Dear Ahang,
<< I agree with this, but would state it slightly differently. Nabil was
echoing and in fact down-playing Babi sentiments. Quddus represented himself,
both in writing and apparently orally, as the return of Christ. For the Babis
that was a critical point since in Shi'a eschatology, the Mihdi had to appear
with the Christ. Therefore the claim of the Bab to be the Mihdi was incomplete
by itself and the return of Christ had to accompany it, which Quddus
fulfilled.>>
I really know nothing about this matter apart from a vague idea of how Nabil
represents things--something I'm long overdue to revisit. But I'm wondering if
how you've presented this is how it is represented in Baha'i scripture or if
this is just suggested in sources about Quddus? Is this scriptural: "the claim
of the Bab to be the Mihdi was incomplete by itself and the return of Christ
had to accompany it"?
That is,
1) Did the Bab ever directly claim to be the Mihdi?
2) Was that claim, if made, represented by the Bab or Baha'u'llah as
incomplete by itself?
3) Did the Bab assert that the return of Christ had to accompany Him or
is this just assumed from traditions and verses such as "and the Prophets were
brought up" (Qur'an 39:68/DB 41)? Also, how does Nabil differ from Quddus' own
self-representation? Does Quddus represent himself as the Mihdi?
Sorry if you've answered all these questions before. My memory isn't too
good.
It seems from Nabil that Quddus fulfills both positions, Mihdi and
Christ's return. That is, the tradition recorded by Bukhari regarding the Mihdi is
associated with Quddus:
"'Should your eyes behold the Black Standards proceeding from Khurasan,
hasten ye towards them, even though ye should have to crawl over the snow, inasmuch
as they proclaim the advent of the promised Mihdi, the Vicegerent of God.'
That standard was unfurled at the command of the Bab, *in the name of Quddus*,
and by the hands of Mulla Husayn." (DB 351)
This point is further asserted in this text:
"In this manner they reached the shrine of Shaykh Tabarsi. The first words
that fell from the lips of Quddus after he had dismounted and leaned against the
shrine were the following: 'The Baqiyyatuâllah will be best for you if ye are
of those who believe.' By this utterance was fulfilled the prophecy of
Muhammad as recorded in the following tradition: 'And when the Mihdi is made
manifest, He shall lean His back against the Ka'bih and shall address to the three
hundred and thirteen followers who will have grouped around Him, these words:
"The Baqiyyatu'llah will be best for you if ye are of those who believe."'" (DB
352-3)
As Nabil presents it, the Bab never directly claims to be the Mihdi, only
Quddus, who is likewise represented as Christ, though not as a direct
echatological claim, as is the references to the Mihdi. It seems that the Bab is
represented as the Mihdi only insofar as when Quddus is represented as the Mihdi, and
we are led to understand that Quddus is in fact the light of the Bab after the
Bab was in captivity.
Nabil seems to use Qur'an 39:68, fashioned in a sermon by Siyyid Kazim,
as a thesis for much in the following narrative. The christ-like representation
of Quddus conforms to this early expectation.
In the NT there is a progression on some eschatological matters, such as
the Harrowing of Hell as eschatological fulfillment, with early texts silent
or even suggesting it hadn't occurred and latter texts attributed to Paul and
Peter affirming it. So perhaps something similar is occuring here. The Bab is
silent, while Quddus is addressing particular expectations and only a limited
picture of this is coming through in Nabil's narrative.
<<Towards this, for instance, Quddus named his sister Maryam (Mary) to evoke
that "Christian" connection and he modeled his life after the Christ (wearing
the same type of clothing, etc). Baha'u'llah often linked Quddus with Christ,
for instance, stating that in his martyrdom no one suffered more than Quddus,
"not even Christ".>>
Nabil mentions Quddus' unconventional dress (DB 145), but how do we know how
Jesus dressed and if Quddus intended his clothes to represent those of Jesus?
In saying that Quddus suffered more than Christ, Baha'u'llah would be
representing him as someone unlike Christ. But perhaps that's a peculiarly Eastern way
of representing likeness. But given Nabil's narrative methodology, I would
not be surprised by some linkage with Baha'u'llah's writings.
<<The station of Quddus is really somewhat different from Ali's. Ali never
had the station of Manifestationhood, which Quddus enjoyed. That is, while he
did not bring about a new Shari'a, and reflected the light of the Bab, he
ranked as a Manifestation.>>
A new Shari'a is not really a requirement of a Manifestation, but rather a
type of Manifestation. But the connection with the Book of Revelation isn't
really based on either being Manifestations, apart from prophesying and
witnessing, functions of Manifestations, but not unique to Manifestations.
<<There is much more on this, as we've discussed before. May be we do a
paper on this someday.>>
That would be fine, except that I have no qualifications or knowledge to
contribute. Certainly nothing you don't already know. But I have been hoping you
might put together a book on Quddus and his writings.
Warmest,
Michael
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