172. the "Six" raised up by virtue of this "Upright Alif"
In his writings, Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsa'i placed great emphasis on the Arabic letter "Vav". In The Dawn-Breakers, Nabil states that this letter "symbolized for the Bab the advent of a new cycle of Divine Revelation, and has since been alluded to by Baha'u'llah in the Kitab-i-Aqdas in such passages as 'the mystery of the Great Reversal' and 'the Sign of the Sovereign'". (240:1)

The name for the letter "Vav" consists of three letters: Vav, Alif, Vav. According to the abjad reckoning, the numerical value of each of these letters is 6, 1 and 6 respectively. Shoghi Effendi in a letter written on his behalf to one of the believers in the East provides an interpretation of this verse of the Aqdas. He states that the "Upright Alif" refers to the advent of the Bab. The first letter with its value of six, which comes before the Alif, is a symbol of earlier Dispensations and Manifestations which predate the Bab, while the third letter, which also has a numerical value of six, stands for Baha'u'llah's supreme Revelation which was made manifest after the Alif. (240:2)

173. It hath been forbidden you to carry arms unless essential
Baha'u'llah confirms an injunction contained in the Bayan which makes it unlawful to carry arms, unless it is necessary to do so. With regard to circumstances under which the bearing of arms might be "essential" for an individual, Abdu'l-Baha gives permission to a believer for self-protection in a dangerous environment. Shoghi Effendi in a letter written on his behalf has also indicated that, in an emergency, when there is no legal force at hand to appeal to, a Baha'i is justified in defending his life. There are a number of other situations in which weapons are needed and can be legitimately used; for instance, in countries where people hunt for their food and clothing, and in such sports as archery, marksmanship, and fencing. (240:3)

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