Regarding Bahá'u'lláh's Rejection of Verbal Traditions and Personal Interpretation of Scripture

First: A command which is particularly a feature of the Bahá’í religion and is not found in the other religion is “abstaining from crediting verbal traditions”. It is well known to men of learning that it was verbal tradition which divided the Jews into two great sects. Such traditions are the basis of the book of Talmud, and caused the division of that one nation. One of the two schisms called the Rabbinim looks upon the teachings of the Talmud as the law which needs to be followed and considers it the greatest means for the preservation and permanence of the Jewish people. But the other sect, Gharraim looks upon the Talmud as sheer heresy and conducive to perdition. Thus these two sects cannot possibly be harmonized or cease mutual opposition.

Similarly in the Christian religion the main cause of schism and division were these verbal traditions which were termed “authoritative”. Each one of the Christian churches, such as the Catholic, the Orthodox, the Jacobite, the Nestorian and others consider it obligatory to follow these traditions inherited from and handed down by the fathers of their Church, as the very text of the Holy Book.

Thus when in any of the great Councils the questions of the unification of the Christian people would be at issue, they would avail themselves of these inherited traditions which were opposed to union and harmony. Likewise in the religion of Islám, claiming these verbal traditions which were related of the Founder of that religion, subsequent to His death, was the cause of the division and separation into various of the principal sects, such as the Sunní, the Shi’ite and the Kharijite, or into the secondary schools of Hanafí, Málikí, Sháfi’í, Hanbalí, etc.

Each of these hold to a set of traditions considered as authentic by their own sect.

But Bahá’u’lláh closed to the people of the world this door which is the greatest means for sedition; for He has clearly announced that “in the religion of God all recorded matters are referable to the Book and all unrecorded matters are dependent upon the decision of the House of Justice.” Thus all narrations, relations and verbal traditions have been discredited among the Bahá’í people and the door of dissension, which is the greatest among the doors of hell, has been closed and locked.

Second: One of the laws and ordinances peculiar to the Bahá’í religion is the law prohibiting the interpreting of the Word of God. For interpretation of the Words and exposition of personal opinion has been one of the greatest means of dissension in the former religions, the cause of darkening of the horizon of faith and concealing the real meaning of the Book of God.

It is an evident fact that learned men differ in their minds, and the natural gifts of sagacity and intelligence or the lack of understanding and comprehension vary in degrees among them. Thus when the door of interpretation and perverting of the Words from their outward meaning is opened, strange opinions and curious contradictory interpretations will result and different sects will arise among the one people and one religious community.

Consequently, Bahá’u’lláh has explicitly commanded His followers to wholly abandon the door of interpretation and follow the Words revealed in the Tablets according to their outward meaning, so that the events which have transpired among the past nations should not recur among the Bahá’í people, and the unwelcome happenings which appeared among the various sects due to difference in mentality and viewpoint should not become manifest in this new auspicious day, which is the day of the glorious Lord..."