From: hakim@bigq.enet.dec.com
Newsgroups: soc.religion.bahai
Subject: The Claims of The Bab (was Refutation of Baha'i....) (Part 02/10)
Date: 4 Dec 92 14:32:51 GMT
Article-I.D.: ogicse.47207
Organization: -

Continuation from part 1:

While The Bab clearly points out, in His "Dala'ile Sab'aeh" [The Seven
Proofs.] to the fact that He purposefully identified Himself in His
first Book, Qayyum'ul-Asma', as the gate to the Qa'im in order to
convey His message according to the capacity of the people, yet, it is
rather important to point out that there are also an abundance of
verses in Qayyum'ul-Asma' which clearly demonstrate the station and
the fullest measure of the claim of The Bab [i.e. Gatehood to Issa.].
Perhaps the following selections from this Book would demonstrates
this point:

"O Qurratu'l-Ayn [lit. Solace of the Eye. Here God is Addressing the
Bab.  KH]! Say: Verily I am the `Gate of God' [Please note that He is
                ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
not saying that He is the gate of the Imam. KH.  The Imams are the
successors of Muhammad in Shi`ih Islam --rdt] and I give you to drink,
by the leave of God, the sovereign Truth, of the crystal-pure waters
of His Revelation which are gushing out from the incorruptible
Fountain situate upon the Holy Mount. And those who earnestly strive
after the One True God, let them then strive to attain this Gate [The
Bab is referring to the Qur'an 83:25-26 here. KH] Verily God is potent
over all things."
					Qayyum'ul-Asma', Chapter 24
		[Selections from the Writings of The Bab, p. 50 --rdt]

He later on in that same Book (chapter 51) offers a perspective on the
term GATE and its implication as follows:

"O ye peoples of the earth! Hearken unto My call, ringing forth from
the precincts of this sacred Tree-a Tree set ablaze by the
pre-existent Fire: There is no God but Him; He is the Exalted, the
All-Wise. O ye the servants of the Merciful One! Enter ye, one and
                                                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
all, through this Gate [i.e. the Gate of God. KH] and follow not the
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
steps of the Evil One [i.e. Satan, or the Evil One is the
personification of human selfishness according to the teachings of The
Bab. KH], for He prompteth you to walk in the ways of impiety and
wickedness; he is, in truth your declared enemy. [cf. Qur'an
2:163-164]."
		Qayyum'ul-Asma', Chapter 51 [Selections, pp. 56-57 --rdt]

[This may be useful in understanding what follows.  "The Twelfth Imam,
who was named Muhammad, disappeared in the ninth century AD.  He is
believed to have gone into concealment but to have continued to
communicate with his followers through intermediaries called 'babs'
(gates).  Neither the Twelfth Imam nor the last bab named a successor,
and the tradition arose that at the time appointed by God, the Twelfth
Imam would appear once again, sent by God to guide mankind.  He is
also called the Mihdi (or Mahdi -- The Guided One), Hujjat (the
Proof), Baqiyyatu'llah (the Remnant of God) and the Qa'im (He Who
Shall Arise)."  A Basic Baha'i Dictionary, pp. 227-228 --rdt]

The concept of Him being the "Gate of God" mentioned in Chapter 24 is
sharply contrasted by The Bab in Chapter 27 of Qayyum'ul-Asma' with
Abwab-i Arba'ih ("Abwab" is the plural of the term bab or gate. These
are four individuals identifying themselves as the GATES -means for
communication and transaction- between the occulted 12th Imam and the
believers during His lesser occultation, until the last of these Gates
informed the believers that the 12th Imam had entered greater
occultation and was due to return at the Day of Resurrection), and the
GATEHOOD of Shaykh Ahmad and Seyyed Kazim towards His own revelation:

"O ye peoples of the earth! During the time of My absence [i.e. The
                                               ^^^^^^^^^^
Bab is referring to the LESSER OCCULTATION of the 12th Imam, and by
the term "My absence" He is claiming to be the Qa'im/Mihdi by the
virtue of implication.  KH] I sent down the Gates [i.e. Abwab-i
Arba`ih. KH] unto you. However the believers, except for a handful,
obeyed them not. Formerly [i.e. Prior to His appearance. KH] I sent
forth Ahmad [i.e. Shaykh Ahmad Ahsa-i, the founder of the Shaykhi
School of Thought, who advanced the idea that the [re]appearance of
the 12th Imam is at hand, and prepared his followers for His Advent.
KH] and more recently Kazim [i.e. Seyyed Kazim-i Rashti the successor
to Shaykh Ahmad, who continued the same task as Shaykh Ahmad.  KH],
but apart from the pure in heart amongst you no one followed them.
What hath befallen you, O people of the Book [i.e. The Bab is
referring to Muslims here, more specifically to Shi'ahs. KH]? Will ye
not fear the One true God, He Who is your Lord, the Ancient of
Days?... O ye who profess belief in God! I adjure you by Him Who is
the Eternal Truth, have ye discerned among the precepts of these Gates
[Here The Bab is identifying, Shaykh Ahmad and Seyyed Kazim as His own
gates. KH] anything inconsistent with the commandments of God as set
forth in this Book? Hath your learning deluded you by reason of your
impiety?  Take ye heed then, for verily your God, the Lord of Eternal
Truth is with you and in very truth is watchful over you."

		Qayyum'ul-Asma', Chapter 27 [Selections, pp. 51-52 --rdt]

Later on He clarifies the nature of His GATEHOOD in the Persian Bayan
as follows:

"The purpose underlying this Revelation [i.e. the Revelation of The
Bab. KH] ... has ... been to announce the Advent of the Faith of Him
Whom God will make manifest" [i.e. Issa-ibn-i Maryam. KH].  Thus, The
Bab speaks of His own GATEHOOD.
						The Persian Bayan 6:12

After studying the claims of The Bab in regards to GATEHOOD, one could
clearly see that the GATEHOOD of The Bab implied a task INCOMPARABLE
to Abwab-i Arba'ih. On the contrary He claimed to be the Gate of God
or the door through Whom humanity attains the presence of God, the
Father. He made the claim to be the forerunner of a Day that God will
appear among mankind. The Day of a Manifestation of God Who is far
greater than Himself in regards to station. The GATE to Issa-ibn-i
Maryam, Who He identifies in His Revelation as `Him Whom God shall
make manifest'.

The average Muslim mentality contemporaneous to The Bab was more in
tune with associating His GATEHOOD to that which they were familiar
with (i.e.  Gatehood to the Imam) rather than the GATEHOOD of their
Promised Imam (i.e. Qa'im/Mihdi) to Issa. The existence of such
mentality among Muslims and the rather explosive nature of the
situation (i.e. the misunderstood implications of Mahdaviat) and
wisdom of The Bab to treat them gently (by speaking according to the
level of their understanding) gave rise to the confusion about the
nature of His claim. If people were to study the Writings of The Bab,
as we have set out to do here, the issue would have surely been
clarified.

HS>He had a small following, and the sect came to be known as Babieh
HS>(Babism).                         ^^^^

Sect, by the virtue of definition is a branch belonging to a main
body.  For example Shi'ah is a SECT of Islam. Sunni is a sect of
Islam, Catholic is a sect of Christianity, and Mahayana is a SECT (or
school of thought according to their terminology) of Buddhism. The
message of The Bab was similar in caliber to that of Moses, Jesus, and
Muhammad. Both UNIQUE in its approach, and INDEPENDENT in its
teachings. It was a NEW RELIGION from the first day. Please consider
the following sayings from the Imams of the Faith:

"Out of Bani-Hashim there shall come forth a YOUTH Who shall reveal
new laws.                                          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^
He shall summon the people unto Him, but none will heed His call. Most
of His enemies will be the divines. His bidding they will not obey,
but will protest saying: 'This is contrary to that which hath been
handed down unto us by the Imams of the Faith."
				    		Book of Arba'in
Also;

"There shall appear a Youth from Bani-Hashim, Who will bid the people
plight fealty unto Him. His Book will be a new Book, unto which He
                        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
shall summon the people to pledge their faith. Stern is His Revelation
unto the Arab. If ye hear it about Him, hasten unto Him."

						Imam Sadiq

This is not a forecast for the appearance of a SECT, but a RELIGION,
and the following are not ordinary speeches but the Voice of
Revelation and Authority:

"Verily We made the revelation of verses to be a testimony for Our
message unto you. Can you produce a single letter to match these
verses? Bring forth, then, your proofs, if ye be of those who can
discern the one true God.  I solemnly affirm before God, should all
men and spirits combine to compose the like of one chapter of this
Book, they would surely fail, even though they were to assist one
another. [Qur'an 17:90 refers to the same theme. KH]....  O concourse
of the people of the Book [The Bab is referring to Muslims in this
verse. KH]! Fear ye God and pride not yourselves in your learning.
Follow ye the Book which His [i.e. God's KH] Remembrance hath revealed
[The Bab is referring to Qayyumu'l-Asma'. KH] in praise of God, the
True One. He Who is the Eternal Truth beareth me witness, whoso
followeth this Book hath indeed followed all the past Scriptures which
have been sent down from heaven by God, the Sovereign Truth. Verily He
is well informed of what ye do."

		Qayyum'ul-Asma', Chapter 2 [Selections, pp. 43, 44 --rdt]

In a later chapter of the same Book, The Bab identify Himself as the
Word of God. A station which is comparable to that of Jesus Christ:

"O Thou Mother of the Remembrance [The Bab is addressing His mother.
KH]!  May the peace and salutation of God rest upon thee. Indeed thou
hast endured patiently in Him Who is the sublime Self of God.
Recognize then the station of Thy Son Who is none other than the
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
mighty Word of God. He hath verily pledged Himself to be answerable
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
for thee both in thy grave and on the Judgment Day, while thou hast,
in the Preserved Tablet of of God, been immortalized as the `Mother of
the Faithful' by the Pen of by the Pen of His Remembrance."

		Qayyum'ul-Asma', Chapter 28 [Selections, pp. 52-53 --rdt]

Moreover;

"O peoples of the earth! By the righteousness of of God, this Book
hath, through the potency of the sovereign Truth, pervaded the earth
and the heaven with the mighty Word of God concerning Him Who is the
supreme Testimony, the Expected Qa'im, and verily God hath knowledge
of all things.  This divinely-inspired Book hath firmly established
His Proof for all those who are in the East and in the West, hence
beware lest ye utter aught but the truth regarding God, for I swear by
your Lord that this supreme Proof of Mine beareth witness unto all
things."
		Qayyum'ul-Asma', Chapter 59 [Selections, pp. 59-60 --rdt]

This is not the manner of the LEADER of a SECT. This is the CLAIM for
REVELATION and INDEPENDENCE.
						Part 2 of 10