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In this way very clear guidance was provided to those who lived in the Middle East where the prophecies where first revealed and fulfilled, and to the Christian world in the West which would later prove more receptive to the new Revelation of God. Moreover, the dates were corollary to the prophecies found in the sacred Books of the Jews (the Book of Daniel), the Christians (the Book of Revelation), and the Muslims (the Qur'an). Christ had confirmed the prophecies of Daniel in His last major sermon (Matt.24:15) and Muhammad had confirmed the Gospel in the Qur'an (5:49-50).Thus both the Christians and the Muslims could confidently refer to other religious Scriptures for guidance and, had they been willing, the followers of all these Faiths could have checked their understanding against the prophecies of each other's holy books and found additional and extraordinary confirmation. (202:1) The most significant failing of the Christian world was its lack of appreciation and understanding of Islam, for none of the dates associated with the 1,260, 1,290 and 1,335 years can be fully understood without an awareness of Islam. Each date commences at a significant moment in the history of Islam and ends with the advent of a similarly momentous date in the history of the Baha'i Revelation. The 1,260 years is calculated from the beginning of the Islamic era, which is initiated with the Hegira. The Hegira marks the point where Muhammad's persecutors had so intensified their opposition that He moved residence from Mecca to Medina. These persecutors were the same persons who would later corrupt the Cause of Islam from within and thus bring in 'the abomination of desolation'. This date culminates with the beginning of the Baha'i era, which marks the beginning of the cleansing of the sanctuary, that is, the removal of the abomination of desolation and the re-establishment of God's Faith without corruption. Nevertheless, both dates are parallel in that both mark the inception of a new era. (202:2) The commencing and culmination of the 1,290 years also corresponds to an important parallel. It begins with Muhammad's open proclamation of His divine claims three years after His ministry had begun (AD 613) and concludes with the year of Baha'u'llah's similar open proclamation of His ministry, a lunar year overlapping 1863-4 of the Gregorian calendar. Both Muhammad and Baha'u'llah kept their station concealed for a time before openly announcing them.
(202:3)
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