Bahai |
Posted: August 12, 2013 |
BackgroundThe Bahá'í faith began to take its present form in 1844 in Iran. It grew out of the Shi'ite branch of the Muslim faith. The faith was proclaimed by a young Iranian, who called himselfThe Báb. He said that a messenger would soon arrive from God, who would be the latest in a line of prophets including Moses, Muhammad and Jesus Christ. This idea of progressive revelation is of central significance for the Bahá'í faith. The Báb and his followers were persecuted by the Muslim hierarchy and the Báb was eventually executed because his teachings contradicted a central point of Islamic faith - thatMuhammad was the final prophet. Although the finality of Muhammad's revelation is universally accepted by Muslims, some Bahá'i scholars suggest that this belief is based on a particular interpretation of Qur'anic verses and that a different interpretation is possible. In 1852, one of the Báb's persecuted followers had a revelation in prison that he was the prophet that the Báb had proclaimed. He called himself Bahá'u'lláh, meaning The Glory of God. Bahá'u'lláh was the founder of the Bahá'í faith. His life as a prophet was spent in a series of exiles that culminated in Acre, where he wrote the Kitab-i-Aqdas, one of the key Bahá'í scriptures, as well as other spiritual works and letters. He died in 1892. Bahá'u'lláh was succeeded by Abdu'l-Bahá, who spent much time from 1908 spreading Bahá'í teachings around the world and the faith soon had significant (though small) communities in Europe and North America. He also developed Bahá'í ideas of social reform and international justice and expounded Bahá'í beliefs through a series of letters. Abdu'l-Bahá died in 1921 and was succeeded by his eldest grandson, Shoghi Effendi, who continued the missionary work of the faith, and further developed Bahá'í philosophy. Shoghi Effendi also created or expanded the Bahá'í shrines and gardens in Israel. After Shoghi Effendi's death in 1957, the leadership of the faith passed to a group of believers rather than an individual and now rests with the Universal House of Justice. The Bahá'í faith has continued to expand, particularly in the third world, and now is the most widespread faith in the world afterChristianity. The expansion has not been without trouble and Bahá'í have been persecuted, particularly in Iran, the land where the faith began. The wider contextGeographyThe Bahá'í faith was established in Iran, then called Persia, in the mid-nineteenth century.a Iran was mainly a Muslim country, but there were also communities ofZoroastrians, Christians and Jews, all of whom made up the first adherents of the Bahá'í faith. Religious contextThe majority of Muslims in Persia at this time were Shi'a Muslims (as opposed to those of the Sunni tradition). Shi'a Muslims believe that it was theProphet Muhammad's intention that his descendants inherit the spiritual and temporal leadership of the Muslim faith and that these leaders be called Imams (or leaders). They were believed to be infallible. The 12th ImamHowever, the last Shi'a Imam - the 12th in line - had withdrawn into hiding in 873, hoping to avoid the fate of his predecessors. It is believed that he will appear again to bring in the end times. Muslims have called this promised deliverer the Mahdi (the guided one) and Qaim (He Who Will Arise). The BábsThroughout his disappearance, the 12th Imam was believed to have communicated with the outside world through a series of deputies who took the title 'gate' - or Báb. There had been four Bábs up to 941CE but the last Báb had died without naming a successor. It was widely believed that God would appoint a successor who would restore this channel of communication. The Shaykhi traditionIn the late 18th century, a Shi'a Muslim called Shaykh Ahmad al Ahsai set out in search of the 'Promised One' from Islamic scriptures. He founded a sect named Shaykhi and instructed his members to prepare for the coming of the Promised One of the Shi'ite tradition. It was from this tradition that the Bahá'í religion emerged in the mid-19th century. Shaykh Ahmad-i-AhsaiShaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsai and, later, his disciple and successor, Siyyid Kázim-i-Rashtí both taught a doctrine which departed from orthodox Shi'a belief. They taught that Muhammad's successor was imminent. Shaykh Ahmad's teachings were both controversial and complicated, but they emphasised the mystical dimension of faith. He claimed his authority came from special relationships with the Imams and he attributed his visionary experiences to them. Siyyid Kázim-i-RashtíSiyyid Kázim-i-Rashtí was the only man believed to have understood the teachings of Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsai and he remained in Karbila to continue his teaching after Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsai's death in 1826. He taught that the Promised One was already on earth and, shortly before his own death in 1843 urged fellow Shaykhis to scatter until the Promised One was revealed to them. The year was 1260 in the Islamic calendar - precisely 1000 years since the disappearance of the Hidden Imam. Mulla HusaynOne of Siyyid Kázim-i-Rashtí's disciples was a man called Mulla Husayn - described as pure hearted and a seeker after truth. He was also a brilliant scholar. After the death of Siyyid Kázim-i-Rashtí, Mulla Husayn set out to look for the Promised One. He spent 40 days fasting and praying before leaving Karbila with his brother and nephew - both of whom were very young - seeking guidance only from God. Mulla Husayn and his brother and nephew travelled to Shiraz in search of the Promised One.
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