comments:
For the second time, Baha'u'llah's Covenant describes the importance of piety. All of the Aghsan, Afnan, and kindred are to be led by Piety as the greatest commander. What does piety mean? I want to refer to Chapter 7 of Achieving True Liberation and how I explored the contexts piety is used within the KItab-i-Aqdas. Piety is often viewed as being committed to religious practice, especially by those who spend considerable effort promoting an image of religiosity. When looking at the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, it does not feel as though this is the context in which Bahá’u’lláh defines piety. Let’s look at how piety is used in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. In Kitáb-i-Aqdas #64, we are commanded to piety after Bahá’u’lláh forbids oppression and lewdness. These two acts are acts against others. Again in Kitáb-i-Aqdas #71, oppression and wrongdoing stand in opposition to piety. In Kitáb-i-Aqdas #88, piety is paired with justice. In Kitáb-i-Aqdas #108, piety is described with sincerity to describe how to do remembrance of God. In Kitáb-i-Aqdas #148, piety is paired with kindness to oppose contention and disputes. It seems as though for Bahá’u’lláh, piety is not about outward religious appearances. Piety is more about serving one’s obligations and duties towards others. These obligations could be towards parents, children, your work, your community, and yourself. Piety isn’t a virtue to look good, it is a virtue to guide how we go about our spiritual practice and treat others. How we treat others is also a pathway to how we honor God. The forces which the pious commander uses are pure, goodly, and moral deeds. When we apply this to the Kitab-i-Aqdas, it means the Covenant of Baha'u'llah relates these deeds to the prohibition of oppression and the prescription for justice, sincerity, kindness, and the remembrance of God. Given the nature of the last few studies about paragraphs 8 through 11 regarding the Branches, I believe no other questions need to be asked. I invite a sincere exploration of what it means to fear God, to be pious, and what pure, goodly, and moral deeds are. For me, it starts with honoring the full Covenant of Baha'u'llah, not just excerpts you like or whom you believe has won the strife. Explore these things through the context of the full Covenant. Feel free to share these insights.
The Book of the Covenant continues to address the Aghsan, the Branches of Baha'u'llah. These Branches are Abbas Effendi, Mirza Muhammad Ali, Badi'u'llah, Diya'u'llah, and Mirza Mihdi who had passed away over 20 years prior to this book being penned by the Pen of Revelation. All of these Branches are to be loved by everyone. There is no exception. To keep the Covenant of Baha'u'llah, we must not violate this command. How do we express love for the Branches? I can think of a few simple notions to ensure the love is healthy and fruitful. One way to show love is to honor their station as Branches, without elevating them to a station beyond Branch, nor denying any of them the title of Branch. Another way would be to speak kindly about them, while honoring the rest of the Covenant of Baha'u'llah. We do not promote any strife or division between the Branches or prior factions who favored one over the other. We do not slander them nor backbite them. We speak only the verified truth about them, especially truths which can be backed up by evidence. One way we do not show love for the Branches is by giving any or all of them charitable donations and gifts for their own personal benefit. We can see throughout the world how such acts end up causing corruption. We learned in the 1st paragraph, Baha'u'llah warned in this Covenant the danger of wealth, the fear it can cause. He purposefully did not pass any wealth to His Branches, as He was not accumulating wealth Himself. Why would we betray Baha'u'llah's example to adorn any Branch with wealth? With this said, the Branches did have a responsibility to manage endowments. You see, the Branches were to act entirely as Trustees, as Custodians of a Covenant. So far in this book, there is nothing to suggest otherwise. The Trust is endowments for the Cause of God, for the establishment of the charities inspired by the Pen of His Command, the institutions of the Mashriq'ul-Adhkar in every city and village and a House of Justice in each city, the infrastructure to publish His Word, teach the religion of God, and to build up the lands. The Trust is the People of Baha, the well-being of the world, and the Lesser and Most Great Peace. In Achieving True Liberation, I outline a simple model for a Trustee to follow, modeled after how God acts as a Trustee for us on our path to liberation. We first Witness, where we observe the situation and what is around us. What is required? What is our responsibility? What are the rights of those observed? Next is we see what type of Trusteeship is necessary. Are we able to fulfill this role, another, or maybe a consultative group of people? Finally we Help. We use available resources to help, but in a manner which is not coercive. A Trustee honors all rights provided in the Revelation, rights which are derived from God's grace and authority. Do you honor the Covenant of Baha'u'llah by loving the Aghsan? Not just one Branch, not just one who proclaimed himself to be the only Branch, but all Branches? If so, you are dutiful to the Covenant. If not, I invite you to let go of the malice or hatred you have towards any of them, honor them in the stations Baha'u'llah honored them, and love them in the way Baha'u'llah loved them. Did any Branch manage endowments for their own personal benefit, or the benefit of their immediate family members? If so, the Covenant may have been violated. To honor the Covenant of Baha'u'llah, we must ensure endowments for the Cause revert to the People of Baha (you and your community) until you have established a House of Justice in your city. Manage these endowments as expressed in the Kitab-i-Aqdas. Don't let the wealth of others corrupt you.