Babism, Baha'is, Baha'u'llah
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Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Ian Richard Netton, Babism, Baha'is, Baha'u'llah, London: Curzon Press, 1992, bahai-library.com.
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Babism, Bahá'ís, Baha'u'llah

Ian Richard Netton
published in A Popular Dictionary of Islam pp. 48-50

London: Curzon Press, 1992

[page 48]

Azrael See 'Izra'il.

Baba, Baba (Turk./Pers.) Father. The word became popular as
a surname among some Sufi (q.v.) preachers, and shaykhs of such
orders as the famous syncretic sufi order of Bektasbiyya (q.v.).
In the latter the head of a tekke (q.v.) bore the title of baba. The
best known of all babas in secular ussge was 'AIi Baba in One Thousand and One Nights. The main difference between Turkish
and Persian usage of the word was thst in Turkey the word
followed a person's name but in Persia it came before. (See
Shaykh.)

Babism Movement named after the Bab (literally 'Door') (i.e.
to the Hidden Imam), a title assumed by Mirza 'Ali Muhammad
(1235/1819-1266/1850) of Shiraz (q.v.) in 1260/1844, who was
finally executed for his beliefs. The Babi sect later gave rise to the
Bahá'ís (q.v.). (See Imam; Muhammad al-Qa'im.)

Babur (888/1483-937/1530) Warrior ruler who founded the
Mughal dynasty in India. His full name was Zahir al-Din
Muhammad Babur. He ruled from 932/1526 until 937/1530.
Babur was directly descended from the famous Tunur-i Lang
(q.v.) on his father's side, and from Cingiz Khan (=Genghis
Khan) on his mother's. It was left to Babur's eldest son
Humsyun (q.v.) to consolidate Babur's initial victories in
Hindustan. Babur was aided in his conquests by the use of
muskets and a rudimentary mortar. (See Mughals.)

al-Badawi, al-Sayyid Ahmad (c. 596/1199-1200-675/1276)
Famous Egyptian Muslim saint. Born in Fez (q.v.), he made the
pilgrimage to Mecca (q.v.) as a child. Later he visited Iraq but
returned to Tanla in Egypt where he lived an ascetic life and died.
Al-Badawi achieved the very high sufi (q.v.) rank of al-Qutb
(q.v.), 'The Pole'. Many miracles are ascribed to him and his
tomb in the mosque at Tanla receives many pilgrims. The Sufi
order of the Ahmadiyya, which is called after him, is immensely

[page 49]

popular in Egypt. The Mawlid (q.v.) of al-Sayyid Ahmad al-Badawi
is celebrated every year in Tanla with much festivity,
ceremony and procession. The dhikr (q.v.) is performed on the
roofs of houses and many infants and young boys are circumcised
during the mawlid. This is perhaps the most famous of all the
mawlids to take place in Egypt and is of great antiquity. (See
Ahmadiyya (2); Khitan; Tasawwuf.)

Badawiyya See Ahmadiyya (2); al-Badawi, al-Sayyid
Ahmad.

Badr, Battle of The first major battle fought between
Muhammad supported by the Medinans, and the Meccans in 2/624 at Badr, to the South-West of Medina (q.v.). The Meccan
forces, commanded by Abu Jahl (q.v.), were defeated and about
seventy Meccans, with Abu Jahl among them, were killed. The
Qur'an indicates that angels fought on Muhammad's side at the
Battle of Badr (see w.9, 12 of Siirat al-Anfal (q.v.)). The
Muslim success in the battle gave immense prestige to the infant
Islamic community in Medina and dealt a major blow to the pride
of the Meccans.

Baghdad Major city in the Middle East, and capital of modern
Iraq from 1339 40/1921. It was founded in 145/762 near the
River Tigris by the 'Abbasid caliph al-Mansur under the name
Madinat al-Salam meaning 'City of Peace'. The city became the
centre of the 'Abbasid caliphate until 656/1258 and was also
occupied for substantial periods by the Buyids (q.v.) and the
Saljuqs (q.v.) during this time. Baghdad was sacked by the
Mongols (q.v.) in 656/1258 but later achieved some prominence
again in the pre-modern period under the Ottomans (q.v.) in the
11th/17th century. Baghdad was heavily bombed in the 1991 Gulf
War. (See 'Abbasids; Harun al-Rashid; Kazimayn.)

Bahá'ís Members of new religion, deriving from Babism
(q.v.), founded by Baha'ullah [Bahá'u'lláh] (q.v.), and propagated by the

[page 50]

latter's son 'Abd al-Baha' ['Abdu'l-Bahá]. Bahá'ís believe in an utterly
transcendent God who has, none the less, manifested Himself
through a continuing chain of prophets who include many of the
great figures familiar to aderents of the three major monotheistic
religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The Bab and
Baha'ullah also have prophetic rank. The Bahá'ís believe that all
the religions which have prophets possess an intrinsic truth.
Because the Bahá'ís, technically speaking, are an offshoot of an
offshoot of an offshoot of the Ithna 'Asharis (q.v.) they have
often been regarded as gravely heretical Muslims, and
sometimes subjected to persecution and execution.

Baha'ullah (1233/1817-1309/1892) Founder of the Bahá'ís
(q.v.). Born into an aristocratic family in Tehran, he became an
early disciple of the Bab, though he never actually met him.
While in prison in Tehran he underwent a profound mystical
experience. In 1279/1863 Baha'ullah announced himself as 'The
Man whom God shall reveal', in fulfilment of a prophecy by the
Bab; and later he openly announced his mission in Edirne. He is
buried in Haifa in Israel. (See Babism.)

Bahira Name of a Christian monk and hermit encountered by
Muhammad while on a trading expedition to Syria with his uncle
Abu Talib (q.v.); Muhammad at the time was aged about twelve.
Bahira recognized the seal of prophethood on Muhammad and he
forecast great things for the Prophet.

al-Balad (Ar.) The title of the 90th sura of the Qur'an; the
name here most likely means 'The City' (i.e. the city of Mecca
(q.v.)) or possibly just 'The Land'. The word al-balad from
which the sura derives its name occurs in both the 1st and 2nd
verses. The sura belongs to the Meccan period and has 20 verses.
The sura underlines the idea that man has been born to a life of
hardship and that he has a choice, either to follow the difficult
path of charity and generosity or, in his arrogance and disbelief,
forget his fellow man. The sura ends with a warning about Hell-fire. (See al-Nar.)

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-- Babism, Baha'is, Baha'u'llah (Used by permission of the curator)