Chapter 45
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Conflicting writings as relates to the authority of the words of Baha'u'llah, as distinct from all others.
In passage 1, Shoghi Effendi says in the third paragraph, "We must take the teachings as a great, balanced whole", which
is not in keeping with the writings of Baha'u'llah and Abdu'l-Baha.
There is a clear hierarchy in the authority of the central figures. It
is only Baha'u'llah, the Independent Prophet, the Most Great Infallibility, who has absolute infallibility, and none may question the authority of his
words. All others (including Shoghi Effendi and the House) are
servants of Baha'u'llah, and are not to deviate from what he revealed
(as indicated in passages 4 - 10). Abdu'l-Baha says of Baha'u'llah's station, 'Briefly, it is said that the "Dayspring of Revelation" is the manifestation of these words, "He doeth whatsoever He willeth"; this condition is peculiar to that Holy Being, and others have no share of this essential perfection.' In the Most Holy Book (book of laws), Baha'u'llah, the Most Great Infallibility, says (regarding those who succeed him), "But he whose words conflict with that which hath been sent down in My Holy Tablets is not of Me". If it was outside the realm of possibility for those who succeed Baha'u'llah to conflict with or deviate from what Baha'u'llah revealed, God, who is All-Knowing and All-Wise, would not have given that warning. One example of resolving a conflict in the writings can be found in Chapter 1.
In it, Shoghi Effendi and the House indicate that only Independent
Prophets are Manifestations of God; which conflicts with the writings
of Baha'u'llah, who indicates that Dependent/Lesser Prophets like David and the Holy Imams are also Manifestations of God, consistent with Divine Unity. Regarding the view that passage 3 from the Will and Testament means that
the Guardian and the House have "supreme and independent authority" and cannot deviate from what Baha'u'llah (God) revealed;
that is refuted by passages 4 and 7 by Baha'u'llah, and passages 9 and 10
by Abdu'l-Baha. The statement by the House in passage 1, "the Guardian [is] thoroughly
imbued with the spirit of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh and intimately
linked with the Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh Himself",
is not consistent with the many examples shown in earlier
chapters of the Guardian contradicting Baha'u'llah. Similarly, the statement by the House in passage 2, "the writings of the Guardian contradict neither the revealed Word nor the interpretations of the Master" is not consistent with the many examples shown in other
chapters of the Guardian contradicting Baha'u'llah and Abdu'l-Baha. A just-minded person investigating possible conflicts in the writings of Shoghi Effendi when compared to Baha'u'llah should be guided by facts, and not preconceived notions that such conflicts cannot exist in the first place. Compilations on various themes such as the Manifestations of God, Divine Unity, the Throne of Prophethood, the Holy Imams, God's Chosen Ones,
and so on, all confirm that the true position regarding who are the
Manifestations of God is the one stated by Baha'u'llah. Detailed
references follow:
1)
The first, which derives from the Covenant, is the principle
that the writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the Guardian are thoroughly
imbued with the spirit of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh and intimately
linked with the Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh Himself. this principle is
clearly expounded in two paragraphs from a letter written on behalf of
the Guardian to an individual believer on 19 March 1946:
Whatever the Master has said is based on the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh.
He was the perfect Interpreter, had lived with Him all His life;
therefore what He says has the same standing, even if a text of
Bahá'u'lláh is not available ...
We must take the teachings as a great, balanced whole, not seek out and
oppose to each other two strong statements that have different
meanings; somewhere in between, there are links uniting the two. That
is what makes our Faith so flexible and well balanced. for instance
there are calamities for testing and for punishment -- there are also
accidents, plain cause and effect!
-- The Universal House of Justice, 1995 Apr 27, Separation of Church and State.
2)
Just as the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá does not in any way
contradict the Kitáb-i-Aqdas but, in the Guardian's words, "confirms,
supplements, and correlates the provisions of the Aqdas," so the
writings of the Guardian contradict neither the revealed Word nor the
interpretations of the Master. In attempting to understand the
Writings, therefore, one must first realize that there is and can be no
real contradiction in them, and in the light of this we can confidently
seek the unity of meaning which they contain.
-- The Universal House of Justice, Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1968-1973, p. 37
3)
For he is, after 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the Guardian of the Cause of God,
the Afnan, the Hands (pillars) of the Cause and the beloved of the Lord
must obey him and turn unto him. He that obeyeth him not, hath not
obeyed God; he that turneth away from him, hath turned away from God
and he that denieth him, hath denied the True One. Beware lest anyone
falsely interpret these words, and like unto them that have broken the
Covenant after the Day of Ascension (of Bahá'u'lláh) advance a pretext,
raise the standard of revolt, wax stubborn and open wide the door of
false interpretation. To none is given the right to put forth his own
opinion or express his particular conviction. All must seek guidance
and turn unto the Center of the Cause and the House of Justice. And he that turneth unto whatsoever else is indeed in grievous error.
-- Abdu'l-Baha, The Will and Testament, p. 25
4)
O thou who hast set thy face towards the Realm on High and hast quaffed
My sealed wine from the hand of bounteousness! Know thou that the term
'Infallibility' hath numerous meanings and divers stations. In one
sense it is applicable to the One Whom God hath made immune from error.
Similarly it is applied to every soul whom God hath guarded against
sin, transgression, rebellion, impiety, disbelief and the like. However,
the Most Great Infallibility is confined to the One Whose station is
immeasurably exalted beyond ordinances or prohibitions and is sanctified from errors and omissions.
Indeed He is a Light which is not followed by darkness and a Truth not
overtaken by error. Were He to pronounce water to be wine or heaven to
be earth or light to be fire, He speaketh the truth and no doubt would
there be about it; and unto no one is given the right to question His
authority or to say why or wherefore. Whosoever raiseth objections will
be numbered with the froward in the Book of God, the Lord of the
worlds. 'Verily He shall not be asked of His doings but all others
shall be asked of their doings.' [1] He is come from the invisible
heaven, bearing the banner 'He doeth whatsoever He willeth' and is
accompanied by hosts of power and authority while it is the duty of all
besides Him to strictly observe whatever laws and ordinances have been
enjoined upon them, and should anyone deviate therefrom, even to the
extent of a hair's breadth, his work would be brought to naught.
[1 cf. Qur'án 21:23.]
-- Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 108
5)
Consider thou and call to mind the time when Muhammad appeared. He
said, and His word is the truth: 'Pilgrimage to the House [1] is a
service due to God.' [2] And likewise are the daily prayer, fasting,
and the laws which shone forth above the horizon of the Book of God,
the Lord of the World and the true Educator of the peoples and kindreds
of the earth. It is incumbent
upon everyone to obey Him in whatsoever God hath ordained; and
whosoever denieth Him hath disbelieved in God, in His verses, in His
Messengers and in His Books. Were He to pronounce right to be wrong or
denial to be belief, He speaketh the truth as bidden by God. This is a
station wherein sins or trespasses neither exist nor are mentioned.
-- Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 108
6)
In response to thy request the Pen of Glory hath graciously described
the stations and grades of the Most Great Infallibility. The purpose is
that all should know of a certainty that the Seal of the Prophets [Muhammad]--may
the souls of all else but Him be offered up for His sake--is without
likeness, peer or partner in His Own station. The Holy Ones [The Holy Imams]--may
the blessings of God be upon them--were created through the potency of
His Word, and after Him they were the most learned and the most
distinguished among the people and abide in the utmost station of
servitude. The divine Essence, sanctified from every comparison and
likeness, is established in the Prophet [Independent Prophet], and God's inmost Reality,
exalted above any peer or partner, is manifest in Him. This is the
station of true unity and of véritable singleness. The followers of the previous Dispensation [Islam] grievously failed to acquire an adequate understanding of this station. The Primal Point [The Bab]
--may the life of all else but Him be offered up for His sake--saith:
`If the Seal of the Prophets had not uttered the word "Successorship",
such a station would not have been created.'
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 123
7)
Should differences arise amongst you over any matter, refer it to God
while the Sun still shineth above the horizon of this Heaven and, when
it hath set, refer ye to whatsoever hath been sent down by Him. This,
verily, is sufficient unto the peoples of the world. Say: Let not your
hearts be perturbed, O people, when the glory of My Presence is
withdrawn, and the ocean of My utterance is stilled. In My presence
amongst you there is a wisdom, and in My absence there is yet another,
inscrutable to all but God, the Incomparable, the All-Knowing. Verily,
We behold you from Our realm of glory, and shall aid whosoever will
arise for the triumph of Our Cause with the hosts of the Concourse on
high and a company of Our favoured angels.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 38
8)
That which is preeminent above all other gifts, is incorruptible in
nature, and pertaineth to God Himself, is the gift of Divine
Revelation. Every bounty conferred by the Creator upon man, be it
material or spiritual, is subservient unto this. It is, in its essence,
and will ever so remain, the Bread which cometh down from Heaven. It is
God's supreme testimony, the clearest evidence of His truth, the sign
of His consummate bounty, the token of His all-encompassing mercy, the
proof of His most loving providence, the symbol of His most perfect
grace. He hath, indeed, partaken of this highest gift of God who hath
recognized His Manifestation in this Day.
Render thanks unto thy Lord for having vouchsafed unto thee so great a
bounty. Lift up thy voice and say: All praise be to Thee, O Thou, the
Desire of every understanding heart!
-- Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 194
9)
Briefly, it is said that the "Dayspring of Revelation" is the manifestation of these words, "He doeth whatsoever He willeth"; this condition is peculiar to that Holy Being, and others have no share of this essential perfection. That is to say, that as the supreme Manifestations certainly possess essential infallibility, therefore whatever emanates from Them is identical with the truth, and conformable to reality.
They are not under the shadow of the former laws. Whatever They say is
the word of God, and whatever They perform is an upright action. No
believer has any right to criticize; his condition must be one of
absolute submission, for the Manifestation arises with perfect
wisdom--so that whatever the supreme Manifestation says and does is
absolute wisdom, and is in accordance with reality...
In short, the meaning of "He
doeth whatsoever He willeth" is that if the Manifestation says
something, or gives a command, or performs an action, and believers do
not understand its wisdom, they still ought not to oppose it by a
single thought, seeking to know why He spoke so, or why He did such a
thing. The other souls who are under the shadow of the supreme
Manifestations are submissive to the commandments of the Law of God,
and are not to deviate as much as a hairsbreadth from it; they must
conform their acts and words to the Law of God. If they do deviate from
it, they will be held responsible and reproved in the presence of God.
It is certain that they have no share in the permission "He doeth
whatsoever He willeth," for this condition is peculiar to the supreme
Manifestations.
So Christ--may my spirit be sacrificed to Him!--was the manifestation
of these words, "He doeth whatsoever He willeth," but the disciples
were not partakers of this condition; for as they were under the shadow
of Christ, they could not deviate from His command and will.
-- `Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, p. 171-174
10)
This is the foundation of the belief of the people of Baha (may my life
be offered up for them): "His Holiness, the Exalted One (the Bab), is
the Manifestation of the Unity and Oneness of God and the Forerunner of
the Ancient Beauty. His Holiness the Abha Beauty (may my life be a
sacrifice for His steadfast friends) is the Supreme Manifestation of
God and the Dayspring of His Most Divine Essence. All others are
servants unto Him and do His bidding."
-- Abdu'l-Baha, The Will and Testament, p. 19
11)
We have revealed specially for the rulers and ministers of the world
that which is conducive to safety and protection, tranquillity and
peace; haply the children of men may rest secure from the evils of
oppression. He, verily, is the Protector, the Helper, the Giver of
victory. It is incumbent upon the men of God's House of Justice to fix
their gaze by day and by night upon that which hath shone forth from
the Pen of Glory for the training of peoples, the upbuilding of
nations, the protection of man and the safeguarding of his honour.
-- Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 124
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