the Bayan, its laws and their abrogation
Editorial introduction
Bahá’u’lláh says He did not abrogate the Bayán but came to it as morning dew to what had been sown. The image refuses the simple opposition between keeping and discarding, and it frames a harder question: how can a revelation fulfil a book while changing its laws? The Báb called His own Bayán a ring on the hand of Him Whom God shall make manifest, to be turned as He pleases, and warned His followers not to be veiled by the Bayán from the One it announced; yet, Bahá’u’lláh observes, many were veiled a myriad times. The Kitáb-i-Aqdas is the governing book for Bahá’ís, preserving Bayánic laws where it confirms them, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá worries that a premature translation of the Bayán would lead readers to mistake severe abrogated laws for the basis of the Faith. Qur’an 2:106, on replacing one verse with a better or similar one, invites comparison of divine authority over revelation without assuming the two accounts are identical [1]. The way continues toward He Whom God shall make manifest, toward the Báb’s own station and claims, and toward the responsible publication of the Sacred Writings.
We have not abrogated the Bayan, but rather have been as the morning dew to that which was sown therein with justice. To this testifieth all things, and beyond them He Who knoweth both the hidden and the manifest. Through My manifestation the heaven of the Bayan was raised up and what was revealed therein was established.
Consider ye, then recall what the Point of the Bayan hath spoken concerning this Revelation, saying "Verily, I am the first to worship Him." The station of the Book, the Mother Book, the Tablet and the Preserved Tablet hath been and is manifest and evident. He saith that the Bayan and whatsoever hath been revealed therein is but a leaf among the leaves of His Paradise and is dependent upon His acceptance.
We have sent down the Bayan and made it the herald from Our presence - verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.
The Bayan was revealed for My remembrance and recognition, and the Tablets for this praiseworthy station. Say: O ignorant one! Fear God and speak not according to thy vain desires. Be fair in thy judgment regarding the Manifestation of God and His Cause, then regarding His sovereignty that hath encompassed all that is seen and unseen.
Behold with the eyes of certitude that the gates (chapters) of the religion of the Bayan is arranged in accordance with the number of all things. Beneath the shadow of each gate (chapter), all the angels of the heavens, the earth, and that which lieth between them, are, by the leave of God, immersed in glorification and magnification, sanctification and celebration of divine praise, and deeds and exaltation.
Say: I bear witness that there is no God but Thee, and that the One marked by the Seven Letters is Thy servant, through whom Thou hast established what Thou didst desire in the Bayan.
O God! Preserve everyone who preserves the Bayan with all its letters, even to a single point, and cast away anyone who casts away the Bayan, even if his veiling be from a single point thereof, and he fails to preserve it, for this is Thy sustenance for all Thy creation until the next Resurrection.
Say to the students that the Cause hath not yet attained maturity, nor hath the appointed time arrived. Wherefore, if anyone should ascribe to Me aught beside conformity to the subsidiary ordinances and beliefs of Islam, I and My sanctified forefathers shall be displeased with him, in this world and the next.
Once this word was heard from the tongue of the Ancient of Days: The Bab - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him - expressed agreement with the people of the Furqan (Muslims) in most matters, that He might attract those heedless souls to the direction of awareness. And this agreement was manifested to such an extent that in some instances mention of the four well-known gates flowed from that blessed Pen. However, this Most Great Revelation rent asunder the veils with the finger of power, despite those who denied God and His sovereignty and turned away from the Day which was illumined by the lights of His countenance.
You have not yet comprehended the new resurrection, the new spirit, and the new words. The Cause of the Bayan is sanctified above those matters that have passed away. What was with you before has been rolled up, and a new carpet has been spread by leave of God, the Most High, the Most Manifest.
… Today all the divine names have returned to their kingdom, and none comprehend this save those possessed of certitude and insight. Whatever hath been revealed in the Bayan, whether of ordinances or attributes pertaining to the Letters and Mirrors, profiteth no one except through recognition of this Manifestation.
What was revealed in the Bayan sufficeth you not today except through this Revelation, at whose appearance the Cock of the Throne crowed and the Tongue of Grandeur proclaimed: "The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the One, the All-Powerful, the All-Forgiving!"
We sent down the Bayan and made it glad tidings for mankind lest they stray from the path. But when the promise came to pass and the Promised One appeared, they turned away save those on whose faces thou seest the radiance of divine bounty. When it is said to them "By what proof did ye believe in God?" they say "The Bayan." Yet when its Revealer came to them they denied the All-Merciful.
The original law revealed in the Bayan, whose observance equaled all other deeds, and similar matters pertaining to the Manifestation - of all these they remained heedless, moved by their own desires.
God explicitly states in the Qur'an that two calls follow in succession, and the Bab--may my spirit be a sacrifice unto Him--rent asunder all the veils of the people and set no condition for the appearance of Him Whom God shall make manifest, declaring "Should He appear this very moment, I would be the first to adore Him," and explicitly stating: "Beware, beware lest thou be veiled by the Bayanic Unity or by what hath been revealed in the Bayan." … Yet now the people of the Bayan are veiled a myriad times from the Sun of Truth.
Doth it beseem anyone to cling to the Bayan in his turning away from God, or to use it as proof when the All-Merciful hath come with His mighty kingdom?
… Say: Fear God, and weigh Him not by the Bayan. God hath made it but a leaf among the leaves of the garden of His presence, were ye of the fair-minded.
O Hasan! His utterance: "I have written down in My mention of Him these gem-like words: 'No allusion of Mine can allude unto Him, neither anything mentioned in the Bayan.'" From this blessed word is established this supreme truth: that this Most Great Manifestation and Mighty Announcement cannot be known through the Primal Point and the Bayan. Therefore, if any soul denies the divine verses and heavenly evidences and lordly favors in this Manifestation, he is deprived of the Most Great Ocean and forbidden from the effulgences of the lights of the Sun of Truth.
The Beloved of creation declares: One word from the Divine Word in that Most Great Manifestation is better than all that was revealed in the Bayan.
Today, should He so will it, with but a single word He can cause whatsoever in the Bayan was confirmed to return to denial. He doeth whatsoever He willeth and shall not be asked of His doings.
The Book that abrogates all previous scriptures and books is the Most Holy Book, which is the foundation of the Preserved Tablet of the Covenant, and the Book of the Covenant is its interpreter and expositor.
However, the Bayan has been abrogated by the Kitab-i-Aqdas and its laws are no longer in effect, except for those laws that were repeated and emphasized in the Kitab-i-Aqdas. The laws beyond those emphasized in the Kitab-i-Aqdas pertain to the people of the Bayan and have no connection to us.
O servant of the Desired One! The Bayan has been abrogated by the Kitab-i-Aqdas, except for those laws that are confirmed and mentioned in the Kitab-i-Aqdas.
As for the laws of the Bayan which were changed by the text of the Most Holy Book and in the Persian Questions and Answers, there is no explanation or clarification, rather they are abrogated.
These laws of the Bayan have been abrogated by the explicit text of the Most Holy Book, as well as by the decisive texts of Tajalliyat, Bisharat, Kalimat, Ishraqat and Tarazat. Despite this, they make no distinction between Baha'i and Babi. The Book of Laws for the Baha'is is the Most Holy Book, not the Bayan, and all are bound by the ordinances contained therein.
However, if any mention is made of the Bayan, say that the laws in the Bayan were abrogated by the divine Book of Aqdas, for the authoritative Book for the Baha'is and the reference for all is the Book of Aqdas, and the Book of Aqdas is the Book of the Abha Beauty and we are commanded to follow it.
O Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Haydar-'Ali, you know that many laws of the Bayan were abrogated by the Book of Aqdas and the Baha'is have no connection whatsoever with those laws.
These four greetings are from the commandments of His Holiness the Exalted One (may my spirit be a sacrifice for Him) and have not been abrogated, and you have not acted contrary to the Law of God.
Whatsoever the host had prepared was out of his love for God, and every soul and every party prepareth for their friends whatsoever their means and capacity permit. Moreover, the Herald - may our spirits be a sacrifice for all else but Him - hath decreed in the Kitab-i-Jaza that it is permissible to prepare for the believers varied delicacies and diverse bounties to the number of Mustagath. He hath likewise enjoined the wearing of silk and whatsoever is close to nature, refined and desirable, whether in attire or household furnishings. This is what the Herald hath pronounced in His perspicuous Book....
Among the laws of the Bayan are the striking of the necks of all peoples, the burning of all books, scriptures, psalms and papers, the conquest of East and West, and the demolition of elevated structures. Are such laws possible of implementation in this age? Nay, by God! Rather, they are impossible and unattainable.
The point is that these enemies of ours create corruption and the hearts of our loved ones are troubled because these ones too are called Babis, whereas they are the Babis and these are Baha'is - the difference between Babi and Baha'i is as heaven from earth, because the obligations and duties of the Babis are the destruction of the world, while the aims and obligations of the Baha'is according to the Kitab-i-Aqdas and Ishraqat and Tajalliyat are the enlightenment of the human world and love and sincerity toward all peoples high and low, and truthfulness and steadfastness in following and citizenship, and goodwill toward government and loyalty to the state, and freedom from prejudice and the manifestation of the Most Merciful Name.
As regards the translation and publication of the Bayan, there are laws in the Bayan which have been abrogated by the Kitab-i-Aqdas and the Baha'is are bound by the laws of the Kitab-i-Aqdas. Were the Bayan to be published and translated, the peoples of the other countries -- and indeed even the Persians -- would think that the basis of the religion of the Baha'is was those severe laws which are found in the Bayan. Whereas according to the explicit text of the Kitab-i-Aqdas those laws are not applicable.
Regarding what you wrote about the Bayan being translated - the Book of the Bayan has had all its laws abrogated by the Kitab-i-Aqdas, except for those laws that are mentioned and emphasized in the Kitab-i-Aqdas. The reference point for all is the Kitab-i-Aqdas, not the Bayan. The laws of the Bayan are abrogated, therefore what benefit is there in its translation for them?
Further quotations · supplied wording and references
Today the Bayan is contingent and dependent upon the acceptance of this Most Great Revelation. Verily We sent down for Our Herald that which brought solace to the eyes of God's Books, the Guardian, the Self-Subsisting. We sent it to Him, and when it came before Him and He read it, He was so transported by the breezes of revelation that He soared wholly in My atmosphere and sought to attain My presence.
Consider how translation and publication shape readers’ understanding.
For thought and discussion