The Bayán, the Mother Book of the Bábí Dispensation, is the
title given by the Báb to His Book of Laws, and it is also applied to the
entire body of His Writings. The Persian Bayán is the major doctrinal work and
principal repository of the laws ordained by the Báb. The Arabic Bayán is
parallel in content but smaller and less weighty. When describing the Persian
Bayán in God Passes By Shoghi Effendi indicated that it should be regarded
“primarily as a eulogy of the Promised One rather than as a code of laws and
ordinances designed to be a permanent guide to future generations”.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá has written: “The Bayán hath been superseded by
the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, except in respect of such laws as have been confirmed and
mentioned in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas.”
- The Universal House of Justice (The ‘Notes’
section of the Kitab-i-Aqdas)
