Question: What is the ruling on the Baha’i ideas and beliefs? What is the difference between them and other Muslims?

Answer: Praise be to Allah. Baabism and Baha’ism are a movement that originated from a Shi’ah sect called the Shaykhiyyah in 1260 AH/ 1844 CE, under the protection of Russian, Jewish and English colonialism, with the aim of corrupting Islamic belief and dividing the Muslims and diverting them from their basic aims.

Origins and leading figures:

1 - Baabism was founded by al-Mirza ‘Ali Muhammad Rida al-Shiraazi who learned Shi’ah and Sufi knowledge from childhood. In 1260 AH/1844 CE alShiraazi announced that he was the door (al-baab) which led to divine truth. He was encouraged in that by one of the Russian spies. Then after that he claimed to be a messenger like Moosa, ‘Eesa and Muhammad (blessings and peace be upon them all), and he even claimed to be better than them. In 1266 AH he claimed that the divine was incarnated in him, and he was sentenced to death.

2 - Qurrat al-‘Ayn. She was a very eloquent woman who joined al-Shiraazi in learning the Shaykhi branch of Shi’i knowledge. She was permissive and immoral, and her husband divorced her and her children disowned her. She held a conference with the Baabi leaders in Dasht, Iran, in which she announced the annulment of Islamic sharee’ah. She was executed in 1268 AH/1852 CE. Baha’ism Before al-Shiraazi was killed, he appointed al-Mirza Yahya ‘Ali, who was known as Sabh Azl, as his successor, but this was contested by his brother Husayn alBaha’. After conflicts between them in which each of them tried to kill the other, Sabh Azl was expelled to Cyprus, where he died in 1912 CE. Husayn al-Baha’ was expelled to ‘Akka (Acre) in Palestine, where he was killed by some of his brother’s followers in 1892 CE and was buried there.

Beliefs, ideas and rituals of the Baha’is:

1 - Belief that Allah is incarnated in some of His creation, and that Allah was incarnated in al-Baab and al-Baha’.

2 - Belief in the transmigration of souls, and that reward and punishment happen to the soul only.

3 - Belief that all religions are valid, and that the Torah and Gospel have not been altered. They believe that all religion must be united in one, which is Baha’ism.

4 - The Baha’is believe that the book al-Aqdas which was written by al-Baha’ Husayn abrogates all the divinely revealed books, including the Holy Qur’aan.

5 - They believe that Buddha, Confucius, Brahman, Zaradasht and other sages of India, China and Persia were Prophets.

6 - They believe- like the Jews and the Christians- that the Messiah was crucified.

7 - They do not believe in the miracles of the Prophets or in the angels and jinn, and they do not believe in Paradise and Hell.

8 - They forbid their women to wear hijab, and they regard mut’ah (temporary marriage) as permissible, and they promote the sharing of women and wealth. It is very clear that this is a religion that strives to destroy moral values and spread permissiveness and immorality.

9 - They say that the religion of the Baab abrogates the sharee’ah of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

10 - They interpret the Day of Resurrection as referring to the appearance of alBaha’. Their direction of prayer is the Bahjah in ‘Akka in Palestine, where the grave of al-Baha’ is located, instead of al-Masjid al-Haraam.

11 - They pray three times a day, and each prayer has three rak’ahs, morning, noon and evening. They do wudoo’ with rose water, and if there is none available they regard it as sufficient to say the Basmalah - in the name of Allah, the Most Pure, the Most Pure) five times.

12 - They do not regard it as permissible to pray in congregation except when offering the funeral prayer for the deceased. This makes clear the extent of their efforts to divide the Muslims, as they forbid prayer in congregation.

13 - The Baha’is regard the number nineteen as sacred, and they have nineteen months in their year, each month having nineteen days.

14 - The Baha’is fast during one of the Baha’i months, which is called al-‘Ala, which lasts from 2-21 March. This is the last of the Baha’i months. During this month they refrain from eating from sunrise until sunset. Their fasting month is followed by the festival of Nawrooz (Persian New Year).

15 - The Baha’is regard jihad and the carrying of weapons and waging war against kaafir enemies as haraam, in service to the interests of the colonialists, as we shall see below. This confirms what is said about them, that they are a movement that was created by the colonialists, and they are still supporting it up till now.

16 - They do not believe that Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was the final Prophet; they claim that the Revelation continued after his death.

17 - They regard pilgrimage to Makkah as invalid, so they go on pilgrimage to the place where al-Baha’ is buried in Akka, in Palestine.

18 - They do not believe in doing ghusl from janaabah or purification from impure things, because they believe that whoever believes in Baha’ism is pure.

19 - Instead of zakaah they have a kind of tax at a rate of 19% of one’s capital, to be paid once.

These are the Baha’is, and these are some of their beliefs, a mixture of some monotheistic beliefs and idolatrous ideas which al-Baha’ mixed in a strange way and called it revelation and a holy book. What is wrong with the minds of those who followed him?

The relationship of Baabism and Baha’ism to the colonialists, Jews and Christians

1 - It was a Russian spy who encouraged al-Shiraazi to claim that he was the Baab.

2 - Al-Baha’ took part in the attempt to assassinate King Naasir al-Deen, the Shah of Iran, but the attempt failed and the plotters were discovered. Al-Baha’ fled to the Russian embassy which granted him full protection, and did not hand him over to the Iranian authorities until they had been given a promise that he would not be executed.

3 - When al-Baha’ fled to ‘Akka in 1285 AH/1868 CE, he was warmly welcomed by the Jews who took care of him. From that date, ‘Akka became a centre of Baha’ism and became a holy place for them.

4 - They were supported by some of the Christians. In one of the Arab states where there is a Baha’i presence, there is the head of the movement and his lawyer, who are both Christians.

5 - Reports indicate that the Israeli ambassador in one of the Arab countries visited one of their strongholds and met their leaders, and urged them to join in some political activities by forming a group or party and putting up candidates for parliament and getting involved in other political activities so as to affect the decision making process. They also promised to make it easy for them to visit Israel and perform pilgrimage to the grave of al-Baha’.

6 - This group has a number of representatives in the offices and organizations belonging to the United Nations, where there are nearly seven people. After learning all this, you should not be surprised to find out that the Baha’is regard jihad against the enemy as haraam, and they say that the Muslims must submit to colonialism and occupation, and that in his books al-Baha’ supported the Zionist migration to Palestine.

Spread and influence of Baha’is

The greatest number of Baha’is are found in Iran, and there are a few in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Palestine. They also have a presence in Egypt and a few followers in Ethiopia, Uganda, South Africa and Pakistan. They also have a presence in some western countries and cities, such as London, Vienna, Frankfurt and Sydney. Their largest place of worship is in Chicago. The ruling on them and the scholars’ fatwas concerning them From the above, it is clear that Baabism and Baha’ism are among the misguided sects that are beyond the pale of Islam.

A number of fatwas have been issued by Muslim scholars stating that they are kaafirs and that they are beyond the pale of Islam, and that we must beware of them. Shaykh Saleem al-Bashri, the Shaykh of al-Azhar, issued a fatwa in 1910 CE stating that the Baha’is are kaafirs. A ruling was issued on 30/6/1946 CE by the Shar’i courts in Egypt stating that a woman whose husband embraces Baha’ism is divorced and must be separated from him because he is an apostate from Islam. In 1947 CE the Fatwa Committee in al-Azhar issued a fatwa stating that the one who embraces Baha’ism is an apostate. This was in addition to a fatwa issued in 1939 CE by the Egyptian Daar al-Ifta’ stating that the Baha’i is an apostate.

There is another fatwa issued by the Egyptian Daar al-Ifta’ in 1968 CE, in which it says: Whoever embraces the Baha’i religion is an apostate from the religion of Islam, and the ruling on the apostate in Islam is that he should be asked to repent and Islam should be presented to him, and his doubts should be discussed if he has any. If he repents, all well and good, otherwise he should be executed according to sharee’ah. End quote from Fataawa Daar al-Ifta’ (6/2138).

In 2003 CE, the Islamic Research Council in al-Azhar issued a fatwa in which it says: The Baha’i school of thought and its ilk are a lethal intellectual epidemic which the state must to its utmost to eradicate.

Shaykh Ibraaheem al-Fayyoomi, the head of the Islamic Research Committee, confirmed that the Baha’is are a sect that is beyond the pale of Islam and that has rebelled against Islam, and it is one of the most dangerous forces that are opposed to Islam. It developed under the care of the Zionist colonialists and is still supported by the enemies of Islam.

The former Shaykh of al-Azhar, Jaad al-Haqq (may Allah have mercy on him) issued a fatwa stating that the Baha’is are kaafirs and apostates from Islam, which was approved by the Islamic Research Committee. In it he said: Baabism or Baha’ism is a system of thought mixed with philosophy and various religions, and there is nothing new in it that the Muslim ummah needs to set its affairs straight and unite it, rather it is clear that it (Baha’ism) is working in the interests of the Zionists and colonialists, and it is akin to ideas and ways that have been inflicted on the Muslim ummah as an act of war against Islam in the name of religion.

In the answer to question no. 88689, we have quoted the fatwa of Shaykh ‘Abd al‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him), stating that this is a sect of kufr and beyond the pale of Islam, and it is not permissible for them to be buried in the Muslim graveyards.

And Allah knows best.

Source: Islam Q&A