Fatwas for the Baha’i Faith - A Question on IslamQuest.com

IMRAN SHAYKH

Question: Kindly elaborate the Faith of the Baha’is and the causes of the deviations of their belief? What is the condition for the one who accepts their Faith unknowingly?

The beliefs of the founder of the Baha’i cult, Mirza Husain Ali \"Baha\", as per their books and that of Ali Mohammed \"Bab\" is based on their belief that after their advent, Islam has been abrogated and the era of the messengership of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) has ended. This belief is founded on the occultation of the Bab and on accepting that Bahaullah is the same person regarding whom the Bab had prophesized that Allah would make manifest (Man Yuzherahullaho). It is their belief that Allah (swt) has manifested Himself several times on this earth and in the words of Bab himself; Allah has incarnated Himself in the persona of the Bab. As per their new Shariat, it is permissible to marry one’s daughter, sister and near relatives. He also announced that dogs, pigs, urine and stool are pure (paak).

None of their beliefs are correct according to the following reasons:

1. The special characteristics of Imame’ Zaman (atfs) are narrated in traditions in such a manner that it closes the door (for any person) to make wrongful use of these traditions (to fool others). These special characteristics are not found in Bab and Bahaullah.

2. The issue of the finality of the Holy Prophet of Islam (sawa) is a fact which is established through both, logic as well as through traditions. Holy Quran refers to the Holy Prophet (sawa) as \"Khatemun Nabiyyeen\" which means the end of the prophethood and messengership of all the previous prophets. Firstly, Islam is such a perfect religion that neither the Holy Prophet of Islam (sawa) fell short in explaining it completely nor is there any person who cannot appreciate its merits and reality. Secondly, Islam is protected from all types of changes and distortions. Hence there is no need for any other religion or thought which claims to either complete Islam or correct it in any manner. Therefore, from this aspect we say that \"Islam is such a religion, through whose light, mankind can receive guidance in every era.\"

3. The concept that Allah has a body and that He has incarnated Himself in the body of a person, in the person of Bahaullah, is wrong and this is as clear as the sun. This belief is the cause of considering the Baha’is out of the fold of Islam and is the cause of considering them as impure (Najis). If a person who had accepted the Baha’i Faith earlier, repents and seeks the forgiveness of Allah, then Allah (swt) will forgive him. It is not necessary to acknowledge this reversion in front of people. It is also not permissible for anyone to disclose such a reversion in front of the people.

4. A Detailed Reply to the Question
The Baha’i give importance to two books of Mirza Husain Ali \"Bahaullah\" (founder of the Baha’i Faith) and consider these books to be the \"books of laws and revelation\" These books are: 
1. Iqan : Baha’is believe that this book was revealed upon Bahaullah in Baghdad. 
2. Aqdas : They say that this book was revealed upon Bahaullah in Akka.

5. In addition to the above, there are some other books like Kalamate Maknunah, Haft Wadi , and Kitab Mubin which are attributed to him.

Following points are the extract of these books
The beliefs of Baha are based on the principle that after the advent of Bahaullah and Bab, Islamic laws have been abrogated and the messengership of the Holy Prophet (sawa) has been terminated. As per the belief of Baha’is, this era is now the era of the religion and the messengership of Bahaullah. His book is the protector of all divine books and the one which has abrogated all previous dispensations and previous laws.

Ref: Makatib Abdul Baha Vol 1 Pg 343.

Allah has manifested himself in the body of Mirza Husain Ali (Bahaullah) and will continue to manifest Himself on this earth in future as well. However after Mohammed (sawa), Bab and Bahaullah, Allah will not manifest Himself on this earth for another 1,000 years. 
Ref: Khatemiyyat Payamber Islam Pg 72, 75

Bahaullah refers to himself as the \"God of Gods\" in the book Kitabe’ Mubin 
Ref: Khatemiyyat Payamber Islam Pg 229, Kitabe’ Mubin Pg 323

Bahaullah says in the book Aqdas that \"The first thing which Allah has made incumbent upon his creatures is the source of His revelation and the recognition of His light which is nothing other than me who was his successor in managing the affairs of the universe.\" 
Ref : Khatemiyyat Payamber Islam Pg 1.

In the book \"Ayyame\' Tis’aa\" he congratulated himself on his birthday in the following words, \"Congratulation to this morning when \"Lam Yalid Walam Yulad\" was born. 
Ref: Khatemiyyat Payamber Islam Pg 50

Bahaullah writes in Iqan, \"If Mullah Husain Bushrui would not have been there, Allah would not have been on Arsh.\" 
Ref: Danishmaname Jahane’ Islam Vol 4 Pg 733.

Note: Mullah Husain Bushrui was the person under the influence of whose teaching Bahaullah became the lover and believer of Bab.

In the book of Raheeqe’ Makhtoom by Ishraq Khavari, it is written, \"With the advent of Mohammed (sawa), his prophethood came to an end and therefore the reappearance of Bahaullah was the same as the reappearance of Allah.\" 
Ref: Danishmaname Jahane’ Islam Vol Pg 78

Some Religious Laws of Baha’u’llah
It is mentioned in Aqdas that \"It is forbidden to marry the wife of one’s father but it is permissible to marry the daughter, sister and other relatives.\" 
Ref: Danishmaname Jahane’ Islam Vol 4. Pg 253

All things are pure including dog, pig, urine and stool. 
Ref: Danishmaname Jahane’ Islam Vol 4 Pg 142.

Hajj is obligatory only for men and instead of it one should go to Baite’ Aazam in Baghdad and Baite’ Nuqtah (house of the Bab) in Shiraz. 
Ref: Danishmaname Jahane’ Islam Vol 4 Pg 68

Their Kiblah is in the direction of Akka which houses the grave of Mirza Husain Ali (Baha’u’llah). 
Ref: Khatemiyyat Payamber Islam Pg 82

In Aqdas it is written that Baha’is don’t have the right to protest against any country and that instead of protesting against the country they should pay attention to their own selves. 
Ref: Khatemiyyat Payamber Islam Pg 225

The following points are noteworthy regarding the belief of the Baha’is
The beliefs of Baha’is change color according to situations, opportunities and places. For example, in India their belief is similar to that of Hindus i.e., they believe that God has a body and He can incarnate himself in anybody. In America and Europe their belief is that there should be freedom of equal rights for man and woman. In Japan they believe in the number of Gods which is as per the Japanese belief. In any Islamic country they talk about Tauheed (unity of God) and in Christianity they talk about God descending on the earth which is as per the beliefs of Christians.

Ref: Khatemiyyat Payamber Islam Pg 72-85, Farq Wa Mazahibe Kalami pg 343-350

Proof that the Belief of Baha’is is totally Wrong
It is apparent that Mirza Husain Ali (Bahaullah) believed in the occultation of the Bab where as in Islamic books, the characteristics of Imam Mahdi (atfs) have been described in a manner so as to close the door for anybody to make illegal use of it (cannot adopt it to fool others) . Ref: Lutfullah Safi Gulpaigani, Imamat Wa Mahdaviyat Vol 3 Pg 63-70 . Note: In this book, 40 characteristics of Imam Mahdi (atfs) have been mentioned, none of which are possessed by Bab.

Following characteristics are mentioned about Imam Mahdi (atfs) in different books

· The name of his father is Hasan (147 traditions).

· His mother is the chief of the maid slaves and is the best of them. (9 traditions).

· He is the 12th Imam and the last of them.(136 traditions).

· He is the son of Ameerul Momineen (214 traditions).

· He is the son of Fatematuz Zahra (sa) (192 traditions).

· He is the son of Hasan and Husain (as) (107 traditions)

· He is the son of Husain (as) (185 traditions)

· He is the seventh son of Imam Mohammed Baqir (as) (103 traditions)

· He is the sixth son of Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) (99 traditions)

· He is the fifth son of Imam Musa ibne Jafar (as) (98 traditions)

· He is the fourth son of imam Ali Reza (as) (95 traditions)

· He is the third son of Imam Mohammed Taqi (as) (60 traditions)

· He is the successor of the successor of Imam Ali Naqi (as) and the son of Imam Hasan Askari (146 traditions )

· He will have two occultations (10 traditions ).

Note :- None of the above mentioned characteristics was possessed by Bab or by Bahaullah and due to this reason scholars and jurists opposed Ali Mohammed Shirazi (Bab).

Mirza Husain Ali (Baha’u’llah) accepted the occultation of Ali Mohammed (Bab) and also accepted that he had brought a new religion and also claimed \"Man Yuz Herahullaho\" (One whom Allah will manifest) for himself and asserted that Bab brought a new religion for mankind; whereas all the Muslims accept the finality of prophethood of Hazrat Mohammed (sawa) from both rational and narrative aspects.

Narrative Proofs for the finality of Prophet Mohammed (sawa)
In the Holy Quran, the Prophet of Islam (sawa) is referred to as the \"Seal of the Prophets\" (Surah Ahzab, verse 40). The word Khatam means to reach the end of anything. That is the reason why the seal which would be inscribed at the place where one would ordinarily sign was called Khatam. This was also the reason why rings in earlier times would carry some inscriptions and hence be used as a seal would be referred to as Khatam. An ordinary ring (without any inscription) used to be called as Fatkhah. 
Ref: Aarab Quran Wa Bayyanah V 3 Pg 44, Aqrabul Mawarid Vol 1 Pg 257, Vol 3 Pg 319.

Ibne Kaseer, with reference to the above verse narrates a tradition in his Tafseer (exegesis of the Quran) that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) considered the termination of the prophethood as a sign of his superiority over the previous prophets.

Even in Nahjul Balagha, the Holy Prophet of Islam (sawa) is remembered as the last messenger (Khatamur Rasool) at many places (Sermon 71, 172, 133). In the Holy Quran as well, there are several verses which can be presented as a conclusive proof for the finality of the prophethood of the Holy Prophet (sawa) and the finality of the religion of Islam. Some of these verses are as follows: 
1. Verses in which it is mentioned that Islam is for all mankind. 
Ref: Surah Furqan, verse 1, Surah 28:34.

2. Verses which assert that Islam is the only true religion. 
Ref: Surah 3:85, 61 : 9

3. Verses which state that after the Islam, all religions became null and void without any exception. These verses refute the claim of the Baha’is that Khatemun Anbiya means beauty of Prophets and that Khatam means ring. Their claim is not supported by the books of Lughat (Arabic dictionary) and it also does not conform according to the viewpoint of the Mufassareen (interpreters) of the Holy Quran and the companions of the Holy Prophet (sawa). 
Ref: Al Mizan Vol 16 Pg 345

In addition to this, there are traditions narrated by the Holy Prophet (sawa) in which he has said that there will be no prophet after him. In these traditions, the word Khatam has not been used so that Baha’is can make ill use of it by misinterpreting it. For example, the Holy Prophet (sawa) narrated to Hazrat Ali (as) that \"you are to me as Haroon was to Musa, except that there is no prophet after me.\"

Note : Such types of traditions are so numerous that Janab Mir Hamid Husain has collected all such types of traditions in a separate volume of his book Abqatul Anwar .

Rational Proofs for the finality of Prophet Mohammed (sawa)
Man by his innate nature is always in search of Allah (Ref: Baawarha wa Pursish’ha by Mahdi Hadawi Tahrani Pg 17-21). However, it may not happen that whatever religion man selects or whatever beliefs he adopts, they are in line with his innate nature (instinct). Our instinct is a beacon which guides us to the right path. In order to assist it, Allah granted us a \"hidden proof\" or intellect (aql) and \"visible proofs\" in the form of prophets and messengers who would narrate for us those things which our intellect would not have been able to comprehend. (Ref: Baawarha wa Pursish’ha Pg 46-58) . The prophets were sent to show us the right and apparent path (Ref: Baawarha wa Pursish’ha Pg 21-24).

All the previous prophets had two limitations in propagation. One was the limited understanding of their people. Prophets could not explain the reality beyond the limited understanding of the people. (Ref : Baawarha wa Pursish’ha Pg 24) and the other was the threat that their book would be changed after them. In the previous nations, when any prophet used to leave this world, his community changed the meaning of the book which was brought by the prophet according to their own interest. (Ref : Baawarha wa Pursish’ha Pg 25.)

Therefore each new religion used to be more perfected as compare to the previous one or in other words, the new religion used to perfect the previous one. The appearance of Prophet Mohammad (sawa) became the cause of the termination of the prophethood of all the previous prophets. Prophets were the Imams of their nation and prophet Mohammad (sawa) is the Imam of all the prophets. Besides this, at the time of Holy Prophet (sawa), people were now intellectually more perfect as compare to the previous nations so as to comprehend recognition in a better way.

Mirza Husain Ali \"Bahaullah\" not only claimed for a new religion or law for himself, but he also claimed that Allah has incarnated himself in him (this claim is similar to the words of Sufis) and asserted that Allah has body. The deviation and corruption of this belief is so much apparent that we don’t find it necessary to reply .

Nevertheless, due to these beliefs of Baha’is, Muslims are forced to acknowledge that the Baha’is deny the fundamentals of Islam. (Ref: Majme Fiqh Islami Pg 84-85). It is clear that the one who denies the fundamental belief of Islam is an unbeliever and unbelievers are impure (najis). (Ref: Tahreerul Wasila by Imam Khomeini Vol 1 Pg 118-119.) One can read in the book of the jurists regarding the impurity of an unbeliever. (Ref: Maleqate Ala Urwatil Wusqa by Mohammed Ali Girami Vol 1 Pg 86-90.)

However it is not necessary for the one who was Baha’i earlier that he reveal it to others. Rather it is not permissible and it is against the will of Allah (swt). It is better that such person should seek forgiveness from Allah (swt) and should compensate for his previous actions so that he become worthy of grace, mercy and forgiveness of Almighty Allah (swt).

www.bahaiawareness.com