nted by aught that hath been recorded in
the Book from hearkening unto this, the Living Book #134

The "Book" is the record of the revealed Word of the Manifestations of
God. The "Living Book" is a reference to the Person of the Manifestation.

These words contain an allusion to a statement of the Bab in the Persian
Bayan about the "Living Book", which He identifies as Him Whom God will
make manifest. In one of His Tablets Baha'u'llah Himself states: "The Book
of God hath been sent down in the form of this Youth."

In this verse of the Aqdas, and again in paragraph 168 of the Aqdas,
Baha'u'llah refers to Himself as the "Living Book". He cautions the
"followers of every other Faith" against seeking "reasons in their Holy
Books" for refuting the utterances of the "Living Book". He admonishes the
people not to allow what has been recorded in the "Book" to prevent them
from recognising His Station and from holding fast to what is in this new
Revelation.

156. tribute to this Revelation, from the Pen of Him Who was My Herald
#135

The "tribute" that Baha'u'llah quotes in this passage is from the Arabic
Bayan.

157. "The Qiblih is indeed He Whom God will make manifest; whenever He
moveth, it moveth, until He shall come to rest." #137

For a discussion of this verse see notes 7 and 8.

158. It is unlawful to enter into marriage save with a believer in the
Bayan. Should only one party to a marriage embrace this Cause, his or her
possessions will become unlawful to the other #139

The passage of the Bayan which Baha'u'llah here quotes draws the attention
of the believers to the imminence of the coming of "Him Whom God will make
manifest". Its prohibition of marriage with a non-Babi and its provision
that the property of a husband or wife who embraced the Faith could not
lawfully pass to the non-Babi spouse were explicitly held in abeyance by
the Bab, and were subsequently annulled by Baha'u'llah before they could
come into effect. Baha'u'llah, in quoting this law, points to the fact
that, in revealing it, the Bab had clearly anticipated the possibility
that the Cause of Baha'u'llah would rise to prominence before that of the
Bab Himself.

In God Passes By Shoghi Effendi points out that the Bayan "should be
regarded primarily as a eulogy of the Promised One rather than a code of
laws and ordinances designed to be a permanent guide to future
generations". "Designedly severe in the rules and reg