48th ABS Annual Conference

Through the lens of multiple meanings, this presentation analyzes the interplay between the Bab’s identity and His writings as they relate to Islam. The Bab’s writings echo a long tradition of Islamic literary culture that creates meaning through metaphorical and symbolic language. The Bab’s claims are evident through His titles of the Gate (Bab), Remembrance (Dhikr), Point (Nuqtah), ʿAli, and Muhammad, which point to the Imam, Prophet Muhammad, and a new Manifestation. The simultaneous absence and presence of Islam in the Bab’s Writings created a real-world division between the Bab’s followers and His critics, leading to a post-Islamic future.