Shaykh Ahmad insisted that the authority for his teaching came from his direct contact with the Imams in the realm of visions

The school that was eventually to emerge from the teachings of Shaykh Ahmad is usually called the Shaykhi school, although it should perhaps more correctly be called the Kashfi school. At this time, however, it was not a separate school, but rather a distinctive teaching that Shaykh Ahmad was giving. [...] There was particular concern over some of his teachings that implied that many of the theological tenets of Shi'ism such as the occultation of the Hidden Imam and the resurrection should be understood as occurring in a subtle spiritual world rather than in the material world. Perhaps most worrying of all for the orthodox Usuli scholars was Shaykh Ahmad's insistence that the authority for his teaching came from his direct contact with the Imams in the realm of visions-the truth was uncovered or revealed (kashf) to him in these visions. This was at direct variance with the Usuli insistence that truth should be obtained by ijtihaid and through rational processes.

-Moojan Momen (Usuli, Akhbari, Shaykhi, Babi: The Tribulations of a Qazvin Family)

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Denis MacEoin about the Baha'i communities of Iran

The fact is that we seem to judge the justice of a regime according to how well it treats the Baha’is. An unjust regime treating us well is tolerated or even extolled, while a popular regime which deprives us of certain freedoms (perhaps along with other religious groups) is regarded as evil. No one has asked, for example, what the people of Iran, as a whole, want, but what would ensure the safety of the Baha’is there; so if thousands of Shi’i Muslims are killed, who cares? — they deserve it anyway for having persecuted the Baha’is [...] The fact is that the Baha’is of Iran have done nothing to help their fellow countryman inside or outside of the country. They have been content to benefit economically and in other ways from the present regime and have gained a real reputation as an inward-looking community which would sacrifice the country for its own ends. Baha’is actually hate the Muslims and try to have as little as possible to do with them. And they seem unable to understand the impression they create [...] Not only this, but there is a serious level of class distinction between the Baha’is in Iran, a fact which has not escaped the rest of the population, especially the intellectuals. I have lived in a reasonably wealthy Baha’i home in Tihran while, in a room underneath, another Baha’i family with two children lived on bread and yogurt with no furniture — and this is not abnormal. There are many Baha’i meetings in Iran at which a 400 dollar suit would be more of a passport than Baha’i credentials. I don’t wish to be mistaken — some of the most wonderful Baha’is in the world (and some of my dearest friends) live in Iran but the community is known for its wealth, inequality, and exclusiveness.

-Denis MacEoin

https://bahai-library.com/maceoin_newsletter_1979-01

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The Bab commanded all books to be destroyed

It is unlawful to teach books other than the Bayan unless there be therein something related to Scholastic philosophy, but Logic, "principles", and Jurisprudence, philosophy, and dead languages, and the like, are forbidden, as also what has been written on Grammar and Syntax unless anyone should desire to learn so much of the latter as may suffice him to read the Bayan, though there are so many of the writings of the point in persian that this is unnecessary for him. Nor must he learn more than this, nor other than this. This is the straight path for the believers until the day when the Tree of Truth shall become manifest. (Bayan 4.10)

This is one of the most interesting commands in the Bayan The Bab (who, incidently calls himself "the point"), forbids Babis from studying grammar, philosophy and dead languages. But why?

The first point I would like to make is that this law has a clear limit. It is in force until "the day when the Tree of Truth shall become manifest." The Tree of Truth is "Him Who God Will Make Manifest", or Baha'u'llah. That is, UNTIL BAHA'U'LLAH MANIFESTS HIMSELF, Babis were forbidden to study philosophy, grammar, law and dead languages. The command, then, relates to a specific time and to a specific group of people the disciples of the Bab.

I would like to relate this command to two other commands.

The Bab commanded all books to be destroyed, including books of the Muslims, except the Qur'an (Bayan 6.6). Secondly, Babis were only permitted to own 19 books. (19, as I am sure you all know, was the Bab's favourite number!)

I believe that these three commands forbidding the study of philosophy, the burning of libraries and the limit of 19 books, was directed at the Muslim theologians, lawyers and doctors. It meant that those who followed the Bab were required to burn their libraries and stop their academic study. It is likely that we associate book burnings with fundamentalism and the rejection of human knowledge. In one sense, the religion of the Bab was also "fundamentalist" in that it demanded an extreme, uncompromising devotion to one set of religious ideas at the exclusion of any other. It is also true to say, I believe, that the Bab was rejecting human knowledge.

The point is that the Bab began an entirely new Dispensation, in which old knowledge no longer applied. Islamic law was no longer relevant or authoritative. What, then, was the point of studying it? What was the point in keeping volumes of Islamic law when they had been superceded by a more authoritative legislation? Specifically, what was the point of Babis, who had been Islamic lawyers, keeping their old books when those books may either prevent them, intellectually, from embracing the full revelation of the Bab, or may prevent them from the study of the words of the Bab by providing, in terms of time, a distraction and diversion.

http://web.mit.edu/mitba/Library/Essays/Aqdas-essay

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Destruction of books - Laws from the Bayan of the Bab

ABROGATION OF LAWS FROM THE BAYÁN OF THE BÁB

Destruction of books

God hath relieved you of the ordinance laid down in the Bayan concerning the destruction of books. We have permitted you to read such sciences as are profitable unto you, not such as end in idle disputation; better is this for you, if ye be of them that comprehend. (Bahá’u’lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, K77)

With regard to the destruction of books, the Bayan commanded the Báb's followers to destroy all books except those that were written in vindication of the Cause and Religion of God. Bahá'u'lláh abrogates this specific law of the Bayan. As to the nature and severity of the laws of the Bayan, Shoghi Effendi in a letter written on his behalf provides the following comment:

The severe laws and injunctions revealed by the Bab can be properly appreciated and understood only when interpreted in the light of His own statements regarding the nature, purpose and character of His own Dispensation. As these statements clearly reveal, the Bábí Dispensation was essentially in the nature of a religious and indeed social revolution, and its duration had therefore to be short, but full of tragic events, of sweeping and drastic reforms. Those drastic measures enforced by the Báb and His followers were taken with the view of undermining the very foundations of Shi'ih orthodoxy, and thus paving the way for the coming of Bahá'u'lláh. To assert the independence of the new Dispensation, and to prepare also the ground for the approaching Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, the Báb had therefore to reveal very severe laws, even though most of them were never enforced. But the mere fact that He revealed them was in itself a proof of the independent character of His Dispensation and was sufficient to create such widespread agitation, and excite such opposition on the part of the clergy that led them to cause His eventual martyrdom.

https://bahai-library.com/compilation_laws_abrogated_bahaullah

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Retributive calamity... for turning a deaf ear to the Voice of God’s Messenger

The violent derangement of the world’s equilibrium; the trembling that will seize the limbs of mankind; the radical transformation of human society; the rolling up of the present-day Order; the fundamental changes affecting the structure of government; the weakening of the pillars of religion; the rise of dictatorships; the spread of tyranny; the fall of monarchies; the decline of ecclesiastical institutions; the increase of anarchy and chaos; the extension and consolidation of the Movement of the Left; the fanning into flame of the smouldering fire of racial strife; the development of infernal engines of war; the burning of cities; the contamination of the atmosphere of the earth these stand out as the signs and portents that must either herald or accompany the retributive calamity which, as decreed by Him Who is the Judge and Redeemer of mankind, must, sooner or later, afflict a society which, for the most part, and for over a century, has turned a deaf ear to the Voice of God’s Messenger in this day a calamity which must purge the human race of the dross of its age-long corruptions, and weld its component parts into a firmly-knit world-embracing Fellowship.

-Shoghi Effendi

https://reference.bahai.org/en/t/se/MBW/mbw-54.html

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Abdul Baha burnt those letters.

When I (Namık Kemal) met 'Abbàs Effendi . . . two years ago [1917] in the town of Haifa he told me with complete sorrow that he had an extensive correspondence with Kemal Bey but that out of worry about investigation and persecution in the time of Sultan Abdülhamid II he had burnt those letters.

-NECATI ALKAN, OTTOMAN REFORM MOVEMENTS.

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The Babis did not refrain from burning villages...

The eyewitness accounts indicate that the Babis did not refrain from burning villages to stop the army from using them for cover or acquiring provisions from them. In a siege, such measures are part of the defence of the fortress.

E.G. Browne and other scholars, such as Hamid Algar and Denis MacEoin, propose different interpretations of the Babi-state clashes that emphasize the religious, as opposed to socio-economic, basis of the conflict. According to Browne, the objective of the Babis was nothing less than the replacement of Qajar rule with a Babi theocracy in the immediate future. He writes: The original Babis who fought so desperately against the Persian Government at Shaykh Tabarsi, Zanjan, Nayriz and elsewhere in 1848–50 aimed at a Babi theocracy and a reign of the saints on earth; they were irreconcilably hostile to the existing government and Royal Family, and were only interested for the most part in the triumph of their faith, not in any projects of social or political reform.

-SIYAMAK ZABIHI-MOGHADDAM, STUDIES IN MODERN RELIGIONS, RELIGIOUS
MOVEMENTS AND THE BABI-BAHA'I FAITHS, Edited by Moshe Sharon, Page 195

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Babi practice of burning non-Babi books and declaring armed jihads against the Shi'i authorities

It should also be noted that the Baha'u'llah sharply distanced himself from his predecessors by forthrightly jettisoning the Babi practice of burning non-Babi books and declaring armed jihads against the Shi'i authorities.

https://www.juancole.com/about/toward-authorized-biography

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Sheikh Ahmad al-Ahsa’i of Saudi Arabia was an important and independent Muslim innovator

In 1991, Juan was awarded a prestigious National Endowment for the Humanities grant for research on Shiite Muslim thought and history. Some of his articles on the esoteric Shiite thinker Sheikh Ahmad al-Ahsa’i (1753 – 1826) of what is now Saudi Arabia were written out of this NEH research. Juan was convinced that Sheikh Ahmad was an important and independent Muslim innovator in mystical thought, and that he had been unfairly associated with the later Babi and Baha’i traditions and so somewhat marginalized in the study of modern Shi’ism. Juan saw some parallels between Sheikh Ahmad’s approach to deconstructing apparent essences and Zen Buddhism. Juan is what William James calls “religiously musical” and can feel as well as understand the attractions of mystical writing, and these explorations in esoteric Shi’ism were not merely an intellectual exercise for him. At the same time, he read more deeply in the literature on the Kabbalah and on postmodern approaches to the study of religion, as aids in understanding Shaykh Ahmad. See e.g., “The World as Text: Cosmologies of Shaykh Ahmad al-Ahsa’i,” Studia Islamica 80 (1994):145-163 and “Individualism and the Spiritual Path in Shaykh Ahmad al-Ahsa’i,” Occasional Papers in Shaykhi, Babi and Baha’i Studies No. 4 (September, 1997)

https://www.juancole.com/about/toward-authorized-biography

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"magnet for attracting the public" and a "rallying-centre" for teaching activities.

Purpose and function of the Haziratu'l-Quds is to facilitate the spread of the Faith by enhancing its prestige, and acting as a "magnet for attracting the public" and a "rallying-centre" for teaching activities.

http://bahai-library.com/compilation_functions_importance_hazirat-quds

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Later they (Jews) will arise in service to the Cause.

In consideration that the Jews who had come from abroad to the Holy Land, and who would come with the utmost courtesy, reverence, cleanliness and refinement on a visit to the Shrines of Bahá’u’lláh and the Exalted One, the Guardian of the Cause of God would remark on such occasions: “They are very luminous, even though we have not spoken with them [about the Faith]. If we were to discuss the Cause, there would be upheaval between the two factions of the Jews and the Arabs. However, the time for it will come. They are presently engaged in organizing their affairs. Later they will arise in service to the Cause. Now is the beginning of exaltation of the Jews and the beginning of the abasement of Islam.

 

http://bahai-library.com/pdf/r/rabbani_reminiscences_khalil_shahidi.pdf

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Abdul Baha about Tiberius & Jews

On occasion, His Holiness ʿAbdu'l-Bahāʾ would travel to Tiberius [in Israel]. The qāḍī of Haifa sent a letter to His Holiness inquiring of the state of Tiberius. While responding to this request, he said, "If you wish to know about Tiberius, know that its stones are black, its inhabitants are Jews, and their appearance is apish (kal-qirdi)."

Memoirs of Khalīl Shahīdī, p. 122-123.

Note: Ahang Rabbani translates the Arabic كَالْقِردِ kal-qirdi as 'basic,' but that is not what it means. In Arabic, القِرد is 'the ape,' while the prefix كَـ means 'like/as,' so a literal translation would be 'like the ape.'

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Some insights by a volunteer who served at the BWC in Haifa, Israel

Hi there!

I lived in Haifa and served/volunteered there for about a year and a half in security so maybe I can offer some insights.

First of all, its common to have never met a Baha'i in Israel. Baha'is are not allowed to live there unless they are serving/volunteering there and even then, there are not so many Baha'is that are serving there, from my memory, there is less than 750 Baha'is serving/volunteering in Haifa at any given time. This is because of a agreement that the Baha'is have made with the Government of Israel that restricts them from permanent citizenship or residence but allows for international volunteers and Baha'i Pilgrimage.

If you wish to talk to Baha'is, the best thing you can do is visit the gardens! There will always be one Baha'i guard stationed at each entrance and depending on who is there, he/she might be willing to talk to you more in depth if it is not busy. Otherwise, the chances of running into Baha'is is pretty low.

HOWEVER! When I was there, all of my friend and the Baha'is I knew loved the all the people of Israel. We loved interacting with you guys and learning about the culture. Many try to spend their days off travelling and seeing all the beautiful sites that are in Israel. My personal favorite was the Negev desert! Loved visiting Mitzpe ramon and Masada.

There is a very positive opinion of Israeli's generally among the whole of the Baha'i community, not just those in who are in Israel. The Israeli government has done a lot for the Baha'i community, most importantly giving the Baha'is protection and freedom to worship at the shrines! There is a good chance that the Iranian government would have influenced the government of Palestine if they were in governance of Haifa to destroy the Baha'i buildings and persecute the Baha'i's as they did In Iran, Iraq and Yemen. So we are VERY VERY thankful indeed!

"We never hear about you in the media or anywhere. "

This is because part of the agreement with the Israeli government is that Baha'is will not spread the teachings of Baha'u'llah in Israel. This means that there will be little media coverage on the Baha'is and that they are not allowed to teach the faith to local Israelis or do any of the community building activities that we do in almost every other country.

Maybe one day, these things will change but for now it's widely understood to be a very good agreement by the Baha'is.

If you have any other questions or curiosities let me know :)

https://www.reddit.com/r/bahai/comments/ftx81h/how_do_you_view_israel/fm9two1/

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Baha'i plot against Subh-i-Azal's life

Shortly after this, according to the Ezelí writer, another plot was laid against Subh-i-Ezel's life, and it was arranged that Muhammad 'Alí the barber should cut his throat while shaving him in the bath. On the approach of the barber, however, Subh-i-Ezel divined his design, refused to allow him to come near, and, on leaving the bath, instantly took another lodging in Adrianople and separated himself entirely from Mírza Husayn 'Alí and his followers.

Some while after this, says the author of the Hasht Bihisht, Mirza Husayn 'Ali (Baha'u'llah) [then] devised a new stratagem. A number of letters were written in different handwritings by Aka Mirza Aka Jan, Mishkin Qalam, Abbas Effendi, and other partisans of Mirza Husayn 'Ali to sundry Turkish statesmen and officials to the following effect:- "About thirty thousand of us Babis are concealed in disguise in and around Constantinople, and in a short while we shall arise. We shall first capture Constantinople, and, if Sultan Abdu'l-Aziz and his ministers do not believe [in our religion], we shall depose and dismiss them from their rule and administration. And our King is Mirza Yahya Subh-i-Ezel." These letters were left by night at the Sultan's palace and the houses of different ministers by Mushkin Qalam and other partisans of Mirza Husayn 'Ali resident in Constantinople. When next day these letters were discovered, the Turkish Government, which had treated the Babis with kindness, and afforded them shelter and hospitality, was naturally greatly incensed. The letters were forthwith laid before the Persian Ambassador, and, at a joint assembly of Turkish and Persian officials, it was decided to exile the Babi chiefs to some remote island or fortress on the coast.

- E. G. Browne, A Traveller's Narrative Written to Illustrate the Episode of the Bab, vol. 2, note. W, pp. 356-71
http://bahai-library.com/books/tn/tn.w.html

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All these activities must increase and grow..

All these activities must increase and grow to embrace multitudes of individuals.

-NSA of the Baha'is of the US, February 25, 2017

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