Footnotes

[1.]

On the idea of God, cf. “The Divinity Can Only Be Comprehended through the Divine Manifestations,” p. 146; and “Man’s Knowledge of God,” p. 220.

The reader will there see that the Bahá’í Faith has not an anthropomorphic conception of God, and that if it employs a customary terminology, it is careful to explain its symbolic meaning.

Cf. Gen. 1:26.

Divine Manifestations are the founders of religions. Cf. “Two Classes of Prophets,” p. 164.

The Báb’s descent was from Muḥammad.

Cf. John 6:42.

The Banú-Tamím, one of the most barbarous Arab tribes, practiced this odious custom.

To Medina.

Of ‘Umar.

Cf. Jurjí Zaydán’s Umayyads and Abbasids, trans. D. S. Margoliouth.

Copernicus.

Cf. Qur’án 36:37.

Cf. Qur’án 36:38.

Galileo.

The Báb is here designated by His title Ḥaḍrat-i-A‘lá, His Supreme Highness; but for the convenience of the reader we shall continue to designate Him by the name under which He is known throughout Europe—i.e., the Báb.

Doctors of the religion of Islám.

Jamál-i-Mubárak, the Blessed Beauty, the title which is here given to Bahá’u’lláh. He is also called Jamál-i-Qidám, the Preexistent, or Ancient Beauty. But we shall designate Him as Bahá’u’lláh, the title by which He is known in the West.

Exiled first to Baghdád, then to Constantinople, then to Adrianople, He was imprisoned in Akká (Acre), “the Greatest Prison,” in 1868.

The penetrating judgment of Bahá’u’lláh upon this occasion overcame the malignity of His enemies, who, it was certain, would never agree in choosing what miracle to ask for.

‘Iráq; as opposed to that district of Írán known then as ‘Iráq-i-‘Aẓam and now called Arák.

Adrianople.

Napoleon III.

One of Bahá’u’lláh’s works written after His declaration.

Son of a French Consul in Syria with whom Bahá’u’lláh had friendly relations.

Name given to the epistles of Bahá’u’lláh.

Valí.

Cf. p. 30, n. 1. In giving such importance to this example of the good sense of Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá means to emphasize the uselessness of miracles as a proof of the truth of the Manifestations of God. Cf. “Miracles,” p. 100.

A cry used as a declaration of faith by the Bahá’ís, literally, “Oh Thou the Glory of Glories!”

Bahá’u’lláh.

Akká.

Cf. “Miracles,” p. 100.

See Dan. 9:24.

Cf. Num. 14:34.

Cf. Dan. 12:6–7.

The reference appears in verses 11 and 12.

Varaqat-Ibn-Nawfal, Khadíjah’s cousin.

The year 1290 from the proclamation of the mission of Muḥammad was the year 1280 of the Hejira, or 1863–64 of our era. It was at this epoch (April 1863) that Bahá’u’lláh, on leaving Baghdád for Constantinople, declared to those who surrounded Him that He was the Manifestation announced by the Báb.

It is this declaration which the Bahá’ís celebrate by the Feast of Ridván, this name being that of the garden at the entrance of the city, where Bahá’u’lláh stayed during twelve days, and where He made the declaration.

Rev. 11:3.

This sentence is the Persian translation of the Arabic text of the Qur’án which has been quoted.

Rev. 11:4.

Cf. Rev. 11:5.

Rev. 11:6.

Cf. Rev. 11:6.

Rev. 11:7.

Cf. Rev. 11:7.

Rev. 11:8.

Rev. 11:9.

Another name for the Qur’án, signifying the Distinction.

Cf. Rev. 11:10.

Cf. Rev. 11:11.

Ḥájí Mullá Muḥammad-Alíy-i-Barfúrúshí, one of the chief disciples of the Báb and one of the nineteen Letters of the Living.

Rev. 11:12.

The Báb and Jináb-i-Quddús.

Rev. 11:12.

Cf. Rev. 11:13.

Rev. 11:14.

Ez. 30:1–3.

Rev. 11:15.

Rev. 11:16–17.

i.e., His most complete manifestation.

Rev. 11:18.

Cf. Rev. 11:18.

Rev. 11:19.

One of the works of Bahá’u’lláh, in which He expressly points to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as being the One to Whom all must turn after His death.

Rev. 21:2.

Cf. Rev. 12:3–4.

Cf. Rev. 12:4.

Cf. Rev. 12:6.

Lit., the pivot.

Extract from the letter to Náṣiri’d-Dín Sháh.

Cf. Qur’án 19:17.

Qur’án 36:35.

This conversation shows the uselessness of discussions upon such questions; the teachings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá upon the birth of Christ will be found in the following chapter.

Cf. John 1:12–13.

Gen. 2:7.

Acts 15:20.

i.e., of Christ, Whom the Muslims frequently designate by the title of Rúhu’lláh, the Spirit of God.

Cf. John 6:51, 50.

Matt. 26:26.

Matt. 8:22; John 3:6.

Cf. Matt. 13:14 and John 12:40–41.

Cf. Matt. 24:29–30.

Kitáb-i-Íqán, one of the first works of Bahá’u’lláh, written at Baghdád, before the declaration of His manifestation.

John 3:13.

In these conversations, as the reader will have already observed, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá desires rather to indicate the meaning of certain passages of the Scriptures than to quote the exact text.

Masíkh—i.e., the monster. In Arabic there is a play upon the words Masíh, the Messiah, and masíkh, the monster.

Cf. 1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10.

Cf. “Pantheism,” p. 290.

The Divine Manifestation.

John 17:5.

i.e., the Reality of Christ.

Abu’l-bashar, i.e., the father of man, is one of the titles given by the Muslims to Adam.

Cf. John 6:41, 50, 58.

Cf. Gen. 2:16–17.

Cf. Gen. 3:5.

Cf. Gen. 3:11–15,22

Bahá’u’lláh.

Cf. John 6:51.

Jews and Christians.

Matt. 8:22.

Matt. 22:14.

Cf. “The Causes of Differences in the Characters of Men,” p. 212.

Cf. p. 110, n. 2.

Cf. John 1:19–21.

Cf. John 1:21.

i.e., the individuality.

Matt. 16:18.

It is well known that Peter’s real name was Simon, but Christ called him Cephas, which corresponds to the Greek word petras, which means rock.

Cf. Matt. 16:14–18.

Cf. Qur’án 6:104.

From a hadíth.

Qur’án 59:2.

i.e., in the kingdom of man, where alone the Spirit manifests immortality. Cf. “Five Aspects of Spirit,” p. 143; “The State of Man and His Progress after Death,” p. 235, etc.

Cf. John 14:11; 17:21

John 1:1.

The Manifestation.

Cf. “Soul, Spirit and Mind,” p. 208.

Cf. John 1:1.

Matt. 6:9; Luke 11:2.

John 1:1.

Cf. Exod. 20:4–5; Deut. 5:8–9.

Num. 20:23–24.

Cf. Qur’án 48:1–2.

Matt. 19:16, 17.

The Manifestation of God.

Kitáb-i-Aqdas: i.e., The Most Holy Book. The principal work of Bahá’u’lláh, which contains the greater part of the commandments. It is the basis of the principles of the Bahá’í Faith.

The House of Justice (Baytu’l-Adl) is an institution created by Bahá’u’lláh. He refers to two levels of this institution: the Local Houses of Justice, responsible for each town or village, and the Universal House of Justice. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, in His Will and Testament, added an intermediate level, the Secondary Houses of Justice. It is only on the Universal House of Justice that infallibility has been conferred. At the present time, to stress their purely spiritual functions, the Local and Secondary Houses of Justice are designated Local and National Spiritual Assemblies.

Qur’án 23:14.

Man.

i.e., if we admit, for example, that man had formerly been a quadruped, or had had a tail.

Cf. Gen. 1:26.

This subject, of emanation and manifestation, is more fully explained in the following chapter.

Cf. “Real Preexistence,” p. 280.

John 1:1.

Cf. John 14:11; 17:21.

Bahá’u’lláh.

Cf. Gen. 9:25.

i.e., therefore people cannot be blamed for their character.

Cf. Rev. 22:13.

Cf. “The Difference between Man and the Animal,” p. 185.

Cf. John 3:5.

John 1:13.

Qur’án 23:14.

One farsakh is equivalent to about four miles.

It is a Persian custom to reckon distance by time.

Mírzá Yaḥyá Subh-i-Azal, half-brother of Bahá’u’lláh, and His irreconcilable enemy.

“Veiled spirits” here signify rational souls, souls not possessing the spirit of faith. Cf. “Soul, Spirit and Mind,” p. 208.

Rom. 9:21.

Cf. Matt. 5:39.

A Bahá’í sitting with us at table.

Matt. 8:22.

The infernal tree mentioned in the Qur’án.

i.e., of the Circle of Existence.

Lit., bringing forth.

Lit., producing something new.

Cf. Qur’án 37:180.

Qur’án 59:2.

Bahá’u’lláh.

Lit., the unity of existence.

God.

i.e., an intellectual existence.

gods.

i.e., infinite continuation of causes and effects.

Cf. Ibn Ábí Usaybíá, Üyün al-anbá fí tabaqát al-átibbá (Cairo: 1882) tom. i., pp. 76–77.