Bahaism and Its Claims: A Study of the Religion Promulgated by Baha Ullah and Abdul BahaWilson, Samuel Graham
Religion
Bahaism and Its Claims: A Study of the Religion Promulgated by Baha Ullah and Abdul Baha
Wilson, Samuel Graham
Bahai Faith -- Controversial literature
In general Bahais claim that they and their leaders have been exemplars
of love and harmony. Specific declarations of their excellence in this
regard have been quoted. M. Abul Fazl[494] writes: "During the long
years from the arrival of Baha Ullah in Bagdad to the present day they
have not committed that which would disturb a single soul. They have
been killed but they have killed no one." Mr. Horace Holley[495] says:
"For forty years no judge has had to settle a dispute between them." It
behooves us to inquire how the conduct of Baha and his adherents shows
up in this regard during the first period of their exile. It is evident
that in Persia Baha had no sincere love for his brother Azal, for he
planned to secure safety for himself by putting Azal's life in
jeopardy. (See Chapter VIII.) It is further plain that early in the exile
jealousy, envy and hate manifested themselves, even while
Baha was outwardly obedient to Azal. In Bagdad, says Bahiah
Khanum, "disharmony and misunderstanding arose among the
believers--discord--strife--contention."[496] Therefore Baha went off to
Kurdistan. He refers in the "Ikan" to the dissensions,[497] "Such an
odour of jealousy was diffused, banners of discord hoisted, enemies
endeavoured to destroy this servant,--hardships, calamities and
sufferings inflicted by Moslems were as nothing compared with what hath
been inflicted by the believers." His opponents say that he wished to
introduce innovations, relax the law and put forward on his own account
a claim to be a Manifestation and being resisted in this, he "got
angry."[498] After they were removed to Adrianople the quarrel waxed
hotter. Abul Fazl describes it as one of "interior fires of dissension
and jealousy between the rival leaders, far exceeding the jealousy of
outsiders.[499] Mohammed Jawad Kasvini says[500] there were "all manner
of intrigues, falsehoods and untruths." I have received from a Moslem
convert to Christianity an interesting account of conditions then and
there. He was at that time a _peesh-khidmat_ to the Persian Minister at
Constantinople. He was at Samsun when Azal and Baha and their parties
embarked and was introduced to them by Haji Rajab Ali Khan,
brother-in-law of my informant. He saw them day by day and became a
serious inquirer. Afterwards he went to Adrianople bearing presents to
Baha. He found Baha and Azal living in separate rooms of the same house
under guards. The two brothers were in dispute over the supremacy, and
the _murids_ had been won over by Baha. He narrates, "I entered one day.
I heard words of angry disputation and revilings. Yahya said, "Ay!
Husain Ali, you are vile! Do you not remember your sodomies? You are
defiled. Your wife is a bad one!" Husain Ali answered, "Ay, cursed one!
Your son Nur Ullah is not your son but son of Sayid----. You yourself
are a sodomite, an adulterer." Such like revilings they hurled at each
other. I called Maskin Kalam and said to him, "What are these words and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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