Paragraph 174

Even as in the “Beginning that hath no beginnings” the term “last” is truly applicable unto Him who is the Educator of the visible and of the invisible, in like manner, are the terms “first” and “last” applicable unto His Manifestations. They are at the same time the Exponents of both the “first” and the “last.” Whilst established upon the seat of the “first,” they occupy the throne of the “last.” Were a discerning eye to be found, it will readily perceive that the exponents of the “first” and the “last,” of the “manifest” and the “hidden,” of the “beginning” and the “seal” are none other than these holy Beings, these Essences of Detachment, these divine Souls. And wert thou to soar in the holy realm of “God was alone, there was none else besides Him,” thou wilt find in that Court all these names utterly non-existent and completely forgotten. Then will thine eyes no longer be obscured by these veils, these terms, and allusions. How ethereal and lofty is this station, unto which even Gabriel, unshepherded, can never attain, and the Bird of Heaven, unassisted, can never reach!

Here we are at the fourteenth of thirty paragraphs looking at the first of the two stations of the Manifestations of God, that of "pure abstraction and essential unity".

At this point, it is worth noting that Baha'u'llah is getting far more mystical and abstract here. You may have noticed it. We sure did. It is often said that the Seven Valleys is the mystical book that Baha'u'llah wrote around this time, while the Iqan is far more practical. And while this is certainly true, there is still a lot of mysticism in this book, too.

But what would we expect? After all, He is talking about deep religious issues here. And the faith is, as the Guardian said, fundamentally mystical at its core. So if you feel a bit lost here, don't worry. We do, too. It is, however, good to remember that we need to walk this path with practical, yet mystical, feet.

In this paragraph, Baha'u'llah is further elevating both God and the Manifestations in our eyes. He is reminding us that these various terms not only refer to God, but also to the Manifestations. In beginning to describe the eternal nature of these supreme beings, He points out that they are eternally on their throne, from the beginning that hath no beginning to the end that hath no end.

In many ways it can be seen like mirrors reflecting the sun. On the earth, they are all reflecting the same light. But when we ascend to the sun itself, all there is is light.

If we were to attain that holy realm He mentions towards the end there then all we would experience is that light. The mirrors themselves would seemingly disappear.

However, to even begin to understand this in any real sense, we have to be detached from our previous understanding of religion. And we have to also be detached from the love we may feel for the Messenger we grew up loving, not to mention all the cultural things that go with it. After all, way back in paragraph 27, He cautioned us about the "overpowering majesty of the Word of God", and how it could prevent us "from attaining unto the ocean of His names and attributes" and deprive us of "recognizing the Lamp of God".

So, again, these recent paragraphs were far more abstract and mystical, which also meant that there is very little for us to hold onto. Quite often the concepts will slip through our intellectual fingers like sand.

But, if we can continually remind ourselves that all these various and seemingly contradictory terms, like first and last, manifest and hidden, beginning and seal, all refer to the Messengers of God, and refer to each and every one of them, then we will begin to understand more of what He is saying here.

As we learned in Part One of this book, all the prophecies concerning the return of any one of them refers to all of them. The circumstances of their lives, the sorry state of the society in which they live, and the ascendancy of their followers, and even the eventual rise of their religious teachings, is applicable to each of them.

When we walk into a church and understand that it is Jesus there on the cross, and that it is Muhammad there on the cross, and that it is Buddha and Moses and the Bab and Baha'u'llah there on that cross, then we begin to understand the oneness of their station. When we recognize that each and every one of them are also sitting under the lote tree, along with Buddha, then we will better recognize what Baha'u'llah is talking about here.

As He says so powerfully in Gleanings:

If ye be intent on crucifying once again Jesus, the Spirit of God, put Me to death, for He hath once more, in My person, been made manifest unto you... If ye cherish the desire to slay Muḥammad, the Apostle of God, seize Me and put an end to My life, for I am He, and My Self is His Self... If it be your wish to riddle with your shafts the breast of Him Who hath caused His Book the Bayán to be sent down unto you, lay hands on Me and persecute Me, for I am His Well-Beloved, the revelation of His own Self, though My name be not His name... If ye have resolved to shed the blood of Him Whose coming the Báb hath proclaimed, Whose advent Muḥammad hath prophesied, and Whose Revelation Jesus Christ Himself hath announced, behold Me standing, ready and defenseless, before you. Deal with Me after your own desires.

Understanding this is of such importance that He will continue to explain it to us in a number of different ways over the next dozen or so paragraphs, sixteen to be precise.

But from here on out, He will use more stories and analogies, which give us more to talk about.

Paragraph 173

The mystery of this theme hath, in this Dispensation, been a sore test unto all mankind. Behold, how many are those who, clinging unto these words, have disbelieved Him Who is their true Revealer. What, We ask, could this people presume the terms “first” and “last”—when referring to God—glorified be His Name!—to mean? If they maintain that these terms bear reference to this material universe, how could it be possible, when the visible order of things is still manifestly existing. Nay, in this instance, by “first” is meant no other than the “last” and by “last” no other than the “first.”

Now we come to the thirteenth of thirty paragraphs looking at the first of the two stations of the Manifestations of God, that of "pure abstraction and essential unity". It's a good thing we're not superstitious. After all, it's bad luck to be superstitious.

He begins this one with the "mystery of this theme". Which theme? The "obvious" oneness of the Messengers. As the Universal House of Justice wrote, "While it is true to speak of the unity of all religions, understanding of the context is vital. At the deepest level, as Bahá’u’lláh emphasizes, there is but one religion. Religion is religion, as science is science." Here, in these thirty paragraphs, Baha'u'llah is emphasizing the oneness of the founders, too.

But He also says that it's a "sore test". Why? Well, we're not sure, but it seems like this is the main reason why there is so much dispute between faiths. Many see the founder they follow as unique, in competition with the other founders of other faiths. The followers seem to fall into the old "my founder is better than your founder" routine, never realizing the ridiculousness of it all.

Every one of these divine teachers comes from God. Every single one of them praises God. And their teachings, the teachings of each and every one of them, leads us closer to God. So, perhaps, the "true Revealer" would be that essence they all share, that absolute oneness that Baha'u'llah is discussing here. Remember, He also quoted the Qur'an where it says, "No distinction do We make between any of His Messengers".

Seeing as this is a test, it would probably be a good idea to go back to Part One and look again at the concept of tests. Over and over He talks about how there are many tests facing humanity when it comes to religion, and this is but another one. Remember, He did say "the changes brought about in every Dispensation constitute the dark clouds that intervene between the eye of man’s understanding and the divine Luminary", and the changing of the name of the founder is a great change.

Now, as far as the whole "first" and "last" issue, if we believe God exists beyond this material universe, then the whole concept of time, in relation to God, is absurd. And if time, in relation to God, is absurd, how much moreso the ideas of "first" and "last"? When looking at it all from the standpoint of beyond time, then they would all be synonymous. First and last would be indistinguishable.

However, we are living within the confines of time, so this can be very confusing for us. Maybe that just adds to why this is a "sore test".

But here Baha'u'llah comes to our rescue. He graciously gives us the answer when He says:

Nay, in this instance, by “first” is meant no other than the “last” and by “last” no other than the “first.”

If we take the time to ponder this, to meditate on it, and think about that overall essential unity of all the Messengers, then it begins to become clearer. But, if you're like us, it's still difficult to grasp.

Fortunately, over the next few paragraphs, it will become even more clear.

Paragraph 172

Notwithstanding the obviousness of this theme, in the eyes of those that have quaffed the wine of knowledge and certitude, yet how many are those who, through failure to understand its meaning, have allowed the term “Seal of the Prophets” to obscure their understanding, and deprive them of the grace of all His manifold bounties! Hath not Muḥammad, Himself, declared: “I am all the Prophets”? Hath He not said as We have already mentioned: “I am Adam, Noah, Moses, and Jesus”? Why should Muḥammad, that immortal Beauty, Who hath said: “I am the first Adam” be incapable of saying also: “I am the last Adam”? For even as He regarded Himself to be the “First of the Prophets”—that is Adam—in like manner, the “Seal of the Prophets” is also applicable unto that Divine Beauty. It is admittedly obvious that being the “First of the Prophets,” He likewise is their “Seal.”

 

Here we are at the twelfth of thirty paragraphs looking at the first of the two stations of the Manifestations of God, that of "pure abstraction and essential unity".

He begins this one by saying "Notwithstanding", which means "despite the truth of this". He has already talked about the oneness of the Messengers for many pages, and "despite the truth of this", people still use the following argument against it.

He continues by saying that this theme He is addressing is obvious. While this may come as a surprise, in retrospect it turns out that it is actually very evident. It's just that nobody thought to notice it for many centuries.

So, what is it that is actually so "obvious"? The implications of this theme.

He goes on to say that many people have allowed the phrase "Seal of the Prophets" to keep them from acknowledging another Messenger. This is exactly the same as those Christians, for example, who allow the statements, "I am the way and the truth and the light. No man comes to the Father except through me" to keep them from acknowledging any other religion. In both cases, and in many similar ones in other faith paths, people use these phrases as a validation of some sort of finality. As the Universal House of Justice said, in One Common Faith, "it is obviously the expression of the central truth of revealed religion: that access to the unknowable Reality that creates and sustains existence is possible only through awakening to the illumination shed from that Realm."

When we look at other statements, though, such as when Jesus says, "Had you believed Moses you would have believed Me", or "Before Abraham was, I am", He is implying a continuity of teachers.

When we see that all the Messengers share this "essential unity", the term "Seal of the Prophets" applies to them all, as does the "me" in that beautiful statement from Jesus.

When we turn our eyes to other faith traditions, we find similar statements of this continuity, such as when Buddha said, "In due time another Buddha will arise in the world, a Holy One, a supremely enlightened One, endowed with wisdom in conduct, auspicious, knowing the universe, an incomparable leader of men, a master of angels and mortals... He will reveal to you the same eternal truths which I have taught you. He will preach his religion, glorious in its origin, glorious at the climax and glorious at the goal, in the spirit and in the letter."

We find it also in the Mi'kmaq stories where the great teacher, Glooscap, promised to return to Mi'kma'ki whenever there was trouble.

Over and over, throughout the various religions, we find this constant promise of guidance from on high. It is, in fact, what Baha'u'llah refers to as the Greater Covenant.

Finally, while there is so much more we could write, we feel Baha'u'llah is so precise in this paragraph that we are concerned about writing too much, so we will just take a moment here to look at the phrase "those that have quaffed the wine of knowledge and certitude".

We note that it is a very particular caveat. Only those who have drunk of this wine are able to recognize the truth of what He is saying. While we understand that "certitude" is the eventual goal of this book, given its title, the word "knowledge" brings us right back to the beginning, where, in paragraph 1, we read:

No man shall attain the shores of the ocean of true understanding except he be detached from all that is in heaven and on earth.

Without this detachment, we can become too fixated on the particular messenger we follow, such as Jesus or Muhammad. Because of this love, which is both noble and appropriate, we can become blinded by their light and miss  the light shining in another messenger. We need to be detached from that "heaven", not to the point where we forget about it, but just enough that we can see it in another.

Through this detachment, as well as this perspective that Baha'u'llah is offering us, we can arrive at a better understanding of the oneness of all the messengers and arise to a far greater certainty of these truths, for we will see it in all the various paths.

Again, we could go on, but we don't want to obscure what He has made so clear. It is so clear, in fact, that He even uses the word "obvious" twice, when talking about this particular theme.

Paragraph 171

From these statements therefore it hath been made evident and manifest that should a Soul in the “End that knoweth no end” be made manifest, and arise to proclaim and uphold a Cause which in “the Beginning that hath no beginning” another Soul had proclaimed and upheld, it can be truly declared of Him Who is the Last and of Him Who was the First that they are one and the same, inasmuch as both are the Exponents of one and the same Cause. For this reason, hath the Point of the Bayán—may the life of all else but Him be His sacrifice!—likened the Manifestations of God unto the sun which, though it rise from the “Beginning that hath no beginning” until the “End that knoweth no end,” is nonetheless the same sun. Now, wert thou to say that this sun is the former sun, thou speakest the truth; and if thou sayest that this sun is the “return” of that sun, thou also speakest the truth. Likewise, from this statement it is made evident that the term “last” is applicable to the “first,” and the term “first” applicable to the “last”; inasmuch as both the “first” and the “last” have risen to proclaim one and the same Faith.

 

We are now at the eleventh of thirty paragraphs looking at the first of the two stations of the Manifestations of God, that of "pure abstraction and essential unity". Now that He has demonstrated that the followers show all the same attributes, He is going back to the Messengers and demonstrating their oneness.

To do this, He employs the metaphor of the sun. We may call one day Monday and another Tuesday, but that is merely an earthly and limited perception. It is caused by the rotation of the earth itself and has no bearing on the reality of the sun.

Of course, we can differentiate them, as we do with the names of the days of the week, and we are correct, from a particular perspective. But that perspective is limited, and should not be mistaken for an absolute or universal truth. It is a truth from the perspective of the earth, not from that of the sun.

There are some that will claim there is a logical fallacy in the beginning of this paragraph, when He says that two people proclaiming the same teachings can be seen as "one and the same". And this perspective is the second of those two stations which Baha'u'llah will address, that of distinction. Here, though, it is like saying that two people who educate the children can both be called "teacher". Anyone who has been through school will understand this perspective.

But to deny the second, seeing them as "one and the same", comes from a cultural bias that we often don't notice, that of seeing Aristotelian, or western, logic as the only valid one. There are many ways of seeing these things, and each has their own strengths and weaknesses. They all have their own advantages as well as their own limitations. To recognize the truth of what He is saying here requires detachment from this singular logical perspective, to acknowledge that there are truths in other perspectives.

Remember detachment? It was that very condition necessary to make it through Part One.

We, as Baha'is, often off-handedly say that the various religions all have the same teacher, that the Old Testament, or the Tanakh, and the New Testament are the same teachings. This ignores the very real argument that they are very different. One was centred around Moses and the other around Jesus. The first perspective, seeing them as the same, is looking at it from the first station Baha'u'llah is addressing, that of absolute unity, while the second is looking at it from the second station, that of distinction. It would be unjust to ignore this argument, and pretend it doesn't exist. Similarly, it is also unjust to ignore this truth, merely because it is a way of looking at logic that we don't normally consider. If we truly want to honour both the one we are teaching, as well as the Faith, this is an argument we need to look at, just as Baha'u'llah does here.

Now, please note that this is an argument that Baha'u'llah does not begin to address directly until this far in the book. It is not a simple concept that can be tossed about quickly. He gives us a lot of preparation before addressing it. In like manner, it seems to us that we need to be cautious in how we address it, too, when talking with our friends. To merely toss this off as a simple truth generally just builds up barriers between people. But by laying the groundwork first, it becomes a truth that can easily bring people together.

In many other passages the Manifestations are likened to mirrors. Using this analogy, we can imagine them all facing the sun. If we were to point to any of these mirrors, we could legitimately say "That is the sun." Of course, someone else could legitimately say, "No, that's only a mirror," but then they would be missing the bigger point.

What He is saying here is that we could point to any of these mirrors and say "That is the first sun to have risen upon the earth", and we would be correct. Of course we could also say, "That is the last sun that shall ever rise on the earth", and that, too, would be a correct statement.

He also draws our attention to the cyclical nature of Revelation, the idea of Return. We here on earth perceive the sun rising every morning and setting every night. This is the nature of our life here on earth. It is a recurring cycle that, when we think about it, has no bearing on the sun itself. It doesn't perceive itself as rising or setting, only we do. Similarly, we may perceive the rising and setting of these various Revelations. We can perceive their founding, their rise to ascendancy, and, if we are honest, their fall from those great spiritual heights to those times when "the sun be darkened, the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall from heaven". This is like the rising and setting of the sun in our daily life. To try and claim that it is a different sun each day is to deny the obvious reality.

Now, let's go back and look the methodology that Baha'u'llah is employing here. We should remember that the uncle of the Bab is a Muslim, and Baha'u'llah is trying to teach him about the station of the Bab. He is drawing upon the statements from Muhammad about the "beginning that hath no beginning" and the "end that hath no end", and focusing on how the Bab talks about it. He is not talking about what He thinks yet, nor looking at His own ideas. He is keeping the focus solely on the Bab, who wrote:

...were ye to place unnumbered mirrors before the sun, they would all reflect the sun and produce impressions thereof, whereas the sun is in itself wholly independent of the existence of the mirrors and of the suns which they reproduce.

This is a great example for us. When we are teaching someone about the message of Baha'u'llah, we should keep the focus on Him.

Now, going back to the text again, we see that the Bab "likened the Manifestations of God unto the sun". This is another example of how we can look at a simile like this and gain a better understanding of a truth. Everything on earth revolves around the sun, even if we were not aware of it for so long. It is the source of light, the bringer of warmth, and the basis of life. So, too, are the Manifestations. They bring the light of civilization through their teachings. They bring the warmth of brotherhood to all who embrace their truths. They are the source of life for all who follow them. Baha'u'llah went on at length back in paragraphs 31 - 47 about the various meanings of "the sun, the moon, and the stars". This would be a good moment to go back and review what He said there. But we'll let you do that, as we've already gone on long enough about this paragraph.

Paragraph 170

Purge thy sight, therefore, from all earthly limitations, that thou mayest behold them all as the bearers of one Name, the exponents of one Cause, the manifestations of one Self, and the revealers of one Truth, and that thou mayest apprehend the mystic “return” of the Words of God as unfolded by these utterances. Reflect for a while upon the behavior of the companions of the Muḥammadan Dispensation. Consider how, through the reviving breath of Muḥammad, they were cleansed from the defilements of earthly vanities, were delivered from selfish desires, and were detached from all else but Him. Behold how they preceded all the peoples of the earth in attaining unto His holy Presence—the Presence of God Himself—how they renounced the world and all that is therein, and sacrificed freely and joyously their lives at the feet of that Manifestation of the All-Glorious. And now, observe the “return” of the selfsame determination, the selfsame constancy and renunciation, manifested by the companions of the Point of the Bayán. Thou hast witnessed how these companions have, through the wonders of the grace of the Lord of Lords, hoisted the standards of sublime renunciation upon the inaccessible heights of glory. These Lights have proceeded from but one Source, and these fruits are the fruits of one Tree. Thou canst discern neither difference nor distinction among them. All this is by the grace of God! On whom He will, He bestoweth His grace. Please God, that we avoid the land of denial, and advance into the ocean of acceptance, so that we may perceive, with an eye purged from all conflicting elements, the worlds of unity and diversity, of variation and oneness, of limitation and detachment, and wing our flight unto the highest and innermost sanctuary of the inner meaning of the Word of God.

 

Now that we have crossed the bridge of the previous two paragraphs, we are at the tenth of thirty paragraphs looking at the first of the two stations of the Manifestations of God, that of "pure abstraction and essential unity".

Here, in this paragraph, Baha'u'llah is asking us to do something very different than anything we have heard in the past. He is asking us to look beyond the simplistic differences and focus on the similarities. For example, some will claim that Christians worship God, while Muslims worship Allah, without realizing that they are the same. God. Dieu. Ahura Mazda. Gitchi Manitou. They are all referring to the same divine essence.

Some will claim that Jesus spoke Aramaic, while Muhammad spoke Arabic, but we are being asked to recognize that they both spoke of the divine teachings.

If we want to better understand the concept of "Return", He is suggesting that we look at the companions. See how they were changed upon their encounter with the divine teachings, that copper to gold scenario we just looked at. Reflect on their wonderous behviour. Notice how they arose to those great heights of detachment, determination, constancy, and renunciation. And now, reflect on the Babis. Did they not show the same attributes?

Finally, He is asking us to look beyond the obvious "conflicting elements" and find the greater points where they come together. For example, it is easy to see unity and diversity as mutually exclusive, but He is asking us to recognize where they come together in a greater harmony. Unity, for example, without diversity is uniformity. As we often see in the natural world, without diversity, the ecosystem is weaker, more susceptible to disease. But with great diversity, the unity of the ecosystem is far stronger, more resilient.

But, as usual, there is more to this paragraph than just the summary we have offered. Let's take a look at some of the hidden details.

In that first sentence, He says that if we look beyond these earthly limitations, we will "behold them all as the bearers of one Name, the exponents of one Cause, the manifestations of one Self, and the revealers of one Truth". Who is the "them"? The followers. When we read this sentence on its own, it feels as if He's talking about the Messengers, but when you go back a paragraph and see this in the context, He is clearly referring to the followers, those great heroes who spread the Word of God amongst their compatriots. And while we could talk about the movement from Name to Cause to Self to Truth, let's move on.

We are asked to "reflect" on their behaviour, and "consider" the effect of the Word of God upon them. They were cleansed from thinking only about themselves, delivered from those desires, and this enabled them to be detached from everything but God. As you can see, it begins with being cleansed, which brings us back to the very beginning of this book. We must be "detached from all that is heaven and on earth" if we want to attain to this ocean. And we have to sanctify our soul and cleanse ourselves of all that is earthly, "their ears from idle talk, their minds from vain imaginings, the hearts from worldly affections, their eyes from that which perisheth". If we do this, if we trust in God, then "will they be made worthy... and become the recipients of a grace that is infinite and unseen..."

It is also worth noting that these same companions are being referred to as the "Light" that has "proceeded from but one Source". They are seen as the "fruits of one tree". And we are told that we will see "neither difference nor distinction among them". Isn't it remarkable how Baha'u'llah has moved us from seeing the Messengers in this way to now seeing the followers in the same light? Just as there is no difference between the Manifestations at this stage, He is elevating our vision to seeing no difference between the followers, too. Those heroes of our religion that we revere? They are our very companions.

This is such an important concept that He even finishes this paragraph with a sentence that can be seen as a prayer, beseeching God's assistance. We are hoping to avoid these pitfalls, this denial, these seeming conflicts, and instead see the oneness that He is talking about. The very phrasing of this brings us back to paragraph 102, the first one in Part 2, where He hopes that we will "soar... to those heights that are veiled from the eyes of men."

Paragraph 169

Therefore, those who in every subsequent Dispensation preceded the rest of mankind in embracing the Faith of God, who quaffed the clear waters of knowledge at the hand of the divine Beauty, and attained the loftiest summits of faith and certitude, these can be regarded, in name, in reality, in deeds, in words, and in rank, as the “return” of those who in a former Dispensation had achieved similar distinctions. For whatsoever the people of a former Dispensation have manifested, the same hath been shown by the people of this latter generation. Consider the rose: whether it blossometh in the East or in the West, it is nonetheless a rose. For what mattereth in this respect is not the outward shape and form of the rose, but rather the smell and fragrance which it doth impart.

 

Here we are at the ninth of thirty paragraphs looking at the first of the two stations of the Manifestations of God, that of "pure abstraction and essential unity". And we thought it might be a good idea to review how we got here.

Part 1, as you may recall, was essentially about how to recognize a Messenger of God. By looking at how a passage from Jesus related to Muhammad, Baha'u'llah showed us that it also related to all the Messengers. He showed us the pattern they follow in their lives, allowing us to apply that recognition to Muhammad, and therefore to the Bab, too. Incidentally, it also works for recognizing Baha'u'llah, so He is giving us a great bit of foreshadowing there.

Part 2 begins with a recognition of the sovereignty of the Messengers of God, which you may recognize as the basis of a question from the uncle of the Bab that led to this book. He then points out that we can never directly know God, but can learn about Him through His Messengers. Everything in creation shows a sign of God. Humanity shows all the signs of God. And the Messengers show those signs to the highest degree. This, basically, is a hierarchy of creation helping us understand why we follow them. It is a defense of their sovereignty. He then points out that all the Manifestations show all the attributes, to a greater or lesser degree depending on the needs of the age in which they appeared.

From there He demonstrates, quite clearly, how this sovereignty is not the earthly sovereignty that we often imagine. He spends many paragraphs demonstrating that their sovereignty is of a spiritual nature, and includes all the aspects of an earthly sovereignty, such as enacting laws, making pronouncements of judgement, and so forth.

To get to where we are now in the book, He talks about what it means to "attain the presence of God" and how it really means attaining the presence of the Manifestation in their lifetime. This leads to a discussion of their lifetime, and how it includes the return of all the things that happen in the life of a Messenger. Not only is it about their return, but also the return of the social circumstances in their life, as well as a return of the type of people that become their followers. And that, pretty much, is where we are now.

In the first sentence, He essentially points out that those believers in each Dispensation that arose during the life of the Messenger, and showed those qualities of heroism and wisdom that we honour, can be seen as the "return" of those similar followers  from the past. His definition of "return" is, in short, a return of those same qualities.

This is further emphasized by His observation of the rose. A rose is a rose, as Shakespeare famously said, no matter where it grows. Those distinguishing characteristics, such as its beautiful scent are what define it, and allow us to recognize it wherever it may be.

He also mentions some ways in which we can regard these followers throughout history. He says that we can see them all as having the same name, reality, deeds, words, and rank. It's an interesting list that we want to look at a bit more closely, as we always do when we see a list like this.

In name, we can say that they are all the "apostles" of that Messenger. Their "reality" is that spiritual reality that He talks about so often. They themselves have recognized that aspect of their being, and that is why they were willing to arise and sacrifice what they did. Those are their deeds. As for their words, they all speak of love, compassion, devotion, and all the other eternal teachings of the Messengers throughout the ages. Their rank is that high station to which they have all been hailed and lauded throughout history, which is a direct result of their deeds and words.

Do we not wish to attain to such a lofty station, too? Do we not want to be seen through the lens of history as a rose? The choice is ours, and much will depend on how we see ourselves, what we do, and what we say.

Paragraph 168

O brother, behold how the inner mysteries of “rebirth,” of “return,” and of “resurrection” have each, through these all-sufficing, these unanswerable, and conclusive utterances, been unveiled and unraveled before thine eyes. God grant that through His gracious and invisible assistance, thou mayest divest thy body and soul of the old garment, and array thyself with the new and imperishable attire.

 

We are at the eighth of thirty paragraphs looking at the first of the two stations of the Manifestations of God, that of "pure abstraction and essential unity".

Now, this paragraph ties in closely with the next, and could easily be read with it, but we're going to continue with our methodology of looking at one paragraph at a time.

This one begins "O brother", and don't worry, it is not an expression of exasperation. It is obviously showing a sense of closeness to the uncle of the Bab. Throughout this book, and throughout His whole dispensation, He consistently shows this sense of closeness and camaraderie with the reader.

He then goes on to say that the terms "rebirth", "return", and "resurrection" have been clearly defined and explained. But where has He done this? In paragraph 153, He said we should "strive... to grasp the meaning of resurrection". In paragraph 160, He went on to tell us to "strive to understand the meaning of return". And in paragraph 163 He said, "Have not this people exemplified the mysteries of 'rebirth' and 'return'?"

By looking back at these previous paragraphs, we can see that the Resurrection is the Day of the Messenger of God on Earth, the time when they are literally walking amongst us. So, in this manner, the Return is not only the return of the Messenger, but also of the similarity of the times, and this would necessarily include a similarity of their followers. The spirit of love and generosity, of noble sacrifice, is found in the followers of all the Messengers, so in that sense, they could be said to be reborn in each age. But as they are also changed from how they were before they believed, the followers are also said to be reborn within their own life.

As we can all agree that these miraculous occurrences happened in the time of the religion we espouse, to deny them in another religion would be to deny them within our own, too. It would be using a different standard. And as we learned in Part 1, whatever criteria we apply to our own faith should be applied to all faiths. This is where we will undoubtedly see the unity of all religions.

Now we can better see why all this is in a section about the essentially unity of the Messengers.

Another question for us is what is a garment? It is a piece of clothing that both hides our body, and is how we present ourselves to others. It is how others see us. So, in the Persian Hidden Words, number 47, He tells us to "Put away the garment of vainglory", seemingly implying that this vainglory is not a part of our essential reality, but just a covering we wear that others can see. Now we can more readily remember how easy it is to shed this ugly garment and wear something more worthy and beautiful.

In the Arabic Hidden Words, number 14, He tells us "thou art My robe and My robe shall never be outworn". But how can we be His garment? Perhaps because it is through His followers that others can see Him. It is the followers that are quite often someone's first encounter with a religion, so we should strive to be worthy of representing something so marvelous.

So when He tells us to put on this new garment, He seems to be telling us to be far more aware of how we present ourselves to the world. Of course, then the question is how does He want us to present ourselves. And this is what He will tell us not only in the rest of this book, but throughout His whole dispensation.

Paragraph 167

Likewise, these souls, through the potency of the Divine Elixir, traverse, in the twinkling of an eye, the world of dust and advance into the realm of holiness; and with one step cover the earth of limitations and reach the domain of the Placeless. It behooveth thee to exert thine utmost to attain unto this Elixir which, in one fleeting breath, causeth the west of ignorance to reach the east of knowledge, illuminateth the darkness of night with the resplendence of the morn, guideth the wanderer in the wilderness of doubt to the wellspring of the Divine Presence and Fount of certitude, and conferreth upon mortal souls the honor of acceptance into the Riḍván of immortality. Now, could this gold be thought to be copper, these people could likewise be thought to be the same as before they were endowed with faith.

Here we are at the seventh of thirty paragraphs looking at the first of the two stations of the Manifestations of God, that of "pure abstraction and essential unity", and the last of those four paragraphs that talk about this miraculous elixir. 

Baha'u'llah begins with the word "likewise", so there is a connection to the previous paragraph, which He will undoubtedly develop in this one. When He says "these souls", He is obviously referring to those mentioned at the end of paragraph 163, those souls that have been transformed by the Divine Teachings. So we figure that when He is pointing out that this copper which has changed to gold cannot be considered as the same as it was before He is saying that a soul which has encountered the divine teachings and been transformed can no longer be considered the same as prior, especially when this touchstone is there to prove its value.

When we read these four paragraphs as a group, and understand that they are all referring back to paragraph 163, then all these references to the divine elixir and the transmutation of copper to gold make more sense.

And just in case we are still in doubt, we can look at other references to the "Elixir" in the Writings. For example, in Prayers and Meditations, XXXVIII, He refers to "Thy most exalted Word which Thou hast ordained as the Divine Elixir unto all who are in Thy realm, the Elixir through whose potency the crude metal of human life hath been transmuted into purest gold". This is but one of many such references.

Of course, there is much more in this paragraph, so let's move on.

While we may have a concept of what "the realm of holiness" might be, what is the "domain of the Placeless"? This is an impossible question to answer, but Baha'u'llah gives it a bit more context when He tells us to "abandon the habitation of self and desire and step into the placeless realm of eternal glory". By calling it "placeless", He is putting it beyond any specific location. It is not, for example, somewhere in the Middle East, nor is it a "place" like Heaven. Any time we run the risk of beginning to pin something like this down, giving it a specific definition, He raises our vision above such earthly limitations. This is something He has done throughout this book, and the rest of His writings. He takes our preconceptions of such things and raises our vision. Whether it is a concept of God, the station of the Messengers, or what is implied by the oneness of humanity, He always tries to help us see more than we previously imagined.

Looking at that longer sentence, we want to apply a technique we have used throughout our study of this book and see if we can discern a path He is showing to us. In His description of what this Elixir can do, He offers the following four points. It can:

• causeth the west of ignorance to reach the east of knowledge
• illuminateth the darkness of night with the resplendence of the morn
• guideth the wanderer in the wilderness of doubt to the wellspring of the Divine Presence and Fount of certitude
• conferreth upon mortal souls the honor of acceptance into the Riḍván of immortality

In other words, it can cause the movement of:

• ignorance to knowledge
• night to morn
• doubt to certitude
• mortal to immortal

Could the latter elements be seen as the same as the former? Is knowledge the same as ignorance? Is the morning the same as the night? Can certainty be seen as the same as doubt? And is there a difference between those that which is immortal and that which is mortal? Obviously the answer is "no".

But why is this all a concern? Why should any of this matter?

To us it is a reminder that whatever someone may have done in the past, once they have been transformed by these divine teachings, they are no longer the same person.

Of course, this transformation occurs in every Dispensation, which is probably why it is included in this larger section of "pure abstraction and essential unity". This transformation of the people is a fundamental part of every religion.

Remember Saint Paul? We just mentioned him in the previous paragraph. As we said there, the challenge for the early Christians was for them to see him in a new light. He had been one of their great persecutors, but was now one of their great champions.

Perhaps this is why we see over and over again in many sacred books that the past has been forgiven.

But then, lest we get egotistical about this, there are also warnings from the Pen of Baha'u'llah that this transformation may not be eternal. Later in this very book, He cautions us not to despise the "sinner", for:

...none knoweth what his own end shall be. How often hath a sinner attained, at the hour of death, to the essence of faith, and, quaffing the immortal draught, hath taken his flight unto the Concourse on high! And how often hath a devout believer, at the hour of his soul’s ascension, been so changed as to fall into the nethermost fire!

This could be why we need to regularly pray and meditate, read the Writings every morn and eve, engage in the Fast, purify our material goods through the Right of God, and so forth. Maybe there is a tendency of the human heart to revert back to its copper-like state even after it has transformed to pure gold, and obedience to the teachings, coupled with humility, mitigates this reversion back to a lower state.

One last point we feel is important to put in here. Baha'u'llah does not seem to be concerned about what we refer to as a conversion of faith. He does not seem to be concerned about what some have referred to as "wearing the team jacket". There are many examples in religious history of those who were highly regarded as devoted followers of a faith who only later turned out to be their worst enemy. Consider Judas Iscariot, who was seen to be one of Jesus's closest disciples. Or call to mind, from Baha'i history, Ibrahim Khayrullah who is regarded as having brought the Faith to North America, only to later be recognized as a Covenant Breaker. These are but two of countless examples of those who had been touched by the Faith of God, transformed, in the eyes of men, into purest gold, only to fall back to the most tarnished of coppers.

We find in these paragraphs about copper and gold both a great promise, but also a profound warning.

Paragraph 166

Be that as it may, the real elixir will, in one instant, cause the substance of copper to attain the state of gold, and will traverse the seventy-year stages in a single moment. Could this gold be called copper? Could it be claimed that it hath not attained the state of gold, whilst the touchstone is at hand to assay it and distinguish it from copper?

 

This is the sixth of thirty paragraphs looking at the first of the two stations of the Manifestations of God, that of "pure abstraction and essential unity", and the third of four paragraphs that talk about that miraculous elixir.

We begin, of course, with the reminder of the previous paragraph. We don't think He is talking about the alchemical transformation of stones from one substance to another, but rather that He is referring to the transformation of the soul that occurs when one encounters the divine. He does, after all, refer back to this "seventy-year" concept, which is the average life of a person. So we can imagine the wisdom that can come with age, and understand how a spiritual encounter of this nature could lead us quickly to this same wisdom.

But there is also the question of what is a touchstone? Fortunately one of us has experience as a jeweler. A touchstone is a piece of fine-grained dark stone formerly used for testing alloys of gold by observing the color of the mark which they made on it. Today, though, it is a standard or criterion by which something is judged or recognized. In other words, the touchstone is the ultimate test by which we judge something.

Baha'u'llah, in this paragraph, asks the question, "Could this gold be called copper?"  While it seems like it might be a rhetorical question, is it? We don't think so. In fact, it seems to be a reminder that people can change.  After all, if the copper is tested and found to be gold, then it is gold. There really isn't a question about it. If the test has been done to verify its composition, then the reality is that it is now gold.

Looking at the concept of understanding this as people, we can look at St Paul. He was a really unlikable person who was persecuting Christians at the time. Then he had this encounter with the Spirit of Jesus on the road to Damascus and was transformed from this awful individual to one who was later recognized as a saint. He had, in a sense, gone from copper to gold. The challenge, of course, was for the early Christians who knew him as their persecutor to recognize him for who he had become. Could he still be called copper? No, for the tests of the day proved him to be golden in character.

But what are these tests? What is the touchstone for character? For that we need to go back to paragraph 89:

"Our Cause is sorely trying, highly perplexing; none can bear it except a favorite of heaven, or an inspired Prophet, or he whose faith God hath tested.” These leaders of religion admit that none of these three specified conditions is applicable to them. The first two conditions are manifestly beyond their reach; as to the third, it is evident that at no time have they been proof against those tests that have been sent by God, and that when the divine Touchstone appeared, they have shown themselves to be naught but dross.

He seems to be saying that the Messenger Himself is the touchstone. But if we look way back to paragraph 8, where He asks for what reason the promises of Noah were not fulfilled, we find the following:

Meditate profoundly, that the secret of things unseen may be revealed unto you, that you may inhale the sweetness of a spiritual and imperishable fragrance, and that you may acknowledge the truth that from time immemorial even unto eternity the Almighty hath tried, and will continue to try, His servants, so that light may be distinguished from darkness, truth from falsehood, right from wrong, guidance from error, happiness from misery, and roses from thorns.

In fact, all throughout Part 1 we see constant reference to the various tests that the followers of different faiths underwent. Whether it was the fact of Moses committing murder, or Muhammad changing the direction of the Qiblih, it was always done to test the people for their sincerity of belief.

In other words, were they actually turned into gold, or were they still copper.

Paragraph 165

For instance, consider the substance of copper. Were it to be protected in its own mine from becoming solidified, it would, within the space of seventy years, attain to the state of gold. There are some, however, who maintain that copper itself is gold, which by becoming solidified is in a diseased condition, and hath not therefore reached its own state.

This is the fifth of thirty paragraphs looking at the first of the two stations of the Manifestations of God, that of "pure abstraction and essential unity", and the second of four paragraphs that talk about the transformation of copper to gold. It is also worth noting that the very next phrase, in paragraph 166, is "Be that as it may", so this is not necessarily to be taken as what Baha'u'llah literally believes.

Let's begin with the obvious, though. Is He talking about the actual changing of copper to gold? Although it is easy to dismiss this as mere fictitious alchemy, it is worth noting that scientists have already created gold in nuclear reactors. But we don't think that this is what Baha'u'llah is talking about. We think He is referring more to the alchemy of the soul, the transformation of the individual from one concerned about earthly affairs to one who is more concerned about spiritual matters. After all, everything else He writes seems to be concerned with the human heart, so why not here, too?

It is also worth noting the use of the very specific number "seventy years". This seems to be an allusion to the length of a human's life, again implying that it can be the transformation of the human heart through the wisdom of years.

Ok. So we think it's referring to the transformation of the heart, not the stone.

Keeping that in mind, let's look at the actual metaphor itself, turning copper to gold. One of the major differences between copper and gold is the tendency of copper to tarnish. Gold, though, does not tarnish. Through this transformation that Baha'u'llah seems to be talking about, the heart will no longer tarnish. But we can never be fully transformed, at least not without the grace of God. We will still have some copper, so to speak, within us. We will still need polishing. Hence prayer and fasting, and so forth.

At this point we are also reminded of that phrase from the Bab in which He says "The substance wherewith God hath created Me is not the clay out of which others have been formed." It is as if He is saying that we are all pure copper, while He is made of gold. So, through this transformation of the heart, we become more like the Messenger, still copper, but more gold-like. And isn't that what we see in history? As the early heroes of the Faith arise to serve, they take on those qualities of spirit that are more noble, more divine, more like the Messenger they follow.

Finally, there is the word "consider" again. "Consider the substance of copper." As we do that, as we consider this element and its uses, in comparison to the uses of gold, this analogy becomes more interesting to us.

Copper has been used in pennies, and have that value in them. But gold is worth more.

Copper is a very useful conductor of electricity, and is the foundation of our electrical grid. But gold is a better conductor.

Copper, with its ability to tarnish, is very useful in the making of jewelry, producing all sorts of beautiful effects. But, as you know, gold is far more useful in jewelry.

Both have their uses, but gold is far more useful.

Similarly, the everyday average human is both noble and worthy. But the one who has arisen to develop those very qualities of nobility, such as courage and compassion, is far more useful to society. Just look at the early heroes of any faith, and compare them to the average person of that same day. While most may have been like copper, those heroes are the true gold in history.

Paragraph 164

It is evident that nothing short of this mystic transformation could cause such spirit and behavior, so utterly unlike their previous habits and manners, to be made manifest in the world of being. For their agitation was turned into peace, their doubt into certitude, their timidity into courage. Such is the potency of the Divine Elixir, which, swift as the twinkling of an eye, transmuteth the souls of men!

 

This is the fourth of thirty paragraphs looking at the first of the two stations of the Manifestations of God, that of "pure abstraction and essential unity". But it is also the first of four paragraphs that talks about the "divine elixir", and the transformation wrought by it.

How are these two related? What does the "divine elixir" have to do with that station of "pure abstraction and essential unity"?

Great question. Thanks for asking.

Let's begin by looking at what this divine elixir does, and then we can go back and see how the two are related.

Baha'u'llah says here that this incredible and magical potion, the divine elixir, turns agitation into peace, doubt into certitude, and timidity into courage

Here we, of course, notice a path of development. Once you have found the peace within yourself, after recognizing the new revelation, you then become more convinced of its absolute truth. Once your simple belief has grown into full-fledged certainty, then you have no fear proclaiming it. We move from peace to certitude to courage.

In many ways it is like the very path this book takes. It begins with the peace we find in our own religion. From there, He builds our certainty not only in our own faith, but in all faiths. He shows us how they are all essentially the same message. In a sense, that is the end of Part One. Now in Part Two He is asking us to arise to serve the Cause. He is asking us to take that next step and move from a personal belief to an outward demonstration of the truths we have discovered. He is asking us to overcome our own timidity and arise to the station of courage. Of course, He will develop this theme at length later in the book.

Back to the divine elixir and what it does.

As we sought to try and describe it, we found we could do no better than to quote the Universal House of Justice from the letter "One Common Faith". And while it is a bit longer than we generally like to quote, we found ourselves unable to change or remove a single word:

Throughout history, the primary agents of spiritual development have been the great religions. For the majority of the earth’s people, the scriptures of each of these systems of belief have served, in Bahá’u’lláh’s words, as “the City of God”, a source of a knowledge that totally embraces consciousness, one so compelling as to endow the sincere with “a new eye, a new ear, a new heart, and a new mind”. A vast literature, to which all religious cultures have contributed, records the experience of transcendence reported by generations of seekers. Down the millennia, the lives of those who responded to intimations of the Divine have inspired breathtaking achievements in music, architecture, and the other arts, endlessly replicating the soul’s experience for millions of their fellow believers. No other force in existence has been able to elicit from people comparable qualities of heroism, self-sacrifice and self-discipline. At the social level, the resulting moral principles have repeatedly translated themselves into universal codes of law, regulating and elevating human relationships. Viewed in perspective, the major religions emerge as the primary driving forces of the civilizing process. To argue otherwise is surely to ignore the evidence of history.

Here we see that this effect of transformation and inspiration are found in every faith. It is, in fact, one of the defining characteristics of a faith. After all, if it is not inspiring, why would anyone follow it?

This leads us to another point, namely that of conversion. While it is important to teach the faith, no matter what your faith is, it is also important to recognize that our job is just to share these ideas. They will take root in whichever heart's God desires. And as more people find inspiration from these teachings, they will respond accordingly.

But it is really important to recognize that the Messengers do not require converts. They are truly independent of anything we can do. So why do They come? Why do They suffer? For our transformation. As 'Abdu'l-Baha so beautifully said,

"The purpose of the appearance of the Manifestations of God is the training of the people. That is the only result of Their mission, the real outcome. The outcome of the whole life of Jesus was the training of eleven disciples and two women. Why did He suffer troubles, ordeals and calamities? For the training of these few followers. That was the result of His life. The product of the life of Christ was not the churches but the illumined souls of those who believed in Him. Afterward, they spread His teachings."

In the end it is all about this transformation of hearts.

Once the heart is changed, everything else follows. People become more just. The laws become more just. The society itself begins to change. And before long, a new and better civilization is born.

But it all begins with the transformation of the individual, which is also why we are told that this faith of Baha'u'llah's will spread through our teaching efforts, and not by the sword.

We could easily go on and on about how the heart is central to all this, but really, we think we're just going to leave this here for now. After all, there are three more paragraphs that talk about this divine elixir.

Paragraph 163

These same people, though wrapt in all these veils of limitation, and despite the restraint of such observances, as soon as they drank the immortal draft of faith, from the cup of certitude, at the hand of the Manifestation of the All-Glorious, were so transformed that they would renounce for His sake their kindred, their substance, their lives, their beliefs, yea, all else save God! So overpowering was their yearning for God, so uplifting their transports of ecstatic delight, that the world and all that is therein faded before their eyes into nothingness. Have not this people exemplified the mysteries of “rebirth” and “return”? Hath it not been witnessed that these same people, ere they were endued with the new and wondrous grace of God, sought through innumerable devices to ensure the protection of their lives against destruction? Would not a thorn fill them with terror, and the sight of a fox put them to flight? But once having been honored with God’s supreme distinction, and having been vouchsafed His bountiful grace, they would, if they were able, have freely offered up ten thousand lives in His path! Nay, their blessed souls, contemptuous of the cage of their bodies, would yearn for deliverance. A single warrior of that host would face and fight a multitude! And yet, how could they, but for the transformation wrought in their lives, be capable of manifesting such deeds which are contrary to the ways of men and incompatible with their worldly desires?

This is the third of thirty paragraphs in which Baha'u'llah elucidates the first of the twofold stations of the Manifestations of God, that of "pure abstraction and essential unity". Here He is beginning to show us how it also applies to the companions of the Manifestation.

"These same people"? Who, precisely, are "these same people"?  They seem to be the "chosen ones" from the previous paragraph. They are the ones who "believed in Him and acknowledged His faith" and were "endowed with the grace of a new life".

One of the greatest examples of this transformation described later in this paragraph, is Mulla Husayn. The uncle of the Bab, to whom this book was written, was no doubt familiar with him and his story. It is even possible they had met, but we've never run across anything confirming that.

By all accounts, Mulla Husayn was your physically average theology student. He was generally regarded as weak of body. We kind of imagine him as your typical nerdy wimp. But what he lacked in physical prowess he more than made up for in spiritual strength.

This puts his later actions into an even greater light. The fortitude and heroism he demonstrated even before the events at the fort of the Shrine of Shaykh Tabarsi are impressive enough. Everything during his march to that fort, and after, are nothing short of miraculous.

And although he is truly a shining example of this transformation, he is but one of tens of thousands of examples from that era. Of course, there is a lot more to be said about Mulla Husayn, and Baha'u'llah will mention him in paragraph 248.

* * * * *

The next question is what are those "veils of limitation"?

From the previous paragraph, it is those "limitations of tradition", which brings us back to His description of the clouds from paragraphs 74 - 88. When discussing the clouds that come between the people and their Lord, He says, "These 'clouds' signify, in one sense, the annulment of laws, the abrogation of former Dispensations, the repeal of rituals and customs current amongst men, the exalting of the illiterate faithful above the learned opposers of the Faith." Back in those paragraphs, He talks about what those veils look like. Here He talks more about the effect these veils have, and how it impacts the growth of the new Faith.

Step by step He guides us. Rather than overwhelming us, He shows us one step and allows us to take the time to understand it. Then, much later in the book He shows us the next step. In this way He allows us to have our very natural reactions and let those same reactions subside before moving us on to the  next step.

Now He shows us the effect of piercing those veils upon the believers in the new Revelation.

* * * * *

The next question we run across is at the very end of this passage. "And yet, how could they, but for the transformation wrought in their lives, be capable of manifesting such deeds which are contrary to the ways of men and incompatible with their worldly desires?"

Here the question is rhetorical, but He Himself will respond to it over the next few paragraphs. Nevertheless, we feel that when He asks a question like this, it is actually useful to take the time to ponder it. We need to feel free, and even encouraged, to try and answer the question for ourselves, and then feel the uplifting inspiration from the Most Mighty Pen as He offers us His own thoughts on it.

To help guide us, though, we found this other quote written around the same time, helpful.

O Son of Light!
Forget all save Me and commune with My spirit. This is of the essence of My command, therefore turn unto it.

Paragraph 162

It is clear and evident to thee that all the Prophets are the Temples of the Cause of God, Who have appeared clothed in divers attire. If thou wilt observe with discriminating eyes, thou wilt behold them all abiding in the same tabernacle, soaring in the same heaven, seated upon the same throne, uttering the same speech, and proclaiming the same Faith. Such is the unity of those Essences of being, those Luminaries of infinite and immeasurable splendor. Wherefore, should one of these Manifestations of Holiness proclaim saying: “I am the return of all the Prophets,” He verily speaketh the truth. In like manner, in every subsequent Revelation, the return of the former Revelation is a fact, the truth of which is firmly established. Inasmuch as the return of the Prophets of God, as attested by verses and traditions, hath been conclusively demonstrated, the return of their chosen ones also is therefore definitely proven. This return is too manifest in itself to require any evidence or proof. For instance, consider that among the Prophets was Noah. When He was invested with the robe of Prophethood, and was moved by the Spirit of God to arise and proclaim His Cause, whoever believed in Him and acknowledged His Faith was endowed with the grace of a new life. Of him it could be truly said that he was reborn and revived, inasmuch as previous to his belief in God and his acceptance of His Manifestation, he had set his affections on the things of the world, such as attachment to earthly goods, to wife, children, food, drink, and the like, so much so that in the daytime and in the night-season his one concern had been to amass riches and procure for himself the means of enjoyment and pleasure. Aside from these things, before his partaking of the reviving waters of faith, he had been so wedded to the traditions of his forefathers, and so passionately devoted to the observance of their customs and laws, that he would have preferred to suffer death rather than violate one letter of those superstitious forms and manners current amongst his people. Even as the people have cried: “Verily we found our fathers with a faith, and verily, in their footsteps we follow.”

 

This is the second of thirty paragraphs in which Baha'u'llah elucidates the first of the twofold stations of the Manifestations of God, that of "pure abstraction and essential unity".

While we could write a lot about this paragraph, there are a few particular parts that really stand out to us.

•     If thou wilt observe with discriminating eyes... 

What does "discriminating" mean? It means to show refined taste or good judgment. In other words, He is asking us to look at the various Messengers and use our own good judgement to recognize that they are all giving us the same message. He is asking us to recognize that all the various Faiths come from the same source. He is asking us to find those points of unity that bind the different religions together, rather than focusing on the differences of culture or language.

•     among the Prophets was Noah

Why does He refer to Noah here? We think it may be that He is the first of the Prophets mentioned in His original argument in Part 1, back in paragraph 7. Here, He is following the same order. In addition to this, He seems to be referencing another quote of Jesus found in Matthew. And again, this is not random. Back in paragraph 24 He quoted Jesus from Matthew 24: 29 - 31. Now He is referencing Matthew 24: 37 - 38. "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be..." You see how systematic Baha'u'llah is, how easy He makes it for us to follow His argument. This is another lesson we can follow when teaching His Cause.

•     abiding in the same tabernacle, soaring in the same heaven, seated upon the same throne, uttering the same speech, and proclaiming the same Faith

Here we have an interesting movement of phrases. The tabernacle is that movable tent of God from which His Word is preached. This word leads us to heaven, where we find the Messenger seated on the throne. While on the throne, He is speaking, giving His teachings, and proclaiming the Faith of God.

Here is a reminder that every Messenger has taught us about the previous ones. Jesus taught about Moses and the Torah. Muhammad taught His people about Moses and Jesus, clarifying much that was in the Torah and the Gospel. And in every case, they spoke about the Messenger to come. This is a recurring theme. They all do this. They clarify the past, give us guidance in the present, and have us look to the future.

While there are many examples we could use to demonstrate this point, a simple one is the idea that Moses taught us "an eye for an eye", to ensure that our retribution in the face of an injustice does not carry us to excess. Jesus taught us to forgive those that sin against us. And Baha'u'llah takes it further when He tells us to prefer our brother to ourselves.

•     ...the return of their chosen ones also is therefore definitely proven. This return is too manifest in itself to require any evidence or proof... (W)hoever believed in Him and acknowledged His Faith was endowed with the grace of a new life.

This started with the stories in paragraphs 7 - 23, showing how all Manifestations follow same story arc. It continued by showing how the prophecy from Jesus applied to all of them. In the previous paragraph He said that the Manifestations all fulfill the station of "pure abstraction and essential unity". Now He's adding in the followers, and showing how they, too, partake of a form of unity. He is pointing out that the "chosen ones" are those who "believed" and "acknowledged His Faith". This is such a radically new understanding of "chosen", showing that it is due to the individual's choice and action, rather than some abstract virtue of birth.

•     ...before his partaking of the reviving waters of faith, he had been so wedded to the traditions of his forefathers, and so passionately devoted to the observance of their customs and laws, that he would have preferred to suffer death rather than violate one letter of those superstitious forms and manners current amongst his people

Baha'u'llah seems to be reminding the uncle that this describes the people of his day. He subtly points out that these customs that the people would die for are just "superstitious forms and manners".

You will note that this is a continuation of a theme He has talked about before in this book. We encountered it in paragraph 54 when we read of Muhammad turning away from Jerusalem during His prayer.  This was done, we will recall, "to test and prove His servants".

It also reminds us of paragraph 81, where are told to "Consider how men for generations have been blindly imitating their fathers", and were someone to come along and "abolish every principle imposed by their Faith... they would... be veiled and hindered from acknowledging His truth." In fact, we are even told that they would attack the one promoting this change, which is exactly what we have seen in the past, and the uncle was seeing it at the time this book was written.

It reminds us of the importance of detachment, that overarching theme of Part 1.

To see it again here, as He talks about the followers of the Messenger, reminds us of the tests we will face when we acknowledge His truth.

Paragraph 161

Furthermore, it is evident to thee that the Bearers of the trust of God are made manifest unto the peoples of the earth as the Exponents of a new Cause and the Bearers of a new Message. Inasmuch as these Birds of the Celestial Throne are all sent down from the heaven of the Will of God, and as they all arise to proclaim His irresistible Faith, they therefore are regarded as one soul and the same person. For they all drink from the one Cup of the love of God, and all partake of the fruit of the same Tree of Oneness. These Manifestations of God have each a twofold station. One is the station of pure abstraction and essential unity. In this respect, if thou callest them all by one name, and dost ascribe to them the same attribute, thou hast not erred from the truth. Even as He hath revealed: “No distinction do We make between any of His Messengers!” For they one and all summon the people of the earth to acknowledge the Unity of God, and herald unto them the Kawthar of an infinite grace and bounty. They are all invested with the robe of Prophethood, and honored with the mantle of glory. Thus hath Muḥammad, the Point of the Qur’án, revealed: “I am all the Prophets.” Likewise, He saith: “I am the first Adam, Noah, Moses, and Jesus.” Similar statements have been made by ‘Alí. Sayings such as this, which indicate the essential unity of those Exponents of Oneness, have also emanated from the Channels of God’s immortal utterance, and the Treasuries of the gems of divine knowledge, and have been recorded in the scriptures. These Countenances are the recipients of the Divine Command, and the daysprings of His Revelation. This Revelation is exalted above the veils of plurality and the exigencies of number. Thus He saith: “Our Cause is but one.” Inasmuch as the Cause is one and the same, the Exponents thereof also must needs be one and the same. Likewise, the Imáms of the Muḥammadan Faith, those lamps of certitude, have said: “Muḥammad is our first, Muḥammad our last, Muḥammad our all.”

Remember way back in paragraph 24 we made mention of how significant that paragraph would be to the whole of part one? We pointed out that nearly the rest of that section of the book would be dedicated to analyzing and explaining that quote from Jesus, nearly 70 paragraphs, or 60 pages.

In this paragraph we have something similar.

Here He mentions that the Messengers have two stations, and begins to define the first, that of absolute unity. He spends 30 paragraphs talking about this, finally offering the second station in paragraph 191. Literally 10 percent of the book is dedicated to this one theme, and if we go back and re-read everything we have read until now, we will discover that it all talked about this point, that of unity. Given that unity is the fundamental message of Baha'u'llah, this comes as no surprise. Part one seems to all focus around their essential unity, as explained in their similar story arcs and in the broad understanding of that quote from Jesus. Of course, the obvious argument is to point out their very real differences, and show how each is unique. Baha'u'llah sidesteps this by explaining that they, each and all, have two stations.

The first station is defined as "the station of pure abstraction and essential unity", The second station is defined as "the station of distinction, and pertaineth to the world of creation and to the limitations thereof."

When we look at these two stations, we can easily recognize that those that argue for their distinction are actually correct. When these people argue that Jesus or Buddha are unique in religious history, they are not wrong. But they are only looking at that second station. When we step back and look at their story arc, their teachings, the overall message they are delivering, then we can see that this first station is true, too.

Although it is not explicitly stated in this book, by recognizing these two stations that all the Manifestations occupy, we can find greater unity with those that argue against Baha'u'llah. By agreeing with those points of truth in their argument, just as the Master did so often, we can more readily help them open their heart to this profound new truth.

Going back to Part 2, and this paragraph, we also see that it all falls under the explanation and definition of the sovereignty which the uncle is asking about. "How", we will recall, "did the Bab show the sovereignty of the Promised One?"

Over these next 30 paragraphs, Baha'u'llah  delves into the idea of the absolute oneness of these Messengers. It could be seen as similar to our understanding of the sovereign, the King. While we may have King George, King Edward, or King Charles, they are all the King. In like manner, the Manifestation of God is the supreme King, each with a different name, perhaps, but all entitled to that title of Sovereign.

At this point, we could look at the word "Furthermore" and ask what the springboard is that has led us to this point. What are the steps we have already taken on this path to certitude?

We could look at the word "likewise" and discuss how it implies the same point from another perspective to help achieve clarity. "Furthermore" implies the next step in the argument.

We could mention that the quote “I am the first Adam, Noah, Moses, and Jesus.” brings us right back to paragraphs 7 - 23. This, of course, follows heavily on the importance of detachment at the very beginning in paragraphs 1 and 2.

We could even look at the progression of the quotes:

    “No distinction do We make between any of His Messengers!”

    “I am all the Prophets.” 

    “I am the first Adam, Noah, Moses, and Jesus.”

    “Our Cause is but one."

    “Muḥammad is our first, Muḥammad our last, Muḥammad our all.”

We could even look at the various metaphors and the journey they take us on:

    these Birds of the Celestial Throne

    the one Cup of the love of God

    the fruit of the same Tree of Oneness

    the Kawthar of an infinite grace and bounty

    the robe of Prophethood

    the mantle of glory

    the Channels of God’s immortal utterance

    the Treasuries of the gems of divine knowledge

    the daysprings of His Revelation

    lamps of certitude

These are the sorts of points we have looked at throughout out little study of this remarkable book, so none of it should be unusual to you by now. But rather than focus on any or all of these, we are going to leave it to you, dear Reader, to dive into on your own.

As with paragraphs 6 and 24 from Part 1, this is a paragraph we will surely refer back to over and over as we move forward in these next 30 paragraphs, so we feel comfortable leaving it for now.

Paragraph 160

Strive therefore to comprehend the meaning of “return” which hath been so explicitly revealed in the Qur’án itself, and which none hath as yet understood. What sayest thou? If thou sayest that Muḥammad was the “return” of the Prophets of old, as is witnessed by this verse, His Companions must likewise be the “return” of the bygone Companions, even as the “return” of the former people is clearly attested by the text of the above-mentioned verses. And if thou deniest this, thou hast surely repudiated the truth of the Qur’án, the surest testimony of God unto men. In like manner, endeavor to grasp the significance of “return,” “revelation,” and “resurrection,” as witnessed in the days of the Manifestations of the divine Essence, that thou mayest behold with thine own eyes the “return” of the holy souls into sanctified and illumined bodies, and mayest wash away the dust of ignorance, and cleanse the darkened self with the waters of mercy flowing from the Source of divine Knowledge; that perchance thou mayest, through the power of God and the light of divine guidance, distinguish the Morn of everlasting splendor from the darksome night of error.

Strive - The most difficult part of this book is not the reading of it, nor the ideas presented, but the work we need to do in reflecting on these ideas and learning how to incorporate them in our heart and in our actions.

In this case, we are asked to strive to understand the meaning of "return", "revelation", and "resurrection". This follows on the previous three paragraphs in which He points out how some people are attached to their understanding of how things will be in the latter days. In the first instance, it was the notion that the Promised One would need to perform a particular miracle. In the second, it is the idea that the "return" could not be someone from a different culture. These are only two examples, of course, that could be used here. Both of them, though, speak to the importance of detachment, that primary quality in Part One.

With these two examples, He asks us to "strive" to understand what is really meant by the "return". When we consider these examples, and struggle to see what they imply, we come to the realization that it is the return of not an individual, but the return of circumstances. It is the return of paradigms. It is the return of the same story arc. Just as we see the eastern sky getting brighter every day with the sunrise, the flowers sprouting each and every spring, we can recognize a similar cycle in the grand scheme of the various religions.

If we are used to seeing our own faith as the pinnacle, then this can be very difficult to accept, for some may see it as the lowering of one faith to be on par with all the others. What those people fail to understand, though, is that it is actually the raising of all the other faiths to be on the same level as your own. We are not lowering one, but raising all.

From here, Baha'u'llah offers us some beautiful imagery to help us better understand His point.

If we want to better understand the unity of all these religions, and more clearly see how they all follow the same pattern, He tell us to "wash away the dust of ignorance... with the waters of mercy flowing from the Source of divine Knowledge". What does this mean? How are we to understand it? What is it that we are ignorant of?

Given the context, it seems to be the idea that there is only one instance of "return", and that it will have certain characteristics that we already know, such as some exact miracle. Once we free ourselves of this prejudicial understanding, this idea that we somehow know what will happen, when we free ourselves of this, then we can better see the light that shines in the actions of each and every Messenger of God. We can better notice the same old attacks by those in power. We can better recognize the heroism and wisdom of the companions. It is through the mercy of God that this is shared, so that we may be able to recognize the Messenger in Their own lifetime. It is through the "Source of divine Knowledge" that these points are made, such as when He retold the stories of the Manifestations of old, such as Noah, and focused solely on what they all had in common, not what made each of them unique.

When we do this, we find ourselves filled with love and awe for each and every faith, and this love shines out from our soul like a light. Too often we have seen interfaith gatherings where some people feel that their job is to teach the ignorant who do not know about the faith they are espousing. They come in and try to convert all around them, not realizing that they are doing no more than alienating others, condemning them for wearing a different team jacket, so to speak. But then there are those others who go to these interfaith gatherings hoping to learn more about other paths. They are eager to see a different perspective. And it is these souls that are filled with light. They make the whole gathering feel loved and respected. Even though they are firm believers in their own path, they understand that everyone has a truth to share, and that they can learn from all. This, to us, seems like a beautiful example of cleansing "the darkened self with the waters of mercy flowing from the Source of divine Knowledge".

Then we come to that little word we have seen so often in this book, "perchance". With luck, by the Will of God, when all this happens, when we begin to understand this grand pattern of recurrence, we will be able to recognize the new Morn, the rise of a new Day, the appearance of another divine Messenger for today.

Paragraph 159

Likewise, Muḥammad, in another verse, uttereth His protest against the people of that age. He saith: “Although they had before prayed for victory over those who believed not, yet when there came unto them He of Whom they had knowledge, they disbelieved in Him. The curse of God on the infidels!” Reflect how this verse also implieth that the people living in the days of Muḥammad were the same people who in the days of the Prophets of old contended and fought in order to promote the Faith, and teach the Cause, of God. And yet, how could the generations living at the time of Jesus and Moses, and those who lived in the days of Muḥammad, be regarded as being actually one and the same people? Moreover, those whom they had formerly known were Moses, the Revealer of the Pentateuch, and Jesus, the Author of the Gospel. Notwithstanding, why did Muḥammad say: “When He of Whom they had knowledge came unto them”—that is Jesus or Moses—“they disbelieved in Him”? Was not Muḥammad to outward seeming called by a different name? Did He not come forth out of a different city? Did He not speak a different language, and reveal a different Law? How then can the truth of this verse be established, and its meaning be made clear?

 

Here it is worth noting the questions asked by the uncle of the Bab, the questions that led to the revelation of this book, particularly the third question. In it the uncle says that the Bab did not appear in conformity to the traditions and reports of the Imams. He specifically says that we cannot interpret these things metaphorically, at the expense of the literal interpretation, for this would just lead to confusion. This, of course, is a great question. It is one that many people have when encountering a new faith.

He begins with the word "Likewise". Likewise to what? To the previous quote, in paragraph 157. They are both of a theme, namely equating those who denied Him to those who denied Moses and Jesus.

In this paragraph Baha'u'llah takes this concept that the uncle questioned and steps it back from the Imams to Muhammad, Himself. He points out in both this quote, and the previous one, that a literal interpretation of what Muhammad said is manifestly impossible. In these quotes from the Qur'an, Muhammad denounces those who have denied the Messengers of God. They are, He says or implies, the same people every dispensation. But as they lived thousands of years apart, this is obviously impossible.

Beyond that, He is also pointing out that Muhammad likens Himself to these other Messengers, but was from a different city, spoke a different language, revealed different laws. How could we call them the same?

It is, in essence, the same question the uncle asked of the Bab, but asked of Muhammad, Whom the uncle already recognizes and reveres. He seems to accept it of Muhammad without realizing it. Here Baha'u'llah gently points out that it is the same question he is asking of the Bab, the same type of question asked of all the Messengers of the past.

He asks us to reflect on this. How can it be? How are we to make sense of it, if we take it literally?

Paragraph 158

Ponder this in thine heart, that the sweet gales of divine knowledge, blowing from the meads of mercy, may waft upon thee the fragrance of the Beloved’s utterance, and cause thy soul to attain the Riḍván of understanding. As the wayward of every age have failed to fathom the deeper import of these weighty and pregnant utterances, and imagined the answer of the Prophets of God to be irrelevant to the questions they asked them, they therefore have attributed ignorance and folly to those Essences of knowledge and understanding. 

"Ponder". Every time we come across this word, or one of its synonyms such as "meditate", we stop and do just that. We ponder.

This time we are asked to ponder in our heart, which is not where we normally consider our ponderings. That is usually reserved for the head. Here, though, we are asked to use our heart, which comes up often in this book, and in the Writings of Baha'u'llah, in general.

But what are we to ponder? It could be the previous statement, "that those people of wickedness were the selfsame people who in every age opposed and caviled at the Prophets and Messengers of God, till they finally caused them all to suffer martyrdom", or the following one which says, "the wayward of every age have failed to fathom the deeper import of these weighty and pregnant utterances, and imagined the answer of the Prophets of God to be irrelevant to the questions they asked them, they therefore have attributed ignorance and folly to those Essences of knowledge and understanding". Whichever way we read it, whichever line we "ponder", we are left to see the similarities between all those who have denied the Messengers of God and caused Their persecution.

As we ponder this recurring tragedy in our heart, though, we are also reminded of the recurring joy in every Revelation. "Rejoice in the gladness of thine heart," He says in the Hidden Words, "that thou mayest be worthy to meet Me and mirror forth My beauty." Is this not what we all desire? To be worthy of meeting Him and mirroring His beauty? Maybe it is this joy that helps us be worthy, for surely this joy is a mirroring of God's love. This would be quite different from a heart that opposes and cavils, and shows anger or hatred. That in no way mirrors God's beauty.

And while there is so much we could say about this paragraph, we will limit ourselves to two more things.

First, the imagery in the winds blowing from the meadows leading us to a garden. Sometimes we find it useful to look at this imagery more closely and see what it is saying. Here we have a strong wind, not a gentle thing, but it is sweet. And what is this very strong wind? It is "divine knowledge". Strong and yet sweet. And like all winds, we can't see it, but we sure know it's there. Then we are told that it is coming across the meadows of mercy. It's not a meadow of retribution or anger, but one of mercy. Can you imagine the flowers that are growing there? Now, like all breezes blowing across a meadow, it's carrying the scent of the flowers there to us, and this sweet scent is coming from "the Beloved's utterance". I don't know about you, but if I smell a beautiful scent on the breeze, I want to go to its source. Here, by following this breeze back, it will lead us to the paradise, the Ridvan, of understanding.

So, a garden, the garden of understanding, has the flowers of His utterance giving off this beautiful perfume. This sweet perfume is carried on a strong wind across the meadows of mercy, and just waiting for us to recognize it and follow it back to its source.

Second, there is the caution of thinking the answers given by the Messengers are somehow irrelevant to the questions being asked. If seen in one way, it would appear to be a caution about this very book. After all, if you think about it, it could seem like He hasn't really answered the uncle's questions about the Bab. Remember, one of those questions was about why the Bab didn't show the sovereignty of the Promised One. Baha'u'llah hasn't answered this question most likely because it's an impossible question to answer. Instead, he has re-framed the question to its essential core as, "How did the Bab show the sovereignty of the Promised One?" The first presumes He didn't do it. The second presumes we don't understand how He did it. And it is this second question He answers. But to the prejudicial eye, they could easily claim that He didn't answer the question at all, completely missing the point.

It reminds us of Manikchi Sahib and "The Tabernacle of Unity". In the first letter we have some of Baha'u'llah's most oft-quoted statements. "Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in..." "Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch." "Whatsoever leadeth to the decline of ignorance and the increase of knowledge hath been, and will ever remain, approved in the sight of the Lord of creation." But Manikchi Sahib responded saying, basically, "You didn't answer my questions." He doesn't call Baha'u'llah mad or anything, but he definitely doesn't see the connection between his questions and the response. It seems to be the sincerity in his reply, saying "I don't get it", that prompts the next letter in which Baha'u'llah essentially says, "Actually I did", and then shows how each answer was given a very profound response.

The beauty of these two letters is that we not only get the profound replies written by Baha'u'llah, but through the second letter we get to see the original questions. And honestly? If we had written those questions to Baha'u'llah and received that first tablet as a reply, we probably wouldn't have gotten it either.

Paragraph 157

And it came to pass that on a certain day a number of the opponents of that peerless Beauty, those that had strayed far from God’s imperishable Sanctuary, scornfully spoke these words unto Muḥammad: “Verily, God hath entered into a covenant with us that we are not to credit an apostle until he present us a sacrifice which fire out of heaven shall devour.” The purport of this verse is that God hath covenanted with them that they should not believe in any messenger unless he work the miracle of Abel and Cain, that is, offer a sacrifice, and the fire from heaven consume it; even as they had heard it recounted in the story of Abel, which story is recorded in the scriptures. To this, Muḥammad, answering, said: “Already have Apostles before me come to you with sure testimonies, and with that of which ye speak. Wherefore slew ye them? Tell me, if ye are men of truth.” And now, be fair; How could those people living in the days of Muḥammad have existed, thousands of years before, in the age of Adam or other Prophets? Why should Muḥammad, that Essence of truthfulness, have charged the people of His day with the murder of Abel or other Prophets? Thou hast none other alternative except to regard Muḥammad as an impostor or a fool—which God forbid!—or to maintain that those people of wickedness were the selfsame people who in every age opposed and caviled at the Prophets and Messengers of God, till they finally caused them all to suffer martyrdom.

Check-in time. Where are we in the overall argument of the book? We're still looking at the sovereignty of the Promised One and attaining the presence of God. By this point, He has moved into the realm of the Return being more than just the return of the Manifestation. It is the return of all the signs, too. And here it is particularly the return of the enemies of the Cause.

In this instance, they are denying Muhammad because of a belief that He must bring forth the fire of heaven for a sacrifice, which isn't even in the story of Cain and Abel when you read it. Whether you read it in Genesis or in the Qur'an, it reads quite differently than what we are told, and Baha'u'llah acknowledges this. He says it is "as they heard it recounted", which seems to imply that it is not as written.

Just because we heard the story of Cain and Abel this way does not mean it's true. How often have people ridiculed the story of Noah because, they ask, where did he get 2 duck-billed platypuses, or two elephants. But the story doesn't say 2 of each animal. Go back and re-read the original. What we hear is not necessarily what is there. And if we base our acceptance of the next Messenger on a false premise, we will likely miss Their return. 

In this paragraph, Baha'u'llah relates the story of how Muhammad is asked to produce a miracle of an accepted sacrifice consumed by a fire from heaven. The people say that this is the necessary sign. Muhammad points out that other Messengers came with such a sign, but the people slew them. Why, He asks. "Why did you slay them?" Of course, it couldn't have been the people who were there at the time, so what is He saying? Muhammad seems to be saying that this is one of the signs of the Return. In other words, He is asking them to consider the past. He is asking them to look back at the Messengers they have accepted and see what holds true. Look at the pattern.

The important thing, though, is not the story of Cain and Abel here, but the fact that Muhammad is asking these priests why they denied other Messengers who have shown this proof. Why did they kill these other Messengers, if this is the criteria? Of course, they couldn't have killed these others who lived hundred of years ago. Instead, Muhammad is pointing out that it is this attitude that has slain all the Messengers.

Remember, way back in paragraph 6 we read "the more closely you observe the denials... the firmer will be your faith in the Cause of God".

Another point to note is the egotism of "God has entered into a covenant with us..." They not only seem to vaunt the idea that they are special because of this Covenant, but that they actually understand it, and nothing can change their understanding. This brings to mind the criteria for seeking truth in paragraph 1: "No man shall attain the shores of the ocean of true understanding except he be detached from all that is in heaven and on earth." They are not detached from their understanding, therefore miss recognizing when their interpretation is incorrect.

Baha'u'llah also uses the word "scornfully" to describe their attitude, which means they ask their questions without respect and full of contempt. The nature of their questions seems to be designed to corner, to cast doubt, to interrogate, and does not appear to arise from a pure heart. Again, they do not appear to be demonstrating sincerity. But then we can contrast this with Muhammad's response, which appears both cogent and challenging. He is using their own scripture to prove His case.

This is something that we notice over and over again. The answers are always given from their sacred books and traditions. Whether it is Jesus citing the Tanakh, or Muhammad using the Bible, or Baha'u'llah here using the Qur'an, the proofs always come from the traditions that the opponents hold to be true.

Similarly, our teaching efforts should also be so. If followers from other religions question us regarding authenticity, we should answer from their books, such as the Bible, the Quran, or the Bhagavad-Gita. While we can, and should, quote the Writings of Baha'u'llah and the Bab, the proofs are far more effective if they come from the source they already recognize. We should speak with admiration and respect for their traditions, for we know that they come from God, even if they have been misunderstood. Remember, when discussing interfaith issues, we are treading on holy ground.