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From a Bahá’í academic perspective, the emergence of the Bábí and Bahá’í Faiths represents a progressive change and renewal of Islamic law and doctrine based on the principle of progressive revelation. Traditional Islamic law, both Sunni and Shia, outlined a detailed Sharí’ah (body of religious law) considered permanently binding. This was supported by key ideas like the finality of prophethood, the authority of jurists (taqlíd), the legitimacy of jihád (struggle) as a legal concept, and extensive systems of penal, family, ritual, and political law.
The Báb’s revelation marked a significant break with these assumptions by asserting new divine authority and establishing an independent legal system, thus challenging existing views on prophetic finality and juristic mediation. Bahá’u’lláh later built on this change by reframing finality into a broader theology of ongoing revelation. He affirmed the contextual and evolving nature of divine law and replaced the authority of traditional Sharíʿah with a new, globally focused legal and ethical framework.
In this Bahá’í context, many fundamental Islamic ethical principles are kept in spirit, though their legal expressions change significantly. Obligatory worship, fasting, and pilgrimage are redefined. Traditional doctrines of armed jihád, hudúd (specific punishments), clerical authority, polygamy, and the blend of religion and government are either canceled or meaningfully altered. Community life is reshaped around consultative institutions instead of juristic authority. The resulting Bahá’í system stresses unity, justice, peace, and moral responsibility rather than enforced compliance. It situates law within a living historical process rather than a fixed legal code.
When viewed in relation to classic Sunni and Shi’i legal texts and Qur’ánic interpretation, Bahá’í scripture provides a clear theological reason for these changes. It presents abrogation not as a rejection of Islam but as its spiritual fulfillment and ongoing development within a universal, future-oriented religious framework.
Nabil Fares was born in Egypt into a Baha’i Family and has actively contributed to the Bahá’í Faith through various elected and appointed roles. He has authored papers and articles on Islam, Islamic Hadith, Commentary on various Arabic Tablets by the Bab and Baha’u’llah, comparative religions (Islam, Babi and Baha’i Faith), and on Divinity.
Currently, Nabil is supporting business executives and organizations through his executive coaching practice. He is a Certified Executive Coach, Leadership Coach, and Organizational Development Coach. Prior to becoming an executive coach, Nabil held executive leadership positions with the State of California.
Nabil’s formal education includes DTech. (ABD), M.A. in English Literature & Criticism, M.Ed. in Pedagogic Psychology. He lives in Los Angeles County, California, with his dear wife, Azadeh Mohandessi-Fares, and they are enjoying being grandparents for the first time.
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