example of a celebrated Bahai,[358] Maskin Kalam, who was agent for Baha
to watch over and spy upon Azal and the Azalis in Cyprus. His wife was
in Persia; he simply took another in Cyprus.
The ease with which desertion may be practiced under Bahai law is seen
in the conduct of Doctor Kheiralla, one of the first apostles of Bahaism
to America, and founder of the Chicago Assembly. Dr. H. H. Jessup wrote:
"A cousin of Doctor Kheiralla, who is clerk in the American Press in
Beirut, gave me the following statement: 'Doctor Kheiralla, after the
death of his first wife in Egypt, in 1882, married first a Coptic widow
in El Fayum, whom he abandoned, and then married a Greek girl, whom he
also abandoned, and who was still living in 1897 in Cairo. He then
married an English wife, who abandoned him when his matrimonial
relations became known to her.'"[359]
According to the claims of Bahais these loose and imperfect divorce and
marriage laws are to be accepted and administered universally under the
future kingdom of Baha in its world-wide triumph!
It may be remarked in passing that Bahaism encourages the mixture of
races by marriage. Already several American Bahais have married Persian
women, and Persian men American women. One American Bahai woman has
married a Japanese. Abdul Baha illustrates the relation of the races by
a reference to animals. "Consider the kingdom of the animals. A pigeon
of white plumage would not shun one of black or brown." In a tablet sent
to America, he directs: "Gather together these two races, black and
white, into one assembly and put such love into their hearts that they
shall even _intermarry_."[360] Again he says:[361] "The coloured people
must attend all the unity meetings. There must be no distinctions. All
are equal. If you have any influence to get the races to intermarry, it
will be very valuable. Such unions will beget very strong and beautiful
children." Mr. Gregory, an American negro, followed this advice by
marrying an English woman, Miss L. A. M. Mathew.
IV. _The social position of women under Bahaism._ Professor Browne says:
"Their (the Bahais) efforts to improve the social position of women have
been much exaggerated."[362] It may be added that the success of their
efforts has been small. It is plain that the Bab recognized the
deplorable condition of women under Islam and desired to improve it. His
laws gave woman some liberties. She was permitted to put off the veil.
The Bab interpreted the prohibition of the Koran to mean that "only the
wives of the prophet had received the order to hide the face,"[363] so
"he relieved believers from the painful restraint of the veil." Women
might appear in society, hold conversation with men,[364] and go to the
mosques at night. Baha renewed these rules of the Bab. Still he seems to
have some distrust, for the "Kitab-ul-Akdas" says that "men are
forbidden to enter any man's house without his permission or in his
absence." Thus Bahai precepts tend in some degree to the liberation of
woman, though they fall much behind high Christian ideals and customs.
There is observable a wide-spread and influential movement among Moslems
for the amelioration of the condition of woman. This movement does not
have its source and inspiration in, nor is it peculiar to nor confined
to Bahaism. On the contrary, an oriental writer in a review of this
remarkable tendency says: "Its birth in Moslem lands undoubtedly is due
to the impact of the Occident upon the Orient, the missionary influence
playing a large part in it."[365] The new Moslems of India, under the
leadership of Justice Sayid Ali, as well as the Young Turks, Egyptians
and others, advocate freedom and education for women and have gone much
beyond the Bahais in practice. The Turkish women in Constantinople, who
aided in the establishment of the constitution and are aspiring to
enlarged liberty under its aegis, know Bahaism, if at all, simply as a
Persian heretical sect. The Persian women, described so graphically by
Mr. Shuster in "The Strangling of Persia,"[366] who formed clubs and
took such an active and heroic part in the constitutional agitation,
were not Bahai women. The Bahai women, as well as the men, were
forbidden by Abdul Baha to take part in the struggle for constitutional
liberty.[367] Professor Browne laments the lack of patriotism shown in
their conduct. Still the Bahais deserve some credit for the movement for
the uplift of Persian womanhood. They might have done much more,
notwithstanding the limitations to their liberty of action, had they
followed out the first ideals of the Bab. These were exemplified in the
celebrated Kurrat-ul-Ayn. This beautiful woman of genius--poet, scholar
and theologian, was a pupil at Kerbela, of Haji Kazim, the chief of the
Sheikhis. On his death she accepted the Bab, so that though a product of
the Sheikhi sect, her fame accrues to the honour of the Babis. At
Kerbela, she gave lectures on theology to the people from behind a
curtain, and at times, borne away by her enthusiasm and eloquence, would
allow her veil to slip off in the presence of men. Her preaching and
freedom of conduct was objected to even by Babis, but the Bab answered
them, commending her and giving her the title of Janab-i-Tahira, "Her
Excellency the Pure," and made her one of his nineteen "Letters of the
Living," or apostles. She is said to have claimed to be a
remanifestation of Fatima, the daughter of Mohammed. The Turkish
government at Bagdad began prosecution against her. She returned to
Persia and taught Babism even from the pulpit, at Kasvin, and also by
means of poetry. What were the social results of her breaking through
the restrictions of Islam? Her husband was Mullah Mohammed of Kasvin,
who was opposed to the Bab. On account of this she refused to live with
him. "In reply to all proposals of reconciliation, she answered: 'He, in
that he rejects God's religion is unclean, while I am 'Pure'; between us
there can be nothing in common.' So she refused to be reconciled to her
husband,"[368] and regarded herself as divorced.[369] Afterwards "she
set out secretly to join herself to Hazret-i-Kuddus (Lord, the Most
Holy)," that is, Mullah Mohammed Ali of Barfurush. Together they
attended, with Baha Ullah also, the celebrated conference at Badasht, at
which "the abrogation of the laws of the previous dispensation was
announced." There a sermon was preached by Hazret-i-Kuddus, which, says
Professor Browne, lends some colour to the accusation that the Babis
advocated communism and community of wives."[370] This learned
investigator further says: "The extraordinary proceedings at Badasht
seem to have scandalized not only the Mohammedans but even a section of
the Babis."[371] Mirza Jani, their first historian and a martyr, avers
that not all "have understood the secret of what passed between
Hazret-i-Kuddus and Kurrat-ul-Ayn at Badasht, and their real nature and
what they meant."[372] The Mohammedan historians openly accuse them of
immorality. The Sheikh of Kum, a Bahai, told Professor Browne, "After
the Bab had declared the law of Islam abrogated and before he had
promulgated new ordinances, there ensued a period of transition which we
call _fitrat_ (the interval), during which all things were lawful. So
long as this continued, Kurrat-ul-Ayn may very possibly have consorted,
for example, with Hazret-i-Kuddus, as though he had been her
husband."[373]
It may be that the scandals that followed Kurrat-ul-Ayn's venture into
public life and her tragic death in the cruel reprisals that followed
the attempt of several Babis to assassinate the Shah, gave a backset to
the efforts to liberate women in Persia. Certain it is that during the
sixty years succeeding she has had no imitator or successor. Bahai women
have continued to wear the veil and have remained secluded from the
society of men, not only in Persia but at Acca, the headquarters of
Bahaism. The force of the new faith was not strong enough to free the
women. Rather they have compromised with their environment. Only in the
Caucasus and Trans-Caspia under Russian protection, have they partly
unveiled. Not even their women of the second and third generation have
been trained to act up to their precepts, but in Acca, as in Persia,
they are secluded from the society of even brethren in the faith. They
are more backward than some other sects and races of Moslems. I have
been entertained in the households of Kurds and Ali Allahis and have
dined and conversed with the host and his wife. I have, of course,
conversed with the families of Christian converts from Islam, but the
wife of a Bahai has never been introduced to me, even though I have
known the husband intimately and visited him in his home a score of
times in the course of as many years. In a few instances I have heard of
Bahai women, in company of their husbands, receiving gentleman visitors,
but these wives had resided in Russia. An Osmanli official, at times,
receives and makes visits in company with his wife.[374] But the ladies
of the household of Baha Ullah and Abdul Baha at Acca do not receive
gentlemen as visitors even when they are faithful and honoured American
believers. Mr. Myron Phelps, when preparing materials for his "Life of
Abbas Effendi," spent a month at Acca. He wished to embody in his book
the interesting narrative of Bahiah Khanum, the sister of Abbas. She,
though more than half a century had passed over her head, did not grant
him personal interviews.[375] Instead she told her narrative in
installments day by day to Madame Canavarro, who then came out and
repeated what she had heard to Mr. Phelps, who recorded it. He says:
"Social custom prevented me from meeting this lady," and again, "Social
custom prevented me from meeting the women."[376]
Now that the way is opened by the Revolution and by the
Constitutionalists (who were not Bahais), liberal-minded men of all
sects in Persia, Sufis, Sheikhis, Arifs, and even Mutasharis, as well as
Bahais, are showing considerable zeal for the elevation of women, and
for female education.
V. What does Bahaism teach as to the _political equality of man and
woman_? The future Bahai State and community is to be under the
administration of Boards--called Houses of Justice, local, national, and
universal. These are to be "divine agents," "representatives of God."
They are to have absolute authority and to be infallible in their
decisions. They will adjudicate questions of property, tithes,
inheritance, divorce, and of war and peace. They will have charge of
schools and of wives, children and servants as well as of religion. The
number of members in each Board is to be at least nine, "according to
the number of Baha."[377] The members are to be all _men_. No women are
to be admitted to these Boards or "Houses of Justice." This law
evidently did not suit the notion of some of the American Bahai sisters,
so they made bold to inquire about it. The "Infallible Interpreter,"
Abdul Baha, laid down the law plainly--which cannot be altered for 1,000
years at least. "From a _spiritual_ point of view, there is no
difference between women and men. The House of Justice, however,
according to the positive commandments of the Doctrine of God, has been
specialized to the _men_ for a specific reason or exercise of wisdom on
the part of God."[378] "As to you other maid-servants, give up your will
and choose that of God." "The maid-servants of the merciful should not
interfere with the affairs which have regard to the Board of
Consultation, or House of Justice."[379]
To sum up, it has been demonstrated that Bahaism does not, by its laws,
give woman equality with the man, either in the family or the state,
either as to domestic rights or political rights; that in the matter of
education it has not tried to give equal opportunities to girls; that it
conforms to the social life of its environment without transforming it;
that the claims of Abdul Baha before his audiences in Europe and America
were without foundation, disproved both by the teaching and by the
practice by Baha Ullah.
FOOTNOTES:
[314] _S. W._ (Bahai), Dec. 12, 1913, p. 254.
[315] _S. W._ (Bahai), March 21, 1913, p. 5.
[316] Tablet of Tarazat.
[317] Tablet of Tajalliyat.
[318] Ishrakat.
[319] _Bahai News_, Aug. 20, 1911.
[320] Mr. Remey writes: "In most places the work is carried on by the
women almost entirely. There is an absence of many men.... Men are most
in need of being reached.... To-day I had a letter from a good
maid-servant, saying that the only man in _her_ assembly had refused to
come to meetings, because he was the only man present. I mention this
because it is typical of most assemblies in America.... In most places
the men are doing but little." (_Bahai News_, Aug. 20, 1910, p. 3).
[321] "Tablet of Ishrakat," p. 36.
[322] Phelps, pp. 110, 229.
[323] Afterwards withdrawn from Tabriz.
[324] "Principles of the Bahai Movement," p. 16.
[325] Mirza Abul Fazl's "Bahai Proofs," p. 105.
[326] _Ibid._, pp. 95-96.
[327] Phelps, _Ibid._, pp. 86-87.
[328] Phelps, _Ibid._, p. 85.
[329] _Ibid._, pp. 88-90.
[330] See also Professor Browne in the _Jour. Roy. As. Soc._, 1892.
[331] "Life of Abbas Effendi," p. 139.
[332] "New Hist.," pp. 374-375.
[333] "Trav.'s Narr.," p. 384.
[334] "New Hist.," p. 415.
[335] Phelps, p. 73.
[336] "New Hist.," p. xxiii; "Trav.'s Narr.," p. 361. Compare "A Year
Among the Persians."
[337] Phelps, p. 79.
[338] "Baha Ullah," by Kheiralla, pp. 491-492.
[339] "The Bahai Movement," by C. M. Remey, p. 24.
[340] Phelps, p. 139.
[341] "Trav.'s Narr.," p. 361.
[342] "New Hist.," p. 273, Note 2.
[343] "Tablets of Abdul Baha," Vol. I, pp. 209, 218.
[344] "New Hist.," p. 415 and Note 1.
[345] "Tablets," Vol. I, p. 107.
[346] "Trav.'s Narr.," p. 84.
[347] "Facts for Behaists," p. 59.
[348] _The Family of Baha Ullah (1817-1892)_
First wife, named Nawab, or Aseyeh, entitled Veraka-ulya, "the Supreme
Leaf," married at Teheran, 1251 A. H., _i. e._, 1835 A. D.
Her children, (1) Aga Mirza Sadik, born at Teheran, died at 4 years. (2)
Abbas Effendi, born at Teheran, 1841. (3) Bahiah Khanum, born at
Teheran, 1844. N. B.: Some reverse the order of (2) and (3). (4) Ali
Mohammed, born at Teheran, died at 7 years. (5) Aga Mahdi, born at
Teheran, died at Acca, 1871. (6) Ali Mohammed, born at Bagdad, died at 2
years.
Companion wife, Ayesha, title Mahd Ulya, "the Supreme Cradle," married
A. H. 1266, 1850 A. D.
Her children, (1) Mohammed Ali, born at Bagdad, 1854. (2) Samadiah,
Bagdad, 1857, died Acca, 1904. (3) Ali Mohammed, Bagdad, died at 2
years. (4) Saz-Habbieh, Bagdad, died Constantinople. (5) Zia Ullah,
Adrianople, 1867, Haifa, 1898. (6) Badi Ullah, Adrianople.
Concubine, a sister of Mirza Mahdi Kashani, taken at Bagdad.
Her child, (1) One daughter, born 1873, at Acca, name Shuruk.
The wives and concubine of Baha Ullah all survived him.
[349] Phelps, p. 139.
[350] "New Hist.," pp. 160-162, 164.
[351] "Life of Abbas Effendi," p. 92.
[352] Phelps, p. 94.
[353] Phelps, p. 105.
[354] A Chicago Bahai told me that Baha took several wives, that his
experience of the evils of polygamy, the quarrels of his wives and
children might be a warning to us not to follow his example!
[355] See Professor Browne's Introduction to Mirza Jani's "History."
Also Abul Fazl's "Bahai Proofs," pp. 113-119, and Kheiralla's "Facts for
Behaists."
[356] _Jour. Roy. As. Soc._, 1892.
[357] "The wife is still in a helpless state; her fate remains entirely
in the power of her husband's caprice "(Vatralsky in _Amer. Jour. of
Theology_, 1902, p. 72).
[358] "Trav.'s Narr.," pp. 378-379.
[359] _Outlook_, of New York, quoted in _The Missionary Review_,
October, 1901, p. 773.
[360] "A Heavenly Vista," by L. G. Gregory, p. 31.
[361] Page 15.
[362] "Encyc. Britt.," article, "Babism."
[363] Dreyfus, _Ibid._, p. 128.
[364] But if they limit themselves to twenty-eight words, it was better
for them, says the "Bayan."
[365] _American Rev. of Rev._, 1912, p. 719.
[366] Pages 191-198.
[367] "Observations of a Bahai Traveller," by Remey, pp. 53, 67; also
Dreyfus, _Ibid._, p. 172.
[368] "New Hist.," pp. 274, 441.
[369] Her spirit of intolerance is condemned by Professor Browne.
[370] "New Hist.," p. 357.
[371] Mirza Jani's "History," Introduction, p. xlii.
[372] "New Hist.," p. 365.
[373] "A Year Among the Persians," p. 523.
[374] "Mohammedan young men will no longer consent to marry girls they
have not seen, but now in Beirut visit them and drive out with them on
the public highways with the mothers as chaperones" (Jessup's
"Fifty-three Years in Syria," p. 640).
[375] Phelps, p. xxxix.
[376] _Ibid._, p. 109; Chase, "In Galilee," p. 63; Goodall, "Daily
Lessons," p. 19. Abdul Baha did not break through oriental custom nor
serve the lady guests before himself. The lady pilgrim writes, "The
first day at lunch, after Baha had partaken of the honey, he passed it
to us" ("Daily Lessons," p. 16). Like the ordinary Moslem he was well
pleased to sit down to eat with the foreign ladies but never arranged
that the American Bahai men should sit down to meals with his ladies.
Mr. C. M. Remey tells, in "Observations of a Bahai Traveller," of
meeting Persian Bahai women but rarely in Persia (pp. 75-76). In Kasvin,
in the garden of Kurrat-ul-Ayn, one woman partly raised her veil and
gave him a greeting of welcome. In Teheran a lady, unveiled, and her
husband entertained the Bahais. The husband and wife received the twenty
men in one room and the wife received the dozen women in another room.
They were separated by a curtain, through which Sprague and Remey spoke,
telling of the liberty of women in the West. The lady of the house used
her best persuasion to induce the other women to mix with the men.
Finally "the women arose and drawing aside their veils with one accord
entered the room. The men made place for the ladies by retreating to the
other side of the room, while the newcomers found seats. When the women
had arisen to the situation, they were quite equal to it. Then it was
the men who were ill at ease. In fact their embarrassment was
contagious, for even I began to be uneasy and scarcely dared to take a
look at the faces opposite. Sherbets and other refreshments were served
and chanting continued. Bit by bit the men gained their ease, but, as
their embarrassment passed, the women seemed to lose courage. Little by
little the veils were drawn over their faces. Then one moved as if to
leave, where upon all arose and like a flock of affrighted birds
fluttered from the room." This incident shows how little change has been
affected in the social habits of Bahai women in sixty years after
Kurrat-ul-Ayn.
[377] B = 2, a = 1, h = 5, a = 1, total 9 in Persian Abjad counting.
[378] "Tablets of Abdul Baha," Vol. I, p. 50.
[379] _Ibid._, p. 27.
VIII
Its Record as to Morals
The Bahais are ignorant of the dogmas of Babism and of its history and
its book. The "Traveller's Narrative," a work of Abbas Effendi, is a
bad romance, composed solely for the purpose of proving that the Bab
is simply a precursor and announcer of Baha Ullah. With extreme bias,
he misconceives in every instance the true history, and the author has
not even searched, as I have, in the immense works of the Bab for the
autobiographical notes which are so plentiful. He is satisfied with
the legends which fall in best with the end he is pursuing. It is
regrettable that a man like Abbas Effendi should show himself ignorant
of the life of the Bab.--_"Beyan Persan," A. L. M. Nicolas, Vol. I, p.
xvi._
To represent him (the Bab) as simply the forerunner of Baha is an
historic falsehood. It is another to pretend that the religion of the
Bab was universalized by Baha Ullah.--_Ibid., Vol. III, p. v._
The Bab did not consider himself as the herald or forerunner of
another dispensation, as a John the Baptist to Christ. This is devoid
of historic foundation. In his own eyes as in those of his followers,
M. Ali Mohammed inaugurated a new prophetic cycle and brought a new
revelation which abrogated the Koran. He declared that he is not the
last Manifestation. There would be a greater, whom he calls "Him whom
God would manifest," but the Bab expected that the next manifestation
would be separated from his own by an interval such as had separated
previous dispensations. Possibly the "Bayan" indicates 1511 or 2001
years as the interval.--_Professor Browne, "Introduction to Mirza
Jani's History."_
The moral conduct of the founders of a religion, especially one that
requires trust in the person of its author, is a necessary subject of
investigation. The conduct of the immediate followers is not to the same
degree a subject of criticism. From one point of view it is no argument
against the truth of Bahaism that Bahais fail to live up to its precepts
and principles, for this can be said of all religions. But the claims of
Bahai writers make it necessary to consider their conduct. They boast of
superior exemplary character and make this a proof of Bahaism. Hence it
is necessary to show the groundlessness of their assertions. In the
following review, which covers several chapters, the conduct of Baha,
Abdul Baha and their early followers is treated together. The claim made
for the founders is nothing short of blessed perfection. For the
disciples, it is one of superlative excellence. Myron Phelps says:[380]
"This faith does not expend itself on beautiful and unfruitful theories,
but has a vital and effective power to mould life towards the very
highest ideals of human character--as exemplified in the life of Abbas
and the salient characteristics of his followers." The Bahai historians
say:[381] "They are remarkable only for their charity, kindliness,
purity, godliness, rectitude, sincerity, integrity, generosity, chastity
and strict avoidance of all forbidden things." "In their conduct,
action, morality and demeanour was no place for objection.... People
have confidence in their trustworthiness, faithfulness and godliness."
Abul Fazl[382] speaks of the supernatural character and morals of the
followers of Baha, who became universally celebrated for their just
characters, good conduct and excellent morals. So Remey:[383] "The
effect of this cause upon the lives of the peoples of every race and
religion leaves no doubt as to the divine source of its teachings."
Mirza Jani, speaking of the proofs the Babis gave to the Moslems,
says:[384] "We say, 'We have witnessed miracles on the part of this
man.' They retort, 'He is a sorcerer.' We say, 'Come, let us invoke
God's curse on whomsoever is in error, leaving to Him the decision.'
They reply, 'This is not permitted by our law.' We say, 'Let us kindle a
fire and enter into the midst together.' They answer, 'You are mad.' We
further say, 'Consider the godliness, piety and self-renunciation of
those who believe.' They return us no answer." I propose to return the
answer.
1. One characteristic of the Bahai leaders is _dishonesty in dealing
with their history_. This sometimes takes the form of the suppression
and concealment of documents, sometimes of the omission or perversion of
essential facts or their presentation in such a way as to falsify
history. In the writing of political history and in scheming for the
triumph of a political party, we may expect crookedness in dealing with
facts, but in the propagating of a new religion designed to supersede
Christianity and Islam, and purporting to be an improvement on them, we
do not expect to find dishonesty and misrepresentation. Yet this is
exactly what we find, namely, "a readiness to ignore or suppress facts,
writings or views (undoubtedly historical), which they regard as useless
or hurtful to their aims."[385]