1. 2023. Эволюция Женских Образов В Творчестве и.а. Гриневской 1890-1900 (Evolution of Female Images in the Works of I. A. Grinevskoy 1890-1900). K. V. Sarycheva. Analysis of early works that represent lives and experiences of women in the early 20th century, with a focus on Tahirih; overview of the play "Báb" and women's issues of the time: education, age prejudice, appearance, and expected behavioral norms. Articles.
2. 2022. Sources for Early Babi Doctrine and History, by Denis MacEoin: Some Notes. Grover Gonzales. Reviews.
3. 2020-06. Reflections on Baha'u'llah's Claims to Being the Return of Imam Husayn. Ismael Velasco. On Imam Husayn in Shi'a Islam, expectations of his return, his place in Bábí theology, and various relationships to the Bábí Faith: ancestral, devotional, initiatory, theophanic, typological, eschatological, and messianic. Articles-unpublished.
4. 2020. Báb and the Bábí Community of Iran, The. Fereydun Vahman, ed. On the Báb's life, teachings, and writings; the Bábí community's formation, conflicts, and transition to the Bahá'í Faith; social, theological, and historical perspectives. Includes table-of-contents, select articles, and link to book preview. Excerpts.
5. 2019-11. Tales of Magnificent Heroism: The Impact of the Báb and His Followers on Writers and Artists. Robert Weinberg. This concise survey explores how this particular episode in humanity’s religious history resonated so strongly through the decades that followed. Articles.
6. 2019. Ashgabat Collection. Olga Mehti. On the life and works of Alexander Tumansky and his involvement with Bahá'í history. Articles-unpublished.
7. 2018. List of Bahá'í Studies and Translations. Stephen Lambden, A. Bolhuis, comp. . A list of content available at Lambden's personal website, Hurqalya Publications, with select links to manuscripts, texts, introductions. Includes Shaykhi and Bábí studies, bibliographies, genealogies, provisional translations. Resources.
8. 2015-05. The Development of the Bábí/Bahá'í Communities: Exploring Baron Rosen's Archives, by Youli Ioannesyan: Review. Christopher Buck. Reviews.
9. 2013. Development of the Bábí / Bahá'í Communities, The: Exploring Baron Rosen's Archives. Youli A. Ioannesyan. 19th-century private letters and diplomatic correspondence from a prominent Russian scholar, one of the first to study the rise of the Babis. Excerpt from book: contents and Introduction. (Offsite.) Excerpts.
10. 2010-12-30. Birth of Human Beings in the Writings of the Bab. Nader Saiedi. A talk on an invited topic (the origin of humankind) from a scholar known for his unique familiarity with the works of The Bab. Audio.
11. 2010-08. Gate of the Heart: Understanding the Writings of the Báb, by Nader Saiedi: Review. Robert Stockman. Reviews.
12. 2010-05. Bahá'ísm: History, Transfiguration, Doxa. Hutan Hejazi Martinez. An outsider's view of the role of ideologies in a postmodern era, focusing on Bahá'í history, conversion narratives, ideology, and other competing philosophies. (Link to thesis, offsite.) Theses.
13. 2010-04. Gate of the Heart: Understanding the Writings of the Báb, by Nader Saiedi: Review. Stephen Lambden. Though limited in scholastic accuracy, this book will be appreciated by those seeking an introduction to the life and writings of the Bab, and is a worthwhile volume that contributes significantly to the neglected field of Babi-Bahá'í studies. Reviews.
14. 2009. Gate of the Heart: Understanding the Writings of the Báb, by Nader Saiedi: Review. Jack McLean. Review of the book, expanded into an essay on the Bab's ethics, laws, and use of symbolism. Reviews.
15. 2008/2015. Prophet in Modern Times, A. A. L. M. Nicolas, Peter Terry, trans. . Partial translation of A.L.M. Nicolas' Seyyed Ali Mohammed dit le Bab, with extensive notes and explanations. Articles-unpublished.
16. 2007. Baron Rosen's Archive Collection of Bábí and Bahá'í Materials. Youli A. Ioannesyan. Baron V. R. Rosen's unpublished materials relating to Bábí and Bahá'í studies, including his correspondence with A. G. Tumanski and E. G. Browne, and official reports of Russian diplomats. Articles.
17. 2007. Preliminary Bibliography of works in French making mention of the Babí or Bahá'í religions (1945—"2000). Thomas Linard. Articles.
18. 2006. St. Petersburg 19th Century Orientalist Collection of Materials on the Bábí and Bahá'í Faiths, The: Primary and Other Sources. Youli A. Ioannesyan. The important work of Russian scholars up to 1917 in collecting Bábí and Bahá’í materials; a detailed listing of available materials. Articles.
19. 2004. War of Worlds: A commentary on the two texts in their historical context. Gary Hamburg. 3-page excerpt on Leo Tolstoy (Lev Tolstoi), his relationship with the Bahá'í Faith, and his study of the Babis. Excerpts.
20. 2004. Prolegomenon to the Study of Babi and Baha'i Scriptures, A: The Importance of Henry Corbin to Babi and Baha'i Studies. Ismael Velasco. On the foremost Western authority on the Islamic philosophy of Persia, one of the most influential Islamicists of the 20th century, whose work is uniquely relevant in understanding the philosophical context for the emergence of the Bábí Faith. Articles.
21. 2002. Influence of Bábí Teachings on Ling Ming Tang and Nineteenth-century China, The. Jianping Wang. A possible historical linkage between the followers of Bábí and Bahá'i Movements in Iran and the believers of a Qadiriyya Order (the Ling Ming Tang) in China. Articles.
22. 2001. Bibliography of Bábí-Bahá'í studies in non-Bahá'í academic sources, 1998-2000. Author unknown, comp. Partially annotated English language bibliography of Bahá'í studies in non-Bahá'í academic sources, as of 2001. Bibliographies.
23. 2000 Summer. Báb's Bayan, The: An Analytical Survey. Muhammad Afnan. Analysis of the Bayan and its contents: fundamental beliefs and worldview, moral principles, laws, administration of society, and future expectations. Articles.
24. 2000 Summer. Gobineau's Account of the Beginnings of the Bahá'í Revelation. Howard B. Garey, Howard B. Garey, trans. . Short summary of the Bab's time in Shiraz and Mecca, circa 1843. Essays.
25. 2000. Resurgence of Apocalyptic in Modern Islam. Abbas Amanat. Shi'i Mahdism, beliefs on the end of time, and overview of the rise of the Bábí Faith. Excerpts.
26. 2000. Süleyman Nazif's Nasiruddin Shah ve Babiler: an Ottoman Source on Babi-Baha'i History. Necati Alkan. On the author of the 1919 Persian history "Nasiru’d-Din Shah and the Babis," including a translation of passages on Tahirih. Histories.
27. 1998. Babi Movement in Iran, The: From Religious Dissent to Political Revolt, 1844. Ahmad Nur Fuad. Development of the Bábí movement and the political implications of its religious teachings, as seen in its shift from purely religious dissent to political dissent. Theses.
28. 1997. Juan Cole manuscript and book collection: Shaykhi, Babi, and Baha'i texts. Juan Cole, comp. Manuscripts and books in Cole's library and selected Iranian National Bahá'í Archive contents. Archives.
29. 1997. Babi and Bahá'í Religions, The: An Annotated Bibliography. Denis MacEoin. Books.
30. 1997. Dying for God: Martyrdom in the Shii and Babi Religions. Jonah Winters. Religious and cultural meanings of martyrdom/witnessing, and their role in Shí'í and Bábí history. Personal.
31. 1997. Note Sur les Sects Dans le Kurdistan. Author unknown. Brief note dated 1872 November 10 on the Bábí population in Kurdistan, published Journal Asiatique 7:2 1873, reprinted 1997. Excerpts.
32. 1995-12. Bábís. C. M. MacGregor. Short overview, as excerpted by MacGregor from Shiel's Glimpses of Life and Manners. Excerpts.
33. 1995. Early Western Accounts of the Babi and Bahá'í Faiths. Moojan Momen. Encyclopedia.
34. 1994. Excerpt. Annemarie Schimmel. Three passing mentions. Excerpts.
35. 1993. Babists, Bahá'í History. George A. Mather, Larry A. Nichols. Three entries from an outsider dictionary, followed by a response by Robert Stockman. Excerpts.
36. 1992. Babism, Bahá'ís, Baha'u'llah. Ian Richard Netton. A few short dictionary-type entries. Excerpts.
37. 1992. Sources for Early Bábí Doctrine and History, The: A Survey. Denis MacEoin. Thorough, annotated list of writings and sources relevant to Bahá'í historical research. Includes index of first lines and titles of writings of The Báb (see scan #1). Books.
38. 1991. Babis, Bahá'ís, Shaykhis. Cyril Glasse. Encyclopedia.
39. 1990. Crisis in Babi and Bahá'í Studies, The: Part of a Wider Crisis in Academic Freedom?. Denis MacEoin. Response to Cole's review of MacEoin's "Hierarchy, Authority, and Eschatology in Early Bábí Thought" with comments on "outsider" scholarship versus faith-based approaches. Articles.
40. 1990. Browne, Edward Granville: Babism and Bahá'ísm. Juan Cole. Brief excerpt, with link to article offsite. Encyclopedia.
41. 1990. Iqbál and the Bábí-Bahá'í Faith. Annemarie Schimmel. One of the more influential Muslim thinkers of the first half of the 20th century, Iqbal expressed views on the the Bábí and Bahá'í religions in his dissertation "The Development of Metaphysics in Persia" and his poetical magnum opus the Javidnama. Articles.
42. 1989. Divisions and Authority Claims in Babism (1850-1866). Denis MacEoin. Factors leading to the division of Babism into the Azalís and the Bahá'ís, and the question of succession and the claims of Mírzá Yahyá, Dayyán, and Bahá'u'lláh. Articles.
43. 1989. Iran in the Twentieth Century: A Political History. M. Reza Ghods. Brief overview of Shaykhism and Babi/Bahá'í history, passing mentions of "Babist" as a political slur, and of Bahá'í families achieving commercial prominence under Mohammad Reza Shah. Excerpts.
44. 1989. Bábí Movement. Denis MacEoin. Brief excerpt, with link to article offsite. Encyclopedia.
45. 1988. Letters and Essays, The Master in Akká, and In Iran: Studies in Babi and Baha'i History vol. 3: Reviews. Todd Lawson. Reviews of three books by Kalimat Press. Reviews.
46. 1986. Babi Movement, The: A Resource Mobilization Perspective. Peter Smith, Moojan Momen. Babism from a sociological standpoint, esp. the place of the Babis in their contemporary cultural and economic classes. Articles.
47. 1986. Bahá'í Fundamentalism and the Academic Study of the Babi Movement. Denis MacEoin. A response to Afnan and Hatcher's "Western Islamic Scholarship and Bahá'í Origins," on the issues of faith-based approaches to religious history and textual criticism. Articles.
48. 1985-2013. Mentions of the Bábí and Bahá'í Faiths in Encyclopedia Iranica: Sixty Excerpts. Hamid Algar, Moojan Momen, Denis MacEoin, L. P. Elwell-Sutton, Janet Afary, Dominic Parviz Brookshaw, et al.. Excerpts of 60 articles in the Encyclopedia (up to 2013) with links to the originals, which contain a reference to the Faith. These items are not long enough to warrant a separate entry in this Library, yet are included here for ease of discovery. Encyclopedia.
49. 1985. Báb and the Bábí Religion, The. Mírzá Abu'l-Faḍl Gulpáygání, Juan Cole, trans. . A general overview of Bábí history and thought, written in Arabic in 1896. Essays.
50. 1983. Social Basis of the Bábí Upheavals in Iran (1848-1853): A Preliminary Analysis. Moojan Momen. In the mid-19th century, Iran was shaken by unrest caused by the Bábí movement, which set off a chain of events that led on the one hand, to the constitutional movement in Iran, and on the other, to the establishment of the now world-wide Bahá'í Faith. Articles.
51. 1981/2003. Modern Iran: Roots and Results of Revolution. Nikki R. Keddie. 5-page overview of the historical and ideological context of the Bábí uprising in Iran; passing discussion of Mohammad Reza Shah allegedly favoring Bahá'ís in the 1970s (extensive excerpts from two different editions of the book). Excerpts.
52. 1981. Political Economy of Modern Iran, The: Despotism and Pseudo-Modernism 1926-1979. Homa Katouzian. Mention of Sheikh Fazlollah Noori denouncing opponents as Babis; 1-page discussion (in footnotes) of the Bab as Mahdi and the Bahá'í/Azali split; anti-Bahá'í demonstrations following the murder of vice-consul Imbrie; Falsafi's attacks in 1953. Excerpts.
53. 1981. Work of A.L.M. Nicolas (1864-1937), The. Moojan Momen. Short bio, including list of the works of Nicolas. Biographies.
54. 1981. Introduction to Islamic Theology and Law. Ignaz Goldziher. An early academic overview of Bábí and Bahá'í history and theology. From translation of a 1910 book Vorlesungen uber den Islam, "Lectures on Islam." Excerpts.
55. 1979. Dervish of Windsor Castle, The: The Life of Arminius Vambery. Lory Alder, Richard Dalby. Two-paragraph discussion of Curzon and the Babis. Excerpts.
56. 1979. From Shaykhism to Babism: A Study in Charismatic Renewal in Shi'i Islam. Denis MacEoin. Examination of the Bábí movement within the wider context of Imami Shi'ism, the shadow of Shaykh Ahmad al-Ahsa'i and Sayyid Kazem Rashti, and the Bábí rejection of Shaykhism. Theses.
57. 1978-12. "A.J." and the Introduction of the Baha'i Faith into Poland. Jan T. Jasion. On the earliest mentions of the Bábí Faith in Polish, and the writings of Aleksander Walerian Jablonowski, a well-known historian and linguist who met Babis in Baghdad in 1870. Articles.
58. 1969 September-December. Bab and Babeeism, The: Part 2. Robert K. Arbuthnot. Part two of an early, relatively lengthy overview of Bábí history and theology. Articles.
59. 1969. Bábism, Bahá'ism and the Ulama. Hamid Algar. On the differing approaches by the Iranian state and the clergy to the Bábí movement. Excerpts.
60. 1957. Die Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart: Handwörterbuch für Theologie und Religionswissenschaft. Hans Dieter Betz, ed. Two dictionary definitions: "Bahai-Religion" and "Babismus". Encyclopedia.
61. 1956. Italian Scientist Extols the Báb, An. Ugo Giachery. On the life of Michele Lessona (1823-1894), a scientist, writer, explorer, and educator, who visited Iran and wrote a 66-page monograph entitled I Babi (1881): one of the first documentations made by a European of the episode of the Báb. Essays.
62. 1950. Babi. Vladimir Minorsky. Encyclopedia entry, the draft of which was found in Minorsky's archive, along with three pages of typed "errata" possibly written by H. M. Balyuzi on behalf of a Bahá'í institution. Encyclopedia.
63. 1939. Wild Asses, The: A Journey through Persia. W. V. Emanuel. Passing mentions of Babis in Tabriz and Zanjan. Excerpts.
64. 1933. Short History of Religions A. E. E. Kellett. Overview of Babism, from the chapter "Mohammedism." Excerpts.
65. 1933. Cairo to Persia and Back. Owen Tweedy. Mention of Tabriz, and the execution of the Báb. Excerpts.
66. 1933. Correspondance entre le Comte de Gobineau et le Comte de Prokesche-Osten (1854-1876). Joseph Arthur Gobineau. Multiple letters from 1865-1868 referencing the Bábí Faith, between Gobineau and Anton von Prokesch-Osten, an Austrian diplomat. Excerpts.
67. 1933 . Les Béhahis et le Bâb. A. L. M. Nicolas. Articles.
68. 1926. Báb, Bábís. E. G. Browne. Encyclopedia.
69. 1922. Abdul Baha; Babism. Thomas E. Finegan, ed. Two short encyclopedia entries. Excerpts.
70. 1918/1961/2013. Materials for the Study of the Babi Religion. E. G. Browne, comp. and trans. An early collection of historical documents related to Bahá'í and Bábí studies. (Not fully complete.) Books.
71. 1916. Mahdist Movements. Samuel Graham Wilson. An unsympathetic Christian missionary's early history of the Bábí and Bahá'í Faiths. Excerpt from longer book. Articles.
72. 1916. Modern Movements among Moslems. Samuel Graham Wilson. A Christian missionary's overview of contemporary Islam, including the Bábís. Books.
73. 1910. Babism, or Bahaism. Edward A. Marshall. One-page summary of Bábí history and Bahá'í teachings. Excerpts.
74. 1910. Bábíism. E. G. Browne. Encyclopedia.
75. 1910. New Economic Movement and Young Persia, A. Helen Campbell. Overview of Bábí and Bahá'í history and teachings, concluding with an inspiring story of wisdom and kindness of a Spiritual Assembly in Bombay. Articles.
76. 1908. Development of Metaphysics in Persia, The: A Contribution to the History of Muslim Philosophy. Muhammad Iqbal. Short philosophical observations on the theology of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh. Excerpts.
77. 1908. Babism. George W. Gilmore. Detailed encyclopedia entry on the life and teachings of the Báb. Excerpts.
78. 1907. Babis, The. Eustache de Lorey. Translation of an article which appeared in the official gazette of the Persian government, followed by a letter from de Gobineau, on the torture of Babis after the assassination attempt on the Shah, 1852. Excerpts.
79. 1905. Seyyèd Ali Mohammed, dit le Bâb. A. L. M. Nicolas. The first detailed biography of The Bab written in a Western language. Books.
80. 1904-01. Babism: What Is It?. E. G. Tisdall. A sympathetic appraisal of the Bábí Faith from a Christian missionary's perspective. Articles.
81. 1904. New Religions of the Nineteeth Century: Babism. Frank F. Ellinwood. Overview of Bábí history, briefer history of the lives of Bahá'u'lláh and Abdu'l-Bahá, comments of Henry Jessup on Bahá'í pilgrims, introduction to the United States, and brief summary of Bahá'í teachings. Excerpts.
82. 1904. Babism: A Failure. Samuel Graham Wilson. A theological rejection of the Bábí Faith from a Christian missionary's perspective. Articles.
83. 1903. Development of Muslim Theology, Jurisprudence, and Constitutional Theory. Duncan H. MacDonald. Two-page excerpt with a one-sentence mention of Babism. Excerpts.
84. 1903. A Propos de Deux Manuscrits "Babis" de la Bibliotheque Nationale. A. L. M. Nicolas. Regarding the correct titles/classification of two versions of the manuscript "Histoire de la secte des Bâbis" from the library of Comte de Gobineau. Articles.
85. 1902-10. Babism and the Babites. Henry H. Jessup. Sympathetic overview of Bábí and Bahá'í history, including a meeting and a detailed conversation with Abdu'l-Bahá. Essays.
86. 1902. Ten Thousand Miles in Persia or Eight Years in Iran. Percy Molesworth Sykes. Brief overview of Babism, including estimate of numbers of Bahá'ís and Azalis in Kirman. Excerpts.
87. 1901/1912. Babism. Denison Ross. Chapter-length overview of Bábí and early Bahá'í history. Articles.
88. 1901-06-22. Babites, The. Henry H. Jessup. Sympathetic overview of Bábí and Bahá'í history, including a meeting and a detailed conversation with Abdu'l-Bahá. Pilgrims.
89. 1901. Bab and the Babis, The. Edward Sell. An early account of the Babis and Bahá'ís. Articles.
90. 1900. Bab and Babism. Isaac Adams. One-chapter overview of history and teachings, incl. Anton Haddad's "A Message from Acca," "A Declaration to the Americans," and "Selected Precepts of El-Hak," pilgrim notes from Lua Getsinger, and letters from Getsinger, Mrs. Kheiralla, and Mrs. Hearst. Articles.
91. 1897-12. Babism and the Bab. James T. Bixby. Overview of Bábí history, with some discussion of literature and theology. Articles.
92. 1897. Babis, The. Charles William Heckethorn. Neutral-to-sympathetic overview of: The Bab, the founder; progress of Babism; Bábí doctrine; recent history of Babism. Articles.
93. 1897. Babysm. Author unknown. Half-page encyclopedia entry. Encyclopedia.
94. 1893/1927. Year Amongst the Persians, A. E. G. Browne. Browne's famous account of his extended visit to Iran in 1887-1888; includes many references to Bábí and Bahá'í history and personages. Books.
95. 1893. Babis, The. M. J. de Goeje. Sympathetic overview of early Bahá'í history in a Dutch literary journal. Essays.
96. 1892-10. Catalogue and Description of 27 Bábí Manuscripts 2 (Continued from Page 499). E. G. Browne. Categorization, descriptions, and excerpts of 27 manuscripts by the Bab, Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l-Bahá, and Subh-i-Azal. Articles.
97. 1892-07. Catalogue and Description of 27 Bábí Manuscripts. E. G. Browne. Categorization, descriptions, and excerpts of 27 manuscripts by the Bab, Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l-Bahá, and Subh-i-Azal. Articles.
98. 1892-05-25. Báb, The. David George Hogarth. One page review of Browne's Traveler's Narrative, published anonymously in 1892; includes information discovered in 2025 by Kurt Asplund identifying the author as Hogarth, with background and historical context. Reviews.
99. 1891. Persia. Peter Easton (published as P. Z. Easton). Passing mentions. Encyclopedia.
100. 1890/1901. Babism. E. G. Browne. An early academic account of Babi-Bahá'í history and belief. Articles.
101. 1889 November 17. Babism: The New Religion That is Opposed to Mohammedanism. Jean Cahagnet. One-column overview, a "sketch from a forthcoming work on the religious beliefs of Persia." Newspapers.
102. 1887. Babs and Their Prophet, The. Laurence Oliphant. Excerpt from a book described by E.G. Browne as "the first published notice of Behá and the Bábí colony at Acre"; includes PDF of complete book. Excerpts.
103. 1883. Formation de la Secte des Babi. Carla Serena. Also sections "Les Exploits de la Secte de Babi," "Mort du Point," "Complot des Bábí contre Nasser-Eddin," and "Attentat." Historical overview from a traveller to Persia in 1877-1878, who says she met with a witness to events. Articles.
104. 1878 March. Shelly's Life and Writings. William Michael Rossetti. Brief overview of the Bábí Faith and Qurratu'l-Ayn vis-a-vis themes and personages in "The Revolt of Islam," a poem in twelve cantos composed by Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1817. Excerpts.
105. 1878. Babi, or Babists. Author unknown. Encyclopedia.
106. 1877. Through Persia by Caravan. Arthur E. Arnold. Early three-page overview of Bábí and Bahá'í history. Bahá'u'lláh is here referred to as "Behar." Excerpts.
107. 1876. Eastern Persia: An Account of the Journeys of the Persian Boundary Commission 1870-72. Major St. John. Brief description of the town of Nírís [Nayriz], "the head-quarters of Bábism," and the road to Shiraz. Excerpts.
108. 1870-06. Ali Illahees (or Nusairys) and Babees of Persia, The. Benjamin Labaree, Jr.. Sympathetic account of the Bábí Faith by an American Protestant missionary. Articles.
109. 1869-08-21. Reviews: The Philosophical Year and the Bábys. Author unknown. Brief review of the recently-published scholarship of Gobineau and Kazem-Beg, with an overview of Bábí theology and social teachings. Newspapers.
110. 1869-05. Bab and Babism. Edwin E. Bliss. Summary and review of an article from earlier that year by Edward Evans, adding the opinion that Babism is not worthy of further attention. Essays.
111. 1869-01. Bab and Babism. Edward Payson Evans. Overview of Bábí history, the dissemination of its teachings, events following the Bab's death, and the Bab's theology as a progressive religion. Articles.
112. 1869 May-August. Bab and Babeeism, The: Part 1. Robert K. Arbuthnot. Part one of an early, relatively lengthy overview of Bábí theology and history. Articles.
113. 1869. Babism. Leo de Colange, ed. Possibly the earliest encyclopedia entry on The Bab. Encyclopedia.
114. 1869. Babism. Stephen G. Bullfinch. Brief account of the Bábí movement by an American Unitarian clergyman. Excerpts.
115. 1868. Babysme, Babys. Author unknown. Encyclopedia.
116. 1867. Bab und Babis. Arminius Vambery (published as Ármine Vámbéry). Lengthy discussion of the Babis, by a Hungarian Jew who later met Abdu'l-Bahá. Excerpts.
117. 1866/1900. Les religions et les philosophies dans l'asie centrale. Joseph Arthur Gobineau (published as Comte de Gobineau). A lengthy early account of Bábí history by French Orientalist and diplomat Comte de Gobineau, who served as France's envoy to Iran in 1855-1863. Books.
118. 1866/1900. Les religions et les philosophies dans l'asie centrale (continued). Joseph Arthur Gobineau (published as Comte de Gobineau). Due to size, this book was split in two for this online edition. See part 1. Histories.
119. 1866. History of Persia from the Beginning of the Nineteenth Century to the Year 1858, A. Robert Grant Watson. A review of the events that led to the establishment of the Qajar dynasty, with discussion of the Babis. Excerpts.
120. 1866. Bab et les Babis, ou Le Soulevement politique et religieux en Perse, de 1845 à 1853. Aleksandr Kazem-Beg. French translation, serialized in a journal, of a book first published in Russian on the origins of the Bábí Faith; the Mazandaran, Nayriz, and Zanjan events; the life of the Bab; and religious doctrine. Articles.
121. 1866. Persia. Author unknown. Short summary of the Bábí Faith and Qurratu'l-Ayn, on last page of an entry about Persia. Encyclopedia.
122. 1865. Баб и бабиды: Религіозно-политическія смуты въ Персіи въ 1844-1852 годах (The Bab and the Babis: Religious and Political Unrest in Persia in the years 1844-1852). Aleksandr Kazem-Beg. On the origins of the Bábí Faith; the Mazandaran, Nayriz, and Zanjan events; the life of the Bab; and religious doctrine. Books.
123. 1859. Historia Universal. Cesar Cantu. 1-sentence mention. Excerpts.
124. 1853-05-18. Short Chapter in the History of Bâbeeism in Persia, A. Austin Wright, Steven Kolins, comp. . Letter to the American Oriental Society recounting the continuation of Bábísm and attack on the Shah. Follow-up to Wright's first report on Bábí history, from June 1851. Newspapers.
125. 1848-1851. Le Journal de Constantinople. Various. Collection of 818 files, unsorted. They contain an unknown number of references to the Báb and his milieu. Four entries have been found so far, and searching this archive may yield more. Newspapers.

1. 1847-08-00 — Táhirih sent Mullá Ibráhím Mahallátí to present to the chief mujtahid of Hamadán her dissertation in defence of the Bábí Cause. Mahallátí was attacked and severely beaten.
2. 1865-00-00 —
   French diplomat Joseph Comte de Gobineau published Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale, over half of which is devoted to a study of the Bábí movement. He relied heavily on the Násikhu't-Taváríkh (The History to Abrogate All Previous Histories) written by Lisánu'l-Mulk. Bahá'u'lláh had condemned this account as "a falsification of history, one which even an infidel would not have had the effrontery to produce". [SUR36-37]
   • "The Comte de Gobineau's work with its obvious parallels drawn between the life and martyrdom of the Báb with that of Jesus Christ, was the most influential volume in carrying the story to Western minds. The English poet and cultural critic Matthew Arnold, in A Persian Passion Play, wrote that the chief purpose of Gobineau's book was to give a history of the career of Mirza Ali Mahommed…the founder of Bâbism, of which most people in England have at least heard the name. The notion that most people in England, in Arnold's view, were aware of the Báb indicates how deeply His fame had penetrated into far-off societies." [Tales of Magnificent Heroism: The impact of the Báb and His followers on writers and artists by Robert Weinberg.
   • Gobineau's work was written when Mírzá Yahyá was still known as the nominal head of the Bábí Faith between 1855 and 1858 when Gobineau was First Secretary and Chargé d'Affaires of the French Legation. Two embassy employees during his time there were ardent supporters of Mírzá Yahyá, one of whom was his brother-in-law. (He served as the Ambassador from March 1862 until September 1863.). iiiii
   • This work attracted a number of other European intellectuals, including E. G. Browne of Cambridge, who eventually became the most prolific western writer and researcher of the Bábi religion. [BBR17, MCS483; 500; 512
3. 1865-00-00 — Mírzá Kazem-Beg of St Petersburg University published Bab Babidy, the first Western book written entirely on the subject of the Bábí religion. [BBR26] (Conflict: see 1905.)
4. 1881-00-00 — Michele Lessona (b. 20 September 1923 in Turin Italy, d. 20 July 1894 in Turin) was a writer, a philosopher, an explorer and an educator as well as a medical doctor. He was also a prominent scientist who had translated Darwin and went on to influence generations of Italian scientists.

   In 1862 he had been appointed physician to the diplomatic delegation sent to Persia to establish relations between the newly created Kingdom of Italy and the Persian government. There in Tabriz, Lessona met Daud Khan, who told him about the new Revelation. He met often with Gobineau, who had then become the French Ambassador to Persia and the two became lifelong friends. Most of Lessona's information on the Bábi Faith came from these two sources, especially the latter. He found it difficult to get any first-hand information about the Babis, but did recognize, in 1962, that the successor to the Báb was living in Baghdad.

   Lessona organized two-part conference on the Bábi movement that was held in December of 1880. The following year he published the proceedings of the conference in a small monograph called I Bábi. It was the first Italian historical testimony on the Bábí - Bahá'í Faith. [Bahá'í Tributes; Bahá'í Teachings; BW12p900]

5. 1905-00-00 —
   A.L.M. Nicolas published his book Seyyed Ali dit le Bab. It was the first work by a western author dedicated entirely to the Báb, His movement and His teachings. (Conflict: See 1865)
   • English translation A Prophet of Modern Times by Peter Terry.

     It is "(a) history of the Bábí movement up to 1852. Nicolas gives a list of sources for this book on pp. 48-53. It is interesting to note that among his oral sources are four of the leading Bahá'ís of that period, who had been designated by Bahá'u'lláh as 'Hands of the Cause': Mírzá 'Alí-Muhammad, 'Ibn-i-Asdaq: Mullá 'Al-Akbar-i-Sháhmírzádí, Hají Akhund; Mírzá Muhammad-Táqíy-i-Abharí, 'Ibn-i-Abhar; and Mírzá Hasan-i-Adíb. The other two oral sources named are Siyyid 'Ismu'lláh, who was presumably Siyyid Mihdíy-i-Dihají, and Mírzá Yahyá, Subh-i-Azál." [BBR38-39]

   • The preamble to his book has an image that is supposedly of the Báb, but the portrait does not seem to be an authentic representation.

   • William Miller also reproduced Nicolas's image on page 17 of his polemical work, The Bahá'í Faith: Its History and Teachings. (South Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 1974). ['The Bab in the World of Images', Bahá'í Studies Review, vol. 19, June 2013, 171–90.]
   • See also WOB83 for other missionaries who wrote polemics against the Bahá'í Faith.
6. 1910-00-00 —
   Bahá'í Scholarship

   The publication in 1865 of the Comte de Gobineau's (1816-1882),Les Religions et Les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale created an interest in Europe. A scholar that was inspired by Gobineau was E.G.Browne. He travelled to Iran and also visited Bahá'u'lláh in Akka in the latter days of His life. He translated two histories of the new religion and published two other books as well as a number of articles. He also made an important collection of manuscripts that he gave to Cambridge University Library. Bahá'ís have criticized Browne's work for being too sympathetic to Azal, Baha'u'llah's half-brother and implacable enemy. One of the books that Cobineau for Les Religions... was Násikhu't-Taváríkh (the 'history to abrogate all previous historiies') by Lisánu'l-Mulk. This book had been condemned by Bahá'u'lláh as a falsification of history one which even an infidel would not have had the effrontery to produce. [SUR36-37]      

   A.L.M. Nicolas (1864-1939) was a French consular official in Iran who researched and wrote a biography of the Báb as well as translating three of the Báb's major works into French.

        Just as the Báb was the centre of the scholarly interests of Gobineau, Browne and Nicolas, some Russian scholars who were more interested in Bahá'u'lláh. Baron Viktor Rosen (1849-1908), the director of the Oriental Department of the University of St. Petersburg was assisted by Aleksandr Tumanski (1861-1920). He spent a great deal of time with the Bahá'í community of Ashkhabad and with Mirza Abu'l-Fadl Gulpaygani. Although he did not write as much as Browne or Nicolas, what he did write was derived from a very deep and thorough investigation. [L&E43-83]

   See An Officer and an Orientalist: Alexander Grigorevich Tumanskii and His Contribution to Russian Historiography on and Policy towards the Babi-Baha'i Religion by Soli Shahvar, Bahá'í Studies Review 20 (1), 3-19

        There was much interest in scholarship in the early days of the Faith because almost all of the most important disciples of the Báb were Islamic religious scholars, as were many of the leading converts to the Bahá'í Faith in later years. The most important of these was the above mentioned Mirza Abu'l-Fadl Gulpaygani (1844-1914). He was learned in the Zoroastrian and Jewish scriptures and spent some time in the Christian West at the request of 'Abdu'l-Bahá prior to His visit.

        During the 1930s to 1960s, a second generation of Iranian Bahá'í scholars, such as Fadil Mazandarani (1881-1957), 'Abdul-Hamid Ishraq-Khavari (1902-1972), and 'Azizu'llah Sulaymani (1901-1985) systematized Bahá'í theology and law, developed aids for scholars such as dictionaries of Bahá'í terminology, and wrote histories and biographies. This was of course a more traditional style of scholarship than is current in the West, but it continues to be useful to all present scholars.

        The above-described initial flurry of interest in the Bábí and Bahá'í religions in the West was not sustained and from the 1920s to the 1970s, there were no Western scholars who were as deeply engaged as the above-named ones and only a handful of studies that can be said to have done much to advance knowledge. From the 1970s onward, there gradually emerged a new stream of scholars who can be said to be a fusion of the above two groups, the Western and the Bahá'í scholars. This new generation of scholars mostly began as Bahá'ís, although some have subsequently left the religion. They use Western academic methodology and most operate from within Western universities but they have access to insider information and resources. Apart from these individuals, the Bahá'í Faith has been very little studied by Western scholars of religion.

   Early Bahá’í Scholarship in North America

      The study of the Bahá’í Faith in the United States and Canada began almost as soon as the religion arrived on the continent in the late‑19th century. Early scholars were a mix of missionaries, journalists, university professors, and curious laypeople who sought to understand a new religious movement that was still largely unknown in the West.

       In 1901 the British orientalist student of E G Browne, Edward Denison Ross, wrote a concise overview of “Babism” for The North American Review. The article was later reproduced in the 1912 volume Great Religions of the World, where Ross added a brief pre‑face describing ʻAbdu’l‑Bahá’s recent travels in the United States. Ross’s piece is one of the earliest academic treatments of the movement in a mainstream American periodical. [USMERCED]

      During the early twentieth century, a number of America's religious thinkers were in touch with Sarah Farmer or visited Green Acre and participated in the dynamic exchange of ideas that took place there. Among them were the Harvard scholars William James and W.E.B. Du Bois, two of the most prominent and influential American writers and philosophers of the time. William James, in turn, invited Ali Kuli Khan, an Iranian diplomat and prominent member of the Bahá'í community, to give presentations on the Bahá'í Faith at Harvard University.

      Du Bois, who had been a student of James, received his doctorate from Harvard and was the first African American to do so, graduating in 1895. His work as the founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) brought him into contact with 'Abdu'l-Bahá, who gave a speech at its fourth conference in 1912. Du Bois, as pointed out by Guy Mount in his research, later published the speech in the official magazine of the NAACP, along with a photograph of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.

      A contemporary and close colleague of Du Bois, Alain Locke was also among the most eminent thinkers of the time. Locke was the first African American Rhodes Scholar, and he is often remembered as the "Dean" of the Harlem Renaissance. In a biography on Locke, Christopher Buck suggested that Du Bois may have been the one who introduced Locke to the Bahá'í Faith. He received his PhD from Harvard in 1918, the same year he became a Bahá'í. Du Bois and Locke's profound contributions to philosophy were recognized widely—the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. compared their influence to that of Plato and Aristotle.

      The early American Bahá'í community also included Albert Vail and Stanwood Cobb, graduates of the Harvard Divinity School and prior Unitarian ministers. Vail published an impressive article on the Bahá'í Faith emphasizing its principle of unity in the Harvard Theological Review in 1914. While the Harvard University and Green Acre represented significant meeting points for leading writers and philosophers of the time, Dehghani's lecture also noted that the influence of the emerging discourse on unity reached other prominent thinkers in the northeastern United States.

      A word must also be said about what passes for scholarship on the Bahá'í Faith in Iran and to a lesser extent in the rest of the Middle East. Bahá'ís have been persecuted in many Middle Eastern countries and rejected by Islamic leaders, and one form of this discrimination has involved the manipulation of information. For most of the last 100 years, deliberately distorted or falsified information and documents have been created mostly by some within the Islamic religious establishment and then distributed as though these were facts about the Bahá'í Faith. Since the Bahá'ís have had no ability to respond to this material in the Middle East, these distortions have gradually become accepted in the Middle East as the truth. One example is the forged memoirs of Count Dolgorukov, the Russian ambassador to Iran in the 1840s to 1850s.

      This and other contradictions were so clearly spurious that even some Iranian scholars debunked them when they were first published in the 1940s. But despite this, they are often regularly cited by Middle Eastern writers up to the present day as though they are a reliable source for the history of the religion.

      Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, this manufacturing of disinformation and forged material has increased greatly with programs in the media, articles, and books appearing on a frequent basis, especially in the government-run media. The result is that there is almost nothing published in the Middle East that has reliable information about the Bahá'í Faith in it. A little of this sort of scholarship has also appeared in the West; some Christian missionaries, notably Reverend William McElwee Miller(1892-1993)(Also see WOB83) have written anti-Bahá'í material and ex-Bahá'ís have published academic work that is calculated to make the Bahá'í community resemble a cult as portrayed in the anti-cult campaigns that were carried out in the Western media in the 1980s. [The above was copied from the website Patheos and has been edited for brevity. It was contributed by Dr. Natalie Mobini]

   • See as well the publication of Der Bahā'ismus, Weltreligion der Zukunft?: Geschichte, Lehre und Organisation in Kritischer Anfrage (Bahá'ísm-Religion of the Future? History, Doctrine and Organization: A Critical Inquiry) by Francesco Ficicchia under the auspices of the Central Office of the Protestant Church for Questions of Ideology in Germany.

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