Human Being in the Writings of the Báb

One of the most astonishing expressions of the Báb’s view of human beings is found in His Interpretation of the Occultation Prayer (Sharḥ-i-Du‘á’-i-Ghaybat). According to Shí’ahs, the sixth Imám had written a short prayer called the occultation prayer. Shí’ahs are encouraged to recite this prayer so that the return of the 12 th Imám would be hastened. But the Báb interprets this prayer in an entirely new way. According to Shí’ah Muslims, when the 12 th Imám was a child he went into occultation. The time of occultation is the time of injustice and tyranny. When tyranny has reached its maximum, the Imám will return and fill the world with justice. But in the interpretation of the Báb, the occultation and return of the Imám are not specific historical events. Rather, they are references to the general definition of the human situation. Therefore, the occultation and return of the 12 th Imám has happened and will happen billions of times in the lives of various people. The Báb says that when God created humans, He created them perfect. Humans in their truth are reflections of divine attributes and absolutely good. This truth of humans as made by God is presented as the birth and childhood of the 12 th Imám. But then humans, living in a material world, become preoccupied with material and selfish attachments, and therefore they forget their spiritual truth. This estrangement from our spiritual truth is symbolized as the occultation of the 12 th Imám. This is, of course, the age of tyranny, since the real tyranny is separation from our spiritual potential and remoteness from God. Therefore, the solution to tyranny is that we return to our spiritual consciousness. The awakening of spiritual consciousness in our lives is symbolized as the return of the 12 th Imám. The Báb says that we need to recite a prayer in order to hasten the return of the Imám, because prayer is the means by which we humans connect to our spiritual reality. The progressive implications of this revolutionary idea of the Báb is beyond imagination. It is each and every human being who is created noble, has become alienated from his true nature, and needs to return to his truth as a spiritual consciousness. 6. Spiritualization of Life The writings of the Báb emphasize certain ethical principles whose aim is to turn human reality into a republic of reason and spirit. Here I only mention a few of these ideas: Culture of Answering (ijábat): The Báb commands that when one is asked a question it is one’s duty to give a guiding answer. But then He says people should answer the needs of others even if they are not asked directly by others, but rather asked by their condition. Therefore, all human beings must watch the conditions of all others, and if their condition asks for help, they must help. This principle is a reflection of the unity of all human beings. Prohibition of Causing Grief and Sadness: The Báb forbids His followers to cause sadness to any human being. On the contrary, bringing happiness to the heart of others is the spiritual duty of all humans. Protection of Nature: The Báb argues that heaven and hell are not just for humans. Everything has its own hell or heaven. According to the Báb, the heaven for a thing is the realization of that thing’s potentialities. Hell is the deprivation of the realization of its potentialities. Consequently, the Báb says that all nature has the right to attain its heaven. Humans are responsible before God to help nature reach its heaven. In the Persian Bayán, He says that if water within a glass has experienced uncleanliness throughout its movement through mountains and rivers, it has been deprived of its heaven. Nature, just like human beings, possesses moral rights, and all beings should be respected.