Gate of the Heart: Understanding the Writings of the Bab

In 1844 a charismatic young Persian merchant from Shiraz, known as the Bab, electrified the Shi’ih world by claiming to be the return of the Hidden Twelfth Imam of Islamic prophecy. But contrary to traditional expectations of apocalyptic holy war, the Bab maintained that the spiritual path was not one of force and coercion but love and compassion. The movement he founded was the precursor of the Baha’i faith, but until now the Bab’s own voluminous writings—complex, mystical, highly symbolic—have been seldom studied and often misunderstood. Gate of the Heart offers the first in-depth introduction to the writings of the Bab.Taking an interdisciplinary approach, the author examines the Bab’s major works in multifaceted context, explaining the unique theological system, mystical world view, and interpretive principles they embody as well as the rhetorical and symbolic uses of language through which the Bab radically transforms traditional concepts. Arguing that the Babi movement went far beyond an attempt at an Islamic Reformation, the author explores controversial issues and offers conclusions that will compel a re-evaluation of some prevalent assumptions about the Bab’s station, claims, and laws. Nader Saiedi’s meticulous and insightful analysis identifies the key themes, terms, and concepts that characterize each stage of the Bab’s writings, unlocking the code of the Bab’s mystical lexicon. Gate of the Heart is a subtle and profound textual study and an essential resource for anyone wishing to understand the theological foundations of the Baha’i religion and the Bab’s significance in religious history.