Customer Reviews

Resurrection and Renewal: The Making of the Babi Movement in Iran, 1844-1850

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A controversial book, Amanat's Resurrection and Renewal is by far the best critical, historical account of the early Babi movement up to 1850. The study avoids the usual pitfalls of enagaging in the excessive pietism and platitudes associated with the Baha'i apologetic and hagiographical sources as well as the largely biased and polemical rhetoric and diatribe used by Babism's orthodox Muslim detractors against it. By doing so the author finds a happy medium that is objective as well as being sympatheic. A must read for any serious student of nineteenth century Iranian history and post-Islamic movements.

"Resurrection and Renewal" by Abbas Amanat is the historical account par excellence of the emergence of the Babi movement in nineteenth-century Iran; not merely as the "forerunner" of yet another patriarchal religion, nor as simply a minor "heraldic intermission" before the so-called "total divine manifestation" of Mirza Husayn Ali, but as a distinctive and independent religious movement in its own right.

The Bab was the first self-proclaimed Manifestation to recognize, honor, and name the feminine nature of God: "I am the Maid of Heaven begotten by the Spirit of Baha." The chapter on Tahira (Qurrat al-'Ayn) makes this explicit: Tahira claimed to be the "Point of Knowledge" (nuqtat'ul-'ilm), and was validated by the Bab in her claim. This supports the thesis that she was then to be considered the Bab's spiritual twin: Because of his hostility to Mulla Hasan Gauhar, Mulla Ali Kirmani canvassed the succession of Karim Khan with the help of a tract that he forged in the name and style of Sayyid Kazim Rashti. In this tract Karim Khan was praised in the highest terms; he is described as the one who is aware of the "Point of Knowledge" which, in the context of the search for the "secret gate," is a clear and unambiguous reference to the station claimed by both the Bab and Tahira. This gives the lie to the notion that the title "Point of Knowledge" is not synonymous with the station of the Bab and, by extension, Tahira, whom the Bab praises as "the proof for all" (hujja ala al-kull), whose instructions are binding for all believers. The Bab told the believers to follow Tahira after his death: Subh-i Azal and Mirza Husayn Ali started their own religious movements in opposition to his edict out of political expediency, rather than inspired revelation. Patriarchal spins no longer hold weight as historical research exposes the truth, once suppressed but now reawakened.

As a modern follower of Tahira, "Resurrection and Renewal" has my highest recommendation. This book, along with Starr Saffa's "Tahirih Thealogy," is essential reading for students of religion, minorities, and social change. Ya Tahira!