What do Baha'is really believe about the founder of their religion, Baha'u'llah? Do they believe he is simply the latest bearer of divine teachings for humanity, equal to the founders of earlier religions such as Moses, Muhammad, Buddha, and Jesus Christ, each of them the "Manifestation of God" for a particular time and place? This is what Baha'is usually say, and probably this is what many of them believe. But is this is real doctrine of the Baha'i faith? What do the Baha'i scriptures say about Baha'u'llah's station compared to other great prophets and spiritual leaders of the past?

Here are some quotations from the Baha'i holy writings that show that the Baha'i faith teaches that Baha'u'llah is superior to the founders of other religions, from the distant past into the distant future -- including Jesus Christ, who explicitly claimed to be the one and only incarnation of God in the flesh and whose followers believe He rose from the dead, which Baha'u'llah definitely did not do. (Emphasis added.)

• "Briefly, we say a universal cycle in the world of existence signifies a long duration of time, and innumerable and incalculable periods and epochs. In such a cycle the Manifestations appear with splendor in the realm of the visible until a great and supreme Manifestation makes the world the center of His radiance. His appearance causes the world to attain to maturity, and the extension of His cycle is very great. Afterward, other Manifestations will arise under His shadow, Who according to the needs of the time will renew certain commandments relating to material questions and affairs, while remaining under His shadow. We are in the cycle which began with Adam, and its supreme Manifestation is Baha'u'llah." -- Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions p. 161 (Chapter 41. The Universal Cycles)
  
  
• "For while the Dispensation of Baha'u'llah will last for at least one thousand years, His Cycle will extend still farther, to at least 500,000 years. The Baha'i cycle is, indeed, incomparable in its greatness. It includes not only the Prophets that will appear after Baha'u'llah, but all those who have preceded Him ever since Adam. These should, indeed, be viewed as constituting but preliminary stages leading gradually to the appearance of this supreme Manifestation of God." -- Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, Directives from the Guardian #21, pp. 7-8.
  
  
• "There are no Prophets, so far, in the same category as Baha'u'llah, as He culminates a great cycle begun with Adam." -- Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, Letters from the Guardian to Australia and New Zealand p. 41, quoted in Lights of Guidance #1550
  
  
• "This is the foundation of the belief of the people of Baha [the Baha'is]... His Holiness the Abha Beauty [Baha'u'llah] (may my life be a sacrifice for His steadfast friends) is the Supreme Manifestation of God and the Dayspring of His Most Divine Essence. All others are servants unto Him and do His bidding." -- Abdu'l-Baha, Will and Testament p. 19 (Part Two)
  
  
• "The Greatest Name is the Name of Baha'u'llah. 'Ya Baha'u'l-Abha' is an invocation meaning: 'O Thou Glory of Glories!'. 'Allah-u-Abha' is a greeting which means: 'God the All-Glorious'. Both refer to Baha'u'llah. By Greatest Name is meant that Baha'u'llah has appeared in God's Greatest Name, in other words, that He is the supreme Manifestation of God." -- Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, quoted in The Most Holy Book (Kitab-i-Aqdas) note #33; also quoted in Lights of Guidance #1551. Both of the Arabic phrases referred to are forms of the "Greatest Name." Baha'is must recite "Allah-u-Abha" 95 times per day according to Baha'i law. "Ya Baha'u'l-Abha" written in Arabic calligraphy (as shown here) is supposed to be displayed in all Baha'i homes, community buildings, worship meetings, and photographs of groups of Baha'is -- a disturbing image for English-speaking Baha'is to have to look at, as you can probably see for yourself.
  

Compare the authoritative Baha'i scriptural passages above, especially the last one, with this passage from the Bible.

Clearly, the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ has the highest spiritual status as Lord over all creation, and that everyone else is expected to bow down to Him. Every knee includes the knees of Mirza Husayn Ali Nuri, the man who took for himself the title Baha'u'llah ("the Glory of God" in Arabic), which his followers believe is the greatest name. Unfortunately for him and the Baha'is, the Bible makes a totally contradictory claim, that the given name of Christ, Jesus ("YHWH saves" in Hebrew), is the greatest name and that to glorify God the Father we must confess that Jesus, His only begotten Son, is Lord. Baha'u'llah glorified himself, calling himself the Glory of God, the Glory of Glories, God the All-Glorious, and commanding his followers the Baha'is to meditate on his glory as part of their daily ritual of prayer. But the Bible tells us that we must confess Jesus so that we can glorify God, as the incarnate Lord did by submitting to the humiliation of the cross -- and that people such as the Baha'is are worshipping a name that is below the name of Jesus.

Another noteworthy Bible verse contradicts the claim of Baha'u'llah to be the "Greatest Name" and "Supreme Manifestation of God" as proclaimed in Baha'i scripture.

If we accept this verse from the Bible about Jesus, we must reject the Baha'i belief about Baha'u'llah. If salvation is found in no one else except Jesus, then Baha'u'llah is unnecessary. If there is no other name but Jesus by which we must be saved, then focusing on the name Baha'u'llah will do us no good.

Which claim is true: the claim of the Bible about Jesus Christ, or the claim of the Baha'i scriptures about Baha'u'llah? Which of these men is the highest spiritual authority, and which name is the greatest name of God? We must decide between them, because they cannot both be true at once. Baha'ism and Christianity are therefore fundamentally irreconcilable religions, because they are founded on incompatible and competing claims of truth. Don't be fooled! You simply cannot accept both Jesus Christ and Baha'u'llah at the same time, as Baha'is would have you believe. The evidence is clear and available for all to see. The religions of Jesus Christ and Baha'u'llah cannot both be from the same God, because they are based on conflicting claims. Decide for yourself which one you choose to believe; may God guide you to choose wisely.

Bahai-Faith.com -- Ex-Baha'i Christian Testimony