Manakji and the Tabernacle of Unity
The Baha'i Studies Listserv Here is the first part of my paper. Baha’u’llah’s letters to Manakji Limji Hataria as found in the Tabernacle of Unity1 represents a particularly significant work in the Baha’i scriptures for a number of reasons. They represent one of the few texts addressed to someone outside the Abrahamic religious tradition. While addressed to a Zoroastrian, these texts deal with the questions of religious pluralism in general. It is one of the few places where Baha’u’llah discusses the claims of Indic religions. Manakji’s questions were largely formulated, not against the background of mainstream Zoroastrian beliefs, but that of a peculiar school of Zoroastrianism founded by Azar Kaivan that was heavily influenced by Ishraqi philosophy. This school that flourished in India during the 16th and 17th centuries produced the Dasatir, a supposedly ancient scripture written in the style of the Qur’an, which was said to contain the revelations of pre-Zoroastrian Iranian prophets. Manakji’s questions regarding the Prophets of Mahábád, as well as many of his other theological preconceptions are based on the beliefs promulgated in the Dasatir rather than from any authentic Zoroastrian scripture. The propose of this paper is to examine the context of the Manakji’s questions and Baha’u’llah’s answers against the background of Ishraqi philosophy. It is my thesis that Baha’u’llah is not simply addressing questions which arose out of the background of South Asian religious pluralism, but a philosophical school which arose within the context of medieval Islamicate culture in the Middle East. Baha’u’llah’s answers, then reveal not only a good deal about his approach to non-Abrahamic religions but to the perennialist approach to pluralism found within Islam itself. __ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:arch...@mail-archive.com Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:leave-549513-27401.54f46e81b66496c9909bcdc2f7987...@list.jccc.edu Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to ly...@list.jccc.edu Or subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/?forum=bahai-st News (on-campus only) - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
Re: The Tabernacle of Unity
Yes, but the I in the same sentence then must refer to Baha'u'llah's amenuensis (Mirza Aqa Jan?). I am not aware of having before seen Revelation revealed in the first person of Baha'u'llah's secretary. - Original Message - From: Michael Alcorn To: Baha'i Studies Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 8:36 PM Subject: Re: The Tabernacle of Unity I deduce that the 'His' in question refers to Baha'u'llah. The reason being that the beginning of chapter 2 is titled 'Responses to questions of Manikchi Sahib from a Tablet to Mirza Abu'l-Fadl'. - Original Message - From: Dean Betts To: Baha'i Studies Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 11:47 PM Subject: The Tabernacle of Unity To whom does the pronoun His (below) refer? The Tabernacle of Unity, last sentence of page 37 (paragraph 2.32): Supreme Infallibility, as I once heard from His blessed lips... The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto (e-mail) is sent by the Johnson County Community College (JCCC) and is intended to be confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you. __ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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/[EMAIL PROTECTED] New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu __ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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/[EMAIL PROTECTED] New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.467 / Virus Database: 269.7.0/803 - Release Date: 05/13/2007 12:17 PM __ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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/[EMAIL PROTECTED] New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
Re: The Tabernacle of Unity
Hi Dean, Actually, there are many examples of this style of Writing. Of course, I can't find any now. :-) Perhaps someone can post the cite, but I am sure that we have Mirza Aqa Jan's own word on this. But I do know that this Tablet in particular is written like this - on the surface it is a letter from Mirza Aqa Jan to Mirza Abu'l Fadl but it was dictated by Baha'u'llah to Mirza Aqa Jan in full. From: Dean Betts [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: Baha'i Studies bahai-st@list.jccc.edu To: Baha'i Studies bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Subject: Re: The Tabernacle of Unity Date: Sun, 13 May 2007 21:00:09 -0400 Yes, but the I in the same sentence then must refer to Baha'u'llah's amenuensis (Mirza Aqa Jan?). I am not aware of having before seen Revelation revealed in the first person of Baha'u'llah's secretary. - Original Message - From: Michael Alcorn To: Baha'i Studies Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 8:36 PM Subject: Re: The Tabernacle of Unity I deduce that the 'His' in question refers to Baha'u'llah. The reason being that the beginning of chapter 2 is titled 'Responses to questions of Manikchi Sahib from a Tablet to Mirza Abu'l-Fadl'. - Original Message - From: Dean Betts To: Baha'i Studies Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 11:47 PM Subject: The Tabernacle of Unity To whom does the pronoun His (below) refer? The Tabernacle of Unity, last sentence of page 37 (paragraph 2.32): Supreme Infallibility, as I once heard from His blessed lips... The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto (e-mail) is sent by the Johnson County Community College (JCCC) and is intended to be confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you. The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto (e-mail) is sent by the Johnson County Community College (JCCC) and is intended to be confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you. __ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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/[EMAIL PROTECTED] New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu __ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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/[EMAIL PROTECTED] New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.467 / Virus Database: 269.7.0/803 - Release Date: 05/13/2007 12:17 PM __ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st Baha'i Studies is available
Re: Tabernacle of Unity
Dear Donald, I'll have to ask Rob, but in my experience anyone who needs the discount gets it. warmest, Susan - Original Message - From: Donald Strong [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Tuesday, March 6, 2007 3:27 am Subject: Tabernacle of Unity To: Baha'i Studies bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Please define what a senior is for the purpose of the course. The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto (e-mail) is sent by the Johnson County Community College (JCCC) and is intended to be confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you. __ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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
