From: hakim@bigq.enet.dec.com (Kamran Hakim)
Subject: The Baha'i perspective on the term `Seal of the Prophets' (4)
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 09:41:34 GMT



Now that the term "Khatam'u-Nabieen" has been discussed in full, let us 
discuss two of the Islamic Traditions which appear to imply that Islam is 
an everlasting religion, and the Qur'an is an everlasting Book of Laws. 
Prophet Muhammad, is recorded to have said: 

"There will be no Book after my Book (the Holy Qur'an), and, there will 
 be no religion after my religion (Islam) until the day of resurrection."

Moreover, He is recorded to have said in another occasion:

"Whatever was made lawful by Me (i.e. Muhammad) shall remain lawful until 
 the day of resurrection, and whatever was made unlawful by Me shall remain
 unlawful until the day of resurrection."

Clearly these two Traditions explicitly discuss the common belief of 
finality as discussed above. Nevertheless, one must always go beyond the 
apparent in order to determine the underlying reality. Having this in mind, 
let us examine these two traditions based on the verses of the Holy Qur'an, 
and, other traditions from Prophet Muhammad and the Holy Imams, and test 
the validity of such belief. In my opinion the verses of the Holy Qur'an do 
not appear to support finality of Islam. The following verses will perhaps 
address this: 

"Every people has its set term. And when their time is come, they shall not
 retard it an hour; and they shall not advance it." 	[A'raf-7:33] 

"Neither too soon, nor too late, shall a people reach its appointed time."
					[Mominun, The Believers-23:43]

"To each term its Book. What He pleaseth will God abrogate or confirm: for 
 with Him is the source of Revelation." 	[Ra'd, Thunder-13:38]

None of the past religions, and nations have been exempted from the Will 
of God, which has so clearly been established in the verses of the Qur'an, 
then, one could rightfully ask; Why should Islam be exempted from it?

Let us examine these traditions and see what pearl lies hidden under in their
shell of the words: In these two traditions His Holiness Muhammad says, that
there shall be no other religion after His own, and there shall be no other
Book after Qur'an, yet, He maintains a requirement and a condition: until the
day of resurrection, implying that at, and after resurrection, there can be
other Books and other religions. Naturally one would question: What is meant 
by the term "Day of Resurrection"? 

The meaning usually given to the "Day of Resurrection" by the people of the 
Book (Jews, Christians and Muslims) is a day in which all the dead shall 
literally rise and leave their sepulchers, become alive in order to be 
judged by God. Each religion appears to paint somewhat a different picture 
about the details of this event, and how it will come about. Nevertheless, 
they all agree that physically dead shall become alive on that day.
I will not attempt to recount the beliefs of various people about the Day 
of Resurrection, however, I would like to say that such belief is based on 
a very literalistic approach to Scripture, which is against the teachings of 
the Messengers of God, and the Imams of religion, beside being an absurd 
thought among mindful believers. Allow me to discuss alternative ways of 
understanding the meaning of the "Day of Resurrection". The Ba'b addresses 
the meaning of the "Day of Resurrection" in the Persian Baya'n as follows: 

"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], Who rewarded by  His 
Word everyone who believed in Moses, [i.e. was a  true believer within  
the Mosaic law], 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. Day of Resurrection  
for  the followers  of Jesus] -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 Baya'n [i.e. The Ba'b is referring to Himself] appeared  until 
it disappeareth is the Resurrection of the Apostle of God, as is divinely 
foretold in the Qur'an.....The stage of perfection of everything 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  Baya'n [i.e. the Holy Book revealed by The Bab,  
The Qa'im of  the House of  the Prophet.] will  occur at the time of the
appearance of Him Whom God shall make manifest [i.e. The Return of Christ, 
the Glory of  God, Baha'u'llah]. For  today the  Baya'n 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] is made  manifest in order to gather the fruits 
of the trees He [i.e. The Ba'b] hath planted; even as the Revelation of 
the Qa'im [He Who ariseth] -an allusion to Himself-, a descendant  of 
Muhammad -may the blessings of God rest upon Him- is exactly  like unto 
the  Revelation of the Apostle of God Himself [Muhammad]. He appeareth  
not, save for  the purpose  of gathering the fruits of Islam from the 
Qur'anic  verses which He  [Muhammad] hath sown  in the  hearts of men. 
The fruits of  Islam cannot be gathered  except through allegiance unto  
Him  [the Qa'im], and  by believing in  Him...yet unjustly have they 
consigned Him to the Mountain of Maku." 
						The Persian Baya'n II:7
						    Baha'i Scripture

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?" 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 cleans  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 -Iqan p. 142-144

Regards,

Kamran Hakim
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