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Bahai Provisions: A Rehash Of Bayan
6. Provisions of Aqdas
6.1 Abultion
Baha’s provision in regards to the abultion is taken from the Persian Bayan, V, 17, where it is laid down that every believer should repeat ninety five times between sun rise and sunset each day of the month of nineteen days one of the following divine names or similar exalted words: Allahu Abha (God is most Splendid), Allahu Azam (God is Most Great), Allahu Azhar (God is Most Manifest), Allahu Anwar (God is Most Luminous), Allahu Akbar (God is Most Mighty), the last day of the month he should repeat ninety five times Allahu Aqdam (God is the Ancient of Days).
Ablutions before worship is provide for in the Arabic Bayan, VIII, 10.
6.2 Murder
Murder is strictly forbidden in the Bayan: “No one is to be slain for unbelief, for the slaying of a soul is outside the religion of god; ….. and if anyone commands it, he is not and has not been of the Bayan, and no sin can be greater for him than this.”
Persian Bayan, IV, 5.
6.3 Adultery
Adultery, back-biting and Calumniation are to be eschewed. There are things from which believers are averse. Arabic Bayan, X, 5.
6.4 Inheritance
The property of the deceased is to be divided into nine unequal parts. Two parts are to be funeral expenses, and the balance is to be divided in the following manner. Arabic Bayan, viii, 2; x, 3.
When Baha heard the protest of unborn children that they would not get enough of the inheritance, he doubled their wealth and took away from others.”
Prescribed in the Bayan Adopted by Baha:
| 1. |
Children |
9 |
18 |
| 2. |
Surviving Spouse |
8 |
6.5 |
| 3. |
Father |
7 |
5.5 |
| 4. |
Mother |
6 |
4.5 |
| 5. |
Brother |
5 |
3.5 |
| 6. |
Sister |
4 |
2.5 |
| 7. |
Teacher |
3 |
1.5 |
| Total |
42 |
42 |
6.5 House of Justice
The Primal Point provided for a council of twenty-five members to assist a Bayani established authority to be. Arabic Bayan, xi, 2. Baha replaced it by a House of Justice of nine or more members to assist a Bahai established authority to be.
6.6 Pilgrimage
The provision at p.32 concerning “the pilgrimage to the house” should be read together with that at p.59, where it is stated to “raise up two houses in two places… make believers who are able to make the pilgrimage to the House, the Point’s house in Shiraz and the House occupied by Baha in Baghdad, known as “the Most Great House” or “the Most Holy Habitation” (god passes by, p.142). This house is held by Moslems in absolute ownership by virtue of judgment issued to the highest competent court in Iraq.
Provision is made in the Bayan for the pilgrimage to the Point’s House in Shiraz.
6.7 Occupation
Baha’s provision concerning the requirement for everyone to work is taken from Arabic Bayan, viii, 17.
6.8 Kissing
Believers admitted to an audience with Baha prostrated themselves and entered the room on their knees. Dr. Browne in J.R.A.S. July 1889, p.519.
6.9 Repentance
Prohibition of confession derives its authority from Persian Bayan, vii, 14, where it laid down that one should ask pardon or forgiveness of god from the person of His Manifestation so long as he endures. When he is dead he should repent unto god for himself.
6.10 Ascetic Practices
Prohibition of ascetic practices derives its authority from Persian Bayan, viii, 15, where it is laid down that every person must marry and from Arabic Bayan, x, 10, where it is provided that surviving spouse must remarry. Hence no ascetic practices.
6.11 Religious Endovements
There is no provision in the Bayan enabling the Point or his appointed successors to control religious endovements.
6.12 Shaving of the Head
The shaving of the head is allowed. Persian Bayan, viii, 8.
6.13 Theft
Theft is strictly forbidden in the Bayan, Arabic Bayan, x, 5. No provision for punishment, imprisonment and branding.
6.14 Gold & Silver Vessels
Provision is made for this in Persian Bayan and Arabic Bayans vi, 9.
6.15 Education
Full provision is made in the Four Grades (Chahar Sha’n), otherwise known as the Book of Names (Kitab-i-Asma), for the education of one’s children.
6.16 Adultery
Adultery is a thing to be eschewed, and from which believers are averse, Arabic Bayan, X, 5. Imposition of fine is Baha’s provision. Baha has not abrogated the Bayan. Therefore, save where is provided, the provision of the Bayan stands. Hence Mithqal is the Bayani Mithqal.
6.17 Singing, Music
No provision in the Bayan appears to be for these matters.
6.18 Hospitality
This provision is taken from the Arabic Bayan. Xi, 17.
6.19 Punishment For Murder & Arson
Arson is forbidden in the Bayan. Arabic Bayan, x, 5.
There appears to be no provision for punishment.
Murder is strictly forbidden in the Bayan. P.B iv, 5.
Any person who commits murder has to pay a sum of eleven thousand Mithqals of pure gold to the heirs of the murdered person. Arabic Bayan xi, 16.
6.20 Marriage, dowry and divorce
Subject to minor amendments all the provisions are taken from the Bayan. A.B., vii, 15 (marriage); A.B. x, 10 (remarriage); A.B. P.B vi, 17 (dowry) A.B., P.B vi, 12 (dowry).
In the Bayan one cannot have more than one wife. P.B. viii, and A.B. x, 3. It is presumed one may have two wives but there is no quotable text in the Bayan.
A surviving spouse is required to remarry, A.B. x, 10.
In the Bayan dowry for city is a minimum of 19, and a maximum of 95 Mithqals of pure gold and for villagers the same amount in silver. A.B. P.B. vi, 17.
In the Bayan, absence from home is no ground for divorce. A husband may not absent himself from his home beyond two years if on land, and beyond five years if at sea. When the husband absent himself from his home the prescribed periods he has to pay to his wife two hundred and two Mithqals of pure gold if he can and the same amount in Silver, if he cannot. A.B, P.B VI, 16.
Divorce: The year consists of 19 months of 19 days each. P.B. A.B V, 3.
6.21 Traffic in Slaves
There appears to be no provision in the Bayan for this.
6.22 Opposition to killing>
This provision is from the Arabic Bayan, P. 12 Lines 23-28.
6.23 Ceremonial Uncleanness
Full provision is made for this in the Arabic Bayan (Chapter IV, P.10).
6.24 Books
There is no provision in the Bayan requiring the “destruction” of non Bayani books. According to the Primal Point, the fundamental principal is that the revealed Manifestation is annulled (mahv) by that of a later Manifestation that which applies to the Principal, namely revealed books, extends to an includes its accessories namely, books that are written by Creatures. Hence the order to annul all books, save those that are written in proof of the Command of god and His provision. What is therefore, deemed to have been annulled is the destruction of the validity of such books and not their physical destruction.
Persian Bayan, VI, 6, pp.198-200, printed text. The Primal Point forbade the tearing up of any book. A.B. ix, 3.
The Primal Point forbade his followers to teach, to learn and to write any literature on, Muhammedan Principals (Al-Usul), Muhammedan Logic (Al-Mantiq), Rules of Muhammedan Jurisprudence and Philosophy (Qawa’id Fiqhiyya va hikamiyya), and the Science of Obsolete words (Ilm-i Lughat-i Gheyr Mustamala). The Point did not allow his followers to study any literature other than the Bayan, which includes verses, Supplications, Commentaries, Philosophical Sciences and Replies in Persian. The Primal Point however permitted his followers to learn and compose literature on any science, provided that it contains the prescribed colophon from the Arabic Bayan, x, 11 (chapter iv). Persian Bayan, iv, 10, pp. 130-132, printed text.
6.25 Tax
Subject to a change in its disposal, this provision is from A.B. & P.B. VIII, 16.
6.26 Syntax of The Verses
This provision is from Persian Bayan, II, 1 in which the Primal Point says: “If anyone should raise an objection to the grammar or syntax of the verses, this objection is in vain, because the rules of grammar should be taken from the verses and not the verses written in compliance with the rules of grammar. There is no doubt that the Master of these verses denied these rules, denied that he himself, was aware of them.”
6.27 Cleanliness
These provisions are taken from the Bayan (Chapter iv).
The Bayan lays great stress on cleanliness. The order to take a bath every four days is from A.B., and P.B., vii, 6.
6.28 Pederasty
This is forbidden in the Bayan. A.B. X, 5.
6.29 Manner of Saying Prayer
“Moving of Lips in Prayer As One Walks Through The Streets Not Allowed.”
There appears to be no provision for this in the Bayan.
Compare God Passes By, P.168 : “Baha recited, as he walked through the streets and markets, verses, in a voice and in a manner that greatly astonished those who saw and heard him.”
6.30 Place of Worship
“Worship to be performed in a place of worship or in one’s home.”
This provision is taken from A.B. ix, 9.
6.31 Writing of A Will
This provision is taken from A.B. P.B. V, 13.
6.32 Consulting Physician
“When ill, skilled physician are to be consulted.”
In the Bayan Physicians are to prescribe spiritual treatment and diet. A.B. ix, 2; Four Grades (Chahar Sha’n), V, 8.
6.33 The Most Priceless Thing
This provision is taken from P.B. Vol. 16, where it is laid down that the Most priceless thing is for god and is to be offered to the person of His Manifestation, the Manifestation of the age, who is the fulfillment of words “there is nothing like him.”
6.34 Foreign Languages
There is no provision in the Bayan which forbids the learning of foreign languages. What the Primal Point forbade was the science of Obsolete Words (Books supra 2.15.27). P.B. IV, 10.
6.35 Use of Alcohol
The use of alcohol is forbidden in the Bayan, A.B., P.B. ix, 8.
He who drinks any intoxicating liquid looses his reason and is liable to the payment of ninety five Mithqals of pure gold. A.B. XI, 18.
6.36 Excellent Injunction
Such injunctions are found in the Bayan’s literature, which is known collectively as the Bayan.
6.37 Freedom
“We see some people who desired freedom boasting of it. They are in manifest ignorance. The consequences of freedom end in sedition ..”
There appears to be no provision for this in the Bayan.
6.38 Burial of The Dead
These provisions are taken from the Bayan:
Coffin: A.B. V, 11; P.B V, 12
Shrouding A.B., P.B, VII, 11
Inscription on the rings (A.B, V, 11; P.B. VIII, 11).
The only change is in the inscription on the rings. Five garments of silk or cotton is the ceiling for the winding-sheet (A.B., P.B., VIII, 11).
In the presence of Baha’s provision to the effect that “it is unlawful for you to carry the dead body further than the distance of one hour from the city” it is not understood how the Point’s alleged remains were carried from Teheran to Mt. Carmel in Haifa (God Passes By, P.276), and the remains of Baha’s son Mirza Mahdi surnamed the Purest Branch and of Abdul Baha’s mother Nawwaba were exhumed from their graves at Acre and re-buried in the burial ground on Mt. Carmel in Haifa (God Passes By, PP. 347-348).
6.39 Travel Restrictions
The Primal Point commanded that a husband may not absent himself from his home beyond two years if on land and beyond 5 years if at sea. A.B. P.B. VI, 16. Baha removed this restriction and commanded that a husband who proceeds on a journey must inform his wife and fix the time for his return. If he does not keep his word and does not inform his wife, she must wait nine months after which she is free to remarry.
6.40 Entry Into A Home
Entry into a home without its owner’s permission forbidden.
This provision is taken from A.B. VI, 16.
6.41 Poor rate
This provision is a dead letter.
6.42 Begging And giving to Beggars Forbidden
This provision is taken from A.B. VIII, 17.
6.43 Relief to destitute
Every one required to earn his living. Relief to destitute
This provision is from A.B., VIII, 17.
6.44 Quarreling, Disputing & Striking Forbidden
The provision forbidding quarreling, disputing and striking is from A.B. x, 6.
Any one who causes sorrow to others intentionally is liable to payment of nineteen Mithqals of god if he can, and if he cannot then the same amount in Silver, for the sake of god; if he cannot pay either then he has to ask pardon of god nineteen times. A.B., P.B. VII, 18.
Baha remits this payment.
6.45 Reading of Verses
This provision is taken from A.B., P.B., V, 8.
6.46 Renewal of House-Furnishing
This provision is taken from A.B., ix, 14, which exempts one who is unable to do this.
6.46 Reciting of Verses
Verses of god not to be recited from high pulpit
This provision is taken from A.B. P.B., VII, 11.
6.48 Gambling & Use of Opium Forbidden.
The provision for bidding gambling and the use of opium is taken from A.B., P.B. ix, 8 and A.B., x, 5 respectively.
6.49 Carrying of Arms
Carrying of arms forbidden except in times of necessity.
This provision is taken from A.B., P.B., VII, 6
6.50 Clothing, Hair & Beard
These provisions are taken from A.B., P.B., VI, 9 (silk).
P.B. VIII, 8 (hair and beard).
6.51 Treating Animals
Animals not to be overloaded.
This provision is taken from P.B. Vi, 16; A.B., X, 15.
6.52 Killing by mistake - Payment of blood money
This provision is taken from A.B. xi, 16, according to which in case of killing by mistake no criminal responsibility is invoked. The injuring party is required to give satisfaction to the heirs of the injured party.
6.53 Choosing Universal Language & Handwriting
An artificial language known as Esperanto was invented for universal use by a Polish Physician Dr. Handovick Lazaros Zamenhof before the Aqdas was written and printed in 1890.
6.52 Smoking of Opium Prohibited.
This provision is taken from P.B., ix, 8.
6.54 The Very Great Preservation From Error
In the Aqdas P.37 (Elder’s translation), Baha says: “the Rising-place of Command has no partner in the Very Great Preservation from Error.
He is, indeed an appearing-place. He does what he wishes in the kingdom of Creation. God has reserved this station exclusively for Himself and a portion in this great and unapproachable Dignity has not been destined by anyone else.
This is the Command of God.”
In god passes by, p.214, Shoghi Effendi says:
“[In the Aqdas Baha] enunciates the doctrine of the ‘Most Great Infallibility’ [Al-‘isma al Akbar] of the manifestation of god (and) asserts this ‘infallibility to be the inherent and exclusive right of the prophet.”
In tablet of Ishraqat, Baha confirms the Aqdas provision regarding the very great preservation of error.
The Aqdas provision is once again confirmed in the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, Shoghi Effendi’s translation P.67: “Every time god the True One revealed Himself in the person of His manifestation, He came unto men with the standard of “He doeth what he Willeth, and ordaineth what He pleaseth.” None hath the right to ask why or wherefore, and he that doeth so, hath indeed turned aside from god, the lord of lords.”
The very great preservation from Error or the Most Great Infallibility is the inherent prerogative of the manifestation of god. It admits of no division as major or greater infallibility and minor or lesser infallibility. Therefore Abdul Baha as Baha’s successor and Shoghi Effendi as the guardian fall within the category of fallibles.
It may be noted that Baha himself was the first person to disregard the doctrine of the Most Great Infallibly by defecting from the Primal Point, who was the manifestation of god, according to him.
6.56 Summary & Analysis
In previous section all the important laws and precepts (but not all the exhortations) contained in the this book of fifty English pages have been noted in the order, or rather disorder, in which Baha prepared them.
As the relevant Wáhids and Chapters of the Bayan quoted under each item indicate all these laws and precepts are almost entirely a rehash of the Bayan.
The Primal Point’s mass of literature which is known as the Bayan contains many exhortations. It is true that Baha refers to the Primal Point as “He Who Gave Good News of Me”, Aqdas, P.29 “We sent Him who shall tell the people the good news of this Name”, ibid, P.54, “Him who told the good news of Me”, ibid, p.59, namely as Baha’s forerunner a herald; but Baha is not to be taken seriously, at one and the same breadth speaks of the Primal Point as “God who put this Most Great Name on the month of Al-Baha,” ibid, p.54, and “God has ordained that every person appears before the Throne bringing his most priceless possession,” ibid, p.55, “the Point of Al-Bayan.” Ibid p.58, P.61, a major manifestation, “Him who has appeared in justice (ما قد ظهر بالعدل), A.B., VIII, 15, and not “what has been manifested justice”, Aqdas, p.61, and “the master of Worlds”, ibid, p.63.
According to the Primal Point, his Revelation the Bayan, is a standard or measure to hold good till the next Resurrection, when the succeeding Manifestation shall appear, A.B., P.B. II, 6 and II, 7, to whom the Primal Point refers as He-Whom-God-Will-Make-Manifest and He Who Will Appear (P.B., Exordium; P.B. VII, 10).
Again according to the Primal Point to provide for the prevalence of the Faith founded by him he assigned a time limit of no less than 1511 years and not more than 2001 years represented by the numerical values of the words Ghiyath & Mustaghath respectively, the latter expressed in words as well, to separate this dispensation from that of the next (P.B. II, 17, III, 15; VII, 10).
As we have seen in previous chapters during the Point’s lifetime, 1844-1850, Baha was a Bayani missionary in Iran in disposal of his Master the Point’s cause (T.A. pp.52-56). After the Point’s martyrdom in 1850 Baha submitted to the authority of the Point’s successor Subh-i Azal.
During the Baghdad period, 1853-1863, Baha continued to submit to Subh-i Azal’s authority. There is no documentary evidence to support Baha’s alleged declaration in the Ridvan garden at Baghdad on the eve of his removal from Baghdad to Istanbul and thence to Edirne in 1863 (God Passes By, P.153).
In 1866 or 1867 in Edirne Baha repudiated his chief the Point’s successor Subh-i Azal and formally put forth his claim to independence of the Primal Point yet to be claimed to be the return of the Imam Husayn, a mirror of the Bayan whom he identified with Him-Whom-God-Will-Make-Manifest, an independent major manifestation (chapter v, vi, vii).
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