Chapter 21
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Conflicting writings on the Return of the Manifestations of God.
Contrast passage 1 and passages
2 - 5. The Return of the attributes of God ("abiding in the same
tabernacle, soaring in the same heaven, seated upon the same throne")
only occurs when the Manifestation of God appears on earth from the
realm of pre-existence, and not "any time" as stated by Shoghi Effendi.
1)
114 MANIFESTATIONS (Return of the Qualities)
"The reflection of the qualities of holy souls can take place at any
time; it is not confined to the period when the Manifestation is on
earth."
-- Shoghi Effendi, Directives from the Guardian, p. 42
2)
And were they to say that by "divine Presence" is meant the "Secondary
Revelation of God," interpreted as the "Holy Outpouring," this is
admittedly applicable to the world of creation, that is, in the realm
of the primal and original manifestation of God. Such revelation is
confined to His Prophets and chosen Ones, inasmuch as none mightier
than they hath come to exist in the world of being. This truth all
recognize, and bear witness thereto. These Prophets and chosen Ones of
God are the recipients and revealers of all the unchangeable attributes
and names of God. They are the mirrors that truly and faithfully
reflect the light of God. Whatsoever is applicable to them is in
reality applicable to God, Himself, Who is both the Visible and the
Invisible. The knowledge of Him, Who is the Origin of all things, and
attainment unto Him, are impossible save through knowledge of, and
attainment unto, these luminous Beings who proceed from the Sun of
Truth. By attaining, therefore, to the presence of these holy
Luminaries, the "Presence of God" Himself is attained. From their
knowledge, the knowledge of God is revealed, and from the light of
their countenance, the splendour of the Face of God is made manifest.
Through the manifold attributes of these Essences of Detachment, Who
are both the first and the last, the seen and the hidden, it is made
evident that He Who is the Sun of Truth is "the First and the Last, the
Seen, and the Hidden." Likewise the other lofty names and exalted
attributes of God. Therefore, whosoever, and in whatever Dispensation,
hath recognized and attained unto the presence of these glorious, these
resplendent and most excellent Luminaries, hath verily attained unto
the "Presence of God" Himself, and entered the city of eternal and
immortal life. Attainment unto such presence is possible only in the
Day of Resurrection, which is the Day of the rise of God Himself
through His all-embracing Revelation.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 141
3)
To them that are endowed with understanding, it is clear and manifest
that when the fire of the love of Jesus consumed the veils of Jewish
limitations, and His authority was made apparent and partially
enforced, He the Revealer of the unseen Beauty, addressing one day His
disciples, referred unto His passing, and, kindling in their hearts the
fire of bereavement, said unto them: "I go away and come again unto
you." And in another place He said: "I go and another will come Who
will tell you all that I have not told you, and will fulfil all that I
have said." Both these sayings have but one meaning, were you to ponder
upon the Manifestations of the Unity of God with divine insight.
Every discerning observer will recognize that in the Dispensation of
the Qur'án both the Book and the Cause of Jesus were confirmed. As to
the matter of names, Muhammad, Himself, declared: "I am Jesus." He
recognized the truth of the signs, prophecies, and words of Jesus, and
testified that they were all of God. In this sense, neither the person
of Jesus nor His writings hath differed from that of Muhammad and of
His holy Book, inasmuch as both have championed the Cause of God,
uttered His praise, and revealed His commandments. Thus it is that
Jesus, Himself, declared: "I go away and come again unto you." Consider
the sun. Were it to say now, "I am the sun of yesterday," it would
speak the truth. And should it, bearing the sequence of time in mind,
claim to be other than that sun, it still would speak the truth. In
like manner, if it be said that all the days are but one and the same,
it is correct and true. And if it be said, with respect to their
particular names and designations, that they differ, that again is
true. For though they are the same, yet one doth recognize in each a
separate designation, a specific attribute, a particular character.
Conceive accordingly the distinction, variation, and unity
characteristic of the various Manifestations of holiness, that thou
mayest comprehend the allusions made by the creator of all names and
attributes to the mysteries of distinction and unity, and discover the
answer to thy question as to why that everlasting Beauty should have,
at sundry times, called Himself by different names and titles.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 20
4)
These Manifestations of God have each a twofold station. One is the
station of pure abstraction and essential unity. In this respect, if
thou callest them all by one name, and dost ascribe to them the same
attribute, thou hast not erred from the truth. Even as He hath
revealed: "No distinction do We make between any of His Messengers!"[1]
For they one and all summon the people of the earth to acknowledge the
Unity of God, and herald unto them the Kawthar of an infinite grace and
bounty. They are all invested with the robe of Prophethood, and
honoured with the mantle of glory. Thus hath Muhammad, the Point of the
Qur'án, revealed: "I am all the Prophets." Likewise, He saith: "I am
the first Adam, Noah, Moses, and Jesus." Similar statements have been
made by Ali. Sayings such as this, which indicate the essential unity
of those Exponents of Oneness, have also emanated from the Channels of
God's immortal utterance, and the Treasuries of the gems of divine
knowledge, and have been recorded in the scriptures. 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."[2]
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 our last, Muhammad our all."
[1 Qur'án 2:285.]
[2 Qur'án 54:50.]
It is clear and evident to thee that all the Prophets are the Temples
of the Cause of God, Who have appeared clothed in divers attire. If
thou wilt observe with discriminating eyes, thou wilt behold them all
abiding in the same tabernacle, soaring in the same heaven, seated upon
the same throne, uttering the same speech, and proclaiming the same
Faith. Such is the unity of those Essences of being, those Luminaries
of infinite and immeasurable splendour. Wherefore, should one of these
Manifestations of Holiness proclaim saying: "I am the return of all the
Prophets," He verily speaketh the truth.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 153
I shall restate here My theme, that perchance this may assist thee in
recognizing thy Creator. Know thou that God - exalted and glorified be
He - doth in no wise manifest His inmost Essence and Reality. From time
immemorial He hath been veiled in the eternity of His Essence and
concealed in the infinitude of His own Being. And when He purposed to
manifest His beauty in the kingdom of names and to reveal His glory in
the realm of attributes, He brought forth His Prophets from the
invisible plane to the visible, that His name "the Manifest" might be
distinguished from "the Hidden" and His name "the Last" might be
discerned from "the First", and that there may be fulfilled the words:
"He is the First and the Last; the Seen and the Hidden; and He knoweth
all things!" Thus hath He revealed these most excellent names and most
exalted words in the Manifestations of His Self and the Mirrors of His
Being.
-- Baha'u'llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries, p. 33
5)
More references on Return.
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