Núrayn-i-Nayyirayn
Encyclopedia
Núrayn-i-Nayyirayn are two brothers who were followers of Bahá'u'lláh
, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith
, a global religion of Persian origin. They were beheaded in 1879 as a result of being Bahá'ís. Numerous letters and tablets
were written in their honour by Bahá'u'lláh, who gave them the titles which they are commonly known as: the King of Martyrs and the Beloved of Martyrs.
The older brother was Mírzá Muhammad-Husayn, given the title Mahbúbu'sh-Shuhadá' (Beloved of Martyrs). His brother was Mírzá Muhammad-Hasan, given the title Sultánu'sh-Shuhada' (King of Martyrs). The latter was identified as one of the nineteen Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh
.
The two were both natives of Isfahan
, and were both rich and highly endowed with trading acumen. They were beheaded in the city of Isfahan in 1879 as a result of three persons: Mir Muhammad-Husayn, the Imám-Jum'ih
of Isfahan; Shaykh Muhammad-Baqir, another influential Muslim cleric of Isfahan; and Sultán-Mas'úd Mírzá
, the son of Násiri'd-Dín Sháh
, who governed Isfahan during the time.
The brothers were merchants, and participated in a trading network with the Afnán
(relatives of the Báb), who had a vast and profitable network stretching from Hong Kong
to the Caucasus. The two brothers were well known to be selfless, upright and kindly men. Part of their success as merchants has been attributed to their record of honest and upright transactions.
When they asked for the money which the Imám owed them, he stalled, and began to find ways of evading the payment. He met with Shaykh Muhammad-Baqir, another influential Islamic leader, and they created a plan to destroy the two of them. They approached Sultan-Mas'ud Mirza, the governor of Isfahan, and he quickly agreed to have them thrown in jail, on the grounds that they were Bahá'ís.
, informing him that they had "in their concern for the security of the sovereign", detained and imprisoned two Bahá'ís, and requested his permission to have them put to death. The Shah refused the request, and instead asked them to be sent as prisoners to Tehran.
The Ulama
then decided that the brothers would likely be set free due to their innocence. They then decided to ensure their death before departing for Tehran. They used their power as religious leaders to encourage over 50 other divines, each with his own crowd of rioters, to approach the house of the governor and demand the death of the brothers, chanting "Oh for our Religion!"
The governor argued with the Ulama that the two brothers were not guilty of any treasonable act and had done nothing hostile to the State. He refused to give orders for their execution. One of the Ulama then offered to kill them with his own hands. A large sum of money was offered to the governor, which he accepted. Before the orders could be carried out, a crowd broke into the prison holding them and dragged them into the street, where they were torn apart.
Rope were fastened to the corpses, and they were then dragged around the city and left at the gallows, where people continued to throw stones at them. At the close of the day, their bodies were taken to an archway, which was brought down over them. They were eventually buried in the Takht-i-Fulad cemetery.
to the son of Shaykh Muhammad Báqir.
Mírzá Muhammad-Hasan left behind a widow named Fátimih Begum, and a son named Mírzá ‘Abdu’l-Husayn. Bahá’u’lláh directed them to come to Akka so that they might be compensated for all that had passed. Mírzá ‘Abdu’l-Husayn, died in the city. (Memorials of the Faithful, pg. 173) The third of `Abdu'l-Bahá's four surviving daughters, Rúhá Khánum, married Mírzá Jalál, another son of the King of Martyrs. She broke the Covenant
in the 1940s.
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. They were beheaded in 1879 as a result of being Bahá'ís. Numerous letters and tablets
Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh
The Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas are selected tablets written by Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and published together as of 1978....
were written in their honour by Bahá'u'lláh, who gave them the titles which they are commonly known as: the King of Martyrs and the Beloved of Martyrs.
The older brother was Mírzá Muhammad-Husayn, given the title Mahbúbu'sh-Shuhadá' (Beloved of Martyrs). His brother was Mírzá Muhammad-Hasan, given the title Sultánu'sh-Shuhada' (King of Martyrs). The latter was 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...
.
The two were both natives of 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...
, and were both rich and highly endowed with trading acumen. They were beheaded in the city of Isfahan in 1879 as a result of three persons: Mir Muhammad-Husayn, the Imám-Jum'ih
Khatib
Khatib or khateeb is an Arabic term used to describe a person who delivers the sermon , during the Friday prayer and Eid prayers....
of Isfahan; Shaykh Muhammad-Baqir, another influential Muslim cleric of Isfahan; and Sultán-Mas'úd Mírzá
Mass'oud Mirza Zell-e Soltan
Mass'oud Mirza Zell-e Soltan Mass'oud Mirza Zell-e Soltan Mass'oud Mirza Zell-e Soltan ("Mass'oud Mirza the Sultan's Shadow (5 January 1850-2 July 1918) was a Persian prince of the Qajar Dynasty; he was known as the "Yamin-al-Dowleh" ("Right Hand of the Government")...
, the son of Násiri'd-Dín Sháh
Nasser al-Din Shah
Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar was the King of Iran from September 17, 1848 to May 1, 1896 when he was assassinated. He was the son of Mohammad Shah Qajar and Malek Jahan Khanom, Mahd-e Olia and the third longest reigning monarch king in Iranian history after Shapur II of the Sassanid Dynasty and...
, who governed Isfahan during the time.
Background
The brothers followed in the footsteps of their father, Mírzá Ibráhím. They had for years helped the Imám-Jum'ih in managing his affairs, making several payments on his behalf, which became quite a substantial amount.The brothers were merchants, and participated in a trading network with the Afnán
Afnán
Afnan , is a term in literature of the Bahá'í Faith referring to maternal relatives of the Báb, and is used as a surname by their descendants. This name is also mentioned in the Quran....
(relatives of the Báb), who had a vast and profitable network stretching from Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
to the Caucasus. The two brothers were well known to be selfless, upright and kindly men. Part of their success as merchants has been attributed to their record of honest and upright transactions.
When they asked for the money which the Imám owed them, he stalled, and began to find ways of evading the payment. He met with Shaykh Muhammad-Baqir, another influential Islamic leader, and they created a plan to destroy the two of them. They approached Sultan-Mas'ud Mirza, the governor of Isfahan, and he quickly agreed to have them thrown in jail, on the grounds that they were Bahá'ís.
Martyrdom
The two brothers were tortured, and promised release upon recanting their faith and cursing its leaders, which they never did. The collaborators wrote a letter to the Shah in TehranTehran
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...
, informing him that they had "in their concern for the security of the sovereign", detained and imprisoned two Bahá'ís, and requested his permission to have them put to death. The Shah refused the request, and instead asked them to be sent as prisoners to Tehran.
The Ulama
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...
then decided that the brothers would likely be set free due to their innocence. They then decided to ensure their death before departing for Tehran. They used their power as religious leaders to encourage over 50 other divines, each with his own crowd of rioters, to approach the house of the governor and demand the death of the brothers, chanting "Oh for our Religion!"
The governor argued with the Ulama that the two brothers were not guilty of any treasonable act and had done nothing hostile to the State. He refused to give orders for their execution. One of the Ulama then offered to kill them with his own hands. A large sum of money was offered to the governor, which he accepted. Before the orders could be carried out, a crowd broke into the prison holding them and dragged them into the street, where they were torn apart.
Rope were fastened to the corpses, and they were then dragged around the city and left at the gallows, where people continued to throw stones at them. At the close of the day, their bodies were taken to an archway, which was brought down over them. They were eventually buried in the Takht-i-Fulad cemetery.
Aftermath
Bahá'u'lláh wrote several tablets lamenting over the loss of the two brothers, and denouncing the treachery that provoked their murder. One such tablet, Lawh-i-Burhán, was addressed to Shaykh Muhammad Báqir, giving him the title of the 'Wolf', and the title of 'She-Serpent' to Muhammad Husayn, the Imám Jum'ih of Isfahán. The two, along with the governor of Isfahan were the three main conspirators against the brothers. Bahá'u'lláh also wrote the Epistle to the Son of the WolfEpistle to the Son of the Wolf
The Epistle to the Son of the Wolf is the last major work of Bahá'u'lláh, founder of the Bahá'í Faith, before his death in 1892. It is a letter written to a Muslim cleric, a violent opponent of the Bahá'ís who, along with his father , also a Muslim cleric, had put to death a number of Bahá'ís...
to the son of Shaykh Muhammad Báqir.
Mírzá Muhammad-Hasan left behind a widow named Fátimih Begum, and a son named Mírzá ‘Abdu’l-Husayn. Bahá’u’lláh directed them to come to Akka so that they might be compensated for all that had passed. Mírzá ‘Abdu’l-Husayn, died in the city. (Memorials of the Faithful, pg. 173) The third of `Abdu'l-Bahá's four surviving daughters, Rúhá Khánum, married Mírzá Jalál, another son of the King of Martyrs. She broke the Covenant
Covenant-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....
in the 1940s.