This is the first of several passages referring to the importance of
refinement and cleanliness. The original Arabic word "latafah", rendered
here as "refinement", has a wide range of meanings with both spiritual and
physical implications, such as elegance, gracefulness, cleanliness,
civility, politeness, gentleness, delicacy and graciousness, as well as
being subtle, refined, sanctified and pure. In accordance with the context
of the various passages where it occurs in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, it has been
translated either as "refinement" or "cleanliness".
75. He Who is the Dawning-place of God's Cause hath no partner in the Most
Great Infallibility. #47
In the Tablet of Is{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}raqat, Baha'u'llah affirms that the Most Great
Infallibility is confined to the Manifestations of God.
Chapter 45 in Some Answered Questions is devoted to an explanation by
'Abdu'l-Baha of this verse of the Aqdas. In this chapter He stresses,
among other things, the inseparability of essential "infallibility" from
the Manifestations of God, and asserts that "whatever emanates from Them
is identical with the truth, and conformable to reality", that "They are
not under the shadow of the former laws", and "Whatever They say is the
word of God, and whatever They perform is an upright action".
76. Unto every father hath been enjoined the instruction of his son and
daughter in the art of reading and writing #48
'Abdu'l-Baha, in His Tablets, not only calls attention to the
responsibility of parents to educate all their children, but He also
clearly specifies that the "training and culture of daughters is more
necessary than that of sons", for girls will one day be mothers, and
mothers are the first educators of the new generation. If it is not
possible, therefore, for a family to educate all the children, preference
is to be accorded to daughters since, through educated mothers, the
benefits of knowledge can be most effectively and rapidly diffused
throughout society.
77. God hath imposed a fine on every adulterer and adulteress, to be paid
to the House of Justice #49
Although the term translated here as adultery refers, in its broadest
sense, to unlawful sexual intercourse between either married or unmarried
individuals (see note 36 for a definition of the term), 'Abdu'l-Baha has
specified that the punishment here prescribed is for sexual intercourse
between persons who are unmarried. He indicates that it remains for the
Universal House of Justice to determine the penalty for adultery committed
by a married individual. (See also Q and A 49.)
In one of His Tablets, 'Abdu'l-Baha refers to some of the spiritual and
social implications of the violation of the laws of morality and,
concerning the penalty here described, He indicates that the aim of this
law is to make clear to all that such an action is shameful in the eyes of
God and that, in the event that the offence can be established and the
fine imposed, the principal purpose is the exposure of the offenders--that
they are shamed and disgraced in the eyes of society. He affirms that such
exposure is in itself the greatest punishment.
The House of Justice referred to in this verse is presumably the Local
House of Justice, currently known as the Local Spiritual Assembly.
78. nine mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qals of gold, to be doubled if they should repeat the
offence #49
A mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qal is a unit of weight. The weight of the traditional mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qal
used in the Middle East is equivalent to 24 nak{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}uds. However, the
mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qal used by the Baha'is consists of 19 nak{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}uds, "in accordance
with the specification of the Bayan" (Q and A 23). The weight of nine of
these mit{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}qals equals 32.775 grammes or 1.05374 troy ounces.
In relation to the application of the fine, Baha'u'llah clearly specifies
that each succeeding fine is double the preceding one (Q and A 23); thus
the fine imposed increases in geometrical progression. The imposition of
this fine is intended for a future condition of society, at which time the
law will be supplemented and applied by the Universal House of Justice.