Concerning the questions of Manakji Limji Hataria
MIRZA ABUL-FADL
1.
In his letter, Mirza Abu'l-Fadl, glory be upon him, had made inquiries.
2.
As for that learned man Manakji, he hath also written.
3.
His particulars and that which he possesseth have become known and obvious,
and what he dispatched is likewise clear.
4.
In regard to his questions, there was no utility in mentioning them one after another,
or in gracing all with answers,
for this would have been contrary to wisdom
and would have necessitated a contradiction of what is current among the people.
5.
Rather, in what was revealed from the heaven of bounty especially for him were answers in inimitable style, of the utmost concision and brevity.
6.
It appeareth that Manakji neglected to heed them properly,
for had he done so he would have borne witness that not a single letter had been omitted,
and would have spoken forth, saying "Verily, this utterance is self-evident and unchallengeable."
His questions were what follows:
7.
"First, the Mahabadi prophets, including Zoroaster, came to 28 persons,
and each of them exalted the religion and faith of the others, and did not abrogate it.
8.
Every individual who became manifest bore witness to the correctness and validity of the ordinances and commands of his predecessor, nor was there any talk of rescinding them.
9.
They said, `It came to us from God, and we delivered it to His servants.'
10.
On the other hand, several of the bearers of a revelation to the Hindus said,
11.
`I am God.
12.
All creatures must enter under My authority.
13.
When discord and alienation afflict them, I shall advent myself and efface it.
14.
Each one who is manifested will say,
"I am that same one who was within the first."'
15.
These returned founders of a religion, as with Abraham, Moses and Jesus, said,
`Past messengers spoke rightly, and in that time the law was thus.
16.
But now it is different, in accordance with My instructions.'
17.
Then an Arab Legislator said,
18.
`With my appearance, all past religions have become irrelevant.
19.
The law is My law.'
20.
Of these two groups, which do you prefer,
and the leaders of which do you rank above the other?"
21.
First of all it may be observed that in one station,
the ranks of the prophets may differ one from another.
22.
For instance, consider Moses, the Author of a Book and of a sacred code of law.
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23.
Those prophets and messengers who were sent after that Holy One were enjoined to implement His laws, for these ordinances were not at variance with the requirements of those times, as is apparent from the books that are appended to the Pentateuch.
24.
As for the allegation that the revealer of the Qur'an said that upon His appearance all the past systems of law and religion were abrogated, and that the Law was His alone, that Wellspring of celestial wisdom never spoke any such words.
25.
To the contrary, He confirmed the truth of that which had been revealed to the prophets and messengers from the heavens of the divine Will by His words:
26.
"Alif. Lam. Mim.
God!
There is no god but He, the Living, the Merciful.
27.
In truth He sent down to thee `the Book,' which confirmeth those which precede it.
28.
For He hath sent down the Law . . . "
and so on, to the end of the verse.
29.
He said that all derive from God, and to God do they return.
30.
In this station, all are one soul, insofar as they did not utter a single message, word or command from their own selves.
31.
That which they spoke stemmed from the absolute Truth, and they called all the people to the most exalted horizon, bestowing upon them the glad tidings of eternal life. In this manner, the seemingly contradictory statements reported by Manakji Sahib may be resolved into a single word, and into harmonious letters.
32.
As for his question, about which of these groups is to be preferred, and which leaders are to be considered exalted over the others, in the former station the sun of the verse,
33.
"We make no distinction between any of His Messengers" is resplendent,
34.
whereas the latter is the station of
"And We preferred some of the Messengers over others."
35.
In a blessed, all-encompassing, and exalted passage that We revealed aforetime lieth hidden and concealed the very matter to which he adverted:
Tablet to Mirza Abu'l-Fadl CHAPTER TWO
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Divisions 36-70
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