’Idál, 13 Sulțán (Sovereignty), 180 B.E.
Arising to Serve
Quote for Reflection:
The holy Manifestations Who have been the Sources or Founders of the various religious systems were united and agreed in purpose and teaching. Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Jesus, Muḥammad, the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh are one in spirit and reality. Moreover, each Prophet fulfilled the promise of the One Who came before Him and, likewise, Each announced the One Who would follow. Consider how Abraham foretold the coming of Moses, and Moses embodied the Abrahamic statement. Moses prophesied the Messianic cycle, and Christ fulfilled the law of Moses. It is evident, therefore, that the Holy Manifestations Who founded the religious systems are united and agreed; there is no differentiation possible in Their mission and teachings; all are reflectors of reality, and all are promulgators of the religion of God. The divine religion is reality, and reality is not multiple; it is one. Therefore, the foundations of the religious systems are one because all proceed from the indivisible reality; but the followers of these systems have disagreed; discord, strife and warfare have arisen among them, for they have forsaken the foundation and held to that which is but imitation and semblance. Inasmuch as imitations differ, enmity and dissension have resulted. For example, Jesus Christ—may my spirit be a sacrifice unto Him!—laid the foundation of eternal reality, but after His departure many sects and divisions appeared in Christianity. What was the cause of this? There is no doubt that they originated in dogmatic imitations, for the foundations of Christ were reality itself, in which no divergence exists. When imitations appeared, sects and denominations were formed. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá 1
Question for Consideration:
Name some of the Manifestations of God. 2
Google Bard Response:
In the passage by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, several Manifestations of God are mentioned:
Abraham: The first patriarch of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, known for His covenant with God and unwavering faith.
Moses: The Prophet who led the Israelites out of Egypt and received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.
Zoroaster: The Founder of Zoroastrianism, an ancient religion emphasizing monotheism and the struggle between good and evil.
Buddha: The Founder of Buddhism, a religion focused on achieving enlightenment through the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.
Jesus: The central figure of Christianity, known for His teachings on love, forgiveness, and the Kingdom of God.
Muḥammad: The Prophet who founded Islam and received the Quran is considered the final revelation from God.
The Báb: The forerunner of Bahá’u’lláh, who prepared the way for the Bahá’í Faith and announced the coming of the Promised One.
Bahá’u’lláh: The Founder of the Bahá’í Faith, who proclaimed Himself the Promised One and the latest Manifestation of God.
This list is not exhaustive, and other figures like Krishna, Confucius, and Lao Tzu are also sometimes considered Manifestations of God within the Bahá’í understanding.
It’s important to note that the concept of Manifestations of God is unique to the Bahá’í Faith and may differ from how other religions view their prophets and founders. The Bahá’í perspective emphasizes the oneness of God and the underlying unity of all major religions despite the differences in their outward forms and historical contexts.
- ’Abdu’l-Bahá. The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by ʻAbduʼl-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912. Edited by Howard MacNutt. 2nd ed. Wilmette, Ill: Baháʼí Publishing Trust, 1982, 197-198. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/promulgation-universal-peace/14#204929876. ↩
- Ruhi Institute. Arising to Serve. 2.1.1.PE September 2020. Vol. Book 2. 6 vols. Embarking on a Path of Service. Cali, Columbia: Ruhi Foundation, 2020, .40 https://www.ruhi.org/en/walking-a-path-of-service/#AS. ↩
Frameworks for Understanding the World 