Why was Baha'u'llah imprisoned in Iran and why he went to Baghdad?

In August 1852, a small group of Babis in Tehran unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate the Shah—an event that was reported in several European newspapers and in diplomatic reports. Many Babis, including Baha’u’llah, were arrested, and about fifty of them were executed, some after cruel torture. Baha’u’llah, who clearly was not involved in the assassination attempt, avoided execution, however, and was instead put into a subterranean prison cell in Tehran. According to Baha’u’llah’s late writings, it was during this imprisonment in 1852 in Tehran that he had his first vision of his divine mission.

At the time of the assassination attempt on the Shah, Subh-i-Azal was involved in an abortive attempt to create a rebellion in his home province of Nur. Subh-i-Azal avoided arrest and succeeded in escaping from Iran to Baghdad. Many Babis chose to follow suit, left Iran and joined Subh-i-Azal in Baghdad, and before long, there was a sizeable Babi community in this city.

After four months of imprisonment, Baha’u’llah was released at the intervention of the Russian ambassador, whose legation secretary was Baha’u’llah’s brother in-law. Refusing an offer of exile in Russia, he went to Baghdad, and in January 1853, he joined the Babi exile community there.

(Citizens of the World - A History and Sociology of the Baha’is from a Globalisation Perspective by Margit Warburg)

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‘Abdu’l-Baha indicated to him that the Shah would be assassinated

When Mirza Mahmud-i-Furughi, an outstanding teacher of the Faith, was on pilgrimage, ‘Abdu’l-Baha indicated to him that the Shah would be assassinated and told him to warn the believers to be on their guard.

In 1896 Nasiri’d-Din Shah was indeed struck down by an assassin on the very eve of his jubilee celebrations. The Baha'is had nothing whatever to do with this deed but memories of the assassination attempt made by three deranged Babis in 1852 were still powerful. In its report the London Times supposed that the murderer was a 'Babi'. Only gradually was it realized that the Baha'is were not responsible.

(Servant of the Glory - The Life of 'Abdu'l-Baha by Mary Perkins)

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attempts to kill ‘Abdu’l-Baha

In these years the Covenant-breakers gave up demanding that the Master pay for their upkeep but at the same time two attempts were made by them to kill ‘Abdu’l-Baha. Poison was twice placed by one individual in a jug of drinking water used by Him but on both occasions it was discovered in time. Another individual concealed a dagger under his clothes with the intention of using it to kill ‘Abdu'l-Baha but the attempt was not successful.

(Servant of the Glory - The Life of 'Abdu'l-Baha by Mary Perkins)

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large tract of land was purchased and registered in the name of Mirza Husayn-‘Ali (Baha’u’llah

When Baha’u’llah and the Master set afoot the movement of the exiles from the immediate environs of ‘Akka, land was purchased in the Jordan Valley near the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret). At four sites Baha’is settled, making their homes.

South of the hamlet called Nugayb, on the eastern shore of the lake below the Golan heights, Mirza Muhammad-Quli and his family occupied rich farmlands. The original large tract of land was purchased for an endowment of the Faith and registered in the name of Mirza Husayn-‘Ali (Baha’u’llah). Later, portions were disposed of by the Master.

(Door of hope - a century of the Baháʻí faith in the Holy Land - Ruhe, David S (David Sieger), 1914-2005 George Ronald)

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Feeding the British army in 1918.

‘Abdu’l-Baha had given the Baha’i farmers specific guidance in their agricultural development, and His instructions on the storage of grains allowed the accumulations which permitted Him to feed the population of ‘Akka during the deprivation of World War I and even-to aid the British army in meeting its needs in 1918.

(Door of hope - a century of the Baháʻí faith in the Holy Land - Ruhe, David S (David Sieger), 1914-2005 George Ronald)

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Shoghi Effendi expelled his brothers, sisters and aunts from the Faith.

Shoghi Effendi... expel[led] his brothers, sisters and aunts from the Faith.

(Adib Taherzadeh, The Child of the Covenant)

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Severe laws and harsh measures against nonbelievers in the Persian Bayan

…among those ordinances (of the Persian Bayán) are a significant number of… severe laws, which… prescribe harsh measures against nonbelievers, similar to the Islamic “law of the sword,” including holy war. The Bayán’s gate 5 of the fifth unity ordains that all lands must be conquered by the Bayán and the property of unbelievers must be seized unless those unbelievers enter the Faith. Gate 6 specifies the distribution of the spoils of such a conquest: objects that are matchless belong to the Point, and the rest are to be used for propagating the Bayán, paying soldiers, building places of worship, and aiding the poor and the community. Gate 4 of the sixth unity extols the five lands that were the first to receive the Cause of the Báb—Fárs (Shiraz), Iraq, Azerbaijan, Khurásán, and Mázandarán. Since these lands represent the Letter Há’, the five aspects of the human temple, the five layers of the name of the Báb, and the five levels of the affirmation of Divine Unity, God does not wish to behold anything in those lands except that which is most perfect and refined; thus it is not suitable for unbelievers to reside there. Gate 16 of the seventh unity orders Bábí rulers to expel all unbelievers from their lands except those who engage in wholesale trade that is useful to the believers. The same gate prohibits the Bábís from having unbelievers in their homes. Gate 6 of the sixth unity calls for the destruction of books other than those written by Bábís. Finally, gate 15 of the eighth unity ordains marriage among the faithful to bring into the world one who will sing the praise of God. Marriage with unbelievers is not permitted, and upon acceptance of the Faith by one spouse and its rejection by the other, the marriage becomes null, while the unbelieving spouse forfeits any claim to his or her property.

(Gate of the Heart, Nader Saiedi, page 340)

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Impressive writings!?

This is what I believed as a Baha'i, that his writings were superhuman. This is what the writings themselves put forward as the greatest proof after his person (for those who didn't get to meet him).

Combined with the reportedly prolific pace with which he wrote, it felt incredibly compelling.

What's interesting is that after several years of leaving the Baha'i Faith, re-reading those same works is far less impressive. It really is incredibly subjective.

Baha'u'llah had a suite of literary motifs he'd reuse and they get tiresome.

For example he over-relied on imagery of veils, foliage, the sun, birds singing, etc. It would go something like this: thus doth the all-knowing inform thee, that verily my writings are my proof. Yea, to this doth attest the warbling of every bird, could ye but hear it! Lift the veil that haply the sun of reality might dawn in this Day of Days, and ye become accounted among those whose names are inscribed in the Book of Life. Verily this is better for you than that which ye possess, could ye but perceive it!

You also realise he'd use far more words than is necessary to say simple things. And we also know he plagiarised some works verbatim without citing them, including incorrect facts (e.g. the years of birth of famous Greek philosophers).

Another way of challenging this idea is to ask people today if they have heard of Baha'u'llah or the Bab? And ask them if they have heard of Charles Dickens, Leo Tolstoy, Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, etc. All contemporaries of the Bab/Baha'u'llah but far more widely appreciated. That shouldn't be the case even with the mitigating circumstances -- we are after all talking about the claim that these works were supposedly produced by God when he manifested himself twice during that same period -- it shouldn't even be a competition! Yet here we are showing how unimpressive they are..

https://www.reddit.com/r/exbahai/comments/1gcj8xx/make_love_not_war_why_was_bahaullah_unable_to/

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He should ask his mother why he is this way.

When it comes to those who deny his (Baha's) claims. It’s just that the House isn’t keen to translate those bits of his letters. One of many passages:

تالله الحق من ينكر هذا الفضل الظاهر الباهر المتعالي المنير ينبغي له بان يسئل من امه حاله فسوف يرجع الی اسفل الجحیم

By God, the Truth! One who denies this luminous, exalted, dazzling, evident grace should ask his mother why he is this way. He will return to the nethermost fire. (Ma’idih, 4:355)

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Spiritual aspects of the Faith cannot be separated from the administrative aspects

Any attempt to separate the purely spiritual aspects of the Faith from the administrative aspects “... can only result in the disintegration of its component parts, and the extinction of the Faith itself.”

Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh

https://bahai.works/The_American_Bahá’í/Volume_2/Issue_8/Text

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NSAs are the generals of the Army of Light

The standard-bearers of this Nine Year Plan are the Hands of the Cause of God. The responsibility for directing the work will rest upon the shoulders of the National Spiritual Assemblies, the generals of the Army of Light, under the guidance of the Universal House of Justice.

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986)

https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/the-universal-house-of-justice/muhj-1963-1986/muhj-1963-1986.docx

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In 1948, the Baha'is congratulated David Ben-Gurion on the establishment of the State of Israel.

In 1948, the Baha'is congratulated David Ben-Gurion on the establishment of the State of Israel, but also made sure to mention their neutrality (although they sometimes emphasized that the Jewish state was established in the Baha'i period, not the Christian or Muslim one). Israel approved the establishment of the Baha'i Temple in Haifa and its ongoing expansion. The Baha'is do not spread their religion in Israel and actually refrain from establishing a Baha'i community there. They avoid the concentration of believers in the world center of religion. There is no doubt that this approach suits the Israeli sensitivity to the activities of non-Jewish religions in the country.

The peak of this tolerance and partnership between Israel and the Baha'is was in the early 1950s. At that time, Israel faced the demands of the Palestinian refugees, the Arab world and various mediators such as the United States and the United Nations - to return to the refugees the property they abandoned in 1948. Israel did not return this property, and its actions, especially the establishment of new settlements on abandoned lands and the introduction of new immigrants into the refugee homes , established irreversible facts. However, the Israeli government acted consciously to return the Baha'is to their abandoned property.

https://www.haaretz.co.il/misc/2001-06-08/ty-article/0000017f-e091-d75c-a7ff-fc9d65530000

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Baha'u'llah and Mirza Musa's properties in Palestine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCBenVHiXVY

Baha'u'llah and Mirza Musa's properties in Palestine and Abdul Baha selling these lands to Jewish Colonization Association (JCA) in 1903 and to other Jewish organizations. 

Starts from 15 mins 20 Sec.

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America is a noble nation, the standard-bearer of peace throughout the world

America is a noble nation, the standard-bearer of peace throughout the world, shedding light to all regions. Foreign nations are not untrammeled and free from intrigues and complications like the United States; therefore, they are not able to bring about universal harmony. But America — praise be to God! — is at peace with all the world and is worthy of raising the flag of brotherhood and international agreement.

-Abdul Baha

https://centenary.bahai.us/talk/america-noble-nation-standard-bearer-peace

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A large percentage of seekers who join study circles go on to accept the Faith.

"The process of the Baha'i communities opening their activities has been slow but successful. About 70 to 80 per cent of the participants in Baha'i classes for children are from non-Baha'i families and 50 to 60 per cent of seekers participate in the devotional meetings. A large percentage of seekers who join study circles go on to accept the Faith."

(The Five Year Plan 2001-2006 - Summary of Achievements and Learning)

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