# Homosexuality in the Kitab-i-Aqdas

*Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-19 — 1 clipping.*

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> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Kamran Hakim, Homosexuality in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, bahai-library.com.
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> 
> Homosexuality in the Kitab-i-Aqdas
> 
> Kamran Hakim
> 
> 1996
> 
> Hello dear friends,
> 
> Through a private E-mail one of the friends brought up the gist of an ongoing
> discussion in soc.religion.bahai on the question of homosexuality and how it
> is treated in the Book of Aqdas. One of the postings which was forwarded to me
> and captured my attention was a posting by __ who wrote:
> 
> "Though I do not speak Arabic, I understand that the word "boys" in
> context is slave boys. These boys were the objects of their owner's
> homosexual acts which they as slaves were not free to reject."
> 
> Hello dear __, I hope you do not mind me jumping into this discussion. I must
> respectfully disagree with this approach, and in the following lines I have
> attempted to clarify this.
> 
> "Since this is the word Bahá'u'lláh uses, it is not clear how much of
> the shame he feels is due to the paederastry which is occurring with
> a boy and how much shame is due to the fact that the boy is a slave."
> 
> I also disagree with this issue. Hopefully, I have been able to reason out my
> disagreement.
> 
> "I think too that in fairness it should be stated that Bahá'u'lláh
> attaches no penalty to homosexuality though He does to many other
> things. Perhaps that tells us something about the importance He
> gave to this."
> 
> __, you are not a pioneer in advancing the theory of "lack of importance of
> homosexuality". Every other Muslim writer who has written something on the
> Faith has advanced the same theory. However, they did not remain content with
> that theory. They ridiculed the Author of the Faith and went on to suggest
> that Bahá'u'lláh has in fact been a promoter of homosexuality.
> 
> Due to the lack of time I have not been able to read soc.religion.bahai for the
> past two months. As a result I am not sure to what extent this issue has been
> discussed in this forum within the past week. The following material is an
> extract from a commentary I am working on, which I appended here with some
> modification, I hope the following lines offer a historical perspective for
> the consideration of this issue. Moreover, I hope that I am not repeating what
> has already been said. In any case please accept my apologies for the length
> of this reply.
> 
> Bahá'u'lláh reveals in verse 107 of the Book of Aqdas:
> 
> "ennaa nastah-yi an nazkora hokma'l ghelmaane et-taqo'r-rahmana yaa
> mala'el emkaane wa laa tartakiboo maa nohitom 'anho fil-lohe wa laa takoonoo
> fi haimaa ash-shahavaate minal haa'emina"
> 
> This is translated by the Universal House of Justice as:
> 
> "We shrink, for very shame, from treating the subject of boys. Fear ye the
> Merciful, O peoples of the world! Commit not that which is forbidden you in
> Our Holy Tablet, and be not of those who rove distractedly in the wilderness of
> their desire." Verse 107 of the Book of Aqdas
> 
> The Arabic term "Ghelmaan" is the plural form of the term "Ghulaam" which
> according to the Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic is defined as:
> boy; youth, lad; slave; servant; waiter. "Ghulaamiya" and "Ghuluma": youth,
> youthfulness.
> 
> The Haim Persian English Dictionary defines the Persian implications of the
> Arabic term "Ghulaam" as: Slave, Page; lad, Servant, while defining the term
> "Ghelmaan" as Handsome lads dwelling in Paradise. This particular meaning
> associated with the term Ghelmaan comes from the following verse of the Qur'an
> wherein this term is used:
> 
> "They shall there exchange one with another a (loving) cup free of frivolity
> free of all taint of ill. Round about them will serve (devoted) to them
> youths (handsome) [The Arabic term similar to the Book of Aqdas is used:
> "Ghelmaan". KH] as Pearls well-guarded." Qur'an 52:23-24
> 
> NOTE: It is important to point out that the term "Ghelmaan" used in this
> Passage of the Qur'an has nothing to do with "slave boys" and its meaning is
> specifically "youths" or "boys".
> 
> There are other Arabic-Persian compound terms such as: "Ghulaam-bacheh": Young
> slave, Page. "Ghulaam bareh" or "Ghulaam pareh": Sodomite (i.e. one who
> practices sodomy); Also "Ghulaam zadeh": Slave's child; My child or son.
> "Ghulaam siah": Negro slave.
> 
> I hope that the definitions I have offered above offer the differences in usage
> of the term Ghulaam and Ghelman in relation to such variables as language and
> context. Let us move on. We will come back to this discussion later on.
> 
> In a separate Tablet revealed on the 17 of Jamadi-2 of the year 1291 AH (1875
> AD), around the same time frame as the revelation of the Book of Aqdas,
> Bahá'u'lláh reveals:
> 
> "Ye are forbidden to commit adultery, sodomy and lechery. Avoid them, O
> concourse of the faithful. By the righteousness of God! Ye have been called
> into being to purge the world from the defilement of evil passions. This is
> what the Lord of all mankind hath enjoined upon you, could ye but perceive it.
> He who relateth himself to the All-Merciful and committeth satanic deeds,
> verily he is not of Me. Unto this beareth witness every atom, pebble, tree and
> fruit, and beyond them this ever-proclaiming, true and trustworthy Tongue."
> (Bahá'u'lláh, from a Tablet translated from the Arabic, cit. Ganjineh Hodud
> wa Ahkaam pp. 338-339 Bahá'í Publishing Trust of Iran)
> 
> In order to gain an appreciation of why Bahá'u'lláh addresses this issue in the
> Book of Aqdas as the "subject of boys" and in other Tablets as "sodomy" one
> must, in my humble opinion, examine the human practices in the realm of sexual
> behavior throughout the written history. While no detail information on this
> issue can be found from antiquity nevertheless, one can indirectly get a sense
> of the prevalent social norms by studying the literature, Scriptures, etc...
> and develop a reasonable context for considering verse 107 of the Book of
> Aqdas.
> 
> Among Greeks sexual relationship between a wise man and his young patron was a
> socially acceptable norm. Such relationships have been eulogized in some books
> of poetry and history. An expanded discussion of this dealing with the
> acceptability of such an act within the Greek society or its class-dependence
> are clearly outside of the scope of this article.
> 
> It is believed that the Greeks' preoccupation with sodomy in male-male sexual
> intercourse had an effect on other cultures as well. Of course this is not to
> imply that other cultures were less innovative, in sexual matters, than Greeks. According to the Encyclopedia Brittanica:
> 
> "The Greek's congeniality for homosexuality is said to have influenced such
> neighbors as Persians and to have been transmitted along with other Greek
> traditions into the Roman Empire." (Vol. 16 p. 604)
> 
> A close look at the Zoroastrian theological treaties of around this time
> period and the imagery they adopted in their presentation clearly hints at the
> existence of sodomy among the Persians. By sodomy male-male sexual
> relationship is intended here. Perhaps females were too unimportant a class
> for histories and Scriptures to have commented on female-female modes of
> sexual norms.
> 
> Regarding his Ascension and Vision of Hell, Arta-Viraaf, the Great Dastur
> (Zoroasterian High Priest) of the time of Ardashir the first of the Sassanid
> Kings of Persia (226 A.D.) said:
> 
> "I saw the soul of a man where a snake had entered his end and exited >from
> his mouth. I asked Suroosh [i.e. the Zoroasterian synonym for Arch-angel
> Gabriel in the Semitic Theologies. KH] about the nature of his sin. Suroosh
> replied: 'He committed sodomy in his life." (Arta Viraaf-Namih: Farkard 19, translation by
> myself.)
> 
> The vision of the High-priest of the Sassanid Era appears to basically hint at
> two points:
> 
> Sodomy existed among the Zoroastrian population of the Sassanid Empire.
> Else, there would have been no need for Arta Viraaf to portray such a horrible
> picture of this event in the Vision of his Ascension. The vision appears to
> generally portray a message in the context of an imagery which people were able
> to relate to and a thought which they would abhor.
> 
> Implications of unacceptability of such act within the realm of
> Zoroasterian dogma is apparent. Abstinence is implied as the solution in
> preventing such a horrible torment in after life.
> 
> Sodomy must also have been a social norm within the Hebrew society of the time
> of Moses, else there was no reason for the Torah to mention the episode of
> Sodom [Genesis 18:19], or prescribe punishment for such an act. According to
> Torah:
> 
> "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have
> committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood [shall
> be] upon them." Leviticus 20:13
> 
> The term "Sodomy" is in fact a derivative of the name "Sodom" and the Biblical
> account of what the people of Sodom did.
> 
> Since Hebrews lived among Egyptians for a long time they must have adopted
> some of their customs into their culture, one might assume that sodomy could
> have also been a social norm within the Egyptian society of that time period.
> 
> The Christian Scriptures does not directly deal with the question of sodomy,
> however, Paul addresses issue of effeminacy which some Christians have
> associated with homosexuality:
> 
> "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not
> deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate,
> nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
> drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." (I Corinthians, 6:9-10)
> 
> Similar references to effeminacy can also be found in Islamic Hadith which is,
> in a sense, a verification of the account of the New Testament. Narrated Ibn
> 'Abbas:
> 
> The Prophet cursed the effeminate men and those women who assume the
> similitude (manners) of men. He also said, "Turn them out of your houses." He
> turned such-and-such person out, and 'Umar also turned out such-and- such
> person. Sahih Bukhari 8.820
> 
> There doesn't appear to be too much room for effeminate men within the Muslim
> community. However, effeminacy might not exactly equate with sexual tendencies
> toward another man. Furthermore, both the Qur'an and the Hadith deal with
> male-male sexual relationship in particular.
> 
> The mentioning of the story of Lot, the nephew of Abraham and the people of
> Sodom in the Qur'an appear to imply that Arabs of the time of Muhammad must
> have also had similar social norms regarding sodomy. Else there was no reason
> for Prophet Muhammad to repeat, by the virtue of inspiration, the Biblical
> account of Sodom and Gomorah in the Qur'an.
> 
> Such tendencies could still be seen today in both east and the west. While
> sodomy between men and boys is an acceptable norm in preliterate societies
> particularly during initiation rites, its presences in the more advanced and
> modern societies can also sensed.
> 
> Admittedly the human sexual creativity and artfulness in modern societies has
> far ascended above that of the preliterate societies whose childish and
> primitive methods of male-male sexual engagement is still confined to sodomy
> in its simplest form between strong and weak. In the more modern societies this
> element appears to have expanded into the complex territory of consensual sex
> among adults, marriage, etc... above and beyond the act of sodomy.
> 
> If, we are to ascend above the phobia of political correctness, and look
> beneath all progressive forms and variations in sexual expression, sodomy alone
> appears to represent the most basic arch-type of male-male sexual activity and
> capture, as a metaphor, the gist of all that which might be placed under the
> modern umbrella term known as homosexuality. Perhaps this might begin to hint
> at why the archaic term of sodomy is used as a synonym for the modern term of
> homosexuality in translations.
> 
> The Qur'an does not directly refer to "lavaat", "sodomy" or the homosexual
> act. On the contrary the Qur'an treats this issue in a peripheral manner. The
> following verses of that Book describe the story of "Lot" and the people of
> Sodom and hint at sodomy by implication:
> 
> "For ye practice your lusts on men in preference to women: ye are indeed a
> people transgressing beyond bonds." (Qur'an 7:81) Moreover;
> 
> "Would ye really approach men in your lust rather than women? Nay ye are a
> people grossly ignorant." (Qur'an 27:55)
> 
> Surih Sho'ara:105 of the Qur'an reiterates further on this same theme.
> 
> Imam Ali describes the reason behind the injunction of the Qur'an against
> sodomy in a rather practical manner:
> 
> "Amir al-mu'menin, peace be upon him, said: Allah has laid down...abstinence
> >from sodomy for increase of progeny..." (Nahj-ul-Balagha, selection from the preachings
> of Ali, # 253, p. 621)
> 
> Regardless of such admonishment and unlike the severe approach of the Torah in
> punishing those guilty of sodomy, the Qur'an appear to treat this issue in a
> far more lenient manner than the Torah:
> 
> "And as for the two of you [i.e. The sentence structure refers exclusively to
> two men and not a man and a woman. KH] who are guilty thereof [guilty of sexual
> relationship. KH], punish them both. And if they repent and improve, then let
> them be. Lo! Allah is Relenting, Merciful." ( Qur'an 4:16)
> 
> Qur'an while speaking of "punish them both", does not prescribe any form of
> punishment, as in the case of adultery, for sexual relationship between two
> men and prescribes acceptance of their repentance. However, there are some
> Ahadith (i.e. Traditions, saying of Prophet Muhammad) that prescribe the
> severe punishment of the Torah for those guilty of this charge. For example
> the following two Ahadith are from Sunan of Abu Dawood vol 4, chapter on the
> people of Lot. The Arabic text reads as follows:
> 
> "man laata beh ghulaam faqtaloo al-fa'il val-maf'ool." Which translates to:
> 
> "When a man commits sodomy with a boy: kill the doer and the one done to."
> 
> Please note that the usage of the term "Ghulaam" simply means "boy" in Arabic
> and has nothing to do with a slave-boy.
> 
> Also; "qala an-nabi man vajde tamooh ya'mala 'amale qawme Lot fa-aqtaloo al-fa'il
> val-maf'ool." Which translates to: "Prophet said: He who commits that which the people of Lot committed [i.e.
> People of Lot committed Sodomy. KH]: kill the doer and the one done to."
> 
> Since the Qur'an has not clearly prescribed a punishment for sodomy, some
> Schools of Thought in Islam have considered sodomy as "mobaah" [i.e. meaning
> allowable in an impunible and indifferent sense.] while others have considered
> it "jaa'iz" [i.e. meaning allowable, permissible and lawful.]. For example
> Maleki, the founder of the Maleki School of Thought within Sunni Islam says:
> 
> "Having sex with a young man (without beard) is fine for a man who is not
> married and who is on a trip." (cit. Hesaam Noqaba'i, Hoquq-i Zan, pp. 126-127, section on
> "lavaat"/"sodomy")
> 
> The Shi'ah books of law also leave the door unlocked for the cases of "Oops, I
> forgot! sodomization of boys. The following Shi'ah ruling hints at this:
> 
> "If he has had sexual intercourse with a boy according to precautionary rule,
> it becomes unlawful for him forever to marry the boy's mother, his sister, or
> his daughters even if they are boys not adults. If one is married to one of
> such ladies before such act, it does not affect the already existing marriage,
> although it is a precautionary rule to avoid such marriage. Extending this
> rule to the case wherein one doing the act is a minor the one letting it done
> to him is an adult, is objectionable, according to a clear view it does not
> apply. The daughter or brothers and sisters of the one letting it done to him
> do not become unlawful to one who has done the act." (Islamic Laws of Worship and Contracts, p.
> 614, CR #1259 Ayatullah Al-'Uzma Al-Sayyid Muhammad Al-Husayni Shirazi)
> 
> In the Ottoman Empire the Khalifs use to keep young boys in the Harems for
> satisfying their sexual appetites [Such reference may be found in books such
> as: "The Spirit of Laws" by Montesquieu and "Chronicles of Shirly Brothers"].
> Within the Iranian society "bache-bazi" or "sexual play with young boys" has
> been an under the carpet social norm for many centuries and the ambiguous
> nature of the Qur'anic prescription has not been able to bring halt to this
> social illness. Will Durant refers to this issue in his book "History of
> Civilization". He writes:
> 
> "Sexual indulgence was apparently more abundant and enervating in Islam than
> in Christiandom, though it was usually kept within the orderly limits of
> polygamy. Turkish society was almost exclusively male, and since there was no
> permitted association of men with women outside the home, the Moslems
> found companionship in homosexual relationships, Platonic or physical.
> Lesbianism flourished in the zenana." ( Will & Ariel Durant, History of Civilization vol 7
> (The Age of Reason Begins) p. 520)
> 
> Also:
> 
> "The women were 'very richly habited,'wrote Tavernier, and 'little otherwise
> than the men...They wear breeches like the men.' The women lived in the
> privacy of the zenana, and seldom stirring from their homes, and then rarely
> on foot. There were three sexes. Much of the love poetry was addressed by
> men to boys, and Thomas Herbert, and Englishman at Abbas' [i.e Shah Abbas of
> the Saffavid Dynasty. This Dynasty appeared before the Qajar dynasty, during
> which The Bab and Bahá'u'lláh proclaimed Their revelations. KH] court, saw
> 'Ganymade boys in vests of gold, rich bespangled turbans, and choice sandals,
> their curled hair dangling about their shoulders, with rolling eyes and
> vermilion cheeks.'
> 
> Chardin noted a decrease in population in his time and ascribed it to:
> 
> First, the unhappy inclination which the Persians have, to commit that
> abominable sin against nature, with both sexes [Here he is referring to
> sodomy. KH].
> 
> Secondly, the immoderate luxury [sexual freedom] of the country. The women
> begin there to have children betimes, and continue fruitful but a little while;
> and as soon as they get on the wrong side of thirty they are looked upon as
> old and superannuated, The men likewise begin to visit women too young, and to
> such an excess, that though they enjoy several, they have never the more
> children for it. There are also a great many women who make themselves
> abortive, and take remedies against growing pregnant, because [when] they have
> been three or four months gone with the child, their husbands take to other
> women, holding it ... indecency to lie with a woman so far in her time.
> 
> Despite polygamy there were many prostitutes. Drunkenness was widespread,
> though Muhammadan law forbade wine." (Will & Ariel Durant, History of Civilization vol
> 7 (The Age of Reason Begins) p. 532)
> 
> It is important to point out that Durant's observation is not far from the
> truth. Perhaps the following quotes from the Shi'ah compilations offers a
> certain measure of validity to Durant's view:
> 
> "The woman becomes the owner of the dowry by the contract and it is reduced by
> one half by divorce before sex, also because of death of one party, according
> to a more clear reason if sex is performed by the front or back the dowry
> becomes an established right and the same rule applies if he tears her
> virginity by his finger and without her permission." (Islamic Laws of Worship and Contracts,
> p. 626, CR #1350 Ayatullah Al-'Uzma Al-Sayyid Muhammad Al-Husayni Shirazi)
> 
> If we are to consider the following factors:
> 
> 1- The usage of the term "Ghulaam" and "Ghelmaan" in the Hadith and the Qur'an
> compared to the usage of the term "Ghelmaan" in the Book of Aqdas;
> 
> 2- The fact that slavery was not abolished in Islam, and as a result it was
> possible for a Muslim to have a slave boy [In the Hadith Prophet Muhammad,
> while using the term Ghulaam, focuses the punishment on the act of "lavaat",
> or sodomy, as opposed to associating the term Ghulaam with slavery.];
> 
> 3- That regardless of the warnings of the Qur'an and the punishments prescribed
> in the Hadith, yet, some Muslim scholars of both Sunni and Shi'ah schools had
> the door left unlocked for the practice of sodomy [The quotes offered above
> clearly hint at this issue in the context of boys, women and even marriage.];
> 
> Then, it is hard to believe that Bahá'u'lláh was concerned about slave boys
> being raped by their masters. On the contrary He appears to be:
> 
> 1- Abrogating the rulings of the Muslim clergy who left the door unlocked for
> such a thing to happen within their communities, regardless of the directives
> of the Qur'an.
> 
> Consideration of various verses of the Book of Aqdas indicates that the
> Manifestation of God is either reinstating, modifying or abrogating certain
> laws and practices of various Scriptures and peoples. For example in Paragraph
> 9 of the Book of Aqdas Bahá'u'lláh refers to the misconception of the religious
> leaders, regarding the presence of hair and bones of a dead animal
> invalidating one's obligatory prayer, saying: "the prohibition of its use hath
> stemmed, not from the Qur'an, but from the misconceptions of the divines." In
> verse 107, Bahá'u'lláh appears to refer to yet another misconception of the
> Muslim divines stemmed from their indifferent attitude toward sodomy which was
> against the spirit of the laws of the Qur'an and goes on to prohibit such
> practices;
> 
> 2- Pointing at an underlying social problem, namely sexual appetite towards
> young children, particularly boys which has been and continues to be a problem
> plaguing many societies and cannot really be identified as a culture specific
> phenomenon;
> 
> 3- Identifying the "subject of boys" as an arch-type to convey His displeasure
> with all non-conventional forms of sexual expression we identify as homo-
> sexuality.
> 
> This is perhaps why Bahá'u'lláh reveals in the Book of Aqdas:
> 
> "We shrink, for very shame, from treating the subject of boys. Fear ye the
> Merciful, O peoples of the world! Commit not that which is forbidden you in Our
> Holy Tablet, and be not of those who rove distractedly in the wilderness of
> their desire." (Verse 107 of the Book of Aqdas)
> 
> While the permissivity of our society has reached a point that that we are
> expected to advocate the discussion of this issue in the name of eliminating
> homo-phobia, the Manifestation of God states: "We shrink, for very shame,
> from treating the subject of boys." That is to say, He finds the presence
> of such an animalistic trait in a human being to be unworthy of the human
> station to the extent that even its discussion is considered shameful by the
> Law-Giver of humanity, much less revealing laws dealing with it. He does not
> associate shame with adultery, murder and theft, yet, He chooses to associate
> it with sodomy. Perhaps there is a challenge in this statement for both
> Bahá'ís and non-Bahá'ís alike regarding why Bahá'u'lláh addressed this issue
> the way He chose to address it in the Book of Aqdas.
> 
> Unlike the Qur'an, the Book of Aqdas and other Tablets revealed by Bahá'u'lláh
> are extremely clear about the question of "lavaat", "sodomy" or homosexual act
> in general and Bahá'u'lláh has clearly forbidden it in His Tablets (I have
> already quoted an example of this from among Arabic Tablets.). Bahá'u'lláh has
> relegated the nature of punishment for committing such an act to the Universal
> House of Justice. Hopefully such an approach will eradicate once and for all
> this social illness from among humanity.
> 
> Of course one might ask why did Bahá'u'lláh address this issue in the Book of
> Aqdas in the context of "subject of boys" and "sodomy" instead of that which we
> characterize today by the umbrella term "homosexuality". In my humble
> opinion:
> 
> 1- The Manifestation of God is addressing humanity in a context people could
> relate to it. One hundred years ago, sodomy characterized the most important
> non-conventional mode in human sexual tendency which has become only an aspect
> and an element of what we identify today as homosexuality.
> 
> 2- Sodomy is used by Bahá'u'lláh as an arch-type or the ultimate example in
> demonstrating sexual intercourse between two individual of the same sex. This
> metaphor is quite powerful in its implications that it captures the gist of
> that which we identify as "homosexuality". Note 134 of the Book of Aqdas (p.
> 223):
> 
> "The word translated here as "boys" has, in this context, in the Arabic
> original, the implication of pederastry. Shoghi Effendi has interpreted this
> reference as a prohibition on all homosexual relations."
> 
> 3- The Manifestation of God is perhaps attempting to treat an underlying "root
> cause" of human problem in the society and not just band-aiding some of its
> symptoms.
> 
> The Bahá'í teachings on sexual morality center on marriage and the family as
> the bedrock of the whole structure of human society and are designed to protect
> and strengthen that divine institution. Bahá'í law thus restricts permissible
> sexual intercourse to that between a man and the woman to whom he is married.
> 
> In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi it is stated:
> 
> No matter how devoted and fine the love may be between people of the same sex,
> to let it find expression in sexual acts is wrong. To say that it is ideal is
> no excuse. Immorality of every sort is really forbidden by Bahá'u'lláh, and
> homosexual relationships He looks upon as such, besides being against nature.
> To be afflicted in this way is a great burden to a conscientious soul. But
> through the advice and help of doctors, through a strong and determined effort,
> and through prayer, a soul can overcome this handicap.
> 
> Bahá'u'lláh makes provision for the Universal House of Justice, to determine,
> according to the degree of the offense, penalties for adultery and sodomy
> (Q&A 49).
> 
> Moreover, Shoghi Effendi elaborates on this issue as follows:
> 
> 21. "Regarding the question you asked him about one of the believers who seems
> to be flagrantly homosexual-- although to a certain extent we must be
> forbearing in the matter of people's moral conduct because of the terrible
> deterioration of society in general, this does not mean that we can put up
> indefinitely with conduct that is disgracing the Cause. This person should
> have it brought to his attention that such acts are condemned by Bahá'u'lláh,
> and that he must mend his ways, if necessary consult doctors and make efforts
> to overcome this affliction, which is corruptive for him and bad for the Cause.
> If after a period of probation you do not see an improvement, he should have
> his voting rights taken away." Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi,
> letter dated 6/20/53 to NSA of Canada.
> 
> 22. "Amongst the many other evils afflicting society in this spiritual low
> water mark in history, is the question of immorality, and over-emphasis of
> sex. Homosexuality, according to the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, is spiritually
> condemned. This does not mean that people so afflicted must not be helped and
> advised and sympathized with. It does mean that we do not believe that it is
> a permissible way of life; which, alas, is all to often the accepted attitude
> nowadays.
> 
> We must struggle against the evils in society by spiritual means, and medical
> and social ones as well. We must be tolerant and uncompromising, understanding
> but immovable in our point of view. The thing people need to meet this type of
> trouble, as well as every other type, is greater spiritual understanding and
> stability; and of course we Bahá'ís believe that ultimately this can only be
> given to mankind through the Teachings of the Manifestation of God for this
> Day." (Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, dated 5/21/54 to an individual
> believer.)
> 
> The Universal House of Justice wrote in this regard:
> 
> 24. "A number of sexual problems, such as homosexuality and transsexuality can
> well have medical aspects, and in such cases recourse should certainly be had
> to the best medical assistance. But it is clear from the teaching of
> Bahá'u'lláh that homosexuality is not a condition to which a person should be
> reconciled, but is a distortion of his or her nature which should be
> controlled and overcome. This may require a hard struggle, but so also can be
> the struggle of a heterosexual person to control his or her desires. The
> exercise of self-control in this, as in so very many other aspects of life,
> has a beneficial effect on the progress of the soul. It should, moreover, be
> borne in mind that although to be married is highly desirable, and Bahá'u'lláh
> has strongly recommended it, it is not the central purpose of life. If a
> person has to wait a considerable period before finding a spouse, or if
> ultimately, he or she must remain single, it does not mean that he or she is
> thereby unable to fulfill his or her life's purpose." (The Universal House of Justice, letter dated
> 2/6/73 to all NSAs.)
> 
> I hope that these lines offer the readers a small glimpse of the context within
> which this particular law of the Book of Aqdas should be viewed.
> 
> Warm regards,
> 
> Kamran Hakim
> 
> METADATA
> 
> Views24064 views since posted 1997-07; last edit 2012;
> 
> previous at archive.org.../hakim_notes_aqdas_homosexuality;
> URLs changed in 2010, see archive.org.../bahai-library.org
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> — *Homosexuality in the Kitab-i-Aqdas (Used by permission of the curator)*