In reply to your letter of September 12th the Universal
House of Justice asked us to refer you to a letter on this subject written on
behalf of the beloved Guardian on July 11th, 1956 to your National Spiritual
Assembly:
"Regarding taking oaths, there is nothing in the
Teachings on this subject. As a Bahá'í is enjoined by Bahá'u'lláh to be
truthful, he would express his truthfulness, no matter what the formality of
the law in any local place required of him. There can be no objection to
Bahá'ís conforming to the requirements of the law court whatsoever they may be
in such matters, as in no case would they constitute in any way a denial of their
own beliefs as Bahá'ís.”
The above decision makes it clear that Bahá'ís may take an
oath, if required, on any sacred book. The Universal House of Justice considers
that it may be preferable for them to do so on a Bahá'í book, if possible.
- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to the
National Spiritual of the United Kingdom, September 20, 1973; compilation:
‘Lights of Guidance’)
