The Baha’i’s Kitab-i-Aqdas Is No “Mere Code of Laws”
- By Alison Lesley --
- 05 Jun 2019 --
It is more of a constitution
In the Kitab-i-Aqdas (English translation: the Most Holy Book), the essence of all Baha’i laws as set by Baha’u’llah, the reader is warned during the initial foray of the book that the tome cannot be considered as “mere code of laws.” Scholars have agreed to such a view. They point out that when taken from the legal standpoint, Baha’u’llah’s Kitab-i-Aqdas reads similar to a constitution and far from the standard code of law.[/tweetit] From a literary perspective, the work appears less like any legal document but more like a poem or moral dialogue.
The Baha’i’s Kitab-i-Aqdas Is No “Mere code of laws”[/tweetthis]
The Most Holy Book, when described as a structure, could be explained as a tapestry of multiple colors into which the Baha’u’llah has threaded in his radical global civilization vision. The latter turns out to be a magnificent and world-encompassing one with particular images of a refined individual, who is a product of a well ordered and harmonious family, the latter an integral component of a spiritually centric worldwide community. Baha’u’llah has sprinkled laws into this fabric, making them shine like jewels. A few of them appear at random, seemingly for shock value, and pushing the reader into deep thought. Other laws come at the end of a moral commentary, punctuating the themes.
According to Abdu’l-Baha, God’s Manifestation and the descent of the law of God is the supreme and vital happening in the human world. He explained in the Most Holy Book that God had given those who embraced the Baha’i faith two duties. The first is recognition of “Manifestation of God” and for those individuals who follow the first, the second is to abide by the almighty’s many ordinances and laws. These two duties cannot be separated from each other. A single one cannot be accepted without the other. Every Manifestation, as Divine Educator, upholds God’s universal law and imports a new law set which governs the social and spiritual aspects of humanity during evolution’s next stage. The ultimate aim of God’s Manifestation, as per Abdu’l-Baha, is to light up humanity and make the earthly world a celestial one. The human kingdom will be made an angels’ realm, and hearts will be united to set light the love light present within the human soul. These souls may become independent and attain complete fellowship and unity. They will turn towards God and enter the divine kingdom where they shall receive the bestowals and the bounties of God. These souls will also enjoy the manna from heaven.
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