| . |
Chronology of Persecutions of Babis and Baha'is
compiled by Jonah Winters
1998
This chronology was compiled from a number of English-language histories of Babi and Bahá'í history. Its purpose was to set in context the events of persecution and martyrdom, both to track chronological order and to show the broader historical or social context of each event. I prepared it as background work for my master's thesis Dying for God: Martyrdom in the Babi and Bahá'í Religions, online here.
I also recommend two other resources for chronological study. The first is the exhaustive chronology of Babi and Bahá'í History by Glenn Cameron and Wendi Momen, A Basic Bahá'í Chronology (Oxford: George Ronald, 1996). The second is Moojan Momen's detailed "A Chronology of some of the Persecutions of the Babis and Bahá'ís in Iran, 1844-1978," published in The Bahá'í World 1979-1983, vol. XVII, pages 380-392, online at bahai.org/library/other-literature/periodicals-supplementary-materials/bahai-world.. -J.W.
Key to Sources:
| Amanat |
= |
Abbas
Amanat, Resurrection and Renewal |
| The
Bab |
= |
H.M.
Balyuzi, The Bab |
| Bayat |
= |
Mangol
Bayat, Mysticism and Dissent |
| Brown |
= |
Ramona
Brown, Memories of Abdu'l-Bahá |
| Browne |
= |
E.G.
Browne, Materials for the Study of The Babi Religion |
| Burgel |
= |
Joseph
Burgel, "The Bahá'í Attitude towards Peace and its Christian and Islamic
Background,"
in The Bahá'í Faith and Islam |
| EM |
= |
Balyuzi,
Eminent Bahá'ís in the Time of Bahá'u'lláh |
| Fischer |
= |
Michael
Fischer, "Social Change and the Mirrors of Tradition: The Bahá'ís
of Yazd,"
in The Bahá'í Faith and Islam |
| Furutan |
= |
Ali-Akbar
Furutan, The Story of My Heart |
| HMHA |
= |
Hájí
Mírzá Haydar-'Alí, Stories From the Delight of
Hearts |
| Huddleston |
= |
John
Huddleston, The Earth is But One Country |
| King |
= |
H.M.
Balyuzi, Bahá'u'lláh: King of Glory |
| Ma'ani |
= |
Baharieh
Ma'ani, "Interdependence of Bahá'í Communities...," JBS 4:1 |
| Moayyad |
= |
Heshmat
Moayyad, "The Historical Interrelationship of Islam and the Bahá'í Faith,"
in
The Bahá'í Faith and Islam |
| Momen |
= |
Moojan
Momen, The Babi and Bahai Religions--Western Accounts |
| Nabil |
= |
Nabil,
The Dawnbreakers |
| Nash |
= |
Geoffrey
Nash, Iran's Secret Pogrom |
| Olya |
= |
Olya
Roohizedegan, Olya's Story |
| Qazvin |
= |
Qazvin's
history in E.G. Browne's Materials for the Study of The Babi Religion |
| Rabbani |
= |
Ruhiyyih
Rabbani, Priceless Pearl |
| Root |
= |
Martha
Root, Tahirih the Pure |
| Salmani |
= |
Ustad
Salmani, My Memories of Bahá'u'lláh |
| SBBR |
= |
Studies
in The Babi and Bahá'í Religions series vol. x |
| Schimmel |
= |
Annemarie
Schimmel, "Iqbal and the Bahá'í Faith,"
in The Bahá'í Faith and Islam |
| SE |
= |
Shoghi
Effendi, God Passes By |
| Sears |
= |
William
Sears, Cry from the Heart |
| Shii |
= |
Moojan
Momen, Introduction to Shi'i Islam |
| Smith |
= |
Peter
Smith, The Babi and Bahá'í Religions |
| Stories |
= |
Ali-Akbar
Furutan, Stories of Bahá'u'lláh |
| SWEGB |
= |
E.G.
Browne, Selections from the Writings of E. G. Browne |
| Thrzdh
|
= |
Adib
Taherzadeh, Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, vol. x |
| Waite |
= |
Gary
Waite, "The Religious State...," JBS 7:1 |
| Walbridge |
= |
John
Walbridge, Sacred Acts Sacred Space Sacred Time |
| WM |
= |
Wendi
Momen, A Basic Bahá'í Dictionary |
|
Chronology:
| Date | Description | Sources |
| 1805-1813 |
Russo-Persian
wars |
Amanat
45 |
| 1829 |
Massacre
of Russian legation |
Amanat
27 |
| 1839/40 |
The
Bab leaves for pilgrimage |
Smith
13 |
| 1840 |
The
Bab's stay in Bushihr, Najaf, and Kerbela |
Bayat
88 |
| 1840/41 |
The
Bab returns to Shiraz |
Smith
14 |
| 1841 |
The
Bab in Najaf and Karbila, after having been in Bushihr |
SBBR
15 |
| 1842.11 |
Massacre
of Shaykhis at Karbala |
Amanat
60, 68, 220, The Bab 193 ff. |
| 1843.12.31 |
Death
of Siyyid Kazim Rashti |
Momen
xxviii |
| 1844.01.22 |
Mulla
Husayn arrives at Karbila. Then on to Najaf, then Bushihr, then Shiraz, where
he met The Bab on 1844.5.22 |
|
| 1844.05.23 |
Declaration
of The Bab |
|
| 1844.06? |
Mulla
Husayn goes to Isfahan, then Kashan, then Qum, then Tehran, then Khurasan |
|
| 1844.09 |
The
Bab, Quddus, and a servant leave from Shiraz on hajj (Bayat says uncle--Bayat
91). Momen says 1844.11.12 (Momen xxviii). They leave from Bushihr 1800.10 |
SBBR
23 |
| 1844.10
(1845?) |
Arrest,
trial, and death of Mulla Ali Bastami. Haji Abdul Majid beat Mulla Ali
repeatedly. This was the first affliction that befell a disciple of The Bab
after His declaration. He later died, the first The Babi martyr. WMomen gives
date as end of 1846. Amanat gives 1844.10, as does Huddleston. SE just says it
was before 1845.02. Waite says it was 1845.06 when The Bab heard the news and
returned to Iran. Momen, xviii, gives 1845.01.13. |
Nabil
61-3, WMomen 15, Amanat 220-237, 254, Huddleston 147, Waite 83, The Bab 58-68 |
| 1844.12 |
The
Bab arrives at Mecca |
Nabil
?, Bayat 91 |
| 1845 |
A
joint fatwa condemning The Bab's writings as kufr is issued. |
Shii
141 |
| 1845.02 |
The
Bab arrives in Medina |
Waite
83 |
| 1845.03.04 |
The
Bab leaves Jidda, arrives Bushihr 1845.05.15 |
SBBR
23 |
| 1845.05.15 |
The
Bab returns to Shiraz from pilgrimage |
Momen
xxviii |
| 1845.06 |
Disciples
of The Bab punished at Shiraz. The Bab is arrested, taken to Shiraz |
Momen
xxviii |
| 1845.07 |
The
Bab brought under guard to Shiraz, released, re-arrested in Shiraz in 1845.09 |
Amanat
254-7, Huddleston 145, Smith 16, The Bab 105 |
| 1845.07? |
The
Bab arrives at Bushihr (Nabil says "9 mos. after leaving same city on hajj").
Sends Quddus to Shiraz |
|
| 1845.07?
|
Quddus
and Mulla Sadiq beaten and persecuted severely. First Babis persecuted on
Persian soil for the sake of their faith. |
Nabil
103, 131, Thrzdh3 253-7 |
| 1845.10.01 |
The
Bab arrives at Medina (1 Muharram 1261) |
|
| 1846.09 |
The
Bab leaves Shiraz for Isfahan, arrives 1846.9/10. Stays in home of governor of
Isfahan. Momen, xxviii, gives 1846.07.23 |
SE
13, Smith 16, 21, Waite 84, The Bab 105 |
| 1847-48 |
With
The Bab in prison, Babis got more militant. Folks killed and tortured. "Qazvin
massacre." Bahá'u'lláh has Tahiri taken to Tehran to protect her. Bahá'u'lláh
and Tahiri go to Mashhad |
Nabil
201-3, Amanat 350, Smith 21-3 |
| 1847.02 |
Manuchir
Khan dies, The Bab ordered to Tehran |
Huddleston
146 |
| 1847.03.19 |
The
Bab arrives at Kashan from Isfahan (?) |
Smith
21 |
| 1847.03.21 |
The
Bab delivered into hands of govt., taken to Qum and Tabriz |
|
| 1847.03.28 |
The
Bab arrives at Kinar-Gird, near Kulayn, near Tehran. Next day, 1847.3.29, sets
up a tent near Kulayn, where he stays a fortnight |
|
| 1847.04.11
|
The
Bab leaves his tent at Kulayn for Tabriz |
Waite
83 |
| 1847.07 |
The
Bab arrives at Mah-Ku, rejects offer of rescue |
Waite
84 |
| 1847.08-09 |
Mulla
Abdullah arrives in Qazvin to visit The Bab and heard rumors that Mulla Taqi
pronounced The Bab a heretic. So he killed Mulla Taqi, in retaliation for which
many Babis are tortured and killed. First Babis to have bloodshed on Persian
soil. Huddleston 147 gives 1848 as date of first Persian death. Tahiri escapes. |
Amanat
322-4, 350-1, Nabil 196-200, Waite 86, The Bab 166, Root 74-9 |
| 1848.03.29 |
Mulla
Husayn leaves Mah-Ku for Mazindaran, stays with Quddus |
|
| 1848.04.10 |
The
Bab leaves Mah-Ku for Chihriq |
SE
19, The Bab 132, Momen xviii. |
| 1848.04.? |
Mulla
Husayn goes to Mashhad, where Quddus soon joins him |
|
| 1848.06-07 |
Badasht |
Momen
xxviii. |
| 1848.07 |
Skirmish
at Niyala kills some |
Amanat
328, Nabil 215-8 |
| 1848.07-08 |
The
Bab brought to Tabriz, tried, and then bastinadoed |
Amanat
391, Smith 20-1 |
| 1848.07.21 |
Mulla
Husayn carries the Black Flag from Mashhad to Tabarsi |
Waite,
83, gives date as 1848.10 |
| 1848.09-10 |
Mulla
Husayn's party gets in fight near Barfurush, which leads up to the siege of
Tabarsi, Mazandaran |
Nabil
238-49, Bayat 118--121 |
| 1848.09.04 |
death
of Muhammad Shah, ascension of Nasiri'd-Din Shah |
Smith
26 |
| 1848.10.10 |
The
Babis first attacked at Barfurush. First of Mulla Husayn's engagements |
Nabil
276 |
| 1848.10.12 |
The
Babis arrive at Tabarsi, construct fortress, 1848.12.01: Quddus leads attack
from Tabarsi, vanquishes most of enemy army. No Babis killed, only one wounded.
2nd of Mulla Husayn's engagements. 1848.12.21: Engagement with forces of Mihdi
Quli Mirza. Quddus injured. 3rd of Mulla Husayn's engagements. 1849.02.01: A
well inside Tabarsi was finished. Mulla Husayn says now is the time to prepare
to die. 1849.02.02: Mulla Husayn killed shortly after midnight. 4th of his
engagaments. 90 others wounded that night; most died. 1849.04-5: Black Standard
ceases to fly. 1849.05.09: Tabarsi ends |
Nabil
249-302, Smith 26-7, WMomen 217, Shii 141, Smith 26-7, SWEGB 415-6, Momen 91-7 |
| 1848.12? |
Bahá'u'lláh
arrested on the way to Tabarsi and bastinadoed |
Nabil
265-70 |
| 1849.05.16 |
Quddus
killed |
Nabil
295-301, Bayat 121 |
| 1850 |
uprisings
in Zanjan, Yazd, Nayriz, and an aborted one in Tehran |
Bayat
121, Shii 141, The Bab 171-88 |
| 1850.01/02 |
Uprising
in Yazd |
The
Bab 204-5, Momen 106-09 |
| 1850.02.14-50.03.15 |
The
Babis incarcerated in Tehran, persecuted, and tortured after assassination plot
uncovered. Seven became the "7 Martyrs of Tehran." Smith and Momen give date as
1850.02.19/20 |
Nabil
326-341, Bayat 124, WMomen 225, Amanat 397, Smith 28, The Bab 206-8, Momen
xviii, 100-105 |
| 1850.05.10 |
Skirmish
between Vahid's forces and their enemy at Yazd |
Nabil
349, Fischer 28 |
| 1850.05.13 |
Zanjan
uprising. First martyr from this upheaval killed 05.16. Hujjat dies from his
wounded arm (Wendi Momen says 1850.05) Zanjan suppressed 1851.01.08. |
Nabil
393, 420, WMomen 111, 245 (diff. date), Amanat 397, 405, Smith 28, Bayat 123-5,
The Bab 209-13, Momen 114-127 |
| 1850.05.27-06.21 |
Vahid
arrives at Nayriz. Some take shelter in the fort of Khajih, fight over 1,000
govt. troops. |
Nabil
353-67, Bayat 121-5, Amanat 397, Smith 28, Momen 109-113 |
| 1850.06.19 |
The
Bab arrives in Tabriz |
Momen
xxix |
| 1850.06.29 |
Vahid
killed |
Nabil
367 |
| 1850.07.09 |
Martyrdom
of The Bab |
Bayat
126, Amanat, Nabil, The Bab 202-3, SWEGB 420, Momen 77-82 |
| 1851.06 |
Bahá'u'lláh
leaves capital for Karbila, arrives 1851.08 |
Nabil
430, 436 |
| 1852.08.15 |
Attempt
on life of Shah. Extensive reprisals followed, including Sulayman Khan's famous
martyrdom and Tahirih's. |
Huddleston
153, King 86-9, Nabil 459, Amanat 366-7, 405, TN 330-31, Momen 128-46, Browne
265-271, SWEGB 422-3, Momen 9, 128-46, 245, Fischer 28, 46, Thrzdh2 27-51, Root
96-109 |
| 1853.01.12 |
Bahá'u'lláh
leaves for Baghdad. Arrives 1853.04.08 |
Nabil
474 |
| 1853.10 |
Second
Nayriz uprising. Ends 1853.12 |
Smith
29, EM 25-6, Momen xxix, 147-52 |
| 1854.04.10 |
Bahá'u'lláh
leaves for Sulayman, returns 1856.03.19 |
|
| 1857/58 |
Sayyid
Ismail Zavari kills himself. |
Qazvin
10-11, King 132-4 |
| 1863.04.22 |
Bahá'u'lláh
goes to the Najibiyyid Garden, makes declaration |
|
| 1863.05.03 |
Bahá'u'lláh
and companions depart for Istanbul, arrive 1863.08.16 |
|
| 1863.12.? |
Bahá'u'lláh
and companions depart for Adrianople, arrive 1863.12.12 |
|
| 1864-1914 |
Thirteen
episodes of persecution in Isfahan |
Shii
141 |
| 1864.05 |
upheaval
at Najafabad |
Momen
xxix, 268-9 |
| 1867.01.11 |
execution
of 3 Bahá'ís at Tabriz, followed by martyrdoms in Zanjan and Tehran |
King
237-8, Momen xxix, 251-4, Thrzdh2 60-1 |
| 1868 |
Hajji
Jafar tries to kill himself bc he can't go with Bahá'u'lláh to Akka |
Qazvin
28-9 |
| 1868.07 |
persecution
of Bahá'ís in Egypt |
Momen
xxix, 257-64 |
| 1868.07 |
Bahá'ís
in Baghdad exiled to Mosul |
Momen
xxix, 266-7 |
| 1868.08.12 |
Bahá'u'lláh
and companions depart for Akka, arrive 1868.08.31 |
|
| 1869.07 |
Badi
martyred |
Furutan
116-8, Salmani 89-90, SE 199, Qazvin 47-9, SWEGB 91, Momen 254-5, Thrzdh3
174-92, 198-203 |
| 1870 |
Ashraf
killed, his mother says not to recant or she'd disown him. |
EM
25, King 470, Qazvin 36-7, Thrzdh2 225-30 |
| 1870.06.23 |
Mirza
Mihdi dies |
WMomen
155, SE 188, Qazvin 49, Thrzdh3 205-11 |
| 1870.10 |
Bahá'u'lláh,
in Akka, moved from citadel to a house |
|
| 1872.01.23 |
Murder
of 3 Azalis in Akka |
Momen
212-15 |
| 1874.05.08 |
Upheaval
in Isfahan |
Momen
xxix, 269-73 |
| 1877.06 |
Bahá'u'lláh
moves to Mazra'ih |
|
| 1877.12 |
martyrdom
of Mulla Kazim of Talkhunchih |
Momen
xxix, 273-4, Thrzdh4 384-5 |
| 1879.03.17 |
King
of and Beloved of Martyrs killed |
WMomen
130, Nash 31, EM 33-51, Traveller's Narrative 93, SWEGB 19, 150-151, Momen
274-80, Thrzdh4 73-90 |
| 1882.12 |
Arrest
of Bahá'ís in Tehran |
Momen
xxix, 292-5 |
| 1888.10.23 |
Mirza
Ashraf killed in Isfahan. |
EM
31, Qazvin 40 (and Browne ?), Browne 291-308, SWEGB 19, 304-5, Momen xxix,
Thrzdh4 385-6 |
| 1889 |
Muhammad
Riza killed |
Moayyad
88, Nash 31, Thrzdh4 342-5 |
| 1889.07 |
Upheaval
at Najafabad |
Momen
xxix, 280-4 |
| 1889.07.08 |
Martyrdom
of Haji Muhammad Riday-i-Isfahani at Ishqabad |
Momen
xxix, 296-300 |
| 1890.02.25 |
Sidih
martyrdoms |
Momen
xxix, 284-8 |
| 1891.05.19 |
7
Martyrs of Yazd, etc. |
Sears
59-64, Fischer 29, 46, Nash 32, Qazvin 41-3, Browne 291-308, SWEGB 19, Momen
301-304, Thrzdh3 194-6, Thrzdh4 347-50 |
| 1892
(?) |
Martyrdom
of Sabzivari |
Ficher
43-4. 46 |
| 1892.05.20 |
Passing
of Bahá'u'lláh at Akka |
|
| 1896.05.01 |
Nasiri'd-Din
Shah killed |
EM
101-04, Momen 158-60, 359-61 |
| 1896.05.? |
Varqa
and Ruhullah killed |
EM
75-97, Momen 361-2, Thrzdh4 57-72 |
| 1896.08 |
Martyrdom
of five Bahá'ís of Turbat-i-Haydari |
Momen
xxix, 405-6 |
| 1898.02.09 |
Martyrdom
of Haji Muhammad-i-Turk at Mashhad |
Momen
xxx, 406-17 |
| 1898.12.10 |
First
Western pilgrims arrive at Akka |
Momen
xxx |
| 1899.04 |
Upheaval
at Najafabad |
Momen
xxx, 426-31 |
| 1903.05 |
Upheaval
at Rasht |
Momen
xxx |
| 1903.05-06 |
Incident
at Russian Consulate in Isfahan |
Momen
xxx |
| 1903.06-07 |
Martyrdoms
in Yazd and Isfahan, 100 killed |
Nash
33-5, Fischer 29, 43-6, Moayyad 89, Shii 141, Nash 36-8, Ma'ani 22-3, Momen
363-6, 373-402, Thrzdh2 358-68, Thrzdh4 124 |
| 1906.12.30 |
Shah
signs new Constitution |
Momen
353-5 |
| 1908.07 |
Abdu'l-Bahá
freed after Young Turks' Revolution |
|
| 1909.11.05 |
Martyrdom
of Haji Haydar at Isfahan |
Momen
xxx, 430-4 |
| 1911.08-12 |
Abdu'l-Bahá's
first Western tour |
|
| 1912.03.25 |
Abdu'l-Bahá's
second Western tour, ends 1913.06.17 |
|
| 1915.03.14 |
Martyrdom
of Shaykh Ali-Akbar Quchani at Mashhad |
Momen
xxx, Momen 420-4 |
| 1917.05.02 |
Martyrdom
of Mirza Muhammad-i-Bulur-Furush at Yazd |
Momen
xxx, 443-6 |
| 1920.04.17 |
Knighting
of Abdu'l-Bahá |
|
| 1920.05.21 |
Martyrdom
of Haji Arab at Sultanabad |
Momen
xxx, 345-6, 444-6, 451 |
| 1921.01.23 |
Martyrdom
of Mirza Ya'qub-i- Muttahidih in Kirmanshah |
Momen
xxx, 446-50 |
| 1921.11.28 |
Passing
of Abdu'l-Bahá |
|
| 1926.04.07 |
Beginning
of attacks on Bahá'ís in Jahrum. |
Sears
30, Nash 39-40, 48, Rabbani 97-99, Momen xxx, 465-72 |
| 1934.12.09 |
Bahá'í
Tarbiyat Schools in Tehran closed |
Momen
xxx, 475-9 |
| 1942-3 |
House
of The Bab damaged first time |
Sears
72, WMomen 108 |
| 1944 |
Three
believers martyred in Shahrud, releasing spiritual energy |
Furutan
81, 116 |
| 1944.05 |
Persecutions
at Abadih |
Momen
xxx, 479-80 |
| 1955-- |
Persecutions,
and Burujirdi's role in them, and etc. |
Shii
248, 253, Nash 41-2, Rabbani 310-12, Mottahedeh 239-40 |
| 1955.04.21 |
Troops
surround BNC, take it on 1955.05.07, destroy it on 1955.08. House of The Bab,
too. |
Sears
31-44, Moayyad 87, Furutan 122 |
| 1955.07.28 |
7
Martyrs of Yazd |
Sears
57, Fischer 29 |
| 1963 |
Bahá'ís
singled out for attack by anti-govt. rioters |
Nash
44 |
| 1978 |
Many
student protesters in Iran killed, and their martyrdoms were later commemorated |
Shii
283-5 |
| 1978.09 |
Savak
begins anti-Bahá'í campaign |
Sears
55-6, Fischer 44 |
| 1979.09.08 |
House
of The Bab destroyed third time |
Sears
73-6, WMomen 108, Z&B 123-5, Olya 23-7 |
| 1980.09.08 |
7
Martyrs of Yazd |
Sears
64-8, Fischer 29, 41, 48-51 |
| current | see articles online at bahai-library.com/Newspapers |
|
|
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