Lesson 1: The Beginning Of The Bahai Faith
The discussion here will begin with the early history of the Faith. It begins with the Bab, which stands for "the Gate". His mission was to tell the people, in His land of Persia, that the Promised One was coming.
We will discuss what exactly the Bab was talking about, who His followers were, and what the outcome was from His proclaiming this message.
For a better understanding of this section, please pick up your copy of The Bahai Faith: The Emerging Global Religion and read the chapters detailing the beginning history of the faith.
The 12th Imam
For thousands of years a sect of the Islamic believers, known as the Shi'ihs, believed that the 12th Imam, a direct descendent of Muhammad would return to them. He had mysteriously disappeared 1,000 years earlier. As a child, he went into an underground passage to hide. The Shi'ihs believed that he was still alive, and would eventually return in the same body that he had disappeared in. When he returned, he would overthrow the infidels and begin an age of blessedness. In the 1800's, a group of learned Islamic believers broke from the Shi'ihs and began their own search. They became known as the Shaykhis, after their leader Shaykh Ahmad. Through their interpretation of the Quran, they believed that the 12th Imam would return in the immediate future. They also broke away from the fundamentalist traditions of their faith, and interpreted the Quran in a different manner. This interpretation was based around the resurrection of the 12th Imam as well as the Last Judgment. They knew the 12th Imam that they were waiting for as the Qaim, or “He Who Arises“.
Shaykh Ahmad traveled for several years around his land in Persia. In each place he stopped, he tried to change the face of his religion. He believed that it had been corrupted and because of this, the Qaim would be coming soon. He was able to tell his followers, in each place that he stopped, what to look for in the return of the 12th Imam. They all knew that he would call himself by the title of the Qaim. They were told that he would return between the years of sixty and sixty-seven. (1844-1850). He also told them that the place where the Qaim would return was around the area of a Mosque in Fars. The city beside it was Shiraz, Iran. They were also told that when he returned, it would be to begin another prophecy.
The 12th Imam was not going to renew religion alone; rather there would be a twin prophecy, one right after the other. For forty years, from the age of 40 to 80, Shaykh Ahmad interpreted the Quran and built up a group of people whom would begin looking for the Qaim.
"Every fleeting hour should be fully and wisely utilized. You should gird up the loin of endeavor and strive day and night to rend asunder, by the grace of God and by the hand of wisdom and loving-kindness, those veils of heedlessness that have blinded the eyes of men. For verily I say, the Hour is drawing nigh, the Hour I have besought God to spare me from witnessing, for the earthquake of the Last Hour will be tremendous. You should pray to God to be spared the overpowering trials of that Day, for none of us is capable of withstanding its sweeping force. Others, of greater endurance and power, have been destined to bear this stupendous weight, men whose hearts are sanctified from all earthly things, and whose strength is reinforced by the potency of His power." (Shaykh Ahmad)After Shaykh Ahmad's death, Siyyid Kazim led his believers. This was one of Shaykh's most devoted followers. He not only safeguarded the interpretations that Shaykh Ahmad made from the Quran, but also led the followers to the idea that they must begin searching. He gave them specific tasks, sent them to the place where the 12th Imam was to come, prayed, and fasted with them as they waited for the return of their 12th Imam.
>"Then will be unfolded in all its glory the 'Mystery' and the 'Secret' spoken of by Shaykh Ahmad.... To have attained unto that Day of Days is to have attained unto the crowning glory of past generations, and one goodly deed performed in that age is equal to the pious worship of countless centuries." (Shaykh Ahmad; Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 97)
