Chapter 55
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Misinformation about the Baha'i Faith found in Jerusalem Post newspaper, needing correction.
There are a number of erroneous statements about the Bab, an Independent Prophet, in the Jerusalem Post news article, "Acre Bahai Shrine damaged in fire",
published on April 28th, 2022. Few sources are provided for statements
made in the article. No mention is made of the Bab's Divine station, of
his Prophethood. Below is an excerpt:
'For the last century, Abdul Baha has been temporarily entombed in Haifa’s shrine of Siyyid Ali-Muhammad Shirazi (1819-1850), popularly known as the Bab (“Gate” in Arabic). Shirazi was executed in Tabriz, Iran, for apostasy after claiming to be the deputy of the promised Twelver Mahdi (an eschatological redeemer of Islam).
According to legend, the firing squad’s initial fusillade failed to hit him, and a second team of shooters was brought in. As a Shi’ite heretic, his body was fed to dogs. It was rescued and hidden by believers.
...
The Bahai faith believes in progressive revelation – God has had [sent] a series of manifestations including Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, and most recently Bahaullah.'
Below (sections 1.1 - 4.4) are a number of Baha'i writings about the Bab, an Independent Prophet
(like Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, and Baha'u'llah). His coming is foretold
in the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Holy Quran, and in the
writings of the Holy Imams (Muhammad's divinely ordained Successors). The Bab did not "claim to be the deputy of the promised Twelver Mahdi".
He declared himself to be the "Imam Mahdi", also known as "the Qá'im",
and many divines opposed him, as has often happened when a new Independent Prophet
appears. He brought a new Holy Book, the Bayan. He started a new religion, the Babi Faith, most of whose followers later became Baha'is, as directed by him, following the Latter Resurrection (the appearance of Baha'u'llah). Regarding sources, Baha'u'llah himself asks, "Would
ye ask the Jews [followers of Moses who rejected Christ] whether Jesus was the True One from God, or the idols
if Muhammad was an Apostle of His Lord, or inquire from the people of
the Qur'án [followers of Muhammad who rejected the Bab] as to Him Who was the Remembrance of God [the Bab], the Most Exalted,
the Most Great?"
1.1)
In the Old Testament, Daniel fortells coming of the Bab, explained by Abdu'l-Baha:
In the eighth chapter of the Book of
Daniel, verse thirteen, it is said: "Then I heard one saint speaking,
and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long
shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the
transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to
be trodden under foot?" Then he answered (v. 14 ): "Unto two thousand
and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed"; (v. 17 )
"But he said unto me ... at the time of the end shall be the vision."
That is to say, how long will this misfortune, this ruin, this
abasement and degradation last? meaning, when will be the dawn of the
Manifestation? Then he answered, "Two thousand and three hundred days;
then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." Briefly, the purport of this
passage is that he appoints two thousand three hundred years, for in
the text of the Bible each day is a year. Then from the date of the
issuing of the edict of Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem until the day
of the birth of Christ there are 456 years, and from the birth of
Christ until the day of the manifestation of the Báb there are 1844
years. When you add 456 years to this number it makes 2300 years. That
is to say, the fulfillment of the vision of Daniel took place in the
year A.D. 1844, and this is the year of the Báb's manifestation
according to the actual text of the Book of Daniel. Consider how
clearly he determines the year of manifestation; there could be no
clearer prophecy for a manifestation than this.
-- `Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, p. 41
1.2)
In the Old Testament, Ezekiel fortells coming of the Baha'u'llah (the Glory of the God) "by the way of the gate" (the Bab):
43:1 Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east:
43:2 And, behold, the glory of the God of
Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of
many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.
43:3 And it was according to the appearance
of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when
I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I
saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.
43:4 And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east.
43:5 So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.
-- Bible: Ezekiel
2.1)
In the New Testament, the following is a prophecy of the appearance and martyrdom of the Bab and Quddus, from the book of Revelation, explained by Abdu'l-Baha:
11:11 And after three days and an half the
spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their
feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
-- Bible: Revelation
"And after three days and a half the spirit
of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and
great fear fell upon them that saw them." Three days and a half, as we
before explained, is twelve hundred and sixty years. Those two persons
whose bodies were lying spiritless are the teachings and the law that
Muhammad established and `Alí promoted, from which, however, the
reality had departed and only the form remained. The spirit came again
into them means that those foundations and teachings were again
established. In other words, the spirituality of the Religion of God
had been changed into materiality, and virtues into vices; the love of
God had been changed into hatred, enlightenment into darkness, divine
qualities into satanic ones, justice into tyranny, mercy into enmity,
sincerity into hypocrisy, guidance into error, and purity into
sensuality. Then after three days and a half, which by the terminology
of the Holy Books is twelve hundred and sixty years,
these divine teachings, heavenly virtues,
perfections and spiritual bounties were again renewed by the appearance
of the Báb and the devotion of Jináb-i-Quddús.
-- `Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, p. 54
11:12 And they heard a great voice from
heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven
in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
-- Bible: Revelation
"And they heard a great voice from heaven
saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven,"
meaning that from the invisible heaven they heard the voice of God,
saying: You have performed all that was proper and fitting in
delivering the teachings and glad tidings; you have given My message to
the people and raised the call of God, and have accomplished your duty.
Now, like Christ, you must sacrifice your life for the Well-Beloved, and be martyrs. And that Sun of Reality, and that Moon of Guidance, both, like Christ, set on the horizon of the greatest martyrdom and ascended to the Kingdom of God.
-- `Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, p. 55
3.1)
In the Quran, Muhammad fortells the coming of the Bab (the first Trumpet) and Baha'u'llah (the second Trumpet). "Trumpet" refers to the call or Revelation of the Prophet.
39:67 No just estimate have they made of
God, such as is due to Him: On the Day of Judgment the whole of the
earth will be but His handful, and the heavens will be rolled up in His
right hand: Glory to Him! High is He above the Partners they attribute
to Him!
39:68 The Trumpet will (just) be sounded [the appearance of the Bab, an Independent Prophet],
when all that are in the heavens and on earth will swoon, except such
as it will please God (to exempt). Then will a second one be sounded [the appearance of Baha'u'llah, an Independent Prophet], when, behold, they will be standing and looking on!
39:69 And the Earth will shine with the Glory of its Lord [the era of Baha'u'llah, the Glory of God]:
the Record (of Deeds) will be placed (open); the prophets and the
witnesses will be brought forward and a just decision pronounced
between them; and they will not be wronged (in the least).
39:70 And to every soul will be paid in full (the fruit) of its Deeds; and (God) knoweth best all that they do.
-- Qur'an: 39 - AZ-ZUMAR
Verily We have sounded the Trumpet [the appearance of Baha'u'llah, an Independent Prophet]
which is none other than My Pen of Glory, and lo, mankind hath swooned
away before it, save them whom God pleaseth to deliver as a token of
His grace. He is the Lord of bounty, the Ancient of Days.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 61
Upon Our arrival in Iraq We found the Cause
of God sunk in deep apathy and the breeze of divine revelation stilled.
Most of the believers were faint and dispirited, nay utterly lost and
dead. Hence there was a second blast on the Trumpet [the appearance of Baha'u'llah, an Independent Prophet],
whereupon the Tongue of Grandeur uttered these blessed words: `We have
sounded the Trumpet for the second time.' Thus the whole world was
quickened through the vitalizing breaths of divine revelation and
inspiration.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 131
3.2)
Traditions in Islam on the coming of the Bab referred to by Baha'u'llah:
Abú-`Abdi'lláh [Third Imám], questioned concerning the character of the Mihdí, answered saying: "He
will perform that which Muhammad, the Messenger of God, hath performed,
and will demolish whatever hath been before Him even as the Messenger
of God hath demolished the ways of those that preceded Him."...
In the "Aválím," an authoritative and well-known book, it is recorded: "A
Youth from Baní-Háshim shall be made manifest, Who will reveal a new
Book and promulgate a new law;" then follow these words: "Most of His
enemies will be the divines."...
In another passage, it is related of Sádiq [Sixth Imám], son of Muhammad, that he spoke the following: "There
shall appear a Youth from Baní-Háshim, Who will bid the people plight
fealty unto Him. His Book will be a new Book, unto which He shall
summon the people to pledge their faith. Stern is His Revelation unto
the Arab.
If ye hear about Him, hasten unto Him." How well have they followed the directions of the Imáms
of the Faith and Lamps of certitude! Although it is clearly stated:
"Were ye to hear that a Youth from Baní-Háshim hath appeared, summoning
the people unto a new and Divine Book, and to new and Divine laws,
hasten unto Him," yet have they all declared that Lord of being an
infidel, and pronounced Him a heretic....
And now, consider this other tradition, and
observe how all these things have been foretold. In "Arbá'in" it is
recorded: "Out of Baní-Háshim there shall come forth a Youth Who shall
reveal new laws. He shall summon the people unto Him, but none will
heed His call. Most of His enemies will be the divines. His bidding
they will not obey, but will protest saying: `This is contrary to that
which hath been handed down unto us by the Imáms of the Faith.'" In
this day, all are repeating these very same words, utterly unaware that
He is established upon the throne of "He doeth whatsoever He willeth," and abideth upon the seat of "He ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth."
-- Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 240-243
3.3)
The First Imam, Ali, fortells the coming of the Qá'im (the Bab):
I shall soon depart from amongst you, but
be watchful and aware; be on your guard against the tests and
tribulations caused by the 'Ummayyds and their worldly powers. And
after they shall pass away, the kingdom will revert to the
'Abbasids[11] who will bring both sorrow and happiness to mankind. And
they shall build a city called Baghdád, which shall be between the
Tigris and the Euphrates. Woe betide men in those latter days, for
amongst them will rise the oppressors among My people, who shall build
palaces for themselves and courts and tabernacles. For they shall seek
supremacy through intrigue and impiety. Two score and two kings shall
rule among the children of the 'Abbasids, after whose reign shall come
to pass the Most Great Tribulation on the surface of the earth. Then shall the True Qá'im rise up once more. Then shall I show My Face
amongst men, and it shall be as luminous as the face of the moon amid
the other stars. But note well the ten signs associated with my coming.
The first sign shall be the inversion of banners on the highways of
Kúfa[12]; the second, the abeyance of true worship and the prescribed
prayers; the third, the end of true pilgrimage. The fourth sign shall
be an eclipse in the lands of Khorasán[13], the gathering of
constellations and the appearance of comets in the sky. There shall be
chaos and confusion, massacre, pillage and robbery in the world. Many
other signs shall there be too, surpassing all these signs, among which
is the sign of wonderment. But when all these signs have passed away,
then, verily, shall the Qá'im Himself arise in truth.
-- Imam Ali, Khutbat'ul-Iftikhár (The Sermon of Glorification). Translation by K. Fananapazir.
Full text available at: https://bahai-library.com/imam-ali_khutbat_iftikhar
3.4)
Baha'u'llah refers to the lofty station of the Bab:
And now, consider this other tradition, and
observe how all these things have been foretold. In "Arba'in" it is
recorded: "Out of Bani-Hashim there shall come forth a Youth Who shall
reveal new laws. He shall summon the people unto Him, but none will
heed His call. Most of His enemies will be the divines. His bidding
they will not obey, but will protest saying: 'This is contrary to
that which hath been handed down unto us by the Imams of the Faith.'"
In this day, all are repeating these very same words, utterly unaware
that He is established upon the throne of "He doeth whatsoever He
willeth," and abideth upon the seat of "He ordaineth whatsoever He
pleaseth."
No understanding can grasp the nature of
His Revelation, nor can any knowledge comprehend the full measure of
His Faith. All sayings are dependent upon His sanction, and all things
stand in need of His Cause. All else save Him are created by His
command, and move and have their being through His law. He is the
Revealer of the divine mysteries, and the Expounder of the hidden and
ancient wisdom. Thus it is related in the "Biharu'l-Anvar," the
"Avalim," and the "Yanbu'" of Sadiq, son of Muhammad, that he spoke
these words: "Knowledge is twenty and seven letters. All that the
Prophets have revealed are two letters thereof. No man thus far hath
known more than these two letters. But when the Qá'im [the Bab] shall
arise, He will cause the remaining twenty and five letters to be made
manifest." Consider; He hath declared Knowledge to consist of twenty
and seven letters, and regarded all the Prophets, from Adam even unto
the "Seal," as Expounders of only two letters thereof and of having been sent down with these two letters. He
also saith that the Qá'im will reveal all the remaining twenty and five
letters. Behold from this utterance how great and lofty is His station!
His rank excelleth that of all the Prophets, and His Revelation
transcendeth the comprehension and understanding of all their chosen
ones.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 242
4.1)
Baha'u'llah makes reference to miracles attributed to the Bab (this may also include the events surrounding his martyrdom?):
It has become the subject of much talk, but
the people do not understand: The miracles that have been mentioned and
attributed to this abased one are lies fabricated by prevaricators. But
those attributed to the original Point (the Bab) the wellspring of the
primal emanation and to the Mirrors who speak of him, are true, a truth
to which the sincere attain. What he revealed in the Bayan from the
heaven of bounty and the clouds of compassion is, moreover, a universal
and convincing proof. Aside from revealing verses, he did not affirm
anything. This was and is God's proof to the people of the earth. Any
sign beyond it that appears from the mine of grace and glory is a
bounty from God.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Book of the Tigris (a provisional translation by Juan Cole)
4.2)
The Bab makes reference to the prophecy by Imám Báqir (the Fifth Imam):
I
swear by the truth of God! Wert thou to know that which I know, thou
wouldst forgo the sovereignty of this world and of the next, that thou
mightest attain My good-pleasure, through thine obedience unto the True
One... Wert thou to refuse, the Lord of the world would raise up one
who would exalt His Cause, and the Command of God would, verily, be
carried into effect.
Through the grace of God nothing can
frustrate My purpose, and I am fully conscious of that which God hath
bestowed upon Me as a token of His favour. If it were My will, I would
disclose to Your Majesty all things; but I have not done this, nor will
I do it, that the Truth may be distinguished from aught else beside it,
and this prophecy uttered by the Imám Báqir
[Fifth Imám] -- may peace rest upon Him -- be fully realized: `What must needs
befall us in Ádhirbayján is inevitable and without parallel. When this
happeneth, rest ye in your homes and remain patient as we have remained
patient. As soon as the Mover [Baha’u’llah] moveth make ye haste to attain unto Him, even though ye have to crawl over the snow.'
-- The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 16
Siyyid Kázim-i-Rashtí, Shaykh Ahmad's disciple and successor, had likewise written: "The Qá'im must needs be put to death. After He has been slain the world will have attained the age of eighteen."
-- Cited in God Passes By, p. 97
4.3)
The
evidence set forth by God can never be compared with the evidences
produced by any one of the peoples and kindreds of the earth; and
beyond a shadow of doubt no evidence is set forth by God save through
the One Who is appointed as His supreme Testimony. Moreover, the proof
of revealed verses doth, alone and of itself, conclusively demonstrate
the utter impotence of all created things on earth, for this is a proof
which hath proceeded from God and shall endure until the Day of
Resurrection.
And if anyone should reflect on the
appearance of this Tree, he will undoubtedly testify to the loftiness
of the Cause of God. For if one from whose life only twenty-four years
have passed, and who is devoid of those sciences wherein all are
learned, now reciteth verses after such fashion without thought or
hesitation, writes a thousand verses of prayer in the course of five
hours without pause of the pen, and produceth commentaries and learned
treatises on such lofty themes as the true understanding of God and of
the oneness of His Being, in a manner which doctors and philosophers
confess surpasseth their power of understanding, then there is no doubt
that all that hath been manifested is divinely inspired.
Notwithstanding their life-long diligent study, what pains do these
divines take when writing a single line in Arabic!
Yet after such efforts the result is but words which are unworthy of mention.
All
these things are for a proof unto the people; otherwise the religion of
God is too mighty and glorious for anyone to comprehend through aught
but itself; rather by it all else is understood.
-- The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 109
4.4)
All Feasts have attained their consummation in the two Most Great Festivals,
and in the two other Festivals that fall on the twin days -- the first
of the Most Great Festivals being those days whereon the All-Merciful
shed upon the whole of creation the effulgent glory of His most
excellent Names and His most exalted Attributes, and the second being
that day on which We raised up the One [the Bab] Who announced unto mankind the glad tidings of this Name, through which the dead have been resurrected
and all who are in the heavens and on earth have been gathered
together. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Ordainer, the
Omniscient.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 59
138. All Feasts have attained their consummation in the two Most Great Festivals, and in the two other Festivals that fall on the twin days # 110
This passage establishes four great festivals of the Bahá'í year. The
two designated by Bahá'u'lláh as "the two Most Great Festivals" are, first,
the Festival of Ridvan, which commemorates Bahá'u'lláh's Declaration of
His Prophetic Mission in the Garden of Ridvan in Baghdad during twelve
days in April/May 1863 and is referred to by Him as "the King of Festivals" and, second, the Báb's Declaration, which occurred in May 1844 in Shiraz.
The first, ninth and twelfth days of the Festival of Ridvan are Holy
Days (Q and A 1), as is the day of the Declaration of the Báb.
-- Notes, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 224
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