Introduction:

The Baha’is believe that their so called religion is a continuation of the divine religions. They argue that, just as Islam followed other religions, the religion after Islam is Baha’ism and following it leads to salvation.

They do not deny any of the principles of Islam and believe that since all the religions have come from the same source hence they are in conformity with the principles of the previous religion.

Discussion of Qiyamat in both the schools will decide whether they have come from the same source or they are different.

Islamic View regarding Qiyamat:

The belief in the Qiyamat is one of the fundamental beliefs of all Muslims irrespective of their major or minor differences.

All sects believe that after death, there is another life known as the ‘Life of Barzakh’ and thereafter all the people will be raised with their bodies and accounted for their beliefs and deeds and the Justice and Grace of Allah will manifest, and ultimately they will have either everlasting reward in the form of their permanent stay in Paradise with all its bounties or everlasting punishment in the form of their permanent stay in Hell with all its punishments.

The belief in Qiyamat is one of the necessities of faith (meaning if one does not have such a belief then he cannot be considered as a Muslim on any grounds).

There are about 1000 verses in the Holy Quran which speak about the Qiyamat in various ways. The interpretations of these verses related to Qiyamat very clearly indicate:

·         There will be one Special Day when

·         The people will be presented in front of God with this same body and

·         Their actions of this world will be subject to account on account of which

·         He/she will be put in Paradise or Hell

This is the belief of all Muslims right from the proclamation of Islam till this day.

The View of Bahais regarding Qiyamat:

Bab and Bahaullah both have given an interpretation to the belief of hereafter which suits their purpose (of their claims and new religion) and is against the belief held by all the Muslims from the Besat of Holy Prophet to this day. They say:

·         Day Of Judgment (DOJ) for each nation refers to the time period from the advent of the new prophet till his death. For example the Reckoning for the Jews (followers of Prophet Moses) is the time of the advent of Prophet Jesus till his death.

·         Paradise and its bounties means the satisfaction of God and the belief in the new prophet; and Hell means the anger of God and disbelief in the next prophet.

·         The meaning of death and life after death and raising (besat) in all the religions has only spiritual connotation.

·         Grave means desires and tomb means the soul.

·         The Muslims have made a great mistake in understanding of Qiyamat as mentioned in the Quran.

·         Qiyamat is in this world itself.

Correct Understanding of Islam according to the Bahais:

Even though the Bahais consider the understanding of the belief in DOJ by the Muslim scholars as incorrect, on the other hand they consider Shaykh Ahmad Ehsaai and Sayyed Kazim Rashty as the individuals who were clear and aware. Mirza Husain Ali Baha has given the title of ‘Lamp of Scholar’ and ‘light of the illuminator’ to Shayh Ehsaai. Hence their views on DOJ will have to be accepted by the Bahais, as the correct interpretation of the Quranic view of DOJ though as per some, views of these two are problematic.

Shaykh Ahmad says regarding DOJ: ‘It is necessary that the responsible (mukallaf) must believe in the necessity of DOJ, that is the returning of the souls to the bodies on the day of Qiyamat.

Jawameul Kalim’; vol:5, pg:40 new print

Shaykh Ahmad in a treatise related to DOJ says:

‘…After the semen the body becomes clot ….. then the body is lost in the grave…. It means that it is eaten up by the earth…. And on the day of Qiyamat, this very body will come out…’

Resale Maad-e-Jismani’.

Conclusion: The Bahais should either believe what these two say regarding Maad, which is the view of the Muslims or they should wash off their hands from these to consequently demolishing the foundations of Shaikhiyah, Baabiyat and Bahaism.

Analysis of an Important Saying:

One of the very important source which Mirza Husain Ali Baha has brought in the book of ‘Iqan’ for the interpretation of his view of DOJ and which is used by their ‘moballigh’ is this: ‘Have you not heard the famous narration which says: ’When the Qaim will rise, the Qiyamat will be established’ (eza qamal qaemo qamatil qiyamato) ’.

Analysis:

·         From this sentence one cannot necessarily derive the conclusion that the rising of Qaim and the Qiyamat refer to the same event. If we accept the narration, it can also be interpreted as showing two future events and their sequence.

·         The chain of the tradition and the tradition itself is fabricated. He has considered this tradition as famous, but such a narration is not found in any original and basic books of narrations. In spite of the availability of digital versions of vast majority of the traditional books in contemporary era, we have not been able to find such a ‘famous’ narration in any of the books of traditions, whether it be the primary source or it be secondary source or big or small. It in fact leads to the accusation of fabrication of the narration.

·         Ishraqe Khavari, who is one of the well-known moballigh and author of many books of Bahais, has written a book ‘Qamoos-e-Iqaan’ (took two years) for explanation of the text. In this book, he endorses the correctness of the above narrations and says that Shaykh Ahmad in his book ‘Sharhe resaleyah Arshiyah’ has narrated this narration from the Prophet’s great grandson, Jafar As-Sadiq, in the explanation of Qiyamat-e-Sugra. He then goes to quote the text of Shaykh Ahmad with the above narration.

·         Even though the book of Shaykh Ahmad is not considered as ‘book of hadees’ yet we can see from the original text of Shaykh Ahmad that he has considered the rise of Qaem as Qiyamat-e-sugra and the DOJ as qiyamat-e-kubra. No such narration exist in the original text. But Ishraqe Khavari has inserted the statement of Mirza Husain Ali Baha in his quotation of Shaykh’s text.

Contradictions on a Fundamental Principle:

Quran claims that if Quran was not from God, then contradictions would exist in it. Based on this principle let us see the views of the Bahais. Even though the view of Bahais is the same as that of Mirza Husain Ali Baha and they consider the views of the Muslims as incorrect there is more than one view in the Bahais themselves.

Saying of Bab:

Bab in his advice to his mother says:’O mother of zikr (Bab) peace be upon you from Allah. You have held high patience in the way of Allah. Then know the value of your son, the great word, regarding whom you will be questioned in your grave and the day of gathering.

Muntakhabate ayat az aasaare hazrate nukte ula; pg:35’

Does Bab mean by grave, tomb of desires and whims? Does ‘Hashr’ mean the day of advent of Bab?

Similarly in a proclamation famous as ‘alf (1000)’ he says: They say that he (Bab) has claimed Godhood and he believes that Ali, your servant and the wasi of your prophet, he is the creator of all things and their sustainer. And they say that Bab has become the denier of Meraj-e-Jismani and hashr-r-jasadani. You are purified, you are prurified, I, Bab am immune (bari) from those who have such a belief.

Asrare aasaar; vol:1, pg:181

The above belief of Bab is not compatible and cannot be reconciled with his earlier belief and that of Mirza Husain Ali Baha.

Questioning during Hashr:

It is narrated by Mirza Husain Ali Baha: ‘In the occasion of Hashr (gathering) in front of Allah if it is questioned that why you did not become believer …..’

Majmuah Alwaah; pg:186,187; Egypt print.

It is clear that the meaning of Hashr is not what they claim (bringing faith) since it is not compatible with the first sentence of the text, as it talks about the questioning of a disbeliever.

Dream is an indication of Hashr after death:

Mirza Husain Ali Baha considers the dream as an indication of life after death. He says: ‘It is questioned about the sleep…. If you think you will find that it is a proof on Hashr and Besat (raising) after the death.’

Aayate Ilahi; vol:1; pg:351

A detailed explanation is given by Mirza Husain Ali Baha regarding the above matter where he quotes the advice of Luqman given to his son regarding death and Hashr and Luqman’s comparision of it with sleep.

Haft wadi; pg:34

It is clear from the above quotes that the view of Mirza Husain Ali Baha is that of the Muslims and such was also the belief of the previous nations. This in contradictory to, and cannot be reconciled with the belief Mirza Husain Ali Baha presented by him in ’Iqan’ and the above belief which he has tried to reject.

Maad Roohani or Jismani:

Abdul Baha says that all the affairs, whether it is about Paradise or Hell, it is spiritual (roohani).

Resaale Baqae arwaah; pg:70

Mirza Husain Ali Baha says: ‘In this way we mention the fate of the disbelievers …..and for them Allah has prepared a punishment that they will be burnt with this body and soul’

Iqan; pg:154

Which view of the Bahais should one accept?

The Beginnning of Qiyamat according to Bahais:

Actually there many contradictions in their views:

As a summary we can say:

·         As per the explanation of the Bahai, the Qiyamat of Islam means the rise of the promised Mahdi.

·         Bahais have given various explanations for the commencement of the DOJ in Islam. Shoghi Affandi has considered as the event of Badasht as the beginning of the Qiyamat, whereas on the basis of the statements of Bab and Baha, the 5th Shabe of Jamadiul Ula should be the commencement of the Qiyamat.

·         But in the book which Bab has written on the 5th Shabe of Jamadiul Ula, he has considered the meaning of Qiyamat having the same connotation as the Muslims believe. In fact, Bab has not only not considered himself as the promised Mahdi, but has introduced Mahdi accurately (from the aspect of lineage) and considered himself to be his servant and desired to sacrifice his life in his way.

Summary of the Discussion:

·         As much as Shoghi Affandi considers the teachings of the Bab and Baha to be compatible with the previous prophets, but on the least, the belief of DOJ as presented by the Bahais is not compatible with the teachings of Quran.

·         As per Quran, all the people will be present on DOJ.

·         As per Quran, DOJ will occur after death.

·         The time period of the DOJ which Quran talks is not within the framework of the time period of this world.

·         Complete accounting of the actions of the servants will take place on the DOJ.

·         The paradise and the Hell which the Bahais speak, is different from that which Quran encourages and warns.

According to Quran, the life in Qiyamat and thereafter cannot be considered as only spiritual.

·         The raising which Quran speaks is coming out of the grave.

·         The proofs which the Bahais present for their interpretation of DOJ is weak and some cases it is fabricated.

·         The views of Shaykh Ahmad and Sayyid Kazim Rasty, who according to the Bahais have a correct understanding of Islam, is different from those of the Bahais.

·         The views of the leaders of Bahais regarding Maad are not only contradictory to that of the principles of previous divine religion, but are also in conflict with the own views.

·         After all the efforts the Bahais have claimed that the Qiyamat is the rise of Qaim (who is Bab). This view is not only wrong but against the very denial of Qaimiyat of Bab by himself.

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