Ba'Haism

Mirza Ali Mohammad—a young sayyaid of Siraj began to preach a new religion in 1844 as he was the founder of Babi. Which spread rapidly in Persia and in other European countries and in USA. In spite of violent persecution culminating in the execution of the founder on July 8 1850 and his 28 principal disciples on Sept. 15 at Tehran in 1852. But it has been gaining ground to this day.

He assumed the title of Bab. (means gate in Arabic) and his cult Babi (in 1844) Shia is the state religion of Persia since 16th Century. Shia is the sect of 12 Imams - the descendents of Ali. The last or 12th Iman or Iman Mahdi's messianic teaching is to be grasped to understand the Babi doctrine.

The last Imam succeded his father in 873 A.D. and died in 950 But he is believed to be alive and living in Jabilsa with his faithfull disciples and at the end of time he will issue forth and fill the earth with justice after it has been filled with Iniquity" (injustice, crime) This disappearance (gaide is Kibri) (occultation) was about a thousand years ago when the Bab or gate of communication between the Imam and his followers closed. It was Mirza Ali Muhammad who declared that the Bab or gats was opened aagain as there must be a shia-i-Kamil a perfect Shia who could be in direct communication with him (The Imam) and on May 23,1844 he was the Bab and his followers were Babis. He, belonged to the Shaykhi one of so many other claiments.)

The manifestations (began) on 23 May 1844 and ended on July 9, 1850 at Tabris when the Bab was killed and his 26 disciples killed on Sept 15, 1852 at Tehran.

He was only 24 years (born on Oct. 9, 1820) at manifestation & of 30 years (in 1850) when he suffered Martydom. He was in the custody of his enemies for 4 or 5 years. He was regarded as a divine being. It is also said that the Bab conferred this title on one of his disciples Baha-Ullah Bahaullah (born on Nov. 12.1817) and himself called the qaim Imam or expected Imam and that he was only the Naqta (point) or point of new revelation. But he was put in a coffin and concealed in a Shrine for 17 years and the coffine was transferred to AKKA in Syria in a shrine specially built for that purpose by order of Baha-Ullah. His followers are called Baha'is.

Before his death Bab had nominated a lad called Mirza Yahya (born in 1830-31) son of half-brother, Baha-ullah (Mirza Husan Ali) as the Dawn of eternity (Subh-i-Ezel) on seeing his Zeal and devotion at the age of 15 as a youth as his successor. But being secluded and young the Babi community's affairs were looked after by Mirza Janiand the Yahya enjoyed looked after by Mirza Janiand the Yahya enjoyed religious supremacy. The massacre of 28 disciples (on Sept. 15, 1852) won many converts to the new faith of all the previous propaganda.

Baha-ullah & Yahya escaped on this occasion and reached Bagdade. For 11 or 12 years till 1864 Bagdad was the Head quarter of the Babis sect where Yahya or Subh-i-Ezel) was the ostensible head and acknowledged as such by Baha-ullah who himself is said to the manifestation in 1867 at the age of 50 as he was born in 1817 but he retired for 2 years into the highlands of Kurdistan for purification. Subh-i-Ezel was a man of retiring nature, moodest, seclusive and devoted to writing and quite life. The Babis were expelled from Bagdad due to the hostility of the Persian counsel at Bagdad and they went to Constantinople in 1864 and then after 4 or 5 months to Adrianople where they remained for 4 years till August 1868. It was here that Baha-ullah (1866-67) publically announced that he was "He whom God shall manifest as foretold by Bab, and called on all Babis to recognise him as such, not merely as Bob's successor but as him, whose Advent the Bab was mere a herald and forerunner.

This announcement convulsed the whole Babi community but was gradually accepted by the majority. This was however opposed by Subh-i-Ezel and his followers among Babis. The strike was fierce with poisoning. The Turkish Govt. intervened and divided the 2 parties. Subh-i-Ezel was sent to Cyprus and Baha-ullah to Seria. Many adherents died but Subh-i-Ezel was living in Cypres when the English occupied it. Till 1908 they were 35 in all. So also those who went to Akka in Seria remained ineffective thoughin a large number but the main force dwindled.

Rise of Bahullah
The division was now between Bahais and Ezelites that is at AKKA in seria and at Famagnata in Cyprus. In Cyprus Ezelites were few and in Persia also these people were inefective as the son-in-law of Subh-i-Ezel was killed at Tabriz. subh-i-Ezel was alive atleast in 1908. Though he was full of information and wrote a lot about the doctrine of Babis, he was no longer a force to be reckoned with. AKKA, on the other hand with expediency and policy played a much larger part, and AKKa was the centre of Babism in the East and West and we must turn our attention there.

Bahaullah was now the transcendent manifestation of God among Babhis and he reconstructed the earlier Babi conception and old Bab was declared to be only the precursor or barbinger of his advant and he could change as he wished.
The Babis put themselves outside the pale of Islam and do not consider Quran as final. Their views are heterodox about the return to the life of the world of the prophet, his daughter Fatima and the 12 Imams or the other holy personals.

A wholly different spirit pervails the teachings of the baha. His religion is more practical, teachings more ethical and less mystical and metaphysical and he appeals to all and not specially to Shiaite Muslims. His attitude towards the shah of Persia is more conciliatory. He wrote letters to Queen Victoria, Tsar, Napoleon III the pope and many other kings or rulers. He at Akka received many pilgrims and his doctrine is "to be killed than to kill", as Mirza Babi was killed at the order of the Shah when he had the audacity of appearing before him with a letter from a Bahaullah (in July 1869) and so many others were killed as they opposed Islam as late as upto 1903.

These persecutions were influencing American public opinion and a Sirian convert to Bahaism named Ibrahim George Khyarullah lectured on Bahaism in Chicago in 1900. He settled in America and several thousand Americans became Bahais and there was regular contact with AKKa by them in USA.

Bahaullah died on May 16,1892 leaving four sons and 3 daughters and differences to the succession arose in 2 elder sons. Abbas Efendi and Ghusn-i-Ka or Mirza Mohammad Ali. Efendi said that the Revelation is not ended and he was to be its channel now, but his brother opposed as other Bahais as they said that the book of revelation was closed. In America Ibrahim Khayrullah supported Mirza Mohammad Ali and Bahaims was adopted by some Americans.
Doctrines:- Bab had said that he was not only at the point of new revelations, it meant that he was the Imam himself. The works of Babi were closely resembling those of Subh-i-Ezel and were chiefly on Ethical subjects. The Bahis do not believe in the Resurrection of body as Muslim believe but insome higher grade should the spirit return to the life of the world" in less material and more symbolic form. Generally Babis do not believe in personal immortality. We are ordinary mortals" they say.-

Bahism is against sufiism. tolerance for other religions is inculcated by Bahaullah with amity and harmony. They object to sufi pantheism (God is universal) individualism and "Inner light." They (as opposed by Islam seen in the Manifestation, the fulfilment of Islam. Islam is disregarded by them as Christians disregard the Jews Followers of Abbas Efendi do not like the followers of Mirza Mohammad Ali.

According to the Babi conception, the Essence of God the Primal divine unity, is unknowable and entirely transcending human comprehension and all that we can know is its manifestations. In the succession of Prophets the same universal Reason or intelligence speaks to mankind, according to their capacities and exisgencies of times, and their teaching the same. The prophets are in essence the same and their teaching the same may it be Abraham, David, Mosses Christ, Muhammad or Bahaullah the (either Bab or Ezel) just a teacher expounding the same science talks differently to small children, youth or mature and more understanding people. So there is no last prophet as Muhammad deeclared himself. Prophets reappear as when one manifestation has out grown, the teachings of another appear. There is no material Heavan or Hell as taught by Mohammad but to the rough Arabs this was the way to convey to them the reality which they symbolise. As the world & the human race are eternal and progress is a univedrsal law, there can be no final Revelation and no last of the prophets and seal of the prophets, as the Mohammdans suppose. Every prophet has foretold his successor and when he came be was rejected by that prophet's followers. Bob was killed, though he speaks of succeeding revelations. "He whom God shall manifest", and other revelations which in turn shall succeed that and infinitum.

The Babi doctine embodies the modern Western rationalistic spirit. The practical reforms suggested by the Bab are generally based on some quite non-utilitarian ground. No chastisement of children and their feelings are to be respected as every prophet will begin as a child and if you rebube him to start with you will be so fearful later. Amelioration of the position of women, is similarly a case in point. The essence of being a Babi or a Bahai is bound with less devotion to the" Person of the manifestation" and a belief that he is divine. Bahaullah is called in persia not only blessed perfection " but also God Almighty (Haqq-ta alia). But this is an extreme assertion.

Babis are almost forgotton now and Bahai followers of Bahaullah ignore or suppress the earlier history and literature of Babi's time and assert their own.