Introducing a Series of Essays on the Báb

The Baha’i Writings tell us that the religions of the world, and the revelations that formed them, represent in reality a single Faith- “the changeless Faith of God”- as Baha’u’llah referred to it.  This Faith unfolds over time as humanity’s capacity, social and spiritual, evolves.  If we look at the revelations of the past, we can see this clearly.  When Jesus came into the world, the “Faith of God”, as embodied in the Jewish priestly structure, had become too legalistic, too focused on the world and needed a “course correction”.  Jesus provided that by reminding everyone that the heart of the Faith of God was love, love for God, love for one’s neighbor, and selfless acts of devotion.  At the time of Muhammad, 600 years later, humanity was ready for a further broadening of its religious vision, and Muhammad provided that by revealing a more universal religion that was formed by an All-Compassionate and All-Merciful God.  Verses in Quran also offered a “course correction” to the various revelations of the past, which had become too exclusive and did not see themselves as One Religion- the religion of “submission”, or “Islam”, to use the Arabic term.

At the time of the Báb, religion was at an impasse and the “changeless Faith of God” was being clouded by ignorant superstition and sectarianism.  At the same time, humanity had woken up intellectually, and was beginning the process of spreading knowledge around the globe.  Religion came under a critical microscope, and many of the perspectives of the past now seemed obsolete. 

The Báb’s revelation is distinctive because of the degree of “explanation” that it contains, about the inner nature of religion. The Báb’s main work- “The Bayan”- meant “The Exposition”, and so much of it is devoted to explaining religious and theological principles in preparation for the Revelation of Baha’u’llah.  He did that within Persian Islamic society and used the terminology and ideas familiar to those people, and also cloaked His ideas within a heavily symbolic structure, but it is not difficult to see the principles He outlines in abstract terms that apply to religion generally.  We will explore those ideas in several short essays in preparation for the Bicentenary celebration of His birthday on Oct 29^th and 30^th. 

After the Báb prepared the way, Baha’u’llah issued a “course correction” to the Faith of God, revealing a new chapter in its unfoldment, now more fitting to the modern world.  This can most significantly be seen in Baha’u’llah’s teaching of the oneness of humanity and the unity of the human race:

Through each and every one of the verses which the Pen of the Most High hath revealed, the doors of love and unity have been unlocked and flung open to the face of men. We have erewhile declared—and Our Word is the truth—: “Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship.” Whatsoever hath led the children of men to shun one another, and hath caused dissensions and divisions amongst them, hath, through the revelation of these words, been nullified and abolished. From the heaven of God’s Will, and for the purpose of ennobling the world of being and of elevating the minds and souls of men, hath been sent down that which is the most effective instrument for the education of the whole human race. The highest essence and most perfect expression of whatsoever the peoples of old have either said or written hath, through this most potent Revelation, been sent down from the heaven of the Will of the All-Possessing, the Ever-Abiding God. Of old it hath been revealed: “Love of one’s country is an element of the Faith of God.” The Tongue of Grandeur hath, however, in the day of His manifestation proclaimed: “It is not his to boast who loveth his country, but it is his who loveth the world.” Through the power released by these exalted words He hath lent a fresh impulse, and set a new direction, to the birds of men’s hearts, and hath obliterated every trace of restriction and limitation from God’s holy Book.”

The purpose of Baha’u’llah’s Revelation has been to broaden our vision, broader than it ever has been and see the world in its most glorious reality- as a reflection of the attributes of God- in each person, each drop of water, even each particle of dust.   Most of the “prep work” for the concepts Baha’u’llah would reveal were done by the Báb, and therefore it is to the concepts He revealed that we will turn in this short series of essays.