firedragon
Veteran Member
I wish to open a thread to make clear some questions that I personally have since of late going through the Bahai literature. I am not well versed on the Bahai faith I must say because the breath of literature is far too extensive to claim scholarship. It will take extensive and exclusive work of a long time to do that.
From the bit I know there are some questions I wish to ask and hope to get some responses and thank you in advance to anyone who could contribute.
First question I have is that Bahaullah (Hope its not offensive to use his name alone) in the book of Iqan. Iqan has been translated as "certitude". I doubt many people understand this word though. Iqan comes from Yaqath (Yaqah) which means faith with absolute confidence.
Anyway, in the kithab I iqan he mentions certain signs or as he says in Arabic "Alaamathin" which actually means given signs. These are signs you are to be so sure of with no doubt. He is quoting the Shi'i ahadith called Bihar al anwar directly. Let me cut and paste from the Kithab I Iqan.
"In our Qā’im there shall be four signs from four Prophets, Moses, Jesus, Joseph, and Muḥammad. The sign from Moses, is fear and expectation; from Jesus, that which was spoken of Him; from Joseph, imprisonment and dissimulation; from Muḥammad, the revelation of a Book similar to the Qur’ān."
Now the question I have is him quoting Bihar al Anwar the Hadith is practically the same but yet contradicts completely when it comes to the prophet Muhammed. Bahaullah says "Like the Quran" or "Mathli al Qur'an" is a sign for sure probably referring to himself or Bab or both who are the "Qaim" or the "Mahdi". Now the problem lies in the fact that Bihar al anwar where he quotes from does not say "a book like Qur'an", but the sign of Muhammed is the sword. The Qaim is supposed to be a warrior who brings the sword along with 3 other signs from 3 other prophets. This part has been changed to a book.
Is Bahaullah claiming signs of the Mahdi for himself? If so, how would one of the signs suddenly change from sword to a book like Qur'an? This actually is just one of the points in this same narration, there are many others. Also please note that he does not use the Muhammeds character and biography part of the Hadith. The Hadith clearly says that the Mahdi will have the character of Muhammed or similar in biography to be exact in rendition. The arabic word is "Seerah" exactly which means the Mahdi will have the same biography of Muhammed and the Shi'i contention is Muhammed led a state and warriors. And the word "Assaifa" meaning "Sword".
Could someone explain? Thank you in advance.
Peace.
From the bit I know there are some questions I wish to ask and hope to get some responses and thank you in advance to anyone who could contribute.
First question I have is that Bahaullah (Hope its not offensive to use his name alone) in the book of Iqan. Iqan has been translated as "certitude". I doubt many people understand this word though. Iqan comes from Yaqath (Yaqah) which means faith with absolute confidence.
Anyway, in the kithab I iqan he mentions certain signs or as he says in Arabic "Alaamathin" which actually means given signs. These are signs you are to be so sure of with no doubt. He is quoting the Shi'i ahadith called Bihar al anwar directly. Let me cut and paste from the Kithab I Iqan.
"In our Qā’im there shall be four signs from four Prophets, Moses, Jesus, Joseph, and Muḥammad. The sign from Moses, is fear and expectation; from Jesus, that which was spoken of Him; from Joseph, imprisonment and dissimulation; from Muḥammad, the revelation of a Book similar to the Qur’ān."
Now the question I have is him quoting Bihar al Anwar the Hadith is practically the same but yet contradicts completely when it comes to the prophet Muhammed. Bahaullah says "Like the Quran" or "Mathli al Qur'an" is a sign for sure probably referring to himself or Bab or both who are the "Qaim" or the "Mahdi". Now the problem lies in the fact that Bihar al anwar where he quotes from does not say "a book like Qur'an", but the sign of Muhammed is the sword. The Qaim is supposed to be a warrior who brings the sword along with 3 other signs from 3 other prophets. This part has been changed to a book.
Is Bahaullah claiming signs of the Mahdi for himself? If so, how would one of the signs suddenly change from sword to a book like Qur'an? This actually is just one of the points in this same narration, there are many others. Also please note that he does not use the Muhammeds character and biography part of the Hadith. The Hadith clearly says that the Mahdi will have the character of Muhammed or similar in biography to be exact in rendition. The arabic word is "Seerah" exactly which means the Mahdi will have the same biography of Muhammed and the Shi'i contention is Muhammed led a state and warriors. And the word "Assaifa" meaning "Sword".
Could someone explain? Thank you in advance.
Peace.