Brief history of the Baha'i Faith

[Popeyesays]

Originally Posted by arthra

Sarah,

I just wanted to add that the Bab's execution while it is in itself a remarkable occurence is not regarded by us as say some would regard as a miracle...like an article of faith or anything like that. I haven't talked with anyone who became a Baha'i based on this narrative of the Bab's execution.

There were other reported miracles by the Bab as well... but the miracle is most often convincing to those who experience it and see it first hand...after it becomes hear-say it can lose credibility in today's world. So we don't rely on miracles to teach our Faith but rather what was actually taught and how it applies to the challenges facing humanity.

- Art

My favorite "miracle" story of the Bab is when He was imprisoned in Mahku. The warden gave strict orders that He was to be kept confined in His cell at all times. One morning the warden rode from his home in the village toward the castle prison set inside a large open space surrounded by cliffs on three sides. Crossing the river He saw the Bab performing morning prayers at the side of the water.

In censed thewarden rode to the prison and chastised his guards who were totally confused as they had never let the Bab out. To demonstrate this they took the warden to the cell and opened the door where the Bab was saying His morning prayers inside the cell.

This is recorded in The Dawnbreakers in the chapter on Mahku.

Regards,
Scott

[smkolins]

Did some digging for more references - here's a BBC reference. It supports the idea of 10,000 witnesses.

My understanding is that the execution and events thereof actually made soe European newspapers in the day but references, and certainly online ones, are scarce. I found a general review of western accounts of the Babi Faith here - it refers to the execution with specifics but assumed: "The French writer Jules Bois says that: "among the littérateurs of my generation, in the Paris of 1890, the martyrdom of the Báb was still as fresh a topic as had been the first news of his death. We wrote poems about him. Sarah Bernhardt entreated Catulle Mendès for a play on the theme of this historic tragedy." (BBR 50)"

One of my favorite "miracles" is the enternment of the remains of the Bab on the same day the news of the results of the first election of the NSA of the US (then combined with Canada) arrived there.

[Popeyesays]

Originally Posted by smkolins

Did some digging for more references - here's a BBC reference. It supports the idea of 10,000 witnesses.

My understanding is that the execution and events thereof actually made soe European newspapers in the day but references, and certainly online ones, are scarce. I found a general review of western accounts of the Babi Faith here - it refers to the execution with specifics but assumed: "The French writer Jules Bois says that: "among the littérateurs of my generation, in the Paris of 1890, the martyrdom of the Báb was still as fresh a topic as had been the first news of his death. We wrote poems about him. Sarah Bernhardt entreated Catulle Mendès for a play on the theme of this historic tragedy." (BBR 50)"

One of my favorite "miracles" is the enternment of the remains of the Bab on the same day the news of the results of the first election of the NSA of the US (then combined with Canada) arrived there.

This is from Moojan Momen's web sites:


Early Western Accounts of Bahá'í (and Bábí) Faith



Bahá'í (and Bábí) Faith, Early Western Accounts of The Bábí movement created a great deal of turmoil in Iran, thus it soon aroused some interest in the West also. Initially news of the movement reached the West through newspaper accounts and traveler's reports, while the western governments received information from their diplomatic staff.



The first known account of any of the events relating to Bábí and Bahá'í history was the report sent by the British consul in Baghdad, Major Henry Rawlinson, to the British Foreign Office relating to the arrest and imprisonment of Mullá `Alí Bastámí in early 1845. The first published account was that of proclamation by the Báb of his mission in Mecca and the arrest and punishment of four of the Báb's disciples in Shiraz, and the arrest of the Báb. This account appeared in The Times of London on 1 November 1845. Other important early accounts include those of Lady Mary Sheil, the wife of the British Minister in Tehran, in her book, Life and Manners in Modern Persia (London, 1856, pp. 176-81, 273-82); Dr Jakob Polak in Persien. Das Land und seine Bewohner (Leipzig, 1865, p. 350) as well as the reports sent by the foreign diplomatic representatives resident in Iran, Lt-Col. Justin Sheil, the British minister, Prince Dimitri Dolgorukov, the Russian minister, and Joseph Ferrier, the French agent. Most of these early accounts described the Bábís as violent revolutionaries and socialists--which no doubt reflected both the official Iranian government account of the movement and the prejudices of the writers.

It was the appearence of the book Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale (Paris, 1865) by Arthur, Comte de Gobineau (q.v.) which more than anything else served to bring the Bábí movement to the attention of the West. This book, together with Mirza Kazem-Beg's book, Bab i Babidui (St Petersburg, 1865), which also came out in French translation in the Journal Asiatique in 1866, gave rise to a large number of articles in many of the well-known magazines of Europe and North America (for a list of these, see BBR 23-26). So great was the coverage given to the new religion that, in 1871, the well-known writer and critic Matthew Arnold was able to say that Babism was a movement "of which most people in England have at least heard the name." (BBR 25)

The interest in Babism remained in literary circles for some time. The French writer Jules Bois says that: "among the littérateurs of my generation, in the Paris of 1890, the martyrdom of the Báb was still as fresh a topic as had been the first news of his death. We wrote poems about him. Sarah Bernhardt entreated Catulle Mendès for a play on the theme of this historic tragedy." (BBR 50) References to the Báb and the Bábís began to appear in some of the literature of the time, such as in the Portuguese novelist Eça de Queirós' A Correspondencia de Fradique Mendes(Lisbon, 1889, pp. 48-54), the French writer A. de Saint-Quentin's Un Amour au Pays des Mages(Paris, 1891), and the poem by the Austrian Marie von Najmajer, Gurret-ül-Eyn: ein Bild aus persiens Neuzeit (1874). This literary interest was continued into the twentieth century in such works as E.S. Stevens' novel The Mountain of God (1911) and the Russian writer Izabella Grinevskaya's dramatic poem entitled Bab (1903).

During the second half of the nineteenth century, a great many travelers to Iran published accounts of their journeys. Several of these contain some interesting information about the Bábís and Bahá'ís. Among the more important of these accounts were by the Italian Michele Lessona, I Babi (Turin, 1881), the Pole Aleksandr Jablonowski in articles published in Blucz in 1871 and Gazeta Polska in 1875, the Spaniard Adolfo Rivadneyra, Viaje al Interior de Persia (Madrid, 1880-81, vol. 1, p. 244), and the French woman Mde Dieulafoy, La Perse, la Chaldee et la Susiane (Paris, 1887, pp. 77-87).

News that the Bábí movement had, for the most part, transformed itself into the Bahá'í Faith was slow to reach the West. There were a number of early reports of Bahá'u'lláh's pre-eminence, most notably that of Dr Thomas Chaplin, published in The Times on 5 October 1871, and of Laurence Oliphant, published in the New York Sun on 10 December 1883. There were also some references to the change that was happening among the Bábís in Iran, the first published reference being probably in Arthur Arnold, Through Persia by Caravan (1877, vol. 2, pp. 34-5); but there does not appear to have been any general appreciation of the full significance of this change until the researches of E.G. Browne (q.v.) and the arrival of the Bahá'í Faith in the West in the 1890s.

After Gobineau's book, interest and coverage of the new religion reached a second peak during the time of `Abdu'l-Bahá's journeys to the West (1911-1913). Newspaper and magazine articles covered his journeys in a great deal of detail.



Moojan Momen

Bibliography A more detailed survey of this subject appears in BBR 3-65. Full bibliographic details of the works referred to above can be found there. For newspaper and magazine coverage of `Abdu'l-Bahá's Western journeys, see AB 144-371; and Ward, 239 Days.

Momen's book: Bábí and Bahá'í Religions 1844-1944: Some Contemporary Western Accounts
is back in print from the British Bahai Publishing Trust.

Regards,
Scott

[arthra]

This is a valuable archive of text and other historical materials about Baha'is in East Asia (Japan, Taiwan, Korea and Macao):

http://bahai-library.com/east-asia/index.html

You can also read the text of several chapters by clicking on them.

- Art

[imranshaykh]

Can someone clarify what is the position of Bab in the entire episode. What was his relation to Islam. I mean Bab and Baha were qualified Muslims before they made their claims?

This element is missing from your chronicle of the Faith. What were Bab and Baha before making their claims. How did they reconcile Islam and their respective Faiths?

[arthra]

Originally Posted by imranshaykh

Can someone clarify what is the position of Bab in the entire episode. What was his relation to Islam. I mean Bab and Baha were qualified Muslims before they made their claims?

This element is missing from your chronicle of the Faith. What were Bab and Baha before making their claims. How did they reconcile Islam and their respective Faiths?

Imran,

Thanks for posting here... Briefly from my own limited knowledge, the Bab was a descendent of Prophet Muhammad and was raised in Shiraz. He wore a green turbin and was addressed as a "Siyyid". He later was admired my followers of Shakh Ahmad and Siyyid Kazzim.

His name was Siyyid Ali Muhammad Shirazi and His title was the Bab.. In Shiah Islam the Bab represented for many the fulfillment the prophecy of the Return of the Twelfth Imam...earlier in Shiah Islam the concept of Bab was used for those who were like spokesmen for the Twelfth Imam who was believed to be in occultation and so this title of Bab was understood by some to be a similar one but it became much more... The Bab began to be recognize as the Imam Mahdi and the Return also the Qa'im.

Many prophecies were fulfilled in the minds of His followers such as the unfurled black banner and the troop of His followers from Khorasan and so on...

During the Bab's brief ministry which you can read about He made mention of One Who would come after Him "Him Whom God would make manifest". After the martyrdom of the Bab in 1850 in Tabriz the surviving followers of the Bab came to turn toward Mirza Husayn Ali "Baha'u'llah" and soon they recognized Him as the fulfillment of the Bab's prophecy.

Among many other things, Baha'u'llah revealed how the planet can be unified and find peace which was also a promise. Baha'u'llah began to be recognized as the Qayyum and the fulfillment of the prophecies of past religions.

There is a site that relates this at

http://www.bahai-library.com/books/announcement.quran/

Baha'is recognize Prophet Muhammad and accept the Qur'an but believe also in Bab and Baha'u'llah fulfilled the promises of earlier dispensations.

- Art

[smkolins]

Originally Posted by arthra

Imran,

Thanks for posting here... Briefly from my own limited knowledge, the Bab was a descendent of Prophet Muhammad and was raised in Shiraz. He wore a green turbin and was addressed as a "Siyyid". He later was admired my followers of Shakh Ahmad and Siyyid Kazzim.

His name was Siyyid Ali Muhammad Shirazi...

It should be noted that Persia went through a process of cultural change in names during this time - people generally did not identify by a family name. You can dimly catch this by noting the Shaykhs names are so short while the Bab's was longer (this covers about 30 years between their respective births.) Thus this last name simply signifies that the Bab was from the city of Shiraz. Additionally there is often attached any of several honorifics to their name by which they may be called. One is Siyyid - as mentioned. Another is Haji - refering to one who has completed the Moslem pilgrimage. Another is Mirza - it can refer to a position of respect by birth (recall Persia and most Moslem places were matters of monarchies, with the equivolent of princes and Lords, and such) or by right of education or training. There is also Mulla which is specifically a honorific refering to a religious degree. Additionally most people are named after a few historical figures of renown - Muhammad and Ali for example. Others include Husayn, Hasan, and Fatimah - all are central figures of Islam. There are also cultural heroes and heroins of pre-Islamic Persia. So many many people are named Ali or Muhammad or Ali Muhammad or Muhammad Ali, and so on for other combinations. Not to say there isn't a real diversity of names but like the West, there are plenty of James', John's, Steven's, Henry's, Mary's, Elizabeth's... but there are some less common names as well.

[imranshaykh]

Originally Posted by arthra

Imran,

Thanks for posting here... Briefly from my own limited knowledge, the Bab was a descendent of Prophet Muhammad and was raised in Shiraz. He wore a green turbin and was addressed as a "Siyyid". He later was admired my followers of Shakh Ahmad and Siyyid Kazzim.

His name was Siyyid Ali Muhammad Shirazi and His title was the Bab.. In Shiah Islam the Bab represented for many the fulfillment the prophecy of the Return of the Twelfth Imam...earlier in Shiah Islam the concept of Bab was used for those who were like spokesmen for the Twelfth Imam who was believed to be in occultation and so this title of Bab was understood by some to be a similar one but it became much more... The Bab began to be recognize as the Imam Mahdi and the Return also the Qa'im.

Many prophecies were fulfilled in the minds of His followers such as the unfurled black banner and the troop of His followers from Khorasan and so on...

During the Bab's brief ministry which you can read about He made mention of One Who would come after Him "Him Whom God would make manifest". After the martyrdom of the Bab in 1850 in Tabriz the surviving followers of the Bab came to turn toward Mirza Husayn Ali "Baha'u'llah" and soon they recognized Him as the fulfillment of the Bab's prophecy.

Among many other things, Baha'u'llah revealed how the planet can be unified and find peace which was also a promise. Baha'u'llah began to be recognized as the Qayyum and the fulfillment of the prophecies of past religions.

There is a site that relates this at

http://www.bahai-library.com/books/announcement.quran/

Baha'is recognize Prophet Muhammad and accept the Qur'an but believe also in Bab and Baha'u'llah fulfilled the promises of earlier dispensations.

- Art

At the outset, I find it quite interesting that while the Bahais do not permit interpretation of their own books, yet they do not hesitate to interpret the books of others to suit their purpose. I went through exactly 2 pages of the book to understand that the Bahais are not qualified to interpret the Quran. In fact none of us are. We are taught to refer to the sayings of the Holy Prophet of Islam to understand the Quran correctly. A classic case in example is that of Namaz. It is a fundamental element of Islam, yet there is no mention in the Quran on its units or the method of recitation. So we ned to refer to the prophet.

But that is another matter altogether.

I also find it quite interesting that the Bahais are now trying their best to remove the Bab from public memory. Not many Bahais are taught about the life and times of the Bab. And if they are, then they are not being taught correct history.

The bahai.org web site mentions the Bab as an independent prophet with an independent religion. What?? Can the Bahais bring even a single documentary proof to substantiate this claim from the Bab. I mean did the Bab actually claim this. I do not think so.

The earlier descriptions of Bab talk about him being a Gate to the 12th Imam and then the 12th Imam. Why is it so important for the Bahais to prove that the Bab is the 12th Imam? Because the Holy Prophet prophecised about the coming of the Mahdi - a person from his progeny who would come at the end of time and fill the earth with justice and equality. he will obliterate injustice and inequality. Islam would be completed only after the RE-APPEARANCE of the Mahdi.

So who and where is this Mahdi?

The Bahais claim that the Bab was the 12th Imam. And by doing this they wish to pave the way for a new religion of Baha.Since a new religion would come only after Islam would be "completed"

But can the Bahais bring any documentary proof that Bab was the 12th Imam. I would like to hear this from the Bab himself and not from Baha or Shoghi or Abbas Effendi or for that matter from the UHJ. I want to hear this from the Bab. I have sufficient proof which establishes that the Bab was not the 12th Imam.

It is important that the Bahais clarify this position of Bab. There is nothing to suggest that the Bab had any connection with the God who sent Mohammed. Yes, at best he was a prolific writer.

I want the Bahais to clarify the actual position of the Bab. Was he an independent prophet? Was he the Gate to the 12th Imam? Was he the 12th Imam? Was he all of these? Was he none of these? Someone has got to answer.

Regards
Imran Shaykh

[imranshaykh]

Hi:

You have got it right and wrong...

Sayyid is a person whose parent or atleast his father is a descendant of the Holy Prophet of Islam. Sayyid is also used to indicate Master. However when we take the name of a person or rather when Sayyid is used as a part of the name of the person - it means that either both parents are from the family of the prophet or at least his father is. Take any culture, if I am called Sayyed Imran Shaykh, for example, it means that atleast my father is also a Sayyed.

Mirza in any culture means that the father is not a Sayyed - the mother is.

True there are many Mohammeds and many Alis. Hence the Arabs established the system of referring to each person with the name of his father. This is probably the reason why the science of genealogy is highly developed in Islam as opposed to any other religion. Each and every tradition which is quoted is Islam is accepted only after verifying the chain of narrators right upto the Holy Prophet (pbuh).

Unfortunately, the Bahais have used the culture as a mask to hide the fact that the Bab was not a Sayyed. His father was a Mirza - Mirza Ali Bazzaz.

Bab was a Sayyed only in title and not by birth. Which automatically disqualifies him as the claimed 12th Imam

Regards
Imran Shaykh

[smkolins]

Originally Posted by imranshaykh

I also find it quite interesting that the Bahais are now trying their best to remove the Bab from public memory. Not many Bahais are taught about the life and times of the Bab.

"Not many Baha'is..."??

We consider it a fundamental verity.

"“That the Bab, the inaugurator of the Babi Dispensation, is fully entitled to rank as one of the self-sufficient Manifestations of God, that He has been invested with sovereign power and authority, and exercises all the rights and prerogatives of independent Prophethood, is yet another fundamental verity which the Message of Bahá’u’lláh insistently proclaims and which its followers must uncompromisingly uphold. That He is not to be regarded merely as an inspired Precursor of the Bahá'í Revelation, that in His person, as He Himself bears witness in the Persian Bayan, the object of all the Prophets gone before Him has been fulfilled, is a truth which I feel it is my duty to demonstrate and emphasize. We would assuredly be failing in our duty to the Faith we profess and would be violating one of its basic and sacred principles if in our words or by our conduct we hesitate to recognize the implications of this root principle of Bahá'í belief, or refuse to uphold unreservedly its integrity and demonstrate its truth."

I can think of three major works certainly widely known to Baha'is - The Dawnbreakers, God Passes By, The Bab, (biography by Mr. Balyuzi) (here reviewed in a British Journal) which cover the history and importance of the Bab. I would think most Baha'is have read at least some of two of the three. Many have read all of all three.

Originally Posted by imranshaykh

I want the Bahais to clarify the actual position of the Bab. Was he an independent prophet? Was he the Gate to the 12th Imam? Was he the 12th Imam? Was he all of these?

Yes. Question answered. Next?

[arthra]

Hello Imran!

According to Baha'i sources the father of the Bab was Siyyid Muhammad Rida (not Mirza Ali Bazzaz??? as you wrote) and His mother was also regarded as a descendent of Imam Husayn.

According to H.M. Balyuzi in his book The Bab:

"Through both His father and mother He descended from Imam Husayn." - p. 32

The mother of the Bab was Fatimih-Bagum the daughter of Mirza Muhammad Husayn.

A cousin of the Bab through his father was Haji Mirza Muhammad-Hasan (1815-1895). Mirza-i-Shirazi as he was also known as forced a cancellation of the tobacco concession in 1892.


As I explained earlier the views of Who the Bab was changed ...some thought in the beginning He was only a "Gate" for the twelfth Imam and later some regarded Him as fulfilling the prophecy of the Twelfth Imam and the Mahdi. So you disagree with this...

Baha'is have available to them extensive material about the Bab not all available yet in English, among these are the "Selections From the Writings of the Báb" in which the Bab revealed:

GOD had, in truth, proposed Our Mission unto the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to bear it and were afraid thereof. However, Man, this ‘Alí, Who is none other but the Great Remembrance of God, undertook to bear it. Hence God, the All-Encompassing, hath referred to Him in His Preserved Book as the ‘Wronged One’, and by reason of His being undistinguished before the eyes of men, He hath, according to the judgement of the Book, been entitled ‘the Unknown’…(See Qur’án 33:72)

Erelong We will, in very truth, torment such as waged war against Husayn [Imám Husayn], in the Land of the Euphrates, with the most afflictive torment, and the most dire and exemplary punishment….

God knoweth well the heart of Husayn, the heat of His burning thirst and His long-suffering for the sake of God, the Incomparable, the Ancient of Days; and unto Him God is verily a witness.

- p. 70

The new dispensation of the Bab was historically announced at the Conference of Badasht in 1848 but it had already been announced to those who were guided in 1844.. Reading the Persian Bayan one can also gather the new ordinances propoised by the Bab although many of these were later abrogated by "Him Whom God would make manifest" - Baha'u'llah at a later time.

The thread here is on Baha'i history and I think basically you have your own ideas from your perspective that are in conflict with Baha'i views... It seems you have a decided bias against the Faith.

Our purpose here is only to present the Baha'i perspective. If you disagree I'd suggest contacting Brian Turner and make a complaint to him.

- Art

[Popeyesays]

Originally Posted by imranshaykh

Hi:

You have got it right and wrong...
Unfortunately, the Bahais have used the culture as a mask to hide the fact that the Bab was not a Sayyed. His father was a Mirza - Mirza Ali Bazzaz.

Bab was a Sayyed only in title and not by birth. Which automatically disqualifies him as the claimed 12th Imam

Regards
Imran Shaykh

No one has made the claim that Baha`u'llah was Siyyid.

The Fatwa against the Bab identifies Him as "Siyyid". He must have been such for the fatwa to call Him such.

Regards,

Scott

[smkolins]

Originally Posted by imranshaykh

Mirza in any culture means that the father is not a Sayyed - the mother is.
...

Unfortunately, the Bahais have used the culture as a mask to hide the fact that the Bab was not a Sayyed. His father was a Mirza - Mirza Ali Bazzaz.

"Mirza short for Amirzadeh meaning born of a leader or chief, therefore Prince, but also came to describe those who could read and write thus describing a male secretary."A citation closer to my definition. Looking back to the 1800's Mirza as a matter of being literate might have ment being much better educated than the average person and so linking to my definition. Here's another and another and another. After searching the internet for definitions I find NONE following your proposed definition.

As for who the father of the Bab is:
"The Bab, whose name was 'Ali-Muhammad, was born in Shiraz, on the first of Muharram, in the year 1235 A.H. He was the descendant of a house renowned for its nobility, which traced its origin to Muhammad Himself. His father, Siyyid Muhammad-Rida, as well as His mother, were descendants of the Prophet, and belonged to families of recognised standing."Here.

The only "Bazaaz" in all of Baha'i literature I can find is an obscure and breif fellow travelor of the Bab on His pilgrimage to Mecca. He is mentioned in one paragraph and is certainly no relative. Clearly you have been mislead. In fact in all the internet the only place to make such a contention is http://www.bahaiawareness.com/bahai03.html which cites no facts whatsoever about this "information" which also happens to be authored by someone using your name.

[Popeyesays]

Originally Posted by smkolins

"Mirza short for Amirzadeh meaning born of a leader or chief, therefore Prince, but also came to describe those who could read and write thus describing a male secretary."A citation closer to my definition. Looking back to the 1800's Mirza as a matter of being literate might have ment being much better educated than the average person and so linking to my definition. Here's another and another and another. After searching the internet for definitions I find NONE following your proposed definition.

As for who the father of the Bab is:
"The Bab, whose name was 'Ali-Muhammad, was born in Shiraz, on the first of Muharram, in the year 1235 A.H. He was the descendant of a house renowned for its nobility, which traced its origin to Muhammad Himself. His father, Siyyid Muhammad-Rida, as well as His mother, were descendants of the Prophet, and belonged to families of recognised standing."Here.

The only "Bazaaz" in all of Baha'i literature I can find is an obscure and breif fellow travelor of the Bab on His pilgrimage to Mecca. He is mentioned in one paragraph and is certainly no relative. Clearly you have been mislead. In fact in all the internet the only place to make such a contention is http://www.bahaiawareness.com/bahai03.html which cites no facts whatsoever about this "information" which also happens to be authored by someone using your name.

That's interesting. I went and checked it out and Imran Shah did write that article in 1997. I notice he also lists a trio of Baha`i books on the right margin of his site, but strangely, none of them is written by the Bab or Baha`u'llah - he only lists A Traveller's Narrative, and Some Answered Questions by Abdu'l Baha and God Passes By, by Shoghi Effendi. I guess he thereby avoids refering anyone to the words of the Twin Manifestations directly.

The Bab's father passed away early in the Bab's life and it was His maternal uncle who raised Him. He had three maternal uncles, all merchants of high regard.
http://bci.org/bahaistudies/courses/...cumstances.htm

Hájí Mírzá Habíbu'lláh, an Afnán who was one of the custodians of the House of the Báb in Shíráz, has recorded the following account by his father, Áqá Mírzá Núru'd-Dín, a follower of the Báb, of a series of discussions which he held with Hájí Mírzá Siyyid Muhammad. These discussions appear to have been the turning-point in the spiritual life of the Báb's uncle.
...During the initial stages of our discussions Hájí Mírzá Siyyid Muhammad maintained a negative attitude and would repudiate any proof or argument that I put forward. These discussions lasted for several meetings. Once when I was talking with great fervour and conviction about the Faith, he turned to me in astonishment and exclaimed: 'Are you really saying that my nephew is the promised Qá'im?' When I reaffirmed my belief that He was, Hájí Mírzá Siyyid Muhammad became perplexed and expressed his view that this was all very strange. He then began to meditate and was lost in thought. Seeing him in this reflective mood, I could not prevent myself from laughing. He asked my reason for laughing, but as it would reflect badly upon him I was reluctant to tell. However, he insisted, so I told him: 'Your view that your nephew cannot be the promised Qá'im is similar to the objection which Abu-Lahab had. He also said "how could it be possible for my nephew to become a prophet?" But Muhammad was the true Prophet of God. Now it is up to you to investigate this Cause. You must be very proud that this Sun of Truth has dawned from your family and its Light shone forth from your home. Do not hold back from it and be not surprised. For God is able to make of your nephew the Promised One of Islám. Be assured that the hands of God are never tied.'

Hájí Mírzá Siyyid Muhammad was moved by these words. He said: 'This is an irrefutable answer. Now what shall I do?' I suggested to him that he might go as a pilgrim to the holy Shrines in 'Íráq, where he could also visit his sister (the mother of the Báb) who had been living there since the martyrdom of her son, then go to Baghdád, attain the presence of Bahá'u'lláh, ask his questions of Him and put forward his difficulties. I urged him to persevere in his search and to rely upon God. I expressed the hope that the veils which now prevented him from seeing the truth might be lifted from his eyes and that he might attain to the true Faith of God... He agreed to my suggestion and said that he felt in his heart that this was the right course to take.

Hájí Mírzá Siyyid Muhammad thereupon wrote a letter to his youngest brother Hájí Mírzá Hasan-'Alí, who was a merchant in Yazd, acquainted him with his plans to visit the Shrines and their sister, and invited him to join him in the journey. Hájí Mírzá Hasan-'Alí accepted and asked his brother to wait until he joined him in Shíráz... They both travelled to 'Íráq via Bushihr. Hájí Mírzá Siyyid Muhammad, however, did not intimate the real purpose of his journey to his brother until they arrived in Baghdád. There he informed him that his primary object in travelling to 'Íráq was to investigate the authenticity of the Faith and then to visit the Shrines and the mother of the Báb. He invited his brother to remain in Baghdád for a short period so that they both could attain the presence of Bahá'u'lláh and afterwards proceed to visit the Shrines.

On hearing this Hájí Mírzá Hasan-'Alí became angry and, although his junior in age, he spoke harshly to his brother. He warned that under no circumstances would he become a partner in these matters and that he did not wish to hear about the Faith. On that day he left Baghdád. [10-2]


When this happened, Hájí Mírzá Siyyid Muhammad decided to accompany his brother to the Shrines. It was on his return to Baghdád that he was taken to the house of Bahá'u'lláh where he attained His presence alone. This was in the year 1278 A.H. (A.D. 1862).

Of the three uncles two were Babi - one immediately, the other following his visit to the presence of Baha`u'llah. The third never became a follower of the Bab.

Regards,
Scott

[Popeyesays]

Opposition to the Baha`i Faith is of course, nothing new. I quote here from:
http://religiousmovements.lib.virgin...nrms/bahi.html

"Contemporary Issues and Controversies

1. Since the Baha'i Faith's birth it has faced resistance and persecution from Iran. Many Baha'is have become martyrs and many are imprisoned due to the Iranian's government intolerance. Since the time of the Bab, his followers dealt with opposition. Iranian clergy have felt threatened by the Baha'i Faith principles and have acted upon their fears. The Shi'ite clergy views the Baha'is as heretics. Some of the Baha'is views are in contradiction to Islamic beliefs such as the Baha'is beliefs that there are more prophets to come after Muhammad, that the Koran has been abrogated in favour of Baha'u'llah's writings, that women should play an active role in society, that there is no importance of the holy war (jihad), and that clergy are not essential due to increased literacy. (Cole, 1990:28)
   
   Anti-Baha'i sentiment increased under Ayatollah Khomeini. Although in late 1988 oppression slightly lessened, Baha'is were still being accused of prostitution since their marriages are viewed as illegitimate, of spying since some of their conferences were in foreign cities, and of being Zionist supporters since their headquarters are in Haifa, Israel. Shi'ite clerics have arrested many Baha'is and tortured and executed them. (Cole, 1990:28-29)
   
   In Iran, the Baha'is are viewed as threats to aspects of modernity. They are seen as ruthless financiers. Their emphasis on education places them in prominent occupations in society and this power and influence is threatening to Shi'ite clergy. They are viewed as heretics who threaten the purity of Muslim women. Baha'is deny the authority of Shi'ite jurisprudence and therefore the essence of Iran's government. (Cole, 1990:29) All these components of the Baha'i Faith cause tension within Iran. Although in Iran Christians and Jews are permitted to freely practice their religion, Baha'is are denied that right. (Ostling, 1984:73)"
   
   The similarities of the experience of Jesus Christ at the hands of the Sanhedrans, Muhammed at the hands of the Meccans, and the Bab and Baha`u'llah at hands of the clergy of the previous religions is prodigious. I quote from Baha`u'llah:
   "Ponder for a moment, and reflect upon that which hath been the cause of such denial on the 5 part of those who have searched with such earnestness and longing. Their attack hath been more fierce than tongue or pen can describe. Not one single Manifestation of Holiness hath appeared but He was afflicted by the denials, the repudiation, and the vehement opposition of the people around Him. Thus it hath been revealed: "O the misery of men! No Messenger cometh unto them but they laugh Him to scorn."[1] Again He saith: "Each nation hath plotted darkly against their Messenger to lay violent hold on Him, and disputed with vain words to invalidate the truth."[2]"
   [1 Qur'án 36:30.]
   [2 Qur'án 40:5.]
   (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 4)
   
   Opposition has raised the Baha`i Faith from obscurity in many ways. The blood of martyrs has watered the tree of faith, when those who feel compelled raise their voices against the faith, the result is more and more people HEAR about the faith for the first time. As Baha`i's we owe somewhat a debt of gratitude to those opponents who bring about the growth of this faith.
   
   Regards,
   Scott