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Chapter 52
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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.
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, 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, when, behold, they will be standing and looking
on!
39:69 And the Earth will shine with the Glory of its Lord: 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.
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
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)
The successorship of the Holy Imams to Muhammad.
8)
Prophecies of the Holy Imams on the coming of the Bab and Baha'u'llah.
9)
References on the Seal of the Prophets.
10)
References on Resurrection.
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