The writings of founding members of the Bahá'í Faith include prophetic statements of future events, some of which are viewed by Bahá'ís as having been fulfilled. According to Bahá'í belief, there have been individuals throughout history who were Manifestations of God, who founded major world religions and had certain supernatural powers, such as the ability to prophesy. The belief in fulfilled prophecies is presented by Bahá'í authors to demonstrate the validity of Bahá'u'lláh's claim to divinity.[1][2][3]
Prominent among Bahá'í predictions of the future is a coming golden age of mankind, and the future appearance of another Manifestation of God. Among the predictions that Bahá'ís regard as fulfilled, Peter Smith summarizes: "the downfall of various world leaders; the loss of Ottoman territory; political revolution and popular rule in Iran; the twice-repeated sufferings of Germany; and what is interpreted as a reference to nuclear power. 'Abdu'l-Bahá also predicted the outbreak of World War I (originating in a Balkan conflict), and of a further global conflict in the future; the rise of communism; and racial conflict in the United States."[1]
Most Bahá'í statements regarded as prophecies can be found in Bahá'u'lláh's tablets to the kings and rulers of the world[4] and in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas.[citation needed]
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ a b Smith 2000, p. 278.
- ^ Esslemont 1980.
- ^ Matthews 1993, pp. 36–37.
- ^ Smith 2000, p. 300.
References
edit- ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (1978). Selections From the Writings of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Baháʼí Publishing Trust. ISBN 0-85398-081-0.
- Baháʼu'lláh (1992) [Composed 1873]. The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Baháʼí Publishing Trust. ISBN 0-85398-999-0.
- Baháʼu'lláh (1994) [Composed 1873-92]. Tablets of Baháʼu'lláh. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Baháʼí Publishing Trust. ISBN 0-87743-174-4.
- Baháʼu'lláh (2002) [Composed 1868]. The Summons of the Lord of Hosts. Haifa, Israel: Baháʼí World Centre. ISBN 0-85398-976-1.
- Cole, Juan (1997). "Lawh-i-Fu'ád: notes by Juan Cole". Baháʼí Library Online. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
- Esslemont, John (1980) [Composed 1923]. "Ch. 14". Baháʼu'lláh and the New Era (5th ed.). Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Baháʼí Publishing Trust. ISBN 0-87743-160-4.
- Effendi, Shoghi (1938). The World Order of Baháʼu'lláh. Wilmette, Illinois: Baháʼí Publishing Trust. ISBN 0-87743-231-7.
- Katirai, Foad (2001). Global Governance and the Lesser Peace. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0-85398-453-0.
- International Teaching Centre (1984). "Letter dated 1 July 1984". Baháʼí World Centre.
- Lambden, Stephen (1999). "Catastrophe, Armageddon and Millennium: some aspects of the Bábí-Baháʼí exegesis of apocalyptic symbolism". Baháʼí Studies Review. 9.
- Matthews, Gary L. (1993). The Challenge of Baháʼu'lláh (1st ed.). Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0-85398-360-7.
- Nakhjavani, Bahiyyih (2014). "The Silences of God: A Meditation". Journal of Baháʼí Studies. 24:3-4 (3–4): 49–64. doi:10.31581/JBS-24.3-4.4(2014). Retrieved 2020-11-29.
- Smith, Peter (2000). "Prophecy". A Concise Encyclopedia of the Baha'i Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 278. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
- Taherzadeh, A. (1984). The Revelation of Baháʼu'lláh, Volume 3: ʻAkka, The Early Years 1868–77. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0-85398-144-2.
- Universal House of Justice (2001). "Attainment of the Unity of Nations and the Lesser Peace". Baháʼí World Centre.
- Zohoori, Elias (2000). Erelong: Baháʼí Prophecies, Predictions, and Promises. New Delhi, India: Bahai Publishing Trust. ISBN 81-86953-76-0.