Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!usc!jarthur!nntp-server.caltech.edu!bes From: JMK5%lehigh.BITNET@hamlet.caltech.edu Newsgroups: soc.religion.islam Subject: Re: Message of Islam (part7: final part) Message-ID: <1991Jan10.182528.6945@nntp-server.caltech.edu> Date: 10 Jan 91 18:25:28 GMT Sender: bes@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Behnam Sadeghi) Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena Lines: 181 Approved: bes@tybalt.caltech.edu In article <1991Jan5.104338.18096@nntp-server.caltech.edu> (Kent Sandvik) writes: >In article <1990Dec21.144253.16587@wpi.WPI.EDU> mmirza@ee.eng.ohio- state.edu (Muhammad Mirza) writes: >> >> ISLAM: A COMPLETE CODE OF LIFE >> >> A little earlier, I mentioned that Islam represents a whole >>civilization, a complete culture, and a comprehensive world order. It >>provides moral guidance in all walks of life. That is why Islamic >>values are not for the ascetic who renounces the world, but for him >>who actively participates in different spheres of life, and works >>within them. The moral values which people look for in convents, >>monasteries, and cloisters are presented by Islam right in the current >>of life. Heads of government, governors of states, judges, members of >Sorry to say, but it's very naive to assume that you could establish >a world order based on *one* single religion. If we look at Islam >today, how many different sects do we have? Why does Islam brothers and >sisters fight against each other - even if they belong to the same >tribe, same religion (Iran-Iraq war, Beirut)? >It is the nature of the human being to question an official dogma, and >start a movement against the common doctrine. This happen in all areas, >religion, politics, computers, fashion, music. >We could even create a future picture, where Islam is the main binding >force in the civilization of the Earth. Well, for how long? Maybe 40-60 >years, and a splinter group in Mid-Europe starts a separatist movement >with a different idea about the central role of the spiritual leader. >Does it sound familiar (like Christianity)? >Personally I think that we will have a lot of old and new religions, >it's just the nature of a human being to question everything and build >new world models. >This are my private thoughts. >Regards, >Kent Sandvik This is a most interesting dialogue, particularly because, in the mid- 19th century, a new religious movement sprouted in the heart of the Islamic middle eastern countries. Shi'ih Muslims had expected the return of the 12th Imam, the Promised Qa'im (who disappeared in A.H. 260) in A.H. 1260, which is 1844 A.D. Surely enough, in 1844, this Qa'im, the Bab ("Gate") was independently sought out and found by 19 seekers, the 19th being the Imam Husayn (Mirza Husayn-`Ali, later known as Baha'u'llah, "The Glory (Light) of God") prophesied by Shi'ih Islam. The Qa'im (the Bab) was to herald, and did herald, the coming of the Imam Husayn (Baha'u'llah). The Sunni Muslims on the other hand were expecting the Mihdi and the return of Jesus Christ. Incidentally, a book I read about biblical prophecy by William Sears, called _Thief in the Night_, revealed that many scholars of the Bible had predicted Christ's return in 1843-45 A.D.) A new, independent world religion was born: The Baha'i ("followers of the glory", or "followers of Baha'u'llah", pronounced Bah-high, with the accent on the second syllable) Faith. To requote what Kevin Sandvik stated earlier: >Sorry to say, but it's very naive to assume that you could establish >a world order based on *one* single religion. If we look at Islam >today, how many different sects do we have? Given 2 sects of Islam, both seemed to prophecy the Baha'i Faith. The next issue is that the Baha'i Faith also seeks to establish a new world order. What's remarkable is that after 147 years, the Baha'i Faith has spread to virtually every country around the world, has attracted over 5 million believers, and most remarkably, throughout this whole process the Baha'i Faith has remained an undivided religion! This is attributable to Baha'u'llah's Covenant with God, to ensure the protection of the unity of the Baha'i Faith, for if the Baha'i Faith is to fulfill its mission of bringing about world unity, Universal Peace, or the Kingdom of God on Earth, the Baha'i Faith must be itself united. The Baha'i Scriptures state: "The purpose of the Blessed Beauty [Baha'u'llah] in entering into this Covenant and Testament was to gather all existent beings around one point so that the thoughtless souls, who in every cycle and generation have been the cause of dissension, may not undermine the Cause [of God]." In His will Baha'u'llah appointed his son, `Abdu'l-Baha, the sole interpreter of His teachings, in other words, "The Center of His Covenant." By this appointment and provision Baha'u'llah safeguarded and protected the religion of God against differences and schisms, making it impossible for anyone to create a new sect or faction of belief. `Abdu'l-Baha, in His will, appointed his grandson as the "Center of the Covenant", and after his grandson's death, the Universal House of Justice was formed, the supreme governing body of the Baha'i Faith, located on Mount Carmel in Israel. The Baha'is were promised in the Covenant that they would never be left unguided by God, and so has it transpired. Concerning a new world order, Baha'u'llah laid out a more specific and encompassing framework for humankind to follow than any previous Messenger of God in history. His framework was interpreted, elucidated and initiated (yes, put into action) by his son and great-grandson. That is the reason why the Baha'i Faith has permeated the world so quickly. The Universal House of Justice and its subordinate structures is a living model as to how the Kingdom of God can function on earth. Describing this structure would take several bulletin boards, so instead I'll just mention the core principles of the Baha'i Faith, and then briefly describe each one: The oneness of humankind Unity in diversity Universal peace upheld by a world government Independent investigation of truth The common foundation of all religions The essential harmony of science and religion Equality of men and women Elimination of prejudice of all kinds Universal compulsory education A spiritual solution to the economic problem A universal auxiliary language THE ONENESS OF HUMANKIND: the pivotal Baha'i principle; all the other principles seek to bring about the oneness of humankind. "The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens." It is the "pivot round which all the teachings of Baha'u'llah revolve." Its appeal is not to be merely identified with a reawakening of the spirit of brotherhood and good-will among men, nor does it aim solely at the fostering of harmonious cooperation among individual peoples and nations...It implies and organic change in the structure of present-day society...It calls for the reconstruction and demilitarization of the whole civilized world--a world organically unified in all the essential aspects of its life, its political machinery, its spiritual aspiration, its trade and finance, its script and language, and yet infinite in the diversity of the national characteristics of its federated units. It represents the consummation of human evolution. UNITY IN DIVERSITY: "Consider the flowers of a garden: though differing in kind, color, form and shape, yet inasmuch as they are refreshed by the waters of one spring, revived by the breath of one wind, invigorated by the rays of one sun, this diversity increaseth their charm, and addeth unto their beauty. Thus when that unifying force, the penetrating influence of the Word of God, taketh effect, the difference of customs, manners, habits, ideas, opinions and dispositions embellisheth the world of humanity. "How unpleasing to the eye if all the flowers and plants, the leaves and blossoms, the fruits, the branches and the trees of that garden were all of the same shape and color! Diversity of hues, form and shape, enricheth and adorneth the garden, and heighteneth the effect thereof. In like manner, when diverse shades of thought, temperament and character are brought together under the power and influence of one central agency, the beauty and glory of human perfection will be revealed and made manifest. Naught but the celestial potency of God...is capable of harmonizing the divergent thoughts, sentiments, ideas, and convictions of the children of men." (_Selections from the Writings of `Abdu'l-Baha, 290-92) The Baha'i Faith takes on the culture of the people in each part of the world. In fact, a many Baha'is devote a significant amount of their life to visiting other Baha'is around the world. It is an enriching experience, and they bring these experiences back with them to their home communities. The world is richer as a result. UNIVERSAL PEACE UPHELD BY A WORLD GOVERNMENT: A world community of nations governed by a world federation to which all national governments will be accountable: "The unity of the human race, as envisaged by Baha'u'llah, implies the establishment of a world commonwealth in which all nations, races, creeds and classes are closely and permanently united, and in which the autonomy of its state members and the personal freedom and initiative of the individuals that compose them are definitely and completely safeguarded." (Shoghi Effendi [great-grandson of Baha'u'llah], _World Order of Baha'u'llah_, 203) INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION OF TRUTH: of God."