Bahá’í World/Volume 15/Excerpts from the Writings of Shoghi Effendi
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EXCERPTS FROM THE WRITINGS OF SHOGHI EFFENDI
1. A SUMMARY OF THE KITAB-I—AQDAS
(Excerpts from God Passes By)
UNIQUE and stupendous as was this Proclamation,1 it proved to be but a prelude to a still mightier revelation of the creative power of its Author, and to what may well rank as the most signal act of His ministry—the promulgation of the Kitáb—i—Aqdas. Alluded to in the Kitáb-i-Íqán; the principal repository of that Law which the Prophet Isaiah had anticipated, and which the writer of the Apocalypse had described as the “new heaven” and the “new earth”, as “the Tabernacle of God ”, as the “Holy City”, as the “Bride”, the “New Jerusalem coming down from God”, this “Most Holy Book”, whose provisions must remain inviolate for no less than a thousand years, and whose system will embrace the entire planet, may well be regarded as the brightest emanation of the mind of Bahá’u’lláh, as the Mother Book of His Dispensation, and the Charter of His New World Order.
Revealed soon after Bahá’u’lláh had been transferred to the house of ‘Udi Khammar (circa 1873), at a time when He was still encompassed by the tribulations that had afflicted Him, through the acts committed by His enemies and the professed adherents of His Faith, this Book, this treasury enshrining the priceless gems of His Revelation, stands out, by virtue of the principles it inculcates, the administrative institutions it ordains and the function with which it invests the appointed Successor of its Author, unique and incomparable among the world’s sacred Scriptures. For, unlike the Old Testament and the Holy Books which preceded it, in which the actual precepts uttered by the Prophet Himself are non-existent; unlike the Gospels, in which the few sayings attributed to Jesus Christ afford no
1 The Proclamation by Bahá’u’lláh of His Mission.
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clear guidance regarding the future administration of the affairs of His Faith; unlike even the Qur’án which, though explicit in the laws and ordinances formulated by the Apostle of God, is silent on the all-important subject of the succession, the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, revealed from first to last by the Author of the Dispensation Himself, not only preserves for posterity the basic laws and ordinances on which the fabric of His future World Order must rest, but ordains, in addition to the function of interpretation which it confers upon His Successor, the necessary institutions through which the integrity and unity of His Faith can alone be safeguarded.
In this Charter of the future world civilization its Author—at once the Judge, the Lawgiver, the Unifier and Redeemer of mankind —announces to the kings of the earth the promulgation of the “Most Great Law”; pronounces them to be His vassals; proclaims Himself the “King of Kings”; disclaims any intention of laying hands on their kingdoms; reserves for Himself the right to “seize and possess the hearts of men”; warns the world’s ecclesiastical leaders not to weigh the “Book of God” with such standards as are current amongst them; and affirms that the Book itself is the “Unerring Balance” established amongst men. In it He formally ordains the institution of the “House of Justice”, defines its functions, fixes its revenues, and designates its members as the “Men oflustice”, the “Deputies of God”, the “Trustees of the All-Mercifill”, alludes to the future Centre of His Covenant, and invests Him with the right of interpreting His holy Writ; anticipates by implication the institution of Guardianship; bears witness to the revolutionizing effect of His World Order; enunciates
the doctrine of the “Most Great Infallibility” of the Manifestation of God; asserts this infallibility to be the inherent and exclusive right of the Prophet; and rules out the possibility of the appearance of another Manifestation ere the lapse of at least one thousand years.
In this Book He, moreover, prescribes the obligatory prayers; designates the time and period of fasting; prohibits congregational prayer except for the dead; fixes the Qiblih; institutes the Ḥuqúqu’lláh (Right of God); formulates the law of inheritance; ordains the institution of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár; establishes the Nineteen Day Feasts, the Bahá’í festivals and the Intercalary Days; abolishes the institution of priesthood; prohibits slavery, asceticism, mendicancy, monasticism, penance, the use of pulpits and the kissing of hands; prescribes monogamy; condemns cruelty to animals, idleness and sloth, backbiting and calumny; censures divorce; interdicts gambling, the use of opium, wine and other intoxicating drinks; specifies the punishments for murder, arson, adultery and theft; stresses the importance of marriage and lays down its essential conditions; imposes the obligation of engaging in? some trade or profession, exalting such occupation to the rank of worship; emphasizes the necessity of providing the means for the education of children; and lays upon every person the dyty of writing a testament and of strict obedience to one’s government.
'Apart from these provisions Bahá’u’lláh exhorts His followers to consort, with amity and concord and without discrimination, with the adherents of all religions; warns them to guard against fanaticism, sedition, pride, dispute and contention; inculcates upon them immaculate cleanliness, strict truthfulness, spotless chastity, trustworthiness, hospitality, fidelity, courtesy, forbearance, justice and fair ness; counsels them to be “even as the fingers of
one hand and the limbs of one body”; calls upon them to arise and serve His Cause; and assures them of His undoubted aid. He, furthermore, dwells upon the instability of human afl‘airs; declares that true liberty consists in man’s submission to His commandments; cautions them not to be indulgent in carrying out His statutes; prescribes the twin inseparable duties of recognizing the “Dayspring of God’s Revelation” and of observing all the ordinances revealed by
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Him, neither of which, He affirms, is acceptable without the other.
The significant summons issued to the Presidents of the Republics of the American continent to seize their opportunity in the Day of God and to champion the cause of justice; the injunction to the members of parliaments throughout the world, urging the adoption of a universal script and language; His warnings to William I, the conqueror of Napoleon III; the reproof He administers to Francis Joseph, the Emperor of Austria; His reference to “the lamentations of Berlin” in His apostrophe to “the banks of the Rhine”; His condemnation of “the throne of tyranny” established in Constantinople, and His prediction of the extinction of its “outward splendour” and of the tribulations destined to overtake its inhabitants; the words of cheer and comfort He addresses to His native city, assuring her that God had chosen her to be “the source of the joy of all mankind”; His prophecy that “the voice of the heroes 0/ K_hura’sa’n” will be raised in glorification of their Lord; His assertion that men “endued with mighty valour” will be raised up in Kirman who will make mention of Him; and finally, His magnanimous assurance to a perfidious brother who had afi’licted Him with such anguish, that an “ever-fbrgiving, all-bounteous” God would forgive him his iniquities were he only to repent —all these further enrich the contents of a Book designated by its Author as “the source of true felicity”, as the “Unerring Balance”, as the “Straight Path” and as the “quickener of mankind”.
The laws and ordinances that constitute the major theme of this Book, Bahá’u’lláh, moreover, has specifically characterized as “the breath of life unto all created things”, as “the mightiest stronghol ”, as the “fruits” of His “Tree”, as “the highest means for the maintenance oforder in the world and the security of its peoples”, as “the lamps of His wisdom and Ioving-providence”, as “the sweet smelling savour of His garment”, as the “keys” of His “mercy” to His creatures. “This Book,” He Himself testifies, “is a heaven which We have adorned with the stars of Our commandments and prohibitions.” “Blessed the man,” He, moreover, has stated, “who will read it, and ponder the verses sent down in it by God, the Lord of Power, the Almighty. Say, 0 men! Take hold of it with the hand afresignation. . . By My life!
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It hath been sent down in a manner that amazeth the minds of men. Verily, it is My weightiest testimony unto all people, and the proof of the All-Merciful unto all who are in heaven and all who are on earth.” And again: “Blessed the palate that savoureth its sweetness, and the perceiving eye that recognizeth that which is treasured therein, and the understanding heart that comprehendeth its allusions and mysteries. By God! Such is the majesty of what hath been revealed therein, and so tremendous the revelation of its veiled allusions that the Ioins of utterance shake when attempting their description.” And finally: “In such a manner hath the Kitab-iAqdas been revealed that it attracteth and embraceth all the divinely appointed Dispensations. Blessed those who peruse it! Blessed those who apprehend it! Blessed those who meditate upon it! Blessed those who ponder its meaning! So vast is its range that it hath encompassed all men ere their recognition of it. Erelong will its sovereign power, its pervasive influence and the greatness of its might be manifested on earth.”
The formulation by Bahá’u’lláh, in His Kitáb-i-Aqdas, of the fundamental laws of His Dispensation was followed, as His Mission drew to a close, by the enunciation of certain precepts and principles which lie at the very core of His Faith, by the reaffirmation of truths He had previously proclaimed, by the elaboration and elucidation of some of the laws He had already laid down, by the revelation of further prophecies and warnings, and by the establishment of subsidiary ordinances designed to supplement the provisions of His Most Holy Book. These were recorded in unnumbered Tablets, which He continued to reveal until the last days of His earthly life, among which the Ifira’qat (Splendours), the Bifidrat (Glad Tidings), the “Tara'za't” (Ornaments), the “Tajalliya’t” (Effulgences), the Kalimdt—i—Firdawsiyyih (Words of Paradise), the Lawh-i—Aqdas (Most Holy Tablet), the “Lawh-i-Dunya’” (Tablet of the World), the Lawh-i-Maqszid (Tablet of Maqsud), are the most noteworthy. These Tablets—mighty and final efiusions of His indefatigable pen—must rank among the choicest fruits which His mind has yielded, and mark the consummation of His forty-year-long ministry.
Of the principles enshrined in these Tablets the most vital of them all is the principle of the oneness and wholeness of the human race,
which may well be regarded as the hall-mark of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation and the pivot of His teachings. Of such cardinal importance is this principle of unity that it is expressly referred to in the Book of His Covenant, and He unreservedly proclaims it as the central purpose of His Faith. “We, verily,” He declares, “have come to unite and weldtogether all that dwellon earth.” “So potent is the light of unity,” He further states, “that it can illuminate the whole eart .” “At one time,” He has written with reference to this central theme of His Revelation, “ We spoke in the language of the lawgiver; at another in that of the truth seeker and the mystic, and yet Our supreme purpose and highest wish hath always been to disclose the glory and sublimity of this station.” Unity, He states, is the goal that “excelleth every goal” and an aspiration which is “the monarch of all aspirations". “ The world,” He proclaims, “is but one country, and mankind its citizens.” He further affirms that the unification of mankind, the last stage in the evolution of humanity towards maturity, is inevitable, that “soon will the present day order be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead”, that “the whole earth is now in a state of pregnancy”, that “the day is approaching when it will have yielded its noblest fruits, when from it will have sprung forth the loftiest trees, the most enchanting blossoms, the most heavenly blessings.” He deplores the defectiveness of the prevailing order, exposes the inadequacy of patriotism as a directing and controlling force in human society, and regards the “love of mankind” and service to its interests as the worthiest and most laudable objects of human endeavour. He, moreover, laments that “the vitality ofmen’s beliefin God is dying out in every land,” that the “face of the worl ” is turned towards “ waywardness and unbelief ” ; proclaims religion to be “a radiant light and an impregnable stronghold for the protection and welfare of the peoples of the worl ” and “the chief instrumentfor the establishment of order in the worl ”; afl‘irms its fundamental purpose to be the promotion of union and concord amongst men; warns lest it be made “a source of dissension, of discord and hatred ”; commands that its principles be taught to children in the schools of the world, in a manner that would not be productive of either prejudice or fanaticism; attributes “the waywardness of the ungodly” to the “decline of religion” ; and predicts “convulsions”
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of such severity as to “cause the limbs ofmankind to quake”.
The principle of collective security He unreservedly urges; recommends the reduction in national armaments; and proclaims as necessary and inevitable the convening of a world gathering at which the kings and rulers of the world will deliberate for the establishment of peace among the nations.
Justice He extols as “the light of men” and their “guardian”, as “the revealer Of the secrets of the world ofbeing, and the standard-bearer of love and bounty”; declares its radiance to be incomparable; affirms that upon it must depend “the organization of the world and the tranquillity of mankind”. He characterizes its “two pillars”—“reward and punishment”—as “the sources oflife” to the human race; warns the peoples of the world to bestir themselves in anticipation of its advent; and prophesies that, after an interval of great turmoil and grievous injustice, its day-star will shine in its full splendour and glory.
He, furthermore, inculcates the principle of “moderation in all things”; declares that whatsoever, be it “Liberty, civilization and the like", “passeth beyond the limits ofmoderation” must “exercise a pernicious influence upon men"; observes that western civilization has gravely perturbed and alarmed the peoples of the world; and predicts that the day is approaching when the “flame” of a civilization “carried to excess” “will devour the cities”.
Consultation He establishes as one of the fundamental principles of His Faith; describes it as “the lamp of guidance”, as “the bestower ofunderstanding”, and as one of the two “luminaries” of the “heaven of Divine wisdom”. Knowledge, He states, is “as wings to man’s ltfe and a ladder for his ascent”; its acquisition He regards as “incumbent upon every one”; considers “arts, crafts and sciences" to be conducive to the exaltation of the world of being; commends the wealth acquired through crafts and professions; acknowledges the indebtedness of the peoples of the world to scientists and craftsmen; and discourages the study of such sciences as are unprofitable
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to men, and “begin with words and end with words”.
The injunction to “consort with all men in a spirit offriendliness and fellowship” He further emphasizes, and recognizes such association to be conducive to “union and cancer ”, which, He affirms, are the establishers of order in the world and the quickeners of nations. The necessity of adopting a universal tongue and script He repeatedly stresses; deplores the waste of time involved in the study of divers languages; affirms that with the adoption of such a language and script the whole earth will be considered as “one city and one land”; and claims to be possessed of the knowledge of both, and ready to impart it to any one who might seek it from Him.
To the trustees of the House of Justice He assigns the duty of legislating on matters not expressly provided in His writings, and promises that God will “inspire them with whatsoever He willet ”. The establishment ofa constitutional form of government, in which the ideals of republicanism and the majesty of kingship, characterized by Him as “one of the signs of God”, are combined, He recommends as a meritorious achievement ; urges that special regard be paid to the interests of agriculture; and makes specific reference to “the swiftly appearing newspapers”, describes them as “the mirror of the war] ” and as “an amazing and potent phenomenon”, and prescribes to all who are responsible for their production the duty to be sanctified from malice, passion and prejudice, to be just and fair-minded, to be painstaking in their inquiries, and ascertain all the facts in every situation.
The doctrine of the Most Great Infallibility He further elaborates; the obligation laid on His followers to “behave towards the government of the country in which they reside with loyalty, honesty and truthfulness”, He reaffirms; the ban imposed upon the waging of holy war and the destruction of books He reemphasizes; and He singles out for special praise men of learning and wisdom, whom He extols as “eyes” to the body ofmankind, and as the “greatest gifts” conferred upon the world.
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. .. , 1.”. 1:. f‘-'—’ “@952 -~ 59.: The resting place ofShoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith, in the Great Northern London Cemetery, New Southgate.
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