On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 05:26:25 -0000, Brent Poirier <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Our friend Gilberto wrote: > >>There are also scathing condemnations of Muslims as a community>> > >>the claim that the validity of the Islamic dispensation has been abrogated>> Brent: > We believe it is a fundamental reality of the greatest importance to realize, > that every succeeding Prophet has the authority to abrogate the laws of > previous Prophets. Gilberto: I'm not sure if I want to argue about whether or not that this is true. But it still doesn't refute the main point that the Bahai faith says the Islamic laws have been abrogated and this means the Bahai faith is less able to say that they are promoting and supporting Islam. Brent: Abrogation of His laws in a succeeding Dispensation is not a discredit to any Prophet, for the wholesome medicine God sent for the needs of a previous millennium, may not be as perfect as that He sends at a later time; and again, He may re-establish an earlier law at a later time. Gilberto: > >>there are certainly many Bahais who have argued that Islam is unsuitable > >>for the modern age, compared it to poison even>> Brent: > While some aspects of Islam are not the remedy for today's needs (some are), > I have not, in 34 years of being a Baha'i, heard a single one compare any > Divine Revelation including that of the Prophet Muhammad's to poison. Gilberto: Quite recently someone extended that same medical metaphor and claimed that what is medicine in one situation can be poison in another. Brent: I think that would be a shameful act, to speak so disrespectfully of the Holy Word. Gilberto: > >>The Quran is on the lips, but the hadith are discarded.>> Brent: > The Hadith are not discarded; in the Baha'i Dispensation they are relegated > to a subordinate station to the Revealed Word. I think this is because in > Islam the Hadith, even the contradictory ones and those of weak lineage and > authenticity, are all viewed as being as binding as the Word itself. Gilberto: I think you are mistaken. The use of hadith is not done indiscriminately. The hadith are rated according to authenticity and only the most authentic are used to derrive binding legislation. Brent: To rectify this over-emphasis, Baha'u'llah has modified their role. They are not to be suppressed, but in His Dispensation traditions do not possess authority. Gilberto: That's what I am calling discarded. Perhaps you are right in saying that the hadith are extensively quoted in the Bahai writings, but at least my experience in the newsgroup people seem uniformly opposed to accepting anything which comes from a hadith. Gilberto: > >>it seems like the Bahai faith would seek to co-opt Islam. And if you don't > >>particularly want to get co-opted then this is a bad thing.>> Brent: > Fulfill. Not co-opt. Gilberto: So what do you think co-opt means? Peace Gilberto "My people are hydroponic" __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com To unsubscribe, send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, use subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
