The most important of these is the kitabiaqdas the most holy book. The bab revealed laws to ensure the comfort and happiness of bahaullah imagine that a famous and important person was coming to someones home the king or queen of their country, or some other person held in the highest esteem. They whom god hath endued with insight will readily. Bahaullahs own advent who speaks with the tongue of the son muluk, pp. Bahaullah revealed over a hundred volumes of sacred texts, including prayers and meditations, a book of laws, mystical passages and the book of certitude, which covers theology. Jinabifadilimazindarani, analyzing bahau llahs writings, states that he wrote in the different styles or categories including the interpretation of religious scripture, the enunciation of laws and ordinances, mystical writings, writings about government and world order, including letters to the kings and rulers of the world, writings. 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. Bahaullah has introduced a number of laws which he has instructed his. The gradualism in bahaullahs selfrevelation is explained by the need to prepare his audience over time for the shock of the declaration. The kitabiaqdas bahai reference library the bahai faith. It is a detailed list of issues and topics revealed and expounded upon in previous texts. The laws are based on authenticated texts from baha. We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. The first authorized english translation was published in 1992, annotated and accompanied by the supplementary writings and the questions.
Bahaullah explains that knowledge about spiritual reality comes to humanity through a series of divine teachers. At the age of 74 bahaullah was a father of fourteen. The first duty prescribed by god for his servants is the recognition of him who is the dayspring of his revelation and the fountain of his laws, who representeth the godhead in both the kingdom of his. He affirms that individuals do not have the right to take revenge, that revenge is despised in the eyes of god, and that the motive for punishment is not vengeance, but the imposition of a penalty for the committed offence.
Which laws of the kitabiaqdas are and are not currently as of 1974 binding upon western. Bahaullah s kitabiaqdas the most holy book, his compendium of bahai laws, carefully forewarns us early in the work that it is no mere code of laws. The remarkable purposes for the laws revealed by the bab. There is only the advice of bahau llah that a bahai should be moderate in all such things.
Abdulbaha and shoghi effendi, and legislation by the universal house of justice. While many religions condemn all expressions of sexuality as being in some way base, the bahai faith recognizes the value of the sex impulse 10 but asserts that sexuality may only legitimately be. Many of the laws of bahaullah related to the social and spiritual life of the. Bahaullah, gleanings from the writings of bahaullah, p. Bahaullah teaches that there is only one god, the ultimate reality, the unknowable essence of essences, t. Think not that we have revealed unto you a mere code of laws. Bahaullahs teachings on spiritual reality paperback 1996. He does, however, suggest persons whom kashani ought to approach, by addressing them in the letter. The kitabiaqdas presents bahaullahs charter for a new world order. Bahaullah also employed in the most holy book a beautiful prose with elements of poetry, such as rhythm, metaphor, and personification. Bahaullahs most important book is the book of laws, also called the most holy book kitabiaqdas, which was completed in the house of abbud around 1873. All of the writings of bahaullah are regarded by bahais as divine revelation. Nay, rather, we have unsealed the choice wine with the fingers of might and power. The book starts with an introduction by the universal house of justice.
Bahau llah considers this one of the greatest of human faults as it harms all. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. Bahaullah, the founder of the bahai faith, testified of jesus christ as follows. It is sometimes also referred to as the most holy book. Bahaullah s hidden words are perhaps one of the most accessible scriptural collections, explaining the essence of faith in short and beautiful passages. The primary book of laws written by bahaullah was the kitabiaqdas or most holy book. Some of these such as prayer, meditation and fasting are to help the individuals spiritual progress. Bahaullah has set forth the laws that will be used to build anew the whole world. It was supplemented by later writings and by bahaullahs replies to a series of questions posed by one of his secretaries.
The taking of more than one wife or husband at a time is prohibited. Know thou that when the son of man jesus yielded up his breath to god, the whole creation wept with a great weeping. Other books considered to be among the sacred texts and bahaullahs greatest mystical compositions and preeminent. Bahaullahs teachings on spiritual reality free epub. The bahai book of laws allows bahai men to have concubines women they have sex with, but dont formally wed. Some reflections on the concept of law in the bahai faith. Divine law the supreme and most important happening in the human world, abdulbaha states, is the manifestation of god and the descent of the law of god. His teachings of unity and peace are expansive, profound and powerfully address the global challenges humanity faces today. Bahaullah considers this one of the greatest of human faults as it harms all.
Later the same day, a large company gathered in bahaullah. Certain races have assumed themselves to be superior to others and have taken for granted, on the principle of survival of the fittest, that this superiority gives them the right to exploit for their own advantage, or even to exterminate, weaker races. They clamoured that he whose advent the bible had foretold must needs promulgate and fulfil the laws of moses, whereas this youthful nazarene, who laid claim to the station of the divine messiah, had annulled the law of divorce and of the sabbath daythe most weighty of all the laws of moses. Although bahaullah s writings are in both arabic and persian, bahaullah used arabic in those texts where precise meaning was required for the articulation of principles and laws. At first glance, bahaullahs radi calism is not obvious. The twin duties of recognition of the manifestation and observance of his laws, and their inseparability 6. It sets forth the laws of god for the bahai dispensation and ordains the necessary institutions through which integrity and unity can be safeguarded, along with much more. His writings, the book most closely associated with his lawsthe kitabi. The family could trace its lineage to the ruling dynasties of persias imperial past.
This site offers free and instant downloads of bahai sacred and authoritative texts as audio books as zipped files in mp3 format courtesy of the bahais of the united states. If youre just getting to know the bahai teachings, and would like to begin immersing yourself in the ocean of the bahai writings, you could start with bahaullah s short, unique, powerful book of spiritual aphorisms called the hidden words. At the age of 74 bahaullah was a father of fourteen children from his three wives. Bahaullah instructs kashani to tell others of his declaration only with extreme caution. Bahai law allows only monogamous marriage between a man and a woman. Known as the book of the covenant kitabiahd, the will and testament, written in bahaullah s own hand, was unsealed and read before nine witnesses nine days after bahaullah s passing. Bahaullahs book of laws, written in arabic around 1873 while he was still imprisoned within the city of akka.
In citing the need for a spirituallyoriented code of moral and social law, bahau llah writes. Bahaullah, founder of the bahai faith, is the most recent messenger from god. Bahai faith and christianity bahais of the united states. There are no bahai laws that need to be followed in the matters of dress or the giving of names. This introduction is followed by a summary written by shoghi effendi. In addition, bahaullah apostrophizes some rulers in his 1873 book of laws, alkitab alaqdas. Structurally, the most holy book proceeds like a variegated tapestry into which bahaullah has woven his expansive vision of a global civilization. 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. Just as science is the source of understanding the laws of physical reality, true religion, based on scientific methods stripped of empty tradition and superstition, is a source of understanding of the laws of spiritual reality. This book includes specific provisions related to obligatory prayer, fasting, marriage.
It explains how the laws were revealed and how they are being gradually applied according to the times. By sacrificing himself, however, a fresh capacity was infused into all created things. Some are implemented now and some will be for the future of mankind. 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. Bahai suppression and corruption of their own book of laws. Some laws were revealed by the bab but not adopted by bahaullah. But the bahai literature pretends its a law about hired maids, something that was not even common. He identified the bab as the return of john the baptist for christians, heralding bahaullahs own advent who speaks with the tongue of the son muluk, pp. The central principle of the kitabiahd had actually already been set out in bahaullah s book of laws, the kitabiaqdas written in 1873.
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