A Bahá'í Glossary
__________
 A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R   S   T   U   V   W   X   Y   Z 
 About     Appellations     Bibliographies     Calendars   Chronology     Contact   
 Diacritic Guide      Houses of Worship      Numbers      Pronunciation Guide      Site Map 
__________
Bahá'í Chronology - The Ministry of Báb - 4 B.E. (A.D. 1847-1848)
___________________
< 3 B.E. | 5 B.E. >
___________________
[ 21 Articles ]
• Jamál 1 Bahá 4 B.E.
• Yawm al-Aḥad 3 Rabī' ath-thānī
   A.H. 1263
• Sunday 21 March A.D. 1847
• Yom Rishon 4 Nissan A.M. 5607
En route to Ṭihrán the Báb spends three nights in Kás̲h̲án in the home of Ḥájí Mírzá Jání, a noted resident of that city who had realized in a dream that the Báb would be his guest. [B118; DB217-22]
__________ __________
• Jamál 8 Bahá 4 B.E.
• Yawm al-Aḥad 10 Rabī' ath-thānī
   A.H. 1263
• Sunday 28 March A.D. 1847
• Yom Rishon 11 Nissan A.M. 5607
The Báb and His escort arrive at the fortress of Kinár-Gird, 28 miles from Ṭihrán. Muḥammad Big, the head of the escort, receives a message from Ḥájí Mírzá Áqásí, the prime minister, telling him to take the Báb to Kulayn to await further instructions. [B119; DB225-6; GPB16]
__________ __________
• Kamál 9 Bahá 4 B.E.
• Yawm al-Ithnayn 11 Rabī' ath-thānī
   A.H. 1263
• Monday 29 March A.D. 1847
• Yom Sheni 12 Nissan A.M. 5607
The Báb arrives in Kulayn where He stays for 20 days. [B120; DB227; TN11]
__________ __________
• Bahá / `Izzat 4 B.E.
• Rabī' ath-thānī / Rajab A.H. 1263
• Spring / Summer A.D. 1847
• Nissan / Tishri A.M. 5607
Ṭáhirih's activities in Iraq so alarm some Bábís of Kázimayn that they agitate against her. Siyyid `Alí Bis̲h̲r writes to the Báb in Máh-Kú on their behalf. The Báb replies praising Ṭáhirih, causing the Kázimayn Bábís to withdraw from the Faith. [B 163]
  • Among those Ṭáhirih meets in Bag̲h̲dád is Ḥakím Masíḥ, a Jewish doctor who years later becomes the first Bahá'í of Jewish background. [B165]
  • Ṭáhirih is sent back to Persia by Najíb Pás̲h̲á. She is accompanied by a number of Bábís; they make a number of stops along the way, enrolling supporters for the Cause of the Báb. [B163-4; BBRSM216]
  • Ma'ani says Ṭáhirih left Bag̲h̲dád early in 1847.
  • In Kirand 1,200 people are reported to have volunteered to follow her. [B164; DB272; TN20]
  • B164 says the number is 12,000; DB272 says it was 1,200.
  • In Kirmáns̲h̲áh she is respectfully received by the `ulamá. [B164; DB272]
  • Ṭáhirih arrives in Hamadán. Her father has sent her brothers here to persuade her to return to her native city of Qazvín. She agrees on condition that she may remain in Hamadán long enough to tell people about the Báb. [B165; DB273]
  • MF180 says Ṭáhirih remained in Hamadán for two months.
__________ __________
• Bahá / Jamál 4 B.E.
• Rabī' ath-thānī / Jumādá al-ūlá
  A.H. 1263
• April A.D. 1847
• Nissan / Iyar A.M. 5607
The Báb receives a courteous message from the S̲h̲áh, who, on the advice of his prime minister, Ḥájí Mírzá Áqásí, assigns Him to the fortress of Máh-Kú in the province of ád̲h̲arbáyján. The Báb is taken to Máh-Kú via Tabríz. [B121-2, 124; DB229-32; GPB16; TN11-12]
__________ __________
• Istijlál 12 Bahá 4 B.E.
• Yawm al-Khamīs 14 Rabī' ath-thānī
   A.H. 1263
• Thursday 1 April A.D. 1847
• Yom Chamishi 15 Nissan
   A.M. 5607
The Báb receives a letter and gifts from Bahá'u'lláh in Ṭihrán delivered to His Hands by Mulla Muḥammad-Mihdiy-i-Kandi. The letter cheers His heart, which has been despondent since His arrest and departure from S̲h̲íráz. [B120; DB227; GPB678]
__________ __________
• Istijlál 12 Bahá / Jalál 9 Jalál 4 B.E.
• Yawm al-Khamīs 14 Rabī' ath-thānī
   / Yawm as-Sabt 1 Jumādá al-ūlá
   A.H. 1263
• Thursday 1 / Saturday 17 April
   A.D. 1847
• Yom Chamishi 15 Nissan /
  Yom Shabbat 1 Iyar A.M.5607
One night the Báb disappears and is found the next morning on the road coming from the direction of Ṭihrán. A look of confidence has settled on Him and His words have a new power. [B120-1; DB228-9]
__________ __________
• c. Jalál 9 Jalál 4 B.E.
• c. Yawm as-Sabt 1 Jumādá al-ūlá
       A.H. 1263
• c. Saturday 17 April A.D. 1847
• c. Yom Shabbat 1 Iyar A.M. 5607
The Báb sends a letter to the S̲h̲áh requesting an audience. [B121; DB229; TN11]

Some accounts maintain that the prime minister intervened in the correspondence between the Báb and the S̲h̲áh. En route to Tabríz the Báb writes to various people, including the Grand Vizier, the father and uncle of Ṭáhirih, and Ḥájí Sulaymán K̲h̲án. Ḥujjat learns of this last letter and sends a message to the Bábís of Zanján to rescue the Báb. The Báb declines their assistance. [B124-5; DB235-6]

  • See B126 for an account of the Báb's demonstration to His guards that He could have escaped had He so wished.
__________ __________
• c. Jamál / `Aẓamat 4 B.E.
• c. Jumādá al-ūlá / Jumādá al-ākhirah
        A.H. 1263
• c. May A.D. 1847
• c. Iyar / Sivan A.M. 5607
Birth of Fáṭimih (Munírih) K̲h̲ánum, wife of `Abdu'l-Bahá, in Iṣfahán.
__________ __________
• c. Jamál / Ráḥmat 4 B.E.
• c. Jumādá al-ūlá / Rajab A.H. 1263
• c. May / June A.D. 1847
• c. Iyar / Tammuz A.M. 5607
The Báb arrives in Tabríz, en route to Máh-Kú. He remains for 40 days and is well received by the general populace. He spends His time in seclusion, being allowed only two visitors. [B127-8; DB237-40; GPB18; TN12]
__________ __________
• Ráḥmat / Kalimát 4 B.E.
• Rajab / Sha'bān A.H. 1263
• July A.D. 1847
• Tammuz / Av A.M. 5607
The Báb arrives at the prison fortress of Máh-Kú (the Open Mountain). [B128; BW18:380]
  • See B128, BBD142 and DB243-4 for descriptions of Máh-Kú, its environs, fortress and inhabitants.
__________ __________
• Ráḥmat 4 B.E. to Jamál 5 B.E.
• Rajab A.H. 1263 to Jumādá al-ūlá
   A.H. 1264
• July A.D. 1847 to April A.D. 1848
• Tammuz A.M. 5607 to Nissan A.M. 5608
The people of Máh-Kú show marked hostility to the Báb on His arrival. Later they are won over by His gentle manners and His love. They congregate at the foot of the mountain hoping to catch a glimpse of Him. [B129; DB244-5]

At the beginning of the Báb's incarceration the warden `Alí K̲h̲án keeps the Báb strictly confined and allows no visitors. He has a vision of the Báb engaged in prayer outside of the prison gates, knowing that the Báb is inside. He becomes humble and permits the Bábís to visit the Báb. [B129-31; DB245-8]

The winter the Báb spends in Máh-Kú is exceptionally cold. [DB252]

Many of the Báb's writings are revealed in this period. [GPB24-5]

__________ __________
• Kamál / Asmá' 4 B.E.
• Sha'bān / Ramaḍān A.H. 1263
• August A.D. 1847
• Av / Elul A.M. 5607
Ṭáhirih sends Mullá Ibráhím Maḥallátí to present to the chief mujtahid of Hamadán her dissertation in defence of the Bábí Cause. Maḥallátí is attacked and severely beaten.
__________ __________
• c. Kamál / Mas̲h̲íyyat 4 B.E.
• c. Sha'bān / Shawwāl A.H. 1263
• c. August / September A.D. 1847
• c. Av / Tishri A.M. 5607
On her departure from Hamadán Ṭáhirih asks most of the Arab Bábís travelling with her to return to Iraq. [B165; DB273]

Arrived in Qazvín, Ṭáhirih refuses her estranged husband's attempts at reconciliation and lives with her father. Her father-in-law Ḥájí Mullá Taqí, feels insulted and denounces the S̲h̲ayk̲h̲ís and Bábís. [B166; DB2736]

__________ __________
• Kamál / Asmá' 4 B.E.
• c.  Sha'bān / Ramaḍān A.H. 1263
• c. August A.D. 1847
• c. Av / Elul A.M. 5607
Mullá Ḥusayn is residing in Mas̲h̲had, in K̲h̲urásán, where he has been since returning from S̲h̲íráz in 1845. The leader of a local rebellion wishes to enlist the Bábís on his side and seeks a meeting with Mullá Ḥusayn. To avoid entanglement in the affair, Mullá Ḥusayn decides to make a pilgrimage to Máh-Kú. [TB56; DB254-5; MH133-5]
  • As an act of piety, he makes the whole 1,200-mile journey on foot. Along the route he visits the Bábís and in Ṭihrán meets secretly with Bahá'u'lláh. No account of their interview survives. In Qazvín, Mullá Ḥusayn meets Ṭáhirih for the first time. [DB255; MH137]
__________ __________
• Asmá' / Mas̲h̲íyyat or
   Mas̲h̲íyyat / `Ilm 4 B.E.

• Ramaḍān / Shawwāl or
   Shawwāl / Dhū al-Qa'dah A.H. 1263
• September or October A.D. 1847
• Elul / Tishri or Tishri / Cheshvan
   A.M. 5607
The murder of Ḥájí Mullá Muḥammad Taqí, the powerful uncle of Ṭáhirih, by Mullá `Abdu'lláh of S̲h̲íráz. [B166; BBRSM216; DB276-8]
  • Mullá `Abdu'lláh indicates that he was `never a convinced Bábí'. [DB276]
  • BBRSM22 says the murder took place towards the end of October.
__________ __________
• Mas̲h̲íyyat / Qawl 4 B.E.
• Shawwāl / Dhū al-Ḥijjah A.H. 1263
• October / November A.D. 1847
• Tishri / Kislev A.M. 5607
Ṭáhirih is accused of instigating the assassination of her uncle and is confined to her father's house while about 30 Bábís are arrested. Four, including the assassin, are taken to Ṭihrán and held in the house of K̲h̲usraw K̲h̲án. [BKG41; BW18:380; DB276-8]
__________ __________
• `Ilm / S̲h̲araf 4 B.E.
• Dhū al-Ḥijjah 1263 / Muḥarram
    A.H. 1264
• November / December A.D. 1847
• Cheshvan / Kislev A.M. 5607
Bahá'u'lláh, who is living in Ṭihrán, visits the detainees and gives them money. [BKG41; DB278-9; GPB68]

Mullá `Abdu'lláh confesses to the murder of Ḥájí Mullá Muḥammad Taqí and is helped to escape. [BKG41-2; DB278]

  • See BKG42 for why Bahá'u'lláh was thought to have engineered his escape. Bahá'u'lláh is imprisoned for a few days for having assisted in Mullá `Abdu'lláh's escape.
  • This was Bahá'u'lláh's first imprisonment. [BKG41; BW18:380; DB585]
  • S̲h̲ayk̲h̲ Ṣáliḥ-i-Karímí, one of the imprisoned Bábís, is publicly executed in Ṭihrán.
  • He is the first to suffer martyrdom on Persian soil. His remains are interred in the courtyard of the shrine of the Imám-Zádih Zayd in Ṭihrán. [B166; BW18:380; DB280]
  • The remaining captives are returned to Qazvín. Ḥájí Asadu'lláh-i-Farhádí is secretly put to death in prison. Mullá Táhir-i-S̲h̲írází and Mullá Ibrahím-i-Maballátí are also put to death. [B166; BW18:380; DB280-3]
  • DB280-3 says `the rest of' the detainees were put to death by the relatives of Ḥájí Mullá Muḥammad Taqí.
__________ __________
• 4 / 5 B.E.
• A.H. 1263 / 1264
• A.D. 1848
• A.M. 5607 / 5608
The birth of Mírzá Mihdí, `the Purest Branch', the son of Bahá'u'lláh and Navváb. [BBD155]
__________ __________
• In the Year 4 / 5 B.E.
• In the Year A.H. 1263 / 1264
• In the Year A.D. 1848
• In the Year A.M. 5607 / 5608
Bahá'u'lláh plans Ṭáhirih's escape, giving the task to Mírzá Hádíy-i-Farhádí, the nephew of Ḥájí Asadu'lláh-i-Farhádí. Ṭáhirih is rescued and escorted from Qazvín to Bahá'u'lláh's home in Ṭihrán. [B167; BKG42; DB284-5; MF199]
  • While she is in Bahá'u'lláh's home she is visited by Vaḥíd and challenges him by saying `Let deeds, not words, be our adorning!' [DB285; MF200]
  • After a few days Bahá'u'lláh sends Ṭáhirih to a place of safety before sending her on to K̲h̲urásán. [DB286-7; GPB68]
  • Note: Ma'ani says this was the house of Mírzá Áqá K̲h̲án-i Núrí, who was then living in Kás̲h̲án as an exile. His sister acted as Ṭáhirih's hostess until she left for Badas̲h̲t.
__________ __________
• Kamál 19 `Alá' 4 B.E.
• Yawm al-Ithnayn 14 Rabī' ath-thānī
   A.H. 1264
• Monday 20 March A.D. 1848
• Yom Sheni 15 Adar Beit A.M. 5608
Mullá Ḥusayn and his companion, walking from Mas̲h̲had, arrive at Máh-Kú on the eve of Naw-Rúz. The Báb meets them at the gate and together they celebrate Naw-Rúz, the fourth after the declaration of the Báb. Mullá Ḥusayn stays the night at the fortress. He remains with the Báb for nine days. [B131; DB257, 262; MH138, 143]
  • MH137 says Mullá Ḥusayn arrived in Tabríz on 21 March.
  • See DB255-7 for story of the dream of `Alí K̲h̲án, the prison warden, preceding the arrival of Mullá Ḥusayn at Máh-Kú. From this time on the pilgrims are allowed unrestricted access to the Báb. [DB258]
  • The warden requests that the Báb marry his daughter. [DB259; MH143]
 
[ABBC Online] [ABBC 27-33]
___________________
< 3 B.E. | 5 B.E. >
___________________
Most of the Gregorian Calendar dates, A.H. 1166 (A.D. 1753) to 153 B.E (A.D. 1996), are from the original book, A Basic Bahá'í Chronology. From 153 B.E (A.D. 1996) to present the Gregorian Calendar dates are from A Basic Bahá'í Chronology online. The Hebrew, Islamic and Bahá'í dates were calculated by the ABG staff and may be subject to error, despite the great care that was taken. When the Gregorian date is "In the year", "c. Mar 1797", etc., we list the nearest approximate Hebrew, Islamic and Bahá'í dates.
 
Notes:
  • The dates in the left column do not always match the dates in the text. This is due to the plethora of calculations and calculators available. We use the calendar conversions from Calendar Home - Convert a date.
  • Continuous time periods, e.g., Monday thru Friday or June thru August, are annotated as Monday / Friday and June / August rather than Monday-Friday and June-August in all four calendars. This is to avoid confusion with Islamic days and months which contain a hyphen (or dash), e.g. Yawm ath-Thulatha', Jumadá al-akhirah.
  • Date Format = Day of the Week Name, Day of the Month Number, Month Name, Year Number -
  • c. = circa - meaning: "Around, round about, about. The prep. is often used in Eng. with dates, as circa 1400 (c 1400)." (Oxford English Dictionary)
  • Items with a greenish background are publications 
[ABG]
__________
 A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R   S   T   U   V   W   X   Y   Z 
 About     Appellations     Bibliographies     Calendars   Chronology     Contact   
 Diacritic Guide      Houses of Worship      Numbers      Pronunciation Guide      Site Map 
__________

Last Update:  
 
© 156 - 181 B.E. (A.D. 1999 - 2024; A.H. 1419 - 1445; A.M. 5759 - 5784)
A Bahá'í Glossary
 
__________