Concerning the questions of Manakji Limji Hataria
MIRZA ABUL-FADL
271.
Another of his questions:
272.
"In the religion of Mahabad [of India] and Zoroaster [of Persia] it is said
that our religion and our law are more sublime and better than any other.
[Jews, Christians, and Muslims likewise pontificate]
273.
Still, the religions of the other prophets are all true.
274.
For instance, in the court of the king,
below the rank of the prime minister there are many other ranks,
and even the sergeant will know something about the Lord.
275.
All who desire to do so may then remain in their religion, and are harming no one.
276.
Hindus say that all who eat meat of any type or description will never have a glimpse of paradise.
277.
The religions of Muhammad, Jesus, and Moses
maintain that whoever does not accept our religion will never behold heaven.
278.
Which view is acceptable to the Absolute Truth?"
279.
Where Zoroaster said,
"Our religion and our Law are more sublime and better than those of the prophets,"
His intent was the prophets who preceded Him.
280.
In one station, these holy souls are united:
281.
The first of them is the last of them and the last of them is the first of them.
282.
All came from God and called others unto Him, and all returned to Him.
283.
These stations are revealed in the Book of Certitude,
which is in reality the Lord of Books [that is, of Baha-ullah's dispensation]
284.
and that was revealed by the Pen of the Most High at the beginning of this supreme dispensation.
285.
Blessed is the one who hath delved into and pored over it for the love of God,
the Sovereign of creation.
286.
He wrote that the Hindus say that whosoever eateth meat shall never glimpse paradise.
287.
Yet this saying contradicteth his earlier assertion that they believe all religions to be true.
288.
For if their truth hath been established,
then no grounds exist upon which their adherents can be denied entry into heaven.
289.
It is not clear, then, what they mean by `heaven.'
290.
In this day, every soul that attaineth the good-pleasure of the Eternal Truth is accounted a denizen of the highest paradise, and tasteth the fruits thereof in every one of God's worlds.
291.
By the Life of the Desired One,
the pen is impotent to make mention of this station, and falleth short in describing this utterance.
292.
Blessed is the one that attaineth to the divine good-pleasure, and woe unto the heedless.
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293.
Every one of the prophets hath come from the Absolute Truth.
294.
Once this point hath been proven, it is not for anyone to ask `Why?' or `Wherefore?'
295.
All must accept and obey whatever He ordaineth,
for this is what God hath enjoined in His books, psalms, and tablets.
Tablet to Mirza Abu'l-Fadl CHAPTER ELEVEN
Divisions 296-325
Concerning the questions of Manakji Limji Hataria
MIRZA ABUL-FADL
296.
Another question:
297.
"Hindus maintain that God created the intellect in the form of a human being,
whose name is Brahma,
and he came to earth and caused it to become populated, so that they are his descendants.
298.
Zoroastrians say that God created the First Intellect as an intermediary
in the form of a man known as Mahabad, and we are his descendants.
299.
Now, they believe the world to have been created only in six ways,
and two are as went before.
300.
Other means of creation were by water, earth, fire, and dumb beasts.
301.
Hindus and Zoroastrians believe that since they were created from intellect,
they should not allow other creatures or peoples to join them.
302.
Is their assertion correct or not?"
303.
Whatever way pleaseth them, they demonstrate again the wisdom of the Master.
304.
The entire cosmos hath been created by the Eternal Truth,
and a new Adam hath come into being by means of the obeyed divine word.
305.
He is the dayspring, sanctuary, mine and manifestation of the Intellect,
and by means of him the world came into being.
306.
He is the intermediary for the primal emanation.
307.
Concerning the beginnings of creation as we know it,
no one hath any knowledge thereof, save God Himself.
308.
The beginning and end of the created universe in time is not delimited,
and no one knoweth the secret of it.
309.
The knowledge thereof was and is still hidden in the treasuries of divine knowledge.
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310.
The universe is said to be originated only in the sense that it is preceded by a cause.
311.
Essential pre-existence is reserved for the Eternal Truth—may He be glorified!
312.
We have made mention of this point in order to elucidate Our earlier statement
that the origins and ultimate demise of the cosmos are not delimited.
313.
Nobody can smell the perfume of pre-existence,
for true, essential pre-existence is reserved for the Absolute Truth,
whereas the eternality of this world is only relative.
314.
They have derived their propositions about the beginning and end—what is beyond these—
from the prophets, pure ones, and envoys of the Eternal Truth.
315.
The world of atoms, which is renowned, was generated by the sending of the prophets.
[that is, the world was set in motion through prophecy]
All else is idle fancies and suppositions. [Darwin's theory of evolution, for example]
316.
At the time of Manifestation, all creatures swoon as one before it,
and afterwards become differentiated by whether they accept or refuse to accept,
whether they ascend or descend,
whether they act or remain passive,
and whether they advance towards or turn away from it.
317.
The Eternal Truth saith by means of the tongue of Its Manifestation,
"Am I not your Lord?"
318.
Every soul that replieth "Yes!" is accounted before God as among the most exalted of creatures.
319.
Before the Word is spoken, all are in the same swoon, and enjoy the same station.
320.
After it is uttered, then differentiation among them beginneth to appear,
as he hath seen and will continue to see.
321.
From what hath gone before, it hath been established that no one can say,
"We have been created from intellect, and others from something else."
322.
This truth is as clear and bright as the sun:
323.
That all have been created by the Will of God, and are derived from a single origin.
324.
All are from Him, and to Him shall they return.
325.
This is the meaning of the blessed saying,
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"We are from God and verily to Him shall we return,"
that was revealed in the Qur'an by the Pen of the Most High.
Tablet to Mirza Abu'l-Fadl CHAPTER TWELVE
Divisions 326-350
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