Baha'ism in Iran

Abstract: During the early 19th century, a religious movement called Babism flourished in Persia though for a short period, i:e., 1844-1852. Its founder Mirza Ali Mohammad Shirazi proclaimed his station as that of the Mehdi to the Muslims. Afterwards Bab claimed Prophetic status. He abrogated Islamic law and instead promulgated a system of Babi law in his (Persian) Bayan. Although the Babi movement successfully established its network both in rural and urban settlements of Iran, and after the execution of Bab he became a prominent figure among Babis. Most of the Babis were exiled by the Qachar government to the Sunni Ottoman area in Iraq. It was in Iraq that Baha‟u‟llah proclaimed himself the Prophet Promised by Bab. Majority of the Babis believed him and entered into the new faith and became Baha‟is. This happened in 1863 after a decade of Bab‟s execution. He stated his own dispensation and wrote letters to many kings instigating them to establish peace. He tried a lot to make his laws compatible with the modern globalized world. To him “World is but one country and humankind its citizens”. So far as the relevance of the present study is concerned, its pros and cons need to be analyzed and evaluated objectively. Study of religion usually influences common people in so far as the legitimate force that operates behind the principles and ideals of religion are concerned. The objective of this article is to give the reader a sense of Baha‟i history and also the Iranian response. It is in this context the present paper has been analyzed.