From: hakim@bigq.enet.dec.com
Newsgroups: soc.religion.islam
Subject: Re: Question about Baha'i (4/5)
Date: 16 Nov 92 23:18:14 GMT

Continuation from part 3:

According to the Qur'anic prescription God has always sent His
Messengers for the education of the peoples of the world, and will
continue to do do so. No nation (ummat) will be deprived of God's
mercy. The Holy Qur'an refers to this theme on many different
occasions. The following references (Surih Fatir:22, Nahl:38,
Yunis:47, and Hadj:67) clearly convey this idea. For example, consider
Yunis:47 :
 
"And every nation [i.e. ummat] had an apostle; so when their apostle
came, the matter was decided between them with justice and they shall
not be dealt with unjustly."
 
Furthermore, Yunis:49 suggests that EVERY NATION (ummat) HAS AN END
(ajal), and a final consummation.
 
"...Every nation [i.e. ummat] has a term [i.e. ajal]; when their term
[i.e. ajal] comes, they shall not then remain behind, nor shall they
go before (their time) [i.e. They cannot delay or accelerate that
time.]
 
In the book of Najm-ul Saghib, Haji Mirza Husayn-i Noori the
well-known Shi'ah scholar and commentator writes in reference to
interpretation of this verse of the Qur'an:
 
"At the time of the revelation of this verse ("le-kolle ummaten ajal")
which suggests that for every nation a term has been established, they
asked the Messenger of God what is the term for the ummat of Islam,
and He replies: `If my people [i.e. Muslims] were truthful they remain
for ONE DAY. If they degrade, HALF A DAY will they last.'[Bihar'ul
Anvar, Vol 13]" 		Najm-ul Saghib p. 87
 
Muslims as an "ummat" have an "ajal" too, and when this "ajal" comes
they will be unable to change it even for an hour. When their "ajal"
comes a new Messenger of God will appear, per Yunis: 47, and form a
new "ummat".
 
The meaning of one day is given in the Qur'an as follows:
 
"He regulates the affair from the heaven to the earth; then shall it
ascend to Him in a day the measure of which is a Thousand years of
what you count."		[Al-Sujdah:5]
 
The same concept, of a day=1000 years, is also repeated in Al-Hadj:44.
 
So, according to the Hadith from Prophet Muhammad, "ajal", end, or the
term for the "ummat" of Islam is anywhere between 500 to 1000 years,
depending on their accomplishments and status.
 
Now, the next question is 1000 years from when? Another Hadith from
Prophet Muhammad which is accepted by both Shi'ahs and Sunnis is
mentioned by Sheikh Sadoogh in Kamal-ud-Din. This Hadith is from
Said-ibn-i Jabir who reports it from Ibn-i Abbas, who heard it from
Prophet Muhammad Who said:
 
"My successors after Me are God's proofs for the people of the earth.
They are twelve. First one of them my brother and last of them will be
my child. They asked: O Apostle of God who is your brother? He said
Ali-ibn Abu Talib. They asked who is your child? He said: He is Mihdi
who will fill the earth with justice, even if it is full of injustice
and wretchedness. I swear to God Who made Me His Messenger even if one
day is left from the age of the world, God will lenghten that day to
the extent that My child Mihdi will become manifest. Then Issa, the
Spirit of God descends from heaven and pray behind Him."
 
Furthermore, Prophet Muhammad is recorded to have said:
 
"Vas-samaa-eh Zat-el Boruj" [Al-Boruj:1] meaning: "I swear by heaven
which has towers." Asbagh Ibn-i Nabatah mentions a Hadith reported by
Ibn-i Abbas who reports the Prophet to have said: By the term
`heaven', in this verse, I am meant, and `towers' are the Imams of My
House, the first of Whom is Ali and the last of Them is Mihdi and they
are twelve."
				Bihar-ul Anvar, ch6:63, p. 273
 
There are several other Hadith which offer similar concept about the
status of the Imams, however, I will not mention here for the sake of
brevity. The point of interest in these Ahadith is the confirmation of
the truth of Imamat after passing of Prophet Muhammad. Prophet
Muhammad identifies the 12 Imam's, the last of Whom is Mihdi with such
titles as "God's proof among mankind", and the "towers of heaven",
when heaven is no less that Muhammad the Apostle of God.
 
So, humanity had, after the passing of Prophet Muhammad a source of
guidance (i.e. Imamat) until the 11th Imam (Imam Hasan-i Asgari)
passed away on the year 260 A.H. Therefore, the timeline for the term,
or "ajal" of the ummat of Islam must be one day (i.e. 1000 years) from
the death of Imam Hasan-i Asgari, who was the last source of divine
guidance among the ummat of Islam, or 1260 A.H. which, according to
the directive of the Qur'an is the date of the appearance of Mihdi.
Let us examine the Hadith and see what they say in this regards:
 
According to a Shi'ah Tradition; Mufaddal asked Imam Sa'diq saying:
"'What of the signs of His manifestation, [i.e. Mihdi's] O my master?'
He replied: 'In the year sixty [which is a metaphorical presentation
of 1260 A.H.], His Cause [i.e. religion] shall be made manifest, and
His name shall be proclaimed.'".
 
Furthermore;
 
"I swear by the stars of retrograde motions which move swiftly and
hide themselves away." [Al-Takvir:15-16] Sheikh Sadoogh in Kaml-ud-Din
reports a Hadith from Imam Muhammad Baqir (Peace be upon him) who
answers Umm- Hanni about this verse of the Qur'an saying: This verse
refers to the Imam who will enter occultation in the year 260 (A.H.),
then He will re- appear like a shining star. If you see Him your eyes
will gain light."
				Bihar-ul Anvar, ch 5:24, p. 258
 
Now that another perspective has been offered about the limitation of
Islam, let us examine the concept of finality of Shriat/Qur'an.
 
In the Holy Qur'an we find: "Va Kol-lo Yao-men Howa fi Sha`nen"
[Al-Rahman: 29] Which means: Every day has its own circumstances and
requirements. Also, the Qur'an teaches: "Va le-kol-le Ajal-en Kitab"
[Al-Ra'd: 38] Which means: For every term (i.e. ajal, or end) there is
a Book. Therefore, when the ajal, or the term of an "ummat" (nation)
is reached, God will reveal a new Book, and a new code of laws (i.e.
Shariat) , to best suit the circumstance of that age. So, when the
term of Islam is reached and the Mihdi appears, He must of necessity
reveal a new Book. Perhaps the following Ahadith from the Imams of the
Faith, who are referred to as Proofs of God among mankind according to
Prophet Muhammad, capture the gist of this concept.
 
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 Hadith:
 
"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."
 
Therefore, the Day of Resurrection is the "term", "ajal", or the "end"
of Islam as an "ummat" (i.e. a nation). Imam Muhammad Sadiq clarifies
the meaning of the Day of resurrection in a Hadith as follows:
 
"When the Qa'im [i.e. Mihdi] riseth, that day is the Day of
Resurrection."
 
Furthermore, in the Arba'in which is a compilation of Shi'ah Tradition
it is recorded:
 
"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."
 
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."
 
There are several other Hadith which I will not mention here for the
sake of brevity.
 
Islam is by no means the last Shariat. On the contrary, both the
Qur'an and the Hadith suggest otherwise:
 
"And thus have we made you a MIDDLE nation that you may be the bearers
of witness to the people" [Al-Baghara:137]
 
Islam is a transitory religion, and its Shariat is also transitory.
Perhaps the following Hadith clarifies this issue further. Ibn-i Majah
recounts from Ali ibn-Abu Talib:
 
"Ali, the Commander of the Faithful says: I asked the Messenger of
God: O Apostle of God! Does Mihdi belong to our household or is He
from another?  The Messenger of God said; He is from us. God will end
religion through Him, the same way He opend it through Me...."
 
				Bihar'ul Anvar ch 6, p. 314
 
I hope that what I have mentioned offers the Muslim readers a
reasonable criteria for the consideration of another religion after
Islam.
						Part 4 of 5