This morning I celebrated the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Bab in my home with family and friends. Siyyid Muhammad Ali known as the Bab or the Gate was born in Shiraz, Persia 20th October 1819. At that time in history there was a sense of great social and religious change. It was believed by many that Islam had run its course and there was a need for reform that only a new Messenger from God could bring about.
Within Persia there was a school of Islamic thought amidst Twelver Shi’a believe established by Shaykh Ahmad. He taught the Promised One of Islám known as the Mahdi or Qa’im would soon emerge. Baha’is see parallels with the Messianic expectations of the Jews at the time Christ arose to bring a new Message from God. Followers of this movement eventually saw in the Bab the fulfilment of their hopes and wishes.
A new religious movement, Babism was born on the night of 22nd May 1844 when Mulla Husayn, part of an offshoot of the Shaykh group, recognised the Bab as the Promised Qa’im. It resulted from a serendipitous encounter between Mulla Husayn and the Bab in Shiraz. They conversed through the night after the Bab invited Mulla Husayn to His home. This night is considered the start of the Baha’i Faith and the Revelation of the Bab is characterised by Teachings promoting a new era of peace and justice.
Within a short period of time the Bab’s Teachings spread throughout Persia like wildfire bringing a new vision of religion.
There would be an irreversible break from the traditions of the past. One example was through Tahereh, a famous female Persian Poet and one of the first to believe the Bab to be the Promised Qa’im. The scene was the conference of Badasdt 1848, organised by Bahá’u’lláh to consolidate this new Bábí movement. Tahereh sent shockwaves through the gathering by appearing without a veil. This was completely forbidden for a women to show her face to men apart from close relatives.
Eventually Tahereh would be put to death along thousands of other Babis. She was brutally strangled but reported to have said before her death you can kill me but you cannot stop the emancipation of women.
The Bab Himself was a merchant and renowned for His trustworthiness, piety, meekness and kindly character. However, Persia was dominated by conservative and fanatical clergy. The Bab was imprisoned on two occasions and when this failed to stop the spread of His Teachings the Bab Himself was publicity executed in Tabriz by a militia of hundreds of his countrymen.
The Bab’s ministry lasted six years and with His execution along with killing of thousands of His followers the Bábí movement appeared doomed. However Baha’is believe His main purpose was to prepared the way for One whose mission was greater than His Own. Most Babis went on to accept Bahá’u’lláh as Him whom God shall make manifest and the Bab as the Herald to the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh. In that sense parallels are seen between The Bab and John the Baptist in Christianity.
In preparation for today’s celebration I found a couple of talks given by Hooper Dunbar, retired member of the Universal House of Justice helpful.
Within Persia there was a school of Islamic thought amidst Twelver Shi’a believe established by Shaykh Ahmad. He taught the Promised One of Islám known as the Mahdi or Qa’im would soon emerge. Baha’is see parallels with the Messianic expectations of the Jews at the time Christ arose to bring a new Message from God. Followers of this movement eventually saw in the Bab the fulfilment of their hopes and wishes.
A new religious movement, Babism was born on the night of 22nd May 1844 when Mulla Husayn, part of an offshoot of the Shaykh group, recognised the Bab as the Promised Qa’im. It resulted from a serendipitous encounter between Mulla Husayn and the Bab in Shiraz. They conversed through the night after the Bab invited Mulla Husayn to His home. This night is considered the start of the Baha’i Faith and the Revelation of the Bab is characterised by Teachings promoting a new era of peace and justice.
Within a short period of time the Bab’s Teachings spread throughout Persia like wildfire bringing a new vision of religion.
There would be an irreversible break from the traditions of the past. One example was through Tahereh, a famous female Persian Poet and one of the first to believe the Bab to be the Promised Qa’im. The scene was the conference of Badasdt 1848, organised by Bahá’u’lláh to consolidate this new Bábí movement. Tahereh sent shockwaves through the gathering by appearing without a veil. This was completely forbidden for a women to show her face to men apart from close relatives.
Eventually Tahereh would be put to death along thousands of other Babis. She was brutally strangled but reported to have said before her death you can kill me but you cannot stop the emancipation of women.
The Bab Himself was a merchant and renowned for His trustworthiness, piety, meekness and kindly character. However, Persia was dominated by conservative and fanatical clergy. The Bab was imprisoned on two occasions and when this failed to stop the spread of His Teachings the Bab Himself was publicity executed in Tabriz by a militia of hundreds of his countrymen.
The Bab’s ministry lasted six years and with His execution along with killing of thousands of His followers the Bábí movement appeared doomed. However Baha’is believe His main purpose was to prepared the way for One whose mission was greater than His Own. Most Babis went on to accept Bahá’u’lláh as Him whom God shall make manifest and the Bab as the Herald to the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh. In that sense parallels are seen between The Bab and John the Baptist in Christianity.
In preparation for today’s celebration I found a couple of talks given by Hooper Dunbar, retired member of the Universal House of Justice helpful.
