The Kitab-i-Aqdas Part 9

25. QUESTION: Concerning the pilgrimage.

ANSWER: It is an obligation to make pilgrimage to one of the two sacred Houses; but as to which, it is for the pilgrim to decide.

26. QUESTION: Concerning the dowry.

ANSWER: Regarding dowry, the intention of contenting oneself with the lowest level is nineteen mit_h_qals of silver.

27. QUESTION: Concerning the sacred verse: "If, however, news should reach her of her husband's death", etc.

ANSWER: With reference to waiting a "fixed number of months" a period of nine months is intended.

28. QUESTION: Again inquiry hath been made about the teacher's share of the inheritance.

ANSWER: Should the teacher have pa.s.sed away, one third of his share of the inheritance reverteth to the House of Justice, and the remaining two thirds pa.s.s to the deceased's, and not the teacher's, offspring.

29. QUESTION: Again inquiry hath been made about the pilgrimage.

ANSWER: By pilgrimage to the sacred House, which is enjoined upon men, is intended both the Most Great House in Bag_h_dad and the House of the Primal Point in S_h_iraz; pilgrimage to either of these Houses sufficeth.

They may thus make pilgrimage to whichever lieth nearer to the place where they reside.

30. QUESTION: Concerning the verse: "he who would take into his service a maid may do so with propriety."

ANSWER: This is solely for service such as is performed by any other cla.s.s of servants, be they young or old, in exchange for wages; such a maiden is free to choose a husband at whatever time she pleaseth, for it is forbidden either that women should be purchased, or that a man should have more wives than two.

31. QUESTION: Concerning the sacred verse: "The Lord hath prohibited ...

the practice to which ye formerly had recourse when thrice ye had divorced a woman."

ANSWER: The reference is to the law which previously made it necessary for another man to marry such a woman before she could again be wedded to her former husband; this practice hath been prohibited in the Kitab-i-Aqdas.

32. QUESTION: Concerning the restoration and preservation of the two Houses in the Twin Spots, and the other sites wherein the throne hath been established.

ANSWER: By the two Houses is intended the Most Great House and the House of the Primal Point. As for other sites, the people of the areas where these are situated may choose to preserve either each house wherein the throne hath been established, or one of them.

33. QUESTION: Again inquiry hath been made about the inheritance of the teacher.

ANSWER: If the teacher is not of the people of Baha, he doth not inherit.

Should there be several teachers, the share is to be divided equally amongst them. If the teacher is deceased, his offspring do not inherit his share, but rather two thirds of it revert to the children of the owner of the estate, and the remaining one third to the House of Justice.

34. QUESTION: Concerning the residence which hath been a.s.signed exclusively to the male offspring.

ANSWER: If there are several residences, the finest and n.o.blest of these dwellings is the one intended, the remainder being distributed amongst the whole body of the heirs like any other form of property. Any heir, from whichever category of inheritors, who is outside the Faith of G.o.d is accounted as non-existent and doth not inherit.

35. QUESTION: Concerning Naw-Ruz.

ANSWER: The Festival of Naw-Ruz falleth on the day that the sun entereth the sign of Aries,(16) even should this occur no more than one minute before sunset.

36. QUESTION: If the anniversary either of the Twin Birthdays or of the Declaration of the Bab occurreth during the Fast, what is to be done?

ANSWER: Should the feasts celebrating the Twin Birthdays or the Declaration of the Bab fall within the month of fasting, the command to fast shall not apply on that day.

37. QUESTION: In the holy ordinances governing inheritance, the residence and personal clothing of the deceased have been allotted to the male offspring. Doth this provision refer only to the father's property, or doth it apply to the mother's as well?

ANSWER: The used clothing of the mother should be divided in equal shares among the daughters, but the remainder of her estate, including property, jewellery, and unused clothing, is to be distributed, in the manner revealed in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, to all her heirs. If, however, the deceased hath left no daughters, her estate in its entirety must be divided in the manner designated for men in the holy Text.

38. QUESTION: Concerning divorce, which must be preceded by a year of patience: if only one of the parties is inclined toward conciliation, what is to be done?

ANSWER: According to the commandment revealed in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, both parties must be content; unless both are willing, reunion cannot take place.

39. QUESTION: In connection with the dowry, what if the bridegroom cannot pay this sum in full, but instead were to formally deliver a promissory note to his bride at the time of the wedding ceremony, on the understanding that he will honour it when he is able to do so?

ANSWER: Permission to adopt this practice hath been granted by the Source of Authority.

40. QUESTION: If during the year of patience the fragrance of affection be renewed, only to be succeeded by antipathy, and the couple waver between affection and aversion throughout the year, and the year endeth in antipathy, can divorce take place or not?

ANSWER: In each case at any time antipathy occurreth, the year of patience beginneth on that day, and the year must run its full course.

41. QUESTION: The residence and personal clothing of the deceased have been a.s.signed to the male, not female, offspring, nor to the other heirs; should the deceased have left no male offspring, what is to be done?

ANSWER: He saith, exalted be He: "Should the deceased leave no offspring, their share shall revert to the House of Justice..." In conformity with this sacred verse, the residence and personal clothing of the deceased revert to the House of Justice.

42. QUESTION: The ordinance of ?uququ'llah is revealed in the Kitab-i-Aqdas. Is the residence, with the accompanying fixtures and necessary furnis.h.i.+ngs, included in the property on which ?uquq is payable, or is it otherwise?

ANSWER: In the laws revealed in Persian We have ordained that in this Most Mighty Dispensation the residence and the household furnis.h.i.+ngs are exempt-that is, such furnis.h.i.+ngs as are necessary.

43. QUESTION: Concerning the betrothal of a girl before maturity.

ANSWER: This practice hath been p.r.o.nounced unlawful by the Source of Authority, and it is unlawful to announce a marriage earlier than ninety-five days before the wedding.

44. QUESTION: If a person hath, for example, a hundred tumans, payeth the ?uquq on this sum, loseth half the sum in unsuccessful transactions and then, through trading, the amount in hand is raised again to the sum on which ?uquq is due-must such a person pay ?uquq or not?

ANSWER: In such an event the ?uquq is not payable.

45. QUESTION: If, after payment of ?uquq, this same sum of one hundred tumans is lost in its entirety, but subsequently regained through trade and business dealings, must ?uquq be paid a second time or not?

ANSWER: In this event as well, payment of ?uquq is not required.

46. QUESTION: With reference to the sacred verse, "G.o.d hath prescribed matrimony unto you", is this prescription obligatory or not?

ANSWER: It is not obligatory.

47. QUESTION: Supposing that a man hath wed a certain woman believing her to be a virgin and he hath paid her the dowry, but at the time of consummation it becometh evident that she is not a virgin, are the expenses and the dowry to be repaid or not? And if the marriage had been made conditional upon virginity, doth the unfulfilled condition invalidate that which was conditioned upon it?

ANSWER: In such a case the expenses and the dowry may be refunded. The unfulfilled condition invalidateth that which is conditioned upon it.

However, to conceal and forgive the matter will, in the sight of G.o.d, merit a bounteous reward.

48. QUESTION: "A feast hath been enjoined upon you..." Is this obligatory or not?

ANSWER: It is not obligatory.