Traveler\'s Narrative - A Critical Analysis

IMRAN SHAYKH

History of the Babi Faith

This article is based on the Baha’i historical work \'A Traveler\'s Narrative\' written to illustrate the episode of the Bab by Professor E. G. Browne (published in New York, 1930 by the Baha’i Publishing Committee). The Baha’is consider this book as reliable and hold it in high esteem. This becomes clear when one reads the publishers preface:

\"Members of the Baha’i Cause are greatly indebted to Prof. E. G. Browne for his scholarly researches into the history and literature of the movement, and most particularly for his dignified and powerful translation of the \'Travelers Narrative\'. As recounted by Prof. Browne in his own introduction to the edition published under the auspices of the Cambridge University, the manuscript of this work was given to him by Abdul Baha at the time he visited Bahaullah and the Baha’i community in Acca during the year 1891\". (Page V, Preface)

The author traces the roots of The Baha’i Faith to a heretical Islamic sect - Shaykhism, which according to the author mixed Greek mythology with Islam. Some beliefs of this sect are as follows:

\"He (Shaykh Ahmed, founder of Shaykhism) believed that the body of man was compounded of parts derived from each of the nine heavens and the four elements, that the grosser elemental part perished irrevocably at death; and that the more subtle celestial portion would appear at resurrection. This subtle body, he named as \'Jism-e-Huwerkiliya - the word Huwerkiliya being supposed to be of Greek origin (Herculean). He regarded Imams as creative forces, quoting in support of this view, the expression \"God, The Best of Creators\" occurring in Quran Sura 23, verse 14; \'for said he \'if God be the best of creators.\' He cannot be the sole creator (page 236-7)

The predecessor of Bahaullah - Mirza Ali Mohammed Bab studied under Sayyed Kazim - then leader of the Shaikhism sect. The author states \"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).

We have seen in the article \'Origin of the Bahai Faith\' that Abdul Baha claimed Bab and Baha did not study under any mortal. The above statement proves otherwise. A Prophet of Allah studying under the guidance of a tutor is unacceptable according to the Abrahamic faiths. Despite their sharp differences on several issues, if there is one issue on which there is complete unanimity between the Jews, Christians and Muslims is that Moses (as), Jesus (as) and Mohammad (saw) were never trained by a mortal in any science. For this makes the tutor superior to the Prophet in the knowledge that he imparts to the latter and discredits the claim of the Prophet he is the best and most knowledgeable in the nation.

The following Quranic verse substantiates the above claim:

\'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)

After the death of Sayyed Kazim, Bab claimed to be his successor in front of Mulla Husayn saying \"whether he saw in him the signs which must characterise Sayyed Kazim\'s successor\" (page 251).

This very sentence shows that Syed Kazim Rashti had not explicitly appointed him as his successor, but that Bab had claimed it on his own accord.

This is also contrary to how Moses (as), Jesus (as) and Mohammad (saw) were appointed. Another point that is never debated by the Abrahamic faiths is that the appointment of the Prophets is a divine matter, conveyed by a divine revelation. It is certainly not for a mortal to appoint a Prophet. The Quran states very clearly how Jesus (as) was declared a prophet in Sura Maryam, verse 30, Moses (as) in Sura Taha, verse 13 and Mohammad (saw) in Sura Alaq, verse 1. All three were selected for this position by divine revelation, not by a mortal\'s endorsement. The reason I keep revisiting the Abrahamic faiths to validate the veracity of Bab\'s claims is because the Baha’i Faith claims Bab and Baha were prophets just like Moses (as), Jesus (as) and Mohammad (saw) before, so it is only natural that Bab and Baha should meet the same prerequisites, to affirm their Prophethood.

Therefore not surprisingly, Baba did not receive full support as the author states, \"of the doctors (religious leaders) who heaped insults at Bab during his first examination at Tabriz and those who two years later ratified his death warrant in the name of religion, several were Shaikhis. Hence it is necessary to recognize clearly the difference between the relations of the Babi Faith to the old and the new Shaikhi School. From the bosom of the former it arose, and in equal measure derived its strength, with the latter it was ever in fiercest conflict\" (page 241)

It seems that the support of the Shaikhis was garnered more by Mulla Husayn than by Bab himself. \"No sooner was he (Mulla Husayn) convinced, than,.....he hastened to apprise his friends and comrades of his discovery. Thus did he become the \'Gate of the Gate\' *Bab-ul-Bab)\" (page 241). The Shaykhis who \"were in general, anxiously expecting the appearance of someone who should assume the leadership of their party\" (page 240), were turning to Haji Mohammed Karim Khan. \"A considerable number headed by Haji Mohammed Karim Khan of Kirman utterly declined to accept Bab\'s pretensions\" (page 241). Those Shaykhis who were not impressed by Haji Mohammed Karim Khan accepted the Bab on the behest of Mulla Husayn.

As for the title \'Bab\', i.e., Gate, this author quotes Van Viremer in the account of Bab which he gives in his \'Herrschenden Ideen des Islam\'s,......further points out that he was not the first to adopt it. One Abu Ja’far Mohammed ibn Ali ash-Shalmaghani, generally known as Ibn Abi Azakir having suffered death under the Caliph Ar-Radhi assumed the same title of \'Bab\'and taught new and heretical doctrines which included the tenet of Metem psychosis\" (page 229).

At first, Mirza Ali Mohammed announced himself to be the Gate to the Lord of the Age (Sahib-uz-Zaman). And in the first book he wrote an explanation to the Surah of Joseph (Yusuf), he addressed himself in all passages to that person unseen from whom he received help and grace, sought for aid in arrangement of his preliminaries and craved the sacrifice of his life in the way of his love\".

Amongst others is this sentence, \"O Remnant of God (Baqiatullah), I am wholly sacrificed to thee; I am content with the curses in thy way\" (page 3)

Later he claimed to be the Promised Mahdi. \"When Bab reached Tabriz, they brought him after some days to the government tribunal of the learned doctors, the Nizamul Ulama, Mulla Mohammed Mamakani, Mirza Ahmed - the Imam-e-Juma, Mirza Ali Asghar - the Shaykhul Islam and several other divines were present. They asked concerning the claims of Bab. He advanced the claim of Mahdihood\" (page 19-20).

The Baha’is were not satisfied with the above positions claimed by The Bab. They raised to another position - that of a Prophet. \"Those (Baha’is) who had read the gospels, and they were many, likened the Bab to John the Baptist, and Baha to Christ\" (page xvi of Introduction)

I have already outlined above that Bab\'s primary endorsement by a mortal does not ring true compared to how prophets have been appointed. Apart from the fact that Bab\'s multiple claims of Bab, Mahdi and Prophet queer the pitch even further. Even an elementary student of Islamic history will tell us that these are three different positions and have three different individuals assuming these responsibilities. We have not even started discussing the 40th verse of Sura Ahzaab wherein the Quran has declared Mohammad (saw) as the last prophet and closed the door on \'new\' prophets and revelation.

One thing I can say with a fair degree of certainty is that Baha’is have very poor knowledge of Jewish, Christian and Islamic scriptures. The Baha’is who on reading the gospels likened Bab to John, the Baptist (as) and Baha to Jesus (as) should have taken the trouble to recite the Quran, especially the verses of Sura Maryam wherein the prophethood of these two prophets has been discussed. There is not even a vague similarity between John (as) and Jesus (as) on the one hand, and Bab and Baha on the other.

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