Guest Author - Sandy Mullins

At dawn, on November 12 in 1817 in Tehran, Persia (Iran) was the birth Mirza Husayn ‘Ali who would later become known to the world as Baha’u’llah. Mirza Husayn ‘Ali was born of a noble family in the province of Nur (light) his father Mirza Buzurg was in the court of the Shah. Mirza Husayn ‘Ali (from here on referred to as Baha’u’llah) descended from Sasaniyan kings of Persia and Zoroaster (a Manifestation of God) fulfilling the belief that the great Redeemer of Mankind would be a pure Persian blood Baha’u’llah was also a descendant from Abraham (a Manifestation of God) and his third wife Katurah.

At the age of nineteen years, Baha’u’llah married Asiyih Khanum, also of noble birth. Their marriage brought forth seven children. Two of the three surviving children were ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Greatest Holy Leaf) and Mirza Mihdi (the Purest Branch).

Baha’u’llah was a follower of the Bab (the leader of the Badi religion and precursor to the Baha’i Faith) and spent time in the notorious “Black Pit” (Siyah-Chal) in Persia and after his release spent 40 years in exile, imprisonment, and persecution.

Baha’u’llah wrote to world leaders such as Napoleon III, Queen Victoria, Kaiser Wilhelm I, Tzar Alexander II of Russia, Emperor Franz Joseph, Pop Pius IX, Sultan Abdul-Aziz, and the Persian ruler Nasiri’d-Din Shah.

In the late 1860's Baha’u’llah, his family and followers moved to Acre and during the late 1870's were finally allowed to move outside this his final city of exile, Acre. Baha’u’llah wrote his most important tablet while at Acre called the Kitab-i-Aqdas (the Most Holy Book) which lays out the essential laws and principles observed by Baha’is.

On May 29, 1892, Baha’u’llah passed away. His remains have been laid to rest in a garden room off the restored mansion called Bahji. It is the most holy place on earth.

Baha’is worldwide will gather together to celebrate and observe the Birth of Baha’u’llah. Work and school, is general suspended in observance of this Holy Day, the Birth of Baha’u’llah on November 12th.

For more information on the Baha'i Faith please check Baha'i Links