On Baha'i Laws: Signposts on the Mystic Path

Chastity before marriage and abstinance from drinking alcohol are but two laws of Baha'u'llah that his followers are called upon to follow. These prohibitions may seem quaint to some in today's cultural climate. In fact, the whole idea of adhering to a moral code may seem odd or strange to many. The spirit with which Baha'is view the laws and ordinances of their Faith needs to be understood to appreciate just how different is the Baha'i approach to these matters.

Photo: The Shrine of Baha'u'llah
One of the primary purposes of the laws, as well as the teachings, that Bahá'u'lláh has given is the uniting of the peoples of the world .

O ye that dwell on earth! The distinguishing feature that marketh the preeminent character of this Supreme Revelation consisteth in that We have, on the one hand, blotted out from the pages of God's holy Book whatsoever hath been the cause of strife, of malice and mischief amongst the children of men, and have, on the other, laid down the essential prerequisites of concord, of understanding, of complete and enduring unity. Well is it with them that keep My statutes.

In the West, people tend to see the law as something that limits their freedom and hence something that is only to be endured reluctantly because there is some indirect overall benefit. In the Bahá'í Faith, however, there is a more positive attitude towards the law brought by Bahá'u'lláh. It enables human beings to align themselves with the spiritual laws that govern the universe. We would not jump from a fourth-storey window because we know that the physical laws of the universe would cause us to injure ourselves badly. Similarly, Bahá'ís believe that we should not break these spiritual laws, otherwise we are inflicting spiritual harm upon ourselves. Bahá'u'lláh, therefore, does not see these laws as rigid legalistic framework, concerned with enforcement and punishment. He states that these laws are an indispensable part of a human being's spiritual progress; signposts on the mystic path.

Think not that We have revealed unto you a mere code of laws. Nay, rather, We have unsealed the choice Wine with the fingers of might and power.

And so our obedience to these laws should not be for fear of punishment, but out of joy and love.

Observe My commandments, for the love of My beauty.

"Baha'i Laws," An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith