The Kitab-i-Aqdas Part 33

Many rules about dress had their origins in the laws and traditional practices of the world's religions. For example, the S_h_i'ih clergy adopted for themselves a distinctive headdress and robes and, at one time, forbade the people to adopt European attire. Muslim practice, in its desire to emulate the custom of the Prophet, also introduced a number of restrictions with regard to the trim of the moustache and the length of the beard.

Baha'u'llah removed such limitations on one's apparel and beard. He leaves such matters to the "discretion" of the individual, and at the same time calls upon the believers not to transgress the bounds of propriety and to exercise moderation in all that pertains to dress.

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 pa.s.sage is a reference to the intrigues of a group of Azalis, followers of Mirza Ya?ya (see note 190), a.s.sociated with the city of Kirman. They include Mulla Ja'far, his son S_h_ayk_h_ A?mad-i-Ruhi and Mirza aqa K_h_an-i-Kirmani (both sons-in-law of Mirza Ya?ya), as well as Mirza A?mad-i-Kirmani. They not only sought to undermine the Faith, but involved themselves in political intrigues which culminated in the a.s.sa.s.sination of Na?iri'd-Din S_h_ah.

178. Call ye to mind the s_h_ayk_h_ whose name was Mu?ammad-?asan #166

S_h_ayk_h_ Mu?ammad-?asan, one of the leading exponents of S_h_i'ih Islam, rejected the Bab. The author of voluminous writings on S_h_i'ih jurisprudence, he is reported to have died around 1850.

Nabil, in The Dawn-Breakers, describes the encounter that took place in Najaf between Mulla 'Aliy-i-Bastami, one of the Letters of the Living, and S_h_ayk_h_ Mu?ammad-?asan. During the meeting, Mulla 'Ali announced the manifestation of the Bab and extolled the potency of His Revelation. At the instigation of the s_h_ayk_h_, Mulla 'Ali was forthwith p.r.o.nounced a heretic and expelled from the a.s.sembly. He was put on trial, transported to Istanbul, and condemned to hard labour.

179. a sifter of wheat and barley # 166

This is an allusion to Mulla Mu?ammad Ja'far Gandum-Pak-Kun, the first person in I?fahan to accept the Faith of the Bab. He is mentioned in the Persian Bayan and praised as one who "donned the robe of disciples.h.i.+p". In The Dawn-Breakers, Nabil describes the unreserved acceptance of the Message by the "sifter of wheat" and his zealous advocacy of the new Revelation. He joined the company of the defenders of the Fort of S_h_ayk_h_ Tabarsi and perished during that siege.

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 G.o.d. Followers of each religion have tended to allow their devotion to its Founder to cause them to perceive His Revelation as the final Word of G.o.d and to deny the possibility of the appearance of any subsequent Prophet. This has been the case of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Baha'u'llah denies the validity of this concept of finality both in relation to past Dispensations and to His own. With regard to Muslims, He wrote in the Kitab-i-Iqan that the "people of the Qur'an ... have allowed the words 'Seal of the Prophets' to veil their eyes", "to obscure their understanding, and deprive them of the grace of all His manifold bounties". He affirms that "this theme hath ... been a sore test unto all mankind", and laments the fate of "those who, clinging unto these words, have disbelieved in Him Who is their true Revealer". The Bab refers to this same theme when He warns: "Let not names shut you out as by a veil from Him Who is their Lord, even the name Prophet, for such a name is but a creation of His utterance."

181. any reference to "Vicegerency" debar you from the sovereignty of Him Who is the Vicegerent of G.o.d #167

The word here translated "Vicegerency" is, in the original Arabic, "vilayat", which has a range of meanings including "vicegerency", "guardians.h.i.+p", "protectors.h.i.+p" and "successors.h.i.+p". It is used in relation to G.o.d Himself, to His Manifestation, or to those who are the appointed Successors of a Manifestation.

In this verse of the Aqdas, Baha'u'llah warns against allowing such concepts to blind one to the "sovereignty" of the new Divine Manifestation, the true "Vicegerent of G.o.d".

182. Call ye to mind Karim #170

?aji Mirza Mu?ammad Karim K_h_an-i-Kirmani (1810- circa 1873) was the self-appointed leader of the S_h_ayk_h_i community after the death of Siyyid Kazim, who was the appointed successor to S_h_ayk_h_ A?mad-i-Ahsa'i (see notes 171 and 172). He dedicated himself to the promotion of the teachings of S_h_ayk_h_ A?mad. The opinions he expressed became the subject of controversy among his supporters and opponents alike.

Regarded as one of the leading savants and prolific authors of his age, he composed numerous books and epistles in the various fields of learning that were cultivated in those times. He actively opposed both the Bab and Baha'u'llah, and used his treatises to attack the Bab and His Teachings.

In the Kitab-i-Iqan, Baha'u'llah condemns the tone and content of his writings and singles out for criticism one of his works which contains negative allusions to the Bab. Shoghi Effendi describes him as "inordinately ambitious and hypocritical" and describes how he "at the special request of the S_h_ah had in a treatise viciously attacked the new Faith and its doctrines".

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 "learned" are, on the one hand, the Hands of the Cause of G.o.d, and, on the other, the teachers and diffusers of His Teachings who do not rank as Hands, but who have attained an eminent position in the teaching work. As to the "rulers" they refer to the members of the Local, National and International Houses of Justice. The duties of each of these souls will be determined in the future.

The Hands of the Cause of G.o.d were individuals appointed by Baha'u'llah and charged with various duties, especially those of protecting and propagating His Faith. In Memorials of the Faithful 'Abdu'l-Baha referred to other outstanding believers as Hands of the Cause, and in His Will and Testament He included a provision calling upon the Guardian of the Faith to appoint Hands of the Cause at his discretion. Shoghi Effendi first raised posthumously a number of the believers to the rank of Hands of the Cause, and during the latter years of his life appointed a total of 32 believers from all continents to this position. In the period between the pa.s.sing of Shoghi Effendi in 1957 and the election of the Universal House of Justice in 1963, the Hands of the Cause directed the affairs of the Faith in their capacity as Chief Stewards of Baha'u'llah's embryonic World Commonwealth (see note 67). In November 1964, the Universal House of Justice determined that it could not legislate to make it possible to appoint Hands of the Cause. Instead, by a decision of the House of Justice in 1968, the functions of the Hands of the Cause in relation to protecting and propagating the Faith were extended into the future by the creation of the Continental Boards of Counsellors, and in 1973 through the establishment of the International Teaching Centre, which has its seat in the Holy Land.

The Universal House of Justice appoints the Counsellor members of the International Teaching Centre and the Continental Counsellors. Members of Auxiliary Boards are appointed by the Continental Counsellors. All these individuals fall within the definition of the "learned" given by Shoghi Effendi in the statement quoted above.

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