The Finality of the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him); Part 1
Zeinab Khanzadeh
Abstract:
Belief in the finality of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) is one of the most important Islamic beliefs that has been supported by numerous Quranic Verses and Traditions (Ahadith). According to Islamic sources, the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) is the only prophet who has been nicknamed as “Khatam”-the last – by God, the Almighty; meaning he is the last of the divine prophets. The Quran is also the last divine book, and Islam is the last religion revealed by God. Until the Day of Resurrection, this religion and Book will not be abrogated, and there will be no other prophet for mankind.
Apart of this genuine Islamic belief, there are groups of disbelievers, including the Baha’is, who try to refute this belief. The Bahais’ pamphlet entitled “Eliminating the Doubts” is one of the sources that addressed this in question 15 in eight sections.
The purpose of this article is to review those eight discussions and provide several documentation to answer the claims of the Baha’i writers stated in this regard. In Part 1 of this paper, the first four sections are discussed: the necessity of renewal of divine religions and the unlimited divine science, the division between divine religions, all claims their religion the final religion, and the verse of Khatam al-Nabi’ein. The second part of this paper discusses the next four sections, finality in the traditions, the difference between the Nabi and the Rasul, the intrinsic meaning of first and finality, and the Qur’an’s emphasis on the coming of the prophets.
Keywords: Finality, Prophet Muhammad, Islam, Baha’i
Tahirih and the Bábí and Baha’i Faiths
Hasan Ershad, Expert in the Islamic Studies
Abstract:
It is well known that the Baha’i organization has focused much of its propaganda on the Fatimah Begum Baraghani, nicknamed as Tahirih Qurrat al-Ayn in recent decades, as a Baha’i reformist, intellectual, and freedom-seeking model for the women in Iran. Therefore, they occasionally hold seminars abroad and praise her views. In one of these conferences, One of the invited speakers was Mrs. Mehrangiz Kar, who said at the end of her speech: “If Tahirih had been alive today, was the Baha’i organization ready to accept her as a member to the Universal House of Justice (UHJ)?!” (Because women are forbidden from entering the Universal House of Justice).
This brief sentence triggered widespread attacks on the speaker, who forced Universal House of Justice to make a statement and turn off the subject.
This article attempts to clarify the Baha’i attitudes about the beliefs of Tahirih and presenting their controversial views about her. On the one hand, Tahirih’s is praised for believing in Ali Muhammad Bab, so that Bahaullah curse anyone who says that she has abrogated Babi Faith; and on the other hand, the Baha’i sources protest and condemn Babis and their beliefs and practices. In this paper, based on the documents presented in both contexts, it is concluded that such a contradiction is against the truth and honesty.
Key words:
Tahirih, Qurrat al-Ayn, Bab, Babis, Baha’i, Kashful Ghitaae, Violence, ISIS
The Baha’i Faith in the Eyes of the Baha’i Critics and Intellectuals,
Part Eight: Dale Husband
Reviewed by Hamid Farnagh, Master of International Law
Abstract:
Dale Husband is one of the leading Bahai writers and researchers who learned about the Baha’i teachings during his nine years of membership in the Baha’i community and organization, and after a while observed many weaknesses, mistakes, conflicts and failures in it.
In a letter addressing the National Assembly of the Baha’is in the United States of America he said “After years of researching the truth, I finally came to the sad conclusion that I can no longer believe in Baha’u’llah or any of the institutions established under his name, such as the Guardian of the Cause of God, and Universal House of Justice. I am convinced that the Baha’is are incapable to fulfill their goals and teachings of peace, unity, and the creation of a golden age for mankind. Husband does not believe in the innocence and impunity of the Baha’i leaders, and considers accepting such a belief as a move toward dictatorship and tyranny within the Baha’i community.”
He has been critical of the legitimacy of the Baha’i leadership after Abdul Baha, and believes that after Abdul Baha, the Baha’i leadership should have been entrusted to his brother, Mohammad Ali Effendi. Husband considers Universal House of Justice (the current Baha’i leadership in Israel) to be illegitimate and believes that Baha’i faith has not made any significant achievements after more than 170 years of its life.
He is an Advocate of Unitarian Baha’ism and has drawn much criticism toward the UHJ and the authoritarian Baha’ism.
Keywords: Baha’i intellectuals, Dale Husband, Unitarian Baha’is, infallibility of Baha’i leaders, false prophecies.
A Methodological Review of Kitab-i-Iqan (The Book of Certitude)
Seyed Meqhdad Nabavi Razavi, MA in Islamic History
Abstract:
Kitab-i-Iqan (The Book of Certitude) is the most important book of the Baha’is after the book Aqdas. In their eyes, the material is divine revelation and the word of God. This book has been reviewed and criticized in two ways; one, the arguments and interpretations of Baha’u’llah; and the other, with a methodological approach.
In this article, 9 manuscripts or prints of the book of Iqan are examined to show the deliberate changes that Baha’is did to correct the inaccuracies in this book. The differences in these nine versions can be divided into five groups:
Eliminating the position of Mirza Yahya Subh-i-Azal;
Correcting the wrong quotes from verses of the Quran;
Changing the vocabulary;
Correction of Arabic literary errors; and
Correction of Persian literary errors.
This article deals specifically with the first group. The omission of the phrase “Hidden Word “which, according to the historical background refers to the spiritual guardianship and leadership of Mirza Yahya Subh-i-Azal over Babis and his succession to Seyed Ali Mohammad Bab. A sign of the false claim of Mirza Hussein Ali Baha’u’llah of being the Man Who Will Be Appeared by God. In addition, the correction of various inaccuracies in the book of Iqan by the Baha’is is in contradiction with their claim that this book is divine.
Keyword: Bahaullah, Iqan, Mirza Yahya, Subh-i-Azal, Iqan misquotations, Editions of Iqan, corrections to Iqan.