Abú-Jalál
31 March 2026
(7) The Prophetic Cycle inaugurated by Adam
‘And we sent none, previous to thee, but men to whom we had revealed ourselves. Ask ye the people who are warned by Scriptures, if ye know it not
We gave them not bodies which could dispense with food: and they were not to live for ever.’
- Qur’ān 21:7 – 8
The Bible and the Qur’ān are agreed that the first Man was named Adam, and that Adam spoke with God, i.e. He was a Prophet. While the Qur’ān does not give a timeframe for when Adam lived, He appears in a sequence of Prophets, followed by Noah. The Bible, through its genealogies, gives a chronology of when Adam would have lived. According to Ussher, Adam was born in 4004 BC, which was based on a backwards calculation from the accession of the Babylonian king Amel-Marduk in 562 BC and an estimate that Christ was born in 5 BC and no later than 4 BC. The Jewish Anno Mundi calendar starts in a later year, i.e. the year 3761 BC, while the Creation Era of Constantinople begins further back, with Year One being 5509 BC, the difference being that the former is based on the Masoretic text of the Old Testament and the latter on the Septuagint. Another possibility is that Adam was born circa 3,959 BC, 3954 BC, 3,899 BC or other estimates. In any case, the time period from Adam to the present day is a period of roughly six thousand years. Within that time period, there were at least nine major religions which still exist (e.g. Hinduism, Sabianism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and the Bábí and Bahá’í Faiths), and numerous others that are lost to the sands of time (see the chart above). This six-thousand-year period can be called the ‘Prophetic Cycle’ or the ‘Adamic Cycle’, since it began with Adam.
While traditional Islamic belief holds that Muhammad is the final Prophet and that there can be no Prophet after Him, a different view was taken by Shaykh Ahmad al-Ahsā’ī (1753 - 1826), the founder of the Shaykhi School of Islām. According to Rafati (1979), Shaykhī belief held that ‘a prophetic cycle began with Adam and continued to the Prophet Muḥammad. During this Adamic cycle, six major prophets appeared: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muḥammad. While most Muslims believe that Muḥammad was the last Prophet, Shaykh Aḥmad maintains that he was the last Prophet only within this cycle… Shaykh Aḥmad’s view of Muḥammad as the final only within the Adamic cycle implies a continuing divine revelation through a succession of prophets in a series of cycles; while each cycle has a beginning and an end, the cyclic process itself is progressive and continuous.’ Furthermore, Shaykhīs believed that ‘the appearance of the Qā’im is the Day of Judgment. Thus, to say that Islam will last until the Day of Judgment is true in the sense that Islam will last until the Qā’im appears…
Rafati further explains that: ‘In the Day of Judgment as understood by Shaykh Aḥmad, revolutions, changes, and transformations will take place, but not in the way that people literally understand from the text. In this interpretation of the Day of Judgment, Shaykh Aḥmad attempts to reconcile intellect and revelation. The universe will not come to an end on the Day of Judgment; it has always existed and will continue to exist forever. What the Day of Judgment truly means is the advent of a new manifestation of God which puts an end to the course of its previous dispensation and opens a new cycle for human beings. As the Day of the advent of the promised Qā’im, the Day of Judgment will bring about changes in the social, moral, and religious life of the people; the values that have been applied for centuries will change, the principles and teachings of the previous religion will change, and a profound revolution will take place in all the various aspects of man’s activities’. The ‘Meeting with God’, moreover, is also to be understood in this context. Rafati writes that ‘he interprets the meeting with God described in the Qur’ān as “seeing” God with the heart. Seeing God would not be visually beholding God’s Essence, but rather seeing God’s manifestation. This is possible when man’s heart has faith in Him, His actions, works, and teachings… As for seeing God on the Day of Judgment, Shaykh Ahmad has another interpretation. As previously stated, on the basis of the Islamic Traditions, Shaykh Ahmad interprets the Day of Judgement as the Day of the advent of the expected Qā’im’. In other words, the coming of the Qā’im is the Day of Judgement, and the Qā’im Himself is a ‘Manifestation of God’. By attaining unto the presence of the Qā’im and believing Him, one has attained unto the presence of God and the ‘Meeting with God’ promised in the Qur’ān.
The teachings of these various Prophets and Messengers of God were revealed to numerous peoples and nations. In the time of Adam, religion was in the form of a seed. While the core of religion does not change, the teachings are revealed progressively over time as humanity develops. When Adam appeared in the 4th or 5th millennium BC, humanity was just beginning to develop civilization. Agriculture had begun, writing was being formed, and the first cities were beginning to develop. Thus, one of Adam’s sons, Cain, was a tiller of the soil, whereas another son, Abel, was a pastoralist. Cain murdered Abel and, due to the prohibition of murder, Cain was exiled for this crime. Each subsequent revelation introduced more advanced teachings, greater spiritual understandings, and new laws and practices. For example, Noah introduced the Noahide laws, also called the Noachian Laws or the ‘Seven Laws of Noah’. Abraham introduced other laws, including circumcision. Nevertheless, in His time, it was still permitted to marry one’s half-sister. He also appears to have abolished human sacrifice. Moses introduced a much more comprehensive system of laws, in the Torah, and Jesus abolished some of these while introducing other laws, such as a prohibition on divorce. Even within His Dispensation, the Apostles permitted Gentiles to become Christians without the need for circumcision and removed prohibitions on eating certain foods.
In the Qur’ān, Muhammad confirmed some of the laws of the Torah, while abolishing others and introducing new laws. Thus, each Messenger of God changed the laws and teachings of the past, introducing new ones and bringing a greater and greater measure of truth. Muhammad sealed this six-thousand-year period of prophecy and revelation. In doing so, He anticipated the coming of the Qā’im, who would be His own descendant and would open up a new cycle of fulfilment. The Prophetic Cycle, therefore, would end with Muhammad’s Dispensation, and was ‘sealed’ by Muhammad as the ‘Seal of the Prophets’, and the Qā’im would open up the new Cycle of Fulfilment—or, rather, the Qā’im would be the midway point, the Primal Point, between the two Cycles. The new Cycle, which would also embrace the Dispensation of the Qā’im, would be inaugurated by the Return of Christ, who would be the great Prophet and Messenger whose coming would fulfil all the religions of the past, and would usher in a new age that would eventually bring about the unity of mankind under the shadow of true Islām. The Qā’im and Promised One of Islām is Sayyid ‘Alī-Muhammad Shīrāzī, known as the Báb (the ‘Gate’), and the Return of Christ and Promised One of All Religions is Mīrzā Husayn-‘Alī Nūrī, known as Bahá’u’lláh (the ‘Splendour of God’ or ‘Glory of God’).
‘…Who bear in mind that they shall meet their Lord, and that unto Him shall they return.’- Qur’ān 2:46
‘He had seen Him [i.e. Gabriel, the Holy Spirit] also another time [nazla-t-an ’ukhrā, lit. ‘a second descent’], near the Sidrah-tree, which marks the boundary, [sidra-t-i l-muntahā, i.e. the Tree beyond which there is no passing, here signifying Bahá’u’lláh], near which is the garden of repose [janna-t-u ma’āwā, ‘the Garden of the Habitation/Dwelling/Abode/Resting-Place/Refuge’, i.e. the Presence of Bahá’u’lláh]. When the Sidrah-tree was covered with what covered it [i.e. it was veiled, meaning by the physical body of Bahá’u’lláh], His [i.e. Muhammad’s] eye turned not aside, nor did it wander! For he saw the greatest of the signs of his Lord [āyāt-i rabb-i-hi l-kubrā, lit. ‘the greatest verses/signs of His Lord’, meaning the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh)]!’
- Qur’ān 53:13 – 18
The sum of all of the above in this article is that there is ultimately only one religion, which is progressively revealed to mankind (called al-’islām [Submission (to God)], al-’amr [the Cause/Affair/Matter] or ad-dīn [the Faith/Religion] in the Qur’ān), that this process has neither beginning nor end, that no religion or revelation is final, that the Word of God can never be exhausted, that each Prophet who comes with a Book starts a new religious dispensation (meaning the time period when the laws and teachings of that Book are in force), that every religious dispensation and revelation is complete and perfected in and of itself, that there has been a 6,000-year-long Prophetic Cycle that was inaugurated by the Prophet Adam (peace be upon Him) and ended or sealed by the Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be peace), that Jesus Christ (peace be upon Him) brought the first truly universal religious dispensation, that Muhammad’s dispensation was also universal and intended for all mankind, that Muhammad came as a Mercy for all mankind, that the Qur’ān is the infallible Word of God for all mankind, that Muhammad emphasised that He would not be succeeded immediately by a Prophet, but instead by 12 deputies or ‘caliphs’ (also called the Twelve Imāms), that His religion would stand and be in force until the Day of Judgment, that the Day of Judgment means the coming of the Qā’im or Mahdī (the Promised One of Islām), that the Qā’im would end the Muhammadan Dispensation and reveal a new Book and Revelation, that the Islamic ‘ulamā’ of His time would be mostly evil, and the true knowledge of the Qur’ān would disappear, that the world would oppose Him (and reign for only 7, 9 or 19 years), that the Day of God will come suddenly and in a hidden way, that the Qā’im would be followed by the Return of Jesus Christ afterwards, that all Messengers of God who are ‘endowed with constancy’ [’ūlu l-‘aẓm] are pure Mirrors of God, that they can be called Manifestations of God, that they all manifest the Primal Will or Word of God, that they are all the Mouthpieces of God, that they are the Manifestations of the Beginning and the End—the Alpha and the Omega, and that they are each the return of all previous Prophets, that the Meeting with God or attainment unto the Presence of God means attainment unto the Presence of the Manifestation of God when He comes, that the Manifestation of God brings true spiritual life, and thus the resurrection and being ‘born again’, and that the only Way to God is through recognising the Manifestation of God, that the Qā’im or Mahdī or Twelfth Imām is Sayyid ‘Alī-Muhammad Shīrāzī—known as the Báb, and that the Return of Jesus Christ is Mīrzā Husayn-‘Alī Nūrī—known as Bahá’u’lláh, that Bahá’u’lláh is the Messenger of God for this day and age, that He is the Manifestation of God and Promised One of all religions, that He is the One anticipated in the Bible and the Qur’ān whose coming is the Day of God, the Day of Judgment and the Resurrection, that He will abolish holy war, and that true peace and happiness can only come from recognising Bahá’u’lláh and following His teachings. His religion will embrace all mankind; all people will eventually accept His Faith. The Qur’ān and Islam are fulfilled through Bahá’u’lláh, and to be a true muslim (with a lower-case ‘m’), i.e. to submit to the Will of God, is to recognise Bahá’u’lláh. To be faithful to the Qur’ān and Islam, one must accept and believe in Bahá’u’lláh.
To end this essay, we will look at some verses from the Qur’ān (about the coming of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh) and some verses from Bahá’u’lláh—the Promised One of all religions:
‘Establish regular prayers – at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night [ghasiqa l-layl = an abjad value of 1260, i.e. until the year 1260 AH / 1844 AD], and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony’.
– Qur’ān 17:78
‘He rules (all) affairs [al-’amr-a = an abjad value of 272, i.e. 272 lunar years from 610 AD to 260 AH] from the heavens to the earth: in the end will (all affairs) go up to Him, on a Day, the space whereof will be (as) a thousand years of your reckoning’ [i.e. from 260 AH, when the Affair, al-’amr, returned to God after the death of the 11th Imām, until the coming of the Qā’im in 1260 AH—a period of exactly 1,000 lunar years].
– Qur’ān 32:5
‘One day, the disturbing trumpet-blast [i.e. the coming of the Qā’im, the Báb] shall disturb it, which the second blast [i.e. the coming of Bahá’u’lláh] shall follow. Men's hearts on that day shall quake… Verily, it will be but a single blast’.
– Qur’ān 79:6 – 8, 13
‘Then it appeared good to them, even after they had seen the signs [al-’āyāt], to imprison [yasjununna-hu ‘secrete’, here meaning that the true Joseph would be hidden from Creation until revealed by God in 1863 AD] him [the True Joseph, i.e. Bahá’u’lláh] until a time [ḥattā ḥīn-i = an abjad value of 68, i.e. 1268 AH / October 1851 – October 1852 AD]’.
– Qur’ān 12:35
‘He [i.e. Bahá’u’lláh] is naught but a Remembrance for all the worlds [’in huwa ’illā dhikr-un li-l-‘ālamīna], and ye shall surely know of His Announcement after a time [i.e. after the year 68, or 1268 AH / 1852 AD, when Bahá’u’lláh received His Revelation in Tehran] [wa la-ta‘lamunna naba’-a-hu ba‘da ḥīn-i] (my translation).
– Qur’ān 38:87 – 88
‘When we sent two [i.e. Muhammad and the Báb] unto them and they charged them both with imposture - therefore with a third [i.e. Bahá’u’lláh] we strengthened them: and they said, "Verily we are the Sent unto you of God"’.
– Qur’ān 36:14
‘And there shall be a blast on the trumpet [i.e. the Báb], and all who are in the Heavens and all who are in the Earth shall expire [fa-ṣaʿiqa ‘then they will die’, i.e. spiritual death until they recognised the Báb], save those whom God shall vouchsafe to live [i.e. the Bábís]. Then shall there be another blast on it [i.e. Bahá’u’lláh], and lo! arising they shall gaze around them’ [i.e. Bahá’u’lláh’s coming is a second Resurrection].
– Qur’ān 39:68
‘Concerning the Great Announcement [i.e. Bahá’u’lláh] [‘an-i n-naba’-i l-‘aẓīm-i]! … Nay, they shall come to know [i.e. with the coming of the Báb] [kallā sa-ya‘lamūna]! Then again they shall come to know [i.e. with the coming of Bahá’u’lláh] [thumma sa-ya‘lamūna]! … On the day, the Spirit [i.e. Bahá’u’lláh] and the angels will stand in rows—they will not speak, except whom the Compassionate permits, and he will say that which is correct/just [yawm-a yaqūm-u r-rūḥ-u wa-l-malā’ika-t-u ṣaff-an lā yatakallamūna ’illā man ’adhina la-hu r-raḥmānu wa qāla ṣawāb-an]’ (my translation)
– Qur’ān 78:2, 5, 6, 38
‘And are they contemplating/observing until that God cometh [i.e. the coming of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh] in the canopies of the clouds [fī ẓulal-in min-a l-ghamām-i] and the Angels, and the Cause/religion is ended/consummated [wa quḍiya l-’amr-u], and to God return all things/affairs/causes’ [i.e. all religious Dispensations come to an end] (my translation)
– Qur’ān 2:210
‘And thy Lord [i.e. Bahá’u’lláh] shall come with the Angels rank on rank [wa jā’a rabb-u-ka wa l-malak-u ṣaff-an ṣaff-an]’ (my translation)
– Qur’ān 89:22
Bahá’u’lláh writes, and His Word is the Word of God:
‘Furthermore, it is evident to thee that the Bearers of the trust of God are made manifest unto the peoples of the earth as the Exponents of a new Cause and the Bearers of a new Message. Inasmuch as these Birds of the Celestial Throne are all sent down from the heaven of the Will of God, and as they all arise to proclaim His irresistible Faith, they therefore are regarded as one soul and the same person. For they all drink from the one Cup of the love of God, and all partake of the fruit of the same Tree of Oneness. These Manifestations of God have each a twofold station. One is the station of pure abstraction and essential unity. In this respect, if thou callest them all by one name, and dost ascribe to them the same attribute, thou hast not erred from the truth. Even as He hath revealed: “No distinction do We make between any of His Messengers!” For they one and all summon the people of the earth to acknowledge the Unity of God, and herald unto them the Kawthar of an infinite grace and bounty. They are all invested with the robe of Prophethood, and honoured with the mantle of glory. Thus hath Muḥammad, the Point of the Qur’án, revealed: “I am all the Prophets.” …
‘It is clear and evident to thee that all the Prophets are the Temples of the Cause of God, Who have appeared clothed in divers attire. If thou wilt observe with discriminating eyes, thou wilt behold them all abiding in the same tabernacle, soaring in the same heaven, seated upon the same throne, uttering the same speech, and proclaiming the same Faith. Such is the unity of those Essences of being, those Luminaries of infinite and immeasurable splendour. Wherefore, should one of these Manifestations of Holiness proclaim saying: “I am the return of all the Prophets,” He verily speaketh the truth. In like manner, in every subsequent Revelation, the return of the former Revelation is a fact, the truth of which is firmly established. Inasmuch as the return of the Prophets of God, as attested by verses and traditions, hath been conclusively demonstrated, the return of their chosen ones also is therefore definitely proven. This return is too manifest in itself to require any evidence or proof. For instance, consider that among the Prophets was Noah. When He was invested with the robe of Prophethood, and was moved by the Spirit of God to arise and proclaim His Cause, whoever believed in Him and acknowledged His Faith, was endowed with the grace of a new life. Of him it could be truly said that he was reborn and revived, inasmuch as previous to his belief in God and his acceptance of His Manifestation, he had set his affections on the things of the world, such as attachment to earthly goods, to wife, children, food, drink, and the like, so much so that in the day-time and in the night season his one concern had been to amass riches and procure for himself the means of enjoyment and pleasure. Aside from these things, before his partaking of the reviving waters of faith, he had been so wedded to the traditions of his forefathers, and so passionately devoted to the observance of their customs and laws, that he would have preferred to suffer death rather than violate one letter of those superstitious forms and manners current amongst his people. Even as the people have cried: “Verily we found our fathers with a faith, and verily, in their footsteps we follow.”’
‘Beware lest any name debar you from Him Who is the Possessor of all names, or any word shut you out from this Remembrance of God, this Source of Wisdom amongst you. Turn unto God and seek His protection, O concourse of divines, and make not of yourselves a veil between Me and My creatures. Thus doth your Lord admonish you, and command you to be just, lest your works should come to naught and ye yourselves be oblivious of your plight. Shall he who denieth this Cause be able to vindicate the truth of any cause throughout creation? Nay, by Him Who is the Fashioner of the universe! Yet the people are wrapped in a palpable veil. Say: Through this Cause the day-star of testimony hath dawned, and the luminary of proof hath shed its radiance upon all that dwell on earth. Fear God, O men of insight, and be not of those who disbelieve in Me. Take heed lest the word “Prophet” withhold you from this Most Great Announcement, or any reference to “Vicegerency” debar you from the sovereignty of Him Who is the Vicegerent of God, which overshadoweth all the worlds. Every name hath been created by His Word, and every cause is dependent on His irresistible, His mighty and wondrous Cause. Say: This is the Day of God, the Day on which naught shall be mentioned save His own Self, the omnipotent Protector of all worlds. This is the Cause that hath made all your superstitions and idols to tremble.
‘We, verily, see amongst you him who taketh hold of the Book of God and citeth from it proofs and arguments wherewith to repudiate his Lord, even as the followers of every other Faith sought reasons in their Holy Books for refuting Him Who is the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Say: God, the True One, is My witness that neither the Scriptures of the world, nor all the books and writings in existence, shall, in this Day, avail you aught without this, the Living Book, Who proclaimeth in the midmost heart of creation: “Verily, there is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”
‘O concourse of divines! Beware lest ye be the cause of strife in the land, even as ye were the cause of the repudiation of the Faith in its early days. Gather the people around this Word that hath made the pebbles to cry out: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Dawning-place of all signs!” Thus doth your Lord admonish you, as a bounty on His part; He, of a truth, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.’
‘VERILY I say, this is the Day in which mankind can behold the Face, and hear the Voice, of the Promised One. The Call of God hath been raised, and the light of His countenance hath been lifted up upon men. It behoveth every man to blot out the trace of every idle word from the tablet of his heart, and to gaze, with an open and unbiased mind, on the signs of His Revelation, the proofs of His Mission, and the tokens of His glory.
‘Great indeed is this Day! The allusions made to it in all the sacred Scriptures as the Day of God attest its greatness. The soul of every Prophet of God, of every Divine Messenger, hath thirsted for this wondrous Day. All the divers kindreds of the earth have, likewise, yearned to attain it. No sooner, however, had the Day Star of His Revelation manifested itself in the heaven of God’s Will, than all, except those whom the Almighty was pleased to guide, were found dumbfounded and heedless.’
‘By Him Who is the Great Announcement! The All-Merciful is come invested with undoubted sovereignty. The Balance hath been appointed, and all them that dwell on earth have been gathered together. The Trumpet hath been blown, and lo, all eyes have stared up with terror, and the hearts of all who are in the heavens and on the earth have trembled, except them whom the breath of the verses of God hath quickened, and who have detached themselves from all things.
‘This is the Day whereon the earth shall tell out her tidings. The workers of iniquity are her burdens, could ye but perceive it. The moon of idle fancy hath been cleft, and the heaven hath given out a palpable smoke. We see the people laid low, awed with the dread of thy Lord, the Almighty, the Most Powerful. The Crier hath cried out, and men have been torn away, so great hath been the fury of His wrath. The people of the left hand sigh and bemoan. The people of the right abide in noble habitations: they quaff the Wine that is life indeed, from the hands of the All-Merciful, and are, verily, the blissful.
‘The earth hath been shaken, and the mountains have passed away, and the angels have appeared, rank on rank, before Us. Most of the people are bewildered in their drunkenness and wear on their faces the evidences of anger. Thus have We gathered together the workers of iniquity. We see them rushing on towards their idol. Say: None shall be secure this Day from the decree of God. This indeed is a grievous Day. We point out to them those that led them astray. They see them, and yet recognize them not. Their eyes are drunken; they are indeed a blind people. Their proofs are the calumnies they uttered; condemned are their calumnies by God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. The Evil One hath stirred up mischief in their hearts, and they are afflicted with a torment that none can avert. They hasten to the wicked, bearing the register of the workers of iniquity. Such are their doings.
‘Say: The heavens have been folded together, and the earth is held within His grasp, and the corrupt doers have been held by their forelock, and still they understand not. They drink of the tainted water, and know it not. Say: The shout hath been raised, and the people have come forth from their graves, and arising, are gazing around them. Some have made haste to attain the court of the God of Mercy, others have fallen down on their faces in the fire of Hell, while still others are lost in bewilderment. The verses of God have been revealed, and yet they have turned away from them. His proof hath been manifested, and yet they are unaware of it. And when they behold the face of the All-Merciful, their own faces are saddened, while they are disporting themselves. They hasten forward to Hell Fire, and mistake it for light. Far from God be what they fondly imagine! Say: Whether ye rejoice or whether ye burst for fury, the heavens are cleft asunder, and God hath come down, invested with radiant sovereignty. All created things are heard exclaiming: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”’
I understand that the above is a weighty message (qawl-an thaqīl-an), but God’s message usually is. I hope, nevertheless, that I have adequately demonstrated to the reader the true meaning(s) of Seal of the Prophets, which does not mean that Muhammad (peace be upon Him) is the last Prophet, any more than He is the first Prophet, or all the Prophets. Likewise, I have, inshā’allāh, demonstrated that there is no finality in religion, because there is no finality in God’s Word and Revelation. Just as God is eternal and has neither beginning nor end, His creation has neither beginning nor end, because He is the Creator. Likewise, God’s way (His sunnah) never changes, so He will not change His method of guiding mankind. All of God’s attributes indicate permanent actions and qualities of God. Thus, even as God is Beauty, Light and Truth, He is also the Creator, the Sender of the Messengers, and the Lord of the Worlds. Just as the Creator indicates that His creation has no beginning, nor any end, likewise His being the Sender means that He has always sent Messengers, sends Messengers, and will always send Messengers of God. There is no first Messenger of God, neither can there be a last Messenger of God. Even as there is an Adam, there is an Adam before Adam, and an Adam before that Adam. There is thus no First Prophet, even as there is no Last Prophet. Every Prophet is the First and the Last, the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega, because each is the Mirror of that Primal Will that comes from God—His co-eternal Word (Logos, Kalimah). And as God is the Lord of the Worlds, His Revelation is not limited to Earth, this system, this galaxy, or even this known universe. Therefore, the idea that religion can ever end, or that there can be a ‘Last Day’ that is truly final, or a Final Judgement that ends all things, is illogical. For there will always be more planets, more worlds, more galaxies, more ‘universes’ where God’s Will and His Revelation continue. The Word of God, like the examples above from Bahá’u’lláh’s Writings, is the supreme Proof of the Messenger of God. Bahá’u’lláh is the supreme Manifestation of God and the Messenger of God for this Day and Age. If my essay has not proven this to you already, there is much more for you to read and study but, suffice it to say, the proofs of His Revelation are manifest and self-evident. As Bahá’u’lláh says:
‘Say: The first and foremost testimony establishing His truth is His own Self. Next to this testimony is His Revelation. For whoso faileth to recognize either the one or the other He hath established the words He hath revealed as proof of His reality and truth. This is, verily, an evidence of His tender mercy unto men. He hath endowed every soul with the capacity to recognize the signs of God. How could He, otherwise, have fulfilled His testimony unto men, if ye be of them that ponder His Cause in their hearts. He will never deal unjustly with any one, neither will He task a soul beyond its power. He, verily, is the Compassionate, the All-Merciful’.
‘Know thou of a certainty that the Unseen can in no wise incarnate His Essence and reveal it unto men. He is, and hath ever been, immensely exalted beyond all that can either be recounted or perceived. From His retreat of glory His voice is ever proclaiming: “Verily, I am God; there is none other God besides Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. I have manifested Myself unto men, and have sent down Him Who is the Day Spring of the signs of My Revelation. Through Him I have caused all creation to testify that there is none other God except Him, the Incomparable, the All-Informed, the All-Wise.” He Who is everlastingly hidden from the eyes of men can never be known except through His Manifestation, and His Manifestation can adduce no greater proof of the truth of His Mission than the proof of His own Person’.
He is the Promised One! For more information on Bahá’u’lláh, see Bahaullah.org, and read HM Balyuzi’s book, Bahá’u’lláh: The King of Glory. Also, check out my short page on the life of Bahá’u’lláh here, and for more information on the Bahá’í Faith, see Bahai.org and John Esslemont's book, Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era. Also, check out my page, Nick’s Bahá’í FAQ). You can find the Bahá’í Writings at the Bahá’í Reference Library. I would also recommend watching the excellent free videos: Dawn of the Light, about the life of the Báb, and Light to the World, about the life of Bahá’u’lláh. Also, read my article on the “Meaning of the Return of Jesus Christ”, which is closely related to this article and an essential companion to it.
Further religious articles that I’ve written, mainly on the topic of religion, Islam and the Qur’án, are below:
“The Meaning of the Return of Jesus Christ” (2025)
“The Qur’ān’s Arguments for Belief in God” (2015)
“A response to Stephen Fry’s condemnation of God” (2015)
“Is Allāh the Arabic Word for God?” (2015)
“5 Reasons the Qur’ān and US Constitution Can Coexist” (2015) (A response to Steven Crowder’s blog post: ‘5 Reasons The Qur’an Can Never “Coexist” With the Constitution... Ever’.)
“A response to Ricky Gervais and his arguments about God and religion” (2017)
“A Response to Jordan Peterson’s Comments on Islam” (2018)
If you want to follow me on X, my account is @Nicholas19. I also have another blog on Medium (https://nicholasbridgewater.medium.com/).
Khodā Hāfez (May God be your Protector)!
Abú-Jalál
Go back to Part 2; go back to Part 1.
Bibliography
General
The King James Bible (1611). Available online at: https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/ (accessed 4 January 2026)
Geneva Bible (1599). Available online at: http://www.genevabible.org/geneva.html (accessed 4 January 2026)
‘Abdu’l-Bahá (1912) The Promulgation of Universal Peace (Wilmette, Illinois: Bahá’í Publishing Trust). Available online at: https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/promulgation-universal-peace/ (accessed 10 February 2026)
Abdu’l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions (Wilmette, Illinois: Bahá’í Publishing Trust). Available online at: https://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/SAQ/index.html (accessed 10 January 2026)
Ayatollah Ibrahimi Amini (author), Dr. Sachedina al-Mahdi (translator) al-Imām al-Mahdī: The Just Leader of Humanity (Qum, Iran: Ansariyan Publications). Available online at: https://al-islam.org/al-imam-al-mahdi-just-leader-humanity-ibrahim-amini/chapter-14-signs-appearance-zuhur-mahdi ; https://al-islam.org/printpdf/book/export/html/13072 (accessed 8 February 2026)
حضرة بهاء الله, الفرائض والتعاليم الفردية - مدّة الدور البهائي (Duration of Bahá’í Dispensation). Available online at: https://oceanoflights.org/009-ord-duration-of-the-bahai-dispensation-ar/ (accessed 26 December 2025)
Bahá’u’lláh (author) Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh (Wilmette, Illinois: Bahá’í Publishing Trust). Available online at: https://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/GWB/ (accessed 3 January 2026)
Bahá’u’lláh, The Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Most Holy Book) (Wilmette, Illinois: US Bahá’í Publishing Trust). Available online at: https://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/KA/ (accessed 3 January 2025)
Bahá’u’lláh (author) The Kitáb-i-Íqán: The Book of Certitude (Wilmette, Illinois: Bahá’í Publishing Trust). Available online at: https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/kitab-i-iqan/ (accessed 29 December 2025)
Bahá’u’lláh (author) Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh (Wilmette, Illinois: US Bahá’í Publishing Trust). Available online at: https://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/PB/index.html (accessed 10 January 2026)
Bahá’u’lláh (author) Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Wilmette, Illinois: US Bahá’í Publishing Trust). Available online at: https://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/TB/ (accessed 3 January 2026)
HM Balyuzi (1980) Bahá’u’lláh: The King of Glory (Oxford: George Ronald). Available online at: https://bahai-library.com/balyuzi_bahaullah_king_glory (accessed 3 January 2026)
Abú-Rayhán Muhammad ibn Ahmad Al-Bírúní (author), Dr. C. Edward Sachau (translator) (1879) The Chronology of Ancient Nations, An English version of the Arabic Text of the Athâr-ul-Bâkiya of Albîrûnî, or “Vestiges of the Past,” collected and reduced to writing by the author in A.H. 390-1, A.D. 1000 (London: W.H. Allen & Co)
John Calvin (1536), Henry Beveridge (translator) (1845) The Institutes of the Christian Religion (Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library), Chapter 9, p. 90. Available online at: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/c/calvin/institutes/cache/institutes.pdf (accessed 25 January 2026)
Shoghi Effendi (1953) Messages to the Bahá’í World: 1950–1957 (Wilmette, Illinois: US Bahá’í Publishing Trust) (1971 edition). Available online at: https://bahai-library.com/shoghi-effendi_messages_bahai_world (accessed 10 February 2026)
Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh (Wilmette, Illinois: US Bahá’í Publishing Trust). Available online at: https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/shoghi-effendi/world-order-bahaullah/ (accessed 10 February 2026)
John E. Esslemont (1923) Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era (London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd). Available online at: https://www.bahai.org/library/other-literature/publications-individual-authors/bahaullah-new-era/ (accessed 3 January 2026)
Flavius Josephus (author), William Whiston (translator) (1737) The Genuine Works of Flavius Josephus the Jewish Historian Translated from the Original Greek (London), Antiquities of the Jews. Available online at: https://penelope.uchicago.edu/josephus/index.html (accessed 22 December 2025)
Denis Martin MacEoin (2009) The Messiah of Shiraz: Studies in Early and Middle Babism (London, Boston: Brill)
Moojan Momen (2000) Islam and the Bahá’í Faith (Kidlington, Oxford: George Ronald)
Muhammad Mustafa (author), Rowshan Mustafa (translator) (1993) Bahá’u’lláh: The Great Announcement of the Qur’an (Dhaka, Bangladesh: Bahá’í Publishing Trust). Available online at: https://bahai-library.com/mustafa_bahaullah_announcement_quran (accessed 1 January 2026)
R.H. Charles Oxford (1913) The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English (Oxford: The Clarendon Press). Available online at: https://www.ccel.org/c/charles/otpseudepig/enoch/ENOCH_2.HTM ; https://archive.org/details/apocryphapseudep02charuoft/page/i/mode/1up (accessed 1 January 2026)
William Sears (1961) Thief in the Night: The Case of the Missing Millennium (Oxford: George Ronald). Available online at: https://bahai-library.com/pdf/s/sears_thief_night.pdf (accessed 29 December 2025)
Gook K.S. Shavakshal (1976) Zoroastrianism: The Parsi Faith, p. 148. Available online at: https://www.tparents.org/Library/Unification/Books/WorldRel1/WorldRel1-2.pdf (accessed 29 December 2025)
Abu Ja'far Muhammad Bin Jarir At-Tabari (author), Ismail K. Poonawala (translator) (1990) The History of al-Tabari, Volume IX: The Last Years of the Prophet (Albany, New York: State University of New York Press)
Najmuddin Tabasi (author), Mansoor L. Limba (translator) (2003) An Overview of the Mahdi’s (‘atfs) Government, “The Government of Truth” (Ahlul Bayt World Assembly), Al-Islam.org. Available online at: https://al-islam.org/overview-mahdis-atfs-government-najmuddin-tabasi/government-truth (accessed 3 January 2026)
Martin Litchfield West (2010) The Hymns of Zoroaster: A New Translation of the Most Ancient Sacred Texts of Iran (I.B.Tauris)
Articles
NJ Bridgewater (2002) “Nick’s Frequently Asked Questions About the Bahá’í Faith”. Available online at: https://web.archive.org/web/20251102090959/https://klausjames.tripod.com/bahai.html (accessed 3 January 2026)
NJ Bridgewater (2004) “Nick’s Frequently Asked Questions about the Bahá’í Faith (Part Three): Founders of the Divine Religions”, BAHÁ’U’LLÁH. Available online at: https://web.archive.org/web/20230605102402/https://klausjames.tripod.com/bahai3bahaullah.html (accessed 3 January 2026)
NJ Bridgewater (2009) “Arabic Influence on Persian: The extent to which the Persian language has been influenced by the Arabic language”, BA Dissertation (University of Manchester), 15 May 2009
NJ Bridgewater (2015) “Is Allah the Arabic Word for God?” Crossing the Bridge, 20 December 2015. Available online at: https://nicholasjames19.blogspot.com/2015/12/is-allah-arabic-word-for-god.html (accessed 25 December 2025)
NJ Bridgewater (2025) “The Meaning of the Return of Jesus Christ”, Crossing the Bridge, 20 December 2025. Available online at: https://nicholasjames19.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-meaning-of-return-of-jesus-christ.html (accessed 22 December 2025)
Christopher Eames (2022) “967 B.C.E.: How the Lynchpin Date for Solomon’s Temple Was Determined”, Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology, 23 April 2022. Available online at: https://armstronginstitute.org/685-967-bce-how-the-lynchpin-date-for-solomons-temple-was-determined#:~:text=Beyond%20that%2C%20Coucke%20noted%20the,1%20Kings%206:1 (accessed 30 December 2025)
Farhan Iqbal (2025) “Meanings of the word Khatam from Arabic dictionaries”, Al-Islam.org. Available online at: https://www.alislam.org/articles/meanings-of-word-khatam-from-arabic-dictionaries/ (accessed 28 December 2025)
Tafsir Ibn Katheer in English”. Available online at: https://surahquran.com/tafsir-english-aya-40-sora-33.html (accessed 28 December 2025)
Stephen Lambden (2006) “TB Lawh-i-zuhur Introductory Notes”, Hurqalya Publications: Center for Shaykhī and Bābī-Bahā’ī Studies, UC Merced, last partially revised 27th March 2015 + 10-12-2022 (accessed 26 December 2025)
“Maimonides’ Thirteen Principles of the Faith”, translated by David R. Blumenthal. Available online at: http://davidblumenthal.org/Maimonides'%20Principles%20(DRB)%20.pdf (accessed 22 December 2025)
Natasha Pajda (2011/12) “The Essenes at Qumran: The Concept of a Suffering Messiah” (Research Paper). Available online at: https://cpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/sites.stedwards.edu/dist/9/186/files/2011/12/qumran-messiah-research-paper.pdf (accessed 22 December 2025)
Vahid Rafati (1979) The Development of Shaykhī Thought in Shī‘ī Islam, A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Islamic Studies (University of California, Los Angeles, 1979), p. 169. Available online at: https://bahai-library.com/pdf/r/rafati_development_shaykhi_thought.pdf (accessed 31 December 2025)
A. Shapur Shahbazi (1977) ‘The 'Traditional Date of Zoroaster' Explained’ (Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, 1977, Vol. 40, No. 1 (1977), pp. 25-35)
Ismael Velasco (2020) “Reflections on Baha'u'llah's Claims to Being the Return of Imam Husayn”, 2020-06, Bahá’í Library Online (work in progress). Available online at: https://bahai-library.com/velasco_bahaullah_return_husayn (accessed 3 January 2026)
Brian Windle (2022) “Top Ten Discoveries Related to Moses and the Exodus”, Associates for Biblical Research, 29 July 2022. Available online at: https://biblearchaeology.org/research/chronological-categories/exodus-era/4919-top-ten-discoveries-related-to-moses-and-the-exod (accessed 30 December 2025)
Qur’ān Translations
Abdullah Yusuf Ali (translator) (1934, reprinted 2010) The Holy Qur’an: Translation & Commentary (Birmingham, England: IPCI: Islamic Vision). Available online at: https://sacred-texts.com/isl/yaq/index.htm (accessed 10 January 2026)
Edward Henry Palmer (translator) (1880) The Qur'ân (Oxford: Clarendon Press). Available online at: https://sacred-texts.com/isl/sbe06/index.htm (accessed 10 January 2026)
Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall (translator) (1938) The Meaning of the Glorious Koran (Hyderabad-Deccan: Government Central Press). Available online at: https://sacred-texts.com/isl/pick/index.htm (accessed 10 January 2026)
J.M. Rodwell (translator) (1876) Available online at: https://sacred-texts.com/isl/qr/index.htm (accessed 10 January 2026)
Sale Available online at:
Hadith Sources / References
‘Aqd ad-Durar, p. 239
‘Ayyashi, Tafsir ‘Ayyashi, vol. 2, p. 326
Muhammad-Bāqir al-Majlisī, Biḥār-u l-’Anwār, vol. 25, p. 16; vol. 108, p. 253; vol. 52, p. 363; vol. 52, p. 354; chapter 5; vol. 52, p. 298; vol. 51, p. 1
Dala’il al-Imamah, p. 233
Ad-Durr al-Manthūr, vol. 5, p. 204
Imam Ahmad, At-Tabarani, Ibn Hibban, Al-Haakim, Al-Albany
Firdaws al-Akhbar, vol. 4, p. 6
Jāmi‘ al-Bayān, vol. 6, p. 183
Jami`at-Tirmidhi 3730, Book 49, Hadith 127; 2202; Vol. 1, Book 46, Hadith 3731; Vol. 1, Book 46, Hadith 3788
Al-Ghaybah by al-Nu‘mani, p. 331
Kashf al-Ghummah, vol. 3, p. 271
Ibn Batriq, ‘Umdah, p. 439
Ibn Tawus, Malahim, p. 142
Ikhtisas, p. 257
Ithbat al-hudat, Vol. 7, p. 83; p. 110,
al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir by al-Tabarani, vol. 8, p. 101
Ar-Rāzī, At-Tafsīr al-Kabīr, vol. 25, p. 214
Riyad as-Salihin 655
Sahih al-Bukhari 3455, Book 60, Hadith 122; Vol. 1, No. 668, Book of Prophets, p. 490
Sahih Muslim 1822a; 1821d; 1821e
Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4284
Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4285
Sunan Ibn Majah 4039; 4048; 4083
Sunan an-Nasa’i 2874
Al-Ghaybah by al-Tusi, p. 479
Az-Zamakhsharī, al-Kashshāf, vol. 2, p. 433
Yanabi‘ al-Mawaddah, p. 432
Wikipedia / Reference Works
Anno Mundi (Wikipedia article). Available online at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anno_Mundi (accessed 30 December 2025)
The Bahá’í Faith: The Official Website of the Worldwide Bahá’í Community”. Available online at: https://www.bahai.org/ (accessed 3 January 2026)
“Bible Timeline”, Bible Hub. Available online at: https://biblehub.com/timeline/old.htm (accessed 30 December 2025)
“The Biblical Timeline”. Available online at: https://www.thebiblicaltimeline.org/articles-videos/before-abraham/ (accessed 31 December 2025)
“The Chronological Debate From Adam to Abraham: In Defense of the Masoretic Text”, Armstrong Institute of Biblical Chronology, 27 June 2023. Available online at: https://armstronginstitute.org/853-the-chronological-debate-from-adam-to-abraham-in-defense-of-the-masoretic-text (accessed 30 December 2025)
“Code: 105, Subject: Existence, attributes, and actions of the Mahdi”, ‘Question & Answer’, The website of Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani. Available online at: https://www.alkhorasani.com/en/q-a/3253/ (accessed 3 January 2026)
Daena (Wikipedia article). Available online at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daena (accessed 26 December 2025)
“Estimating Joseph’s Timeline”. Available online at: https://ready4eternity.com/estimating-josephs-timeline/ (accessed 31 December 2025)
“Good question... ...Was Terah 70 or 130 when Abraham was born?”, A Christian Think Tank, updated Nov/2005. Available online at: https://www.christian-thinktank.com/abebirth.html (accessed 31 December 2025)
History of Sumer (Wikipedia article). Available online at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Sumer (accessed 8 February 2026).
Homoousion (Wikipedia article). Available online at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homoousion (accessed 25 January 2026)
Edward William Lane, Stanley Lane-Poole (1863) An Arabic-English Lexicon (London: Williams and Norgate)
Muhammad’s first revelation (Wikipedia article). Available online at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad%27s_first_revelation (accessed 26 December 2025)
Seven Laws of Noah (Wikipedia article). Available online at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Laws_of_Noah (accessed 8 February 2026)
Quranic Arabic Corpus, Quran Dictionary, ‘s-l-m’. Available online at: https://corpus.quran.com/qurandictionary.jsp?q=slm (accessed 25 December 2025)
Rev. James Ussher (1658) The Annals of the World deduced from The Origin of Time, and continued to the beginning of the Emperor Vespasians Reign, and the total Destruction and Abolition of the Temple and Common-wealth of the Jews (London: E. Tyler). See: https://www.swartzentrover.com/cotor/e-books/christ/ussher/ussher_age3.htm (accessed 26 December 2025)
Ussher chronology (Wikipedia article). Available online at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ussher_chronology (accessed 30 December 2025)
Hans Wehr, J. Milton Cowan (1979) A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic (4th edition, Harrosowitz)
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