June 20. On this date in 1991, the Universal House of Justice addressed an inquiry "over the statement in its Ridván 1990 message referring to Bahá'u'lláh as 'the most precious Being ever to have drawn breath on this planet'."
20 June, 1991
Dear Bahá'í Friend,
Further to our letter of 25 November 1990, we have been directed by the Universal House of Justice to convey the following response to your inquiry of 24 June 1990. The delay is sincerely regretted.
The House of Justice appreciates your frankness concerning your puzzlement over the statement in its Ridván 1990 message referring to Bahá'u'lláh as "the most precious Being ever to have drawn breath on this planet". You are entirely correct in drawing upon Bahá'u'lláh's statement, cited on pages 78-79 of "Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh", to point out the oneness and sameness of the "essence of all the Prophets of God". The statement of the House of Justice should not be taken to imply anything to the contrary, but rather should be seen in the historical context of His Revelation and in its nature and character relative to the Revelations that preceded it. As Bahá'u'lláh has said in the same passage in the "Gleanings" from which you quoted:
The measure of the revelation of the Prophets of God in this world, however, must differ. Each and every one of them hath been the Bearer of a distinct Message, and hath been commissioned to reveal Himself through specific acts….
Concerning His own Revelation, Bahá'u'lláh has testified to "the inconceivable greatness of this Revelation" and said:
That which hath been made manifest in this preeminent, this most exalted Revelation, stands unparalleled in the annals of the past, nor will future ages witness its like….
In the following statement written on his behalf, Shoghi Effendi offers important clarification on the question of the sameness of the essence of the Prophets and the comparative qualities of their Revelations in this world:
Bahá'u'lláh is not the intermediary between other Manifestations and God. Each has His own relation to the Primal Source. But in the sense that Bahá'u'lláh is the greatest Manifestation to yet appear, the One Who consummates the Revelation of Moses, He was the One Moses conversed with in the Burning Bush. In other words Bahá'u'lláh identifies the Glory of the Godhead on that occasion with Himself. No distinction can be made amongst the Prophets in the sense that They all proceed from one source, and are of one essence. But Their stations and functions in this world are different.
This statement calls to mind several passages from the writings of Bahá'u'lláh which Shoghi Effendi quotes in "God Passes By", page 99:
"In this most mighty Revelation," He moreover states, "all the Dispensations of the past have attained their highest, their final consummation." And again: "None among the Manifestations of old, except to a prescribed degree, hath ever completely apprehended the nature of this Revelation." Referring to His [Bahá'u'lláh's] own station He declares: "But for Him no Divine Messenger would have been invested with the Robe of Prophethood, nor would any of the sacred Scriptures have been revealed."
Also of relevance to the difference in stations between Bahá'u'lláh's Revelation and those which have preceded or will come after it is the beloved Guardian's response to an inquiry which, as conveyed, said: "There is no record in history, or in the teachings, of a Prophet similar in station to Bahá'u'lláh having lived 500,000 years ago. There will, however, be one similar to Him in greatness after the lapse of 500,000 years…."
- With loving Bahá'í greetings,
For Department of the Secretariat
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