The Báb: On May 23, 1844, in
Shiraz, Persia, a young man known as the Báb announced the
imminent appearance of the Messenger of God awaited by all the
peoples of the world. The title Báb means "the Gate." Although
Himself the bearer of an independent revelation from God, the
Báb declared that His purpose was to prepare mankind for this
advent.
Swift and savage persecution at the hands of the dominant Muslim
clergy followed this announcement. The Báb was arrested, beaten,
imprisoned, and finally on July 9, 1850 was executed in the
public square of the city of Tabriz. Some 20,000 of His
followers perished in a series of massacres throughout Persia.
Today, the majestic building with the golden dome, overlooking
the Bay of Haifa, Israel, and set amidst beautiful gardens, is
the Shrine where the Báb's earthly remains are entombed.
Founder of the Bahá'í Faith: Born in 1817, Bahá'u'lláh
was a member of one of the great patrician families of Persia.
The family could trace its lineage to the ruling dynasties of
Persia's imperial past, and was endowed with wealth and vast
estates. Turning His back on the position at court which these
advantages offered Him, Bahá'u'lláh became known for His
generosity and kindliness which made Him deeply loved among His
countrymen.
This privileged position did not long survive Bahá'u'lláh's
announcement of support for the message of the Báb . Engulfed in
the waves of violence unleashed upon the Bábís after the Báb's
execution Bahá'u'lláh suffered not only the loss of all His
worldly endowments but was subjected to imprisonment, torture,
and a series of banishments. The first was to Baghdad where, in
1863, He announced Himself as the One promised by the Báb. From
Baghdad, Bahá'u'lláh was sent to Constantinople, to Adrianople,
and finally to Acre, in the Holy Land, where He arrived as a
prisoner in 1868.
From Adrianople and later from Acre, Bahá'u'lláh addressed a
series of letters to the rulers of His day that are among the
most remarkable documents in religious history. They proclaimed
the coming unification of humanity and the emergence of a world
civilization.
The kings, emperors, and presidents of the nineteenth century
were called upon to reconcile their differences, curtail their
armaments, and devote their energies to the establishment of
universal peace.
Bahá'u'lláh passed away at Bahjí, just north of Acre, and is
buried there. His teachings had already begun to spread beyond
the confines of the Middle East, and His Shrine is today the
focal point of the world community which these teachings have
brought into being.
`Abdu'l-Bahá: From earliest childhood, `Abbas Effendi,
the eldest son of Bahá'u'lláh , shared His father's sufferings
and banishments. He took as His title `Abdu'l-Bahá, the "servant
of Bahá." Bahá'u'lláh appointed Him the one authorized
interpreter of the Bahá'í teachings and as Head of the Faith
after His own passing. In `Abdu'l-Bahá was seen a perfect
example of the Bahá'í way of life.
While `Abdu'l-Bahá was still a prisoner of the Ottomans the
first Bahá'í pilgrims from the western world arrived in Acre in
1898. After His release in 1908, `Abdu'l-Bahá set out on a
series of journeys which, in 1911-1913, took Him to Europe and
America. There He proclaimed Bahá'u'lláh's message of unity and
social justice to church congregations, peace societies, the
members of trade unions, university faculties, journalists,
government officials, and many public audiences.
`Abdu'l-Bahá passed away in 1921, having consolidated the
foundations of the Bahá'í Faith and greatly expanded its reach.
The northern rooms of the Shrine of the Báb, where He is
interred, are a place of pilgrimage for Bahá'ís visiting the
World Centre of their Faith.
The Guardianship:`Abdu'l-Bahá in His Will and Testament
appointed His grandson, Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, Guardian of the
Bahá'í Faith and interpreter of its teachings. Shoghi Effendi
served until his death in 1957. During these thirty-six years
the Guardian translated many of the writings of Bahá'u'lláh and
`Abdu'l-Bahá into English, expounded their meanings, encouraged
the establishment of local and national Bahá'í institutions, and
guided a series of plans aimed at diffusing Bahá'í ideals
throughout the world.
In the Holy Land, the Guardian's enduring memorial is the
magnificent setting he created for the World Centre of the
Bahá'í Faith. The completion of the Shrine of the Báb was his
work as was the construction of the International Bahá'í
Archives building. It was also Shoghi Effendi who designed and
laid out the beautiful gardens at Bahjí and on the slopes of
Mount Carmel.
The Universal House of Justice, ordained by Bahá'u'lláh
as the legislative authority in the Bahá'í Faith, came into
existence in 1963. It is a nine-member body elected at five-year
intervals by the entire membership of the national governing
institutions of the Bahá'í world.
The House of Justice directs the spiritual and administrative
affairs of the Bahá'í International Community. It serves, as
well, as custodian and trustee of the Bahá'í Holy Places and
other properties in the Holy Land. Endowed by Bahá'u'lláh with
the authority to legislate on all matters not specifically laid
down in the Bahá'í scriptures, the House of Justice is the
institution that keeps the Bahá'í community abreast of an
ever-changing world.
History of the Bahá'í Faith in
India: The history of the Bahá'í Faith
in India started with the inception of the Faith in Iran when
the Báb (literally, the Gate) inaugurated a new era in the
history of the human race. The Báb Himself had appointed one of
the Indian believers as the 'Letter of Living' in 1844-45, the
first year of His Ministry. Since then, India is spiritually
connected with the Bahá’i Faith.
As foretold by the Báb, the Promised One of all ages and
peoples, Bahá’u’lláh (literally the Glory of God) revealed
Himself in 1863. He, Himself, dispatched one of the
distinguished Bahá'í teachers, Jamal Effendi, to teach the Cause
of God in the years 1874-75. Jamal Effendi (left) travelled to
many States and was successful in attracting many learned people
and few Navaabs (ruler of the states) including the Navaab of
Rampur State (now in U.P.) to the Faith. One young man who
accepted was Syed Mustafa Roumi who later became distinguished
in his manifold services and was appointed as a Hand of the
Cause of God. Some of them accepted Bahá’u’lláh as the Universal
Manifestation of God whose advent has been prophesied in all the
Holy Scriptures. The other teachers who came to India during
Bahá’u’lláh's Ministry included Mishkin Qalam, the distinguished
Bahá'í Calligrapher. A series of teachers from the East and the
West continued visiting India and travelling throughout the
country during the time of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (literally, the Servant
of Bahá), the much-loved Master of the Bahá'í Faith. Prominent
among them were Mirza Mahram and Mirza Mahmud Zarqani.
First Hindu Background Bahá'í
 Narayenrao
Rangnath Shethji is believed to be the first Baha'i from Hindu
Background. Better known as Vakil, was born in a well-known
Hindu family in Nawsari. He learnt about the Bahá'í Faith from
Mirzá Mahram. To him giving the Message of Bahá'u'lláh to others
was an essential duty. He became a Bahá'í in 1909.
Mr. Vakil became a graduate in Law, of the Bombay University in
1911. He was an advocate of the Bombay High Court and one of the
senior lawyers of Surat. People came from different towns and
cities for his advice and benefited from his services. He was
always fair towards his opponents.
The most important event in his life was his pilgrimage to the
Holy Land where he met the Master, 'Abdu'l-Bahá. He said to
Vakil "you will be eternally confirmed." He was elected chairman
of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India and
Burma in 1923. He always set aside a portion of his income for
the Cause. He helped to deepen the understanding of his fellow
believers or giving the Message to others. He passed away on 2nd
May 1943.
First Sikh Background Bahá'í
 Professor
Pritam Singh is believed to be the first member of the Sikh
community in India to accept the Bahá'í Faith, and the first to
publish a Bahá'í weekly magazine in India. He was born on
November 16th, 1881, in Punjab.
Prof. Pritam Singh obtained his B. A. degree in History,
Economics and Political Science with distinction. In 1905, he
became a teacher in Achison College, Lahore. He received his
Master's degree in Economics from the university of Calcutta. He
was appointed Professor of Economics and joined the University
of Punjab. He was a Linguist and knew Hindi, Urdu, Gurmukhi,
Persian and English.
He received the message of Bahá'u'lláh from Mirzá Mahmud soon
after his graduation in 1904. He undertook teaching trips alone,
and with Ms Martha Root and Dr. G. Y. Chitnis. He resigned from
his profession to work for the Cause of God. He had simple
habits. For the last few years of his life he pioneered to
Amritsar where there were no other Bahá'ís at that time. He was
one of the earliest secretaries of the National Spiritual
Assembly of India and Burma. He passed away peacefully in his
sleep on August 25th, 1959. |
