Bayān
Quick Summary
The Bayān is the sacred scripture of the Bābī religion, founded by the Bāb (Mirza ʿAlī Muḥammad Shīrāzī) in Iran in 1844. The Bāb declared himself the "Gateway" to the hidden Imām, a figure prophesied in Shīʿite Islam. The Bayān, written in Arabic and Persian, contains the Bāb's teachings and is considered divinely inspired.12
The Bābī movement later split, with most followers accepting Bahāʾuʾllāh as a new prophet, forming the Bahāʾī Faith. Those who remained faithful to the Bāb's original teachings and his chosen successor, Subh-i-Azal, became known as Azalīs. The Azalīs continue to adhere to the Bayān and the writings of Subh-i-Azal.23
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.