The Baha’i Faith is a religion of Peace and Tranquility which teaches mankind the essential worth of all religion especially the Unity and the Equality of Mankind. The Baha’i faith established by Mirza Husayn Ali Nuri is known as ‘Baha’u’llah in 1863, who devoted his entire life for Universal Peace, Human Rights, Interfaith Harmony, and Advancing Global Civilization.
Baha’u’llah, wrote the following words, claiming to be revealing God’s message for a new era of human civilization:
The first Glad-Tidings… is that the law of holy war hath been blotted out from the Book [i.e. the scriptures of religion]…. The second Glad-Tidings: It is permitted that the peoples and kindreds of the world associate with one another with joy and radiance. O people! Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship.[1]
Accordingly, Baha’u’llah had always condemned conflict and warfare whether be bloodshed or disputes among people. He had always encouraged love and harmony among people. In addition to that, the true and sincere Baha’i expresses his or her faith through deeds and not words:
The purpose of the one true God in manifesting Himself is to summon all mankind to truthfulness and sincerity, to piety and trustworthiness, to resignation and submissiveness to the Will of God, to forbearance and kindliness, to uprightness and wisdom. His object is to array every man with the mantle of a saintly character and to adorn him with the ornament of holy and goodly deeds.[2]
Moreover, Baha’u’llah’s first son Abbas Effendi was also of the same opinion:
So intense must be the spirit of love and loving-kindness, that the stranger may find himself a friend, the enemy a true brother, no difference whatsoever existing between them. For universality is of God and all limitations earthly….
However, an important question arises as to who is more eligible and qualified to take that great responsibilities and hardship to which Baha’u’llah had suffered during his lifetime?
Who could be the one to guide the people towards the path of Baha’u’llah?
Who could assist the people of all races around the globe and unite them?
The answer to these questions is Baha’u’llah Himself, as to whom did He appointed as a righteous leader to established the religion further and to spread the word of God. He mentions in his Last Will & Testament (Kitab-i-Ahdi):
“Verily God hath ordained the station of the Mightiest Branch (Ghusn-i-Akbar) after the station of the former (Ghusn-i-A‘zam); verily He is the Ordainer, the Wise. We have surely chosen the Mightiest (Akbar) after the Greatest (A’zam), as a Command from the All-Knowing, the Omniscient.”
In his last Will, Baha’u’llah appointed Abbas Effendi as his station in which Muhammad Ali Effendi his younger brother will succeed after him. However, there was a hidden message which none had expected except Baha’u’llah to appoint both his sons as successors. No one in the history of religions had appointed two successors at once.
Ironically, the reason behind the two successors of Baha’u’llah became apparent when Abbas Effendi claimed Divinity and instead of showing the righteous path towards Baha’u’llah he also attested the title ‘The Manifestation of God’ to himself which was originally the title of ‘Baha’u’llah.
Baha’u’llah had already foretold that somebody would claim to be the manifestation of God:
“Say, the Manifestations has ended by the appearance of the Greatest Manifestation. Beware lest ye follow every doubting ignoramus; ye shall hear from the house a call (voice), of which We have already foretold. Therefore, reject ye it, and hold fast to this Luminous Garment.”[3]
Again, in the same book He had condemned by saying:
“Say, the manifestations are ended, at this Greatest Manifestation; and he, whosoever claimeth directly after this, is a lying imposter.”[4]
However, Abbas Effendi had sent his teaching of his new Trinity with two American Visitors, who, taught that God appeared in the Bab, as the Comforter, in Baha’u’llah as the Father, and in Abbas as the Son. Many of the believers were witness to this claim. Abdul Karim in1899 wrote to George Ibrahim Kheralla to teach that God appeared in the Bab as the Holy Ghost, in Baha as the Father and in Abbas as the Son.[5]
Similarly, many of the selfish people and seekers of leadership had attributed an unlimited station to Abbas Effendi and considered the words to “turn towards” as a glad-tidings (i.e. an announcement of a new manifestation). But, in reality, the Baha’is should realize the station of the Manifestation of God (Baha’u’llah) and should neither choose a partner for Him nor an equal to Him.
Furthermore, if we try to analyze as to what his younger brother (Muhammad Ali Effendi) tried to teach the believers we come to some astonishing facts. He had instructed the believers the duty to educate the people about Unity and other principles of the Baha’i Faith:
O, Brothers, we must endeavor in every way to spread the fragrances of His Word and raise the standard of His knowledge and wisdom everywhere, and thus attract the pure in heart toward the Highest Kingdom and enlighten the world by the radiance of unity and truthfulness.
Furthermore, he mentions Baha’u’llah as the Messiah:
O you who are turning toward God, “The Ancient of Days,” be assured that your Lord the All-Knowing has named His Most Glorious Temple [i.e. Baha’u’llah] as the Branch in many different tablets, e.g. the “Branch of Command,” the “Branch of Holiness” and the “Branch of Eternity.”
Likewise, He called Himself “The Servant,” a fulfillment of what was said in the books of the prophets of all times.
As to conclude, a believer can research and investigate the life of both the brothers as to what messages they proclaimed and what were the efforts inserted by them in promulgating the Baha’i Faith. Not only one can judge both the personality and beliefs as to who is more eligible and fitted to this position to lead the Baha’i Faith but also with the help of the words of the Greatest Manifestation:
“Verily God hath ordained the station of the Mightiest Branch (Ghusn-i-Akbar) after the station of the former (Ghusn-i-A‘zam)…”
[1] Lawh-i-Bisharat (“Tablet of Glad-Tidings”).
[2] Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 298.
[3] Kitab-i-Heykle, page 152.
[4] Kitab-i-Heykle, page 176.
[5] The Three Questions, page 16 – 17.
