A brief look at Babism and Bahaism and their hatred towards the Muslims
All Praise is due to Allah. May peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family and Companions. To proceed:
This is a brief description of Babism and Baha’ism.
Babism
In their view, the word Al-Bab (lit. “the Door”) refers to an ignorant Iranian individual, who claimed to be a Sufi. His name was ‘Aly ibn Muhammad Al-Shirazy, He claimed that he was the door to Baha’ullah Mirza Husayn ‘Aly and that he was the messenger to whom revelation came from Baha’. The Babists are named after him. Every time he was put under pressure and asked to repent, he repented from Babism and claimed to be a Ja’fary, one of the Twelfth Imamate Shiites.
The Babists held a general conference in the desert of Badasht to announce their views and proclaim glad tidings of the awaited Imam (leader) whom they claim will appear.
The Babists are not all the same in their beliefs and view of Al-Bab, as stated on p. 97 of the book Al-Baha’iyyah Tarikhuha wa ‘Aqidatuha wa sillatuha bi Al-Batiniyyah wa al-Suhyuniyyah (Baha’ism: History, Beliefs and Relation with Esotericism and Zionism), by the head of the Ansar Al-Sunnah Al-Muhammadiyyah organization in Egypt, Shaykh ‘Abdul-Rahman Al-Wakil (may Allah be merciful to him).
The Babists were divided into two groups in their conference; one of which was led by Al-Bushru’i and Al-Quddus, and the other was led by Al-Baha’ and Qurrat Al-‘Ayn, as stated on p. 98 of the book. Their gatherings were also of two types; one just for the Imams of Babism and another for the laypeople. The topic of discussion in such gatherings of the Imams was Babism’s abrogation of Islamic Shari’ah (Law). Their ultimate view was that Al-Bab is greater and higher in status than all messengers and that what was revealed to him of religion was more complete and more perfect than any previous revelation or religion.
As stated on pp. 99-100 of the book mentioned, Qurrat Al-‘Ayn delivered a reprehensible speech in this conference when Al-Bushru’y and Al-Quddus abstained and Al-Baha’ was also absent, claiming that he was ill. He was worried about the consequences of her speech and waited to see the reaction of the delegates and whether they would reject her ideas or not. In her speech, she clearly stated that the religion of Muhammad was completely abrogated by the new religion (Baha’ism), which had come to the Ummah (nation based on one creed) via Al-Bab, even though only a little of it had come so far and they were now in an interval. The rulings of Islamic Shari’ah no longer applied and it was permissible for the people - indeed prescribed for them - to share their wealth and women.
Al-Wakil said that this was what was clearly stated by the historian of Baha’ism in his book Al-Kawakib Al-Durriyyah (p. 180, 210). She clearly stated in her speech that she did not believe in the resurrection.
The name of the said Qurrat Al-‘Ayn is Um Salman bint Mulla Salih Al-Qazwiny and was a strong proponent of their views. She was responsible for issuing Fatawa (legal opinions issued by a qualified Muslim scholar) before she got in touch with Al-Baha’, then when she got in touch with him, she submitted to him and attributed the issuing of Fatawa to him.
The Babists carried out an armed terrorist movement in which they shed a great deal of blood and killed hundreds of people. The Iranian state stood against them and recruited troops that put an end to them, disunited them and killed Bab-ul-Bab Al-Bushru’y and his companion Al-Quddus in 1265 A.H., as stated in the book of Al-Wakil. The Shiites scholars issued a fatwa stating that Al-Bab was a Kafir and an apostate, and deserved to be executed. The government ordered him to death and he was killed in front of the people; before that he was imprisoned in the citadel.
He engaged in dispute with the Shiites scholars several times and he was exposed and his ignorance were clearly demonstrated. Among the smartest questions that were put to him was when he was asked about the defects in Islamic Shari’ah and about the perfection of that, which he had brought, and he could not offer any answer; rather he could not even say a word. He was asked to deliver a speech and he delivered a worthless speech that did not deserve to be listened to. Hence the scholars ruled that he was a Kafir and should be executed, and he was executed.
Note:
We stated above that Al-Bab was believed by the Baha’is to be the harbinger of Al-Baha’ and is the one who received revelation and conveyed it. So he is like a messenger for Al-Baha’. The Babists believe in Al-Bab, who is ‘Aly ibn Muhammad Al-Shirazy, the ignorant Sufi who claimed that he was the most perfect human vessel of the divine reality, and that he was the one who created everything by his word. (See p. 117).
They also quoted him as saying: “On the day of Nuh (Noah), I was Nuh; on the day of Ibrahim (Abraham), I was Ibrahim; on the day of Musa (Moses), I was Musa; on the day of ‘Isa (Jesus), I was ‘Isa; on the day of Muhammad, I was Muhammad; and on the day of ‘Ali, I was ‘Ali … on the day when Allah causes someone to prevail, I will be the one whom Allah causes to prevail. I am the last one after whom there will be no one else and I am the first one before whom there was no one else. I am the manifestation of Allah’s Argument against the worlds.”
How ridiculous are these words that no wise person would utter. (Shir’at Al-Bab, p. 119). Al-Bab abolished the five daily prayers, Jumu’ah (Friday) Prayer and congregational Salah (Prayer), except in case of the funeral prayer. He stated that purification from Janabah (major ritual impurity related to sexual discharge) was not Wajib (obligatory) and that the Qiblah (Ka’bah-direction faced in Prayer) was the house in which he was born in Shiraz, or the place where he was imprisoned, or the houses in which he and his followers lived. These are the places to which his followers should go for Hajj.
With regard to Sawm (Fast), it was to be observed from sunrise to sunset, for one Babi month, which lasts nineteen days. As for Zakah (obligatory charity), it was one-fifth of one’s property, to be taken at the end of the year and handed over to the Babi council. For more ridiculous rulings, refer to the book of Al-Wakil, p. 120.
Baha’ism
As for Al-Baha’, who is known as Baha’ Al-Din, he is Mirza Husayn ibn ‘Aly ibn Al-Mirza ‘Abbas Bazrak Al-Mazandrani Al-Nury Al-Irany He was born in Tehran in 1233 A.H. And he was involved in Sufism all his life. He took his myths and stories from his Shaykhs. Then he moved to Baghdad from Tehran as a visitor or in exile, then he moved frequently from Baghdad to other places, then he moved to Akka for political reasons and ulterior motives, and because of the many disputes between his followers among the Babists and the followers of his brother, Yahya ibn ‘Aly ibn Mirza. After all of that and many other developments, Al-Baha’ made the following claims (see p. 143 of the book of Al-Wakil): At first, Al-Baha’ claimed that he was the Caliph of Al-Bab, or the last Caliph of Al-Qa’im (i.e. The hidden Imam); then he claimed that he was Al-Qa’im himself. Then he claimed to be a Prophet, then he claimed to be a divine lord and that the divine reality only existed in its most perfect form when embodied in him.
Death of Al-Baha’
When he was in the prime of his strength and his call was at its vim, Allah afflicted him with fever and he died while believing in his false claims and ridiculous myths. He died in Dhu’l-Qa’dah 1309 AH. (See p. 144 of the essay and footnotes of the treatise of Abu Al-Fada’il)
Abu Al-Fada’il was one of the propagators of the false sect of Al-Baha’.
The methods of Al-Baha’ for propagating his views
He was a Sufi who relied on ambiguity, allusions, symbols and jargon. (See p. 147 of the book of Al-Wakil)
His books
The most famous of them are Al-Iqan and Al-Aqdas. He wrote the former in Baghdad; it deals with proving that Al-Bab was Al-Mahdy (a man named after the Prophet, who will appear as a sign of the Hour and rule according to Islamic law) and Al-Qa’im. It refers to the claims of Al-Baha’. He wrote this book in response to questions about Al-Bab. In this book, Al-Baha’ acknowledged that he was sinful by writing this book. How strange are the actions and evil deeds of this criminal! Glory be to Allah, how great He is! Allah insisted that these criminals and liars should fail in their words and deeds. All praise be to Allah, for the clarity of Al-Haqq (the Truth) and the failure of falsehood. (See p. 150 of the book of Al-Wakil)
Hatred of Al-Baha’ against Muslims
Al-Mirza did not hate any Ummah as much as he hated the Ummah of the Final Messenger (Muhammad, peace be upon him). It is sufficient for you to know that he accused the Salaf (righteous predecessors) and Khalaf (Successors) of not having understood anything of the Ever-Glorious Qur’an, and he said: “One thousand and two hundred and eight years have passed since the Qur’an appeared and all these riffraff recite it every morning and until now they have not understood a single letter of its meaning.”
Then Al-Baha’ says: “The one who does not drink from our sealed nectar stamped with our name Al-Qayyum (the Ever Living) has not grasped the light of Tawhid (belief in the Oneness of Allah/ monotheism), and he does not know the meaning of the Books of Allah, and he is one of the Mushriks (ones who associate others with Allah in His Divinity or worship).”
Note:
In this summary about Babism and Baha’ism, if you find any words that you cannot find in the book of Al-Wakil, you will find them in the book of Dr. Muhammad Mahdi Khan Al-Irany Al-Tabrizy, who lived in Egypt, which is called Muftah Bab Al-Abwab. Some of the summary was taken from articles written by Muhib Al-Din Al-Khatib about Babism and Baha’ism and short comments of my own words. Allah is the Source of strength.
May Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and Companions!
Written by: Abdul-Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz, Deputy-President of the Islamic University, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah.