Bābism, Religion that developed in Iran around Mīrzā ʿAlī Muḥammad’s claim (1844) to be the Bāb. Its beliefs are set forth in the Bayān, a holy book written by the Bāb, which proclaims a universal law in place of all existing religious legal codes. Bābism originated as a messianic movement in Shiʿite Islam. In 1867 the movement split, with the Azalīs remaining faithful to the original teachings of the Bāb and those of his successor Ṣobḥ-e Azal. Most Bābīs accepted the leadership of Ṣobḥ-e Azal’s half-brother Bahāʾ Ullāh, and under him the Bahāʾī faith was developed.
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