The original of "Some Answered Questions" in
Persian is preserved in the Holy Land; its text was read in full and corrected
by ‘Abdu'l-Bahá Himself. Unfortunately, Abdu'l-Bahá did not read and
authenticate all transcripts of His other talks, some of which have been
translated into various languages and published. For many of His addresses
included in "The Promulgation of Universal Peace" and "Paris
Talks", for example, no original authenticated text has yet been found.
However, the Guardian allowed such compilations to continue to be used by the
friends. In the future each talk will have to be identified and those which are
unauthenticated will have to be clearly distinguished from those which form a
part of Bahá'í Scripture. This does not mean that the unauthenticated talks
will have to cease to be used -- merely that the degree of authenticity of
every document will have to be known and understood. - The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 23
March 1987 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice included in a Memorandum
from the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, dated 28 March
1996 attached to a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice
to an individual believer, dated 22 October, 1996)
