“a group is not an administrative institution” - 13 June 1974

The main thing to remember is that a group is not an administrative institution within the Bahá'í Administrative Order; it is, however, the embryo of a Local Spiritual Assembly and while remaining under the direct authority of the National Spiritual Assembly should obviously be encouraged to prepare itself for the time when it will establish that divine institution. There is no objection whatever to its electing officers such as a secretary, chairman and treasurer, holding Nineteen Day Feasts and observances of the Holy Days, undertaking teaching and extension work, so long as it is always understood that the directive authority is the National Spiritual Assembly and not the group itself. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 13 June 1974 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of Paraguay; The Compilation of Compilations vol. I)

Burial requirements “now binding in the West” - 9 June 1974

For the burial of the dead the only requirements now binding in the West are to bury the body (not to cremate it), not to carry it more than a distance of one hour's journey from the place of death, and to say the Prayer for the Dead if the deceased is a believer over the age of 15. 

- The Universal House of justice  (From a letter dated 9 June 1974 to the National Spiritual Assembly of Iceland; compilation: The Compilation of Compilations vol. I)

The laws of the Kitab-i-Aqdas not binding in the West - June 9, 1974

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Iceland

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

Thank you for your letter of 4 March 1974 enclosing the inquiry from the Bahá’í Group of Ísafjördur. It has become apparent from a number of questions we have received that many believers are not clear which are those laws already binding upon the Bahá’ís in the West. We therefore feel it is timely to clarify the situation, and the simplest way is to state those laws listed in the Synopsis and Codification of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas which are not at present binding upon the friends in the western world. For ease of reference we give the numbers of the sections listed.

IV.A.(4)(c)           The law regarding the exemption from obligatory prayer granted to women in their courses.

IV.A.(10)              The law concerning ablutions, with the exception of the ablutions required for the Medium Obligatory Prayer which are described in Section CLXXXII of Prayers and Meditations and are required for the recitation of that prayer.

IV.A. (12)             The law concerning actions to be taken in place of an Obligatory Prayer missed on account of insecure conditions.

IV.B.(5)(a)           The definition of travelers for the purpose of exemption from fasting. Instead of these definitions the believers in the West should observe the following guidance given by the beloved Guardian’s secretary on his behalf: “travelers are exempt from fasting, but if they want to fast while they are traveling, they are free to do so. You are exempt the whole period of your travel, not just the hours you are in a train or car, etc.…”

IV.B.(5)(f)            The law regarding the exemption from fasting granted to women in their courses.

IV.C.(1)(i)            The laws governing betrothal.

IV.C.(1)(j)            The law concerning the payment of a dowry by the groom to the bride on marriage.

IV.C.(1)(l)and (m)             The laws concerning the traveling of a husband away from his wife.

IV.C.(1)(n)and (o)             The laws relating to the virginity of the wife.

IV.C.(2)(b)           That part of the divorce law relating to fines payable to the House of Justice.

IV.C.(3) The law of inheritance. This is normally covered by civil laws of intestacy at the present time.

IV.D.(1)(a)           The law of pilgrimage.

IV.D.(1)(b)          The law of Huqúqu’lláh is not yet applied to the western friends.

IV.D.(1)(d)          The law of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár is gradually being put into effect.

IV.D.(1)(f)            The Bahá’í Festivals are being celebrated by the western friends on their anniversaries in the Gregorian calendar until such time as the Universal House of Justice deems it desirable to pass supplementary legislation necessary for the full implementation of the Badí’ calendar.

IV.D.(1)(j)            The age of maturity applies only to Bahá’í religious duties as yet. On other matters it is subject to the civil law of each country. The age of administrative maturity in the Bahá’í community has, for the time being, been fixed at 21.

IV.D.(1)(k)           For the burial of the dead the only requirements now binding in the West are to bury the body (not to cremate it), not to carry it more than a distance of one hour’s journey from the place of death, and to say the Prayer for the Dead if the deceased is a believer over the age of 15.

IV.D.(1)(p)          The law of tithes.

IV.D.(1)(q)          The law concerning the repetition of the Greatest Name 95 times a day.

IV.D.(1)(r)           The law concerning the hunting of animals.

IV.D.(1)(t),(u), (v) and (w)             The laws relating to the finding of lost property, the disposition of treasure trove, the disposal of objects held in trust and compensation for manslaughter are all designed for a future state of society. These matters are usually covered by the civil law of each country.

IV.D.(1)(y)(xiv),(xv),(xvi) and (xvii)             Arson, adultery, murder and theft are all forbidden to Bahá’ís, but the punishments prescribed for them in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas are designed for a future state of society. Such matters are usually covered by the civil laws of each country.

IV.D.(1)(y)(xxv), (xxx), (xxxi) and (xxxii)    The laws prohibiting the use of the type of pools which used to be found in Persian baths, the plunging of one’s hand in food, the shaving of one’s head and the growth of men’s hair below the lobe of the ear.

All the exhortations, listed in section IV.D.(3), are applicable universally at the present time insofar as it is possible for the friends to implement them; for example, the exhortation to teach one’s children to chant the Holy Verses in the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár can be literally carried out only on a limited scale at the present time, but the friends should, nevertheless, teach their children the Holy Writings as far as possible.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

[signed: The Universal House of Justice]

“customs of our previous beliefs”; Meditations given to us by Baha’u’llah; “prayers or selections from the Sacred Writings of other religions” - 7 June 1974:

As to your question about prayer and whether it is necessary to recite the prayers of only the Central Figures of our Faith, we have been asked to quote here the following two excerpts on this subject, from letters written by Shoghi Effendi's secretary on his behalf:

[Not to introduce into the Cause "the customs of our previous beliefs”]

"...as the Cause embraces members of all races and religions we should be careful not to introduce into it the customs of our previous beliefs. Bahá'u'lláh has given us the obligatory prayers, also prayers before sleeping, for travellers, etc. We should not introduce a new set of prayers He has not specified, when He has given us already so many, for so many occasions.”

[Meditations given to us by Baha’u’llah]

“He thinks it would be wiser for the Bahá'ís to use the meditations given by Bahá'u'lláh, and not any set form of meditation recommended by someone else; but the believers must be left free in these details and allowed to have personal latitude in finding their own level of communion with God.”

[Use of “prayers or selections from the Sacred Writings of other religions”]

As to the reading of prayers or selections from the Sacred Writings of other religions such readings are permissible, and indeed from time to time are included in the devotional programmes of Bahá'í Houses of Worship, demonstrating thereby the universality of our Faith. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, June 7, 1974; compilation: ‘Lights of Guidance’)

Declaration of faith and the process of opening one’s “heart and mind to the reality of the Manifestation” - 7 June 1974

You have asked if the mere declaration of faith by a newcomer suffices to recognize him as a Bahá'í, and whether living the Bahá'í life should not be regarded as the basis of admission into the Faith. You should bear in mind that the signature on a card, in the sense that it represents a record of the date of the declaration and data about the declarant, is to satisfy administrative requirements enabling the enrollment of the new believer in the community. The deeper implication of the act of declaration of faith are between the individual and God. Shoghi Effendi has made several statements on this important subject, and we have been asked to share with you the following two excerpts from letters written on his behalf to individual believers:

“There is a difference between character and faith; it is often hard to accept this fact and put up with it, but the fact that a person may believe in and love the Cause -- even being ready to die for it -- and yet not have a good personal character or possess traits at variance with the teachings. We try to change, to let the Power of God help recreate us make us true Bahá'ís in deed as well as in belief. But the process is slow, sometimes it never happens because the individual does not try hard enough. But these things cause us suffering and are a test to us in our fellow-believers, most especially if we love them and have been their teacher!”

“The process of becoming a Bahá'ís necessarily slow and gradual. The essential is not that the beginner should have a full and detailed knowledge of the Cause, a thing which is obviously impossible in the vast majority of cases, but that he should, by act of his own will, be willing to uphold and follow the truth guidance set forth in the Teachings, and thus open his heart and mind to the reality of the Manifestation." 
- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 7 June, 1974, to an individual believer; Bahá'í News of India, p. 2, July/August, 1974; compilation: ‘Lights of Guidance’)