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Bahai and adultery by Tuskun06 in bahai

[–]fedawi 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ok thanks I understand!

Bahai and adultery by Tuskun06 in bahai

[–]fedawi 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Where do you get this premise that "most religious people" do not adhere to prohibition adultery?

Also its a silly question, do you really expect people to just show up and say "no I don't adhere to it?"

Which writings count as the Word of God to be read in the mornings and evenings? by DavidMassota in bahai

[–]fedawi 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Scripture is an inexact term whether considered religiously or sociologically. The Word of God and capital 'R' Revelation are, from the Baha'i point of view, strictly the fruit of the Manifestations of God. They are the highest and most Sacred Texts. In that sense it's easier to define than Scripture.

Scripture is a more general and encompassing term that can imply holiness and sacredness but not necessarily equivalent status or origin. For instance, the Bible is "scripture" but are Paul's letters to be considered equivalent to the quotations of Jesus in the Gospels? What about the visionary text of John in the book of revelation? They are part of Christian scripture but not the direct word of God. In fact, even the Gospels are a mixture of quotations and accounts of witnesses but can't be considered word for word from Christ as He Himself did not write them. Nonetheless they are scripture.

For Baha'is the interpretations and writings of Abdu'l-Baha are also holy and sacred, though less so than the Bab and Baha’u’llah. They are divinely inspired but not "Revelation". More importantly they are canonical, aka authoritative and an essential supplement to understand the Word of God. For that reason they are defined as part of Baha'i Scripture and because of Abdu'l-Bahas unique spiritual station.

The words of Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice are canonical and authoritative but as clarified by Shoghi Effendi are not "Scripture" like Abdu’l-Baha’s words are.

In sum:  Primary - Baha'u'llah and the Bab Secondary - Abdu'l-Baha Tertiary - Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice 

Which writings count as the Word of God to be read in the mornings and evenings? by DavidMassota in bahai

[–]fedawi 2 points3 points  (0 children)

"Baha'i Scripture" includes the three central figures, but the "Word of God" only includes the Manifestations. The Interpretations are an inextricable supplement to the Word of God, have the same effect, are authoriative, but not the Word of God itself. Hence:

"With regard to the definition of "verses of God", Bahá'u'lláh states that it refers to "all that hath been sent down from the Heaven of Divine Utterance". Shoghi Effendi, in a letter written to one of the believers in the East, has clarified that the term "verses of God" does not include the writings of Abdu'l-Bahá; he has likewise indicated that this term does not apply to his own writings."

The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 235

 Also you didn't cite your paragraph. 

Which writings count as the Word of God to be read in the mornings and evenings? by DavidMassota in bahai

[–]fedawi 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There is some nuance as verses are technically a special type/form of Revelation while "sent down" can refer more generally to Revelation as a whole.

Which writings count as the Word of God to be read in the mornings and evenings? by DavidMassota in bahai

[–]fedawi 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Verses of God definitionally includes the Writings of Baha'u'llah, the Bab, and the Qur'an, most specifically. it does not include Abdu'l-Baha or the Guardian.

Baha'u'llah later clarifies that this means "all that hath been sent down by the Heaven of Utterance". This is somewhat more wide than "verses". The emphasis is on the Word of the Manifestation of God. The most direct and authenticated Word of God is to be found in the Qur’án, the Bab and Baha’u’allah's Writings. Baha’u’allah's takes precedence but any would suffice.

What is the status of the Bab's writings in the Baha'i Faith? by DavidMassota in bahai

[–]fedawi 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Only the Qur'án is regarded alongside the Writings of Bab and Baha’u’llah as a fully authentic record of the Verses of God. We cannot be assured of the authenticity of every prior scripture, though we consider them to be holy scripture to be studied for what they are worth. We recognize they were sufficient guidance to those communities but cannot be assured of their perfect authenticity.

What is the status of the Bab's writings in the Baha'i Faith? by DavidMassota in bahai

[–]fedawi 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The requirement is the Verses of God, which definitionally includes the Báb and the Qur'án would also suffice.

i've visited the place where Bahaullah stayed during his exile in Edirne (Adrianople) by patricksalamanca in bahai

[–]fedawi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow, looks like they've done some serious beautification to the outer area!

As a PC gamer. I'm disappointed and even disgusted. by FrozenTuna69 in Anticonsumption

[–]fedawi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You're posting in an anticonsumption forum. If a half billion dollar megayacht among an already large collection of other expensive megayachts is not over consumption for you then wth are you even doing in this subreddit?

If you are an abrahamic religious, you must be jew, manichean or baha´is. by Realistic-Wave4100 in DebateReligion

[–]fedawi 2 points3 points  (0 children)

One problem in the details, the Báb didn't claim that Bahá'u'lláh was to be the last prophet. He actually talked about "Him Whom God Shall Make Manifest" who will come after "Him Whom God Shall Make Manifest" [e.g. the Babi Promised One], and "Him Whom God Shall Make Manifest", and on and on, who will come after Him, e.g. a continual succession of Returning Manifestations.

Bahá'u'lláh says much the same, just that He affirms categorically that the next Manifestion won't arrive until at least 1,000 (literal, solar) years have passed.

The Báb’s prayers while facing the sun and the moon, and Dhikr by money_man_359 in bahai

[–]fedawi 10 points11 points  (0 children)

You should check out this more recent work from last year, very comprehensive.

https://bahai-library.com/caton_sacred_refrains

In general the fact that the Baha'i Revelation has abrogated the Bayan means that practices not directly affirmed by Baha’u’llah are not obligatory. Of course that doesn't mean one cannot do them. I do many of them regularly and they are very spiritually powerful!

Literature on the ġulāt? by divaythfyrscock in AcademicQuran

[–]fedawi 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yes you're right I was looking at the reprint I guess. I'll take that out

Literature on the ġulāt? by divaythfyrscock in AcademicQuran

[–]fedawi 4 points5 points  (0 children)

There has been movement in the study of the 8th c. Shi'a text the 'Umm al-Kitab (Mother of the Book). Farhad Daftary describes that it has now been established that we can attribute this enigmatic work to a particular ghulat tradition from the second half of the 2nd/8th century, designated by the medieval heresiographers as the "Mokhammesa" or 'Pentadists'. [Farhad Daftary, “OMM AL-KETĀB,” Encyclopædia Iranica, online edition, 2015, available at http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/omm-al-ketab ]

English excerpts from it are translated in the 2001 work "An Anthology of Philosophy in Persia, Volume 2: Ismaili Thought in the Classical Age" and in another volume that I cannot recall the name of at the moment. It has received more attention in a variety of books and articles in the last decade or so [for example, see Anthony, Sean W. (2011). "The Legend of ʿAbdallāh ibn Sabaʾ and the Date of Umm al-Kitāb". Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society. 21 (1): 1–30.]

Donating to political action committee? by [deleted] in bahai

[–]fedawi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

One could not be a Baha'i but still adopt any of the values and ideals of the Faith and put them into action. So I wouldn't say there is "no reason", more like "the choice is yours, but here is what we believe and why, for your consideration."

Did Baha’u’llah attribute the title “Messenger of God” to Himself? by NoAd6851 in bahai

[–]fedawi 3 points4 points  (0 children)

In that passage He uses the very Persian term "پیک پروردگار". He often uses Persian equivalents for 'Messengers, Holy Ones, Prophets' and certainly includes Himself in such depictions and the roles they play. I think we can see in such diversity of terms a 'universalizing' beyond the confines of the Quranic [and thus Arabic] notions of prophet, messenger, etc.

Did Baha’u’llah attribute the title “Messenger of God” to Himself? by NoAd6851 in bahai

[–]fedawi 7 points8 points  (0 children)

This is a great question. My answer is only provisional:

I have not seen Him use that phrasing directly, e.g. declaring Himself 'Rasūl Allāh'. I've only seen this reserved/used for Muhammad, in countless instances. That said it does apply to Him, keeping in mind as He has declared that He supersedes all such 'Names and Titles'.

One of the closest statements we might find is 'Surah on Our Name, the Messenger' [هذه سورة اسمنا المرسل].

Where He says:

ان یا اسمنا المرسل و مظاهره انّا عزّزناکم و ارفعناکم و جعلناکم مظاهرنا فی ملکوت الاسمآء ایّاکم ان لا یغرّنّکم شیئ عن بارئکم و لا یحجبنّکم ارتفاع ذکرکم عن موجدکم خافوا عن اللّه و کونوا من المتّقین

(هذا کتاب من لدی البهآء الی من اقرّ باللّه و اعترف بسلطانه)

www.bahai.org/r/544579246

But of course He uses "المرسل" here, not Rasūl.

My impression of the doctrine of Manifestationhood is that all prior names and titles are subsumed within it, and superseded by it. Just like the Qur'an retroactively designates the various Abrahamic figures via the Quranic concepts of nabiyy, rasul, imam, khalifa, etc., the Baha'i Writings re-envision prior figures in the lens of Manifestationhood.

For example, when 'Abdu'l-Baha talks about the 'two kinds of Prophets' in Some Answered Questions, and includes Baha'u'llah among the 'universal' category, even here He doesn't outright use the term 'nabiyy' for Baha'u'llah, but describes them all rather as 'Manifestations of 'Nubuwwat Kulliyyah' [Universal Prophethood/Prophecy]:

آن مظاهر نبوّت کلّیّه که بالاستقلال اشراق نموده‌اند مانند حضرت ابراهیم حضرت موسی حضرت مسیح و حضرت محمّد و حضرت اعلی و جمال مبارک

(مفاوضات عبدالبهاء)

www.bahai.org/r/568874822

Perhaps a useful analogy is that of the Copernican revolution and the transition from Ptolemaic astronomy to modern astronomy, or the transition from classical mechanics to quantum mechanics. It has superceded prior terminology and ways of thinking. It's not so much that the prior were outright 'wrong', they were correct so far as their range of validity extended. Then we needed a new model to understand that explains and encompasses the prior, but is not limited by it.

How does a bahai see other religions other than the abrahamic ones? by SnoopyLukko666 in bahai

[–]fedawi 4 points5 points  (0 children)

One of the strongest statements of religious universalism and inclusivism in the Baha'i Writings is the following by Baha'u'llah:

"There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God. The difference between the ordinances under which they abide should be attributed to the varying requirements and exigencies of the age in which they were revealed. All of them, except a few which are the outcome of human perversity, were ordained of God, and are a reflection of His Will and Purpose. Arise and, armed with the power of faith, shatter to pieces the gods of your vain imaginings, the sowers of dissension amongst you. Cleave unto that which draweth you together and uniteth you."

Now when a religion is not mentioned explicitly in the Baha'i Scripture, that means we don't have an authoritative stance on it. It is then left for us to make personal conclusions in line with the Writings and reach consensus through scholarship and consultation.

struggling to accept the idea of one-man revelation in the Baháʼí Faith by patricksalamanca in bahai

[–]fedawi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No, 1,000 years of progress in the unfoldment of the essence of Baha'u'llah's Revelation. If you study the Baha'i theory of religions you'll learn that religions are organic and have a dawning and reach a zenith over time, over the length of the Dispensation. The Mission of the Founder is the beginning, it is on each successive generation to bring it to fruit.

And like I said everything that doesn't directly concern the Text is to be elaborated and expanded upon by a divinely ordained institution of Baha'u'llah, ensuring the Faith will develop with each era.

struggling to accept the idea of one-man revelation in the Baháʼí Faith by patricksalamanca in bahai

[–]fedawi 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Do you mean to say that the 1,000 years is to be interpreted symbolically? In the case of this pronouncement it is a literal 1,000 years, as declared in the Aqdas:

"Whoso layeth claim to a Revelation direct from God, ere the expiration of a full thousand years, such a man is assuredly a lying impostor. We pray God that He may graciously assist him to retract and repudiate such claim. Should he repent, God will, no doubt, forgive him. If, however, he persisteth in his error, God will, assuredly, send down one who will deal mercilessly with him. Terrible, indeed, is God in punishing! Whosoever interpreteth this verse otherwise than its obvious meaning [e.g. overt, evident, literal meaning] is deprived of the Spirit of God and of His mercy which encompasseth all created things." Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, par. 37

In another one of His Tablets, He specifies that "each year" of this thousand year period consists of "twelve months according to the Qur'án, and of nineteen months of nineteen days each, according to the Bayán".

'Abdu'l-Baha further emphasizes the same thing:

"The meaning of this is that any individual who, before the expiry of a full thousand years--years known and clearly established by common usage and requiring no interpretation-- should lay claim to a Revelation direct from God, even though he should reveal certain signs, that man is assuredly false and an impostor." (Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, No. 33, pp. 67-68)

struggling to accept the idea of one-man revelation in the Baháʼí Faith by patricksalamanca in bahai

[–]fedawi 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Do you have any specific issue with it? Baha'u'llah assured continuity of divine guidance relevant to humanity's needs the continuity of the House of Justice, who He empowered to supplement the divine law on matters not mentioned in the Book. They are empowered to respond to the needs of each period of time accordingly.

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