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]