'Persia and the Persian Question by the Hon. George Nathaniel Curzon, M.P.' [‎502] (561/714)

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PERSIA
idea as communism in the European sense, i.e., a forcible redistri
bution of property, or as socialism in the nineteenth century sense,
i.e.. the defeat of capital by labour, ever entered the brain of the Bab
or his disciples. The only communism known to and recommended
by him was that of the New Testament and the early Christian
Church, viz., the sharing of goods in common by members of the
faith, and the exercise of alms-giving, and an ample charity. The
•charge of immorality seems to have arisen partly from the malig
nant inventions of opponents, partly from the much greater freedom
•claimed for women by the Bab, which in the Oriental mind is
scarcely dissociable from profligacy of conduct.
Babism is, in reality, a religious movement whose primary
object is a revolt against the tyranny and fanaticism of the Koran,
Religious and against the growing laxity of Mussulman practice.
As such, it represents what, in our terminology, would be
described as an effort after freedom of thought and purity of ob
servance. Foremost among the objects that it inculcates is the
■emancipation of women, an idea which it seems to have derived, in
common with many others, from the Christian doctrine. The Bab
and Beha in their writings have enjoined the disuse of the veil,
the abolition of divorce, polygamy, and concubinage, in other words,
of the harem, and greater liberty of action for the female sex.
They recommend a system of poor-law relief, but declare war
against mendicancy. As regards the corrupt practices of the
modern Mussulman, the Bab forbade smoking, and condemned the
kalian. Wine-drinking is permitted in moderation by Beha, but
is interdicted to the Ezelis. Against the profligate imposture of
the ordinary mullah's life, both inveigh with acrimony. Broadly
regarded, Babism may be defined as a creed of charity, and almost
of common humanity. Brotherly love, kindness to children,
courtesy combined with dignity, sociability, hospitality, freedom
from bigotry, friendliness even to Christians, are included in its
tenets. That every Babi recognises or observes these precepts
would be a foolish assertion; but let a prophet, if his gospel be in
question, be judged by his own preaching.
Only secondarily does Babism present a constructive body of
doctrine, which, it may safely be averred, not one tenth of its
votaries either understand or could explain. The somewhat mystic
and speculative character of the Persian is easily attracted by a pan
theistic conception of the Deity, by which all creation is regarded as