The Covenant/The Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh

The Covenant

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[Page 25]

Introduction

Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant is, in its broadest sense, a renewal of the Covenant of God. His dispensation is the fulfillment of the Everlasting Covenant. Bahá’u’lláh has also assured us that God’s Covenant will not end with this Covenant, for He has promised a new Manifestation Who will come in a thousand or more years.

In addition to renewing the Covenant of God, Bahá’u’lláh has created another Covenant with His followers. This is the “specific,”¹ the “lesser,”² or “second form”³ of Covenant in which He called upon the believers to turn to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá after His passing. Lessons 3 and 4 will examine this second type of Covenant.

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1 Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh 137 2 The Universal House of Justice, The Covenant, intro. 3 Written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, Lights of Guidance 147 [Page 26]

Overview

“The Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh,” Shoghi Effendi states, referring to the second form of Covenant, “had been solely instituted through the direct operation of His Will and purpose.”⁴

Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant, the “Instrument He had forged,” was created to channel, “after His passing, the forces released by Him in the course of a forty year ministry.” Its purpose was to preserve “the unity of His Faith” and provide “the impulse necessary to achieve its destiny,”⁵ the Kingdom of God on earth. “Had not the Covenant come to pass,” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá states, “. . . the forces of the Cause of God would have been utterly scattered. . . ”⁶

The second form of Covenant is, in essence, the “continuation of divine guidance after the Ascension of the Prophet” through a person or institution that can “indisputably state what is the Will of God.”⁷ Bahá’u’lláh instructed His followers to turn, after His passing, to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Center of His Covenant.

Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant is unique in religious history because it is explicitly revealed in writing.⁸ His instructions regarding the Covenant are found in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas (the book of His laws), in the Tablet of the Branch, and in the Kitáb-i-‘Ahd (the book of His Covenant). There are also a number of Bahá’u’lláh’s other Tablets that extol and reinforce the station of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

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4 God Passes By 325 5 Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By 405 6 Tablets of the Divine Plan 49 7 The Universal House of Justice, letter of 3-23-75 8 The Universal House of Justice, The Power of the Covenant, Part II, 4-5 [Page 27]

Explanation

To understand the significance of Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant, we need only look at the experience of some earlier religions. Consider Christianity and Islam, two of the recent past dispensations. Jesus left no detailed instructions for His followers. There was initially no written Holy Book, no designated successor, no administrative system. The powers released by the Revelation of Jesus led to the growth of Christianity. Throughout the centuries, however, the meaning of the Gospel has been vigorously debated. This led to innumerable divisions in the Christian Faith.

Muhammad left the text of the Qur’an with guidance for the faithful in the basics of His religion, such as prayer and fasting. Although some of His followers believe that He gave instructions regarding His successor, such instructions were not left in writing. Islam, therefore, also fell victim to division into different factions and denominations.

Bahá’u’lláh, however, has, through His Covenant, provided His followers "in unequivocal and emphatic language, all the laws, the regulations, the principles, the institutions, the guidance, they require." He explicitly appointed His successor in writing—someone to whom the believers could turn for guidance and who would answer their questions and resolve their disputes. The unity of the Bahá’í Faith has thus been preserved.10

"So firm and mighty is this Covenant," ‘Abdu’l-Bahá states, "that from the beginning of time until the present day no religious Dispensation hath produced its like."11

‘Abdu’l-Bahá is the Center of Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant—a Covenant intended to assure the continuation of the flow of divine will for the accomplishment of the divine purpose. It is interesting to note, therefore, that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is also the Interpreter of the Word of God (the source of God's will) and is the perfect Exemplar of the Bahá’í teachings (the perfect example of God's purpose for each human being).

9 Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh 21

10 Shoghi Effendi, on page 50 of Messages to America wrote: "Were anyone to imagine or expect that [the] Cause... should, at all times, be immune to any divergence of opinion, or any defection on the part of its multitudinous followers, it would be sheer delusion.... That such a secession, however, ... should have failed... to split in twain the entire body of the adherents of the Faith... is a fact too eloquent for even a casual observer... to either deny or ignore."

11 Quoted in God Passes By 238 [Page 28]

Readings

1. "There is, for example, the Greater Covenant which every Manifestation of God makes with His followers, promising that in the fullness of time a new Manifestation will be sent, and taking from them the undertaking to accept Him when this occurs. There is also the Lesser Covenant that a Manifestation of God makes with His followers that they will accept His appointed successor after Him." -The Universal House of Justice, The Power of the Covenant, Part II, 4

2. "A dynamic process, divinely propelled, possessed of undreamt-of potentialities, world-embracing in scope, world-transforming in its ultimate consequences, had been set in motion on that memorable night when the Báb communicated the purpose of His mission to Mullá Husayn in an obscure corner of Shíráz. It acquired a tremendous momentum with the first intimations of Bahá’u’lláh’s dawning Revelation. . . . It was finally consummated by the laws and ordinances He [Bahá’u’lláh] formulated, by the principles which He enunciated and by the institutions which He ordained. ... "To direct and canalize these forces let loose by this Heaven-sent process, and to insure their harmonious and continuous operation after His ascension, an instrument divinely ordained, invested with indisputable authority, organically linked with the Author of the Revelation Himself, was clearly indispensable. That instrument Bahá’u’lláh had expressly provided through the institution of the Covenant...." -Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By 237-38

3. "The purpose of the Blessed Beauty in entering into this Covenant and testament was to gather all existent beings around one point so that the thoughtless souls, who in every cycle and generation have been the cause of dissension, may not undermine the Cause. He hath, therefore, commanded that whatever emanateth from the Centre of the Covenant is right and is under His protection and favour, while all else is error." --Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá 209

4. "In accordance with the explicit text of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas Bahá’u’lláh hath made the Center of the Covenant the Interpreter of the Word—a Covenant so firm and mighty that from the beginning of time until the present day no religious Dispensation hath produced its like." -‘Abdu’l-Bahá, quoted in The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh 136

5. "The Covenant is, moreover, embedded in the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh Himself. Thus... to accept Bahá’u’lláh is to accept His Covenant; to reject His Covenant is to reject Him." -written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, The Covenant 18

The Nature of Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant

potentialities: abilities, qualities, or talents that can be developed

transforming: changing significantly in form or condition

intimations: indirect indications; hints

ordinances: commands, laws

formulated: fixed or stated in definite terms; made

enunciated: declared or proclaimed

canalize: to create channels to direct the flow of water, or, in this case, spiritual energies

organically: parts connected, organized and related to one another as in a living thing

indispensable: required, essential

emanate: to come forth or issue from a source

embedded: fixed firmly in; part of [Page 29]

Uniqueness and Origin

6. "... Nowhere in the books pertaining to any of the world's religious systems... do we find any single document establishing a Covenant endowed with an authority comparable to the Covenant which Bahá’u’lláh had Himself instituted....

"... Glorified by Him, in other passages of His writings, as the 'Ark of Salvation' and as 'the Cord stretched betwixt the earth and the Abhá Kingdom,' this Covenant has been bequeathed to posterity in a Will and Testament which, together with the Kitáb-i-Aqdas and several Tablets... constitute the chief buttresses designed by the Lord of the Covenant Himself to shield and support, after His ascension, the appointed Center of His Faith and the Delineator of its future institutions." -Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By 238-39

7. "When the ocean of my presence hath ebbed and the Book of My Revelation is ended, turn your faces toward Him Whom God hath purposed, Who hath branched from this Ancient Root....' 'When the Mystic Dove will have winged its flight from its Sanctuary of Praise and sought its far-off goal, its hidden habitation, refer ye whatsoever ye understand not in the Book, to Him Who hath branched from this mighty Stock."" -Bahá’u’lláh, Synopsis and Codification of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas 24

8. "There hath branched from the Sadratu’l-Muntahá this sacred and glorious Being, this Branch of Holiness; well is it with him that hath sought His shelter and abideth beneath His shadow. . . . Render thanks unto God, O people, for His appearance; for verily He is the most great Favor unto you, the most perfect bounty upon you.... Whoso turneth towards Him hath turned towards God, and whoso turneth away from Him hath turned away from My beauty, hath repudiated My Proof, and transgressed against Me." -Bahá’u’lláh, from the Tablet of the Branch, quoted in The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh 135

9. "The Will of the divine Testator is this: It is incumbent upon the Aghsán, the Afnán and My kindred to turn, one and all, their faces towards the Most Mighty Branch. Consider that which We have revealed in Our Most Holy Book: 'When the ocean of My presence hath ebbed and the Book of My Revelation is ended, turn your faces toward Him Whom God hath purposed, Who hath branched from this Ancient Root.' The object of this sacred verse is none other except the Most Mighty Branch. Thus have We graciously revealed unto you our potent Will, and I am verily the Gracious, the All-Powerful." -Bahá’u’lláh, quoted in the Kitáb-i-‘Ahd, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh 221-22

bequeathed: given or left by will; handed down, posterity: future generations collectively

Kitáb-i-Aqdas (ket-awb-eh-ack-dass): the Most Holy Book, revealed in ‘Akká about 1873; "the Charter of His World Order, the chief repository of His laws, the Harbinger of His Covenant" (The Promised Day is Come 24)

buttress: support, prop

Delineator: one who describes something precisely in words

Sadratu’l-Muntahá (sad-ra-tol-monta-haw): the Divine Lote Tree; the tree which marks a boundary beyond which there is no passing; reference to the Manifestation of God

Branch: in Persian, Ghusn (gossn); a son or male descendant of Bahá’u’lláh

transgressed: broke a law; sinned against

Testator: one who makes a will

Aghsán (ax-awn): branches; sons and male descendants of Bahá’u’lláh

Afnán (aff-nawn): twigs; the relatives of the Báb

the Most Mighty Branch: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá; known to Bahá’ís by titles such as "the Master" and "the Most Mighty Branch," He did not take the title ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (servant of Bahá) until after His Father's passing [Page 30]

‘Abdu’l-Bahá: The Center of the Covenant

10. "Thou knowest, O my God, that I desire for Him [‘Abdu’l-Bahá] naught except that which Thou didst desire, and have chosen Him for no purpose save that which Thou hadst intended for Him." -Bahá’u’lláh, quoted in The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh 136

11. "He is, and should for all time be regarded, first and foremost, as the Center and Pivot of Bahá’u’lláh's peerless and all-enfolding Covenant, His most exalted handiwork, the stainless Mirror of His light, the perfect Exemplar of His teachings, the unerring Interpreter of His Word, the embodiment of every Bahá’í ideal, the incarnation of every Bahá’í virtue, the Most Mighty Branch... styles and titles that are implicit and find their truest, their highest and fairest expression in the magic name ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. He is, above and beyond these appellations, the 'Mystery of God'—an expression by which Bahá’u’lláh Himself has chosen to designate Him, and which, while it does not by any means justify us to assign to Him the station of Prophethood, indicates how in the person of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá the incompatible characteristics of a human nature and super-human knowledge and perfection have been blended and are completely harmonized." —Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh 134

12. "... The Blessed Beauty... appointed a Center, the Exponent of the Book and the annuller of disputes. Whatever is written or said by Him is conformable to the truth and under the protection of the Blessed Beauty. He is infallible."—‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í World Faith 358

13. "The interpretations of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá . . . are divinely guided statements of what the Word of God means and as such these interpretations are binding on the friends." -written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, letter of 3-9-87

14. "The continuity of that unerring guidance vouchsafed to it since its birth was now assured. The significance of the solemn affirmation that this is 'the Day which shall not be followed by night' was now clearly apprehended." -Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By 245

15. "He is the Trust of God amongst you, His charge within you, His manifestation unto you and His appearance among His favored servants.... Blest and sanctified be God Who createth whatsoever He willeth.... They who deprive themselves of the shadow of the Branch, are lost in the wilderness of error, are consumed by the heat of worldly desires, and are of those who will assuredly perish."" -Bahá’u’lláh, from the Tablet of the Branch, quoted in The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh 135

Pivot: person or thing on which something hinges or depends

Exemplar: model to be copied; example or pattern

embodiment: concrete expression

ideal: a norm of perfection to be aimed at

incarnation: concrete expression in human form

implicit: essentially contained in

appellations: titles, names

designate: name, appoint

incompatible: not capable of existing together in harmony or agreement

Exponent: one who explains or interprets; one who is regarded as the representative or symbol

annuller: one who cancels or abolishes

affirmation: positive declaration, confident statement

apprehended: understood

manifestation: state of making something clear or obvious to the senses [Page 31] "Bahá’u’lláh had entrusted His Will and Testament to the care of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. On the ninth day after His ascension its contents became known. Earlier in the day nine of the Bahá’ís, including members of Bahá’u’lláh’s family who were chosen by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, gathered to witness the breaking of the seal and learn the counsel of the Testament. Later, the same day, within the walls of the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh, Mírzá Majdi’d-Dín—the son of Mírzá Músá, Bahá’u’lláh’s faithful brother and valiant supporter throughout forty years, then alas deceased—stood up to read the Will." No doubt could be entertained. It was evident to Whom the Bahá’ís had to turn, and Whom they had to obey, on Whose shoulders the mantle of total authority now rested. No one expressed dissent. Everyone who was there, and heard that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was the successor to Bahá’u’lláh, submitted to what He had ordained. Tarázu’lláh Samandarí [later appointed a Hand of the Cause] vividly recalled that felicitous day, and the obedience that was unquestionably rendered to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

"But there was a heart hopelessly stirred by envy. It beat in the frame of the second surviving son of Bahá’u’lláh, Mírzá Muhammad-’Alí, entitled Ghusn-i-Akbar, the Greater Branch, the man whose rank and station the Testament of Bahá’u’lláh had placed next to that of the Centre of the Covenant Himself. This half-brother of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had already committed an act of astounding perfidy. To this testifies the letter of repentance, short-lived though that repentance was, of Mírzá Badí’u’lláh, the fourth surviving son of Bahá’u’lláh. In that document he stated, in no uncertain terms, that two cases which belonged to Bahá’u’lláh and contained His writing materials, seals, and papers were purloined by Mírzá Muhammad-’Alí, on the very dawn of the day that their Father passed away... .

"Mírzá Muhammad-’Alí’s most cherished object had been to lay hands on the Will and Testament which he knew his Father had written. But that document had been entrusted to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Thus his first attempt to subvert the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh proved abortive. But ambition and jealousy drove him on to deeds more wretched, until he ultimately destroyed himself."

—Balyuzi, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá 51-52

Vocabulary

mantle: cloak; anything that clothes or envelopes dissent: disagreement felicitous: marked by an agreeable manner perfidy: deliberate violation of faith; treachery repentance: regret for past sins purloined: stolen object: purpose, intention subvert: to destroy or overthrow; to undermine abortive: not reaching full or complete development

11 The entire text of Bahá’u’lláh’s Will and Testament—the Kitáb-i-’Ahd (Book of the Covenant)—can be found in Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, pages 217-23. [Page 32]

Further Study

Select one of the passages from the "Readings" section.

What does the passage mean to you?

What are the implications of the passage for your life?

Personal Reflection

List any unanswered questions about the lesson you may want to explore in more depth. Use the index on page 81 and additional reading below to help you find answers to your questions.

Remaining Questions

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Additional Reading

The Kitáb-i-’Ahd, in Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh 219-23

God Passes By, by Shoghi Effendi, Chapter XIV Explanation of the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh.

The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, by Shoghi Effendi, 131-39 Explanation of the station of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

The Power of the Covenant, Part I Commentary, with quotations, on Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant. [Page 33]

Questions

1. (Circle all that apply.) Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant: a. channels the forces first released by the Báb b. appoints ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the Universal House of Justice as twin Centers of Authority c. prevents all disputes and defections d. prevents the scattering of the forces released by Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation

2. (Circle all that apply.) Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant is unique because: a. other Manifestations have not appointed successors b. other Manifestations have not made a lesser Covenant c. it is in writing d. infallible guidance will continue throughout the Dispensation

3. List the three major books or tablets by Bahá’u’lláh in which He gives authority to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: 1. 2. 3.

4. Describe the station of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in relation to: Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant: God’s will: God’s purpose: [Page 34]

Answers

The following are suggested answers. Depending on your understanding of the quotes, you may have different answers. Consider the suggested answers a starting point for thought and discussion.

1. a and d. See page 26 and #2, page 28. “C” is not correct—the Covenant does not prevent disputes and defections, it provides a way to resolve them and protect the unity of the Faith. See footnote 10 on page 27.

2. c and d. See pages 26 and 27 and #14, page 30.

3. The Kitáb-i-Aqdas (The Most Holy Book), The Tablet of the Branch and the Kitáb-i-‘Ahd (Book of the Covenant). Although the references in the first two refer to a “Branch”—a male descendant of Bahá’u’lláh—the reference in the Kitáb-i-‘Ahd to the Most Mighty Branch could refer to no one else but ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.¹² (See #9, page 29.)

4. See pages 27, 29, and 30. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is the “Center and Pivot” of Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant, the “Delineator of its future institutions,” and the “annuller of disputes.” In relation to God’s will, He is the “Interpreter” and “Exponent” of the Word of God, the continuation of the channel of divine guidance, Whose statements about what the Word of God means are infallible. Regarding God’s purpose, He is the “perfect Exemplar” and the “embodiment of every Bahá’í ideal,” thus representing the realization of the potential within each human being.

Discussion

What are the similarities between the greater (Covenant of God) and lesser (Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh) Covenants, particularly in their relation to God’s will and purpose. What are the differences?

How does Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant enable us to fulfill our purpose in life, both as individuals and as a society? What is ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s role in Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant? What is our role in Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant?

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12 Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, Vol. III, 371