The Báb and ʿAlí Muḥammad, Islamic and Post-Islamic: Multiple Meanings in the Writings of Sayyid ʿAlí Muḥammad Shírází

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