Badí‘
Encyclopedia
Badí‘ (1852 – 1869), was the title of Mírzá Áqá Buzurg-i-Nishapuri, also known by his title the Pride of Martyrs, was the son of `Abdu'l-Majid-i-Nishapuri, a follower of the Báb
and Bahá'u'lláh
.
Badí‘ is most famous for being the bearer of a tablet written by Bahá'u'lláh to Nasiri'd-Din Shah, for which he was tortured and killed at the age of 17. The Bahá'í calendar
, known as the Badí‘ calendar, was named in his honour. He is also one of the foremost Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh
.
The Kitáb-i-Badí‘, a book written by Bahá'u'lláh, has no relation to the Badí‘ of this article.
, Badí was originally not touched by the new religion. He was an unruly and rebellious youth, and his father described him as the "despair of the family". It was upon a meeting with Nabíl-i-A`zam
that Badí‘ heard a poem by Bahá'u'lláh and began weeping. After finishing his studies, he gave away his possessions and set out on foot for Baghdad
, where a significant number of Bahá'ís were under persecution. Finally he set out on foot from Mosul
through Baghdad
to the prison city of `Akka
.
As guards protected against Bahá'ís entering `Akka, Badí dressed as a water-carrier and slipped by the guards, and then proceeded to a mosque, where he recognized `Abdu'l-Bahá
and gave him a note. Badí‘ received two interviews with Bahá'u'lláh, and requested that he deliver the Lawh-i-Sultán, Bahá'u'lláh's tablet to Nasiri'd-Din Shah. He received the tablet in Haifa
to avoid being caught by Ottoman
officials. From there he travelled on foot for four months to Tehran
. Along the way he was reported to "be full of joy, laughter, gratitude and forbearance, walking around one hundred paces then leaving the road and turning to face `Akká. He would then prostrate himself and say: 'O God, that which you have bestowed upon me through Your bounty, do not take back through Your justice; rather grant me strength to safeguard it'".
A particularly famous picture of Badí‘ exists, taken at the Shah's request, where he is in chains during his torture, showing no emotion.
:
Báb
Siyyid `Alí Muḥammad Shírází was the founder of Bábism, and one of three central figures of the Bahá'í Faith. He was a merchant from Shíráz, Persia, who at the age of twenty-four claimed to be the promised Qá'im . After his declaration he took the title of Báb meaning "Gate"...
and Bahá'u'lláh
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...
.
Badí‘ is most famous for being the bearer of a tablet written by Bahá'u'lláh to Nasiri'd-Din Shah, for which he was tortured and killed at the age of 17. The Bahá'í calendar
Bahá'í calendar
The Bahá'í calendar, also called the Badí‘ calendar , used by the Bahá'í Faith, is a solar calendar with regular years of 365 days, and leap years of 366 days. Years are composed of 19 months of 19 days each, plus an extra period of "Intercalary Days"...
, known as the Badí‘ calendar, was named in his honour. He is also one of the foremost 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...
.
The Kitáb-i-Badí‘, a book written by Bahá'u'lláh, has no relation to the Badí‘ of this article.
Travels
Although Badí's father was a Bahá'íBahá'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....
, Badí was originally not touched by the new religion. He was an unruly and rebellious youth, and his father described him as the "despair of the family". It was upon a meeting with Nabíl-i-A`zam
Nabíl-i-A`zam
Mullá Muḥammad-i-Zarandí , more commonly known as Nabíl-i-A`ẓam or Nabíl-i-Zarandí , was an eminent Bahá'í historian during the time of Bahá'u'lláh, and one of the nineteen Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh...
that Badí‘ heard a poem by Bahá'u'lláh and began weeping. After finishing his studies, he gave away his possessions and set out on foot for Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, where a significant number of Bahá'ís were under persecution. Finally he set out on foot from Mosul
Mosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
through Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
to the prison city of `Akka
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....
.
As guards protected against Bahá'ís entering `Akka, Badí dressed as a water-carrier and slipped by the guards, and then proceeded to a mosque, where he recognized `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...
and gave him a note. Badí‘ received two interviews with Bahá'u'lláh, and requested that he deliver the Lawh-i-Sultán, Bahá'u'lláh's tablet to Nasiri'd-Din Shah. He received the tablet in Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
to avoid being caught by Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
officials. From there he travelled on foot for four months 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...
. Along the way he was reported to "be full of joy, laughter, gratitude and forbearance, walking around one hundred paces then leaving the road and turning to face `Akká. He would then prostrate himself and say: 'O God, that which you have bestowed upon me through Your bounty, do not take back through Your justice; rather grant me strength to safeguard it'".
Execution
After three days of fasting, Badí‘ went to the Shah's summer camp, and the Shah came upon him while hunting in the woods. Badí‘ approached the monarch with respect and calmly said: "O King! I have come to thee from Sheba with a weighty message". Badí‘ was arrested, branded for three successive days, his head beaten to a pulp with the butt of a rifle, after which his body was thrown into a pit and earth and stones heaped upon it.A particularly famous picture of Badí‘ exists, taken at the Shah's request, where he is in chains during his torture, showing no emotion.
Haji Abdu'l-Majid
The 85 year old grandfather of Badí‘, Haji Abdu'l-Majid, a survivor of the Battle of Fort Tabarsi, was also killed. According to Shoghi EffendiShoghi Effendi
Shoghí Effendí Rabbání , better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the Guardian and appointed head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957...
:
- "After the martyrdom of his son, [Haji Abdu'l-Majid] had visited Bahá'u'lláh and returned afire with zeal to Khurasan, [where he] was ripped open from waist to throat, and his head exposed on a marble slab to the gaze of a multitude of insulting onlookers, who, after dragging his body ignominiously through the bazaars, left it at the morgue to be claimed by his relatives."
External links
- Áqá Buzurg (Badí‘), the Pride of the Martyrs - Biography by Richard Francis (2001)
- Biography, by Moojan Momen