Initial history of the Baha'is in Haifa

Some years before the outbreak of the First World War, the Bahais had settled in Haifa. Persecuted in Persia; they had fled to Baghdad, from where they were exiled by the Turkish government to Adrianopolis and, finally, to Acre, where Baha Allah (‘the glory of God’) arrived in 1868. Towards the end of the nineteenth century the bones of his predecessor, Mirza Ali Muhammad, were brought to Acre and finally interred on Mount Carmel in 1909, at a spot chosen by Baha Allah. Today, the Golden Dome Shrine rises over it. Baha Allah had been a Shi’ite Muslim, but by the changes he introduced in the faith, he separated himself from Islam. By the time he died in Acre in 1892, he had acquired a number of disciples. In the course of his many trips, his son Abbas Effendi (Abd al-Baha) disseminated Baha Allah’s teachings throughout the world, acquiring hundreds of thousands of new adherents to the Bahai belief, especially in the United States. In 1908 Abbas Effendi came to live in Haifa, where his well-preserved house still exists (on Persian Street). Abbas Effendi rapidly became an admired and respected figure in Haifa. He attracted Bahais eager to listen to his preaching, and many of them decided to settle in Haifa in consequence. On the strength of contributions from all over the world, the Bahais bought up large tracts of land on the slopes of Mount Carmel, where they later built their shrine, surrounded by extensive gardens. In this way, at the end of Ottoman rule, Haifa became the centre of a new community, at the head of which stood Abbas Effendi, a personage of a stature the like of which Haifa had perhaps never known before.

(Ottoman Haifa A History of Four Centuries under Turkish Rule By Alex Carmel)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10977949-ottoman-haifa

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The Babis took up arms

Algar sees the Babi movement as a heresy of Shi‘i origin that sought to overthrow orthodoxy by force. He maintains that the Babi rebellion began in the summer of 1848, when Mulla Husayn-i-Bushrw’i, the Bab’s most renowned disciple, marched toward Mazandaran at the head of a band of Babis. MacEoin has proposed the view that “between 1847 and 1850, following the Bab’s announcement that he himself was the Qa’im, his followers took up arms to begin the last crusade or share in the messianic woes in the hope of hastening the final restitution of things.”

(The Bab and the Babi Community of Iran by Fereydun Vahman)

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Dr. Abbas Milani about Baha'is and Gays in Iran during Shah's regime

Abbas Milani argues that while the Shah's regime restricted direct political criticism, it provided a level of cultural and social freedom for marginalized groups that was unprecedented in Iranian history.

Regarding Baha'is, Milani states:

• They enjoyed more freedom under the Shah than ever before or since.
• He emphasizes that the Iranian Baha'i community lived a "better life" during this period compared to both the times preceding the Shah and the era of the Islamic Republic.

Regarding Gays, Milani highlights several indicators of social tolerance:

• Gay Marriage: He notes that a gay marriage took place in Iran in 1975, involving a carriage covered in flowers and a participant who was "very close to the court of the Shah". The individual involved was neither dismissed from the court nor punished.
• Social Spaces: He mentions the existence of a gay bar during that time.
• The Queen's Intervention: Milani recounts an incident from American archives where the police attempted to harass patrons at a gay bar. Upon hearing of this, the Queen (Empress Farah Pahlavi) intervened with the Shah, asking, "What kind of a brutality is this these people are in a bar enjoying theirelves Let them have their [fun]".

Milani's broader argument is that these types of freedoms—for Baha'is, the LGBTQ+ community, women, and Jews—are as essential to a democratic society as the right to engage in political dissent or organize Marxist groups. He suggests that in retrospect, the right of these groups to live in freedom was just as important as the academic freedom he sought as a young Marxist.

(Unpacking Iran: A Conversation with Dr. Abbas Milani - The Chicago Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSVhjqAv1WY

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Rewriting history

Totalitarian governments often rewrite history and delete as non-persons those they do not like; I should hope that Bahá’í historians will be more honest.

-Juan R. Cole

https://bahai.works/World_Order/Series2/Volume_16/Issue_4/Text

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How Baha'u'llah saved Mishkín-Qalam?!

9. When the Ottoman government banished Bahá’u’lláh and His companions to ‘Akká, several of the believers, including Mishkín-Qalam, were exiled together with Azal to Cyprus. This group was greatly distressed and constantly longed to go to ‘Akká and to be released from Cyprus. During this period, Azal was in continual correspondence with various places, and he would place some of his papers and letters in a basket. He fixed a nail into the ceiling and, using a rope and pulley, suspended the basket containing his papers and writings from the ceiling of the room.

By chance, that year there had been no rain in Cyprus for a long time, and everyone—especially the farmers—was troubled. Whenever Jináb-i Mishkín-Qalam went out of the house and encountered ordinary people, he would say that the reason rain was not falling was that Azal was practicing sorcery and magic, and that he had hung all the papers of his magic and spells in a basket from the ceiling of the room. Gradually this rumor spread through the town, and people passed it from mouth to mouth. After some time, everyone came to believe that the cause of the drought was the sorcery and magic that Azal was performing.

One day they decided that, in Azal’s absence, they would go to his house, find the basket, and burn whatever was inside—and they did exactly that. That night, when Mishkín-Qalam returned home and learned of what had happened, he cast himself at the threshold and began to weep and lament, crying out: “O Bahá’u’lláh, what have I done… If it does not rain tomorrow, my situation will be ruined.” For a long time he remained in supplication and bitter weeping, and with a sorrowful heart he implored Bahá’u’lláh to send rain. Toward dawn he fell asleep, and early in the morning he was awakened by noise and commotion. He saw that a heavy downpour had begun, and, overjoyed, he danced out of the room… and the people’s affection for him increased. As a result of this incident, he and several others were able to leave the island of Cyprus and were delivered.

(Ruzgār-i Mahbūb (The Beloved’s Times), Compiled by Fouad Peymání Zavareh, page 7)

https://bahai-library.com/bahailib/1735.pdf

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Quddus was a Qiblih and Kabih for the Babis

Turning to Quddús

It is reported that on more than one occasion and as a sign of reverence, the companions would turn to Quddús as a Qiblih (Arabic Qibla) when they said their obligatory prayers:

One day they decided to determine the total number of companions. It was four hundred and forty-four individuals. During the festivities of Qurbán [F November VG5G], and Ghadı́r [VJ November]. as per the specific instruction of his eminence the Báb [Mullá Ḥusayn], all companions gathered for the mass prayer. Then, a sermon from his writings [Quddús] was read. A Tablet of Visitation was read by the honourable Mı́rzá Muḥammad-Báqir, the junior. His holiness Quddús commanded that the night prayer is obligatory, which needs to be observed. All the companions performed the nafl prayer [supererogatory prayer].

In days to follow, a number of imáms (prayer leaders) were determined to lead the congregation in congregational prayer. The companions formed two lines of prayer behind them and to follow them in prayers. Ḥájı́ Mı́rzá Ḥasan, Jináb-i-Mullá Muḥammad-Ṣádiq, Mı́rzá Muḥammad Mahalátı́ and Mullá Zaynu’l-’Abidı́n Miyámaı́ were appointed imáms. While we were standing together in rows to offer prayers in congregation [facing the prayer leaders who in turn would be looking toward Mecca, the Islamic point of direction for prayers], Mı́rzá Amı́n instead turned towards his holiness [Quddús]. Mullá Jalı́l also turned towards Quddús in prayer…

Circumabulating his chamber

The believers used to circumambulate around the abode of Quddús: On the night of the festival of Qurbán, Mullá Ḥusayn circumambulated the house that was the residence of His Holiness Quddús. Other believers in obedience to the Bábu’l-Báb (Mullá Ḥusayn) also circumambulated the house of Quddús. This respect was repeated every night, and each night Mullá Ḥusayn circumambulated around the house of Quddús. Each time that Quddús appeared out of his residence or rode his horse, Mullá Ḥusayn circumambulated his Holiness [Quddús].

(Quddús - The First in Rank by Boris Handal)

https://bahai-library.com/pdf/h/handal_quddus_first_rank.pdf

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Some of the most prominent instances of violence by the Babis

Some of the most prominent instances of violence by the Bábís include:

• Rescue Operations: In Mashhad, Bábís launched a violent rescue of a detained companion named Ḥasan, which resulted in the death of several government guards.
• The Clash at Bárfurúsh: Upon entering Bárfurúsh (modern Babol), the Bábís were attacked by a fanatical mob. In a famous display of strength, Mullá Ḥusayn cleaved an attacker, his musket, and a tree in half with a single sword stroke! Later, Bábís charged out of a caravanserai to repel besiegers, resulting in more fatalities among the attackers.
• Military Sorties at Shaykh Ṭabarsí:
  • In the first major battle, Bábís "mistakenly" attacked the village of Qáḍı́-Kalá, destroying houses and "accidentally" killing the mother of a tribal leader.
  • In December 1848, a small band of Bábís surprised the regional army at dawn, killing 430 soldiers, including the commander.
  • In January 1849, during a night raid on the royal camp at Vás-Kas, Bábís killed three royal princes and roughly 70 soldiers.
• Retaliatory Acts: Following reports that the royalist army had decapitated and burned Bábí corpses, the Bábís beheaded slain Muslim soldiers and impaled their heads on pikes around the fort's ramparts as a deterrent.
• Individual Acts of Resistance: During the final executions, a prisoner named Mı́rzá Muḥammad-Báqir-i-Qá’inı́ broke his bonds, snatched a sword from an executioner, and killed him on the spot before being shot by soldiers.

(Quddús - The First in Rank by Boris Handal)

https://bahai-library.com/pdf/h/handal_quddus_first_rank.pdf

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The first differences which happened after the death of Baha'u'llah

Mirza Jawad continues, “The first differences which happened after the death of His Great Holiness our Master within this community was that Abbas Efendi concealed some part of the book of [Baha’u’llah’s] Testament entitled “the Book of my Testament,” which book was given to him by Baha’u’llah in his own holy writing. The detail of this is that on the ninth day after the Ascension [i.e., the death of Baha’u’llah] Abbas Efendi chose nine persons from amongst the Companions, one of whom was the author (of this book) and disclosed to them this document, concealing, however, a portion of it with a blue leaf [of paper], without any reason or justification, and gave it to them that they might enjoy the blessing of its perusal. One of them...read,...to the place concealed by the blue leaf, whereupon Abbas Efendi said to the persons above mentioned, ’Verily a portion of this book is concealed for a good reason, because the time doth not admit of its full disclosure’.” Later on the same day it was read to a number of other relatives and believers, down to the concealed portion.

”Let it not be hidden,” concludes Mirza Jawad, “...that the injunctions set forth in the above-mentioned book all refer to this community generally; haw then could it be right for Abbas Efendi to disclose what he wished and conceal a portion thereof? For there is no doubt that if what was concealed had not been suitable [for general publication] His Holiness Baha’u’llah would not have written it in his august writing.”

There is no question that Baha’u’llah appointed Abbas Efendi as his successor. But what authority was he to have? The Bab had indicated that his successor Subh-i-Azal had the same rank that he had, and was one with him. But Baha’u’llah made it very clear that anyone who succeeded him could never claim to share his rank as a Great Manifestation. For before his death he had stated in the Kitab-i-Aqdas that anyone who claims “Command,” that is, claims to have the rank of a Manifestation, before a thousand years is a false liar. Hence, Abbas Efendi was not authorized to take his father’s place, and be a continuation of his Manifestation, But very soon it began to appear that this was what he wanted to do. He called himself Abdu’l-Baha (the slave of Baha), and professed perfect submission to his father’s will. But he also assumed the title, “the Center” of the Covenant,” a title which many Baha’is thought belonged only to God. “Abbas Efendi,” writes Mirza Jawad, “after he had attained to supremacy..... claimed such lofty stations and high degrees as belong exclusively to Divine Theophanies.” And he quotes several pages of sayings of the new leader which show how high his aspirations were.

One of Abbas Efendi’s claims was that he alone had the right to interpret the writings of Baha’u’llah. “This servant is the expositor of the Perspicuous Book, and whatever of God’s writings is not confirmed by this servant is not worthy of credence.” In another place he says, “You must ask him [Abdu’l– Baha] regarding the meaning of the texts of the verses. Whatsoever he says is correct. Without his will not a word shall anyone utter.” Though he never called himself a new Manifestation, by claiming to be the sole infallible interpreter of the Ward of God, and by asserting that his writings were equally authoritative with those of his father, he assumed a station of which Baha’u’llah would most probably have warmly disapproved. Modern Baha’is, however, fully agree to these claims. For instance, the volume entitled Bahai Scriptures, to which frequent reference has been made, has two parts. Part I comprises the verses of Baha’u’llah, and Part II (larger than Part I), the writings and addresses of Abdu’l-Baha. Both are considered equally authoritative. “The words of Abdu’l-Baha..... have equal rank and spiritual validity with those of the Manifestation.”

(The Baha'i Faith: Its History and Teachings by William McElwee Miller)

https://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/K-O/M/miller/Bahaism_Miller_1931.pdf

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Mirza Muhammad Ali garnered substantial support, winning over nearly all of Baha'u'llah's family

Mīrzā Muḥammad 'Alī garnered substantial support, winning over nearly all of Bahā’ullāh's family members, including the two surviving wives, two of his younger brothers (Mīrzā Badī'ullāh and Mīrzā Diyā'ullāh), and Bahā’ullāh’s secretary. The conflict shook communities throughout the East and West for years.

(Der Bahaismus: Weltreligion der Zukunft? : Geschichte, Lehre und Organisation in kritischer Anfrage (Studienbücher im Gespräch mit der Zeit) - Francesco-ficicchia)

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Ṭáhirih in the words of Qajari Historians

In Nasikh al-Tawarikh, Qurratu’l-ʿAyn (Zarrín Táj, later titled Ṭáhirih) is mentioned as acting in opposition to the Islamic law and the social customs of Iran of that period.

Qurratu’l-ʻAyn was the daughter of Ḥájí Mullá Sáliḥ of Qazvín, a well-known jurist. She was admired for her beauty, knowledge, and expertise in Arabic sciences. After becoming a follower of Mírzá Muḥammad ‘Alí, the Báb, she carried out the following actions:

• Public Appearance and Removing the Veil:
  She was famous for her beauty and hair scented like musk. She believed that the veil (hijab) for women was a source of suffering. She would prepare herself and her gatherings and then appear unveiled in front of Bábí followers.

• Abolishing Islamic Law and Encouraging Immoral Practices:
  She declared that the era of the Báb was a time of suspension (fitrah) in which all religious duties—such as prayer and fasting—were cancelled.

  • She taught that one woman marrying nine men was encouraged in the Bábí laws.

  • She urged her followers to share their partners and property with each other, promising that there would be no punishment for doing so.

• Inciting Murder:
  Her uncle, Mullá Muḥammad Taqí, a Mujtahid, opposed this behavior. Qurratu’l-ʻAyn issued a religious ruling (fatwá) calling for his killing. As a result, her followers murdered her uncle in the mosque at dawn during prayer.

• Immoral Conduct at Badasht and Hezar Jarib:
  While traveling in Mázandarán with Ḥájí Muḥammad ‘Alí of Bárfurúsh, she developed affection for him. The camel driver who carried them in one litter sang verses comparing their union to “the conjunction of the sun and moon.” It is reported that she and Ḥájí Muḥammad ‘Alí went to a bathhouse together and cohabited in the village of Hezar Jarib. When the villagers discovered this and learned of their beliefs, they attacked them and looted their belongings.

• Blasphemous Claims and Behavior:
  She sat on a throne and delivered sermons, saying that anyone who touched her (or smelled her) would be protected from the fire of hell. Those present kissed her breasts and lips—features she herself described as “ruby-like.”

In addition to these specific actions, the sources also describe the general behavior of Bábí women in their gatherings:

• Participation in Immoral Assemblies:
  Bábí followers held gatherings where they drank wine and performed acts forbidden by Islamic law.

• Serving Wine and Appearing Unveiled:
  Women were instructed to enter gatherings of unrelated men without a veil and to serve wine to them.

• Encouraging Violence:
  Before the attempted assassination of the Shah in Niyávarán, Ḥájí Sulaymán Khán held gatherings with women—including his sister and daughters—where wine was drunk. These meetings ended with the decision to attack the Shah.

Qurratu’l-ʻAyn’s extreme actions—abolishing Islamic law, promoting polyandry and cohabitation, appearing unveiled publicly, and calling for the killing of her cleric uncle—were an assault on the core principles of Islamic Shariah. According to these accounts, she acted like a “wrecking ball,” not merely modifying religious norms but attacking fundamental pillars of society such as modesty, marriage, and the authority of religious scholars, which led to social disorder and violence.

(Extracted from Nasikh al-Tawarikh by Sepehr. He was a court historian during the reigns of two Qajar kings).

About Nasikh al-Tawarikh, check Bijan Masumian's introduction, here:

https://bijanmasumian.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/nasikh-al-tawarikh-introduction.pdf

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The Bahá’í Faith: From Its Origins to Its Succession Disputes by Ahmad Kasravi

The Baha'i Faith originates from a foundational movement within 19th-century Shi‘a Islam known as Shaykhism, which itself was deeply rooted in the concept of Mahdiism, or the expectation of the return of the Hidden Imam. For centuries, Shi‘a belief held that the twelfth Imam was in occultation and would eventually appear to fill the world with justice. Shaykhism emerged when Shaykh Aḥmad al-Aḥsa'ī introduced novel concepts by blending traditional Shi‘a theology with Greek philosophy. Shaykh Aḥmad’s successor, Sayyid Kāẓim Rashtī, maintained this movement and stressed the imminent appearance of the Mahdi.

The first major schism arose following the death of Sayyid Kāẓim Rashtī, as he had not explicitly named a successor. This vacuum of leadership resulted in the fracturing of the Shaykhí movement into several factions, notably those who followed Ḥājī Karīm Khān Qājār, establishing Karimkhani Shaykhism, and those who followed Mírzá Shafī‘ of Tabriz. Crucially, it was among this climate of division and expectation that Sayyid ‘Alī Muḥammad of Shiraz, a student of Sayyid Kāẓim Rashtī, stepped forward with his own claim. He first adopted the title of the Bāb (the Door or Gate), signifying his role as the intermediary to the awaited Imam Mahdi. His teachings led to the formation of the Bábí movement, but his claims soon escalated to Mahdiism and ultimately, prophethood. Following the Báb’s execution in 1850, the first succession dispute began. About a year before his death, the Báb had designated Mírzá Yaḥyá Núrī, a young man whom he had given the title Azal, as his successor. After a brief period of discussion, the Bábís accepted Azal as their leader, who, being fearful of the government, went into hiding.

The leadership of the Bábís was, in practice, handled by Azal's elder paternal half-brother, Mírzá Ḥusayn ‘Alī, who later adopted the title Baháʼu'lláh. Following an attempt on the life of Naser al-Din Shah in 1852, Baháʼu'lláh was imprisoned and later exiled, eventually arriving in Baghdad. Baghdad became a major center for the Bábís. The second and most defining succession dispute unfolded years later in Edirne (Adrianople), where the Bábís had been transferred by the Ottoman government. Mírzá Ḥusayn ‘Alī Bahá openly declared himself to be "He Whom God Shall Make Manifest" (Man Yuẓhiruhu'lláh), the figure the Báb had foretold. This declaration was fiercely resisted by Mírzá Yaḥyá Núrī (Subh-i-Azal), leading to a bitter period of conflict wherein the two brothers and their followers publicly defamed one another. The turmoil prompted the Ottoman authorities to intervene and separate the two factions. Azal and his followers, known as Azalīs, were sent to Cyprus, while Baháʼu'lláh and his followers, who came to be known as Baháʼís, were exiled to Acre (Akka). Baháʼu'lláh would later broaden his claims to not merely be the promised figure of the Bábí movement, but also an independent Manifestation of God.

The third succession dispute began upon Baháʼu'lláh’s death in 1892. Baháʼu'lláh had appointed his eldest son, Mírzá ‘Abbás, known as ‘Abdul-Bahá, as his successor. However, this appointment was immediately contested by his younger brother, Mírzá Muhammad ‘Alí, who disagreed with how ‘Abdul-Bahá was leading the Bahá'ís. This resulted in a fresh and bitter conflict between the two. In this dispute, the brothers engaged in intense rivalry, with each trying to damage the other's reputation as much as possible. 

The fourth and final succession issue in this sequence arose following the death of ‘Abdul-Bahá in 1921. ‘Abdul-Bahá had appointed his maternal grandson, Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, as the next leader, or the Guardian of the Cause. Despite ‘Abdul-Bahá’s explicit designation, the dispute continued. Mírzá Muhammad ‘Alí and some other Baha'is questioned the succession based on interpretations of Baháʼu'lláh's writings regarding the line of succession.

(Extracted from Ahmad Kasravi's book Bahaigiri. Ahmad Kasravi was a pre-eminent Iranian historian, jurist, linguist, theologian, a staunch secularist and intellectual from Iran, died in 1946)

https://kasravi.info/ketabs/bahaigari/BAHAYIGARI%20b1.pdf

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Baha'u'llah visited a Baha'i home and found it dirty. He revealed a tablet.

O My handmaid! Know thou that We have raised up bounty itself in the form of this Tablet and sent it unto thee, that thou mayest glory therein amidst creation. We entered thine abode whilst thou wert oblivious thereof, and We perceived not from it the sweet savour of holiness. Thus doth the All-Informed apprise thee.

Cleanse ye, O people, your homes, and purify your attire from whatsoever is abhorrent unto God. Thus doth the All-Knowing admonish you. We, verily, love cleanliness in all circumstances. Beware lest ye transgress the bounds of that whereunto ye have been bidden in the Book of God, the Almighty, the All-Praised.

Áthár-i-Qalam-i-A‘lá, vol. 1 (2006 ed.), p. 404 (selection no. 151).

https://adibmasumian.com/translations/bh05195/

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‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Tablet of Visitation for Manúchihr Khán

O holder of the loftiest rank! Thou art elated amidst the Concourse on High, and thou art glorious in the Kingdom of Abhá. Thou art lauded by the tongues of the godly, and thou art praised by the mouths of the rightly guided. Well is it with whosoever hath visited thy radiant resting-place! Well is it with whosoever hath kissed thy sanctified tomb! Well is it with whosoever hath clung to thy fragrant grave! Well is it with whosoever hath inhaled the sweet scent of thy burial ground! Well is it with whosoever hath served at thy sepulcher, more redolent than the most potent musk! Well is it with whosoever kindleth a light in thine exalted courtyard!* Well is it with whosoever adorneth thy wondrous site of eternal repose! I swear by God that such a one is of them that have attained, one who shall forever abide in Paradise.

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Note: Following his death in 1847, Manúchihr Khán was interred at the Fáṭimih Ma‘ṣúmih Shrine in Qum and may still be buried there. In a Tablet to the Bahá’ís of Qum, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá has written, “From time to time, in a spirit of the utmost supplication, and with your faces turned toward God, visit the radiant grave of the Shamsu’l-Vuzará’ [Manúchihr Khán] on behalf of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and light a few candles at that sanctified tomb, inasmuch as this act resulteth in nearness to the threshold of divine grandeur” (provisional rendering mine; original Persian text published in Má’idiy-i-Ásmání, vol. 5, p. 227).

https://adibmasumian.com/translations/ab03275/

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The Baha’i Practice of Moving Graves

The following list details individuals whose remains were transferred, disinterred, reinterred, reburied, or planned to be reburied, based on Baha'i sources:

• The Báb: His sacred remains were transferred from Persia. The remains had been secretly hidden for ten years in ‘Akká in the room of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Instructions for their transfer to the Holy Land were issued by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and they arrived on January 31, 1899. They were subsequently transferred to Mount Carmel in Haifa and ceremoniously deposited (reinterred) on Naw-Rúz 1909 in the sacred sarcophagus within the exalted Shrine on Mount Carmel. Prior to their final resting place, the remains had been moved from one location to another for sixty years.

• Mírzá Mihdí (The Purest Branch): The martyred son of Bahá’u’lláh, he died in ‘Akká in 1870. His remains were originally buried outside the city walls in an Arab cemetery. He was reunited with his mother and sister. Shoghi Effendi personally carried his coffin and transferred the blessed remains to the hallowed precincts of the Shrines on Mount Carmel, where they were reinterred near the Greatest Holy Leaf on Christmas Day, December 25, 1939.

• Ásíyih Khánum (Navváb / Most Exalted Leaf / Master’s Mother): The wife of Bahá’u’lláh. She was originally buried in a Muslim cemetery near ‘Akká. After suffering the humiliation of an alien burial-ground for over half a century, Shoghi Effendi engineered the transfer of her body. Her remains were temporarily laid in state in the Báb’s Holy Tomb before being reinterred alongside her son, Mírzá Mihdí, near the resting place of the Greatest Holy Leaf on Christmas Day, December 25, 1939, on Mount Carmel.

• Mírzá Muhammad-Qulí: Bahá’u’lláh’s faithful half-brother and companion in exile. He passed away in 1910, and his remains were buried on his land at Nuqayb on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, as instructed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Due to land expropriation by the Israeli government, negotiations led to the designation of a new Bahá’í cemetery. His remains, along with eleven members of his family, were ceremoniously conveyed and reinterred in the new Bahá’í cemetery on Tel Susita on Friday, October 18, 1985.

• Eleven Members of Mírzá Muhammad-Qulí’s Family: This group included his two wives, his son Dhikr'u'llah, and other relatives. Their remains were reinterred alongside Mírzá Muhammad-Qulí on October 18, 1985, in the new Bahá’í cemetery near the Sea of Galilee.

• Mírzá Ḍíyáʼu'lláh Effendi: The younger brother of Mírzá Muḥammad ‘Alí, labelled a Covenant-breaker. He was initially buried next to his father at the Shrine of Baháʼu'lláh at the Mansion of Bahjí. His remains were later disinterred and removed from the immediate precincts of the Holy Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh, a process announced in November 1965 as the final step in the purification of sacred endowments at Bahjí from past contamination.

• Mírzá Buzurg (Father of Bahá’u’lláh): He died in 1839 and was interred in Najaf, Iraq. In 1957, his remains were located and transferred or reinterred in a Bahai cemetery in Baghdad.

• Keith Ransom-Kehler, Mírzá Muhammad-Hasan (King of Martyrs), and the Beloved of Martyrs: These three martyrs were buried in a cemetery in Isfahan, Iran, which was planned for demolition. Forough Maghzi hid their remains until they could be safely reinterred at a new location.

• Baháʼuʼlláh (Planned Transfer/Reburial): A misunderstanding existed among many Bahá’ís, including Corinne True, in late 1911 that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá intended to bring His sacred remains to be reburied beneath the Chicago Temple.

• ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (Discussed Transfer/Reburial): During the construction of the Shrine of the Báb, Shoghi Effendi noted that it was nearly impossible to transfer His remains to another place. If a transfer were necessary, the place where His remains would be temporarily reburied had to be worthy. Furthermore, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had expressed a wish to be buried under the sand between Haifa and ‘Akka, the pathway trodden by loved ones, with no marker. But, the UHJ is making a brand new shrine for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, near the Riḍván Garden in Israel with an estimated budget of $75 to $77 million, funded by donations from Bahá’ís.

• Shoghi Effendi (Planned Future Transfer): The beloved Guardian passed away in London in 1957. Although he was interred in the Great Northern Cemetery at New Southgate, the Hands of the Cause deliberately chose a specialized casket (a hermetically sealed lead coffin within a bronze casket) so that it would be possible to convey his sacred remains to the Holy Land in the future, when quick transport became available.

(Multiple sources available on bahai.works)

As to the matter of buying land to serve as the burial-place of Jináb-i-Manshádí, a definite arrangement hath been made with Áqá Aḥmad that he must purchase the land, in order that the grave of that one who hath ascended unto God may be constructed and adorned as it ought to be. Likewise did this servant, during this sojourn in Egypt, purchase a plot of land in Cairo for the late Jibrán Ṣáṣí [Gabriel Sacy], and with great difficulty bring out the coffin of that departed soul from among the deceased Christians—who were all buried in one corridor—whereafter I interred it in that most refined and immaculate plot. Áqá Aḥmad hath promised that, upon his return, he will accomplish this task.

-Abdul Baha

https://adibmasumian.com/translations/ab03107/

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Who was Baha'u'llah and how he reached Israel? -Encyclopedia Britannica

Bahāʾ Allāh (born November 12, 1817, Tehrān, Iran—died May 29, 1892, Acre, Palestine [now ʿAkko, Israel]) was the founder of the Bahāʾī Faith upon his claim to be the manifestation of the unknowable God.

Mīrzā Ḥosayn was a member of the Shīʿite branch of Islam. He subsequently allied himself with Mīrzā ʿAlī Moḥammad of Shīrāz, who was known as the Bāb (Arabic: “Gateway”) and was the head of the Bābī, a Muslim sect professing a privileged access to final truth. After the Bāb’s execution by the Iranian government for treason (1850), Mīrzā Ḥosayn joined Mīrzā Yaḥyā (also called Ṣobḥ-e Azal), his own half brother and the Bāb’s spiritual heir, in directing the Bābī movement. Mīrzā Yaḥyā later was discredited, and Mīrzā Ḥosayn was exiled by orthodox Sunnī Muslims successively to Baghdad, Kurdistan, and Constantinople (Istanbul). There, in 1863, he publicly declared himself to be the divinely chosen imām-mahdī (“rightly guided leader”), whom the Bāb had foretold. The resulting factional violence caused the Ottoman government to banish Mīrzā Ḥosayn to Acre.

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Baha-Allah

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Covenant-breakers stole papers from the room of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. They stole two cases of papers that Bahá’u’lláh had given to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

I have already explained that after the ascension of Bahá’u’lláh, Covenant-breakers stole papers from the room of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. They stole two cases of papers that Bahá’u’lláh had given to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. They literally did this at a time when ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was not in His room and was washing the body of Bahá’u’lláh. Those documents are probably still in the possession of the descendants of the Covenant-breakers. We do not know if we will ever recover them. Even if we did, they may not be reliable. Muḥammad-‘Alí is known to have corrupted texts. His brother, Badí‘u’lláh, wrote a confession that mentioned that he had seen his brother corrupt texts. In my own personal opinion, even if they were found, I don’t think we could trust them. However, the final decision, as I stated, rests with the House of Justice.

(‘Alí Nakhjávání in Shoghi Effendi: The Range and Power of his pen)

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Druze is a cult established by a Tailor from Persia

...the Master said: "A few hundred years ago, Darz'i, a tailor, came from Persia to Syria, where he established the Druze cult. 'Druze' is a corruption of the word 'Darzi'"

(The Chosen Highway by Lady Sarah Louisa Blomfield, p 195)

https://bahai-library.com/blomfield_chosen_highway&chapter=3/#5

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Muhammad's covenant

Muhammad named ‘Ali, His cousin and son-in-law, to succeed Him. A few months before His passing in June, 632, whilst on the road to Medina from His last pilgrimage to Mecca, He halted at an oasis and had a pulpit raised with saddles. This He ascended and had ‘Ali up so that he could be seen by the multitudes. To them He said in plain terms that whosoever had recognized and accepted Him as their Master, should recognize and accept ‘Ali likewise. But no sooner had He left this world than controversy broke out as to who should succeed Him. ‘Ali and the immediate members of the Prophet’s family were left to attend to His funeral, while the people gathered at the Prophet’s mosque to wrangle over the succession. Those who were from Mecca, who first gave their allegiance to Muhammad, had suffered greatly for their faith and had migrated from their city, becoming known as the Muhajirin (the Emigrants). In a country of tribal divisions and intense loyalty to the clan, the Muhajirin felt that they were entitled to distinction, because they were chiefly of the Quraysh, Muhammad’s own people, and the traditional custodians of the holy sanctuary of Ka‘bih, venerated in the days of idolatry, and sanctified as well in Islam. On the other hand there were the Ansar (the Helpers), inhabitants of Medina who had accepted Islam when its fortunes were at a very low ebb, had given refuge to the Prophet and His Meccan followers, thus endangering their own security and that of their wives and children and property by inviting the enmity of the ferocious, irate and revenge-seeking idolaters of Mecca, as well as that of the hostile tribes and clans around them. They now claimed the chieftainship of Islam.

The veterans amongst the Muhajirin, of whom the most outstanding was the aged Abu-Bakr—the third person to believe in Muhammad, His father-in-law, and His companion in the flight from Mecca to Medina—were greatly perturbed, because they thought that should a man of Medina be put at the head of Islam the proud Meccans would refuse to submit, and the unity forged by the Prophet would be irreparably impaired. They all ignored the fact that Muhammad had already named His successor. But ‘Ali was young. These men were rich in years, renowned and honoured. The body of the Prophet lay unburied whilst they argued and argued in His mosque about His successor. Finally ‘Umar presented the venerable Abu-Bakr to the multitude as the viceregent of the Prophet, and he himself was the first to pay homage and declare his allegiance to Abu-Bakr. Others followed suit. Only a handful refrained. But they too eventually submitted when ‘Ali bowed to the inevitable and swore fealty to the Caliph.

Arabia was once again ablaze. Tribe after tribe was reverting to idolatry. ‘Ali would not countenance any contention at the very heart of Islam at such a perilous time. Abu-Bakr was a man of piety and integrity, but the seat which he occupied truly belonged to ‘Ali by the Prophet’s prescription. But ‘Ali would not assert his rightful claim when Islam was compelled to fight desperately for its very life, assailed as it was on all sides by dark forces of reaction, as well as by the rise of false prophets (amongst whom incidentally was a woman). Islam triumphed over the faithless hordes who would have reverted back to barbarism, and soon Arabia was once more united under the banner of Islam, ready and poised to challenge the might of the Byzantine and the Persian Sassanid empires.

But the expressed wish and command of the Prophet had been discarded, His Covenant lay in the dust. By the time that ‘Ali, the true successor, was acclaimed Caliph, after Abu-Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthman, the unity of Islam had been irretrievably shattered and the way paved for the disastrous and irreligious rule of the Umayyids, Muhammad’s traditional enemies. ‘Ali the righteous, of incorruptible nature, high virtue, sound governance, soaring eloquence, profound learning, the Prophet’s Own appointee, was compelled to spend the three short years of his rule containing rebellion and the vaulting ambitions of powerful men who cared nothing for the divine commonwealth founded by Muhammad, but only for their own assumption of power.

(Baha'u'llah - a brief life by H. M. Balyuzi, Page 120)

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Muslim and Jewish messianic pretenders who attracted followers from both the Islamic and Jewish community

Later Muslim and Jewish messianic pretenders who attracted followers from both the Islamic and Jewish community appeared in Yemen (partly Ottoman), around the time when the Bab appeared as the Mahdi and Baha'u'llah claimed to be the Messiah. Two of the Yemenites claimants, Faqih Sa'id (1840) and Sharif Isma'il (1846), were Muslims and proclaimed that they were 'mahdis' who would restore Islam, drive out the 'infidel' British from Aden and hasten the decline of the Ottoman Empire in an apocalyptic process. In the middle of the nineteenth century Yemen was tense with messianic anticipations that included the Jews. It culminated in the appearance of two claimants to a Jewish messiahship, Shukr Kuhayl I (Shukr ben Salim Kuhayl, 1861-1865), the 'resurrected' Shukr Kuhayl II (Yehuda bar Shalom, 1868 - 1875), and the messianic herald Yosef 'Abdallah (1888 - 1895). The first two appeared in 'one of the most politically unstable periods in the history of Yemen, one in which chaos and insecurity prevailed and the central government was unable to function' and the third was active under a more stable Ottoman government. All three preached the 'End of Time ' and near redemption from the enemies. Shukr Kuhayl II was the most organised and had the greatest success.

Although not Shi'i, one of the best known among the Muslim 'mahdis' is the Sudanese popular religious leader Muhammad Ahmad (1844 - 1885). Having travelled in areas neighbouring Sudan, he realised that people were discontent with the rule of the Ottoman-Egyptians and the British. He also sensed a messianic expectation among the masses demonstrated by the wish that the awaited Mahdi would save them. In 1881 Muhammad Ahmad proclaimed himself as the Mahdi and defied the usurpers. He died in 1885 after the fall of Khartoum in that same year but his Mahdist regime ruled Sudan until the Anglo-Egyptian rule was re-established in 1898. This was a national revolution and an Islamic revivalist movement that challenged not only the West but at the same time the authority of the Ottoman Sultan and probably had the potential to unify the Arab Muslims under the Ottomans against the established order.

(Dissent and Heterodoxy in the Late Ottoman Empire - Reformers, Babis and Baha'is by Necati Alkan, Page 39)

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the Faith and its institutions had been banned by special order of the Reichsfuhrer Himmler in Germany.

In 1936, Nazism, so inimical to everything the Baha’i Faith stands for, gripped Germany in its hideous fist, and by the next year the Faith and its institutions had been banned by special order of the Reichsfuhrer Himmler. Baha’i books were confiscated, including those in personal libraries, and some meetings were proscribed. The Gestapo made so-called domiciliary visits to Baha’i homes, questioning Baha’is for hours, menacing them with pistols. A Dresden Baha’i spent six months in prison because a Baha’i prayer was found in his possession. Bulgaria allied itself with the Nazis and was a center of German espionage. Nevertheless, at the Guardian’s suggestion, Marion visited the German Baha’is in 1937. It was the last time she ever left Bulgaria.

(A Love Which Does Not Wait, by Janet Ruhe-Schoen, p 276)

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