The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-12-03

|
tion is being called to the "Bahai
movement brief sketch of the early
history of the sect may be of interest
| to your readers. The best authorities
on the subject are Count de Gobineau 8
great work on the "Religions and
PHILOSOPHERS of Central Asia,' and the
works of Prof. E. G. Browne, lecturer
in Persian to the University of Cam
bridge.
The Persians never thoroughly as
simulated the religion of Mohammed,
and never forgot that it had been
forced upon them by the sword. A
product of the Arabian desert, it was
uncongenial to the Persian mind and
character The first result of this was
the great schism which rent the Mo-
hammedan world into two hostile
sects, the Sunnites and the Shiites, the
latter of which includes all Persian
| and many Indian Moslems.
The Shiites hold that Ali, the first
cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet,
was his legitimate successor, and that
| the three Caliphs who preceded him
were usurpers, and they devote the
greater part of the month of Mohar-
rem to passionate mourning for the as
sassination of Ali, and the murder of
his two sons, Hassan and Hussein, the
latter of whom had married the
daughter of the Persian king. They
hold that Ali S rightful authority was
transmitted to the line of his descend
ants, his successors being styled, not
Caliphs, but Imams. The twelfth Imam
(the MahdD disappeared from earth in
937 A. d., but is expected to-,come
again in power, and right all wrongs.
Another result of the inherent antag-
onism between the Arab and Persian
modes of thought was the rise of the
Suf mystical philosophy, which has ex-
tensively pervaded Persian thought. 1t
is at bottom pantheistic philosophy,
similar to the Vedanta of India. 1t
teaches that nothing absolutely exists
but God" All else is illusion. The
highest state of bliss is absorption
into the Eternal, to sink like a bub-
BILE into the ocean of Divine Life. 1t
leads to indifference of moral distinc.
tions, denial of the freedom of the
will, and to self.indulgence, as is seen
in the lives of many of its devotees,
or to a dreamy Quietism. 1t is ex-
tremely tolerant, for call paths lead
to God" It has been clother in beau.
tiful literary garb by the genius of
the great lyric poets, Hafiz, Saadi, ia
lalud-Din and others. Babism also has
with reason been regarded as "One of
the numerous sects of Sufsm, directed
into more practical channel.''
1t was founded in Persia in 1S44-5
by Mira Ali Muhammed of Shiraz, a
young Sayyid or descendant of the
Prophet, about thirty years of age. Be-
| fore his manifestion," he was dis
| ciple of the Sayyid KAHN of Rasht,
the head of the sect of Shaikis, which
is characterized by the doctrine that
at all times there must exist an inter
mediary between the twelfth Imam
| and his followers This intermediary
| is styled the "Bab'' or "Door, -
| through which alone the twelfth Imam,
during the period of his 'oceulta-
ton" holds communication with the
faithful. cit is in this sense says
! Prof. Il. G. Browne, "and not in the
sense of gate of God, that the title
Bah was understood and assumed
by Ali Muhammed, but he soon as
sumed the higher title of sNukta,'
Point Cor Manifestation of the Di.
vine WilD, and conferred the title
Bah ON his ardent disciple. Mulla
Husayn.' The history of the Bah
movement down to the martyrdom of
the Bah at Tabriz, July s, 1850, and
the terrible persecution brought on by
the attempt of three Babis to assassi-
nate the late Shah, Nasiru'd Din, in
1852, is of thrilling interest, and is
well told by Count Gobineau. The
doctrines of Babism are mainly con.
tanned in an Arabic treatise entitled
the "Biyan,' written by the Bah him
self, which Gobineau has translated
for us. 1t is essentially system of
Pantheism tinctured by additions from
Gnostic and other sources. 1t is there.
fore consistent for IL to represent the
Divine Nature to he incarnated in Ger,
tain great prophets, Moses, Jesus, Mo.
manned and the Bah, each of whom is
an advance on his predecessor. Great
Importance Is attached To the number
seven, and TO nineteen, which mysti-
cnlly expresses the name of the Deity
himself The year is 10 be divided
into nineteen months, each OF which
shall contain nineteen days, besides
four festival days. An organized
priesthood Of nineteen members, among
whom tho latest incarnation OF the
Divine Nature WAS conceived 10 be dis
iIihuied, was 10 govern, the llabi
Church, A. the Last Judgment tbs
lighlrous will be absorbed iato the ia
vine Mature, losing their personality,
white the wicked Will be annihilaied
The moral pIeeepis " lhu hab glge
inFf, lie Proposed 90 abolish fae veil
90 serlusl6n ~ Nomen, as Nfll at