49. QUESTION: Concerning the penalties for adultery, sodomy, and theft, and the degrees thereof.
ANSWER: The determination of the degrees of these penalties rests with the House of Justice.
50. QUESTION: Concerning the legitimacy or otherwise of marrying one"s relatives.
ANSWER: These matters likewise rest with the Trustees of the House of Justice.
51. QUESTION: With reference to ablutions, it hath been revealed, "Let him that findeth no water for ablution repeat five times the words "In the Name of G.o.d, the Most Pure, the Most Pure"": is it permissible to recite this verse in times of bitter cold, or if the hands or face be wounded?
ANSWER: Warm water may be used in times of bitter cold. If there are wounds on the face or hands, or there be other reasons such as aches and pains for which the use of water would be harmful, one may recite the appointed verse in place of the ablution.
52. QUESTION: Is the recitation of the verse revealed to replace the Prayer of the Signs obligatory?
ANSWER: It is not obligatory.
53. QUESTION: With reference to inheritance, when there are full brothers and full sisters, would half-brothers and half-sisters on the mother"s side also receive a share?
ANSWER: They receive no share.
54. QUESTION: He saith, exalted be He: "Should the son of the deceased have pa.s.sed away in the days of his father and have left children, they will inherit their father"s share..." What is to be done if the daughter hath died during the lifetime of her father?
ANSWER: Her share of the inheritance should be distributed among the seven categories of heirs according to the ordinance of the Book.
55. QUESTION: If the deceased be a woman, to whom is the "wife"s" share of the inheritance allotted?
ANSWER: The "wife"s" share of the inheritance is allotted to the husband.
56. QUESTION: Concerning the shrouding of the body of the deceased which is decreed to comprise five sheets: does the five refer to five cloths which were hitherto customarily used or to five full-length shrouds wrapped one around the other?
ANSWER: The use of five cloths is intended.
57. QUESTION: Concerning disparities between certain revealed verses.
ANSWER: Many Tablets were revealed and dispatched in their original form without being checked and reviewed. Consequently, as bidden, they were again read out in the Holy Presence, and brought into conformity with the grammatical conventions of the people in order to forestall the cavils of opponents of the Cause. Another reason for this practice is that the new style inaugurated by the Herald, may the souls of all else but Him be offered up for His sake, was seen to be marked by substantial lat.i.tude in adherence to the rules of grammar; sacred verses therefore were then revealed in a style which is for the most part in conformity with current usage for ease of understanding and concision of expression.
58. QUESTION: Concerning the blessed verse, "When travelling, if ye should stop and rest in some safe spot, perform ye ... a single prostration in place of each unsaid Obligatory Prayer": is this compensation for the Obligatory Prayer missed by reason of insecure circ.u.mstances, or is obligatory prayer completely suspended during travel, and doth the prostration take its place?
ANSWER: If, when the hour of obligatory prayer arriveth, there be no security, one should, upon arrival in safe surroundings, perform a prostration in place of each Obligatory Prayer that was missed, and after the final prostration, sit cross-legged and read the designated verse. If there be a safe place, obligatory prayer is not suspended during travel.
59. QUESTION: If, after a traveller hath stopped and rested it is the time for obligatory prayer, should he perform the prayer, or make the prostration in its stead?
ANSWER: Except in insecure circ.u.mstances omission of the Obligatory Prayer is not permissible.
60. QUESTION: If, due to missed Obligatory Prayers, a number of prostrations are required, must the verse be repeated after each compensating prostration or not?
ANSWER: It is sufficient to recite the designated verse after the last prostration. The several prostrations do not require separate repet.i.tions of the verse.
61. QUESTION: If an Obligatory Prayer be omitted at home, is it to be compensated for by a prostration or not?
ANSWER: In answer to previous questions it was written: "This provision regarding the compensating prostration applieth both at home and on a journey."
62. QUESTION: If, for another purpose, one hath performed ablutions, and the time of obligatory prayer arriveth, are these ablutions sufficient or must they be renewed?
ANSWER: These same ablutions are sufficient, and there is no need for them to be renewed.
63. QUESTION: In the Kitab-i-Aqdas obligatory prayer hath been enjoined, consisting of nine rak"ahs, to be performed at noon, in the morning and the evening, but the Tablet of Obligatory Prayers(17) appeareth to differ from this.
ANSWER: That which hath been revealed in the Kitab-i-Aqdas concerneth a different Obligatory Prayer. Some years ago a number of the ordinances of the Kitab-i-Aqdas including that Obligatory Prayer were, for reasons of wisdom, recorded separately and sent away together with other sacred writings, for the purposes of preservation and protection. Later these three Obligatory Prayers were revealed.
64. QUESTION: In determining time, is it permissible to rely on clocks and watches?
ANSWER: It is permissible to rely on clocks and watches.
65. QUESTION: In the Tablet of Obligatory Prayers, three prayers are revealed; is the performance of all three required or not?
ANSWER: It is enjoined to offer one of these three prayers; whichever is performed sufficeth.
66. QUESTION: Are ablutions for the morning prayer still valid for the noonday prayer? And similarly, are ablutions carried out at noon still valid in the evening?
ANSWER: Ablutions are connected with the Obligatory Prayer for which they are performed, and must be renewed for each prayer.
67. QUESTION: Concerning the long Obligatory Prayer, it is required to stand up and "turn unto G.o.d". This seemeth to indicate that it is not necessary to face the Qiblih; is this so or not?
ANSWER: The Qiblih is intended.
68. QUESTION: Concerning the sacred verse: "Recite ye the verses of G.o.d every morn and eventide."
ANSWER: The intention is all that hath been sent down from the Heaven of Divine Utterance. The prime requisite is the eagerness and love of sanctified souls to read the Word of G.o.d. To read one verse, or even one word, in a spirit of joy and radiance, is preferable to the perusal of many Books.
69. QUESTION: May a person, in drawing up his will, a.s.sign some portion of his property-beyond that which is devoted to payment of ?uququ"llah and the settlement of debts-to works of charity, or is he ent.i.tled to do no more than allocate a certain sum to cover funeral and burial expenses, so that the rest of his estate will be distributed in the manner fixed by G.o.d among the designated categories of heirs?
ANSWER: A person hath full jurisdiction over his property. If he is able to discharge the ?uququ"llah, and is free of debt, then all that is recorded in his will, and any declaration or avowal it containeth, shall be acceptable. G.o.d, verily, hath permitted him to deal with that which He hath bestowed upon him in whatever manner he may desire.
70. QUESTION: Is the use of the burial ring enjoined exclusively for adults, or is it for minors as well?
ANSWER: It is for adults only. The Prayer for the Dead is likewise for adults.
71. QUESTION: Should a person wish to fast at a time other than in the month of "Ala, is this permissible or not; and if he hath vowed or pledged himself to such a fast, is this valid and acceptable?
ANSWER: The ordinance of fasting is such as hath already been revealed.
Should someone pledge himself, however, to offer up a fast to G.o.d, seeking in this way the fulfilment of a wish, or to realize some other aim, this is permissible, now as heretofore. Howbeit, it is G.o.d"s wish, exalted be His glory, that vows and pledges be directed to such objectives as will profit mankind.
72. QUESTION: Again a question hath been asked concerning the residence and personal clothing: are these to revert, in the absence of male offspring, to the House of Justice, or are they to be distributed like the rest of the estate?
ANSWER: Two thirds of the residence and personal clothing pa.s.s to the female offspring, and one third to the House of Justice, which G.o.d hath made to be the treasury of the people.
73. QUESTION: If, upon completion of the year of patience, the husband refuseth to allow divorce, what course should be adopted by the wife?