The Bāb and ʿAlī Muḥammad, Islamic and Post-Islamic: Multiple Meanings in the Writings of Sayyid ʿAlī Muḥammad Shīrāzī (1819–1850)

Instead of arguing whether or not Sayyid ʿAlī Muḥammad Shīrāzī (the Bāb, 1819–1850) and his writings are Islamic, this paper suggests that they simultaneously Islamic post-Islamic. The Bāb’s Qayyūm al-asmāʾ, written at the outset Bābī movement in 1844, can be understood as a commentary on Quran, original divine revelation. Although Bāb gradually disclosed identity to public, status (associated with Imām, Muḥammad, manifestation God) is present which he refers himself Gate (Bāb), Remembrance (Dhikr), Point (Nuqṭah), ʿAlī, Muḥammad. participates long tradition literary culture by creating meaning through metaphorical, symbolic, paradoxical language, for ultimately point post-Islamic simultaneous absence presence Islam created real-world division between followers critics, many whom were Muslim scholars. By focusing multiple meanings texts, analyzes interplay relate Islam.