BAHA’ISM

A religion founded by Mīrzā Ḥusayn ‘Alī Nūrū, called Bahā’Ullāh (the splendor of God), who was born in Teheran, Iran, in 1817. According to Baha’i tradition, Bahā’Ullāh received no formal education. He became one of the early disciples of ‘Alī Muḥammad of Shīrāz, called "al-Bāb" (the gateway), who had proclaimed himself as "al-mahdī" in 1844. Al-Bāb was executed in 1850 by the order of Nāṣir-al-Dīn Shah, who was determined to eradicate the Bābi sect because of the disorder that its propaganda had caused throughout Iran. Bahā’Ullāh was imprisoned in Teheran for four months in 1852–53, and while in prison he experienced his first call to a prophetic mission. He was banished to Iraq with other Bābis and lived in Baghdad for a year and then in Kurdistan as a dervish from 1854 to 1856. During the following years in Baghdad he increased his spiritual influence over the Bābi exiles, whose numbers had swelled, until the Persian government formally requested his exile to Constantinople. Shortly before his departure in April of 1863 he declared himself to a small number of followers as man yuzhiruhu ’llāh (he whom God shall manifest), whom al-Bāb had predicted.

Bahā’Ullāh and some of his followers spent a few months in Constantinople in 1863 before being transferred to Edirne. There he openly proclaimed his prophet-hood and sent letters to various sovereigns inviting them to accept Baha’ism. Most of the Bābis accepted Bahā’Ullāh's claim, but a minority group loyal to his half brother Mirzā Yaḥyā precipitated such disturbances within the sect that the Ottoman authorities decided to exile the Baha’is to Acre and Cyprus. Bahā’Ullāh and his family were imprisoned in Acre between 1868 and 1877, and during that time they were allowed to live under house arrest at nearby Mazra’a. From 1871 to 1873 Bahā’Ullāh was engaged in writing the fundamental scripture of his faith, Kitāb-i Aqdas (the most holy book). In 1880 he moved nearer Acre to Bahji, where he died on May 26, 1892.

The greatest apostle of Baha’ism was ‘Abbās Effendi, Bahā’Ullāh's eldest son, who was known as ‘Abd-al-Bahā'. He was born in 1844 and accompanied his father on his journeys and exile and was recognized by most Baha’is as the authoritative interpreter of his father's teachings. However, a rival party, gathered around his brother Muḥammad ‘Alī and brought about his imprisonment in 1908. Two years later he was granted amnesty by the Young Turks and set out on three missionary journeys to Egypt (1910), Europe (1911), and America (1912–13). These journeys had the effect of discrediting his brother's organization and of winning an international following for Baha’ism. ‘Abd-al-Bahā' returned to Palestine, was knighted by the British government in 1920 for his philanthropic services during the war, and died the next year. By his testament his oldest grandson Shoghi Effendi was named "Guardian of the Cause of God." From 1923 on Shoghi Effendi made his home in Haifa, Israel, thereafter the principal center of the Baha’i religion. He had studied at Oxford and in 1936 married a Canadian, Mary Maxwell.

Baha’ism propounds a body of doctrine that clearly originated in shĪ’ite islam, but is regarded by orthodox Muslims as syncretistic and universalist. It declares that God is unknowable except through His "manifestations" the prophets, including Bahā’Ullāh himself, who are the "mirrors" of God. It holds a doctrine of creation and at the same time the "eternal" world of Greco-Islamic philosophy. Its eschatology is regarded as entirely symbolic. It aims to establish a unity of the human race, of all religions, and of science and advocates universal education, world peace through social equality and opposition to all forms of prejudice, equal rights for the sexes, an international language, and an international tribunal. It follows a calendar that is a revision of the Bābi calendar and elects local assemblies, but there is no public ritual nor even private rites of a sacred character. Its temples are designed in such fashion as to symbolize the unity of the "great" world religions.

Bibliography: Kitáb-i-íqán (The Book of Certitude), tr. shoghi effendi (Wilmette, Ill. 1950); Selected Writings of Bahā’u’lláh, tr. shoghi effendi (Wilmette, Ill. 1942). nabÍl-i-a’zam, Dawn Breakers, tr. shoghi effendi (2d ed. London 1953). shoghi effendi, God Passes By (Wilmette, Ill. 1944). j. savi, The Eternal Quest for God: An Introduction to the Divine Philosophy of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá (Oxford, Eng. 1989). p. smith and m. momen, "The Baha’i Faith 1957–1988: A Survey of Contemporary Developments," Religion 19 (1989) 63–91. j. a. mclean, "Prolegomena to a Bahá’í Theology," Journal of Bahá’í Studies 5 (1992) 25–67 (with extensive bibliographies). p. smith, The Bahá’í Religion: A Short Introduction to Its History and Teachings (Oxford, Eng.1998).

[j. kritzeck/eds.]