(part 1 of 2): Origin and History
One of the groups that are associated with Islam and attract the attention of many in the West because of their appealing, albeit difficult to understand, principles of peace and the unity of mankind is as Baha’ism known. In truth, Baha’ism is a sect that, according to Islam, due to its various teachings that contradict the Quran and the Sunnah, does not belong to Islam, as becomes clear after a basic analysis of its teachings.
origin
The Baha’i movement developed from a millennial sect in front of it called Babis, also in Iran, which emerged in a time of millennial expectations, because the year 1844 marked the 1000th anniversary of the disappearance of the twelfth Imam, the Shia worshiped. Therefore, it can be seen as an extension of the Imamiyya branch of the Shi’a, the majority of today’s Shi’asects and the state religion of Iran. This sect or cult was founded by a Sayyid ‚Ali Muhammad Shirazi (1819-50) who was called Bab or „Tor.“ He deserved this designation because his followers regarded him as the „gate of the hidden imam“, although they later saw him as the „gate to God“, the hidden imam (leader) himself, from whom they expected
Shirazi was arrested in 1845 and then executed in 1850 because of the brutal revolts staged by his fanatical followers and the movement was brutally persecuted by authority. Before he died, he prophesied that a Messiah figure would soon come and be called „the one God is supposed to consolidate“. One of Shirazi’s followers, who had gone into exile during the persecution, was Mirza Husayn ‚Ali Nuri, and in 1864 he claimed to be the prophet Shirazi had announced. Most babies were either killed, started following Nuri (later known as Bahai’s), or simply converted to other religions. Those who remained Babis followed their then leader, Subh-i Azal, and their sacred book, the Bayan (Annunciation). Today there are perhaps only a few hundred Azalis left around Iran.
history
Mirza Husayn Ali Nuri was a young man who converted to the teachings of the Bab. In 1852, he was jailed in Tehran during the first wave of persecution against the Babis for their plan to kill the Shah, Nasiruddin Shah, from Iran. After his release in January 1853, he went to Baghdad, where he became the head of the Babi community there. In 1863 he proclaimed himself to be the Messiah the Bab had announced. His influence was such that the Ottoman authorities decided to move him from Baghdad to Istanbul and from there to Edirne (in Turkey). Those who followed him became known as Baha’is, while those who rejected him remained babis. In 1868 Nuri and numerous followers were exiled to Acre in Palestine, where he was imprisoned in a castle in Acre for nine years.
After the death of Baha’ullah, the movement was led by his eldest son, ‚Abbas Effendi (1844-1921), who acquired the title‘ Abd al-Baha („Servant of the Glory of God“). After a while in prison under the Ottoman Turks, he made three missionary trips: to Egypt (1910), to Europe (1911) and to the United States and Europe (1912-1913). In lectures to numerous listeners, he expanded Bahaism in these parts of the world and systematized his father’s teachings. ‚Abbas Effendi was followed by his grandson Shoghi Effendi (1897-1957), who used his energies to consolidate the Bahai communities in Europe and North America. Under his leadership, the Bahaha community was organized using a system based on local and national assemblies. When he died in 1957 He left no heirs and the organization of the movement was put in the hands of a body known as the Council of Hands of the Cause. In 1962, the International House of Justice was founded with Haifa as their headquarters. This body is re-elected every five years. Nowadays there are Bahai communities in most countries in the world. It is estimated that there are three to four million Bahais worldwide.
The largest Bahai community is in India with approximately one million members. In Iran, the Bahais remain the largest minority group with around 300,000 followers.
Symbols
Bahais believe that the greatest name of God is Baha (glory, splendor). The name is used by Bahais when speaking to each other and is often found on rings or wall hangings. A second expression, Ya Baha’ul –- Abha (O you the glory of the glorious) is represented in the form of calligraphy. The number 9 is believed to have important mystical properties and is sometimes used as a motif for decoration. The place of worship of the Baha’i is called mashriq al-adhkar in Arabic (meaning „place where the pronouncement of the name of God begins at dusk“). The Mashriq is a nine-sided building, in line with the mystical properties with the number ´9´.
Footnotes:
[1] (http://philtar.ucsm.ac.uk/encyclopedia/islam/shia/babi.html)
(part 2 of 2): His Doctrine
As previously mentioned, the Baha’is follow the teachings of Mirza Husayn Ali Nuri (1817-1892), whose title is Baha’ullah (‚The Magnificence of God‘). Unlike the Muslims who believe that Prophet Muhammad was the last prophet of God for humanity, Baha’ullah claimed to be the prophet that Sayid Ali Muhammad Shirazi, the founder of the Babi movement, had announced. Baha’ullah contradicted the Muslim belief that Abraham, Moses and Jesus were prophets and not divine. Instead, he taught that God had manifested himself in many forms, such as Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, the Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, the ‚Bab‘ and Baha’ullah himself. Baha’ullah, however, is not the final and decisive manifestation of God . Other prophets will come, but not 1,000 years ago.
This belief contradicts the most basic aspect of Islam: the difference between creation and creator. Islam firmly believes that God is separate and different from His creation, and that He never, or never will, become man. The prophets He sent were complete human beings, but were chosen to convey His message to humanity. Acts of worship may only be dedicated to God and not to any created being. The next most important belief is the belief that Muhammad was the last and final prophet sent to all of humanity and that the message of Islam is the last message of God and that no one else will come until the day of judgment. These two principles form the basis and foundation of the Islamic faith, the first pillar of Islam; one that clearly contradicts the Baha’i belief.
There are no reception rites, priesthood or sacraments in the Baha’i religion. However, the Baha’is have certain duties and they have to pray every day (although their prayer is different from that which Muslims do); they are also obliged to meet for a celebration on the first day of each Baha’i month; to fast from sunrise to sunset in the month of ´Ala (while Muslims fast the month of Ramadhan); Avoid drugs or alcohol; Avoid membership in political parties and honor special holy days such as the birth of Baha’ullah and the martyrdom of the ‚Bab‘. Emphasis is placed on proclaiming human unity and absolute equality between men and women, and the Baha’is claim to be working to build a world government,
The Quran is the only sacred text of Islam, but the Bahaís also treat the Baha’ullah scriptures as sacred. The main scriptures are: The Most Holy Book, The Book of Security, The Hidden Words, The Seven Valleys and The Letter to the Son of the Wolf.
Baha’ullah Claims Baha’ullah
claimed to be God. Some of his statements follow:
„There is no god but Me, the honored, the wise.“ [1]
„Take what the old hand gives you.“ [2]
„There is no God but Me, the keeper of security , the leader. Certainly, we sent the prophets and revealed the books. ”[3]
“ The God of Eternity is in prison. ”[4]
“ Everything but me was created by my command. ”[5]
„I am the Greatest Branch (Abdul-Baha) without a partner.“ [6]
„We Baha’is are sure of eternal beauty.“ [7]
„Certainly, I am God. There is no true God except Me, the Lord of all things. Everything but Me is my creation, that is, my creatures, serves Me. ”[8]
The Twelve Principles
The Baha’i are proud of the Twelve Principles or twelve teachings that they proclaim. The Baha’is speakers focus on these principles, which they consider to be the best that can be found in any religion. Seven of the twelve revolve around unity. They are:
unity in the political field.
Unity in worldly affairs.
Unity in freedom.
Unity in religion.
Unity in the nation.
Unity in the tongue.
Unity in descent.
Nevertheless, the history and doctrine of the Baha’is contradict these principles. The Baha’is killed Mohammad Ibrahim by throwing him into the Tigris River because he did not believe in calling the Baha’ullah. [9] They tried to murder Nasiruddin Shah, the king of Iran. Baha’ullah killed and looted one hundred and thirty people in just one night. [10] Baha’ullah abused his brother Subhe Azal and Abdul-Baha did worse to his brother Mohammad Ali. Ironically, there are at least two main groups among the baha’is themselves that are in the hair – the third generation of baha’is and the orthodox baha’is. After all, the Baha’is have not yet officially announced the alphabet of the new language that they have introduced for every person in the world.
Intolerant teachings
There are numerous intolerant ideas from the cult of the Babis before them, which are preached by the Baha’is and which have no basis in Islam.
“Babies! God has imposed the war on you! Take cities and take prisoners for babies! ”[11]
“ Leave none of those on earth who do not believe in the Bayan. ”[12]
“ Take away the possessions of those who do not believe in the Bayan. ”[11] 13]
“O you who reject Bab! Even if you bathe 1000 times a day, you will remain unclean. ”[14]
“ Everything that comes from the possession of the non-Babis into the possession of the Babis will be clean for them. ”[15]
In summary, the Baha’is differ from Muslims in most fundamental Islamic beliefs and practices. Their leaders have made extraordinary claims about divinity, as have other religious cults. Even though they seem to preach peace and unity, their history is marked by violence. Their history and original teachings also contradict their concept of world peace and gender equality.
Footnotes:
[1] Kitabe Aqdas, p. 42
[2] Kitabe Aqdas, p. 96
[3] Kitabe Aqdas, p. 58
[4] Iqtedarat p. 36
[5] Kitabe Mobeen
[6] Behjatus Sudoor
[7] Behjatus Sudoor p. 217
[8] Tajalliyate Baha, Tajalli 4
[9] The Book of Haji Maftoon, S. 23
[10] Nuktatul Qaf, S. 161
[11] Bayan Kapitel 1
[12] Bayan Kapitel 1
[13] Bayan Arabisch Kapitel 5
[14] Bayan Kapitel 2
[15] Kapitel 4
Source: https://www.islamland.com/deu/articles/bahaismus