This small volume—containing the Kitab-i-‘Ahd of Baha’u’llah, the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, and The Dispensation of Baha’u’llah by Shoghi Effendi—has been put together for the purpose of aiding those who wish to deepen their understanding of the Covenant of Baha’u’llah. It is hoped that those participating in the study of Book 8 of the Ruhi Institute sequence, The Covenant of Baha’u’llah, may find this book to be a helpful resource.
Texts for the Study of the Covenant
Dispensation of Baha’u’llah is the voice of the Covenant of God. Shoghi Effendi, its author, sets forth the fundamental verities, the basic principles, of what it means to be a Baha’i and live within the blessings of God’s Covenant. No book has the charm, the charisma and the poetic breadth as does Dispensation of Baha’u’llah. Of all the books I have ever read, Dispensation of Baha’u’llah has sunk deepest into my heart. Shoghi Effendi describes Dispensation of Baha’u’llah in these words: “These verities, if valiantly upheld and properly assimilated, will, I am convinced, powerfully reinforce the vigor of our spiritual life…” He adds, “To strive to obtain a more adequate understanding of the significance of Baha’u’llah’s stupendous Revelation must, it is my unalterable conviction, remain the first obligation and the object of the constant endeavor of each one of its loyal adherents.” Joined with the Kitab-i-Ahd and ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s Will and Testament, this small volume is indispensable