The ruling of the abrogation of Islam and its declaration — the command to annul religion and enter the interregnum (i.e., a period free from religious laws and obligations) — can, both essentially and in specific instances, be attributed to the leader of Bábism himself. At one point, in the Tafsír Súrat Yúsuf, he wrote to Qurrat al-‘Ayn:
"O Qurrat al-‘Ayn! It is now permitted for women to wear silk garments like the houris of paradise, to adorn themselves and emerge from their homes in the appearance of heavenly maidens, to sit unveiled among men and on benches…" (The Báb).
However, in the well-known and widely accepted event among the Bábís and Bahá’ís — the incident of the village of Badasht near Shahrud, led by Qurrat al-‘Ayn with the cooperation and preparation of Husayn-‘Alí (Bahá’u’lláh) and Muhammad-‘Alí Bārfurúsh — she publicly declared the abrogation of Islamic law. This unsuccessful foundation of religious destruction and superstition left a legacy in the belief systems of the Bábís and later the Bahá’ís.
Even before these declarations, in Badasht itself, approximately 82 Bábís had gathered to discuss how to rescue the Primal Point (the Báb) from prison, as well as to debate religious obligations and whether the Islamic laws would change or not. During that time, led in prayer by Mírzá Husayn-‘Alí, they still performed Islamic prayers (Zāhed, p. 184).
After private, day-and-night meetings among the three leaders, Qurrat al-‘Ayn ultimately became the medium or leader of this strange ideological shift. That day, she appeared bare-headed, wearing elegant clothes and makeup, and sat initially behind a curtain. She declared:
"O companions! This era is considered a period of interregnum. Today, all religious duties are abolished at once — fasting and prayer are vain acts. When Mírzá ‘Alí Muhammad Báb conquers the seven climes and unifies all religions, then he will bring forth a new religious law and entrust his own Qur’án to the people. Every obligation he introduces anew will become mandatory for all people on earth. Therefore, do not impose unnecessary burdens upon yourselves. Let your women share in your intimacy; share your possessions with one another. There will be no punishment or torment for these acts." (Najafí, p. 524).
In another account from Miftāḥ Bāb al-Abwāb (or The History of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh), whose author’s father and grandfather had met the Báb before his execution in Tabriz and witnessed some Bábí events, it is narrated that she said:
"O beloved ones, listen; O strangers, know this: The laws of the Muhammadan Sharia have now been abrogated due to the appearance of the Báb. The laws of the new Bábí Sharia have not yet reached us, so your engagement with prayer, fasting, zakát, and all other teachings of Muhammad (peace be upon him) are now null acts, done only by the heedless and the ignorant. Soon, our Master, the Báb, will conquer all lands; he will subjugate the people; soon the seven populated regions of the earth will submit to him, and he will unify all existing religions so that no religion remains on earth except the new true faith of the Báb, of which we have received but a small portion. Therefore, I tell you — and my word is truth — there is no command or prohibition, no obligation or restriction. We are now in the time of interregnum. So, come forth from isolation into unity, tear away the veil that prevents you from enjoying your women. Involve them in your affairs, divide your tasks with them after you have had your fill of pleasure with them. Be intimate with them. Bring them from their homes into public gatherings. Women are the flowers of this worldly life. A flower must be plucked and smelled, for it is created to be picked and enjoyed. Do not leave them untouched or unattended — smell them with full delight. Flowers and blossoms are to be picked and gifted to friends.
The concentration of wealth among some and the deprivation of others is the root of all strife and corruption; for wealth was not created for one person to enjoy alone while others are deprived of it. Rather, property is a shared right of all people, and no one has portioned it out. Wealth should be held in common, circulated among all. No one should hoard it or claim exclusive ownership. Some people should share their wealth with others to eliminate poverty and hardship, and to lift the burden of livelihood. Do not withhold your women from your friends, for now there is no deterrent, no boundary, no law or obligation. No one can prevent anyone. So, take your share of pleasure and life, for after death there is nothing." (Za‘ím al-Dawlah, pp. 133–134).
It remains unclear — if a true interregnum was indeed declared and no laws or obligations exist — on what basis Qurrat al-‘Ayn gives these financial "dos and don’ts" to the Bábís (which, in any case, are not novel ideas). She had previously visited Husayn-‘Alí unveiled in Badasht, and the rationale offered was based on the Qur’anic phrase "ghaddū absārakum" (“lower your gaze”), which Mírzá Áqá Ján explains in Talkhís-i-Tāríkh-i-Nabíl as follows:
"On the Day of Resurrection, the noble Táhirih will appear unveiled and radiant before the people; at that moment, a voice from the unseen will proclaim, ‘Lower your gaze!’ — and all the companions will be struck with dread and dismay." (Zarandí, pp. 474, 476).
Muṣṭafawī interprets the implications and meanings as:
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The plain of Badasht is the Resurrection.
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Táhirih Qurrat al-‘Ayn Qazvīnī is equivalent to Fāṭimah al-Zahrā.
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Fāṭimah al-Zahrā — the embodiment of chastity and modesty, the symbol of piety and purity — appeared at Badasht, unveiled and adorned, in the form of Táhirih (Muṣṭafawī, p. 142).
With such groundwork laid, when Qurrat al-‘Ayn concluded her speech at Badasht, she drew back the curtain, and for the first time, the Bábís there saw her fully adorned.
In Az Ṣabā tā Nīmā, she is introduced as the first woman who, contrary to the customs and traditions of the time, appeared unveiled before men (Ārīanpūr, p. 131).
The consequence of Táhirih’s doctrinal innovation cannot be underestimated. In these very words, she made astonishing claims. According to her, ‘Alí Muhammad would eventually conquer the seven climes and unify all religions. But how have the Bábís and Bahá’ís recorded this in their sources when, in fact, ‘Alí Muhammad was executed within just six years of his claim, having conquered no lands and established no unified faith on earth — and he and Qurrat al-‘Ayn never even met? If there were any truth to this claim, perhaps her other claims — such as the doctrine of interregnum and renunciation of Islam — might be considered.
Qurrat al-‘Ayn, possessing some knowledge of religious sciences and at times conducting sermons and proselytizing gatherings for Bábism, denied Prophethood's finality, declared the Qur’án abrogated, and proclaimed ‘Alí Muhammad a prophet after the Prophet — separating his followers theologically from Muslims and Shí‘a. These destructive effects essentially go back to ‘Alí Muhammad and his inciters, including colonial conspirators and their financial backers. However, ‘Alí Muhammad had not yet openly declared such claims, and until then, his legitimacy was tied to being a deputy of the Hidden Imam. So, as this sect separated from Islamic faith and thought — led by Qurrat al-‘Ayn — many people abandoned it (Zāhed, p. 187).
Thus, among Qurrat al-‘Ayn’s other impacts was the departure of many Bábís from the sect and a decrease in the followers of ‘Alí Muhammad. Some, however, believed her instantly or were pleased with irreligion, and pursued freedom from religious constraints, committing various transgressions — until the residents of Badasht, disgusted by the vile state of affairs, attacked them by night (I‘tizād al-Dawlah, p. 143).
The establishment and public declaration of the abrogation of Islam, in the eyes of those who followed the Báb out of personal interest or fancy, permanently separated this sect from the Islamic community. Later, the Bahá’ís, under the leadership of Bahá’u’lláh, who claimed divinity and brought a religion newer than that of the Báb, continued this path — followed by his children, the Afnáns and the Aghṣáns, all the way to Shoghi Effendi and the Rúḥíyyih Khánum. Today, this sect, centered around the Universal House of Justice, uses the common property of the Bahá’ís — though most Bahá’ís remain unaware of these religious annulments, new laws, sectarianism, and the self-serving motives of some early Bábí and Bahá’í leaders and their foreign backers.
Declaring Shí‘a Scholars Worthy of Death:
One of Qurrat al-‘Ayn’s most influential ideas in the sect was her enmity toward Shí‘a scholars and mujtahids, declaring them worthy of death. This notion significantly influenced how most Bábís viewed scholars. Initially, Bábís avoided such conflicts with the ‘ulamā. Of course, opposition and excommunication from scholars had existed since Shaykh Aḥmad Aḥsā’ī, and this unintentionally sustained Bábism — but the foundation of ideological conflict and the killing of scholars can be traced to Qurrat al-‘Ayn’s teachings.
One such scholar was Mullā Muhammad Taqī Baraghānī Qazvīnī, Qurrat al-‘Ayn’s uncle and the marja‘ al-taqlīd of his time in Qazvīn — a man who, with foresight, from the outset opposed the ideological foundation of Bábism (i.e., certain strange beliefs of Shaykh Aḥmad Aḥsā’ī and Sayyid Kāẓim Rashtī). He openly disagreed with Shaykh Aḥmad and declared the Bábís infidels.
Mullā Muhammad Taqī led Friday prayers in Qazvīn. Many scholars and students attended his sermons and recorded his notes. His worship routine involved praying in his mosque from midnight until dawn in supplication and devotion.
A man named Mírzā Jawād, an Arab originally from Qazvīn, said:
A few days before his martyrdom, I visited him. He said, "Pray for me." I said, "God has already granted you all the blessings of this world and the next — honor, wealth, children, knowledge, propagation of religion, authorship. What more do you desire?" He replied, "My desire is martyrdom." I said, "You’ve always strived for martyrdom — for, according to hadith, the ink of scholars is more valuable than the blood of martyrs." He said, "Yes, but I seek martyrdom in the literal sense — to be soaked in blood…" (Tankābunī, 1380: pp. 67–68).
Qurrat al-‘Ayn assumed ideological leadership of a Bábí faction so that this wish of Mullā Muhammad Taqī would be fulfilled. Their justification for his murder was a fabricated hadith:
"Whoever insults our pure Shí‘a (including Shaykh Aḥmad Aḥsā’ī) has insulted the Prophet himself — and whoever insults the Prophet is an infidel, impure, and their blood is licit." (Nūr Muḥammadī, 1381: p. 100).
Not only did she issue the fatwa for his death, but also planned its execution and the aftermath. She dismissed a group of Arabs who had accompanied her to Qazvīn, and when one asked, “Why are Shaykh Ṣāliḥ and Mullā Ibrāhīm not coming?” she replied, “They stayed behind for an important matter. Soon, there will be an uproar in this city, and I don’t want you to be here then” (Najafí, p. 517).
The tragedy of Qurrat al-‘Ayn and her companions lies in the fact that they didn’t kill him face-to-face, but rather while the elderly man was in prostration and worship — not giving him a chance to fight or even to respond.
One night, as usual, Mullā Muhammad Taqī went to the mosque in the middle of the night. While in prostration, reading Munājāt-i-Khamsa-‘Ashar with deep humility and tears, several Bábís entered the mosque. One first stabbed his neck — he did not react. On the second wound, he lifted his head and asked, “Why are you killing me?” In response — displaying the height of Bábí "logic" — they stabbed his mouth, tearing it open.
He rose from the prayer niche to avoid spilling blood in the mosque, but collapsed near the door, unconscious in a pool of his own blood. He lived for two more days, unable to speak due to his wounded mouth, suffering great thirst yet unable to drink. He continually recalled the thirst of Imām Ḥusayn (peace be upon him), weeping and saying:
"O Abā ‘Abdillāh! May my soul be your ransom! What did you endure from thirst?" (Tankābunī, p. 68).
He was later named "the Third Martyr," as years after his death, his body was found intact (Nūr Muḥammadī, p. 102).
He authored numerous scholarly works. Shaykh Ḥasan Najafí (author of Jawāhir al-Kalām) drew from his book Manhaj al-Ijtihād. He also wrote ‘Ayn al-Uṣūl in two volumes, treatises on judgment, superior prayers, purification, fasting, and a book titled Majālis al-Muttaqīn, consisting of fifty sermons. He had ten sons — seven were mujtahids and three near that level. In 1304 AH, upon the introduction of national identity registration, the family took the surname Shahídī (Nūr Muḥammadī, p. 103).
Qurrat al-‘Ayn’s Practical Impact in Bábism:
Through her religious knowledge inherited from her scholarly family and her eloquence, Qurrat al-‘Ayn fervently promoted Bábism. The conflict between the Bábís and the forces of Amir Kabir in the region of Mazandaran near the shrine of Shaykh Ṭabarsí lasted four months and resulted in many deaths. The seditions and fanaticism of the Bábís — especially the prominent role of Qurrat al-‘Ayn — were among the primary causes of the Báb’s execution. They had no hesitation in plotting the assassination of opponents while spreading their faith.
Their fanaticism and "self-sacrifice" in spreading the new religion only increased — especially when they saw Amir Kabir as an obstacle to their advancement…
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