| 1932 (In the year) |
Shoghi Effendi's translation of Nabíl's Narrative entitled The Dawn-Breakers was published. Maṭāleʿ al-anwār, as Nabíl's word was entitled, was the most authentic and the main primary source on the early history of the Bábí movement in Iran, was regarded by the Bahá'ís as the definitive account of the Bāb's dispensation. The work has been translated into many languages, and it has played a major role in familiarizing the Bahá'ís around the world with the historical background of their faith and helping them understand its link to the socio-religious climate of the Persian society in the early days of its development. The original Persian manuscript of Maṭāleʿ al-anwār, has been preserved at the International Bahá'í Archives in Haifa. It is comprised 1,014 pages of 22-24 lines.["Nabil-e aʿzam Zaranadi, Mollā Mohammad," by Vahid Rafati, Encyclopædia Iranica, GBF91; PP215]
Shoghi Effendi's translation covered only the first part of Nabil's manuscript, up to 1852, and it may have been an abridgement. The original covered up until the time of the book's completion in 1890. [RR425]
The work took him two years of research. [PP217]
He sent Effie Baker to Iran to take photographs for the book. [PP217]
For George Townshend's assistance to the project see GT59, 60, 64–9.
For Shoghi Effendi's purpose in translating and editing the book see WOB123.
See also BBD64; GBF913 PP215–18.
In the "Acknowledgement" Shoghi Effendi credited Lady Blomfield for her suggestions, "an English correspondent for his help in the preparation of the Introduction, Mrs E Hoagg for typing the manuscript and Effie Baker for the photographs. [DB page lxi]
See RR422-440 for other historical accounts that might be used as source documents for the Bábí-Bahá'í history.
See Mary Maxwell's article The Re-florescence of Historical Romance in Nabil. [BW5p595]
See Shoghi Effendi: The Range and Power of His Pen by 'Ali Nakhjavani p82 for information on the writing of The Dawn-Breakers. |
Shoghi Effendi, Life of; Shoghi Effendi, Translations by; Nabil-i-Azam; Dawn-Breakers (book); Effie Baker; George Townshend; * Publications; * Translation; Lady Blomfield (Sara Lousia Ryan, Sara Blomfield, Sitarih Khanum); Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; Shoghi Effendi, Works of |
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