Seventh Reflection

If religion is reduced to an eternal, static set of laws, the consequence is that religion becomes the greatest obstacle and enemy of human and social development. In such form of extreme traditionalism, religion turns into a powerful legitimization of oppression, intolerance, rigidity, and censorship. For example, since laws of religions are conditioned by the stage of development of society, the previous religions could neither abolish slavery, nor reject patriarchy. If religion was something absolute and eternally binding, no religion should have tolerated slavery or patriarchy. The fact is that all past religions in different ways accepted slavery and patriarchy. The active support of slavery and patriarchy by the Muslim clerics in the past, the extensive codification of differential legal rights between free people and slaves, and detailed listings of areas and proofs of the superiority of men over women in their texts are part of the reasons why the majority of Muslim traditionalistic clerics have been enemies of modernity, human rights, religious freedom, emancipation of women, democracy, and equality of all humans before the law. Baha’u’llah wants to reconstruct religion so that it becomes the cause of unity and progress of humanity. Such lofty objective requires a total rejection of the fanaticism of religious traditionalism. Religion, reinterpreted as an interaction and a dialogue between God and humanity, becomes the foundation of a new global and historically-specific spiritual civilization. 2. The Seal of Prophets: Muhammad or Jesus? Before discussing Baha’u’llah’s explanation of the meaning of the seal of prophets, mentioned in the Qur’an, it is necessary to note a historical paradox. Although Muslims believe that only prophet Muhammad is defined by sacred books as the seal of prophets, the truth is that the term seal of prophet and sealing of prophethood, is a biblical term that is used in reference to Jesus. Unfortunately, Muslim clerics have not been familiar with the Bible, because they falsely believed that the Bible is intentionally falsified by the Jews and Christians so that all prophecies about Islam would be deleted from the existing Bible. This offensive fantasy of the clerics has led to a systematic lack of familiarity with the Bible. Consequently, the fact that the Book of Daniel explicitly defines the crucifixion of Jesus as the sealing of prophecy has remained unknown to them. Had they read the Bible they would know that the title of the Seal of Prophets belonged to Jesus. This is discussed in the famous passage of the Book of Daniel about 70 weeks. All commentators agree that this seventy weeks or 490 days refer to 490 years because of the frequent reference of the Bible that the day of God is equal to one year among the people. The beginning of this 490 years is also a matter of consensus, emphasized within the Book of Daniel. It is 456-7 BC. Therefore, seventy weeks ends with the completion of the ministry of Jesus and his crucifixion. The Book of Daniel defines this time as the time ordained by God at which prophethood would become sealed. The Hebrew original term used to denote this sealing of prophecy (Khatim Nabi) is exactly the Arabic term used in the Qur’an to define Muhammad as the seal of prophets. The Book of Daniel states: Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy , and to anoint the most Holy. (Book of Daniel 9:24) There is no doubt that prophet Muhammad was aware of the biblical assertion that with Jesus vision and prophecy would be sealed. But then why the Qur’an uses the same title for prophet Muhammad? Certainly the typical understanding of the meaning of the seal of prophets as the last prophet of God cannot be correct. If we accept Muslim clerical meaning of the seal of prophets, we have no choice to conclude that after Jesus no new prophet could appear, and therefore, prophet Muhammad could not