Legal terms in the translations of Shoghi Effendi and in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas

By Moojan Momen

First presented at the Irfan Colloquia Session #48
Center for Bahá'í Studies: Acuto, Italy
July 10–13, 2003
(see list of papers from #48)

published in Lights of Irfan, volume 16, pages 175-198
under new title
"Shoghi Effendi’s Translation of Terms Related to Law in Bahá’í Scripture"
© 2015, ‘Irfán Colloquia


    This presentation is in two halves. In the first half, the words which Shoghi Effendi renders as "law" or "laws" in his translations of the Baha'i scriptures are examined. The following terms are found: Sharí'ah or Sharí'at (plural shará'i') or Shar'; Hukm (plural ahkám); Námús (plural nawámís); Qánún (plural qawánín); Asl (plural usúl); Amr (plural awámir); Hadd (plural hudúd); Sunnah (plural sunan); and Fard (plural furúd).

    In the second half, these nine Arabic terms are taken and the use of them in the Aqdas is examined, in particular, the way that they are translated in the official translation.


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