The Babi and Baha'i Religion — Page 42
THE B Ā B Ī AND BAH Ā ’ Ī RELIGION 42 altogether and start a new religion,’ he dissembled before the Government of the country, pretended to, be a Shia, and obtained a passport to go abroad on the plea that he desired to visit the sacred places of the Shias in Iraq. In any case he reached Iraq in Muharram, 1269 Hijra. Opposition from S ub h -e-Azal. Another reason why Bah a ’ull a h decided to leave Iran was most probably the presence in the country of Mirz a Ya h y a , S ub h -e-Azal, who had been installed in the position of leader of the movement by the B a b himself some time before he was executed. He may have thought that in Baghdad he would be in a position to work more freely, in view of the difficul- ties his rival might create for him in case he stayed in Iran and tried to work from a base in that country. It appears, however, that Mirz a Ya h y a , too, was fully aware of the surcharged atmosphere in Iran. Nor does he seem to have failed to perceive that by installing himself in Iraq his rival had managed to secure greater freedom. He, therefore, himself managed to move into Iraq and settle in Baghdad, as Bah a ’ull a h had done 53. 53 B a bul H ay a t , page 56.