Bahai Faith History

8/13/2019 Bahai Faith History

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Brief History of the Bah' Faith

compiled by Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Boise, Idaho.

1996-11-2

Bah!'" #istory ca$ be di%ided i$to se%e$ periods thus far. &he first three periods form theApostolic or #eroic A e. &he first epoch ce$tres arou$d the youthful a$d e$tle Bab (mea$i$the )ate, also *$o+$ as the oreru$$er of the A$cie$t Beauty , hose brief tumultuous /i$istryprepared the +ay for the lo$ -a+aited comi$ of the promised /esse$ er of )od. &he seco$depoch is ce$tered about the ma0estic, po+erful a$d a+e-i$spiri$ fi ure of Bah!'u'll!h (mea$i$the )lory of )od, also *$o+$ by the titles &he Blessed erfectio$, &he A$cie$t Beauty , the

romised 3$e of all reli io$s. #a%i$ i%e$ up a life of e4treme +ealth a$d ease, #e promotedthe /essa e of the Bab, o$ly later to lear$ that #e #imself +as the romised 3$e foretold bythe Bab a$d by the reli io$s of the past. 5$duri$ 7 years of e4iles a$d impriso$me$ts, a$du$der $early impossible circumsta$ces, surrou$ded by e$emies a$d their plots, lies a$di$tri ues, #e re%ealed )od's /essa e for this 8ay. &he third epoch re%ol%es arou$d themi$istry of 'Abdu'l-Bah! (mea$i$ ser%a$t of the )lory, i.e. of the )lory of )od a$d eldest so$of Bah!'u'll!h. Shari$ #is ather's e4iles a$d impriso$me$ts, 'Abdu'l-Bah! became the perfecte4ample of #is ather's &eachi$ s a$d today is *$o+$ as the 54emplar a$d I$terpreter of theBah!'" aith, &he /ost )reat Bra$ch, &he /aster, a$d &he e$ter of Bah!'u'll!h's o%e$a$t.

&he last four periods comprise the ormati%e A e. &he first epoch of the ormati%e A e:+it$essed the birth a$d the primary sta es i$ the erectio$ of the frame+or* of theAdmi$istrati%e 3rder of the aith:. :&hat epoch +as characteri;ed by a t+ofold process aimi$at the co$solidatio$ of the admi$istrati%e structure of the aith a$d the e4te$sio$ of the ra$ e ofits i$stitutio$s.: -- itadel of aith, p. . &he seco$d epoch e4te$ded that t+ofold process,e4te$di$ the ra$ e of 'Abdu'l-Bah!'s 8i%i$e la$ a$d culmi$ati$ +ith the electio$ of the


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Sho hi 5ffe$di's system of tra$sliteratio$ is used throu hout to most accurately display ersia$a$d Arabic $ames. #&/L does $ot permit full accuracy i$ this re ard, as it does $ot support allthe $ecessary characters. #ere is a brief pro$u$ciatio$ uide to assist the reader

Bah!'u'll!h is pro$ou$ced Ba >as i$ bac*? - ha+ - o >as i$ short? - la+. here%er you see a,thi$* a as i$ arm. ' i$dicates a pause. /ir;a is pro$ou$ced /eer;a+. he$e%er you see i, thi$*ee as i$ meet. Bah!'" +ould therefore be Ba - ha+ - >brief pause? - ee@ i$ this co$te4t the imea$s of, as i$ follo+er of. uddus is pro$ou$ced hodoos. he$e%er you see u thi$* oo asi$ moo$. 8o$'t +orry too much about the - it is a uttural sou$d that does$'t come $aturally toA$ lopho$es .


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Sep 1C 6 &he Bab 0our$eys to Isfaha$, accorded ho$ours by the people. 8eath +arra$t issuedby the local hi h cler y. &he Bab 0our$eys to asha$ a$d &abri;, recei%es e$thusiasticreceptio$ by the people.

2D Sep 1C 6 &he Bab is arrested i$ Shira; at the house of #is u$cle. &he Shah, prompted byhis top ad%isor, #a0i /ir;a AGasi, has the Bab i$carcerated at the fortress of /ah-*u i$ themou$tai$s of Adhirbay0a$ for $i$e mo$ths. &he local populace, at first hostile, comes to re%ere#im. &he Bab re%eals o$e of #is reat +or*s, the Baya$.

1 Apr 1C F Bah!'u'll!h se$ds a letter a$d ifts to the Bab i$ /ah-*u.

27 /ar 1C C /ulla #usay$ arri%es at /ah-*u to see the Bab.

17 April 1C C 8ue to the reat i$flue$ce #e +as ha%i$ +ith the people of the area, the Bab istra$sferred to priso$ i$ hiri , a urdish area hostile to ersia$s. #ere too ma$y leadi$citi;e$s become follo+ers. &he Bab is arrai $ed i$ &abri; +here #e ma*es a dramatic publicdeclaratio$ of #is Statio$. #e is retur$ed to hiri .

=u$ 1C C o$fere$ce of Badasht. 3r a$i;ed, directed a$d hosted by Bah!'u'll!h a$d atte$dedby C1 of the Bab's leadi$ follo+ers, the Babi aith for the first time becomes u$derstood by It'sfollo+ers as a reli io$ disti$ct from Islam. Bah!'u'll!h besto+s a $e+ $ame upo$ eachparticipa$t a$d +ith $o co$tact, the Bab later co$firms a$d uses those same $ames ($ote the$e+ $ames are the o$es bei$ used i$ this accou$t . &ahirih (the pure pro$ou$ces the eGualityof +ome$ a$d publicly remo%es her %eil. Bah!'u'll!h reco$ciles the participa$ts follo+i$ this

reat co$tro%ersy, facilitati$ their u$dersta$di$ of this $e+ reli io$.

21 =ul 1C C /ulla #usay$ hoists the Blac* Sta$dard a$d marches from /ashad +ith 272 fello+disciples to assist uddus i$ /a;i$dara$.

Sep 1C C /uhammad Shah, i$te$di$ to order death of Bah!'u'll!h, dies, succeeded by 1F-year old Easiri'd-8i$ Shah. #a0i /ir;a AGasi, chief a$ta o$ist of the Bab (the A$tichrist of theBabi aith , is e4pelled from the capital.

17 3ct 1C C /ulla #usay$ a$d the 272 fello+ disciples are besie ed at Shay*h &abarsi,e%e$tually surrou$ded by t+e$ty thousa$d soldiers.

Eo% 1C C uddus arri%es at ort &abarsi after /ulla #usay$ secured his release from Sari.

8ec 1C C Bah!'u'll!h impriso$ed a$d tortured i$ Amul.

17 /ay 1C 9 &he sie e at Shay*h &abarsi e$ds i$ betrayal +he$ a promise of :$o harm:,si $ed o$ a ur'a$, is bro*e$. &he Babis are tortured, mutilated a$d massacred.

16 /ay 1C 9 /artyrdom of uddus i$ Barfurush.

soo$ after A force of 777 me$ be i$ e4termi$atio$ of Babis, co$fiscati$ possessio$s,destroyi$ houses, ri;;ly tortures, mutilatio$s a$d e4ecutio$s - all i$spired by reli ious


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fa$aticism i$flamed by the cler y. 1C77 Babis martyred i$ a$0a$ i$cludi$ me$, +ome$ a$dchildre$. #u00at is martyred. &he famous Se%e$ /artyrs of &ihra$ are martyred.

29 =u$e 1C 7 Hahid is mutilated a$d *illed i$ Eayri;.

9 =ul 1C 7 Attempted e4ecutio$ of the Bab i$ &abri; by a firi$ sGuad of F 7 soldiers i$ fro$t of27,777 +it$esses fails. &he Bab %a$ishes i$ the smo*e a$d is fou$d later completi$ #is fi$ali$structio$s to #is ama$ue$sis. &he leader of the first firi$ sGuad refuses to try a ai$. A seco$dattempt is made usi$ a $e+ leader at $oo$, this time successfully. A ale force +i$d,earthGua*e, cholera a$d fami$e immediately follo+. 3$e third of the firi$ sGuad later die i$ a$earthGua*e, the remai$der are e4ecuted for muti$y. &he bodies of the Bab a$d A$is areretrie%ed as directed by Bah!'u'll!h a$d ultimately i$terred at the Shri$e of the Bab o$ the slopeof /t. armel, Israel.

D7 Au 1C 1 Bah!'u'll!h arri%es i$ arbila, IraG - the start of a 17 mo$th pil rima e. o$ti$uesto spread the Bab's &eachi$ s.

1 Au 1C 2 &+o cra;ed Babis attempt to *ill Easiri'd-8i$ Shah. &hey are e4ecuted o$ thespot. Eatio$+ide rei $ of terror s+eeps ersia. A$yo$e suspected of bei$ Babi are *illed i$u$spea*ably ruesome a$d i$huma$e ma$$ers. /a$y 5uropea$ diplomats +it$ess a$d recordthe e%e$ts. &he $omi$ee of the Bab, /ir;a Jahya, half-brother of Bah!'u'll!h, flees ($ote theBab appoi$ted him as #is fi urehead to deflect atte$tio$ a+ay from Bah!'u'll!h .


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8ue to the plotti$ ,schemi$ a$d i$tri ues by /ir;a Jahya >+ho +as the co$sta$t +illi$ tool ofSiyyid /uhammad?, the Sulta$ ba$ishes Bah!'u'll!h a$d #is compa$io$s to 'A**a, +hile /ir;aJahya a$d his party >the A;alis? are se$t to yprus. Bah!'u'll!h a$d 66 of #is follo+ers departsfrom Adria$ople, i$itially for )allipoli. Additio$ally, the o%er$me$t decided that four of the A;alis

+ould accompa$y the Bah!'" roup a$d %ice %ersa. Siyyid /uhammad +as o$e of the four to

accompa$y Bah!'u'll!h. &he lies a$d calum$ies by /ir;a Jahya a$d Siyyid /uhammaddama ed the presti e of the aith i$ the eyes of its +ester$ admirers such as 5. ). Bro+$e a$dA.L./. Eicolas >the re$ch 8iplomat a$d tra$slator of the ersia$ a$d Arabic Baya$s?. Jahyalater died +ith $o follo+ers left to i%e him a burial as either a Babi or Bah!'".

21 Au 1C6C Bah!'u'll!h departs from )allipoli by steamer for #aifa a$d the$ by sail to 'A**a.

D1 Au 1C6C Arri%al i$ 'A**a (the /ost )reat riso$, today *$o+$ as Acre , a priso$ city for +hich it +as said at that time that should a bird fly o%er it, the bird +ould surely fall to the rou$ddead for its foul air. 8uri$ the first short +hile, almost all the priso$ers became ill +ith malaria,dyse$tery or other sic*$esses. 'Abdu'l-Bah! te$ded to all the sic* e%e$ thou h he himself

co$tracted a$ ill$ess. Bah!'u'll!h predicts that o$e day #e +ill pitch #is te$t o$ /t. armel.&hree succumbed to their ill$esses.

2 Sep 1C6C &he )o%er$or of 'A**a %isits the :desperate crimi$als: a$d is deeply impressed by'Abdu'l-Bah!. #e is mo%ed to impro%e their co$ditio$s. A$other %isitor states that :such pure a$dsa$ctified souls had $e%er before bee$ see$ i$ 'A**a:. /ea$+hile, Siyyid /uhammad a$d AGa=a$ Bi , the source of all the lies to the authorities, co$%i$ced some uards to mo%e theirGuarters to o%erloo* the la$d ate so that they could ide$tify a$yo$e +ho arri%ed if they +ereBah!'" a$d thus +ar$i$ the uards, the pil rims +ho had +al*ed for +ee*s +ould be tur$edbac* +ithout e%e$ a limpse of Bah!'u'll!h throu h #is cell +i$do+.

2D =u$ 1CF7 /ir;a /ihdi >the urest Bra$ch, Bah!'u'll!h's you$ est so$? falls throu h as*yli ht i$ the priso$. Bah!'u'll!h offers to heal him but /ir;a /ihdi i$stead offers his life as asacrifice so that those +ho desire may u$derta*e pil rima es. Bah!'u'll!h accepts a$d the

urest Bra$ch dies at a e 22. F7 years later, his body is e$tombed i$ the /o$ume$t )arde$so$ /ou$t armel.

Eo% 1CF7 Kelease from priso$ barrac*s to house +ithi$ 'A**a >the house of 'the o$e +ho had co$sta$tly ma$ipulated /ir;aJahya i$to his co+ardly acts?, AGa =a$ Bi a$d a$other compa$io$ o%e$a$t-brea*er i$ 'A**ai$ retaliatio$ for their persecutio$s. Bah!'u'll!h had forbidde$ a$y act of retaliatio$, but se%e$ of#is torme$ted compa$io$s succumbed. A$ army of me$ desce$ded upo$ the Bah!'"s. &hese%e$ uilty me$ +ere co$fi$ed for se%eral years. &he remai$der +ere co$fi$ed for si4 mo$ths.&he distress caused to Bah!'u'll!h of this e%e$t +as immeasurable :&hat +hich ca$ ma*e /eashamed is the co$duct of such of /y follo+ers as profess to lo%e /e:.


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Au - Sep 1CF2 /arria e of 'Abdu'l-Bah! a$d /u$irih ha$um. our of their dau hterssur%i%ed the lo$ impriso$me$t a$d disti$ uished themsel%es i$ their li%es dedicated to ser%ice.

1CFD A $e+ o%er$or of 'A**a is appoi$ted. &his o$e +as capti%ated by 'Abdu'l-Bah! a$d sa+throu h the ploys of the a$ta o$ists. #e as*ed Bah!'u'll!h +hat he could do of ser%iceBah!'u'll!h reGuested that the aGueduct be restored to operatio$. Bah!'u'll!h re%eals the itab-i-AGdas (the /ost #oly Boo*, the Boo* of La+s a$d 3rdi$a$ces of the Bah!'" aith . I$ this Boo*is also fou$d ma$y more addresses to the rulers of the +orld a$d is the culmi$atio$ of #isformal declaratio$. &he Bah!'" commu$ity tra$sformed i$to a respected commu$ity a$d Bah!'"s

+ere allo+ed to ope$ up shops.

1CF &he $e+ o%er$or is tra$sferred, e4presses his sorro+ at his separatio$ from Bah!'u'll!ha$d #is so$.

=u$e 1CFF 8eparture from 'A**a for the /a$sio$ of /a;ra'ih a$d #is first %isits to the Kid%a$)arde$.

Sep 1CF9 3ccupatio$ of the /a$sio$ of Bah0i (=oy . Bah!'u'll!h i$creasi$ ly dele ates affairs ofthe Bah!'" commu$ity to+ard 'Abdu'l-Bah!, helpi$ the commu$ity to become raduallyaccustomed to 'Abdu'l-Bah!'s role after Bah!'u'll!h's passi$ .

1CCD Hisit by Bah!'u'll!h to #aifa

1CC6 8eath of Bah!'u'll!h's +ife Ea%%ab i$ 'A**a

April 1C97 5d+ard )ra$%ille Bro+$e of ambrid e


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1C92-1C96 /ir;a /uhammad-'Ali (also a so$ of Bah!'u'll!h, desi $ated &he )reater Bra$ch,seco$d i$ ra$* to 'Abdu'l-Bah! a$d half-brother of 'Abdu'l-Bah! u$derta*es co%ert campai $ todiscredit 'Abdu'l-Bah! a$d assume leadership of the Bah!'" aith. 'Abdu'l-Bah! chooses to *eepsile$t a$d protect the commu$ity .

2D Sep 1C9D irst public me$tio$ of the Bah!'" aith i$ the est. I$ a sessio$ of the orld'sarliame$t of Keli io$s, the Ke%ere$d )eor e A. ord, a Syria$ missio$ary, reads a paper

tal*i$ about Bah!'u'll!h.

eb 1C9 8r. Ibrahim )eor e hayru'llah, ha%i$ arri%ed i$ Ee+ Jor* i$ 1C92, mo%es tohica o a$d see*s out people i$terested i$ the Bah!'" /essa e.

1C9 &hor$to$ hase becomes first America$ Bah!'". 'Abdu'l-Bah! co$fers upo$ him the title:Steadfast:. Louisa A. /oore becomes a Bah!'", i%e$ the title :Ba$$er:, i.e. Ba$$er of the

ause, a$d is later desi $ated by the )uardia$ as :the mother teacher of the est:. Shemarries 5d+ard )etsi$ er a$d becomes Lua )etsi$ er. /rs. hoebe #earst, +ife of Se$ator)eor e . #earst, +as tau ht by Lua )etsi$ er duri$ o$e of /rs. )etsi$ er's e4te$si%e tra%elsthrou hout America.

1 /ar 1C9F Sho hi 5ffe$di, eldest ra$dso$ of 'Abdu'l-Bah!, is bor$ of 'Abdu'l-Bah!'s eldestdau hter i$ the #ouse of Abdu'llah asha.. #e is desce$ded from Bah!'u'll!h o$ his mother'sside a$d related to the Bab o$ his father's side.

1C9C hoebe #earst or a$i;es historic pil rima e of 1 early America$ Bah!'"s to meet'Abdu'l-Bah!. By $o+ there are hu$dreds of Bah!'"s i$ America. &he pil rims arri%e i$ 'A**a 178ec 1C9C. &he hearts of the pil rims are set abla;e by the lo%e of 'Abdu'l-Bah!, so much so thatsome belie%e 'Abdu'l-Bah! is the retur$ of =esus hrist. 'Abdu'l-Bah! corrects them, sayi$ that#e is the Ser%a$t of Bah!. Kobert &ur$er, the blac* butler of /rs. #earst, sho+$ reat *i$d$essby 'Abdu'l-Bah!, later becomes the first blac* Bah!'" o$ the America$ co$ti$e$t. /ay 5llis Bollesis as*ed to teach the aith i$ aris. 8r. hayru'llah, also amo$ the pil rims, sou ht 'Abdu'l-Bah!'s e$dorseme$t of his prese$tatio$ of the Bah!'" aith. 'Abdu'l-Bah! corrects hismisco$ceptio$s a$d ur ed him to seriously study the Bah!'" riti$ s. hayru'llah refuses.

D1 =a$ 1C99 Kemai$s of the Bab fi$ally arri%e at /t. armel. 'Abdu'l-Bah! be i$s co$structio$of a befitti$ resti$ -place.

1C99 irst Bah!'" ce$tre i$ 5urope established i$ aris.

1977 8r. hayru'llah %iolates Bah!'u'll!h's o%e$a$t, establishes pact +ith /ir;a

/uhammad-'Ali a$d +or*s a ai$st 'Abdu'l-Bah!, tryi$ to sei;e co$trol of the aith i$ the est.Almost $o$e of the America$ Bah!'"s follo+ his lead@ they remai$ faithful to 'Abdu'l-Bah!.

hayru'llah +ould co$ti$ue spreadi$ his poiso$ for t+o decades, but u$successful, fi$allyretur$s to Syria.

1971 'Abdu'l-Bah! a$d #is family, u$til this time free to %e$ture i$ the area, are o$ce a ai$co$fi$ed to the priso$ +alls of 'A**a as a co$seGue$ce of #is e$emies represe$tatio$ to theauthorities that 'Abdu'l-Bah! +as co$structi$ a fort >i$ reality, the mausoleum? a$d buildi$ a$


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army >i$ reality, 0ust %isiti$ pil rims?. #e directs atte$tio$ to correspo$de$ce +hile i$ priso$ a$d%isits a$d assists the $eedy a$d the sic* of 'A**a.

summer 1971 /ay 5llis Bolles teaches &homas Brea*+ell, first British Bah!'".

1972 /ay 5llis Bolles +eds illiam Sutherla$d /a4+ell, desi $er of the superstructure of theShri$e of the Bab, becomes /ay /a4+ell. &hey establish their home i$ /o$treal, a$ada.

F =u$ 197D 'Abdu'l-Bah! re%eals &ablet calli$ for the erectio$ of a &emple i$ America.

197 irst commissio$ appoi$ted by the &ur*ish o%er$me$t i$%esti ates the char es le%eleda ai$st 'Abdu'l-Bah!. &he Spa$ish o$sul offers #im safe passa e to a$y forei $ port, but'Abdu'l-Bah! refuses, sayi$ #e must abide by +hate%er the ruli$ .

197F A seco$d commissio$, composed of four corrupt officials, fi$ally reaches a decisio$ a$da$$ou$ces that the char es a ai$st 'Abdu'l-Bah! ha%e bee$ substa$tiated a$d that #e +as tobe e4iled or e4ecuted. the )uardia$ship - the sole authority for the i$terpretatio$ of the Bah!'"teachi$ s, a$d the


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home later became the first a$adia$ Bah!'" ce$tre, a$d +hose dau hter /ary +as to becomethe +ife of Sho hi 5ffe$di. 8uri$ the $e4t 2D9 days, 'Abdu'l-Bah! spo*e at cou$tless churches,halls a$d homes o$ ma$y topics such as the basic pri$ciples of the aith, philosophical , morala$d spiritual topics, a$d spo*e to church co$ re atio$s, peace societies, trade u$io$s,u$i%ersity faculties, etc. &he tal*s are later published as :&he romul atio$ of


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1927 'Abdu'l-Bah! se$ds Sho hi 5ffe$di to 34ford to perfect his e$ lish. Sho hi 5ffe$dibelie%es his lot i$ life to be that of a tra$slator a$d ser%a$t of 'Abdu'l-Bah!.

27 8ec 1927 o$structio$ be i$s o$ the #ouse of orship i$ ilmette, Illi$ois.

2C Eo% 1921 'Abdu'l-Bah! dies after a brief ill$ess at 1A/ i$ #aifa. 3%er te$ thousa$d people,i$cludi$ /uslim, Koma$ atholic, )ree* 3rthodo4, =e+ish a$d 8ru;e di $itaries, the British#i h ommissio$er a$d o%er$ors of =erusalem a$d hoe$icia atte$d. Ei$e spea*ers,promi$e$t represe$tati%es of the /uslim, hristia$ a$d =e+ish commu$ities, eulo i;e #is purea$d $oble life. By $o+ the Bah!'" commu$ity has spread throu hout the /iddle 5ast, I$dia a$dEorth America but most Bah!'"s still resided i$ ersia. 'Abdu'l-Bah!'s last i$structio$s are i$ a$e$%elope addressed to Sho hi 5ffe$di.

irst 5poch of the ormati%e A e 1921 - 19 F

29 8ec 1921 Sho hi 5ffe$di arri%es i$ #aifa, accompa$ied by Lady Blomfeld a$d Kouha$ e;e.

D =a$ 1922 ill a$d &estame$t of 'Abdu'l-Bah! formally read. &he )uardia$ship is i$au urateda$d Sho hi 5ffe$di is appoi$ted the first )uardia$ of the Bah!'" aith the sole authoritati%ei$terpreter of the Bah!'" riti$ s. As i$terpreter, the )uardia$ a$aly;ed +orld e%e$ts i$ the li htof Bah!'" Scriptures a$d se$t le$ thy letters to Bah!'" commu$ities throu hout the +orld +ith hisresults. #e +as as*ed $umerous Guestio$s o$ a broad ra$ e of topics. #is a$s+ers comprise asi $ifica$t portio$ of the i$terpretatio$ of the Bah!'" riti$ s. Shu$$i$ a$y perso$alac*$o+led eme$t or praise, the )uardia$ forbid a$y commemoratio$ of e%e$ts associated +ith

his life a$d fulfilled his role lar ely outside of public %ie+@ a star* co$trast to the charismatic styleof 'Abdu'l-Bah!. )e$erally spea*i$ , the )uardia$ co$ce$trated o$ the de%elopme$t of theBah!'" orld e$ter, the tra$slatio$ a$d i$terpretatio$ of Bah!'" &eachi$ s, the e4pa$sio$ of theadmi$istrati%e order, a$d the impleme$tatio$ of the di%i$e pla$ of 'Abdu'l-Bah!.

1 8ec 1922 Sho hi 5ffe$di retur$s to #oly La$d to resume duties as )uardia$.

16 eb 192D 8eclaratio$ of the first $ati%e #a+aiia$ Bah!'" o$ >/ae &ilto$ a$tom, /aui?.

12 /ar 192D Sho hi 5ffe$di calls for the establishme$t of Loca a$d Eatio$al Bah!'" u$ds.

192D Eatio$al Spiritual Assemblies are formed i$ British Isles, )erma$y a$d I$dia.

192 Eatio$al Spiritual Assembly is formed i$ 5 ypt.

192 Eatio$al Spiritual Assembly is formed i$ the o$e mutualassembly at this time?.

1 Au 192F Bah!'" Summer School ope$ed at )eyser%ille, alifor$ia.

1 eb 1929 or* be i$s o$ three additio$al chambers of the Shri$e of the Bab.


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D /ar 1929 Lea ue of Eatio$s ou$cil resolutio$ upholds the Bah!'" ommu$ity's claim toBah!'u'll!h's house i$ Ba hdad.

2F Eo% 1929 Kestoratio$ of the /a$sio$ at Bah0i be i$s.

1 =ul 19D2 assi$ of the )reatest #oly Leaf >Bahiyyih ha$um?, Bah!'u'll!h's dau hter, i$#aifa. She +as the loyal stal+art supporter of the aith a$d pro%ided Sho hi 5ffe$di +ithi$%aluable support after his appoi$tme$t as )uardia$.

19D Eatio$al Spiritual Assembly is formed i$ ersia a$d Australia.

17 /ay 19D &a4 e4emptio$ for Bah!'" properties o$ /t. armel a$$ou$ced.

21 Apr 19DF irst Se%e$-Jear la$ lau$ched. )oals to establish at least o$e local spiritualassembly i$ e%ery state of the disti$ uished belie%ers +ho +ere assi $ed tas*s to teach the aith a$d protect its i$stitutio$s?.

Apr 19 D ormal dedicatio$ of the house of +orship at ilmette, Illi$ois, desi $ed by re$ch-a$adia$ architect =ea$-Louis Bour eois.


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21 Apr 19 D &e$ Jear orld rusade lau$ched, to co$clude i$ 196D the ce$te$ary ofBah!'u'll!h's declaratio$ i$ the )arde$ of Kid%a$.&he oal +as to e4te$d the aith to 1D2 morecou$tries a$d the e4isti$ 127 cou$tries a$d territories +ere to be e4pa$ded.

3ct 19 D &he Shri$e of the Bab is completed.

Eo% 19 F &he )uardia$ dies i$ 5$ la$d of Asia$ flu +hile o$ a %isit to purchase fur$ishi$ sfor the Bah!'" archi%es buildi$ o$ /t. armel. Althou h pro%isio$s permitted successi%e)uardia$s, Sho hi 5ffe$di had $ot appoi$ted o$e >$o li%i$ direct desce$da$ts of Bah!'u'll!h

+ere faithful to #is o%e$a$t?. &he )uardia$ had i$dicated that at the completio$ of therusade, co$ditio$s +ere ripe for the electio$ of the


15/17

21 April 19F1 By $o+, 17,D67 Local Spiritual Assemblies e4ist,a$d Bah!'"s reside i$ 6,DDlocalities.

19 8ec 19F1 5rectio$ of 3belis* o$ /t. armel to mar* site of future /ashriGu'l-Adh*ar.

29 April 19F2 8edicatio$ of /other &emple of Lati$ America i$ a$ama. By $o+, the SpiritualAssembly of IraG has bee$ dissol%ed because of persecutio$ a ai$st Bah!'"s i$ that la$d.

1 /ar 19FD /a;ra'ih is purchased.

21 Apr 19FD &he


16/17

3ct 19C &he Ee+ Jor* ity? -atte$ded by D7,777 Bah!'"s.

21 /arch 199D &he /ost #oly Boo* > itab-i-AGdas? is published i$ 5$ lish for the first time.

21 Apr 199D &he


17/17

21 April 199 1F2 Eatio$al Spiritual Assemblies are e4iste$t.

Sept 199 &he ourth orld o$fere$ce o$ ome$ +as held i$ Bei0i$ , atte$ded by moretha$ 77 Bah!'"s a$d a$ official dele atio$ from BI . Also i$ 199 , the Bah!'" I$ter$atio$al

ommu$ity's

Documents

Bahai Faith History