Bayani
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bayani, meaning "of the Bayán", also often known as Azalis, are followers of the Báb. Bayanis believe that Siyyid `Ali Muhammad, known as the Báb, was a Manifestation of God and who claimed that position in 1848. Bayanis believe that earlier, from 1844 to 1848, he had progressively claimed the titles of Remembrance (dhikr), then Proof (hujjah), then the promised Qa'im or Mahdi and Báb'u'lláh (gate of God). The primary book of the Báb is called the Bayán, but in his writings this appears to refer to the collective corpus of his works as well rather than just two specific works by that name.[citation needed]
The Báb's followers were originally called Bábís. In the 1860s a split in the leadership caused those that followed Bahá'u'lláh to be called Bahá'ís, and those that followed Subh-i-Azal to be called Bábís, Bayanis, or popularly Azalis. Bahá'u'lláh made a claim to be the messianic Bábí figure, He whom God shall make manifest. Bahá'í texts indicate that Subh-i-Azal made the same claim.[1] This is denied by modern Bayanis.
Britannica Concise states that: "Now located almost exclusively in Iran, the Azalis probably number no more than a few thousand." [2] The Encyclopedia of the Orient states that: "The actual number of Babis is very small: their geography is now limited to Uzbekistan." [1]
Contents |
[edit] Recent developments
There was some dispute on the question of who was Subh-i-Azal's appointed successor.[3] According to Bahá'í texts, one of these, his son, renounced his faith and become a Bahá'í, and another publicly recanted his faith in the Báb.[4] After his death the Bayani community seems to have stabilized on mostly families and kin related to Subh-i-Azal or prominent early believers who had stayed in the fold and not converted to the Bahá'í Faith. However, in early 2005 a new website was launched claiming to represent the Bayani community at Bayanic.com.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 167
- ^ Azali. Britannica Concise. Retrieved on 2006-10-14.
- ^ Browne, Materials for the Study of the Bábí Religion, pp. 312-314
- ^ Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 233 & Momen, The Cyprus Exiles, pp. 99
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- The Religion of Bayan A website of the Bayani community.
