Definition of "Verses of God"

The Research Department of
The Universal House of Justice



BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTRE



Department of the Secretariat

19 January 1999



Dear Bahá'í Friend,

Your email of 1 November 1998 concerning the term "verses of God" was received by the Universal House of Justice and referred to its Research Department for further study. That Department has now completed its work, and we enclose a copy of a memorandum prepared in response. It is hoped that this information provides the clarification you seek.

With loving Bahá'í greetings,

(signature)

For Department of the Secretariat

Enclosure



M E M O R A N D U M



To: The Universal House of Justice Date: 19 January 1999 From: Research Department



Definition of "Verses of God"



In his email message of 1 November 1998 to the Universal House of Justice, Mr......... requests clarification of the term "verses of God" mentioned in paragraph 149 of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas and in note 165 to that book. Mr....... enquires whether the term "verses of God" refers to only Bahá’u’lláh’s Writings, or whether it can refer to the Writings of the Báb and earlier Manifestations of God. He also asks whether the "verses of God" include Bahá’u’lláh’s prayers or just His Writings.

1. "Verses of God", Whose Writings Are Included?

In reply to an earlier question about the meaning of "verses of God" in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas and whether or not they include the Writings of the Báb, the Universal House of Justice, in a letter dated 4 July 1995 written on its behalf, provided the following response:

Regarding note 165 to the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, nothing has been found in the Writings of the Faith which specifically answers your question as to whether the Writings of the Báb are included among those verses "sent down from the Heaven of Divine Utterance" which are to be recited "every morn and eventide". Thus you should feel free to come to your own conclusion as to whether or not you will include the Writings of the Báb in observing this particular injunction of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas

As to the more general question of whether the Writings of the earlier Manifestations of God may be regarded as "verses of God" for the purpose of complying with the specific injunction set our in paragraph 149 of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, the Research Department has found nothing in the Bahá'í Writings on this matter. Mr. Smith is, therefore, free to reach his own understanding.

1. Are Prayers Included?

Some time ago, one of the believers sought clarification concerning whether or not the prayers of Bahá'u'lláh might be recited in fulfilment of the exhortation to recite the "verses of God" morning and evening, and he speculated that "the reciting of the Obligatory Prayers would not satisfy this obligation". The response of the Universal House of Justice, in a letter dated 3 June 1991 written on its behalf, draws attention to the wording of Bahá'u'lláh’s statement in "Questions and Answers" number 68, that is:

The intention is all that hath been sent down from the Heaven of Divine Utterance. The prime requisite is that eagerness and love of sanctified souls to read the Word of God. To read one verse, or even one word, in a spirit of joy and radiance, is preferable to a perusal of many Books.

The House of Justice then states the following:

In this statement, Bahá'u'lláh does not make a distinction between prayers and the other forms of the revealed Word. You are quite right, therefore, in stating that each Bahá'í should be left free to understand the exhortation as he chooses. You are also correct in your understanding that the obligatory prayers, said according to the law related to them, fall into a category of their own and should not be linked with the exhortation to recite the verses of God every morning and evening.