The short obligatory prayer is to be said once per day between noon and sunset.

This prayer is to be choosen from among three, the others being refered to as the medium obligatory prayer and the long obligatory prayer.

The long obligatory prayer is to be said once per 24-hour period.

This prayer is to be choosen from among three, the others being refered to as the short obligatory prayer and the medium obligatory prayer.

Shoghi Effendi goes on to say in the same letter, "But marriage is by no means an obligation."

There is a positive way to look at these conditions as well. In The World Order of Baha'u'llah, Shoghi Effendi quotes Baha'u'llah as writing, "Soon will the present day Order be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead. Verily, thy Lord speaketh the truth and is the Knower of things unseen."

These five steps are taken from the headings in the chapter entitled "Preparation for Marriage" in the compilation Baha'i Marriage and Family Life, copyright the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Canada.