t the Manifestations should "never
... be identified with that invisible Reality, the Essence of Divinity
itself". In relation to Baha'u'llah, the Guardian wrote that the "human
temple that has been the vehicle of so overpowering a Revelation" is not
to be identified with the "Reality" of God.

Concerning the uniqueness of Baha'u'llah's station and the greatness of
His Revelation, Shoghi Effendi affirms that the prophetic statements
concerning the "Day of God", found in the Sacred Scriptures of past
Dispensations, are fulfilled by the advent of Baha'u'llah:

To Israel He was neither more nor less than the incarnation of the
"Everlasting Father", the "Lord of Hosts" come down "with ten
thousands of saints"; to Christendom Christ returned "in the glory
of the Father"; to S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}i'ah Islam the return of the Imam Husayn;
to Sunni Islam the descent of the "Spirit of God" (Jesus Christ);
to the Zoroastrians the promised S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}ah-Bahram; to the Hindus the
reincarnation of Krishna; to the Buddhists the fifth Buddha.

Baha'u'llah describes the station of "Divinity" which He shares with all
the Manifestations of God as

...the station in which one dieth to himself and liveth in God.
Divinity, whenever I mention it, indicateth My complete and
absolute self-effacement. This is the station in which I have no
control over mine own weal or woe nor over my life nor over my
resurrection.

And, regarding His own relationship to God, He testifies:

When I contemplate, O my God, the relationship that bindeth me to
Thee, I am moved to proclaim to all created things "verily I am
God"; and when I consider my own self, lo, I find it coarser than
clay!

161. payment of Zakat #146

Zakat is referred to in the Qur'an as a regular charity binding upon
Muslims. In due course the concept evolved into a form of alms-tax which
imposed the obligation to give a fixed portion of certain categories of
income, beyond specified limits, for the relief of the poor, for various
charitable purposes, and to aid the Faith of God. The limit of exemption
varied for different commodities, as did the percentage payable on the
portion assessable.

Baha'u'llah states that the Baha'i law of Zakat follows "what hath been
revealed in the Qur'an" (Q and A 107). Since such issues as the limi