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Search for tag "birth"
| date |
event |
locations |
tags |
see also |
| 1753 |
Birth of Shaykh Ahmad Ahsá’í in the village of Mutayrafí in the Ahsá region, the hinterland of Bahrayn.
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Mutayraff; Bahrain |
Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsai; Shaykhism; Births and deaths |
bahai-library.com/cameron_momen_bahai_chronology&chapter=1 |
| 1771 |
Birth of Fath-`Alí Khán (later Sháh) in Shíráz. He ruled from 1797 (or 1798) to 1834. |
Shiraz; Iran |
Fath-Ali Shah; Shahs; Births and deaths; Qajar dynasty |
|
| 1778. c. 1778 |
Birth of Mírzá Muhammad Riday-i-Shírází, the father of the Báb. |
Shiraz; Iran |
Mirza Muhammad Rida; Births and deaths; Bab, Family of |
Bahaikipedia |
| 1783. c. 1783 |
Birth of Mírzá `Abbás-i-Irivání, later Prime Minister Hájí Mírzá Áqásí, in Máh-Kú. |
Mah-Ku; Iran |
Prime Ministers of Iran; Prime Ministers; Haji Mirza Aqasi; Births and deaths |
|
| 1797 |
Birth of Siyyid Kázim-i-Rashtí, in Rasht.
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Rasht; Iran |
Shaykhism; Siyyid Kazim-i-Rashti; Births and deaths |
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| 1806. c. 1806 |
Birth of Mírzá Muhammad Taqí Khán-i-Farahání, later Prime Minister of Persia, in Hizávih. |
Hizavih; Iran |
Mirza Muhammad Taqi Khan-i-Farahani; Prime Ministers of Iran; Prime Ministers; Births and deaths |
|
| 1808. 5 Jan |
Birth of Muhammad Mírzá (later Sháh), son of Crown Prince `Abbás Mírzá and grandson of Fath-`Alí Sháh. |
Iran |
Muhammad Shah; Abbas Mirza; Fath-Ali Shah; Shahs; Qajar dynasty; Births and deaths |
|
| 1812. c. 1812 |
Birth of Mullá Muhammad-`Alíy-i-Zanjání, Hujjat. |
Iran |
Hujjat; Births and deaths |
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| 1813. c. 1813 |
Birth of Muhammad Husayn-i-Bushrú'í (Mullá Husayn). |
Bushrui; Iran |
Mulla Husayn; Births and deaths; Letters of the Living |
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| 1817 (In the year) |
Shaykh Ahmad traveled to Persia and visits Shíráz and Tihrán. He was in Tihrán when Bahá'u'lláh is born. [DB13] |
Shiraz; Tihran; Iran |
Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsai; Shaykhism; Bahaullah, Birth of; Bahaullah, Life of |
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| 1817. c. 1817 |
Birth of Hand of the Cause Mullá Abu'l-Hasan-i-Ardikání (Hájí Amín), in Ardikán, near Yazd. |
Ardikan; Yazd; Iran |
Haji Amin (Abul-Hasan-i-Ardikani); Hands of the Cause; Births and deaths |
|
| 1817 (In the year) |
The birth of Fátimih Umm-Salamih, Táhirih (the Pure One), Qurratu'l-'Ayn (Solace of the Eyes), Zarrín-Táj (Crown of Gold). [BBD220; GPB7, 73, 75; DB81note2]
In BBRSM16 her name was given as Fátimih Bigum Baragháni and birth year is 1814. |
Qazvin; Iran |
Tahirih; Births and deaths; Letters of the Living |
|
| 1817. 12 Nov |
Birth of Mírzá Husayn `Alíy-i-Núrí (Bahá'u'lláh) in Tehran, called by Him the "Land of Tá" (Ard-i-Tá). [Bahá'í Encyclopedia Project]
He was of royal Persian blood, a descendant of Zoroaster and the Sásáníyán kings of Persia through Yazdigird III, the last king of that dynasty. Through His mother He was a descendant of Abraham through Katurah and Jesse. [BW8:874; GPB94; RB1:305]
He was born in Tihrán in the district t know as Darvázih-Shimran (Shimran Gate). This district has become know as Mahalyih Arabhá (the Arab quarter.) His father was Mírzá `Abbás whose ancestral home is Tákur in the province of Núr. His father was also known as Mírzá Buzurg in royal circles. [BKG13; RB1:7]
His mother was Khadíjih Khánum. [BBD127; BBRSM57–8]
He was born at dawn. [LOG353; DB12]
For biblical reference see LOG378.
RB1:304 for extracts from Shoghi Effendi re: His station.
BBD39, GPB157–8 for a condensed history.See GPB93-99 for the significance of Bahá'u'lláh's station. |
Tihran; Nur; Iran |
Bahaullah, Birth of; Bahaullah, Childhood of; Bahaullah, Life of; Twin Holy days; Holy days; Mirza Buzurg; Khadijih Khanum; - Basic timeline, Condensed; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Bahaullah, Basic timeline; Births and deaths; Zoroaster; Abraham |
BIC Statement on Bahá'u'lláh; Bahá'u'lláh: The Word Made Flesh |
| 1818 May |
Birth of Mullá Zaynu'l-`Ábidín (Zaynu'l-Muqarrabín), Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh, in Najafábád. |
Najafabad; Iran |
Zaynul-Muqarrabin (Mulla Zaynul-Abidin); Apostles of Bahaullah; Births and deaths |
|
| 1819 (In the year) |
Death of Shaykh `Alí, son of Shaykh Ahmad. Shaykh Ahmad considered this loss as a sacrifice for `the Alí whose advent we all await'. [MH24] |
Iran |
Shaykh Ali; Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsai; Births and deaths; Sacrifice; Shaykhism |
|
| 1819. 20 Oct |
Birth of Siyyid `Alí-Muhammad (The Báb), before dawn, in Shíráz. [B32; GH13; DB14, 72]
The Primal Point (Nuqtiy-i-Úlá). [BBD185]
The Promised One of Islam, the Qá'im. [BBD188]
Siyyid-i-dhikr (Lord of Remembrance). [BBD212]
His mother was Fátimih-Bagum. [Bab33, 46; KBWB20; RB2:382]
- In the latter years of her life while she was living in Iraq, Bahá'u'lláh instructed two of His devoted followers, Hájí Siyyid Javád-i-Karbilá'í and the wife of Hájí 'Abdu'l-Majíd-i-Shírází, to acquaint her in the principles of the Faith and she became aware of the bountiful gifts which God had conferred upon her. [DB191]
His father was Mírzá Muhammad Ridá. [BW4:234–5; LOG351; SE206; TN4]
He was a direct heir of the House of Háshim and descended thus from Muhammad and through Him from Abraham. [BW8:874]
Designations of the Báb include `Abdu'dh-dhikr (Servant of the Remembrance), Bábu'lláh (the Gate of God) and Hadrat-i-A`lá (His Holiness the Most Exalted One). [BBD1, 30, 93]
For biblical reference see LOG378. See RB1:304 for extracts from Shoghi Effendi re: His station.
See BBD39, GPB157–8 for a condensed history.
See Bab32 and TN4 for discussion of the date of His father's death
See DB28–30. See DB75 for the extent of His schooling. See DB75 n1 for his education.
|
Shiraz; Iran |
Bab, Birth of; Bab, Life of; Bab, Family of; Fatimih Bagum; Mirza Muhammad Rida; - Basic timeline, Condensed; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Bab, Basic timeline; Holy days; Twin Holy days; Births and deaths |
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| 1820 (In the year) |
Birth of Khadíjih Bagum (daughter of Mírzá `Alí, a merchant of Shíráz), first wife of the Báb, in Shíráz. |
Shiraz; Iran |
Khadijih Bagum; Bab, Family of; Births and deaths |
|
| 1820 (In the year) |
Birth of Ásíyih Khánum (Navváb), first wife of Bahá'u'lláh, in Yálrúd. The only daughter of Mírzá Ismá'íl. |
Yalrud; Iran |
Navvab (Asiyih Khanum); Births and deaths |
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| 1822 (In the year) |
Birth of Mírzá-`Alíy-i-Bárfurúshí (Quddús), the 18th Letter of the Living in Barfurush (now called
Babol). |
Barfurush; Iran; Babol |
Quddus; Letters of the Living; Births and deaths |
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| 1826 27 Jun |
Passing of Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsá'í, the leader of the Shaykhís, in Haddíyyih near Medina near the tomb of Muhammad, at approximately 75 years. He was buried in the cemetery of Baqí` in Medina. [B2,; M16; H20]
At his passing Siyyid Kázim-i-Rashtí became his designated successor. [BBD12; DB9-11]
BBD12 says it was 1828 and he was 81 years old
See MH20 for three chief articles of faith of the Shaykhís.
See BBRSM8 for a brief account of his life. Says he lived from 1753 to 1826.
See DB1-18 for a brief history of his life.
DB18 says he died in 1268 A.H. (4 August, 1826 to 25 July, 1827)
See MH22 for a picture.
KA239n171 says Shaykh Aḥmad-i-Ahsá’í lived from 1753 to 1831. He was the founder of the Shaykhí School and the first of the “twin luminaries that heralded the advent of the Faith of the Báb”.
See Sheikh Ahmad al-Ahsai by Moojan Momen for a brief history of Shaykh Aḥmad-i-Ahsá’í and the Shaykhí School and his continuing influence today.
See Ahsá'í, Shaykh Ahmad by Denis MacEoin.
See BBRSM8-13 for a history of Shaykhism.
See GPB92 for his predictions regarding the Twin Manifestations. iiiii
|
Haddiyyih; Medina; Saudi Arabia |
Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsai; Siyyid Kazim-i-Rashti; Shaykhism; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; - Basic timeline, Expanded |
|
| 1828 (In the year) |
Passing of Mírzá Muhammad Ridá, the father of the Báb.
The Báb was placed in the care of His maternal uncle, Hájí Mírzá Siyyid `Alí, Khál-i-A`zam (the Most Great Uncle). He was a leading merchant of Shíráz and was the first, after the Letters of the Living, to embrace the new Cause in that city. He was one of the Seven Martyrs of Tihrán. [BBD14]
In the household was an Ethiopian servant named Mubarak who nurtured and tutored Him throughout His later childhood and adolescence. “the Bab, in fact, places Mubarak on the same plane as his father.” [The Ethiopian King by Nader Saiedi translated by Omid Ghaemmaghami Baha’i Studies Review, Volume 17 p181-186] This servant was not, in fact, the Hají Mubarak who later accompanied Him to Mecca.
According to Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl-i-Gulpáygání, the Báb was still an infant and had not yet been weaned when His father passed away. [DB72] |
Shiraz; Iran |
Mirza Muhammad Rida; Haji Mirza Siyyid Ali; Bab, Family of; Bab, Uncles of; Uncles; Bab, Life of; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Bab, Basic timeline; Mubarak |
|
| 1829 29 Mar |
Birth of Áqá Muhammad-i-Qá'iní (Nabíl-i-Akbar), Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh, in Naw-Firist, near Bírjand. He died on the 5th of July 1892 in Bukhara, Russian Turkistan (now Uzbekistan). He was referred to as a Hand of the Cause by 'Abdu'l-Bahá posthumously. [Bahá'í Encyclopedia Project; MoFp1] |
Naw-Firist; Birjand; Iran |
Nabil-i-Akbar (Aqa Muhammed-i-Qaini); Apostles of Bahaullah; Births and deaths; Hands of the Cause, referred to as such by Abdul-Baha |
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| 1830 Jan c. |
Birth of Hájí Mírzá Muhammad Taqí Afnán (Vakílu'd-Dawlih), maternal uncle of the Báb, who supervised and largely paid for the building of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár in `Ishqábád. |
Ishqabad; Turkmenistan |
Haji Muhammad-Taqi Afnan (Vakilud-Dawlih); Afnan; Bab, Family of; Vakilud-Dawlih; Mashriqul-Adhkar, Ishqabad; Births and deaths |
|
| 1831. c. 1831 |
Birth of Mírzá Yahyá (Subh-i-Azal), half brother of Bahá'u'lláh. |
Mazandaran; Iran |
Mirza Yahya (Subh-i-Azal); Births and deaths; Bahaullah, Family of |
|
| 1831 17 Jul |
Birth of Násiri'd-Dín Mírzá, later Sháh. |
Iran |
Nasirid-Din Shah; Qajar dynasty; Births and deaths |
|
| 1831 29 Jul |
Birth of Nabíl-i-A`zam, Muhammad-i-Zarandí, Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh. [“Nabil-e Aʿẓam Zarandi, Mollā Moḥammad,” by Vahid Rafati, Encyclopædia Iranica] |
Zarand; Iran |
Nabil-i-Azam; Apostles of Bahaullah; Births and deaths |
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| 1835 (In the year) |
Birth of Mírzá Áqá Ján-i-Kashání (Khadimu'lláh), Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh and His amanuensis. |
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Mirza Aqa Jan; Amanuensis; Apostles of Bahaullah; Births and deaths |
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| 1835 (In the year) |
Birth of Hájí Siyyid Muhammad-Husayn, Mahbúbu'sh-Shuhadá' (`Beloved of Martyrs'), in Isfahán. |
Isfahan; Iran |
Mirza Muhammad-Husayn (Beloved of Martyrs); King of Martyrs and Beloved of Martyrs; Births and deaths |
|
| 1837 (In the year) |
Birth of Hájí Siyyid Muhammad-Hasan, Sultánu'sh-Shuhadá' (`King of Martyrs'), in Isfahán. |
Isfahan; Iran |
Mirza Muhammad-Hasan (King of Martyrs); King of Martyrs and Beloved of Martyrs; Births and deaths |
|
| 1837. c. 1837 |
Birth of Mírzá Muhammad Mustafáy-i-Baghdádí, Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh, in Iraq. |
Iraq |
Muhammad Mustafa Baghdadi; Apostles of Bahaullah; Births and deaths |
|
| 1839 (In the year) |
Passing of Mírzá Buzurg. His body was taken to Najaf, Iraq where he was interred. [BBD49; BKG17; BNE23–4]
In 1957 the remains of Mírzá Buzurg were located and transferred. [MBW175] |
Najaf; Iraq |
Mirza Buzurg; Bahaullah, Family of; Bahaullah, Life of; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Cemeteries and graves; Bahaullah, Basic timeline; - Basic timeline, Expanded |
|
| 1842 - 1843 |
Birth of Hájí Ákhúnd (Mullá `Alí-Akbar Shahmírzádí), (d. 4 March 1910 in Tehran) in Shahmírzád, near Semnān [Simnán]. He was named a Hand of the Cause by Bahá'u'lláh. [Bahá'í Encylopedia Project; EB266; MoF9-12] |
Shahmirzad; Iran |
Haji Akhund (Mulla Ali-Akbar-i-Shahmirzadi); Hands of the Cause; Hands appointed by Bahaullah; Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1843 (In the year) |
Birth of Ahmad, son of the Báb. He passed away shortly after he was born (or was still-born). [Bab46-47; DB76note4; 77; KBWB6-9]
DB74 for a picture of his resting-place. Also see KBWB7.
|
Shiraz; Iran |
Ahmad (son of the Bab); Bab, Life of; Bab, Family of; Cemeteries and graves; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; - Basic timeline, Expanded |
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| 1843 31 Dec |
Passing of Siyyid Kázim-i-Rashtí, the disciple and self-proclaimed successor of Shaykh Ahmad, in Karbalá. Because Siyyid Kázim designated no successor, within a short period of time the Shaykhí school was split into several factions. The two largest were grouped around Siyyid `Alí Muhammad and Hájí Mullá Muhammad Karím Khán Kirmání. The first faction moved away from the outward practice of Islám towards a development of inner realities and ultimately a new revelation. The second emphasized the continuing role of the Prophets and the Imáms and sought acceptance from the Shí'í majority which had formerly excommunicated Shaykh Ahmad and Siyyid Kázim. [BBD126–7; MH26; SBBH1; TB6, Sayyid Kazim Rashti by Moojan Momen]
The latter, Hájí Mullá Muhammad Karím Khán Kirmání, became an enemy of the Báb. [SDH165]
BBRSM9 for a brief account of his life and the Shaykhí school under his leadership. See MH28 for a picture. See DB43–5, MH46–7 for an account of a warning of his passing in a shepard's dream.
Bahá'u'lláh condemned him in both the Kitáb-i-Íqán (p.184-186) and the Lawh-i-Qiná.
See DB24-25, 40-42 for Siyyid Kázim's exhortations to his followers predicting the manifestation of both the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh.
|
Karbala; Iraq |
Siyyid Kazim-i-Rashti; Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsai; Shaykhism; Siyyid Ali Muhammad; Haji Mulla Muhammad Karim Khan Kirmani; Shiism; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; - Basic timeline, Expanded |
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| 1844 (In the year) |
Birth of Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl-i-Gulpáygání, Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh, in Gulpáygán. |
Gulpaygan; Iran |
Mirza Abul-Fadl Gulpaygani; Apostles of Bahaullah; Births and deaths |
|
| 1844. 7 Feb |
Birth of Shaykh Kázim-i-Samandarí, Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh, in Qazvín. |
Qazvin; Iran |
Shaykh Kazim-i-Samandari; Apostles of Bahaullah; Births and deaths |
|
| 1844. 23 May |
The birth of `Abdu'l-Bahá in a rented house near the Shimrán Gate in Tihrán. He was born at midnight. [AB9, SoG3-4]
He was known as `Abbás Effendi outside the Bahá'í community.
Bahá'u'lláh gave Him the titles Ghusn-i-A`zam (the Most Great Branch), Sirru'lláh (Mystery of God) and Áqá (the Master). [BBD2, 19, 87, 89]
Sarkár-i-Áqá (the Honourable Master) was a title of `Abdu'l-Bahá. [BBD201]
He Himself chose the title `Abdu'l-Bahá (Servant of Bahá) after the passing of Bahá'u'lláh. [BBD2] |
Tihran; Iran |
Abdul-Baha, Life of; Bahaullah, Life of; Bab, Declaration of; Births and deaths; Bahaullah, Basic timeline; Abdul-Baha, Basic timeline; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Names and titles |
|
| 1846 (In the year) |
The birth of Bahíyyih Khánum, the Greatest Holy Leaf, eldest daughter of Bahá'u'lláh and Navváb, and sister of `Abdu'l-Bahá, in Tihrán. She was later designated by Shoghi Effendi `the outstanding heroine of the Bahá'í Dispensation'. [BBD42; GPB108]
For a description of her nature see BK42–3.
|
Tihran; Iran |
Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); Navvab (Asiyih Khanum); Births and deaths |
|
| 1847. 22 Feb |
Birth of Thornton Chase, designated the first American Bahá'í, in Springfield, Massachusetts. |
Springfield; Massachusetts; United States |
Thornton Chase; Births and deaths |
|
| 1847. 4 Mar |
The passing of Manúchihr Khán. His death had been predicted by the Báb 87 days earlier. The governor had made the Báb the beneficiary of his vast holdings, estimated to be 40 million francs, but his nephew Gurgín Khán appropriated everything after his death. [Bab116; DB212Note1, 213–214]
Before the death of Manúchihr Khán the Báb instructed His followers to disperse throughout Káshán, Qum and Tihrán. [B115; DB213–14] Gurgín Khán, in his role as the new governor, informed the Sháh that the Báb wss in Isfahán and had been sheltered by Manúchihr Khán. The Sháh ordered that the Báb be taken to Tihrán incognito. The Báb, escorted by Nusayrí horsemen, set out for Tihrán soon after midnight. [Bab116, 118; DB215–116; TN11] |
Tihran; Isfahan; Iran |
Manuchihr Khan; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Bab, Life of; Gurgin Khan; Nusayri horsemen; Horses |
|
| 1847. c. May |
Birth of Fátimih (Munírih) Khánum, wife of `Abdu'l-Bahá, in Isfahán.
Daughter of Mírzá Muhammad-'Alí. [DB208]
See MKML2-14 and DB208-209 for the story of her family and her conception.
See MH96 for information on Munírih, future wife of `Abdu'l-Bahá.
See CH84 for her account of a dream she had as a young child.
She was first cousin to the King of Martyrs and the Beloved of Martyrs. [CH86]
See MKML22-24 for the story of her first marriage to the younger brother of the King of Martyrs and the Beloved of Martyrs.
See MKML26-44 for the story of her trip from Iran to Mecca and then to the Holy Land in the company of Shaykh Salman. |
Isfahan; Iran |
Munirih Khanum; Abdul-Baha, Family of; Births and deaths; Shaykh Salman |
|
| 1848 (In the year) |
The birth of Mírzá Mihdí, `the Purest Branch', the son of Bahá'u'lláh and His wife Ásíyih Khánum (Navváb) in the family’s rented house near the Shemiran Gate (Darvázih Shimrán) in northern Tehran. [BBD155]
He was named after Mihdí, Bahá’u’lláh’s elder full brother, who was dear to Him and who had recently died. In later years Bahá’u’lláh gave Mírzá Mihdí the title "the Purest Branch."
In January of 1853 Bahá'u'lláh and His family left Tehran on the first stage of their exile. Mírzá Mihdí, who was unwell at the time and unfit to undertake three months of hard travel across the Iranian Plateau and the Zagros Mountains in severe winter weather, had to be left behind in the care of relatives. The Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, which has no definitive information on the topic, suggests that it is possible that more than one relative may have cared for Mírzá Mihdí over the seven years before he rejoined his parents in Baghdad. RoL165 says that he was left with his maternal grandmother, CH45 says it was his maternal great-grandmother, BKG13 says it was his paternal aunt, Hadrat-i-Ukht, identified as Sárih Khánum.
He was reunited with his parents in 1860 after Bahá’u’lláh’s return from the mountains of Sulaymaniyah and the family remained in Baghdad for another three years, until April 1863.
Mírzá Mihdí accompanied Bahá’u’lláh in His successive exiles to Istanbul, Edirne, and, finally, to Akka.
Despite his youth, Mírzá Mihdí was accustomed to hardship and was recognized as "a pillar of strength" among the exiles during the difficult period after their departure from Baghdad. He resembled ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in appearance and character and was noted for his piety, gentleness, dignity, courtesy, and patience. Throughout his brief adult life, Mírzá Mihdí was Bahá’u’lláh’s companion and served as one of His secretaries, recording the sacred tablets that He revealed. Many such manuscripts in Mírzá Mihdí’s excellent handwriting are extant." [Bahá'í Encyclopedia]
See also Mírzá Mihdí: The Purest Branch by Boris Handal published by George Ronald Publisher, 2017
See 22 June 1870 and 23 June 1870
|
Tihran; Iran |
Mirza Mihdi (Purest Branch); Births and deaths; Bahaullah, Family of; Boris Handal |
|
| 1848. Aug - Sep |
Birth of Mírzá Muhammad-Hasan Tálaqání, (b. Aug-Sep 1848 in Karkabúd, near Tálaqán, d.3 August 1919 in Tehran) also known by the title Adíbu’l-‘Ulamá and the designation Adíb, Hand of the Cause and Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh. [Bahá'í Encylopedia Project] |
Talaqan; Iran |
Adib (Haji Mirza Hasan Talaqani); Hands of the Cause; Hands appointed by Bahaullah; Births and deaths; Apostles of Bahaullah; Births and deaths |
|
| 1848. 1 Sep |
Birth of Auguste Forel, renowned entomologist and Bahá'í, in Switzerland. |
Morges; Switzerland |
Auguste Forel; Births and deaths |
|
| 1850 - 1851 |
Birth of Mírzá `Alí-Muhammad-i-Khurásání, (b. 1850-1851 Mashad, d. 2 April 1928 in Tehran) later known as Ibn-i-Asdaq, Hand of the Cause.
His father, Mullá Sádiq-i-Muqaddas had left his native Khurasan and travelled to the city of Karbila where he saw the Báb. Subsequently he went to Isfahan where he encountered Mullá Husayn Bushrui who led him to the recognition of the Promised One. He and Quddús were later dragged through the streets of Shiraz and expelled from the city. [PG108; Bahá'í Encylopedia Project]
|
Khurasan; Karbala; Iraq; Mashhad; Iran |
Ibn-i-Asdaq (Mirza Ali-Muhammad); Hands of the Cause; Hands appointed by Bahaullah; Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
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| 1852 |
Birth of Aqa Buzurg Khurasani (Badí‘), Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh, in Mashhad. |
Mashhad; Iran |
Badi (Mirza Aqa Buzurg-i-Nishapuri); Apostles of Bahaullah; Births and deaths |
|
| 1852. 21 Feb |
Birth of Isabella Brittingham, prominent American Bahá'í teacher, in New York City. |
New York; United States |
Isabella Brittingham; Births and deaths |
|
| 1852 Oct |
Bahá'u'lláh had a vision of the Maiden, who announced to Him that He was the Manifestation of God for this Age. [BBD142–3, 212; BKG823 ESW11–12, 21 GPB101–2; KAN62]
"While engulfed in tribulations I heard a most wondrous, a most sweet voice, calling above My head. Turning My face, I beheld a Maiden-" [SLH5-6]
This experience compares to the episode of Moses and the Burning Bush, Zoroaster and the Seven Visions, Buddha under the Bodhi tree, the descent of the Dove upon Jesus and the voice of Gabriel commanding Muhammad to ‘cry in the name of thy Lord'. [GPB93, 101]
The Báb repeatedly gave the year nine as the date of the appearance of ‘Him Whom God shall make manifest'. The Declaration of the Báb took place in AH 1260; year nine was therefore AH 1269, which began in the middle of October when Bahá'u'lláh had been in prison for about two months. [CB46–7]
Subsequently in His Writings Bahá’u’lláh declared that He was the "Promised One" of all religions, fulfilling the messianic prophecies found in world religions. He stated that being several messiahs converging one person were the spiritual, rather than material, fulfilment of the messianic and eschatological prophecies found in the literature of the major religions. His eschatological claims constitute six distinctive messianic identifications: from Judaism, the incarnation of the "Everlasting Father" from the Yuletide prophecy of Isaiah 9:6, the "Lord of Hosts"; from Christianity, the "Spirit of Truth" or Comforter predicted by Jesus in His farewell discourse of John 14-17 and the return of Christ "in the glory of the Father"; from Zoroastrianism, the return of Shah Bahram Varjavand, a Zoroastrian messiah predicted in various late Pahlavi texts; from Shi'a Islam the return of the Third Imam, Imam Husayn; from Sunni Islam, the return of Jesus, Isa; and from the Bábí religion, He whom God shall make manifest.
While Bahá’u’lláh did not explicitly state Himself to be either the Hindu or Buddhist messiah, He did so in principle through His writings. Later, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá stated that Bahá’u’lláh was the Kalki avatar, who in the classical Hindu Vaishnavas tradition, is the tenth and final avatar (great incarnation) of Vishnu who will come to end The Age of Darkness and Destruction. Bahá’ís also believe that Bahá’u’lláh is the fulfilment of the prophecy of appearance of the Maitreya Buddha, who is a future Buddha who will eventually appear on Earth, achieve complete enlightenment, and teach the pure Dharma. Bahá’ís believe that the prophecy that Maitreya will usher in a new society of tolerance and love has been fulfilled by Bahá’u’lláh's teachings on world peace. [Bahaipedia]
See P&M195-196 (1969), 298-299 (1987) where states, "...the First Call gone forth from His lips than the whole creation was revolutionized, and all that are in the heavens and all that are on earth were stirred to the depths". What was "the First Call"?. See GPB121, “These initial and impassioned outpourings of a Soul struggling to unburden itself, in the solitude of a self-imposed exile (many of them, alas lost to posterity) are, with the Tablet of Kullu’t-Tá’am and the poem entitled Rashh-i-‘Amá, revealed in Ṭihrán, the first fruits of His Divine Pen.”
"While engulfed in tribulations I heard a most wondrous, a most sweet voice, calling above My head. Turning My face, I beheld a Maiden—the embodiment of the remembrance of the name of My Lord—suspended in the air before Me. So rejoiced was she in her very soul that her countenance shone with the ornament of the good pleasure of God, and her cheeks glowed with the brightness of the All-Merciful. Betwixt earth and heaven she was raising a call which captivated the hearts and minds of men. She was imparting to both My inward and outer being tidings which rejoiced My soul, and the souls of God’s honoured servants.
Pointing with her finger unto My head, she addressed all who are in heaven and all who are on earth, saying: By God! This is the Best-Beloved of the worlds, and yet ye comprehend not. This is the Beauty of God amongst you, and the power of His sovereignty within you, could ye but understand. This is the Mystery of God and His Treasure, the Cause of God and His glory unto all who are in the kingdoms of Revelation and of creation, if ye be of them that perceive. This is He Whose Presence is the ardent desire of the denizens of the Realm of eternity, and of them that dwell within the Tabernacle of glory, and yet from His Beauty do ye turn aside." Súriy-i-Haykal para 6-7; SLH5-6
See Two Episodes from the Life of Bahá’u’lláh in Iran (2019) pp12-20 by Moojan Momen for an analysis of the provisional translation of a Tablet of Bahá'u'lláh. His interpretation is as follows: As a child Bahá’u’lláh read a story of the sufferings and unjust killing of the Banú Qurayza tribe in the time of Muhammad. It filled Him with such sorrow that He beseeched God to bring about what would be the cause of love and harmony among the people for the world. While imprisoned in the Siyáh Chál, He had an experience that caused great turmoil within Him and elevated His spiritual state. The duration of this state is considered as the beginning of His mission as a Manifestation of God and occurred over a twelve day period from 2 Muharram to 13 Muharram 1269, which equates to 16 October to 27 October 1852 A.D. It was after this that He began to reveal verses. Later He openly manifested Himself in the Garden of Ridván in Baghdad. Finally He revealed the Kitáb-i-Aqdas and then a series of Tablets such as Ishráqát, Tajalliyyát, the Tablet of the World and the Book of the Covenant in which he gave all of the guidance necessary to eliminate the causes of suffering, distress, and discord and to bring about unity and fellowship, thus fulfilling what He had longed for in His childhood.
|
Tihran; Iran |
Bahaullah, Life of; Bahaullah, Birth of Revelation of; Siyah Chal (Black Pit); Dreams and visions; Maid of Heaven; Angels; Year nine; Promised One; Prophecies; - Basic timeline, Condensed; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Bahaullah, Basic timeline; Firsts, Other; Dreams |
|
| 1852 (Between Oct - Nov) |
The revelation of Rashh-i-Ama (The Clouds of the Realms Above) while in the Síyáh-Chál in Tehran. This tablet is considered to be among the first revealed by Bahá'u'lláh after being apprised that He was to be the Manifestation of God.
See P&M295-196(1969), 298-299(1987) where states, "...the First Call gone forth from His lips than the whole creation was revolutionized, and all that are in the heavens and all that are on earth were stirred to the depths". What was "the First Call"?. See GPB121, “These initial and impassioned outpourings of a Soul struggling to unburden itself, in the solitude of a self-imposed exile (many of them, alas lost to posterity) are, with the Tablet of Kullu’t-Tá’am and the poem entitled Rashh-i-‘Amá, revealed in Ṭihrán, the first fruits of His Divine Pen.”
See also RoB1p45-52 for information on "The First Emanations of the Supreme Pen". Taherzadeh explains that this tablet has great significance in Islamic prophecy where it is said that when the Promised One appears He will utter one word that will cause the people to flee Him. Islamic prophecy also holds that the well-known saying, "I am He" will be fulfilled. In this tablet and many that were to follow, Bahá'u'lláh proclaims that "I am God".
Taherzadeh also states Bahá'u'lláh disclosed for the first time one of the unique features of His Revelation, namely, the advent of the "Day of God".
"In a language supremely beautiful and soul-stirring, He attributes these energies to Himself. His choice of words, and the beauty, power, depth and mystery of this poem...are such that they may well prove impossible to translate." [RoB1p45]
In 2019 an authorized translation of this poem was published in the collection The Call of the Divine Beloved.
See a study outline by Jonah Winters (1999).
See Clouds and the Hiding God: Observations on some Terms in the Early Writing of Bahá'u'lláh by Moshe Sharon published in Lights of Irfan, Vol 13, 2012,p363-379 for an exploration of the mystical terms found in the Tablet.
|
Tihran; Iran |
Rashh-i-Ama (Sprinkling from the Cloud of Unknowing); Bahaullah, Writings of; Bahaullah, Poetry of; Poetry; Call of the Divine Beloved (book); Siyah Chal (Black Pit); Bahaullah, Birth of revelation of |
|
| 1853 or 1854 |
Birth of Mírzá Muhammad-‘Alí, first son of Bahá'u'lláh and His second wife, Mahd-i-‘Ulyá. [CB 125]
He was born in the first year of Bahá'u'lláh's arrival in Baghdád. CB125]
|
Baghdad; Iraq |
Mirza Muhammad Ali; Births and deaths; Bahaullah, Life of; Bahaullah, Wives of; Bahaullah, Family of; Mahd-i-Ulya (Fatimih Khanum); Firsts, Other |
|
| 1855 5 Mar |
Birth of John Henry Hyde Dunn, Hand of the Cause, in London. [Bahá'í Chronicles]
|
London; United Kingdom |
Hyde Dunn; birth; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1855. 15 Oct 1855 or 1856 |
Birth of Robert Turner, first black American Bahá'í. |
United States |
Robert Turner; Births and deaths |
|
| 1856. c. 1856 – 1857 |
Birth of Samadíyyih Khánum, first daughter of Bahá'u'lláh and His second wife, Mahd-i-‘Ulyá (Fatimih). |
Baghdad; Iraq |
Samadiyyih Khanum; Bahaullah, Family of; Mahd-i-Ulya (Fatimih Khanum); Births and deaths; Bahaullah, Life of; Sulaymaniyyih |
|
| 1857 c. |
The revelation of Sahíiy-i-Shattíyyih (Book of the River or Book of the Tigris) by Bahá'u'lláh.
See Tablet of the River [Tigris] by Bahá'u'lláh translated by Juan Cole, 1997 for the background to the Tablet and a translation. Cole contends, by his translation, that at this time Bahá'u'lláh, had no thought of advancing any claim to Revelation.
See Concealment and Revelation in Bahá'u'lláh's Book of the River by Nader Saiedi published in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 9:3, 1999 where Saiedi postulates, based on his translation that Bahá'u'lláh was fully aware of His mission from at least the time of his imprisonment in the Siyah-Chal and rejects any suggestion that Bahá'u'lláh's consciousness evolved in this regard.
See Messianic Concealment and Theophanic Disclosure by Moojan Momen
published in Online Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 1 Association for Bahá'í Studies of New Zealand, 2007, where Momen contends that the controversy is an illusory one caused by the specific nature of the meaning of the word "amr" and that the phrase that is the subject of dispute proves neither side's case, however it is translated. He explains it by say there is a theological schematic of the stages of the evolution of the mission of the Manifestations of God, the phenomenon of a period of messianic concealment followed by a theophanic disclosure. He then imposes this schematic upon the dispensation of the Báb creating a new interpretation of His ministry and further suggests it could be applied to the Revelation of Muhammad and Jesus. |
Baghdad; Iraq |
Shahifiy-i-Shattiyyih (Book of the River); Rivers; Bahaullah, Writings of; Bahaullah, Birth of Revelation of; Bahaullah, Declaration of; Tigris river |
|
| 1860 (In the year) |
Birth of Shaykh Muhammad-‘Alíy-i-Qá'iní, Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh, in Naw Firist, near Bírjand. [EB273]
He was a nephew of Nabil-i-Akbar. He traveled to India and later to Haifa . He was sent to Ishqábád by 'Abdu'l-Bahá to take care of the education of children. Along with other believers he helped to complete the unfinished writings of Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl. [Wikipedia]
|
Naw-Firist; Birjand; Iran |
Shaykh Muhammad-Aliy-i-Qaini; Apostles of Bahaullah; Births and deaths; Mirza Abul-Fadl |
|
| 1862. c. Mar - Jun |
Birth of Sádhijíyyih, second daughter of Bahá'u'lláh and His second wife, Mahd-i-‘Ulyá (Fatimih). |
Baghdad; Iraq |
Sadhijiyyih; Bahaullah, Family of; Mahd-i-Ulya (Fatimih Khanum); Births and deaths |
|
| 1863. 18 Apr |
Birth of William Henry (Harry) Randall, Disciple of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá, in Boston. |
Boston; Massachusetts; United States |
William Harry Randall; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; Births and deaths |
|
| 1864 (In the year) |
Birth of Mírzá Hádí Shírází, the father of Shoghi Effendi, in Shíráz. |
Shiraz; Iran |
Mirza Hadi Shirazi; Shoghi Effendi, Family of; Births and deaths |
|
| 1864. 27 Mar |
Birth of A. L. M. Nicolas, who later became an important European scholar on the life and teachings of the Báb, in Rasht. [BBR516] |
Rasht; Iran; Europe |
A.L.M. Nicolas; Births and deaths |
|
| 1864. 15 Aug |
Birth of Mírzá Díyá'u'lláh, the third son of Bahá'u'lláh and Mahdi-‘Ulyá. [BKG222] |
Edirne (Adrianople); Turkey |
Mirza Diyaullah; Bahaullah, Family of; Mahd-i-Ulya (Fatimih Khanum); Births and deaths |
|
| 1866. 1 Dec |
Birth of Marion Jack, prominent Bahá'í travel teacher, pioneer and artist, known affectionately as ‘General jack' for her services to the Bahá'í community, in Saint John, New Brunswick.
LDG1:217 for information on her pioneer work. |
Saint John; New Brunswick; Canada |
Marion Jack; Births and deaths |
|
| 1867 (In the year) |
Birth of Mírzá Badí'u'lláh, fourth son of Bahá'u'lláh and Mahd-i‘Ulyá in Adrianople. [BKG247] |
Edirne (Adrianople); Turkey |
Mirza Badiullah; Bahaullah, Family of; Mahd-i-Ulya (Fatimih Khanum); Births and deaths |
|
| 1869. 12 May |
Birth of Clara Davis Dunn, Hand of the Cause, in London. |
London; United Kingdom |
Clara Dunn; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1870. 14 Jan |
Birth of May (or Mary) Ellis Bolles, prominent American Bahá'í teacher, in Englewood, New Jersey. [BFA1p141]
At the age of 11 she had a dream in which she experienced a flash of light so bright that blinded her for a day.[BFA1p141]
In 1896 she dreamed she saw the earth from space. One word was written on the surface and the only letters she could read were "B" and "H". [BFA1p141]
In another dream she saw a vision of a man clothed in Eastern garb who beckoned her from across the Mediterranean. [BFA1p141] |
Englewood; New Jersey; United States |
May Maxwell (Bolles); Births and deaths; Dreams and visions |
|
| 1870. 23 Jun |
Mírzá Mihdí died from his injuries 22 hours after his fall. [BKG311–12; GPB188; RB3:208]
See BKG313, GPB188 and RB3:210 for the prayer of Bahá'u'lláh for His son.
Shoghi Effendi equate his death with the acts of atonement associated with Abraham's intended sacrifice of His son, with the crucifixion of Christ and with the martyrdom of Imám Husayn. [GPB188]
He was interred in the cemetery next to the shrine of Nabí Sálih in `Akká. [GBP188; RB3:209]
Also see BBD155, BKG311–14, RB3:204–20. |
Akka |
Mirza Mihdi (Purest Branch); Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Cemeteries and graves |
|
| 1871. 1 Nov |
Birth of `Lua' Getsinger (Lucinda Louisa Aurora Moore), Banner of the Cause (Líva), Disciple of `Abdu'l-Bahá, Herald of the Covenant and Mother Teacher of the West near Hume, New York. [AB67]
Lua is accredited with bringing such notables as May Ellis Bolles and Mrs Phoebe Hearst into the Faith. [AB67] |
Hume NY; United States |
May Maxwell (Bolles); Phoebe Hearst; Lua Getsinger; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; Births and deaths |
|
| 1872 (In the year) |
Birth of Joseph H. Hannen, a Disciple of `Abdu'l-Bahá. |
|
Joseph Hannen; Births and deaths |
|
| 1872 31 May |
Birth of Thomas Breakwell, considered the first English Bahá'í, in Woking, Surrey, England.
In fact Ethel Rosenberg declared two years before him.
The very first in England was probably Marion Miller who became a Bahá'í in 1894 in Chicago and came to England in 1895. Marion Miller taught the faith to her aunt, Miss M. Brown of Bushey in Hertfordshire, who converted in 1896 or 97. Miss Miller later left the Faith and no-one knows what became of Miss Brown. [BBC Religions]
|
Woking; Surrey; United Kingdom |
Thomas Breakwell; Births and deaths; Ethel Rosenberg; Marion Miller |
|
| 1872 10 Aug |
Birth of Martha Root, Hand of the Cause and itinerant Bahá'í teacher, in Richmond, Ohio. |
Richmond; Ohio; United States |
Martha Root; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1872. 22 Nov |
Muhammad-Báqir-i-Mahallátí, one of the Bahá'ís imprisoned in Cyprus, died. [BBR306]
He had begun his service to Bahá'u'lláh in Baghdad and was a member of the entourage that accompanied Him to Constantinople in 1863 and further served in His household in Adrianople. See FOIp9-12 for a brief description of his service.
This left Mishkín-Qalam as the only Bahá'í in Cyprus. [BBR306] |
Cyprus |
Aqa Muhammad-Baqir (Qahvih-chiy-i Mahallati); Mishkin-Qalam; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Cyprus exiles |
|
| 1873. 12 Apr |
Birth of Hippolyte Dreyfus, the first French Bahá'í, in Paris. Named by Shoghi Effendi a Disciple of `Abdu'l-Bahá. |
Paris; France |
Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; First Bahais by country or area; Births and deaths |
|
| 1873. 7 Jun |
Birth of Amelia Engelder Collins, Hand of the Cause, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. |
Pittsburgh; PA; United States |
Hands of the Cause; Amelia Collins; Births and deaths |
|
| 1874 - 1875 |
The passing of Mullá Sádiq-i-Muqaddas-i-Khurásání entitled by Bahá'u'lláh Ism'lláh'l-Asdaq (In the Name of God the Most Truthful) in Hamadán. He was born in Mashhad in around 1800, the son of a cleric, he furthered his own clerical studies in Karbila under the Shaykhi leader Sayyid Qasim Rashti, eventually gaining the rank of mujtahid, and becoming known by the honorific title Muqaddas (‘the holy one’).
As a young man he had been a disciple of Siyyid Kázim and had met Siyyid 'Alí-Muhammad in Karbilá. He was among the first believers who identified with the Message of the Báb. See DB100 and EB7 for the story of how he independently determined His identity when he met Mullá Husayn in Isfahán on his way to deliver a tablet to Bahá'u'lláh in Tehran. The very next day he left Isfahán for Shíráz on foot arriving 12 days later to find that the Báb had already departed for pilgrimage.
He took up residence in Shíráz and received a Tablet from the Báb instructing him to change the Call to Prayer. See DB146-148, EB13-14 for the story of how he endured over 900 strokes of the lash on the command of Husayn Khán-i-Írva´ní, the Governor of the province of Fars, and remained indifferent to the pain. (6 August, 1845) He was expelled from the city and proceeded to Yazd. He had similar fate in that city and was banished. He, together with Quddús and Mullá Alí Akbar'-i-Ardistání, were the first three Bábís known to suffer persecution for the Faith on Persian soil.
On the way to Khurásán he joined Mullá Husayn and those who would participate in the Tabarsí siege where he was on hand for the death of Mullá Husayn. (DB381) After the deception and massacre he was one of the few survivors and, as a prisoner, was taken to Mázindarán to be executed by the family Prince Mihdí-Qulí Mírzá who had commanded the royal troops and had been killed in battle. On route the party called on the clerics to interrogate him and his fellow Bábis and they became convinced that they were not heretics deserving of execution. The prisoners were to be sent to Tehran but escaped and made their way to Míhámí and eventually to Mashad.
In 1861, after life in that city became impossible, he went to Baghdád where he attained the presence of Bahá'u'lláh. After 14 months he returned to his native province of Khurásán.
He continued in his audacious teaching and as a result was taken to Tehran where he was kept in the Síhåh-Chál. He taught a number of fellow prisoners about the Promised One and converted Hakím Masíh, the Jewish physician assigned to attend to the prisoners. He was the first Bahá'í of Jewish background in Tehran (and was the grandfather of Lutfu'lláh Hakím, a former member of the Universal House of Justice.) After 28 months imprisonment he was pardoned but refuse to leave without his fellow prisoners. The Sháh released 40 of the 43 prisoners. (The remaining three were guilty of actual crimes.)
After Tehran he went to Khurásán and returned to the capital some three years later to help in changing the hiding place of the remains of the Báb. Then he travelled to Káshán, Isfahán and Yazd where he convinced some of the Afnáns to accept the truth of their Nephew's claims. After returning to Khurásán he was given permission to make a pilgrimage to 'Akká where he remained for some four months, returning by way of Mosul and Baghdád. When he reached Hamadán he was exhausted. Twelve days after his arrival he passed.
He had been the recipient of many tablets from Bahá'u'lláh including a Tablet of Visitation after his passing. One of the most well-know tablets was the Lawh-i-Ahbáb (Tablet of the Friends). It is thought He revealed this Tablet some time after leaving the barracks in 'Akká, about 1870-1871. [RoB3p258-260, List of the Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh]
He was the father of Ibn-i-Asdaq who Bahá'u'lláh appointed a Hand of the Cause of God. [EB19]
‘Abdu’l-Baha posthumously referred to him as a Hand of the Cause of God.
References [LoF32-41, MF5-8, DB381. EB7-23, BBR 69-70]
Note: Other sources fix his passing, EB23 and LoF32: 1889, but Bahá'í Encyclopedia Project had determine his passing as 1291 A.H or 1874-1875. The source is a letter from the Research Department dated 25 July 2005. |
Hamadan; Iran |
In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Hands of the Cause, Activities; Ismullahul-Asdaq (Mulla Sadiq Khurasani); Hands of the Cause, referred to as such by Abdul-Baha |
|
| 1874. 19 May |
Birth of John Ebenezer Esslemont, Hand of the Cause of God, in Aberdeen, Scotland. |
Aberdeen; Scotland; United Kingdom |
Esslemont; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1874. 6 Jun |
Birth of Louis George Gregory, Hand of the Cause of God at Charleston, South Carolina. |
South Carolina; United States |
Louis Gregory; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1874 14 Nov |
Birth of William Sutherland Maxwell, Hand of the Cause of God, in Montreal. |
Montreal; Canada |
Sutherland Maxwell; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1875. 21 Jul |
Birth of Agnes Baldwin Alexander, Hand of the Cause, in Hawaii.
She was a granddaughter of two of Hawaii's most famous missionary families, the Baldwins and the Alexanders. |
Hawaii |
Agnes Alexander; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1875. 16 Oct |
Birth of Tarázu'lláh Samandarí, Hand of the Cause of God, in Qazvín. |
Qazvin; Iran |
Tarazullah Samandari; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1876. 14 Feb |
Birth of Keith Ransom-Kehler, Hand of the Cause and the first American Bahá'í martyr, in Kentucky. |
Kentucky; United States |
Keith Ransom-Kehler; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Firsts, Other |
|
| 1876. 4 Jun |
`Abdu'l-`Azíz either committed suicide or was assassinated. [BBD2; BBR485; GPB225]
Accession of Murád V to the throne. [BBR485]
Bahá'u'lláh had predicted his downfall in the Lawh-i-Fu'ád. [RB3:87]
Bahá'u'lláh stated that the tyranny of Sultán `Abdu'l-`Azíz exceeded that of Násiri'd-Dín Sháh because the Sultán exiled Bahá'u'lláh to the Most Great Prison without any reason whereas the Sháh had reason to be fearful of the Bahá'ís because of the attempt on his life. [BKG412]
Bahá'u'lláh had addressed two Tablets to the Sultán including the Súriy-i-Mulúk (Tablet to the Kings) but he did not respond. [BBD2]
See The Summons of the Lord of Hosts p177-181 for the Lawh-i-Fu'ád and p185-235 for the Súriy-i-Mulúk.
|
Istanbul (Constantinople); Turkey |
Sultan Abdul-Aziz; Births and deaths; Nasirid-Din Shah; Murad V; Lawh-i-Fuad (Tablet to Fuad Pasha); Suriy-i-Muluk (Surih to the Kings); History (general); Prophecies |
|
| 1876. 14 Jun |
Birth of George Townshend, Hand of the Cause of God, in Dublin. |
Dublin; Ireland |
George Townshend; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1877. 26 Sep |
Birth of Siegfried Schopflocher, Hand of the Cause of God, in Germany. |
Furth; Bavaria; Germany |
Siegfried Schopflocher; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1878. 19 Feb |
Birth of George Adam Benke, German-Russian Bahá'í, who after his death was named by Shoghi Effendi as the first European Bahá'í martyr, in the Ukraine. [BW5:416–18] |
Ukraine |
George Adam Benke; Births and deaths |
|
| 1879. c. 1879 |
Sárih Khánum, the faithful sister of Bahá'u'lláh, passed away in Tihrán. She was buried a short distance from the city. [RB1:49–50] |
Tihran; Iran |
Sarih Khanum; Bahaullah, Family of; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Cemeteries and graves |
|
| 1879 Nov 30 |
Birth of Laura Clifford Barney (Laura Dreyfus-Barney) in Cincinnati, Ohio. She compiled Some Answered Questions from her interviews with `Abdu'l-Bahá during her visit to Acca between 1904 and 1906. (d. Paris 18 August 1974) |
Cincinnati; Ohio; United States |
Some Answered Questions; Laura Clifford Barney; Births and deaths |
|
| 1879 or 1880 |
Birth of Túbá Khánum, second daughter of `Abdu'l-Bahá. [CH93, 95, ABMM] |
Akka |
Tuba Khanum; Abdul-Baha, Family of; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Births and deaths |
|
| 1882 11 Nov |
The passing of Khadíjih-Bagum, the wife of the Báb, in Shíráz in the house of her Husband. [BBD127; EB235; KBWB35; DB191; RoB2p387] Note: KBWB35 states that she passed on the 15th of September, 1882 however MBBA112 suggests 16th of October. She died of dysentery.
Within two hours of her passing her faithful servitor, an Ethiopian slave named Fiddhih, someone who had been a member of the household since the age of seven, passed away as well. Both were interred within the Shrine of Sháh-Chirágh. [BK35]
Upon her passing Bahá'u'lláh revealed a tablet of visitation for her and later He composed a verse to be inscribed on her tombstone. [RoB2p387]
- In accordance with Bahá’u’lláh’s instructions, in 1308 A.H.
[1891], Mírzá Muhammad-`Alí went to Bombay to publish some
of the Holy Tablets. As the Blessed Beauty instructed, he
purchased a gravestone for the resting place of the wife of the Báb.
The following verse, revealed from the heaven of divine will, was
engraved on it: He is the Everlasting. Verily this exalted leaf
hearkened to the Call of the Tree beyond which there is no passing
and winged her flight towards it. "Abú’l-Qásim Afnán informs the translator that this gravestone is safe in an
undisclosed location in Iran." [MBBA117]
|
Shiraz; Iran |
Khadijih Bagum; Servants; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Cemeteries and graves; Fiddih |
|
| 1883. 15 Apr |
Birth in Goslar, Germany, of Dr Artur Eduard Heinrich Brauns, a prominent German Bahá'í, named by Shoghi Effendi a Disciple of `Abdu'l-Bahá. |
Goslar; Germany |
Artur Eduard Heinrich Brauns; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; Births and deaths |
|
| 1884 (In the year) |
Birth of Valíyu'lláh Varqá, Hand of the Cause of God, in Tabríz. [BW18:381-834] |
Tabriz; Iran |
Varqa, Valiyullah; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Varqa |
|
| 1886 In the year |
Birth of Músá Banání, Hand of the Cause of God, in Baghdád. [BW15p421–423]
|
Baghdad; Iraq |
Musa Banani; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1886 (In the year) |
Birth of Narayanrao Rangnath Vakil, the first Hindu to become a Bahá'í in Surat, Gujarat, India. |
Surat; Gujarat; India |
Narayanrao Rangnath Vakil; Births and deaths; First believers by background; Conversion; Hinduism; Interfaith dialogue |
|
| 1886 (In the year) |
The passing of the wife of Bahá'u'lláh, Ásíyih Khánum, entitled Navváb (the Most Exalted Leaf) in the House of `Abbúd. [BBD170; BKG369; DH57, 213]
See CB119–20 for comments on her nature and station and for Tablets revealed by Bahá'u'lláh in her honour.
See CH39-40 for a description of her by Lady Bloomfield.
After her passing Bahá'u'lláh revealled a Tablet for her in which He called her his `perpetual consort in all the worlds of God'. [GPB108]
See CB120–1 for `Abdu'l-Bahá's commentary on Isaiah 54, which refers to Navváb.
She was interred in the Bahá'í section of the Muslim cemetery. [BBD170; DH57, 81]
Muhammad-Yúsuf Páshá demanded that `Abdu'l-Bahá vacate the house of `Abbúd even during Navváb's illness. [BKG369] |
Akka |
Navvab (Asiyih Khanum); Muhammad-Yusuf Pasha; House of Abbud; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Cemeteries and graves; Abdul-Baha, Life of |
|
| 1887 (In the year) |
Mírzá Músá, Áqáy-i-Kalím, Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh, the faithful brother of Bahá'u'lláh, passed away in `Akká. [BBD166; BKG369; DH57]
He was buried in the Bahá'í section of the Muslim cemetery. [DH81]
He was designated by Shoghi Effendi as one of the 19 Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh. [BBD166; BW3:80–1]
See Bahá'í Chronicles for a brief biography as well as MoF86-90. |
Akka |
Mirza Musa; Aqay-i-Kalim; Apostles of Bahaullah; Births and deaths; Cemeteries and graves; In Memoriam |
|
| 1889. 19 Nov |
Birth of General Shu`á`u'lláh `Alá'í, Hand of the Cause of God, in Tihrán. |
Tihran; Iran |
Shuaullah Alai; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1892 29 May |
The Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh Bahá'u'lláh passed away at Bahjí in His seventy–fifth year. [AB47; BBRXXIX, 233; BKG420; CB148; GPB221; RB4:411]
"The news of His ascension was instantly communicated to Sultán 'Abdu'l-Hamíd by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in a telegram which began with the words "the Sun of Bahá has set". [GPB222; AB47; BKG420]
He cited these last words, two verses from the Kitáb-i-Aqdas:
“Say: Let not your hearts be perturbed, O people, when the glory of My Presence is withdrawn, and the ocean of My utterance is stilled. In My presence amongst you there is a wisdom, and in My absence there is yet another, inscrutable to all but God, the Incomparable, the All-Knowing. Verily, We behold you from Our realm of glory, and shall aid whosoever will arise for the triumph of Our Cause with the hosts of the Concourse on high and a company of Our favoured angels.”
“Be not dismayed, O peoples of the world, when the day-star of My beauty is set, and the heaven of My tabernacle is concealed from your eyes. Arise to further My Cause, and to exalt My Word amongst men. We are with you at all times, and shall strengthen you through the power of truth. We are truly almighty. Whoso hath recognized Me will arise and serve Me with such determination that the powers of earth and heaven shall be unable to defeat his purpose.” [GWB137]
For an account by Túbá Khánum see CH105–9.
Bahá'u'lláh had spent 23 years, 8 months and 29 (or 30) days in the Holy Land. [DH12]
He passed away eight hours after sunset. [GPB221; UD170]
Shortly after sunset, on the very day of His passing, Bahá'u'lláh was buried beneath the floor of the northermost room in the house adjacent to the mansion of Bahjí, the house which had served as a dwelling-place for His son-in-law, Háji Siyyid 'Ali Afnán. This became the Qiblih of the Bahá'í Faith. [AB47; BBD211; BKG427; GPB222]
See CB149 and RB4:149 for the effect of Bahá'u'lláh's ascension on`Abdu'l-Bahá.
See ARG71-72 for `Abdu'l-Bahá's account of His attempt to convince Mírzá Muhammad-'Alí to be faithful to the Covenant.
See CoC132-134; AB52–3, CB148–9, 152-153 and RB4:148–9 for the theft of Bahá'u'lláh's cases containing His seals, papers and other items. See as well An Epistle to the Bahá'í World
by Mirza Badi'u'llah, page 13, written during his short-life period of confession/redemption.
- One of the documents in these cases was the original Long Obligatory Prayer that had been mentioned in the Kitab-i-Aqdas. Bahá'u'lláh had revealed the text but did not release it in order to avoid provoking conflict with Muslims. [Prayer and Worship by John Walbridge]
- The box also contained a valuable ring and a rosary. "The ring was sold by Mírzá Muhammad-`Alí in
the course of his journey in India and spent as travel money.
And Mírzá Badi`u’llah wasted the rosary." [MBBA214
See AB52–61, CB148–51 and RB4:148–54 for the Covenant-breaking activities of Bahá'u'lláh's family immediately following His death.
For 'Abdu'l-Bahá's description of His Father see BWF220-224.
See GPB222–3 for the mourning following the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh.
See BBR234–6 for a list of Europeans who had met Bahá'u'lláh. |
Bahji |
Bahaullah, Ascension of; Bahaullah, Life of; Holy days; Sultan Abdul-Hamid; Covenant-breakers; Covenant (general); Qiblih; - Basic timeline, Condensed; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Bahaullah, Basic timeline; Abdul-Baha, Basic timeline; Abdul-Baha, Life of; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Box with Writings; Boxes; Seals; Obligatory prayer |
|
| 1892. 5 Jul |
The passing of Hand of the Cause of God Nabil-i-Akbar Áqá Muhammed-i-Qá'iní. He was born in Naw-Firist, Persia (Iran) on 29 March 1829. [Bahá'í Encyclopedia Project; MoFp1]
“It has been claimed that no one within the enclave of the Bahá'í Faith has ever surpassed the profundity of his erudition.” Bahá’u’lláh addressed the Lawh-i-Hikmat (Tablet of Wisdom) in his honour. [EB115]
He was imprisoned a number of times in Iran for his Bahá’í activities and eventually moved to Ashkhabad (‘Ishqábád, Turkmenistan). He died in Bukhárá, Uzbekistan. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá designated him a Hand of the Cause of God. [LoF28-31]
For details of his life see EB112–15 and LoF28-31.
He was named as one of the Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh. |
Bukhara; Uzbekistan; Naw-Firist; Iran |
Nabil-i-Akbar (Aqa Muhammed-i-Qaini); In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Hands of the Cause, Activities; Lawh-i-Hikmat (Tablet of Wisdom); Bahaullah, Writings of; Apostles of Bahaullah; Hands of the Cause, referred to as such by Abdul-Baha |
|
| 1892 3 Sep |
Nabíl, inconsolable at the death of Bahá'u'lláh, committed suicide by drowning himself in the sea. [AB56; BBD167; BKG265-268, , 427–8; MF32-37; DH81; EB268-270; GPB222; Rob1p201-206]
He left a note paying homage to `Abdu'l-Bahá, writing the date of his death in the single Arabic word `Gharíq' (drowned), the numerical value of which is AH 1310 (AD 1892–3). [MF35; RB1:205]
See OPOP86 for "Pilgrim's Note" concerning what Jináb-i-Fádil said that 'Abdu'l-Bahá said about Nabil's suicide.
See DH81 for his own epitaph.
He was buried in the Muslim Cemetery near `Akká. [DH81]
He was one of 19 Apostles of Bahá’u’lláh designated by Shoghi Effendi in recognition of distinguished services that those nineteen loyal and devoted Persian Bahá'ís have rendered to their faith. [BW3p80-81]
Nabíl was born in the village of Zarand on the 29th of July, 1831. He had become a Bábí around 1847 after over-hearing a conversation between two men about the Báb. He accepted the faith of Bahá'u'lláh in 1858. During his years as a Bábí, Nabil traveled to Lorestan, Kermanshah, Tehran, and Khorasan; he met with the Bábís and Bábí leaders in those provinces to foster the Bábí ideology and inspire the believers to arise, consolidate, and expand the new Bábí communities. He also transcribed and distributed Bábí literature among the rank and file of the society to promote the Bábí faith. He was jailed in Sāva for four months because of his pro-Bábí activities. In September 1854, he set out for Baghdad and Karbala, where he stayed until October 1856. During late 1856 to July 1858, he traveled to Hamadan, his hometown Zarand, and many major Babi communities in the capital province and returned to Baghdad on 19 July 1858.
Nabil’s life as a Bahá'í is summed up in his extensive travels throughout Iran, Iraq, Turkey, the Caucasus, Egypt, and Palestine. In his early travels as a Bahá'í, he met with the Bábí communities to invite them to the Bahá'í faith; he attracted the Bábi leaders to the recognition of Bahá'u'lláh as the fulfillment of the Báb’s prophecies concerning the promised messianic figure and helped reinforce the belief of the new Bahá'ís in the teachings and principles that were being advanced by Bahá'u'lláh. Through these activities, Nabíl became an outstanding teacher, defender, and promulgator of the Bahá'í faith.
[Dawn over Mount Hira, "The Poet Laureate" p19-104, or p85-98, “Nabil-e aʿzam Zaranadi, Mollā Mohammad,” by Vahid Rafati, Encyclopædia Iranica, DB434-435]
Although known primarily as an historian in the West he was a gifted and prolific poet who devoted most of his poetry to the historical events in the Bábí and Bahá'í faiths. His most famous poem in couplet form about the history of the Bahá'í faith was published as Maṯnawi-e Nabil Zarandi in Cairo in 1924 in 65 pages and reprinted in Langenhain in 1995. In this poem he describes major historical events from the early days of the Bábí movement to the year 1869. His second poem, in 666 verses, deals with Bahá'u'lláh’s banishment from Edirne to Akka. Other historical poetry of Nabil consists of his poem titled “Maṯnawi-e weṣāl wa hejr” in 175 verses (pub. in Rafati, 2014, Chap. 6; Ḏokāʾi, p. 416) and his poem on the life of Āqā Moḥammad Nabil Akbar Qāʾeni in 303 verses (Ḵušahā-i az ḵarman-e adab wa honar 13, pp. 108-16). In addition to those poems, Nabil left behind a great collection of poetry in different forms, only a fraction of which has been published.
His other works in prose included a treatise on the Bábí-Bahá'í calendar, a treatise on Bahá'í inheritance laws (Fāżel Māzandarāni, IV pp. 1, 214), and his account on the event of the passing of Bahá'u'lláh (Nabil Zarandi, Maṯnawi-e Nabil Zarandi, Langenhain, 1995, pp. 67-108). But Nabil’s most celebrated work is Maṭāleʿ al-anwār, an extensive historical narrative of the Bábí faith, written in Akka in 1888-90, which was edited and translated into English by Shoghi Effendi as The Dawn-Breakers. The work was first published in the United States in 1932. [“Nabil-e aʿzam Zaranadi, Mollā Mohammad,” by Vahid Rafati, Encyclopædia Iranica; DB434-435] |
Akka; Zarand; Sava; Baghdad; Karbala; Cairo; Erdine; Turkey |
Nabil-i-Azam; Suicide; Apostles of Bahaullah; Births and deaths; Cemeteries and graves; In memoriam |
|
| 1895 23 Jun |
Birth of Leonora Stirling Holsapple (later Armstrong) in Hudson, New York. She was the first pioneer to Brazil and is regarded as the Mother of South America. [Wikipedia] |
Hudson; New York; United States |
Leonora Holsapple Armstrong; Names and titles; Births and deaths |
|
| 1896. 15 Feb |
Birth of Leroy C. Ioas, Hand of the Cause of God, in Wilmington, Illinois. His parents, Charles and Maria had become Bahá'ís in 1898 taught by Paul Dealy who was teaching Kheiralla's classes in Chicago. [Wikipedia; The Bahá'í Faith: Beginning in North America by Robert Stockman, World Order Vol 18 Issue 4 p24] |
Wilmington; Illinois |
Leroy Ioas; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1896. 19 Apr |
Násiri'd-Dín Sháh was assassinated on the eve of the celebration of his jubilee. He had ascended to the throne in 1848 and by the Islamic lunar calendar it marked the 50th year of his reign. [BKG455]
BBRXXIX and BBRSM219 say it was 1 May.
His assassin, Mírzá Ridá-yi-Kirmáni, a Pan-Islamic terrorist, was a follower of Jamálu'd-Dín-i-Afghání, one of the originators of the Constitutional movement in Iran and an enemy of the Faith however some newspaper accounts held that the assassin was a Bábí. [BBRSM87; GBP296; MCS540]
For an account of his assassination see PDC67–8.
See BKG430–55 for a history of his reign.
He was succeeded by his son Muzaffari'd-Dín. [GPB296]
See also CBM54-56.
See AY214-216. iiiii
|
Rayy; Iran |
Nasirid-Din Shah; Shahs; Throne changes; Qajar dynasty; History (general); Iran, General history; Births and deaths; Jamalud-Din-i-Afghani; Assassinations |
|
| 1896 1 May |
The martyrdom of Hand of the Cause of God Varqa (‘Dove’), Mírzá ‘Ali-Muhammad. (b.1856 in Yazd, d. in Tehran) He and his young son,
Ruhu’lláh, were killed by, Hajib’ud-Dawleh, one of the Qajar courtiers, in fact, the Chief Steward, in the aftermath of the assassination of Nasir'd-Din Shah. Varqá was slashed to death before the eyes of his twelve-year-old son who, still refusing to recant, was strangled. [GPB296; BBRXXIX; SUR77; BW18p384; Bahá'í Encyclopedia Project]
For the story of their lives see MRHK405–22 and World Order: Winter 1974-1975, Vol. 9 No.2 p29-44 as well as LoF42-49.
For a Western account of the episode see BBR361–2.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá named him posthumously as a Hand of the Cause and Shoghi Effendi designated him as one of the Apostles of Bahá-u-lláh. [EB75-97 LoF42-49, BBR361-362, SoBSNBp225-229]
See Varqá and Son: The Heavenly Doves by Darius Shahrokh.
See also Bahá'í Chronicles.
See SoW Vol 12 No 4 (17 May 1921 (Volume 7 pg93) for a photo of Varqá, Ruhu'lláh and their two companions.
|
Yazd; Tihran; Iran |
Varqa; Varqa, Mirza Ali-Muhammad; Varqa, Ruhullah; In Memoriam; Apostles of Bahaullah; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, referred to as such by Abdul-Baha; Hands of the Cause, Appointments; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Hands of the Cause, Activities; Persecution, Iran; Persecution, Deaths; Persecution |
|
| 1896. 13 May |
Birth of Dr Ugo Giachery, Hand of the Cause of God, in Palermo, Sicily. [Wikipedia] |
Palermo; Sicily |
Ugo Giachery; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1897 (In the year) |
The passing of Hand of the Cause of God Shaykh Muhammad-Ridáy-i-Yazdí (Mullá Ridá) while incarcerated in the Síyáh-Cháh. [RoB2p84-91; Bahaipedia; Wikipedia]
He was born in Muhammad-Ábád in the province of Yazd into a well-known family in about 1814. He was provided a good education and he became a divine known for his piety, eloquence and courage.
Mullá Ridá became a follower of the Báb in the early days of the Revelation. He recognized Bahá'u'lláh as the Promised One of the Bayan some time after 1855 upon reading Qasídiy-i-Varqá'íyyih, "Ode of the Dove". (Bahá'u'lláh had composed this ode while still in Sulaymáníyyih.)
He was a fearless teacher who was outspoken and often suffered imprisonment and torture. "Other than seventeen-year-old Badí, no one has surpassed Mullá Ridá's unusual power of endurance. The rare combination of endurance, eloquence, courage and humour made him that unique hero who illuminated the pages of the history of the Bahá'í Faith." [Extract from a Persian book called Masabih-i-Hidayat, Volume I by Azizu'llah-i-Sulaymani]
In one story of his courage in teaching and his endurance in withstanding abuse, he was found to be picking his teeth while being bastinadoed and, in another, while a elderly man he withstood a brutal flogging on his bare back in the prison yard. A witness to this flogging, Ghulám-Ridá Khán, a notable of Tehran who happened to be imprisoned at the same time, became a believer upon seeing his steadfastness under the lashing. [RoB1p84-91, EB89-111, LoF21-27]
'Abdu'l-Bahá referred to a few of the believers posthumously as being Hands of the Cause (see MF5 and BW14p446) Adib Taherzadeh points out that "since there are one or two others by the same name (Shaykh-Ridáy-i-Yazdí) it is not possible to identify him. However, some believe strongly that he is Mullá Muhammad-i-Ridáy-i-Muhammmad-Ábádí. [RoB4p186n]
|
Muhammadabad; Yazd; Tihran; Iran |
Mulla Rida; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Hands of the Cause, Activities; Siyah Chal (Black Pit); Bahaullah, Writings of; Hands of the Cause, referred to as such by Abdul-Baha; Shaykh Muhammad-Riday-i-Yazdi; Mulla Muhammad-i-Riday-i-Muhammmad-Ábadi; Hands of the Cause, referred to as such by Abdul-Baha; Hands of the Cause, Appointments; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Persecution, Iran |
|
| 1897 (In the year) |
Hájí Mírzá Muhammad-`Alí, the first Bahá'í to have settled China, died in Bombay on his way back to Shíráz. [PH24]
He lived in China from 1962 until 1868. He moved to Hong Kong in 1970 and was joined by his brother Haji Mirza Muhammad Husayn (Haji Mirza Buzurg) where they established a trading company. The brothers stayed in Hong Kong until 1897. [Video Early history of the Bahá'í Faith in China 2min56sec] |
China; Mumbai (Bombay); India |
Haji Mirza Muhammad-Ali (Afnan); Afnan; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1897. 24 Feb |
Birth of Jalal Khazeh (Jalál Khádih), Hand of the Cause of God, in Tihrán. |
Tihran; Iran |
Jalal Khazeh; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1898. 20 Aug |
Jamál Effendi passed away in `Akká. [EB128; Momen-Jamal Effendi]
Note: Baluzi gives the date of August 20th with giving a source. Momen says that Jamál Effendi lived out the last days in Akka. He died on 9 November 1898. He was buried in the Akka cemetery near the grave of Mírzá Músá, the brother of Bahá'u'lláh. 'Abdu'l-Bahá wrote a tablet of visitation for him and instructed that on his grave be written the following words:
Verily, Jamál ad-Dín, a traveller famous in every clime, the spreader of the fragrance of the love of God, has now become a traveller in those realms of God which are hidden from the eyes of the people of realm of veils. 1316 AH |
Akka |
Jamal Effendi; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1898. 21 Dec |
Birth of Dorothy Beecher Baker, Hand of the Cause of God. |
|
Dorothy Baker; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1899 16 Feb |
Birth of Hermann Grossmann, Hand of the Cause of God, in Rosario de Santa Fé, Argentina, into a family of German background. [Bahaipedia] |
Rosario de Santa Fe; Argentina |
Hermann Grossmann; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1899. 19 Nov |
Birth of Yan Kee Leong, the first believer in Malaya, in Selangor, Malaysia. |
Selangor; Malaysia; Malaya |
Yan Kee Leong; Births and deaths |
find reference |
| 1901 22 Jan |
The passing of Queen Victoria.
Of all the leaders addressed by Bahá'u'lláh only she is reputed to have made a courteous reply. [CBM47; PDC65]
See CBM47–8 for Bahá'u'lláh's prophecy concerning the success of her reign.
See Baha’u’llah Addresses Queen Victoria by David Langness.
See Bahá’u’lláh’s letter to Queen Victoria: Reform the World by Michael Curtotti.
See Baha’u’llah’s letter to Queen Victoria on the British Library site. |
London; United Kingdom |
Queen Victoria; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1901 2 Nov |
Birth of John Robarts, Hand of the Cause of God, in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. |
Waterloo; Ontario; Canada |
John Robarts; Births and deaths |
|
| 1901 26 Nov |
The Day of the Covenant
The Day of the Covenant is a Bahá'í holy day honouring the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh, in particular, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as the “Centre of the Covenant" and as such, the successor, the interpreter and the exemplar of the Bahá'í Faith. Bahá'u'lláh's Covenant also provided for the extension of this covenant to the Guardian and to the Universal House of Justice.
The first celebration of the Day of the Covenant in North America was marked on this day in Chicago. It was sponsored by "The Chicago House of Justice" and the "Women's Assembly of Teaching". It was attended by both Mírzá Assad'ullah and Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl. It can be presumed that they had educated the community in the commemoration of this Holy Day. [BFA2p56-57]
Prior to this time some of the believers celebrated the birth of 'Abdu'l-Bahá on the 22nd of May. Others marked the 29th of May, the anniversary of the passing of Bahá'u'lláh and thusly, the day on which He acceded to the leadership of the Bahá'í community.
'Abdu'l-Bahá chose the day November 26th, as reckoned by the Gregorian calendar, as approximately half a year away from the day of Bahá'u'lláh's ascension, to commemorate His appointment of the Centre of the Covenant. This Holy Day is now celebrated on the 25th or 26th of November depending on the date of Naw-Rúz.
The day was know as Jashn-i-A'zam (The Greatest Festival) in the East because He was Ghusn-i-A'zam, the Greatest Branch or the "Most Might Branch" [GPB238, BFA2:XV, 56; SA247, Day of the Covenant by Christopher Buck, AB523] |
Chicago; United States |
Day of the Covenant; Firsts, Other; Covenant (general); Holy Days; Abdul-Baha, Birth of; Bahaullah, Ascension of |
|
| 1902 12 Oct |
Birth of `Abdu'l-Hamíd Ishráq-Khávarí, Bahá'í scholar, author and translator, in Mashhad. |
Mashhad; Iran |
Abdul-Hamid Ishraq-Khavari; Bahai scholars; Births and deaths |
|
| 1903 (In the year) |
The passing of Mullá Zaynu'l-'Ábidín, surnamed Zaynu'l-Muqarrabín (the Ornament of the Near Ones) in 'Akká. He is sometimes referred to as Jináb-i-Zayn (The Excellent Zayn), or Harfu'z-Zá (the Letter Z). He was born in Rajab, one of the villages of Najafábád near Isfahán to a family of Muslim clerics in May 1818. He had first heard of the Báb's claim while on pilgrimage in Karbilá in 1844 and became a believer in 1851. He met Bahá'u'lláh in Baghdád after His return from Kurdistán in 1856. He was among the believers who were exiled from Baghdád in July of 1868 and under his leadership and guidance the believers in Mosul became a model community. He was invited by Bahá'u'lláh to come to 'Akká in Sep-Oct 1885 and shortly after that Baha'u'lláh asked that the community in Mosul be abandoned. [EB274-276; MoF150-154; TN412-425]
Jináb-i-Zaynu’l-Muqarrabín was well versed in Islamic jurisprudence. After the revelation of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, he was authorized to submit questions concerning the laws. The treatise, titled Questions and Answers, an appendix to the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, is a compilation he made of Bahá’u’lláh’s answers to questions concerning the laws of the Most Holy Book. It took more than two decades for "Questions and Answers" to be published in Persian and much longer to be published in English and other languages. [KA9]
See Some Answered Questions" and Its Compiler by Baharieh Rouhani Ma'ani published in Lights of Irfan, 18, pages 425-452. In this paper the author compares the similarities and differences of Questions and Answers and Some Answered
Questions.
For an image Zaynu’l-Muqarrabín see Picture Gallery (miniature by Ethel Rosenberg). This image can also been found in RoB1p78
He was named as one of the Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh. |
Rajab; Najafabad; Iran; Mosul; Iraq |
Zaynul-Muqarrabin (Mulla Zaynul-Abidin); Kitab-i-Aqdas (Most Holy Book); Laws; Questions and answers (Kitab-i-Aqdas); Risalih-i-Sual va Javab (Questions and Answers); Ethel Rosenberg; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Apostles of Bahaullah |
|
| 1904 c. |
The birth of Zikrullah Khadem, Hand of the Cause of God, in Tihrán. [ZK3] |
Tihran; Iran |
Zikrullah Khadem; Births and deaths |
|
| 1905 (In the year) |
The passing of Ahmad (of "Tablet of Ahmad" fame) in Tehran at the age of 100. He was born in Yazd in 1805. [A Flame of Fire by Abu'l-Qasim Faizi] |
Tihran; Iran |
Lawh-i-Ahmad (Tablet of Ahmad (Arabic)); Ahmad of Yazd; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1905 29 Apr |
Birth of `Alí-Akbar Furútan, Hand of the Cause of God, in Sabzivár, Khurásán. |
Sabzivar; Khurasan; Iran |
Ali Akbar Furutan; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1906 c. |
Birth of `Abu'l-Qásim Faizí, Hand of the Cause of God, in Qum. |
Qum; Iran |
Abul-Qasim Faizi; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1907 8 Jan |
The death of Muzaffari'd-Dín Sháh just a few days after he had signed the constitution. [BBR354, 482] |
Iran |
Muzaffarid-Din Shah; Shahs; Qajar dynasty; Births and deaths; Iran, General history; History (general); Constitutions |
|
| 1908 7 Sep |
The birth of Hasan Muvaqqar Balyuzi, Hand of the Cause of God. [SBBR5:XI] |
|
Hasan Balyuzi; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1909 (In the year) |
The passing of Robert Turner (b. 15 October, 1855 or 1856, Virginia d. 1909 California)
the first African-American Bahá'í and a member of the first Western Pilgrimage to Haifa in 1898, led by his employer Mrs. Phoebe Hearst. He was a butler in her household for more than 35 years. He was taught the Bahá'í Faith by Lua Getsinger in the process of serving tea and remained a devoted believer his entire life. "Such was the tenacity of his faith that even the subsequent estrangement of his beloved mistress from the Cause she had spontaneously embraced failed to becloud its radiance, or to lessen the intensity of the emotions which the loving-kindness showered by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá upon him had excited in his breast." (GPB259) [A Vision of Race Unity, Ving p101, AZBF475, An Early Pilgrimage by May Maxwell]
He received a Tablet from 'Abdu'l-Bahá while on his deathbed and a tribute after his passing. [AY60, 61, 339, AB72]
He was one of the nineteen Western Bahá'ís designated as a Disciple of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
A Tablet to him from 'Abdu'l-Bahá can be found in SWABpg114 #78 and 'Abdu'l-Bahá in America (website).
See also Bahaipedia, Bahá'í Chronicles.
Find a Grave.
Ask a Bahá'í.
|
Virginia; California; United States |
Robert Turner; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; Firsts, Other; Phoebe Hearst; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1909 20 Aug |
Birth of Paul Haney, Hand of the Cause of God, in Chicago.
His given name was `Abdu'l-Bahá, bestowed upon him by `Abdu'l-Bahá Himself at his birth.
His mother was born Mary Ida Parkhurst. 'Abdul-Bahá gave her the name Mariam. [BW14p343-346] |
Chicago; United States |
Paul Haney; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Mariam Haney |
|
| 1910 4 Mar |
The passing of Hand of the Cause of God Hájí Mullá ‘Alí-Akbar-i-Shahmírzádí, (Hájí Akhund). He was born in Shahmírzád around 1842/3. [Bahaipedia]
Bahá’u’lláh had entrusted him with the sacred task of moving and hiding the remains of the Báb. In Tehran he transferred the remains to Hand of the Cause Amínu’l-Bayán who moved them through innumerable dangers to a safe hiding place in the Mosque of the Imámzádih Zayd in Tehran, where they lay concealed until the time when, at the behest of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, they were transferred to the Holy Land to be laid in their permanent resting place on the slopes of Mount Carmel. [Message from the Universal House of Justice dated 25 March, 1985]
He was appointed a Hand of the Cause by Bahá’u’lláh. [LoF3-8]
He was appointed as one of the Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh.
Hand of the Cause of God `Alí-Akhar-i-Shahmírzádí (Hájí Ákhúnd) passed away in Tihrán. [BBD14; EB266] |
Tihran; Shahmirzad; Iran |
Haji Akhund (Mulla Ali-Akbar-i-Shahmirzadi); Hands appointed by Bahaullah; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Activities; Apostles of Bahaullah |
|
| 1910 8 Aug |
Birth of Mary Sutherland Maxwell, Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum, Hand of the Cause of God, in the borough of Qeens, New York City. |
New York; United States |
Mary Maxwell; Amatul-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1912 c. |
Mishkín-Qalam (b.1826, Shiraz, Iran) passed away in the Holy Land. He was buried in the Bahá'í Cemetery Bahjí. [BBD157; EB272]
See Bahá'í Chronicles.
See Memorials of the Faithful #38.
He was appointed as one of the Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh.
|
Haifa |
Mishkin-Qalam; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Apostles of Bahaullah |
|
| 1912 (In the year) |
Birth of `Alí Muhammad Varqá, Hand of the Cause of God, in Tihrán. |
Tihran; Iran |
Varqa, Ali-Muhammad; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Varqa |
|
| 1912 29 Apr |
Mírzá Yahyá died in Famagusta. [BBD243; BBR312]
He had been deserted by most of his followers and was given a Muslim funeral. [BKG426; GPB233]
Years later the sons of Mírzá Yahya and their relatives reconciled themselves to the authority of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [CH237-238]
|
Famagusta; Cyprus |
Mirza Yahya (Subh-i-Azal); Covenant-breakers; Cyprus exiles; Births and deaths |
|
| 1912 23 May |
The Bahá'ís of Cambridge, Massachusetts, celebrated `Abdu'l-Bahá's birthday at the Breed home with a cake bearing 68 candles. (Significantly, He did not stay for the festivities. He forgave this time, but had forbidden the celebration of His birthday. Six years before He had told Khan and other pilgrims that besides Naw-Rúz, the Holy Days were only for the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh, that His birth on the twenty-second/twenty-third of May was ‘only a coincidence’.) `Abdu'l-Bahá addressed the group on the importance of the Báb at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Francis W. Breed, 367 Harvard Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts. [239D:72; AB199, PUP138; AY89]
Before arriving in the early evening, He had proceeded to Worcester and addressed Clark University there. [AY95; Luminous Journey 1:00] |
Worcester; Cambridge MA; Massachusetts; United States |
Abdul-Baha, Birth of; Day of the Covenant; Holy Days; Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at homes; Abdul-Baha, Talks at universities; Bab, Life of; Clark University; Universities |
|
| 1912 30 Sep |
Thornton Chase, the first American Bahá'í, Disciple of `Abdu'l-Bahá, passed away in California before 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í and His retinue arrive. He was buried at Inglewood. He had been named Thábit (Steadfast) by the Master. [BBD71; BFA2:XVII]
See SoW Vol 3 No 12 16 October, 1912 p1-7 for a tribute to him upon his passing.
For a brief biography see Bahá'í Chronicles.
See as well Bahá’í Encyclopedia.
See "Disciples of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá" . [BW3p84–85; BW4p118–119]
See the article Chase, Thornton: The First Bahá'í from the Western Hemisphere by Richard Francis.
For a biography see Thornton Chase: First American Bahá'í by Robert H Stockman, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, Wilmette, 2002.
During the early years of the Faith in North America the Bahá'ís were unclear about the station of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. There were those who thought Him an ordinary man who had applied the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh flawlessly through His effort. Others believed Him to be the return of Christ. See ABF244-246 for his letter to Wellesly Tudor-Pole on the station of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
And a draft of a portion of the Stockman book, Love's Odyssey: The Life of Thornton Chase.
Upon hearing of his passing 'Abdu'l-Bahá is reported to have said, "This revered personage was the first Bahá'í in America. He served the Cause faithfully and his services will ever be remembered throughout ages and cycles." [SoW Vol 4 No 11 p.189]
Photos of the grave of Thornton Chase in Inglewood Park Cemetery.
Directions to his grave. Find a grave.
His publications:
- A number of pamphlets, See Bibliography of English-Language Works on the Bábí and Bahá’í Faiths, 1844–1985 by William Collins, George Ronald, Oxford, 1990 page 66-67.
- In Galilee and In Spirit and In Truth, first published in 1908. This was a record of his pilgrimage. [BEL7.634]
- The Bahai Revelation, first published in 1909. This book was an introduction to the Faith intended for a Christian audience. [BEL7.629]
See the trailer for a film entitled Steadfast-The Thornton Chase Story by Mithaq Kazimi and produced by Sam Baldoni.
See the Thornton Chase Website created by the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Inglewood, California and The Thornton Chase Committee to honour the legacy of Thornton Chase.
|
Los Angeles; California; United States |
Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Thornton Chase; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Cemeteries and graves |
|
| 1913 13 May |
Birth of H. Collis Featherstone, Hand of the Cause of God, at Quorn, South Australia. |
Quorn; Australia |
Collis Featherstone; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1914 9 Jan |
John Ferraby, Hand of the Cause of God, was born in Southsea, England. |
Southsea; United Kingdom |
John Ferraby; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1914 21 Jan |
Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl-i-Gulpáygání, Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh, passed away in Cairo. [AB404; BBD67]
He became a believer in 1876.
He was named as an Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh.
For a brief biography see EM263–5, SDH113.
His resting place is now next to that of Lua Getsinger in the Bahá'í cemetery in Cairo. [BW9p87]
His numerous works include Fará'id (The Peerless Gems) 1898; The Brilliant Proof; 1912; Bahá'í Proofs, 1902; and Al-Duraru'l-Bahíyih (The Shining Pearls, published in English as Miracles and Metaphors), 1900. [BBD7]
Find a grave.
See AY103, Star of the West, vol. IV, no. 19, pp. 316–7 and Bahá'í Proofs p17-18 for the story of how Ameen Fareed entered and secretly remained in Mírzá’s house, between the time of Mírzá’s death and his burial, and removed precious manuscripts which, slightly changed, he would spread among the believers in an attempt to undermine their unity at a later time.
'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke of Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl in His home in Haifa on 21 and 22 January, 1914 as reported in SoW Vol 9 No 3 April 28, 1918.
Among his works are:
- Borhān-e lāmeʿ, translated and published as The Brilliant Proof (1912),
- al-Ḥojaj al-bahīya, translated and published as Miracles and Metaphors (1981).
- A selection of his shorter works, entitled Letters and Essays (1985), is also available in English.
- His other works such as al-Farāʾed, Šarḥ-e Āyāt-e Mowarraḵa, Kašf al-ḡeṭāʾ, and a few collections of his shorter works exist in Arabic and Persian.
See the Wikipedia page for links to his works. |
Cairo; Egypt |
Mirza Abul-Fadl Gulpaygani; Apostles of Bahaullah; Lua Getsinger; Cemeteries and graves; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Ameen Fareed (Amin Farid); Covenant-breakers |
|
| 1915 11 Oct |
Arthur Pillsbury Dodge, Disciple of `Abdu'l-Bahá, passed away in Freeport, New York. [SBR15]
He had become a Bahá'í in 1895 just before moving to New York City. He visited Haifa in 1900 and Dr. Edward Granville Brown in Cambridge. He was a lawyer, publisher and self-made man. In 1898 he held the first Bahá’í classes in his home and the first public meetings on the Faith with talks given by Dr. Ibrahim Kheiralla. The first person to become a Bahá’í in NYC was Mr. James F. Brittingham, then of Weehawken, NJ who first heard the message from his sister, Mrs. Dixon of Chicago. Mrs. Mary H. Tousey organized the classes at Dodge’s home. Later that year, Mr. Howard MacNutt received the message.
[Highlights of the First 40 Years of the Bahá’í Faith in New York, City of the Covenant, 1892-1932 by Hussein Ahdieh p3]
For biographies see Bahá'í Chronicles; BFA1:116-17, SBR1-16 and SW6, 13:100-1.
For his obituary see SW6, 19:161-7.
Dodge's books include The Truth of It (1901) [SW6, 13:101] and Whence? Why? Wither? (1907). [SW6, 13:101; BEL7.821]
|
Freeport; New York; United States |
Arthur Pillsbury Dodge; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; James F. Brittingham; Howard MacNutt |
|
| 1916 2 May |
Louisa Aurora “Lua” Moore Getsinger, (b. 1 November, 1872 in Hume, Allegany County, New York) Disciple of `Abdu'l-Bahá, “Mother teacher of the West” died of heart failure in Cairo. [BBD87; Find a grave; Bahaipedia; GPB257]
'Abdu'l-Bahá's appointmented of Lua as "Herald of the Covenant" in the June 19, 1912. [LGHC157]
For an her obituary see [SoW Vol 7 No 4 May 17, 1916 p29-30].
She was buried in the Protestant Cemetery in Cairo. In 1939 a court ruling enabled the Bahá'ís to reinter her in the first Bahá'í cemetery established in Cairo, El Qahira, Egypt. Her grave was now beside that of Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl. [GPB344]
- For a photo of the reinterment see BW9p87.
See Lua Getsinger: Herald of the Covenant by Amine DeMille. [USBN No489 December 1971 p1-5]
See also Sears and Quigley, The Flame.
See as well Lua Getsinger: Herald of the Covenant by Velda Piff Metelmann.
For a brief biography see 239Days as well as The Shining Lamp and Beyond Foreignness.
iiiii
|
Cairo; Egypt |
Lua Getsinger; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; Cemeteries and graves; Mirza Abul-Fadl Gulpaygani; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1917 (in the year) |
The passing of Hand of the Cause of God Hájí Mírzá Muhammad-Taqíy-i-Abharí (Ibn-i-Abhar). He was born in 1853/4 in Abhar.
For four years he suffered in Síyáh-Chál wearing the very same chains as Bahá’u’lláh had worn in 1852.
On being informed that the friends in Tihrán had arranged to observe the commandment of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Bahá'u'lláh revealed, in one of His Tablets to Ibn-i-Asdaq (later named as a Hand of the Cause), the following well known Words:
Blessed is the spot, and the house, and the place, and the city, and the heart, and the mountain, and the refuge, and the cave, and the valley, and the land, and the sea, and the island, and the meadow where mention of God hath been made, and His praise glorified. -Bahá’u’lláh
[Some Bahai Sacred Spaces for Community, Slide presentation by the UK Community, Slide #74]
His services during the time of the Master included teaching journeys through Persia, the Caucasus and India. He also made some eleven journeys to the Holy Land with the permission of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
A special service rendered by Ibn-i-Abhar was the promotion of the education of women. He and his wife played an important part
in the advancement of women in Persian society.
In 1886 Bahá’u’lláh appointed him a Hand of the Cause. He died in 1917. [LoF13-16, BBD114, EB268; Bahaipedia]
Shoghi Effendi designated him as an Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh. [LoF12] |
Abhar; Tihran; Iran; Caucasus; India |
Hands appointed by Bahaullah; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Activities; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Ibn-i-Abhar (Mulla Muhammad Taqi); Siyah Chal (Black Pit); Chains; Women; Blessed is the spot; Apostles of Bahaullah |
|
| 1918 (In the year) |
Shaykh Kázim-i-Samandar, Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh, passed away early in the year.
For the story of his life see [EB191-215]. |
Iran |
Shaykh Kazim-i-Samandari; Apostles of Bahaullah; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1919 13 Apr |
The passing of Phoebe Apperson Hearst (b. 3 December, 1842) in her home in Pleasanton, California during the worldwide influenza epidemic of 1918-1919. She was buried at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Colma, California. [AY49, Find a grave, Bahá'í Chronicles]
See AY55-> for a brief history of her life and her contribution to the progress of the Faith. She had learned of the Faith through Lua Getsinger and members of her group in the early days of the Faith in California.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá called her ‘the servant of Bahá, the “Mother of the Faithful”’. He writes that she had ‘sincerely turned unto her Master... completely faced toward the Kingdom of God ... [she] shall surely have a firm and steady footing in the Cause of God, her face shall shine forth from the Horizon of Loftiness, her fame shall be spread in the Kingdom of God, and [she] shall have a ringing voice ... and the light of her glorious deeds shall beam forth during cycles and ages.’ [AY54-55; 106-107] |
Pleasanton; California; Colma; United States |
Phoebe Hearst; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Cemeteries and graves; Lua Getsinger; Names and titles |
|
| 1919 13 Aug |
The passing of Mírzá Muhammad-Hasan Táliqání, Hand of the Cause of God, entitled Adíbu'l-'Ulamá, know as Adíb (Educator) in Tihrán at the Shah's College established by Násirii'd-Dín Sháh. He was born in Talaqán in 1848 and became a Bahá’í around 1889. [BBD98, SUR29]
Bahá’u’lláh appointed him a Hand of the Cause of God. [SDH138-140]
He was appointed as one of the Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh.
He was one of the founders of the Tarbíyat Schools in Tihrán. [LoF17-18]
For a brief history of his life see EB272-3.
EB273 says he died on 2 September 1919.
|
Tihran; Talaqan; Iran |
Adib (Haji Mirza Hasan Talaqani); Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Appointments; Hands appointed by Bahaullah; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Tarbiyat School; In Memoriam; Apostles of Bahaullah |
|
| 1920. 27 Jan |
The passing of Joseph H. Hannen, (b. January 27, 1920, Allegheny, Pennsylvania) Disciple of 'Abdu'l-Bahá a week after he was knocked down by a truck in Washington, DC. [Washington Evening Star 29 Jan 1920]
It was Joseph Hannen who served as a note-taker for many of the talks of 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His tour in the United States. A number of the entries in Promulgation of Universal Peace have been accredited to him. [The Washington Times 28 January, 1928]
‘Abdu’l-Bahá sent the first Tablet of the Divine Plan to the southern states in care of Joseph. He and his wife Pauline taught the Faith to African Americans; among those they taught were Louis Gregory and Mrs. Pocahontas Pope.
[Bahá'í Chronicles, Alain Locke: Faith and Philosophy pp 38-39 by Christopher Buck, Kalimat Press]
He was buried with his wife, Pauline Amalie Knobloch Hannen (b. 29 August, 1874 d. 4 October, 1939) in Prospect Hill Cemetery, in Washington, DC. iiiii
|
Washington DC; Allegheny; United States |
Joseph Hannen; Pauline Hannen; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Cemeteries and graves; Tablets of the Divine Plan; Promulgation of Universal Peace (book) |
|
| 1920 24 May |
Charles Greenleaf, (b. 6 May, 1857 in Wisconsin), Disciple of `Abdu'l-Bahá, passed away at the home of William Harry Randall in Boston. He was interred in Rosehill Cemetery and Mausoleum, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA Show Map Section K Lot 42. [SBR105; Find a grave]
For details of his life see SBR97-105.
For his obituary see SW11, 19:321-2.
|
Boston; Massachusetts; United States |
Charles Greenleaf; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; William Harry Randall; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1920 Dec |
The passing of Hájí Mírzá Haydar-Alí Isfaháni known as 'the Angel of Mount Carmel' in Haifa. He was buried in the Bahá'í Cemetery on Mount Carmel. [BBD98; EB250]
Acting on the request of 'Abdu'l-Bahá he wrote Bahá'í Martyrdoms in Persia in the Year 1903 AD. It covered the events from March to September and was published in English as a 28-page book in 1904 and 1917.
For the story of his life see RB2:438–50.
For his biography see EB237-50.
His autobiography was published as Stories from the Delight of Hearts - The Memoirs of Hají Mírzá Haydar-Alí, was translated by A Q Faizi and published by Kalimat in 1980.
|
Haifa |
Haji Mirza Haydar-Ali; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Cemeteries and graves; Angel of Carmel |
|
| 1920 1 Dec |
Lillian Frances Kappes,(b. 1878 in Hoboken, New Jersey), died of typhus fever in Tihrán. [BFA2:361; SW11, 19:324-5, AY211-212]
She had gone to Tihrán nine years previously to help set up the Tarbíyat School for Girls. [SW11, 19:3 24]
She was buried next to the tomb of Varqa.
See Bahá'í Chronicles. |
Tihran; Iran |
Lillian Kappes; Tarbiyat School; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1921 (In the year) |
The birth of Eduardo Duarte Vieira, the first African Bahá'í martyr, was born in Portuguese Guinea. |
Portuguese Guinea (Guinea Bissau); Guinea Bissau |
Eduardo Duarte Vieira; Births and deaths |
|
| 1922 9 Jan |
William H. Hoar, Disciple of `Abdu'l-Bahá, passed away in Fanwood, New Jersey. [SW12, 19:310]
For his obituary see SW12, 19:310-12. |
Fanwood; New Jersey; United States |
William Hoar; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1922 24 Jan |
Dr Sarah A. Clock passed away in Tihrán. She had gone there in 1911 to assist Dr Moody at the Tarbíyat School. [BFA2:361; SW12, 19:309] |
Tihran; Iran |
Sarah Clock; Susan Moody; Tarbiyat School; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1924 (In the year) |
The passing of Mírzá Mahmúd-i-Zarqání (b. c1875).
He was 'Abdu'l-Bahá's secretary on his western trip and is the author of Mahmúd's Diary. In his youth he travelled and taught around Iran and from 1903 he began travelling to and in India, learning Urdu. He also made a pilgrimage to Haifa where he transcribed Tablets and from there accompanied 'Abdu'l-Bahá on His journey to Europe and to America. [Ahmad Sohrab's Diary Edinburgh p.5]
He was appointed as one of the Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh. |
|
Mirza Mahmud-i-Zarqani; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Mahmuds Diary; Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Apostles of Bahaullah |
|
| 1925 22 Nov |
John Esslemont, Hand of the Cause of God, Disciple of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, passed away in Haifa. [BW3p84-85, BBD81, SETPE1p108-110]
For letters of Shoghi Effendi announcing his death and giving details of his life and funeral see BA97–8 and UD40–3.
For an obituary see BW1:133–6 and BW8:929–35.
He was buried next to the grave of Vakílu’d-Dawlih, the chief builder of the House of Worship at ‘Ishqábád. [DJEE37]
Shoghi Effendi elevated him to the station of Hand of the Cause of God on his death. The announcement was made on November 30th. [BA7-98; BWT3:333; DJEE40; PP92; UD403, MoCxxii
See also Moojan Momen, Dr John E. Esslemont (BPT UK 1975) and BW8p929-935 for "John Ebenezer Esslemont: His Life and Service" by Jesse E. Revell.
In addition to the publication of Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era in Britain by George Allen and Unwin in 1923 he also published a booklet called
Bahá’u’lláh and His Message in New York by the Bahá’í Publishing Committee in 1921. (32 p). It was reprinted in London by the National Bahā’i Assembly of England, 1924. (23 p.), and a revised and edited publication was done by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the British Isles. London, 1938.
The Message of Bahá’u’lláh: (Based on “Bahá’u’lláh and His Message”) was published in London by the Bahá’í Publishing Trust in 1945. (30 p.). [DJEE28; RG77; The Story of J. E. Esslemont and his Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era: Bibliography by Jan Jasion] |
Haifa |
Esslemont; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; Vakilud-Dawlih; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Appointments; Hands appointed posthumously by Shoghi Effendi; Cemeteries and graves |
|
| 1926 25 Jan |
The passing of Professor Edward Granville Browne, (b. on the family estate in Gloucestershire, 7 February, 1862. d. near Cambridge). He is buried at Elswick Cemetery in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. Find a grave.
Browne was a British orientalist who published numerous articles and books of academic value in the areas of Persian history and literature. He had a number of private interviews with Bahá’u’lláh at Bahjí in 1890. He was the only Westerner to have met Bahá’u’lláh and to have left a description of the experience (see Scholar Meets Prophet: Edward Granville Browne and Bahá'u'lláh).
In 1912-13, while `Abdu'l-Bahá was in Europe, Browne visited him in London and Paris. These visits were supplemented by some correspondence between the two. Other Bahá'ís, including Montford Mills, also visited and corresponded with Browne from time to time. When `Abdu'l-Bahá passed away in 1921, Browne penned a sympathetic obituary. He also wrote a pen-portrait of Àbdu'l-Bahá. [Bahá'í Tributes]
Charles Melville, Professor of Persian History at Pembroke College in Cambridge headed the Browne Archive Project to digitize Browne's diaries and notes.
See Encounter with Bahá'u'lláh, a short video about Browne's life and his famous interview.
See MCS529-545 for a discussion of Browne's lack of objectivity and his partisanship as a researcher that lead to his committing some serious errors in his work on the Bábí-Bahá'í Faith.
He himself a professor of Arabic, found the Báb's style of writing very difficult and said of his works: "...some are so confused, so full of repetitions, extraordinary works and fantastic derivatives of Arabic roots, that they defy the most industrious and indefatigable reader." [SBBH5p227]
Browne's Publications
- Religious Systems of the World: A Contribution to the Study of Comparative Religion (1889)
- A Traveller's Narrative Written to Illustrate the Episode of the Báb (1891) A history by`Abdu'l-Bahá which Browne translated and extensively annotated.
- Tarikh-i-Jadid or New History of Mirza`Ali Muhammad the Báb (1893) by Mirza Husayn Hamadani translated by E.G.Browne.
- Hájjí Mírzá Jani Kashani wrote a substantial history of the Bábi Faith sometime between 1850-1852. (He was martyred in 1852.) These memoirs as they were copied and re-copied and spawned a great many versions which differed particularly in their portrayal of Subh-i-Azál and Bahá'u'lláh, depending on the editor’s loyalty.
- In about 1880 Mírzá Husayn Hamadani with the support of Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl took some version of Mírzá Jani's 1851 account and worked it up into a new history, The Tárikh-i-Jadíd. He did this at the request of a Zoroastrian, Manakji, who then added a preface, an epilogue, and an unknown number of amendments to the text and then published it under his own name.
- Nabil-i-Akbar, in response to a commission by Bahá'u'lláh, made a revision of this work somewhere between 1880-1883 which is known as The Táríkh-i Badí‘-i Bayání.
- Browne used two these two manuscripts, The Tárikh-i-Jadíd and The Táríkh-i Badí‘-i Bayání to write the single volume The New History (tarikh-i-jadid) of Mírzá Ali-Muhammed, the Báb. In referring to Mírzá Jani's history throughout the footnotes, he was not aware of the problems of discerning what represents the original memoirs and what others have added.
- A Year Among the Persians (1893) Vividly describes his adventures, including his encounters with the Bahá'ís and Azalís during his time in Persian from October 1887 to September 1888. The memoir of his sojourn did much to familiarize English readers with the Báb, His gentleness and patience, the cruel fate which had overtaken him, and the unflinching courage wherewith he and his followers, from the greatest to the least, had endured the merciless torments inflicted upon them by their enemies. [Tales of Magnificent Heroism by Robert Weinburg.
- A chapter from the history of Cannabis Indica (1897)
- A Literary History of Persia From Firdawsí to Sa'dí (in four volumes) (1902-24)
- The Persian Revolution of 1905–1909 (1910) About the Persian Constitutional Revolution, of which Browne was an ardent supporter.
- He published, in Persian, the text of The Kitab-i-Nuqtatu'l-Kaf, being the earliest History of the Bábís compiled by Hájji Mírzá Jání of Kásgán between the years 1850 and 1852, edited from the unique Ms. Suppl. Persan 1071. (1910) This was a work that he had done at an earlier date. It was published at the instigation of Mirza Muhammad Qazvini, a well-known Iranian literary critic and Azalí sympathizer, who wrote the Persian Introduction to this volume. After the publication of this work, `Abdu'l-Bahá wrote to a number of Iranian Bahá'ís, urging them to compile material to refute its contents. One such work was Dashf al-Ghitá by Mírzá Abul-Fazl Gulpáyigání. [RR232]
[See The History and Provenance of an Early Manuscript of the Nuqtat al-kaf dated 1268 (1851-52) by William F. McCants and Kavian Sadeghzade Milani and
Nuqtat al-Káf by Kavian Sadeghzade Milani as well as
Nuqtat al-Kaf and the Babi Chronicle Traditions by Juan Cole;
The Bab's Stay in Kashan: A Historiographical Analysis of the Kitab-i-Nuqtatu'l-Kaf Based on the Kashan Pericope by Kavian Milani; MCS517; 541]
- When E.G. Browne published the Nuqtatu'l-Kaf with its Persian and English introductions that contained much material hostile to the Bahá'í Faith, a number of Bahá'í scholars worked on refutations of this book. [Mirza Abu'l-Fadl] Gulpaygani also began to work on such a book, but when heard that work on a similar book in Iran under the guidance of the Hands of the Cause had reached an advanced stage, he suspended work on his book awaiting a manuscript from Iran. Unfortunately he never got back to this book and at his death the manuscript was incomplete. When Mirza Abu'l-Fadl's papers were sent to his cousin Sayyid Mahdi Gulpaygani in Ashkhabad, the latter undertook to complete the work. The final work was published in Ashkhabad. Of the 438 pages of the book some 132 are attributed to Mirza Abu'l-Fadl. The final work, however, has a tone and vehemence completely uncharacteristic of Mirza Abu'l-Fadl and `Abdu'l-Baha instructed that it should not be distributed. [from a post by Adib Masumian to the [bahai-library.com/tarikh] list 25 April 2021]
.
- It is reported that 'Abdu'l-Bahá was "deeply annoyed" with Browne over the publication and dissemination of the Kitáb-i Nuqtatu'l-Káf as reported by Áqáy-i-Taqízádih in ´Ábdu'l-Baha's Meetings with Two Prominent Iranians introduced and translated by Ahang Rabbani. [World Order Vol 30 No 1 Fall 1998 p46]
- It would appear that Browne loved the Bábi movement however as the religion changed into the Bahá'í Faith, he insisted on calling it the Bábi religion. Browne did not understand the the claims of Baha’u’lláh and the transitional and the historical factors at work. He saw the early Bábi movement as the beginning of the Faith and thought that the Bahá'í Faith was a sect of Bábism. This was largely due to the influence of Bahá’u’lláh’s half-brother, Azal. Browne was disappointed that the Bahá'ís did not take up the cause of constitutional reform but he was well aware that 'Abdu'l-Bahá had forbidden participation in political struggles, and that had they supported the Constitutionalists, it would the brought that wrath of the persecution of the Bahá'ís down upon them.
- 'Abdu'l-Bahá is reported to have said, "They tampered with the contents of the history of Hájí Mírzá Jání by removing some of its passages and inserting others. They sent it to the libraries of London and Paris and through such falsehood induced him [Browne] to translate and publish the document. In order to achieve his own selfish desires, he had it printed." [MD24]
- Also from 'Abdu'l-Bahá, "I wrote to him, saying, `You are the first European teacher and author to have attained His Blessed Presence. Do not lose this distinction.' He did not understand me and his loss will be known when the lights of guidance shine in England with supreme brilliancy." [MD278]
- From GPB81, Browne's testimony, “One of those strange outbursts,”...“of enthusiasm, faith, fervent devotion and indomitable heroism … the birth of a Faith which may not impossibly win a place amidst the great religions of the world.” And again: “The spirit which pervades the Bábís is such that it can hardly fail to affect most powerfully all subjected to its influence.… Let those who have not seen disbelieve me if they will, but, should that spirit once reveal itself to them, they will experience an emotion which they are not likely to forget.”
- The Persian Constitutional Movement (1918) [MCS544]
- Materials for the Study of the Babi Religion (1918) The book represented no great amount of original work on Browne's part since it was mainly documents that he had collected.
- Arabian Medicine (1921) [Browne, Edward Granville by Moojan Momen] iiiii
- For scholarly works on the life of Browne see Selections From The Writings of E.G. Browne - On The Babi And Baha'i Religions by Moojan Momen and Edward Granville Browne and the Baha'i Faith by Hasan Balyuzi. Both have been published by George Ronald.
|
Newcastle-upon-Tyne; Cambridge |
Edward Granville Browne; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Montfort Mills; Hajji Mirza Jani Kashani; Mirza Yahya (Subh-i-Azal); Mirza Husayn Hamadani; Mirza Abul-Fadl Gulpaygani; Manikchi Limji Hataria; Nabil-i-Akbar (Aqa Muhammed-i-Qaini); Abdul-Baha, Life of |
|
| 1926 24 Jun |
Enoch Olinga, future Hand of the Cause of God, was born in Abaango, Uganda. |
Abaango; Uganda |
Enoch Olinga; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths |
|
| 1926 26 Dec |
Howard MacNutt, Disciple of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, (b. 13 July, 1858 in Philadelphia) passed away in Florida after being struck by a motorcycle while walking to a meeting in a "Coloured" area. [Bahaipedia]
He died as a result of injuries sustained from a collision with a motorcycle while walking to a meeting in the Coloured section of the city. There was speculation that the traffic mishap was not accidental. See the newspaper article written by Beatrice Cannnady.
See AY321-323 for an account of his death and his funeral.
He had lost his beloved wife Mary about one month earlier. He had been a student of Ibrahim George Kheiralla in New York and became a Bahá'í in 1898. He had learned both Persian and Arabic to better understand the Writings. Howard MacNutt was elected to the Bahá’í Board of Counsel for New York when it was established on December 7th 1900 and served on the body for many years. [SEBW42]
In 1905 Howard and his wife went on pilgrimage and attended a Nineteen Day Feast held by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Who encouraged him to establish the practice in America. MacNutt consulted with the New York Board of Counsel after returning and a Feast was held in New York on May 23, 1905.
Howard wrote a booklet consisting of what he learned while on Pilgrimage titled Unity Through Love.
MacNutt also edited Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl's Bahá'í Proofs before it was first published in 1902 and revised Ali Kuli Khan's manuscript translation of the Kitáb-i-Íqán for publication in 1904.
He held a belief that `Abdu'l-Bahá had no extraordinary spiritual station and he did not regard Him as being different in Spirit from other men, that through works and service and overcoming all He attained to His station. This opinion resulted in MacNutt failing to appreciate the Bahá'í teaching that Covenant-breaking is a spiritual disease. When `Abdu'l-Bahá came to the United States in 1912 He assigned to MacNutt the task of meeting with a group of potential Covenant-breakers in Chicago and warning them. He also ordered MacNutt to break all communication with Ibrahim Kheiralla and other Covenant-breakers. When MacNutt failed to do as directed, `Abdu'l-Bahá advised him that he had violated the Covenant himself and commanded him to repent before a group of New York Bahá'ís, which he did on 18 November 1912. The matter was not resolved; `Abdu'l-Bahá cabled Ali Kuli Khan on 16 April 1913, "MACNUTT REPENTED FROM VIOLATION OF COVENANT BUT WAS NOT AWAKENED." After several months of correspondence between MacNutt and `Abdu'l-Bahá via Ali Kuli Khan, MacNutt satisfied `Abdu'l-Bahá that he had come to understand and had repented for his earlier errors. Even though `Abdu'l-Bahá recognized MacNutt as a Bahá'í his reputation in the Bahá'í community remained tarnished. To redeem himself he took on the task of compiling `Abdu'l-Bahá's talks in the United States and Canada and editing them. It was published as The Promulgation of Universal Peace, the name chosen by 'Abdu'l-Bahá himself, in 1922. MacNutt's preface contains a long and important statement about `Abdu'l-Bahá's station. His redemption was complete. [PUPxx]
See his "A Statement of Belief" written January 4, 1926 and published in Star of the West Vol 16 No 11 February 1926.
His obituary was published in Star of the West Vol 17 No 10 January 1927 p301.
For further details of his life and his brush with Covenant-breaking see SEBW35–42.
Also see "In Memoriam: Arthur Pillsbury Dodge, 1849-1915", SoW, Vol. 6, No. 19 (2 March 1916) p165 as well as BFA1p125, 168-17, DJT369-372, AOY111-133 and FMH35.
See BW2p218 for a photo.
HIs crowning achievement was the publication of The Promulgation of Universal Peace (1922) which was a compilation of the public talks given by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá while in America.
See Bahaipedia.
He was posthumously appointed as a Disciple of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
|
Dade City; Pasco County; Florida; United States |
Howard MacNutt; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Promulgation of Universal Peace |
|
| 1928 (In the year) |
The passing of Hand of the Cause of God Mírzá 'Alí-Muhammad, known as Ibn-i-Asdaq. He was born in Mashhad in 1850/1851. [Bahá'í Encyclopedia Project]
His father was Mullá Sádiq-i-Muqaddas-i-Khurásání (also known as Ismu'lláhu'l-Asdaq of Khurásán), referred to as a Hand of the Cause of God by 'Abdu'l-Bahá. While still a child he suffered imprisonment with his father in Tehran. [EM19]
In 1880 he begged Bahá’u’lláh permission to be a martyr. Bahá'u'lláh said that if one lived right he might attain martyrdom. In 1882 Bahá'u'lláh conferred the station of martyr on him calling him “Shahid Ibn-i-Shahid” (“Martyr, son of the Martyr”).”
Today, the greatest of all deeds is service to the Cause. Souls that are well-assured should with utmost discretion teach the Faith,lll this martyrdom is no confined to the destruction of life and the shedding of blood. A person enjoying the bounty of life may yet be recorded as a martyr in the Book of the Sovereign Lord. [OLOMP46N12]
- He was the first of the Hands of the Cause of God named by Bahá'u'lláh.
- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gave him a special mission to teach members of the “ruling class” the Faith.
- He was deeply involved in the planning and construction of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár in ‘Ishqábád.
- Ibn-i-Asdaq, Mírzá ‘Alí-Muhammad, Hand of the Cause of God, Apostle of Bahá’u’lláh, passed away in Tihrán. He was one of the few Apostles to live into the time of Shoghi Effendi as the Guardian. [BBD115, EM176, LoF9-12, RoB4p286]
- For details of his life see RoB1P92-93; RoB2p 293; RoB3p62-63, 253-260, 265-268; EB2-23; MF5-8; DB100-101, 145-148, 185-187; EB171–6; BW6p103; Bahaipedia; LoF9-12.
- His daughter, Ruha Asdaq wrote a book about her pilgrimage experiences with her father titled One Life One Memory: Memories of Pilgrimage in 1914. The book was translated to English and published by George Ronald in 1999. For a book review by Paul Mantle.
- For more details of his life see EB171-176; RoB4p 301-304, Tablets to him RoB4 254, 275, 277, 2966,315-328, Photos RoB4 277-278, 281-286, 292.
|
Tihran; Mashhad; Iran |
In Memoriam; Ibn-i-Asdaq (Mirza Ali-Muhammad); Apostles of Bahaullah; Hands of the Cause; Hands appointed by Bahaullah; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Hands of the Cause, Activities; Ismullahul-Asdaq (Mulla Sadiq Khurasani); Names and titles; Mashriqul-Adhkar, Ishqabad |
|
| 1928 27 May |
Hájí Amín, Abu’l-Hasan-i-Ardikání, Hand of the Cause of God and Apostle of Bahá’u’lláh, passed away in Tihrán. [BBD7; EB263]
For his biography see EB263.
He was named a Hand of the Cause of God posthumously by Shoghi Effendi. [BBD7; EB263]
See BBD7 for a picture and an account of his life. |
Tihran; Iran |
Haji Amin (Abul-Hasan-i-Ardikani); Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Hands of the Cause, Appointments; Hands appointed posthumously by Shoghi Effendi; In Memoriam; Apostles of Bahaullah |
|
| 1929 11 Feb |
William ‘Harry’ Randall, (b. 1863), passed away in Medford, MA. After his death, Shoghi Effendi named him one of the 19 Disciples of Abdu’l-Baha, a “Herald of the Covenant”. [BBD71]
For his obituary written by Shoghi Effendi see BW3:213.
For his biography see William Henry Randall: Disciple of Abdu’l-Baha by his daughter Bahiyyih Randall-Winckler, with M. R. Garis. |
Medford; MA |
William Harry Randall; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1930 20 Aug |
Louis Jean-Baptiste Bourgeois, (19 March, 1856, Saint-Célestin, Quebec, Canada) designer of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár in Wilmette, passed away in that city. He was buried in East Lawn Memorial Park Sacramento, Sacramento County, California, USA [DP145; Find a grave]
He had learned of the Faith in Boston through the efforts of Mary Hanford Ford. [Wikipedia]
For details of his life see DP76–86.
|
Saint-Celestin-de-Nicolet; Quebec; Wilmette; Boston; United States |
Louis Bourgeois; Architects; Mashriqul-Adhkar, Wilmette; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Mary Hanford Ford |
|
| 1930 17 Nov |
Ethel Rosenberg, (b.6 August, 1858, Bath) Disciple of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, ‘England’s outstanding Bahá’í pioneer worker’, passed away in London. She was buried in Gap Road Cemetery, Wimbledon, England. [BW4:118–119, 262-263; ER274–5; Find a grave]
She became a Bahá’í around 1899 and went on her first pilgrimage in 1901.
While ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was in London, Ethel Rosenberg was His social secretary, arranging appointments for the Master.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá asked Ethel Rosenberg and a number of other people to form a committee to decide what to do about collecting funds and publishing Bahá’í books. Their first published book was ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in London.
She made her third pilgrimage in November 1921, but arrived just after ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s passing. Shoghi Effendi sent her home with instructions to call for the election the first National Spiritual Assembly of England. She served on this body for a number of years. Shoghi Effendi named her an ‘Apostle of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’. [In the Footsteps of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá p9]
For her obituary see BW4:262–3.
For her biography see Weinberg, Ethel Jenner Rosenberg and SEBW55–64.
|
London; United Kingdom |
Ethel Rosenberg; In Memoriam; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; Births and deaths |
|
| 1931 13 Jan |
Consul Albert Schwarz, (b. December 14, 1871, Stuttgart, Germany), Disciple of Abdu’l-Bahá, ‘Germany’s outstanding Bahá’í pioneer worker’ passed away. He was buried in Pragfriedhof – Stuttgart. [BW4:118–19, 264; Find a grave]
For his obituary see BW4:264–6.
See as well Bahá'í Chronicles. |
Stuttgart; Germany |
Consuls; Albert Schwarz; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1933 23 Oct |
Keith Ransom-Kehler died of smallpox in Isfahán after a year of intensive travel around Iran. [BW5:24, 398; BN No 80 January 1934 p11]
For her obituary see BW5:389–410.
She was buried near the grave of the King of Martyrs. [BW5:398]
For a picture of her grave see BW5:399.
Shoghi Effendi named her America’s ‘first and distinguished martyr’. [BW5:398]
Shoghi Effendi elevated her to the rank of Hand of the Cause on 28 October, 1933. [BW5:398, MoCxxii]
See message from the Guardian dated 30 October 1933.
For her mission in Iran see BW5:23–7.
See also PP306–7.
See Other People Other Places by Marzieh Gail (pages 176-181) for a pen portrait of Keith Ransom-Kehler.
See FMH51-52]
See Bahá'í Chronicles.
Photo of her grave. [BW9p68] |
Isfahan; Iran |
Keith Ransom-Kehler; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands appointed posthumously by Shoghi Effendi; Hands of the Cause, Activities; Cemeteries and graves; Names and titles; Firsts, Other |
|
| 1937 20 Dec |
Muhammad-‘Alí, half-brother of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Arch-breaker of the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh, died. [CB355; GPB320; MA11]
During Bahá’u’lláh's ministry, Mírzá Muhammad-`Alí was known by the title
Ghusn-i-Akbar (the Greater Branch). After he broke the Covenant, believers referred
to him as the Naqid-i-Akbar (the Arch-Covenant-breaker).
"The Hand of Omnipotence has removed the archbreaker of Bahá'u'lláh's
Covenant, his hopes shattered, his plottings frustrated, the society of his
fellow-conspirators extinguished. God's triumphant Faith forges on, its unity
unimpaired, its purpose unsullied, its stability unshaken. Such a death calls
for neither exultation nor recrimination, but evokes overwhelming pity at so
tragic a downfall unparalleled in religious history." [Cablegram December 20, 1937 MA11)
This perfidious man, consumed by a “soul festering jealousy” toward Abdu’l-Baha, behaved in a way that “…agitated the minds and hearts of a vast proportion of the faithful throughout the East, eclipsed, for a time, the Orb of the Covenant, created an irreparable breach within the ranks of Bahá’u’lláh’s own kindred, sealed ultimately the fate of the great majority of the members of His family, and gravely damaged the prestige, though it never succeeded in causing a permanent cleavage in the structure, of the Faith itself.” [GPB246]
He had changed the text of at least one tablet of Bahá'u'lláh to make it appear that Bahá'u'lláh was condemning the wicked deeds of'Abdu’l-Bahá. He plotted to murder 'Abdu’l-Bahá. He made repeated false allegations about 'Abdu’l-Bahá to the Ottoman authorities so that the Master came perilously closed to being exiled to a remote part of the Libyan desert. In addition, from 1892 to 1929, Muhammad Ali and his relatives occupied the mansion of Bahji, where Bahá'u'lláh’s tomb was located, and it was not until 1952 that the property surrounding the Shrine was finally owned, without hindrance, by the Bahá'í community. [CoB153; PP231-233]
He “was stricken with paralysis which crippled half his body; lay bedridden in pain for months before he died; and was buried according to Muslim rites, in the immediate vicinity of a local Muslim shrine, his grave remaining until the present day (1944) devoid of even a tombstone—a pitiful reminder of the hollowness of the claims he had advanced, of the depths of infamy to which he had sunk, and of the severity of the retribution his acts had so richly merited.” [GPB319-320]
For details of his death and funeral see DH117 and GPB320.
|
Akka |
Muhammad-Ali; Covenant-breakers; Births and deaths |
|
| 1938 to 1955 |
The fourth Trustee of the Huqúqu'lláh was Jináb-i-Valíyu'lláh Varqá, the third son of Varqá the martyr. He was born in Tabriz and after the death of his father and brother he was raised by his grandmother, a fanatical Muslim. At the age of 16 his uncle removed him from the home and taught him the Faith. He attended the American University at Beirut and spent summers with 'Abdu'l-Bahá and accompanied the Master to America and served as His interpreter. He returned to Iran where he served on local and national assemblies and was made a Trustee of the Huqúqu'lláh in 1938 at a time when the observance of the law spread throughout Iran. [Message from the Universal House of Justice dated 25 March, 1985]
He was elevated to a Hand of the Cause of God in 1951 and passed away in Tubingen, Germany in 1955 while taking a treatment for an illness. [BW13p831-834] |
Tubingen; Germany; Tabriz; Iran; Beirut; Lebanon; Akka |
Varqa, Valiyullah; Huququllah; Huququllah, Trustees of; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Appointments; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Hands of the Cause, Activities; American University of Beirut; Varqa |
|
| 1938 25 Jul |
The passing of Queen Marie of Romania. [BBD144; GPB395]
For her services to the Bahá’í Faith see GPB389–96.
For tributes paid by her to the Bahá’í Faith see BW8:269–71.
For her relationship with the Bahá’í Faith see BW8:271–6.
For tributes to her see BW8276–82. |
Romania |
Queen Marie of Romania; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1939 28 Feb |
The passing of Louis Alphonse Daniel Nicolas, signing A.L.M. Nicolas , (b. March 27 , 1864 in Rasht, Iran) in Paris. He was an historian and French orientalist, official interpreter of the Legation French abroad, and France's consul general in Tabriz.
After reading Gobineau's Trois ans en Asie, 1855-1858 he checked all the information Gobineau had written in his book, corrected some of it, and then began to translate the writings of the Báb. Seduced by this young doctrine, he converted to Bábism and thus became the first Western Bábí. He wrote various works Seyyed Ali Mohamed dit le Báb (1905) and was the first to translate a work of the Báb into French: the Arabic Beyan and the Persian Beyan, an Essai sur le Chéikhisme (1911) and several articles in newspapers such that Review of the Muslim World. Nicolas became knight of the Legion of Honour in 1909.
Moojan Momen says of him, "No European scholar has contributed so much to our knowledge of the life and teachings of the Báb as Nicholas. His study of the life of the Báb and his translations of several of the most important books of the Báb remain of unsurpassed value." [BBR36]
His important collection of manuscripts were auctioned and the items relevant to the Bahá’í and Bábí Faiths are purchased by the Bahá’í World Centre.
See BW8p885-887 for An Interview with A. L. M. Nicolas of Paris by Edith Sanderson.
See a short biography by Nader Nasiri Moghaddam in Encyclopaedia Iranica Online.
A chronological list of his publications:
- Le Livre des Sept Preuves [Dalá'il-i-Sab'ih translated from Persian into French], Paris, 1902, 68 pp.
- A propos de deux manuscrits 'Bábís' de la Bibliothèque Nationale, Revue de l'Histoire des Religions, Paris, volume 47, 1903, pp. 58-73
- Le Béyan Arabe [Bayán al-'arabiyya translated from Arabic into French], Paris, 1905, 235 pp.
- Seyyed Ali Mohammed dit le Báb [biography of the Báb, selections translated into English in this volume], Paris, 1905, 458 pp.
- En Perse : Constitution [translation by A.L.M. Nicolas], Revue du Monde Musulman, Paris, volume 1, 1907 (décembre 1906), p. 86-100
- Sur la Volonté Primitive et l'Essence Divine d'après le Báb, Revue de l'Histoire des Religions, Paris, volume 55, 1907, pp. 208-212
- Essais sur le Chéïkhisme, 4 volumes :
- Cheïkh Ahmed Lahçahi, Paris, volume 1, 1910
- Séyyèd Kazem Rechti, Paris, volume 2, 1914
- Le Chéïkhisme. La Doctine, Paris, volume 3, 1911 [extract from Revue du Monde Musulman]
- La Science de Dieu, Paris, volume 4, 1911
- Le Club de la fraternité [translation of an article by Atrpet by A.L.M. Nicolas], Revue du Monde Musulman, Paris, volume 13, 1911, pp. 180-184
- Le Dossier russo-anglais de Seyyed Ali Mohammed dit le Báb, Revue du Monde Musulman, Paris, volume 14, 1911, pp. 357-363
- Le Béyan Persan [Bayán-i-fársí translated from Persian into French], four volumes, 1911-1914
- Abdoul-Béha et la situation, Revue du Monde Musulman, Paris, volume 21, 1912, pp. 261-267
- Le Béhahis et le Báb, Journal Asiatique, Paris, volume 222, 1933, pp. 257-264
- Massacre de Babis en Perse, Paris, 1936, 42 pp. [A Short Biography of A. L. M. Nicholas by Peter Terry 2008]
|
Rasht; Iran; Paris; France |
A.L.M. Nicolas; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Translation; First believers; Nader Nasiri Moghaddam; Edith Sanderson |
|
| 1939 28 Sep |
Martha Root, ‘foremost Hand raised by Bahá’u’lláh’, passed away in Honolulu. (b. 10 August,1872 Richwood Union County Ohio, USA) [BBD198–9; GPB388; MRHK486; PP105]
Photos of her gravesite 1, 2 and 3.
Directions to her gravesite.
For Shoghi Effendi’s tribute to her see GPB386–9 and MA30.
Shoghi Effendi called her the ‘archetype of Bahá’í itinerant teachers’, the ‘foremost Hand raised by Bahá’u’lláh since ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s passing’, ‘Leading ambassadress of His Faith’ and ‘Pride of Bahá’í teachers’. [GPB386]
From the Guardian...her "acts shed imperishable lustre American Bahá'í Community". [PP106]
For her obituary see BW8:643–8.
She was buried in the Nuuanu Cemetery, Honolulu.
See also Garis, Martha Root: Lioness at the Threshold and Martha Root: Herald of The Kingdom.
See Other People Other Places by Marzieh Gail (pages 170-175) for a pen-portrait of Martha Root.
She was designated a Hand of the Cause of God on the 3rd of October, 1954. [MoCxxii] |
Honolulu; Hawaii |
Martha Root; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Hands of the Cause, Activities; Hands appointed posthumously by Shoghi Effendi; Cemeteries and graves; In Memoriam |
|
| 1940 1 Mar |
May Bolles Maxwell (b. 14 January 1940 in Englewood, NJ) passed away in Buenos Aires. [BBD153; TG49]
Shoghi Effendi called her "the spiritual mother of Canada" and Montreal the "mother city of Canada". [OBCC35]
Shoghi Effendi awarded her the honour of a ‘martyr’s death’ and designated her as a Disciple of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [BW8:631; MA38]
She was the first Bahá'í on European soil and the "mother" of both the French and the Canadian Bahá'í communities. [PP149]
For her "In Memoriam" and tribute written by Marion Holley see BW8p631-642.
Hooper Dunbar quoted Shoghi Effendi in his cable to the friends in Iran announcing her passing:
May Maxwell, the severed teacher firebrand of the love of God and spreader of the fragrances of God Mrs Maxwell, forsook her native land and hastened to the most distant countries out of love for her Master and yearning to sound the call to the Cause of her Lord and her inspiration, until she ascended to the highest summit attaining the rank of martyrdom in the capital of the Argentine. The furthermost boundary the countenances of paradise invoke blessings upon her in the glorious apex
saying, may she enjoy with healthy relish the cup that is full and brimming over with the wine of the love of God for the like of this should the travaillers travail. Inform all the friends of the announcement of this mighty victory.
[A talk] given by Mr Dunbar 28:08]
Shoghi Effendi asked her husband, Sutherland Maxwell, to design her tomb, which was to be a ‘historic centre’ for ‘pioneer Bahá’í activity’. [BW8:642]
For an account of the erection of the monument to her see PSBW83–6. |
Buenos Aires; Argentina |
May Maxwell (Bolles); Births and deaths; Names and titles; Sutherland Maxwell; Architecture; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; First Bahais by country or area |
|
| 1941 11 Feb |
The passing of Margaret Stevenson, the first New Zealand Bahá’í (b. 30 November 1865, in Onehunga) in Auckland. She was buried in Hillsborough Cemetery.
She initially heard of the Bahá’í Faith through reading an article in "The Christian Commonwealth" sent to her by her sister, Amy, who was studying music in London. Margaret, though, later admitted that she “did not think any more about it”. However, in 1913 Miss Dorothea Spinney, a professional actress who performed in many parts of the world, arrived in Auckland from California and stayed at the Stevenson home in Devonport. During that visit there were many opportunities for Miss Spinney to tell the Stevenson family about the Bahá’í Cause.
After embracing the new Faith, Margaret began to speak to others of her new found beliefs – a courageous act for a middle-class woman in the then conservative society where following a new religion was considered odd. As New Zealand’s only Bahá’í, she held on steadfastly to her faith for many years. Finally, after the visit of the first Bahá’í travelling teachers to New Zealand in December 1922, a handful of individuals from Margaret’s social circle also became Bahá’ís. A class was established at her home in Parnell to study the Teachings in more depth and was held there regularly for 10 years. In January 1923 the first Bahá’í Nineteen Day Feast was held at her home. Margaret held various administrative roles within the Bahá’í community and remained an active and dedicated Bahá’í until her passing. [from a post by Tricia Hague-Barrett in Facebook page "Women of Bahá"]
|
|
Margaret Stevenson; Dorothea Spinney; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1941 17 Feb |
John Henry Hyde Dunn, passed away in Sydney. [BW9:595; SBR166]
Shortly after his passing Shoghi Effendi appointed him to the rank of Hand of the Cause of God. (26 April, 1952) [MoCxxii]
For the story of his life see SBR153–68.
For his obituary see BW9:593–7.
For a biography see The Bahá'í Encyclopedia Project
Photo of his grave. [BW9p72]
See Bahá'í Chronicles.
|
Sydney; Australia |
Hyde Dunn; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands appointed posthumously by Shoghi Effendi |
|
| 1941. 8 Apr |
The passing of Urbain Joseph Ledoux (b. August 13, 1874 in Ste Hélène de Bagot, Quebec). He was buried in Saint Joseph's Cemetery
Biddeford, Maine.
He is believed to be the third French-Canadian to become a Bahá'í outside of Canada. [OCBB94]
He gave an address to the National Convention at the Hotel McAlpine on the 28th of April, 1919 entitled The Oneness of the World of Humanity. [SoW Vol 10 May 17, 1919 No 4 p58] "This talk 'sounded so French-Canadian' that later francophone believers could still be moved to tears in reading its text." [OCBB94]
He received widespread publicity for his opening of bread lines in New York (The Stepping Stone) in 1919, and for “auctions” of the jobless to employers in New York and Boston during the Depression of 1921. He was received by President Warren Harding shortly after arriving in Washington, D.C. in September 1921.
Ledoux spent a little over three months in Washington, D.C. 1921-22 campaigning for a public works program funded by a tax on companies that made excessive war profits during World War I. His tactics included setting up a hotel housing the unemployed on Pennsylvania Avenue, an auction of the jobless, speaking before the unemployment conference, calling for the arrest of international arms conference delegates. He walked around the city carrying a white umbrella, a lighted lantern and a Bible or a copy of the Sermon on the Mount saying he was like Diogenes searching for an honest man.
Urbain Ledoux is shown in Boston in 1921 auctioning off an unemployed man. He conducted these auctions in New York and Boston in order to garner publicity for the plight of the unemployed and to find work for the jobless. He called himself “Mr. Zero” because he said he didn’t want any publicity for himself.
“Mr. Zero” returned to Washington in 1932 with the Bonus Expeditionary Force, leading an unauthorized march on the White House July 16, 1932 that resulted in his arrest along with two others. The march frightened President Herbert Hoover who set in motion the eviction of the bonus marchers from the city — a move that backfired on Hoover and helped to cement his reputation as someone uncaring about the plight of the nation’s unemployed. Photos. [Wikipedia]
Find a grave.
His obituary in the New York Times April 10th 1941.
He is reported to have "rescued" 85 year-old Sarah Farmer in Portsmouth where she was being held in a sanatorium against her will. [Boston Post 4 August 1916]
See a story from Ephemeral New York.
There is a short description of Urbain LeDoux in He Loved and Served: The Story of Curtis Kelsey p 33-34. |
New York; United States |
Urbain Ledoux (Mr. Zero); In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Social and economic development; Bread lines; Charity and relief work |
|
| 1942 25 May |
‘Abdu’l-Jalíl Bey Sa‘ad passed away and was named a Hand of the Cause of God posthumously. [BW9:597]
For his obituary see BW9:597–9.
On the day of his passing Shoghi Effendi announced his appointment to the rank of Hand of the Cause of God. [MoCxxii] |
|
Abdul-Jalil Bey Saad; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Hands of the Cause, Appointments; Hands appointed posthumously by Shoghi Effendi; In Memoriam |
|
| 1942 25 Jun |
The passing of 'Abdu'l-Jalíl Bey Sa'ad who was, for many years, the president of the National Spiritual Assembly and a judge in the Civil Courts in Egypt. Through his sustained effort the Declaration of Trust was recognized as valid and legalized in 1934.
He made an important contribution in translating into Arabic. Among his accomplishments were The Dawn-Breakers, Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era, Laws of Personal Status and Rules of Procedure.
In 1941 he employed the Declaration of Trust as an instrument to induce the Ministry of Civil Defence to grant permission to build the Hazíratu'l-Quds in Cairo. While supervising this project in the intense heat he fell ill and died suddenly after an operation.
Shoghi Effendi appointed him to the rank of Hand of the Cause of God on the day of his passing. [MoC597-599] |
Egypt |
Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands appointed posthumously by Shoghi Effendi; Hands of the Cause, Activities; Abdul Jalil Bey Saad; Declaration of Trust and By-Laws; Haziratul-Quds; Dawn-Breakers (book); Esslemont; Arabic language; Translation |
|
| 1942. 18 Dec |
The Assembly of Egypt, after obtaining government permission to maintain a Bahá’í cemetery, arranged for the transfer of the remains of Abu’l-Fadl and of Lua Moore Getsinger from their respective graves. The members of the National Spiritual Assembly, together with its committee who carried out the transfer, accompanied by representatives of all Bahá’í communities of Egypt, conducted a service at the Bahá’í cemetery during the reinterment. See BW9p82; 83; 87 for photos.
After Abdu'l-Fadl passed away in early 1914 the American believers, in gratitude for the contribution he had made to the American Bahá'í community, collected a sum of money for the construction of a suitable monument for his grave. The work was interrupted with the Ascension of the Master and the money collected was reverted the National Fund. That money was now sent to the National Spiritual Assembly of Egypt. [BW9p89]
|
Cairo; Egypt |
Mirza Abul-Fadl Gulpaygani; Apostles of Bahaullah; Lua Getsinger; Cemeteries and graves; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1946 11 Aug |
The passing of Orcella Rexford (b. Louise Cutts-Powell, 12 Jun 1887 in Tracey, Minnesota) in Los Angeles. She was buried near the grave of Thornton Chase in the Inglewood Park Cemetery. [BW11p495-498; Find a grave]
Orcella first heard of the Bahá'í Faith from Mrs. Myrta Sandoz of Cleveland, Ohio, and was later confirmed by Dr. Edward Getsinger in Boston, Mass. She became a believer in 1918-1919. [BW11p495]
For a brief biography see Bahá'í Chronicles.
For a more extensive biography see Bahaipedia.
See her article, Alaska, Our New Frontier. [BW9p918-922]
|
Los Angeles; United States |
Orcella Rexford; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Cemeteries and graves; Thornton Chase |
|
| 1946 13 Dec |
The passing of Muhammad Taqí Isfahání. He had been born in Persia and was horrified by the behaviour of Mullá Muhammad Báqir (The Wolf) and Imám-Jum'íh who had killed the two brothers Muhammad Husayn and Muhammad Hasan so he left for Egypt and encountered many believers on his way. He passed through Akka and met both Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'-Bahá.
His name is closely associated with the early progress of the Faith in Egypt. His house was the centre of activity and was were both Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl and Lua Getsinger spent their last days. He received 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His visit to Egypt. He was the chief member of the Publishing Committee and helped to translate many books into Arabic such as the Iqán and Some Answered Questions.
The Guardian announced his elevation to the rank of Hand of the Cause of God two days after his passing and donated a sum of money to be used for his tomb. He is buried in the Bahá'í Cemetery. [MoCxxii, BW11p500-502]
|
Egypt |
Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Hands of the Cause, Appointments; Hands appointed posthumously by Shoghi Effendi; Hands of the Cause, Activities; In Memoriam; Muhamman Taqi Isfahani; Lua Getsinger; Mirza Abul-Fadl Gulpaygani; Translation |
|
| 1949 24 Apr |
The passing of Montfort Mills.
He had been a believer since 1906 and by 1909 he had made two pilgrimages to 'Akká as well as a third in early 1921.
In 1922 he and Roy Wilhelm were invited to Haifa to discuss the possibility of calling for the formation of the Universal House of Justice.
He was the first chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada when it first formed in 1922 and was elected to that body seven times between 1922 and 1937 and was responsible for the final draft of the Declaration of Trust and By-Laws adopted in 1927.
One of his most outstanding achievements was his role in the case of the appeal for possession of the House of Bahá'u'lláh in Baghdád. He made two trips to Baghdad and had audiences with King Feisal. During one of these trips he was brutally assaulted and suffered the effects for many years.
He met with Professor E. G. Browne and, after hearing Mr. Mills explanation of the evolution of the Faith and of the Covenant, Mr. Browne realized he had been veiled by conflicting claims and disturbances following the martyrdom of the Báb and expressed a desire to translate later Bahá'í works but died before this contribution could be made. [BW11p509-511] |
United States; Baghdad; Iraq |
House of Bahaullah (Baghdad); In Memoriam; Edward Granville Browne; Births and deaths; Covenant-breakers |
|
| 1951 30 Jul |
Louis Gregory, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Eliot, Maine, near Green Acre. [CoF163; BW12:666; TMW310, LOF98; SYH236; BN No 247 September 1951 p1]
A national memorial service was held for him at the Temple in Wilmette on the 24th of November 1951. [SYH236]
Soon after his passing he was designated by Shoghi Effendi the first Hand of the Cause of his race. (On 5 August, 1951) [BBD91; BW12:666, MoCxxii]
Louis Gregory was the first person of his race to be elected to any administrative body in the United States. [-from talk by Louis Venters 2min 13sec]
See TG114, 117-8 for a description of his passing .
For his obituary see BW12:666–70.
See a list of his publications.
For biographical information on Hand of the Cause Louis Gregory see Gayle Morrison, To Move the World: Louis G. Gregory and the Advancement of Racial Unity in America (Wilmette, IL, USA Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1982, 1999 printing).
For short biographical information see Bahá'í Encyclopedia]
Louis Gregory kept a journal of his visit to 'Abdu'l-Baha in 1911 including statements of 'Abdu'l-Baha, stories of the believers in the Holy Land and his experiences at the Shrines. It includes a selection of tablets 'Abdu'l-Baha addressed to him. A Heavenly Vista: The Pilgrimage of Louis G. Gregory".
See Louis Gregory, the Oneness of Humanity, and Highlights in the Development of the African-American Lawyer a presentation by Anthony Vance. |
Eliot; Maine; United States |
Louis Gregory; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands appointed posthumously by Shoghi Effendi; Firsts, Other |
|
| 1951 30 Nov |
Shoghi Effendi announced plans for the Great Jubilee commemorating the centenary of the birth of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh in the Síyáh-Chál. [BW12:24–6, 115–16; MBW16–18] |
Haifa |
Great Jubilee; Centenaries; Bahaullah, Birth of Revelation of |
|
| 1951 20 Dec |
Hand of the Cause Roy C. Wilhelm, (b.17 September, 1875) passed away in Lovel, Maine. He was buried in the Wilhelm Family Cemetery in Stoneham, Maine. [BW12:662]
He became a Bahá’í when he accompanied his mother on her pilgrimage to ‘Akká in 1907. He introduced Martha Root to the Faith in 1908. In 1909 he was elected to the Executive Board of the Bahá’í Temple Unity and served on the American National Spiritual Assembly. A Unity Feast was held at his home in West Englewood, NJ in June of 1912, an event commemorated every year. [Highlights of the First 40 Years of the Bahá’í Faith in New York, City of the Covenant, 1892-1932 by Hussein Ahdieh p7]
He, along with Stanwood Cobb, and Genevieve Coy, wrote In His Presence:
Visits to 'Abdu'l-Bahá These are said to be "three of the most important, and most touching, accounts of pilgrimages to the Holy Land in the time of `Abdu'l-Bahá. These are three classic works of Bahá'í history and literature. Roy Wilhelm's account is from his visit in 1907.
On his passing Shoghi Effendi designated him a Hand of the Cause of God. (23 December, 1951) [MoCxxii, BW12:662]
For his obituary see BW12:662–4.
Find a grave
|
Lovel; Maine; United States |
Roy Wilhelm; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands appointed posthumously by Shoghi Effendi; Martha Root |
|
| 1952 25 Mar |
Sutherland Maxwell, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Montreal. He died in the very room that the Master had slept in during His visit to Canada. (b.14 November, 1874) [DH143; MBW132; PP246; CBN undated Memorial Issue]
For his obituary see BW12:657–62.
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the first contingent on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii]
For his relationship with Shoghi Effendi and work on the superstructure of the Shrine of the Báb see PP236–43.
Shoghi Effendi named the southern door of the Báb’s tomb after him in memory of his services.
On June 16th, 1956, friends of the Montreal area gathered at the grave to place, under the headstone, an alabaster box that had been sent by the Guardian. The box contained a piece of plaster taken from the walls of the prison in Máh-Kú where the Báb had been incarcerated in 1847. Another piece of plaster from the same source had been placed under the first golden tile of the dome of the Shrine of the Báb. The superstructure of the Shrine had been designed by Sutherland Maxwell. [TG55; CBN No 80 September 1956 p2]
Find a grave.
For a brief biography see LoF276-286.
The Canadian Bahá'í News published a special Memorial issue.
|
Montreal; Canada |
Sutherland Maxwell; Architects; Fortress of Mah-Ku; Gifts; Relics; Bab, Shrine of; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1952 8 Oct |
Holy Year, "The Great Jubilee", October 1952 to October 1953, was inaugurated. [MBW16-18; BW12:116; DG84; PP409–10; SBR170–1]
Centenary celebrations of the birth of Bahá’u’lláh’s mission were initiated. [MBW16–18]
"Shoghi Effendi began the Holy Year to commemorate the centenary of Bahá’u’lláh's experience in the Siyáh Chál in October 1952 and closed the Holy Year in October 1953 (which corresponds to the centenary of the “Year Nine”, the Islamic year 1269)". [Two Episodes from the Life of Bahá’u’lláh in Iran p21 by Moojan Momen]
Four international conferences were scheduled in Kampala, Wilmette (dedication of the Temple), Stockholm and New Delhi. [SETPE2p31-43]
For a brief description of the Kampala Conference see CG20-21.
|
Kampala; Uganda; Wilmette; United States; Stockholm; Sweden; New Delhi; India |
Great Jubilee; Holy Years; Centenaries; Bahaullah, Birth of Revelation of; Siyah Chal (Black Pit) |
|
| 1952 12 Nov |
Dagmar Dole, pioneer to Alaska and Denmark, passed away in Glion, Switzerland.
Shoghi Effendi said she was the ‘first to give her life for the Cause in the European project’. [BW12:702; ZK66–7]
For her obituary see BW12:701–2.
See also Bahá'í Chronicles and Find a Grave. |
Glion; Switzerland; Alaska; United States; Denmark |
Dagmar Dole; In memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1953 27 Jul |
Siegfried (Fred) Schopflocher, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Montreal and was buried beside the grave of Sutherland Maxwell in Mount Royal Cemetery. He was born in Germany in 1877. [BW12:664-666, LOF390, TG119, CBNS 24 July 2014, Bahá'í Chronicles, SCRIBD, Schopflocher, Siegfried (1877–1953) by Will C. van den Hoonaard]
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the second contingent on the 29th of February, 1952. [MoCxxiii]
See TG32, 228 and LoF384-390 for short biographies.
See Schopflocher, Siegfried by Will C. van den Hoonaard.
For his obituary see BW12:664–6.
He was known as the “Temple Builder” because of his great contributions to the completion of the first Mashriqu’l-Adhkár of the West. [BW12:664-666]
For a brief biography see Bahá'í Chronicles.
Find a grave.
|
Montreal; Canada |
Siegfried Schopflocher; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Second Contingent; Mashriqul-Adhkar, Wilmette |
|
| 1953 2 Aug |
Fred Schechter, an American, arrived in Djibouti and was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for French Somaliland. [BW13:451]
Mr Schechter went on to pioneer to several Latin American countries, he spent thirteen year on the Continental Board of Councillors for the Americas and served on the International Teaching Centre. He passed away on 27 January 2017 in California, U.S.A. He was 89 years old. [BWNS1149]
See In Memoriam Fred Schechter: Bahá'í House of Worship Memorial Program. |
French Somaliland (Djibouti); Djibouti |
Fred Schechter; Knights of Bahaullah; Counsellors; International Teaching Centre, Members of; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; BWNS |
|
| 1953 26 Aug |
Ella Bailey (b. 16 December, 1864, Houston, Harris County, Texas) passed away in Tripoli, Tarabulus, Libya at the age of 88 years. [BW12:687]
She was elevated to the rank of martyr. [MBW170]
For the story of her life see PSBW131–42.
See Bahá'í Chronicles.
For her obituary see BW12:685–8.
For information on her burial site and a short biography see Find-a-grave.
See Youtube video I Adjure Them - The Ella Bailey Story as told by Hand of the Cause of God William Sears.
She had accompanied Mr and Mrs Rober Gulick in their settlement in Tripoli. [BN No 271 september 1953 p6] |
Tripoli; Libya; Houston; Texas; United States |
Ella Bailey; Names and titles; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1954 10 Jan |
Dorothy Baker, (b.21 December, 1898) Hand of the Cause of God, was killed in a plane crash in the Mediterranean Sea, near the island of Elba. [BW12:670]
In 1921 she married Frank Baker who had two motherless children. They had a girl and a boy of their own. [FMH73]
She was the granddaughter of Ellen "Mother" Beecher who took her to see 'Abdu'l-Bahá in New York in 1912. An early teacher (unnamed), after seeing the young girl, had a vision and asked Jináb-i-Fazil for an explanation. He replied that "someday she will become on of the great teachers of the Cause" and Mother Beecher began to pray that this would be fulfilled. [FMH73]
See FMH76-77 for the story of how Doris McKay was able to help Dorothy deal with her depression in 1929.
For the Guardian’s cable see BW12:670, CF161.
Shoghi Effendi had appointed her among the first contingent on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii]
For her obituary see BW12:670–4.
See also Freeman, From Copper To Gold.
See TG229 for a short story about her and a comment from her on the Long Obligatory Prayer.
See Remembering Dorthy Baker at Bahá'í Blog.
See Bahá'í Chronicles.
See article in the Canadian Bahá'í News No 46 February 1954 p1.
Find a grave. |
Mediterranean Sea; Elba; Italy |
Dorothy Baker; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, First Contingent |
|
| 1954 25 Mar |
The passing of Marion Jack (General Jack) (b. St. John, New Brunswick) at her pioneer post in Sofia, Bulgaria at the age of 87. She had been at her post since 1931. [BWNS385; Never be Afraid to Dare p. 227]
Shoghi Effendi called her ‘a shining example to pioneers of present and future generations of East and West’. [CF163]
For her obituary see BW12:674–7.
See also BFA2155; MC359.
For a photo of her gravestone see CBNOct1972p.10.
See Bahá'í Chronicles for a biography.
For a photo by the Bahá'ís of Sofia see BW5p464.
See also Marion Jack: Immortal Heroine by Jan Jasion
See CBN October1979 for tributes as well as a photo of her gravesite. |
Sofia; Bulgaria |
Marion Jack; Pioneers; In memoriam; Births and deaths; Pioneers; BWNS |
|
| 1955. 21 April |
The Báb's only child, Ahmad, was still-born or died soon after birth. Khadíjih Bagum had a very difficult delivery and almost died as a result. The child was buried under a pine (or cypress) tree in the shrine of Bíbí-Dukhtarán (meaning Matron or Mistress of the Maidens).
In the opening days of 1955, the Shíráz municipality decided to construct a school on the site which would have destroyed the grave. When advised of the situation Shoghi Effendi responded: "Guardian approves transfer remains Primal Point's Son Gulistán Jávíd. Ensure befitting burial."
The Spiritual Assembly arranged for the remains to be exhumed, laid in a silk container, and placed in a cement coffin. For three months, the coffin was kept in the western part of the local Hadiratu'l-Quds. On the 21st of April 1955, which coincided with the day of the Báb's martyrdom reckoned by the lunar calendar, a special ceremony for the reinterment was held. It was the largest Bahá'í gathering in Shíráz in the history of the Bahá'í Faith. Multitudes of believers from all parts of the country participated in the historic event. In a prayerful atmosphere, the remains were reinterred in the Bahá'í cemetery of Shíráz. The Guardian heard the details and, on 24 April, cabled his joy: "SHIRAZ ASSEMBLY CARE KHADEM TEHERAN. OVERJOYED HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT CONGRATULATE VALIANT FRIENDS LOVING REMEMBRANCE SHRINES SUPPLICATING BOUNTIFUL BLESSINGS. SHOGHI." [The Afnán Family:
Some Biographical Notes by Ahang Rabbani 2007 Note <44>]
In the first báb of the fifth vahíd of the Persian Bayán, the Báb asks for a befitting structure to be built over the resting-place of Ahmad for the faithful to worship God. [Bahaipedia]
. |
Shiraz |
Ahmad (son of the Bab); Bab, Life of; Bab, Family of; Cemeteries and graves; Births and deaths |
|
| 1955 12 Nov |
Hand of the Cause of God Valíyu’lláh Varqá passed away in Stuttgart.
For his obituary see BW13:831–834.
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the first contingent on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii] |
Stuttgart; Germany |
Varqa, Valiyullah; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Varqa |
|
| 1956 25 Feb |
Husayn Uskuli, (b. 1875) long-time pioneer to Shanghai from ‘Ishqábád, passed away in Shanghai at the age of 82 and was buried in the Kiangwan Cemetery in Shanghai. [PH29, BW13p871-873]
He had heard about the Faith at the age of 18 from Mírzá Haydar-'Alí. After his marriage he moved to 'Ishqábád where he was very active in the community. After his move to Shanghai his home was the centre of activity and hospitality for all those passing through. He was the only foreign-born Bahá'í to remain in China after the regime change. The xenophobic attitude of the government precluded any meaningful contact with the local citizenry.
He was survived by four daughters and a son. |
Ishqabad; Turkmenistan; Shanghai; China |
Husayn Uskuli; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1956 20 May |
Louisa Mathew Gregory, (b. 1 February 1866 in Penge, Kent, England) whose wedding to Hand of the Cause of God Louis Gregory in 1912 was the first interracial western Bahá’í marriage, passed away in Eliot, Maine. [BW13:878; SYH19, 239]
She had been introduced to the Faith by Edith Sanderson in Paris in about December of 1909. Edith had been taught by May Maxwell in 1902. [SYH5, 206]
For her obituary see BW13:376–8. Error in this article
- There was no Bahá'í Congress in Prague in 1928
- She did not attend Cambridge.
- 'Abdu'l-Bahá did not attend her marriage on the 27 September 1912. He was in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. [SYHvii-viii; 28]
|
Eliot; Maine; United States; Penge; Kent |
Louisa Mathew Gregory; Louise Gregory; Edith Sanderson; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Firsts, Other |
|
| 1957 25 Mar |
Hand of the Cause of God George Townshend passed away in Dublin, Ireland. (b.14 June, 1896) [BBD226, BW02-03p169]
For his obituary see BW13:841–846.
See also David Hofman's biography, George Townshend.
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the first contingent on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii]
His pamphlet entitled The Old Churches and the New World Faith was his statement upon severing his relationship with his colleagues in the Anglican Church. [CBN No 89 June 1957 p1]
A talk given by O.Z. (Zebby) Whitehead at an Irish Bahá'í Summer School.
See The Covenant:
An Analysis, a study guide on the idea of a covenant, Messengers and their missions, the covenant between the Messenger and the faithful, and covenant-breaking. Includes an appendix, compilation on the covenant. It was published in Manchester in 1950. |
Dublin; Ireland |
Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; George Townshend; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, First Contingent |
|
| 1957 26 Dec |
The passing of Mirzā Asad-Allāh, known as Fāżel Māzandarāni (b. Bábol, Persia 1881).
He became a Bahá'í in Tehran in 1909. He travelled to Egypt in 1919-1911 where he met with 'Abdu'l-Bahá and was send to India and Burma to promote the Faith.
'Abdu'l-Bahá sent him to North America for the period 1920-1921. He arrived in North America with Manúchihr Khán in time to speak at the National Convention. His purpose was to assist and stimulate the Bahá'í communities. He departed for the Holy Land on the 9th of July, 1921. [AB443; SBR88]
Mírzá Asadu'lláh Fádil-i-Mázandarání visited North America again in 1923-1925 at the request of Shoghi Effendi. [Fádl Mázandarání, Mírzá Asadu'lláh by Moojan Momen]
See Jináb-i-Fádil Mazandarání in the United States by Fadl Mazandarani (published as Jinab-i-Fadil Mazandarani) compiled by Omeed Rameshni for transcripts of his talks.
In about 1924 Shoghi Effendi wrote to the Central Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia, asking them to gather materials towards the compilation of a general history of the Bahá'í faith. Initially this work was handed to a committee and Fāżel served as the liaison between this committee and the Assembly, of which he was himself a member at the time. However, after the committee failed to make significant progress, Fāżel took on the responsibility to compile this work himself. His work, Ẓohur-al-Ḥaqq (variously also called Tāriḵ-e Ẓohur-al-Ḥaqq and Ketāb-e Ẓohur-al-Ḥaqq) is said to be the most comprehensive history of the first century of the Bahá'í faith yet written. It records the full biographies of the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh, and ʿAbdu'l-Baháʾ, the Faith’s leading disciples and learned members, poets, martyrs, and other prominent personalities. It covers the history of the persecutions of the Bahá'ís; discusses the internal crises of the faith and, more significantly, contains excerpts from the holy writings and includes documentation and a considerable number of pictures. It was compiled in nine volumes: volumes 1-3 completed in May of 1932, the fourth in February, 1936, and the final volume in 1943. For various reasons it has not been translated into English. [Ẓohur-al-Ḥaqq]
Other works of Fāżel include his dictionary of commonly used proper terms and titles in Bahá'í literature, Asrār al-āṯār, which was published in five volumes (1967-72) of more than 1,600 pages.
Fāżel’s other major work, Amr wa ḵalq, contains hundreds of selections from the Bahá'í holy writings grouped under topics related to philosophical, theological, religious, and administrative matters. The work was published in Iran (1954-74) in four volumes.
The Collected Works of Asadu'llah Fadil Mazandarani.
Wikipedia page. |
Babol; Iran; Tihran; India; Myanmar (Burma); United States |
Mirza Asadullah Fadil-i-Mazandarani; Amr va Khalq; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Bahai studies; Bahai history; Zuhur al-Haqq (Zuhurul-Haqq); Translation |
|
| 1960 12 Jul |
Horace Hotchkiss Holley, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Haifa. (b. 7 April, 1887 in Torrington, CT) [MC226-227, BW13:849-858]
See FMH58-59 for the story of how he came to believe in the Faith.
He had served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States from 1923 until 1959 and as the secretary from 1924 to 1930 and 1932 until 1959. After the passing of the Guardian he served in the Holy Land. [UN110; BN No 347 January 1960 p1]
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the first contingent on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii]
For his obituary see BW13:849–858.
For cable from the Hands of the Cause see MC217–18.
See also SBR214-247, LoF253-264 and Holley, Horace Hotchkiss by R. Jackson Armstrong-Ingram.
Some of his is publications: See BEL7.1197 to 7.1233]
- The Bahá'í Religion: Papers Read at the Conference on Some Living Religions Within the British Empire Papers presented by Horace Holley and Ruhi Afnan. 1925 [BEL7.386]
- Bahaism: The Modern Social Religion, (1913) [BEL7.1203]
- Religion for Mankind, (1956) [BEL7.1222]
- World Unity,
- Bahá'í, The Spirit of the Age, (1921) [BEL7.1201]
- Bahá'í Scriptures; Selections from the Utterances of Bahaʼuʼllah and Abdul Baha, (1923 and 1928) The first general book-length compilation of the writings of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Many passages were early and nonauthoritative translations. The book was superseded by Bahá'í World Faith [BEL4.71]
- Read-aloud Plays,
- Divinations and Creation,
- The World Economy of Baháʼuʼlláh
- The Inner Garden; A Book of Verse
- The Reality of Man (1931) [BEL3.103]
- He was a man of enormous capacity. When asked about it he referred to a "zone of energy" in which he sometimes operated when more than normal strength was available to him. [FMH58]
- See the biography Infinite Horizons - The Life and Times of Horace Holley by Kathryn Jewett Hogenson published by George Ronald 2022.
|
Haifa; Torrington; Connecticut; United States |
Horace Holley; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, First Contingent; Bahai Scriptures (book); Drama; Plays; Arts |
|
| 1960 18 Nov |
Clara Dunn, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Sydney. (b.12 May 1869) [BW13:859; MoC245]
For her obituary see BW13:859–62.
For cable from the Hands see MoC245.
See also SBR153–75.
Shoghi Effendi had appointed her among the second contingent on the 29th of February, 1952. She was one of only eight women appointed. [MoCxxiii]
For a biography see The Bahá'í Encyclopedia Project.
Remembering Clara Dunn by Melanie Lotfali.
|
Sydney; Australia |
Clara Dunn; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Second Contingent |
|
| 1961 3 Apr |
Corinne Knight True, Hand of the Cause of God, (b. 1 November 1861 Louisville, KY) passed away in Chicago. She was buried in Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago. [BW13:846]
Find a Grave.
For her obituary see BW13:846–9.
For cables from the Custodians see MoC257.
Shoghi Effendi had appointed her among the second contingent on the 29th of February, 1952. [MoCxxiii]
See also Rutstein, Corinne True George Ronald (1987).
See as well Lights of Fortitude p391-407. |
Chicago; United States |
Corinne True; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Second Contingent |
|
| 1962 1 Jan |
Amelia Collins passed away in Haifa. (b. 7 June, 1873) [BW13:399, 840; MC12]
For her obituary see BW13:834–41.
Shoghi Effendi appointed her (publicly) among the first contingent on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii]
For the cable of the Hands of the Cause see MC333.
See also Milly by A Q Faizi and PSBW73–106.
For a timeline of her life see Shareable Bahá'í Resources.
While serving in Haifa she was given 'Abdu'l-Bahá's room. She was the last person to occupy it. [TG231]
See Collins, Amelia: The Fulfilled Hope of 'Abdu'l-Bahá by Richard Francis for further details of her life.
See Remembering ‘Milly’ – A Tribute to Amelia Collins by Yas Taherzadeh.
See Milly: A Tribute to The Hand of the Cause of God Amelia E. Collins
by Abu'l-Qasim Faizi. |
Haifa |
Amelia Collins; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Hands of the Cause, First Contingent; In Memoriam; Milly Collins; Abul-Qasim Faizi |
|
| 1965 22 Jul |
Leroy Ioas, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Haifa. (b.15 February 1896 in Wilmington, IL). He was known as "the Guardian's Hercules" and was praised by Shoghi Effendi for his "tireless vigilance, self-sacrifice, and devotion to the Cause in all its multiple fields of activity, in 'prodigious labours' and his 'stupendous efforts'. [BW14:291-300, VV7]
For his obituary see BW14:291–300.
Both of his German-born parents had become Bahá'ís, instructed by Paul Dealy who taught Kheiralla's classes when the demand for such classes became overwhelming in Chicago in 1998. [The Bahá'í Faith: Beginning in North America by Robert Stockman, World Order Vol 18 Issue 4 p24]
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the first contingent on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii]
For cable of the Universal House of Justice see WG157.
For a short biography see LoF265-275.
See Leroy Ioas: Hand of the Cause of God by Anita Ioas Chapman, published by George Ronald, 1998
Bahaipedia.
Shoghi Effendi named the inner front door of the Shrine of the Báb "Báb-i-Ioas".
See The Cause of Universal Peace: 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Enduring Impact by Kathryn Jewett Hogenson for information on his part in the organization of a Race Amity Conference in San Francisco with Ella Goodall Coop and Kathryn Frankland Rabbi Rudolph Coffee, the head of the largest synagogue in the Bay Area.. |
Haifa; Wilmington, IL; United States |
Leroy Ioas; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, First Contingent; Anita Ioas Chapman |
|
| 1966 7 Apr |
The passing of Ali Kuli Khan (b. Káshán Persia, about 1879) in Washington, DC. [BW14p351]
For information on his burial place see Rock Creek Cemetery.
For a short biography and recollections by Ali Kuli Khan see World Order, 6.1 p29-41.
|
Washington DC; United States; Kashan; Iran |
Ali Kuli Khan; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1966 14 Apr |
Jessie Revell, formerly a member of the International Bahá’í Council, passed away in Haifa. [BW14:300]
For her obituary see BW14:300–3. |
Haifa |
Jessie Revell; Births and deaths |
|
| 1967. 25 Dec |
The passing of Knight of Bahá'u'lláh Charles Dunning (b.27 March, 1885 need Leeds). [BW14p305-308]
See Bahaipedia
See a story about Charles as told by Marion Hofman.
See Bahá'í Blogspot for a photo of Charles with Ted Cardell and a story from a talk by Ian Semple.
See the Bahá'ís of Orkney website. |
Cardiff; Wales; United Kingdom |
Knights of Bahaullah; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1968 1 or 2 Jan |
The passing of Euphemia (Effie) Eleanor Baker (b.25 March 1880 at Goldsborough, Victoria) in Waverley, New South Wales.
For Effie Baker's obituary see BW14:320-1.
She became a Bahá'í in 1922 after attending a lecture by Clara and Hyde Dunn in Melbourne. She was the first woman to converted to the Faith in Australia.
She served in Haifa from 1925 to 1936. See SETPE1p105-107 for her contribution during that period.
In the 1930s Effie Baker travelled to Persia to take photographs of historical sites. Many of these photographs were included in The Dawnbreakers. [BW14:320]
Hear The Life of Effie Baker written and read by Sonjel Vreeland.
She was buried in the Bahá'í Cemetery in Mona Vale. [Australian Dictionary of Biography] |
Waverly; New South Wales; Australia |
Effie Baker; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Cemeteries and graves; Dawn-Breakers (book) |
|
| 1968 7 Jul |
The passing of Hand of the Cause Hermann Grossmann in Neckargemünd, near Heidelberg, (b.16 February, 1899) [BW15p416-421]
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the first contingent of Hands of the Cause on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii]
For his biography see Hermann Grossmann: Hand of the Cause of God, A Life for the Faith by Susanne Pfaff-Grossmann.
For his obituary see BW15:416–21.
For cable of the Universal House of Justice see BW15:416 and WG157–8.
Alternatively see Mess63-86p135. |
Neckargemund; Germany |
In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Hands of the Cause, First Contingent; Hermann Grossmann |
|
| 1968 10 Aug |
Dr Lutfu’lláh Hakím (1888 - 1968), former member of the Universal House of Justice, passed away in Haifa. [BW15:434]
For his obituary see BW15:430–4.
For cable of the Universal House of Justice see BW15:434 and WG158.
See Wikipedia.
Find a grave.
See Bahá'í Reference Library.
|
Haifa |
Lutfullah Hakim; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1968 2 Sep |
Tarázu’lláh Samandarí, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Haifa. (b.1874 in Qazvin, Persia)
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the first contingent on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii]
For his obituary see BW15p410-416.
For cable of the Universal House of Justice see BW15:416 and WG158–9.
Bahá'í Chronicles.
See Moments with Bahá'u'lláh: Memoirs of the Hand of the Cause of God Tarázu'lláh Samandarí translated by Mehdi Samandarí and Marzieh Gail and published by Kalimat Press.
Find a grave.
|
Haifa |
Tarazullah Samandari; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam |
|
| 1970. 20 Feb |
The passing of Curtis Demude Kelsey (b. 6 March, 1894 in Salt Lake City, UT) in Bradenton, FL.
He became a Bahá'í in 1917 through the influence of his mother, a talented poetess and writer who learned of the Faith in 1909.
Roy Wilhelm had sent three generators to the Holy Land and had asked permission from 'Abdu'l-Bahá to have Curtis come and install them. His request was granted and Curtis spent from September, 1921 until April, 1922 in the Holy Land. The units were installed at the Shrine of the Báb, (See SETPE1p38) at Bahjí (See SETPE1p55) and at the home of 'Abdu'l-Bahá at #7 Haparsin Street and the work was completed at all three locations on the last day of Ridván, 1922.
On the 6th of August, 1928 he married Harriet Morgan Kelsey (d. 18 March, 1971), a gifted musician and a teacher. They raised four children.
In 1953 while on pilgrimage Shoghi Effendi asked him to extend his stay to install a pump and watering system for the grounds at Bahjí.
He served on the Spiritual Assembly of West Englewood (now Teaneck) for some 30 years.
Curtis spent some time serving as an Auxiliary Board Member and gave talks at summer schools.
He passed away while serving at his place of retirement in Bradenton Florida.
[BW15p468-473]
|
Bradenton; FL; United States |
Curtis Kelsey; Harriet Kelsey; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Auxiliary Board Members |
|
| 1970 26 Sep |
The passing of Florence Evaline (Lorol) Schopflocher (b. Florence Evaline Snyder in Montreal, d. Kittery Point, ME 24 July,1886).
Wife of Hand of the Cause of God Siegfried Schopflocher. For his "In Memoriam" see BW7p664.
She circled the globe nine times on travel teaching tours and visited some 86 countries, many of them multiple times. She travelled to Iran twice visiting parts not previously visited by Western Bahá'ís.
She visited the Guardian 11 times.
She had several audiences with King Faisal in Iraq and discussed the question of the House of Bahá'u'lláh in Baghdád with him.
Favourite themes for her public talks were the World Order letters of Shoghi Effendi and the emancipation and education of women.
A radiant star went from the West to the East. [BW15p488-489]
Find a grave. She was not interred in the Mount Royal Cemetery in Montreal as stated in this reference. She was buried in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Eliot Maine.
|
Montreal; Quebec; Canada |
Lorol Schopflocher; Siegfried Schopflocher; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; House of Bahaullah (Baghdad) |
|
| 1971 1 Jan |
The passing of Agnes Baldwin Alexander, (b. 26July 1875 in Hawaii) Hand of the Cause; “the daughter of the Kingdom”, and “the beloved maid-servant of the Blessed Perfection” (‘Abdu’l-Baha); the only Hand of the Cause mentioned in the Tablets of the Divine Plan; The first Bahá'í to set foot on Hawaiian soil; the first Bahá'í to settle in Japan; and the first Bahá'í to teach the Faith in Korea, passed away in Honolulu. (b. 21 July 1875) [BW15:423; VV8]
On the 13th of October she received a Tablet from 'Abdi'l-Baha encouraging her to travel to Japan. She arrived in 1914 and remained there for a total of thirty-two years. She lf[PH32]
She was appointed a Hand of the Cause on the 27th of March, 1957 after the passing of Hand of the Cause of God George Townshend. [MoCxxiv]eft Japan in 1937 and returned in 1950.
For her obituary see BW15:423–30.
See Life of Agnes Alexander by Duane Troxel.
See A Tribute to Agnes Alexander by Ben Perkins.
See An Account of How I Became a Bahá'í and My Stays in Paris in 1901 and 1937:
Written at the Request of Mrs. Laura Dreyfus-Barney
by Agnes Baldwin Alexander and edited by Thomas Linard. |
Honolulu; Hawaii |
Agnes Alexander; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Appointments; Firsts, Other |
|
| 1971 4 Sep |
Músá Banání, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Kampala, Uganda. (b.1886) [BW15:42; VV7]
For a brief biography see Bahá'í Chronicles.
For his obituary see BW15:421–423.
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the second contingent on the 29th of February, 1952. [MoCxxiii]
A Bahá'í Winter and Summer School was established in the southern part of Ethiopia and named "Banání House" in honour of Hand of the Cause Músá Banání, their "spiritual father". [BW15p187] |
Kampala; Uganda |
Musa Banani; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Second Contingent |
|
| 1972 6 Aug |
‘Abdu’l-Hamíd Ishráq-Khávarí, Iranian scholar, author, translator and promoter of the Bahá’í Faith, passed away. [BW15:520]
For his obituary see BW15:518–20.
Wikipedia page. |
Tihran; Iran |
Abdul-Hamid Ishraq-Khavari; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Bahai scholars |
|
| 1972 17 Dec |
The passing of Matthew Washington Bullock (b. 11 September, 1881 in Dabney, North Carolina) in Detroit, Michigan. His place of burial is unknown.
He was a singer, a talented athlete, a football coach, a teacher, a soldier, a war hero, a civic leader, a church leader.
- See this newspaper clipping which implies that he may have been subjected to rough treatment by the opposing Princeton team.
Lawyer-graduated from Harvard Law School in 1907.
Found the Faith in 1940 after many years of careful investigation.
Husband to Katherine Wright, (d. 1945), father to Matthew W. Bullock Jr (a judge) and Julia Gaddy (librarian).
Chairman of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Boston.
Travel teacher to Haiti, Costa Rica, Mexico, Belgian Congo, Liberia.
Elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the the United States in 1952.
Represented the NSA at the first Intercontinental Bahá'í Conference in Uganda, East and received permission to visit the Holy Land on pilgrimage prior to attending the Conference.
Became a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh in 1953 for Dutch West Indies when he and four other members of the NSA resigned to take up pioneer posts.
He received an honorary degree from Harvard in recognition of the lifetime of achievements.
He spent his last years in Detroit in the care of his daughter. [BW15p535-539]
Find a grave
See a biographical article in the Evertt Independent.
|
Dabney, NC; Detroit; United States |
In Memoriam; Matthew Bullock; Knights of Bahaullah; Births and deaths |
|
| 1973 5 Sep |
John Ferraby, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Cambridge, England. (b. 9 January,1914) [BW16:511, VV8]
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the third contingent on the 2nd of October, 1957. [MoCxxiii]
For his obituary see BW16:511–12.
Wikipedia.
Bahaipedia.
He was the author of All Things Made New published in 1960 by Allen & Unwin, London.
|
Cambridge; United Kingdom |
John Ferraby; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Third Contingent |
|
| 1974 4 Feb |
The death of Charles Mason Remey, Hand of the Cause of God (1951-60) and subsequently a Covenant-breaker. in Florence, Italy. (b.15 May 1874) [Wikipedia]
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the first contingent on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii]
He was declared a Covenant-breaker by the Hands of the Cause on the 26th of July, 1960. |
Florence; Italy |
Charles Mason Remey; Covenant-breakers; Births and deaths |
|
| 1974 18 Aug |
Laura Clifford Dreyfus-Barney, (b. 30 Nov 1879, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio, USA) passed away in Paris. [BW16:296]
For her obituary see BW16:535–8.
She was buried at Cimetiere de Passy, Paris, City of Paris, Île-de-France, France.
She is best known for having compiled the Bahá'í text Some Answered Questions from her interviews with `Abdu'l-Bahá during her visit to Akka between 1904 and 1906. [Wikipedia]
See Laura Barney’s Discipleship to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Tracing a Theological Flow from the Middle East to the United States, 1900–1916 by Layli Maria Miron in The Journal of Bahá’í Studies 28.1-2 2018.
She was the only Western woman to have been designated as "Amatu'l-Bahá" (Handmaid of Bahá) by 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [Some Answered Questions" and Its Compiler by Baharieh Rouhani Ma'ani published in Lights of Irfan, 18, pages 445; M9YA314]
At the end of the war she placed her faith in the League of Nations and represented the International Council of Women in that body, playing an important role in cultural exchange. She was the only woman named by the League Council to sit on the Sub-Committee of experts on Education, a post which she held for many years, beginning in 1926. On 23 July 1925 she was appointed Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur. In that same year she formed under the aegis of the League of Nations the ‘Liaison Committee of Major International Organizations to promote through Education better Understanding between Peoples and Classes’ and became a permanent member of the committee as well as its liaison officer. In 1934 she became a member of the Advisory Committee of the League of Nations on Teaching; she was also a member of the French Committee on Intellectual Co-operation. [BW15p537]
See A Glimpse into the Life of Laura Dreyfus-Barney by Mona Khademi for a brief biography of Laura Barney and her family.
My Interview with Laura Dreyfus-Barney
by Jack McLean (1967)
See The Life of Laura Barney by Mona Khademi published by George Ronald in 2022.
- See page 67-71 for an account of her recording of the "table talks" of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
- See page399 for her listing in Who's Who in America.
|
Paris; France |
Laura Clifford Barney; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Amatul-Baha (title); Some Answered Questions |
|
| 1976 7 May |
Saichiro Fujita, (b. 1886) the second Japanese to become a Bahá’í, passed away in Haifa. [BW17:406; Bahá'í Canada No 294 June 1996 p6]
For his obituary see BW17:406–8.
1903 came to California for education.
1905 became a Bahá'í (Mrs. Kathryn Frankland)
1912 joined 'Abdu'l-Bahá's party in Chicago as they were near departure for California.
1919 came to the Holy Land after studying electricity and horticulture.
1928 Shoghi Effendi sent him back to Japan with the war impending.
1955 returned to the Holy Land.
Was buried in the Bahá'í Cemetery in Haifa.
References: Traces That Remain and Japan Will Turn Ablaze |
Haifa |
Saichiro Fujita; In Memoriam; Births and Deaths |
|
| 1976 5 Oct |
The passing of Adelaide Sharp (b. Texas, 1896) in Tehran.
In 1929 she accompanied Dr Susan Moody (77) to Tehran and and took up the position of principal of the Tarbiyat School for Girls (opened 1910).
In 1931 she invited her mother, Clara Sharp, to come and live with her.
After the closing of the Tarbiyat Schools on the 6th of December, 1934, the Guardian asked her to remain in Persia. She organized study classes for both boys and girls to study English writings such as Bahá'í Administration, The Promised Day is Come, The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh and other works from the Guardian. In 1954 the Guardian ruled that women could serve on Bahá'í administrative bodied in Persia. She was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly and served in this role for the next fourteen years. She attended the First and Second International Conventions in 1963 and in 1968. Her five decade legacy of service in Iran included children's education, translating Writings, consolidating administrative institutions, serving as the"external affairs" representative for the National Assembly. Upon her passing memorial services where held in Tehran as well as other centres throughout the country. [BW17p418-420, Bahá'í Heroes & Heroines] |
Texas; United States; Tihran; Iran |
Adelaide Sharp; Clara Sharp; Tarbiyat School; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Firsts, Other |
|
| 1979 6 May |
Bernard Howell Leach CBE, (b.5 Jan 1887 Hong Kong), internationally known potter, artist and author, passed away in St Ives, Cornwall. He was buried in the Barnoon Cemetery in St Ives. [BW18:669–71]
See AY50 for the significance of the name of the village of St. Ives.
Find a grave
Wikipedia.
Leach Pottery.
Encyclopaedia Britannica
He was the author of A Potter's Book, A Potter in Japan as well as Beyond East and West: Memoirs, Portraits and Essays, and Drawings, Verse and Belief. [BEL10.892-10.985]
See Bernard Leach, Potter:A Biographical Sketch by Robert Weinberg.
See Remembering Bernard Leach by Trudi Scott (Published in BW18 pp929-931).
See Traces that Remain p216-218.
See the tribute to Bernard Leach and Shoki Hamada entitled Pioneering Pottery Sought Unity of East and West on the centenary of the founding of Leach Pottery in St. Ives, England.
|
St Ives; Cornwall; United Kingdom |
Bernard Leach; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1979 16 Sep |
Enoch Olinga—Hand of the Cause of God and Knight of Bahá’u’lláh—his wife and three of his children were murdered in Kampala, Uganda. (b.24 June 1926) [BBD 172; BW18:633; LoF471-472]
He was buried near the grave of Hand of the Cause Mr Banání with the graves of his wife and children nearby. [CG132]
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the third contingent on the 2nd of October, 1957. [MoCxxiii]
For his obituary see BW18:618–35.
See Bahá'í Blog for a tribute to his life.
Early in May soldiers had invaded his home and thoroughly sacked it. The president of Uganda was a Nilotic and a native of northern Uganda as were a majority of his army. After taking control of the country they began to take reprisals from rival tribes and those who they thought had supported Idi Amin. [CG127]
On the morning of the murders Mr. Olinga and his family had participated in a work detail at the Temple grounds. After the evening meal, a group of soldiers entered their compound and murdered him as well as his wife Elizabeth the children Táhirih and Lennie. [CG130-132]
Claire Gung, the "Mother of Africa", had had an extraordinarily accurate dream and had warned Mr. Olinga of his danger. [CG163] |
Kampala; Uganda |
Enoch Olinga; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Knights of Bahaullah; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Third Contingent; Persecution, Uganda; Persecution, Deaths; Persecution; Dreams and visions |
|
| 1979 29 Dec |
Rahmatu’lláh Muhájir, Hand of the Cause of God and Knight of Bahá’u’lláh, passed away in Quito, Ecuador. (b. 4 April 1923 in 'Abdu'l-'Azím) [BW18:486, 651]
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the third contingent on the 2nd of October, 1957. [MoCxxiii]
For his obituary see BW18:651–9.
See BWNS353 for news of the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of his passing in Quito.
See also Dr Muhajir: Hand of the Cause of God, Knight of Bahá’u’lláh by Írán Furútan Muhájir.
See Bahá'í Chronicles.
For stories about Dr Mahájir see Bahá'í Memories.
See Academic Wikipedia.
See Rahmatu'llah Muhajir: Hand of the Cause of God the Treasure of All Humanity
by Richard Francis.
A photo.
See as well LoF455-461.
The 25th anniversary of Rahmatu'lláh Muhájir's death was marked in Ecuador by a Growth and Victories conference and graveside ceremony, including a talk by his daughter Gisu Mohadjer Cook. BWNS353] |
Quito; Ecuador; Abdul-Azim; Iran |
Rahmatullah Muhajir; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Knights of Bahaullah; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Third Contingent; BWNS |
|
| 1980 12 Feb |
Hasan M. Balyuzi, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in London. (b. 7 September, 1908, Shiraz, Iran). He was buried at the New Southgate Cemetery London. [BW18:635; VV52, Mess63-86p442]
For his obituary see BW18:635–51 and SBBR5:XI–XX.
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the third contingent on the 2nd of October, 1957. [MoCxxiii]
See Bahá'í Chronicles for a biography.
For a brief biography see Balyuzi, Hasan M. by Richard Francis.
For some essays and excerpts from Hasan Balyuzi's work see Bahá'í Library.
Find a grave. |
London; United Kingdom |
Hasan Balyuzi; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Bahai studies |
|
| 1980 25 Feb |
Robert Hayden, much-honoured American poet, passed away in Ann Arbor, Michigan. [BW18:717]
For his obituary see BW18:715–17.
See also Hatcher, From The Auroral Darkness: The Life and Poetry of Robert Hayden.
See Bahá'í World 1994-95 pg249 for an article by Anne Boyles entitled "The Language of the Heart: Arts in the Bahá'í World Community" for mention of Robert Hayden.
See The Oxford Encyclopedia of American Literature entry about Robert Hayden.
In 1976, Mr. Hayden was named Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress, a post which was later renamed Poet Laureate of the United States. He was the first African-American to hold the position. He taught at Fisk University in Nashville for 23 years and then at the University of Michigan from 1969 until his death in 1980 at age 66. In 2012 the US Postal Service issued a series of stamps commemorating poets which included Mr Hayden. [BWNS915]
|
Ann Arbor; Michigan |
Robert Hayden; Poetry; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Poet Laureate; Commemorative stamp |
|
| 1980 29 Jul |
Adelbert Mühlschlegel, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away at his pioneer post in Athens, Greece. (b.16 June 1897) [BW18:613; VV52]
For his obituary see BW18:611–13.
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the second contingent on the 29th of February, 1952. [MoCxxiii]
Adelbert Milhlschlegel, M.D. (1897-1980) received
a Tablet from ' Abdu'I-Bahá and became a
close collaborator of Shoghi Effendi who elevated
him to the rank of Hand of the Cause. In November
1957 he was asked by Ruhiyyih Khanum to
wash and anoint the Guardian's body for burial.
Speaking a dozen languages, he taught the Bahá'í
Faith in both eastern and western Europe, India,
Africa, and South America. Adelbert MiihlschJegel
worked on many important translations, wrote a
World History, and left a book of poetry. He
passed away in Athens and is buried at the foot of
the Acropolis. [The German Baha'i Community under National Socialism p30] |
Athens; Greece |
Adelbert Muhlschlegel; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam |
|
| 1980 20 Nov |
Abu’l-Qásim Faizí, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Haifa. (b.1906) [BW18:659; VV52]
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the third contingent on the 2nd of October, 1957. [MoCxxiii]
For his obituary see BW18:659–65.
See Conqueror of Hearts:
Excerpts from Letters, Talks, and Writings of Hand of the Cause of God Abu'l-Qásim Faizí by Abu'l-Qasim Faizi edited by Shirley Macias.
|
Haifa |
Abul-Qasim Faizi; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Third Contingent |
|
| 1982 14 May |
Amoz Gibson, (b. 3 Aug 1918 Washington), a member of the Universal House of Justice from 1963 until 1982, passed away in Haifa. He was buried in the Bahá'í Cemetery in Haifa. [BW18:669; VV52]
His diagnose was acute lymphoblastic leukemia. See Bahá'í Chronicles for a brief biography.
For his obituary see BW18:665–9.
Find a grave.
Elected to the Universal House of Justice to replace him was Mr. Glenford Mitchell. He was born in Jamaica and held a Masters degree in journalism from Columbia University. An author, he had worked as a magazine editor and managing editor and taught English and journalism at Howard University. He served as chief executive officer of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States from 1968 until his election to the Universal House of Justice.
[BWNS208]
|
BWC |
Amoz Gibson; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Universal House of Justice, Members of; Glenford Mitchell; BWNS |
|
| 1982 9 Jun |
The passing of Richard Edward St. Barbe Baker (b. 9 October, 1889 West End, Hampshire, England d. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)
He was one of the foremost world famous environmentalists of the twentieth century, an ecologist, conservationist, forester, vegetarian, horseman, apiarist, author of some thirty books and numerous articles and a committed Bahá’í who rendered service to the Bahá’í Faith for more than fifty years.
Shoghi Effendi referred to Baker as "the first member of the English gentry to join the Bahá’í Faith." [Bahá'í Encyclopedia Project.
He formally founded the Men of the Trees organization in England in 1924 and it soon spread to many other countries. (Shoghi Effendi enrolled as the first life member of the Men of the Trees.) Now known as the International Tree Foundation, it has a large membership of women and men from all walks of life. In 1978 Charles, Prince of Wales, became the society’s patron. A history of the organization is on their website. [Bahá'í Chronicles; BW18p802-805]
See BWNS1292.
He was buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
See photo.
|
Hampshire; United Kingdom; Saskatoon; Saskatchewan; Canada |
Richard St. Barbe Baker; Men of the Trees; International Tree Foundation; Environment; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Cemeteries and graves |
|
| 1982 3 Dec |
Paul Haney, Hand of the Cause of God, died in Haifa in an automobile accident. [BW18:617; VV52]
Paul Haney was born to Mary (Merriam) Ida Parkhurst and Charles Freeborn Haney on August 20, 1909. His parents were active Bahá’is since 1900 and had been married for seventeen years at the time of Paul’s birth. His mother accredited a portion of his spiritual development to being in the presence of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá while a fetus....In letters between his mother, Merriam, and Rúhíyyih Khánum it was indicated that the Master gave him his own name; it was ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. He was also given the name Paul by the Master to be used in the outside world. In 1919, Corinne True was able to also confirm that the master gave Paul his name. [Bahá'í Chronicles]
He had been appointed a Hand of the Cause of God on the 19th of March,1954 following the death of Hand of the Cause of God Dorothy Baker. [MoCxxiv}
For his obituary see BW18:613–18. |
Haifa |
Paul Haney; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Appointments |
|
| 1982 29 Dec |
The passing of Stanwood Cobb, (b. November 6 Newton, Massachusetts, 1881 – d. December 29, 1982) noted Bahá'í lecturer, educator and author at his home in Chevy Chase, Maryland at the age of 101 after 75 years of service to the Cause.
His first exposure to the Faith was in 1906 at Green Acre where he attended a conference during his studies at Harvard Divinity School where he was preparing for the Unitarian ministry. [Wikipedia]
While serving as a college instructor in Constantinople, disguised as a Turk, he made a visit to 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Akka while He was still a prisoner. He met Him again in 1910 and while He was in Paris and the United States during His Western travels.
He was the author of some 30 books and numerous articles. Some of his publications can be found on Bahá'í Library.
He served as an editor of Star of the West until 1939 and was a co-editor of World Order.
He founded Avalon Press in 1935 through which he published his works. [Wikipedia]
One of his essays entitled The Continuity of Religion was first published in The Bahá’í World Volume VI, 1934-1936.
Bahá'í Chronicles.
|
Chevy Chase; United States |
Stanwood Cobb; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1984 28 Feb |
The passing of Renée Szanto-Felbermann (b 21 June, 1900, d. 28 February, 1984) in Freiburg, Germany. She is considered the first to declare her faith in Hungary. [BW19p633]
She is the author of The Memoirs of Renée Szanto-Felbermann, published in London by the Bahá'í Publishing Trust. It is the autobiography of a woman of Jewish heritage who was the first Hungarian Bahá'í. Particularly interesting is the period as Jewish-Bahá'í in Hungary during the Nazi era. [BEL7.2521] |
Freiburg; Germany; Hungary |
First Bahais by country or area; In memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1984 16 Nov |
Shu’á’u’lláh ‘Alá’í, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Scottsdale, Arizona. (b. 16 November 1889) [BW19:594; VV123]
BW19: 159 says this was 17 November.
For his obituary see BW19:593–5.
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the second contingent on the 29th of February, 1952. [MoCxxiii]
For a short biography "General" 'Alí see Bahá'í Chronicles.
See LoF335-338. |
Scottsdale; Arizona; United States |
Shuaullah Alai; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Second Contingent |
|
| 1986 13 Nov |
Zikrullah Khadem (Dhikru’lláh Khádem), Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Skokie, Illinois. (b.1904 in Tehran) [VV123; ZK151]
Mr Khadem served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of Iran from 1938 to 1960. [LoF362-371]
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the second contingent on the 29th of February, 1952. [MoCxxiii] See also Khadem, Zikrullah Khadem: The Itinerant Hand of the Cause of God.
In 1972 the Universal House of Justice asked Khadem to research and document places and people of historical significance to Baháʼís, which he concluded in 1977 with a 134-volume work that was submitted to the Universal House of Justice. He had called the project a Registry of Bahá'í Holy Places. [LoF369]
See In Memoriam in BN No 669 December 1986 p2.
Find a grave. |
Skokie; Illinois; United States |
Zikrullah Khadem; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Second Contingent |
|
| 1987 26 Jan |
Charles Wolcott (b. September 29, 1906 in Flint, MI) member of the Universal House of Justice, passed away in Haifa. [BINS162:1; VV97]
Mr Wolcott passed away on the day he dictated the essay in the Forward of the book The Creative Circle: Art, Literature, and Music in Bahá'í Perspective edited by Michael Fitzgerald and published by Kalimat Press in 1989. [The Creative Circle pgx-xx]
See a video tribute entitled In Memory of Charles Wolcott, 1906-1987.
Wikipedia.
Elected in his stead was Dr. Peter Khan. He was born in Australia, held professorial posts in electrical engineering at universities in the United States and Australia. He served as an Auxiliary Board member, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Australia, and a Continental Counsellor before being appointed to the International Teaching Centre.
[BWNS208] |
BWC |
Charles Wolcott; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Peter Khan; Universal House of Justice, Members of; BWNS; Auxiliary Board Members |
|
| 1988 11 Mar |
The passing of Italian orientalist, scholar and linguist Alessandro Bausani. As an orientalist he made contributions in several fields: Persian Literature, Islam, linguistics, the history of Islamic science, Urdu, Indonesian, and other Islamic literatures. He was a polyglot having studied all the main European languages plus Basque, Arabic, Turkish, Persian as well as Latin and Greek.
He accepted the Faith in 1949 and served as a member of the local and national assemblies in Italy. He was a speaker much in demand at all sorts of Bahá'í gatherings in Italy and beyond. A number of his written contributions about the Bahá'í teachings were published posthumously in a volume called, Saggi sulla Fede Bahá'í ("Essays on the Bahá'í Faith", Rome, 1991). [Obituary: Alessandro Bausani (1921-1988) by Heshmat Moayyad; Encyclopædia Iranica: BAUSANI, ALESSANDRO]
Alessandro Bausani was a prolific writer. A small sampling of his publications include:
|
Italy |
Alessandro Bausani; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1988 18 Dec |
H. Borrah Kavelin, (b. 18 March, 1906, Russia), former member of the first House of Justice, passed away in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was buried in Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque. [VV97]
A biography.
Find a grave |
Albuquerque; New Mexico; United States |
H. Borrah Kavelin; Universal House of Justice, Members of; Births and deaths; In Memoriam |
|
| 1989 3 Jul |
The passing of Bobbie Cowan in Invermere, BC. [AC297] |
Invermere; British Columbia; Canada |
Bobbie Cowan; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1989 5 Jul |
Dr Ugo Giachery (b. 13 May, 1896, Palermo, Sicily), Hand of the Cause of God, passed away while on a visit to Western Samoa. [BINS204:1; VV123]
He died while visiting Samoa and was interred on the mountainside at Tiapapata, Apia, in view of the Pacific Ocean. His funeral service was attended by by His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II, the Prime Minister of Samoa, four Ministers of Cabinet, four Counsellors, five Auxiliary Board members, representatives of six national communities of the Pacific, and over two hundred believers from many parts of the country. [LoF241)
For the cable of the Universal House of Justice see BINS204:1.
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the first contingent on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii]
Wikipedia
For a short biography see LoF223-242.
See Bahá'í Chronicles.
|
Tiapapata; Apia; Samoa |
Ugo Giachery; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, First Contingent |
|
| 1990 22 Feb |
Jalál Kházeh, (b. 24 February, 1897, Tihran) Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Toronto. He was buried in York Cemetery in Toronto. [BINS219:90]
Note: VV123 says it was 20 February.
He was appointed a Hand of the Cause of God on the 6th of December, 1953 after the passing of Hand of the Cause of God Siegfried Schopflocher. [MoCxxiv]
See LoF164-167 for a short biography.
Find a grave.
|
Toronto; Canada |
Jalal Khazeh; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Appointments |
|
| 1990 29 Sep |
The passing of Hand of the Cause of God H. Collis Featherstone in Katmandu, Nepal. He was born at Quorn, South Australia on May 5th, 1913. [BINS232:8, VV12, The Bahá'í Encyclopedia, Find a grave]
For his obituary see BW20p809-818.
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the third contingent on the 2nd of October, 1957. [MoCxxiii]
See Bahá'í Recollections for an article complete with pictures by Narenda Pande about Mr. Featherstone's last days and funeral.
See LoF434-448 for a biography.
Find a grave.
|
Kathmandu; Nepal; Quorn; South Australia |
Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Collis Featherstone; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Third Contingent |
|
| 1991 18 Jun |
The passing of Hand of the Cause of God, Knight of Bahá'u'lláh, John Aldham Robarts at Rawdon, Quebec. He was born in Waterloo, Ontario 2nd of November, 1901. [VV124]
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the third contingent on the 2nd of October, 1957. [MoCxxiii]
See BW20p801-809.
For his obituary see BINS250:10.
For picture see VV124.
For the story of how he came to learn of the Faith see SBR137.
See LoF473-495.
A 50-minute film entitledRetrospective, a Ciné Bahá’í production, was made as a tribute to the Hand of the Cause John A. Robarts on the occasion of his 40th anniversary as a member of the Bahá‘r' community.
|
Rawdon; Quebec |
Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Knights of Bahaullah; John Robarts; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1992 25 Mar |
William Benard Sears, (b.28 Mar 1911), Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Tucson, Arizona. He was buried in East Lawn Palms Cemetery and Mortuary Tucson, Arizona. [BINS267; VV124]
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the third contingent on the 2nd of October, 1957. [MoCxxiii]
Find a grave.
See LoFp496-506 for a short biography.
He was the author of several books:
- All Flags Flying, The NSA of South and West Africa, (1958)
- A Cry from the Heart: The Bahá'ís of Iran, George Ronald, (1982)
- God Love Laughter, George Ronald, (1960 and multiple re-prints)
- The Prisoner and the Kings, General Publishing Company, (1971)
- Release the Sun, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, (1957)
- Thief in the Night or The Strange Case of the Missing Millennium, Talisman Books, (1961 and multiple re-prints
- The Wine of Astonishment, George Ronald, (1963 and multiple re-prints)
- The Flame; The Story of Lua, (with Robert Quigley), George Ronald, (1972) [BEL7.2354-79]
|
Tucson; Arizona; United States |
Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; William Sears; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Third Contingent |
|
| 1992 18 Jun |
The passing of Counsellor Isobel Sabri, (b. 19 July, 1924) member of the International Teaching Centre in England. She was born in California in 1924. Letter from the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada to all Local Spiritual Assemblies dated the 16th of October 1992. [VV124]
She was buried at the New Southgate Cemetery
Find a grave
See Bahaipedia for the message of condolence from the Universal House of Justice. |
California; United States; United Kingdom |
Counsellors; Isobel Sabri; International Teaching Centre, Members of; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 1993 6 Jan |
The passing of John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (b. 21 October 1917, Cheraw, South Carolina). He was buried next to his mother in Flushing Cemetery, New York. [VV141]
His autobiography was entitled “To Be, or Not...to Bop".
He had become a Bahá'í in 1968 at the age of 51.
See Bahá'í World 1994-95 pg251 for an article by Anne Boyles entitled "The Language of the Heart: Arts in the Bahá'í World Community" for mention of Dizzy Gillespie.
Find a grave
|
Englewood; New Jersey; United States |
Dizzy Gillespie; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Jazz music; Famous Bahais |
|
| 1993 15 Apr |
The passing of Knight of Bahá'u'lláh Stanley Theodore Bagley, (b.2 February, 1912 in Bertrand, Missouri). He had been a pioneer to Belgium, France, Guadeloupe, Martinique, the United States as well as Sicily where he and his family, wife Florence, son Gerry and daughters Susan and Carol, received the Knighthood for their service. [BW93-94p319; BWIM63-65] |
United States; Belgium; France; Guadeloupe; Martinique; Sicily |
Knights of Bahaullah; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Stanley Bagley |
|
| 1993 16 Oct |
The passing of Marzieh Nabíl Carpenter Gail, the second child and eldest daughter of the first Persian-American marriage in the Bahá'í Faith between Persian diplomat Ali-Kuli Khan and Boston debutante Florence Breed. (b. 1 April, 1908) [BW1993-1994p320-321, Find a grave]
See AY91 for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s praise of her as a child and confirmation and promises for the future. He commented that she had átish (fire) and namak (salt). [AY93]
Photo of 'Abdu'l-Bahá with the children of Ali-Kuli Khan and Florence.
A translator (Arabic and Persian into English) and author. Poet Roger White would say of his friend: "She is the first lady of Bahá'í literature and I and many writers are indebted to her for leading the way."
Translations include: The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys (1945) and The Secret of Divine Civilization (1957) with her father; Memorials of the Faithful (1971); Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá (1976) with a Committee at the Bahá'í World Centre; My Memories of Bahá'u'lláh (1982).
Author of a dozen Bahá'í and non-Bahá'í books in addition to countless essays, articles, and short stories. Her remembrances of 'Abdu'l-Bahá are contained in The Sheltering Branch (1959), and those of His Exalted Sister in Khanum: The Greatest Holy Leaf (1981).
Many of her essays and pioneering stories are contained in Dawn Over Mount Hira (1976) and Other People, Other Places (1982). As well she wrote “Six Lessons in Islam” (1953), Summon Up Remembrance (1987), Arches of the Years (1991) and, “Bahá'í Glossary” (1955). [Bahá'í Studies Review, Vol 6, 1996]
See Obituary: Marzieh Nabil Carpenter Gail (1908-1993):
Translator and Author, "Patron Saint" of Women Bahá'í Scholars
by Constance M. Chen.
Bahaipedia.
For a more complete list of her writings and translations see Bahai-library. iiiii
|
San Francisco; United States |
Marzieh Gail; Ali Kuli Khan; Florence Breed; Bahai scholars; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 2000 19 Jan |
The passing of Hand of the Cause of God Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum (born Mary Sutherland Maxwell) in Haifa. She was born in New York on 8 August 1910. [One CountryVol.11,Issue4, Mess86-01p699-700, 19 January, 2000]
Shoghi Effendi had appointed her as a Hand of the Cause of God after the passing of her father, Hand of the Cause of God Sutherland Maxwell on the 26th of March, 1952. [MoCxxiv]
See A Tribute to Amatu’l-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum by Violette Nakhjavani.
Photo of her Resting Place.
|
Haifa |
Amatul-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum; Mary Maxwell; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; - Basic timeline, Expanded |
|
| 2000 17 Feb |
The passing of Mildred Mottahedeh in New York. She had been elected to the International Bahá’í Council, the first globally elected Bahá’í body and was the first Bahá'í International Community representative to the United Nations. She was born in Seabright, New Jersey, on 7 August 1908 and was 91. [One Country Jan-Mar 2000 Vol 11 Issue 4; TP705-706; BW99-00p307-308]
See Blogspot. |
New York; Seabright; New Jersey; United States |
International Bahai Council; Bahai International Community; Mildred Mottahedeh; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Firsts, Other |
|
| 2000 22 Aug |
The passing of Knight of Bahá'u'lláh Audrey Robarts (née FitzGerald) in her 96th year. She was buried with her husband, Hand of the Cause of God John Robarts, in the Ecumenical Cemetery in Rawdon. He had predeceased her on the 18th of June, 1991. [BW00-01p272]
After the passing of her husband she travelled to four countries in southern Africa in response to a request from the National Spiritual Assembly of Botswana where she was known as the "beloved mother of our country". |
Rawdon; Quebec; Canada |
Audrey Robarts; Knights of Bahaullah; Births and deaths; In Memoriam |
|
| 2001 13 Dec |
The passing of Giovanni (Gianni) Ballerio (b. 15 February 1943 in Asmara, Eritrea) in Geneva after a battle with cancer. He was 58. [BW01-02p302]
He had been a representative of the Bahá'í International Community at the United Nations in Geneva and in New York since 1981. [One Country Vol.13 Issue 3] |
Geneva; Switzerland |
Giovanni (Gianni) Ballerio; Bahai International Community; In Memoriam; Births and deaths |
|
| 2001 16 Dec |
The passing of Knight of Bahá'u'lláh Philip Hainsworth (b. 27 July 1919) at the age of 82 in Sevenoaks, Kent, England. Shoghi Effendi had described him as "the spiritual Stanley of Africa". [BW01-02p304-305]
He was a member of the National Assembly of Central and East Africa from 1956 to 1966 and served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles for a total of 32 years.
Looking Back in Wonder is the autobiography of Mr Hainsworth and his wife Lois.
His other publications were:
- Bahá'í Focus on Human Rights
- The Bahá'í Faith by Mary Perkins and Philip Hainsworth
- Bahá'í Focus on Peace
- Historical Dictionary of the Bahá'í Faith by Hugh C. Adamson and Philip Hainsworth
|
Sevenoaks; Kent; United Kingdom; Africa |
Philip Hainsworth; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Names and titles |
|
| 2003 3 Mar |
The passing of Knight of Bahá'u'lláh Una Dean, née Townshend, in Edmonton, Canada. Una lived a full life of Bahá'í service. In 1946 she was the first Bahá'í in Dublin and was later a member of the first spiritual assembly. She also helped to form the first spiritual assembly in Liverpool. In October 1953 she was the first Bahá'i in Malta, a goal of the Ten Year Crusade. In 1954 she returned to Ireland to tend to her ailing father and to assist him in writing Christ and Bahá'u'lláh. After his passing in 1957 she moved to America, met and married her husband, Dick Dean, and moved to Edmonton where she served on the Local Assembly until 1987. [BW02-03p269] |
Edmonton; Alberta; Canada; Malta; Ireland; Liverpool; Dublin |
Una Dean; Una Townshend; Knights of Bahaullah; Births and deaths; In Memoriam |
|
| 2003 22 Aug |
The passing of Ruth Yancey Pringle in Ciudad, Costa Rica at the age of 83 after 5 decades of service to the Faith, 2 decades as on the Continental Board of Counsellors.
The Universal House of Justice praised her as an "intrepid champion" of the Faith of God. [BWNS250, BW'03-‘04pg236]
She went pioneering before being accepted into the Faith. The Chicago Assembly was preoccupied with the organization of the Intercontinental Conference and didn't have a chance to process her application for membership. Because she was so close to the Faith she was allowed to attend the conference and she departed for her pioneer post immediately after. She received her membership card after arriving at her pioneer goal in Puerto Rico. [from a talk by Hooper Dunbar 26:05] |
Ciudad Colon; Costa Rica |
Ruth Pringle; Counsellors; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; BWNS |
|
| 2003 26 Nov |
The passing of Hand of the Cause of God Ali Akbar Furútan in Haifa at the age of 98. [BWNS261, BW'03-‘04pg227]
Born in Sabzivar, Iran, on 29 April 1905.
Moved with his family to Ashgabat in what was then Russian Turkestan (now part of Turkmenistan), and, through his years of school and university, he took an active part in the work of the Bahá'í communities of Ashgabat, Baku, Moscow, and other parts of Russia.
In 1930 he was expelled from the Soviet Union during the Stalinist persecution of religion and from that time on played an ever more significant role in the work and administration of the Iranian Bahá'í community. [BW03-04p227-230]
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the first contingent on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii]
For a tribute from the Universal House of Justice see message of 27 November, 2003.
|
Haifa; Sabzivar; Iran; Ishqabad; Turkmenistan; Baku; Moscow |
Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Ali Akbar Furutan; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, First Contingent; BWNS |
|
| 2004 2 Apr |
The passing of Ola Pawlowska (b. Ola Clemens 14 February, 1910 in Lakta, outside Cacow, Poland) in Newfoundland, Canada. Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for St. Pierre and Miquelon, translator of the Writings (into Polish), pioneer to Poland, Luxembourg and Congo (30 years), Auxiliary Board Member. [BW'03-‘04pg236, BWNS248]
For her biography see Legacy of Courage: The Life of Ola Pawlowska, Knight of Bahá'u'lláh" by Suzanne Schuurman, published by George Ronald in 2008. |
Lakta; Cacow; Newfoundland; Canada; St Pierre and Miquelon; Poland; Luxembourg; Congo |
Knights of Bahaullah; Ola Pawlowska; Births and deaths; BWNS; Auxiliary Board Members |
|
| 2004 19 Apr |
The passing of Mr Aziz Ismayn Yazdi (b. Alexandria, Egypt in 1909) in Vancouver, Canada at the age of 94. Aziz Yazdi lived in Egypt, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Great Britain, Uganda, Kenya, Israel, and finally Canada. In 1968 he was appointed to the Continental Board of Counsellors in Central and East Africa and was an inaugural member of the International Teaching Centre in Haifa. [BWNS297, BW'03-‘04pg239] |
Vancouver; Canada; Egypt; Syria; Iran; Iraq; United Kingdom; Uganda; Kenya; Israel |
Aziz Ismayn Yazdi; Counsellors; International Teaching Centre, Members of; In memoriam; Births and deaths; BWNS |
|
| 2004 29 Jun |
The passing of Gloria Faizi (b. Gloria Alá'í on 12 March, 1921 in Tehran) in Brisbane, Australia. The Universal House of Justice said they remembered with appreciation "her many contributions to the progress of the Bahá'í communities, including her pioneering in Bahrain with her illustrious husband, her work at the Bahá'í World Centre, and her devoted travels far and wide as a teacher of the Cause."
Gloria Faizi was born into the Ala'i family, distinguished for its service to the Faith. She met the head of the Faith, Shoghi Effendi, when she accompanied her father to the Holy Land as a child. When she was 17, she married Abu'l-Qásim Faizi, and together they assisted Baha'i communities in a remote rural area of Iran before settling in Bahrain in the mid-1940s. Their two children, Naysan and May, were born during their 15 years there. [BWNW318, BW04-05p287]
Some of her publications were:
- The Bahá'i Faith, An Introduction (1971) Lebanon
- Fire on the Mountain Top (1973) London
- Flowers of One Garden (1977) Poona, India
- Stories about 'Abdu'l-Bahá
- Bahá'u'lláh: The Promised One (2002)
- Stories About Bahá'í Funds (1993)
|
Brisbane; Australia; Bahrain |
Gloria Faizi; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Abul-Qasim Faizi |
|
| 2005 6 Sep |
The passing of former Universal House of Justice member David S. Ruhe (b. 3 January, 1913) near Newburg, New York. He served on the Universal House of Justice from 1968 to 1993. [BWNS388]
Dr Ruhe will be remembered for his contributions to medicine as well his Bahá'í service. [BW05-06p237-238]
Among his Bahá'í publications were:
- Door of Hope (1983)
- Robe of LIght (1994)
|
Newburg; NY; United States |
David Ruhe; Universal House of Justice, Members of; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; BWNS |
|
| 2007 11 May |
The passing of His Highness Susuga Malietoa Tanumafili II, the Samoan head of state. He was one of the longest reigning monarchs in the world and had been head of state since independence from New Zealand in 1962. [BWNS543; Bahá'í Chronicles] |
Samoa |
Malietoa Tanumafili II of Western Samoa; In memoriam; Births and deaths; Bahai royalty; Royalty; BWNS |
|
| 2007 24 May |
The passing of Hadi Rahmani-Shirazi (b. 1914) in the United Kingdom. He was buried in New Southgate Cemetery.
pioneered to Afghanistan at the Guardian's behest,
served on the National Spiritual Assembly and the Auxiliary Board in the Cradle of the Faith,
served as the executive director of the Nonahalan Company, (A Bahá’í investment company in Iran)
among first appointed to institution of the Counsellors created by the Universal House of Justice in June 1968,
relocated to the United Kingdom in the early 1980s,
contributed greatly to the development of the Institution of Huququ'llah through his services as a Deputy. [UK BAHA'I NEWS EMAIL SERVICE message from the National Spiritual Assembly nsa@bahai.org.uk 24 May 2007]
Find a grave
|
United Kingdom; Afghanistan; Iran |
Hadi Rahmani-Shirazi; Nawnahalan Company; Counsellors; Huququllah; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Auxiliary Board Members |
|
| 2007. 1 Jun |
The passing of Knight of Bahá'u'lláh Jameson (Jamie) Bond (b. 6 November, 1917 Toronto, ON) in Duncan, BC. [SDSC262, 387-388, 406]
For a biography see Sole Desire Service Cause An Odyssey of Bahá'í Service: Gale and Jameson Bond by Don Brown published by George Ronald. |
Toronto; Duncan; BC |
Jameson Bond; In Memoriam; Knights of Bahaullah; Births and deaths |
|
| 2007 22 Sep |
The passing of Hand of the Cause of God Dr. Ali-Muhammad Varqa (b.1911 or 1912) at his home in Haifa. Mr Varqa received his name from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in memory of his grandfather, who had been killed for being a follower of Bahá’u’lláh. He was the last survivor of the 27 Hands of the Cause who were alive when Shoghi Effendi passed away in 1957. [BWNS579; One Country]
He had been appointed Hand of the Cause on the 15th of March, 1955 after the passing of his father Hand of the Cause of God Jináb-i-Valíyu'lláh Varqá, [MoVxxiv]
He was appointed as the last Trustee of the Huqúqulláh, a position also held by his father. During his tenure, the Huqúqulláh expanded its base from a few Iranian believers to include every believer in the world in 1992.
He lived in Iran but happened to be away during the revolution in 1979 and never returned. He was accepted as a refugee in Canada and lived there for several years before being called to service at the World Centre.
For a short biography see LoF183-187. |
Haifa |
Varqa, Ali-Muhammad; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Varqa; Hands of the Cause, Institution; Appointed arm; BWNS; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Huququllah |
|
| 2009. 14 Apr |
The passing of Knight of Bahá'u'lláh Gale Bond, née Keass (b. 13 November, 1919 in Emod, Hungary) in Cowichan, BC. [SDSC397]
See Sole Desire Service Cause An Odyssey of Bahá'í Service: Gale and Jameson Bond by Don Brown published by George Ronald for a biography. |
Emod; Hungary; Cowichan BC; Canada |
Gale Bond; In Memoriam; Knights of Bahaullah; Births and deaths |
|
| 2010 27 Apr |
The passing of Dr Nossrat Peseschkian (b. 18 June, 1933 in Iran d. 27 April, 2010 in Wiesbaden, Germany). He came to Germany in 1954 for his studies in medicine at the universities of Freiburg, Frankfurt am Main and Mainz. After his medical specialization and his dissertation, he had his postgraduate training in psychotherapy in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the United States. Prof. Peseschkian was the founder and leading figure in the growth and development of Positive Psychotherapy for almost 40 years. As an international lecturer, he had traveled to 67 countries worldwide. A global network of over 100 local, regional and national centres of Positive Psychotherapy has been established in 33 countries to date. Among his works is the book "Oriental Stories as Tools in Psychotherapy: The Merchant and the Parrot", which included short stories from Persia and other countries that can be used in psychotherapy. [Wikipedia] |
Wiesbaden; Germany |
Nossrat Peseschkian; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Psychology; Stories |
|
| 2011 15 Jul |
The passing of former Universal House of Justice member Dr. Peter J. Khan (b. 2 November, 1936 in New South Wales) in Brisbane, Australia. He was buried in the Toowong Cemetery in Brisbane. Dr Khan served as a member of the Universal House of Justice from 1987 until April 2010. [BWNS840, BWNS841]
See Dr Peter J. Khan Memorial video.
See the tribute on Bahá'í Blog.
See Wikipedia.
See Bahaipedia.
Find a grave.
He was buried in the Toowong Cemetery in Brisbane. |
BWC |
Peter Khan; Universal House of Justice; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; BWNS |
|
| 2011 1 Dec |
The passing of former Universal House of Justice member Mr. Ian C. Semple (b. 2 December 1928 in New Barnet, Hertfordshire) in Switzerland. He served as a member of the Universal House of Justice from its inception in 1963 until his retirement in 2005. [BWNS871]
See UK Bahá'í Histories.
See Bahá'í Blog.
Bahaipedia.
Some publications by Ian Semple. |
Switzerland |
Ian Semple; Universal House of Justice, Members of; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; BWNS |
|
| 2012 20 Feb |
The passing of Anneliese Bopp, former Counsellor member of the International Teaching Centre at Bad Bruckenau, Northern Bavaria, Germany. [BWNS892]
First appointed to the Continental Board of Counsellors at Ridván 1970, she served at the International Teaching Centre from 1979 until 1988.
See Vimeo for a short biographical film on Anneliese Bopp entitled Miss Anneliese Bopp: A Champion of Faith.
Bahaipedia.
|
Bad Bruckenau; Germany |
Anneliese Bopp; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; International Teaching Centre; BWNS |
|
| 2013 13 Aug |
The passing of former Universal House of Justice member Mr. Hushmand Fatheazam in Vancouver, Canada. He served on the Universal House of Justice for forty years since 1963. [BWNS964]
See Life of Hushmand Fatheazam as told by Fariborz Sahba. |
Vancouver; Canada |
Hushmand Fatheazam; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; BWNS |
|
| 2015 21 Mar |
The implementation of the Badí' Calendar on the first day of the tenth Váhid of the first Kull-i-Shay’ of the Bahá’í Era.
"Báb introduced the calendar and its broad pattern of periods and cycles, months and days. Bahá’u’lláh provided essential clarifications and additions. Aspects were elucidated by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and arrangements for its adoption in the West were put in place at the direction of Shoghi Effendi, as described in the volumes of The Bahá’í World. Still, ambiguities surrounding some Islamic and Gregorian dates, as well as difficulties in the correlation of historical observances and astronomical events with explicit statements in the Text, left certain issues unresolved. When responding to questions concerning the calendar, both ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi left these matters to the Universal House of Justice. Of its many features, three required clarification for the calendar’s uniform application: the means for the determination of Naw-Rúz, the accommodation of the lunar character of the Twin Holy Birthdays within the solar year, and the fixing of the dates of the Holy Days within the Badí‘ calendar." [Message from the Universal House of Justice dated 10 July, 2014] (notes below extracted from the message)
The Festival of Naw-Rúz: The birthplace of the Abhá Beauty, will be the spot on the earth that will serve as the standard for determining, by means of astronomical computations from reliable sources, the moment of the vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere and thereby the day of Naw-Rúz for the Bahá’í world.
The Festivals of the Twin Birthdays: They will now be observed on the first and the second day following the occurrence of the eighth new moon after Naw-Rúz. This will result in the observance of the Twin Birthdays moving, year to year, within the months of Mashíyyat, ‘Ilm, and Qudrat of the Badí‘ calendar, or from mid-October to mid-November according to the Gregorian calendar.
The dates of the Holy Days are: Naw-Rúz, 1 Bahá; the Festival of Riḍván, 13 Jalál to 5 Jamál; the Declaration of the Báb, 8 ‘Aẓamat; the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh, 13 ‘Aẓamat; the Martyrdom of the Báb, 17 Raḥmat; the Day of the Covenant, 4 Qawl; and the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 6 Qawl. These dates have been fixed within the solar calendar in accordance with explicit statements of Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and Shoghi Effendi.
[Message from the Universal House of Justice dated 10 July, 2014]
See Introduction to Badí‘ Calendar.
|
BWC |
Badi calendar; Bahaullah, Birth of; Bab, Birth of; Naw-Ruz; Holy days; Twin Holy days; Gradual implementation of laws; Laws; - Basic timeline, Expanded |
|
| 2017 28 Sep |
The Universal House of Justice announced the launch of a new website, created in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, and Persian. This portal will be used to share news of the commemoration of the Twin Holy Days throughout the world.
Included on that portal was the Message from the Universal House of Justice date October 2017 regarding the celebration of the Bicentenary of the Birth of Bahá'u'lláh.
|
BWC |
Bahaullah, Birth of; Centenaries; Twin Holy days; Holy days; Websites; Internet; Publications; Translation |
|
| 2017 18 - 22 Oct |
The Iranian Bahá'í community was targeted during the bicentenary period. Between 18 and 21 October, some 19 individuals were arrested in Kermanshah, Tehran, and Birjand, and the homes 25 Baha’is were raided. Twenty-six Bahá'í-owned shops around the country were sealed off by authorities because the owners observed the Holy Day on 21 October. These closures occurred in Shiraz, Marvdasht, Gorgan, and Gonbad. [BWNS1215] |
Iran; Kermanshah; Tihran; Birjand; Shiraz; Marvdasht; Gorgan; Gonbad |
Persecution, Iran; Persecution, Arrests; Persecution, Other; Persecution; Bahaullah, Birth of; BWNS |
|
| 2017 20 - 22 Oct |
Bicentenary of the Birth of Bahá'u'lláh
From the time of the setting of the sun on October 21st in Kiribati, an island republic in the Central Pacific just west of the International Date Line, until sunset in Hawaii on the 22nd of October, 72 hours later, celebrations were held in thousands of localities throughout the world commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh.
Coverage on the bicentenary website began soon after 8:00 GMT on 20 October and concluded at 4:00 GMT on 23 October documenting some of the thousands of celebrations.
[BWNS1201,
BWNS1203,
BWNS1205,
BWNS1206,
BWNS1207,
BWNS1208,
BWNS1209,
BWNS1210,
BWNS1211,
BWNS1221,
BWNS1213,
BWNS1214,
BWNS1216,
BWNS1218]
A number of countries issue commemorative stamps to mark the occasion of the bicentenary of Bahá'u'lláh's birth.
|
Worldwide |
Bahaullah, Birth of; Twin Holy days; Holy days; Centenaries; Websites; Internet; Publications; Stamps; BWNS; - Basic timeline, Expanded |
|
| 2017 22 Oct |
The bicentenary of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh was commemorated around the world. A multi-lingual web page was implemented to track the celebrations. [BWNS1212] |
BWC |
Bahaullah, Birth of; Twin Holy days; Holy days; Bahaullah, Life of; Centenaries; BWNS |
|
| 2017 22 Oct |
Yemeni security forces raided a Bahá'í gathering in Sana’a opening fire on the small group of people assembled to commemorate the bicentenary of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh. The attack occurred in the family home of prominent tribal leader Walid Ayyash, who had been abducted in April and whose whereabouts were unknown. The attackers were reportedly in four cars and an armored vehicle which they used to break down the front door of the house. They arrested Mr. Ayyash’s brother, Akram Ayyash.
This event proved unequivocally the extent of Iran’s role in the persecution of the Bahá'ís in Yemen, especially in Sana’a, which was under the control of Iranian-backed militias. Similar attacks occurred in Iran during the period of celebration of the bicentennial of the birth of Bahá'úlláh.
[BWNS1215] |
Sanaa; Yemen; Iran |
Persecution, Yemen; Persecution, Iran; Persecution, Arrests; Persecution, Other; Persecution; Bahaullah, Birth of; BWNS; Walid Ayyash |
|
| 2017. 30 Nov |
Bahá'ís celebrated the bicentennial of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh in a ceremony in Baghdad attended by representatives from the Iraqi parliament, the Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights (IHCHR), the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, civil society as well as media activists.
This was considered the most prominent ceremony where Bahá'ís officially announced themselves for the first time in 47 years, as the Baathist Revolutionary Command Council issued Decree No. 105 in 1970 to ban Bahá'í activities. As a consequence, Bahá'í administrative institutions in Iraq were dissolved and any activity where Bahá'ís declared their religious identity was punishable by imprisonment.
During the proceedings they asked for support to rescind the law on prohibiting Bahá'í activity, which was still in effect despite the fact that the law contradicted the 2005 constitution, which guaranteed freedom of belief to all citizens.
Millions of Bahá'ís around the world celebrated the honorary bicentennial of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh on Oct. 21-22. Bahá'ís in Baghdad celebrated after one month of postponements given the security difficulties and challenges surrounding the ceremony.
[Al-Monitor.com] |
Baghdad; Iraq |
Bahaullah, Birth of; Twin Holy days; Holy days; Centenaries; Websites; Persecution, Iraq; Persecution, Bans; Persecution |
|
| 2017. 17 Dec |
The announcement by the Universal House of Justice of the passing of former House member Mr. Hartmut Grossmann.
"...he poured out his life in uninterrupted service to the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh, as a teacher, pioneer, and member of the National Spiritual Assemblies of Germany (1963-1969) and Finland (1977-1980), the Continental Board of Counsellors in Europe, (1980-1988) the International Teaching Centre (1988-2003) and, ultimately, of the Universal House of Justice (2003-2008)." [BWNS1228]
He was the son of Hand of the Cause of God Hermann Grossmann (1899-1968). He was predeceased by his wife Ursula. [BWNS622; Bahá'í Chronicles]
|
Germany |
Hartmut Grossmann; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; BWNS |
|
| 2019. 6 Sep |
The Universal House of Justice announced the launch of a new website to provide information about the events held to commemorate the Twin Holy Days. The site was revealed over an eight week period and was made available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Hindi, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Swahili. It provided live streaming during the hours that the Bahá'í communities around the world commemorated the Birth of the Báb and the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh on the 29th and 30th of October. [BWNS1350] |
BWC |
Twin Holy Days; Holy Days; Bab, Birth of; Centenaries; Websites; Internet |
|
| 2019. 20 Sep |
The film Dawn of the Light, a feature film commissioned by the Universal House of Justice for the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Báb, was released on the bicentenary website. It was made available in nine languages.
[BWNS1354]
It was also made available on YouTube. |
BWC |
Film; Dawn of the Light; Twin Holy Days; Bab, Birth of; Centenaries; Documentaries; Documentaries, BWC |
|
| 2019. 1 Oct |
The publication of the message from the Universal House of Justice marking the bicentenial of birth of the Báb.
An audio file of the message in English can be found on YouTube. |
BWC |
Twin Holy Days; Holy Days; Bab, Birth of; Centenaries |
|
| 2019. 29 Oct |
Bicentenary of the Birth of the Báb
The Bahá'í world commemorated the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Báb. The bicentenary website chronicled just some of the thousands of celebrations.
In early October the Universal House of Justice sent a message to all who have come to honour the Herald of a new Dawn.
A film called Dawn of the Light was commissioned. It was made available in 10 languages in a variety of formats. The film portrayed several individuals from different continents as they related their own personal search after truth and meaning. They shared their discovery that God had sent two Divine Manifestations Whose teachings were revolutionizing human thought and behaviour, changing darkness into light. The film showed glimpses of how this same discovery was inspiring the efforts of many across the globe to serve humanity and to contribute to building a new pattern of life.
The site also featured four articles The Mission of the Báb by former Universal House of Justice member Douglas Martin, Religion Renewed, Divine Revelation, and Bahá'í Teachings in Action...
...and small sample from among the countless artistic expressions created by individuals and communities around the world for the occasion of the bicentenary.
During the celebrations there was live streaming of the services held the Bahá'í Houses of Worship.
In addition there was an official Facebook page and an Instagram account.
Some national communities had their own Facebook page such as the Bahá'ís of the United Kingdom and the Bahá'ís of the United States.
On the 8th of November the Universal House of Justice sent a message to the Bahá'ís of the World commenting on the celebrations and activities held by the worldwide Bahá’í community to commemorate the bicentenary of the Birth of the Báb.
See the English translation of the message of the Universal House of Justice dated the 24th of October addressed to the followers of Bahá’u’lláh in the sacred land of Iran.
|
|
Twin Holy Days; Holy Days; Bab, Birth of; Centenaries; Dawn of the Light; Internet; - Basic timeline, Expanded |
|
| 2020. 23 Mar |
The passing of prominent jazz musician Mike Longo. He had a distinguished jazz career as a pianist, composer, and educator, notably as longtime musical director for fellow Bahá'í Dizzy Gillespie. He died at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. The cause of death was COVID-19. [Live Stream WBGO 23 March 2020] |
New York; United States |
Mike Longo; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Jazz music; Famous Bahais |
|
| 2020. 20 Apr |
A new section, featuring images, videos, and music from commemorations of the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Báb, was added to the two bicentenary websites. These websites stand as a permanent testament to how Bahá'ís and many of their compatriots throughout the world—from major urban centres to remote rural locations—commemorated the bicentennial anniversaries of the birth of Bahá’u’lláh and the Báb in 2017 and 2019, respectively. The final additions made to the bicentenary websites included country pages illustrating the diversity of celebrations that these historic occasions inspired in over 150 countries and territories.
[BWNS1717] |
BWC |
Bahaullah, Birth of; Centenaries; Twin Holy days; Holy days; Websites; Internet; Publications; Translation |
|
| date |
event |
locations |
tags |
see also |
| 1874. 14 Nov |
Birth of William Sutherland Maxwell, Hand of the Cause of God, in Montreal. |
Montreal |
William Sutherland Maxwell; Hand of the Cause; Births |
|
| 1953 27 Jul |
Siegfried (Fred) Schopflocher, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Montreal and was buried beside the grave of Sutherland Maxwell in Mount Royal Cemetery at the Guardian's suggestion. He was born in Germany in 1877. [BW12:664-666, LOF390, TG119, CBNS 24 July 2014, Bahá'í Chronicles, SCRIBD, Schopflocher, Siegfried (1877–1953) by Will C. van den Hoonaard; CBN No 43 August 1953 p4; CBN No 44 September 1953 p2; MtC185-187]
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the second contingent on the 29th of February, 1952. [MoCxxiii]
See TG32, 228 and LoF384-390 for short biographies.
See Schopflocher, Siegfried by Will C. van den Hoonaard.
For his obituary see BW12:664–6.
He was known as the “Chief Temple Builder” because of his great contributions to the completion of the first Mashriqu’l-Adhkár of the West. [BW12:664-666]
He made significant contributions to Green Acre both financially and administratively.
During the period 1924 to 1947 he was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada fifteen times. He served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada from its formation until his passing.
He was instrumental in the purchase of the first property for the Haziratu'l Quds.
For a brief biography see Bahá'í Chronicles.
Find a grave.
His funeral was held on the 31st of July presided by the chair of the National Spiritual Assembly John Robarts. The eulogy was delivered by the vice-chair, Rowland Estall. [CBN No 46 November, 1953 p7-10]
On August 23, the Montreal Assembly arranged a memorial
service in the Maxwell Home which was attended by members
of the National Assembly and friends, mainly from the
Montreal area. This service in Fred's home community was
intimate and personal. Many people recalled with loving
gratitude personal associations with Fred, kindly and helpful
things he had done in his unobtrusive way, gifts of hospitality
or consideration that they had treasured sometimes for many
years. [CBN No 46 November 1953 Insert]
A memorial service was held in the Temple in Wilmette on the 28th of August. [CBN No 46 November, 1953 p3] |
Montreal, QC |
Siegfried Schopflocher; Hands of the Cause; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Second Contingent; Mashriqul-Adhkar, Wilmette |
|
| 1970 (In the year) |
The passing of Florence Evaline (Lorol) Schopflocher in Montreal (b.1886)
Wife of Hand of the Cause of God Siegfried Schopflocher. For his "In Memoriam" see BW7p664.
She circled the globe nine times on travel teaching tours and visited some 86 countries, many of them multiple times. She travelled to Iran twice visiting parts not previously visited by Western Bahá'ís.
She visited the Guardian 11 times.
She had several audiences with King Feisal in Iraq and discussed the question of the House of Bahá'u'lláh in Baghdád with him.
Favourite themes for her public talks were the World Order letters of Shoghi Effendi and the emancipation and education of women.
She was interred in the Mount Royal Cemetery in Montreal. A radiant star went from the West to the East. [BW15p488-489]
Find a grave
See Bahá'í Chronicles. |
Montreal, QC |
Lorol Schopflocher; Siegfried Schopflocher; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; House of Bahaullah (Baghdad) |
|
| 1990. 22 Feb |
Jalál Kházeh, (b. 24 February, 1897, Tihran) Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Toronto. He was buried in York Cemetery in Toronto. [BINS219:90]
Note: VV123 says it was 20 February.
He was appointed a Hand of the Cause of God on the 6th of December, 1953 after the passing of Hand of the Cause of God Siegfried Schopflocher. [MoCxxiv]
See LoF164-167 for a short biography.
Find a grave. |
Toronto, ON |
Jalal Khazeh; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Appointments |
|
| 1991 18 Jun |
The passing of Hand of the Cause of God, Knight of Bahá'u'lláh, John Aldham Robarts at Rawdon, Quebec. He was born in Waterloo, Ontario 2nd of November, 1901. [VV124]
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the third contingent on the 2nd of October, 1957. [MoCxxiii]
See BW20p801-809.
For his obituary see BINS250:10.
For picture see VV124.
For the story of how he came to learn of the Faith see SBR137.
See LoF473-495.
A 50-minute film entitledRetrospective, a Ciné Bahá’í production, was made as a tribute to the Hand of the Cause John A. Robarts on the occasion of his 40th anniversary as a member of the Bahá‘r' community. |
Rawdon, QC |
Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Knights of Bahaullah; John Robarts; In Memoriam |
|
| 1996 10 Jan |
The passing of Ruth Eyford in St. Albert, AB. (b. Ruth Monk 12 June, 1930, NS). [Find a grave]
She became a Bahá'í in Montreal in 1956 and married Glen Eyford in 1957. She and Glen served in Iceland and in India. Returning to Canada she served as an Auxiliary Board Member and as chair of the National Spiritual Assembly as well as a number of local and national committees. [BW1995-1996p313] |
St. Albert, AB; Montreal, QC; Canada; India; Iceland |
Ruth Eyford; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Pioneering; Auxiliary Board Members |
|
| 2000 22 Aug |
The passing of Knight of Bahá'u'lláh Audrey Robarts (née FitzGerald) in her 96th year. She was buried with her husband, Hand of the Cause of God John Robarts, in the Ecumenical Cemetery in Rawdon. He had predeceased her on the 18th of June, 1991. [BW00-01p272]
After the passing of her husband she had travelled to four countries in southern Africa in response to a request from the National Spiritual Assembly of Botswana where she was known as the "beloved mother of our country". |
Rawdon, QC; Canada |
Audrey Robarts; Knights of Bahaullah; Births and deaths; In Memoriam |
|
| 2004 2 Apr |
The passing of Ola Pawlowska (b. Ola Clemens 14 February, 1910 in Lakta, outside Cacow, Poland) in Newfoundland, Canada. Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for St. Pierre and Miquelon, translator of the Writings (into Polish), pioneer to Poland, Luxembourg and Congo (30 years), Auxiliary Board Member. She had fled her native Poland iduring World War II and settled in Canada where she became a Bahá'í. [BW'03-‘04pg236, BWNS248]
For her biography see Legacy of Courage: The Life of Ola Pawlowska, Knight of Bahá'u'lláh" by by Suzanne Schuurman, published by George Ronald in 2008. |
Lakta; Cacow; NL; St Pierre and Miquelon; Poland; Luxembourg; Congo |
Knights of Bahaullah; Ola Pawlowska; Births and deaths; Suzanne Schuurman; Auxiliary Board Members
|
|
from the main catalogue
- Ascent of Mount Carmel, The: Celebrating the Bicentenary of the Birth of the Báb, by John S. Hatcher, in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 29:3 (2019). "From the Editor's Desk": Symbolism of the terraces on the shrine of the Bab; St. John's poem "Ascent of Mount Carmel"; overview of the articles in this issue of the Journal. [about]
- Bab, Birth of, by Christopher Buck and J. Gordon Melton, in World Religions: Belief, Culture, and Controversy (2010). [about]
- Bab, Birth of, by Christopher Buck and J. Gordon Melton, in Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices, Vol. 1, ed. J. Gordon Melton & Martin Baumann (2010). [about]
- Báb, Festival of the Birth of the (October 20), by Christopher Buck and J. Gordon Melton, in Religious Celebrations: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations (2011). [about]
- Badí' (Bahá'í) Calendar: An Introduction, The, by Moojan Momen (2014). Summary of the nature of Bahá'í calendar, the way the Badí' calendar works, and the reason for the 2014 revisions inaugurated by the Universal House of Justice. [about]
- Bahá'u'lláh's Symbolic Use of the Veiled Ḥúríyyih, by John S. Hatcher and Amrollah Hemmat, in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 29:3 (2019). Analyzing some of the meanings behind the appearance of the Veiled Maiden, as alluded to by Bahá'u'lláh in His letters. [about]
- Baha'u'llah, birth and ascension of, by J. Gordon Melton, in World Religions: Belief, Culture, and Controversy (2011). [about]
- Bahá'u'lláh, Birth/Ascension of, by Christopher Buck and J. Gordon Melton, in Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices, Vol. 1, ed. Gordon Melton & Martin Baumann (2010). [about]
- Bahá'u'lláh, Festival of the Birth of (November 12), by Christopher Buck and J. Gordon Melton, in Religious Celebrations: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations (2011). [about]
- Barbara Sims' Contribution to Bahá'í Scholarship in Asia Pacific, by Sandra S. Fotos, in ABS North America Bulletin, 82 (2003). Two memorial articles for Barbara Sims, Pioneer to Japan from 1953-2002, biographer of Agnes Alexander, and author of many histories of Bahá'ís in eastern Asia. [about]
- Behold!: A Program for the Bicentennial of the Birth of the Báb, by Anne Gordon Perry (2019). A fictionalized script of Bahá'í notables commenting on the 200th anniversary of the Bab's birth in 1819, based on passages from Robert Weinberg’s compilation The Primal Point: A selection of testimonials and tributes to the Báb and His followers. [about]
- Bible Stories and Themes in the Bahá'í Writings and Guidance (2021). Bahá'í interpretation of Biblical stories and topics. [about]
- Birth and Call of Jesus Christ: A Bahá'í-inspired retelling, by David Merrick (2010). The story of the birth of Jesus and his call to the world of humanity. [about]
- Birth and Childhood of Baha'u'llah, by David Merrick (2008). Childhood and Early Life of Bahá'u'lláh, told in plain English and suitable for reading aloud. [about]
- Birth and Childhood of the Bab, by David Merrick (2007). Childhood and Early Life of the Bab, told in plain English and suitable for reading aloud. [about]
- Christianity from a Bahá'í Perspective, by Robert Stockman (1998). Includes two topics: "A Bahá'í approach to the Bible" and "Bahá'í Writings on Jesus Christ." [about]
- Countenance of the Blessed Beauty in the Mirror of Mawlúd Tablets, The, by Foad Seddigh, in Lights of Irfan, 19 (2018). Review of four tablets in compilation from the Universal House of Justice about the commemoration of the anniversary of the birth of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh, and guidance from 2015 intended to harmonize their lunar and solar dates. [about]
- Days of Remembrance: Selections from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh for Bahá'í Holy Days, by Bahá'u'lláh (2017). Forty-five selections revealed for, or relating to, nine Bahá’í Holy Days. [about]
- Days of Remembrance: Selections, by Bahá'u'lláh (2015). Three English translations of short Tablets by Bahá’u’lláh from a forthcoming collection of Holy Writings called Days of Remembrance, about the nine Bahá'í holy days. [about]
- Episode in the Childhood of the Bab, An, by Stephen Lambden, in In Iran: Studies in Babi and Bahá'í History vol. 3, ed. Peter Smith (1986). Parallels legends of the Bab's early childhood with those of Jesus. [about]
- Images of Christ in the writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, The, by Maryam Afshar, in Lights of Irfan, Volume 5 (2004). 'Abdu'l-Bahá addressed Christian subjects in his talks with Bahá'ís of Christian background and his public talks in the West. He elucidated the meaning of Christian texts and doctrines, and referred to Christ's role and nature.
[about]
- Internet Communications; Virgin Birth; Encyclopedia; Administrative Order, by Universal House of Justice (1996). Questions on email discussion groups and the Covenant, the Bahá'í stance on the Virgin Birth of Christ, the spirituality of administrating, the spiritual destiny of the American Bahá'í community, and the status of the Bahá'í Encyclopedia. [about]
- Marking the Bicentenary of the Birth of Bahá'u'lláh, by Universal House of Justice (2017). Thoughts on the meaning of Bahá'u'lláh's life and current Bahá'í activities, inspired by the 200th anniversary of his birth. [about]
- Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986: Third Epoch of the Formative Age, by Universal House of Justice (1996). [about]
- Messianic Concealment and Theophanic Disclosure, by Moojan Momen, in Online Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 1 (2007). The argument about exactly when Bahá'u'lláh became aware of his mission. Relevant issues and rival perspectives. [about]
- Notes on Words of the Guardian, by Virginia Orbison (1956). Ten pages of notes, preserved as an appendix to Orbison's lengthy manuscript "Diary of a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Made by Virginia Orbison, January 15 to February 11". [about]
- Programs for the Observance of Bahá'í Holy Days (2014). Booklets from four devotional programs at the Wilmette House of Worship: 9th day of Ridván (2014), 1st day of Ridván (2017), martyrdom of The Báb (2017, and birth of Bahá'u'lláh (2021), with selections of relevant passages from the Writings. [about]
- Regarding the Implementation of the Badi` Calendar, by Universal House of Justice (2014). Message to the Bahá’ís of the world on the updated calendar of Bahá'í holy days. Includes a table of Bahá’í Dates 172 to 221 B.E., and a letter to an individual explaining the date of the astronomical new moon in Islamic and Bahá'í calendars. [about]
- Sprinkling from a Cloud (Rashh-i-Amá): Wilmette Institute faculty notes, by Ismael Velasco and Julio Savi (1999). [about]
- Tablet on the Birth of the Greatest Name II, by Universal House of Justice (2004). Short letter about a tablet revealed in commemoration of Bahá'u'lláh's birthday. [about]
- Tablet on the Birth of the Greatest Name II (Lawh-i-Imawlud-i-'Ism-i-A'zám), by Bahá'u'lláh (1999). Tablet revealed in commemoration of Bahá'u'lláh's birthday (November 12, 1817). [about]
- Tablet Revealed by Bahá'u'lláh Commemorating His Birth, by Bahá'u'lláh (2016). A short tablet by Bahá'u'lláh in which he commemorates his birthday (November 12, 1817), proclaims the greatness of his cause, and exhorts all to turn to God and recognise his revelation. [about]
- The White Silk Dress, by Marzieh Gail, in Bahá'í World, Vol. 9 (1940-1944) (1945). An "intimate portrait" of Ṭáhirih first published Friday April 21, 1944. [about]
- Varqá, Ali-Mohammad, by Iraj Ayman, in Encyclopaedia Iranica (2017). Brief excerpt, with link to article offsite. [about]
- Visit to Persia, A, by Guy Murchie, in Bahá'í News, 408 (1965). Notes from travels to Bahá'í holy places in Iran in 1964, on a trip made with special permission from the House of Justice; includes descriptions of the architecture of the house and shop of the Bab, the birthplace of Bahá'u'lláh, and the Síyáh Chál. [about]
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