Muslim and Baha'i View about Islam

[InvestigateTruth]

I have chosen the comparative thread, since my purpose of this thread is to create an understanding of how Baha'is and Muslims view some verses of Quran and some Hadithes.
Please note that this thread is not meant to debate and prove whose understnading is wrong or right, but to discuss or ask each other so we understand each other's view and why we believe what we believe.

I am mainly interested to clear the following subjects, and would describe both view to the best of my knowledge.

1. The Finality of Revelation of Islam.

The Muslim View:

To best of my knowledge (and muslims can correct me on this if I am wrong) the belief in finality of Islam is based on Quran and Hadithes.
Among the Quran's verses is the "seal of Prophets" and among the Hadithes are the ones that Muhammad said "there will be no prophet after me" and "I am like the last brick of a building"

The Baha'i View:

The Baha'is do accept all those Hadithes as well as Quran's verse regarding that Muhammad is the Seal of Prophets, but they do not interpret them as finality of Revelation of Quran.
How?

That Muhammad said "I am the last Prophet" in Baha'i view was not for the purpose of interpreting the verse of Quran That says Muhammad is the Seal of Prophets, and was not related to explaination of the verse of Quran.

The Seal of Prophets, in our view, means ornament of Prophets. The word that is used in Arabic, is "Khatam", which in old times was a stone on a ring. They also used it to seal a document. And in Arabic, it also means ornament.

That Muhammad said "there is no prophet after ME" in Baha'i view in its context is related to the fact that Muhammad was explaining that, for example, after Moses and before Jesus, there came a number of Prophets, such as David and Solomon who promoted Jewish Faith. So, Muhammad said after Him, there would be no prophets within Islamic dispensation, but only Khalifs come.
So, in Baha'i View He did not say, no more Prophets forever. He meant no more prophets who come to promote Islam, but only Khalifs come.

Then there is a Hadith that Muhammad said, He was like the last brick of a buidling of Prophets. and this building is built, and He was the Last brick.
In Baha'i View, the Human Civilization has been created by successive Revelations from God.
In a Religious term, there was a Cycle that started with Adam and ended with Muhammad. and Muhammad was the Last Prophet in this cycle. This was the first creation of God which took 6000 years.
But in Baha'i View, the creation of God continues through a new cycle. The second creation starts with the Baha'i Revealtion.
So, yes, Muhammad was that last brick of that Building, but in Baha'i view, that building is not the last buidling. (no limit on creation of God)


2. The Day of Resurrection, Heaven and Hell

Muslim View:

Now regarding the Day of Resurrection, What most Muslims understand from Quran is that, there would be a Day, which is called the Day of Resurrection. In that Day, all people who were dead come out of their graves, then humanity is Judged by God, then everyone according to his deeds, goes either to heaven and hell. and there would no one left on earth, because all mountains move, the Sun is darkened, the stars fall and all those things would happen. This understanding is based on a "literal" reading of Quran.

Baha'i View:


There is a life after death, that when we die, our Spirit lives on. Depending on our deeds, our spirit would be near to God, or Far from God. Being far from God, is Hell. Nearness to God is Heaven. So, Baha'is believe in life after death, and heaven and hell in a spiritual sense. They believe those verses regarding Heaven and Hell are Figurative, not literal.

Then there is the subject of Day of Resurrection, which in Baha'i View has nothing to do with life after death. That is a Day, when guidance comes from God, which the spiritually Dead is brought to life. That the Sun is darkened, for example in Baha'i View, is a Figurative sign, which means when the guidance disappears from humanity, then Resurrection comes, so, the earth is given the light of guidance again. The Light of Sun, symbolizes guidance. Likewise all those things such as falling stars, are interpreted spiritually and figuratively. But to make this short, I would not talk about how every sign is interpreted. (but questions are welcome)

Again, in Baha'i Undestanding, heaven and hell are not only life after death. But while we are in this world, depending on how spiritually we are near to God, we are in heaven and feeling happy, and if we are after worldly things and far from God, we are in Hell, and would suffer.
That after Resurrection Day, there is Heaven and Hell as said in Quran, in our view, is right now. That means, when a new guidance comes, those who reject it, fall in Hell of unbelief, and those who trutly believe are aided to become near to God spiritually.

But how would Baha'is accept a different interpretation than what Muslims understood for generations? That is because, Baha'is believe that only God could interprete Quran correctly, and that He did it through His revelation to Baha'u'llah. Also, this interpretation can firmly be established even using Quran, Hadithes and Bible alone.

 

[InvestigateTruth]

Continued:

3. Mahdi and Christ Return and their Mission

Muslim view:

Again there are quite many Hadithes in Islam about these two figures. Most muslims, believe that these Two will come and will unite the Muslims during the life time of these Two.
Most Muslims believe Jesus is physically alive, and somewhere up in sky. The Sunni Muslims believe Mahdi is to be born in the future. While Shias believe He is alive and Hidden somewhere (possibly in a Well situated in Iran)

Baha'i View:

In Baha'i View, both of these prophecies are fulfilled in the Persons of the Bab and Baha'u'llah.
Baha'is believe in spiritual return of Prophets. similar to return of Elijah as John the Baptist which is in Bible. Likewise the Bab is the spiritual return of 12th Imam, and Baha'u'llah the spiritual return of Jesus. Baha'is do not believe Jesus or Mahdi are alive or hidden somewhere.
The Main mission of them was to unite the Mankind and establish Religion of God again, and not only unite Muslims. The Bab and Baha'u'llah have established all the teachings that would gradually but slowly unite all people of earth, but that was not to happen during Their life-time. The verses in Quran that talks about the "Two Trumpet Blast" in Baha'i View is interpreted Figuratively as the Two successive calls of God through the Bab and Baha'u'llah (or Mahdi and Christ), which would cause spiritually dead to rise.
The Baha'is believe Recognizing Revelation of God is a Test from God, and that is one of the reasons these things was expressed as Figurative verses of Quran.

 

[InvestigateTruth]

Continued:


4. The Only acceptable Religion is Islam

Muslem View:

Muslims often believe that the only acceptable Religion is the Revelation of Quran, and this believe is based on:
"Verily the only acceptable religion to Allah is Islam." [Quran 3:19]


Baha'i View:

Baha'is understand this as: "the only [true] religion in the sight of God is [man's] self-surrender unto Him"
So, this self-surrender is not limited to only Revelation of Quran.


5. Islam is completed, Quran is perfect and no more religion is needed

Muslim View:

The Muslims often believe that since it is said in the Quran that "Today Your Religion is completed", thus, the revelation of Quran is the final Revelation. Moreover since Quran is presereved perfectly, but previous Scriptures got totally corrupted, no more New Book from God is required.

Baha'i View:

Baha'is believe that every Religion was perfected in its own time, including Islam, and was suitable for the people living in that Age. Since we live in a New Age, a New Revelation has come for our time.

 

[BruceDLimber]

I shall add more to this, if I may:

IOV this whole “last prophet” thing is based upon a misunderstanding!

There are in fact several different explanations of the verse in the Qur’an saying Muhammad is the Seal of the Prophets (a statement we Baha’is accept, please note!):

• First off, there is a sense in which EVERY Divine Messenger is the First and the Last, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, and the Seal!

• Next, there are multiple Arabic words that all translate into English as "prophet."

One of these is "nabi," which refers to a minor prophet such as Jeremiah or Amos.

Another is Ras'ul, which means a major, religion-founding Divine Messenger like Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, or Baha'u'llah (our Founder). (And yes, Muhammad was a major--not a minor--Prophet.)

But the word actually used in the Qur'an is "nabi," meaning Muhammad was the Seal of the minor prophets! This says nothing whatever about the great Divine Messengers.

• Muhammad is also the Seal in the sense that He was the last Messenger during the Prophetic Age, which began with Adam and ended with Him. The Bab then closed out that Age and opened the Age of Fulfillment, of which Baha'u'llah is the first major Messenger.

• Finally, there is a sense in which the word commonly translated as "seal" also means "ornament," so that this verse of the Qur'an may simply be saying that Muhammad is the Ornament of the prophets! (Nothing whatever about any sort of finish.)

Peace,

Bruce

 

[InvestigateTruth]

Continued,

Sharia Law:

Muslim View:


In my experience among Muslims there are two views on the Sharia Law. Some Muslims believe that all of Sharia Laws are perfectly suitable for now, and future. There are also some, that believe some of the Sharia Laws were meant for older times, such as severe punishment for thief, and thus, they believe they can modify and adapt it to suit our time. In any case there is no need for a New Law from God, and we can change the Laws anytime we need ourselves.

Baha'i View

Baha'is believe the Sharia Law in Islam was only suitable for previous Age, and now a New Law is revealed. Moreover, they believe that ONLY God Himself can change His Laws, to make the suitable for people, and He does that as soon as those Laws are not suitable anymore.

 

[InvestigateTruth]

• Next, there are multiple Arabic words that all translate into English as "prophet."

One of these is "nabi," which refers to a minor prophet such as Jeremiah or Amos.

Another is Ras'ul, which means a major, religion-founding Divine Messenger like Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, or Baha'u'llah (our Founder). (And yes, Muhammad was a major--not a minor--Prophet.)

But the word actually used in the Qur'an is "nabi," meaning Muhammad was the Seal of the minor prophets! This says nothing whatever about the great Divine Messengers.

True, however Baha'is believe that Muhammad was the last Messenger and Prophet (Rasoul and Nabi) during the Islamic dispensation, and the Quran Final Revelation untill the Day of Resurrection. After Which, Quran and Hadithes promised that Humanity would meet with their Lord, Twice on the Day of Resurrection. And in our view that Promise was fulfilled through Meeting with the Bab and Baha'u'llah, as it is not possible to meet God directly, so His Manifestations appeared.

 

[Monotheist 101]

4. The Only acceptable Religion is Islam

Muslem View:

Muslims often believe that the only acceptable Religion is the Revelation of Quran, and this believe is based on:
"Verily the only acceptable religion to Allah is Islam." [Quran 3:19]

You need to understand that Islam IMO does not refer only to Muhammads Islam. Islam translates to submission. So the only religion acceptable to Allah is submission to him alone.

 

[Monotheist 101]

Then there is a Hadith that Muhammad said, He was like the last brick of a buidling of Prophets. and this building is built, and He was the Last brick.
In Baha'i View, the Human Civilization has been created by successive Revelations from God.
In a Religious term, there was a Cycle that started with Adam and ended with Muhammad. and Muhammad was the Last Prophet in this cycle. This was the first creation of God which took 6000 years.
But in Baha'i View, the creation of God continues through a new cycle. The second creation starts with the Baha'i Revealtion.
So, yes, Muhammad was that last brick of that Building, but in Baha'i view, that building is not the last buidling. (no limit on creation of God)

What was the reason for a new building when the foundations of the old one (monotheism) are still holding strong?

Also I was wondering what was so significant about the Bab or Bahaullahs time that a new prophet and revelation was required? Does this imply that the Quran is no longer the Law, or an old Law that has been tainted or corrupted?

 

[Monotheist 101]

There is a life after death, that when we die, our Spirit lives on. Depending on our deeds, our spirit would be near to God, or Far from God. Being far from God, is Hell. Nearness to God is Heaven. So, Baha'is believe in life after death, and heaven and hell in a spiritual sense. They believe those verses regarding Heaven and Hell are Figurative, not literal.

Do the spirits dwell on earth after they die? Where is God located according to Bahai faith? How do we know we are headed in the right direction..north south east west?

 

[Monotheist 101]

• First off, there is a sense in which EVERY Divine Messenger is the First and the Last, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, and the Seal!

How come non of the other messengers were described using that word? Seal..

One of these is "nabi," which refers to a minor prophet such as Jeremiah or Amos.

Another is Ras'ul, which means a major, religion-founding Divine Messenger like Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, or Baha'u'llah (our Founder). (And yes, Muhammad was a major--not a minor--Prophet.)

But the word actually used in the Qur'an is "nabi," meaning Muhammad was the Seal of the minor prophets! This says nothing whatever about the great Divine Messengers.

I think youve got it all wrong.. Prophet is always a Nabi by birth, but a prophet becomes Rasul when he officially receives the post and declares it. For example, our Prophet Muhammad (sws) was Nabi by birth, but became Rasul when he officially got and delivered the message of Risalat at the age of 40.

According to your logic..I can only be either be a Human or an American..not both..the reality is that I was Human before I was labelled American..to say that I am the last Human would also have to imply that I am the last American...hope this makes sense to you..

 

[Monotheist 101]

The Bab then closed out that Age and opened the Age of Fulfillment

What sort of Fulfillment? Again why specifically the Bab and why specifically 1844 for this close of Prophetic Age?

The reason I can never accept another Prophet or Rasul after Muhammad is simple.. Why pick the Bab or Bahaullah over Mirza Ghulam Ahmad or Wallace Fard Muhammad or the countless others who have claimed the same thing? IMO the Quran is the final message..thus not needing more messengers to bring new doctrines..IMO the Quran is perfect...you only replace something when it is completely broken, with no chance of being fixed, In contrast Ghulam Ahmad claimed he was fixing the message and interpreting the Quran..This is a more rational claim than saying that a new era has begun (Although I dont agree with either), and the age of prophets that lasted from Adam the first Human to Muhammad has ended..IMO the Prophetic Age will end with the demise of Humanity, I have faith the Quran will remain in its form, protected by Allahs grace, till the day that all things must return to him.

Bahai's do regard Adam as the first Human? Why does this Human age end with Muhammad(IMO his message is very much alive, thus implying The Prophetic Age of Muhammad is still going on and will continue till the end of time)..something that began at creation was ended by the Bab?, I see no logic behind accepting his claim and rejecting the countless others.

surah 56: verses 77-79 "That this is indeed a Qur'an most honorable. In a Book well-guarded. Which none shall touch but those who are clean."

The Bab might not have considered himself clean..no offense...but my interpretation of the verse is, those who are not clean will be distanced from the Quran..what better way to do it than bring a new revelation..I still cant wrap my head around, why the need for another revelation?

I dont mean to offend anyone..rather explain my POV and understand yours..

Cheers
God Bless

 

[InvestigateTruth]

Hi Monotheist 101, Thanks for your point of view in this thread. I will try to respond to your farther questions and comments, but I will try to reply to them from Quran and Hadithes, since in this thread, I would like to show that while accepting Islam as a True Religion, how based on Quran and Hadithes a new Revelation was required from a Baha'i Point of View.
So, what I am saying is that, I would not refer to the Baha'i Scriptures as much, since this thread in essense is not about Baha'i Faith, but I am looking at Islam, from a Baha'i point of view( not looking at Baha'i Faith alone)

What was the reason for a new building when the foundations of the old one (monotheism) are still holding strong?

I would like to tell you this from a Quranic point of view. Baha'i interpretation may be different from the mainstream Muslims.

"Are We wearied out with the first creation? Yet are they in doubt with regard to a new creation!" Qaf 50:15


In Baha'i view, when Quran is talking about first creation, it is talking about that first building. While a New Creation is that which was Promised.
By creation here is meant creating a New Human civilization. So, in the First Creation, from Adam till Muhammad humanity reached to a certain level, while in the New Creation a New goal is set.
For example, while in previous revelations there was emphasis on uniting a Nation, or a Tribe, in the New Creation the New Goal is to Unite the Mankind. This is one of the Main goals of Baha'i Faith and according to Islamic Hadithes, when the Promised Ones come their mission is to unite Mankind and establish True Religion.

I will make a reply to each of your points gradually in later posts.

 

[InvestigateTruth]

Also I was wondering what was so significant about the Bab or Bahaullahs time that a new prophet and revelation was required?

In Baha'i View the Revelations of God are Progressive.
This has several reasons:

One Reason is that, every people has a Period prescribed by God.
From a Quranic verse:

"To every [Ummah] people is a term appointed: when their term is reached, not an hour can they cause delay, nor (an hour) can they advance (it in anticipation)." Quran 7:34​

And From Hadithes:


The Messenger of God said: "At the end of the time of my ummah, the Mahdi will appear. God will grant him rain, the earth will bring forth its fruits, he will give a lot of money, cattle will increase and the ummah will become great. He will rule for seven or eight years.[13]

The Prophet said, “If my (Ummah) Community keeps on the right, it is going to enjoy an age of one day, and if it becomes corrupt, it will have an age of half a day.” [Al-Munawī cites it in Fayd al-Qadīr from Shaykh Muhyī al-Dīn Ibn ‘Arabī.]​

"And one day according to Allah’s estimation is 1,000 years according to yours. "(Quran 22:47)




Second reason is that, every Age Requires a New Book. From a Quranic verse:

"...To each age its Book.God annuls or confirms whatever He wills [of His earlier messages] -for with Him is the source of all revelation" Quran 13:38-39

This means each Age requires a New set of Laws, and God can abrogate previous Laws and ordain New ones, as needed.


The Third is that, at the End of Age, God renews the Spiritual Teaching of Religion, because people tend to forget the spiritual part and only adhere to the appearent and outward part. This can also be seen from an Islamic Hadith:


"The Apostle of God said: `There will come a time for my people when there will remain nothing of the Qur'an except its outward form and nothing of Islam except its name and they will call themselves by this name even though they are the people furthest from it. The mosques will be full of people but they will be empty of right guidance. The religious leaders (Fuqaha) of that day will be the most evil religious leaders under the heavens; sedition and dissension will go out from them and to them will it return.'"
- Ibn Babuya, Thawab ul-A'mal
- Also, in Al-Bihar, by Al-Majlisi, Vol 13, Page 155
- Also, in Kanz Al-amal #766

Does this imply that the Quran is no longer the Law, or an old Law that has been tainted or corrupted?

No, the Law of Quran is not corrupted, but in Baha'i View, the Sharia of Quran was ordained for 1000 years. In this New Age a New Book of Law is come.

 

[InvestigateTruth]

Do the spirits dwell on earth after they die?

In Baha'i View Spirit is not Material, and is Free from Place. For example if we say Love is in the Heart, in Reality it's not like we can open the heart and bring the Love out of heart, and put it in a Box. Likewise when it is said, Spirit is in the Body, in Reality the Spirit is not a Material that occupis space.
Baha'i Scriptures explaines it is not possible to understand Spirit, as God has not ordained its understanding in this life.

Where is God located according to Bahai faith? How do we know we are headed in the right direction..north south east west?

The Word Location only applies to materials. God is not material.

 

[InvestigateTruth]

How come non of the other messengers were described using that word? Seal..

Every Divine Messenger has given certain titles. But what applies to one, also applies to All.

"No distinction do We make between any of His Messengers!"
Qur’án 2:285

I think youve got it all wrong.. Prophet is always a Nabi by birth, but a prophet becomes Rasul when he officially receives the post and declares it. For example, our Prophet Muhammad (sws) was Nabi by birth, but became Rasul when he officially got and delivered the message of Risalat at the age of 40.

According to your logic..I can only be either be a Human or an American..not both..the reality is that I was Human before I was labelled American..to say that I am the last Human would also have to imply that I am the last American...hope this makes sense to you..

Yes, in Baha'i View, there are Two types of Prophets. Rasouls and Nabies.
Every Rasoul is also a Nabi, but not every Nabi is a Rasoul.

 

[Monotheist 101]

"Are We wearied out with the first creation? Yet are they in doubt with regard to a new creation!" Qaf 50:15


In Baha'i view, when Quran is talking about first creation, it is talking about that first building. While a New Creation is that which was Promised.
By creation here is meant creating a New Human civilization. So, in the First Creation, from Adam till Muhammad humanity reached to a certain level, while in the New Creation a New goal is set.
For example, while in previous revelations there was emphasis on uniting a Nation, or a Tribe, in the New Creation the New Goal is to Unite the Mankind. This is one of the Main goals of Baha'i Faith and according to Islamic Hadithes, when the Promised Ones come their mission is to unite Mankind and establish True Religion.

I will make a reply to each of your points gradually in later posts.

Salam Bro..you guys still say that do you?

I get a different interpretation of the verses..I think by another craetion the Quran refers to resurection on the day of judgment..How can the Bab be considered a different creation from Adam..we are all Human..I would have agreed if a new species had emerged tho..

 

[Monotheist 101]

The Messenger of God said: "At the end of the time of my ummah, the Mahdi will appear. God will grant him rain, the earth will bring forth its fruits, he will give a lot of money, cattle will increase and the ummah will become great. He will rule for seven or eight years.[13]

According to my understanding the Bab didnt "rule" at all..not for any period of time..

rul·er
/ˈro͞olər/

Noun
A person exercising government or dominion.

Synonyms
sovereign - governor - rule - monarch - lord

I was looking further into the Bahai Faith..whats an even bigger difference than taking Muhammad and the Quran as the Final messenger and revelation is the concept of Manifestation of God and Spiritual return of certain Messengers/Prophets. This is a view that contradicts Islamic understanding of Allah..he does not Manifest himself in any form. The Soul returns to Allah after a Human dies, be it an ordinary Human or a Messenger. Messengers souls dont get reincarnated..I think I can see alot of pantheist influence in Bahai teachings.

 

[Monotheist 101]

"No distinction do We make between any of His Messengers!"
Qur’án 2:285

Your taking the verse out of context to justify Muhammad as the seal of Prophets..You are applying hidden meanings that do not exist. I think the verse you quoted justifies that all the Messengers are righteous and purely guided, It doesn't mean that if Muhammad is described as Muhammad, every messenger must also be Muhammad. Why does the following verse not apply to the Bab and all the other messengers that you claim aswell?

Allah does not punish people if he is in their midst (8:33)

My understanding is the initial followers of Bahai Faith including its founder were heavily persecuted and killed.

I think the Quran is clear when it says that those who look for allegorical meanings without being guided by Allah are amongst the losers.

It is He who has sent down to you, [O Muhammad], the Book; in it are verses [that are] precise - they are the foundation of the Book - and others unspecific. As for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord and seeking an interpretation [suitable to them]. And no one knows its [true] interpretation except Allah . But those firm in knowledge say, "We believe in it. All [of it] is from our Lord." And no one will be reminded except those of understanding.

 

[Sen McGlinn]

According to my understanding the Bab didnt "rule" at all..not for any period of time..

That's correct. Baha'u'llah was asked why, if the Bab was the Qa'im, he had not exercised earthly sovereignty, and had in fact been imprisoned and executed. Baha'u'llah wrote a book in reply, the Kitab-e Iqan. The first part of the book deals mainly with prophetology, the second part with the idea that the sovereignty of the Promised Qa’im was purely a spiritual one, and not a material or political one.

...the sovereignty attributed to the Qa’im and spoken of in the scriptures, is a reality, the truth of which none can doubt. This sovereignty, however, is not the sovereignty which the minds of men have falsely imagined.
... by sovereignty is meant the all-encompassing, all-pervading power which is inherently exercised by the Qa’im whether or not He appear to the world clothed in the majesty of earthly dominion. ... You will readily recognize that the terms sovereignty, wealth, life, death, judgment and resurrection, spoken of by the scriptures of old, are not what this generation hath conceived and vainly imagined. Nay, by sovereignty is meant that sovereignty which in every dispensation resideth within, and is exercised by, the person of the Manifestation, the Day-star of Truth. That sovereignty is the spiritual ascendancy which He exerciseth to the fullest degree over all that is in heaven and on earth, and which in due time revealeth itself to the world in direct proportion to its capacity and spiritual receptiveness, ...

He gives the example of Muhammad’s lack of worldly power during the time he was in Mecca, and contrasts it with the spiritual authority which was accorded to Muhammad in Baha’u’llah’s own time:

... how many are the Sovereigns who bow the knee before His name! How numerous the nations and kingdoms who have sought the shelter of His shadow, who bear allegiance to His Faith, and pride themselves therein! ... Such is His earthly sovereignty, the evidences of which thou dost on every side behold. This sovereignty must needs be revealed and established either in the lifetime of every Manifestation of God or after His ascension unto His true habitation in the realms above. ... That spiritual ascendency, however, which is primarily intended, resideth within, and revolveth around Them from eternity even unto eternity. It can never for a moment be divorced from Them. Its dominion hath encompassed all that is in heaven and on earth.

Were sovereignty to mean earthly sovereignty and worldly dominion, were it to imply the subjection and external allegiance of all the peoples and kindreds of the earth - whereby His loved ones should be exalted and be made to live in peace, and His enemies be abased and tormented - such form of sovereignty would not be true of God Himself, the Source of all dominion, Whose majesty and power all things testify.

God does not force our belief -- so why would the Qaim or Mahdi become rulers of the earth?

 

[InvestigateTruth]

Salam Bro..you guys still say that do you?

I get a different interpretation of the verses..I think by another craetion the Quran refers to resurection on the day of judgment..How can the Bab be considered a different creation from Adam..we are all Human..I would have agreed if a new species had emerged tho..

In Holy Books the definition for a Human is not only related to physical body or Bialogy, but it has mostly to do with his attributes and characteristic. If he has these attributes, such as justness, kindness, generous to poor, forgiving, understanding, and obeying God,....then this would be a human. That is why in some verses of scriptures the wrongedoers are called animals like Apes, piggs,...etc, eventhough they were physically human.

Therefore, likewise the creation of a human by God, has not been limitted to only creating his physical body, but also creating his spirit and training Him by sending Prophets, so this physial speicy may have the attributes of a human as defined in holy Books.
For that God sent Prophet for thousands of years, from Adam to Muhammad. This was the first cycle of creation. Creation from a "spiritual and understanding" view, not just physical body! Now we are in a new cycle, the new creation in which the Divine Manifestations of God continue to come (there is no limit in creation of God)

Another point is, in Baha'i View, the Day of Resurrection is symbolic, since Baha'is believe that no man can interpret the symbolic verses, except God, and God has revealed their meaning to His Messenger in this Age. (This was left for The Promised Ones, and for Baha'is this knowledge is one of their proofs)

So, there are many evidence that in the Past, the Prophets called the unbeliever "Dead", and those who gained higher understanding after believing and following the new Prophets, then they are called "alive".
So, in Baha'i view, the Ressurection Day has passed.

Another point is that, it is a fact that since the middle of 19th century, there has been a significant progress rate in terms of science, Technology as well as social and economic and many other things. Since then the human civilization has totally changed. In Baha'i view, this is because of a New creation of God, which has endued Human with a better understanding and ability.
So, whenever a Prophet comes, He creates a new human. and in Bible also, Jesus called them new human.