Bahai Provisions: A Rehash Of Bayan

2.     Worship
In introduction to the provision for worship of nine prostrations, Baha says, Aqdas p.25, that “we have analyzed worship at length in another paper.” Apparently there was a discrepancy between the provision for worship dealt with in “another paper” and the provision for worship of nine prostrations.

The point was raised by Baha’s followers for clarification and Baha replied that the provision of nine prostrations was another worship and that some documents containing the Aqdas commandments, the “another paper” including, were sent away to a safe place for “safe custody”.

The worship of nine prostrations is a dead letter. In actual practice Bahais hold three services of one prostration each. The words are in Arabic. Kashful-Hiyal. Vol. I., 6th impression., pp.88-89; Falsafa-i-Niku, vol. Iv, p.110; Shamshir-i-Burran by Sedr-al-Din Ahmadi Qadiyami, pp.38-41.

Primal Point’s prescribed worship consists of 19 prostrations at noon. The whole ritual of worship may however be dispensed with by facing Shiraz and serving a prescribed invocation nineteen times. Baha reduced this to nine prostrations according to the numerical value of the word Baha. The worship of 9 prostration is not practiced in fact.