Overview
Co-published with the Association for Bahá'í Studies. In 1844 a charismatic young Persian merchant from Shiraz, known as the Báb, electrified the Shí‘ih world by claiming to be the return of the Hidden Twelfth Imam of Islamic prophecy. But contrary to traditional expectations of apocalyptic holy war, the Báb maintained that the spiritual path was not one of force and coercion but love and compassion. The movement he founded was the precursor of the Bahá'í Faith, but until now the Báb's own voluminous writings have been seldom studied and often misunderstood. Gate of the Heart offers the first in-depth introduction to the writings of the Báb. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, the author examines the Báb's major works in multifaceted context, explaining the unique theological system, mystical world view, and interpretive principles they embody as well as the rhetorical and symbolic uses of language through which the Báb radically transforms traditional concepts. Arguing that the Bábí movement went far beyond an attempt at an Islamic Reformation, the author explores controversial issues and offers conclusions that will compel a re-evaluation of some prevalent assumptions about the Báb's station, claims, and laws. Nader Saiedi's meticulous and insightful analysis identifies the key themes, terms, and concepts that characterize each stage of the Báb's writings, unlocking the code of the Báb's mystical lexicon. Gate of the Heart is a subtle and profound textual study and an essential resource for anyone wishing to understand the theological foundations of the Bahá'í religion and the Báb's significance in religious history.
Full Product Details
Author: Nader Saiedi
Publisher: Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Imprint: Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Dimensions:
Width: 15.20cm
, Height: 1.90cm
, Length: 22.90cm
Weight: 0.650kg
ISBN: 9781554580569
ISBN 10: 1554580560
Pages: 432
Publication Date: 30 March 2010
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: In Print
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Reviews
The author successfully embeds the discourse of the B b in both nineteenth-century and contemporary thinking. His sociological approach does not rob these Writings of their revelatory grace, nor does his faith in those Writings preclude a detailed analysis of their significance for society. Students of religion, society, hermeneutics, and history of religion will welcome Gate of the Heart as a bridge between religion and social science. It offers a fine example of how others might approach an analysis of revelatory writing. - Will C. van den Hoonaard, Professor Emeritus, University of New Brunswick, and author of The Origins of the Bah Community of Canada, 1898 1948 (WLUP, 1996)
<i>Gate of the Heart</i> will doubtless be much appreciated by those seeking an introduction to the life and writings of the Bab, the Sayyid of Shiraz, who gave his life in promoting a new sacred book and a new religious law for the revolutionary transformation of humankind. In this way it is a worthwhile volume that contributes significantly to the neglected field of Babi-Baha'i studies.''--Stephen N. Lambden Journal of the American Oriental Society, 130.2, 2010
Author Information
Nader Saiedi was born in Tehran, Iran, and received his master's degree in economics from Pahlavi University in Shiraz and his PhD in sociology from the University of Wisconsin. He is a professor of sociology at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. His most recent book is Logos and Civilization: Spirit, History, and Order in the Writings of Bahái'u'lláh (2000).
