I didn't say the early Babis were Muslims. I said they had Shi`ah
*expectations*. Everyone now recognizes that the Babi Faith is an
independent religion, different from the Baha'i Faith and different from
Islam. But this is now. Back then, the early Babis had a different
self-perception and self-understanding. That's what matters and it's not
pointless. They observed the fast during Ramadan, performed the Islamic
salAt five times daily, etc., etc. They believed that the Prophet
Muhammad was the Messenger of God, that `Ali, Hasan, Husayn, etc., etc.
were the Prohet's successors, that the Bab and Babis performed the hajj
pilgrimage to K`abah in Mecca, etc., etc. Shi`ah and Shaykhi thoughy was
pre-eminent in their minds. They thought of the the Bab as the Shi`ah
QA'im Mahdi who would fill the world with justice and with the reign of
Islam with His sword, etc., etc. These are all Shi`ah things. Most of
the early Babis believed in taqiyyah, just like the Shi`ah. Etc., etc.,
etc.
We are talking about what the self-perception of the early Babis was at
that time. Now, keep repeating to me that they misunderstood. As if it
will change their self-conception some 150+ years later.
It is simply astounding that the Bab was able to contain the zealots,
while He Himslef was being very heavily and viciously peresecuted,
incarcerated, barred from freely and directly communicating with people,
and finally martyred while completely innocent, and His supporters &
followers mercilessly persecuted, harrassed, initimated, and killed.
Iskandar
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