Bahaism the religion of the disciples of Baha’o’llah, an
outcome of Babism.—Mirza Husain Ali Nuri Baha’o’llah
was born at Teheran in 1817 A. D. From 1844 he was
one of the first adherents of the Bab, and devoted himself
to the pacific propagation of his doctrine in Persia. After
the death of the Bab he was, with the principal Babis, exiled
to Baghdad, and later to Constantinople and Adrianople,
under the surveillance of the Ottoman Government. It was
in the latter city that he openly declared his mission. He
was “He whom God would make manifest,” whom the Bab
had announced in his writings, the great Manifestation of
God, promised for the last days; and in his letters to the
principal Rulers of the States of Europe he invited them to
join him in establishing religion and universal peace. From
this time, the Babis who acknowledged him became Bahais.
The sultan then exiled him (1868 A. D.) to Acca in Palestine,
where he composed the greater part of his doctrinal
works, and where he died in 1892 A. D. (May 29). He had
confided to his son, Abbas Effendi Abdul-Baha, the
work of spreading the religion and continuing the connection
between the Bahais of all parts of the world. In point
of fact, there are Bahais everywhere, not only in Mohammedan
countries, but also in all the countries of Europe, as
well as in the United States, Canada, Japan, India, etc.
This is because Baha’o’llah has known how to transform
Babism into a universal religion, which is presented as the
fulfillment and completion of all the ancient faiths. The
Jews await the Messiah, the Christians the return of Christ,
the Moslem the Mahdi, the Buddhists the fifth Buddha,
the Zoroastrians Shah Bahram, the Hindoos the reincarnation
of Krishna, and the Atheists—a better social organization!
Baha’o’llah represents all these, and thus destroys the
rivalries and the enmities of the different religions; reconciles
them in their primitive purity, and frees them from the corruption
of dogmas and rites. For Bahaism has no clergy,
no religious ceremonial, no public prayers; its only dogma
is belief in God and in his Manifestations (Zoroaster, Moses,
Jesus, et al., Baha’o’llah). The principal works of Baha’o’llah
are the Kitab-ul-Ighan, the Kitab-ul-Akdas, the Kitab-ul-Ahd,
and numerous letters or tablets addressed to
sovereigns or to private individuals. Ritual holds no place
in the religion, which must be expressed in all the actions of
life, and accomplished in neighborly love. Every one must
have an occupation. The education of children is enjoined
and regulated. No one has the power to receive confession
of sins, or to give absolution. The priests of the existing
religions should renounce celibacy, and should preach by
their example, mingling in the life of the people. Monogamy
is universally recommended, etc. Questions not
treated of are left to the civil law of each country, and to
the decisions of the Bait-ul-Adl, or House of Justice, instituted
by Baha’o’llah. Respect toward the Head of the State
is a part of respect toward God. A universal language, and
the creation of tribunals of arbitration between nations, are
to suppress wars. “You are all leaves of the same tree, and
drops of the same sea,” Baha’o’llah has said. Briefly, it
is not so much a new religion as Religion renewed and unified,
which is directed today by Abdul-Baha.—(Nouveau
Larousse Illustre, supplement, p. 66.)
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