Abstract:
Meanings of some of the verses of the Qur'an, as viewed from the perspective of the Writings of the Bahá'í Faith.
Notes:
See also an updated version prepared by Mike Thomas, in PDF or Microsoft Word format (2024).
Crossreferences:
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Chapter 7page 44
CHAPTER VII:WITNESS, HERALD OF GLAD TIDINGS, AND A WARNER O Prophet! we have sent thee to be a witness, and a herald of glad-tidings, and a warner;... In the verse from the Surih of the Confederates, God addresses the Prophet Muhammad. In that verse cited above from the Surih of the Cattle, the use of "We" is in reference to God, Who has sent Prophets and Apostles as "witnesses", "heralds of glad-tidings " and "warners ". Although the identification of "witness" seems to have been limited to the Prophet Muhammad and in the other verses only "herald" and "warner" are mentioned, the identification of "witness" applies to other Apostles of God. Muhammad was a witness to the Book that was the Evangel and the Torah, as the following testifies!1 And to thee we have sent down the Book of the Koran with truth, confirmatory of previous Scriptures, and their safeguard.
page 45 And Jesus Christ was a Witness as the following verse confirms: And in the footsteps of the prophets caused we Jesus, the son of Mary, to follow, confirming the law which was before him: and we gave him the Evangel with its guidance and light, confirmatory of the preceding Law; a guidance and warning to those who fear God. The verses give credence to the essential unity of the Prophets and Their Revelations, in that each confirmed the law of the previous Manifestations.2 Thus, Moses was truly an Apostle of God, and Jesus was sent by God to bear witness to the truth of His Revelation, as well as to give the Evangel to mankind. Then the Jews and the Christians engaged in mutual defamation: Moreover, the Jews say, "The Christians lean on nought:" "On nought lean the Jews," say the Christians: Yet both are readers of the Book. So with like words say they who have no knowledge. But Muhammad came and testified to the stations of Moses and Jesus, as well as to the divine origin of the Torah and the Evangel. From this it can be readily inferred that the next Manifestation from God would bear witness to Muhammad and the Qur'an, just as He was a witness for Those Who were before Him.3
page 46 Moreover, Muhammad, like the Prophets before Him, has warned that a terrible punishment will be the lot of those who refuse to accept the next Revelation, as foretold in the prophecies. All of the Prophets and Apostles of God are "heralds of glad-tidings", "announcers" and "warners", as announced and confirmed in the verses which open this chapter. It is important to reflect on the meaning behind this role of the Prophets of God, in the light of the Qur'an. In this connection, the following verses explain the meaning of "glad-tidings". "O Zachariah! verily we announce to thee [the glad- tidings of] a son,- - his name John: That name We have given to none before him. " John the Baptist and Jesus were Prophets of God, whose coming was heralded by God. Jesus was also an Apostle. Likewise, of all the twelve sons of Jacob, only Joseph was referred to with regard to "glad-tidings"4 in the Qur'an, because He was destined to become a Prophet.
page 47 That Muhammad was appointed by God as a "herald of glad tidings", "announcer" indicates that He was entrusted with a mission and would announce the advent of a future Prophet or Apostle of God. Muhammad and the Qur'an have announced the glad-tidings of the advent of the Mahdi and the return of Jesus Christ, Who are the Bab and Bahá'u'lláh.
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Views | 17249 views since posted 2003-09-06; last edit 2025-01-18 02:15 UTC; previous at archive.org.../mustafa_bahaullah_announcement_quran; URLs changed in 2010, see archive.org.../bahai-library.org |
Language | English |
Permission | editor and publisher |
History | Scanned 2002 by Duane Troxel; Formatted 2003 by Jonah Winters. |
Share | Shortlink: bahai-library.com/184 Citation: ris/184 |
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