This lecture is one of two lectures that were given in Beirut while our Beloved Prophet was in our midst.
There were certain historical incidents leading to the two lectures and will be elaborated on in future publications.
In the future, these two lectures will be retranslated for accuracy, diction, and clarity.
Daheshism
A Spiritual Truth
Attested by Miracles
By Ghazi Brax
Translated by
A.T.Z. Touma
This address was given in the Assembly Hall at the Faculty of Law (Lebanese University) on May 21, 1971.
From Lebanon, from the land of the cedar of the Lord, I address those who are lost, those who are trying to get away from their anxieties and from the tragedies that haunt them; and those who, in vain, are searching for tranquility. From here, from the land of the prophets, I address humanity which seems so taken by the pride of scientific discoveries, and benumbed by greed and worldly desires. It is no wonder then to see that its gashes are bleeding and by large it is approaching slowly to its awful doom. But humanity, not recognizing these maladious fits, still falls under the deception that it is healthy and in full bloom.
Now, to those who are after the guiding truth, while it is still out of their reach, I say : “Had the truth been in the theories of the intellectuals, the interpretations of the theologians, or the opinions of political leaders who exist everywhere, then its sun would have manifested itself to satisfy and convince every willing mind. But the guiding truth is not within their reach, and is unique in nature because it is not subject to division and paradox and therefore shuns to be identified through whims and suppositions and to be leading to vice, evil, and wicked consequences. The guiding Truth is a living fact manifesting good deeds in both the individual and society.” To those who are after sexual desires, sensual pleasures, terrestrial glories, luxury and extravagance I say: “Now is the time to wake up and realize that what you see is not real water but simple mirage! And that what you have in your hands, although you are unaware of it is a burning firebrand. You try to run away from your calamities which crouch upon you as dreadful nightmares by just closing your eyes. That of course is sheer madness!”
What is it that dazzles your eyes, countrymen and peoples of the earth? Could it be Eastern or Western civilizations? World civilization today is likened to a tree the branches of which extend in every direction on earth and high up as if to touch the sky. But such a tree could dazzle our sight but not our insight because its pulp is verging towards decay, its sap that gives it life is staring to drain, its trunk and branches are being prepared to be cut and thrown into the eternal fire.
What is it that fascinates your minds, countrymen and peoples of the earth? Could it be the spaceships landing on the moon while oppression is rooted in human hearts? Or could it be expropriation of land, denial of the rights of others, refugees being in distress, ignorance and hate? Or is it the weak being mauled by savage masters? Could it also be that you are convinced by giant plants, powerful weapons, great laboratories, wonderful discoveries and skyscrapers? Could a11 of these dazzle you while the human soul is totally degraded and crushed in a world where the 1aw of the jungle still prevails?
From these shores that promulgated the Alphabet and sent it to every part of the world; from the East which gave rise to the sun of Christianity and Islam which drove away darkness; from the sacred habitat of revelation a great spiritual truth has emerged to awaken the conscience of those who are asleep, and to revive hope in the hearts of those who are desperate, providing the blind and the crippled with the staff of guidance and offering a safety board for the passengers on board who are about to be drowned. This Spiritual Truth is Daheshism.
What is Daheshism?
Before imparting you with a synopsis about Daheshism and its spiritual truth, an explanatory word is quite necessary. In a previous lecture given at the American University of Beirut, on May 12, 1970 about “the Prodigies of Dr. Dahesh and the Unity of Religions” which was translated into many languages, I named quite a number of Dr. Dahesh’s miracles which were al1 palpable and convincing, unchanged by the passing of years and when taken by photographs, also confirmed by dozens of eyewitnesses, corroborated by specialists, well informed and enlightened individuals. A1l these facts are enough to refute the doubts of the defamers, and those who attribute these real miracles to conjuring tricks and hallucination.
It is a known fact that the courts—Penal and Civil—exercise authority to pass a verdict which may entail the sentence of death upon a person's life if and when supported by concrete evidence or few witnesses. If we were to compare this with Dr. Dahesh's miracles we find, for the last half century, thousands have confirmed the authenticity of these miracles and among them were attorney generals, judges, brilliant lawyers, well known physicians, men of letters, university professors, and Journalists of different nationalities and yet what do we have as a response? Is this huge number of witnesses not enough to awaken the living conscience of the world and to 1et the stout noble head stand and declare the great spiritual truth in a thundering voice to the whole world?
It should be noted, however, that among the witnesses are hundreds of men of integrity and character who are well reputed and highly qualified and who preferred persecution, imprisonment, dismissal of their official posts and various other sufferings to giving up their beliefs in a truth that touched their hearts. Among these many distinguished witnesses, I content myself with: the great lady of letters, Mrs. Mary Haddad, ex-president of the Syndicate of Artists, Mr. Dimitri Hayek, former attorney general of Beirut, Mr. Halim Dammous of Zahly, a poet of renown fame, Mr. Yusuf al Hajj orator and man of letters, Dr. Khabsa and Dr. Farid Abu Sleiman, two well known physicians of widespread fame who had sacrificed and suffered for their beliefs.
If scientific facts are to be doubted, and no merit is to be given to the deeds and conduct of qualified scientists, what on earth will then make us believe in thousands of scientific facts which people hold as true. Who can claim for example, that he has personally measured the velocity rate of light or that he has verified the internal structure of the atom with his own eyes, or that he has traveled in space between the stars and the planets, or has gone deep exploring the depth of the seas revealing their hidden secrets and acquainting himself With a11 the scientific facts which he has accepted without any further argument.
What is it that make us believe in the miracles of Christ although we did not witness a single one and even the historians and the opponents did not relate any. The only knowledge we have of them is intimated by a few who affirmed their veracity after having eye-witnessed these miracles or had heard about them.
The sound logic which invites us to accept the scientific facts is the same logic which impels us to believe in the miracles of Christ. For those who had witnessed them and had borne testimony in their favor, had excellent qualifications and were men of character and integrity.
When we do come to account for Dr. Dahesh's prodigies, the evidence verges as well on dead certainty. The testimonies that admit their validity are. increasing day in day out, reaching up to thousands. They had been confessed by his opponents and followers alike, and by a majority who are both qualified and sound-minded.
It is a great advantage to mention that Dr. Dahesh is still alive, and that he receives tens of visitors daily. Among them are photographers who take pictures when miracles take place and make it a point to keep those photographs as a permanent evidence of his miraculous performances. Many an atheist came out of his house converted into a believer in God and a11 his prophets without any discrimination. Many a stickler came out to approve the veracity of these miracles. But there are also a few with deviated hearts, blind eyes and hired mercenary pens who preferred falsehood to truth, not realizing that false-hood cannot last long.
So long as Dr. Dahesh is still alive, everyday has the full right to get his faith affirmed in the same manner St. Thomas did. We had that experience before and we were fully convinced. Jesus said: “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)
With the self-evident miracles which had been attested by hundreds of reliable witnesses as a premise, we are going to declare the different aspects of Daheshite Spiritual Truth and to establish our subject on a more solid ground, thus avoiding the danger of getting lost in the maze of theories and in philosophical or theological assumptions.
The Truths of Daheshism
Although few of the mysteries of Nature have been unveiled by scientists, yet there is a countless number of these that bewilder science and before which scientists stand helpless.
After so many long experiments and mighty efforts, scientists have proved that solid bodies are not inanimate, but are in a slow vibratory movement. This same movement which may have a higher vibratory form animates other kinds of living matter. This electromagnetic energy is the essence of existence in both solid and other creatures, and as energy cannot be destroyed it is therefore changed into other forms and is conserved in the diverse.
But what is the secret of this energy, and what would become of it if its visible manifestations vanish? What is the relationship between man as an essence and a11 other beings? How does evolution take place? What about the prenatal period and that which precedes death? So far science is still incapable of providing answers to a11 these questions. Moreover the philosophical assumptions and creedal interpretations, with their countless contradictions, add more ambiguity and confusion to these questions, because their value never goes beyond the realm of theories and probabilities, a fact which keeps it short of acquiring the sure affirmation of real truths.
The superiority of Dr. Dahesh's miracles 1ies in the precedence they have over science by taking advantage of:
-Enhancing the human knowledge through teaming off the mask of secrets and elucidating the mysteries.
-Shedding a bright light and eliminating the way for those who are doubtful about their religion and their worldly affairs.
Until recently the scientific line had been taking the lead over the religious line and the religious sects were plodding wearily to overtake it. We need not to allude to the tragedy of Galileo who was sentenced to death by the Roman Catholic Inquisition Tribunal, which was set against the promotion of knowledge. It is also in line to refer to the verdict of Pius X who in 1907 condemned the modern scientific movement.
Today the case is different. The miracles of Dr. Dahesh are calling science into challenge while the latter is running breathlessly to overtake them. Daheshism is not based on theories and suppositions. It is a Spiritual Truth attested by palpable proofs, and for the first time in history the mask of the unknown has been lifted in so great and forcible a manner.
The synopsis of these spiritual truths can be stated briefly into four:
1-The existence and the immortality of the Spirit.
2-The existence of spiritual fluids which act as a universal tissue and as an essence of a11 creatures.
3-The spiritual causality and the just retribution.
4-Reincarnation.
The First Truth:
The Existence and the Immortality of the Spirit.
A11 the sacred books and most philosophers taught about the existence of the Spirit. Yet no era has man ever been more atheist than he is today. It is because man does not believe in the abstract. He keeps on insisting on a material proof of the existence of the Spirit—a proof which can satisfy the intellectual demands of this age. A11 this is due to the widespread science which had already stamped in the minds of the people the importance of an experimental and concrete method of verification. It is obvious then, that there is no alternative, whatsoever, to a striking material proof of the existence of the Soul except through miracles. It is by breaking the eternal laws of nature which govern al1 beings alike that miracles prove their supernatural power. The best of inventions, whether rockets or spaceships, seem faint and tiny as compared to any sort of miracle. Scientific achievements are nothing but human cumulative efforts built upon past experiences imparted by those who came before, and meant to be passed on to the coming generations as a trial to unveil more and more of the secrets of nature making out the most of it. It cannot break the laws of nature but it has to abide by it. These scientific achievements are within the powers of any human being and can be performed by anyone provided he follows a certain set of definite conditions, circumstances, and the necessary material instruments. But a miracle is a supernatural act and is far beyond human reach, even if a1l the scientists have come together from every corner of the earth.
Did any physician so far and despite a11 the progress effected in the field of medicine, heal any disease without resorting to drugs or to surgical operations? Could they, for example, say to a woman suffering from leprosy: “healed thou be, in the name of God” and the woman gets instantaneously healed, turning wholesome? Could a11 the scientists working together turn a losing lottery ticket into a winning one by merely ordering it to be so? Or could they publish a newspaper few days before its appearance by merely uttering “Exist” and immediately it does exist? That had never happened before and will never happen in the future. For if it did happen it would mean that man had transcended his nature and had become a God who controls and disposes of matter and of natural laws at his will, being the creator and the preserver.
On the other hand Dr. Dahesh has been doing these miraculous performances and can do them at any time and is in fact doing them daily, not through his human capacity but through the power of the Highly Spirit who has chosen him as the instrument through which miracles can be performed.
In my previous lecture at the A.U.B. [American University of Beirut] I referred in detail to:
- How Mrs. Madam Mizrahi had been healed within a glance from leprosy—the incurable disease—in the presence of some highly educated dignitaries who eye-witnessed the incident. Among those present were five doctors in medicine namely : Dr. Abdul Ahad, Dr. Khoury, Dr. Khabsa, Dr. Ashy and Dr. Abu Sleiman.
- How a losing lottery ticket had been converted into a winning one. In fact the premium was ten thousand Lebanese Pounds. Among those present were judges Mahmud Bikai and Mahmud al Nu’man besides Shafik Sardouk, a lawyer
- I also stated in detail the conversion of Lebanese Newspaper Edition “Le Jour” into an identical edition bearing the date of December the 3rd while it was dated November 28 before the conversion and when in the hands of Mr. Hadshiti. In other words that paper was turned to four days before its publication, with thousands of predictions of world and local news, as well as with the inscriptions inserted by Mr. Hadshiti on the margin of the original issue.
In the presence of such miracles, an illumined person cannot but confess the existence of a spiritual power which transcends human capacity, disregards the laws of nature and controls a11 beings alike. This spiritual power is analogous to the magnetic force which although we cannot see it, but whose manifestations we can feel, by the way it attracts other bodies.
If we add, to the countless miracles done by Dr. Dahesh, the hundreds of prophecies delivered by him, to hundreds of persons, then we will be more than assured of this spiritual power which is not subject to time and space that fetter every human being.
Among these prophecies were three which concerned the late Besharah el Khoury, ex-president of the Lebanese Republic:
The first of these was delivered to his wife, Laura, on November I3, 1943, when her husband was arrested by the French authorities in Lebanon. She had to entreat her sister, Mrs. Mary Haddad, who was already an affiliate of the Daheshite faith for a favour. Mrs. Laura pleaded her sister to know what would happen to her husband. The prophecy foretold that Beshara would return to power on November 22, 1943. The prophecy also related clearly the course of events that were to follow.
The second prophecy was published by the “Assahafi Attaeh” newspaper on February 20, 1944. It then predicted that Beshara el Khoury would wage a persecution campaign against Dr. Dahesh and that as a result a spiritual punishment would be inflicted upon the persecutor. He would suffer from a dislocation of the arm at the shoulder joint and he would go to Jerusalem to seek a cure on February I5, 1945. Consequently, the prophecy was fulfilled to the letter.
The third prophecy gave the exact date of the death of Beshara el Khoury. This prophecy was disclosed to his daughter Hugette Calan through her friend Mrs. Wadad Naffa’.
If we were to recount a1l the Daheshite prophecies and predictions, it would take us a long time and would undoubtedly take many volumes. Nevertheless it is enough to allude to the prophecy which predicted the election of Beshir al Unman and the exact number of votes he was going to get. A similar prophecy anticipated the failure of Mohsen Slim in the general elections. The assassination of the late John Kennedy was predicted and delivered to tens of persons among them the reputed lawyer Edward Noun, long before it took place.
Al1 these miracles and prophecies are quite enough to convince the enlightened to believe in the existence of the Spirit and its capacity. It follows then that three things should be taken for granted, namely:
1) The belief in the existence of God as confirmed by the Spirit which is nothing but His Divine Breath. May His Name Be Glorified! This Spirit is free from al1 impurities and material mass because it emanates from Him and goes back to Him and because it is of His eternal essence hence it is eternal.
2) The belief in the unity of religions since all were inspired and set in motion by one sublime spirit and as a1l are upward paths leading to one goal, therefore, an endeavour should be made to realize this unity in a more living and practical way.
3) Admitting the existence of the Almighty Spirit that encompasses al1 secrets, and complying with its true guidance.
The Second Truth:
The Spiritual Fluids are the Fabric of the Universe and the Essence of its Beings.
The Spiritual Fluids are but the living unseen radioactive force which could be explained as the extension of the Spirit to the material worlds. A1l these Spiritual Fluids have the power of conception, will, and inclinations, but at different levels.
The hundreds of miracles which we have witnessed with thousands of people, have assured that the spiritual fluids are the fabric of the universe and the essence of its beings. It is, nevertheless, the immortal essence which unites a11 existing beings inspite of the apparent physical differences. The electromagnetic force which science maintains as being at the basis of a11 existence, is but one of its many features.
Moreover the characteristics of the psychic life are not only limited to man, but are also common to animal and plant life and a11 that is known as “matter.”
The disparity in the intellectual and bodily aptitudes and the variations in the inclinations and self-endowments as well, result from the fact that the innate fluids in one man are not the same as to the number, character, and degree in the other. So the harmony and sublimity of the fluids in an individual bring about internal peace and mental equilibrium. But the disequilibrium of these fluids in an individual will account for his confusion and psychic disorder. We can respectively attribute affection and attraction, hatred or repulsion, to the likeness or disparity of the fluids within the different individuals.
These human problems which are still subject to investigations by psychologists who in vain are trying to reach a convincing explanation, were explained long time ago by Daheshism which had perceived this truth.
I was privileged with many others to realize that what really occurs to perishable things is nothing but a proportional change in their physical structure which does not affect their immortal and eternal essence.
Many were the occasions during which we burned different objects including currency bills, photographs, and manuscripts, and crystal vases were shattered and crashed in our presence, yet within a glance, Dr. Dahesh with the help of the eternal Spirit used to recreate them into their original state.
Hundreds are those who eye-witnessed this kind of miracles. I would limit myself in this respect to only mentioning the names of: Muhsen Slim, former member of Parliament, the ex-minister, Mr. Edward Noon, Mrs. Nadia Gabriel, Mr. George Haddad, and Messrs. Angelo Paolo and Amin Nimer.
Also in my previous lecture at the A.U.B. [American University of Beirut] I had already explained in details the miracles in which a dead bird was restored to life in the presence of Sheikh Munir Takieddin, and the famous Journalist Iskandar Riashi.
These miracles of bringing the dead back to life, or of restoring these which were burned or shattered to their original state, do ascertain that the spiritual fluids are immortal, be they in man, plant or solid matter.
The strangest truth revealed by Daheshism is that to every being, action, desire or thought there is a living sample, record, or picture conserved in a spiritual form in special worlds, and these act as witnesses to the creature’s way of life, his conduct and his deeds. The following miracles make this truth self-evident:
A spiritual session was convened on June 11,1943. Among those who attended were: Mr. Joseph Hajjar and his wife, and Mr. Halim Dammous, the historian who was entrusted with the task of writing down al1 the Daheshite occurences.
Dr. Dahesh was taken by the Spirit and in no time, the fluttering of unseen wings could be heard followed immediately by the incarnated body of a dove which appeared in the space of the room and soon alighted on the shoulder of Mrs. Hajjar, with a green olive bough in its beak which was stall dripping with water.
The explanation to that phenomenon as rendered by the Spirit through Dr. Dahesh was that the dove was actually Noah's dove. Its spiritual fluids were preserved after its death in a special spiritual world. The same could be said of the green olive bough and the water drops. Also the same goes for a1l perished things which existed at one time.
The dove sojourned at the Daheshite mansion for about six months during which time it enjoyed alighting on the shoulders of the visitors, pecking from their palms or hovering over and flying from one room to another. At last on the morning of January 27, 1943 those present at the house could behold that strange dove hovering over the head of the Man of the Spirit, then darting through the space of the room, getting smaller and smaller till it came to the size of a bee, still keeping its shape as a dove. Then it continued dwindling and detracting till it completely disappeared into the world from which it had descended.
Many a time, Dr. Dahesh, to the surprise of his visitors imparted to them their conversations recorded word by word, their secret thoughts and different aspects of their behaviour proved by photos and carried in details. That is exactly what accured to Mrs. Rassmia Hariri and her husband, to both Mr. Shafik Mukkadam and Mr. Mustafa Khatib and also what happened to Miss Helen Daher and her brother Nicholas and to many others, notwithstanding the fact that they had been alone in their houses away from Dr. Dahesh when the afore mentioned thoughts or gestures took place.
It is only by such miracles that we can understand the Koran's verse: “And there is nothing but with us are the stores thereof and we send it down save in appointed measures.” (Sourat A1 Hijr 21) ;or the other verse: “On the day when their tongues, their hands and their feet testify against them as to what they used to do” (Sourat the light 24). We also do realize the saying of our Master Jesus: “But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the Day of Judgment” (Math. 12:36). We can as well deeply comprehend the word of the Almighty: “Or deem they that we cannot hear their secret thoughts and private confidence? Nay, but our envoys, present with them, do record.” (Sourat the Ornaments—80).
The Third Truth:
The Spiritual Causality and the Just Retribution.
A11 daily ordinary events, such as illness, death, loss, or rehabilitation, rescue, profit and the like are related, by most people, to certain direct material causes. If the causes are unknown they are attributed to chance. Should a car come to a crash causing wounds for the first, death for the second and untouching the third who steps out safely, they would attribute these different destinies which befell them to mere chance or some material causes.
The merits of the Daheshite miracles 1ie in the fact that it clearly states that human destinies and the effect of their deeds are supervised by a spiritual and superintendant power, just and wise, which cares for every matter—whether trivial or important—a power that stops short of nothing no matter what that thing is.
There is no such a thing as chance, Causality is a universal law exactly the same as the law of compensation, and what man perceives is but the physical features of things while the real cause which is always spiritual remains unrevealed to him.
Should a man die peacefully in his bed, or violently in the battlefield, or as a result of a certain accident, the demarcation of his passing away is set by certain spiritual laws which are directly proportional to his merits, the degree of his merits, and the degree of his spiritual fluids. When the fixed moment comes, death will take man by surprise no matter where he is and in fact no shelter, no doctor, nothing, whether in the sea or in the air or on earth, will be able to save his life. On the other hand if his death is not due as yet, he will be saved out of all dangers which are completely fatal to others.
To give further practical explanation, I shall relate two miraculous examples: The first miracle could be summed up as follows:
Once Dr. Dahesh accompanied by Dr. Khabsa, were both passing behind Hamadeh Pharmacy in Beirut. Dr. Dahesh was taken by the Spirit all of a sudden and addressed his friend saying: “Look at that peddler who is within a few meters standing by a cart loaded with watermelons.” As Dr. Dahesh pointed with his finger, a watermelon took a sudden jump and fell on the ground. Dr. Dahesh pointed out again and still another watermelon fell. Deeply moved Dr. Khabsa asked: “But why is that happening to this poor peddler? This will cost him a lot of money.” And the Holy Spirit replied through Dahesh: “I have done so to teach you that justice is applied equally on a1l beings—big or small, in a natural way and without heeding how it goes. That peddler has gained today more than what he deserves. His unlawful profit, though insignificant to some, has been lost in the crash of these two watermelons. If I had not shown you through this miracle so that you will be aware of this affair, the cart would have fallen anyway in a pit and these same watermelons would have been crashed.
This miracle as well as others make it obvious to Daheshites that “Whatsoever a man soweth so shall he reapeth.” Al1 human deeds and their relationships with one another make it necessary for the Divine Justice to interfere. “And whosoever doeth good an atom's weight shall then see it.” (Sourat -The Earthquake—7 and 8) And “Lo! Allah wrongeth not even with the weight of an ant (Sourat—the Women—40).
The Second miracle makes clear how spiritual aid falls upon those who deserve it: On the third of August 1964, Mr. Shafik Mukaddim accompanied by his wife and her two sisters, called on Dr. Dahesh's house where many were present at that time.
The Man of Miracles was taken again by the spirit and addressed Shafik saying: “Pretty soon you and your family are going to face a terrible accident. But do not be appalled for I am going to solicit a spiritual help from the Divine Providence to keep you and the family out of danger.” He then asked Dr. Abi Sleiman, who was present at that moment, to draw the sacred Daheshite symbol and to accompany that with a prayer to God—May His name be magnified and exalted, and may He keep the family away from danger. A11 those who were present signed their names on the paper on which the prayer was written.
Three days later, at 11:30 p.m., Mr. Mukaddim, accompanied by a few of his family members, was driving back from Nabatiyyah to Beirut at a very high speed when he was brought into a dangerous curve. He tried to reduce the car's speed but he drew blanks and in no time found himself face to face with a lorry parked crosswise within five meters from the curving. The road was blocked. On one side were huge rocks, on the other a steep valley. Mr. Mukaddim was left without any outlet and was facing sure death after he had lost control over the car. A11 those who were in the car were terrified to death and in a flash of lightning they remembered, in a glimpse, the promise Dr. Dahesh made to them that they would be saved from the predicted calamity. But by then they could see their car crash at a high velocity against the lorry; they could hear and see the metal breaking and bending; they could see the glass shattering into pieces. The driver could feel the impact of the accident against his breast. Everything has occurred in a second, for a second later the car and its occupants were safe on the other side of the lorry. Thus the miracle was fulfilled and the family was saved from an inevitable terrible disaster, by the Grace of God, and the help of the Man of God. The car, no doubt, had penetrated through the lorry in a spiritual miraculous way without being scratched or hurt. They a11 praised and glorified God. That miracle by itself was enough to strengthen their belief in the authenticity of the Daheshite message, and to fix, for certain, in their minds that Dr. Dahesh is the true Man of God.
Which power in the world is capable of doing such a thing? What power is capable of bringing an enormous mass of iron to make its way through an other block of iron with no harm caused at a11? What power is it which smashes meat and bones under the violent impact of metal, masticating passengers and car in a terrible manner to be rescued a second later without a scratch inflicted upon their bodies? It is only the power of God—blessed be His Name—as manifested through his chosen servant, the Great Dahesh, that could do that.
These miracles and the like make clear that saying of the Lord Jesus: “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your father. But the very hairs of your heads are all numbered. Fear not ye therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Math.10:29-31). That also makes us understand the meaning of the verse: “And every nation hath its term, and when its term cometh, they can't put it off an hour nor yet advance it.” (Sourat The Heights—34).
The Fourth Truth:
Reincarnation
A great number of philosophers had conceived the reality of reincarnation and among them were Pythagoras and Plato. Today many thinkers believe in it including the Lebanese genius, Gibran Khalil Gibran. This creed was considered as the cornerstone of Buddhism and Hindu religions in general. The bountiful Koran showed it forth in no detail when saying: “How disbelieve ye in Allah when ye were dead and He gave thee life! Then He will give you death, then life again, and then unto Him ye shall return.” (Sourat—the Cow— 28). There are many verses upon which various Islamic sects, such as the Shiites and Druzes, built their faith in reincarnation. Jesus, too, alluded to it on more than one occasion especially when he answered the question of the disciples of John the Baptist which was about the identity of their master by saying: “And if ye are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, which is to come.” (Math. 11-14). In another instance he assured that John himself is Elijah; for when his disciples asked him why does the Scribes say that Elijah must come first, he said: “But I say unto you, that Elijah is come already, they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed, likewise shall also the son of man suffer of them, then his disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.” (Math. 17:12-13).
Although the Daheshites believe in what was inspired, through the Holy Books, they support their belief in reincarnation by palpable miracles. Reincarnation to them is merely the transmigration of the spiritual fluids either from one body into another on earth, be it human, animal, or material, or their transference into another planet whether celestial or infernal, corresponding to the grade they merit.
Tens are the enlightened believers and nonbelievers in Daheshism who have had the opportunity to see the multiple Personalities of Dr. Dahesh. Al1 his Personalities are identical and may appear at onetime together or separately and in different places at the same moment. They may sit, talk, and even eat with you, but nevertheless they are not human beings but spiritual extensions of Dahesh living indifferent celestial worlds of the universe. Their spiritual degrees are loftier than that of human beings. Thus they are not subject to the natural laws of this earth, such as the 1aw of gravity, time and space, or death.
In 1947, and as a consequence of the conspiracy designed against him, Dr. Dahesh was executed at the Iranian frontiers and was later on buried in Azerbaijan. The newspapers of a11 the Arab world as well as the papers of the places of emigration announced the news of his death illustrating it by photographs. Hundreds of elegies were written by friends and foes alike. Many books were Written contemplating this incident. But at that time Dr. Dahesh was still alive in Lebanon. It was not he then who was executed but it was one of his celestial Personalities who was shot and buried. But no sooner was he buried that he resuscitated from death, not being of the soil of this earth. These multiple Personalities appeared many times to me as well as to tens of individuals among whom Edward Noon, a lawyer, and Dr. Najib Ashi and many others who had this privilege. The incarnation of these Personalities does not only provide evidence as to the presence of life over the planets, but it also obliterates the seemingly paradox and the main controversial point of difference between Christianity and Islam as to the crucifixion of Christ. (Those interested can refer to my previous lecture which provides more details about this subject).
But incarnation is not only confined to Dr. Dahesh's Personalities. Many other incarnations took place before many witnesses. It suffices to mention only one of these:
At the beginning of August 1942, Dr. Dahesh was in the company of Mr. Yusuf E1 Hajj, and Halim Dammous, the poet, at the latter’s house in Ras Beirut. The man of miracles stood up straight at 10:00 p.m. in the light flooded room and gazed through the window at the glittering starry heavens above. Few moments later, there appeared to the three, a resemblance to a cloud which seemed to be drawing near and near, condensing gradually till it stood human-like in appearance, red-faced with piercing looks, and bright shining forehead. Soon he started talking to them quickly and in a strange language unknown to them. Dr. Dahesh stepped forward and drew the Daheshite holy symbol over his mouth and he began to talk in Arabic.
He said that he was one of the inhabitants of one of the worlds unperceived by human vision, that he was previously one of the inhabitants of our earth some few thousand years ago, and that no sooner had he died, leaving his body to the worms, that he found himself in a splendid and exceedingly beautifu1 world. And after he had intimated them with many important affairs, his body was gradually reduced into naught before their eyes till he was completely absorbed by the unknown.
Through such incarnations and miracles it has become obvious what Jesus meant when he said: “In my father’s house are many mansions.” (John—14:2); and also what Paul meant: “There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial, but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star different from another star in glory.” (Corinthians 15:40-41). It has also clarified what the glorious verse meant: “Nay I swear by the place of the stars and lo! that verily is a tremendous oath, if ye but knew.” (Sourat The Event 75,76).
Life embraces the whole universe and it is the only justification for any existence. Paradise and Hel1 are nothing but the planets and stars—categorically the visible and the invisible.
Now is the time to discern, by virtue of Daheshism, that man is not the measure of a11 things as it was thought. He is not even the standard of life’s sane apparent or external features, nor the apex of its evolution. Man is but a simple and a feeble creature, a relatively backward aspect of the countless manifestations of life in the universe. He has to know his limits, his capacity and value as to where, he stands on the ladder of universal civilizations, a fact which makes it impossible for him to make his way up towards its majestic glory, knowledge, puissance, purity, and happiness not even by imagination. On the other hand, if he realizes that his inclinations and deeds, effected in his previous life, have brought him to his present miserable condition among the sublime beings, then it is time that he should do his utmost to develop his psychic self, so that he can understand what true spiritual knowledge is. The glories of the celestial worlds cannot be attained through a rocket or a spaceship but through spiritual sublimation from within, which will deem him worthy after his death to be incarnated in the lofty planet he deserves. But if he commits his soul to baseness, sticking himself to worldly affairs, he will consequently expose his soul to be attracted by the low worlds. His fluids will then reincarnate on a planet where ignorance is great, and where evil, torture and distress grow intense.
We are quite certain that we would not have been able to perceive the Personalities of Dr. Dahesh and the many incarnations, had they not appropriated themselves to the measures, applied in our world. This explains our inability to see spirit as it is or the Angels and the other celestial beings who do not belong to our world.
Science made it certain that mortal faculties are confined to a limited set of senses which ranges between two magnitudes—a minimum and a maximum range. Thus the eye can see only the object that vibrate within the range of 20-40 vibrations/second and with the speed rate which is less than that of light. The human ear as well can hear only the sounds that vibrate between the range of 15-20,000 vibrations/second. That is why the spirit can see and hear us while we are unable to see or hear it.
After all who is Dahesh?
We do not believe in him as a God. We think he is one of those Guides who were sent by God to show us the right way exactly as the glorious verse accorded: “And for every group a guide.” (Sourat The Thunder—7). And we are groups of people with confused ideas, divided religions and with disputing factions and sects. The unbeliever are common amongst us and faith had given way to hypocrisy. That is why the Merciful God had interfered and sent us a guide to lead us out of our perplexity, agitation and calamity, and to restore our faith in Christ, the prophets, and in the Lord of the worlds.
Of those guides there are some upon which God bestowed a pure soul and an enlightened mind, like Socrates, Gandhi, and Imam Ali. He also provided others with the Holy Spirit and thus they performed miracles by the name of God to confirm their spiritual message.
“The Spirit” as Jesus said, “bloweth where it liketh.” (John 3:8). So it was His choice to blow in Lebanon. Are we to be counted among the losers and the ignorants for not accepting him? God, blessed be His name, has the right to select whoever He wants among His servants to be possessed by His Holy Spirit. This comes in conformity with His saying: ”The Exalter of Ranks, the Lord of the Throne, casteth the Spirit of His command upon whom He will of His slaves that he may warn the Day of the Meeting.” (Sourat The Believer 15). It was the will of God that chose to cast the spirit upon a man from Lebanon, the land of the prophets, and this man is DR. Dahesh! Are we then to argue with God and refuse His will?
History had never invoked a blessing upon the persecutors of Socrates, Buddha, Christ and Mohammad, but on the contrary brought condemnation upon them. While on the other hand, history has kept and classified the guides, the messengers of God, and the benevolent as immortals and their missions were complete and eternal. A11 the institutions, states, or nations that stood in their way were branded by history with the eternal damnation or were condemned into destruction.
Civilizations can never flourish if they are not nourished by sets of spiritual values. Any nation who disregards these values is doomed to dissolution no matter how high it has climbed the ladder of civilization, and the falsity, no matter how it goes about with influence and power, it will be for a short duration. History is the best witness for that. These spiritual values however have no hedge to defend them, save the spiritual messages and the pure humanitarian missions.
Even the social revolutionary movements receive from these values the mainstay of their reformations. For Justice, brotherhood, and cooperation, or removal of oppression and exploitation, which these movements uphold, have their roots in the depth of the true spiritual messages.
The true value of any reformative movement is measured by the extent of putting these spiritual values into practice. The real spiritual end of religion as being a sublime and vital presence that is supposed to work well within the individual and society, has been exploited by those who made business out of what is holy and sacred, forging religion into theories and metaphysical grounds, and making religion an implement for spreading their influence and for hoarding treasures.
It is by the grace of God that Daheshism appeared mainly to call the people to restore to religions their purity, their compelling active influence and their unity. This new vocation called Daheshism has undertaken the task of rebuilding each human character individually turning it into a good honest citizen, and eventually a free cooperative hero in whom justice and sympathy prevail—a human being with noble traits.
In no system, whatsoever, can reform be achieved if the individual is corrupt. It is man who made the laws and not the other way round, and it is for his own welfare that these laws were founded. But it is always the spirit behind the laws that counts. Is it possible then to build a fortified castle, no matter how brilliant and genial the architect is, if the stones are not solid? What is the use of a golden cup if it were to contain deadly poison instead of water? Does the value of a worthless painting change if the wooden frame is very expensive? It is obvious then that no crucial reform is possible if the individual is corrupt. Let us then cast off the veil that blinds our eyes and 1et us recognize that we should not overestimate ourselves for we are not alone in this universe. We should also realize that true progress makes it a necessity for us to adopt an absolute truth i.e. to adopt God as our symbol of perfection and our ultimate end thus following the right track which leads to profound peace and great happiness.
It is to be well understood that our troubles, weaknesses, anxieties, instability, and misery are a1l the outcome of our deeds and we are to blame for it. But we are responsible and are chosen to bear that responsibility. And if we do not alter our inner self to the better, our 1ot will remain unchanged. Is it not the Lord who said: “Lo! Allah changeth not the conditions of a folk until they first change that which is in their hearts.” (Sourat The Thunder—XI).