Saladin

Salaam,

As you can probably tell I am a Muslim, specifically Shi'i ithna ashari and I have an interest in the Baha'i faith. I look forward to talking to you all and learning about this interesting faith.

thebiggloveyou

some answered questions or kitab'i'qan would probably be a good place to start. you can find them on bahai.org or ocean.

Saladin

Thank you for the link and tip.

lukasali

Salaam! Hey Saladin, welcome to the forum. Shi'ih Islam is very important to Baha'is for a lot of reasons and I am always eager to learn more about it, so it would be cool to hear things from your perspective as someone who practices that Faith...

In addition to the reading suggestions above, it might be worthwhile to meet some Baha'is in your area. Having people to talk to can help get questions answered much more quickly than just diving into reading material, for some people.

If you don't mind my asking, what drew your interest in the Baha'i Faith, and what have you learned about it so far?

Looking forward to your contributions!

Saladin

I understand the basics but I am working towards a deeper and more complete understanding of it, which is why I came here. Not to mention the origins in particular is what peaked my interest, considering the Baha'i faith sprung out of Islam, specifically Shi'i ithna ashari, which I am. You're origins are puzzling and interesting in that the Bab claimed to be Imam al-Mahdi (as) and we are still waiting for Imam al-Mahdi (as) to come. I sort of like the idea of the Baha'i faith but you're departure from Islam is what throws me off a bit. I mean in Islam, we believe that prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was khatim an-Nabiyin (Seal of the Prophets) and then here comes Baha'u'llah, you know? Then no hajj, no wajib salah (in the Muslim sense) and other differences. I don't know, lol, like I said, I just have have a basic understanding.

Thank you!

lukasali

Hi Saladin, I'm happy you responded so quickly, because you raise such interesting and substantive questions.

Seeing as it's very late and I'm in the middle of my last two weeks of classes, I won't be able to respond very thoroughly to the points you brought up above for some time. However, there is a lot - a LOT - of Writings from the Bab, Baha'u'llah and Abdu'l-Baha on those topics, not to mention literature by other Baha'is, so there are very in-depth answers to those questions, even if I am not up to the task of responding at the moment. Probably the best place to start a serious investigation into these questions would be by reading the Kitab-i-Iqan (as thebiggloveyou mentioned above), Baha'u'llah's pre-eminent doctrinal work, in which he explains the process of God's revelation to humanity, the station and nature of the Prophets, and the cause of humanity's difficulties in recognizing Them. The Kitab-i-Iqan was reavealed by Baha'u'llah in response to questions from the Bab's uncle regarding the Bab, questions very similar to yours, actually. So take this as a very strong recommendation!

I also thought there was one brief excerpt (from a longer passage dealing with the same theme) in the Iqan that is particularly relevant to your question about the station of Muhammad as the Seal of the Prophets:

Hath not Muḥammad, 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 Muḥammad, 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.”
- Baha'u'llah, the Kitab-i-Iqan, page 162


I hope to be able to share with you more of the Baha'i Writings on this topic soon. In the meantime, however, pray to God and Muhammad for their guidance about the Baha'i Faith. I believe that sincere seekers of God are never turned away or led astray, and you seem like a very sincere seeker to me. I am honored to participate in your search!

BruceDLimber

Hi, Saladin!

Here's some more information about your "seal of the prophets" question:

Although the Qur'an contains a verse stating Muhammad is the Seal of the Prophets, there are in fact multiple interpretations of this which do not need to imply any sort of finality to Muhammad and His Station:
• First, there is a sense in which EVERY Divine Messenger is the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega, and the Seal!
• There are two different words used in the Qur'an that translate into English as "prophet." One is "nabi," which means a lesser prophet such as Jeremiah or Amos. The other is "Ras'ul," which means a major Divine Messenger such as Jesus, Muhammad, or Baha'u'llah. And the word used here in the Qur'an is "nabi," meaning Muhammad is the Seal of the lesser prophets.
• Because Muhammad ended the Age of Prophecy, He may indeed be called the Seal of the Prophets! But a new Age, the Age of Fulfillment, has since begun, ushering in a whole new era of religious Revelation.
• Finally, there is a sense in which the word commonly translated as "seal" simply means "ornament" as in "Ornament of the Prophets." Nothing about an ending at all!

Regards, :-)

Bruce

smaneck

The best treatment I know of for the issue of the Baha'i approach to the question of the Finality of Prophethood can be found here:

A Baha'i Approach to the Claim of Finality in Islam

Yakov Phillips

Dear "Saladin",

Salaam aleikum!

I hope that the holy period of Ramadan has been one of happiness and spiritual growth for you.

As you may be aware, in the Baha'i Faith we also have an annual period of fasting, but it is for 19 days (February 26 through March 20), preceding our new year holy day, Naw-Ruz*. The abstinence from eating begins at each sunrise and ends at sunset.

Warmly,

Yakov

*My daughter Jericha was married on Naw-Ruz, March 21, 2010; her wedding took place on Oahu, Hawai'i.

bwb

I am trying to write some comments about the meaning of 'Seal of the Prophets', but I think that it would help me to write more clearly if someone would please tell me what the correct Arabic/Qur'anic words are for these two ideas:

1)a test, (as in God giving people tests)
2) a meaning of a verse, which is figurative, non-literal, parabolical referred to in Qur'an surah 3, verse 7:

"It is he who hath sent down unto thee the book, wherein are some verses clear to be understood, they are the foundation of the book; and others are parabolical....None knoweth the meaning thereof except God and them that are well-grounded in knowledge.[1]"
[1 Qur'án 3:7, Surah the family of Imran, verse 7]

According to a note which appears in George Sale's translation of the Qur'an:

"The contents of the Korân are here distinguished into such passages as are to be taken in the literal sense, and such as require a figurative acceptation. The former being plain and obvious to be understood, compose the fundamental part, or, as the original expresses it, the mother of the book, and contain the principal doctrines and precepts; agreeably to and consistently with which, those passages which are wrapt up in metaphors, and delivered in an enigmatical, allegorical style, are always to be interpreted."

So can someone please tell me what the correct Arabic/Qur'anic terms are for these 2 ideas(God-given test, and figurative interpretation)?

bwb

You can download Baha'i books in Farsi, Arabic or English. Which language do you need? Do you already have the web site links that you need, or do you need someone's help with that?

BruceDLimber

Be sure to check this site:

www.reference.bahai.org

It has books in multiple languages.

Bruce

bwb

Here are links to free downloadable Baha'i books in English, Farsi and Arabic:
Baha'i Reference Library English
Baha'i Reference Library Farsi
Baha'i Reference Library Arabic

The Secret of Divine Civilization, by 'Abdu'l-Baha gives you a beautiful and inspiring vision for reforming Iran and other countries, and it is recommended by the Universal House of Justice for Iranians to read.
The Kitab-i-Iqan, by Baha'u'llah explains the fulfilment of Muslim and Christian prophecies.

bwb

This is a broken link, Bruce.

BruceDLimber

Sorry: Please try this:

Baha'i Reference Library


Bruce