66 Aghsan #42
Categories: NOTESSources: The Kitab-i-aqdas
Aghsan (plural of Ghusn) is the Arabic word for Branches. This
term is used by Baha'u'llah to designate His male descendants. It has
particular implications not only for the disposition of endowments but
also for the succession of authority following the passing of Baha'u'llah
(see note 145) and of 'Abdu'l-Baha. Baha'u'llah, in the Book of His
Covenant, appointed 'Abdu'l-Baha, His eldest son, as the Centre of His
<
Testament, appointed Shoghi Effendi, His eldest grandson, as the Guardian
and Head of the Faith.
This passage of the Aqdas, therefore, anticipates the succession of chosen
Aghsan and thus the institution of the Guardianship and envisages the
possibility of a break in their line. The passing of Shoghi Effendi in
1957 precipitated the very situation provided for in this passage, in that
the line of Aghsan ended before the Universal House of Justice had been
established (see note 67).
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He, however, who denied God in His Truth, who turned his back upon Him and rebelled, who disbelieved and made mischief, the verdict of "impiety", "blasphemy", "death", and "fire" was passed upon him. For, what blasphemy is greater than to turn unto t... 61 How Many A Man Hath Secluded Himself In The Climes Of India
denied himself the things that God hath decreed as lawful, imposed upon himself austerities and mortifications 36 These verses constitute the prohibition of monasticism and asceticism. See the Synopsis and Codification, section IV.D. 1.y.iii.-i... 61: O Son Of Man! A Dewdrop Out Of The Fathomless Ocean Of My
O SON OF MAN! A dewdrop out of the fathomless ocean of My mercy I have shed upon the peoples of the world, yet found none turn thereunto, inasmuch as every one hath turned away from the celestial wine of unity unto the foul dregs of impurity, and,... 61: O Son Of Man! Ascend Unto My Heaven That Thou Mayest Obtain
O SON OF MAN! Ascend unto My heaven, that thou mayest obtain the joy of reunion, and from the chalice of imperishable glory quaff the peerless wine. ... 62
These were the very words and utterances used by the pagan Arabs living in the days of Muhammad to dispute with and pronounce judgement against Him. They said: "Those who believed in Muhammad dwelt in our midst and associated with us day and night. W... 62 Whoso Layeth Claim To A Revelation Direct From God
ere the expiration of a full thousand years 37 The Dispensation of Baha'u'llah will last until the coming of the next Manifestation of God, Whose advent will not take place before at least a full thousand years will have elapsed. Baha'u'llah ca... 62: O Son Of Dust! Turn Not Away Thine Eyes From The Matchless Wine
O SON OF DUST! Turn not away thine eyes from the matchless wine of the immortal Beloved, and open them not to foul and mortal dregs. Take from the hands of the divine Cup-bearer the chalice of immortal life, that all wisdom may be thine, and that ... 62: O Son Of Man! Many A Day Hath Passed Over Thee Whilst Thou
O SON OF MAN! Many a day hath passed over thee whilst thou hast busied thyself with thy fancies and idle imaginings. How long art thou to slumber on thy bed? Lift up thy head from slumber, for the Sun hath risen to the zenith, haply it may shine u... 63
At this hour, when the sweet savours of attraction have wafted over Me from the everlasting city, when transports of yearning have seized Me from the land of splendours at the dawning of the Daystar of the worlds above the horizon of 'Iraq, and the s... 63 This Is That Of Which We Gave You Forewarning When
We were dwelling in 'Iraq, then later while in the Land of Mystery, and now from this Resplendent Spot. 37 The Land of Mystery refers to Adrianople, and this Resplendent Spot is a reference to Akka. ... 63: O Son Of Man! The Light Hath Shone On Thee From The Horizon Of
O SON OF MAN! The light hath shone on thee from the horizon of the sacred Mount and the spirit of enlightenment hath breathed in the Sinai of thy heart. Wherefore, free thyself from the veils of idle fancies and enter into My court, that thou maye... 63: O Ye Peoples Of The World! Know Verily That An Unforeseen Calamity Followeth
O YE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD! Know, verily, that an unforeseen calamity followeth you, and grievous retribution awaiteth you. Think not that which ye have committed hath been effaced in My sight. By My beauty! All your doings hath My pen graven with ... 64
Know then that "life" hath a twofold meaning. The first pertaineth to the appearance of man in an elemental body, and is as manifest to thine eminence and to others as the midday sun. This life cometh to an end with physical death, which is a God-ord... 64 Amongst The People Is He Whose Learning Hath Made Him Proud
who, when he heareth the tread of sandals following behind him, waxeth greater in his own esteem 41 In the East, the practice has been for followers of a religious leader, out of deference, to walk a pace or two behind him. ... 64: O Oppressors On Earth! Withdraw Your Hands From Tyranny For I Have
O OPPRESSORS ON EARTH! Withdraw your hands from tyranny, for I have pledged Myself not to forgive any man's injustice. This is My covenant which I have irrevocably decreed in the preserved tablet and sealed with My seal. ... 64: O Son Of Man! My Eternity Is My Creation I Have Created It For
O SON OF MAN! My eternity is My creation, I have created it for thee. Make it the garment of thy temple. My unity is My handiwork; I have wrought it for thee; clothe thyself therewith, that thou mayest be to all eternity the revelation of My everl... 65
The first life, which pertaineth to the elemental body, will come to an end, as hath been revealed by God: "Every soul shall taste of death."(42) But the second life, which ariseth from the knowledge of God, knoweth no death, as hath been revealed af... 65 Nimrod #41
The Nimrod referred to in this verse is, in both Jewish and Islamic traditions, a King who persecuted Abraham and whose name became symbolic of great pride. ... 65: O Rebellious Ones! My Forbearance Hath Emboldened You And My
O REBELLIOUS ONES! My forbearance hath emboldened you and My long-suffering hath made you negligent, in such wise that ye have spurred on the fiery charger of passion into perilous ways that lead unto destruction. Have ye thought Me heedless or th... 65: O Son Of Man! My Majesty Is My Gift To Thee And My Grandeur
O SON OF MAN! My majesty is My gift to thee, and My grandeur the token of My mercy unto thee. That which beseemeth Me none shall understand, nor can anyone recount. Verily, I have preserved it in My hidden storehouses and in the treasuries of My c... 66
O My brother! Forsake thine own desires, turn thy face unto thy Lord, and walk not in the footsteps of those who have taken their corrupt inclinations for their god, that perchance thou mayest find shelter in the heart of existence, beneath the redee... 66 Aghsan #42
Aghsan (plural of Ghusn) is the Arabic word for Branches. This term is used by Baha'u'llah to designate His male descendants. It has particular implications not only for the disposition of endowments but also for the succession of authori... 66: O Children Of The Divine And Invisible Essence!
O CHILDREN OF THE DIVINE AND INVISIBLE ESSENCE! Ye shall be hindered from loving Me and souls shall be perturbed as they make mention of Me. For minds cannot grasp Me nor hearts contain Me. ... 66: O Emigrants! The Tongue I Have Designed For The Mention Of
O EMIGRANTS! The tongue I have designed for the mention of Me, defile it not with detraction. If the fire of self overcome you, remember your own faults and not the faults of My creatures, inasmuch as every one of you knoweth his own self better t... 67
In this connection We will relate unto thee that which was revealed of old concerning "life", that perchance it may turn thee away from the promptings of self, deliver thee from the narrow confines of thy prison in this gloomy plane, and aid thee to ... 67 Revert To The People Of Baha #42
Baha'u'llah provides for the possibility that the line of Aghsan would terminate prior to the establishment of the Universal House of Justice. He designated that in such a situation endowments shall revert to the people of Baha. The term people of... 67: O Children Of Fancy! Know Verily That While The Radiant Dawn Breaketh
O CHILDREN OF FANCY! Know, verily, that while the radiant dawn breaketh above the horizon of eternal holiness, the satanic secrets and deeds done in the gloom of night shall be laid bare and manifest before the peoples of the world. ... 67: O Son Of Beauty! By My Spirit And By My Favor! By My Mercy And
O SON OF BEAUTY! By My spirit and by My favor! By My mercy and by My beauty! All that I have revealed unto thee with the tongue of power, and have written for thee with the pen of might, hath been in accordance with thy capacity and understanding,... 68
He saith, and He, verily, speaketh the truth: "Shall the dead whom We have quickened, and for whom We have ordained a light whereby he may walk amongst men, be like him whose likeness is in the darkness, whence he will not come forth?"(48) This verse... 68 Shave Not Your Heads #44
In some religious traditions it is considered desirable to shave one's head. The shaving of the head is forbidden by Baha'u'llah, and He makes it clear that the provision contained in His Suriy-i-Hajj requiring pilgrims to the Holy House ... 68: O Children Of Men! Know Ye Not Why We Created You All From The
O CHILDREN OF MEN! Know ye not why We created you all from the same dust? That no one should exalt himself over the other. Ponder at all times in your hearts how ye were created. Since We have created you all from one same substance it is incumben... 68: O Weed That Springeth Out Of Dust! Wherefore Have Not These Soiled Hands Of Thine
O WEED THAT SPRINGETH OUT OF DUST! Wherefore have not these soiled hands of thine touched first thine own garment, and why with thine heart defiled with desire and passion dost thou seek to commune with Me and to enter My sacred realm? Far, far ar... 69
Would that pure and stainless hearts could be found, that I might impart unto them a sprinkling from the oceans of knowledge which My Lord hath bestowed upon Me, so that they may soar in the heavens even as they walk upon the earth and speed over the... 69 It Is Not Seemly To Let The Hair Pass Beyond The Limit Of The Ears #44
Shoghi Effendi has made clear that, unlike the prohibition on shaving the head, this law forbidding the growing of the hair beyond the lobe of the ear pertains only to men. The application of this law will require clarification by the Universal Ho... 69: O Children Of Adam! Holy Words And Pure And Goodly Deeds Ascend
O CHILDREN OF ADAM! Holy words and pure and goodly deeds ascend unto the heaven of celestial glory. Strive that your deeds may be cleansed from the dust of self and hypocrisy and find favor at the court of glory; for ere long the assayers of manki... 69: O Ye Sons Of Spirit! Ye Are My Treasury For In You I Have Treasured The
O YE SONS OF SPIRIT! Ye are My treasury, for in you I have treasured the pearls of My mysteries and the gems of My knowledge. Guard them from the strangers amidst My servants and from the ungodly amongst My people. ... 6: O Son Of Being! Thy Paradise Is My Love; Thy Heavenly Homereunion
O SON OF BEING! Thy Paradise is My love; thy heavenly home, reunion with Me. Enter therein and tarry not. This is that which hath been destined for thee in Our kingdom above and Our exalted dominion. ... 6: O Son Of Earth! Know Verily The Heart Wherein The Least Remnant
O SON OF EARTH! Know, verily, the heart wherein the least remnant of envy yet lingers, shall never attain My everlasting dominion, nor inhale the sweet savors of holiness breathing from My kingdom of sanctity. ... 7
Through the power of God and His might, I shall now relate certain passages revealed in the Books of old, and mention some of the signs heralding the appearance of the Manifestations of God in the sanctified persons of His chosen Ones, that thou maye... 7 When Ye Desire To Perform This Prayer
turn ye towards the Court of My Most Holy Presence, this Hallowed Spot that God hath ... decreed to be the Point of Adoration for the denizens of the Cities of Eternity 6 The Point of Adoration, that is, the point to which the worshipper should... 70
O My brother! At every juncture We have restated Our theme, that all that hath been recorded in these verses may, by the leave of God, be made clear unto thee, and that thou mayest become independent of those who are plunged in the darkness of self a... 70 Exile And Imprisonment Are Decreed For The Thief #45
Baha'u'llah states that the determination of the degree of penalty, in accordance with the seriousness of the offence, rests with the House of Justice (Q and A 49). The punishments for theft are intended for a future condition of society, when the...