Adíb
Encyclopedia
Hájí Mírzá Ḥasan-i-Adíbu'l-`Ulamá known as Mírzá Ḥasan or Adíb, was an eminent follower of Bahá'u'lláh
, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith
, a global religion of Persian origin. He was appointed a Hand of the Cause
, and identified as one of the nineteen Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh
.
ic cleric and Mírzá Hasan went through the usual religious education in Tihrán
and Mashhad
. He became the Friday prayer leader at the Daru'l-Funun, Iran's first technical college set up by the Shah, where he received his title of Adíbu'l-'Ulamá (littérateur of the 'Ulamá
) In 1874 he was employed by the Qajar princes
, writing a large number of encyclopedic books on their behalf.
, who prompted him to investigate the teachings. In 1889 he officially converted and soon became one of the four Hands of the Cause
appointed by Bahá'u'lláh.
s in Iran. He later participated in the meetings that evolved into the Central Spiritual Assembly of Tihrán, which later became the National Spiritual Assembly
of Iran, of which he was the chairman.
In 1903 he travelled to Isfahan
, where he was briefly imprisoned. From there he also visited Shiraz
, Bombay
, and ‘Akká
, where `Abdu'l-Bahá
instructed him to travel with an American Bahá'í to India and Burma to help spread the Bahá'í Faith in those areas.
After returning to Tehran
, he died on 2 September 1919.
Bahá'u'lláh
Bahá'u'lláh , born ' , was the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. He claimed to be the prophetic fulfilment of Bábism, a 19th-century outgrowth of Shí‘ism, but in a broader sense claimed to be a messenger from God referring to the fulfilment of the eschatological expectations of Islam, Christianity, and...
, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
, a global religion of Persian origin. He was appointed a Hand of the Cause
Hands of the Cause
The Hands of the Cause of God, Hands of the Cause, or Hands were a select group of Bahá'ís, appointed for life, whose main function was to propagate and protect the Bahá'í Faith...
, and identified as one of the nineteen Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh
Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh
The Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh were nineteen eminent early followers of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. The apostles were designated as such by Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, and the list was included in The Bahá'í World, Vol...
.
Background
Mírzá Hasan was born in Talaqán in September 1848. His father was an eminent IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic cleric and Mírzá Hasan went through the usual religious education in Tihrán
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
and Mashhad
Mashhad
Mashhad , is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia Muslim world. It is also the only major Iranian city with an Arabic name. It is located east of Tehran, at the center of the Razavi Khorasan Province close to the borders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Its...
. He became the Friday prayer leader at the Daru'l-Funun, Iran's first technical college set up by the Shah, where he received his title of Adíbu'l-'Ulamá (littérateur of the 'Ulamá
Ulema
Ulama , also spelt ulema, refers to the educated class of Muslim legal scholars engaged in the several fields of Islamic studies. They are best known as the arbiters of shari‘a law...
) In 1874 he was employed by the Qajar princes
Qajar dynasty
The Qajar dynasty was an Iranian royal family of Turkic descent who ruled Persia from 1785 to 1925....
, writing a large number of encyclopedic books on their behalf.
Conversion
Upon converting to the Bahá'í Faith, he was expelled from his work. His acceptance of Bahá'u'lláh was the result of several Bahá'í friends, including Nabíl-i-AkbarNabíl-i-Akbar
Áqá Muḥammad-i-Qá'iní also known as Fadil-i-Qa'ini surnamed Nabíl-i-Akbar , was a distinguished Bahá'í from the town of Qá'in...
, who prompted him to investigate the teachings. In 1889 he officially converted and soon became one of the four Hands of the Cause
Hands of the Cause
The Hands of the Cause of God, Hands of the Cause, or Hands were a select group of Bahá'ís, appointed for life, whose main function was to propagate and protect the Bahá'í Faith...
appointed by Bahá'u'lláh.
Service and final years
After the passing of Bahá'u'lláh in 1892, Mírzá Hasan became instrumental in dealing with the activities of Covenant-breakerCovenant-breaker
A Covenant-breaker or the act of Covenant-breaking is a term used by Bahá'ís to refer to a particular form of heresy. Being declared a Covenant-breaker by the head of the Faith — which since 1963 refers to the elected nine-member Universal House of Justice, the governing body of the Bahá'ís....
s in Iran. He later participated in the meetings that evolved into the Central Spiritual Assembly of Tihrán, which later became the National Spiritual Assembly
Spiritual Assembly
Spiritual Assembly is a term given by `Abdu'l-Bahá to refer to elected councils that govern the Bahá'í Faith. Because the Bahá'í Faith has no clergy, they carry out the affairs of the community...
of Iran, of which he was the chairman.
In 1903 he travelled to Isfahan
Isfahan (city)
Isfahan , historically also rendered in English as Ispahan, Sepahan or Hispahan, is the capital of Isfahan Province in Iran, located about 340 km south of Tehran. It has a population of 1,583,609, Iran's third largest city after Tehran and Mashhad...
, where he was briefly imprisoned. From there he also visited Shiraz
Shiraz, Iran
Shiraz is the sixth most populous city in Iran and is the capital of Fars Province, the city's 2009 population was 1,455,073. Shiraz is located in the southwest of Iran on the Roodkhaneye Khoshk seasonal river...
, Bombay
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, and ‘Akká
Acre, Israel
Acre , is a city in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay. Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country....
, where `Abdu'l-Bahá
`Abdu'l-Bahá
‘Abdu’l-Bahá , born ‘Abbás Effendí, was the eldest son of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. In 1892, `Abdu'l-Bahá was appointed in his father's will to be his successor and head of the Bahá'í Faith. `Abdu'l-Bahá was born in Tehran to an aristocratic family of the realm...
instructed him to travel with an American Bahá'í to India and Burma to help spread the Bahá'í Faith in those areas.
After returning to Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, he died on 2 September 1919.