The Book of the Most Holy CHAPTER FOUR

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Division 86-120

THE MOST HOLY

86.

We have divided inheritance into seven categories:

87.

to the children, We have allotted nine parts comprising 540 shares;

to the wife, eight parts comprising 480 shares;

88.

to the father, seven parts comprising 420 shares;

to the mother, six parts comprising 360 shares;

89.

to the brothers, five parts or 300 shares;

to the sisters, four parts or 240 shares;

and to the teachers, three parts or 180 shares.

90.

Such was the ordinance of My Forerunner,

He Who extolleth My Name in the night season and at the break of day.

90.

When We heard the clamour of the children as yet unborn, We doubled their share and decreased those of the rest.

91.

He, of a truth, hath power to ordain whatsoever He desireth, and He doeth as He pleaseth by virtue of His sovereign might.

92.

Should the deceased leave no offspring, their share shall revert to the House of Justice, to be expended by the Trustees of the All-Merciful on the orphaned and widowed,

93.

and on whatsoever will bring benefit to the generality of the people, that all may give thanks unto their Lord, the All-Gracious, the Pardoner.

94.

Should the deceased leave offspring, but none of the other categories of heirs that have been specified in the Book, they shall receive two thirds of the inheritance and the remaining third shall revert to the House of Justice.

95.

Such is the command which hath been given, in majesty and glory, by Him Who is the All-Possessing, the Most High.

96.

If the deceased should leave none of the specified heirs, but have among his relatives nephews and nieces, whether on his brother's or his sister's side, two thirds of the inheritance shall pass to them; or, lacking these, to his uncles and aunts on both his father's and his mother's side, and after them to their sons and daughters.

97.

The remaining third of the inheritance shall, in any case, revert to the Seat of Justice.

98.

Thus hath it been laid down in the Book by Him Who ruleth over all men.

99.

Should the deceased be survived by none of those whose names have been recorded by the Pen of the Most High, his estate shall, in its entirety, revert to the aforementioned Seat that it may be expended on that which is prescribed by God.

He, verily, is the Ordainer, the Omnipotent.

100.

We have assigned the residence and personal clothing of the deceased to the male, not female, offspring, nor to the other heirs.

He, verily, is the Generous, the All-Bountiful.

101.

Should the son of the deceased have passed away in the days of his father and have left children, they will inherit their father's share, as prescribed in the Book of God.

102.

Divide ye their share amongst them with perfect justice.

103.

Thus have the billows of the Ocean of Utterance surged,

casting forth the pearls of the laws decreed by the Lord of all mankind.

104.

If the deceased should leave children who are under age,

their share of the inheritance must be entrusted to a reliable individual, or to a company,

that it may be invested on their behalf in trade and business until they come of age.

105.

The trustee should be assigned a due share of the profit that hath accrued to it from being thus employed.

106.

Division of the estate should take place only after the Huqú qu'llá h hath been paid,

and any debts have been settled, the expenses of the funeral and burial defrayed,

and such provision made that the deceased may be carried to his resting-place with dignity and honour.

107.

Thus hath it been ordained by Him Who is Lord of the beginning and the end.

108.

Say:

This is that hidden knowledge which shall never change,

since its beginning is with nine,

the symbol that betokeneth the concealed and manifest,

the inviolable and unapproachably exalted Name.

109.

As for what We have appropriated to the children,

this is a bounty conferred on them by God,

that they may render thanks unto their Lord, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

110.

These, verily, are the Laws of God;

111.

transgress them not at the prompting of your base and selfish desires.

112.

Observe ye the injunctions laid upon you by Him Who is the Dawning-place of Utterance.

113.

The sincere among His servants will regard the precepts set forth by God as the Water of Life to the followers of every faith,

and the Lamp of wisdom and loving providence to all the denizens of earth and heaven.

114.

The Lord hath ordained that in every city a House of Justice be established wherein shall gather counsellors to the number of Bahá, and should it exceed this number it doth not matter.

115.

They should consider themselves as entering the Court of the presence of God,

the Exalted, the Most High, and as beholding Him Who is the Unseen.

116.

It behoveth them to be the trusted ones of the Merciful among men

and to regard themselves as the guardians appointed of God for all that dwell on earth.

117.

It is incumbent upon them to take counsel together

and to have regard for the interests of the servants of God, for His sake,

even as they regard their own interests, and to choose that which is meet and seemly.

118.

Thus hath the Lord your God commanded you.

119.

Beware lest ye put away that which is clearly revealed in His Tablet.

120.

Fear God, O ye that perceive.

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