-0-. !he :at"re of the %o"l After Death Can :e1er *e Described
@::: 3he honor 7ith 7hich the Hand of <ercy 7ill in'est the soul is such as no tongue can adeDuately
re'eal) nor any other earthly agency describe: Blessed is the soul 7hich) at the hour of its separation
from the body) is sanctified from the 'ain imaginings of the peoples of the 7orld: Such a soul li'eth and
mo'eth in accordance 7ith the Hill of its Creator) and entereth the all0highest 2aradise: 3he <aids of
Hea'en) inmates of the loftiest mansions) 7ill circle around it) and the 2rophets of >od and His chosen
ones 7ill see6 its companionship: Hith them that soul 7ill freely con'erse) and 7ill recount unto them
that 7hich it hath been made to endure in the path of >od) the =ord of all 7orlds: /f any man be told that
7hich hath been ordained for such a soul in the 7orlds of >od) the =ord of the throne on high and of
earth belo7) his 7hole being 7ill instantly blaCe out in his great longing to attain that most e?alted) that
sanctified and resplendent station:::: 3he nature of the soul after death can ne'er be described) nor is it
meet and permissible to re'eal its 7hole character to the eyes of men::::E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. %leanin$s from the Writin$s of ,ah-*u*ll-h/ 1983 ed!/ p! 1@M2
-0/. !here are no Earth-*o"nd %o"ls
@3here are no earth0bound souls: Hhen the souls that are not good die they go entirely a7ay from this
earth and so cannot influence anyone: 3hey are spiritually dead: 3heir thoughts can ha'e influence only
7hen they are ali'e on the earth::: But the good souls are gi'en eternal life and sometimes >od permits
their thoughts to reach the earth to help the people:E
&Cuestions answered )5 '()du*l+,ah- in '(kk-. 8aily =essons) &ecei'ed at AA66/ 1909 ed!/ pp! 3@+3M2
-00. !here is no Power E?ercised )1er People by E1il %o"ls that 5a1e Passed Away
@3here is no po7er e?ercised o'er the people by those e'il souls that ha'e passed a7ay: >ood is
stronger than e'il and e'en 7hen ali'e they had 'ery little po7er: Ho7 much less ha'e they after they
are dead) and besides they are no7here near this planet:E
&I)id!/ pp! N3+NN2
-02. %o"l #ates
@3here is no teaching in the Bah aith that Asoul mates e?ist: Hhat is meant is that marriage should
lead to a profound friendship of spirit) 7hich 7ill endure in the ne?t 7orld) 7here there is no se?) and no
gi'ing and ta6ing in marriageI Bust the 7ay 7e should establish 7ith our parents) our children) our
brothers and sisters and friends a deep spiritual bond 7hich 7ill be e'er0lasting) and not merely physical
bonds of human relationship:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er N/ 19@N2
-23. Infl"ence of 5oly and %pirit"al %o"ls
@As to the Duestion that the holy and spiritual souls influence) help and guide the creatures after they
ha'e cast off this elemental mouldQthis is an established truth of the Bahs:::E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3ablets of AAbdul0Bah/ >ol! III/ p! @N32
-21. !he %o"l Acts
@3he soul acts in the physical 7orld 7ith the help of the body: Hhen it is detached from the body) it acts
7ithout an intermediary:::
@::: 3he body is the horse) the soul is the rider) and sometimes the rider mo'es 7ithout a mount: But
people 7ho do not reflect say that 7hen the soul has left the body it can no longer act: Spirit has no
body: &eflect on this subBect:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 8i'ine 2hilosophy/ 19L8 ed!/ p! 1L02
-22. !he )ther 7orld is 7ithin !his 7orld
@::: 3he ans7er to the first Duestion! 3he souls of the children of the ;ingdom) after their separation
from the body) ascend unto the realm of e'erlasting life: But if ye as6 as to the place) 6no7 ye that the
7orld of e?istence is a single 7orld) although its stations are 'arious and distinct: or e?ample) the
mineral life occupieth its o7n plane) but a mineral entity is 7ithout any a7areness at all of the 'egetable
6ingdom):::
@As to the second Duestion! 3he tests and trials of >od ta6e place in this 7orld) not in the 7orld of the
;ingdom:
@3he ans7er to the third Duestion is this) that in the other 7orld the human reality doth not assume a
physical form) rather doth it ta6e on a hea'enly form) made up of elements of that hea'enly realm:
@And the ans7er to the fourth Duestion! 3he centre of the Sun of 3ruth is in the supernal 7orldQthe
;ingdom of >od: 3hose souls 7ho are pure and unsullied) upon the dissolution of their elemental
frames) hasten a7ay to the 7orld of >od) and that 7orld is 7ithin this 7orld: 3he people of this 7orld)
ho7e'er) are una7are of that 7orld) and are e'en as the mineral and the 'egetable that 6no7 nothing of
the 7orld of the animal and the 7orld of man:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 4elections from the Writin$s of '()du*l+,ah-/ pp! 19N+9@2
-2. !he %o"l of a #"rderer
@As to the Duestion regarding the soul of a murderer) and 7hat his punishment 7ould be: 3he ans7er
gi'en 7as that the murderer must e?piate his crimeI that is) if they put the murderer to death) his death is
his atonement for his crime) and follo7ing the death) >od in His Bustice 7ill impose no second penalty
upon him) for 8i'ine 9ustice 7ould not allo7 this:E
&I)id!/ p! 1092
-2'. 8nion in the :e?t 7orld
@:::the possibility of securing union 7ith his belo'ed in the ne?t 7orld is one 7hich the Bah 3eachings
are Duite clear about: According to Bahullh the soul retains its indi'iduality and consciousness after
death) and is able to commune 7ith other souls: 3his communion) ho7e'er) is purely spiritual in
character) and is conditioned upon the disinterested and selfless lo'e of the indi'iduals for each other:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ 6arch 11/ 193M. 8a7n of a Ne7 8ay/ p! @82
-2(. Death Can &ose its %tin6
@/n His 3ablets Bahullh says that 7ere 7e able to comprehend the facilities that a7ait us in the 7orld
to come) death 7ould lose its stingI nay rather 7e 7ould 7elcome it as a gate07ay to a realm
immeasurably higher and nobler than this home of suffering 7e call our earth: Mou should therefore
thin6 of their blessings and comfort yourself for your momentary separation: /n time all of us 7ill Boin
our departed ones and share their Boys:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 13/ 193L2
-2-. 7ith Bision to %ee *lessin6s of )ther 7orld@ no one 7o"ld Care to .emain in !his 7orld
@Bahullh says that 7ere 7e to ha'e the proper 'ision to see the blessings of the other 7orld 7e
7ould not bear to endure one more hour of e?istence upon the earth: 3he reason 7hy 7e are depri'ed of
that 'ision is because other7ise no one 7ould care to remain and the 7hole fabric of society 7ill be
destroyed:
@Shoghi Effendi 7ishes you therefore to thin6 of her blessings and reBoice in her happiness: Should 7e
ha'e true faith in the 7ords of the prophets 7e 7ould not fear death nor feel despondent o'er the passing
of our lo'ed ones:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er LL/ 193L2
-2/. Dood %o"ls Enter a %tate of *ein6 Far :obler and #ore *ea"tif"l...
@::: Such earnest souls) 7hen they pass out of this life) enter a state of being far nobler and more
beautiful than this one: He fear it only because it is un6no7n to us and 7e ha'e little faith in the 7ords
of the 2rophets 7ho bring a true message of certainty from that realm of the spirit: He should face death
7ith Boy especially if our life upon this plane of e?istence has been full of good deeds:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 31/ 193L2
-20. !he :at"re of the %o"l
@::: irst concerning the human soul and its true nature: According to the Bah conception) the soul of
man) or in other 7ords his inner spiritual self or reality) is not dualistic: 3here is no such thing) as the
Voroastrians belie'e) as a double reality in man) a definite higher self and a lo7er self: 3hese t7o
tendencies for good or e'il are but manifestations of a single reality or self: 3he latter is capable of
de'elopment in either 7ay: All depends fundamentally on the training or education 7hich man recei'es:
Human nature is made up of possibilities both for good and e'il: 3rue religion can enable it to soar in the
highest realm of the spirit) 7hile its absence can) as 7e already 7itness around us) cause it to fall to the
lo7est depths of degradation and misery:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to (lfred #unt/ 6a5 L@/ 193M2
-22. All %o"ls Pro6ress %pirit"ally in the :e?t 7orldRelati"es of the ,elie"ers Will at #east
Partiall5 (ttain 8in$dom
@Hith reference to Bahullhs 3ablet in 7hich He says that all the relati'es of belie'ers 7ill reach the
;ingdom in the other 7orld! By this is meant only a partial attainment: 3hey can) ho7e'er) progress
indefinitely) as spiritual progress in the other 7orld is limitless) and is not confined to those 7ho ha'e
attained unto the 6no7ledge and recognition of the Cause 7hile still in this 7orld:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 31/ 19N12
/33. Certain !hin6s .emain a #ystery to 8s in )"r Present %ta6e of De1elopment
@&egarding your Duestion concerning a deep and profound study of the teachings! 5f course the Bahs
can and should meditate upon the significances of the 7ritings) and endea'our to grasp their meaning to
the uttermost: 3here can be no possible obBection to this: Ho7e'er certain things are) by their 'ery
nature) a mystery to us) at least in our present stage of de'elopment: 5ne of these is 7hat the ne?t 7orld)
the purely spiritual 7orld) is li6e:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 19/ 19NL2
/31. !he Prophets :e1er .e1ealed 7hat 5appens to 8s After Death,elief in %od and 7is Prophet
Elicits 4piritual %rowth
@Mou as6 an e?planation of 7hat happens to us after 7e lea'e this 7orld! 3his is a Duestion 7hich none
of the 2rophets ha'e e'er ans7ered in detail) for the 'ery simple reason that you cannot con'ey to a
persons mind something entirely different from e'erything they ha'e e'er e?perienced: AAbdul0Bah
ga'e the 7onderful e?ample of the relation of this life to the ne?t life being li6e the child in the 7ombI it
de'elops eyes) ears) hands) feet) a tongue) and yet it has nothing to see or hear) it cannot 7al6 or grasp
things or spea6I all these faculties it is de'eloping for this 7orld: /f you tried to e?plain to an embryo
7hat this 7orld is li6e it could ne'er understandQbut it understands 7hen it is born) and its faculties can
be used: So 7e cannot picture our state in the ne?t 7orld: All 7e 6no7 is that our consciousness) our
personality) endures in some ne7 state) and that that 7orld is as much better than this one as this one is
better than the dar6 7omb of our mother 7as::::
@5ur past is not the thing that matters so much in this 7orld as 7hat 7e intend to do 7ith our future:
3he inestimable 'alue of religion is that 7hen a man is 'itally connected 7ith it) through a real and
li'ing belief in it and in the 2rophet Hho brought it) he recei'es a strength greater than his o7n 7hich
helps him to de'elop his good characteristics and o'ercome his bad ones: 3he 7hole purpose of religion
is to change not only our thoughts but our actsI 7hen 7e belie'e in >od and His 2rophet and His
3eachings) 7e find 7e are gro7ing) e'en though 7e perhaps thought oursel'es incapable of gro7th and
changeLE
/32. )"r %pec"lations on the :at"re of &ife After Death 5a1e &ittle Balidity
@3he >uardian feels that) 7hile there is no harm in speculation on these abstract matters) one should not
attach too much importance to them: Science itself is far from ha'ing resol'ed the Duestion of the nature
of matter) and 7e cannot) in this physical 7orld) grasp the spiritual one more than in a 'ery fragmentary
and inadeDuate manner:E
/3. Dod Can be Gnown only !hro"6h 5is Prophets7ea"en and 7ell (re 3onditions Within our
own ,ein$s
@He 7ill ha'e e?perience of >ods spirit through His 2rophets in the ne?t 7orld) but >od is too great for
us to 6no7 7ithout this /ntermediary: 3he 2rophets 6no7 >od) but ho7 is more than our human minds
can grasp: He belie'e 7e may attain in the ne?t 7orld to seeing the 2rophets: 3here is certainly a future
life: Hea'en and hell are conditions 7ithin our o7n beings:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 1N/ 19N02
/3'. !he 9o"rney of %pirit"al Pro6ress is Endless
@As 7e almost ne'er attain any spiritual goal 7ithout seeing the ne?t goal 7e must attain still beyond
our reach) he urges you) 7ho ha'e come so far already on the path of spirituality) not to fret about the
distance you still ha'e to co'erL /t is an indefinite Bourney) and) no doubt in the ne?t 7orld the soul is
pri'ileged to dra7 closer to >od than is possible 7hen bound on this physical plane:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 3/ 19@@2
/3(. 5ow to <Det to 5ea1en=Is Dependent on Two Thin$s
@3o Aget to hea'en as you say is dependent on t7o thingsQfaith in the <anifestation of >od in His 8ay)
in other 7ords in this age in BahullhI and good deeds) in other 7ords li'ing to the best of our ability
a noble life and doing unto others as 7e 7ould be done by: But 7e must al7ays remember that our
e?istence and e'erything 7e ha'e or e'er 7ill ha'e is dependent upon the mercy of >od and His bounty)
and therefore He can accept into His hea'en) 7hich is really nearness to Him) e'en the lo7liest if He
pleases: He al7ays ha'e the hope of recei'ing His mercy if 7e reach out for it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 1L/ 19@02
9I6$ (!CATIONG
A$ Acade&ic and %-iritual
O &4ee also. Q#>I! Social and Economic 8e'elopment) =//: Mouth2
/3-. Ed"cation of #an
@<an is e'en as steel) the essence of 7hich is hidden! through admonition and e?planation) good counsel
and education) that essence 7ill be brought to light: /f) ho7e'er) he be allo7ed to remain in his original
condition) the corrosion of lusts and appetites 7ill effecti'ely destroy him:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. Bah Education) A Compilation/ p! @2
/3/. Ed"cation of the Physical and Intellect"al@ %pirit"al and Ethical Aspects of #an
@::: Bahullh considered education as one of the most fundamental factors of a true ci'iliCation: 3his
education) ho7e'er) in order to be adeDuate and fruitful) should be comprehensi'e in nature and should
ta6e into consideration not only the physical and the intellectual side of man but also his spiritual and
ethical aspects: 3his should be the program of the Bah youth all o'er the 7orld:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 9/ 19312
/30. #an said to be Dreatest .epresentati1e of Dod
@<an is said to be the greatest representati'e of >od) and he is the Boo6 of Creation because all the
mysteries of beings e?ist in him: /f he comes under the shado7 of the 3rue Educator and is rightly
trained) he becomes the essence of essences) the light of lights) the spirit of spiritsI he becomes the
centre of the di'ine appearances) the source of spiritual Dualities) the rising0place of hea'enly lights) and
the receptacle of di'ine inspirations: /f he is depri'ed of this education he becomes the manifestation of
satanic Dualities) the sum of animal 'ices) and the source of all dar6 conditions:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. ,ah-*? World <aith/ 1901 ed!/ p! 33L2
/32. #odern Ed"cation &ac$in6 in Ability to Prod"ce a #at"re #ind
@2eople today indeed do tend to be 'ery superficial in their thin6ing) and it 7ould seem as if the
educational systems in use are sorely lac6ing in ability to produce a mature mind in a person 7ho has
reached supposedly adult lifeL All the outside influences that surround the indi'idual seem to ha'e an
intensely distracting effect) and it is a hard Bob to get the a'erage person to do any deep thin6ing or e'en
a little meditation on the problems facing him and the 7orld at large: 5'er and o'er again Bahullh
cried out against the heedlessness of humanity) and 7arns of the fate such an attitude must lead to: 8id
7e not 6no7 7hat >od plans to do) and 7ill do) 7ith the 7orld in the future) 7e should certainly be as
hopeless as many of the best thin6ers of our generation ha'e become:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er LL/ 19N82
/13. Each %ho"ld be Ed"cated Accordin6 to his :eeds and Deserts
@Among other teachings and principles Bahullh counsels the education of all members of society: No
indi'idual should be denied or depri'ed of intellectual training although each should recei'e according
to capacity: None must be left in the grades of ignorance) for ignorance is a defect in the human 7orld:
All man6ind must be gi'en a 6no7ledge of science and philosophyI that is) as much as may be deemed
necessary: All cannot be scientists or philosophers but each should be educated according to his needs
and deserts:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3he 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ 198L ed!/ p! 1182
/11. Ed"cation E?tended to Prisoners
@::: ;indness) training and education e?tended to prisoners is e?ceedingly important: 3herefore as thou
has e?erted an effort in this) has a7a6ened some of them) and hast been the cause of the turning of their
faces to the di'ine ;ingdom) this praise7orthy deed is highly acceptable: Assuredly perse'ere: Con'ey
on my behalf to the t7o prisoners in San Ruentin the utmost 6indness) and tell them! A3hat prison in the
sight of 7ise souls is a school of training and de'elopment: Me must stri'e 7ith heart and soul that ye
may become reno7ned in character and 6no7ledge:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 4elections from the Writin$s of '()du*l+,ah-/ pp! 11M+1102
/12. 5"man$ind Are as Children in %chool@ and Prophets Are !heir !eachers
@5 true companionsL All human6ind are as children in a school) and the 8a7ning02oints of =ight) the
Sources of di'ine re'elation are the teachers) 7ondrous and 7ithout peer: /n the school of realities they
educate these sons and daughters) according to teachings from >od) and foster them in the bosom of
grace) so that they may de'elop along e'ery line) sho7 forth the e?cellent gifts and blessing of the =ord)
and combine human perfectionsI that they may ad'ance in all aspects of human endea'our) 7hether
out7ard or in7ard) hidden or 'isible) material or spiritual) until they ma6e of this mortal 7orld a
7idespread mirror) to reflect that other 7orld 7hich dieth not:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. I)id!/ p! 1L82
/1. &earnin6 is the Dreatest *estowal of Dod
@/t is clear that learning is the greatest besto7al of >odI that 6no7ledge and the acDuirement thereof is a
blessing from Hea'en: 3hus it is incumbent upon the friends of >od to e?ert such an effort and stri'e
7ith such eagerness to promote di'ine 6no7ledge) culture and the sciences) that ere long those 7ho are
school children today 7ill become the most erudite of all the fraternity of the 7ise: 3his is a ser'ice
rendered unto >od Himself) and it is one of His inescapable commandments:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Bah Education) A Compilation/ Wilmette/ 1900 ed!/ p! 382
B$ !ni.ersities and Colleges
/1'. !he Academic &ife
@::: 3he academic life also has its fashions and fads) e'en though they are of a different nature from the
fads of the man on the street:
@3hese fashions are not permanentI they are bound to change: 3oday the fad is a materialistic 'ie7 of
life and of the 7orld: A day 7ill soon come 7hen it 7ill become deeply religious and spiritual: /n fact)
7e can discern the beginning of such a change in the 7ritings of some of the most eminent souls and
liberal minds: Hhen the pendulum 7ill start its full s7ing then 7e shall see all such eminent men turn
again to >od:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 18/ 193L2
/1(. !here is no *ah+,; C"rric"l"m As Eet
@:::there is as yet no such thing as a Bah curriculum) and there are no Bah publications e?clusi'ely
de'oted to this subBect) since the teachings of Bahullh and AAbdul0Bah do not present a definite
and detailed educational system) but simply offer certain basic principles and set forth a number of
teaching ideals that should guide future Bah educationalists in their efforts to formulate an adeDuate
teaching curriculum 7hich 7ould be in full harmony 7ith the spirit of the Bah 3eachings) and 7ould
thus meet the reDuirements and needs of the modern age:
@3hese basic principles are a'ailable in the sacred 7ritings of the Cause) and should be carefully
studied) and gradually incorporated in 'arious college and Jni'ersity programmes: But the tas6 of
formulating a system of education 7hich 7ould be officially recogniCed by the Cause) and enforced as
such throughout the Bah 7orld) is one 7hich the present0day generation of belie'ers cannot ob'iously
underta6e) and 7hich has to be gradually accomplished by Bah scholars and educationalists of the
future:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 0/ 19392
/1-. !hree Cardinal Principles
@irst! Hhole0hearted ser'ice to the cause of education) the unfolding of the mysteries of nature) the
e?tension of the boundaries of pure science) the elimination of the causes of ignorance and social e'ils) a
standard uni'ersal system of instruction) and the diffusion of the lights of 6no7ledge and reality:
@Second! Ser'ice to the cause of morality) raising the moral tone of the students) inspiring them 7ith
the sublimest ideals of ethical refinement) teaching them altruism) inculcating in their li'es the beauty of
holiness and the e?cellency of 'irtue and animating them 7ith the e?cellences and perfections of the
religion of >od:
@3hird! Ser'ice to the oneness of the 7orld of humanityI so that each student may consciously realiCe
that he is a brother to all man6ind) irrespecti'e of religion or race: 3he thoughts of uni'ersal peace must
be instilled into the minds of all the scholars) in order that they may become the armies of peace) the real
ser'ants of the body politicQthe 7orld: >od is the ather of all: <an6ind are His children: 3his globe is
one home: Nations are the members of one family: 3he mothers in their homes) the teachers in the
schools) the professors in the college) the presidents in the uni'ersities) must teach these ideals to the
young from the cradle up to the age of manhood:E
&<rom notes taken of talks $i"en )5 '()du*l+,ah-/ as 9uoted in. Star of the Hest/ >ol! IQ/ o! 9/ p! 982
/1/. Characteristics of *ah+,; Colle6e %t"dents
@Mou must become the shining candles of moral precepts and spiritual ideals and be the means of the
illumination of others: Clothe your bodies 7ith the robes of 'irtues: CharacteriCe yoursel'es 7ith the
characteristics of the people of di'ine morality: Shun all manner of 'ices as you shun a poisonous sna6e
or a leper: =et the corps of professors and the students be impressed 7ith the purity and holiness of your
li'es so that they may ta6e you as paragons of 7orthiness) e?amples of nobility of nature) obser'ers of
the moral la7s) holding in subordination the lo7er element by the higher spirit) the conDuerors of self
and the masters of 7holesome) 'ital forces in all the a'enues of life: Stri'e al7ays to be at the head of
your classes through hard study and true merit: Be al7ays in a prayerful state and appreciate the 'alue of
e'erything: Entertain high ideals and stimulate your intellectual and constructi'e forces:E
&I)id!2
/10. 4Abd",l-*ah+ EnFoins *ah+,;s to E?cel All )ther %t"dentsEmphasis on !r"thf"lness
@/ hope that 7hile you are studying in this college you may so e?cel all other students in the 'arious
branches of 6no7ledge taught therein that all of them may testify that the Bahai FBahG students ha'e
another po7er) are inspired 7ith another effort) are imbued 7ith a nobler ambition) are stimulated by
higher moti'es and ma6e 7ider and deeper e?ertions than others: /f you do not surpass the others) then
7hat distinction 7ill there remain for youS 3herefore) you must stri'e to be superior to them) so that
e'eryone may bear testimony to this fact: Mou are no7 li6e the tender plants that are trained according to
the 6no7ledge and 7isdom of the gardener: rom no7 on) you must stri'e to beautify the moral aspect
of your li'es: Ad'ise one another 7ith utmost consideration) 7atch daily your 7ords and deedsI thus
from the 'ery beginning you may characteriCe yoursel'es 7ith di'ine ideals:
@3he di'ine ideals are humility) submissi'eness) annihilation of self) perfect e'anescence) charity and
lo'ing06indness: Mou must die to self and li'e in >od: Mou must be e?ceedingly compassionate to one
another and to all the people of the 7orld: =o'e and ser'e man6ind Bust for the sa6e of >od and not for
anything else: 3he foundation of your lo'e to7ard humanity must be spiritual faith and di'ine assurance:
@Again! be ye most careful that) >od forbid) not one single 7ord contrary to truth issue from your
mouths: 5ne falsehood thro7s man from the highest station of honour to the lo7est abyss of disgrace:
Al7ays guard yoursel'es against this enemy so that all you state may correspond 7ith reality: ore'er
supplicate and entreat at the Court of <aBesty and beg confirmation and assistance::::E
&I)id!/ pp! 98+992
/12. Challen6e to Persian %t"dents
@/ hope that through the fa'or and bounty of the Blessed Beauty) His Holiness the Bb) and the ineffable
blessings 7hich hallo7 this holy Shrine)N the confirmations of the ;ingdom of AAbh may encircle you)
and that you may be characteriCed 7ith the shining Dualities and brilliant attributes of the Bah life:
<ay your morality become more defined day by dayL <ay your faith and assurance be increased day by
dayL <ay your attraction to the ;ingdom of AAbh be intensified day by dayL <ay your attainment in
sciences and arts become more uni'ersal day by dayL 2erchance) >od 7illing) you may become perfect
and accomplished from e'ery standpoint and be the means of the enlightenment of 2ersia:E
&I)id!/ pp! 99+1112
NF3he students 7ere 'isiting the 3omb of the BbG
/23. !eachin6 in 8ni1ersities and Colle6es
@As to teaching 7or6 in colleges and uni'ersities) this is 'ery important) for students as a 7hole are
open0minded and little influenced by tradition: 3hey 7ould easily enter the Cause if the subBect is
properly presented and their intellect and sentiments properly satisfied: 3his) ho7e'er) should be
attempted only by persons 7ho ha'e had uni'ersity training and are) therefore) acDuainted 7ith the mind
of the intelligent and educated youth:::E
/21. 7hen %t"dyin6 at %chool or 8ni1ersity
@or any person) 7hether Bah or not) his youthful years are those in 7hich he 7ill ma6e many
decisions 7hich 7ill set the course of his life: /n these years he is most li6ely to choose his lifes 7or6)
complete his education) begin to earn his o7n li'ing) marry and start to raise his o7n family: <ost
important of all) it is during this period that the mind is most Duesting and that the spiritual 'alues that
7ill guide the persons future beha'iour are adopted: 3hese factors present Bah youth 7ith their
greatest opportunities) their greatest challenges) and their greatest testsQopportunities to truly
apprehend the 3eachings of their aith and to gi'e them to their contemporaries) challenges to o'ercome
the pressures of the 7orld and to pro'ide leadership for their and succeeding generations) and tests
enabling them to e?emplify in their li'es the high moral standards set forth in the Bah Hritings:
/ndeed the >uardian 7rote of the Bah youth that it is they A7ho can contribute so decisi'ely to the
'irility) the purity) and the dri'ing force of the life of the Bah community) and upon 7hom must
depend the future orientation of its destiny) and the complete unfoldment of the potentialities 7ith 7hich
>od has endo7ed it:
@Hhen studying at school or uni'ersity Bah youth 7ill often find themsel'es in the unusual and
slightly embarrassing position of ha'ing a more profound insight into a subBect than their instructors:
3he 3eachings of Bahullh thro7 light on so many aspects of human life and 6no7ledge that a Bah
must learn) earlier than most) to 7eigh the information that is gi'en to him rather than to accept it
blindly: A Bah has the ad'antage of the di'ine &e'elation for this Age) 7hich shines li6e a searchlight
on so many problems that baffle modern thin6ersI he must therefore de'elop the ability to learn
e'erything from those around him) sho7ing proper humility before his teachers) but al7ays relating
7hat he hears to the Bah teachings) for they 7ill enable him to sort out the gold from the dross of
human error:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to ,ah-*? Douth in e"er5 land/ Eune 11/ 19MM2
96$ (NO+,(NT%0 LOCAL AN NATIONAL
/22. Endowment &and 8sed for %ite of a ;rat",l->"ds Ceases to be Endowment in the *ah+,;
%enseA
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice ac6no7ledges your letter of 9uly "1 about the use of a local endo7ment
for the site of the local a ratul0Ruds) and instructs us to send you the follo7ing reply:
@Endo7ments) 7hether local or national) are normally pieces of property held in the name of the
National or =ocal Spiritual Assembly as an in'estment and asset: 3he a ratul0Ruds and the land on
7hich it is built cannot be considered an endo7ment as this is a separate institution: /f) therefore)
endo7ment land is used for the site of a a ratul0Ruds) it ceases to be an endo7ment in the Bah
sense: Hhere a parcel of land o7ned as an endo7ment is sufficiently large to be subdi'ided) one part to
remain as the endo7ment and the other to be the site of the a ratul0Ruds) it is permissible to do this
but a clear demarcation must be made to distinguish clearly 7hat is the endo7ment and 7hat is the
a ratul0Ruds: 3his demarcation) 7hich must be made in the Assemblys records as 7ell as on the site
itself) is an internal domestic matter and need not be recorded in the =and &egistry:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (laska/ (u$ust 11/ 190N2
O&4ee also. QQIII/ os! 91L+9LL/ a ratul0Ruds 2
/2. :ational Endowments
@A national endo7ment should be regarded as an in'estment in real estate o7ned by the National
Spiritual Assembly: /t may be any7here in the country and can be a small) ine?pensi'e piece of land
donated by one of the friends) or else acDuired out of the resources of the National und:E
&<rom the aw+RuJ messa$e of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ 190N2
/2'. &ocal Endowments
@:::A local endo7ment can be Duite a small piece of landI it can be purchased by the =ocal Spiritual
Assembly or more usually the gift of one or more of the belie'ers: /f the =ocal Assembly is incorporated)
the endo7ment should be registered in its name) but if it is not) the endo7ment can be held by one or
more of the belie'ers on behalf of the community: or e?ample) if one of the belie'ers gi'es a small
piece of land he can continue to hold it in his name) but it 7ill be 6no7n that he does so on behalf of the
=ocal Spiritual Assembly and that the land 7ill in time be transferred legally to the Assembly 7hen that
is possible::::E
&I)id!2
/2(. Endowment &andThere is o O)=ection to Raisin$ a Temporar5 4tructure
@Endo7ment land cannot) at the same time) be used as another Bah institution such as a ratul0
Ruds or a 3eaching /nstitute: 3here is no obBection to erecting a temporary structure on endo7ment land
for the con'enience of the friends 7ho may 'isit it or ha'e gatherings there pro'ided that if its use
becomes of a permanent nature it 7ould be necessary to acDuire a ne7 Endo7ment:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ (u$ust 31/ 19012
/2-. Endowment &and to be .e6arded as an In1estment for &ocal Assemblies
@:::3he principle in'ol'ed is that the endo7ment land should not be used for any other Bah purpose)
and is to be regarded as an in'estment for the future ad'antage and benefit to the =ocal Spiritual
Assembly: /f the endo7ment plot is sufficiently large that not all of it is needed to ser'e as an
endo7ment) it is permissible to designate a part of it as endo7ment property and the balance may be
transferred to the use of the summer school: /n such a case a line of demarcation should be made
bet7een the portion to be regarded as endo7ment and the portion to be used for summer or 7inter
school purposes: 3his demarcation) 7hich must be made in the Assemblys records) as 7ell as on the site
itself) is an internal domestic matter and need not be recorded in the =and &egistry:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3olom)ia/ (pril 1@/ 19092
/2/. Endowment Property #ay *e 8sed for %ports Facilities or to Prod"ce Income for the 7or$ of
the Faith
@/n reply to your letter of ,# August "#$1 in 7hich you inDuire about endo7ment property) 7e are
instructed to say that 7hile such property is regarded as an in'estment for the future benefit of the
Bah community) and as such should not be used for purposes of summer schools) conferences and
other Bah e'ents e?cept on a temporary basis) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice sees no reason 7hy it
should not be used for sports facilities: /t also might be farmed or other7ise de'eloped to produce
income) and such income or proceeds from a capital gain may be used for the general 7or6 of the aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %uatemala/ 4eptem)er 31/ 198@2
/20. %"mmary of Principles which %ho"ld Do1ern Acceptance of Free &and for *ah+,; 8se
@He are as6ed by the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice to ac6no7ledge your letter of ,- August "#$1
regarding the possibility of obtaining free land from the go'ernment in order to build a a ratul0Ruds)
and to share the follo7ing principles 7hich should go'ern any decision you 7ill ma6e in this regard:
@": 3he principle of not accepting gifts from non0Bahs for strictly Bah purposes applies to
recei'ing free grants of land from non0Bahs) 7hether indi'iduals) institutions or go'ernments:
@,: 3here is no obBection) ho7e'er) to accepting free plots of land from the go'ernment or ci'ic
authorities if such plots are used for Bah cemeteries or for such institutions as are charitable or
humanitarian in nature) such as schools:
@%: /n countries 7here the only method to acDuire property is to be granted by the authorities free use
of land) there is no obBection to recei'ing such allocation of land F7hich e?cludes o7nershipG for
the building of institutions of a strictly Bah nature) such as a a ratul0Ruds) a Summer School)
or a 3eaching /nstitute:
@(: /f the go'ernment offers gifts of land to all religious communities in recognition of their status as a
religious entity in the country) Bahs may accept such properties under the pro'isions of points "
and , abo'e: 3hey should ma6e it clear to the go'ernment that they can embar6 upon the
establishment of institutions of a humanitarian or charitable nature) only 7hen conditions
fa'ourable to the establishment of such institutions are present:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 4eptem)er 19/ 198@2
96I$ T)( FA,IL>
A$ Fa&il* Relationshi-sG
O&4ee also. Q>I! D! 0ML+00N! 3he &elationships Bet7een 2arents and Children2
/22. Family !ies
@8eep as are family ties) 7e must al7ays remember that the spiritual ties are far deeperI they are
e'erlasting and sur'i'e death) 7hereas physical ties) unless supported by spiritual bonds) are confined to
this life: Mou should do all in your po7er) through prayer and e?ample) to open the eyes of your family
to the Bah aith) but do not grie'e too much o'er their actions: 3urn to your Bah brothers and
sisters 7ho are li'ing 7ith you in the light of the ;ingdom:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 8/ 19NL2
@8o not be satisfied until each one 7ith 7hom you are concerned is to you as a member of your family
::: if you can attain to this) your difficulties 7ill 'anishI you 7ill 6no7 7hat to do:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Pattern of ,ah-*? #ife/ p! LN2
/3. !he FamilyK A %pecial Gind of Comm"nityEach #ember 5as .i6hts and .esponsibilities
@A family) ho7e'er) is a 'ery special 6ind of Acommunity: 3he &esearch 8epartment has not come
across any statements 7hich specifically name the father as responsible for the Asecurity) progress and
unity of the family as is stated in Bahyyih Na6hBa'nis boo6) but it can be inferred from a number of
the responsibilities placed upon him) that the father can be regarded as the Ahead of the family: 3he
members of a family all ha'e duties and responsibilities to7ards one another and to the family as a
7hole) and these duties and responsibilities 'ary from member to member because of their natural
relationships: 3he parents ha'e the inescapable duty to educate their childrenQbut not 'ice 'ersaI the
children ha'e the duty to obey their parentsQthe parents do not obey the childrenI the motherQnot the
fatherQbears the children) nurses them in babyhood) and is thus their first educator) hence daughters
ha'e a prior right to education o'er sons and) as the >uardians secretary has 7ritten on his behalf! A3he
tas6 of bringing up a Bah child) as emphasiCed time and again in Bah Hritings) is the chief
responsibility of the mother) 7hose uniDue pri'ilege is indeed to create in her home such conditions as
7ould be most conduci'e to both his material and spiritual 7elfare and ad'ancement: 3he training 7hich
a child first recei'es through his mother constitutes the strongest foundation for his future de'elopment:
A corollary of this responsibility of the mother is her right to be supported by her husbandQa husband
has no e?plicit right to be supported by his 7ife: 3his principle of the husbands responsibility to pro'ide
for and protect the family can be seen applied also in the la7 of intestacy 7hich pro'ides that the
familys d7elling place passes) on the fathers death) not to his 7ido7) but to his eldest sonI the son at
the same time has the responsibility to care for his mother:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ew Pealand/ Decem)er L8/ 19812
/1. !he Family Pro6resses 7hen !here is 8nity
@Note ye ho7 easily) 7here unity e?isteth in a gi'en family) the affairs of that family are conductedI
7hat progress the members of that family ma6e) ho7 they prosper in the 7orld: 3heir concerns are in
order) they enBoy comfort and tranDuillity) they are secure) their position is assured) they come to be
en'ied by all: Such a family but added to its stature and its lasting honour) as day succeedeth day::::E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ p! L092
@/f lo'e and agreement are manifest in a single family) that family 7ill ad'ance) become illumined and
spiritualI but if enmity and hatred e?ist 7ithin it destruction and dispersion are ine'itable:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3he 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ pp! 1NN+1N@/ 198L ed!2
/2. *ah+,",ll+h Pro1ides 7ay to .emo1e 5ostility and Dissension from the 7orld
@Consider the harmful effect of discord and dissension in a familyI then reflect upon the fa'ours and
blessings 7hich descend upon that family 7hen unity e?ists among its 'arious members: Hhat
incalculable benefits and blessings 7ould descend upon the great human family if unity and brotherhood
7ere establishedL /n this century 7hen the beneficent results of unity and the ill effects of discord are so
clearly apparent) the means for the attainment and accomplishment of human fello7ship ha'e appeared
in the 7orld: His Holiness Bahullh has proclaimed and pro'ided the 7ay by 7hich hostility and
dissension may be remo'ed from the human 7orld: He has left no ground or possibility for strife and
disagreement: irst he has proclaimed the oneness of man6ind and specialiCed religious teachings for
e?isting human conditions:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Star of the Hest/ >ol! 10/ o! 0/ p! L3L2
/. It is Important for #an to .aise a Family
@/t is highly important for man to raise a family: So long as he is young) because of youthful self0
complacency) he does not realiCe its significance) but this 7ill be a source of regret 7hen he gro7s old:::
/n this glorious Cause the life of a married couple should resemble the life of the angels in hea'enQa
life full of Boy and spiritual delight) a life of unity and concord) a friendship both mental and physical:
3he home should be orderly and 7ell0organiCed: 3heir ideas and thoughts should be li6e the rays of the
sun of truth and the radiance of the brilliant stars in the hea'ens: E'en as t7o birds they should 7arble
melodies upon the branches of the tree of fello7ship and harmony: 3hey should al7ays be elated 7ith
Boy and gladness and be a source of happiness to the hearts of others: 3hey should set an e?ample to
their fello70men) manifest true and sincere lo'e to7ards each other and educate their children in such a
manner as to blaCon the fame and glory of their family:E
&<rom a talk of '()du*l+,ah-. amily =ife/ p! 132
/'. Geys to %tren6thenin6 of Family
@3he relationship bet7een husband and 7ife must be 'ie7ed in the conte?t of the Bah ideal of family
life: Bahullh came to bring unity to the 7orld) and a fundamental unity is that of the family:
3herefore) one must belie'e that the aith is intended to strengthen the family) not 7ea6en it) and one of
the 6eys to the strengthening of unity is lo'ing consultation: 3he atmosphere 7ithin a Bah family as
7ithin the community as a 7hole should e?press Athe 6eynote of the Cause of >od 7hich) the belo'ed
>uardian has stated) Ais not dictatorial authority but humble fello7ship) not arbitrary po7er) but the
spirit of fran6 and lo'ing consultation: E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ Decem)er L8/ 1981 to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ew Pealand2
/(. #other-in-&aw Problem
@&egarding your other Duestion concerning the strained relationship bet7een you and your mother0in0
la7 and 7hat you can do to alle'iate the situation) 7e feel you should) 7ith the help and consultation of
your husband) perse'ere in your efforts to achie'e unity in the family: rom your description of the
unfriendly attitude your mother0in0la7 displays to7ard you it is clear that you 7ill not ha'e an easy tas6:
Ho7e'er) the important thing is that you) as a Bah) are a7are of AAbdul0Bahs admonition to
concentrate on an indi'iduals good Dualities and that this approach to your mother0in0la7 can
strengthen you in your resol'e to achie'e unity: And furthermore) perse'erance in prayer 7ill gi'e you
the strength to continue your efforts:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er M/ 1901. amily =ife/ p! L92
/-. A !r"ly *ah+,; 5ome( <ortress :pon Which the 3ause can Rel5
@A truly Bah home is a true fortress upon 7hich the Cause can rely 7hile planning its campaigns: /f :::
and ::: lo'e each other and 7ould li6e to marry) Shoghi Effendi does not 7ish them to thin6 that by doing
so they are depri'ing themsel'es of the pri'ilege of ser'iceI in fact such a union 7ill enhance their
ability to ser'e: 3here is nothing more beautiful than to ha'e young Bahs marry and found truly
Bah homes) the type Bahullh 7ishes them to be::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er M/ 193L. I)id!2
//. !he 5ome is an Instit"tion *ah+,",ll+h 5as Come to %tren6then and :ot to 7ea$en
@Surely Shoghi Effendi 7ould li6e to see you and the other friends gi'e their 7hole time and energy to
the Cause) for 7e are in great need for competent 7or6ers) but the home is an institution that Bahullh
has come to strengthen and not to 7ea6en: <any unfortunate things ha'e happened in Bah homes Bust
for neglecting this point: Ser'e the Cause but also remember your duties to7ards your home: /t is for
you to find the balance and see that neither ma6es you neglect the other: He 7ould ha'e many more
husbands in the Cause 7ere the 7i'es more thoughtful and moderate in their Bah acti'ities:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 1N/ 19L9. I)id!2
/0. Preser1e *ah+,; FamiliesK 5armony@ 8nity and &o1e 5i6hest Ideals in 5"man .elationships
@Hhene'er there is a Bah family) those concerned should by all means do all they can to preser'e it)
because di'orce is strongly condemned in the 3eachings) 7hereas harmony) unity and lo'e are held up as
the highest ideals in human relationships: 3his must al7ays apply to the Bahs) 7hether they are
ser'ing in the pioneering field or not:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3entral (merica/ o"em)er 9/ 19@M. I)id!/ p! L12
/2. .i6hts and Prero6ati1es of Each #ember of the Family
@According to the teachings of Bahullh) the family being a human unit) must be educated according
to the rules of sanctity: All the 'irtues must be taught the family: 3he integrity of the family bond must
be constantly considered) and the rights of the indi'idual members must not be transgressed: 3he rights
of the son) the father) the motherQnone of them must be transgressed) none of them must be arbitrary:
9ust as the son has certain obligations to his father) the father li6e7ise has certain obligations to his son:
3he mother) the sister and other members of the household ha'e their certain prerogati'es: All these
rights and prerogati'es must be conser'ed) yet the unity of the family must be sustained: 3he inBury of
one shall be considered the inBury of allI the comfort of each) the comfort of allI the honor of one) the
honor of all:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3he 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ p! 1M8/ 198L ed!2
/'3. Biolence in the 5ome
@No statements dealing directly 7ith 'iolence in the family ha'e come to light from the HritingsI
ho7e'er) the House of 9ustice feels that the absence of specific references to the subBect should not be
construed as implying that 7e do not ha'e the necessary guidance in the aith to treat the problems cited
in your letter: Acts of 'iolence might properly be regarded as a negation of the persistent emphasis on
concord) understanding and unity 7hich are at the heart of the Bah 3eachings) and the sacred Hritings
are replete 7ith ad'ice as to ho7 these positi'e obBecti'es may be attained: /n His A3ablet of the Horld
Bahullh states)
@ A::: 3he distinguishing feature that mar6eth the pre0eminent character of this Supreme
&e'elation consisteth in that He ha'e) on the one hand) blotted out from the pages of >ods
holy Boo6 7hatsoe'er hath been the cause of strife) of malice and mischief amongst the
children of men and ha'e) on the other) laid do7n the essential prereDuisites of concord) of
understanding) of complete and enduring unity: Hell is it 7ith them that 6eep <y statutes:
@Else7here in the same 3ablet the Apeople of >od are forbidden Ato engage in contention and conflict:
/n 'ie7 of such statements and the stress laid by both Bahullh and AAbdul0Bah on lo'e and
harmony as the hallmar6 of marriage) the la7 for 7hich Bahullh describes as a Afortress for 7ell0
being and sal'ationI and in 'ie7 of AAbdul0Bahs e?hortation that each member of the family must
uphold the rights of the others) it becomes ob'ious that 'iolence in the family is antithetical to the spirit
of the aith and a practice to be condemned:
@/f the broad structure of society is to remain intact) resolute efforts) including medical ones) as
necessary) should be made to curb acts of aggression 7ithin families) particularly their e?treme forms of
7ife beating and child abuse by parents: 3his is a matter of fundamental importance) for if the friends
are not able to maintain harmony 7ithin their families) on 7hat other basis do they hope to demonstrate
to a s6eptical 7orld the efficacy of the preeminent character of the &e'elation of BahullhS Hhat
possible influence could they hope to e?ert on the de'elopment of nations and the establishment of
7orld peaceS 3he follo7ing statement by the belo'ed <aster sheds illumination on these points!
@ A::: Compare the nations of the 7orld to the members of a family: A family is a nation in
miniature: Simply enlarge the circle of the household) and you ha'e the nation: Enlarge the
circle of nations and you ha'e all humanity: 3he conditions surrounding the family surround
the nation: 3he happenings in the family are the happenings in the life of the nation: Hould it
add to the progress and ad'ancement of a family if dissensions should arise among its
members) all fighting) pillaging each other) Bealous and re'engeful of inBury) see6ing selfish
ad'antageS Nay) this 7ould be the cause of the effacement of progress and ad'ancement: So
it is in the great family of nations) for nations are but an aggregate of families:::: E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 4eptem)er LL/ 19832
/'1. &o1e Can Chan6e Bile@ #ean Person into 5ea1enly %o"l
@3he >uardian ::: is 'ery much grie'ed indeed to learn of the se'ere opposition 7hich you are
encountering from your husband because of your affiliation 7ith the Cause: He can 'ery 7ell realiCe the
terrible condition facing you) but feels confident that Bahullh is guiding you to follo7 the right 7ay)
and is continually assisting and strengthening you in your efforts to sol'e this most serious and
challenging problem of your life: 3he staunch and un7a'ering loyalty and de'otion 7hich you ha'e thus
far so splendidly demonstrated in your attitude to the aith is truly remar6able and 7orthy of the highest
praise and admiration: 3he persecutions from 7hich you are no7 suffering ha'e this one great
ad'antage) namely to deepen your faith in the Cause) and to re'i'e and refresh your energies for its
ser'ice: Mou should) therefore) reBoice and 7elcome those sufferings in so far as they ser'e to further
a7a6en your consciousness of being a member of the Ne7 Horld 5rder of Bahullh:
@3he >uardian 7ishes me specially to urge you to remain patient and confident) and abo'e all to sho7
your husband the utmost 6indness and lo'e) in return for all the opposition and hatred you recei'e from
him: A conciliatory and friendly attitude in such cases is not only the duty of e'ery Bah but is also the
most effecti'e 7ay of 7inning for the Cause the sympathy and admiration of its former foes and
enemies: =o'e is) indeed) a most potent eli?ir that can transform the 'ilest and meanest of people into
hea'enly souls: <ay your e?ample ser'e to further confirm the truth of this beautiful teaching of our
aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er M/ 193@2
/'2. *elie1er #"st be Patient with :on-*ah+,; %po"se@ Attract with &o1in6 Gindness@ 7isdom@ !act
@As to your husband 7ho) he is most sorry to hear) seems to be so antagonistic to the Cause) ha'ing
fallen under the e'il influence of <r: :::! 3he >uardian 7ishes you to be patient 7ith him) and to
endea'our through lo'ing 6indness) 7isdom and tact to enlist his consideration and sympathy for the
aith: Ho7e'er unfriendly his present attitude to the Cause may be) and no matter ho7 seriously he may
interfere in your acti'ities as a belie'er) you should ne'er lose hope of 7inning him to the aith) nay
e'en of guiding him to openly and acti'ely assist you in your Bah acti'ities: Hith the unfailing help
of Bahullh and the e?ample of your o7n conduct your tas6 7ill assuredly be made easy and 7ill be
cro7ned 7ith success:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 1@/ 19392
/'. !eachin6 .elati1es
@He 7ould not ad'ise you to in any 7ay force the teachings on your husband) but rather through prayer)
lo'e and e?ample attract his heart to 7hat he 7ill be forced to see has not only made you a happier
person but a better 7ife and mother than e'er before: /t is often most difficult to teach those nearest to
us) but the >uardian 7ill earnestly pray that your husband and children 7ill Boin you in ser'ing this
7onderful Cause:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er. High Endea'ours) <essages to Alas6a/ pp! 0L+032
/''. Earn .i6ht to Plead on *ehalf of Family
@He 7as sorry to hear that <rs: ::: is in an unhappy state of mind: She should certainly not grie'e if she
finds that her family are not recepti'e to the teachingsQfor not e'ery soul is spiritually enlightened:
/ndeed) many members of the families of the 2rophets themsel'es ha'e remained uncon'erted e'en in
face of the e?ample and persuasion of the <anifestation of >odI therefore) the friends should not be
distressed by such things but rather lea'e the future of those they lo'e in the hand of >od) and by their
ser'ices and de'otion to the aith) 7in the right to plead for their ultimate spiritual re0birth:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 9/ 19NL2
/'(. )ne %ho"ld not be Decepti1e with :on-*ah+,; %po"se or Parents
@/t seems to him that Bust as you lea'e your husband free to belie'e or not to belie'e in 7hate'er pleases
him) he should accord you the same rudimentary pri'ilege: Surely the right to 7orship >od in the 7ay
one belie'es to be right is the greatest fundamental freedom in the 7orldS 5n the other hand no one
should force ones o7n con'ictions on another and if <r: ::: obBects to your Bah affiliation you should
carry on your acti'ities not secretly) but not in such a 7ay as to force him to be constantly conscious of
them: /n other 7ords) you should) for his sa6e) sometimes forgo the pleasure of attending a east or
meeting if there is something he 7ants you to do 7ith him:
@3he >uardian does not feel your daughter should decei'e her father and not let him 6no7 she is a
Bah: She) li6e you) for his sa6e should be 7illing to sacrifice her attendance at meetings sometimes)
but he cannot 'ery 7ell force her to not belie'e and accept 7hat she holds to be the 3ruth for this AgeL
@E'ery sincere belie'er in >od must ine'itably ma6e some sacrifices) and) ho7e'er hea'y these may
be) they are insignificant compared to the blessing of accepting Bahullh: 3his is certainly true of dear
<r: ::: 7ho has suffered because of the firmness of his faith: He cannot bo7 to the blindness of the
7orldI all 7e can do is to be tactful:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er LL/ 19N82
/'-. D"ty of *elie1er to Endea1o"r to &ead Family to the Faith
@::: /f the belie'er is the only one of his family 7ho has embraced the aith) it is his duty to endea'our to
lead as many other family members as possible to the light of di'ine guidance: As soon as a Bah
family unit emerges) the members should feel responsible for ma6ing the collecti'e life of the family a
spiritual reality) animated by di'ine lo'e and inspired by the ennobling principles of the aith: 3o
achie'e this purpose) the reading of the Sacred Hritings and prayers should ideally become a daily
family acti'ity: As far as the teaching 7or6 is concerned) Bust as indi'iduals are called upon to adopt
teaching goals) the family itself could adopt its o7n goals: /n this 7ay the friends could ma6e of their
families strong healthy units) bright candles for the diffusion of the light of the ;ingdom) and po7erful
centres to attract the hea'enly confirmations:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ (pril 10/ 19812
/'/. If Family #embers Are 5ostile@ A1oid Anta6oniHin6 them@ &ea1e !hem to !hemsel1es
@Not e'ery one is ready to recei'e the Cause) but in e'ery 7al6 of life there are souls longing for this
ne7 8i'ine 5utpouring) and sufficiently mature spiritually to accept it: 3he Bahs) each according to
his o7n opportunities) must see6 out such people:
@3he >uardian deeply regrets the hostile attitude of some members of your family to7ards the Cause
you ha'e arisen to ser'e) and he feels that you should do e'erything in your po7er to a'oid antagoniCing
themQshort) of course) of gi'ing up your aith and becoming inacti'e in it:
@As you cannot induce them to be interested in it) the best thing to do is 7hat the <aster al7ays
ad'ised in such cases! lea'e them to themsel'es) and pray for them: 3he >uardian) you may be sure) 7ill
also pray for their illumination: <any people ha'e) after bitterly opposing the aith) been e'entually
7on o'er by the patience) lo'e) tact and prayers of their Bah relati'e or friend:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 1N/ 19N32
B$ The Relationshi- Bet"een )usband and +ife
/'0. Geys to %tren6thenin6 of Family
@3he relationship bet7een husband and 7ife must be 'ie7ed in the conte?t of the Bah ideal of family
life: Bahullh came to bring unity to the 7orld) and a fundamental unity is that of the family:
3herefore) one must belie'e that the aith is intended to strengthen the family) not 7ea6en it) and one of
the 6eys to the strengthening of unity is lo'ing consultation: 3he atmosphere 7ithin a Bah family as
7ithin the community as a 7hole should e?press Athe 6eynote of the Cause of >od 7hich) the belo'ed
>uardian has stated) Ais not dictatorial authority but humble fello7ship) not arbitrary po7er) but the
spirit of fran6 and lo'ing consultation:E
/'2. 5ono"r and Pri1ile6e )rdained for 7omenK )bedience to 5"sbands
@/t is in this conte?t of mutual and complementary duties and responsibilities that one should read the
3ablet in 7hich AAbdul0Bah gi'es the follo7ing e?hortation!
A5 Handmaids of the Self0Sustaining =ordL E?ert your efforts so that you may attain the
honour and pri'ilege ordained for 7omen: Jndoubtedly the greatest glory of 7omen is
ser'itude at His 3hreshold and submissi'eness at His doorI it is the possession of a 'igilant
heart) and praise of the incomparable >odI it is heartfelt lo'e to7ards other handmaids and
spotless chastityI it is obedience to and consideration for their husbands and the education
and care of their childrenI and it is tranDuillity) and dignity) perse'erance in the remembrance
of the =ord) and the utmost en6indlement and attraction: E
&I)id!2
/(3. Domination by 5"sband or 7ife not .i6ht
@3his e?hortation to the utmost degree of spirituality and self0abnegation should not be read as a legal
definition gi'ing the husband absolute authority o'er his 7ife) for) in a letter 7ritten to an indi'idual
belie'er on ,,th 9uly "#(%) the belo'ed >uardians secretary 7rote on his behalf!
A3he >uardian) in his remar6s:::about parents and children) 7i'es and husbands relations in
America meant that there is a tendency in that country for children to be too independent of
the 7ishes of their parents and lac6ing in the respect due to them: Also 7i'es) in some cases)
ha'e a tendency to e?ert an unBust degree of domination o'er their husbands 7hich) of
course) is not right) anymore than that the husband should unBustly dominate his 7ife: E
&I)id!2
/(1. !ime 7hen 7ife %ho"ld Defer to 5"sband and !ime 7hen 5"sband %ho"ld Defer to 7ife
@/n any group) ho7e'er lo'ing the consultation) there are ne'ertheless points on 7hich) from time to
time) agreement cannot be reached: /n a Spiritual Assembly this dilemma is resol'ed by a maBority 'ote:
3here can) ho7e'er) be no maBority 7here only t7o parties are in'ol'ed) as in the case of a husband and
7ife: 3here are) therefore) times 7hen a 7ife should defer to her husband) and times 7hen a husband
should defer to his 7ife) but neither should e'er unBustly dominate the other: /n short) the relationship
bet7een husband and 7ife should be as held forth in the prayer re'ealed by AAbdul0Bah 7hich is often
read at Bah 7eddings! APerily they are married in obedience to 3hy command: Cause them to become
the signs of harmony and unity until the end of time:N E
&I)id!2
O&,ah-*? Pra5ers/ p! 110/ 198L ed!2
/(2. In !ablet of the 7orld 7omen and #en En1isa6ed as *readwinners
@/n the 3ablet of the Horld) Bahullh Himself has en'isaged that 7omen as 7ell as men 7ould be
bread7inners in stating!
AE'eryone) 7hether man or 7oman) should hand o'er to a trusted person a portion of 7hat
he or she earneth through trade) agriculture or other occupation) for the training and
education of children) to be spent for this purpose 7ith the 6no7ledge of the 3rustees of the
House of 9ustice:E
&ATa)lets of ,ah-*u*ll-h re"ealed after the 8ita)+i+(9dasB/ p! 912
@A 'ery important element in the attainment of such eDuality is Bahullhs pro'ision that boys and
girls must follo7 essentially the same curriculum in schools:E
&I)id!2
/(. &o1e *etween 5"sband and 7ife
@3he friends of >od must so li'e and conduct themsel'es and e'ince such e?cellence of character and
conduct) as to ma6e others astonished: 3he lo'e bet7een husband and 7ife should not be purely
physical) nay rather it must be spiritual and hea'enly: 3hese t7o souls should be considered as one soul:
Ho7 difficult it 7ould be to di'ide a single soulL Nay) great 7ould be the difficultyL
@/n short) the foundation of the ;ingdom of >od is based upon harmony and lo'e) oneness)
relationship and union) not upon differences) especially bet7een husband and 7ife:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. amily =ife/ ( 3ompilation of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice2
/('. !he Instit"tion of #arria6e
@3he institution of marriage) as established by Bahullh) 7hile gi'ing due importance to the physical
aspect of marital union considers it as subordinate to the moral and spiritual purposes and functions 7ith
7hich it has been in'ested by an all07ise and lo'ing 2ro'idence: 5nly 7hen these different 'alues are
gi'en each their due importance) and only on the basis of the subordination of the physical to the moral)
and the carnal to the spiritual can such e?cesses and la?ity in marital relations as our decadent age is so
sadly 7itnessing be a'oided) and family life be restored to its original purity) and fulfill the true function
for 7hich it has been instituted by >od:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 8/ 1939. I)id!2
/((. 5"sband and 7ife as a %in6le %o"l
@::: 3he =ord) peerless is He) hath made 7oman and man to abide 7ith each other in the closest
companionship) and to be e'en as a single soul: 3hey are t7o helpmates) t7o intimate friends) 7ho
should be concerned about the 7elfare of each other:
@/f they li'e thus) they 7ill pass through this 7orld 7ith perfect contentment) bliss) and peace of heart)
and become the obBect of di'ine grace and fa'our in the ;ingdom of hea'en: But if they do other than
this) they 7ill li'e out their li'es in great bitterness) longing at e'ery moment for death) and 7ill be
shamefaced in the hea'enly realm:
@Stri'e) then) to abide) heart and soul) 7ith each other as t7o do'es in the nest) for this is to be blessed
in both 7orlds:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ p! 1LL2
/(-. 7ife %ho"ld !reat 5"sband with Gindness
@As to thy respected husband! /t is incumbent upon thee to treat him 7ith great 6indness) to consider his
7ishes and be conciliatory 7ith him at all times) till he seeth that because thou hast directed thyself
to7ard the ;ingdom of >od) thy tenderness for him and thy lo'e for >od ha'e but increased) as 7ell as
thy concern for his 7ishes under all conditions:E
&I)id!/ p! 1LL2
/(/. !olerate Cr"el Actions@ Ill !reatment@ Demonstrate &o1in6 Gindness
@Hold thy husband dear and al7ays sho7 forth an amiable temper to7ards him) no matter ho7 ill0
tempered he may be: E'en if thy lo'ing 6indness ma6eth him more bitter) manifest thou more 6indliness)
more tenderness) be more lo'ing and tolerate his cruel actions and ill0treatment:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. amily =ife/ ( 3ompilation of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice2
/(0. Pray to *ah+,",ll+h for 5elp@ !hin$ of 4Abd",l-*ah+ as Perfect E?ample
@He feels you should by all means sho7 your husband the greatest lo'e and sympathyI if 7e are e'er in
any doubt as to ho7 7e should conduct oursel'es as Bahs 7e should thin6 of AAbdul0Bah and study
His life and as6 oursel'es 7hat 7ould He ha'e done) for He is our perfect e?ample in e'ery 7ay: And
you 6no7 ho7 tender He 7as) and ho7 His affection and 6indness shone li6e sunlight on e'eryone:
@Mour husband and your child ha'e a right to your lo'e) and gi'e you a 7onderful opportunity of
demonstrating your faith in the Cause:
@Also you should pray to Bahullh to help unite you 7ith your husband and ma6e your home a true
and happy home:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 9/ 19NM. I)id!2
/(2. *ah+,;s %ho"ld #a$e Almost a %"perh"man Effort to A1oid Di1orceA
@He feels that you should by all means ma6e e'ery effort to hold your marriage together) especially for
the sa6e of your children) 7ho) li6e all children of di'orced parents) cannot but suffer from conflicting
loyalties) for they are depri'ed of the blessing of a father and mother in one home) to loo6 after their
interests and lo'e them Bointly:
@No7 that you realiCe that your husband is ill) you should be able to reconcile yourself to the
difficulties you ha'e faced 7ith him emotionally) and not ta6e an unforgi'ing attitude) ho7e'er much
you may suffer:
@He 6no7 that Bahullh has 'ery strongly fro7ned upon di'orceI and it is really incumbent upon
the Bahs to ma6e almost a superhuman effort not to allo7 a Bah marriage to be dissol'ed:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch M/ 19@32
O&4ee also. QQIQ! 8! 131L+1338/ 8i'orce2
C$ Ancestors and escendants
/-3. Faith of *elie1er Attracts Dod,s #ercy to %o"ls of Parents
@/n reference to your Duestions about ancestors and descendants) 7e ha'e been directed to say that 7hile
there are 3ablets from Bahullh stating that faith in the <anifestation of >od on the part of a belie'er
attracts >ods mercy to the souls of departed parents the House of 9ustice 6no7s of no te?t in Bah
Hritings to support the statement that a belie'ers se'en past generations and se'en generations to
descend from him are blessed 7hen that person becomes a Bah: Mou may also be familiar 7ith the
statement of AAbdul0Bah that Ait is permitted to as6 for ad'ancement) forgi'eness) mercy) beneficence)
and blessings for a man after his death ::: 3herefore children ::: must implore pardon and forgi'eness for
their parents: From @Some Ans7ered RuestionsE pages ,*$0,*#G:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 L3/ 19082
/-1. !r"e *elie1er in *etter Position to Intercede for AncestorsA
@He cannot ta6e the teaching that if a belie'er remains steadfast till the end of his life he 7ill be the
means of the spiritual a7a6ening of all his ancestors too literally) especially as it is only reported) and
not in an authenticated form: Ho7e'er) 7e can be assured that the true and faithful belie'er 7ill be in a
much better position to intercede for his ancestors) and aid in their de'elopment than if he 7ere not
spiritually enlightened:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 1L/ 19NL2
O&4ee also. o! M992
$ The Relationshi-s Bet"een 'arents and Children
/-2. !he #ost Important of All D"ties After the .eco6nition of DodDue Re$ard for Ri$hts of
Parents
@3he fruits of the tree of e?istence are trust7orthiness) loyalty) truthfulness and purity: After the
recognition of the oneness of the =ord) e?alted be He) the most important of all duties is to ha'e due
regard for the rights of ones parents: 3his matter hath been mentioned in all the Boo6s of >od:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. amily =ife/ ( 3ompilation of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice2
/-. If Children Do :ot )bey ParentsThe5 Will ot O)e5 %od
@3he parents must e?ert e'ery effort to rear their offspring to be religious) for should the children not
attain this greatest of adornments) they 7ill not obey their parents) 7hich in a certain sense means that
they 7ill not obey >od: /ndeed) such children 7ill sho7 no consideration to anyone) and 7ill do e?actly
as they please:E
&I)id!2
/-'. !he %on #"st %er1e 5is Father
@He ha'e enBoined upon e'ery son to ser'e his father: 3hus ha'e He decreed this command in the
Boo6:E
&I)id!2
/-(. Cons"ltation *etween Father and %on
@&egarding thy Duestion about consultation of a father 7ith his son) or a son 7ith his father) in matters of
trade and commerce) consultation is one of the fundamental elements of the foundation of the =a7 of
>od: Such consultation is assuredly acceptable) 7hether bet7een father and son) or 7ith others: 3here is
nothing better than this: <an must consult in all things for this 7ill lead him to the depths of each
problem and enable him to find the right solution:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. I)id!2
/--. Father #"st Di1e %on Ad1ice%on #"st )bey Father
@3he father must al7ays endea'our to educate his son and to acDuaint him 7ith the hea'enly teachings:
He must gi'e him ad'ice and e?hort him at all times) teach him praise7orthy conduct and character)
enable him to recei'e training at school and to be instructed in such arts and sciences as are deemed
useful and necessary: /n brief) let him instill into his mind the 'irtues and perfections of the 7orld of
humanity: Abo'e all he should continually call to his mind the remembrance of >od so that his throbbing
'eins and arteries may pulsate 7ith the lo'e of >od:
@3he son) on the other hand) must sho7 forth the utmost obedience to7ards his father) and should
conduct himself as a humble and a lo7ly ser'ant: 8ay and night he should see6 diligently to ensure the
comfort and 7elfare of his lo'ing father and to secure his good0pleasure: He must forgo his o7n rest and
enBoyment and constantly stri'e to bring gladness to the hearts of his father and mother) that thereby he
may attain the good0pleasure of the Almighty and be graciously aided by the hosts of the unseen:E
&I)id!2
/-/. Parents #"st *e .espected%ho"ld not Geep Child *ac$ from %er1in6 the Ca"se
@/f thou 7ouldst sho7 6indness and consideration to thy parents so that they may feel generally pleased)
this 7ould also please <e) for parents must be highly respected and it is essential that they should feel
contented) pro'ided they deter thee not from gaining access to the 3hreshold of the Almighty) nor 6eep
thee bac6 from 7al6ing in the 7ay of the ;ingdom: /ndeed it beho'eth them to encourage and spur thee
on in this direction:E
&I)id!2
/-0. If )ne #"st #a$e Choice *etween %er1ice to *ah+,",ll+h or %er1ice to Parents
@He ha'e caused thee to return to thy home as a to6en of 5ur <ercy unto thy mother) inasmuch as He
ha'e found her o'er7helmed 7ith sorro7: He ha'e enBoined you in the Boo6 Ato 7orship no one but
>od and to sho7 6indness to your parents:N 3hus hath the one true >od spo6en and the decree hath
been fulfilled by the Almighty) the All0Hise: 3herefore He ha'e caused thee to return unto her and unto
thy sister) that your mothers eyes may thereby be cheered) and she may be of the than6ful:
@Say) 5 <y peopleL Sho7 honour to your parents and pay homage to them: 3his 7ill cause blessings
to descend upon you from the clouds of the bounty of your =ord) the E?alted) the >reat:
@Hhen He learned of her sadness) He directed thee to return unto her) as a to6en of mercy unto thee
from 5ur presence) and as an admonishment for others:
@Be7are lest ye commit that 7hich 7ould sadden the hearts of your fathers and mothers: ollo7 ye the
path of 3ruth 7hich indeed is a straight path: Should anyone gi'e you a choice bet7een the opportunity
to render a ser'ice to <e and a ser'ice to them) choose ye to ser'e them) and let such ser'ice be a path
leading you to <e: 3his is <y e?hortation and command unto thee: 5bser'e therefore that 7hich thy
=ord) the <ighty) the >racious) hath prescribed unto thee:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. I)id!2
O&Cur*-n NM.1@2
/-2. It is a Pri1ile6e to &oo$ After Parents
@/n regard to the Duestions you as6ed him! He feels sure that) although in some 7ays you may be a
financial burden to your children) it is to them a pri'ilege to loo6 after youI you are their mother and
ha'e gi'en them life) and through the bounty of Bahullh they are no7 attracted to His aith:
Anything they do for you is small recompense for all you ha'e done for them:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er L1/ 19N8. I)id!2
//3. Pray for Parents
@/t is seemly that the ser'ant should) after each prayer) supplicate >od to besto7 mercy and forgi'eness
upon his parents: 3hereupon >ods call 7ill be raised! A3housand upon thousand of 7hat thou hast as6ed
for thy parents shall be thy recompenseL Blessed is he 7ho remembereth his parents 7hen communing
7ith >od: 3here is) 'erily) no >od but Him) the <ighty) the Hell0Belo'ed:E
&The ,-). Selections from the Hritings of the Bb/ p! 9N/ 198L ed!2
@5 =ordL /n this <ost >reat 8ispensation 3hou dost accept the intercession of children in behalf of
their parents: 3his is one of the special infinite besto7als of this 8ispensation: 3herefore) 5 3hou 6ind
=ord) accept the reDuest of this 3hy ser'ant at the threshold of 3hy singleness and submerge his father in
the ocean of 3hy grace) because this son hath arisen to render 3hee ser'ice and is e?erting effort at all
times in the path7ay of 3hy lo'e: Perily) 3hou art the >i'er) the orgi'er and the ;indLE
&'()du*l+,ah-. I)id!2
//1. Father 7ho Fails to Ed"cate 5is Children Forfeits .i6hts of Fatherhood
@3hese are all relationships 7ithin the family) but there is a much 7ider sphere of relationships bet7een
men and 7omen than in the home) and this too 7e should consider in the conte?t of Bah society) not
in that of past or present social norms: or e?ample) although the mother is the first educator of the
child) and the most important formati'e influence in his de'elopment) the father also has the
responsibility of educating his children) and this responsibility is so 7eighty that Bahullh has stated
that a father 7ho fails to e?ercise it forfeits his rights of fatherhood::::E
//2. #others are not :ecessarily Confined to the 5ome
@:::Similarly) although the primary responsibility for supporting the family financially is placed upon the
husband) this does not by any means imply that the place of 7omen is confined to the home: 5n the
contrary) AAbdul0Bah has stated!
A/n this &e'elation of Bahullh) the 7omen go nec6 and nec6 7ith the men: /n no
mo'ement 7ill they be left behind: 3heir rights 7ith men are eDual in degree: 3hey 7ill
enter all the administrati'e branches of politics: 3hey 7ill attain in all such a degree as 7ill
be considered the 'ery highest station of the 7orld of humanity and 7ill ta6e part in all
affairs: FParis Talks) p: "$,G
@and again!
ASo it 7ill come to pass that 7hen 7omen participate fully and eDually in the affairs of the
7orld) 7hen they enter confidently and capably the great arena of la7s and politics) 7ar 7ill
ceaseI ::: E FThe Promul$ation of :ni"ersal Peace) p: "%1G
&I)id!2
//. 8ndera6e Child :eeds Parental Consent to Pioneer
@&egarding the >uardians statement that pioneering is conditioned upon the consent of parents and that
it 7ould be necessary for them to concur) you ha'e as6ed 7hether this ruling applies eDually to children
7ho are of age and those 7ho are not: 3he >uardians reply is that the ruling applies only to those 7ho
ha'e not yet come of age:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Iran/ Eanuar5 18/ 19N32
//'. Parents and Children in the Pioneerin6 Field
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has recei'ed your letter of ,% 9une) "#++ in 7hich you e?press the
ardent desire of yourself and your husband to see your children gro7 as acti'e supporters of the aith)
and you as6 7hether) in 'ie7 of the responsibilities of Bah parents in the pioneering field) the
seeming sufferings the children bear as the result of their parents commitments in ser'ice to the Cause
7ill someho7 be compensated: He ha'e been as6ed by the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice to con'ey to you
the follo7ing points!
@/n considering this problem it is important to bear in mind the reality of the unity of the family) and
the childrens part in its acti'ities: /n a tal6 7hich AAbdul0Bah ga'e in America in "#",) He made this
significant statement!
AAccording to the teachings of Bahullh) the family being a human unit must be educated
according to the rules of sanctity :::: 3he integrity of the family bond must be constantly
considered and the rights of the indi'idual members must not be transgressed) the rights of
the son) the father) the mother) none of them must be transgressed) none of them must be
arbitrary ::: : All these rights and prerogati'es must be conser'ed) yet the unity of the family
must be sustained: F2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace) p: "*$) "#$, ed:G
E/t should also be realiCed that a child) from early life) is a conscious and thin6ing soul) a member of
his family 7ith his o7n duties to7ards it) and is able to ma6e his o7n sacrifices for the aith in many
7ays: /t is suggested that the children should be made to feel that they are gi'en the pri'ilege and
opportunity of participating in the decisions as to the ser'ices their parents are able to offer) thus ma6ing
their o7n conscious decision to accept those ser'ices 7ith conseDuence for their o7n li'es: /ndeed) the
children can be led to realiCe that it is the earnest 7ish of their parents to underta6e such ser'ices 7ith
their childrens 7hole0hearted support:
@3here are many te?ts included in A( 3ompilation on ,ah-*? Education) from the 7ritings of
Bahullh) AAbdul0Bah and the >uardian) 7hich indicate that Achildren must) from their infancy) be
raised to be spiritual and godly Bahs: /f such be their training) they 7ill remain safe from e'ery test:
FAAbdul0Bah) p: %*G: Bahullh Himself has 7ritten! AAs to the children! He ha'e directed that in the
beginning they should be trained in the obser'ances and la7s of religionI ::: and in deeds that 7ill further
the 'ictory of >ods Cause::: Fp: $G: 3hey should e'en be trained from an early age to ma6e their o7n
sacrifices for the aith) as indicated in these 7ords! ABring them up to 7or6 and stri'e) and accustom
them to hardship: 3each them to dedicate their li'es to matters of great import::: FAAbdul0Bah) p: %"G:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust L3/ 19002
96II$ T)( FA%T

//(. Fastin6%-iritual in Character
@3he fasting period) 7hich lasts nineteen days starting as a rule from the second of <arch e'ery year
and ending on the t7entieth of the same month) in'ol'es complete abstention from food and drin6 from
sunrise till sunset: /t is essentially a period of meditation and prayer) of spiritual recuperation) during
7hich the belie'er must stri'e to ma6e the necessary readBustments in his inner life) and to refresh and
rein'igorate the spiritual forces latent in his soul: /ts significance and purpose are) therefore)
fundamentally spiritual in character: asting is symbolic) and a reminder of abstinence from selfish and
carnal desires:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eanuar5 11/ 193M2
//-. )bser1ance of the Fast is a 8ni1ersal )bli6ation,ah-*u*ll-h Permits 3ertain E;ceptions to
<astin$
@&egarding the nineteen0day fast! /ts obser'ance has been enBoined by Bahullh upon all the
belie'ers) once they attain the age of fifteen and until they reach se'enty: Children of all countries)
nationalities and classes 7ho are fifteen years old are under this obligation: /t matters not 7hether they
mature later in one country than in another: 3he command of Bahullh is uni'ersal) irrespecti'e of
any 'ariance in the age of maturity in different countries and among different peoples:
@/n the AADdas Bahullh permits certain e?ceptions to this general obligation of fasting) among
them are included those 7ho do hard 7or6) such as 7or6ers in hea'y industries:
@But 7hile a uni'ersal obligation) the obser'ance of the nineteen day fast has been made by
Bahullh the sole responsibility of the indi'idual belie'er: No Assembly has the right to enforce it on
the friends) or to hold anybody responsible for not obser'ing it: 3he belie'er is free) ho7e'er) to as6 the
ad'ice of his Assembly as to the circumstances that 7ould Bustify him to conscientiously brea6 such a
fast: But he is by no means reDuired to do so:E
///. Fastin6 has a %al"tary Effect *oth Physically and %pirit"ally
@;eeping the ast is enBoined upon all Bahs) regardless of nationalityI it has a 'ery salutary effect
both physically and spiritually) and the friends should realiCe Bahullh ne'er 7ould ha'e instituted it
if it 7ere detrimental to the health:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 L1/ 19NM2
//0. !he Doctor,s Ad1ice %ho"ld be %o"6ht if !here is a 5ealth Problem
@As to your Duestion regarding the ast! /f there is any doubt in the mind of a person as to 7hether it 7ill
really be bad for that persons health to 6eep it) the best doctors ad'ice should be obtained: But
generally spea6ing most people can 6eep it) any7here in the 7orld) 7ith no detriment to their health: /t
is 'ery good for the health and) once one forms the habit) each year it becomes easier to 6eep) unless one
is rundo7n: No one is obliged to 6eep it if it really harms them:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 1N/ 19N02
//2. !he Di1ine 7isdom in Fastin6
@3he 8i'ine 7isdom in fasting is manifold: Among them is this! As during those days Fi:e:) the period of
fasting 7hich the follo7ers after7ard obser'eG the <anifestation of the Sun of &eality) through 8i'ine
inspiration) is engaged in the descent Fre'ealingG of Perses) the instituting of 8i'ine =a7 and the
arrangement of teachings) through e?cessi'e occupation and intensi'e attraction there remains no
condition or time for eating and drin6ing: or e?ample) 7hen His Holiness <oses 7ent to <ount 3ur
FSinaiG and there engaged in instituting the =a7 of >od) He fasted forty days: or the purpose of
a7a6ening and admonishing the people of /srael) fasting 7as enBoined upon them:
@=i6e7ise) His Holiness Christ) in the beginning of instituting the Spiritual =a7) the systematiCing of
the teachings and the arrangement of counsels) for forty days abstained from eating and drin6ing: /n the
beginning the disciples and Christians fasted: =ater the assemblages of the chief Christians changed
fasting into lenten obser'ances:
@=i6e7ise the ;orn ha'ing descended in the month of &amaCn) fasting during that month became a
duty:
@/n li6e manner His Holiness the Supreme Fthe BbG) in the beginning of the <anifestation through the
e?cessi'e effect of descending 'erses) passed days in 7hich His nourishment 7as reduced to tea only:
@=i6e7ise) the Blessed Beauty FBahollhG) 7hen busy 7ith instituting the 8i'ine 3eachings and
during the days 7hen the Perses F3he Hord of >odG descended continuously) through the great effect of
the Perses and the throbbing of the heart) too6 no food e?cept the least amount:
@3he purpose is this! /n order to follo7 the 8i'ine <anifestations and for the purpose of admonition
and the commemoration of their state) it became incumbent upon the people to fast during those days:
or e'ery sincere soul 7ho has a belo'ed longs to e?perience that state in 7hich his belo'ed is: /f his
belo'ed is in a state of sorro7) he desires sorro7I if in a state of Boy) he desires BoyI if in a state of rest)
he desires restI if in a state of trouble) he desires trouble:
@No7) since in this <illennial 8ay) His Holiness the Supreme Fthe BbG fasted many days) and the
Blessed Beauty FBahollhG too6 but little food or drin6) it becomes necessary that the friends should
follo7 that e?ample::::E
&Ta)le Talks )5 '()du*l+,ah-/ )5 6rs! 3orinne True. Star of the Hest) >ol! I>/ o! 18/ p! 31@2
/03. !ra1ellers Are E?empted from Fastin6If )ne Eats 8nconscio"sly@ Fast is not *ro$en
@&egarding your Duestion concerning the ast! 3ra'ellers are e?empt from fasting) but if they 7ant to
fast 7hile they are tra'elling) they are free to do so: Mou are e?empt the 7hole period of your tra'el) not
Bust the hours you are in a train or car) etc: /f one eats unconsciously during the fasting hours) this is not
brea6ing the ast as it is an accident: 3he age limit is se'enty years) but if one desires to fast after the
age limit is passed) and is strong enough to) one is free to do so: /f during the ast period a person falls
ill and is unable to fast) but reco'ers before the ast period is o'er) he can start to ast again and
continue until the end: 5f course the ast) as you 6no7) can only be 6ept during the month set aside for
that purpose:E
&4ho$hi Effendi. 2rinciples of Bah Administration/ pp! 9+112
/01. Fastin6 in 5i6h &atit"des
@/t is true that Bahullh has ordained in the ;itb0i0ADdas that in the high latitudes 7here the duration
of days and nights 'aries considerably cloc6s should be relied upon rather than the rising and setting of
the sun: Ho7e'er) 7e feel that 8ublin is too far south for the application of this la7: Mou should thus
Budge the end of each day by the actual sunset:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ (u$ust 8/ 19M92
/02. %mo$in6 is a Form of Drin$in6
@/n one of His 3ablets AAbdul0Bah) after stating that fasting consists of abstinence from food and
drin6) categorically says that smo6ing is a form of Adrin6: F/n Arabic the 'erb Adrin6 applies eDually to
smo6ing:G
@/n the East) therefore) the friends abstain from smo6ing during the hours of fasting) and friends from
the East li'ing in the Hest do li6e7ise: But) as stated in our letter to the National Spiritual Assembly of
Ne7 Vealand) this application of the 8i'ine =a7 has not been e?tended to the friends in the Hest for the
present) and therefore it should not be made an issue:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 1@/ 190L2
/0. )bser1ance of Fast 7hen Attendin6 #ilitary %chool
@Hith reference to your sons reDuest for ad'ice regarding the obser'ance of the Bah fast! <uch as
the >uardian realiCes the difficulty 7hich a belie'er of his position) attending a military school) 7ill
ha'e to encounter if he 7ishes to strictly conform to the regulations of the fast) he ne'ertheless 7ould
ad'ise him to ma6e e'ery effort to obtain from the school authorities the necessary permission: /n case
his reDuest is refused the only alternati'e for him 7ould be to obey his superiors:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L0/ 19382
/0'. Prayer for the Fast
@5 >odL as / am fasting from the appetites of the body and not occupied 7ith eating and drin6ing) e'en
so purify and ma6e holy my heart and my life from aught else sa'e 3hy =o'e) and protect and preser'e
my soul from self0passions and animal traits: 3hus may the spirit associate 7ith the ragrances of
Holiness and fast from e'erything else sa'e 3hy mention:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 4tar of the West/ >ol! I>/ o! 18/ p! 31@2
96III$ F(AR
/0(. Fear of Dod and %ense of %hame Protect #an from 8nseemly Cond"ct
@::: Perily / say! 3he fear of >od hath e'er been a sure defence and a safe stronghold for all the peoples
of the 7orld: /t is the chief cause of the protection of man6ind) and the supreme instrument for its
preser'ation: /ndeed) there e?isteth in man a faculty 7hich deterreth him from) and guardeth him
against) 7hate'er is un7orthy and unseemly) and 7hich is 6no7n as his sense of shame: 3his) ho7e'er)
is confined to but a fe7I all ha'e not possessed and do not possess it:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3ablets of Bahullh re'ealed after the ;itb0i0ADdas/ 1908 ed!/ p! M32
/0-. !each Children the Fear of Dod !hro"6h Concept of )neness and the &aws
@3hat 7hich is of paramount importance for the children) that 7hich must precede all else) is to teach
them the oneness of >od and the =a7s of >od: or lac6ing this the fear of >od cannot be inculcated)
and lac6ing the fear of >od an infinity of odious and abominable actions 7ill spring up) and sentiments
7ill be uttered that transgress all bounds::::E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. Bah Education! A Compilation) p! M/ compiled )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice2
/0/. !he Gnowled6e 7hich will &ar6ely Eliminate Fear
@/n the treasuries of the 6no7ledge of >od there lieth concealed a 6no7ledge 7hich) 7hen applied) 7ill
largely) though not 7holly) eliminate fear: 3his 6no7ledge) ho7e'er) should be taught from childhood)
as it 7ill greatly aid in its elimination: Hhate'er decreaseth fear increaseth courage::::E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. Epistle to the Son of the Holf/ p! 3L2
/00. &ac$ of Faith in Immortality is a Ca"se of Fear@ 7ea$ened 7ill Power and 5"man
De6radation
@3he conception of annihilation is a factor in human degradation) fear and abBection: /t has been
conduci'e to the dispersion and 7ea6ening of human thought 7hereas the realiCation of e?istence and
continuity has upraised man to sublimity of ideals) established the foundations of human progress and
stimulated the de'elopment of hea'enly 'irtuesI therefore it beho'es man to abandon thoughts of non0
e?istence and death) 7hich are absolutely imaginary and see himself e'er li'ing) e'erlasting in the
di'ine purpose of his creation: He must turn a7ay from ideas 7hich degrade the human soul) so that day
by day and hour by hour he may ad'ance up7ard and higher to spiritual perception of the continuity of
the human reality: /f he d7ells on the thought of non0e?istence he 7ill become utterly incompetentI 7ith
7ea6ened 7ill0po7er his ambition for progress 7ill be lessened and the acDuisition of human 'irtues
7ill cease:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Bah Horld aith/ 1901 ed!/ p! LM@2
/02. #eanin6 of the !erm <Fear of Dod=
@Mou ha'e as6ed the e?act meaning of the term Aear of >od mentioned in Bah Sacred Hritings! /t
often means a7e) but has also other connotations such as re'erence) terror and fear:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 13/ 19N12
@He ha'e no 7ay of 6no7ing 7hat science Bahullh meant 7hen He said it 7ould largely eliminate
fearI as no further mention of it 7as e'er made in the teachings) the >uardian cannot identify anything
7ith this statement: 3o do so 7ould depart from his function as interpreter of the teachingsI he cannot
re'eal anything apart from the gi'en teachings:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust 31/ 19@L2
/23. E?plainin6 Fear of Dod to Children
@/n e?plaining the fear of >od to children) there is no obBection to teaching it as AAbdul0Bah so often
taught e'erything) in the form of parables: Also the child should be made to understand that 7e donKt
fear >od because He is cruel) but 7e fear Him because He is Bust) and) if 7e do 7rong and deser'e to be
punished) then in His Bustice He may see fit to punish us: He must both lo'e >od and fear Him:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 1@/ 19@02
/21. Fear Does not %ol1e Problems
@He does not feel that fearQfor oursel'es or for othersQsol'es any problem) or enables us to better
meet it if it e'er does arise: He do not 6no7 7hat the future holds e?actly) or ho7 soon 7e may all pass
through another ordeal 7orse than the last one:
@But 7hat 7e do 6no7 is that all 7e can do as Bahs is to teach and to e?emplify the aith: He
cannot bear the burden of suffering of others) and 7e should not try to: All men are in >ods hands) and
e'en if they do get 6illed 7e 6no7 there is another life beyond this than can hold great hope and
happiness for the soul:
@No matter 7hat happens) nothing is as important as our feeling of trust in >od) our inner peacefulness
and faith that all) in the end) in spite of the se'erity of the ordeals 7e may pass through) 7ill come out as
Bahullh has promised:
@He urges you to put these dar6 thoughts from your mind) and remember that if >od) the Creator of all
men) can bear to see them suffer so) it is not for us to Duestion His 7isdom: He can compensate the
innocent) in His o7n 7ay) for the afflictions they bear:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er 31/ 19@12
/22. )1ercomin6 Fear
@He 7ill certainly pray that you may entirely o'ercome your fear0comple?: Hhen you concentrate your
thoughts on realiCing that you no7 belong to Bahullh) are His ser'ant 7hom He lo'es and 7ill
al7ays help) if you as6 Him to) and that the great spiritual strength of the Cause of >od is behind you for
you to dra7 upon) you 7ill soon see your fears melting a7ay:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er. High Endea'ors) <essages to Alas6a/ p! 012
/2. For6et Fears@ !each and %er1e the Faith
@3he >uardian urges you to forget all your fears) and 7ith a tranDuil heart and radiant spirit) to teach and
ser'e the aith all you can in Mon6ers and its 'icinity) 7hile depending on >od for your guidance and
help: 3he teaching 7or6 is of the utmost importance in these days) and 7hoe'er engages in it 7ill be
reinforced by the Hosts on High:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 31/ 19@32
/2'. Fear of Dod7uman ,ein$s eed Element of <ear
@Mou as6 him about the fear of >od! perhaps the friends do not realiCe that the maBority of human beings
need the element of fear in order to discipline their conductS 5nly a relati'ely 'ery highly e'ol'ed soul
7ould al7ays be disciplined by lo'e alone: ear of punishment) fear of the anger of >od if 7e do e'il)
are needed to 6eep peopleKs feet on the right path: 5f course 7e should lo'e >odQbut 7e must fear Him
in the sense of a child fearing the righteous anger and chastisement of a parentI not cringe before Him as
before a tyrant) but 6no7 His mercy e?ceeds His 9usticeLE
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 LM/ 19NM. Bah Education) A Compilation/ compiled )5 the
:ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice2
9I9$ T)( NIN(T((N A> F(A%T
A$ Nature and Function
/2(. P"rpose of the :ineteen Day Feast
@:::3he main purpose of the Nineteen 8ay easts is to enable indi'idual belie'ers to offer any suggestion
to the =ocal Assembly 7hich in its turn 7ill pass it to the National Spiritual Assembly: 3he =ocal
Assembly is) therefore) the proper medium through 7hich local Bah communities can communicate
7ith the body of the national representati'es::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ o"em)er 18/ 1933.
Bah <eetingsI 3he Nineteen 8ay east/ p! LN2
/2-. !he &ord,s %"pperThe ineteen Da5 <east
@Mou must continue to 6eep the Nineteen 8ay east: /t is 'ery importantI it is 'ery good: But 7hen you
present yoursel'es in the meetings) before entering them) free yoursel'es from all that you ha'e in your
heart) free your thoughts and your minds from all else sa'e >od) and spea6 to your heart: 3hat all may
ma6e this a gathering of lo'e) ma6e it the cause of illumination) ma6e it a gathering of attraction of the
hearts) surround this gathering 7ith the =ights of the Supreme Concourse) so that you may be gathered
together 7ith the utmost lo'e:
@Each one of you must thin6 ho7 to ma6e happy and pleased the other members of your Assembly)
and each one must consider all those 7ho are present as better and greater than himself) and each one
must consider himself less than the rest: ;no7 their station as high) and thin6 of your o7n station as
lo7:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Star of the Hest) >ol! I>/ o! 0/ p! 1L12
/2/. 4Abd",l-*ah+ is Present in 5eart and %o"l
@<a6e ye an effort in e'ery meeting that the =ords Supper may become realised and the hea'enly food
descend: 3his hea'enly food is 6no7ledge) understanding) faith) assurance) lo'e) affinity) 6indness)
purity of purpose) attraction of hearts and the union of souls:::: Hhen the meeting is conducted after this
manner) then AAbdul0Bah also is present in heart and soul) though His body may not be 7ith you:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Bah Horld aith/ pp! N10+N182
/20. Attendance at :ineteen Day Feasts not )bli6atory
@Attendance at Nineteen 8ay easts is not obligatory but 'ery important) and e'ery belie'er should
consider it a duty and a pri'ilege to be present on such occasions:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 1@/ 19N0. Bah Ne7s/ o! L11/ p! 3/ (u$ust 19N82
/22. If Feasts be 5eld in Proper Fashion...
@As to the Nineteen 8ay east) it reBoiceth mind and heart: /f this feast be held in the proper fashion) the
friends 7ill) once in nineteen days) find themsel'es spiritually restored) and endued 7ith a po7er that is
not of this 7orld:E
033. Prophecies Abo"t Feasts
@::: 3his is that Adi'ine table For foodG of 7hich mention is made in the prophecies! K5n that day they
shall gather together at the di'ine tableK) and Apeople shall come from the East and the Hest and arri'e in
His ;ingdom:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3ablets of AAbdul0Bah/ >ol! L/ p! NLL/ 19N1 ed!2
031. Bisitors Can !a$e Part in Cons"ltation@ !hey Cannot Bote
@As to 'isitors to a Nineteen 8ay east) Bahs from any7here in the 7orld should of course be 7armly
7elcomed) and may ta6e part in consultation: Ho7e'er) only members of the local community can 'ote
on recommendations to the =ocal Spiritual Assembly:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ Decem)er 1/ 19M82
032. )mit Cons"ltati1e Part of Feast if :on-*ah+,; Appears
@3he rule that only Bahs may ta6e part in Nineteen 8ay easts is not a ne7 one) indeed it 7as often
reiterated by the belo'ed >uardian: Ho7e'er) 7hen a non0Bah does appear at a east he should not be
as6ed to lea'eI rather the Assembly should omit the consultati'e part of the east) and the non0Bah
should be made 7elcome: 5f course) if the non0Bah is 7ell 6no7n to the Bahs and no hurt feelings
7ould be caused) he might be as6ed to retire during the consultati'e part: /n general) ho7e'er) it is much
better to a'oid such problems 7here possible) and you seem to ha'e ta6en the 7isest course during your
friends last 'isit by ta6ing them out for the e'ening) so a'oiding the problem:
@8uring the period of consultation the Bahs should be able to enBoy perfect freedom to e?press their
'ie7s on the 7or6 of the Cause) unembarrassed by the feeling that all they are saying is being heard by
someone 7ho has not accepted Bahullh and 7ho might) thereby) gain a 'ery distorted picture of the
aith: /t 7ould also be 'ery embarrassing for any sensiti'e non0Bah to find himself plunged into the
midst of a discussion of the detailed affairs of a Bah Community of 7hich he is not a part:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch LN/ 19012
03. Botin6 .i6hts Cannot be .emo1ed for Fail"re to Attend Feast
@3he >uardian has ne'er heard of any ruling by 7hich a belie'er 7ho does not attend three consecuti'e
"# 8ay easts can be depri'ed of his 'oting rights: He does not consider that such action is Bustifiable at
all: 3he 7hole Duestion is 7hether a person considers himself a Bah or not) and is 7illing to adhere to
the principles of the aith and accept the authority of the >uardian and the AdministrationQ7hether that
indi'idual is able) or al7ays in a condition psychologically to attend easts and Bah meetings is an
entirely different subBect::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %erman5 and (ustria/ 6arch L/ 19@12
03'. :on-*ah+,; Attendance at :ineteen Day Feast
@Hith regard to the attendance of non0Bahs at a Nineteen 8ay east) you can e?plain to ::: the
essentially domestic) administrati'e nature of the Nineteen 8ay east:::: 3he >uardians secretary 7rote
on his behalf on ," September) "#(*!
AAs regards your Duestion concerning Nineteen 8ay easts ::: as to non0Bahs attending)
this should by all means be a'oided) but if non0belie'ers come to a Nineteen 8ay east) they
should not be put out) as this might hurt their feelings:
@3his is 7hy) if a non0Bah does appear at a Nineteen 8ay east he should be made to feel 7elcome)
but a Bah should certainly not in'ite a non0Bah to attend:
@A non0Bah 7ho as6s to be in'ited to a east 7ill usually understand if this matter is e?plained to
him:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ 6arch 13/ 19M02
03(. !he :ineteen Day Feast for *ah+,;s E?cl"si1elyo >ariation from this Principle Permitted
@3he belo'ed >uardian has instructed me to 7rite you concerning an action recently ta6en by your
National Assembly) as published in your 9anuary0ebruary Bah Ne7s) that non0Bahs may attend "#
8ay easts if Athe earnestness of their interest in the aith is 'ouched for by a declared belie'er:
@3he >uardian 7ishes me to direct your attention to the fact that none of the institutions of the aith
nor its cardinal principles may be changed under any circumstances:
@3he "# 8ay east is an institution of the Cause) first established by the Bb) later confirmed by
Bahullh) and no7 made a prominent part of the administrati'e order of the aith: 3hese "# 8ay
easts are for the Bahs) and the Bahs e?clusi'ely) and no 'ariation from this principle is permitted:
@3hus the >uardian feels you should rescind the action ta6en by your Assembly in opening the easts
to Anear Bahs) as it is not consistent 7ith the spirit of the administrati'e order for non0Bahs or near
Bahs to attend the "# 8ay easts) particularly the administrati'e portion of the east:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %erman5 and (ustria/ 6a5 L8/ 19@N/ 3he Nineteen
8ay east/ o"em)er 190@2
03-. *ah+,; Dro"ps@ Isolated *elie1ers and Friends %ho"ld )bser1e the :ineteen Day Feast
@/n reply to your letter of No'ember $th 7e feel that all friends) 7hate'er their circumstances) should be
encouraged to obser'e the Nineteen 8ay east: 5b'iously it can only be an official administrati'e
occasion 7here there is a =ocal Spiritual Assembly to ta6e charge of it) present reports to the friends)
and recei'e their recommendations: But groups) spontaneous gatherings of friends) and e'en isolated
belie'ers should certainly remember the day and say prayers together: /n the case of a group it may 7ell
hold the east in the manner in 7hich a =ocal Spiritual Assembly 7ould do so) recogniCing of course
that it has no official administrati'e standing:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ Decem)er 1/ 19M8/ Bah 9ournal of
the British /sles/ o! 191/ 6arch+(pril 19M92
03/. 7here :ineteen Day Feast %ho"ld be 5eld
@3he matter of 7here the Nineteen 8ay easts should be held is certainly one for the Spiritual Assembly
to decideI but the HaCratuKl0Ruds seems the logical place on most occasions: Jntil the friends ha'e a
place of 7orship ::: this building 7ill also be used for de'otional meetings) as 7ell as for administrati'e
purposes:
@/f under some circumstances) some special east is offered in the home of one of the belie'ers) 7ith
the appro'al of the Spiritual Assembly) there can be no obBectionI but) generally spea6ing) he feels it is
better to use the HaCratuKl0Ruds:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 18/ 19@N. Bah <eetingsI 3he Nineteen 8ay east/
p! 312
030. !he )wner of the 5o"se #"st Personally %er1e
@::: 3he o7ner of the house must personally ser'e the belo'ed ones: He must see6 after the comfort of all
and 7ith the utmost humility he must sho7 forth 6indness to e'ery one: /f the east is arranged in this
manner and in the 7ay mentioned) that supper is the A=ords Supper) for the result is the same result and
the effect is the same effect:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3ablets of AAbdul0Bah/ >ol! II/ pp! NM8+NM92
032. Children "p to A6e Fifteen Permitted to Attend Feasts
@Jp to the age of fifteen) children of Bah parents are considered to be Bahs and are permitted to
attend such functions as easts: Jpon reaching the age of fifteen) ho7e'er) the child must ma6e his o7n
declaration of faith if he 7ishes to continue as a Bah: Again) the mechanics of enrollment are left to
the discretion of the National Spiritual Assembly:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,raJil/ 6arch L0/ 19M82
013. District :ineteen Day Feasts
@Each city 7ill ha'e its o7n Spiritual Assembly) not a number of district ones: Naturally) district "# 8ay
easts can be held 7here there are 'ery many Bahs in one city:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 31/ 19N9. Bah <eetingsI 3he Nineteen 8ay east) p!
L92
B$ Ti&e for )olding Nineteen a* Feast
011. !ime for 5oldin6 the :ineteen Day Feast
@He ha'e your letter of 5ctober ",) "#+" concerning the date for the holding of the Nineteen 8ay east:
/t is preferable that Nineteen 8ay easts be held on the first day of the Bah month) but if it should be
difficult to do so) it is permissible to hold it on a succeeding day of the Bah month: 3he matter is left
to the discretion of the =ocal Spiritual Assembly:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational Teachin$ 3ommittee of Iceland/ Octo)er L8/ 1901/ Australian Bah
Bulletin/ o! L13/ 6a5 190L/ p! 02
012. If Feast Clashes with .e6"lar Day for P"blic #eetin6
@3he Nineteen 8ay east should be held) preferably) on the first day of the Bah month) that is to say
the Bah day) beginning at sunset: /f this is not possible for some good reason) for e?ample that it
clashes 7ith the regular day for a public meeting) then it may be held later) but it must fall 7ithin that
same Bah month and should be on the nearest possible date:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ (u$ust 8/ 19M92
01. Feast %ho"ld be 5eld on Prescribed Day *efore %"nset
@&egarding the time for holding of the Nineteen 8ay easts and elections! 3he >uardian 7ould ad'ise
your Assembly to urge the friends to hold such gatherings on the prescribed day before sunset: /f
impossible) then it is permissible to hold them on the preceding day::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Decem)er LN/ 1939.
Bah <eetings) 3he Nineteen 8ay east/ p! L82
01'. Feast Can be Celebrated D"rin6 Intercalary Days@ Also #onth of Fastin6
@:::relati'e to the last Nineteen 8ay east) Shoghi Effendi sees no obBection if the friends choose to
celebrate it on one of the intercalary days: 3hey may also celebrate it during the month of fasting)
pro'ided they abstain from food:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust L/ 19L92
01(. In 5i6h &atit"des Permissible to Do by the Cloc$
@As to 7hether the celebrating of the easts) Holy 8ays and the ast should follo7 the rising and the
setting of sun) in the high latitudes it is permissible to go by the cloc6:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational Teachin$ 3ommittee of Iceland Octo)er L8/ 1901. Australian Bah
Bulletin/ o! L13/ 6a5 190L/ p! 02
01-. <#ost %"itable= Day for Celebrations of the :ineteen Day Feast
@::: Mou as6 if it is 7ithin the discretion of a =ocal Spiritual Assembly) to schedule the easts at times
other than the first day of a Bah month) and point out that attendance 7as 'ery lo7 7hen the easts
7ere held in the middle of a 7ee6) but that 7hen held on a Saturday many more of the friends 7ere able
to attend: /t seems ob'ious) therefore) that the intent of the =ocal Assembly) in lo'ing consideration of
the members of its community) 7as to ma6e the participation in a Nineteen 8ay east a'ailable to as
many of the belie'ers as possible: 2erhaps the Assembly 7as basing its decision on AAbdul0Bahs
statement) ta6en from the compilation on the Nineteen 8ay east) that the AobBect of the east is
Aconcord) that through this fello7ship hearts may become perfectly united:::
@5ther passages from that same compilation are!
A3his east is a bringer of Boy: /t is the ground7or6 of agreement and unity: /t is the 6ey to
affection and fello7ship:::
A3he belie'ers of >od must assemble and associate 7ith each other in the utmost lo'e) Boy
and fragrance:
@5n the other hand) since the belo'ed >uardian e?pressed a preference) and considered it Amost
suitable) for the east to be held on the first day of each month) the House of 9ustice hopes that the
friends e'ery7here 7ill aim at scheduling their Nineteen 8ay easts in this 7ay) and that the friends
themsel'es 7ill arrange their personal affairs to be able to attend:
@As in so many aspects of our belo'ed aith) this is a matter of the gradual maturing of the Bahs and
of the institutions: 3he House of 9ustice feels that you should lo'ingly guide the =ocal Assemblies in this
matter) but lea'e it to their discretion for the time being:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 6e;ico/ Octo)er 11/ 198@2
C$ 'rogra&&e for the Nineteen a* Feast
01/. De1otional Part of Feast
@3he Duestion regarding the de'otional part of the east has been obscured because once he used the
term Ade'otional in its strict sense) 7hich of course means prayer) and once loosely) in the sense in
7hich the Bahs usually understand it) and that is the meeting together and reading from the teachings
7hich precedes the administrati'eQor consultati'eQaspect of the "# 8ay east: 3he t7o statements in
no 7ay change the method of holding this part of the east 7hich) in the East at any rate) is al7ays
opened 7ith prayers and after7ards 3ablets and e?cerpts from Bahullhs) or the <asters or the
>uardians 7ritings may be read or) for that matter) the Bible or the Rurn Duoted:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ (pril 11/ 19N9. Bah <eetings)
3he Nineteen 8ay east/ p! 312
010. Pro6ramme for De1otions )"tlined
@Concerning the matter of the de'otions at Nineteen 8ay easts: He see no contradiction in the three
statements of the belo'ed >uardian: /n essence they all describe e?actly the same procedure) namely)
that the east is opened 7ith de'otional readings) that is to say prayers and meditations) from the
Hritings of Bahullh) the Bb) and the <aster: ollo7ing these passages may be read from other
3ablets) from the Holy Scriptures of pre'ious 8ispensations) and from the 7ritings of the >uardian: /t is
clear) ho7e'er) that the belo'ed >uardian 7ould not 7ish his o7n 7ords to be read as part of an
arranged de'otional programme in 7hich they 7ould be interspersed among 7ords of Holy Scripture: /n
other 7ords) at the Nineteen 8ay east) 7here 7ords of the >uardian are to be read they should follo7
any selections from the Scriptures and not be mi?ed 7ith them: 3his does not mean) ho7e'er) that
subseDuently in the east) any of these types of 7ritings may not be read as suitable during the
consultation:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the 7ands of the 3ause of %od/ (u$ust L@/ 19M@. cited in a letter from the :ni"ersal
7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 1@/ 190L2
012. 7ritin6s 7hich Can be .ead in %pirit"al Part of Feast
@3he Hritings of the Bb and Bahullh can certainly be read any time at any placeI li6e7ise the
Hritings of AAbdul0Bah are read freely during the spiritual part of the east: 3he >uardian has
instructed that during the spiritual part of the east) his o7n 7ritings should not be read: /n other 7ords)
during the spiritual part of the east) readings should be confined to the Hritings of the Bb) Bahullh
and to a lesser e?tent) of the <asterI but during that part of the east the >uardians 7ritings should not
be read: 8uring the period of administrati'e discussion of the east) then the >uardians 7ritings may be
read: 5f course) during the administrati'e part of the east there can be no obBection to the reading of the
Hritings of the Bb) Bahullh or AAbdul0Bah:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril L0/ 19@M. I)id!/ p! 92
023. .eadin6 from 7ritin6s of the D"ardian at Feast in Persia
@Concerning the permissibility of reading selections from the 7ritings of the belo'ed >uardian at
Nineteen 8ay easts in 2ersia! /t is true) as you rightly point out) that the belo'ed >uardian in a letter to
the National Spiritual Assembly of the Jnited States stated that only the Hritings of Bahullh and
AAbdul0Bah should be read during the de'otional part of the Nineteen 8ay east::::
@:::it should be borne in mind that the 2ersian 7ritings of Shoghi Effendi are uniDue in nature) and
many of them) unli6e his English letters and messages addressed to the 7estern belie'ers) are
interspersed 7ith supplications) prayers and homilies of a de'otional character 7hich are suitable for the
spiritual part of Bah easts:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 1@/ 190L2
021. Ad1isable to .ead from )"r )wn 5oly 7ritin6s
@irst) he feels that although in principle there is certainly no reason 7hy e?cerpts from other Sacred
Scriptures should not be read in the spiritual part of our easts) that as this is particularly an occasion
7hen Bahs get together to deepen their o7n spiritual life) it is) generally spea6ing) ad'isable for them
to read from their o7n holy Hritings in the spiritual part of the east:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 18/ 19@N. Bah <eetingsI 3he Nineteen 8ay east/
p! 31/ Wilmette/ 190M2
022. #"sic at *ah+,; Feasts
@<usic is permitted during the spiritual partQor any partQof the "# 8ay east:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eune 31/ 19@L. I)id!2
02. Ad1isable *elie1ers #a$e 8se of 5ymns@ Poems and Chants
@Hith regard to your Duestion concerning the use of music in the Nineteen 8ay easts) he 7ishes you to
assure all the friends that not only he appro'es of such a practice) but thin6s it e'en ad'isable that the
belie'ers should ma6e use) in their meetings) of hymns composed by Bahs themsel'es) and also of
such hymns) poems and chants as are based on the Holy Hords:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 0/ 193@. I)id!/ p! @2
02'. Instr"mental #"sic #ay be 8sed at Feasts
@/nstrumental music may be used at the Bah easts:
@3here is no obBection to sho7ing appreciation by the clapping of hands:
@/f an indi'idual has a teaching appointment on the same e'ening as a "# 8ay east) it is left to the
indi'idual to Budge 7hich is the most important:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust L1/ 19@M. I)id!/ p! 332
02(. %ho6hi Effendi Pro1ided for the Period of Cons"ltation
@::: /n the Arabic Bayn the Bb called upon His follo7ers to gather together once e'ery nineteen days to
sho7 hospitality and fello7ship: Bahullh here confirms this and notes the unifying role of such
occasions:
@ AAbdul0Bah and Shoghi Effendi after Him ha'e gradually unfolded the institutional significance of
this inBunction: AAbdul0Bah emphasiCed the importance of the spiritual and de'otional character of
these gatherings: Shoghi Effendi) besides further elaborating the de'otional and social aspects of the
east) has de'eloped the administrati'e element of such gatherings and) in systematically instituting the
east) has pro'ided for a period of consultation on the affairs of the Bah community) including the
sharing of ne7s and messages:E
&The :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice. AotesB appended to The 8it-)+i+(9das. n8L/ p! L1L2
02-. Cons"ltation in the :ineteen Day FeastA
@3he Bahs must learn to forget personalities and to o'ercome the desireQso natural in peopleQto
ta6e sides and fight about it: 3hey must also learn to really ma6e use of the great principle of
consultation: 3here is a time set aside at the "# 8ay easts for the community to e?press its 'ie7s and
ma6e suggestions to its AssemblyI the Assembly and the belie'ers should loo6 for7ard to this happy
period of discussion) and neither fear it nor suppress it: =i6e7ise) the Assembly members should fully
consult) and in their decisions put the interest of the Cause first and not personalities) the 7ill of the
maBority pre'ailing:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %erman5 and (ustria/ Eune 31/ 19N9. Bah
<eetingsI 3he Nineteen 8ay east/ p! 312
O&4ee also. o! L882
02/. %ellin6 of Items at the :ineteen Day Feast
@As to the sale of items during the Nineteen 8ay east) 7e lea'e this to your discretion) bearing in mind
that the principal purpose of holding the east should not be di'erted and that pressure should not be
placed upon the friends to participate in the purchase of articles offered for sale: Neither should it
become an habitual thing: /t 7ould be better if the sale 7as not conducted during the east itself) but
held at a separate time before or after the east proper:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Panama/ (pril 1/ 19M82
99$ FIR(%I(%
020. Firesides #ore Effecti1e !han P"blicity
@::: / 7ould li6e to comment that it has been found o'er the entire 7orld that the most effecti'e method
of teaching the aith is the fireside meeting in the home: E'ery Bah as a part of his spiritual birthright)
must teach) and the one a'enue 7here he can do this most effecti'ely is by in'iting friends into his home
once in "# days) and gradually attracting them to the Cause: After the indi'iduals ha'e confidence in the
pioneer) and the pioneer in the indi'iduals) then they can be taught and confirmed in the aith: 3his
method is far more effecti'e than ad'ertising in ne7spapers) public lectures etc: 3he >uardian is
encouraging the belie'ers o'er the 7orld) including those on the home fronts) to engage in this method
of teaching:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ,ah-*? %roup of 8e5 West/ <lorida/ 6arch 31/ 19@@. Bah Ne7s/ o! L9L/ pp! 9+
112
022. #"st 5old Fireside in 5ome )nce in 12 Days
@3he friends must realiCe their indi'idual responsibility: Each must hold a ireside in his or her home)
once in "# days) 7here ne7 people are in'ited) and 7here some phase of the aith is mentioned and
discussed: /f this is done 7ith the intent of sho7ing Bah hospitality and lo'e) then there 7ill be
results: 2eople 7ill become interested in A7hat you are interested in) and then be interested in studying:
/ndi'idual firesides 7ill bring the 6no7ledge of the aith to more people) under fa'ourable
circumstances) and thus constantly enrich its circle of friends) and finally its members: 3here is no
substitute for the teaching 7or6 of the indi'idual:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch M/ 19@0. Bah Ne7s/ o! 310/ Eul5 19@0/ p! N2
03. %er1ice )nce .endered by Priest is the %er1ice a *ah+,; is E?pected to .ender Indi1id"ally to
5is .eli6ion
@3he belie'ers must be encouraged to teach indi'idually in their o7n homes: Bahullh has enBoined
upon the Bahs the sacred obligation of teaching: He ha'e no priests) therefore the ser'ice once
rendered by priests to their religions is the ser'ice e'ery single Bah is e?pected to render indi'idually
to his religion: He must be the one 7ho enlightens ne7 souls) confirms them) heals the 7ounded and the
7eary upon the road of life) gi'es them to Duaff from the chalice of e'erlasting lifeQthe 6no7ledge of
the <anifestation of >od in His 8ay:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,enelu; 3ountries/ Eul5 @/ 19@02
01. !hat 5ome is a Darden of Dod
@Blessed art thou for ha'ing opened the door of thy home unto the people to come and hear of the
;ingdom:::
@;no7 that in e'ery home 7here >od is praised and prayed to) and His ;ingdom proclaimed) that
home is a garden of >od and a paradise of His happiness:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3ablets of AAbdul0Bah/ >ol! I/ p! M82
02. Fireside in 5ome is E?ample of Indi1id"al Doal
@::: /t is no7 imperati'e for e'ery Bah to set for himself indi'idual teaching goals: 3he admonition of
AAbdul0Bah to lead at least one ne7 soul to the aith each year and the e?hortation of Shoghi Effendi
to hold a Bah fireside in ones home e'ery Bah month are e?amples of indi'idual goals: <any ha'e
capacities to do e'en more) but this alone 7ill assure final and complete 'ictory for the 2lan:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ o"em)er 1M/ 19M9. <essages from 3he Jni'ersal House of
9ustice/ 19M8+1903/ p! 3@2
0. #"st Aid :ew *elie1ers to *ecome <!r"e *ah+,;s=Then Introduce Them to the 3ommunit5
@::: 5ne of the best 7ays to teach is 7hat the Americans call a Afireside) in other 7ords a little group of
your friends in your o7n home) to 7hom you can introduce a fe7 belie'ers 7hom you feel 7ould be
congenial and help confirm them: Hhen you ha'e made them true Bahs) then ta6e them to the
community and let them be accepted: /n this 7ay they are protected from tests until their faith is really
strong:E
0'. !he 5oly %pirit >"ic$ens Friends6ust ,ecome 3hannels for Its Diffusion
@::: 3he fireside method of teaching seems to produce the greatest resultsI 7hen each one in'ites friends
into their homes once in "# days) and introduces them to the aith: Close association and lo'ing ser'ice
affects the heartsI and 7hen the heart is affected) then the spirit can enter: /t is the Holy Spirit that
Duic6ens) and the riends must become channels for its diffusion:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 L0/ 19@02
99I$ T)( BA)23 F!N
A$ Contributions8Res-onsibilit* of Bahs
0(. !o Di1e and to be Denero"s
@:::3o gi'e and to be generous are attributes of <ineI 7ell is it 7ith him that adorneth himself 7ith <y
'irtues:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3he Hidden Hords/ p! 39/ o! N9P2

0-. Dod Does :ot As$ from Any %o"l E?cept Accordin6 to his Ability
@::: >od does not as6 from any soul e?cept according to his ability: 3his contribution must come from all
cities and 'illages from all the belie'ers of >od:::
@:::7hosoe'er comes 7ith one good act) >od 7ill gi'e him tenfold: 3here is no doubt that the li'ing
=ord shall assist and confirm the generous soul:E
&'()du*l+,ah- to the friends in the East and the West. Star of the Hest) >ol! >I/ o! 10/ p! 1392
0/. .esponsibility of E1ery *ah+,;
@::: E'ery Bah) no matter ho7 poor) must realiCe 7hat a gra'e responsibility he has to shoulder in this
connection) and should ha'e confidence that his spiritual progress as a belie'er in the Horld 5rder of
Bahullh 7ill largely depend upon the measure in 7hich he pro'es) in deeds) his readiness to support
materially the 8i'ine institutions of his aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ Eul5 10/ 1930. E;tracts from the %uardian*s
letters on ,ah-*? <unds and 3ontri)utions pu)lished in Bah unds! Contributions and Administration/ 3anada2
00. !here Can be no &imit to )ne,s Contrib"tions
@::: 3here can be no limit to ones contributions to the national fund: 3he more one can gi'e the better it
is) specially 7hen such offerings necessitate the sacrifice of other 7ants and desires on the part of the
donor: 3he harder the sacrifice the more meritorious 7ill it be) of course) in the sight of >od: or after
all it is not so much the Duantity of ones offerings that matters) but rather the measure of depri'ation
that such offerings entail::::E
&<rom a letter of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 31/ 193@. =ife0blood of the Cause/ p! 112
02. %er1ice E1ery *elie1er Can .ender
@::: Contributing to the und is a ser'ice that e'ery belie'er can render) be he poor or 7ealthyI for this is
a spiritual responsibility in 7hich the amount gi'en is not important: /t is the degree of the sacrifice of
the gi'er) the lo'e 7ith 7hich he ma6es his gift) and the unity of all the friends in this ser'ice 7hich
bring spiritual confirmations::::
@<uch of the present rapid e?pansion of the aith is ta6ing place in areas of great po'erty 7here the
belie'ers) ho7e'er much they sacrifice) cannot produce sufficient funds to sustain the 7or6: /t is these
'ery areas 7hich are the most fruitful in teaching) and a sum of money spent here 7ill produce ten times
Qe'en a hundred timesQthe results obtainable in other parts of the 7orld: Met in the past months the
Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has had to refuse a number of appeals for assistance from such areas because
there Bust 7as not enough money in the /nternational und:
@/t should therefore be the aim of e'ery local and national community to become not only self0
supporting) but to e?pend its funds 7ith such 7isdom and economy as to be able to contribute
substantially to the Bah /nternational und) thus enabling the House of 9ustice to aid the 7or6 in
fruitful but impo'erished areas) to assist ne7 National Assemblies to start their 7or6) to contribute to
maBor international underta6ings::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to ,ah-*?s of the East and West/ Decem)er 18/ 19M3. Hellspring of >uidance/ pp! 19+L12
0'3. Commerce@ A6ric"lt"re and Ind"stries *lessed #any !imes
@/n brief) 5 ye friends of >od) rest assured that in place of this contribution) your commerce) your
agriculture and industries shall be blessed many times::::E
&'()du*l+,ah- to the friends in the East and the West. Star of the Hest) >ol! >I/ o! 10/ p! 1392
0'1. *elie1ers Alone 5a1e *o"nty of Contrib"tin6
@3he o'er7helming maBority of the Bahs in the 7orld are poor people) but it is to the belie'ers) and to
the belie'ers alone) that Bahullh has gi'en the bounty of contributing the material things of this
7orld for the progress of His aith: /t is not the amount of the contribution 7hich is important) but the
degree of self0sacrifice that it entailsQfor it is this that attracts the confirmations of >od:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies recei"in$ assistance from the ,ah-*? International
<und/ (pril 13/ 190@2
0'2. %ho"ld not Inc"r Debts for P"rpose of Contrib"tin6 to F"nd
@E'en though Shoghi Effendi 7ould urge e'ery belie'er to sacrifice as much as possible for the sa6e of
contributing to7ards the fund of the National Assembly) yet he 7ould discourage the friends to incur
debts for that purpose: He are as6ed to gi'e 7hat 7e ha'e) not 7hat 7e do not possess) especially if
such an act causes suffering to others: /n such matters 7e should use Budgement and 7isdom and ta6e
into our confidence other de'oted Bahs:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian/ dated 6a5 N/ 193L/ to an indi"idual )elie"er. Bah unds! Contributions and
Administration/ 3anada/ p! 02
B$ Those (ligible to Contribute
0'. Distin6"ishin6 Feat"res of the Ca"se of Dod
@5ne of the distinguishing features of the Cause of >od is its principle of non0acceptance of financial
contributions for its o7n purposes from non0Bahs! support of the Bah und is a bounty reser'ed by
Bahullh to His declared follo7ers: 3his bounty imposes full responsibility for financial support of
the aith on the belie'ers alone) e'ery one of 7hom is called upon to do his utmost to ensure that the
constant and liberal outpouring of means is maintained and increased to meet the gro7ing needs of the
Cause: <any Bah communities are at present dependent on outside help) and for them the aim must
be to become self0supporting) confident that the >enerous =ord 7ill) as their efforts increase) e'entually
enable them to offer for the progress of His aith material 7ealth as 7ell as their de'otion) their energy
and lo'e:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ aw+RGJ 190N2
0''. Di1in6 to the F"nd is a %pirit"al Pri1ile6e
@>i'ing to the und) therefore) is a spiritual pri'ilege) not open to those 7ho ha'e not accepted
Bahullh) of 7hich no belie'er should deny himself: /t is both a responsibility and a source of bounty:
3his is an aspect of the Cause 7hich) 7e feel) is an essential part of the basic teaching and deepening of
ne7 belie'ers: 3he importance of contributing resides in the degree of sacrifice of the gi'er) the spirit of
de'otion 7ith 7hich the contribution is made and the unity of the friends in this ser'iceI these attract the
confirmations of >od and enhance the dignity and self0respect of the indi'iduals and the community:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ (u$ust 0/ 198@2
0'(. 7hen a %o"l Accepts *ah+,",ll+h 5e *ecomes a Co-7or$er in the Ca"se of Dod
@3here is a profound aspect to the relationship bet7een a belie'er and the und) 7hich holds true
irrespecti'e of his or her economic condition: Hhen a human soul accepts Bahullh as the
<anifestation of >od for this age and enters into the di'ine Co'enant) that soul should progressi'ely
bring his or her 7hole life into harmony 7ith the di'ine purposeQhe becomes a co07or6er in the Cause
of >od and recei'es the bounty of being permitted to de'ote his material possessions) no matter ho7
meagre) to the 7or6 of the aith:E
&I)id!2
0'-. !hose 7ho )penly Proclaim .eco6nition of *ah+,",ll+h Permitted to Contrib"te
@::: Since only those 7ho ha'e openly proclaimed their recognition of Bahullh are permitted to
contribute financially to the establishment of His 7orld order) it is apparent that more) much more) is
reDuired from the fe7 no7 so pri'ileged: 5ur responsibilities in this field are 'ery great) commensurate
indeed 7ith the bounty of being the bearers of the Name of >od in this 8ay:E
&<rom the 6essa$e of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ Rid"-n 19MM2
0'/. !hey #"st Create a %ense of *elon6in6
@As it has already been pointed out) in 'arious communications to you) it is important for the National
Spiritual Assemblies to 7or6 out 7ays and means of creating a sense of belonging in the hearts of the
belie'ers: 5ne of the 7ays this can be done is to bring to their attention the needs of the und:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to "arious ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ <e)ruar5 9/ 19M02
0'0. Contrib"tions from Children of :on-*ah+,;s or in Case )ne Parent is *ah+,;
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has recei'ed your letter as6ing 7hether children of non0Bahs or
children one of 7hose parents is a Bah are allo7ed to contribute to Bah funds) and 7e ha'e been
as6ed to say that in both cases) if the child 7ishes to be a Bah and his parents do not obBect) he may be
treated as any other Bah child: Ho7e'er) if the parents obBect to their childs being a Bah) his
contribution may be accepted for charitable purposes) including use for Bah schools 7here both
Bahs and non0Bahs are accepted as pupils:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ (u$ust 31/ 190@2
0'2. %ellin6 Items for the *enefit of the *ah+,; F"nd
@As to the sale of personal items for the benefit of Bah funds) 7e begin 7ith the principle that any
belie'er may sell personal ser'ices or goods to anyone and do 7ith the proceeds as he 7ishes) including
gi'ing any or all of them to Bah purposes: /n doing so) ho7e'er) he should not represent to non0
Bahs that such a sale is for the benefit of a Bah fund as it is also a principle that it is improper to
solicit funds from non0Bahs in the name of the aith for any purpose: 3his includes the sale of food
and admission to entertainment:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Panama/ (pril 1/ 19M82
0(3. It is not Proper for a *ah+,; Instit"tion to %ponsor a F"nd-.aisin6 %ale )pen to P"blic
@::: Neither do 7e thin6 it is proper for a Bah institution to sponsor a Agarage sale of personal items
contributed by belie'ers for the benefit of a Bah fund: 3his is not to say that an Assembly may not sell
items of property to non0Bahs for fair mar6et 'alue) but rather that non0Bahs should not be led to
purchase items at a fund0raising sale on the representation that the proceeds are to be used for Bah
purposes:E
&I)id!2
0(1. A"ctions Amon6 *ah+,;s3ontri)utin$ to the <und is a 4piritual Responsi)ilit5
@3here is no obBection to the friends holding an auction among Bahs for the purpose of contributing
the proceeds to the fund) nor is there any obBection to Bahs selling their o7n property to non0Bahs
for its fair mar6et 'alue and later contributing the proceeds to the fund) although no representation
should be made at the sale about the proceeds going to the Bah fund: 3he House of 9ustice feels)
ho7e'er) that it is important for the friends ne'er to lose sight of the fact that contributing to the funds of
the aith is a spiritual responsibility and pri'ilege of profound significance in the spiritual life of the
indi'idual belie'er) and care must be ta6en not to tri'ialiCe this aspect of Bah life or to treat it 7ith a
lac6 of dignity: At the same time) the Assemblies should not dampen the enthusiasm of those friends
7ho) ha'ing only slender financial resources) de'ise imaginati'e 7ays of earning money for the 7or6 of
the aith:
@As your Assembly is considering sponsoring an auction under its direct auspices) the House of 9ustice
suggests that you should ascertain 7hether the holding of auctions is legally permissible) since 7e are
informed that in some countries it is legal only if conducted by a licensed auctioneer:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3hile/ Eul5 8/ 198N2
0(2. 5oldin6 of .affles
@3he holding of raffles has not been specifically mentioned in the ;itb0i0ADdas) and the Jni'ersal
House of 9ustice has not legislated on the matter: Ho7e'er) the House of 9ustice does not at present
consider it desirable for Bah institutions to raise funds by this method:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Panama/ Eanuar5 1@/ 198N2
0(. D"idelines !owards Establishin6 a *"siness Bent"re )wned by *ah+,;s
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has recei'ed your letter of "1 ebruary concerning the proposal by a
number of Bahs to establish a pri'ate company 7hose shares 7ould be o7ned by Bahs and 7hich
7ould be managed for the financial profit of the friends and of the aith: He are instructed to transmit its
ad'ice:
@Mour obBecti'e to generate funds for the aith is) of course) praise7orthy: /n the past) as you may
assume) similar proposals ha'e been made to the House of 9ustice) and the follo7ing guidelines may be
helpful from a letter to an indi'idual!
AConcerning the formation of a company 7hich you and other friends ha'e suggested) the
Jni'ersal House of 9ustice::: has decided that the time has not yet come to ha'e the Bah
institutions in'ol'ed in a business transaction in the 7ay 7hich 7as suggested:
A/f the friends) ho7e'er) are 7illing) spontaneously) to establish a profitable business in order
to benefit themsel'es as 7ell as the other friends it is meritorious and there is no obBection:
@Should such a business 'enture as you propose be underta6enQand there is nothing 7rong 7ith it in
principleQit 7ould be 7ell to ad'ise the Bahs 7ho participate to approach it on the basis of its
'iability as a business proBect and they should not underestimate the possibilities of financial loss:
@3he House of 9ustice feels that the institutions of the aith should neither themsel'es become
in'ol'ed in nor promote such a pri'ate business: 3he use of national endo7ments as collateral for such a
business is not permissible:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Eamaica/ (pril @/ 198L2
0('. .easons for not Acceptin6 Donations from :on-*ah+,;s for Administration of the Faith
@::: He 7ishes me to stress again that under no circumstances the belie'ers should accept any financial
help from non0Bahs for use in connection 7ith specific administrati'e acti'ities of the aith such as
the 3emple construction fund) and other local or national Bah administrati'e funds: 3he reason for
this is t7ofold! irst because the institutions 7hich the Bahs are gradually building are in the nature of
gifts from Bahullh to the 7orldI and secondly the acceptance of funds from non0belie'ers for
specific Bah use 7ould) sooner or later) in'ol'e the Bahs into unforeseen complications and
difficulties 7ith others) and thus cause incalculable harm to the body of the Cause:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 1L/ 19382
0((. D"idelines for Acceptin6 F"nds from Do1ernmental and )ther :on-*ah+,; %o"rces
@3he crucial point in deciding 7hether or not funds may be accepted from non0Bah sources is the
purpose for 7hich the funds are to be used: As you 6no7) it is absolutely forbidden in the aith to accept
from non0Bahs contributions to7ards the 7or6 of the Cause itself: Ho7e'er) in addition to the 7or6
of spreading the aith and establishing its institutions) Spiritual Assemblies also engage in humanitarian
acti'ities) and contributions from non0Bah sources may be accepted to7ards such acti'ities: /ndeed)
although 7e ne'er as6 indi'idual non0Bahs for funds) it sometimes happens that a person 7ho has a
great admiration for the aith insists on contributing: /n such a case the contribution may be accepted)
7ith the e?press pro'ision that it 7ill be used only for charitable and humanitarian purposes:
@>o'ernments and their agencies occupy a special position because) of course) they are often 'ery
7illing to assist those 7ho are engaged in humanitarian ser'ice: 3hus) 7here a Spiritual Assembly is
underta6ing a specifically humanitarian acti'ity for 7hich the go'ernment normally 7ould supply
financial assistance) the Assembly may accept such assistance: 3he acti'ity that you instance) a meeting
being held on behalf of Human &ights 8ay to ad'ance one of the aims of the Jnited Nations) is a case in
pointI there 7ould be no obBection to your accepting from A/NAC its offer to pay for the in'itation cards
on that occasion:
@/n relation to schools and other institutions of community ser'ice) go'ernment assistance is also
acceptable) but here the Assembly needs to be a7are that the acceptance of go'ernment funding often
brings 7ith it an obligation to accept a degree of go'ernmental control) and these points must be
carefully considered:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Panama/ 6arch M/ 19832
0(-. %ho"ld .ecipient of P"blic Charity Contrib"te to the *ah+,; F"ndI
@Concerning your Duestion 7hether a person is to contribute to the Bah und 7hen he obtains his
means of li'elihood through public charity: 2ractically this is impossible) for a person 7ho is so
dependent upon the community cannot be of much help to others: >enerally he does not ha'e sufficient
e'en for himself alone: /n principle ho7e'er) this is a secondary issue: 8onations to the Cause are free:
/t is for e'ery person to Budge for himself 7hether he is in a position to contribute and 7hether he desires
to do itI ho7 he has obtained that sum is immaterial: A poor person may be readier than a rich man in
sharing 7ith others) and if he does) his sacrifice 7ould be greater: A rich mans gift may not be a
sacrifice) but a poor mans is sure to be:E
C$ The Treasurer and the %-iritual Asse&bl*
0(/. !r"stworthiness( Primar5 Re9uisite for Those Responsi)le for the <unds
@A primary reDuisite for all 7ho ha'e responsibility for the care of the funds of the aith is
trust7orthiness: 3his) as Bahullh has stressed) is one of the most basic and 'ital of all human 'irtues)
and its e?ercise has a direct and profound influence on the 7illingness of the belie'ers to contribute to
the und:E
&<rom a 6emorandum of 3omments and 4u$$estions attached to a letter from the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual
(ssem)lies/ (u$ust 0/ 198@2
0(0. Dreat .esponsibility of #embers of the :ational %pirit"al Assembly4hould Re9uire Two
4i$natures for Withdrawal of <unds
@/n 'ie7 of the great responsibility placed upon the shoulders of the members of National Assemblies by
those 7ho elect them) 7e ha'e urged National Assemblies to e?ercise the greatest care in the handling of
their National unds particularly as these funds represent in great part acts of sacrifice on the part of the
friends: /t is) of course) 7ithin your discretion ho7 you delegate the manifold tas6s in'ol'ed in the day0
to0day operation of your National Assembly but 7e earnestly urge you to reconsider the resolutions to
7hich 7e referred and pro'ide that t7o signatures be reDuired for the 7ithdra7al of funds) one of 7hich
7ould be that of an office0holder 7ho is a member of your National Assembly:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ (u$ust LM/ 1903. 3he Need for Care in Handling Bah
unds/ ( 3ompilation of e;tracts pu)lished in Bah unds! Contributions and Administration/ 3anada2
0(2. !he !reas"rer of an Assembly %ho"ld :e1er Commin6le 5is )wn F"nds and !hose of the
Faith
@:::3he 3reasurer of a Bah Spiritual Assembly) e'en if momentarily holding Bah funds in his o7n
name) must ta6e the greatest care ne'er to commingle his o7n funds 7ith those of the aith or to lea'e
the funds of the aith subBect to the 'agaries of fortune 7hich can afflict any one of us:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 8/ 1901. I)id!2
0-3. &ocal Assembly of a &ar6e Comm"nity #i6ht Appoint a Committee to Assist !reas"rer
@&egarding the local funds) it is suggested that until such time as the friends ha'e de'eloped the habit of
contributing regularly and freely) any =ocal Spiritual Assembly 7hich has a large community might
appoint a small committee to assist the local 3reasurer in the discharge of his responsibilities: Such
committees could be appointed after consultation 7ith the Au?iliary Board member or assistant for the
area: >reat care must be ta6en in the appointment of the members of the committeesI they must be both
trust7orthy and conscientious and must be imbued 7ith a7areness of the importance of maintaining the
confidentiality of contributions to the funds:E
&The :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice. 8e'elopment of the =ocal and National unds of the aith! Some Comments and 5bser'ations/ pu)lished
in Bah unds! Contributions and Administration/ p! 31/ 3anada2
0-1. !reas"ry Committees@ F"nctions of
@::: /t is en'isaged that these 3reasury Committees 7ould ser'e a number of functions!
Q 3o render general assistance to the 3reasurer) as neededI for e?ample members of the committee
could assist 7ith issuing receipts or 6eeping accounts:
Q 3o arrange for inspirational tal6s and discussions at Nineteen 8ay easts or at specially called
meetings for the education of the friends in the spiritual and practical importance of contributing to
the funds:
Q 3o recei'e donations of money on behalf of the local 3reasurer and transmit these to him:
Q 3o recei'e gifts of produce and handicrafts: 3he committee 7ould be responsible for arranging for
their sale and for handing o'er the proceeds to the local 3reasurer:
Q 3o recei'e from the friends 7ritten pledges of their hope or intention of ma6ing a contribution to the
local or national funds) 7hether in cash or in 6ind) and to assist in collecting them:E
&I)id!2
0-2. :ational !reas"ry Committee
@As to the national fund) in those areas 7here there are problems as a result of lac6 of ban6ing facilities)
unreliable mail systems and general difficulties of communication) it 7ould be desirable for the National
Spiritual Assembly to appoint a national committee to assist the national 3reasurer in a manner similar to
that outlined abo'e for =ocal Spiritual Assemblies: urther) it may e'en be necessary to subsidiCe) from
the national fund) one or more trusted indi'iduals) depending on the siCe of the national community) 7ho
7ould tra'el to rural areas to meet 7ith local 3reasury Committees) assist them in the e?ecution of their
functions) e?plain the needs of the national fund) collect the donations to the national fund from the local
areas and transmit them to the national 3reasurer:E
&I)id!2
0-. !he !reas"rer is )fficer in Char6e@ b"t all :ational %pirit"al Assembly #embers are
.esponsible
@3he National Spiritual Assembly has the responsibility to ensure that contributions recei'ed are
properly receipted) and satisfactory accounts 6ept of all receipts and disbursements: Hhile the 3reasurer
normally is the officer in charge of such a sacred obligation) this does not mean that other members are
thereby relie'ed of all responsibility) or are depri'ed of their right of access to details related to the
current operation of the Assembly) in all its aspects:
@Such right and responsibility 'ested in the indi'idual members of the Assembly do not 'itiate the
confidentiality of Bah contributions) since the information made a'ailable to the 3reasurer or other
members of the Assembly is to be treated in strict confidence:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eanuar5 11/ 1900. Compilation of
E?tracts :::) op: cit: No: $1$2
0-'. !each !r"stworthiness !hro"6h 7ritin6sE;plain to Indi"iduals that The5 Will )e 7eld
Responsi)le for 6one5 The5 7andle
@3he distressing problems of the misuse of funds described in your letter can be resol'ed in the long run
only through a process of lo'ing education of the friends: /t is through the dissemination among the
belie'ers of appropriate te?ts from the Hritings of the aith) through carefully prepared articles on this
subBect based on the Holy 3e?ts and published in your ne7sletter) and through tal6s at conferences)
summer schools and other Bah gatherings) as 7ell as discussion of these fundamental issues 7ith the
friends at such meetings) that you 7ill be able to gradually attain your obBecti'e:
@/t is important for your Assembly) in future) to e?plain to persons 7ho are entrusted 7ith the money
of the aith that in 'ie7 of the National Assemblys obligation to protect Bah funds) the Assembly
7ill hold them responsible for all monies they recei'e) and they should therefore render proper accounts
to the National Spiritual Assembly) be faithful custodians of >ods trust) and be assured that such
honesty and faithfulness 7ill be richly re7arded from on high:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 6a5 18/ 1981. I)id!2
0-(. !he :ational %pirit"al Assembly %ho"ld .eC"ire Ann"al A"dit of !reas"rer,s Acco"nts
@3he House of 9ustice has not established any uniform procedure for Bah treasurers) since methods of
accounting and the la7s go'erning such matters 'ary considerably from country to country and from one
situation to another: /t ad'ises that on such technical Duestions the National Assemblys 3reasurer can
see6 the ad'ice of a professional accountant: 3he National Spiritual Assembly should) of course) ensure
that its boo6s of account are audited annually and for this there is no obBection to utiliCing the ser'ices of
a non0Bah firm:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eul5 13/ 1981. I)id!2
0--. %ome D"idelines for !reas"rers
@/n general terms) ho7e'er) the House of 9ustice feels that there are certain matters to 7hich National
3reasurers should gi'e particular attention:
": 3here is the relationship bet7een the National Assembly and the indi'idual belie'ers and local
communities: 3hrough 7hate'er correspondence he conducts 7ith contributors to the National und
and 7ith committees 7hich are dra7ing on the und for their 7or6) the National 3reasurer can be a
po7erful influence in establishing lin6s of lo'ing unity 7ithin the community:
,: 3he 3reasurer must be sure to render regular and accurate financial statements to the National
Spiritual Assembly so that it can properly plan its 7or6 7ithin the means a'ailable to it:
%: /t is the 3reasurerKs responsibility to prepare the annual financial report in time for the National
Spiritual Assembly to consider it before presenting it at Con'ention: He also has to prepare the
annual budget for the consideration and appro'al of the National Assembly:
(: 3he 3reasurer should carefully monitor the use of the und so that he can 7arn the Assembly in good
time if there is danger of o'er0spending:
1: /n boo606eeping) a system must be adopted to ensure that earmar6ed funds are 6ept absolutely
distinct from those that are at the free disposition of the Assembly) and there should be safeguards to
pre'ent the inad'ertent spending of earmar6ed funds on matters other than those for 7hich they are
intended:
*: /n addition to 6eeping accurate records of income and e?penditure) the 3reasurer should see that the
assets of the Assembly are protected and that both assets and liabilities are carefully recorded:
+: 3he 3reasurer should ad'ise the Assembly to set aside sufficient sums on a regular basis to pro'ide
for the repair and maintenance of properties o7ned by the aith) so that these can be 6ept in good
condition and so that the normal 7or6 of the Cause is not interrupted by sudden reDuirements of
large sums for repairs: Jsually the tas6 of maintaining the properties is assigned to a special
committee or committees) 7hich should be consulted by the Assembly and can suggest a suitable
amount to be set aside annually:
$: Hhile it is 7ithin the discretion of a National Spiritual Assembly to reDuire only one signature on
cheDues dra7n on the National und) e?perience has sho7n that it is better practice to reDuire at
least t7o signatures: 3his is a protection not only to the und itself but also to the 3reasurer: 3he
funds of the aith are a sacred trust) and Assemblies should be meticulous in handling and
accounting for them:E
&I)id!2
0-/. Desirable for Assembly to #aintain Financial .eser1e
@Since) in the nature of things) the le'els of contributions and e?penditures fluctuate) it is most desirable
for an Assembly to hold a reser'e adeDuate to bridge periods of relati'ely high e?penditure and lo7
income: 3his 7ill help it to a'oid ma6ing too freDuent appeals for the friends to meet financial
emergencies: reDuently issued appealsQas distinct from the regular gi'ing of informationQmay tend
to lose their effect: At a time of emergency) the Assembly may ha'e to dip deeply into its reser'esQan
action that your Assembly has Bust ta6enQbut they 7ill need to be built up again in due course:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of <rance/ <e)ruar5 1L/ 19802
0-0. D"ty of the :ational Assembly not to Allow :ational Interests be 9eopardiHed by Indi1id"al
Considerations
@:::it should be emphasiCed and clearly understood by the friends that the national interests and
reDuirements of the Cause ta6e absolute precedence o'er indi'idual and pri'ate needs: /t is the duty of
the National Spiritual Assembly to so dispose of the national fund as not to allo7 the national interests of
the aith to be BeopardiCed by indi'idual considerations that are ob'iously transient 7hen compared to
the lasting interests of the Cause of >od: /n rare and e?ceptional cases) 7hen a belie'er has absolutely
no other means of material sustenance) the National Spiritual Assembly may either contribute to7ards
his e?penses from the national fund) or ma6e a special appeal to the body of the belie'ers to that effect:
/t is for the family) the ci'il community and the =ocal Assembly to administer to such local and pri'ate
needs of the indi'idual: But in case none of these sources has the means to do so) the National Spiritual
Assembly may) if it is con'inced of the gra'ity) urgency and Bustice of the case) appropriate a part of its
fund for that purpose:E
0-2. Assembly %ho"ld :either Feel Embarrassed :or Ashamed in !"rnin6 to the Friends
@3he National Assembly should neither feel embarrassed nor ashamed in turning to the friends)
continuously appealing to them to e?emplify their faith and de'otion to the Cause by sacrificing for it)
and pointing out to them that they 7ill gro7 spiritually through their acts of self0abnegation) that the fear
of po'erty should not deter them from sacrificing for the und) and that the assistance and bounty of the
Source of all good and of all 7ealth are unfailing and assured::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to selected ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ <e)ruar5 9/ 19M02
@A corollary to the sacred obligation of the friends to contribute to the unds of the aith) is the direct
and una'oidable responsibility of each =ocal and National Assembly to educate them in the spiritual
principles related to Bah contributions: ailure to educate the friends in this aspect of the aith is
tantamount to consciously depri'ing them of the spiritual benefits accruing from gi'ing in the path of
>od:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies recei"in$ assistance from the ,ah-*? International
<und/ (pril 13/ 190@2
0/3. !he Deneral and :ational Interests of the Ca"se !a$e Precedence )1er the &ocal )nes,ut
It 6a5 )e E;pedient to De"elop #ocal <und <irst
@3he belo'ed >uardian has e?plained that the general and national interests of the Cause ta6e
precedence o'er local onesI thus contributions to local funds are secondary to those to national funds:
Ho7e'er) the stability of the National Assembly rests on the firmness of the =ocal Spiritual Assemblies)
and in the matter of educating the friends in the importance of the fund) it is often most practical and
efficacious to concentrate at first on the de'elopment of the local funds and the efficient operation of the
=ocal Spiritual Assemblies: 3hen) once the friends understand the principle) and learn from e?perience
at a local le'el) they 7ill then more easily understand the importance of the national fund and the 7or6
of the National Spiritual Assembly:E
&<rom the memorandum of comments and su$$estions of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ op! cit!/ o! 8@8/ p! 312
0/1. Assembly )bli6ated to Ad1ise *elie1ers of all F"ndsAInternational/ 3ontinental/ ational and
#ocal
@/n educating the friends to be conscious of contributing to the fund as a fundamental element of Bah
life) the Assembly should ma6e them a7are of the indi'idual belie'ers prerogati'e of contributing
directly to all the funds of the aith! international) continental and national as 7ell as local:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ <e)ruar5 1L/ 19802
O&4ee also QQ>I! 3he /nstitution of the HuDTDullh/ os! 1131+11NN2
0/2. Contrib"tions Can be %ent Direct to 5aifa
@Hould you please remind the belie'ers in your respecti'e communities that in addition to contributing
to the /nternational und by means of earmar6ed donations to the National und) they can send
contributions direct to Haifa: CheDues should be made payable to BAHWU /N3E&NA3/5NA= JN8:
@3his continues the policy established by the belo'ed >uardian 7ho 7rote that participation of
indi'iduals through Acontributions directly transmitted to the Holy =and 7as Aimperati'e and beyond
the scope of the Burisdiction of National and =ocal Assemblies: E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Decem)er 18/ 19M32
0/. Continental F"nd
@Nor should the belie'ers) indi'idually or in their Assemblies) forget the 'itally important Continental
unds 7hich pro'ide for the 7or6 of the Hands of the Cause of >od and their Au?iliary Boards: 3his
di'ine institution) so assiduously fostered by the >uardian) and 7hich has already played a uniDue role
in the history of the aith) is destined to render increasingly important ser'ices in the years to come:E
&<rom a messa$e of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of East and West/ Decem)er 18/ 19M32
0/'. Pled6es Can be a 8sef"l #eans of Enco"ra6in6 Contrib"tions
@2ledges can be useful as a means of encouraging contributions and of bringing the financial needs of
the Cause to the attention of the friends: 3his method can be particularly helpful in a situation 7here a
Spiritual Assembly has a maBor tas6 to perform) such as the building of a HaCratuKl0Ruds or the
establishment of a tutorial school) and needs to ha'e some idea in ad'ance of 7hether the funds for the
proBect 7ill be a'ailable: Ho7e'er) it 7ould be entirely contrary to Bah principles to bring any
pressure to bear 7hen calling for pledges or 7hen endea'ouring to collect them: 5nce a pledge has been
gi'en it is permissible to remind the donor) pri'ately) of his e?pressed intention to contribute and to
enDuire courteously if it 7ould be possible for him to honour his pledge) but Assemblies must be a7are
that such pledges are not an obligation in any legal senseI their redemption is entirely a matter of
conscience: =ists of those ma6ing pledges must not be publiciCed:E
&<rom the memorandum of comments and su$$estions of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ op! cit!/ o! 8@8/ p! 312
0/(. Friends in #ass !eachin6 Areas %ho"ld Gnow !heir *lessin6s and .esponsibilities
@::: 3hese Assemblies should not hesitate) nor be diffident) in spea6ing of the und to the belie'ers: 3he
friends in the mass teaching areas) ho7e'er poor or illiterate they may be) are full and eDual members of
the Bah communityI they should 6no7 their blessings and responsibilities: 3he mighty ones of this
7orld reBected the call of Bahullh) and it is no7 upon us ordinary men and 7omen that He has
conferred the inestimable bounty of raising up the ;ingdom of >od on earth: Ser'ice to >od and His
Cause is the heart of the life of e'ery true belie'er and contributing to the und is a 'ital aspect of such
ser'ice:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Decem)er L9/ 19012
0/-. <*rin6 and *"y= #eetin6s
@::: /n parts of Africa 7here the po'erty of the friends may be similar to the conditions e?isting in some
parts of your country) the Assemblies organiCed ABring and Buy meetings to 7hich the friends may
bring any material gift) such as eggs) fruit) 'egetables) other foodstuffs) or local handicraft: 3hese are
placed before the friends) 7ho may buy them at 'ery reasonable prices for the benefit of the unds: 3he
friends must understand that 7hilst no Assembly or indi'idual may force the friends to gi'e to the aith)
such gi'ing has been considered in our 3eachings as a spiritual obligation and an act of sacrifice) 7hich
is closely related to the spiritual de'elopment of the indi'idual belie'er:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ o"em)er L0/ 19MM2
0//. Assembly #ay %ell Contrib"tions in Gind !hro"6h a Professional A"ctioneer
@3here is clearly no obBection to an AssemblyKs gi'ing contributions in 6ind to a professional auctioneer
to sell and then to use the proceeds for the fund: Hhether it 7ould be proper to hold such an Aordinary
auction among Bahs 7ould depend upon the Assemblys Budgement as to 7hether a properly
dignified atmosphere could be obser'ed and also 7hether it could be construed as bringing pressure to
bear upon the friends to contribute 7hich 7ould) of course) be undesirable: /n general the House of
9ustice prefers not to encourage such auctions for the fund:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 cited in a letter to the ational 4piritual
(ssem)l5 of 6ala5sia/ 6a5 LM/ 198L2
0/0. It is not Permissible to Impose a !a? or An Assessment on &ocal %pirit"al Assemblies
@As to contributions to the National und) it is not permissible to impose a ta? or an assessment on =ocal
Assemblies) but you may certainly inform =ocal Assemblies of the needs of the National und and may
suggest a certain percentage as a guide to them in ma6ing contributions: /n doing this you may point out
that support of the National und is an obligation not only of the belie'ers) but of all =ocal Assemblies
as 7ell: /t is permissible) ho7e'er) for a =ocal Assembly to fi? a percentage of its receipts as an amount
to be contributed to the National und:
@3he House of 9ustice appreciates the difficult tas6 of educating the =ocal Assemblies and the
belie'ers in the importance of contributing regularly and sacrificially to the und and it feels sure that
you freDuently remind them of the principles of uni'ersal participation in this) as 7ell as all other aspects
of the aith) possibly dra7ing on information contained in your file of circular letters sent from time to
time by the House of 9ustice to all National Spiritual Assemblies on the subBect of the und:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ o"em)er 31/ 19002
0/2. &ocal %pirit"al Assembly Decides for Itself 5ow to 8se F"ndsational 4piritual (ssem)l5
3an onl5 6ake a 4u$$estion
@Hhen a donation is gi'en to a =ocal Assembly) the Assembly itself should decide ho7 the funds are to
be used: 3he National Assembly may 7ish to suggest to the =ocal Spiritual Assembly 7ays in 7hich the
money could be more practically spent) but the final decision regarding the use of such funds rests 7ith
the local body:
@National Assemblies should a'oid instructing their =ocal Spiritual Assemblies to allocate a certain
percentage or portion of their local funds to7ards specific purposes: 3hey may) ho7e'er) suggest that the
=ocal Assemblies contribute funds for priority proBects at the national le'el and may also call to their
attention national budget and suggest that the communities try to under7rite a part of the national
budget: Any National Assembly is) of course) empo7ered to pre'ent an institution under its Burisdiction
from ta6ing any action regarding the use of funds 7hich 7ould not be to the best interests of the Cause:
Such cases) ho7e'er) are rare::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 10/ 198@2
003. %olicitin6 F"nds from )ther Co"ntries
@He are as6ed to tell you that the present policy of the House of 9ustice discourages National Assemblies
from appealing to one another for financial assistance unless such assistance is related to a proBect 7hich
has been defined as a goal of collaboration bet7een the specific Assemblies concerned: /f a National
Assembly has adopted plans for specific teaching proBects and is in genuine need of financial support
from an outside source) instead of appealing to other National Assemblies it is encouraged to turn to the
Continental Board of Counsellors 7ho 7ill consider the plans and reDuest) and pro'ide assistance to the
e?tent feasible from funds made a'ailable to them from the Horld Centre:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 4eptem)er @/ 198L2
001. Indi1id"al *ah+,;s Free to Contrib"te to ProFects in any Co"ntry !hey 7ish
@As regards collection of funds in other countries) the House of 9ustice does not 7ish Bah institutions
of any country to appeal for funds to the Bahs of another country) unless the National Spiritual
Assembly of that country permits it: 3his does not mean that indi'iduals are not free to contribute to a
Bah proBect in any country that they 7ish: or e?ample) if a Bah from another country comes to a
conference in ::: and he 7ishes to contribute to your school) there 7ould be no obBection: Ho7e'er) an
organiCed and indiscriminate appeal for funds to indi'iduals in other countries should not be made
7ithout the consent of the National Assembly of that country:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune M/ 198@2
$ (ar&ar<ed Funds
002. P"rpose of Earmar$in6 F"nds %ho"ld not be Defeated
@Care must be ta6en that the purpose of earmar6ing is not defeated: 3hus the use of earmar6ed funds to
defray the e?pense of particular items in your budget has the effect of reducing) pro tanto) the amount of
general contributions needed to be applied to the budget: /n effect) this practice may result in there being
no difference bet7een an earmar6ed contribution and one not earmar6ed: or e?ample! A friend may
earmar6 a contribution for the Bah /nternational und: 3o apply this to the contributions to the Bah
/nternational funds from your National und 7ould be 7rong unless the earmar6ing so specifies: unds
earmar6ed merely to the Bah /nternational und should be sent to the Horld Centre in addition to
7hate'er contribution is made from the National und:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eanuar5 L9/ 1901. I)id!2
00. Earmar$ed F"nds for %pecific P"rchases or ProFects
@He ha'e been as6ed to call your attention to the principle that earmar6ed funds such as those for the
purchase or maintenance of properties) for special teaching proBects) etc: should not be used for other
purposes) but should be held in a special account until e?pended for the purpose for 7hich they 7ere
gi'en: 3his is true 7hether the funds are from the Horld Centre) from indi'iduals or from other sources:
/f the proBect for 7hich the funds ha'e been gi'en is abandoned) the contribution should be returned to
the donor unless he agrees that it may be used for other purposes: Strict adherence to the principles
regarding the earmar6ing of funds is e?tremely important for many reasons) including the maintaining of
the confidence of the friends in matters pertaining to the und:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eune L1/ 19092
00'. 7hen Earmar$ed Contrib"tion is Impractical or 8nwise...
@": Although any donor) Assembly or indi'idual) has the right to specify the purpose intended for any
contribution of funds or property) if) in the Budgement of your National Assembly) such contribution
7ould be impractical or un7ise for you to accept) you 7ould be under no obligation to do so:
@,: /f after consultation 7ith the donor an agreement is not reached that you deem necessary) or you are
unable to ha'e the specified donation assigned to a more practicable purpose) the contribution
should be returned to the donor:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eune LL/ 1981. I)id!2
00(. Proceeds from %ale of Property P"rchased with Earmar$ed F"nds .etain %ame Earmar$in6
@As to the proceeds from the sale of Bah property) if it 7as acDuired by the use of the general funds of
the aith and no earmar6ing of contributions is in'ol'ed) the only principle to be applied is that first
stated abo'e) namely) that the national community should not be 7ithout a HaCratuKl0Ruds) endo7ment
or 3emple site) as the case may be: /f the property 7as donated or purchased 7ith funds earmar6ed for
that specific purpose) the proceeds of the sale of the property retain the earmar6ing unless the donor has
specifically pro'ided other7ise: /f the donor or donors are li'ing) they may) of course) release the
earmar6ing: /f the donor or donors are not li'ing) or refuse to release the earmar6ing) the proceeds
should be used for the same purpose: /f that purpose has already been fulfilled Fi:e:) an alternate property
has already been acDuiredG) the surplus should be used to the e?tent possible in a manner ha'ing regard
for the original intention of the donor or donors) e:g:) to maintain or impro'e the property: /n case of
doubt) the matter should be referred to the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ (u$ust L1/ 1981. I)id!2
00-. !he Proper Acco"ntin6 for Earmar$ed F"nds is Bery Important
@3his Duestion of the proper accounting for earmar6ed funds is 'ery important: 3he account boo6s of
any Assembly should be designed in a 7ay that 7ill al7ays clearly distinguish bet7een earmar6ed funds
and funds freely at the disposition of the Assembly) so that there 7ill be no danger of the Assemblys
inad'ertently commingling them and spending earmar6ed funds for the 7rong purpose:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ (u$ust M/ 198N. I)id!2
00/. Donor 5as no .i6ht to Chan6e Earmar$ed P"rpose 8nless the Assembly Accepts the .eC"est
to Do %o
@3he belo'ed >uardian 7as 'ery emphatic that contributions to Bah funds) gi'en for specified
purposes) may be used only for those purposes) unless the donor consents to a change: /f the Assembly
cannot use the contribution for the purpose specified) it may refuse to accept it: Alternati'ely it could
consult the donor and suggest that he release the contribution for general purposes or transfer it to
another specified one) but no pressure should be e?erted to force his acDuiescence: 5n the other hand)
once money has been contributed to an Assembly) it is the property of that Assembly) e'en though
earmar6ed for a specific purpose) and the donor has no right to change its purpose unilaterally: 3he
Assembly) ho7e'er) may) at its o7n discretion) accept his reDuest to do so:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Decem)er 31/ 198N. I)id!2
000. !he Assembly %ho"ld !ry to Preser1e .eal Bal"e of F"nds in Its CareEspeciall5 True of
Earmarked <unds
@3he Assembly is the trustee of the funds in its care) and its primary concern in in'esting such funds
should be to try to preser'e their real 'alue: 5btaining a good income from such in'estments is also
desirable) but is a secondary consideration and should not be sought if this 7ould endanger the 'alue of
the principal: 3his is especially true in the case of earmar6ed funds) 7here the Assembly has a duty to
the donor or donors to preser'e the 'alue of the fund until such time as it can be used for the designated
purpose: /n such a case) 7hen the 'alue of the currency is itself depreciating) one method of upholding
the real 'alue of the earmar6ed fund is to add bac6 to the principal all income earned on it) e'en if the
donor has not specifically earmar6ed the income to be earned on his contribution:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 6arch 19/ 198@. I)id!2
002. )ften It is *etter that the Friends Do not .estrict F"nds
@/n general) although it is permitted for the friends to earmar6 contributions) it is apparent that it is often
better that the friends allo7 the Assembly to use their contributions 7ithout restricting them:
urthermore) an Assembly is by no means obligated to accept an earmar6ed contributionI if it does)
ho7e'er) it is bound to respect the earmar6ing:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ (u$ust L1/ 1981. I)id!2
023. Care to be !a$en :ot to Biolate .i6ht of Earmar$in6Earmarked 3ontri)ution 4hould )e
O"er and ()o"e (ssem)l5*s (llocation to a <und
@:::care must be ta6en not to 'iolate for any reason the right of the indi'idual to earmar6 his contribution:
@3he need) therefore) is to ma6e clear to indi'idual belie'ers and =ocal Spiritual Assemblies ho7 they
should e?press their earmar6ings so that the National Assembly can 6no7 7hether a contribution is
intended to be to7ards any particular segment of the national budget or to be a separate contribution
merely passed through the National Assembly: /n 'ie7 of the >uardians statement one should assume
that) unless there is an indication to the contrary) an earmar6ed contribution is intended to be o'er and
abo'e the allocation made out of the National und:E
19M82
021. Confidentiality of *elie1ers, Contrib"tions@ Earmar$ed or )therwise@ #"st be .espected
@As a general rule the friends should realiCe that it is more consistent 7ith the e?alted standards
e?pounded in our teachings for them at all times to offer their contributions freely) nobly and generously
7ith the high sense of furthering the Cause of >od in 7hate'er form this may be achie'ed: Ho7e'er) if
for some reason they 7ish to restrict the use of their contributions) or e'en ma6e such donations 6no7n
to others) they should not be pre'ented from carrying out their 7ish:
@/n the light of the abo'e) it 7ould be useful to e?plain these guidelines to <r: ::: and if he confirms his
7ish) there is no obBection to your placing a plaDue in the name of the ::: family in the Bah
/nformation Centre building in ::: 7hich he has donated to you:
@3he guidance gi'en in the second paragraph should be con'eyed to the =ocal Spiritual Assembly of :::
and they should be told that if they still 7ish to announce the contribution for their a ratul0Ruds at
the Nineteen 8ay east they should 6no7 that they are not permitted to do so 7ithout the permission of
the donor) as he is entitled to the confidentiality of his contributions:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Decem)er 31/ 19092
99II$ GR(AT(%T NA,( OF GO
A$ The Greatest Na&e
022. !he Dreatest :ame is the :ame of Comfort@ Protection@ etc.
@3he >reatest Name should be found upon the lips in the first a7a6ening moment of early da7n: /t
should be fed upon by constant use in daily in'ocation) in trouble) under opposition) and should be the
last 7ord breathed 7hen the head rests upon the pillo7 at night: /t is the name of comfort) protection)
happiness) illumination) lo'e and unity:
@/ hope that thou mayest become informed of the concealed mystery and recondite symbol of the stone
of the <ost >reat Name ::: 3he use of the >reatest Name and dependence upon it) cause the soul to strip
itself of the hus6s of mortality and to step forth freed) reborn) a ne7 creature::::E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Jnited States Supplement to Bah Ne7s/ o! 81/ p! L/ Octo)er 19MN2
02. *ah+,;s #ay Dreet Each )ther with <All+h-"-Abh+=
@3he Bahs are free to greet each other 7ith Allh0u0Abh 7hen they meet) if they 7ant to) but they
should a'oid anything 7hich to outsiders) in a 7estern country) might seem li6e some strange oriental
pass7ord: He must be 'ery firm on principles and la7s) but 'ery normal and natural in our 7ays) so as
to attract strangersLE
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 10/ 19@12
$#(: 3he >reatest Name is the Name of Bahullh
@3he >reatest Name is the Name of Bahullh: AM Bahul0Abh is an in'ocation meaning! @5
3hou >lory of >loriesL AAllh0u0Abh is a greeting 7hich means! A>od the All0>lorious: Both refer to
Bahullh: By A>reatest Name is meant that Bahullh has appeared in >ods >reatest Name) in
other 7ords) that He is the supreme <anifestation of >od:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia and ew Pealand/ Decem)er LM/ 19N12
02(. !he Dreatest :ame is an In1ocation and a %ymbol of )"r Faith
@Concerning your Duestion regarding the A>reatest Name! 3he >reatest Name is an in'ocation 7hich
means A5 3hou >lory of >loriesL 3he 7ord ABah) or A>lory) is a reference to Bahullh: 3he
>reatest Name is a distincti'e mar6 of the Cause and a symbol of our aith: 3he term of AAllh0u0Abh)
on the other hand) is a form of Bah greeting) and means A>od the All0>lorious: E
02-. 8se of Dreatest :ame %ymbolot (ppropriate on (rticles Put to 3ommon :se
@3he o'erriding consideration must al7ays be the proper dignity 7ith 7hich the >reatest Name should
be used: 3hus it 7ould not be befitting to use it on drin6ing 'essels or ash trays) plates for eating) and the
li6e: 3here 7ould) ho7e'er) be no obBection to its use on plaDues or ornaments) Be7ellery or similar
items 7hich are not normally put to common use: 3he House of 9ustice instructs us to say that great care
should be gi'en to the accurate representation of the 2ersian calligraphy) since any de'iation from an
accepted representation can be distressing to /ranian belie'ers:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,el$ium/ 6arch 1L/ 19812
02/. D"idelines on the 8se of the %ymbols of the Dreatest :ame on %tationery and in Paintin6s
@::: He are reDuested by the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice to share 7ith you the follo7ing guidelines on the
use of the symbols of the >reatest Name:
@3he >uardian) in a letter 7ritten on his behalf to an indi'idual on 1 August "#(#) stated!
A/t is better not to encourage the use of this symbol on stationery and in paintings:
@=i6e7ise) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice) in its letter to a National Assembly stated!
AHe 7ish to call to your attention the impressions of the >reatest Name on the bac6 of the
en'elope in 7hich your letter 7as enclosed: 3he use of the >reatest Name is not befitting
and 7e as6 you to discontinue it: F"* <ay "#+"G
@/n another communication regarding this subBect) the follo7ing 7as 7ritten on behalf of the Jni'ersal
House of 9ustice to a National Assembly!
A:::7e are instructed to say that it 7ould not be appropriate to use the symbol of the >reatest
Name on the official stationery of a =ocal Spiritual Assembly: F* No'ember "#$(G
@Hhile the House of 9ustice is reluctant to issue a list of the specific uses of the >reatest Name 7hich
should be a'oided) the principal thing is for the friends to realiCe the great sacredness of this symbol) and
to use it in 7ays 7hich are dignified and appropriate::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the 7awaiian Islands/ Eune 3/
19802
020. %tic$ers@ 8se of not Enco"ra6ed
@&egarding the stic6er 7ith AHorld ello7ship and the ring0stone symbol on it! He does not encourage
the use of this type of thing:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 1L/ 19NM. <rom a compilation of E;tracts 3oncernin$
%uidance on the :se of the %reatest ame/ attached to the a)o"e letter to the ational (ssem)l5 of 7awaiian Islands2
022. !ombstones
2lease &efer to No: *+,:
233. Emblems
@He ha'e your letter of 9une ,,) "#*+ enclosing s6etches of emblems 7hich are intended to be used by
Bahs 7ho 7ish to place them inside their automobiles:
@3he use of such emblems is entirely 7ithin the discretion of your National Assembly) but you should
not use the >reatest Name on the emblem:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ (u$ust 1M/ 19M0. I)id!2
231. *elie1er can #an"fact"re and %ell Items 8sin6 the Dreatest :ame
@Although there e?ists an instruction that the symbol of the >reatest Name should not be used on
gra'estones) no instruction has been found prohibiting the use of the symbol of the >reatest Name on
any other particular item) such as Be7ellery) boo6s or pamphlets: Ho7e'er) the >reatest Name should not
be used in an undignified manner:
@Nothing has been found 7hich 7ould prohibit a belie'er from manufacturing and selling items using
the >reatest Name pro'ided that the manner in 7hich the >reatest Name is used is dignified:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 6arch L@/ 190@. I)id!2
232. :o Prohibition A6ainst 8se of Dreatest :ame@ :ames of the #anifestations or :ames of
Central Fi6"res in %on6s
@He ha'e found nothing in the te?ts forbidding the use of the >reatest Name) the Names of the
<anifestations of >od or the names of the Central igures of our aith in the lyrics of music: Ho7e'er)
7e feel that 7hen they are used they should be used 7ith re'erence and respect) both in the manner in
7hich they are incorporated in the lyrics and in the manner of presentation:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 6arch 1N/ 19M82
23. .eprod"cin6 Dreatest :ames on 9ewellery Commercially
@Hhen indi'idual Bahs reproduce on a limited scale the >reatest Name on items such as Be7ellery)
and find 7ays of selling these items to others) they should normally be left free to engage in such an
acti'ity) 7ithout interference from Bah institutions) e?cept in cases 7hen in the opinion of these
institutions the interests of the aith are being ad'ersely affected:
@Ho7e'er) 7hen the friends intend to produce and sell such items on a large scale they should first
see6 the permission of the National Assembly) 7hich should generally be 7ell disposed to permit the
production and sale of these obBects if in their Budgement the interests of the aith are not being
preBudiced and the necessary standards of dignity and propriety are being upheld:
@/n all cases 7here the friends 7ish to use the 'enue of a Bah function or e'ent) conducted under the
auspices of a Bah institution) in order to display and sell their products) they may engage in this
acti'ity only if the institution concerned gi'es them the permission to do so:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Octo)er 1@/
19082
23'. Pict"re of the Dreatest :ame #ay be Destroyed@ if :ecessary
@/f it becomes necessary to destroy a picture of the >reatest Name) there is no obBection to 7hate'er
method is used: /t is Duite proper to 7ear the ring stone as a pin:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 @/ 19@02
23(. .ecitin6 the Dreatest :ame 2( !imes DailyA
@3he use of the >reatest Name #1 times a day is not absolutely binding: 3his and other similar matters
7ill be clearly and fully e?plained 7hen the AADdas is published: At present) ho7e'er) the friends
should be careful not to lay an undue emphasis upon them:
@Hhen using the >reatest Name the 7ords AAllh0u0Abh should be used and not AM Bahul0
Abh:E
O&4ee also. os! 1@38+1@392
23-. !he Dreatest :ame or Pict"re of 4Abd",l-*ah+ %ho"ld be Placed in a Di6nified Position
@/t is Duite important that the >reatest Name or the picture of AAbdul0Bah be placed in a dignified
position: 3hey should not be placed on the floor) nor) on the other hand) should they be held abo'e the
heads of the people in the photograph: /t 7ould seem the proper position 7ould be for them to be held
about chest height:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Decem)er 11/ 19@L2
B$ Ringstone (&ble& and /e"eller*GG
23/. .in6stone Emblem is Form of the Dreatest :ame:se of on Eewelr5
@/n reply to your letter of No'ember ,nd about the use of the >reatest Name on brooches and other
decorations) 7e Duote belo7 the te?t of a letter 7hich 7e 7rote on this subBect in "#*( to another
National Spiritual Assembly!
A3he ring0stone emblem is one form of the >reatest Name: Hhile the belo'ed >uardian has
called attention to the sacredness of the >reatest Name) and has as6ed that it should al7ays
be placed in a dignified position) 7e do not find any instruction absolutely prohibiting the
use of symbols of the >reatest Name on any particular item such as Be7elry) boo6s or
pamphlets:
AHe feel that the friends should e?ercise the greatest discrimination and good taste in its use:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ o"em)er 1@/ 19M02
OO&4ee also. os! 911 and 9132
230. *ah+,;s not .eC"ired to 7ear .in6stone
@/t 7as 6ind of you to thin6 of ma6ing pins for the BahsI but he feels that this is too much li6e clubs
and other organiCations: /ndeed the Bahs do not e'en ha'e to 7ear a Bah ring0stone unless they
care to do so: He thin6s it is better not to add any other means of identification:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 LL/ 19@M2
232. .in6stone Inscription E?plained
@3he inscription upon the Bah ringstone is the symbol of the >reatest Name) Bah) 7ho is the
<anifestation of the essence of >od: /t is also symbolic of the three planes representing the Horld of
>od) the Horld of &e'elation and the Horld of Creation:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 L8/ 19382
213. !he %i6nificance of the %tars
@Jpon the horiCon of Eternal >lory t7o luminous stars ha'e arisen in brilliance! one to the right and
one to the left ::: this is the mystery of the appearance of the Beauty of Abh and of the Supreme
Highness Fthe BbG: And though these t7o diagrams at the right and the left ha'e the form of stars) they
also represent the body of man) 7ith the head) the t7o arms and the t7o legs) since this diagram has fi'e
points:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Bah Scriptures/ p! N09/ 19L3 ed!2
211. Dreatest :ameAn In1ocation
@He also 7ishes me to inform you that the symbol of the >reatest Name represents an in'ocation 7hich
can be translated either as A5 >lory of >lories or A5 >lory of the All0>lorious: 3he 7ord glory used in
this connection is a translation of the Arabic term ABah) the name of Bahullh:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ (pril L8/ 193@.
Bah Ne7s/ o! 93/ p! 1/ Eul5 193@2
99III$ A 3RAT!HL1?!%

212. a ;rat",l->"dsIts #ain F"nction
@Hith reference to the use of your a ratul0Ruds 7e 7ish to point out that its main function is to ser'e
as the National Administrati'e HeadDuarters of the aith in your country) and anything else is secondary
to that: /f possible and con'enient) belie'ers may be accomodated from time to time) but it should not be
regarded as a hotel facility: 3he 7or6 of the Cause is the prime matter and nothing should be allo7ed to
interfere 7ith that:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ Octo)er L3/ 19M32
21. Dancin6 not Appropriate in a ;rat",l->"ds
@3he belo'ed >uardian has instructed me to ans7er the Duestions raised in your recent letter regarding
the proper use of the a ratul0Ruds:
@As in most cases the Bahs ha'e no other meeting0place in the city 7hich has a a ratul0Ruds)
and the a ratul0Ruds is a building that has a number of rooms) he sees no obBection in allo7ing the
youth to ha'e their meetings there 7ith their non0Bah friends) but dancing he does not feel is
appropriate: Bah 7eddings and funerals can li6e7ise be conducted in the a ratul0Ruds:
@3he a ratul0Ruds) although easts and Holy 8ays are celebrated in it) must not be confounded
7ith a 3empleI it is an administrati'e headDuarters: No doubt in the future it 7ill be used for purely
administrati'e purposes) but for the time being it must fill the role of being a true Centre and rallying0
point for the Bah Community:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4outh (merica/ <e)ruar5 1@/ 19N02
21'. &ocal and :ational a ;rat",l->"ds
@3he a ratul0Ruds is an /nstitution of the aith and no distinction should be made bet7een a
National or =ocal a ratul0Ruds concerning its use: 5ther than the a ratul0Ruds dances may
certainly be allo7ed at summer schools) etc:) and it should be left to the discretion of the committee or
Assembly in charge to ma6e 7hate'er arrangements are necessary:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 6e;ico/ Eune L0/ 19012
21(. Principles that Do1ern Acceptance of Difts of &and
2lease refer to No: +,$:
21-. :ational %pirit"al Assembly %ho"ld *"d6et Ann"ally for #aintenance of Properties
E<any properties ha'e already been acDuired in the course of pre'ious plans: /t is important that these
properties be properly maintained in good repair: National Spiritual Assemblies should set aside sums
annually in their budgets for the maintenance of national properties so that 7hen a repair becomes
necessary the funds 7ill be a'ailable 7ithout creating a sudden crisis for the national fund: As far as
possible) local a ratul0Ruds and other local properties should be 6ept up by the local friends
themsel'es:
E/t is also important to ma6e full use of the properties of the aith for the purposes for 7hich they 7ere
acDuired: Hell maintained and regularly used properties 7ill not only be a means of fostering Bah
community life) but 7ill add to the prestige and dignity of the aith in the eyes of the non0Bah
public:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ aw+RGJ 19092
21/. .esponsibility of :ational %pirit"al Assembly to #aintain and Impro1e PropertiesIndi1id"al
*ah+,;s Can 5elp in #any 7ays
@National Spiritual Assemblies throughout the 7orld are reDuired to assume) on a continuing basis) the
responsibility of pro'iding for the maintenance and impro'ement of their o7n Bah properties) and
they should instill into the consciousness of the belie'ers the importance of their role in 6eeping the
national headDuarters in a representati'e and attracti'e condition: 3here are many 7ays in 7hich the
Bahs can help to beautify and maintain their National a ratul0Ruds) not only by contributing by
material means) but also by offering their time and labour to clean) paint) ta6e care of minor repairs)
7or6 in the gardens) etc:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of :ru$ua5/ Eune L1/ 19092
210. P"rchase and %ale of a ;rat",l->"ds
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has reDuested us to ac6no7ledge your letter of <ay *) "#$" concerning
the proposed sale of your National a ratul0Ruds and to con'ey the follo7ing:
@3he matter is entirely 7ithin the discretion of your National Assembly bearing in mind the principle
that you should not be 7ithout a National a ratul0RudsI that is) you must obtain a ne7 one) or at
least ha'e the transactions for obtaining it 7ell ad'anced and secure) before disposing of the old one:
@/n reply to your Duestion about the location of the Secretariat of the National Assembly) 7e ha'e been
as6ed to say that your Assembly must operate from the National a ratul0Ruds) and it is important
and desirable that your Secretary reside as near as possible to the National HeadDuarters in order that the
duties of the office may be attended to 7ith dispatch: Enclosed for your consideration are e?cerpts from
recent letters dealing 7ith this subBect:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of icara$ua/ Eune 0/ 19812
212. :ational a ;rat",l->"ds :eed :ot %er1e :eeds of &ocal %pirit"al Assembly Prefera)le that
ational 4ecretar5 #i"e in a ?ratu*l+Cuds
@3here is no reDuirement for the National a ratul0Ruds to include 7ithin its accommodations a
public meeting hall) neither is there a reDuirement that it be a meeting place for the =ocal Spiritual
Assembly in the city in 7hich it may be located: /ts essential function is that it is the seat of the National
Spiritual Assembly) and should ha'e adeDuate facilities for its secretariat: Should there be adeDuate
space and the National Assembly feels it con'enient) there 7ould be no obBection to its leasing one or
t7o rooms to the =ocal Spiritual Assembly) but this certainly is not an essential part of the National
a ratul0Ruds: 3he facilities you choose to specify as criteria in the search for ne7 Duarters are a
matter for your o7n decision:
@Hhile it is not imperati'e for the National Secretary to li'e in the National a ratul0Ruds) it is the
generally preferred arrangement: Should it be impossible for the Secretary to li'e actually in the
a ratul0Ruds itself) there 7ould be no obBection to his li'ing nearby: 3he 'ital thing is that the seat of
the National Spiritual Assembly should be the National a ratul0Ruds) and that the National Assembly
should operate from there:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the >ir$in Islands/ Eul5 LL/ 198L2
223. !he :ational %pirit"al Assembly #"st )perate from the :ational a ;rat",l->"ds
E"entuall5/ <ull Time 4er"ice Will ,e Re9uired of the ational 4ecretar5
@3he first principle 7hich has been established is that a National Spiritual Assembly must operate from
its National a ratul0Ruds) 7hich is the official Seat of the National Spiritual Assembly: 8uring the
early formati'e years of the aith and the building up of the Administrati'e 5rder it has been permitted
in certain instances for the National Secretary to reside a7ay from the city in 7hich the National
a ratul0Ruds is located) but in these cases the principle has al7ays been enforced that the National
Spiritual Assembly itself operates from its proper address at the National a ratul0Ruds :::: 3he aim
should be to o'ercome this anomaly and for the National Secretary to reside close to) if not in) the
National a ratul0Ruds itself: /ne'itably the day 7ill come 7hen it 7ill be necessary for your
National Secretary to de'ote his entire time to the ser'ice of the National Spiritual Assembly and it 7ill
then be imperati'e for the Secretary to operate from the a ratul0Ruds:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the Dominican Repu)lic/ <e)ruar5
9/ 190M2
221. Preferable Arran6ement and *ah+,; :orm that the :ational %ecretary &i1e in the a ;rat",l-
>"dsot to )e 3onsidered a ARi$ht of OfficeB
@Hhile it is not imperati'e for the National Secretary to li'e in the National a ratul0Ruds) and
certainly the belie'er elected to the important post cannot claim such residence as a right of office) it is
the generally preferred arrangement and is) in fact) the norm of Bah practice: 3he 'ital thing is that the
seat of the National Spiritual Assembly should be the National a ratul0Ruds and that the National
Assembly should operate from there: 3his ob'iously reDuires the constant attendance of the Secretary
since all mail for the Assembly should be recei'ed at and despatched from the a ratul0Ruds) and
there are many other considerations of 7hich you are all informed: Ho7e'er) the final decision must rest
7ith your National Spiritual Assembly and should it be impossible for the National Secretary to li'e
actually in the a ratul0Ruds itself there 7ould be no obBection to the officer li'ing near or 7ithin
easy reach) particularly if it 7ere on a temporary basis:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 8in$dom/ 4eptem)er LL/
190N2
222. A District a ;rat",l->"ds %er1es the &ocal Comm"nity as a Datherin6 Place for *ah+,;s of
7ider Area
@A district a ratul0Ruds should be considered as the local a ratul0Ruds of the community in
7hich it is situated) but as it is intended also to ser'e as a central gathering place for friends from a 7ider
area it should be a more substantial structure than normally reDuired for a local a ratul0Ruds: /n
6eeping 7ith this concept) such a building can be used for the holding of conferences) teaching
institutes) deepening classes) etc:) for the larger area:
@Hhether someone should li'e in the district a ratul0Ruds is a matter for your Assembly to
determine: Ho7e'er) it is usually desirable to ha'e li'ing accommodation a'ailable for someone to
reside there to act as a careta6er for the property:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4urinam and <rench %uiana/
(u$ust 1@/ 198L2
99I6$ )(ALT)0 )(ALING AN N!TRITION
A$ %-iritual and 'h*sical )ealing
22. Cons"lt Competent Physicians 7hen Ill
@&esort ye) in times of sic6ness) to competent physiciansI He ha'e not set aside the use of material
means) rather ha'e He confirmed it through this 2en) 7hich >od hath made to be the 8a7ning0place of
His shining and glorious Cause:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. ;itb0i0ADdas/ 8113/ p! M12
22'. Prayers for %pirit"al and #aterial 5ealin6
@::: 3he prayers 7hich 7ere 7ritten for the purpose of healing are both for the spiritual and material
healing: 3herefore chant them for the spiritual and material healing: /f healing is best for the patient
surely it 7ill be granted: or some 7ho are sic6) healing for them shall be the cause of other ills: 3hus it
is that 7isdom does not decree the ans7er to some prayers:
@5 maid0ser'ant of >od: 3he 2o7er of the Holy Spirit heals both material and spiritual ills:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Ta)let to Ella %oodall 3ooper. 8aily =essons &ecei'ed at A66a/ 190M ed!/ p! 8M2
22(. !he Dreatest :ame Infl"ences *oth %pirit"al and Physical #atters
@3hat the <ost >reat Name e?erciseth influence o'er both physical and spiritual matters is sure and
certain:E
&<rom a Ta)let to an indi"idual )elie"er/ )5 '()du*l+,ah-. Selections from Bah Hritings on Some Aspects of Health) Healing) Nutrition
and &elated <atters/ (pril 198N/ p! L2
@5 maid0ser'ant of >odL Continue in healing hearts and bodies and see6 healing for sic6 persons by
turning unto the Supreme ;ingdom and by setting the heart upon obtaining healing through the po7er of
the >reatest Name and by the spirit of the lo'e of >od:E
&3ablets of AAbdul0Bah/ >ol! III/ p! ML92
22-. !wo 7ays of 5ealin6 %ic$ness
@3here are t7o 7ays of healing sic6ness) material means and spiritual means: 3he first is by the
treatment of physiciansI the second consisteth in prayers offered by the spiritual ones to >od and in
turning to Him: Both means should be used and practiced:
@/llnesses 7hich occur by reason of physical causes should be treated by doctors 7ith medical
remediesI those 7hich are due to spiritual causes disappear through spiritual means: 3hus an illness
caused by affliction) fear) ner'ous impressions) 7ill be healed more effecti'ely by spiritual rather than
by physical treatment: Hence) both 6inds of treatment should be follo7edI they are not contradictory:
3herefore thou shouldst accept physical remedies inasmuch as these too ha'e come from the mercy and
fa'our of >od) Hho hath re'ealed and made manifest medical science so that His ser'ants may profit
from this 6ind of treatment also: 3hou shouldst gi'e eDual attention to spiritual treatments) for they
produce mar'ellous effects:
@No7) if thou 7ishest to 6no7 the true remedy 7hich 7ill heal man from all sic6ness and 7ill gi'e
him the health of the di'ine 6ingdom) 6no7 that it is the precepts and teachings of >od: ocus thine
attention upon them:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ pp! 1@1+1@L2
22/. !wo Processes of 5ealin6Pra5er (lone not 4ufficient
@As you 6no7 Bahullh has ordained that in case of illness 7e should al7ays consult the most
competent physicians: And this is e?actly 7hat the >uardian strongly ad'ises you to do: or prayer alone
is not sufficient: 3o render it more effecti'e 7e ha'e to ma6e use of all the physical and material
ad'antages 7hich >od has gi'en us: Healing through purely spiritual forces is undoubtedly as
inadeDuate as that 7hich materialist physicians and thin6ers 'ainly see6 to obtain by resorting entirely to
mechanical de'ices and methods: 3he best result can be obtained by combining the t7o processes)
spiritual and physical:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 1L/ 193N. E?tracts from the >uardians =etters on
Spiritualism) &eincarnation and &elated SubBects/ p! 92
220. %pirit"al and #aterial 5ealin6 Essential and Complementary
@Hith regard to your Duestion concerning spiritual healing: Such a healing constitutes) indeed) one of the
most effecti'e methods of relie'ing a person from either his mental or physical pains and sufferings:
AAbdul0Bah has in His A2aris 3al6s emphasiCed its importance by stating that it should be used as an
essential means for effecting a complete physical cure: Spiritual healing) ho7e'er) is not and cannot be a
substitute for material healing) but it is a most 'aluable adBunct to it: Both are) indeed) essential and
complementary:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 1M/ 193@. Selections from Bah Hritings on Some
Aspects of Health) Healing) Nutrition and &elated <atters/ (pril 198N/ p! 112
222. Physical 5ealin6 #"st be .einforced by %pirit"al 5ealin6
@Hith reference to your Duestion concerning spiritual healing: /ts importance) as you surely 6no7) has
been greatly emphasiCed by AAbdul0Bah Hho considered it) indeed) as an essential part of physical
processes of healing: 2hysical healing cannot be complete and lasting unless it is reinforced by spiritual
healing: And this last one can be best obtained through obedience to the la7s and commandments of
>od as re'ealed to us through His <anifestations: /ndi'idual belie'ers) ho7e'er) can also help by
imparting healing to others: But the success of their efforts depends entirely on their strict adherence to
the 3eachings) and also on the manner in 7hich they impart them to others: According to Bahullh
man cannot obtain full guidance directly from >od: He must rather see6 it through His 2rophets:
2ro'ided this principle is clearly understood and e?plained) the >uardian sees no harm that the friends
should try to effect spiritual healing on others: Any such cure effected) ho7e'er) should be done in the
name of Bahullh and in accordance 7ith His teachings: or >od) and >od alone) is the Supreme and
Almighty 2hysician and all else are but instruments in His hands:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 L3/ 193@. E?tracts from the >uardians =etters on
Spiritualism) &eincarnation and &elated SubBects/ p! 82
23. 5ealin6 of IllnessThere is no such thin$ as A,ah-*? 7ealersB
A3he >uardian 6no7s nothing about your 6ind of healing) nor 7ould he care to go into the Duestion in
detail) as he has no time for such matters: But he can lay do7n for your guidance certain broad
principles! there is no such thing as Bah healers or a Bah type of healing: /n His <ost Holy Boo6
Fthe ADdasG Bahullh says to consult the best physicians) in other 7ords) doctors 7ho ha'e studied a
scientific system of medicine! He ne'er ga'e us to belie'e He Himself 7ould heal us through Ahealers)
but rather through prayer and the assistance of medicine and appro'ed treatments:
@No7) as long as your healing is in no opposition to these principles) as long as you do not try and ta6e
the place of a regular doctor in trying to heal others) but only gi'e them your 6ind of help through
constructi'e suggestionQor 7hate'er it may beQand do not associate this help 7ith being a channel of
the direct grace of Bahullh) the >uardian sees no harm in your continuing your assistance to others:
But you must conscientiously decide 7hether in 'ie7 of the abo'e you are really Bustified in continuing:
He 7ill pray for your guidance and happiness::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune M/ 19N8. I)id!/ p! 82
21. !o Associate %"ch !hin6s with the Ca"se 8ltimately InF"res It
@He feels the attitude ta6en by you and the Assembly of Caracas to7ards the remar6able healing po7ers
e?hibited by ::: has been the right one: 3o associate such things 7ith the Cause directly 7ould be only to
ultimately inBure its reputation and misrepresent it) as her po7ersQ7hich are certainly 'ery hard to find
any logical e?planation forQare not common to Bahs) but rather a phenomenon seen among
indi'iduals) FrarelyG of religious bac6grounds:
@As to its being direct inspiration of Bahullh) 7e certainly cannot say this: He can only be grateful
that she has actually been able to help people 7ho direly needed it: She herself being a de'oted Bah)
there is no reason 7hy she should not be 6no7n as one: But certainly it should in no 7ay be connected
7ith her healing po7ers:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian/ 4eptem)er 31/ 19N9/ to an indi"idual )elie"er. I)id!/ p! 82
22. :ot a 8niC"e Phenomenon
@3he >uardian has already heard about :::s seemingly remar6able po7ers of healing and he 7rote the
friends 7ho communicated 7ith him that he feels that she is naturally free to use this po7er) so far
beyond our understanding) but not a uniDue phenomenon in history by any means) for the good of others)
but that it is better not to directly associate it 7ith the aith:
@/n other 7ords this dear soul is a Bah) and 7e are all proud that she is one: But she should not gi'e
the impression she is a Bah healer) for 7e ha'e no such thing) but rather that she is a Bah by faith)
7hom >od seems to ha'e blessed 7ith this precious bounty indi'idually of being able to often heal
others:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er LM/ 19N9. I)id!/ pp! 8+92
2. !o be Able to 5elp Another %o"l 7ho is %"fferin6
@3he >uardian sees no reason 7hy you should not continue to help sic6 people: As he 7rote to some of
the belie'ers regarding this matter pre'iously) as long as you do not say you are healing them as a
Bah) or because you are a Bah Fbecause 7e ha'e no Ahealers in the Cause as suchG there can be
certainly no obBection to your doing it: 5n the contrary to be able to help another soul 7ho is in suffering
is a great bounty from >od:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er @/ 19@1. I)id!/ p! 92
2'. !ry not to 5a1e the Faith Identified with %"ch !hin6s
AHe thin6s your Assemblys decision regarding spiritual healing being demonstrated at a Bah meeting
7as Duite sound: He should try not to ha'e the aith identified 7ith such things in the eyes of the public
officially: Hhat the belie'ers do pri'ately) 7hich in no 7ay contra'enes the 3eachings) is their o7n
affair:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ Eune L@/ 19@3. I)id!/ p! 92
2(. %ho"ld not *ecome 5ealer
@He does not feel that you should try to do anything special about the capacity you feel to help people
7hen they are ill: 3his does not mean you should not use it) 7hen the occasion arises) such as it did
recently: But he means you should not become a Ahealer such as the Christian Scientists ha'e) and 7e
Bahs do not ha'e:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er L@/ 19N9. I)id!/ p! 92
2-. 5ealin6 by the 5oly %pirit
@He ha'e no reason to belie'e that the healing of the Holy Spirit cannot be attracted by ordinary human
beings: But this is rare) a mystery) and a gift of >od:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch LM/ 19@1. I)id!/ p! 92
2/. Bisitin6 the %ic$
@He should all 'isit the sic6: Hhen they are in sorro7 and suffering) it is a real help and benefit to ha'e
a friend come: Happiness is a great healer to those 7ho are ill: /n the East it is the custom to call upon
the patient often and meet him indi'idually: 3he people in the East sho7 the utmost 6indness and
compassion to the sic6 and suffering: 3his has greater effect than the remedy itself: Mou must al7ays
ha'e this thought of lo'e and affection 7hen you 'isit the ailing and afflicted:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. The Promul$ation of :ni"ersal Peace/ 198L ed!/ p! L1N2
20. 5owe1er Critical and 5opeless Cons"lt and Follow !reatment of Competent Physician
@As regards <iss ::: Shoghi Effendi feels unspea6ably grateful for all the 6ind assistance you ha'e been
continually e?tending to her father in this assuredly heart0rending) nay indeed calamitous situation
facing him: Mou did certainly 7ell) ho7e'er critical and hopeless his daughters case may ha'e been
considered by the doctors) to ad'ise him to ta6e her to a hospital) and gi'e her the best treatment medical
science could possibly offer: /n doing so you ha'e acted in full conformity 7ith the counsel so tenderly
and repeatedly gi'en by Bahullh that in case of illness one should in'ariably consult and follo7 the
treatment of competent and conscientious physicians:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 18/ 1939. Selections from Bah Hritings on Some Aspects
of Health and Healing/ Eune 190N/ p! 02
22. *oth %pirit"al and Physical Forces :eeded to %ec"re %peedy .eco1ery
@/n the Boo6 of ADdas Bahullh urges us) that 7hen 7e obtain any physical ailment 7e should refer
to the doctor and abide by his decision: 2hysical and spiritual forces ha'e both to be used to secure the
speedy reco'ery of the patientsI no partial treatment is sufficient: So you should pray for your son and
also be faithful in your obedience to the directions of the physicians 7ho are trying to restore him to
health:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 1/ 19332
2'3. Physical Ailments 5a1e :o Effect on the %o"l
@&egarding your Duestions concerning the condition of the soul during illness: 3he passages in the
A>leanings ma6e it Duite clear that physical ailments) no matter ho7 se'ere) cannot bring any change in
the inherent condition of the soul: As Bahullh says! A3he spirit is permanent and steadfast in its
station: 3he 'eil or hindrance that interposes bet7een soul and body during physical disease is sic6ness
itself: Sic6ness re'eals a lac6 of balance in human organism) an absence of eDuilibrium in the forces
essential for the normal functioning of the human body:E
2'1. *ah+,;s #"st A1oid Depletin6 their Forces and %"fferin6 *rea$downs
@::: 3he Bahs) in spite of their self0sacrificing desire to gi'e the last drop of their strength to ser'ing
the Cause) must guard against utterly depleting their forces and ha'ing brea6do7ns: or this can
sometimes do more harm than good) because they are so bound up in the li'es of others::::
@3here is no doubt that there is 'icarious atonement for others) and our sufferings sometimes can be in
the nature of a sacrifice accepted for others: But 7here to dra7 the line is a mystery: /f you ta6e better
care of your o7n health) and build up your reser'es) it 7ould certainly be better for you and for your
7or6: 3hen your sensiti'e) yearning heart) although you may still often suffer for and 7ith others) 7ill
be better able to 7ithstand its trials) and you 7ill not get so e?hausted) 7hich is certainly no asset to your
7or6 for the Cause:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L@/ 19N92
2'2. !he %"preme :eed of the 7orld !oday is for %pirit"al 5ealin6*ah+,;s Are the &ea1en that
#"st &ea1en the &"mp
@Ho7e'er much the need may be for physical healing) the supreme need of the 7orld today is for
spiritual healing: =ife in this 7orld is so relati'ely shortQand at present it is fraught 7ith a thousand
difficulties and dangersI 7hereas life in the true sense is eternal) and for this eternal life people need
some preparation in these turbulent times:
@Mour 7or6 to impro'e the health of people is a meritorious 7ay of ser'ing man6ind) but it can ne'er
be compared 7ith the 7or6 of illumining the souls and minds of men 7ith the =ight of Bahullh: 3he
people of the 7orld are teeming millions) the Bahs only a handful) yet they are the precious lea'en
that must lea'en the lump:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 8/ 19NL2
2'. %ome Illnesses 5a1e to do with the %pirit"al De1elopment of the )ne Affected or of the &o1ed
)nes
@3he Belo'ed >uardian has as6ed me to assure you and the parents of the dear baby of his prayers for
his healing) both material and spiritual:
@/t is difficult for us to understand these calamities 7hen they come to us: 3hose 7ho are firm in the
aith) 6no7 that the Hand of >od protects them) and if something of this nature comes upon them) it is
for some reason) 7hich may ha'e to do 7ith the spiritual de'elopment of the one affected) or the
spiritual de'elopment and 7elfare of the lo'ed onesI or e'en for the melting of the hearts of non0
Bahs) 7ho 7ill be affected by the 8i'ine Spirit) through the manner in 7hich the Bah meets such
an ordeal:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 L3/ 19@32
2''. Physical Pain is :ecessary to E?istence and is 8na1oidableIn E"er5 4ufferin$ One 3an <ind
a 6eanin$ and a Wisdom
@As to your Duestion concerning the meaning of physical suffering and its relation to mental and
spiritual healing: 2hysical pain is a necessary accompaniment of all human e?istence) and as such is
una'oidable: As long as there 7ill be life on earth) there 7ill be also suffering) in 'arious forms and
degrees: But suffering) although an inescapable reality) can ne'ertheless be utilised as a means for the
attainment of happiness: 3his is the interpretation gi'en to it by all the prophets and saints 7ho) in the
midst of se'ere tests and trials) felt happy and Boyous and e?perienced 7hat is best and holiest in life:
Suffering is both a reminder and a guide: /t stimulates us to better adapt oursel'es to our en'ironmental
conditions) and thus leads the 7ay to self0impro'ement: /n e'ery suffering one can find a meaning and a
7isdom: But it is not al7ays easy to find the secret of that 7isdom: /t is sometimes only 7hen all our
suffering has passed that 7e become a7are of its usefulness: Hhat man considers to be e'il turns often
to be a cause of infinite blessings: And this is due to his desire to 6no7 more than he can: >ods 7isdom
is) indeed) inscrutable to us all) and it is no use pushing too far trying to disco'er that 7hich shall al7ays
remain a mystery to our mind:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 L9/ 193@2
2'(. Decree of *ah+,",ll+h Cons"lt Competent Doctor
@According to the e?plicit decree of Bahullh one must not turn aside from the ad'ice of a competent
doctor: /t is imperati'e to consult one e'en if the patient himself be a 7ell06no7n and eminent physician:
/n short) the point is that you should maintain your health by consulting a highly0s6illed physician:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ p! 1@M/ o! 13@2
2'-. It is the .esponsibility of the *elie1ers to &oo$ After the %ic$
@5 thou ser'ant of >odL 3o loo6 after the sic6 is one of the greatest duties: or e'ery soul 7ho becomes
sic6) the other friends should certainly offer their li'es Fin ser'iceG 7ith the utmost 6indness:E
&Ta)lets of '()du*l+,ah-/ >olume I/ p! 1N9. cited in Selections from Bah Hritings on Some Aspects of Health and Healing/ p! 12
B$ ,ental Illness
2'/. &ittle is Gnown Abo"t the #ind and Its 7or$in6s
@Pery little is as yet 6no7n about the mind and its 7or6ings: But one thing is certain! Bahs can and do
recei'e a 'ery remar6able help and protection in this 7orld) one 7hich often surprises their doctors 'ery
muchLE
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 9/ 19N8. E?tracts from the >uardians =etters on
Spiritualism) &eincarnation and &elated SubBects/ p! N2
2'0. #ental Illness Does :ot Affect )"r %pirit or )"r Inner .elation to Dod
@/t is 'ery hard to be subBect to any illness) particularly a mental one: Ho7e'er) 7e must al7ays
remember these illnesses ha'e nothing to do 7ith our spirit or our inner relation to >od: /t is a great pity
that as yet so little is really 6no7n of the mind) its 7or6ings and illnesses that afflict itI no doubt) as the
7orld becomes more spiritually minded and scientists understand the true nature of man) more humane
and permanent cures for mental diseases 7ill be found:
@3he >uardian) much as his heart goes out to you in your fear and suffering) cannot tell you 7hether
electric shoc6 treatments should or should not be used) as this is a purely medical Duestion) and there is
no reference to such details in our Scriptures: 3he best scientists must pass upon such methods) not
laymen:
@Mou must al7ays remember) no matter ho7 much you or others may be afflicted 7ith mental troubles
and the crushing en'ironment of these State /nstitutions) that your spirit is healthy) near to our Belo'ed)
and 7ill in the ne?t 7orld enBoy a happy and normal state of soul: =et us hope in the meantime scientists
7ill find better and permanent cures for the mentally afflicted: But in this 7orld such illness is truly a
hea'y burden to bearLE
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 1L/ 19N8. 4elections from Bah Hritings on Some
Aspects of Health and Healing/ ( 3ompilation of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ Eune 190N2
2'2. Disease of !wo Ginds6adness 3an )e 3ured Throu$h Pra5er
@8isease is of t7o 6inds! material and spiritual: 3a6e for instance) a cut handI if you pray for the cut to
be healed and do not stop its bleeding) you 7ill not do much goodI a material remedy is needed:
Sometimes if the ner'ous system is paralysed through fear) a spiritual remedy is necessary: <adness)
incurable other7ise) can be cured through prayer: /t often happens that sorro7 ma6es one illI this can be
cured by spiritual means:E
&AAbdul0Bah in =ondon) Notes of Con'ersations/ 198L ed!/ p! M@2
2(3. %ome %erio"s Deficiencies@ Physical or #ental@ Can Incapacitate )ne to Contract #arria6e
@3he Bah 3eachings do not only encourage marital life) considering it the natural and normal 7ay of
e?istence for e'ery sane) healthy and socially0conscious and responsible person) but raise marriage to the
status of a di'ine institution) its chief and sacred purpose being the perpetuation of the human raceQ
7hich is the 'ery flo7er of the entire creationQand its ele'ation to the true station destined for it by
>od:
@3hat there should be) ho7e'er) certain indi'iduals) 7ho) by reason of some serious deficiency)
physical or mental) 7ould be incapacitated to contract marriage and enBoy the blessings of an enduring
and successful marital life) is only too e'ident) but these constitute only a 'ery small section of
humanity) and are therefore merely an e?ception) and their condition cannot possibly in'alidate 7hat an
all07ise and lo'ing 2ro'idence has decreed to be the normal 7ay to a fruitful and constructi'e social
e?istence:
@3he e?act conditions and circumstances under 7hich such incapacitated indi'iduals should be ad'ised
or e'en pre'ented perhaps from entering into any sort of marital e?istence ha'e not been specified in the
Bah Hritings) but 7ill ha'e to be defined later on by the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice: /n the meantime)
those belie'ers 7ho consider themsel'es as falling into the abo'e category 7ould do 7ell) before ta6ing
any final decision themsel'es) to consult medical e?perts) 7ho are both conscientious and competent)
and to abide by their recommendation:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 1@/ 1939. Selections from BahK Hritings on Some
Aspects of Health) Healing) Nutrition and &elated <atters2
2(1. :o )bFection to )ne %eein6 a Psychiatrist
@As regards your seeing a psychiatrist! 3here is no obBection to your trying this form of treatment if your
physician recommends it) and any intelligent doctor 7ould ne'er be preBudiced against the aith through
the difficulties incurred by a patient due to illness:
@3here is no obBect in o'er0ta?ing your 7ill po7er and strength by forcing yourself to do things for the
Cause: Mou should let your mind rest in the thought of the infinite lo'e) mercy and forgi'eness of
Bahullh) and cease to fret about 7hether you are or are not doing your share until you fully reco'er
your healthQand e'idently you already are on the road to reco'eryLE
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch LM/ 19N@2
2(2. *ah+,;s %ho"ld not *ecome 5ealersA
@He does not feel that you should try to do anything special about the capacity you feel to help people
7hen they are ill: 3his does not mean you should not use it) 7hen the occasion arises) such as it did
recently: But he means you should not become a Ahealer such as the Christian Scientists ha'e) and 7e
Bahs do not ha'e:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er L@/ 19N9. Selections from BahK Hritings on Some
Aspects of Health) Healing) Nutrition and &elated <atters/ ( 3ompilation/ p! 132
O&4ee also. os! 931+93N2
2(. !he #ind Can *e 5elped by Professionals@ b"t the %o"l is :ot Aided by Psychotherapy
@Hith reference to the broad aspects of your problem of psychological difficulty) the House of 9ustice
has as6ed us to Duote the follo7ing passages from the Hritings of Bahullh! A;no7 thou that the soul
of man is e?alted abo'e) and is independent of all infirmities of body or mind:::: Hhen it Fthe soulG
lea'eth the body) ho7e'er) it 7ill e'ince such ascendancy) and re'eal such influence as no force on earth
can eDual: /n a letter 7ritten on behalf of the belo'ed >uardian 7e also find the follo7ing passage!
AMou must al7ays remember) no matter ho7 much you and others are afflicted 7ith mental troubles :::)
that your spirit is healthy) near to your Belo'ed) and 7ill in the ne?t 7orld enBoy a happy and normal
state of soul: 3hus it is that the soul is not aided by psychotherapy: 5n the other hand) in your
understanding of the mental phenomena 7hich distress you) and in your efforts to o'ercome your
problem it is perfectly proper to consult professional e?perts) as your National Assembly ::: ad'ised: /n
another letter 7ritten on behalf of Shoghi Effendi by his secretary) 7e read the follo7ing! AAs
Bahullh has urged us to a'ail oursel'es of the help of good physicians) Bahs certainly are not only
free to turn to psychiatry for assistance but should) 7hen a'ailable) do so: 3he mind) then) 7ith all its
aberrancies) may often fa'ourably be influenced by scientifically trained persons:
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice suggests that through daily prayer) and specially by obser'ing the
daily obligatory prayers) through study of the Hritings) through acti'e participation in teaching efforts
and in the acti'ities of the community) and through constant effort to sacrifice for the aith you lo'e so
7ell) you 7ill pro'ide a spiritual counterpart to the professional help you 7ill recei'e from the e?perts:
Mou should also endea'our to engage in some useful occupation) or by training yourself to ha'e such an
occupation) as 7or6 is itself another means at our disposal) in accordance 7ith our 3eachings) to dra7
nearer to >od) and to better grasp His purpose for us in this 7orld:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril M/ 190M2
2('. !he %cience of the #ind is in its .elati1e InfancyTherap5 of 6ental Disorders is (d"ancin$
@/t is not easy to be burdened 7ith long years of mental illness such as you describe: And plainly you
ha'e sought aid from many persons of scientific and non0scientific training bac6grounds) apparently to
little a'ail o'er the years of your prolonged illness: 2ossibly you should consider) if it is feasible)
consulting the best specialists in a medical centre in one of the maBor cities) 7here the most ad'anced
diagnosis and treatment can be obtained: 3he science of the mind) of normality and of the disabilities
from 7hich it may suffer) is in its relati'e infancy) but much may be possible to aid you to minimiCe
your suffering and ma6e possible an acti'e life: 3he last ten years in the therapy of mental disorders has
seen important ad'ances from 7hich you may 7ell benefit:
@Mour disco'ery of the aith) of its healing Hritings and its great purposes for the indi'idual and for all
man6ind) ha'e indeed brought to you a po7erful force to7ard a healthy life 7hich 7ill sustain you on a
higher le'el) 7hate'er your ailment may be: 3he best results for the healing process are to combine the
spiritual 7ith the physical) for it should be possible for you to o'ercome your illness through the
combined and sustained po7er of prayer and of determined effort:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 L3/ 198N2
2((. #ental Illness is not %pirit"al
@:::mental illness is not spiritual) although its effects may indeed hinder and be a burden in ones stri'ing
to7ard spiritual progress: /n a letter 7ritten on behalf of the >uardian to a belie'er there is this further
passage!
ASuch hindrances Fi:e:) illness and outer difficultiesG) no matter ho7 se'ere and insuperable
they may at first seem) can and should be effecti'ely o'ercome through the combined and
sustained po7er of prayer and of determined and continued effort:
@3hat effort can include the counsel of 7ise and e?perienced physicians) including psychiatrists:
Hor6ing for the aith) ser'ing others 7ho may need you) and gi'ing of yourself can aid you in your
struggle to o'ercome your sufferings: 5ne helpful acti'ity is) of course) stri'ing to teach the Cause in
spite of personal feelings of shortcomings) thus allo7ing the healing 7ords of the Cause to flood your
mind 7ith their grace and positi'e po7er:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 1@/ 198L2
2(-. *ah+,;s %ho"ld not !a$e a Defeatist Attit"de !oward #ental Illnesses
@/n the Bah 3eachings it is made Duite clear that 7hen one is ill) one should see6 the best a'ailable
medical ad'ice: 3his naturally lea'es a person free to choose 7hat they consider good in medical
opinion: /f you and :::s mother feel that she is impro'ing under the care of your o7n doctor) and ::: is
7illing to 7ait and be patient and see if she goes on ma6ing progress) there can surely be no obBection to
her doing this: 3here are a great many as you 6no7 mental diseases and troubles at present) and the one
thing Bahs must not do is ta6e a defeatist attitude to7ard them: 3he po7er in the aith is such that it
can sustain us on a much higher le'el in spite of 7hate'er our ailments might be) than other people 7ho
are denied it: 3his ho7e'er does not mean that 7e should ignore medical opinion and treatment: 5n the
contrary) 7e should do our best to procure the opinion of specialists and competent doctors:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 1L/ 19@02
2(/. Psychiatry
@3here is nothing in our teachings about reud and his method: 2sychiatric treatment in general is no
doubt an important contribution to medicine) but 7e must belie'e it is still a gro7ing rather than a
perfected science: As Bahullh has urged us to a'ail oursel'es of the help of good physicians Bahs
are certainly not only free to turn to psychiatry for assistance but should) 7hen ad'isable) do so: 3his
does not mean psychiatrists are al7ays 7ise or al7ays right) it means 7e are free to a'ail oursel'es of
the best medicine has to offer us:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ Eune 1@/ 19@12
C$ octors
2(0. Physician is *lessed 7ho 5eals in the :ame of Dod
@Hell is it 7ith the physician 7ho cureth ailments in <y hallo7ed and dearly cherished Name:E
&<rom a Ta)let of ,ah-*u*ll-h. Selections from Bah Hritings on Some Aspects of Health) Healing) Nutrition and &elated SubBects) op!
cit!2
2(2. !o %ee$ #edical !reatment and )bey the Doctor is a Di1ine )rdinance
@/t is incumbent upon e'eryone to see6 medical treatment and to follo7 the doctors instructions) for this
is in compliance 7ith the di'ine ordinance) but) in reality) He Hho gi'eth healing is >od:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ p! 1@M2
2-3. )ne #"st )bey Command of Dod and %"bmit to #edical )pinion
@5ne must obey the command of >od and submit to medical opinion: 3hou hast underta6en this Bourney
to comply 7ith His command and not for the sa6e of healing) since healing is in the hand of >od) not in
the hand of doctors:E
&<rom a Ta)let of '()du*l+,ah- to an indi"idual )elie"er. Selections from Bah Hritings on Some Aspects of Health) Healing) Nutrition
and &elated SubBects/ op! cit!2
2-1. !he %cience of #edicine is E?tremely 8sef"l
@3hou shouldst endea'our to study the science of medicine: /t is e?tremely useful and ser'eth as the
greatest instrument for the dissemination of the Cause: /t is absolutely imperati'e that thou acDuire this
bounty: Stri'e day and night that thou mayest become highly Dualified in this science: And 7hen thou
7ishest to dispense treatment) set thy heart to7ard the Abh ;ingdom) entreating di'ine confirmations:E
&<rom a Ta)let of '()du*l+,ah- to an indi"idual )elie"er. I)id!2
2-2. !he %ic$ #"st .efer to a %$illed Doctor
@:::thou hast 7ritten about thy poor sight: According to the e?plicit di'ine te?t the sic6 must refer to the
doctor: 3his decree is decisi'e and e'eryone is bound to obser'e it: Hhile thou art there thou shouldst
consult the most s6illed and the most famed eye specialist:E
2-. !he Physician 5as !wo Powers
@5 thou distinguished physicianL ::: 2raise be to >od that thou hast t7o po7ers! one to underta6e
physical healing and the other spiritual healing: <atters related to manEs spirit ha'e a great effect on his
bodily condition: or instance) thou shouldst impart gladness to thy patient) gi'e him comfort and Boy)
and bring him to ecstasy and e?ultation: Ho7 often hath it occurred that this hath caused early reco'ery:
3herefore) treat thou the sic6 7ith both po7ers: Spiritual feelings ha'e a surprising effect on healing
ner'ous ailments:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ pp! 1@1+1@12
2-'. 7hen Di1in6 !reatment@ !"rn to the *lessed *ea"ty@ *ah+,",ll+h
@Hhen gi'ing medical treatment turn to the Blessed Beauty) then follo7 the dictates of thy heart:
&emedy the sic6 by means of hea'enly Boy and spiritual e?ultation) cure the sorely afflicted by imparting
to them blissful glad tidings and heal the 7ounded through His resplendent besto7als: Hhen at the
bedside of a patient) cheer and gladden his heart and enrapture his spirit through celestial po7er: /ndeed)
such a hea'enly breath Duic6eneth e'ery mouldering bone and re'i'eth the spirit of e'ery sic6 and ailing
one:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. I)id!/ p! 1@12
2-(. It is Imperati1e to Cons"lt a Doctor E1en if )ne is an Eminent Physician
@According to the e?plicit decree of Bahullh one must not turn aside from the ad'ice of a competent
doctor: /t is imperati'e to consult one e'en if the patient himself be a 7ell06no7n and eminent physician:
/n short) the point is that you should maintain your health by consulting a highly0s6illed physician:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. I)id!/ p! 1@M2
2--. Dod Alone 5as the Power to Di1e !r"e 5ealin66an5 6en 7a"e Died of the "er5 Disease of
Their 4pecialit5
@All true healing comes from >odL 3here are t7o causes for sic6ness) one is material) the other spiritual:
/f the sic6ness is of the body) a material remedy is needed) if of the soul) a spiritual remedy:
@/f the hea'enly benediction be upon us 7hile 7e are being healed then only can 7e be made 7hole)
for medicine is but the out7ard and 'isible means through 7hich 7e obtain the hea'enly healing: Jnless
the spirit be healed) the cure of the body is 7orth nothing: All is in the hands of >od) and 7ithout Him
there can be no health in usL
@3here ha'e been many men 7ho ha'e died at last of the 'ery disease of 7hich they ha'e made a
special study: Aristotle) for instance) 7ho made a special study of the digestion) died of a gastronomic
malady: A'icenna 7as a specialist of the heart) but he died of heart disease: >od is the great
compassionate 2hysician 7ho alone has the po7er to gi'e true healing:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 2aris 3al6s/ 190L ed!/ p! 192
2-/. %er1ice is Prayer
@3his is 7orship! to ser'e man6ind and to minister to the needs of the people: Ser'ice is prayer: A
physician ministering to the sic6) gently) tenderly) free from preBudice and belie'ing in the solidarity of
the human race) he is gi'ing praise:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. I)id!/ p! 1002
2-0. Doctors Bersed in #edical %cience Can !reat Case *etter !han &o1in6 #others
@::: He fully sympathiCes 7ith you in this great sorro7 that has afflicted you: At such occasions) the true
ser'ants of >od should be resigned and try to act 7isely) using at the same time all a'ailable means to
help their lo'ed one 7ho is in distress and is suffering from illness:
@Bahullh tells us that in case of disease 7e should pray but at the same time refer to competent
physicians) and abide by their considered decisions: Shoghi Effendi 7ishes you therefore to find 7hether
your son has really become ill) and if he is) then follo7 the directions of the doctor: Being 'ersed in the
medical sciences they can treat better than e'en a lo'ing mother can: Mou can render your assistance by
praying for him and at the same time helping the physicians to treat him:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 9/ 1933. Selections from Bah Hritings on Some Aspects
of Health and Healing/ pp! @+M2
2-2. Powers .eleased by *ah+,",ll+h Destined to .e1eal !hemsel1es !hro"6h Instr"mentality of
5is Followers
@3hese in'estigations you ha'e so painsta6ingly pursued in the field of medical science) and on a subBect
7hich is still puCCling the minds of all the leading scientists in the 7orld) cannot but be of a capti'ating
interest and of a great 'alue to all medical research 7or6ers:
@/t is significant that you as a belie'er should ha'e underta6en a 7or6 of this nature) as 7e all 6no7
that the po7ers released by the <anifestation of Bahullh in this day are destined) in the course of
time) to re'eal themsel'es through the instrumentality of His follo7ers) and in e'ery concei'able field of
human endea'our:
@3hat you should increasingly pro'e) through your confirmed researches in the domain of medicine) to
be one of those instruments) is the fer'ent hope of our belo'ed >uardian:E
2/3. Doctors %ho"ld not 7or$ on 2 5oly Days
@He thin6s it is better for Bah doctors not to 7or6 on our # Holy 8ays:::but) of course) that does not
mean they should not attend to 'ery sic6 people and emergencies on these days:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ (u$ust L/ 19NM. 8a7n of a Ne7 8ay/ p! 11M2
2/1. Corr"pt Practices
@3he >uardian feels that your attitude to7ards the corrupt practice of accepting commissions from
fello7 physicians and pharmacists is most admirable: 3he more upright and noble the Bahs are in
their conduct) the more they 7ill impress the public 7ith the spiritual 'itality of the aith they belie'e
in:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L1/ 19@3. =i'ing the =ife/ p! 182
$ Illnesses and ,edical 'ractices
2/2. #edical %cience will Dreatly Impro1e with the %pirit"al Awa$enin6 of #an
@AAbdul0Bah does often state that the medical science 7ill much impro'e: Hith the appearance of
e'ery &e'elation a ne7 insight is created in man and this in turn e?presses itself in the gro7th of
science: 3his has happened in past dispensations and 7e find its earliest fruits in our present day: Hhat
7e see ho7e'er is only the beginning: Hith the spiritual a7a6ening of man this force 7ill de'elop and
mar'elous results 7ill become manifest:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 1N/ 193L. 4elections from Bah Hritings on Some
Aspects of Health) Healing) Nutrition and &elated <atters/ (pril 198N/ p! 112
2/. %"rro6ate #others and Artificial Insemination
@&egarding surrogate mothers and artificial insemination) you 7ill find the follo7ing e?tracts from
statements made by the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice rele'ant to your Duestions!
A3he belo'ed >uardian) in a letter 7ritten on his behalf to an indi'idual belie'er 7ho
enDuired on the same subBect) said @:::there is nothing in our teachings about this) therefore
there is no obBection to ha'ing a baby by means of artificial insemination as long as your
husband is the father of it:
AArtificial insemination is) therefore) permissible to a Bah 7ife pro'ided her husband is
the donor: E
&<rom a letter dated 11 Eul5 1908 written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er2
@Also) after Duoting the abo'e statement of the >uardian) the follo7ing comment 7as made in another
letter!
A/n 'ie7 of this) the House of 9ustice has stated that it 7ould not be proper for a Bah to
donate semen to a hospital for the artificial insemination of a 7oman other than his 7ife: E
&<rom a letter dated L@ 6a5 1909 written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of
(ustralia2
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the compiler of this compilation/ Octo)er L0/ 19812
2/'. Artificial Prod"ction of &ife
@As to your Duestion regarding the possibility of an artificial production of life by means of an
incubator! 3his is essentially a matter that concerns science) and as such should be in'estigated and
studied by scientists:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 31/ 1930. Selections rom Bah Hritings on Some
Aspects of Health) Healing) Nutrition and &elated SubBects/ op! cit!2
2/(. Conception 7itho"t #ale %perm
@::: As to the possibility of conception 7ithout the presence of a male sperm in the future! 3his is a
Duestion 7hich lies entirely 7ithin the pro'ince of science) and 7hich future scientists 7ill ha'e to
in'estigate:E
2/-. 5ypnotism
@Hypnotism hath a 7ea6 influence o'er bodies) but hath no result: But the po7er of the 6ingdom of >od
is great: /f thou canst) endea'or to obtain a share of that po7er:E
&Ta)lets of '()du*l+,ah-/ >ol! I/ p! 1M92
2//. A"to-%"66estion or 5ypnotism
@Hhat comes under the healing of psychic practices AAbdul0Bah has 7arned us againstI but any form
of auto0suggestion or hypnotism 7hich is used by medical science and by properly Dualified physicians
7e are free to ta6e ad'antage of) if 7e feel that the doctor using such practices is Dualified and 7ill not
abuse his rights:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 1@/ 19@0. Spiritualism and 2sychic 2henomena/
<e)ruar5 1N/ 190N/ p! L2
2/0. Cancer
@Cancer is such a terrible scourge in the 7orld todayL But 7hen the belie'ers are called upon to go
through such bitter ordeals they ha'e the aith to sustain them) the lo'e of their Bah friends to
comfort them) and the glorious 7ords of Bahullh regarding immortality to gi'e them confidence and
courage: Blessed are 7e) indeed) e'en) in the midst of our greatest trials:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er @/ 19N9. Bah Ne7s/ o! L31/ p! 1/ 6a5 19@12
2/2. Cancerot 4tated It is a 4piritual Disease
@3here is no authority for the statement 7hich is alleged to ha'e been said by AAbdul0Bah to the effect
that cancer is a spiritual disease: 3he saying is Duite unauthoritati'e) and should not be circulated:E
203. Chiropractic
@3here is nothing in the 3eachings about chiropractic as a method of healing: 2eople are free to turn to it
if they please and find help through it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 11/ 19@1. Some Aspects of Health) Healing) Nutrition
and related <atters/ (pril 198N/ p! 1N2
201. Circ"mcision
@3he belo'ed >uardian says that the Duestion of circumcision has nothing to do 7ith the Bah
3eachingsI and the belie'ers are free to do as they please in the matter:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch L0/ 19@N. I)id!2
202. .eference to Certain Aspects of #edical Profession not Fo"nd in %acred 7ritin6s
@He 7ere impressed by the spirit of your letter of "1 Sultan see6ing guidance concerning certain aspects
of the medical profession: Mour desire to a'oid doing anything in your study of medicine 7hich 7ould
be contrary to the Bah 3eachings is most commendable:
@As you ha'e 6eenly obser'ed) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice may consider it untimely to ma6e
definiti'e rulings on certain matters to 7hich no direct reference can be found in the Sacred 3e?t:
Among these are euthanasia and certain aspects of birth control and abortion) and until such time as
rulings are made) these matters are left to the consciences of those concerned 7ho must 7eigh the
medical ad'ice on the case in the light of general guidance gi'en in the 3eachings: Mour National
Spiritual Assembly has specific references regarding birth control and abortion 7hich might be useful to
you:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 18/ 190@2
20. 5eartLGidney !ransplant
@He ha'e your letter of September "%) "#*$) ma6ing inDuiry about instructions 7hich may apply to
organ transplants such as the heart or 6idney:
@5n "$ September) "#*$) 7e 7rote to the National Spiritual Assembly of Argentina as follo7s!
AHe ha'e not come across anything specific in the 7ritings on transplants of hearts and other
organs or regarding the time of death) and the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice does not 7ish to
ma6e any statements on these points at this time:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 4eptem)er L3/ 19M82
20'. )r6an Donor for Parts of the *ody Incl"din6 the Eyes
@/n reply to your letter of 5ctober "st inDuiring about organ transplants and Bahs acting as donors for
parts of the body) 7e refer you first of all to our letter of <arch %rd "#*+ in 7hich 7e Duoted to you a
passage from one of the belo'ed >uardians letters on this subBect:
@He are also able to gi'e you the follo7ing from a letter of the belo'ed >uardian by his secretary!
A3here is nothing in the teachings 7hich 7ould forbid a Bah to beDueath his eyes to another person or
for a hospitalI on the contrary it seems a noble thing to do: 3his passage is from a letter dated September
*th "#(*:
@3he House of 9ustice does not 7ish at the present time to go beyond the elucidation contained in the
abo'e statements:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ Octo)er 1M/ 19M92
20(. E"thanasia M#ercy Gillin6N
@As to the Duestions relating to euthanasia ::: the House of 9ustice has as6ed us to share 7ith you these
t7o statements:::
AAs to the Bah 'ie7point on the remo'al or 7ithholding of life support in medical cases
7here inter'ention prolongs life in disabling illnesses) nothing has been found in the Sacred
3e?t specifically on this matter: /n such cases decisions must be left to those responsible)
including the patient:
&<rom a letter dated 31st 6a5 1909 written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er2
AHe ha'e recei'ed your letter of <arch "$) "#+( in 7hich you as6 for the Bah 'ie7point
on euthanasia and on the remo'al of life support in medical cases 7here physiological
inter'entions prolong life in disabling illnesses: /n general our teachings indicate that >od)
the >i'er of life) can alone dispose of it as He deems best) and 7e ha'e found nothing in the
Sacred 3e?t on these matters specifically but in a letter to an indi'idual 7ritten on behalf of
the belo'ed >uardian by his secretary regarding mercy 6illings) or legaliCed euthanasia) it is
stated!
@:::this is also a matter 7hich the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice 7ill ha'e to legislate:E
AJntil such time as the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice considers legislation on euthanasia)
decisions in the matters to 7hich you refer must be left to the consciences of those
responsible:E
&<rom a letter dated 10 6a5 190N from the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (laska2
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the compiler/ Octo)er L0/ 19812
20-. 7hen Dissectin6 5"man *ody@ it #"st *e !reated with .espect
@3o your fourth Duestion) a Bah) 7hen dissecting a human body for the purposes of medical study)
should 6eep in mind that since the body 7as once the temple of the spirit it must be treated 7ith respect
e'en though there is no further connection bet7een the t7o:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 18/ 190@2
20/. &ife %"pport
@Hith reference to your letter of " 9uly "#$1) 7e are as6ed to say that) in general) our 3eachings indicate
that >od) the >i'er of life) can alone dispose of it as He deems best: 3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has
found nothing in the Sacred 3e?t about the matter of 7ithholding or remo'ing life support in disabling or
terminal illnesses 7here inter'ention prolongs life: 3herefore) until such time as the House of 9ustice
considers legislation on these matters) it is left to the conscience of the indi'idual concerned 7hether or
not to subscribe to a Ali'ing 7ill:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a #ocal 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eul5 L3/ 198@2
#$$: 3elepathy
@3he 3eachings bear no reference to the Duestion of telepathy: /t is a matter that concerns psychology:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 L8/ 1938. Spiritualism) &eincarnation and &elated
SubBects/ p! 112
202. *efore %erio"s )peration Cons"lt #ore !han )ne Physician
@He is pleased to see that you are feeling better) and 7ill certainly pray for your full reco'ery: Before
ha'ing any serious operation) you should consult more than one Dualified physician:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 8/ 19@N2
223. Protect Eo"r 5ealth by %leepin6 Eno"6h
@&egarding your Duestion! 3here are 'ery fe7 people 7ho can get along 7ithout eight hours sleep: /f
you are not one of those) you should protect your health by sleeping enough: 3he >uardian himself finds
that it impairs his 7or6ing capacity if he does not try and get a minimum of se'en or eight hours:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to two )elie"ers/ 4eptem)er 1@/ 19@L2
221. !a$e Care of 5ealth as a :ecessary #eans of %er1in6 the Ca"se
@Mou should al7ays bear in mind Bahullhs counsel that 7e should ta6e the utmost care of our
health) surely not because it is an end in itself) but as a necessary means of ser'ing His Cause: /n case of
illness) He emphatically tells us) 7e should refer to the most competent physicians:
@No7 your father has ta6en you to the best ner'e specialists in :::) and they all recommend that you
should suspend all your acti'ities until you are fully reco'ered: /t is no7 your duty as a Bah) and
specially as a young belie'er 7ho has still great ser'ices to render the aith) to ma6e e'ery effort to
reco'er your health) and to be confident that by ma6ing such an effort you 7ill be attracting the
confirmations of Bahullh) 7ithout 7hich no true and lasting healing is possible:E
222. Baccination
@&egarding your Duestion about 'accination! 3hese are technical matters 7hich ha'e not been
specifically mentioned in the teachings) and conseDuently the >uardian cannot ma6e any statement
about them: No doubt medical science 7ill progress tremendously as time goes by) and the treatment of
disease become more perfect:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er LN/ 19N3. Bah Ne7s/ o! 103/ p! 3/ <e)ruar5 19N@2
22. Bi1isection
@As regards the Duestion the Auc6land Assembly has as6ed about 'i'isection) there is nothing on this
subBect in the Bah teachings: At a future date such matters 7ill no doubt be ta6en up by the
/nternational House of 9ustice:E
&#etters from the %uardian to (ustralia and ew Pealand/ 19L3+19@0/ p! 1312
22'. !ort"re of AnimalsWhen the 7earts of 6en 3han$e 6edical Research will Eliminate as 6uch
4ufferin$ of (nimals as Possi)le
@3he >uardian fully sympathiCes 7ith your repulsion against any torture to animals: Ho7e'er) he feels
that as there are human beings being tortured much 7orse than animals all o'er the 7orld) often
physically) and more often mentally) that it is more important for the Bahs to concentrate on 7hat 7ill
free man from the cruelty and inBustice 7hich oppress him) rather than animals: 5nce 7e change human
hearts) there 7ill be no more cruelty to animals) and medical research 7ill be carried out in a 7ay 7hich
7ill eliminate as much suffering in e?periments as possible:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er L0/ 19@L2
22(. D"rin6 Bi1isection Animal #"st be 7ell AnaesthetiHed
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has recei'ed your letter of "#th 9anuary "#+$ enDuiring the Bah
point of 'ie7 on the 'i'isection of animals: 3he belo'ed >uardian 7as as6ed a similar Duestion to 7hich
his secretary replied on his behalf) on ,# No'ember "#11! AAs there is no definite and conclusi'e
statement on Pi'isection in the Bah 3eachings) this is a matter 7hich the /nternational House of
9ustice 7ill ha'e to pass upon in the future:
@3he House of 9ustice does not 7ish to legislate upon this matter at the present time: /t is left to the
consciences of the indi'idual friends) 7ho should ma6e their decisions in light of the teachings
concerning animals and their treatment:
@/n this connection the House of 9ustice instructs us to say that in a 3ablet in 7hich He stresses the
need for 6indness to animals) AAbdul0Bah states that it 7ould be permissible to perform an operation
on a li'ing animal for the purposes of research e'en if the animal 7ere 6illed thereby) but that the animal
must be 7ell anaesthetiCed and that the utmost care must be e?ercised that it does not suffer:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ital5/ 6arch 9/ 1908. Some Aspects of Health)
Healing) Nutrition and &elated <atters/ (pril 198N/ p! 1M2
22-. %ins are Potent Ca"se of Physical Ailments
@::: /t is certainly the case that sins are a potent cause of physical ailments: /f human6ind 7ere free from
the defilements of sin and 7ay7ardness) and li'ed according to a natural) inborn eDuilibrium) 7ithout
follo7ing 7here'er their passions led) it is undeniable that diseases 7ould no longer ta6e the ascendant)
nor di'ersify 7ith such intensity:
@But man hath per'ersely continued to ser'e his lustful appetites) and he 7ould not content himself
7ith simple foods: &ather) he prepared for himself food that 7as compounded of many ingredients) of
substances differing one from the other: Hith this) and 7ith the perpetrating of 'ile and ignoble acts) his
attention 7as engrossed) and he abandoned the temperance and moderation of a natural 7ay of life: 3he
result 7as the engendering of diseases both 'iolent and di'erse:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ pp! 1@L+1@32
($ 'h*sical (ducation
22/. #aterial Ed"cation
@:::education is of three 6inds! material) human and spiritual: <aterial education is concerned 7ith the
progress and de'elopment of the body) through gaining its sustenance) its material comfort and ease:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Some Ans7ered Ruestions/ 1981 ed!/ p! 8F cited in A Compilation of E?tracts on 2hysical Education/ p! 1/ from the World
3entre2
220. !he Essentiality of !a$in6 Proper Care of Child From the Early Days of 5is &ife
@Jnless the child) in his earliest years) be carefully tended) 7hether in a material or a spiritual sense)
7hether as to his physical health or his education) it 7ill pro'e e?tremely difficult to effect any changes
later on: or e?ample) if a child is not properly cared for at the beginning of life) so that he doth not
de'elop a sound body and his constitution doth not flourish as it ought) his body 7ill remain feeble) and
7hate'er is done after7ard 7ill ta6e little effect: 3his matter of protecting the health of the child is
essential) for sound health leadeth to insights and sense perceptions) and then the child) as he learneth
sciences) arts) s6ills) and the ci'ilities of life) 7ill duly de'elop his po7ers::::E
&<rom a pre"iousl5 untranslated Ta)let )5 '()du*l+,ah-/ I)id!/ p! 12
222. Di1e !hem Ad1anta6e of E1ery 8sef"l Gind of Gnowled6e
@Hhile the children are yet in their infancy feed them from the breast of hea'enly grace) foster them in
the cradle of all e?cellence) rear them in the embrace of bounty: >i'e them the ad'antage of e'ery useful
6ind of 6no7ledge: =et them share in e'ery ne7 and rare and 7ondrous craft and art: Bring them up to
7or6 and stri'e) and accustom them to hardship:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ 198L ed!/ p! 1L9. I)id!/ p! 12
1333. !rainin6 and De1elopment of Physical *ody Ens"res %tren6th and Drowth
@:::education is of 'arious 6inds: 3here is a training and de'elopment of the physical body 7hich ensures
strength and gro7th:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3he 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ p! 331. I)id!/ p! L2
1331. !here %ho"ld be a Pro6ram for the De1elopment of Eo"th All )1er the 7orld
E:::Bahullh considered education as one of the most fundamental factors of a true ci'iliCation: 3his
education) ho7e'er) in order to be adeDuate and fruitful) should be comprehensi'e in nature and should
ta6e into consideration not only the physical and the intellectual side of man but also his spiritual and
ethical aspects: 3his should be the program of the Bah youth all o'er the 7orld:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 9/ 1931. I)id!/ p! L2
1332. Playin6 Dames
@2laying games is not in the least forbidden: /t should in fact be encouraged if they are of an athletic
nature:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Decem)er L0/ 193L. I)id!/ p! L2
F$ iet and Nutrition
133. !reat Disease !hro"6h Diet@ b"t Do :ot :e6lect #edical Care
@8o not neglect medical treatment 7hen it is necessary) but lea'e it off 7hen health has been restored:
3reat disease through diet) by preference) refraining from the use of drugsI and if you find 7hat is
reDuired in a single herb) do not resort to a compounded medicament::: Abstain from drugs 7hen the
health is good) but administer them 7hen necessary:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Bahullh and the Ne7 Era/ 1981 ed!/ p! 11M/ cited in !!! Aspects of Health) Healing) Nutrition and &elated SubBects/ op!
cit!2
133'. )ne Co"rse #eal #ore Pleasin6 in the %i6ht of Dod
@/n all circumstances they should conduct themsel'es 7ith moderationI if the meal be only one course
this is more pleasing in the sight of >odI ho7e'er) according to their means) they should see6 to ha'e
this single dish be of good Duality:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. ;itb0i0Badi/ I)id!2
133(. #other,s #il$ :ormally is *est for the Child
@3he child must) from the day of his birth) be pro'ided 7ith 7hate'er is conduci'e to his healthI and
6no7 ye this! so far as possible) the mothers mil6 is best for) more agreeable and better suited to) the
child) unless she should fall ill or her mil6 should run entirely dry:E
133-. Abstinence from Eatin6 Animal Flesh
@&egarding the eating of animal flesh and abstinence therefrom) 6no7 thou of a certainty that) in the
beginning of creation) >od determined the food of e'ery li'ing being) and to eat contrary to that
determination is not appro'ed: or instance) beasts of prey) such as the 7olf) lion and leopard) are
endo7ed 7ith ferocious) tearing instruments) such as hoo6ed talons and cla7s: rom this it is e'ident
that the food of such beasts is meat: /f they 7ere to attempt to graCe) their teeth 7ould not cut the grass)
neither could they che7 the cud) for they do not ha'e molars: =i6e7ise) >od hath gi'en to the four0
footed graCing animals such teeth as reap the grass li6e a sic6le) and from this 7e understand that the
food of these species of animal is 'egetable: 3hey cannot chase and hunt do7n other animals: 3he falcon
hath a hoo6ed bea6 and sharp talonsI the hoo6ed bea6 pre'enteth him from graCing) therefore his food is
also meat:
@But no7 coming to man) 7e see he hath neither hoo6ed teeth nor sharp nails or cla7s) nor teeth li6e
iron sic6les: rom this it becometh e'ident and manifest that the food of man is cereals and fruit: Some
of the teeth of man are li6e millstones to grind the grain) and some are sharp to cut the fruit: 3herefore
he is not in need of meat) nor is he obliged to eat it: E'en 7ithout eating meat he 7ould li'e 7ith the
utmost 'igour and energy: or e?ample) the community of the Brahmins in /ndia do not eat meatI
not7ithstanding this they are not inferior to other nations in strength) po7er) 'igour) out7ard senses or
intellectual 'irtues: 3ruly) the 6illing of animals and the eating of their meat is some7hat contrary to pity
and compassion) and if one can content oneself 7ith cereals) fruit) oil and nuts) such as pistachios)
almonds and so on) it 7ould undoubtedly be better and more pleasing:E
&<rom a Ta)let of '()du*l+,ah- written to an indi"idual )elie"er. I)id!2
133/. !he Fo"r Canine !eeth in #an
@3hou hast 7ritten regarding the four canine teeth in man) saying that these teeth) t7o in the upper Ba7
and t7o in the lo7er) are for the purpose of eating meat: ;no7 thou that these four teeth are not created
for meat0eating) although one can eat meat 7ith them: All the teeth of man are made for eating fruit)
cereals and 'egetables: 3hese four teeth) ho7e'er) are designed for brea6ing hard shells) such as those of
almonds: But eating meat is not forbidden or unla7ful) nay) the point is this) that it is possible for man to
li'e 7ithout eating meat and still be strong: <eat is nourishing and containeth the elements of herbs)
seeds and fruitsI therefore sometimes it is essential for the sic6 and for the rehabilitation of health: 3here
is no obBection in the =a7 of >od to the eating of meat if it is reDuired: So if thy constitution is rather
7ea6 and thou findest meat useful) thou mayest eat it:E
1330. 4Abd",l-*ah+ 5as %aid that *ah+,;s #"st De1elop #edical %cience so that Illness #ay *e
5ealed by Foods
@:::3he Bb hath said that the people of Bah must de'elop the science of medicine to such a high degree
that they 7ill heal illnesses by means of foods: 3he basic reason for this is that if) in some component
substance of the human body) an imbalance should occur) altering its correct) relati'e proportion to the
7hole) this fact 7ill ine'itably result in the onset of disease: /f) for e?ample) the starch component
should be unduly augmented) or the sugar component decreased) an illness 7ill ta6e control: /t is the
function of a s6illed physician to determine 7hich constituent of his patients body hath suffered
diminution) 7hich hath been augmented: 5nce he hath disco'ered this) he must prescribe a food
containing the diminished element in considerable amounts) to re0establish the bodys essential
eDuilibrium: 3he patient) once his constitution is again in balance) 7ill be rid of his disease:
At 7hate'er time highly0s6illed physicians shall ha'e de'eloped the healing of illnesses by means of
foods) and shall ma6e pro'ision for simple foods) and shall prohibit human6ind from li'ing as sla'es to
their lustful appetites) it is certain that the incidence of chronic and di'ersified illnesses 7ill abate) and
the general health of all man6ind 7ill be much impro'ed: 3his is destined to come about: /n the same
7ay) in the character) the conduct and the manners of men) uni'ersal modifications 7ill be made:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ pp! 1@L+1@@2
1332. #edical %cience is )nly in its Infancy
@ AHhat 7ill be the food of the futureS Aruit and grains: 3he time 7ill come 7hen meat 7ill no longer
be eaten: <edical science is only in its infancy) yet it has sho7n that our natural diet is that 7hich gro7s
out of the ground: 3he people 7ill gradually de'elop up to the condition of this natural food: E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3en 8ays in the =ight of AA66/ 1909 ed!/ pp! 8+92
1313. %ho"ld )ne Gill Animals for FoodI
@/n regard to the Duestion as to 7hether people ought to 6ill animals for food or not) there is no e?plicit
statement in the Bah Sacred Scriptures Fas far as / 6no7G in fa'our or against it: /t is certain) ho7e'er)
that if man can li'e on a purely 'egetarian diet and thus a'oid 6illing animals) it 7ould be much
preferable: 3his is) ho7e'er) a 'ery contro'ersial Duestion and the Bahs are free to e?press their 'ie7s
on it:E
1311. #any Ailments that Affect #an also Afflict Animals(nimals 7eal Themsel"es with <ood
and (liments
@3he maBority of the diseases 7hich o'erta6e man also o'erta6e the animal) but the animal is not cured
by drugs: /n the mountains) as in the 7ilderness) the animals physician is the po7er of taste and smell:
3he sic6 animal smells the plants that gro7 in the 7ildernessI he eats those that are s7eet and fragrant to
his smell and taste) and is cured: 3he cause of his healing is this: Hhen the sugar ingredient has become
diminished in his constitution) he begins to long for s7eet thingsI therefore) he eats an herb 7ith a s7eet
taste) for nature urges and guides himI its smell and taste please him) and he eats it: 3he sugar ingredient
in his nature 7ill be increased) and health 7ill be restored:
@/t is) therefore) e'ident that it is possible to cure by foods) aliments and fruitsI but as today the science
of medicine is imperfect) this fact is not yet fully grasped: Hhen the science of medicine reaches
perfection) treatment 7ill be gi'en by foods) aliments) fragrant fruits and 'egetables) and by 'arious
7aters) hot and cold in temperature:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Some Ans7ered Ruestions/ 198L ed!/ pp! L@0+L@9/ I)id!2
1312. Eatin6 of Por$ is not Forbidden
@3he eating of por6 is not forbidden in the Bah 3eachings:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch L0/ 1938. I)id!2
131. !he *ody is &i$e a 5orse that Carries the Personality and %pirit
@:::you should not neglect your health) but consider it the means 7hich enables you to ser'e: /tQthe
bodyQis li6e a horse 7hich carries the personality and spirit) and as such should be 7ell cared for so it
can do its 7or6L Mou should certainly safeguard your ner'es) and force yourself to ta6e time) and not
only for prayer and meditation) but for real rest and rela?ation:E
131'. !he Prophets of Dod are not Imm"ne from !hin6s 7hich #en %"ffer
@:::as 7e suffer these misfortunes 7e must remember that the 2rophets of >od 3hemsel'es 7ere not
immune from these things 7hich men suffer: 3hey 6ne7 sorro7) illness and pain too: 3hey rose abo'e
these things through 3heir spirits) and that is 7hat 7e must try and do too) 7hen afflicted: 3he troubles
of this 7orld pass) and 7hat 7e ha'e left is 7hat 7e ha'e made of our souls) so it is to this 7e must loo6
to becoming more spiritual) dra7ing nearer to >od) no matter 7hat our human minds and bodies go
through:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust @/ 19N9. Bah Ne7s/ o! L31/ 6a5 19@1/ p! 12
131(. :o %pecific %chool of :"trition or #edicine has been Associated with the *ah+,; !eachin6s
@No specific school of nutrition or medicine has been associated 7ith the Bah teachings: Hhat 7e
ha'e are certain guidelines) indications and principles 7hich 7ill be carefully studied by e?perts and
7ill) in the years ahead) undoubtedly pro'e to be in'aluable sources of guidance and inspiration in the
de'elopment of these medical sciences: <oreo'er) in this connection the >uardians secretary has stated
on his behalf that A/t is premature to try and elaborate on the fe7 general references to health and
medicine made in our Holy Scriptures: 3he belie'ers must guard against seiCing upon any particular
te?t 7hich may appeal to them and 7hich they may only partially or e'en incorrectly understand::::
@/n the ;itb0i0ADdas Bahullh has stated! AHhene'er ye fall ill) refer to competent physicians:
Perily) He ha'e not abolished recourse to material means) rather ha'e He affirmed it through this 2en
7hich >od hath made the 8a7ning 2lace of His luminous and resplendent Cause: 3he secretaries of the
>uardian ha'e con'eyed his guidance on this point in many letters to indi'idual belie'ers in passages
such as these! A:::refer to competent physicians) and abide by their considered decisionsI A:::in'ariably
consult and follo7 the treatment of competent and conscientious physicians::: and A:::consult the best
physicians:::doctors 7ho ha'e studied a scientific system of medicine: 3hus the obligation to consult
physicians and to distinguish bet7een doctors 7ho are 7ell trained in medical sciences and those 7ho
are not is clear) but the aith should not be associated 7ith any particular school of medical theory or
practice: /t is left to each belie'er to decide for himself 7hich doctors he should consult) bearing in mind
the principles enunciated abo'e:
@/n matters of diet) as in medicine) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice feels that the belie'ers should be
a7are that a huge body of scientific 6no7ledge has been accumulated as a guide to our habits and
practices: Here too) as in all other things) the belie'ers should be conscious of the t7o principles of
moderation and courtesy in the 7ay they e?press their opinions and in deciding 7hether they should
refuse food offered to them or reDuest special foods:
@3here are) of course) instances 7here a belie'er 7ould be fully Bustified in abstaining from or eating
only certain foods for some medical reason) but this is a different matter and 7ould be understood by
any reasonable person:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 LN/ 19002
131-. 7e ha1e D"idelines@ Indications and Principles which E?perts will Caref"lly %t"dy in the
F"t"re
@/n matters of diet) as in medicine) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice feels that the belie'ers should be
a7are that a huge body of scientific 6no7ledge has been accumulated as a guide to our habits and
practices: But it must be clearly understood that no specific school of nutrition or medicine has been
associated 7ith the Bah teachings: Hhat 7e ha'e are certain guidelines) indications and principles
7hich 7ill be carefully studied by e?perts and 7ill) in the years ahead) undoubtedly pro'e to be
in'aluable sources of guidance and inspiration in the de'elopment of these medical sciences: <oreo'er)
in this connection the >uardians secretary has stated on his behalf that A/t is premature to try and
elaborate on the fe7 general references to health and medicine made in our Holy Scriptures: 3he
belie'ers must guard against seiCing upon any particular te?t 7hich may appeal to them and 7hich they
may only partially or e'en incorrectly understand:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 11/ 19082
131/ *elie1ers %ho"ld %ee$ 5elp and Ad1ice of E?pertsThe Teachin$s 4a5 othin$ a)out Eatin$
6eat or <ish
@/n matters of health) particularly regarding diet and nutrition) the House of 9ustice ad'ises the friends to
see6 the help and ad'ice of e?perts and doctors: 3his is 7hat Bahullh has recommended and He does
not indicate 7hich school of thought or practice they should belong to: Ho7e'er) as you particularly as6
about references in the 5ld 3estament as they relate to meat and fish) the House of 9ustice has as6ed us
to Duote for you the follo7ing e?cerpt ta6en from a letter 7ritten on behalf of the belo'ed >uardian by
his secretary to an indi'idual belie'er!
A:::there is nothing in the teachings about 7hether people should eat their food coo6ed or ra7I e?ercise
or not e?erciseI resort to specific therapies or notI nor is it forbidden to eat meat:E
996$ )OL> A>%
1310. !wo 5oly Days 7hen 7or$ is :ot ProhibitedThe 4i$nificance of the Da5 of the 3o"enant
E;plained
@/n response to your letter of , 8ecember "#$( as6ing a Duestion about the e'ent commemorated on the
8ay of the Co'enant) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has directed us to send you the follo7ing e?tract
from a letter 7ritten on behalf of the belo'ed >uardian on this subBect!
A3he 8ay of the Co'enant No': ,*th and the 8ay of the Ascension No': ,$th) anni'ersaries
of the birth and the Ascension of AAbdul0Bah must be obser'ed by the friends coming
together) but 7or6 is not prohibited: /n other 7ords the friends must regard obser'ance of
these t7o anni'ersaries as obligatoryQbut suspension of 7or6 not to be regarded as
obligatory:
@3he e?planation of ho7 ,* No'ember came to be substituted) in relation to the Birthday of AAbdul0
Bah) for ,% <ay is related by the late Hand of the Cause Hasan <: BalyuCi in his boo6) AAAbdul0
Bah) on page 1,%!
AAAbdul0Bah told the Bahs that this day 7as not) under any circumstances) to be
celebrated as His day of birth: /t 7as the day of the 8eclaration of the Bb) e?clusi'ely
associated 7ith Him: But as the Bahs begged for a day to be celebrated as His) He ga'e
them No'ember ,*th) to be obser'ed as the day of the appointment of the Centre of the
Co'enant:::
@3he House of 9ustice hopes that this 7ill assist your understanding of the significance of this
important date in the Bah calendar:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the (dministrati"e 3ommittee for 4outh Paire/ Eanuar5 L3/ 198N2
1312. %"spension of *ah+,; Administrati1e Acti1ities on *ah+,; 5oly Days
@Concerning your Duestion about holding meetings of consultation on Bah Holy 8ays) 7e ha'e been
reDuested to share 7ith you an e?cerpt from the translation of a 2ersian letter from the belo'ed >uardian
dated % 9anuary "#,# to an indi'idual belie'er!
A5n the Bah festi'als and solemn commemorations it is preferable for Assemblies)
Committees and Bah /nstitutions to suspend their acti'ities: Ho7e'er) final decision in
these matters rests 7ith the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice:
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice feels that the abo'e directi'e of the >uardian is adeDuate for the time
being: /t should be clear) ho7e'er) that should emergencies occur 7hich reDuire the holding of meetings
of Bah institutions on the nine Holy 8ays of the aith) this 7ould be permissible:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 6e;ico/ Eul5 L1/ 198L2
1323. *ah+,; .adio %ho"ld .efrain from 7or$ on :ine 5oly Days>olunteers 6a5 Present 4pecial
Pro$rams
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has considered your inDuiry of "$ April concerning Bah Holy 8ays
and the operation of the &adio Bah facility in =abranCa) and 7e ha'e been as6ed to con'ey its reply:
@As you are 7ell a7are) not only should Bahs refrain from 7or6 on the nine Holy 8ays) but the
shops and establishments o7ned by Bahs should also be closed on these 8ays: /f go'ernment
regulations do not reDuire the station to be on the air on a mandatory daily basis) &adio Bah should
not engage in regular broadcasts on the nine Holy 8ays: Ho7e'er) to aid the Bah Community in its
obser'ance of any one of these 8ays) the station may offer at a particular time a special program suited
to such obser'ance: 3hose 7ishing to be in'ol'ed in the production and airing of the program 7ould be
rendering a special ser'ice:
@Mou ha'e no doubt noted that since the Bah day begins at sunset and ends at the follo7ing sunset)
no >regorian day 7ould be fully ta6en up by the obser'ance of any one of the nine Bah Holy 8aysI
thus there is time to broadcast regular programs e'ery day of the >regorian year: 3he station naturally
7ill inform its listeners of the meaning of each Holy 8ay 7ell in ad'ance so that they can appreciate the
reason for the stations silence on such a 8ay:
@3he House of 9ustice feels that this confirmation of the religious character of the station 7ould be a
means of teaching) a source of encouragement to the belie'ers and model for their emulation:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3hile/ Eul5 M/ 198M2
1321. *"siness Places )wned by *ah+,;s #"st Close D"rin6 the :ine 5oly DaysIn the ,ah-*?
Temple 6inimal Essential 4er"ices 6a5 )e Pro"ided
@3he belo'ed >uardian made it absolutely clear that the command to cease 7or6 during the nine Holy
8ays is a matter for conscientious obedience by e'ery indi'idual belie'er: /n the case of businesses and
other underta6ings entirely under Bah control they must also close do7n during the Bah Holy
8ays) e'en though non0Bahs may be members of their staffs:
@/t is fully appreciated that the Bah 3emple must be open for 7orship on the Holy 8ays and
therefore it is permitted to pro'ide) to the minimum e?tent possible) essential ser'ices: 3hose necessary
tas6s) such as cleaning and other preparation of the building) 7hich can be carried out on the pre'ious
day should be so done and only those duties 7hich must be performed should be underta6en on the Holy
8ay: /n the case of the 3emple it is immaterial 7hether the 7or6ers are Bahs or non0Bahs since it is
the duty of the aith to obser'e) especially in respect of its o7n institutions) the command to cease 7or6
on the Holy 8ays:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Panama/ (u$ust 1L/ 19002
1322. E?ceptions Can be #ade 7hen Contract Demands %er1ice
@&egarding the sale of tea and other refreshments in a cinema under non0Bah o7nership! 3hose
friends 7ho ha'e hired from the o7ner of the cinema a stall for the sale of such refreshments should
ma6e e'ery effort to obtain permission to close on Bah holidays: /n case) ho7e'er) the non0Bah
o7ner or partner refuses to grant their reDuest their only alternati'e is to obey:
@3he case is different 7ith a bread ba6ery o7ned by a belie'er: /n this case there can be no e?cuse
7hate'er 7hy the shop should not be closed during Bah holidays) as there are al7ays non0Bah
ba6ers from 7hom the public can buy:E
132. Dift Di1in6 is not an Inte6ral Part of Any of the *ah+,; 5oly Daysor is There a
Prohi)ition
@3he e?changing of presents among belie'ers or the gi'ing of gifts to children is not an integral part of
any of our nine Bah Holy 8ays: 3here is no prohibition against it) and it is) as you say) a custom
among 2ersian belie'ers such as the Bah to 7hom you spo6e) to e?change gifts at Na70&TC:
@3he desire of you and your husband to associate the time of gift gi'ing 7ith your childrens
in'ol'ement in the aith of Bahullh is praise7orthy and it is felt that the follo7ing e?tract from a
letter 7ritten by the secretary of the belo'ed >uardian to the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia
and Ne7 Vealand on 8ecember ,*) "#(" 7ill be of 'alue to you!
A3he intercalary days are specifically set aside for hospitality) the gi'ing of gifts) etc:
Bahullh Himself specified that they be used this 7ay) but ga'e no e?planation for it:
@/n A3he Bah Horld) Pol: OP) p: *#" 7e read! ABahullh designated those days as the AAyym0i0
H and ordained that they should immediately precede the month of AAl) 7hich is the month of
fasting: He enBoined upon His follo7ers to de'ote these days to feasting) reBoicing) and charity: E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 18/ 198L2
132'. Proper !ime to 5old #eetin6s of Commemoration
@::: &egarding your Duestion of the proper time to celebrate or hold our meetings of commemoration!
3he time should be fi?ed by counting after sunsetI the <aster passed a7ay one hour after midnight)
7hich falls a certain number of hours after sunsetI so His passing should be commemorated according to
the sun and regardless of daylight sa'ing time: 3he same applies to the ascension of Bahullh Hho
passed a7ay about $ hours after sunset:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ (u$ust 1L/ 19NN2
132(. :aw-.OH
@::: 3his sacred day) 7hen the sun illumines eDually the 7hole earth) is called the eDuino?) and the
eDuino? is the symbol of the <anifestation of >od: 3he Sun of 3ruth rises on the horiCon of 8i'ine
<ercy and sends forth its rays: 3his day is consecrated to commemorate it::::E
&Talk )5 '()du*l+,ah-/ 6arch L1/ 1913. Star of the Hest/ >ol! >/ o! 1/ p! N2
132-. :aw-.OH 5as :othin6 to Do with the :ineteen Day Feast
@He 7ould li6e to point out that if the belie'ers gather before sundo7n on a certain date it does not
matter if the meeting continues after sunsetI it may still be considered as being held on the day they
gathered: 3he Na70&TC east should be held on <arch ," before sunset and has nothing to do 7ith the
"#08ay east: 3he "#08ay east is administrati'e in function 7hereas the Na70&TC is our Ne7 Mear) a
east of hospitality and reBoicing:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eul5 @/ 19@12
132/. :aw-.OH %ho"ld be Celebrated Accordin6 to the Bernal EC"ino?
@&egarding Na70&TC! /f the 'ernal eDuino? falls on the ,"st of <arch before sunset it is celebrated on
that day: /f at any time after sunset) Na70&TC 7ill then) as stated by Bahullh) fall on the ,,nd: As to
7hich spot should be regarded as the standard) this is a matter 7hich the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice 7ill
ha'e to decide::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 6a5 1@/ 19N1. Bah Ne7s/ o!
138/ p! 1/ 4eptem)er 19N12
1320. :aw-.OH Cards
@3here is no obBection to indi'idual Bahs sending Na70&TC cards if they 7ant toI also the National
Spiritual Assembly can send them out occasionally) but it should not become a fi?ed custom:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia and ew Pealand/ 6arch 1N/ 19N0. =etters
from the >uardian to Australia and Ne7 Vealand/ 19L3+19@0/ p! M@2
1322. Celebration of the Christian 5olidays Amon6 the *ah+,;s %ho"ld be Discontin"ed
@As regards the celebration of the Christian Holidays by the belie'ers! /t is surely preferable and e'en
highly ad'isable that the friends should in their relation to each other discontinue obser'ing such
holidays as Christmas and Ne7 Mears) and to ha'e their festal gatherings of this nature instead during the
intercalary days and Na70&uC:E
133. 5oly Days are Appropriate )ccasions to Fo"nd Instit"tions and ProFects for %ocial and
Economic De1elopment
@Briefly) e'ery nation has a day 6no7n as a holiday 7hich they celebrate 7ith Boy: /n the sacred =a7s of
>od) in e'ery cycle and dispensation) there are blessed feasts) holidays and 7or6less days: 5n such days
all 6inds of occupations) commerce) industry) agriculture etc:) are not allo7ed: E'ery 7or6 is unla7ful:
All must enBoy a good time) gather together) hold general meetings) become as one assembly) so that the
national oneness) unity and harmony may become personified in all eyes: As it is a blessed day it should
not be neglected or 7ithout results by ma6ing it a day limited to the fruits of mere pleasure: 8uring such
blessed days institutions should be founded that may be of permanent benefit and 'alue to the people so
that in current con'ersation and in history it may become 7idely 6no7n that such a good 7or6 7as
inaugurated on such a feast day: 3herefore) the intelligent must search and in'estigate reality to find out
7hat important affair) 7hat philanthropic institutions are most needed and 7hat foundations should be
laid for the community on that particular day) so that they may be established: or e?ample) if they find
that the community needs morality) then they may lay do7n the foundation of good morals on that day:
/f the community be in need of spreading sciences and 7idening the circle of 6no7ledge) on that day
they should proceed in that direction) that is to say) direct the thoughts of all the people to that
philanthropic cause: /f) ho7e'er) the community is in need of 7idening the circle of commerce or
industry or agriculture they should start the means so that the desired aim may be attained: /f the
community needs protection) proper support and care of orphans) they should act upon the 7elfare of the
orphans) etc: Such underta6ings that are beneficial to the poor) the 7ea6 and the helpless should be
pursued in order that) on that day) through the unity of all and through great meetings) results may be
obtained) the glory and blessings of that day may be declared and manifest::::
@/n all the cycles of the prophets the philanthropic affairs 7ere confined to their respecti'e peoples
onlyQ7ith the e?ception of small matters) such as charity) 7hich 7as permissible to e?tend to others:
But in this 7onderful dispensation) philanthropic affairs are for all humanity) 7ithout any e?ception)
because it is the manifestation of the mercifulness of >od: 3herefore) e'ery uni'ersal matterQthat is)
one that belongs to all the 7orld of humanityQis di'ineI and e'ery matter that is sectarian and special is
not uni'ersal in characterQthat is) it is limited: 3herefore) my hope is that the friends of >od) e'ery one
of them) may become as the mercy of >od to all man6ind:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 4tar of the West/ >ol! IQ/ o! 1/ pp! 8+9/ ( 3ompilation on 4ocial and Economic De"elopment/ prepared )5 the Office of
4ocial and Economic De"elopment2
996I$ T)( IN%TIT!TION OF T)( !?@?!LL2)
131. Payment of "COC",ll+h P"rifies )ne,s Property@ Attracts Prosperity and *lessin6s
@/t is clear and e'ident that the payment of the &ight of >od is conduci'e to prosperity) to blessing) and
to honour and di'ine protection: Hell is it 7ith them that comprehend and recogniCe this truth and 7oe
betide them that belie'e not: And this is on condition that the indi'idual should obser'e the inBunctions
prescribed in the Boo6 7ith the utmost radiance) gladness and 7illing acDuiescence: /t beho'eth you to
counsel the friends to do that 7hich is right and praise7orthy: Hhoso hear6eneth to this call) it is to his
o7n behoof) and 7hoso faileth bringeth loss upon himself: Perily our =ord of <ercy is the All0Sufficing)
the All02raised:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. uDTDuKllh) A Compilation of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice / Eune 198@/ E;tract o! M/ from a pre"iousl5 untranslated
Ta)let2
132. A *o"nty 7hich %hall .emain with E1ery %o"l in E1ery 7orld of Dod
@ uDTDuKllh is indeed a great la7: /t is incumbent upon all to ma6e this offering) because it is the
source of grace) abundance) and of all good: /t is a bounty 7hich shall remain 7ith e'ery soul in e'ery
7orld of the 7orlds of >od) the All02ossessing) the All0Bountiful:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. I)id!/ E;tract o! 02
13. #oderation Bers"s E?tra1a6ance
@Say! 2ride not yoursel'es on earthly riches ye possess: &eflect upon your end and upon the recompense
for your 7or6s that hath been ordained in the Boo6 of >od) the E?alted) the <ighty: Blessed is the rich
man 7hom earthly possessions ha'e been po7erless to hinder from turning unto >od) the =ord of all
names: Perily he is accounted among the most distinguished of men before >od) the >racious) the All0
;no7ing:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. I)id!/ E;tract o! L@2
13'. %olicitation of the "COC"Pll+h is not Permitted
@:::3o demand the HuDTD is in no 7ise permissible: 3his command 7as re'ealed in the Boo6 of >od for
'arious necessary matters ordained by >od to be dependent upon material means: 3herefore) if someone)
7ith utmost pleasure and gladness) nay 7ith insistence) 7isheth to parta6e of this blessing) thou mayest
accept: 5ther7ise) acceptance is not permissible:E
13(. !r"stworthiness in "COC"Pll+h On (c9uirin$ 111 6ith9-ls of %old/ 19 ,elon$ :nto %od
@Should a person acDuire one hundred mithDls of gold) nineteen mithDls thereof belong unto >od) the
Creator of earth and hea'en: 3a6e heed) 5 people) lest ye depri'e yoursel'es of this great bounty: He
ha'e prescribed this la7 unto you 7hile He are 7holly independent of you and of all that are in the
hea'ens and on the earth: /ndeed there lie concealed in this command) mysteries and benefits 7hich are
beyond the comprehension of anyone sa'e >od) the All0;no7ing) the All0/nformed: Say) through this
inBunction >od desireth to purify your possessions and enable you to dra7 nigh unto such stations as
none can attain) e?cept those 7hom >od may please: Perily) He is the >enerous) the >racious) the
Bountiful:
@5 peopleL Act not treacherously in the matter of uDTDuKllh and dispose not of it) e?cept by His
lea'e: 3hus hath it been ordained in His Epistles as 7ell as in this glorious 3ablet:
@Hhoso dealeth dishonestly 7ith >od 7ill in Bustice be e?posed) and 7hoso fulfilleth the things he
hath been commanded) di'ine blessings 7ill descend upon him from the hea'en of the bounty of his
=ord) the Besto7er) the Bountiful) the <ost >enerous) the Ancient of 8ays: Perily He desireth for you
the things that are inscrutable to you at present) though the people themsel'es 7ill readily disco'er them
7hen their souls ta6e their flight and the trappings of their earthly gaieties are rolled up: 3hus 7arneth
you the Author of the 2reser'ed 3ablet:E
13-. "COC"Pll+h Desi6nated as an Instit"tion of the Ca"seCalc"lation of EC"i1alent of )ne
#ithC+l of Dold
@:::many details in the computation of uDTDuKllh ha'e been left by Bahullh to the Budgement and
conscience of the indi'idual belie'er: or e?ample) He e?empts such household eDuipment and
furnishings as are needful) but He lea'es it to the indi'idual to decide 7hich items are necessary and
7hich are not: Contributions to the funds of the aith cannot be considered as part of ones payment of
uDTDuKllhI moreo'er) if one o7es uDTDuKllh and cannot afford both to pay it and to ma6e
contributions to the und) the payment of uDTDuKllh should ta6e priority o'er ma6ing contributions:
But as to 7hether contributions to the und may be treated as e?penses in calculating the amount of
ones assets on 7hich uDTDuKllh is payable! this is left to the Budgement of each indi'idual in the light
of his o7n circumstances:
@3he >uardians secretary 7rote on his behalf that Aone mithDl consists of nineteen na6huds: 3he
7eight of t7enty0four na6huds eDuals four and three0fifths grammes: Calculations may be made on this
basis: Nineteen mithDls therefore eDual *#:"#"**+ grammes: 5ne troy ounce eDuals %":"-%($*
grammes) thus "# mithDls eDual ,:,,(1*% oC::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er. I)id!/ E;tract o! 11@2
13/. Prom"l6ation of the "COC"Pll+h a .esponsibility of the %pirit"al Assemblies The
:ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice Determines 7ow u9G9uTll-h can )e :sed
@Since the uDTDuKllh has) according to the inBunction in the Boo6) been designated as one of the
institutions of the Cause) and inasmuch as the fulfilment of this obligation is binding on the people of
Bah) therefore it is deemed appropriate that your Spiritual Assembly should fully familiariCe the dear
friends in 2ersia 7ith the significance of this momentous responsibility and to promulgate gradually in
the entire community such ordinances related to uDTDuKllh as are laid do7n in His perspicuous Boo6:
5b'iously in pursuance of the e?plicit 3e?ts solicitation of the uDTDuKllh is not permissible) but it is
the responsibility of those 3rustees of the Cause to address appeals of a general character to the dear
friends) so that they may become more informed about this essential obligation: >od 7illing) through the
occasional reminders issued by your Assembly) they may gain the pri'ilege and honour of achie'ing this
bene'olent deedQa deed that dra7s forth hea'enly blessings) ser'es as a means of purifying the earthly
possessions of the de'oted friends) and promotes the international acti'ities of the people of Bah:
@/t is e'ident to those 3rustees of the <erciful that this Body) by 'irtue of the e?plicit 3e?t of the
sacred Hritings) is the Body to 7hich all things must be referred) and the uDTDuKllh can be used to
promote the interests of the Cause throughout the Bah 7orld only 7ith the permission of the Authority
in the Cause to 7hich all must turn:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Iran/ Octo)er L0/ 19M3/ translated from the Persian.
I)id!/ E;tract o! 9M2
130. Personal Acco"ntin6 %ho"ld %eparate "COC"Pll+h From Contrib"tions u9G9uTll-h
3omes <irst
@3he payment of the uDTDuKllh is one of the essential spiritual obligations that the 7ondrous 2en of
Bahullh has laid do7n in the <ost Holy Boo6:
@/t 7ould be preferable and more fitting if these t7o accounts) namely contributions to the unds and
payments of the uDTDuKllh 7ere to be 6ept separate: 3his means that in the first instance you should
pay your uDTDuKllh) and then you may offer your de'oted contributions at your o7n discretion to the
/nternational und 7hich is no7 being used for achie'ing the goals of the Nine Mear 2lan:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust 18/ 19M@/ translated from the Persian. I)id!/ E;tract o!
902
132. As a !o$en of #ercy@ Cost of *"rial and Debts !a$e Precedence )1er "COC"Pll+h
@3hou hast as6ed 7hich is to ta6e precedence! the uDTDuKllh) the debts of the deceased) or the cost of
burial: /t is >ods command that the cost of burial ta6e precedence) then the payment of debts) then the
&ight of >od: Perily He is the 5ne Hho 7ill pay due recompense) the All0&e7arding) the All0>enerous:
/f the property is not eDual to the debts) the estate must be distributed in direct proportion to each debt:
3he settlement of debts is a most important command set forth in the Boo6: Hell is it 7ith him 7ho
ascendeth unto >od) 7ithout any obligations to uDTDuKllh and to His ser'ants: /t is e'ident that the
uDTDuKllh hath priority o'er all other liabilitiesI ho7e'er) as a to6en of mercy) He Hho is the
8a7ning02lace of &e'elation hath commanded that 7hich hath been re'ealed by His life0gi'ing and
omniscient 2en in this 3ablet:E
&,ah-TuTll-h. I)id!/ E;tract o! LL2
13'3. !he !r"steeship of the "COC"Pll+h 3annot )e Turned O"er to E"er5 Person
@2ayments for the uDTDuKllh cannot be handed o'er to e'ery person: 3hese 7ords ha'e been uttered
by Him Hho is the so'ereign 3ruth: 3he uDTDuKllh should be 6ept in the custody of trusted
indi'iduals and for7arded to His holy court through the 3rustees of >od:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. I)id!/ E;tract o! @82
13'1. !he 5"COC is not Payable on Entire Possessions Each Eear
@3he HuDTD is not le'ied on ones entire possessions each year: A persons 7ealth may be 7orth
"--)---: Ho7 can he be e?pected to pay HuDTD on this property e'ery yearS or instance) 7hate'er
income thou has earned in a particular year) you should deduct from it your e?penses during that year:
3he HuDTD 7ill then be payable on the remainder: 2ossessions on 7hich HuDTD 7as paid the pre'ious
year 7ill be e?empt from further payment:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. I)id!/ E;tract o! M@2
13'2. 5"COC is not Payable on A6ric"lt"ral !ools and EC"ipment
@HuDTD is applied on e'erything one possesseth: Ho7e'er) if a person hath paid the HuDTD on a certain
property) and the income from that property is eDual to his needs) no HuDTD is payable by that person:
@HuDTD is not payable on agricultural tools and eDuipment) and on animals used in ploughing the land)
to the e?tent that these are necessary:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. I)id!/ E;tract o! M82
13'. Bal"e of .esidence@ F"rnit"re and !ools of !rade E?empt from "COC"Pll+h of 5eir
@Concerning your Duestion 7hether the heirs to 7hom the principal residence) furniture and clothing of
the deceased are transferred by 7ay of inheritance 7ill be e?empt from the payment of HuDTD or not) he
said! Since the residence) furniture and the tools of trade ha'e) in accordance 7ith the e?plicit 3e?t) been
granted e?emption from the HuDTD) therefore) 7hen the transfer of o7nership ta6es place such
possessions continue to be e?empt:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Iran/ 4eptem)er L9/ 19NL. I)id!/ E;tract o! 882
13''. Payment of the "COC"Pll+h is a *indin6 %pirit"al )bli6ation 3onduces to Prosperit5 and
7onour/ Ensures (ttainment of True 7appiness
@2ayment of uDTDuKllh is a spiritual obligation binding on the people of Bah: 3he inBunction is laid
do7n in the <ost Holy Boo6) and clear and conclusi'e e?planations are embodied in 'arious 3ablets:
@E'ery de'oted belie'er 7ho is able to meet the specified conditions) must pay the uDTDuKllh)
7ithout any e?ception: /ndeed according to the e?plicit 3e?t of the <ost Holy Boo6) failure to comply
7ith this inBunction is regarded as a betrayal of trust) and the di'ine call! AHhoso dealeth dishonestly
7ith >od 7ill in Bustice be e?posed) is a clear reference to such people:
@3he Centre of the Co'enant has affirmed the obligation of HuDTD in these 7ords! A3he =ord as a sign
of His infinite bounties hath graciously fa'oured His ser'ants by pro'iding for a fi?ed money offering
FHuDTDG) to be dutifully presented unto Him) though He) the 3rue 5ne and His ser'ants ha'e been at all
times independent of all created things:
@3his 7eighty ordinance) as testified by the 2en of >lory is in'ested 7ith incalculable benefit and
7isdom: /t purifies ones possessions) a'erts loss and disaster) conduces to prosperity and honour and
imparts di'ine increase and blessing: /t is a sacrifice offered for and related to >od) and an act of
ser'itude leading to the promotion of His Cause: As affirmed by the Centre of the Co'enant) HuDTD
offerings constitute a test for the belie'ers and enable the friends to become firm and steadfast in faith
and certitude:
@/n brief) payment of uDTDuKllh is one of the binding spiritual responsibilities of the follo7ers of
Bahullh and the proceeds thereof re'ert to the Authority in the Cause to 7hom all must turn:
<oreo'er) the Ancient BeautyQmagnified be His praiseQhas affirmed that after the establishment of
the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice necessary rulings 7ould be enacted in this connection in conformity 7ith
that 7hich >od has purposed) and that no one) e?cept the Authority to 7hich all must turn) has the right
to dispose of this und: /n other 7ords) 7hate'er portion of ones 7ealth is due to the uDTDuKllh
belongs to the Horld Centre of the Cause of >od) not to the indi'iduals concerned:
@3hus the friends should not follo7 their o7n 'olition and Budgement in using any of the funds set
aside for uDTDuKllh for any other purpose) e'en for charitable contributions of the aith:
@He earnestly hope that e'eryone may be pri'ileged to obser'e this sacred and blessed obligation
7hich 7ould ensure the attainment of true happiness and 7ould ser'e to promote the e?ecution of
Bah enterprises throughout the 7orld:
@Perily >od is Self0Sufficient abo'e the need of His creatures:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Iran/ Octo)er L@/ 1901/ translated from the Persian.
I)id!/ E;tract o! 1112
996II$ %'(CIAL IN%TIT!TION%
A$ Institutions efined
13'(. Definition of Instit"tion
@Hhile the friends may be concerned at the range of agencies of the Cause 7hich are called institutions)
attempts at classification are not useful) for of course an institution is anything 7hich has been instituted:
5ne group of Bah institutions is of the administration of the aith on international) national and local
le'els) another represents functions based upon la7s gi'en by the <anifestation: /t is sufficient to accept
7hat is officially named an institution) 7hile obser'ing the range of appropriate applications of that
title:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune L1/ 19812
13'-. Clarification of the Instit"tions Attendant to the D"ardianship
@According to the AHill and 3estament the institutions attendant to the >uardianship are the body of the
Hands of the Cause) and the nine Hands of the Cause occupied in important ser'ices in the 7or6 of the
>uardian: As you 6no7) in his o7n lifetime) the >uardian also authorised the Hands to appoint Au?iliary
Board members for protection and for propagation:
@Ho7e'er) this does not mean that the institution of the Counsellors) as presently organiCed) is) strictly
spea6ing) an institution attendant to the >uardianship: 3o understand this subBect in its se'eral aspects
you are ad'ised to study carefully the letter 7ritten by the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice to the Continental
Boards of Counsellors and all National Spiritual Assemblies) dated ,( April "#+,: Mou 7ill find the
rele'ant passage from this letter on pages ""0"% of the compilation entitled A3he /nstitution of the
Continental Boards of Counsellors published by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahs of
Canada:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 1/ 198L2
B$ The Guardianshi-
13'/. !he D"ardianship(cceptance ofHDa5 that Will not )e <ollowed )5 i$ht
@He feels that if ::: ponders more deeply about the fundamentals of 8i'ine &e'elation) she 7ill also
come to understand the >uardianship: 5nce the mind and heart ha'e grasped the fact that >od guides
men through a <outhpiece) a human being) a 2rophet) infallible and unerring) it is only a logical
proBection of this acceptance to also accept the station of AAbdul0Bah and the >uardians: 3he
>uardians are the e'idence of the maturity of man6ind in the sense that at long last men ha'e progressed
to the point of ha'ing one 7orld) and of needing one 7orld management for human affairs: /n the
spiritual realm they ha'e also reached the point 7here >od could lea'e) in human hands Fi:e:) the
>uardiansG) guided directly by the Bb and Bahullh) as the <aster states in His Hill) the affairs of
His aith for this 8ispensation: 3his is 7hat is meant by Athis is the day 7hich 7ill not be follo7ed by
the night: /n this 8ispensation) di'ine guidance flo7s on to us in this 7orld after the 2rophets
ascension) through first the <aster) and then the >uardians: /f a person can accept Bahullhs
function) it should not present any difficulty to them to also accept 7hat He has ordained a di'inely0
guided indi'idual in matters pertaining to His aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er L@/ 19N8. Bah Ne7s/ o! L3L/ p! 8/ Eune 19@12
13'0. !he 7ord <D"ardianship= 8sed with Bario"s #eanin6s
@&egarding your first Duestion) it is important that 7hen considering the references to the >uardianship
in the 7ritings of the aith) and especially 7hen stri'ing to understand ho7 these references apply at the
present time) you should realiCe that the 7ord Aguardianship is used 7ith 'arious meanings in different
conte?ts: /n certain conte?ts it indicates the office and function of the >uardian himself) in others it
refers to the line of >uardians) in still others it bears a more e?tended meaning embracing the >uardian
and his attendant institutions: Ne'ertheless) it 7ould be Duite incorrect to state) at the present time 7hen
there is no >uardian) that the Hands of the Cause are members of the /nstitution of >uardianship: Nor
7ould it be correct to so designate the /nternational 3eaching Centre) the Counsellors) the members of
the Au?iliary Boards and their assistants:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 @/ 19002
13'2. Prero6ati1es and D"ties In1ested in the D"ardian are of !hree Ginds
@/n the specific sense of referring to the office and function of the >uardian himself) the House of
9ustice finds that the prerogati'es and duties 'ested in him are of three 6inds: irst) as 7as e?plained in a
letter to an indi'idual belie'er) 7hich 7as published in AHellspring of >uidance) there are a number of
functions and obBects 7hich the >uardianship shares 7ith the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice and 7hich the
House of 9ustice must continue to pursue: Secondly) there are other functions of the >uardianship 7hich)
in the absence of a >uardian) de'ol'e upon the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice) for e?ample) the Headship of
the aith) the responsibility for directing the 7or6 of the /nstitution of the Hands of the Cause of >od
and of ensuring the continuing discharge of the functions of protection and propagation 'ested in that
/nstitution) and the right to administer the uDTDuKllh: 3hirdly) there are those prerogati'es and duties
7hich lie e?clusi'ely 7ithin the sphere of the >uardian himself and) therefore) in the absence of a
>uardian) are inoperati'e e?cept insofar as the monumental 7or6 already performed by Shoghi Effendi
continues to be of enduring benefit to the aith: Such a function is that of authoritati'e interpretation of
the 3eachings:E
&I)id!2
13(3. Infallibility of the D"ardian is not for Indi1id"al *elie1ers to &imit or to 9"d6e
@Shoghi Effendi 7as as6ed se'eral times during his ministry to define the sphere of his operation and his
infallibility: 3he replies he ga'e and 7hich 7ere 7ritten on his behalf are most illuminating: He e?plains
that he is not an infallible authority on subBects such as economics and science) nor does he go into
technical matters since his infallibility is confined to Amatters 7hich are related strictly to the Cause: He
further points out that Ahe is not) li6e the 2rophet) omniscient at 7ill) that his Ainfallibility co'ers
interpretation of the re'ealed 7ord and its application) and that he is also Ainfallible in the protection of
the aith: urthermore) in one of the letters) the follo7ing guideline is set forth!
A::: /t is not for indi'idual belie'ers to limit the sphere of the >uardianKs authority) or to Budge
7hen they ha'e to obey the >uardian and 7hen they are free to reBect his Budgement: Such
an attitude 7ould e'idently lead to confusion and to schism: 3he >uardian being the
appointed interpreter of the 3eachings) it is his responsibility to state 7hat matters 7hich)
affecting the interests of the aith) demand on the part of the belie'ers complete and
unDualified obedience to his instructions: E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust LL/ 19002
13(1 A"thoritati1e Interpretation of the !eachin6s is the E?cl"si1e .i6ht of the D"ardian After
4Abd",l-*ah+
@/t must al7ays be remembered that authoritati'e interpretation of the 3eachings 7as) after AAbdul0
Bah) the e?clusi'e right of the >uardian) and fell 7ithin the Asacred and prescribed domain of the
>uardianship) and therefore the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice cannot and 7ill not infringe upon that
domain: 3he e?clusi'e sphere of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice is to @pronounce upon and deli'er the
final Budgment on such la7s and ordinances as Bahullh has not e?pressly re'ealed: Apart from this
fundamental difference in the functions of the t7in pillars of the 5rder of Bahullh) insofar as the
other duties of the Head of the aith are concerned) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice shares 7ith the
>uardian the responsibility for the application of the re'ealed Hord) the protection of the aith) as 7ell
as the duty Ato insure the continuity of that di'inely0appointed authority 7hich flo7s from the Source of
our aith) to safeguard the unity of its follo7ers) and to maintain the integrity and fle?ibility of its
3eachings: Ho7e'er) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice is not omniscientI li6e the >uardian) it 7ants to be
pro'ided 7ith facts 7hen called upon to render a decision) and li6e him it may 7ell change its decision
7hen ne7 facts emerge:E
&I)id!2
13(2. !he Distinction *etween A"thoritati1e Interpretation and Indi1id"al 8nderstandin6
@A clear distinction is made in our aith bet7een authoritati'e interpretation and the interpretation or
understanding that each indi'idual arri'es at for himself from his study of its teachings: Hhile the
former is confined to the >uardian) the latter) according to the guidance gi'en to us by the >uardian
himself) should by no means be suppressed: /n fact such indi'idual interpretation is considered the fruit
of mans rational po7er and conduci'e to a better understanding of the teachings) pro'ided that no
disputes or arguments arise among the friends and the indi'idual himself understands and ma6es it clear
that his 'ie7s are merely his o7n: /ndi'idual interpretations continually change as one gro7s in
comprehension of the teachings: /n a letter 7ritten on behalf of Shoghi Effendi it is stated) A3o deepen in
the Cause means to read the 7ritings of Bahullh and the <aster so thoroughly as to be able to gi'e it
to others in its pure form: 3here are many 7ho ha'e some superficial idea of 7hat the Cause stands for:
3hey) therefore) present it together 7ith all sorts of ideas that are their o7n: As the Cause is still in its
early days 7e must be most careful lest 7e fall into this error and inBure the <o'ement 7e so much
adore: 3here is no limit to the study of the Cause: 3he more 7e read the Hritings) the more truths 7e can
find in 3hem) the more 7e 7ill see that our pre'ious notions 7ere erroneous: So) although indi'idual
insights can be enlightening and helpful) they can also be misleading: 3he friends must therefore learn to
listen to the 'ie7s of others 7ithout being o'er0a7ed or allo7ing their faith to be sha6en) and to e?press
their o7n 'ie7s 7ithout pressing them on their fello7 Bahs:
@3he Cause of >od is organic) gro7ing and de'eloping li6e a li'ing being: 3ime and again it has faced
crises 7hich ha'e perple?ed the belie'ers) but each time the Cause) impelled by the immutable purpose
of >od) o'ercame the crisis and 7ent on to greater heights:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 L0/ 19MM2
13(. Dod )rdained@ in this Day@ that D"idance has been Bo"chsafed to #an !hro"6h Instit"tions
@::: /n 'ie7 of the fact that guidance in this day) through the bounty of >od) and because of the 'ery
nature of Bahullhs &e'elation) has been 'ouchsafed to man through institutions in this 7orldI
namely the >uardianship at presentI and also in the future) the /nternational House of 9usticeI indi'iduals
are not in a position to interpret the 3eachings) and ha'e no Bustification for claiming special stations:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Decem)er 13/ 19@@2
13('. F"t"re D"ardians
@uture >uardians are clearly en'isaged and referred to in the Hritings) but there is no7here any
promise or guarantee that the line of >uardians 7ould endure fore'erI on the contrary there are clear
indications that the line could be bro6en: Met) in spite of this) there is repeated insistence in the Hritings
on the indestructability of the Co'enant and the immutability of >ods 2urpose for this 8ay:
@5ne of the most stri6ing passages 7hich en'isage the possibility of such a brea6 in the line of the
>uardians is in the ;itb0i0ADdas itself!
A3he endo7ments dedicated to charity re'ert to >od) the &e'ealer of Signs: No one has the
right to lay hold on them 7ithout lea'e from the 8a7ning02lace of &e'elation: After Him
the decision rests 7ith the Aghsn FBranchesG) and after them 7ith the House of 9usticeQ
should it be established in the 7orld by thenQso that they may use these endo7ments for the
benefit of the Sites e?alted in this Cause) and for that 7hich they ha'e been commanded by
>od) the Almighty) the All02o7erful: 5ther7ise the endo7ments should be referred to the
people of Bah) 7ho spea6 not 7ithout His lea'e and 7ho pass no Budgement but in
accordance 7ith that 7hich >od has ordained in this 3ablet) they 7ho are the champions of
'ictory bet7i?t hea'en and earth) so that they may spend them on that 7hich has been
decreed in the Holy Boo6 by >od) the <ighty) the Bountiful: E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to 7ands of the 3ause of %od/ 3ontinental ,oards of 3ounsellors and ational 4piritual
(ssem)lies/ Decem)er 0/ 19M92
13((. !he D"ardian is Ass"red the D"idance of *oth *ah+,",ll+h and the *+b
@/nstructions sent on behalf of the >uardian are binding) as are the 7ords of the >uardianI although of
course) they are not the >uardians 7ords:
@3he >uardianAs infallibility co'ers interpretation of the re'ealed 7ord and its application: =i6e7ise
any instructions he may issue ha'ing to do 7ith the protection of the aith) or its 7ell0being must be
closely obeyed) as he is infallible in the protection of the aith: He is assured the guidance of both
Bahullh and the Bb) as the Hill and 3estament of AAbdul0Bah clearly re'eals:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust L1/ 19@M2
13(-. 5e is the Interpreter of the 7ordK Di1ine !r"th is .elati1e
@3he Hill and 3estament of Bahullh and the Hill and 3estament of the <aster clearly and e?plicitly
indicate that the /nterpreter of the Hord 7as the Centre of the Co'enant and no7 is the >uardian: 3here
are no other /nterpreters 7hatsoe'er and no indi'idual may interpret: 3his is strictly forbidden:
@8i'ine 3ruth is relati'e and that is 7hy 7e are enBoined to constantly refer the see6er to the Hord
itselfQand 7hy any e?planations 7e ma6e to ease the Bourney of the soul of any indi'idual must be
based on the HordQand the Hord alone:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ Eune N/ 19@02
13(/. D"ardianship Does not &ose %i6nificance nor Position *eca"se !here is no &i1in6 D"ardian
@8uring the 7hole thirty0si? years of his >uardianship Shoghi Effendi functioned 7ithout the Jni'ersal
House of 9ustice: No7 the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice must function 7ithout the >uardian) but the
principle of inseparability remains: 3he >uardianship does not lose its significance nor position in the
5rder of Bahullh merely because there is no li'ing >uardian: He must guard against t7o e?tremes!
one is to argue that because there is no >uardian all that 7as 7ritten about the >uardianship and its
position in the Bah Horld 5rder is a dead letter and 7as unimportantI the other is to be so
o'er7helmed by the significance of the >uardianship as to underestimate the strength of the Co'enant)
or to be tempted to compromise 7ith the clear te?ts in order to find someho7) in some 7ay) a
A>uardian:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 L0/ 19MM. Hellspring of >uidance/ pp! 8M+802
13(0. %tation of D"ardianship Cannot be Claimed Ere the E?piration of 1333 Eears
@<y purpose is this) that ere the e?piration of a thousand years) no one has the right to utter a single
7ord) e'en to claim the station of >uardianship:
@3he <ost Holy Boo6 is the Boo6 to 7hich all peoples shall refer) and in it the =a7s of >od ha'e been
re'ealed: =a7s not mentioned in the Boo6 should be referred to the decision of the Jni'ersal House of
9ustice:::E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 2ersian and Arabic 3ablets/ >ol! III/ pp! N99+@11. cited )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5
of the etherlands/ 6arch 9/ 19M@. Hellspring of >uidance/ p! N02
C$ The !ni.ersal )ouse of /ustice
13(2. !he 8ni1ersal 5o"se of 9"stice Called into *ein6 by the A"thor of the Faith
@::: /n it F;itb0i0ADdasG He formally ordains the institution of the AHouse of 9ustice) ::: and designates
its members as the A<en of 9ustice) the A8eputies of >od) the A3rustees of the All0<erciful):::E
&4ho$hi Effendi. >od 2asses By/ 1980 ed!/ Wilmette/ p! L1N2
13-3. Ape? of *ah+,",ll+h,s 7orld )rder
@::: 3here are statements from the <aster and the >uardian indicating that the Jni'ersal House of
9ustice) in addition to being the Highest =egislati'e Body of the aith) is also the body to 7hich all must
turn) and is the Aape? of the Bah Administrati'e 5rder) as 7ell as the Asupreme organ of the Bah
Common7ealth: E
13-1. &e6islati1e F"nctions
@3he centre of the e?ecuti'e po7er is the go'ernment) and the legislati'e po7er lies in the hands of
thoughtful and 7ise men: 5n the other hand) if these strong pillars and firm foundations are not
complete and comprehensi'e) ho7 can it be supposed that there 7ill be safety and sal'ation for the
nationS But as) in these latter days) such e?cellency is rare) the go'ernment and the 7hole body of the
nation are in sore need of Bust and discerning directions: 3hus it is of the utmost importance to establish
an assembly of learned men) 7ho) being proficient in the different sciences and capable of dealing 7ith
all the present and future reDuirements) 7ill settle the Duestions in accordance 7ith forbearance and
firmness:
@All the ci'ic affairs and the legislation of material la7s for the increasing needs of the enlightened
humanity belong to the House of 9ustice: 3his) the House of 9ustice) 7ill be not only a body for the
legislation of la7s according to the spirit and reDuirement of the time) but a board of arbitration for the
settlement of all disputes arising bet7een peoples: Hhen the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice is organiCed the
members 7ill do their utmost for the realiCation of greater cordiality and comity amongst the nations:
3he =a7s of Bahullh are the unchangeable) organic la7s of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice: 3hey are
the 'ery foundation upon 7hich the structure of additional legislation is built::: Again) / repeat) the
House of 9ustice) 7hether National or Jni'ersal) has only legislati'e po7er and not e?ecuti'e po7er::::E
&<rom words of '()du*l+,ah- in. Star of the Hest/ >ol! >II/ o! 1@/ pp! 138+1392
13-2. Process of &e6islatin6
@/t should be understood by the friends that before legislating upon any matter the Jni'ersal House of
9ustice studies carefully and e?hausti'ely both the Sacred 3e?ts and the 7ritings of Shoghi Effendi on
the subBect: 3he interpretations 7ritten by the belo'ed >uardian co'er a 'ast range of subBects and are
eDually as binding as the 3e?t itself:
@::: Jnity of doctrine is maintained by the e?istence of the authentic te?ts of Scripture and the
'oluminous interpretations of AAbdul0Bah and Shoghi Effendi) together 7ith the absolute prohibition
against anyone propounding Aauthoritati'e or Ainspired interpretations or usurping the function of the
>uardian: Jnity of administration is assured by the authority of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the etherlands/ 6arch 9/ 19M@. Hellspring of
>uidance/ pp! @L+@32
@::: As already announced to the friends) a careful study of the Hritings and interpretations on any
subBect on 7hich the House of 9ustice proposes to legislate al7ays preceded its act of legislation:
Second) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice) itself assured of di'ine guidance) is 7ell a7are of the absence of
the >uardian and 7ill approach all matters of legislation only 7hen certain of its sphere of Burisdiction) a
sphere 7hich the >uardian has confidently described as Aclearly defined:::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 L0/ 19MM. I)id!/ p! 8N2
@/t may help the friends to understand this relationship if they are a7are of some of the processes that
the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice follo7s 7hen legislating: irst) of course) it obser'es the greatest care in
studying the Sacred 3e?ts and the interpretations of the >uardian as 7ell as considering the 'ie7s of all
the members: After long consultation the process of drafting a pronouncement is put into effect: 8uring
this process the 7hole matter may 7ell be reconsidered: As a result of such reconsideration the final
Budgement may be significantly different from the conclusion earlier fa'oured) or possibly it may be
decided not to legislate at all on that subBect at that time::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 0/ 19M9. <essages from the Jni'ersal House of
9ustice/ 19M8+1903/ p! N12
13-. 5as Deneral F"nctions of Protectin6 and Administerin6 the Ca"se
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice) beyond its function as the enactor of legislation) has been in'ested 7ith
the more general functions of protecting and administering the Cause) sol'ing obscure Duestions and
deciding upon matters that ha'e caused difference::::E
&I)id!/ pp! 38+392
13-'. Infallibility of the 8ni1ersal 5o"se of 9"stice is not Dependent on the Presence of the
D"ardian
@3he infallibility of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice) operating 7ithin its ordained sphere) has not been
made dependent upon the presence in its membership of the >uardian of the Cause: Although in the
realm of interpretation the >uardians pronouncements are al7ays binding) in the area of the >uardians
participation in legislation it is al7ays the decision of the House itself 7hich must pre'ail: 3his is
supported by the 7ords of the >uardian! A3he interpretation of the >uardian) functioning 7ithin his o7n
sphere) is as authoritati'e and binding as the enactments of the /nternational House of 9ustice) 7hose
e?clusi'e right and prerogati'e is to pronounce upon and deli'er the final Budgement on such la7s and
ordinances as Bahullh has not e?pressly re'ealed: Neither can) nor 7ill e'er) infringe upon the
sacred and prescribed domain of the other: Neither 7ill see6 to curtail the specific and undoubted
authority 7ith 7hich both ha'e been di'inely in'ested: E
13-(. !he 8ni1ersal 5o"se of 9"stice has Conferred Infallibility
@3o epitomiCe! essential infallibility belongs especially to the supreme <anifestations) and acDuired
infallibility is granted to e'ery holy soul: or instance) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice) if it be established
under the necessary conditionsQ7ith members elected from all the peopleQthat House of 9ustice 7ill
be under the protection and the unerring guidance of >od: /f that House of 9ustice shall decide
unanimously) or by a maBority) upon any Duestion not mentioned in the Boo6) that decision and
command 7ill be guarded from mista6e: No7 the members of the House of 9ustice ha'e not)
indi'idually) essential infallibilityI but the body of the House of 9ustice is under the protection and the
unerring guidance of >od! this is called conferred infallibility:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Some Ans7ered Ruestions/ 198N ed!/ Wilmette/ pp! 10L+1032
13--. !he Process of Ded"cin6 %"bsidiary &aws from the )ri6inal !e?t is the .i6ht of the 5o"se of
9"stice
@As regards the need to ha'e deductions made from the Hritings to help in the formulation of the
enactments of the House of 9ustice) there is the follo7ing te?t from the pen of AAbdul0Bah!
A3hose matters of maBor importance 7hich constitute the foundation of the =a7 of >od are
e?plicitly recorded in the 3e?t) but subsidiary la7s are left to the House of 9ustice: 3he
7isdom of this is that the times ne'er remain the same) for change is a necessary Duality and
an essential attribute of this 7orld) and of time and place: 3herefore the House of 9ustice 7ill
ta6e action accordingly:
A=et it not be imagined that the House of 9ustice 7ill ta6e any decision according to its o7n
concepts and opinions: >od forbidL 3he Supreme House of 9ustice 7ill ta6e decisions and
establish la7s through the inspiration and confirmation of the Holy Spirit) because it is in the
safe6eeping and under the shelter and protection of the Ancient Beauty) and obedience to its
decisions is a bounden and essential duty and an absolute obligation) and there is no escape
for anyone:E
13-/. In the 7orld )rder of *ah+,",ll+h Certain F"nctions are .eser1ed to Certain Instit"tions
@/n the 5rder of Bahullh there are certain functions 7hich are reser'ed to certain institutions) and
others 7hich are shared in common) e'en though they may be more in the special pro'ince of one or the
other: or e?ample) although the Hands of the Cause of >od ha'e the specific functions of protection
and propagation) and are specialiCed for these functions) it is also the duty of the Jni'ersal House of
9ustice and the Spiritual Assemblies to protect and teach the CauseQindeed teaching is a sacred
obligation placed upon e'ery belie'er by Bahullh: Similarly) although after the <aster authoritati'e
interpretation 7as e?clusi'ely 'ested in the >uardian) and although legislation is e?clusi'ely the
function of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice) these t7o /nstitutions are) in Shoghi Effendis 7ords)
Acomplementary in their aim and purpose: A3heir common) their fundamental obBect is to ensure the
continuity of that di'inely0appointed authority 7hich flo7s from the Source of our aith) to safeguard
the unity of its follo7ers and to maintain the integrity and fle?ibility of its teachings: Hhereas the
Jni'ersal House of 9ustice cannot underta6e any function 7hich e?clusi'ely appertained to the
>uardian) it must continue to pursue the obBect 7hich it shares in common 7ith the >uardianship:E
&I)id!2
13-0. !he Decisions and &aws #ade by the 8ni1ersal 5o"se of 9"stice are Inspired and Confirmed
by the 5oly %pirit!his E?cl"si1e A"thority 7ill Precl"de Errors of Past Dispensations
@Say) 5 people! Perily the Supreme House of 9ustice is under the 7ings of your =ord) the
Compassionate) the All0<erciful) that is under His protection) His care) and His shelterI for He has
commanded the firm belie'ers to obey that blessed) sanctified and all0subduing body) 7hose so'ereignty
is di'inely0ordained and of the ;ingdom of Hea'en) and 7hose la7s are inspired and spiritual:
@Briefly) this is the 7isdom of referring the la7s of society to the House of 9ustice: /n the religion of
/slm) similarly) not e'ery ordinance 7as e?plicitly re'ealedI nay not a tenth part of a tenth part 7as
included in the 3e?tI although all matters of maBor importance 7ere specifically referred to) there 7ere
undoubtedly thousands of la7s 7hich 7ere unspecified: 3hese 7ere de'ised by the di'ines of a later age
according to the la7s of /slamic Burisprudence) and indi'idual di'ines made conflicting deductions from
the original re'ealed ordinances: All these 7ere enforced: 3oday this process of deduction is the right of
the body of the House of 9ustice) and the deductions and conclusions of indi'idual learned men ha'e no
authority) unless they are endorsed by the House of 9ustice: 3he difference is precisely this) that from the
conclusions and endorsements of the body of the House of 9ustice 7hose members are elected by and
6no7n to the 7orld7ide Bah community) no differences 7ill ariseI 7hereas the conclusions of
indi'idual di'ines and scholars 7ould definitely lead to differences) and result in schism) di'ision and
dispersion: 3he oneness of the 7orld 7ould be destroyed) the unity of the aith 7ould disappear) and the
edifice of the aith of >od 7ould be sha6en:E
&<rom the Writin$s of '()du*l+,ah-/ cited in a letter to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 L0/ 19MM )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice2
13-2. !he %tron6 Cord to 7hich All #"st Clin6 is the Co1enant
@Ho7e'er great may be our inability to understand the mystery and the implications of the passing of
Shoghi Effendi) the strong cord to 7hich all must cling 7ith assurance is the Co'enant: 3he emphatic
and 'igorous language of AAbdul0Bahs Hill and 3estament is at this time) as at the time of His o7n
passing) the safeguard of the Cause!
AJnto the <ost Holy Boo6 e'ery one must turn and all that is not e?pressly recorded therein
must be referred to the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice: 3hat 7hich this body) 7hether
unanimously or by a maBority doth carry) that is 'erily the 3ruth and the 2urpose of >od
Himself: Hhoso doth de'iate therefrom is 'erily of them that lo'e discord) hath sho7n forth
malice) and turned a7ay from the =ord of the Co'enant: And again! AAll must see6
guidance and turn unto the Centre of the Cause and the House of 9ustice: And he that turneth
unto 7hatsoe'er else is indeed in grie'ous error: E
&I)id!2
13/3. !he 8ni1ersal 5o"se of 9"stice is the <&ast .ef"6e of a !otterin6 Ci1iliHation=
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice) 7hich the >uardian said 7ould be regarded by posterity as Athe last
refuge of a tottering ci'iliCation is no7) in the absence of the >uardian) the sole infallibly guided
institution in the 7orld to 7hich all must turn) and on it rests the responsibility for ensuring the unity and
progress of the Cause of >od in accordance 7ith the re'ealed Hord: 3here are statements from the
<aster and the >uardian indicating that the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice) in addition to being the Highest
=egislati'e Body of the aith) is also the body to 7hich all must turn) and is the Aape? of the Bah
Administrati'e 5rder) as 7ell as the Asupreme organ of the Bah Common7ealth: 3he >uardian has in
his 7ritings specified for the House of 9ustice such fundamental functions as the formulation of future
7orld07ide teaching plans) the conduct of the administrati'e affairs of the aith) and the guidance)
organisation and unification of the affairs of the Cause throughout the 7orld: urthermore in A>od
2asses By the >uardian ma6es the follo7ing statement! A3he ;itb0i0ADdas ::: not only preser'es for
posterity the basic la7s and ordinances on 7hich the fabric of His future Horld 5rder must rest) but
ordains) in addition to the function of interpretation 7hich it confers upon His Successor) the necessary
institutions through 7hich the integrity and unity of His aith can alone be safeguarded: He has also) in
A3he 8ispensation of Bahullh 7ritten) that the members of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice Aand not
the body of those 7ho either directly or indirectly elect them) ha'e thus been made the recipients of the
di'ine guidance 7hich is at once the life0blood and ultimate safeguard of this &e'elation:E
&I)id!2
13/1. !he Chosen %"ccessors of *ah+,",ll+h and 4Abd",l-*ah+
@::: 3hey ha'e ::: in uneDui'ocal and emphatic language) appointed those t7in institutions of the House
of 9ustice and of the >uardianship as their chosen Successors) destined to apply the principles)
promulgate the la7s) protect the institutions) adapt loyally and intelligently the aith to the reDuirements
of progressi'e society) and consummate the incorruptible inheritance 7hich the ounders of the aith
ha'e beDueathed to the 7orld:E
&4ho$hi Effendi. Horld 5rder of Bahullh/ 198L ed!/ Wilmette/ pp! 19+L12
13/2. !he 8ni1ersal 5o"se of 9"stice *ears .esponsibility for E?ec"ti1e and 9"dicial F"nctions as
7ell as &e6islati1e
@Hhile ultimately the maBor function of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice 7ill be that of legislation) it has
continuing responsibility for e?ecuti'e and Budicial functions of the institution: 3herefore it is not
accurate to refer to members of the House of 9ustice as Alegislators) understandable as is the 7ish to gi'e
simple titles rather than comple? ones:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %renada/ 6a5 19/ 198@2
13/. Appointment of a %"ccessor to %ho6hi Effendi or #ore 5ands of the Ca"se not Possible
@As the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has already announced) it cannot legislate to ma6e possible the
appointment of a successor to Shoghi Effendi) nor can it legislate to ma6e possible the appointment of
any more Hands of the Cause) but it must do e'erything 7ithin its po7er to ensure the performance of
all those functions 7hich it shares 7ith these t7o mighty /nstitutions: /t must ma6e pro'ision for the
proper discharge in future of the functions of protection and propagation) 7hich the administrati'e
bodies share 7ith the >uardianship and the Hands of the CauseI it must) in the absence of the >uardian)
recei'e and disburse the uDTDuKllh) in accordance 7ith the follo7ing statement of AAbdul0Bah!
A8isposition of the HuDTD) 7holly or partly) is permissible) but this should be done by permission of the
authority in the Cause to 7hom all must turnI it must ma6e pro'ision in its Constitution for the remo'al
of any of its members 7ho commits a sin AinBurious to the common 7eal: Abo'e all) it must) 7ith
perfect faith in Bahullh) proclaim His Cause and enforce His =a7 so that the <ost >reat 2eace shall
be firmly established in this 7orld and the foundation of the ;ingdom of >od on earth shall be
accomplished:E
$ %u-re&e Tribunal
13/'. Factor in Establishin6 the &esser Peace
@3he Supreme 3ribunal is an aspect of a Horld SuperstateI the e?act nature of its relationship to that
State 7e cannot at present foresee:
@Supreme 3ribunal is the correct translationI it 7ill be a contributing factor in establishing the =esser
2eace:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 19/ 19N@. Bah Ne7s/ o! L11/ (u$ust 19N8/ p! 32
13/(. !he %"preme !rib"nal 7ill F"lfil !as$ of Establishin6 8ni1ersal Peace
@:::the Duestion of uni'ersal peace) about 7hich Bahullh says that the Supreme 3ribunal must be
established! ::: the Supreme 3ribunal 7hich Bahullh has described 7ill fulfil this sacred tas6 7ith the
utmost might and po7er: And His plan is this! that the national assemblies of each country and nationQ
that is to say parliamentsQshould elect t7o or three persons 7ho are the choicest men of that nation)
and are 7ell informed concerning international la7s and the relations bet7een go'ernments and a7are
of the essential needs of the 7orld of humanity in this day: 3he number of these representati'es should
be in proportion to the number of inhabitants of that country: 3he election of these souls 7ho are chosen
by the national assembly) that is) the parliament) must be confirmed by the upper house) the congress and
the cabinet and also by the president or monarch so these persons may be the elected ones of all the
nation and the go'ernment: rom among these people the members of the Supreme 3ribunal 7ill be
elected) and all man6ind 7ill thus ha'e a share therein) for e'ery one of these delegates is fully
representati'e of his nation: Hhen the Supreme 3ribunal gi'es a ruling on any international Duestion)
either unanimously or by maBority rule) there 7ill no longer be any prete?t for the plaintiff or ground of
obBection for the defendant: /n case any of the go'ernments or nations) in the e?ecution of the irrefutable
decision of the Supreme 3ribunal) be negligent or dilatory) the rest of the nations 7ill rise up against it)
because all the go'ernments and nations of the 7orld are the supporters of this Supreme 3ribunal:
Consider 7hat a firm foundation this is:::LE
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ pp! 31M+3102
13/-. !he #ission of the %"preme !rib"nal is to Pre1ent 7ar
@A Supreme 3ribunal shall be elected by the peoples and >o'ernments of e'ery nation) 7here members
from each country and >o'ernment shall assemble in unity: All disputes shall be brought before this
Court) its mission being to pre'ent 7ar:
@A Supreme 3ribunal shall be established by the peoples and >o'ernments of e'ery nation) composed
of members elected from each country and >o'ernment: 3he members of this >reat Council shall
assemble in unity: All disputes of an international character shall be submitted to this Court) its 7or6
being to arrange by arbitration e'erything 7hich other7ise 7ould be a cause of 7ar: 3he mission of this
3ribunal 7ould be to pre'ent 7ar:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 2aris 3al6s/ #ondon/ 19M1 ed!/ pp! 13L and 1@@2
13//. International E?ec"ti1e( 4tep #eadin$ to ,ah-*? World %o"ernment
@As regards the /nternational E?ecuti'e referred to by the >uardian in his A>oal of a Ne7 Horld 5rder)
it should be noted that this statement refers by no means to the Bah Common7ealth of the future) but
simply to that 7orld go'ernment 7hich 7ill herald the ad'ent and lead to the final establishment of the
Horld 5rder of Bahullh: 3he formation of this /nternational E?ecuti'e) 7hich corresponds to the
e?ecuti'e head or board in present0day national go'ernments) is but a step leading to the Bah 7orld
go'ernment of the future) and hence should not be identified 7ith either the institution of the
>uardianship or that of the /nternational House of 9ustice:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 10/ 193N2
($ )ands of the Cause of God
13/0. !he Instit"tion of <!he &earned=
@:::the belo'ed >uardian 7rote on ( No'ember "#%"!
A/n this holy cycle the @learnedE are) on the one hand) the Hands of the Cause of >od) and)
on the other) the teachers and diffusers of His teachings 7ho do not ran6 as Hands) but 7ho
ha'e attained an eminent position in the teaching 7or6: As to the @rulersE they refer to the
members of the =ocal) National and /nternational Houses of 9ustice: 3he duties of each of
these souls 7ill be determined in the future: F3ranslated from the 2ersianG:
@3he Hands of the Cause of >od) the Counsellors and the members of the Au?iliary Boards fall 7ithin
the definition of the Alearned gi'en by the belo'ed >uardian: 3hus they are all intimately interrelated
and it is not incorrect to refer to the three ran6s collecti'ely as one institution:
@Ho7e'er) each is also a separate institution in itself::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the 3ontinental ,oards of 3ounsellors and ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ (pril LN/
190L. <essages from 3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice/ 19M8+1903/ p! 9L2
13/2. !he 5ands of the Ca"se :ot 5eirs of Any :ame or !itle
@:::3he Hands of the Cause in this dispensation are not heirs of any name or title: Nay) they are holy
personages) the rays of 7hose holiness and spirituality thro7 light on the minds of people: Hearts are
attracted by the beauty of their morals) the sincerity of their intentions and the sense of eDuity and
Bustice: Souls are in'oluntarily enamoured of their praise7orthy morals and laudable DualitiesI faces turn
spontaneously to their manifest signs and traces: /t is not a title that may be a7arded to 7homsoe'er it
pleases) nor is it a chair of honour in 7hich 7hosoe'er pleases sits: 3he Hands of the Cause are the
Hands of >od: Hence 7hosoe'er is the ser'ant and the promoter of the Hord of >od) he is the Hand of
>od: 3he obBect is the spirit and not the letters or 7ords: 3he more self0effacing one is) the more he is
assisted in the Cause of >odI and the more mee6 and humble) the nearer is he to >od:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. <ahmouds 8iary/ pp! L9+312
1303. !ablet .e1ealed for the 5ands of the Ca"se
@<ay <y praise) salutations) and greetings rest upon the stars of the hea'en of 3hy 6no7ledgeQthe
Hands of 3hy CauseQthey 7ho circled round 3hy Hill) spo6e not sa'e after 3hy lea'e) and clung not
sa'e unto 3hy hem: 3hey are ser'ants 7hose mention and praise are recorded in the Holy Hrit) 3hy
Boo6s and 3ablets 7herein are e?tolled their ser'ices) 'ictories) and high resol'e: 3hrough them the
standards of 3hy oneness 7ere raised in 3hy cities and realms) and the banners of 3hy sanctity 7ere
uplifted in 3hy ;ingdom: 3hey utter not a 7ord on any subBect ere 3hou hast spo6en) for their ears are
attuned to hear 3hy Command) and their eyes are e?pectant to 7itness the effulgence of 3hy
Countenance: 3hey are ser'ants 7ho ha'e been 7ell0fa'oured) ha'e attained 3hy good0pleasure) and
ha'e arisen in 3hy Cause: 3he people of the 7orld) the deniCens of the ;ingdom) and the d7ellers of
2aradise and the &ealm on High) and beyond them) the 3ongue of >randeur send salutation upon them:
2raise be to 3hee) 5 my >od) that 3hou hast aided me to ma6e mention of them and to praise them and
their stations in 3hy Cause and in 3hy days:
@No >od is there sa'e 3hee) the &ec6oner) the All0;no7ing) the All0Hise:E
&Ta)let of ,ah-*u*ll-h/ translated in the 7ol5 #and. Bah Ne7s/ o! NL1/ p! L/ 6arch 19MM2
1301. A"?iliary Instit"tion of D"ardianship
@::: 3he institution of the Hands of the Cause of >od 7as brought into e?istence in the time of
Bahullh and 7hen the Administrati'e 5rder 7as proclaimed and formally established by AAbdul0
Bah in His Hill) it became an au?iliary institution of the >uardianship: 3he Au?iliary Boards) in their
turn) 7ere brought into being by Shoghi Effendi as an au?iliary institution of the Hands of the Cause:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the 3ontinental ,oards of 3ounsellors and ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ (pril LN/
190L. <essages from 3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice/ 19M8+1903/ p! 9L2
1302. F"nctions of the 5ands of the Ca"se
@::: 3he institution of the Hands of the Cause of >od) charged in the Sacred 3e?ts 7ith the specific duties
of protecting and propagating the aith) has a particularly 'ital responsibility to discharge: /n their
capacity as protectors of the aith) the Hands 7ill continue to ta6e action to e?pel Co'enant0brea6ers
and to reinstate those 7ho sincerely repent) subBect in each instance to the appro'al of the Jni'ersal
House of 9ustice:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the <ollowers of ,ah-*u*ll-h throu$hout the World/ Octo)er 19M3. Hellspring of
>uidance/ pp! 13+1N2
130. !he A"thority of E?p"lsion and .einstatement E?ercised by the 5ands of the Ca"se
@3he authority of e?pulsion and reinstatement 7ill be e?ercised by the Hands of the Cause of >od)
subBect in each instance to the appro'al of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice: Hhen a member of the
Continental Board of Counsellors learns of any incipient Co'enant0brea6ing) the matter should be
reported 7ithout delay to a Hand of the Cause a'ailable in the area) 7ho 7ill deal 7ith the matter: A
copy of the report should be sent to the Hands in the Holy =and and to the other members of the Board:
Should no Hand of the Cause be a'ailable in the area) the report should be sent to the Hands of the
Cause in the Holy =and) 7ith copy to the other members of the Board) in 7hich case the Hands of the
Cause in the Holy =and 7ill deal 7ith the matter: Such reports should contain full details of actions
already ta6en:
@&einstatement of Co'enant0brea6ers 7ill follo7 similar procedures:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the 3ontinental ,oards of 3ounsellors/ Eune LN/ 19M82
130'. Prero6ati1e and )bli6ation of the 5ands of the Ca"se to Cons"lt with *oards of Co"nsellors
and :ational Assemblies
@3he Hands of the Cause of >od ha'e the prerogati'e and obligation to consult 7ith the Continental
Boards of Counsellors and National Spiritual Assemblies on any subBect 7hich) in their 'ie7) affects the
interests of the Cause::::
@::: 3he House of 9ustice 7ill call upon them to underta6e special missions on its behalf) to represent it
on both Bah and other occasions and to 6eep it informed of the 7elfare of the Cause ::: they 7ill
operate increasingly on an intercontinental le'el) a factor 7hich 7ill lend tremendous impetus to the
diffusion throughout the Bah 7orld of the spiritual inspiration channelled through themQthe Chief
Ste7ards of Bahullhs embryonic Horld Common7ealth:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ Eune LN/ 19M8. <essages from the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice)
"#*$0"#+%/ pp! 0+82
130(. Inappropriate for !hem to %er1e on Administrati1e Instit"tions
@3he e?alted ran6 and specific functions of the Hands of the Cause of >od ma6e it inappropriate for
them to be elected or appointed to administrati'e institutions) or to be elected as delegates to national
con'entions: urthermore) it is their desire and the desire of the House of 9ustice that they be free to
de'ote their entire energies to the 'itally important duties conferred upon them in the Holy Hritings::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ o"em)er 19MN. Hellspring of >uidance/ p! NL2
130-. !he .an$ and Position of the 5ands of the Ca"se of Dod
@3he ran6 and position of the Hands of the Cause are superior to the position of the National
Assemblies: /n 7riting concerning the Hands) therefore) 7hen there is reference to the /nstitutions of the
aith) after the >uardian)N should be mentioned the Hands) and then the National bodies: Because the
>uardian has restrained the Hands at this time) and gi'en as one of their functions) aiding the National
bodies in 7inning the goals of the 3en Mear Crusade) the National bodies should not misunderstand the
true position of the Hands: 3hey should report to the Hands) 7here teaching assistance is needed) etc:) so
the Hands) and their Au?iliary Boards) may be of the greatest assistance:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ (pril 31/ 19@02
O&and the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice2
F$ International Teaching Centre
130/. !he International !eachin6 Centre Establishment and D"ties
@::: 3he time is indeed propitious for the establishment of the /nternational 3eaching Centre) a
de'elopment 7hich) at one and the same time) brings to fruition the 7or6 of the Hands of the Cause
residing in the Holy =and and pro'ides for its e?tension into the future) lin6s the institution of the
Boards of Counsellors e'en more intimately 7ith that of the Hands of the Cause of >od) and po7erfully
reinforces the discharge of the rapidly gro7ing responsibilities of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice:
@3he duties no7 assigned to this nascent institution are!
Q 3o coordinate) stimulate and direct the acti'ities of the Continental Boards of Counsellors and to
act as liaison bet7een them and the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice:
Q 3o be fully informed of the situation of the Cause in all parts of the 7orld and to be able) from
the bac6ground of this 6no7ledge) to ma6e reports and recommendations to the Jni'ersal
House of 9ustice and gi'e ad'ice to the Continental Boards of Counsellors:
Q 3o be alert to possibilities) both 7ithin and 7ithout the Bah community) for the e?tension of
the teaching 7or6 into recepti'e or needy areas) and to dra7 the attention of the Jni'ersal
House of 9ustice and the Continental Boards of Counsellors to such possibilities) ma6ing
recommendations for action:
Q 3o determine and anticipate needs for literature) pioneers and tra'elling teachers and to 7or6 out
teaching plans) both regional and global) for the appro'al of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice:
@All the Hands of the Cause of >od 7ill be members of the /nternational 3eaching Centre: Each Hand
7ill be 6ept regularly informed of the acti'ities of the Centre through reports or copies of its minutes)
and 7ill be able) 7here'er he may be residing or tra'elling) to con'ey suggestions) recommendations
and information to the Centre and) 7hene'er he is in the Holy =and) to ta6e part in the consultations and
other acti'ities of the Centre:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ Eune 8/ 19032
G$ Continental Boards of Counsellors
1300. D"ties of Continental *oards of Co"nsellors
@::: 3heir duties 7ill include directing the Au?iliary Boards in their respecti'e areas) consulting and
collaborating 7ith National Spiritual Assemblies) and 6eeping the Hands of the Cause and the Jni'ersal
House of 9ustice informed concerning the conditions of the Cause in their areas:
@3he Au?iliary Boards for 2rotection and 2ropagation 7ill henceforth report to the Continental Boards
of Counsellors 7ho 7ill appoint or replace members of the Au?iliary Boards as circumstances may
reDuire::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ Eune LN/ 19M8. Hellspring of >uidance/ pp! 1N1+1NL2
@::: 3he Counsellors are responsible for stimulating) counselling and assisting National Spiritual
Assemblies) and also 7or6 7ith indi'iduals) groups and =ocal Assemblies:
@:::if the Counsellors find that a National Spiritual Assembly is not functioning properly) they should
not hesitate to consult 7ith the National Spiritual Assembly about this in a fran6 and lo'ing 7ay:E
&<rom a messa$e of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the 3ontinental ,oards of 3ounsellors and ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Octo)er 1/
19M9. <essages from the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice/ 19M8+1903/ pp! 31/ 3L2
1302. !erms of )ffice of the Continental Co"nsellors
@/n 9une "#+# 7e 7ere mo'ed to announce that the duration of the terms of office of Continental
Counsellors 7ould be fi'e years) to start on the 8ay of the Co'enant of this year::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ o"em)er 3/ 19812
1323. .elationship of Co"nsellors to :ational %pirit"al Assemblies
@3he relationship of Continental Boards of Counsellors to National Spiritual Assemblies 7ill follo7 the
pattern of the relationship bet7een the Hands of the Cause and National Spiritual Assemblies) outlined
by the belo'ed >uardian in 'arious communications: Hithin the frame7or6 of these) and of general
instructions gi'en to them by the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice) the Boards of Counsellors 7ill decide the
manner in 7hich they 7ill collaborate and consult 7ith National Spiritual Assemblies in their areas::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Eune LN/ 19M82
1321. .elationship *etween *oards of Co"nsellors and :ational %pirit"al Assemblies
@3he statement that the Boards of Counsellors outran6 the National /nstitutions of the aith has a
number of implications: A Board of Counsellors has the particular responsibility of caring for the
protection and propagation of the aith throughout a continental Cone 7hich contains a number of
national Bah communities: /n performing these tas6s it neither directs nor instructs the Spiritual
Assemblies or indi'idual belie'ers) but it has the necessary ran6 to enable it to ensure that it is 6ept
properly informed and that the Spiritual Assemblies gi'e due consideration to its ad'ice and
recommendations: Ho7e'er) the essence of the relationships bet7een Bah institutions is lo'ing
consultation and a common desire to ser'e the Cause of >od rather than a matter of ran6 or station:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ 6arch L0/ 19082
1322. !he Co"nsellors and A"?iliary *oard #embers Are Free from Administrati1e
.esponsibilities
@3he National Spiritual Assembly has the responsibility to formulate its plans and prosecute them: 3he
Boards of Counsellors outran6 the National /nstitutions of the aith and are not engaged in the conduct
and administering of these plans: 3his aloofness in itself pro'ides them 7ith the opportunity to
concentrate on the general and 'ital issues of the Cause) and enables them to pro'ide guidance to the
National Spiritual Assemblies) 7hich are usually 7eighed do7n 7ith the numberless current tas6s and
issues of the day0to0day 7or6 of the community: urthermore) such freedom from administrati'e
responsibilities ma6es it possible for the Counsellors and their Au?iliary Board members to be remo'ed
from the entanglements and in'ol'ements that engagement in administrati'e duties sometimes entails)
and heightens their capacity to be a source of inspiration and stimulation to the friends:E
&<rom a summar5 of points prepared )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ )ased on a letter from that ,od5 to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/
6a5 L1/ 19012
132. !he Co"nsellors and the :ational %pirit"al Assemblies 5a1e )ne Common )bFecti1e
@3he Counsellors and the National Spiritual Assemblies ha'e one common obBecti'e 7hich is ser'ice to
the Cause and the promotion and protection of its interests: 3he closer the collaboration bet7een these
t7o institutions the richer 7ill be the blessings sho7ered upon them and the community:E
&I)id!2
132'. !he Co"nsellors Follow in the Footsteps of the 5ands of the Ca"se
@3he Hands of the Cause ha'e the essential duties of propagation and protection of the aith: Although
the Counsellors occupy a ran6 lo7er than that of the Hands of the Cause) they are ne'ertheless charged
7ith the same t7o responsibilities and follo7 in the footsteps of the Hands of the Cause:E
&I)id!2
132(. !he F"nctions of the Co"nsellors and the %pirit"al Assemblies are Complementary
@Since the functions of the propagation and the protection of the aith are among the duties of Spiritual
Assemblies) 7holehearted collaboration and regular) continuous and full consultation bet7een these
Assemblies and the institution of the Counsellors are necessary: /t should not be assumed that these t7o
arms act independently of each other and are not in need of the essential support 7hich each must gi'e
to the other: 3he functions are indeed complementary:E
&I)id!2
132-. !he Proper F"nctionin6 of %ociety .eC"ires Preser1ation of .an$s and Classes
@/t is clear from the Hritings of Bahullh) as 7ell as from those of AAbdul0Bah and the
interpretations of the >uardian) that the proper functioning of human society reDuires the preser'ation of
ran6s and classes 7ithin its membership: 3he friends should recogniCe this 7ithout en'y or Bealousy) and
those 7ho occupy ran6s should ne'er e?ploit their position or regard themsel'es as being superior to
others::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ 6arch L0/ 19082
132/. Pride and %elf-A66randisement are Amon6 the #ost Deadly of %ins
@Courtesy) re'erence) dignity) respect for the ran6 and achie'ements of others are 'irtues 7hich
contribute to the harmony and 7ell0being of e'ery community) but pride and self0aggrandisement are
among the most deadly of sins:
@3he House of 9ustice hopes that all the friends 7ill remember that the ultimate aim in life of e'ery
soul should be to attain spiritual e?cellence:::to 7in the good pleasure of >od: 3he true spiritual station
of any soul is 6no7n only to >od: /t is Duite a different thing from the ran6s and stations that men and
7omen occupy in the 'arious sectors of society: Hhoe'er has his eyes fi?ed on the goal of attaining the
good pleasure of >od 7ill accept 7ith Boy and radiant acDuiescence 7hate'er 7or6 or station is assigned
to him in the Cause of >od) and 7ill reBoice to ser'e Him under all conditions:
@3here are many passages on this theme in the Holy Hritings) and the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice
hopes that these remar6s 7ill help the friends to turn to them and understand their purport:E
&I)id!2
1320. Differentials of .an$ #eant to CanaliHe@ not )bstr"ct the 7or$ of the Ca"se
@:::the transcendent spirit of lo'ing cooperation 7hich must moti'ate and infuse the conduct of any
institution or any belie'er) 7hether he labours in the capacity of a member of an institution or as an
indi'idual 7ho desires to ad'ance the interests of the aith: 3he differentials of ran6) functions or
procedures bet7een agencies of the Bah administration are meant to canaliCe) not obstruct) the 7or6
of the CauseI and it is the fer'ent hope of the House of 9ustice that these aspects of the administration
7ill properly be 'ie7ed in the conte?t of humble ser'ice to the Blessed 2erfection) 7hich is the loftiest
obBecti'e of all 7ho gather under the banner of the <ost >reat Name:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Octo)er 11/ 19832
1322. Co"nsellors %ho"ld Di1e 7ide &atit"de to A"?iliary *oard #embers in Carryin6 o"t !heir
7or$
@3he Counsellors in each continental Cone ha'e 7ide latitude in the carrying out of their 7or6: =i6e7ise
they should gi'e to each Au?iliary Board member considerable freedom of action 7ithin his o7n
allocated area: Although the Counsellors should regularly direct the 7or6 of the Au?iliary Board
members) the latter should realise that they need not 7ait for directionI the nature of their 7or6 is such
that they should be continually engaged in it according to their o7n best Budgement) e'en if they are
gi'en no specific tas6s to perform: Abo'e all the Au?iliary Board members should build up a 7arm and
lo'ing relationship bet7een themsel'es and the belie'ers in their area so that the =ocal Spiritual
Assemblies 7ill spontaneously turn to them for ad'ice and assistance:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the 3ontinental ,oards of 3ounsellors and the ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Octo)er
1/ 19M92
1133. Assemblies Plan and Direct the 7or$!he Plans %ho"ld be 7ell Gnown to Co"nsellors and
A"?iliary *oard #embers
@/t is the Spiritual Assemblies 7ho plan and direct the 7or6) but these plans should be 7ell 6no7n to the
Counsellors and Au?iliary Board members) because one of the 7ays in 7hich they can assist the
Assemblies is by urging the belie'ers continually to support the plans of the Assemblies: /f a National
Spiritual Assembly has adopted one goal as preeminent in a year) the Au?iliary Board members should
bear this in mind in all their contacts 7ith the belie'ers and should direct their attention to the plans of
the National Assembly) and stimulate them to enthusiastically support them:E
&I)id!2
1131. !he Co"nsellors #ay .eport #iscond"ct of Indi1id"als to the :ational %pirit"al Assembly
!hro"6h *oard #ember
@/nformation about the conduct of indi'iduals 7hich ad'ersely affects the interests of the aith may be
con'eyed by the Counsellors to the National Spiritual Assembly either directly or) if the Counsellors so
choose) through one or more of their Au?iliary Board members: 3he method of con'eyance of such
information is left to the discretion of the Counsellors:
@Any matter 7hich is related to the protection of the aith is ob'iously a primary concern of the
National Assembly) as it is of the Counsellors:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the >ir$in Islands/ Eune 1M/ 198L2
1132. E1ery Instit"tion of this Di1inely Created )rder is )ne #ore .ef"6e for a !otterin6 %ociety
@E'ery institution of this di'inely created 5rder is one more refuge for a distraught populaceI e'ery soul
illumined by the light of the sacred <essage is one more lin6 in the oneness of man6ind) one more
ser'ant ministering to the needs of an ailing 7orld: E'en should the Bah communities) in the years
immediately ahead) be cut off from the Horld Centre or from one anotherQas some ha'e already been
Qthe Bahs 7ill neither halt nor hesitateI they 7ill continue to pursue their obBecti'es) guided by their
Spiritual Assemblies) and led by the Counsellors) the members of the Au?iliary Boards and their
assistants:::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ 6a5 L@/ 190@2
)$ Au=iliar* Boards for 'rotection and 'ro-agation
113. !wo A"?iliary *oards with Distinct *"t Complementary F"nctions Established by the
D"ardian
@3he belo'ed >uardians message of 5ctober "#1+ clearly indicates that the t7o Au?iliary Boards must
ha'e distinct but complementary functions: /n that message he charges the 2rotection Board 7ith Athe
specific duty of 7atching o'er the security of the aith and says that the duty of the 2ropagation Board
7ould Ahenceforth be e?clusi'ely concerned 7ith assisting the prosecution of the 3en0Mear 2lan:
@/t must also be borne in mind that these t7in agencies deri'e their complementary functions from one
and the same source) are interrelated) and their members act as Adeputies) Aassistants and Aad'isers of
the Hands of the Cause of >od) and) no7) the Continental Boards of Counsellors: /t is further clear that
Shoghi Effendi 7as reluctant to specify in too great detail matters related to the functioning of the
Au?iliary Boards) preferring to lea'e such things to be 7or6ed out in the light of e?perience:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the International Teachin$ 3entre/ Octo)er 11/ 190M2
113'. Areas for the Protection *oard and Propa6ation *oard are not :ecessarily the %ame
@2ro'ision for the 7or6 of the Au?iliary Boards is set forth in the By0=a7s of the Jni'ersal House of
9ustice: See page "*) Article O of the printed copy of A3he Constitution of the Jni'ersal House of
9ustice: Ho7e'er) the areas for the 2rotection Boards and the 2ropagation Boards need not be the same:
3hey can o'erlap:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the 7ands of the 3ause in the 7ol5 #and/ (u$ust 3/ 19032
113(. In E?ceptional Circ"mstances )ne *oard #ember #i6ht Co1er an Area
@/t is desirable that e'ery part of each Cone ha'e both a 2rotection Board member and a 2ropagation
Board member responsible for it) ne'ertheless it is 7ithin the discretion of each Board of Counsellors to
assign a member of only one of the Boards to an area if) in the light of the conditions in that area) it
belie'es this 7ould be preferable:E
&<rom a memorandum of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the 7ands of the 3ause in the 7ol5 #and/ Octo)er 0/ 19032
113-. Ad1isable that A"?iliary *oard #ember .eside in Area 7hich 5e %er1es
@As you 6no7) the belo'ed >uardian repeatedly emphasiCed the importance of Au?iliary Board
members 'isiting Assemblies and groups in the respecti'e areas ser'ed by them: Hhile details
concerning the appointment and functioning of the members of Au?iliary Boards are left to the
Counsellors) in light of the >uardians instructions cited abo'e) they should ta6e into consideration) in
ma6ing a ne7 appointment) the ad'isability of that appointee residing in the area 7hich he ser'es:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the International Teachin$ 3entre/ <e)ruar5 N/ 190M2
113/. #any of the F"nctions of #embers of the !wo *oards and Assemblies are 5eld in Common
@/n implementing their functions the members of the t7o Au?iliary Boards 7ill often be promoting the
same thingI moreo'er) many of their functions are held in common especially in the areas of
consolidation and deepening) and it is left to each Board of Counsellors to determine the range of
responsibility assigned to each Au?iliary Board member so that in the circumstances of each area
ma?imum collaboration is achie'ed: E?perience has sho7n that good results can usually be obtained
7hen the Counsellors consult upon these matters 7ith their Au?iliary Board members:
@/t should) furthermore) be remembered that these self0same functions are being carried out by the
Assemblies) National and =ocal) and their committees) 7hich ha'e at this time the great responsibility
for actually e?ecuting the teaching plans and for administering) consolidating and protecting the Bah
communities: 3he Au?iliary Board members should thus 7atch carefully that their 7or6 reinforces and
complements that of the administrati'e institutions:E
1130. !he #embers of the *oards %ho"ld Enco"ra6e the Friends and Assemblies to be 8nified
@3he members of the Boards in turn should encourage the friendsQindi'iduals and Assemblies ali6eQ
through correspondence and through 'isits) and impress upon them that the foundation of all of our
acti'ities is unityI they should encourage the friends to be unified under all circumstances) so that the
7or6 may go ahead 7ith the confirmation of the Holy Spirit: 3he members of the Boards should
li6e7ise encourage the friends to contribute freely to the 'arious unds 7hich ha'e been established) as
the unds are the life0blood of the Community) and the 7or6 cannot be carried for7ard unless the life0
blood is constantly circulating:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the 7ands of the 3ause of %od/ Eune 0/ 19@N2
1132. A"?iliary *oards 7ill %tim"late and 5elp !eachin6 7or$
@3he >uardian feels sure that the Au?iliary Boards ::: 7ill stimulate and help the teaching 7or6) 7hich
of course includes pioneer 7or6) and be a prop and mainstay to the often o'er07or6ed and o'er0
burdened National Spiritual Assemblies::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the (merican ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eune L1/ 19@N. Au?iliary Board <embers/ a
World 3entre compilation dated 6arch L@/ 19M92
1113. A"?iliary *oard #embers Free to 5a1e Direct Contact with Indi1id"als and &ocal Assemblies
@::: Au?iliary Board <embers are not only free) but are urged) in accordance 7ith the 7ritings of the
belo'ed >uardian) to ha'e direct contact 7ith the indi'idual friends) as 7ell as the =ocal Spiritual
Assemblies: /t is at this 'ery foundation of the administrati'e structure of the aith 7here so often 7e
find) alas) 7ea6ness and inefficiency:E
&<rom a letter written )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of :$anda and 3entral (frica/ Decem)er 1@/
19M@. I)id!2
1111. !he Friends %ho"ld Feel Free to .efer to Either A"?iliary *oard #ember
@3he Duestion has been raised as to ho7 =ocal Spiritual Assemblies and indi'idual belie'ers are to 6no7
7hich matters they should refer to 7hich Au?iliary Board member: He feel that this 7ill be 7or6ed out
at the local le'el in the light of e?perience) and that mean7hile the Assemblies and belie'ers should not
concern themsel'es unduly about it: 3hey should feel free to refer to either Board) and if the Au?iliary
Board member feels that the matter 7ould better ha'e been referred to his colleague) he can either
himself pass the Duestion on) or suggest the different approach to the Assembly or belie'er: 3his is
similar to the situation) already familiar to Board members) 7hen they ha'e referred to them a matter
7hich should properly be dealt 7ith by a National Spiritual Assembly or one of its committees:E
1112. Protection *oard #embers, .esponsibilities
@3he need to protect the aith from the attac6s of its enemies is not generally appreciated by the friends
because such attac6s) particularly in the Hest) ha'e so far been intermittent: Ho7e'er) 7e 6no7 that
these attac6s 7ill increase and 7ill become concerted and uni'ersal: 3he 7ritings of our aith clearly
foreshado7 not only an intensification of the machinations of internal enemies) 7hether religious or
secular) as our belo'ed aith pursues its on7ard march to7ards ultimate 'ictory: 3herefore) in the light
of the 7arnings of Shoghi Effendi) the Au?iliary Boards for 2rotection should 6eep Aconstantly a
A7atchful eye on those A7ho are 6no7n to be enemies or to ha'e been put out of the aith) discreetly
Ain'estigate their acti'ities) 7arn intelligently the friends of the opposition ine'itably to come) e?plain
ho7 each crisis in >ods aith has al7ays pro'ed to be a blessing in disguise) prepare them for the Adire
contests 7hich are Adestined to range the Army of =ight against the forces of dar6ness) and) 7hen the
influence of the enemies spreads and reaches their fold) the members of these Au?iliary Boards should
be alert to their schemes to Adampen the Ceal and sap the loyalty of the belie'ers and) by adopting A7ise
and effecti'e measures) counteract these schemes and arrest the spread of their influence: Abo'e all) the
members of the 2rotection Boards should concentrate on deepening the friends 6no7ledge of the
Co'enant and increasing their lo'e and loyalty to it) on clearly and fran6ly ans7ering) in conformity
7ith the teachings) 7hate'er Duestions may trouble any of the belie'ers) on fostering the spiritual
profundity and strength of their aith and certitude) and on promoting 7hate'er 7ill increase the spirit of
lo'ing unity in Bah communities:E
&I)id!2
111. #oral Problems %ho"ld be Dealt with )nly 7hen they Arise
@::: He feel that instead of ha'ing Board <embers in'estigate the pri'ate li'es of belie'ers) the Board
<embers should be called upon to educate the belie'ers regarding the principles of the aith and that
problems in'ol'ing alleged immorality or irregularities in marital status should be dealt 7ith only 7hen
they arise: 3hese problems should not be sought out:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the 7ands of the 3ause in the 7ol5 #and/ (u$ust 1N/ 190N2
111'. Propa6ation *oard #embers, .esponsibilities
@3he primary tas6s of the 2ropagation Boards) ho7e'er) are to direct the belie'ers attention to the goals
of 7hate'er plans ha'e been placed before them) to stimulate and assist them to promote the teaching
7or6 in the fields of proclamation) e?pansion) consolidation and pioneering) to encourage contributions
to the funds) and to act as standard0bearers of the teachers of the aith) leading them to ne7
achie'ements in the diffusion of >ods <essage to their fello7 human beings:E
&I)id!2
111(. #embers of A"?iliary *oards %ho"ld be Freed From Administrati1e .esponsibilities
@<embers of the Au?iliary Boards should be freed from administrati'e responsibilities including ser'ing
on Committees and as delegates to con'entions: /n the e'ent of any member of a National Assembly
accepting appointment to a Board) the National Assembly should accept this as 'alid reason for that
members resignation from the AssemblyI should a Board <ember be elected to a National Assembly) he
must choose on 7hich body he 7ill ser'e:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)lies of the ,ah-*? World/ o"em)er 19MN2
111-. A"?iliary *oard #ember #"st Decide 7hat to .eport to the &ocal %pirit"al Assembly
%enerall5/ the more <reel5 Information is 4hared ,etween Institutions/ the ,etter
@/n ans7er to your fourth Duestion) the House of 9ustice instructs us to say that an element of Budgement
is reDuired in deciding 7hat are and 7hat are not Aadministrati'e matters: /mmoral actions of belie'ers)
for e?ample) generally become subBects for administrati'e action only 7hen they are blatant or flagrant)
and reflect on the good name of the aith: /f a belie'er turns to an assistant or Au?iliary Board member
for ad'ice on a personal matter it is for the assistant or Au?iliary Board member to decide 7hether he
should ad'ise the belie'er to turn to his Spiritual Assembly) 7hether he should himself gi'e ad'ice and)
in either case) 7hether he should report the matter to the Counsellors) or to the =ocal Assembly) 7hich)
of course) 7ould depend upon the degree of confidentiality he had underta6en to obser'e: =i6e7ise) it is
for the Counsellor to decide 7hether it is a matter of 7hich the National Assembly should be informed:
All this is) of course) 7ithin the general conte?t that) apart from matters 7hich ought to remain
confidential) the more freely information is shared bet7een the institutions of the aith the better:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the >ir$in Islands/ (u$ust L/ 198L2
111/. *oard #ember %ho"ld Feel .esponsible *efore Dod in the Dischar6e of his .esponsibilities
@Each Au?iliary Board <ember 7ho is allotted a specific area in 7hich to ser'e) should establish
contact 7ith the =ocal Spiritual Assemblies and other localities of his area) encourage and guide all such
centres in the implementation of the goals of the 2lan) become informed of the relati'e strength and
7ea6ness of each locality) and feel responsible before >od in the discharge of his responsibilities:
Should he lose contact 7ith a particular =ocal Spiritual Assembly or locality) he should use his initiati'e
in finding a satisfactory solution to the problem: He should also send his reports and recommendations
to the Counsellors on a regular basis:E
&<rom a summar5 of points prepared )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ )ased on a letter from that ,od5 to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/
dated 6a5 L1/ 19012
I$ Au=iliar* Board ,e&ber Assistants
1110. Appointment of A"?iliary *oard #embers, Assistants
@:::7e ha'e decided to ta6e a further step in the de'elopment of the institution by gi'ing to each
Continental Board of Counsellors the discretion to authoriCe indi'idual Au?iliary Board members to
appoint assistants:::
@3he e?act nature of the duties and the duration of the appointment of the assistants is also left to each
Continental Board to decide for itself: 3heir aims should be to acti'ate and encourage =ocal Spiritual
Assemblies) to call the attention of =ocal Spiritual Assembly members to the importance of holding
regular meetings) to encourage local communities to meet for the Nineteen 8ay easts and Holy 8ays)
to help deepen their fello70belie'ers understanding of the 3eachings) and generally to assist the
Au?iliary Board members in the discharge of their duties::::
@::: Belie'ers can ser'e at the same time both as assistants to Au?iliary Board members and on
administrati'e institutions:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ Octo)er 0/ 19032
1112. Primary Aim of Assistants is to %tim"late and Assist the *elie1ers
@3he establishment and strong gro7th of =ocal Spiritual Assemblies is one of the most fundamental
reDuirements for the spread of the <essage of Bahullh) the de'elopment of Bah community life
and the emergence of a transformed society:::
@Already a number of specific steps ha'e been ta6en by the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice to assist
National Spiritual Assemblies to7ards the attainment of these obBecti'es: 3he most far0reaching of these
steps is the authority gi'en to members of the Au?iliary Boards to appoint assistants 7hose primary aim
is to stimulate and assist the belie'ers to bring into being and to consolidate =ocal Spiritual Assemblies
in all localities 7here nine or more Bahs reside) and to ad'ise and assist these Assemblies in the
performance of their >od0gi'en duties: 3he effects of the appointment of assistants by Au?iliary Board
members are beginning to appear and 7ill undoubtedly bear more and more fruit as the months pass:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ 6arch M/ 19002
1123. An Assistant #ay %er1e !wo *oard #embers
@As to the Assistants) it is e'ident that the 2ropagation Board members are in greater need of assistants:
Ho7e'er) this should not inhibit the appointment and use of assistants by 2rotection Board members: /t
may be found that in many areas the appointment of only one Assistant to attend to both functions 7ill
pro'e sufficient for the time being) but 7e foresee a time 7hen this situation may 7ell change: Here
again) the 7ay in 7hich relationships are 7or6ed out and coordinated must remain fle?ible and
dependent on local conditions:E
1121. !he 5o"se of 9"stice Prefers that Assistants not .etire from Administrati1e 7or$
@As you 6no7) 7hen informing the Bahs of the 7orld in 5ctober "#+% of its decision to authoriCe the
appointment of belie'ers to assist Au?iliary Board members in the discharge of their duties) the House of
9ustice said that such appointees can ser'e at the same time both as assistants to Au?iliary Board
members and on administrati'e institutions: As is often the case) a belie'er 7hose 6no7ledge of the
3eachings and de'otion to the aith ma6e him or her a logical choice to ser'e on an Assembly becomes
a suitable candidate for appointment as an assistant to an Au?iliary Board member: 3he House of 9ustice
leans to7ards assistants not retiring from administrati'e 7or6) although in consultation 7ith their
Spiritual Assembly it may be Duite in orderI it 7ould be preferable) ho7e'er) for the suggestion to come
from the appointee and not from the Spiritual Assembly:E
198L2
1122. Assistant F"nctions Indi1id"ally@ Does not F"nction in .elation to :ational Assembly@
%ho"ld Foster 7arm .elationship *etween &ocal Assembly and *oard #ember
@/n the relationship bet7een assistants and the National Spiritual Assembly no problems should arise)
because the functions are entirely separate: An assistant is appointed by an Au?iliary Board member to
help him in a specified area of the territory and he functions as an assistant only in relation to that area:
Assistants) li6e Au?iliary Board members) function indi'idually) not as a consultati'e body: Assistants
7ho are members of a National Assembly or a national committee do not function as assistants in
relation to that body) and they ha'e the same duty to obser'e the confidentiality of its consultations) and
of matters considered by the Assembly to be confidential) as does any other member: An assistant can) of
course) be a member of a =ocal Spiritual Assembly) but his tas6 here as an Assistant is to help the
Spiritual Assembly to function harmoniously and efficiently in the discharge of its duties and this 7ill
hardly succeed if he gi'es the Assembly the feeling that he is reporting pri'ately e'erything it does to the
Au?iliary Board member: He should) on the contrary) do all he can to foster an atmosphere of 7arm and
lo'ing collaboration bet7een the =ocal Assembly and the Board member:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the >ir$in Islands/ (u$ust L/ 198L2
112. Principle of Confidentiality Applies to Assistant 7ho is Assembly #ember6ost 4u)=ects
Dealt with (re not 3onfidential
@E'ery institution in the aith has certain matters 7hich it considers should be 6ept confidential) and any
member 7ho is pri'y to such confidential information is obliged to preser'e the confidentiality 7ithin
the institution 7here he learned it: Such matters) ho7e'er) are but a small portion of the business of any
Bah institution: <ost subBects dealt 7ith are of common interest and can be discussed openly 7ith
anyone: Hhere no confidentiality is in'ol'ed the institutions must stri'e to a'oid the stifling atmosphere
of secrecyI on the other hand) e'ery belie'er must 6no7 that he can confide a personal problem to an
institution of the aith 7ith the assurance that 6no7ledge of the matter 7ill remain confidential:
@<embers of Assemblies) 7hether they are assistants or not) are ob'iously in a position to recei'e
confidential information as indi'iduals from se'eral sources: /t is an important principle of the aith that
one must not promise 7hat one is not going to fulfil: 3herefore) if a Bah accepts confidential
information either by 'irtue of his profession Fe:g:) as a doctor) a la7yer) etc:G) or by permitting another
person to confide in him) he is duty bound to preser'e that confidentiality:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ (u$ust L/ 198L2
/$ Relationshi-s Bet"een Counsellors0 Au=iliar* Board ,e&bers and
Assistants and National and Local Asse&blies and Co&&ittees
112'. A"thority and Direction Flow From the Assemblies3ounsellors/ (u;iliar5 ,oard 6em)ers
and (ssistants (d"ise/ 4timulate and (ssist
@Authority and direction flo7 from the Assemblies) 7hereas the po7er to accomplish the tas6s resides
primarily in the entire body of the belie'ers: /t is the principal tas6 of the Au?iliary Boards to assist in
arousing and releasing this po7er: 3his is a 'ital acti'ity) and if they are to be able to perform it
adeDuately they must a'oid becoming in'ol'ed in the 7or6 of administration: or e?ample) 7hen
Au?iliary Board members arouse belie'ers to pioneer) any belie'er 7ho e?presses his desire to do so
should be referred to the appropriate committee 7hich 7ill then organise the proBect: Counsellors and
Au?iliary Board members should not) themsel'es) organise pioneering or tra'el teaching proBects: 3hus
it is seen that the Au?iliary Boards should 7or6 closely 7ith the grass roots of the community! the
indi'idual belie'ers) groups and =ocal Spiritual Assemblies) ad'ising) stimulating and assisting them:
3he Counsellors are responsible for stimulating) counselling and assisting National Spiritual Assemblies)
and also 7or6 7ith indi'iduals) groups and =ocal Assemblies:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to 3ontinental ,oards of 3ounsellors and ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Octo)er 1/ 19M9.
3he Continental Boards of Counsellors/ Wilmette/ 1981/ pp! 30+382
112(. A"?iliary *oard #ember #ay #eet with &ocal %pirit"al Assembly )ccasionally
@3he National Spiritual Assembly should by all means encourage close co0operation and collaboration
bet7een the Au?iliary Board members and the =ocal Spiritual Assemblies) but it is not reDuired that an
Au?iliary Board member be present at all =ocal Assembly meetings: At occasional meetings) 7hen the
=ocal Spiritual Assembly 7ishes to discuss matters regarding the progress of the Cause in certain areas)
for instance) attendance by a member of the Au?iliary Board 7ould be of assistance) but such matters
should be left to the discretion of the =ocal Spiritual Assemblies concerned: 5f course 7hene'er an
Au?iliary Board member feels it necessary to consult 7ith the =ocal Spiritual Assembly) he or she may
reDuest the Assembly to hold a meeting in his presence for the particular subBect:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,urma/ Eul5 13/ 198M2
112-. .elationship *etween A"?iliary *oard #embers and &ocal Assemblies %ho"ld not be
5ampered by .e6"lations
@:::7e feel it important to stress that the relationship bet7een Au?iliary Board members and =ocal
Spiritual Assemblies should not be hampered by regulationsI the methods of submitting informationQ
either by minutes or other7iseQare optional::: 3he relationship bet7een Au?iliary Board members and
=ocal Spiritual Assemblies should not be a matter of rights and prerogati'esI it should be one of lo'ing
and 7holehearted collaboration) in the spirit of the belo'ed >uardians statement that Athe 6eynote of the
Cause of >od is not dictatorial authority but humble fello7ship) not arbitrary po7er) but the spirit of
fran6 and lo'ing consultation:E
&<rom a memorandum of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the 7ands of the 3ause of %od in the 7ol5 #and/ Octo)er 0/ 19012
112/. Problems with *oard #embers to be .eported to Co"nsellors
@/n general the House of 9ustice feels that 7here a National Spiritual Assembly has reason to belie'e that
the actions of an Au?iliary Board member are gi'ing rise to problems in a community) it is preferable for
it to report the matter to the Counsellors rather than approach the Board member directly: But 7here the
matter is purely personal it may be preferable for the Assembly to ta6e it up 7ith the Board member
himself initially in the hope that the problem can be sol'ed confidentially although) of course) any
serious problem 7ith a Board member should be reported to the Counsellors in any case: =i6e7ise) if the
issue is a small and unimportant one it may be simply sol'ed by direct action and not Bustify in'o6ing
the action of the Counsellors:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the 4outh West Pacific/ Octo)er L@/
19002
1120. Co"nsellors :eed not Cons"lt with :ational %pirit"al Assembly Abo"t Appointments
@He ha'e your letter of ,$th No'ember "#*$) informing us of the appointment of ::: as a member of the
Au?iliary Board) and raising the Duestion as to 7hether the Continental Board of Counsellors should
consult 7ith National Spiritual Assemblies before appointing Au?iliary Board members from the
membership of a National Spiritual Assembly:
@/nasmuch as the appointee himself must decide 7hether or not he can accept the appointment 7e see
no necessity for a Continental Board of Counsellors to consult 7ith National Spiritual Assemblies)
e?cept in 'ery e?ceptional circumstances) and in such instances it is 7ithin the discretion of the
Continental Board of Counsellors as to 7hether they 7ill do so:
@Ho7e'er) the appointee is free to consult 7ith his National Spiritual Assembly as to 7hether or not he
should accept the appointment to the Au?iliary Board:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ital5/ Decem)er 10/ 19M8. 3he
Continental Board of Counsellors/ op! cit!/ p! 3M2
1122. Datherin6s of Co"nsellors@ *oard #embers@ :ational Assembly #embers and Committee
#embers Enco"ra6ed
@:::in the implementation of that plan) there should be the closest collaboration bet7een the National
Spiritual Assembly and its committees and the =ocal Spiritual Assemblies on the one hand) and the
Counsellors) Au?iliary Board members and their assistants on the other: An aspect of this collaboration
could 7ell be the gathering) if circumstances permit) of Counsellors and Au?iliary Board members 7ith
the National Assembly and its committees in a meeting 7here) because of their ine'itable in'ol'ement in
the operations of the plan) all together can become acDuainted 7ith the details of it and) at the same time)
engender the esprit de corps necessary to its successful e?ecution:E
113. A"?iliary *oard #embers and Committees %ho"ld E?chan6e Information
@:::it is permissible and highly desirable to ha'e a direct and regular e?change of information bet7een
the committees and the Au?iliary Board members:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Eul5 19002
111. *oard #ember .eports and .ecommendations are %ent to Co"nsellors@ not to :ational
Assembly or Committees
@&eports and recommendations for action) ho7e'er) are Duite different: Au?iliary Board members
should send theirs to the Counsellors and not to the National Assemblies or national committees directly:
/t is possible that the Counsellors may reBect or modify the recommendationI or) if they accept it and
pass it on to the National Spiritual Assembly) the National Assembly may decide to refuse it: or an
Au?iliary Board <ember to ma6e recommendations directly to a national committee 7ould lose the
benefit of the 6no7ledge and e?perience in a 7ider field than that of 7hich the Au?iliary Board member
is a7are) and 7ould short0circuit and undermine the authority of both the Counsellors and the National
Assembly:
@Similarly) although an Au?iliary Board member can and should recei'e information from the National
Assemblies and national committees) his primary source of information about the community should be
his o7n direct contacts 7ith =ocal Spiritual Assemblies) groups and indi'idual belie'ers: /n this 7ay the
Counsellors as 7ell as the National Spiritual Assemblies ha'e the benefit of t7o independent sources of
information about the community! through the Au?iliary Board members on the one hand) and through
the national committees on the other:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the 3ontinental ,oards of 3ounsellors and ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Octo)er 1/
19M92
112. :ational %pirit"al Assemblies %ho"ld .efer to Protection *oard #ember for Protection
#atters
@/t is the duty of =ocal and National Spiritual Assemblies to refer to the Au?iliary Board members for
protection matters 7hich may in'ol'e not only possible Co'enant0brea6ing) but also problems of
disunity 7ithin the community) the remo'al of 'oting rights or any other matters in 7hich you feel the
guidance and ad'ice of the 2rotection Boards may be helpful to the institutions of the aith: 3he
Au?iliary Board members of course 6eep the Continental Board of Counsellors informed and the
Counsellors then ta6e 7hate'er steps they feel are called for:
@Mou are free at any time to refer to the Continental Board of Counsellors and the Au?iliary Board
members for protection any matters about 7hich you are not clear in'ol'ing the security of the aith in
your area and you 7ill al7ays find them 7illing to assist you in dealing 7ith such problems:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of >eneJuela/ Octo)er 1/ 19092
11. Administrati1e Instit"tions #ay .eC"est A"?iliary *oard #ember to Perform Certain !as$s
@A National Spiritual Assembly) National Committee or =ocal Spiritual Assembly may directly reDuest
an Au?iliary Board member to perform such tas6s as spea6ing at summer schools) appearing on
tele'ision) etc: /t should) of course) be left to the discretion of the Au?iliary Board member to determine
7hether such a reDuest 7ould clash 7ith his other commitments:E
11'. A"?iliary *oard #embers !each@ Ad1ise on@ )bser1e and .eport on Administration
@Assemblies sometimes misunderstand 7hat is meant by the statement that Counsellors and Au?iliary
Board members are concerned 7ith the teaching 7or6 and not 7ith administration: /t is ta6en to mean
that they may not gi'e ad'ice on administrati'e matters: 3his is Duite 7rong: 5ne of the things that
Counsellors and Au?iliary Board members should 7atch and report on is the proper 7or6ing of
administrati'e institutions: 3he statement that they do not ha'e anything to do 7ith administration
means) simply) that they do not administer: 3hey do not direct or organise the teaching 7or6 nor do they
adBudicate in matters of personal conflict or personal problems: All these acti'ities fall 7ithin the sphere
of responsibility of the Spiritual Assemblies: But if an Au?iliary Board member finds a =ocal Spiritual
Assembly functioning incorrectly he should call its attention to the appropriate 3e?tsI li6e7ise if) in his
7or6 7ith the community) an Au?iliary Board member finds that the teaching 7or6 is being held up by
inefficiency of national committees) he should report this in detail to the Counsellors 7ho 7ill then
decide 7hether to refer it to the National Spiritual Assembly concerned: Similarly) if the Counsellors
find that a National Spiritual Assembly is not functioning properly) they should not hesitate to consult
7ith the National Spiritual Assembly about this in a fran6 and lo'ing 7ay:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the 3ontinental ,oards of 3ounsellors and ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Octo)er 1/
19M9. 3he Continental Boards of Counsellors/ op! cit!/ pp! 39+N12
11(. It is not :ecessary to Inform :ational Assembly 7hen *oard #embers Are 7or$in6 with a
&ocal %pirit"al Assembly
@/t is not necessary for the Continental Board of Counsellors to inform the National Spiritual Assembly
7hene'er an Au?iliary Board member is 7or6ing 7ith a =ocal Spiritual Assembly in their area:
Ho7e'er) it is anticipated that a cordial relationship 7ill be maintained bet7een the Continental Board
of Counsellors and the National Assembly and that the Continental Board of Counsellors 7ill share 7ith
the National Spiritual Assembly such information as they feel 7ill assist the National Assembly in their
7or6:
@:::it is not necessary that a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors or an Au?iliary Board
member obtain the consent of the National Spiritual Assembly before contacting a =ocal Spiritual
Assembly: Ho7e'er) an attitude of courtesy) respect and understanding on the part of both the
administrati'e institutions and the Counsellors and their Au?iliary Board members should characteriCe
their relationships to each other: 3hus 7hen a member of the Au?iliary Board 7ishes to meet 7ith the
=ocal Spiritual Assembly) both the Board member and the =ocal Spiritual Assembly should try to
arrange a mutually satisfactory time as far in ad'ance as possible:E
&<rom a communication of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the 7ands of the 3ause in the 7ol5 #and/ 6a5 11/ 19012
11-. :ational Assemblies %ho"ld A1ail !hemsel1es of %er1ices of A"?iliary *oard #embers and
!heir Assistants
@3he National Spiritual Assemblies in consultation 7ith the Counsellors should a'ail themsel'es of the
ser'ices of the Au?iliary Board members and their assistants) 7ho) together A7ith the tra'elling teachers
selected by the Assembly or its 3eaching Committees) should be continuously encouraged to conduct
deepening courses ::: and to ma6e regular 'isits to =ocal Spiritual Assemblies:
@3he 'isitors) 7hether Au?iliary Board members) their assistants or tra'elling teachers Ashould meet on
such occasions not only 7ith the =ocal Assembly but) of course) 7ith the local community members)
collecti'ely at general meetings and e'en) if necessary) indi'idually in their homes:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ aw+RGJ 1909/ citin$ a letter dated
<e)ruar5 L/ 19MM to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies en$a$ed in 6ass Teachin$ Work2
996III$ LANG!AG(%
11/. &ea1e Dranted to be Instr"cted in Di1ers !on6"es
@3he =ord hath granted lea'e to 7hosoe'er desireth it that he be instructed in the di'ers tongues of the
7orld that he may deli'er the <essage of the Cause of >od throughout the East and throughout the
Hest) that he ma6e mention of Him amidst the 6indreds and peoples of the 7orld in such 7ise that hearts
may re'i'e and the mouldering bone be Duic6ened:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3he ;itb0i0ADdas/ 8 118/ p! ML2
110. !he 8tmost Importance of an A"?iliary &an6"a6e
@3oday the greatest need of the 7orld of humanity is discontinuance of the e?isting misunderstandings
among nations: 3his can be accomplished through the unity of language: Jnless the unity of languages is
realiCed) the <ost >reat 2eace and the oneness of the human 7orld cannot be effecti'ely organiCed and
established because the function of language is to portray the mysteries and secrets of human hearts: 3he
heart is li6e a bo?) and language is the 6ey: 5nly by using the 6ey can 7e open the bo? and obser'e the
gems it contains: 3herefore) the Duestion of an au?iliary international tongue has the utmost importance:
3hrough this means international education and training become possibleI the e'idence and history of
the past can be acDuired: 3he spread of the 6no7n facts of the human 7orld depends upon language: 3he
e?planation of di'ine teachings can only be through this medium: As long as di'ersity of tongues and
lac6 of comprehension of other languages continue) these glorious aims cannot be realiCed: 3herefore)
the 'ery first ser'ice to the 7orld of man is to establish this au?iliary international means of
communication: /t 7ill become the cause of the tranDuility of the human common7ealth: 3hrough it
sciences and arts 7ill be spread among the nations) and it 7ill pro'e to be the means of the progress and
de'elopment of all races:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3he 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ Wilmette/ 198L/ pp! M1+M12
112. #an,s %peech is the .e1ealer of his 5eart
@2rofitless discussions fatigue and 7eary a person:::
@<ans speech is the re'ealer of his heart: /n 7hate'er 7orld the heart tra'els) mans con'ersation 7ill
re'ol'e around that center: rom his 7ords you can understand in 7hat 7orld he is tra'eling) 7hether he
is loo6ing up7ard to7ard the realm of light or do7n7ard to the nether 7orld) 7hether he is mindful or
una7are) 7hether he is a7a6e or asleep) 7hether he is ali'e or dead: or this reason His Holiness AAl
says! A<an is hidden behind his tongue: 5ut of the abundance of his heart does man spea6:E
&Words of '()du*l+,ah-/ Eul5 L@/ 191N. Star of the Hest/ >ol! >III/ o! L/ pp! LN+L@2
11'3. Esperanto
@&egarding the subBect of Esperanto! /t should be made clear to the belie'ers that 7hile the teaching of
that language has been repeatedly encouraged by AAbdul0Bah) there is no reference either from Him or
from Bahullh that can ma6e us belie'e that it 7ill necessarily de'elop into the international au?iliary
language of the future: Bahullh has specified in His 7ritings that such a language 7ill ha'e either to
be chosen from one of the e?isting languages) or an entirely ne7 one should be created to ser'e as a
medium of e?change bet7een nations and peoples of the 7orld: 2ending this final choice) the Bahs
are ad'ised to study Esperanto only in consideration of the fact that the learning of this language can
considerably facilitate inter0communication bet7een indi'iduals) groups and Assemblies throughout the
Bah 7orld in the present stage of the e'olution of the aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eune N/ 1930. Bah
Ne7s/ o! 119/ Eul5 1930/ p! 12
11'1. !he Present :eed of An A"?iliary &an6"a6e
@Hhat Bahullh is referring to in the Eighth =eaf of the E?alted 2aradise is a far distant time) 7hen
the 7orld is really one country) and one language 7ould be a sensible possibility: /t does not contradict
His instructions as to the need immediately for an au?iliary language:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 1M/ 19NM2
11'2. Esperanto 7ill %pread to a Certain De6ree
@3hou has 7ritten regarding the language of Esperanto: 3his language 7ill be spread and uni'ersaliCed
to a certain degree) but later on a language more complete than this) or the same language 7ill undergo
some changes and alterations and 7ill be adopted and become uni'ersal::::E
&'()du*l+,ah-/ 3ablets of AAbdul0Bah/ >ol! III/ p! M9L2
11'. !he Persian !on6"e
@AcDuire the 2ersian tongue) so as to learn of the meanings of the di'ine 7ords and to 6no7 the di'ine
mysteries) to de'elop an eloDuent speech and to translate the blessed 3ablets of Bahullh: 3he 2ersian
language shall become note7orthy in this cycleI nay) rather) the people shall study it in all the 7orld:E
&I)id!/ >ol! II/ p! 31M2
99I9$ LA+% AN ORINANC(S
A$ Introduction
11''. )bedience to the &aws of *ah+,",ll+h will Impose 5ardships and !ests in Indi1id"al Cases
@5bedience to the =a7s of Bahullh 7ill necessarily impose hardships in indi'idual cases: No one
should e?pect) upon becoming a Bah) that his faith 7ill not be tested) and to our finite understanding
of such matters these tests may occasionally seem unbearable: But 7e are a7are of the assurance 7hich
Bahullh Himself has gi'en the belie'ers that they 7ill ne'er be called upon to meet a test greater
than their capacity to endure:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 4eptem)er 0/ 19M@2
11'(. Certain &aws are 8ni1ersally and Bitally Applicable at the Present !ime
@:::he feels it is his duty to e?plain that the =a7s re'ealed by Bahullh in the ADdas are) 7hene'er
practicable and not in direct conflict 7ith the Ci'il =a7 of the land) absolutely binding on e'ery belie'er
or Bah institution 7hether in the East or in the Hest: Certain la7s) such as fasting) obligatory prayers)
the consent of parents before marriage) a'oidance of alcoholic drin6s) monogamy) should be regarded by
all belie'ers as uni'ersally and 'itally applicable at the present time: 5thers ha'e been formulated in
anticipation of a state of society destined to emerge from the chaotic conditions that pre'ail to0day:
Hhen the ADdas is published this matter 7ill be further e?plained and elucidated: Hhat has not been
formulated in the ADdas) in addition to matters of detail and of secondary importance arising out of the
applications of the =a7s already formulated by Bahullh) 7ill ha'e to be enacted by the Jni'ersal
House of 9ustice: 3his body can supplement but ne'er in'alidate or modify in the least degree 7hat has
already been formulated by Bahullh: Nor has the >uardian any right 7hatsoe'er to lessen the
binding effect much less to abrogate the pro'isions of so fundamental and sacred a Boo6:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ (u$ust 11/ 193@2
11'-. &aws Do1ernin6 Physical and %pirit"al &i1es
@9ust as there are la7s go'erning our physical li'es) reDuiring that 7e must supply our bodies 7ith
certain foods) maintain them 7ithin a certain range of temperatures) and so forth) if 7e 7ish to a'oid
physical disabilities) so also there are la7s go'erning our spiritual li'es: 3hese la7s are re'ealed to
man6ind in each age by the <anifestation of >od) and obedience to them is of 'ital importance if each
human being) and man6ind in general) is to de'elop properly and harmoniously: <oreo'er) these 'arious
aspects are interdependent: /f an indi'idual 'iolates the spiritual la7s for his o7n de'elopment) he 7ill
cause inBury not only to himself but to the society in 7hich he li'es: Similarly) the condition of society
has a direct effect on the indi'iduals 7ho must li'e 7ithin it:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"erF e;cerpts to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ <e)ruar5 M/ 1903.
<essages from the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice/ 19M8+1903/ pp! 11@+11M2
11'/. It is Diffic"lt to Follow the &aws of *ah+,",ll+h
@As you point out) it is particularly difficult to follo7 the la7s of Bahullh in present0day society
7hose accepted practice is so at 'ariance 7ith the standards of the aith: Ho7e'er) there are certain la7s
that are so fundamental to the healthy functioning of human society that they must be upheld 7hate'er
the circumstances: &ealising the degree of human frailty) Bahullh has pro'ided that other la7s are to
be applied only gradually) but these too) once they are applied) must be follo7ed) or else society 7ill not
be reformed but 7ill sin6 into an e'er 7orsening condition: /t is the challenging tas6 of the Bahs to
obey the la7 of >od in their o7n li'es) and gradually to 7in the rest of man6ind to its acceptance:E
&I)id!/ p! 11M2
11'0. P"nishments Decided by the 5o"se of 9"stice
@Mou e?press surprise at the >uardians reference to Athe necessary punishment from society: /n the
;itb0i0ADdas Bahullh prohibits se?ual immorality and in the Anne? to that Boo6 states that the
'arious degrees of se?ual offences and the punishments for them are to be decided by the Jni'ersal
House of 9ustice: /n this connection it should be realised that there is distinction dra7n in the aith
bet7een the attitudes 7hich should characteriCe indi'iduals in their relationship to other people) namely)
lo'ing forgi'eness) forbearance) and concern 7ith ones o7n sins not the sins of others) and those
attitudes 7hich should be sho7n by the Spiritual Assemblies) 7hose duty is to administer the la7 of >od
7ith Bustice:E
&I)id!/ p! 1112
11'2. &aws %ho"ld be )beyed b"t not !hro"6h Fear of P"nishment
@/t is a 'ital and urgent duty of the Assemblies) both National and =ocal) not only to apply the =a7s of
Bahullh 7ith Bustice and firmness) but to increase the belie'ers understanding of and de'otion to
these =a7s: /n this 7ay they 7ill obey them not through fear of punishment but out of lo'e for
Bahullh and because their 7hole li'es ha'e been transformed and re0oriented in the Hay of >od:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Octo)er 11/ 19M@. Jnited States
Supplement to Bah Ne7s/ o! 90/ 6arch 19MM/ p! 32
11(3. 7e #"st )bey )rdinances@ E1en !ho"6h at First 7e %ee no :eed for !hem
@/t is often difficult for us to do things because they are so 'ery different from 7hat 7e are used to) not
because the thing itself is particularly difficult: Hith you) and indeed most Bahs) 7ho are no7) as
adults) accepting this glorious aith) no doubt some of the ordinances) li6e fasting and daily prayer) are
hard to understand and obey at first: But 7e must al7ays thin6 that these things are gi'en to all men for
a thousand years to come: or Bah children 7ho see these things practiced in the home) they 7ill be
as natural and necessary a thing as going to church on Sunday 7as to the more pious generation of
Christians: Bahullh 7ould not ha'e gi'en us these things if they 7ould not greatly benefit us) and)
li6e children 7ho are sensible enough to realiCe their father is 7ise and does 7hat is good for them) 7e
must accept to obey these ordinances e'en though at first 7e may not see any need for them: As 7e obey
them 7e 7ill gradually come to see in oursel'es the benefits they confer:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 1M/ 19N92
11(1. )ne Cannot Contin"e Drin$in6 As a *ah+,;%ho"ld be #ade Aware Drad"ally
@2eople should not be encouraged to enter the Cause on false pretenses: 3hey cannot continue drin6ing
as Bahs and they should be made to realiCe this gradually after they become belie'ers) or rather
registered members of the community: He cannot e?pect people to be fully a7are and instructed
belie'ers before they are enrolled) but certain essentials they must ha'e accepted sooner or later and be
7illing to ma6e the effort to li'e up to:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 1M/ 19N82
11(2. 8nfair to .eC"ire :ew Applicants for #embership to First Accept All &aws of the Faith
@3he >uardian fully shares your 'ie7 that it 7ould be most un7ise) and unfair to those 7ho apply for
membership in the Community to reDuire that they should at first accept all the la7s of the aith: Such a
reDuirement 7ould be impossible to carry out as there are many la7s in the AADdas 7ith 7hich e'en the
7ell0confirmed and long0standing belie'ers are not yet familiar: As you rightly point out the process of
becoming a Bah is an e'olutionary one) and reDuires considerable time) and sustained effort on the
part of the ne7 belie'er: Such Duestions as the 7ithdra7al from Church membership and that of
abstention from alcoholic liDuors should not be thrust upon the ne7comer) but e?plained to him
gradually) so that he himself may be con'inced of the truth underlying these ordinances of the Cause:E
11(. Difference *etween Ad1ice ME?hortation@ Co"nselN and A *indin6 Command
@No7) as regards your Duestions as to in 7hat 7ay can one determine 7hether a particular passage from
the <asters Hritings is in the nature of an e?hortation) or is a positi'ely binding statement: 9ust as in
the Hritings of Bahullh) the te?t of the 3ablet itself sho7s 7hether it is an e?hortation) a counsel or
ad'ice) or 7hether it constitutes a positi'e and binding command: 5b'iously) there might be found
certain passages that are doubtful) and these should be referred to the >uardianN for interpretation and
clarification:@
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 1N/ 19392
B$ Abortion
11('. Abortion #erely to Pre1ent the *irth of an 8nwanted Child is %trictly Forbidden in the Ca"se
@Abortion merely to pre'ent the birth of an un7anted child is strictly forbidden in the Cause: 3here may)
ho7e'er) be instances in 7hich an abortion 7ould be Bustified by medical reasons) and legislation on this
matter has been left to the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice: At the present time) ho7e'er) the House of 9ustice
does not intend to legislate on this 'ery delicate issue) and therefore it is left to the consciences of those
concerned 7ho must carefully 7eigh the medical ad'ice in the light of the general guidance gi'en in the
teachings:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ireland/ 6arch 1M/ 19832
11((. %"r6ical )peration and AbortionThe 4oul (ppears at 3onception
@Abortion and surgical operations for the purpose of pre'enting the birth of un7anted children are
forbidden in the Cause unless there are circumstances 7hich Bustify such actions on medical grounds) in
7hich case the decision) at present) is left to the consciences of those concerned 7ho must carefully
7eigh the medical ad'ice in the light of the general guidance gi'en in the 3eachings: Beyond this
nothing has been found in the Hritings concerning specific methods or procedures to be used in family
planning: /t should be pointed out) ho7e'er) that the 3eachings state that the soul appears at conception)
and that therefore it 7ould be improper to use such a method) the effect of 7hich 7ould be to produce an
abortion after conception has ta6en place:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 L3/ 190@2
C$ Adulter*
11(-. Faith .eco6niHes %e? Imp"lse b"t Condemns Its Ille6itimate E?pression
@3he Bah aith recogniCes the 'alue of the se? impulse) but condemns its illegitimate and improper
e?pressions such as free lo'e) companionate marriage and others) all of 7hich it considers positi'ely
harmful to man and to the society in 7hich he li'es: 3he proper use of the se? instinct is the natural right
of e'ery indi'idual) and it is precisely for this purpose that the institution of marriage has been
established: 3he Bahs do not belie'e in the suppression of the se? impulse but in its regulation and
control:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er @/ 1938. <essages from the Jni'ersal House of
9ustice/ 19M8+1903/ p! 1182
11(/. %e? .elationships )"tside of #arria6e not Permissible
@Hith reference to the Duestion you ha'e as6ed concerning the Bah attitude to7ards the problem of
se? and its relation to marriage:
@3he Bah 3eachings on this matter) 7hich is of such 'ital concern and about 7hich there is such a
7ide di'ergency of 'ie7s) are 'ery clear and emphatic: Briefly stated the Bah conception of se? is
based on the belief that chastity should be strictly practised by both se?es) not only because it is in itself
highly commendable ethically) but also due to its being the only 7ay to a happy and successful marital
life: Se? relationships of any form outside marriage are not permissible therefore) and 7hoso 'iolates
this rule 7ill not only be responsible to >od) but 7ill incur the necessary punishment from society:E
&I)id!/ p! 1102
11(0. %e?"al Interco"rse Permissible )nly *etween #an and 7ife
@3he Bah teaching on se?ual intercourse is 'ery clear: /t is permissible only bet7een a man and the
7oman 7ho is his 7ife::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ <e)ruar5 M/ 1903F e;cerpt from a letter in response to
9uestions from an indi"idual )elie"er. I)id!2
11(2. Ad"ltery .etards Pro6ress of the %o"l
@::: E'ery other 7ord of Bahullhs and AAbdul0Bahs Hritings is a preachment on moral and ethical
conductI all else is the form) the chalice) into 7hich the pure spirit must be pouredI 7ithout the spirit and
the action 7hich must demonstrate it) it is a lifeless form:
@Hhen 7e realiCe that Bahullh says adultery retards the progress of the soul in the afterlifeQso
grie'ous is itQand that drin6ing destroys the mind) and not to so much as approach it) 7e see ho7 clear
are our teachings on these subBects:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er 31/ 19N9. =i'ing the =ife/ pp! 1@+1M/ World 3entre/
o"em)er 190L2
$ Birth Control
11-3. >"estion of *irth Control not %pecifically Answered in 7ritin6s
@As to the problem of birth control) neither Bahullh nor AAbdul0Bah has re'ealed anything direct
or e?plicit regarding this Duestion: But the Bah 3eachings) 7hen carefully studied imply that such
current conceptions li6e birth control) if not necessarily 7rong and immoral in principle) ha'e
ne'ertheless to be discarded as constituting a real danger to the 'ery foundations of our social life: or
Bahullh e?plicitly re'eals in His Boo6 of =a7s that the 'ery purpose of marriage is the procreation
of children 7ho) 7hen gro7n up) 7ill be able to 6no7 >od and to recogniCe and obser'e His
Commandments and =a7s as re'ealed through His <essengers: <arriage is thus) according to the
Bah 3eachings) primarily a social and moral act: /t has a purpose 7hich transcends the immediate
personal needs and interests of the parties::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 1N/ 193@2
11-1. Pop"lation E?plosion@ no .eference in 7ritin6sK !ime of Appearance of 5"man %o"l@ etc.
@/n a letter 7ritten on behalf of the >uardian to an indi'idual he has further pointed out that the Achief
and sacred purpose of marriage is Athe perpetuation of the human race ::: and its ele'ation to the true
station destined for it by >od: /n another letter 7ritten on his behalf it is stated! A:::the fundamental
purpose of marriage is to bring other souls into this 7orld) to ser'e >od and lo'e Him:
@He ha'e not disco'ered any specific reference in the te?ts to the problem of population e?plosion in
its relation to birth control: 3his Duestion) of course) is a matter 7hich is currently a subBect of concern
and speculation by many: A study of our teachings) ho7e'er) indicates that in the future there 7ill no
doubt be a general impro'ement of standards of life and of health) but there 7ill also be the full
e?ploitation of unused and as yet unsuspected resources of the planet along 7ith the control and tapping
of its sources of ra7 material) 7ith a great increase in producti'ity:
@Mou ha'e raised the point about the time of the appearance of the human soul: Mou are Duite right in
your deduction in this regard) as our teachings clearly confirm that the soul of man comes into being at
conception:
@As to your desire and that of your husband to a'oid any action 7hich 7ould permanently pre'ent you
from bearing children) the only te?t 7e ha'e so far found on that subBect is in a letter to an indi'idual
belie'er from the belo'ed >uardian: 3he Duestion as6ed 7as 7hether after a fe7 children it 7ould be
permissible to ha'e a surgical operation on the 7ife to pre'ent further conception: His reply 7as that
such an act 7as unacceptable and un7orthy) and those 7ho commit the act 7ere responsible before >od:
@Hhen the >uardian 7as as6ed 7hether the e?ercise of birth control constitutes a sin in a case 7here
the number of children 7ould pre'ent the father from fulfilling his obligation to educate his children) he
stated that it is the duty of Bahs to uphold moderation in all things) and a'oid illegal methods:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 31/ 19012
11-2. 7hen E?ercised to Pre1ent Procreation of Any Children
@Another belie'er) ha'ing read this letter) as6ed the belo'ed >uardian 7hether all birth control methods
for any purpose 7ere absolutely prohibited by Bah 3eachings: 3he secretary to the belo'ed >uardian
7rote on his behalf on (th ebruary) "#%+) as follo7s!
A3he >uardian has ::: gi'en his careful consideration to your Duestion regarding the Bah
'ie7 of birth control:
A:::there is no reference 7hatsoe'er in the Hritings on this subBect: 3he utmost 7e can say is
by 7ay of reference from 7hat Bahullh has re'ealed regarding the nature) purpose and
character of marriage:
AHe) as Bahs) are not therefore in a position either to condemn the practice of birth control
or to confirm it:
ABirth control) ho7e'er) 7hen e?ercised in order to deliberately pre'ent the procreation of
any children is against the spirit of the =a7 of Bahullh) 7hich defines the primary
purpose of marriage to be the rearing of children and their spiritual training in the Cause:
3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice 7ill ha'e to consider this issue and gi'e its 'erdict upon it:
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice feels that the time has not yet arri'ed for legislation on this matter)
and that these instructions pro'ide sufficient guidance for the friends for the time being:
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ Eul5 13/ 19M02
11-. 5"sband and 7ife to Decide 5ow #any Children to 5a1e
@3here is nothing in the Sacred Hritings specifically on the subBects of birth control) abortion or
steriliCation) but Bahullh did state that the primary purpose of marriage 7as the procreation of
children) and it is to this primary purpose that the belo'ed >uardian alludes in many of the letters 7hich
are Duoted in the compilation: 3his does not imply that a couple are obliged to ha'e as many children as
they canI the >uardianAs secretary clearly stated on his behalf) in ans7er to an enDuiry) that it 7as for the
husband and 7ife to decide ho7 many children they 7ould ha'e: A decision to ha'e no children at all
7ould 'itiate the primary purpose of marriage unless) of course) there 7ere some medical reason 7hy
such a decision 7ould be reDuired:
@Mou and your husband) therefore) should ha'e no feeling that you are obliged to add to your already
large family: 3his is a matter entirely for you to decide) and there are many methods of pre'enting
conception) including self0discipline and restraint) to 7hich you can ha'e recourse: SteriliCation)
ho7e'er) 7ould be a more far0reaching action than any of these) 7ith implications and results beyond
those necessary for the immediate purpose of limiting the siCe of your family) and is not permissible in
Bah la7 e?cept in rare instances 7here it is necessary for a medical reason:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 L8/ 19002
11-'. Basectomy to A1oid 5a1in6 8nwanted Children not Permitted if it .es"lts in Permanent
%terility
@8irectly to your Duestion about ha'ing a 'asectomy) in general it is not permissible to ha'e a surgical
operation for the purpose of a'oiding ha'ing un7anted children if such an operation could result in
permanent sterility: Hhile circumstances might e?ist in 7hich steriliCation 7ould be Bustified) this does
not appear to be the case 7ith you:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 31/ 190N2
11-(. !"bal &i6ation
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has recei'ed your letter of April ,# as6ing about tubal ligation and has
noted that you are familiar 7ith general Bah principles on the subBect: Ho7e'er) it has directed us to
say that under normal circumstances it is not permissible to ha'e a surgical operation for the purpose of
not ha'ing more children if such an operation could result in permanent sterility:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 L8/ 19082
11--. %ho"ld !a$e into Consideration A1ailability@ .eliability and .e1ersibility of )peration
@/t is clear that to ha'e a surgical operation merely to a'oid un7anted children is not acceptable:
Ho7e'er) as in the case of abortion) circumstances might e?ist in 7hich such an operation 7ould be
Bustified: /ndi'idual belie'ers called upon to ma6e such a decision must be guided by the Bah
principles in'ol'ed) the best professional ad'ice a'ailable to them) and their o7n consciences: /n
arri'ing at a decision the parties must also ta6e into consideration the a'ailability) reliability and
re'ersibility of all contracepti'e methods:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L@/ 19012
11-/. :o .eference in 7ritin6s .e6ardin6 Contraception to Pre1ent !ransmission of 8ndesirable
!raits
@Hith regard to your Duestion 7hether it 7ould be permissible for a belie'er to limit the number of his
children by the use of contracepti'e methods) in order to pre'ent the transmission through inheritance of
undesirable family traits and tendenciesI this) the >uardian 7ishes me to inform you) is a Duestion to
7hich there is no specific reference in the 3eachings) and should therefore be e?plained and decided
upon by the future /nternational House of 9ustice:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er L/ 19382
11-0. In-Bitro FertiliHation and %"rro6ate #othersA
@3he Dueries you raise about donors of eggs or sperm in cases of infertility and the state of the souls of
froCen embryos relate to the broader Duestion of the Bah attitude to7ard recent ad'ances in medical
science 7hich increase the probability of conception in cases of infertility:
@3he Bah 'ie7 is 'ery balanced: Hhile appreciating the 'alue of the ne7 medical techniDues 7hich
enable pre'iously childless couples to enBoy the blessings of a family) the teachings define such limits as
are necessary to preser'e the dignity of the indi'idual and the sanctity of marriage:
@::: Hhile artificial insemination is a 'ery different process from in0'itro fertiliCation) the principle
enunciated by the >uardian is the same) namely) that to be acceptable to Bahs the egg cell of the 7ife
should be fertiliCed by the sperm of the husband in the procedure:
@3he spiritual and social implications in'ol'ed in the use of surrogate mothers to pro'ide for the
gestation of the embryo) e'en 7hen the embryo results from the fertiliCation of the husbands sperm and
the 7ifes egg cell 7hich is later implanted into the 7omb of the third party) are too far0reaching for such
a procedure to be permissible to Bahs:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Octo)er L@/ 198N2
O&4ee also. o! 9032
11-2. Indi1id"als #"st Decide 5aHards of Contracepti1e A6ents at PresentK Permanent %teriliHation
@As to birth control methods) the House of 9ustice does not 7ish to comment on the effecti'eness or
possible haCards of present0day contracepti'e agents) and lea'es it to indi'iduals to decide 7hat course
of action they 7ill ta6e in light of the teachings and the best medical ad'ice a'ailable::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch N/ 1981. <rom a compilation entitled/
Birth Control and &elated SubBects/ p! 32
11/3. &etter to a Physician %pecialiHin6 in )bstetrics and Dynecolo6y
@Since you are a physician specialiCing in obstetrics and gynecology) your professional decisions in this
field are freDuent and difficult ones: /n each indi'idual case your physicians Budgement and your Bah
conscience should guide you to the correct decision 7hene'er permanent steriliCation of a patient is
contemplated: 5f the four categories you ha'e listed) only the first) gra'e sic6ness of the mother) clearly
falls 7ithin Bah permissibility: /n the second category) only gra'e genetic defects) but ob'iously not
all genetic defects could be considered to be 'alid cause for inter'ention: As for lac6 of social and
financial means) and anticipation of supernumerary children 7here indi'idual maternal reDuest is
decisi'e) neither can be acceptable as reasons for permanent steriliCation:
@Hhat can no7 be considered to be a form of family fertility control for some patients are those
methods of inter'ention 7hich are re'ersible and therefore do not necessarily bring about permanent
sterility: Hhere such methods ha'e been employed) the 7ish by patients to ha'e additional children) for
7hate'er reason) can be realiCed through a correcti'e operation:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 18/ 198L. I)id!2
($ Alcohol0 rugs And Tobacco
": Alcohol
11/1. *oth &i6ht and %tron6 Drin$s Prohibited 8nless Prescribed by a Doctor
@&egarding the use of liDuor! According to the te?t of the Boo6 of ADdas) both light and strong drin6s
are prohibited: 3he reason for this prohibition is that alcohol leadeth the mind astray and causeth the
7ea6ening of the body: /f alcohol 7ere beneficial) it 7ould ha'e been brought into the 7orld by the
di'ine creation and not by the effort of man: Hhate'er is beneficial for man e?isteth in creation: No7 it
hath been pro'ed and is established medically and scientifically that liDuor is harmful:
@As to the meaning of that 7hich is 7ritten in the 3ablets! A/ ha'e chosen for thee 7hatsoe'er is in the
hea'en and the earth) this signifieth those things 7hich are in accordance 7ith the di'ine purpose and
not the things 7hich are harmful: or instance) one of the e?isting things is poison: Can 7e say that
poison must be used as it hath been created by >odS Ne'ertheless) into?icating liDuor) if prescribed by a
physician for the patient and if its use is absolutely necessary) then it is permissible:
@/n brief) / hope that thou mayest become inebriated 7ith the 7ine of the lo'e of >od) find eternal
bliss and recei'e ine?haustible Boy and happiness: All 7ine hath depression as an after effect) e?cept the
7ine of the =o'e of >od:E
&<rom a Ta)let of '()du*l+,ah- to an indi"idual )elie"er/ translated from the Persian. 2rohibition of /nto?icating 8rin6s) A Compilation/
(pril 19092
11/2. In the Git+b-i-ACdas it is Forbidden to !a$e Anythin6 that Deran6es the #ind
@Hith regard to your first Duestion on alcohol and drin6ing) Bahullh) fully a7are of the great misery
that it brings about) prohibits it as He e?pressly states that e'erything that ta6es a7ay the mind) or in
other 7ords ma6es one drun6) is forbidden:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 1@/ 19LM. I)id!2
11/. Drin$in6 Forbidden@ :o E?c"se to !o"ch It E1en in Pl"m P"ddin6
@Jnder no circumstances should Bahs drin6: /t is so unambiguously forbidden in the 3ablets of
Bahullh that there is no e?cuse for them e'en touching it in the form of a toast) or in a burning plum
puddingI in fact) in any 7ay:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 3/ 19@0. 3ited in a letter from the :ni"ersal 7ouse of
Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ Decem)er L1/ 190L2
11/'. Ca$e Fla1o"rs and E?tracts
@Mou as6 7hether it is permissible for the friends to use ca6e fla'ours) such as 'anilla) lemon and rum
fla'oured e?tracts) as such fla'ours ha'e a certain percentage of alcohol in them) and 7hether Bahs
may 7or6 in factories manufacturing such e?tracts:
@He ha'e found no te?ts prohibiting the friends from using fla'oured e?tracts in their food: 3his may
be a matter for later legislation by the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice but for the time being the friends
should be left free to do as they choose: 3he same principle applies to those 7ho are employed in
factories manufacturing such e?tracts:@
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 0/ 190N2
11/(. %trictly Prohibited Foods Fla1o"red with Alcoholic &iC"ors
@Hith reference to your Duestion 7hether those foods 7hich ha'e been fla'oured 7ith alcoholic liDuors
such as brandy) rum) etc:) should be classified under the same category as the into?icating drin6s) and
conseDuently be a'oided by belie'ers) the >uardian 7ishes all the friends to 6no7 that such foods) or
be'erages) are strictly prohibited:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 9/ 19392
11/-. Alcohol for 5ome .emedies@ no Instr"ction Allowin6 Its 8se
@Although it is clear from the teachings that the use of alcohol is permitted if it is prescribed by a
physician for treatment purposes) 7e ha'e not been able to find any instructions 7hich permit its use in
the preparation of home remedies for common illnesses:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ Decem)er L1/ 19032
11//. !he %er1in6 of Alcoholic Drin$s by *ah+,;s and *ah+,; Instit"tions
@/n response to Duestions raised on the permissibility of ser'ing alcoholic drin6s in a number of different
circumstances) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has formulated the follo7ing guidelines:
@3he fact that Bahs themsel'es must not drin6 alcohol is abundantly clear and needs no comment
here: Hith regard to the ser'ing of alcohol to non0Bahs!
": No Bah institution should ser'e alcohol to non0Bahs under any circumstances:
,: /f an indi'idual Bah is entertaining an indi'idual guest or a small group of guests as an official
representati'e of the Bah community) he should not ser'e alcohol in his o7n home) but must use
his discretion 7hether or not to do so if the entertaining is ta6ing place in a restaurant:
%: No Bah should ser'e alcohol at any function or reception gi'en by him) such as a 7edding
reception or a party to 7hich a number of people are in'ited:
(: Hhen a Bah is pri'ately entertaining an indi'idual non0Bah or a small group of guests in his
o7n home) he must himself Budge 7hether or not to ser'e alcohol: 3his 7ill depend to a great
degree on the customs of the country in 7hich he is li'ing) the indi'iduals concerned) and the hosts
relationship to his guests: 5b'iously it is better for the Bah not to ser'e alcohol if possible) but
against this he must 7eigh the probable reaction of the guest in the circumstances 7hich pre'ail and
in the particular situation: /n some countries there 7ould be no problem in failing to pro'ide alcohol
to a guestI in others it 7ould be regarded as e?tremely peculiar and anti0social and 7ould
immediately raise a barrier to further contact: /t is not desirable to ma6e a maBor issue of the matter:
1: Hhen such pri'ate entertaining of an indi'idual or small group of non0Bahs is ta6ing place in a
restaurant the same general principles as in point ( abo'e apply) e?cept that in such a public place a
failure to pro'ide alcoholic drin6s 7ould be less easily understood than in a pri'ate home) and the
Bah must use his discretion accordingly:
*: Alcohol must not be ser'ed in a restaurant or other business 7hich is 7holly o7ned by Bahs:
+: /f a Bah is employed by others in a Bob 7hich in'ol'es the ser'ing of alcohol) he is not obliged to
change that employment: 3his is a matter left to each indi'idual to decide in the light of his o7n
conscience: 5b'iously such 6inds of employment 'ary 7idely from bartending to ser'ing in a
grocery in 7hich 7ine is retailed: /f the Bob reDuires a great deal of in'ol'ement 7ith the ser'ing of
alcohol it is better for the Bah to obtain other employment if he can:E
&%uidelines from the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er 31 Eanuar5/ 198L. 3he Ser'ing of Alcoholic 8rin6s by Bahs
and Bah /nstitutions2
11/0. A *"siness Partnership *etween a *ah+,; and :on-*ah+,;s
@Since no e?plicit te?t or instruction of the belo'ed >uardian has been found on such a situation) i:e:) the
sale of alcoholic be'erages by a business in 7hich a Bah is a partner 7ith non0Bahs) the House of
9ustice feels that no hard and fast rules should be dra7n at the present time: 3his is a matter 7hich needs
to be decided in each case in the light of the spirit of the teachings and the circumstances of the case and)
unless the situation is endangering the good name of the aith) it should be left to the conscience of the
belie'er concerned 7ho should) of course) ma6e e'ery effort to dissociate himself from such an
acti'ity:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ Octo)er 11/ 19832
11/2. Assembly,s .ole !oward !hose 7ho Contin"e to Drin$
@As to those belie'ers 7ho continue to drin6) they should be lo'ingly e?horted) then firmly 7arned and
e'entually depri'ed of their 'oting rights: 3he number of times a person is e?horted and 7arned is a
matter left to the discretion of each =ocal Spiritual Assembly) in consultation 7ith the National Spiritual
Assembly: 3he policy you adopt should not be one of remo'ing the administrati'e rights of the belie'ers
in a bureaucratic and automatic 7ay) as this 7ould be un7ise and unBust: Mour Assembly as 7ell as all
=ocal Spiritual Assemblies should courageously and continuously remind the friends of their obligation
in this respect) handle firmly all flagrant cases) and use such cases in a 7ay that) by force of e?ample)
they e?ert their influence upon the other belie'ers: /t must be made clear to the =ocal Assemblies that
they should be 7illing to cooperate 7ith the belie'ers affected by such drin6ing habits) 7hen any such
belie'er promises gradually and systematically to reduce his drin6ing 7ith the obBecti'e in mind of
entirely abandoning this habit:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4outh and West (frica/ o"em)er 1L/ 19M@2
1103. Alcoholism and Alcoholics Anonymo"s
@Hith regard to the problem of alcoholism) 7hich is indeed a terrible scourge to man6ind) it must ne'er
become a source of disunity among belie'ers: Bahullhs principle) in case of sic6ness) is to consult
the best physician you can) follo7 his ad'ice) and pray: /f) therefore) you ha'e consulted Alcoholics
Anonymous) this should be your procedure: /f) ho7e'er) you are not satisfied 7ith them) you are entirely
free to consult someone else: But the same principle 7ould apply: 8o 7hat the doctor For e?pertG says)
and pray:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ Eul5 1N/ 19M32
1101. *ah+,; Ad1ertisin6 A6ent %ho"ld 8se 7isdom in A1oidin6 the Promotion of Into?icatin6
Drin$s
@3he House of 9ustice::: points out that) as far as ad'ertising is concerned) the Bah must use 7isdom
in deciding 7hat is allo7able and 7hat is not: or e?ample) 7hile the issuing of an ad'ertisement
specifically for 7ines 7ould seem to be inadmissible) there 7ould be no obBection to a Bah
ad'ertising agents issuing an ad'ertisement listing the prices of goods on sale at a supermar6et e'en if
7ines and spirits are included on it: /t is) thus) a matter of emphasis and 7isdom: 2rimarily the House of
9ustice 7ishes the decision in such matters to be left to the Budgement of the indi'idual concerned) but
7here there is any doubt) or 7here the National Spiritual Assembly feels that the good name of the aith
is being inBured) the Assembly should) of course) be consulted and could decide in specific instances:
@/n 'ie7 of the reDuirements of his conscience in light of Bah la7) a Bah ad'ertising agent might
be 7ell ad'ised to include a clause in any contract he signs in 7hich difficulties of this nature might
arise) protecting his right to demur:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er L1/ 1900. 2rohibition of /nto?icating
8rin6s2
1102. !he .i6ht of the :on-*ah+,; ParentThe 4er"in$ of 3hampa$ne
@3he future christening of the child should present no problem) for the Bah parent should ha'e no
obBection to the baptism of his child if the Catholic mother 7ishes it: Similarly) the use of champagne
upon that occasion is a matter 7hich she is free to underta6e) but of course the Bahs 7ould not
parta6e of alcoholic be'erages:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Decem)er 0/ 1900. I)id!2
,: 8rugs
110. 5all"cino6ens@ a Form of Into?ication
@Concerning the so0called Aspiritual 'irtues of the hallucinogens::: spiritual stimulation should come
from turning ones heart to Bahullh) and not through physical means such as drugs and agents:
@rom the description gi'en in your letter it appears that hallucinogenic agents are a form of
into?icant: As the friends) including the youth) are reDuired strictly to abstain from all forms of
into?icants) and are further e?pected conscientiously to obey the ci'il la7 of their country) it is ob'ious
that they should refrain from using these drugs:
@A 'ery great responsibility for the future peace and 7ell0being of the 7orld is borne by the youth of
today: =et the Bah youth by the po7er of the Cause they espouse be the shining e?ample for their
companions:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ (pril 1@/ 19M@. National Bah
&e'ie7/ o! 3/ 6arch 19M82
110'. !he 8se of #ariF"ana@ &%D and )ther Psychedelic Prod"cts
@/n reply to your reDuest of 5ctober ,() "#*+ that 7e issue a statement concerning Athe use of mariBuana)
=S8 and other psychedelic products) 7e ha'e already informed the National Spiritual Assembly of the
Jnited States that Bahs should not use hallucinogenic agents) including =S8) peyote and similar
substances) e?cept 7hen prescribed for medical treatment: Neither should they become in'ol'ed in
e?periments 7ith such substances:
@Although 7e ha'e found no direct reference to mariBuana in the Bah 7ritings) since this substance is
deri'ed from 7hat is considered to be a milder form of cannabis) the species used to produce hashsh) 7e
can share 7ith you a translation from the 2ersian of a 3ablet of AAbdul0Bah on hashsh!
A&egarding hashsh) you had pointed out that some 2ersians ha'e become habituated to its
use: >racious >odL 3his is the 7orst of all into?icants) and its prohibition is e?plicitly
re'ealed: /ts use causeth the disintegration of thought and the complete torpor of the soul:
Ho7 could anyone see6 this fruit of the infernal tree) and by parta6ing of it) be led to
e?emplify the Dualities of a monsterS Ho7 could one use this forbidden drug) and thus
depri'e himself of the blessings of the All0<ercifulS:::
AAlcohol consumeth the mind and causeth man to commit acts of absurdity) but ::: this
7ic6ed hashsh e?tinguisheth the mind) freeCeth the spirit) petrifieth the soul) 7asteth the
body and lea'eth man frustrated and lost:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the 7awaiian Islands/ o"em)er 11/ 19M02
110(. Peyote
@Anyone in'ol'ed in the use of peyote should be told that in the Bah aith spiritual stimulation comes
from turning ones heart to Bahullh and not through any physical means: 3hey should therefore be
encouraged to gi'e up the use of peyote:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ o"em)er 9/ 19M3. Alas6a Bah
Ne7s/ 6a5 190L/ p! N2
110-. )pi"m Destroys the Conscience@ the #ind and the Perceptions
@As to opium) it is foul and accursed: >od protect us from the punishment He inflicteth on the user:
According to the e?plicit 3e?t of the <ost Holy Boo6) it is forbidden) and its use is utterly condemned:
&eason sho7eth that smo6ing opium is a 6ind of insanity) and e?perience attesteth that the user is
completely cut off from the human 6ingdom: <ay >od protect all against the perpetration of an act so
hideous as this) an act 7hich layeth in ruins the 'ery foundation of 7hat it is to be human) and 7hich
causeth the user to be dispossessed for e'er and e'er: or opium fasteneth on the soul) so that the users
conscience dieth) his mind is blotted a7ay) his perceptions are eroded: /t turneth the li'ing into the dead:
/t Duencheth the natural heat: No greater harm can be concei'ed than that 7hich opium inflicteth:
ortunate are they 7ho ne'er e'en spea6 the name of itI then thin6 ho7 7retched is the user:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ Wilmette/ 198L/ pp! 1N8+1N92
110/. Dealin6 in 5eroin and )ther :arcotics Forbidden
@8ealing in heroin or other similar drugs 7hich are forbidden in the aith should certainly not be
underta6en by Bahs e?cept in the conte?t of the legitimate handling of such drugs that doctors and
similar professionals may be called upon to underta6e in the course of their duties: urthermore) dealing
in narcotics is in many countries a crime and on this basis also 7ould be forbidden to Bahs:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice cited in a compilation on alcohol and dru$s sent to an indi"idual )elie"er )5 the
International Teachin$ 3entre/ Octo)er 10/ 19082
1100. !he .eno"ncin6 of !obacco@ Alcohol and )pi"mPurit5 and 4anctit5 4hould Distin$uish the
People of ,ah-
@5 ye) >ods lo'ed onesL E?perience hath sho7n ho7 greatly the renouncing of smo6ing) of
into?icating drin6) and of opium) conduceth to health and 'igour) to the e?pansion and 6eenness of the
mind and to bodily strength: 3here is today a peopleN 7ho strictly a'oid tobacco) into?icating liDuor and
opium: 3his people is far and a7ay superior to the others) for strength and physical courage) for health)
beauty and comeliness: A single one of their men can stand up to ten men of another tribe: 3his hath
pro'ed true of the entire people! that is) member for member) each indi'idual of this community is in
e'ery respect superior to the indi'iduals of other communities:
@<a6e ye then a mighty effort) that the purity and sanctity 7hich) abo'e all else) are cherished by
AAbdul0Bah) shall distinguish the people of BahI that in e'ery 6ind of e?cellence the people of >od
shall surpass all other human beingsI that both out7ardly and in7ardly they shall pro'e superior to the
restI that for purity) immaculacy) refinement) and the preser'ation of health) they shall be leaders in the
'anguard of those 7ho 6no7: And that by their freedom from ensla'ement) their 6no7ledge) their self0
control) they shall be first among the pure) the free and the 7ise:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 4elections from the Writin$s of '()du*l+,ah-/ p! 1@12
O&Possi)l5 '()du*l+,ah- was referrin$ to the 4ikhs2
%: 3obacco
1102. %mo$in6 is Disco"ra6ed@ b"t not Forbidden
@&egarding your Duestions! Concerning smo6ing! /t is not forbidden in the Bah teachings and no one
can enforce its prohibition: /t is strongly discouraged as a habit 7hich is not 'ery clean or 'ery healthy:
But it is a matter left entirely to the conscience of the indi'idual and not of maBor importance) 7hereas
the use of alcohol is definitely forbidden and thus not left optional to the conscience of the belie'er:E
1123. %mo$in6 5as :othin6 to do with Firmness in the Co1enant
@Smo6ing has nothing to do 7ith firmness in the Co'enant: Bahs are ad'ised not to smo6e for reasons
of health and hygiene) not because of any spiritual reasons: He naturally cherish e'ery hint and ad'ice
from AAbdul0Bah regarding our conduct) but as He has not forbidden this) 7e must lea'e each person
free to decide for himself:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust 9/ 19NN2
1121. !o :ew *ah+,;s@ 7e %ho"ld not %tress Di1in6 8p %mo$in6
@He feels that 7e should not lay stress to ne7 Bahs on the necessity of gi'ing up smo6ing) especially
as this is purely optional) and many of the Bahs still do smo6e: 3here are many things in the
3eachings that reDuire a stiff effort on the part of a ne7 belie'er) and 7e should not add to the hurdles at
the 'ery beginning) so to spea6:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er N/ 19@N2
1122. %mo$in6 by De6rees InF"rio"s
@:::/ 7ish to say that) in the sight of >od) the smo6ing of tobacco is a thing 7hich is blamed and
condemned) 'ery unclean) and of 7hich the result is by degrees inBurious: Besides it is a cause of
e?pense and of loss of time and it is a harmful habit::::E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Bah Horld aith/ p! 33@2
112. D"idelines for Indi1id"als and Assemblies Abo"t !obacco %mo$in6
@<any belie'ers feeling the same concern e?pressed by 8r: ::: 7rote to the belo'ed >uardian about it: /n
ans7er to such letters the >uardians secretary replied on his behalf that Bahs had no right to pre'ent
anyone from smo6ingI that Bahs 7ere free to smo6e but it 7as preferable for them not to do soI and
that an issue should not be made of this matter: 3he use of tobacco) in common 7ith other personal
practices) should be subBect to considerations of courtesy: 3he Bah in his daily life) 7hether smo6er or
non0smo6er) should al7ays be conscious of the rights of those about him and a'oid doing anything
7hich 7ould gi'e offense:
@Belie'ers ha'e also raised the Duestion about smo6ing during Bah meetings: /t is entirely 7ithin
the authority of =ocal and National Spiritual Assemblies to prohibit smo6ing in meetings held under
their auspices: An Assembly may 7ell feel that it does not 7ish to raise an additional barrier to see6ers
by prohibiting smo6ing at public meetings in a society 7here it is the accepted practice to smo6e: 5n the
other hand) it might be 7ise for the Assembly to caution the Bahs to restrain their smo6ing at teaching
meetings and firesides in case it is offensi'e to some see6ers: /n the case of Nineteen 8ay easts or
meetings of Assemblies or committees) it is not right that friends 7ho find smo6ing offensi'e should be
made to endure it in Bah meetings 7hich they are reDuired or e?pected to attend: /f certain indi'iduals
feel that they must smo6e) then arrangements) such as a brea6 in the meeting) could be made for their
con'enience: /t 7ould) of course) be entirely inappropriate to smo6e during the de'otional part of a
east) or at any other de'otional gathering:
@/t is to be hoped that the 7idespread publicity being gi'en to the e'il effects of smo6ing) both on
smo6ers and on those 7ho ha'e to breathe smo6e0laden air) 7ill help to con'ince e'eryone of the
7isdom of AAbdul0Bah in strongly discouraging Bahs from smo6ing: Ho7e'er) Bahs must be
careful not to go beyond the 3eachings in this matter and try to enforce as a la7 a matter in 7hich
Bahullh has deemed it 7ise to allo7 freedom of decision:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 6arch N/ 190N2
F$ Cri&e0 Cri&inals and 'risoners
112'. *elie1ers Char6ed 7ith Criminal )ffencesA
@:::regarding belie'ers 7ho ha'e been charged 7ith criminal offences) suspected to ha'e committed such
offences) or con'icted by the court: 3he principle to bear in mind is that each case falling in any of the
aforementioned categories should be considered separately on its o7n merits: No hard and fast rule
should be applied:
@:::it should be realiCed that the application of Bah sanctions is not an automatic action in response
to a 'erdict of the court:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 6a5 3/ 19M0. E?tracts Concerning Crime) Criminals)
2risoners and &elated SubBects/ a compilation2
O&4ee also. o! 1802
112(. *ah+,; Instit"tions Cannot Enforce Criminal &aws at Present4uch 3ases are 7andled in
3i"il 3ourt
@:::you cite 'iolations of the criminal la7s of the state: 3hese cases are handled in the ci'il courts) and
may or may not be subBect to Bah administrati'e action depending upon the nature of the offence and
its effect on the aith: >enerally spea6ing the de'elopment of the Administrati'e 5rder has not
progressed to the point 7here Bah institutions enforce criminal la7s:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 6a5 0/ 190N. I)id!2
112-. .ehabilitation of Criminals &eft to E?perts in that Field
@:::Bahullh has gi'en us the general moral and social principles to guide our li'es) but their
application to the rehabilitation of criminals is left to the e?perts in that field to de'elop in the same 7ay
that economics is left to economists:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ 4eptem)er 3/ 190N. I)id!2
112/. Administrati1e Action in Cases In1ol1in6 Disobedience to Ci1il &aw
@He ha'e your letter:::as6ing about administrati'e action in cases in'ol'ing disobedience to ci'il la7:
@:::He thin6 it is not possible to ma6e a categorical statement applying to all cases: Each case should
be decided on its o7n merits:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Decem)er 0/ 19M9. I)id!2
1120. Penalty for Arson#aws for a 6ore E"ol"ed 4ociet5
@As regards the Duestion you raised about the penalty for arson in the ADdas) the penalty for arson is
burning or life imprisonmentI in other 7ords the same penalty as for first degree murder:
@He must not Duestion this) but studying the Bah aith and its 3eachings in their entirety) realiCe
that the la7 of >od for this 8ay is a healing for the nations) and that) at a future period 7hen a purely
Bah society e?ists and these la7s can be enforced) humanity may ha'e reached a much higher point of
e'olution than at present) and the mere threat of them may be sufficient in most cases to protect the
Community and protect the la7 from being bro6en:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 1@/ 19@02
1122. Capital P"nishment and the Criminally Insane
@3he Duestion of 7hether capital punishment should be inflicted on the criminally insane is one for the
Jni'ersal House of 9ustice to decide: Such people) ho7e'er) not being responsible for their actions) 7ill
not suffer any spiritual effect from acts committed 7hile mentally deranged:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust L@/ 19392
1233. %"icide is Forbidden in the Ca"seA
@Suicide is forbidden in the Cause: >od Hho is the Author of all life can alone ta6e it a7ay) and dispose
of it in the 7ay He deems best: Hhoe'er commits suicide endangers his soul) and 7ill suffer spiritually
as a result in the other Horlds Beyond:E
&I)id!2
O&4ee also. os! M0N+M082
G$ Ga&bling
1231. !he %ale or P"rchasin6 of &ottery !ic$ets
@/n re'ie7ing your <inutes for "1 <arch "#*+) 7e note /tem ,10$ in 7hich the 3reasurer suggests a
lottery as a means of disposing of a 2ersian carpet 7hich has been gi'en to you by one of the belie'ers:
He do not feel this is an appropriate 7ay in 7hich to raise funds::::
@As far as indi'iduals are concerned) 7e ha'e carefully studied the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah and
Shoghi Effendi on this point and it is apparent that such subsidiary matters are not recorded in the Holy
3e?ts: 3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice is not prepared to decide at this time 7hether the purchase of
lottery tic6ets should be permitted or prohibited:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eul5 N/ 19M0. E;tracts 3oncernin$ %am)lin$/ #otteries
and Raffles/ a compilation of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice2
1232. 5orse .acin6@ *ettin6 and .affles
@Although 7e ha'e not found any te?t 7hich forbids the o7ning of race horses) horse racing as a means
of 7inning the priCe money and betting at race courses) 7e Duote the translation of a 3ablet of AAbdul0
Bah on horse racing!
ABetting on horse racing is a pernicious disease: /t hath been seen in Europe 7hat distress
this hath caused: 3housands ha'e become afflicted and distraught: 3he friends of >od must
engage in 7or6 7hich is la7ful and attracteth blessings) so that >ods aid and bounty may
al7ays surround them: F3ranslated from the 2ersianG
@He do not feel ::: that it is appropriate for funds for the aith to be raised through raffles:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eune L1/ 190L. I)id!2
123. *ettin6 on Football Dames@ *in6o and the &i$e
@Although 7e may ha'e 7ritten to you pre'iously commenting on the Duestion as to 7hether lotteries
and betting) such as betting on football games) bingo) etc:) are included under the prohibition of
gambling) 7e repeat that this is a matter that is to be considered in detail by the Jni'ersal House of
9ustice: /n the meantime) your National Assembly should not ma6e an issue of these matters and should
lea'e it to the consciences of the indi'idual friends 7ho are to decide for themsel'es in each case:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 4eptem)er L0/ 190L. I)id!2
123'. *in6o and )ther Dames of Chance for the F"nd
@As to participation in Bingo games by a =ocal Spiritual Assembly 7ith the intention of contributing to
the und) 7e do not feel it is appropriate for funds for the aith to be raised through games of chance or
raffles:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eanuar5 L9/ 1903. I)id!2
)$ Chastit* and %e= (ducation
123(. %e? Ed"cation .eC"ires 7isdom and Dood 9"d6ment on the Part of Parents
@3he House of 9ustice points out that se? education) especially education concerning the physiological
aspects of se?) is a delicate matter) reDuiring 7isdom and good Budgment on the part of parents 7ho can
impart information to their children and ans7er their Duestions in accordance 7ith the stage of
de'elopment of each child and the degree of his or her understanding: /t is) moreo'er) a subBect that
needs to be placed in its proper conte?t of the spiritual and emotional de'elopment of indi'iduals) the
nature of the family and the purpose of human life::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 4eptem)er L@/ 19812
123-. *ah+,; Eo"th %ho"ld %tand o"t A6ainst the &a?ity and Depra1ity of a Permissi1e %ociety
@:::the Cause of >od 7ill deri'e immense benefit 7hen it is obser'ed that the Bahs) and particularly
Bah youth) stand out against the la?ity and depra'ity of the permissi'e society) that the e?alted
standards of conduct 7hich they stri'e to uphold are firmly rooted in spiritual principles) gi'ing them
confidence) self0respect and true happiness: 5n the other hand only the greatest harm can be done to the
Cause if its follo7ers are simply engulfed by the current tide:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er L3/ 19832
123/. !he Indi1id"al *elie1er in Accordance with 5is Prayerf"l 8nderstandin6 of the 7ritin6s
%ho"ld Determine 5is Co"rse of Cond"ct
@/t is neither possible nor desirable for the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice to set forth a set of rules co'ering
e'ery situation: &ather it is the tas6 of the indi'idual belie'er to determine) according to his o7n
prayerful understanding of the Hritings) precisely 7hat his course of conduct should be in relation to
situations 7hich he encounters in his daily life: /f he is to fulfill his true mission in life as a follo7er of
the Blessed 2erfection) he 7ill pattern his life according to the 3eachings: 3he belie'er cannot attain this
obBecti'e merely by li'ing according to a set of rigid regulations: Hhen his life is oriented to7ards
ser'ice to Bahullh) and 7hen e'ery conscious act is performed 7ithin this frame of reference) he 7ill
not fail to achie'e the true purpose of his life:
@3herefore) e'ery belie'er must continually study the sacred Hritings and the instructions of the
belo'ed >uardian) stri'ing al7ays to attain a ne7 and better understanding of their import to him and to
his society: He should pray fer'ently for 8i'ine >uidance) 7isdom and strength to do 7hat is pleasing to
>od) and to ser'e Him at all times and to the best of his ability:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 10/ 19M8. National Bah &e'ie7/ o! N0/ o"em)er
1901/ p! 32
1230. *ah+,;s %ho"ld :ot 5esitate to %ee$ Ad1ice from Assemblies when !hey Feel the :eed and
#"st &earn !hro"6h %t"dy and Prayer to )btain a Clearer Bision of !heir #ission
@3here is no need to d7ell at length on the implications of spotless chastity and the integrity of the
sacred marital bond set forth in our teachings) as these ha'e been clearly outlined and amply elaborated
in our scriptures and in the 7ritings of our belo'ed >uardian: Such matters as the age of marriage or the
manner of meeting economic commitments are left to the indi'idual to decide for himself: 3he friends)
ho7e'er) should not hesitate to see6 the ad'ice of their =ocal Spiritual Assemblies in all such matters if
they feel the need:
@As the suffering and unrest afflicting humanity increase) and moral restraints are one by one
abolished) the Bahs must learn to obtain) through study and prayer) a clearer 'ision of their mission)
earnestly see6 to purge their li'es of the influences of la?ity and promiscuity characteriCing modern
society) and insure that the fair name and integrity of the aith they ser'e and lo'e so dearly remain
unstained and unsullied:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to two )elie"ers/ 6a5 LL/ 19MM2
1232. )ne #"st &earn to Control Animal Imp"lses@ not be a %la1e to !hem
@/n considering the effect of obedience to the la7s on indi'idual li'es) one must remember that the
purpose of this life is to prepare the soul for the ne?t: Here one must learn to control and direct ones
animal impulses) not to be a sla'e to them: =ife in this 7orld is a succession of tests and achie'ements)
of falling short and of ma6ing ne7 spiritual ad'ances: Sometimes the course may seem 'ery hard) but
one can 7itness) again and again) that the soul 7ho steadfastly obeys the la7 of Bahullh) ho7e'er
hard it may seem) gro7s spiritually) 7hile the one 7ho compromises 7ith the la7 for the sa6e of his
o7n apparent happiness is seen to ha'e been follo7ing a chimera! he does not attain the happiness he
sought) he retards his spiritual ad'ance and often brings ne7 problems upon himself:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ e;cerpts from a letter to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/
<e)ruar5 M/ 19032
1213. Gissin6 in #odern %ociety is Detrimental to #oralsA
@Hhat Bahullh means by chastity certainly does not include the 6issing that goes on in modern
society: /t is detrimental to the morals of young people) and often leads them to go too far) or arouses
appetites 7hich they cannot perhaps at the time satisfy legitimately through marriage) and the
suppression of 7hich is a strain on them:
@3he Bah standard is 'ery high) more particularly 7hen compared 7ith the thoroughly rotten morals
of the present 7orld: But this standard of ours 7ill produce healthier) happier) nobler people) and induce
stabler marriages:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 19/ 19N02
O&4ee also. o! 1N382
1211. *ah+,;s #"st %et the E?ample and &ead the 7ay to a !r"e 5"man %tandard of &ife
@3he 7orld today is submerged) amongst other things) in an o'er0e?aggeration of the importance of
physical lo'e) and a dearth of spiritual 'alues: /n as far as possible the belie'ers should try to realiCe this
and rise abo'e the le'el of their fello70men 7ho are) typical of all decadent periods in history) placing so
much o'er0emphasis on the purely physical side of mating: 5utside of their normal) legitimate married
life they should see6 to establish bonds of comradeship and lo'e 7hich are eternal and founded on the
spiritual life of man) not on his physical life: 3his is one of the many fields in 7hich it is incumbent on
the Bahs to set the e?ample and lead the 7ay to a true human standard of life) 7hen the soul of man is
e?alted and his body but the tool for his enlightened spirit: Needless to say this does not preclude the
li'ing of a perfectly normal se? life in its legitimate channel of marriage:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er L8/ 19N1. <essages from the Jni'ersal House of
9ustice/ 19M8+1903/ pp! 118+1192
1212. Chastity Implies *efore #arria6e Absol"tely Chaste@ After #arria6e Absol"tely Faithf"l to
)ne,s Chosen Companion
@3he Duestion you raise as to the place in ones life that a deep bond of lo'e 7ith someone 7e meet
other than our husband or 7ife can ha'e is easily defined in 'ie7 of the teachings: Chastity implies both
before and after marriage an unsullied) chaste se? life: Before marriage absolutely chaste) after marriage
absolutely faithful to ones chosen companion: aithful in all se?ual acts) faithful in 7ord and in deed:E
&I)id!2
121. *ah+,; Eo"th %ho"ld %t"dy the !eachin6s on Chastity For D"idance in Decidin6 7hich
Intimacies are Permissible and 7hich Are :ot
@He ha'e recei'ed your letter of "#th 9une "#+% and can sympathiCe 7ith the problems that Bah
youth face 7hen trying to li'e up to the Bah standards of beha'iour: /t is) perhaps) natural that in the
be7ildering amoral en'ironment in 7hich Bah youth are gro7ing up they feel the need for specific
instructions on 7hich intimacies are permissible and 7hich are not: Ho7e'er) 7e feel it 7ould be most
un7ise for any Bah institution to issue detailed instructions about this:
@3he Bah youth should study the teachings on chastity and) 7ith these in mind) should a'oid any
beha'iour 7hich 7ould arouse passions 7hich 7ould tempt them to 'iolate them: /n deciding 7hat acts
are permissible to them in the light of these considerations the youth must use their o7n Budgement)
follo7ing the guidance of their consciences and the ad'ice of their parents:
@/f Bah youth combine such personal purity 7ith an attitude of uncensorious forbearance to7ards
others they 7ill find that those 7ho may ha'e criticiCed or e'en moc6ed them 7ill come) in time) to
respect them: 3hey 7ill) moreo'er) be laying a firm foundation for future married happiness:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a #ocal 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eul5 9/ 19032
121'. Eo"th %ho"ld *e !a"6ht %elf-Control
@::: 3he Bah youth should) on the one hand) be taught the lesson of self0control 7hich) 7hen
e?ercised) undoubtedly has a salutary effect on the de'elopment of character and of personality in
general) and on the other should be ad'ised) nay e'en encouraged) to contract marriage 7hile still young
and in full possession of their physical 'igour: Economic factors) no doubt) are often a serious hindrance
to early marriage but in most cases are only an e?cuse) and as such should not be o'er stressed:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 13/ 19N1. <essages from the Jni'ersal House of
9ustice/ 19M8+1903/ p! 1192
121(. Chastity %ho"ld be %trictly Practiced by *oth %e?es
@3he Bah teaching on se?ual intercourse is 'ery clear: /t is permissible only bet7een a man and the
7oman 7ho is his 7ife: /n this connection 7e share 7ith you e?tracts from four lettersN 7ritten on
behalf of the >uardian 7hich thro7 light on 'arious aspects of the matter::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ <e)ruar5 M/ 19032
O&Please refer to os! 11@M and 11@0 for two of these e;tracts!2
121-. Chastity is )ne of the #ost Challen6in6 Concepts in this Permissi1e A6e
@As to chastity) this is one of the most challenging concepts to get across in this 'ery permissi'e age) but
Bahs must ma6e the utmost effort to uphold Bah standards) no matter ho7 difficult they may seem
at first: Such efforts 7ill be made easier if the youth 7ill understand that the la7s and standards of the
aith are meant to free them from untold spiritual and moral difficulties in the same 7ay that a proper
appreciation of the la7s of nature enables one to li'e in harmony 7ith the forces of the planet: Mou may
7ish also to see6 the ad'ice of the Education Committee on teaching chastity to young Bahs:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 1N/ 198@2
121/. Children )"t of 7edloc$
@:::in reply to your letter of $ April "#$" reDuesting guidance on ho7 to deal 7ith problems in'ol'ing
Bah 7omen 7ho ha'e had children out of 7edloc6:
@Normally administrati'e rights should not be suspended because of the birth of a child out of
7edloc6: 3he Duestions to be considered are 7hether the party is guilty of blatant and flagrant
immorality) 7hether such conduct is harming the aith) and 7hether the belie'er has refused or
neglected to impro'e her conduct despite repeated 7arnings:
@/f you find that the girls in Duestion are responding to the e?hortations of the Assembly and ha'e
corrected their beha'iour) you should consider the matter closed and restore their administrati'e rights:
Mour Assembly should) of course) pro'ide for the proper deepening of the friends) and in a lo'ing and
patient manner attempt to instill in them a respect for Bah =a7s:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 6a5 M/ 19812
1210. In %e?"al #orality People )ften %t"mble and Fall %hort of the IdealThe 4piritual (ssem)l5
4hould (ct as a #o"in$ <ather Rather than a Eud$e
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has recei'ed your letter of "1 <ay "#$* as6ing 7hether administrati'e
sanctions should be imposed on unmarried couples in 7hich one or both are Bahs and 7ho ha'e had
children out of 7edloc6: He ha'e been as6ed to con'ey the follo7ing guidance:
@As you readily understand) Bahs are e?horted to lead a chaste and holy life) and) according to
Bah =a7) se?ual intercourse is permissible only bet7een a man and the 7oman 7ho is his 7ife: /n
se?ual morality) as in other realms of beha'iour) people often stumble and fall short of the ideal: /t is the
tas6 of Spiritual Assemblies to ensure that the friends are deepened in their understanding of the
teachings) and are e?horted to apply them in their li'es: /n caring for its community) a Spiritual
Assembly should act as a lo'ing father rather than as a stern Budge in such matters: Ne'ertheless) if a
belie'ers beha'iour is blatantly and flagrantly immoral and) therefore) is harmful to the good name of
the aith) the Assembly must counsel him For herG) urge him to reform his conduct) 7arn him of the
conseDuences if he does not mend his 7ays and) ultimately) if the belie'er persists in misbeha'iour) the
Assembly must depri'e him of his administrati'e rights: 3his depri'ation remains in force until such
time as the belie'er repents of his actions and is able to satisfy the Spiritual Assembly that he has
rectified his beha'iour:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eune @/ 198M2
1212. !he Instit"tions %ho"ld Adopt %"ch Pro6rams as will Deepen the *elie1ers in their
8nderstandin6 as to 5ow to Attain to the 5i6h %tandards of %potless Chastity Inc"lcated by
*ah+,",ll+h
@:::Bahs in their deep lo'e for Bahullh should be eager to apply e'ery spiritual precept in their
o7n li'es 7hile at the same time e?ercising patience) forbearance and forgi'eness in respect to the
shortcomings of others: /t is for the /nstitutions of the aith to adopt such programmes as 7ill deepen the
belie'ers in their understanding of the teachings so that they 7ill unhesitatingly and eagerly follo7 Him:
@3here is no doubt that the standard of spotless chastity inculcated by Bahullh in His teachings can
be attained by the friends only 7hen they stand forth firmly and courageously as uncompromising
adherents of the Bah 7ay of life) fully conscious that they represent teachings 7hich are the 'ery
antithesis of the corrosi'e forces 7hich are so tragically destroying the fabric of mans moral 'alues: 3he
present trend in modern society and its conflict 7ith our challenging principles of moral conduct) far
from influencing the belie'ers to compromise their resol'e to adhere unde'iatingly to the standards of
purity and chastity set forth for them by their aith) must stimulate them to discharge their sacred
obligations 7ith determination and thus combat the e'il forces undermining the foundations of
indi'idual morality:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to two indi"idual )elie"ers/ 6a5 LL/ 19MM2
1223. #ast"rbation
@He ha'e found in the Holy Hritings no e?plicit references to masturbation) but there are a number of
principles and teachings 7hich can guide a Bah to the correct attitude to7ards it: /n a letter to an
indi'idual belie'er) 7ritten by the >uardians secretary on his behalf) it is pointed out that!
A3he Bah aith recogniCes the 'alue of the se? impulse) but condemns its illegitimate and
improper e?pressions such as free lo'e) companionate marriage and others) all of 7hich it
considers positi'ely harmful to man and to the society in 7hich he li'es: 3he proper use of
the se? instinct is the natural right of e'ery indi'idual) and it is precisely for this 'ery
purpose that the institution of marriage has been established: 3he Bahs do not belie'e in
the suppression of the se? impulse but in its regulation and control:
@/n response to another letter enDuiring if there 7ere any legitimate 7ay in 7hich a person could
e?press the se? instinct if) for some reason) he 7ere unable to marry or if outer circumstances such as
economic factors 7ere to cause him to delay marriage) the >uardians secretary 7rote on his behalf!
AConcerning your Duestion 7hether there are any legitimate forms of e?pression of the se?
instinct outside of marriage! According to the Bah 3eachings no se?ual act can be
considered la7ful unless performed bet7een la7fully married persons: 5utside of marital
life there can be no la7ful or healthy use of the se? impulse: 3he Bah youth should) on the
one hand) be taught the lesson of self0control 7hich) 7hen e?ercised) undoubtedly has a
salutary effect on the de'elopment of character and of personality in general) and on the
other should be ad'ised) nay e'en encouraged) to contract marriage 7hile still young and in
full possession of their physical 'igour: Economic factors) no doubt) are often a serious
hindrance to early marriage but in most cases are only an e?cuse) and as such should not be
o'er stressed:
@/n another letter on the >uardians behalf) also to an indi'idual belie'er) the secretary 7rites!
AAmongst the many other e'ils afflicting society in this spiritual lo7 7ater mar6 in history is
the Duestion of immorality) and o'er0emphasis of se?:::
@3his indicates ho7 the 7hole matter of se? and the problems related to it ha'e assumed far
too great an importance in the thin6ing of present0day society:
@<asturbation is clearly not a proper use of the se? instinct) as this is understood in the aith:
<oreo'er it in'ol'es) as you ha'e pointed out) mental fantasies) 7hile Bahullh) in the ;itb0i0ADdas)
has e?horted us not to indulge our passions and in one of His 7ell06no7n 3ablets AAbdul0Bah
encourages us to 6eep our Asecret thoughts pure: 5f course many 7ay7ard thoughts come in'oluntarily
to the mind and these are merely a result of 7ea6ness and are not blame7orthy unless they become fi?ed
or e'en 7orse) are e?pressed in improper acts: /n A3he Ad'ent of 8i'ine 9ustice) 7hen describing the
moral standards that Bahs must uphold both indi'idually and in their community life) the >uardian
7rote!
ASuch a chaste and holy life) 7ith its implications of modesty) purity) temperance) decency)
and clean0mindedness) in'ol'es no less than the e?ercise of moderation in all that pertains to
dress) language) amusements) and all artistic and literary a'ocations: /t demands daily
'igilance in the control of ones carnal desires and corrupt inclinations:
@Mour problem) therefore) is one against 7hich you should continue to struggle) 7ith determination
and 7ith the aid of prayer: Mou should remember) ho7e'er) that it is only one of the many temptations
and faults that a human being must stri'e to o'ercome during his lifetime) and you should not increase
the difficulty you ha'e by o'er0emphasising its importance: He suggest you try to see it 7ithin the
7hole spectrum of the Dualities that a Bah must de'elop in his character: Be 'igilant against
temptation) but do not allo7 it to claim too great a share of your attention: Mou should concentrate)
rather) on the 'irtues that you should de'elop) the ser'ices you should stri'e to render) and) abo'e all) on
>od and His attributes) and de'ote your energies to li'ing a full Bah life in all its many aspects:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ a cop5 of which was sent to the compiler with a letter dated
6arch 8/ 19812
I$ )o&ose=ualit*G
1221. Acts of Immorality
@Amongst the many other e'ils afflicting society in this spiritual lo7 7ater mar6 in history) is the
Duestion of immorality) and o'er0emphasis of se?: Homose?uality) according to the Hritings of
Bahullh) is spiritually condemned: 3his does not mean that people so afflicted must not be helped
and ad'ised and sympathiCed 7ith: /t does mean that 7e do not belie'e that it is a permissible 7ay of
lifeI 7hich) alas) is all too often the accepted attitude no7adays:
@He must struggle against the e'ils in society by spiritual means) and medical and social ones as 7ell:
He must be tolerant but uncompromising) understanding but immo'able in our point of 'ie7:
@3he thing people need to meet this type of trouble) as 7ell as e'ery other type) is greater spiritual
understanding and stabilityI and of course 7e Bahs belie'e that ultimately this can only be gi'en to
man6ind through the 3eachings of the <anifestation of >od for this 8ay:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 L1/ 19@N2
O&4ee also. o! 18@2
1222. 5omose?"ality and !ransse?"ality
@A number of se?ual problems such as homose?uality and transse?uality can 7ell ha'e medical aspects)
and in such cases recourse should certainly be had to the best medical assistance: But it is clear from the
teaching of Bahullh that homose?uality is not a condition to 7hich a person should be reconciled)
but is a distortion of his or her nature 7hich should be controlled and o'ercome: 3his may reDuire a hard
struggle) but so also can be the struggle of a heterose?ual person to control his or her desires: 3he
e?ercise of self0control in this) as in so 'ery many other aspects of life) has a beneficial effect on the
progress of the soul: /t should) moreo'er) be borne in mind that although to be married is highly
desirable) and Bahullh has strongly recommended it) it is not the central purpose of life: /f a person
has to 7ait a considerable period before finding a spouse) or if ultimately) he or she must remain single)
it does not mean that he or she is thereby unable to fulfil his or her lifes purpose:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 1L/ 1903. cited in <essages from 3he Jni'ersal House
of 9ustice/ 19M8+1903/ p! 111+1112
122. !hro"6h Ad1ice@ 5elp of Doctors@ and Prayer@ Can )1ercome this 5andicap
@No matter ho7 de'oted and fine the lo'e may be bet7een people of the same se?) to let it find
e?pression in se?ual acts is 7rong: 3o say that it is ideal is no e?cuse: /mmorality of e'ery sort is really
forbidden by Bahullh) and homose?ual relationships he loo6s upon as such) besides being against
nature:
@3o be afflicted this 7ay is a great burden to a conscientious soul: But through the ad'ice and help of
doctors) through a strong and determined effort) and through prayer) a soul can o'ercome this handicap:
@>od Budges each soul on its o7n merits: 3he >uardian cannot tell you 7hat the attitude of >od 7ould
be to7ards a person 7ho li'es a good life in most 7ays) but not in this 7ay: All he can tell you is that it
is forbidden by Bahullh) and that one so afflicted should struggle and struggle again to o'ercome it:
He must be hopeful of >ods <ercy but not impose upon it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch LM/ 19@12
122'. *ah+,; &aw Protects and %tren6thens #arria6e
@:::He shrin6) for 'ery shame) from treating of the subBect of boys: ear ye the <erciful) 5 peoples of
the 7orldL Commit not that 7hich is forbidden you in 5ur Holy 3ablet) and be not of those 7ho ro'e
distractedly in the 7ilderness of their desires:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3he ;itb0i0ADdas/ 8110/ p! @82
@3he 7ord translated here as Aboys has) in this conte?t) in the Arabic original) the implication of
paederasty: Shoghi Effendi has interpreted this reference as a prohibition on all homose?ual relations:
@3he Bah teachings on se?ual morality centre on marriage and the family as the bedroc6 of the
7hole structure of human society and are designed to protect and strengthen that di'ine institution:
Bah la7 thus restricts permissible se?ual intercourse to that bet7een a man and the 7oman to 7hom
he is married:E
&The :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice. Notes appended to 3he ;itb0i0ADdas/ n13N/ p! LL32
122(. !he >"estion %ho"ld not be if a Practicin6 5omose?"al Can be a *ah+,;@ *"t as %"ch Can
5e )1ercome 5is Problem !hro"6h !he !eachin6s
@Bah teachings on se?ual morality centre on marriage and the family as the bedroc6 of the 7hole
structure of human society and are designed to protect and strengthen that di'ine institution: 3hus Bah
la7 restricts permissible se?ual intercourse to that bet7een a man and the 7oman to 7hom he is
married:
@3hus) it should not be so much a matter of 7hether a practicing homose?ual can be a Bah as
7hether) ha'ing become a Bah) the homose?ual can o'ercome his problem through 6no7ledge of the
teachings and reliance on Bahullh:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 1N/ 19032
122-. .eco6niHin6 the Di1ine )ri6in of the %e? Imp"lse in #an@ .eli6ion !eaches it #"st be
Controlled
@::: Any act or acti'ity by a belie'er 7hich is contrary to our teachings 7ill surely be harmful to the
spiritual future of the indi'idual concerned) and may gi'e non0Bahs a 7rong impression of the
principles of our aith: Hhereas consider ho7 important it is for a belie'er to reflect in his actions the
redeeming features of the Cause he has embraced: Shoghi Effendi has pointed out!
ANot by the force of numbers) not by the mere e?position of a set of ne7 and noble
principles) not by an organiCed campaign of teachingQno matter ho7 7orld7ide and
elaborate in its characterQnot e'en by the staunchness of our faith or the e?altation of our
enthusiasm) can 7e ultimately hope to 'indicate in the eyes of a critical and sceptical age the
supreme claim of the Abh &e'elation: 5ne thing and only one thing 7ill unfailingly and
alone secure the undoubted triumph of this sacred Cause) namely) the e?tent to 7hich our
o7n inner life and pri'ate character mirror forth in their manifold aspects the splendour of
those eternal principles proclaimed by Bahullh:
@Hhile recogniCing the di'ine origin and force of the se? impulse in man) religion teaches that it must
be controlled) and Bahullhs la7 confines its e?pression to the marriage relationship: 3he unmarried
homose?ual is therefore in the same position as anyone else 7ho does not marry: 3he =a7 of >od
reDuires them to practise chastity:
@E'en though you feel that the conflict bet7een sensuality and spirituality is more than you can bear)
your affirmationQA/ do 6no7 / am a Bah is a positi'e factor in the battle you must 7age: E'ery
belie'er needs to remember that an essential characteristic of this physical 7orld is that 7e are
constantly faced 7ith trials) tribulations) hardships and sufferings and that by o'ercoming them 7e
achie'e our moral and spiritual de'elopmentI that 7e must see6 to accomplish in the future 7hat 7e
may ha'e failed to do in the pastI that this is the 7ay >od tests His ser'ants and 7e should loo6 upon
e'ery failure or shortcoming as an opportunity to try again and to acDuire a fuller consciousness of the
8i'ine Hill and purpose:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 9/ 19002
122/. 7e Are Ass"red of the D"idance of Dod 7hen 7e #a$e an Effort to )bey 5im
@Certainly the problem confronting you is a difficult one: Ho7e'er) its solution lies 7ithin your po7er)
for Bahullh has assured us that >od A7ill ne'er deal unBustly 7ith anyone) neither 7ill He tas6 a soul
beyond its po7er:N And again) AHhensoe'er he hath fulfilled the conditions implied in the 'erse!
@Hhoso ma6eth efforts for Js)E he shall enBoy the blessings conferred by the 7ords! @/n 5ur Hay shall
He assuredly guide him:E Mou can be confident that 7ith the help of doctors) by prayer and meditation)
by self0abnegation and by gi'ing as much time as possible to ser'ing the Cause in your community you
can e'entually succeed in o'ercoming your problem:E
&I)id!2
O&,ah-*u*ll-h. %leanin$s from the Writin$s of ,ah-*u*ll-h/ p! 11M/ 198L :!4! edition2
1220. )ne #"st #a$e an Effort to .esist 7ayward Imp"lses 7hen !hey Arise by !"rnin6 to the
%acred 7ritin6s to Di1ert )ne,s !ho"6hts
@3he House of 9ustice comments that 7hile there is little in Bah literature that specifically points to
the causes of homose?uality itself) there is much that concerns the nature of man) his inner life and
gro7th) and the 7ay to a true Bah life: /f you are sincerely intent on o'ercoming your problem) you
must yourself determine to resist 7ay7ard impulses each time they arise and the House of 9ustice feels
that there is no better 7ay than to turn to the Hritings to di'ert our thoughts into spiritual channels)
perhaps to concentrate on 7hat 7e may do to help others along the 7ay to disco'ering the Bah aith:
3he more 7e occupy oursel'es 7ith teaching the Cause and ser'ing our fello70man in this 7ay) the
stronger 7e become in resisting that 7hich is abhorrent to our spiritual sel'es:
@<ans physical e?istence on this earth is a period during 7hich the moral e?ercise of his free 7ill is
tried and tested in order to prepare his soul for the other 7orlds of >od) and 7e must 7elcome affliction
and tribulations as opportunities for impro'ement in our eternal sel'es: 3he House of 9ustice points out
that homose?uals are not the only segment of human society labouring at this daily tas6Qe'ery human
being is beset by such inner promptings as pride) greed) selfishness) lustful heterose?ual or homose?ual
desires) to name a fe7 7hich must be o'ercome) and o'ercome them 7e must if 7e are to fulfil the
purpose of our human e?istence:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 1M/ 19812
1222. A 5omose?"al .elationship %"b1erts the P"rpose of 5"man &ife
@3here should be real incenti'e for you to courageously face the problems inherent in the situation you
describe in your letter) and to firmly resol'e to change your 7ay of life: But you must desire to do so:
Both you and your Bah friend must first recogniCe that a homose?ual relationship sub'erts the
purpose of human life and that determined effort to o'ercome the 7ay7ard tendencies 7hich promote
this practice 7hich) li6e other se?ual 'ices) is so abhorrentI the Creator of all man6ind 7ill help you both
to return to a path that leads to true happiness:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust L3/ 198L2
123. 5omose?"ality@ Immorality and Ad"ltery Are Forbidden in the Faith
@3he Duestion of ho7 to deal 7ith homose?uals is a 'ery difficult one: Homose?uality is forbidden in
the Bah aith by BahullhI so) for that matter) are immorality and adultery: /f one is going to start
imposing hea'y sanctions on people 7ho are the 'ictims of this abnormality) ho7e'er repulsi'e it may
be to others) then it is only fair to impose eDually hea'y sanctions on any Bahs 7ho step beyond the
moral limits defined by Bahullh: 5b'iously at the present time this 7ould create an impossible and
ridiculous situation:
@He feels) therefore) that) through lo'ing ad'ice) through repeated 7arnings) any friends 7ho are
flagrantly immoral should be assisted) and) if possible) restrained: /f their acti'ities o'erstep all bounds
and become a matter of public scandal) then the Assembly can consider depri'ing them of their 'oting
rights: Ho7e'er) he does not ad'ise this course of action) and feels it should only be resorted to in 'ery
flagrant cases:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ (u$ust L1/ 19@@2
/$ La"s of ,arriage
": 2arental Consent
121. Gnowled6e of Character .esponsibility of !wo Parties and Parents
@Bah la7 places the responsibility for ascertaining 6no7ledge of the character of those entering into
the marriage contract on the t7o parties in'ol'ed) and on the parents) 7ho must gi'e consent to the
marriage:
@3he obligation of the Spiritual Assembly is to ascertain that all reDuirements of ci'il and Bah la7
ha'e been complied 7ith) and) ha'ing done so) the Assembly may neither refuse to perform the marriage
ceremony nor delay it:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 6arch 31/ 19M02
122. #"st *ecome !horo"6hly AcC"ainted with Characters of Each )ther
@Bah marriage is the commitment of the t7o parties one to the other) and their mutual attachment of
mind and heart: Each must) ho7e'er) e?ercise the utmost care to become thoroughly acDuainted 7ith the
character of the other) that the binding co'enant bet7een them may be a tie that 7ill endure fore'er:
3heir purpose must be this! to become lo'ing companions and comrades and at one 7ith each other for
time and eternity::::
@3he true marriage of Bahs is this) that husband and 7ife should be united both physically and
spiritually) that they may e'er impro'e the spiritual life of each other) and may enBoy e'erlasting unity
throughout all the 7orlds of >od: 3his is Bah marriage:E
&I)id!2
12. &aw .eC"irin6 Parental Consent %ho"ld Enco"ra6e Eo"n6 People to Consider #arria6e
%erio"sly
@Bahullh definitely says that the consent of the parents should be obtained before the marriage is
sanctioned and that undoubtedly has great 7isdom: /t 7ill at least detain young people from marrying
7ithout considering the subBect thoroughly: /t is in conformity 7ith this teaching of the Cause that
Shoghi Effendi cabled that the consent of your parents should be obtained:
@/ personally belie'e that if you retain your lo'e as a pure and close friendship and continue your
studies until you bring them to a close then you 7ill be in a better position to Budge and perhaps your
parents 7ould be gi'en time to gi'e the subBect better consideration: 3ime can al7ays pro'ide things and
settle disputes that temporary endea'our and heated discussion cannot help:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 L9/ 19L92
12'. Consent .eC"ired of Parents for Ad"lts@ for %econd #arria6es@ for *ah+,;s or :on-*ah+,;s
@About the consent of parents for marriage! 3his is reDuired before and also after the man or 7oman is
t7enty0one years of age: /t is also reDuired in the e'ent of a second marriage) after the dissolution of the
first 7hether through death or through di'orce:
@3he parental consent is also a binding obligation irrespecti'e of 7hether the parents are Bahs or
not) 7hether they are friendly or opposed to the Cause: /n the e'ent of the death of both parents) the
consent of a guardian is not reDuired:E
12(. !he &aw of Parental Consent is to %tren6then Family .elationships
@Bahullh has clearly stated the consent of all li'ing parents is reDuired for a Bah marriage: 3his
applies 7hether the parents are Bahs or non0Bahs) di'orced for years or not: 3his great la7 He has
laid do7n to strengthen the social fabric) to 6nit closer the ties of the home) to place a certain gratitude
and respect in the hearts of children for those 7ho ha'e gi'en them life and sent their souls out on the
eternal Bourney to7ards their Creator: He Bahs must realiCe that in present0day society the e?act
opposite process is ta6ing place! young people care less and less for their parents 7ishes) di'orce is
considered a natural right) and obtained on the flimsiest and most un7arrantable and shabby prete?ts:
2eople separated from each other) especially if one of them has had full custody of the children) are only
too 7illing to belittle the importance of the partner in marriage also responsible as a parent for bringing
those children into this 7orld: 3he Bahs must) through rigid adherence to the Bah la7s and
teachings) combat these corrosi'e forces 7hich are so rapidly destroying home life and the beauty of
family relationships) and tearing do7n the moral structure of society:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Octo)er L@/ 19N02
12-. Consent of Parents &aw of Dreat Importance Affectin6 the Fo"ndation of 5"man %ociety
@/n many cases of breach of marriage la7s the belie'ers apparently loo6 upon the la7 reDuiring consent
of parents before marriage as a mere administrati'e regulation) and do not seem to realiCe that this is a
la7 of great importance affecting the 'ery foundations of human society: <oreo'er they seem not to
appreciate that in the Bah aith the spiritual and administrati'e aspects are complementary and that
the social la7s of the aith are as binding as the purely spiritual ones:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ (u$ust L9/ 19M@. Canadian Bah
Ne7s) o! LM@/ <e)ruar5 1903/ p! 112
12/. Consent of All &i1in6 Parents Places a Dra1e .esponsibility on Each Parent
@/t is perfectly true that Bahullhs statement that the consent of all li'ing parents is reDuired for
marriage places a gra'e responsibility on each parent: Hhen the parents are Bahs they should) of
course) act obBecti'ely in 7ithholding or granting their appro'al: 3hey cannot e'ade this responsibility
by merely acDuiescing in their childs 7ish) nor should they be s7ayed by preBudiceI but) 7hether they
be Bah or non0Bah) the parents decision is binding) 7hate'er the reason that may ha'e moti'ated
it: Children must recogniCe and understand that this act of consenting is the duty of a parent: 3hey must
ha'e respect in their hearts for those 7ho ha'e gi'en them life) and 7hose good pleasure they must at all
times stri'e to 7in:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ <e)ruar5 1/ 19M82
120. Parents #ay %ee$ Ad1ice of %pirit"al Assembly@ *"t Decision .ests with the Parents
@/n reply to your letter of # <arch) "#+# reDuesting comment on an item in the <inutes of a =ocal
Spiritual Assembly concerning parental consent to marriage) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice directs us to
say that 7hile parents may see6 ad'ice of an Assembly about 7hether they should consent to the
marriage of their children and the Assembly may gi'e such ad'ice) the decision rests 7ith the parents
and the Assembly cannot assume that responsibility:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ (pril @/ 19092
122. !he )pposition of Family #embers )ther than Parents Does not Affect Balidity of the
#arria6e
@/n this connection) the >uardian feels the necessity of bringing to your attention the fact that the
'alidity of a Bah marriage is conditioned upon the consent of the t7o parties and their parents only:
So that in case the other members of your family sho7 any disli6e or opposition to your sisterKs union
7ith <r: :::) their obBection does under no circumstances in'alidate it: Mour parents appro'al 7ould be
sufficient e'en though all the rest of your family may 'iolently oppose it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to a ,ah-*? couple/ 6arch 31/ 19302
12'3. #arria6e to :on-*ah+,;@ Consent of Parents of *oth Parties .eC"ired
@&egarding the Duestion 7hether it is necessary to obtain the consent of the parents of a non0Bah
participant in a marriage 7ith a Bah! As Bahullh has stated that the consent of the parents of both
parties is reDuired in order to promote unity and a'oid friction) and as the ADdas does not specify any
e?ceptions to this rule) the >uardian feels that under all circumstances the consent of the parents of both
parties is reDuired:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ (u$ust 1L/ 19N12
12'1. !he Child #ay As$ Parents to .econsider6a5 Re9uest (ssistance of (ssem)l5
@/t is clear from your letter that you understand the basic reDuirement that parental consent is necessary
to ha'ing a Bah marriage and that parents may gi'e or 7ithhold consent for their o7n reasons: /f in a
gi'en case the parents at first 7ithhold consent) there is no harm in the childs as6ing his parents to
reconsider) bearing in mind that he has to abide by their decision: 3he child) on the other hand) may not
7ish to pursue the matterI it is left entirely to his o7n Budgement of the circumstances 7hether to reDuest
reconsideration or not:
@3here ha'e been instances 7hen parties ha'e appealed to Bah institutions Flocal and nationalG to
assist them in remo'ing any misunderstanding that may ha'e stood in the 7ay of a positi'e decision on
the part of their parents: But there are no hard and fast rules in these matters: Each case is dealt 7ith
according to the pre'ailing circumstances at the time:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L8/ 198N2
12'2. Consent of Parents )ften 7ithheld for .easons of *i6otry
@:::the Bah la7 reDuiring consent of parents to marriage: All too often no7adays such consent is
7ithheld by non0Bah parents for reasons of bigotry or racial preBudiceI yet 7e ha'e seen again and
again the profound effect on those 'ery parents of the firmness of the children in the Bah la7) to the
e?tent that not only is the consent ultimately gi'en in many cases) but the character of the parents can be
affected and their relationship 7ith their child greatly strengthened:
@3hus) by upholding Bah la7 in the face of all difficulties 7e not only strengthen our o7n
characters but influence those around us:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"erF copies to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ <e)ruar5 M/ 1903.
<essages from the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice/ 19M8+1903/ pp! 11M+1102
12'. If Parents Are Ali1e@ Consent #"st be )btained
@&egarding your Duestion of applying the sanction of suspension of 'oting rights to people 7ho marry
7ithout the consent of parents) this should be done from no7 on: 3he la7 of the ADdas is e?plicit and
not open to any ambiguity at all: As long as the parents are ali'e) the consent must be obtainedI it is not
conditioned on their relationship to their children: /f the 7hereabouts of the parents is not 6no7n legally)
in other 7ords) if they are legally dead) then it is not necessary for the children to obtain their consent)
ob'iously: /t is not a Duestion of the child not 6no7ing the present 7hereabouts of its parents) it is a
Duestion of a legal thingQif the parents are ali'e) they must be as6ed:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ Eune LM/ 19@M. Bah Ne7s/ o! 33@/
Eanuar5 19@9/ p! L2
12''. Circ"mstances 8nder 7hich Parental Consent for *ah+,; #arria6e not .eC"ired
@/n reply to your letter about the problem of ::: 7ho is unable to locate the natural father of her fiance 7e
are glad to offer you the follo7ing guidance!
@3he only circumstances under 7hich parental consent for Bah marriage is not reDuired are the
follo7ing!
": /f the parent is dead:
,: /f the parent has absented himself to the degree that he can be adBudged legally dead:
%: /f the parent is certified insane and therefore legally incompetent to gi'e consent:
(: /f the parent is a Co'enant0brea6er:
1: /t is possible under Bah =a7) in certain 'ery rare cases) to recogniCe that a state of
diso7nment e?ists: All such cases should be referred to the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice:
@3he problem therefore is reduced to the simple Duestion of 7hether your National Assembly accepts
that <iss :::s father0in0la7 elect cannot be traced and therefore may) to your satisfaction) be presumed to
be legally dead: Mou should of course ascertain that <iss ::: has made e'ery effort possible to trace her
fiancXs father:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (laska/ 6a5 31/ 19012
12'(. 7ithdrawal From the Faith in )rder to E1ade &aw of *ah+,",ll+h is not Possible for !r"e
*elie1er
@3he responsibilities laid upon parents as they gi'e consideration to the Duestion of consent to marriage
of their children is directed to their conscience and therefore it is not possible to apply sanctions: 5n the
other hand) the Bah la7 reDuiring children to obtain the consent of their parents to marriage is subBect
to sanction) and as you 6no7 these are matters set forth in the ;itb0i0ADdas and in the instructions of
the belo'ed >uardian:
@At some time or other) e'ery la7 of Bahullh may impose a test upon the faith of a belie'er and the
Duestion is 7hether the belie'er 7ill meet the test or not: As you are a7are) 7ithdra7al from the aith in
order to e'ade a la7 of Bahullh is not possible to a true belie'er:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ (u$ust LL/ 19M82
12'-. Parents Di1e Consent to #arria6e@ not to a *ah+,; .eli6io"s Ceremony
@": Mour understanding about 7ithdra7al of consent by one or more of the parents prior to a Bah
marriage is correctI namely) if such 7ithdra7al occurs) the marriage cannot ta6e place:
@,: 3he principle of the Bah la7 reDuiring parental consent to marriage is that the parents consent to
the marriage of the man to the 7oman concerned: /t does not reDuire that they consent to the
performance of any particular ceremony: 5b'iously) 7here the parents are Bahs) it is ta6en for granted
that the marriage of a Bah couple 7ill be by the performance of the Bah ceremony: /n some cases)
ho7e'er) it 7ould be difficult for non0Bah parents to gi'e consent to the participation of their son or
daughter in a Bah religious ceremony) and in these cases the distinction of principle is important: /n
other 7ords) if the non0Bah parents consent to the marriage of the couple) the Bah ceremony can be
held unless they e?pressly obBect to the holding of the Bah ceremony) in 7hich case the marriage
cannot ta6e place:E
12'/. E1ery .easonable A1en"e of %earch #"st be E?ha"sted to Find ParentThe Responsi)le
(ssem)l5 6ust )e 4atisfied this 7as ,een Done
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has recei'ed your letter of $ <ay "#$* presenting <iss :::) problem of
consent to her marriage by her putati'e father: He are as6ed to con'ey its response:
@/t seems clear that <iss ::: has a slender connection 7ith her genetic father: Ne'ertheless) despite his
long absence and his lac6 of any relationship 7ith either mother or daughter) <iss ::: is obligated to
ma6e e'ery effort) ho7e'er discreetly carried out) to ascertain his 7hereabouts) including such steps as
contacting persons) firms or agencies) and e'en ad'ertising in ne7spapers if necessary: 3he =ocal or
National Assembly accepts that <iss :::s father0in0la7 elect cannot be traced and the National Assembly
may offer its assistance to the couple) if needed: Hhen the Assembly is satisfied that e'ery reasonable
a'enue of search has been e?hausted 7ithout disco'ering the missing parent) the Assembly may permit
the marriage to ta6e place:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eune L/ 198M2
12'0. )ne #ay As$ )thers to Approach Parent on 5is )r 5er *ehalf
@/f the father has been certified mentally incompetent) then no consent is reDuired: 5ther7ise his consent
must be obtained:
@/f the young lady is concerned about approaching her father directly she may as6 others to do this on
her behalf: He suggest also that the =ocal Assembly be as6ed to assist:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ (u$ust 18/ 19M82
12'2. #arria6es Are %"pposed to Promote 8nity and 5armony(lienated Parent and 3hild 6i$ht
)e ,rou$ht To$ether
@He feels that marriage is primarily a thing that the t7o young people must decide upon: /f the young
Bah girl you mentioned desires to marry the son of the Hindu ::: and her parents consent) and his
parents consent) then there is nothing to pre'ent the union) as long as Bah la7s are follo7ed:
@3he >uardian suggests that the young man himself see6 out his father) and e?plain to him that he
7ishes to marry a Bah girl according to ci'il la7) and then 7ith a brief Bah ceremony follo7ing it
for her sa6e) and as6 his fathers permission and blessing: <arriages are supposed) as Bahullh says)
Himself) to promote unity and harmony in the 7orld) and not dissension and alienation:
@/t 7ould be a 7onderful opportunity if this marriage could bring the father and son) alienated from
each other) together) at least in a moment of friendly and filial contact: /n order to li'e up to the Bah
la7s for the ne7 age 7e are entering upon) 7e ha'e to ma6e sacrifices: /f the Bahs themsel'es 7ill
not sacrifice for their aith) 7ho 7illS /t may often be difficult) but the results 7ill be seen in a more
rapid spread of the Cause and a greater unity amongst the Community itself:E
From a letter 7ritten on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an indi'idual belie'er) <arch ",) "#1%G
12(3. %"mmary of .eC"irements for Adopted Children in .espect to Consent
@&egarding the matter of adopted children) the consent of all natural parents must be obtained 7here'er
this is legally possible but no effort should be made to trace the natural parents if this contra'enes the
pro'ision of the adoption certificate or the la7s of the country: /f there is no such legal bar to
approaching the natural parents and if it is legally established that the man in Duestion is the father) the
child must obtain his consent if he is ali'e: /f the presumed father has disappeared to the degree that he
can be presumed legally dead then his consent is not reDuired: urthermore) if the assumed natural father
denies that he is the father of the child the follo7ing principles apply! if his name appears on the birth
certificate of the child and if the la7 of the country presumes that the name on the birth certificate is that
of the father) then he should be considered as the father for the purpose of obtaining consent: /f the name
of the father gi'en on the birth certificate is not a conclusi'e presumption of parenthood and if the man
in Duestion has al7ays denied that he is the father of the child) the child is not reDuired to see6 the
consent of this man unless it has been legally established that he is the father not7ithstanding his
denial:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Octo)er LN/ 19M@2
12(1. Adopted Children and the %pecial %i6nificance of their .elationship with the :at"ral Parents
@He ac6no7ledge receipt of your letter of No'ember "%) "#+% e?pressing concern that the pro'ision of
the Bah marriage la7 reDuiring consent of li'ing natural parents creates a double standard in your
family because you ha'e adopted children as 7ell as your o7n:
@He appreciate your concern and are in sympathy 7ith your 7orthy aspiration to attain unity in your
family group: Ho7e'er) the unity of your family need not be imperilled because your adopted children
7hen ready for marriage must obtain consent of their natural parents: 9ust as lo'e for one person need
not reduce the lo'e one bears to another) so unity 7ith the adopti'e parents need not destroy nor reduce
the unity a child may ha'e 7ith its natural parents) or 'ice 'ersa: 3he characters and attitudes of the
indi'iduals concerned 7ill ha'e an effect upon this:
@Mou also state that unless there is a broader concept of the meaning of Anatural parent) you feel the
la7 creates disharmony: 2erhaps the follo7ing e?tract from a letter 7ritten on behalf of the belo'ed
>uardian by his secretary 7as Duoted to you by your National Spiritual Assembly) but 7e dra7 your
attention to that portion 7e ha'e underlined because it refers to the special significance of the
relationship bet7een children and their natural parents:
ABahullh has clearly stated the consent of all li'ing parents is reDuired for a Bah
marriage:::: 3his great la7 He has laid do7n to strengthen the social fabric) to 6nit closer the
ties of the home) to place a certain $ratitude and respect in the hearts of children for those
who ha"e $i"en them life and sent their souls out on the eternal =ourne5 towards their
3reator:
@/n short) lo'e for the foster parents and unity 7ith their home should not e?clude lo'e for a childs
natural parents) although it is li6ely a child 7ill become 'ery much more a part of the home in 7hich he
li'es and gro7s up:
@5f course) 7here'er the la7 of the land or the Agreement of Adoption prohibits future contact
bet7een an adopted child and its natural parents) the Bah la7 does not reDuire the child to see6 the
consent of those parents to its marriage: Ho7e'er) children may 'ery 7ell 7ish to obtain the consent of
their foster parents although not obliged to do so:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 11/ 19032
12(2. 8niform Adoption &aw
@He ha'e your letter of ,% 9uly informing us of the Jniform Adoption =a7 7hich ma6es it the practice
to 7ithhold the names of natural parents from the adopti'e parents and the child) and as6ing for ad'ice
as to 7hat is reDuired under the la7s of Bah marriage regarding consent of the natural parents:
@/n cases 7here the Jniform Adoption =a7 pre'ents the disclosure of the names of the natural parents)
the child is under no obligation to see6 their consent to marriage) but in those cases 7here it is possible
for the child to 6no7 his natural parents) consent must be obtained pro'ided there is nothing in the la7
or in the adoption contract 7hich pre'ents him from doing so:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia/ (u$ust 0/ 19MM. Bah Bulletin of
AustraliaF o! 1N@/ 4eptem)er 19MM/ p! L2
12(. D"ty of Assembly to Ascertain if Consent is Freely Di1en. It is Desirable to 5a1e %i6ned
Consent@ is not .eC"irement 8nder &aw
@/n the Bah aith it is the right of each indi'idual to choose 7ithout duress his future partner in
marriage and the freedom of the parents in e?ercising their right to gi'e or refuse consent is
unconditional: Hhile it is desirable to ha'e a signed consent from each parent it is not a reDuirement
under Bah =a7: 3he responsible Spiritual Assembly must satisfy itself that consents are freely gi'en
but it should not insist upon a signed document: &eliable e'idence of oral consents is Duite sufficientI
some parents freely gi'e their consents orally 7hile refusing to 7rite their consents:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %u5ana/ (pril 11/ 19082
12('. If Parents Do not :ame F"t"re %po"se in &etter of Consent
@Basically) Bah =a7 pertaining to marriage reDuires that the parties intending to marry must obtain
consent of all li'ing natural parents: urther) the responsibility of the parents in gi'ing their consent is
unrestricted and unconditioned) but in discharging this duty they are responsible for their decision to
>od: Should the parents in their letter of consent) as you indicated) not name a specific future spouse) the
House of 9ustice states that it could be accepted and it 7ould be permissible to perform a Bah
marriage ceremony on the basis of such a letter:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 9/ 190@2
,: Bah Engagement
12((. First Eo" #"st %elect )ne
@As for the Duestion regarding marriage under the =a7 of >od! irst thou must choose one 7ho is
pleasing to thee) and then the matter is subBect to the consent of father and mother: Before thou ma6est
thy choice) they ha'e no right to interfere:E
12(-. Period of En6a6ement and Anno"ncement of En6a6ement
@3he =a7s of the ;itb0i0ADdas regarding the period of engagement ha'e not been made applicable to
belie'ers in the Hest) and therefore there is no reDuirement that the parties to a marriage obtain consent
of the parents before announcing their engagement: Ho7e'er) there is no obBection to informing the
belie'ers that it 7ould be 7ise for them to do so in order to a'oid later embarrassment if consents are
7ithheld:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia/ Eanuar5 10/ 1901. Australian Bah
Bulletin/ <e)ruar5 1901/ o! 1982
12(/. If *oth Parties are Persian En6a6ement %ho"ld not E?ceed 2( Days
@:::the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice instructs us to say that according to its ruling) the la7 of the ;itb0i0
ADdas that the lapse of time bet7een engagement and marriage should not e?ceed ninety0fi'e days) is
binding on 2ersian belie'ers 7here'er they reside) if both parties are 2ersian: 3his la7 is not applicable)
ho7e'er) if one of the parties is a 7estern belie'er:E
12(0. !he :inety-Fi1e Days %ho"ld Commence when the !wo Parties ha1e been *etrothed
@/n principle) according to the decisi'e te?t of AAbdul0Bah) the period of ninety0fi'e days should
commence only 7hen the t7o parties ha'e been betrothed) and the marriage is agreed: 3herefore) the
brea6ing of an engagement) although possible) should rarely occur: 3he Assemblies should) 7hen the
reason for brea6ing or e?tending the fi?ed period of engagement is 'alid) render e'ery assistance to the
parties in'ol'ed to remo'e their difficulties and facilitate their obser'ance of the ordinance of the Boo6:
@Ho7e'er) if the re'o6ing) e?tending) or rene7ing of engagement in the Budgement of the Assembly is
an intentional disregard of the la7 of the Boo6) then the National Spiritual Assembly should) in each
case) carefully consult and carry out 7hate'er action they may decide:::E
&Translated from a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eune L9/ 19012
12(2. !he *rea$in6 of an En6a6ement Does not Biolate *ah+,; &aw
@:::the brea6ing of an engagement) though not al7ays desirable) does not 'iolate Bah marriage la7:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ o"em)er 11/ 19M92
12-3. It is 8nlawf"l to Anno"nce a #arria6e Earlier than 2( Days *efore 7eddin6
@:::it is unla7ful to announce a marriage earlier than ninety0fi'e days before the 7edding:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3he ;itb0i0ADdas) Ruestions and Ans7ers/ C N3/ p! 1L12
12-1. It is 8nlawf"l to *ecome En6a6ed to a Dirl *efore %he Attains #at"rityA
@/t is unla7ful to become engaged to a girl before she reaches the age of maturity:E
&Synopsis and Codification of the =a7s and 5rdinances of the ;itb0i0ADdas/ p! N1! 3he ;itb0i0ADdas) Synopsis and Codification/ p! 1@12
O&4ee also. o! @1M2
%: Bah <arriage
12-2. !he *ah+,; !eachin6s .aise #arria6e !o the %tat"s )f A Di1ine Instit"tionJ 5owe1er@ !here
Is A %mall %ection of 5"manity 7ho %ho"ld not #arry...
@3he Bah 3eachings do not only encourage marital life) considering it the natural and normal 7ay of
e?istence for e'ery sane) healthy and socially0conscious and responsible person) but raise marriage to the
status of a di'ine institution) its chief and sacred purpose being the perpetuation of the human raceQ
7hich is the 'ery flo7er of the entire creationQand its ele'ation to the true station destined for it by
>od:
@3hat there should be) ho7e'er) certain indi'iduals 7ho by reason of some serious deficiency) physical
or mental) 7ould be incapacitated to contract marriage and enBoy the blessings of an enduring and
successful marital life is only too e'ident) but these constitute only a 'ery small section of humanity) and
are therefore merely an e?ception) and their condition cannot possibly in'alidate 7hat an all07ise and
lo'ing 2ro'idence has decreed to be the normal 7ay to a fruitful and constructi'e social e?istence:
@3he e?act conditions and circumstances under 7hich such incapacitated indi'iduals should be ad'ised
or e'en pre'ented perhaps from entering into any sort of marital e?istence ha'e not been specified in the
Bah Hritings) but 7ill ha'e to be defined later on by the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice: /n the meantime)
those belie'ers 7ho consider themsel'es as falling into the abo'e category 7ould do 7ell) before ta6ing
any final decision themsel'es) to consult medical e?perts) 7ho are both conscientious and competent)
and to abide by their recommendation:
@3his is 7hat the >uardian 7ould ad'ise you to do) and he 7ill pray that you may be guided in
reaching the right decision in this assuredly delicate and indeed most 'ital matter confronting you at
present: Hhether your illness is the result of any inherent constitutional 7ea6ness and inherited
predisposition is a Duestion 7hich you should refer to e?perts in the medical field) though e'en e?pert
physicians themsel'es may in 'ery fe7 cases find it e?ceedingly hard) if not altogether impossible) to
gi'e a final and decisi'e ans7er:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 1@/ 19392
12-. !he Instit"tion of #arria6e as Concei1ed and Established by *ah+,",ll+h Constit"tes the
Fo"ndation of %ocial &ife
@/t must be first clearly emphasiCed that the institution of marriage as concei'ed and established by
Bahullh is e?tremely simple though of a 'ital social importance) constituting as it does the 'ery
foundation of social life: Compared to matrimonial conceptions and forms current amongst e?isting
religions) the Bah conception of marriage is practically 'oid of all ceremonies: 3here is no officiating
priesthood: 3he t7o contracting parties simply appear before the Spiritual Assembly and e?press their
desire to be united 7ith the bonds of marriage: 3here is a short formula 7hich they ha'e to pronounce
before the members) and a marriage certificate 7hich they both ha'e to sign: /n the Cause 7e do not
ha'e 7hat is commonly called the AADid: 3he appearance of the t7o parties before the Assembly has
only an administrati'e importance: /t carries 7ith it no spiritual or sacramental obligation of
significance: / mean only the mere act of appearing before the Assembly) not marriage itself) 7hich is of
course essentially a spiritual and moral act of union:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ Eul5 M/ 193@2
12-'. !he Physical Aspect of #arital 8nion is %"bordinate to the #oral and %pirit"al P"rposes and
F"nctions
@3he /nstitution of marriage as established by Bahullh) 7hile gi'ing due importance to the physical
aspect of marital union) considers it as subordinate to the moral and spiritual purposes and functions
7ith 7hich it has been in'ested by an all07ise and lo'ing 2ro'idence: 5nly 7hen these different 'alues
are gi'en each their due importance) and only on the basis of the subordination of the physical to the
moral) and the carnal to the spiritual) can such e?cesses and la?ity in marital relations as our decadent
age is so sadly 7itnessing be a'oided) and family life be restored to its original purity) and fulfil the true
function for 7hich it has been instituted by >od:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 8/ 1939. <amil5 #ife/ pp! 18+192
12-(. #arria6e *etween !wo *ah+,;s Can *e A Potent Force in the &i1es of )thers
@He hastens to 7ish you both e'ery happiness in your forthcoming marriage) and he hopes that it 7ill
not only be a blessing to you both) but to the aith as 7ell:
@A marriage bet7een t7o souls) ali'e to the <essage of >od in this day) dedicated to the ser'ice of His
Cause) 7or6ing for the good of humanity) can be a potent force in the li'es of others and an e?ample and
inspiration to other Bahs) as 7ell as to non0belie'ers:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust N/ 19N32
12--. *ah+,; 8nion #"st be a !r"e .elationship that 7ill End"re
@Hhen) therefore) the people of Bah underta6e to marry) the union must be a true relationship) a
spiritual coming together as 7ell as a physical one) so that throughout e'ery phase of life) and in all the
7orlds of >od) their union 7ill endureI for this real oneness is a gleaming out of the lo'e of >od:E
&4elections from the Writin$s of '()du*l+,ah-/ p! 1102
12-/. #oral D"ty to #arry b"t #arria6e is not an )bli6ation
@::: 5f course) under normal circumstances) e'ery person should consider it his moral duty to marry: And
this is 7hat Bahullh has encouraged the belie'ers to do: But marriage is by no means an obligation:
/n the last resort it is for the indi'idual to decide 7hether he 7ishes to lead a family life or li'e in a state
of celibacy:E
&<rom a letter of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 3/ 193MF cited )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice in a letter to an indi"idual
)elie"er/ <e)ruar5 M/ 1903. <essages from the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice/ 19M8+1903/ pp! 119+1112
12-0. *ah+,",ll+h 5as 8r6ed #arria6e as the :at"ral and .i6htf"l 7ay of &ife
@He realiCes your desire to get married is Duite a natural one) and he 7ill pray that >od 7ill assist you to
find a suitable companion 7ith 7hom you can be truly happy and united in the ser'ice of the aith:
Bahullh has urged marriage upon all people as the natural and rightful 7ay of life: He has also)
ho7e'er) placed strong emphasis on its spiritual nature) 7hich) 7hile in no 7ay precluding a normal
physical life) is the most essential aspect of marriage: 3hat t7o people should li'e their li'es in lo'e and
harmony is of far greater importance than that they should be consumed 7ith passion for each other: 3he
one is a great roc6 of strength on 7hich to lean in time of needI the other a purely temporary thing 7hich
may at any time die out:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to 6r! Eohn 4tearns/ Eanuar5 L1/ 19N3Hthe first pioneer to Ecuador2
12-2. !he *ah+,; Faith Does not Contemplate any Form of 4!rial #arria6e,
@Concerning the three definitions of Acompanionate marriage 7hich you gi'e in your letter! the first)
7hich is defined as li'ing together 7ithout being married) on either a trial or immoral basis) is ob'iously
unacceptable in Bah teachings and is) moreo'er) an offence 7hich) if persisted in) could call for
depri'ation of 'oting rights: 3he second and third) namely F,G a marriage 7here the couple agree ahead
of time that they 7ill not ha'e children) e'er) and F%G a marriage in 7hich the couple 7ould not ha'e
children until they are sure that they 7ish to stay married) di'orce by mutual consent being en'isaged
before children are born) are pri'ate situations 7hich 7ould be undetectable by anyone 7ho has not been
confided in by either the husband or the 7ife: 3hus) unli6e the first type of Acompanionate marriage they
do not constitute blatant immorality and no Duestion of the remo'al of 'oting rights 7ould arise:
Ne'ertheless they are also both contrary to the spirit of Bah la7: 3he Bah 3eachings do not
contemplate any form of Atrial marriage: A couple should study each others character and spend time
getting to 6no7 each other before they decide to marry) and 7hen they do marry it should be 7ith the
intention of establishing an eternal bond: 3hey should realiCe) moreo'er) that the primary purpose of
marriage is the procreation of children: A couple 7ho are physically incapable of ha'ing children may)
of course) marry) since the procreation of children is not the only purpose of marriage: Ho7e'er) it
7ould be contrary to the spirit of the 3eachings for a couple to decide 'oluntarily ne'er to ha'e any
children:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 3/ 198L2
12/3. .e6ardin6 Co"ples &i1in6 !o6ether 7itho"t *ein6 #arried
@Hhen considering cases of couples 7ho are li'ing together 7ithout being married it is important to
distinguish those 7ho started this association after becoming Bahs from those 7ho 7ere in this
condition already at the time of accepting the aith: 3he House of 9ustice is sure that your Assembly is
a7are that it is not permissible for Bahs to enter into such an immoral relationship and that any
belie'ers 7ho do so must be counselled by the Assembly and 7arned to correct their conduct) either by
separating or by ha'ing a Bah marriage ceremony in accordance 7ith the pro'isions of Bah la7: /f)
after repeated 7arnings) the belie'ers concerned do not conform to Bah la7) the Assembly has no
choice but to depri'e them of their 'oting rights:
@3he situation of those 7ho 7ere li'ing in such a relationship 7hen they accepted the aith is less
clear0cut) and the House of 9ustice has instructed us to send your Assembly the follo7ing summary of
the applicable principles 7hich 7as prepared in response to a similar Duestion by another National
Spiritual Assembly:
": /n general) marriages entered into by parties prior to their enrolment in the aith are recogniCed as
'alid under Bah la7) and in such cases an additional Bah marriage ceremony is not permitted: 3his
applies 7hether the marriage 7as established under ci'il or religious la7 or under tribal custom:
,: A couple li'ing together merely as man and mistress 7hen either or both become Bah are not
married in the eyes of Bah la7) and must either ha'e a Bah marriage in accordance 7ith the
pro'isions of Bah la7) or cease li'ing together: /n other 7ords) the Assembly must deal 7ith the
situation as it 7ould in any other case of immoral beha'iour) e?plaining the reDuirements of the la7)
gi'ing repeated 7arnings) and ultimately) if the offender does not comply) he must forfeit his 'oting
rights:
%: Because of unusual conditions in certain countries and certain cases it sometimes happens that a
person 7ill become a Bah 7hen he or she is li'ing in a situation 7hich does not clearly fit 7ithin
either of the abo'e definitions: Such a case occurs) for e?ample) 7here a couple ha'e established firm
ties of union and are li'ing together in such a 7ay that they appear to be married and are accepted as
such by those around themI the union has stood the test of time and there may e'en be children) and yet)
in fact) the couple are not actually married in any of the 7ays defined abo'e: 3he principle follo7ed here
is that 7e do not pry into peoples li'es and insist on their undoing those ties they ha'e established
before becoming belie'ers) but the union is accepted as a marriage in the eyes of Bah la7: 3he
>uardian upheld this principle in situations 7hich arise in some Catholic countries 7here) because of the
relationship bet7een church and state di'orce is impossible) and one or both of the parties may still be
legally married to someone else: Hhere it is possible for such a couple to regulariCe their position in
ci'il la7 by ha'ing a ci'il marriage ceremony) they may certainly do so) but it is neither necessary nor
permissible for them to ha'e a Bah marriage ceremony) since) in the eyes of Bah la7) they are
already united in marriage:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Panama/ 4eptem)er 0/ 19812
12/1. !he *asic Difference *etween the !wo Cate6ories of .elationships
@3he basic difference bet7een the t7o categories of relationships is that common la7 marriage is
considered by the parties concerned as a solemn contract 7ith the sole intention of establishing a family
but 7hich) because of legal complications) cannot be duly registered) 7hereas in companionate marriage
and the li6e the parties concerned initiate and maintain their relationship either on a trial basis or on
other immoral grounds) both of 7hich are condemned in our 3eachings:
@He feel that by applying these principles in each of the cases you cite in your letter) 7ith 7isdom)
6indness and lo'e you 7ill be able gradually to educate the friends in the fundamentals of our 3eachings
and enable them to o'ercome their moral difficulties:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Para$ua5/ o"em)er L1/ 19M02
12/2. Faith Accepts in Certain Cases 8nions 7hich Are 4Immoral *"t Accepted, by %ociety in
7hich the People &i1e
@As you 7ill see) the Bah aith accepts as man and 7ife couples 7ho) prior to becoming Bahs)
ha'e had a 'alid marriage ceremony) 7hether this be ci'il) religious or by tribal custom) e'en if this has
resulted in a polygamous union: urthermore) the aith accepts in certain cases unions 7hich are
Aimmoral but accepted by the society in 7hich the people li'e: /n all these cases) because the union is
accepted by the aith) there is no Duestion of a couples ha'ing a Bah 7edding ceremony
subseDuently because) as the >uardian says) ABah marriage is something you perform 7hen you are
going to be united for the first time) not long after the union ta6es place: /f) ho7e'er) such a couple
7ould li6e to ha'e a meeting of their friends at 7hich Bah prayers and readings are said on behalf of
their marriage no7 that they are Bahs) there is no obBection to their doing so) although it must be
understood that this does not constitute a Bah marriage ceremony:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Peru/ Eune L3/ 19M92
12/. &e6aliHin6 E?istin6 %it"ation Does :ot .eC"ire *ah+,; #arria6e
@3he matter of regularising a situation in ci'il la7 is Duite separate and largely depends upon the
reDuirements of the la7: /f a couple 7hose union is recogniCed by the aith but is not 'alid in ci'il la7
7ish to ha'e a ci'il marriage) they may most certainly do so: 3his is purely a rectification of the ci'il
position and does not reDuire the holding of a Bah marriage ceremony:E
&I)id!2
12/'. Difference *etween Companionate #arria6e and Common &aw #arria6e
@He ha'e re'ie7ed your letter of 5ctober ,1 as6ing Duestions concerning the application of Bah
marriage la7s in your community:
@3he problem you describe in your letter is more or less common to the other territories in =atin
America) and during the lifetime of the >uardian similar problems 7ere presented to him by National
Assemblies operating at the time in =atin America: 3he replies gi'en by the >uardian indicate that
distinction should be made bet7een companionate marriage and flagrant immorality on the one hand)
and common la7 marriage contracted because of the present relationship of la7 and the church in those
areas on the other: Hhilst the first type of relationship is immoral and therefore cannot be tolerated) the
second type of relationship) if contracted before a person has become a Bah) may be accepted by the
institutions of the aith 7ithout reDuiring the person to undo such ties:E
12/(. Companionate #arria6e and Fla6rantly Immoral .elationships
@&egarding companionate marriage and flagrant immorality) 7e Duote belo7 t7o passages from letters
7ritten on behalf of the >uardian!
A3he >uardian has instructed me to say that companionate marriage) 7here there is no legal
or religious marriage) is an immoral relationship and 7e cannot accept as belie'ers those
7ho are openly beha'ing in this 7ay: F3o the NSA of Argentina) Boli'ia) Chile) 2araguay
and Jruguay) dated September ,*) "#1+G
AAs regards flagrantly immoral relationships) such as a man li'ing 7ith a mistress) this
should be brought to his attention in a lo'ing manner) and he should be urged to either marry
the 7oman if he is free to do so) or to gi'e up this conduct) so detrimental to the aith and to
his o7n spiritual progress:E F3o the NSA of Central America) dated ebruary #) "#1+G
12/-. Biolation of #arria6e &aw@ Ascertain if *ah+,; Informed of .eC"irements
@:::or the present) your Assembly should follo7 the guidance already gi'en by the belo'ed >uardian)
6eeping in mind that suspension of 'oting rights is not an automatic procedure:
@/n all marriage cases) including those you list) your Assembly must first ascertain if the Bah in
Duestion 7as informed of the reDuirements for Bah marriage) and of his o7n responsibilities in
connection there7ith: /n cases in'ol'ing disregard of Bah la7s other than that of marriage) you
should be slo7 to impose this se'ere sanction:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ (pril 1N/ 19M@2
12//. Incorrect Information Di1en *y Assembly
@Similarly) you should ta6e into account a belie'ers good intention if he acted in accordance 7ith
incorrect ad'ice or instruction gi'en to him by his =ocal Spiritual Assembly or another Bah
institution:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Octo)er 11/ 19M@2
12/0. *ah+,;s I6norant of &aw in a Different Cate6ory Alto6ether
@At the present stage in the de'elopment of the Bah Community) Bahs 7ho failed to ha'e a Bah
marriage through ignorance of the la7 are in a different category altogether from those 7ho 7ittingly
bro6e the la7: 3he latter must ha'e a Bah ceremony in order to regain their 'oting rightsI but the
former should be treated in the same manner as those Bahs 7ho married before they entered the aith
and those Bahs 7ho married 7ithout a Bah ceremony before the la7 7as applied! they should be
considered married and not be reDuired to ha'e a Bah ceremony:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eanuar5 L1/ 19MM2
12/2. *e Patient and Forbearin6 in Application of &aws to Indi6eno"s PeopleK #"st not Pry Into
People,s Personal &i1es
@3here are) ho7e'er) as you 7ill see from the ," No'ember letter to 2araguay) situations 7hich are not
accepted by the Bah aith) and 7hen people 7ho are li'ing in such immoral situations become
Bahs they must rectify their condition or be subBect to loss of their 'oting rights: He 7ish to
emphasiCe) ho7e'er) that although all immorality is condemned in the 3eachings) it is only flagrant
immorality that is no7 sanctionable: Mou should not pry into peoples affairs) and only in cases of
flagrant immorality should you consider imposing sanctions) and then only after you ha'e patiently
e?plained to the belie'ers concerned the Bah la7s in'ol'ed and gi'en them ample time to comply:
2articularly in the application of these la7s to indigenous people should you be patient and forbearing:
3he emphasis should be on education rather than on rigid enforcement of the la7 immediately:
@Hhen someone 7ho is already a Bah 6no7ingly 'iolates Bah marriage la7 he is subBect to loss
of his 'oting rights: Apart from the cases mentioned in paragraph four abo'e) belie'ers 7ishing to be
married must ha'e a Bah ceremony) and this is true e'en if only one of the parties is a Bah::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Peru/ Eune L3/ 19M92
1203. *i6amy :ot Permitted
@3he situation facing you is admittedly difficult and delicate) but no less gra'e and indeed 'ital are the
responsibilities 7hich it entails and 7hich) as a faithful and loyal belie'er) you should conscientiously
and thoroughly assume: 3he >uardian) therefore) 7hile fully ali'e to the special circumstances of your
case) and ho7e'er profound his sympathy may be for you in this challenging issue 7ith 7hich you are
so sadly faced) cannot) in 'ie7 of the emphatic inBunctions contained in the 3eachings) either sanction
your demand to contract a second marriage 7hile your first 7ife is still ali'e and is united 7ith you in
the sacred bonds of matrimony) or e'en suggest or appro'e that you di'orce her Bust in order to be
permitted to marry a ne7 one:
@or the Bah 3eachings do not only preclude the possibility of bigamy) but also) 7hile permitting
di'orce) consider it a reprehensible act) 7hich should be resorted to only in e?ceptional circumstances)
and 7hen gra'e issues are in'ol'ed) transcending such ::: considerations as physical attraction or se?ual
compatibility and harmony: 3he /nstitution of marriage) as established by Bahullh) 7hile gi'ing due
importance to the physical aspect of marital union) considers it as subordinate to the moral and spiritual
purposes and functions 7ith 7hich it has been in'ested by an all07ise and lo'ing 2ro'idence: 5nly
7hen these different 'alues are gi'en each their due importance) and only on the basis of the
subordination of the physical to the moral) and the carnal to the spiritual) can such e?cesses and la?ity in
marital relations as our decadent age is so sadly 7itnessing be a'oided) and family life be restored to its
original purity) and fulfil the true function for 7hich it has been instituted by >od:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to a )elie"er who/ ha"in$ married his first wife out of compassion/ now wished permission
to marr5 a woman with whom he had fallen in lo"e/ sa5in$ that his wife was a$reea)le to his takin$ this second wife/ 6a5 8/ 1939. E?tracts
from the Bah 3eachings 8iscouraging 8i'orce/ pp! N+@2
1201. %"mmary of *ah+,; .eC"irements Concernin6 #arria6es with Followers of other .eli6ions
@/n your letter of "st 9uly "#+# you reDuested the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice to pro'ide you 7ith a
statement on the Bah reDuirements concerning marriages 7ith follo7ers of other aiths: 3he House of
9ustice has instructed us to send you the follo7ing summary:
": Hhen a Bah is marrying a non0Bah) and the non0Bah 7ishes to ha'e the ceremony of his For
herG o7n religion) the Bah party may ta6e part in it under the follo7ing conditions!
":" 3hat all concerned) including the officiating priest) 6no7 that he is a Bah:
":, 3hat he does not) by ha'ing the ceremony) renounce his faith:
":% 3hat he does not underta6e any 'o7 to act contrary to Bah principles Fsuch as to bring up
the children in another aithG:
":( 3hat the ceremony be held on the same day as the Bah ceremony) either before or after it:
,: /f a ci'il ceremony is reDuired by la7 in addition to the t7o religious ceremonies) all three
ceremonies must be held on the same day:
%: /f a Bah has the marriage ceremony of another religion and) in so doing) 'iolates any of the abo'e
reDuirements) he is liable to loss of his 'oting rights:
(: /f 'oting rights are remo'ed and the offender reDuests reinstatement) they may be restored if the
Assembly is satisfied that the belie'er is repentant) subBect to the follo7ing conditions!
(:" /f the Bah dissimulated his faith or undertoo6 a 'o7 contrary to Bah principles in order
to ha'e the ceremony of another religion) and if the holding of the ceremony 7as dependent
upon such an act) he must dissol'e the marriage: His 'oting rights may then be restored) but)
if he still 7ishes to be married to the same 7oman) he can be so only if they marry in
accordance 7ith the reDuirements of Bah la7:
(:, /f the Bah dissimulated his faith or undertoo6 a 'o7 contrary to Bah principles) and the
holding of the marriage ceremony of the other faith 7as not dependent upon such an act) it is
not necessary to dissol'e the marriage) but the Bah must do 7hate'er is necessary to
officially inform the appropriate authorities that he 7as a Bah at the time of his marriage)
and to 7ithdra7 the 'o7: ollo7ing the ta6ing of these steps the Bahs 'oting rights may
be restored on condition that a Bah marriage ceremony be held immediately after their
restoration:
(:% /f the Bah neither dissimulated his faith nor undertoo6 any 'o7 contrary to Bah
principles) and his only offence 7as failure to ha'e the Bah ceremony on the same day as
the ceremony of the other religion For the ci'il ceremonyG) his 'oting rights may be restored
on condition that a Bah marriage ceremony be held immediately after their restoration:
1: 3he holding of a Bah marriage ceremony) 7hich 7ould permit the restoration of 'oting rights is
subBect to the same reDuirements as any other Bah marriage) and if a Bah has had a ci'il
ceremony of another religion 7ithout a Bah ceremony and 7ithout obtaining consent of parents)
the Assembly) before granting the Bah ceremony) must be satisfied that the consent of the parents
is freely gi'en:
*: /f a Bah has a ci'il marriage or the marriage of another religion) and the Assembly is satisfied that
this 7as because he For sheG 7as genuinely ignorant of Bah la7 on the subBect) the Assembly may
e?cuse the fault: /n such a case the person is recogniCed as married in the same 7ay as if he had
been married before accepting the aith: /t is thus neither necessary nor possible for him to ha'e a
Bah ceremony:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %reece/ Eul5 1@/ 19812
1202. #i?ed #arria6es Mi.e.@ *ah+,; and :on-*ah+,;N
@Hith reference to your Duestion regarding mi?ed marriages) that is to say bet7een Bahs and non0
Bahs) in all such cases the belie'er must insist that the Bah ceremony should) as far as he is
concerned) be performed in its entirety) but should also gi'e full freedom to the other contracting party
to carry out the non0Bah rite or ceremony be it <uslim) Christian or other7ise) pro'ided the latter
does not in'alidate the Bah marriage act: 3his is the general principle 7hich your N:S:A: should
e?plain to the friends:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 'Ir-9/ (pril 1M/ 193M2
120. .oman Catholic #arria6e .eC"irements with :on-Catholics
@He 7ish to ad'ise you also of a recent instruction by 2ope 2aul P/) 7hich liberaliCes the &oman
Catholic attitude to marriage 7ith non0Catholics: /t is no7 permissible for Catholics to enter into Ami?ed
marriages and the reDuirement to bring up children in the &oman Catholic religion need not be
enforced: 3he National Assembly of /taly reports a recent marriage bet7een a Bah and a Catholic in
7hich the officiating priest for the Catholic ceremony reDuired no 7ritten underta6ing but declared that
the couple should promise to bring up their children religiously: 5f course) this liberalism on the part of
the &oman Catholic Church in no 7ay affects the Bah la7s of marriage) including the obligation to
ma6e clear to all concerned that one is a Bah and to abstain from underta6ing a 'o7 contrary to the
principles of the aith: Mou may find) in the case of a Bah marrying a Catholic) less difficulty than
formerly if a Catholic priest of the ne7er liberal persuasion can be found:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ Eanuar5 9/ 19M02
120'. In .eality no Indi1id"al Performs the #arria6e Ceremony and if for any .eason :on-*ah+,;
.ef"ses to .ecite Berse@ *ah+,; Cannot #arry that Person
@Hhen a Bah marriage ceremony ta6es place) there is no indi'idual) strictly spea6ing) 7ho Aperforms
itQno Bah eDui'alent to a minister of the Church: 3he couple themsel'es perform the ceremony by
each saying) in the presence of at least t7o 7itnesses) the prescribed 'erse AHe 7ill all) 'erily) abide by
the Hill of >od: 3his ceremony is performed under the authority of a Spiritual Assembly 7hich has the
responsibility for ensuring that the 'arious reDuirements of Bah la7) such as obtaining the consent of
the parents) are met) to 7hom the 7itnesses must be acceptable) and 7hich issues the marriage
certificate:
@3he sincerity 7ith 7hich the sacred 'erse is spo6en is a matter for the consciences of those 7ho utter
it: According to the e?plicit te?t of the ;itb0i0ADdas) both the bride and groom must) in the presence of
7itnesses) recite the prescribed 'erseI this is an essential reDuirement of the marriage ceremony: 3hus if
a Bah is marrying a non0Bah and this person for any reason refuses to utter this 'erse) then the
Bah cannot marry that person:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of orwa5/ 6a5 L3/ 198@2
120(. #arria6e of *ah+,; to Atheist
@3he la7s conditioning Bah marriage are found in the ASynopsis and Codification of the ;itb0i0
ADdas under C:) =a7s of 2ersonal Status) beginning on 2age %# of that publication: No Bah marriage
can be 'alid 7ithout the recitation of the prescribed 'erse by both parties:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice in answer to a letter from the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador
re$ardin$ an atheist who a$reed to the ,ah-*? ceremon5 )ut since he did not )elie"e in %od did not wish to repeat the marria$e "erse usin$
the name of %od! #etter dated Decem)er 19/ 190N2
120-. #arria6e by Pro?y
@/n reply to your letter of 5ctober "#th as6ing 7hether a young belie'er in your Burisdiction may be
married by pro?yI 7e do not appro'e of the proposed pro?y marriage:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Octo)er LM/ 19M02
120/. 5ind" Ceremony is Possible for *ah+,;@ Pro1ided...
@As regards marriage bet7een a Bah and a Hindu) ha'ing a Hindu ceremony is possible only if the
people concerned) including the officiating priest) are a7are that the Bah remains a Bah although
ta6ing part in the Hindu marriage ceremony in deference to his or her Hindu partner:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ 6a5 N/ 1901. 1#08ay east Circular of /ndia/
<e)ruar5 L/ 1901/ p! 02
1200. Inter-.acial #arria6e
@/n regard to your Duestion concerning the nature and character of Bah marriage: As you ha'e
rightfully stated) such a marriage is conditioned upon the full appro'al of all four parents: Also your
statement to the effect that the principle of the oneness of man6ind pre'ents any true Bah from
regarding race itself as a bar to union is in complete accord 7ith the 3eachings of the aith on this point:
or both Bahullh and AAbdul0Bah ne'er disappro'ed of the idea of inter0racial marriage) nor
discouraged it: 3he Bah 3eachings) indeed) by their 'ery nature transcend all limitations imposed by
race) and as such can and should ne'er be identified 7ith any particular school of racial philosophy:E
&<rom a letter of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eanuar5 L0/ 193@. Bah Ne7s/ o!
91/ p! 1/ 6arch 193@2
1202. #arria6e *etween .elati1es
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has instructed us to ac6no7ledge your letter of "1 8ecember "#$- in
7hich you as6 7hat prohibitions) in addition to the one on marrying ones step0mother) there may be
restricting marriage bet7een relati'es) and to say that the House of 9ustice has not as yet seen fit to ma6e
regulations on the subBect of marriage 7ith ones 6indred: or the present) therefore) decisions are left to
the consciences of the indi'idual Bahs 7ho must) of course) obey the ci'il la7: Consideration must
also be gi'en to the pre'ailing customs and traditions in each country so that any action in this respect
7ill not reflect upon the aith in an ad'erse 7ay:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eanuar5 1@/ 19812
1223. #arria6e Ceremony for !wo :on-*ah+,;s
@3here is no obBection to performing a Bah marriage for t7o non0Bahs) if they desire to ha'e our
simple ceremony: 3his) on the contrary) is yet another 7ay of demonstrating our liberality:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Octo)er L@/ 19N0.
Bah Ne7s/ o! L1L/ Decem)er 19N0/ p! L2
1221. !he <%o-Called= #arria6e !ablet
@Hith regard to your Duestion concerning the so0called <arriage 3ablet printed on page (+ of the
supplement of the British 2rayer Boo6) this is not a 3ablet) but a tal6 ascribed to the <aster by <irC
Ahmad Sohrab: /t 7as gi'en some time in 8ecember) "#"$ about Sohrabs marriage: /t cannot be
regarded as Bah scripture as Anothing can be considered as scripture for 7hich 7e do not ha'e an
original te?t) as the belo'ed >uardian pointed out: 3he friends may use this tal6) but it is not to be
considered as scripture:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4outh and West (frica/ Eanuar5 18/ 1901. Bah
9ournal of the Jnited ;ingdom/ o! L18/ (u$ust 1903/ p! L2
1222. 7eddin6 Plans %ho"ld be &eft Entirely in the 5ands of the *ride and Droom
@An Assembly has the o'erriding duty to protect the good name of the aith in relation to any acti'ity of
the friends) but it should al7ays e?ercise great care not to restrict the indi'iduals freedom of action
unnecessarily: Normally the siCe of the 7edding celebration) the place in 7hich it is to be held and 7ho
is to be in'ited are all left entirely to the discretion of the bride and groom and an Assembly should
interpose an obBection only if it is Duite certain that the Cause 7ill really be inBured if it does not do so:
@/n the case of any Bah 7edding) delayed or other7ise) the date on the certificate must be the date the
ceremony is performed:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eanuar5 L1/ 19MM2
122. *elie1ers %ho"ld not Attend 7eddin6s of *ah+,;s #arryin6 Contrary to *ah+,; &aw
@urther to your letter of 1 September "#+() the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has no7 had an opportunity
to consider your Duestion about belie'ers attending 7eddings of Bahs 7ho are marrying contrary to
Bah la7) and 7e ha'e been as6ed to con'ey to you the follo7ing:
@/f it is 6no7n beforehand that a belie'er is 'iolating such la7s) it 7ould be inappropriate for the
friends to attend the ceremony: 3his is out of respect for Bah la7: Ho7e'er) if 7ithout realiCing the
situation belie'ers find themsel'es in attendance at a ceremony in the course of 7hich it is apparent that
such a 'iolation is occurring) they should not ma6e an issue of it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ew Pealand/ o"em)er 11/ 190N.
Australian Bah Bulletin/ o! LN3/ 4eptem)er 190@/ p! N2
122'. !he Comp"lsory Part of a *ah+,; 7eddin6 is the Pled6e of #arria6e in the Presence of !wo
Assembly 7itnesses
@Hhen the consent of the parents is obtained) the only other reDuirement for the ceremony is the
recitation by both parties in the presence of t7o 7itnesses of the specifically re'ealed 'erse! AHe 7ill all)
'erily) abide by the Hill of >od: 3he follo7ing Duotations from letters 7ritten by the >uardians
secretary indicate the desirability of the Bah marriage ceremony being simple!
A3here is no ritual) according to the ADdas) and the >uardian is 'ery an?ious that none
should be introduced at present and no general form accepted: He belie'es the ceremony
should be as simple as possible::::
A3he only compulsory part of a Bah 7edding is the pledge of marriage) the phrase to be
spo6en separately by the Bride and Bridegroom in turn) in the presence of Assembly
7itnesses:E
122(. 7hen a *ah+,; #arries a :on-*ah+,; both Ceremonies can be 5eld in the Place of 7orship
of another .eli6ion@ if .eC"ested@ and Pro1ided that...
@/n response to your email of * ebruary "#$* 7e ha'e been instructed by the Jni'ersal House of
9ustice to send you the follo7ing clarifications!
Q Hhen t7o Bahs are marrying) the 7edding ceremony should not be held in the place of 7orship
of another religion) nor should the forms of the marriage of other religions be added to the simple
Bah ceremony:
Q Hhen a Bah is marrying a non0Bah) and the religious 7edding ceremony of the non0Bah
partner is to be held in addition to the Bah ceremony) both ceremonies may) if reDuested) be held
in the place of 7orship of the other religion pro'ided that!
Q EDual respect is accorded to both ceremonies: /n other 7ords) the Bah ceremony) 7hich is
basically so simple) should not be regarded as a mere formal adBunct to the ceremony of the other
religion:
Q 3he t7o ceremonies are clearly distinct: /n other 7ords) they should not be commingled into one
combined ceremony:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ <e)ruar5 LM/
198M2
122-. 7itnesses Can be Any !wo !r"stworthy People Acceptable to AssemblyK #a$es Possible for
&one Pioneer to 5a1e *ah+,; #arria6e in a .emote Post
@::: 3he only reDuirement) ho7e'er) is that the bride and groom) before t7o 7itnesses) must state AHe
7ill all) 'erily) abide by the Hill of >od: 3hese t7o 7itnesses may be chosen by the couple or by the
Spiritual Assembly) but must in any case be acceptable to the AssemblyI they may be its chairman and
secretary) or t7o other members of the Assembly) or t7o other people) Bah or non0Bah) or any
combination of these: 3he Assembly may decide that all marriage certificates it issues are to be signed
by the chairman and secretary) but that is a different matter and has nothing to do 7ith the actual
ceremony or the 7itnesses:
@:::you state that the t7o 7itnesses at the marriage must be Bahs: Although this is the usual practice)
it is not essential: 3he 7itnesses can be any t7o trust7orthy people 7hose testimony is acceptable to the
Spiritual Assembly under 7hose Burisdiction the marriage is performed: 3his fact ma6es it possible for a
lone pioneer in a remote post to ha'e a Bah marriage:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4witJerland/ (u$ust 8/ 19M92
122/. !wo Essential )bli6ations .e6ardin6 Ed"cation of Children
@/n all cases of marriage of Bahs to follo7ers of other religions the Bah has t7o essential
obligations as regards the children!
a: He must not educate or assume a 'o7 to educate the children of the marriage in a religion
other than his o7n:
b: He must do 7hate'er he can to pro'ide for the training of the children in the Bah teachings:
@::: Bearing in mind the obligation of the Bah parent to offer his child a Bah education) there is no
obBection to the attendance of the child of a Bah parent) or e'en a Bah child) at a parochial school if
circumstances reDuire:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 6a5 11/ 19MM2
1220. *ah+,; Ceremony %ho"ld be as %imple as Possible@ :o .it"als
@&egarding the Duestion you raise in your letter about the Bah marriage: As you 6no7 there is no
ritual) according to the ADdas) and the >uardian is 'ery an?ious that none should be introduced at
present and no general forms accepted: He belie'es this ceremony should be as simple as possible) the
parties using the 7ords ordained by Bahullh) and e?cerpts from the 7ritings and prayers being read
if desired: 3here should be no commingling of the old forms 7ith the ne7 and simple one of
Bahullh) and Bahs should not be married in the Church or any other ac6no7ledged place of
7orship of the follo7ers of other aiths::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 13/ 19NN2
1222. #eanin6 of Cons"mmation of #arria6e
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has instructed us to gi'e the follo7ing ans7er to your letter of ,( 9une
in 7hich you as6 Duestions about the principle that the Bah and other 7edding ceremony must ta6e
place on the same day:
i: /n a letter 7ritten on behalf of the belo'ed >uardian he pointed out that this reDuirement is
because of a pro'ision in Bah la7 that marriage must be consummated 7ithin t7enty0four
hours of the ceremony:
ii: Both ceremonies must precede the consummation of the marriage) and both the ceremonies and
the consummation must ta6e place 7ithin the same ,(0hour period: As the House of 9ustice does
not 7ish to go beyond this at this time 7e are as6ed to tell you that it is 7ithin the discretion of
your Assembly to fi? the time at 7hich the ,(0hour period is to begin:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ dated 31 Eul5 19092
@3he consummation of marriage by a couple is) as you aptly state) an intimate and pri'ate matter
outside the scrutiny of others: Hhile consummation normally implies a se?ual relationship) the Bah
la7 reDuiring consummation to ta6e place 7ithin t7enty0four hours of the ceremony can be considered
as fulfilled if the couple has commenced cohabitation 7ith the intention of setting up the family
relationship:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ dated L8 Eul5/ 19082
133. Cons"mmation of #arria6e #"st !a$e Place 7ithin !wenty-Fo"r 5o"rs of *ah+,; #arria6e
Ceremony
@As to cases in'ol'ing another ceremony in addition to the Bah one) the friends should bear in mind
that according to Bah la7 the consummation of the marriage must ta6e place 7ithin t7enty0four hours
of the Bah marriage ceremony: /f other marriage ceremonies are to be held in addition to the Bah
one) all the ceremonies must precede consummation of the marriage and) together 7ith the
consummation) fall 7ithin one t7enty0four hour period: Naturally any reDuirements of ci'il la7 as to the
order in 7hich the ceremonies should be held must be obser'ed:E
&<rom the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the International Teachin$ 3entre/ <e)ruar5 10/ 190M2
131. .eportin6 *ah+,; #arria6eK Indi1id"al )nly Acts for Assembly
@::: /n reporting Bah marriages it is much better to mention that the ceremony 7as performed by the
Assembly) as this is the proper thing to do) and an indi'idual only acts for the Assembly on this
occasion: As a funeral is not a legal ceremony more latitude can be allo7ed) especially as the family of
the deceased may 7ant some particular Bah friend to officiate:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eul5 L1/ 19NM. Bah
Ne7s/ o! 188/ p! 3/ Octo)er 19NM2
#$ i.orce
132. Attit"de of Present-Day %ociety !owards Di1orce
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has noted 7ith increasing concern that the undisciplined attitude of
present0day society to7ards di'orce is reflected in some parts of the Bah Horld Community: 5ur
3eachings on this subBect are clear and in direct contrast to the loose and casual attitude of the
Apermissi'e society and it is 'ital that the Bah Community practise these 3eachings:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Eanuar5 18/ 19812
13. !here are no Dro"nds for Di1orce in the FaithDi"orce should onl5 )e 3onsidered If there is
a 4tron$ A("ersionB to One*s Partner
@Concerning the definition of the term Aa'ersion in relation to Bah di'orce la7) the Jni'ersal House
of 9ustice points out that there are no specific Agrounds for Bah di'orce such as there are in some
codes of ci'il la7: Bah la7 permits di'orce but) as both Bahullh and AAbdul0Bah ha'e made
'ery clear) di'orce is abhorred: 3hus) from the point of 'ie7 of the indi'idual belie'er he should do all
he can to refrain from di'orce: Bahs should be profoundly a7are of the sanctity of marriage and
should stri'e to ma6e their marriages an eternal bond of unity and harmony: 3his reDuires effort and
sacrifice and 7isdom and self0abnegation: A Bah should consider the possibility of di'orce only if the
situation is intolerable and he or she has a strong a'ersion to being married to the other partner: 3his is
the standard held up to the indi'idual: /t is not a la7) but an e?hortation: /t is a goal to 7hich 7e should
stri'e:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 3/ 198L2
13'. Eo"th %ho"ld be %o Deepened in the !eachin6s that the !ho"6ht of Di1orce will be Abhorrent
to !hem
@rom the point of 'ie7 of the Spiritual Assembly) ho7e'er) the matter is some7hat different: 3he
Spiritual Assembly should al7ays be concerned that the belie'ers in its community are being deepened
in their understanding of the Bah concept of marriage) especially the young people) so that the 'ery
thought of di'orce 7ill be abhorrent to them: Hhen an application for di'orce is made to a Spiritual
Assembly) its first thought and action should be to reconcile the couple and to ensure that they 6no7 the
Bah teachings on the matter: >od 7illing) the Assembly 7ill be successful and no year of 7aiting
need be started: Ho7e'er) if the Assembly finds that it is unable to persuade the party concerned to
7ithdra7 the application for di'orce) it must conclude that) from its point of 'ie7) there appears to be an
irreconcilable antipathy) and it has no alternati'e to setting the date for the beginning of the year of
7aiting: 8uring the year the couple ha'e the responsibility of attempting to reconcile their difference)
and the Assembly has the duty to help them and encourage them: But if the year of 7aiting comes to an
end 7ithout reconciliation the Bah di'orce must be granted as at the date of the granting of the ci'il
di'orce if this has not already ta6en place:E
&I)id!2
13(. !he Party who is the Ca"se of Di1orce 7ill *ecome Bictim of Formidable Calamities
@/t can be seen) therefore) that Aa'ersion is not a specific legal term that needs to be defined: /ndeed a
number of other terms are used in describing the situation that can lead to di'orce in Bah la7) such as
Aantipathy) Aresentment) Aestrangement) Aimpossibility of establishing harmony and Airreconcilability:
3he te?ts) ho7e'er) point out that di'orce is strongly condemned) and should be 'ie7ed as Aa last resort
7hen Arare and urgent circumstances e?ist) and that the partner 7ho is the Acause of di'orce 7ill
AunDuestionably become the A'ictim of formidable calamities:E
&I)id!2
13-. !he Friends #"st %trictly .efrain from Di1orce
@ormerly in 2ersia di'orce 7as 'ery easily obtained: Among the people of the past 8ispensation a
trifling matter 7ould cause di'orce: Ho7e'er) as the light of the ;ingdom shone forth) souls 7ere
Duic6ened by the spirit of Bahullh) then they totally esche7ed di'orce: /n 2ersia no7 di'orce doth
not ta6e place among the friends) unless a compelling reason e?isteth 7hich ma6eth harmony
impossible: Jnder such rare circumstances some cases of di'orce ta6e place:
@No7 the friends in America must li'e and conduct themsel'es in this 7ay: 3hey must strictly refrain
from di'orce unless something ariseth 7hich compelleth them to separate because of their a'ersion for
each other) in that case 7ith the 6no7ledge of the Spiritual Assembly they may decide to separate: 3hey
must then be patient and 7ait one complete year: /f during this year harmony is not re0established
bet7een them) then their di'orce may be realiCed: /t should not happen that upon the occurrence of a
slight friction of displeasure bet7een husband and 7ife) the husband 7ould thin6 of union 7ith some
other 7oman or) >od forbid) the 7ife also thin6 of another husband: 3his is contrary to the standard of
hea'enly 'alue and true chastity: 3he friends of >od must so li'e and conduct themsel'es) and e'ince
such e?cellence of character and conduct) as to ma6e others astonished: 3he lo'e bet7een husband and
7ife should not be purely physical) nay rather it must be spiritual and hea'enly: 3hese t7o souls should
be considered as one soul: Ho7 difficult it 7ould be to di'ide a single soulL Nay) great 7ould be the
difficultyL
@/n short) the foundation of the ;ingdom of >od is based upon harmony and lo'e) oneness)
relationship and union) not upon differences) especially bet7een husband and 7ife: /f one of these t7o
become the cause of di'orce) that one 7ill unDuestionably fall into great difficulties) 7ill become the
'ictim of formidable calamities and e?perience deep remorse:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. E?tracts from the Bah 3eachings 8iscouraging 8i'orce! a compilation prepared )5 the Research Department of the
:ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ Eanuar5 19812
13/. Di1orce is Conditional 8pon the Appro1al and Permission of the %pirit"al Assembly
@&egarding di'orce) the >uardian stated that it is discouraged) deprecated and against the good pleasure
of >od: 3he Assembly must circulate among the friends 7hate'er has been re'ealed from the 2en of
AAbdul0Bah in this connection so that all may be fully reminded: 8i'orce is conditional upon the
appro'al and permission of the Spiritual Assembly: 3he members of the Assembly must in such matters
independently and carefully study and in'estigate each case: /f there should be 'alid grounds for di'orce
and it is found that reconciliation is utterly impossible) that antipathy is intense and its remo'al is not
possible) then the Assembly may appro'e the di'orce:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Iran/ Eul5 0/ 1938Htranslated from the Persian.
I)id!/ p! 32
130. %ho"ld !hin$ of F"t"re of Children
@He 7as 'ery sorry to hear that you and your husband are still so unhappy together: /t is al7ays a source
of sorro7 in life 7hen married people cannot get on 7ell together) but the >uardian feels that you and
your husband) in contemplating di'orce) should thin6 of the future of your children and ho7 this maBor
step on your part 7ill influence their li'es and happiness:
@/f you feel the need of ad'ice and consultation he suggests you consult your =ocal AssemblyI your
fello7 Bahs 7ill surely do all they can to counsel and help you) protect your interests and those of the
Cause:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 1M/ 19N@. E?tracts from the Bah 3eachings
8iscouraging 8i'orce/ p! N2
132. Di1orce Concerns Children,s Entire F"t"re and !heir Attit"de !owards #arria6e
@3here is no doubt about it that the belie'ers in America) probably unconsciously influenced by the
e?tremely la? morals pre'alent and the flippant attitude to7ards di'orce 7hich seems to be increasingly
pre'ailing) do not ta6e di'orce seriously enough and do not seem to grasp the fact that although
Bahullh has permitted it) He has only permitted it as a last resort and strongly condemns it:
@3he presence of children) as a factor in di'orce) cannot be ignored) for surely it places an e'en greater
7eight of moral responsibility on the man and 7ife in considering such a step: 8i'orce under such
circumstances no longer Bust concerns them and their desires and feelings but also concerns the
childrenKs entire future and their o7n attitude to7ards marriage:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 19/ 19N0. I)id!/ p! @2
113. )ne #ay Disco1er 5e 5as not P"rchased Either Freedom or 5appiness
@He 7as 'ery sorry to hear that you are contemplating separation from your husband: As you no doubt
6no7) Bahullh considers the marriage bond 'ery sacredI and only under 'ery e?ceptional and
unbearable circumstances is di'orce ad'isable for Bahs:
@3he >uardian does not tell you that you must not di'orce your husbandI but he does urge you to
consider prayerfully) not only because you are a belie'er and an?ious to obey the la7s of >od) but also
for the sa6e of the happiness of your children) 7hether it is not possible for you to rise abo'e the
limitations you ha'e felt in your marriage hitherto) and ma6e a go of it together:
@He often feel that our happiness lies in a certain directionI and yet) if 7e ha'e to pay too hea'y a
price for it in the end 7e may disco'er that 7e ha'e not really purchased either freedom or happiness)
but Bust some ne7 situation of frustration and disillusion:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril @/ 19@1. E?tracts from the Bah 3eachings 8iscouraging
8i'orce/ pp! @+M2
111. Cannot 8se the Ca"se or %er1ice to It as .eason for Di1orce
@Shoghi Effendi 7ishes me to add this note in connection 7ith your marriageI he does not feel that any
belie'er) under any circumstances 7hatsoe'er) can e'er use the Cause or ser'ice to it as a reason for
abandoning their marriageI di'orce) as 7e 6no7) is 'ery strongly condemned by Bahullh) and only
grounds of e?treme gra'ity Bustify it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 0/ 19N0. I)id!/ p! N2
112. E1ery Effort %ho"ld be #ade to %al1a6e #arria6eIn 3ase of Pioneers/ It is E"en 6ore
Important
@He has been 'ery sorry to hear that your marriage seems to ha'e failed utterly: / need not tell you as a
Bah that e'ery effort should be made by any Bah to sal'age their marriage for the sa6e of >od)
rather than for their o7n sa6e: /n the case of pioneers) it is e'en more important) because they are before
the public eye: Ho7e'er) in such matters it is neither befitting nor right that the >uardian should bring
pressure on indi'iduals: He can only appeal to you and::: to try againI but if you cannot rise to this test)
that is naturally a personal matter:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 13/ 19@M. I)id!/ p! M2
11. *ah+,; Family %ho"ld be Preser1ed
@Hhere'er there is a Bah family) those concerned should by all means do all they can to preser'e it)
because di'orce is strongly condemned in the 3eachings) 7hereas harmony) unity and lo'e are held up as
the highest ideals in human relationships: 3his must al7ays apply to the Bahs) 7hether they are
ser'ing in the pioneering field or not:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3entral (merica/ o"em)er 9/ 19@M. I)id!/ p! M2
11'. )ne Eear of 7aitin6 7hether *ah+,; 7hen #arried or not
@As regards Bah di'orce as mentioned in your letter of 9une ",th! Bahs F7hether one party or both
are belie'ersG should follo7 the Bah la7 of di'orce) i:e:) one year of 7aiting) and not neglect this
di'inely gi'en la7: Hhether they 7ere Bahs 7hen married or not has nothing to do 7ith it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ Eune 1L/ 19@L2
11(. If Di1orce is Ille6al 7ithin a Co"ntry@ *ah+,;s are *o"nd by &aw of the Co"ntry
@/n ans7er to the Duestion raised in your letter of 9une 1 as regards di'orce! 3he >uardian says that if
7ithin a country di'orce) because of affiliation of church and State in this matter) is considered illegal)
the Bahs must be bound by this la7: At the present time they must under no circumstances raise such
matters 7ith any >o'ernment in Duestion: 3his means that it is not right for a belie'er to get a di'orce
outside of) say Colombia) and then remarry outside and return there) 7here his di'orce 7ould be illegal:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4outh (merica/ Eul5 11/ 19@12
11-. If )ne Party is #entally Ill
@He ha'e re'ie7ed your letter of 9anuary ,") "#*( reDuesting instructions as to ho7 to handle Bah
di'orce 7hen one of the parties is mentally ill:
@ar from being reDuired to li'e together during the year of patience) the parties are in fact prohibited
from doing so:
@3he Bah di'orce must be handled either by the =ocal Assembly or by the National Assembly) but
either may handle it at the discretion of your Assembly:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3olom)ia/ <e)ruar5 L3/ 19MN2
11/. *ah+,;s 7ho Intend to Di1orce #"st Cons"lt with &ocal or :ational Assembly
@Ho7e'er) it is necessary that Bahs 7ho intend to di'orce be a7are that they must consult 7ith their
=ocal or National Assembly) that basically a year of 7aiting must ensue before di'orce can be effected)
and that the Assembly has certain responsibilities to7ard the couple concerned about 7hich they 7ill be
informed through consultation 7ith the Assembly:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ (pril 1M/ 19M02
110. !he *elie1ers %ho"ld $now that Altho"6h Di1orce Is Permitted In *ah+,; &aw@ it is
Condemned
@/t is) of course) important for the friends to realise that although di'orce is permitted in Bah la7) it is
ne'ertheless condemned) and great efforts should be made to a'oid it: /t is al7ays the hope that) during
the year of patience) affection bet7een the couple 7ill recur and that di'orce 7ill not be necessary:
3herefore) although normal social relationships bet7een each of the partners and members of both se?es
is permissible) it is Duite contrary to the spirit of the teachings for either party to be courting a ne7
partner during the year of 7aiting: 3his should be made clear to the couple and they should be e?horted
to conduct themsel'es as Bahs: Ho7e'er) this is not an area in 7hich the Assembly should resort to
sanctions if either or both of the pair disregard this principle: Naturally) if one of the parties conducts
himself or herself in a 7ay that is blatantly or flagrantly immoral the matter should be handled as any
other similar case 7ould be) but from your cables 7e understand that this is not the situation in the case
at present before you:E
&<rom a letter written )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ <e)ruar5 1@/ 19032
112. !he Assembly sho"ld Determine that Irreconcilable Antipathy E?ists before %ettin6 the Date
of the *e6innin6 of the Eear of 7aitin6
@&egarding the case of the married couple 7ho ha'e separated and 7ish to set the date of the beginning
of the year of 7aiting retroacti'ely) 7e are directed to say that the conclusions e?pressed in the fourth
paragraph of your letter are correctI that is) that the =ocal Assembly should determine) before setting the
date of the beginning of the year of 7aiting) that irreconcilable antipathy e?ists: Hhile a =ocal or
National Assembly may reDuest the ad'ice of the Continental Board of Counsellors and their Board
members) and should be grateful for their assistance) it is the Assemblys responsibility to conduct its
o7n in'estigation and come to a decision: Assemblies are) of course) discouraged from probing
unnecessarily into details of personal li'es and the e?amination of a di'orce problem should not go
beyond 7hat is necessary to ascertain 7hether or not such antipathy does) indeed) e?ist:
@Hhen a Spiritual Assembly recei'es an application for Bah di'orce its first duty is to try to
reconcile the couple: /f this is not possible) and the couple separates) further efforts at reconciliation
should be made during the ensuing year:
@Hhile there are circumstances in 7hich the date of 7aiting may be fi?ed retroacti'ely) the situation
you describe of the husband lea'ing for the purpose of finding 7or6 cannot be accepted as one of them:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 6a5 31/ 19832
123. Proced"re for an Assembly when Application for Di1orce is .ecei1ed
@3he procedure) briefly) is that 7hen a Spiritual Assembly recei'es an application for di'orce its first
duty is to try to reconcile the couple: Hhen it determines that this is not possible) it should then set the
date of the beginning of the year of 7aiting: 3hat could be the date on 7hich the Assembly reaches the
decision) unless the couple are still li'ing together) in 7hich case it must be postponed until they
separate: /f the couple had already separated some time before) the Assembly may bac60date the
beginning of the yearI ho7e'er) the earliest date on 7hich it can be set is the date on 7hich the couple
last separated 7ith the intention of obtaining a di'orce:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the etherlands/ 4eptem)er 11/
198M2
121. !he %ettin6 of the Date of the *e6innin6 of the Eear of Patience is :ot A"tomatic
@::: 3he setting of the date of the beginning of the year of patience is not automatic: 3he Assembly must
first determine 7hether grounds for a Bah di'orce e?ist and should ma6e e'ery effort to reconcile the
parties: /f the a'ersion e?isting bet7een the parties is found to be irreconcilable then the Assembly may
set the date for the beginning of the year of 7aiting:::E
&<rom a letter written )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 4eptem)er 0/ 19012
122. *e6innin6 of the Eear of Patience :ormally Commences when Parties :otify Assembly of
their %eparation with Intent to Di1orce
@3hus the date of the beginning of the year of patience normally commences 7hen one of the parties
notifies the Assembly that they ha'e separated 7ith the intention of di'orce: Ho7e'er) the Assembly
may establish the beginning of the year of patience on a prior date pro'ided it is satisfied such prior date
reflects the actual date of separation and there is good reason for so doing:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ (u$ust LM/ 19M@2
12. D"ties of Assembly or Committee on Di1orce Proced"res
@/n the opening paragraphs of your letter you spea6 of your Committee adBudicating upon di'orce
settlements) and the House of 9ustice feels that the use of the 7ord AadBudicate may lie at the root of
some of the problems that the committee is facing: /n a country li6e the Jnited ;ingdom) 7here di'orce
is subBect to the ci'il la7) the function of the Assembly For its committeeG in dealing 7ith a di'orce case
is not primarily a matter of adBudication: /ts first duty is to try to reconcile the couple: /f it finds that it is
unable to do this) it then sets the beginning of the year of 7aiting and continues) as circumstances permit
and 7isdom dictates) throughout the running of the year) its attempts at reconciliation:
@5ne of the duties of the committee is to see that the reDuirements of Bah la7 go'erning the year of
7aiting are not 'iolatedQthat is to say) that the t7o parties li'e apart and that proper pro'isions are
made for the financial support of the 7ife and children: As you 7ill see from the enclosures) this is a
matter that needs to be considered for each case on its o7n merits: /f the matter can be amicably
arranged bet7een the parties) 7ell and good: /f not) the basic principle of Bah la7 is that the husband
is responsible for the support of his 7ife and children so long as they are marriedI that is until the
granting of the di'orce: /n a particular case) ho7e'er) it may ha'e been the 7ife 7ho 7as the bread0
7inner of the family) or both the husband and 7ife may ha'e been earning income: 3he Assembly
should not ignore such specific situations and change them merely because a year of 7aiting is running:
3he application of these principles should not be in the form of an adBudication 7hich the Assembly 7ill
reDuire the couple to accept) but as a basis for an arrangement 7hich the couple 7ill amicably agree to
and present to the court for endorsement: /f the Assembly is unable to get the couple to agree) it should
lea'e the matter to the ci'il court:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 8in$dom/ <e)ruar5 LN/
19832
12'. Datin6 D"rin6 the Eear of Patience
@/t is al7ays the hope that) during the year of patience) affection bet7een the couple 7ill recur and that
di'orce 7ill not be necessary: 3herefore) although normal social relationships bet7een each of the
partners and members of both se?es are permissible) it is Duite contrary to the spirit of the teachings for
either party to be courting a ne7 partner during the year of 7aiting: 3his should be made clear to the
couple if necessary and they should be e?horted to conduct themsel'es as Bahs: Ho7e'er) this is not
an area in 7hich the Assembly should resort to sanctions if either or both of the pair disregard this
principle: Naturally) if one of the parties conducts himself or herself in a 7ay that is blatantly or
flagrantly immoral the matter should be handled as any other similar case 7ould be:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch M/ 190N2
12(. %"mmary.elatin6 to the Fi?in6 of the Date of %eparation
": 3he first tas6 of the National Spiritual Assembly is to attempt to reconcile the couple) but if it finds
that this is not possible and that an irreconcilable antipathy e?ists) it must register the beginning of the
year of 7aiting: 3he Assembly may meet 7ith the couple together or separately in its attempts to
reconcile them: /f there are compelling reasons for doing so) the Assembly may set a date retroacti'ely
for the beginning of the year of 7aiting) but this date can in no case be earlier than the last day the
couple separated 7ith the intention of ha'ing a di'orce:
,: Attempts at reconciliation should continue during the year of 7aiting: 8i'orce) though permitted in
the Bah aith) is abhorred and it is the hope that during the year of 7aiting the couple may become
reconciled and di'orce a'oided:
%: Hith this in mind) it is more 7ithin the spirit of Bah la7 for Bahs to postpone the initiation of
ci'il proceedings) Fif the la7 of the country reDuires a ci'il di'orceG until the end of the year of 7aiting:
Ho7e'er) if such postponement gi'es rise to ineDuity or to a legal preBudice against the possibility of a
ci'il di'orce) it is) of course) permissible for the ci'il proceedings to be initiated during the year of
7aiting:
(: /n most countries a ci'il di'orce is reDuired and) 7here this is so) the Bah di'orce does not
become effecti'e until the ci'il di'orce has been granted: /f the year of 7aiting has run its course 7hen
the ci'il di'orce is granted) the Bah di'orce becomes automatically effecti'e on that date: /f the
couple become reconciled before the granting of the ci'il di'orce) e'en if the year of 7aiting has already
elapsed) they ha'e merely to inform the Spiritual Assembly and resume their marital status:
1: /n case the ci'il di'orce is actually granted before the end of the year of 7aiting and the couple
become reconciled 7ithin that time bet7een the granting of the ci'il di'orce and the end of the year of
7aiting) they are) of course) still married in the eyes of the Bah la7 and need only a ci'il marriage to
restore the marriage bond:
*: 3he parties to a di'orce must li'e apart in separate residences during the year of 7aiting: Any
cohabitation of the parties stops the running of the year of 7aiting: /f thereafter a di'orce is desired a
ne7 date for the beginning of a ne7 year of 7aiting must be set by the Assembly:
+: /t is the responsibility of the husband to pro'ide support for his 7ife and children during the year of
7aiting:
$: /t is the responsibility of the Assembly to assist the di'orced couple to arri'e at an amicable
settlement of their financial affairs and arrangement for the custody and support of the children rather
than let these matters be a subBect of litigation in the ci'il courts: /f the Assembly is unable to bring the
couple to an agreement on such matters then their only recourse is to the ci'il court:
@3hese are some of the general guidelines your Assembly should ha'e in mind in di'orce cases::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eune L1/ 19002
12-. It is not Possible to %horten the Period of 7aitin6
@/t is not possible to shorten the period of 7aiting as this is a pro'ision of the ;itb0i0ADdas: Ho7e'er) a
National Spiritual Assembly may) if circumstances Bustify it) bac6date the beginning of the year pro'ided
that this is not earlier than the date the parties last separated 7ith the intention of obtaining a di'orce: /t
is not clear in the case you ha'e cited 7hether the parties li'ed together during the period bet7een 9une
"#+1 and the date you set for the beginning of the year of 7aiting on 9anuary "1th: /f the parties 7ere
separated during this period and li'ing in separate residences) then you could consider bac6dating the
beginning of the year of 7aiting:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational (ssem)l5/ Eul5 18/ 190M2
12/. !he Assembly is )bli6ed to Consider Application for a Eear of 7aitin6
@An Assembly is obliged to consider an application for a year of 7aiting from either party to a marriage)
7hether the other party 7ants the di'orce or not: /n this specific case you should therefore follo7 the
usual procedure:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eul5 L8/ 198@2
120. D"rin6 Period of &e6al %eparation Datin6 in the %pirit of Co"rtship is )"tside *o"nds of
Propriety
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has instructed us to transmit its reply to your letter of $ 5ctober
concerning dating during the time of legal separation of one party:
@Hhile the Bah 7oman should not be forbidden to ha'e occasional meetings in the spirit of
friendship 7ith a man legally separated from his 7ife) dating in the spirit of courtship is outside the
bounds of Bah propriety) e'en 7here the interpersonal relationship of the couple is not blatant or
flagrant) casting reflections upon the strict morality reDuired of Bahs: 3he Bah should be ad'ised to
brea6 off the acDuaintanceship should it appear to progress beyond friendship) for the non0Bah man
is) as you correctly state) still marriedI the legal separation may carry 7ith it the hope and prospect of
restoration of his marriage) a possibility 7hich should not be obstructed by in'ol'ement 7ith another
7oman: /n cases such as this one) counsel rather than sanctions are called for) should the in'ol'ement of
the Bah 7oman reDuire inter'ention:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Decem)er M/ 19812
122. Parties may withdraw their Application for Di1orce at any !ime D"rin6 the Eear of 7aitin6
@/t is not 7ithin the discretion of the parties to a Bah di'orce to e?tend the year of 7aiting and as6 for
the Bah di'orce Aat 7hate'er time they feel so inclined: /f there has been no reconciliation of the
parties in the meantime) the Bah di'orce becomes final at the end of the year of 7aiting unless the
granting of the ci'il di'orce is delayed beyond that time:
@3he parties may) ho7e'er) 7ithdra7 their application for Bah di'orce at any time during the year of
7aiting: Should they later desire to apply for di'orce) a ne7 year of 7aiting 7ould ha'e to be
commenced:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ o"em)er N/
190N2
13. Assembly %ho"ld not Interfere into #arital Affairs "ntil *elie1ers *rin6 !heir Problems to
the Assembly
@:::3here should be no inter'ention into the marital affairs of indi'iduals in a Bah community unless
and until the parties themsel'es bring a problem to the Assembly: 2rior to that it is not the business of
the Assembly to counsel the parties: 3hese are but t7o or three instances illustrating that the
commentary should not be added to the Duotations:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 6arch LL/ 19M82
11. !here is no &aw to .emo1e Botin6 .i6ht for )btainin6 Ci1il Di1orce *efore the year of
7aitin6 !erminates
@:::3here is no Bah la7 reDuiring the remo'al of 'oting rights for obtaining a ci'il di'orce before the
end of the year of 7aiting: /t is) of course) preferred that ci'il di'orce action be not instituted or
completed before the end of the year unless there are special circumstances Bustifying such action: /f a
Bah should marry another prior to the end of the year of 7aiting ho7e'er) 'oting rights should be
suspended as) under Bah la7) he is still regarded as married 7hether or not the ci'il di'orce has been
granted: 5n the other hand) if a non0Bah partner) ha'ing obtained a ci'il di'orce) marries during the
year of 7aiting) the Bah partner is released from the need to 7ait further:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ (u$ust L1/ 190N2
12. Ann"lment or Di1orce
@:::a di'orce or annulment is called for only 7hen the Bah partner has denied his faith:
@Hhen reinstatement calls for a di'orce or annulment of an improperly contracted marriage) no year of
7aiting is necessary because Bah di'orce is not in'ol'ed: 3he purpose of the year of 7aiting is to
attempt the sa'ing of a marital relationship 7hich 7as originally accepted as 'alid in the eyes of Bahs)
and is no7 in Beopardy: A delayed Bah marriage) conducted for reasons of fulfilment of Bah la7
and in the full spirit of the Bah ceremony) should not be 'ie7ed as a moc6ery but as the confirmation
of a union contracted outside Bah la7:@
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eanuar5 L0/ 19M92
1. .ef"nd of #arria6e E?penses
@Concerning::: di'orce! He has no right to demand from his 7ife a refund of the marriage e?penses he
incurred: /n the ADdas it is Duite clear that the husband must not only gi'e the do7ry but must support
his 7ife until the time 7hen the di'orce is completed: /n 'ie7 of this she is not reDuired to repay
e?penses of the marriage) etc:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India. 8a7n of a Ne7 8ay/ p! 1182
1'. :ot 7ise to Anno"nce :ew #arria6e Plans *efore Di1orce is Final
@/t is not 7ithin the spirit of Bah la7 for one to become in'ol'ed in the announcement of ne7
marriage plans 7hile he or she is still legally married to another: 3here is no obBection to urging the
friends not to go so far as to see6 consent of parents before the di'orce becomes final in all respects) but
no sanctions should be applied to enforce such e?hortation:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia/ Eanuar5 10/ 1901. Australian Bah
Bulletin/ o! 198/ <e)ruar5 1901/ p! 82
1(. D"idance .e6ardin6 Financial %"pport in Di1orce Cases
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has recei'ed your letter of # 8ecember "#$, reDuesting guidance on the
responsibility of Bah Spiritual Assemblies in the matter of financial support in di'orce cases: /t has
instructed us to send you the follo7ing reply:
@/n some cases) usually those of /ranian belie'ers 7hose marriage is not recogniCed in ci'il la7 and
7ho) therefore) do not need and cannot ha'e a ci'il di'orce) the di'orce must be entirely adBudicated by
the Spiritual Assembly: He enclose a summary of points 7ritten on behalf of the House of 9ustice in
ans7er to Duestions on this matter) 7hich should be of assistance should such a case occur in Canada:
@/n general) ho7e'er) a Bah couple in Canada 7ho are obtaining a di'orce must) in addition to the
Bah di'orce) obtain a ci'il di'orce) and the ci'il di'orce decree 7ill usually co'er all such matters as
di'ision of property) pro'ision of support and custody of children: 3he function of the Spiritual
Assembly in such ancillary aspects of the di'orce is thus ad'isory rather than Budicatory: /n order to
pre'ent) if possible) a public dispute bet7een Bahs in front of the la7 courts) the Assembly should
attempt to bring the couple to an amicable arrangement about all such Duestions) 7hich can then be
submitted to the court for its endorsement: /f the efforts of the Assembly are of no a'ail) then the matter
must be left to the ci'il court to decide:
@5nce the di'orce decree 7ith its related pro'isions has been handed do7n by the court) it is the
obligation of both parties) as good Bahs) to obey it and) if either is la? in so doing) the Assembly
should ad'ise him or her about his or her duties and press for their fulfilment: 3he 7ronged party)
ho7e'er) should at the same time be left free to apply to the ci'il authorities for the enforcement of the
decision: Jnfortunately such enforcement is notoriously difficult) especially 7hen the parties
subseDuently reside in different countries: /t is here that the action of the Spiritual Assembly) reinforcing
the decision of the ci'il courts) can often be of help: E?cept in circumstances of unusual gra'ity or cases
7here the responsible party fails to obey a court decision to pro'ide support for the children) an
Assembly should not contemplate imposing sanctions for lac6 of compliance in these matters: Actual
enforcement should normally be left to the action of the ci'il courts:
@3he House of 9ustice belie'es that the abo'e should pro'ide all the guidance you reDuire in your
collaboration 7ith the National Spiritual Assembly of::: o'er the di'orce of::: and :::: /n the case of ::: and
::: you state that there is unli6ely to be a ci'il Budgement co'ering the Duestion of financial support of the
7ife by the husband follo7ing the di'orce: 3he House of 9ustice states that there is no general
reDuirement in Bah la7 for a husband to continue to support his former 7ife beyond the ending of the
year of 7aiting and the granting of the di'orce: 3herefore) in the absence of a ruling by the ci'il court or
of an agreement bet7een the couple registered 7ith the Spiritual Assembly) there is nothing further for
your Assembly to do in this case:@
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ Eanuar5 13/ 19832
1-. It is Preferable that Co"ple %ho"ld Amicably A6ree on the C"stody of the ChildrenThe
7us)and is O)li$ated to 4upport Wife and 3hildren :ntil Di"orce is %ranted and he has
3ontinuin$ O)li$ation to 4upport his 3hildren
@3he follo7ing points are summariCed from guidance of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice gi'en to
Spiritual Assemblies and indi'idual belie'ers so that they may arri'e at decisions in accordance 7ith the
spirit of Bah =a7 either in coming to an amicable agreement to present to the ci'il courts) or in
ma6ing a decision 7hen no ci'il di'orce decree is in'ol'ed:
": 3he decisions in each case must be made in light of the particular conditions of that case: 3he
guidelines gi'en belo7 are general in nature and should be applied as far as possible unless there are
compelling reasons to the contrary:
,: 3ustod5 of 3hildren
,:" /t is preferable that the couple amicably agree on the custody of the children and submit their
agreement to the Assembly for endorsement: Normally in the case of 'ery young children
custody is gi'en to the mother unless there are compelling reasons 7hich ma6e this inad'isable:
,:, &egardless of 7hich parent is gi'en custody) the children should be so educated that they may
de'elop a proper Bah attitude to7ards) and due regard for) both parents: air and practical
arrangements should be made to protect the rights of the parent not ha'ing custody to associate
7ith the children and spend time 7ith them:
,:% Jsually custody arrangements continue until the child comes of age unless) of course) ne7
circumstances transpire during this period 7hich call for a re'ie7 of the arrangements:
%: <inancial 4upport
%:" 3he husband is obligated to support the 7ife and children until the granting of the Bah di'orce:
3his normally ta6es place at the end of the year of 7aiting unless it has to be postponed pending
the granting of a ci'il di'orce:
%:, ollo7ing the granting of the di'orce the father continues to be under the obligation of pro'iding
the necessary funds for the support of the children) but he has no continuing obligation to support
his former 7ife:E
&The :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice. Considerations Affecting Custody of Children and 2ro'ision of inancial Support in Cases Not
AdBudicated in Ci'il =a7/ a summar5/ Eanuar5 @/ 19832
1/. 7ife %"pport D"rin6 Eear of Patience and After Di1orceAsse&bl* should (ncourage
)usband to )onor )is Res-onsibilities in 'a*ing ReEuired %u--ort ,one*
@3he House of 9ustice 7rote to another National Spiritual Assembly on 1 April "#+- as follo7s!
A3he only pro'ision in Bah la7 regarding the support of the 7ife is that 7hich ma6es the
husband responsible for her support during the year of 7aiting: 3his does not mean)
ho7e'er) that further support is prohibitedI all such matters 7ill reDuire legislation in the
future: At the present time it is the responsibility of the Assembly to arrange an amicable and
Bust financial settlement bet7een the couple) and any such arrangement must) ob'iously) ta6e
into consideration the financial situation of both parties and their relati'e responsibilities:
@Hhile it is ob'ious that the Assembly should encourage the husband to honour his Bah
responsibilities in paying the reDuired support money) matters of support may be co'ered by the ci'il
courts 7hen a ci'il di'orce is applied for and) in such a case) the 7ife 7ould) of course) be able to
in'o6e 7hate'er ci'il remedy is a'ailable: /n any case) at the present time National Spiritual Assemblies
should not normally apply sanctions in cases of failure to comply 7ith support reDuirements:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ <e)ruar5 M/ 19082
10. :o 5"sband %ho"ld *atter his 7ife
@/t is clear from Bah teachings that no husband should batter his 7ife: As to di'orce) 7hile it is
permitted by Bahullh) it is hea'ily discouraged and the greatest efforts must be made to a'oid it: /n
Bah society the only grounds for di'orce are an irreconcilable antipathy bet7een the parties:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L0/ 198M2
999$ LO6( AN !NIT>
12. !he *est .emedy for 5ate is &o1e@ as 5ate is the Absence of &o1e
@3he best remedy for hate is lo'e) as hate is the absence of lo'eL /n this respect you must sho7 forth the
lo'e of >od to others) Bahs and non0Bahs ali6e) and thus do your part to dispel the dar6ness in this
7orld: 3his is 7hat the belo'ed <aster e?pects of His ser'ants:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 1L/ 19N92
1'3. !he %tandard which #"st Do1ern the Cond"ct of *elie1ers !oward each other is &o1e
@::: /f bet7een the friends true lo'eQbased on the lo'e of >odQcould become manifest) the Cause
7ould spread 'ery rapidly: =o'e is the standard 7hich must go'ern the conduct of one belie'er to7ards
another: 3he administrati'e order does not change this) but unfortunately sometimes the friends confuse
the t7o) and try to be a 7hole spiritual assembly)Q7ith the discipline and Bustice and impartiality that
body must sho7)Qto each other) instead of being forgi'ing) lo'ing and patient to each other as
indi'iduals:E
1'1. 7e #"st &o1e Dod and !h"s &o1e for All #en *ecomes Possible
@He must ne'er ta6e one sentence in the 3eachings and isolate it from the rest! it does not mean 7e must
not lo'e) but 7e must reach a spiritual plane 7here >od comes first and great human passions are unable
to turn us a7ay from Him: All the time 7e see people 7ho either through the force of hate or the
passionate attachment they ha'e to another person) sacrifice principle or bar themsel'es from the 2ath of
>od:
@He 6no7 absence of light is dar6ness) but no one 7ould assert dar6ness 7as not a fact: /t e?ists e'en
though it is only the absence of something else: So e'il e?ists too) and 7e cannot close our eyes to it)
e'en though it is a negati'e e?istence: He must see6 to supplant it by good) and if 7e see an e'il person
is not influenceable by us) then 7e should shun his company for it is unhealthy:
@He must lo'e >od) and in this state) a general lo'e for all men becomes possible: He cannot lo'e each
human being for himself but our feeling to7ards humanity should be moti'ated by our lo'e for the
ather 7ho created all men:
@3he Bah aith teaches man 7as al7ays potentially man) e'en 7hen passing through lo7er stages
of e'olution: Because he has more po7ers) and subtler po7ers than the animal) 7hen he turns to7ards
e'il he becomes more 'icious than an animal because of these 'ery po7ers:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er N/ 19@12
1'2. !he Gind of &o1e E1ery *elie1er %ho"ld C"lti1ate
@Mou mention the fact that at times you feel strongly attracted to people 7hom you ha'e ne'er 6no7n
beforeI this is surely the 6ind of lo'e 7hich e'ery Bah should culti'ate: or 7e Bahs should come
to lo'e all human beings) 7hether belie'ers or not) alien or friendly: 3he lo'e 7hich Bahullh 7ishes
us to acDuire is a lo'e that embraces the 7hole man6ind: 3he reason 7hy one feels attracted is due to
such gifts and Dualities 7ith 7hich the soul is endo7ed and 7hich e?ert a po7erful and latent
influence:E
1'. 4Abd",l-*ah+ E?plained the #eanin6 of *ah+,",ll+h,s 7ords .e6ardin6 &o1e of 5"manity
@As regards the meaning of BahullhKs 7ords regarding lo'e of humanity) the <aster often e?plained
it to mean that man should lo'e his family) then his nati'e to7n) then his pro'ince) then his nation) but
should not stop there and acDuire a narro7 nationalism) but gro7 to lo'e the 7hole07ide 7orld and
man6ind at large: Bahs lo'e their country but should also lo'e the 7orld) that is) other peoples:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 @/ 19@12
1''. %pirit"al .elationships are Far #ore Important than ."les and .e6"lations
@He urges you to do all you can to promote unity and lo'e amongst the members of the Community
there) as this seems to be their greatest need:
@So often young communities) in their desire to administer the Cause) lose sight of the fact that these
spiritual relationships are far more important and fundamental than the rules and regulations 7hich must
go'ern the conduct of Community affairs:E
1'(. !he People of the 7orld :eed to %ee the &o1e En6endered by the Faith in the 5earts of the
*elie1ers
@3he people of the 7orld not only need the la7s and principles of the Bah aithQthey desperately
need to see the lo'e that is engendered by it in the hearts of its follo7ers) and to parta6e of that
atmosphere of tolerance) understanding) forbearance and acti'e 6indness 7hich should be the hall0mar6
of a Bah Community:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er @/ 19NL2
1'-. !he #orbid and !"rb"lent Infl"ence of the Dar$ Forces of the 7orld is Felt by All
@3he belie'ers) to better understand their o7n internal condition) should realiCe that the forces of
dar6ness in the 7orld are so pre'alent and strong that their morbid and turbulent influence is felt by all:
3hey should therefore consciously stri'e to be more lo'ing) more united) more dedicated and prayerful
than e'er before) in order to fight against the atmosphere of present day society 7hich is unlo'ing)
disunited) careless of right and 7rong) and heedless of >od:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ 6arch L1/ 19NM2
1'/. 7e #"st Pray to be Protected from the Contamination of %ociety
@3he friends must) at all times) bear in mind that they are) in a 7ay) li6e soldiers under attac6: 3he 7orld
is at present in an e?ceedingly dar6 condition spirituallyI hatred and preBudice) of e'ery sort) are literally
tearing it to pieces: He) on the other hand) are the custodians of the opposite forces) the forces of lo'e) of
unity) of peace and integration) and 7e must constantly be on our guard) 7hether as indi'iduals or as an
Assembly or Community) lest through us these destructi'e) negati'e forces enter into our midst: /n other
7ords) 7e must be7are lest the dar6ness of society become reflected in our acts and attitudes) perhaps
all unconsciously: =o'e for each other) the deep sense that 7e are a ne7 organism) the da7n0brea6ers of
a Ne7 Horld 5rder) must constantly animate our Bah li'es) and 7e must pray to be protected from
the contamination of society 7hich is so diseased 7ith preBudice:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (tlanta/ <e)ruar5 @/ 19N02
1'0. 5eroism is :eeded by the *elie1ers
@3hese) indeed) are the days 7hen heroism is needed on the part of the belie'ers: Self0sacrifice) courage)
indomitable hope and confidence are the characteristics they should sho7 forth) because these 'ery
attributes cannot but fi? the attention of the public and leads them to enDuire 7hat) in a 7orld so
hopelessly chaotic and be7ildered) leads these people to be so assured) so confident) so full of de'otionS
/ncreasingly) as time goes by) the characteristics of the Bahs 7ill be that 7hich captures the attention
of their fello70citiCens: 3hey must sho7 their aloofness from the hatreds and recriminations 7hich are
tearing at the heart of humanity) and demonstrate by deed and 7ord their profound belief in the future
peaceful unification of the entire human race:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er LM/ 19N12
1'2. Dod,s 7ays do not :ecessarily Coincide with 5"man De1ices and Policies
@:::>ods 7ays and methods do not coincide necessarily 7ith human de'ices and man0made policies: He
should certainly e?ert our utmost in order that >ods aith may be 7idely proclaimed and firmly
established: But 7e should under no circumstances be led to thin6 that such a triumph depends solely or
e'en mainly on our o7n efforts) ho7e'er effecti'e) united and fruitful they may be: He are but
instruments in the hands of the Almighty and it 7ould be certainly a sign of shortsightedness on our part
to belie'e that 7e are the controlling agents of the di'ine machinery of the Cause:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 11/ 193N2
1(3. If Di1ided@ *oth %ides to a Difference are 7ron6J If 8nited@ !hey are *oth .i6ht
@8uring the days of Bahullh some of the prominent teachers of the Cause in 2ersia 7ere di'ided as
to the station of Bahullh and at last 7rote to Him for arbitration: /n ans7er Bahullh said that if
they 7ere united both sides 7ere right and if they 7ere di'ided both 7ere 7rong: 3he <aster often
denied Himself any station Bust to maintain the unity of the friends for that 7as His primary obBect:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Donkers/ (pril L1/ 19312
999I$ ,ILITAR> %(R6IC(
1(1. *ah+,;s Cannot Bol"ntarily Enlist 7here %"bFect to !a$in6 5"man &ife
@Bahs cannot 'oluntarily enlist in any branch of the Armed orces 7here they 7ould be subBect to
orders to engage in the ta6ing of human life:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the <i=i Islands/ (u$ust L/ 19012
1(2. *ah+,;s are not Conscientio"s )bFectors
@5ur position as Bahs is not that 7e 7ont obey our >o'ernment or support the country if attac6ed) it
is that 7e do not belie'e in) or 7ish to ta6e part in) 6illing our fello70men: He are not conscientious
obBectors at allI 7e 7ill ser'e) but 7ish) as there is a pro'ision in the la7 in the J:S:A: co'ering our
attitude) to be classified as non0combatants: /f you need to consult on this matter) you should refer to the
N:S:A:) as this Duestion continually arises) and they can gi'e you ad'ice 7hich 7ill be the most accurate
and applicable to present conditions:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 1@/ 19@L2
1(. !here are #any A1en"es !hro"6h 7hich the *elie1ers Can Assist in !ime of 7ar
@/t is still his firm con'iction that the belie'ers) 7hile e?pressing their readiness to unreser'edly obey
any directions that the authorities may issue concerning national ser'ice in time of 7ar) should also) and
7hile there is yet no outbrea6 of hostilities) appeal to the go'ernment for e?emption from acti'e military
ser'ice in a combatant capacity) stressing the fact that in doing so they are not prompted by any selfish
considerations) but by the sole and supreme moti'e of upholding the 3eachings of their aith) 7hich
ma6e it a moral obligation for them to desist from any act that 7ould in'ol'e them into direct 7arfare
7ith their fello70humans of any other race or nation:
@3he Bah 3eachings) indeed) condemn) emphatically and uneDui'ocally) any form of physical
'iolence) and 7arfare in the battlefield is ob'iously a form) and perhaps the 7orst form) 7hich such
'iolence can assume:
@3here are many other a'enues through 7hich the belie'ers can assist in times of 7ar by enlisting in
ser'ices of a non0combatant natureQser'ices that do not in'ol'e the direct shedding of bloodQsuch as
ambulance 7or6) anti0air raid precaution ser'ice) office and administrati'e 7or6s) and it is for such
types of national ser'ice that they should 'olunteer:
@/t is immaterial 7hether such acti'ities 7ould still e?pose them to dangers) either at home or in the
front) since their desire is not to protect their li'es) but to desist from any acts of 7ilful murder:
@3he friends should consider it their conscientious duty) as loyal members of the aith) to apply for
such e?emption) e'en though there may be slight prospect of their obtaining the consent and appro'al of
the authorities to their petition: /t is most essential that in times of such national e?citement and
emergency as those through 7hich so many countries in the 7orld are no7 passing that the belie'ers
should not allo7 themsel'es to be carried a7ay by the passions agitating the masses) and act in a manner
that 7ould ma6e them de'iate from the path of 7isdom and moderation) and lead them to 'iolate)
ho7e'er reluctantly and indirectly) the spirit as 7ell as the letter of the 3eachings:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ Eune N/ 19392
1('. *ah+,;s .eco6niHe the .i6ht and D"ty of Do1ernments to Protect !heir People
@::: Bahs recogniCe the right and duty of go'ernments to use force for the maintenance of la7 and
order and to protect their people: 3hus) for a Bah) the shedding of blood for such a purpose is not
necessarily essentially 7rong: 3he Bah aith dra7s a 'ery definite distinction bet7een the duty of an
indi'idual to forgi'e and Ato be 6illed rather than to 6ill and the duty of society to uphold Bustice: 3his
matter is e?plained by AAbdul0Bah in ASome Ans7ered Ruestions: /n the present condition of the
7orld Bahs try to 6eep themsel'es out of the internecine conflicts that are raging among their fello7
men and to a'oid shedding blood in such struggles) but this does not mean that 7e are absolute pacifists:
3his point is e?plained in the follo7ing statement 7ritten by the >uardians secretary on his behalf on
," No'ember) "#%1!
AHith reference to the absolute pacifists) or conscientious obBectors to 7arI their attitude)
Budged from the Bah standpoint) is Duite anti0social and due to its e?altation of the
indi'idual conscience leads ine'itably to disorder and chaos in society: E?treme pacifists are
thus 'ery close to the anarchists) in the sense that both of these groups lay an undue
emphasis on the rights and merits of the indi'idual: 3he Bah conception of social life is
essentially based on the subordination of the indi'idual 7ill to that of society: /t neither
suppresses the indi'idual nor does it e?alt him to the point of ma6ing him an anti0social
creature) a menace to society: As in e'erything) it follo7s the Agolden mean: 3he only 7ay
that society can function is for the minority to follo7 the 7ill of the maBority:
A3he other main obBection to the conscientious obBectors is that their method of
establishing peace is too negati'e: Non0cooperation is too passi'e a philosophy to become an
effecti'e 7ay for social reconstruction: 3heir refusal to bear arms can ne'er establish peace:
3here should first be a spiritual re'italiCation 7hich nothing) e?cept the Cause of >od) can
effecti'ely bring to e'ery mans heart:
@A further Duotation 7hich may help this dear friend to understand this matter is the passage about the
establishment of the =esser 2eace on page *1 of A3he Secret of 8i'ine Ci'iliCation:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ <e)ruar5 9/ 19M02
1((. It is !heir D"ty as &oyal and De1oted CitiHens to )ffer !heir %er1ices to !heir Co"ntry
@He has noted your Assemblys reDuest for his ad'ice as to 7hat forms of national ser'ice the friends
may 'olunteer for in times of emergency: Hhile the belie'ers) he feels) should e?ert e'ery effort to
obtain from the authorities a permit e?empting them from acti'e military ser'ice in a combatant
capacity) it is their duty at the same time) as loyal and de'oted citiCens) to offer their ser'ices to their
country in any field of national ser'ice 7hich is not specifically aggressi'e or directly military: Such
forms of national 7or6 as air raid precaution ser'ice) ambulance corps) and other humanitarian 7or6 or
acti'ity of a noncombatant nature) are the most suitable types of ser'ice the friends can render) and
7hich they should gladly 'olunteer for) since in addition to the fact that they do not in'ol'e any
'iolation of the spirit or principle of the 3eachings) they constitute a form of social and humanitarian
ser'ice 7hich the Cause holds sacred and emphatically enBoins:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ o"em)er L0/ 19382
1(-. <%pecifically A66ressi1e or Directly #ilitary= Acti1ities are to be A1oided
@rom study of the belo'ed >uardians letters it is apparent that 7hat he 7anted the friends to a'oid is
Aspecifically aggressi'e or directly military acti'ities: As regards indirect acti'ities it 7ould be
e?tremely difficult in modern society for anyone to disassociate himself from acti'ities 7hich) in the
long run and by de'olution) are inimical to the human race:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er L9/ 19M02
1(/. A *ah+,; #ay Enlist in the Armed Forces if not #ade &iable for Combatant %er1ice
@:::there is no obBection to a Bah enlisting 'oluntarily in the armed forces of a country in order to
obtain a training in some trade or profession) pro'ided that he can do so 7ithout ma6ing himself liable to
underta6e combatant ser'ice:
@3here is li6e7ise no obBection to a Bah see6ing or continuing a career in the armed forces)
pro'ided that he can do so 7ithout ma6ing himself liable to underta6e combatant ser'ice:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eanuar5 13/ 19812
1(0. :ational %er1ice !hro"6h Professions 8sef"l to #an$indational 4piritual (ssem)l5 7as
Responsi)ilit5 to 3ounsel Douth
@Hhene'er circumstances of military or paramilitary ser'ice arise the Bah friends should do their
utmost to a'oid ta6ing part: /f) ho7e'er) they are compelled to do so they should then do e'erything
possible to ensure that they are engaged only in non0combatant ser'ices: Hhen the Duestion of National
Ser'ice) such as you describe in >uyana) includes training in s6ills and professions useful to man6ind)
such as agriculture) the friends may certainly 'olunteer for such ser'ices) pro'ided they are definitely
assured that their training 7ill not subBect them later to call up for military ser'ice in combatant roles:
@/f compelled to enter training of a military 6ind the friends should endea'our to be assigned to such
non0combatant acti'ities as stretcher bearing) the medical corps) administrati'e duties) and other
essential departments of military organiCations 7hich 7ould not in'ol'e them directly in the ta6ing of
life:
@/t is therefore for your National Spiritual Assembly to decide 7hether the National Ser'ice
programme in >uyana is a permissible occupation for Bah youth and if so 7hether on a 'oluntary
basis) or if under compulsion) 7hat steps can be ta6en to enable Bah youth to ser'e as non0
combatants:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %u5ana/ 4urinam and <rench
%uiana/ 4eptem)er 1N/ 190@2
1(2. *ah+,;s are not As$in6 to be Di1en a %afe *erth D"rin6 5o"rs of :ational Crisis
@&egarding your Duestion about military ser'ice) the >uardian sees no reason 7hy the Bah in Duestion
should not bring a test case) and press the matter: /t is no7) since he has become a follo7er of
Bahullh) against his conscience to 6ill his fello70menI and he should ha'e the right to e?plain his
position and as6 to be e?empted from combatant ser'ice: 8uring the hearing of such cases) the Bahs
should ma6e it absolutely clear that 7e do not fear being placed in danger) and are not as6ing to be gi'en
a safe berth in hours of national crisisQDuite the contraryQany dangerous ser'ice that Bahs can
render their fello70men during the agonies of 7ar) they should be an?ious to accept:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ <e)ruar5 L@/ 19@12
999II$ ,!%IC
1-3. #"sic is a &adder by 7hich %o"ls #ay Ascend
@He ha'e made it la7ful for you to listen to music and singing: 3a6e heed) ho7e'er) lest listening
thereto should cause you to o'erstep the bounds of propriety and dignity: =et your Boy be the Boy born of
<y <ost >reat Name) a Name that bringeth rapture to the heart) and filleth 7ith ecstasy the minds of all
7ho ha'e dra7n nigh unto >od: He) 'erily) ha'e made music as a ladder for your souls) a means
7hereby they may be lifted up unto the realm on highI ma6e it not) therefore) as 7ings to self and
passion: 3ruly) He are loath to see you numbered 7ith the foolish:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3he ;itb0i0ADdas/ 8@1/ p! 382
1-1. #"sic is an Important #eans to the Ed"cation and De1elopment of 5"manity
@<usic is an important means to the education and de'elopment of humanity) but the only true 7ay is
through the 3eachings of >od: <usic is li6e this glass) 7hich is perfectly pure and polished: /t is
precisely li6e this pure chalice before us) and the 3eachings of >od) the utterances of >od are li6e the
7ater: Hhen the glass or chalice is absolutely pure and clear) and the 7ater is perfectly fresh and limpid)
then it 7ill confer =ifeI 7herefore) the 3eachings of >od) 7hether they be in the form of anthems or
communes or prayers) 7hen they are melodiously sung) are most impressi'e:E
&<rom talks of '()du*l+,ah-. E?tracts from the Bah Hritings on <usic/ p! 0/ also/ Star of the Hest/ >ol! Q>/ p! 1312
1-2. It is :ecessary !hat the %chools !each #"sic
@:::3he art of music is di'ine and effecti'e: /t is the food of the soul and spirit: 3hrough the po7er and
charm of music the spirit of man is uplifted: /t has 7onderful s7ay and effect in the hearts of children)
for their hearts are pure and melodies ha'e great influence on them: 3he latent talents 7ith 7hich the
hearts of these children are endo7ed 7ill find e?pression through the medium of music: 3herefore) you
must e?ert yoursel'es to ma6e them proficientI teach them to sing 7ith e?cellence and effect: /t is
incumbent upon each child to 6no7 something of music) for 7ithout 6no7ledge of this art) the melodies
of instrument and 'oice cannot be rightly enBoyed: =i6e7ise it is necessary that the schools teach it in
order that the souls and hearts of the pupils may become 'i'ified and e?hilarated and their li'es be
brightened 7ith enBoyment:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Promul$ation of :ni"ersal Peace/ p! @L2
1-. #"sic as a Praiseworthy %cience
@5 ser'ant of BahL <usic is regarded as a praise7orthy science at the 3hreshold of the Almighty) so
that thou mayest chant 'erses at large gatherings and congregations in a most 7ondrous melody and
raise such hymns of praise at the <ashriDul0Adh6r as to enrapture the Concourse on High: By 'irtue of
this) consider ho7 much the art of music is admired and praised: 3ry) if thou canst) to use spiritual
melodies) songs and tunes) and to bring the earthly music into harmony 7ith the celestial melody: 3hen
thou 7ilt notice 7hat a great influence music hath and 7hat hea'enly Boy and life it conferreth: Stri6e up
such a melody and tune as to cause the nightingales of di'ine mysteries to be filled 7ith Boy and
ecstasy:E
&'()du*l+,ah-/ from a recentl5 translated Ta)let to an indi"idual )elie"er. Bah Hritings on <usic/ p! @/ a compilation of the :ni"ersal
7ouse of Eustice/ Oakham/ En$land2
1-'. #"sic as one of the Arts
@<usic) as one of the arts) is a natural cultural de'elopment) and the >uardian does not feel that there
should be any culti'ation of ABah <usic any more than 7e are trying to de'elop a Bah school of
painting or 7riting: 3he belie'ers are free to paint) 7rite and compose as their talents guide them: /f
music is 7ritten incorporating the sacred 7ritings) the friends are free to ma6e use of it) but it should
ne'er be considered a reDuirement at Bah meetings to ha'e such music: 3he further a7ay the friends
6eep from any set forms) the better) for they must realiCe that the Cause is absolutely uni'ersal) and 7hat
might seem a beautiful addition to their mode of celebrating a east) etc:) 7ould perhaps fall on the ears
of people of another country as unpleasant soundsQand 'ice 'ersa: As long as they ha'e music for its
o7n sa6e it is all right) but they should not consider it Bah music:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eul5 L1/ 19NM. I)id!/
p! 112
1-(. Prayers %et to #"sic
@/t is entirely proper to set prayers to music) and the friends are free to sing prayers in unison: /ndeed)
assuming that the music is appropriate and that the belie'ers do not ma6e a ritual out of it) it is highly
praise7orthy for choirs to sing appropriate 'erses re'ealed by Bahullh and the <aster::::
@He 7ould assume also that the friends 7ill al7ays 6eep in mind that 7hether read) chanted or sung)
prayers should be uttered 7ith a proper sense of re'erence:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia/ <e)ruar5 M/ 19032
1--. %in6in6 and Chantin6 Prayers in 8nison
@He ha'e your letter of ,,nd 9anuary) "#+% as6ing 7hether it is proper for choirs or groups to sing or
chant prayers in unison:
@/n ans7ering a similar letter from the National Spiritual Assembly of Jganda and Central Africa
about congregational singing in ser'ices at the House of Horship 7e said!
ASinging by a congregation present at a ser'ice in the House of Horship should not be
confused 7ith congregational prayer prescribed by Bahullh for the dead:::
A&egarding singing in the 3emple) 7e must bear in mind the reference made by Bahullh
in the ;itb0i0ADdas to the need for the person 7ho enters the 3emple to sit silently and
listen to the chanting of the 'erses of >od:::
@/n connection 7ith the desire of the Africans to sing) this aptitude in them should be
encouraged: 3he >uardian elucidated this principle in a letter 7ritten on his behalf by his
Secretary! AShoghi Effendi 7ould urge that choir singing by men) 7omen and children be
encouraged in the Auditorium) and that rigidity in the Bah ser'ice be scrupulously
a'oided: FBah Ne7s) September) "#%"GE
&I)id!2
1-/. :ot Appropriate to %et )bli6atory Prayers to #"sic
@He ha'e not come across any instructions 7hich 7ould prohibit the setting of the obligatory prayers to
music: Ho7e'er) because of their special nature) 7e do not consider it appropriate to do so:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 6a5 M/ 19MM2
1-0. %tandin6 on the !hreshold of *ah+,; C"lt"re@ 7e Cannot Foresee Forms and Characteristics
of the F"t"re Arts
@&egarding your future plans! 3he >uardian feels that) as your music is your career and means of
li'elihood) you should carefully consider 7hether it is not necessary to your future that you go on 7ith
your education in this field: /f you feel this is a matter 7hich you) alone) are not able to decide) he 7ould
ad'ise you to see6 the ad'ice of your Spiritual Assembly:
@Also) you raise the Duestion of 7hat 7ill be the source of inspiration to Bah musicians and
composers! the music of the past or the HordS He cannot possibly foresee) standing as 7e do on the
threshold of Bah culture) 7hat forms and characteristics the arts of the future) inspired by this <ighty
Ne7 &e'elation) 7ill ha'e: All 7e can be sure of is that they 7ill be 7onderfulI as e'ery aith has gi'en
rise to a culture 7hich flo7ered in different forms) so too our belo'ed aith may be e?pected to do the
same thing: /t is premature to try and grasp 7hat they 7ill be at present:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er L3/ 19NL2
1-2. !he Dreatest :ame and the :ames of the #anifestations of Dod or the Central Fi6"res
%ho"ld be 8sed with .espect
@He ha'e found nothing in the te?ts forbidding the use of the >reatest Name) the Names of the
<anifestations of >od or the names of the Central igures of our aith in the lyrics of music: Ho7e'er)
7e feel that 7hen they are used they should be used 7ith re'erence and respect) both in the manner in
7hich they are incorporated in the lyrics and in the manner of presentation:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 6arch 1N/ 19M82
1/3. #"sic #ore 5elpf"l *efore a !al$
@<usic is one of the important arts: /t has a great effect upon the human spirit: <usical melodies are a
certain something 7hich pro'e to be accidental upon etheric 'ibrations) for 'oice is nothing but the
e?pression of 'ibrations) 7hich) reaching the tympanum) affect the ner'es of hearing: <usical melodies
are) therefore) those peculiar effects produced by) or from) 'ibration: Ho7e'er) they ha'e the 6eenest
effect upon the spirit: /n sooth) although music is a material affair) yet its tremendous effect is spiritual)
and its greatest attachment is to the realm of the spirit: /f a person desires to deli'er a discourse) it 7ill
pro'e more effectual after musical melodies: 3he ancient >ree6s) as 7ell as 2ersian philosophers) 7ere
in the habit of deli'ering their discourses in the follo7ing manner! first) playing a fe7 musical melodies)
and 7hen their audience attained a certain recepti'ity thereby they 7ould lea'e their instruments at once
and begin their discourse: Among the most reno7ned musicians of 2ersia 7as one named Barbod) 7ho)
7hene'er a great Duestion had been pleaded for at the court of the ;ing) and the <inistry had failed to
persuade the ;ing) they 7ould at once refer the matter to Barbod) 7hereupon he 7ould go 7ith his
instrument to the court and play the most appropriate and touching music) the end being at once attained)
because the ;ing 7as immediately affected by the touching musical melodies) certain feelings of
generosity 7ould s7ell up in his heart) and he 7ould gi'e 7ay: Mou may try this! if you ha'e a great
desire and 7ish to attain your end) try to do so on a large audience after a great solo has been rendered)
but it must be on an audience on 7hich music is effecti'e) for there are some people 7ho are li6e stones)
and music cannot affect stones:
@/t 7as for this reason that His Holiness 8a'id sang the psalms in the Holy of Holies at 9erusalem 7ith
s7eet melodies: In this 3ause the art of music is of paramount importance: 3he Blessed 2erfection)
7hen He first came to the barrac6s FAAccG repeated this statement! A/f among the immediate follo7ers
there had been those 7ho could ha'e played some musical instrument) i:e:) flute or harp) or could ha'e
sung) it 7ould ha'e charmed e'ery one: /n short) musical melodies form an important role in the
associations) or out7ard and in7ard characteristics) or Dualities of man) for it is the inspirer or moti'e
po7er of both the material and spiritual susceptibilities: Hhat a moti'e po7er it is in all feelings of lo'eL
Hhen man is attached to the lo'e of >od) music has a great effect upon him:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 'Ta)le Talk*/ cited in Bah Hritings on <usic/ p! M/ Oakham/ En$land2
1/1. #"sic 5elps to Comm"nicate 7ith !he %o"l
@3he >uardian 'alues the hymns that you are so beautifully composing: 3hey certainly contain the
realities of the aith) and 7ill indeed help you to gi'e the <essage to the young ones: /t is the music
7hich assists us to affect the human spiritI it is an important means 7hich helps us to communicate 7ith
the soul: 3he >uardian hopes that through this assistance you 7ill gi'e the <essage to the people) and
7ill attract their hearts:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 1@/ 193L. I)id!/ p! 112
999III$ T)( N!,B(R NIN(
1/2. !he :"mber :ine is .e1erenced for !wo .easons by *ah+,;s
@Concerning the number nine! 3he Bahs re'erence this for t7o reasons) first because it is considered
by those 7ho are interested in numbers as a sign of perfection: 3he second consideration 7hich is the
more important one is that it is the numerical 'alue for the 7ord ABah: FBY,) hY1) aY") and there is an
accent at the end of the 7ord 7hich is also Y "I the Aa after the AB is not 7ritten in 2ersian so it does not
count:G /n the Semitic languagesQboth Arabic and Hebre7Qe'ery letter of the alphabet had a
numerical 'alue) so instead of using figures to denote numbers they used letters and compounds of
letters: 3hus e'ery 7ord had both a literal meaning and also a numerical 'alue: 3his practice is no more
in use but during the time of Bahullh and the Bb it 7as Duite in 'ogue among the educated classes)
and 7e find it 'ery much used in the Bayn: As the 7ord Bah also stood for the number nine it could be
used interchangeably 7ith it:
@Besides these t7o significances the number nine has no other meaning: /t is ho7e'er enough to ma6e
the Bahs use it 7hen an arbitrary number is to be chosen:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 19/ 193L2
1/. !he :"mber :ine is Considered by *ah+,;s as %acred
@3he number nine 7hich in itself is the number of perfection is considered by the Bahs as sacred
because it is symbolic of the perfection of the Bah &e'elation 7hich constitutes the ninth in the line of
e?isting religions) the latest and fullest &e'elation 7hich man6ind has e'er 6no7n: 3he eighth is the
religion of the Bb) and the remaining se'en are! Hinduism) Buddhism) Voroastrianism) 9udaism)
Christianity) /slm) and the religion of the Sabeans: 3hese religions are not the only true religions that
ha'e appeared in the 7orld) but are the only ones still e?isting: 3here ha'e al7ays been di'ine 2rophets
and <essengers) to many of 7hom the Rurn refers: But the only ones e?isting are those mentioned
abo'e:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 L8/ 193M. Bah Ne7s/ o! 11@/ <e)ruar5 1930/ p! L2
1/'. !he :"mber :ine %ymboliHes the :ine Dreat 7orld .eli6ions and Perfection and is the
:"merical Bal"e of *ah+
@irst) regarding the significance of the number nine! /ts importance as a symbol used so often in 'arious
connections by the belie'ers lies in three facts! first) it symboliCes the nine great 7orld religions of
7hich 7e ha'e any definite historical 6no7ledge) including the Bb and Bah &e'elationsI second) it
represents the number of perfection) being the highest single numberI third) it is the numerical 'alue of
the 7ord ABah:E
1/(. :ine as the 5i6hest Di6it %ymboliHes Comprehensi1eness@ C"lmination
@&egarding your 'arious Duestions! He must a'oid gi'ing the impression of being all tied up 7ith
peculiar religious theoriesI on the other hand) the # sides of the 3emple) and the #0pointed star reDuire an
e?planation) and he feels the best one is this!
@Nine is the highest digit) hence symboliCes comprehensi'eness) culminationI also) the reason it is
used in the 3emples form is because # has the e?act numerical 'alue of ABah Fin the numerology
connected 7ith the Arabic alphabetG and Bah is the name of the &e'ealer of our aith) Bahullh: 3he
#0pointed star is not a part of the teachings of our aith) but only used as an emblem representing A#: /n
telling people of the # religions of the 7orld) that is) e?isting religions) 7e should not gi'e this as the
reason the 3emple has # sides: 3his may ha'e been an idea of the architect) and a 'ery pleasing idea)
7hich can be mentioned in passing) but the 3emple has # sides because of the association of # 7ith
perfection) unity and ABah:
@3he >uardian feels that 7ith intellectuals and students of religion the Duestion of e?actly 7hich are
the # e?isting religions is contro'ersial) and it 7ould be better to a'oid it: He does not 7ant the friends to
be rigid in these matters) but use their Budgment and tactI sometimes one statement is e?actly the right
thing for one type of mind and the 7rong thing for another:
@Strictly spea6ing the 10pointed star is the symbol of our aith) as used by the Bb and e?plained by
Him: But the >uardian does not feel it is 7ise or necessary to complicate our e?planations of the 3emple
by adding this:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L8/ 19N92
1/-. !he *+b 8tiliHed the :"merical Bal"e of 7ords to %ymboliHe %pirit"al Concepts
@3he Bb made use of the numerical 'alue of 7ords to symboliCe spiritual concepts: 3he 2ersian for
A3he =etters of the =i'ing is A urTf0i0 ayI there 7ere "$ of these first disciples of the Bb and the
numerical 'alue of the 7ord A y is "$: 3hese "$ letters) together 7ith the Bb Himself) constitute the
first AP id of the &e'elation: 3he 7ord AP id has a numerical 'alue of "#) and means AJnity: /t
symboliCes the unity of >od) and thus the number "# itself symboliCes the unity of >od) and it 7as used
by the Bb as the basis for His Calendar: 5ne may also note the reference on A3he Synopsis and
Codification of the ;itb0i0ADdas to "# or #1 mithDls of gold or sil'er in connection 7ith the la7s of
marriage and of uDTDullh:E
1//. %"perstition Concernin6 the :"mber 1
@Such suppositions regarding luc6y or unluc6y numbers are purely imaginary: 3he superstition
concerning thirteen had its origin in the fact that His Holiness 9esus Christ 7as surrounded by t7el'e
disciples and that 9udas /scariot 7as the thirteenth member of their gathering: 3his is the source of the
superstition) but it is purely imaginary: Although 9udas 7as out7ardly a disciple) in reality he 7as not:
37el'e is the original number of significance and completion: 9acob had t7el'e sons) from 7hom
descended t7el'e tribes: 3he disciples of 9esus 7ere t7el'eI the /mms of <u ammad 7ere t7el'e: 3he
Codiacal signs are t7el'e) the months of the year are t7el'e) etc:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ pp! 19M+190/ 198L ed!2
999I6$ O''O%ITION
1/0. :o :eed to Fear )pposition if the Inner &ife be %o"nd and Bi6oro"s
@3here is no need to fear opposition from 7ithout if the life 7ithin be sound and 'igorous: 5ur Hea'enly
ather 7ill al7ays gi'e us the strength to meet and o'ercome tests if 7e turn 7ith all our hearts to Him)
and difficulties if they are met in the right spirit only ma6e us rely on >od more firmly and completely:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 1N/ 19L@2
1/2. .ef"tin6 Attac$s and Criticisms A6ainst the Ca"se De1ol1e "pon the :ational %pirit"al
Assembly to Consider
@3he matter of refuting attac6s and criticisms directed against the Cause through the press is) he feels)
one 7hich de'ol'es on the N:S:A: to consider: 3his body) 7hether directly or through the agency of its
committees) should decide as to the ad'isability of ans7ering any such attac6s) and also should carefully
e?amine and pass upon any statements 7hich the friends 7ish to send to the press to this effect: 5nly
through such super'ision and control of all Bah press acti'ities can the friends hope to a'oid
confusion and misunderstanding in their o7n minds and in the mind of the general public 7hom they
can reach through the press:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er L8/ 19382
103. !he Ca"se cannot be Effecti1ely Established 8nless it Enco"nters and !ri"mphs )1er the
Forces of )pposition
@3he >uardian has been 'ery much interested regarding your letter of <ay "$th) though he has been
made truly grie'ed to learn of the continued and malignant opposition 7hich the enemies of the Cause in
=ima) and particularly the clerical element) are directing against the belie'ers in that centre: He 7ishes
you) ho7e'er) to urge the friends not to feel in the least disheartened or discouraged) but to pursue 7ith
rene7ed determination) unity and 'igour their sacred tas6 of spreading and establishing the aith)
confident in the glorious future a7aiting them: 3he greater the number of persecutions) and the more
intense they become in character) the deeper their faith should be in the uniDue mission entrusted to them
by Bahullh) and the greater their Ceal to help in hastening its complete fulfilment:
@3his Cause) as e'ery di'ine Cause) cannot be effecti'ely established unless it encounters and 'aliantly
triumphs o'er the forces of opposition 7ith 7hich it is assailed: 3he history of the aith is in itself a
sufficient proof of that: 3rials and persecutions ha'e al7ays been) and 7ill continue to be) the lot of the
chosen ones of >od: But these they should consider as blessings in disguise) as through them their faith
7ill be Duic6ened) purified and strengthened: Bahullh compares such afflicti'e trials to the oil 7hich
feeds the lamp of the Cause of >od:
@3he friends should) therefore) not assume an attitude of mere resignation in the face of persecutionsI
they should rather 7elcome them) and utiliCe them as means for their o7n spiritual uplift and also for the
promotion of the Cause: As the aith gro7s stronger and attracts the serious attention and consideration
of the 7orld outside) the friends must e?pect a similar) if not a greater) increase in the forces of
opposition 7hich from e'ery direction) both secular and religious) 7ill be massed to undermine the 'ery
basis of its e?istence: 3he final outcome of such a struggle) 7hich 7ill be surely gigantic) is clear to us
belie'ers: A aith born of >od and guided by His 8i'ine and all0per'asi'e spirit cannot but finally
triumph and firmly establish itself) no matter ho7 persistent and insidious the forces 7ith 7hich it has to
contend: 3he friends should be confident) and act 7ith the utmost 7isdom and moderation) and should
particularly abstain from any pro'ocati'e act: 3he future is surely theirs:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune LN/ 193M2
101. *ah+,; 7ife %ho"ld %how 8tmost &o1e and Gindness to 5"sband in %pite of 5is )pposition
to Faith
@3he >uardian:::is 'ery much grie'ed indeed to learn of the se'ere opposition 7hich you are
encountering from your husband because of your affiliation 7ith the Cause: He can 'ery 7ell realiCe the
terrible condition facing you) but feels confident that Bahullh is guiding you to follo7 the right 7ay)
and is continually assisting and strengthening you in your efforts to sol'e this most serious and
challenging problem of your life: 3he staunch and un7a'ering loyalty and de'otion 7hich you ha'e thus
far so splendidly demonstrated in your attitude to the aith is truly remar6able and 7orthy of the highest
praise and admiration: 3he persecutions from 7hich you are no7 suffering ha'e this one great
ad'antage) namely to deepen your faith in the Cause) and to re'i'e and refresh your energies for its
ser'ice: Mou should) therefore) reBoice and 7elcome those sufferings insofar as they ser'e to further
a7a6en your consciousness of being a member of the Ne7 Horld 5rder of Bahullh:
@3he >uardian 7ishes me specially to urge you to remain patient and confident and abo'e all to sho7
your husband the utmost 6indness and lo'e) in return for all the opposition and hatred you recei'e from
him: A conciliatory and friendly attitude in such cases is not only the duty of e'ery Bah but is also the
most effecti'e 7ay of 7inning for the Cause the sympathy and admiration of its former foes and
enemies: =o'e is) indeed) a most potent eli?ir that can transform the 'ilest and meanest of people into
hea'enly souls: <ay your e?ample ser'e to further confirm the truth of this beautiful teaching of our
aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er M/ 193@2
102. 5ow to .ehabilitate )"r Pert"rbed %ociety and Eliminate 7ar
@::: He 7as 'ery glad to see that you are acti'e in representing the Cause among 2eace Societies and
gradually bringing them to contact our principles on that all0important subBect: 3he sooner they come to
appreciate the significance of the <essage of Bahullh) the sooner 7ill they be able to bring about the
realiCation of their obBect and hope and rehabilitate our perturbed society:
@Har is really nothing more but the result of e?isting forces: Should 7e desire to end that de'astating
conseDuence 7e should go bac6 to the basic causes and remedy those e'ils: He should eliminate the
hatreds) national bigotry) mistrust and self aggrandisement as 7ell as economic) social and religious
differences 7hich no7 pre'ail in the 7orld if 7e desire to establish an abiding peace: And nothing can
achie'e this sa'e the teachings of Bahullh) for they change the human heart and also prescribe
definite precepts that 7ould render our social en'ironment healthy and peaceful:E
10. !he Ch"rch and the Cler6y )ften are the #ost *itter )pponents of the Ca"se
@/t seems both strange and pitiful that the Church and clergy should al7ays) in e'ery age) be the most
bitter opponents of the 'ery 3ruth they are continually admonishing their follo7ers to be prepared to
recei'eL 3hey ha'e become so 'iolently attached to the form that the substance itself eludes themL
@Ho7e'er) such denunciations as those your minister made publicly against you and the Bah aith
can do no harm to the Cause at allI on the contrary) they only ser'e to spread its name abroad and mar6 it
as an independent religion:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 0/ 19N@2
9996$ ORGANIIATION%0 NON1BA)23
10'. Affiliation with Faith Alone is Ins"fficient
@So far as non0Bahs affiliating 7ith the Bah aith is concerned) either a person becomes a Bah
and accepts Bahullh as the di'ine <anifestation for this day) or he does not: 3he tenets of the Bah
aith are simple as outlined by the >uardian) but they do not permit of any 'ariations: /n other 7ords) if
any members of the::: <o'ement 7ish to become Bahs) they 7ill be most 7elcomeI but they can only
become Bahs on the basis of accepting Bahullh as a di'ine <anifestation) and of course) 7ith this
goes the acceptance of the Bb as the orerunner) and AAbdul0Bah as the Center of the Co'enant) and
the present Administrati'e 5rder:
@Hhen a person has reached the sea of immortality) it is idle to 6eep see6ing else7here::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Eapan/ Eul5 LN/ 19@3. 9apan Hill 3urn AblaCe/ pp! 0M+002
10(. Affiliation with :on-*ah+,; )r6aniHations
@&egarding association 7ith the Horld ello7ship of aiths and ;indred Societies) Shoghi Effendi
7ishes to reaffirm and elucidate the general principle that Bah elected representati'es as 7ell as
indi'iduals should refrain from any act or 7ord that 7ould imply a departure from the principles)
7hether spiritual) social or administrati'e) established by Bahullh: ormal affiliation 7ith and
acceptance of membership in organiCations 7hose programs or policies are not 7holly reconcilable 7ith
the 3eachings is of course out of the Duestion:::: 3o merely address such gatherings on one or t7o
occasions on a subBect 7hich is in harmony 7ith the spirit of the 3eachings does not constitute
acceptance by the Bah spea6er of the entire program of the ello7ship: He should 7elcome and seiCe
e'ery opportunity that presents itself) ho7e'er modest it may be) to gi'e a 7ider publicity to the Cause)
to demonstrate its all0inclusi'eness and liberal attitude) its independence and purity) 7ithout committing
oursel'es) 7hether by 7ord or deed) to programs or policies that are not in strict conformity 7ith the
tenets of the aith: Shoghi Effendi hopes that this principle 7ill guide your distinguished Assembly in its
dealings 7ith 'arious associations 7hich 7ill increasingly see6) in the days to come) the support of
Bah indi'iduals and Assemblies for the attainment of their ends:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eune 10/ 19332
10-. Association and Affiliation Defined for *ah+,; P"rposes
@3here should be no confusion bet7een the terms affiliation and association: Hhile affiliation 7ith
ecclesiastical organiCations is not permissible) association 7ith them should not only be tolerated but
e'en encouraged: 3here is no better 7ay to demonstrate the uni'ersality of the Cause than this:
Bahullh indeed urges His follo7ers to consort 7ith all religions and nations 7ith utmost friendliness
and lo'e: 3his constitutes the 'ery spirit of His <essage to man6ind:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Decem)er 11/ 193@.
Compilation on Association 7ith Non0Bah 5rganiCations/ ,ah-*? World 3entre2
10/. *ah+,;s *elon6in6 to Ch"rches@ %yna6o6"es@ Freemasonry and the &i$e
@As regards the Duestion of Bahs belonging to churches) synagogues) reemasonry) etc:) the friends
must realiCe that no7 that the aith is o'er "-- years old) and its o7n institutions arising) so to spea6)
rapidly abo'e0ground) the distinctions are becoming e'er sharper) and the necessity for them to support
7hole0heartedly their o7n institutions and cut themsel'es off entirely from those of the past) is no7
clearer than e'er before: 3he eyes of the people of the 7orld are beginning to be focused on usI and) as
humanityKs plight goes from bad to 7orse) 7e 7ill be 7atched e'er more intently by non0Bahs) to see
7hether 7e do uphold our o7n institutions 7holeheartedlyI 7hether 7e are the people of the ne7
creation or notI 7hether 7e li'e up to our beliefs) principles and la7s in deed as 7ell as 7ord: He
cannot be too careful: He cannot be too e?emplary:
@3here is another aspect to this Duestion 7hich the friends should seriously ponder) and that is that)
7hereas organiCations such as reemasonry may ha'e been in the past entirely free from any political
taint) in the state of flu? the 7orld is in at present) and the e?traordinary 7ay in 7hich things become
corrupted and tainted by political thought and influences) there is no guarantee that such an association
might not gradually or suddenly become a political instrument: 3he less Bahs ha'e to do) therefore)
7ith such things) the better:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ (u$ust @/ 19@@2
100. *ah+,;s .eC"ested to 7ithdraw from #asonic and other %ecret %ocieties
@As regards your Duestion about <asonry) the Bahs) the >uardian feels 'ery strongly) must learn at
the present time to thin6 internationally and not locally: Although each belie'er realiCes that he is a
member of one great spiritual family) a member of the Ne7 Horld 5rder of Bahullh) he does not
often carry this thought through to its logical conclusion! 7hich is that if the Bahs all o'er the 7orld
each belong to some different 6ind of society or church or political party) the unity of the aith 7ill be
destroyed) because ine'itably they 7ill become in'ol'ed in doctrines and policies that are in some 7ay
against our 3eachings) and often against another group of people in another part of the 7orld) or another
race) or another religious bloc6:
@3herefore) all the Bahs e'ery7here ha'e been urged to gi'e up their old affiliations and 7ithdra7
from membership in the <asonic and other secret Societies in order to be entirely free to ser'e the aith
of Bahullh as a united body: Such groups as <asonry) ho7e'er high the local standard may be) are in
other countries gradually being influenced by the issues sundering the nations at present:
@3he >uardian 7ants the Bahs to disentangle themsel'es from anything that may in any 7ay) no7
or in the future) compromise their independent status as Bahs and the supra0national nature of their
aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 10/ 19@M2
102. 7hy *ah+,;s are .eC"ested to 7ithdraw from #embership in the Ch"rch@ %yna6o6"e@ etc.
@3he point is not that there is something intrinsically 7rong 7ith <asonry) 7hich no doubt has many
'ery high ideals and principles) and has had a 'ery good influence in the past:
@3he reasons 7hy the >uardian feels that it is imperati'e for the Bahs to be dissociated from
masonry at this time) and / might add) other secret associations) is that 7e are the building bloc6s of
Bahullhs Ne7 Horld 5rder ::: the Bahs should be absolutely independent) and stand identified
only 7ith their o7n teachings: 3hat is 7hy they are reDuested to 7ithdra7 from membership in the
church) the synagogue) or 7hate'er other pre'ious religious organiCation they may ha'e been affiliated
7ith) to ha'e nothing 7hatsoe'er to do 7ith secret societies) or 7ith political mo'ements) etc: /t protects
the Cause) it reinforces the Cause) and it asserts before all the 7orld its independent character:
@Another reason is that unfortunately the tremendous political influences in the 7orld today are
seeping deeper and deeper into mens mindsI and mo'ements 7hich in the past 7ere absolutely
uninfluenced by any political tinge of thought no7 in many places are becoming infiltrated 7ith political
side0ta6ing and political issuesI and it becomes all the more important for the Bahs to 7ithdra7 from
them in order to protect the aith:
@3he >uardian belie'es that you) as an intelligent man) a Bah) 7ill see the need for this: /t is only by
all li'ing according to general principles that 7e can 6nit the fabric of the aith all o'er the 7orld into a
closer unity:
@He is fully a7are that certain indi'iduals are struc6 much more forcibly by such reDuests than others:
3his has been the case 7ith some of the old Bahs in England) 7ho ha'e been <asons from their
boyhood onI but) as it is his duty to protect the aith) he can only appeal to the Bahs to assist him in
doing soI and to consider the general good) rather than their personal feelings) ho7e'er deep they may
be) in such matters:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 1L/ 19@M2
123. .esi6nation from the #asonic )rder
@As regards your Duestion about the <asonic 5rder) he considers that the honest and courageous thing
for you to do is to inform your =odge that you no longer consider yourself) for purely personal reasons) a
<asonI and 7ould li6e to ha'e your name ta6en off their list: /f they should press you for an
e?planation) 7hich he imagines is unli6ely) e'erybody being free to do as they please in this 7orld) you
can e?plain to them that in the present chaotic period the 7orld is passing through) 7ith so many streams
and counterstreams of political thoughts and preBudices of all 6inds) racial) religious) etc:) storming the
minds of men) that you 7ish to disentangle yourself from all association 7ith the past and to stand alone)
free in your o7n ideas:
@He does not thin6 that such an e?planation 7ill preBudice the <asons or their friends) or arouse in
them a feeling of anger against the aith) or indeed need in'ol'e the aith at all:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch LM/ 19@M2
121. !he *elie1ers sho"ld Dissociate !hemsel1es from %ecret )r6aniHations
@:::>enerally spea6ing) the friends should not enter secret societies: /t is certainly much better for the
belie'ers to dissociate themsel'es from such organiCations:::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %erman5 and (ustria/ 6arch L/ 19@12
122. !heosophistsK )ne Cannot be *ah+,; and !heosophist at the %ame !ime
@A Bah cannot at the same time be a 3heosophistI many theosophists ha'e become belie'ers and 'ery
enlightened ones) but as 7e do not belie'e in reincarnation 7e ob'iously cannot be acti'e as
3heosophists and Bahs at the same time:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ Eune L8/ 19@1. Dawn of a ew Da5/ p! 1N12
@Hith regard to the 3heosophists and their acti'itiesI although they ob'iously try to copy and claim as
their o7n some of the principles of the Cause) yet the >uardian feels that it 7ould be of no ad'antage to
oppose them and to refute their arguments: 3he best attitude for the friends to adopt in such cases at the
present time is to totally disregard and e'en neglect their opponents: 3his has in'ariably been his ad'ice
to the friends) 7hether in the East or the Hest:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ 8a7n of a Ne7 8ay/ pp! MN+M@2
12. 7orld Do1ernment )r6aniHation4hould ,e on+Partisan and on+Discriminator5
@3here is no obBection to the Bahs associating 7ith such organiCations as the Horld >o'ernment
5rganiCation:::: Ho7e'er) great care should be ta6en to ma6e sure these organiCations are absolutely
non0partisan in their political 'ie7s and lean neither to East or Hest:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 19@1. Bah Ne7s) o! LN1/ 6arch 19@1/ p! 1@2
@Bahs should certainly not belong to clubs or societies that practice any form of discrimination:E
&<rom a letter of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4outh (merica/ (pril L3/ 19@02
12'. :ew 5istory %ocietyA1owed Enemies of the Faith
@As regards:::) he should be 6indly but firmly admonished by your Assembly that he cannot consider
himself spiritually a Bah and be associated 7ith the a'o7ed enemies of the aith such as the Ne7
History SocietyI and that he should discontinue supporting their 7or6 or ha'ing anything to do 7ith
themI other7ise) he 7ill find that he has been depri'ed 7holly of his association 7ith the Bah CauseI
in other 7ords) he 7ill not only lose his 'oting rights) but be outside the aith:E
&<rom a letter of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eanuar5 LN/ 19@02
12(. %ocial )r6aniHations@ .elief 7or$The ,elie"ers are ,uildin$ a Refu$e for 6ankind
@He feels that) although your desire to parta6e acti'ely of the dangers and miseries afflicting so many
millions of people today is natural and a noble impulse) there can be no comparison bet7een the 'alue of
Bah 7or6 and any other form of ser'ice to humanity:
@/f the Bahs could e'aluate their 7or6 properly they 7ould see that 7hereas other forms of relief
7or6 are superficial in character) alle'iating the sufferings and ills of men for a short time at best) the
7or6 they are doing is to lay the foundation of a ne7 spiritual 5rder in the 7orld founded on the Hord
of >od) operating according to the la7s He has laid do7n for this age: No one else can do this 7or6
e?cept those 7ho ha'e fully realiCed the meaning of the <essage of Bahullh) 7hereas almost any
courageous) sincere person can engage in relief 7or6) etc:
@3he belie'ers are building a refuge for man6ind: 3his is their supreme sacred tas6 and they should
de'ote e'ery moment they can to this tas6:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er. 2rinciples of Bah Administration/ p! LN2
12-. #embership in :on-*ah+,; .eli6io"s )r6aniHations
@Concerning membership in non0Bah religious associations: 3he >uardian 7ishes to re0emphasiCe the
general principle already laid do7n in his communications to your Assembly and also to the indi'idual
belie'ers that no Bah 7ho 7ishes to be a 7holehearted and sincere upholder of the distinguishing
principles of the Cause can accept full membership in any non0Bah ecclesiastical organiCation: or
such an act 7ould necessarily imply only a partial acceptance of the 3eachings and la7s of the aith) and
an incomplete recognition of its independent status) and 7ould thus be tantamount to an act of disloyalty
to the 'erities it enshrines: or it is only too ob'ious that in most of its fundamental assumptions the
Cause of Bahullh is completely at 'ariance 7ith out7orn creeds) ceremonies and institutions: 3o be a
Bah and at the same time accept membership in another religious body is simply an act of
contradiction that no sincere and logically0minded person can possibly accept: 3o follo7 Bahullh
does not mean accepting some of His teachings and reBecting the rest: Allegiance to His Cause must be
uncompromising and 7hole0hearted::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eune 1@/ 193@2
12/. !eachin6 in a #ission %chool
@He does not thin6 there is any obBection to your teaching in a mission school) as long as it is clearly
understood that you are) yourself) a BahI and if you do not ha'e to teach their brand of religion to the
pupils: 3here are many people no7adays employed in mission 7or6 in different parts of the 7orld 7ho
do not belong to the ChurchI and) 7here'er such a tolerant relationship is possible) there can certainly be
no obBection from our side:
@Naturally it 7ould be better if you could get a Bob 7here you 7ould be completely independent of
such relationships::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 1/ 19@N2
120. *ah+,;s %ho"ld :ot Attac$ the Ch"rch
@3he >uardian agrees 7ith you that the Bahs should be 'ery careful not to criticiCe or rather attac6 the
church: As 7e belie'e the church of &ome to be the inheritor) so to spea6) of Christs teachings) the
direct line) ho7e'er per'erted by mens doctrines) it certainly does not befit us to sho7 antagonism
to7ards it: He 6no7 it is out0dated: 3act is reDuiredLE
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch LL/ 19@12
122. A *ah+,; Cannot be a %piritist
@:::the >uardian feels it incumbent upon him to ma6e it Duite clear that membership in e'ery Bah
organiCation e?cludes the possibility of Boining any religious or political association) e'en though such
an alliance does not in'ol'e a complete repudiation of Bah principles and doctrines: /t 7ould be
utterly impossible to reconcile the teachings of the aith 7ith all the 'ie7s and conceptions 7hich any
e?isting group) 7hether religious or political) may ad'ocate: /n 'ie7 of that) it seems but logical that a
Bah cannot be a spiritist at the same time: Not that the ideas 7hich the spiritists proclaim are each and
all in direct opposition to the Bah teachings: As a matter of fact there are some good points in
spiritism: But this is not sufficient Bustification for a belie'er to accept membership in a spiritist
organiCation:
@Hhile Shoghi Effendi 7ould urge you to dissociate yourself from the spiritists) he 7ishes you at the
same time to act 7ith caution and 7isdom: Mour separation from the spiritists should be gradual) and in a
7ay that 7ould not arouse the antagonism of your friends and relati'es: 3oo sudden and abrupt a change
is) indeed) harmful not only to you but to those 7ho through you ha'e been attracted to the Cause::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 1N/ 193N2
1'33. .elationship of *ah+,; Comm"nity to the 8nited :ations
@3he outstanding de'elopment in the relationship of the Bah /nternational Community to the Jnited
Nations 7as the accreditation of the Community as a non0go'ernmental organiCation 7ith consultati'e
status to the Economic and Social Council of the Jnited Nations: 3he Bah /nternational Community
no7 has a permanent representati'e at the Jnited Nations and maintains an office in Ne7 Mor6:E
&<rom the 6essa$e of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ Rid"-n 19032
1'31. All %ocial #o1ements 5a1e %ome %par$ of !r"th
@3here are so many mo'ements in the 7orld at present a6in to 'arious Bah principlesI indeed 7e can
almost say that the principles of Bahullh ha'e been adapted by thin6ing people all o'er this planet:
But 7hat they do not realiCe) and 7hat the Bahs must therefore teach them) is that these principles)
ho7e'er perfect) 7ill ne'er be able to create a ne7 society unless and until they are animated by the
spirit 7hich alone changes the hearts and characters of men) and that spirit is recognition of their di'ine
origin in a teacher sent from >od) in other 7ords) Bahullh: Hhen they recogniCe this) their hearts
7ill change and a change of heart is 7hat people need) not merely a change of intellectual outloo6:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ,ah-*? Douth of #ima/ Peru/ o"em)er 10/ 19N@2
1'32. A *ah+,; %ho"ld :ot %ee$ Financial 5elp from a .eli6io"s )r6aniHation as a *ah+,;
@3he Duestions raised in your letter of # 9anuary "#$1 ha'e been considered by the Jni'ersal House of
9ustice) and 7e are as6ed to inform you that Bahs should not see6 financial assistance from a religious
organiCation as Bahs: Ho7e'er) if some charitable organiCation) operated by the follo7ers of another
religion) grants scholarships to indi'iduals) for e?ample) a Bah may accept such general assistance as
an indi'idual) but not as a Bah:
@3he House of 9ustice states that 7hile <r: ::: may continue to recei'e assistance from the Catholic
Commission) other Bah refugees should not as6 or recei'e aid from that body if the nature of the aid
is different from 7hat is e?plained abo'e: 3he time 7ill come 7hen the Bah aith is strong enough to
e?tend financial assistance to Catholics and others: At that time) it 7ould be possible for Bahs to
parta6e of the facilities of the Catholic Commission: Ho7e'er) at present) 7hen mutual reciprocity
cannot be established) the House of 9ustice ad'ises that it is not dignified for Bahs to apply for such
assistance:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Peru/ <e)ruar5 0/ 198@2
1'3. #embership in !rade 8nionsElection Procedures
@3he Alas6a 2ublic Employees Association appears to be a type of union organiCation: As long as this
and other associations) such as the special interest groups you mention) are not affiliated 7ith any
political party and are not in'ol'ed in political acti'ities there is no obBection to Bahs belonging to
them nor to their holding office in them:
@As for participation in elections of non0Bah organiCations 7hich are open to Bahs but 7hich
employ electional methods different from Bah practices) belie'ers need not a'oid the election
procedures carried out in such organiCations:
@/n all such acti'ities the friends should bear in mind the follo7ing e?hortation so clearly set forth by
the belo'ed >uardian in a letter dated ebruary ,-) "#,+ to the National Spiritual Assembly of the
Jnited States and Canada!
Aully a7are of the repeated statements of AAbdul0Bah that uni'ersality is of >od)
Bahs in e'ery land are ready) nay an?ious) to associate themsel'es by 7ord and deed 7ith
any association of men 7hich) after careful scrutiny) they feel satisfied is free from e'ery
tinge of partisanship and politics and is 7holly de'oted to the interests of all man6ind::::
3hey should al7ays bear in mind) ho7e'er) the dominating purpose of such collaboration)
7hich is to secure in time the recognition by those 7ith 7hom they are associating of the
paramount necessity and the true significance of the Bah &e'elation in this day: E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (laska/ Eanuar5 N/ 19092
1'3'. As to Participation in %tri$es
@As to participation in stri6es) 7hen one of the belie'ers 7ho 7as employed in a factory as a super'isor
to labourers and 7ho felt that a stri6e 7as li6ely at the factory as6ed the >uardian 7hat the Bah
attitude should be if a stri6e 7ere called) the >uardians secretary in a letter dated 9une %-) "#%+ 7rote
on his behalf!
@Hith regard to your Duestion concerning the Bah attitude to7ards labour problemsI these
cannot assuredly be sol'ed) AAbdul0Bah tells us) through the sheer force of physical
'iolence: Non0cooperation too) e'en though not accompanied by acts of 'iolence) is
ineffecti'e: 3he conflict bet7een labour and capital can best be sol'ed through the peaceful
and constructi'e methods of cooperation and of consultation:
A3he Bahs) therefore) are ad'ised to a'oid) as much as they can) getting mi?ed in labour
stri6es and troubles) and particularly to desist from all acts of physical 'iolence 7hich indeed
run counter to the 'ery spirit of the Cause: 3he aith of Bahullh stands for peace)
harmony) and cooperation bet7een the indi'iduals and nations of the 7orld: E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of #u;em)our$/ (pril N/ 19032
9996I$ ORI(NTAL%
1'3(. 7arnin6 Concernin6 )riental #oslems
@As to your Duestion as to 7hat races should be regarded as coming under the heading of A5rientals in
connection 7ith AAbdul0Bahs 7arnings! there is no doubt He 7as primarily thin6ing of the Near
Eastern races of /slamic e?traction) 7ho ha'e e'ery reason to loo6 upon the aith either 7ith contempt
as a mere heresy 7ithin) or sect of) /slam) or 7ith hatred as a potential threat to the supremacy of their
religion: =i6e7ise) it is these Near Eastern races) particularly the 2ersian) 7ho ha'e been most
persistently e?posed to the propaganda and bad e?ample of the Co'enant0brea6ers) old and ne7) and
from 7hose ran6s these 'ery Co'enant0brea6ers ha'e sprung: 3hese circumstances) combined 7ith the
fact that) li6e His 2rophetic orebears) Bahullh appeared amongst the people most in need of
enlightenmentQand hence at their lo7est ebb morallyQare the reasons for not only AAbdul0Bahs and
his o7n repeated 7arnings concerning 5rientals) but also for the conduct) so often demonstrated)
unfortunately) by these same 5rientals) and 7hich amply Bustifies our attitude of great precaution and
7ariness concerning recei'ing them in our midst and belie'ing their declarations to be sincere: Shoghi
Effendi also feels that the <oslems of /ndia should li6e7ise be included in this category) o7ing to their
respecti'e religious and racial bac6ground:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ 6a5 9/ 19N0. Bah
Ne7s/ o! 190/ Eul5 19N0/ pp! M+02
1'3-. !he #ere :ame of *ah+,; does not Constit"te a *ah+,;
@:::the >uardian 7ishes the Bahs to bear in mind the repeated counsels of the <aster that the friends
should be on their guard 7hen dealing 7ith Easterners: Not only should they trust no one unless he bears
some letter of introduction from his Assembly but also after he is permitted in the Bah group they
should be 'ery careful in their dealings 7ith him: 3his does not mean that they should be un6ind to him
or ha'e a constant suspicion that 7ould gradually alienate him from the Cause) but to be on their guard
lest he misuses their trust: 3he case of Ahmed Sohrab is a 'ery good e?ample of 7hat an Easterner can
do: He thin6s to be doing shre7d business 7hen a 7esterner 7ould consider the act to be deceitful: As
Bahullh says often in His 3ablets the friends should de'elop a flair 7here7ith they can detect the
good from the e'il person: <ere name of Bah does not constitute a Bah: His character also has to
be Bah:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Decem)er 18/ 193L2
1'3/. A1oid #a$in6 any Effort to Con1ert )rientals to the Faithi!e!/ 6uslims from the 6iddle East/
Pakistan and India
@As a general rule the friends should not see6 out contacts among 5rientals Fi:e:) those of <uslim
bac6ground from the <iddle East) 2a6istan and /ndiaG) 7hether students or not: Ho7e'er) 7hen contact
7ith 5rientals occurs in the course of normal social e'ents the friends) as in all other cases) should sho7
courtesy and 6indness) but in these days 7hen the political situation is so confused the friends should
consciously a'oid ma6ing any effort to con'ert 5rientals to the aith:
@Should such indi'iduals) ho7e'er) sho7 real interest in the aith e'en to the point of 7ishing to
declare) your National Assembly should be contacted by either the =ocal Spiritual Assembly or the
indi'idual teacher so that you in turn can contact the National Spiritual Assembly of the country of
origin of the applicant) gi'ing that Assembly full particulars and reDuesting it to inform you 7hether
there is any obBection to the enrolment of that particular indi'idual: Ne'ertheless) if it appears that the
5riental 7ishing to declare is contemplating a return to his o7n country soon) you should follo7 your
present practice of reDuesting that he declare to the proper administrati'e institution of his o7n country:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eanuar5 18/ 19M82
1'30. Iranian *ah+,;s :eed not A1oid all Contact with Iranian #"slims7owe"er/ the5 4hould not
4eek Them Out for <riendl5 3ontacts nor for Teachin$
@3he House of 9ustice feels that the friends) and sometimes the Bah institutions) ha'e tended to o'er0
react to the instructions gi'en from time to time about contacting and teaching <uslims from /ran and
other places in the <iddle East) and they often ta6e to e?tremes the cautions gi'en in such instructions:
3he friends sometimes thin6 they should shun such people entirely or that any contact 7ith them is
considered a breach of Bah la7: He are as6ed to point out that the House of 9ustice has ne'er
forbidden the friends to contact /ranian <uslims) as such a general prohibition 7ould be contrary to the
spirit of the aith: Ho7e'er) gi'en the history and the current situation of the aith in /ran) it has urged
the friends in the Hest to act to7ard these people 7ith 7isdom and caution: /n fact) the House of 9ustice
has clarified the matter on 'arious occasions by stating the follo7ing to National Spiritual Assemblies!
A3he instructions of the belo'ed >uardian regarding teaching orientals from the <iddle East are to be
upheld) e'en more so at this time because of the present situation in /ran: /ranian <uslims in particular
should not be sought out in order to teach them the aith: /t cannot be categorically said) ho7e'er) that
the friends should ha'e no contact 7ith /ranian <uslims: Some of the Bahs ha'e relati'es 7ho are
/ranian <uslims) some ha'e close /ranian <uslim friends 7ho happen to reside in the Hest) and they
should not relinDuish these friendships: At the same time it should be stressed to the /ranian Bahs that
7hile they should not cut themsel'es off from their <uslim relati'es and friendsQa step 7hich could
create animosity and turn them against the aithQthey should not normally see6 out /ranian <uslims in
order to initiate friendly contacts 7ith them or teach them the aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ 6arch M/ 19832
1'32. In Certain Cases Iranian #"slims co"ld be Considered for EnrolmentEach Instance to be
.eferred to the 8ni1ersal 5o"se of 9"stice for Appro1al
@<oreo'er) the House of 9ustice feels that there are a number of cases in 7hich /ranian <uslims could
be considered for enrolment as BahsI for e?ample) in cases 7here the <uslim spouse of a Bah has
sho7n his or her interest and sincerity and has ne'er engaged in opposing the Cause: Another e?ample is
7hen an /ranian is a permanent resident of the Jnited States or Canada and apparently has no ulterior
moti'es) such as assuming Bah membership to resol'e his 'isa problems: 2roposed enrolments should
be referred to the House of 9ustice for appro'al so that) if necessary) the matter can be ta6en up 7ith the
/ranian National Assembly: 5f course) e'en in the cases cited enrolment cannot al7ays be immediately
effected: Consideration must be gi'en to other factors! the reaction of relati'es in /ran could be a factor
in determining the timeliness of enrolling such persons: /n such instances it could be e?plained to them
that although they ha'e accepted the aith in their hearts and are regarded as Bahs in belief) their
enrolment must be postponed because of the situation in /ran: <ean7hile) the Bahs should maintain
friendly contacts 7ith them and deepen them in their 6no7ledge of the aith:E
&I)id!2
1'13. *ah+,; Professionals %ho"ld not .ef"se to #a$e !hemsel1es A1ailable Professionally to
Iranian #"slims
@Already a number of Bah professionals are being approached by /ranian <uslims see6ing their
e?pertise: /t 7ould be un7ise for these Bahs to refuse to ma6e themsel'es a'ailable to them
professionally: Ho7e'er) cultural and social contacts should ta6e place only 7ith the 6no7ledge and
appro'al of the appropriate Bah institution:E
&I)id!2
9996II$ '(AC(
1'11. !he #inisters of the 5o"se of 9"stice to Promote Peace
@irst! /t is incumbent upon the ministers of the House of 9ustice to promote the =esser 2eace so that the
people of the earth may be relie'ed from the burden of e?orbitant e?penditures: 3his matter is
imperati'e and absolutely essential) inasmuch as hostilities and conflict lie at the root of affliction and
calamity:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3ablets of Bahullh re'ealed after the ;itb0i0ADdas/ p! 892
1'12. !he !ime and #eans !hro"6h which the &esser and the #ost Dreat Peace 7ill be
Established
@Hith reference to the Duestion you ha'e as6ed concerning the time and means through 7hich the =esser
and <ost >reat 2eace) referred to by Bahullh) 7ill be established) follo7ing the coming Horld Har:
Mour 'ie7 that the =esser 2eace 7ill come about through the political efforts of the states and nations of
the 7orld) and independently of any direct Bah plan or effort) and the <ost >reat 2eace established
through the instrumentality of the belie'ers) and by the direct operation of the la7s and principles
re'ealed by Bahullh and the functioning of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice as the supreme organ of
the Bah super0stateQyour 'ie7 on this subBect is Duite correct and in full accord 7ith the
pronouncements of the >uardian as embodied in the AJnfoldment of Horld Ci'iliCation:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 1N/ 19392
1'1. 8nless the #essa6e of *ah+,",ll+h .eaches into the 5earts of #en and !ransforms !hem@
!here Can be no Peace
@/ndeed 7hen 7e see the increasing dar6ness in the 7orld today 7e can fully realiCe that unless the
<essage of Bahullh reaches into the hearts of men and transforms them) there can be no peace and
no spiritual progress in the future:
@His constant hope is that the belie'ers 7ill conduct themsel'es) indi'idually and in their Bah
Community life) in such a manner as to attract the attention of others to the Cause: 3he 7orld is not only
star'ing for lofty principles and ideals) it is) abo'e all) star'ing for a shining e?ample 7hich the Bahs
can and must pro'ide:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 LL/ 19N@2
1'1'. Predictions of Peace@ Prophecy of Daniel1( Days
@No7 concerning the 'erse in 8aniel) the interpretation 7hereof thou didst as6) namely) ABlessed is he
7ho cometh unto the thousand three hundred and thirty fi'e days: 3hese days must be rec6oned as solar
and not lunar years: or according to this calculation a century 7ill ha'e elapsed from the da7n of the
Sun of 3ruth) then 7ill the teachings of >od be firmly established upon the earth) and the 8i'ine =ight
shall flood the 7orld from the East e'en unto the Hest: 3hen) on this day) 7ill the faithful reBoice:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. <rom a Ta)let to a 8urdish friend. 3he 2assing of AAbdul0Bah/ p! 31/ 4ho$hi Effendi and #ad5 ,lomfield2
@::: 3he "%%1 days is figured according to the solar calendar) but in adBusting the "%%1 days) one must
ta6e into consideration the time at 7hich the prophecies 7ere gi'en and change them into solar time)
7hich 7ould bring the date to "#*%:
@3here is one thing of importance for the Bahs to understandI and that is) that this prophecy refers to
happenings 7ithin the aith) not occurrences outside the aith: /t refers specifically to the spread of the
aith o'er the face of the earth: 3his 7ill be accomplished 7hen the Bah aith is firmly established in
all the 'irgin areas outlined in the 3en0Mear Crusade) and the other goals of the Crusade are completed:
3hus it behoo'es us to 7or6 day and night in order to accomplish this glorious goal:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 N/ 19NM. Some E?tracts from a letter 7ritten on behalf of the
>uardian on the subBect of the 2rophecy of 8aniel. ( compilation from the World 3entre to the compiler2
1'1(. PrereC"isite to Peace
@3he prereDuisite to real success is a harmonious gathering: Hhen the friends begin to ha'e peace at
home they can teach the people to ha'e peace bet7een the nations and classes:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril L0/ 19LM2
1'1-. .adiation of !ho"6ht 7ill :ot *rin6 Peace
@/ might add that he does not belie'e any radiations of thought or healing) from any group) is going to
bring peace: 2rayer) no doubt) 7ill help the 7orld) but 7hat it needs is to accept Bahullhs system so
as to build up the Horld 5rder on a ne7 foundation) a di'ine foundationL:::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune M/ 19N8. E?tracts rom the >uardians =etters) Spiritualism)
&eincarnation and &elated SubBects/ p! 8. ( compilation from the World 3entre/ <e)ruar5 19012
1'1/. :o Dreater *liss !han to Find )ne 5as *ecome the Ca"se of Peace
@:::/s any larger bounty concei'able than this) that an indi'idual) loo6ing 7ithin himself) should find that
by the confirming grace of >od he has become the cause of peace and 7ell0being) of happiness and
ad'antage to his fello7men: No) by the one true >od) there is no greater bliss) no more complete
delight:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Secret of 8i'ine Ci'iliCation/ pp! L+32
1'10. Bolition and Action are :ecessary *efore International Peace can be Established
@All of us 6no7 that international peace is good) that it is conduci'e to human 7elfare and the glory of
man) but 'olition and action are necessary before it can be established: Action is essential: /nasmuch as
this century is a century of light) capacity for action is assured to man6ind: Necessarily the di'ine
principles 7ill be spread among men until the time of action arri'es: Surely this has been so) and truly
the time and conditions are ripe for action no7:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3he 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ 198L ed!/ p! 1L12
1'12. E1ery #eans that Prod"ces 7ar #"st be Chec$ed
@/n short) e'ery means that produces 7ar must be chec6ed and the causes that pre'ent the occurrence of
7ar be ad'ancedQso that physical conflict may become an impossibility: 5n the other hand) e'ery
country must be properly delimited) its e?act frontiers mar6ed) its national integrity secured) its
permanent independence protected) and its 'ital interests honoured by the family of nations: 3hese
ser'ices ought to be rendered by an impartial) international Commission: /n this manner all causes of
friction and differences 7ill be remo'ed: And in case there should arise some disputes bet7een them)
they could arbitrate before the 2arliament of <an) the representati'es of 7hich should be chosen from
among the 7isest and most Budicious men of all the nations of the 7orld:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Star of the Hest/ >ol! >/ pp 11@+11M/ cited in 2eace/ ( compilation from the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ (u$ust 198@2
1'23. E1ery Cent"ry 5olds the %ol"tion of )ne Predominatin6 Problem
@E'ery century holds the solution of one predominating problem: Although there may be many
problems) yet one of the innumerable problems 7ill loom large and become the most important of all::::
in this luminous century the greatest besto7al of the 7orld of humanity is Jni'ersal 2eace) 7hich must
be founded) so that the realm of creation may obtain composure) the East and the Hest) 7hich include in
their arms the fi'e continents of the globe) may embrace each other) man6ind may rest beneath the tent
of oneness of the 7orld of humanity) and the flag of uni'ersal peace may 7a'e o'er all the regions::::E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Star of the Hest/ >ol! >/ pp! 11@+1102
1'21. Do not .est 8ntil the Peace Foretold by the Prophets is Permanently Established
@3he 7orld is in great turmoil) and 7hat is most pathetic is that it has learned to 6eep a7ay from >od)
Hho alone can sa'e it and alle'iate its sufferings: /t is our duty) 7e 7ho ha'e been trusted 7ith the tas6
of applying the di'ine remedy gi'en by Bahullh) to concentrate our attention upon the
consummation of this tas6 and not rest until the peace foretold by the 2rophets of >od is permanently
established:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi/ Decem)er 9/ 1931. 2eace/ op! cit!2
1'22. !o Disre6ard the *ah+,; %ol"tion for Peace is to *"ild on Fo"ndations of %and
@::: He is firmly con'inced that through perse'erance and concerted action the cause of 2eace 7ill
e'entually triumph o'er all the dar6 forces 7hich threaten the 7elfare and progress of the 7orld to0day:
But such purely human attempts are undoubtedly ineffecti'e unless inspired and guided by the po7er of
faith: Hithout the assistance of >od) as gi'en through the message of Bahullh) peace can ne'er be
safely and adeDuately established: 3o disregard the Bah solution for 7orld peace is to build on
foundations of sand: 3o accept and apply it is to ma6e peace not a mere dream) or an ideal) but a li'ing
reality: 3his is the point 7hich the >uardian 7ishes you to de'elop) to emphasiCe again and again) and to
support by con'incing arguments: 3he Bah peace program is) indeed) not only one 7ay of attaining
that goal: /t is not e'en relati'ely the best: /t is) in the last resort) the sole effecti'e instrument for the
establishment of the reign of peace in this 7orld: 3his attitude does not in'ol'e any total repudiation of
other solutions offered by 'arious philanthropists: /t merely sho7s their inadeDuacy compared to the
8i'ine 2lan for the unification of the 7orld: He cannot escape the truth that nothing mundane can in the
last resort be enduring) unless supported and sustained through the po7er of >od:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi/ 4eptem)er L@/ 1933. I)id!2
1'2. !he 8nification of #an$ind is Ass"red by *ah+,",ll+h and no Power can Pre1ent it
@Hhate'er our shortcomings may be) and ho7e'er formidable the forces of dar6ness 7hich besiege us
to0day) the unification of man6ind as outlined and ensured by the Horld 5rder of Bahullh 7ill in the
fullness of time be firmly and permanently established: 3his is Bahullhs promise) and no po7er on
earth can in the long run pre'ent or e'en retard its adeDuate realiCation: 3he friends should) therefore)
not lose hope) but fully conscious of their po7er and their role they should perse'ere in their mighty
efforts for the e?tension and the consolidation of Bahullhs uni'ersal dominion on earth:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi/ o"em)er M/ 1933. I)id!2
1'2'. *ah+,",ll+h,s !eachin6s 7ill Establish a 8ni1ersal Conscio"sness and a 8ni1ersal 7ay of
&ife
@3he 3eachings of Bahullh 7ill establish a ne7 7ay of life for humanity: 3hose 7ho are Bahs
must endea'our to establish this 7ay of life Bust as rapidly as possible: No7 that the hour has arri'ed
7hen the Bah aith is gaining prominence) and is being 'ie7ed and re'ie7ed by so many peoples) it
is necessary that the adherents of the aith should li'e up to the high ideals of the aith in e'ery 7ay: /n
this 7ay they can demonstrate that the Bah aith does create a ne7 7ay of life) 7hich brings to the
indi'idual a complete association 7ith the Hill of >od) and thus the establishment of a peaceful and
uni'ersal society: 8i'isional attachments are of man) 7hile uni'ersal ser'ice is of >od:
@3he >uardian is no7 an?ious that all the friends achie'e a uni'ersal consciousness and a uni'ersal
7ay of life:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi/ o"em)er L1/ 19@@. I)id!2
1'2(. Peace 7ill Come
@/t is true that AAbdul0Bah made statements lin6ing the establishment of the unity of nations to the
t7entieth century: or e?ample! A::: 3he fifth candle is the unity of nationsQa unity 7hich) in this
century) 7ill be securely established) causing all the peoples of the 7orld to regard themsel'es as
citiCens of one common fatherland:::: And) in A3he 2romised 8ay is Come) follo7ing a similar
statement Duoted from ASome Ans7ered Ruestions) Shoghi Effendi ma6es this comment! A3his is the
stage 7hich the 7orld is no7 approaching) the stage of 7orld unity) 7hich) as AAbdul0Bah assures us)
7ill) in this century) be securely established:
@3here is also this statement from a letter 7ritten in "#(* to an indi'idual belie'er on behalf of the
belo'ed >uardian by his secretary!
A:::All 7e 6no7 is that the =esser and the <ost >reat 2eace 7ill comeQtheir e?act dates 7e
do not 6no7: 3he same is true as regards the possibility of a future 7arI 7e cannot state
dogmatically it 7ill or 7ill not ta6e placeQall 7e 6no7 is that man6ind must suffer and be
punished sufficiently to ma6e it turn to >od:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ Eul5 L9/ 190N. I)id!2
1'2-. !he Aims and P"rpose of the Faith Are to Eliminate 7ar and Establish Peace and 8nity
@:::the Bah aith aims to eliminate all 7ar) including nuclear: 3he fundamental purpose of our aith is
unity and the establishment of peace: 3his goal) 7hich is the longing of people throughout an
increasingly insecure 7orld) can only be achie'ed through the 3eachings of Bahullh: Since it is only
the Bahs 7ho can gi'e these 3eachings to man6ind) the friends must 7eigh carefully ho7 they 7ill
spend their time and energy and guard against associating 7ith acti'ities 7hich unduly distract them
from their primary responsibility of sharing the <essage of Bahullh:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ Eul5 N/ 198L. I)id!2
1'2/. :"clear Disarmament
@At the present time) the subBect of nuclear disarmament has become 'ery much a political issue) 7ith
demonstrations ta6ing place not only in the Jnited States but also in England and some 7estern
European countries: 3o single out nuclear disarmament falls short of the Bah position and 7ould
in'ol'e the aith in the current disputes bet7een nations: /t is 'ery clear that Bahs belie'e
disarmament) not only of nuclear 7eapons but of biological) chemical and all other forms) is essential:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ Eanuar5 1L/ 1983. I)id!2
1'20. !he !ransition from the Present %ystem of :ational %o1erei6nty to a %ystem of 7orld
Do1ernment
@Concerning the transition from the present system of national so'ereignty to a system of the 7orld
go'ernment) the House of 9ustice fully agrees 7ith your 'ie7 that the Bahs must no7 do all in their
po7er to promote this transition: 3his reDuires se'eral related acti'ities) all of 7hich are goals of the
present Se'en Mear 2lan: 5ne is the establishment as rapidly as possible of firmly grounded efficiently
functioning =ocal Spiritual Assemblies in e'ery part of the 7orld) so that see6ers e'ery7here 7ill ha'e a
point of reference to 7hich they can turn for guidance and for the 3eachings of the aith: A second is the
deepening of the belie'ers) of all ages) in their understanding of and obedience to the 3eachings: A third
is the proclamation of the aith to all strata of society) and in particular to those in authority and to
leaders of thought so that those 7ho hold the direction of peoples in their hands 7ill learn accurately
about the nature and tenets of the aith and 7ill gro7 to respect it and implement its principles: A fourth
is the promotion of Bah scholarship) so that an increasing number of belie'ers 7ill be able to analyse
the problems of man6ind in e'ery field and to sho7 ho7 the 3eachings sol'e them: A fifth is the
de'elopment of relations bet7een the Bah /nternational Community and the Jnited Nations both
directly 7ith the highest J:N: institutions and at a grass0roots le'el in areas of rural de'elopment)
education) etc:
@As you are no doubt a7are) the >uardian indicated that the de'elopment of man6ind from its present
chaotic condition to the stage of the Bah Horld Common7ealth 7ould be a long and gradual one: 3he
coming into e?istence of a Horld Authority and the initiation of the =esser 2eace is one maBor
transformation in this process) and 7ill be follo7ed by other stages of the de'elopment of the aith as
outlined by Shoghi Effendi in his 7ritings: Jndoubtedly) as these de'elopments are ta6ing place) the
counsel the institutions of the aith can gi'e to go'ernments) the pattern of 7orld administration offered
by the Bah community and the great humanitarian proBects 7hich 7ill be launched under the aegis of
the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice 7ill e?ercise a great influence on the course of progress:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ Eanuar5 19/ 1983. I)id!2
1'22. *ah+,;s Are not Pacifists
@:::/t is true that Bahs are not pacifists since 7e uphold the use of force in the ser'ice of Bustice and
upholding la7: But 7e do not belie'e that 7ar is e'er necessary and its abolition is one of the essential
purposes and brightest promises of BahullhKs re'elation: His specific command to the 6ings of the
earth is! AShould any one among you ta6e up arms against another) rise ye all against him) for this is
naught but manifest Bustice: F3ablet to Rueen Pictoria) A3he 2roclamation of Bahullh) p: "%G 3he
belo'ed >uardian has e?plained that the unity of man6ind implies the establishment of a 7orld
common7ealth) a 7orld federal system) A:::liberated from the curse of 7ar and its miseries :::in 7hich
orce is made the ser'ant of 9ustice::: 7hose 7orld e?ecuti'e Abac6ed by an international orce::: 7ill
safeguard the organic unity of the 7hole common7ealth: 3his is ob'iously not 7ar but the maintenance
of la7 and order on a 7orld scale: Harfare is the ultimate tragedy of disunity among nations 7here no
international authority e?ists po7erful enough to restrain them from pursuing their o7n limited interests:
Bahs therefore as6 to ser'e their countries in non0combatant 7ays during such fightingI they 7ill
doubtless ser'e in such an international orce as Bahullh en'isions) 7hene'er it comes into being:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ 4eptem)er 11/ 198N. I)id!2
1'3. !he &esser Peace 7ill Initially be a Political 8nity
@Bahullhs principal mission in appearing at this time in human history is the realiCation of the
oneness of man6ind and the establishment of peace among the nationsI therefore) all the forces 7hich
are focused on accomplishing these ends are influenced by His &e'elation: He 6no7) ho7e'er) that
peace 7ill come in stages: irst) there 7ill come the =esser 2eace) 7hen the unity of nations 7ill be
achie'ed) then gradually the <ost >reat 2eaceQthe spiritual as 7ell as social and political unity of
man6ind) 7hen the Bah Horld Common7ealth) operating in strict accordance 7ith the la7s and
ordinances of the <ost Holy Boo6 of the Bah &e'elation) 7ill ha'e been established through the
efforts of the Bahs:
@As to the =esser 2eace) Shoghi Effendi has e?plained that this 7ill initially be a political unity arri'ed
at by decision of the go'ernments of 'arious nationsI it 7ill not be established by direct action of the
Bah community: 3his does not mean) ho7e'er) that the Bahs are standing aside and 7aiting for the
=esser 2eace to come before they do something about the peace of man6ind: /ndeed) by promoting the
principles of the aith) 7hich are indispensable to the maintenance of peace) and by fashioning the
instruments of the Bah Administrati'e 5rder) 7hich 7e are told by the belo'ed >uardian is the pattern
for future society) the Bahs are constantly engaged in laying the ground7or6 for a permanent peace)
the <ost >reat 2eace being their ultimate goal:
@3he =esser 2eace itself 7ill pass through stages! at the initial stage the go'ernments 7ill act entirely
on their o7n 7ithout the conscious in'ol'ement of the aithI later on) in >ods good time) the aith 7ill
ha'e a direct influence on it in 7ays indicated by Shoghi Effendi in his A3he >oal of a Ne7 Horld
5rder: /n connection 7ith the steps that 7ill lead to this latter stage) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice 7ill
certainly determine 7hat has to be done) in accordance 7ith the guidance in the Hritings) such as the
passage you Duoted from A3ablets of Bahullh) page $#: /n the meantime) the Bahs 7ill
undoubtedly continue to do all in their po7er to promote the establishment of peace:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ Eanuar5 31/ 198@. I)id!2
9996II$ 'ILGRI,% NOT(%
1'1. Any :arrati1e not A"thenticated by a !e?t %ho"ld not be !r"sted
@3hou has 7ritten concerning the pilgrims and pilgrims notes: Any narrati'e that is not authenticated by
a 3e?t should not be trusted: Narrati'es) e'en if true) cause confusion: or the people of Bah) the 3e?t)
and only the 3e?t) is authentic:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. from a pre"iousl5 untranslated Ta)let2
1'2. Pri1ile6e of Friends to %hare .es"lts of !hese Bisits
@&egarding the notes ta6en by pilgrims at Haifa: 3he >uardian has stated that he is un7illing to sign the
notes of any pilgrim) in order that the literature consulted by the belie'ers shall not be unduly e?tended:::
3his means that the notes of pilgrims do not carry the authority resident in the >uardians letters 7ritten
o'er his o7n signature: 5n the other hand each pilgrim brings bac6 information and suggestions of a
most precious character) and it is the pri'ilege of all the friends to share in the spiritual results of these
'isits:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates. Bah Ne7s/ o! L81/ p! N/ Eul5
19@N2
1'. Pil6rims, :otes are 5earsay and Cannot Claim the A"thority of the %acred !e?t
@3he instructions of the <aster and the >uardian ma6e it 'ery clear that 2ilgrims notes are hearsay and
cannot claim the authority and binding po7er of the Sacred 3e?t:::: <oreo'er) the fact that the pilgrim
7riting of his e?perience is a reliable or 7ell06no7n belie'er) or that the reported statement seems to be
repeated in the notes of se'eral pilgrims) does not in itself confer authority upon the pilgrims note in
Duestion:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 L3/ 19812
1''. !he :otes of Pil6rims are for !heir )wn 8se
@Shoghi Effendi has often said that the notes of the pilgrims should be for their o7n personal use and
bear absolutely no authority: Hhat he desires to con'ey to the friends at large he 7ill al7ays say in his
general letters:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 LM/ 19332
1'(. !he Difference between !al$s and !ablets
@Shoghi Effendi has laid do7n the principle that the Bahs should not attribute much importance to
tal6s reported to ha'e been gi'en by the <aster) if these ha'e not in one form or other obtained His
sanction:
@Bahullh has made it clear enough that only those things that ha'e been re'ealed in the form of
3ablets ha'e a binding po7er o'er the friends: Hearsays may be matters of interest but can in no 7ay
claim authority: 3his basic teaching of Bahullh 7as to preser'e the aith from being corrupted li6e
/slam 7hich attributes binding authority to all the reported sayings of <u ammad:
@3his being a basic principle of the aith) 7e should not confuse 3ablets that 7ere actually re'ealed
and mere tal6s attributed to the founders of the Cause: 3he first ha'e absolute binding authority 7hile
the latter can in no 7ay claim our obedience: 3he highest thing this can achie'e is to influence the
acti'ities of the one 7ho has heard the saying in person:
@3hose tal6s of the <aster that 7ere later re'ie7ed by Him) corrected or in some other form
considered authentic by Himself) such as the ASome Ans7ered Ruestions) these could be considered as
3ablets and therefore be gi'en the necessary binding po7er: All the other tal6s such as are included in
Ahmads diary or the diary of pilgrims) do not fall under this category and could be considered only as
interesting material to be ta6en for 7hat they are 7orth:
@or this reason Shoghi Effendi has not been encouraging the publication of reported sayings that 7ere
not authenticated by the <aster Himself: And 7hen he said that they may be published if Duotation
mar6s are ta6en a7ay) Shoghi Effendi tried to pre'ent the friends from considering as actual 7ords of
the <aster things that 7ere not authenticated by Him:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the :nited 4tates Pu)lishin$ 3ommittee/ Decem)er L9/ 19312
1'-. %tories !old Abo"t 4Abd",l-*ah+
@He 7ould also urge you to attach no importance to the stories told about AAbdul0Bah or to those
attributed to Him by the friends: 3hese should be regarded in the same light as the notes and impressions
of 'isiting pilgrims: 3hey need not be suppressed) but they should not also be gi'en prominence or
official recognition:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Octo)er L/ 193@2
1'/. )nly %i6ned or %ealed !ablets are Considered A"thentic
@According to the 3eachings of Bahullh no authority can be attached to a mere hearsay) no matter
through 7hom it may come: 3he 3ablets that bear the seal or signature of Bahullh and the <aster are
the only parts of the literature that ha'e any authority and that constitute the basis of our belief: All other
forms of literature may bear points of interest but they cannot be considered as authentic: 3his is the
'ie7 that Shoghi Effendi too6 to7ards the tal6s of AAbdul0Bah that Ahmad Sohrab had incorporated in
his boo6) and it is the attitude that he 7ould ta6e to7ards any other reported saying) naturally unless the
<aster has appended His signature to that tal6 and thereby gi'en it the authority of a 3ablet such as is
the case 7ith ASome Ans7ered Ruestions that 7as actually corrected by Him:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 18/ 19312
1'0. Pil6rim,s :otes .eportin6 the #aster,s 7ords on Embracin6 and Gissin6
@3he pilgrims note reports the <aster as saying! AHomen and men must not embrace each other 7hen
not married) or not about to be married: 3hey must not 6iss each other::: /f they 7ish to greet each other)
or comfort each other) they may ta6e each other by the hand: /n a letter to an indi'idual 7ritten on
behalf of Shoghi Effendi it is said! A3he <asterKs 7ords to :::) 7hich you Duoted) can certainly be ta6en
as the true spirit of the teachings on the subBect of se?: He must stri'e to achie'e this e?alted standard:
F5ctober "#) "#(+GE
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ <e)ruar5 11/ 190N2
1'2. 5aifa :otes Collected by #rs. #a?well
@Hith reference to the Haifa notes collected by dear <rs: <a?7ell! 3hese ha'e e?actly the same status
as all other pilgrims notes) and as such there should be no obBection to their circulation among the
belie'ers: Hhile these notes ta6en do7n by the pilgrims do not constitute as official pronouncements
made by the >uardian) and therefore should not be imposed on the friends) those 7ho 7ish to share them
7ith the members of the Community should) under no circumstances) be pre'ented from doing so:
3hough not strictly official) and in some instances inaccurate and misleading) these notes) as e?perience
has sho7n) can be of tremendous help) guidance and inspiration to many indi'idual belie'ers) and their
'alue as such should therefore be readily admitted:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril L8/ 19392
999I9$ 'OLITIC% AN GO6(RN,(NT%
A: 2olitics
1''3. Political Fi6"res
@3he >uardian 7ishes me to dra7 the attention of the friends through you that they should be 'ery
careful in their public utterance not to mention any political figuresQeither side 7ith them or denounce
them: 3his is the first thing to bear in mind: 5ther7ise they 7ill in'ol'e the friends in political matters)
7hich is infinitely dangerous for the Cause:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eanuar5 1L/ 1933.
Bah Ne7s/ o! 0L/ (pril 1933/ p! 32
1''1. PoliticiansK :on-Political Do1ernment 9obs
@Actual politicians) he feels) 7ill for the most part ne'er be 7illing to forget their ambitions) 7or6 and
prestige in order to embrace the aith) but association 7ith all people) in go'ernment occupation or
other7ise) 7ho are progressi'e minded) is ad'isable) as 7e publiciCe the aith this 7ay and may meet
recepti'e souls: 3here is no obBection to Bahs ser'ing in go'ernment Bobs that are purely non0
political:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 31/ 19N02
1''2. :o *ah+,; Can be .e6arded as .ep"blican or Democrat
@:::no 'ote cast or office underta6en by a Bah should necessarily constitute acceptance) by the 'oter or
office holder) of the entire programme of any political party: No Bah can be regarded as either
&epublican or 8emocrat) as such: He is abo'e all else) the supporter of the principles enunciated by
Bahullh) 7ith 7hich) / am firmly con'inced) the programme of no political party is completely
harmonious::::E
&<rom a letter of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eanuar5 LM/ 1933. Bah Ne7s) o!
8@/ Eul5/ 193N/ p! L2
1''. Botin6 in Ci1il Elections
@As regards the non0political character of the aith)::: 3he friends may 'ote) if they can do it) 7ithout
identifying themsel'es 7ith one party or another: 3o enter the arena of party politics is surely detrimental
to the best interests of the aith and 7ill harm the Cause: /t remains for the indi'iduals to so use their
right to 'ote as to 6eep aloof from party politics) and al7ays bear in mind that they are 'oting on the
merits of the indi'idual) rather than because he belongs to one party or another: 3he matter must be
made perfectly clear to the indi'iduals) 7ho 7ill be left free to e?ercise their discretion and Budgement:
But if a certain person does enter into party politics and labours for the ascendency of one party o'er
another) and continues to do it against e?pressed appeals and 7arnings of the Assembly) then the
Assembly has the right to refuse him the right to 'ote in Bah elections:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ 6arch 1M/ 19332
1'''. A1oid Identification with Political Parties
@He ha'e recei'ed your letter of ", 8ecember "#+% concerning the problem of::: 7ho says that it is 'ery
difficult for him to 6eep his Bob as a teacher in a public school 7ithout being registered as a member of
one of the political parties no7 in the go'ernment:
@A similar Duestion has arisen in some other countries) particularly in Africa 7here the one0party
system is in use: Although 7e understand that there is more than one political party in your country) 7e
thin6 it 7ould be helpful to you to ha'e a summary of the instructions 7e ha'e gi'en to African
Assemblies) and this is enclosed:
@He suggest that :::s case might offer your Assembly an opportunity to see6 an appointment 7ith the
proper go'ernment official or officials to e?plain the Bah position on non0interference in political
affairs) as 7ell as on obedience and loyalty to go'ernment: Mour approach should be to see6 ad'ice on
7hat can be done in :::Ks situation and in similar cases to a'oid identification 7ith party politics 7hile at
the same time sho7ing the utmost loyalty to the go'ernment: Certainly this 7ould afford your Assembly
yet another opportunity to proclaim the aith and its principles and to see6 the respect and understanding
of the officials:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,oli"ia/ Decem)er L8/ 19032
1''(. For *ah+,;s &i1in6 in Co"ntries 7here the Political %tr"ct"re is *ased on a )ne-Party
%ystem
@": 3he belo'ed >uardian repeatedly emphasiCed the principle of refusing to Boin any political party: /n
A3he Ad'ent of 8i'ine 9ustice) in spea6ing of the rectitude of conduct 7hich must manifest itself in
the Bah community) he said! A/t must characteriCe the attitude of e'ery loyal belie'er to7ards
non0acceptance of political posts) non0identification 7ith political parties) non0participation in
political contro'ersies) and non0membership in political organiCations:::
@,: a: /f the National Spiritual Assembly is satisfied that membership in the party is not compulsory
according to the la7 of the land) but is promoted merely by persuasion) encouragement) and
inducement through the granting of pri'ileges and e'en threats) then the Bahs should refrain
from Boining the party) 7hate'er the personal sacrifices may be:
@b: /f) ho7e'er) it is ascertained by the National Spiritual Assembly) that the la7 reDuires e'ery
citiCen to belong to the party) Bahs may pay money eDui'alent to the dues in'ol'ed) 7ithout
accepting membership of the party: 3here is no obBection to their carrying receipts indicating that
the contribution has been made:
@c: /f alternati'e ,b: is not possible) Bahs ha'e no choice but to accept membership) 7ithout
becoming acti'e in the party) such as holding offices:E
&<rom a 4ummar5 of Instructions of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice attached to the a)o"e cited letter to ,oli"ia/ Decem)er L8/ 19032
1''-. :o &oyal *elie1er sho"ld Commit 5imself to a Political Pro6ram
@:::no loyal belie'er should under any circumstances commit himself in any 7ay to a political program
or policy formulated and upheld by a political party: or affiliation 7ith such a party necessarily entails
repudiation of some principles and teachings of the Cause) or partial recognition of some of its
fundamental 'erities: 3he friends should) therefore) 6eep aloof from party politics: Hhat they should
mainly 6eep a7ay from under all circumstances and in all its forms is partisanship:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 10/ 193@2
1''/. *ah+,;s %ho"ld .efrain from Botin6@ if they #"st Identify with a Political Party or Doctrine
@3he main principle) as you 6no7) is that the friends should refrain from participating in any political
election) unless they ascertain that in casting their 'ote for this or that candidate they are not affiliating
themsel'es 7ith any political party or organiCation) and are not identifying themsel'es 7ith any political
program: 3he 7hole Duestion hinges on the matter of identification) and not on 'oting in itself:
@3he application of this principle the >uardian has left to the indi'iduals 7ho are conscientiously
reDuired to submit their o7n special cases in 7hich they are doubtful to their assemblies for
consideration and guidance:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er L8/ 193M2
1''0. Enrolment 7hen Political Affiliation or Acti1ities are In1ol1ed
@No additional reDuirements should be laid upon ne7 members at the time of their declaration of belief:
&ather) your Assembly should underta6e to ma6e the issues clear 7ith such friends so that prospecti'e
ne7 adherents may 6no7 beforehand of the position of the aith in regard to political connections:
Hhen it is found that) in spite of this) a ne7 Bah still has political associations or acti'ities) he should
be lo'ingly and patiently educated so that he 7ill 7ithdra7 from them: Some 7ill be able to achie'e this
immediately) but others 7ill need time to se'er their connections discreetly: 3his can be a delicate matter
and reDuires an a7areness of each indi'iduals particular situation and obligations: 5f course) if such a
belie'er does not respond to the Assemblys efforts to disengage him from politics) he must be 7arned
and) if this still produces no effect) the Assembly 7ould ultimately ha'e to consider depri'ing him of his
'oting rights:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the Dominican Repu)lic/ Eul5 1L/
198N2
1''2. #embership in any Political Party Entails .ep"diation of Principles of Peace and 8nity
@3he Bah Community is a 7orld07ide organiCation see6ing to establish true and uni'ersal peace on
earth: /f a Bah 7or6s for one political party to o'ercome another it is a negation of the 'ery spirit of
the aith: <embership in any political party) therefore) necessarily entails repudiation of some or all of
the principles of peace and unity proclaimed by Bahullh: As AAbdul0Bah stated! A5ur party is
>ods partyI 7e do not belong to any party:
@/f a Bah 7ere to insist on his right to support a certain political party) he could not deny the same
degree of freedom to other belie'ers: 3his 7ould mean that 7ithin the ran6s of the aith) 7hose primary
mission is to unite all men as one great family under >od) there 7ould be Bahs opposed to each other:
Hhere) then) 7ould be the e?ample of unity and harmony 7hich the 7orld is see6ingS
@/f the institutions of the aith) >od forbid) became in'ol'ed in politics) the Bahs 7ould find
themsel'es arousing antagonism instead of lo'e: /f they too6 one stand in one country) they 7ould be
bound to change the 'ie7s of the people in another country about the aims and purposes of the aith: By
becoming in'ol'ed in political disputes) the Bahs instead of changing the 7orld or helping it) 7ould
themsel'es be lost and destroyed: 3he 7orld situation is so confused and moral issues 7hich 7ere once
clear ha'e become so mi?ed up 7ith selfish and battling factions) that the best 7ay Bahs can ser'e the
highest interests of their country and the cause of true sal'ation for the 7orld is to sacrifice their political
pursuits and affiliations and 7hole0heartedly and fully support the system of Bahullh:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies in (frica/ <e)ruar5 8/ 19012
1'(3. .e6ardin6 a *ah+,; Prod"cin6 !ele1ision Ad1ertisin6 for a Political Campai6n
@/n reply to your Duery of ,( September concerning the in'ol'ement of a Bah in producing tele'ision
ad'ertising for a political campaign) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has directed us to con'ey its ad'ice
that the person in Duestion should refrain from acti'ities promoting the campaign of a politician)
although this should not be construed as a restriction on non0Bah associates:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (laska/ Octo)er L9/ 19092
1'(1. *ah+,;s Can neither Campai6n for )ffice nor 8nderta$e Partisan Political Acti1itiesThe5
6a5 7old (ppointi"e Posts which are not Political
@/n the case of <r: :::) it is important that you ascertain precisely 7hat his membership on a 'illage
council entails) and ho7 he achie'ed such membership) i:e:) by election or appointment: Mour Assembly
should understand that Bahs do not engage in political acti'ities nor belong to political parties) but
may freely underta6e non0political administrati'e 7or6 7ith go'ernments) may hold appointi'e posts
7hich are not political in character) or may ser'e on local councils if they do not campaign for office and
are not reDuired to underta6e partisan political acti'ities:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the #eeward Islands/ <e)ruar5 1@/
198L2
1'(2. :o )bFection to a *ah+,; *ein6 Elected as a :ei6hbo"rhood Captain or %er1in6 on a
:ei6hbo"rhood Co"ncil@ Pro1ided...
@3here is no obBection to a Bah being elected a Barrio Captain or ser'ing on a Barrio Council
pro'ided!
": He is not reDuired to become a member of a political party:
,: Ser'ice as a Barrio Captain or as a member of the Barrio Council does not in'ol'e him in partisan
politics:
%: 3hat he does not campaign for election to office: 3here is no obBection to allo7ing ones name to be
placed in nomination if nominations are reDuired by la7: /f nominations are not obligatory and the
'oter is allo7ed to 7rite on the ballot paper and 'ote for the names of those he 7ishes to be elected)
this procedure should be follo7ed by the Bahs:
@/t 7ould be preferable) of course) if the election of members of a Barrio Council and Barrio Captains
could be strictly in accordance 7ith Bah principles: He 7ould appreciate 6no7ing 7hether this can be
done in ::: or 7hether it may be possible to amend the la7s so that this procedure can be adopted in
'illages 7here the population is entirely or predominately Bah:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the Philippines/ (pril LN/ 190L2
B: >o'ernments and Ci'il Authorities
1'(. %h"n Politics &i$e the Pla6"e and be )bedient to the Do1ernment in Power
@3he cardinal principle 7hich 7e must follo7) Fin connection 7ith your DuestionsG) is obedience to the
>o'ernment pre'ailing in any land in 7hich 7e reside: He cannot) because) say) 7e do not personally
li6e a totalitarian form of go'ernment) refuse to obey it 7hen it becomes the ruling po7er: Nor can 7e
Boin underground <o'ements 7hich are a minority agitating against the pre'ailing go'ernment:
@/f a state of &e'olution and complete chaos e?ists in a Country) so that it is impossible to say there is
one go'ernment in po7er) then the friends must consult 7ith their National or their =ocal Assembly) and
be guided by 7hat the Assembly considers the proper action to ta6eI in other 7ords 7hich party might
be best considered the legal go'erning authority:
@He see) therefore) that 7e must do t7o thingsQshun politics li6e the plague) and be obedient to the
>o'ernment in po7er in the place 7here 7e reside: He cannot start Budging ho7 a particular
go'ernment came into po7er) and therefore 7hether 7e should obey it or not: 3his 7ould immediately
plunge us into politics: He must obey in all cases e?cept 7here a spiritual principle is in'ol'ed) such as
denying our aith: or these spiritual principles 7e must be 7illing to die: Hhat 7e Bahs must face is
the fact that society is rapidly disintegratingQso rapidly that moral issues 7hich 7ere clear half a
century ago are no7 hopelessly confused) and 7hat is more) thoroughly mi?ed up 7ith battling political
interests: 3hat is 7hy the Bahs must turn all their forces into the channel of building up the Bah
Cause and its administration: 3hey can neither change nor help the 7orld in any other 7ay at present: /f
they become in'ol'ed in the issues the >o'ernments of the 7orld are struggling o'er) they 7ill be lost:
But if they build up the Bah pattern they can offer it as a remedy 7hen all else has failed:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er L1/ 19N82
1'('. !he *ah+,; Ca"se is abo1e Political Parties@ b"t the *elie1ers are )bli6ed to 7hole-5eartedly
)bey E?istin6 Political .e6ime
@At the outset it should be made indubitably clear that the Bah Cause being essentially a religious
mo'ement of a spiritual character stands abo'e e'ery political party or group) and thus cannot and
should not act in contra'ention to the principles) la7s) and doctrines of any go'ernment: 5bedience to
the regulations and orders of the state is) indeed) the sacred obligation of e'ery true and loyal Bah:
Both Bahullh and AAbdul0Bah ha'e urged us all to be submissi'e and loyal to the political
authorities of our respecti'e countries: /t follo7s) therefore) that our ::: friends are under the sacred
obligation to 7hole0heartedly obey the e?isting political regime) 7hate'er be their personal 'ie7s and
criticisms of its actual 7or6ing: 3here is nothing more contrary to the spirit of the Cause than open
rebellion against the go'ernmental authorities of a country) specially if they do not interfere in and do
not oppose the inner and sacred beliefs and religious con'ictions of the indi'idual::::E
1'((. !he *ah+,;s %ho"ld )bey the Do1ernment e1en at .is$ of %acrificin6 Administrati1e Affairs
In 6atters of <aith no 3ompromise (llowed/ E"en Thou$h Outcome is Death
@or 7hereas the friends should obey the go'ernment under 7hich they li'e) e'en at the ris6 of
sacrificing all their administrati'e affairs and interests) they should under no circumstances suffer their
inner religious beliefs and con'ictions to be 'iolated and transgressed by any authority 7hate'er: A
distinction of a fundamental importance must) therefore) be made bet7een spiritual and administrati'e
matters: Hhereas the former are sacred and in'iolable) and hence cannot be subBect to compromise) the
latter are secondary and can conseDuently be gi'en up and e'en sacrificed for the sa6e of obedience to
the la7s and regulations of the go'ernment: 5bedience to the state is so 'ital a principal of the Cause
that should the authorities in ::: decide to0day to pre'ent the Bahs from holding any meeting or
publishing any literature they should obey::: But) as already pointed out) such an allegiance is confined
merely to administrati'e matters 7hich if chec6ed can only retard the progress of the aith for some
time: /n matters of belief) ho7e'er) no compromise 7hate'er should be allo7ed) e'en though the
outcome of it be death or e?pulsion:E
&I)id!2
1'(-. Principle of )bedience to Do1ernment does not )bli6e *ah+,; !eachin6s to be Identified with
Political Pro6ram
@3here is one more point to be emphasiCed in this connection: 3he principle of obedience to go'ernment
does not place any Bah under the obligation of identifying the teachings of his aith 7ith the political
program enforced by the go'ernment: or such an identification) besides being erroneous and contrary to
both the spirit as 7ell as the form of the Bah <essage) 7ould necessarily create a conflict 7ithin the
conscience of e'ery loyal belie'er:
@or reasons 7hich are only too ob'ious the Bah philosophy of social and political organiCation
cannot be fully reconciled 7ith the political doctrines and conceptions that are current and much in
'ogue to0day: 3he 7a'e of nationalism) so aggressi'e and so contagious in its effects) 7hich has s7ept
not only o'er Europe but o'er a large part of man6ind is) indeed) the 'ery negation of the gospel of
peace and of brotherhood proclaimed by Bahullh: 3he actual trend in the political 7orld is) indeed)
far from being in the direction of the Bah teachings: 3he 7orld is dra7ing nearer and nearer to a
uni'ersal catastrophe 7hich 7ill mar6 the end of a ban6rupt and of a fundamentally defecti'e
ci'iliCation:
@rom such considerations 7e can 7ell conclude that 7e as Bahs can in no 7ise identify the
teachings of Bahullh 7ith man0made creeds and conceptions) 7hich by their 'ery nature are
impotent to sa'e the 7orld from the dangers 7ith 7hich it is being so fiercely and so increasingly
assailed:E
&I)id!2
1'(/. Employment with the Forei6n %er1ice
@Bahs are permitted to apply to the /nternational Communication agency for employment 7ith the
Jnited States oreign Ser'ice:::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 0/ 19092
@3he House of 9ustice feels that it 7ould be permissible for you to accept the position of Pice0Consul
on the understanding that you are not reDuired to become in'ol'ed in political acti'ities: 3he House of
9ustice urges you to pay particular attention to this matter so that you do not enter upon a course that) at
a later stage) 7ould ine'itably lead you into political affairs such as policy0ma6ing discussions 7ith the
Consul >eneral on political matters: 3he House of 9ustice feels sure that you are a7are of this point and
of the delicate line that must be dra7n:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 1@/ 198N2
1'(0. *ah+,;s m"st be &oyal to their %pirit"al Assembly and at the %ame !ime to Ci1il Do1ernment@
7hether !ribal Co"ncil@ a CaciC"e or a #"nicipal A"thority
@As to your Duery about the =ocal Spiritual Assembly) it is indeed a di'ine institution) created by
Bahullh in His ;itb0i0ADdas as the =ocal House of 9ustice: AAbdul0Bah has clearly set out its
pro'enance) authority and duties and has e?plained the differences bet7een it and other administrati'e
institutions) 7hether of the past or the present: He refer you to the boo6 ASelections from the Hritings of
AAbdul0Bah) sections %+) %$) and (-:
@/t is clear that 7hile =ocal Spiritual Assemblies must super'ise all Bah matters in their areas)
including arrangement for the Nineteen 8ay east) the obser'ance of the Holy 8ays) the election of the
members of the Assembly) promoting the teaching 7or6) caring for the spiritual 7elfare and Bah
education of the friends and children) etcetera) they and the friends themsel'es must at the same time be
good citiCens and loyal to the ci'il go'ernment) 7hether it be a 3ribal Council) a CaciDue or a municipal
authority:
@/n another national community) 7here the number of belie'ers had increased to the point 7here the
population of some 'illages had become "--Z or almost "--Z Bah) the House of 9ustice upheld the
abo'e principles and stated that in each such 'illage) 7hile they should elect their =ocal Spiritual
Assembly) they should continue to elect the local Council as reDuired by the >o'ernment) and the
functions of these t7o bodies should be 6ept distinct) e'en if their memberships 7ere identical:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,raJil/ (pril 13/ 19832
1'(2. Electi1e or Appointi1e Posts in Do1ernment %ho"ld be Accepted )nly if !hey do not
Contra1ene Di1en D"idelines
@/t is better if the friends a'oid accepting either electi'e or appointi'e posts of the nature described in
your letter::: Such posts should only be accepted if in the process of obtaining the appointment) in
7inning the election) or in discharging their duties they do not contra'ene Bah principles: 3his
includes the follo7ing!
@3hat they do not campaign for election:
@3hat they do not contra'ene the guidelines set forth by the belo'ed >uardian in the follo7ing
passage!
A=et them refrain from associating themsel'es) 7hether by 7ord or by deed) 7ith the
political pursuits of their respecti'e nations) 7ith the policies of their go'ernments and the
schemes and programs of parties and factions: /n such contro'ersies they should assign no
blame) ta6e no side) further no design) and identify themsel'es 7ith no system preBudicial to
the best interests of that 7orld07ide ello7ship 7hich it is their aim to guard and foster: =et
them be7are lest they allo7 themsel'es to become the tools of unscrupulous politicians) or
to be entrapped by the treacherous de'ices of the plotters and the perfidious among their
countrymen: =et them so shape their li'es and regulate their conduct that no charge of
secrecy) of fraud) of bribery or of intimidation may) ho7e'er ill0founded) be brought against
them: =et them rise abo'e all particularism and partisanship) abo'e the 'ain disputes) the
petty calculations) the transient passions that agitate the face) and engage the attention) of a
changing 7orld: /t is their duty to stri'e to distinguish) as clearly as they possibly can) and if
needed 7ith the aid of their elected representati'es) such posts and functions as are either
diplomatic or political from those that are purely administrati'e in character) and 7hich
under no circumstances are affected by the changes and chances that political acti'ities and
party go'ernment) in e'ery land) must necessarily in'ol'e: =et them affirm their unyielding
determination to stand) firmly and unreser'edly) for the 7ay of Bahullh) to a'oid the
entanglements and bic6erings inseparable from the pursuits of the politician) and to become
7orthy agencies of that 8i'ine 2olity 7hich incarnates >ods immutable 2urpose for all
men:
@3he application of the abo'e principles is left to the discretion of your National Spiritual Assembly:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Panama/ Octo)er 1L/ 19002
1'-3. !he Faith is not )pposed to !r"e Interests of Any :ation
@3he aith is not opposed to the true interests of any nation) nor is it against any party or faction: /t holds
aloof from all contro'ersies and transcends them all) 7hile enBoining upon its follo7ers loyalty to
go'ernment and a sane patriotism: 3his lo'e for their country the Bahs sho7 by ser'ing its 7ell0being
in their daily acti'ity) or 7or6ing in the administrati'e channels of the go'ernment instead of through
party politics or in diplomatic or political posts: 3he Bahs may) indeed are encouraged to mi? 7ith all
strata of society) 7ith the highest authorities and 7ith leading personalities as 7ell as 7ith the mass of
the people) and should bring the 6no7ledge of the aith to themI but in so doing they should strictly
a'oid becoming identified) or identifying the aith) 7ith political pursuits and party programmes:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)lies of (frica/ <e)ruar5 8/ 19012
1'-1. :ot )"r P"rpose to Biolate Any Co"ntry,s Constit"tion
@:::=et them proclaim that in 7hate'er country they reside) and ho7e'er ad'anced their institutions) or
profound their desire to enforce the la7s) and apply the principles enunciated by Bahullh) they 7ill)
unhesitatingly) subordinate the operation of such la7s and the application of such principles to the
reDuirements and legal enactments of their respecti'e go'ernments: 3heirs is not the purpose) 7hile
endea'oring to conduct and perfect the administrati'e affairs of their aith) to 'iolate) under any
circumstances) the pro'isions of their countrys constitution) much less to allo7 the machinery of their
administration to supersede the go'ernment of their respecti'e countries:E
&<rom a letter of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ 6arch L1/ 1933. Horld 5rder of
Bahullh/ pp! M@+MM2
1'-2. *ah+,;s )bey the &aw@ Federal or %tate
@::: Bahs obey the la7s) ederal or state) unless submission to these la7s amounts to a denial of their
aith: He li'e the Bah life) fully and continuously) unless pre'ented by the authorities: 3his implies) if
it does not categorically state) that a Bah is not reDuired to ma6e a Budgment as to the precedence of
ederal or state la7Qthis is for the courts to decide:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 6arch 31/ 19M@. National Bah
&e'ie7/ o! 3L/ (u$ust/ 1901/ p! 12
1'-. )bedience to 9"st Do1ernmentsWhat it means
@&egarding your Duestion about politics and the <asters Hill! 3he attitude of the Bahs must be t7o0
fold) complete obedience to the go'ernment of the country they reside in) and no interference
7hatsoe'er in political matters or Duestions: Hhat the <asters statement really means is obedience to a
duly constituted >o'ernment) 7hate'er that >o'ernment may be in form: He are not the ones) as
indi'idual Bahs) to Budge our >o'ernment as Bust or unBustQfor each belie'er 7ould be sure to hold a
different 'ie7point) and 7ithin our o7n Bah fold a hotbed of dissension 7ould spring up and destroy
our unity: He must build up our Bah system) and lea'e the faulty systems of the 7orld to go their 7ay:
He cannot change them through becoming in'ol'ed in themI on the contrary) they 7ill destroy us:
@3he >uardian does not thin6 any part of this statement of his is suitable for publication in the 2ress:
3he less Apolitics is associated in any 7ay 7ith the name Bah) the better: /t should al7ays be made
clear that 7e are a religious non0political community) 7or6ing for humanitarian ends:
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational Teachin$ 3ommittee for 3entral (merica/ Eul5 3/ 19N82
1'-'. !a$in6 of )aths
@/n reply to your letter of September ",th the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice as6s us to refer you to a letter
on this subBect 7ritten on behalf of the belo'ed >uardian on 9uly ""th) "#1* to your National Spiritual
Assembly!
A&egarding ta6ing oaths) there is nothing in the 3eachings on this subBect: As a Bah is
enBoined by Bahullh to be truthful) he 7ould e?press his truthfulness) no matter 7hat the
formality of the la7 in any local place reDuired of him: 3here can be no obBection to Bahs
conforming to the reDuirements of the la7 court 7hate'er they may be in such matters) as in
no case 7ould they constitute in any 7ay a denial of their o7n beliefs as Bahs:
@3he abo'e direction ma6es it clear that Bahs may ta6e an oath) if reDuired) on any sacred boo6: 3he
Jni'ersal House of 9ustice considers that it may be preferable for them to do so on a Bah boo6) if
possible:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 8in$dom/ 4eptem)er L1/
19032
1'-(. Implicit )bedience to Administrati1e .e6"lations
@3o all administrati'e regulations 7hich the ci'il authorities ha'e issued from time to time) or 7ill issue
in the future in that land) as in all other countries) the Bah community) faithful to its sacred obligations
to7ards its go'ernment) and conscious of its ci'ic duties) has yielded) and 7ill continue to yield implicit
obedience::::E
&4ho$hi Effendi. %od Passes ,5/ p! 30L/ Wilmette/ 1980 ed!2
1'--. !here is no )bFection to !a$in6 Case to Ci1il Co"rt if Assembly and *ah+,;s are 8nable to
:e6otiate a %ettlement of a Disp"te
@:::3he House of 9ustice ::: states that belie'ers should ta6e their differences to the Spiritual Assembly
and abide by the decision of the Assembly: Ho7e'er) if Bahs cannot negotiate a settlement of a
dispute bet7een them) and if the Spiritual Assembly cannot succeed in arbitrating a solution to the
dispute) then there is no obBection to the Bahs ha'ing recourse to the ci'il courts: 3he Assembly
should not hesitate to refuse to act in a case 7hich it is satisfied is more properly a Duestion for the la7
courts: Ho7e'er) the Assembly does not ha'e the authority to prohibit a belie'er from ha'ing recourse to
the ci'il courts if he decides to do so:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 6e;ico/ cited in a letter to the
ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 8in$dom/ <e)ruar5 9/ 19832
1'-/. &et the 7orld Gnow the .eal Aim of *ah+,",ll+h
@:::He should let the 7orld 6no7 7hat the real aim of Bahullh 7as: Jp to the present the Jnity of
<an6ind 7as only of an academic importance: No7 it is becoming more and more a subBect for
international statesmen to thin6 of: /t is coming to the field of practical politics: /t is therefore a
7onderful chance for us to come to the front and e?pound the teaching 7hich is the goal and aim of the
social precepts of Bahullh: Shoghi Effendi hopes that the friends 7ill re0echo this call to an organic
unity of man6ind until it forms part of the conscious faith of e'ery li'ing man in the 7orld: >reat
Budgment should be ho7e'er practiced lest 7e be misunderstood and our aith be classed among radical
mo'ements:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eanuar5 L8/ 193L2
1'-0. :on-Interference in Political AffairsWe 6ust 4hun Pronouncements ()out 45stems of
Politics and not Write ()out 3urrent Political (ffairs
@3here is one fundamental point 7hich Shoghi Effendi 7ishes me to emphasiCe: By the principle of non0
interference in political matters 7e should not mean that only corrupt politics and partial and sectarian
politics are to be a'oided) but that any pronouncement on any current system of politics connected 7ith
any go'ernment must be shunned: He should not only ta6e sides 7ith no political party) group or system
actually in use) but 7e should also refuse to commit oursel'es to any statement 7hich may be interpreted
as being sympathetic or antagonistic to any e?isting political organiCation or philosophy: 3he attitude of
the Bahs must be one of complete aloofness: 3hey are neither for nor against any system of politics:
Not that they are the ill07ishers of their respecti'e go'ernments but that due to certain basic
considerations arising out of their teachings and of the administrati'e machinery of their aith they
prefer not to get entangled in political affairs and to be misinterpreted and misunderstood by their
countrymen:
@/n the light of this principle it becomes clear that to contribute articles on current political affairs to
any ne7spaper must ine'itably lead the 7riter to e?press) directly or in an indirect manner) his 'ie7 and
his criticisms on the subBect: He is) in addition) al7ays liable to be misinterpreted and misunderstood by
the politicians: 3he best thing to do) therefore) is simply not to 7rite on current politics at all:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch L/ 193N2
1'-2. )ne #ethod by 7hich )ne Can CriticiHe the Present Day %ocio-Political )rder
@3here is) ho7e'er) one case in 7hich one can criticiCe the present social and political order 7ithout
being necessarily forced to side 7ith or oppose any e?isting regime: And this is the method adopted by
the >uardian in his A>oal of a Ne7 Horld 5rder: His criticisms of the 7orld conditions beside being
'ery general in character are abstractI that is) instead of condemning e?isting institutional organiCations
it goes deeper and analyCes the basic ideas and conceptions 7hich ha'e been responsible for their
establishment: 3his being a mere intellectual and philosophical approach to the problem of 7orld
political crisis) there is no obBection if you 7ish to try such a method) 7hich immediately carries you
from the field of practical politics to that of political theory: But in 'ie7 of the fact that no clear0cut line
can be dra7n bet7een theory and practice you should be e?tremely careful not to ma6e too free a use of
such a method:E
&I)id!2
1'/3. Gin6ship in the F"t"re
@As to your Duery 7hether or not there 7ill be 6ingship throughout the 7orld in future) the Jni'ersal
House of 9ustice calls to your attention Shoghi Effendis statement on page ,"# of A>od 2asses By!
A3he establishment of a constitutional form of go'ernment) in 7hich the ideals of republicanism and the
maBesty of 6ingship) characteriCed by Him as Aone of the signs of >od) are combined) He recommends
as a meritorious achie'ement:
@/n A3he 2romised 8ay /s Come on pages +% to +*) the >uardian Duotes many passages from the
Hritings of Bahullh lauding the principle of 6ingship and en'isaging an increase of monarchies in
the future: 3he House of 9ustice suggests that a study of this section of the boo6 7ill pro'ide you 7ith
the understanding you see6:
1'/1. President 7ilson and Dr. 9ordan
@Hith regard to E?02resident Hilson and 8r: 9ordan) it seems fairly clear that both of these men 7ere
considerably influenced by the Bah 3eachingsI but at the same time it is 7ell to a'oid ma6ing
dogmatic statements that they Agot all their principles from BahullhA) or the li6e) as 7e are not in a
position to pro'e such statements) and to ma6e claims 7hich 7e cannot pro'e 7ea6ens instead of
strengthening our position:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 1M/ 19L@2
C: >o'ernment Employees
1'/2. !hose En6a6ed in Do1ernment %er1ice %ho"ld Perform !heir D"ties with 8tmost Fidelity@
!r"stworthiness...
@As for those 7ho are engaged in go'ernment ser'ice) they should perform their duties 7ith the utmost
fidelity) trust7orthiness) rectitude) uprightness) integrity and high0mindedness: =et them not tarnish their
good repute by pursuing personal interests) nor) for the sa6e of transient 7orldly benefits) ma6e
themsel'es obBects of public odium and outcasts of the 3hreshold of >randeur:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. from a pre"iousl5 untranslated Ta)let. 3rust7orthiness! A Cardinal Bah Pirtue/ ( compilation/ p! 11! Eanuar5 19802
1'/. Do1ernment Employees %ho"ld Perform Deeds and Action of the 5i6hest De6ree of .ectit"de
and 5onesty
@Me 7ho are the sincere 7ell07ishers of the state) 7ho are the dutiful and compliant subBects of the
go'ernment) should occupy yoursel'es in constant ser'ice: Anyone 7ho entereth the employ of the
go'ernment should sho7 forth in all his deeds and actions the highest degree of rectitude and honesty) of
temperance and self0discipline) of purity and sanctity) of Bustice and eDuity: /f) >od forbid) he should be
guilty of the least breach of trust) or approach his duties in a slac6 or desultory fashion) or e?tort so
much as a farthing from the populace) or see6 to further his o7n selfish interests and personal gainQ
then it is certain that he shall be depri'ed of the outpourings of >odKs grace:E
&I)id!2
1'/'. !hose who are %elected to %er1e the P"blic sho"ld Perform their D"ties in a %pirit of the
!r"e %er1it"de
@3hose persons 7ho are selected to ser'e the public) or are appointed to administrati'e positions) should
perform their duties in a spirit of true ser'itude and ready compliance: 3hat is to say) they should be
distinguished by their goodly disposition and 'irtuous character) content themsel'es 7ith their allotted
remuneration and act 7ith trust7orthiness in all their doings: 3hey should 6eep themsel'es aloof from
un7orthy moti'es) and be far remo'ed abo'e co'etous designsI for rectitude) probity and righteousness
are among the most potent means for attracting the grace of >od and securing both the prosperity of the
country and the 7elfare of the people: >lory and honour for man are not to be found in fortunes and
riches) least of all in those 7hich ha'e been unla7fully amassed through e?tortion) embeCClement and
corruption practised at the e?pense of an e?ploited populace: Supreme honour) nobility and greatness in
the human 7orld) and true felicity in this life and the life to comeQall consist in eDuity and uprightness)
sanctity and detachment: /f a man 7ould see6 distinction) he should suffice himself 7ith a frugal
pro'ision) see6 to better the lot of the poor of the realm) choose the 7ay of Bustice and fair0mindedness)
and tread the path of high0spirited ser'ice: Such a one) needy though he be) shall 7in imperishable riches
and attain unto e'erlasting honour:E
&I)id!/ p! 112
1'/(. !hose 7ho Enter %er1ice of the Do1ernment %ho"ld %h"n all Forms of Benality and
Corr"ption
@/f any of the friends should enter into ser'ice of the go'ernment) they should ma6e their occupation a
means of dra7ing nearer to the di'ine 3hreshold! they should act 7ith probity and uprightness)
rigorously shun all forms of 'enality and corruption) and content themsel'es 7ith the salaries they are
recei'ing) ta6ing pride) rather) in the degree of sagacity) competence and Budgement that they can bring
to their 7or6: /f a person content himself 7ith a single loaf of bread) and perform his duties 7ith as
much Bustice and fair0mindedness as lieth 7ithin his po7er) he 7ill be the prince of mortals) and the
most praise7orthy of men: Noble and distinguished 7ill he be) despite his empty purseL 2re0eminent
7ill he ran6 among the free) although his garb be old and 7ornL or man) praise and glory reside in
'irtuous and noble DualitiesI honour and distinction in nearness to the di'ine 3hreshold:E
&I)id!2
1'/-. If )ne Ab"ses 5is Position with the Do1ernment !hro"6h Corr"pt or #ercenary *eha1ior...
@/f one of the friends ::: be appointed to a high administrati'e office) he should stri'e diligently) to
perform the duties committed to his charge 7ith perfect honesty) integrity) sincerity) rectitude and
uprightness: /f) ho7e'er) he abuse his position through corrupt or mercenary beha'iour) he 7ill be held
in detestation at the 3hreshold of >randeur and incur the 7rath of the Abha BeautyQnay) he shall be
forsa6en by the 5ne 3rue >od and all 7ho adore Him: So far from acting thus) he should content
himself 7ith his salary and allo7ance) see6 out the 7ay of righteousness) and dedicate his life to the
ser'ice of state and people: Such must be the conduct and bearing of the Bahs: Hhoso transgresseth
these bounds shall fall at length into manifest loss:E
&I)id!2
1'//. If a #an Deals Faithlessly with a 9"st Do1ernment@ 5e Deals Faithlessly with Dod
@All go'ernment employees) 7hether of high or lo7 ran6) should) 7ith perfect integrity) probity and
rectitude) content themsel'es 7ith the modest stipends and allo7ances that are theirs: 3hey should 6eep
their hands unsullied and preser'e their fair name from blemish::::/f a man deals faithlessly 7ith a Bust
go'ernment he shall ha'e dealt faithlessly 7ith >odI and if he render it faithful ser'ice he shall ha'e
rendered that ser'ice to >od:E
&I)id!2
1'/0. Content with 7a6es .ecei1ed@ !hey sho"ld not %tain their Character thro"6h Acts of *ribery
and Fra"d nor #isappropriate a %in6le Penny
@3hose souls 7ho are employed in go'ernment departments should approach their duties 7ith entire
detachment) integrity and independence of spirit) and 7ith complete consecration and sanctity of
purpose: Content 7ith the 7ages they are recei'ing) they should see that they do not stain their fair
character through acts of bribery and fraud: Here one of the friends in this day to misappropriate so
much as a single penny) the sacred mantle of >ods Cause 7ould become sullied by his action and the
shame of it 7ould attach to the 7hole community: Hea'en forbidL Nay) rather) the go'ernment and
people should come to repose such trust in the Bahs as to 7ish to commit all affairs of state
throughout the pro'inces into the chaste) pure hands of >ods 7ell0belo'ed:E
&I)id!2
9L$ 'RA>(R AN ,(ITATION
A: 2rayer and <editation
1'/2. A Prayerf"l Condition is the *est of Conditions@ Especially in Pri1ate and at #idni6ht
@3he prayerful condition is the best of all conditions) for man in such a state communeth 7ith >od)
especially 7hen prayer is offered in pri'ate and at times 7hen ones mind is free) such as at midnight:
/ndeed) prayer imparteth life:E
&'()du*l+,ah-/ from a recentl5 translated Ta)let. Spiritual oundations! 2rayer) <editation) and the 8e'otional Attitude/ a compilation of
the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ 19812
1'03. !he .eason for Pri1acy 7hen Comm"nin6 7ith Dod
@3he reason 7hy pri'acy hath been enBoined in moments of de'otion is this) that thou mayest gi'e thy
best attention to the remembrance of >od) that thy heart may at all times be animated 7ith His Spirit)
and not be shut out as by a 'eil from thy Best Belo'ed: =et not thy tongue pay lip ser'ice in praise of
>od 7hile thy heart be not attuned to the e?alted summit of >lory) and the ocal 2oint of communion:
3hus if haply thou dost li'e in the 8ay of &esurrection) the mirror of thy heart 7ill be set to7ards Him
Hho is the 8ay0Star of 3ruthI and no sooner 7ill His light shine forth than the splendour thereof shall
forth7ith be reflected in thy heart: or He is the Source of all goodness) and unto Him re'ert all things:
But if He appeareth 7hile thou hast turned unto thyself in meditation) this shall not profit thee) unless
thou shalt mention His Name by 7ords He hath re'ealed: or in the forthcoming &e'elation it is He
Hho is the &emembrance of >od) 7hereas the de'otions 7hich thou art offering at present ha'e been
prescribed by the 2oint of the Bayn) 7hile He Hho 7ill shine resplendent in the 8ay of &esurrection is
the &e'elation of the inner reality enshrined in the 2oint of the BaynQa &e'elation more potent)
immeasurably more potent) than the one 7hich hath preceded it:E
&The ,-). Selections from the Hritings of the Bb/ pp! 93+9N2
1'01. !he #ore Detached and P"re the Prayer the #ore Acceptable to Dod
@3he most acceptable prayer is the one offered 7ith the utmost spirituality and radianceI its prolongation
hath not been and is not belo'ed of >od: 3he more detached and the purer the prayer) the more
acceptable is it in the presence of >od:E
&I)id!/ pp 00+082
1'02. !he Inspiration .ecei1ed !hro"6h #editation
@::: 3here are no set forms of meditation prescribed in the teachings) no plan) as such) for inner
de'elopment: 3he friends are urgedQnay enBoinedQto pray) and they also should meditate) but the
manner of doing the latter is left entirely to the indi'idual:::
@3he inspiration recei'ed through meditation is of a nature that one cannot measure or determine: >od
can inspire into our minds things that 7e had no pre'ious 6no7ledge of) if he desires to do so:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 L@/ 19N3. Spiritual oundations! 2rayer) <editation
and the 8e'otional Attitude/ op! cit!2
1'0. 7ith Prayer and #editation #"st Do Action and E?ample
@2rayer and meditation are 'ery important factors in deepening the spiritual life of the indi'idual) but
7ith them must go also action and e?ample) as these are the tangible results of the former: Both are
essential:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 1@/ 19NN. I)id!2
1'0'. !he Importance and Power of #editation
@3hrough meditation the doors of deeper 6no7ledge and inspiration may be opened: Naturally) if one
meditates as a Bah he is connected 7ith the SourceI if a man belie'ing in >od meditates he is tuning
in to the po7er and mercy of >odI but 7e cannot say that any inspiration 7hich a person) not 6no7ing
Bahullh) or not belie'ing in >od) recei'es is merely from his o7n ego: <editation is 'ery important)
and the >uardian sees no reason 7hy the friends should not be taught to meditate) but they should guard
against superstitious or foolish ideas creeping into it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 19/ 19N@. I)id!2
1'0(. E1ery Day "pon Arisin6 )ne %ho"ld Compare !oday with Eesterday and Pray...
@::: E'ery day) in the morning 7hen arising one should compare today 7ith yesterday and see in 7hat
condition you are: /f you see your belief is stronger and your heart more occupied 7ith >od and your
lo'e increased and your freedom from the 7orld greater then than6 >od and as6 for the increase of these
Dualities: Mou must begin to pray and repent for all that you ha'e done 7hich is 7rong and you must
implore and as6 for help and assistance that you may become better than yesterday so that you may
continue to ma6e progress:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Star of the Hest/ >ol! >III/ o! M/ p! M82
1'0-. 5ow to PrayOne 6ust 4tart out With the Ri$ht 3oncept of %od
@:::7e must not be rigid about prayingI there is not a set of rules go'erning itI the main thing is 7e must
start out 7ith the right concept of >od) the <anifestation) the <aster) the >uardianQ7e can turn) in
thought) to any one of them 7hen 7e pray: or instance) you can as6 Bahullh for something) or)
thin6ing of Him) as6 >od for it: 3he same is true of the <aster or the >uardian: Mou can turn in thought
to either of them and then as6 their intercession) or pray direct to >od: As long as you donKt confuse their
stations) and ma6e them all eDual) it does not matter much ho7 you orient your thoughts:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 LN/ 19NM2
1'0/. 7iser to 8se #editations Di1en by *ah+,",ll+hot 4et <orm Recommended )5 4omeone
Else
@As to your Duestion about prayer and 7hether it is necessary to recite the prayers of only the Central
igures of our aith) 7e ha'e been as6ed to Duote here the follo7ing t7o e?cerpts on this subBect) from
letters 7ritten by Shoghi EffendiKs secretary on his behalf!
A:::as the Cause embraces members of all races and religions 7e should be careful not to
introduce into it the customs of our pre'ious beliefs: Bahullh has gi'en us the obligatory
prayers) also prayers before sleeping) for tra'ellers) etc: He should not introduce a ne7 set of
prayers He has not specified) 7hen He has gi'en us already so many) for so many
occasions:
AHe thin6s it 7ould be 7iser for the Bahs to use the <editations gi'en by Bahullh)
and not any set form of meditation recommended by someone elseI but the belie'ers must be
left free in these details and allo7ed to ha'e personal latitude in finding their o7n le'el of
communion 7ith >od:
@As to the reading of prayers or selections from the Sacred Hritings of other religions! Such readings
are permissible) and indeed from time to time are included in the de'otional programmes of Bah
Houses of Horship) demonstrating thereby the uni'ersality of our aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 0/ 190N2
1'00. !"rn to #anifestation
@Hhile praying it 7ould be better to turn ones thoughts to the <anifestation as He continues) in the
other 7orld) to be our means of contact 7ith the Almighty: He can) ho7e'er) pray directly to >od
Himself:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ (pril L0/ 1930. 8a7n of a Ne7 8ay/ p! M02
1'02. Prayin6 to *ah+,",ll+h
@Mou ha'e as6ed 7hether our prayers go beyond Bahullh! /t all depends 7hether 7e pray to Him
directly or through Him to >od: He may do both) and also can pray directly to >od) but our prayers
7ould certainly be more effecti'e and illuminating if they are addressed to Him through His
<anifestation) Bahullh:
@Jnder no circumstances) ho7e'er) can 7e) 7hile repeating the prayers) insert the name Bahullh
7here the 7ord A>od is used: 3his 7ould be tantamount to a blasphemy:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 1N/ 19302
1'23. Prayin6 to *ah+,",ll+h(s the Door
@He cannot 6no7 >od directly) but only through His 2rophets: He can pray to Him realiCing that
through His 2rophets 7e 6no7 Him) or 7e can address our prayer in thought to Bahullh) not as >od)
but as the 8oor to our 6no7ing >od:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er. High Endea'ors! <essages to Alas6a/ p! 012
1'21. 7e may !"rn to the D"ardian in Prayer@ b"t %ho"ld not Conf"se 5is %tation with !hat of a
Prophet
@He pray to >od) or to Bahullh) as 7e please: But if in our thoughts 7e desire to turn to the
>uardian first and then address our prayer) there is no obBection) as long as 7e al7ays bear in mind he is
only the >uardian) and do not confuse his station 7ith that of the 2rophet or e'en of the <aster:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust LL/ 19N02
1'22. !"rnin6 !oward the %hrine of *ah+,",ll+h in Prayer
@/n prayer the belie'ers can turn their consciousness to7ard the Shrine of Bahullh) pro'ided that in
doing so they ha'e a clear and correct understanding of His station as a <anifestation of >od:E
1'2. !hro"6h 4Abd",l-*ah+ )ne Can Address *ah+,",ll+h
@/f you find you need to 'isualiCe someone 7hen you pray) thin6 of the <aster: 3hrough Him you can
address Bahullh: >radually try to thin6 of the Dualities of the <anifestation) and in that 7ay a mental
form 7ill fade out) for after all the body is not the thing) His Spirit is there and is the essential)
e'erlasting element:E
1'2'. People 7ho Desire to #eet and Pray
@/n some places the Bahs ha'e held meetings for prayer) for people 7ho desire to meet and pray: As
7e ha'e such 7onderful prayers and meditations in our 7ritings) the reading of these 7ith friends 7ho
are interested in and cra'e for this type of small meeting is often a step to7ards attracting them to the
aith: 2erhaps you can start such an acti'ity in your city:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 N/ 19@M. Bah <eetings/ a compilation of the
:ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ o"em)er 190@2
1'2(. Prayers %ho"ld *e .ead as Printed
@&egarding your Duestion as to the changing of pronouns in Bah prayers! 3he >uardian does not
appro'e of such changes) either in the specific prayers or in any others: 3hey should be read as printed
7ithout changing a single 7ord:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ (pril 13/ 19NN.
Bah Ne7s/ o! 101/ o"em)er 19NN/ p! 32
1'2-. %trictly Adhere to the !e?t of the 5oly 7ritin6s
@/n regard to your Duestion as to 7hether it is permissible to substitute the plural pronoun for the
singular in prayers 7orded in the singular) the >uardian 7ould strongly urge your N:S:A: to inform the
friends to strictly adhere to the te?t of the Holy Hritings) and not to de'iate e'en a hair0breadth from
7hat has been re'ealed by the Holy 2en: Besides) it should be noted that congregational prayer has been
discouraged by Bahullh) and that it is allo7ed only in the case of the prayer for the dead:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia and ew Pealand/ Octo)er 10/ 193N2
1'2/. In >"otin6 Prayers
@/n Duoting prayers any part may be used) but should be Duoted as it is) ho7e'er short:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 19/ 19N@. Bah Ne7s/ o! L11/ (u$ust 19N8/ p! 32
1'20. %pecific !ime for .emembrance of Dod
@::: <oreo'er the friends must obser'e the specific times for the remembrance of >od) meditation)
de'otion and prayer) as it is highly unli6ely) nay) rather impossible) that any enterprise should prosper
and de'elop short of 8i'ine besto7als and confirmations::::E
&<rom a letter of the %uardian to the ,ah-*?s of the East/ Decem)er 19/ 19L3. =i'ing the =ife/ p! 12
1'22. Dawn Prayers
@Blessed is he 7ho) at the hour of da7n) centring his thoughts on >od) occupied 7ith His remembrance)
and supplicating His forgi'eness) directeth his steps to the <ashriDul0Adh6r and) entering therein)
seateth himself in silence to listen to the 'erses of >od) the So'ereign) the <ighty) the All02raised::::E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3he ;itb0i0ADdas/ 811@/ p! M12
@C:E4TIO. 3oncernin$ the remem)rance of %od in the 6ashri9u*l+(dhk-r 'at the hour of dawn*:
@ANSHE&! Although the 7ords Aat the hour of dawn are used in the Boo6 of >od) it is acceptable to
>od at the earliest da7n of day) bet7een da7n and sunrise) or e'en up to t7o hours after sunrise:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3he ;itb0i0ADdas) Ruestions and Ans7ers/ C1@/ p! 1112
1(33. #ornin6 Prayers
@5ne of the characteristics of Bah society 7ill be the gathering of the belie'ers each day during the
hours bet7een da7n and t7o hours after sunrise to listen to the reading and chanting of the Holy Hord:
/n many communities at the present time) especially in rural ones) such gatherings 7ould fit naturally
into the pattern of the friends daily life) and 7here this is the case it 7ould do much to foster the unity
of the local community and deepen the friends 6no7ledge of the 3eachings if such gatherings could be
organiCed by the =ocal Spiritual Assembly on a regular basis: Attendance at these gatherings is not to be
obligatory) but 7e hope that the friends 7ill more and more be dra7n to ta6e part in them: 3his is a goal
7hich can be attained gradually:E
&<rom the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ aw RGJ/ 190N2
1(31. 7e sho"ld not #a$e a Practice of %ayin6 Drace or of !eachin6 it to )"r Children
@He does not feel that the friends should ma6e a practice of saying grace or of teaching it to children:
3his is not part of the Bah aith) but a Christian practice) and as the Cause embraces members of all
races and religions 7e should be careful not to introduce into it the customs of our pre'ious beliefs:
Bahullh has gi'en us the obligatory prayers) also prayers before sleeping) for tra'ellers) etc: He
should not introduce a ne7 set of prayers He has not specified) 7hen He has gi'en us already so many)
for so many occasions:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er L0/ 19N02
1(32. Con6re6ational Prayer )nly for the Dead
@3he daily prayers are to be said each one for himself) aloud or silent ma6es no difference: 3here is no
congregational prayer e?cept that for the dead: He read healing and other prayers in our meetings) but
the daily prayer is a personal obligation) so someone else reading it is not Duite the same thing as saying
it for yourself:::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 31/ 19N9. Bah Ne7s/ o! LL1/ Eune 19N9/ pp! L+32
1(3. Prayers #ay be .ecited in 8nison
@Mou ha'e as6ed 7hether it is permissible for the friends to chant a prayer collecti'ely: 3here is a
difference bet7een chanting a prayer collecti'ely and congregational prayer: 3he latter is a formal prayer
usually led by an indi'idual using a prescribed ritual: Congregational prayer in this form is forbidden in
the aith e?cept in the case of the 2rayer for the 8ead: Hhile reciting prayers in unison and
spontaneously Boining in the recitation of the Hords of >od is not forbidden) the friends should bear in
mind the ad'ice of the belo'ed >uardian on this subBect 7hen he stated that!
A:::although the friends are thus left free to follo7 their o7n inclination::::they should ta6e
the utmost care that any manner they practice should not acDuire too rigid a character) and
thus de'elop into an institution: 3his is a point 7hich the friends should al7ays bear in mind)
lest they de'iate from the clear path indicated in the 3eachings: E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 M/ 190@2
1(3'. )ne Person sho"ld .ead the F"neral Prayer
@He ha'e recei'ed your letter of "(th 8ecember inDuiring 7hich funeral prayer is considered as the
desirable one for use in Europe) 7hether there is any obligatory prayer and 7hat instructions are
concerning standing at a Bah funeral ser'ice:
@3he only obligatory prayer for use at Bah funerals is the prayer No: "*+ in A2rayers and
<editations: 3his prayer should be recited by one of those present and all present should stand 7hile it
is being read: 3here is no reDuirement to face the Riblih or any other particular direction 7hile this
prayer is being read:
@3he reading of any other prayers or 7ritings at a Bah funeral is entirely optional: /n general it is
desirable to 6eep the ser'ice simple and dignified:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of <inland/ Eanuar5 31/ 19012
1(3(. .ecital or Chantin6 of PrayersPrayer is Essentially Comm"nion *etween Dod and #an
@::: 3here is no obBection to the recital or chanting of prayers in the 5riental language) but there is also
no obligation 7hate'er of adopting such a form of prayer at any de'otional ser'ice in the auditorium of
the 3emple: /t should neither be reDuired nor prohibited: 3he important thing that should al7ays be
borne in mind is that 7ith the e?ception of certain specific obligatory prayers) Bahullh has gi'en us
no strict or special rulings in matters of 7orship 7hether in the 3emple or else7here: 2rayer is
essentially communion bet7een man and >od) and as such transcends all ritualistic forms and
formulae:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eune 1@/ 193@. Bah Ne7s/ o!
93/ Eul5 193@/ p! 12
1(3-. 5ealin6 Prayer and Prayers for the Fast
@Concerning the Healing 2rayer) the >uardian 7ishes me to inform you that there is no special ruling for
its recital: 3he belie'er is free to recite it as many times and in the 7ay he 7ishes: 3here are also no
obligatory prayers for the ast: But there are some specific ones re'ealed by Bahullh for that
purpose:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia and ew Pealand/ Octo)er 10/ 193N2
1(3/. Effecti1eness of 5ealin6 Prayer
@3he Healing 2rayers re'ealed by Bahullh can be effecti'e e'en though used by non0belie'ers: But
their effecti'eness is of course greater in the case of those 7ho fully accept the &e'elation:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 19/ 1939. Bah Ne7s) o! 13N/ 6arch 19N1/ p! L2
1(30. Prayers Answered !hro"6h Action
@:::/t is not sufficient to pray diligently for guidance) but this prayer must be follo7ed by meditation as to
the best methods of action and then action itself: E'en if the action should not immediately produce
results) or perhaps not be entirely correct) that does not ma6e so much difference) because prayers can
only be ans7ered through action and if someones action is 7rong) >od can use that method of sho7ing
the path7ay 7hich is right:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust LL/ 19@0. 3he /ndi'idual and 3eaching/ a compilation
of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ 19002
1(32. Pray to be Protected from Contamination of %ociety
@::: =o'e for each other) the deep sense that 7e are a ne7 organism) the da7n0brea6ers of a Ne7 Horld
5rder) must constantly animate our Bah li'es) and 7e must pray to be protected from the
contamination of society 7hich is so diseased 7ith preBudice:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (tlanta/ %eor$ia/ <e)ruar5 @/ 19N0. =i'ing the =ife/ p! 132
1(13. Fi1e %teps of Prayer
@&egarding the fi'e steps of prayer outlined by the >uardian and recorded by <rs: <offett in her
boo6let the ACall to 2rayer! 3hese) he 7ishes me to e?plain) are merely personal suggestions and need
not) therefore) be adopted strictly and uni'ersally by the belie'ers:E
&<rom a letter dated Eune 31/ 1938 written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er2
1(11. .ecitin6 Any Prayer :ine !imes not )bli6atory
@3here is no obligation for a belie'er to recite al7ays any prayer nine times: &itualism is certainly to be
a'oided in all matters affecting Bah 7orship::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er LM/ 19392
1(12. !he %pirit"al #an Prays )nly for &o1e of Dod
@/n the highest prayer) men pray only for the lo'e of >od) not because they fear Him or hell) or hope for
bounty or hea'en::: Hhen a man falls in lo'e 7ith a human being) it is impossible for him to 6eep from
mentioning the name of his belo'ed: Ho7 much more difficult is it to 6eep from mentioning the Name
of >od 7hen one has come to lo'e Him::: 3he spiritual man finds no delight in anything sa'e in
commemoration of >od:E
&Report of '()du*l+,ah-*s words 9uoted in Bahullh and the Ne7 Era/ p! 11@/ Wilmette 190M ed. 3he /mportance of 2rayer) <editation)
and the 8e'otional Attitude/ ( 3ompilation2
1(1. Prayer *eads@ Chantin6@ Con6re6ational Prayer@ etc.
@/n the matter of the distribution and use of prayer beads) in this and other matters of secondary
importance he does not 7ish that any hard and fast rules be set up: 3he belie'ers should not be reDuired
to use prayer beads) nor should they be pre'ented from doing so) as the 3eachings do not contain any
specific instructions on the subBect:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ (pril N/ 19N1. Bah
Ne7s/ o! 130/ Eul5 19N1/ p! 32
1(1'. .eadin6 Prayers on the .adio
@Mou ha'e as6ed specifically about reading prayers on the radio: 5f course this is permissible) but you
7ill be cautious concerning the setting of the prayers) i:e:) 7hat 6ind of materials may be presented
before and after the prayers::: so that they are assured of that dignity and re'erence 7hich they deser'e:
3here may also be considerations of timing Fthe hours of the day best chosen) Sunday as the customary
day of religious obser'ance) etc:G) in relation to the customs of the station) of the area) or other: Such
recorded disc programs as AHords for the Horld include prayers) of course:@
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ Eul5 8/ 19032
1(1(. *ah+,; Children@ Comm"nes and Prayers
@::: E'ery day at first light) ye gather the Bah children together and teach them the communes and
prayers: 3his is a most praise7orthy act) and bringeth Boy to the childrens heartsI that they should) at
e'ery morn) turn their faces to7ard the ;ingdom and ma6e mention of the =ord and praise His Name)
and in the s7eetest of 'oices) chant and recite:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. ,ah-*? Education/ p! L82
@:::there is no obBection to children 7ho are as yet unable to memoriCe a 7hole prayer learning certain
sentences only:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er L0/ 19N02
1(1-. #others or )thers Dele6ated %ho"ld Choose E?cerpts from the %acred 7ord for Children to
#emoriHe
@3he >uardian feels that it 7ould be better for either the mothers of Bah childrenQor some
Committee your Assembly might delegate the tas6 toQto choose e?cerpts from the Sacred Hord to be
used by the child rather than Bust something made up: 5f course prayer can be purely spontaneous) but
many of the sentences and thoughts combined in Bah 7ritings of a de'otional nature are easy to
grasp) and the re'ealed Hord is endo7ed 7ith a po7er of its o7n:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ (u$ust 8/ 19NL2
1(1/. !here are no %pecial Instr"ctions for .epeatin6 Prayers of the *+bA
@Concerning the prayer for difficulty re'ealed by the Bb! He 7ishes me to inform you that it is not
accompanied by any instructions for its recital:NE
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch M/ 19302
@&egarding your Duestions! 3he >uardian feels it is not necessary to repeat the Bbs prayer so many
times:NNE
O Written in response to a 9uestion as to how often this pra5er should )e repeated to produce the $reatest results!
OO Written in response to a 9uestion a)out the repetition 11N times in the mornin$ for 19 da5s of the pra5er of the ,-)/ '4a5K %od sufficeth
all thin$s a)o"e all thin$s!!!*
&4ee also. o! 1@L82
1(10. Comm"nity Prayer %essions
@3he >uardian 7ishes me to assure you that he sees no obBection to the friends coming together for
meditation and prayer: Such a communion helps in fostering fello7ship among the belie'ers) and as such
is highly commendable:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er L1/ 1930. Spiritual oundations! 2rayer) <editation)
and the 8e'otional Attitude/ op! cit!2
1(12. *ah+,;s %ho"ld be !a"6ht to #editate@ b"t Also to D"ard A6ainst %"perstitio"s Practices
@3hrough meditation the doors of deeper 6no7ledge and inspiration may be opened: Naturally) if any
one meditates as a Bah he is connected 7ith the SourceI if a man belie'ing in >od meditates he is
tuning in to the po7er and mercy of >odI but 7e cannot say that any inspiration 7hich a person not
6no7ing Bahullh) or not belie'ing in >od) recei'es is merely from his o7n ego: <editation is 'ery
important) and the >uardian sees no reason 7hy the friends should not be taught to meditate) but they
should guard against superstitious or foolish ideas creeping into it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 19/ 19N@2
1(23. <) %"bd"er of 7inds=@ an In1ocation for #oments of Dan6er
@&egarding the in'ocation AMa <usa6in el Ariah! /t literally means A5 Subduer of Hinds: 3he belie'ers
are not reDuired to recite it) but may do so in moments of personal danger:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er M/ 19392
B: 5bligatory 2rayer
1(21. !here are #ysteries and A 7isdom in E1ery 7ord and #o1ement of the )bli6atory Prayers
@;no7 thou that in e'ery 7ord and mo'ement of the obligatory prayer there are allusions) mysteries and
a 7isdom that man is unable to comprehend) and letters and scrolls cannot contain:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Ta)lets of '()du*l+,ah-/ >ol! I/ p! 8@2
1(22. )bli6atory Prayers
@As obligatory prayers reDuire either genuflection or ablution and orienting to7ard BahB) they cannot
truly be said by one person for a group of people 7ithout it being in effect a form of congregational
prayer) so he thin6s it better to a'oid it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 31/ 19NM. Bah Ne7s/ o! 190/ Eul5 19N0/ p! M2
1(2. !"rnin6 !owards 4A$$+ in prayer is a Physical %ymbol of an Inner .ealityOne Who Does
not :nderstand the (cts (ccompan5in$ the #on$ Pra5er 3an :se the 4hort
@He 7ould ad'ise you to only use the short midday 5bligatory 2rayer: 3his has no genuflections and
only reDuires that 7hen saying it the belie'er turn his face to7ards AA66 7here Bahullh is buried:
3his is a physical symbol of an inner reality) Bust as the plant stretches out to the sunlightQfrom 7hich it
recei'es life and gro7thQso 7e turn our hearts to the <anifestation of >od) Bahullh) 7hen 7e prayI
and 7e turn our faces) during this short prayer) to 7here His dust lies on this earth as a symbol of the
inner act:
@Bahullh has reduced all ritual and form to an absolute minimum in His aith: 3he fe7 forms that
there areQli6e those associated 7ith the t7o longer obligatory daily prayers) are only symbols of the
inner attitude: 3here is a 7isdom in them) and a great blessing but 7e cannot force oursel'es to
understand or feel these thingsI that is 7hy He ga'e us also the 'ery short and simple prayer) for those
7ho did not feel the desire to perform the acts associated 7ith the other t7o:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune LN/ 19N9. Spiritual oundations! 2rayer) <editation) and
the 8e'otional Attitude/ op! cit!2
1(2'. If a *elie1er is Ill or Physically 8nable to Perform Den"fle?ions
@As regards the Duestions about the proper use of the =ong 5bligatory 2rayer! All the 7ritings of the
aith may be read and should be read for the instruction and inspiration of the friends: 3his includes the
specific prayers: /f a belie'er is physically incapable of performing the genufle?ions accompanying one
of the prayers) and yet he longs to say it as an obligatory prayer) then he may do so: By physically
incapable is meant a real physical incapacity 7hich a physician 7ould attest as genuine:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ <e)ruar5 10/ 19@@2
1(2(. !he #edi"m PrayerRepeatin$ the %reatest ame 9@ times
@Hith regard to the three daily obligatory prayers!::: 3he Bah 7orshipper is free to choose any of
these three prayers: 3he short prayer consists of one 'erse to be recited once a day at noon: 3he medium
prayer should be recited three times a day! in the morning) at noon) and in the e'ening: /t is accompanied
by certain physical gestures such as 6neeling) raising the hands) etc: 3he long prayer 7hich is also
accompanied by regulations should be recited once e'ery t7enty0four hours: 3he adoption of one of
these three prayers is a spiritual obligation imposed upon all the belie'ers: or as AAbdul0Bah says in
His HritingsQprayer and fasting are the t7in pillars that sustain the =a7 of >od:
@As regards the repeating of the >reatest Name ninety0fi'e times) this also has been mentioned by
Bahullh but He has gi'en no directions as to ho7 the prayer beads should be used in this
connection:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril L@/ 19302
1(2-. Physical Dest"res and 7ashin6 5ands and Face in Connection with )bli6atory Prayers are
&aws of *ah+,",ll+h
@:::3he genuflections and 7ashing of hands and face Fas clearly put do7n in A2rayers and <editations of
Bahullh) 7hich he himself translatedG) associated 7ith the t7o longer daily prayers Fobligatory
prayersG are la7s of Bahullh) applicable to any Bah 7hether of <uslim bac6ground) Christian
bac6ground or other7ise: /t is blasphemy to suggest other7ise: Ho7e'er) the Bahs ha'e been left free
by Bahullh to choose one of the % obligatory prayers) and those 7ho prefer not to perform these acts
can say the 'ery short one:E
1(2/. Each )ne #"st %ay his )bli6atory Prayer by 5imself
@As to the obligatory prayer! Each one must say his prayer alone by himself) and this is not conditional
on a pri'ate placeI that is) both at home and in the 7orshipping0place) 7hich is a gathering0place) it is
allo7able for one to say his prayerI but each person must say his prayer by himself: But if they chant
supplications together) in a good and effecti'e 'oice) that is 'ery good:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3ablets of AAbdul0Bah/ >ol! II/ p! NMN2
1(20. .e6ardin6 .eadin6 !he *+b,s Prayer (33 !imes
@5n page " of your 5ctober Ne7s letter you ha'e Duoted the Bbs prayer for the remo'al of difficulties
and ha'e added! ABahullh has said to repeat this prayer 1-- times by day and by night that it may aid
us to recogniCe Him and our souls 7ill be illumined:
@3he abo'e statement gi'es the impression that the repetition of the said prayer 1-- times is one of the
prescribed de'otionals of the aith) and has a specified effect on the belie'er 7ho obser'es this form of
prayer:
@He do not feel it is Bustified to infer such conclusions from the reference in A>od 2asses ByE) page
""#) 7hich you mention: 3he passage in Duestion ob'iously refers to a specific circumstance in the life
of Bahullh in Baghdd before the declaration of His <ission) and should not be presented to the
belie'ers as one of the prescribed obser'ances of the faith:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ o"em)er LN/ 19012
1(22. !he #edi"m Prayer to be .ecited #ornin6@ :oon and E1enin6Three Times a Da5
@::: 3he friends are free to choose any one of these three prayers) but ha'e to follo7 the instructions
re'ealed by Bahullh concerning them: 3he long prayer should be recited once in e'ery ,( hours) and
is accompanied by certain physical acts: 3he short prayer) consisting of one 'erse) should be recited once
a day at noonI 7hile the medium prayer should be said three times a dayI in the morning) at noon and in
the e'ening: 3he belie'er is entirely free to choose any one of these three prayers for daily use:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ (pril L0/ 19302
1(3. Definition of <#ornin6=@ <:oon= and <E1enin6=
@By Amorning) Anoon and Ae'ening) mentioned in connection 7ith the 5bligatory 2rayers) is meant
respecti'ely the inter'als bet7een sunrise and noon) bet7een noon and sunset) and from sunset till t7o
hours after sunset:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h/ 3he ;itb0i0ADdas/ p! 1NM2
1(1. In 5i6h &atit"des the :ational %pirit"al Assembly #ay Fi? 5o"rs of Prayer and Fastin6 by
the Cloc$.
@Concerning the times for prayer and fasting) it is correct that) in the high latitudes) 7here the lengths of
day and night 'ary considerably from season to season of the year) it is permissible to obser'e the la7s
of prayer and fasting in accordance 7ith the cloc6 rather than 7ith the rising and setting of the sun: As
/celand lies in such latitudes) it is for your Assembly to decide this matter for the belie'ers in your
country: All should then abide by 7hate'er your Assembly lays do7n:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eul5 L0/ 190M. Notes on 5bligatory
2rayers and Ablutions/ a compilation of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice2
1(2. *ased on !e?ts in the <Git+b-i-ACdas= and <>"estions and Answers=The :ni"ersal 7ouse
of Eustice Permits :se of 3lock
@3here are t7o te?ts) in the ;itb0i0ADdas and its anne?e) 7hich refer to the use of cloc6s: /n the Boo6
itself it is 7ritten that in lands 7here the days and nights are long the hours of prayer shall be determined
by reference to cloc6s and other timepieces: /n the ARuestions and Ans7ers) in ans7er to the more
general Duestion 7hether) in determining time) it is permissible to ma6e use of timepieces) Bahullh
states that it is permissible:
@Although in the first instance the Sacred 3e?t specifically mentions the use of cloc6s for determining
the times of prayer it does not limit their use to that purpose) and the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice) on the
basis of the more general statement in the ARuestions and Ans7ers) has permitted their use also in
determining the hours of fasting) lea'ing the application of the la7 to the National Spiritual Assembly in
each country that lies in the high latitudes:
@/n the case of fasting) as <r: ::: correctly comments) there is little difference bet7een sunrise and
sunset as obser'ed astronomically and hours of fasting as fi?ed by the cloc6) because the fast falls Bust
before the EDuino?: Ho7e'er) by this ruling it is possible for the belie'ers in the high latitudes to use the
same standard for both prayer and fasting) as 7ell as for fi?ing the ending of each day in the Bah
calendar in determining the time for the starting of each Holy 8ay and the holding of the Nineteen 8ay
easts:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eune 13/ 1908. I)id!2
1(. <All+h-"-Abh+= is the Form of the Dreatest :ame to be 8sed in the &on6 )bli6atory Prayer
@Shoghi Effendi has e?plained that AAllh0u0Abh should be used 7hen the >reatest Name is to be
repeated three times in the =ong 5bligatory 2rayer:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 L8/ 1900. I)id!2
1('. Instr"ctions in the &on6 )bli6atory Prayer
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice recei'ed your letter of + 9anuary "#+1) enDuiring about the correct 7ay
of follo7ing certain instructions in the =ong 5bligatory 2rayer) and has as6ed us to gi'e you this reply:
@/n follo7ing the direction stating! A=et him then stand and raise his hands t7ice in supplication) and
say:::: ! the belie'er does not ha'e to read t7ice the paragraph 7hich follo7s: Hhether the belie'er
raises his hands t7ice before the reciting of the paragraph) or commences the reciting after ha'ing raised
his hands once) and raises them a second time soon thereafter) is left to his choice:
@As to the direction 7hich states! A=et him then raise his hands thrice) and say:::: ) an indi'idual
belie'er as6ed the belo'ed >uardian the follo7ing Duestion!
A::: the direction to raise the hands thrice and say @>reater is >od than e'ery great one:E 8oes this
mean after e'ery raising of the hands) or only to be said once) after the three raisingsS
@Shoghi Effendis secretary ans7ered on his behalf as follo7s!
A3he hands should be raised three times and each time the sentence be repeated in
conBunction 7ith the act: E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ <e)ruar5 13/ 190@. I)id!2
1((. Instr"ctions for the #edi"m )bli6atory Prayer
@Each phrase 7hich one may substitute is for a particular portion of the prayer) and the instructions are
Duite specific 7here the substitutions may be made: or instance) the longest 'erse in the prayer begins
7ith the same 7ords as those 7hich may be substitutedI that is) after the instructions A3hen let him stand
up) and facing the Riblih) let him say! >od testifieth that there is none other >od but Him: 3he second
phrase 7hich may be substituted) 7hich states) Ait 7ould suffice 7ere he) 7hile seated)::: may be used in
place of the concluding paragraph 7hich carries the instruction A=et him) then) be seated and say!Qand)
again) the substituted 7ords follo7 e?actly the first sentence of that final paragraph:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril L3/ 1981. I)id!2
1(-. !he Correct Position for <%ittin6= D"rin6 )bli6atory Prayers
@:::one of the belie'ers as6ed the >uardian a Duestion about the correct position for sitting: rom the
conte?t it seems clear that this Duestion is related to the medium 2rayer) but this is not e?plicitly stated:
3he >uardians reply states that sitting on a chair is permissible) but to sit on the floor is preferable and
more fitting:E
1(/. Abl"tions and #o1ements to Accompany the .ecitation of the &on6 )bli6atory Prayer
@Concerning the mo'ements to accompany the recitations of the =ong 5bligatory 2rayer) in response to
an enDuiry from the National Spiritual Assembly of the Near East) the House of 9ustice stated in a letter
dated September ") "#+1!
AAblutions are necessary for all three 5bligatory 2rayers:
A&eciting the 7ords specified in the medium 5bligatory 2rayer pertains only to that prayer)
i:e:) for the short and long 5bligatory 2rayers it 7ould be sufficient to 7ash ones hands and
face in preparation for each of these t7o prayers:
@Ho7e'er) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has stated to National Spiritual Assemblies in the Hest that
no issue should be made of this matter at the present time and since it has not been clarified and applied
in detail to the 7estern belie'ers) they are under no obligation to go beyond the instructions gi'en by the
belo'ed >uardian in A2rayers and <editations in 7hich ablutions are prescribed only in connection 7ith
the medium 5bligatory 2rayer:
@3he instruction to raise ones hands occurs once in the medium 5bligatory 2rayer and fi'e times in
the long 5bligatory 2rayer: 3he term used in the original Arabic for the first) second and fourth
occasions in the long 2rayer is the same as that used in the medium 2rayer: 3herefore it 7ould be
entirely correct for the 7orshipper) 7hen raising his hands on these occasions during the recitation of the
long 5bligatory 2rayer) to follo7 the more specific instructions gi'en in English by the >uardian in his
translation of the medium one: 5n the third and fifth occasions the instruction is gi'en in the long
2rayer) the 7ords Ain supplication are omitted: 3he House of 9ustice does not 7ish at this time to gi'e
any specific guidance in this connectionI it lea'es the matter to the discretion of the friends:E
1(0. Abl"tions *efore )bli6atory Prayers and .epetition of the Dreatest :ame
@/t hath been ordained that e'ery belie'er in >od) the =ord of 9udgement) shall) each day) ha'ing 7ashed
his hands and then his face) seat himself and) turning unto >od) repeat AAllh0u0Abh ninety0fi'e times:
Such 7as the decree of the <a6er of the Hea'ens 7hen) 7ith maBesty and po7er) He established
Himself upon the thrones of His Names: 2erform ye li6e7ise) ablutions for the 5bligatory 2rayerI this is
the command of >od) the /ncomparable) the Jnrestrained:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3he ;itb0i0ADdas/ 818/ p! LM2
1(2. !he Berse to be .ecited when !here is :o 7ater
@::: =et him that findeth no 7ater for ablution repeat fi'e times the 7ords A/n the Name of >od) the <ost
2ure) the <ost 2ure) and then proceed to his de'otions: Such is the command of the =ord of all
7orlds::::E
&I)id!/ 811/ p! L32
9LI$ 'RO')(T%8,ANIF(%TATION% OF GO
A$ The Bb
1('3. D"ration of the *+b,s Dispensation
@3he Bab said that 7hene'er AHe Hhom >od 7ill ma6e manifest appears) accept Him: He ne'er said
dont accept Him until after the lapse of "--- years: Also Bahullh says that in the year # of the Bb
8ispensation the time 7as ripe for the &e'elation of AHe Hhom >od 7ill ma6e manifest: As the Bb
7as not only a <anifestation but a Herald of this Bah aith) the inter'al bet7een His re'elation and
that of Bahullh 7as of shorter duration: His 8ispensation in a sense 7ill last as long as Bahullhs
lasts:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ Decem)er L0/ 19N1. 8a7n of a Ne7 8ay/ p!
9N2
1('1. Declaration of the *+b
@:::3he belie'ers must hold gatherings for the Bahs at e?actly , hours and "" minutes after sunset on
<ay ,,nd :::) as this is the e?act time 7hen the Bb declared His mission to <ull Husayn::::E
&I)id!/ Eune LL/ 19N3/ p! 11@2
1('2. !he Declaration of the *+b and the *irthday of 4Abd",l-*ah+
@:::regarding the declaration of the Bb and the birthday of the <aster! 3he Bb declared His <ission on
the fourth day of the month of 9amadi /) t7o hours and ele'en minutes after sunset) corresponding 7ith
the e'ening of <ay ,,nd: But as the Bah day begins after sunset) and not after midnight as in the
Hest) the Bbs declaration is celebrated on the fifth day of 9amdi /) corresponding to the ,%rd of <ay:
AAbdul0Bah 7as born in the course of that same night) but the e?act hour of His birth has not been
ascertained:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ o"em)er L@/ 193M2
1('. !he *ay+n
@/n the Bayn the Bb says that e'ery religion of the past 7as fit to become uni'ersal: 3he only reason
7hy they failed to attain that mar6 7as the incompetence of their follo7ers: He then proceeds to gi'e a
definite promise that this 7ould not be the fate of the &e'elation of AHim Hhom >od 7ould ma6e
manifest) that it 7ill become uni'ersal and include all the people of the 7orld: 3his sho7s that 7e 7ill
ultimately succeed: But could 7e not through our shortcomings) failures to sacrifice) and reluctance to
concentrate our efforts in spreading the Cause) retard the realiCation of that ideal: And 7hat 7ould that
meanS /t shall mean that 7e 7ill be held responsible before >od) that the race 7ill remain longer in its
state of 7ay7ardness) that 7ars 7ould not be so soon a'erted) that human suffering 7ill last longer:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ <e)ruar5 L1/ 193L.
=i'ing the =ife/ pp! 3+N2
1(''. !he QC+n and the *ay+n
@3he Bb specified that the ABayn is not completed and that AHe Hhom >od 7ould manifest
FBahullhG 7ould complete it) though not in its actual form) but only spiritually in the form of another
boo6: 3he AUDn is belie'ed to be its continuation:
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ <e)ruar5 10/ 1939. 8a7n of a Ne7 8ay/ p!
082
1('(. .eason for %e1ere &aws .e1ealed by the *+b
@:::3he se'ere la7s and inBunctions re'ealed by the Bb can be properly appreciated and understood only
7hen interpreted in the light of His o7n statements regarding the nature) purpose and character of His
o7n 8ispensation: As these statements clearly re'eal) the Bb 8ispensation 7as essentially in the nature
of a religious and indeed social re'olution and its duration had therefore to be short) but full of tragic
e'ents) of s7eeping and drastic reforms: 3hese drastic measures enforced by the Bb and His follo7ers
7ere ta6en 7ith the 'ie7 of undermining the 'ery foundations of Shh orthodo?y) and thus pa'ing the
7ay for the coming of Bahullh: 3o assert the independence of the ne7 8ispensation) and to prepare
also the ground for the approaching &e'elation of Bahullh) the Bb had therefore to re'eal 'ery
se'ere la7s) e'en though most of them 7ere ne'er enforced: But the mere fact that He re'ealed them
7as in itself a proof of the independent character of His 8ispensation and 7as sufficient to create such
7idespread agitation) and e?cite such opposition on the part of the clergy that led them to cause His
e'entual martyrdom:E
&I)id!/ pp! 00+082
1('-. Portrait of the *+b
@:::3he portrait of the Bb should be regarded as an inestimable pri'ilege and blessing to behold) as past
generations 7ere denied a glimpse of the ace of the <anifestation) once He had passed on:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 13/ 19NN. Bah Ne7s/ o! L11/ (u$ust 19N8/ p! L2
1('/. 5o"r of *irth of the *+b
@3he Bb 7as born before da7n:E
1('0. !he !erm <Afn+n= .efers to .elati1es of the *+b
@3he term Aafnn means literally small branch) and refers to the relati'es of the Bb) both men and
7omen: As the Bbs only son died 7hile in infancy) the former had no direct descendants: 3he Aafnn
are) therefore) all indirectly related to the Bab:
@As to Aaghsn) it also means branch: But it is a bigger branch than Aafnn: /t refers to Bahullhs
descendants:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er L@/ 193N2
1('2. !he %acrifice of 12 &ambs by the *+b was Prior to 5is .e1elation
@As regards your Duestion concerning the sacrifice of "# choice lambs 7hich the Bb is reported to ha'e
made on the day of Nahr! 3his is indeed an /slmic custom: But the sacrifice in Duestion 7as performed
by the Bb prior to the re'elation of His o7n la7s) and at a time) therefore) 7hen the la7s and practices
of /slm had not yet been entirely abrogated by Him:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust LL/ 19392
B$ Bahullh
1((3. :o Prophet in %ame Cate6ory as *ah+,",ll+h
@3here are no 2rophets) so far) in the same category as Bahullh) as He culminates a great cycle
begun 7ith Adam:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia and ew Pealand/ Decem)er LM/ 19N1.
=etters from the >uardian to Australia and Ne7 Vealand/ p! N12
1((1. *ah+,",ll+h 5as Appeared in Dod,s Dreatest :ame
@::: By A>reatest Name is meant that Bahullh has appeared in >ods >reatest Name) in other 7ords)
that He is the Supreme <anifestation of >od:E
&I)id!/ p! N12
1((2. *ah+,",ll+h Con1ersed with #oses in the *"rnin6 *"sh
@Bahullh is not the /ntermediary bet7een other <anifestations and >od: Each has His o7n relation
to the 2rimal Source: But in the sense that Bahullh is the greatest <anifestation to yet appear) the
5ne Hho consummates the &e'elation of <osesI He 7as the 5ne <oses con'ersed 7ith in the Burning
Bush: /n other 7ords Bahullh identifies the glory of the >odhead on that occasion 7ith Himself: No
distinction can be made amongst the 2rophets in the sense that 3hey all proceed from 5ne Source) and
are of 5ne Essence: But 3heir stations and functions in this 7orld are different:E
1((. *ah+,",ll+h is not Dod,ut Throu$h 7im We 3an 8now %od
@As regards your Duestion! Bahullh is) of course) not >od and not the CreatorI but through Him 7e
can 6no7 >od) and because of this position of 8i'ine /ntermediary) in a sense) He For the other
2rophetsG is all 7e can e'er 6no7 of that /nfinite Essence 7hich is >od: 3herefore) 7e address oursel'es
in prayer and thought to Him) or through Him to that /nfinite Essence behind and beyond Him:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune N/ 19@12
1(('. 7hy 5e 8ses the Prono"n <7e=
@Hhen Bahullh uses the pluralQAHe) A5ur etc:QHe is merely using a form 7hich is regal and has
greater po7er than the singular A/: He ha'e this same usage in English) 7hen the ;ing says A7e: 3he
2ope does the same thing:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 18/ 19@12
1(((. !here is no .ecord of a Prophet %imilar in %tation !o *ah+,",ll+h
@&egarding your Duestions! 3here is no record in history) or in the teachings) of a 2rophet similar in
station to Bahullh ha'ing li'ed 1--)--- years ago: 3here 7ill) ho7e'er) be one similar to Him in
greatness after the lapse of 1--)--- years) but 7e cannot say definitely that His &e'elation 7ill be inter0
planetary in scope: He can only say that such a thing may be possible: Hhat Bahullh means by His
appearance in Aother 7orlds He has not defined) as 7e could not 'isualiCe them in our present state)
hence He 7as indefinite) and 7e cannot say 7hether He meant other planets or not::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er LN/ 19N12
1((-. 5o"r of *ah+,",ll+h,s *irth
@Bahullh 7as born at da7n:E
1((/. !he Dispensation of *ah+,",ll+h@ Certain Passa6es Clarified
@Concerning the meaning of the passage on p: ", of the A8ispensation of Bahullh beginning 7ith
the 7ords ABut for Him no 8i'ine <essenger:::) this refers to the reality of >od in Him and not to His
2erson:
@2age ,-) first line) of the same pamphlet) the passage refers to any opportunities that are missed
through neglect and not to any particular e'ent:
@2age ,") line ,-I the meaning of the passage should not be ta6en literally: 3he purpose is to
emphasiCe the theme and heighten its effect:
@2age ,() line ,-! it refers to the reality of Bahullh:E
1((0. .ec$onin6 of Days #entioned in the <Dispensation=
@Concerning the passage in the A8ispensation of Bahullh in 7hich the >uardian Duotes AAbdul0
Bahs interpretation of the prophecy referring to the times 7hen the sun 7ould stand still in the
hea'ens) he 7ishes me to e?plain that the days referred to in this prophecy ha'e to be rec6oned
differently: /n the Sacred Scripture of 'arious religions there are to be found freDuent references to days)
but these ha'e been considered as indicating different periods of time) as for instance in the Rurn a day
is rec6oned as one thousand years: 3he first ten days in the abo'e0mentioned prophecy represent each a
century) ma6ing thus a total of one thousand lunar years: As to the t7enty days referring to the Bb
8ispensation) each of them represents only one lunar year) the total of t7enty years mar6ing the duration
of the &e'elation of the Bb: 3he thirty days in the last 8ispensation should not be rec6oned
numerically) but should be considered as symboliCing the incomparable greatness of the Bah
&e'elation 7hich) though not final) is nonetheless thus far the fullest re'elation of >od to man: rom a
physical point of 'ie7) the thirty days represent the ma?imum time ta6en by the sun to pass through a
sign of the Codiac: 3hey thus represent a culminating point in the e'olution of this star: So also from a
spiritual standpoint these thirty days should be 'ie7ed as indicating the highest) though not the final)
stage in the spiritual e'olution of man6ind:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ (u$ust 0/ 193N.
Bah Ne7s/ o! 80/ 4eptem)er 193N/ p! 12
1((2. *ah+,",ll+h was a Descendent of Abraham !hro"6h *oth Gat"rah and %arahEesse/ 4on of
4arah/ was the <ather of Da"id and (ncestor of ,ah-*u*ll-h
@&egarding your Duestion concerning the 9esse from 7hom Bahullh is descended! 3he <aster says
in ASome Ans7ered Ruestions) referring to /saiah) chapter "") 'erses " to "-) that these 'erses apply
AHord for 7ord to Bahullh: He then identifies this 9esse as the father of 8a'id in the follo7ing
7ords! A:::for 9oseph 7as of the descendants of 9esse the father of 8a'id:::) thus identifying the 9esse of
/saiah) chapter "") 7ith being the father of 8a'id: Bahullh is thus the descendant of 9esse) the father
of 8a'id:
@3he >uardian hopes that this 7ill clarify the matter for you: /t is a tremendous and fascinating theme)
Bahullhs connection 7ith the aith of 9udaism) and one 7hich possesses great interest to 9e7 and
Christian ali6e:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 11/ 19NL2
@&egarding your Duestion concerning the descent of Bahullh from Abraham! 3he <aster has stated
that Bahullh is a descendant of Abraham through a son of his) other than /saac and /shmael) from his
7ife ;aturah::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch LN/ 19N32
1(-3. As the .et"rn of Christ
@/n accepting Bahullh you ha'e accepted Christ in His appearance as the ather) as He Himself so
clearly foretold: 3he Catholic Church does not belie'e thisI on the contrary) it still a7aits the return of
Christ: /f you decide) in order to be buried ne?t to your dear husband) to return to the Church) you either
7ould ha'e to) in good faith) deny Bahullh or you 7ould be Bust using the Church as a means to
satisfying a desire of your o7n) 7hich 7ould certainly not be an upright and conscientious thing to doLE
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 L8/ 19@12
1(-1. Appearance of &ater Prophets
@After Bahullh many 2rophets 7ill) no doubt) appear) but they 7ill be all under His shado7:
Although they may abrogate the la7s of the 8ispensation) in accordance 7ith the needs and
reDuirements of the age in 7hich they appear) they ne'ertheless dra7 their spiritual force from this
mighty &e'elation: 3he aith of Bahullh constitutes) indeed) the stage of maturity in the
de'elopment of man6ind: His appearance has released such spiritual forces 7hich 7ill continue to
animate) for many long years to come) the 7orld in its de'elopment: Hhate'er progress may be achie'ed
in later agesQafter the unification of the 7hole human race is achie'edQ7ill be but impro'ements in
the machinery of the 7orld: or the machinery itself has already been created by Bahullh: 3he tas6
of continually impro'ing and perfecting this machinery is one 7hich later 2rophets 7ill be called upon
to achie'e: 3hey 7ill mo'e and 7or6 7ithin the orbit of the Bah cycle:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 1N/ 193@2
1(-2. Fears for :e?t #anifestation
@As to the meaning of the Duotation) A<y fears are for Him Hho 7ill be sent do7n unto you after <e)
this refers to the <anifestation Hho is to come after a thousand or more years) Hho li6e all pre'ious
<essengers of >od 7ill be subBected to persecutions) but 7ill e'entually triumph o'er them: or men of
ill07ill ha'e been and 7ill al7ays continue to be in this 7orld) unless man6ind reaches a state of
complete and absolute perfectionQa condition 7hich is not only improbable but actually impossible to
attain: 3he fundamental difference) ho7e'er) bet7een this 8ispensation and all pre'ious ones is this) that
in this &e'elation the possibility of permanent schism bet7een the follo7ers of the 2rophet has been
pre'ented through the direct and e?plicit instructions pro'iding for the necessary instruments designed
to maintain the organic unity of the body of the faithful:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Decem)er 1/ 193N/
Bah Ne7s/ o! 89/ p! 1/ Eanuar5 193@2
1(-. 5e Does :ot As$ 8s to Follow 5im *lindly
@9ust as in the past the 2rophets ha'e been persecuted and their <ission 7as ridiculed) so has the
<essage of Bahullh been scoffed at as a mere impractical idealism: rom His earliest youth He 7as
put in chains) e?patriated and persecuted: But 7hat do 7e obser'e in this 8ayS :::the principles He
ad'ocated are the only solution for practical political politics) the spiritual truths He 'oiced are the
crying needs of man and the 'ery things he reDuires for his moral and spiritual de'elopment:
@He does not as6 us to follo7 Him blindlyI as He says in one of His 3ablets) >od has endo7ed man
7ith a mind to operate as a torchlight and guide him to the truth: &ead His Hords) consider His
teachings and measure their 'alue in the light of contemporary problems and the truth 7ill surely be
re'ealed to you: &ead boo6s such as the UDn) Some Ans7ered Ruestions) Nabils Narrati'e) and you
7ill appreciate the truth of His mission) as 7ell as the true spirit He creates in 7hosoe'er follo7s His
7ays:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 LM/ 1933. Bah Ne7s/ o! 81/ p! @/ Eanuar5 193N2
1(-'. Christ and *ah+,",ll+h
@3he belo'ed >uardian has been 'ery impressed 7ith the latest boo6 7ritten by our dear departed
co7or6er) >eorge 3o7nshend) AChrist and Bahullh:
@3his boo6 outlines clearly the relationship of Christ and Bahullh) and presents the manners in
7hich the Bahs are setting up the ;ingdom of >od for 7hich the Christians are praying:
@/t is challenging) and surely 7ill affect many religious leaders:
@3he >uardian feels your Assembly should ma6e this boo6 the basis of a 'ery acti'e teaching
campaign:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ (pril 19/ 19@0. Bah Ne7s/ o!
31M/ p! @/ Eune 19@02
1(-(. D"ration of the *ah+,; Cycle and Dispensation
@Concerning your Duestion relati'e to the duration of the Bah 8ispensation: 3here is no contradiction
bet7een Bahullhs statement in the UDn about the rene7al of the City of >od once e'ery "--- years)
and that of the >uardian in the A8ispensation to the effect that the Bah cycle 7ill e?tend o'er a period
of at least 1--)--- years: 3he apparent contradiction is due to the confusion of the terms cycle and
dispensation: or 7hile the 8ispensation of Bahullh 7ill last for at least one thousand years) His
cycle 7ill e?tend still further to at least 1--)---:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 1N/ 193@. Bah Ne7s/ o! 11L/ (u$ust 193M/ pp! L+
32
1(--. :o E?planation Di1en for (33@333 Eear Period of *ah+,; Cycle
@AAbdul0Bah has gi'en no e?planation regarding the 1--)--- year period of the Bah cycle:
/ndi'idual belie'ers are free to 7or6 out for themsel'es the e?planation they desire) so long as they do
not impose their 'ie7s on others:E
1(-/. Identifies 5imself with )ther Prophets
@As to the list of the prophets 7ith 7hom Bahullh identified Himself in the passage found on pages
,* and ,+ of A3he 8ispensation of Bahullh) their names are as follo7s! Abraham) <oses) 9oseph)
9ohn the Baptist) 9esus) /mm Husayn) on 7hom Bahullh has conferred an e?ceptionally e?alted
station) FandG the Bb:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ (u$ust 0/ 193M2
1(-0. *ah+,",ll+h Did :ot :ame <&etters of the &i1in6= for 5imself
@3here 7ere no A=etters of the li'ing for Bahullh) as there had been for the Bbs 8ispensation:
8ayyan 7as e'idently the %rd to belie'e in BahullhI 7ho the second and the others 7ere 7e donKt
6no7: 3he Bb) being the <anifestation) cannot be considered the first in this sense:@
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 19/ 19N02
1(-2. !he <!r"stees= of Gnowled6e
@He cannot be sure to 7hom Bahullh refers as the Atrustees of 6no7ledge:E
&I)id!2
@3hose 7ords uttered by the =uminaries of 3ruth must needs be pondered) and should their
significance be not grasped) enlightenment should be sought from the 3rustees of the depositories of
;no7ledge) that these may e?pound their meaning) and unra'el their mystery::::E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3he ;itb0i0UDn/ pp! 181+18L2
1(/3. !he *ah+,; Faith is a 7ay of &ife not a #ere Philosophical or %ocial Doctrine
@or the Bah aith is abo'e all a 7ay of life: /t is not a mere philosophical or social doctrine: /t is a
closely06nit and harmoniously functioning community) a 7orld7ide spiritual fraternity 7hich see6s to
reform the 7orld first and foremost by bringing about a deep inner spiritual change in the heart of
indi'iduals: 3o li'e the 3eachings of the Cause should be the paramount concern of e'ery true belie'er)
and the only 7ay to do so is to commune both in spirit and through actual concrete means 7ith the entire
community of the faithful: 3he Bah Cause encourages community life and ma6es it a duty for e'ery
one of its follo7ers to become a li'ing) a fully acti'e and responsible member of the 7orld07ide Bah
fello7ship:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust 13/ 193M2
1(/1. !he !eachin6s %ho"ld be Concei1ed of as )ne Dreat 7hole with #any Facets
@He feels that many of the perple?ities that arise in your mind could be dissipated if you al7ays
concei'ed of the teachings as one great 7hole 7ith many facets: 3ruth may) in co'ering different
subBects) appear to be contradictory) and yet it is all one if you carry the thought through to the end: or
instance the statement on life after death and the condition of belie'ers and non0belie'ersI you might say
that a 7onderful belie'er is li6e a diamond blaCing in the sun) an una7a6ened soul li6e one in a dar6
room: But 7e must couple this concept 7ith the other part of the teachings) that >ods <ercy e?ceeds
His 9ustice) and that soul can progress in the 7orld beyondI the unillumined soul can become brilliant:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 LN/ 19N02
1(/2. !he 7hole !heory of Di1ine .e1elation .ests on the Infallibility of the Prophets
@&egarding your Bah friend 7ho does not fully understand the infallibility of the <anifestation of
>od! Mou should influence that person to study the matter more deeply) and to realiCe that the 7hole
theory of 8i'ine &e'elation rests on the infallibility of the 2rophet) be He Christ) od 7hich) 7e belie'e) is the bond that educates men and causes all human
progress:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 11/ 19NL2
1(/. !here is a #inim"m of .it"als in the *ah+,; Faith and no #an-#ade Do6mas
@/n response to your letter of %rd September "#+# as6ing if there are dogmas and rites in the Bah
aith) the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has instructed us to con'ey its reply:
@A dogma is a principle) tenet or teaching) especially an authoritati'e teaching) and in these senses it is
apparent that the aith has Adogmas: 3he 7ord is also used) ho7e'er) to describe that body of rigid
doctrines that ha'e accumulated in a religion after the passing of its ounderI such man0made dogmas
are entirely absent from the Bah aith) nor can it e'er acDuire them:
@Concerning rituals) the belo'ed >uardians secretary 7rote on his behalf to an indi'idual belie'er on
,(th 9une "#(#!
ABahullh has reduced all ritual and form to an absolute minimum in His aith: 3he fe7
forms that there areQli6e those associated 7ith the t7o longer obligatory daily prayersQare
only symbols of the inner attitude: 3here is a 7isdom in them and a great blessing) but 7e
cannot force oursel'es to understand or feel these thingsI that is 7hy He ga'e us also the
'ery short and simple prayer) for those 7ho did not feel the desire to perform the acts
associated 7ith the other t7o:
@3hus it can be seen that the aith has certain simple rites prescribed by Bahullh) such as the
obligatory prayers) the marriage ceremony and the la7s for the burial of the dead) but its teachings 7arn
against de'eloping them into a system of uniform and rigid rituals incorporating man0made forms and
practices) such as e?ist in other religions 7here rituals usually consist of elaborate ceremonial practices
performed by a member of the clergy: /n another letter 7ritten on behalf of the >uardian his secretary
stated!
A/n these days the friends should) as much as possible) demonstrate through their deeds the
independence of the Holy aith of >od) and its freedom from the customs) rituals and
practices of a discredited and abrogated past:
&Translated from the Persian2!
@/n freeing the belie'ers from the religious rituals of the past and from those customs 7hich are
contrary to Bah principles) the institutions of the aith should be careful not to press the friends to
arbitrarily discard those local traditions 7hich are harmless and often colourful characteristics of
particular peoples and tribes: /n A3he Horld 5rder of Bahullh) on page (") 7e read!
A=et there be no misgi'ings as to the animating purpose of the 7orld07ide =a7 of
Bahullh: ar from aiming at the sub'ersion of the e?isting foundations of society) it see6s
to broaden its basis) to remold its institutions in a manner consonant 7ith the needs of an
e'er0changing 7orld: /t can conflict 7ith no legitimate allegiances) nor can it undermine
essential loyalties: /ts purpose is neither to stifle the flame of a sane and intelligent patriotism
in mens hearts) nor to abolish the system of national autonomy so essential if the e'ils of
e?cessi'e centraliCation are to be a'oided: /t does not ignore) nor does it attempt to suppress)
the di'ersity of ethnical origins) of climate) of history) of language and tradition) of thought
and habit) that differentiate the peoples and nations of the 7orld::::E
&<rom a letter written of )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,oli"ia/ Octo)er 1M/ 19092
C$ (=-lanation of %o&e Bah Teachings
1(/'. 7hat is #eant by a Personal DodDod is not Anthropomorphic
@Hhat is meant by a personal >od is a >od Hho is conscious of His creation) Hho has a <ind) a Hill) a
2urpose) and not) as many scientists and materialists belie'e) an unconscious and determined force
operating in the uni'erse: Such conception of the 8i'ing Being) as the Supreme and e'er present &eality
in the 7orld) is not anthropomorphic) for it transcends all human limitations and forms) and does by no
means attempt to define the essence of 8i'inity 7hich is ob'iously beyond any human comprehension:
3o say that >od is a personal &eality does not mean that He has a physical form) or does in any 7ay
resemble a human being: 3o entertain such belief 7ould be sheer blasphemy:E
1(/(. #an &i1es in a !hree Dimensional Plane of Conscio"sness
@Hhen 7e say that man li'es in a three dimensional plane of consciousness) 7e should not interpret such
statement in mathematical terms) though the basic idea at its root is certainly correct:E
&I)id!2
1(/-. Possibly Indians of America were Infl"enced by Prophets in Asia
@/t is possible the /ndians of the Americas 7ere influenced in the remote past by 2rophets in Asia: But
again) as there is nothing in our teachings about it) 7e cannot do more than speculate:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er L@/ 19@12
1(//. #"sta6hath
@3he meaning of A<ustaghath is! AHe Hho is in'o6ed for help: E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 1N/ 19N02
1(/0. .eference in Dospel of %t. 9ohn to .e1elation of *ah+,",ll+h
@3he passage in the >ospel of St: 9ohn "(!,*) is a reference to the &e'elation of Bahullh) through
Hhose coming this prophecy 7as fulfilled:E
1(/2. <&ord= and <Dod= .efer to the Creator in *ah+,; 7ritin6s
@/n the Bah Hritings =ord and >od refer to the Creator) not the <anifestations of >odI in a fe7
passages the 7ord K=ordK refers to the <anifestation) but usually it means A>odLE
1(03. Copper Can be !ransm"ted into Dold
@Considering that a century ago) nobody 6ne7 the nature of matter) and couldnt split any 6ind of an
atom) it should not surprise the scientist that AAbdul0Bah states that copper can be transmuted into
gold:
@3here may come a time) for all 7e 6no7) 7hen the mass of many atoms can be changed by scientists:
He ha'e no 7ay of pro'ing or dispro'ing at present the statement of AAbdul0Bah: 9ust because 7e
cannot demonstrate a contention in the Bah 3eachings does not mean the contention is not true:
@3he same holds true of the statement of Bahullh in the UDn) regarding transmutation of copper
into gold after se'enty years) under certain conditions:
@He as Bahs must assume that) as He had access to all 6no7ledge) He 7as referring to a definite
physical condition 7hich theoretically might e?ist: Because 7e dont 6no7 7hat this condition is in
scientific terms does not refute Bahullhs statement at all:
@3he >uardian hopes that <r: ::: 7ill not let so small a thing stand in his path: 3he principle of aith is
to accept anything the <anifestation of >od says) once you ha'e accepted Him as being the
<anifestation: 3hat is really the cru? of the 7hole matter: /t is a Duestion of confidence:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 1N/ 19@@2
1(01. Creat"res are to be Fo"nd on E1ery Planet
@&egarding the passage on p: "*% of the A>leanings! 3he creatures 7hich Bahullh states to be found
on e'ery planet cannot be considered to be necessarily similar or different from human beings on this
earth: Bahullh does not specifically state 7hether such creatures are li6e or unli6e us: He simply
refers to the fact that there are creatures on e'ery planet: /t remains for science to disco'er one day the
e?act nature of these creatures:E
1(02. <Daysprin6= Defined
@/ ha'e as6ed the >uardian concerning the e?act meaning of the 7ord A8ayspring: =iterally it means
A8a7n: /t is sometimes used in the sense of AHoriCon or A&ising point) and ta6en figurati'ely it is
eDui'alent to fountain or source: /t can also be used as referring to a <anifestation of >od) as in the
follo7ing e?pression A8ayspring of 3ruth:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 19/ 193@2
1(0. Absol"te *ein6 Can be Attrib"ted only to Dod7is 3reation 7as Relati"e E;istence/ a
4eparate Realit5
@/n a 3ablet Bahullh says that e'en though absolute being can be attributed only to >od 7e cannot
say that other obBects ha'e no being: A table has an e?istence e'en though its e?istence compared 7ith
the e?istence of the carpenter 7ho is its ma6er is almost nothing: Compared to >od nothing has
e?istence but this does not mean that e'en stones do not ha'e being: /t is spea6ing relati'ely: <oreo'er)
>od re'eals Himself in all things in the sense that He is the Source of their being and the Cause of their
e?istence: Hithout Him all things 7ill shrin6 do7n to nothing: 3his ho7e'er does not mean that all
things are parts of >od as the pantheist belie'es: 3he pantheist says that only >od e?ists) obBects are
mere modes of His attributes: Bahullh ho7e'er says that obBects ha'e a separate reality that is
created by >od: 3he <aster e?plains these things in the ASome Ans7ered Ruestions) especially in one
of the last chapters: 3here are also many 3ablets of Bahullh e?plaining these matters: <ost of them)
ho7e'er) ha'e not yet been translated into English: =et us hope that some day this 7or6 7ill be done and
the friends 7ill appreciate ho7 Bahullh has sol'ed their problems:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er LM/ 193L2
1(0'. #eanin6 of <%ciences that *e6in and End in 7ords=
@Hhat Bahullh meant primarily 7ith Asciences that begin and end in 7ords are those theological
treatises and commentaries that encumber the human mind rather than help it to attain the truth: 3he
students 7ould de'ote their life to their study but still attain no7here:
@Bahullh surely ne'er meant to include story 7riting under such a categoryI and shorthand and
type7riting are both most useful talents 'ery necessary in our present social and economic life:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 31/ 193L2
1(0(. Atomic Ener6yA( 4tran$e and Wonderful InstrumentB
@3he 7ords of Bahullh regarding Aa strange and 7onderful instrument::: can) in the light of 7hat the
<aster said in San rancisco) be ta6en as a reference to the great destructi'e po7er atomic energy can be
made to release:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 1M/ 19NM2
1(0-. *ah+,",ll+h E?horts #an to !ry to De1elop 5is Dormant >"alities
@3he passage in the AEpistle to the Son of the Holf in 7hich Bahullh says! A>i'e that 7hich is as6ed
of you means that man must al7ays try to de'elop and re'eal the Dualities that are to be found
potentially in him: /t is an urge to self0impro'ement and indi'idual progress) and has) therefore) no
connection 7ith that passage in the AADdas 7herein Bahullh forbids mendicity:E
1(0/. !he <Beils= are Bery !hin at the !ime of the #anifestation
@As to the 7ords of AAbdul0Bah about the A'ineyard 7ill not then be so easy to find) etc: 3his
supports many such remar6s! He e?plained often that at the time of the <anifestation the 'eils are 'ery
thin) so to spea6: <any souls accepted seemingly spontaneously) on the basis of a dream) or Bust hearing
the Cause e?istedL But later) this first phase passes) and the people reDuire more arguments and proof)
acceptance comes less as a flash of spiritual insight and more as an intellectual process: 3his is Duite
different from the future glory of the Cause and the di'ine origin of its institutions) graphically outlined
by Him: Hhen the <aster says the =ocal and National Assemblies are the APoice of truth) He means
here that they must be obeyed) not that they are infallible:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er L@/ 19N02
1(00. !oday it is a Dreater .esponsibility to .eFect the #anifestation
@/t is certainly a much greater responsibility to reBect the <anifestation in this day than it 7as in the past
8ispensations) inasmuch as man) and indeed humanity as a 7hole) ha'e been endo7ed 7ith a greater
measure of spiritual recepti'ity than e'er before) and conseDuently it 7ould be a much gra'er sin to
repudiate the re'ealed 3ruth no7 than it 7ould ha'e been the case in bygone ages and centuries:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 1N/ 19392
1(02. Cornerstone of all the !eachin6sOneness of 7umanit5
@/t is most essential that the belie'ers should be Duite clear on this point) as the principle of the oneness
of humanity is the cornerstone of all the 3eachings of Bahullh) and should be presented as such)
7ithout the least hesitation) by the friends:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 11/ 1930F cited )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the
ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ (u$ust 8/ 19M82
1(23. <5e 7ho &o1es 5is Gind=
@Hith reference to your Duestion as to the meaning of the passage of Ahe 7ho lo'es his 6ind) the
statement of Bahullh does not refer to any special race or class of people: &ather it includes the
entire human race) irrespecti'e of any class) creed or colour: 3he <essage of Bahullh is not a
particularistic appeal to a group of people: /t is a Jni'ersal <essage and all0inclusi'e appeal: His
principle of the oneness of man6ind is 7orld07ide in its spirit) in its application) and co'ers the entire
field of human relationships:E
&I)id!2
1(21. <From It MEarthN 7e 5a1e Created Eo"=
@&egarding the passage on page ,%" of the A>leanings from the Hritings of Bahullh) the sentence
beginning 7ith the 7ords Arom it FearthG ha'e He created you) is a Duotation from the Rurn::::
@By Asecond time is meant the spiritual resurrection of man) that is to say) his acceptance of the 8i'ine
<anifestation: But <uslims ha'e gi'en this term a literal interpretation! the physical resurrection of
man: Bahullh is using this same interpretation current among <uslims to defeat their argument:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 8/ 193M2
1(22. !he %pirit"al .es"rrection of #an
@Hith regard to the &acine Assemblys reDuest for an e?planation of the passage on page ,%" of the
A>leanings beginning 7ith the 7ords! Arom it FearthG ha'e He created you:::! this is a 'erse from the
Rurn::: Bahullh in Duoting this passage see6s to refute the argument of the <uslims) 7ho attach a
purely literal interpretation to this 'erse of the Rurn) and therefore consider it as implying bodily
resurrection: 3o these <uslims He says) you 7ho literally belie'e that the human body 7ill return to dust
and 7ill be raised from it again) and therefore attach so much importance to this mortal 7orld) ho7 then
can you 7a? so proud) and boast o'er things 7hich are but perishable and conseDuently 'oid of any true
and lasting 'alue:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the Racine (ssem)l5/ <e)ruar5 0/ 1939. Bah Ne7s/ o! 1LN/ (pril 1939/ p! M2
1(2. !he Day of .es"rrection@ of 9"d6ement@ and the !omb
@::: Concerning the meaning of A&esurrection! Although this term is often used by Bahullh in His
Hritings) as in the passage Duoted in your letter) its meaning is figurati'e: 3he tomb mentioned is also
allegorical) i:e:) the tomb of unbelief: 3he 8ay of &esurrection) according to Bah interpretation) is the
9udgement 8ay) the 8ay 7hen unbelie'ers 7ill be called upon to gi'e account of their actions) and
7hether the 7orld has pre'ented them from ac6no7ledging the ne7 &e'elation:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 8a7n of a Ne7 8ay/ p! 092
1(2'. .e1elation of *ah+,",ll+h Primarily for !his Planet
@::: 5n page ,%" of the same boo6 F>leaningsG! no particular force is meant: /t is symbolic of the
regenerati'e po7er 7ith 7hich a righteous act is endo7ed:
@As to your Duestion 7hether the po7er of Bahullh e?tends o'er our solar system and to higher
7orlds! Hhile the &e'elation of Bahullh) it should be noted) is primarily for this planet) yet the spirit
animating it is all0embracing) and the scope therefore cannot be restricted or defined:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 1N/ 19382
1(2(. Abh+ Gin6dom
@Hith reference to your Duestion as to the meaning of the term AAbh ;ingdom) it is another term for
the spiritual 7orld beyond the gra'e:E
1(2-. <%in6led )"t=
@3he term Asingled out on p: "+, of the A>leanings means chosen one or fa'oured one:A
&<rom a letter of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er LM/ 1939/ from Spiritualism) &eincarnation and &elated SubBects/ p! @2
1(2/. E1ol"tion of the %o"l
@3he passage on p: "1* of A>leanings regarding the e'olution of the soul after death clearly pro'es that
the soul after its separation from the body 6eeps its indi'iduality and its consciousness both in relation to
other souls and to the human beings in the 7orld:E
&I)id!2
1(20. <Perishin6=
@3he 7ord Aperish on p: "#- of A>leanings does not mean that the human soul 7ill cease to e?ist) but
7ill be depri'ed of all spiritual capacity and understanding:E
&I)id!2
1(22. <:o #an Attaineth E1erlastin6 &ife=
@Also on p: "$%) the passage! ANo man can attain e'erlasting life::: should not be ta6en literally! by
Ae'erlasting life is meant spiritual felicity) communion 7ith the 8i'ine Spirit:E
&I)id!2
1-33. Differences of %tation and Classes in %ociety
@As regards the meaning of the passage of page "$$ of the A>leanings! /t is an emphasis by Bahullh
on the importance of maintaining differences of station and classes in society and does not refer to the
Duestion of race:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 LL/ 193M. Bah Ne7s/ o! 11@/ p! 1/ <e)ruar5 19302
1-31. <5idden 7ords=
@As to the passage No: "% of the Arabic Hidden Hords! 3hat 7hich Bahullh declares 7e can find
abiding 7ithin us is the po7er of the 8i'ine Spirit) the reflection of the light of His &e'elation: 3his
reflection of the 8i'ine Spirit) ho7e'er) can in no 7ay be compared to the &e'elation 7hich >od
discloses to His 2rophets and <essengers: 3he similarity in the terminology should not confuse this
distinction 7hich is most fundamental:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to two )elie"ers/ Decem)er 0/ 193@2
1-32. QC+n@ Git+b-I-QC+nA3it5 of %odB/ 6eanin$ of
@:::as to the meaning of the passage in the AUDn in 7hich Bahullh refers to the rene7al of the ACity
of >od once in about a thousand years! this) as the 7ord about implies) is simply an appro?imate date)
and should not therefore be ta6en literally:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L9/ 1938. 8a7n of a Ne7 8ay/ p! L1L2
1-3. <7ho )"t of 8tter :othin6ness=
@3he statement in the A>leanings) pp: *(0*1) A7ho out of utter nothingness:::) etc:) should be ta6en in a
symbolic and not a literal sense: /t is only to demonstrate the po7er and greatness of >od:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi. =etters from the >uardian to Australia and Ne7 Vealand/ 19L3+19@0/ p! N12
1-3'. <5osts of 5is !estament= and <Cord=
@&egarding your Duestions! By A>o'ernment) on page ,"- of the ABah Horld Pol: P/) is meant the
e?ecuti'e body 7hich 7ill enforce the la7s 7hen the Bah aith has reached the point 7hen it is
recogniCed and accepted entirely by any particular nation: 5n page ,-1) indem) the AHosts of His
3estament refers to those 7ho are firm in the Hill and 3estament of Bahullh and 7ho defend and
uphold it:
@3he 7ord Acord) so often mentioned in the teachings) means both the aith itself and also the po7er
of the aith 7hich sustains those 7ho cling to it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 18/ 19N1F also see 3he Hill and 3estament of AAbdul0
Bah/ pp! 1N+1@2
1-3(. %"ra of the %"n@ E?planation of
@3he passage in Bahullhs 3ablet in 7hich He e?plains the sura of A3he Sun should not be
interpreted literally: /t does not mean that after the 8ay of &esurrection praise and peace 7ill cease to be
'ouchsafed to the 2rophet: &ather it means to the end of time) i:e:) indefinitely and for all times:E
&4ho$hi Effendi. 8a7n of a Ne7 8ay/ pp! 09+812
1-3-. Intercession
@3he intercession spo6en of by Bahullh in one of His prayers 7hich you ha'e Duoted is a purely
spiritual act and is applicable to <u ammad as 7ell as to all 2rophets: 3his passage) ho7e'er) refers
more particularly to that 6ind of intercession in 7hich <uslims belie'e) though the manner and
circumstances of it) according to Bah belief) are mysterious and un6no7able:E
&4ho$hi Effendi. 8a7n of a Ne7 8ay/ p! 812
1-3/. <Gnowled6e Consists of !wenty-%e1en &etters...=
@&egarding the passage beginning 7ith the 7ords! A;no7ledge consists of t7enty0se'en letters! this
should not be interpreted literally: /t only indicates the relati'e greatness and superiority of the ne7
&e'elation:E
1-30. !ablet of AhmadThe Word A:n$odl5B
@/n the passage Aesche7 all fello7ship 7ith the ungodly) Bahullh means that 7e should shun the
company of those 7ho disbelie'e in >od and are 7ay7ard: 3he 7ord Aungodly is a reference to such
per'erse people: 3he 7ords ABe thou as a flame of fire to <y enemies and a ri'er of life eternal to <y
lo'ed ones should not be ta6en in their literal sense: Bahullhs ad'ice is that again 7e should flee
from the enemies of >od and instead see6 the fello7ship of His lo'ers:@
&4ho$hi Effendi. 8a7n of a Ne7 8ay/ p! L112
@3he 3ablet of Ahmad 7as re'ealed by Bahullh to be read 7hen one feels himself in e?ceptionally
difficult circumstances: 3here is nothing obligatory about its use) and e'ery person has to decide for
himself 7hether he desires to learn it by heart or not::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ,ah-*?s of 8enosha/ (pril 1N/ 193L2
1-32. !he !ablet of the 5oly #ariner
@3he 3ablet of the Holy <ariner 7as re'ealed by Bahullh in Baghdd: 3he Holy <ariner is a
reference to Bahullh Himself) and the Ar6 mentioned in that 3ablet is the Ar6 of His Cause:E
@Concerning the 3ablet of the Holy <ariner) it is one of the most significant 3ablets re'ealed by
Bahullh during the last days of His stay in Baghdd) and refers to the sad though momentous e'ents
7hich 7ere to transpire soon after His arri'al in Adrianople: /ts main significance lies in the fact that in
it Bahullh clearly foreshado7s the gra'e happenings 7hich e'entually led to the defection of Subh0i0
ACal) and to the schism 7hich the latter thought to create 7ithin the ran6s of the faithful:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust 11/ 193N2
1-13. !ablet to the Presidents of the .ep"blics of the Americas
@Bahullh ne'er re'ealed a 3ablet to the 2resident of the J:S:A: /n His Boo6 the ADdas He re'ealed
7ords addressed to the 2residents of the &epublics of the Americas) but no single 3ablet 7as e'er
re'ealed to any one of them:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 L1/ 19NL2
1-11. !ablet of 9oseph
@3he 3ablet of 9oseph does not refer to 9oseph Smith:
@9oseph Smith 7e do not consider a 2rophet) minor or other7ise: Certainly no references he made
7ould ha'e foretold the coming of this &e'elation in his capacity as a 2rophet:@
&I)id!2
1-12. #eanin6 of <Berities of the Faith=
@By A'erities of the aith he means the great teachings and fundamentals enshrined in our Bah
literatureI these 7e can find by reading the boo6s) studying under Bah scholars at summer schools and
in classes) and through the aid of study outlines:E
1-1. #eanin6 of the 7ord <Patron= in %e1en Balleys
@&egarding your Duestion about the meaning of the 7ords on page 1- of the Se'en and our Palleys!
3his is a 'erse of the Rurn 7hich Bahullh DuotesI the 7ord patron here means helperQin other
7ords 7hen >od misleads a soul) he shall find no other helper: Mou 7ould find Sales translation and
comments on the Rurn helpful in getting at the story bac6 of such 'erses as this one:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 18/ 19NM2
$ DAbdul1Bah
1-1'. 4Abd",l-*ah+
@::: 3he herald 7ho proclaimed the 7ritten names is AAbdul0Bah Hho announceth the names of those
7ho deser'e sal'ation and are firm in the Co'enant of >od::::E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3ablets of AAbdul0Bah/ >ol! III/ p! M812
1-1(. All !hy Doin6s .ecorded
@::: 3hou shalt) after thy departure) disco'er 7hat He ha'e re'ealed unto thee) and shalt find all thy
doings recorded in the Boo6 7herein the 7or6s of all them that d7ell on earth) be they greater or less
than the 7eight of an atom) are noted do7n::::E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. >leanings from the Hritings of Bahullh/ p! LLM2
1-1-. Chief )bFecti1es of 4Abd",l-*ah+,s #inistry
@As to the three aims 7hich Shoghi Effendi has stated in his AAmerica and the <ost >reat 2eace to ha'e
been the chief obBecti'es of AAbdul0Bahs ministry) it should be pointed out that the first 7as the
establishment of the Cause in America: 3he erection of the Bah 3emple in A/shDbd and the building
on <t: Carmel of a mausoleum mar6ing the resting0place of the Bb 7ere the t7o remaining ones:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Decem)er 1N/ 1933.
Bah Ne7s/ o! @1/ <e)ruar5 193N/ p! @2
1-1/. E?periences with 4Abd",l-*ah+
@/t is 'ery important that the Bahs should accurately record their e?periences 7ith the <aster and
e'ents in the Causes progress for these things form data for future histories of the Cause: 3hey ha'e not)
ho7e'er) the authority of the re'ealed Hord of the 3ablets):::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L3/ 19N9. Bah Ne7s/ o! LL8/ <e)ruar5 19@1/ p! N2
1-10. %tories Abo"t 4Abd",l-*ah+
@He 7ould also urge you to attach no importance to the stories told about AAbdul0Bah or to those
attributed to Him by the friends: 3hese should be regarded in the same light as the notes and impressions
of 'isiting pilgrims: 3hey need not be suppressed) but they also should not be gi'en prominence or
official recognition:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Octo)er L/ 193@2
1-12. Day of the Co1enant@ Day of the Ascension
@3he 8ay of the Co'enant No': ,*th) and the 8ay of the Ascension) No': ,$th) anni'ersaries of the birth
and the Ascension of AAbdul0Bah) must be obser'ed by the friends coming together) but 7or6 is not
prohibited: /n other 7ords the friends must regard obser'ance of these t7o anni'ersaries as obligatoryQ
but suspension of 7or6 is not to be regarded as obligatory:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia and ew Pealand/ Eanuar5 L1/ 19@1.
=etters from the >uardian to Australia and Ne7 Vealand/ p! 892
1-23. 7hen the Interpreter of the 7ritin6s %ays :othin6 on a %"bFect then the Indi1id"al is Free to
Accept or .ef"te
@As regards 7hat <rC Abul aCl has said concerning the Se'en &eligions of the past) Shoghi Effendi
7ishes to emphasiCe that 7hat is truly authoritati'e are the 7ords of the <aster: /n all such cases 7e
should try and find out 7hat He has said and abide by His 7ords) e'en though they seem in conflict 7ith
the findings of modern scholars: /f He does not say anything on the subBect) then the indi'idual is free to
accept) or refute 7hat scholars) such as Abul aCl) say: 3hrough the discussion of these Fstatements by
scholarsG) the truth 7ill ultimately be found) but at no time should their decision be considered as final:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 L3/ 1933. 5n Hinduism) Buddhism and Voroastrianism
and &elated SubBects/ a compilation from the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ p! 12
1-21. Prayin6 to 4Abd",l-*ah+
@:::he 7ishes me to e?plain that although AAbdul0Bahs station is not that of a <anifestation of >od)
ne'ertheless supplications may be addressed to Him: /t is essential) ho7e'er) that e'ery belie'er should
realiCe that 7hile doing so he is directing his thoughts to7ards the <aster as an intermediary bet7een
him and the <anifestation) and not as the Source of 8i'ine &e'elation and spiritual guidance: 2ro'ided
this distinction is clearly established there can be no harm or obBection in addressing prayers to AAbdul0
Bah:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Decem)er 1/ 193N.
Bah Ne7s/ o! 89/ <e)ruar5 193@/ p! N2
1-22. !hro"6h 5im )ne Can Address *ah+,",ll+h
@/f you find you need to 'isualiCe someone 7hen you pray) thin6 of the <aster: 3hrough Him you can
address Bahullh: >radually try to thin6 of the Dualities of the <anifestation) and in that 7ay a mental
form 7ill fade out) for after all the body is not the thing: His Spirit is there and is the essential)
e'erlasting element:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 31/ 19N9. Bah Ne7s/ o! LLL/ (u$ust 19N9/ p! L2
1-2. Photo6raphs of 4Abd",l-*ah+
@/n connection 7ith the selection of particular photographs of AAbdul0Bah for circulation among the
friends) the >uardian strongly feels that no definite ruling should be laid do7n establishing the
superiority or distinction of any particular photograph: 3he friends should be left Duite free to use their
indi'idual independent Budgement in this matter:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ 6a5 1@/ 19N1. Bah
Ne7s/ o! 138/ 4eptem)er 19N1/ p! 12
1-2'. Photo6raph placed in a Di6nified Position
@/t is Duite important that the >reatest Name or a picture of AAbdul0Bah be placed in a dignified
position: 3hey should not be placed on the floor nor) on the other hand) should they be held abo'e the
heads of the people in the photograph: /t 7ould seem that the proper position 7ould be for them to be
held about chest height:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates. Bah Ne7s/ o! LM@/ 6arch
19@3/ p! N2
1-2(. Preser1ation of .elics
@&egarding the preser'ation of relics associated 7ith AAbdul0Bah) the general principle should be that
any obBect used by Him in person should be preser'ed for posterity) 7hether in the =ocal or the National
archi'es: /t is the duty and responsibility of the Bah Assemblies to ascertain carefully 7hether such
obBects are genuine or not) and to e?ercise the utmost care and caution in the matter:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eul5 L8/ 193M.
2rinciples of Bah Administration/ p! 3N2
1-2-. A6es of the Faith and Epochs of the A6es
@3he >uardian 7ishes me to e?plain that there is no relationship bet7een the epochs of the 8i'ine 2lan)
and the epochs of the Ages of the aith:
@3he aith is di'ided into three Ages! the Heroic) the ormati'e) the >olden Age) as has been outlined
in his 7ritings: 3he Heroic Age closed 7ith the Ascension of AAbdul0Bah: 3he ormati'e Age is
di'ided into epochs: 3he first epoch lasted ,1 years: He are no7 actually in the second epoch of the
ormati'e Age: Ho7 long the ormati'e Age 7ill last is not 6no7nQand there 7ill probably be a
number of epochs in it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eanuar5 18/ 19@32
1-2/. !he Di1ine Plan
@3he 8i'ine 2lan of AAbdul0Bah is di'ided into epochs: 3he first Se'en Mear 2lan constituted the first
stage of the first epochI the second Se'en Mear 2lan constitutes the second stage!Q7hile the "- year
Crusade 7ill constitute the third stage of the first epoch of the 8i'ine 2lan: 3he first epoch of the 8i'ine
2lan 7ill conclude 7ith the conclusion of the "- year Crusade:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eanuar5 18/ 19@32
1-20. !he !ablets of the Di1ine Plan Are the Charter for !eachin6
@As you are no doubt a7are) the 3ablets of the 8i'ine 2lan) 7hich 7ere re'ealed by AAbdul0Bah
during the irst Horld Har) are the Charter for the teaching of the aith: All the teaching plans launched
by the belo'ed >uardian) as 7ell as those subseDuently directed by the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice) are
stages in the implementation of this master plan concei'ed by the Centre of the Co'enant for the
diffusion of the <essage of Bahullh:E
1-22. Apostolic and 5eroic A6e of the Faith
@:::the Apostolic and Heroic Age of our aith fell into three distinct epochs) of nine) of thirty0nine and of
t7enty0nine years duration) associated respecti'ely 7ith the Babi 8ispensation and the ministries of
Bahullh and of AAbdul0Bah: 3his 2rimiti'e Age of the Bah Era) unapproached in spiritual
fecundity by any period associated 7ith the mission of the ounder of any pre'ious 8ispensation) 7as
impregnated) from its inception to its termination) 7ith the creati'e energies generated through the
ad'ent of t7o independent <anifestations and the establishment of a Co'enant uniDue in the spiritual
annals of man6ind:E
&<rom a letter of 4ho$hi Effendi to the (merican ,ah-*?s/ Eune @/ 19N02
1-3. !he Application of the !erm <Iron A6e=
@3he term A/ron Age suggests the age of labour) of constructionI a relati'ely primiti'e epoch as opposed
to a A>olden Age) an age of fulfilment) fruition) attainment:E
($ )idden +ords
1-1. !he <5idden 7ords=( 3ollection of %em+#ike :tterances
@:::the Hidden Hords 7as originally designated the AHidden Boo6 of timih) and 7as identified by its
Author 7ith the Boo6 of that same name) belie'ed by Shah /slm to be in the possession of the
promised Rim) and to consist of 7ords of consolation addressed by the angel >abriel) at >ods
command) to timih) and dictated to the /mm AAl) for the sole purpose of comforting her in her hour
of bitter anguish after the death of her illustrious ather: 3he significance of this dynamic spiritual
lea'en cast into the life of the 7orld for the reorientation of the minds of men) the edification of their
souls and the rectification of their conduct can best be Budged by the description of its character gi'en in
the opening passage by its Author! AThis is that which hath descended from the Realm of %lor5/ uttered
)5 the ton$ue of power and mi$ht/ and re"ealed unto the Prophets of old :::: E
&4ho$hi Effendi. >od 2asses By/ p! 1N12
1-2. !he #eanin6 of the :ame <5idden 7ords=
@Hith regard to your Duestion concerning the meaning of the name AHidden Hords: /t is) indeed) one of
the most suggesti'e titles of the Hritings of Bahullh: 3hese 7ords are called hidden due to the fact
that men ha'e had neither the 6no7ledge nor a true sense of appreciation of them before they 7ere
re'ealed by Bahullh: /t is through Him) Hho is the sole <outhpiece of >od in this age) that spiritual
realities and truths ha'e been once more reinterpreted and re'ealed afresh to man6ind: Bahullhs
<essage is thus the only 6ey to a true understanding of the mysteries that en'elop mans spiritual life:E
1-. !he 5idden 7ords 5a1e no %eC"ence
@3he Hidden Hords ha'e no seDuence: 3hey are Be7el0li6e thoughts cast out of the mind of the
<anifestation of >od to admonish and counsel men::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er LL/ 19N92
1-'. Passa6es in 7hich *ah+,",ll+h .efers to #an as <%on of %pirit=
@As to your second Duestion concerning those passages in the AHidden Hords in 7hich Bahullh
refers to man as ASon of Spirit) ASon of e?istence) ASon of humanity etc:) the 7ord Ason used in this
connection is a 6ind of collecti'e noun) meaning man6ind and has) therefore) no connotation of any se?
differentiation bet7een man and 7oman 7hate'er:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 19/ 193@2
1-(. 5idden 7ords MArabicN :o. 1 E?plained
@3hou hast as6ed about the statement in the Hidden Hords 7hich reads) A5 Son of SpiritL 3urn thy face
so that thou mayest find <e 7ithin thee) 2o7erful) <ighty) and Supreme: 3his is the statement to 7hich
His Holiness) the Christ) referred His Apostles in the >ospel) saying! A3he ather is in the Son and the
Son is in you:
E3his is e'ident that) 7hen the hearts are purified and through the di'ine education and hea'enly
teachings become the manifestators of infinite perfections) they are li6e clear mirrors and the Sun of
3ruth 7ill reflect 7ith might) po7er and omnipotence in such mirrors) and to such an e?tent that
7hatsoe'er is brought before them is illumined and ignited: 3his is a brief interpretation because of lac6
of time: 3herefore) do thou reflect and ponder o'er it) so that the doors of significance may be opened
before thine eyes:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. E;tract from Ta)let to Thornton 3hase/ Eune 1911. Star of the Hest/ >ol! II/ os! 0 and 8/ pp! 11+1L2
F$ Christ
1--. Date of *irth of 9es"s Christ
@&egarding the date of the birth of 9esus Christ! AAbdul0Bahs statement on this subBect should be
considered by the Bahs as the standard) and as the basis of their calculation:E
&<rom a letter dated Eul5 11/ 1939 written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er2
1-/. Christ@ Bir6in *irth of
@irst regarding the birth of 9esus Christ: /n light of 7hat Bahullh and AAbdul0Bah ha'e stated
concerning this subBect it is e'ident that 9esus came into this 7orld through the direct inter'ention of the
Holy Spirit) and that conseDuently His birth 7as Duite miraculous: 3his is an established fact) and the
friends need not feel at all surprised) as the belief in the possibility of miracles has ne'er been reBected in
the 3eachings: 3heir importance) ho7e'er) has been minimiCed:E
&<rom a letter dated Decem)er 31/ 1930 written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er2
1-0. #iracles are Always Possible
@Again 7ith regard to your Duestion relati'e to the birth of 9esus! He 7ishes me to inform you that there
is nothing further he can add to the e?planation he ga'e you in his pre'ious communication regarding
this point: 5ne thing) ho7e'er) he 7ishes again to bring to your attention) namely that miracles are
al7ays possible) e'en though they do not constitute a regular channel 7hereby >od re'eals His po7er to
man6ind: 3o reBect miracles on the ground that they imply a breach of the la7s of nature is a 'ery
shallo7) 7ell0nigh a stupid argument) inasmuch as >od Hho is the Author of the uni'erse can) in His
Hisdom and 5mnipotence) bring any change) no matter ho7 temporary) in the operation of the la7s
7hich He Himself has created:
@3he 3eachings do not tell us of any miraculous birth besides that of 9esus:E
&<rom a letter dated <e)ruar5 L0/ 1938 written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er2
1-2. *ah+,; !eachin6s in A6reement with Doctrines of Catholic Ch"rch Concernin6 the Bir6in
*irth
@Hith regard to your Duestion concerning the Pirgin Birth of 9esus! 5n this point) as on se'eral others)
the Bah 3eachings are in full agreement 7ith the doctrines of the Catholic Church: /n the A;itb0i0
UDn FBoo6 of CertitudeG p: 1*) and in a fe7 other 3ablets still unpublished) Bahullh confirms)
ho7e'er indirectly) the Catholic conception of the Pirgin Birth: Also AAbdul0Bah in the ASome
Ans7ered Ruestions) Chap: O//) p: +%) e?plicitly states that AChrist found e?istence through the Spirit
of >od 7hich statement necessarily implies) 7hen 'ie7ed in the light of the te?t) that 9esus 7as not the
son of 9oseph:E
&<rom a letter dated Octo)er 1N/ 19N@ written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er2
1-'3. Christ,s *rothers and %isters 7ere *orn in the :at"ral 7ay
@He belie'e that Christ only 7as concei'ed immaculately: His brothers and sisters 7ould ha'e been
born in the natural 7ay and concei'ed naturally:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to Dr! 4hook/ o"em)er 19/ 19N@. Bah Ne7s/ o! L11/ p! 3/ (u$ust 19N82
1-'1. 5i6h %tation of #ary<alse accusations
@/t 7ould be sacrilege for a Bah to belie'e that the parents of 9esus 7ere illegally married and that the
latter 7as conseDuently of an illegal union: Such a possibility cannot be e'en concei'ed by a belie'er
7ho recogniCes the high station of <ary and the 8i'ine 2rophethood of 9esus Christ: /t is this same false
accusation 7hich the people of His 8ay attributed to <ary that Bahullh indirectly repudiated in the
UDn: 3he only alternati'e therefore is to admit that the birth of 9esus has been miraculous: 3he operation
of miracles is not necessarily irrational or illogical: /t does by no means constitute a limitation of the
5mnipotence of >od: 3he belief in the possibilities of miracles) on the contrary) implies that >ods
po7er is beyond any limitation 7hatsoe'er: or it is only logical to belie'e that the Creator) Hho is the
sole Author of all the la7s operating in the uni'erse) is abo'e them and can) therefore) if He deems it
necessary) alter them at His 57n Hill: He) as humans) cannot possibly attempt to read His <ind) and to
fully grasp His Hisdom: <ystery is therefore an inseparable part of true religion) and as such) should be
recogniCed by the belie'ers:E
&<rom a letter of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 1/ 193@. Canadian Bah Ne7s/ <e)ruar5 19M8/ p! 112
1-'2. <Do1e= %imply a #etaphor
@::: 3he story about the do'e is simply a metaphor: No do'e came do7n: Amongst the people) 9ohn the
Baptist felt that the Holy Spirit 7as in Christ: 3he Holy Spirit 7as al7ays 7ith Christ: He 6ne7 about
His mission from early childhood:E
&Words of '()du*l+,ah-. Star of the Hest/ >ol! QI>/ p! L0N2
1-'. !he *ah+,; Faith .eco6niHes the Di1ine )ri6in of Christianity and the Immac"lacy of the
Bir6in #ary
@As to the position of Christianity) let it be stated 7ithout any hesitation or eDui'ocation that its di'ine
origin is unconditionally ac6no7ledged) that the Sonship and 8i'inity of 9esus Christ are fearlessly
asserted) that the di'ine inspiration of the >ospel is fully recogniCed) that the reality of the mystery of
the /mmaculacy of the Pirgin <ary is confessed) and the primacy of 2eter) the 2rince of the Apostles) is
upheld and defended: 3he ounder of the Christian aith is designated by Bahullh as the A4pirit of
%od) is proclaimed as the 5ne Hho Aappeared out of the )reath of the 7ol5 %host) and is e'en e?tolled
as the AEssence of the Spirit: His mother is described as Athat "eiled and immortal/ that most )eauteous
countenance) and the station of her Son eulogiCed as a Astation which hath )een e;alted a)o"e the
ima$inin$s of all that dwell on earth) 7hilst 2eter is recogniCed as one 7hom >od has caused Athe
m5steries of wisdom and of utterance to flow out of his mouth::::E
&4ho$hi Effendi. 3he 2romised 8ay is Come/ pp! 119+1112
1-''. .e6ardin6 the %tation of 9es"sAll Prophets can be .e6arded as %ons of Dod for they All
.eflect 5is &i6ht
@As regards your Duestions concerning the station of 9esus Christ) and His return as e?plained in the
>ospel: /t is true that 9esus referred to Himself as the Son of >od) but this) as e?plained by Bahullh
in the UDn) does not indicate any physical relationship 7hate'er: /ts meaning is entirely spiritual) and
points out to the close relationship e?isting bet7een Him and the Almighty >od: Nor does it necessarily
indicate any inherent superiority in the station of 9esus o'er other 2rophets and <essengers: As far as
their spiritual nature is concerned all 2rophets can be regarded as Sons of >od) as they all reflect His
light) though not in an eDual measure) and this difference in reflection is due to the conditions and
circumstances under 7hich they appear:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er L9/ 19302
1-'(. Accordin6 to the Dospel 9es"s Da1e )nly !wo #aterial )rdinances
@:::in regard to the material ordinances and ceremonies instituted by 9esus) the >uardian 7ould suggest
that you should point out that) only so far as it is recorded in the >ospel) 9esus ga'e t7o material
ordinances only: 5ur 6no7ledge of 9esus life and teachings is rather fragmentary and so it 7ould be
more correct if you specify that these ordinances are only those recorded in the >ospel) and they may
not be the only ones: 3here may be other teachings and ordinances too) of 7hich no record is left:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 1L/ 19332
1-'-. !he Cr"cifi?ion as .ecorded in the :ew !estament is Correct
::: 3hough 7e cannot imagine e?actly 7hat the <anifestations of the remote past 7ere li6e) 7e can be
sure of t7o things! 3hey must ha'e been able to reach their fello70men in a normal mannerQas
Bahullh reached His generation) and 3hey 7ere sent from >od and thus 8i'ine Beings: 3he
crucifi?ion as recounted in the Ne7 3estament is correct: 3he meaning of the Ruranic 'ersion is that the
spirit of Christ 7as not crucified: 3here is no conflict bet7een the t7o:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 1N/ 19N32
1-'/. !he Father 5imself has Come and F"lfilled the #ission of Christ the %on
@A Catholic bac6ground is an e?cellent introduction to the aith) and one that <rs: :::should feel
gratified for ha'ing had: 3hough doctrines of the church today are no longer neededQas the ather
Himself has come) and thus fulfilled the mission of Christ the SonQyet the foundation they lay of
spiritual discipline) and their emphasis on spiritual 'alues and adherence to moral la7s) is 'ery important
and 'ery close to our o7n beliefs:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to two )elie"ers/ (u$ust 10/ 19N12
1-'0. *ah+,;s do not *elie1e in a *odily .es"rrection After the Cr"cifi?ion
@::: He do not belie'e that there 7as a bodily resurrection after the Crucifi?ion of Christ) but that there
7as a time after His Ascension 7hen His disciples percei'ed spiritually His true greatness and realiCed
He 7as eternal in being: 3his is 7hat has been reported symbolically in the Ne7 3estament and been
misunderstood: His eating 7ith His disciples after the resurrection is the same thing:E
1-'2. *ah+,;s %ho"ld !ry to Find a %pirit"al #eanin6 to the %o-Called #irac"lo"s E1ents
.ecorded in the Dospel
@Concerning the resurrection of Christ) he 7ishes to call your attention to the fact that in this as 7ell as
in practically all the so0called miraculous e'ents recorded in the >ospel 7e should) as Bahs) see6 to
find a spiritual meaning and to entirely discard the physical interpretation attached to them by many of
the Christian sects: 3he resurrection of Christ 7as) indeed) not physical but essentially spiritual) and is
symbolic of the truth that the reality of man is to be found not in his physical constitution) but in his
soul: A careful perusal of the AUDn and of the ASome Ans7ered Ruestions ma6es this indubitably
clear:E
&<rom a letter written to an indi"idual )elie"er on )ehalf of the %uardian/ (u$ust 1N/ 193N2
1-(3. 9es"s Christ Established *eyond a Do"bt the Primacy of PeterA
@No7 7ith regard to your Duestions: irst concerning the statement of 9esus Christ A3hou art 2eter and
upon this roc6 etc:I this saying of 9esus establishes beyond any doubt the primacy of 2eter and also the
principle of succession) but is not e?plicit enough regarding the nature and functioning of the Church
itself: 3he Catholics ha'e read too much into that statement) and deri'ed from it certain conclusions
7hich are Duite unBustifiable:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er 0/ 19382
O&4ee also. os! @NL/ 1MN32
1-(1. .e6ardin6 the %i6ns that 7o"ld 5erald the Ad1ent of the :ew #anifestation
@No7 as regards the signs that 7ould herald the ad'ent of the ne7 <anifestation: 3he >uardian 7ishes
you to read o'er 'ery carefully Bahullhs e?planation as recorded in the AUDn: 3here it is made
clear that 7hat is meant by the appearance of the Son of >od after the calamitous e'ents preceding His
coming is the re'elation of His full glory and its recognition and acceptance by the peoples of the 7orld)
and not his physical appearance: or Bahullh) Hhose ad'ent mar6s the return of the Son in the >lory
of the ather) has already appeared) and the signs predicted in the >ospel ha'e not yet fully been
realiCed: 3heir complete fulfilment) ho7e'er) 7ould mar6 the beginning of the recognition of His full
station by the peoples of the 7orld: 3hen and only then 7ill His appearance be made completely
manifest:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er L9/ 19302
1-(2. !he >"r,+n Concernin6 Christ
@&egarding the passage you enclosed about the Rurn! /n reality there is no contradiction at allI 7hen
the Rurn denies Christ is the Son of >od it is not refuting His Hords but the false interpretation of
them by the Christians 7ho read into them a relationship of an almost corporeal nature) 7hereas
Almighty >od has no parents or offspring: Hhat is meant by Christ) is His spirits relation to the /nfinite
Spirit) and this the Rurn does not deny: /t is in a sense attributableQthis 6ind of SonshipQto all the
2rophets:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 19/ 19N@2
1-(. !he .eformation 7as a Challen6e to #an-#ade )r6aniHation of the Ch"rch
@Hhat contribution the &eformation did really ma6e 7as to seriously challenge) and partly undermine)
the edifice 7hich the athers of the Church had themsel'es reared) and to discard and demonstrate the
purely human origin of the elaborate doctrines) ceremonies and institutions 7hich they had de'ised: 3he
&eformation 7as a right challenge to the man0made organiCation of the Church) and as such 7as a step
in ad'ance: /n its origins) it 7as a reflection of the ne7 spirit 7hich Uslm had released) and a >od0sent
punishment to those 7ho had refused to embrace its truth:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er L8/ 193M2
1-('. !he Period of !"rmoil which Accompanies a :ew #anifestation
@3he passage in the >ospel of <atthe7 "#!%-Qis a reference to the period of turmoil that accompanies
the appearance of a ne7 <anifestation) at 7hich time the humble and the lo7ly 7ho accept the ne7
&e'elation 7ill be raised and the out7ardly high) but in7ardly corrupt and lo7) 7ill be abased and
degraded:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 1N/ 19382
1-((. Ecclesiastes 12K-6an*s e$lect of %od
@3he passage in Ecclesiastes ",!* should be interpreted allegorically) and not be ta6en in its literal
meaning: /t has reference to the effect of mans neglect of >od his creator:E
&I)id!2
1-(-. !here is a %par$ of Di1inity in #an
@/n the boo6 of >enesis "!,*Q3his passage simply means that there is a spar6 of di'inity in man) and
not that man is co0eDual 7ith the <anifestation of >od: Again the friends should a'oid literal
interpretations of the Bible:E
&I)id!2
1-(/. .eference to *ah+,",ll+h in %t. 9ohn
@3he passage in the >ospel of St: 9ohn "(!,*) is a reference to the &e'elation of Bahullh) through
Hhose coming this prophecy 7as fulfilled:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril L1/ 19392
1-(0. 7e do not *elie1e in Denesis &iterallyThe World was not 3reated in 4e"en Da5s
@He Bahs do not belie'e in >enesis literally: He 6no7 this 7orld 7as not created in se'en days) or
si?) or eight) but e'ol'ed gradually o'er a period of millions of years) as science has pro'ed: As to 7here
the idea of a se'en0day 7ee6 originated) it is certainly 'ery ancient and you should refer to scholars for
an ans7er:@
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L8/ 19N92
1-(2. !he Eears of :oah are not Eears as we Co"nt !hem and 7e Cannot %"bstantiate %tories of
the )ld !estament
@3he years of Noah are not years as 7e count them) and as our teachings do not state that this reference
to years means His dispensation) 7e cannot interpret it this 7ay:
@He ha'e no 7ay of substantiating the stories of the 5ld 3estament other than references to them in
our teachings) so 7e cannot say e?actly 7hat happened at the battle of 9ericho:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er L@/ 19@12
1--3. 7hen 4Abd",l-*ah+ %tates that 7e *elie1e 7hat is in the *ible@ 5e #eans in %"bstance
@Hhen AAbdul0Bah states 7e belie'e 7hat is in the Bible) He means in substance: Not that 7e belie'e
e'ery 7ord of it to be ta6en literally or that e'ery 7ord is the authentic saying of the 2rophet:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er and cited on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ 6arch 13/
198M in a letter to a )elie"er2
G$ Isla&
1--1. !he Date of *irth of #" ammad is 8n$nown
@3here is a disagreement among 5riental scholars relati'e to the e?act date of the birth of <u ammad:
Mou should refer to authorities on the subBect) such as Sale) 7hose translation of the Rurn has become
almost classical:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 11/ 1939. Bah Ne7s/ o! 1ML/ p! @/ (pril 19N32
1--2. *iblical .eferences to #" ammad and 4Al;
@&eferences in the Bible to A<t: 2aran and A2araclete refer to enesis ,"!,") Numbers ",!"*) Numbers "%!%: >enesis "+!,- refers to the t7el'e /mms and in
the &e'elation of St: 9ohn) chapter "") 7here it mentions t7o 7itnesses) it refers to <u ammad and
AAl:
@3he figures ",#- date from the declaration of <u ammad) ten years before His flight to <edina:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia and ew Pealand/ Decem)er LM/ 19N12
1--. Islam
@/slm attained a 'ery high spiritual state) but 7estern scholars are prone to Budging it by Christian
standards: 5ne cannot call one 7orld aith superior to another) as they all come from >odI they are
progressi'e) each suited to certain needs of the times:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian )5 his secretar5 to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 19/ 19N@. Bah Ne7s/ o! L11/ p! 3/
(u$ust 19N82
1--'. #" ammad,s !eachin6s 5ei6htened and D"arded the Ca"se of 5"man De1elopment
@Shoghi Effendi hopes that your lectures 7ill not only ser'e to deepen the 6no7ledge of the belie'ers in
the doctrines and culture of /slm) but 7ill set their hearts afire 7ith the lo'e of e'erything that 'itally
pertains to <u ammad and His aith:
@3here is so much misunderstanding about /slm in the Hest in general that you ha'e to dispel: Mour
tas6 is rather difficult and reDuires a good deal of erudition: Mour chief tas6 is to acDuaint the friends
7ith the pure teachings of the 2rophet as recorded in the Rurn) and then to point out ho7 these
teachings ha'e) throughout succeeding ages) influenced nay guided the course of human de'elopment: /n
other 7ords you ha'e to sho7 the position and significance of /slm in the history of ci'iliCation:
@3he Bah 'ie7 on that subBect is that the 8ispensation of <u ammad) li6e all other 8i'ine
8ispensations) has been fore0ordained) and that as such forms an integral part of the 8i'ine plan for the
spiritual) moral and social) de'elopment of man6ind: /t is not an isolated religious phenomenon) but is
closely and historically related to the 8ispensation of Christ) and those of the Bb and Bahullh: /t
7as intended by >od to succeed Christianity) and it 7as therefore the duty of the Christians to accept it
as firmly as they had adhered to the religion of Christ:
@Mou should also cautiously emphasiCe the truth that due to the historical order of its appearance) and
also because of the ob'iously more ad'anced character of its teachings) /slm constitutes a fuller
re'elation of >ods purpose for man6ind: 3he so0called Christian ci'iliCation of 7hich the &enaissance
is one of the most stri6ing manifestations is essentially <uslim in its origins and foundations: Hhen
medie'al Europe 7as plunged in dar6est barbarism) the Arabs regenerated and transformed by the spirit
released by the religion of <u ammad 7ere busily engaged in establishing a ci'iliCation the li6e of
7hich their contemporary Christians in Europe had ne'er 7itnessed before: /t 7as e'entually through
Arabs that ci'iliCation 7as introduced to the Hest: /t 7as through them that the philosophy) science and
culture 7hich the old >ree6s had de'eloped found their 7ay to Europe: 3he Arabs 7ere the ablest
translators) and linguists of their age) and it is than6s to them that the 7ritings of such 7ell06no7n
thin6ers as Socrates) 2lato and Aristotle 7ere made a'ailable to the Hesterners: /t is 7holly unfair to
attribute the efflorescence of European culture during the &enaissance period to the influence of
Christianity: /t 7as mainly the product of the forces released by the ospels: 3here are infinitely more la7s and institutions in the Rurn than in the >ospel: Hhile the
latters emphasis is mainly) not to say 7holly) on indi'idual and personal conduct) the Rurn stresses
the importance of society: 3his social emphasis acDuires added importance and significance in the Bah
&e'elation: Hhen carefully and impartially compared) the Rurn mar6s a definite ad'ancement on the
>ospel) from the standpoint of spiritual and humanitarian progress:
@3he truth is that Hestern historians ha'e for many centuries distorted the facts to suit their religious
and ancestral preBudices: 3he Bahs should try to study history ane7) and to base all their
in'estigations first and foremost on the 7ritten Scriptures of /slm and Christianity:[
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril L0/ 193M2
1--(. Clarification of Certain Iss"es .e6ardin6 Isl+m@ the Im+m 5"sayn@ the Imamate@ etc.
@AAls appointment 7as clear to the ;halifs) 7ho actually disregarded the 2rophets oral statements:
@3he usurpation occurred immediately after the 2rophets death:
@AAl did not feel unDualified) but 7ished to a'oid schism) 7hich) unfortunately) could not be
pre'ented:
@3he schisms that ha'e afflicted the religions preceding the aith of Bahullh establish its
distinction from all pre'ious &e'elations) and single it out among all other 8ispensations) as stated by
AAbdul0Bah:
@3he guidance 'ouchsafed to the /mms regarding the la7s and institutions of /slm 7as absolute and
unDualified: 3heir infallibility 7as deri'ed directly from the <anifestation:
@3he Bbs descent from the /mm Husayn is no doubt a proof of the 'alidity of the /mamate:
According to Nabl the dream the Bb had made him first conscious of His &e'elation:
@3he precedence of the name Husayn o'er AAl does establish the greatness of /mm Husayn:
@/mm Husayn has) as attested by the UDn) been endo7ed 7ith special grace and po7er among the
/mms) hence the mystical reference to Bahullh as the return of /mm Husayn) meaning the
&e'elation in Bahullh of those attributes 7ith 7hich /mm Husayn had been specifically endo7ed:
@9oseph 7as one of the ASent 5nes of the Rurn) meaning a <anifestation of >od:
@3he friends should uphold /slm as a re'ealed &eligion in teaching the Cause but need not ma6e) at
present) any particular attempt to teach it solely and directly to non0Bahs at this time:
@3he mission of the American Bahs is) no doubt) to e'entually establish the truth of /slm in the
Hest:
@3he spirit of /slm) no doubt) 7as the li'ing germ of modern Ci'iliCationI 7hich deri'ed its impetus
from the /slamic culture in the <iddle Ages) a culture that 7as the fruit of the aith of "r,+n
@/t is certainly most difficult to thoroughly grasp all the STrihs of the Rurn) as it reDuires a detailed
6no7ledge of the social) religious and historical bac6ground of Arabia at the time of the appearance of
the 2rophet: 3he belie'ers cannot possibly hope) therefore) to understand the STrihs after the first or
e'en second or third reading: 3hey ha'e to study them again and again) ponder o'er their meaning) 7ith
the help of certain commentaries) and e?planatory notes as found) for instance in the admirable
translation made by Sale) endea'or to acDuire as clear and correct understanding of their meaning and
import as possible: 3his is naturally a slo7 process) but future generations of belie'ers 7ill certainly
come to grasp it: or the present) the >uardian agrees) that it 7ould be easier and more helpful to study
the boo6 according to subBects) and not 'erse by 'erse and also in the light of the Bbs) Bahullhs)
and AAbdul0Bahs interpretations 7hich thro7 such floods of light on the 7hole of the Rurn:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust LL/ 1939. Bah Ne7s) o! 13N/ pp! L+3/ 6arch 19N12
1--/. #eanin6 of <9in= or <Denii=
@&egarding your Duestion as to the meaning of 9in or >enii referred to in the Rurn) these are not
beings or creatures that are actually li'ing) but are symbolic references to the po7er of men of e'il and
may be li6ened to e'il spirits: But the point to bear in mind is that these ha'e no positi'e e?istence of
any 6ind:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune LM/ 193M. Bah Ne7s/ o! 11@/ p! 1/ <e)ruar5 19302
1--0. Caliphate and Imamate
@Both Caliphate and /mamate means successorship: Either term could be used:E
1--2. #" ammad %ays !hat the 9ews Did not Cr"cify Christ
@&egarding your Duestion relati'e to STrih () "1* of the @RurnE in 7hich <u ammad says that the
9e7s did not crucify 9esus) the Christ) but one li6e HimI 7hat is meant by this passage is that although
the 9e7s succeeded in destroying the physical body of 9esus) yet they 7ere impotent to destroy the
di'ine reality in Him:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 19/ 19382
1-/3. #" ammadanism is a F"ller .e1elation than any )ne Precedin6 it
@::: <u ammadanism is not only the last of the 7orld religions) but a fuller &e'elation than any one
preceding it: 3he Rurn is not only more authoritati'e than any pre'ious religious gospel) but it
contains also much more ordinances) teachings and precepts) 7hich ta6en together constitute a fuller
&e'elation of >ods purpose and la7 to man6ind than Christianity) 9udaism or any other pre'ious
8ispensation: 3his 'ie7 is in complete accord 7ith the Bah philosophy of progressi'e re'elation) and
should be thoroughly accepted and taught by e'ery loyal Christian Bah:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 1L/ 19332
1-/1. #" ammad,s !eachin6s Fostered the :ational %tate
@&egarding your Duestions! /t is not the City State) but the National State 7hich <u ammads teachings
fostered: Christ had nothing to do 7ith the City State concept in any direct manner:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er LL/ 19N92
1-/2. !he Pl"rality of 7i1es in #"slim Co"ntries Does not Conform 7ith the !eachin6s of
#" ammad
@Concerning the Duestion of plurality of 7i'es among the <uslims! 3his practice current in all /slamic
countries does not conform 7ith the e?plicit teachings of the 2rophet <u ammad: or the Rurn) 7hile
permitting the marriage of more than one 7ife) positi'ely states that this is conditioned upon absolute
Bustice: And since absolute Bustice is impossible to enforce) it follo7s) therefore) that polygamy cannot
and should not be practised: 3he Rurn) therefore) enBoins monogamy and not polygamy as has hitherto
been understood:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 L9/ 19392
1-/. Im+m 5"sayn
@3he names of those cited in Bahullhs prayer in the 8ispensation are Duite correct as you ha'e
them:N
OThe names of those whom ,ah-*u*ll-h identifies 7imself with in this pra5er are. ()raham/ 6oses/ Eoseph/ Eohn the ,aptist/ Eesus/ Im-m
7usa5n/ and the ,-)! 4ee e;tract 1@M0
@3he 2rophets Aregarded as 5ne and the same person include the =esser 2rophets as 7ell) and not
merely 3hose Hho bring a ABoo6: 3he station is different) but they are 2rophets and 3heir nature thus
different from that of ours:
@/n the prayer mentioned abo'e Bahullh identifies Himself 7ith /mm Husayn: 3his does not ma6e
him a 2rophet) but his position 7as 'ery uniDue) and 7e 6no7 Bahullh claims to be the Areturn of
the /mm Husayn: He) in other 7ords) identifies His Spirit 7ith these Holy Souls gone beforeI that does
not) of course) ma6e Him in any 7ay their reincarnation: Nor does it mean all of them 7ere 2rophets:
@Mour constant and de'oted Bah ser'ices are deeply 'alued by the >uardian) you may be sure) and
he 7ill pray in the Holy Shrines that your labours may be blessed and your po7er to confirm the souls
increased:E
)$ Israel
1-/'. Israel
@3he 7ord /srael) used throughout the Bible) simply refers to the 9e7ish people) and not to the chosen
ones of this day:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril L1/ 19392
1-/(. Position of 9er"salem
@:::7hereas 9erusalem is the spiritual center of Christendom it is not the administrati'e centre of either
the Church of &ome or any other Christian denomination: =i6e7ise) although it is regarded by <oslems
as the spot 7here one of its most sacred shrines is situated) the Holy Sites of the <u ammadan aith
and the centre of its pilgrimages are to be found in Arabia) not in 2alestine: 3he 9e7s alone offer
some7hat of a parallel to the attachment 7hich the Bahs ha'e for this country inasmuch as 9erusalem
holds the remains of their Holy 3emple and 7as the seat of both the religious and political institutions
associated 7ith their past history: But e'en their case differs in one respect from that of the Bahs) for
it is in the soil of 2alestine that the three Central igures of our religion are buried) and it is not only the
centre of Bah pilgrimages from all o'er the 7orld but also the permanent seat of our Administrati'e
5rder::::E
&<rom a letter of 4ho$hi Effendi to the 3hairman of the :nited ations 4pecial 3ommittee on Palestine/ Eul5 1N/ 19N0. Bah Ne7s/ o!
199/ 4eptem)er 19N0/ p! 32
1-/-. All Palestine to *ecome 5ome
@Mou can see that from all the parts of the 7orld tribes of 9e7s are coming to the Holy =andI they li'e in
'illages and lands 7hich they ma6e their o7n) and day by day they are increasing to such an e?tent) that
all 2alestine 7ill become their home:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Some Ans7ered Ruestions/ p! MM/ 198@ ed!2
1-//. Datherin6 of Israel
@Mou ha'e as6ed <e a Duestion 7ith regard to the gathering of the children of /srael in 9erusalem in
accordance 7ith the prophecy:
@9erusalem) the Holy of Holies) is a re'ered 3emple) a sublime name) for it is the City of >od::: 3he
gathering of /srael at 9erusalem means) therefore) and prophesies) that /srael as a 7hole is gathering
beneath the banner of >od and 7ill enter the ;ingdom of the Ancient of 8ays: or the celestial
9erusalem) 7hich has as its center the Holy of Holies) is a City of the ;ingdom) a 8i'ine City: 3he East
and Hest are but a small corner of that City:
@<oreo'er) materially as 7ell Fas spirituallyG) the /sraelites 7ill gather in the Holy =and: 3his is
irrefutable prophecy) for the ignominy 7hich /srael has suffered for 7ell0nigh t7enty0fi'e hundred years
7ill no7 be changed into eternal glory) and in the eyes of all) the 9e7ish people 7ill become glorified to
such an e?tent as to dra7 the Bealousy of its enemies and the en'y of its friends:E
&(ccordin$ to information recei"ed )5 the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates se"eral 5ears a$o this Ta)let was re"ealed )5
the 6aster in the 5ear 1890 to a Eewish 3ommunit5 in the Orient. Bah Ne7s/ o! L@1/ Decem)er 19@1/ p! @2
1-/0. 9o"rney of the Israelites
@/t 7as both spiritual and physical: 3hey Bourneyed to the 2romised =and and geography and history
both pro'e that this 7as a physical Bourney:
@<oses 'ie7ed the 2romised =and but died before it 7as reached) ha'ing gi'en o'er his charge to
9oshua:
@3he crossing of the &ed Sea has a spiritual meaning: /t 7as a spiritual Bourney) through and abo'e the
sea of corruption and iniDuity of the 2haraoh and his people) or army: By the help of >od through
<oses) the /sraelites 7ere able to cross this sea safely and reach the 2romised =and Fspiritual stateG
7hile 2haraoh and his people 7ere dro7ned in their o7n corruption:
@3he Egyptian History recorded e'en trifling e'ents: Had such a 7onderful thing happened as the
parting of the physical sea it 7ould also ha'e been recorded:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 8aily =essons &ecei'ed at A66a/ p! N@/ 1909 ed!2
1-/2. Erroneo"s *elief
@3he belief) according to 7hich 9udah represents the 9e7s and /srael the Chosen people) is erroneous:E
1-03. !en !ribes of Israel
@3he 3eachings thro7 no light on the Duestion as to 7hat became of the ten tribes of /srael) or 7hether
they 7ere absorbed into some other nation or not:E
&I)id!2
1-01. !he 9ews 5a1e a Dreat %pirit"al Destiny and 7ill Enter the Faith in &ar6e Dro"ps
@&egarding your Duestion concerning the future of the 9e7s! 3hey certainly ha'e) as e?plicitly stated by
the <aster) a great spiritual destiny) and 7ill gradually enter the aith in large groups:E
1-02. Dree$ Philosophers Bisited Israel,s %cholars and .eli6io"s &eaders
@/t is furthermore a matter of record in numerous historical 7or6s that the philosophers of >reece such
as 2ythagoras acDuired the maBor part of their philosophy) both di'ine and material) from the disciples of
Solomon: And Socrates after ha'ing eagerly Bourneyed to meet 7ith some of /sraels most illustrious
scholars and di'ines) on his return to >reece established the concept of the oneness of >od and the
continuing life of the human soul after it has put off its elemental dust: Jltimately) the ignorant among
the >ree6s denounced this man 7ho had fathomed the inmost mysteries of 7isdom) and rose up to ta6e
his lifeI and then the populace forced the hand of their ruler) and in council assembled they caused
Socrates to drin6 from the poisoned cup:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 4ecret of Di"ine 3i"iliJation/ p! 00/ 190@ ed!2
I$ 'ro-hets and 'ro-hecies of 6arious Religions
1-0. *ah+,",ll+h is the C"lmination of the Adamic Cycle and the Ina"6"rator of the *ah+,; Cycle
@3he Adamic Cycle inaugurated *--- years ago by the <anifestation of >od called Adam is only one of
the many bygone cycles: Bahullh) as you say) is the culmination of the Adamic Cycle: He is also the
/naugurator of the Bah Cycle:
@5b'iously there must ha'e been 2rophets and <anifestations in the ages preceding the Adamic
Cycle: 3his is supported by the follo7ing statement re'ealed by Bahullh:
AAnd no7 regarding thy Duestion) @Ho7 is it that no records are to be found concerning the
2rophets that ha'e preceded Adam) the ather of <an6ind) or of the ;ings that li'ed in the
days of those 2rophetsSE ;no7 thou that the absence of any reference to them is no proof
that they did not actually e?ist: 3hat no records concerning them are no7 a'ailable) should
be attributed to their e?treme remoteness) as 7ell as to the 'ast changes 7hich the earth hath
undergone since their time:
@Hith regard to your Duestion about the creation story) 7e are as6ed to Duote the follo7ing from an
unpublished 3ablet of AAbdul0Bah:
A;no7 ye that the 3orah is that 7hich 7as re'ealed in the 3ablets to <oses) may peace be
upon Him) or that to 7hich He 7as bidden: But the stories are historical narrati'es and 7ere
7ritten after <oses) may peace be upon Him:
@Concerning the story of Adam and E'e) AAbdul0Bah) in ASome Ans7ered Ruestions) e?plains that
it cannot be ta6en literally: Mou are as6ed to refer to pages ",,0",* of this boo6 for the symbolic
meaning of the story:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 13/ 198M2
1-0'. *"ddha 7as a #anifestation &i$e Christ
@3he Buddha 7as a <anifestation of >od) li6e Christ) but His follo7ers do not possess His authentic
7ritings:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia and ew Pealand/ Decem)er LM/ 19N1.
=etters from the >uardian to Australia and Ne7 Vealand/ 19L3+19@0/ p! N12
1-0(. Conf"ci"s 7as not a Prophet *"t a Dreat .eformer
@Confucius 7as not a 2rophet: /t is Duite correct to say he is the founder of a moral system and a great
reformer:E
&I)id!2
1-0-. Daniel@ Prophecies of
@As regards the Duestion concerning prophecies of 8aniel in Some Ans7ered Ruestions::: 3he se'enty
7ee6s comes right to the martyrdom of Christ: 3he si?ty0nine 7ee6s must be understood to mean that
after *# 7ee6s He 7as crucified) 7hich) as the <aster points out) brings us to the last 7ee6) the 7ee6
bet7een *# and +-) 7hen He ascended:E
1-0/. Gin6 Da1id
@3he 8a'id referred to by the Bb) and stated by Him to ha'e preceded <oses) is not the same one as
;ing 8a'id) the father of ;ing Solomon) 7ho li'ed in the tenth century B:C: and 7ho ob'iously li'ed
many years) and indeed many centuries after <oses: AAbdul0Bah has e?plained this in a 3ablet:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ <e)ruar5 10/ 1939. 8a7n of a Ne7 8ay/ pp!
0M+002
1-00. Denesis 22K24acrifice of Ishmael
@As to the Duestion raised by the &acine Assembly in connection 7ith Bahullhs statement in the
A>leanings concerning the sacrifice of /shmael! Although this statement does not agree 7ith that made
in the Bible) >enesis ,,!#) the friends should unhesitatingly) and for reasons that are only too ob'ious)
gi'e precedence to the sayings of Bahullh 7hich) it should be pointed out) are fully corroborated by
the Rurn) 7hich boo6 is more authentic than the Bible including both the Ne7 and the 5ld
3estaments: 3he Bible is not 7holly authentic) and in this respect is not to be compared 7ith the Rurn)
and should be 7holly subordinated to the authentic 7ritings of Bahullh:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eul5 L8/ 193M. Bah
Ne7s/ o! 113/ p! 1/ Octo)er 193M2
1-02. &ot
@>enesis O/O) ,#0%$Qthe te?t ma6es it Duite clear that =ot 7as not responsible for the action
committed by His t7o daughters) as they ga'e him 7ine and made him drun6:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi. 8a7n of a Ne7 8ay/ p! L112
1-23. RoroasterWas not ()raham
@Voroaster 7as not AbrahamI the <uslims) some of them) contend that they 7ere the same) but 7e
belie'e they 7ere t7o distinct 2rophets: 3here is a misunderstanding in the reference in ABah 2roofs
to this matter:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi. =etters from the >uardian to Australia and Ne7 Vealand/ p! N12
1-21. *e6innin6 of Roroastrian Era
@": &egarding the beginning of the Voroastrian era) in one of His 3ablets AAbdul0Bah states that
Voroaster li'ed about +1- years after <osesI in a letter to an indi'idual belie'er the >uardians secretary
7rote on his behalf! AVoroaster li'ed about a thousand years before Christ: 3here is no e?act date in the
teachings regarding the beginning of His 8ispensation:
@,: Concerning your second Duestion referring to a purported 3ablet of the Bb stating that there 7ere
thirty Voroasters) the &esearch 8epartment states that no te?t from the Bb has been found on this
subBect: Ho7e'er) <rC Abul0aCal has stated in his 7ritings that there appeared in Urn many prophets
prior to the 8ispensation of Voroaster:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ Department of the 4ecretariat/ 6a5 13/ 1909/ to 6rs! %a5le Woolson2
1-22. 5ind" .eli6ion
@::: 3he origins of this and many other religions that abound in /ndia are not Duite 6no7n to us) and e'en
the 5rientalists and the students of religions are not in complete accord about the results of their
in'estigations in that field: 3he Bah 7ritings also do not refer specifically to any of these forms of
religion current in /ndia: So) the >uardian feels it impossible to gi'e you any definite and detailed
information on that subBect: He 7ould urge you) ho7e'er) to carry on your studies in that field) although
its immensity is 7ell0nigh be7ildering) 7ith the 'ie7 of bringing the <essage to the Hindus::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi. Dawn of a ew Da5/ p! 1982
1-2. %abeanism
@Hith reference to your Duestion concerning the Sabean and Hindu religions! 3here is nothing in the
3eachings that could help us in ascertaining 7hich one of these t7o aiths is older: Neither history
seems to be able to pro'ide a definite ans7er to this Duestion: 3he records concerning the origin of these
religions are not sufficiently detailed and reliable to offer any conclusi'e e'idence on this point:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 9/ 19N1. E?tracts from the >uardians letters on
Hinduism) Buddhism and Voroastrianism and &elated SubBects/ Op! cit!2
1-2'. &ao-!se and the %abeans
E&egarding =ao03se! 3he Bahs do not consider him a prophet) or e'en a secondary prophet or
messenger) unli6e Buddha or Voroaster) both of 7hom 7ere di'inely0appointed and fully independent
<anifestations of >od:
@As to the religion of the Sabeans 'ery little is 6no7n about the origins of this religion) though 7e
Bahs are certain of one thing) that the founder of it has been a di'inely0sent <essenger: 3he country
7here Sabeanism became 7idespread and flourished 7as Chaldea) and Abraham is considered as ha'ing
been a follo7er of that aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 11/ 19392
1-2(. !here were no Followers of the *+b and *ah+,",ll+h from the Far East D"rin6 !heir
#inistry
@As there 7ere no follo7ers of the Bb or Bahullh deri'ed from the religions of the ar East in 3heir
days) this may be the reason that they did not address any 3ablets directly to these people: Also 7e must
remember that e'ery religion springs from some root) and Bust as Christianity sprang from 9udaism) our
o7n religion sprang from /slm) and that is 7hy so many of the teachings deduct their proofs from
/slm:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch @/ 19@02
3he teachings bear no reference to any genealogical tie bet7een the 2rophets of the Near and ar
East:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 31/ 19N12
1-2-. 5ind"ism@ *"ddhism and Roroastrianism
Follo7ing are some Duotations ta6en from a compilation of e?tracts from letters 7ritten on behalf of the
>uardian on these and related subBects) enclosed 7ith a letter to an indi'idual belie'er on No'ember %-)
"#$- from the Jni'ersal House of 9usticeG
Lesser 'ro-hetsF @&egarding your Duestions! He cannot possibly add names of people 7e For anyone
elseG thin6 might be =esser 2rophets to those found in the Rurn) the Bible and our o7n Scriptures: or
only these can 7e consider authentic Boo6s:E
&6arch 13/ 19@1/ to an indi"idual )elie"er2
Asiatic 'ro-hetsF @&egarding your Duestions! 3he only reason there is not more mention of the
Asiatic prophets is because their names seem to be lost in the mists of ancient history: Buddha is
mentioned and Voroaster in our scripturesQboth non09e7ish prophets or non0semitic prophets: He are
taught there al7ays ha'e been <anifestations of >od) but 7e do not ha'e any record of their names:E
&Octo)er N/ 19@1/ to an indi"idual )elie"er2
%cri-tures of Buddha and #rishnaF @He cannot be sure of the authenticity of the scriptures of
Buddha and ;rishna) so 7e certainly cannot dra7 any conclusions about 'irgin births mentioned in
them: 3here is no reference to this subBect in our teachings) so the >uardian cannot pronounce an
opinion:
@As our teachings do not state Voroaster is the connecting lin6 bet7een the Euphrates and the 2rophets
in /ndia) 7e cannot assert this:
@Abraham and ;rishna are t7o separate indi'iduals) 7ith no connection that 7e 6no7 of:
@He 6no7 no more about the prophets mentioned in the UDn than 7hat Bahullh states in that
Boo6:E
&o"em)er L@/ 19@1/ to an indi"idual )elie"er2
Brah&a and #rishnaF @Mour Duestion concerning Brahma and ;rishna! Such matters) as no reference
occurs to them in the 3eachings) are left for students of history and religion to resol'e and clarify:E
&(pril 1N/ 19N1/ to an indi"idual )elie"er2
Actual ates of 'ro-hets of Ada&ic C*cle Not Gi.enF @3here are no dates in our teachings
regarding the actual dates of the 2rophets of the Adamic Cycle) so 7e cannot gi'e any: 3entati'ely 7e
can accept 7hat historians may consider accurate: Naturally the dates referring to od 7hich is beyond the comprehension of man: He)
the in'isible) the lofty and the incomprehensible) is preceded by no cause but rather is the originator of
the Cause of Causes: He) the Ancient) has had no beginning and is the All0/ndependent: 3he second 6ind
of e?istence is the human e?istence: /t is a common e?istence) comprehensible to the human mind) is not
ancient) is dependent and has a cause to it: 3he mortal substance does not become eternal and 'ice0'ersaI
the human 6ind does not become a Creator and 'ice0'ersa: 3he transformation of the innate substance is
impossible:
@/n the 7orld of e?istence) that 7hich is comprehensible) is in three stages of mortality! the first stage
is the mineral 7orld) ne?t the 'egetable 7orld) and in the latter the mineral 7orld does e?ist but has a
distincti'e feature 7hich is the 'egetable characteristic: =i6e7ise) in the animal 7orld) the mineral and
'egetable characteristics are present and in addition the characteristics of the animal 7orld are to be
found! it has the faculties of hearing and of sight: /n the human 7orld the characteristics of the mineral)
'egetable and animal 7orlds are found and in addition those of the human 6ind are e?isting: 3hat is the
intellectual characteristic) 7hich disco'ers the realities of things and comprehends the all0important
facts:
@<an) therefore) on the plane of the contingent beings is the most perfect being: By man is meant the
perfect indi'idual) 7ho is li6e unto a mirror in 7hich the di'ine perfections are manifested and reflected:
But the sun does not condescend from the height of its sanctity to enter into the mirror) but 7hen the
latter is purified and turned to7ards the Sun of 3ruth) the perfections of this Sun) consisting of light and
heat) are reflected and manifested in that mirror: 3hese souls are the 8i'ine <anifestations of >od:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Translated )5 4ho$hi Ra))ani/ Eul5 L1/ 1919. Star of the Hest/ >ol! Q/ p! 1@12
1-20. #anifestations 5ad %ome Conscio"sness of !heir %tation
@3he <anifestations no doubt had some consciousness of 3heir station) but 7hat the nature of that
consciousness 7as 7e do not 6no7:E
1-22. !he %o"ls of the Prophets are Pre-E?istent
@3he soul or spirit of the indi'idual comes into being 7ith the conception of his physical body:
@3he 2rophets) unli6e us) are pre0e?istent: 3he Soul of Christ e?isted in the spiritual 7orld before His
birth in this 7orld: He cannot imagine 7hat that 7orld is li6e) so 7ords are inadeDuate to picture His
state of being:
@He cannot 6no7 >od directly) but only through His 2rophets: He can pray to Him) realiJin$ that
through His 2rophets 7e 6no7 Him) or 7e can address our prayer in thought to Bahullh) not as >od)
but as the 8oor to our 6no7ing >od:
@He find >od only through the /ntermediary of His 2rophet: He see the 2erfection of >od in His
2rophets: 3ime and space are physical thingsI >od the Creator is not in a Aplace as 7e concei'e of place
in physical terms: >od is the /nfinite Essence) the Creator: He cannot picture Him or His stateI if 7e did)
7e 7ould be His eDuals) not His Creatures: >od is ne'er flesh) but mirrored in the attributes of His
2rophets) 7e see His 8i'ine characteristics and perfections:
@Shoghi Effendi ad'ises you to study ASome Ans7ered Ruestions and the A8ispensation of
Bahullh 7hich help you to grasp these Duestions:@
@&egarding your Duestion concerning the passage in ASe'en Palleys referring to pre0e?istence: 3his in
no 7ay presupposes the e?istence of the indi'idual soul before conception: 3he term has not been
absolutely accurately translated) and 7hat is meant is that mans soul is the repository of the ancient)
8i'ine mysteries of >od:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 @/ 19N82
1/33. 5adr+t5is 5oliness
@/n 2ersian it is impolite not to use the 7ord Hadrt before the name of the 2rophet) so that strictly
spea6ing a proper translation should al7ays ha'e AHis Holiness <oses etc: Ho7e'er) as this seems
peculiar in English) and not in the best usage of our language) he feels it can be dispensed 7ith:
2ronouns referring to the <anifestation) or the <aster) should) ho7e'er) in'ariably be capitaliCed:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ o"em)er 8/ 19N8.
Bah Ne7s/ o! L1M/ p! 1/ <e)ruar5 19N92
1/31. F"ndamental P"rpose of All .eli6ions
@:::the fundamental purpose of all religionsQincluding our o7nQis to bring man nearer to >od) and to
change his character) 7hich is of the utmost importance: 3oo much emphasis is often laid on the social
and economic aspects of the 3eachingsI but the moral aspect cannot be o'eremphasiCed:
@He urges you not to allo7 yourself to be discouraged) as all these temporary conditions 7ill pass
a7ay as the aith gro7s) but to concentrate on the constructi'e 7or6 of teaching and e?emplifying the
aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er M/ 19NM. Bah Mouth/ p! 82
1/32. F"ndamentals of .eli6ions
@3he fundamentals of all di'inely0instituted religions cannot be rigidly classified: No definite or
e?hausti'e list of them can be set up) as 7e ha'e no means of ascertaining that 7hat 7e consider to be
those fundamentals are common to all such religions:E
1/3. Cosmic .eli6ion
@&egarding the Duestion you ha'e as6ed in connection 7ith a passage in 8r: EinsteinKs ACosmic
&eligion! According to the Bah conception there is and can be no incompatibility bet7een the idea of
causal la7 and that of an omnipotent and omniscient >od) Hho) if He deems it fit) may at times interfere
7ith the normal seDuence of e'ents in the 7orld) and thus retard or altogether stop the operation of
certain la7s) 7hether in the physical uni'erse) or in any other 7orlds of nature and man:
@3he other statement reported to ha'e been made by 8r: Einstein to the effect that the ethical beha'ior
of man AreDuires no support from religion is incompatible 7ith the Bah 'ie7point 7hich
emphatically stresses the fact that no sound ethics can e?ist and become effecti'e unless based on
re'ealed religion: 3o dissociate ethics from religion is to render the former not only 'oid of any firm
foundation but 7ithout the necessary dri'ing po7er:E
1/3'. Core of .eli6io"s Faith
@or the core of religious faith is that mystical feeling 7hich unites man 7ith >od: 3his state of spiritual
communion can be brought about and maintained by means of meditation and prayer: And this is the
reason 7hy Bahullh has so much stressed the importance of 7orship: /t is not sufficient for a
belie'er merely to accept and obser'e the teachings: He should) in addition) culti'ate the sense of
spirituality 7hich he can acDuire chiefly by means of prayer:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 8/ 193@. Bah Ne7s/ o! 11L/ (u$ust 193M/ p! L2
1/3(. )neness of #an$ind Cornerstone of !eachin6s
@Hith reference to your Duestion as to the meaning of the passage Ahe 7ho lo'es his 6ind) the statement
of Bahullh does not refer to any special race or class of people: &ather it includes the entire human
race) irrespecti'e of any class) creed or colour: 3he <essage of Bahullh is not a particularistic appeal
to a group of people: /t is a Jni'ersal <essage) an all0inclusi'e appeal: His principle of the 5neness of
<an6ind is 7orld7ide in its spirit) in its application) and co'ers the entire field of human relationships:
@/t is most essential that the belie'ers should be Duite clear on this point as the principle of the oneness
of humanity is the corner0stone of all the teachings of Bahullh) and should be presented as such)
7ithout the least hesitation) by the friends:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 11/ 1930/ cited in a letter )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of
Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ (u$ust 8/ 19M82
1/3-. Primary Importance of the Ca"se Amon6 E?istin6 .eli6ions
@3he primary importance of the Cause among the e?isting religions of the 7orld is that) 7hereas the
others ha'e no coherent program upon 7hich they are united) the <o'ement is rich 7ith the 'ery spirit
and teachings the 7orld needs for sol'ing its present international problems::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 1N/ 193L. Bah Ne7s/ o! @9/ <e)ruar5 193L/ p! L2
1/3/. #eanin6 of <#ysterio"s Power !hat Creates :ew %pirit"al 7orlds=
@Mou inDuired regarding the meaning of the sentence) A3he mysterious po7er that creates ne7 spiritual
7orlds: 3his) Shoghi Effendi belie'es) refers to the transcendental Essence of >od Hho is the Creator
of this 7orld and the 7orlds to comeI for Bahullh says) A>ods 7orlds are infinite:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Eliot/ 6aine/ 6arch L0/ 1933. Bah Ne7s/ o! 03/ 6a5
1933/ p! L2
1/30. #eanin6 of Personal DodK Bal"e of .eli6ion
2lease refer to No: "1+(
1/32. .eli6ion %ho"ld Chan6e o"r Acts as 7ell as )"r !ho"6hts
@::: 3he inestimable 'alue of religion is that 7hen a man is 'itally connected 7ith it) through a real and
li'ing belief in it and in the 2rophet 7ho brought it) he recei'es a strength greater than his o7n 7hich
helps him to de'elop his good characteristics and o'ercome his bad ones: 3he 7hole purpose of religion
is to change not only our thoughts but our actsI 7hen 7e belie'e in >od and His 2rophet and His
teachings) 7e find 7e are gro7ing e'en though 7e perhaps thought oursel'es incapable of gro7th and
change:E
1/13. 7orld .eli6ion Day@ P"rpose of
@Mour letter of September %-) 7ith the suggestion that Athere should be one day in the year in 7hich all
of the religions should agree is a happy thought) and one 7hich persons of good 7ill throughout the
7orld might 7ell hail: Ho7e'er) this is not the underlying concept of Horld &eligion 8ay) 7hich is a
celebration of the need for and the coming of a 7orld religion for man6ind) the Bah aith itself:
Although there ha'e been many 7ays of e?pressing the meaning of this celebration in Bah
communities in the Jnited States) the 8ay 7as not meant primarily to pro'ide a platform for all religions
and their emergent ecumenical ideas: /n practice) there is no harm in the Bah communities in'iting
the persons of other religions to share their platforms on this 8ay) pro'iding the uni'ersality of the
Bah aith as the fulfillment of the hopes of man6ind for a uni'ersal religion are clearly brought
forth:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the #ocal 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3hica$o/ Octo)er LL/ 19M82
1/11. %i6nificance of .emains of the Prophets
@::: 3here is no special physical significance in the remains of the 2rophets or relics of 3heir 2ersons:
But there is a profound spiritual significance in the sense that 3heir dust 7as the physical mirror of the
greatness of >od: /n other 7ords 7e 6no7 >od through His 2rophets) Hho ha'e bodies) these bodiesQ
3heir 'ery dustQare precious through association: /t is natural for people to be touched by a loc6 of hair
or some to6en of one they lo'edI ho7 much more should 7e treasure and feel mo'ed by a relic of the
Belo'ed of >od:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 13/ 19NN. Bah Ne7s/ o! L112
1/12. !he Atoms of the Prophets are 9"st Atoms
@3he reflection of the Dualities of holy souls can ta6e place at any timeI it is not confined to the period
7hen the <anifestation is on this Earth:
@3he atoms of the 2rophets are Bust atoms) li6e all others) but the association of this great spiritual
po7er 7ith them lea'es in the place 3hey are laid to rest) a spiritual atmosphere) if one can use this
e?pression: 3hey are) no doubt) endo7ed 7ith a tremendous spiritual influence and far0reaching po7er:
But the physical character of 3heir atoms are not different from other peoples) any more than 3heir
bodies and physical functions are different:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L8/ 19N92
1/1. !he Fo"r and !wenty Elders
@&egarding the four and t7enty elders! 3he <aster) in a 3ablet) stated that they are the Bb) the "$
=etters of the =i'ing and fi'e others 7ho 7ould be 6no7n in the future: So far 7e do not 6no7 7ho
these fi'e others are:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 LL/ 19N3. Bah Ne7s/ o! 101/ o"em)er 19NN/ p! L2
1/1'. Perfection of Dod Fo"nd in 5is Prophets
@He find >od only through the /ntermediary of His 2rophet: He see the 2erfection of >od in His
2rophets: 3ime and space are physical thingsI >od) the Creator) is not a AplaceI as 7e concei'e of place
in physical terms: >od is the /nfinite Essence) the Creator: He cannot picture Him or His state) but if 7e
did) 7e 7ould be His eDuals) not His creatures: >od is ne'er flesh) but mirrored in the attributes of His
2rophets 7e see His 8i'ine characteristics and perfections:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er. High Endea'ors) <essages to Alas6a/ p! 012
1/1(. .eferences to *ah+,",ll+h
@As to the Duestions thou hast as6ed! Concerning <alachi) chapter %) 'erses "*) "+ and "$ refer to the
friends of >od) and in St: <atthe7) chapter ,1) the obBect of 'erses %") %, and %% is the Blessed Beauty:
As to <icah) chapter 1) the (th 'erse refers to Christ: /n Vephaniah) chapter ") 'erses "() "1) "*) "+ and
"$) and in Vechariah) chapter ,) 'erses "-) "") ", and "%) and in St: =u6e) chapter ,") 'erses ,- to the
endQall these refer to the century of the Blessed Beauty:E
&'()du*l+,ah- ())as/ translated )5 4ho$hi Ra))ani/ Eune N/ 1919. Star of the Hest/ >ol! Q/ o! 1L/ p! L3L2
1/1-. !he Ar$ and the Flood
@3he statement in ASe'en 8ays of Creation certainly cannot be considered authoritati'e or correct: 3he
Ar6 and the lood 7e belie'e are symbolical:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L8/ 19N9. Bah Ne7s/ o! LL8/ <e)ruar5 19@1/ p! N2
1/1/. Deneration@ the 7ord 5as Different #eanin6s
@:::the 7ord generation has a different meaning in different places: Christ referred to the Christ
8ispensation) or cycle) and the other refers to the physical generation:
@or e?ample) if a man does a great inBustice to another in his life) then) after his death) his son 7ill be
despised for ha'ing had such a father and in some cases the inBury might be so serious that the effect
7ould reach to the grandson) etc:) or a man may) by 7rong li'ing) fall into consumption and gi'e that
disease to his children unto the third or fourth generation:
@Both physically and mentally the sins of the fathers may be 'isited upon the children:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 8aily =essons &ecei'ed at AA66/ 1909 ed!/ pp! N@+NM2
1/10. !he Cross!his Fi6"re E?ists in All !hin6s
@As for the symbol of the cross) appointed in former times! ;no7 'erily) that the cross form is a
7onderful figure and consists of t7o right lines placed cross7iseQone perpendicular to the otherQand
this figure e?ists in all things:
@<editate upon these 7ords and pay attention to the tissue in all e?isting substances) either plant)
animal or man) and thou 7ilt see that they all are formed of the cross figure or t7o cross7ise lines:
Consider this intently 7ith true meditation: 3hen thou 7ilt be taught by the Holy >host that it is for this
reason that >od hath chosen this symbol to be displayed as the to6en of sacrifice in all periods of the
ages:
@As for the crescent! /t hath reference to the beginning of the religion of >od 7hich shall gro7 to be a
full moon:
@As for the stars! 3hey are types of guidesI for) 'erily) the star is a guide to people) e'en in the most
gloomy dar6ness) on both land and sea: /n former centuries) people 7ere guided by the pole0star in
7hate'er direction they 7ent:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3ablets of AAbdul0Bah/ >ol! III/ pp! @98+@992
1/12. !he !eachin6s of %wedenbor6 and Emerson %ho"ld be Considered as Ad1anced %tirrin6s of
the !ime
@::: 3he teachings of such spiritually enlightened souls as S7edenborg) Emerson) and others should be
considered as the ad'anced stirrings in the minds of great souls foreshado7ing that &e'elation 7hich
7as to brea6 upon the 7orld through the Bb and Bahullh: Anything they say 7hich is not
substantiated by the 3eachings) ho7e'er) 7e cannot regard as absolute truth) but merely as the reflection
of their o7n thoughts:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 M/ 19N32
1/23. Eman"el %wedenbor6
@/n connection 7ith your Duestion regarding the reference made by AAbdul0Bah to AHis Highness
Emanuel in Pol: /// of His 3ablets) this ob'iously refers to the Bb as the te?t sho7s it clearly and is in
no 7ay a reference to S7edenborg:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 9/ 1938. Bah Ne7s/ o! 13N/ 6arch 19N1/ p! L2
1/21. 4Abd",l-*ah+ Praised Eman"al %wedenbor6 for his Efforts for %ocial and .eli6io"s
.econstr"ction
@:::concerning Emanuel S7edenborg and his 7ritings! Hhile AAbdul0Bah praised the man and his
noble efforts for social and religious reconstruction there is nothing in the <asters Hritings that can
Bustify the belie'ers in gi'ing him any special station or importance beside that of an enlightened and
constructi'e thin6er of 7ide spiritual 'ision: 3here can be therefore no official Bah attitude in respect
of the man or his 7or6:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 0/ 19392
1/22. *eca"se of the Pro6ressi1eness of the !eachin6s of %wedenbor6 5e can be Considered a
5erald of this Day
@&egarding your Duestions! 3he rational faculty is a manifestation of the po7er of the soul: 3he soul is
the mirror of reflection: S7edenborg) because of the e?treme progressi'eness of his teachings may) in a
7ay) be considered a herald of this 8ay: 3here is nothing definite in the 3eachings concerning the
subconscious minds relation to the spirit of man:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er LM/ 19N32
1/2. People &i$e Emerson 7ere no Do"bt Inspired by Dod
@3he point of 'ie7 e?pressed in your letter 7as of special interest because it 7as typical of those sincere
and see6ing souls 7ho are trying to obtain peace and in7ard certainty by reading the uni'ersally0minded
7riters of our age: 2eople li6e Emerson 7ere undoubtedly inspired by >od) for many of the thoughts
that Duic6en us in this day 7ere uttered and stimulated by them: 5nly gradually 7ill 7e come to
appreciate their 7or6 and place them in the gro7ing 7orld of ours: 3he tendency of these 7riters)
ho7e'er) is rather to diminish rather than to enhance the position of the prophet in ci'iliCation: 3hese bid
us come into communion 7ith >od by loo6ing 7ithin us: 3hey tell us that the prophets 7ere humans and
that 7e can become li6e them if 7e only stri'e: 3his renders religion) the religion of the fe7) the religion
of only those 7ho ha'e e?periences:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er L9/ 19L92
1/2'. !he Difference *etween the Dnostics and the .eli6ionists
@AAbdul0Bah says that the main difference bet7een the gnostics and the religionists is that the gnostics
maintain the e?istence of only t7o 7orlds) the 7orld of >od and the 7orld of the creature: 3he prophets)
ho7e'er) maintained the e?istence of three 7orlds! the 7orld of >od) the 7orld of the Hill or the Hord)
and the 7orld of created things: 3he prophets) therefore) maintained that a 6no7ledge of >od is
impossible: As AAbdul0Bah says) man can ne'er 6no7 >od or e'en imagine Him: /f he does) that
obBect is not >od but an imaginary idol:E
&I)id!2
1/2(. Christ .eferred to the 7orld of the Prophets as the <7ord=@ 4Abd",l-*ah+ Calls it the <7ill=
@3here is) therefore) only one 7ay to >od and that is through the realiCation of his <anifestation or
2rophet in that age: Christ called the 7orld of the prophets Athe 7ord in the 'erse of Athe 7ord became
flesh 7hile AAbdul0Bah calls it the Hill: Anyho7 it is only through these that 7e can 6no7 >od:
3hese manifest the di'ine attributes and therefore by 6no7ing them 7e can 6no7 >od: 3he mystic path
that the tra'eller should follo7 is therefore to the 2rophet: By coming in contact 7ith Him 7ill he obtain
peace:E
&I)id!2
1/2-. Dod 7ill Contin"e to %end 5is Prophets that #an #ay )btain 5is 5i6hest Doal
@/f these are the only means through 7hich man can obtain his highest goal) namely the 6no7ledge of
>od) could 7e belie'e that >od has ceased to send themS As Bahullh says) 7ill it not be a
blasphemy to say that >ods bounty e?isted in the past and that e'er since the time of Christ it stopped to
pourQand for all eternity: No) >od has e'er sent and 7ill e'er send these prophets 7ho 7ould represent
>od on this earth and by reflecting the di'ine attributes gi'e us a 6no7ledge of Him:E
&I)id!2
1/2/. 9oseph %mith and the *oo$ of #ormon
@&egarding your Duestion concerning 9oseph Smith and the ABoo6 of <ormonI as the Bah 3eachings
Duite clearly outline the succession of 2rophets from the days of Christ as being od:
@3he Bahs should deal 7ith the members of all religious sects) ho7e'er) 7ith the greatest tolerance
and friendliness) and try to point out to them the significance of the &e'elation of Bahullh to the
7orld in this great 8ay: 3he >uardian 7ould ad'ise you to teach the <ormons li6e e'eryone else) the
aith) 7hen you find them recepti'e: 3hey ha'e many good principles) and their teachings regarding
chastity) not drin6ing or smo6ing) etc:) are Duite similar to ours) and should form a point of common
interest:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust 18/ 19N1. Bah Ne7s/ o! N1M/ o"em)er 19M@2
1/20. %tat"s of 9oseph %mith
@As for the status of 9oseph Smith) founder of the <ormon aith) he is not considered by Bahs to be a
prophet) minor or other7ise: But of course he 7as a religious teacher sensiti'e to the spiritual currents
flo7ing in the early "#th century directly from the appearance of the Bb and Bahullh and the
&e'elation of 3heir <essages of hope and di'ine >uidance: /n this respect you might find chapter ten in
the late Hand of the Cause >eorge 3o7nshendKs boo6) AChrist and Bahullh) interesting:E
1/22. !he #ormons 5a1e 5i6h Principles and Ideals
@3he <ormons are a people 7ith high principles and ideals) and the step spiritually into the Cause is not
as difficult for them as for many others not possessing their faith and de'otion: Ho7e'er) the 'ery Ceal
7ith 7hich they ser'e their o7n aith ma6es it difficult for them to grasp the greater 'ision of our Holy
Cause:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er. cited in a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of
Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 1M/ 190M2
9LII$ '%>C)IC ')(NO,(NA
1/3. %o"rce of E1il !ho"6hts
@3hey come from other minds! they are reflected: 5ne should not become a mirror for themQto reflect
them) neither should one try to control them for this is impossible! it only aggra'ates the difficulty)
causing more to appear:
@5ne should constantly turn the mirror of his heart s9uarel5 to7ard >od so that the =ight of the Sun of
3ruth may be reflected there:
@3his is the only cure for attac6s of e'il thoughts: 3he face of the mirror should be turned to7ard >od
and the bac6 of the mirror to7ard the e'il thoughts:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 8aily =essons &ecei'ed at A66a/ p! 3@/ 1909 ed!2
1/1. E1il %pirits
@As to the Duestion of e'il spirits) demons and monsters) any references made to them in the Holy Boo6s
ha'e symbolic meaning: Hhat is currently 6no7n among the public is but sheer superstition:E
&<rom a Ta)let of '()du*l+,ah-. Spiritualism and 2sychic 2henomena/ p! 32
1/2. Infl"ence of E1il %pirits
@Mou ha'e as6ed regarding the influence of e'il spirits: E'il spirits are depri'ed of eternal life: Ho7 then
can they e?ercise any influenceS But as eternal life is ordained for holy spirits) therefore their influence
e?ists in all the di'ine 7orlds:E
&<rom a Ta)let of '()du*l+,ah- to 6rs! Ella %oodall 3ooper. 8aily =essons &ecei'ed at A66a/ p! 08/ 1909 ed!2
1/. E1il %pirits .efer to &ower :at"re of #an
@3he reality underlying this Duestion is that the e'il spirit) Satan or 7hate'er is interpreted as e'il) refers
to the lo7er nature in man: 3his baser nature is symboliCed in 'arious 7ays: /n man there are t7o
e?pressions! 5ne is the e?pression of natureI the other the e?pression of the spiritual realm: 3he 7orld of
nature is defecti'e: =oo6 at it clearly) casting aside all superstition and imagination::: >od has ne'er
created an e'il spiritI all such ideas and nomenclature are symbols e?pressing the mere human or earthly
nature of man: /t is an essential condition of the soil of earth that thorns) 7eeds and fruitless trees may
gro7 from it: &elati'ely spea6ing) this is e'ilI it is simply the lo7er state and baser product of nature:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ pp! L9N+L9@/ 198L ed!2
1/'. E1il E?ists
@He must ne'er ta6e one sentence in the 3eachings and isolate it from the rest! it does not mean 7e must
not lo'e) but 7e must reach a spiritual plane 7here >od comes first and great human passions are unable
to turn us a7ay from Him: All the time 7e see people 7ho either through the force of hate or the
passionate attachment they ha'e to another person) sacrifice principle or bar themsel'es from the 2ath of
>od:
@He 6no7 absence of light is dar6ness) but no one 7ould assert dar6ness 7as not a fact: /t e?ists e'en
though it is only the absence of something else: So e'il e?ists too) and 7e cannot close our eyes to it)
e'en though it is a negati'e e?istence: He must see6 to supplant it by good) and if 7e see an e'il person
is not influenceable by us) then 7e should shun his company for it is unhealthy:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er N/ 19@1. Spiritualism) 2sychic 2henomena and &elated
SubBects/ a compilation from the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ <e)ruar5 1N/ 1903 to ational 4piritual (ssem)lies2
1/(. Psychic Powers in ChildrenDan$erous to 3ulti"ate
@Hhat AAbdul0Bah al7ays pointed out in this matter is that these psychic po7ers 7ere not to be used
in this 7orld) and that) indeed) it 7as dangerous to culti'ate them here: 3hey should be left dormant) and
not e?ploited) e'en 7hen 7e do so 7ith the sincere belief 7e are helping others: He do not understand
their nature and ha'e no 7ay of being sure of 7hat is true and 7hat is false in such matters:
/f children are inclined to be psychic they should not be blamed for it too harshlyI they should not be
encouraged to strengthen their po7ers in this direction:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch N/ 19NM. I)id!2
1/-. !he Fo"rth Dimension
3here is nothing in the teachings of our aith about the ourth 8imension) and he feels that 7ith all the
practical 7or6 the Bahs ha'e to do during the ne?t ten years you should put such abstruse subBects out
of your mind entirely: 3hey can do no good and 7ill lead you no7here:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 19/ 19@3. I)id!2
1//. A1oid Psychic Phenomena
@Hith reference to psychic phenomena referred to in your letter! 3hese in most cases are an indication of
a deep psychological disturbance: 3he friends should a'oid as much as possible gi'ing undue
consideration to such matters:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er L1/ 1930. E?tracts from the >uardians letters on
Spiritualism) &eincarnation and &elated SubBects/ <e)ruar5 19012
1/0. Possession
@&egarding your Duestion relati'e to the condition of those people 7ho are described in the >ospel as
being possessed of de'ils! 3his should be interpreted figurati'elyI de'il or satan is symbolic of e'il and
dar6 forces yielding to temptation:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er L1/ 1938. I)id!2
1/2. %ho"ld %tri1e to 5a1e P"re !ho"6hts and Dreams
@::: 3hat truth is often imparted through dreams no one 7ho is familiar 7ith history) especially religious
history) can doubt: At the same time dreams and 'ision are al7ays coloured and influenced more or less
by the mind of the dreamer and 7e must be7are of attaching too much importance to them: 3he purer
and more free from preBudice and desire our hearts and minds become) the more li6ely is it that our
dreams 7ill con'ey reliable truth) but if 7e ha'e strong preBudices) personal li6ings and a'ersions) bad
feelings or e'il moti'es) these 7ill 7arp and distort any inspirational impression that comes to us:::: /n
many cases dreams ha'e been the means of bringing people to the truth or of confirming them in the
aith: He must stri'e to become pure in heart and Afree from all sa'e >od: 3hen our dreams as 7ell as
our 7a6ing thoughts 7ill become pure and true: He should test impressions 7e get through dreams)
'isions or inspirations) by comparing them 7ith the re'ealed Hord and seeing 7hether they are in full
harmony there7ith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 1M/ 19L@. I)id!2
1/'3. Diffic"lt to Distin6"ish !r"th from Ima6ination
@irst concerning 'isions! /t is 'ery difficult to distinguish bet7een true 'isions 7hich are true spiritual
e?periences of the soul and imaginations 7hich ha'e no reality in spiritual truths: 3rue 'isions) ho7e'er)
can be granted to those 7ho are spiritually pure and recepti'e) and are not therefore confined to the
2rophets alone:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi dated o"em)er LM/ 1939/ to an indi"idual )elie"er. Bah Ne7s/ o! 1@L/ p! L/ (pril
19NL2
1/'1. Difference *etween Di1ine .e1elation and Personal E?perience
@As regards :::s claim to ha'e direct re'elations from >od! Such 'isions and communications as he may
recei'e cannot) from the standpoint of the Cause) be 7ell considered in the nature of a direct and
authoritati'e re'elation from >od such as e?periences by 8i'ine 2rophets and <essengers: 3here is a
fundamental difference bet7een 8i'ine &e'elation as 'ouchsafed by >od to His 2rophets) and the
spiritual e?periences and 'isions 7hich indi'iduals may ha'e: 3he latter should) under no circumstances)
be construed as constituting an infallible source of guidance) e'en for the person e?periencing them:
@3he >uardian 7ishes you to fully e?plain and clarify this point to ::: that he may ha'e no illusion
regarding the true Bah attitude on this and similar matters:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi dated o"em)er 1/ 19N1/ to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6rs! 8athr5n <rankland. I)id!2
1/'2. !r"e #ystical E?periences .are
@&egarding your Duestion! /n His chapter on APisions and Communications 7ith Spirits in ASome
Ans7ered Ruestions) the <aster e'idently desires to point out that there can be) under certain rare
circumstances) such as those e?perienced by the 2rophets) communion 7ith some soul gone before into
the in'isible 7orld) but that most of this type of e?perience 7hich people often claim to ha'e 7ith
departed souls is nothing but the product of their o7n imaginationsQho7e'er real it may seem to them
to be:
@He ha'e no 7ay of 6no7ing historically) at present) 7hether the e?perience Saul had of Samuel 7as
an actual spiritual intercourse: /t is not the product of imagination) ho7e'er) as the Bible unmista6ably
affirms it:
@3ruly mystical e?periences based on reality are 'ery rare) and 7e can readily see ho7 dangerous it is
for people to go groping about in the dar6ness of their imagination after the true thing: 3hat is 7hy) as
you point out) 7e are 7arned against all psychical practices by the <aster:
@/f 7e are going to ha'e some deeply spiritual e?perience 7e can rest assured >od 7ill 'ouchsafe it to
us 7ithout our ha'ing to loo6 for it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi/ dated Octo)er L@/ 19NL/ to an indi"idual )elie"er. I)id!2
1/'. :o :eed for Indi1id"al .e1elations
@3he >uardian thin6s that it is best to assume that generally spea6ing 7hen people claim they are
recei'ing messages or communications from the <aster or Bahullh) etc:) it is a psychic e?perience or
their imagination) and that they are not in real contact 7ith them: 3hese Holy Beings ha'e the channels
of the Cause through 7hich to guide us: 3hey do not need to go outside these and send indi'idual
re'elations:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi/ dated Decem)er LL/ 19N0/ to an indi"idual )elie"er. I)id!/ p! 32
1/''. &et the F"t"re !a$e Care of Itself
@/n the second place he 7ould ad'ise you to consider the 'oice you heard a phenomenon 7hich might be
your subconscious mind) might be some psychic influence) but 7hate'er it 7as you should not let it
disturb you and certainly not place much importance on it: No one 6no7s 7hat the future holds for him)
or to 7hat degree he is spoiling it or creating itI therefore the thing to do is ones daily best and let the
future ta6e care of itself: /t 7ould be 'ery un7ise for you to let this e?perience of a 'oiceQthe origin
and purpose of 7hich you ha'e no 7ay of 6no7ingQinfluence you in any 7ay or to set any store on its
obser'ations:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi/ dated (pril 9/ 19N8/ to an indi"idual )elie"er. Spiritualism) &eincarnation and &elated
SubBects2
1/'(. De1elopment of Psychic Fac"lties 7ea$ens %pirit"al Capacities
@::: 3he >uardian 7ould suggest that you study 'ery carefully the statement of AAbdul0Bah in
connection 7ith the Duestion of 'isions) dreams) etc:) as AAbdul0Bah has 'ery fully e?plained this
delicate subBect: Mou 7ill find references to this in ABahullh and the Ne7 Era) ASome Ans7ered
Ruestions and the Boo6s of 3ablets: 3he >uardian li6e7ise has commented on this matter:
@Briefly) there is no Duestion that 'isions occasionally do come to indi'iduals) 7hich are true and ha'e
significance: 5n the other hand) this comes to an indi'idual through the grace of >od) and not through
the e?ercise of any of the human faculties: /t is not a thing 7hich a person should try to de'elop: Hhen a
person endea'ors to de'elop faculties so that they might enBoy 'isions) dreams etc:) actually 7hat they
are doing is 7ea6ening certain of their spiritual capacitiesI and thus under such circumstances) dreams
and 'isions ha'e no reality) and ultimately lead to the destruction of the character of the person:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi/ dated 6a5 M/ 19@L/ to an indi"idual )elie"er. I)id!2
1/'-. Astronomy is a %cience@ Astrolo6y is :ot
@Astronomy is a science) astrology does not come under the same category) but 7e should be patient
7ith people 7ho belie'e in it) and gradually 7ean them a7ay from reliance on such things:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi/ dated Decem)er LN/ 19N1/ to an indi"idual )elie"er. I)id!2
1/'/. :on-%ensical Pse"do-%cience
@Mes) the >uardian considers Aastrology) 7hich is a pseudo0science) as for the most part Anon0sensical)
as it is mostly made up of superstitious beliefs and practices:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi/ dated Eul5 11/ 1939/ to an indi"idual )elie"er. I)id!2
1/'0. 5oroscopes
@He should attach no importance to astrology or horoscopes: No e?act science is in'ol'ed) though
sometimes some truth seems in'ol'ed) but the percentage is small:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi/ dated Eanuar5 1@/ 19@1/ to an indi"idual )elie"er. I)id!2
1/'2. Fr"itless sciences
@ruitless sciences is 7hat Bahullh refers to) li6e metaphysical hair splittings) and other abstract
things carried to the e?treme:
@3he friends should be encouraged not to 7aste time on such things as astrology etc:) 7hich you
mention: 3hey cannot be forbidden to do so: 3he e?ercise of our free 7ill to choose to do the right things
is much more important:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian/ dated Eul5 31/ 19@M/ to an indi"idual )elie"er. Bah Ne7s/ o! L31/ p! 1/ (pril 19@12
1/(3. Infl"ence of the %tars and Planets
@Concerning your Duestion as to the influence of the stars and planets on the life of a belie'er! Such
ideas should be entirely dissociated from the 3eachings: 3he passage on p: "%% of the A>leanings bears
no reference 7hatsoe'er to this matter:
@As to illness or po'erty! Such calamities may be either irre'ocable or) and it is often the case) they
may be a'oided: 3here is no reference in the 3eachings as to 7hether the stars ha'e any influence on
healing such diseases: 3hese astrological ideas are for the most part sheer superstitions:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 10/ 1930. Spiritualism) &eincarnation and &elated SubBects2
1/(1. :"merolo6y
@:::it is absolutely essential that the teachings should not be confused 7ith the obscure ideas related to
numerology and astrology and the li6e: /ndi'iduals interested in them are free to belie'e in and credit
such ideas and to ma6e any inferences and deductions they desire from them) but under no
circumstances are they e?pected to identify them 7ith the principles and teachings of the Cause: He
must at this stage preser'e the purity and sanctity of the Bah teachings: / 7ill pray that you may be
guided in your efforts) and may succeed in safeguarding and promoting the interests of our belo'ed
aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er LM/ 19L8. I)id!2
1/(2. :either :"merolo6y nor Astrolo6y :eeded by the *elie1ers
@3here is nothing in the teachings 7hich leads us to belie'e numerology or astrology are needed by the
belie'ers to guide them in any 7ay:E
&<rom a letter dated Eune L@/ 19@1 written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er. Spiritualism) 2sychic 2henomena and
&elated SubBects2
1/(. A"tomatic 7ritin6
@3his po7er is neither hea'enly nor spiritualI neither is it an influence from disembodied spirits: /t is the
human spiritQma$netism 7ithin the self of the one doing the 7riting:
@Hhen the thoughts ha'e ta6en possession of the mind and are not consciously directed) one becomes
subBect to their promptings and) unconsciously) or automatically) ta6es a pencil and 7rites them do7n:
3he oftener this is done the stronger becomes the magnetic prompting:
@or instance) one may learn a lesson or poem by heart) and he repeats and repeats it so often that the
thoughts ta6e possession of him and he 7ill repeat it unconsciously e'en in his sleep: 3his is magnetism
belonging to the human spirit:
@5r) he may 7al6 many times upon a certain road and he ta6es his 7al6 so often he is able to ta6e it
unconsciously or automatically: 3his po7er is his o7n magnetism:
@A mother roc6s and roc6s her babe to sleep in a cradle) but the thoughts of the childs sleep may so
ta6e possession of her mind that sometimes she is able to put him to sleep 7ithout the aid of the cradle:
3his effect is produced by the mothers magnetism:
@/n regard to automatic 7riting) if one 7ill pray 'ery earnestly) and pray sufficientl5) the mind 7ill turn
against the automatic 7riting and one 7ill be freed from the effects of that po7er:
@2ray) and pray) and not be misled by the seeming beauty of the 7ritings:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 8aily =essons &ecei'ed at A66a/ pp! 30+38/ Wilmette 19092
1/('. 7orld,s Dreatest 7riters and Painters 5a1e not *een 8nder Psychic Infl"ence
@:::he feels that the methods you are pursuing in regard to recei'ing inspired 7ritten messages) and your
7ay of approaching your painting are really psychic) and that you should gi'e them up for your o7n
good: Some of Bahullhs and AAbdul0Bahs 3ablets are so poorly translated that it is almost
impossible to grasp the true meaning) and one is misled into thin6ing that by getting into a practically
psychic state the Holy Spirit 7ill guide one: 3his is not 7hat is meant! the 7orldKs greatest 7riters and
painters ha'e not been under psychic influence) but through innate ability) practice and study) ha'e gi'en
us their masterpiecesI this is the normal 7ay for inspiration to reach us) through the channels of our o7n
abilities) and not through control by forces 7hich the <aster 7arned us against and 7hich 7e do not
understand) and 7hichQas you yourself 6no7Qare neither consistent nor reliable:E
&<rom a letter dated <e)ruar5 LN/ 19N0 written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er. Spiritualism) 2sychic 2henomena and
&elated SubBects2
1/((. !able 7ritin6
@&egarding your Duestion in connection 7ith :::s desire to be informed about Atable 7riting and such
things! 3hough there is no specific reference in the teachings to this particular thing) Shoghi Effendi
feels 'ery strongly that) in 'ie7 of other statements about a'oiding all psychic dabbling and e?ercise of
psychic faculties) this should also be a'oided by the Bahs and such messages be disregarded:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian/ dated Eune LN/ 19N1/ to an indi"idual )elie"er. Spiritualism) &eincarnation and &elated
SubBects2
1/(-. %pirit"alism and Psychic Phenomena
@3here is no ambiguity about the <asters attitude to7ards psychic forces: He 'ery strongly 7arned the
belie'ers against using them:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian/ (u$ust 9/ 19N@/ to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles. I)id!2
1/(/. :"merolo6y@ Physio6nomyToo 6uch E;a$$erated
@3he <aster has said that there is a certain amount of truth in numerology) physiognomy etc: but it is too
much e?aggerated by those 7ho ad'ocate them:E
&<rom a letter dated Octo)er L0/ 19LM written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er. Spiritualism) 2sychic 2henomena and
&elated SubBects2
1/(0. !elepathy
@3he 3eachings bear no reference to the Duestion of telepathy: /t is a matter that concerns psychology:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian/ <e)ruar5 L8/ 1938/ to an indi"idual )elie"er. Spiritualism) &eincarnation and &elated
SubBects2
1/(2. *e :ot Afraid Anyone Can Affect Eo"r #ind
@Mou should not be afraid anyone can affect your mind: E'en 7hen 7e 7ant to catch the thoughts of
those 7e lo'e most 7e cannot do so) ho7 much less other people succeed in penetrating our minds:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi/ dated Eanuar5 18/ 19@1/ to an indi"idual )elie"er. I)id!/ p! N2
1/-3. %pirit"alists
@He is of the opinion that to pay much attention to persons 7ho are imbued 7ith spiritualistic ideas is
rather useless) because 7hat they ha'e) though it has a germ of truth) has much of personal imagination
added to it: <oreo'er) 7hen after much effort they become Bahs) they are reluctant to turn a
completely ne7 sheet in their life and begin to concei'e Bah ideals in spiritualistic terms: 3here are
thousands of other pure souls 7ho are more ready for the teachings and 7ho 7ould accept it
unreser'edly: So 7e had better concentrate our attention upon them: 3he Cause e'ery7here has suffered
from spiritualists 7ith psychic pretended po7ers) and it is high time to ta6e a step along that line:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian dated Eul5 11/ 19L8/ to an indi"idual )elie"er. I)id!/ p! 12
1/-1. #esmerism or !r"mpet Comm"nications
@3he planets and stars ha'e no spiritual effect in the earthly 7orld) but the parts of the uni'erse 7hich
are in endless space are closely connected 7ith each other: 3his connection produces material effects:
5utside of the Bounty of the Holy Spirit all that thou hearest concerning mesmerism or trumpet
communications from the dead are sheer imagination:E
&'()du*l+,ah-/ Ta)let to Ella %oodall 3ooper. 8aily =essons &ecei'ed at A66a/ p! 8@/ 190M ed!2
1/-2. #aterialiHation of %pirits !hro"6h #edi"ms
@&egarding the materialiCation of spirits through mediums! A person finding himself in a state of trance)
or unconsciousness) is li6e one 7ho sleepsI 7hate'er he feels and sees he imagines to be matter and of
material things) but in reality they are wholl5 immaterial:E
&I)id!/ p! 8L2
1/-. <#asters= *ehind the %cenes
@As regards the Duestion you as6ed in your letter about a concealed group of masters in the Himalayas or
any7here else) there is no foundation 7hatsoe'er for this in the Bah Hritings: He as Bahs must not
belie'e in the di'ine origin of any such things 7hich ha'e not been mentioned in our o7n Sacred
Scriptures by either the Bb) Bahullh or the <aster:
@3here is nothing 7hatsoe'er to lead us to belie'e that there is any foundation or truth in these
mystical stories of beings that are Abehind the scenes) so to spea6: He must a'oid such thoughts and
teachings) and try to 7ean others a7ay from them as 7e gi'e them the <essage:E
&<rom a letter dated 6a5 11/ 19@N written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er. Spiritualism) 2sychic 2henomena and
&elated SubBects2
1/-'. Pyramids
@He ha'e nothing in our 7ritings about the so0called prophecies of the 2yramidsI so he does not thin6
you need attach any importance to them:[E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi/ dated o"em)er L1/ 19N9/ to an indi"idual )elie"er. Bah Ne7s/ o! L31/ p! 1/ (pril
19@1. Spiritualism) &eincarnation and &elated SubBects2
1/-(. Pyramid of Cheops
@Also no reference is to be found in the Bah 3eachings regarding the pyramid of Cheops) and as to its
being considered a monument of prophecy:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian/ dated Eul5 11/ 1939/ to an indi"idual )elie"er. I)id!2
1/--. Protection of the 5oly %pirit
@3he friends must realiCe the 2o7er of the Holy Spirit 7hich is manifest and Duic6ening them at this
time through the appearance of Bahullh: 3here is no force of hea'en or earth 7hich can affect them
if they place themsel'es 7holly under the influence of the Holy Spirit and under its guidance: Such
indi'iduals 7ho are subBect to the negati'e influences of the 7orld are those 7ho are not properly
consecrated in the aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust 11/ 19@02
1/-/. 5ea1en and 5ell Conditions 7ithin )"r )wn *ein6sThe Prophets 8now %od!!!
@3o ans7er you briefly! Hhat the original state of the Jni'erse 7as) no one as yet 6no7s: But 7e
belie'e >od is a spiritual Being and did create itI ho7) 7e do not 6no7: He 7ill ha'e e?perience of
>ods spirit through His 2rophets in the ne?t 7orld) but >od is too great for us to 6no7 7ithout this
/ntermediary: 3he 2rophets 6no7 >od) but ho7 is more than our human minds can grasp: He belie'e 7e
attain in the ne?t 7orld to seeing the 2rophets: 3here is certainly a future life: Hea'en and hell are
conditions 7ithin our o7n beings:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 1N/ 19N0. High Endea'ours) <essages to Alas6a/ pp!
N9+@12
1/-0. Psychic ArtsThe Influence of 4uch (rts is Dependent on 3on"iction of the Person (ffected
@3he House of 9ustice fully appreciates that in::: and ::: there are many instances of indi'iduals being
affected ad'ersely by the psychic arts of other people: 3his is an obser'able phenomenon in many parts
of the 7orld and must) as you say) be ta6en into account by those 7ho 7ould teach the aith: 3he
important thing for Bahs to understand is that the influence of such Aarts is dependent on the
con'iction) e'en the subconscious con'iction) of the person affected and) similarly) the po7er of the
Apriests to o'ercome the influence is li6e7ise an outcome of the sufferers con'iction that it is from the
Apriest that he or she 7ill be able to obtain help:
@3he <anifestation of >od describes the reality 7hich is conduci'e to the happiness) health and
de'elopment of man6ind: His 3eachings ser'e as a compass to help us find our 7ay in the ne7 7orld:
3hey outline not only 7hat is good for man6ind but also the steps to be ta6en to secure indi'idual
freedom and 7ell0being: Hithin this frame7or6 it is important to understand the statements in the
Hritings about e'il spirits and psychic phenomena:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust 31/ 198N2
1/-2. *ah+,;s .eco6niHe that E1il is :e6ati1e and Can !a$e Control of )"r &ife *"t we 5a1e the
Power to *ecome Free of %"ch Forces
@Bahs recogniCe that e'il is negati'e and has no e?istence in its o7n right) but that does not mean that
there is no po7er in e'il: 8o not Bahullh and AAbdul0Bah 7arn us repeatedly of the spiritual
infection of Co'enant0brea6ingS /n one of His 3ablets) AAbdul0Bah 7rote!
A/f you see6 immunity from the s7ay of the forces of the contingent 7orld) hang the A<ost
>reat Name in your d7elling) 7ear the ring of the A<ost >reat Name on your finger) place
the picture of AAbdul0Bah in your home and al7ays recite the prayers that / ha'e 7ritten:
3hen you 7ill behold the mar'ellous effect they produce: 3hose so0called forces 7ill pro'e
but illusions and 7ill be 7iped out and e?terminated:
@/n a letter dated ,*th No'ember "#%# 7ritten on behalf of the >uardian to an indi'idual belie'er 7e
find the follo7ing!
AE'il forces do ta6e control of our life) but it is 7ithin our po7er to free oursel'es from
falling under their subBection:
@3here are) therefore) specific actions that Bahs can ta6e 7hen confronted 7ith the 6ind of situation of
7hich you 7rite) but the principal 7ay in 7hich they can o'ercome them is to deepen themsel'es in the
3eachings of Bahullh so that they 7ill come to recogniCe the lac6 of any true reality to such negati'e
forces:E
&I)id!2
1//3. E1il %o"ls who 5a1e Passed Away Can E?ercise no Power )1er the People
@5ne of the Bah pilgrims from the Hest 7ho as6ed AAbdul0Bah about the po7er e?ercised by e'il
souls 7ho had passed to the ne?t 7orld) recorded His ans7er as A3here is no po7er e?ercised o'er the
people by those e'il souls that ha'e passed a7ay: >ood is stronger than e'il and e'en 7hen ali'e they
had 'ery little po7er: Ho7 much less ha'e they after they are dead:::
@Also) in a letter to an indi'idual belie'er) 7ritten on behalf of the >uardian on "$th 9anuary "#1") it is
stated! AMou should not be afraid any one can affect your mind: E'en 7hen 7e 7ant to catch the
thoughts of those 7e lo'e most 7e cannot do so) ho7 much less can other people succeed in penetrating
our minds:
@/n relation to indi'iduals see6ing the ad'ice of Apriests to assist their healing 7hen the cause of their
illness is diagnosed as Asupernatural forces) 7e enclose for your study a passage from the Hritings of
AAbdul0Bah and se'eral e?tracts from letters 7ritten on behalf of the >uardian to indi'idual belie'ers
on the subBect of spiritual healing:E
&I)id!2
1//1. !he %ol"tion to %"ch *eliefs and Problems In1ol1es a Process of Ed"catin6 the Friends In
the !eachin6s
@Concerning your appeal for a solution to the problem) 7e are instructed to say that the approach is
t7ofold: /t in'ol'es a process of educating the friends) deepening their understanding of the 3eachings
and their trust in the po7er of the Cause) and gradually 7eaning them a7ay from those illusions and
practices 7hich are potentially destructi'e of their spiritual and material 7ell0being:
@Mou are encouraged to ponder the ad'ice contained in the follo7ing statement 7ritten on behalf of the
belo'ed >uardian to an indi'idual belie'er 7ho 7as troubled about matters that are similar) although not
identical) to those 7hich concern the friends in 3rinidad and 3obago!
AHe must use the Hritings of the 2rophets as our measurement: /f Bahullh had attached
the slightest importance to occult e?periences) to the seeing of auras) to the hearing of mystic
'oicesI if He had belie'ed that reincarnation 7as a fact) He) Himself) 7ould ha'e mentioned
all of these things in His 3eachings: 3he fact that He passed o'er them in silence sho7s that
to Him) they had either no importance or no reality) and 7ere conseDuently not 7orthy to
ta6e up His time as the 8i'ine Educator of the human race:
AHe must turn our faces a7ay from these things) and to7ard the actual practice of His
3eachings in our e'eryday life through our Bah Administration) and in our contact 7ith
other people and the e?amples 7e gi'e: E
&I)id!2
1//2. 7hat is Commonly Called E1il spirits is :ormally an Ima6inary Creation b"t E1il Infl"ences
*oth in !his 7orld and the :e?t
@/n regard to your Duestion concerning e'il spirits and their influence upon souls) Shoghi Effendi 7ishes
me to inform you that 7hat is generally called e'il spirit is a purely imaginary creation and has no reality
7hate'er: But as to e'il) there is no doubt that it e?erts a 'ery strong influence both in this 7orld and in
the ne?t: AAbdul0Bah in the ASome Ans7ered Ruestions gi'es us a thorough and true analysis of the
problem of e'il: Mou should preferably refer to that boo6 for further e?planation on that point:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 1/ 193N2
1//. )cc"lt Practices of Certain 5ind"s Introd"ced in !he %tates Are Completely Contrary to the
!eachin6s and %ho"ld be A1oided by !he Friends
@:::indeed) such occult practices as certain Hindus ha'e introduced in the States) and 7hich some
superficial and superstitious indi'iduals ha'e adopted and are trying) by all sorts of de'ices) to
populariCe) are absolutely foreign) nay positi'ely opposed to the 'ery spirit and letter of the 3eachings)
and the belie'ers) therefore) should strictly and at all times a'oid the company of such people) lest they
may unconsciously and ine'itably fall under their baneful influence and become gradually alienated
from the Cause:
@::: 3he friends also should be 7arned not to indulge in such acti'ities that dra7 their inspiration from
Hindu occultist sources) as these do not only lead them a7ay from the Cause) but can cause them
considerable mental harm) and thus permanently inBure their mind as 7ell as their body:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to two )elie"ers/ (u$ust @/ 19392
1//'. %pirit"al E?periences can 5a1e Dreat Infl"ence )n 8s b"t the Call !oday is to !ry to %a1e
the 5"man .aceThis is the Dut5 of E"er5 4oul
@Spiritual e?periences ha'e undoubtedly great influence on us indi'idually and) therefore) arouse deep
interest) but of paramount importance in this day is to forget them and go out into the 7orld trying to
sa'e the human race from its threatening condition: 3his is the call of the day) this is the duty of e'ery
soul 7ho desires to follo7 the path traced by Bahullh:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 0/ 19332
9LIII$ RAC(%
1//(. Abori6inal InhabitantsDown-!rodden People
@Shoghi Effendi is also most an?ious for the <essage to reach the aboriginal inhabitants of the
Americas: 3hese people) for the most part do7n0trodden and ignorant) should recei'e from the Bahs a
special measure of lo'e) and e'ery effort be made to teach them: 3heir enrollment in the aith 7ill
enrich them and us and demonstrate our principle of the 5neness of <an far better than 7ords or the
7ide con'ersion of the ruling races e'er can:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 6eso+(merica and the (ntilles/ Eul5 11/ 19@1. A
Special <easure of =o'e/ p! @2
1//-. !ablets of the Di1ine Planati"es of (merica 6a5 ,ecome %reat 4tandard ,earers of the
<aith
@3he >uardian attaches the utmost importance) as you 6no7) to the teaching of the nati'es of America:
@/n the 3ablets of the 8i'ine 2lan) the <aster pays the utmost attention to this most important matter:
He states that if the 2o7er of the Holy Spirit today properly enters into the minds and the hearts of the
nati'es of the great American continents that they 7ill become great standard bearers of the aith)
similar to the Nomads FArabiansG 7ho became the most cultured and enlightened people under the
<ohammadan ci'iliCation:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,raJil/ Peru/ 3olum)ia/ Ecuador and >eneJuela/
(u$ust LL/ 19@02
1///. PreF"dice and Condescension3ontact with 3it5 Indians
@He adds one suggestion Fhe does not 6no7 if it is practicable or notG! Can contact not be made 7ith
/ndians 7ho ha'e become more or less absorbed into the life of the 7hite element of the Country and
li'e in or 'isit the big citiesS 3here) people) finding the Bahs sincerel5 lac6ing in either preBudiceQor
that e'en 7orse attitude) condescensionQmight not only ta6e interest in our teachings) but also help us
to reach their people in the proper 7ay:
@/t is a great mista6e to belie'e that because people are illiterate or li'e primiti'e li'es) they are lac6ing
in either intelligence or sensibility: 5n the contrary) they may 7ell loo6 on us 7ith the e'ils of our
ci'iliCation) 7ith its moral corruption) its ruinous 7ars) its hypocrisy and conceit) as people 7ho merit
7atching 7ith both suspicion and contempt: He should meet them as eDuals) 7ell07ishers) people 7ho
admire and respect their ancient descent) and 7ho feel that they 7ill be interested as 7e are in a li'ing
reli$ion and not in the dead forms of present0day churches:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the 3omite acional de EnsenanJa ,ah-*? para los Indi$enas de 4ur (merica/
4eptem)er L1/ 19@12
1//0. Afro-Americans and Amerindians
@3he Americas ha'e been a melting pot and a meeting place for the races of men) and the need is acute
for the fulfillment of >ods promises of the realiCation of the oneness of man6ind: 2articularly do the
<aster and the >uardian point to the Afro0Americans and the Amerindians) t7o great ethnic groups
7hose spiritual po7ers 7ill be released through their response to the Creati'e Hord: But our 3eachings
must touch all) must include all people: And) in this hour of your tireless acti'ity 7hat special re7ards
shall come to those 7ho 7ill arise) summoned by AAbdul0Bahs 7ords! ANo7 is the time to di'est
yoursel'es of the garment of attachment to this phenomenal realm) be 7holly se'ered from the physical
7orld) become angels of hea'en) and tra'el and teach through all these regions: E
&The :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice*s 6essa$e to the 3ari))ean 3onference/ 6a5 19012
1//2. First #ember of 5is .ace to Embrace the Ca"se
@E'en <rs: Hearsts butler) a negro named &obert 3urner) the first member of his race to embrace the
Cause of Bahullh in the Hest) had been transported by the influence e?erted by AAbdul0Bah in the
course of that epoch0ma6ing pilgrimage: Such 7as the tenacity of his faith that e'en the subseDuent
estrangement of his belo'ed mistress from the Cause she had spontaneously embraced failed to becloud
its radiance) or to lessen the intensity of the emotions 7hich the lo'ing06indness sho7ered by AAbdul0
Bah upon him had e?cited in his breast:E
&4ho$hi Effendi. %od Passes ,5/ p! L@92
1/03. %er1ice of the :e6ro
@He 7as 'ery pleased to ha'e the first pioneer from America go forth under this organiCed African
campaignI he 7as doubly happy that it should ha'e been an American Negro 7ho 7ent: 3his is highly
appropriate and surely has delighted the heart of AAbdul0Bah Hho 7atched o'er the race 7ith
particular lo'e) tenderness and understanding: 3he e'er increasing part the coloured friends are ta6ing in
the 7or6 of the Cause) and especially of late years in the pioneer 7or6 gratifies the >uardian immensely:
And no7) to add further to the record of their ser'ices) they can count a member of their race a Hand of
the Cause: Hhen 7e read in the Hill and 3estament ho7 great is the function of the Hands 7e appreciate
to 7hat an e?alted station our dear brother =ouis >regory attained::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ o"em)er L3/ 19@1. Bah Ne7s/
o! L@L/ <e)ruar5 19@L/ p! 12
1/01. D"ardian,s Appeal to :e6ro .ace
@::: / appeal particularly to its dearly belo'ed members belonging to the Negro race to participate in the
contemplated proBect mar6ing a significant milestone in the 7orld unfoldment of the aith:::E
&4ho$hi Effendi. 3itadel of <aith/ p! 802
1/02. Concentrate on !eachin6 the :e6roes
@:::he urges the friends to concentrate on teaching the negroes: 3hey should be courageous in their racial
stand) particularly as so many non0Bahs and non0Bah organiCations are sho7ing mar6ed courage at
this time:::3he friends must remember that the cardinal principle of their aith is the 5neness of
<an6ind: 3his places an obligation on them far surpassing the obligation 7hich Christian charity and
brotherly lo'e places upon the Christians: 3hey should demonstrate this spirit of oneness constantly and
courageously:::E:
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 4eptem)er L1/ 19@0. Bah Ne7s/
o! 3L1/ o"em)er 19@02
1/0. Compared with P"pil of the Eye
@:::&ECA== H/3H 2&55JN8 E<53/5N <ESSA>E BE=5PE8 >JA&8/AN 5CCAS/5N "#1%
C5NE&ENCE HHE&E/N HE EO35==E8 2J&EHEA&3E8 S2/&/3JA==M &ECE23/PE /N8/>EN5JS
2E52=E A&/CA HH5< BAHWJ==WH C5<2A&E8 2J2/= EME 3H&5J>H HH/CH =/>H3 5 S2/&/3
SH/NE3H 5&3H AN8 5& HH5SE C5NPE&S/5N B53H >JA&8/AN AN8 <AS3E& BE5&E H/<
MEA&NE8 AN8 =AB5J&E8:::E
&<rom the ca)le of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the (frica International 3onference/ Octo)er M/ 19M02
1/0'. 7or$ of :e6ro 5as *een of Dreatest 5elp
@3he Negro belie'ers must be Bust as acti'e as their 7hite brothers and sisters in spreading the aith)
both among their o7n race and members of other races: /t has been a great step for7ard in the Causes
de'elopment in America to ha'e Negro pioneers go forth) and their 7or6 has been of the greatest help
and 'ery producti'e of results:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to two indi"idual )elie"ers/ 6arch 19/ 19NN2
1/0(. !he :e6roes 5a1e A Contrib"tion to #a$e to *ah+,",ll+h,s 7orld )rder
E3he negroes) though they themsel'es may not realiCe it) ha'e a contribution to ma6e to the Horld 5rder
of Bahullh: His 3eachings and the society He has come to establish are for e'ery race and e'ery
nation) and each one of them has his o7n part to play and the gift of his o7n Dualities and talents to gi'e
to the 7hole 7orld:
@3he Cause of >od has room for all: /t 7ould) indeed) not be the Cause of >od if it did not ta6e in and
7elcome e'eryoneQpoor and rich) educated and ignorant) the un6no7n) and the prominentQ>od
surely 7ants them all) as He created them all:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to two )elie"ers/ Decem)er 11/ 19NL2
1/0-. P"re-hearted@ %pirit"ally .ecepti1e :e6ro .ace
@/ 7elcome 7ith open arms the une?pectedly large number of the representati'es of the pure0hearted and
the spiritually recepti'e Negro race) so dearly lo'ed by AAbdul0Bah) for 7hose con'ersion to His
athers aith He so deeply yearned and 7hose interests He so ardently championed in the course of His
memorable 'isit to the North American continent: / am reminded) on this historic occasion) of the
significant 7ords uttered by Bahullh Himself) Hho) as attested by the Center of the Co'enant) in His
Hritings) Acompared the coloured people to the blac6 pupil of the eye) through 7hich Athe light of the
spirit shineth forth:E
&4ho$hi Effendi. <essages to the Bah Horld/ pp! 13@+13M2
1/0/. Faces are as P"pil of the Eye
@As to::: and :::) 'erily the faces of these are as the pupil of the eyeI although the pupil is created blac6)
yet it is the source of light: / hope >od 7ill ma6e these blac6 ones the glory of the 7hite ones and as the
depositing of the lights of lo'e of >od: And / as6 >od to assist them in all circumstances) that they may
be encompassed 7ith the fa'ours of their =o'ing =ord throughout centuries and ages:E
&3ablets of AAbdul0Bah/ >ol! II/ p! L9L2
1/00. !he Principle of the )neness of #an$ind Precl"des Possibility of Considerin6 .ace as a *ar
to %ocial Interaction
@/n regard to your Duestion concerning the Bah attitude to7ards the Coloured &ace: /t is only e'ident
that the principle of the oneness of man6indQ7hich is the main pi'ot round 7hich all the teachings of
Bahullh re'ol'eQprecludes the possibility of considering race as a bar to any intercourse) be it
social or other7ise: 3he aith) indeed) by its 'ery nature and purpose) transcend all racial limitations and
differences) and proclaims the basic and essential unity of the entire human race: &acial preBudice) of
7hate'er nature and character) is therefore se'erely condemned) and as such should be 7iped out by the
friends in all their relations) 7hether pri'ate or social:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 1M/ 193@2
1/02. !he D"ardian Addresses the :e6ro
@::: =et the Negroes) through a corresponding effort on their part) sho7 by e'ery means in their po7er
the 7armth of their response) their readiness to forget the past) and their ability to 7ipe out e'ery trace
of suspicion that may still linger in their hearts and minds: =et neither thin6 that the solution of so 'ast a
problem is a matter that e?clusi'ely concerns the other: =et neither thin6 that such a problem can either
easily or immediately be resol'ed: =et neither thin6 that they can 7ait confidently for the solution of this
problem until the initiati'e has been ta6en) and the fa'orable circumstances created by agencies that
stand outside the orbit of their aith::::E
&4ho$hi Effendi. 3he Ad'ent of 8i'ine 9ustice/ p! N1/ Wilmette/ 19912
1/23. Addressed to #embers of the 7hite .ace
@::: / hope that ye may cause that do7ntrodden race to become glorious) and to be Boined 7ith the 7hite
race) to ser'e the 7orld of man 7ith the utmost sincerity) faithfulness) lo'e) and purity: 3his opposition)
enmity) and preBudice among the 7hite race and the coloured cannot be effaced e?cept through faith)
assurance) and the teachings of the Blessed Beauty::: 3his Duestion of the union of the 7hite and the
blac6 is 'ery important) for if it is not realiCed) erelong great difficulties 7ill arise) and harmful results
7ill follo7::: enmity 7ill be increased day by day) and the final result 7ill be hardship and may end in
bloodshed:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. I)id!/ p! 392
1/21. &et the 7hite #a$e a %"preme Effort
@=et the 7hite ma6e a supreme effort in their resol'e to contribute their share to the solution of this
problem) to abandon once for all their usually inherent and at times subconscious sense of superiority) to
correct their tendency to7ards re'ealing a patroniCing attitude to7ards the members of the other race) to
persuade them through their intimate) spontaneous and informal association 7ith them of the
genuineness of their friendship and the sincerity of their intentions) and to master their impatience of any
lac6 of responsi'eness on the part of a people 7ho ha'e recei'ed) for so long a period) such grie'ous and
slo70healing 7ounds:E
&4ho$hi Effendi. I)id!/ p! N12
1/22. 8nity in Di1ersity
@3he di'ersity in the human family should be the cause of lo'e and harmony) as it is in music 7here
many different notes blend together in the ma6ing of a perfect chord: /f you meet those of a different
race and colour from yourself) do not mistrust them) and 7ithdra7 yourself into your shell of
con'entionality) but rather be glad and sho7 them 6indness:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. I)id!/ p! 382
1/2. !he D"ardian Addresses *oth .aceseither Race 3an 3laim to )e ()sol"ed from
O)li$ation
@::: Hhite and Negro) high and lo7) young and old) 7hether ne7ly con'erted to the aith or not) all 7ho
stand identified 7ith it must participate in) and lend their assistance) each according to his or her
capacity) e?perience) and opportunities) to the common tas6 of fulfilling the instructions) realiCing the
hopes) and follo7ing the e?ample) of AAbdul0Bah: Hhether coloured or noncoloured) neither race has
the right) or can conscientiously claim) to be regarded as absol'ed from such an obligation) as ha'ing
realiCed such hopes) or ha'ing faithfully follo7ed such an e?ample: A long and thorny road) beset 7ith
pitfalls) still remains untra'elled) both by the 7hite and the Negro e?ponents of the redeeming aith of
Bahullh::::
@::: /f any discrimination is at all to be tolerated) it should be a discrimination not against) but rather in
fa'our of the minority) be it racial or other7ise: Jnli6e the nations and peoples of the earth) be they of
the East or of the Hest) democratic or authoritarian) communist or capitalist) 7hether belonging to the
5ld Horld or the Ne7) 7ho either ignore) trample upon) or e?tirpate) the racial) religious) or political
minorities 7ithin the sphere of their Burisdiction) e'ery organiCed community enlisted under the banner
of Bahullh should feel it to be its first and inescapable obligation to nurture) encourage) and
safeguard e'ery minority belonging to any faith) race) class) or nation 7ithin it: So great and 'ital is this
principle that in such circumstances) as 7hen an eDual number of ballots ha'e been cast in an election) or
7here the Dualifications for any office are balanced as bet7een the 'arious races) faiths or nationalities
7ithin the community) priority should unhesitatingly be accorded the party representing the minority)
and this for no other reason e?cept to stimulate and encourage it) and afford it an opportunity to further
the interests of the community::::E
&4ho$hi Effendi. I)id!/ pp! 3@2
1/2'. Dod #a$es :o Distinction
@>od ma6eth no distinction bet7een the 7hite and the blac6: /f the hearts are pure both are acceptable
unto Him: >od is no respecter of persons on account of either colour or race: All colours are acceptable
unto Him) be they 7hite) blac6) or yello7: /nasmuch as all 7ere created in the image of >od) 7e must
bring oursel'es to realiCe that all embody di'ine possibilities::: >od did not ma6e these di'isionsI these
di'isions ha'e had their origin in man himself: 3herefore) as they are against the plan and purpose of
>od they are false and imaginary:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. I)id!/ p! 302
1/2(. PreF"dice Destroys Edifice of 5"manity
@Bahullh tells us that preBudice in its 'arious forms destroys the edifice of humanity: He are adBured
by the 8i'ine <essenger to eliminate all forms of preBudice from our li'es: 5ur outer li'es must sho7
forth our beliefs: 3he 7orld must see that) regardless of each passing 7him or current fashion of the
generality of man6ind) the Bah li'es his life according to the tenets of his aith: He must not allo7
the fear of reBection by our friends and neighbours to deter us from our goal! to li'e the Bah life: =et
us stri'e to blot out from our li'es e'ery last trace of preBudiceQracial) religious) political) economic)
national) tribal) class) cultural) and that 7hich is based on differences of education or age: He shall be
distinguished from our non0Bah associates if our li'es are adorned 7ith this principle:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Eul5 13/ 190L2
1/2-. )bFect of Inter-.acial 7or$Eapanese/ (mericans/ 6e;icans/ 3hinese/ e$roes
@He feels that) as the main obBect of the Bah inter0racial 7or6 is to abolish preBudice against any and
e'ery race and minority group) it is ob'iously proper for them to include in particular any group that is
recei'ing especially bad treatmentQsuch as the 9apanese Americans are being subBected to: 3here is also
no reason 7hy 7or6 should not be done among) and in cooperation 7ith) the <e?icans) the Chinese) and
so on:
@He has al7ays been 'ery an?ious to ha'e the /ndians taught and enlisted under the banner of the
aith) in 'ie7 of the <asters remar6able statements about the possibilities of their future and that they
represent the aboriginal American population:
@3he Negroes) li6e7ise) are) one might say) a 6ey problem and epitomise the feelings of colour
preBudice so rife in the Jnited States: 3hat is 7hy he has constantly emphasiCed the importance of the
Bahs acti'ely and continuously demonstrating that in the aith this cruel and horrible taint of
discrimination against) and contempt for) them does not e?ist but is) on the contrary) supplanted by a
feeling of esteem for their great gifts and a complete lac6 of preBudice against associating 7ith them in
e'ery field of life:
@3he 7or6 of the &ace Jnity Committee should include) as far as is feasible) contacts 7ith all minority
groups) and 7here'er there is a particularly stout preBudice against a special groupQsuch as the feeling
against the 9apanese in the Hestern states and the Negroes in the Southern) etc:)Qefforts should be made
to counteract it by sho7ing publicly the Bah e?ample of lo'ing tolerance and brotherly association:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 31/ 19N@2
1/2/. 9"st Interest of #inorities
@3o discriminate against any tribe because they are in a minority is a 'iolation of the spirit that animates
the aith of Bahullh: As follo7ers of >ods Holy aith it is our obligation to protect the Bust interests
of any minority element 7ithin the Bah Community: /n fact in the administration of our Bah affairs)
representati'es of minority groups are not only enabled to enBoy eDual rights and pri'ileges) but they are
e'en fa'oured and accorded priority: Bahs should be careful ne'er to de'iate from this noble standard
e'en if the course of e'ents of public opinion should bring pressure to bear upon them: 3he principles in
the Hritings are clear) but usually it is 7hen these principles are applied that Duestions arise::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 in (frica/ <e)ruar5 8/ 19012
1/20. !he Colo"red Friends :eed the Faith7a"e 4uffered and )een down+trodden
@3he coloured friends need the aith 'ery much as they ha'e suffered and been do7ntrodden in the past
a great deal and they must realiCe that in the propagation of the &e'elation of Bahullh lies their hope
for a better future) Bust as much as the hope of the entire 7orld:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 8/ 19NL2
1/22. D"ilty *efore Dod to Allow PreF"dice to #anifest Itself
@/f 7e allo7 preBudice of any 6ind to manifest itself in us) 7e shall be guilty before >od of causing a
setbac6 to the progress and real gro7th of the aith of Bahullh: /t is incumbent upon e'ery belie'er
to endea'our 7ith a fierce determination to eliminate this defect from his thoughts and acts: 3he
fundamental purpose of the aith of Bahullh is the realiCation of the organic unity of the entire
human race:::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational (ssem)lies/ Eul5 13/ 190L2
1033. !o be a *ah+,; is to be Different
@/t is indeed strange that the cultured class) the people of thought and e?perience) are often more filled
7ith preBudice than Bust plain ordinary souls 7ho ha'e not enBoyed such ad'antages: 3hey are so afraid
of seeming in any 7ay Adifferent from their fello7s) and of course to be a Bah is to be differentLE
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 1@/ 19@12
1031. *ah+,;s are not Perfect
@He does not doubtQthough it grie'es him to ha'e to admit itQthat there are belie'ers 7ho ha'e not
o'ercome their racial preBudices: 3he Bahs are not perfect) but they ha'e made a great step for7ard by
embracing the aith of >od: He must be patient 7ith each other) and realiCe that each one of us has
some faults to o'ercome) of one 6ind or another:
@Mou) he feels) need to use greater 7isdom and forbearance in dealing 7ith your fello70Bahs and
7ith difficult situations: 3o be courageousQas you e'idently areQto rebel against the inBustices of race
preBudice and fight them is not enough) you must also sho7 some patience for those 7ho suffer from this
terrible American ailment of Negro preBudice and act 7ith 7isdom in o'ercoming it) instead of going at
it so 'ehemently that you alienate the Bahs instead of leading them to greater manifestations of the
Bah spirit of brotherhood and racial amity::::
@He hopes that you 7ill concentrate your energies on ser'ing the aith:
@3his is the only real solution to mans problems) all others are more or less palliati'es) but 7e 7ho are
identified 7ith Bahullhs message can alone build up the pattern for the future through helping to
establish our Administrati'e 5rder and assisting in its proper functioning: 3his is the fundamental
thing:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er durin$ the 5ear 19N92
1032. 4Abd",l-*ah+ Foretold for the Indians of America a Dreat F"t"re if !hey Accepted the
!eachin6s of *ah+,",ll+h
@3he original population of the Jnited States 7as 'ery dear to AAbdul0Bahs heart) and He foretold for
the /ndians a great future if they accepted and became enlightened by the 3eachings of Bahullh:
@3o belie'e in the <outhpiece of >od in His 8ay confers 'ery great blessings) not only on indi'iduals)
but on races) and He hopes that you 7ho are no7 numbered amongst the follo7ers of Bahullh 7ill
gi'e His <essage to many more of your tribe) and in this 7ay hasten for your people a bright and happy
future:E
103. *ah+,;s Appro1e of Inter-.acial 8nions
@He thin6s you did 7ell to marry) and he is glad you married an American /ndian: He Bahs appro'e
of inter0racial unions) and you should do all you can to ma6e your marriage a success and ma6e your
husband happy:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 31/ 19@12
103'. Camp"s Protest A6ainst .acial PreF"dice
@/n connection 7ith the subBect matter of <r: Blac67ells letter and your reference to it) the >uardian
feels that) as he said in his letter to <r: Blac67ell) there 7as no obBection at all to the students ta6ing
part in something so ob'iously a6in to the spirit of our teachings as a campus demonstration against race
preBudice: 3he Bahs did not inaugurate this protest) they merely 7ere proud to ha'e a 'oice as Bahs
in such a protest) too6 part) and he thin6s they did Duite right and 'iolated no administrati'e principle:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ o"em)er 18/ 19N82
103(. !he *ah+,; #"st %cr"p"lo"sly A1oid In1ol1ement in Political Iss"es !herefore Cannot
Participate in Anti-Apartheid Demonstrations
@/n reply to your letter of "1 9uly "#$1 see6ing further clarification on the issue of apartheid) the
Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has instructed us to point out that as the policy of apartheid deri'es from
racial discrimination) it cannot be accepted by Bahs 7here'er) and in 7hate'er form) it may be
practised:
@Hhile the friends should) of course) support the principles of the aith) including those ad'ocating the
oneness of man6ind) and may associate 7ith groups and engage in acti'ities 7hich promote these
principles) they must scrupulously ta6e care not to become in'ol'ed in political issues: As stated in the
letter to you dated "* April "#$1) participation in anti0apartheid demonstrations and protest acti'ities
could be construed as in'ol'ement in politics) and therefore should be a'oided:
@::: 3he 7orld around us is seething 7ith unrest caused by the conflicting interests of go'ernments)
peoples) races and indi'iduals: Each of these contending parties has some good and some e'il on its side)
and) 7hereas 7e 7ill unhesitatingly uphold Bah principles) 7e 7ill ne'er become embroiled in these
internecine conflicts by identifying oursel'es 7ith one or other of the parties) ho7e'er much in our
hearts 7e may sympathiCe 7ith its aims:
@3he positi'e attitude to the Duestion of racial preBudice is radiant and 7hole0hearted e?emplification
of the principle of the oneness of man6ind) first among the members of your National Spiritual
Assembly and then throughout the Bah community::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ (u$ust 18/ 198@2
103-. !eachin6 #"lti-.acial %t"dents in the 8ni1ersities and )ther #inority Dro"ps in America@
%"ch as CHechs@ Poles@ ."ssians...
@:::urge the Bahs) 7here'er they may be) to de'ote more attention to the minorities: 3his is
particularly true in places 7here there are uni'ersities 7here foreign students belonging to the blac6)
yello7 and bro7n races are studying: /n this 7ay) the friends cannot only obey one of the most beautiful
principles of our aith) to sho7 hospitality to the stranger in our midst) but also demonstrate the
uni'ersality of our 3eachings and the true brotherhood that animates us) and in addition) confirm Bahs
7ho may go bac6 to the distant place of the earthQ the 2acific) Africa) Asia) etc:) and be of inestimable
help to the ne7ly0born Bah Communities:
@=i6e7ise the friends should carry their friendship and their teachings to other minority groups in
America) such as the /talians) the 9e7s) the CCechs) the 2oles) the &ussians) etc:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ,ah-*? Inter+Racial 3ommittee of the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited
4tates/ 6a5 L0/ 19@02
103/. .acial PreF"dice Is %imply a :e6ation of Faith
@3he attitude of the Cause to7ards the problem of race) be it in America or else7here) has been
repeatedly clarified by the >uardian: 3o the faithful follo7ers of Bahullh 7ho fully grasp the
essential implications of the principle of the oneness of man6ind so much emphasiCed in His teachings)
racial preBudice) in all its forms) is simply a negation of faith) a repudiation of the belief in the
brotherhood of man 7hich is) beyond doubt) the cornerstone of the &eligion of >od: =oyalty to this
basic principle should) therefore) be 7hole0hearted and unDualified:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 11/ 193M2
1030. It is the .esponsibility of the *elie1ers to Combat and 8proot .acial PreF"dice in !heir #idst
@/n America) 7here racial preBudice is still so 7idely pre'alent) it is the responsibility of the belie'ers to
combat and uproot it 7ith all their force) first by endea'ouring to introduce into the Cause as many
racial and minority groups as they can approach and teach) and second) by stimulating close fello7ship
and intercourse bet7een them and the rest of the Community:
@/t should be the paramount concern of your Committee to foster this aim through e'ery means
a'ailable: Not only the coloured people) 7ho because of the increasing recepti'ity they are e'incing to
the <essage and truly deser'e special attention) but all other minorities) 7hether racial or religious)
9e7s) &ed /ndians) all ali6e should be contacted and confirmed: 3he greater the recepti'ity of a
particular class or group) the stronger should 7a? the desire and determination of the belie'ers to attract
and teach its members: At a time 7hen the 7hole 7orld is steeped in preBudices of race) class) and
nation) the Bahs) by upholding firmly and loyally this cardinal principle of their aith) can best hope
to 'indicate its truth) and establish its right to bring order and peace out of the chaos and strife of this
7ar0torn 7orld:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 L1/ 19N12
1032. Dod 5as .ichly Endowed the :e6ro .ace
@Mou already are 7ell a7are of the importance he attaches to teaching the negroes the aith and brea6ing
do7n the shameful 7all of preBudice that has for so long shut out from each other the blac6 and 7hite
citiCens of America:
@3he Dualities of heart so richly possessed by the Negro are much needed in the 7orld todayQtheir
great capacity for faith) their loyalty and de'otion to their religion 7hen once they belie'e) their purity
of heart: >od has richly endo7ed them) and their contribution to the Cause is much needed) especially as
there is a lac6 of Negro Bah teachers 7ho can go out to their o7n people) along 7ith their 7hite
brothers and sisters) and con'ince them of the acti'e uni'ersality of our aith: He 7ill especially pray
that you may confirm souls of capacity in this field:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to two )elie"ers/ 4eptem)er L0/ 19N12
1013. !he :e6ro .ace and the 7hite .ace #"st do All in !heir Power to Destroy the PreF"dice
7hich E?ists on *oth %ides
@3he negro race has been) and still is) the 'ictim of unBust preBudice) and it is ob'iously the duty of e'ery
Bah) negro or 7hite) to do all in their po7er to destroy the preBudices 7hich e?ist on both sides: 3hey
can do this not only by e?emplifying the true Bah spirit in all their associations and acts) but also by
ta6ing an acti'e part in any progressi'e mo'ements aimed at the betterment of the lot of those 7ho are
underpri'ileged) as long as these mo'ements are a)solutel5 non0political and non0sub'ersi'e in e'ery
respect:
@<o'ements for social progress and social Bustice) as long as they are disassociated from both political
and religious partisanship) should be supported by those Bahs 7ho feel urged to underta6e such 7or6:
ConseDuently there is no reason 7hy you should not 7or6 for the betterment of your race through
channels that in no 7ay conflict 7ith our Bah attitude:E
1011. !he :e6ro *ah+,;s 5a1e a Dreat .esponsibility !owards !heir )wn .ace and Fellow
*elie1ers
@3he >uardian feels 'ery strongly that the negro Bahs ha'e great responsibilities) both to7ards their
o7n race and to7ards their fello70belie'ers: 3hey must not only arise to teach the Cause to the members
of their o7n race) but must do all in their po7er to ensure that 7ithin the Bah Community itself the
negro and 7hite belie'ers understand and lo'e each other and are truly as one soul in different bodies:
5ur allegiance as belie'ers is to BahullhI 7e must fi? our attention and de'otion on Him and His
7ill and) heedless of the shortcomings of our fello70Bahs) act as He 7ould ha'e us to7ards them:E
&I)id!2
1012. Principle of the )neness of #an$indIncompati)le with Racial Pre=udices
@&egarding the solution of the racial problem! 3he belie'ers should of course realiCe that the principle of
the oneness of man6ind 7hich is the cornerstone of the <essage of Bahullh is 7holly incompatible
7ith all forms of racial preBudice: =oyalty to this foundation principle of the aith is the paramount duty
of e'ery belie'er and should be therefore 7hole0hearted and unDualified: or a Bah racial preBudice)
in all its forms) is simply a negation of faith) an attitude 7holly incompatible 7ith the 'ery spirit and
actual teachings of the Cause:
@But 7hile the friends should faithfully and courageously uphold this Bah principle of the essential
unity of all human races) yet in the methods they adopt for its application and further realiCation on the
social plane they should act 7ith tact) 7isdom and moderation: 3hese t7o attitudes are by no means
e?clusi'e: Bahullh urges us to al7ays act 7isely and moderately: Bahs do not belie'e that the
spread of the Cause and its principles and teachings can be effected by means of radical and 'iolent
methods: Hhile they are loyal to all these 3eachings yet they belie'e in the necessity of resorting to
peaceful and friendly means for the realiCation of their aims:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er LL/ 193M2
101. !he E1il Forces of PreF"dice
@3he belie'ers must realiCe that the forces of preBudice are) along 7ith so many other e'il practices)
gro7ing at present stronger in the dar6ness surrounding humanity: 3he Bahs must e?ercise not only
tact and Budgement) but courage and confidence in the aid of Bahullh) 7hich He 7ill 'ouchsafe to
those 7ho attempt to li'e up to His teachings) in their 7hole approach to this racial Duestion: 3oo much
hesitance) too great timidity in the face of public opinion) can be Bust as bad as too much disregard of the
actual situation and the problems it in'ol'es:E
101'. !he :e6roes %ho"ld be Pro"d and 5appy in the Praises which *ah+,",ll+h *estowed "pon
!hem and )ther Down-!rodden .aces
@As 7e neither feel nor ac6no7ledge any distinction bet7een the duties and pri'ileges of a Bah)
7hoe'er he may be) it is incumbent upon the negro belie'ers to rise abo'e this great test 7hich the
attitude of some of their 7hite brethren may present: 3hey must pro'e their innate eDuality not by 7ords
but by deeds: 3hey must accept the Cause of Bahullh for the sa6e of the 3ause) lo'e it) and cling to
it) and teach it) and fight for it as their o7n Cause) forgetful of the shortcomings of others: Any other
attitude is un7orthy of their faith:
@2roud and happy in the praises 7hich e'en Bahullh Himself has besto7ed upon them) they must
feel He re'ealed Himself for them and e'ery other do7ntrodden race) lo'es them) and 7ill help them to
attain their destiny:
@3he 7hole race Duestion in America is a national one and of great importance: But the negro friends
must not 7aste their precious opportunity to ser'e the aith) in these momentous days) by d7elling on
the admitted shortcomings of the 7hite friends: 3hey must arise and ser'e and teach) confident of the
future they are building) a future in 7hich 7e 6no7 these barriers 7ill ha'e once and for all been
o'ercomeLE
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 9/ 19NL2
101(. !he D"ardian Enco"ra6es Participation with :on-Political Pro6ressi1e Dro"ps
@&egarding your Duestion! 3he >uardian does not see ho7 Bah participation 7ith other organiCations
and religious bodies in a non0political meeting to promote ci'ic unity and 7elfare along some line can
be considered political: <uch as the friends must guard against in any 7ay e'er seeming to identify
themsel'es or the Cause 7ith any political party) they must also guard against the other e?treme of ne'er
ta6ing part 7ith other progressi'e groups) in conferences or committees designed to promote some
acti'ity in entire accord 7ith our teachingsQsuch as) for instance) better race relations:E
101-. !he 7hites %ho"ld 7elcome :e6roes In !heir 5omes and E1en #arry !hem if !hey 7ish
,oth 4ides 7a"e Pre=udice to O"ercome
@He feels it is time that the Bahs stopped 7orrying entirely about the 7hite element in a community)
and that they should concentrate on sho7ing the negro element that this is a aith 7hich produces full
eDuality and 7hich lo'es and 7ants minorities: 3he Bahs should 7elcome the negroes to their homes)
ma6e e'ery effort to teach them) associate 7ith them) e'en marry them if they 7ant to: He must
remember that AAbdul0Bah Himself united in Bah marriage a coloured and a 7hite belie'er: He
could not do more:
@Also) as the >uardian has been pointing out to the pilgrims) the aith must be representati'e of the
population: /n a great many places in the South the maBority of the population is still negro: 3his should
be reflected in the Bah Community) fearlessly: Both the 7hite Bahs and the coloured Bahs must
steadily 7or6 to attain this obBecti'e of bringing the aith to the coloured people) and of confirming
many of them in it: Both sides ha'e preBudices to o'ercomeI one) the preBudice 7hich is built up in the
minds of a people 7ho ha'e conDuered and imposed their 7ill) and the other the reactionary preBudice of
those 7ho ha'e been conDuered and sorely put upon:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ,ah-*? Inter+Racial Teachin$ 3ommittee/ 6a5 L0/ 19@02
101/. !he %"fferin6s and !rib"lations of the 9ews 7ill !erminate D"rin6 the *ah+,; Era
@::: Mou should certainly endea'our to establish further contacts 7ith your 9e7ish fello70citiCens) as
their spiritual destiny is assuredly bright: 3he age0long sufferings and tribulations 7hich the 9e7s all
o'er the 7orld ha'e so cruelly e?perienced 7ill be terminated during the Bah era) as they 7ill be
gradually led to embrace the aith 7hich) indeed) constitutes the only means of sal'ation to their race:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er LL/ 19302
1010. !he Dlorio"s Destiny of the 9ews
@::: /f the 9e7s study the teachings they 7ill find in them the hopes and aspirations that they ha'e al7ays
cherished: Bahullh bears a 7onderful message to the 9e7s and many of them ha'e come to
appreciate it and are acti'e in carrying it to others of their race: 3hrough Bahullh) the <aster tells us)
they shall regain their ancient glory and become lo'ed by all the people of the 7hole 7orld:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 1N/ 193L2
1012. *elie1ers of 9ewish Descent %ho"ld Call !hemsel1es *ah+,;s
@He feels you did the right thing to ha'e yourself under A&eligion registered as a Bah: Jnfortunately)
o7ing to this obno?ious and 'icious race preBudice of e'ery sort 7hich afflicts the 7orld today) the term
9e7 has come more to mean a race than a religion: Mou certainly) as your father feels) should ne'er 7ish
to disassociate yourself from a group of people 7ho ha'e contributed as much to the 7orld as the 9e7s
ha'e: 5n the other hand your actual religion today is Bah) and he feels that 9e7s should) 7hen they
become Bahs) al7ays gi'e this as their aith) but as their racial descent they should gi'e A9e7ish:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 1@/ 19N82
9LI6$ R(INCARNATION
1023. *ah+,; Position on .eincarnation
@/t is clear from the teachings of Bahullh about the nature of the soul and of life after death as
published in A>leanings from the Hritings of Bahullh) that the Bah position on this subBect is
7holly incompatible 7ith the theory of reincarnation: He suggest that you refer this friend to the
e?planation of Areturn as gi'en by Bahullh in the ;itb0i0UDn and the statements made by AAbdul0
Bah in A4ome (nswered Cuestions:
@:::for your additional information 7e gi'e the follo7ing Duotations from letters 7ritten on behalf of
the belo'ed >uardian on this subBect!
ANo re'elation from >od has e'er taught reincarnationI this is a man0made conception: 3he
soul of man comes into being at conception:
&To an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 1/ 19NM2
A3he Bah 'ie7 of Areincarnation is essentially different from the Hindu conception: 3he
Bahs belie'e in the return of the attributes and Dualities) but maintain that the essence or
the reality of things cannot be made to return: E'ery being 6eeps its o7n indi'iduality) but
some of his Dualities can be transmitted: 3he doctrine of metempsychosis upheld by the
Hindus is fallacious:
&To an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch L0/ 19382
AE'olution in the life of the indi'idual starts 7ith the formation of the human embryo and
passes through 'arious stages) and e'en continues after death in another form: 3he human
spirit is capable of infinite de'elopment:
A<ans identity or rather his indi'iduality is ne'er lost: His reality as a person remains intact
throughout the 'arious states of his de'elopment: He does not pree?ist in any form before
coming into this 7orld:
&To an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er LM/ 19392
AHe as Bahs are not influenced by the categorical assertions of scholars: He belie'e that
7hat Bahullh has re'ealed and AAbdul0Bah has 7ritten is from >od) and di'inely
inspiredI that Bahullh is a <anifestation of >od) and has access to a 6no7ledge denied to
ordinary human beings: E
&#etter written to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril LL/ 19@N on )ehalf of the %uardian2
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 6onaco/ (u$ust @/ 19M92
1021. E1erybody is Entitled to !heir )wn )pinion
@E'erybody is entitled to their o7n opinion: /f they do not set it forth 7ith con'iction) they are failing in
their duty to e?pose their ideas sincerely and graphicallyI but because they belie'e something firmly
themsel'es does not in any7ay imply that 7hat they belie'e is the truth: Bet7een the truth 7hich comes
from >od through His 2rophets) and the glimmerings) often misunderstood and misinterpreted) of truth
7hich come from the philosophers and thin6ers) there is an immense difference: He must ne'er) under
any circumstances) confuse the t7o:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril LL/ 19@N. I)id!2
1022. &earnin6 Can be the Beil *etween the %o"l of #an and !r"th
@Bahullh has said that learning can be the 'eil bet7een the soul of man and the eternal truthI in other
7ords) bet7een man and the 6no7ledge of >od: He ha'e seen that many people 7ho become 'ery
ad'anced in the study of modern physical sciences are led to deny >od) and to deny His 2rophets: 3hat
does not mean that >od and the 2rophets ha'e not and do not e?ist: /t only means that 6no7ledge has
become a 'eil bet7een their hearts and the light of >od:
@/t 7ould be absolutely impossible for anyone to ans7er all the Duestions that might be as6ed by the
curious) 7hether scholars or ordinary people) on any subBect: /f the 2rophets of >od only came to this
7orld in order to ans7er peoples Duestions) and elucidate all the Anonsense) for the most part) that
people ha'e gotten together and formed into cults and philosophies) they 7ould ha'e no time to instruct
man by their e?ample and through their teachings in a ne7 7ay of life:E
&I)id!2
102. 5a1e :ot 5ad !ime to E1ol1e *ah+,; %cholars 7ho Can Deal with !hese %"bFects
@He must turn aside from these 'ain imaginings and suppositions and philosophiCings of the 7orld) and
fi? our eyes upon the clear stream of the 3eachings of Bahullh: 5ut of these teachings) and the
society 7hich they 7ill create on this planet) 7ill come a solution to all of the problems of men:
>radually) greater scholars) more deeply spiritual thin6ers) 7ill be able to ans7er from a Bah
standpoint many of these Duestions: /t is not necessary that they should be in the di'ine te?tI they can be
studied and learned in the futureI but at present 7e ha'e not had time to e'ol'e the Bah scholars 7ho
can deal 7ith these subBects in detail) and ta6e upon themsel'es to ans7er the abstruse points and the
many unfounded doctrines 7hich are ad'anced by modern philosophers:E
&I)id!2
102'. 8nli$ely Eo" 7ill be Able to Con1ert People 7ho %t"dy !hese !opics
@/t is 'ery unli6ely that you 7ill be able either to successfully argue 7ith) or to con'ert) any of the
people 7ho study these topics you ha'e mentioned in your letter: 3hey are more interested in mystical
things) and in mystery itself) than in this present 7orld in 7hich 7e li'e) and ho7 to sol'e its problems:
3hey enBoy abstractions and complications: <inds such as these are not going to be able to accept the
&e'elation of Bahullh) 7hich is for here and no7) and 7hich in'ol'es the purification of the mind)
and as application of His teachings to daily life::::E
&I)id!2
102(. 7hat *ah+,",ll+h #eans by Fac"lty of %i6ht and 5earin6
@Hhat Bahullh means by the faculty of sight and hearing is the physical faculty) not a spiritual
abstraction: He means that 7e ha'e been gi'en eyes and ears to appreciate 7hat goes on in this 7orld)
by Almighty >odI in other 7ords) 7e can read the 3eachings and listen to the <essage of the 2rophet:
3his is to be ta6en literally:E
&I)id!2
102-. .eincarnation Does not E?ist
@He 6no7 from His 3eachings that reincarnation does not e?ist: He come on to this planet once only:
5ur life here is li6e the baby in the 7omb of its mother) 7hich de'elops in that state 7hat is necessary
for its entire life after it is born: 3he same is true of us: Spiritually 7e must de'elop here 7hat 7e 7ill
reDuire for the life after death: /n that future life) >od) through His <ercy) can help us to e'ol'e
characteristics 7hich 7e neglected to de'elop 7hile 7e 7ere on this earthly plane: /t is not necessary for
us to come bac6 and be born into another body in order to ad'ance spiritually and gro7 closer to >od:
@3his is the Bah 3eaching) and this is 7hat the follo7ers of Bahullh must accept) regardless of
7hat e?periences other people may feel they ha'e: Mou yourself must surely 6no7 that modern
psychology has taught that the capacity of the human mind for belie'ing 7hat it imagines is almost
infinite: Because people thin6 they ha'e a certain type of e?perience) they thin6 they remember
something of a pre'ious life) does not mean they actually had the e?perience) or e?isted pre'iously: 3he
po7er of their mind 7ould be Duite sufficient to ma6e them belie'e firmly such a thing had happened:E
&I)id!2
102/. 7e #"st 8se 7ritin6s of the Prophets as )"r #eas"rement
@He must use the Hritings of the 2rophets as our measurement: /f Bahullh had attached the slightest
importance to occult e?periences) to the seeing of auras) to the hearing of mystic 'oicesI if He had
belie'ed that reincarnation 7as a fact) He) Himself) 7ould ha'e mentioned all of these things in His
3eachings: 3he fact that He passed o'er them in silence sho7s that to Him) they had either no
importance or no reality) and 7ere conseDuently not 7orthy to ta6e up His time as the 8i'ine Educator
of the human race:E
&I)id!2
9L6$ R(6(R(NC( AN %'IRIT!ALIT>
A$ Re.erence
1020. .e1erence and .espect !oward !he 5oly Places
@Mou ha'e as6ed about 'isiting holy places and the obser'ance of mar6ed re'erence to7ard these
resplendent spots: Holy places are undoubtedly centres of the outpouring of 8i'ine grace) because on
entering the illumined sites associated 7ith martyrs and holy souls) and by obser'ing re'erence) both
physical and spiritual) ones heart is mo'ed 7ith great tenderness::::E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Synopsis and Codification of the ;itb0i0ADdas/ p! M12
1022. !he .ecord of 4Abd",l-*ah+,s Boice %ho"ld be &istened to with the 8tmost .e1erence
@:::the friends to e?ercise restraint and caution in the use and distribution of the record of the <asters
'oice: /n my 'ie7) it should be used only on special occasions and be listened to 7ith the utmost
re'erence: 3he dignity of the Cause) / am sure) 7ould suffer from too 7ide and indiscriminate use of one
of the most precious relics of our departed <aster:E
&<rom a letter of 4ho$hi Effendi/ o"em)er LM/ 19L32
103. Biewin6 the Film of 4Abd",l-*ah+
@&egarding the use of the <asters film) the greatest care must be e?ercised lest 7e cheapen its 'alue by
too freDuent and indiscriminate e?hibition either amongst the belie'ers or the non0Bahs: 5nly on
special occasions) such as important anni'ersaries) should the film be sho7n and its solemn sacred
character should be duly emphasiCed:E
&<rom a letter of 4ho$hi Effendi/ <e)ruar5 L8/ 19L82
101. Portrayal of Any of the #anifestations of Dod Forbidden
@Mour understanding that the portrayal of the Bb and Bahullh in 7or6s of art is forbidden) is
correct: 3he >uardian made it clear that this prohibition refers to all the <anifestations of >odI
photographs) or reproductions of portraits) of the <aster may be used in boo6s) but no attempt should be
made to portray Him in dramatic or other 7or6s 7here He 7ould be one of the Adramatic personae:
Ho7e'er) there can be no obBection to symbolic representation of such Holy igures) pro'ided it does
not become a ritual and that the symbol used is not irre'erent:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ Decem)er 3/ 190L2
102. %howin6 .e1erence Differs from C"lt"re to C"lt"re
@2roblems arise 7hen there are disagreements among the friends as to 7hat is dignified and re'erent:
3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice is reluctant to specify such matters in detail and urges the belie'ers not
to ma6e an issue of them: /f a belie'er is seriously 7orried about a particular case) he may refer it to his
National Spiritual Assembly and should abide by the Assemblys decision:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ 6arch 1L/ 19812
10. Photo6raph of *ah+,",ll+h
@3here is no obBection that the belie'ers loo6 at the picture of Bahullh) but they should do so 7ith
the utmost re'erence) and should also not allo7 that it be e?posed openly to the public) e'en in their
pri'ate homes:E
B$ %-iritualit*
10'. #an is at !he *e6innin6 of %pirit"ality
@<an is the highest degree of materiality) and at the beginning of spiritualityQthat is to say) he is the
end of imperfection and the beginning of perfection: He is at the last degree of dar6ness) and at the
beginning of lightI that is 7hy it has been said that the condition of man is the end of the night and the
beginning of day) meaning that he is the sum of all the degrees of imperfection) and that he possesses the
degrees of perfection: He has the animal side as 7ell as the angelic side) and the aim of an educator is to
so train human souls that their angelic aspect may o'ercome their animal side: 3hen if the di'ine po7er
in man) 7hich is his essential perfection) o'ercomes the satanic po7ers) 7hich is absolute imperfection)
he becomes the most e?cellent among creaturesI but if the satanic po7er o'ercomes the di'ine po7er) he
becomes the lo7est of the creatures: 3hat is 7hy he is the end of imperfection and the beginning of
perfection: Not in any other of the species in the 7orld of e?istence is their such a difference) contrast)
contradiction and opposition as in the species of man: 3hus the reflection of the 8i'ine =ight 7as in
man) as in Christ) and see ho7 lo'ed and honoured He isL:::E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Some Ans7ered Ruestions/ pp! L3@+L3M/ Wilmette/ 198N ed!2
10(. .eC"isites for %pirit"al Drowth
@Bahullh has stated Duite clearly in His Hritings the essential reDuisites for our spiritual gro7th) and
these are stressed again and again by AAbdul0Bah in His 3al6s and 3ablets: 5ne can summarise them
briefly in this 7ay!
": 3he recital each day of one of the 5bligatory 2rayers 7ith pure0hearted de'otion:
,: 3he regular reading of the Sacred Scriptures) specifically at least each morning and e'ening) 7ith
re'erence) attention and thought:
%: 2rayerful meditation on the teachings) so that 7e may understand them more deeply) fulfil them
more faithfully) and con'ey them more accurately to others:
(: Stri'ing e'ery day to bring our beha'iour more into accordance 7ith the high standards that are set
forth in the 3eachings:
1: 3eaching the Cause of >od:
*: Selfless ser'ice in the 7or6 of the Cause and in the carrying on of our trade or profession:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 4eptem)er 1/ 19832
10-. Points !owards !he Attainment of !r"e %pirit"ality4piritual E;ercises of Pra5er and
6editation
@3hese points) e?pressed in other 7ords) ha'e already been con'eyed to the friends::: by the
Counsellors) but the House of 9ustice 7ishes to stress them) because they represent the path to7ards the
attainment of true spirituality that has been laid do7n by the <anifestation of >od for this age:
@/t is stri6ing ho7 pri'ate and personal the most fundamental spiritual e?ercises of prayer and
meditation are in the aith: Bahs do) of course) ha'e meetings for de'otions) as in the <ashriDul0
Adh6r or at Nineteen 8ay easts) but the daily obligatory prayers are ordained to be said in the pri'acy
of ones chamber) and meditation on the 3eachings is) li6e7ise) a pri'ate indi'idual acti'ity) not a form
of group therapy: /n His tal6s AAbdul0Bah describes prayer as Acon'ersation 7ith >od) and concerning
meditation He says that A7hile you meditate you are spea6ing 7ith your o7n spirit: /n that state of mind
you put certain Duestions to your spirit and the spirit ans7ers! the light brea6s forth and the reality is
re'ealedL E
&I)id!2
10/. *ah+,",ll+h %pecified no Proced"re to be Followed In #editation and no #ethod %ho"ld be
!a"6ht in %"mmer %chools
@3here are) of course) other things that one can do to increase ones spirituality: or e?ample)
Bahullh has specified no procedures to be follo7ed in meditation) and indi'idual belie'ers are free to
do as they 7ish in this area) pro'ided that they remain in harmony 7ith the teachings) but such acti'ities
are purely personal and should under no circumstances be confused 7ith those actions 7hich
Bahullh Himself considered to be of fundamental importance for our spiritual gro7th: Some
belie'ers may find that it is beneficial to them to follo7 a particular method of meditation) and they may
certainly do so) but such methods should not be taught at Bah Summer Schools or be carried out
during a session of the School because) 7hile they may appeal to some people) they may repel others:
3hey ha'e nothing to do 7ith the aith and should be 6ept Duite separate so that enDuirers 7ill not be
confused:E
&I)id!2
100. For Pri1ate #editation@ *elie1er #ay Desire to 8se the Dreatest :ame
@/t 7ould seem that there are::: many belie'ers 7ho dra7 particular benefit from meditation: 3he House
of 9ustice suggests that for their pri'ate meditations they may 7ish to use the repetition of the >reatest
Name) Allh0u0Abh) ninety0fi'e times a day 7hich) although not yet applied in the Hest) is among the
=a7s) 5rdinances and E?hortations of the ;itb0i0ADdas: FSee p: (* of the ASynopsis and Codification
of the ;itab0i0ADdas:G
@3he House of 9ustice is confident that if the belie'ers::: 7ill conscientiously stri'e to increase their
spirituality in the si? 7ays outlined abo'e) and become a7are in their inmost beings that in all their
ser'ices they are but 'ehicles for the confirming po7er of >od) they 7ill attract the hearts of their fello7
citiCens and penetrate the miasma of materialism that 'eils the sight of so many of their countrymen:
Effort) acti'ity) unity and constant reliance on the po7er of Bahullh 7ill assuredly o'ercome all
obstacles:E
&I)id!2
102. Cleanliness Contrib"tes to %pirit"ality
@:::in e'ery aspect of life) purity and holiness) cleanliness and refinement) e?alt the human condition and
further the de'elopment of manKs inner reality: E'en in the physical realm) cleanliness 7ill conduce to
spirituality) as the Holy Hritings clearly state: And although bodily cleanliness is a physical thing) it hath
ne'ertheless) a po7erful influence on the life of the spirit::::E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ pp! 1NM+1N02
10'3. !he )bli6atory Prayers and .eadin6 %acred %cript"res E1ery #ornin6 and E1enin6 :o"rish
Drowth of %pirit"ality
@3he la7 of the 5bligatory 2rayers is) of course) binding on the friends in Europe) and regular) 7hole0
hearted obedience to this la7 7ill in itself nourish the gro7th of spirituality: Nor should the friends
neglect Bahullhs e?hortation to read the Sacred Scriptures e'ery morning and e'ening:E
10'1. !he Fo"ndation of %pirit"ality is %teadfastness in the Co1enant
@3he thing the::: belie'ers must do is to deepen themsel'es in the Co'enants of Bahullh and AAbdul0
Bah: <ere intellectual understanding of the 3eachings is not enough: 8eep spirituality is essential) and
the foundation of true spirituality is steadfastness in the Co'enant:E
10'2. People are so #ar$edly &ac$in6 in %pirit"ality !hese Days
@2eople are so markedl5 lac6ing in spirituality these days that the Bahs should consciously guard
themsel'es against being caught in 7hat one might call the underto7 of materialism and atheism)
s7eeping the 7orld these days: S6epticism) cynicism) disbelief) immorality and hard0heartedness are
rife) and as the friends are those 7ho stand for the antithesis of all these things they should be7are lest
the atmosphere of the present 7orld affects them 7ithout their being conscious of it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 19/ 19N@2
10'. !here is a :eed for a !r"e %pirit"al Awareness
@3he need is 'ery great) e'ery7here in the 7orld) in and outside the aith) for a true spiritual a7areness
to per'ade and moti'ate peoples li'es: No amount of administrati'e procedure or adherence to rules can
ta6e the place of this soul0characteristic) this spirituality 7hich is the essence of <an: He is 'ery glad to
see you are stressing this and aiding the friends to realiCe its supreme importance:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril L@/ 19N@2
10''. %pirit"al Ed"cation and Pro6ress Depend on .eco6nition of the Infallibility of the
#anifestation of Dod
@&egarding your Bah friend 7ho does not fully understand the infallibility of the <anifestation of
>od! Mou should influence that person to study the matter more deeply) and to realiCe that the 7hole
theory of 8i'ine &e'elation rests on the infallibility of the 2rophet) be He Christ) od 7hich) 7e belie'e) is the bond that educates men and causes all human
progress:E
10'(. Prayer Absol"tely IndispensableTo (ttain 4piritualit5
@::: Ho7 to attain spirituality is indeed a Duestion to 7hich e'ery young man and 7oman must sooner or
later try to find a satisfactory ans7er: /t is precisely because no such satisfactory ans7er has been gi'en
or found) that the modern youth finds itself be7ildered) and is being conseDuently carried a7ay by the
materialistic forces that are so po7erfully undermining the foundations of mans moral and spiritual
life::: /t is this condition) so sadly morbid) into 7hich society has fallen) that religion see6s to impro'e
and transform:
@or the core of religious faith is that mystic feeling 7hich unites man 7ith >od: 3his state of spiritual
communion can be brought about and maintained by means of meditation and prayer: And this is the
reason 7hy Bahullh has so much stressed the importance of 7orship:
@/t is not sufficient for a belie'er merely to accept and obser'e the teachings: He should) in addition)
culti'ate the sense of spirituality 7hich he can acDuire chiefly by means of prayer:::
@3he belie'ers) particularly the young ones) should therefore fully realiCe the necessity of praying: or
prayer is absolutely indispensable to their inner spiritual de'elopment) and this) as already stated) is the
'ery foundation and purpose of the religion of >od:E
&<rom a letter of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 8/ 193@. ,ah-*? Douth/ p! 112
9L6I$ %OCIAL AN (CONO,IC (6(LO',(NT
A$ Guidelines
10'-. A 7ider 5oriHon is )penin6 *efore 8s
@3he gro7ing maturity of a 7orld07ide religious community 7hich all these processes indicate is further
e'idenced in the reaching out) by a number of national communities) to the social and economic life of
their countries) e?emplified by the founding of tutorial schools) the inception of radio stations) the
pursuit of rural de'elopment programs and the operation of medical and agricultural schemes:
@A 7ider horiCon is opening before us) illumined by a gro7ing and uni'ersal manifestation of the
inherent potentialities of the Cause for ordering human affairs: /n this light can be discerned not only our
immediate tas6s but) more dimly) ne7 pursuits and underta6ings upon 7hich 7e must shortly become
engaged:E
&<rom the 6essa$e of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the world/ Rid"-n 19832
10'/. !he Concept of %ocial and Economic De1elopment is Enshrined in the !eachin6s of
*ah+,",ll+h
@::: 3hus) 7e can readily appreciate that although it has hitherto been impracticable for Bah
institutions generally to emphasiCe de'elopment acti'ities) the concept of social and economic
de'elopment is enshrined in the sacred 3eachings of our aith: 3he belo'ed <aster) through His
illuminating 7ords and deeds) set the e?ample for the application of this concept to the reconstruction of
society: Hitness) for instance) 7hat social and economic progress the /ranian belie'ers attained under
His lo'ing guidance and) subseDuently) 7ith the unfailing encouragement of the >uardian of the Cause:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ L1 Octo)er 19832
10'0. 5is !eachin6s EmphasiHe *rin6in6 into *ein6 a 7orld 8nified in all Essential Aspects of
&ife
@rom the beginning of His stupendous <ission) Bahullh urged upon the attention of nations the
necessity of ordering human affairs in such a 7ay as to bring into being a 7orld unified in all the
essential aspects of its life: /n unnumbered 'erses and 3ablets He repeatedly and 'ariously declared the
Aprogress of the 7orld and the Ade'elopment of nations as being among the ordinances of >od for this
day: 3he oneness of man6ind) 7hich is at once the operating principle and ultimate goal of His
&e'elation) implies the achie'ement of a dynamic coherence bet7een the spiritual and practical
reDuirements of life on earth: 3he indispensability of this coherence is unmista6ably illustrated in His
ordination of the <ashriDul0Adh6r) the spiritual centre of e'ery Bah community round 7hich must
flourish dependencies dedicated to the social) humanitarian) educational and scientific ad'ancement of
man6ind:E
&I)id!2
10'2. %teps to be !a$en to Attain this Doal #"st *e6in in the *ah+,; Comm"nity
@No7) after all the years of constant teaching acti'ity) the Community of the >reatest Name has gro7n
to the stage at 7hich the processes of this de'elopment must be incorporated into its regular pursuitsI
particularly its action compelled by the e?pansion of the aith in 3hird Horld countries 7here the 'ast
maBority of its adherents reside: 3he steps to be ta6en must necessarily begin in the Bah Community
itself) 7ith the friends endea'ouring) through their application of spiritual principles) their rectitude of
conduct and the practice of the art of consultation) to uplift themsel'es and thus become self0sufficient
and self0reliant: <oreo'er) these e?ertions 7ill conduce to the preser'ation of human honour) so desired
by Bahullh: /n the process and as a conseDuence) the friends 7ill undoubtedly e?tend the benefits of
their efforts to society as a 7hole) until all man6ind achie'es the progress intended by the =ord of the
Age:E
&I)id!2
10(3. Establishment of )ffice of %ocial and Economic De1elopment in the 7orld Centre
@/t is indeed propitious that systematic attention be gi'en to this 'ital sphere of Bah endea'our: He
are happy) therefore) to announce the establishment at the Horld Centre of the 5ffice of Social and
Economic 8e'elopment) 7hich is to assist the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice to promote and coordinate the
acti'ities of the friends throughout the 7orld in this ne7 field:E
&I)id!2
10(1. !he Powers .eleased by *ah+,",ll+h #atch the :eeds of the !ime
@::: 3he po7ers released by Bahullh match the needs of the times: He may therefore be utterly
confident that the ne7 throb of energy no7 'ibrating throughout the Cause 7ill empo7er it to meet the
oncoming challenges of assisting) as maturity and resources allo7) the de'elopment of the social and
economic life of peoples) of collaborating 7ith the forces leading to7ards the establishment of order in
the 7orld) of influencing the e?ploitation and constructi'e uses of modern technology) and in all these
7ays enhancing the prestige and progress of the aith and uplifting the conditions of the generality of
man6ind:E
&<rom the 6essa$e of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ Rid"-n 19832
10(2. Pro6ress in De1elopment Field Depends on %tirrin6s at the Drass .oots
@He call no7 upon National Spiritual Assemblies to consider the implications of this emerging trend for
their respecti'e communities) and to ta6e 7ell0concei'ed measures to in'ol'e the thought and actions of
=ocal Spiritual Assemblies and indi'iduals in the de'ising and implementing of plans) 7ithin the
constraints of e?isting circumstances and a'ailable resources: 2rogress in the de'elopment field 7ill
largely depend on natural stirrings at the grassroots) and it should recei'e its dri'ing force from those
sources rather than from an imposition of plans and programs from the top:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ L1 Octo)er 19832
10(. !he #aFor !as$s of :ational %pirit"al Assemblies
@::: 3he maBor tas6 of National Assemblies) therefore) is to increase the local communities a7areness of
needs and possibilities) and to guide and coordinate the efforts resulting from such a7areness: Already in
many areas the friends are 7itnessing the confirmations of their initiati'es in such pursuits as the
founding of tutorial and other schools) the promotion of literacy) the launching of rural de'elopment
programs) the inception of educational radio stations) and the operation of agricultural and medical
proBects: As they enlarge the scope of their endea'ours other modes of de'elopment 7ill undoubtedly
emerge:E
&I)id!2
10('. Applyin6 %ystematically Principles of the Faith to 8praisin6 >"ality of 5"man &ife
@3his challenge e'o6es the resourcefulness) fle?ibility and cohesi'eness of the many communities
composing the Bah 7orld: 8ifferent communities 7ill) of course) percei'e different approaches and
different solutions to similar needs: Some can offer assistance abroad) 7hile) at the outset) others must of
necessity recei'e assistanceI but all) irrespecti'e of circumstances or resources) are endo7ed 7ith the
capacity to respond in some measureI all can shareI all can participate in the Boint enterprise of applying
more systematically the principles of the aith to upraising the Duality of human life: 3he 6ey to success
is unity in spirit and in action:E
&I)id!2
10((. 8ni1ersal 5o"se of 9"stice Calls Indi1id"al to Action
@Jltimately) the call to action is addressed to the indi'idual friends) 7hether they be adult or youth)
'eteran or ne7ly0enrolled: =et them step forth to ta6e their places in the arena of ser'ice 7here their
talents and s6ills) their specialiCed training) their material resources) their offers of time and energy and)
abo'e all) their dedication to Bah principles) can be put to 7or6 in impro'ing the lot of man:E
&I)id!2
10(-. !he :at"re and E?tent of *elie1ers, In1ol1ement #"st Bary from Co"ntry to Co"ntry
@:::the House of 9ustice 7ishes us to stress that the nature and e?tent of the belie'ers in'ol'ement in
social and economic de'elopment must 'ary from country to country) both in relation to the general
conditions of that country and in relation to the stage of de'elopment of the Bah community: /t is only
because a number of Bah communities ha'e sufficiently increased their membership numerically) and
ha'e de'eloped strongly functioning Bah administrati'e institutions that the Houseof 9ustice has been
able to contemplate the launching of this ne7 stage in the 7or6 of the Cause:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eanuar5 31/ 198N. E?tracts Concerning
Bah Social and Economic 8e'elopment/ a compilation prepared )5 the International Teachin$ 3entre of communications written )5 or
on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ Eanuar5 198@2
B$ Agriculture
10(/. %tri1e to *ecome Proficient in the %cience of A6ric"lt"re
@::: Stri'e as much as possible to become proficient in the science of agriculture) for in accordance 7ith
the 8i'ine 3eachings) the acDuisition of sciences and the perfection of arts are considered as acts of
7orship: /f a man engages 7ith all his po7er in the acDuisition of a science or in the perfection of an art)
it is as if he has been 7orshipping >od in the churches and temples: 3hus as thou entereth a school of
agriculture and stri'est in the acDuisition of that science) thou art day and night engaged in acts of
7orshipQacts that are accepted at the threshold of the Almighty: Hhat bounty greater than this that
science should be considered as an act of 7orship and art as ser'ice to the ;ingdom of >od:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Bah Horld aith/ pp! 300+3082
10(0. %ol"tion to Economic Problem sho"ld *e6in with the Farmer
@3he Duestion of economics must commence 7ith the farmer and then be e?tended to the other classes
inasmuch as the number of farmers is greater than all other classes) many many times greater: 3herefore)
it is fitting that the economic problem be first sol'ed 7ith the farmer) for the farmer is the first acti'e
agent in the body politic: /n brief) from among the 7ise men in e'ery 'illage a board should be
organiCed and the affairs of that 'illage should be under the control of that board:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. E;tract from a Ta)let to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er N/ 191L/ translation corrected in the World 3entre/ Decem)er
198@2
10(2. A Deneral 7areho"se will be Fo"nded 7hich 7ill 5a1e %e1en .e1en"es
@::: =i6e7ise a general storehouse should be founded 7ith the appointment of a secretary: At the time of
the har'est) 7ith the appro'al of the members of that board) a determined percentage of the entire
har'est should be appropriated for the storehouse:
@3he storehouse is to ha'e se'en re'enues! 3ithes) ta?es on animals) 7ealth 7ithout inheritors) all
things found 7hose o7ners cannot be disco'ered) a third of all treasures FmoneyG found in the earth) a
third of the mines) and 'oluntary contributions:
@5n the other hand) there are se'en e?penditures!
": >eneral running e?penses of the institutionQsalaries etc:) and the administration of public
safety) including the department of hygiene:
,: 3ithes to the general go'ernment FStateG:
%: 3a?es on animals for the State:
(: Support of an orphanage:
1: Support of cripples and the incurable:
*: Support of educational institutions:
+: Supplying any deficiency for the e?penses of the poor:
@3he first re'enue is the tithe: or e?ample) if the income of a farmer is fi'e hundred dollars and his
necessary e?penses are fi'e hundred dollars) no tithes 7ill be collected from him: Anothers e?penses
being fi'e hundred and his income one thousand dollars) one tenth 7ill be ta6en from him) for he hath
more than his needsI if he gi'eth one tenth his li'elihood 7ill not be disturbed: Anothers e?penses are
one thousand dollars) and his income is fi'e thousand dollarsI as he hath four thousand dollars surplus)
he 7ill be reDuired to gi'e one and a half tenths: Another hath necessary e?penses of one thousand
dollarsI but his income is ten thousand dollarsI from him t7o tenths 7ill be reDuired: 3he necessary
e?penses of another person are fi'e thousand dollars) and his income one hundred thousandI therefore)
one fourth 7ill be reDuired from him: 5n the other hand) a persons income may be t7o hundred) but his
needs absolutely essential for his li'elihood are fi'e hundred dollarsI pro'ided he hath not failed in effort
and e?ertion or his farm hath not been blessed 7ith a har'est) such a one must be helped from the
general storehouse) so that he may not remain in need and may li'e in ease:E
&I)id!2
C$ (cono&ics
10-3. *ah+,; %ystem Pre1ents E?tremes of 7ealth and Po1erty
@::: 5f course conditions in the East differ 7here the Countries are rarely industrial and mostly
agriculturalI 7e should ha'e to apply different la7s from the Hest and that is 7hy the principles of the
<o'ement stri6e at the root 7hich is common to them both: AAbdul0Bah has de'eloped in 'arious of
His tal6s) 7hich you 7ill find in different compilations) the principles upon 7hich the Bah economic
system 7ould be based: A system that pre'ents among others the gradual control of 7ealth in the hands
of a fe7 and the resulting state of both e?tremes) 7ealth and po'erty:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L8/ 19L0. E?tracts from the Bah Hritings on the
SubBect of Agriculture and &elated SubBects/ a compilation of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice2
10-1. %ho"ld not Conf"se #ethods E?plained by 4Abd",l-*ah+ with Present Day %ystems
@As to your fourth Duestion) Shoghi Effendi belie'es that it is preferable not to confuse the methods
e?plained by the <aster 7ith present systems: 3hey may ha'e many resemblances but also many points
of difference: <oreo'er these general statements 7e ha'e in the teachings ha'e to be e?plained and
applied by the House of 9ustice before 7e can really appreciate their significance:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L1/ 193L. I)id!2
10-2. .e6ardin6 Problems of )wnership@ Control and Distrib"tion of Capital
@&egarding your Duestions concerning the Bah attitude on 'arious economic problems) such as the
problem of o7nership) control and distribution of capital) and of other means of production) the problem
of trusts and monopolies) and such economic e?periments as social cooperati'esI the 3eachings of
Bahullh and AAbdul0Bah do not pro'ide specific and detailed solutions to all such economic
Duestions 7hich mostly pertain to the domain of technical economics) and as such do not concern
directly the Cause: 3rue) there are certain guiding principles in Bah Sacred Hritings on the subBect of
economics) but these do by no means co'er the 7hole field of theoretical and applied economics) and are
mostly intended to guide further Bah economic 7riters and technicians to e'ol'e an economic system
7hich 7ould function in full conformity 7ith the spirit and the e?act pro'isions of the Cause on this and
similar subBects: 3he /nternational House of 9ustice 7ill ha'e) in consultation 7ith economic e?perts) to
assist in the formulation and e'olution of the Bah economic system of the future: 5ne thing) ho7e'er)
is certain) that the Cause neither accepts the theories of the Capitalistic economics in full) nor can it
agree 7ith the <ar?ists and Communists in their repudiation of the principle of pri'ate o7nership and of
the 'ital sacred rights of the indi'idual:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 11/ 1931. I)id!2
10-. Bol"ntary %harin6
@3he 3eachings of Bahullh ad'ocate 'oluntary sharing) and this is a greater thing than the
eDualiCation of 7ealth: or eDualiCation must be imposed from 7ithout) 7hile sharing is a matter of free
choice:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 2eace <ore 3han an End to Har/ Wilmette/ p! 11@2
10-'. %pirit that Permeates Economic &ife will CrystalliHe into Definite Instit"tions
@As you say) the Hritings are not so rich on this subBect and many issues at present baffling the minds of
the 7orld are not e'en mentioned: 3he primary consideration is the spirit that has to permeate our
economic life and this 7ill gradually crystalliCe itself into definite institutions and principles that 7ill
help to bring about the ideal conditions foretold by Bahullh:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Decem)er L1/ 1931.
Bah Ne7s/ o! 91/ 6arch 193@/ p! L2
10-(. %ocial IneC"ality
@:::social ineDuality is the ine'itable outcome of the natural ineDuality of men: Human beings are
different in ability and should) therefore) be different in their social and economic standing: E?tremes of
7ealth and po'erty should) ho7e'er) be totally abolished: 3hose 7hose brains ha'e contributed to the
creation and impro'ement of the means of production must be fairly re7arded) though these means may
be o7ned and controlled by others:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 LM/ 193@2
10--. <EC"ality is a ChimeraS=
@EDuality is a chimeraL /t is entirely impracticableL E'en if eDuality could be achie'ed it could not
continueQand if its e?istence 7ere possible) the 7hole order of the 7orld 7ould be destroyed: 3he la7
of order must al7ays obtain in the 7orld of humanity: Hea'en has so decreed in the creation of man:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 2aris 3al6s/ p! 1@L/ #ondon/ 19M9 ed!2
10-/. 7a6es
@::: 3he <aster has definitely stated that 7ages should be uneDual) simply because that men are uneDual
in their ability) and hence should recei'e 7ages that 7ould correspond to their 'arying capacities and
resources: 3his 'ie7 seems to contradict the opinion of some modern economists: But the friends should
ha'e full confidence in the 7ords of the <aster) and should gi'e preference to His statements o'er those
'oiced by our so0called modern thin6ers:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er LM/ 193@2
10-0. Application of %pirit"al Principles to Economic %ystem
@::: 3here are practically no technical teachings on economics in the Cause) such as ban6ing) the price
system) and others: 3he Cause is not an economic system) nor can its ounders be considered as ha'ing
been technical economists: 3he contribution of the aith to this subBect is essentially indirect) as it
consists in the application of spiritual principles to our present0day economic system: Bahullh has
gi'en us a fe7 basic principles 7hich should guide future Bah economists in establishing such
institutions 7hich 7ill adBust the economic relationships of the 7orld:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 L@/ 193M. Bah Ne7s/ o! 113/ Octo)er 193M/ p! L2
10-2. Profit %harin6 .ecommended to %ol1e )ne Form of Economic Problems
@No) Bahullh did not bring a complete system of economics to the 7orld:
@2rofit0sharing is recommended as a solution to one form of economic problems:
@3here is nothing in the teachings against some 6ind of capitalismI its present form) though) 7ould
reDuire adBustments to be made:E
10/3. #an 7ill Always 5a1e to !oil to Earn 5is &i1in6
@::: Hhate'er the progress of the machinery may be) man 7ill ha'e al7ays to toil in order to earn his
li'ing: Effort is an inseparable part of mans life: /t may ta6e different forms 7ith the changing
conditions of the 7orld) but it 7ill be al7ays present as a necessary element in our earthly e?istence:
=ife is after all a struggle: 2rogress is attained through struggle) and 7ithout such a struggle life ceases
to ha'e a meaningI it becomes e'en e?tinct: 3he progress of machinery has not made effort unnecessary:
/t has gi'en it a ne7 form) a ne7 outlet:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er LM/ 193@2
10/1. .eli6ion Alone Can Enable #an to AdF"st the Economic .elationships of %ociety
@::: By the statement Athe economic solution is di'ine in nature is meant that religion alone can) in the
last resort) bring in mans nature such a fundamental change as to enable him to adBust the economic
relationships of society: /t is only in this 7ay that man can control the economic forces that threaten to
disrupt the foundations of his e?istence) and thus assert his mastery o'er the forces of nature:E
&I)id!2
10/2. A :ew 8ni1ersal Attit"de :eeds to be Fostered,ased on 4piritual >erities
@3he inordinate disparity bet7een rich and poor) a source of acute suffering) 6eeps the 7orld in a state of
instability) 'irtually on the brin6 of 7ar: e7 societies ha'e dealt effecti'ely 7ith this situation: 3he
solution calls for the combined application of spiritual) moral and practical approaches: A fresh loo6 at
the problem is reDuired) entailing consultation 7ith e?perts from a 7ide spectrum of disciplines) de'oid
of economic and ideological polemics) and in'ol'ing the people directly affected in the decisions that
must urgently be made: /t is an issue that is bound up not only 7ith the necessity for eliminating
e?tremes of 7ealth and po'erty but also 7ith those spiritual 'erities the understanding of 7hich can
produce a ne7 uni'ersal attitude: ostering such an attitude is itself a maBor part of the solution:E
&The :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice. The Promise of World Peace/ pp! 11+11/ 7aifa/ 198@2
$ 'ro5ects
10/. Participation in ProFects Depends &ar6ely on Certain Conditions in the Comm"nity
@3he suggestions Fconcerning possible de'elopment proBectsG are no7 referred to you so that you may
initiate consultation at the grass roots le'el of the local Bah communities) in'ol'ing =ocal Spiritual
Assemblies of that area: /n addition to proBecting Counsellor :::s broad ideas) you should see6 the
suggestions of the belie'ers regarding local needs and initiati'es: Mour Assembly is also as6ed to
consider the practicability of such proBects and conduct a sur'ey of the localities) indicating 7hich of
these 7ould be able to host the proBects: Among the criteria of capacity 7ould be the follo7ing!
": Strength of the community and its ability to benefit from proBects spiritually as 7ell as
materially) including the beneficial effects of collecti'e action upon the community and its
participants:
,: Hillingness of the local belie'ers to participate) collaborate and support the proBects:
%: 8egree and dimension of the local contributions to the proBects in terms of manpo7er FlabourG)
materials and resources:
(: 2resence of able people to manage the human resources and direct the energies of the friends)
including strong liaisons bet7een 'olunteers Finternational and nationalG and local belie'ers:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ o"em)er 9/ 1983. A Compilation on
Social and Economic 8e'elopment2
10/'. !he Primary )bFecti1e of %"ch ProFects %ho"ld be %er1ice to the Comm"nity@ not as a
*"siness
@Hhile it is the 7ish of the House of 9ustice to see social and economic de'elopment become a part of
the life of Bah communities) great care should be e?ercised that our limited efforts are directed to
proBects 7hose primary obBecti'e is not business but ser'ice to the community: Such proBects as
engagement in commercial acti'ities and the erection of factories 7ill surely di'ert the attention of
Bah institutions from directly promoting the Cause at this time: 3he Counsellors 7ill be able to ad'ise
and guide you in selecting) if fa'ourable conditions e?ist) modest proBects 7hich promote the 7elfare of
members of the Bah community) as 7ell as the betterment of their fello7 men:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Decem)er 8/ 1983. I)id!2
10/(. %ocial and Economic De1elopment ProFects %ho"ld #eet :eeds and Aspirations of &ocal
*elie1ers
@::: Bahs 7ho 7ish to start a business as a group effort in the ser'ice of the aith are ad'ised to
consult 7ith their =ocal or National Spiritual Assemblies: 2roBects of economic and social de'elopment
underta6en by Bah institutions) or assisted by them) should usually be Duite modest at first) so that
e?perience can be gained: 3hey should be suited to the local situation and meet the particular needs and
aspirations of the local belie'ers: >radually) as 6no7ledge and e?perience are gained) each National
Spiritual Assembly can encourage and de'elop larger proBects and perhaps include e'en the 7hole
national community in appropriate endea'ours:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 0/ 198N. I)id!2
10/-. !wo F"ndamental Principles
@3here are t7o principles 7hich the House of 9ustice feels are fundamental to the generality of such
proBects of social and economic de'elopment) although) of course) there 7ill be e?ceptions: 3he first is
that they must be built on a substructure of e?isting) sufficiently strong local Bah communities: 3he
second is that the long0term conduct of the proBect should aim at self0sufficiency and not be dependent
upon continuing financial support from outside:
@3he first principle implies that the proBects of social and economic de'elopment no7 to be underta6en
are a natural stage of the gro7th of the Bah community and are needed by the community itself
although they 7ill) of course) benefit a much 7ider segment of society: 3he Bah 7orld is in no
position financially or from the point of 'ie7 of manpo7er) to launch underta6ings for the economic and
social de'elopment of populations in areas 7here there are but fe7 belie'ers: 3he greatest need of all
peoples is for the aith itself) so that they may 6no7 the destiny to7ards 7hich they as indi'iduals and
as members of society must stri'e) and 7ill learn from the teachings those 'irtues and methods 7hich
7ill enable them to 7or6 together in harmony) forbearance and trust7orthiness:
@3he second principle must ta6e into account that any proBect started by the Cause should be designed
to gro7 soundly and steadily) and not to collapse from attrition: /n other 7ords) e?ternal assistance and
funds) Bah and non0Bah) may be used for capital acDuisitions) to ma6e sur'eys) to initiate
acti'ities) to bring in e?pertise) but the aim should be for each proBect to be able to continue and to
de'elop on the strength of local Bah labour) funds and enthusiasm e'en if all e?ternal aid should be
cut off:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,raJil/ 6a5 8/ 198N2
10//. %ocial and Economic De1elopment #"st be Placed on a %pirit"al *asis to Pro1e Prod"cti1e
@::: /t cannot be o'er0emphasiCed that 'enturing into social and economic de'elopment rests upon the
fundamental principles enshrined in the 3eachings concerning the inter0relationship bet7een the spiritual
and material aspects of life) and if social and economic acti'ity is not placed on a spiritual basis it may
7ell pro'e counter0producti'e or e'en harmful) as 7ithout a spiritual base the people are li6ely to
become corrupt or materialistic:
@As the friends deepen their understanding of the message of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice dated ,-
5ctober "#$%) they 7ill rise to the challenge and re0orient their thoughts and actions to meet the
situations 7hich they encounter in their daily life) dra7ing on the 7isdom of consultation and sustained
by the high and noble spiritual principles of our aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 1L/ 198N2
10/0. %"66estions for ProFects are 7elcome
@Suggestions for proBects for de'elopment are 7elcome from 7hate'er source they spring but ideally
they should emanate from the local communities and recei'e support of the =ocal and National
AssembliesI it should not be necessary to send people to countries to solicit proBects: Ho7e'er) if a
community has the desire to plan a special proBect) it is free to call upon people 7ith e?perience to assist
in the planning) design and implementation of the scheme:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the International Teachin$ 3entre/ o"em)er 1/ 1983. A Compilation on Social and
Economic 8e'elopment2
10/2. ProFects may .ecei1e 5elp in Finances and #anpower from *ah+,; %o"rces
@3he message of the House of 9ustice dated ,- 5ctober "#$% has clearly set out the concepts) defined
the obBecti'es and outlined the guiding principles for the selection and implementation of Bah
de'elopment proBects) programmes or acti'ities: 3he 'ast maBority of Bah proBects 7ill be primarily
generated at the grass roots) and) initially as reDuired) 7ill recei'e help from Bah sources) in terms of
finances and manpo7er: 3he proBects 7ill) as you ha'e surmised) be non0profit ma6ing) concerned
mainly 7ith acti'ities closely related to education) health and hygiene) agriculture and simple
community de'elopment acti'ities: /t is hoped that all these types of proBects 7ill reflect the strength of
the spiritual principles enshrined in the 3eachings of Bahullh:
@/t is important that our underta6ings be modest in their scope at the present time: 3hen) as 7e gain in
confidence and e?perience and as our resources increase) our 7or6 7ill encompass e?panded obBecti'es)
and the friends 7ill e?plore ne7 areas of social and economic acti'ity:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er L3/ 1983. I)id!2
($ Ob5ecti.es for %ocial and (cono&ic e.elo-&ent
1003. !he Preser1ation of C"lt"ral Identities and C"stoms
@Bahs should ob'iously be encouraged to preser'e their inherited cultural identities) as long as the
acti'ities in'ol'ed do not contra'ene the principles of the aith: 3he perpetuation of such cultural
characteristics is an e?pression of unity in di'ersity: Although most of these festi'e celebrations ha'e no
doubt stemmed from religious rituals in bygone ages) the belie'ers should not be deterred from
participating in those in 7hich) o'er the course of time) the religious meaning has gi'en 7ay to purely
culturally oriented practices: or e?ample) Na70&uC itself 7as originally a Voroastrian religious festi'al)
but gradually its Voroastrian connotation has almost been forgotten: /ranians) e'en after their con'ersion
to /slam) ha'e been obser'ing it as a national festi'al: No7 Na70&uC has become a Bah Holy 8ay
and is being obser'ed throughout the 7orld) but) in addition to the Bah obser'ance) many /ranian
Bahs continue to carry out their past cultural traditions in connection 7ith this east: Similarly) there
are a number of national customs in e'ery part of the 7orld 7hich ha'e cultural rather than religious
connotations:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 6ala5sia/ 6a5 LM/ 198L2
1001. Arts@ Crafts and %ciences
@3he third 3aBalli is concerning arts) crafts and sciences: ;no7ledge is as 7ings to mans life) and a
ladder for his ascent: /ts acDuisition is incumbent upon e'eryone: 3he 6no7ledge of such sciences)
ho7e'er) should be acDuired as can profit the peoples of the earth) and not those 7hich begin 7ith 7ords
and end 7ith 7ords: >reat indeed is the claim of scientists and craftsmen on the peoples of the 7orld:
Jnto this beareth 7itness the <other Boo6 on the day of His return: Happy are those possessed of a
hearing ear: /n truth) 6no7ledge is a 'eritable treasure for man) and a source of glory) of bounty) of Boy)
of e?altation) of cheer and gladness unto him: 3hus hath the 3ongue of >randeur spo6en in this <ost
>reat 2rison:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3ablets of Bahullh re'ealed after the ;itb0i0ADdas) pp! @1+@L2
1002. 7ealth is PraiseworthyIf (c9uired )5 Efforts and %race of %od/ and if E;pended for
Philanthropic Purposes
@Health is praise7orthy in the highest degree) if it is acDuired by an indi'iduals o7n efforts and the
grace of >od) in commerce) agriculture) art and industry) and if it be e?pended for philanthropic
purposes: Abo'e all) if a Budicious and resourceful indi'idual should initiate measures 7hich 7ould
uni'ersally enrich the masses of the people) there could be no underta6ing greater than this) and it 7ould
ran6 in the sight of >od as the supreme achie'ement) for such a benefactor 7ould supply the needs and
insure the comfort and 7ell0being of a great multitude: Health is most commendable) pro'ided the entire
population is 7ealthy: /f) ho7e'er) a fe7 ha'e inordinate riches 7hile the rest are impo'erished) and no
fruit or benefit accrues from that 7ealth) then it is only a liability to its possessor: /f) on the other hand) it
is e?pended for the promotion of 6no7ledge) the founding of elementary and other schools) the
encouragement of art and industry) the training of orphans and the poorQin brief) if it is dedicated to the
7elfare of societyQits possessor 7ill stand out before >od and man as the most e?cellent of all 7ho li'e
on earth and 7ill be accounted as one of the people of paradise:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3he Secret of 8i'ine Ci'iliCation/ pp! LN+L@/ Wilmette/ 190@2
100. !he Promotion of Ed"cation
@3he primary) the most urgent reDuirement is the promotion of education: /t is inconcei'able that any
nation should achie'e prosperity and success unless this paramount) this fundamental concern is carried
for7ard: 3he principal reason for the decline and fall of peoples is ignorance: 3oday the mass of the
people are uninformed e'en as to ordinary affairs) ho7 much less do they grasp the core of the important
problems and comple? needs of time:E
&I)id!/ p! 1192
F$ ReEuisites for %uccess
100'. !he #ashriC",l-Adh$+rThe 4piritual Precedes the 6aterial
@A symbol of this process may be seen in the House of Horship and its dependencies: 3he first part to be
built is the central edifice 7hich is the spiritual heart of the community: 3hen) gradually) as the out7ard
e?pression of this spiritual heart) the 'arious dependencies) those Ainstitutions of social ser'ice as shall
afford relief to the suffering) sustenance to the poor) shelter to the 7ayfarer) solace to the berea'ed) and
education to the ignorant are erected and function: 3his process begins in an embryonic 7ay long before
a Bah community reaches the stage of building its o7n 3he <ashriDul0Adh6r) for e'en the first
local centre that a Bah community erects can begin to ser'e not only as the spiritual and
administrati'e centre and gathering place of the community) but also as the site of a tutorial school and
the heart of other aspects of community life: 3he principle remains) ho7e'er) that the spiritual precedes
the material: irst comes the illumination of hearts and minds by the &e'elation of Bahullh) and then
the grass roots stirring of the belie'ers 7ishing to apply these teachings to the daily life of their
community: Such stirrings can be fostered) encouraged and assisted by the national and continental
institutions of the aith) but 7ithout them any acti'ities introduced from abo'e might 7ell pro'e
aborti'e:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,raJil/ 6a5 8/ 198N2
100(. !he %pirit"al Principle Ind"ces an Attit"de@ a Dynamic@ a 7ill@ an Aspiration
@3here are spiritual principles) or 7hat some call human 'alues) by 7hich solutions can be found for
e'ery social problem: Any 7ell0intentioned group can in a general sense de'ise practical solutions to its
problems) but good intentions and practical 6no7ledge are usually not enough: 3he essential merit of
spiritual principle is that it not only presents a perspecti'e 7hich harmoniCes 7ith that 7hich is
imminent in human nature) it also induces an attitude) a dynamic) a 7ill) an aspiration) 7hich facilitate
the disco'ery and implementation of practical measures: =eaders of go'ernments and all in authority
7ould be 7ell ser'ed in their efforts to sol'e problems if they 7ould first see6 to identify the principles
in'ol'ed and then be guided by them:E
&The :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice. 3he 2romise of Horld 2eace/ p! L8/ Wilmette/ 198@2
G$ Tutorial %chools
100-. !he Importance of Establishin6 !"torial %chools
@3he importance of establishing such schools has repeatedly been emphasiCed by the House of 9ustice:
3hey not only are instruments for the immediate consolidation of Bah communities and
neighbourhood areas) but also ser'e to train Bah children and youth in rendering ser'ices to the aith
and demonstrate the fact that Bahs are engaged in humanitarian ser'ices to the community at large:
By their establishment) Bahs and non0Bahs ali6e are assisted: /n addition) such schools foster a
healthy relationship bet7een Bah communities and institutions) inasmuch as they are called upon to
help the communities by pro'iding teachers) facilities) etc: Some of the local friends may be inspired to
contribute land and4or building materials for the schools) or may 7ish to help in their construction:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ Eanuar5 3/ 19832
100/. *ah+,; Eo"th and Eo"n6 Ad"lts %ho"ld be 7illin6 to *ecome !eachers
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice is confident there are literally hundreds of Bah youth and young
adults 7ho 7ould 7illingly and happily become teachers in tutorial schools) especially if the National
Spiritual Assembly assured them of adeDuate 7ages and secure employment: /t may be possible for their
salaries to be paid by charging reasonable tuition fees to students attending the schools: 3his in itself
7ould be a maBor step in educating ne7 belie'ers to contribute to the und) and 7ould help the schools
to become self0supporting:E
&I)id!2
1000. %chool %ho"ld be planned *y *ah+,;s in Cons"ltation with :on-*ah+,;s
@3he establishment of a school is presumably to meet the needs of the Bah and non0Bah
community: /t should be planned by the Bahs and if ad'isable) in consultation 7ith the non0BahsI it
should be presented as an effort of the communityI the collaboration and the cooperation of all should be
in'ited and assured:
@/f adeDuate manpo7er is a'ailable) it should be managed by the Bah community and its
management be responsible to the =ocal Spiritual Assembly of the locality in 7hich it is situated) or the
National Spiritual Assembly:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of :ru$ua5/ Eune 18/ 198M2
1002. A Pri1ately )wned Ginder6arten Co"ld *e Considered a %ocial and Economic Acti1ity for
%tatistics
@/n regard to the 6indergarten 7hich belongs to a Bah pioneer family) it could be considered as a
pri'ate social and economic acti'ity and 7ould be listed as such) although it is clearly recogniCed that
the Bah community does not ha'e any responsibility for the management or operation of such a
school:
@3he indi'idual initiati'e of the friends should be carefully nurtured and encouraged so that they may)
guided by the spiritual principles of our aith) arise to fulfil their spiritual responsibilities:E
&I)id!2
1023. Contrib"tions from :on-*ah+,;s for #aintenance of !"torial %chools
@Mour letter::: about accepting donations from non0Bahs for the maintenance of tutorial schools has
been recei'ed) and 7e ha'e been as6ed to reply as follo7s:
@Bahs may recei'e contributions from non0Bahs for charitable acti'ities 7hose beneficiaries are
non0Bahs as 7ell: Ho7e'er) it is 'ery important to ensure that the acceptance of funds from any
source should in no 7ay affect the schools direction and policy:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India/ Eanuar5 13/ 19082
9L6II$ BA)23 %!,,(R %C)OOL% AN IN%TIT!T(%
A$ %u&&er %chools
1021. P"rpose of %"mmer %chools
@3he basic purpose of all Bah Summer Schools) 7hether in East or Hest) is to gi'e the belie'ers the
opportunity to fully acDuaint themsel'es) not only by mere study but through 7hole0hearted and acti'e
collaboration in 'arious Bah acti'ities) 7ith the essentials of the Administration and in this 7ay
enable them to become efficient and able promoters of the Cause::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er L@/ 1933. Centers of Bah =earning/ p! 8/ a
compilation of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ Wilmette/ 1981 ed!2
1022. 8nd"e !ime %ho"ld :ot be %pent on Philosophic and Esoteric %"bFects
@3he reports 7e ha'e recei'ed on summer school sessions held in Europe this year indicate that some of
them spend undue time on philosophic and esoteric subBects and insufficient emphasis on the Bah
aith and its 3eachings:
@3he belo'ed >uardian stressed that one of the important purposes of Bah summer schools is to
deepen the 6no7ledge of the belie'ers in the history and 3eachings of the aith so that they can become
better teachers: 3o this end he emphasiCed the study of /slam and the Rurn so that the friends 7ould
ha'e a bac6ground against 7hich to study the Bah Hritings) and he urged study of the principles of
Bah Administration:
@/n addition he stated that summer schools should become high occasions for teaching the <essage: 3o
an indi'idual belie'er he 7rote!
A3hrough daily association 7ith the belie'ers) non0Bahs 7ill come to see the Cause
functioning as an acti'e and li'ing community entirely dedicated to the ser'ice of 7hat is
best and highest in the 7orld: 3he lectures 7ill familiariCe them 7ith the principles
underlying the Ne7 Horld 5rder) 7hile their participation in the social life of the belie'ers
7ill enable them to see the 7ay in 7hich these 'ery same principles are put into operation:
@/t is reDuested that National Assemblies re'ie7 summer school and 7inter school curricula in light of
these important principles: At this time) 7hen the prosecution of the Nine Mear 2lan to final 'ictory is of
supreme importance) it is also urged that during summer school sessions opportunities be pro'ided to
impress upon the belie'ers the urgent need for pioneering and teaching:
@He pray that summer schools may become increasingly effecti'e in educating the friends so that they
in turn may become useful channels for the diffusion of the 8i'ine fragrances:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies of Europe/ 4eptem)er LM/ 19M92
102. %"mmer %chools can Attract #any %o"ls
@Ho7 7onderful it 7ould be if all the friends could arrange to spend at least a fe7 days in one of these
summer schools and ta6e an acti'e part in their de'elopment: 3hese centers could attract many souls if
properly arranged and made interestingI those non0Bahs 7ho 'isit them 7ill then ha'e some time to
get into the spirit of the place and ma6e a study of the Cause::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ recei"ed a)out 6a5 1/ 193L. Centers of Bah =earning/ p! L2
102'. &ect"re #ethod not %"fficient
@Shoghi Effendi feels that the real purpose of these Summer Schools is to deepen the 6no7ledge of the
friends: =ectures are 'ery essential for they gi'e a 7onderful picture of the subBect matter: But it is not
sufficient to ha'e a pictureI the friends should deepen their 6no7ledge and this can be achie'ed if)
together 7ith the lectures) there are study classes and seminar 7or6 carried on by the same lecturer: 3he
7orld is undoubtedly facing a great crisis and the social) economic and political conditions are daily
becoming more comple?: Should the friends desire to ta6e the lead in informing the 7orld) they should
start by educating themsel'es and understand 7hat the troubles and problems really are 7hich baffle the
minds of men: /t is in these Summer Schools that this training should be pro'ided for the friends:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 L0/ 193L. I)id!/ pp! 1+L2
102(. %"per1ised by :ational Assembly
@&egarding the Summer Schools in general! Although there is no obBection to their being under the
direct management of a special Committee elected for that purpose) they must be generally super'ised
by the N:S:A: in respect to policy) etc: /n other 7ords) they must be considered as a national and not a
purely local institution:
@or purposes of con'enience the N:S:A: may appoint as members of such Committees) those 7ho are
situated near the Summer Schools and are able to pay direct attention to their affairs:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia and ew Pealand/ (pril 18/ 19NL. =etters
from the >uardian to Australia and Ne7 Vealand/ p! N@2
102-. %"mmer %chools Inseparable Part of !eachin6 Campai6n
@::: 3he institution of the Summer School constitutes a 'ital and inseparable part of any teaching
campaign) and as such ought to be gi'en the full importance it deser'es in the teaching plans and
acti'ities of the belie'ers: /t should be organiCed in such a 7ay as to attract the attention of the non0
belie'ers to the Cause and thus become an effecti'e medium for teaching: Also it should afford the
belie'ers themsel'es an opportunity to deepen their 6no7ledge of the 3eachings) through lectures and
discussions and by means of close and intense community life:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ Octo)er 10/ 193M. Centers of Bah
=earning/ pp! L+32
102/. Introd"ce *ah+,; Atmosphere
@::: 3hey must try and introduce the Bah atmosphere of life and thought into their Summer Schools)
rather than ma6ing the Summer School an episode and a pleasant 'acation period) during 7hich they
learn a little more about the aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 6a5 L3/ 19@N. I)id!/ p! 1L2
1020. Dancin6@ :othin6 in !eachin6s A6ainst
@As regards the Duestions you as6ed him! 3here is nothing in the teachings against dancing) and any
arrangements for it at summer schools) etc:) is left to the discretion of the Committee or Assembly in
charge to ma6e:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 LN/ 19N0. I)id!/ p! 1M2
1022. !opics to be Disc"ssed
@3he 7ide range of the topics that are to be discussed and studied by the friends co'er most of the
important aspects of the Cause and such a plan 7ill undoubtedly gi'e them a broad and a sound
6no7ledge of the essentials of the aith: Special stress) ho7e'er) should be put on the history of the
<o'ement as 7ell as on the guiding principles of Bah AdministrationI for on these t7o points most of
the belie'ers are not adeDuately informed: /t is) therefore) a great opportunity for them to strengthen the
basis of their beliefs and to try to deepen their understanding of the basis of the present0day Bah
administrati'e system:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust @/ 193L. I)id!/ p! 02
1233. !he %"mmer %chool C"rric"l"m %ho"ld Concentrate on Deepenin6 the %t"dent,s Drasp of
the !eachin6s
@He feels::: that some of the courses are not sufficiently Bah in nature) but carry the student off into an
unnecessary study of special techniDuesQhistory) psychology or 7hate'er it may be) 7hich ho7e'er
'aluable these topics may be in training the human mind and fitting the indi'idual for contact 7ith
others) are a 7aste of time) in 'ie7 of the 'ery limited period that most of the Bahs spend at a Bah
summer school:
@3he friends should concentrate on deepening their grasp of the 3eachings) particularly on studying
7hat has already been done) and 7hat must be done to fulfil the goals::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 11/ 19@N2
1231. It is Important that Co"rses on Co1enant-*rea$in6 be Incl"ded in the %"mmer %chool
C"rric"l"m
@:::your Assembly cannot be too careful or 'igilant in 7atching o'er the Community) see6ing out the
sources of corruption and protecting the friends: He feels that a course in Co'enant0brea6ing should be
included in the Summer School curriculum) so that the friends may understand the nature of this e'il)
and ho7 it has affected our aith for one hundred years) and other aiths in the past: 3he American
Bahs) aside from the older ones) do not seem to ha'e any concept 7hatsoe'er of 7hat a Co'enant0
brea6er is) and the place to educate them in these matters is in the Summer Schools and on other
occasions 7hen they meet in large numbers:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 4eptem)er L1/ 19@02
1232. Indispensable for %t"dents to %t"dy the Pattern of the 7orld )rder of *ah+,",ll+h
@A careful loo6 at the subBects mentioned in your program clearly re'eals the fact that the friends ha'e at
last come to realiCe ho7 indispensible it is for them to deepen their 6no7ledge of the bac6ground and of
the administrati'e de'elopment of the Cause: 3hese 7ere) indeed) the t7o main points 7hich they had
hitherto neglected to study) and the time has come 7hen they ha'e to attach to them all the importance
they deser'e: 2articularly remar6able has been your effort in regard to the study of the AdministrationQ
an important ne7 feature in the history of the Cause) the study of 7hich is becoming increasingly
indispensable to e'ery thoughtful student of the aith: /t is hoped that in the ne?t fe7 years all our
Bah Summer Schools) 7hether in the States or abroad) 7ill ma6e a conscious and thorough attempt to
fully acDuaint the friends 7ith the origin) nature and peculiar significance of the nascent administrati'e
institutions of the Cause) 7hich constitute a humble) though a 'ery e?act pattern) of the Horld 5rder of
Bahullh: /t is of the utmost importance that from no7 the belie'ers should get familiar 7ith the
rudiments of the Administration) that they may not follo7 the path 7hich the follo7ers of older religions
ha'e trodden and 7hich ha'e led to their e'entual do7nfall:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er L1/ 19332
123. !he Importance of the %t"dy of Isl+meed 3ompetent #ecturers and Writers/ not
ecessaril5 ,ah-*?s
@irst is the importance of the study of /slmQ7hich subBect is still ne7 to the maBority of the belie'ers)
but 7hose importance for a proper . sound understanding of the Cause is absolutely indispensible: Mour
Committee should therefore continue to emphasiCe the study of this all0important subBect) . ma6e e'ery
effort to pro'ide the attendants 7ith all the facilities reDuired) such as te?tboo6s) competent lecturers .
7riters) 7ho though not necessarily Bahs) should ha'e a correct 6no7ledge . sound appreciation of
/slm) so as to be able to impress its true significance . mission upon all the attendants at the school:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust 1N/ 19392
123'. !eachin6 of the >"r,+n is Absol"tely Indispensable
@:::the >uardian 7ould certainly ad'ise) and e'en urge the friends to ma6e a thorough study of the
Rurn as the 6no7ledge of this Sacred Scripture is absolutely indispensable for e'ery belie'er 7ho
7ishes to adeDuately understand and intelligently read the Hritings of Bahullh: Although there are
'ery fe7 persons among our Hestern Bahs 7ho are capable of handling such a course in a scholarly
7ay) yet) the mere lac6 of such competent teachers should encourage and stimulate the belie'ers to get
better acDuainted 7ith the Sacred Scriptures of /slm: /n this 7ay) there 7ill gradually appear some
distinguished Bahs 7ho 7ill be so 7ell 'ersed in the teachings of /slm as to be able to guide the
belie'ers in their study of that religion:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er L/ 193@. Centers of Bah =earning/ p! 92
123(. Character *"ildin6 and Ethics
@3he course on character building::: the >uardian feels) is particularly important and should be gi'en
due emphasis and studied carefully and thoroughly specially by the young belie'ers in attendance at the
school: 3hose standards of Bah conduct) 7hich he himself has set forth in his last general epistle) A3he
Ad'ent of 8i'ine 9ustice) and 7hich it should be the paramount duty of e'ery loyal and conscientious
belie'er to endea'or to uphold and promote) deser'e serious study and meditation) and should constitute
the main central theme of this years program::::
@3he principles and methods laid do7n by the >uardian in his AAd'ent of 8i'ine 9ustice on this 'ital
subBect of Bah ethics) should indeed pro'e of in'aluable inspiration and guidance to all the students
and friends attending the Summer School classes) and thus prepare them to better appreciate the
pri'ileges) and more adeDuately discharge the responsibilities) of their citiCenship in the Horld 5rder of
Bahullh:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 L1/ 1939. I)id!/ p! 112
123-. Few Days not %"fficient to &earn E1erythin6
@8efinite courses should be gi'en along the different phases of the aith and in a manner that 7ill
stimulate the students to proceed in their studies pri'ately once they return home) for the period of a fe7
days is not sufficient to learn e'erything: 3hey ha'e to be taught the habit of studying the Cause
constantly) for the more 7e read the Hords the more 7ill the truth they contain be re'ealed to us:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er LN/ 193L2
123/. *ah+,; Eo"th Attendant at &o"helen %ho"lder .esponsibility in Connection with
De1elopment of the *ah+,; 8ni1ersity
@&emembering the strong emphasis repeatedly laid by the >uardian on the importance of the institutions
of the summer school) both as a center for the preparation and training of prospecti'e teachers and
pioneers) and for the commingling and fello7ship of 'arious elements in the Bah Community) the
Bah Mouth) on 7hom =ouhelen &anch has e?ercised a particular and indeed irresistible appeal) and
7hose sessions they ha'e so freDuently and in such large numbers attended) ha'e a peculiar
responsibility to shoulder in connection 7ith its de'elopment into that ideal Bah Jni'ersity of the
future) 7hich should be the aim of e'ery e?isting Bah Summer School to establish in the fulness of
time:
@3hrough their regular attendance at each and e'ery session of the school) and their participation in all
phases of its acti'ities) intellectual) spiritual) social and recreational) and abo'e all by their faithful and
close adherence to those high standards of Bah life and conduct) they can best and most effecti'ely
contribute to7ards the gro7th of that institution and attract to it the attention and interest of the non0
Bah 7orld outside:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the #ouhelen 4chool/ Eul5 L9/ 19392
B$ Bah Teaching Institutes
1230. !eachin6 Instit"tes
@:::this is essentially an acti'ity aimed at deepening the 6no7ledge of the friends to prepare them for
acti'e participation in the teaching 7or6: /n some countries it may continue to be an acti'ity conducted
either in local Bah Centres or possibly housed in hired Duarters) li6e most Summer Schools: Ho7e'er)
in other countries) and particularly in mass teaching areas) it may ha'e to be a modest structure acDuired
or erected in the rural areas 7here the maBority of the belie'ers reside rather than in capital cities) to
ob'iate transportation e?penses for those attending:@
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ 6a5 1N/ 19MN. Centers of Bah =earning/ p! 192
1232. Instit"te %ho"ld be Centre of Comple? Acti1ities
@Mour /nstitutes should not only be seats of Bah learning but also centres from 7hich mass teaching
and consolidation 7or6 o'er a large area must be inspired and conducted: 3he /nstitute is not merely a
building) nor solely a place 7here Bah classes can be held for a fe7 days: /t should be the centre of
comple? acti'ities 7hich systematically assist your Assembly in the achie'ement of its goal in teaching
and consolidation:@
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of India. Eune L3/ 19MM2
1213. %"bFects to be !a"6ht
@3he material to be taught is prepared ahead of time) presented in simple language) and translated into
the 'ernacular:::
@3he subBects taught usually consist of Bah History) =a7s and 3eachings) and the Administrati'e
5rder: Special emphasis is laid upon li'ing the Bah life) the importance of teaching) prayer) fasting)
Nineteen 8ay easts) Bah elections) and contribution to the und:E
&<rom '4u$$estions on Operation of Teachin$ Institutes*. enclosure in letter dated LN Decem)er/ 19MN/ from the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice
to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %uatemala. Centers of Bah =earning/ p! 192
1211. Iss"in6 Diplomas Disco"ra6ed4ometimes the5 are 6isused
@He ha'e also noted that you intend to gi'e graduation diplomas to the friends 7ho attend the institutes:
Mour desire to ac6no7ledge de'oted attendance at the institutes is most commendable) but 7e feel it
7ould be preferable in future to gi'e a suitable gift) such as a boo6) rather than a diploma: rom
e?perience in other areas of the 7orld 7e ha'e learned that such diplomas sometimes are misused by
their recipients: or this reason 7e ha'e discouraged their use:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %uatemala/ Octo)er L0/ 19M@. I)id!/ p! L12
1212. A !eachin6 Instit"te at Present is a F"nction and not :ecessarily a *"ildin6
@He greatly appreciate your desire to ser'e the Cause and at the same time honour the belo'ed Hand of
the Cause and 7onder 7hether more feasible plans 7ould appeal to you: or instance) you might
consider establishing a fund to maintain Bah tutors in 'illages) 7ho 7ould teach not only reading and
7riting but the elements of the aith as 7ell: He ha'e al7ays stressed to those National Spiritual
Assemblies 7hich establish 3eaching /nstitutes that at the present time such an /nstitute is a function and
not necessarily a building and there are many places 7here such educational 7or6 can be pursued if a
number of teachers can be supported: 5n the other hand) 7e ha'e no idea of the siCe of the principal you
ha'e in mind for your endo7ment and 7onder 7hether a 'ery simple school 7here not only children but
adult literary classes could be held) 7ould meet your intention:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 18/ 1901. I)id!2
9L6III$ T(AC)ING
A$ ee-ening
121. Inc"mbent on *elie1ers to .ead %acred 7ritin6s Daily
@&ecite ye the 'erses of >od e'ery morn and e'entide: Hhoso faileth to recite them hath not been
faithful to the Co'enant of >od and His 3estament) and 7hoso turneth a7ay from these holy 'erses in
this 8ay is of those 7ho throughout eternity ha'e turned a7ay from >od: ear ye >od) 5 <y ser'ants)
one and all::::E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3he ;itb0i0ADdas/ 81N9/ p! 032
121'. Deepenin67hat it #eanso #imit to the 4tud5 of the 3ause
@3o deepen in the Cause means to read the 7ritings of Bahullh and the <aster so thoroughly as to be
able to gi'e it to others in its pure form: 3here are many 7ho ha'e some superficial idea of 7hat the
Cause stands for: 3hey) therefore) present it together 7ith all sorts of ideas that are their o7n: As the
Cause is still in its early days 7e must be most careful lest 7e fall under this error and inBure the
<o'ement 7e so much adore:
@3here is no limit to the study of the Cause: 3he more 7e read the 7ritings the more truths 7e can find
in them the more 7e 7ill see that our pre'ious notions 7ere erroneous:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust L@/ 19LM2
121(. Deepenin6 Denerates %tim"l"s
@::: 8eepening the ne7ly0enrolled belie'ers generates tremendous stimulus 7hich results in further
e?pansion: 3he enrollment of ne7 belie'ers) on the other hand) creates a ne7 spirit in the community
and pro'ides additional potential manpo7er that 7ill reinforce the consolidation 7or6:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to (ll ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Eul5 13/ 19MN2
121-. %t"dy with )thers
@He urges you to study deeply the teachings) teach others) study 7ith those Bahs 7ho are an?ious to
do so the deeper teachings of our aith) and through e?ample) effort and prayer bring about a change:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er 31/ 19N9. =i'ing the =ife/ p! 1M2
121/. %t"dy Classes#ittle 8nowled$e is Dan$erousHCuote from the Ta)lets
@/t is also 'ery important to hold study classes and go deep in the 3eachings: A great harm is done by
starting to teach 7ithout being firmly grounded in the literature: A=ittle 6no7ledge is dangerous fully
applies to the teaching 7or6: 3he friends should read the Hritings and be able to Duote from the 3ablets
7hen discussing subBects pertaining to the aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi/ 6a5 9/ 193L. Bah Ne7s/ o! M0/ Octo)er 193L/ p! N2
1210. Deepen !heir Gnowled6e
@:::the friends should deepen their 6no7ledge and this can be achie'ed if) together 7ith the lectures)
there are study classes and seminar 7or6 carried on by the same lecturer::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 L0/ 193L. Bah Summer Schools/ p! 12
1212. 8nderstandin6 the Import of 5is !eachin6s #oti1ates :ew *elie1ers to Dedicate their &i1es
to 5is %er1ice
@Shoghi Effendi trusts) ho7e'er) that these souls 7ho are attracted by the teachings 7ould be made to
li'e the life and also deepen their 6no7ledge of the 7ritings of Bahullh: or it is only by fully
appreciating the spiritual and social import of His mission that 7e can be 7illing to dedicate our life to
its ser'ice:
EBy holding study classes 7here the Hord is read and understood and obtaining a thorough 6no7ledge
of the spirit that animated the early belie'ers 7e can ma6e sure that these ne7comers are grounded in
the teachings and made into real and de'oted belie'ers: Boo6s such as the UDn) Some Ans7ered
Ruestions) the 3ablets of Bahullh) Nabils Narrati'e and 8r: Esselmonts boo6 should be read and
read o'er again by e'ery soul 7ho desires to ser'e the <o'ement or considers himself an acti'e member
of the group:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 9/ 193L2
1223. %t"dy and Application
@Hithout the study and application of the administration the teachings of the Cause becomes not only
meaningless) but loses in effecti'eness and in scope:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 31/ 193@. Bah Ne7s/ o! 11@/ p! 1/ <e)ruar5 19302
1221. %pirit"al !eachin6s of FaithWill and Testament/ <irm %roundin$ eeded
@::: Some of the ::: belie'ers) from letters and reports recei'ed here) seem to lac6 a firm grounding on
such matters as the Hill and 3estament and the deeper spiritual teachings of the aith: Hhene'er the
grasp of these fundamentals is 7ea6) the friends are almost sure to pay undue attention to secondary
procedures) to Duibble o'er details) to lose themsel'es in personalities) and to founder in a sea of
unnecessary inharmony: 3his has nothing to do 7ith their de'otion) their loyalty) their Ceal) their
eagerness to ser'e: /t is merely a Duestion of not ha'ing recei'ed) perhaps through lac6 of sufficient
teachers to carry on the all0important 7or6 of deepening the friends in their o7n faith) a strong enough
education in the Co'enant before the duties and responsibilities of the Administrati'e 5rder 7ere thrust
upon them:E
&4ho$hi Effendi. <essages to Canada/ pp! @8+@92
1222. Presentin6 the #aster,s 7ill to :ewcomers
@Concerning the best method of presenting the <asters Hill to the ne7comers) Shoghi Effendi is of the
opinion that the N:S:A: should first ma6e some suitable e?tracts from the 3estament) and to send these to
all the =ocal Assemblies for their use) so that there may be full unity in circulating the pro'isions of the
Hill among the ne7 belie'ers::: 3he main thing) as it appears to the >uardian) is that the full station of
the Bb) Bahullh and AAbdul0Bah be clearly e?plained) and that the origins) nature and 7or6ing of
the Administrati'e 5rder of the aith be clearly stated: 3he full implications of such a recognition are
e'idently beyond the comprehension of any ne7 belie'er: Such a 6no7ledge can be acDuired gradually
and only 7hen the essentials of the aith ha'e been clearly recogniCed and adeDuately understood:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 6arch L1/ 193N. Bah Ne7s/
o! L11/ 4eptem)er 19N8/ p! 12
122. !he Ca"se :eeds PeopleWhose <aith 4tands on a Rock/ no Trial 3an 6o"e
@Another essential thing is that those 7ho do embrace the aith should be constantly urged to study the
literature of the Cause: /t is not sufficient that our numbers should increase) 7e 7ant people 7hose faith
stands on a roc6 and no trial can mo'e: He 7ant people 7ho in turn arise and carry the message to other
people and guide other souls:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 13/ 193L. Bah Ne7s) o! MN/ Eul5 193L/ p! N2
122'. Ed"cation of :ew *elie1ers
@/t is not enough to bring people into the aithI one must educate them and deepen their lo'e for it and
their 6no7ledge of its teachings) after they declare themsel'es: As the Bahs are fe7 in number)
especially the acti'e teachers) and there is a great deal of 7or6 to be done) the education of these ne7
belie'ers is often sadly neglected) and then results are seen such as the resignations you ha'e had
recently:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ Eul5 18/ 19@0. A Special <easure of =o'e/
p! 192
122(. .e6ardin6 %pirit"al Children@ Each %o"l .ecei1es Dift of Faith for 5imself@ Independent of
!eachers
@As to your Duestion about the spiritual children of people 7ho enter the Cause 7ith some old ideas still
clinging to them! E'eryone should study the aith for himself) and Bust because a persons Bah
teacher has some concept not strictly Bah) it does not stand to reason that the ne7 belie'er must be
saddled 7ith itI old belie'ers) as 7ell as ne7) should constantly endea'our to gro7 more fully into the
Bah pattern of thought and of life: Each soul recei'es the gift of faith for himself) and from then on is
a Bah in his o7n right) independent of his teacher:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 10/ 19N@2
122-. )ne Cannot Catch the %pirit of the Ca"se !hro"6h the .eadin6 of *oo$s Alone
@/t behoo'es you no7 to try to deepen your 6no7ledge of the history and the teachings of the aith and
get acDuainted 7ith the principles that stand at the basis of its present0day Administration: 3he best 7ay
to attain that goal is through continued cooperation 7ith the friends and through participation in their
spiritual acti'ities: or you cannot catch the spirit of the Cause through the reading of boo6s alone: Mou
should reinforce the 6no7ledge you get through Bah Hritings 7ith a 7hole0hearted association 7ith
the friends:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust L1/ 193L2
122/. Imperati1e :eed to Deepen in the Ca"se%od*s Purpose for 6an
EA detailed and e?act 6no7ledge of the present structure of Bah administration) or of the By0la7s of
National and =ocal Spiritual Assemblies or of the many and 'aried applications of Bah la7 under the
di'erse conditions pre'ailing around the 7orld) 7hile 'aluable in itself) cannot be regarded as the sort of
6no7ledge primarily intended by deepening: &ather is suggested a clearer apprehension of the purpose
of >od for man) and particularly of His immediate purpose as re'ealed and directed by Bahullh) a
purpose as far remo'ed from current concepts of human 7ell0being and happiness as is possible::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ Rid"-n 19M0. Hellspring of >uidance/ p! 1132
1220. !he %t"dy of Dawn-*rea$ers will Aro"se the Friends to .enewed Real
@3he reading of the 8a7n0Brea6ers is sure to arouse the friends to rene7ed Ceal and added perse'erance
in spreading the Cause of Bahullh: Consider to 7hat e?tent the Bb and those early leaders of the
aith suffered: /t 7as not through a blind religious Ceal but because they desired to bring about for the
future generations that promised era that the aith of the Bb promised to startan era of peace) good0
7ill and full realiCation of the spiritual significance of the life of man upon the earth: 3hey suffered that
7e may be happy: 3hey died that 7e may li'e in perfect bliss: Hhat a sacred debt) therefore) 7e o7e to
themL Ho7 much 7e ought to labour to repay them for their sacrifices) and ho7 7illing and earnest 7e
should be in consecrating our life in the path they trodLE
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 L0/ 19332
1222. !heme P"rs"ed in Effort to DeepenWhat is %od*s Purpose for the 7uman RaceI
@:::this is the theme 7e must pursue in our efforts to deepen in the Cause: Hhat is Bahullhs purpose
for the human raceS or 7hat ends did He submit to the appalling cruelties and indignities heaped upon
HimS Hhat does He mean by a Ane7 race of menS Hhat are the profound changes 7hich He 7ill bring
aboutS 3he ans7ers are to be found in the Sacred Hritings of our aith and in their interpretation by
AAbdul0Bah and our belo'ed >uardian: =et the friends immerse themsel'es in this ocean) let them
organiCe regular study classes for its constant consideration) and as reinforcements to their effort) let
them remember conscientiously the reDuirements of daily prayers and reading of the Hord of >od
enBoined upon all Bahs by Bahullh:E
&<rom the 6essa$e of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ Rid"-n 19M0. Hellspring of >uidance/ pp! 11N+11@2
123. Presentin6 Dreatest :ame Premat"rely
@He feels that it is not necessary to present) prematurely) to e'ery ne7 Bah the teachings regarding the
use of the >reatest Name: Some souls need and are ready for thisI others are not: 9udgement must be
used in such matters: /t is more essential to stress the importance of prayer and to urge the use of one of
the obligatory prayers:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 11/ 19N9. Bah Ne7s/ o! LL8/ <e)ruar5 19@1/ p! N2
121. )ne #"st Deepen 5is Gnowled6e of the &iterat"re in )rder to !each )thers and .ender
%er1ice to the Faith
@::: Shoghi Effendi hopes that you 7ill e?ert all your effort to deepen your 6no7ledge of the literature of
the mo'ement) until you become fully acDuainted 7ith its spirit and tenets: Jnless you do obtain such a
firm hold you 7ill ne'er be able to teach others and render real ser'ice to the promulgation of the aith:
5f special importance is the Boo6 of the UDn 7hich e?plains the attitude of the Cause to7ards the
prophets of >od and their mission in the history of society: Besides this there is ASome Ans7ered
Ruestions of the <aster and the A8a7n0Brea6ers of Nabl: E'ery Bah should master these boo6s and
be able to e?plain their contents to others: Besides their importance) they are interesting and most
absorbing:E
122. !he !eachin6s of *ah+,",ll+h Deal with #any Aspects of #an,s Inner and Comm"nal &ife
@3he 3eachings of Bahullh are so great) and deal 7ith so many aspects of both the inner life of man
and his communal life) that it ta6es years to really plumb them to the depths: He has brought spiritual
food for the soul of the indi'idual) to help each one to find himself and become a finer and better
de'eloped personalityI and also He has brought the la7s and principles needed to enable all men to li'e
in harmony together in a great) united 7orld: 3he >uardian hopes you) together 7ith :::) 7ill do all in
your po7er to help the belie'ers to understand both aspects of the teachings) and to de'elop both as
indi'iduals and as a community) an e'er higher) finer 7ay of life:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 1L/ 19NL2
12. Pro6ress of Ca"se :ow to be CharacteriHed by Increasin6 .elationship with :on-*ah+,;
7orldOur Preparation 6ust )e 3ontinual Deepenin$
@3here can be no doubt that the progress of the Cause from this time on7ard 7ill be characteriCed by an
e'er increasing relationship to the agencies) acti'ities) institutions and leading indi'iduals of the non0
Bah 7orld: He shall acDuire greater stature at the Jnited Nations) become better 6no7n in the
deliberations of go'ernments) a familiar figure to the media) a subBect of interest to academics) and
ine'itably the en'y of failing establishments: 5ur preparation for and response to this situation must be a
continual deepening of our faith) an un7a'ering adherence to its principles of abstention from partisan
politics and freedom from preBudices) and abo'e all an increasing understanding of its fundamental
'erities and rele'ance to the modern 7orld:E
&<rom the 6essa$e of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ Rid"-n 198N2
B$ 'ioneers and 'ioneering
12'. Pioneers7omeless and Wanderers in the Path of %od
@5 ye homeless and 7anderers in the 2ath of >odL 2rosperity) contentment) and freedom) ho7e'er much
desired and conduci'e to the gladness of the human heart) can in no 7ise compare 7ith the trials of
homelessness and ad'ersity in the path7ay of >odI for such e?ile and banishment are blessed by the
di'ine fa'our) and are surely follo7ed by the mercy of 2ro'idence: 3he Boy of tranDuillity in ones home)
and the s7eetness of freedom from all cares shall pass a7ay) 7hilst the blessings of homelessness shall
endure fore'er) and its far0reaching results shall be made manifest:
@Abrahams migration from His nati'e land caused bountiful gifts of the All0>lorious to be made
manifest) and the setting of Canaans brightest star unfolded to the eyes the radiance of 9oseph: 3he
flight of <oses) the 2rophet of Sinai) re'ealed the lame of the =ords burning ire) and the rise of 9esus
breathed the breaths of the Holy Spirit into the 7orld: 3he departure of od) from the city of His birth 7as the cause of the e?altation of >ods Holy Hord) and the banishment
of the Sacred Beauty led to the diffusion of the light of His di'ine &e'elation throughout all regions:
@3a6e ye good heed) 5 people of insightLE
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ pp! L81+L812
12(. :ot for a #oment Are Ee Alone
@5 ye <y soldiers of the ;ingdomL Be ye 'aliant and fearlessL 8ay by day add to your spiritual
'ictories: Be ye not disturbed by the constant assaults of the enemies: Attac6 ye li6e unto the roaring
lions: Ha'e no thought of yoursel'es) for the in'isible armies of the ;ingdom are fighting on your side:
Enter ye the battlefield 7ith the confirmations of the Holy Spirit: ;no7 ye of a certainty that the po7ers
of the ;ingdom of Abh are 7ith you: 3he hosts of the hea'en of 3ruth are 7ith you: 3he cool breeCes
of the 2aradise of Abh are 7afting o'er your heated bro7s: Not for a moment are ye alone: Not for a
second are ye left to yoursel'es: 3he beauty of Abh is 7ith you: 3he >lorious >od is 7ith you: 3he
;ing of ;ings is 7ith you:E
&Words of '()du*l+,ah-. Star of the Hest/ >ol! 13/ o! @/ p! 1132
12-. Flee !heir 5omelands
@::: 3he hour is ripe to disencumber themsel'es of 7orldly 'anities) to mount the steed of steadfastness)
unfurl the banner of renunciation) don the armor of utter consecration to >ods Cause) gird themsel'es
7ith the girdle of a chaste and holy life) unsheathe the s7ord of Bahullhs utterance) buc6le on the
shield of His lo'e) carry as sole pro'ision implicit trust in His promise) flee their homelands) and scatter
far and 7ide to capture the unsurrendered territories of the entire planet:E
&<rom ca)le$ram of the %uardian/ 6a5 @/ 19@3. <essages to the Bah Horld/ p! N92
12/. 5o"se of 9"stice Defines <Pioneer= and <Pioneerin6=There can )e no Cuestion of
ARecallin$B a Pioneer from 7is <ield of 4er"ice
@rom the Bah point of 'ie7 it is Duite clear that a pioneer can be li6ened to neither an employee nor
a minister::::
@:::He 7ish to share 7ith you the follo7ing points of fundamental importance:
@": 3he Secretary of the belo'ed >uardian 7rote to the National Spiritual Assembly of /ndia and
Burma) on his behalf) on August ",) "#((!
A&egarding the Duestion of paid teachers! As 7e ha'e no clergy or priests there is no paid
career open to Bah teachers: 3his) ho7e'er) does not mean that teachers going out to
spread the aith) and unable to support themsel'es) should not recei'e money from the
National Spiritual Assembly or a =ocal Assembly: At present it 7ould be Duite impossible to
spread the Cause if those 7ho arise to ser'e it as teachers or pioneers 7ere not gi'en
financial assistance: All must realiCe) ho7e'er) that the moneys they recei'e are only to
enable them to fulfil their obBecti'es) and that they cannot consider themsel'es permanently
entitled to be supported by the Cause: /n America the pioneers ha'e made e'ery effort to
establish themsel'es in some position in the place they ha'e gone to settle in) and thus be
freed from the necessity of dra7ing further upon Bah unds:
@and to the British National Spiritual Assembly on <ay ,#) "#(*!
A2ioneers 7ho 'olunteer for 7or6) if they are not able to support themsel'es) should be
supported by the National und until they either find 7or6 or their tas6 is completed:
A=i6e7ise) tra'elling teachers should be assisted financially to carry out the AproBects
assigned to them: 3he friends should not for a moment confuse this type of support 7ith the
creation of a paid clergy: Any Bah can) at the discretion of the N:S:A:) recei'e this
necessary assistance) and it is clearly understood it is temporary and only to carry out a
specific plan:
ABahullh Himself has not only enBoined on e'ery one the duty of teaching His aith)
but stated if you cannot go yourself) to send someone in your stead:
@and in a letter to <r: /oas) Chairman of your o7n National 3eaching Committee) on <arch 1) "#%(!
AConcerning the abolition of the institution of paid national teachers) the >uardian 7ishes
to re0affirm his former statements on this matter) and to stress once more that great care be
ta6en to a'oid the difficulties and the misunderstandings 7hich in former days had caused so
much trouble among the friends: 3he main point to be emphasiCed in this connection is that
of ma6ing the teaching of the Cause not the 7or6 of a limited group but the chief duty and
responsibility of e'ery Bah: 3his is 7hy no salaried teachers should any longer e?ist: But
occasionally to defray the e?penses of a teaching trip of a certain Bah) particularly 7hen it
is done spontaneously) can do no harm to the Cause: Such an action) pro'ided it is done 7ith
care and only 7hen circumstances ma6e it necessary) constitutes no 'iolation of the
principles already referred to: 3he danger in all acti'ities of this nature is to gi'e the
impression that the teaching of the Cause is an institution) depending on the support of paid
teachers: 3hose 7ho 7illingly and 7ith utmost detachment arise to promote the Cause
should) undoubtedly) be helped in e'ery 7ay: But they ha'e no claim 7hate'er on the
financial help 7hich some friends may freely choose to e?tend to them:
@,: As stated in our circular letter to all National Spiritual Assemblies engaged in teaching 7or6 among
the masses) dated ,1th 9une) "#*(! A:::no Bah teacher any7here should consider himself as
permanently employed by the aith: He do not ha'e in the Cause of >od any paid career open to
Bah teachers:::: A=i6e7ise) 7hen pioneer proBects are en'isaged) it must be made clear to the
pioneer that he must ma6e e'ery effort to establish himself in some position in his pioneering post
and thus become freed from the necessity of dra7ing further on Bah funds:
@%: 3he duties of teaching and pioneering are enBoined upon all belie'ers: 3here are no special
categories of belie'ers for these functions: Any Bah 7ho spreads the <essage of Bahullh is a
teacher) any Bah 7ho mo'es to another area to spread the aith is a pioneer:
@(: 3he duty of the Assembly to gi'e financial assistance to a belie'er 7ho cannot support himself is a
general one) and is in no 7ay limited to those 7ho may perform specific ser'ices for the aith:
@1: No special training is reDuired for a pioneer: A belie'er 7ho lea'es his home spontaneously and
goes to teach the aith else7here 7ithout consulting anybody is as much a pioneer as one 7ho goes
after consultation 7ith the committee responsible: 3his is a matter of principle) no matter ho7
desirable it may be that all prospecti'e pioneers first consult to ensure the best use of their ser'ices:
@*: Similarly) there can be no Duestion of Arecalling a pioneer from his field of ser'ice: /f a committee
is pro'iding a pioneer 7ith financial assistance it can terminate this assistance 7hene'er it Budges it
right and proper) in 7hich case it 7ould) in all Bustice) offer the pioneer his tra'el e?penses to return
to his home or to go to some place 7here he could earn his li'ingQbut this is Duite different in
principle from recalling the pioneer: /n many instances the pioneers intention 7hen going to his
chosen goal is to put his roots do7n and ma6e it his home:
@+: A pioneer 7ho goes to the area of Burisdiction of another National Spiritual Assembly comes under
the authority of that Assembly) and the National Spiritual Assembly of the Jnited States ceases to
ha'e any authority o'er him: 3he matter of financial assistance to such a pioneer) should he need it)
is arranged on a basis of e?pediency: Jsually) for simplicitys sa6e) the National Assembly of origin
continues to gi'e assistance direct to the pioneer concerned until he becomes self0supporting or
until his o7n National Spiritual Assembly is able to ta6e o'er the responsibility: As far as the matter
of control is concerned) it 7ould be Duite in order and perfectly legal to arrange for the pioneer to
recei'e his budget 7ithout ha'ing any contact 7hatsoe'er 7ith the Jnited States National Spiritual
Assembly:
@$: A pioneer has no special administrati'e status e?cept in the case 7here he goes to a ne7 area 7here
there are no Bahs: He then usually remains the channel of communication bet7een the ne7
Bah group) as it is formed) and the National Committee in charge) until such time as a =ocal
Spiritual Assembly is formed: At that point his special status ceases altogether: Any ser'ices he may
perform in ad'ising or teaching the ne7 belie'ers spring from the fact that he is an older belie'er)
and not from his being a pioneer: <any pioneers 7ho go to places 7here Bahs of long standing
already li'e often recei'e the counsel and spiritual support of the older nati'e belie'ers rather than
'ice0'ersa: Similarly there is no special significance in the d7elling of a pioneerQit freDuently
happens that the homes of some of the ne7 belie'ers) being less cramped than the Duarters of the
pioneer) are the places used for meetings of the community:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eul5 L/ 19M@2
120. Pioneer %tat"s ClarifiedK 7ho is a PioneerI
@3he place of settlement of any pioneer depends on his circumstances: /f therefore) he can not settle in
the localities suggested by the recei'ing National Spiritual Assembly) this does not mean that he should
not be considered a pioneer: Any belie'er 7ho arises and lea'es his home to Bourney to another country
for the purpose of teaching the Cause is a pioneer:
@As you 6no7) one of the obBecti'es of e'ery pioneer is to settle and become self0supporting) if
possible: /f the localities 7here this condition can be met are not the same as the goals of the National
Assembly) such goals may ha'e to be filled by the National Assembly ma6ing use of homefront
pioneers: 3he friends are free to go 7here'er they li6e and e'en those supported by the und should not
be subBected to rigid rules:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 6arch 31/ 19012
122. E1ery *ah+,;@ Especially !hose 7ho &ea1e !heir 5omes to %er1e in Forei6n &ands@ %ho"ld
!"rn !heir DaHe to #arion 9ac$
@or o'er thirty years) 7ith an enlarged heart) and many other ailments) she remained at her post in
Bulgaria: Ne'er 7ell0to0do) she often suffered actual po'erty and 7antI 7ant of heat) 7ant of clothing)
7ant of food) 7hen her money failed to reach her because Bulgaria had come under the So'iet Cone of
influence: She 7as bombed) lost her possessions) she 7as e'acuated) she li'ed in drafty) cold dormitories
for many) many months in the country) she returned 'aliant to the capital of Bulgaria after the 7ar) and
continued) on foot) to carry out her teaching 7or6:
@3he >uardian himself urged her strongly) 7hen the 7ar first began to threaten to cut her off in
Bulgaria) to go to S7itCerland: She 7as a Canadian subBect) and ran great ris6s by remaining) not to
mention the danger and the pri'ations of 7ar: Ho7e'er) she begged the >uardian not to insist) and
assured him her one desire 7as to remain 7ith her spiritual children: 3his she did) up to the last breath of
her glorious life: Her tomb 7ill become a national shrine) immensely lo'ed and re'ered) as the aith
rises in stature in that country:
@He thin6s that e'ery Bah) and most particularly those 7ho ha'e left their homes and gone to ser'e
in foreign fields) should 6no7 of) and turn their gaCe to) <arion 9ac6:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the European Teachin$ 3ommittee/ 6a5 LN/ 19@N2
12'3. A %elf-%"pportin6 Pioneer Cannot be .eC"ired to %ettle in any Di1en &ocality
@/n regard to pioneering) this is a matter reDuiring the greatest degree of consultation and
encouragement: Naturally) if an Assembly is supporting a pioneer from the und) it can decide to
7ithdra7 such support if the pioneer refuses to go to the post that he had agreed to ser'e in) or if) for any
other reason) the Assembly decides that the proBect should not be continued) but in so doing the
Assembly must gi'e the pioneer ample opportunity to become self0supporting: /f) ho7e'er) a pioneer is
entirely self0supporting) an Assembly has no right to direct him to li'e in one place or anotherI it) or its
appropriate committee) should consult 7ith the pioneer) e?plain the needs) offer assistance to enable the
pioneer to become established in the post 7here he is needed) and in consultation 7ith him) decide
7here it 7ould be best for him to settle) but the ultimate decision rests 7ith the belie'er himself: Mou
ha'e belie'ers coming from abroad as pioneer to Austria) and you certainly hope that they 7ill settle in
those cities 7hich most urgently need help) but) if a self0supporting pioneer feels that he cannot go
7here you 7ould li6e him to) you should then consider ho7 best you can ma6e use of his ser'ices
7here'er he may be:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustria/ 6arch 31/ 19012
12'1. )nly if Especially .eC"ired for a %pecific &ocality can a Pioneer be .eC"ired to %ettle !here
@::: Hhen pioneers arise to settle in foreign fields) they do not) and in fact cannot) be reDuired to commit
themsel'es to settle in a gi'en locality) unless they are especially recruited for such a purpose and they
understand and accept the nature of the local li'ing conditions they are to face:
@At this stage of the de'elopment of the aith) best results are achie'ed 7hen the National Spiritual
Assembly or one of its appropriate committees deals 7ith each case separately) consults 7ith the pioneer
concerned indi'idually) ta6es into consideration his personal circumstances) points out the needs of the
aith in the locality reDuiring pioneer support) and encourages him to mo'e to the area in Duestion) if
feasible:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ 6arch L1/ 1981. cited in a compilation
included with a letter to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ (u$ust L3/ 19812
12'2. !he D"ardian,s E?hortations to *ah+,;s to &ea1e Centres where &ar6e :"mbers 5ad
Con6re6ated 7ere to Disperse them to :eedy DoalsThe 4piritual Importance of Remainin$
at Their Posts
@3he belo'ed >uardians e?hortations to the Bahs to lea'e those centers 7here large numbers had
congregated 7as not primarily for the sa6e of their safety but in order to disperse them to greatly needy
pioneer goals: 3hese urgings) 7hich 7ere in the form of admonitions) 7ere often repeated by the
>uardian himself) and ha'e been reiterated by the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice) not only by calling on the
friends to disperse) but also by dra7ing to their attention the spiritual importance of remaining at their
posts: Hhile it is correct to say that a number of these pioneers) because of a 'ariety of personal reasons)
and at time insuperable 'isa difficulties) unfortunately did not remain at their posts and returned to their
original homelands) it is eDually true to say that the maBority of the pioneers) 7ho 7ere able and free to
continue ser'ing in the pioneer field) steadfastly remained at their posts:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune @/ 1981. I)id!2
12'. All *ah+,;s 5a1e the D"ty to !each and %er1eJ %ome 7ho %ettle for Personal P"rposes #ay
Fill Pioneer Doals
@Hhether a Bah is in a place because he pioneered there or has settled there for some other reason
does not affect the duty of teaching and ser'ing the Cause laid upon him by Bahullh: >enerally) a
person 7ho goes to a country e?pressly as a pioneer should be counted as such: 3here are also many
7ho) although they go primarily for some other purpose) ne'ertheless fill a goal or are 'ery acti'e in the
ser'ice of the aith) and there is no reason not to record them as pioneers in your files: 3he decision
7hether to consider a person as a pioneer for the purposes of your records must be made in each
indi'idual case:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a 3ontinental Pioneer 3ommittee/ 4eptem)er LL/ 190N. cited in a compilation re$ardin$
the definition of a pioneer sent to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ <e)ruar5 LL/ 198N2
12''. Iranians who %ettle in the Americas
@&egarding your Duery 7hether /ranians 7ho settle in the Americas should be considered as filling
assigned pioneer goals) each case should be Budged by itself according to the circumstances:
Consideration should be gi'en to such Duestions as! 8oes the National Spiritual Assembly of the country
in'ol'ed feel that the indi'idual concerned fills a pioneer goalS /s it the intent of the indi'idual to remain
if possible in that placeS Hould the National Spiritual Assembly responsible for sending a pioneer
consider the post filledS 5ther7ise) the belie'er concerned could be considered as filling a
supplementary goal:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a 3ontinental Pioneer 3ommittee/ o"em)er L8/ 1909. I)id!2
12'(. Persians can .ender 8tmost %er1ice to the !eachin6 7or$@ b"t !hey #"st %ettle as Pioneers
and be in the #inority
@He feels the 2ersians can render the utmost assistance to the teaching 7or6) 7here'er they settleI but
they must go on the basis of pioneers) and ta6e up residence 7here they can render the best ser'ice to the
Cause of >od: /t does little good for the aith to ha'e large groups of 2ersians settled in a city) and thus
constitute an Assembly: Hhen they mo'e the Assembly falls: Hhat 7e need in all areas is nati'e
belie'ers: 3he pioneers should be in the minority) and aid the nati'es to shoulder the responsibilities of
the aith:
@3hus he feels you should encourage the friends lea'ing 2ersia) to settle in outlying areas) in smaller
cities) 7here there are no Bahs) or fe7) and teach there:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ <e)ruar5 10/ 19@0. cited in a compilation included
with a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ (u$ust L3/ 19812
12'-. 7hether Eo"th and Children %ho"ld be &isted as Pioneers
@&egarding your Duestion on 7hether children and youth should be listed as pioneers) the Jni'ersal
House of 9ustice has instructed us to share 7ith you the follo7ing e?cerpts from letters addressed to
National Spiritual Assemblies 7ho as6ed similar Duestions!

A:::if a Bah child) that is to say one under the age of "1) has gone to a country to ser'e
the Cause) he should be numbered among the pioneers: Children born to pioneers in the
country of their pioneer ser'ice are not considered pioneers) although of course) for
completeness of your information on pioneer families you may 7ish to 6eep a note of them
in your files: E
&<rom a letter dated Lnd 6arch 1981 written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l52
A::: CH/=8&EN CE&3A/N=M 2/5NEE&S BJ3 3H5SE JN8E& "1 CANN53 C5JN3 /==
RJ53AS SE3:
&3a)le dated 1@ (pril/ 198L from the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l52
@3herefore) children under the age of "1) e'en though they are pioneers) should not be added to the list
7hich you send to the Horld Centre as they do not count to7ards filling the goals gi'enI ho7e'er) youth
"1 years of age and o'er should be listed) and 7hen children reach the age of "1 and register as Bahs
they should be included:
@He must stress that the abo'e definitions are merely guidelines intended to assist you in 6eeping your
records of pioneer goals and their fulfilment: 3hey are not to be regarded as definitions of the term
Apioneer in any general sense:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 4urinam/ Eune 19/ 198N2
12'/. !he :ati1e *elie1ers %ho"ld be Enco"ra6ed to *ecome the Pi1ot of the !eachin6 Acti1ities
@3he House of 9ustice noted your comments about ho7 hea'ily certain of your communities rely on
resident pioneersI that in fact the pioneers ha'e become the pi'ot of the teaching acti'ities of the aith in
these communities: Mour comment underscores ho7 important it is to encourage the belie'ers nati'e to
the community themsel'es to see6 out friends and neighbours to in'estigate the aith: 3he House of
9ustice understands that it is not easy for belie'ers 7ho ha'e al7ays relied on ministers or priests to no7
be responsible for their o7n spiritual de'elopment: 3he 'ery act of teaching the Cause 7ill help them to
realiCe their o7n 7orth and enable them to fulfil their indi'idual spiritual responsibilities:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ahamas/ (pril L1/ 198M2
12'0. Pioneerin6 is the 5i6hest form of *ah+,; Cooperation in #arria6e
@He appreciates 'ery much the pioneer ser'ices you ha'e rendered: He hopes that from no7 on you and
your dear husband 7ill be able to ser'e the aith unitedly and de'otedly together) as that is the highest
form of Bah cooperation in marriage:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch 3/ 19@@2
12'2. :either Persian nor American Pioneers %ho"ld Con6re6ate in a Few Chosen Places
@3he >uardian feels that the 2ersians should not congregate in a fe7 chosen places) but rather that they
should) ::: spread out in the 'arious cities of these countries 7here there are no Bahs: /f this is done) it
7ill greatly facilitate the teaching 7or6 in those countries) and at the same time 7ill o'ercome the
problem of establishing 2ersian colonies::::
[5ne of the problems::: is that so many of the 2ersian pioneers congregate in certain cities) and this
creates actually a 2ersian colony) and little or nothing seems to be done about teaching the nati'es: /f the
2ersian pioneers dispersed to 'arious cities) then of course they 7ould automatically begin to teach the
nati'es) because they 7ould not be burdened 7ith the necessity of Assembly functioning and association
7ith other 2ersian Bahs:
@3he same situation e?ists 7ith regard to American pioneers in these countries: 3hey all 7ant to
congregate in one place) and thus little or nothing is done for the country itself:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ <e)ruar5 @/ 19@M2
12(3. Pioneer %ho"ld not &ea1e Post 8ntil !here is :othin6 Else to DoThe5 4hould 3onfirm
ati"e People #ike Enoch Olin$a Who Will I$nite the <lame of <aith in Others
@::: He constantly impresses upon the pioneers in all countries that they should not lea'e their posts
unless there is nothing else possible for them to doI other7ise the effort) time and sacrifice 7hich ha'e
been put into the 7or6 there are lost to the aith:
@He has emphasiCed on more than one occasion that the important thing for the pioneer to do is to
bend his energies to7ard teaching the nati'e people of the country: He should teach and confirm them)
and assist them to gradually shoulder their responsibilities in the aith and become the acti'e supporters
and upholders of its institutions: 3his means that the Cause then is built on a solid foundation) and is not
being carried for7ard by people 7ho ha'e gone to that country from other lands: 3hen too) in most
people there is a certain degree of hidden feeling of racial distinction) 7hether or not they realiCe or
admit itI and those other than nati'es may be called upon to e?perience great tests upon accepting the
aith) because of its principle of complete freedom from preBudice:
@3his does not mean that people other than nati'es are not to be taught) if you find they are really
spiritually prepared for the <essage of BahullhI but the important thing is to stri'e to teach and
confirm a fe7 nati'e people) 7ho 7ill not only themsel'es become Duic6ened 7ith its spirit) but 7ho
7ill in turn) li6e Enoch 5linga from Jganda) Duic6ly ignite the flame of the aith in the hearts of others
of their countrymen:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust L/ 19@@2
12(1. Initial )bsc"rity %"rro"ndin6 7or$ of PioneerProtection to <aith
@3he pioneers and settlers) as 7ell as the National Assemblies responsible for the administration of the
aith in areas assigned to them) should e'er bear in mind that in the initial states of the establishment of
the aith in any territory the obscurity surrounding the 7or6 of the pioneer or the local Bahs is in
itself a protection to the aith: 2atience) tact and 7isdom should be e?ercised: 2ublic attention should
not be attracted to the aith until such time as the belie'ers see the aith touch more and more of the
hearts of recepti'e souls responding to its 8i'ine Call:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Eune @/ 19MM2
12(2. !he P"rpose of Dispersal
@By dispersal the >uardian means the friends should get a7ay entirely from the large centres of
population and) lea'ing a nucleus of about "1 Bahs to maintain the =ocal Assembly) go settle) li'e and
teach in ne7 to7ns) cities and e'en 'illages: Naturally) it is no ser'ice to the Cause to disperse if it
brea6s up an e?isting Assembly: 3he purpose of dispersal is to create more Assemblies o'er a 7ider area:
Jntil a gi'en assembly can spare some of its local Community to go out and settle) they should by all
means at least do e?tension teaching:
@/n the instance you cited about the friend 7ho 7ith independent means 7as 7illing to go out and sell
her home and mo'e to a ne7 area) he feels she 7ould ha'e done better to go: Mou had more than #
members in your CommunityI you could ha'e found another place to meet: 3his is Bust the type of
pioneering the >uardian is urging: 3hose 7ho can go should go: 5thers 7ill arise locally to ta6e their
places:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 19/ 19@@2
12(. Pioneers Enterin6 Pioneer Field %ho"ld .ealiHe !hey Do as :ational %pirit"al Assembly
.epresentati1esTo Represent the 3ause
@::: 3he principle is that pioneers entering the pioneer field should realiCe that they are going there to
represent the Cause) in fact) to be the Cause: 3heir minds and their hearts should be centered in their ne7
tas6s and in their ne7 en'ironment: 3he should not be thin6ing of 7hen they can return home) or 7hen
they can go some7here else: 5nly 7hen the aith is firmly established should they gi'e any thought to
mo'ing) and then) only in consultation 7ith the National Assembly:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %erman5 and (ustria/ Eune L8/ 19@N2
12('. !he 7or$ of the Pioneer Is the #ost Important !as$ an Indi1id"al Can PerformJ Its
*lessin6s are Dreat
@3he >uardian is 7ell a7are of the great sacrifices reDuired of the de'oted pioneers) and of the problems
they must meet and conDuer: 3his is 7hy he feels that the 7or6 of the pioneers is the most important
Bah tas6 any indi'idual can perform todayQmore important than ser'ing on a National Assembly) or
any administrati'e post:
@Hhile it carries great responsibilities and difficulties) yet its spiritual blessings are so great) they
o'ershado7 e'erything elseI and the opportunities for special 'ictories of the aith so abundantI the soul
7ho once tastes the eli?ir of pioneering ser'ice) seldom 7ill do anything else:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune @/ 19@N2
12((. 7hen an Administrati1e *ody is Established@ the Pioneer Ceases to ha1e a 8niC"e %tat"s
@3he pioneer) as soon as an administrati'e body has been established) ceases to ha'e any uniDue status in
the Community: But of course the ser'ice he has rendered remains 'ery great) and he should continue to
do his utmost for the Cause in conBunction 7ith the Assembly and the other belie'ers:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to two indi"idual )elie"ers/ 6arch LN/ 19N@2
12(-. Pioneers Enhance Presti6e of Faith
@3he pioneers themsel'es must realiCe that not only are they fulfilling the 7ishes of Bahullh) and
doing that 7hich the <aster Himself said He longed to doI namely) to go) if necessary on foot) and carry
His athers <essage to all the regions of the earthI but they are enhancing the prestige of the aith to a
remar6able degree in the eyes of the public) and especially in the eyes of officials: 3here is no doubt that
the rapid for7ard march of the aith recently has attracted a far greater measure of attention on the part
of thoughtful people) and people of position in society and in educational fields) than has been the case
for almost one hundred years:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Eune L1/ 19@N. Bah Ne7s/ o!
L83/ p! 1/ 4eptem)er 19@N2
12(/. Perse1erance of Pioneers Ass"red .eward in *oth 7orlds
@3he pioneers 7ho ha'e already settled or are settling in their posts) particularly in 'irgin unoccupied
territories) must be reminded that their mo'ement to their goals is far from being a short stay designed to
class a particular territory or island as opened) or label it as ha'ing recei'ed one or more pioneers) e'en
if) in some cases) ne7 belie'ers nati'e to the land ha'e been enrolled: /t is basically and clearly intended
to establish the aith of >od securely and firmly in the hearts of people of the area and to ensure that its
di'inely0ordained institutions are understood) adopted and operated by them: 3he perse'erance of the
pioneers in their posts) ho7e'er great the sacrifices in'ol'ed) is an act of de'oted ser'ice) 7hich) as
attested by our teachings) 7ill ha'e an assured re7ard in both 7orlds: 3he admonitions of the >uardian
on this subBect are too numerous to cite and amply demonstrate the 'ital nature of this clear policy:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Eune @/ 19MM2
12(0. Isolated Pioneers are &i$e a &i6ht-5o"se of *ah+,",ll+h
@:::/t is hard for the friends to appreciate) 7hen they are isolated in one of these goal territories) and see
that they are ma6ing no progress in teaching others) are li'ing in inhospitable climes for the most part)
and are lonesome for Bah companionship and acti'ity) that they represent a force for good) that they
are li6e a lighthouse of Bahullh shining at a strategic point and casting its beam out into the
dar6ness: 3his is 7hy he so consistently urges these pioneers not to abandon their posts:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3anada/ Eul5 18/ 19@0. <essages to Canada/ p! M82
12(2. %tr"66les of a Pioneer%od Will (ssist (ll Those who (rise to 4er"e 7im
@Mour struggles ha'e been richly blessed and must ser'e as an e?ample to other pioneers and a sure
proof that >od 7ill assist all those 7ho arise to ser'e Him: /t is part of the preciousness of this great
7or6 being done in the teaching field that it should be done through real sacrifices and not 7ithout
heartaches attending it: 3here is a tendency in the American outloo6 on life at present to belie'e that
suffering is produced by clumsiness and is not only a'oidable but not a good thing) and not essential:
Hhile there is some truth in this attitude) 7e as Bahs cannot but belie'e that suffering is often an
essential part of our ser'ice: 3he 2rophets suffered bitterly) so did all the Saints and <artyrs) and often
Afed on the fragments of those bro6en hearts) as Bahullh says in one of His beautiful prayers:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 N/ 19N92
12-3. E1en if *ereft of E1ery 5"man Gnowled6e@ E1eryone 7ho with a P"re@ Detached 5eart
Arises to %er1e 5is Ca"se is Promised *ah+,",ll+h,s Di1ine Assistance
@::: 8o not feel discouraged if your labours do not al7ays yield an abundant fruitage: or a Duic6 and
rapidly07on success is not al7ays the best and the most lasting: 3he harder you stri'e to attain your
goal) the greater 7ill be the confirmations of Bahullh) and the more certain you can feel to attain
success: Be cheerful) therefore) and e?ert yourself 7ith full faith and confidence: or Bahullh has
promised His 8i'ine assistance to e'eryone 7ho arises 7ith a pure and detached heart to spread His
holy Hord) e'en though he may be bereft of e'ery human 6no7ledge and capacity) and not7ithstanding
the forces of dar6ness and of opposition 7hich may be arrayed against him: 3he goal is clear) the path
safe and certain) and the assurances of Bahullh as to the e'entual success of our efforts Duite
emphatic: =et us 6eep firm) and 7hole0heartedly carry on the great 7or6 7hich He has entrusted into our
hands:E
12-1. *ah+,",ll+h is Always on the 7atch@ .eady to Come to )"r Assistance
@Such pioneer 7or6 is al7ays difficult and unless 7e are strong0hearted and ha'e faith in our Cause) 7e
are apt to be discouraged: He should al7ays bear in mind that Bahullh is al7ays on the 7atch ready
to come to our assistance if 7e only rise to ser'e Him 7ith the spirit of self consecration and absolute
detachment: His promises along those lines are 'ery forceful and clear) 7e are only to act upon them:E
12-2. In the *est and 5i6hest %ense of the !erm <#issionary= it can be Applied to )"r !eachers
There is no O)=ection to the Word (ppearin$ on Passports
@He sees no obBection to the 7ord A<issionary appearing on your 2assport as long as it is clearly
understood 7hat 6ind of a Amissionary a Bah pioneer is: /n the best and highest sense of the term it
certainly could be applied to our teachers: Jnfortunately this 7ord has often been associated 7ith a
narro70minded) bigoted type of proselytiCing Duite alien to the Bah method of spreading our
teachings:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 0/ 19N@2
12-. Assembly %ho"ld Arran6e to .eplace Pioneer *efore he &ea1es Post
@No pioneer should lea'e his post unless there is some 'ery urgent reason and then only after
consultation 7ith the appropriate committee or National Assembly: /f it is found someone must lea'e
their post because of 'ery urgent matters) then the National Assembly should arrange to replace the
pioneer before the pioneer lea'es::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian. <essages to Canada/ p! N32
12-'. :o %er1ice in Entire *ah+,; 7orld as Important as Pioneerin6 7or$ in Bir6in Areas
@:::he feels there is no ser'ice in the entire Bah 7orld as important as their pioneering 7or6 in the
'irgin areas: 3hey ha'e achie'ed a great station of ser'ice: 3hey are the representati'e of the aith in
these 'irgin areas: 3hey ha'e the inestimable pri'ilege of bringing the light of Bahullh to those
hitherto depri'ed of 8i'ine >uidance for this day: 3he >uardian has repeatedly pointed out that they can
and should become the spiritual conDuerors of these ne7 lands:E
&I)id!/ p! N32
12-(. Pioneers in Bir6in Areas Cannot Bote in :ational Elections
@:::all pioneers in 'irgin areas) or ne7 Bahs 7ho are confirmed in those 'irgin areas) are not part of
the National Bah Community) and cannot 'ote in elections:
@3he 'irgin areas are separate) administrati'ely) and under the Burisdiction of the National Spiritual
Assembly responsible for their de'elopment: 3he same ruling applies to any Assemblies 7hich might
de'elop in these 'irgin areas: 3hey do not become part of the National Bah Community:E
&I)id!/ p! @12
12--. Pioneers %ho"ld 7or$ in Close 5armony with &ocal *elie1ers
@:::all National Spiritual Assemblies recei'ing pioneer support should de'ise 7ays and means for the
pioneers and local belie'ers to 7or6 together in close harmony) thus ta6ing full ad'antage of the help
and support that pioneers are an?ious to offer) often at great sacrifice) to the teaching or deepening 7or6
of the community to 7hich they ha'e gone) and demonstrating to a sceptical 7orld the undi'ided
solidarity and e?emplary unity of the follo7ers of the <ost >reat Name:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Eul5 M/ 19M92
C$ 'ublicit* and 'rocla&ation
12-/. Eo"th %ho"ld not be %t"ltified
@2ublicity itself should be 7ell concei'ed) dignified) and re'erent: A flamboyant approach 7hich may
succeed in dra7ing much initial attention to the Cause may ultimately pro'e to ha'e produced a
re'ulsion 7hich 7ould reDuire great effort to o'ercome: 3he standard of dignity and re'erence set by the
belo'ed >uardian should al7ays be upheld particularly in musical and dramatic itemsI and photographs
of the <aster should not be used indiscriminately: 3his does not mean that acti'ities of the youth) for
e?ample) should be stultifiedI one can be e?uberant 7ithout being irre'erent or undermining the dignity
of the Cause:
@E'ery land has its o7n conditions::: National Spiritual Assemblies need not follo7 or copy programs
initiated in other countries::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ Eul5 L/ 19M0. Hellspring of >uidance/ p! 1182
12-0. #ass Distrib"tion of .eply Paid InC"iry Cards
@3he details of such matters are 7ithin the discretion of each National Spiritual Assembly to decide in
the light of certain fundamental principles and in the conte?t of the situation in each country:
@/n deciding such a matter you should bear in mind not only the effecti'eness of the proBect from the
teaching point of 'ie7) but also its bearing upon the dignity of the aith: Any leaflet used in such a 7ay
should be brief) contain the minimum of Duotations from the Sacred Hritings) and be designed primarily
to arouse the interest of the reader so that he 7ill reDuest more information) and should not) at that stage)
be intended to con'ince or con'ert the reader:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia/ Decem)er 9/ 19012
12-2. Importance of .eachin6 Distin6"ished Persons with the !eachin6s
@Mour letters 7ith the 7onderful reports of your acti'ities in teaching the Cause and interesting
distinguished persons al7ays bring him much Boy and pleasure: He 7ished he had a large number of
your type) so de'oted to the aith and so determined to spread its message throughout the 7orld:
@E'en though the men you contact do not immediately embrace the Cause and 7hole0heartedly
support it) yet the Hord of >od that has penetrated their mind and heart 7ill not remain idle: 3hey 7ill
be bound) once they read something or lend an attenti'e ear) to unconsciously modify their 'ie7s) for the
<essage 7ill be gradually 7or6ing in their subconscious mind and thereby moulding their 'ie7s and
interests: 5ne day the Cause 7ill pass the threshold of their consciousness and they 7ill become
completely con'erted: But e'en before that day) they 7ill be e?pressing that spirit in their deliberations
and thereby helping the progress of the cause of peace throughout the 7orld:E
12/3. Eminent #en are )ften Capti1es of !heir Cherished Ideas@ b"t 7hen the Pend"l"m %tarts to
%win6...
@He sincerely hopes and prays that the literature and letters you are sending to eminent men in the
different parts of the country 7ill bear their desired effect and that the Hord of >od 7ill gradually
permeate into their heart and 7in it: /t ho7e'er ta6es time: Such men are generally capti'e into the
hands of some cherished ideas and principles 7hich they cannot gi'e up so Duic6ly: 3he mere fact that a
person is learned does not mean that he is free from preBudices: 3he academic life also has its fashions
and fads e'en though they are of different nature from the fads of the man in the street:
@3hese fashions are not permanentI they are bound to change: 3oday the fad is a materialistic 'ie7 of
life and of the 7orld: A day 7ill soon come 7hen it 7ill become deeply religious and spiritual: /n fact
7e can discern the beginning of such a change in the 7ritings of some of the most eminent souls and
liberal minds: Hhen the pendulum 7ill start its full s7ing then 7e shall see all such eminent men turn
again to >od:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 18/ 193L2
12/1. Proclaimin6 the Faith to #odern !hin$ers and &eaders of %ociety
@/t is really strange ho7 much modern thin6ers are) of their o7n accord) dra7ing nearer to the teachings
of the aith and 'oicing 'ie7s 'ery much li6e ours: /t sho7s clearly the truth of the saying of the <aster
that the spirit of the <o'ement has permeated the hearts of all the people of the 7orld: /t is >ods hands
operating and guiding the nations and intellectual men and leaders of society to a gradual acceptance of
His <essage re'ealed through Bahullh:
@3he 7ay 7e can hasten the de'elopment of this process is by doing our share in spreading the 7ords
of >od far and 7ide: E'en though 7e may not see any case of sudden con'ersion on the part of these
intellectuals) yet they are bound to be influenced in their 'ie7s and loo6 to the aith 7ith greater
admiration and 7ith a more 7illing desire to be led by its precepts: Shoghi Effendi) therefore) 7ishes me
to encourage you in your 7or6) in sending appropriate literature to such men of learning:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 0/ 19332
$ Radio
12/2. Power of .adio for Proclamation
@/t is our hope that the great po7er of radio for proclamation) teaching and deepening may be mobiliCed
7here'er possible) and 7ith the promising initiati'es 7hich ha'e occurred in Ecuador and else7here 7e
no7 anticipate the de'elopment of more 7idespread uses of the medium 7hich 7ill be of ser'ice to the
Cause and to man6ind:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ (pril 0/ 190N2
12/. 5istoric Forward %tep in Proclamation
@3he religious and cultural content of your programs is important ali6e for achie'ing the goals of the
aith and bringing education and ser'ice to the non0Bahs community::::
@Mour perception of Bah needs and their satisfaction through radio broadcasts has prepared you for
7hat may 7ell) in time) be hailed as an historic for7ard step in proclamation) e?pansion and deepening
through the medium of radio) a medium 7hich the belo'ed >uardian hoped 7ould be e?ploited on
behalf of the Cause of >od: He congratulate you and loo6 for7ard to ne7s of your progress in this
significant initial program:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ Decem)er 1L/ 190N2
12/'. *rin6 to Attention of the P"blic the Fact that the Faith E?ists
@/n connection 7ith the radio 7or6::: he 7ould suggest that the main consideration is to bring to the
attention of the public the fact that the aith e?ists) and its teachings: E'ery 6ind of broadcast) 7hether
of passages from the 7ritings) or on topical subBects) or lectures) should be used: 3he people need to hear
the 7ord ABah so that they can) if recepti'e) respond and see6 the Cause out: 3he primary duty of the
friends e'ery7here in the 7orld is to let the people 6no7 such a &e'elation is in e?istenceI their ne?t
duty is to teach it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 LN/ 19N3/ from a compilation/ 'Jse of &adio and 3ele'ision
in 3eaching*/ (pril 1/ 190@/ from the World 3entre2
12/(. E?amples of Pr"dence to be E?ercised in Presentin6 5istory and !eachin6s of the Faith
@He feels that the proBected radio broadcasts are of the utmost importance as they afford you an
opportunity of bringing to many listeners a sense of the greatness of the Cause: /n this connection he has
some ad'ice to gi'e you! Mou should stic6 carefully to facts and be7are of putting any interpretations of
facts into it: Mour best sources are Nabils Narrati'e and <artha &oots boo6 on 3hirih) as far as she is
concerned) and) of course the general literature of our aith: 3he >uardian ad'ises you not to introduce
into a series for public consumption anything obscure or mystical: By all means a'oid the scene in the
2resence of Bahullh bet7een 3hirih and RuddTs: Her separation from her husband and children)
her teaching in Baghdd) her imprisonment and death) and her poems) ma6e a beautiful and mo'ing tale:
He 7ould not call her the first suffragette) for this certainly 7as strictly spea6ing no part of her concept:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to a $roup of )elie"ers/ o"em)er 9/ 19N92
12/-. Bol"ntary Contrib"tions #ay be Accepted7owe"er/ <und+Raisin$ (cti"ities 4hould not )e
3arried out )5 ,ah-*? Radio
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice sees no obBection to accepting 'oluntary donations spontaneously
contributed by non0Bahs for your radio acti'ities: /n a letter 7ritten to a National Spiritual Assembly
on behalf of the House of 9ustice) the follo7ing ad'ice 7as gi'en:
A::: A point to bear in mind is that a Bah radio station should strictly uphold a standard
for its operations that 7ill guard its programs against being confused in the public mind 7ith
the radio programs sponsored by other religious groups: 3he latter programs often in'ol'e
fund0raising acti'ities 7hich) if associated 7ith Bah programs) 7ould e'entually
undermine the prestige of the aith and e?pose its institutions to certain dangers:
@3he donations accepted from non0Bahs must be used to7ard pro'iding ser'ices or programs 7hich
are not a direct Bah teaching:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Ecuador/ (pril 1@/ 198@2
($ Teaching
12//. Arise to %er1e 5is Ca"se
@Hhosoe'er ariseth to aid our Cause) >od 7ill render him 'ictorious o'er ten times ten thousand souls)
and) should he 7a? in his lo'e for <e) him 7ill He cause to triumph o'er all that is in the hea'en and all
that is on earth:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. cited )5 4ho$hi Effendi in/ <essages to the Bah Horld/ p! 1112
12/0. !eachin6 EnFoined on *elie1ers in ACdas
@/n the ADdas Bahullh considers teaching as a spiritual obligation imposed upon e'ery de'oted
belie'er and ser'ant of His aith: Should the friends become fully conscious of this duty and arise to do
their share) this Cause 7ill soon permeate e'ery home throughout the 7orld and the ;ingdom of >od
7ill be established:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er. Bah Ne7s/ o! 8@/ p! 8/ Eul5 193N2
12/2. #editate on #ethods of !eachin6
@3he sanctified souls should ponder and meditate in their hearts regarding the methods of teaching:
rom the te?ts of the 7ondrous) hea'enly Scriptures they should memoriCe phrases and passages bearing
on 'arious instances) so that in the course of their speech they may recite di'ine 'erses 7hene'er the
occasion demandeth it) inasmuch as these holy 'erses are the most potent eli?ir) the greatest and
mightiest talisman: So potent is their influence that the hearer 7ill ha'e no cause for 'acillation::::E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. Tablets of Bahullh/ p! L112
1203. !he !eachin6s are not Di1en to 8s to !reas"re and 5ide
@3he 7orld is in great turmoil and its problems seem to become daily more acute: He should therefore
not sit idleI other7ise 7e 7ould be failing in carrying out our sacred duty: Bahullh has not gi'en us
His teachings to treasure them and hide them for our personal delight and pleasure: He ga'e them to us
that 7e may pass them from mouth to mouth until all the 7orld becomes familiar 7ith them and enBoys
their blessings and uplifting influence:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Eliot/ 6aine/ 6arch L0/ 1933. ,ah-*? ews/ o! 03/ 6a5
1933/ p! L2
1201. 4Abd",l-*ah+ !eaches 5ow to !each
@:::in the city of Baghdd) / tal6ed 7ith a learned man) <ulla Hassan) some of 7hose relati'es 7ere
belie'ers: No matter ho7 hard they tried to gi'e him the <essage) he 7ould not accept it: 5nce) they
brought him to my house 7hen / 7as Bust getting up from my sleep and combing my hair: 3hey said)
AHe ha'e brought so0and0so here and 7e beg you to come and spea6 7ith himI perhaps) he 7ill become
a belie'er: / said) APery 7ell) and then / turned to the Blessed Beauty and prayed! A5 Blessed Beauty)
confirm meL After7ards) / tal6ed to him) and in the same hour he became a belie'er: He became
e?ceedingly good and 7as so en6indled that) although he 7as of high ran6) he used to go into the
6itchen and coo6 things 7ith his o7n hand to entertain the friends:E
&Talk )5 '()du*l+,ah- in the 7ol5 #and/ translated )5 Dr! Pia ,a$hd-di. Star of the Hest/ >ol! IQ/ o! 3/ p! 3M2
1202. .ecompense of #artyr Ass"redly .ecorded
@/n this day) the belo'ed of >od must not hesitate or delay an instant in teaching the Cause of the
<anifestationI and reconciling 7ords of the religion of maBestic onenessI because) 'erily) in this day) to
the soul 7ho is the cause of guidance to another soul the recompense of a martyr in the 7ay of >od 7ill
be assuredly recorded by the pen of the Cause for his deed: 3his is from the Bounty of >od unto thee:
8o according to 7hat thou hast been commanded and do not be of those 7ho tarry:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Bah Scriptures/ p! L1N2
120. !eachin6 not Conditioned by )cc"pation
@3eaching the aith is not conditioned by 7hat occupation 7e ha'e) or ho7 great our 6no7ledge is) but
rather on ho7 much 7e ha'e studied the 3eachings) to 7hat degree 7e li'e the Bah life) and ho7
much 7e long to share this <essage 7ith others: Hhen 7e ha'e these characteristics) 7e are sure) if 7e
search) to find recepti'e souls:
@Mou should perse'ere and be confident that) 7ith effort) success can be yours:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi )5 his secretar5 to an (merican )elie"er/ 19@0. Bah Ne7s/ o! 3@1/ p! L/ 6a5 19M12
120'. Intensi1e 7or$ is of #ore &astin6 :at"re
@Shoghi Effendi has seen) through the e?perience of the international teachers that 6eep him informed
regarding their acti'ities) that intensi'e 7or6 is ultimately of a more lasting nature: /t has pro'en to be
far better that a teacher should spend a month or t7o in one center and 7ait until a group is formed) than
to co'er a large area and not stay enough in a center to help the progress of those interested to the stage
that they 7ould feel themsel'es able to embrace the Cause and identify themsel'es 7ith it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 31/ 193L. Bah Ne7s/ o! M0/ Octo)er 193L/ pp! N+@2
120(. !eachers #"st be %atisfied with &ittle Food
@As regards the teachers) they must completely di'est themsel'es from the old garments and be in'ested
7ith a ne7 garment: According to the statement of Christ) they must attain to the station of rebirthQthat
is) 7hereas in the first instance they 7ere born from the 7omb of the mother) this time they must be born
from the 7omb of the 7orld of nature: 9ust as they are no7 totally una7are of the e?periences of the
foetal 7orld) they must also forget entirely the defects of the 7orld of nature: 3hey must be baptiCed
7ith the 7ater of life) the fire of the lo'e of >od and the breaths of the Holy SpiritI be satisfied 7ith
little food) but ta6e a large portion from the hea'enly table: 3hey must disengage themsel'es from
temptation and co'etousness) and be filled 7ith the spirit: 3hrough the effect of their pure breath) they
must change the stone into the brilliant ruby and the shell into pearl: =i6e unto the cloud of 'ernal
sho7er) they must transform the blac6 soil into the rose garden and orchard: 3hey must ma6e the blind
seeing) the deaf hearing) the e?tinguished one en6indled and set aglo7) and the dead Duic6ened:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3ablets of the 8i'ine 2lan/ p! 9M2
120-. De1elop a system of !ra1ellin6 !eacher Circ"its
@/n this connection 7e feel you 7ould be 7ell ad'ised to de'elop a system of tra'elling teacher circuits:
3here is no doubt 7hate'er that the constant mo'ement of teachers) e'en though circulating 7ithin a
small radius) can ha'e a highly stimulating effect on the teaching 7or6: 2ermanent settlers) a constant
stream of 'isiting teachers to spea6 at regular firesides) is a pattern 7hich has not yet been bettered:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ Eanuar5 L1/ 19MM. Bah 9ournal
o! 103/ p! 1/ 6arch N/ 19MM2
120/. !ra1ellin6 !eachers .einforce 7or$ of Pioneers
@Hhile pioneers pro'ide a 'ery 'aluable long0term reinforcement of a community and are often the only
feasible means for opening ne7 areasQand here 7e are spea6ing not only of pioneers from foreign
lands but of homefront pioneers as 7ell) the use of 7hom must be greatly de'eloped in most countriesQ
a second 'ital reinforcement of the 7or6 is pro'ided by tra'elling teachers: As mentioned in the message
sent to all belie'ers at &id'n) a ne7 international tra'el teaching program is no7 being launched:
National Assemblies and their committees) therefore) need to de'elop a threefold integrated program for
tra'el teaching: irstly) there should be 7ithin each national community regular circuits of local
tra'elling teachers) that is to say of belie'ers 7ho are members of that national community) 7hether
nati'e or pioneers) 7ho are able and 7illing to de'ote time to this acti'ity: Secondly) and integrated 7ith
these circuits) pro'ision should be made for planned 'isits of tra'elling teachers from abroad: 3hirdly)
each National Assembly should establish an agency and a procedure for ta6ing ad'antage of the
unheralded arri'al of 'isitors from abroad) or of sudden offers from belie'ers on the homefront) 7ho
7ould be able to gi'e 'aluable help in the fields of tra'el teaching or proclamation if properly organiCed:
Such an agency 7ould) of course) be responsible for e'aluating the capacity of those 7ho offer ser'ices
because 7hile an une?pected offer can often pro'ide a 'ery 'aluable teaching opportunity) it is also true
to say that some Bah communities ha'e been e?hausted and their 7or6 hindered by the arri'al of a
succession of tra'elling Bahs 7ho 7ere not really suited) for lac6 of a language or for other reasons)
to assist 7ith teaching in the area concerned: riends 7ho tra'el spontaneously in this 7ay can do
'aluable teaching themsel'es but should not e?pect the assistance of local administrati'e institutions if
they ha'e not arranged the trip in ad'ance:E
1200. 7hat Bisitin6 !eachers are %"pposed to Do
@Pisiting teachers) 7ho are) at least in a general 7ay) supposed to be more competent and able than the
rest) are undoubtedly of great help: But these can ne'er replace the mass of indi'idual belie'ers and
fulfil 7hat must be ine'itably accomplished through the collecti'e effort and 7isdom of the community
at large: Hhat 'isiting teachers are supposed to do is to gi'e the final touch to the 7or6 that has been
done) to consolidate rather than supplement indi'idual efforts and thereby direct them in a constructi'e
and suitable channel: 3heir tas6 is to encourage and inspire indi'idual belie'ers) and to broaden and
deepen their 'ision of the tas6 that is to be done: And this) not by 'irtue of any inherent spiritual right)
but in the spirit of simple and 7holehearted cooperation:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er 1/ 19332
1202. !ra1ellin6 !eachers 5a1e :o %pecial %tat"s
@rom time to time 7e recei'e reports that pioneers or tra'elling teachers 7ho are subsidiCed by the
/nternational und or recei'e letters of encouragement from the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice are assumed
to ha'e some special status or authority:
@/n order that there be no misunderstanding) it should be made clear that such indi'iduals ha'e no
special status and ha'e no authority or standing other than that of any belie'er residing in the area 7here
he is pioneering or teaching:
@urthermore) pioneers and tra'elling teachers are under the Burisdiction of the National Spiritual
Assembly of the country or area in 7hich they are tra'elling or residing) as the case may be) and they
must be obedient to the instructions of these National Spiritual Assemblies:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ (u$ust 3/ 19012
1223. !ra1ellin6 E?penses of !eachers
@He belie'es that the continuous e?penditure of a considerable sum to pro'ide for tra'elling e?penses of
teachers 7ho are in need constitutes in these days the chief obligation of the National und: An effort
should be made to facilitate) as much as possible) the e?tension of the teaching 7or6 by helping those
7ho are financially unable to reach their destination) and once there) to encourage them to settle and
earn the means of their li'elihood:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ o"em)er 1N/ 193M. Bah Ne7s/
o! 11@/ <e)ruar5 1930/ p! 1. =ifeblood of the Cause/ p! 1@2
1221. :o *ah+,; !eachers Permanently Employed by Faith
@3he belo'ed >uardian elucidated this basic principle of Bah administration through his repeated
letters to National Assemblies from 7hich 7e Duote!
AAt present it 7ould be Duite impossible to spread the Cause if those 7ho arise to ser'e it
as teachers or pioneers 7ere not gi'en financial assistance: All must realiCe) ho7e'er) that
the monies they recei'e are only to enable them to fulfil their obBecti'es) and that they
cannot consider themsel'es permanently entitled to be supported by the Cause:
&<rom a letter to the !4!(! of India and ,urma dated (u$ust 1L/ 19NN2
@Each National Assembly) through its au?iliary 3eaching Committees) should be able to so plan the
time and efforts of its band of subsidiCed tra'eling teachers that no impression of permanency is gi'en:
As far as possible each AproBect must be definite in obBecti'e and in duration:
@=i6e7ise) 7hen pioneer proBects are en'isaged) it must be made clear to the pioneer that he must
ma6e e'ery effort to establish himself in some position in his pioneering post and thus become freed
from the necessity of dra7ing further on Bah funds:E
&<rom a letter )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies en$a$ed in mass teachin$ work/ Eune L@/ 19MN2
1222. !ra1ellin6 !eachers %ho"ld be Assisted Financially to Carry o"t Assi6ned ProFects
@=i6e7ise tra'elling teachers should be assisted financially to carry out the AproBects assigned to them:
3he friends should not for a moment confuse this type of support 7ith the creation of a paid clergy: Any
Bah can) at the discretion of the N:S:A:) recei'e this necessary assistance) and it is clearly understood
it is temporary and only to carry out a specific plan: Bahullh Himself has not only enBoined on
e'eryone the duty of teaching His aith) but stated if you cannot go yourself) to send someone in your
stead: 3he National Assembly) through and 7ith its National 3eaching Committee) should ta6e
immediate steps to get pioneers out into the goal to7ns and teachers circulating about) to not only
support and inaugurate the ne7 7or6) but to stimulate the e?isting Assemblies and groups) and help
them to e?pand:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the ,ritish Isles/ 6a5 L9/ 19NM2
122. 7e ha1e no )ne in the Faith 7hose Position is Comparable to Professional Cler6ymen or
Priests
@He ha'e no people in the Bah aith 7hose position is comparable to professional clergymen or
priests: No paid teachers) in other 7ords: Ho7e'er) it is difficult to see ho7 the e'er0increasing 7or6 of
the Cause is to be run unless those de'oting all their time to it are not supported from the und 7hile
doing so: 3his is administrati'e 7or6) and there is no obBection to those doing it being paid a regular
salary if they ha'e not the independent means to do it free of any charge: He cannot lay do7n a rule that
no one recei'ing remuneration for Bah administrati'e 7or6 should be elected to Assemblies) as this
7ould interfere 7ith the free choice of electing the best Dualified people for such ser'ice on
Assemblies:E
122'. %"pport by the F"nd )nly !emporary
@:::this is a Cause in 7hich e'ery belie'er is called upon to teach: /f at the present time certain friends are
supported by the und to enable them to de'ote all their time to the 'ital and urgent 7or6 of e?pansion
and consolidation) this is but a temporary arrangement designed to meet the e?igencies of this period of
crisis in human history: /t must ne'er be allo7ed to replace the indi'idual 'oluntary efforts of the
friends) but rather should stimulate and reinforce them:
@/f e'ery Bah 7ill arise 7hole0heartedly to support and de'elop the institutions of the CauseQ
primarily the =ocal Spiritual AssembliesQand to teach the aith) all 7ill be astonished at the 'ast
achie'ements 7hich can be made 7ith comparati'ely little assistance from the National und:E
&<rom a letter )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to "arious ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Eul5 L0/ 19012
122(. !ra1ellin6 !eachers and *elie1ers 7ho !ra1el FreC"ently
@/t has been reported to the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice by the Continental Board of Counsellors in South
America that your National Spiritual Assembly has ruled that full0time tra'elling teachers are to be
considered as not ha'ing a fi?ed residence and are therefore not eligible in any local community for
electi'e ser'ice: He ha'e been as6ed to share 7ith you the follo7ing e?cerpt of a letter 7ritten to the
National Spiritual Assembly of North Hest Africa dated 1 8ecember) "#+,) setting forth the general
policy regarding belie'ers 7ho are tra'elling most of the time:
AAt present no hard and fast rule can be laid do7n for determining the places of residence
of the officers of a ship or its cre7) or the personnel manning aircraft 7hen such indi'iduals
ha'e no fi?ed home and no family ties to commit them to any specific place of residence:
3he National Spiritual Assembly should) in each case) discuss the matter 7ith the person
in'ol'ed and decide 7here his Bah membership shall count: actors such as the freDuency
of recurrence of his 'isits to any locality) opportunities to participate in local Bah
acti'ities) the e?tent of the period of his stay each time he 'isits) and his o7n choice should
all be ta6en into consideration in arri'ing at a decision:
@He ha'e been instructed to say that it 7ould not be proper for rules to be laid do7n that tra'elling
teachers should not be considered as ha'ing a fi?ed place of residence: /f one of them should be elected
to a =ocal Spiritual Assembly the Duestion 7ould then arise as to 7hether his anticipated tra'els
necessitating his freDuent absence from the Assembly 7ould constitute a 'alid reason for him to resign
as a member of that Assembly:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eanuar5 LM/ 19082
122-. %pirit"al #at"rin6 is a %low Process
@a: Pisiting pioneers or teachers may find in some places ne7ly enrolled belie'ers not so enthusiastic
about their religion as e?pected) or not adBusting to standards of Bah life) or they may find them
thin6ing of material benefits they may hope to deri'e from their ne7 membership: He should al7ays
remember that the process of nursing the belie'er into full spiritual maturity is slo7) and needs lo'ing
education and patience:
@b: Some teaching committees) in their eagerness to obtain results) place undue emphasis on obtaining a
great number of declarations to the detriment of the Duality of teaching:
@c: Some tra'elling teachers) in their desire to sho7 the result of their ser'ices) may not scrupulously
teach their contacts) and in some rare cases) if >od forbid) they are insincere) may e'en gi'e false
reports:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ 3eaching the <asses/ dated Eul5 13/ 19MN. Hellspring
of >uidance/ pp! 3@+3M2
122/. Each )ne of the *elie1ers is &i$e an Ar$ of %al1ation
@/ desire that you may see the di'ine ships: 3hese ships are the blessed sails 7ho are tra'ersing the sea of
8i'ine mercyI their propellors are the po7ers of spiritual lo'e and their captains are the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit: No ship is e'er 7rec6ed in this seaI its 7a'es are life0gi'ing: Each one of the friends of
>od is li6e unto an ar6 of Sal'ation: Each ar6 sa'es many souls from the storms of troubles: 3he signs
and traces of these sails are ne'er0ending and eternal: 3he future centuries and cycles are li6e the sea on
the surface of 7hich these ar6s glide blissfully to7ard their spiritual destination:E
&Talk )5 '()du*l+,ah-. Star of the Hest/ >ol! 8/ o! 8/ p! 11N/ (u$ust 11/ 19102
1220. First Condition of a .eli6io"s !eacher
@/t is a 7onderful) priceless boon to be a 'essel carrying food from >od: /t cannot be bought 7ith gold:
3he first condition of a religious teacher is to belie'e in >odI the second) to turn his face to7ard >odI
the third to be se'ered from all sa'e >od: Such teachers 7ill constitute illumined lamps of guidance) the
stars of the hea'en of mercy) the trees of the orchard of Abh) flo7ers of the garden of mystery and
torches of the path of sal'ation:
@3eaching the Cause of >od is not only through the tongueI it is through deeds) a good disposition)
happiness of nature) 6indness and sympathy) good fello7ship) trust7orthiness) holiness) 'irtue) purity of
ideals) and lastly) speech:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Bah Ne7s/ o! LN3/ 6a5 19@1/ p! 82
1222. Importance of !eachin6!errible Problems Confrontin6 5"manity
@3he more one obser'es the conditions of the 7orld and the terrible problems confronting humanity) the
more deeply one realiCes that the only remedy is that 7hich Bahullh has brought) and yet) alas) the
masses of the people seem to not yet be a7are that the 7ay out of our problems can only be a di'ine
7ay) gi'en by something far greater than human understandingL Ho7e'er) many souls are seriously
thin6ing and see6ing) and the Bahs must try to bring the 6no7ledge of the teachings to all) so that
those prepared to accept may not be denied the <essageLE
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er. I)id!/ p! 0L2
2333. :eed !eachers of %pirit"al Capacity@ Gnowled6e of Co1enant
@:::the National Assembly should pay particular attention to getting teachers 7ith spiritual capacity and a
deep 6no7ledge of the Co'enant out to the 7ea6er communities on circuit teaching trips) and that an
effort should be made for them to stay for some time in each place: /t is e'ident that one of the reasons
that the 7or6 on the home front in America is so seriously lagging is that the Bahs themsel'es) though
undoubtedly de'oted) loyal and conscientious) are not al7ays 'ery deeply grounded in the spiritual
fundamentals of their aith: 3his produces a maladBustment) so to spea6) in the nature of their ser'ice to
the CauseI and only through a deeper understanding of their aith and the inner spiritual strength that
this understanding brings) 7ill they be able to reinforce themsel'es to meet their tas6s) to see the Boy of
discharging their duties and grasping their pri'ileges:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 19/ 19@M. Bah Ne7s/ o! 310/ 4eptem)er 19@M/ p! 12
2331. E1ery )ne is a Potential !eacher
@::: Not until all the friends come to realiCe that e'eryone is able) in his o7n measure) to deli'er the
<essage can they e'er hope to reach the goal that has been set for them by a lo'ing and 7ise <aster: /t
is no use for some able and eloDuent teacher to ta6e all the responsibility for the spread of the Cause: or
such a thing is not only contrary to the spirit of the 3eachings) but to the e?plicit te?t of the 7ritings of
Bahullh and AAbdul0Bah) both of Hhom place the obligation of teaching not on any particular
class as in former ecclesiastical organiCations but on e'ery faithful and loyal follo7er of the Cause: 3he
teaching of the Hord is thus made uni'ersal and compulsory: Ho7 long) then) shall 7e 7ait to carry out
this command) the full 7isdom of 7hich only future generations 7ill be able to appreciateS He ha'e no
special teachers in this Cause: E'eryone is a potential teacher: He has only to use 7hat >od has gi'en
him and thus pro'e that he is faithful to his trust:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er. 3he Bah Horld/ p! 1LM/ >ol! >2
F$ ,ass Teaching
2332. Distrib"tion of *ah+,; #aterial in #ail *o?es of 5omes and Apartments
@3he Jni'ersal House of 9ustice has recei'ed your letter::: concerning the distribution of Bah material
to the mail bo?es of the houses and apartments in a locality) and it has instructed us to send you the
follo7ing reply:
@3he details of all such matters are 7ithin the discretion of each National Spiritual Assembly to decide
in the light of certain principles and in the conte?t of the situation in each country:
@3he principles the House of 9ustice 7ishes National Assemblies to obser'e in this connection are!
": 3he dignity of the aith should be carefully safeguarded in all Bah acti'ities:
,: /t is important that no teaching acti'ity should be an encroachment on peoples pri'acy nor should
it force the teachings upon un7illing listeners:
@/n general the House of 9ustice feels that there 7ould be no obBection in principle to mailing or
distributing to mail bo?es such items as in'itations to meetings or introductory circular letters) or brief
informati'e leaflets: Any leaflet used in such a 7ay should be designed primarily to arouse the interest of
the reader so that he 7ill see6 more information: /t should not be intended to con'ince or con'ert the
reader at that stage: A number of National Spiritual Assemblies ha'e produced introductory circulars of
this nature) 7hich ha'e a reply0paid card attached: /t is not) of course) essential that the card be part of
the leaflet pro'ided that the leaflet itself is restrained and dignified: Ho7e'er) each National Spiritual
Assembly must decide 7hat is proper to be done in its o7n country:
@3he Duotation 7hich you as6 for is as follo7s! AHe feels that to distribute Bah pamphlets from
door0to0door ::: is undignified and might create a bad impression of the aith: No doubt) it is the
eagerness and de'otion of the friends that led them to ma6e this proposal) but he does not thin6 that the
best interests of the Cause are ser'ed by such a method:::: E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational (ssem)l5 of Iceland/ Decem)er M/ 19812
233. Dreat Care %ho"ld be E?ercised in %electin6 !eachers to !each
@>reat care and discretion should be e?ercised in the selection of teachers 7ho 7ill be contacting people
7ho are mostly illiterate and cannot benefit from reading for themsel'es the 7ritten 7ord) and are
largely dependent on 7hat they hear: 3eachers) be they local or from outside) should be acutely a7are of
this: 3he spiritual calibre and moral Duality of these teachers is of great importance) and particularly they
should be of pure spirit and ha'e a true lo'e for the Cause: 3hey should ha'e the capacity to con'ey that
spirit and that lo'e to others: urthermore) they should a'oid pressure tactics in their efforts to obtain
declarations of faith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ dated 6a5 @/ 198L/ attached to a letter to the
ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of %erman5 dated <e)ruar5 M/ 198M and entitled U4tatement of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice Re$ardin$
Teachin$ the <aithU2
233'. E?ercise Care in Presentin6 Ca"se to A1oid #isconceptions
@Bahullh) in A3he Hidden Hords) Says A5 Son of 8ustL 3he 7ise are they that spea6 not unless they
obtain a hearing) e'en as the cup0bearer) 7ho proffereth not his cup till he findeth a see6er) and the lo'er
7ho crieth not out from the depths of his heart until he gaCeth upon the beauty of his belo'ed:::A) and on
page 11 of A3he Ad'ent of 8i'ine 9ustice) a letter 7hich is primarily directed to7ards e?horting the
friends to fulfil their responsibilities in teaching the aith) Shoghi Effendi 7rites! ACare) ho7e'er)
should) at all times) be e?ercised) lest in their eagerness to further the international interests of the aith
they frustrate their purpose) and turn a7ay) through any act that might be misconstrued as an attempt to
proselytiCe and bring undue pressure upon them) those 7hom they 7ish to 7in o'er to their Cause:
Some Bahs sometimes o'erstep the proper bounds) but this does not alter the clear principle:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 3/ 198L. 3eaching and Commitment/ a
compilation of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice2
233(. #an$ind 5as the .i6ht to 5ear the #essa6e of *ah+,",ll+h
@3he responsibility of the Bahs to teach the aith is 'ery great: 3he contraction of the 7orld and the
on7ard rush of e'ents reDuire us to seiCe e'ery chance open to us to touch the hearts and minds of our
fello70men: 3he <essage of Bahullh is >ods guidance for man6ind to o'ercome the difficulties of
this age of transition and mo'e for7ard into the ne?t stage of its e'olution) and human beings ha'e the
right to hear it: 3hose 7ho accept it incur the duty of passing it on to their fello70men: 3he slo7ness of
the response of the 7orld has caused and is causing great sufferingI hence the historical pressure upon
Bahs to e?ert e'ery effort to teach the aith for the sa6e of their fello70men: 3hey should teach 7ith
enthusiasm) con'iction) 7isdom and courtesy) but 7ithout pressing their hearer) bearing in mind the
7ords of Bahullh ABe7are lest ye contend 7ith any one) nay) stri'e to ma6e him a7are of the truth
7ith 6indly manner and most con'incing e?hortation: /f your hearer respond) he 7ill ha'e responded to
his o7n behoof) and if not) turn ye a7ay from him) and set your face to7ards >ods sacred Court) the
seat of resplendent holiness: F>leanings COOP///GE
&E;tract from A4tatement of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice Re$ardin$ Teachin$ the <aithB/ op! cit! o! L1132
233-. !he P"rpose of Consolidation
@Consolidation acti'ities promote the indi'idual spiritual de'elopment of the friends) help to unite and
strengthen Bah community life) establish ne7 social patterns for the friends) and stimulate the
teaching 7or6:E
233/. !r"e Consolidation
@:::true consolidation is to ensure that the lo'e of Bahullh and de'otion to His aith are firmly rooted
in the hearts of the belie'ersI this is the essential foundation for the subseDuent addition of increased
6no7ledge of the 3eachings and the de'elopment of the Bah 7ay of life:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ o"em)er 3/ 190N2
2330. Proclamation@ E?pansion and Consolidation
@3he House of 9ustice ::: has instructed us to point out that proclamation) e?pansion) and consolidation
are really three different aspects of teaching 7hich to some degree merge into one another and therefore
it is largely for each National Spiritual Assembly to decide ho7 it 7ill allocate these different aspects to
committees in light of the 'olume of the 7or6 and the condition in each country:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ <e)ruar5 L0/ 190@2
2332. Consolidation is !hat Aspect of !eachin6 7hich Assists *elie1ers to Deepen !heir Gnowled6e
of the !eachin6s...
@Consolidation is as 'ital a part of the teaching 7or6 as e?pansion: /t is that aspect of teaching 7hich
assists the belie'ers to deepen their 6no7ledge and understanding of the 3eachings) and fans the flame
of their de'otion of Bahullh and His Cause) so that they 7ill) of their o7n 'olition) continue the
process of their spiritual de'elopment) promote the teaching 7or6) and strengthen the functioning of
their administrati'e institutions: 2roper consolidation is essential to the preser'ation of the spiritual
health of the community) to the protection of its interests) to the upholding of its good name) and
ultimately to the continuation of the 7or6 of e?pansion itself:E
2313. Consolidation is an Essential and Inseparable Element of !eachin6
@:::they must remember that consolidation is an essential and inseparable element of teaching) and if they
go to a remote area and enrol belie'ers 7hom no one is going to be able to 'isit again in the near future)
they may 7ell be doing a disser'ice to those people and to the aith: 3o gi'e people this glorious
<essage and then lea'e them in the lurch produces disappointment and disillusionment) so that) 7hen it
does become possible to carry out properly planned teaching in that area) the teachers may 7ell find the
people resistant to the <essage: 3he first teacher 7ho 7as careless of consolidation) instead of planting
and nourishing the seeds of faith has) in fact) Ainoculated the people against the di'ine <essage and
made subseDuent teaching 'ery much harder:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all 3ontinental Pioneer 3ommittees/ (pril 1M/ 1981. 3eaching and
Commitment/ a compilation of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice2
2311. E?pansion and Consolidation Are Co-EC"al
@Simultaneous and co0eDual 7ith this 'ast) ordered and e'er0gro7ing teaching effort) the 7or6 of
consolidation must go hand in hand: /n fact these t7o processes must be regarded as inseparable parts of
the e?pansion of the aith: Hhile the 7or6 of teaching ine'itably goes first) to pursue it alone 7ithout
consolidation 7ould lea'e the community unprepared to recei'e the masses 7ho must sooner or later
respond to the life0gi'ing message of the Cause ::: Consolidation must comprise not only the
establishment of Bah administrati'e institutions) but a true deepening in the fundamental 'erities of
the Cause and in its spiritual principles) understanding of its prime purpose in the establishment of the
unity of man6ind) instruction in its standards of beha'iour in all aspects of pri'ate and public life) in the
particular practice of Bah life in such things as daily prayer) education of children) obser'ance of the
la7s of Bah marriage) abstention from politics) the obligation to contribute to the und) the
importance of the Nineteen 8ay east and opportunity to acDuire a sound 6no7ledge of the present0day
practice of Bah administration:E
2312. !he P"rpose of !eachin6 is not Complete with a Declaration of Faith
@3eaching the aith embraces many di'erse acti'ities) all of 7hich are 'ital to success) and each of
7hich reinforces the other: 3ime and again the belo'ed >uardian emphasiCed that e?pansion and
consolidation are t7in and inseparable aspects to teaching that must proceed simultaneously) yet one still
hears belie'ers discussing the 'irtues of one as against the other: 3he purpose of teaching is not complete
7hen a person declares that he has accepted Bahullh as the <anifestation of >od for this ageI the
purpose of teaching is to attract human beings to the di'ine <essage and so imbue them 7ith its spirit
that they 7ill dedicate themsel'es to its ser'ice) and this 7orld 7ill become another 7orld and its people
another people: Pie7ed in this light a declaration of aith is merely a milestone along the 7ayQalbeit a
'ery important one: 3eaching may also be li6ened to 6indling a fire) the fire of faith) in the hearts of
men: /f a fire burns only so long as the match is held to it) it cannot truly be said to ha'e been 6indledI to
be 6indled it must continue to burn of its o7n accord: 3hereafter more fuel can be added and the flame
can be fanned) but e'en if left alone for a period) a truly 6indled fire 7ill not be e?tinguished by the first
breath of 7ind:E
231. >"alities :ecessaryP"re %pirit and &o1eIlliterates 3annot Read for Themsel"es
@/t must be realiCed that people 7ho are mostly illiterate cannot ha'e the benefit of reading for
themsel'es the 7ritten 7ord and of deri'ing directly from it the spiritual sustenance they need for the
enrichment of their Bah li'es: 3hey become dependent) therefore) to a large e?tent on their contacts
7ith 'isiting teachers: 3he spiritual calibre or moral Duality of these teachers assumes) therefore) great
importance: 3he National Spiritual Assembly or the 3eaching Committees responsible for the selection
of these teachers should bear in mind that their choice must depend) not only on the 6no7ledge or grasp
of the teachings on the part of the teachers) but primarily upon their pure spirit and their true lo'e for the
Cause) and their capacity to con'ey that spirit and lo'e to others:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies en$a$ed in mass teachin$/ Octo)er LM/ 19M02
231'. %implicity in Di1in6 the #essa6eThe :nsophisticated People <orm 6a=orit5
@3he unsophisticated people of the 7orldQand they form the large maBority of its populationQha'e the
same right to 6no7 of the Cause of >od as others: Hhen the friends are teaching the Hord of >od they
should be careful to gi'e the <essage in the same simplicity as it is enunciated in our 3eachings: /n their
contacts they must sho7 genuine and di'ine lo'e: 3he heart of an unlettered soul is e?tremely sensiti'e)
and any trace of preBudice on the part of the pioneer or teacher is immediately sensed:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Eul5 13/ 19MN2
231(. Poorer Classes %ho"ld be !a"6ht3onfirm People
@3here is no doubt that the poorer classes should be taught the Cause and gi'en e'ery opportunity to
embrace it: <ore especially in order to demonstrate to people our cardinal lac6 of preBudiceQclass
preBudice as much as any other 6ind of preBudice: Ho7e'er) he feels that the great point is to confirm
people of true capacity and abilityQfrom 7hate'er social stratum they may beQbecause the Cause
needs no7) and 7ill e'er increasingly need) souls of great ability 7ho can bring it before the public at
large) administer its e'er0gro7ing affairs) and contribute to its ad'ancement in e'ery field:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian )5 his secretar5 to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 31/ 19N1. A Special <easure of =o'e/
p! L2
231-. !eachin6 Campai6ns
@He fully appro'es of the concept of uniting the belie'ers labors through focussing them on nation07ide
teaching campaigns and so on: But he feels that the friends should constantly be encouraged to bear in
mind certain salient facts! Bahullh has brought a ne7 system and ne7 la7s and standards of personal
as 7ell as racial conduct into the 7orld: Although outside agencies ha'e been to a certain e?tent
illumined by the radiance of His <essage and doctrines) and are e?erting efforts to bring the 7orld into
that orbit of uni'ersal peace and harmony He has set for it) these outside forces cannot achie'e 7hat
only the follo7ers of His aith can: 3he belie'ers must not ta6e their eyes off their o7n immediate tas6s
of patiently consolidating their administrati'e institutions) building up ne7 Assemblies in North) Central
and South America) and laboring to perfect the Bah pattern of life) for these are things that no other
group of people in the 7orld can do or 7ill do) and they alone are able to pro'ide the spiritual
foundation and e?ample on 7hich the larger 7orld schemes must ultimately rest:
@At the same time e'ery effort should be made to broadcast the 3eaching at this time) and correlate
them to the plight of humanity and the plans for its future: Both tas6s should go for7ard simultaneously
Qinternal consolidation and e?pansion) and a 7ider contact 7ith the masses) maintained through public
meetings) radio) publicity) etc:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 6arch L9/ 19N@. Bah Ne7s/
o! 10@/ Eune 19N@/ p! 32
231/. Aim of All *ah+,; Instit"tions and !eachers
@3he aim) therefore) of all Bah institutions and Bah teachers is to ad'ance continually to ne7 areas
and strata of society) 7ith such thoroughness) that) as the spar6 of faith 6indles the hearts of the hearers)
the teaching of the belie'ers continues until and e'en after they shoulder the responsibilities as Bahs
and participate in both the teaching and administrati'e 7or6 of the aith:
@3here are no7 many areas in the 7orld 7here thousands of people ha'e accepted the aith so Duic6ly
that it has been beyond the capacity of the e?isting Bah communities to consolidate adeDuately these
ad'ances: 3he people in these areas must be progressi'ely deepened in their understanding of the aith)
in accordance 7ith 7ell0laid plans) so that the communities may) as soon as possible) become sources of
great strength to the 7or6 of the aith and begin to manifest the pattern of Bah life:E
2310. Challen6e to E1ery *elie1er and Instit"tion
@E'ery indi'idual follo7er of Bahullh) as 7ell as the institutions of the aith) at local) national)
continental and 7orld le'els) must no7 meet the challenge to raise the intensity of teaching to a pitch
ne'er before attained) in order to realiCe that 'ast increase called for in the 2lan: or those belie'ers
li'ing in countries 7here they ha'e freedom to teach their aith) this challenge is more sharply pointed
by the oppressi'e measures imposed on the aith else7here:E
2312. Challen6e to &ocal and :ational Administrati1e Instit"tions
@3he challenge to the local and national administrati'e institutions of the aith is to organiCe and
promote the teaching 7or6 through systematic plans) in'ol'ing not only the regular fireside meetings in
the homes of the belie'ers) the public meetings) receptions and conferences) the 7ee6end) summer and
7inter schools) the youth conferences and acti'ities) all of 7hich are so 'igorously upheld at present) but
in addition through a constant stream of 'isiting teachers to e'ery locality :::E
2323. Challen6e to the Indi1id"al *ah+,;
@3he challenge to the indi'idual Bah in e'ery field of ser'ice) but abo'e all in teaching the Cause of
>od) is ne'er0ending: Hith e'ery fresh affliction 'isited upon man6ind our inescapable duty becomes
more apparent) nor should 7e e'er forget that if 7e neglect this duty) Aothers) in the 7ords of Shoghi
Effendi) A7ill be called upon to ta6e up our tas6 as ministers to the crying needs of this afflicted 7orld: E
2321. 5ow Can !r"e *elie1er .emain %ilent
@E'ery Bah) ho7e'er humble or inarticulate) must become intent on fulfilling his role as a bearer of
the 8i'ine <essage: /ndeed) ho7 can a true belie'er remain silent 7hile around us men cry out in
anguish for truth) lo'e and unity to descend upon this 7orldSE
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ o"em)er 1M/ 19M92
2322. Charitable and 5"manitarian Aspects of Faith,e 3areful not to EmphasiJe
@Hhen teaching among the masses) the friends should be careful not to emphasiCe the charitable and
humanitarian aspects of the aith as a means to 7in recruits: E?perience has sho7n that 7hen facilities
such as schools) dispensaries) hospitals) or e'en clothes and food are offered to the people being taught)
many complications arise: 3he prime moti'e should al7ays be the response of man to >ods message)
and the recognition of His <essenger: 3hose 7ho declare themsel'es as Bahs should become
enchanted 7ith the beauty of the 3eachings) and touched by the lo'e of Bahullh: 3he declarants need
not 6no7 all the proofs) history) la7s) and principles of the aith) but in the process of declaring
themsel'es they must) in addition to catching the spar6 of faith) become basically informed about the
Central igures of the aith) as 7ell as the e?istence of la7s they must follo7 and an administration they
must obey:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Eul5 13/ 19MN2
232. 5onoraria or E?penses for !al$in6 on the Faith at :on-*ah+,; E1ents
@As to honoraria) ob'iously it is preferable for indi'iduals to present the aith 7ithout recei'ing any fee:
Ho7e'er) there is no obBection to a Bah recei'ing his tra'el and other e?penses in connection 7ith the
tal6:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ (pril L@/ 19MM2
232'. !eachers as Administrators
@3here is no reason 7hy teachers should not also be administratorsI but an acti'e teacher does not ha'e
much time for committee 7or6: Jnfortunately there are more people Dualified to do the administrati'e
7or6 than the teaching 7or6Qand teachers are greatly needed:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eul5 1@/ 19N02
232(. *ah+,;s %ho"ld be Aware !hat )penin6 a :ew !erritory or !own is only the First #o1e
@/t must be made Duite clear to the Bahs that opening a ne7 territory or a ne7 to7n) for that matter)
meritorious as it is) is ne'ertheless only the first mo'e: 3he consolidation of the Bah 7or6 underta6en
there is the most important thing of all: Pictories are 7on usually through a great deal of patience)
planning and perse'erance) and rarely accomplished at a single stro6e:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustralia and ew Pealand/ Eul5 LN/ 19@@2
232-. !he *asic )bFecti1e of !eachin6
@/t is reassuring to 6no7 that you understand that the basic obBecti'e of teaching is to promote the Cause
of >odQnot merely to increase numbers for numbers sa6e: Ho7e'er) care should be e?ercised in
applying this principle lest 7e become so rigid as to e?clude from our rolls those 7aiting souls 7ho ha'e
been touched by the spirit of the aith 7ithout being 'ery 6no7ledgeable about all the 3eachings:
@A =ocal Spiritual Assembly should be formed in any locality 7here nine or more adult belie'ers
reside: 3he fact that some of them are not 7ell grounded in the aith is not a reason for delaying
formation of the Assembly) but is a matter to be dealt 7ith separately:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ o"em)er L3/ 190@2
232/. !he D"ardian Enco"ra6ed Early Enrollment of :ew *elie1ers
@::: As you are a7are) the belo'ed >uardian encouraged early enrollment of ne7 belie'ers upon their
declarations) and not the creation of obstacles to their acceptance: After declaration) follo70up 7ith
deepening is imperati'e) and it may be that some 7ill fall a7ay: Ho7e'er) those 7ho remain are the true
fruits of the teaching endea'or and may include persons of great merit 7ho might ha'e been lost to the
Cause through arbitrary early Budgements:E
2320. Indirect !eachin6K 7hat it Constit"tes
@As to your Duestion as to 7hat constitutes indirect teaching! /t essentially consists in presenting some of
the humanitarian or social teachings of the Cause 7hich are shared by those 7hom 7e are teaching) as a
means of attracting them to those aspects of the aith 7hich are more challenging in character) and are
specifically and solely Bah: 3he teaching of Esperanto) for instance) has been a 'ery useful 7ay of
presenting the Cause indirectly to many people: /t has opened many doors of contact for the belie'ers)
and has lately pro'ed to be of tremendous help in introducing the 3eachings into important social and
intellectual circles:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 L8/ 19302
2322. !he !eachin6 of the Indians in America
@As you 6no7) the <aster attached the utmost importance to the teaching of the /ndians in America: 3he
>uardian therefore hopes that your Assembly 7ill de'ote considerable energy to this most important
matter so that contacts are made 7ith /ndians in all of the Countries under your Burisdiction and some of
these /ndians become confirmed in the aith:
@/f the light of 8i'ine >uidance enters properly into the li'es of the /ndians) it 7ill be found that they
7ill arise 7ith a great po7er and 7ill become an e?ample of spirituality and culture to all of the people
in these countries:
@3he <aster has li6ened the /ndians in your Countries to the early Arabian Nomads at the time of the
appearance of <u ammad: Hithin a short period of time they became the outstanding e?amples of
education) of culture and of ci'iliCation for the entire 7orld: 3he <aster feels that similar 7onders 7ill
occur today if the /ndians are properly taught and if the po7er of the Spirit properly enters into their
li'ing:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of 3entral (merica and 6e;ico/ (u$ust LL/ 19@02
233. !eachin6 the #"slims
@::: 3eaching <uslims the aith reDuires to a great degree a 6no7ledge of the Rurn) so that you can
bring them proofs from their o7n te?ts: /f you ha'e not mastered this yet) he suggests that you do so
7ith the help of some of the Bahs from the /slmic bac6ground: /n this 7ay you 7ill attract the 7ell0
educated <uslims) and they 7ill be deeply appreciati'e that an American should 6no7 so much about
their religion:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 9/ 19@M2
231. It is the 5oly %pirit !hat Confirms and the Indi1id"al %ho"ld *ecome as a .eed !hro"6h
7hich the %pirit #ay Descend
@5ne should remember it is not the indi'idual 7ho confirms another) but the Holy Spirit 7hich
confirms: 3hus the indi'idual must become as a reed) through 7hich the spirit may descend) and Duic6en
souls: 3hus the best 7ay to de'elop capacity in teaching the aith is to teach: As one teaches) he gains
more 6no7ledge himself) he relies more on the guidance of the spirit) and e?pands his o7n character:
3his is 7hy Bahullh made it incumbent on all to teach the aith:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er LN/ 19@M2
232. #any People Are .eady For and &on6in6 to Find !hese !eachin6s
@3here are many) many people ready for and longing to find these 3eachings of Bahullh: 3he friends
must) through prayers for guidance) and through trying to contact different types of groups) see6 out
these hungry souls and confirm them:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 @/ 19N82
23. !he !eacher %ho"ld 8se 7hate1er #ethod of E?pression that 7ill Attract the &istener
@English is) compared to =atin and oriental languages) lac6ing Fas spo6en in daily useG in flo7ery terms)
and the >uardian feels that in teaching you should al7ays use 7hate'er method 7ill most attract your
hearers: /f such terms as A3he >lory of >od are not suited to certain indi'iduals mentality you should
refrain from using them until they dra7 really close to the spirit of the Cause: 3he teaching is of primary)
the 7ords of secondary importance:E
23'. A"dacity in !eachin6 is Essential@ b"t with !act@ 7isdom and Consideration
@::: /t is certainly necessary) nay indeed 'itally urgent) that the belie'ers should ma6e no compromise in
teaching the Cause) and should not allo7 any consciousness of their limited means and resources to
deter them from presenting the 3eachings in their entirety) and 7ith absolute courage and firm
con'iction: /t is the realiCation that they are but the instruments of the 8i'ine Hill) and as such are
endo7ed 7ith a potency 7ith 7hich no earthly po7er) be it fame) 7ealth) human 6no7ledge and
capacity) can possibly compare) that should inspire them 7ith an indomitable courage and determination
to teach and deli'er the <essage to 7homsoe'er they contact) and thus insure the faithful e?ecution of
the di'ine trust committed to their charge by Bahullh:
@As the >uardian himself has pointed out) audacity in teaching is essential) but no less important is the
necessity for the e?ercise of the utmost tact) 7isdom and consideration) in approaching either separate
indi'iduals or large public audiences: 5nly 7hen these Dualities ha'e been duly combined and
harmoniCed can the teaching 7or6 be carried on effecti'ely) and produce lasting results:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er L/ 19392
23(. .e6ardin6 !hose 7ho are Enrolled@ b"t do not Consider !hemsel1es *ah+,;s
@Hith regard to those 7ho do not consider themsel'es Bahs on the basis of the argument that they
signed the 8eclaration Card 7ithout actually 6no7ing the significance of 7hat they 7ere doing) you
should determine 7ho these people are: Mou should then deepen their 6no7ledge of the aith: /f they
feel) after recei'ing sufficient information) that they do not 7ish to be Bah) then their names should be
remo'ed from the Bah membership list:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eune L3/ 198@2
23-. !he #ost %"ccessf"l 7ay for the Indi1id"al to Carry on the !eachin6 7or$
@3he Bahs must realiCe that the success of this 7or6 depends upon the indi'idual: 3he indi'idual
must arise as ne'er before to proclaim the aith of Bahullh: 3he most effecti'e 7ay for them to carry
on their 7or6 is for the indi'idual to ma6e many contacts) select a fe7 7hom they feel 7ould become
Bahs) de'elop a close friendship 7ith them) then complete confidence) and finally teach them the
aith) until they become strong supporters of the Cause of >od:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ 6a5 13/ 19@@2
9LI9$ T(%T%
23/. *ah+,;s )ften Each )ther,s Dreatest !est
@2erhaps the greatest test Bahs are e'er subBected to is from each otherI but for the sa6e of the <aster
they should be e'er ready to o'erloo6 each others mista6es) apologiCe for harsh 7ords they ha'e
uttered) forgi'e and forget: He strongly recommends to you this course of action:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 18/ 19N@. =i'ing the =ife/ p! 1L2
230. Drowin6 Pains E1ery *ah+,; Comm"nity E?periences
@5ften these trials and tests 7hich all Bah Communities ine'itably pass through seem terrible at the
moment) but in retrospect 7e understand that they 7ere due to the frailty of human nature) to
misunderstanding) and to the gro7ing pains 7hich e'ery Bah community must e?perience:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er L@/ 19@M. I)id!/ p! 192
232. Fail"res@ !ests and !rials are #eans of P"rifyin6 )"r %pirits
@He must al7ays loo6 ahead and see6 to accomplish in the future 7hat 7e may ha'e failed to do in the
past: ailures) tests) and trials) if 7e use them correctly) can become the means of purifying our spirit)
strengthening our characters) and enable us to rise to greater heights of ser'ice:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er 1N/ 19N1. I)id!/ p! 02
23'3. Dod %ometimes Ca"ses 8s to %"ffer #"ch !hat 7e #ay *ecome %tron6 in 5is Ca"se
@Mou must not be sad: 3his affliction 7ill ma6e you spiritually stronger: 8o not be sad: Cheer upL 2raise
be to >od) you are dear to <e) / 7ill tell you a story!
A certain ruler 7ished to appoint one of his subBects to a high office! so) in order to train
him) the ruler cast him into prison and caused him to suffer much: 3he man 7as surprised at
this) for he e?pected great fa'ours: 3he ruler had him ta6en from prison and beaten 7ith
stic6s: 3his greatly astonished the man) for he thought the ruler lo'ed him: After this he 7as
hanged on the gallo7s until he 7as nearly dead: After he reco'ered he as6ed the ruler) A/f
you lo'e me) 7hy did you do these thingsS 3he ruler replied! A/ 7ish to ma6e you prime
minister: By ha'ing gone through these ordeals you are better fitted for that office: / 7ish
you to 6no7 ho7 it is yourself: Hhen you are obliged to punish) you 7ill 6no7 ho7 it feels
to endure these things: / lo'e you so / 7ish you to become perfect:
@E'en so 7ith you: After this ordeal you 7ill reach maturity: >od sometimes causes us to suffer much
and to ha'e many misfortunes that 7e may become strong in His Cause: Mou 7ill soon reco'er and be
spiritually stronger than e'er before: Mou 7ill 7or6 for >od and carry the <essage to many of your
people:E
&Words of '()du*l+,ah- on Octo)er 11/ 191L to 6r! Tinsle5 who was reco"erin$ from an accident in 4an <rancisco/ 3alifornia. Star of the
Hest/ >ol! I>/ o! 1L/ p! L1@2
23'1. A #an #ay For6et Dod 7hile 5appy
@Hhile a man is happy he may forget his >odI but 7hen grief comes and sorro7s o'er7helm him) then
7ill he remember his ather Hho is in Hea'en) and Hho is able to deli'er him from his humiliations:
@<en 7ho suffer not) attain no perfection: 3he plant most pruned by the gardeners is that one 7hich)
7hen the summer comes) 7ill ha'e the most beautiful blossoms and the most abundant fruit:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 2aris 3al6s/ pp! @1+@12
23'2. Diffic"lties Are #eans For the %pirit to Drow
@3hus you might loo6 upon your o7n difficulties in the path of ser'ice: 3hey are the means of your
spirit gro7ing and de'eloping: Mou 7ill suddenly find that you ha'e conDuered many of the problems
7hich upset you) and then you 7ill 7onder 7hy they should ha'e troubled you at all: An indi'idual must
centre his 7hole heart and mind on ser'ice to the Cause) in accordance 7ith the high standards set by
Bahullh: Hhen this is done) the Hosts of the Supreme Concourse 7ill come to the assistance of the
indi'idual) and e'ery difficulty and trial 7ill gradually be o'ercome:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er M/ 19@N. =i'ing the =ife/ p! 192
23'. Is It .i6ht to !ell 8ntr"th to %a1e AnotherI
@As to the Duestion 7hether it is right to tell an untruth in order to sa'e another) he feels that under no
condition should 7e tell an untruth but at the same time try and help the person in a more legitimate
manner: 5f course it is not necessary to be too outspo6en until the Duestion is directly put to us:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er L1/ 19L0. =i'ing the =ife/ p! 32
23''. :o Comfort in !his 7orld4ome :nder Pressure 3ommit 4uicide
@::: No comfort can be secured by any soul in this 7orld) from monarch do7n to the most humble
commoner: /f once this life should offer a man a s7eet cup) a hundred bitter ones 7ill follo7I such is the
condition of this 7orld: 3he 7ise man) therefore) doth not attach himself to this mortal life and doth not
depend upon itI at some moments) e'en) he eagerly 7isheth for death that he may thereby be freed from
these sorro7s and afflictions: 3hus it is seen that some) under e?treme pressure of anguish) ha'e
committed suicide:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ p! L112
23'(. 7e Can !"rn )"r %t"mblin6 *loc$s Into %teppin6 %tones
@::: He Bahs can al7ays) 7ith the aid of Bahullh) Hho) is e'er ready to strengthen and assist us)
turn our stumbling bloc6s into stepping stones) and utiliCe the often 'iolent forces released by sincere
but perhaps misguided friends) as a positi'e stream of po7er by turning them into producti'e channels
instead of destructi'e ones:E
23'-. &ife Afflicts 8s 7ith Bery %e1ere !rials 7hich 7e #"st Accept Patiently
@=ife afflicts us 7ith 'ery se'ere trials sometimes) but 7e must al7ays remember that 7hen 7e accept
patiently the Hill of >od He compensates us in other 7ays: Hith faith and lo'e 7e must be patient) and
He 7ill surely re7ard us:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er 31/ 19@12
23'/. #any !ests Are D"e !o )"r )wn :at"re
@He 7as 'ery sorry to hear that you ha'e had so many tests in your Bah life: 3here is no doubt that
many of them are due to our o7n nature: /n other 7ords) if 7e are 'ery sensiti'e) or if 7e are in some
7ay brought up in a different en'ironment from the Bahs amongst 7hom 7e li'e) 7e naturally see
things differently and may feel them more acutelyI and the other side of it is that the imperfections of
our fello70Bahs can be a great trial to us:
@He must al7ays remember that in the cesspool of materialism) 7hich is 7hat modern ci'iliCation has
to a certain e?tent become) BahsQthat is some of themQare still to a certain e?tent affected by the
society from 7hich they ha'e sprung: /n other 7ords) they ha'e recogniCed the <anifestation of >od)
but they ha'e not been belie'ers long enough) or perhaps not tried hard enough) to become Aa ne7
creation:
@He feels that) if you close your eyes to the failings of others) and fi? your lo'e and prayers upon
Bahullh) you 7ill ha'e the strength to 7eather this storm) and 7ill be much better for it in the end)
spiritually: Although you suffer) you 7ill gain a maturity that 7ill enable you to be of greater help to
both your fello70Bahs and your children:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril @/ 19@M2
23'0. )nly !hro"6h %"fferin6 Can :obility of Character *e #ade #anifestThe Ener$5 we 4pend
Endurin$ the Intolerance of Others is not #ost
@As to the incon'eniences you ha'e e?perienced during the last ten years) the best consolation / can
imagine for you is your o7n Duotation of the Hidden Hords) A<y calamity is my pro'idence: He must
bear 7ith one another: /t is only through suffering that the nobility of character can ma6e itself manifest:
3he energy 7e e?pend in enduring the intolerance of some indi'iduals of our community is not lost: /t is
transformed into fortitude) steadfastness and magnanimity: 3he li'es of Bahullh and AAbdul0Bah
are the best e?amples for this: Sacrifices in the path of ones religion produce al7ays immortal results)
A5ut of the ashes rises the phoeni?:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 31/ 19L32
23'2. %"fferin6 %eems to be Part of the Polish Dod Employs to Enable 8s to .eflect #ore of 5is
Attrib"tes
@::: Suffering) of one 6ind or another) seems to be the portion of man in this 7orld: E'en the Belo'ed
5nes) the 2rophets of >od) ha'e ne'er been e?empt from the ills that are to be found in our 7orldI
po'erty) disease) berea'ement)Qthey seem to be part of the polish >od employs to ma6e us finer) and
enable us to reflect more of His attributesL No doubt in the future) 7hen the foundation of society is laid
according to the 8i'ine plan) and men become truly spiritualiCed) a 'ast amount of our present ills and
problems 7ill be remedied: He 7ho toil no7 are pa'ing the 7ay for a far better 7orld) and this
6no7ledge must uphold and strengthen us through e'ery trial:E
23(3. %ometimes !hin6s 7hich %eem Diffic"lt to 8nderstand 5a1e a %imple@ .easonable
E?planation
@He feels that many of the perple?ities that arise in your mind could be dissipated if you al7ays
concei'ed of the teachings as one great 7hole 7ith many facets: 3ruth may) in co'ering different
subBects) appear to be contradictory) and yet it is all one if you carry the thought through to the end ::: He
hopes you 7ill ::: rest assured in7ardly that for these things 7hich sometimes seem difficult to
understand there is usually a Duite simple and reasonable e?planation:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 LN/ 19N0. 3he /mportance of 8eepening our
;no7ledge and Jnderstanding of the aith/ a compilation from the Research Department of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ Eanuar5 19832
L$ T)( T(,'L(
,A%)RI?!L1A)#2R
A$ Founding of the Te&-le G
23(1. Fo"ndin6 of !emple #ar$s Inception Gin6dom of Dod on Earth
@3he founding of the <ashriDul0Adh6r 7ill mar6 the inception of the ;ingdom of >od on earth:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Star of the Hest/ >ol! M/ o! 10/ 191M/ p! 1302
O&4ee also. o! 188N2
23(2. !emple )rdained to be Ar$ to .ide !idal 7a1e
@::: 8i'inely0founded 3emple ordained to be the Ar6 destined to ride triumphant the tidal 7a'e of 7orld0
encircling calamities and offering sole refuge to storm0tossed sufferers of sinful) steadily sin6ing
ci'iliCation::::E
&3a)le$ram from 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Octo)er L3/ 1939. <essages to
America/ p! 312
23(. First Instit"te by the Disciples 7as a !emple
@3he <ashra60el0ACcar is the most important matter and the greatest di'ine institute: Consider ho7 the
first institute of His Holiness <oses) after His e?odus from Egypt) 7as the A3ent of <artyrdom 7hich
He raised and 7hich 7as the tra'elling 3emple: /t 7as a tent 7hich they pitched in the desert) 7here'er
they abode) and 7orshipped in it: =i6e7ise) after His Holiness ChristQmay the spirit of the 7orld be a
sacrifice to HimLQthe first institute by the disciples 7as a 3emple: 3hey planned a church in e'ery
country: Consider the >ospel Fread itG and the importance of the <ashra60el0ACcar 7ill become
e'ident:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3ablets of AAbdul0Bah/ >ol! III/ p! M332
23('. Effect on !hose 7ho *"ilt it(rise for the 4er"ice of Temple
@Not only does the <ashriDul0Adh6r ha'e an effect upon those 7ho built it but upon the 7hole
7orld ::: Hhosoe'er arises for the ser'ice of this building shall be assisted 7ith great po7er from His
Supreme ;ingdom) and upon him spiritual and hea'enly blessings shall descend 7hich shall fill his
heart 7ith 7onderful consolation and enlighten his eyes by beholding the >lorious and Eternal >od:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Bah Mear Boo6/ >ol! 1/ pp! M1+ML2
23((. Accessories to the #ashriC",l-Adh$+r
@3he <ashriDul0Adh6r and its accessories! Hhen these institutionsQcollege) hospital) hospice) and
establishments for the incurables) uni'ersity for the study of higher sciences and gi'ing post0graduate
courses) and other philanthropic buildingsQare built) its doors 7ill be open to all the nations and all
religions: 3here 7ill be dra7n absolutely no line of demarcation: /ts charities 7ill be dispensed
irrespecti'e of colour and race: /ts gates 7ill be flung 7ide to man6indI preBudice to7ard none) lo'e for
all: 3he central building 7ill be de'oted to the purpose of prayer and 7orship: 3hus for the first time
religion 7ill become harmoniCed 7ith science and science 7ill be the handmaid of religion) both
sho7ering their material and spiritual gifts on all humanity: /n this 7ay the people 7ill be lifted out of
the Duagmires of slothfulness and bigotry:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 4tar of the Hest/ >ol! L1/ o! 1/ 1931/ p! L12
23(-. )ne of the #ost Bital Instit"tions in the 7orld is the #ashriC",l-Adh$+r
@3he <ashriDul0Adh6r is one of the most 'ital institutions in the 7orld) and it hath many subsidiary
branches: Although it is a House of Horship) it is also connected 7ith a hospital) a drug dispensary) a
tra'ellers hospice) a school for orphans) and a uni'ersity for ad'anced studies: E'ery <ashriDul0
Adh6r is connected 7ith these fi'e things: <y hope is that the <ashriDul0Adh6r 7ill no7 be
established in America) and that gradually the hospital) the school) the uni'ersity) the dispensary and the
hospice) all functioning according to the most efficient and orderly procedures) 7ill follo7: <a6e these
matters 6no7n to the belo'ed of the =ord) so that they 7ill understand ho7 'ery great is the importance
of this A8a7ning02oint of the &emembrance of >od: 3he 3emple is not only a place for 7orshipI rather)
in e'ery respect is it complete and 7hole:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ pp! 99+111/ Wilmette/ 198L ed!2
23(/. !he .elationship of an Administrati1e *"ildin6 to the !emple is 7orship and %er1ice
AAs to the Duestion of the relationship of an administrati'e building to the 3emple! 3his also 7ill ha'e to
be defined in future) but 7hate'er the actual form 7hich such relationship may assume) and 7hate'er its
details) it should be based on the general principle that these t7o sets of Bah institutions embody t7o
'ital and distinct) yet inseparable aspects of Bah life! 7orship and ser'ice: 3he central edifice of the
<ashriDul0Adh6r) 7hich is e?clusi'ely de'oted to purpose of 7orship) represents the spiritual element)
and therefore fulfils a primary function in e'ery Bah Community) 7hereas all other 3emple
accessories) 7hether of a strictly administrati'e) cultural or humanitarian character) are secondary) and
come ne?t in importance to the House of Horship itself:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Eanuar5 L8/ 19392
B$ +orshi- in the Te&-le
23(0. !he .eason For a Place of 7orship
@Mou had as6ed about places of 7orship and the underlying reason therefor: 3he 7isdom in raising up
such building is that at a gi'en hour) the people should 6no7 it is time to meet) and all should gather
together) and) harmoniously attuned one to another) should engage in prayerI 7ith the result that out of
this coming together) unity and affection shall gro7 and flourish in the human heart:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. from a newl5 translated e;tract cited in a compilation on the Temple from the World 3entre2
23(2. !he Character of #eetin6s in the A"ditori"m
@As to the character of the meetings in the Auditorium of the 3emple) he feels that they should be purely
de'otional in characterI Bah addresses and lectures should be strictly e?cluded: or the present) he
feels that there 7ould be no obBection to ha'ing Bah meetings including addresses and the business
sessions of the Con'ention held in the oundation Hall: Shoghi Effendi 7ould urge that choir singing by
men) 7omen and children be encouraged in the Auditorium and that rigidity in the Bah ser'ice be
scrupulously a'oided: 3he more uni'ersal and informal the character of Bah 7orship in the 3emple
the better: /mages and pictures) 7ith the e?ception of the >reatest Name) should be strictly e?cluded:
2rayers re'ealed by Bahullh and the <aster as 7ell as sacred Hritings of the 2rophets should be
read or chanted as 7ell as hymns based upon Bah or non0Bah sacred Hritings:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ (pril L/ 19312
23-3. :on-*ah+,; P"blic 7elcome
@=et the friends not hesitate to 7elcome to their obser'ances) e'en to those of a de'otional character) the
non0Bah public) many of 7hom may 7ell be attracted by the prayers and e?pressions of gratitude of
the belie'ers) no less than by the e?alted tone of passages from Bah Hritings:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ Eune L@/ 19M0. Hellspring of >uidance/ p! 11M2
23-1. 7orship in !emple
@As regard the 7hole Duestion of the 3emple and ser'ices held in it! He 7ishes to emphasiCe that he is
'ery an?ious) no7 that this first and greatest 3emple of the Hest has been built) and 7ill) 7ithin a fe7
years) be used for 7orship and regular ser'ices by the Bahs) that no forms) no rituals) no set customs
be introduced o'er and abo'e the bare minimum outlined in the teachings: 3he nature of these
gatherings is for prayer) meditation and the reading of 7ritings from the Sacred Scriptures of our aith
and other aithsI there can be one or a number of readersI any Bah chosen) or e'en) non0Bah) may
read: 3he gatherings should be simple) dignified) and designed to uplift the soul and educate it through
hearing the Creati'e Hord: No speeches may be made) no e?traneous matter introduced:
@3he use of pulpits is forbidden by Bahullh! if) in order to be more clearly heard) the person stands
on a lo7 platform) there is no obBection) but this should not be incorporated as an architectural feature of
the building::::
@Pocal music alone may be used and the position of the singers or singer is also a matter for your
Assembly to decideI but again) there should be no fi?ed point) no architectural details mar6ing a special
spot: Acoustics should certainly be the main consideration in placing the singers:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ (pril 11/ 19N0. Insert with Bah
Ne7s/ o! L3L/ Eune 19@12
23-2. !al$in6 in the !emple
@/t is understood of course that there is to be no tal6ing in the auditorium of the 3emple: Ho7e'er) the
>uardian does feel that in an emergency) it may be necessary to carry on a con'ersation for a 'ery
limited period) in a subdued tone of 'oice: 3he >uardian feels that in matters of this type) careful
Budgement must be used:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ Octo)er 19@3. (rchi"es2
23-. %cript"res of )ther .eli6ions@ .eaders@ #"sic in !he 5o"se of 7orship
@Mour Assembly is free to use its discretion in choosing e?cerpts from the generally recogniCed
scriptures of the older religions:
@Hith reference to your Duery about the use of se'eral readers in unison) this is permissible pro'ided it
does not seem or become theatrical in the 'ie7 of your Assembly: Concerning the placement of the
reader the belo'ed >uardian has already indicated) Athe reader should stand 7here he or she 7ill best be
seen and heard by all:
@<usic in the House of Horship is to be 'ocal only) 7hether by singers or a singer: /t does not matter if
a guest a capella choir or soloist is used) pro'ided such use is not made the occasion to publiciCe ser'ices
of Horship and the precautions you mention are ta6en: No doubt the e?cellent recordings a'ailable today
7ould assure the highest Duality of performance at lo7 cost) but all references to 'ocal music in the
central Edifice imply the physical presence of the singers:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ 6arch 13/ 19MN2
23-'. !he A"ditori"m #ay be 8sed for %pecial Prayers by Bisitin6 Dro"ps@ *ah+,; or :on-*ah+,;
@:::pro'ided the general rules go'erning the nature of ser'ices in the <ashriDul0Adh6r are obser'ed)
there is no obBection to your Assembly permitting the use of the auditorium for special prayer meetings
by 'isiting groups at times 7hen no general ser'ice is scheduled) and such meetings could include
memorial ser'ices for departed souls) 7hether Bah or non0Bah: Ho7e'er) in some religions it is
customary to hold memorial ser'ices for the departed at a specific time after the deathQfor e?ample) in
/slam it is forty days after the passing: 3he >uardian has stated that such practices ha'e nothing to do
7ith the aith) the friends should be Duite clear on this matters) and should preferably discontinue the
practice: 3herefore) in all such things the National Spiritual Assembly should be careful to ensure that no
set practices or forms arise:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Panama/ o"em)er LN/ 190M2
23-(. !he Chantin6 of !ablets in the !emple
@As regards the chanting of 3ablets in the 3emple) Shoghi Effendi 7ishes in this connection to urge the
friends to a'oid all forms of rigidity and uniformity in matter of 7orship: 3here is no obBection to the
reciting or chanting of prayers in oriental languages) but there is also no obBection 7hate'er of adopting
such a form of prayer at any de'otional ser'ice in the auditorium of the 3emple: /t should neither be
reDuired nor prohibited: 3he important thing that should al7ays be borne in mind is that 7ith the
e?ception of certain specific obligatory prayers Bahullh has gi'en us) no strict or special ruling in
matters of 7orship 7hether in the 3emple or else7here: 2rayer is essentially a communion bet7een man
and >od and as such transcends all ritualistic forms and formulae:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 1@/ 193@2
23--. >"estions and Answers Concernin6 %er1ices in !he 5o"se of 7orship
@Hith reference to your letter of August ,) "#*() and the Duestions you ha'e as6ed concerning ser'ices
at the House of Horship) 7e ha'e no7 had opportunity to study your Duestions in the light of a'ailable
te?ts) and 7e are glad to share 7ith you our conclusions:
@He 7ill set forth your Duestion) ::: and then ma6e our comments at the end of each section!
A: /s congregational singing the same as congregational 7orshipS /s it permissible to ha'e singing in
7hich anyone can BoinS /f so) is it permissible for AAllh0u0Abh or AM Bahul0Abh to be
sungS
Singing by a congregation present at a ser'ice in the House of Horship should not be confused
7ith congregational prayer prescribed by Bahullh for the dead: As the >uardian in a letter
7ritten on his behalf by his secretary pointed out! AHhen the ADdas is published the form of
congregational prayer prescribed by Bahullh 7ill be made clear to all the friends: FBah
2rocedure) "#(,) page 1G &egarding singing in the 3emple) 7e must bear in mind the reference
made by Bahullh in the ;itb0i0ADdas to the need for the person 7ho enters the 3emple to sit
silently and listen to the chanting of the 'erses of >od) as 7ell as the statements made by the
>uardian regarding Athe reader or Aa number of readers or a Achoir:
/n connection 7ith the desire of the Africans to sing) this aptitude in them should be encouraged:
3he >uardian elucidated this principle in a letter 7ritten on his behalf by his secretary! AShoghi
Effendi 7ould urge that choir singing by men) 7omen and children be encouraged in the
Auditorium) and that rigidity in the Bah ser'ice be scrupulously a'oided: FBah Ne7s)
September) "#%"G:
B: Could 7e de'elop musical programs 7ith 7ords not necessarily from Sacred ScripturesS Could
Christian hymn tunes 7ith Bah 7ords be usedS
He feel that the first Duestion is co'ered by the follo7ing instruction gi'en by the >uardian!
A2rayers::: should be read or chanted) as 7ell as hymns based upon Bah or non0Bah sacred
Hritings: FBah Ne7s) September "#%"G: As regards using hymn tunes of other religions there is
no obBection to this: As the >uardian once pointed out) 7e do not ha'e at this time distincti'e music
7hich could be called Bah) as such a cultural e?pression is the flo7er of the ci'iliCation and does
not come at the beginning of a ne7 &e'elation:
C: /s it necessary at the present time to uphold at all costs a standard of e?cellence in 3emple singingS
/f so) should it be a Hestern or an African standardS
/n e'erything 7e do 7e should al7ays try to attain a standard of e?cellence: Bearing in mind the
basic principle of unity in di'ersity and the undesirability of attempting uniformity) the National
Assembly should do all possible to ensure the dignified presentation of 7hate'er is sung in the
3emple) African) Hestern or other:
8: :::may the reader preface his reading by A3he reading is from::: or 7ords to the effectS /s it
permissible to ma6e short comments 7hich might add Afollo7ing readings are on the subBect of
humility::: or Athe follo7ing healing prayer is for :::
3here is no obBection to the reader 'ery briefly stating at the beginning of his reading) the
reference and source of the passage he is about to read: Beyond this) any other comment regarding
the passage to be read is inappropriate: /f in the future) your Assembly is able to o'ercome the
difficulty of ma6ing a printed programme a'ailable) it 7ould be far better to ha'e such a
programme:
E: <ay the 7ritings of AAbdul0Bah be used in the 3emple as these are most easily translatable and
many are already prepared in the most common local languageQ=ugandaS
3he >uardians ad'ice on this point is! A2rayers re'ealed by Bahullh and the <aster as 7ell as
Sacred Hritings of the 2rophets should be read or chanted: FBah Ne7s) September "#%"G: /n
response to a specific Duestion put to the >uardian regarding the 2ublic 3al6s and 3ablets of
AAbdul0Bah) the >uardian ad'ised that these should not be used in the de'otional ser'ices in the
3emple::::E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of :$anda and 3entral (frica/ (u$ust 19/ 19M@2
C$ Te&-le Guiding and Other Acti.ities
23-/. !he !emple D"ide 5as a Bery %acred )bli6ation
@&egarding the guide 7or6 at the 3emple:::! 3he >uardian attaches the highest importance to it)
inasmuch as it affords a splendid opportunity for presenting the <essage on a 'ery large scale: 3he
responsibilities 7hich this function calls for are as 'ital and far reaching as the pri'ileges and bounties it
confers on the indi'idual belie'er: 3he Bah guide has indeed a 'ery sacred obligation to discharge:
Not only he has to perfect his 6no7ledge of the Cause) but should de'elop all those Dualities of tact)
7isdom) and of ability to present the <essage 7hich e'ery Bah teacher reDuires: /t is the duty of those
7ho are in charge of organiCing the guide 7or6 at the 3emple to ma6e e'ery effort to 7iden its scope)
raise the standard of its personnel) and thus increase its effecti'eness:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 10/ 19302
23-0. *ah+,; D"ides %ho"ld *e 7ell Informed
@Mou ha'e as6ed as to 7hat information the Bah guides at the 3emple should gi'e the 'isitorsI any
information) 7hether in connection 7ith the purely architectural side of the Edifice or 7ith its spiritual
and social significance) should be offered to the inDuirers) and it is therefore essential that all those 7ho
ha'e been appointed as guides should be 7ell informed regarding e'ery aspect of the 3emple:
@3he 3emple >uide Committee should see to it that e'ery one of the guides fulfils these reDuirements)
and should offer them e'ery ad'ice and suggestion they need in the discharge of their tas6:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ o"em)er 1N/ 19392
23-2. !he Essential .eC"isites for D"ides
@3he essential reDuisite of guides is that they should 6no7 the 3emple and the teachings so as to be able
to ans7er Duestions and attract the hearts of the people through their spirit as 7ell as their 7ords: /t is a
'ery important position as it often mar6s the 'ery first contact of a person 7ith the aith and on it may
hinge that indi'iduals future attitude to7ards the Cause: 2erhaps some of the older Bahs) 7ho are not
able to climb so many stairs) could ans7er Duestions and interest enDuirers and a more acti'e person
sho7 people o'er the building and e?plain the technical pointsS@
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Decem)er @/ 19NN2
23/3. 7or$ at the !emple on 5oly Days
@3he belo'ed >uardian made it absolutely clear that the command to cease 7or6 during the nine Holy
8ays is a matter for conscientious obedience by e'ery indi'idual belie'er: /n the case of businesses and
other underta6ings entirely under Bah control) they must also close do7n during the Bah Holy
8ays) e'en though non0Bahs may be members of their staffs:
@/t is fully appreciated that the Bah 3emple must be open for 7orship on the Holy 8ays and
therefore it is permitted to pro'ide) to the minimum e?tent possible) essential ser'ices: 3hose necessary
tas6s) such as cleaning and other preparation of the building) 7hich can be carried out on the pre'ious
day should be so done and only those duties 7hich must be performed should be underta6en on the Holy
8ay: /n the case of the 3emple it is immaterial 7hether the 7or6ers are Bahs or non0Bahs since it is
the duty of the aith to obser'e) especially in respect of its o7n institutions) the command to cease 7or6
on the Holy 8ays:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of Panama/ (u$ust 1L/ 19002
23/1. &and Drant from Do1ernment not Acceptable for !emple %ite
@:::it is not permissible to accept a free grant of land from the go'ernment to be used as a 3emple site:
3he principle of not accepting gifts from non0Bahs for strictly Bah purposes applies to recei'ing
free grants of land from non0Bahs) 7hether indi'iduals) institutions or go'ernments: 3here is no
obBection) ho7e'er) to accepting free plots of land from the go'ernment or ci'ic authorities if such plots
are used for Bah cemeteries or for such institutions that are charitable or humanitarian in nature) such
as schools:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of ,eliJe/ Eune 1@/ 190L2
LI$ +O,(N
23/2. *oth 7omen and #en 5a1e been Created in the Ima6e of Dod
@;no7 thou) 5 handmaid) that in the sight of Bah) 7omen are accounted the same as men) and >od
hath created all human6ind in His o7n image) and after His o7n li6eness: 3hat is) men and 7omen ali6e
are the re'ealers of His names and attributes) and from the spiritual 'ie7point there is no difference
bet7een them: Hhosoe'er dra7eth nearer to >od) that one is the most fa'oured) 7hether man or
7oman: Ho7 many a handmaid) ardent and de'oted) hath) 7ithin the sheltering shade of Bah) pro'ed
superior to the men) and surpassed the famous of the earth:
@3he House of 9ustice) ho7e'er) according to the e?plicit te?t of the =a7 of >od) is confined to menIN
this for a 7isdom of the =ord >ods 7hich 7ill erelong be made manifest as clearly as the sun at high
noon:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Selections from the Hritings of AAbdul0Bah/ 1908 World 3entre edition/ pp! 09+812
O &<rom other e;tracts it is e"ident that the limitation of mem)ership to men applies onl5 to the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ and not to the
ational and #ocal 7ouses of Eustice!2
23/. Clarification E?cl"sion of 7omen on 5o"se of 9"stice
@Mour letter of <arch ,*th) "#+" as6ing for clarification of the e?clusion of 7omen from membership in
the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice in 'ie7 of the great principle of the Cause of the eDuality of men and
7omen has been recei'ed and 7e offer you the follo7ing comments:
@/n a 3ablet to an early 7oman belie'er AAbdul0Bah stated! A5 maidser'ant of >odL ;no7 thou that
in the sight of >od) the conduct of 7omen is the same as that of men::: rom the spiritual point of
'ie7 ::: there is no difference bet7een 7omen and men::: He added) ho7e'er! AAs to the House of
9ustice! according to the e?plicit te?t of the =a7 of >od) its membership is e?clusi'ely reser'ed to men:
3here is di'ine 7isdom in this 7hich 7ill presently be made manifest e'en as the mid0day sun:
@3he belo'ed >uardian in reply to the same Duery from a belie'er pointed out in a letter 7ritten on his
behalf on 9uly "1th "#(+! A2eople must Bust accept the fact that 7omen are not eligible to the
/nternational House of 9ustice: As the <aster says the 7isdom of this 7ill be 6no7n in the future) 7e
can only accept) belie'ing it is right) but not able to gi'e an e?planation calculated to silence an ardent
feministL
AHe must ha'e faith in the Supreme <anifestation of >od and His E?emplar) Hhose prescience is
re'ealed in such pro'isions 7hich 7ill one day Abe made manifest e'en as the mid0day sun: E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 LM/ 19012
23/'. !he #embership of the 8ni1ersal 5o"se of 9"stice is Confined to #enJ !his is not a
F"nction Desi6nated For 7omen
@As regards the membership of the /nternational House of 9ustice) AAbdul0Bah states in a 3ablet that it
is confined to men) and that the 7isdom of it 7ill be re'ealed as manifest as the sun in the future: /n any
case the belie'ers should 6no7 that) as AAbdul0Bah Himself has e?plicitly stated that se?es are eDual
e?cept in some cases) the e?clusion of 7omen from the /nternational House of 9ustice should not be
surprising: rom the fact that there is no eDuality of functions bet7een the se?es one should not)
ho7e'er) infer that either se? is inherently superior or inferior to the other) or that they are uneDual in
their rights:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 L8/ 193M. Homen/ compilation/ p! 92
23/(. 7omen are Destined to Attain to the Bery 5i6hest %tation of the 7orld of 5"manity
,ah-*u*ll-h 7as Willed It 4oK
@/n this &e'elation of Bahullh) the 7omen go nec6 and nec6 7ith the men: /n no mo'ement 7ill they
be left behind: 3heir rights 7ith men are eDual in degree: 3hey 7ill enter all the administrati'e branches
of politics: 3hey 7ill attain in all such a degree as 7ill be considered the 'ery highest station of the
7orld of humanity and 7ill ta6e part in all affairs: &est ye assured: 8o ye not loo6 upon the present
conditionI in the not far distant future the 7orld of 7omen 7ill become all0refulgent and all0glorious:
For )is )oliness Bahullh )ath +illed It soJ At the time of elections the right to 'ote is the
inalienable right of 7omen) and the entrance of 7omen into all human departments is an irrefutable and
incontro'ertible Duestion: No soul can retard or pre'ent it:
@But there are certain matters) the participation in 7hich is not 7orthy of 7omen: or e?ample) at the
time 7hen the community is ta6ing up 'igorous defensi'e measures against the attac6 of foes) the
7omen are e?empt from military engagements: /t may so happen that at a gi'en time 7arli6e and sa'age
tribes may furiously attac6 the body politic 7ith the intention of carrying on a 7holesale slaughter of its
membersI under such a circumstance defence is necessary) but it is the duty of men to organiCe and
e?ecute such defensi'e measures and not the 7omenQbecause their hearts are tender and they cannot
endure the sight of the horror of carnage) e'en if it is for the sa6e of defence: rom such and similar
underta6ings the 7omen are e?empt:
@As regards the constitution of the House of 9ustice) Bahullh addresses the men: He says! A5 ye
men of the House of 9usticeL
@But 7hen its members are to be elected) the right 7hich belongs to 7omen) so far as their 'oting and
their 'oice is concerned) is indisputable: Hhen the 7omen attain to the ultimate degree of progress) then
according to the e?igency of the time and place and their great capacity) they shall obtain e?traordinary
pri'ileges: Be ye confident on these accounts: His Holiness Bahullh has greatly strengthened the
cause of 7omen) and the rights and pri'ileges of 7omen is one of the greatest principles of AAbdul0
Bah: &est ye assuredL Ere long the days shall come 7hen the men addressing the 7omen) shall say!
DBlessed are *eJ Blessed are *eJ 6eril* *e are "orth* of e.er* gift$ 6eril* *e deser.e to adorn *our
heads "ith the cro"n of e.erlasting glor*0 because in sciences and arts0 in .irtues and -erfections
*e shall beco&e eEual to &an0 and as regards tenderness of heart and the abundance of &erc* and
s*&-ath* *e are su-erior$E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 2aris 3al6s/ 19M1/ :!8! edition/ pp! 18L+18N2
23/-. .eference to the <#en of 9"stice= Cited in the Git+b-i-ACdas is *ased on a Certain Principle
Deri1in6 from *ah+,",ll+h
@3o the general premise that 7omen and men ha'e eDuality in the aith) this) as often e?plained by
AAbdul0Bah) is a fundamental principle deri'ing from Bahullh and therefore His mention of the
A<en of 9ustice in the ;itb0i0ADdas should be considered in light of that principle:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune L9/ 190M. Homen2
23//. All #an$ind are the Creat"res of )ne DodA6anB is a %eneric Term (ppl5in$ to all
7umanit5
@/n this day man must in'estigate reality impartially and 7ithout preBudice in order to reach the true
6no7ledge and conclusions: Hhat) then) constitutes the ineDuality bet7een man and 7omanS Both are
human: /n po7ers and function each is the complement of the other: At most it is this! that 7oman has
been denied the opportunities 7hich man has so long enBoyed) especially the pri'ilege of education::::
@3he truth is that all man6ind are the creatures and ser'ants of one >od) and in His estimate all are
human: <an is a generic term applying to all humanity: 3he Biblical statement A=et us ma6e man in our
image) after our li6eness does not mean that 7oman 7as not created: 3he image and li6eness of >od
apply to her as 7ell: /n 2ersian and Arabic there are t7o distinct 7ords translated into English as man!
one meaning man and 7oman collecti'ely) the other distinguishing man as male from 7oman the
female: 3he first 7ord and its pronoun are generic) collecti'eI the other is restricted to the male: 3his is
the same in Hebre7:
@3o accept and obser'e a distinction 7hich >od has not intended in creation is ignorance and
superstition :::
@/t is my hope that the banner of eDuality may be raised throughout the fi'e continents 7here as yet it
is not fully recogniCed and established: /n this enlightened 7orld of the Hest 7oman has ad'anced an
immeasurable degree beyond the 7omen of the 5rient: And let it be 6no7n once more that until 7oman
and man recogniCe and realiCe eDuality) social and political progress here or any7here 7ill not be
possible: or the 7orld of humanity consists of t7o parts or members! one is 7omanI the other is man:
Jntil these t7o members are eDual in strength) the oneness of humanity cannot be established) and the
happiness and felicity of man6ind 7ill not be a reality: >od 7illing) this is to be so:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3he 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ 198L :!4! edition/ pp! 0N+002
23/0. *ah+,",ll+h #ade 7omen .espected *y Proclaimin6 that All 7omen be Ed"catedIn 4ome
4ocieties It was Prefera)le that 4he 4hould not 8now Readin$ and Writin$
@3he status of 7oman in former times 7as e?ceedingly deplorable) for it 7as the belief of the 5rient that
it 7as best for 7oman to be ignorant: /t 7as considered preferable that she should not 6no7 reading or
7riting in order that she might not be informed of the e'ents in the 7orld: Homan 7as considered to be
created for rearing children and attending to the duties of the household: /f she pursued educational
courses) it 7as deemed contrary to chastityI hence 7omen 7ere made prisoners of the household: 3he
houses did not e'en ha'e 7indo7s opening upon the outside 7orld: Bahullh destroyed these ideas
and proclaimed the eDuality of man and 7oman: He made 7oman respected by commanding that all
7omen be educated) that there be no difference in the education of the t7o se?es and that man and
7oman share the same rights: /n the estimation of >od there is no distinction of se?: 5ne 7hose thought
is pure) 7hose education is superior) 7hose scientific attainments are greater) 7hose deeds of
philanthropy e?cel) be that one man or 7oman) 7hite or coloured) is entitled to full rights and
recognitionI there is no differentiation 7hatsoe'er:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3he 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ 198L :!4! edition/ p! 1MM2
23/2. !he :ew A6e will be an A6e &ess #asc"lineJ the Feminine and #asc"line Elements will be
#ore E1enly *alanced
@3he 7orld in the past has been ruled by force) and man has dominated o'er 7oman by reason of his
more forceful and aggressi'e Dualities both of body and mind: But the balance is already shiftingQforce
is losing its 7eight and mental alertness) intuition) and the spiritual Dualities of lo'e and ser'ice) in
7hich 7oman is strong) are gaining ascendancy: Hence the ne7 age 7ill be an age less masculine) and
more permeated 7ith the feminine idealsQor) to spea6 more e?actly) 7ill be an age in 7hich the
masculine and feminine elements of ci'iliCation 7ill be more e'enly balanced:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Bahullh and the Ne7 Era/ 190M :!4! edition/ p! 1@M2
2303. 7oman 7o"ld be the Peer of #en if EC"al )pport"nity 7ere Dranted
@/t has been obBected by some that 7oman is not eDually capable 7ith man and that she is deficient by
creation: 3his is pure imagination: 3he difference in capability bet7een man and 7oman is due entirely
to opportunity and education: Heretofore 7oman has been denied the right and pri'ilege of eDual
de'elopment: /f eDual opportunity be granted her there is no doubt she 7ould be the peer of man:
History 7ill e'idence this::::E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ pp! 13@2
2301. 7ith !he %ame Ed"cational Ad1anta6es 7omen 7ill %how EC"al Capacity for %cholarship
@/n the 7orld of humanity ::: the female se? is treated as though inferior) and is not allo7ed eDual rights
and pri'ileges: 3his condition is due not to nature) but to education: /n the 8i'ine Creation there is no
such distinction: Neither se? is superior to the other in the sight of >od: Hhy then should one se? assert
the inferiority of the other) 7ithholding Bust rights and pri'ileges as though >od had gi'en His authority
for such a course of actionS /f 7omen recei'ed the same educational ad'antages as those of men) the
result 7ould demonstrate the eDuality of capacity of both for scholarship:
@/n some respects 7oman is superior to man: She is more tender0hearted) more recepti'e) her intuition
is more intense:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 2aris 3al6s/ 19M1 :!8! edition/ p! 1M12
2302. %he is the CoadF"tor of #an
@:::if 7oman be fully educated and granted her rights) she 7ill attain the capacity for 7onderful
accomplishments and pro'e herself the eDual of man: She is the coadButor of man) his complement and
helpmeet: Both are human) both are endo7ed 7ith potentialities of intelligence and embody the 'irtues
of humanity: /n all human po7ers and functions they are partners and co0eDuals: At present in spheres of
human acti'ity 7oman does not manifest her natal prerogati'es o7ing to lac6 of education and
opportunity: Hithout doubt education 7ill establish her eDuality 7ith men::::E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ p! 13M+130/ 198L ed!2
230. !he :eed to Ed"cate and D"ide 7omen in !heir Primary .esponsibility as #others
@3he House of 9ustice regards the need to educate and guide 7omen in their primary responsibility as
mothers as an e?cellent opportunity for organiCing 7omens acti'ities: Mour efforts should focus on
helping them in their function as educators of the rising generation: Homen should also be encouraged
to attract their husbands and male members of their families to the aith so that the Bah community
7ill be representati'e of the society of 7hich it forms a part: >radually the spirit of unity and fello7ship)
as set forth in our teachings) 7ill be reflected in the life of Bah families:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ <e)ruar5 L9/ 198N. Homen2
230'. :o :ation Can Achie1e %"ccess 8nless Ed"cation is Accorded to All Its CitiHens
@3he cause of uni'ersal education) 7hich has already enlisted in its ser'ice an army of dedicated people
from e'ery faith and nation) deser'es the utmost support that the go'ernments of the 7orld can lend it:
or ignorance is indisputably the principle reason for the decline and fall of people and the perpetuation
of preBudice: No nation can achie'e success unless education is accorded all its citiCens: =ac6 of
resources limits the ability of many nations to fulfil this necessity) imposing a certain ordering of
priorities:
@3he decision0ma6ing agencies in'ol'ed 7ould do 7ell to consider gi'ing first priority to the
education of 7omen and girls) since it is through educated mothers that the benefits of 6no7ledge can be
most effecti'ely and rapidly diffused throughout society: /n 6eeping 7ith the reDuirements of the times)
consideration should also be gi'en to teaching the concept of 7orld citiCenship as part of the standard
education of e'ery child:E
&<rom a letter written )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ Octo)er 198@. I)id!2
230(. If #other is Ed"cated then 5er Children 7ill be 7ell !a"6ht
@/f the mother is educated then her children 7ill be 7ell taught: Hhen the mother is 7ise) then 7ill the
children be led into the path of 7isdom: /f the mother be religious she 7ill sho7 her children ho7 they
should lo'e >od: /f the mother is moral she guides her little ones into the 7ays of uprightness:::
3herefore) surely) >od is not pleased that so important an instrument as 7oman should suffer from 7ant
of training in order to attain the perfections desirable and necessary for her great lifes 7or6L 8i'ine
9ustice demands that the rights of both se?es should be eDually respected since neither is superior to the
other in the eyes of Hea'en: 8ignity before >od depends) not on se?) but on purity and luminosity of
heart: Human 'irtues belong eDually to allLE
&'()du*l+,ah-. 2aris 3al6s/ p! 1ML/ :!8! 19N1 ed!2
230-. !he Ass"mption of %"periority by #en 7ill Contin"e to be Depressin6 to the Ambition of
7omen
@/n brief) the assumption of superiority by man 7ill continue to be depressing to the ambition of 7oman)
as if her attainment of eDuality 7as creationally impossibleI 7omans aspiration to7ard ad'ancement
7ill be chec6ed by it) and she 7ill gradually become hopeless: 5n the contrary) 7e must declare that her
capacity is eDual) e'en greater than mans: 3his 7ill inspire her 7ith hope and ambition) and her
susceptibilities for ad'ancement 7ill continually increase: She must not be told and taught that she is
7ea6er and inferior in capacity and Dualification: /f a pupil is told that his intelligence is less than his
fello7 pupils) it is a 'ery great dra7bac6 and handicap to his progress: He must be encouraged to
ad'ance by the statement) AMou are most capable) and if you endea'our) you 7ill attain the highest
degree:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3he 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ 198L :!4! edition/ pp! 0M+002
230/. !he *oldness 7hich the 7omen 7ho Enlisted in the .an$s of the Faith 5a1e E1inced is
)ne of the #iracles 7hich Distin6"ish !his %acred Dispensation
@AAbdul0Bah has pointed out that AAmong the miracles 7hich distinguish this sacred 8ispensation is
this) that 7omen ha'e e'inced a greater boldness than men 7hen enlisted in the ran6s of the aith:
Shoghi Effendi has further stated that this Aboldness must) in the course of time) Abe more con'incingly
demonstrated) and 7in for the belo'ed Cause 'ictories more stirring than any it has as yet achie'ed:
Although ob'iously the entire Bah 7orld is committed to encouraging and stimulating the 'ital role of
7omen in the Bah community as 7ell as in society at large) the i'e Mear 2lan calls specifically on
eighty National Spiritual Assemblies to organiCe Bah acti'ities for 7omen: /n the course of the
current year 7hich has been designated A/nternational Homens Mear as a 7orld07ide acti'ity of the
Jnited Nations) the Bahs) particularly in these eighty national communities) should initiate and
implement programs 7hich 7ill stimulate and promote the full and eDual participation of 7omen in all
aspects of Bah community life) so that through their accomplishments the friends 7ill demonstrate the
distinction of the Cause of >od in this field of human endea'our:E
&<rom a letter written )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ 6a5 L@/ 190@. Homen/ a compilation2
2300. !he 7omen,s &iberation #o1ement
@Concerning the point you raised in your letter ::: that the 7omens liberation mo'ement in::: is assuming
e?treme positions 7hich are ha'ing some influence on impressionable Bah young 7omen) 7e feel it
7ould be helpful if your Assembly 7ere to stress the uniDue position that 7omen occupy by being
members of the Bah aith particularly through participation in the administration of its affairs on both
a local and national scale:E
&<rom a letter written )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ (pril 9/ 1901. I)id!2
2302. 7hat 4Abd",l-*ah+ #eant by 7omen Arisin6 For Peace
@Hhat AAbdul0Bah meant about the 7omen arising for peace is that this is a matter 7hich 'itally
affects 7omen) and 7hen they form a conscious and o'er7helming mass of public opinion against 7ar)
there can be no 7ar: 3he Bah 7omen are already organiCed through being members of the aith and
the Administrati'e 5rder: No further organiCation is needed: But they should) through teaching and
through the acti'e moral support they gi'e to e'ery mo'ement directed to7ards peace) see6 to e?ert a
strong influence on other 7omens minds in regard to this essential matter:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6arch LN/ 19N@. I)id!2
2323. !he Emancipation of 7omen and !he Achie1ement of F"ll EC"ality is one of the #ost
Important PrereC"isites For Peace
@3he emancipation of 7omen) the achie'ement of full eDuality bet7een the se?es) is one of the most
important) though less ac6no7ledged prereDuisites of peace: 3he denial of such eDuality perpetrates an
inBustice against one half of the 7orlds population and promotes in men harmful attitudes and habits
that are carried from the family to the 7or6place) to political life) and ultimately to international
relations: 3here are no grounds) moral) practical) or biological) upon 7hich such denial can be Bustified:
5nly as 7omen are 7elcomed into full partnership in all fields of human endea'our 7ill the moral and
psychological climate be created in 7hich international peace can emerge:E
&<rom a letter written )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/ Octo)er 198@2
2321. !he 5earts of 7omen are #ore !ender and %"sceptible !han the 5earts of #en and !hey
are #ore Philanthropic and .esponsi1e !oward the :eedy and %"fferin6
@3herefore) stri'e to sho7 in the human 7orld that 7omen are most capable and efficient) that their
hearts are more tender and susceptible than the hearts of men) that they are more philanthropic and
responsi'e to7ard the needy and suffering) that they are infle?ibly opposed to 7ar and are lo'ers of
peace: Stri'e that the ideal of international peace may become realiCed through the efforts of
7oman6ind) for man is more inclined to 7ar than 7oman) and a real e'idence of 7omans superiority
7ill be her ser'ice and efficiency in the establishment of uni'ersal peace:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3he 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ 198L :!4! edition/ p! L8N2
2322. 7oman by :at"re is )pposed to 7ar
@:::imbued 7ith the same 'irtues as man) rising through all the degrees of human attainment) 7omen 7ill
become the peers of men) and until this eDuality is established) true progress and attainment for the
human race 7ill not be facilitated:
@3he e'ident reasons underlying this are as follo7s! Homan by nature is opposed to 7arI she is an
ad'ocate of peace: Children are reared and brought up by the mothers 7ho gi'e them the first principles
of education and labour assiduously in their behalf: Consider) for instance) a mother 7ho has tenderly
reared a son for t7enty years to the age of maturity: Surely she 7ill not consent to ha'ing that son torn
asunder and 6illed in the field of battle: 3herefore) as 7oman ad'ances to7ard the degree of man in
po7er and pri'ilege) 7ith the right of 'ote and control in human go'ernment) most assuredly 7ar 7ill
ceaseI for 7oman is naturally the most de'oted and staunch ad'ocate of international peace:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3he 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ 198L :!4! edition/ p! 30@2
232. !he 7oman has Dreater #oral Co"ra6e !han #an and is of the Dreater Importance to the
.ace
@3he 7oman is indeed of the greater importance to the race: She has the greater burden and the greater
7or6: =oo6 at the 'egetable and the animal 7orlds: 3he palm 7hich carries the fruit is the tree most
priCed by the date gro7er: 3he Arab 6no7s that for a long Bourney the mare has the longest 7ind: or her
greater strength and fierceness) the lioness is more feared by the hunter than the lion:::
@3he 7oman has greater moral courage than the manI she has also special gifts 7hich enable her to
go'ern in moments of danger and crisis:E
&AAbdul0Bah in =ondon/ 198L :!8! edition/ pp! 11L+1132
232'. !he D"ty )f 7omen in *ein6 the First Ed"cators of #an$ind
@3he duty of 7omen in being the first educators of man6ind is clearly set forth in the Hritings: /t is for
e'ery 7oman) if and 7hen she becomes a mother) to determine ho7 best she can discharge on the one
hand her chief responsibility as a mother and on the other) to the e?tent possible) to participate in other
aspects of the acti'ities of the society of 7hich she forms a part:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril LL/ 1981. Homen/ a compilation2
232(. At Present !he EC"ality of #en and 7omen is not 8ni1ersally Applied
@3he eDuality of men and 7omen is not) at the present time) uni'ersally applied: /n those areas 7here
traditional ineDuality still hampers its progress 7e must ta6e the lead in practising this Bah principle:
Bah 7omen and girls must be encouraged to ta6e part in the social) spiritual and administrati'e
acti'ities of their communities:E
&<rom :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice*s Rid"-n 6essa$e/ 198N2
232-. )ne of the Factors in *rin6in6 Abo"t International Peace is 7oman,s %"ffra6e
@?uestionF /s it not a fact that uni'ersal peace cannot be accomplished until there is political democracy
in all the countries of the 7orldS
@Ans"erF /t is 'ery e'ident that in the future there shall be no centraliCation in the countries of the
7orld) be they constitutional in go'ernment) republican or democratic in form: 3he Jnited States may be
held up as the e?ample of future go'ernmentQthat is to say) each pro'ince 7ill be independent in itself)
but there 7ill be federal union protecting the interests of the 'arious independent states: /t may not be a
republican or a democratic form: 3o cast aside centraliCation 7hich promotes despotism is the e?igency
of the time: 3his 7ill be producti'e of international peace: Another fact of eDual importance in bringing
about international peace is 7omanKs suffrage: 3hat is to say) 7hen perfect eDuality shall be established
bet7een men and 7omen) peace may be realiCed for the simple reason that 7oman6ind in general 7ill
ne'er fa'our 7arfare: Homen 7ill not be 7illing to allo7 those 7hom they ha'e so tenderly cared for to
go to the battlefield: Hhen they shall ha'e a 'ote) they 7ill oppose any cause of 7arfare: Another factor
7hich 7ill bring about uni'ersal peace is the lin6ing together of the 5rient and the 5ccident:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3he 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ 198L :!4! edition/ p! 1M02
232/. EC"ality of #en and 7omen is Cond"ci1e to the Abolition of 7arfare
@Hhen all man6ind shall recei'e the same opportunity of education and the eDuality of men and 7omen
be realiCed) the foundations of 7ar 7ill be utterly destroyed: Hithout eDuality this 7ill be impossible
because all differences and distinction are conduci'e to discord and strife: EDuality bet7een men and
7omen is conduci'e to the abolition of 7arfare for the reason that 7omen 7ill ne'er by 7illing to
sanction it:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. I)id!/ 198L :!4! edition/ p! 10@2
2320. !he Principle of EC"ality Can be Effecti1ely and 8ni1ersally Established 7hen P"rs"ed in
ConF"nction 7ith All )ther Aspects of *ah+,; &ife
@3he principle of the eDuality bet7een 7omen and men) li6e the other teachings of the aith) can be
effecti'ely and uni'ersally established among the friends 7hen it is pursued in conBunction 7ith all the
other aspects of Bah life: Change is an e'olutionary process reDuiring patience 7ith ones self and
others) lo'ing education and the passage of time as the belie'ers deepen their 6no7ledge of the
principles of the aith) gradually discard long0held traditional attitudes and progressi'ely conform their
li'es to the unifying teachings of the Cause:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 L@/ 198N. Homen/ a compilation2
2322. Dod Does :ot InC"ire@ <Art !ho" 7oman or Art !ho" #anI=
@/n reality) >od has created all man6ind) and in the estimation of >od there is no distinction as to male
and female: 3he one 7hose heart is pure is acceptable in His sight) be that one man or 7oman: >od does
not inDuire) AArt thou 7oman or art thou manS He Budges human actions: /f these are acceptable in the
threshold of the >lorious 5ne) man and 7oman 7ill be eDually recogniCed and re7arded:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3he 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ 198L :!4! edition/ p! 1332
2133. 7oman #"st %t"dy the Ind"strial and A6ric"lt"ral %ciences in )rder to Assist #an$ind in
!hat 7hich is #ost :eedf"l
@Homan must especially de'ote her energies and abilities to7ard the industrial and agricultural sciences)
see6ing to assist man6ind in that 7hich is most needful: By this means she 7ill demonstrate capability
and ensure recognition of eDuality in the social and economic eDuation:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. I)id!/ 198L :!4! edition/ p! L832
2131. 7hen 7oman .ecei1es Ed"cation and F"ll .i6hts to the Prero6ati1es of #an@ %he 7ill
.ef"se to %end 5er %ons to the *attlefield and %he will Abolish 7arfare Amon6 #an$ind
@:::the principle of religion has been re'ealed by Bahullh that 7oman must be gi'en the pri'ilege of
eDual education 7ith man and full right to his prerogati'es: 3hat is to say) there must be no difference in
the education of male and female in order that 7oman6ind may de'elop eDual capacity and importance
7ith man in the social and economic eDuation: 3hen the 7orld 7ill attain unity and harmony: /n past
ages humanity has been defecti'e and inefficient because it has been incomplete: Har and its ra'ages
ha'e blighted the 7orldI the education of 7oman 7ill be a mighty step to7ard its abolition and ending)
for she 7ill use her 7hole influence against 7ar: Homan rears the child and educates the youth to
maturity: She 7ill refuse to gi'e her sons for sacrifice upon the field of battle: /n truth) she 7ill be the
greatest factor in establishing uni'ersal peace and international arbitration: Assuredly) 7oman 7ill
abolish 7arfare among man6ind:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. I)id!/ 198L :!4! edition/ p! 1182
2132. 4Abd",l-*ah+ .e6ards %"ch IneC"alities as .emain *etween the %e?es in !his A6e As *ein6
<:e6li6ible=
@AAbdul0Bah asserts! A/n this di'ine age the bounties of >od ha'e encompassed the 7orld of 7omen:
EDuality of men and 7omen) e?cept in some negligible instances) has been fully and categorically
announced: 8istinctions ha'e been utterly remo'ed: 3hat men and 7omen differ from one another in
certain characteristics and functions is an inescapable fact of natureI the important thing is that He
regards such ineDualities as remain bet7een the se?es as being Anegligible:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to a ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ Eanuar5 8/ 1981. Homen/ a
compilation2
213. !he 7orld of 5"manity Consists of !wo Complementary PartsK #ale and Female. If )ne is
Defecti1e the )ther will :ecessarily be Incomplete
@3he 7orld of humanity consists of t7o parts! male and female: Each is the complement of the other:
3herefore) if one is defecti'e) the other 7ill necessarily be incomplete) and perfection cannot be attained:
3here is a right hand and a left hand in the human body) functionally eDual in ser'ice and administration:
/f either pro'es defecti'e) the defect 7ill naturally e?tend to the other by in'ol'ing the completeness of
the 7holeI for accomplishment is not normal unless both are perfect: /f 7e say one hand is deficient) 7e
pro'e the inability and incapacity of the otherI for single0handed there is no full accomplishment: 9ust as
physical accomplishment is complete 7ith t7o hands) so man and 7oman) the t7o parts of the social
body) must be perfect: /t is not natural that either should remain unde'elopedI and until both are
perfected) the happiness of the human 7orld 7ill not be realiCed:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 3he 2romulgation of Jni'ersal 2eace/ 198L :!4! edition/ p! 13N2
213'. 8ni1ersal Peace is Impossible 7itho"t 8ni1ersal %"ffra6eK It is 7istoricall5 True That E"er5
Influential :ndertakin$ in the World Where Woman Was a Participant 7as (ttained Importance
@Again) it is 7ell established in history that 7here 7oman has not participated in human affairs the
outcomes ha'e ne'er attained a state of completion and perfection: 5n the other hand) e'ery influential
underta6ing of the human 7orld 7herein 7oman has been a participant has attained importance: 3his is
historically true and beyond disproof e'en in religion: 9esus Christ had t7el'e disciples and among His
follo7ers a 7oman 6no7n as <ary <agdalene: 9udas /scariot had become a traitor and hypocrite) and
after the crucifi?ion the remaining ele'en disciples 7ere 7a'ering and undecided: /t is certain from the
e'idence of the >ospels that the one 7ho comforted them and re0established their faith 7as <ary
<agdalene:::
@3he most momentous Duestion of this day is international peace and arbitration) and uni'ersal peace
is impossible 7ithout uni'ersal suffrage:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. I)id!/ p! 13N+13@2
LII$ +OR#
A$ +or< is +orshi-
213(. 7or$ is 7orship
@/t is made incumbent on e'ery one of you to engage in some occupation) such as arts) trades) and the
li6e: He ha'e made thisQyour occupationQidentical 7ith the 7orship of >od) the 3rue 5ne: &eflect) 5
people) upon the <ercy of >od and upon His fa'ors) then than6 Him in mornings and e'enings:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. ,ah-*? World <aith/ p! 19@2
213-. Idle People 5a1e no Place in the 7orld )rder
@Hith reference to Bahullhs command concerning the engagement of the belie'ers in some sort of
profession! 3he 3eachings are most emphatic on this matter) particularly the statement in the AADdas to
this effect 7hich ma6es it Duite clear that idle people 7ho lac6 the desire to 7or6 can ha'e no place in
the ne7 Horld 5rder: As a corollary of this principle) Bahullh further states that mendicity should
not only be discouraged but entirely 7iped out from the face of society: /t is the duty of those 7ho are in
charge of the organiCation of society to gi'e e'ery indi'idual the opportunity of acDuiring the necessary
talent in some 6ind of profession) and also the means of utiliCing such a talent) both for its o7n sa6e and
for the sa6e of earning the means of his li'elihood: E'ery indi'idual) no matter ho7 handicapped and
limited he may be) is under the obligation of engaging in some 7or6 or profession) for 7or6) specially
7hen performed in the spirit of ser'ice) is according to Bahullh a form of 7orship: /t has not only a
utilitarian purpose) but has a 'alue in itself) because it dra7s us nearer to >od) and enables us to better
grasp His purpose for us in this 7orld: /t is ob'ious) therefore) that the inheritance of 7ealth cannot
ma6e anyone immune from daily 7or6:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ 6arch LL/ 19302
213/. 4Abd",l-*ah+ Ad1ocates !he :eed For a Profession--5e said 5is was #at-#a$in6
@/n connection 7ith your dear husband) Shoghi Effendi 7ould consider it in full and happy accord 7ith
the e?pressed desire of the <aster that e'ery man should ha'e some permanent 7or6: <uch as he
desires to see you both de'ote your entire energies to a 7ell0thought out) progressi'e and attracti'e
presentation of the CauseQa thing he feels 7e lac6 lamentablyQhe 7ould be 'ery pleased to see your
husband follo7 7hat the <aster often repeated e'en to His o7n immediate family) namely the necessity
of a profession: 5f course you 6no7 that He al7ays said His had been mat0ma6ing:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 4eptem)er L1/ 19L92
2130. *ah+,",ll+h Commands !hat E1eryone %ho"ld En6a6e in %ome %ort of Profession
@3he >uardian fully realiCes that from the material standpoint it 7ould be Duite easy for you to de'ote
all your time to the ser'ice of the Cause) and he deeply appreciates the strong desire you ha'e e?pressed
to consecrate your full life to this noble aim) 7hich should certainly be the chief and constant ambition
of e'ery loyal belie'er:
@But he thin6s that in 'ie7 of Bahullhs emphatic command) as recorded in His Boo6 of =a7s) that
e'ery person should be engaged in some sort of profession) it 7ould be better and more in conformity
7ith the 3eachings if you remain in your profession and teach the Cause at the same time: As you rightly
suggest) the middle path) that is to say practicing ones profession and also teaching the Cause) is the
best 7ay for you to follo7:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 31/ 193M2
2132. Di1ision of !ime
@3he ad'ice that Shoghi Effendi ga'e you regarding the di'ision of your time bet7een ser'ing the Cause
and attending to your other duties 7as also gi'en to many other friends both by Bahullh and the
<aster: /t is a compromise bet7een the t7o 'erses of the AADdas! one ma6ing it incumbent upon e'ery
Bah to ser'e the promotion of the aith and the other that e'ery soul should be occupied in some form
of occupation that 7ill benefit society: /n one of His 3ablets Bahullh says that the highest form of
detachment in this day is to be occupied 7ith some profession and be self0supporting: A good Bah)
therefore) is the one 7ho so arranges his life as to de'ote time both to his material needs and also to the
ser'ice of the Cause:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ <e)ruar5 LM/ 19332
2113. Art is 7orship
@/n the Bah Cause arts) sciences and all crafts are Fcounted asG 7orship:::: Briefly) all effort and
e?ertion put forth by man from the fullness of his heart is 7orship) if it is prompted by the highest
moti'es and the 7ill to do ser'ice to humanity: 3his is 7orship! to ser'e man6ind and to minister to the
needs of the people: Ser'ice is prayer::::E
&'()du*l+,ah-. 2aris 3al6s/ pp! 10M+1002
2111. 7or$in6 For the Ca"se Does not Constit"te Professional Acti1ity
@or it must be clearly understood that 7or6ing for the Cause does not and cannot constitute a sort of
professional acti'ity of the type current in ecclesiastical organiCations) 7hether Christian) <uslim or
other7ise: He ha'e no priesthood) no specialiCed class of people 7ho can ma6e the Cause their only
life07or6: /n the Bah Cause) 7here practical considerations are harmoniously combined 7ith those of
a more theoretical character) 7here idealism and realism are each duly recogniCed and are fused into a
harmonious 7hole) men and 7omen are commanded to 7or6 for the Cause not as a substitute to their
daily professional occupation but in addition to them:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 31/ 193M2
2112. Practice Economy
@3hou hast as6ed regarding the means of li'elihood: 3rust in >od and engage in your 7or6 and practice
economyI the confirmations of >od shall descend and you 7ill be enabled to pay off your debts: Be ye
occupied al7ays 7ith the mention of Bahullh and see6 ye no other hope and desire sa'e Him:E
&'()du*l+,ah-. Bah Horld aith/ p! 30@2
211. All 5"manity #"st )btain a &i1elihood
@::: All humanity must obtain a li'elihood by s7eat of the bro7 and bodily e?ertionI at the same time
see6ing to lift the burden of others) stri'ing to be the source of comfort to souls and facilitating the
means of li'ing: 3his in itself is de'otion to >od: Bahullh has thereby encouraged action and
stimulated ser'ice::::E
211'. .etirement from 7or$
@As to the Duestion of retirement from 7or6 for indi'iduals 7ho ha'e reached a certain age) this is a
matter on 7hich the /nternational House of 9ustice 7ill ha'e to legislate as there are no pro'isions in the
ADdas concerning it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ 6arch LL/ 1930.
2rinciples of Bah Administration/ p! 1L2
211(. 7or$ in the Ca"se at 7hate1er A6e
@E'en though you are +# years old) that does not seem in your case to be any handicapI and in this
Cause) as the >uardian has told us there is 7or6 for e'eryone of some sort) of 7hate'er age he or she
may be:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust L3/ 19@N. cited )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice/
Decem)er 1N/ 19012
211-. <)cc"py Eo"rsel1es 7ith that 7hich Profiteth Eo"rsel1es and )thers=
@/t is enBoined upon e'ery one of you to engage in some form of occupation) such as crafts) trades and
the li6e) He ha'e graciously e?alted your engagement in such 7or6 to the ran6 of 7orship unto >od) the
3rue 5ne: 2onder ye in your hearts the grace and the blessings of >od and render than6s unto Him at
e'entide and at da7n: Haste not your time in idleness and sloth: 5ccupy yoursel'es 7ith that 7hich
profiteth yoursel'es and others: 3hus hath it been decreed in this 3ablet from 7hose horiCon the day0star
of 7isdom and utterance shineth resplendent:E
&,ah-*u*ll-h. 3ablets of Bahullh re'ealed after the ;itab0i0ADdas/ 1908 World 3entre ed!/ p! LM2
211/. #"st a 7ife and #other 7or$ For 5er &i1elihood as 5er 5"sband DoesI
@Mou as6 about the admonition that e'eryone must 7or6) and 7ant to 6no7 if this means that you) a 7ife
and mother) must 7or6 for a li'elihood as your husband does: He are reDuested to enclose for your
perusal an e?cerpt) A3he t7elfth >lad03idings) from Bahullhs A3ablet of Bisharat: Mou 7ill see that
the directi'e is for the friends to be engaged in an occupation 7hich 7ill be of benefit to man6ind:
Homema6ing is a highly honourable and responsible 7or6 of fundamental importance for man6ind:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 1M/ 198L. Homen2
2110. !he #an 5as Primary .esponsibility for the Financial %"pport of the Family and the 7oman
is the Chief and Primary Ed"cator of the Children
@Hith regard to your Duestion 7hether mothers should 7or6 outside the home) it is helpful to consider
the matter from the perspecti'e of the concept of a Bah family: 3his concept is based on the principle
that the man has primary responsibility for the financial support of the family) and the 7oman is the
chief and primary educator of the children: 3his by no means implies that these functions are infle?ibly
fi?ed and cannot be changed and adBusted to suit particular family situations) nor does it mean that the
place of the 7oman is confined to the home: &ather) 7hile primary responsibility is assigned) it is
anticipated that fathers 7ould play a significant role in the education of the children and 7omen could
also be bread7inners: As you rightly indicated) AAbdul0Bah encouraged 7omen to Aparticipate fully
and eDually in the affairs of the 7orld:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust 9/ 198N. I)id!2
2112. Concernin6 the Amo"nt of !ime a #other #ay %pend )"tside the 5ome
@/n relation to your specific Dueries) the decision concerning the amount of time a mother may spend in
7or6ing outside the home depends on circumstances e?isting 7ithin the home) 7hich may 'ary from
time to time: amily consultation 7ill help to pro'ide the ans7ers:E
&I)id!2
2123. !he Importance of the #other,s .ole Deri1es From the Fact !hat %he is the First Ed"cator
of the Child
@3he great importance attached to the mothers role deri'es from the fact that she is the first educator of
the child: Her attitude) her prayers) e'en 7hat she eats and her physical condition ha'e a great influence
on the child 7hen it is still in 7omb: Hhen the child is born) it is she 7ho has been endo7ed by >od
7ith the mil6 7hich is the first food designed for it) and it is intended that) if possible) she should be
7ith the baby to train and nurture it in its earliest days and months: 3his does not mean that the father
does not also lo'e) pray for) and care for his baby) but as he has the primary responsibility of pro'iding
for the family) his time to be 7ith his child is usually limited) 7hile the mother is usually closely
associated 7ith the baby during this intensely formati'e time 7hen it is gro7ing and de'eloping faster
than it e'er 7ill again during the 7hole of its life: As the child gro7s older and more independent) the
relati'e nature of its relationship 7ith its mother and father modifies and the father can play a greater
role:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (u$ust L3/ 198N2
B$ Trade !nions and %tri<es
2121. D"idelines in .espect to #embership in !rade 8nions and Participation in %tri$es
@5n the Duestion of trade unions the >uardianKs secretary made the follo7ing comment on his behalf in a
letter dated , ebruary "#1":
A&egarding your Duestion about trade unions! 3he >uardian considers that this is a matter
for each National Spiritual Assembly to ad'ise the belie'ers on: As long as the trade unions
are not members of any particular political party) there does not seem to be any obBection to
the Bahs belonging to them:
@:::the British National Spiritual Assembly 7rote to the >uardian as follo7s!
A/n this country the la7 recognises stri6es as legal 7hen called by properly constituted
authorities such as a 3rade Jnion) and our o7n understanding is that in such circumstances
the Bah teaching) in spite of AAbdul0Bahs e?press disappro'al of stri6es) neither
reDuires nor forbids an indi'idual to stri6e but lea'es him free to decide for himself in the
particular circumstances of his case 7hat is the proper course of action:
@3he >uardians secretary replied on his behalf in a letter dated 9uly "") "#1*!
AAs regard stri6es) the >uardian feels that your o7n understanding of the matter as
e?pressed in your letter is Duite correct) and he does not see the necessity of adding anything
to it: He should a'oid becoming rigid and laying do7n any more rules and regulations of
conduct:
@Based on the abo'e guidelines) 7e are to emphasiCe the follo7ing points:
": A Bah can become a member of a trade union as long as he is not reDuired to also Boin a political
party:
,: AAbdul0Bah in general disappro'ed of stri6es: 3he Bah attitude is that 7hen the la7 recogniCes
stri6es as legal) as 7hen called by a properly constituted authority such as a trade union) the Bah
teaching neither reDuires nor forbids an indi'idual to participate in the stri6e but lea'es him free to
decide for himself 7hat is the proper course of action in the particular circumstances:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune L3/ 198@2
LIII$ >O!T)
2122. )"r E?pectant Eyes are Fi?ed on *ah+,; Eo"thS
@3he endurance of youth under arduous conditions) their 'itality and 'igour) and their ability to adapt
themsel'es to local situations) to meet ne7 challenges) and to impart their 7armth and enthusiasm to
those they 'isit) combined 7ith the standard of conduct upheld by Bah youth) ma6e them potent
instruments for the e?ecution of the contemplated proBects: /ndeed) through these distincti'e Dualities
they can become the spearhead of any enterprise and the dri'ing force of any underta6ing in 7hich they
participate) 7hether local or national: 5ur e?pectant eyes are fi?ed on Bah youthLE
212. !eena6ers
@Mou 7ho are at present in your teens) or t7enties) must realiCe that tomorro7) to a large e?tent) the
burden of the Cause 7ill rest on your shouldersI you 7ill ha'e to be the administrators and teachers and
scholars of the aith: No7 is the time to prepare yoursel'es for your future duties:
@He hopes you 7ill study the teachings deeply) their spiritual) moral) and administrati'e precepts) and
at the same time ta6e as acti'e a part as possible in the life of your respecti'e Bah communities:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi. 8a7n of a Ne7 8ay/ p! 1832
212'. %pecial #essa6e and #ission for Eo"th
@3his Cause) although it embraces 7ith eDual esteem people of all ages) has a special message and
mission for the youth of your generation: /t is their charter for their future) their hope) their guarantee of
better days to come: 3herefore) the >uardian is especially happy that the young Bahs are acti'e in the
pioneer 7or6:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eune 1M/ 19NL. Bah Ne7s/ o! 1M1/ p! 1/ 6arch 19N32
212(. Eo"th %ho"ld )pen !heir Eyes to E?istin6 %it"ation of 7orld Conditions and InC"ire Abo"t
7hat the F"t"re is Doin6 to *rin6
@3he present condition of the 7orldQits economic instability) social dissensions) political dissatisfaction
and international distrustQshould a7a6en the youth from their slumber and ma6e them enDuire 7hat the
future is going to bring: /t is surely they 7ho 7ill suffer most if some calamity s7eeps o'er the 7orld:
3hey should therefore open their eyes to the e?isting conditions) study the e'il forces that are at play and
then 7ith a concerted effort arise and bring about the necessary reformsQreforms that shall contain
7ithin their scope the spiritual as 7ell as social and political phases of human life:E
212-. !o #a$e !heir Biews Gnown to )thers the Eo"n6 People %ho"ld Geep in !o"ch 7ith &ocal
Eo"th Acti1ities
@:::the young Bahs in e'ery city should ma6e a point of 6eeping in touch 7ith local youth acti'ities
and clubs) and endea'ouring to ma6e their 'ie7s 6no7n to as many young people in as many 7ays as
possible: Abo'e all they should set a high e?ample to themI chastity) politeness) friendliness) hospitality)
Boyous optimism about the ultimate future happiness and 7ell0being of man6ind should distinguish them
and 7in o'er to them the lo'e and admiration of their fello7 youth: 3he thing 7hich is most
conspicuously lac6ing in modern life is a high standard of conduct and good characterI the young
Bahs must demonstrate both) if they hope to seriously 7in o'er to the aith members of their o7n
generation) so sorely disillusioned and so contaminated by the la?ity 7ar gi'es rise to:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational Douth 3ommittee of the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/
Octo)er L1/ 19N@2
212/. Eo"th %ho"ld be %cholars of the Faith6aterial Trainin$ and 6aterial Pro$ress are
Insufficient
@/n regard to your Duestions in your letter of 9une "1th!
No: ": 3he >uardian has al7ays ad'ised young people to study deeply such subBects as History)
Economics and Sociology as they are all related to the teachings and aid in understanding the aith:
No: ,: A course on the aith suitable for uni'ersity use should be 7or6ed out by some body of Bahs
and educators and appro'ed by the N:S:A:
No: %: 3he greatest need of youth today is character training: 2rayer is only one factor in thisI they
must learn to li'e up to the ethical teachings of the aith:::
No: (: 5nce young people become con'inced of the e?istence of the soul they should not need much
con'incing that material training and material progress are not sufficient: 3he soul needs training and
help too:
@He feels that teaching the aith to the youth is of the utmost importance in these days) as they 7ill not
only become the 7or6ers of the future but 7ill be able to 7idely spread the <essage among their o7n
generation: He appro'es of your de'oting as much time to this 7or6 as feasible::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ 6a5 1L/ 19NN2
2120. %aints@ 5eroes@ #artyrs and Administrators
@He urges you to ma6e up your minds to do great) great deeds for the aithI the condition of the 7orld is
steadily gro7ing 7orse) and your generation must pro'ide the saints) heroes) martyrs and administrators
of future years: Hith dedication and 7ill po7er you can rise to great heights:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi/ Octo)er L/ 19@1. Bah Mouth/ p! M2
2122. Ca"se Doomed to %ta6nation If Eo"th Fail
@::: /f the younger Bah generation) in 7hom Shoghi Effendi has great hopes) ta6e the pain of studying
the Cause deeply and thoroughly) read its history) find its underlying principles and become both 7ell
informed and energetic) they surely can achie'e a great deal: /t is upon their shoulders that the <aster
has laid the tremendous 7or6 of teaching: 3hey are the ones to raise the call of the ;ingdom and arouse
the people from slumber: /f they fail the Cause is doomed to stagnation::::E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi. Dawn of a ew Da5/ p! 32
213. !he .esponsibility for !eachin6 is Placed on the %ho"lders of the *ah+,; Eo"th
@:::3he responsibilities that ha'e been laid upon your shoulders are manifold) and unless you e?ert your
utmost to carry them out there can be not much hope for any further progress in the field of Bah
teaching acti'ity: 3he obligation to teach is essentially the responsibility of young belie'ers: 3heir 7hole
training should therefore be directed in such a 7ay as to ma6e them competent teachers: /t is for this
'ery purpose that Bah Summer Schools) 7hich constitute the 'ery basis upon 7hich the Bah
uni'ersities of the future 7ill be established) should be 7idely attended by young belie'ers:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to fi"e ,ah-*? Douth %roups in the :nited 4tates/ 6a5 1@/ 193M2
211. Eo"th 7ill Inherit the 7or$ of the )lder *ah+,;s
@3he responsibility of young belie'ers is 'ery great) as they must not only fit themsel'es to inherit the
7or6 of the older Bahs and carry on the affairs of the Cause in general) but the 7orld 7hich lies ahead
of themQas promised by BahullhQ7ill be a 7orld chastened by its sufferings) ready to listen to His
8i'ine <essage at lastI and conseDuently a 'ery high character 7ill be e?pected of the e?ponents of
such a religion: 3o deepen their 6no7ledge) to perfect themsel'es in the Bah standards of 'irtue and
upright conduct) should be the paramount duty of e'ery young Bah:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi. 8a7n of a Ne7 8ay/ pp! 109+1812
212. !he :eed of #odern Eo"th For a !ype of Ethics Fo"nded on P"re .eli6io"s Faith
@::: He Duite agrees ::: that the dangers facing the modern youth are becoming increasingly gra'e) and
call for immediate solution: But as e?perience clearly sho7s) the remedy to this truly sad and perple?ing
situation is not to be found in traditional and ecclesiastical religion: 3he dogmatism of the church has
been discarded once for all: Hhat can control youth and sa'e it from the pitfalls of the crass materialism
of the age is the po7er of a genuine) constructi'e and li'ing aith such as the one re'ealed to the 7orld
by Bahullh: &eligion) as in the past) is still the 7orlds sole hope) but not that form of religion 7hich
our ecclesiastical leaders stri'e 'ainly to preach: 8i'orced from true religion) morals lose their
effecti'eness and cease to guide and control mans indi'idual and social life: But 7hen true religion is
combined 7ith true ethics) then moral progress becomes a possibility and not a mere ideal:
E3he need of our modern youth is for such a type of ethics founded on pure religious faith: Not until
these t7o are rightly combined and brought into full action can there be any hope for the future of the
race:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ (pril 10/ 193M. Bah Mouth/ pp! 8+92
21. Associate in a Friendly %pirit with )thers
@By all means perse'ere and associate in a friendly spirit 7ith other groups of young people) particularly
of a different race or minority nationality) for such an association 7ill demonstrate your complete
con'iction of the oneness of man6ind and attract others to the aith) both young and old ali6e: A spirit of
preBudice0free) lo'ing comradeship 7ith others is 7hat 7ill open the eyes of people more than any
amount of 7ords:E
&<rom a letter of the %uardian to the Da5ton ,ah-*? Douth %roup/ Eanuar5 18/ 19N@2
21'. From *e6innin6 *ah+,; Era Eo"th Played Bital Part
@::: rom the 'ery beginning of the Bah Era) youth ha'e played a 'ital part in the promulgation of
>ods &e'elation: 3he Bb Himself 7as but t7enty0fi'e years old 7hen He declared His <ission) 7hile
many of the =etters of the =i'ing 7ere e'en younger: 3he <aster) as a 'ery young man) 7as called upon
to shoulder hea'y responsibilities in the ser'ice of His ather in A/rD and 3ur6ey) and His brother) the
2urest Branch) yielded up his life to >od in the <ost >reat 2rison at the age of t7enty0t7o that the
ser'ants of >od might Abe Duic6ened) and all that d7ell on earth be united: Shoghi Effendi 7as a
student at 5?ford 7hen called to the throne of his guardianship) and many of the ;nights of Bahullh)
7ho 7on imperishable fame during the 3en Mear Crusade) 7ere young people: =et it) therefore) ne'er be
imagined that youth must a7ait their years of maturity before they can render in'aluable ser'ices to the
Cause of >od:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to ,ah-*? 5outh in e"er5 land/ Eune 11/ 19MM2
21(. 7e #ay 7ell Em"late the Eo"th
@::: He may 7ell emulate Bah youth 7hose recent surge for7ard into the 'an of proclamation and
teaching is one of the most encouraging and significant trends in the aith) and 7ho storm the gates of
hea'en for support in their enterprises by long0sustained) precedent and continuing prayer: He are all
able to call upon Bahullh for His 8i'ine) all0po7erful aid) and He 7ill surely help us: or He is the
Hearer of prayers) the Ans7erer:E
&<rom the 6essa$e of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ Rid"-n 190L2
21-. 8ps"r6e of *ah+,; Eo"th
@3he first) the heart7arming upsurge of Bah youth) has changed the face of teaching 7or6I
impenetrable barriers ha'e been bro6en or o'er passed by eager teams of young Bahs) dedicated and
prayerful) presenting the 8i'ine <essage in 7ays acceptable to their o7n generation from 7hich it has
spread and is spreading throughout the social structure: 3he entire Bah 7orld has been thrilled by this
de'elopment: Ha'ing reBected the 'alues and standards of the old 7orld) Bah youth are eager to learn
and adapt themsel'es to the standards of Bahullh and so to offer the 8i'ine 2rogramme to fill the
gap left by the abandonment of the old order:E
&6essa$e from the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ Rid"-n 19032
21/. Eo"th %ho"ld be Enco"ra6ed to !hin$ of !heir %t"dies
@Bah youth should be encouraged to thin6 of their studies and of their training for a trade or
profession as part of their ser'ice to the Cause of >od and in the conte?t of a lifetime that 7ill be
de'oted to ad'ancing the interests of the aith: At the same time) during their years of study) youth are
often able to offer specific periods of 7ee6s or months) or e'en of a year or more) during 7hich they can
de'ote themsel'es to tra'el teaching or to ser'ing the Bah community in other 7ays) such as
conducting childrens classes in remote 'illages: 3hey should be encouraged to offer such ser'ice) 7hich
7ill in itself be admirable e?perience for the future) and the National Assembly should instruct an
appropriate committee to recei'e such offers and to organiCe their implementation so as to deri'e the
greatest possible ad'antage from them:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ aw+RGJ 190N2
210. Eo"th 7ill Arise for the %a$e of Dod
@He sincerely hope that the forefront of the 'olunteers) the Bah youth 7ill arise for the sa6e of >od
and) through their dri'ing force) their ability to endure inhospitable and arduous conditions) and their
contentment 7ith the bare necessities of life) they 7ill offer an inspiring e?ample to the peoples and
communities they set out to ser'e) 7ill e?ert an abiding influence on their personal li'es) and 7ill
promote 7ith distinction the 'ital interests of >odEs Cause at this crucial stage in the fortunes of the
2lan:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to all ational 4piritual (ssem)lies/ 6arch L@/ 190@2
212. !he 5o"se of 9"stice Calls on the *ah+,; Eo"th as <&e6atees of the 5eroic Early *elie1ers=
to .e-Do"ble !heir Efforts in %preadin6 the Di1ine #essa6e
@As to Bah youth) legatees of the heroic early belie'ers and no7 standing on their shoulders) 7e call
upon them to redouble their efforts) in this day of 7idespread interest in the Cause of >od) to enthuse
their contemporaries 7ith the di'ine <essage and thus prepare themsel'es for the day 7hen they 7ill be
'eteran belie'ers able to assume 7hate'er tas6s may be laid upon them: He offer them this passage from
the 2en of Bahullh!
ABlessed is he 7ho in the prime of his youth and the heyday of his life 7ill arise to ser'e the
Cause of the =ord of the beginning and of the end) and adorn his heart 7ith His lo'e: 3he
manifestation of such a grace is greater than the creation of the hea'ens and of the earth:
Blessed are the steadfast and 7ell is it 7ith those 7ho are firm:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the World/ Rid"-n 198L2
21'3. Eo"th %ho"ld not Indict :on-*ah+,; Friends For !hey )nly %ee a 7orld Cr"mblin6 b"t 7e
%ee a :ew 7orld *ein6 *"ilt 8p
@E'en though the Bah youth should feel 7ith the condition in 7hich they see their non0Bah friends
and not indict them for it) they should not let themsel'es be carried by the 7a'e of 7orld e'ents as they
are being carried: Hhereas they see before them only a 7orld that is crumbling do7n 7e are also seeing
a ne7 7orld being built up: Hhereas they e?perience the destruction of old institutions that commanded
their respect) 7e are beholding the da7n of a ne7 era 7ith its strict commands and ne7 social bonds:
3heir materialistic outloo6 sho7s them the futility of all things 7hile our faith in a regenerated and
spiritualiCed man ma6es us loo6 to the future and build for it: 3o ma6e them follo7 our 7ays 7e should
sympathiCe 7ith their plight but should not follo7 their 7ays: He should ta6e our stand on a higher
plane of moral and spiritual life and) setting for them the true e?ample) urge them up to our le'el: 3he
young people should read 7hat Bahullh and the <aster say on such matters and follo7 them
conscientiously: 3hat is if they desire to be true to the teachings and establish them throughout the
7orld:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Octo)er LM/ 193L. Bah Mouth/ a compilation/ pp! N+@2
21'1. Ed"cation@ )ne of the #ost F"ndamental Factors of !r"e Ci1iliHation
@Being a Bah you are certainly a7are of the fact that Bahullh considered education as one of the
most fundamental factors of a true ci'iliCation: 3his education) ho7e'er) in order to be adeDuate and
fruitful should be comprehensi'e in nature and should ta6e into consideration not only the physical and
the intellectual side of man but also his spiritual and ethical aspects: 3his should be the program of the
Bah Mouth all o'er the 7orld:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of the %uardian to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eul5 9/ 1931. Bah Mouth/ pp! 11+112
21'2. F"t"re Peace%reat Responsi)ilit5 ,orne )5 Douth
@A 'ery great responsibility for the future peace and 7ell0being of the 7orld is borne by the youth of
today: =et the Bah youth by the po7er of the Cause they espouse be the shining e?ample for their
companions:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates/ (pril 1@/ 19M@2
21'. !he 8ni1ersal 5o"se of 9"stice Calls on *ah+,; Eo"th to .ededicate !hemsel1es to the
8r6ent :eeds of the Ca"se
@&ECEN3 <A&3M&85<S C5J&A>E5JS S3EA8AS3 M5J3H /N SH/&AV) SCENE /NAJ>J&A3/5N
</SS/5N <A&3M&02&52HE3) &E</N/SCEN3 AC3S PA=5J& M5J3HJ= /<<5&3A=S HE&5/C A>E:
C5N/8EN3 BAHA/ M5J3H 3H/S >ENE&A3/5N H/== N53 A==5H 3H/S &ESH B=558 SHE8 5N
PE&M S5/= HHE&E /&S3 HAPE 2E&SECJ3/5N A/3H 355; 2=ACE &E<A/N JNP/N8/CA3E8 5&
3H/S SJB=/<E SAC&//CE JNAPA/=/N>: A3 3H/S H5J& 5 A=/C3/5N AN8 >&/E) AN8 AS HE
A22&5ACH ANN/PE&SA&M <A&3M&85< B=ESSE8 BAB CA== 5N BAHAK/ M5J3H 35
&E8E8/CA3E 3HE<SE=PES 35 J&>EN3 NEE8S CAJSE BAHAJ==AH: =E3 3HE< &ECA==
B=ESS/N>S HE 2&5</SE8 3H5SE HH5 /N 2&/<E 5 M5J3H H/== A&/SE 35 A85&N 3HE/&
HEA&3S H/3H H/S =5PE AN8 &E<A/N S3EA8AS3 AN8 /&<: =E3 3HE< CA== 35 </N8
EO2EC3A3/5NS <AS3E& 5& EACH 35 BE A EA&=ESS =/5N) A <JS;0=A8EN B&EEVE HA3/N>
5PE& <EA8S P/&3JE: =E3 3HE< <E8/3A3E 5PE& JN/RJE RJA=/3/ES M5J3H S5 >&A2H/CA==M
<EN3/5NE8 /N H&/3/N>S >JA&8/AN HH5 2&A/SE8 3HE/& EN3E&2&/S/N> AN8 A8PEN3J&5JS
S2/&/3) 3HE/& P/>5J&) 3HE/& A=E&3NESS) 523/</S< AN8 EA>E&NESS) AN8 3HE/& 8/P/NE=M0
A225/N3E8) H5=M AN8 EN3H&A==/N> 3AS;S: HE E&PEN3=M 2&AM A3 SAC&E8 3H&ESH5=8
3HA3 A&<M 5 S2/&/3JA==M AHA;ENE8 AN8 8E3E&</NE8 M5J3H) <AM /<<E8/A3E=M A&/SE
&ES25NSE NEE8S 2&ESEN3 H5J& 8EP53E /N EPE& >&EA3E& <EASJ&E 3HE/& PA=JE8
ENE&>/ES 35 2&5<53E B53H 5N H5<E&5N3S AN8 /N 5&E/>N /E=8S) CAJSE 3HE/& A==0
HA3CHJ= AN8 EO2EC3AN3 =5&8: <AM 3HEM <AN/ES3 SA<E S2/&/3 S5 &ECEN3=M EP/NCE8
3HE/& <A&3M& B&E3H&EN C&A8=E A/3H) SCA=E SJCH HE/>H3S 5 EN8EAP5J& AS 35
BEC5<E 2&/8E 3HE/& 2EE&S C5NS5=A3/5N HEA&3S 2E&S/AN BE=/EPE&S) AN8 8E<5NS3&A3E
3HA3 3HE =A<E H/S 5<N/253EN3 HAN8 HAS ;/N8=E8 BJ&NS EPE& B&/>H3 AN8 3HA3 /3S
=/E0/<2A&3/N> HA&<3H AN8 &A8/ANCE SHA== S55N ENPE=52 2E&<EA3E HH5=E EA&3H:E
&<rom a ca)le of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*? 5outh throu$hout the world/ Eune LN/ 19832
21''. !he *ah+,; Eo"th of !oday 5a1e the Distinction of %eein6 the Establishment of the &esser
Peace and the .econciliation of %ociety
@3his generation of Bah youth enBoys a uniDue distinction: Mou 7ill li'e your li'es in a period 7hen
the forces of history are mo'ing to a clima?) 7hen man6ind 7ill see the establishment of the =esser
2eace) and during 7hich the Cause of >od 7ill play an increasingly prominent role in the reconstruction
of human society: /t is you 7ho 7ill be called upon in the years to come to stand at the helm of the
Cause in face of conditions and de'elopments 7hich can) as yet) scarcely be imagined:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the European Douth 3onference in Inns)ruck/ Eul5 N/ 19832
21'(. !he Gey to %"ccess is to Deepen Eo"r 8nderstandin6 of the !eachin6s and be Able to E?plain
!hem to Eo"r Peers
@European Bah youth in particular face tremendous and challenging tas6s in the immediate future:
Can one doubt that the manner in 7hich the go'ernments of the European nation ha'e rallied to the
defence of the persecuted Bahs in Urn 7ill dra7 do7n blessings from on high upon this continentS
And 7ho among the people of Europe are more li6ely to be 6indled by the challenge and hope of the
<essage of Bahullh than the youthS No7 is an opportunity to a7a6en the interest) set afire the hearts
and enlist the acti'e support of young people of e'ery nation) class and creed in that continent: 3he 6ey
to success in this endea'our is) firstly) to deepen your understanding of the 3eachings of the Cause so
that you 7ill be able to apply them to the problems of indi'iduals and society) and e?plain them to your
peers in 7ays that they 7ill understand and 7elcomeI secondly) to stri'e to model your beha'iour in
e'ery 7ay after the high standards of honesty) trust7orthiness) courage) loyalty) forbearance) purity and
spirituality set forth in the 3eachingsI and) abo'e all) to li'e in continual a7areness of the presence and
all0conDuering po7er of Bahullh) 7hich 7ill enable you to o'ercome e'ery temptation and surmount
e'ery obstacle:E
&I)id!2
21'-. Eo"th and Fellow *elie1ers E?horted to Arise and .e1ol"tioniHe the Pro6ress of the Ca"se
@A 'ibrant band of Bah youth on the European continent) committed to the promotion of the Cause of
Bahullh and the upholding of His la7s and principles) determined to 7or6 in harmony and unity
7ith their fello7 belie'ers of all ages and classes) can re'olutioniCe the progress of the Cause: Hith a
rapid increase in the siCe of the Bah communities in Europe) the belie'ers of that continent) the cradle
of 7estern ci'iliCation) 7ill be the better able to ser'e as a fountainhead of pioneers) tra'elling teachers
and financial assistance to the Bah communities of the 3hird Horld:
@A particular challenge to the Bah youth of Europe is the 'ast eastern half of the continent that is as
yet scarcely touched by the light of the aith of Bahullh: /t is not easy to settle in those lands) but
7ith ingenuity) determination and reliance upon the confirmations of Bahullh it is certainly possible
both to settle and to perse'ere in ser'ice in goals 7hich demand a spirit of self0sacrifice) detachment and
purity of heart 7orthy of those 7ho 7ould emulate the shining e?ample set by the martyrs in Urn) so
many of 7hom are youth) 7ho ha'e gi'en their li'es rather than breathe one 7ord that 7ould be a
betrayal of the trust of >od placed upon them:
@Hith lo'e and utmost longing 7e call upon you to immerse yoursel'es in the di'ine 3eachings)
champion the Cause of >od and His =a7) and arise for the Duic6ening of man6ind:E
&I)id!2
21'/. Co"rses of %t"dy that )ne can P"rs"e to AcC"ire %$ills :eeded to Assist the De1elopin6
Co"ntries
@Hhen deciding 7hat course of training to follo7) youth can consider acDuiring those s6ills and
professions that 7ill be of benefit in education) rural de'elopment) agriculture) economics) technology)
health) radio and in many other areas of endea'our that are so urgently needed in the de'eloping
countries of the 7orld: Mou can also de'ote time in the midst of your studies) or other acti'ities) to tra'el
teaching or ser'ice proBects in the 3hird Horld:E
&I)id!2
21'0. %im"ltaneo"sly 7ith the Proclamation En6endered by the Persec"tions in Iran@ #ore People
Are %ee$in6 !heir !r"e Identity
@A highlight of this period of the Se'en Mear 2lan has been the phenomenal proclamation accorded the
aith in the 7a6e of the unabating persecutions in UrnI a ne7 interest in its 3eaching has been aroused
on a 7ide scale: Simultaneously) more and more people from all strata of society frantically see6 their
true identity) 7hich is to say) although they 7ould not so plainly admit it) the spiritual meaning of their
li'esI prominent among these see6ers are the young: Not only does this 6no7ledge open fruitful a'enues
for Bah initiati'e) it also indicates to young Bahs a particular responsibility so to teach the Cause
and li'e the life as to gi'e 'i'id e?pression to those 'irtues that 7ould fulfil the spiritual yearning of
their peers:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*? 5outh of the world/ Eanuar5 3/ 198N2
21'2. Perse1ere in Eo"r Indi1id"al Efforts to !each the Faith@ %t"dy the 7ritin6s@ %er1e #an$ind@
Bol"nteer For ProFects
@<ay you all perse'ere in your indi'idual efforts to teach the aith) but 7ith added Cest) to study the
Hritings) but 7ith greater earnestness: <ay you pursue your education and training for future ser'ice to
man6ind) offering as much of your free time as possible to acti'ities on behalf of the Cause: <ay those
of you already bent on your lifes 7or6 and 7ho may ha'e already founded families) stri'e to7ards
becoming the li'ing embodiments of Bah ideals) both in the spiritual nurturing of your families and in
your acti'e in'ol'ement in the efforts on the home front or abroad in the pioneering field: <ay all
respond to the current demands upon the aith by displaying a fresh measure of dedication to the tas6s at
hand:
@urther to these aspirations is the need for a mighty mobiliCation of teaching acti'ities reflecting
regularity in the patterns of ser'ice rendered by young Bahs: 3he nati'e urge of youth to mo'e from
place to place) combined 7ith their abounding Ceal) indicates that you can become more deliberately and
numerously in'ol'ed in these acti'ities as tra'elling teachers: 5ne pattern of this mobiliCation could be
short0term proBects) carried out at home or in other lands) dedicated to both teaching the aith and
impro'ing the li'ing conditions of people: Another could be that) 7hile still young and unburdened by
family responsibilities) you gi'e attention to the idea of 'olunteering a set period) say one or t7o years)
to some Bah ser'ice) on the home front or abroad) in the teaching or de'elopment field: /t 7ould
accrue to the strength and stability of the community if such patterns could be follo7ed by succeeding
generations of youth: &egardless of the modes of ser'ice) ho7e'er) youth must be understood to be fully
engaged) at all times) in all climes and under all conditions: /n your 'aried pursuits you may rest assured
of the lo'ing support and guidance of the Bah institutions operating at e'ery le'el:E
&I)id!2
21(3. !he Assembly %ho"ld Enco"ra6e the In1al"able Aid of Eo"th as !ra1ellin6 !eachers@ to 5old
Eo"th Class@ etc.
@3he incalculable 'alue of Bah youth in the ser'ice of our aith cannot be o'erloo6ed: 3hey should
be enlisted as tra'elling teachers) going on foot 7hen necessary) in the mountains and Bungles to 'isit)
teach and encourage the local Bahs and to help them to elect their =ocal Spiritual Assemblies should
the friends be either una7are of the procedure reDuired) or perhaps illiterate and in need of help in
casting their ballots: 3he youth should be encouraged to hold youth classes) to con'ey to their peers the
<essage of Bahullh) to learn to gi'e courses and lectures on the 3eachings) and abo'e all) to
e?emplify by their high moral beha'ior that 7hich ma6es the Bahs outstanding in a corrupt and
decadent society:E
&<rom the 6essa$e of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of Ecuador/ Rid"-n 198N2
21(1. Eo"th #"st be Enco"ra6ed to De1ise and E?ec"te !heir )wn !eachin6 Plans
@Bah youth) no7 rendering e?emplary and de'oted ser'ice in the forefront of the army of life) must
be encouraged) e'en 7hile eDuipping themsel'es for future ser'ice) to de'ise and e?ecute their o7n
teaching plans among their contemporaries:E
&<rom the 6essa$e of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*?s of the world/ Rid"-n 198N2
21(2. !he 5o"se of 9"stice Appla"ds Efforts of Eo"th to AcC"ire %pirit"al >"alities
@He applaud those youth 7ho) in respect of this period)N ha'e already engaged in some acti'ity 7ithin
their national and local communities or in collaboration 7ith their peers in other countries) and call upon
them to perse'ere in their unyielding efforts to acDuire spiritual Dualities and useful Dualifications: or if
they do so) the influence of their high0minded moti'ations 7ill e?ert itself upon 7orld de'elopments
conduci'e to a producti'e) progressi'e and peaceful future:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ,ah-*? 5outh of the world/ 6a5 8/ 198@2
O&International Douth Dear2
21(. !he Eo"th 5a1e the Inescapable D"ty of .eflectin6 the !ransformin6 Power of the Faith to
%ociety
@3he present reDuirements of a aith 7hose responsibilities rapidly increase in relation to its rise from
obscurity impose an inescapable duty on the youth to ensure that their li'es reflect to a mar6ed degree
the transforming po7er of the ne7 &e'elation they ha'e embraced: 5ther7ise) by 7hat e?ample are the
claims of Bahullh to be BudgedS Ho7 is His healing <essage to be ac6no7ledged by a s6eptical
humanity if it produces no noticeable effect upon the young) 7ho are seen to be among the most
energetic) the most pliable and promising elements in any societyS
@3he dar6 horiCon faced by a 7orld 7hich has failed to recogniCe the 2romised 5ne) the Source of its
sal'ation) acutely affects the outloo6 of the younger generationsI their distressing lac6 of hope and their
indulgence in desperate but futile and e'en dangerous solutions ma6e a direct claim on the remedial
attention of Bah youth) 7ho) through their 6no7ledge of that Source and the bright 'ision 7ith 7hich
they ha'e thus been endo7ed) cannot hesitate to impart to their despairing fello7 youth the restorati'e
Boy) the constructi'e hope) the radiant assurances of Bahullhs stupendous &e'elation:
@3he 7ords) the deeds) the attitudes) the lac6 of preBudice) the nobility of character) the high sense of
ser'ice to othersQin a 7ord) those Dualities and actions 7hich distinguish a BahQmust unfailingly
characteriCe their inner life and outer beha'iour) and their interactions 7ith friend or foe:E
&I)id!2
21('. !he Eo"th #"st Aspire to E?cellence@ #o1e !owards Front .an$s of Professions@ !rades@
Arts and Crafts
@&eBecting the lo7 sights of mediocrity) let them scale the ascending heights of e?cellence in all they
aspire to do: <ay they resol'e to ele'ate the 'ery atmosphere in 7hich they mo'e) 7hether it be in the
school rooms or halls of higher learning) in their 7or6) their recreation) their Bah acti'ity or social
ser'ice:
@/ndeed) let them 7elcome 7ith confidence the challenges a7aiting them: /mbued 7ith this e?cellence
and a corresponding humility) 7ith tenacity and a lo'ing ser'itude) todays youth must mo'e to7ards the
front ran6s of the professions) trades) arts and crafts 7hich are necessary to the further progress of
human6indQthis to ensure that the spirit of the Cause 7ill cast its illumination on all these important
areas of human endea'our: <oreo'er) 7hile aiming at mastering the unifying concepts and s7iftly
ad'ancing technologies of this era of communications) they can) indeed they must also guarantee the
transmittal to the future of those s6ills 7hich 7ill preser'e the mar'elous) indispensable achie'ements of
the past: 3he transformation 7hich is to occur in the functioning of society 7ill certainly depend to a
great e?tent on the effecti'eness of the preparations the youth ma6e for the 7orld they 7ill inherit:E
&I)id!2
21((. !he Eo"th #"st Constantly %tri1e to E?emplify a *ah+,; &ife 7hich is the )pposite of the
#oral Decay of %ociety
@He feels that the youth) in particular) must constantly and determinedly stri'e to e?emplify Bah life:
/n the 7orld around us 7e see moral decay) promiscuity) indecency) 'ulgarity) bad mannersQthe Bah
young people must be the opposite of these things) and) by their chastity) their uprightness) their
decency) their consideration and good manners) attract others) old and young) to the aith: 3he 7orld is
tired of 7ordsI it 7ants e?ample) and it is up to the Bah youth to furnish it:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ,ah-*? Douth who attended the %reen (cre 4ummer 4chool/ (u$ust N/ 19NM/
4eptem)er 19/ 19NM2
21(-. Contact with .acial #inorities in a Co"ntry 7ith %"ch a &ar6e Element of PreF"dice is
Important
@He urges you all to de'ote particular attention to the contact 7ith racial minorities: /n a country 7hich
has such a large element of preBudice against its colored citiCens as the Jnited States) it is of the greatest
importance that the BahsQand more especially the youthQshould demonstrate acti'ely our complete
lac6 of preBudice and) indeed) our preBudice in fa'our of minorities:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the friends who were present at the 4enior Douth 4ession/ #ouhelen ,ah-*? 4chool/
o"em)er 11/ 19@12
21(/. !he *ah+,; Faith is a .eli6ion that *elon6s to the Eo"th
@/f e'er it could be said that a religion belonged to the youth) then surely the Bah aith today is that
religion: 3he 7hole 7orld is suffering) it is sun6 in misery) crushed beneath its hea'y problems: 3he tas6
of healing its ills and building up its future de'ol'es mainly upon the youth: 3hey are the generation
7ho) after the 7ar) 7ill ha'e to sol'e the terrible difficulties created by the 7ar and all that brought it
about: And they 7ill not be able to upbuild the future e?cept by the la7s and principles laid do7n by
Bahullh: So their tas6 is 'ery great and their responsibility 'ery gra'e:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ,ah-*? children and 5outh of Peoria/ 6a5 8/ 19NL2
21(0. %econd DeclarationK no %"ch !hin6
@3here is no such thing as a Asecond declaration in Bah administration: 3he procedure to be follo7ed
in a youths claiming) or being granted) 'oting rights at the age of ," is 7ithin the discretion of the
National Assembly:E
&<rom a letter of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of (ustria/ Eune L9/ 19M02
21(2. !he %ol"tion to Diffic"lties 7hich %tand in the 7ay of Co-)peration *etween Eo"n6 and )ld
*elie1ers
@:::the >uardian fully realiCes the difficulties that stand in the 7ay of co0operation bet7een the young
and old belie'ers: 3his is a problem that confronts the Cause almost e'ery7here) specially in those
communities 7here the number of young and old Bahs is nearly the same: 3he solution) as in all such
cases) is to be found through intelligent and mutual compromise: 3he old belie'ers ha'e to gi'e up
something of their old conceptions and 7ays of 7or6ing in order to better adapt themsel'es to the
changing social conditions and circumstances: 3he young too must learn to act 7ith 7isdom) tact and
moderation) and to ta6e ad'antage and benefit from the age0long e?perience of their older fello70
belie'ers: 3he old and the young ha'e each something specific to contribute to the progress and 7elfare
of the Bah community: 3he energy of youth should be tempered and guided by the 7isdom of old
age:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to an indi"idual )elie"er/ Eanuar5 N/ 193M2
21-3. &aws and Precepts 7hich %ome Eo"n6 *elie1ers are Inclined to .esent
@As to the attitude of resentment 7hich the young belie'ers are inclined to assume regarding certain
precepts of the Cause such as obligatory prayers! 3here can and should be no compromise 7hate'er in
such matters that are specifically enBoined by Bahullh: He should neither ha'e any feeling of shame
7hen obser'ing such la7s and precepts) nor should 7e o'er0estimate their 'alue and significance: 9ust as
the friends ha'e no difficulty in recogniCing the 'alue of the specific prayers re'ealed by Bahullh)
such as the 3ablets of asting and Healing) so also they should recogniCe that the obligatory prayers are
by their 'ery nature of greater effecti'eness and are endo7ed 7ith a greater po7er than the non0
obligatory ones) and as such are essential:E
&I)id!2
21-1. After Each Prayer %"pplicate Dod to *estow #ercy and For6i1eness 8pon Eo"r Parents
@/t is seemly that the ser'ant should) after each prayer) supplicate >od to besto7 mercy and forgi'eness
upon his parents: 3hereupon >ods call 7ill be raised! A3housand upon thousand of 7hat thou hast as6ed
for thy parents shall be thy recompenseL Blessed is he 7ho remembereth his parents 7hen communing
7ith >od: 3here is) 'erily) no >od but Him) the <ighty) the Hell0Belo'ed:E
&The ,-). Selections from the Hritings of the Bb/ p! 9N2
21-2. .eachin6 the A6e of :ineteen
@:::it behoo'eth man) upon reaching the age of nineteen) to render than6sgi'ing for the day of his
conception as an embryo: or had the embryo not e?isted) ho7 could he ha'e reached his present stateS
=i6e7ise had the religion taught by Adam not e?isted) this aith 7ould not ha'e attained its present
state::::E
&I)id!/ p! 892
21-. .e6ardin6 a :ational Committee to %"per1ise the 7or$ of the Eo"th
@3he >uardian fully appreciates the significance of the problems in'ol'ed: Surely there should be no
di'ision according to general outloo6 among the friends: Should 7e do such a thing 7e 7ill soon ha'e
parties and factions among the BahsQa thing 7hich is absolutely contrary to the spirit of the aith:
@At the same time if 7e say that no older person should ta6e part in the organiCation of the youth it
7ill be depri'ing them of the necessary e?perience needed to ha'e a permanent and 7or6ing institution:
@Shoghi Effendi belie'es that the best solution is to ha'e some reasonable age limit for the actual
membership of the body of the organiCation so that only the young people may ta6e part in the different
acti'ities and ha'e no older person usurp the floor or depri'e them from their chances to train
themsel'es) and e?press their ideas: At the same time the National Assembly could appoint on the
National committee that is to super'ise their 7or6 some older and e?perienced persons 7ho could co0
operate 7ith them and guide them in their acti'ities: 3he National committee should be composed of
both people 7ithin the age limit and also older people:E
&<rom a letter written on )ehalf of 4ho$hi Effendi to the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5 of the :nited 4tates and 3anada/ Octo)er L0/ 193L2
BIBLIOGRA')>
P"blished 7or$s
BahullhF
Epistle to the 4on of the Wolf) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#+*:
%leanin$s from the Writin$s of ,ah-*u*ll-h) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#+*:
The 7idden Words of ,ah-*u*ll-h) Hilmete) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#*%:
The 8it-)+i+(9das) Haifa) Bah Horld Centre) "##,:
45nopsis and 3odification of the 8it-)+i+(9das) Haifa) Bah Horld Centre) "#+%:
Ta)lets of ,ah-*u*ll-h re"ealed after the 8it-)+i+(9das) Haifa) Bah Horld Centre) "#+$:
The BbF
4elections from the Writin$s of the ,-)) Haifa) Bah Horld Centre) "#+":
DAbdul1BahF
'()du*l+,ah- on Di"ine Philosoph5) Boston) 3he 3udor 2ress) "#,$:
'()du*l+,ah- in #ondon) =ondon) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#$,:
Dail5 #esson Recei"ed at '(kk-) 9anuary "#-$) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#+#:
Paris Talks) =ondon) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#*#:
The Promul$ation of :ni"ersal Peace) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#$,:
The 4ecret of Di"ine 3i"ilisation) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#+1:
4elections from the Writin$s of '()du*l+,ah-) Haifa) Bah Horld Centre) "#+$:
4ome (nswered Cuestions) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#$":
Ta)lets of '()du*l+,ah- ())as) Polumes /) //) ///) Ne7 Mor6) Bah 2ublishing Committee) "#%-
and "#(-:
Ta)lets of the Di"ine Plan) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#++:
The Will and Testament of '()du*l+,ah-) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#+":
%hoghi (ffendiF
The (d"ent of Di"ine Eustice) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#$(
(RO7(:I/ #etters from 4ho$hi Effendi to ew Pealand) Su'a) iBi /slands) Bah 2ublishing
3rust) "#$,
,ah-*? (dministration) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#+(
3itadel of <aith) Hilmette) Bah 2ublish 3rust) "#$-
Dawn of a ew Da5) <essages to /ndia) "#,%0"#1+) Ne7 8elhi) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#+-
%od Passes ,5) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#$+
7i$h Endea"ors. 6essa$es to (laska) 3he National Spiritual Assembly of Alas6a) "#+*
Eapan Will Turn ()laJe) 2art //) 9apan) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#+(
#etters from the %uardian to (ustralia and ew Pealand) "#,%0"#1+) 3he National Spiritual
Assembly of the Bahs of Australia) "#+-
6essa$es to (merica) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#(+
6essa$es to the ,ah-*? World) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#+"
6essa$es to 3anada) 3he National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahs of Canada) "#*1
The Promised Da5 is 3ome) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#$-
The World Order of ,ah-*u*ll-h) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#11
The !ni.ersal )ouse of /usticeF
6essa$es from the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice) "#*$0"#+%) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust)
"#+*:
otes) addendum to 3he ;itb0i0ADdas) Haifa) Bah Horld Centre) "##,:
The Promise of World Peace/ to the Peoples of the World) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#$1:
Wellsprin$ of %uidance) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#+-:
Co&-ilationsF
The ,ah-*? Re"elation) England) 3he National Spiritual Assembly of the British /sles) "#11:
,ah-*? Education. ( 3ompilation) Hilmete) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#+$:
,ah-*? <unds. 3ontri)utions and (dministration) 5ntario) Bah Canada 2ublications) "#+(:
,ah-*? 6arria$e and <amil5 #ife) 5ntario) Bah Canada 2ublication) "#$%:
,ah-*? 6eetin$s. The ineteen Da5 <east) Hilmette) 3he Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#+*:
,ah-*? 4criptures) Ne7 Mor6) Bah 2ublishing Committee) "#,%:
,ah-*? World <aith) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#**:
,ah-*? Writin$s on 6usic) 5a6ham England) 3he Bah 2ublishing 3rust) n4d:
,ah-*? Douth. ( 3ompilation) Hilmete) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#+%:
3entres of ,ah-*? #earnin$) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#$-:
3onsultation. ( 3ompilation) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#$-:
The 3ontinental ,oard of 3ounsellors) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#$":
The 3o"enant and (dministration) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#+":
The Esta)lishment of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice) 5a6ham) England) 3he Bah 2ublishing
trust) "#$(:
The <unctions and Institutions of the 3ontinental ,oard of 3ounsellors) 5a6ham) England) 3he
Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#*#:
%uidance for Douth) =ondon) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#*#:
The Indi"idual and Teachin$. Raisin$ the Di"ine 3all) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#++:
#ife)lood of the 3ause) =ondon) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#+-:
The #ocal 4piritual (ssem)l5) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#+-:
The ational 4piritual (ssem)l5) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#+,:
The Pattern of ,ah-*? #ife) =ondon) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#+%:
PeaceH6ore Than an End to War) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#$*:
Political on+In"ol"ement and O)edience to %o"ernment) Bah 2ublications Australia) "#+#:
Politics/ the ,ah-*? >iewpoint) 3he National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahs of the Jnited
;ingdom) n4d:
Principles of ,ah-*? (dministration) =ondon) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#+%:
Cuickeners of 6ankind) National Spiritual Assembly of Canada) "#$-:
( 4pecial 6easure of #o"e) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#+(:
4piritual <oundations. Pra5er/ 6editation/ and the De"otional (ttitude) Hilmette) Bah
2ublishing 3rust) "#$-:
Trustworthiness) =ondon) 3he Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#$+:
Women) 5ntario) Bah Canada 2ublications) "#$*:
WO6EHE9ualit5 and De"elopment) Bah Horld Centre) "#$*
Other 'ublicationsF
,ah-*u*ll-h and the ew Era) FEsslemontG) Hilmette) Bah 2ublishing 3rust) "#+-:
4tar of the West) Polumes " through ,1) Chicago and Hashington) 8:C:) "#-#0"#%1:
8np"blished and prep"blishment
compilations@ memoranda and statements by or on behalf of
!he 8ni1ersal 5o"se of 9"stice
E;tracts from #etters Written on ,ehalf of the %uardian on >arious (spects of ($e and O)li$ations)
April "#+$:
E;tracts from the ,ah-*? Writin$s on the 4u)=ect of ($riculture and Related 4u)=ects) n4d:
The 4er"in$ of (lchoholic Drinks )5 ,ah-*?s and ,ah-*? Institutions) a compilation) sent 7ith a
letter to an indi'idual belie'er 9anuary %") "#$,:
Compilation on alchohol and dru$s) letter of /nternational 3eaching Centre to an indi'idual
belie'er) 5ctober "#+$:
(u;iliar5 ,oard 6em)ers) a compilation) <arch "#*#:
The <unctions of the (u;iliar5 ,oards for Propo$ation and Protection) a compilation) <arch "#*#:
,i)lical Cuestions) a memorandum) 8ecember ,1) "#$1:
,irth 3ontrol and Related 4u)=ects) a compilation) n4d:
E;tracts on ,ah-*? ,urial) gi'en to the compiler in "#$+:
E;tracts from the ,ah-*? Writin$s on ,uddhism/ 7induism/ and Related 4u)=ects) n4d:
( 3haste and 7ol5 #ife) a compilation) September "#$$:
3onsultation. ( 3ompilation) ebruary "#+$
3onser"ation of the Earth*s Resources) a compilation) 5ctober "#$#:
3risis and >ictor5) a compilation) 5ctober "#$+:
#ife (fter Death) a compilation) September "#+%:
The Importance of Deepenin$ our 8nowled$e and :nderstandin$ of the <aith) a compilation)
9anuary "#$%:
3onsiderations (ffectin$ 3ustod5 of 3hildren and Pro"ision of <inancial 4upport on 3ases of
Di"orce ,etween ,ah-*?s not (d=uticated in 3i"il #aw) 9anuary 1) "#$%:
E?tracts from the Bah 3eachings Discoura$in$ Di"orce) 9anuary "$) "#$-:
E;tracts from #etters Written )5 and on ,ehalf of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice on %rounds for
Di"orce) Qn4d:
The Process of Di"orce/ ( 3ompilation of E;tracts from #etters Written )5 or on ,ehalf of the
:ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice) n4d:
,ah-*? Education) August "#+*:
E;tracts from the %uardian*s #etters on the 4piritual 3haracter of ,ah-*? Elections/ a compilation)
No'ember "") "#+":
The Epochs of the <ormati"e ($e) 9anuary "#$*:
E;cellence in (ll Thin$s) a compilation) No'ember "#$":
<amil5 #ife) a compilation) 9anuary "#$,:
A compilation on food of the future attached to a letter to an indi'idual belie'er from the Jni'ersal
House of 9ustice) No'ember ,") "#$,:
3ompilation of E;tracts from #etters Written )5 the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice or on its ,ehalf/
3oncernin$ the eed for 3are in 7andlin$ ,ah-*? <unds) n4d:
E;tracts from the %uardian*s #etters on ,ah-*? <unds and Contributions) 9anuary "#+-:
The 3ontinental <und &( 3ompilation2) September ,#) "#$":
De"elopment of the #ocal and ational <unds of the <aith/ 4ome 3omments and 4u$$estions) a
memorandum of the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice) August +) "#$1:
%i"in$ to the Poor) a compilation) n4d:
4elections from the Writin$s on 4ome (spects of 7ealth and 7ealin$) 9une "#+(:
4elections from the ,ah-*? Writin$s on 4ome (spects of 7ealth/ 7ealin$ and utrition and Related
6atters) April "#$(:
4ome E;tracts from #etters Written on the %uardian*s )ehalf on 7induism/ ,uddhism and
Porastrianism and Related 4u)=ects) a compilation) n4d:
E;tracts on 7omose;ualit5) n4d:
7u9G9u*ll-h) a compilation) 9une "#$1:
2rohibition of Into;icatin$ Drinks) a compilation) April "#+#:
The >ir$in ,irth of Eesus) a memorandum) 5ctober ,#) "#$1:
Selections from the Bah Hritings on #atin (merica) n4d:
#i"in$ the #ife) No'ember "#+,:
The #ocal 4piritual (ssem)l5) a compilation) August "#+-:
Preser"in$ ,ah-*? 6arria$es) a memorandum) 8ecember "##-:
Re9uirements for ,ah-*? 6arria$e) <ay "#$,:
Bah 6eetin$s) a compilation) No'ember "#+*:
6eetin$s of the ational 4piritual (ssem)l5/ the Importance of (ttendance )5 the entire
6em)ership) a compilation) 5ctober "#$-:
3ompilation of E;tracts from the ,ah-*? Writin$s on 6usic) <arch ") "#+,:
E;tracts from the Writin$s of 4ho$hi Effendi on the Importance and Role of ,ah-*? ews #etters)
n4d:
The ational 4piritual (ssem)l5) a compilation) <ay "#+,:
The ineteen Da5 <east) a compilation) August ,$) "#$#:
otes on O)li$ator5 Pra5ers and ()lutions) a compilation) n4d:
E;tracts on Opposition) No'ember ,*) "#+(:
3ompilation on (ssociation with on+,ah-*? Or$anisations) n4d:
Peace) August "#$1:
The Promise of World Peace/ to the Peoples of the World) a statement) 5ctober "#$1:
( 3ompilation of E;tracts on Ph5sical Education) n4d:
The Importance of Pra5er/ 6editation and the 4piritual (ttitude) a compilation) <arch "#$-:
Prominent People) a compilation) September "##-:
6emorandum on ,ah-*? Pu)lishin$) &id'n "#+":
%uidance from the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice on the Re"iew on on+#iterature Items FBah
2ublishingG) n4d:
:se of Radio and Tele"ision in Teachin$) April ") "#+1:
( 3ompilation on 4ocial and Economic De"elopment) n4d:
E;tracts concernin$ 4ocial and Economic De"elopment) 9anuary "#$1:
4piritualism and Ps5chic Phenomena) a compilation) ebruary "#+(:
E;tracts from the %uardian*s #etters on 4piritualism/ Reincarnation and Related 4u)=ects) ebruary
"#+-:
,ah-*? 4ummer 4chools and Teachin$ Institutes) a compilation) April "#+,:
Teachin$ and 3ommittment) a compilation) n4d:
4tatement of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice Re$ardin$ Teachin$ the <aith) <ay 1) "#$,:
E;tracts from the Writin$s of the %uardian or from #etters Written on 7is ,ehalf Re$ardin$ the
Importance and 4cope of the Teachin$ Work (mon$ the 6asses of >arious 3ountries and Their
()ori$inal and Indi$enous Inha)itants) "#+(:
E;tracts from #etters of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice and the %uardian Re$ardin$ Teachin$ the
6asses) <arch "#*$:
Teachin$ the 6asses) a letter from the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice to all National Assemblies) 9uly
"%) "#*(:
The Indi"idual and Teachin$) a compilation) <arch %) "#++:
( 3ompilation on 4er"ices in ,ah-*? Temples) August ",) "#++:
%uidelines for the Translation of ,ah-*? Writin$s) from the Jni'ersal House of 9ustice to the
National Spiritual Assembly of 2anama) 9uly "*) "#+#:
4tatement of the :ni"ersal 7ouse of Eustice Re$ardin$ Teachin$ the <aith) "#$*:
Trustworthiness. ( 3ardinal ,ah-*? Principle) 9anuary "#$+:
Women) a compilation) 9anuary "#$*:
E;tracts from the ,ah-*? Writin$s on the 4u)=ect of Writers and Writin$) 9uly "#$-:
The Importance of 3ollectin$ and 4afe$uardin$ the ,ah-*? Writin$s) 5ctober "#$*:
3his compilation is online at http!44bahai0library:com4hornby\lights\guidance

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