Bahá’í Proofs from the Qur’an: VI & VII (Conclusion)

VI. WHY HAS BAHA’U’LLAH BROUGHT US NEW LAWS?  

 1. Religious teachings are divided into two parts. The first part consists of teachings which deal with the spiritual life of man, unity, truthfulness, chastity, etc. Such teachings are eternal and unchangeable and constitute the basis of every religion. The second part consists of laws dealing with the material life of man, such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, forms and times of prayer and fasting, prohibited foods, etc.

    These teachings are not the essential part of religions. They are changed by each Manifestation of God to suit the conditions of is age. The above principle is also upheld by the Qur’an. Regarding the changeable laws affecting the material life of man we read the following:

    “To every one of you (Moses, Jesus, & Muhammad) have We given a law, an open path. And if God had pleased He had surely made you all one people. (Ma’idah – 5:52-53)

 ٱللَّهُ لَجَعَلَڪُمۡ أُمَّةً۬ وَٲحِدَةً۬ جَعَلۡنَا مِنكُمۡ شِرۡعَةً۬ وَمِنۡهَاجً۬ا‌ۚ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ لِكُلٍّ۬

     “To every people have we appointed observances which they observe. Therefore let them not dispute this matter with Thee, but bid them to Thy Lord.”  (Hajj – 22:66)

 فَلَا يُنَـٰزِعُنَّكَ فِى ٱلۡأَمۡرِ‌ۚ وَٱدۡعُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّ لِّكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ۬ جَعَلۡنَا مَنسَكًا هُمۡ نَاسِڪُوهُ

     Regarding the changeable part of religious teachings, which affect the spiritual life of man, we note that Muhammad calls the Old Testament, in one instance, “Al-Furqan” (See Anbiya – 21:49), and then uses the same title for the Holy Qur’an (See Furqan – 25:1). Of course, the laws of the Old Testament are different from those of the Qur’an, and the two Holy Books are not the same, but by applying the same title to both Books, Muhammad was conscious of the spiritual and fundamental teachings of the two Books, which of course are the same.

     In the same way, in this age, when Bahá’u’lláh has appeared, whilst the essence of His spiritual and moral teachings is the same as past Revelations, but, in compliance with the needs of an ever-changing and progressive society, He had to reveal also laws and ordinances to meet the requirements of this age.

 2. [One of the reasons that] could be cited to explain why Bahá’u’lláh has revealed new laws is that there are certain laws in the Qur’an which have become out of date, and can no more be practiced today. Let us take, for example, the following verse:

    “O Believers! Only they who join Gods with God are unclean.” (Taubah – 9:28)

 يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِنَّمَا ٱلۡمُشۡرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ۬

     “As to the thief, whether man or woman, cut ye off their hands in recompense of their doings.” (Ma’idah 5:42)

وَٱلسَّارِقُ وَٱلسَّارِقَةُ فَٱقۡطَعُوٓاْ أَيۡدِيَهُمَا جَزَآءَۢ بِمَا كَسَبَا

     To consider those who join Gods with God as unclean or to cut the hand of the thief are laws that the majority of Muslims find it difficult, and in most cases impossible to obey.

     Such laws have become automatically void, forgotten and cancelled. Wouldn’t God replace them? The answer is given in the following re-assuring verse of the Qur’an:

    “Whatever verses we cancel, or cause to forget, we bring a better or its like. Knowest thou not that God hath power over all things?” (Baqarah – 2:100)

 عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدِيرٌ  بِخَيۡرٍ۬ مِّنۡہَآ أَوۡ مِثۡلِهَآ‌ۗ أَلَمۡ تَعۡلَمۡ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَا نَنسَخۡ مِنۡ ءَايَةٍ أَوۡ نُنسِهَا نَأۡتِ

 3. There is a clear ordinance in the Qur’an strictly warning the Muslims against sectarianism. Note these two verses:

    “Observe this Faith, and be not divided into sects therein.” (Shura  42:11)

 أَنۡ أَقِيمُواْ ٱلدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُواْ فِيهِ‌ۚ

     “And be ye turned to Him, and fear Him, and observe prayer and be not of those who unite gods with God: of those who have split up their religion and have become sects, where every party rejoices in what is their own.” (Rum – 30:30-31)

 وَلَا تَكُونُواْ مِنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِڪِي مُنِيبِينَ إِلَيۡهِ وَٱتَّقُوهُ وَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ

حِزۡبِۭ بِمَا لَدَيۡہِمۡ فَرِحُونَ ٱلَّذِينَ فَرَّقُواْ دِينَهُمۡ وَڪَانُواْ شِيَعً۬ا‌ۖ كُلُّ مِنَ

     Despite these clear injunctions, Islam has split itself in 72 sects. Is this keeping with God’s Commandment? What else but the power of a fresh Revelation from God could unite this divided Islam,  and indeed this divided world? In the following verse we are assured that such unity can only come from God:

    “Hadst Thou (Muhammad) spent all the riches of the earth, Thou couldst not have united their hearts: but God hath united them, for He is Mighty, Wise.” (Anfal – 8:64)

 وَلَـٰڪِنَّ ٱللَّهَ أَلَّفَ بَيۡنَہُمۡ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ۬  ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِيعً۬ا مَّآ أَلَّفۡتَ بَيۡنَ قُلُوبِهِمۡ لَوۡ أَنفَقۡتَ مَا فِى

 

VII. FURTHER REFERENCES

 1. [The people for whom the message of the Qur’an is brought are referred to as] an intermediate people: that is, other religious communities will come after Islam:                   

    “He guideth whom He will into the right path. Thus have We made you an intermediate people.” (Baqarah – 2:136-137)

 وَكَذَٲلِكَ جَعَلۡنَـٰكُمۡ أُمَّةً۬ وَسَطً۬ا يَہۡدِى مَن يَشَآءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٲطٍ۬ مُّسۡتَقِيمٍ۬

 2. Muhammad refers to His religion as the right path. (See Zukhruf – 43:61). But as He gives “Islam” its universal meaning, He also gives “right path” a wider meaning to include the way of God, whether at this time or in the future. This is made clear in the verse:

    “Guide Thou us on the right (straight) path.” (Fatihah – 1:5)

 ٱهۡدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٲطَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ

     This is further confirmed and becomes even more pronounced in the following verse:

    “And God calleth to the Abode of Peace; and He guideth whom He will to the right path (way). (Yunus – 10:25)

 يَدۡعُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ دَارِ ٱلسَّلَـٰمِ وَيَہۡدِى مَن يَشَآءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٲطٍ۬ مُّسۡتَقِيمٍ۬ وَٱللَّهُ

     It is most interesting that Baghdad, where Bahá’u’lláh announced His mission, was known as the “Abode of Peace”, or “Dar-es-Salaam” in the original Arabic. So God’s Holy Messenger, Bahá’u’lláh, did call the people to both the outer Abode of Peace, Baghdad, as well as the inner Abode of Peace, which is God’s Holy City and His Good-Pleasure, and guided them to God’s right path, which represents His Faith. If we should take to “right path” in this verse as Muhammad’s religion, then the Muslims did not need to be guided, as they were already guided!

 3. After successive exiles from Baghdad to Constantinople, and from there to Adrianople, Bahá’u’lláh was finally banished to Akka, in the Holy Land. It is indeed God’s mysterious plan, that of all the countries in the world, it should be the Holy Land where Bahá’u’lláh should be finally exiled to – the     Holy Land repeatedly promised in the Old and New Testaments as the seat and home of the Promise of All Ages. Furthermore, of all the towns and centres in the Holy Land, it should be to Akka that He should be sent, not of His own free will, not through the request of friends, but by His own enemies, who thought they would, in this way, be exterminating Him and His Faith. They were ignorant of God’s mysterious plans. They were in reality being used by Almighty God to bring to fulfillment His promises of old. Some of the traditions regarding Akka, accepted by both Sunnis and Shi’as as true and authenticated sayings of the Holy Prophet of Islam are recorded here:

     “Akka is a city in Syria, to which God hath shown His special mercy.” (From Abdu’l-Aziz, son of Abdu’s-Salam).

[Arabic omitted]

     “I bring you tidings of a city betwixt two mountains in Syria, in the middle of a meadow which is called Akka. Verily, he that entereth therein, longing for it and eager to visit it, God will forgive his sins, both of the past and of the future. And he that departeth from it other than a pilgrim, God will not bless his departure.” (From Ibn-i-Mas’ud)

     “I announce unto you a city, on the shores of the sea, white, whose whiteness is pleasing unto God – exalted be He! It is called Akka. He that hath been bitten by one of its fleas is better, in the estimation of God, than he who had received a grievous blow in the path of God.” (From Anas, son of Malik)

 [Arabic omitted]

    “Blessed is the man that hath visited Akka, and blessed he that hath visited the visitor of Akka.”

 [Arabic omitted]

   4. We read this verse in the Qur’an:

    “Lo! Ye are they, who are called to expend for the Cause of God: and some of you are niggards: but whoso is niggardly shall be niggard only to his own loss; for God is the Rich and ye are the poor: and if ye turn back, He will change you for another people, and they shall not be of our like.” (Muhammad – 47:40)

 هَـٰٓأَنتُمۡ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ تُدۡعَوۡنَ لِتُنفِقُواْ فِى

يَبۡخَلۡ فَإِنَّمَا يَبۡخَلُ عَن نَّفۡسِهِۦ‌ۚ وَٱللَّهُ سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَمِنڪُم مَّن يَبۡخَلُ‌ۖ وَمَن

قَوۡمًا غَيۡرَكُمۡ ثُمَّ لَا يَكُونُوٓاْ أَمۡثَـٰلَكُم ٱلۡغَنِىُّ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلۡفُقَرَآءُ‌ۚ وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوۡاْ يَسۡتَبۡدِلۡ

     Muhammad was asked who were the people He referred to as “another people”, who were to replace the Arabs. One of His followers, Salman, a Persian, was sitting near Him. Muhammad patted on the legs of Salman and said: “He, and his people.” And then He continued: “By the True One, in Whose hand is My life, if the Faith of God should be suspended in the Pleiades, surely, men from Persia shall reach it.” (This tradition is accepted by both Sunnis and Shi’as and is included by Nasafi in his book, Vol. IV, page 169, as well as by Muhammad Farid Vajdi, in his book, third edition, page 676.)

 [Arabic omitted]

     And now to end this study of the truths of the Qur’an, let these holy verses ring in our hearts:

    “O Our people! Obey the Summoner of God and believe in Him, that He may forgive your sins and rescue you from an afflictive punishment. And he who shall not respond to God’s Preacher, yet cannot weaken God’s power on earth, nor shall he have protectors beside Him. These are in obvious error.”  (Ashqaf – 30-31)

 عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ۬ يَغۡفِرۡ لَڪُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمۡ وَيُجِرۡكُم مِّنۡ يَـٰقَوۡمَنَآ أَجِيبُواْ دَاعِىَ ٱللَّهِ وَءَامِنُواْ بِهِۦ

ٱللَّهِ فَلَيۡسَ بِمُعۡجِزٍ۬ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَيۡسَ وَمَن لَّا يُجِبۡ دَاعِىَ

لَهُ ۥ مِن دُونِهِۦۤ أَوۡلِيَآءُ‌ۚ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ۬ مُّبِينٍ

    And let this prayer of Bahá’u’lláh assist us in winning the good-pleasure of God in this glorious Day:

                   “Create in me a pure heart, O my God, and renew a tranquil  conscience within me, O my Hope! Through the spirit of power confirm Thou me in Thy Cause, O my Best-Beloved, and by the light of Thy glory reveal unto me Thy path, O Thou the Goal of my desire!

               Through the power of Thy transcendent might lift me up unto the heaven of Thy holiness, O Source of my being, and by the breezes of Thine eternity gladden me, O Thou Who art my God! Let Thine everlasting melodies breathe tranquility on me, O my Companion, and let the riches of Thine ancient countenance deliver me from all except Thee, O my Master, and let the tidings of the revelation of Thine incorruptible Essence bring me joy, O Thou Who art the most manifest of the manifest and the most hidden of the hidden!”

 [Arabic omitted]

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