Gateways to the
Qayyum al-asma' of the Bab:
Some
introductory notes based on an examination of its Surah Titles.
Stephen Lambden (UC-Merced)
The
around 400 page
Arabic Qayyum al-asma' (mid. 1844 CE) of Sayyid `Ali Muhammad Shirazi, the
Bab (d. 1850 CE) is not an easy book to comprehend. It is a kind of
commentary on the qur'anic story of Joseph (Q. 12) but much more besides.
One way in which to approach this first major revelation of the Bab, is to
examine an aspect of its form and content through a study of its Surah or
chapter titles. These titles were listed by the Bab himself in his Kitab al-fihrist
(Book of the Index) and perhaps other writings. They form gateways to the
earliest thought of the Bab and provide keys for approaching major themes in
his earliest essentially eschatological proclamation.
While the around 6,200 verses of the Qur'an are divided up into 114 named
Surahs, the Qayyum al-asma' has a total of 111 Surahs. The names of the
suras in both these sacred books often derive from key words in the text of
the surahs so described or entitled. The surahs of the Qayyum al-asma'
mostly include `rewritten type' expository comments upon the successive 111
verses of the Surah of Joseph of the Qur'an (= Surah 12 containing 111
verses). Each of the 111 Surahs of the Qayyum al-asma' is around 3-5 pages
long having around 42 Arabic verses of varying length in rhyming prose (saj').
The total number of verses in the Qayyum al-asma' is thus around 4662 (= 111
x 42 ).
Around fifteen of the Qayyum al-asmā' (= QA) Surah titles (about
10%) are identical with those of the Qur'an; including the first Surat al-Mulk
(Surah of the Dominion = QA1 + Qur'an 67), the fifth Surat Yusuf (Joseph =
Q. 12) and the seventy fifth `Surat al-Shams' (The Surah of the Sun = Q.
91). Other clusters of Qayyum al-asmā' Surah titles theological such as
the Surat al-Tawhid (= the `Surah of the Divine Unity' = Q. 112) and the
Surat al- al-`Ama' (= the `Surah of the Divine Cloud', QA. 10). Some
are cosmological such as the Surat al-`Arsh (the `Surah of the Throne' = QA.
16) and the Surat al-ma' (The `Surah of the Watery Expanse', QA.22).
Deep allegorical, non-literal interpretations of the Qur'an and traditions
are frequently encountered in the writings of the Bab. This is true of his early Qayyum al-asmā'
or Tafsir Surat Yusuf (`Commentary on the Surah of Joseph', mid. 1844),
Kitāb al-Rūḥ (Book of the Spirit, c.1844-5) and other writings and letters,
which claim to express aspects of the ta'wīl (inner exegesis) or bāṭin (deeper)
senses of the Qur'an or indeed, of "everything" (kull shay').
In the Qayyum al-asmā' the figure of Joseph and his 11 brothers --
making up the twelve `tribes of Israel' -- are interpreted in imamological
and numerological terms when linked to the twelve letter kalimat al-tawḥīd
(la ilaha illa Allah = "There is no God but God"). This level of
interpretation is reflected in several Surah titles.
Several Surah titles of the Qayyum al-asma' are distinctly esoteric
reflecting Shaykhi perspectives and the Bab's interest in the `ulum al-ghayb
(the `Esoteric Sciences'). Surah 65 of the Qayyum al-asma' is entitled
Surat al-Ghayb (The `Surah of the Unseen'). Others
bear such elusive names as the Sūrat al-Iksīr (`The Surah of the
Elixir' = QA. 58), the Surat al-Tarbī` (= QA 64 + 94, `The Surah
of the Rectangular-Fourfold'); the Sūrat al-Bā' (= QA 83: `The Surah of the [Letter]
"B" (al-bā')' and Sūrat al-Tathlīth (= QA 95); `The Surah of the Threefold').
Alchemical, talismanic and other esoteric terminology is fairly common in
the writings of the Bab. While Shaykh Ahmad (d. 124X/ 1826) was widely
regarded as a master of the esoteric sciences by his awestruck successor
Sayyid Kazim Rashti (d. 1259/1843) and others, the Bab claimed to
communicate their deepest latter-day secrets. For him the `ulum al-ghayb
(`esoteric sciences') often pointed to his messianic purpose and
mission which is reflected in certain of the Surah titles of the Qayyum al-asma'.
At least seven of the Qayyum al-asmā' Surah titles are suggestive
of the Islamic esoteric sciences (`ulum al-ghayb). Perhaps 32 titles are
eschatological connotations (e.g. Hujjat, the Proof = 48) while around
14 are have suggestive legalistic titles (e.g. Surat al-Ahkam =
50+51+104-5). Six or more Surah titles include Shi`i-Shaykhi
Islamic terms such as the Surat al-`Ashura ('The Surah of the 10th [of
Muharram]'= QA.12) and the Surat al-Rukn (`The Surah of the Pillar'
QA. 55).
In this paper the
Surah titles of the Qayyum al-asma' will be listed, categorized and commented upon. It will be
evident that the Qayyum al-asma' is much more than a neo-Qur'anic text
or a new Babi Qur'an. As the Bab explicitly states, it provides a deep, batin
(inner) dimension to Islamic sacred scripture. Through subtle yet bold, often rewritten exegesis of the Qur'an, it opens up the reader to a
new era in the understanding the Qur'an consonant with the imminent advent of
the messianic Imam, the expected Qa'im. For Baha'is this first major
work of the Bab also includes cryptic predictions of the Baha'i
revelation in the person of the eschatological Imam Husayn, returned as
Baha'u'llah.
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