Notes to Aqdas, Sentence #80

Notes from the Authorized Translation

59. Amongst the people is he who seateth himself amid the sandals by the door whilst coveting in his heart the seat of honour. # 36
Traditionally in the East it has been the practice to remove sandals and shoes before entering a gathering. The part of a room farthest from the entrance is regarded as the head of the room and a place of honour where the most prominent among those present are seated. Others sit in descending order towards the door, by which the shoes and sandals have been left and where the most lowly would sit.

Earl Elder's Notes

2. On entering a room, people leave their shoes near the door, hence the lowest place near this is called the "row of sandals". Some sitting here hope that the host will say, "Come up higher" and they will thus get more honour.

3. The Arabic dictionaries translate this word "deceiver, seducer". But the Persian word ghurur is "pride" and maghrur is "a proud man". Perhaps he has deceived himself into thinking he is something when he is nothing. Baha'u'llah, being a Persian, seems to have used the word in the Persian sense.

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