From: hakim@bigq.enet.dec.com (Kamran Hakim)
Subject: Re: A Refutation of Qadiani views on Prophethood and Jesus (2/3)
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: 14 DEC 92 09:46:30    


Continuation from part 1:

HS>Yet, we find these false prophets, like Bahaullah and Gulam Ahmed, to
                ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
HS>claim divine revelation in the form of heavenly Books.
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The application of the term prophet to Baha'u'llah is a very gross
misunderstanding. Baha'u'llah is the Manifestation of the Cause of 
God, or in short Manifestation of God. The USAGE of the term PROPHET
was ended by Muhammad, the SEAL of the PROPHETS. Both the Bab and 
Baha'u'llah have claimed divine revelation, as you have correctly 
pointed out. 

The Bab ABROGATED the Shariah (i.e. laws) of the Qur'an by establishing 
NEW LAWS. Baha'u'llah, also ABROGATED some of the LAWS established by 
The Bab and established NEW LAWS.

HS>Did not the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) also say: "Whatever was made lawful
HS>by me shall remain lawful until the Day of Resurrection, and whatever
HS>was made unlawful by me shall remain unlawful until the Day of Resurrec-
HS>tion"?

Yes. This is correct. In order for you understand the mystery behind this
please contemplate on the reason why the Promised Mihdi is identified as 
"Qa'im" in the Shi'ah theology. Consider the the meaning of Qa'im and its 
linguistic relationship to Qia'mat (The Day of Resurrection). Consideration
of this will hopefully assist you to realize the meaning of the following
utterances of Imam Sadiq which appears in Bihar'ul-Anvar of Allamih Majlesi,
Vol 13:

"Moffadil asked Imam Sadiq: `Why has there not been a date established 
for the appearance of the Qa'im [i.e. Mihdi. KH]?' He replied: `Since, 
the manifestation of Qa'im is that same "hour" and "resurrection" recorded 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^       ^^^^       ^^^^^^^^^^^^  ^^^^^^^^
in the Qur'an, whose knowledge is with God, and no one but God can unveil 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
it." 

Imam Muhammad Sadiq reiterates on the same theme in another Hadith as 
follows:

"When the Qa'im [i.e. Mihdi] riseth, that day is the Day of Resurrection."
	  ^^^^^ 	     ^^^^^^           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Now that you have contemplated on this issue, attempt to understand the 
meaning of the following Shi'ah traditions:

"Out of Bani-Hashim 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 [i.e. religious
leaders].  His bidding they will not obey, but will protest saying:
'This is contrary to that which hath been handed down unto us by the
Imams of the Faith."
						Arba'in 
Imam Sadiq is also recorded to have said:

"There shall appear a Youth from Bani-Hashim, 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 it about Him, hasten unto Him."

This is the context in which you should perhaps understand the sayings 
of Prophet Muhammad: "There will be no Book after my Book [the Holy 
Qur'an. KH], and, there will be no religion after my religion [Islam.
KH]] until the day of resurrection.". And: "Whatever was made lawful 
by Me [i.e. Muhammad. KH] shall remain lawful until the day of 
resurrection, and whatever was made unlawful by Me shall remain 
unlawful until the day of resurrection." That is to say, Islam remains 
VALID until the day of the appearance of Mihdi/Qa'im. By the same token,
the laws of the Qur'an remain VALID until the day of the appearance of 
Mihdi/Qa'im. 

The implication of the Qia'mat  (Day of Resurrection) I have offered 
above is something very different than what you were brought up to 
understand. Perhaps the following explanation offers some further 
clarification on why the day of the appearance of Mihdi/Qa'im is 
Qia'mat or the Day of Resurrection:

"The substance of this chapter is this that what was intended by the
Day of Resurrection is the Day of the appearance of the Tree of divine
Reality, but it is not seen that any one of the followers of Shi'ih
Islam hath understood the meaning of the Day of Resurrection; rather
they have fanatically imagined a thing which with God hath no reality.
In the estimation of God and according to the usage of such as are
initiated into the divine mysteries, what is meant by the Day of
Resurrection is this, that from the time of the appearance of Him Who
is the Tree of divine Reality, at whatever period and under whatever
name, until the moment of His disappearance, is the Day of Resurrection.

For example, from the inception of the mission of Jesus -may peace be
upon Him- till the day of His ascension was the Resurrection of Moses.
For during that period the Revelation of God shone forth through the
appearance of that divine Reality [i.e. Jesus. KH], Who rewarded by His
Word everyone who believed in Moses, [The true believers within the 
Mosaic law. KH], and punished by His Word everyone who did not believe
[i.e. was not a true believer -was a believer by name only-]; inasmuch
as God's Testimony for that Day was that which He had solemnly affirmed 
in the Gospel. And from the inception of the Revelation of the Apostle 
of God -may the blessings of God be upon Him- till the day of His 
ascension was the Resurrection of Jesus [i.e. Was Day of Resurrection 
for the followers of Jesus. KH] -peace be upon Him- wherein the Tree of 
divine Reality appeared in the person of Muhammad, rewarding by His Word 
everyone who was a believer in Jesus, and punishing by His Word everyone 
who was not a believer in Him. And from the moment when the Tree of Bayan 
[i.e. The Bab is referring to Himself. KH] appeared [i.e. Declared His 
Mission to humankind. KH] until it disappeareth [i.e. When He passes away, 
or is killed by His enemies. KH] is the Resurrection of the Apostle of God 
[i.e. The Day of Resurrection for Muslims. KH], as is divinely foretold 
in the Qur'an; the beginning of which [i.e. The beginning of the Day of 
Resurrection for Muslims. KH] was when two hours and eleven minutes had 
passed on the eve of the fifth of Jamadiyu'l-Avval, 1260 A.H. [i.e. May 22 
1844 A.D. KH], 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'an, 
and until the disappearance of the Tree of divine Reality [The Bab is 
referring to Himself. KH] is the Resurrection of the Qur'an. [i.e. That is 
to say: Day of Resurrection for Muslims began with the Declaration of the 
Bab, and ended with His Martyrdom. KH]. The stage of perfection of every-
thing is reached when its resurrection occureth. The perfection of the 
religion of Islam was consummated at the beginning of this Revelation 
until its setting, the fruits of the Tree of Islam, whatever they are, 
will become apparent.  The Resurrection of the Bayan [Babis, those 
who believe in the Book of Bayan. KH] will occur at the time of the 
appearance of Him Whom God shall make manifest [i.e. The Return of Issa
ibn-i Maryam. Baha'u'llah. KH]. For today the Bayan is in the stage of 
seed; at the beginning of the manifestation of Him Whom God shall make 
manifest its ultimate perfection will become apparent. He [Him Whom God 
shall make manifest. KH] is made manifest in order to gather the fruits 
of the trees He hath planted [i.e. Those who have accepted The claim of
The Bab are the trees He has planted. Those among the followers of The
Bab who accept the Mission of Issa-ibn-i Maryam are the fruits of the
trees planted by The Bab. KH]; even as the Revelation of the Qa'im [He 
Who ariseth. -an allusion to Himself- KH], a descendant of Muhammad -may 
the blessings of God rest upon Him- is exactly like unto the Revelation 
of the Apostle of God Himself [Prophet Muhammad. KH].  He appeareth not, 
save for the purpose of gathering the fruits of Islam from the Qur'anic 
verses which He [Muhammad. KH] hath sown in the hearts of men. The fruits 
of Islam cannot be gathered except through allegiance unto Him [Allegiance
unto Mihdi. KH], and by believing in Him...yet unjustly have they [i.e. 
Shi'ah Muslims. KH] consigned Him [The Bab. Their Mihdi. KH] to the 
Mountain of Maku [This is a place in Azarbayjan. KH]."

					The Bab, Persian Bayan 2:7

And Baha'u'llah elaborates further on this explanation as follows:

"These Prophets and chosen Ones of God are the recipients and
revealers of all the unchangeable attributes and names of God. They
are the mirrors that truly and faithfully reflect the light of God.
Whatsoever is applicable to them is in reality applicable to God,
Himself, Who is both the Visible and the Invisible. The knowledge of
Him Who is the Origin of of all things (i.e God) and attainment unto
Him, are impossible save through knowledge of, and attainment unto,
these luminous Beings who proceed from the Sun of Truth. By attaining,
therefore, to the presence of these holy Luminaries, the "Presence of
God" Himself is attained. From their knowledge, the knowledge of God
is revealed, and from the light of their countenance, the splendour of
the Face of God is made manifest. Through the manifold attributes of
these Essences of Detachment, Who are both the first and the last, the
seen and the hidden, it is made evident that He Who is the Sun of
Truth is "the First and the Last, the Seen, and the Hidden. [Qur'an
57:3]." Likewise the other lofty names and exalted attributes of God.
Therefore, whosoever, and in whatever Dispensation, hath recognized
and attained unto the presence of these glorious, these resplendent
and most excellent Luminaries, hath verily attained unto the "Presence
of God" Himself, and entered the city of eternal and immortal life.
Attainment unto such presence is possible only in the Day of Resurrection, 
which is the Day of the rise of God Himself through His all-embracing 
Revelation.

This is the meaning of the "Day of Resurrection," spoken of in all the
scriptures, and announced unto all people. Reflect, can a more precious, 
a mightier, and more glorious day than this be conceived, so that man 
should willingly forego its grace, and deprive himself of its bounties, 
which like unto vernal showers are raining from the heaven of mercy upon 
all mankind? ...Have they not heard the well-known tradition: "When the 
Qa'im riseth, that day is the Day of Resurrection?" [Hadith from Imam 
Sadiq] In like manner, the Imams, 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," [Qur'an 2:210]- a 
sign which they have unquestionably regarded as one of the features of 
the Day of Resurrection- as referring to Qa'im and His manifestation.

"Strive therefore, O my brother, to grasp the meaning of `Resurrection,' 
and cleanse thine ears from the idle sayings of these rejected people.  
Shouldst thou step into the realm of complete detachment, thou wilt 
readily testify that no day is mightier than this Day, and that no 
resurrection more awful than this Resurrection can ever be conceived."

				Baha'u'llah, Ketab'ul Iqan p. 142-144

NOTE: I hope you consider the following WARNING of the Holy Qur'an in 
your endeavour to examine the approach I have offered above:

"O Believers [i.e. Dr. Habib Siddiqui and other Muslim friends. KH]: If 
any evil-doer [i.e. Kamran Hakim, or any other Baha'i, etc... KH] come 
to you with news [Anything which is different from what you understand.
KH], clear it up at once [i.e. Determine its truth or falsity with
priority. KH], lest  through ignorance ye harm others, and speedily have 
to repent of what ye have done."  
						Qur'an, Hujaraat 49:6

Remember! It is unimportant whether you or other Muslim friends accept 
this APPROACH. The most important issue is the mutual respect we must
have for one another regardless of our theological disagreement.

						Part 2 of 3
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