The Day and Days of God

By Khazeh Fananapazir

First presented at the Irfan Colloquia Session #1
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England
December 3–5, 1993
(see list of papers from #1)

published in Scripture and Revelation, pages 217-238
under new title
"The Day of God (Yawmu'lláh) and the Days of God (Ayyámu'lláh)"
© 1997, ‘Irfán Colloquia

    first posted at Baha'i Library Online

          Haji Mihdi Arjumand wrote a book that is now known as the Gulshan-i-Haqáyiq ["Garden of Truths"]. This name derives from 'Abdul-Bahá's praise of the Book as being a garden of truths and significances. The book is divided into four sections ["fasl"] and each section into several subsections ["bábs"]. In the first two sections of the book the discussion is about the difficulties people have in accepting the next Manifestation and difficulties in interpretation, but in the third section dealing what exactly is the claim of the Bahai Faith which is the third "fasl" of the book Arjumand says that the claim is that the day of Baha'u'llah is Yawm Allah (The Day of God) and the Day that the Lord shall come.

          This paper held at the Newcastle international seminar is to explain notions of the Day of God which are very important for understanding the Bahá'í Claim and other implications of Bahá'í belief.

    Arjumand quotes Mat 23 Verse 39
    For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

    And again Revelation of John C1V8
    I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."

    And again 2 Peter 3:12.
    Seeing then what manner of persons ought ye to be...looking for and hasting unto the coming of the Day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless we according to his promise look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."

    And again Zech 14:1
    Behold the Day of the Lord cometh.

          It is interesting that in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas Bahá'u'lláh identifies the Day of His Manifestation as the Day of God

          Hearken ye, O Rulers of America and the Presents of the Republics therein, unto that which the Dove is warbling on the Branch of Eternity: "There is none other God but Me, the Ever-Abiding, the Forgiving, the All-Bountiful." Adorn ye the temple of dominion with the ornament of justice and of the fear of God, and its head with the crown of the remembrance of your Lord, the Creator of the heavens. Thus counselleth you He Who is the Dayspring of Names, as bidden by him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The Promised One hath appeared in this glorified Station, whereat all beings, both seen and unseen, have rejoiced. Take ye advantage of the Day of God. Verily, to meet Him is better for you than all that whereon the sun shineth, could ye but know it. O concourse of rulers! Give ear unto that which hath been raised from the Dayspring of Grandeur: "Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Lord of Utterance, the All-Knowing." Bind ye the broken with the hands of justice, and crush the oppressor who flourisheth with the rod of the commandments of your Lord, the Ordainer, the All-Wise. KA 88

              This is the Day in which He Who held converse with God hath attained the light of the Ancient of Days, and quaffed the pure waters of reunion from this Cup that hath caused the seas to swell. Say: By the one true God! Sinai is circling round the Dayspring of Revelation, while from the heights of the Kingdom the Voice of the Spirit of God is heard proclaiming: "Bestir yourselves, ye proud ones of the earth, and hasten ye unto Him." Carmel hath in this Day, hastened in longing adoration to attain His court, whilst from the heart of Zion there cometh the cry: "The promise is fulfilled. That which had been announced in the holy Writ of God, the Most Exalted, the Almighty, the Best-Beloved, is made manifest." KA 80

          Let none in this Day, hold fast to aught save that which hath been manifested in this Revelation....Naught shall avail you in this Day but God, nor is there any refuge to flee to save Him, the Omniscient, the All Wise. Whoso hath known Me hath known the Goal of all desire, and whoso hath turned unto Me hath turned unto the Object of all adoration. Thus hath it been set forth in the Book, and thus hath it been decreed by God, the Lord of all worlds. To read but one of the verses of My Revelation is better than to peruse the Scriptures of both the former and latter generations. KA 138

          He (The Báb) hath previously made known unto you that which would be uttered by this Dayspring of Divine wisdom. He said, and He speaketh the truth: "He (Baha'u'llah) is the One Who will under conditions proclaim: 'Verily there is none other God besides Me the One, the Incomparable, the Omniscient, the All-Informed.' "This is a station which God hath assigned exclusively to this sublime, this unique and wondrous Revelation. This is a token of His bounteous favour, if ye be of them who comprehend, and a sign of His irresistible decree. This is His Most Great Name, His Most Exalted Word, and the Dayspring of His Most Excellent Titles, if ye could understand. Nay more, through Him every Fountainhead, every Dawning place of Divine guidance is made manifest. Reflect, O people, on that which hath been sent down in truth; ponder thereon, and be not of the transgressors. KA 143
             
          In Biblical scholarship we read that the Day is distinguished into 1) natural, 2) civil, and 3) artificial day.
    1. The natural or solar day is the duration of twenty four hours.
    2. The artificial day is the time of the sun's continuance above the horizon which is unequal according to different ti mes and seasons by reason of the obliquity of the sphere. God called the light day that is the artificial day. The evening and the morning were the first day namely natural day. Genesis 1:5
    3. The civil day is that the beginning and end whereof is determined by the common custom of a nation. The Hebrews began their civil and ecclesiastical day from one evening to another. From even unto even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath. Leviticus 23:32. The Babylonians reckoned their days from one sun-rising to another. The Italians from one sunset to another. some from noon to noon and others from midnight to midnight.


          In biblical language "this Day" or "today" does not signify the particular day on which one is speaking but likewise any indefinite time.
          Thou art to pass over Jordan this Day Deut 9:1 that is in a short time after this, the word day being put for time as in Genesis 2:4, 17. ' . . . in the day when God made the earth and the heavens; in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die," that is to say at the time when thou eatest thereof.
          Today if you will hear his voice Hebrews 3:15 that in this present season of grace while you enjoy the means of grace.
          The night is far spent the time is at hand Romans 13:12.
          The time of heathenish ignorance and profaneness is in a great measure over and the time of gospel light and saving knowledge is begun among us.
          The day of Jerusalem is the time of its calamity and destruction Psalms 137:7
          Abraham desired to see my day. He desired to have a prospect of the time of my coming in the flesh.
          One man esteemeth one day above another. Romans 14:5
          He thinks that the Jewish festivals are holier than other days. and still to be observed.
          This Day have I begotten thee Psalms 2:7


          That is from all eternity in which there is no succession no yesterday, no tomorrow but it is all one continued day or moment without change or flux. or it may refer to the manifestation of Christ's eternal sonship in time.

          Also in Christian terminology the term Lord's day is applied to Sunday. This is by consecration whereas the Day of Judgement is the Lord's Day by destination because on thereon He has appointed to judge the world. 1 Thessalonians 5:2

    In Amos 5:18-20
    Therefore the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! Alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing. And in all vineyards shall be wailing: for I will pass through thee, saith the Lord. Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness..." probably we have the earliest use of this phrase the Day of the Lord. To the people it meant the day when Yahweh would intervene to put Israel at the head of the nations, irrespective of Israel's faithfulness to him. Amos declares that the Day means judgmentfor Israel.

    Other references to this theme are in Isaiah 2:12
    Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust for fear of the Lord and the glory of His majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down; and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty and upon everyone that is lifted up and he shall be brought low."

    Joel 1:15
    Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.

    Joel 2:1
    Blow ye the trumpet in Zion and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble for the Day of the Lord cometh for it is nigh at hand; A day of darkness and of gloominess a day of clouds and of thick darkness as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it even to the years of many generations.... The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble and the sun and the moon shall be dark and the stars shall withdraw their shining for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible and who can abide it?

    Zephaniah 1:7
    Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God for the day of the Lord is at hand.... That great day of the Lord is near. It is near and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is the day of wrath a day of trouble and distress a day of wasteness and desolation a day of darkness and gloominess a day of clouds and thick darkness... Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath."

          Other prophets conscious of the sins of other nations as well as of Israel, declare that the Day will come on individual nations as a punishment for their brutalities e.g.:
    Babylon Isaiah 13:6
    Egypt Jeremiah 46:10
    Edom Obadiah 15
    many nations Joel 2:11
    Joel 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision
    Obadiah 15
    The day of the Lord is thus the occasion when Yahweh actively intervenes to punish sin that has come to a climax. This punishment may come through an invasion Amos 5-6
    Isaiah 13
    Ezekiel 13:5
    or through some natural disaster such as a locust invasion. Joel 1-2


    All lesser interventions come to a head in the actual coming of the Lord Himself.

          At this Day there are truly repentant believers who are saved. Joel 2:28-32
          There are also physical effects in the world of nature. Isaiah

          In the New Testament the Day of the Lord as in Thessalonians 2:2 is the second Coming of Christ and the phrase the "Day of Jesus Christ" or an equivalent occurs in I Corinthians 1:8
          ...waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end that ye may be blameless to the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful

          Philippians 1:6, 10 until the day of Jesus Christ ...without offence till the Day of Christ.
          The Coming is unexpected I Thessalonians 5:2
          For yourselves know perfectly well that the Day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night

          2 Peter 3:10
          But the Day of the Lord will come as a thief will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

          In the Islamic Dispensation the Qur'án has many references to this Day.
          In fact Mírzá Abu'l-Fazl says that a third of the Qurán relates to this Day and the events associated with it.

          Bahá'u'lláh says: " For the highest and most excelling grace bestowed upon men is the grace of "attaining unto the Presence of God" and of His recognition which has been promised unto all people ... How numerous are those revealed verses which explicitly bear witness unto this most weighty truth and exalted Theme! ... No theme hath been more emphatically asserted in the holy scriptures...Therefore, whosoever, and in whatever Dispensation, hath recognized and attained unto the presence of these glorious, these resplendent and most excellent Luminaries, hath verily attained unto the "Presence of God" Himself, and entered the city of eternal and immortal life. Attainment unto such presence is possible only in the Day of Resurrection, which is the Day of the rise of God Himself through His all-embracing Revelation. This is the meaning of the "Day of Resurrection," spoken of in all the scriptures, and announced unto all people. Reflect can a more precious, a mightier, and more glorious day than this be conceived, so that man should willingly forego its grace, and deprive himself of its bounties...? Having thus conclusively demonstrated that no day is greater than this Day, and no revelation more glorious than this Revelation...how can man possibly deprive himself of such a bountiful grace? 138, 143, 144 Kitáb-i-Íqán
          Qur'án 22:56 The Kingdom shall on that day belong to God
          Qur'an 25:26 : That day the true Kingdom shall belong to the All-merciful
          Qur'an 40:16 The Day whereon they will all come forth not a single thing concerning them is hidden from God. Whose will be the Kingdom that Day? That of God the One the Overpowering! That day will every soul be requited for what it earned; no injustice will there be that day For God is Swift in taking account. Warn them of the Day that is ever drawing near.

              On the Day We shall remove mountains, and thou wilt see the earth as a level stretch, and We shall gather them all together nor shall We leave out any one of them. they will be marshalled before thy Lord in ranks with the announcement "Now have ye come to Us as We created you First: aye ye thought We shall no fulfil the appointment made to you to meet Us.
          The whole of the earth will be but His handful and the heavens will be rolled up in His right hand, The Trumpet will just be sounded and all that are in the heavens and the earth will swoon except such as it will please God to spare. Then will a second one be sounded when behold they will be standing and looking on. And the earth will shine with the light of its Lord. The Record will be placed open. The Prophets and witnesses will be brought forward.." 39:69
          The Day that He assembles you all for a day of assembly. That will be a Day of mutual loss and gain 64:9
          On that day shall the great Event come to pass. And the sky will be rent asunder, for it will that Day be flimsy. And the angels will be on its sides and eight will that day bear the Throne of Thy Lord above them 69:15-17
          Stars become dim the Day of sorting out 77:7-15
          And the night as it dissipates and the Dawn as it breathes away the Darkness
          When the scrolls are laid open; when the sky is unveiled When the Blazing Fire is kindled to fierce heat. And when the Garden is brought near 81:10-18
          Overwhelming Event Faces humiliated and Faces joyful 88:1-16
          Nay! When the earth is pounded to powder. And the Lord cometh and His angels and His angels rank upon rank 89:21-22

          Other titles are: the Day of Resurrection ( Yawmu'l-Qíyámat) Qur'án 3:12
          The Hour ( As-Sá'at ) Qur'án 6:31
          The Day of Regret ( Yawmu'l-Hasrat ) Qur'án 19:39
          The Day of the Promise ( Yawmu'l-Mí'ád ) Qur'án 28 : 85
          The Day of Rising ( Yawmu'l-Ba'the ) Qur'án 30 :56.
          The Day of the Separation ( Yawmu'l-Fasl ) Qur'án 37: 21
          The Day of Encounter ( Yawmu'l-Taláq ) Qur'án 40: 15.
          The Day of Ingathering ( Yawmu'l-Jam' ) Qur'án 42 :7
          The Day of the Warning ( Yawmu'l-Wa'íd) Qur'án 50 :70
          The Day of the Inevitable Event ( Al-Wáqi'at ) Qur'án 56 :1
          The Day of Mutual Deceit ( Yawmu't-Taghábun ) Qur'án 64:9
          The Inevitable ( Al-Háqqa ) Qur'án 69 :1
          The Day of Terrors ( Al-Qári'at ) Qur'án 69 :4
          The Grand Overthrow (At-Támmatu'l-Kubrá) Qur'án 79 :34
          The Stunning Trumpet Blast ( As-Sákhkhat ) Qu
    r'án 80 :33
          The Day that shall Overshadow ( Al-Gháshíyat ) Qur'án 88:1

      We sent Moses with our Signs and the command "Bring out Thy people from the depths of darkness into light and remind them of the Days of God." 14:5

      Moslem commentators have interpreted these "Days of God" as the Days when God's mercy was especially shown them
      Tell those who believe to forgive those who do not hope for the Days of God 45:14
      Sadiq said as quoted in Bihár Anwár
      "The Days of God are three: the Day of the Qá'im, and the Day of Death and the day of Universal Resurrection."
      Báqir said:
      "The Days of God are three Days: The Day of the Qá'im, the Day of Karra ["Return"] and the Day of Resurrection
      Similarly in the Tafsir Sáfí and the Masháriq Anwár al-Yaqín the same verse is quoted.
      This theme of the Days of God being sequentially the Day of the Qá'im, the Day of the Karra[ or "Return"] and the Day of Resurrection are quoted in detail later in Al-Ahsá'í, Shaykh Ahmad ibn Zayn al-Dín Sharh al- Ziyara al Jámi'a al-Kabíra 4th edition 4 Volumes Kerman 1355-1356 (1976-1977) Volume 3 page 60 and his treatise [1] "'Ismat wa Raj'at".

The Báb

      Firstly it should be pointed out that the Báb corroborated many of the explanations given in the Shaykhí writings and in one of His earliest works that preceded the Declaration of His Cause i.e. in the Commentary of the Sura of the Cow says" Moses according to the "primary meaning is Muhammad" "al-murád bil-haqíqat al-awwalíya"

      Thus in the spiritual sense in which Moses was to remind His people of the "days of God" so was Muhammad reminding His Ummat of the Advent of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh.

      Later in the Qayyúm ul-Asmá:

      There are many references to His Day being the Day of God
      Thus in Sura 25 of QA
      Yá Qurratal-'ayn! Innaka al Fajr ba'd-al Layl " O Solace of Mine Eye! Thou art the Dawn after the Night."

      In this connection too it is interesting that in the oft-quoted Bihár volume 24 page 78 it says that the "Fajr" ie the deeper meaning of the "Dawn" is the Qá'im
      Again in the Qayyúm ul-Asmá Sura 38 O peoples of the East and the West! Await ye the Most Great Day of God". Fartaqibú Yawm Allah al- Akbar
      Again in Sura 26 Fa'Inná qad nazzalna min 'indina basharan mithlakum liyudhakkirakum bi Ayyamilllah al 'Aliyya alladhi qad kana fi ummil Kitabi qariban[2] to paraphrase "For in truth We have revealed unto you from Us a human Being like unto you that He may remind you of the Days of God the Exalted Days that have been ordained to be near in the Mother Book"
      Sura 28 page 50 "O Qurratu'l-'Ayn! Stretch not Thy hands wide open in the Cause, inasmuch as the people would find themselves in a state of stupor by reason of the Mystery, and I swear by the true, Almighty God that there is yet for Thee another turn after this Dispensation.

      And when the appointed hour hath struck do Thou by the leave of God the All-wise reveal from the heights of the Most Lofty and Mystic Mount a faint, an infinitesimal glimmer of Thy impenetrable Mystery that they who have recognized the radiance of the Sinaic Splendour may faint away and die as they catch a lightning glimpse of the fierce and crimson Light that envelops Thy Revelation.

Sura 35 page 65

Sura 38 page 70
      Sura 94 O Hour of the Dawn! Ere the resplendent glory of the Divine Luminary sheddeth its radiance from the Dayspring of this Gate, call thou to mind that the appointed Day of God will indeed be at hand in less than the twinkling of an eye. SWB page 69

      In His Commentary on the Sura of Kawthar the Bab says the following references of the Qur'án are relevant to the Advent of the Qá'im [Áyát allatí qara'úha Ahl u'l-Bayt fi sha'n al-Qá'im
     
      Sura 2: verse 1 Alif. Lam. That is the Book. In it is guidance sure without doubt to those who fear God. Who believe in the Unseen

      Sura 11:8 If We delay the chastisement for them for a definite term, they are sure to say, "What keeps it back?" Ah! On the day it actually reaches them, nothing will turn it away from them and they will be completely encircled by that which they used to mock
it."

      Sura 89:22 Nay! When the earth is pounded to powder, and thy Lord (rabbuka) cometh and His angels rank upon rank."

Sura 14:5 We sent Moses with Our signs and the command. "Bring out Thy people from the depths of darkness into light and remind them of the Days of God."
     
      Sura 17:4

      Sura 21:105 Before this We wrote in the Psalms after the Message given to Moses: "My servants the righteous shall inherit the earth."

      Sura 54:1 The Hour of Judgement is nigh and the moon was cleft asunder.

Sura 92:2 By the night as it conceals the light By the Day as it appears in glory.

          When God sent forth His Prophet Muhammad, on that day the termination of the prophetic cycle was foreordained in the knowledge of God. Yea that promise hath indeed come true and the decree of God hath been accomplished as He hath ordained. assuredly we are today living in the Days of God. These are the glorious days on the like of which the sun hath never risen in the past. These are the days which the people of bygone times eagerly expected. what hath then befallen you that ye are fast asleep? These are the days wherein God hath caused the Day-Star of Truth to shine resplendent . What hath then caused you to keep your silence? SWB page 161

      Those who have deprived themselves of this Resurrection by reason of their mutual hatreds were chastised by reason of such hatreds evinced during their night. [ By 'night ' is meant the period between two divine Revelations when the Sun of Truth is not manifest among men. In the Persian Bayán II, 7, the Báb says "O people of the Bayán! Act not as the people of the Qur'án have acted, for if you do so the fruits of your night will come to naught." ] SWB 129

      In the Persian Bayán the Báb explains the verse of the Qur'án: 11:18. In this verse there is reference to being brought to face "their Lord". "They will brought before their Lord." The Báb says: "Being brought before the Essence is impossible and being brought refers to being brought before the "Tree of Truth".[3]
     
      Shoghi Effendi explains how Bahá'u'lláh fulfils the Qur'ánic prophecies:
     
      To Him [Bahá'u'lláh] Muhammad, the Apostle of God, had alluded in His Book as the "Great Announcement," (Qur'án 38:67, 78:2) and declared His Day to be the Day whereon "God" will "come down" "overshadowed with clouds," (2:210) the Day whereon "thy Lord shall come and the angels rank on rank," (89:22) and "The Spirit shall arise and the angels shall be ranged in order." (78:38) His advent He, in that same Book, in a súrih said to have been termed by Him "the heart of the Qur'án" had foreshadowed as that of the "third" Messenger sent down to "strengthen" the two who preceded Him (36:14). To His Day He, in the pages of that same Book, had paid a glowing tribute, glorifying it as the "Great Day," (83:5) the "Last Day,"[4] the "Day of God," (14:5, 30:43, 45:14) the "Day of Judgement," (1:4) the "Day of Reckoning" (38:16, 26, 53) the "Day of Mutual Deceit," (64:9) the "Day of Severing," (37:21, 42:21, 44:40, 78:17) the "Day of Sighing," (19:39). the "Day of Meeting," (40:15) the "Day when the Decree shall be accomplished," (10:54) the Day whereon the second "Trumpet blast" (39:68) will be sounded., the "Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the world," (78:6) and "all shall come to Him in humble guise," (45:28) the Day when "thou shalt see the mountains, which thou thinkest so firm, pass away with the passing of a cloud," (27:88) the Day "wherein account shall be taken," "the approaching Day, when men's hearts shall rise up, choking them, into their throats," (40:18) the Day when "all that are in the heavens and all that are in the earth shall be terror-stricken, save him whom God pleaseth to deliver," (27:87, 89) the Day whereon "every suckling woman shall forsake her sucking babe, and every woman that hath a burden in her womb shall cast her burden," (22:2) the Day "when the earth shall shine with the light of her Lord, and the Book shall be set, and the Prophets shall be brought up, and the witnesses; and judgem
ent shall be given between them with equity; and none shall be wronged." (39:68) (God Passes By 96)

      Significantly Bahá'u'lláh refers to his fulfilment of these prophecies in the following terms:

      . . . on this Day the blessed words "But He is the Apostle of God, and the Seal of the Prophets" have found their consummation in the verse "The day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds".[5] (Epistle 114)

      This Day, however, is unique, and is to be distinguished from those that have preceded it. The designation "Seal of the Prophets" fully revealeth its high station. The Prophetic Cycle hath, verily, ended. The Eternal Truth is now come. (Gleanings 60)

          Great indeed is this Day! The allusions made to it in all the sacred Scriptures as the Day of God attest its greatness. The soul of every Prophet of God, of every Divine Messenger, hath thirsted for this wondrous Day. All the divers kindreds of the earth have, likewise, yearned to attain it. No sooner, however, had the Day Star of His Revelation manifested itself in the heaven of God's Will, than all, except those whom the Almighty was pleased to guide, were found dumbfounded and heedless.
      Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings 11
                 
      In the Book of Isaiah it is written: "Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty." No man that meditateth upon this verse can fail to recognize the greatness of this Cause, or doubt the exalted character of this Day_the Day of God Himself. This same verse is followed by these words: "And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that Day." This is the Day which the Pen of the Most High hath glorified in all the holy Scriptures. There is no verse in them that doth not declare the glory of His holy Name, and no Book that doth not testify unto the loftiness of this most exalted theme. Were We to make mention of all that hath been revealed in these heavenly Books and holy Scriptures concerning this Revelation, this Tablet would assume impossible dimensions.
      Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings 13
               
      Methinks that thou hast halted and movest not upon My Tablet. Could the brightness of the Divine Countenance have bewildered thee, or the idle talk of the froward filled thee with grief and paralyzed thy movement? Take heed lest anything deter thee from extolling the greatness of this Day_the Day whereon the Finger of majesty and power hath opened the seal of the Wine of Reunion, and called all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth. Preferrest thou to tarry when the breeze announcing the Day of God hath already breathed over thee, or art thou of them that are shut out as by a veil from Him?
      Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings 28
               
          The dust of sedition hath clouded the hearts of men, and blinded their eyes. Erelong, they will perceive the consequences of what their hands have wrought in the Day of God. Thus warneth you He Who is the All-Informed, as bidden by One Who is the Most Powerful, the Almighty.
      Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings 40
                 
          The All-Merciful hath conferred upon man the faculty of vision, and endowed him with the power of hearing. Some have described him as the "lesser world," when, in reality, he should be regarded as the "greater world." The potentialities inherent in the station of man, the full measure of his destiny on earth, the innate excellence of his reality, must all be manifested in this promised Day of God.
      Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings 340
               
          O friends! Be not careless of the virtues with which ye have been endowed, neither be neglectful of your high destiny. Suffer not your labours to be wasted through the vain imaginations which certain hearts have devised. Ye are the stars of the heaven of understanding, the breeze that at the break of day, the soft-flowing waters upon which must depend the very life of all men, the letters inscribed upon His sacred scroll. With the utmost unity, and in a spirit of perfect fellowship, exert yourselves, that ye may be enabled to achieve that which beseemeth this Day of God. Verily I say, strife and dissension, and whatsoever the mind of man abhorreth are entirely unworthy of his station. Center your energies in the propagation of the Faith of God
      Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings 196
               
      How strange that despite this ringing Call, despite the appearance of this most wondrous Revelation, We notice that men, for the most part, have fixed their hearts on the vanities of the world and are sorely dismayed and troubled by reason of prevailing doubts and evil suggestions. Say: This is the Day of God Himself;
      Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh 241
               
      Arise thou to serve the Cause of thy Lord; then give the people the joyful tidings concerning this resplendent Light whose revelation hath been announced by God through His Prophets and Messengers. Admonish everyone moreover to observe prudence as ordained by Him, and in the Name of God advise them, saying: It behoveth every one in this Day of God to dedicate himself to the teaching of the Cause with utmost prudence and steadfastness. Should he discover a pure soil, let him sow the seed of the Word of God, otherwise it would be preferable to observe silence.
      Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh 242
               
      Consider how numerous were those who accounted themselves among the wise and the learned, yet in the Day of God were deprived of the outpourings of heavenly bounties
      Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh 256
               
      Hearken ye, O Rulers of America and the Presidents of the Republics therein, unto that which the Dove is warbling on the Branch of Eternity: There is none other God but Me, the Ever-Abiding, the Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. Adorn ye the temple of dominion with the ornament of justice and of the fear of God, and its head with the crown of the remembrance of your Lord, the Creator of the heavens. Thus counselleth you He Who is the Dayspring of Names, as bidden by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The Promised One hath appeared in this glorified Station, whereat all beings, both seen and unseen, have rejoiced. Take ye advantage of the Day of God. Verily, to meet Him is better for you than all that whereon the sun shineth, could ye but know it. O concourse of rulers! Give ear unto that which hath been raised from the Dayspring of Grandeur: Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Lord of Utterance, the All-Knowing. Bind ye the broken with the hands of justice, and crush the oppressor who flourisheth with the rod of the commandments of your Lord, the Ordainer, the All-Wise.
      Bahá'u'lláh, The Proclamation of Bahá'u'lláh 63
               
      O concourse of Christians! We have, on a previous occasion, revealed Ourself unto you, and ye recognized Me not. This is yet another occasion vouchsafed unto you. This is the Day of God; turn ye unto Him... The Beloved One loveth not that ye be consumed with the fire of your desires. Were ye to be shut out as by a veil from Him, this would be for no other reason than your own waywardness and ignorance. Ye make mention of Me, and know Me not. Ye call upon Me, and are heedless of My Revelation.... O people of the Gospel! They who were not in the Kingdom have now entered it, whilst We behold you, in this Day, tarrying at the gate. Rend the veils asunder by the power of your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Bounteous, and enter, then, in My name My Kingdom. Thus biddeth you He Who desireth for you everlasting life... We behold you, O children of the Kingdom, in darkness. This, verily, beseemeth you not. Are ye, in the face of the Light, fearful because of your deeds? Direct yourselves towards Him... Verily, He (Jesus) said: 'Come ye after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.' In this Day, however, We say: 'Come ye after Me, that We may make you to become quickeners of mankind.'
      Bahá'u'lláh, The Proclamation of Bahá'u'lláh 91
               
          Give ear, O distinguished divine, unto the voice of this Wronged One. He verily, counselleth thee for the sake of God, and exhorteth thee unto that which will cause thee to draw nigh unto Him under all conditions. He, in truth, is the All-Possessing, the Exalted. Know thou that the ear of m an hath been created that it may hearken unto the Divine Voice on this Day that hath been mentioned in all the Books, Scriptures, and Tablets.
      Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf 2
                 
      "O people! By the righteousness of God! I have attained unto Him Who hath manifested me and sent me down. This is the Day whereon Sinai hath smiled at Him Who conversed upon it, and Carmel at its Revealer, and the Sadrah at Him Who taught it. Fear ye God, and be not of them that have denied Him. Withhold not yourselves from that which hath been revealed through His grace. Seize ye the living waters of immortality in the name of your Lord, the Lord of all names, and drink ye in the remembrance of Him, Who is the Mighty, the Peerless
      Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf 38
               
      That the divers communions of the earth, and the manifold systems of religious belief, should never be allowed to foster the feelings of animosity among men, is, in this Day, of the essence of the Faith of God and His Religion. These principles and laws, these firmly-established and mighty systems, have proceeded from one Source, and are rays of one Light. That they differ one from another is to be attributed to the varying requirements of the ages in which they were promulgated.
      Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf 13
               
      That the divers communions of the earth, and the manifold systems of religious belief, should never be allowed to foster the feelings of animosity among men, is, in this Day, of the essence of the Faith of God and His Religion. These principles and laws, these firmly-established and mighty systems, have proceeded from one Source, and are rays of one Light. That they differ one from another is to be attributed to the varying requirements of the ages in which they were promulgated.
      Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf 13
               
      In an important passage in which the difference between this Day of God' and other "Days of God" is delineated by Bahá'u'lláh we read the following as paraphrased by this writer:
      Athar Qalam-i-A'lá volume 6 Tehran Bahá'í Publishing Trust 132 BE
      O servant who is present!
      Deliver the call of this Wronged One that haply the veiled ones amongst the people of the Bayán may be nourished with a drop of the ocean of fairness.
      Say: This Day is the Day of God and all that is with you and with the people will not be mentioned in it.
      Even though the time of the advent and appearance of the Manifestations of Divine Unity in the world of existence the term "Day of God" could be truly applied to it yet this Most Great Manifestation has been distinguished ["ikhtisás"] in all the books with the fact that in it the Concealed Treasure and the Hidden Unseen ["Ghayb-i-maknún"] Blessed are those who ponder therein! Blessed are they who have recognized it."

      'Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi wrote about this Day. The latter compiled the following in his "The Advent Of Divine Justice"

      The purpose underlying all creation is the revelation of this most sublime, this most holy Day, the Day known as the Day of God, in His Books and Scriptures - the Day which all the Prophets, and the Chosen Ones, and the holy ones, have wished to witness." "The highest essence and most perfect expression of whatsoever the peoples of old have either said or written hath, through this most potent Revelation, been sent down from the heaven of the Will of the All-possession, the Ever-Abiding God." "This is the Day in which God's most excellent favours have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all created things." "This is the Day whereon the Ocean of God's mercy hath been manifested unto men, the Day in which the Day Star of His loving-kindness hath shed its radiance upon them, the Day in which the clouds of his bountiful favour have overshadowed the whole of mankind." "By the righteousness of Mine own Self! Great, immeasurably great is this Cause! Mighty, inconceivably mighty is this Day!" "Every Prophet hath announced the coming of this Day, and every Messenger hath groaned in His yearning for this Revelation - a revelation which, no sooner had it been revealed than al created things cried out saying, 'The earth is God's, the Most Exalted, the Most Great!' " "The Day of the Promise is come, and he Who is the Promised One loudly proclaimeth before all who are in heaven and all who are on earth, 'Verily there is none other God but he, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting! I sear by God! That which had been enshrined from eternity in the knowledge of God, the Knower of the seen and unseen, is revealed. Happy is the eye that seeth, and the face that turneth towards, the countenance of God, the Lord of all being." Great indeed is this Day! The allusions made to it in all the sacred Scriptures as the Day of God attest its greatness. The soul of every Prophet of God, of every Divine Messenger, hath thirsted for this wondrous Day. All the divers kindreds of the earth have, likewise, yearned to attain it." "This Day a door is open wider than both heaven and earth. The eye of the mercy of Him Who is the Desire of the worlds is turned towards all men. An act, however infinitesimal, is, when viewed in the mirror of the knowledge of God , mightier than a mountain. Every drop proffered in His path is as the sea in that mirror. For This is the Day which the one true God, glorified be He, hath announced in all His Books unto His prophets and His Messengers." "This is a Revelation, under which, if a man shed for its sake one drop of blood, of oceans will be his recompense." "A fleeting moment, in this Day, centuries of a bygone age .... Neither sun nor moon hath witnessed a day such as this Day." "This is the Day whereon the unseen world crieth out, 'Great is thy blessedness, O earth, for thou hast been made the footstool of thy God, and been chosen as the seat of his mighty throne.' "The world of being shineth, in this Day, with the resplendency of this Divine Revelation. All created things extol its saving grace, and sing its praises. The universe is wrapt in an ecstasy of and gladness. The Scriptures of past Dispensations celebrate the great jubilee that must needs greet this most great Day of God. Well is it with him that hath lived to see this and, and hath recognised its station." "This Day a different Sun hath arisen, and a different Heaven hath been adorned with its stars and its planets. The world is another world, and the Cause another Cause." "This is the Day which past ages and centuries can never rival. Know this, and be not of the ignorant." "This is the Day whereon human earns have been privileged to hear what He Who conversed with God (Moses) heard upon Sinai, what He Who is the Friend of God (Muhammad) heard when lifted up towards Him, what He Who is the Spirit of God (Jesus) heard as He ascended unto Him, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting." "This Day is God's Day, and this Cause His Cause. Happy is he Who hath resounded this world, and clung to Him Who is the Day-Spring of God's Revelation." "This is the King of Days, the Day that hath seen the coming of the Best Beloved, He Who through all eternity hath been acclaimed the Desire of the World." "This is the Chief of all days and the King thereof. Great is the blessedness of him who hath attained, through the sweet savour of these days, unto everlasting life, and who, with the most great steadfastness, hath arisen to aid the Cause of Him who is the King of Names. Such a man is as the eye to the body of mankind." Peerless is this Day for it is as the eye to past ages and centuries, and as a light unto the darkness of the times." "This Day is different from other days, and this Cause different from other causes. Entreat ye the one true God that He may deprive not the eyes of men from beholding His signs, nor their ears from hearkening unto the shrill voice of the Pen of Glory." "These days are God's days, a moment of which ages and centuries can never rival. An atom, in these days, is as the sun, a drop as the ocean. One single breath exhaled in the love of God and for His service is written down by the Pen of Glory as a princely deed. Were the virtues of this Day to be recounted, all would e thunderstruck, except those whom thy Lord hath exempted." "By the righteousness of God! These are the days in which God hath proved the hearts of the entire company of His Messengers and Prophets, and beyond them those that stand guard over His sacred and inviolable Sanctuary, the inmates of the celestial Pavilion and dwellers of the Tabernacle of Glory." "Should the greatness of this Day be revealed in its fullness, every an would forsake a myriad lives in his longing to partake, though it be for one moment, of its great glory - how much more this world and its corruptible treasures!" "God the true one is My Witness! This is the Day whereon it is incumbent upon every one that seeth to behold, and every ear that hearkeneth to hear, and every heart that understandeth to perceive, and every tongue that speaketh to proclaim unto all who are in heaven and on earth, this holy, this exalted, and all-highest Name." "Say, O men! This is a matchless Day. Matchless must, likewise, be the tongue that celebrateth the praise of the Desire of all nations, and matchless the deed that aspireth to be acceptable in His sight. The whole human race hath longed for this Day, that perchance it may fulfil that which well beseemeth its station and is worthy of its destiny."

      The first Tajalli which hath dawned from the Day-Star of Truth is the knowledge of God_exalted be His glory. And the knowledge of the King of everlasting days can in no wise be attained save by recognizing Him Who is the Bearer of the Most Great Name. He is, in truth, the Speaker on Sinai Who is now seated upon the throne of Revelation. He is the Hidden Mystery and the Treasured Symbol. All the former and latter Books of God are adorned with His praise and extol His glory. Through Him the standard of knowledge hath been planted in the world and the ensign of the oneness of God hath been unfurled amidst all peoples. Attainment unto the Divine Presence can be realized solely by attaining His presence. Through His potency everything that hath, from time immemorial, been veiled and hidden, is now revealed. He is made manifest through the power of Truth and hath uttered a Word whereby all that are in the heavens and on the earth have been dumbfounded, except those whom the Almighty was pleased to exempt. True belief in God and recognition of Him cannot be complete save by acceptance of that which He hath revealed and by observance of whatsoever hath been decreed by Him and set down in the
Book by the Pen of Glory.

      Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh 50

      Dwelling on the glorification of Him Whom God shall make manifest_exalted be His Manifestation_the Bab in the beginning of the Bayan saith: 'He is the One Who shall proclaim under all conditions, "Verily, verily, I am God, no God is there but Me, the Lord of all created things. In truth all others except Me are My creatures. O, My creatures! Me alone do ye worship."' Likewise in another instance He, magnifying the Name of Him Who shall be made manifest, saith: 'I would be the first to adore Him.' Now it behoveth one to reflect upon the significance of the 'Adorer' and the 'Adored One', that perchance the people of the earth may partake of a dewdrop from the ocean of divine knowledge and may be enabled to perceive the greatness of this Revelation. Verily, He hath appeared and hath unloosed His tongue to proclaim the Truth.

      Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh 53
         
          In the past the divines were perplexed over this question, a question which He Who is the Sovereign Truth hath, during the early years of His life, Himself heard them ask repeatedly: 'What is that Word which the Qá'im will pronounce whereby the leaders of religion are put to flight?' Say, that Word is now made manifest and ye have fled ere ye heard it uttered, although ye perceive it not. And that blessed, that hidden, tha
t concealed and treasured Word is this: '"HE" hath now appeared in the raiment of "I". He Who was hidden from mortal eyes exclaimeth: Lo! I am the All-Manifest.' This is the Word which hath caused the limbs of disbelievers to quake. Glorified be God! All the heavenly Scriptures of the past attest to the greatness of this Day, the greatness of this Manifestation, the greatness of His signs, the greatness of His Word

      Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh 258

      'Abdu'l-Bahá
      The holy ones of past ages and centuries have each and all yearned with tearful eyes to live though for one moment in the day of God. Their longings unsatisfied they repaired to the Great Beyond. How great therefore is the bounty of the Abhá Beauty Who notwithstanding our utter unworthiness hath through His grace and mercy breathed into us in this divinely-illumined century the spirit of life WOB 110

      Shoghi Effendi
      The Faith of Bahá'u'lláh should indeed be regarded if we wish to be faithful to the tremendous implications of its message, as the culmination of a cycle, the final stage in a series of successive, of preliminary and progressive revelations. These, beginning WITH Adam and ending with the Báb, have paved the way and anticipated with an ever-increasing emphasis the advent of that Day of Days in which He Who is the Promise of All Ages should be made manifest WO
B 103 ... His long-awaited Day

      in this most grievous Day 194

      the Day when the wholeness of the human race will have been recognized and its unity established 170

This holy Dispensation is illumined with the light of the Sun of Truth shining from its most exalted station, and in the plenitude of its resplendency, its heat and glory." 167
      unexampled vastness of the Baha'i dispensation.

this new Day of God 24.(WOB)

      Bahá'i Teachers

      Mirza Abu'l-Fadl [6] writes of the Advent of the Bahá'í Faith as the "Day of God", See footnote.

      Ruhi Rawshani[7] writes about the Advent of the Báb as specifically referred to as the "coming of "Rabb" the Lord" indicated in the Qur'anic verse 89:21-22 and the Coming of Bahá'u'lláh as the fulfilment of the verse 2:210 "Will they wait until God comes to them in canopies of clouds with angels in His train." In this connection it is interesting to note that according to the Tafsir of Ibn Kathir on this verse: On the Day of Judgement the heavens will open and "Yanzilu'l-Jabbár 'azza wa jalla fi zulalin minal-ghamam wal-malaika." Interestingly the same verse of tradition is mentioned by Bahá'u'lláh in relation to fulfilled prophecy.(page 82 ESW) Thereupon will He Who is the All-Compelling exalted and glorified be He _ descend from the clouds with angels," page 353 Writings of Bahá'u'lláh.

      In this Day some of the people of the Bayán who in their own estimation have torn the veils asunder and have attained to the all-highest objective have paused in accepting the blessed Word "Verily, I am God" which has become manifest in the Dawning Place of this Revelation. Rather they have turned away from its Revealer because of it. Now consider how far they are from the Straight Path of the True One and how deprived from the ultimate purpose even though this has utterance been announced from before as He says in the Sermon of the Gulf "Khutbih-i-Tutunjiyyah" "Anticipate ye the Advent of Him Who spoke with Moses from the Tree on the Mount" and the Primal Point, May the soul of all else but Him be His sacrifice, says "He uttereth an all things: Verily, I am God!" Despite these they (the people of the Bayán) are immersed in the seas of doubt and soar in the air of vain imaginings, how much more is this the case of the diverse factions who have not yet even comprehended the Meaning of the "Day of God". For in that day no name other than the name of the One True God, glorified be His grandeur is mentionable. For example, by the mention of all names whether they be of the highest grade or of the lowest station, whether they be mention of Prophethood, Guardianship, the Saints, the Holy Ones, the Pillars, all these names were intended merely to guide the peoples to the one True God. And now after the Appearance of the Unseen that was Hidden, Him Who is the Preserved Treasure, if at this time a soul should gaze at any one other than the Promised One or be attached to anything other than Him then of a certainty such a person is deprived of the high station of Divine Unity and the most exalted grade of Divine Singleness. Today is the Day of Rising. The Realities behind these names are hoping for and beseeching a new and wondrous grace. For the flag "The Kingdom is God's, the One Omnipotent[ One!" is uplifted and the banner "Verily I am God" is established in the midmost heart of the world and in its highest station. I swear by the Sun shining from the Horizon of Utterance! The peoples of this contingent world are heedless. If less than the eye of the needle they could become aware of that which has appeared, and become manifest and brightly shone, they would pass by all save God and they would utter : "Here I am! Here I am! O Thou Who art the God of all the Worlds". Yes not every one is worthy of this spiritual fountain ( kawthar). Up till now they have not comprehended the meaning of the "Seal of the Prophets" that has been revealed in he Qur'án. For it is well known and evident that after the Sealing of Prophecy either explicitly or implicitly the Appearance of God has been mentioned and recorded in the Book of God."

      This is the Day of which it has been announced " On the Day that thy Lord cometh"[8].... The purpose is this: if a person has attained the highest station of belief and certitude and if such a person should utter these utterances at the first encounter to the seeker in all certainty the seeker would perish and will not attain everlasting life. One must speak according to that person's grade and station so that the seeker may become receptive and able to hear the Divine Melody. Every one should be given the Wine of Knowledge in accord with his measure and capacity... Those that drink the Choice Wine of Significances and life should be concerned only in educating the world. This station is most exalted. Nay it is higher than all heights and loftier than all loftiness. Blessed the one who has attained unto this most glorious, most holy, most inaccessible, most great, and most exalted station ".

      Hath the Hour come?" Nay, more it hath passed. By Hin Who is the Revealer of clear tokens! Say: "The stunning trumpet blast hath been loudly raised, and the Day is God's, the One the Unconstrained. page 362
      Shoghi Effendi refers to this Day in his Tawqí'at-imubarakih as the Day of Encounter The Day of Calling into account
      The Day of Promise
      The Day of Reunion
      The Day when men shall stand before the Lord of the Worlds.

      In the Letter dated 105 BE and published in His Tawqi'at the Guardian explains quoting 'Abdu'l-Bahá that all the Awliya of the past longed yearned for a moment of these Days of God [ "Ání az Ayyamullah"]

      "In Zuhur-i A'zam mathalash Aftab ast. wa Zuhurat-i-Sá'ira da akwar-i sabiqa wa láhiqa nujum wa aqmar." To paraphrase: "This Supreme Zuhur's example is as the Sun and the other zuhurs of the past and future are as the stars and satellites." Abdu'l-Baha and then Shoghi Effendi explains that all the previous and future Anbiya and Shari'in are deriving their "fayz" grace from the "qutb" "pivot" of this "kawr" Cycle: Bahá'u'lláh

      Kull bimanzilayi nujum wa aqmar wa mu'assis in kawr wahdahu chun Aftab page 291.

Elements in appreciating these superlatives

      How does one understand these superlatives?

      If the Light that is now streaming forth upon an increasingly responsive humanity with a radiance that bids fair to eclipse the splendour of such triumphs as the forces of religion have achieved in days past; if the signs and tokens which proclaimed its advent have been, in many respects, unique in the annals of past Revelations; if its votaries have evinced traits and qualities unexampled in the spiritual history of mankind; these should be attributed not to a superior merit which the Faith of Baha'u'llah, as a Revelation isolated and alien from any previous Dispensation, might possess, but rather should be viewed and explained as the inevitable outcome of the forces that have made of this present age an age infinitely more advanced, more receptive, and more insistent to receive an ampler measure of Divine Guidance than has hitherto been vouchsafed to mankind.[ emphasis added]

      The Revelation entrusted by the Almighty Ordainer to Baha'u'llah, His followers firmly believe, has been endowed with such potentialities as are commensurate with the maturity of the human race - the crowning and most momentous stage in its evolution from infancy to manhood.[emphasis added]

      The successive Founders of all past Religions Who, from time immemorial, have shed, with ever-increasing intensity, the splendour of one common Revelation at the various stages which have marked the advance of mankind towards maturity may thus, in a sense, be regarded as preliminary Manifestations, anticipating and paving the way for the advent of that Day of Days when the whole earth will have fructified and the tree of humanity will have fructified and the tree of humanity will have yielded its destined fruit.

Conclusion

      Through careful selection of scriptural texts, the Qur'án, Shí'ih, Shaykhí, sources as well as the expositions of the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh and 'abdu'l-Bahá as well as the Guardian it is hoped that further elucidation has been offered for a theme so dear to Arjumand and every Bahá'í heart. It is also particularly apt that this stage has been called the "climacteric of history" in the Message of the Universal House Of Justice dated 1990.


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                                        K. Fananapazir Edinburgh 1993


Notes

[1] Ana alladhí uqtalu marratayn wa uhyá marratayn. Wa liya al-Karrata ba'dal-Karrati wa-al-Raj'ata ba'dar-Raj'ati
[2] Yusuf-i-Baha dat Qayyyúmal Asmá N.M.. Husayní Persian Institute for Baha'i Studies Ontario 1991
[3] Yawm-i-Qíyámat kull 'arz bar Khudá mishavand kih arz bar Shajarah-i- Haqíqat bashad. Arz bi-Dhát-i-Aqdas mumkin nist. Vahid 2, seventh báb page 30
[4] Qur'án 2:8, 2:62, 2:126, 2:177, 2:228, 2:232, 3:114, 65:2.
[5] Qur'án 83:6.
[6] it is the belief of the people of Bahá that all the divinely revealed Scrolls and Heaven-sent books assert and are unanimous on the one point, namely that in the "latter days" because of the Advent of two "

Most Great Luminaries" in the firmament of Divine Revelation the world would achieve maturity; the long night of "idle fancy and vain imagination" would expire: the darkness of religious and sectarian differences would disappear, and the world of being would function around the focal point of unity based on the One Word of God and one Faith. Hatreds latent in the hearts of men would be obliterated, animosity and alienation would be transformed into love and brotherhood, warfare and strife would become obsolete, nay the means of warfare would be transformed to become the instruments for the acquisition of livelihood. Truths enshrined in the ancient books of religion would be made manifest and the primary purpose of those verities hidden in the casket of words would become apparent. Knowledge and the sciences would advance and the light of true civilisation, which in the language of the Prophets is that which is meant by religion, would illuminate all lands. The breeze of the mercy of God would blow and the tabernacle of justice would outspread its beneficent outreach. The clouds of loving kindness will rain upon men and the thick mist of injustice and iniquity recede from all regions. In summary the heavens of divers religions would be rolled up, the world of being would take upon itself a new garment and the smouldering bones of faith will assume a new life and become resurrected. The meaning of "Thou shalt see the Earth a different Earth" will be made apparent, and the truth of the verse "The Earth shall shine with the light of its Lord" shall be made manifest (Qur'án 39:69) and the significance of the verse "the Command on that Day shall belong to God alone " (Qur'án 82:19) shall be evident to all.

In the Old Testament this Great Day is referred to as the "Day of the Lord", the "Day of God" and the two advents are foreshadowed as the descent of Elijah" and the "Coming of the Lord" (Translator: Joel 2:11, Zephaniah 1:14, Micah 4:1, Malachi 3:2, also Isaiah 2:10, 2:21, Isaiah Chapters 9, 11, and 35

In the New Testament the Day is referred to as the Day of God, and the Day of the Kingdom and the twin Manifestations are referred to as the Return of John the Baptist and the Descent of the "Spirit of God" Jesus Christ from Heaven.

In the Holy Qur'án this Day is referred to as the Day of God, the Day of Judgement, the Day of Recompense (2:48, 2:123), the Day of Anguish (19:39), the Day of Encounter (40: 15), the Hour (20:15, 40:59).

In the Hadíths ascribed to the Prophet Muhammad the first Manifestation is referred to as the Mahdí and the second Manifestation as that of the Spirit of God. Further in the traditions of the Imams of Guidance, the first Manifestation is referred to as the Qá'im ("He Who ariseth") and the Second Manifestation as the Return of Imam Husayn (Translator see GWB No IX) . Thus as shall be further made evident the purpose of all has been the announcement of two great days, two Bounteous Dispensations.

"Our Descriptions are many but thy Beauty is One"

Although it can easily be discovered that in this long night of waiting a night whose beginning is unknown, the men of God were forever giving hope to the hearts of the seekers after guidance and forever asserting the eventual attainment unto the station of maturity - and indeed an illumined mind would also concur with the truthfulness of such promises and the necessity of fulfilling these hopes for if the world were not to attain maturity the Book of creation would be an issueless story and the tree of creation just possessed of fruit-less branches - and finally the existence of a consensus of mankind relating to a Day of Universal Resurrection and the ending of Diversity of Religion - all that bearing support to this theme -yet according to the books extant now the first Person to adorn the Pages of Revelation with the glad tidings of this Event and the inevitability of the Day of God was that great Being, Moses, the Interlocutor with God.

[7] Shaykh Muhyid-Dín ibn 'Arabi in his famous Futuhát (Volume 1 page 95) writes that the "Day of the Rabb" Lord is a thousand years as ye reckon them according to the text of the Qur'án and that there is another Day whose duration is referred to as fifty thousand years:

"God the Possessor of the Ways of Ascent. The Angels and the Spirit ascend unto Him in a Day the measure whereof is fifty thousand years." Qur'án 70: 3 and 4
[8] 6: 158
[9] For a full bibliography to the writings of Shoghi Effendi see Collins, Bibliography 31-37.