According to the Baha’i documents, Ali Muhammad Shirazi who claimed for Babism, Mahdism and prophethood using the intellectual ground of Sheikism. He was the direct student of Sheikism and prided himself on being the student of Sheikism school and lesder.[1]

Now, we are going to glance at the form of the primary followers of Ali Muhammad Bab to be familiar with the role of Sheikism and the teachings of this creed in preaching Babism.

Ali Muhammad Shirazi called 18 people of his first followers as Horouf Hay [: Hay letters][2]. In the book the Persian Bayan, Bab considers eighteen people of Hayy letters as those who were created by God before anything and anybody else.[3] He also considered them as the returning of the holy Imams (peace be upon them).[4]

The Hayy letter are as follows:

1)   Mulla Hussein Boshrouyee [entitled as the first who believed or the gate of gate]. He has been Seyyed Kazem Rashti’s student for nine years.

2)   Mulla Muhammad Hassan (Mulla Hussein’s youngest brother).

3)   Mulla Muhammad Baqer (Mulla Hussein Boshrouyee’s niece)

4)   Mulla Ali Bastami (one of Seyyed Kazem Rashti’s students)

5)   Mulla Hassan Bajestani (after a short period of time, he repented and turned against Ali Muhammad Shirazi)

6)   Mulla Khodabakhsh Ghochani

7)   Muhammad Yazdi (the professional narrator of the tragedies of Karbala)

8)   Seyyed Hussein Yazdi (so-called writer of inspiration. He repented in Tabriz city and turned against Bab. After being freed, he turned to the Bab’s followers again)

9)   Saeed Hendi

10)    Mulla Jalil Oroumi (one of the pupils of Seyyed Kazem Rashti)

11)    Mulla Baqer Tabrizi

12)    Mulla Yusof Ardabili

13)    Mulla Mahmoud Khouee (one of the pupils of Seyyed Kazem Rashti)

14)    Mulla Ahmad Abdol Maraqehee (one of the pupils of Kazem Rashti)

15)    Mirza Muhammad Ali Qazvini (Qorratul Ein’s sister’s husband)

16)    Mirza Hadi Qazvini

17)    Tahireh Qorratul Ein (one of the pupils of Sheikism creed)

18)    Muhammad Ali Barforoushi (entitled as Qoddous. He has been Kazem Rashti’s pupil for 4 years)[5]

As being obvious, the main factor of the proselytizing success and development of Ali Muhammad Bab in expanding Babism movement is the existent of the intellectual and theological grounds of Sheikism and the struggles of the students of Sheikism creed. From not determining successor by Seyyed Kazem Rashti to the emergence promise in the imminent time [6] and to creating grounds such as the claim for the existence of special deputy for Imam of the Time (P.H.) in the major occultation era[7] from which Ali Muhammad Bab exploited it earlier his claims. The claim for the existence of Hour Qoliyaee body for Imam of the Time (P.H.) and his penetration into various bodies[8] exploited by Ali Muhammad Bab in the middle of his claims. Also, rejecting the physical resurrection specified in the holy Quran[9] exploited by Ali Muhammad Bab at the end of his claim for excommunicating of Islam.

Introduction of a book:

The book “Sheikism, the forerunner of Babism” compiled by Seyyed Muhammad Hussein Faqih Imani in 1390 S.H. by Rah-e-Nikan publishing house and translated by Ali Asghar Emdadi into English language in 1396 S.H.