Chapter 14: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the
word which the Lord hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the
name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is
the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken
it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.—Duet.
xviii, 21–22.
Creative Power of God’s Word
God, and God alone, has the power to do whatever He
wills, and the greatest proof of a Manifestation of God is the
creative power of His word—its effectiveness to change and
transform all human affairs and to triumph over all human opposition.
Through the word of the Prophets God announces His will, and the
immediate or subsequent fulfillment of that word is the clearest
proof of the Prophet’s claim and of the genuineness of His
inspiration.
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from the
heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh
it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread
to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth:
it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which
I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.—Isa.
lv, 10–11.
When the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus
with the question: “Art thou he that should come, or do we look
for another?” the answer of Jesus was simply to point to the
effects wrought by His words:—
Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and
see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are
cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor
have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall
not be offended in me.—Matt. xi, 4–6.
Let us now see what evidence there is to show whether
the words of Bahá’u’lláh have this creative
power which is distinctive of the word of God.
Bahá’u’lláh commanded the
rulers to establish universal peace, and their prolongation of the
policy of war since 1869–1870 has overthrown many ancient
dynasties, while each successive war has produced less and less
fruits of victory, until the European War of 1914–1918 revealed
the historically startling fact that was has become disastrous to
victor and vanquished alike.40
Bahá’u’lláh bade the rulers
likewise to act as trustees of those under their control, making
political authority a means to true general welfare. The progress
toward social legislation has been unprecedented.
He commanded limitation of the extremes of wealth and
poverty, and ever since, legislation for the establishment of minimum
subsistence levels and for graduated taxation of wealth by income and
inheritance taxes has been a constant concern. He commanded the
abolition of both chattel and economic slavery, and ever since, the
progress toward emancipation has been a ferment in all parts of the
world.
Bahá’u’lláh declared the
equality of men and women, expressed through equal responsibilities
and equal rights and privileges, and since that declaration, the
bonds by which women have been bound for ages have been breaking, and
woman has rapidly been securing her rightful place as the equal and
partner of man.
He declared the fundamental oneness of religions, and
the succeeding interval has witnessed the most determined efforts of
sincere souls in all parts of the world to achieve a new degree of
tolerance, of mutual understanding and of cooperation for universal
ends. The sectarian attitude has everywhere been undermined, and its
historical position has become more and more untenable. The basis of
exclusiveness in religion has been destroyed by the same forces
making nationalism of the self-contained type incapable of survival.
He commanded universal education, and made the
independent investigation of truth a proof of spiritual vitality.
Modern civilization has been stirred to its depths by this new
leaven. Compulsory education for children, and the extension of
educational facilities for adults, have become a primary policy of
government. Nations which deliberately seek to restrict that very
policy have aroused revolution within and suspicion and fear outside
their boundaries.
Bahá’u’lláh commanded the
adoption of a universal auxiliary language, and Dr. Zamenhof and
others obeyed His call by devoting their lives and genius to this
great task and opportunity.
Above all, Bahá’u’lláh imbued
humanity with a new spirit, arousing new longings in minds and hearts
and new ideals for society. Nothing in all history is so dramatic and
impressive as the course of events since the dawn of the Bahá’í
era in 1844. Year by year, the power of a dead past prolonged through
outworn ideas, habits, attitudes and institutions has weakened, until
at present every intelligent man and woman on earth realizes that
humanity is passing through its most terrible crisis. On the one hand
we see the new creation arising as the light of Bahá’u’lláh’s
teaching has revealed the true path of evolution. On the other hand
we see naught but disaster and frustration in all realms where that
light is resisted or ignored.
Yet, to the faithful Bahá’í, these
and countless other evidences, impressive as they are, fail to give
the real measure of the spiritual majesty of Bahá’u’lláh.
His life on earth, and the irresistible force of His inspired words,
stand as the only true criterion of the will of God.
A study of the more detailed prophecies of Bahá’u’lláh
and their fulfillment will give powerful corroborative evidence. Of
these prophecies we shall now proceed to give a few examples, about
the authenticity of which there can be no dispute. They were widely
published and known before their fulfillment came about. The letter
which He sent to the crowned heads of the world, in which many of
these prophecies occur, were compiled in a book which was first
published in Bombay in the late nineteenth century. Several editions
have since been published. We shall also give some examples of
noteworthy prophecies by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
Napoleon III
In the year 1869 Bahá’u’lláh
wrote to Napoleon III, rebuking him for his lust of war and for the
contempt with which he had treated a former letter from Bahá’u’lláh.
The Epistle contains the following stern warning:—
For what thou has done, thy kingdom shall be thrown into
confusion, and thine empire shall pass from thine hands, as a
punishment for that which thou has wrought. Then wilt thou know how
thou has plainly erred. Commotions shall seize all the people in that
land, unless thou arisest to held this Cause, and followest Him Who
is the Spirit of God (Jesus Christ) in this, the Straight Path. Hath
thy pomp made thee proud? By My Life! It shall not endure; nay, it
shall soon pass away, unless thou holdest fast by this firm Cord. We
see abasement hastening after thee, whilst thou art of the heedless.
Needless to say, Napoleon, who was then at the zenith of
his power, paid no heed to this warning. In the following year he
went to war with Prussia, firmly convinced that his troops could
easily gain Berlin; but the tragedy foretold by Bahá’u’lláh
overwhelmed him. He was defeated at Saarbruck, at Weisenburg, at
Metz, and finally in the crushing catastrophe at Sedan. He was then
carried prisoner to Prussia, and came to a miserable end in England
two years later. Germany
Bahá’u’lláh later gave an
equally solemn warning to the conquerors of Napoleon, which also fell
on deaf ears and received a terrible fulfillment. In the Book of
Aqdas, which was begun in Adrianople, and finished in the early years
of Bahá’u’lláh’s imprisonment in
Akká, He addressed the Emperor of Germany as follows:—
O King of Berlin! ... Do thou remember the one whose
power transcended thy power (Napoleon III) and whose station excelled
thy station. Where is he? Whither are gone the things he possessed?
Take warning, and be not of them that are fast asleep. He it was who
cast the Tablet of God behind him, when We made known unto him what
the hosts of tyranny had caused Us to suffer. Wherefore, disgrace
assailed him from all sides, and he went down to dust in great loss.
Think deeply, O King, concerning him, and concerning them who, like
unto thee, have conquered cities and ruled over men. The All-Merciful
brought them down from their palaces to their graves. Be warned, be
of them who reflect....
O banks of the Rhine! We have seen you covered with
gore, inasmuch as the swords of retribution were drawn against you;
and you shall have another turn. And We hear the lamentations of
Berlin, though she be today in conspicuous glory.—Kitáb-i-Aqdas.
During the period of German successes in the Great War
of 1914–1918, and especially during the last great German
offensive in the spring of 1918, this well-known prophecy was
extensively quoted by the opponents of the Bahá’í
Faith in Persia, in order to discredit Bahá’u’lláh;
but when the forward sweep of the victorious Germans was suddenly
transformed into crushing, overwhelming disaster, the efforts of
these enemies of the Bahá’í Cause recoiled on
themselves, and the notoriety which they had given to the prophecy
became a powerful means of enhancing the reputation of Bahá’u’lláh.
Persia
In the Book of Aqdas written when the tyrannical
Náṣiri’d-Dín Sháh was at the
height of his power, Bahá’u’lláh blesses
the city of Ṭihrán, which is the capital of Persia, and
His own birthplace, and says of it:—
Let nothing grieve thee, O Land of Tá
(Ṭihrán), for God hath chosen thee to be the source of
the joy of all mankind. He shall, if it be His will, bless thy throne
with one who will rule with justice, who will gather together the
flock of God which the wolves have scattered. Such a ruler will, with
joy and gladness, turn his face towards, and extend his favors unto,
the people of Bahá. He indeed is accounted in the sight of God
as a jewel among men. Upon him rest forever the glory of God, and the
glory of all that dwell in the kingdom of His Revelation.
Rejoice
with great joy, for God hath made thee “the Day Spring of His
light,” inasmuch as within thee was born the Manifestation of
His Glory. Be thou glad for this name that hath been conferred upon
thee—a name through which the Day Star of Grace hath shed its
splendor, through which both earth and heaven have been
illumined.
Ere long will the state of affairs within thee be
changed, and the reins of power fall into the hands of the people.
Verily, thy Lord is the All-Knowing. His authority embraceth all
things. Rest thou assured in the gracious favor of thy Lord. The eye
of His loving-kindness shall everlastingly be directed towards thee.
The day is approaching when thy agitation will have been transmuted
into peace and quiet calm. Thus hath it been decreed in the wondrous
Book.—Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh,
pp. 110–111.
So far, Persia has only begun to emerge from the period
of confusion foretold by Bahá’u’lláh, but
already constitutional government has been started, and signs are not
lacking that a brighter era is at hand. Turkey
To the Sulṭán of Turkey and his Prime
Minister ‘‘Alí Páshá,
Bahá’u’lláh, then (in 1868) confined in a
Turkish prison, addressed some of His most solemn, grave warnings. To
the Sulṭán He wrote from the Barracks at Akká:—
O thou who considerest thyself the
greatest of all men ... erelong thy name shall be forgotten and thou
shalt find thyself in great loss. According to thy opinion, this
Quickener of the world and its Peacemaker is culpable and seditious.
What crime have the women, children and suffering babes committed to
merit thy wrath, oppression and hate? You have persecuted a number of
souls who have shown no opposition in your country, and who have
instigated no revolution against the government; nay, rather, by day
and by night they have been peacefully engaged in the mentioning of
God. You have pillaged their properties, and through your tyrannical
acts, all that they had was taken from them.... Before God, a
handful of dust is greater than your kingdom, glory, sovereignty and
dominion, and should He desire, He would scatter you as the sand of
the desert. Erelong His wrath shall overtake you, revolutions shall
appear in your midst and your countries will be divided! Then you
will weep and lament and nowhere will you find help and protection.
... Be ye watchful, for the wrath of God is prepared, and erelong you
shall behold that which is written by the Pen of Command.
And to ‘Alí Páshá He
wrote:—
Thou hast, O Chief, committed that
which hath made Muḥammad, the Apostle of God, groan in the Most
Exalted Paradise. The world hath made thee proud, so much so that
thou hast turned away from the Face through Whose brightness the
Concourse on high hath been illumined. Soon thou shalt find thyself
in evident loss. Thou didst unite with the Ruler of Persia for doing
Me harm, although I had come to you from the Dawning-place of the
Almighty, the Great, with a Cause which refreshed the eyes of the
favored ones of God....
Didst thou think that thou could put out the fire which
God hath enkindled in the Universe? No! I declare by His True Soul,
wert thou of those who understand. More than that, by what thou hast
done its blaze and flame have been increased. Soon it will encompass
the world and its inhabitants.... The day is approaching when the
Land of Mystery (Adrianople) and what is beside it shall be changed,
and shall pass out of the hands of the King, and commotions shall
appear, and the voice of lamentation shall be raised, and the
evidences of mischief shall be revealed on all sides, and confusion
shall spread by reason of that which hath befallen these captives
[Bahá’u’lláh and His companions] at the
hands of the hosts of oppression. The course of things shall be
altered, and conditions shall wax so grievous, that the very sand on
the desolate hills will moan, and the trees on the mountain will
weep, and blood will flow out of all things. Then wilt thou behold
the people in sore distress....
Thus hath the matter been
decreed on the part of the Designer, the Wise, Whose command the
hosts of heaven and earth could not withstand, nor could all the
kings and rulers withhold Him from that which He willeth. Calamities
are the oil for this Lamp, and through them its Light increaseth,
were ye of those who know! All oppositions displayed by the
oppressors are indeed as heralds to this Faith, and by them the
appearance of God and His Cause have become widely spread among the
people of the world.
Again in the Book of Aqdas He wrote:—
O Spot [Constantinople] that art situate on the shores
of the two seas! The throne of tyranny hath, verily, been established
upon thee, and the flame of hatred hath been kindled within thy
bosom, in such wise that the Concourse on high and they who circle
around the Exalted Throne have wailed and lamented. We behold in thee
the foolish ruling over the wise, and darkness vaunting itself
against the light. Thou art indeed filled with manifest pride. Hath
thine outward splendor made thee vainglorious? By Him Who is the Lord
of mankind! It shall soon perish, and thy daughters and thy widows
and all the kindreds that dwell within thee shall lament. Thus
informeth thee the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
The successive calamities which have befallen this once
great empire since the publication of these warnings have furnished
an eloquent commentary on their prophetic significance.
America
In the Book of Aqdas, revealed in Akká in 1873,
Bahá’u’lláh appealed to America as
follows:—
O Rulers of America and the Presidents of the Republics
therein ... Give ear unto that which hath been raised from the
Dayspring of Grandeur: Verily, there is none other God but Me, the
Lord of Utterance, the All-Knowing. Bind ye the broken with the hands
of justice, and crush the oppressor who flourisheth with the rod of
the commandments of your Lord, the Ordainer, the
All-Wise.—Kitáb-i-Aqdas.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá in His addresses in
America and elsewhere frequently expressed the hope, the prayer and
the assurance that the banner of international peace would be first
raised in America. At Cincinnati, Ohio, on November 5, 1912, He
said:—
America is a noble nation, a standard-bearer of peace
throughout the world, shedding her light to all regions. Other
nations are not untrammeled and free of intrigues like the United
States, and are unable to bring about Universal Peace. But America,
thank God, is at peace with all the world, and is worthy of raising
the flag of brotherhood and International Peace. When the summons to
International Peace is raised by America, all the rest of the world
will cry: “Yes, we accept.” The nations of every clime
will join in adopting the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh,
revealed over fifty years ago. In His Epistles He asked the
parliaments of the world to send their best and wisest men to an
international world parliament that should decide all questions
between the peoples and establish peace ... then we shall have the
Parliament of Man of which the prophets have dreamed.
The appeals of Bahá’u’lláh and
‘Abdu’l-Bahá have already been responded to, in a
large measure, by the United States of America, and in no country of
the world have the Bahá’í teachings met with
readier acceptance. The role assigned to America, of summoning the
nations to international peace, has as yet, however, been only
partially played, and Bahá’ís are awaiting with
interest the developments which the future has in store.41
The Great War
Both Bahá’u’lláh and
‘Abdu’l-Bahá on many occasions foretold with
surprising accuracy the coming of the Great War of 1914–1918.
At Sacramento, California, on October 26, 1912, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
said:—“Today the European continent is like an arsenal.
It is a storehouse of explosives, ready for just a spark, and one
spark could set aflame the whole of Europe, particularly at this
time, when the Balkan question is before the world.”
In many of His addresses in America and Europe He gave
similar warning. In another address in California in October 1912 He
said:—
We are on the eve of the Battle of Armageddon referred
to in the sixteenth chapter of Revelation. The time is two years
hence, when only a spark will set aflame the whole of Europe.
The social unrest in all countries, the growing
religious scepticism antecedent to the millennium, and already here,
will set aflame the whole of Europe as is prophesied in the Book of
Daniel and in the Book (Revelation) of John.
By 1917 kingdoms will fall and cataclysms will rock the
earth. (Reported by Mrs. Corinne True in The North Shore Review,
September 26, 1914, Chicago, U.S.A.)
On the eve of the great conflict He said:—
A great melee of the civilized nations is in sight. A
tremendous conflict is at hand. The world is at the threshold of a
most tragic struggle.... Vast armies—millions of men—are
being mobilized and stationed at their frontiers. They are being
prepared for the fearful contest. The slightest friction will bring
them into a terrific crash, and there will be a conflagration, the
like of which is not recorded in the past history of mankind. (At
Haifa, August 3, 1914).
Social Troubles After the War
Both Bahá’u’lláh and
‘Abdu’l-Bahá also foretold a period of great
social upheaval, conflict and calamity as an inevitable result of the
irreligion and prejudices, the ignorance and superstition, prevalent
throughout the world. The great international military conflict was
but one phase of this upheaval. In a Tablet dated January, 1920, He
wrote:—
O ye lovers of truth! O ye servants of mankind! As the
sweet fragrance of your thoughts and high intentions has breathed
upon me, I feel that my soul is irresistibly prompted to communicate
with you.
Ponder in your hearts how grievous is the turmoil in
which the world is plunged; how the nations of the earth are
besmeared with human blood, nay their very soil is turned into
clotted gore. The flame of war has caused so wild a conflagration
that the world in its early days, in its middle ages, or in modern
times has never witnessed its like. The millstones of war have ground
and crushed many a human head, nay, even more severe has been the lot
of these victims. Flourishing countries have been made desolate,
cities have been laid level with the ground, and smiling villages
have been turned into ruin. Fathers have lost their sons, and sons
turned fatherless. Mothers have shed tears of blood in mourning for
their youths, little children have been made orphans, and women left
wanderers and homeless. In a word, humanity, in all its phases, has
been debased. Loud is the cry and wailing of orphans, and bitter the
lamentations of mothers which are echoed by the skies.
The prime cause for all these happenings is racial,
national, religious, and political prejudice, and the root of all
this prejudice lies in outworn and deepseated traditions, be they
religious, racial, national, or political. So long as these
traditions remain, the foundation of human edifice is insecure, and
mankind itself is exposed to continuous peril.
Now in this radiant age, when the
essence of all beings has been made manifest, and the hidden secret
of all created thing has been revealed, when the morning light of
truth has broken and turned the darkness of the world into light, is
it meet and seemly that such a frightful carnage which brings
irretrievable ruin upon the world should be made possible? By God!
that cannot be.
Christ summoned all the people of the world to
reconciliation and peace. He commanded Peter to return his sword unto
its scabbard. Such was His wish and counsel, and yet they that bear
His name have unsheathed the sword! How great the difference between
their deeds and the explicit text of the Gospel!
Sixty years
ago Bahá’u’lláh, even as the shining sun,
shone in the firmament of Persia, and proclaimed that the world is
wrapt in darkness and this darkness is fraught with disastrous
results, and will lead to fearful strife. In His prison city of Akká,
He apostrophized in unmistakable terms the Emperor of Germany,
declaring that a terrible war shall take place, and Berlin will break
forth in lamentation and wailing. In like manner, whilst the wronged
prisoner of the Sulṭán of Turkey in the citadel of Akká,
He clearly and emphatically wrote him that Constantinople will fall a
prey to grave disorder, in such wise that the women and children will
raise their moaning cry. In brief, He addressed epistles to all the
chief rulers and sovereigns of the world, and all that He foretold
has been fulfilled. From His pen of glory flowed teachings for the
prevention of war, and these have been scattered far and wide.
His first teaching is the search after truth. Blind
imitation, He declared, killeth the spirit of man, whereas the
investigation of truth frees the world from the darkness of
prejudice.
His second teaching is the oneness of mankind. All
men are but one fold, and God the loving Shepherd. He bestoweth upon
them His most great mercy, and considers them all as one. “Thou
shalt find no difference amongst the creatures of God.” They
are all His servants, and all seek His bounty.
His third
teaching is that religion is the most mighty stronghold. It should be
conducive to unity, rather than be the cause of enmity and hate.
Should it lead to enmity and hate better not have it at all. For
religion is even as medicine, which if it should aggravate the
disease, its abandonment would be preferred.
Likewise,
religious, racial, national, and political prejudice, all are
subversive of the foundation of human society, all lead to bloodshed,
all heap ruin upon mankind. So long as these remain, the dread of war
will continue. The sole remedy is universal peace. And this is
achieved only by the establishment of a supreme Tribunal,
representative of all governments and peoples. All national and
international problems should be referred to this tribunal, and
whatsoever be its decision that should be enforced. Were a government
or people to dissent, the world as a whole should rise against it.
And among His teachings is the equality in right of men
and women, and so on with many other similar teachings that have been
revealed by His pen.
At present it has been made evident and
manifest that these principles are the very life of the world, and
the embodiment of its true spirit. And now, ye, who are the servants
of mankind, should exert yourselves, heart and soul, to free the
world from the darkness of materialism and human prejudice, that it
may be illumined with the light of the City of God.
Praise be
to Him, ye are acquainted with the various schools, institutions and
principles of the world; today nothing short of these divine
teachings can assure peace and tranquillity to mankind. But for these
teachings, this darkness shall never vanish, these chronic diseases
shall never be healed; nay, they shall grow fiercer from day to day.
The Balkans will remain restless, and it condition will aggravate.
The vanquished will not keep still, but will seize every means to
kindle anew the flame of war. Modern universal movements will do
their utmost to carry out their purpose and intentions. The Movement
of the Left will acquire great importance, and its influence will
spread.
Wherefore, endeavor that with an illumined heart, a
heavenly spirit, and a divine strength, and aided by His grace, ye
may bestow God’s bountiful gift upon the world ... the gift of
comfort and tranquillity for all mankind.
In a talk given in November 1919, He said:—
Bahá’u’lláh frequently
predicted that there would be a period when irreligion and consequent
anarchy would prevail. The chaos will be due to too great liberty
among people who are not ready for it, and in consequence there will
have to be a temporary reversion to coercive government, in the
interests of the people themselves and in order to prevent disorder
and chaos. It is clear that each nation now wishes complete
self-determination and freedom of action, but some of them are not
ready for it. The prevailing state of the world is one of irreligion,
which is bound to result in anarchy and confusion. I have always said
that the peace proposals following the great war were only a glimmer
of the dawn, and not the sunrise.
Coming of the Kingdom of God
Amid these troublous times, however, the Cause of God
will prosper. The calamities caused by selfish struggle for
individual existence, or for party or sectarian or national gain,
will induce the people to turn in despair to the remedy offered by
the Word of God. The more calamities abound, the more will the people
turn to the only true remedy. Bahá’u’lláh
says in his Epistle to the Sháh:—
God hath made afflictions as a morning shower to this
green pasture, and as a wick for His Lamp, whereby earth and heaven
are illumined.... Through affliction hath His Light shone and His
Praise been bright unceasingly; this hath been His method through
past ages and bygone times.
Both Bahá’u’lláh and
‘Abdu’l-Bahá predict in the most confident terms
the speedy triumph of spirituality over materiality and the
consequent establishment of the Most Great Peace. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
wrote in 1904:—
Know this, that hardships and misfortunes shall increase
day by day, and the people shall be distressed. The doors of joy and
happiness shall be closed on all sides. Terrible wars shall happen.
Disappointment and the frustration of hopes shall surround the people
from every direction until they are obliged to turn to God. Then the
lights of great happiness shall enlighten the horizons, so that the
cry of “Yá Bahá’u’l-Abhá!”
may arise on all sides.—Tablet to L.D.B. quoted in Compilation
on War and Peace, p. 187.
When asked, in February 1914, whether any of the Great
Powers would become believers, He replied:—
All the people of the world will become believers.
Should you compare the beginning of the Cause with its position
today, you would see what a quick influence the Word of God has, and
now the Cause of God has encompassed the world.... Unquestionably,
all will come under the shadow of the Cause of God.
He declared that the establishment of world unity will
come about during the present century. In one of His Tablets He
wrote:—
... All the members of the human family, whether peoples
or governments, cities or villages, have become increasingly
interdependent. For none is self-sufficiency any longer possible,
inasmuch as political ties unite all peoples and nations, and the
bonds of trade and industry, of agriculture and education, are being
strengthened every day. Hence the unity of all mankind can in this
day be achieved. Verily this is none other but one of the wonders of
this wondrous age, this glorious century—the century of
light—has been endowed with the unique and unprecedented glory,
power and illumination. Hence the miraculous unfolding of a fresh
marvel every day. Eventually it will be seen how bright its candles
will burn in the assemblage of man.
In the last two verses of the Book of Daniel occur the
cryptic words:—“Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to
the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. But go thy way
till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end
of the days.”
Many have been the attempts of learned students to solve
the problem of the significance of these words. In a tabletalk at
which the writer was present, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
reckoned the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy from the date of
the beginning of the Muḥammadan era.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Tablets make it
clear that this prophecy refers to the one hundredth anniversary of
the Declaration of Bahá’u’lláh in Baghdád,
or the year 1963:—
Now concerning the verse in Daniel,
the interpretation whereof thou didst ask, namely, “Blessed is
he who cometh unto the thousand, three hundred and thirty-five days.”
These days must be reckoned as solar and not lunar years. For
according to this calculation a century will have elapsed from the
dawn of the Sun of Truth, then will the teachings of God be firmly
established upon the earth, and the Divine Light shall flood the
world from the East even unto the West. Then, on this day, will the
faithful rejoice!
Akká and Haifa
Mírzá Aḥmad Sohrab recorded in his
diary the following prophecy about Akká and Haifa uttered by
‘Abdu’l-Bahá while seated by the window of one of
the Bahá’í Pilgrim Homes at Haifa on February 14,
1914:—
The view from the Pilgrim Home is
very attractive, especially as it faces the Blessed Tom of
Bahá’u’lláh. In the future the distance
between Akká and Haifa will be built up, and the two cities
will join and clasp hands, becoming the two terminal section of one
mighty metropolis. As I look now over this scene, I see so clearly
that it will become one of the first emporiums of the world. This
great semicircular bay will be transformed into the finest harbor,
wherein the ships of all nations will seek shelter and refuge. The
great vessels of all peoples will come to this port, bringing on
their decks thousands and thousands of men and women from every part
of the globe. The mountain and the plain will be dotted with the most
modern buildings and palaces. Industries will be established and
various institutions of philanthropic nature will be founded. The
flowers of civilization and culture from all nations will be brought
here to blend their fragrances together and blaze the way for the
brotherhood of man. Wonderful gardens, orchards, groves and parks
will be laid out on all sides. At night the great city will be
lighted by electricity. The entire harbor from Akká to Haifa
will be one path of illumination. Powerful searchlights will be
placed on both sides of Mount Carmel to guide the steamers. Mount
Carmel itself, from top to bottom, will be submerged in a sea of
lights. A person standing on the summit of Mount Carmel, and the
passengers of the steamers coming to it, will look upon the most
sublime and majestic spectacle of the whole world.
From every part of the mountain the
symphony of “Yá Bahá’u’l-Abhá!”
will be raised, and before the daybreak soul-entrancing music
accompanied by melodious voices will be uplifted towards the throne
of the Almighty.
Indeed, God’s ways are mysterious and
unsearchable. What outward relation exists between Shíráz
and Ṭihrán, Baghdád and Constantinople,
Adrianople and Akká and Haifa? God worked patiently, step by
step, through these various cities, according to His own definite and
eternal plan, so that the prophecies and predictions as foretold by
the Prophets might be fulfilled. This golden thread of promise
concerning the Messianic Millennium runs through the Bible, and it
was so destined that God in His own good time would cause its
appearance. Not even a single word will be left meaningless and
unfulfilled.
