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1873 Baháʼí religious text by Baháʼu'lláh

The Kitáb i Aqdas is the central religious text of the Baháʼí Faith, written by Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the religion, in 1873. Though it is the main source of Baháʼí laws and practices, much of the content deals with other matters, like foundational principles of the religion, the establishment of Baháʼí institutions, mysticism, ethics, social principles, and prophecies. In Baháʼí literature it is described as "the Mother Book" of the Baháʼí teachings, and the "Charter of the future world civilization". Baháʼu'lláh had manuscript copies sent to Baháʼís in Iran some years after its writing in 1873, and in 1890–91 (1308 AH, 47 BE) he arranged for its first publication in Bombay, India. Parts of the text were translated to English by Shoghi Effendi, which, along with a Synopsis and Codification were published in 1973 by the Universal House of Justice at the centennial anniversary of its writing. The full authoritative English translation, along with clarifying texts from Baháʼu'lláh and detailed explanatory notes from the Universal House of Justice, was first published in 1992.

The work was written in Arabic under the Arabic title (الكتاب الأقدس), but in English it is commonly known by its Persian pronunciation Kitáb i Aqdas (کتاب اقدس), and is subtitled with the translation of "the Most Holy Book". The word Aqdas is a superlative form derived from the triconsonantal root Q D Š, denoting holiness or sanctity in Semitic languages. It is sometimes called "The Aqdas" for short.

The Kitáb i Aqdas was written by Bahá’u’lláh in Acre about the midpoint of his Ministry around 1873. Baháʼí regard it as "revealed" and part of scripture that makes up a revelation from God. It was written as a response to inquiry of the believers about the laws of God for the new religion and how to arrange their affairs. It is indicated by one of his Tablets that after its revelation the Aqdas was withheld by him for some time before sending it to the believers in Iran. The Question and Answers portion which is included in most publications of the Kitáb i Aqdas is a compilation of answers written by Bahá’u’lláh to questions put to him by various believers. It was organized by Zaynu’l Muqarrabín, a respected transcriber of Bahá’u’lláh’s writings and one of the nineteen Apostles of Bahá’u’lláh. By the instruction of Bahá’u’lláh the Kitáb i Aqdas was first published in Bombay in 1891. A copy of the Kitáb i Aqdas dated from January 1887, in the handwriting of Zaynu'l Muqarrabín, is housed at the British Library. The library's description mentions, "His copies are highly regarded for their accuracy."

While it is the core text on laws of the religion, it is not the exclusive source. Baháʼu'lláh stated that the observance of the laws that he prescribed should be subject to "tact and wisdom", and that they do not cause "disturbance and dissension." He left for the progressive application of the laws to be decided by the Universal House of Justice; for example certain Baháʼí laws are currently only applicable to Iranian Baháʼís such as the limit to the period of engagement, while any Baháʼí may practice the laws if they so decide. He also stated that if the laws were in conflict with the civil law of the country where a Baháʼí lives the laws could not be practiced.

The text of the Kitáb i Aqdas consists of several hundred verses, which have been grouped in 189 numbered paragraphs in the English translation most of which are just a few sentences. The style combines elements of both poetry (shi'r) and rhymed prose (saj) and the text contains instances of literary devices like alliteration, assonance, repetition, onomatopoeia, juxtaposition and antithesis, metaphors, alternation of person and personification. It is written to the individual reader, as there are no clergy in the religion. The text also moves between statements said to be plain and statements suggesting the key to understanding the book is to look at the text for clues to itself. A Russian translation was undertaken by Alexander Tumansky in 1899 and was his most important contribution to Baháʼí studies. Around 1900 an informal English translation was made by Baháʼí Anton Haddad, which circulated among the early American Baháʼí community in a typewritten form. In 1961, an English scholar of Arabic, Dr. Earl E. Elder, and William McElwee Miller, published an English translation, "Al Kitab Al Aqdas", through the Royal Asiatic Society, however its translation of the notes section was problematic and overall lacked "poetic sensibility, and skill in Arabic translation". Miller only ever used it to further his polemical agenda. In 1973 a "Synopsis and Codification" of the book was published in English by the Universal House of Justice, with 21 passages of the Aqdas that had already been translated into English by Shoghi Effendi with additional terse lists of laws and ordinances contained in the book outside of any contextual prose. Finally, in 1992, a full and authorized Baháʼí translation in English was published. This version is used as the basis of translation into many other languages highlighting the practice of an indirect translation and how the purpose of the translation affects the act of translation. The Baháʼí Library Online provides a side by side comparison of the authorized translation with earlier translations by Anton Haddad and Earl Elder.

A scholarly review finds the Aqdas has themes of laws of worship, societal relations and administrative organization, or governance, of the religion. Baháʼu'lláh states that the maximum number of wives is two, but also states that having only one wife would add more tranquility to both partners. These statements were later interpreted by ʻAbdu'l Bahá that having a second wife is conditional upon treating both wives with justice and equality and was not possible in practice, thus establishing monogamy. That Baháʼu'lláh had three wives, while his religion teaches monogamy, has been the subject of criticism. The writing of the Kitáb i Aqdas and Baháʼí teachings on gender equality and monogamy post date Baháʼu'lláh's marriages and are understood to be evolutionary in nature, slowly leading Baháʼís away from what had been a deeply rooted cultural practice.

The institutional status of the authority of ʻAbdu'l Bahá and a House of Justice are specifically delineated. On the basis of the authority granted ʻAbdu'l Bahá he extended forms of the authority vested in him to the Guardianship, whose sole member was Shoghi Effendi, and the Universal, or International, House of Justice through his Will and Testament. This was confirmed and amplified in other texts, notably the Kitáb i 'Ahd. The Universal House of Justice is specifically empowered to write and rescind any laws it is felt necessary aside from those of the text of scripture and actual application of the laws of the Aqdas among Baháʼís are dependent on the choice of the Universal House of Justice.