Notes
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1 The Sweet-smelling Savour Of My Garment #4
This is an allusion to the story of Joseph in the Qur'an and the Old Testament, in which Joseph's garment, brought by his brothers to Jacob, their father, enabled Jacob to identify his beloved long-lost son. The metaphor of the fragrant garment is... 10 The Prayer For The Dead #8
The Prayer for the Dead (see Some Texts Supplementary to the Kitab-i-Aqdas) is the only Baha'i obligatory prayer which is to be recited in congregation; it is to be recited by one believer while all present stand in silence (see note 19).... 100 Should Resentment Or Antipathy Arise Between Husband And Wife
he is not to divorce her but to bide in patience throughout the course of one whole year 68 Divorce is strongly condemned in the Baha'i Teachings. If, however, antipathy or resentment develop between the marriage partners, divorce is permissib... 101 The Lord Hath Prohibited
the practice to which ye formerly had recourse when thrice ye had divorced a woman. 68 This relates to a law of Islam set out in the Qur'an which decreed that under certain conditions a man could not remarry his divorced wife unless she had mar... 102 He Who Hath Divorced His Wife May Choose Upon The Passing Of Each Month
to remarry her when there is mutual affection and consent, so long as she hath not taken another husband ... unless, clearly, her circumstances change. 68 Shoghi Effendi states, in a letter written on his behalf, that the intention of the passi... 103 Semen Is Not Unclean # 74
In a number of religious traditions and in Shi'ih Muslim practice semen has been declared ritually unclean. Baha'u'llah has here dispelled this concept. See also note 106 below. ... 104 Cleave Ye Unto The Cord Of Refinement #74
'Abdu'l-Baha refers to the effect of purity and holiness, cleanliness and refinement on the exaltation of the human condition and the development of man's inner reality. He states: The fact of having a pure and spotless body exercises an influence... 105 Wash Ye Every Soiled Thing With Water That Hath Undergone No Alteration In Any One Of The Three Respects #74
The three respects referred to in this verse are changes in the colour, taste or smell of the water. Baha'u'llah provides additional guidance concerning pure water and the point at which it is considered unsuitable for use (Q and A 91). ... 106 God Hath Abolished The Concept Of Uncleanness Whereby Divers Things And Peoples Have Been Held To Be Impure #75
The concept of ritual uncleanness, as understood and practised in some tribal societies and in the religious communities of certain earlier Dispensations, has been abolished by Baha'u'llah. He states that through His Revelation all created things ... 107 First Day Of Ridvan #75
This is a reference to the arrival of Baha'u'llah and His companions in the Najibiyyih Garden outside the city of Baghdad, subsequently referred to by the Baha'is as the Garden of Ridvan. This event, which took place thirty-one days after... 108 The Bayan #77
The Bayan, the Mother Book of the Babi Dispensation, is the title given by the Bab to His Book of Laws, and it is also applied to the entire body of His Writings. The Persian Bayan is the major doctrinal work and principal repository of t... 109 The Destruction Of Books #77
In the Tablet of Ishraqat Baha'u'llah, referring to the fact that the Bab had made the laws of the Bayan subject to His sanction, states that He put some of the Bab's laws into effect by embodying them in the Kitab-i-Aqdas in different wo... 11 Six Specific Passages Have Been Sent Down By God The Revealer Of Verses #8
The passages that form part of the Prayer for the Dead comprise the repetition of the greeting Allah-u-Abha (God is the All-Glorious) six times, each followed by nineteen repetitions of one of six specifically revealed verses. These verses are ide... 110 We Have Permitted You To Read Such Sciences As Are Profitable Unto You Not Such As End In Idle Disputation #77
The Baha'i Writings enjoin the acquisition of knowledge and the study of the arts and sciences. Baha'is are admonished to respect people of learning and accomplishment, and are warned against the pursuit of studies that are productive only of futi... 111 He Who Held Converse With God #80
This is a traditional Jewish and Islamic title of Moses. Baha'u'llah states that with the coming of His Revelation human ears have been privileged to hear what He Who conversed with God heard upon Sinai. ... 112 Sinai #80
The mountain where the Law was revealed by God to Moses. ... 113 The Spirit Of God #80
This is one of the titles used in the Islamic and Baha'i Writings to designate Jesus Christ. ... 114 Carmel Zion #80
Carmel, the Vineyard of God, is the mountain in the Holy Land where the Shrine of the Bab and the seat of the world administrative centre of the Faith are situated. Zion is a hill in Jerusalem, the traditional site of the tomb of King... 115 The Crimson Ark #84
The Crimson Ark refers to the Cause of Baha'u'llah. His followers are designated as the companions of the Crimson Ark, lauded by the Bab in the Qayyumu'l-Asma. ... 116 O Emperor Of Austria!
He Who is the Dayspring of God's Light dwelt in the prison of Akka at the time when thou didst set forth to visit the Aqsa Mosque. 85 Francis Joseph (Franz Josef, 1830-1916), Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary, made a pilgrimage to Jerusale... 117 O King Of Berlin! #86
Kaiser William I (Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig, 1797-1888), the seventh king of Prussia, was acclaimed first Emperor of Germany in January 1871 at Versailles in France, following the victory of Germany over France in the Franco-Prussian War. ... 118 The One Whose Power Transcended Thy Power And Whose Station Excelled Thy Station #86
This is a reference to Napoleon III (1808-1873), the Emperor of the French, who was regarded by many historians as the most outstanding monarch of his day in the West. Baha'u'llah addressed two Tablets to Napoleon III, in the second of which He... 119 O People Of Constantinople! #89
The word here translated as Constantinople is, in the original, Ar-Rum or Rome. This term has generally been used in the Middle East to designate Constantinople and the Eastern Roman Empire, then the city of Byzantium and its empire, and later the... 12 Hair Doth Not Invalidate Your Prayer
nor aught from which the spirit hath departed, such as bones and the like. Ye are free to wear the fur of the sable as ye would that of the beaver, the squirrel, and other animals 9 In some earlier religious Dispensations, the wearing of the ha... 120 O Spot That Art Situate On The Shores Of The Two Seas! #89
This is a reference to Constantinople, now called Istanbul. Located on the Bosphorus, a strait about 31 kilometres long which links the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, it is the largest city and seaport of Turkey. Constantinople was the capita... 121 O Banks Of The Rhine! #90
In one of His Tablets written before the First World War (1914-1918), 'Abdu'l-Baha explained that Baha'u'llah's reference to having seen the banks of the Rhine covered with gore related to the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), and that the... 122 O Land Of Ta #91
Ta is the initial letter of Tihran, the capital of Iran. Baha'u'llah has often chosen to represent certain place names by reference to their initial letter. According to the abjad system of reckoning, the numerical value of Ta is nine, wh... 124 O Land Of Kha! #94
A reference to the Iranian province of Khurasan and neighbouring areas, which include the city of Ishqabad (Ashkhabad). ... 125 Should Anyone Acquire One Hundred Mithqals Of Gold Nineteen Mithqals Thereof Are God's And To Be Rendered Unto Him #97
This verse establishes Huququ'llah, the Right of God, the offering of a fixed portion of the value of the believer's possessions. This offering was made to Baha'u'llah as the Manifestation of God and then, following His Ascension, to 'Abdu'l-Baha ... 126 Various Petitions Have Come Before Our Throne From The Believers
concerning laws from God... We have, in consequence, revealed this Holy Tablet and arrayed it with the mantle of His Law that haply the people may keep the commandments of their Lord. 98 For a number of years, Baha'u'llah states in one of His Tabl... 127 Crimson Spot #100
This is a reference to the prison-city of Akka. In the Baha'i Writings the word crimson is used in several allegorical and symbolic senses. (See also note 115.) ... 128 The Sadratu'l-muntaha #100
Literally the furthermost Lote-Tree, translated by Shoghi Effendi as the Tree beyond which there is no passing. This is used as a symbol in Islam, for example in the accounts of Muhammad's Night Journey, to mark the point in the heavens b... 129 The Mother Book #103
The term Mother Book is generally used to designate the central Book of a religious Dispensation. In the Qur'an and Islamic Hadith, the term is used to describe the Qur'an itself. In the Babi Dispensation, the Bayan is the Mother Book, an... 13 We Have Commanded You To Pray And Fast From The Beginning Of Maturity #10
Baha'u'llah defines the age of maturity with respect to religious duties as fifteen for both men and women (Q and A 20). For details of the period of fasting, see note 25. ... 130 Whoso Interpreteth What Hath Been Sent Down From The Heaven Of
Revelation, and altereth its evident meaning 105 In several of His Tablets, Baha'u'llah affirms the distinction between allegorical verses, which are susceptible to interpretation, and those verses that relate to such subjects as the laws and ordi... 131 Approach Not The Public Pools Of Persian Baths #106
Baha'u'llah prohibits the use of the pools found in the traditional public bath-houses of Persia. In these baths it was the custom for many people to wash themselves in the same pool and for the water to be changed at infrequent intervals. Consequ... 133 It Is Forbidden You To Wed Your Fathers' Wives #107
Marriage with one's stepmother is here explicitly prohibited. This prohibition also applies to marrying one's stepfather. Where Baha'u'llah has expressed a law between a man and a woman it applies mutatis mutandis as between a woman and a man unle... 134 The Subject Of Boys #107
The word translated here as boys has, in this context, in the Arabic original, the implication of paederasty. Shoghi Effendi has interpreted this reference as a prohibition on all homosexual relations. The Baha'i teachings on sexual m... 135 To None Is It Permitted To Mutter Sacred Verses Before The Public Gaze As He Walketh In The Street Or Marketplace #108
This is an allusion to the practice of certain clerics and religious leaders of earlier Dispensations who, out of hypocrisy and affectation, and in order to win the praise of their followers, would ostentatiously mutter prayers in public places as... 136 Unto Everyone Hath Been Enjoined The Writing Of A Will #109
According to the Teachings of Baha'u'llah, the individual has a duty to write a will and testament, and is free to dispose of his estate in whatever manner he chooses (see note 38). Baha'u'llah affirms that in drawing up his will a person hath f... 137 The Most Great Name #109
As explained in note 33, the Greatest Name of God can take various forms, all based on the word Baha. The Baha'is in the East have implemented this injunction of the Aqdas by heading their wills with such phrases as O Thou Glory of the Al... 138 All Feasts Have Attained Their Consummation In The Two Most Great
Festivals and in the two other Festivals that fall on the twin days 110 This passage establishes four great festivals of the Baha'i year. The two designated by Baha'u'llah as the two Most Great Festivals are, first, the Festival of Ridvan, whic... 139 The First Day Of The Month Of Baha #111
In the Baha'i calendar the first month of the year and the first day of each month are given the name Baha. The day of Baha of the month of Baha is thus the Baha'i New Year, Naw-Ruz, which was ordained by the Bab as a festival and is here confirme... 14 He Hath Exempted From This Those Who Are Weak From Illness Or Age #10
The exemption of those who are weak due to illness or advanced age from offering the Obligatory Prayers and from fasting is explained in Questions and Answers. Baha'u'llah indicates that in time of ill-health it is not permissible to observe these... 140 The Most Great Festival Is Indeed The King Of Festivals #112
A reference to the Ridvan Festival (see notes 107 and 138). 141. God had formerly laid upon each one of the believers the duty of offering before Our throne priceless gifts from among his possessions. Now ... We have absolved them of this ... 142 The Hour Of Dawn #115
With reference to attending dawn prayers in the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, the Baha'i House of Worship, Baha'u'llah has explained that, although the actual time specified in the Book of God is the hour of dawn, it is acceptable at any time from t... 143 These Tablets Are Embellished With The Seal Of Him
Who causeth the dawn to appear, Who lifteth up His voice between the heavens and the earth. 117 Baha'u'llah repeatedly affirms the absolute integrity of His Writings as the Word of God. Some of His Tablets also bear the mark of one of His seal... 144 It Is Inadmissible That Man Who Hath Been Endowed With Reason Should Consume That Which Stealeth It Away #119
There are many references in the Baha'i Writings which prohibit the use of wine and other intoxicating drinks and which describe the deleterious effect of such intoxicants on the individual. In one of His Tablets, Baha'u'llah states: Bewa... 145 Turn Your Faces Toward Him Whom God Hath Purposed Who Hath Branched From This Ancient Root #121
Baha'u'llah here alludes to 'Abdu'l-Baha as His Successor and calls upon the believers to turn towards Him. In the Book of the Covenant, His Will and Testament, Baha'u'llah discloses the intention of this verse. He states: The object of this sacre... 146 In The Bayan It Had Been Forbidden You To Ask Us Questions #126
The Bab forbade His followers to ask questions of Him Whom God will make manifest (Baha'u'llah), unless their questions were submitted in writing and pertained to subjects worthy of His lofty station. See Selections from the Writings of the Bab. ... 147 The Number Of Months In A Year Appointed In The Book Of God Is Nineteen #127
The Baha'i year, in accordance with the Badi calendar, consists of nineteen months of nineteen days each, with the addition of certain intercalary days (four in an ordinary year and five in a leap year) between the eighteenth and nineteenth months... 148 The First Hath Been Adorned With This Name Which Overshadoweth The Whole Of Creation #127
In the Persian Bayan, the Bab bestowed the name Baha on the first month of the year (see note 139). ... 149 The Lord Hath Decreed That The Dead Should Be Interred In Coffins #128
In the Bayan, the Bab prescribed that the deceased should be interred in a coffin made of crystal or polished stone. Shoghi Effendi, in a letter written on his behalf, explained that the significance of this provision was to show respect for the h... 15 God Hath Granted You Leave To Prostrate Yourselves On Any Surface That Is Clean
for We have removed in this regard the limitation that had been laid down in the Book 10 The requirements of prayer in previous Dispensations have often included prostration. In the Arabic Bayan the Bab called upon the believers to lay their f... 150 The Point Of The Bayan #129
The Point of the Bayan is one of the titles by which the Bab referred to Himself. ... 151 The Deceased Should Be Enfolded In Five Sheets Of Silk Or Cotton #130
In the Bayan, the Bab specified that the body of the deceased should be wrapped in five sheets of silk or cotton. Baha'u'llah confirmed this provision and added the stipulation that for those whose means are limited a single sheet of either fabric... 152 It Is Forbidden You To Transport The Body Of The Deceased A Greater Distance Than One Hour's Journey From The City #130
The intention of this command is to limit the duration of the journey to one hour's time, irrespective of the means of transport that are chosen to carry the body to the burial site. Baha'u'llah affirms that the sooner the burial takes place, the ... 153 God Hath Removed The Restrictions On Travel That Had Been Imposed In
the Bayan. 131 The Bab decreed certain restrictions on travel which were to remain in force until the advent of the Promised One of the Bayan, at which time the believers were instructed to set out, even if on foot, to meet Him, since the attainm... 154 Raise Up And Exalt The Two Houses In The Twin Hallowed Spots
and the other sites wherein the throne of your Lord ... hath been established. 133 Baha'u'llah identifies the two Houses as His House in Baghdad, designated by Him as the Most Great House, and the House of the Bab in Shiraz, both of which have... 155 Take Heed Lest Ye Be Prevented By Aught That Hath Been Recorded In The Book From Hearkening Unto This The Living Book #134
The Book is the record of the revealed Word of the Manifestations of God. The Living Book is a reference to the Person of the Manifestation. These words contain an allusion to a statement of the Bab in the Persian Bayan about the Living Book, wh... 156 Tribute To This Revelation From The Pen Of Him Who Was My Herald #135
The tribute that Baha'u'llah quotes in this passage is from the Arabic Bayan. ... 157 The Qiblih Is Indeed He Whom God Will Make Manifest; Whenever He Moveth It Moveth Until He Shall Come To Rest #137
For a discussion of this verse see notes 7 and 8. 158. It is unlawful to enter into marriage save with a believer in the Bayan. Should only one party to a marriage embrace this Cause, his or her possessions will become unlawful to the o... 159 The Point Of The Bayan #140
One of the titles of the Bab. ... 16 Let Him That Findeth No Water For Ablution
repeat five times the words In the Name of God, the Most Pure, the Most Pure, and then proceed to his devotions. 10 Ablutions are to be performed by the believer in preparation for the offering of obligatory prayer. They consist of washing the ... 160 Verily There Is None Other God Besides Me #143
The Baha'i Writings contain many passages that elucidate the nature of the Manifestation and His relationship to God. Baha'u'llah underlines the unique and transcendent nature of the Godhead. He explains that since there can be no tie of direct in... 161 Payment Of Zakat #146
Zakat is referred to in the Qur'an as a regular charity binding upon Muslims. In due course the concept evolved into a form of alms-tax which imposed the obligation to give a fixed portion of certain categories of income, beyond specified... 162 It Is Unlawful To Beg And It Is Forbidden To Give To Him Who Beggeth #147
In a Tablet 'Abdu'l-Baha expounds the meaning of this verse. He states that mendicancy is forbidden and that giving charity to people who take up begging as their profession is also prohibited. He further points out in that same Tablet: The object... 163 A Fine Had Formerly Been Prescribed For Anyone Who Was The Cause Of Sadness To Another #148
Baha'u'llah abrogates the law of the Persian Bayan concerning the payment of a fine in reparation for causing sadness to one's neighbour. ... 164 The Sacred Lote-tree # 148
The sacred Lote-Tree is a reference to the Sadratu'l-Muntaha, the Tree beyond which there is no passing (see note 128). It is used here symbolically to designate Baha'u'llah. ... 165 Recite Ye The Verses Of God Every Morn And Eventide #149
Baha'u'llah states that the essential requisite for reciting the verses of God is the eagerness and love of the believers to read the Word of God (Q and A 68). With regard to the definition of verses of God, Baha'u'llah states that it refers to... 166 Ye Have Been Enjoined To Renew The Furnishings Of Your Homes After The Passing Of Each Nineteen Years #151
Baha'u'llah confirms the injunction in the Arabic Bayan regarding the renewal, every nineteen years, of the furnishings of one's home, provided one is able to do so. 'Abdu'l-Baha relates this ordinance to the promotion of refinement and cleanlines... 167 Wash Your Feet #152
The believers are exhorted in the Kitab-i-Aqdas to bathe regularly, to wear clean clothes and generally to be the essence of cleanliness and refinement. The Synopsis and Codification, section IV.D.3.y.i.-vii., summarizes the relevant prov... 168 Ye Have Been Prohibited From Making Use Of Pulpits
Whoso wisheth to recite unto you the verses of his Lord, let him sit on a chair placed upon a dais 154 These provisions have their antecedent in the Persian Bayan. The Bab forbade the use of pulpits for the delivery of sermons and the reading o... 169 Gambling #155
The activities that are included in this prohibition have not been outlined in the Writings of Baha'u'llah. As both 'Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi have indicated, it is left to the Universal House of Justice to specify the details of thi... 17 In Regions Where The Days And Nights Grow Long
let times of prayer be gauged by clocks and other instruments that mark the passage of the hours. 10 This refers to territories situated in the extreme north or south, where the duration of days and nights varies markedly (Q and A 64 and 103). ... 170 The Use Of Opium Any Substance That Induceth Sluggishness And Torpor #155
This prohibition of the use of opium is reiterated by Baha'u'llah in the final paragraph of the Kitab-i-Aqdas. In this connection, Shoghi Effendi stated that one of the requirements for a chaste and holy life is total abstinence ... from opium, an... 171 The Mystery Of The Great Reversal In The Sign Of The Sovereign #157
Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsa'i (1753-1831), who was the founder of the Shaykhi School and the first of the twin luminaries that heralded the advent of the Faith of the Bab, prophesied that at the appearance of the Promised One all things would be reversed,... 172 The Six Raised Up By Virtue Of This Upright Alif #157
In his writings, Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsa'i placed great emphasis on the Arabic letter Vav. In The Dawn-Breakers, Nabil states that this letter symbolized for the Bab the advent of a new cycle of Divine Revelation, and has since been alluded to by Baha... 173 It Hath Been Forbidden You To Carry Arms Unless Essential #159
Baha'u'llah confirms an injunction contained in the Bayan which makes it unlawful to carry arms, unless it is necessary to do so. With regard to circumstances under which the bearing of arms might be essential for an individual, 'Abdu'l-Baha gives... 174 And Permitted You To Attire Yourselves In Silk #159
According to Islamic practice, the wearing of silk by men was generally forbidden, except in times of holy war. This prohibition, which was not based on the verses of the Qur'an, was abrogated by the Bab. 175. The Lord hath relieved you ..... 176 O Land Of Kaf And Ra! #164
Kaf and Ra are the first two consonants of Kirman, the name of a city and province of Iran. ... 177 We Perceive That Which Secretly And Stealthily Diffuseth From Thee #164
This passage is a reference to the intrigues of a group of Azalis, followers of Mirza Yahya (see note 190), associated with the city of Kirman. They include Mulla Ja'far, his son Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ruhi and Mirza Aqa Khan-i-Kirmani (both sons-in-law o... 178 Call Ye To Mind The Shaykh Whose Name Was Muhammad-hasan #166
Shaykh Muhammad-Hasan, one of the leading exponents of Shi'ih Islam, rejected the Bab. The author of voluminous writings on Shi'ih jurisprudence, he is reported to have died around 1850. Nabil, in The Dawn-Breakers, describes the encounter that ... 179 A Sifter Of Wheat And Barley # 166
This is an allusion to Mulla Muhammad Ja'far Gandum-Pak-Kun, the first person in Isfahan to accept the Faith of the Bab. He is mentioned in the Persian Bayan and praised as one who donned the robe of discipleship. In The Dawn-Breakers, Nabil descr... 18 We Have Absolved You From The Requirement Of Performing The Prayer Of The Signs #11
The Prayer of the Signs is a special form of Muslim obligatory prayer that was ordained to be said in times of natural events, like earthquakes, eclipses, and other such phenomena, which may cause fear and are taken to be signs or acts of God. The... 180 Take Heed Lest The Word Prophet Withhold You From This Most Great
Announcement 167 Baha'u'llah cautions people of insight not to allow their interpretations of the Holy Scriptures to prevent them from recognizing the Manifestation of God. Followers of each religion have tended to allow their devotion to its Fou... 181 Any Reference To Vicegerency Debar You From The Sovereignty Of Him Who Is The Vicegerent Of God #167
The word here translated Vicegerency is, in the original Arabic, vilayat, which has a range of meanings including vicegerency, guardianship, protectorship and successorship. It is used in relation to God Himself, to His Manifestation, or to those ... 182 Call Ye To Mind Karim #170
Haji Mirza Muhammad Karim Khan-i-Kirmani (1810- circa 1873) was the self-appointed leader of the Shaykhi community after the death of Siyyid Kazim, who was the appointed successor to Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsa'i (see notes 171 and 172). He dedic... 183 O Ye The Learned Ones In Baha #173
Baha'u'llah eulogizes the learned among His followers. In the Book of His Covenant, He wrote: Blessed are the rulers and learned among the people of Baha. Referring to this statement, Shoghi Effendi has written: In this holy cycle the lear... 184 Refer Ye Whatsoever Ye Understand Not In The Book To Him Who Hath Branched From This Mighty Stock #174
Baha'u'llah invests 'Abdu'l-Baha with the right of interpreting His holy Writ (see also note 145). ... 185 The School Of Transcendent Oneness #175
In this verse and the ones which immediately follow it, Baha'u'llah confronts one of the reasons some of the Babis rejected His claim to be the Promised One of the Bayan. Their rejection was based on a Tablet addressed by the Bab to Him Who will b... 186 We Accepted The Verses Of God Which He Presented Unto Us #175
In His Tablet addressed to Him Who will be made manifest, the Bab characterizes the Bayan as an offering from Him to Baha'u'llah. See Selections from the Writings of the Bab. ... 187 O People Of The Bayan! #176
Reference to the followers of the Bab. ... 188 The Letters B And E Were Joined And Knit Together #177
Shoghi Effendi, in letters written on his behalf, has explained the significance of the letters B and E. They constitute the word Be, which, he states, means the creative Power of God Who through His command causes all things to come into being an... 189 This New World Order #181
In the Persian Bayan, the Bab stated: Well is it with him who fixeth his gaze upon the Order of Baha'u'llah, and rendereth thanks unto his Lord. For He will assuredly be made manifest. God hath indeed irrevocably ordained it in the Bayan.... 19 Save In The Prayer For The Dead The Practice Of Congregational Prayer Hath Been Annulled #12
Congregational prayer, in the sense of formal obligatory prayer which is to be recited in accordance with a prescribed ritual as, for example, is the custom in Islam where Friday prayer in the mosque is led by an imam, has been annulled in the Bah... 190 O Source Of Perversion! #184
This is a reference to Mirza Yahya, known as Subh-i-Azal (Morning of Eternity), a younger half-brother of Baha'u'llah, who arose against Him and opposed His Cause. Mirza Yahya was nominated by the Bab to serve as a figure-head for the Bab... 191 Remember How We Nurtured Thee By Day And By Night For Service To The Cause #184
In _God Passes By_, Shoghi Effendi refers to the fact that Baha'u'llah, Who was thirteen years older than Mirza Yahya, had counselled him and watched over his early youth and manhood. ... 192 God Hath Laid Hold On Him Who Led Thee Astray #184
A reference to Siyyid Muhammad-i-Isfahani, who is described by Shoghi Effendi as the Antichrist of the Baha'i Revelation. He was a man of corrupt character and great personal ambition who induced Mirza Yahya to oppose Baha'u'llah and to claim prop... 193 Select Ye A Single Language Adopt Ye A Common Script #189
Baha'u'llah enjoins the adoption of a universal language and script. His Writings envisage two stages in this process. The first stage is to consist of the selection of an existing language or an invented one which would then be taught in all the ...