Autobibliography in the Writings of the Báb:
An Analysis of the Sources and their Theological Significance

By J. Vahid Brown

First presented at the Irfan Colloquia Session #58
Louhelen Bahá'í School: Davison, Michigan, USA
October 8–11, 2004
(see list of papers from #58)

published in Lights of Irfan, volume 6, pages 47-68
© 2005, ‘Irfán Colloquia

This paper will discuss four of the Báb's autobibliographical works; the Kitáb al-Fihrist, al-Kitáb al-`Ulamá, al-Khutba al-Dhikriyya, and al-Khutba fí'l-Jidda. I will relate my analysis of these texts to antecedents in Islamic - and especially Shi`i - literatures, with regard to the theological significance of bibliography, and ultimately to the Báb's hyper-textual messianic self-conception.

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