bahaullah

Mirza Mohammad Hasan Hosseini Shirazi (The jurist and great authority of Shia Societies during Qajar time) has been mentioned many times in the historical texts of Babi and Baha'i. What is examined here is their statement about his family relation with Ali Mohammad Bab. Also, we study if his faith based on Bab's invitation, which is sometimes referred to as the secret faith of Babi and sometimes with the secret faith of Baha'i. This research is disassociated with the second view (the secret faith by the invitation of Bab and Bahaullah).

The late Mirza Saleh Eghtesad Maraghei is an educated person who has been taught by Baha'is for eight years, to the extent that he was considered as a Baha'i. After the invalidity of Baha'i Faith was revealed to him, in spite of all the dangers that threatened him, and in spite of loss of further successes in the Baha'i organization, he raised the banner of truth and righteousness and with his commendable effort conveyed the voice of truth to the ear of the right seekers. He wrote a book called »Igaz« to answer his Baha'i father-inlaw and declared his reasons about turning away from Baha'is. This article introduces him and his valuable book and provides a summary of those reasons.

One of the main characteristics of all the divine messengers is speaking with the language of people to whom have been sent. It is obvious that the most familiar persons to a prophet or divine leader are people of his tribe, city, and nation. Therefore, a prophet or divine leader needs to speak with people of his nation and city in a generally known language to achieve a correct and logical communication with them. Although Bab and Bahaullah have lived among the Persians and claimed their positions in Iran, yet they haven`t presented all their writings in Persian language!
In this article, we study Bahais’ reasons that why the Bab and Bahaullah haven`t written their books according to their nation`s language (Persian).

William Miller, the researcher, writer, speaker, critic, and American Protestant Priest was born on 12 December of 1892, in Middlesboro, Kentucky, USA. In 1919, he obtained his Master from Princeton University, and then his Doctorate in Theology from university of Washington. Since 1919 he has been missioned to Iran, as a Christian Missionary from Presbyterian Church, and propagated Christianity for 40 years. He resided in Mashhad for a long time. Due to his long stay in Iran, Miller found perfect companionship and communication with the Baha`is and Babis, and knew the doctrines, teachings, books, and thoughts of the Baha`i leaders. By observing the Baha'i deceptive propaganda and activities in Europe and the United States, he sought to shed light on them by using the facts obtained from the history and teachings of the Babis and the Baha'is, and much information he had found about the Baha'is in Iran. Miller considers the Babi-Baha`ism not a divine religion, but a political- religious cult. He also knew that the Baha’i books were distorted, changed, reconstructed, and censored according to daily events and developments of the Baha’I leadership. Miller concluded in his study that the real successor of Bab was Mirza Yahya Noori, called as Subh-Azal. His half - brother (Bahaullah) seized the position of Mirza Yahya and control of the Babis by any means. Miller criticizes Abdul-Baha and Shoghi Effendi, the successors of Bahaullah, among other things, for not only they were unable to achieve the "unity of the human world", but also, for their failure to establish unity within their small family and limited Bahai community.

William Miller, the researcher, writer, speaker, critic, and American Protestant Priest was born on 12 December of 1892, in Middlesboro, Kentucky, USA. In 1919, he obtained his Master from Princeton University, and then his Doctorate in Theology from university of Washington. Since 1919 he has been missioned to Iran, as a Christian Missionary from Presbyterian Church, and propagated Christianity for 40 years. He resided in Mashhad for a long time. Due to his long stay in Iran, Miller found perfect companionship and communication with the Baha`is and Babis, and knew the doctrines, teachings, books, and thoughts of the Baha`i leaders. By observing the Baha'i deceptive propaganda and activities in Europe and the United States, he sought to shed light on them by using the facts obtained from the history and teachings of the Babis and the Baha'is, and much information he had found about the Baha'is in Iran. Miller considers the Babi-Baha`ism not a divine religion, but a political- religious cult. He also knew that the Baha’i books were distorted, changed, reconstructed, and censored according to daily events and developments of the Baha’I leadership. Miller concluded in his study that the real successor of Bab was Mirza Yahya Noori, called as Subh-Azal. His half - brother (Bahaullah) seized the position of Mirza Yahya and control of the Babis by any means. Miller criticizes Abdul-Baha and Shoghi Effendi, the successors of Bahaullah, among other things, for not only they were unable to achieve the "unity of the human world", but also, for their failure to establish unity within their small family and limited Bahai community.

Historiography in Babi and Baha’i Faiths, unlike the historiographies in many other cultures and societies, has a long story, equal to the Babi – Bahai history! The Babi - Baha’i historians have made changes in their histories during the period of the formation and evolution of these faiths, according to the changes in their leadership. Therefore, paying attention to internal conflicts and disputes, as well as strategic changes in the reign of each leader, is very important and fundamental to recognize the historiography in that era. Also Babi - Baha’i historiography is not immune from plagues such as a pious view of accepting far-fetched events, relying on the words of leaders as sacred ones contrasting with real events recorded by other historians. This article, while analyzing the changes of leadership in the Babi and Baha’i Faiths, and the shift of social power among their descendants, examines the impact of this phenomenon on the Babi and Baha’i historiography, and presents some of the challenges in studying historical books written by the Baha’i believers by providing examples and documents.

One of the serious recommendations in the Bahai Faith is to write a will and determine a deputy for its implementation. In this regard, Baha'u'llah wrote his testament called the Covenant. In that will, he introduced his eldest son Abbas as his first successor, followed by his second son, Muhammad Ali.
Abbas Effendi chose the title "Abdu'l-Baha" for himself, to show how much he was de voted to service and devotion to Baha'u'llah. However, Abdu'l-Baha did not comply with many of the provisions of his father's will, and in practice he even ignored it, and appoint ed another person instead of Baha’u’llah’s second successor.
He even did not show courtesy nor respect for his father's family and his confidants, and despite Baha'u'llah's insistence on loving his family and avoiding discord, he caused great discord among the family and other Baha'is. Although he is called "Abdu'l-Baha", there is not a sign of servitude in his actions. This article deals with cases of breach of Bahaullah’s will.

Kitab-i-Iqan (The Book of Certitude) is the most important book of the Baha’is after the book Aqdas. In their eyes, the material is divine revelation and the word of God. This book has been reviewed and criticized in two ways; one, the arguments and interpretations of Baha'u'llah; and the other, with a methodological approach.
In this article, 9 manuscripts or prints of the book of Iqan are examined to show the deliberate changes that Baha'is did to correct the inaccuracies in this book. The differences in these nine versions can be divided into five groups:Eliminating the position of Mirza Yahya Subh-i-Azal;
Correcting the wrong quotes from verses of the Quran; Changing the vocabulary; Correction of Arabic literary errors; and Correction of Persian literary errors.
This article deals specifically with the first group. The omission of the phrase “Hidden Word “which, according to the historical background refers to the spiritual guardianship and leadership of Mirza Yahya Subh-i-Azal over Babis and his succession to Seyed Ali Mohammad Bab. A sign of the false claim of Mirza Hussein Ali Baha’u’llah of being the Man Who Will Be Appeared by God. In addition, the correction of various inaccuracies in the book of Iqan by the Baha'is is in contradiction with their claim that this book is divine.

Part 5: Denis Mac Eoin Denis Mac Eoin is a writer, scholar, and Baha’i critic, who after 15 years of active membership in the Baha’i community, as a result of his intellectual, liberal, and critical views toward the Baha’i administration, was criticized by the Baha’i authorities and had to resign and leave the Baha’i community. After careful study of the Babi-Baha’i history, Mac Eoin stated that the Baha’i leaders have been constantly changing (distorting) the early Babi history. He does not consider the Baha’i Faith as a divine revelation, and provides many doubts about it as a modern and global faith. He observes the Baha’i teachings as adaptions from other previous religions, and some criticizes. Mac Eoin considers the Babi history quite separate and in contradiction with the Baha’i history. He makes doubts about the assertions of Bahaullah, as the successor of Bab or being a divine Manifestation. He refuses the claims about the infallibility of Abdul-Baha, Shoghi Effendi, and the Universal House of Justice, and protests the prohibition of membership of women in the UHJ (the highest governing body of the Baha’i International Community). Mac Eoin observes the Baha’i teaching of non-involvement in politics in contradiction with the Baha’i teaching of Global Baha’i Government. He introduces the Babi movement as a political one that intended to seize the power and overthrow the Qajar Dynasty. He rejects the contents of the Baha’i books that Bab was killed because of his new religion, and the opposition of the Ulama with him.