Mesopotamia is considered the birth place of civilization and as it happens, all Monotheistic religions have indeed originated from that part of the world. Not everything was kept in scrolls, thus whatever ideologies emerged afterward have focused on a central theme that is prevalent in all of mankind which is the need to find a purpose and its creator... Whether or not above said characters are myth or not, isn't not really up to you to decide.
Samaria is a ancient city in central Palestine (modern day Jordan) Hebrew/Aramaic/ Arabic/ Amharic are all Semitic languages and very similar to each other-- Arabic is the most highly evolved of those, and at its peak where men of old recited their large poems and stuck them on scrolls on the Ka'aba was the optimal time of revelation of the Quran, which in in its entirety reads like a poem, and thus was the challenge of the time, to bring a verse like unto it that will match it linguistically, in a meaningful manner as in a form of guidance for all of mankind si that governs ones life from politics, economics, social structure, laws of inheritance, jurisprudence, spirituality and act as both gladtiding and an admonition-- etc. and have it be as viable today as it was, when it was first revealed.. in other words have it withstand the test of time.. the challenge is still open by the way and many have attempted it--none have succeeded.. perhaps you can be the winner if you can do better than our outdated piece?..
And according to Bahai faith Baha` Ullah is more up to date.
It depends on what you are looking for with your up to date..
Islam is a done deal and there is no room for re-interpretation 85% of Muslims are sunni.. if interested in knowing why Baha'ullah isn't 'uptodate' you may read below: (sustainability of principal, credibility of both content and that of the messanger) plays a large part in both uptodateness and transcendence!
Name of Questioner
Fatimah - United States
Title
The Baha’i Sect: History & Beliefs
Question
I have been Muslim all my life, but as of late have been studying the Baha’i faith. What can you tell me about this faith, if anything, in its relationship to Islam? What is Islam's position regarding it as a valid and holy religion?
Date
16/Dec/2003
Name of Counsellor
Topic
Ideologies, Movements & Religions
Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Dear sister in Islam, we would like to thank you for the great confidence you place in us, and we implore Allah Almighty to help us serve His cause and render our work for His Sake.
As regards the Baha’i sect and their faith and dogmas, Sheikh `Atiyyah Saqr, former head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee, issued the following fatwa:
“Historically speaking, the Baha’iyyah is a Shiite sect that was named after one of its leaders, Husayn Nuri. This faith emerged as a Shiite sect that was led by some Shiites who totally deviated from Islam. It first started at the hands of Ahmad Al-Ahsani or Al-Bahrini, who was notable among scholars in Karbila’, An-Najaf, and Iran. He has authored some books based on which he was accused of worshipping `Ali ibn Abi Talib. He was also accused of denying the resurrection of humans’ bodies, claiming that it would be merely a spiritual resurrection. His followers were called “Ash-Shaykhiyyah” and he died during the twenties of the ninetieth century.
Kazim Ar-Rashti became leader after Al-Ahsani, and after his death in 1843 CE, there came Mirza `Ali Muhammad Ash-Shirazi, who was defied by the Iranian Government. After many debates between the Iranian Government and the Baha’i adherents, the former executed their leader then, Al-Bab, in 1850 CE, in Tabriz, then his corpse was carried to `Akka where he was buried.
Husayn Nuri (Al-Baha’), the one who came after Al-Bab, was very active in spreading the Baha’i faith and he wrote several books, foremost among them is al-Kitab al-Aqdas (The Most Holy Book). He died in `Akka, 1892 CE, where he was buried at the foot of Mount Carmel. His son, `Abbas Afandi, succeeded him in leading the sect and he died during the 1920s. Since then, the sect was divided into sub-sects and they no longer have a leader from the progeny of the founders. Instead, their affairs are maintained by one of the centers they established themselves.
Some Baha’i principles and beliefs:
1. Incarnation: Al-Bab claimed that Allah was personified in him. Also, he claimed himself to be god after his claim to prophethood. The same was claimed by `Abbas Afandi.
2. Inseparability of Allah from the world as claimed by some ancient philosophers.
3. Denial of the Day of Judgment. They interpret Paradise as the spiritual life, and Fire as the spiritual death.
4. Denial of the Prophets’ miracles and interpreting them as immaterial things, though they admit the possibility of prophethood. This shows the contradiction in their ideas and beliefs.
5. Claiming that they receive Divine Revelation (wahy) and writing books they claim to be better than the Glorious Qur’an.
6. The prophets were not sealed or finalized by Prophet Muhammad; the seal, to them, means the best, as claimed by the Qadyanis.
7. Going so far in interpreting the Glorious Qur’an – which they do not completely adhere to, but still use – to propagate their beliefs and “innovations”. There are many of these deviant and odd interpretations in one of their propagators’ books (Abu Al-Fadl Al-Garfadqani), entitled Ad-Durar Al-Bahiyyah.
8. There are many branches of their belief, foremost among which are the following:
a- The divine nature of the number “19” which is a Jewish concept. To them, the year consists of 19 months, the month consists of 19 days.
b- Lastly, they tried to interpret the Glorious Qur’an in the light of that “Divine” number. To them, prayer consists of 9 rak`ahs (i.e. prayer units). Their qiblah (i.e. direction of prayer) is where the Baha’ is. To them, it is a must to denounce Hajj and moreover, they should demolish the Sacred House when they are able to.
Based on the above, we conclude that Baha’ism is a mixture of various religions, sects and philosophies. It is vague and has nothing to do with reform. Instead, it is a movement meant to defy all religions that had been manipulated by international colonialism. It is similar to masonry in that both of them are anti-religion by using deceiving slogans, such as the service to humanity, and achieving international brotherhood and justice. `Abbas declared that he wanted to unite the Muslims, Christians and Jews and bring them together on the principles and Law of Moses (Musa) in whom they all believe. (Quoted from `Abd Al-Baha’ wal-Baha’iyyah, p. 87-93)
The detailed critical refutation of such deviant beliefs cannot be given within the limited scope of a fatwa. Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee issued a Fatwa that whosoever converts from Islam to Baha’iyyah is an apostate; his/her marriage will be invalid, even if he is married to a Baha’i just like himself.
For further elaboration, read my books Dirasat Islamiyyah li ahamm al-Qadayah al-Mu`asirah (Islamic Studies of the Most Important Contemporary Issues), and Al-Babiyyya wa al-Baha’iyya: Tarikhan wa Madhhaban (Al-Babiyyya and al-Baha’iyya: History and Doctrine).”
You can also read:
Of course Mohammad is going to say pray in arabic, beacsue that was his native language. He was hardly going to say pray in Hindi. All he was trying to do was unite the arabic people as one people, which he did, and one way was to have them united in one language. Nowadays you are united in one religion, why bother with the language? A bit like the US right to bear arms. When the US was first formed it was nesessary to form an instant army. Nowadays it is a piece of outdated law because they have a professional (ha!) army. Yet traditionalists refuse to move on. They drag it down.
Prophet Mohamed (p) wasn't trying to 'unite the Arabs' it was indeed a good thing that Islam ended tribalism, but judging from the early history of Islam and the empires it conquered in a matter of days, Islam was meant as the final message to all of man/kind.. now where your wheeling and dealings are concerned you are free to do as your mother tongue dictates, when it comes to prayer, then you must stick with the Quran in Arabic.. traditionalist may drag
you down, but they are also the reason behind the excellent preservation of Islam so that if you were reciting the Quran today it would be as if you were reciting it centuries past.. The Quran is the literal word of God, it isn't hadith for one to switch one word for another and have resonate the same.. we don't paraphrase in the Quran or give it the rendition of our choosing. It is a package deal take it or leave.. and since it is on no consequence to you one way or the other, I'd refrain from giving advise to Muslims where it comes to specific matters on Islamic jurisprudence~!
and on a last note: Ironically it is the professional (ha) army that is dragging most Muslim world down.. they didn't suffer secular plight when they adhered to proper sunnah. Goes to show you that the old
British employed "
Divide and Rule" motto has served the hedonistic world well but sent the Muslim world on a down world spiral..
"The nations are about to call each other and set upon you, just as diners set upon food." It was said: "Will it be because of our small number that day?" He said:
"Rather, on that day you will be many, but you will be like foam, like the foam on the river. And Allaah will remove the fear of you from the hearts of your enemies and will throw wahn (weakness) into your hearts." Someone said: "O Messenger of Allaah! What is Wahn?" He said:
"Love of the world and the hatred for death." [5]
“Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: You would tread the same path as was trodden by those before you inch by inch and step by step so much so that if they had entered into the hole of the lizard, you would follow them in this also. We said: Allah's Messenger, do you mean Jews and Christians (by your words)" those before you"? He said: Who else?” (Sahih Muslim - Kitab Al-`Ilm)
“If you transact in `Iynah, follow the tails of cows (tilling the land), become content with agriculture and abandoned Jihad, Allah will send on you humiliation that He will not lifted until, you return to your religion.”(Abu Dawud).
all the best
