d "the Return of Christ". By the
term Bab, the Bab meant to be the forerunner of the second manifestation
rather than, as some have maintained, the gate of the Qa'im. When He
declared Himself to be the Bab, the people understood by the term that He
was an intermediary between the absent Qa'im and His followers, though He
Himself never meant to be such a person. All He claimed to be was that He
was the Qa'im Himself and in addition to this station, that of the Bab,
namely the gate or forerunner of "Him Whom God will make manifest".

There are many authorised traditions from Mu?ammad stating clearly (as
explained in the Iqan) that the promised Qa'im would bring a new Book and
new Laws. In other words abrogating the law of Islam.

Shoghi Effendi feels that the Unity of the Baha'i revelation as one
complete whole embracing the Faith of the Bab should be emphasised... The
Faith of the Bab should not be divorced from that of Baha'u'llah. Though
the teachings of the Bayan have been abrogated and superseded by the laws
of Aqdas, yet due to the fact that the Bab considered Himself as the
forerunner of Baha'u'llah we should regard His dispensation together with
that of Baha'u'llah as forming one entity, the former being an
introductory to the advent of the latter. Just as the advent of John the
Baptist--who according to various authorities was Himself the originator of
laws which abrogated the teachings current among the Jews--forms part of
the Christian revelation, the advent of the Bab likewise forms an integral
part of the Baha'i Faith. That is why Shoghi Effendi feels justified to
call Nabil's narrative a narrative of the early days of the Baha'i
revelation.

Shoghi Effendi feels that it should be explained that forbidding self
defence by Baha'u'llah should not be taken too literally. To put it as
bluntly as this, he fears that the question might be misunderstood.
Baha'u'llah could surely have not meant that a Baha'i should not attempt
to defend his life against any irresponsible assailant who might attack
him for any purpose whatever, whether religious or not. Every reasonable
person would feel under such circumstances justified in protecting his
life....

Regarding Nabil: He was born on the 18th day of the month of Safar of the
year 1247 A. H. in the village of Zarand in Persia. He was thirteen years
old when the Bab declared Himself. Though still young he himself was
preparing to leave for _Sh_ay_kh_ Tabarsi and join th