Selections from the Writings of E. G. Browne on the Babi and Baha'i Religions

Selections from the Writings of E. G. Browne on the Babi and Baha'i Religionsby Edward Granville Browne, Moojan Momen (Editor) This is book is describes the world of the famous Orientalist Edward Grandville Browne, an Englishman who lived in Iran during the early years of the Babi and Baha'i Faiths. The Bab, although known as the herald of Baha'u'llah, founder of the Baha'i Faith, was also a founder of a religion of his own. Although it did not last long, The Bab created a spiritual revolution in Iran but it was crushed by the Islamic Church-State of Iran at the time. The vast majority of the Bab's followers became Baha'is, or followers of Baha'u'llah, whom they believed was foretold by the Bab. The English writer E.G. Browne was a rare Western witness to many of these events and wrote Babi and Baha'i history --even translating some early manuscripts of these scriptures. The selection of E. G. Browne's writings are a good example of his understanding (and sometime misunderstanding) of events in Babi and Baha'i history. But there can be no doubt he was crucial to making these faiths known in the West. He even interviewed Baha'u'llah and Abdu'l Baha as many other well-known followers in and outside of Iran. This book is a treasury of his writings on Babi and Baha'i history, but it is not for the average reader. It requires some important background knowledge of Baha'i history, but still, it is worth the time if one takes the time to acquire it. E. G. Browne in this translates important early Babi and Baha'i manuscripts, Baha'i witnesses and other events. I strongly recommend this book to Middle Eastern history students and history buffs of all kinds, students of the Baha'i Faith, and those studying Shiah Muslim history, for this book even sheds light on that too. It is a book of enormous spiritual and historical signifigance for Baha'is, but others may find the historical material rich for research too. It is well worth your time if you explore it.