From: hakim@bigq.enet.dec.com (Kamran Hakim)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian
Subject: Re: Reply To Arindam: General Matters
Date: 26 Aug 92 15:51:11 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation


In article <1992Aug26.050245.15837@midway.uchicago.edu>, trivedi@curie.uchicago
.edu (Anil Trivedi) you write:

AT>GENERAL NOTE: Covenant-Breakers are those who accept the authority of 
                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
AT>Bahaullah, but not that of the later leadership of the Bahai faith.
AT>If you truly believe *only* in Bahaullah, you are as good as expelled
AT>from the community. [Even limited analogies help. It is a little bit
AT>like the Vatican's approach towards Christ: you didn't get very far
AT>with the Popes by believeing in Christ alone.]

Dear Anil, eventhough your definition of the term "covenant-breaker" is
correct, yet you do not appear to have understood the question of Covenant
and its implications in the context of Baha'i teachings, or at least you 
are not presenting it in a wholesome manner. Furthermore you go on to
conclude "(A house divided lacks the moral authority to preach unity to 
others.)" which is an unfair assessment. Please allow me to offer some
reasoning about this:

Unparalleled in the religious history of the planet, in His book of laws, 
the Kitab-i Aqdas, Baha'u'llah appointed His Son, Abdu'l-Baha as the
authorized Interpreter of His teachings:

"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 ... refer ye
whatsoever ye understand not in the Book to Him Who hath branched
from this mighty Stock."

	-- from "The Synopsis and Codification of the Kitab-i Aqdas"

In His Will and Testament, the Kitab-i Ahd (Book of the Covenant),
Baha'u'llah repeats this appointment and says:

"The will of the divine Testator is this: It is incumbent upon the Aghsan
[Lit. Branches. A Biblical title by which Baha'u'llah refers to His 
children.], the Afnan [A term used to by Baha'u'llah to refer to the
family of The Bab.] and my kindred [i.e. the Baha'is] to turn, one and 
all, their faces towards the Most Mighty Branch [Abdu'l-Baha]. Consider 
that which We have revealed in Our Most Holy Book [i.e. the Book of Aqdas]: 
`When the ocean of My presence hath ebbed and the Book of My revelation is 
ended [i.e. After I pass away], turn your faces toward Him Whom God hath 
purposed, Who hath branched from this Ancient Root.' The object of this 
sacred verse is none other except the Most Mighty Branch [Abdu'l-Baha]. 
Thus have We graciously revealed unto you our potent Will, and I am verily 
the Gracious, the All-Powerful."

				Extract from the "Book of My Covenant"
					Tablets of Baha'u'llah

In His own Will and Testament, Abdu'l-Baha passes on this authority
to the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, and to the Universal House of
Justice:

"The sacred and youthful branch, the Guardian of the Cause of God as
well as the Universal House of Justice, to be universally elected
and established, are both under the care and protection of the Abha
Beauty [Baha'u'llah], under the shelter and unerring guidance of His
Holiness, the Exalted One [the Bab] (may my life be offered up for
them both).  Whatsoever they decide is of God."

			--Available as a separate document

The understanding and obeying of what has been mentioned above is crucial
for a Baha'i. Why?  Abdu'l-Baha addresses this issue as follows:

"As to the most great characteristic of the revelation of Baha'u'llah,
a specific teaching not given by any of the Prophets of the past: It is 
the ordination and appointment of the Center of the Covenant. By this 
appointment and provision He has safeguarded and protected the religion 
of God against differences and schisms, making it impossible for anyone 
to create a new sect or faction of belief. To ensure unity and agreement 
He has entered into a Covenant with all the people of the World, includ-
ing the interpreter and explainer of His teachings, so that no one may 
interpret or explain the religion of God according to his own view or 
opinion and thus create a sect founded upon his individual understanding 
of the divine Words. The Book of the Covenant or Testament of Baha'u'llah 
is the means of preventing such a possibility, for whoever shall speak 
from the authority of himself alone shall be degraded. Be ye informed 
and cognizant of this....The purport of my admonition is that certain 
people will endeavor to influence you in the direction of their own 
personal views and opinions. Therefore, be upon your guard in order 
that none may assail the oneness and integrity of Baha'u'llah's Cause. 
Praise be to God! Baha'u'llah left nothing unsaid. He explained every-
thing. He left no room for anything further to be said."

		Abdu'l-Baha, Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 455-456

Furthermore He says:

"O ye friends of God! Beware! Beware of differences! By differences
the Temple of God [i.e. Religion of God] is razed to its very foundation,
and by the blowing of the winds of disagreement the Blessed Tree [i.e.
the Manifestation of God] is prevented from producing any fruit. By the
intense cold of the diversity of opinions the rose-garden of Unity is 
withered, and the fire of the love of God extinguished!"

					Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha, p.431

There is really no COMPARISON between Popes/Christ and the question of
Covenant/Baha'u'llah. Christ never appointed Popes. He said to Peter
"Thou are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church. Supposedly
Vatican is built on the grave of Peter and the Popes are the leaders of
the Church by the virtue of IMPLICATION. Baha'u'llah's covenant is 
EXPLICIT.

Being a Baha'i DOES NOT mean believing in Baha'u'llah alone. Being a Baha'i
requires acceptance of Abdu'l-Baha as the Center of Baha'u'llah's Covenant
and Shoghi Effendi as the rightful successor of Abdu'l-Baha and the Guardian
of the Faith, and the Universal House of Justice as the supreme governing
body of the Faith. I hope this clarifies the issue. 

Please accept my apologies for the length of this reply.

Warm regards,

Kamran Hakim