The Babi and Baha'i Religion — Page 23
THE B Ā B Ī AND BAH Ā ’ Ī RELIGION 23 in regard to open preaching and the abrogation of (earlier) sharias. " We learn from Al-K a w a kib that when he put forth the claim that he was the Mahdi long being awaited by the Muslims, a violent disturbance took place. 21 Condition in general of the followers of B a b With the exception of a few people, the early followers of B a b were rather narrow minded, ignorant, and prone to violent fanatical fervour. In Bah a ’ull a h k i Ta‘l i m a t , pages 12 and 13 we read: "Those who accepted the claim of Sayyid ‘Al i Muhammad came to be known as B a b i s. The history of these B a b i s makes extremely painful and pathetic reading, for most of them were illiterate, simple, credulous, and good at heart. In mosques and Imam B a r a s these people had from childhood listened to dissertations on the expected advent of the Innocent Imam Q a ’im, A l-e-Mu h ammad, Hadrat Mahdi as in words which stirred the heart to its depths. Now, if the B a b had not been imprisoned these people would have gone to him seeking to know and understand his teaching. But since this was not possible, on the whole they remained ignorant of his teaching of which fact there is ample proof in their actions. " 21 ibid page 397.