Chapter 19
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Conflicting writings regarding Persian Hidden Words No. 77
Shoghi Effendi's explanation of
Persian Hidden Words No. 77 (passage 1), as being a reference to the
Independent Prophet that will appear after Baha'u'llah conflicts with
Abdu'l-Bahá's explanation (two of the letters of the Greatest Name, B
and H) in passage 2. In clear language (passages 3 and 4), Baha'u'llah, the Bab,
and Abdu'l-Baha, have indicated that Baha'u'llah is not the
final Independent Prophet. It's not a subject that Shoghi Effendi needed to address...
1)
Does not Bahá'u'lláh Himself allude to the progressiveness of Divine
Revelation and to the limitations which an inscrutable Wisdom has
chosen to impose upon Him? What else can this passage of the Hidden
Words imply, if not that He Who revealed it disclaimed finality for the
Revelation entrusted to Him by the Almighty?
"O Son of Justice! In the night-season the beauty of the immortal Being
hath repaired from the emerald height of fidelity unto the
Sadratu'l-Muntaha, and wept with such a weeping that the concourse on
high and the dwellers of the realms above wailed at His lamenting.
Whereupon there was asked, Why the wailing and weeping? He made reply:
As bidden I waited expectant upon the hill of faithfulness, yet inhaled
not from them that dwell on earth the fragrance of fidelity. Then
summoned to return I beheld, and lo! certain doves of holiness were
sore tried within the claws of the dogs of earth. Thereupon the Maid of
Heaven hastened forth, unveiled, and resplendent, from Her mystic
mansion, and asked of their names, and all were told but one. And when
urged, the first Letter thereof was uttered, whereupon the dwellers of
the celestial chambers rushed forth out of their habitation of glory.
And whilst the second letter was pronounced they fell down, one and
all, upon the dust. At that moment a Voice was heard from the inmost
shrine: 'Thus far and no farther.' Verily we bear witness to that which
they have done and now are doing."
"The Revelation of which I am the bearer," Bahá'u'lláh explicitly
declares, "is adapted to humanity's spiritual receptiveness and
capacity; otherwise, the Light that shines within me can neither wax
nor wane. Whatever I manifest is nothing more or less than the measure
of the Divine glory which God has bidden me reveal."
-- Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 59
2)
77. O SON OF JUSTICE!
In the night-season the beauty of the immortal Being hath repaired from
the emerald height of fidelity unto the Sadratu'l-Muntaha, and wept
with such a weeping that the concourse on high and the dwellers of the
realms above wailed at His lamenting. Whereupon there was asked, Why
the wailing and weeping? He made reply: As bidden I waited expectant
upon the hill of faithfulness, yet inhaled not from them that dwell on
earth the fragrance of fidelity. Then summoned to return I beheld, and
lo! certain doves of holiness were sore tried within the claws of the
dogs of earth. Thereupon the Maid of heaven hastened forth unveiled and
resplendent from Her mystic mansion, and asked of their names, and all
were told but one. And when urged, the first letter thereof was
uttered, whereupon the dwellers of the celestial chambers rushed forth
out of their habitation of glory. And whilst the second letter was
pronounced they fell down, one and all, upon the dust. At that moment a
voice was heard from the inmost shrine: "Thus far and no farther."
Verily We bear witness to that which they have done and now are doing.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words
32. Persian No. 77
This great name is the Greatest Name [Baha'u'llah].
The Blessed Beauty is intended. What we have today are the meanings of
two of the letters of the Greatest Name. They are: B and H.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, from a Tablet – translated from the Persian)
3)
CLXVI. 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 is deprived of the Spirit of
God and of His mercy which encompasseth all created things. Fear God,
and follow not your idle fancies. Nay, rather follow the bidding of
your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Wise.
-- Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 345
I swear by God! This verse and what is treasured within it suffices all
the peoples of the earth should they tread the goodly and honorable
path. Say[17]: God hath sent down His Messengers to succeed to Moses
and Jesus, and He will continue to do so till 'the end that bath no end';
so that His grace may, from the heaven of Divine Bounty be continually
vouchsafed to mankind. He doeth what He willeth and He shall not be
asked of what He does. Rather all will be asked of all things in the
court of divine Justice.
-- Baha'u'llah, Surih-i-Sabr (Lawh-i-Ayyúb), Surih of Patience or Tablet of Job. Provisional translation by K. Fananapazir
Through Him [God] all
things are made known, while too lofty is His reality to be known
through anyone but Him. The process of His creation hath had no
beginning and can have no end, otherwise it would necessitate the
cessation of His celestial grace. God
hath raised up Prophets and revealed Books as numerous as the creatures
of the world, and will continue to do so to everlasting.
-- The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 124
4)
33. O servant of God! We have noted what thou didst write to
Jinab-i-Ibn-Abhar, and thy question regarding the verse: '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.'
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.
This is not a reference to the Universal Manifestation,
for it is clearly set forth in the Holy Writings that centuries, nay
thousands of years, must pass on to completion, before a Manifestation
like unto this Manifestation shall appear again.
It is possible, however, that after the completion of a full thousand
years, certain Holy Beings will be empowered to deliver a Revelation:
this, however, will not be through a Universal Manifestation...
-- Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 67
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