Dear Friends I received an email from Patti Goebel on a qur'an question. I posted with great love the email but I think my post remained in the outbox!
Khazeh >From Patti Goebel Hi all, I came across the following in the Qur'an this week (Sura 34): ""Never," say the unbelievers, "will the Hour come upon us!" Say: Yea, by my Lord who knoweth the unseen, it will surely come upon you! not the weight of a mote either in the Heavens or in the Earth escapeth him; nor is there aught less than this or aught greater, which is not in the clear Book; - "To the intent that God may reward those who have believed and done the things that are right: Pardon and a noble provision shall they receive: "But as for those who aim to invalidate our signs, - a chastisement of painful torment awaiteth them! "And they to whom knowledge hath been given see that what hath been sent down to thee from thy Lord is the truth, and that it guideth into the way of the Glorious one, the Praiseworthy." I'm wondering how (if) Islam interprets the phrase "what hath been sent down to thee from thy Lord is the truth" in relation to the signs of the Hour. Can any of our Islamic scholars address this one? I know Shi'a Islam was focused on the year 1260, based on the death of the last Imam plus 1000 years; however, has Sunni Islam ever come up with a specific date for the "Hour"? 'Abdu'l-Baha has addressed the dates in the prophecy of Daniel in "Some Answered Questions" and William Sears has discussed them further in "Thief in the Night". It seems to me that "sent down to thee from thy Lord" could be applied to the signs indicated by the "Lord", Christ, and specifically to the prophecy in Daniel he refers to when asked by his disciples about the signs of the end of the age in Matthew 24:3 & 15. Is there any record of this being interpreted this way? It seems like this should be a strong proof, especially since this same prophetic symbol-the "abomination of desolation" of Daniel cited in Matthew 24 -- apparently was also used as a proof of Christ even before it was used in the fifth century by Augustine (http://ccel.org/fathers/NPNF1-02/Augustine/cog/t101.htm#t101.htm.5). Patti Dear Patti Please forgive this lowly sone if I anm brief. pressures and some illness. Also this servant is not an Islamic scholar but learning with you and with my fellow believers. a co-learner with you. These divine verses are beautiful. The HOUR is of course the Advent of the bab and Baha'u'llah. ****O HOUR of the Dawn! Ere the resplendent glory of the divine Luminary sheddeth its radiance from the Dayspring of this Gate, call thou to mind that the appointed Day of God will indeed be at hand in less than the twinkling of an eye. (The Bab: Selections from the Bab, Page: 69) **** 'Hath the HOUR come?' 'Nay, more; it hath passed, by Him Who is the Revealer of clear tokens! Verily, the Inevitable is come, and He, the True One, hath appeared with proof and testimony. (Baha'u'llah: Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, Pages: 131-132) We notice in the Sura 34 verses the Hour leads to the PATH OF GOD 34:6 And those to whom knowledge has come see that the (Revelation) sent down to thee from thy Lord - that is the Truth, and that it guides to the Path of the Exalted (in might), Worthy of all praise. Wayara allatheena ootoo alAAilma allathee onzila ilayka min rabbika huwa alhaqqa wayahdee ila SIRAATI alAAazeezi alhameedi Baha'u'llah says He is the Path of God. In the Suratul Haykal He uses the very same Word SIRAAT. ***Glorified is He Who hath revealed His VERSES [AYAAT]to those who understand. Glorified is He Who sendeth down His verses to those who perceive. Glorified is He Who guideth whomsoever He pleaseth unto His path. Say: I, verily, am the Path [**SIRAAT.] of God unto all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth; well is it with them that hasten thereunto! (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 3) In the Sura 34 wherever signs are mentioned in your translation verses [ayaat] are intended. The essence of recognizing the HOUR and the PATH is not deny gainsay repudiate the VERSES [ayaat=SIGNS} **** You are absolutely right:= Shi'ih Chronolgy leads most precicely to 1260 AH. BUT the Thousand years are mentioned in the Holy Qur'an any way Sura 32 He rules (all) affairs [AMR] from the heavens to the earth: in the end will (all affairs) go up to Him, on a Day, the space whereof will be (as) a thousand years of your reckoning. He regulates the affair [AMR]from the heaven to the earth; then shall it ascend to Him in a day the measure of which is a thousand years of what you count. He directeth the ordinance [AMR]from the heaven unto the earth; then it ascendeth unto Him in a Day, whereof the measure is a thousand years of that ye reckon. Yudabbiru al-AMRA mina alssama-i ila al-ardi thumma yaAAruju ilayhi fee yawmin kana miqdaruhu alfa sanatin mimma taAAuddoona Whether as you say <<<the that "sent down to thee from thy Lord" could be applied to the signs indicated by the "Lord", Christ, and specifically to the prophecy in Daniel he refers to when asked by his disciples about the signs of the end of the age in Matthew 24:3 & 15.>>> one cannot say with certainty. In the sense that all Revelation is one Yes. But in the sense of specific detail and tafsir we need to be open.... The important point id that the Baha'i Revelation emphasizes what I call the 5 C's! CONNECT, COMMON, CULMINATION, CORRELATION, CONTINUITY. 1]Therein lies the strength of the unity of the Faith, of the validity of a Revelation that claims not to destroy or belittle previous Revelations, but to CONNECT , unify, and fulfill them. (Shoghi Effendi: World Order of Baha'u'llah, Page: 22) 2]the successive Founders of all past Religions Who, from time immemorial, have shed, with ever-increasing intensity, the splendor of one COMMON Revelation at the various stages which have marked the advance of mankind towards maturity may thus, in a sense, be regarded as preliminary Manifestations, anticipating and paving the way for the advent of that Day of Days when the whole earth will have fructified and the tree of humanity will have yielded its destined fruit. (Shoghi Effendi: World Order of Baha'u'llah, Page: 166) 3]The Faith of Baha'u'llah should indeed be regarded, if we wish to be faithful to the tremendous implications of its message, as the CULMINATION of a cycle, the final stage in a series of successive, of preliminary and progressive revelations. These, beginning with Adam and ending with the Bab, have paved the way and anticipated with an ever-increasing emphasis the advent of that Day of Days in which He Who is the Promise of All Ages should be made manifest. (Shoghi Effendi: World Order of Baha'u'llah, Page: 103) 4]The fundamental unity of these Messengers of God is clearly recognized, the continuity of their Revelations is affirmed, the God-given authority and CORRELATIVE character of their Books is admitted, the singleness of their aims and purposes is proclaimed, the uniqueness of their influence emphasized, the ultimate reconciliation of their teachings and followers taught and anticipated. (Shoghi Effendi: The Promised Day is Come, Page: 107) 5]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. (Shoghi Effendi: The Promised Day is Come, Page: 108) hope this helps. I was hoping to be courteous rather than in any sense comprehensive for I, too, know little and comprehend less, but am happy to be your co-learner khazeh ---------- You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://list.jccc.net/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=bahai-st news://list.jccc.net/bahai-st http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist (public) http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] (public)
