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The first principle of the Baha’ism teachings is the principle of independent investigation of truth and leaving imitation. In the teaching, quitting imitation and investigating truth freely by human beings are considered as the unity of the humane world and keeping away of conflict and war: “The first teaching of the Excellency Bahaullah is the independent investigation of truth. Human being should investigate the truth independently and quit imitating because the world nations possess their own imitations and imitations are various. The different imitations cause conficts and wars. There will be no oneness of humane world as long as these imitations exist.[1]”

However, contrary to this intellectual and Quranic principle[2] which is considered as their first teaching, there are many samples in Baha’ism commandments (as the claimed forerunner of Baha’ism) in which the principle of independent investigation of truth and quitting imitation have been violated. There are several cases:

1)   Contrary to the divine and intellectual principle of independent investigation of truth, Ali Muhammad Bab has announced studying and teaching all books (except for his) as illegitimate for his followers[3]:

"لا یجوز التدریس فی کتب غیر البیان"

2)   In order to block all the ways of investigating the truth and thinking freely, Ali Muhammad Bab has commanded for all non-Babi books to be destroyed in the book loved by the forged prophet of Baha’ism[4]:

"الباب السادس فی حکم محو کل الکتب کلّها الّا ما انشئَت او تنشی فی ذلک الامر[5]"

However, how can Baha’ism introduce its theological basis in the independent investigation of truth while it complains the Shiites for obeying the sources of religious authority?!

Yes; by investigating Babi and Baha’i history, it can be understood that the reason for Baha’ism disagreement with each kind of imitation is preventing people to obey the sources of religious authority and the Shiite scholars because obeying and imitating the great scholars of Islam was the great challenge to prevent Babism and Baha’ism to be preached; as the source of religious authority was the greatest challenge for the Colonialism to achieve its goals.