(Redirected from
Bahaullah)
(بهاءالله in
Arabic) (
November 12,
1817 -
May 29,
1892) was the founder of the
Bahá'í Faith.
Born Mírzá Husayn-'Alí (میرزا حسینعلی in Persian) in Tehran, Persia, he was also known as Bahá'u'lláh ("The Glory of God" in Arabic), as "He Whom God will make manifest" (from the Báb's writings), and as "Father of the Poor". Bahá'u'lláh's notable works include the Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Most Holy Book), the Kitáb-i-Íqán (Book of Certitude), and others.
He died in Bahji , Palestine (outside 'Akká, Acre).
Note that while a passport photograph of Bahá'u'lláh exists, Bahá'ís do not display his image for reasons of respect and devotion and ask that others respect their wishes on this subject. This image is of Bahá'u'lláh's burial place in Bahji .
Bahá'u'lláh's Life
Early years
Bahá'u'lláh's father was a distinguished nobleman in the court of the Persian King. As a young child , Bahá'u'lláh, even though he never had formal schooling, was know for his intelligence. When his father passed away, he was asked to take his father's position, but he declined and instead opened up a shelter for the poor.
Revelation in the Síyáh-Chál
At the age of 27, Bahá'u'lláh received a scroll from the Báb (Herald of the Bahá'í Faith). He immediately accepted the Báb's message and started to promote the Báb's teachings throughout Persia. After the Báb's martyrdom in 1850, the Bábís looked towards Bahá'u'lláh for guidance.
In 1852, as result of continued persecutions, a group of Bábís attempted to assasinate the King of Persia, Nasser-al-Din Shah. Although Bahá'u'lláh had no connection to the failed assasination attempt, he was arrested and imprisoned in the Síyáh-Chál (the Black Pit), an underground dungeon where the most heinous criminals were held.
According to Bahá'u'lláh, it was during his imprisonment in the Síyáh-Chál that he received a vision of a Maiden from God, through whom he received his mission as a Messenger of God and as the One whose coming the Báb had prophesized. After four months in the Síyáh-Chál, the authorites exiled Bahá'u'lláh from Persia to Baghdad, then a city in the Ottoman Empire.
Baghdad
In 1853, with limited supplies and food, and through the cold of winter, Bahá'u'lláh and his family travelled from Persia to Baghdad.
In Baghdad, an increasing number of Bábí's would come to Bahá'u'lláh for guidance, and according to the Bahá'ís, soon the population of the city and city officials came to respect and love Bahá'u'lláh for his wisdom and generosity. Bahá'u'lláh's rising prestige caused jealousy within Mirza Yahya Nuri Subh-i Azal, Bahá'u'lláh's half-brother, who was appointed by the Báb as a figure-head. Mirza Yayha felt that he should be the leader of the Bábís and started to sow doubt within the Bábí community about Bahá'u'lláh's intentions. The Bábí community started to become disunited. On April 10, 1854 Bahá'u'lláh, without telling anyone his purpose or destination left to the mountains of Kurdistan, northeast of Baghdad, near the city Sulaymaniyah. He later wrote that he left so as to avoid becoming the source of disagreement within the Bábí community.
Mountains of Kurdistan
For two years Bahá'u'lláh lived alone in the mountains of Kurdistan. He occasionally visited the surrounding towns and villages and his wisdom became apparent to the people of the area. Soon, the news of the man spread to neighbouring areas. When the news of such a man reached Baghdad, Bahá'u'lláh's family realized who the man was and pleaded with him to come back to Baghdad, and Bahá'u'lláh accepted.
Return to Baghdad
When Bahá'u'lláh returned to Baghdad he saw the Bábí in a state of disrepair. Bahá'u'lláh, through his guidance, started to revive the community. Bahá'u'lláh remained in Baghdad for seven more years. During this time he kept his station as the Manifestation of God hidden, but revealed many books and verses including the Kitáb-i-Íqán (Book of Certitude) and the Hidden Words.
According to the Bahá'ís, due to Bahá'u'lláh's rising prestige in the city, the clergy tried to have the Persian and Ottoman goverments condemn Bahá'u'lláh. They were eventually successful in having the Ottoman goverment exile Bahá'u'lláh from Baghdad to Constantinople.
Declaration in the Garden of Ridvan
On April 22, 1863, Bahá'u'lláh left Baghdad and entered the Garden of Ridván near Baghdad. Bahá'u'lláh and those accompanying him would stay in the garden for twelve days before departing for Constantinople. It was during his time in the Garden of Ridván that Bahá'u'lláh declared to his companions his mission and his station as a Messenger of God. Today Bahá'ís celebrate the twelve days that Bahá'u'lláh and his companions spent in the Garden of Ridván as the festival of Ridván.
Exile in Constantinople
Bahá'u'lláh and his family, along with a small group of Bábís, stayed in Constantinople for only four months. During this time the Persian Ambassador in the court of the Sultan mounted a systematic campaign against Bahá'u'lláh, misleading the authorities of Bahá'u'lláh's intentions. Bahá'u'lláh was thus exiled to Adrianople.
Before Bahá'u'lláh left for Adrianople, he wrote a Tablet to the Sultan, rebuking him and exposing his and his minister's immaturity and incompetence.
Exile in Adrianople
During the month of December, Bahá'u'lláh and his family embarked on a difficult twelve day journey to Adrianople. Bahá'u'lláh stayed in Adrianople for four and a half years. During this time, Mirza Yahya again started to cause disunity within and harm to the Bahá'í community, including trying to poison Bahá'u'lláh. While Bahá'u'lláh recovered, his hand was left shaking until the end of his life.
Also, while in Adrianople, Bahá'u'lláh proclaimed the Bahá'í Faith further by addressing Tablets to the kings and rulers of the world including:
Imprisonment in Akka
The opposition from Mirza Yahya allowed the Ottoman and Persian authorities the opportunity to exile Bahá'u'lláh once again. One morning, without any notice, soldiers surrounded Bahá'u'lláh's house and told everyone to get ready to depart to the prison-city of Akka, Palestine. Bahá'u'lláh and his family left Adrianople on August 12, 1868 and after a journey by land and sea arrived in Akka on August 31st. The inhabitants of Akka were told that the new prisoners were enemies of the state, of God and his religion, and that association with them was strictly forbidden.
The first years in Akka were a period of great suffering for Bahá'u'lláh; Mirzá Mihdí , Bahá'u'lláh's son was suddenly killed when he fell through a skylight when he was pacing back and forth in prayer and mediation.
After some time, the people of Akka recognized, through interaction with `Abdu'l-Bahá (Bahá'u'lláh's son), the innocence of the Bahá'ís, and thus the conditions of their imprisonment were eased. Eventually, Bahá'u'lláh was allowed to leave the city and visit nearby places.
Final Years
The final years of Bahá'u'lláh's life were spent in the Mansion of Bahji , just outide Akka. Even though he was still formally a prisoner of the Sultan, the officials of the region, according to the Bahá'ís, treated him with great respect and seek his advice and counsel. During his years in Akka and Bahji, Bahá'u'lláh revealed many volumes of work including the Kitáb-i-Aqdas.
On May 9, 1892 Bahá'u'lláh contracted a slight fever which grew steadily over the following days, but it seemed to go away. However, the fever returned and subsequently on May 29, 1892 his spirit ascended from this world.
Bahá'u'lláh's Works
Bahá'u'lláh wrote many books, tablets and prayers. Below are some that have been translated to English:
- The Hidden Words
- The Four Valleys
- The Seven Valleys
- Gems of Divine Mysteries
- The Summons of the Lord of Hosts
- Epistle to the Son of the Wolf
- Tablets of the Bahá'u'lláh
-
Kitáb-i-Aqdas
-
Kitáb-i-Íqán
- Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh
See also
See also: Orthodox Bahai Faith.
References
- Browne, E.G. (1891). A Traveller’s Narrative. Cambridge.
- Effendi, Shoghi (1974). God Passes By. Bahá'í Publishing Trust, Wilmette, Illinois 60091. ISBN 0-87743-020-9. Available online here http://bahai-library.com/writings/shoghieffendi/gpb/ .
External links
- Holy Writings of Bahá'u'lláh in English, Persian and Arabic http://reference.bahai.org
- Official Website of the Bahá'í Faith http://www.bahai.org
- Bahá'u'lláh: Manifestation of God http://www.bahai.org/article-1-3-0-2.html
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Last updated: 02-09-2005 20:10:32
Last updated: 05-03-2005 02:30:17
