{"id":7364,"date":"2021-04-17T12:01:53","date_gmt":"2021-04-17T08:31:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bahaismiran.com\/?p=7364"},"modified":"2022-06-13T12:02:20","modified_gmt":"2022-06-13T08:32:20","slug":"bahaism-and-investigating-the-truth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bahaismiran.com\/?p=7364&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"BAHA\u2019ISM AND INVESTIGATING THE TRUTH"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Did the leaders of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bah%C3%A1%CA%BC%C3%AD_Faith\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Baha\u2019ism<\/a> try to spread, seek, and accept the truth, or did they\u2014and do they still\u2014try to hide and deny it?<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_71 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">\u0622\u0646\u0686\u0647 \u062f\u0631 \u0627\u062f\u0627\u0645\u0647 \u0645\u06cc \u062e\u0648\u0627\u0646\u06cc\u062f<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/bahaismiran.com\/?p=7364&#038;lang=en\/#How_Bahais_View_Reason_and_Knowledge\" title=\"How Baha\u2019is View Reason and Knowledge\">How Baha\u2019is View Reason and Knowledge<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/bahaismiran.com\/?p=7364&#038;lang=en\/#How_the_Truth_About_Bahaism_is_Investigated\" title=\"How the Truth About Baha\u2019ism is Investigated\">How the Truth About Baha\u2019ism is Investigated<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/bahaismiran.com\/?p=7364&#038;lang=en\/#Unofficial_Translations_Memoirs_Pilgrims_Notes_and_Unofficial_Writings\" title=\"Unofficial Translations, Memoirs, Pilgrims\u2019 Notes, and Unofficial Writings\">Unofficial Translations, Memoirs, Pilgrims\u2019 Notes, and Unofficial Writings<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"direction: ltr;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Bahais_View_Reason_and_Knowledge\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">How Baha\u2019is View Reason and Knowledge<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">To investigate the truth, one must use reason and knowledge to reach logical conclusions on the matters being investigated. <a href=\"https:\/\/bahaismiran.com\/?p=4127&amp;lang=en\">Bah\u0101\u2019u\u2019ll\u0101h<\/a> claims that one\u2019s reason and knowledge are invalid unless one becomes a Baha\u2019i. He says:<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">\u201cThe general criterion is what we mentioned and any soul who has success in it, meaning recognizes and realizes the Sunrise of Manifestation (meaning himself), will be mentioned in the Divine Book as someone who possesses reason or else he will be (mentioned as) ignorant even if he himself thinks that his reason equals that of the whole world.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Reference: `Abd a l-\u1e24am\u012bd Ishr\u0101q Kh\u0101war\u012b, M\u0101\u2019idiy-i \u0101sim\u0101n\u012b (Tehran: Mu\u2019assisiyi Mill\u012b Ma\u1e6db\u016b`\u0101t Amr\u012b, \u06f1\u06f2\u06f9 Bad\u012b`), vol. 7, p. 160.<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">He also claims that, in contrast to previous revelations in which people could not understand some of the laws brought forth, in Baha\u2019ism everything is quite clear, and whoever denies its revelations completely lacks reason:<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">\u201cNo one has denied or will deny what has been revealed by the Ancient Pen (meaning himself) in this Most Great Manifestation regarding society, unity, manners, rites, and being occupied with what has benefits for the people, except that he completely lacks reason.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Reference: Bah\u0101\u2019u\u2019ll\u0101h, Iqtid\u0101r\u0101t wa chand lau\u1e25 d\u012bgar, (n.p.: n.p., n.d.), p. 168.<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Furthermore, Bah\u0101\u2019u\u2019ll\u0101h and<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%CA%BBAbdu%27l-Bah%C3%A1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> `Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u0101<\/a> claim that reason serves the purpose of recognizing God:<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">\u201cThe first grace that has been bestowed on the human body is reason and its purpose is the recognition of the Truth (meaning God) Exalted be His Glory.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Reference:\u00a0Bah\u0101\u2019u\u2019ll\u0101h, Muntakhab\u0101t\u012b az \u0101th\u0101r \u1e24a\u1e0drat Bah\u0101\u2019u\u2019ll\u0101h (Langenhain [Germany]: Lajniyi Mill\u012b Nashr \u0100th\u0101r Amr\u012b Bi Zab\u0101nhayi F\u0101rs\u012b wa `Arab\u012b, \u06f1\u06f4\u06f1 Bad\u012b`), p. 127.\u00a0The official Baha\u2019i translation reads: \u201cFirst and foremost among these favors, which the Almighty hath conferred upon man, is the gift of understanding. His purpose in conferring such a gift is none other except to enable His creature to know and recognize the one true God\u2014exalted be His glory,\u201d Bah\u0101\u2019u\u2019ll\u0101h, Gleanings from the Writings of Bah\u0101\u2019u\u2019ll\u0101h (US Bah\u0101\u2019\u012b Publishing Trust, 1990 [pocket-size edition]), p. 194.<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">\u201cIf you seek the recognition of God . . . refer to the arguments (put forward by) reason and narrations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Reference: `Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u0101, Mak\u0101t\u012bb (Tehran: Mu\u2019assisiyi Mill\u012b Ma\u1e6db\u016b`\u0101t Amr\u012b, \u06f1\u06f3\u06f4 B.), vol. 8, pp. 119 -120.<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">\u201cIf today, someone grasps all of the knowledge on earth but stops at the word \u2018yes\u2019 (meaning does not become a Baha\u2019i), the Lord will not pay attention to him (lad\u012b l-\u1e24aqq madhk\u016br na) and he will be considered as the most ignorant amongst the people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Reference: Bah\u0101\u2019u\u2019ll\u0101h, Iqtid\u0101r\u0101t wa chand lau\u1e25 d\u012bgar, p. 111.<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">\u201cFrom now on nobody is to be called knowledgeable, except those who have decorated themselves with the garment of this New Affair (meaning those who have become Baha\u2019is).\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Reference: Bah\u0101\u2019u\u2019ll\u0101h, Bad\u012b`, pp. 138\u2013\u06f1\u06f3\u06f9\u066b<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Thus, if a very knowledgeable scholar pauses and hesitates about acknowledging Baha\u2019ism, he is considered among the most ignorant of the people.<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Do these statements from the founder of Baha\u2019ism agree with the notion of accepting and seeking the truth?<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Do Baha\u2019is tell the world that their leader believes that those who do not become Baha\u2019is lack reason and are ignorant?<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">It appears that reason is a tool that is only useful for reaching Baha\u2019ism. Once someone embraces the faith, he must stop using his reason.<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">In Baha\u2019ism, it is taught that every person must choose their beliefs after reaching the age of religious maturity (\u201cA question [was asked] about the age of religious maturity; answer: maturity is in the fifteenth year and both men and women are the same regarding this matter,\u201d `Abd a l-\u1e24am\u012bd Ishr\u0101q Kh\u0101war\u012b, Ganj\u012bniy-i \u1e25ud\u016bd wa a\u1e25k\u0101m, 3rd ed. (Tehran: Mu\u2019assisiyi Mill\u012b Ma\u1e6db\u016b`\u0101t Amr\u012b, \u06f1\u06f2\u06f8 B.), p. 14..)<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Bah\u0101\u2019u\u2019ll\u0101h says:<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">\u201cWhen humans attain the rank of [religious] maturity they must investigate . . . and [they] must hear and see with their own ears and eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Reference: `Abd al-\u1e24am\u012bd Ishr\u0101q Kh\u0101war\u012b, Pay\u0101m-i malak\u016bt, p. 11 (citing Bah\u0101\u2019u\u2019ll\u0101h).<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">On the other hand Bah\u0101\u2019u\u2019ll\u0101h expects his followers to shut down their reason and imitate him with complete blindness, deafness, and ignorance:<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">\u201cBecome blind so that you see my face, become deaf so that you hear my pleasant tone and voice, become ignorant so that you get a share of my knowledge, and become poor so that you can take an everlasting portion from the sea of my eternal riches. \u2018Become blind\u2019 means [see] nothing but my beauty and \u2018become deaf\u2019 means [hear] nothing but my words and \u2018become ignorant\u2019 means [have no knowledge] but my knowledge, so that with a pure eye and clean heart and fine ear you come to my sanctified realm.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Reference: Bah\u0101\u2019u\u2019ll\u0101h, Ad`iyyih-i \u1e25a\u1e0drat-i ma\u1e25b\u016bb (Egypt: Published by Faraj-All\u0101h Dhak\u012b al-Kurd\u012b, \u06f1\u06f3\u06f3\u06f9 AH), pp. 427\u2013\u06f4\u06f2\u06f8\u066b\u00a0This is the Official Baha\u2019i translation for these words:<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">\u201cBlind thine eyes, that thou mayest behold My beauty; stop thine ears, that thou mayest hearken unto the sweet melody of My voice; empty thyself of all learning, that thou mayest partake of My knowledge; and sanctify thyself from riches, that thou mayest obtain a lasting share from the ocean of My eternal wealth. Blind thine eyes, that is, to all save My beauty; stop thine ears to all save My word; empty thyself of all learning save the knowledge of Me; that with a clear vision, a pure heart and an attentive ear thou mayest enter the court of My holiness,\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Refernce: Bah\u0101\u2019u\u2019ll\u0101h, The Hidden Words of Bah\u0101\u2019u\u2019ll\u0101h (US Bah\u0101\u2019\u012b Publishing Trust, 1985 [reprint]), p. 25.<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">He further says:<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">\u201cNo pleasure has been created in the world greater than listening to the verses [brought by Bah\u0101\u2019u\u2019ll\u0101h] and understanding their meanings and not objecting to or questioning any of the words and comparing them with the words of others.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Reference: Bah\u0101\u2019u\u2019ll\u0101h, Bad\u012b`, p. 145.<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">\n<h2 style=\"direction: ltr;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_the_Truth_About_Bahaism_is_Investigated\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">How the Truth About Baha\u2019ism is Investigated<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">To investigate the truth about anything, we must first obtain knowledge about it then use our reason to reach a verdict and conclusion. If a Baha\u2019i wants to research his or her religion, there are three sources from which he or she can seek knowledge:<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">First, former Baha\u2019is who have denounced their faith or been shunned and labeled as covenant breakers.<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Second, memories and statements from people who have witnessed the actions of the Baha\u2019i leaders.<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Third, official Baha\u2019i documents and sources.<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Is it possible for truth seeking Baha\u2019is to investigate their faith from any of these three sources?<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">\u201cIt is better not to read books by Covenant-breakers because they are haters of the Light, sufferers from a spiritual leprosy, so to speak. But books by well-meaning yet unenlightened enemies of the Cause can be read so as to refute their charges.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Reference: Helen Bassett Hornby, Lights of Guidance: A Bah\u0101\u2019\u012b Reference File (New Delhi: Bah\u0101\u2019\u012b Publishing Trust, 1983), chap. XII, no. 628.<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Although Baha\u2019is preach the Investigation of Truth, their laws prevent direct interaction with those who they deem as inappropriate sources. Any form of indirect investigation is also discouraged. These limitations are against the spirit of the principle of Seeking and Investigating the Truth, which the Baha\u2019is preach with pride.<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">\n<h2 style=\"direction: ltr;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Unofficial_Translations_Memoirs_Pilgrims_Notes_and_Unofficial_Writings\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Unofficial Translations, Memoirs, Pilgrims\u2019 Notes, and Unofficial Writings<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Unauthorized materials, such as translations not yet approved by the UHJ, memoirs of people who have socialized with Baha\u2019i figures, books that have not been authorized by the UHJ, pilgrims\u2019 notes, and similar works are considered inappropriate for investigating the truth. Although Baha\u2019is are allowed to read these books, any conclusion they reach using these sources is void and unacceptable if it is against the official UHJ stance.<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">What is more disturbing is that it doesn\u2019t matter how reliable a pilgrim making a note is or how many different people have narrated what they have heard or seen from a Baha\u2019i figure; these notes are simply labeled as hearsay that confer no authority:<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">\u201cThe instructions of the Master and the Guardian make it very clear that Pilgrims\u2019 notes are hearsay and cannot claim the authority and binding power of the Sacred Text . . . [sic] Moreover, the fact that the pilgrim writing of his experience is a reliable or well-known believer, or that the reported statement seems to be repeated in the notes of several pilgrims, does not in itself confer authority upon the pilgrim\u2019s note in question.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">Reference: Helen Bassett Hornby, Lights of Guidance: A Baha\u2019i Reference File, chap. XXXVIII, no. 1433.<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">If these sources are used to prove a point that is not in favor of the Baha\u2019is, they are quickly labeled as unreliable and dismissed. Nevertheless, these writings are extensively used by Baha\u2019is in their preaching\u2019s and proselytizing materials. Such double standards make these notes useless for investigating the truth, for any conclusion based on them can simply be refuted on the basis of not being authoritative. Thus, from a Baha\u2019i viewpoint, these sources cannot be used as a source for investigating the truth.<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr;\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Did the leaders of Baha\u2019ism try to spread, seek, and accept the truth, or did they\u2014and do they still\u2014try to hide and deny it? How Baha\u2019is View Reason and Knowledge To investigate the truth, one must use reason and knowledge to reach logical conclusions on the matters being investigated. Bah\u0101\u2019u\u2019ll\u0101h claims that one\u2019s reason and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7365,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[823],"tags":[839,6115],"class_list":["post-7364","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english-articles","tag-bahaism","tag-investigating-the-truth"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bahaismiran.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7364","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bahaismiran.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bahaismiran.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bahaismiran.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bahaismiran.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7364"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/bahaismiran.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7364\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7367,"href":"https:\/\/bahaismiran.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7364\/revisions\/7367"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bahaismiran.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7365"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bahaismiran.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bahaismiran.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bahaismiran.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}