Theft
Admonitions not to steal[edit]
"They who dwell within the tabernacle of God, and are established upon the seats of everlasting glory, will refuse, though they be dying of hunger, to stretch their hands and seize unlawfully the property of their neighbor, however vile and worthless he may be."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, sec. 137; also in Advent of Divine Justice, p. 24)
Punishments for theft from future Bahá'í institutions[edit]
First and second offence: exile and imprisonment; third offence: a mark on his brow[edit]
"Exile and imprisonment are decreed for the thief, and, on the third offence, place ye a mark upon his brow so that, thus identified, he may not be accepted in the cities of God and His countries. Beware lest, through compassion, ye neglect to carry out the statutes of the religion of God; do that which hath been bidden you by Him Who is compassionate and merciful. We school you with the rod of wisdom and laws, like unto the father who educateth his son, and this for naught but the protection of your own selves and the elevation of your stations. By My life, were ye to discover what We have desired for you in revealing Our holy laws, ye would offer up your very souls for this sacred, this mighty, and most exalted Faith."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, par. 45)
The punishment for theft are for a future state of society and will be supplemented later (including with consideration of the degree of the penalty according to the offence)[edit]
"Bahá'u'lláh states that the determination of the degree of penalty, in accordance with the seriousness of the offence, rests with the House of Justice (Q and A 49). The punishments for theft are intended for a future condition of society, when they will be supplemented and applied by the Universal House of Justice."
- (On behalf of the Universal House of Justice, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, Notes, no. 70)
Though forbidden, punishment for theft in the Aqdas is for a future state of society; such a matter is usually covered by the civil laws of each country[edit]
"IV.D.1.y, Arson, adultery, murder and theft are all forbidden to IV.D.1.y.xiv, IV.D.1.y.xv, Bahá'ís, but the punishments prescribed for them in the IV.D.1.y.xvi & IV.D.1.y.xvii Kitab-i-Aqdas are designed for a future state of society. Such matters are usually covered by the civil laws of each country."
- (On behalf of? the Universal House of Justice, at https://bahai-library.com/uhj_laws_not_binding )
The details of the mark to be placed on the thief's forehead, how the mark is to be applied and for how long are to be determined by the House of Justice in the future[edit]
"The mark to be placed on the thief's forehead serves the purpose of warning people of his proclivities. All details concerning the nature of the mark, how the mark is to be applied, how long it must be worn, on what conditions it may be removed, as well as the seriousness of various degrees of theft have been left by Bahá'u'lláh for the Universal House of Justice to determine when the law is applied."
- (On behalf of the Universal House of Justice, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, Notes, no. 71)
Inconsistency of society in condemning small theft but not major theft[edit]
"If a man steals one dollar, he is called a thief and put into prison; if he rapes and pillages an innocent country by military invasion, he is crowned a hero. How ignorant is humankind!"
