Introducing the book “Life of Yahya Najji”
part one: Mirza Yahya Dolatabadi, from the Báb movement to constitutionalism,
part four: a look at Bábí Baha’i interactions
Seyyed Mohammad Hadi Sajjadi
Abstract
The clash between two brothers rose after the claim of Mirza Hussein Ali Noori, nicknamed Baha’u’llah (by Qorrat al-‘Ain at the time of the rejection of the Hijab in Dasht Badasht), that he is the Manifestation of God. He claimed that the Bábí Faith was finished and the beginning of the Baha’i faith started. Consequently a group of the followers of Ali Muhammad Báb converted to him and many others followed this belief that Mirza Hussein Ali’s claim is nothing more than a lie and a heresy, and they remained on their own faith and accepted the following of Mirzaihi Sobhe Azal as the rightful successor of Ali Mohammad Bab.
Differences arose between two brothers, one Mirza Yahya was appointed for the position of leader of the Bábí followers by Ali Muhammad Bab and the other Mirza Hussein Ali claimed to be the leader citing many interpretations and distortions.
In the middle of these differences, which had spread to the followers of the two brothers, they wrote letters to each other that pursued different goals.
One of the purposes that can be seen from writing letters to each other is to preach and, according to one’s opinion, to guide the followers, and the other purpose is to answer and refute and argue about one’s own rightness and the other’s rejection, and in some cases, threats and insults, and sometimes showing some documents to disgrace each other.
In this article, we have studied some of those letters, taken from the book “Hayat Yahya Najji” written by Seyyed Meqdad Nabavi Razavi, in order to see documents that, according to the opinion of the Baha’i Babis (Azalian, followers of Sobhe Azal), are proof of invalidity of the claim of Baha’u’llah.
One of the most important of these letters, which is discussed in detail in this book, is the letter of Baha’u’llah to Mirza Mohammad Hadi Qazvini (one of the martyrs of Bayan and Bábí elders). He rode again and analyzed this article, and then Mirza Yahya Dolatabadi’s letter to Abbas Effendi has been clarified.
Keywords
Seyyed Ali Mohammad Bab, Mirza Yahya Sobhe Azal, Mirza Hussein Ali Noori, Mirza Mohammad Hadi Qazvini, Mullah Mohammad Jaafar Naraghi, Tahira Qorrat Al Ain, Abbas Effendi, Naser Dolatabadi, Sheikh Mohammad Rafi Tari Natanzi.
۱۹ Popular Misconceptions about Baha’ism, Part One
A look at the most important common misconceptions about Baha’i that exist in society
Mohammad Gogani
Abstract
Many times, the topic of Baha’i is associated with false information in people’s minds. In the meantime, some common mistakes, which are sometimes mentioned by missionaries and organizations, have been created frequently for the youth and the general public. To clear these doubts, it is not always possible to refer to important sources and in-depth researches, and sometimes these people do not have the opportunity and the possibility of deep and long study on the subject of Baha’i, and with short speeches, they have some misconceptions. Therefore, in response to it, a documented, short, practical and accurate text should be provided.
With this goal in mind, this article seeks to clarify some of these mistakes about Baha’i and tries to briefly provide some documentation, although documenting all the propositions of the text would make it out of general use. Common misconceptions are:
It is not necessary to study Baha’i; Baha’i is a sect of Islam; New and modern religion; Oppression and righteousness; Morality and honesty; Connection with Israel; Belief in the equality of men and women; Belonging to Baha’i symbols of modernity and early schools; The Pahlavi regime’s oppression of Baha’is; The reason for the non-spreading of Baha’ism; Clerical position; Entry and exit from Baha’i; Hide the belief (taqiyyah), Involvement in politics; Patriotism; Corruption and espionage; Mandatory orders; Selective management , Children’s religion. In this article, the first ten subjects are discussed.
Keywords
Baha’i, sect, religion, oppression and justice, morality and justice, Israel, equality between men and women, early schools, Pahlavi system, non-expansion, clerical position, leaving Baha’i, rejection, piety, involvement in politics, patriotism, Baha’i and Espionage, Baha’i elections, propagating children, Baha’ism in the West, Baha’ism and militarism
Abbas Effendi and Palestine;
Part 2: the transfer of Palestinian lands to immigrant Jews
Hamid Farnaq
Abstract
The type of relationship between the Baha’is and especially their leaders with the colonial countries of the time is one of the topics that are always considered in the survey and evaluation of the social, cultural and political role of the Baha’is.
What was Abdu’l-Bahá’s relationship with the British government, and what role did he played in the formation of the Israeli government?
By examining the available historical documents, it can be seen that with the beginning of the weakening of the pillars of the Ottoman Government, and the activation of the British plan to separate the Arab lands from the Ottoman rule and the beginning of British domination of the Suez Chanel, communications by the British government’s spy agency with some local leaders in the Arab regions started. The available documents show the close cooperation of Abbas Effendi and several corrupt Ottoman local officials with some Zionist Jews, in order to cheaply buy the lands of the Palestinian villagers, and sell them at multiple prices to the immigrant Jews. Observing such actions by the Ottoman authorities, caused their anger and their efforts to arrest and punish Abbas Effendi, and in turn, the efforts of the British military and intelligence authorities to protect and care for Abdu’l-Bahá and to award him service badges and rewards.
Keywords
Abdu’l-Bahá, Baha’is in Palestine, Sale of Palestinian lands to the Zionists by Abdu’l-Baha
Conversation between Mirza Agha Khan Kermani and Baha’u’llah in Acre
By: Seyyed Meqdad Nabavi Razavi
Abstract
Mirza Agha Khan Kermani is one of the famous Babis and Azali activists in the Qajar era, who is known as one of the influential figures in the field of political struggles and intellectual struggles in that important historical period of Iran. This article deals with a letter from him about his trip to Acre and his meeting with Mirza Husain Ali Baha’u’llah and he has provided some analysis.
Keywords
Mirza Agha Khan Kermani, Sheikh Ahmad Ruhi, Acre, Mirza Hussein Ali Bahaullah and Abbas Effendi
Baha’is from the point of view of Christian intellectuals and critics
Part 6: Vernon Elvin Johnson
Section 1: Introduction and views until the time of Abdu’l-baha
Hamid Farnaq
Abstract
Dr. Vernon Elvin Johnson, a student of theology in the Christian seminary and university, writer and critic, who has a history of oratory and preaching in the church, got acquainted with Baha’i in the course of his religious studies. In addition to studying academic books and the works of Baha’i missionaries and critics, he also attended Baha’i preaching meetings and met face-to-face with prominent Baha’is and their culture, and after eight years of extensive library and field research, he wrote his doctoral thesis In the field of philosophy of religion.
In this detailed research, he showed that in all stages of succession in the Babi- Baha’i faith, the person who became the head of the group, in order to justify his legitimacy, firstly, made heretical changes in the previous teachings of the group. Secondly, at every stage, famous people opposed the claimant of the new leadership or his changes and heresies, and because of this, they were rejected and expelled from the group and the newcomers and less knowledgeable about the basic teachings remained in the group. Thirdly, the group that claims to create the unity of the human world, at every stage of its succession, has had to reject and expel a number of its main people. Fourthly, due to the Western tendencies of the Baha’i leaders in the Ottoman Empire, what is introduced as Baha’i today has a very different nature from the early Babi-Bahá’í religion and is highly influenced by Western and Christian culture and traditions. Dr. Johnson believes that even though Baha’i is wearing a cover of Christianity and modernity and modern Western culture, it is a dogma religion with an unchangeable book of rules from the 19th century. While studying the history of the war-mongering Babians and Baha’u’llah’s participation and support in their terrorist actions and explaining the performance of Abbas Effendi and Shoghi Effendi with the critics within the group, he warns that according to Baha’i teachings and rulings, the Universal House of Justice, consisting of only Baha’i members, intends to take over the position of the legislative, executive and Judiciary in a single world government, which is a cultic and dangerous idea. Looking at the performance of the leaders of the Baha’i organizations in censorship and control of the academic works of Baha’i writers, eliminating and rejecting opponents, not paying attention to the suppression of the real truth, the lack of equal rights of men and women in the Baha’i society, he advises them to respect the different thoughts and perceptions of the Baha’is. , show self-confidence and accept the opinions of critics; otherwise, they will gradually deteriorate
Keywords
Baha’i critics, Christianity and Bahá’í criticism, heresies in Baha’i, Baha’i contradictions, rejection in Baha’i, differences and schisms in Baha’i, Vernon Elvin Johnson.
