The Qur'an Commentary of Sayyid `Alî Muhammad the Bab

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Of the Báb's major writings, the two earliest are partial commentaries on the Qur'án. This study examines these two remarkably different commentaries in an attempt to appreciate the Báb's attitude toward the Qur'án, Islam, and himself. The earliest work - the Tafsír Surat al-Baqarah - was written before the Báb publicized his claim to messiahship. In the Tafsír Surat Yusuf (Qayyúmu'l-asmá), written only a short time later, this claim is made explicit. The radical difference in the style of the two commentaries is analyzed to draw out the development of the Báb's own perception of himself.