The Kitáb-i-Aqdas (, ) is the central religious text of the BaháüàFaith, written by Baháüu'lláh, the founder of the religion, in 1873. Though it is the main source of Baháüàlaws and practices, much of the content deals with other matters, like foundational principles of the religion, the establishment of Baháüàinstitutions, mysticism, ethics, social principles, and prophecies. In Baháüàliterature it is described as "the Mother-Book" of the Baháüàteachings, and the "Charter of the Future World Civilization".
Baháüu'lláh had manuscript copies sent to BaháüÃÂs in Iran some years after its writing in 1873, and in 1890âÂÂ91 (1308 AH, 47 BE) he arranged for its first publication in Bombay, India. Parts of the text were translated into English by Shoghi Effendi, which, along with a Synopsis and Codification, were published in 1973 by the Universal House of Justice on the centennial anniversary of its writing. The full authoritative English translation, along with clarifying texts from Baháüu'lláh and detailed explanatory notes from the Universal House of Justice, was first published in 1992.
The work was written in Arabic under the Arabic title ' (), but in English it is commonly known by its Persian pronunciation Kitáb-i-Aqdas (), and is subtitled with the translation of "the Most Holy Book". The word Aqdas is a superlative form derived from the triconsonantal root Q-D-à Â, denoting holiness or sanctity in Semitic languages. It is sometimes called "The Aqdas" for short.
The Kitáb-i-Aqdas was written by BaháâÂÂuâÂÂlláh in Acre at about the midpoint of his ministry around 1873. Bahá'ÃÂs regard it as divinely revealed, and it forms a central part of the scriptures of the Baha'i Faith.àIt was written as a response to inquiries from the believers about the laws of God for the new religion and guidance on how to arrange their affairs. BaháâÂÂuâÂÂlláh later wrote that after the initial composition in the House of âÂÂAbbúd, he waited for some time before sending it to the believers in Iran.
The Questions and Answers portion, which is included in most publications of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas is a compilation of answers written by BaháâÂÂuâÂÂlláh to questions put to him by various believers. It was organized by ZaynuâÂÂl-MuqarrabÃÂn, a respected transcriber of BaháâÂÂuâÂÂlláhâÂÂs writings and one of the nineteen Apostles of BaháâÂÂuâÂÂlláh.
At the instruction of BaháâÂÂuâÂÂlláh, the Kitáb-i-Aqdas was first published in Bombay in 1891.
A copy of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, dated January 1887, in the handwriting of Zaynu'l-MuqarrabÃÂn, is housed at the British Library. The library's description states, "His copies are highly regarded for their accuracy."
Rather than a narrative, the book is written as a series of short teachings or principles. A summary lends itself to a bullet-point list of the various ideas shared throughout the text. Main themes cover the appointment of Baháüu'lláh's successor, who remains unnamed in the text; the layout of the future Baháüàadministration, including the mention of the Universal House of Justice and allusions to what would later be known as the Guardian; certain laws, particularly around prayer, fasting, marriage, divorce, and inheritance; admonitions toward certain individuals; and a variety of specific laws, ordinances, and prohibitions, ranging from tithes, to the Baháüàcalendar, to prohibitions on opium, slave trading, and gossip.
Besides the main themes above, the Synopsis and Codification lists the last of six themes as "Miscellaneous Subjects" and lists 33 topics:
While it is the core text on laws of the religion, it is not the exclusive source.
Baháüu'lláh stated that the observance of the laws that he prescribed should be subject to "tact and wisdom", and that they do not cause "disturbance and dissension." He left for the progressive application of the laws to be decided by the Universal House of Justice; for example certain Baháüàlaws are currently only applicable to Iranian BaháüÃÂs such as the limit to the period of engagement, while any Baháüàmay practice the laws if they so decide. Shoghi Effendi also stated that certain other laws, such as criminal laws, that are dependent upon the existence of a predominantly Baháüàsociety would only be applicable in a possible future Baháüàsociety. He also stated that if the laws were in conflict with the civil law of the country where a Baháüàlives the laws could not be practiced. Baha'is believe the Aqdas supersedes and succeeds previous revelations such as the Quran and the Bible.
The text of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas consists of several hundred verses, which have been grouped in 190 numbered paragraphs in the English translation most of which are just a few sentences. The style combines elements of both poetry (shi'r) and rhymed prose (saj) and the text contains instances of literary devices like alliteration, assonance, repetition, onomatopoeia, juxtaposition and antithesis, metaphors, alternation of person and personification.
It is written to the individual reader, as there are no clergy in the religion. The text also moves between statements said to be plain and statements suggesting the key to understanding the book is to look at the text for clues to itself.
The Kitáb-i-Aqdas was completed by Baháüu'lláh in 1873. It was published in the Arabic for circulation among BaháüÃÂs speaking the language circa 1890. A Russian translation was undertaken by Alexander Tumansky in 1899 and was his most important contribution to Baháüàstudies. Around 1900 an informal English translation was made by BaháüàAnton Haddad, which circulated among the early American Baháüàcommunity in a typewritten form. In 1961, an English scholar of Arabic, Dr. Earl E. Elder, and William McElwee Miller, published an English translation, "Al-Kitab Al-Aqdas", through the Royal Asiatic Society, however its translation of the notes section was problematic and overall lacked "poetic sensibility, and skill in Arabic translation". Miller only ever used it to further his polemical agenda. In 1973 a "Synopsis and Codification" of the book was published in English by the Universal House of Justice, with 21 passages of the Aqdas that had already been translated into English by Shoghi Effendi with additional terse lists of laws and ordinances contained in the book outside of any contextual prose. Finally, in 1992, a full and authorized Baháüàtranslation in English was published. This version is used as the basis of translation into many other languages highlighting the practice of an indirect translation and how the purpose of the translation affects the act of translation. The BaháüàLibrary Online provides a side-by-side comparison of the authorized translation with earlier translations by Anton Haddad and Earl Elder.
The Kitáb-i-Aqdas is supplemented by the
The book was divided into six main themes in the Synopsis and Codification by Shoghi Effendi:
Further, the laws were divided into four categories:
A scholarly review finds the Aqdas has themes of laws of worship, societal relations and administrative organization, or governance, of the religion. Through the authority vested in ûAbdu'l-Bahá in the Aqdas there is material on internationalism related to the law in works like The Secret of Divine Civilization and through his extended authority to Shoghi Effendi works like his World Order of Baháüu'lláh further elaborates on the theme of internationalism. This stands in some distinction from other scriptures by not using triumphal tones as the voice of God is given to be viewed but rather one of progressive development, social context, and outright delay in application until another day. It insists that divine law is applicable only in situations with requisite conditions, where it is likely to have certain social effects. The goal of application of the law and its methods are not to cause disturbance and dissension and requires an appreciation for context and intention. Additionally one is to eschew emphasis in the development of textualist and intentionalist arguments about the law though some of this is visible in scholarship on the Aqdas. Such methods of application of law in a religious context are, in the opinion of Roshan Danish, common in Islam and Judaism.
The Aqdas is understood by BaháüÃÂs to be a factor in the process of ongoing developments in world order. This can be seen comparing the Baháüàapproach to history and the future to that of the theory of the Clash of Civilizations on the one hand and the development of a posthegemony system on the other (compared with work of Robert Cox, for example, in Approaches to World Order, (Robert Cox & Timonthy Sinclair eds, Cambridge University Press, 1996).)
Certain possible sources of law are specifically abrogated: laws of the Bábàreligion, notably in the Persian Bayán, oral traditions (linked with pilgrim notes, and natural law, (that is to say God's sovereign will through revelation is the independent authority.) Divine revelation's law-making is both unconditioned in terms of the divine right to choose, and conditioned in the sense of the progress of history from one revelation to the next.
Baha'u'llah's statements about marriage in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas are brief. Marriage is highly recommended but is stated to not be obligatory. Baháüu'lláh states that the maximum number of wives is two, but also states that having only one wife would add more tranquility to both partners. These statements were later interpreted by ûAbdu'l-Bahá that having a second wife is conditional upon treating both wives with justice and equality and was not possible in practice, thus establishing monogamy.
That Baháüu'lláh had three wives, while his religion teaches monogamy, has been the subject of criticism. The writing of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas and Baháüàteachings on gender equality and monogamy post-date Baháüu'lláh's marriages and are understood to be evolutionary in nature, slowly leading BaháüÃÂs away from what had been a deeply rooted cultural practice.
The institutional status of the authority of ûAbdu'l-Bahá and a House of Justice are specifically delineated. On the basis of the authority granted ûAbdu'l-Bahá he extended forms of the authority vested in him to the Guardianship, whose sole member was Shoghi Effendi, and the Universal, or International, House of Justice through his Will and Testament. This was confirmed and amplified in other texts, notably the Kitáb-i-'Ahd. The Universal House of Justice is specifically empowered to write and rescind any laws it is felt necessary aside from those of the text of scripture and actual application of the laws of the Aqdas among BaháüÃÂs are dependent on the choice of the Universal House of Justice.