Dissimulation of the faith was widespread among Babis and Bahais until the early years of the ministry of Shoghi Effendi (1921-57), when he, in a number of messages starting in 1927, prohibited its practice.
It often arises as to what civil authority one should obey especially when there is apparent conflict between the immediate civil authority under which one resides and a superior authority, such as a state government or the Fed
Although Babism never developed much beyond the stage of a sectarian movement within Shia Islam, it experienced a number of minor but interesting divisions, particularly in its early phase.
