Mirza Husayn Ali (alias Baha'u'llah) claimed a station, "beyond", greater than a Manifestation of God.
diamondsouled
into idolatry if stated in the sense: "I am naught but God", meaning I
have no existence apart from God.
Mirza Husayn Ali (alias Baha'u'llah) did make it clear though that he
believed his station to be: "beyond" that of a Manifestation:
The purpose of God in creating man hath been, and will ever be, to
enable him to know his Creator and to attain His Presence. To this
most excellent aim, this supreme objective, all the heavenly Books and
the divinely-revealed and weighty Scriptures unequivocally bear
witness. Whoso hath recognized the Day Spring of Divine guidance and
entered His holy court hath drawn nigh unto God and attained His
Presence, a Presence which is the real Paradise, and of which the
loftiest mansions of heaven are but a symbol. Such a man hath attained
the knowledge of the station of Him Who is "at the distance of two
bows," Who standeth beyond the Sadratu'l-Muntaha. Whoso hath failed to
recognize Him will have condemned himself to the misery of remoteness,
a remoteness which is naught but utter nothingness and the essence of
the nethermost fire. Such will be his fate, though to outward seeming
he may occupy the earth's loftiest seats and be established upon its
most exalted throne.
(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 70)
To claim to the station of one who: "standeth beyond the Sadratu'l-
Muntaha", is to claim a station greater than the Sadratul'-Muntaha,
greater than a Manifestation of God.
It is such statements of Mirza Husayn Ali/Baha'u'llah's which led that
'major' school of Baha'i thought to mistakenly equate Baha'u'llah with
God Himself. I do wonder why Baha'u'llah did not correct this error or
perhaps if he truly believed that his station was greater than
Manifestationhood, as he put it: "beyond the Sadratu'l-Muntaha", ?
Cheers
Larry Rowe
[1 The Sadratu'l-Muntaha, translated inter alia as the Sidrah Tree
which marks the boundary, and the Lote-Tree of the extremity. Cf.
Qur'án 53:14. It is said to stand at the loftiest point in Paradise,
and to mark the place beyond which neither men nor angels can pass. In
Bahá'í terminology it refers to the Manifestation of God.]
(Abdu'l-Baha, Memorials of the Faithful, p. 175)
328. By my life! This is a day wherein the Sadrat doth not desire but
to utter to the world, "There is no God but Me, the Peerless, the
Informed." Had it not been for My love unto thee, I would not have
mentioned what is herein. Know, therefore, this station! Then keep it
as thou keepest thine own eyes and be grateful.
(Compilations, Baha'i Scriptures, p. 197)
r...@gingertrees.se
Hello
there are numerous passages where Baha'u'llah states that the prophets
are absolutely equal and that no distinction between them should be
made. However, looking at the revelations of each manifestation they
vary and in that respect we may regard some prophets greater than
others.
The 'major' (if there be such a thing) school of baha'i thought has
never equalled the person of the manifestation with that of the
Creator. It would be absolutely preposterous as there are so many
scriptures explaining the meaning of divine unity and tablets and
prayers exalting God. How could Baha'u'llah turn himself to God and
humble himself before God if they were one and the same? The same with
Jesus, how could he bewail himself to God on the cross if they were
one and the same? This is absolutely clear to most baha'is and there
is no such thing as a 'major' school teaching that Baha'u'llah is God.
We believe that the way to the knowledge of God is 'through' the
manifestations. I recommend the Kitab-i-Iqan for further understanding
of the subject.
/Raz