NationStates Jolt Archive

Hello,I don't think it's that important to introduce myself,except perhaps to help you understand my situation.I live in Egypt(I am not egyptian,I am an expatriate)where there is Bahai' administration(or none that publicly advertises).I am still in high school and live with my mother(who is muslim),thus I cannot publicly proclaim myself a Bahai'(or at least,interested in Bahai'ism).This would no doubt lead to a rather messy situation.But,moving on...

I am interested in Bahai'ism,but I am having doubts.Since there is no-one I can ask in my present situation,I am turning to the very useful tool that is the internet to ask my questions to real people.

Here they are:

1.It seems that many of Bahaullah's claims that he has been prophecised seem by all religions to be refuted by all the religions that he has claimed have prophecised his coming.Why is this?

2.Specifically for Islam,Mohammed has repeatedly and explicitly stated in hadith and the Quran that there will be no prophet after him.How can this be?

3.If the báb was the Mahdi,why wasn't the masih/christ returned to Earth and the whole full prophecy of the Mahdi in Islam completed?

4.How could the báb be killed?

5.Why did the báb repeatedly recant his beleifs and then return later to re-preach them?All other prophets have never done this,even under threat of physical harm.

6.Why did the báb have no miracles?All prophets have had miracles to prove their divine guidance.

7.How is Bahaullah seen in Bahai'ism?Is he a prophet?At many times,people seem to hold him a near divine reverance.

8.Why aren't any of the books that the Báb or Bahaullah written released to the public?

9.There are reports of Bahaullah killing off the supporters of the Báb(one he had died/arose to heaven)who refused to beleive in Bahaullah.Is this true,and if so,why?

10.Where is Bahaullah's authority derived from?

11.It is reported that the Báb has never actually declared Bahaullah as the bringer of the new religion or his successor?Is this true?

12.It is also reported that the Báb said many different things about the nature of his mission.Sometimes,he was the Mahdi.Sometimes,he was just a religous man.Sometimes,he was god.Is this true,and if so,please explain the behavior.

Thank you,and please justify your answers with some evidence,so I can at least understand the how's and why's of the answer.

There's a nation called GoodThoughts who used to post here that seems to know alot about Bahaism. Maybe you should try to TG him.

Hello,I don't think it's that important to introduce myself,except perhaps to help you understand my situation.I live in Egypt(I am not egyptian,I am an expatriate)where there is Bahai' administration(or none that publicly advertises).I am still in high school and live with my mother(who is muslim),thus I cannot publicly proclaim myself a Bahai'(or at least,interested in Bahai'ism).This would no doubt lead to a rather messy situation.But,moving on...

I am interested in Bahai'ism,but I am having doubts.Since there is no-one I can ask in my present situation,I am turning to the very useful tool that is the internet to ask my questions to real people.

Here they are:

1.It seems that many of Bahaullah's claims that he has been prophecised seem by all religions to be refuted by all the religions that he has claimed have prophecised his coming.Why is this?

2.Specifically for Islam,Mohammed has repeatedly and explicitly stated in hadith and the Quran that there will be no prophet after him.How can this be?

3.If the báb was the Mahdi,why wasn't the masih/christ returned to Earth and the whole full prophecy of the Mahdi in Islam completed?

4.How could the báb be killed?

5.Why did the báb repeatedly recant his beleifs and then return later to re-preach them?All other prophets have never done this,even under threat of physical harm.

6.Why did the báb have no miracles?All prophets have had miracles to prove their divine guidance.

7.How is Bahaullah seen in Bahai'ism?Is he a prophet?At many times,people seem to hold him a near divine reverance.

8.Why aren't any of the books that the Báb or Bahaullah written released to the public?

9.There are reports of Bahaullah killing off the supporters of the Báb(one he had died/arose to heaven)who refused to beleive in Bahaullah.Is this true,and if so,why?

10.Where is Bahaullah's authority derived from?

11.It is reported that the Báb has never actually declared Bahaullah as the bringer of the new religion or his successor?Is this true?

12.It is also reported that the Báb said many different things about the nature of his mission.Sometimes,he was the Mahdi.Sometimes,he was just a religous man.Sometimes,he was god.Is this true,and if so,please explain the behavior.

Thank you,and please justify your answers with some evidence,so I can at least understand the how's and why's of the answer.

I just checked my TG's for the first time is many days, so I am sorry about the delay. I will also respond to you by TG. You have alot of very good questions that can be answered by the book Kitab i Igan which can be found online at Ocean. do a search for Ocean Bahai a and you should find it ok. I will need a few days to answer some of these questions. I will post them here. I Hope this is ok.

1.It seems that many of Bahaullah's claims that he has been prophecised seem by all religions to be refuted by all the religions that he has claimed have prophecised his coming.Why is this?

The best answer for this question comes from Baha'u'llah whose answers to similiar questions were written down as He revealed them and then published in a book called the Kitab-i-Igan. It may well be true that organized forms of todays religions have rejected the claims of Baha'u'llah as the Promised One of all ages, but ordinary people from those religions have rejected the moribund religious dogma and corrupt religious leaders, and with their own eyes and ears have decided on their own what is truth and what is false.


"Consider the past. How many, both high and low, have, at all times, yearningly awaited the advent of the Manifestations of God in the sanctified persons of His chosen Ones. How often have they expected His coming, how frequently have they prayed that the breeze of divine mercy might blow, and the promised Beauty step forth from behind the veil of concealment, and be made manifest to all the world. And whensoever the portals of grace did open, and the clouds of divine bounty did rain upon mankind, and the light of the Unseen did shine above the horizon of celestial might, they all denied Him, and turned away from His face -- the face of God Himself. Refer ye, to verify this truth, to that which hath been recorded in every sacred Book.

Ponder for a moment, and reflect upon that which hath been the cause of such denial on the *5* part of those who have searched with such earnestness and longing. Their attack hath been more fierce than tongue or pen can describe. Not one single Manifestation of Holiness hath appeared but He was afflicted by the denials, the repudiation, and the vehement opposition of the people around Him. Thus it hath been revealed: "O the misery of men! No Messenger cometh unto them but they laugh Him to scorn."[1] Again He saith: "Each nation hath plotted darkly against their Messenger to lay violent hold on Him, and disputed with vain words to invalidate the truth."[2]
[1 Qur'án 36:30.]
[2 Qur'án 40:5.]

In like manner, those words that have streamed forth from the source of power and descended from the heaven of glory are innumerable and beyond the ordinary comprehension of man. To them that are possessed of true understanding and insight the Surah of Hud surely sufficeth. Ponder a while those holy words in your heart, and, with utter detachment, strive to grasp their meaning. Examine the wondrous behaviour of the Prophets, and recall the defamations and denials uttered by the children of negation and falsehood, perchance you may cause the bird of the human heart to wing its flight away from the abodes of heedlessness and doubt unto the nest of faith and certainty, and drink deep from the pure waters of ancient wisdom, and partake of the fruit of the tree of divine knowledge. Such is the share of the pure in heart of the bread that hath descended from the realms of eternity and holiness.

(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 4)

2.Specifically for Islam,Mohammed has repeatedly and explicitly stated in hadith and the Quran that there will be no prophet after him.How can this be?


The word Seal can have many meaning. It does not have to mean the final end of Revelation. It can mean the end of a cycle--in this case the cycle is the kind of revelations that are sent to humankind. No longer will the Messengers speak in veiled terms as Christ, Muhammed, Moses did in the past. Now with the coming of Baha'u'llah a new cycle has begun.




"Notwithstanding the obviousness of this theme, in the eyes of those that have quaffed the wine of* knowledge and certitude, yet how many are those who, through failure to understand its meaning, have allowed the term "Seal of the Prophets" to obscure their understanding, and deprive them of the grace of all His manifold bounties! Hath not Muhammad, Himself, declared: "I am all the Prophets?" Hath He not said as We have already mentioned: "I am Adam, Noah, Moses, and Jesus?" Why should Muhammad, that immortal Beauty, Who hath said: "I am the first Adam" be incapable of saying also: "I am the last Adam"? For even as He regarded Himself to be the "First of the Prophets" -- that is Adam -- in like manner, the "Seal of the Prophets" is also applicable unto that Divine Beauty. It is admittedly obvious that being the "First of the Prophets," He likewise is their "Seal."

The mystery of this theme hath, in this Dispensation, been a sore test unto all mankind. Behold, how many are those who, clinging unto these words, have disbelieved Him Who is their true Revealer. What, We ask, could this people presume the terms "first" and "last" -- when referring to God -- glorified be His Name! -- to mean? If they maintain that these terms bear reference to this material universe, how could it be possible, when the visible order of things is still manifestly existing? Nay, in this instance, by "first" is meant no other than the "last" and by "last" no other than the "first."

Even as in the "Beginning that hath no beginnings" the term "last" is truly applicable unto Him who is the Educator of the visible and of the invisible, in like manner, are the terms "first" and "last" applicable unto His Manifestations. They are at the same time the Exponents of both the "first" and the "last." Whilst established upon the seat of the "first," they occupy the throne of the "last." Were a discerning eye to be found, it will readily perceive that the exponents of the "first" and the "last," of the "manifest" and the "hidden," of the "beginning" and the "seal" are none other than these holy Beings, these Essences of Detachment, these divine Souls. And wert thou to soar in the holy realm of "God was alone, there was none else besides Him," thou wilt find in that Court all these names utterly non-existent and completely forgotten. Then will thine eyes no longer be obscured by these veils, these terms, and allusions. How ethereal and lofty is this station, unto which even Gabriel, unshepherded, can never attain, and the Bird of Heaven, unassisted, can never reach!

And, now, strive thou to comprehend the meaning of this saying of Ali, the Commander of the Faithful: "Piercing the veils of glory, unaided." Among these "veils of glory" are the divines and doctors living in the days of the Manifestation of God, who, because of their want of discernment and their love and eagerness for leadership, have failed to submit to the Cause of God, nay, have even refused to incline their ears unto the divine Melody. "They have thrust their fingers into their ears."[1] And the people also, utterly ignoring God and taking them for their masters, have placed themselves unreservedly under the authority of these pompous and hypocritical leaders, for they have no sight, no hearing, no heart, of their own to distinguish truth from falsehood." [1 Qur'án 2:19.]

(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 161)