And it Came to Pass

And it Came to Pass: the Bāb and the fulfilment of Shī`ī lslamic messianism.

         Stephen Lambden (University of Ohio)

        The Bāb fixed very, very precisely, to the exact minute, the time of the onset of the New age and non-literally understood “Day of Resurrection” (yawm al-qiyāma). According to Persian Bayān the “Day of God” commenced on the evening of May 22nd 1844 CE, two hours and eleven minutes after sunset on the evening of that day when the Bāb announced his mission before Mullā Ḥusayn Bushrū’ī. This took place 1,000 years after the disappearance of the 12th Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi and alleged son Ḥasan al-Askarī, the 11th Imam of the Twelver Shī`īs. The year was 1,260 AH or during the Gregorian year 1844. In this paper the nature and interpretation of certain traditions attributed to the Prophet and the Imams which the Bāb and his followers cited in proof of the truth of their claims will be examined. It will be shown that, among other things, traditions were cited in proof of the name, age, appearance, habits, nationality, travels, revelations and martyrdom of the Bāb. The Arabic texts will be shared and given their exact textual source as well as fully translated into English.

        The following text is an example of such a prediction contained in the Kitāb al-Ghayba (Book of the Occultation”) of Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Ja`far al-Nu`mānī (d. 360/970) and from the Biḥār al-anwār (Oceans of Lights) of Muhamad Bāqir Majlisī (d. 1111/1699-1700), centering on Mecca and the future role of the messianic Qā’im. It is a ḥadīth (tradition) relayed from the fifth Imam Muhammad al-Bāqir (d. c.126/743):

… until a Herald from heaven (munād min al-samā’) cries out. So when he cries out then quickly hasten along [to join him]. By God! It is as if I perceive him (al-Qā'im) [in Mecca] between the pillar [corner of the Ka`ba] (al-rukn) and the [nearby] locale [“station” of Abraham] (al-maqām). He will spread out his arms in initiating a new Cause (amr jadīd), [offering] a new book (kitāb jadīd), and [instituting] a new sovereign rule from heaven (sulṭān jadīd min al-samā’). His eternal banner (rāyat abadā ^an) will be not be layed down until [the time of] his death” (Nu`mānī, K-Ghayba, 2003: 363; Majlisi, Bihar, 2^nd ed. vol. 52: 235, 293).

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