Regarding Mirza Abu'l-Fadl's statement in his book The
Bahá'í Proofs to the effect that the great religions of the world,
excluding the Dispensations of the Báb and Bahá'u'll'áh, are seven in number:
what the author meant by that statement is that there are only seven great
religions of which there is some existing trace or record, and not that only
seven religions have so far appeared in the world. These seven religions
mentioned by Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl are the following: Zoroastrianism, Buddhism,
Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, Islám, and the religion of the Sabaeans, which
was originally monotheistic, and became gradually corrupted, and to which
Abraham's forefathers are believed to have belonged.
- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter dated 9
July 1939 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, quoted
by the Universal House of Justice in a letter dated 6 August 1996 written on
its behalf to an individual believer)
