How much the Baha’i leaders may claim that there is no division amongst Baha’is the fact is that Baha’i Faith does have different denominations, each calling themselves as the TRUE Faith. The fact is that in the small span of 160 years Baha’i Faith has seen more divisions than any other religion.
Here is a brief treatise on the history of the division in the Baha’i Faith – right from its inception, the Bab, Subhe’ Azal, Bahá’u’lláh, Abbas Effendi, Shoghi Effendi and finally till the present day Universal House of Justice.
- Division amongst the followers of The Bab
- Division amongst the followers of Bahá’u’lláh
- Division amongst the followers of Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi
- Bahá’ís who believe that Will and Testament of Abdu’l-Bahá is fraudulent
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These are those who believe the true successor of The Bab is Mirza Yahya Subh-e-Azal and not Mirza Hussain Ali Noori (Bahá’u’lláh).
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These are those who believe that their leader, Dr. Dahesh – Saleem Moosa El-Awshee is the “Return” of The Báb (Ali Mohammed Shirazi).
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These are those who believe in the coming of the Third Manifestation after Bab and Baha’u’llah.
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These are those who believe after Baha’u’llah, his younger son Mohammed Ali was his true successor.
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Questioning the Will and Testament of Abdu’l-Bahá
۱٫ Free Bahá’ís
These are those who believe that Will and Testament of Abdu’l-Bahá is a fraudulent document doctored by Shoghi Effendi Rabbani.
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۱٫ Orthodox Baha’is(followers of Joel B. Marangella)
۲٫ Baha’is Under the Provisions of the Covenant (followers of Neal Chase)
۳٫ Heart of the Bahá’í Faith (followers of Jacques Soghomonian)
۴٫ Tarbiyat Baha’is (followers of Rex King et al)
These are those who believe in continuation of Guardianship.
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These are those who believe that the Guardianship ended with Shoghi Effendi and at present UHJ is the true leader.
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These are those who believe that the UHJ requires an infallible Guardian in line with the teachings of Baha’u’llah and Abdu’l-Bahá.
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Aqdas Baha’is take seriously the long-suppressed Kitab-i-Aqdas (Most Holy Book) of Baha’u’llah, and do not consider it an embarrassment. They consider it a crime to have suppressed it and cynically withheld it from religious devotees for a span of 120 years by the world-oriented Wilmette-Haifa sect of Baha’is.
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Qurratiis considered Táhirih/Qurratu’l-‘Ayn to be the successor of the passing leader of the Shaykhi School, Siyyid Kazim-i-Rashti.
It looks like the Baha’i denominations will succeed in mounting a significant challenge to the mainstream Haifa-based Baha’i Faith. On the other hand, main stream Haifa Based Baha’is are putting more pressure on their UHJ to clarify the concept of Guardianship, rather than asking them to shun the Covenant Breakers. The recent court case done by the Haifa Based Baha’is on their two other denominations has further internationalize the issue of Guardianship. It looks like the balance is tilting more towards Guardians. If current trends of infighting continue, it is possible that Baha’ism will suffer from more divisions. It has to be seen.
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