The term bāb (Arabic: باب, lit. 'gateway') was used in early Shia Islam for senior disciples, and authorised deputies, of the current Imam.[1] Less commonly, the term is also applied to the Imams themselves, as well as to Muhammad and other prophets in Islam.[1]
The term emerged in the 9th century, designating a senior disciple of an Imam who functioned as his authorised representative. Given the belief that the Imams were divinely inspired, this disciple was the "gate" (bāb) to the Imam and the esoteric knowledge he possessed.[1] The first such bāb is held to have been Salman the Persian, one of the companions of Muhammad.[1] This concept has Gnostic roots, and is commonly ascribed in later literature to the 8th-century extremist (ghulāt) proto-Isma'ili group of the Mukhammisa, but this is not borne out by actual 8th-century texts.[1]
Isma'ilismEdit
The term was in use in the early Isma'ili movement for "a figure in the hierarchy of the missionary movement who participated in preaching an esoteric interpretation of the Islamic revelation".[1] The early Isma'ili missionary and author Ja'far ibn Mansur al-Yaman also applied the term to the designated successors of the Imams, and to Ali ibn Abi Talib as the successor of Muhammad.[1]
After the establishment of the Fatimid Caliphate in 909, the bāb became a rank in the official Ismai'ili religious hierarchy (the daʿwa).[2] The Fatimid-era bāb was second only to the Fatimid imam-caliph, and is also known by the designation of "chief caller" (dāʿī al-duʿāt). The latter term is commonly used in historians' accounts, whereas Isma'ili sources prefer the term bāb. The bāb functioned as the intermediary (wāsiṭa) between the Imam and the community of the faithful. Under the bāb were twelve ḥujjas ("seals"), who conducted the affairs of the daʿwa.[1][2]
The office gradually declined and disappeared altogether after the end of the Fatimid Caliphate.[2]Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, who recorded the hierarchy of the Nizari Isma'ili state during the 13th century, mentions the presence of an official called bāb-i bāṭin, co-equal with the dāʿī; but the rank is no longer mentioned in later sources.[2]
The 10th-century Isma'ili author Ibn al-Haytham reports that the Twelver Imams designated a steward of their imamate with the title of bāb during the minority of their designated successors, but this usage does not appear in contemporary Twelver sources.[1] In Twelver sources, the term is only used for the Imams themselves, as "the gates through which (knowledge of) God is attained", in the words of the 10th-century Twelver scholar Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni.[1] Ali is thus often called "the gate of the prophet", who in turn is "the gate of God"; in a hadith, Muhammad is reported as saying "I am the city of knowledge and Ali is the gate; will you enter the city other than by its gate?"[3]
Among the Alawites, whose cosmology also has Gnostic roots, the bāb is the junior divine emanation in a triad, which is further comprised the Godhead itself, or "the Essence" (maʿnā), and "the Name" (ism) or "the Veil" (ḥijāb).[4] According to Alawite doctrine, this triad is incarnated in each successive historical cycle; the role of the ism, along with the bāb, is to "veil" the true character of the maʿnā:[5] the maʿnā is the "silent" Imam, the ism is the public, "speaking" Imam, and the bāb the gateway to the Imam.[3] Thus in the present, Islamic cycle, Ali is the real Godhead, veiled by Muhammad as his ism, with Salman the Persian as his bāb.[5] Each of the eleven Imams then had his own bāb, who acts as the intermediary between Imam and the faithful. The founder of the Alawite sect, Ibn Nusayr, is held to have been as the bāb to the eleventh Imam, Hasan al-Askari.[5]
DruzeEdit
In the Druze cosmology, the bāb is the incarnation of the Universal Intellect (ʿaql al-kull), which in the Druze cosmic hierarchy is located directly below God. Thus the founder of the Druze religion, Hamza ibn Ali ibn Ahmad, proclaimed himself the bāb to the contemporary incarnation of God, Caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah.[3]
In the early 19th century, the Shaykhi school of Twelver Shi'ism emerged in Iran when some Twelvers considered Shaykh Ahmad al-Ahsa'i and his successor Kazim Rashti as the bāb to the Hidden Imam.[3] This tradition provided the foundation of the religion of Bábism, when its eponymous founder, Ali Muhammad Shirazi, took the title of Báb.[3]
MacEoin, D. M. (1988). "BĀB". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica, Volume III/3: Azerbaijan IV–Bačča(-ye) Saqqā. London and New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. 277–278. ISBN978-0-71009-115-4.
October 21, 2023
shia, islam, confused, with, baba, alevism, term, bāb, arabic, باب, gateway, used, early, shia, islam, senior, disciples, authorised, deputies, current, imam, less, commonly, term, also, applied, imams, themselves, well, muhammad, other, prophets, islam, conte. Not to be confused with Baba Alevism The term bab Arabic باب lit gateway was used in early Shia Islam for senior disciples and authorised deputies of the current Imam 1 Less commonly the term is also applied to the Imams themselves as well as to Muhammad and other prophets in Islam 1 Contents 1 Origins 2 Isma ilism 3 Twelver Shia 4 Alawites 5 Druze 6 Babism 7 See also 8 References 9 SourcesOrigins EditThe term emerged in the 9th century designating a senior disciple of an Imam who functioned as his authorised representative Given the belief that the Imams were divinely inspired this disciple was the gate bab to the Imam and the esoteric knowledge he possessed 1 The first such bab is held to have been Salman the Persian one of the companions of Muhammad 1 This concept has Gnostic roots and is commonly ascribed in later literature to the 8th century extremist ghulat proto Isma ili group of the Mukhammisa but this is not borne out by actual 8th century texts 1 Isma ilism EditThe term was in use in the early Isma ili movement for a figure in the hierarchy of the missionary movement who participated in preaching an esoteric interpretation of the Islamic revelation 1 The early Isma ili missionary and author Ja far ibn Mansur al Yaman also applied the term to the designated successors of the Imams and to Ali ibn Abi Talib as the successor of Muhammad 1 After the establishment of the Fatimid Caliphate in 909 the bab became a rank in the official Ismai ili religious hierarchy the daʿwa 2 The Fatimid era bab was second only to the Fatimid imam caliph and is also known by the designation of chief caller daʿi al duʿat The latter term is commonly used in historians accounts whereas Isma ili sources prefer the term bab The bab functioned as the intermediary wasiṭa between the Imam and the community of the faithful Under the bab were twelve ḥujja s seals who conducted the affairs of the daʿwa 1 2 The office gradually declined and disappeared altogether after the end of the Fatimid Caliphate 2 Nasir al Din al Tusi who recorded the hierarchy of the Nizari Isma ili state during the 13th century mentions the presence of an official called bab i baṭin co equal with the daʿi but the rank is no longer mentioned in later sources 2 Twelver Shia EditMain article Four Deputies The 10th century Isma ili author Ibn al Haytham reports that the Twelver Imams designated a steward of their imamate with the title of bab during the minority of their designated successors but this usage does not appear in contemporary Twelver sources 1 In Twelver sources the term is only used for the Imams themselves as the gates through which knowledge of God is attained in the words of the 10th century Twelver scholar Muhammad ibn Ya qub al Kulayni 1 Ali is thus often called the gate of the prophet who in turn is the gate of God in a hadith Muhammad is reported as saying I am the city of knowledge and Ali is the gate will you enter the city other than by its gate 3 The term was applied for the Four Deputies of the twelfth and final Imam Muhammad al Mahdi Abu Amr Uthman ibn Sa id his son Abu Ja far Muhammad Abu al Qasim al Husayn ibn Ruh al Nawbakhti and Abu al Hasan Ali ibn Muhammad al Samarri These men served as gates abwab i e as representatives of the hidden twelfth imam in 873 940 After that the concept of the Imam s Major Occultation was adopted leading to the abandonment of the post of bab 3 Later Twelver theologians such as Nasir al Din al Tusi came to reject the concept of a disciple functioning as a gate for the Imam as with the Isma ilis as typical of ghulat sects 1 Alawites EditAmong the Alawites whose cosmology also has Gnostic roots the bab is the junior divine emanation in a triad which is further comprised the Godhead itself or the Essence maʿna and the Name ism or the Veil ḥijab 4 According to Alawite doctrine this triad is incarnated in each successive historical cycle the role of the ism along with the bab is to veil the true character of the maʿna 5 the maʿna is the silent Imam the ism is the public speaking Imam and the bab the gateway to the Imam 3 Thus in the present Islamic cycle Ali is the real Godhead veiled by Muhammad as his ism with Salman the Persian as his bab 5 Each of the eleven Imams then had his own bab who acts as the intermediary between Imam and the faithful The founder of the Alawite sect Ibn Nusayr is held to have been as the bab to the eleventh Imam Hasan al Askari 5 Druze EditIn the Druze cosmology the bab is the incarnation of the Universal Intellect ʿaql al kull which in the Druze cosmic hierarchy is located directly below God Thus the founder of the Druze religion Hamza ibn Ali ibn Ahmad proclaimed himself the bab to the contemporary incarnation of God Caliph al Hakim bi Amr Allah 3 Babism EditMain article Babism In the early 19th century the Shaykhi school of Twelver Shi ism emerged in Iran when some Twelvers considered Shaykh Ahmad al Ahsa i and his successor Kazim Rashti as the bab to the Hidden Imam 3 This tradition provided the foundation of the religion of Babism when its eponymous founder Ali Muhammad Shirazi took the title of Bab 3 See also EditAyatollah Da i Da i al Mutlaq HujjaReferences Edit a b c d e f g h i j k Bayhom Daou 2010 a b c d Lewis 1960 p 832 a b c d e f MacEoin 1988 Halm 1995 pp 147 148 a b c Halm 1995 p 148 Sources Edit nbsp Islam portal nbsp Shia Islam portal nbsp Fatimid Caliphate portalBayhom Daou Tamima 2010 Bab in Shiʿism In Fleet Kate Kramer Gudrun Matringe Denis Nawas John Rowson Everett eds Encyclopaedia of Islam 3rd ed Brill Online ISSN 1873 9830 Halm Heinz 1995 Nuṣayriyya In Bosworth C E van Donzel E Heinrichs W P amp Lecomte G eds Encyclopaedia of Islam Volume VIII Ned Sam 2nd ed Leiden E J Brill pp 145 148 ISBN 978 90 04 09834 3 Lewis Bernard 1960 Bab In Gibb H A R Kramers J H Levi Provencal E Schacht J Lewis B amp Pellat Ch eds Encyclopaedia of Islam Volume I A B 2nd ed Leiden E J Brill pp 832 833 OCLC 495469456 MacEoin D M 1988 BAB In Yarshater Ehsan ed Encyclopaedia Iranica Volume III 3 Azerbaijan IV Bacca ye Saqqa London and New York Routledge amp Kegan Paul pp 277 278 ISBN 978 0 71009 115 4 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bab Shia Islam amp oldid 1172467204 Isma ilism, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
