As my previous posting was in html, some have suggested I send in plain text.
So here it is + some additional notes that I found useful.
This servant has been away from my PC for a long time [fatigue and travelling]
But I thought I could share with this Studies List some very precious findings.
1] from the Old Testament
Gen 9:15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and
every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood
to destroy all flesh.
Gen 17:4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a
father of many nations.
Exodus 31:16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to
observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
Jer 50:5 They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying,
Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall
not be forgotten.
Act 3:25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God
made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the
kindreds of the earth be blessed.
Heb 8:9 It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors on
the day I took them by the hand and led them out of Egypt. They were not
faithful to the covenant I made with them, and so I paid no attention to them.
Heb 8:10 Now, this is the covenant that I will make with the people of Israel
in the days to come, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds and write
them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
In the Holy Qur’an
3:81
there is an eternal Covenant
Khalifa
GOD took a covenant from the prophets, saying, "I will give you the scripture
and wisdom. Afterwards, a messenger will come to confirm all existing
scriptures. You shall believe in him and support him." He said, "Do you agree
with this, and pledge to fulfill this covenant?" They said, "We agree." He
said, "You have thus borne witness, and I bear witness along with you."
Arberry
And when God took compact with the Prophets: 'That I have given you of Book and
Wisdom; then there shall come to you a Messenger confirming what is with you --
you shall believe in him and you shall help him; do you agree?' He said. 'And
do you take My load on you on that condition?' They said, 'We do agree.' God
said, 'Bear witness so, and I shall be with you among the witnesses.'
Sale
And [remember] when God accepted the covenant of the prophets, [saying, this]
verily [is] the scripture and the wisdom which I have given you: Hereafter
shall an apostle come unto you, conforming the truth of that [scripture] which
is with you; ye shall surely believe on him, and ye shall assist him. [God]
said, are ye firmly resolved, and do ye accept my covenant on this [condition]?
They answered, we are firmly resolved: [God] said, be ye therefore witnesses;
and I also bear witness with you:
Transliterated Arabic
Wa-ith akhatha Godu meethaqa alnnabiyyeena lama ataytukum min kitabin
wahikmatin thumma jaakum rasoolun musaddiqun lima maAAakum latu/minunna bihi
walatansurunnahu qala aaqrartum waakhathtum AAala thalikum isree qaloo aqrarna
qala faishhadoo waana maAAakum mina alshshahideena
Thus in the above there is a **MEETHAAQ** a Covenant [with all the
Nabiyyeen=the Prophets in relation to a Rasool [=a Messenger].
Does this Meethhaq include the Dispensation of the Prophet Muh.ammad
[Salutations be upon Him].
The Answer is affirmative when you consider:
033:007
Pickthall
And when We exacted a covenant from the prophets, and from thee (O Muhammad)
and from Noah and Abraham and Moses and Jesus son of Mary. We took from them a
solemn covenant;
Yusuf Ali
And remember We took from the prophets their covenant: As (We did) from thee:
from Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus the son of Mary: We took from them a
solemn covenant:
Wa-ith akhathna mina alnnabiyyeena meethaqahum WAMINKA wamin noohin
wa-ibraheema wamoosa waAAeesa ibni maryama waakhathna minhum meethaqan
ghaleethan
So this Covenant is solemn. It is with all the Prophets. And it is inclusive of
the Day of the Bab and Baha’u’llah.
The Meethaaq [in a real and soul-enthralling way is about this Day.
Consider then the Passage in the Bahai Daily Obligatory Prayer.
I bear witness to Thy unity and Thy oneness, and that Thou art God, and that
there is none other God beside Thee. Thou hast, verily, revealed Thy Cause,
fulfilled Thy Covenant, and opened wide the door of Thy grace to all that dwell
in heaven and on earth. Blessing and peace, salutation and glory, rest upon Thy
loved ones, whom the changes and chances of the world have not deterred from
turning unto Thee, and who have given their all, in the hope of obtaining that
which is with Thee. Thou art, in truth, the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.
(Baha'u'llah: Prayers and Meditations, Page: 316)
This Covenant is, in a sense, so real and solemn that the Noble Uncle [Maternal
Uncle] of the Bab who brought the Bab up gave his life in His Path.
**though his friends appealed to him to escape the turmoil that was fast
approaching, he refused to heed their counsel and faced, until his last hour,
with complete resignation, the persecution to which he was subjected. A
considerable number among the more affluent merchants of his acquaintance
offered to pay his ransom, an offer which he rejected. Finally he was brought
before the Amir-Nizam. "The Chief Magistrate of this realm," the Grand Vazir
informed him, "is loth to inflict the slightest injury upon the Prophet's
descendants. Eminent merchants of Shiraz and Tihran are willing, nay eager, to
pay your ransom. The Maliku't-Tujjar has even interceded in your behalf. A word
of recantation from you is sufficient to set you free and ensure your return,
with honours, to your native city. I pledge my word that, should you be willing
to acquiesce, the remaining days of your life will be spent with honour and
dignity under the sheltering shadow of your sovereign." "Your Excellency,"
boldly replied Haji Mirza Siyyid Ali, "if others before me, who quaffed
joyously the cup of martyrdom, have chosen to reject an appeal such as the one
you now make to me, know of a certainty that I am no less eager to decline such
a request. My repudiation of the truths enshrined in this Revelation would be
tantamount to a rejection of all the Revelations that have preceded it. To
refuse to acknowledge the Mission of the Siyyid-i-Báb would be to apostatise
from the Faith of my forefathers and to deny the Divine character of the
Message which Muhammad, Jesus, Moses, and all the Prophets of the past have
revealed. God knows that whatever I have heard and read concerning the sayings
and doings of those Messengers, I have been privileged to witness the same from
this Youth, this beloved Kinsman of mine, from His earliest boyhood to this,
the thirtieth year of His life. Everything in Him reminds me of His illustrious
Ancestor and of the imams of His Faith whose lives our recorded traditions have
portrayed. I only request of you that you allow me to be the first to lay down
my life in the path of my beloved Kinsman."
(Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 447)
Jesus said
John 16:12
(CEV) I have much more to say to you, but right now it would be more than you
could understand.
(GNB) "I have much more to tell you, but now it would be too much for you to
bear.
(HNV) "I have yet many things to tell you, but you can't bear them now.
(KJVA) I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
(MKJV) I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
(MSG) "I still have many things to tell you, but you can't handle them now.
However when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all
truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will
speak. He will declare to you things that are coming.
(KJVA) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into
all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear,
that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
And the Holy Qur’an adds that we should learn from the past and not say that
God will not raise another:
072:007
Sher Ali
`And, indeed, they thought, even as you think that God would never raise any
Messenger,
Khalifa
" `They thought, just like you thought, that GOD would not send another
(messenger).
040:034
*
URL
Pickthall
And verily Joseph brought you of old clear proofs, yet ye ceased not to be in
doubt concerning what he brought you till, when he died, ye said: God will not
send any messenger after him. Thus God deceiveth him who is a prodigal, a
doubter.
Yusuf Ali
"And to you there came Joseph in times gone by, with Clear Signs, but ye ceased
not to doubt of the (Mission) for which he had come: At length, when he died,
ye said: 'No apostle will God send after him.' thus doth God leave to stray
such as transgress and live in doubt, -
Shakir
And certainly Yusuf came to you before with clear arguments, but you ever
remained in doubt as to what he brought; until when he died, you said: God will
never raise an apostle after him. Thus does God cause him to err who is
extravagant, a doubter
Sher Ali
And Joseph, indeed, came to you before with clear proofs, but you ceased not to
be in doubt concerning that which he came to you till, when he died, you said,
`GOD will never raise a Messenger after him.' Thus does GOD adjudge as having
gone astray every transgressor, doubter -
Khalifa
Joseph had come to you before that with clear revelations, but you continued to
doubt his message. Then, when he died you said, "GOD will not send any other
messenger after him. (He was the last messenger)!" GOD thus sends astray those
who are transgressors, doubtful.
Arberry
Joseph brought you the clear signs before, yet you continued in doubt
concerning that he brought you until, when he perished, you said, "God will
never send forth a Messenger after him." Even, so God leads astray the prodigal
and the doubter.'
Palmer
'And Joseph came to you before with manifest signs, but ye ceased not to doubt
concerning what he brought you, until, when he perished, ye said, "God will not
send after him an apostle;" thus does God lead astray him who is extravagant, a
doubter.
Rodwell
Moreover, Joseph had come to you before with clear tokens, but ye ceased not to
doubt of the message with which he came to you, until when he died, ye said,
'God will by no means raise up an apostle after him.' " Thus God misleadeth him
who is the transgressor, the doubter.
Sale
Joseph came unto you, before [Moses], with evident [signs]; but ye ceased not
to doubt of the [religion] which he preached unto you, until, when he died, ye
said, God will by no means send [another] apostle, after him. Thus doth God
cause him to err, who is a transgressor, [and] a sceptic.
Transliterated Arabic
Walaqad jaakum yoosufu min qablu bialbayyinati fama ziltum fee shakkin mimma
jaakum bihi hatta itha halaka qultum lan yabAAatha Allahu min baAAdihi rasoolan
kathalika yudillu Allahu man huwa musrifun murtabun
The Faith standing identified with the name of Baha'u'llah disclaims any
intention to belittle any of the Prophets gone before Him, to whittle down any
of their teachings, to obscure, however slightly, the radiance of their
Revelations, to oust them from the hearts of their followers, to abrogate the
fundamentals of their doctrines, to discard any of their revealed Books, or to
suppress the legitimate aspirations of their adherents. Repudiating the claim
of any religion to be the final revelation of God to man, disclaiming finality
for His own Revelation, Baha'u'llah inculcates the basic principle of the
relativity of religious truth, the continuity of Divine Revelation, the
progressiveness of religious experience. His aim is to widen the basis of all
revealed religions and to unravel the mysteries of their scriptures. He
insists on the unqualified recognition of the unity of their purpose, restates
the eternal verities they enshrine, coordinates their functions, distinguishes
the essential and the authentic from the nonessential and spurious in their
teachings, separates the God-given truths from the priest-prompted
superstitions, and on this as a basis proclaims the possibility, and even
prophecies the inevitability, of their unification, and the consummation of
their highest hopes.
(Shoghi Effendi: The Promised Day is Come, Page: 108)
(HOT) ויאמר יהוה מסיני בא וזרח משׂעיר למו הופיע מהר פארן ואתה מרבבת קדשׁ מימינו
אשׁדת למו׃
DEUTERONOMY 33
(KJV+) And he said,559 The LORD3068 came935 from Sinai,4480, 5514 and rose
up2224 from Seir4480, 8165 unto them; he shined forth3313 from mount4480, 2022
Paran,6290 and he came857 with ten thousands4480, 7233 of saints:6944 from his
right hand4480, 3225 went a fiery784 law1881 for them.
came935 from Sinai= a reference to the Sinaitic Revelation of Moses
and rose up2224 from Seir4480, 8165= a reference to the Revelation of Jesus
Christ
he shined forth3313 from mount4480, 2022 Paran,= the Revelation of the Prophet
Muhammad
and he came857 with ten thousands4480, 7233 of saints:6944 from his right
hand4480, 3225
= the Revelation of Baha’u’llah.
Additional notes:
*****
1. The Holy Qur'án teaches that the meaning of the Day of Judgment is a mystery
which will be revealed by God on the Day of Judgment itself.
"They will ask Thee of the Hour --- for what time is its coming fixed? SAY: The
knowledge of it is only with My Lord: none shall manifest it in Its time but
He. " (A'raf-7:187)
What the mind of man has thought or thinks about the Day of Judgment is more
imagination. How can the leaders of Islam. say that the Day of Judgment has not
come, and still try to explain its nature and signs literally?
2. It is further pointed out in the Qur'án that the contents of that Holy Book
are divided into two parts: the part that is easily understood (called the
"perspicuous") and the part which is in picture or story form (called the
"figurative"). The first part is clear and straightforward, whilst the second
part is revealed in a style which is full of figures of speech and therefore
cannot be properly understood. The second part needs interpretation. That
interpretation, according to the Qur'án. is not man's function, but God's; and
God shall reveal at a later age its interpretation. Here are the verses:
"He it is Who hath sent down to Thee the Book (the Qur'án). Some of its verses
are of themselves perspicuous;--these are the basis of the Book --- and others
are figurative. But they whose hearts are given to err, follow its figures,
craving discord, craving an interpretation; yet none knoweth its interpretation
but God. "(Al-Imran-3:5)
"And now have We brought them the Book: with knowledge have we explained it; n
guidance and a mercy to them that believe. What have they to wait for now but
its interpretation? When its interpretation shall come, they who aforetime were
oblivious of it shall say, 'The Prophets of our Lord did indeed bring the
-truth. "(A'raf-7:51-52)
The Bahá'ís point out that most of the verses in the Qur'án which are
"figurative" are those describing the Day of Judgment. As the meaning of the
Day of Judgment is to be disclosed by God only when that Day actually comes,
the advent of that Day and the promised interpretation of the Qur'án must
necessarily come together. The Bab and Bahá'u'lláh not only proclaimed that the
Day of Judgment has come.. but have given us clearly in their writings, the
true meanings of all the symbols and allegories of that Holy Book.
3. The description set forth in the Qur'án of the phenomena to take place in
the physical world on the Day of Judgment is most arresting. For example the
earth is to change into another earth (See Zumar-39:67; Ibrahim-14:48;
Inshiqaq-84:3; Qaf-50:44; Rum-30:50; Hadid-57:17) and the heaven is to be cleft
and split asunder (See Inshiqaq-84:1; Infitnr-82:1; Naba'-78:19; Anbiya-21:l04;
Rahman.-55:37; Dukhan-44:10; Furqan-25:25; Zumar-39:67). In the Súrá of
Tawkir-81 we even read: "When the heaven shall be stripped away".
And in the Súrá of Ma'arij-70: "When the heavens shall become as molten brass."
Furthermore, the earth is to quake and the mountains are to pass away (See
Naml-27:88; Waqi'ah-56:5; Qari'ah-101:5; Muzammil-73:14; Mursalat-77:10;
Naba'78:20; Takwir-81:3; TaHa20:105).
Likewise, the sun is to be folded up and lose its light (Takwir-61) and the
stars are to disperse and be blotted out (Infitar-82; Mursalat-77).
Now let us compare other verses with the above description. Here are four
verses. Notice the words underlined:
"What! Are they sure that the overwhelming chastisement of God shill not come
upon them, or that that Hour shall not come upon them, suddenly, while they are
unaware?" (Yusuf-12:107)
"Warn them of the day of sighing, when the decree shall be accomplished, while
they are sunk In heedlessness, and while they believe not." (Maryam-19:39)
"But on the day of Resurrection some of you shall deny the others, and some of
you shall curse the others." (Ankabut-29:25)
Let us now ask ourselves this question: If the overwhelming description of the
changes in the physical world to take place on the Day of Judgment is to be
interpreted literally, would it be reasonable to expect that the unbelievers
would still be "unaware" of it, would not know its occurrence, and
particularly. after the "decree would be accomplished" for them to be still
sunk in "heedlessness" and not to believe, and above all for men to "deny" and
"curse" one another? Wouldn't the physical signs and portents be so drastic
that there could be no room for unbelief, heedlessness and cursing to continue?
Surely the answer is that the signs of the Day of Judgment must be interpreted
symbolically, not literally. Then we would understand why unbelief and
heedlessness would still prevail at such a time.
4. From the above we note that the events of the Day of Judgment are to be
taken symbolically. We shall now see now how these spiritual developments are
also to take place gradually:
a. "And they will bid Thee to hasten the Chastisement (Day of Judgment). But
God cannot fail His threat. And verily, a day with Thy Lord is as a thousand
years, as ye reckon them. (Hajj-22:46)
This verse shows us that the "Day of Judgment" is not an ordinary day of 24
hours.
b. "He bringeth forth the living out of the dead, and He bringeth forth the
dead out of the living: and He quickeneth the earth when dead. Thus is it that
ye too shall be brought forth." (Rum-30:18)
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