The Baha'i Studies Listserv Small quibble: The text of the note below is not by Baha'u'llah, tho' the cut-'n-paste attribution lists Him because He authored the Aqdas.
It *does* provide an interpretation appropriate to the subject, of course. Jeanine H. On 9/25/2012 7:33 PM, Dean Betts wrote: > > The Baha'i Studies Listserv > Dear Hasan, > The following passages from Notes to Kitab-i-Aqdas should clarify this > subject. > Dean B. > While the text of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas appears to permit > bigamy, Bahá'u'lláh counsels that tranquillity and contentment > derive from monogamy. In another Tablet, He > underlines the importance of the individual's acting in such > a way as to "bring comfort to himself and to his partner". > Abdu'l-Bahá, the authorized Interpreter of the Bahá'í > Writings, states that in the text of the Aqdas monogamy is > in effect enjoined. He elaborates this theme in a number of > Tablets, including the following: 206 > Know thou that polygamy is not permitted under the law of > God, for contentment with one wife hath been clearly stipulated. > Taking a second wife is made dependent upon equity and justice > being upheld between the two wives, under all conditions. > However, observance of justice and equity towards two wives is > utterly impossible. The fact that bigamy has been made > dependent upon an impossible condition is clear proof of its > absolute prohibition. Therefore it is not permissible for a man to > have more than one wife. > Polygamy is a very ancient practice among the > majority of humanity. The introduction of monogamy has > been only gradually accomplished by the Manifestations of > God. Jesus, for example, did not prohibit polygamy, but > abolished divorce except in the case of fornication; > Muhammad limited the number of wives to four, but > making plurality of wives contingent on justice, and > reintroducing permission for divorce; Bahá'u'lláh, Who was > revealing His Teachings in the milieu of a Muslim society, > introduced the question of monogamy gradually in accordance > with the principles of wisdom and the progressive > unfoldment of His purpose. The fact that He left His > followers with an infallible Interpreter of His Writings > enabled Him to outwardly permit two wives in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas > but uphold a condition that enabled 'Abdu'l-Bahá to > elucidate later that the intention of the law was to enforce > monogamy. > (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 205) > > Dear Hasan, > My understanding is that the writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha have the > same effect as legislation, as do the writings of Shoghi Effendi. > 'Abdu'l-Baha has written that a man may two wives _only_ if > Greetings, > Dean B. > > ----- Original Message ----- > *From:* Hasan Elías <mailto:[email protected]> > *To:* Baha'i Studies <mailto:[email protected]> > *Sent:* Tuesday, September 25, 2012 1:14 AM > *Subject:* Bigamy permitted in bahá'í writings? > > The Baha'i Studies Listserv > > Hi all, > > I have read in recently posts of two other lists the following: > > * Bahá'u'lláh in the Kitáb al-Aqdas permits bigamy and never > changed this to monogamy, also never legislated again on > this issue > * 'Abdu'l-Bahá has never legislated or abrogated the > permission of this law > * Shoghi Effendi said that Bahá'u'lláh prescribes monogamy > in the Kitáb al-Aqdas (!) > > > Could anyone explain to me how we can put this together > without falling into contradictions? > > If Bahá'u'lláh permits bigamy, then, why and how the actual > bahá'í law prescribes monogamy and forbids bigamy? > > Also, if a muslim take 4 wives, it is ok because it is based > on the Qur'án, then why it is bad for a bahá'í to take 2 wives > if he is based on the Kitáb al-Aqdas, if nobody has the right > to abrogate a law of Bahá'u'lláh? > > These are basic questions. > > Thanks to all, > > Hasan > __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[email protected] Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:leave-666663-27401.54f46e81b66496c9909bcdc2f7987...@list.jccc.edu Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [email protected] Or subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:[email protected] Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/?forum=bahai-st News (on-campus only) - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]
