1. Introduction Transmission to and reception in the West Proselytism and Polemic Orientalism and Modernity: key motifs 2. Contexts and Issues Orientalism and Inter-Cultural Exchange Mahdiya movements in the Colonial/Post-colonial Middle East and South Asia Baha'is and Ahmadis on Government and Politics Mahdi movements: religious communities in a modern world 3. Race and Religion in Gobineau's Persia The taint of racism Gobineau's Persia: creation of an Orientalist image Gobineau and the Messiah of Shiraz Witnesses for the Baha'i faith: the role and function of Gobineau and other orientalists in Baha'i narratives Interpolation, rewriting and narrative intent: Shoghi Effendi's Christianising of Dawn-Breakers Conclusion: Gobineau's Persian master narrative 4. Ernest Renan's search for a Religion of Modernity Race and Philology Judaism, Islam and 'Le sémitisme' Aryanism and a Persian Revelation Revitalising Religion: Arnold's programme in 'A Persian Passion Play' Modern Refractions: Renan, Science, Rationalist method, and the Baha'i faith 5. Edward Granville Browne and the writing of Babi Narratives A peculiar style of Orientalism Appropriating Orientalism: Browne and Curzon's place in Baha'i literature Ahmadi schism, western conversions, and anti-Baha'i polemic More Ahmadi positions: Orientalism, modernism, and in-betweenness Conclusion: Browne's Babi-Baha'i legacy and the scope of mahdiya 6. Empire and Orient: Baha'is in Russian Transcaspia and Palestine Russian Orientalism and the Baha'is of Transcaspia and the Caucasus Ashkhabad's Baha'i community: an oasis of modern religion? The Baha'is, Palestine and Great Britain Zionism, Israel and the Baha'i faith Ahmadi colonial and post-colonial orientations 7. Orientalism and Modernity in Baha'i and Ahmadi writings Revisionist applications of Orientalism in the context of eastern voices Hidden intertextualities: Aqa Khan Kermani's orientalism and Baha'i pre-Islamic panegyric Orientalism in writings of early western Baha'is Baha'i World and the civilising of Persia From the periphery 'Returning to the Orient as Orientalist, but not as an Oriental' Keith Ransom-Kehler and Reza Shah Pahlavi The end of Colonialism and a New World Order Another World Order and an Ahmadi 'gift' to Edward, Prince of Wales 8.
Muslim responses and a future for Mahdi Movements Muhammad Iqbal on Ahmadism and Babi-Baha'ism - and the category of 'non-Muslim' Muslims, Mahdi movements, and Postcolonial critique Some Twentieth Century Shi'a and Baha'i configurations Conclusion - Baha'i and Ahmadi futures Notes BibliographyIndex.