The Cause Of the Banishment of Babis From Edirne to Palestine & Cyprus
2. Ottoman Archives
2.6 The Text of The Order of Banishment And The Result of The Interrogations
Interrogations made of these five persons resulted in the decree that was issued on 26 Safar 1285 and signed by the following four persons and sealed with their stamps:
Sayyed Ahmad Kholousi
Ahmad Mukhtar Orfan and
Sayyed Khalil.
In a detailed introduction to this decree, first a summary of the interrogations of those arrested mentioned above and then writes:
“In view of the afore mentioned items and in view of the books, correspondences and writings of Subh-i Azal found with Muhammad Aqa Jan Bek, Muhammad Effendi and Muhammad Baqir, it is understood that he has made these ? researches in analogy to the Highly Elevated Qura and claims that his writings have been revealed to him by the almighty god.
In view of these writings, it becomes apparent that Subh-i Azal has a claim to prophet-hood. It is also apparent from the writings of Sheykh Mirza Hysayn Ali that he has also spoken of revealing verses and a kind of Mahdi-hood that also entails prophet-hood.
In respect to the afore mentioned Sheykh’s letter addressed to the governor of Edirne in which he has called his brother trouble-maker and has claimed that he has written letters concerning his rise and distributed to some of the regions, it is clear that such actions of such men are designed such that little by little, a group of ignorant people become their followers and once a crowd had gathered make an armed up-rising.
Therefore stopping their troublesome activities in the root is one of the most urgent actions to be taken. According to the article 28 of the ‘Law of Punishment’ any citizen who takes position to rise against the government, prepares for it but does not succeed to implement it will be subject to banishment for life. If however even no preparatory action has been committed by the person he will be still subject to temporary close surveillance.
Since the activities of this group is more consistent with the first part of the article, and although there has been no mention of Sheykh Husayn Ali and Subh-i Azal’s brothers Mirza Musa, Mirza Muhammad and Mirza Muhammad Quli during the interrogations and the notes of afore-mentioned Sheykh Husayn Ali, they are also suspected to be involved since they all live together.
Although due to their leading positions Sheykh Husayn Ali and Subh-i Azal are the principal sources of misleading and considered as first-degree offenders, Aqa Jan Bek is considered as second-degree offender since he has made his house to be the center for the meetings and has given service to the promotion of their offences.
Others must be considered as third-degree offenders due to the fact that they have followed those offenders.
Given that the statement of the article is in absolute terms, there is no need to determine the degree of their conviction and therefore it is recommended that they are all exiled to remote locations.
Since the article 27 of the law of punishment makes no reference to imprisonment, and since these people would probably seek to mislead some people if they lived freely in their place of exile, it is recommended that their surveillance is also added to the punishment of exile.
The command is the command of His Highness who holds the command.
The text of this decree was apparently submitted to the Sultan because of the following note alongside the report:
“The report enclosed with appendices were submitted to His majesty. A decree was issued by His Majesty for banishment and send to the afore-mentioned castles. Other related details submitted for approval are adopted for implementation.”
This conculdes the translation of the pages 102-110 of the "Monthly Journal of the Society of Iran, Vol. VL, 901-2 April 1963."
To read other topics about Bahaism and its claims please got to the main page and select Bahaism.