The clergyman Seyyed Majid Pour Tabatabaee is the member of the scientific council of Quran sciences of the center for Quran culture and knowledge, Qom city has nearly studied all Edward Browne’s books and is going to print a book called orientalism focusing on studying the holy Quran. He has known Browne by his books and believed that Edward Browne has been dispatched to proselytize and preach Baha’ism the following is his interview with Panjereh magazine:
Was Edward Browne a literary man or an orientalist?
Edward Browne was an orientalist. Edward Browne has played a key role in preaching Baha’ism.
How did Edward Brown enter into Iran? De Gobineau was the French minister plenipotentiary in Iran. During the time when Gobineau was in Iran, he was doing various studies; so that he writes the book called “religions and philosophy in the middle Asia in French language. This book has printed 8 times due to its importance in the studies of Islam in Europe.
Is Gobineau investigating the issue of religions and philosophy or going to proselytize Babism and Baha’ism cult?
۲۵۰ pages of the book is about the moral and religious features of the Asia Muslim people, Islam in Iran and the messenger of Allah (P.H.) and the origin of Shiism and another 40 pages are about Sufism and philosophy. The rest of the book is posing Babism and Baha’ism. Edward Browne observes this book and is influenced. He enters into Iran and stays for some years in Tabriz city (Azerbayjan) and writes a book entitled “a year among the Iranian people”.
Edward Browne’s statements about his aim to travel to Iran is contradictory. In one place, he introduces himself as fond of Iranian people and comes to Iran to visit Shiraz (Fars) and in another place, he considers his trip to be influenced by Gubineau’s book?
Yes, those who worked on this issue and studied Browne’s writings know that he says in a place he has come to Iran to visit various regions and writes in another book he has come to Iran to continue Gobineau’s activities concerning Babism and Baha’ism.
In which book he has stated this sentence?
In his most famous book entitled “a year among the Iranian, he has said that he has travelled to Iran due to his personal interest in poem and poetry and Iranian people’s morality.
He has claimed for being impartial, but Muhammad Taqi Qazvini writes about Edward Browne’s works concerning Baha’ism: “Master Browne’s literary works concerning Bab’ism are following Gobineau’s researches. He has written 70-year events of this new religion since the emergence of this new religion in 1260 A.H. to nearly 1330 A.H. impartially for the world people and he opened a new chapter for the history. “It is obvious that Muhammad Taqi Qazvini believes in Baha’ism that the appreciates Edward Browne’s attempts.
The other translators and researchers have mentioned Brown in this form, too like Mojtaba Minawi?
Yes; in a place, Mojtaba Minawisays about Baha’ism: “After travelling to Iran, Browne has investigated for several years about the Iranian religious cults and has written several books and articles concerning Ismaeelieh, Horoufieh Sheikism and Babaism in addition to the books and articles he has written about subjects such as literary, historical and political issues of Iran. Qazvini and Minawi are of the literary men who are fend of Browne and his beliefs.
Of course, the name of Edward Browne is nowing prominent due to several books written by him concerning the history of Iranian literature. Hasn’t the translators played key roles?
Yes. In a series of books entitled the history of Iranian literature, Browne has started since the beginning of Islam to the contemporary era. Unfortunately, I haven’t compared the history of literature by Zabihullah Safa and Browne’s one. However, it seems Edward Browne has laid the foundation of the history via his book and he has tried and his book has caused Muhammad Taqi Qazvini or Mojtaba Minawi to be astonished by his work although they may not have any religious or sectarian tendencies.
In which issues, Edward Browne attacked the great scholar Majlesi’s beliefs?
During the great scholar Majlesi the extremists wanted to endanger Shia school by their deviant thoughts. So that, the great scholar Majlesi wrote a series of book about Shia beliefs in Persian language and stated the falsehood of Sufism beliefs presenting documents. The documents of the great scholar Majlesi were so strong that Edward Browne had continually criticized him. Late Anjawi Shirazi was against Edward Browne contrary to Muhammad Taqi Qazvini and Mojtaba Minawi.
Did late Anjawi Shirazi confront Browne directly?
Yes, late Anjawi Shirazi publishes an article in Negin magazine in 1354 and answers Edward Browne. Late Anjawi Shirazi writes in this article that Edward Browne is a so-called famous orientalist but people aren’t aware of his satanic interior. Anjawi Shirazi revealed Edward Browne’s attempts for preaching Baha’ism and his sectarian activities and articles.
