Bahaism and Its Claims: A Study of the Religion Promulgated by Baha Ullah and Abdul Baha — John Shaqi
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
It is good to have such a programme approved by one raised in a Moslem
environment. Yet it is evident that the claim to priority and
originality regarding it, constitute a grave anachronism and betray
ignorance of or perversion of history. Both the ideals and the programme
were in existence and in partial operation long before the time of Baha
Ullah. In the first place, Bahai teachings on peace are but an echo of
Christian hopes and doctrines of "peace on earth: good will to men."
Baha has but thrown on the screen again the vision of the seers of
Israel who foretold the age when "men shall learn war no more." The
hopes of the prophets, the longings of saints, the anthems of the
worshipping church found voice through the Christian centuries, with a
faith never dimmed, a desire never quenched, anticipating that
"Then shall wars and tumults cease,
Then be banished grief and pain,
Righteousness and joy and peace
Undisturbed shall ever reign."
Baha's teaching, though growing up in Islam, is transplanted from
Christian soil. He repudiates the teaching of Mohammed regarding "holy
wars." "The first Glad Tidings is the abolition of religious warfare
from the Book," _i. e._, the Koran. What Bahais would do in case of
provocation, accompanied by reasonable opportunity of success, is not
evident. The Babis were fierce warriors (1848-1850) and the Bab
expected that wars would continue. In the "Bayan" he makes provision for
the distribution of the spoils.[112] Baha, together with Azal, started
for and tried to join the army at Tabarsi,[113] and was absent from
participation in its sanguinary conflict, solely because his arrest by
the Persian authorities at Amul prevented him from reaching the fort.
After his release he fell under suspicion because[114] he "not
improbably harboured designs of setting up a standard of revolt on his
own account." He was, therefore, rearrested and sent to the capital. But
during his exile in Turkey, he tried to be reconciled to the Shah of
Persia. Following this change of policy, he was able to claim later[115]
that "for nigh upon thirty-five years no action opposed to the
government or prejudicial to the nation has emanated from this sect."
The Bahais did not join in the effort to establish constitutional
government in 1908-1911.[116] They have never had an even chance to
fight for their own cause and it remains to be seen what they would do
in such a case. There is no assurance that they would act like Quakers
or Dukhobors, for even Abdul Baha at times identifies himself and his
cause with the fighting Babis and appropriates their martial glory. He
said to Mr. Anton Hadad:[117] "When in Persia we were very few but owing
to animosity we stood before our numerous enemies, fought and defeated
them and gained the victory." He wrote a prayer on behalf of the
American army for the use of Bahais: "O God! Strengthen its soldiers and
its flag."[118] In his teachings, he leaves several pretexts for the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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