The split between the followers of Baha'u'llah and Subh-i-Azal, often referred to as the Azali-Baha'i split, was a fundamental rupture within the movement that followed the execution of the Bab. This conflict was characterized by a struggle for influence and leadership among the Bab’s adherents, eventually leading to the emergence of two distinct groups: the Baha'is and the Azalis.
The sources describe the split as the result of a "rupture and personal enmity" between the two half-brothers, Subh-i-Azal and Baha'u'llah. Following the Bab's death, there was a gradual advancement of both figures as they sought to lead the community. While Subh-i-Azal had been a prominent early leader, scholars noted that his authority began to wane; for instance, a historical poem from the early days of Baha'ism depicts the "loss of authority of Subhe Ezel among the sect".
Russian researchers noted several factors regarding Subh-i-Azal’s leadership:
The tension between the two factions reached a peak while the Babis were living in Adrianople under Ottoman rule. Baha'u'llah reportedly sent letters to European consuls in the city protesting the "unjust treatment" of the group by the Ottoman Porte.
To resolve the conflict and prevent the movement from influencing the local Muslim population, the Turkish authorities decided to relocate and separate the factions. This resulted in a geographical split:
The split also manifested in different approaches to political engagement, particularly during the Iranian Constitutional Revolution of 1905–1911.
Russian diplomats and scholars were among the first to document these internal struggles in detail. For example, the diplomat F.A. Bakulin wrote a note on the disagreements between Baha'u'llah and Subh-i-Azal as early as 1874, a time when these details were largely unknown in Europe.
(N. A. Kuznetsova's 1963 article, "On the History of the Study of Babism and Baha'ism in Russia")The relationship between the Russian mission and Baha'u'llah was a complex mixture of diplomatic surveillance, strategic protection, and scholarly information gathering. While the mission initially viewed the movement as a threat to stability, it eventually became a primary source of information and, in some cases, a protector for his followers.
In the mid-19th century, early Russian envoys like Prince D. I. Dolgorukov and Count A. I. Medem monitored the Babi movement closely. Fearing that the unrest could undermine Russian influence in Iran, they urged the Shah's government to take decisive measures to suppress the movement. Dolgorukov demanded detailed reports from his consuls regarding the movement's dogmas and growth, viewing it as a matter that required "exclusive attention".
As the movement evolved into Bahaism, direct contact occurred during Baha'u'llah's exile in Adrianople (1862–1868). Before being moved to Acre, Baha'u'llah sent letters to European consuls, including the Russian consul, protesting the unjust treatment by the Ottoman authorities. In these communications, he requested permission for his followers to settle in Europe.
Russian diplomatic records suggest that the persecution of Baha'u'llah and his followers in Turkey was partly motivated by the Persian envoy’s desire to please the Shah. Russian officials, such as N. P. Ignatiev (the ambassador in Constantinople), monitored these persecutions and reported on the reasons for the Bahá'ís' relocation to Acre.
A significant relationship developed in the late 19th century when Bahá'ís fled Iran and found refuge in Ashgabat, then under Russian control.
Russian diplomats played a key role in acquiring and analyzing Baha'u'llah’s writings.
Several members of the Russian mission were instrumental in studying Baha'u'llah’s doctrine through their diplomatic access:
By the end of the 19th century, while some diplomats remained skeptical of the movement's sincerity, others believed that the spread of Bahá'í ideals could benefit the region because they were better than the Shia ideals.
(N. A. Kuznetsova's 1963 article, "On the History of the Study of Babism and Baha'ism in Russia")
www.orientalstudies.ru/rus/images/pdf/journals/OIRV_6_1963_02_kuznetsova.pdf
The relationship between the Russian diplomatic mission and the movement that evolved from Babism to Baha'ism was complex, shifting from initial political apprehension to a more nuanced involvement characterized by scholarly interest, personal sympathy, and occasional direct intervention,,.
Initially, in the mid-19th century, the Russian and British missions were primarily concerned that the Babi uprisings would destabilize Iran and undermine their respective influences. Consequently, diplomats like Prince Dolgorukov encouraged the Shah’s government to take decisive measures to suppress the movement.
Over time, however, the relationship became more sophisticated as Russian diplomats and military officials began to study the movement in depth,.
Diplomats frequently stepped in to protect followers or their interests, often at personal or political risk:
The sources highlight specific instances where the Russian mission facilitated the movement of followers through archival and administrative means:
Shoghi Effendi emphasized that the Bahá'ís believed in the station of the Imáms:
The Bahá'ís are the only people who can prove the right of the Pure Imáms. Bahá'u'lláh proved their right in 'The Book of Certitude'. The friends of the West will prove their right and will promulgate Islam. This is an essential belief in our Faith. We acknowledge the validity of the Imámate Institute and the invalidity of the Caliphate. The greatest proof is the collapse of the Caliphate after thirteen centuries.
[...]
For the sake of this point, teaching the Faith to the Shi'ah is easier than to the Sunnîs... But, this is the belief of the people of Bahá... So don't admit anyone into the Community, unless he has professed the truth of the Pure Imáms,
(Shoghi Effendi Through the Pilgrim's Eye, Volume 1 by Earl Redman - GEORGE RONALD, OXFORD)
Shoghi Effendi did not Appoint a Successor, did not leave a Will. He owned expensive cars, cameras, bynoculars and watches. He spent expensive long vacations in Switzerland. Avarih and Sobhi claim that Shoghi consumed Alcohol and had sexual relations with Dr. Zia Baghdadi.
Baha'u'llah and Abdul Baha commanded absolute, unquestioning obedience to the government. Shoghi Effendi altered this by ruling that Baha'is should disobey the state in "matters of belief," even if the result is death or expulsion. Abdul Baha strictly prohibited Baha'is from sending their children to non-Baha'i schools, labeling it a cause of humiliation. However, he personally sent Shoghi Effendi to several non-Baha'i institutions, including a Jesuit college and Oxford. Shoghi Effendi excommunicated nearly all of Baha'u'llah's living descendants, including his own parents, brothers, and sisters. Shoghi Effendi excommunicated his own brother and cousins for marrying individuals he deemed "lowborn" or for not obtaining his personal permission. In a move to "purify" Baha'i holy sites, Shoghi Effendi ordered the disinterment and removal of the remains of family members he had labeled as "Covenant-breakers". He demolished the house of the so-called "Covenant-breakers" and created an artificial hill from their demolished houses. He established a close relationship with the State of Israel through several high-level administrative and personal actions like Pledge of Loyalty and Allegiance. In a letter to Prime Minister David Ben Gurion, Shoghi stated that the establishment of the Jewish State was a fulfillment of Baha'i prophecy. With the help of the Israeli government, he acquired property that had been expropriated from Palestinians who fled during the 1948 war. He spent hundreds of millions dollars on acquiring land, building monumental architecture and gardens in Haifa. He expressed uncertainty and doubt regarding his own translations, stating he did not consider them final. When a child, Shoghi Effendi was taken to Baghdad for medical reasons, the report indicated a physiological delay that causes infertility. Abdul Baha knew well that Shoghi would never become a father. Baha'i law states that the dead should be placed in a coffin made of crystal, stone, or hard, fine wood. But Shoghi Effendi was buried in an expensive casket made up of bronze.
