TOP 10 Evidences that the Bahai faith is truth?

[SpiritualSeeker]

Hello all,

I was hoping perhaps some knowledgable bahai's can compile a list of 10 Evidences or Proofs that the Bahai faith is the True Religion that God has given us. I understand bahais believe that all religions have elements of truth in their and were revealed by God (like Krishna to hindus, buddha to buddhist, Moses to jews, Jesus for christians etc) and I know that in bahai faith it is believed that Baha'ullah is the messenger of this age. So I just wanted to perhaps have some clear evidences on a top ten list that could evoke my thinking mind to contemplate the great Bahai faith.

Many Thanks

[SpiritualSeeker]

Also perhaps we could compile some prophecies that clearly point to bahaullah's coming?

[BritishBahai]

10?! LOL

But it all boils down to this: Each religion of the past has talked about the coming of a person and they all talk about peace eventually being established on earth. For example, in the Lord's Prayer (for Christians) it states

Your Kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven

1844 is the most-mentioned date in religious history. (Cant remember where i read that). Anywhoo, Buddhists are waiting for Maitreya, Christians for the return of Christ, Muslims for the 12th Imam / Imam Husayn... etc etc... the list goes on

Rather than compiling a list that would take you months (even years?), I suggest you read. If you were to compile then you are essentially re-writing a book. Read books (primary bahai literature as well as books talking about prophecy). You said you're looking into Shia Islam. Try reading Moojan Momen's "Islam and the Bahai Faith". The Book of Certitude (primary Bahai literature -- i.e. written by Bahaullah Himself)
Having said that, though, making a list is a good thing because its for your own use and you get to understand it and get to grips with it. Problem is, when you make a list, you then start reading around the subject, and since there are loads of bullet points and items in the list, it honestly takes you a long time. I done a similar thing years ago: i filld a massive A4 lever arch folder and ended up losing it lol. I learnt a lot from it though

Sorry for rambling...im a bit tired... hopefully you get the just of what im saying

[SpiritualSeeker]

Im currently reading a fairly long article on the meaning of Seal of Prophets which is also going into the prophecies of the advent of baha'ullah from islamic perspective. I was just hoping there were some other sources that could help me. I am on an eager quest here no time to lose

Thanks for your response

[BritishBahai]

Moojan Momen's book is the one to go with. He's an amazing author. He's a scholar.

From my understanding after reading a small section from one chapter (i havent even finished the chapter yet and ive learnt so much!) people have been repeating a phrase incorrectly.
Theyve been saying "Khatim an-nabiyyin" instead of "khatam an-nabiyyin".
Khatam and Khatim have different meanings.
Muslim scholars themselves have issued statements bringing this to peoples' attention but still people blindly repeat things without knowing what it means.

So one reason why people think that Mohammed is the last prophet is via textual reasons. There are many more reasons why.

[BritishBahai]

And in response to your original question ("TOP 10 Evidences that the Bahai faith is truth?")
its very difficult to make a list of just 10 items.

Personally, my #1 item would be the fulfilment of date prophecies.

Noone can plan when they are born, where they are born, how long they are alive for... bla bla bla....
And by the way, what you are doing is good, youre supposed to question everything. Thats actually a fundamental Bahai principle ("independent investigation"). So hats off to you for doing it. Again, sorry to sidetrack

[SpiritualSeeker]

Thanks a lot for the response.

Could you perhaps link me to something that explains the date prophecies that were fulfilled. I heard about them in lectures from Emerald Bahais (on a podcast) though I cant follow it as well, I wish to actually read with my eyes so I can better understand.

I will look for that book you recommended. Thank you please pray for my guidance and my wife's guidance we are eagerly searching for truth. Please pray that we are sincere in our quest and not wishing to fulfill our desires and go with the "flow".

[BritishBahai]

Thanks a lot for the response.

Could you perhaps link me to something that explains the date prophecies that were fulfilled. I heard about them in lectures from Emerald Bahais (on a podcast) though I cant follow it as well, I wish to actually read with my eyes so I can better understand.

I will look for that book you recommended. Thank you please pray for my guidance and my wife's guidance we are eagerly searching for truth. Please pray that we are sincere in our quest and not wishing to fulfill our desires and go with the "flow".

If youre just after date prophecies then youll probably only need to refer to specific chapters in books. Due to copyright, though, I cant link to anything because theyre not available online.
There might be other sites but due to the nature of the internet you should always be wary of what you read. Anyone can publish anything online - its simply. Just because something is online doesnt prove its accuracy. Keyvan (another member on this forum) might be able to point you in the right direction about some useful sites regarding date prophecies.

Moojan Momen's book is amazing. I know I keep going on about it, but its the truth. Theres also a chapter in Thief in the Night by William Sears. Youre lucky, becauseThief in the Night is available on Ocean. http://www.bahai-education.org/ocean/ Once you download it I can start a new thread and describe how you can browse through different books. Ocean is basically a programme which has scriptures from all religions and it enables you to do searches for specific words. Its really useful. Dont really want to do it here because then it'll be side-tracking and would clutter the thread.
Im like that myself. id rather read from a physical book than listen to someone on a podcast or read something off a screen. i have to make annotations because i can refer back to them later on.

[BruceDLimber]

Hi again!

Could you perhaps link me to something that explains the date prophecies that were fulfilled

Here you are:

www.bci.org/prophecy-fulfilled

Regards,

Bruce

[brettz9]

Really quick... While the site was, as I recall, quite good, there should be a big disclaimer about "Mormon prophecies" fulfilled... While we believe Joseph Smith may have been influenced by the spiritual currents released by Baha'u'llah, our Writings specifically indicate he was not a prophet, Major or lesser...

(Sorry work and health have limited my replies to other queries...)

best wishes,
Brett

[Keyvan]

I really reject that "prophecy fulfilled" site

The guy who made it (I'm guessing) Is a former Mormon, who has this personal belief that there is a bit of truth to Mormonism and in association, Native American beliefs, and elevates their status to that of other Independent World Religions, and by that token moves on to say their "prophecies have been fulfilled."

The fact is Baha'i's do NOT believe in Mormonism. That is not in any of the writings of the Baha'i Faith. It's just a personal belief of the creator of that site, and his interpretation of a pilgrim's note.

This confuses people exploring that site, and makes many, if not most, think that the Baha'i Faith honors Mormonism as true. This turns them off from the Baha'i Faith, when they shouldn't have been....because we DON'T believe that!!

I and many others have emailed that site creator, who seems to be very standoffish and doesn't respect other opinions on the matter than his own.

I hope one day there will be another, better compilation of such proofs, that does not have such a wayward agenda that we can circulate in the Baha'i Community




ugh...you know what? im just going to write the NSA about this once and for all.

[mystic]

The advent of the Bahai sages came at a time when the followers of great prophets and god like beings lof Jesus and Mohammed dominated the scene. The religions of Jesus and Mohammed were an attempt to get people together with common ideals and some form of identity to have big organisations that gave familiarity to different people of a common feeling.

The Bahai sages came out also with such a big change in thinking that in some ways contravened the teachings Of Jesus, the apostles, the extended family of Jesus and its descendents the scholars and the saints and similarly Mohammed the companions, the extended family of Mohammed and its descendents the scholars and the saints.

To suggest that the Bahai faith is untrue is also to suggest that the bodies of Christianity Mohammedism and Judaism are untrue. If one cannot accept the stories of the Bahai dispensation then also one cannot accept the stories of the Mohammedan, Christian and Mosaic dispensations.

Babullah was talking about there being someone who was to make a revelation of matters concerning religion. Himself a scholar and prolific writer he explained that he had a feeling that something was about to happen.

Bahaullah revealed many writings and gave a framework of religion that included books, tablets, laws, meditations and prayers.

Bahaullah legalised all the other relligions, spiritual teachings, mystical teachings, and divinations as valid ways of the individual to proceed to different levels and stages of religious experience, study and practice to enhance the spiritual worth of that person.

An almost dynastic line of sages and scholars has carried on through from the imte of Babullah onwards leaving much literature and comtemplation.

Bahaullah is on occasion seeming to be communcation with something or someone or a presence during the writings.

Abdul Baha travelled to many places to give further explanation and guidance and was the next in line to have the authority to give ordinances and rules like the companions of Mohammed and the apostles of Jesus.

The cross and crescent moon and star represent miracles and symbolism of the different prophets. On the cross Jesus famously lost faith in god and it was a miracle that somebody could die then come alive again. Mohammed had separated the moon into halves at the insistance of residents for a miracle. The Bahai symbol is not assocaited with a miracle but was revealed by the Bahai sages.

The Bahai House of Worship establishments were set up by the Bahai sages and scholars similar to the organised establishments of Churches set up by Jesus, the apostles, and scholars/experts, of Mosques set up by Mohammed, the companions and scholars/experts.

The induction of the followers of the Bahai faith into religion on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.

The aims of being in a spiritual state through all means and resources and to continue on that path without the mixing of politics.

[mystic]

The lives of Jesus and Mohammed for their greater proportion are unknown and vague. Jesus from early childhood to the start of his ministry in adulthood is not written anywhere and the apostles and other observers of the time do not mention where Jesus could have been. Mohammed from childhood up to his ministry in adulthood is not known and the companions and other writers do not mention where he was and what he had done. The Bahai sage's lives for the most part is known where they were, what they did but still strange teachings and revalatory writings occurred.

[mystic]

Jesus did not always have confidence and trust in himself. The apostles did not always have trust and confidence in Jesus, or in themselves, or amongst each other. Mohammed did not always have trust and confidence in himself. The companions did not always have trust and confidence in Mohammed, or in themselves, or amongst each other. Neither the apostles nor the companions pledged full fealty in Jesus or Mohammed respectively and were sensibly looking out for themselves to see where they could succeed. The Bahai sages did not encounter such circumstances and in a spiritual state bore forth the teachings and guidance for others.

[mystic]

Shoghi Effendi is an example of one who despite going through mind changing education in various insititutions and was exposed to diversified human lifestyle still brought more people onto the path of spirituality.

Jesus and Mohammed with their respective disciplic retinue suffered much oppostion to their ministries but perservered. Similarly the bahai sages and their disciplic retinue carried on the teaching with strong opposition to them.

[Keyvan]

Mystic, what you wrote is a series of untruths, claims you thought up without thought and research and never bothered to verify.
If you had actually studied the Baha'i Faith, and more sepecifically Baha'i HISTORY, you would realize your historical claims are not only false, but the points that you are attempting to make by making those false claims are countered by the historical truths.

First of all no one refers to anyone as a "Baha'i Sage" - we have two Manifestations/Messengers specific to the Baha'i Era, The Bab and Baha'u'llah.
The fact alone that you refer to anyone in the Baha'i Faith as "Babullah" goes to show your lack of understanding of even the most basic concepts of the Baha'i Faith. There is no "Babullah." If you studied the Baha'i Faith even for just 5 minutes, you would see that there is The Bab and Baha'u'llah.

It seems to me that you have been reading a lot of polemic material.

You have highlighted your interpretation of specific experiences of say Christ, as if to deem that authenticates His truth, and then attempt to discredit the Messengers of the Baha'i Faith by interpreting aspects of those experiences are not compatible with your interpretations of Christ.....that doesn't make any sense

At some point it seems you tried to discredit the Messengers as religious scholars? The Bab was a Merchant. Baha'u'llah was prepped for a high position in government. What are you talking about?

The KNOWN Writings of Baha'u'llah alone comprise the the length of 15 Bibles or 70 Quran's. There are so many that 2% of the Writings of the Baha'i Faith have been translated into English. Again what are you talking about?

The Bab and Baha'u'llah had made great sacrifices for their faiths. The Bab's gave His life as Christ did. He could have lived his life in sovereignty as a respected merchant but gave it all away. Baha'u'llah endured, poisoning, persecution, exile, and half a century of imprisonment, whereas He could have taken a cushy government job.

"legalizing all religions" I don't even know what you mean by that.

So what if the Baha'i symbology does not represent what the Messenger died on. If Christ was hit a truck, would the symbol be truck. The Baha'i symbology is very specific to Baha'i theology. If you researched it you would know how deep and profound it is

None, of the Baha'i Houses of worship were not set up during the time of either The Bab or Baha'u'llah, and they are continuing to be built more and more. But lets say they were, SO WHAT? What does that do to authenticate a religion for you?

You really are not making any sense, and your ramblings of historical untruths and odd claims attempting to discredit the Baha'i Faith have led you to forget what religion is even for. In other words, what does ANY of this have to do with metaphysical contemplation?