Baha'ullah made prophecies that have come true?

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SpiritualSeeker
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Baha'ullah made prophecies that have come true?

Postby SpiritualSeeker » Sat Apr 04, 2009 9:07 pm

Hello all,

I was on a site that is showing the relation of Islam and the bahai Faith and was reading some intersting stuff. Here is a link the the page

http://www.bci.org/islam-bahai/ProofProphecy_4.htm

The author says this

When we study Baha'u'llah's life, and His Writings, we see that, not only did He fulfill prophecies concerning the Promised One of all religions, but He foretold numerous future events on various subjects ranging from historical events which have in fact already come to pass, such as the fall of kings and emperors (who at the time, were at the height of their power and glory), to scientific discoveries and inventions which we now have come to witness. These are recorded in His Writings of the second half of the nineteenth century, samples of which are also available on the Internet.


but the link to the samples of Baha'ullah's prophecies that have come to pass and his prophecies about invention does not work. Does anyone know where I can read about these prophecies that have come to past?

I would love to see quotes from his actual writings.

Thank you very much
Live your daily life in a way that you never lose yourself. When you are carried away with your worries, fears, cravings, anger, and desire, you run away from yourself and you lose yourself. The practice is always to go back to oneself.Thich Nhat Hanh

AdibM
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Re: Baha'ullah made prophecies that have come true?

Postby AdibM » Sat Apr 04, 2009 10:28 pm

Hi SpiritualSeeker,

I'm pressed for time so I can't provide you with scriptural evidence for all of these things, but I'm sure some other Baha'is will be able to help out with that:

1. The fall from power of the French Emperor Napoleon III and the consquent loss of his empire.
2. The defeat of Germany in two bloody wars, resulting in the 'lamentations of Berlin.'
3. The success and stability of Queen Victoria's reign.
4. The dismissal of 'Ali Pasha as prime minister of Turkey.
5. The overthrow of Sultan 'Abdu'l-Aziz of Turkey.
6. The breakup of the Ottoman Empire, leading to the extinction of the 'outward spendour' of its capital, Constantinople.
7. The downfall of Nasiri'd-Din Shah, the Persian monarch.
8. The advent of constitutional government in Persia.
9. A massive (albeit temporary) decline in the fortunes of monarchy throughout the world.
10. A worldwide erosion of ecclesiastical authority.
11. The collapse of the Muslim Caliphate.
12. The spread of communism, the "Movement of the Left,' and its rise to world power.
13. The catastrophic decline of that same movement, triggered by the collapse of its egalitarian economy.
14. The rise of Israel as a Jewish homeland.
15. The persecution of Jews on the European continent (the Nazi holocause).
16. America's violent racial struggles.
17. Baha'u'llah's release from the prison of 'Akka and the pitching of His tent on Mount Carmel.
18. The seizure and desecration of Baha'u'llah's House in Baghdad.
19. The failure of all attempts to create schism within the Baha'i Faith.
20. The explosive acceleration of scientific and technological progress.
21. The development of nuclear weapons.
22. The achievement of transmutation of elements, the age-old alchemist's dream.
23. Dire peril for all humanity as a result of that achievement.
24. The discovery that complex elements evolve in nature from simpler ones.
25. The recognition of planets as a necessary by-product of star formation.
26. Space travel.
27. The realization that some forms of cancer are contagious or communicable.
28. The fruitless search for a 'missing link' between man and ape.
29. The non-existence of a mechanical ether (the supposed light-carrying substance posited by classical physics), and its redefinition as an abstract reality.
30. The breakdown of mechanical models (literal images) as a basis for understanding the physical world.

I got this list from Gary Matthews, The Challenge of Baha'u'llah. You might consider giving that a good read. :)

Warmest,
Adib

EDIT: I just realized that not all of these prophecies can be attributed to Baha'u'llah. Some of them, such as #12, 28, 29, are almost definitely `Abdu'l-Baha's. I'll have to get back to you all on this in the future.
"To be a Bahá'í simply means to love all the world; to love humanity and try to serve it; to work for universal peace and universal brotherhood." -- `Abdu'l-Bahá

BritishBahai
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Re: Baha'ullah made prophecies that have come true?

Postby BritishBahai » Sun Apr 05, 2009 3:09 pm

haha, AdibM, you beat me to it!
"I have desired only what Thou didst desire, and love only what Thou dost love"

SpiritualSeeker
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Re: Baha'ullah made prophecies that have come true?

Postby SpiritualSeeker » Sun Apr 05, 2009 3:13 pm

Very interesting. Thanks for the reply
Live your daily life in a way that you never lose yourself. When you are carried away with your worries, fears, cravings, anger, and desire, you run away from yourself and you lose yourself. The practice is always to go back to oneself.Thich Nhat Hanh

nharandi
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Re: Baha'ullah made prophecies that have come true?

Postby nharandi » Sun Apr 05, 2009 6:53 pm

Here are some more detailed examples, taken from "Baha'u'llah and a New Era," which is a really good introductory book to the Faith.

Napoleon III

In the year 1869 Baha'u'llah wrote to Napoleon III, rebuking him for his lust of war and for the contempt with which he had treated a former letter from Baha'u'llah. The Epistle contains the following stern warning: --

For what thou hast done, thy kingdom shall be thrown into confusion, and thine empire shall pass from thine hands, as a punishment for that which thou hast wrought. Then wilt thou know how thou hast 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 Baha'u'llah 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

Baha'u'llah 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 Baha'u'llah's imprisonment in Akka, 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. -- Kitab-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 Baha'u'llah; 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 Baha'u'llah.

Persia

In the Book of Aqdas written when the tyrannical Nasiri'd-Din Shah was at the height of his power, Baha'u'llah blesses the city of Tihran, which is the capital of Persia, and His own birthplace, and says of it: --

Let nothing grieve thee, O Land of Ta (Tihran), 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 Baha. 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 Baha'u'llah, pp. 110-111.

So far, Persia has only begun to emerge from the period of confusion foretold by Baha'u'llah, but already constitutional government has been started, and signs are not lacking that a brighter era is at hand.

Turkey

To the Sultan of Turkey and his Prime Minister `Ali Pasha, Baha'u'llah, then (in 1868) confined in a Turkish prison, addressed some of His most solemn, grave warnings. To the Sultan He wrote from the Barracks at Akka: --

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 Ali Pasha He wrote: --

Thou hast, O Chief, committed that which hath made Muhammad, 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 [Baha'u'llah 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 Akka in 1873, Baha'u'llah 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. -- Kitab-i-Aqdas.

Abdu'l-Baha 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 Baha'u'llah, 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 Baha'u'llah and Abdu'l-Baha 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.1


The Great War

Both Baha'u'llah and Abdu'l-Baha 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-Baha 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).


The whole chapter is here: http://www.bahai-library.org/books/new.era/14.html
And the whole book: http://www.bahai-library.org/books/new.era/

:)

onepence~2
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Re: Baha'ullah made prophecies that have come true?

Postby onepence~2 » Mon Apr 06, 2009 2:24 am

I have always wondered about the following story ...

what i wonder is what Scripture was/had been fullfilled

???

also it is interesting to note ... just a simple gesture ...
yet .. Authority (of interpretation) announces "the fulfillment of that prophecy"

just simply amazing ... such a small simple gesture
and Authority announces "the fulfillment of that prophecy."

which i am sure is a major major Prophecy ...
yet ... being untrained in many areas and many ways ....
i am completely baffled by which Prophecy the Blessed Beauty was referring to

any suggestions would be helpful

so ... anyway ... here is what is written ... *smile*

At another time Abu'l Qasim was trying to beautify the fountain in the Garden, and he placed a tube in its apex to add to the grace of its flow. He also arranged some candles so that they would illuminate the spray of the fountain at nightfall. Then He sought the Blessed Perfection and supplicated Him to visit the Garden and see the fountain.

The Blessed Perfection replied: "It is well. Ask the man to make ready the horses and I will go." When all was ready and they had started for the Ridvan, Abu'l Qasim plead(ed) to be permitted to go on before Him and put the fountain in running order, the Blessed Perfection replied: "No, you have already walked here from the Garden." When about half way there Abu'l Qasim renewed his entreaty, and this time the Blessed Perfection granted it. In the twinkling of an eye the gardener found himself in the Garden, but was unable to explain how he arrived there. He turned on the water and, when the Blessed Perfection appeared in the Garden, He said to the one who attended to the horses: "Abu'l Qasim does not understand how he reached the Garden so quickly. He does not know whether he flew, or walked, or ran."

After seeing the improved flow of the fountain, the Blessed Perfection was about to depart, but Abu'l Qasim supplicated that He would remain and see the illuminating effect of the candles. The Blessed Perfection said to him: "O Abu'l Qasim! Know, verily, that it was prophesied and foretold that the fire would be conflagrating amidst the waters; and this is the time and now here is the fulfillment of that prophecy." (N.B. - A deeper meaning is involved.)

Utterances of our Blessed Master, 'Abdu'l-Bahá,


dh note : wow ... so much transpiring within the words and the story ... this one won't even attempt to illustrate significance ... yet ... we are still curious ... what prophecy has been fulfilled ???

pilgrimbrent
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Re: Baha'ullah made prophecies that have come true?

Postby pilgrimbrent » Wed Apr 08, 2009 6:06 pm

"Consider this wronged One. Though the clearest proofs attest the truth of His Cause; though the prophecies He, in an unmistakable language, hath made have been fulfilled..."
(Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 58)

"All Our warnings have come to pass, as indeed, they are bound to, inasmuch as they have issued from the fingers of glory and might."
(Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 190)

"Whatsoever the Messenger of God hath announced hath been and will be made manifest."
(Bahá'u'lláh, Tabernacle of Unity)

"Erelong that which hath flowed from Our tongue will outwardly come to pass."
(Bahá'u'lláh, Tabernacle of Unity)

"O Shaykh! Wert thou to perceive, be it less than a needle's eye, the breaths of Mine utterance, thou wouldst abandon the world and all that is therein, and wouldst set thy face towards the lights of the countenance of the Desired One. Briefly, in the sayings of Him Who is the Spirit (Jesus) unnumbered significances lie concealed. Unto many things did He refer, but as He found none possessed of a hearing ear or a seeing eye He chose to conceal most of these things. Even as He saith: "But ye cannot bear them now." That Dawning-Place of Revelation saith that on that Day He Who is the Promised One will reveal the things which are to come. Accordingly in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, and in the Tablets to the Kings, and in the Lawh-i-Ra'ís, and in the Lawh-i-Fu'ád, most of the things which have come to pass on this earth have been announced and prophesied by the Most Sublime Pen."
(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 147)

Brent

brettz9
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Re: Baha'ullah made prophecies that have come true?

Postby brettz9 » Sat Apr 11, 2009 11:17 pm

Hi,

Really quick, while the list of fulfilled prophecies from Gary Matthews' book is quite excellent, item #28 might be questionable. There is some debate in Baha'i scholarly literature about what was meant by a supposed reference by 'Abdu'l-Baha to a missing link not being found.

take care,
Brett

brettz9
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Re: Baha'ullah made prophecies that have come true?

Postby brettz9 » Sat Apr 11, 2009 11:21 pm

Oh, and while this is somewhat off topic, I find the list of "New Baha'i Teachings" which the Baha'i scholar, Mirza Abu'l Fadl prepared (in a book which 'Abdu'l-Baha Himself actually recommended Baha'is to read!), to be an interesting focus on some of the unique teachings of the Faith (of course there are many, many more): http://bahai-library.com/books/brillian ... proof.html

peaceplease
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Re: Baha'ullah made prophecies that have come true?

Postby peaceplease » Fri Apr 17, 2009 7:23 pm

"We have observed an amazing thing. Lightning or a force similar to it is controlled by an operator and moveth at his command."

Might this not refer to laser? Sure sounds like it.

coatofmanycolours
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Re: Baha'ullah made prophecies that have come true?

Postby coatofmanycolours » Sun Apr 19, 2009 12:25 pm

A telegraph device makes an arc which looks like lightening,
each time it sends a signal to a far-away place.

-Peter

coatofmanycolours
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Re: Baha'ullah made prophecies that have come true?

Postby coatofmanycolours » Sun Apr 19, 2009 12:58 pm

Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go and say unto thee, Here we are?
-Job 35 Bible, King James Version


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