The Station of Subh-i-Azal

The authorized Bahá'í position is that Ṣubḥ-i-Azal was nothing more than the nominee of the Primal Point appointed to draw attention away from Mírzá Ḥusayn`Alí "Bahá" so that he could safely carry his mission, calling Azal a "decoy" or a "scapegoat." However, this claim crumbles under scrutiny like the walls of Jericho. The following are a list of reasons why the Station of Ṣubḥ-i-Azal is much loftier than the Bahá'ís claim it is:

• The Primal Point gave Ṣubḥ-i-Azal a station equal with that of himself:

The Primal Point says to the so-called decoy in the Kitab-i-Panj Sha'n: "You are I, and I am you." In his will he says to him: "And whosoever attains the presence of the Throne of your Lordship has verily attained the presence of God, the Preserver, the Peerless."

• Ṣubḥ-i-Azal is prophesied in Islamic Tradition and in the works of the Point:

His Holiness the Fruit of the Bayán's title "Subh-i-Azal" has its origin in the Hadith of Kumayl. This tradition records a dialogue between 'Ali and his disciple Kumayl ibn Ziyad al-Nakha'i. The Primal Point used this tradition in support of his Manifestation and to detail its development. The tradition as cited in the Point's Persian Book of the Seven Proofs is as follows:

"و نظر نموده راجع به مرفوعین قبلین یقین میمائی بر اینکه ظهور موعود منتظر همان ظهور حقیقت مسئول عنه است که در حدیث کمیل دیده ای. در سنه اول کشف سبحات الجلال من غیر اشارة ببین. ببین . و در ثانی محوالموهوم و صحوالمعلوم و در ثالث هتک الستر و در رابع جذب الاحدیة لصفة التوحید. ببین . و در خامس . نوراشرق من صبح الازل را خواهی دید اگر خود هارب نگردی و مظطرب نشوی."

In the first year, open without signal the curtains of grandeur;
In the second, efface the futilities of imagination and prove that which is evident;
In the third, divulge the secrets and implant them victoriously (in the hearts of men);
In the fourth, be ecstatic in God to prove the unity;
In the fifth, it is the rising of the light of the dawn of eternity.
You can see how this resembles the Point and his ministry. What will make Bahá'ís uncomfortable however is the fact that Subh-i-Azal (literally meaning "dawn of eternity") is quite clearly prophesied to manifest himself in the fifth year which occurred.
Ṣubḥ-i-Azal's rise to promince/Manifestation occurred in the fifth year of the ministry of the Primal Point, after May 22, 1849, and he was appointed as the Primal Point's successor in the sixth year, as is known.

• The Point specifically condemned the enemies of Ṣubḥ-i-Azal:

"Verily Thou [Ṣubḥ-i-Azal] hast obeyed the Command of God in Truth and hath made victorious the Religion of God and hath proclaimed the Cause of God within Thee, [O] glimmering Visage of the Merciful [...] I testify to this that whosoever hath obeyed Thee is Light and whosoeer hath disobeyed Thee is Fire [...] And God hath cursed the people who have sought to destroy Thee! And God hath cursed the people who hath oppressed Thee! And God hath cursed the people who have conspired to shed Thy blood! And God hath cursed the people who have consented to murder Thee! And God hath cursed the people who have not recognized Thy rank! And God hath cursed the people who have not made efforts to avenge Thee from Thy enemies, for God hath indeed cursed the people in whose hearts was not found love for Thee!" (Two Visitation Prayers for Ṣubḥ-i-Azal).

• The Primal Point instructed Ṣubḥ-i-Azal to protect himself:

Contrary to the Bahá'í claim that Ṣubḥ-i-Azal was the one who was supposed to protect Bahá, the Point made it clear in his will that Ṣubḥ-i-Azal was the person to be protected: "Preserve yourself," the Primal Point says to Ṣubḥ-i-Azal, "then preserve yourself," he emphasizes further (The Primal Point's Will & Testament).

• The Primal Point ordered Bahá and others to aid and protect Ṣubḥ-i-Azal:

The Primal Point states in an epistle which was addressed to Bahá: "Make available for him [Ṣubḥ-i-Azal] the most perfect means of encouragement for calligraphy and orthography, so that he exhibits not absolutely, sorrow, overt or covert [...] Take the utmost care of him, and of his latent works [signs] till their [appearance in] due course of time, and God is with those that are patient."

He says in a tablet for Azim: "Thou art to guard that Fruit [Al-Thamara, i.e Ṣubḥ-i-Azal] so that behalls him not what saddens his heart."

• The Primal Point stated that Ṣubḥ-i-Azal would reveal verses:

In the very same document, very same verse the Primal Point states to Ṣubḥ-i-Azal: "and then [preserve] that which has been sent down in the Bayán, and then what will be sent down to your presence, for this will suffice until the Day of Resurrection and shall be beneficial for the believers," this referring to, of course, revealed works which would flow from Ṣubḥ-i-Azal's pen.

In the same document once again the Primal Point gave him the authority to complete the Arabic Bayán upon certain conditions: "And if God manifests grandeur in thy days, manifest the Eight Paths by the permission of your Lord by that which you [receive] of His high generosity." The document does not say that he may do this with the permission of He Whom God shall make manifest, but this translation changes the meaning of the passages.

In the same document the Primal Point also states: "When you art cut off from this Throne recite the verses that your Lord causes to be inspired in your heart: verses which are a reminder from His presence, for verily He is the Preserver, the Peerless."

• The Primal Point sent Ṣubḥ-i-Azal his writing implements for this purpose:

Contrary to the Bahá'í claim that the Primal Point sent his pen-case, etc. to Bahá, in actuality, as confirmed by the Nuqtatu'l-Kaf, the earliest and most accurate Bayání chronicle, these were in fact sent to Subh-i-Azal. Mirza Jani, author of the Nuqtatu'l-Kaf says: "So he [i.e. the Primal Point] sent his personal effects, such as pen-cases, paper, writings, his own blessed raiment [i.e. his clothing], and his holy rings, according to the number of the Unity [Wáhid = 19], that the outward form might correspond with the inward reality. Now the mystery of his bestowing his effects on [Subh-i-Azal] according to the number of the Unity is perfectly evident, namely that he intended the inner meaning thereof, that it might be known to all his followers that after himself [Subh-i-Azal] should bear the Divine influences" (New History. Appendix II. Mirza Jani's History, p. 381).

• Qurratu'l-Ayn affirmed the station of Ṣubḥ-i-Azal

My final proof I offer now of Ṣubḥ-i-Azal's station is that Her Holiness Tahirih/Qurratu'l-Ayn affirmed it, as can be seen in this poem of hers written about him where she lauds and praises Ṣubḥ-i-Azal and his lofty station.

In this beautiful poem she says: "For the manifestation of the essence of eternity [azal] has come. The beauty of godhood has appeared" (Verse 33).

Reading it in full will make the picture even clearer.

I fail to understand how Bahá'ís can look at the way the Primal Point and Tahirih explained the station of Ṣubḥ-i-Azal and say he was "just a decoy" or "just a scapegoat." Bahá'ís how do you respond to this material?