The element of Jihad in Babi and the government wars and fighting after 1848:
Although many admired and praised Jihad and warlordism in the book “Qayyoum Al-Asma’; after the unsuccessful military measure in 1845 in Karbala, it became obvious very soon for Bab and the Babi leaders in provinces and other regions that they were weak psychologically concerning numbers after Baby’s detention.
Between 1844 to 1848 A.D., no event and phenomenon regarding Babis harassment happened seriously. Meanwhile, the Babis didn’t start any direct measure; too. Although, as we will see, tension among Babis was gradually creating and many Babis made themselves ready actively, mentally and physically to fight. At that time, Bab ordered his fans and followers to confront against opponents via Mubahala, invoking mutual curse before God.
This behavior was usual in Shia culture and Seyyed Kazem Rashti had used it, too. According to him Mubahala, was the mere valid way to prove reality![1] In the book Qayyoumul Asma’, it is claimed that Imam orders Bab to challenge the disbelievers and polytheists if an action became hand for him.[2]
The first registered case of challenge in Babis’ plan is the time when Mullah Ali Bastami, Bab’s representative entered into Iraq in Fall 1844 A.D. According to a document, Bab had ordered him to hold a gathering and invite religious leaders of Karbala to call them for Mubahaha (invoking mutual curse before God). Bab himself invited two Sheiki scholars of Karbala for mutual cursing before God during Mecca trip.[3]
In 1846; in Isfahan city, Bab invited religious leaders of the city to curse each other before God in Arafeh day, but they rejected and didn’t answer back.
It is probable that when Bab asked a clergyman from Qazvin to visit him and thought of the issue of holding mutual cursing before God when Bab was residing in Siyah Deyhan village in 1847 A.D. Even, when Bab asked Muhammad Shah to hold a meeting for him and the first clergyman of the country in 1848 A.D., he meant a mutual cursing before God to be held.
Bab was encouraging his followers to use this method against the opponents who were more powerful than them mentally and in cases of number.
He himself points out the mutual cursing before God which was happened nearly 1845 A.D. between Mullah Muhammad Mahdi Khouee and Mullah Abdul Ali Harati concerning Bab’s legitimacy. Harati was one of the first ex-Babis.[4]
In 1846 A.D.; after Bab’s order, Tahireh Qoratul Ein (one of the prominent fans of Bab and of Hayy letters) invited religious scholars and divine leaders to a meeting in Karbala and asked them to bring verses which are similar to Bab’s or accept challenging with mutual cursing before God.
Although such meeting wasn’t held, but he insisted on holding such meeting and eventually in 1847 A.D., he wrote a letter to the leaders of Shias and added when he was residing in Bagdad: “If you aren’t convinced with the presented reasons, I will invite you for mutual cursing before God.”[۵]
The corroboration of violent, combative and subversive measures of the Babis:
The Babis themselves were explicitly posing claims in their letters and ceremonies and were threatening those who didn’t accept their invitations and messages with physical violence:
In this regard; for instance, Mullah Muhammed Ali Qazvini, one the main leaders of Babism and of Hayy letters and of Qorratul Ein’s relatives (probably her sister’s husband) wrote a letter to his father that if he doesn’t grant Bab’s invitation, he will cut his head like dog’s head.
Babis advertisements and position sometimes caused quarrels and physical collisions with Babi proselytizers.
Mullah Ali Bastami, Bab’s envoy to Iraq was opposed by one of the followers of the prominent scholar Sheikh Muhammad Hassan Najafi. He was arrested by people in charge of Karbala. Then, he was tried in Bagdad and eventually he was dispatched to Istanbul. Then, he was tried to work in pier there.[6]
Mullah Muhammad Sadegh Khorasani, Mullah Muhammad Ali Barforoushi and Mullah Ali Akbar Ardestani caused one of mosques of Shiraz city to be intrigued in 1345. They detained, punished and dismissed by the ruler of the city pursued by some clergymen.[7]
In 1847 A.D., Mullah Jalil Urumchi, one of Hayy letters who was proselytizing in Qazvin secretly for several years transferred to Mullah Muhammad Taghi Baraghani’s house by an ordinary person and was imprisoned there.[8]
Qorratul Ein was detained in Karbala in 1846, too in order for her speeches which were intriguing to be prevented.
In Kermanshah, Qorratul Ein and her companions were threatened and dismissed from the city by a group which had been organized by the local military commander although the local governor paid attention to her.
Consequently; during mutual cursing before God course, limited collisions happened between Babis and non-Babis whose occasions and severity were increasing. Although before1847 A.D. nobody was killed, but the people who involved in conflicts increased.
While the primary violence was against Babi experienced and active agents and elements need “in legal limits” by the local people in charge, but the process was in such a way that violence was guided by democratic groups and religious leaders more and were executed by local official less.
The armed Babis:
Meanwhile; in various parts of the country, a group of Babis prepared themselves to an inevitable Jihad. You know most primary Babis possessed and carried weapons. The Arabic and Persian Babis who were escorting Qorratul Ein in 1847 A.D. from Bagdad to Iran were all armed and those Babis who remained in Qazvin with him were armed, too.
When Bab stopped in Makou prison Course Siyahdehan village; Mullah Muhammad Ali Zanjani (Hojjat) sent a group of armed Babis from Zanjan to save him. Other Babi groups joined them from Qazvin and Tehran.[9]
In 1848 A.D.; in Mashhad, when a 72-people group of the Babis saved a Babi young man – who had been imprisoned ordered by the military commander of the city all of them were ready to fight with everybody who opposed them (including lawful forces and order maintainers).[10]
More importantly; in Qazvin, Agha Muhammad Hadi Farhadi, a member from a rich Babi merchant family had run a workshop in the basement of his house where he produced sword. He was producing weapon for himself and other Babis to participate at war and Jihad accompanied by Bab.[11]
The leadership of religious foundation of Qazvin city was Mullah Muhammad Taghi Baragani, one of Qorratul Ein’s paternal uncles who was in charge of intriguing to excommunicate Sheikh Ahmad Elsaee (the founder of Sheikism school) and made a speech in the mosque against the Babis.
Eventually; on Zolqadeh 15, 1265 A.H./ October 25, 1847 A.D., a 3- Babi group including Agha Muhammad Hadi Farhadi attacked Mullah Muhammad Taghi Baraghani in the mosque at dawn when he was praying and killed him.”[12]
In the gathering of some Baha’i leaders on July 1848 A.D. in Badasht village (Shahroud) Mazandaran, Qorratul Ein announced “the occurrence of the day of judgment” to 80 Babis who had participated there.[13] Mullah Muhammad Ali Barforoushi was present there who later on too over the leadership of the Babi’s in Sheikh Tabarsi fort.
In Babi resources, there are explicit expressions in which war and fighting of the Babis against local people and forces are considered as Jihad! Babian who were prevented to enter into Barforoush city by the residents of the city started to fight against them and succeeded to Kill 150 enemies.[14]
The massacre of ordinary people by the Babis in Tabarsi fort war:
All over Meymiyeh Zavareh history, the Babis have been described as those who entered into war and Jihad, while Mullah Hussein Barforoushi was encouraging them to Jihad aiming cleansing the earth out of sedition filth.”[۱۵] The governmental troops were always described as infidel, hypocrite and polytheist enemies or they were also described as demonic and evil forces an army of demons.
Although Lotf Ali Mirza uses the word Jihad less, but he narrates an interesting speech from Mullah Hussein Boshrouyee: “Now, we mean two matters: One Jihad and the other is defense.
Everybody who leaves is infidel.[16] Boforoushi also promises: Either martyrdom or victory is waiting for us.”[۱۷]
The massacre of people by Babis in Tabarsi fort indicated that the Babis were unrivaled in violence and brutality. Not only they killed the military personnel, but also they killed ordinary people.
After Babis’ riot failure in Sheikh Tabarsi fort on May, 1849 A.D., the Babis ran two great wars against Iranian Muslims.
The Babis riot in Yazd and Neyriz and violating the national sovereignty:
Yard and Neyriz riot and war happened in 1850 A.D. headed by Seyyed Yahya Darabi (vahid).
Conclusion:
According to the central government and local officials, the Babis are openly rioters who were going to overthrow religious, political and social systems of the country. In these wars and fighting done by the Babis, the role of Babi Jihad has been practically vague.
The ideal and desirable Jihad as presented in Bab’s books like Tabarsi fort, Zanjan and Neyriz ended in failure.
The important question is that regarding this fact that Bahaism is the continuation of Babism teachings, does it believe in continuation of killing, massacre and savagery of Bab?
The historical investigation of Bahaism function daring Qajar periods of time and tyrannical Pahlavi regimes reveal that Bahaism savagery and massacre aren’t less than Babism. The presence in anti-Constitutionalist movement and executing famous scholars, helping the occupier regime of Palestine since its establishment till now with each kind of savagery, killing, genocide, involving in executing revolutionary elements such as martyr Tayyeb in 1340s, helping irreligious and anti-Islam Reza Khan gain power, being present in most restlessness after the Islamic Revolution in Iran like 1388 S.H. sedition and 1404 S.H. semi-coup.
Source: Bahaishenasi, No. 10.
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[۱] Dalayel Al-Motahayyerin (Bija, 1276), p. 72.
[۲] Qayyumaul Asma’, footnote b6-a7
[۳] Ali Muhammad Shirazi, Beinul Haramein book, Cambridge university library, Browne’s notes, f 7.
[۴] The mentioned letter in Mazandaran, Zohour Al-Haghgh, p. 274.
[۵] Abbas Effendi, Tazkaratul Vafa, Haifa, 1924, p. 297.
[۶] Mojan Momen, Babi and Baha’i rituals, pp.83-90.
[۷] Zarandi, Mataleul Anwar, pp. 144-148.
[۸] Samandar history, p. 352.
[۹] Zarandi, Mataleul Anwar, p. 235.
[۱۰] Syeyyed Muhammad Hussein Zawwarei, Meimeh events, Cambridge university library, Browne, handwritings, f 28, item 1, p.7.
[۱۱] Mazandarani, Zohourul Haghgh, p.374.
[۱۲] Samandar history, p. 356 and Mirza Muhammad Soleyman Tonekaboni, The scholars’ stories, p.57.
[۱۳] Zarandi, Mataleul Anwar, pp. 288-300.
[۱۴] Events, pp. 28-29.
[۱۵] Martyrdom assembly, p. 102.
[۱۶] The history of Lotf Ali Mirza, p. 102.
[۱۷] Ibid, p. 102.
