Chapter C65
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Prophecies in the era of Muhammad on the coming of the Bab and Baha'u'llah.


1)
References on the completeness of the Quran and its mystical aspects.

All the things that people required in connection with the Revelation of Muhammad and His laws were to be found revealed and manifest in that Ridvan of resplendent glory. That Book constitutes an abiding testimony to its people after Muhammad, inasmuch as its decrees are indisputable, and its promise unfailing. All have been enjoined to follow the precepts of that Book until "the year sixty"[1] -- the year of the advent of God's wondrous Manifestation. That Book is the Book which unfailingly leadeth the seeker unto the Ridvan of the divine Presence, and causeth him that hath forsaken his country and is treading the seeker's path to enter the Tabernacle of everlasting reunion. Its guidance can never err, its testimony no other testimony can excel. All other traditions, all other books and records, are bereft of such distinction, inasmuch as both the traditions and they that have spoken them are confirmed and proven solely by the text of that Book.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 200

In the beginning of His Book He saith: "Alif. Lám. Mím. No doubt is there about this Book: It is a guidance unto the God-fearing." In the disconnected letters of the Qur'án the mysteries of the divine Essence are enshrined, and within their shells the pearls of His Unity are treasured. For lack of space We do not dwell upon them at this moment. Outwardly they signify Muhammad Himself, Whom God addresseth saying: "O Muhammad, there is no doubt nor uncertainty about this Book which hath been sent down from the heaven of divine Unity. In it is guidance unto them that fear God."  Consider, how He hath appointed and decreed this self-same Book, the Qur'án, as a guidance unto all that are in heaven and on earth. He, the divine Being, and unknowable Essence, hath, Himself, testified that this Book is, beyond all doubt and uncertainty, the guide of all mankind until the Day of Resurrection.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 202

3:7 He it is Who has sent down to thee the Book: In it are verses basic or fundamental (of established meaning); they are the foundation of the Book: others are allegorical. But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is allegorical, seeking discord, and searching for its hidden meanings, but no one knows its hidden meanings except God. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in the Book; the whole of it is from our Lord:" and none will grasp the Message except men of understanding.
-- Qur'an: 3 - AL-I-IMRAN

39:18 Those who listen to the Word, and follow the best (meaning) in it: those are the ones whom God has guided, and those are the ones endued with understanding.
-- Quran: 39 - AZ-ZUMAR

2:26. Allah disdains not to use the similitude of things, lowest as well as highest. Those who believe know that it is truth from their Lord; but those who reject Faith say: "What means Allah by this similitude?" By it He causes many to stray, and many He leads into the right path, but He causes not to stray, except those who forsake (the path).

2:27. Those who break Allah's Covenant after it is ratified, and who sunder what Allah has ordered to be joined, and do mischief on earth: These cause loss (only) to themselves.
-- The Qur'an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   2.


2)
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 [appearance of the Bab], 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 [appearance of Baha'u'llah], 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 [pre-existent Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah will be summoned to appear on earth] 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.

39:71 The Unbelievers will be led to Hell in crowd: until, when they arrive, there, its gates will be opened. And its keepers will say, "Did not apostles come to you from among yourselves, rehearsing to you the Signs of your Lord, and warning you of the Meeting of This Day of yours?" The answer will be: "True: but the Decree of Punishment has been proved true against the Unbelievers!"
-- Qur'an: 39 - AZ-ZUMAR

Verily We have sounded the Trumpet [appearance of Baha'u'llah] 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 [appearance of Baha'u'llah], 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

The second blast hath been blown on the trumpet [appearance of Baha'u'llah]. On whom are ye gazing? This is your Lord, the God of Mercy.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Proclamation of Baha'u'llah, p. 98

O Haydar-`Alí! I swear by the righteousness of God! The Blast hath been blown on the Trumpet of the Bayán as decreed by the Lord, the Merciful, and all that are in the heavens and on the earth have swooned away except such as have detached themselves from the world, cleaving fast unto the Cord of God, the Lord of mankind.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 244

For soon after the first trumpet-blast which is to smite the earth with extermination and death, there shall be sounded again yet another call, at which all things will be quickened and revived. Then will the meaning of these sacred verses be revealed: 'And there was a blast on the trumpet, and all who are in the heavens and all who are in the earth expired, save those whom God permitted to live. Then was there sounded another blast, and, lo! arising, they gazed around them. And the earth shone with the light of her Lord, and the Book was set, and the Prophets were brought up, and the witnesses; and judgment was given between them with equity; and none was wronged.'[1] Verily I say, after the Qá'im the Qayyum [2] will be made manifest. For when the star of the Former has set, the sun of the beauty of Husayn [i.e. Baha'u'llah, the Return of Imam Husayn] will rise and illuminate the whole world. Then will be unfolded in all its glory the 'mystery' and the 'secret' spoken of by Shaykh Ahmad, who has said: 'The mystery of this Cause must needs be made manifest, and the secret of this Message must needs be divulged.' To have attained unto that Day of days is to have attained unto the crowning glory of past generations, and one goodly deed performed in that age is equal to the pious worship of countless centuries.
-- The Dawn-Breakers, p. 40


3)
The following can be interpreted as a prophecy of the appearance of the Bab. "Sun" is a symbolic reference to the Independent Prophet while "Moon" is a symbolic reference to the Dependent Prophet. The Bab, being an Independent Prophet bringing a new book (the Bayan) as well as being the Twelfth Imam (Imam Mahdi) represents the "sun and moon being joined together" (Qur'an: 75:9 below) on the Day of Resurrection.

75:6 He questions: "When is the Day of Resurrection?"

75:7 At length, when the sight is dazed,

75:8 And the moon is buried in darkness.

75:9 And the sun and moon are joined together,-
-- Qur'an: 75 - AL-QIYAMAH.

Have they not heard the well-known tradition: "When the Qá'im [the Bab] riseth, that day is the Day of Resurrection?" In like manner, the Imáms, those unquenchable lights of divine guidance, have interpreted the verse: "What can such expect but that God should come down to them overshadowed with clouds," -- a sign which they have unquestionably regarded as one of the features of the Day of Resurrection -- as referring to Qá'im and His manifestation.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 144

And from the moment when the Tree of the Bayán appeared until it disappeareth is the Resurrection of the Apostle of God, as is divinely foretold in the Qur'án; the beginning of which was when two hours and eleven minutes had passed on the eve of the fifth of Jamádiyu'l-Avval, 1260 A.H., which is the year 1270 of the Declaration of the Mission of Muhammad. This was the beginning of the Day of Resurrection of the Qur'án, and until the disappearance of the Tree of divine Reality is the Resurrection of the Qur'án. The stage of perfection of everything is reached when its resurrection occurreth. The perfection of the religion of Islám was consummated at the beginning of this Revelation; and from the rise of this Revelation until its setting, the fruits of the Tree of Islám, whatever they are, will become apparent. The Resurrection of the Bayán will occur at the time of the appearance of Him Whom God shall make manifest.
-- The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 107-108


4)
Traditions in Islam on the coming of the Bab referred to by Baha'u'llah.

Abú-`Abdi'lláh, 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, 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


5)
Following can be interpreted as a prophecy of the appearance of Bahá'u'lláh. The "Caller" refers to the Prophet, and the "(mighty) Blast in (very) truth" refers to him being a Universal Manifestation, bringing a revelation with broad scope.

50:41 And listen for the Day when the Caller will call out from a place quiet near,-

50:42 The Day when they will hear a (mighty) Blast in (very) truth: that will be the Day of Resurrection.

50:43 Verily it is We Who give Life and Death; and to Us is the Final Goal

50:44 The Day when the Earth will be rent asunder, from (men) hurrying out: that will be a gathering together,- quite easy for Us.

50:45 We know best what they say; and thou art not one to overawe them by force. So admonish with the Qur'án such as fear My Warning!
-- Qur'an: 50 - QAF,

Guide, then, the people unto the garden of delight which God hath made the Throne of His Paradise. We have chosen thee to be our most mighty Trumpet, whose blast is to signalize the resurrection of all mankind.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 31


6)
Prophecies about Akka, site of the Most Great Prison, where Baha'u'llah was held. He later moved to the Mansion of Bahji.

In this connection it hath been deemed necessary to mention such traditions as have been recorded regarding the blessed and honored city of Akká, that haply thou mayest, O Hádí, seek a path unto the Truth, and a road leading unto God.

In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

The following hath been recorded concerning the merits of Akká, and of the sea, and of Aynu'l-Baqár (The Spring of the Cow) which is in Akká: `Abdu'l-`Azíz, son of `Abdu'-Salám, hath related unto us that the Prophet--may the blessings of God and His salutations be upon him--hath said: "Akká is a city in Syria to which God hath shown His special mercy."

Ibn-i-Mas'úd--may God be pleased with him-- hath stated: "The Prophet--may the blessings of God and His salutations be upon Him--hath said: `Of all shores the best is the shore of Askelon, and Akká is, verily, better than Askelon, and the merit of Akká above that of Askelon and all other shores is as the merit of Muhammad above that of all other Prophets. I bring you tidings of a city betwixt two mountains in Syria, in the middle of a meadow, which is called Akká. Verily, he that entereth therein, longing for it and eager to visit it, God will forgive his sins, both of the past and of the future. And he that departeth from it, other than as a pilgrim, God will not bless his departure. In it is a spring called the Spring of the Cow. Whoso drinketh a draught therefrom, God will fill his heart with light, and will protect him from the most great terror on the Day of Resurrection.'"

Anas, son of Malík--may God be pleased with him--hath said: "The Apostle of God--may the blessings of God and His salutations be upon Him-- hath said: `By the shore of the sea is a city, suspended beneath the Throne, and named Akká. He that dwelleth therein, firm and expecting a reward from God--exalted be He--God will write down for him, until the Day of Resurrection, the recompense of such as have been patient, and have stood up, and knelt down, and prostrated themselves, before Him.'"

And He--may the blessings of God and His salutations be upon Him--hath said: "I announce unto you a city, on the shores of the sea, white, whose whiteness is pleasing unto God--exalted be He! It is called Akká. He that hath been bitten by one of its fleas is better, in the estimation of God, than he who hath received a grievous blow in the path of God. And he that raiseth therein the call to prayer, his voice will be lifted up unto Paradise. And he that remaineth therein for seven days in the face of the enemy, God will gather him with Khidr--peace be upon Him--and God will protect him from the most great terror on the Day of Resurrection." And He--may the blessings of God,--exalted be He--and His salutations be upon Him--hath said: "There are kings and princes in Paradise. The poor of Akká are the kings of Paradise and the princes thereof. A month in Akká is better than a thousand years elsewhere."

The Apostle of God--may the blessings of God and His salutations be upon Him--is reported to have said: "Blessed the man that hath visited Akká, and blessed he that hath visited the visitor of Akká. Blessed the one that hath drunk from the Spring of the Cow and washed in its waters, for the black-eyed damsels quaff the camphor in Paradise, which hath come from the Spring of the Cow, and from the Spring of Salván (Siloam), and the Well of Zamzam. Well is it with him that hath drunk from these springs, and washed in their waters, for God hath forbidden the fire of hell to touch him and his body on the Day of Resurrection."

The Prophet--may the blessings of God and His salutations be upon Him--is stated to have said: "In Akká are works of supererogation and acts which are beneficial, which God vouchsafed specially unto whomsoever He pleaseth.

And he that saith in Akká: `Glorified be God, and praise be unto God, and there is none other God but God, and most great is God, and there is no power nor strength except in God, the Exalted, the Mighty,' God will write down for him a thousand good deeds, and blot out from him a thousand evil deeds, and will uplift him a thousand grades in Paradise, and will forgive him his transgressions. And whoso saith in Akká: `I beg forgiveness of God,' God will forgive all his trespasses. And he that remembereth God in Akká at morn and at eventide, in the night-season and at dawn, is better in the sight of God than he who beareth swords, spears and arms in the path of God--exalted be He!"

The Apostle of God--may the blessings of God and His salutations be upon Him--hath also said: "He that looketh upon the sea at eventide, and saith: `God is Most Great!' at sunset, God will forgive his sins, though they be heaped as piles of sand. And he that counteth forty waves, while repeating: `God is Most Great!'--exalted be He--God will forgive his sins, both past and future."

The Apostle of God--may the blessings of God and His salutations be upon Him--hath said: "He that looketh upon the sea a full night is better than he who passeth two whole months betwixt the Rukn and the Maqám. And he that hath been brought up on the shores of the sea is better than he that hath been brought up elsewhere. And he that lieth on the shore is as he that standeth elsewhere."

Verily, the Apostle of God--may the blessings of God, exalted be He, and His salutations be upon Him--hath spoken the truth.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 177-181


7)
Prophecies of the Holy Imams on the coming of the Bab and Baha'u'llah.


8)
References on the successorship of the Holy Imams to Muhammad.


9)
References on the Seal of the Prophets.


10)
References on Resurrection.



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