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Chronology of the Bahá'í Faith

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Date 1892, descending sort earliest first

date event tags firsts
1892 20 Dec
189-
Ibrahim Kheiralla arrived in New York. [AB65; BBD129; BFA1:26; SSBH1:88; AY111]
  • See BFA1p13-84 for Kheiralla's life, work for the Bahá'í Faith and defection.
  • Ibrahim George Kheiralla; New York, USA; United States (USA)
    1892 19 Dec
    189-
    Mirza Abu'l-Fadl Gulpaygani, at the request of Alexander Tumansky, wrote a treatise for him, Risáliy-i Iskandaríyyh. It was a major work which provided a brief summary of the life of Bahá'u'lláh, as well as unique information on the controversial Bábí histories Táríkh-i Jadíd and Naqtatu'l-Káf. There was the courageous defense of the Bahá'í Faith that Abú'l Fadl was able to publish in the Egyptian press, the first article of its kind. It has been published in Mírzá Abu'l-Faḍl; Letters and Essays 1886-1913 translated by Juan Ricardo Cole. Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl; Alexander Tumansky; Taríkh-i-Jadíd (New History)
    1892 29 Sep
    189-
    Russian Orientalist, Baron Viktor Romanovich Rosen (1849–1908), at a meeting of the Oriental Section of the Imperial Russian Archaeological Society in St. Petersburg, read a paper written by a junior colleague and former student, Aleksandr Grigor'evich Tumanski (1861–1920). He was a Russian soldier and orientalist who took a close interest in the Bahá'ís and spent some time in the Bahá'í community in Ashkhabad. He published the text and a translation of the Kitab-i-Aqdas as well as a number of papers.
  • In 1893 the author published this document in the original Persian, with Russian translation, together with a eulogy composed by the celebrated Bahá'í poet, Mírzá 'Alí-Ashraf-i Laehíjání, known by his sobriquet, Andalíb ('Nightingale'; d. 1920). Since 'Andalíb was an eyewitness to the events he describes, his eulogy may be treated as a historical source. Tumanski's scholarly publication of the Kitáb-i 'Ahdí in the Proceedings of the Oriental Department of the Imperial Russian Archaeological Society. [The 1893 Russian Publication of Baha'u'llah's Last Will and Testament: An Academic Attestation of 'Abdu'l-Baha's Successorship by Christopher Buck and Youli A. Ioannesyan; Baha'i Studies Review 19 (cover date, 2013; publication date, 2017)] iiiii
  • Baron Rosen; Alexander Tumansky; Andalib (poet); St. Petersburg, Russia; Russia
    1892 3 Sep
    189-
    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]
  • Nabil-i-Azam; Suicide; - Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh; Births and deaths; Cemeteries and graves; In Memoriam; Akka, Israel; Zarand, Iran; Sava, Iran; Baghdad, Iraq; Karbala, Iraq; Cairo, Egypt; Edirne, Turkey; Turkey
    1892 5 Jul
    189-
    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.
  • For a brief biography see "Nabil-e aʿzam Zaranadi, Mollā Mohammad," by Vahid Rafati, Encyclopædia Iranica
  • 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); * Bahá'u'lláh, Writings of; - Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh; Hands of the Cause, referred to as such by `Abdu'l-Bahá; Bukhara, Uzbekistan; Uzbekistan; Naw-Firist, Iran; Iran
    1892 Summer
    189-
    Áqá Murtadá of Sarvistán, who had been in prison for five years, was executed in Shíráz. [BW18:384] Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; Aqa Murtada; Sarvestan, Iran; Shíráz, Iran; Iran
    1892 (Summer)
    189-
    Anton Haddad arrived in New York from Cairo via Alexandria. He, with Ibrahim Kheiralla, had planned to market Kheiralla's patented invention, a ticket with space for advertising, in time for the World's Columbian Exposition. Kheiralla would following him after an unsuccessful attempt to sell another invention in Russia and then in Germany.

    Anton Haddad was the first Bahá'í to arrive in the New World. [BFA1p26]

    Anton Haddad; New York City, NY the first Bahá'í to arrive in the New World.
    1892 summer
    189-
    `Abdu'l-Bahá went to Haifa and Mount Carmel and isolated Himself in a small apartment in the stone building west of the lower cave of Elijah. [DH59, 188] * `Abdu'l-Bahá (chronology); Cave of Elijah; Elijah (Prophet); Mount Carmel; Haifa, Israel
    1892 (In the year)
    189-
    Soon after the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh the Covenant-breakers led by Mírzá Muhammad-'Alí, on the pretext that he had been unfaithful to Bahá'u'áh, plotted to murder Mírzá 'Aqá Ján. Their real motive however, was to gain control of his property. Mírzá 'Aqá Ján, upon hearing of the plot, went to 'Abdu'l-Bahá, begged for forgiveness for his misdeeds and took refuge in His house. [CoB184] Mírzá Aqa Jan (Khadimu'lláh); Mírzá Muhammad Ali; Covenant-breaking; Akka, Israel
    1892 19 Jun
    189-
    Anton Haddad departed Cairo en route to the United States. [An Outline of the Bahá'í Movement in the United States: A sketch of its promulgator [Ibrahim Kheiralla] and why afterwards denied his Master, Abbas Effendi by Anton Haddad]
  • He was probably the first Bahá'í to reach American soil. [BFA1:26]
  • He produced some of the earliest Bahá'í material to be published in English, including translations of the Writings including the Kitáb-i-Aqdas which was unpublished. He reportedly did not remain a member of the Bahá'í community but returned to Lebanon and became a Protestant minister. He passed away in 'Ayn-Zhalta in 1924. [Bahaipedia]
  • Anton Haddad; Ibrahim George Kheiralla; Cairo, Egypt; Egypt; United States (USA); North America; Ayn-Zhalta, Lebanon; Lebanon first Baha'i to reach North America
    1892 16 Jun
    189-
    `Abdu'l-Bahá sent a message to the Bahá'ís of the world calling for steadfastness. [AB48–9; DH113]
  • This was `Abdu'l-Bahá's first message to the Bahá'í world. [AB48–9; CH110]
  • For the text of the message see AB48–9, CH110–11, DH113 and SWAB17–18.
  • * `Abdu'l-Bahá, Writings and talks of; * `Abdu'l-Bahá (chronology); Bahá'u'lláh, Ascension of; * Bahá'í World Centre First message of `Abdu'l-Bahá
    1892 7 Jun
    189-
    On the ninth day after Bahá'u'lláh's passing the Will and Testament of Bahá'u'lláh, the Kitáb-i-`Ahd (The Crimson Book) was read at Bahjí before a large assembly in His Most Holy Tomb. [AB51–2; BBD132; CB150; DH113; GPB238; RB4:419–20, BKG420-425]
  • In it Bahá'u'lláh explicitly appointed `Abdu'l-Bahá His successor, the Centre of the Covenant and the Expounder of the revealed word. [BKG420; GPB239]
  • The Kitab-i-'Ahd (The Book of the Covenant), was only document that explicitly announced 'Abdu'l-Bahá as the Centre of the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh and the one to whom all must turn after His ascension. It was published among the believers only after Bahá'u'lláh's passing. This historic document was probably written at least one year before His ascension, for it is alluded to in the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf as the 'Crimson Book'. Bahá'u'lláh kept His Will and Testament secret, retained it in His own possession and did not share its contents with anyone during His lifetime. But there is evidence to suggest that He had intimated its contents to 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [CoCp29]
  • See CB150, 164 for the effect this had on the believers.
  • Kitáb-i-Ahd (Book of the Covenant); Bahá'u'lláh, Will and Testament of; * Bahá'u'lláh, Writings of; Bahá'u'lláh, Shrine of; Bahá'u'lláh, Ascension of; - Basic timeline, Condensed; - Basic timeline, Expanded; * `Abdu'l-Bahá, Basic timeline; * `Abdu'l-Bahá (chronology); Covenant; Crimson Book; Crimson; Bahji, Israel
    1892 (In the year)
    189-
    `Abdu'l-Bahá rented the house now known as the Pilgrim House (or the "Tea House") at Bahjí from its Christian owner Iskandar Hawwá', the husband of `Údí Khammár's daughter Haní. [DH114, 226] * `Abdu'l-Bahá (chronology); Pilgrim Houses; Pilgrim house, Bahji; Tea House; Udi Khammar; - Bahá'í World Centre buildings, monuments and gardens; * Bahá'í World Centre; Bahji, Israel
    1892 (After the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh)
    189-
    `Abdu'l-Bahá asked Nabíl-i-Azam to choose a number of passages from the writings of Bahá'u'lláh to be used as a tablet of visitation. Nabil selected four passages and composed the text which is known as the Ziārat-nāma. This Tablet is also used at observances commemorating the Martyrdom of the Báb. [BBD234; BKG427; GPB222; RB4:419, "Nabil-e aʿzam Zaranadi, Mollā Mohammad," by Vahid Rafati, Encyclopædia Iranica]
  • For an analysis of this Tablet, see SA121–2.
  • Nabil-i-Azam; Tablets of Visitation; Bahji, Israel
    1892 29 May
    189-
    At the time of His passing Bahá'u'lláh left approximately 50,000 believers scattered in Iran and other Middle Eastern countries (ʿAbd-al-Bahāʾ, Majmūʿa-ye makātīb, Tehran, 1975, no. 13, photocopied ms., p. 3)". [BAHAISM v. The Bahai Community in Iran by V. Rafati]
  • From 'Abdu'l-Bahá, "...at the time of Bahá'u'lláh's ascension, more than two hundred thousand souls had taken shelter beneath His blessed shadow and had attained the station of certitude." Twelve table talks given by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in 'Akká in the selection entitled (Christ and Bahá'u'lláh).
  • The Faith had spread to 15 countries. [MBW61]
    • These countries were: Iraq, Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Burma, Egypt, Georgia, India, Israel (Palestine), Lebanon, Pakistan, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, and Turkmenistan. [Patheos website]
  • Statistics; Azerbaijan
    1892 29 May
    189-
    Shoghi Effendi in his book God Passes By describes Bahà'u'lláh's life in terms of four phases.

      Part 1: Bahà'u'lláh's childhood and youth which spanned the year 1817 through 1844, a twenty-seven year period "Characterized by the carefree enjoyment of all the advantages conferred by high birth and riches, and by an unfailing solicitude for the interests of the poor, the sick and the downtrodden."
      Part 2: From 1844 to 1853, a period "of active and exemplary discipleship" in the service of the Báb.
      Part 3: The four month period of Bahà'u'lláh's imprisonment in the Síyáh Chál in 1853 "overshadowed throughout by mortal peril, embittered by agonizing sorrows, and immortalized, as it drew to a close, by the sudden eruption of the forces released by an overpowering, soul-revolutionizing Revelation."
      Part 4: Bahà'u'lláh's thirty-year ministry from 1853 through to 1892, during which, as He endured three exiles, His afflictions intensified as the orb of His revelation rose to its zenith. He withstood the opposition of potentates, clergy, the corruption of officials, the cowardice and betrayal of His brother and others. All the while this contrasted sharply to the dignity, the courage and the uprightness that characterized His conduct. [GBP107]
    * Bahaullah (chronology); - Basic timeline, Expanded; * Bahá'u'lláh, Basic timeline
    1892 29 May
    189-
    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.
  • Bahá'u'lláh, Ascension of; * Bahaullah (chronology); Holy days; Sultán `Abdu'l-Hamid; Covenant-breaking; Covenant; Qiblih; - Basic timeline, Condensed; - Basic timeline, Expanded; * Bahá'u'lláh, Basic timeline; * `Abdu'l-Bahá, Basic timeline; * `Abdu'l-Bahá (chronology); In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Boxes containing Writings; Boxes; Seals; Obligatory prayer; - Missing, lost or destroyed Writings; Bahji, Israel
    1877 - 1892
    189-
    See Bibliography for the Tablets of Baha'u'llah: List of citations and resources for Tablets revealed 1877-1892 compiled by Jonah Winters.
  • See also Notes and Commentary on the Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh: Wilmette Institute study materials by Jonah Winters.
  • * Bahá'u'lláh, Writings of
    1892 c. 24 May
    189-
    Bahá'u'lláh called all the believers and many pilgrims to His bedside for their last audience with Him. [GPB222] House of Bahá'u'lláh (Bahji); Bahá'u'lláh, Ascension of; Pilgrims; Bahji, Israel
    1892 8 May
    189-
    Bahá'u'lláh contracted a slight fever. [GPB221]
  • See RB4:414–17 for the progress of this illness.
  • House of Bahá'u'lláh (Bahji); * Bahaullah (chronology); Bahá'u'lláh, Ascension of; Bahji, Israel
    1892 Prior to the passing of Bahá'u´lláh
    189-
    During the lifetime of Bahá'u'lláh Muhammad Ali made two trips to India for seditious purposes. With the help of Nazir, he plotted to prepare the way to become the leader of the Cause after the departure of Bahá'u'lláh. Bahá'u'lláh was well aware of these plans as is testified by many Tablets especially by the Revelation of the Book of His Covenant prior to His ascension. In this book, He clearly appointed 'Abdu'l-Bahá as the One to whom all, including the Branches, were to turn for light and guidance. [SUR247] Mírzá Muhammad Ali; Covenant-breaking; Nazir; Akka, Israel
    1892 (About 2 mos before 29 May)
    189-
    Close to the end of His life Bahá'u'lláh became displeased with Mírzá Àqá Ján and dismissed him from His service. He had served as His servant, with the title of Khádim (Servant) and later Khádimu'lláh (Servant of God) as well as His amanuensis and companion for almost forty years [CoB182; MBBA71] Mírzá Aqa Jan (Khadimu'lláh); Covenant-breaking; Akka, Israel
    1892 (In the year)
    189-
    Mu'tuminu's-Saltanih was poisoned in Tihrán on the orders of Násiri'd-Dín Sháh. [BW18:384] Mutuminus-Saltanih; Nasirid-Din Sháh; Assassinations; Tehran, Iran; Iran
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