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
At present there are Bahai congregations in sixteen of the United
States, in Canada, Hawaii, South Africa, England, Germany and Russia, as
well as in India and Burmah. The future of its propaganda in Christendom
lacks promise. Yet its measure of success makes it desirable to examine
its claims and the facts regarding them.
Fortunately besides the older Babi books, there is an abundance of Bahai
literature. There are (1) Treatises of Baha Ullah, (2) Tablets
(Letters) and Addresses of Abdul Baha, (3) Persian Narratives, (4)
Evidential books and tracts by its propagators, (5) Narratives of
pilgrimages to Acca. From an independent point of view, little has been
written. Nearly all of the many articles which have appeared in
periodical literature have been from the pens of Bahais, though often
not so ostensibly. Prof. E. G. Browne of Cambridge University, England,
has translated and edited important Babi-Bahai works. His Introductions,
Notes and Appendices to these books are storehouses of erudition and
enable the reader to correct the biased information of the text. They
pertain for the most part to the Babi period. So do the able
contributions of Mr. A. L. M. Nicolas, the Consul of France, with whom,
as my neighbour at Tabriz, I have had the pleasure of valuable
conversations on this subject on which he is such an authority. I have
had as sources of information also a manuscript "Life of Baha Ullah" by
Mohammed Javad Kasvini, the "Kitab-ul-Akdas," Most Holy Book, translated
by Dr. I. G. Kheiralla, in manuscript, and various unpublished letters
and documents. Besides all this, I have been in personal contact with
Bahais in Persia for a generation. My language teachers were Bahais, one
of them a convert to Christianity. I have found their journal, the _Star
of the West_, a prolific source of information. I may claim not to be of
the class referred to by Abdul Baha when he says, "Baha Ullah will be
assailed by those who are not informed of his principles."
After sketching, in brief, the history of Bahaism I will examine its
religious, moral, political and social doctrine and life. In doing this
I shall quote for the most part from the words of the "Revelation" and
its adherents, in order to insure fairness and justice. In the course of
the investigation, the history and character of the founders will be
considered. Finally I shall describe its propaganda in the Occident.
Bahais declare that Babism is abrogated and superseded. In reality it is
dead and I do not treat of it, except as it throws light on the history
or doctrines of Bahaism. To all intents and purposes, the Bab is as much
an obsolete prophet as Mani or Babak.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account