Who Has the Power to Interpret the Baha’i Writings?
Email 2: I’ve been told there is only the UHJ can do the interpretation of the Writings, and that any personal understanding must agree with theirs and even the books that we read like Kitab-i-Iqaan or Kitab-i-Aqdas has to be read alongside a key that has been published by the Administration and obviously approved by the UHJ. But I have a question, which is that Baha’u’llah called for independent investigation of truth, and I feel like I ought to be able to interpret the Writings for myself. I’m confused. Who actually has the power to interpret? Answer: Dear Friend, This is a sincere and important question – and one that touches the very heart of the Baha’i Faith. From the earliest days, the Faith of Baha’u’llah has stood firmly against the idea of clergy, centralized interpretation, or institutional control over spiritual understanding. The principle of Independent Investigation of Truth means that every soul is responsible for studying the Writings and arriving at their ow...