The Bahā’ī faith emerged from the Bābī faith and was founded in Iraq by Mirzā Ḥusayn ‘Alī Nūrī. He is also known as Bahā’ullāh; which translates from Arabic as ‘Manifestation of God.’
The Bābī faith was founded by Mirzā ‘Alī Muḥammad of Shiraz in 1844. Mirzā ‘Alī Muḥammad of Shiraz preached teachings that were rooted in Twelver Shi’ism, most prominently, the teaching regarding ‘the return of the twelfth imām.’
Bahā’īs believe that Bahā’ullāh and his forerunner, known as the Bāb (door or gateway), were manifestations of God.
Without delving into the intricate details surrounding the history of the Bahā’ī faith at this point, we shall look into this concept of ‘manifestation of God.’ In essence, Bahā’ullāh claimed divinity for himself.
This observation is gleaned from the following text:
‘The Bahā’īs hold that the epoch of prophethood has come to an end. They hold that prophethood has come to an end even among the followers of Muḥammad. But, of course they do not hold that the Power of God has come to an end. Therefore, they accept a new manifestation of the power, which goes a step beyond prophethood, implying thereby the end of the epoch of prophethood. This is the reason why the Bahā’īs never say that prophethood has not ended and that the Promised One of all the religions is a Nabī (prophet) or a Rasūl (messenger). What they say is that his advent was a mustaqil khudā’ī ẓuhūr, i.e., an independent manifestation of the divine.’[1]
There is no need to refute the claim to divinity made by Bahā’ullāh, as it is, quite clearly, nonsensical.
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The principal Bahā’ī tenets cover the essential unity of all religions and the unity of humanity.[2] This has been expressed at the international level too.
In his summary statement about the Baha’i teachings to the nascent United Nations in 1947, Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith, explained:
‘The fundamental principle enunciated by Baha’u’llah, the followers of His Faith firmly believe, is that Religious truth is not absolute but relative, that Divine Revelation is a continuous and progressive process, that all the great religions of the world are divine in origin, that their basic principles are in complete harmony, that their aims and purposes are one and the same, that their teachings are but facets of one truth, that their functions are complementary, that they differ only in the non-essential aspects of their doctrines and that their missions represent successive stages in the spiritual evolution of human society.’[3]
Now, how do we reconcile the claim of divinity made by Bahā’ullāh and the unity of humanity concept; or unity of religions concept?
The Bahā’ī faith and its most important fundamental tenet completely conflict with the Noble Qur’ān.
We have revealed to you ˹O Messenger˺ this Book with the truth, as a confirmation of previous Scriptures and a supreme authority on them. So judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their desires over the truth that has come to you. To each of you We have ordained a code of law and a way of life. If Allah had willed, He would have made you one community, but His Will is to test you with what He has given ˹each of˺ you. So compete with one another in doing good. To Allah you will all return, then He will inform you ˹of the truth˺ regarding your differences.[4]
Had your Rabb so willed, He would have certainly made humanity one single community, but they will always differ[5]
Had Allah willed, He could have easily made you one community ˹of believers˺, but He leaves to stray whoever He wills and guides whoever He wills. And you will certainly be questioned about what you used to do.[6]
Aside from the verses of the Noble Qur’ān which have been quoted above, a number of questions arise:
- Is the foundation and source teaching of every religion in the world the same? Most certainly not!
- Is the goal of every adherent of every religion the same? Most certainly not!
- Is the belief system of every religion in the world the same? Most certainly not!
- Is there a standard of beliefs amongst the religions of the world that matches in every religion? Most certainly not!
- Is the worship structure of every religion in the world the same? Most certainly not!
- Is the deity that is worshipped in every religion the same? Most certainly not!
- Is the creed of every world religion the same? Most certainly not!
- Is the essence of all world religions the same? Most certainly not!
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We can very easily understand from the above that the very concept of unity of religions is completely baseless, just like the claim to divinity made by Bahā’ullāh.
It follows from the above discussion that this concept of unity of religions is merely bait that is being cast into the sea in order to ensnare the ignorant. After a person embraces the Bahā’ī tenet of unity of religions, he loses his own religion and assumes a path towards embracing the false divinity of Bahā’ullāh. This is in fact a double blasphemy. It is one blasphemy to abandon one’s own religion; and a second blasphemy to take Bahā’ullā as divine.
Those who embrace the Bahā’ī faith as adherents from other religions besides Islām find some form of relief or solace in their new religion for a brief while. This is because their religions were not true and unadulterated to begin with. After they gain some initial comfort, they will soon discover that the Bahā’ī religion is not suited for any sane person, as it leads to major confusion in almost every aspect of life.
Human beings share in being human and part of humanity, but this does not in in any entail or mean that the creed of each and every one of them is also the same. There are two starkly different things here—one is the physical body of a person and the other is their belief and convictions. Now, like with modernists, the Bahā’ī confuses and muddles the two. A person’s biology cannot be equated with their theology, and it thus follows that the idea of there being one human race does not, in any way, mean that those who are part of it share in a single true creed.
May Allāh Ta’ālā keep us firm on the path of Islām and save us from going astray. Āmīn.
Notes
Sources:
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/Bahai-Faith
- https://www.bahai.org/beliefs/essential-relationships/one-human-family
- The Bābī and Bahā’ī Religion, Sūfī AQ Niyāz, Islam International Publications LTD, UK, 2004
- https://bahaiteachings.org/a-bahai-duty-defending-the-essence-of-all-religions/
- Kawkab e Hind, Delhi vol.VI, Number 4, May 17, 1928 ↑
- https://www.bahai.org/beliefs/essential-relationships/one-human-family ↑
- https://bahaiteachings.org/a-bahai-duty-defending-the-essence-of-all-religions/ ↑
- Sūrah Al-Mā’idah: 48 ↑
- Surah Hūd: 118 ↑
- Sūrah An-Naḥl: 93 ↑
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Jazak Allah!
Alhamdulillah for Islam
All these modern ideologies/religions in disguise have in common that they say things that feel good like “tolerance”, “peace”, “all humans”, “we all bleed the same”.
Things that are somewhat true or true like how we shouldn’t judge people based on ethnicity but at the same time they ignore the true differences between people’s cultures/ideologies that cannot be reconciled. People can only unite on Islam, other ideologies crumble outside their countries/tribes in real life.