Bábism () is a religious movement that flourished in Persia from
1844 to 1852, then lingered on in exile in the Ottoman Empire
(especially Cyprus) as well as underground. Its founder was
Siyyid `Alí-Muhammad of Shiraz, who took the title Báb – meaning
"Gate" – from a Shi'a theological term. The implication was that
Siyyid `Alí-Muhammad was an avenue through which continuing
divine revelation could flow — a controversial and in fact
dangerous position, as his execution shows.  For Bahá'ís, the
religion brought by the Báb is a predecessor to their own
religion, the Bahá'í Faith, which is now considerably larger
than the Azali Bábís. The two divided from one another in 1866.
For more information see Bahá'í/Bábí split.   Within Shi'a Islam
exists a large group known as the Twelvers who regard the
twelfth Imam as the last of the Imams. They contend that the
twelfth Imám went into concealment or occultation in 874 AD, at
which communication between the Hidden Imam and the people could
only be performed through medi