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The Báb, Sayyid Ali Muhammad Shirazi (1819 – 1850): His Life, Writings, and Religion
Schedule:
8am-9am: Light breakfast
9am-12:30pm: Morning Session: The Movement of the Báb
Welcome by Dr. Simon Joseph (UCLA)
Moderated by Dr. Nahid Pirnazar (UCLA)
Performance by Dr. Manouchehr Sadeghi
Introduced by Dr. Latifeh Hagigi (UCLA)
Presentations by Dr. Sholeh Quinn (UC Merced), Dr. Abbas Amanat (Yale University), and Dr. Janet Afary (UC Santa Barbara)
12:30pm-2pm: Break for Lunch
2pm-5:30pm: Afternoon Session: The Writings of the Báb
Moderated by Dr. Nayereh Tohidi (Cal State Northridge)
Performance by Gordafarid
Introduced by Dr. Latifeh Hagigi (UCLA)
Presentations by Dr. Todd Lawson (University of Toronto), Dr. Stephen Lambden (UC Merced), and Dr. Nader Saiedi (UCLA)
This conference commemorates the 200th anniversary of the birth of the founder of the Bábí religion and one of the twin prophets of the Bahá’í Faith. The Báb, whose short but dramatic ministry challenged both the clerical and political structures of 19th century Iran, reinterpreted and reconstructed the major traditional theological concepts and categories through a synthesis of mysticism and historical/dialectical consciousness. His writings began with a reinterpretation of Shi’ih millenarian expectation of the coming of the 12th Imam, and culminated in his own announcement that his revelation would be followed by a higher revelation. Despite the massacre of the Bábís by state and clerical authorities, his movement was partly secularized in the reform movements of 20th century Iran, and partly institutionalized through the Bahá’í Faith.