NOTE N.
THE BÁB'S CLAIM TO BE THE IMÁM
MAHDÍ.
The Báb's original claim
was, as has been already explained in Note D, that he was the 'Gate' whereby men
could communicate with the Ká'im, Imám-Mahdí, or Twelfth Imám. At a later
period of his mission, however, he declared himself to be none other than the
Imám himself, and, as has been set forth in the previous Note (p. 288
supra), it was this claim which he boldly advanced before his inquisitors
at Tabríz. The advancement of this claim certainly marks a very important point
in the development of the Báb's doctrine, but as Gobineau (p. 159) very
acutely
[page 291]
observes in speaking of Mullá Huseyn's
announcement thereof to Minúchihr Khán, "il faut dire ici, pour prévenir toute
erreur, qu'en assimilant le Bâb au douzičme Imam, le missionnaire cherchait ŕ se
faire comprendre de la foule et ŕ gagner ses sympathies, absolument comme saint
Paul lorsqu'il révélait aux Athéniens que le Dieu qu'il leur annonait était ce
Dieu inconnu auquel ils avaient déjŕ élevé un autel. C'était des deux parts une
faon de parler, et on verra plus tard qu'il n'y a aucun rapport entre l'idée
que les Bâbys se font du Point, et ce que les musulmans pensent au sujet
de l'Imam Mehdy."
From the present history
(pp. 20 and 24) it would appear that this new claim was publicly advanced by the
Báb for the first time during his examination before the 'Ulamá of Tabríz at the
end of A.D. 1847 or the beginning of A.D. 1848. The following passage in the
Táríkh-i-Jadíd affords corroborative evidence of
this:-
[nine lines of Persian/Arabic
text]
"After His Highness
[the Báb] had removed to the
[page 292]
Castle of Chihrík, his companions and
friends, notwithstanding the rigorous prohibition of the late Hájí [Mírzá
Ákásí], still continued to hold intercourse with him in a
cautious manner, and a number of persons in that neighbourhood attained the
dignity of belief and were converted. And so long as Yahyá Khán held the
office of governor he used to observe the utmost respect towards His Highness
[the Báb]. And His Highness [the Báb], having
regard to the exigencies of the time, the requirements of expediency and
caution, and the capacity of men, [first] made himself known as
the Ká'im in Chihrík; though some believe that [he did
so] during the latter part of the period of his sojourn at
Mákú."
In the Persian Beyán (of which the
greater part, if not the whole, was composed at Mákú) I have found two passages
wherein the Báb identifies himself more or less clearly with the Imám Mahdí. The
first of these passages occurs in Váhid viii, ch. 17, and
runs as follows:-
[seven lines of Persian/Arabic text,
with seven footnotes]
[page 293]
[ten lines of Persian/Arabic
text, with fifteen footnotes]
"As thou hast heard, at the manifestation of the
Nukta-i-Furkán [i.e. Muhammad, who was
in his time the 'Point of Revelation'] all those who were believers in
the Gospel were expecting the promised Ahmad,1
and thou hast
16 In
Muhammadan tradition Christ is said to have foretold the coming of
Muhammad in the words ~~~ "One shall come after me whose name is
Ahmad". This tra-[footnote goes onto page
294a]dition is based on the prophecies relating to the coming of the
Paracletos [in Greek text], for which word the Muhammadans
would substitute Periclutos [in Greek text], whereof the
signification is nearly the same as Ahmad or Muhammad. (See Ibn
Hishám's Life of Muhammad, ed. Wüstenfeld, pp. 149-150.)
[page 294]
heard what befel that Sun of Truth during the
twenty-three years of his mission, so that he said, 'No prophet hath been
afflicted as I have been afflicted.' Yet all were entreating and craving his
appearance, and, in the words of Jesus, working for him. Praise be to God that
in that day thou wast not! But thou wast in the manifestation of the
Nukta-i-Beyán [i.e. the Báb, the 'Point of
Revelation'] when all believers in the Apostle of God were expecting the
appearance of the promised Mahdí; for this tradition is from the Apostle of God,
and all, simple and gentle, are agreed therein. Now there is no doubt that the
substance of Faith was confined to the Shi'ites, and that the sect of Islám is
this same outward sect whereof the adherents call themselves Shi'ites; while men
avowedly call Fárs the 'Abode of Knowledge':1 Yet,
although the Tree of Truth arose, not one of the people recognized it
[even] after perceiving it. The degree of their remoteness is
evident, for this sufficeth unto their abasement; yet night and day they exclaim
'speed! speed!'2
The second passage occurs in Váhid ix ch. 3, and runs as
follows:-
[three lines of Persian/Arabic text, with
three footnotes]
1 The official title of Shíráz is ~~~ "The Abode of
Knowledge".
2 The Shi'ites, whenever
they mention the Imám Mahdí, add the formula ~~~ "May God hasten his
joy!"
[page 295]
[eight lines of Persian/Arabic
text, with nine footnotes]
"Consider with due attention, for the matter is very strait, even while it is
more spacious than the heavens and the earth and what is between them. For
instance, if all those who were expecting [the fulfilment] of the
saying of Jesus had been assured of the manifestation of Ahmad
[i.e. Muhammad], not one would have turned aside from the
saying of Jesus. So likewise in the manifestation of the
Nukta-i-Beyán [i.e. the Báb] if all should
be assured that this is that same Mahdí [whose coming was]
promised, whom the Apostle of God foretold, not one of the believers in the
Kur'án would have turned aside from the saying of the Apostle of God. So
likewise in the manifestation of Him whom God shall manifest behold the same
thing, for should all be assured that he is that same 'He whom God shall
manifest' whom the Nukta-i-Beyán foretold, not one would
turn aside."
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