The Baha'i Studies Listserv In note 89 of "The Kitab-i- Aqdas", which states: 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.
> ________________________________ De: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Para: Baha'i Studies <[email protected]> Enviado: Viernes, 28 de septiembre, 2012 6:03 P.M. Asunto: Re: Bigamy permitted in bahá'í writings? The Baha'i Studies Listserv Dear Hasan, May I ask the source (text) this quote attributed to Abdu’l-Baha is in? Sandra From: Hasan Elías Sent: Friday, September 28, 2012 4:06 AM To: Baha'i Studies Subject: Re: Bigamy permitted in bahá'í writings? The Baha'i Studies Listserv Dear Susan, 'Abdu'l-Bahá said that, but the text (stressed) allows bigamy: "God hath prescribed matrimony unto you.Beware that ye take not unto yourselves more wives than two. Whoso contenteth himself with a single partner from among the maidservants of God, both he and she shall live in tranquillity. And he who would take into his service a maid may do so with propriety. Such is the ordinance which, in truth and justice, hath been recorded by the Pen of Revelation. Enter into wedlock, O people, that ye may bring forth one who will make mention of Me amid My servants. This is My bidding unto you; hold fast to it as an assistance to yourselves". If I say "you can marry with two, but it is better that you marry one". This make bigamy optional, so monogamy is not mandatory. You know that some early bahá'ís practiced bigamy. Perhaps a bahá'í understand this by faith but non-bahá'ís surely not. Best regards, Hasan ________________________________ De: Susan Maneck <[email protected]> Para: Baha'i Studies <[email protected]> Enviado: Miércoles, 26 de septiembre, 2012 11:53 P.M. Asunto: Re: Bigamy permitted in bahá'í writings? The Baha'i Studies Listserv No, I think He was referring to the fact that monogamy was Baha'u'llah's intention all along and therefore nothing was abrogated. On Wed, Sep 26, 2012 at 11:41 PM, Matt Haase <[email protected]> wrote: > The Baha'i Studies Listserv > > Hasan, perhaps he was referring to men who were already married to two > women. As far as I know, a Baha'i convert doesn't have to get divorced from > one of his wives if he got married before joining the religion. > > > On Wed, Sep 26, 2012 at 7:49 PM, Hasan Elías <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> The Baha'i Studies Listserv >> >> Hi Dean, >> >> The enemies of 'Abdu'l-Bahá blamed Him for modify/abrogated this law of >> Bahá'u'lláh. But the Master said He didn't change it, He denied it. >> >> Best, >> >> Hasan >> >> >> De: Dean Betts <[email protected]> >> Para: Baha'i Studies <[email protected]> >> Enviado: Martes, 25 de septiembre, 2012 7:33 P.M. >> Asunto: Re: Bigamy permitted in bahá'í writings? >> >> 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 >> To: Baha'i Studies >> 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-667001-161001.00090f632276bca6fdce1d55fcb23...@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] __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[email protected] Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:leave-667549-27401.54f46e81b66496c9909bcdc2f7987...@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]
