Chapter 3
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Conflicting writings on the continuation of divine guidance after the ascension of the Independent Prophet.
Passage 1 states
that the Baha'i Faith is "unique"
in having continuation of divine
guidance after the ascension of the Independent
Prophet, which is false; which conflicts with the writings of Bahá'u'lláh, the Bab,
Muhammad, and Abdu'l-Baha. For example, in Islam, after the ascension
of Muhammad, divine
guidance continued through the Holy Imams (Dependent/Lesser Prophets of Muhammad, one of the two classes of Prophets) for over
two centuries. The Holy Imams are referred to as "the Day Springs of His
Revelation" by Baha'u'llah. Those
faithful to the Covenant of Muhammad recognised and followed the Holy
Imams. A number of references on the divine guidance and
Successorship of the Holy Imams are shown in passages 2 - 9.
1)
The continuation of divine guidance-the primary theme of this Book is a
unique feature of the Bahá'í Faith. Unlike any of the Manifestations of
God Who preceded Him, Bahá'u'lláh, the Founder of the Bahá'í Faith,
made a Covenant with His followers to direct and channel the forces
released by His Revelation, guaranteeing the continuity of infallible
guidance after His death through institutions to which all of His
followers must turn.
-- The Universal House of Justice, Messages 1963 to 1986, p. v
2)
And likewise in the sacred verse: "Obey God and obey the Apostle, and
those among you invested with authority." By "those invested with
authority" is meant primarily and more especially the Imáms -- the
blessings of God rest upon them! They, verily, are the manifestations
of the power of God, and the sources of His authority, and the
repositories of His knowledge, and the daysprings of His commandments.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 90
3)
Muhammad, Himself, as the end of His mission drew nigh, spoke these
words: "Verily, I leave amongst you My twin weighty testimonies: The
Book of God and My Family [the Holy Imams]."
-- Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 201
4)
No doubt is there that obedience is unacceptable except through
obedience to the Proof of God. Had that not been so, then the deeds of
them that showed enmity towards the People of the House [the Family of Muhammad, the Imamate, the Holy Imams, the Proof of God] would have been
mentioned before God, whereas in this day, all decree that none should
worship them, nor have their deeds borne any fruit. In this way, the
non- Shi'is today act in accordance with the decrees of the Qur'án,
whereas, since they have turned aside from the Imamate (vilayat), these
deeds are worthless in the sight of God.
-- The Bab, The Persian Bayan
5)
In the Qur'án it is said that God addressed Muhammad, the Messenger of
God, saying: "We made You a Witness, a Herald of good news, and a
Warner" -- that is to say, We have established Thee as the witness, the
giver of good tidings, and as One bringing the wrath of God.[1] The
meaning of "a witness" is one by whose testimony things may be
verified. The commands of these two witnesses were to be performed for
twelve hundred and sixty days, each day signifying a year. Now,
Muhammad was the root, and Ali [Imam Ali] the branch, like Moses and Joshua.
-- Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 48
6)
And narrated Sad that the Prophet [Muhammad] said to 'Ali [Imam Ali],
"Will you not be pleased from this that you are to me like Aaron
[branch] was to Moses [root]?"
-- Volume 5, Book 57, Number 57: (Hadith, Bukhari Vol 5).
7)
In each cycle the guardians and holy souls have been
twelve. So Jacob had twelve sons; in the time of Moses there were
twelve heads or chiefs of the tribes; in the time of Christ there were twelve Apostles; and in the time of Muhammad there were twelve Imams.
But in this glorious manifestation there are twenty-four, double the
number of all the others, for the greatness of this manifestation
requires it. These holy souls are in the presence of God seated on
their own thrones, meaning that they reign eternally.
[1 Rev. 11:16-17.]
These twenty-four great persons, though they are seated on the thrones
of everlasting rule, yet are worshipers of the appearance of the
universal Manifestation, and they are humble and submissive, saying,
"We give thanks to Thee, O Lord God Almighty, Which art, and wast, and
art to come, because Thou hast taken to Thee Thy great power and hast
reigned" -- that is to say, Thou wilt issue all Thy teachings, Thou
wilt gather all the people of the earth under Thy shadow, and Thou wilt
bring all men under the shadow of one tent.
-- Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 56
8)
The Commander of the Faithful (Imam Ali) hath said: "I am He Who can
neither be named, nor described." And likewise He hath said: "Outwardly
I am an Imam; inwardly I am the Unseen, the Unknowable." Abu-Ja'far-i-Tusi hath said: "I said to Abi
Abdi'llah: 'You are the Way mentioned in the Book of God, and you are
the Impost, and you are the Pilgrimage.' He replied: 'O man! We are the
Way mentioned in the Book of God, -- exalted and glorified be He -- and
We are the Impost, and We are the Fast, and We are the Pilgrimage, and
We are the Sacred Month, and We are the Sacred City, and We are the
Kaaba of God, and We are the Qiblih of God, and We are the Face of
God.'"
-- Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 112
9)
These Manifestations of God have each a twofold station.
One is the station of pure abstraction and essential unity... These Countenances
are the recipients of the Divine Command, and the Day Springs of His
Revelation. This Revelation is exalted above the veils of plurality and
the exigencies of number. Thus He saith: "Our Cause is but One."
Inasmuch as the Cause is one and the same, the Exponents thereof also
must needs be one and the same. Likewise, the Imams of the Muhammadan Faith, those lamps of certitude, have said: "Muhammad is our first, Muhammad is our last, Muhammad our all."
-- Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 50
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