Bahaism

BAHAISM. - A religion that developed from Babism (v.). Its followers believe that the mysterious "he whom God shall manifest," of whom the Bāb spoke repeatedly, is Mirzā Husejn 'Alī Nūrī, known as Bahā' Ullāh. He was born in Tehran on 12 Nov. 1817. He was among the first to embrace the Babist cause and was one of its principal followers. Arrested in Tehran following the attempt on the life of the shah Nāṣir ad-Dīn (1852), after four months he was exiled to Baghdad with his family and a group of believers. After two years of retreat in the desert of Suleimanijeh (1854-57), when schisms were already arising in the bābī community of Baghdad, Bahā' Ullāh was transferred, at the request of the Persian government, to Constantinople. Shortly before his departure, in a garden near Baghdad (the garden of Reyvān) Bahā' Ullāh openly presented himself to some of his followers as the awaited divine manifestation. From Constantinople Bahā' Ullāh was again transferred to Adrianople, where he publicly announced his mission, welcomed by the majority of the bābists. Between these, who from then on called themselves bahā'ī, and the minority, which from its leader Subh-i Azal, more attached to the letter of the Bāb's teachings, was called that of the azalis, disorders arose on account of which the Turkish government exiled the azalis with their leader to Cyprus and Bahā' Ullāh and the bahā'ī to San Giovanni d'Acri ('Akkā') in 1868. There Bahā' Ullāh died in 1892, leaving as his successor and interpreter of his teachings, collected in numerous works among which stand out the Aqdas (the "most holy"), the Kitāb al-Iqān ("book of certitude"), the Kalimāt-i Makmūn ("hidden words"), etc., his son 'Abbās Efendi, called 'Abd ul-Bahā' (1844-1921). 'Abd ul-Bahā' traveled a great deal in Europe and in America, founding bahā'ī communities in these countries as well. At his death, not without some conflict, his grandson Sawqī Efendi designated himself "guardian of the cause."

The doctrine of B. is very simple: a bahā'ī publication affirms, for example, the following principal points: unity of the human race (we are all leaves of one tree and fruits of one branch); independence in the search for truth (to accept nothing blindly from the ancients); fundamental unity of all religions (particularistic rites are harmful to religion and a cause of enmities and fanaticism); realization of concord among men as the essential task of religion (if religions are to be a cause of hatreds, atheism is better); agreement of religion with science and reason; social equality (all are equal before God, but the existence of rich and poor is admitted); use of an international auxiliary language; a kind of international tribunal under God's protection and whose decisions are valid for all individuals and all nations; equality between the two sexes; abolition of all exclusivistic fanaticism, racial, patriotic and religious; generalization and diffusion of culture; universal peace. The bahā'ī have preserved the bābist calendar of nineteen months of nineteen days each, plus some intercalary days. The year begins on 21 March and the last month (2-20 March) is a month of fasting from dawn to sunset. Each bahā'ī community currently elects a spiritual assembly of 9 persons (the future so-called bajt al-'adl "house of justice"). There exist about ten religious feasts. Gatherings of the faithful for prayer are recommended: there are currently two temples in existence, one in the U.S.S.R. (at Išqabad) and the other in the United States (Wilmette, Ill.).

B. has had a notable diffusion also in the West and especially in America, where 'Abd ul-Bahā' traveled a great deal, giving lectures and writing to the followers who questioned him his characteristic "tablets" (alwāh). Among the best-known Western bahā'ī one cites the American Laura Clifford Barney, who edited the publication of some bahā'ī writings, and the Frenchman H. Dreyfus.

Alessandro Bausani