Tag: Return

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Tag: "Return"

tag name Return type: Prophets, Manifestations; Religion, general; Religions, Middle Eastern

web link bahai-library.com/tags/Return
variations or
mis-spellings rajʿa
related tags - Manifestations of God; – Concepts, Religious; Day of Resurrection (or Day of Judgment); Prophecies; Recurrent events
referring tags I am all the Prophets (Hadith); Jesus Christ, Return of; Kitáb-i-Íqán (Book of Certitude); Paraclete (Comforter); Promised One; Qá'im; Typology
Inventory subject Return of Christ; second coming of Christ; Return of the Manifestations of God
selected quotations
(authoritative sources)
These quotations reflect common presentations of Bahá’í views; the materials below may show a wider range of interpretations and contexts:

The Return of the Prophets
"Question: Will you explain the subject of Return?
Answer: Bahá’u’lláh has set forth a lengthy and detailed explanation of this matter in the Kitáb-i-Íqán.¹⁰³ Read it, and the truth of this matter will become clear and manifest. But since you have raised the question, a brief explanation will also be provided here.
We will explain this subject using the text of the Gospel. It is recorded therein that when John the son of Zacharias appeared and announced unto the people the advent of the Kingdom of God, they asked him, “Who art thou? Art thou the promised Messiah?” He replied, “I am not the Messiah.” They then asked him, “Art thou Elias?” He replied, “I am not.”¹⁰⁴ These words clearly establish that John the son of Zacharias was not the promised Elias.
But on the day of the transfiguration on Mount Tabor, Christ explicitly said that John the son of Zacharias was the promised Elias. In Mark 9:11 it is said: “And they asked Him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? And He answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that He must suffer many things, and be set at naught. But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed.” And in Matthew 17:13 it is said: “Then the disciples understood that He spake unto them of John the Baptist.”
Now, they asked John the Baptist, “Art thou Elias?” and he answered, “I am not”, whereas it is said in the Gospel that John was the promised Elias himself, and Christ clearly stated this as well. If John was Elias, why did he say he was not, and if he was not Elias, why did Christ say he was?
The reason is that we consider here not the individuality of the person but the reality of his perfections—that is to say, the very same perfections that Elias possessed were realized in John the Baptist as well. Thus John the Baptist was the promised Elias. What is being considered here is not the essence¹⁰⁵ but the attributes.
For example, last year there was a flower, and this year there has also appeared a flower. When I say that the flower of last year has returned, I do not mean that the same flower has returned with the selfsame identity. But since this flower is endowed with the same attributes as last year’s flower—as it possesses the same fragrance, delicacy, colour, and form—it is said that last year’s flower has returned, and that this is that same flower. Likewise, when spring comes we say that last year’s spring has returned, since all that was found in the former is to be found again in the latter. This is why Christ said, “Ye will witness all that came to pass in the days of the former Prophets.”¹⁰⁶
Let us give another illustration: Last year’s seed was sown, branches and leaves appeared, blossoms and fruit came forth, and in the end a new seed was produced. When this second seed is planted, it will grow into a tree, and once more those leaves, blossoms, branches, and fruit will return, and the former tree will once again appear. As the beginning was a seed and the end likewise a seed, we say that the seed has returned. When we consider the material substance of the tree, it is different, but when we consider the blossoms, leaves, and fruit, the same fragrance, taste, and delicacy are produced. Hence the perfection of the tree has returned anew.
In the same way, if we consider the individual, it is a different one, but if we consider the attributes and perfections, the same have returned. Thus when Christ said, “This is Elias”, He meant: This person is a manifestation of the grace, the perfections, the qualities, the attributes, and the virtues of Elias. And when John the Baptist said, “I am not Elias”, he meant, “I am not the same person as Elias.” Christ considered their attributes, perfections, qualities, and virtues, and John referred to his own substance and individuality...
These considerations have been explained at length in the Kitáb-i-Íqán."

– 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions,

103. See, for example, Kitáb-i-Íqán, ¶¶156–79.
104. Cf. John 1:19–21.
105. That is, the individuality of John.
106. Cf. Matt. 23:34–6.

bahaidata.org Q4676 · Links to Bahá'í wikis (bahai9, bahaipedia, etc.)

references en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raj'a; www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/search#q=Return

"Return" has been tagged in:

85 results from the Main Catalog

from the main catalog (85 results; collapse)

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n.d.. Return of Christ, The: Statements Relating to the Twofold Nature of Christ. Gene Crist, comp. Two-page compilation of passages from the Bible and the Bahá'í Writings. Compilations-personal.
n.d.. Reincarnation and the Nature and Progress of the Soul. Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi, Universal House of Justice, Research Department, comp. . Compilations.
n.d.. Two Comings of Messiah as Foretold in the Hebrew Scriptures. Author unknown. The Hebrew Scriptures foretell the Messiah’s two comings: as a suffering servant and as a triumphant ruler, fulfilling prophecies of salvation and divine kingship. Essays.
2025. تقریرا ی ت بر کتاب ایقان (Notes on the Kitáb-i-Íqán). Iman Motlagh Arani. A structured reading of key themes — return and recognition, symbolic cosmology, and the logic of spiritual testing — organized for study and teaching. Books.
2023-12. Literary Imitation in Three Poems Attributed to Tahirih Qurrat al-ʿAyn. Sahba Shayani. The poetry of Tahirih has largely been ignored by historians, partly from politico-religious intolerance, but also because of a lack of detailed information and primary sources; comparison of three of her most famous istiqbál poems. Articles.
2022. Key Passages from the Kitáb-i-Íqán (Book of Certitude) in Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh. Bahá'u'lláh, Shoghi Effendi, comp, A. Bolhuis, ed. . Cross-reference compilation of 40 passages from the Kitáb-i-Íqán selected by Shoghi Effendi for inclusion in Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, adapted from Hooper Dunbar's Companion to the Study of the Kitáb-i-Íqán. Compilations-personal.
2022. Reis naar het Hart van de Qur'án: Het Heilige Boek van de islam voor hen die nadenken (door een niet-moslim). David Russell Garcia, Kees Poolman, trans. . Een overzicht van de Koran en zijn thema's: islam versus het christendom; wetten, geestelijke en sociale principes; heilige oorlog en vechten; redenen achter de reputatie van de islam als een oorlogsreligie; apocalypse. Books.
2022. Qur'anic Kerygma: Epic, Apocalypse, and Typological Figuration. Todd Lawson. Article contains no mention of the Bábí or Bahá'í Faiths, but includes themes of relevance to Bahá'í teachings on the typologies of proclamation and apocalypse. Articles.
2021 [1998]. Sequential Outline of the Kitáb-i-Íqán: condensed version. Hooper Dunbar, A. Bolhuis, ed. . Aid to locating main themes and various subjects in Bahá'u'lláh's Book of Certitude, adapted from Hooper Dunbar's book Companion to the Study of the Kitáb-i-Íqán. Study.
2021. Cosmopolitan World of the Quran and Late Antique Humanism, The. Todd Lawson. On the Qur'an's use of the themes of epic and apocalypse to reveal its most cherished sacred truths: the Oneness of God, the Oneness of Religion, and the Oneness of Humanity. Contains no mention of the Bahá'í Faith. Articles.
2020-06. Reflections on Baha'u'llah's Claims to Being the Return of Imam Husayn. Ismael Velasco. On Imam Husayn in Shi'a Islam, expectations of his return, his place in Bábí theology, and various relationships to the Bábí Faith: ancestral, devotional, initiatory, theophanic, typological, eschatological, and messianic. Articles-unpublished.
2020-04-10. Writings of the Báb, The: Notes from Talks given by Dr. Nader Saiedi. Nader Saiedi, Anonymous, comp. . Structured summarized notes from Dr. Saiedi’s 2019 talks on the Báb’s Writings, delivered at the Swedish and Norwegian Bahá'í summer school 2019, highlighting key theological concepts and themes. Includes some provisional translations quoted in the talks. Talks.
2020-04. Tafsír as Mystical Experience, by Todd Lawson: Review. Christopher Buck. Reviews.
2020. Báb and the Bábí Community of Iran, The. Fereydun Vahman, ed. On the Báb's life, teachings, and writings; the Bábí community's formation, conflicts, and transition to the Bahá'í Faith; social, theological, and historical perspectives. Includes table-of-contents, select articles, and link to book preview. Excerpts.
2019. Writings of the Báb: Lecture Series at the Norwegian Summer School. Nader Saiedi. On topics including the concept of God; Manifestations of God; Day of Resurrection, heaven and hell; the Imamate, the Hidden Imam; divine justice and free will; reason, independence; human rights, equality, women. Links to audio files, offsite. Audio.
2018/2025. Additional Tablets, Extracts and Talks. Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í World Centre, trans. . 216 selections, last updated 2025. Writings.
2018/2024. Additional Tablets and Extracts from Tablets Revealed by Bahá'u'lláh. Bahá'u'lláh, Bahá'í World Centre, trans. . 85 selections, last updated August 2024. Writings.
2018-05-03. 35 Common Objections to the Bahá'í Faith. Bridging Beliefs. Responses to common critiques of, doubts about, and objections to the Bahá'í Faith and against religion in general. Transcripts.
2018-01-21. Resurrection and the World to Come. Bahá'u'lláh, William F. McCants, trans. . Extract from the Lawh-i-Yusuf (Tablet of Joseph), explaining the meaning of 'paradise', 'hellfire', 'resurrection', and similar terms. Translations.
2018. Bahá'u'lláh's Life and Mission: "This is the One Who Hath Glorified the Son". JoAnn M. Borovicka. Ways in which Bahá’u’lláh glorifies Jesus Christ and His Cause: He quotes, explains, and defends Christian scripture; supplements Christ’s teachings for the needs of a fast-evolving society; and speaks of Christ as an existing spiritual reality. Articles.
2018. End of Days. Moshe Sharon. On the word “messiah”, the anointed, which describes the redeemer like a priest, consecrated by being anointed with holy oil; prophecies about the last days and the final coming; predictions about the time of the "end," which Bahá'ís interpret as 1863. Articles.
2016. Tablet on Understanding the Cause of Opposition to the Manifestations of God. Bahá'u'lláh, Keven Brown, trans. . Summary of some themes from the Kitab-i-Iqan, concluding with a long prayer inviting the reader to see with his/her "own eyes." Translations.
2015-09. Persian Bayán: Thematic Analysis and Summary. Peter Terry. A detailed overview of this lengthy text of The Báb, which outlines elements of Bábí law, discussion of religious concepts, and the glorification of "He whom God shall make manifest." Articles-unpublished.
2015 Fall. Wittgensteinian Language-Games in an Indo-Persian Dialogue on the World Religions. Juan Cole. Reflections on Bahá'u'lláh's theology of previous religions and Ludwig Wittgenstein’s concept of "language games"; Hinduism, India, and 19th-century Iranian culture; Manakji’s questions about Hinduism and Zoroastrianism. Articles.
2014. Islám: The Road Ahead: Reflections of a Bahá'í on Islamic Topics. Rowshan Mustapha. Questions about the finality of religion, the Day of Judgment, the role of Jesus and the Mihdi, and what will happen at the End of Time, through the lens of the Bahá’í Teachings. Books.
2014. Text and Context in the Bahá'í Heroic Age. Nader Saiedi. A series of 12 talks by Nader Saiedi exploring Bahá'í history, key writings, and the need for scholarly study, translation, and contextual analysis of Bahá'í texts. Audio.
2014. Answered Questions, Some. Abdu'l-Bahá. 'Table talks' given by ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá in ‘Akká between 1904 and 1906 in response to questions posed by Laura Dreyfus-Barney; first published in 1908, the new 2014 edition has been extensively retranslated. Writings.
2014. Index to Some Answered Questions. Topic references to chapter and paragraph numbers of the 2014 revised authorized translation of this collection of table talks by 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Bibliographies.
2012. Bahá'í Tradition, The: The Return of Joseph and the Peaceable Imagination. Todd Lawson. Overview of the status of violence in the Bahá'í tradition, and the historical/social conditions in which these doctrines were articulated. Articles.
2012. Second Coming, The: A Biblical Approach to Understanding the Evidence that Christ has Returned. David Yamartino. Biblical principles for investigation of truth; the resurrection of Christ, prophecies fulfilled by Bahá’u’lláh; the ancestry of Bahá’u’lláh, descendant of King David. Books.
2012. Typological Figuration and the Meaning of "Spiritual": The Qurʾanic Story of Joseph. Todd Lawson. Meanings of the famous shirt (qamís) as a symbol of Joseph's spiritual journey and travails in the Qur'an and tafsír. Brief mentions of Shaykh Ahmad, Siyyid Kazim, and the Báb on pp. 229, 231 and 237-238. Articles.
2009-2019. Lists of Articles. Brent Poirier. Lists of 126 articles at the author's six blog websites. Essays.
2008. Gate of the Heart: Understanding the Writings of the Bab (contents and index only). Nader Saiedi. A lengthy, detailed examination of the context, chronology, and content of the writings of the Báb. (Link to document, offsite; only the contents and index are on this site, for keyword searching.) Excerpts.
2008. Resurrection and Return of Jesus. Universal House of Justice. The body of Christ; the burial of Christ; His return; and explaining the Bahá'í view to Christians. UHJ-letters.
2007. Authority of the Feminine and Fatima's Place in an Early Work by the Bab, The. Todd Lawson. While Tahirih inspired many in Europe and eventually America, she is very much a daughter of her own culture, history, mythology, and religion. She was a religious mystic who felt a new day arising in the world, and seen by some as the "return" of Fatima. Articles.
2006/2011. Abrahamic Covenant as the Pathway to the Glory of God, The: Exploring the Mysteries of Divine Unity. Ray Estes, Miles Lane. 77 audio files of talks and interviews by a born-again Christian who became a Bahá'í, and related material, including presentations on spiritual truths and the rapture of "end times," and archive of the website innermeanings.com. Audio.
2006-09-05. Bahá'í Perspective on the Concept of "Karma". Universal House of Justice, Research Department. Summary of the meaning of karma in Hinduism and Buddhism; Bahá'í views on karma and reincarnation as shown by selected passages in the Hidden Words and other Writings. UHJ-letters.
2006-02. Messianic Expectations in Nineteenth Century Christian and Islamic Communities. Ahang Rabbani. The phenomenon of messianism and its manifestations in early-modern American Christianity and in Iranian Islam. Presentations.
2005. Bahá'í Understanding of Reincarnation in Relation to the World's Faiths, A. Sateh Bayat, Vafa Bayat. Concepts of reincarnation in Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; the Bahá'í religion's rejection of the idea of reincarnation; its model of a spiritual progress which continues after death. Articles.
2005. Tablet (Lawh) in Bahá'í Usage. Todd Lawson. Meanings of the common Bahá'í terms lawh (tablet), ketáb (book), sahífa (treatise), resála (epistle), etc. Articles-unpublished.
2004-2014. Powerpoints for Deepening. Duane Troxel. 26 presentations in Powerpoint format, on a variety of topics covering Bahá'í history, Central Figures, teachings, and relationship with Islam. Presentations.
2004-2014. Videos for Deepening. Duane Troxel. Four videos: The Life of the Báb, The Life of the Guardian, The Return of Christ, and What Do Bahá'ís Believe. Video.
2004. Unity and Progressive Revelation: Comparing Bahá'í Principles with the Basic Concepts of Teilhard de Chardin. Wolfgang A. Klebel. An attempt to correlate specific Bahá'í teachings with the corresponding concepts of Teilhard de Chardin, allowing us to compare the Faith with the 'progressive movements of today' and promote the study of the Bahá'í teachings more deeply. Articles.
2004. Images of Christ in the writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, The. Maryam Afshar. 'Abdu'l-Bahá addressed Christian subjects in his talks with Bahá'ís of Christian background and his public talks in the West. He elucidated the meaning of Christian texts and doctrines, and referred to Christ's role and nature. Articles.
2003?. Historia de la Religión desde la Perspectiva Bahá'í. Alessandro Bausani, Miguel Gil Santesteban, trans. . Articles-unpublished.
2003-10. Voyage to the Heart of the Koran: The Holy Book of Islám for Thinking Minds (By a Non-Muslim). David Russell Garcia. A lengthy overview of the Qur'án and its themes for a Bahá'í audience; holy war and fighting; reasons behind Islám's reputation as a war-like religion; theology of Islám vs. Christianity; laws and admonitions; spiritual and social principles; apocalypse. Books.
2002. Gems of Divine Mysteries. Bahá'u'lláh. A lengthy tablet in Arabic on how the Mahdi was Ali Muhammad, The Báb, the Primal Point. Written during the Baghdad period for Siyyid Yúsuf-i-Sihdihí Isfahání. His questions were brought from Karbila, and answered the same day. Writings.
2001. Tablet of the Son (Jesus). Bahá'u'lláh, Juan Cole, trans. . A tablet, partly written to a Christian priest, on the effect of Christ's revelation and Bahá'u'lláh's status as the return of Christ. Translations.
2001. Commentary on Verses of John (Tafsír-i-Áyát-i-Yuhanná). Abdu'l-Bahá, Khazeh Fananapazir, trans, Mehdi Wolf, ed. . Excerpt from a longer Tablet on Jesus' prophecy "It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Comforter [or "Helper"] will not come to you." Translations.
1999-12. Truth Triumphs: A Bahá'í Response to Misrepresentations of the Bahá'í Teachings and Bahá'í History. Peter Terry. Rebuttal of Francis Beckwith's thesis "Bahá'í, A Christian response to Bahá'ísm, the religion which aims toward one world government and one common faith." Articles-unpublished.
1999. Teaching Christians More Effectively: Handbook and Seminar. David F. Young. Bahá'í views of Christianity; questions Christians might ask; interpretation of the Bible; theology of miracles, baptism, sin, Armageddon, and heaven and hell; social issues. Presentations.
1999. Are there indications of a Second Coming of a Messiah in the Old Testament?. David Friedman. Some claim that the New Testament teaching of a "Second Coming" is not found in the Old Testament; however, it is easy to find older references to a Return. Essays.
1998. Kitab-i-Iqan: Key to Unsealing the Mysteries of the Holy Bible. Brent Poirier. Examination of the Bible in light of interpretations of its symbolism offered by Bahá'u'lláh's Kitab-i-Iqan. Articles-unpublished.
1998. Unknown Hour, The. David Friedman. Christians believe the Bible does not specify the time of Christ's return, but the Bahá'í teachings are that an exact year, 1844, is indicated in the Bible for the time of the Second Coming. Essays.
1997. Behold the Man: Baha'u'llah on the Life of Jesus. Juan Cole. Bahá'u'lláh's lessons from the Judeo-Christian experience for founding a new, post-Islamic religion; invoking Christ to illuminate contemporary situations within Babi-Bahá'í history; implications for his relations with Middle Eastern Christians. Articles.
1997. Brief Introduction to Millennial Zeal in the Nineteenth Century, A. Chris Manvell, Carolyn Sparey-Gillies. Joseph Wolff, William Miller, and millennial zeal in early 19th-century America; biblical proofs of the return of Christ; the appearance of the Báb in Iran. Articles-unpublished.
1997. Metaphor and the Language of Revelation. Ross Woodman. To enter the realm of metaphor as the language of the soul is to come into direct contact with the Word as the originating power of creation. Articles.
1996. He who knoweth his self hath known his Lord (Man 'arafa nafsahú faqad 'arafa Rabbahú): Commentary. Bahá'u'lláh, Shoghi Effendi, trans, Juan Cole, trans. . Translation by Shoghi Effendi, completed by Cole. Themes include Islamic mysticism and the meaning of detachment, the meaning of the hadith about knowing one's self, the meaning of Return, and the hadith "The believer is alive in both worlds." Translations.
1995-04-25. Reincarnation, Rebirth and the Progress of the Soul. Universal House of Justice. On reincarnation, the soul and the concept of “return,” and the mind and “former life memories." UHJ-letters.
1995. Shi`i Islam. Moojan Momen. Overview of Shi'a Islam, including a section on its relations to the Bahá'í Faith. Encyclopedia.
1995. Comparative Lives of the Founders of the World Religions. Moojan Momen. Table comparing the lives of the Founders of the world's religions. Resources.
1995. Bahá'í Cosmological Symbolism and the Ecofeminist Critique. Michael W. Sours. Constituents of Bahá'í cosmological symbolism; introduction to the main feminist/environmentalist arguments; eschatological character of Bahá'í cosmological symbolism; Bahá'í eschatology provides answers to many feminist and ecological objections. Articles.
1995. Baha'u'llah's Prophetology: Archetypal patterns in the lives of the founders of the world religions. Moojan Momen. Explores the theory that the lives of the prophet-founders of the world religions have in some ways re-capitulated each other. Articles.
1995. Tablet to Mirza Abu'l-Fadl Concerning the Questions of Manakji Limji Hataria: Baha'u'llah on Hinduism and Zoroastrianism. Bahá'u'lláh, Juan Cole, trans. . Introduction to, article about, and translation of the Tablet to Maneckji. Translations.
1994/2012. Christ, Return of: Warwick Leaflets. Warwick Bahá'í Bookshop. Some Christian prophecies and their fulfillment in the Bahá'í Faith. Essays.
1994-07-06. New Religious Movements, Tolkien, Marriage. Universal House of Justice. Various questions: new religious movements; Indian Letter of the Living; J.R.R. Tolkien; eternality of the marriage bond; illumination of Bahá'u'lláh's tablets. UHJ-letters.
1993 Fall. "I am all the Prophets": The Poetics of Pluralism in Bahá'í Texts. Juan Cole. Literary analysis of a passage from Tablet of Blood (Súriy-i-Damm) in which Bahá'u'lláh identifies Himself with all the past Prophets and their sufferings, depicting himself mortally wounded on the field of battle, like Imám Husayn. Articles.
1993. God's Promise to Humanity: Warwick Leaflets. Warwick Bahá'í Bookshop. Essays.
1991. End of the World: Whatever Happened?, The: Or Leftover Time to Kill. Ross Woodman. If we contrast the eschatology of Bahá’u’lláh with that of Hegel and Nietzsche, we can locate and explore the spiritual origins of the planetary consciousness (the Divine Springtime) upon which the survival of humankind and the globe itself now depends. Articles.
1989/1990. Immortality and the Human Soul: Lecture Series. Hooper Dunbar. Audio.
1988/2001. Notes on Bahá'í Proofs Based on the Bible, Some. National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India, comp. Compilation of passages from the Bible, showing parallels and prophetic fulfillment in the Bahá'í Faith. Compilations-NSA.
1988. Lights of Guidance: A Bahá'í Reference File. Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi, Universal House of Justice, Helen Bassett Hornby, comp. . The classic Bahá'í reference book. This is its first online edition. Compilations-personal.
1982-2023. Encyclopaedia Iranica: Selected articles related to Persian culture, religion, philosophy and history. Encyclopaedia Iranica. Sorted, categorized collection of links to over 170 articles. Encyclopedia.
1976. Dawn over Mount Hira and Other Essays. Marzieh Gail. A collection of essays on various topics of interest to Bahá'í studies and history. Most of these were first published in Star of the West and World Order between 1929 and 1971. Books.
1968. Christ et Bahá'u'lláh. George Townshend, Maison Editions Bahá'íes, trans. . Le Royaume de Dieu, comme prédit dans la Bible, est venu et Bahá'u'lláh est le retour du Christ. Books.
1963. Notes on Bahá'í Proofs Based on the Bible, Some. National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Central and East Africa, comp. Compilation by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Central and East Africa Compilations-NSA.
1961. Thief in the Night: The Case of the Missing Millennium. William Sears. In the early 19th-century there was world-wide and fervent expectation that during the 1840s the return of Christ would take place. Did this happen, or was it all a dream? Introductory.
1960. Release the Sun. William Sears. Millennialism gripped many around the world during the early 19th century. While Christians expected the return of Christ, a wave of expectation swept through Islam that the "Lord of the Age" would appear. This is a living history of that period. Books.
1957. Christ and Baha'u'llah. George Townshend. The Kingdom of God, as foretold in the Bible, has come and Bahá'u'lláh is the Return of Christ. Books.
1956. Path to God, The: 1956 edition. Dorothy Baker. Some elements for spiritual success: power through prayer and nine benefits of prayer, victorious living, and immortality. Essays.
1953. Questions about the Second Coming. George Townshend. Answers by Townshend to questions asked by the Bahá’ís of Kampala, Uganda about the return of Christ, the Bible, false prophets, the day of judgment, and the trinity. Essays.
1949. Old Churches and the New World-Faith, The. George Townshend. Pamphlet publication of Townshend's letter of renunciation of the Anglican Church and proclamation of Bahá'u'lláh. Articles.
1937. Path to God, The: 1937 edition. Dorothy Baker. Essay published as a pamphlet about the goal of life, revelation and access to heaven, self-improvement while on earth, prayer and spiritual surrender, loving the Messenger and following his teachings. Essays.
1931. Kitáb-i-Íqán: The Book of Certitude. Bahá'u'lláh, Shoghi Effendi, trans. . Major theological work by Baháʼu'lláh, written prior to his declaration of mission. Writings.
1916-04. Reincarnation, The Return, and the "Cycle of Life" Chart. Edward C. Getsinger. The concepts Reincarnation and Return in the context of pilgrims' recollections of the words of 'Abdul-Baha, with tablets translated by Ali Kuli Khan, and on Lua Getsinger's "Spiritual Evolution" chart. Letters.

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tag name	Return	type:	Prophets, Manifestations; Religion, general; Religions, Middle Eastern
web link	bahai-library.com/tags/Return
variations or mis-spellings	rajʿa
related tags	- Manifestations of God; – Concepts, Religious; Day of Resurrection (or Day of Judgment); Prophecies; Recurrent events
referring tags	I am all the Prophets (Hadith); Jesus Christ, Return of; Kitáb-i-Íqán (Book of Certitude); Paraclete (Comforter); Promised One; Qá'im; Typology
Inventory subject	Return of Christ; second coming of Christ; Return of the Manifestations of God
selected quotations (authoritative sources)	These quotations reflect common presentations of Bahá’í views; the materials below may show a wider range of interpretations and contexts: The Return of the Prophets "Question: Will you explain the subject of Return? Answer: Bahá’u’lláh has set forth a lengthy and detailed explanation of this matter in the Kitáb-i-Íqán.¹⁰³ Read it, and the truth of this matter will become clear and manifest. But since you have raised the question, a brief explanation will also be provided here. We will explain this subject using the text of the Gospel. It is recorded therein that when John the son of Zacharias appeared and announced unto the people the advent of the Kingdom of God, they asked him, “Who art thou? Art thou the promised Messiah?” He replied, “I am not the Messiah.” They then asked him, “Art thou Elias?” He replied, “I am not.”¹⁰⁴ These words clearly establish that John the son of Zacharias was not the promised Elias. But on the day of the transfiguration on Mount Tabor, Christ explicitly said that John the son of Zacharias was the promised Elias. In Mark 9:11 it is said: “And they asked Him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? And He answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that He must suffer many things, and be set at naught. But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed.” And in Matthew 17:13 it is said: “Then the disciples understood that He spake unto them of John the Baptist.” Now, they asked John the Baptist, “Art thou Elias?” and he answered, “I am not”, whereas it is said in the Gospel that John was the promised Elias himself, and Christ clearly stated this as well. If John was Elias, why did he say he was not, and if he was not Elias, why did Christ say he was? The reason is that we consider here not the individuality of the person but the reality of his perfections—that is to say, the very same perfections that Elias possessed were realized in John the Baptist as well. Thus John the Baptist was the promised Elias. What is being considered here is not the essence¹⁰⁵ but the attributes. For example, last year there was a flower, and this year there has also appeared a flower. When I say that the flower of last year has returned, I do not mean that the same flower has returned with the selfsame identity. But since this flower is endowed with the same attributes as last year’s flower—as it possesses the same fragrance, delicacy, colour, and form—it is said that last year’s flower has returned, and that this is that same flower. Likewise, when spring comes we say that last year’s spring has returned, since all that was found in the former is to be found again in the latter. This is why Christ said, “Ye will witness all that came to pass in the days of the former Prophets.”¹⁰⁶ Let us give another illustration: Last year’s seed was sown, branches and leaves appeared, blossoms and fruit came forth, and in the end a new seed was produced. When this second seed is planted, it will grow into a tree, and once more those leaves, blossoms, branches, and fruit will return, and the former tree will once again appear. As the beginning was a seed and the end likewise a seed, we say that the seed has returned. When we consider the material substance of the tree, it is different, but when we consider the blossoms, leaves, and fruit, the same fragrance, taste, and delicacy are produced. Hence the perfection of the tree has returned anew. In the same way, if we consider the individual, it is a different one, but if we consider the attributes and perfections, the same have returned. Thus when Christ said, “This is Elias”, He meant: This person is a manifestation of the grace, the perfections, the qualities, the attributes, and the virtues of Elias. And when John the Baptist said, “I am not Elias”, he meant, “I am not the same person as Elias.” Christ considered their attributes, perfections, qualities, and virtues, and John referred to his own substance and individuality... These considerations have been explained at length in the Kitáb-i-Íqán." – 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, 103. See, for example, Kitáb-i-Íqán, ¶¶156–79. 104. Cf. John 1:19–21. 105. That is, the individuality of John. 106. Cf. Matt. 23:34–6.
bahaidata.org	Q4676 · Links to Bahá'í wikis (bahai9, bahaipedia, etc.)
references	en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raj'a; www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/search#q=Return