REVEALED TO THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF THE WESTERN STATES

O God! O God! This is a broken-winged bird and his flight is very slow – assist him so that he may fly toward the apex of prosperity and salvation, wing his way with the utmost joy and happiness throughout the illimitable space, raise his melody in Thy Supreme Name in all the regions, exhilarate the ears with this call, and brighten the eyes by beholding the signs of guidance.

O Lord! I am single, alone and lowly. For me there is no support save Thee, no helper except Thee and no sustainer beside Thee. Confirm me in Thy service, assist me with the cohorts of Thy angels, make me victorious in the promotion of  Thy Word and suffer me to speak out Thy wisdom amongst Thy creatures. Verily, Thou art the helper of the weak and the defender of the little ones, and verily Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty and the Unconstrained.

                                                                                                          ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

 

REVEALED TO THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA

O Thou incomparable God! O Thou Lord of the Kingdom! These souls are Thy heavenly army. Assist them and, with the cohorts of the Supreme Concourse, make them victorious, so that each one of them may become like unto a regiment and conquer these countries through the love of God and the illumination of divine teachings.

O God! Be Thou their supporter and their helper, and in the wilderness, the mountain, the valley, the forests, the prairies and the seas, be Thou their confidant – so that they may cry out through the power of the Kingdom and the breath of the Holy Spirit.

Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty and the Omnipotent, and Thou art the Wise, the Hearing and the Seeing.

                                                                                                          ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Under destruction…the houselike structure marking the resting place of Quddus, Babol, Iran, April 2004. Reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community. http://media.bahai.org

~

The campaign of hate and prejudice against the Bahá’ís by the Iranian government and clergy continues unabated. This includes the destruction of every significant site associated with the history of the Bahá’í Faith in that country.  They destroy both their heritage and their future. Why will Bahá’ís from around the world want to visit Iran in the future, if there are no physical remains of the early history of their Faith to see, a history that is dramatic, glorious, and inspiring? Instead, they will probably go elsewhere. They will probably go to Iraq and Turkey.

~

The second Taraz [Ornament] is to consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship, to proclaim that which the Speaker on Sinai hath set forth and to observe fairness in all matters.

They that are endued with sincerity and faithfulness should associate with all the peoples and kindreds of the earth with joy and radiance, inasmuch as consorting with people hath promoted and will continue to promote unity and concord, which in turn are conducive to the maintenance of order in the world and to the regeneration of nations. Blessed are such as hold fast to the cord of kindliness and tender mercy and are free from animosity and hatred.

                                                                               Bahá’u’lláh

 

 

In truth, religion is a radiant light and an impregnable stronghold for the protection and welfare of the peoples of the world, for the fear of God impelleth man to hold fast to that which is good, and shun all evil. Should the lamp of religion be obscured, chaos and confusion will ensue, and the lights of fairness and justice, of tranquillity and peace cease to shine. Unto this will bear witness every man of true understanding.

                                                                                                                                Bahá’u’lláh

~

According to information conveyed by the authorities in Evin prison to the family members of the seven Baha’is who have been imprisoned in Tehran, Iran, for over a year, their trial date has been set for 11 July 2009. This information has been provided to the family members only orally and, as information conveyed by officials concerning the judicial process has often proved unreliable, it is possible that the Iranian authorities may find some reason to change the trial date.

The seven were arrested in the spring of 2008 and have been held more than a year without formal charges or access to their attorneys. Official Iranian news reports have said the Baha’is will be accused of “espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic Republic.”

The trial is apparently scheduled to be held at Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court. This is where American-Iranian journalist Roxana Saberi was recently convicted of espionage and sentenced to 8 years imprisonment. She was eventually released, but only after an international outcry at the clear politicization of the case and manifestly unjust legal procedures.

“These seven individuals are facing completely false charges,” said Bani Dugal, the principal representative of the Baha’i International Community to the United Nations. “They – along with the some 30 other Baha’is currently in prison in Iran – are innocent of any wrongdoing and are being held solely because of their religious beliefs.”

Photo and story courtesy of the Bahá’í International Community. http://news.bahai.org/story/

 

Say, by the righteousness of God! The All-Merciful is come invested with power and sovereignty. Through His power the foundations of religions have quaked and the Nightingale of Utterance hath warbled its melody upon the highest branch of true understanding. Verily, He Who was hidden in the knowledge of God and is mentioned in the Holy Scriptures hath appeared. Say, this is the Day when the Speaker on Sinai hath mounted the throne of Revelation and the people have stood before the Lord of the worlds. This is the Day wherein the earth hath told out her tidings and hath laid bare her treasures; when the oceans have brought forth their pearls and the divine Lote-Tree its fruit; when the Sun hath shed its radiance and the Moons have diffused their lights, and the Heavens have revealed their stars, and the Hour its signs, and the Resurrection its dreadful majesty; when the pens have unloosed their outpourings and the spirits have laid bare their mysteries. Blessed is the man who recognizeth Him and attaineth His presence, and woe betide such as deny Him  and turn aside from Him. I beseech God to aid His servants to return unto Him. Verily He is the Pardoner, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

                                                                                                                               Bahá’u’lláh

 

Some Notes on Bahá’í Proofs

Based on the Qur’an

 

Approved by

National Spiritual Assembly

of the Bahá’ís of Central and East Africa

 

  I.     INVESTIGATION OF TRUTH                                                        

 II.     THE MEANING OF ISLAM                                                   

III.     THE MEANING OF THE SEAL OF THE PROPHETS           

IV.     HAS THE DAY OF JUDGMENT COME?                              

 V.     HOW CAN WE DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE TRUE AND THE FALSE?      

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

VII.    FURTHER REFERENCES                                                      

 

[This is a reproduction from an undated photocopy. The Rodwell translation of the Qur’an is used. The verse numbers given are those used in that translation and may differ from others. A few changes have been made in punctuation and spelling. An interpolation has been made in brackets [brackets] where text is missing. The Arabic text is omitted where the words are not from the Qur’an (and this is indicated), as the editor was unable to find a source to reproduce it: perhaps that text can be added later. Editor]

[A publication offering similar proofs to these notes is Bahá’u’lláh: The Great Announcement of the Qur’an, by Muhammad Mustafa, translated by Rowshan Mustafa, and published by the Bahá’í Publishing Trust of Bangladesh. Editor]

  

 I. INVESTIGATION OF TRUTH

 يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِن جَآءَكُمۡ فَاسِقُۢ بِنَبَإٍ۬ فَتَبَيَّنُوٓاْ أَن تُصِيبُواْ قَوۡمَۢا بِجَهَـٰلَةٍ۬ فَتُصۡبِحُواْ عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلۡتُمۡ نَـٰدِمِينَ

 

1. We are told in the above quotation that even if a bad man should bring us news we ought to investigate:

    “O Believers: If any bad man come to you with news, clear it up at once, lest through ignorance ye harm others, and speedily have to repent of what ye have done.” (Hurujat – 49:6)

 

 2. It is the duty of every Muslim to investigate the claim found in the Bahá’í teachings that the Day of Judgment, repeatedly promised in the Qur’an, has indeed come, and that in the blessed persons of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh we find the fulfillment of the prophecies regarding the two Manifestations to appear on that Day, i.e. the Mihdi and the return of Christ to the Sunnis and the Qa’im and the return of the Imam Husayn to the Shi’as.

 

3. Whilst it is true that in the Qur’an we are told that Islam is the one and “true religion” of God and that Muhammad is the “Seal of the Prophets”, this should not stop the God-fearing Muslim from fully investigating the truth about the Bahá’í Faith because; 

           a. The Qur’an calls upon us to investigate the truth, and not to imitate blindly.

           b. We find in the Bahá’í Faith a key which makes the Qur’an itself explain to us the true meanings of “Islam”, “Seal of the Prophets” and the “Day of Judgment”.

 

4. In the Qur’an we are told that it would be wrong to imitate blindly one’s parents or spiritual leaders.

    Let us see how the verses of the Qur’an confirm this point:

             a. Muhammad explains how the unbelievers were led to turn down His message merely because they wanted to follow their fathers. According to the Qur’an the excuse of such unbelievers, never accepted by God, was: “Verily we found our fathers of that persuasion, and verily, by their                footsteps do we guide ourselves.” (Zukhruf – 43:21)

                                               إِنَّا وَجَدۡنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا عَلَىٰٓ أُمَّةٍ۬ وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَـٰرِهِم مُّهۡتَدُونَ

 

            b. Muhammad further explains that the desire to imitate one’s parents was true also in religions before Him: “And thus never before Thy time did we send a Warner to any city but its wealthy ones said: ‘Verily we found our fathers with a religion, and in their tracks we tread.’” (Zukhruf – 43:22)

                                               َكَذَٲلِكَ مَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِكَ فِى قَرۡيَةٍ۬ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ إِلَّا قَالَ مُتۡرَفُوهَآ إِنَّا وَجَدۡنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا عَلَىٰٓ أُمَّةٍ۬ وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَـٰرِهِم مُّقۡتَدُونَ   

 

            c. The Qur’an also describes the condition of unbelievers when judged by God, and shows how the only excuse given by them would be that they were misled by their leaders – but, such an excuse would not be accepted by God:

                “Oh, our Lord! Indeed we obeyed our chiefs and our great ones, and they misled us from the way of God.” (Ahzab – 33:67)

                                                 رَبَّنَآ إِنَّآ أَطَعۡنَا سَادَتَنَا وَكُبَرَآءَنَا فَأَضَلُّونَا ٱلسَّبِيلَا۟               

 

5. Let us not also argue that we must follow what the majority of men believe. Note this verse:

    “But if thou obey most men in the land, from the path of God will they mislead thee.” (An’am – 6:116)

                                     وَإِن تُطِعۡ أَڪۡثَرَ مَن فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ

 6. Let us remember that the Qur’an, which was sent by Almighty God for the guidance of men, could also be misleading, if not properly understood. This makes the investigation of truth on the part of every Muslim an absolute necessity:

    “Many will he mislead by such parables and many guide.” (Baqarah – 2:24)

                                                 يُضِلُّ بِهِۦ ڪَثِيرً۬ا وَيَهۡدِى بِهِۦ كَثِيرً۬ا

 

7. Furthermore, the following verse teaches us that when an Apostle of God appears, men are likely to oppose Him, as He always comes with what their “souls desire not.”:

    “So oft then as an Apostle cometh to you with that which your souls desire not, swell ye with pride, and treat some as impostors and slay others? (Baqarah – 2:87)

          أَفَكُلَّمَا جَآءَكُمۡ رَسُولُۢ بِمَا لَا تَہۡوَىٰٓ أَنفُسُكُمُ ٱسۡتَكۡبَرۡتُمۡ فَفَرِيقً۬ا كَذَّبۡتُمۡ وَفَرِيقً۬ا تَقۡتُلُونَ

 

8. Finally, let us be confident that in our search for God’s truth, He will assuredly assist us:

    “And whoso maketh efforts for us, so in our ways will we guide them.” (Ankabut – 29:69)

                                                 وَٱلَّذِينَ جَـٰهَدُواْ فِينَا لَنَہۡدِيَنَّہُمۡ سُبُلَنَا‌ۚ

  

II. THE MEANING OF ISLAM

 

Because of the following three verses in the Qur’an:

a. “The true religion with God is Islam.” (Imran – 3:17)

                                    إِنَّ ٱلدِّينَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمُ‌ۗ

 

b. “Whoso desireth any other religion than Islam, that religion shall never be accepted from him, and in the next world he shall be among the lost.”  (Imran – 3:79)

                وَمَن يَبۡتَغِ غَيۡرَ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمِ دِينً۬ا فَلَن يُقۡبَلَ مِنۡهُ وَهُوَ فِى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلۡخَـٰسِرِينَ          

 

c. “This day have I perfected your religion for you, and have filled up the measure of my favors upon you;  and it is my pleasure that Islam be your religion.” (Ma’idah – 5:4)

                ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أَكۡمَلۡتُ لَكُمۡ دِينَكُمۡ وَأَتۡمَمۡتُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ نِعۡمَتِى وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمَ دِينً۬ا‌ۚ

 

the Muslims consider the religion of the Qur’an to be final. The Bahá’í teachings throw light on this subject and show that this is not so. Islam is the surrender or resignation of one’s will to God’s Will as expressed by God’s latest Messenger. At the time of Muhammad, therefore, those who resigned themselves to the latest Manifestation of the Will of God through the Qur’an, were called Muslims. But the Qur’an does not stop there in the use and application of the word “Islam” or “Muslim”. For example Noah is called a Muslim (Yunus – 12:71-72). Abraham, Jacob and his children are like-wise called Muslims (Baqarah – 2:130-132). Moses and His followers are also called Muslims (Yunus – 12:83) and (A’raf – 7:125). Finally the Disciples of Christ are called Muslims, and here is the text:

“And when I revealed unto the Disciples (of Christ), ‘Believe on Me and on My Sent One’, they said ‘We believe’; and bear Thou witness that they are Muslims.” (Ma’idah – 5:111)

                وَإِذۡ أَوۡحَيۡتُ إِلَى ٱلۡحَوَارِيِّـۧنَ أَنۡ ءَامِنُواْ بِى وَبِرَسُولِى قَالُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا وَٱشۡہَدۡ بِأَنَّنَا مُسۡلِمُونَ

 

Thus, we see that what the Author of the Qur’an meant by “Islam” was the Universal Religion of God, past, present and future. Such a universal religion is, of course, the only “true religion” accepted by God, as the forementioned verses testify. Islam, in its true and universal sense, has now found expression in the Bahá’í Faith. Let the sincere Muslim, therefore, take these verses, defining the meaning of Islam, as a stepping stone, not as a stumbling block in his search for truth.

 

III. THE MEANING OF THE SEAL OF THE PROPHETS

 The verse designating Muhammad as the “Seal of the Prophets” is as follows:

“Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but He is the Apostle of God, and the Seal of the Prophets: and God knoweth all things.” (Ahzab – 33:40)

 مَّا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَآ أَحَدٍ۬ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمۡ وَلَـٰكِن رَّسُولَ ٱللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ عَلِيمً۬ا

         This has been interpreted by Muslims to mean that the doors of Prophethood have been closed forever.  Let us consider the following points to see whether such an understanding is correct:

 

1. The Jews were required by Exodus 31:16-17 to keep the Sabbath as an eternal covenant: “Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual Covenant.  It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever.” Both Jesus and Muhammad broke the Sabbath. Does it mean that they were wrong?

 

2. Jesus has been referred to in Revelation 1:11 [1:8, 2:8, Editor], as Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last. Likewise He said in Luke 21:33 “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away”. If Jesus was to be the Last, why did Muhammad appear after Him? If the words of Jesus were not to be changed, why did Muhammad reveal the Qur’an?

 

3. The reason why such verses are found in the Holy Books is that all the Prophets of God are one in their reality. What applies to one applies to all. The following verses demonstrate this point:

                a. “Say ye: ‘We believe in God, and that which hath been sent down to us, and that which hath been sent down to Abraham and Ismael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes: and that which hath been given to Moses and to Jesus, and that which hath been given to the Prophets from their Lord. No difference do we make between any of them.’” (Baqarah – 2:130)

                قُولُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡنَا وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَىٰٓ إِبۡرَٲهِـۧمَ وَإِسۡمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسۡحَـٰقَ وَيَعۡقُوبَ وَٱلۡأَسۡبَاطِ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ مُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ ٱلنَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمۡ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيۡنَ أَحَدٍ۬ مِّنۡهُمۡ

                b. “We make no distinction between any of His Apostles.”  (Baqarah – 2:285)

                                                             لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيۡنَ أَحَدٍ۬ مِّن رُّسُلِهِۦ‌ۚ

                c. “Verily we have revealed to thee as we revealed to Noah and the Prophets after him, and as we revealed to Abraham, and Ismael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, and Jesus, and Job, and Jonah, and Aaron, and Solomon; and to David gave We Psalms.” (Nisa – 4:161)

 إِنَّآ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ كَمَآ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ۬ وَٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ‌ۚ وَأَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبۡرَٲهِيمَ وَإِسۡمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسۡحَـٰقَ وَيَعۡقُوبَ وَٱلۡأَسۡبَاطِ وَعِيسَىٰ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُونُسَ وَهَـٰرُونَ وَسُلَيۡمَـٰنَ‌ۚ وَءَاتَيۡنَا دَاوُ ۥدَ زَبُورً۬ا

 

 4. The Qur’an teaches that God’s Revelation is endless; its source is inexhaustible:

                a. “Should the sea become ink, to write the words of my Lord, the sea would surely fail ere the words of my Lord would fail, though we brought its like in aid.” (Kahf – 18:109)   

 لَّوۡ كَانَ ٱلۡبَحۡرُ مِدَادً۬ا لِّكَلِمَـٰتِ رَبِّى لَنَفِدَ ٱلۡبَحۡرُ قَبۡلَ أَن تَنفَدَ كَلِمَـٰتُ رَبِّى وَلَوۡ جِئۡنَا بِمِثۡلِهِۦ مَدَدً۬ا

               

               b. “If all the trees that are upon the earth were to become pens, and if God should after that swell the sea into seven seas of ink, His words would not be exhausted: for God is Mighty, Wise” (Luqman – 31:26)

 وَلَوۡ أَنَّمَا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مِن شَجَرَةٍ أَقۡلَـٰمٌ۬ وَٱلۡبَحۡرُ يَمُدُّهُ ۥ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ سَبۡعَةُ أَبۡحُرٍ۬ مَّا نَفِدَتۡ كَلِمَـٰتُ ٱللَّهِ‌ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ۬

              c. Referring to the Jews, the Qur’an criticizes them in the words: “’The hand of God,’ say the Jews, ‘is chained up’. Their own hands shall be chained up – and for that which they have said shall they be cursed. Nay! outstretched are both His hands! At His own pleasure does He bestow gifts.” (Ma’idah – 5:69)

 وَقَالَتِ ٱلۡيَہُودُ يَدُ ٱللَّهِ مَغۡلُولَةٌ‌ۚ غُلَّتۡ أَيۡدِيہِمۡ وَلُعِنُواْ بِمَا قَالُواْ‌ۘ بَلۡ يَدَاهُ مَبۡسُوطَتَانِ يُنفِقُ كَيۡفَ يَشَآءُ‌ۚ

 

5. Muhammad assures us that God by His behest is free to send His Chosen One to men:

                a. “By His own behest will He cause the angel to descend with the Spirit on whom He pleaseth among His servants, bidding them, ‘Warn that there is no God but Me; therefore, fear Me.’” (Nahl – 16:2)

 يُنَزِّلُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةَ بِٱلرُّوحِ مِنۡ أَمۡرِهِۦ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِۦۤ أَنۡ أَنذِرُوٓاْ أَنَّهُ ۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۟ فَٱتَّقُونِ

              b. “God chooseth Messengers from among the angels and from among men: verily God Heareth, Seeth.”  (Hajj – 22:75)

                  ٱللَّهُ يَصۡطَفِى مِنَ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕڪَةِ رُسُلاً۬ وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعُۢ بَصِيرٌ۬

 6. Another interesting point we find in the Qur’an is the setting forth of a universal principle governing the appearance of the Messengers of God. This principle which has no exceptions and therefore does not exclude Islam, provides that any people who receive the Messenger of God are given a fixed term or appointed time. At such an appointed time, a Divine Book is revealed by God through His Messenger, which seals the past term and starts the new one. Here are the verses:

                a. “Every people hath 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)

              وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌ۬‌ۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمۡ لَا يَسۡتَأۡخِرُونَ سَاعَةً۬‌ۖ وَلَا يَسۡتَقۡدِمُونَ

                b. “To each term its Book. What He pleaseth will God abrogate or confirm; for with Him is the Source of Revelation.” (Ra’d – 13:38)

 يَمۡحُواْ ٱللَّهُ مَا يَشَآءُ وَيُثۡبِتُ‌ۖ وَعِندَهُ ۥۤ أُمُّ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبِ  لِكُلِّ أَجَلٍ۬ ڪِتَابٌ۬ 

                c. “Neither too soon, nor too late, shall a people reach its appointed time.” (Mu’minun – 23:43)

                                                             مَا تَسۡبِقُ مِنۡ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلَهَا وَمَا يَسۡتَـٔۡخِرُونَ

 7. From the verses we have so far quoted under this section, two points emerge which prove that the expression “Seal of the Prophets” cannot mean the end of Divine Revelation. The two points are:

                a. In view of the oneness of the Prophets of God, a title which applies to one of them could apply to all of them.

                b. God’s revelation is endless, His freedom to send His Chosen Ones to us is unrestricted, and He has fixed for each religion its appointed time.     Why, then, was Muhammad designated as “Seal of the Prophets”? This is what we shall consider in our next point.

 

 8. A distinction is made in the Qur’an between two words: “nabi” (prophet) and “rasool” (apostle or messenger). Note this verse:

    “We have not sent any Apostle, nor any Prophet before Thee ….” (Hajj – 22:51)

 وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ۬ وَلَا نَبِىٍّ

     Also note in the following two verses how Moses is referred to as an Apostle as well as a Prophet, but Aaron, the brother of Moses, is referred to merely as a Prophet:

    “And commemorate Moses in the Book; for He was a Man of purity; moreover He was an Apostle and a Prophet.” (Maryam – 19:52)

 وَٱذۡكُرۡ فِى ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ مُوسَىٰٓ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ كَانَ مُخۡلَصً۬ا وَكَانَ رَسُولاً۬ نَّبِ

     “And we bestowed on Him (Moses) in our mercy His brother, Aaron, a Prophet.” (Maryam – 19:54)                                                                          

وَوَهَبۡنَا لَهُ ۥ مِن رَّحۡمَتِنَآ أَخَاهُ هَـٰرُونَ نَبِ

     The word “nabi” (prophet) means “he who foretells” a future event; whereas “rasool” means “he who is sent with a message” from God. All the Chosen Ones of God were “nabi”s or prophets because they warned their people and foretold the advent of the most great event in religious history, the Day of Judgment, which, it is interesting to note, is referred to in the Qur’an (Surah 78) as the “Naba” (The News) – a word from the same root as “nabi”. A “nabi”, therefore, according to the usage of the Qur’an becomes more specific and acquires the meaning of “he who foretells the Day of Judgment.”

     The Qur’anic verse quoted above designating Muhammad as the “Seal”, does not state that Muhammad is the seal of the “rasool”s (Apostles or Messengers), but only the Seal of the “nabi”s (Prophets prophesying about the Day of Judgment). The verse does not imply, therefore, that there will be no more Apostles or Messengers to be sent by God, but merely states that Muhammad (also called a “Warner” – See 33:44-45) is the Last of God’s Chosen Ones to warn and prepare the world for the advent of the Day of Judgment, and immediately upon the termination of His Dispensation, the Day of Judgment, itself, shall come. This is precisely what the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh have announced: that their Day, which immediately followed Muhammad’s Dispensation, is the completion and fulfillment of the prophecies of all past religions, the advent of the promised Day of Judgment.

 

 9. In the light of the above explanation on the difference between “nabi” and “rasool”, how reassuring, then, become these heart-warming words of the Qur’an:

    “O Children of Adam! There shall come to you Apostles (rasool’s) from among yourselves, rehearsing My signs to you; and whoso shall fear God and do good works, no fear shall come upon them, neither shall they be put to grief.” (A’raf – 7:35)

 يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ إِمَّا يَأۡتِيَنَّكُمۡ رُسُلٌ۬ مِّنكُمۡ يَقُصُّونَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ ءَايَـٰتِى‌ۙ فَمَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰ وَأَصۡلَحَ فَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡہِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ

     The Bahá’ís believe that Muhammad was indeed the Seal of the Prophets, that the Day of Judgment has come, that two of God’s Apostles, the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh, have already appeared, and have taught in their Writings how God’s revelations are continuous and progressive, and will continue to be sent to man in ages to come.