The Babi and Baha'i Religion — Page 55
THE B Ā B Ī AND BAH Ā ’ Ī RELIGION 55 the Bah a ’ i s observe the sharia embodied in this book does not even appear to arise, for how can anyone observe a sharia who never in his life catches even a passing glimpse of the book in which it is embodied. Most members of the Bah a ’ i movement would appear to have joined it merely on hearsay. And when a reasonable person comes to think of the matter, there appears to be no earthly reason why the Bah a ’ i s should behave in such an extraordinary manner in regard to a book which they believe is the crowning glory of their faith, and the salvation of mankind. This question was raised before the Bah a ’ i s in Egypt and Palestine by missionaries of the Ahmadiyyah movement on many occasions; but each time it was met with a stony silence, or transparent evasion, pure and simple. Prohibiting the Bah a ’ i s from publishing the Aqdas , or from making it public in any other way, the foremost leader of the movement after Bah a ’ull a h, his own son Abdul Bah a , writes: "If Aqdas is published, it would spread and fall into the hands of mean and hostile people. Therefore it is not permissi- ble that it should be printed. Some irreligious and shaky people like M i rz a Mahdi Beig succeeded in getting a copy into their hands, and this has been published. But since this book has been published in journals of the mulhid i n (heretics), the people in general have been able to form some idea of the