The Bahá’í Revelation is unprecedented and unique among
the faiths of the world by reason of the fullness and completeness
of its authentic records. The recorded words that can with
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certainty be attributed to Christ, to Moses, to Zoroaster, to
Buddha, to Krishna, are very few, and leave many modern
questions of great practical importance unanswered. Many of
the teachings commonly attributed to these religious Founders
are of doubtful authenticity, and some are evidently accretions
of later date. The Muhammadans possess in the Qur’án, and
in a large store of traditions, a much fuller record of the life
and teachings of their Prophet, but Muhammad Himself,
though inspired, was illiterate, as were most of His early followers.
The methods employed for recording and spreading
His teachings were in many respects unsatisfactory, and the
authenticity of many of the traditions is very doubtful. As a
result, differences of interpretation and conflicting opinions
have cause divisions and dissensions in Islam, as in all
previous religious communities.
