About the author:
Denis MacEoin received his Ph.D. degree in 1979 A.D. from Cambridge university and was busy for a while teaching the Islamic studies in the department of religion studies in Newcastle university.
He has written articles about Bab, Babis and the book Bayan in Iranica encyclopedia. He has also written an article concerning apostasy in the Iranian policy the 19th century in in international journal of the Middle East studies association. He was interested in studying mainly in the field of modern Shiism, Sheikism, Babism and Bahaism.
Introduction:
The ritual movement Babism started in the middle of 19th century 1844 A.D. by the spiritual claiming of a young Shirazi tradesman called “Mirza Ali Muhammad Shirazi” in Iran.
In the first stage (by the year 1848 A.D.), Babism was claiming for being the gate for Imam Mahdi and the eminent return of the absent Imam of Shiism based on its head’s claim and could grow fast among Shiite people of Iran and Iraq.
In the second stage (1848-49 A.D.), the Babism movement was strangely transformed. When Bab was under supervision in Chehrig castle of Maku, he introduced himself as the promised Mahdi of Islam!
At that time, a group of Babis who had been gathered in Badasht plain announced the excommunication of the commandments and religious law of Islam!!
The third stage was immediately announced after this short stage. In this stage, Bab induced himself as the role of an independent prophet or the divine source who has been commissioned to bring a new religion and religious law.
Claimed by the Babis, during the years the years 1848 to 1850, nearly four to five Babis were killed in severe wars started by Babis against the governmental forces.
Bab himself was executed in July (summer) 1850.
In next decades, the Baha’i authors have considered Babis’ military measures as defensive functions answering their religious persecutions and have negated each kind of riot and fighting!
Thus, a Baha’i author writes: “When they (the Babis) defended themselves, the enemies misinterpreted it and called it riot particularly when the number of Babis was very much and they had been gathered in a place.”[۱]
Also, that Baha’i author has spoken about “the long continuous resistance of the Babis against the numerous opponents’ attacks and heroic defense of the Babis.”[۲]
Babis have generally described Mazandaran, Neyriz and Zanjan was as uprising, movement and rise, too. They have also called the participants in the wars as the victims of extensive and systematic persecution dene by people, officials, government and clergymen and they have been assumed as martyrs!!![3]
According to Babis, each kind of aiming and intention of fighting with local officials or confronting against the legitimacy of sovereignty have been absolutely rejected. Each kind of attack against opponents has been denied by Babism leader.[4]
These two viewpoints- rioting or defending against opponents’ pressures and persecutions-have casted a shadow over a more important discussion: The nature, position and function of the principle of warlordism and militancy among the Bab’s writings and the viewpoints expressed by the Babi leaders.
The reasons for studying the doctrine and belief of war and Jihad exactly are important and vital element in studying Babi-Baha’i movements.
Believing in Jihad and militancy in Bab’s writings:
Maybe, it is better for us to divide Bab’s writings in two temporal periods: Since 1843 to 1848, when he introduced himself as the representative, the gate and the reminder of Imam of the Time and stressed on regulating Islamic commandments and tradition to be the forerunner of the reappearance of Imam of the Time (May Allah hasten his reappearance) and since 1848 to 1850 when Ali Muhammad Bab posed his new claim. He claimed for being Imam Mahdi himself and being an independent prophet and ordered for excommunication of Islamic commandments and religious law and tried to replace Babi commandments and rules.
During the first period of time, Jihad was one of the principles of the Babis. In this stage, Babis were considered as a group branched from Sheikism.
In the second stage, Jihad fainted and they openly exited the framework of the religion of Islam (It happened in the gathering of 80 Babis in Badasht on July 1848).
During this period of time, the number of Babis were increased in some regions and extensive fighting happened between bigoted Babis and governmental military forces and Muslim citizens which eventually ended in Bab’s execution (July 1850).
After Babis attempt to assassinate Naser Al-Din Shah (August, 1852), the Babi group fell into a state of stagnation and inactivity.
The first systematic study of Bab concerning the Islamic commandments of Yosof chapter known as Qayyoum Al-Asma’.
Writing this interpretation started at a night when he claimed for Babism (May 22, 1844 A.D. / Jamadi 5, 1260 A.H.)
According to some resources, he finished that interpretation within 40 days. Although I believed based on some other evidence and documents that it ended in winter, 1845 A.D.
In this work; more than other works of Bab, Jihad and militancy have been pointed out and discussed more written in the last part of it.
Consequently, studying Qayyumul Asma’ offers a clear image of Bab’s perception and interpretation to us about war and Jihad in the first stages and forming his character.
According to Babis, Imam’s gate and deputy in the faith and creation worlds was “Imam himself” and in this way he was commissioned to offer the faith to all human kinds by Imam. He was continually calling “the people of the earth” and “the people of the east and the west” to expand the faith across the lands.
In the beginning of his book, he asks “all the kings to offer his verses to Turkish, Hindu and far lands’ people in the east and the west.
God had promised his victory to all countries and the people of those lands and had preordained him to command the government and dominance on the earth.
Bab never consider the measure and action or domain limited to Iran or Shias or even the Islamic world, but he assumed a universal prophetic mission for himself which was completing the role and position of the holy prophet (P.H.) and the holy Imams (peace be upon them).
Pay attention to war and warlordism had clearly joined with Messianic expectation for the Bab as “the role of Imam and leader of the holy Apocalyptic holy war.
Also, Bab clearly states participating at war as the definite and essential opportunity for the reappearance of the promised Imam:
“O’ God’s armies, when you rise for fighting against polytheists, don’t be afraid of their number and abundance… Kill all of them who have joined with polytheists and God’s enemies and don’t let even one of them to remain alive in order for the earth and what is there to be cleansed of their filth.[5]
Bab also claims in one of the pages of Qayyom Al-Asma’ text that it is stated in the narrations by Shia holy Imam that they will support Bab in the war!
“God willing, we will kill you with our swords in the day of Zekr!! Because you are committed an act of disbelief and turned against our powerful word (Bab)[6]
In a part of Qayyoum Al-Asma’, it is stated that Qayyoum Al- Asma’ has been sent down in order for people to believe in Bab and help him in massacre day!
Bab’s statement indicates that he himself is waiting for issuing allowance by Imam in order to upraise in a suitable time.
Bab claims that Imam (P.H.) himself has said to Bab to encourage and intrigue the faithful (the Babis) to fight and Bab is addressing them not to be afraid of fighting and being killed.
Fighting is forbidden in lunar months of Rajab, Zolga’deh, Zi Hajjeh and Moharram). He orders the people of the east and the west of the world to move from their countries to help God and claims for the victory to be eminent and available. The one who fights in God’s path is better than the one who sits in the house.[7] Those who are martyred during war and fighting he/she will receive a great reward by God.[8]
The Babis are prevented to receive tax anciently paid in lieu of Conversion to Islam.[9]
God’s army mustn’t be afraid of war and must not leave even a polytheist alive. Because the earth must be cleansed up for Imam to come![10]
The poor and weak people, male teenagers, women, ill people and the blind and the deaf are exempt to participate at war.[11]
Kill apostates and polytheists everywhere they are found except in Masjid Al-Haram.[12] The Babis have been asked to wear clean cloth to fight. When the bugle of war sounds, they must be ready to move.[13] They are particularly ordered to cleanse the holy land (Karbala) out of filth?”[14]
They must buy weapons for the day when they are to get together and to get ready to attack. Angels are sent down to help them to fight and ensure them that not they but God will massacre not them.[15]
Who did the Babis fight with? Who was the leader of Babi Jihad?
Here are two discussions: Whom did Bab fight against? Who must lead the war?
According to Qayyoum Al-Asma’, the war and Jihad were against some various groups and parts.
It should be paid attention that Qayyoumul Asma’ isn’t a precise legal and jurisprudential book. Generally speaking, the words of apostles and polytheists which have been used across the texts about war and Jihad include those who don’t believe in God or those who assume partner for God; but according to Bab, this term includes all non-Muslim people and also Hindus and has non-Buddhists.
According to several Babi resources, Bab also included Muslims (Shias and Sunnis) who haven’t recognized him and his position formally as disbelievers and polytheists![16]
The most important note is that at first Bab has considered Jihad as one of the branches of religion and as formal worship. Now, Bab is openly introducing Jihad as the 6th pillar of his religion.
It seems fighting and Jihad against a group who doesn’t believe in Bab have been considered as allowable.
According to the book Bayan written by Bab the holy tombs of the previous religions must be destroyed and ruined including holy places and tombs of Shias in Karbala and Najaf and Kufa![17]
Babis mustn’t keep in touch with non- Babis in order to be away from their filths.[18] Babis mustn’t befriend with non-Babis.[19] They mustn’t get married with non-Babis”.[20]
Anyway, the Babi king is warrior and fighter who fights for the victory of Bab’s belief and is waiting to find an opportunity to use Jihad in favor of Babi faith and “the one whom God will manifest (The Babi Christ and savior who will be emerged in future).
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[۱] John Frabi (Baha’i), Everything has become fresh, London, 1975, p. 195.
[۲] Ibid, p. 196.
[۳] Shoghi Effendi, the new century, p. 38.
[۴] Zarandi, Mataleul Anwar, p. 396.
[۵] Qayyom Al-Asma’, Cambridge university, the collection of documents f 172 b.
[۶] Ibid, p.55b
[۷] Ibid, f. 170 and the Holy Quran 95:4
[۸] Ibid, refer to the Holy Quran 100:4
[۹] Ibid, f. 170b and the holy Quran 28:9
[۱۰] I bid, f. 172 contrary to the Holy Quran which accepts the tax anciently paid in lieu of conversion of Islam.
[۱۱] Ibid, f.173a, refer to the Holy Quran 75:4, 98, 91:9, 17:48.
[۱۲] Ibid, f.176a
[۱۳] Ibid, 176a
[۱۴] Ibid, f.176a
[۱۵] Ibid, f. 177
[۱۶] Ibid, f. 158a.
[۱۷] Ibid, 6:6, pp. 198-199
[۱۸] Ibid, 14:5, p. 174.
[۱۹] Ibid, 16:7, p. 263.
[۲۰] Ibid, 15:8, p. 298.
