Farman: An order, command, or royal decree.
Farman-Farma: Title of Prince Husayn 'Ali Mirzia grandson of Fath- 'Ali-Shah of Persia.
Farrash: “Footman,” “lector,” “attendant”
Farrash-Bashi: The head farrash
Farsakh: Unit of measurement. Its length differs in different parts of the country according to the nature of the ground, the local interpretation of the term being the distance which a laden mule will walk in the hour, which varies from three to four miles. Arabicised from the old Persian “parsang,” and supposed to be derived from pieces of stone (sang) placed on the roadside.
Fi Aman'u'llah: (Arabic) 'May God protect you.' Used in dismissing a visitor.
First Leaf of Paradise: Quotation is from Baha'u'llah's Tablet "Words of Paradise" which has eleven numbered sections each called a "leaf."
Gabriel: Said to be the highest of the angels, and to hover over the throne of God and shelter it with his wings. It represents the Holy Spirit. It is his duty to write down the decrees of God; through him the Qur’an was revealed to Muhammad.
Galilee: A hilly region in northern Israel, the site of Jesus' ministry.
Garden of Ridvan (Paradise): Name given by Baha’u’llah to the Garden of Najibiyyih in Baghdad, where He publicly declared His mission in April 1863. He later gave the same name to the Na’mayn Garden near Acre.
Grand Vizier: Prime minister.
Greatest Branch: A title given by Baha’u’llah to ‘Abdu'l-Baha emphasizing ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s station in relation to Baha’u’llah.
Greatest Holy Leaf: A title given by Baha’u’llah to Bahiyyih Khanum, the saintly daughter of Baha’u'llah and Asiyih Khanum who beseeched her father to allow her to remain unmarried in order to devote herself to the service of His Faith. She was designated as the outstanding heroine of the Baha’i Dispensation.
Gallipoli: A seaport that lies west-southwest of present-day Istanbul.
Ghusn-i-A'zam: 'The Most Great Branch' A title of 'Abdu'l-Baha.
Guardian of the Cause of God and Guardianship: The institution, anticipated by Baha’u’llah in the Kitab-i-Aqdas and created by ‘Abdu’l-Baha in his Will and Testament, to which Shoghi Effendi was appointed. He held this office from 1921 until his death in 1957. The Guardian's chief functions were to interpret the writings of Baha’u’llah, the Bab, and ‘Abdu’l-Baha, to guide the development of the Baha’i world community, and to be the permanent head of the Universal House of Justice.
Ha: The letter H, the number of which is 5 in Abjad numerical system where each letter of Arabic alphabet has a number. It is sometimes used as a symbol of Baha’u’llah.
Hadith: Arabic means 'Tradition'. A sacred tradition of Islam.
Haifa: Seaport located in present-day Israel where the Baha’i World Center is located
Haji: A Muhammadan who has performed the pilgrimage to Mecca
Hajj: Pilgrimage taken by Muslims to Mecca at least once in a lifetime, as instituted in the Koran.
Handmaid or Handmaiden: A poetic term used in the Baha’i writings to refer to a female member of the Baha’i community
Hands of the Cause of God: Eminent Baha’is appointed by Baha’u’llah, and later by Shoghi Effendi, who were charged with the specific duties of protecting and propagating the Faith. (Four individuals were recognized posthumously as Hands of the Cause by 'Abdu'l-Baha) With the passing of Shoghi Effendi, there was no further possibility for appointing Hands of the Cause; hence, in order to extend into the future the important functions of propagation and protection, the Universal House of Justice in 1968 created Continental Boards of Counsellors and in I973 established the International Teaching Centre, which coordinates their work.
Haram: Means 'sanctuary'. It refers to an area near the Kaba in which blood revenge was forbidden, and also to four months in the Arabic Calendar to which the same prohibition applied.
Haziratu'l-Quds: Arabic, means ‘The Sacred Fold': Official title designating headquarters-of Baha’i administrative activity.
He (or Him) Whom God Will Make Manifest: Title that the Bab used to refer to the Promised One Whose advent was imminent- i.e., Baha’u’llah.
Hijaz: A region in southwestern Arabia which may be considered the holy land of the Muslims since it contains the sacred cities of Medina and Mecca and many other places connected with the history of Muhammad. The "language of Hijaz" is Arabic.
Holy Days: Eleven days commemorating significant Baha'i anniversaries, on nine of which work is suspended.
House of ‘Abbud: A house in Acre that once belonged to Ilyas 'Abbud and stands adjacent to the house of ‘udi Khammar (the two connected houses are known today as the House of ‘Abbud). It was occupied by Baha’u’llah and His family from late 1873 until June 1877, when He left Acre for Mazra‘ih.
Howdah: A litter, seat or covered pavilion, carried on the back of a camel, mule, horse, or elephant for travelling purposes.
Huququ’llah: Arabic for "the Right of God." As instituted n the Kitab-i-Aqdas, Baha’u’llah’s Book of Laws, payment to "the Authority in the Cause to whom all must turn" (at present, the Universal House of Justice) of 19 percent of what remains of one's personal income after one's essential expenses have been covered. Funds generated by the payment of Huququ’llah are used for the promotion of the Faith and for the welfare of society.
