This relates to the period of fasting. In one of His Tablets,
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, after stating that fasting consists of abstinence from food
and drink, further indicates that smoking is a form of "drink". In Arabic
the verb "drink" applies equally to smoking.
33. It hath been ordained that every believer in God ... shall, each day
... repeat "Alláh-u-Abhá" ninety-five times. #18
"Alláh-u-Abhá" is an Arabic phrase meaning "God the All-Glorious". It is a
form of the Greatest Name of God (see note 137). In Islám there is a
tradition that among the many names of God, one was the greatest; however,
the identity of this Greatest Name was hidden. Bahá’u’lláh has confirmed
that the Greatest Name is "Bahá".
The various derivatives of the word "Bahá" are also regarded as the
Greatest Name. Shoghi Effendi’s secretary writing on his behalf explains
that
The Greatest Name is the Name of Bahá’u’lláh. "Yá Bahá’u’l-Abhá"
is an invocation meaning: "O Thou Glory of Glories!".
"Alláh-u-Abhá" is a greeting which means: "God the All-Glorious".
Both refer to Bahá’u’lláh. By Greatest Name is meant that
Bahá’u’lláh has appeared in God’s Greatest Name, in other words,
that He is the supreme Manifestation of God.
The greeting "Alláh-u-Abhá" was adopted during the period of Bahá’u’lláh’s
exile in Adrianople.
The repetition of "Alláh-u-Abhá" ninety-five times is to be preceded by
the performance of ablutions (see note 34).
34. Perform ye ... ablutions for the Obligatory Prayer #18
Ablutions are specifically associated with certain prayers. They must
precede the offering of the three Obligatory Prayers, the daily recitation
of "Alláh-u-Abhá" ninety-five times, and the recital of the verse
prescribed as an alternative to obligatory prayer and fasting for women in
their courses (see note 20).
The prescribed ablutions consist of washing the hands and the face in
preparation for prayer. In the case of the medium Obligatory Prayer, this
is accompanied by the recitation of certain verses (see Some Texts
Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh Supplementary to the Kitáb-i-Aqdas).
That ablutions have a significance beyond washing may be seen from the
fact that even should one have bathed oneself immediately before reciting
the Obligatory Prayer, it would still be necessary to perform ablutions (Q
and A 18).
When no water is available for ablutions, a prescribed verse is to be
repeated five times (see note 16), and this provision is extended to those
for whom the use of water would be physically harmful (Q and A 51).
The detailed provisions of the law concerning ablutions are set out in the
Synopsis and Codification, section IV.A.10.a.-g., as well as in Questions
and Answers numbers 51, 62, 66, 77 and 86.
35. Ye have been forbidden to commit murder #19
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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