12.   Purificatory Tax
A purificatory tax was prescribed by Baha to purify the wealth of the faithful, who were commanded not to deny themselves this great favour. The relevant text sums as follows:
(Aqdas, English Translation, P.P 50-51) "If anyone possesses a hundred Mithqal of gold, nineteen Mithqal of them are for god, the maker of earth and heaven. Beware, O people, lest you deny yourselves great favour. We have commanded you to do this although we can do without you and without all who are in the heaven and the earth. In that, there are wise and useful things of which no one has acquired knowledge except god, the omniscient, the knower. Say: By that command god desired the purification of your wealth and your drawing near to those stations which are only attained by those whom god wills. Indeed. He is the generous, almighty giver of grace. O people, do not be dishonest in the duties owed to god; do not spend (god's money) except by his permission. Thus in the matter decided in the tablets & in this powerful tablet. Whoever cheats god is cheated by justice, but when one does what he is commanded then descends upon him a blessing from the heaven of giving, from his lord, the Bountiful, the giver. The Eternal Bestower."

Payment of this purificatory tax, considered by Baha as duties owed to god, lapsed with Baha's death. In his Will and Testament Baha states that "god has not decreed for the Branches [i.e. Baha's sons] a right in one's property." The relevant text sums up as follows:
محبت اغصان بر کل لازم ولکن ماقدرالله لهم حقاً فی اموال الناس

Notwithstanding this express provision prohibiting Baha's sons to have claim on one's property. Sir Abbas Effendi overrode his authority, disregarded his father's commitment, and in an eleemosynary provision in his Will and Testament (P.16 of the printed copy of the Will) reinstated this text, as prescribed Right of God (Huqhughullah), and made it payable to the guardian of the cause of god (i.e. Shoghi Effendi and his lineal descendants as an act of grace although god and his servants can do without transitory things.
The text was to be devoted to the elevation of the word, to the diffusion of the sweet savers of god and to charitable purposes. The text sums as follows:

« ای یراران عبدالبهاء محض الطاف بی پایان حضرت یزدان بتعین حقوق الله بر عباد خویش منت گذاشته و الا حق و بندگانش مستغنی از کائنات بوده و الله عنتی حق العالمین اما مفروض حقوق سبب ثبوت و رسوخ نفوس و برکت در شؤن گردد و حقوق الله راجع به ولی امرالله است تا در نشر نفحات و ارتفاع کلمة الله و اعمال خیریه و منافع عمومیه صرف گردد. »

This provision is null and void of initio. The provision does not appear in the excerpts quoted in the Bahai World.

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