Note 4

4. nine &rak'ahs # 6

A &rak'ah is the recitation of specifically revealed verses accompanied by a prescribed set of genuflections and other movements.

The Obligatory Prayer originally enjoined by &Baha'u'llah upon His followers consisted of nine &rak'ahs. The precise nature of this prayer and the specific instructions for its recitation are unknown, as the prayer has been lost. (See note 9.)

In a Tablet commenting on the presently-binding Obligatory Prayers, &Abdu'l-Baha indicates that "in every word and movement of the Obligatory Prayer there are allusions, mysteries and a wisdom that man is unable to comprehend, and letters and scrolls cannot contain".

Shoghi Effendi explains that the few simple directions given by &Baha'u'llah for the recital of certain prayers not only have a spiritual significance but that they also help the individual "to fully concentrate when praying and meditating".