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.