Mullá Husayn
Encyclopedia
Mullá Husayn-i Bushru'i (1813–1849) , titled Jináb-i-Bábu'l-Báb (Gate of the Gate), was a Persian
religious figure, and the first Letter of the Living
of the Bábí
movement. He died at the Battle of Fort Shaykh Tabarsi, on February 2, 1849. His title of Bábu'l-Báb was bestowed upon him by the Báb
.
) to a wealthy and established family of the town. His father Hájí Mullá `Abdu’lláh was a dyer; his mother was a poetess and known for her piety and knowledge. Like most young boys of the era he received a haphazard education, learning a little scripture, reading, writing and basic mathematics. At the age of 12 he left school and pursued higher education, which included lessons in Persian literature and the Quran, whilst mastering the art of debate. By 21, he was already a mujtahid and whilst studying in Mashhad he became attracted to the teachings of Shaykh Ahmad
and Shaykhism
.
. On Siyyid Kazim's death, Mulla Husayn spent forty days secluded in prayer, after which he traveled to Bushehr
and then to Shiraz
. There, on the 22nd of May, 1844, he encountered the Báb, who declared to Mulla Husayn that he was the expected Qa'im. Mulla Husayn thus became the first of the Báb's followers.
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
religious figure, and the first Letter of the Living
Letters of the Living
The Letters of the Living was a title provided by the Báb to the first eighteen disciples of the Bábí Religion. In some understandings the Báb places himself at the head of this list...
of the Bábí
Bábism
The Babi Faith is a religious movement that flourished in Persia from 1844 to 1852, then lingered on in exile in the Ottoman Empire as well as underground. Its founder was Siyyid `Alí Muhammad Shirazi, who took the title Báb—meaning "Gate"—from a Shi'a theological term...
movement. He died at the Battle of Fort Shaykh Tabarsi, on February 2, 1849. His title of Bábu'l-Báb was bestowed upon him by the Báb
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"...
.
Background
Mullá Husayn was born with the given name of Muhammad Husayn Bushru'í in Búshrúyih (near MashhadMashhad
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...
) to a wealthy and established family of the town. His father Hájí Mullá `Abdu’lláh was a dyer; his mother was a poetess and known for her piety and knowledge. Like most young boys of the era he received a haphazard education, learning a little scripture, reading, writing and basic mathematics. At the age of 12 he left school and pursued higher education, which included lessons in Persian literature and the Quran, whilst mastering the art of debate. By 21, he was already a mujtahid and whilst studying in Mashhad he became attracted to the teachings of Shaykh Ahmad
Shaykh Ahmad
Shaykh Ahmad ibn Zayn al-Dín ibn Ibráhím al-Ahsá'í was was the founder of a 19th century Shi`i school in the Persian and Ottoman empires, whose followers are known as Shaykhís....
and Shaykhism
Shaykhism
Shaykhism is an Islamic religious movement founded by Shaykh Ahmad in early 19th century Qajar Iran. It began from a combination of Sufi and Shi‘a doctrines of the end times and the day of resurrection. Today the Shaykhi populations retain a minority following in Iran and Iraq...
.
Declaration of the Báb
According to Mulla Husayn, the Shaykhi leader, Sayyid Kazim, instructed his followers to spread out in search of the Qa'imAl-Qa'im (person)
Al-Qāʾim is a messiah-like figure in Shia Islam, sometimes referred to as the Mahdi, but distinctly of a Shiʿa tradition.-External links:* *...
. On Siyyid Kazim's death, Mulla Husayn spent forty days secluded in prayer, after which he traveled to Bushehr
Bushehr
Bushehr Bushehr lies in a vast plain running along the coastal region on the Persian Gulf coast of southwestern Iran. It is the chief seaport of the country and the administrative centre of its province. Its location is about south of Tehran. The local climate is hot and humid.The city...
and then to Shiraz
Shiraz
Shiraz may refer to:* Shiraz, Iran, a city in Iran* Shiraz County, an administrative subdivision of Iran* Vosketap, Armenia, formerly called ShirazPeople:* Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet* Ara Shiraz, Armenian sculptor...
. There, on the 22nd of May, 1844, he encountered the Báb, who declared to Mulla Husayn that he was the expected Qa'im. Mulla Husayn thus became the first of the Báb's followers.
External links
- Glossary of the Kitáb-i-Íqán - includes a small biography of Mullá Husayn
- Religious Systems of the World: A Contribution to the Study of Comparative Religion (London: Swann Sonnenschein), "The Bab", by Browne, E.GEdward Granville BrowneEdward Granville Browne , born in Stouts Hill, Uley, Gloucestershire, England, was a British orientalist who published numerous articles and books of academic value, mainly in the areas of history and literature...
,pp. 335. - Mullá Husayn, by Lowell Johnson