Baha'is, Sikhs, Muslims, Mormons, Ahmadiyyat

[Dah-veeth]

What do we have in common and what are the basic differences? (huge topic, isn't it?)

Baha'is believe Baha'u'llah is the Promised One of all world religions. We believe the Prophets after Jesus Christ are Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets, the Bab, the Promised Qa'im, and Baha'u'llah, the Glory of God, or Return of Christ in the Glory of the Father, Who came as a thief in the night.

Sikhism, for the little I know about it, was founded by a Guru. Sikhs believe Jesus and Muhammad, and from the little I know, appears to be a blending of Hinduism with Islam. I would welcome Sikhs to tell me more about it here.

Muslims believe Jesus and Muhammad, and are waiting for the Qa'im and Return of Christ... Muslims are also very welcome to come to this discussion.

Mormons are a restorationist branch of Christianity who believe Jesus but not Muhammad (although I have met a Mormon online who believed Muhammad) and they have a long list of restoration prophets from Joseph Smith and Brigham Young up to Gordon B. Hinckley who died yesterday. The next will probably be Monson or Packer. Mormons are welcome to this discussion as well.

Ahmadiyyat, like Baha'is, believe Abraham, Moses, Krishna, the Buddha, Zoroaster, Jesus Christ, and Muhammad. Ahmadiyyat don't believe the Bab and Baha'u'llah and have a different Promised One. I don't know much about Ahmadiyya, or whether I'm even spelling or using the word Ahmadiyyat correctly, but it appears to be a restorationist branch of Islam, kind of like Mormonism is to Christianity. Followers of Ahmadiyya are welcome to tell me more about it.

(and in case you were wondering, I'm a Baha'i, which is why I posted this in the Baha'i forum)

[Dah-veeth]

Originally Posted by Dah-veeth

We believe the Prophets after Jesus Christ are Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets, the Bab, the Promised Qa'im, and Baha'u'llah, the Glory of God, or Return of Christ in the Glory of the Father, Who came as a thief in the night.

I could have been a little more clear here.

We believe Muhammad is the Seal of the Prophets (in the Prophetic Cycle.)

We believe the Bab is the Promised Qa'im to precede Baha'u'llah.

We believe Baha'u'llah is the Promised One of all religions, the return of Christ, the return of Krishna, etc., etc.

[Opal]

quick question:

whats "Ahmadiyyat" ?

[bob x]

The Ahmadiya are a sect based mostly in Pakistan that, somewhat like the Bahais and Sikhs, try to harmonize all religious traditions, and revere their teacher as having brought new revelations, for which reason the Muslims consider them heretics (as not acknowledging the "finality" of Muhammad).

[Dah-veeth]

Originally Posted by bob x

The Ahmadiya are a sect based mostly in Pakistan that, somewhat like the Bahais and Sikhs, try to harmonize all religious traditions, and revere their teacher as having brought new revelations, for which reason the Muslims consider them heretics (as not acknowledging the "finality" of Muhammad).

And like Mormons, who are part of Christianity and insist on being called Christians, Ahmadiyyas are part of Islam and insist on being called Muslims. Both are restorationist, seeing themselves as fixing Christianity and Islam, respectively.

The Baha'i Faith is an independent world religion and is related to Islam in the same way that Christianity is related to Judaism. Another parallel could be how Buddhism is related to Hinduism. Ahmadiyyas very much consider themselves Muslims, not an independent religion.

[arthra]

Of course we want to be on good terms with all of these groups, i.e., the Sikhs, Ahmadiyyih and the Mormons, and dialogue with them where possible... Each have unique sort of origins and reasons for their developement.

In regard to Muslims we have our own special relationship as the Faith emerged out of Islam and there are of course the Sunni and Shiah versions of Islam which again we have special relationships with.

- Art

[Dah-veeth]

Originally Posted by arthra

Of course we want to be on good terms with all of these groups, i.e., the Sikhs, Ahmadiyyih and the Mormons, and dialogue with them where possible... Each have unique sort of origins and reasons for their developement.

In regard to Muslims we have our own special relationship as the Faith emerged out of Islam and there are of course the Sunni and Shiah versions of Islam which again we have special relationships with.

- Art

"Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship." -Baha'u'llah

Yes, definitely, we want to be on good terms with everyone

I think what I was trying to say earlier is that Mormons and Ahmadiyyas are a part of the world religions Christianity and Islam.... they're part of religions that we accept the divine origin of. Another example, even if it's not a close example, is that Hare Krishna is recent, but it's part of Hinduism, and as Baha'is we accept Krishna.

[Ahanu]

Originally Posted by Dah-veeth

What do we have in common and what are the basic differences? (huge topic, isn't it?)

Sikhism, for the little I know about it, was founded by a Guru. Sikhs believe Jesus and Muhammad, and from the little I know, appears to be a blending of Hinduism with Islam. I would welcome Sikhs to tell me more about it here.

From what I have read, while earlier commentators said that Sikhism was a blend of Islam and Hinduism, some modern scholars and even Sikhs say that Nanak rejected both Islam and Hinduism. Nanak rejected Hindu polytheism and, like Islam, believed in one God, but accepted the Hindu beliefs of reincarnation and karma, for instance.

[Dawud]

Originally Posted by Ahanu

From what I have read, while earlier commentators said that Sikhism was a blend of Islam and Hinduism, some modern scholars and even Sikhs say that Nanak rejected both Islam and Hinduism. Nanak rejected Hindu polytheism and, like Islam, believed in one God, but accepted the Hindu beliefs of reincarnation and karma, for instance.

So the founder of Sikhism was Guru Nanak, right? I think I read somewhere that he said he was a guru and not a prophet, but I don't remember where I saw that, so I don't have anything to back me up on that. I don't know how SIkhs regard their founder, whether they believe he was a prophet or not. Sikhism is monotheist, true, and it can also be said that Hinduism is essentially monotheist when you really get down to it. They believe, for instance, that all the gods are manifestations of only one God. A Hindu, in an interfaith group other than this one, has compared God to a many-faced diamond. A singular God with many faces...

p.s. I'm Dah-veeth.

[Ahanu]

I think I read somewhere that he said he was a guru and not a prophet, but I don't remember where I saw that,

Nanak saw himself as God's mouthpiece and did have an experience that he saw as a revelation.

Here is a quote from a religious textbook I have. . .

"After bathing and performing religious ablutions in a nearby river, Nanak went into the adjacent forest and did not reemerge for three days. During that time he felt himself taken into the divine presence. He would later say that he had experienced God directly. This shattering experience revealed to him that there is but one God, beyond all human names and conceptions."

[Dawud]

Very interesting! What was Nanak's background? Was he brought up Hindu or Muslim? Do Sikhs also view their holy book(s) as a guru? I don't know much about Sikhism, just a few things... kind of like I don't know much Russian or Japanese, just a little bit.

[arthra]

There is a Sikh board at CR at

http://www.comparative-religion.com/forum/sikhism.html

[Dawud]

Originally Posted by arthra

There is a Sikh board at CR at

http://www.comparative-religion.com/forum/sikhism.html

Cool! I even posted a message there. There's also sikhism.com which, among other things, says:

"Sikhs do not view God as a man in the clouds or any other form of human being, male or female. The concept of God in Sikhism is of oneness with the entire universe and its spirit. God is found not by searching in remote places, but by eliminating ego, which is said to allow a deeper, more accurate perspective on the nature of reality."

[dbanks82]

Well I have enjoyed reading everyones comment on this forum so far. I am a mormon and what I have read in posting so far is a accurate assumption of what we are. I had never heard of Ahmadiyyat before but I believe I need to research them and learn more. I also am not to familiar with Sikhs and Muslims. I am however fairly familiar with the Bahai religion. I see many similarities between Baha'is and mormons. Just as a side note mormons prefer the term lds. The offical name of the Church is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mormons is a nickname that is often used in a negative fashion. It is not offenseive or anything it is just a preference. Most of our belifs are very similar. I feel however our orgins are very closely related. Both of our religions have a history of persecution. Both of our religions in our earlier days were very heavily persecuted. I have read books on how Baha'is were killed in Iran. Well mormons were killed and driven in the USA. Missiouri even passed legislation making it legal to kill mormons. An act that wasn't repealled until the 1990's I believe. I know that Baha'is in Iran are still persecuted which is heart wrenching to me. The persecution mormons face today is more verbal than physical. While I was a missionary for the lds church I met a baha'i family and we had many conversations and gained mutual respect and understanding for our two faiths. I truly admire the bahai religion and hold it in the highest regard. I think it is a beautiful religion that promotes the type of message that the world so desperately needs.

[arthra]

dbanks wrote:

"While I was a missionary for the lds church I met a baha'i family and we had many conversations and gained mutual respect and understanding for our two faiths. I truly admire the bahai religion and hold it in the highest regard. I think it is a beautiful religion that promotes the type of message that the world so desperately needs."

Thanks for your comments and welcome to the Baha'i Forum at Interfaith Online!

This thread probably should have appeared in the Comparative Religion section:

Comparative Studies - Interfaith forums

One of the remarks by Shoghi Effendi the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith some years ago now has this:

They (meaning members of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints) have many good principles, and their teachings regarding chastity, not drinking or smoking, etc., are quite similar to ours, and should form a point of common interest."

(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, August 18, 1942: Bahá'í News, No. 416, November 1965)

(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 510)

Again thanks for your comments.

- Art