Dear Gilberto In a message http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist/m42611.html
http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu/msg01649.html you write in relation to two passages below that it appears as if Dr Mark Foster's point contradicts the Utterance of the Sacred Iqan and you were wondering why I would thank him... ***Gilberto: Khazeh, I don't know why you chose to include that section. It seems to be saying the opposite of what Mark said. Mark was saying it would be presumptuous to say that the previous religions were dead, but that's exactly what your passage seems to be saying. WHY WOULD YOU BOTHER TO THANK MARK FOR HIS WORDS AND CALL THEM WELL SAID. WHEN EVERYTHING ELSE YOU WROTE CONTRADICTS IT?*** The Passage in question is: **** Such a condition as this is witnessed in this day when the reins of every community have fallen into the grasp of foolish leaders, who lead after their own whims and desire. On their tongue the mention of God hath become an empty name; in their midst His holy Word a dead letter. Such is the sway of their desires, that the lamp of conscience and reason hath been quenched in their hearts, and this although the fingers of divine power have unlocked the portals of the knowledge of God, and the light of divine knowledge and heavenly grace hath illumined and inspired the essence of all created things, in such wise that in each and every thing a door of knowledge hath been opened, and within every atom traces of the sun hath been made manifest. And yet, in spite of all these manifold revelations of divine knowledge, which have encompassed the world, they still vainly imagine the door of knowledge to be closed, and the showers of mercy to be stilled. Clinging unto idle fancy, they have strayed far from the Urvatu'l-Vuthqa of divine knowledge (Baha'u'llah: The Kitab-i-Iqan, Pages: 29-30)**** I really do not see a contradiction. I will explain respectfully if you will be so kind as to give me your precious time. In the Baha'I Revelation the Sacred Scriptures are kept sacred Please I beg you to look at this carefully *** it should be stated that the Revelation identified with Baha'u'llah upholds uncompromisingly the eternal verities they enshrine, recognizes firmly and absolutely the Divine origin of their Authors, PRESERVES INVIOLATE THE SANCTITY OF THEIR AUTHENTIC SCRIPTURES, DISCLAIMS ANY INTENTION OF LOWERING THE STATUS OF THEIR FOUNDERS OR OF ABATING THE SPIRITUAL IDEALS THEY INCULCATE, clarifies and correlates their functions, reaffirms their common, their unchangeable and fundamental purpose, reconciles their seemingly divergent claims and doctrines, readily and gratefully recognizes their respective contributions to the gradual Unfoldment of one Divine Revelation, unhesitatingly acknowledges itself to be but one link in the chain of continually progressive Revelations, supplements their teachings with such laws and ordinances as conform to the imperative needs, and are dictated by the growing receptivity, of a fast evolving and constantly changing society**** (Shoghi Effendi: God Passes By, Page: 100) So the Sanctity of the Holy Qur'an is upheld but this is in agreement with the truth that the peoples of this Day have drifted away And it is precisely this drifting away that the Imam 'Ali was prophesying about *** Not only have the peoples of the earth ignored, and some of them even assailed, a Faith which is at once the essence, the promise, the reconciler, and the unifier of all religions, but they have drifted away from their own religions (Shoghi Effendi: The Promised Day is Come, Page: 112)*** ******* >From Nahjul Balaagha Sermon 146 ** On the future Certainly, a time will come upon you after me when nothing will be more concealed than rightfulness, nothing more apparent than wrongfulness and nothing more current than untruth against God and His Prophet. FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS PERIOD NOTHING WILL BE MORE VALUELESS THAN THE QUR’ÁN BEING RECITED AS IT OUGHT TO BE RECITED, NOR ANYTHING MORE VALUABLE THAN THE QUR’ÁN BEING MISPLACED FROM ITS POSITION. And in the towns nothing will be more hated than virtue, nor anything more acceptable than vice. The holders of the book will throw it away and its memorizers would forget it. In these days the Qur’án and its people will be exiled and expelled. They will be companions keeping together on one path, but no one will offer them asylum. CONSEQUENTLY AT THIS TIME THE QUR’ÁN AND ITS PEOPLE WILL BE AMONG THE PEOPLE BUT NOT AMONG THEM, WILL BE WITH THEM BUT NOT WITH THEM, BECAUSE MISGUIDANCE CANNOT ACCORD WITH GUIDANCE EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY BE TOGETHER. The people will have united on division and will therefore have cut away from the community, as though they were the leaders of the Qur’án and not the Qur’án their leader. Nothing of it will be left with them except its name, and they will know nothing save its writing and its words. AS to the Status of Nahjul Balaagha [Peak of Eloquence] the Martyr Prophet the Bab mentions it in His Writings [in the Panj Sha'n] And previously the Immortal Shaykh Ahmad al-Ah.sai mentions its [Nahj's] emanation from the Imam 'Ali I think I am aware of discussions about it but the evidence for authenticity is very strong http://www.al-islam.org/al-tawhid/glimpses/2.htm http://www.al-shia.com/html/eng/books/nahjulbalaga/misconceptions.htm if you read this and are happy I will come back. If I write more I do not think you may be able to peruse it And Salaam be upon him who followeth the guidance 033.044 YUSUFALI: Their salutation on the Day they meet Him will be "Peace!"[SALAAM]; and He has prepared for them a generous Reward. __________________________________________________ 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:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu 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
