Talk:Azali

Merge proposal

It seems that there is a lot of overlap on these pages: Baháʼí–Azali split, Azali, Subh-i-Azal, Bábism. I generally want to consolidate and make a few good articles than a several mediocre ones. The Azali page is pretty short, and Subh-i-Azal is medium and needs expansion. Here are two ideas:

1. Baháʼí–Azali split merge to Azali
2. Azali merge to Subh-i-Azal

Obviously one or the other, not both. The notability of Azal/Azali/split is mostly residual to the relevance to the Baha'i Faith. Most readers are looking for a comprehensive review of the conflict, and I feel like it's scattered among several pages and not presented clearly in one place. Iranica has an article titled Azali Babism and no separate biography of Azal. The Baha'i-Azali split page is much more thorough than the Azali page, and considering that Azalis are functionally defunct (as noted in several reliable sources), it might make more sense to move the conflict into a single page. Cuñado ☼ - Talk 01:50, 2 October 2024 (UTC)

The fact that Iranica does not have an article on Azal comes simply from the fact that the Azali movement is more important in the history of Iran than Azal himself; I wouldn't see it as an indication for Azal not being an interesting topic. The article is quite long and on a good way to be improved further (thanks for working on that!), and, in my opinion, his life is interesting enough in the context of Bábí history if only because of his role after the death of Quddús and because of him being named Báb's successor in leading the community (not in prophethood).

Merging the Azali article into the Baháʼí–Azali split on the other hands sounds good to me, if all the information not already covered by the Subh-i-Azal article is kept (i.e. about the role of the Azalis in the Iranian constitutional revolution). The Azalis themselves do not call themselves Azalis but "people of the Bayan" and the core of what they believe is what is commonly called Bábism. The part that is specific to Azalis, that is the teachings of Azal himself which were rejected by the Bahá'ís, are not covered by the article at the moment; if there appears enough content, it can be always separated again. Mineemod (talk) 18:32, 3 October 2024 (UTC)

Thanks for the feedback. Unless I hear otherwise I'll work towards making the Azali and Subh-i-Azal pages improved and consolidate the "split" page into the Azali page (which is very short currently), and make summaries of the conflict on other pages point there. Cuñado ☼ - Talk 20:10, 3 October 2024 (UTC)