One look at the principles, teachings and personalities of the Bahai Faith and the unmistakable link and association with Islam becomes evident. This so-called divine faith, that has abrogated Islam, has so many stark contradictions, inconsistencies and ambiguities, that it is something of a joke how it aspires to rub shoulders with other divine faiths like Judaism, Christianity and Islam. I have outlined in detail the origin of this faith to give readers an idea.
A brief profile
The seeds of Bahaism were sown by Mirza Ali Mohammed Bab, the founder of Babism in Iran. (earlier, during the time of Ali Mohammed Bab the sect was known as Babism and when Bahaullah took over it got the name Bahaism).
Bab was born on October 20, 1819 in Shiraz in Iran. His father’s name was Mirza Raza Bazzaz who was a merchant by profession. His mother’s name was Fatima Khanum. When he was 7 years of age, he went to study under Shaykh Abid. Shaykh Abid was a scholar of the Shaikhiyya sect, and so he infused all the ideas of the Shaykhiyah into the mind of Mirza Ali Mohammed Bab. Under Shaikh Abid he studied Persian, calligraphy and some elementary Arabic grammar. After Shaikh Abid, he studied under another teacher by the name of Mohammed.
Bab learnt from worldly teachers
The fact that he had studied in schools and was instructed by a mortal was admitted by Bab himself. Later in his life when the heretic teachings promulgated by him brought disorder in Iran, as we shall discuss later, and Bab was summoned in an assembly of religious scholars by the Crown Prince, the scholars asked Bab about some basic rules of Arabic grammar, to which he replied, “I had learnt them when I was small, but now I have completely forgotten them”.
Moreover, he was also a self-confessed disciple of Syed Kazim Rashti. (Ref: Hadyatul Mahdiyyah Page 212). Bab himself declared, “I am one of the disciples of Syed-e-Muqaddas (Syed Kazim Rashti)’.
It is evident that Bab had gained knowledge from mortals, and the names of some of his teachers – Shaikh Abid, Mohammed, and Syed Kazim Rashti are known to one and all.
Let us see what the Bahais have to say about this. Abbas Effendi, the son of Bahaullah and his successor declares in his book ‘Khutubat-e-Buzurg, page 8, “It is incumbent on every prophet that he gains knowledge from Allah alone and not from any human being and such is the opractise of all prophets like Prophet Ibrahim, Hazrat Mophammed, Hazrat Bab and Bahaullah… All of them did not study in any school because the one who owes his knowledge to human schools cannot be a divine representative”.
Abbas Effendi’s acknowledgement that Prophets are unschooled is particularly significant in light of this little detail from A Traveller’s Narrative, page 250, “He (Bab) proceeded at some time antecedent to the year 1259 to Kerbala where he resided for some time occasionally attending the lectures of Haji Sayyed Kazim of Rasht” (page 250).
So Prophets are unschooled; its good to see some common ground between Bahais on one side and the other Abrahamic faiths like Islam on the other. However, the common ground is restricted to theory only, in practice we have unschooled Prophets from the Abrahamic faiths and schooled ‘Prophets’ from the Babi and Bahai faiths.
Let us consider what the Quran says about Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) –
وَمَا كُنتَ تَتْلُو مِن قَبْلِهِ مِن كِتَابٍ
وَلَا تَخُطُّهُ بِيَمِينِكَ إِذًا لَّارْتَابَ الْمُبْطِلُونَ
‘And you did not recite before it any book, nor did you transcribe one with your right hand, for then could those who say untrue things have doubted.’ (Sura Ankaboot, verse 48)
So Mirza Ali Muhammed is a schooled ‘Prophet’ who brings a religion that abrogates Islam which was brought by an unschooled Prophet. I do not have much to add to that. I request readers to keep in mind what I will reiterate throughout my articles at the risk of sounding irritating – the Bahai Faith is a synonym for contradictions and inconsistencies.
Read more on the schooling of the Bab
Strange men have strange habits
Another strange feature of Bab’s life is that during his teens he used to stand on the roof of his house directly under the sun. He used to do this during the very hot summer days of Iran. Standing under the sun, he used to be busy in making signs to the sun. He used to do this all day long, so much so that people used to think he was a star worshipper. This strange habit of the Bab is mentioned in the book ‘Talkheese Nabil’ on page 66, by Ishraaq Khaavri, and Hashte Bahist by Mirza Aga Khan Kirmani. This action of standing under the hot sun had a severe impact on the mental faculty of the Bab. He never completely recovered from it. It was for the treatment of this mental illness that Bab was sent to Kerbala in Iraq, where he met Syed Kazim Rashti and studied under him.
A few claims of Bab
Now let us have a look at the various claims made by Bab. The rising of Bab was at a time when the wars between Iran and Russia were at their peak. In these wars Iran suffered extensively. There was bloodshed, unhappiness and despair verywhere. It was during this time that public sentiment towards the awaited ‘Promised Messiah/Mahdi’ was at an all-time high. People were waiting anxiously for his reappearance. (people in Iran have this belief that Imam Mahdi is already been born, and will reappear by the will and permission of Allah to fill the earth with justice and equity as it will be filled with injustice and oppression).
At such an opportune moment, Bab with the help of the Russian Ambassador, Kiniyaz Dolgorouki, claimed himself to be the Bab (Gate) of Imam Mahdi.
(Ref: A Travellers Narrative, Abbas Effendi Page 3) [ Read more.. ]
Then on reaching Kerbala in May 1844, under the influence of Isa Lankarani, another Russian Agent, he claimed to be the Imam Mahdi himself.
(Ref: A Travellers Narrative Page 19-20). [ ReThe Babi Faith – Origin and Historyad more.. ]
Due to the strong and deep-rooted enmity between Iran and Russia, we shall see at a later stage, the role of Russia in promoting and nurturing the growth of Babism and Bahaism.
Within a period of 5 months, Zarrin Taj Qurratul Ayn, Mulla Mohammed Ali Barfarosh, and 16 others joined Bab. These 18 followers are known as ‘Huruf-e-Hayy’ or ‘Letters of the Living’. Incidentally, Bahaullah who later claimed to be the successor of Bab, was not included in these 18 followers of the Bab. The heretic teachings of the Bab spread far and wide. But instead of alleviating problems, Bab’s claims only created greater confusion among the people who were awaiting the reappearance of Imam Mahdi, a Hashemite Arab, who according to them was born in 255 AH, and not an Irani Mirza whose birth had occured in their very era. The confusion reached its peak thanks to Bab’s contradictory claims, in of which he claimed that he was but a Gate and adherent of Hujjat ibne Hasan, the very Imam Mahdi who was born in 255 AH.
(Ref: Sahifae’ Adaliyah, page 18 & 27; Dalaaelus Sabah, page 47)
Nonetheless, a meeting of the religious scholars was convened to resolve this issue. Bab was summoned and questioned. It was there that Bab uttered “O Ulema! What you see in Quran, you will find in Bayan (A book written by Bab which he claims to be divinely inspired), and whatever you will not find in Quran, look for it in Bayan. My Bayan has abrogated Quran and Islam! Obey me before the sword comes out of the sheath.’
The convenor of the assembly had a hard time controlling the scholars who were in a frenzy. He then asked Bab to pen down his sayings as a reference for one and all, and this would serve as a proof for all. Bab as usual wrote some sentences in the form of supplications. The scholars read his meaningless statements, and pointed out his mistakes therein. The errors committed by Bab pertained to the very basic laws of Arabic grammar, which underlined that he did not even have the elementary knowledge of Arabic, something that is known even to unschooled individuals of Arabia. However far from admitting his mistake, Bab with his usual cheek declared, ‘I have not learnt from any teacher (another lie), Whatever I write is revelation…”
(Ref: Nasikhut Tawareekh)
On the migration of the Russian ambassador, to create an atmosphere of chaos and strife in Iran, Bab wrote the following sentences in Bayan,
- “O my followers! Surely Allah has made fighting obligatory for you. You must conquer the cities and the people for Babism and don’t be at peace with those who reject Babism”. (Bayan, Arabic Chapter 1)
- “Allah has made obligatory on every Babi king that he should not let a single person remain alive in his kingdom who does not accept Babism. (Bayan, Arabic Chapter1)
- “Loot and plunder the properties of those who do not accept Babism. (Bayan, Arabic Chapter 1)
- “Erase all the books from the face of the earth except those written about Babism” (Bayan, Arabic Chapter 1)
- “O enemies of Bab!! Even if you bathe 1,000 times, you will never become clean”, (Bayan, Persian Chapter 2 )
- “If a Babi acquires a thing from a non-Babi, then by the transfer of the thing, it becomes lawful for him”. (Bayan, Chapter 4)
I have several Bahais writing in to me telling me of the very peaceful Bahai Faith and its relevance in current times what with Islam being more and more irrelevant due to its tolerance and extremism. I urge the Bahais to read the Bayan and see if they can find a way out of this bundle of contradictions that is the Babi/Bahai Faith.
The Babis have a violent history
As expected, the result of such a baseless and hostile writings led to total upheaval in Iran. Babis, the followers of Bab, set forth to actualise his commandments. Thus, was created a scene of total chaos and anarchy. The Babis started looting and plundering the adjoining villages and whatever they could lay thier hands on. If they met with any resistance, then they would burn the entire village. For details, one can refer to the book of Materials For The Study Of The Babi Religion by Professor E. G. Browne, Page 241.
In one such village the Babis saw that some non-Babis had sought protection. Mulla Hussain and some other Babis arrived at the village and killed 130 people in one night.
Wherever the Muslims existed, the rampaging Babis set out to plunder and annihilate them. None was spared. Children were killed, elders were massacred, the pregnant women had their wombs ripped open, and several females were defiled. Mere killing did not satiate the devilish desires of the Babis, they would loot their belongings and set their houses afire.
(Ref: Nuktatul Qaaf, Page 161, Kashfuz Zulumah, Page 125)
There are historical narrations about the ‘mistakes’ committed by villages: “Initially these villages believed in Bab, but later they denied him, and so they had endure the punishment”!
(Ref: Nuktatul Qaaf, page 163)
The Bab meanwhile had made a lot of contradictory claims. First he claimed to be the Bab (Gate) of Imam Mahdi, then Imam Mahdi himself, then a new prophet, and believe it or not, as written by him in Lauhe Haikal-ud-Deen to be God himself.
Not surprisingly, with each new claim, fresh disputes and more discord was created among the people.
The government of the Shah then tightened the noose around the neck of the Bab and decided to execute him. The Shah asked the Crown Prince, Nasir ad-Din, who was in Tabriz to bring the Bab from the prison to a court of scholars for trial. The Bab after some evasion confessed to being the author of the books written by him, and being the introducer of the new religion. When the scholars asked him what deficiency he found in the Islamic faith, the apostate had nothing to say. The scholars unanimously agreed that he was an unbeliever, and an apostate. The government decided to execute him for apostasy.
The Russian attempts to save the Bab
The Bab was taken from prison with one of his followers for execution in the square of Tabriz. People had flocked at the square to witness the slaying of the apostate Bab. The Russian consul approached the commander of the firing squad and offered him a large bribe to save the Bab.
The Bab and his follower was tied to a large post while the people cursed him and pressed for a speedy execution. The Russian consul stood among them in astonishment. The soldiers fired 8 shots which landed in the body of the follower, except one, which cut off the rope with which the Bab was tied. When the smoke cleared, the people saw the body of the follower at the foot of the post, riddled with bullets. The Bab of course was fleeing the scene. Some of the soldiers who saw him flee peppered him with bullets Bab ignorant of the commander’s intention to preserve the Bab from the execution. Upon seeing the Bab’s body being riddled with bullets, the Russian consul burst into tears. This exposes the Russian connection in this conspiracy. The corpse of the Bab was left in a ditch for the wild animals to feed on. The Russian consul took photographs of this to send to his government, as reported in ‘Al Kawakib Ad-Durriyah Fi Tarikh Al Babiyah Wa Al Bahaiyah’, printed in Cairo in 1343 AH. The date of Bab’s execution was 28th Shaban, 1266 AH (1850 AD).
Quite clearly, there was more to the religion of Bab and Bahaullah than met the eye. The intervention of the Russians in what was a sovereign and religious matter of the Iranians is perplexing. That is also why it is not surprising that the first ‘Mashriqul Azkan’ (place of worship) of the Bahais was set up in Ahiqabad province in Russia with the aid of the Russians.by Mirza Haider Ali Isfahani, Mumbai edition).
But after the Russian revolution the Bolsheviks did not support them and the Bahais were compelled to seek a new ally. Enter Israel. Israel, with its ongoing rifts with Iran, Turkey, and Palestine, was only too ready to fill in the void left by the Russians so as to get back at the Muslims by creating more confusion regarding the Promised Mahdi. Of course typical of Israel she did extract her pound of flesh. So while the Bahai Faith is a universal religion for benefit of all mankind, the Jews residing in Israel are shielded from its message of peace and co-existence.