Comparable Laws: Two Different Dispensations:
The Kitáb-i-Aqdas and the Bayán

By Nabil Fares

First presented at the Irfan Colloquia Session #40
Bosch Bahá'í School: California, USA
May 23–26, 2002
(see list of papers from #40)

    Is there a relationship between the laws revealed in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas and those revealed in the Bayan? What are the laws that were revealed in the Bayan, and abrogated by Bahá'u'lláh? Which ones does His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh corroborate?

    During the course of these two 'Irfán sessions we will present a comparative study of the laws of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas and those of the Bayan. The discussions will offer illuminating insights into the nature of the intricate and mysterious interrelation between the Bábí and Bahá'í Faiths.

    We will discuss the relationship of the legislation of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas to that of the Persian and Arabic Bayan. Bahá'u'lláh revealed His laws for this immaculate era. A careful study to these laws will reveal that some of these laws have their roots in the Bábí dispensation. We can notice some similarities to the laws of revealed by His Holiness the Báb. Furthermore; almost all of the laws of the Bayan were codified in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. The only exceptions were laws that the Báb Himself declared as temporary, and put in place to prepare the way for the coming of 'Him Whom God Shall Make Manifest', that is, Bahá'u'lláh. The laws of the Bayan that were temporary in nature, such as the prohibition on studying dead languages or grammar, were abrogated not by Bahá'u'lláh, but by His declaration that He was Whom God Shall Make Manifest, at which time such laws became redundant. The only other laws were not carried over from the Bábí to the Bahá'í dispensation were those that gave Him Whom God Shall Make Manifest special respect, such as the law that everyone should rise when the name of Him Whom God shall Make Manifest was mentioned. Such laws were abrogated by Bahá'u'lláh, as sign of grace and mercy, and not because the laws of the Bayan were strange, unworkable or excessive.

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