Egypt: A Response To Mahmoud On Baha'i Faith
While browsing some of the Egyptian blogs, a very interesting discussion was found in a blog owned by an Egyptian Muslim who had written a daring and honest post regarding the Baha'i Faith, which resulted in a mature discussion that has clearly illustrated the degree of openness and tolerance shown by the young Egyptian generation. The blog can be found at this link.
One of the individuals commenting on the post, named Mahmoud, has raised several questions--many of which repeat the usual false accusations and misrepresentations that have been circulated by uninformed media sources and enemies of the Baha'i Faith. After responding to one of Mahmoud's posts, it appeared to be of possible interest to the wider readership if this response were to be published here as well, so here is the response below:
Dear Mahmoud,
Thank you for beginning this interesting dialogue and hopefully these few paragraphs will assist you in gaining better understanding of the truth regarding the Baha’i Faith.
Please excuse me for not responding to you in Arabic as, currently, I do not have the facility to publish in Arabic.
The holy Qur'an states that "Muhammad is the messenger of God and the seal of the prophets." It did not state that he is the seal of the messengers. Baha'is acknowledge that His Holiness Muhammad is the seal of the prophets. His Holiness Muhammad had sealed and completed a prophetic cycle which began with Adam. His Holiness Baha'u'llah began a new cycle with a vast revelation from God. He never claimed to be God, but like all other messengers of God, He reflected God’s image to humanity as His Manifestation, just like a mirror reflecting an image—say of the sun—you will see the sun in the mirror…this does not mean that the mirror is the sun, it is only an instrument. This applies to any messenger of God.
Baha’is believe that this new Baha’i cycle will last about 500,0000 years and God will continue to bless humanity with many Messengers under this new cycle...every 1000 years or so. God will never abandon or leave humanity alone and without guidance—just think about that—would you think that when your parents sent you to the elementary school they would have stopped right there and left you without any further education? Humanity is also like this example, it cannot stop learning as it matures and grows over thousands of years. Do you think that God would say: “well I have done enough for my creatures, and I will not send them any further guidance, and will just leave them for themselves to alter My teachings, continue to interpret my words, divide themselves into sects and arm themselves towards annihilation, spilling each other’s blood, and to have savage wars and conflicts until they exterminate each other....”? I do not think so…and any person who really cleanses his heart and opens his eyes to see the truth without any prejudice or attachment, will see the same.
The proof of the authenticity of a religion is in its teachings and in its influence on its followers and on humanity as a whole. Today, the Baha'i Faith is geographically the second-most widespread religion in the world after Christianity. How any religion could spread so wide and so fast, and have so many followers from all races, colors and backgrounds, if it were not of God?
Regarding your other point on the accusation that Baha'u'llah was a Russian agent: this has been one of the many false allegations that have been spread by His enemies. One fails to see the point of this clearly silly allegation. What interest did Russia—turning into a communist nation at the time—have in religion? One of its first acts was to ban all religions in its land.... Baha’u’llah was exiled from Persia and became a prisoner of the Ottoman Empire, being expelled from one city to another until he ended up in the dreaded prison of Acre (Akka). What interest would Russia have in such a prisoner? Is there any logic to this?
May I suggest again that you check the links in Arabic listed in my site? You will find answers to all your questions at these links, but please look at them with an open and detached heart…then, you will see for yourself.
Your frankness in asking these questions is greatly appreciated, and I pray that you will be guided to the truth....
each religion is better then the next no religion just peace
ReplyDeleteReligions should be the source of harmony and peace, not conflict and wars. Religions should unite people, not divide them. There is only one God who is not in competition with Himself. All religions come from Him (the same source) at different times based on the needs of humanity. It is us who did not understand God's messages and altered His true religions and ended up divided and lost. Now God tells us that it is time for us to understand Him and understand the purpose of successive religions...they are simply a continuous and progressive message delivered at time intervals based on our maturity and progress. For example, one cannot take a 7 year old child and teach her university courses--the reverse is true--it would also be wasteful to teach a university student elementary school curriculum.
ReplyDeleteThis is another comment in a series which was posted on Noran's blog at this link.
ReplyDeleteDear Noran,
Thank you for providing this enlightened forum. There is no conflict here, as I do not think that I spent enough time to clarify myself. True His Holiness Muhammad is the Seal of the Prophets of the initial prophetic cycle, which ended with Him. Baha'u'llah has not claimed prophet-hood, but rather he brings God's message to humanity with a whole new cycle of enlightenment and knowledge as I mentioned before, God will never leave us without guidance and will never deceive us. It is our misunderstanding of His guidance that can deceive us.
As to your other point, the geographical distribution of Baha'is is not related to their numbers (which is approximately 7 million), but rather their geographical distribution allover the world and the multiple races, colors and backgrounds that have accepted it. This previous post on my blog will provide you with the necessary references: please click on this link for reference. http://bahai-egypt.blogspot.com/2006/06/independent-religion.html
Dear Mahmoud,
Thank you for your understanding and interest. You are right about the history, but you will notice that I said "Russia...turning into a communist nation" rather than it was communist. Regardless of this, there is still no justification or any reason for such a claim to have any merit. The fact is that His Holiness Baha'u'llah was a prisoner being exiled from one location to another at the time. In fact, in His Tablet to ALL the Kings and Rulers of the World, He addressed the Czar of Russia and predicted his downfall. I encourage you to read the tablet at this link. http://reference.bahai.org/ar/t/b/MK/.
Consequently, the Russian Empire had fallen and disappeared into oblivion, and the Baha’i Faith, brought to humanity by a lone prisoner who had neither a nation nor an army and who was surrounded with a handful of followers who accompanied Him in exile and prison, has flourished and now holds a worldwide prominence and influence.
In order to read Baha’u’llah’s tablet to the Czar of Russia in Arabic, please begin HERE, and read until you reach THIS PAGE.
ReplyDeleteThank you....
Dear Bilo: You mentioned rightly 'All religions come from Him at different times based on the needs of humanity'. How relevant to humanity today is this extract from a Tablet of Baha'u'llah:
ReplyDelete"The All-Knowing Physician hath His finger on the pulse of mankind. He perceiveth the disease, and prescribeth, in His erring wisdom, the remedy. Every age hath its own problem, and every soul its particular aspiration. The remedy the world needeth in its present-day afflictions can never be the same as that which a subsequent age may require. Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and centre your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.
We can well perceive how the whole human race is encompassed with great, with incalculable afflictions. We see it languishing on its bed of sickness, sore-tried and disillusioned. They that are intoxicated by self-conceit have interposed themselves between it and the Divine and infallible Physician." (Tabernacle of Unity)
or (Gleanings, CVI)
Claire
Thank you Claire for this important quote. It enriches the discussion.
ReplyDelete