In one of His Tablets Bahá'u'lláh refers to the law of
Huququ'lláh as ranking in importance immediately after the two great
obligations of recognition of God and steadfastness in His Cause, and yet the
introduction and implementation of this law are characterized by kindness,
forgiveness, tolerance and magnanimity. Although it deals with the material
things of this world, it is placed among those spiritual obligations resting on
the individual soul, such as prayer and fasting, the fulfilment of which is a direct
responsibility of each believer towards God, not subject to the sanctions or
impositions of His institutions in this world. It is, indeed, a clear
expression of the priorities with which Bahá'u'lláh views the duties of
mankind. First comes the spiritual, and then the material -- however important
in practice the latter may be.
(From a document titled "The Development of
the Institution for the Huququ'lláh", prepared by the Research Department
at the Bahá'í World Centre and sent to all National Spiritual Assemblies on 25
March 1987. A revised version was subsequently prepared and sent to all NSAs on
31 July 2002)
