In the mid-19th century, amidst the social and religious stirrings of Persia (now Iran), two luminous figures appeared who would fundamentally challenge the prevailing order and ultimately lay the foundation for a new global religion: the Báb and Baháʼu’lláh. Their lives, though marked by immense suffering and persecution, represent the dawn and the sunrise of a new era in human history, culminating in the establishment of the Baha’i Faith, a faith dedicated to the unity of God, the unity of religions, and the unity of humanity.
The Báb: Herald of a New Day
The first to appear was the Báb, born Siyyid `Ali Muhammad in Shíráz on October 20, 1819. Descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, he was a young merchant known for his piety. In 1844, at the age of 25, he made a startling declaration: that he was the Qá’im (or Mahdi), the promised messianic figure awaited by Shi’a Muslims, a messenger of God sent to prepare humanity for the imminent arrival of a far greater Messenger.
He took the title “the Báb,” meaning “the Gate,” signifying his role as the gateway to the promised One. His message was one of spiritual and moral reform, urging his followers to purify their hearts and detach themselves from worldly concerns. He revealed powerful prayers and writings and galvanised a dedicated following who saw in him the fulfilment of ancient prophecies.
However, his radical claims and the transformative power of his message were met with fierce opposition from the religious and political authorities. Tens of thousands of his followers were brutally persecuted and killed. After six years of imprisonment and exile, the Báb was publicly executed by firing squad in Tabriz, on July 9, 1850. His death was intended to extinguish the fire he had ignited, but instead, it served to further galvanise his remaining followers and draw attention to his cause. The Báb’s central message, beyond his own station, was the imminent arrival of “Him Whom God Shall Make Manifest,” the one who would fulfil the hopes of all past religions and establish an era of peace and justice.
Baháʼu’lláh: The Promised One
Among the most prominent followers of the Báb was Mírzá Husayn `Alí, later known as Baháʼu’lláh, born into a noble family in Tihrán on November 12, 1817. He was renowned for his wisdom and compassion even before the Báb’s advent. Though he never met the Báb in person, he recognised his truth and became a leading advocate for his cause, enduring imprisonment and the confiscation of his vast wealth for his beliefs.
Following the Báb’s martyrdom, the persecution of his followers intensified. In 1852, Baháʼu’lláh was arrested and imprisoned in the infamous Síyáh-Chál (Black Pit) dungeon in Tihrán. It was in this dark and fetid underground prison, while chained and surrounded by criminals, that he received the first intimation of his own divine mission. He described a vision of a Maiden of Heaven who revealed to him that he was the One Whom the Báb had foretold, the Messenger of God for the new age.
After his release from the Síyáh-Chál, Baháʼu’lláh was exiled from Persia. His life became a long journey of banishment, first to Baghdad, then to Constantinople, Adrianople (Edirne), and finally to the penal colony of Akká (Acre) in Ottoman Syria. It was in the Garden of Ridván in Baghdad, in April-May 1863, that he publicly declared to a small group of followers that he was the Promised One foretold by the Báb and all past prophets.
Exile and imprisonment did not silence Baháʼu’lláh; rather, they became the stages from which he revealed the teachings that would form the basis of the Baha’i Faith. Over the next three decades, despite harsh conditions, he revealed volumes of Tablets, letters, and books outlining the principles of a unified global civilisation. He passed away in Bahjí, just outside Akká, on May 29, 1892, after forty years of exile and imprisonment.
Their Intertwined Mission: The Dawn and the Sun
The relationship between the Báb and Baháʼu’lláh is central to the Baha’i Faith. Baháʼu’lláh is not merely a successor to the Báb but the fulfilment of the Báb’s very purpose. The Báb’s mission, though independent and originating from God, was to prepare the way for Baháʼu’lláh, to ready humanity for the coming of the promised era of peace and unity.
Baha’is often use the analogy of the dawn and the sun. The Báb is the dawn, heralding the coming of the sun (Baháʼu’lláh). The dawn is full of light and beauty and is a sign of the coming day, but it is the sun itself that brings the fullness of light and warmth, enabling life to thrive. Similarly, the Báb’s dispensation was brief and revolutionary, breaking the mold of the past and preparing the way for Baháʼu’lláh, whose dispensation is intended to last for a thousand years and is focussed on constructing a new world order based on divine principles.
The Message of Unity
Baháʼu’lláh’s message is centred on the principle of unity in its various dimensions:
The Unity of God: There is only one God, the Creator of the universe, who is unknowable in His essence.
The Unity of Religions: The great religions of the world are progressive stages in the revelation of God’s will for humanity. They originate from the same divine source, and their teachings are adapted to the needs and capacity of the age in which they appear. Baháʼu’lláh was the most recent in this line of divine messengers, which includes Moses, Buddha, Zoroaster, Christ, Muhammad, and others.
The Unity of Humanity: All people are members of one human family, regardless of race, nationality, class, or belief. Prejudice of all kinds must be overcome, and the equality of men and women must be established. Lasting peace and prosperity depend on the recognition of this fundamental unity.
Baháʼu’lláh’s writings outline the spiritual and administrative principles necessary for building a peaceful and just global society. These include the independent investigation of truth, the harmony of science and religion, universal compulsory education, the elimination of extreme wealth and poverty, and the establishment of a world commonwealth of nations.
Legacy
The Báb and Baháʼu’lláh lived lives of sacrifice, enduring relentless persecution to deliver their messages to humanity. The Baha’i Faith, founded upon Baháʼu’lláh’s teachings and fulfilling the promise of the Báb, is today a vibrant, independent religion with millions of followers in virtually every country on earth. Their followers are dedicated to building a global community based on the principles revealed by Baháʼu’lláh, striving to contribute to the betterment of the world and the realisation of the promised age of unity and peace.
The shrines where the Báb and Baháʼu’lláh are laid to rest, in Haifa and Akká respectively, are sacred places of pilgrimage for Baha’is worldwide, testaments to the enduring impact of their transformative lives and teachings.
Worldwide Temple of Aurora 