SYNOPSIS
AND
CODIFICATION OF THE
LAWS AND ORDINANCES OF
THE
KITÁB-I-AQDAS
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142
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SUMMARY OF
CONTENTS
I. THE APPOINTMENT OF `ABDU'L-BAHÁ AS
THE
SUCCESSOR OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH AND
INTERPRETER
OF HIS TEACHINGS
A. Turn towards Him
B.
Refer to Him
II. ANTICIPATION OF THE
INSTITUTION OF THE GUARDIANSHIP
III. THE
INSTITUTION OF THE HOUSE OF JUSTICE
IV. LAWS,
ORDINANCES AND EXHORTATIONS
A. Prayer
B. Fasting
C. Laws of
Personal Status
D. Miscellaneous Laws,
Ordinances and Exhortations
V. SPECIFIC
ADMONITIONS, REPROOFS AND WARNINGS
VI.
MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS
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SYNOPSIS AND CODIFICATION
I. THE APPOINTMENT OF `ABDU'L-BAHÁ AS THE SUCCESSOR OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH AND INTERPRETER OF HIS TEACHINGS
A. The faithful are enjoined to turn their faces towards the One "Whom God hath purposed, Who hath branched from this Ancient Root".
B. The faithful are bidden to refer whatsoever they
do not understand in the Bahá'í writings to "Him Who hath branched from this
mighty Stock".
II. ANTICIPATION OF THE INSTITUTION OF THE
GUARDIANSHIP
III. THE INSTITUTION OF THE HOUSE OF JUSTICE
A. The House of Justice is formally ordained.
B. Its functions are defined.
C. Its revenues are fixed.
IV. LAWS,
ORDINANCES AND EXHORTATIONS
A. Prayer
1. The sublime station occupied by the Obligatory Prayers in the Bahá'í
Revelation.
2. The Qiblih:
a. Identified by the Báb with "the One Whom God will make manifest".
b. The appointment made by the Báb is confirmed by Bahá'u'lláh.
c. Bahá'u'lláh ordains His resting-place as the Qiblih after His
passing.
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d. Turning to the
Qiblih is mandatory while reciting the Obligatory
Prayers.
3. The Obligatory Prayers are
binding on men and women on attaining the
age
of maturity, which
is fixed at 15.
4. Exemption from offering
the Obligatory Prayers is granted
to:
a. Those who are
ill.
b. Those who are over
70.
c. Women in their courses provided they perform their ablutions
and
repeat a specifically revealed verse 95 times a
day.
5. The Obligatory Prayers should be
offered individually.
6. The choice of one
of the three Obligatory Prayers is
permissible.
7. By "morning", "noon" and
"evening", mentioned in connection
with
the Obligatory
Prayers, is meant respectively the intervals
between
sunrise and
noon, between noon and sunset, and from sunset till
two
hours after
sunset.
8. The recital of the first (long)
Obligatory Prayer, once in twenty-four
hours
is
sufficient.
9. It is preferable to offer
the third (short) Obligatory Prayer while
standing.
10.
Ablutions:
a. Ablutions must precede the recital of the Obligatory
Prayers.
b.
For every Obligatory Prayer fresh ablutions must be performed.
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c.
Should two Obligatory Prayers be offered at noon one
ablution
for both prayers is
sufficient.
d. If water is unavailable or its use harmful to the face or
hands,
the repetition, five times, of a specifically revealed verse is
prescribed.
e. Should the weather be too cold the use of warm water is
recommended.
f. If ablutions have been performed for other purposes, their renewal
prior
to the recital of the Obligatory Prayer is not
required.
g.
Ablutions are essential whether a bath has been taken previously or
not.
11. Determining the times fixed for
Prayer:
a.
Reliance on clocks is permissible in determining the times for offering
the
Obligatory
Prayers.
b.
In countries situated in the extreme north or south, where
the
duration of days and nights varies considerably, clocks and
timepieces
should be relied upon, without reference to sunrise or
sunset.
12. In case of danger, whether
when travelling or not, for every
Obligatory
Prayer not offered a prostration and the recital of a specific verse
is
enjoined, to be followed by the repetition, eighteen times, of
another
specific verse.
13. Congregational prayer
is forbidden except the Prayer for the
Dead.
14. The recital, in its entirety, of
the Prayer for
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the Dead is prescribed except for those unable to read, who
are
commanded to repeat the six specific passages in that
Prayer.
15. The Obligatory Prayer to be
thrice repeated, three times a
day,
at
morn, noon and evening, has been superseded by three
Obligatory
Prayers subsequently revealed.
16. The
Prayer of the Signs has been annulled, andG14L14N a
specifically
revealed verse substituted for it. The recital of this verse is not
however
obligatory.
17. Hair, sable, bones and the
like do not nullify one's prayer.
B. Fasting
1. The
sublime station occupied by fasting in the Bahá'í
Revelation.
2. The period of fasting
commences with the termination of the
Intercalary
Days, and
ends with the Naw-Rúz Festival.
3.
Abstinence from food and drink, from sunrise to sunset, is
obligatory.
4. Fasting is binding on men
and women on attaining the age of
maturity,
which is
fixed at 15.
5. Exemption from fasting is
granted to:
a.
Travellers
i. Provided the journey exceeds 9
hours.
ii. Those travelling on foot, provided the journey exceeds 2
hours.
iii. Those who break their journey for less than 19 days.
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iv. Those who break their journey during the Fast at a place where
they
are to stay 19 days are exempt from fasting only for the first
three
days from their
arrival.
v. Those who reach home during the Fast must commencé fasting
from
the day of their
arrival.
b. Those who
are ill.
c. Those who
are over 70.
d. Women
who are with child.
e.
Women who are nursing.
f. Women in their courses, provided they perform their ablutions
and
repeat a specifically revealed verse 95 times a
day.
g. Those who are
engaged in heavy labour, who are advised to
show
respect for the law by using discretion and restraint when
availing
themselves of the exemption.
6. Vowing to
fast (in a month other than the one prescribed for
fasting)
is
permissible. Vows which profit mankind are however
preferable
in
the sight of God.
C. Laws of Personal
Status
1.
Marriage:
a. Marriage is
highly recommended but not
obligatory.
b. Plurality
of wives is forbidden.
c. Marriage is conditioned upon both parties having attained the age
of
maturity which is fixed at 15.
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d. Marriage is
conditioned on the consent of both parties and their
parents,
whether the woman be a maiden or
not.
e. It is incumbent
upon both parties to recite a specifically revealed
verse
indicating their being content with the will of
God.
f. Marriage with
one's stepmother is
forbidden.
g. All
matters related to marriage with one's kindred are to be referred
to
the House of Justice.
h.
Marriage with unbelievers is
permitted.
i.
Betrothal:
i. The period of engagement must not exceed 95
days.
ii. It is unlawful to become engaged to a girl before she
reaches
the age of maturity.
j.
The
Dowry:
i. Marriage is conditioned on payment of a
dowry.
ii. The dowry is fixed at 19 mithqáls of pure gold for
city-dwellers,
and 19 mithqáls of silver for village-dwellers, depending on
the
permanent residence of the husband, and not of the
wife.
iii. It is forbidden to pay more than 95
mithqáls.
iv. It is preferable that a man content himself with the payment
of
19 mithqáls of
silver.
v. If the full payment of dowry is
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not possible the issue of a promissory note is
permissible.
k. Should
either party, following the recital of the specifically revealed
verse
and the payment of the dowry, take a dislike to the other before
the
marriage is consummated, the period of waiting is not necessary prior
to
a
divorce. The taking back of the dowry, however, is not
permitted.
l. The
husband must fix for his wife the time of his return when
intending
to travel. If, for a legitimate reason, he is prevented from returning at
the
appointed time, he must inform her and strive to return to her. If he fails
to
fulfil
either condition, she must wait 9 months, after which she may
remarry,
though it is preferable for her to wait longer. If news of his death or
murder
reaches her, and the news is confirmed by general report or by 2
reliable
witnesses, she may remarry after the lapse of 9
months.
m. If the
husband departs without informing his wife of the date of his
return,
and is aware of the law prescribed in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, the wife
may
remarry after waiting a full year. If the husband is unaware of this
law,
the wife must wait until news of her husband reaches
her.
n. Should the
husband, after the payment of the dowry, discover that the
wife
is not a virgin, the refund of the dowry and of the expenses incurred
may
be demanded.
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o. If the
marriage has been conditioned on virginity the refund of the
dowry
and of the expenses incurred may be demanded and the
marriage
invalidated. To conceal the matter, however, is highly meritorious in
the
sight of God.
2.
Divorce:
a. Divorce is
strongly condemned.
b.
If antipathy or resentment develop on the part of either the husband or
the
wife, divorce is permissible, only after the lapse of one full year.
The
beginning and end of the year of waiting must be testified by two or
more
witnesses. The act of divorce should be registered by the judicial
officer
representing the House of Justice. Intercourse during this period of
waiting
is forbidden, and whoever breaks this law must repent and pay the
House
of Justice 19 mithqáls of
gold.
c. A further
period of waiting after divorce has taken place is not
required.
d. The wife
who is to be divorced as a result of her unfaithfulness forfeits
the
payment of the expenses during the waiting
period.
e. Remarrying
the wife whom one has divorced is permissible, provided
she
has not married another person. If she has, she must be divorced
before
her former husband can remarry
her.
f. If at any
time during the waiting period affection should recur, the
marriage
tie is valid. If this reconciliation is followed
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by estrangement and divorce is again desired, a new year of waiting
will
have to be commenced.
g.
Should differences arise between husband and wife while travelling, he
is
required to send her home, or entrust her to a dependable person,
who
will escort her there, paying her journey and her full year's
expenses.
h. Should a
wife insist on divorcing her husband rather than migrate to
another
country, the year of waiting is to be counted from the time they
separate,
either while he is preparing to leave, or upon his
departure.
i. The
Islámic law regarding remarriage with the wife whom one has
previously
divorced is abrogated.
3. Inheritance:(1)
a.
Inheritance falls into the following
categories:
1. children 1,080 out of 2,520
shares
2.
husband or wife 390 " 2,520
"
3. father 330
" 2,520 "
4.
mother 270 " 2,520
"
5. brother 210
" 2,520 "
6.
sister 150 " 2,520
"
7. teacher 90
" 2,520 "
b. The share of the children, as
allotted by the Báb, is doubled by Bahá'u'lláh,
1. The method of
dividing the estate is to be applied in cases of intestacy. See item o. in this
section
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and an equal
portion correspondingly reduced from each of the
remaining
beneficiaries.
c. i. In cases where there
is no issue the share of the children reverts to
the
House
of Justice to be expended on orphans and widows and for
whatever
will profit
mankind.
ii. If
the son of the deceased be dead and leave issue, these will inherit
the
share of their father. If the daughter of the deceased be dead and
leave
issue, her share will have to be divided into the seven categories
specified
in the Most Holy Book.
d. Should one leave
offspring but either part or all of the other categories
of
inheritors be
nonexistent, two thirds of their shares reverts to the
offspring
and one
third to the House of Justice.
e. Should
none of the specified beneficiaries exist, two thirds of the
inheritance
reverts to
the nephews and nieces of the deceased. If these do not exist,
the
same share reverts
to the aunts and uncles; lacking these, to their sons
and
daughters. In any
case the remaining third reverts to the House of
Justice.
f. Should one leave none of the
aforementioned heirs, the entire
inheritance
reverts to the
House of Justice.
g. The residence and the
personal clothing
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of the deceased father
pass to the male not to the female offspring. If there
be
several residences the
principal and most important one passes to the
male
offspring. The remaining
residences will together with the other
possessions
of the deceased have
to be divided among the heirs. If there be no
male
offspring two thirds of the
principal residence and the personal clothing of
the
deceased father will revert to
the female issue and one third to the House
of
Justice. In the case of
the deceased mother all her used clothing is to
be
equally divided amongst
her daughters. Her unworn clothing, jewels
and
property must be divided
among her heirs, as well as her used clothing if
she
leaves no
daughter.
h. Should the children of
the deceased be minors their share should either
be
entrusted to
a reliable person or to a company for purposes of
investment,
until they attain the age of maturity. A share of the interest accrued
should
be
assigned to the trustee.
i. The
inheritance should not be divided until after the payment of
the
Huqúqu'lláh (The Right
of God), of any debts contracted by the
deceased
and of any expenses
incurred for a befitting funeral and
burial.
j. If the brother of the deceased
is from the same father he will inherit his
full
allotted share. If he
is from another father he will inherit only two thirds of his
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share, the remaining
one third reverting to the House of Justice.
The
same law is applicable to the
sister of the deceased.
k. In case there
are full brothers or full sisters, brothers and sisters
from
the mother's side
do not inherit.
l. A non-Baha'i teacher
does not inherit. If there should be more than
one
teacher, the share
allotted to the teacher is to be equally divided
among
them.
m. Non-Bahá'í heirs do not
inherit.
n. Aside from the wife's used
clothing and gifts of jewellery or
otherwise
which have
been proven to have been given her by her husband,
whatever
the husband
has purchased for his wife are to be considered as
the
husband's
possessions to be divided among his heirs.
o. Any person is at liberty to will his possessions as he sees fit provided
he
makes provisions
for the payment of Huqúqu'lláh and the discharge of
his
debts.
D.
Miscellaneous Laws, Ordinances and Exhortations
1. Miscellaneous Laws and
Ordinances:
a.
Pilgrimage
b.
Huqúqu'lláh
c.
Endowments
d. The
Mashriqu'l-Adhkár
e.
Duration of the Bahá'í Dispensation
f.
Bahá'í Festivals
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g. The Nineteen Day
Feast
h. The Bahá'í
Year
i. The Intercalary
Days
j. The age of
maturity
k. Burial of the
dead
l. Engaging in a trade or profession
is made obligatory and is
exalted to the rank of
m. Obedience to
government
n. Education of
children
o. The writing of a
testament
p. Tithes
(Zakát)
q. Repetition of the Greatest Name
95 times a day
r. The hunting of
animals
s. Treatment of female
servants
t. The finding of lost
property
u. Disposition of treasure
trove
v. Disposal of objects held in
trust
w.
Manslaughter
x. Definition of just
witnesses
y.
Prohibitions:
i. Interpretation of the Holy
Writ
ii. Slave
trading
iii.
Asceticism
iv.
Monasticism
v.
Mendicancy
vi.
Priesthood
vii. Use of
pulpits
viii. The kissing of hands
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ix. Confession of
sins
x. Plurality of
wives
xi. Intoxicating
drinks
xii.
Opium
xiii.
Gambling
xiv.
Arson
xv.
Adultery
xvi.
Murder
xvii.
Theft
xviii.
Homosexuality
xix. Congregational prayer, except for the
dead
xx. Cruelty to
animals
xxi. Idleness and
sloth
xxii.
Backbiting
xxiii.
Calumny
xxiv. Carrying arms unless
essential
xxv. Use of public pools in Persian
baths
xxvi. Entering a house without the owner's
permission
xxvii. Striking or wounding a
person
xxviii. Contention and
conflict
xxix. Muttering sacred verses in the
street
xxx. Plunging one's hand in
food
xxxi. Shaving one's
head
xxxii. Growth of men's hair beyond the lobe of the ear
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2. Abrogation of specific laws and ordinances of previous
Dispensations, which prescribed:
a.
Destruction of books
b. Prohibition of the
wearing of silk
c. Prohibition of the use
of gold and silver utensils
d. Limitation
of travel
e. Offering priceless gifts to
the Founder of the Faith
f. Prohibition on
questioning the Founder of the Faith
g.
Prohibition against remarrying one's divorced
wife
h. Penalizing whoever causes sadness
to his neighbour
i. Prohibition of
music
j. Limitations upon one's apparel
and beard
k. Uncleanliness of divers
objects and peoples
l. Uncleanliness of
semen
m. Uncleanliness of certain objects
for purposes of prostration
3. Miscellaneous
Exhortations:
a. To associate with the
followers of all religions with fellowship
b. To honour one's parents
c. Not to wish
for others what one does not wish for one's
self
d. To teach and propagate the Faith
after the ascension of its Founder
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e. To assist those who arise to
promote the Faith
f. Not to depart from
the Writings or to be misled by those who
do
g. To refer to the Holy Writ when
differences arise
h. To immerse one's self
in the study of the Teachings
i. Not to
follow one's idle fancies and vain
imaginations
j. To recite the holy verses
at morn and at eventide
k. To recite the
holy verses melodiously
l. To teach one's
children to chant the holy verses in the
Mashriqu'l-Adhkár
m. To
study such arts and sciences as benefit
mankind
n. To take counsel
together
o. Not to be indulgent in
carrying out the statutes of God
p. To
repent to God of one's sins
q. To
distinguish one's self through good
deeds
i. To be
truthful
ii. To be
trustworthy
iii. To be
faithful
iv. To be righteous and fear
God
v. To be just and
fair
vi. To be tactful and
wise
vii. To be
courteous
viii. To be hospitable
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ix. To be
persevering
x. To be
detached
xi. To be absolutely submissive to the Will of
God
xii. Not to stir up
mischief
xiii. Not to be
hypocritical
xiv. Not to be
proud
xv. Not to be
fanatical
xvi. Not to prefer one's self to one's
neighbour
xvii. Not to contend with one's
neighbour
xviii. Not to indulge one's
passions
xix. Not to lament in
adversity
xx. Not to contend with those in
authority
xxi. Not to lose one's
temper
xxii. Not to anger one's neighbour
r. To
be closely united
s. To consult competent
physicians when ill
t. To respond to
invitations
u. To show kindness to the
kindred of the Founder of the Faith
v. To
study languages for the furtherance of the
Faith
w. To further the development of
cities and countries for the
glorification
of
the Faith
x. To restore and preserve the
sites associated with the Founders
of
the
Faith
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y. To be the essence of
cleanliness:
i. To wash one's
feet
ii. To perfume one's
self
iii. To bathe in clean
water
iv. To cut one's
nails
v. To wash soiled things in clean
water
vi. To be stainless in one's
dress
vii. To renew the furnishings of one's house
V. SPECIFIC ADMONITIONS,
REPROOFS AND WARNINGS
Addressed to:
1. The entire human race
2. Crowned heads of the world
3. The concourse of ecclesiastics
4. The Rulers of America and Presidents of the Republics therein
5. William I, King of Prussia
6. Francis Joseph, Emperor of Austria
7. The people of the Bayán
8. Members of parliaments throughout the
world
VI. MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS
1. The transcendent character of the Bahá'í Revelation
2. The exalted station of the Author of the Faith
3. The supreme importance of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas,"The Most Holy Book"
4. The doctrine of the "Most Great
Infallibility"
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5. The twin duties of recognition of the
Manifestation and observance of His
Laws,
and their
inseparability
6. The end of all learning is the recognition of Him Who is the Object of all knowledge
7. The blessedness of those who have recognized the
fundamental verity
"He
shall not be asked of His doings"
8. The revolutionizing effect of the "Most Great Order"
9. The selection of a single language and the
adoption of a common script for
all
on earth to use: one of
two signs of the maturity of the human race
10. Prophecies of the Báb regarding "He Whom God will make manifest"
11. Prediction relating to opposition to the Faith
12. Eulogy of the king who will profess the Faith and arise to serve it
13. The instability of human affairs
14. The meaning of true liberty
15. The merit of all deeds is dependent upon God's acceptance
16. The importance of love for God as the motive of obedience to His Laws
17. The importance of utilizing material means
18. Eulogy of the learned among the people of Bahá
19. Assurance of forgiveness to Mírzá Yahyá should he repent
20. Apostrophe addressed to Tihrán
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21. Apostrophe addressed to Constantinople and its people
22. Apostrophe addressed to the "banks of the Rhine"
23. Condemnation of those who lay false claim to esoteric knowledge
24. Condemnation of those who allow pride in their learning to debar them from God
25. Prophecies relating to Khurásán
26. Prophecies relating to Kirmán
27. Allusion to Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsá'í
28. Allusion to the Sifter of Wheat
29. Condemnation of Hájí Muhammad-Karím Khán
30. Condemnation of Shaykh Muhammad-Hasan
31. Allusion to Napoleon III
32. Allusion to Siyyid Muhammad-i-Isfahání
33. Assurance of aid to all those who arise to serve
the Faith
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