Bahai Faith: Multiple Instances Where Bahaullah and Abdul-Baha Allowed Their Hands and Feet To Be Kissed Although They Had Prohibited It Bahai Faith: Multiple Instances Where Bahaullah and Abdul-Baha Allowed Their Hands and Feet To Be Kissed Although They Had Prohibited ItBahaullah writes in the book of Aqdas:"The kissing of hands hath been forbidden in the Book. This practice is prohibited by God, the Lord of glory and command."Contrary to his own laws, Bahaullah and his son Abdul-Baha allowed multiple people, Bahai and non-Bahai alike, to kiss their hands. Here we will present a number of these instances including some instances where the Bahai leaders allowed their followers to kiss not only their hands but their feet too and prostrate to them. This article is divided into three sections:1- The Evidence.2- The Bahai justification.3- The Failure the Bahai justification.1- The evidenceFortunately, the evidence available in English Bahai sources and testimonies of trusted eyewitnesses is so numerous that it makes it unnecessary to translate quotes from Arabic and Persian quotes. But, for the record, translations of some non-English sources have also been mentioned.First we will mention instances where Bahaullahs hands have been kissed, then Abdul-Bahas, and then the kissing of feet and prostrating. Numerous other instances where the hem of the robe and the ground that these figures stood on were kissed, have been omitted from the article.a- The Kissing of Bahaullahs handsShoghi effendi narrates the following incident:The inhabitants of the quarter in which Bahaullah had been living, and the neighbors who had gathered to bid Him farewell, came one after the other, writes an eye-witness, with the utmost sadness and regret to kiss His hands and the hem of His robe, expressing meanwhile their sorrow at His departure . . . (Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 181)The following is narrated from Abdul-Baha:There was, however, in Akk a certain Muammadan Shaykh, a well-known man with considerable influence, who loved Bahullh and was greatly favored by Him. I called this Shaykh and explained the position to him. I said, You are daring. Go tonight to His Holy Presence, fall on your knees before Him, take hold of His hands and do not let go until He promises to leave the city! He was an Arab. He went directly to Bahullh and sat down close to His knees. He took hold of the hands of the Blessed Beauty and kissed them and asked: Why do you not leave the city? He said: I am a prisoner. The shaykh replied: God forbid! Who has the power to make you a prisoner? You have kept yourself in prison. It was your own will to be imprisoned, and now I beg you to come out and go to the palace. It is beautiful and verdant. The trees are lovely, and the oranges like balls of fire! As often as the Blessed Beauty said: I am a prisoner, it cannot be, the Shaykh took His hands and kissed them. For a whole hour he kept on pleading. (Esslemont, Bahullh and the New Era, p. 36)Bahiyyih Khanum states the following:The death of this youngest and favourite child - of a very gentle and sweet disposition - nearly broke his mother's heart. We feared for her reason. When the Blessed Perfection was told of the condition of his wife, he went to her and said: 'Your son has been taken by God that His people might be freed. His life was the ransom, and you should rejoice that you had a son so dear to give to the cause of God.' When our mother heard these words she seemed to rally, - knelt, and kissed the Blessed Perfection's hands, and thanked him for what he had said. After that she did not shed a tear. (Myron Henry Phelps and Bahiyyih Khanum, Life and Teachings of Abbas Effendi, chap. 3) A trusted Bahai by the name of Mirza Mirza Habibullah Afnan mentions all these instances where he and others kissed Bahaullahs hands:I offered Him a cup of tea. The Tongue of Grandeur stated, Well done! He drank half of it and gave the rest to me. He also gave me a black rosary made of dark olive-wood that He was carrying. I kissed His hands. That rosary, which has been as dear to me as life itself, is now placed in the Archives of the House of the Bab in Shiraz. (Mirza Habibullah Afnan, Translated by Ahang Rabbani, Memories of the Bab, Bahaullah and `Abdul-Baha, p. 36)He sat down and invited us to sit also. With His blessed Hand, He passed to us the sacred Tablets that He had revealed for each one of us. We reverently kissed His fingers and read the Tablets. They venerated and glorified each one of us. (Mirza Habibullah Afnan, Translated by Ahang Rabbani, Memories of the Bab, Bahaullah and `Abdul-Baha, p. 47)While these ephemeral servants were in `Akka, the Blessed Beauty called our mother and sister into His presence and showered them with much admiration and untold praise. As they were leaving, my mother kissed His blessed hand. (Mirza Habibullah Afnan, Translated by Ahang Rabbani, Memories of the Bab, Bahaullah and `Abdul-Baha, p. 48)b- The Kissing of Abdul-Bahas HandsThere is a video from Abdul-Bahas journey to America that clearly shows women kissing his hand:The hand kissing in America attracted so much attention that the title of an article in the newspaper, The Baltimore Sun, November 12 1912 was Women kiss his hand. This is how it was described:With condescension, he greeted his followers as they were presented by the interpreter, Dr. Ameer U. Farewed, a Persian and a graduate in medicine of Johns Hopkins University. Oh, I am so glad to see you, was uttered in tones of reverence by the women as they bowed before him and kissed his wrinkledhand.The following quotes also show Abdul-Bahas hands being kissed multiple times by multiple people:The Master came to the table and spoke on the danger of wine and alcohol. He then considered some philosophical subjects and answered questions from the Consul's wife about misconduct and its harmful consequences. She was pleased and when He was about to depart expressed her gratitude by kissing His hand. (Mahmuds Diary, p. 175)When the Master arrived He was so tired that He went upstairs to rest for a brief time. When He heard the audience's restlessness and impatience, He allowed them to come to Him group by group. They came, kissed His hand and requested His assistance and blessings. (Mahmuds Diary, p. 384)Except for Abbs Effendi, no one came to my rescue or saw to my needs. How am I to forget this immense kindness?! From then on, his behavior and attitude completely changed, and whenever he saw Abdul-Bah, he would rush forth and kiss the Masters hands and express his obedience and servitude. (Ahang Rabbani, Eight Years Near Abdu'l-Baha: The Diary of Dr. Habib Mu'ayyad, p. 138)long the way, wherever we encountered groups of people, men or women, young or old, they would immediately rise to their feet and with great humility, would greet the Master. They would approach Him and kiss His hands with utmost reverence and affection. In this manner, we made our way to Abu Sinan. (Ahang Rabbani, Eight Years Near Abdu'l-Baha: The Diary of Dr. Habib Mu'ayyad, p. 197)Whoever we passed by, would instantly bend low with hands reaching the soil and then bring it over their head, thereby offering the customary expressions of submissiveness, reverence and humility before Abdul-Bah. Children playing in the streets would quit their play and run up to the Master and kiss His hands, and then return to their games. (Ahang Rabbani, Eight Years Near Abdu'l-Baha: The Diary of Dr. Habib Mu'ayyad, p. 397)As she entered, she humbly kissed 'Abdu'l-Bah's hand. The Master treated her with the utmost consideration and tenderness as she was led to the andaruni of the Master's residence. The dinner-table discussions began next day. (Youness Afroukhteh, Translated by Riaz Masrour, Memories of Nine Years in Akka, p. 145)The sailing date of the ship from Haifa to Beirut was set by this time and it was decided that I should receive my permission to leave the next day. On the day of departure, I again received another series of encouraging and hopeful utterances. As words of prayer for the attraction of blessings and confirmation began to flow from the lips of the Master, I bowed and kissed His hand and the hem of His 'aba. He drew me to Him, placed my head on His chest and conferred upon me His blessing and bounty. (Youness Afroukhteh, Translated by Riaz Masrour, Memories of Nine Years in Akka, p. 339)That night, like the night before, He did not come downstairs. Next morning Mirza Haydar-'ali and I attained His presence. The Master was in a happy mood and so in turn all of us were filled with joy and gladness. Suddenly He said, "Khan, whatever has happened? Come closer and check my pulse." Since whenever 'Abdu'l-Bah's hand fell into my grasp by chance, I would kiss it as He smiled at me, so this time, too, I jumped at the chance with abandon, took His hand and kissed it three times. Smiling broadly, He said, "My dear man I said check my pulse!" (Youness Afroukhteh, Translated by Riaz Masrour, Memories of Nine Years in Akka, pp. 409-410)On November 1, early in the afternoon, `Abdu'l-Bah instructed everyone to leave for Abu-Sinan aboard his carriage. En route they were greeted by the locals, who would recognize the carriage and immediately show great humility and respect towards `Abdu'l-Bah, and approach him and kiss his hands with reverence and affection Whoever they passed by, that person would instantly bend low, with hands reaching the ground, then bringing them up over the head, thereby offering the customary expressions of submissiveness, reverence and humility. Children playing in the streets would quit playing and run up to him and kiss his hands, and then return to their games. (Ahang Rabbani, `Abdu'l-Baha in Abu-Sinan: September 1914May 1915)At the conclusion of the address, women kissed His hand and others tearfully greeted Him at the door of the chapel. Pressed by a busy schedule, 'Abdu'l-Bah and His traveling companions hurried by car to the home of Howard Struven at 1800 N. Bentalou Street for a mid-afternoon meal. (Allison Vaccaro and Edward E. Bartlett, 'Abdu'l-Bah in Baltimore)Thursday, March 23d, our last day at the Holy Household, was a beautiful Day. Early in the morning Rooha Khanum called me and arising hastily I went with her to the room of the Greatest Leaf, where the Master was sitting. He bade me welcome as I entered, and I knelt before Him, kissing His hand, and then sat down at His feet beside the Holy Leaf, and we drank tea together He came quickly from the room and, taking me by the hand, led me down one Flight of stairs. And I pressed His hand to my lips, while He turned away and silently kissed Mr. Getsinger-then left us hastily. (Isaac Adams, Bab and Babism, p. 481)The next morning He brought me a most beautiful bunch of white narcissus and allowed me to kiss His blessed hand as He gave them to me. He sat down and drank tea with us, then rose and bade us adieu, as we were going back to Haifa that day and He had been called away (Isaac Adams, Bab and Babism, p. 484)Immediately I found myself in the blessed presences, I threw myself on my knees before Him and sobbed aloud from the stress of the various emotions that filled my soul. He gave me His dear hands to kiss (such fine, delicate hands they are!) and patted me tenderly on my cheeks and shoulders, saying in His gentle voice, La la la marhabba, You are welcome, be at ease be happy He smiled, patted me again, let me kiss His hands, and then went out, whereupon a sort of general sigh went round, and then all sat down again on cushions and divan. (Isaac Adams, Bab and Babism, p. 486)Mamma, still on her knees, bent and kissed His hand."Tell the Master," she said to Ahmad, "I have always loved Him. Lua knows that. (Juliet Thompson and Marzieh Gail, Diary of Juliet Thompson, chap. 4)An aged negro who hobbles up, he greets with some kindly inquiry; the old man's broad face breaks into a sunny smile, his white teeth glistening against his ebony skin as he replies. He stops a woman with a babe and fondly strokes the child. As they pass, some kiss his hand. To all he says, "Marhabbah, marhabbah" - "Well done, well done!" (Myron Henry Phelps and Bahiyyih Khanum, Life and Teachings of Abbas Effendi, chap. 1)