The Unfolding Destiny of the British Bahá'í Community : the Messages from the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith to the Bahá'ís of the British Isles

by Effendi Shoghi

Letter of 23 February 1932

23 February 1932

The exact date in which the Hidden Words was written you can find on the opening page of Mrs. J. E. Stannard’s translation published in Cairo. She gives a line in the Master’s own handwriting giving the date as 1274 A.H. (1857–8 A.D.). It is generally believed that the Hidden Words was dictated by Bahá’u’lláh to His secretary as He strolled on the banks of the river in Baghdád—in sections rather than all at one time.

As to the date of the Íqán, I think it can be calculated from the actual text and I have it in my papers as 1278 A.H., i.e. 1861 A.D. You will find that in the text itself. It was written in answer to questions put by a distinguished Bábí.

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