Kitáb-i-Badí’
The Wondrous Book
كتاب بديع
Bahá’u’lláh
Bahá’u’lláh’s trenchant apologia of His claims, by far His longest single work, written in the voice of one of His supporters, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the truth through the eye of the heart and refuting seven specific accusations levelled by a certain follower of Mírzá Yaḥyá. The answers emphasize the importance of ‘He Whom God shall make manifest’ in the writings of the Báb, declare Bahá’u’lláh’s claim to be the fulfilment of that promise, assert that the relationship between the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh is the same as that between John the Baptist and Jesus Christ, and warn the questioner of the wrath of God.
The Kitab-i-Badi’ (“The Wondrous Book”) is one of the most substantial and important of Baha’u’llah’s works, composed around 1867 in Edirne. Written in response to Mirza Mihdi Rashti, a follower of Mirza Yahya (Azal), the book is a comprehensive defense of Baha’u’llah’s claim and a detailed refutation of the arguments raised against it.
At over 45,000 words, it represents one of the longest single works in Baha’u’llah’s corpus. The text ranges across theology, history, and mystical philosophy, weaving together proofs from the Quran, the Bab’s writings, and direct mystical appeal. It remains untranslated into English in its entirety, though fragments appear in various compilations.
هو الله المستعان مكتوبت، كه مُشْعِر بر بعض روايات غير مُحَقَّقه و اخبارات غير صادقه بود، به اين عبد فانی واصل. از جهتی ابواب سرور گشود و از جهتی ابواب حزن مفتوح نمود. امّا سرور چه كه مشعر بر سلامتی بود، و امّا حزن نظر به آن كه مشاهده شد كه بالاخرة انفس مشركه تو را از شطر احديّه ممنوع نموده اند و از