Archive for September, 2019

Baha’i Month: Mashiyyat/Will 1, 176 B.E. (9/27/2019)

Friday, September 27th, 2019

A Message from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Written for The Christian Commonwealth and published September 29th, 1911.

GOD sends Prophets for the education of the people and the progress of mankind. Each such Manifestation of God has raised humanity. They serve the whole world by the bounty of God. The sure proof that they are the Manifestations of God is in the education and progress of the people. The Jews were in the lowest condition of ignorance, and captives under Pharaoh when Moses appeared and raised them to a high state of civilization. Thus was the reign of Solomon brought about and science and art were made known to mankind. Even Greek philosophers became students of Solomon’s teaching. Thus was Moses proved to be a Prophet.
After the lapse of time the Israelites deteriorated, and became subject to the Romans and the Greeks. Then the brilliant Star of Jesus rose from the horizon upon the Israelites, brightening the world, until all sects and creeds and nations were taught the beauty of unity. There cannot be any better proof than this that Jesus was the Word of God.
So it was with the Arabian nations who, being uncivilized, were oppressed by the Persian and Greek governments. When the Light of Muḥammad shone forth all Arabia was brightened. These oppressed and degraded peoples became enlightened and cultured; so much so, indeed, that other nations imbibed Arabian civilization from Arabia. This was the proof of Muḥammad’s divine mission.
All the teaching of the Prophets is one; one faith; one Divine light shining throughout the world. Now, under the banner of the oneness of humanity all people of all creeds should turn away from prejudice and become friends and believers in all the Prophets. As Christians believe in Moses, so the Jews should believe in Jesus. As the Muḥammadans believe in Christ and Moses, so likewise the Jews and the Christians should believe in Muḥammad. Then all disputes would disappear, all then would be united. Bahá’u’lláh came for this purpose. He has made the three religions one. He has uplifted the standard of the oneness of faith and the honour of humanity in the centre of the world. Today we must gather round it, and try with heart and soul to bring about the union of mankind.

Abdu’l-Baha’ In London

Whatsoever Is Possible Of Accomplishment In Human Government Will Be Effected Through These Principles

Baha’i Sabbath-Izzat 13, 176 B.E. (9/20/2019)

Saturday, September 21st, 2019

From an Interview given by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to the Weekly Budget.
September 23rd, 1911.

SOME OF THE EXPERIENCES OF HIS FORTY YEARS IMPRISONMENT

IN an apartment in Cadogan Gardens sits a spiritually illumined Oriental, whose recent advent in London marks the latest junction of the East and West.

The teaching of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá has already brought about the commingling of thousands of Englishmen and Englishwomen with Orientals from every quarter of the East. Upon the basis of mutual help and friendship and the worship of God, regardless of creed and denomination, they have joined hands with an earnestness and brotherly love contrary to the theories of certain cynical poets and philosophers.

Most of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s life has been spent in an Eastern prison, which he gladly endured rather than abjure his faith, one of the tenets of which is the absolute equality of souls regardless of physical differences, such as sex and colour. He recognizes no class distinctions except those conferred by service and the spirit of brotherly love. For this and other like doctrines he was held prisoner for forty years in the fortress city of ‘Akká, in Palestine. When I requested to talk with him, I was told to come early, and called, according, at nine o’clock, for an interview. It was already mid-day to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá who rises at four, and who had seen eighteen people before his breakfast at half-past six.

Representatives of many languages and nationalities awaited him in the drawing room.

We sat in a circle facing ‘Abdu’l-Bahá who inquired if there were any questions we would like to ask. I said my editor had sent me to ascertain something of his prison life, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá at once related in a simple impersonal way one of the most remarkable stories conceivable.

“At nine years of age, I accompanied my father, Bahá’u’lláh, in his journey of exile to Baghdád, seventy of his disciples going with us. This decree of exile, after persistent persecution, was intended to effectively stamp out of Persia what the authorities considered a dangerous religion. Bahá’u’lláh, with his family and followers, was banished, and travelled from one place to another. When I was about twenty-five years old, we were moved from Constantinople to Adrianople, and from there went with a guard of soldiers to the fortressed city of ‘Akká, where we were imprisoned and closely guarded.”

“We had no communication whatever with the out-side world. Each loaf of bread was cut open by the guard to see that it contained no message. All who believed in the Bahá’í manifestation, children, men and women, were imprisoned with us. There were one-hundred and fifty of us together in two rooms and no one was allowed to leave the place with the exceptions of four persons, who went to the bazaar to market each morning, under guard. The first summer was dreadful. ‘Akká is a fever-ridden town. It was said that a bird attempting to fly over it would drop dead. The food was poor and insufficient, the water was drawn from a fever-infected well and the climate and conditions were such, that even the natives of the town fell ill. Many soldiers succumbed and eight out of ten of our guard died. During the intense heat, malaria, typhoid and dysentery attacked the prisoners, so that all, men, women and children, were sick at one time. There were no doctors, no medicines, no proper food, and no treatment of any kind.

“I used to make broth for the people, and as I had much practice, I make good broth,” said ‘Abdu’l-Bahá laughingly.

At this point one of the Persians explained to me that it was on account of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s wonderful patience, helpfulness, and endurance that he was always called “The Master.” One could easily feel his mastership in his complete severance from time and place, and absolute detachment from all that even a Turkish prison could inflict.

“After two years of the strictest confinement permission was granted me to find a house so that we could live outside the prison walls but still within the fortifications. Many believers came from Persia to join us but they were not allowed to do so. Nine years passed. Sometimes we were better off and sometimes very much worse. It depended on the governor, who, if he happened to be a kind and lenient ruler, would grant us permission to leave the fortification, and would allow the believers free access to visit the house; but when the governor was more rigorous, extra guards were placed around us, and often pilgrims who had come from afar were turned away.”

I learned, afterwards, from a Persian, who, during these troublous times, was a member of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s household, that the Turkish government could not credit the fact that the interest of the English and American visitors was purely spiritual and not political. Often these pilgrims were refused permission to see him, and, many times, the whole trip from America would be rewarded merely by a glimpse of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá from his prison window.

The Government thought that the tomb of the Báb, an imposing building on Mount Carmel, was a fortification erected with the aid of American money, and that it was being armed and garrisoned secretly. Suspicion grew with each new arrival, resulting in extra spies and guards.

“One year before ‘Abdu’l-Ḥamíd was dethroned, he sent an extremely overbearing, treacherous and insulting committee of investigation. The chairman was one of the governor’s staff, Árif Bey, and with him were three army commanders varying in rank.

“Immediately upon his arrival, Árif Bey proceeded to denounce me and tried to get proof strong enough to warrant sending me to Fizán, or throwing me into the sea. Fizán is a caravan station on the boundary of Tripoli where there are no houses and no water. It is a month’s journey by camel route from ‘Akká.

“The committee twice sent for me to hear what I had to say in my own defence and twice I sent back word: ‘I know your purpose, I have nothing to say.’

“This so infuriated Árif Bey that he declared he would return to Constantinople and bring back an order from the Sulṭán to have me hanged at the gate of ‘Akká. He and his committee set sail with their report containing the following accusations:—‘Abdu’l-Bahá is establishing a new nation of which he is to be the king; ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is uplifting the banner of a new religion; ‘Abdu’l-Bahá has built or caused to be built fortifications in Haifa, a neighbouring village, and is buying up all the surrounding lands.’

“About this time an Italian ship appeared in the harbour sent by order of the Italian Consul. It had been planned that I was to escape on it by night. The Bahá’ís in ‘Akká implored me to go but I sent this message to the captain: ‘The Báb did not run away: Bahá’u’lláh did not run away; I shall not run away, so the ship sailed away after waiting three days and three nights.

“It was while the Sulṭán’s committee of investigation was homeward bound that the first shell was dropped into ‘Abdu’l-Ḥamíd’s camp and the first gun of freedom was fired into the home of despotism. That was God’s gun,” said ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, with one of his wonderful smiles.

“When the committee reached the Turkish capital, they had more urgent things to think of. The city was in a state of uproar and rebellion, and the committee, as members of the government staff, were delegated to investigate the insurrection. Meanwhile the people were establishing a constitutional government and ‘Abdu’l-Ḥamíd was given no chance to act.”

“With the advent of the Young Turks’ supremacy, realized through the Society of Union and Progress, all the political prisoners of the Ottoman Empire were set free. Events took the chains from my neck and placed them about Hamíd’s; ‘Abdu’l-Bahá came out of prison and ‘Abdu’l-Ḥamíd went in!”

“What became of the committee?” asked someone, breaking the deep silence that followed the recital of this thrilling page of history. “Árif Bey,” continued ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, “was shot with three bullets, the general was exiled, the next in rank died, and the third ran away to Cairo, where he sought and received help from the Bahá’ís.”

“Will you tell us how you felt while in prison and how you regard your freedom?” I asked. “We are glad that you are free.”

“Thank you,” he said graciously, and continuing—

“Freedom is not a matter of place. It is a condition. I was thankful for the prison, and the lack of liberty was very pleasing to me, for those days were passed in the path of service, under the utmost difficulties and trials, bearing fruits and results.

“Unless one accepts dire vicissitudes, he will not attain. To me prison is freedom, troubles rest me, death is life, and to be despised is honour. Therefore, I was happy all that time in prison. When one is released from the prison of self, that is indeed release, for that is the greater prison. When this release takes place, then one cannot be outwardly imprisoned. When they put my feet in stocks, I would say to the guard, ‘You cannot imprison me, for here I have light and air and bread and water. There will come a time when my body will be in the ground, and I shall have neither light nor air nor food nor water, but even then I shall not be imprisoned.’ The afflictions which come to humanity sometimes tend to centre the consciousness upon the limitations, and this is a veritable prison. Release comes by making of the will a Door through which the confirmations of the Spirit come.”

This sounded so like the old theology that the modern in me rose doubting if the discipline could be compensated for by the effort. “What do you mean by the confirmations of the Spirit?”

“The confirmations of the Spirit are all those powers and gifts which some are born with (and which men sometimes call genius), but for which others have to strive with infinite pains. They come to that man or woman who accepts his life with radiant acquiescence.”

Radiant acquiescence—that was the quality with which we all suddenly seemed inspired as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá bade us good-bye.

It was a remarkable experience, hearing one who had passed along the prison path for forty years declare “There is no prison but the prison self;” and it drove conviction to one’s mind as this white-robed messenger from the East pointed the way out,—not by the path called “Renunciation,” but “Unattachment;” Radiant Acquiescence—the Shining Pathway out of the “greater prison of self” as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá so beautifully terms those bars that keep us from our fulfillment.

Interview by Isabel Fraser.

From the book: Abdu’l-Baha’ In London

Whatsoever Is Possible Of Accomplishment In Human Government Will Be Effected Through These Principles

Baha’i Sabbath-Izzat 6, 176 B.E. (9/13/2019)

Sunday, September 15th, 2019

We must use our utmost endeavors in order that the Holy Spirit may influence minds and hearts toward peace, the bounties of God surround, the divine effulgences become successive, human souls advance, minds expand in wider vision, souls become more holy and the world of humanity be rid of its great menace. For the betterment of the world Bahá’u’lláh endured all the hardships, ordeals and vicissitudes of life, sacrificing His very being and comfort, forfeiting His estates, possessions and honor—all that pertains to human existence—not for one year, nay, rather, for nearly fifty years. During this long period He was subjected to persecution and abuse, was cast into prison, was banished from His native land, underwent severities and humiliation and was exiled four times. He was first exiled from Persia to Baghdád, thence to Constantinople, thence to Rumelia and finally to the great prison-fortress of ‘Akká in Syria, where He passed the remainder of His life. Every day a new oppression and abuse was heaped upon Him until He winged His flight from the dungeon to the supreme world and returned to His Lord. He endured these ordeals and difficulties in order that this earthly human world might become heavenly, that the illumination of the divine Kingdom should become a reality in human hearts, that the individual members of mankind might progress, the power of the Holy Spirit increase its efficacy and penetration and the happiness of the world of humanity be assured. He desired for all tranquillity and composure and exercised loving-kindness toward the nations regardless of conditions and differences. He addressed humanity, saying, “O humankind! Verily, ye are all the leaves and fruits of one tree; ye are all one. Therefore, associate in friendship; love one another; abandon prejudices of race; dispel forever this gloomy darkness of human ignorance, for the century of light, the Sun of Reality hath appeared. Now is the time for affiliation, and now is the period of unity and concord. For thousands of years ye have been contending in warfare and strife. It is enough. Now is the time for unity. Lay aside all self-purposes, and know for a certainty that all men are the servants of one God Who will bind them together in love and agreement.”

Abdu’l-Baha’-The Promulgation Of Universal Peace, excerpt from a talk given in Chicago on 9/16/1912

Whatsoever Is Possible Of Accomplishment In Human Government Will Be Effected Through These Principles

Baha’i Month-Izzat/Might 1, 176 B.E. (9/8/2019)

Sunday, September 8th, 2019

DECLARATION OF THE UNIVERSAL GUARDAINSHIP OF ALLAH IN THE LINE OF DAWUD (KING DAVID): THE COMPLETION OF THE RELIGION OF ALLAH

BY M.Y.M.

MONDAY 19TH AUGUST 2019 (18TH DHUL HIJJAH 1440)
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST EXALTED, THE MOST GLORIOUS!

“Today, I have perfected my religion for you, completed my blessings upon you, andchosen Islam (Submission) for you as a religion.” (Qur’an, Surah Ma’idah 5:3)

My Dear Brother and Honourable Friend, S.I.A.H.,

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wa barakatuh!

As a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad and a great scholar of Islam, you will surely be aware that today, the 18th of Dhul Hijjah, is a very special day for Muslims as it marks the day when the religion of Islam was perfected by God by the declaration of the Prophet to the people the identity of his successor. On this day, the Prophet declared the guardian of the affairs of the Muslim community to all the Muslims. This was when the following verse of the Qur’an was revealed:

“Today, I have completed your religion for you, perfected my favour upon youand chosen Islam for you as a religion.” (Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:3)

On this day, in the 10th year of the Hijra, the Prophet while returning from his farewell pilgrimage and while there were only a few months left of his precious life, stopped at a place known as Khum. There, he gathered all his companions and announced that he was leaving two precious and weighty things behind for their guidance and protection. These were the Book of Allah and the Ahlul Bayt, meaning his family and descendants from the lineage of Ibrahim. (Sahih Muslim) He then held the hand of his cousin and son-in-law, Ali, and declared that he was the Guardian of the Believers. (Musnad Ahmad) This was the greatest and most ceremonious declaration the Prophet ever made besides the ones at Mount Safa and the Farewell Pilgrimage. Here, he made the declaration about the true spiritual leadership of the Muslims known as the wilayah or guardianship.

Today, on this day of Ghadir in the year 1440 AH, I am announcing to you and the world the glad-tidings of another guardianship which is Greater than the guardianship of the Ahlul Bayt of the Prophet Muhammad. It is the Universal Guardianship (Wilayah) of God in the line of Dawud. The line of Dawud stems from the line of the Prophet Ishaaq unlike the lineage of Muhammad which stems from the lineage of the Prophet Isma’il. Both Prophets, Isma’il and Ishaaq, were the sons of the Prophet Ibrahim and God chose Ibrahim and his lineage through both his sons to bless mankind through them. The lineage and Family of the Prophet Muhammad is known as the Ahlul Bayt but so is the lineage of the Prophet Dawud through the Prophet Ishaaq. The Qur’an says while addressing Ibrahim and his wife Sarah, who is the mother of the Prophet Ishaaq:

“The Mercy and Blessings of Allah be upon you, O Ahlul Bayt!” (Surah Hud11:73)

This shows that the lineage of the Prophet Ishaaq is also counted among the Ahlul Bayt. The Ahlul Bayt of Dawud is the lineage of the universal Kingship and caliphate of Allah. This is why it has been declared in the Qur’an as such. The Ahlul Bayt of Muhammad has not specifically been mentioned in the Qur’an as it is not the lineage of the Universal Caliphate and Guardianship of Allah. However, its importance can be understood through the Qur’an and Islamic tradition which show the importance of the family line of the Prophets. The Prophet said that there would be twelve leaders after him and these twelve leaders are well-known by both the Sunni and the Shiah as being from the Family and Descendants of the Prophet Muhammad.

The Prophet Dawud is the only person who was designated by Allah in the Qur’an as caliph and the Qur’an clearly says that his son, Sulaiman, succeeded him. This shows that this is the true line of the Universal caliphate of Allah. The Qur’an says:

“O Dawud! We have made you a caliph on earth, so judge among people with justice…” (Surah Saad 38:26)

It also says:

“Sulaiman inherited from Dawud..” (Surah Naml 27:16)

Today, we are living in the Promised Day of Allah when the universal government of Allah has been established in the world. The Universal spiritual government of Allah established in the world today is known as the Universal House of Justice (Bayt Al- Adl) and it exists in the Rocky Mountains of the USA. Its president is Neal Chase Ben Joseph Aghsan who is a descendant of Dawud (AS). He is the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith and the Universal Guardian of Allah for mankind. He has been foretold in the Qur’an by his name “Na’im” and the “Son of Mary”. He is the only Sign of the Hour (the Day of Judgement) designated by Allah in the Qur’an. The Qur’an does not describe anything as a “Sign of the Hour” besides the “Son of Mary”. Therefore, this is the most important sign. Neal Chase is the “Son of Mary” as his mother is called Maryam. His Hebrew name is Nahum which is equivalent to Na’im in Arabic, meaning comfort. The Qur’an says:

“When you look there, you shall see “Na’im” and a Great Kingdom.” (Surah Al-Dahr 76:20)

And it says:

“Surely, he (The Son of Mary) is a sign of the Hour…” Surah Zukhruf 43:61)

The Day of Judgement is the Day when God’s Kingdom is established. Allah says:

“The Kingdom on that Day belongs to Allah…” (Surah Hajj 22:56)

And:

“To Whom does the Kingdom belong Today? To Allah, the One and All- Powerful!” (Surah Ghafir 40:16)

Today is the Day of Judgement. The signs mentioned in the Qur’an for the Day of Judgement have all come to pass. Unlike what many people believe, the Day of Judgement is not the day when people are physically resurrected from their graves. It is the Day of Spiritual Resurrection for mankind. It is the Day when God Himself comes with His Universal Revelation to judge mankind. It starts with two Trumpet Blasts that succeed one another at short intervals. These Two Trumpet Blast symbolize the advent of two Great Revelations which announce the Day of Judgement and the establishment of God’s Kingdom. The prophecies in the Qur’an for the Day of Judgement and the Two Trumpet Blasts were fulfilled in the late nineteenth century by the coming of the Bab and Baha’u’llah. Today, a descendant of Baha’u’llah, Neal Chase, is the Head of the Divine Universal Government of God established by Baha’u’llah.

The way we can recognize the government of God and the Promised Ones who have Brought God’s Revelations for mankind today is by proofs from the Qur’an and Heavenly Scripture. The Qur’an describes the names, addresses, dates and missions of these people. The Qur’an says:

“The Trumpet shall be sounded and all those in the heavens and the earth shall pass out except those whom God wishes to spare. Then, it shall be sounded again, then they shall all of a sudden be standing and looking on. And the Earth shall shine with the Light (Glory) of its Lord and the Book will be placed..” (Surah Zumar 39:68-69)

The First Trumpet Blast represents the Revelation of the Bab, a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, whose actual name was Mirza Ali Muhammad. He is known in the West as the Bab, meaning the Door or Gate, as he was the Door and Gate to a New Era of Divine Revelation. He came from Shiraz to Mecca in 1844. He was theForerunner of Baha’u’llah, the Great Manifestation of God for THIS AGE and the Founder of the Universal Religion of God known as the Baha’i Faith. The Bab is the Imam Mahdi the Sunni Muslims await and the Qa’im foretold by the Twelve Imams accepted by Shiah Muslims. Baha’u’llah is the Christ and the Second Coming of Jesus awaited by the Muslims and Christians. The Qur’an gives us the name of the First Promised One, the Bab, after drawing attention to the disappearance of the Twelfth Imam for a period of time. It says:

“He (the disbeliever) asks when is the Day of Resurrection (Qiyamah)?” When the eye is dazed and the moon is eclipsed and the sun and the moon are brought together, man shall say Where can I escape?” (Surah Qiyamah 75:6-10)

According to Imam Ja’far Sadiq, the Sun and Moon represent two great personalities who are the sources of illumination for the Muslims. When Imam Ja’far Al-Sadiq was asked the meaning of the first two verses of Surah Al-Shams (Surah 91), i.e., “By the Sun and its brightness; By the Moon when it follows the sun”, he explained that the sun meant Muhammad while the moon meant Ali who came after and succeeded him. This is because Muhammad was the original source of the light, while Ali and the Ahlul Bayt of Muhammad reflected that same light like the moon.

The eclipse of the moon in the above verse refers to the disappearance of the twelfth imam in 260 AH which is well-known by both the Shiah and the Sunnis. The next verse says “the sun and moon are joined together”. This shows that after this disappearance, once again both Prophethood represented by the sun and the guardianship or imamate represented by the moon will be joined together. It also shows the name of the first Promised One, the Bab, whose name Ali Muhammad is a combination of both Ali and Muhammad. The verse “The sun and the moon are joined together” is a clear prophecy for his name.

The Second Trumpet Blast represents the revelation of Baha’u’llah who is the New Christ and Messiah from the Ummah of Muhammad and is a descendant of the Prophet Dawud (AS). He came from Tehran to Palestine where he passed away in 1892. The Muslims wrongly expect the same person of Jesus Christ to return although the Prophet Muhammad only used the name of Jesus as an allegory to show that the person who comes will come with a similar mission to Jesus. This is why the Qur’an clearly says that God made Jesus to die before raising him up. (Surah Aal Imran 3:55) This shows that he was raised to God spiritually and not physically. Baha’u’llah is the second coming of Jesus and he has brought the Universal Revelation of Allah to unify mankind. He gave mankind twelve principles to establish justice and unity in the world. They are as follows:

  1. The Oneness of Humanity
  2. Independent,Unfettered Investigation of the Truth
  3. Religion is Progressive, All have a Common Foundation
  4. Religion must be the Source of Unity
  5. True Science and True Religion must Correspond
  6. The Equality of Men and Women
  7. Removal of all Prejudice
  8. Universal Peace upheld by a Spiritual World Government
  9. Universal Compulsory Education
  10. A Spiritual Solution to the Economic Problem
  11. A Universal Auxiliary Language
  12. Universal House of Justice with the Davidic King

The Qur’an says that following the second Trumpet Blast, mankind will be stood looking. This shows that mankind will come back to life after its death through this second Revelation. Then, it gives us the name of the Promised One who brings this New Revelation. It says:

“The Earth will shine with the Light (Glory) of its Lord”

This is a prophecy for the name of Baha’u’llah. The Word Baha’u’llah means the Light, Splendour and Glory of Allah. Baha means glory which means brightness such as the brightness of the sun. It also means Light in other languages such as Sanskrit. Baha’u’llah is called by this name because he is the centre and place of Manifestation of the Light and Glory of Allah. The Light of Allah appears in him just as the Light of Allah appeared in the Blazing tree before Musa (AS). Then, a call came from inside the tree, saying:

“Surely, I am Allah, there is no God except me!” (Taha 20:14)

Baha’u’llah is the only person in the world who raised the call “Surely, I am God! There is no God except me!” like the Tree from which Moses heard God’s call. This phrase is repeated over and over again in the Revelation of Baha’u’llah. Was Baha’u’llah mad or an imposter as some people believe? No! God Forbid! He was the Manifestation of the Light of Allah, the Glory of Allah and the promised one of Allah for mankind.

The Qur’an clearly says that Muhammad was the final and last Prophet of God. It does not speak about anybody else coming after him until the Day of Judgement. However, the Qur’an says that on the Day of Judgement God will appear Himself. It says:

“And your Lord shall come with the angels assembled in rows.” (Suratul Fajr 89:22)

This shows that the Day of Judgement is the Day when God Himself comes. The coming of Allah cannot mean His coming in His essence as the essence of Allah is beyond characteristics such as coming and going or ascending and descending. Therefore, it can only refer to the coming of a person or Messenger whom God sends with His Power. The event of his coming is so great that it is described as the coming of Allah himself. It fulfils the prophecy for the coming of Allah on the Day of Judgement and mankind’s standing before Allah for judgement. Therefore, the Revelations of the Bab and Baha’u’llah represent the Revelations of Allah Himself. This also shows that they are not subservient to any previous Revelation such as Islam as it is falsely believed by the Muslims. The way Muhammad was the final Prophet of Allah is that he was the final prophet who foretold the Universal Day of Resurrection when Allah would appear in His New Revelation in the person of His New Promised Ones.

The Day of Judgement is the Day when the Light of Allah illumines the earth as mentioned in the Qur’an. Allah says:

“Allah is the Light of the Heavens and the Earth.” (Surah Nur 24:35)

Later, in the same verse, it says:

“Allah guides whomever He wills to His Light.” (Surah Nur 24:35)

This Light of God appeared in Baha’u’llah. It was the Light (Nur) and Splendour (Baha) of God. However, it is difficult for many people to accept his revelation. This is because they do not know the real significance of his revelation. When they are called to prostrate to the Nur (Light) of Allah manifest in Baha’u’llah just as the angels were asked to prostrate themselves to Adam (Surah Baqarah 2:34), they fail to do this. This has also been foretold in the Qur’an. The Qur’an says:

“The Day when the shin will be revealed and they will be called to prostrate and they will not be able to.” (Surah Qalam 68:42)

The Shin has been interpreted by scholars as a great column of Light and it has been linked to the coming of Allah with his kingdom. This is the Light of God that is revealed through Baha’u’llah. However, this does not mean that Baha’u’llah is God. Can anybody say that the tree from which Musa heard the call of God was God himself? No! Similarly, the person who comes from God and Manifests His Most Great Light is not God but the place of God’s Most Great Manifestation. Just as Moses heard the voice of God from the Tree, mankind today can hear the voice of God from the Person of Baha’u’llah.

The Qur’an has concealed the knowledge about the Hour and the Day of Judgement in its symbolic language. This was to test mankind to see who is pure of heart and can accept the new revelation of God and who is not pure of heart and cannot accept it. Of all the claimants in the world, only the Bab and Baha’u’llah fulfil the above prophecies of the Qur’an. By their coming, all the events of the Day of Judgement have been fulfilled according to their deeper meaning which is the real intended meaning. Allah says in the Qur’an:

“The Hour is coming; I almost hide it so that every soul may be rewarded for its efforts”. (Surah Taha 20:15)

It also says:

“When the Hour is established, the sinners will swear that they had only remained for a short while. However, the people who have been given knowledge and faith will say “You have remained in the Book of Allah until the Day of Resurrection. This is the Day of Resurrection but you did not know it.” (Surah Rum 30:55-56)

Both the above verses show that it is not easy for people to recognize the Day of Judgement as it has been hidden by Allah to test the people. They need to make an effort to know it. If the Day of Judgement had really been of a physical nature, then everybody would have been able to recognize it. The Qur’an on the contrary says that the sinners will deny it until the people who have been given knowledge and faith will tell them the reality about that day being the Day of Judgement. Today, I am telling the world: “THIS IS THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT BUT YOU DID NOT KNOW IT!”

Although the two great Promised Ones of Allah have come and gone, they have left us their teachings in the form of revelations. Baha’u’llah has also left us a Spiritual World Government which he established through his teachings and which is his successor. He did not just leave us with an individual to guide us but left us a council and a body with a president. This president today is Neal Chase who is the Universal Guardian of the Kingdom of God and the President of the Universal House of Justice. Neal is an ordinary human being and not a prophet but he is the great- great adopted grandson of Baha’u’llah and a biological descendant of the Prophet Dawud. He is the present caliph of God and the Universal Guardian of God for mankind.

The Qur’an also shows that the Two Promised Ones will bring New Books from Allah. After mentioning the second Trumpet Blast, the Qur’an says:

The Earth will shine with the Glory of its Lord (Baha’u’llah) and the Book will be placed” (Surah Zumar 39:69)

It also says in another verse:

“The Day when some of the Ayaat (Signs/Verses) of your Lord will come, a person will not benefit from his faith… (Surah An’aam 6:158)

The Book in the first verse is generally understood to mean the Book of records of good and bad deeds. However, the real meaning of the Book in this verse is a New Universal Book of Revelation from God for mankind. The name of the BookRevealed through Baha’u’llah is the Kitab Al-Aqdas. The “Ayaat” mentioned in the second verse is generally understood to mean a specific sign mentioned in a tradition of the Prophet Muhammad, which is the sun rising from the West. However, another meaning of Ayaat is the verses of Divine revelation such as the Qur’an. The Sun mentioned in Islamic tradition is an allusion to the Sun of Revelation which is Baha’u’llah, the Glory of God. The above verses show that God will send a New Book and New Verses for mankind. This is one way of recognizing the New Promised Ones.

Only the Bab and Baha’u’llah’s fulfil the above prophecies as they both brought revelation from Allah. As mentioned above, the Book of Baha’u’llah is known as theKitab-i-Aqdas. The Central Book of the Bab is known as the Bayan. Both the Bab and Baha’u’llah revealed many other books, letters and writings. This shows that the Bab and Baha’u’llah are authentic according to the Holy Qur’an. It sets them apart from all other claimants such as Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadyani and Shakeel Bin Haneef who only base their claims on the Hadith rather than the Qur’an. They have not introduced a New Religion or Brought a New Book or New Verses from God. Because they do not prove themselves from the undoubted book of Allah, the Qur’an, their claims are doubtful and cannot be accepted. Only the Bab and Baha’u’llah have fulfilled Qur’anic prophecies and brought new revelations and Books from Allah. They are both Manifestations of the Great Light of God and their Coming is considered the Coming of God on the Day of Judgement. “THIS IS THE DAY OF RESURRECTION BUT YOU DID NOT KNOW IT.”

The true Prophecies for the Coming of the Two Promised were kept hidden by Allah in the Qur’an so that mankind may realize the truth regarding them on the Day of Judgement when these two individuals appear. This is to protect these prophecies so that nobody but the true Promised ones could claim to fulfil them. Others would not even know that these prophecies exist in the Qur’an. The Qur’an is the main source of Islam. No Muslim can be required to accept anything that goes against the Qur’an. The Hadith is a secondary source which consists of the recorded traditions of Muhammad, including his sayings, stories about him and certain other teachings that he gave. They may help people understand the Qur’an but they cannot be accepted if they contradict the Qur’an.

Many Muslims may object to the interpretation given above of the verses of the Qur’an related to the coming of the Two Promised Ones of Islam. Muslim understanding of the topic generally relies on Hadith. However, there is no doubt that the Qur’an takes precedence over the Hadith in all matters. Many Muslims went astray by following the Hadith when it clearly contradicted the Qur’an, e.g., in the issue of the method of performing the Islamic Ablution for the Formal Prayer (Salah). While the Qur’an clearly says that the Feet are to be wiped over with wet hands during ablution (Surah Ma’idah 5:6), most Muslims have misunderstood this and considered washing the feet as obligatory during the ablution. This was based on certain Hadith traditions which state that the Prophet had washed his feet during the ablution. The verse outlining the method of Wudu is contained in the same Surah as the verse mentioned at the beginning of this letter regarding the completion of Religion. It is only three verses after that verse. Similarly, the main source for the coming of the Two Promised Ones of Islam is the Qur’an and Not the Hadith. However, this fact has been hidden from many people until the coming of the Two Promised Ones, the Bab and Baha’u’llah. They have both shown how they fulfil prophecies in the Qur’an.

It is also important to know that the Greatest Authority to explain the Prophecies for the Promised ones can only be the Promised Ones themselves as they are the most knowledgeable people alive in the world during their time. Therefore, the Explanations of the Qur’an by the Bab and Baha’u’llah are reliable as they are the Promised Ones of God. They have come with Two Great Revelations of God for Mankind Announcing the Day of Judgement. The Qur’an also says that on the Day of Judgement, God will raise witnesses from every community to testify to the Truth of the Day to the People. (Surah Nahl 16:89) This is what has led me to announce before the world the Universal Guardianship in the Line of Dawud during last year’s Hajj Gathering in the USA as well as in this letter. I have been given the Faith and knowledge (Surah Rum 30:56) to guide my community to the Kingdom of Allah. Today, God has provided mankind the solution to all its problems through this New Revelation and the Universal Guardianship and Caliphate.

Please watch the video in the link below which shows my proclamation to the world during the Universal Hajj gathering of 2018 in the USA of the importance of the Universal Guardianship of God and the Newly Arranged Qur’an in a Unique Order. After a brief introduction by Neal Chase, Ross Campbell, an illustrious Baha’i scholar well-grounded in Biblical Studies delivers a presentation showing that Christ has returned through proofs from the Bible. This is followed by a presentation by Neal Chase about the importance of the Quran and Islam. This is followed by my presentation about the Newly arranged Qur’an, the Declaration of the Universal Guardianship of God in the Line of Dawud and the Great New Hajj which I took part in. Through this Declaration, the Religion of God has once again become Complete.

I hope you find this letter inspiring. May God Bless you and protect you in the shade of His loving Care!

With Love, Light and Blessings, Your Brother,
Y.

The New Jerusalem Gathering 2018 (6/6): Forum