Sacred Scripture clearly requires especial care and
faithfulness in translation. This is supremely important in the case of a Book
of Laws, where it is vital that the reader not be misled or drawn into
fruitless disputation. As had been foreseen, the translation of the Most Holy
Book has been a work of the utmost difficulty, requiring consultation with
experts in many lands. Since some one third of the text had already been
translated by Shoghi Effendi, it was necessary to strive for three qualities in
the translation of the remaining passages: accuracy of meaning, beauty of
English, and conformity of style with that used by Shoghi Effendi.
We are now satisfied that the translation has reached a
point where it represents an acceptable rendering of the original.
Nevertheless, it will undoubtedly give rise to questions and suggestions which
may shed further light on its content. We are profoundly grateful for the
assiduous and meticulous labours of the members of the Committees whom we
commissioned to prepare and review this translation of the Aqdas and to compose
the annotations. We are confident that this first authorized English edition of
the Kitáb-i-Aqdas will enable its readers to obtain at least an inkling of the
splendour of the Mother Book of the Bahá’í Dispensation.
- The Universal House
of Justice (From Introduction to The Kitab-i-Aqdas)
