Manifestation of God

Manifestation of God is the English rendering of the Persian and Arabic term mazhar (manifestation, appearance) in Baha'i theological usage[1]. The phrase names the central Baha'i category for the founders of major religious traditions: Baha'u'llah, the Bab, Muhammad, Christ, Krishna, the Buddha, Zarathustra, Moses, Abraham, and (depending on the account) others[2].

it should not be reduced either to prophet or to incarnation without attention to Baha’i theology.

In Baha'i teaching, the Manifestations of God are intermediaries between humanity and the unknowable Essence of God. God in himself is held to be utterly transcendent and beyond direct human knowledge. The Manifestations are the means by which divine guidance becomes accessible: they reveal scripture, teach ethical and spiritual truth, and establish religious frameworks suited to their historical moments.

Baha'i theology holds the Manifestations as essentially one in their inner spiritual reality, while distinct in their outward historical missions. Each comes at the appropriate moment in the unfolding of religious history with the teaching needed for that age. The doctrine of progressive revelation holds that human spiritual capacity has grown across history and that the teaching of each Manifestation builds on previous teaching while bringing what is needed next.

Baha'u'llah (1817-1892), the founder of the Baha'i Faith, is held by Baha'is as the most recent Manifestation, with his teaching as the appropriate guidance for the current age of human unity. The Bab (1819-1850), his predecessor and a major prophetic figure in his own right, is also recognized as a Manifestation.

The Manifestation of God concept distinguishes Baha'i theology from both Christian incarnation (the Manifestations are not the divine Essence enfleshed in the Christian sense) and from Muslim prophethood (Baha'u'llah is held to be a new Manifestation, which contradicts Islamic teaching that Muhammad is the final prophet). This positioning has led to significant tension with Islamic authorities, especially in Iran where the Baha'i Faith originated, with ongoing persecution of Baha'is.

The doctrine of Manifestation of God is one of Baha'i theology's most distinctive contributions[2]. It articulates a vision of religious history as continuous divine guidance through specific historical figures, with the relationship of unity and distinction among the Manifestations carefully developed.

Baha'i studies has examined the doctrine of Manifestation of God. Moojan Momen[2], Juan Cole, and others have produced significant scholarly work on Baha'i theology and history. Comparative theology has engaged Manifestation-of-God in dialogue with Christian incarnation, Islamic prophethood, and Hindu avatara.

• The Baha'i Faith: A Beginner's Guideby Moojan Momen
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• God Passes Byby Shoghi Effendi
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