Huqúqu'lláh

Huqúqu'lláh (Arabic: ﺣﻘﻮﻕ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ‎‎, "Right of God"), sometimes called the Law of Huqúq is a socio-economic and spiritual law of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, a charter document of the Bahá'í Faith, written by Bahá'u'lláh. In its most basic form, it states that Bahá'ís should make a 19% voluntary payment on any wealth in excess of what is necessary to live comfortably, after the remittance of any outstanding debt. The money is then disbursed to social and economic development projects, or similar philanthropic purposes.

Bahá'u'lláh wrote down the law of Huqúqu'lláh in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas in 1873, but he did not accept any payments initially. In 1878 he appointed the first trustee of the Huqúqu'lláh, who had the responsibility of receiving the Huqúq from the Bahá'ís in Iran. Later this was expanded to the Bahá'ís of the Middle East. In 1985 information about the Huqúq was distributed worldwide and in 1992 the law was made universally applicable. As the number of payments increased, deputies and representatives to receive the payments have been appointed. In 1991 the central office of Huqúqu'lláh was established at the Bahá'í World Centre in Haifa, Israel.

During the lifetime of Bahá'u'lláh, the offerings were made directly to him, and following his death, to `Abdu'l-Bahá. In his Will and Testament, `Abdu'l-Bahá provided that Huqúqu'lláh be offered after him "through the Guardian of the Cause of God". Since the election of the Universal House of Justice, it is to this institution that payments are made.

...
Wikipedia