1540. Duration of the Báb's Dispensation
"The Báb said that whenever 'He Whom God will make manifest' appears, accept Him. He never said don't accept Him until after the lapse of 1000 years. Also Bahá’u’lláh says that in the year 9 of the Bábí Dispensation the time was ripe for the Revelation of 'He Whom God will make manifest.' As the Báb was not only a Manifestation but a Herald of this Bahá’í Faith, the interval between His revelation and that of Bahá’u’lláh was of shorter duration. His Dispensation in a sense will last as long as Bahá’u’lláh's lasts."
- (From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to the National Spiritual Assembly of India, December 27, 1941: Dawn of a New Day, p. 94)
1541. Declaration of the Báb
"…The believers must hold gatherings for the Bahá’ís at exactly 2 hours and 11 minutes after sunset on May 22nd …, as this is the exact time when the Báb declared His mission to Mullá Husayn…."
- (Ibid., June 22, 1943, p. 105)
1542. The Declaration of the Báb and the Birthday of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
"…regarding the declaration of the Báb and the birthday of the Master: The Báb declared His Mission on the fourth day of the month of Jamadi I, two hours and eleven minutes after sunset, corresponding with the evening of May 22nd. But as the Bahá’í day begins after sunset, and not after midnight as in the West, the Báb's declaration is celebrated on the fifth day of Jamadi I, corresponding to the 23rd of May. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was born in the course of that same night, but the exact hour of His birth has not been ascertained."
- (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada, November 25, 1936)
1543. The Bayán
"In the Bayán the Báb says that every religion of the past was fit to become universal. The only reason why they failed to attain that mark was the incompetence of their followers. He then proceeds to give a definite promise that this would not be the fate of the Revelation of 'Him Whom God would make manifest', that it will become universal and include all the people of the world. This shows that we will ultimately succeed. But could we not through our shortcomings, failures to sacrifice, and reluctance to concentrate our efforts in spreading the Cause, retard the realization of that ideal. And what would that mean? It shall mean that we will be held responsible before God, that the race will remain longer in its state of waywardness, that wars would not be so soon averted, that human suffering will last longer."
- (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada, February 20, 1932: Living the Life, pp. 3-4)
1544. The Íqán and the Bayán
"The Báb specified that the 'Bayán' is not completed and that 'He Whom God would manifest'(Bahá’u’lláh) would complete it, though not in its actual form, but only spiritually in the form of another book. The 'Íqán' is believed to be its continuation.'
- (From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to the National Spiritual Assembly of India, February 17, 1939: Dawn of a New Day, p. 78)
1545. Reason for Severe Laws Revealed by the Báb
"…The severe laws and injunctions revealed by the Báb can be properly appreciated and understood only when interpreted in the light of His own statements regarding the nature, purpose and character of His own Dispensation. As these statements clearly reveal, the Bábí Dispensation was essentially in the nature of a religious and indeed social revolution and its duration had therefore to be short, but full of tragic events, of sweeping and drastic reforms. These drastic measures enforced by the Báb and His followers were taken with the view of undermining the very foundations of Shí'áh orthodoxy, and thus paving the way for the coming of Bahá’u’lláh. To assert the independence of the new Dispensation, and to prepare also the ground for the approaching Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, the Báb had therefore to reveal very severe laws, even though most of them were never enforced. But the mere fact that He revealed them was in itself a proof of the independent character of His Dispensation and was sufficient to create such widespread agitation, and excite such opposition on the part of the clergy that led them to cause His eventual martyrdom."
- (Ibid., pp. 77-78)
1546. Portrait of the Báb
"…The portrait of the Báb should be regarded as an inestimable privilege and blessing to behold, as past generations were denied a glimpse of the Face of the Manifestation, once He had passed on."
- (From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, November 13, 1944: Bahá’í News, No. 210, August 1948, p. 2)
1547. Hour of Birth of the Báb
"The Báb was born before dawn."
- (From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, July 10, 1939)
1548. The Term "Afnán" Refers to Relatives of the Báb
"The term 'afnán' means literally small branch, and refers to the relatives of the Báb, both men and women. As the Báb's only son died while in infancy, the former had no direct descendants. The 'afnán' are, therefore, all indirectly related to the Bab.
"As to 'aghsán', it also means branch. But it is a bigger branch than 'afnán'. It refers to Bahá’u’lláh's descendants."
- (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, September 25, 1934)
1549. The Sacrifice of 19 Lambs by the Báb was Prior to His Revelation
"As regards your question concerning the sacrifice of 19 choice lambs which the Báb is reported to have made on the day of Nahr: This is indeed an Islámic custom. But the sacrifice in question was performed by the Báb prior to the revelation of His own laws, and at a time, therefore, when the laws and practices of Islám had not yet been entirely abrogated by Him."
- (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, August 22, 1939)
