Edition:Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era (1923)/Prophecies of Bahā’u’llāh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahā

CHAPTER XIV

PROPHECIES OF BAHA’U’LLAH AND ‘ABDU’L-BAHA

« And if thou shalt say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously : thou shalt not be afraid of him.”—Deut. xviii, 22.

Creative Power of God’s Word.

God, and God alone, has the power to do whatever He wills, and the greatest proof of a Manifestation of God is the creative power of His word—its effectiveness to change and transform all human affairs and to triumph over all human opposition. Through the word of the prophets God announces His will, and the immediate or subsequent fulfilment of that word is the clearest proof of the prophet’s claim and of the genuineness of his inspiration.

“ For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, so that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater: so shall my Word be that goeth out of my mouth; it shall not return to me

void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereunto I sent it.”—lIsa. lv. to, 11,

When the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus with the question: “Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” the answer of Jesus was simply to point to the effects wrought by His words :-—

“Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see:

the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed 202 [Page 203]BAHA’! PROPHECIES 203

and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them. And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me.”—Matt. xi. 4-6.

Let us now see what evidence there is to show whether the words of Baha’u’llah have this creative power which is distinctive of the word of God. Baha’u’llah commanded the abandonment of alcohol as a beverage, and ever since, the total abstinence movement has been making phenomenal progress throughout the world ; vested and other interests in the liquor traffic are still very strong, but they are tottering and falling before the irresistible advance of temperance. Baha'u'llah commanded the adoption of representative government, and ever since, in one country after another, the control of legislation has passed more and more into the hands of the elected representatives of the people ; the great military autocracies have collapsed in the most dramatic fashion, and there seems not the slightest prospect that they will ever be revived. He commanded limitation of the extremes of wealth and poverty, and ever since, legislation for the establishment of a minimum subsistence level and for graduated taxation of wealth have become more and more widely adopted. He commanded the abolition of both chattel and economic slavery, and ever since, the emancipation of the workers and their progress towards a position of partnership in industry have been steady and irresistible. He commanded equal rights and privileges for men and women, and ever since, the bonds by which women have been bound for ages have been snapping, and woman has fast been securing her rightful place as the equal and partner of man, He commanded the adoption of a universal language, and already Esperanto has been invented for the purpose, and is speedily securing worldwide recognition. He commanded the formation of a Universal League of Nations, and already surprising and substantial progress has been made towards the realization of such a League, while the conviction of its necessity is becoming general. He commanded the settlement of disputes between nations by an international arbitration court, and ever since, international arbitration has been more and more frequently resorted to, and its scope progressively widened. He commanded simultaneous reduction of armaments by agreement between the various Powers, and [Page 204]204 BAHA’U’LLAH AND THE NEW ERA

already a beginning has been made in that direction. He commanded universal education, and ever since, the countries of the world have, one after another, been adopting compulsory education and gradually raising their educational standards, “These instances might be multiplied and elaborated, but we do not know of a single instance in which it can be shown that a command of Baha’u’'llah has remained without effect in the world. Surely the evidence is irresistible that Baha’u’llah is a true revealer and exponent of the Divine Creative Will.

A study of the more detailed prophecies of Baha’u’llah and their fulfilment will give powerful corroborative evidence. Of these prophecies we shall now proceed to give a few examples, about the authenticity of which there can be no dispute. ‘They were widely published and known before their fulfilment came about. “The letters which he sent to the crowned heads of the world, in which many of these prophecies occur, were compiled in a book (Sératu’l Haykal) which was first published in Bombay over forty years ago. Several editions have since been published. We shall also give some examples of noteworthy prophecies by ‘Abdu’l-Baha.

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 Bah@’u’llah. The epistle contains the following stern warning :—

“Thy doings shall throw thy kingdom into confusion, sovereignty shall pass from thy hands, to requite thee for thy deeds, and thus thou shalt find thyself in grievous loss. Convulsions shall seize all peoples in yonder land, unless thou dost arise in this Cause and in this straight path follow the Spirit. Hath thy pomp made thee vain-glorious? By my life! It shall not endure, nay, it shall pass away, unless thou dost cling unto this strong cord. We behold abasement hastening upon thy heels and thou art yet of them that are 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 Weissenburg, [Page 205]BAHA’I PROPHECIES 205

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 fulfilment. In the Book of Agdas, which was begun in Adrianople, and finished in the early years of Bah&’u’llah’s imprisonment in ‘Akka, he addressed the Emperor of Germany as follows :—

“O King of Berlin! . . . Recollect the one who was greater than thee in station (ie. Napoleon III) and whose position was higher than thine. Where ishe? And where are his possessions? Be admonished, and be not of those who sleep. He cast the Tablet of God behind him, when We informed him of what had befallen Us from the hosts of oppression, and thus disgrace beset him from all sides until he returned to the dust in great loss. O King, think deeply concerning him, as well as about those like unto thee, those who conquered cities, and ruled over the servants of God—and God brought them down from palaces to graves. Be warned, and be of those who are mindful. .. .

“O Banks of the River Rhine! We have seen you drenched in gore because the swords of retribution were drawn against you and you shall have another turn. And we hear the lamentations of Berlin, although it be to-day in manifest glory.”

During the period of German successes in the Great War of 1914-18, 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 Baha’i Movement 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 Baha’ 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 Aqgdas written when the tyrannical Muzaffaru’dDin Shah was at the height of his power, Baha’u’llah blesses the [Page 206]206 #BAHA’U’LLAH AND THE NEW ERA

city of Tihran, which is the capital of Persia, and his own birthplace, and says of it :—

“O Land of Ta (Tihrin)! Be not sorrowful from any cause. God hath made thee the Dawning Place of the Joy of the world. If He will, He will bless thy throne with one who will rule with justice and gather together the sheep of God which have been scattered by the wolves. Verily he will treat the people of Baha with joy and gladness. Lo, he is of the essence of the people in the sight of God... .

Rejoice, for God hath made thee a Horizon of Light, because in thee was born the Dawning Place of the Manifestation. . . . Soon affairs will be changed in thee and a republic of men shall rule over thee. Verily thy Lord is the Wise, the Encompasser. Be assured of the Providence of thy Lord. Verily the Countenance of Grace will not cease to behold thee with the Eyes of Love. Soon peace will overtake thee after commotion (confusion or chaos). ‘Thus it hath been decreed in the Book of Wonders.”

_ 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 ‘Alt 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 . . . ere long

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. Ere long His wrath shall overtake thee, revolutions shall appear in your midst and your countries will be divided ! [Page 207]BAHA’l PROPHECIES. 207

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 ere long ye shall behold that which is written by the Pen of Command ” (see Star of the West, vol. ii, p. 3).

And to ‘Ali Pasha he wrote :—

“ O Ra’is (chief) Thou hast committed that which made Muhammad, the prophet of God, groan in the Supreme Paradise. "The world hath made thee proud, so much so that thou hast turned away from the Face through whose Light the people of the Celestial Concourse were 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 favoured ones of God... .

Didst thou think that thou couldst 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... , Soon the Land of Mystery (i.e. Adrianople) and others will be changed and will pass out of the hands of the King, and commotions shall appear, Jamentations shall arise, corruption shall appear in the districts and affairs will be in confusion because of what hath happened to those captives (Baha’u’llah and his companions) from the hosts of oppression. ‘The command will change and the conditions will become grievous to such an extent that the sands will be moaning on the desolate hills, the trees will be weeping on the mountains, and blood shall be flowing from all things, and the people shall be seen in great 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 matter, 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 Agdas he wrote :—

“O Point which liest on the shore of the two seas (i.e. Constantinople) ! The throne of injustice hath been fixed in thee, and in thee hath been kindled the fire of hatred in such wise that the Supreme Host lament thereat, and those who circle around the Lofty Throne. We behold in thee the foolish ruling over the wise, and the darkness exalting itself over the Light, and, verily, thou art in evident pride. Hath thine outward adornment rendered thee proud? Soon thou shalt perish, by the [Page 208]208 BAHA’U’LLAH AND THE NEW ERA

Lord of Creation! and thy daughters and widows and those peoples that are within thee shall lament. "Thus doth the Wise, the All-Knowing prophesy to thee.”

‘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, written about fifty years ago, Baha’u’llah appealed to America as follows :—

“O Rulers of America, Presidents, and Governors of the Republic therein. . . . Hear the call from the Dawning Place on High: There is no God but Me, the Speaker and the Omniscient: Bind up the broken limb with the hands of justice, and break the sound limb of the oppressor with the rod of the Command of your Lord, the Ruler, the Wise!”

‘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 Cincinatti, 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 untrammelled 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 jom 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.” —Svar of the West, vol. vi. p. 81.

The appeals of Baha’u’llah and ‘Abdul-Baha have already been responded to, in large measure, by the United States of America, and in no country of the world have the Baha’i teachings met with readier acceptance. The réle assigned to America, of summoning the nations to international peace, has as yet, however, been only partially played, and Baha'is are awaiting with interest the developments which the future has in store. [Page 209]BAHA’I PROPHECIES 209

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 1914-18. At Sacramento, California, on October 26, 1912, “Abdu’l-Baha said :—

“To-day 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 warnings. 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 Revelations. ‘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 general mélée of the civilized nations is in sight. A tremendous conflict isat 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).—Svar of the West, vol. v. p. 163.

Social Troubles After the War.

Both Baha’u’llah and ‘Abdu’l-Baha also foretold a period of great social upheaval, conflict and calamity as an inevitable result of the irreligion and prejudices, the ignorance and superstition, prevalent throughout the world. ‘The great international military conflict was but one phase of this upheaval. In a talk given

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in November 1919, at which the writer was present, ‘Abdu’lBaha said :—

“ After this war we hope that humanity will become awakened and will realize that there is no remedy for the world’s sickness except the Heavenly Teachings. For this war has become the cause of hatred. For instance, the Germans will not forget, the Austrians will not forget, the Bulgarians will not forget, the Turks will not forget. From one side there will arise the tumult of the socialists, from another the storm of the Bolshevists, from another the demands of labour, from another the antagonisms of nations, from another religious hatred, from another racial prejudice. It is clear what will happen. All of these are like dynamite. One day they will explode unless the Banner of Universal Peace be raised according to the Divine Teachings. But according to the Divine Teachings the Banner of Universal Peace must be raised by the Power of the Word of God. ‘The oneness of humanity must be established by the Power of the Holy Spirit. No matter how the politicians strive, their efforts cannot bring peace. Unaided human power is of no avail.

“Q.—Is the banner of universal peace going to be raised after this war?

“ 4—Not now. We cannot abolish war with war; it is like trying to cleanse a bloodstain with blood. ‘The nations of the world are like fighting-cocks. ‘They fight, fight, fight, until they are exhausted. ‘Then they stop and make peace. After they have rested awhile they go at it again !

“Q.—What about labour troubles throughout the world?

“ 4.—They will become worse. Fora time the workers may be pacified by concessions of increased wages, shorter hours, etc., but they will presently make greater demands. Ultimately they will go so far as to take possession of factories, etc., telling the owners: ‘ We shall give you a certain sum annually, say, one-tenth of the profits!’ ‘Times will become very difficult and troublesome. ‘There will be hardships for both capital and labour and a world shortage of production.”

In another talk a few days later he said :—

“ Baha’u’llah frequently predicted that there would be a period when irreligion and consequent anarchy would prevail. ‘The chaos will be due to too great liberty among people who are not ready for it, and in consequence there will have to be a temporary reversion to coercive govemment, in the interests of the people themselves and in order to prevent disorder and chaos.

“Tt is clear that each nation now wishes complete self-determination and freedom of action, but some of them are not ready for it. ‘The prevailing state of the world is one of irreligion, which is bound to result in anarchy and confusion. I have always said that the peace proposals [Page 211]BAHA’] PROPHECIES 211

following the great war were only a glimmer of the dawn, and not the sunrise.”

Coming of the Kingdom of God.

Amid these troublous times, however, the Cause of God will prosper, “The calamities caused by the selfish struggle for individual existence, or for party or sectarian or national gain, will induce the people to turn in despair to the remedy offered by the Word of God. ‘The more calamities abound, the more will the people turn to the only true remedy. Baha'u'llah says in his Epistle to the Shah :—

“God hath made afflictions as a morning shower to this green pasture, and as a wick for His Lamp, whereby earth and heaven are illumined. . . . Through affliction hath His Light shone and His Praise been bright unceasingly ; this hath been His method through past ages and bygone times.”

Both Bah@a’u’llah and ‘Abdu’l-Baha predict in the most confident terms the speedy triumph of spirituality over materiality and the consequent establishment of the Most Great Peace. ‘Abdu’lBaha wrote in 1904 :—

Know this, that hardships and misfortunes shall increase day

by day, and the people shall be distressed. ‘The doors of joy and happiness shall be closed on all sides. ‘Terrible wars shall happen. Disappointment and the frustration of hopes shall surround the people from every direction until they are obliged to tum to God. ‘Then the lights of great happiness shall enlighten the horizons, so that the cry of ‘Ya Baha’il-Abha!’ may arise on all sides.” (Tablet to L.D.B. quoted in Compilation on War and Peace, p. 187.)

When asked, in February 1914, whether any of the Great Powers would become believers, he replied :—

“All the people of the world will become believers. Should you compare the beginning of the Cause with its position to-day, you would see what a quick influence the Word of God has, and now the Cause of God has encompassed the world. . . . Unquestionably, all will come under the shadow of the Cause of God.”—8Star of the West, vol, ix. p. 31.

He declares that this consummation is near at hand and will come about during the present century. In an address to Theosophists in February 1913, he said :— [Page 212]212) BAHA’U’LLAH AND THE NEW ERA

“This Century is the Century of the Sun of Truth. This century is the Century of the establishment of the Kingdom of God upon the earth.” —Star of the West, vol. ix. p. 7.

In the last two verses of the Book of Daniel occur the cryptic words :—

“ Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the thousand, three hundred and thirty-five days. But go thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.”

Many have been the attempts of learned students to solve the problem of the significance of these words. In a table-talk at which the writer was present, ‘Abdu’l-Baha said :-—

“ These 1,335 days mean 1,335 solar years from the Hijrat.” (Flight of Muhammad from Medina to Mecca, marking the beginning of the Muhammadan era.)

As the Hijrat occurred in 622 a.p., the date referred to is, therefore, 1957 (i.e. 622 + 1,335) a.p. Asked: “ What shall we see at the end of the 1,335 days?” he replied :—

“ Universal Peace will be firmly established, a Universal language promoted. Misunderstandings will pass away. The Bahai Cause will be promulgated in all parts and the oneness of mankind established. Tt will be most glorious !”

‘Akka and Haifa.

Mirza Ahmad Sohrab records in his diary the following prophecy about ‘Akka and Haifa uttered by ‘Abdu’l-Baha while seated by the window of one of the Baha'i Pilgrim Homes at Haifa on February 14, 1914 :—

“The view from the Pilgrim Home is very attractive, especially as it faces the Blessed Tomb of Baha’u’llah. In the future the distance between ‘Akka and Haifa will be built up, and the two cities will join and clasp hands, becoming the two terminal sections of one mighty metropolis. As I look now over this scene, I see so clearly that it will become one of the first emporiums of the world. ‘This great semi-circular bay will be transformed into the finest harbour, wherein the ships of all nations will seek shelter and refuge. ‘The great vessels of all peoples will come to this port, bringing on their decks thousands and thousands of men and women from every part of the globe. ‘The mountain and the plain will be dotted with the most modem buildings and palaces. Industries [Page 213]BAHA’I PROPHECIES 213

will be established and various institutions of philanthropic nature will be founded. ‘The flowers of civilization and culture from all nations will be brought here to blend their fragrances together and blaze the way for the brotherhood of man. Wonderful gardens, orchards, groves and parks will be laid out on all sides. At night the great city will be lighted by electricity. ‘The entire harbour from ‘Akka to Haifa will be one path of illumination. Powerful searchlights will be placed on both sides of Mount Carmel to guide thesteamers. Mount Carmel itself, from top to bottom, will be submerged ina sea of lights. A person standing on the summit of Mount Carmel, and the passengers of the steamers coming to it, will look upon the most sublime and majestic spectacle of the whole world.

“From every part of the mountain the symphony of ‘ Ya Baha’ilAbha!’ will be raised, and before the daybreak soul-entrancing music accompanied by melodious voices will be uplifted towards the throne of the Almighty.

“Indeed, God’s ways are mysterious and unsearchable. What outward relation exists between Shiraz and Tihran, Baghdad and Constantinople, Adrianople and ‘Akka and Haifa? God worked patiently, step by step, through these various cities, according to His own definite and eternal plan, so that the prophecies and predictions as foretold by the prophets might be fulfilled. ‘This golden thread of promise concerning the Messianic Millennium runs through the Bible, and it was so destined that God in His own good time would cause its appearance. Not even a single word will be left meaningless and unfulfilled.”