Táhirih
Encyclopedia
Táhirih or Qurratu'l-`Ayn (Arabic: قرة العين "Solace/Consolation of the Eyes") are both titles of Fátimih Baraghání (1814 or 1817 – August 16–27, 1852), an influential poet and theologian of the Bábí Faith in Iran
. Her life, influence and execution made her a key figure of the religion. The daughter of Muhammad-Salih Baraghani, she was born into one of the most prominent families of her time.
As a young girl she was educated privately by her father, Mulla Muhammad Salih Baraghani
, – a phenomenon of a girl at the time – and showed herself a proficient writer. Whilst in her teens she married the son of her uncle with whom she had a difficult marriage. In the early 1840s she became familiar with the teachings of Shaykh Ahmad
and began a secret correspondence with his successor Sayyid Kazim Rashti. Táhirih travelled to the Shi'i holy city of Karbala
to meet Kazim Rashti, but he died a number of days before her arrival. In 1844 aged about 27, she became acquainted with the teachings of the Báb
and accepted his religious claims. She soon won renown and infamy for her zealous teachings of his faith and "fearless devotion". Subsequently exiled back to Iran, Táhirih taught her faith at almost every opportunity. The Persian clergy grew resentful of her and endeavoured to have her imprisoned and stopped. She battled with her family throughout her life who wanted her to return back to the traditional beliefs of her family. Táhirih was accused of immorality by clerics and courtiers, but it is generally believed that these allegations were unconvincing and created to undermine her position and influence.
Táhirih was probably best remembered for unveiling herself in an assemblage of men during the Conference of Badasht
. The unveiling caused a great deal of controversy and the Báb named her Táhirih (meaning "the Pure One") to show his support for her. She was soon arrested and placed under house arrest in Tehran
. A few years later in mid-1852 she was executed in secret on account of her Bábí faith. Since her death Bábí and Bahá’í
literature venerated her to the stage of martyr, being described as "the first woman suffrage martyr". As a prominent Bábí (she was the seventeenth disciple or "Letter of the Living
" of the Báb) she is highly regarded by Bahá'ís and Azalis, and often mentioned in Bahá'í literature
as an example of courage in the struggle for women's rights. Her date of birth is uncertain, as birth records were destroyed at her execution.
, Iran
(near Tehran
), the oldest of four daughters of Mulla Muhammad Salih Baraghani
, an Usuli mujtahid who was remembered for his interpretations of the Qur'an
, his eulogies
of the tragedies of Karbala
, his zeal for the execution of punishments, and his active opposition to the consumption of wine
. Her mother was from a Persian noble family, whose brother was the imam of the Shah Mosque of Qazvin. Her mother as well as Tahiri and all her sisters all studied in the Salehiyya, the Salehi madrasa her father had established in 1817, which included a women's section. Tahirih's uncle, Mulla Muhammad-Taqi Baraghani, was also a mujtahid whose power and influence dominated the court of Fat′h-Ali Shah Qajar. The lack of contemporary evidence makes it impossible to determine her exact date of birth. Historian and contemporary Nabíl-i-A`zam
cites that it was in 1817, whilst others claim an earlier date of 1814. Her grandson suggests a much later date of 1819, whilst some modern historians claim she was born about 1815. Shoghi Effendi
and William Sears
suggest the date of 1817, and other writers agree. This is supported by claims by a chronicler from the 19th century, who wrote that Táhirih was "thirty-six years of age" when she was killed in accordance to the lunar calendar
. After interviewing Táhirih's family and the families of contemporaries as well as reading documents about her life Martha Root
believed that the most accurate date of birth was between 1817-1819. These findings are contested in several books and articles, but the evidence does not conclusively support either date.
The Baraghani brothers had migrated from an obscure village near Qazvin
to the city where they made their fortunes in ecclesiastical schools. They soon rose to the ranks of high ranking clerics in the court of the Shah of Persia and even running religious sections of Qazvin. The brothers also involved themselves in the mercantile business accumulating great wealth and royal favour. Her father was himself a noted and respected cleric, as was her older uncle who married a daughter of the monarch. Táhirih’s two younger uncles were not as elevated as the older ones but still had reasonable power in the court. Her aunt was a renowned poetess and calligrapher in royal circles and wrote government decrees in her "beautiful hand". At the time of her birth, the Baraghani's were one of the most respected and powerful families in Persia.
Under the education of her father and uncle, the young Táhirih was able to grasp a better understanding of theological and educational matters compared to her contemporaries. Girls were expected to remain docile and reticent and many were reluctant to allow their daughters to pursue an education of some sort. Her father Muhammad-Salih Baraghani was a writer in his own right and his writings laud the martyrdom of the Imam Husayn and discuss Persian literature. He was reported to devout much of his time to scholarship rather than involving himself in the court, unlike his elder brother. Amanat cites that Táhirih was also known for her esoteric interpretation of Quranic verses. Táhirih’s education in Qazvin proved itself in later years, inspiring many new trends among women in her social-circle and may have been instrumental in pressing Táhirih towards the more radical Shaykhi and Bábí
teachings.
Táhrih exerted a powerful charm and charisma on those who met her, and she was generally praised for her beauty. Contemporaries and modern historians comment on Táhirih’s rare physical beauty. A courtier described her as "moonfaced", "with hair like musk" whilst one of her fathers pupils wondered how a woman of her beauty could be so intelligent. Historian Nabil-i-A`zam
reports the "highest terms of [her] beauty", Lord Curzon writes "beauty and the female sex also lent their consecration to the new creed and the heroism… the lovely but ill-fated poetess of Qazvín". British Professor Edward Granville Browne
who spoke to a great number of her contemporaries wrote she was renowned for her "marvellous beauty". The Shah's Austrian physician also cited her beauty. `Abdu'l-Bahá
and Bahíyyih Khánum
noted her beauty in several talks and writings. Táhirih's education with her father lead her to become a devoutly religious and she upheld these beliefs for the rest of her life. It also made her hungry for knowledge and she busied herself with reading and writing religious and other forms of literature. Her formal education ended when she was about thirteen or fourteen, when she was summoned by her father to consent to a betrothal arranged by her uncle and father.
Táhirih reportedly won renown for her beauty and respect for her knowledge, however the latter was a quality regarded as undesirable in a daughter and wife. Her husband eventually became the leader of the Friday prayers
. Her two sons fled from their father after their mothers death to Najaf
and Tehran
whilst the daughter died shortly after her mothers passing. It was in the home of her cousin that Táhirih first became acquainted with and started correspondence with leaders of the Shaykhi
movement, including Siyyid Kazim, which flourished in the Shi`ah shrine cities in Iraq
.
Táhirih was introduced to the radical new Shaykhi teachings in the library of her cousin, Javad Valiyani. At first Valiyani was reluctant to allow his cousin to read the literature citing the fact her father and uncle were great enemies of the movement. Táhirih however was greatly attracted to the teachings and was on regular correspondence with Siyyid Kazim, whom she regularly wrote asking theological questions. Siyyid Kazim was gratified with her devotion and pleased that he had another supporter amongst the powerful Baraghani family. He wrote to her describing her as his "Solace of the Eyes" and "the soul of my heart". Initially Táhirih kept her new religious beliefs secret from her family. However with her new found faith Táhirih found it difficult to comply with her family’s rigid religious doctrine and began openly battling with them. The religious tension resulted in Táhirih imploring her father, uncle and husband to allow her to make a pilgrimage to the holy shrines of Karbala
. At the age of about 26 in 1843, Táhirih separated from her husband and accompanied by her sister made a sojourn to Karabala. Her real motive for the pilgrimage however was to meet her teacher Siyyid Kazim. To her dismay, by the time she had arrived, Siyyid Kazim had died. With his widow's approval, she set up in Siyyid Kazim's house and continued teaching his followers from behind a curtain.
In Karbala
Táhirih was a now teaching the pupils of Siyyid Kazim. His widow had allowed her to gain access to much of Siyyid Kazim’s unpublished works, and Táhirih made a bond with other women of his household. She was however forced to follow protocol and taught her pupils from behind a curtain, as it was regarded as unbecoming for a woman’s face to be seen in public. It was equally considered unsuitable for a woman to be in the presence of men let alone teach, and it caused much controversy in Karbala. She did nevertheless gain a wide and popular following including many women such as Kurshid Bagum (the future wife of the King of Martyrs
) and the sister of Mulla Husayn
. Another notable follower was the mother of Kazim-i-Samandar
. Her teaching was received negatively by the male clergy and other male Shaykhi’s forced her to retreat to Kazimayn for a short period.
) as the Mahdi
. She became the seventeenth disciple or "Letter of the Living" of the Báb, and rapidly become known as one of his most renowned followers. Táhirih asked the husband of her sister to send the Báb a message saying: "The effulgence of Thy face flashed forth, and the rays of Thy visage arose on high. Then speak the word, "Am I not your Lord?" and 'Thou art, Thou art!' we will all reply." As the only woman in this initial group of disciples, she is often compared to Mary Magdalene
who, in turn, is likewise often considered to be a Christian antecedent of Tahirih. Unlike the other Letters of the Living, Táhirih never met the Báb. Continuing to reside in Siyyid Kazim's home, she started to promulgate the new religion of the Báb, Bábism
, and attracted many Shakhis to Karbala. English Orientalist Edward Granville Browne
described Táhirih as "the appearance of such a woman as Qurratu'l-'Ayn is in any country and any age a rare phenomenon, but in such a country as Persia it is a prodigy-nay, almost a miracle. Alike in virtue of her marvelous beauty, her rare intellectual gifts, her fervid eloquence, her fearless devotion and her glorious martyrdom, she stands forth incomparable and immortal amidst her country-women. Had the Bábí religion no other claim to greatness, this were sufficient-that it produced a heroine like Qurratu'l-'Ayn."
in Iraq
, Táhirih continued teaching her new faith. After some of the Shi`ah clergy complained, the government moved her to Baghdad
, where she resided at the home of the mufti
of Baghdad, Shaykh Mahmud Alusi, who was impressed by her devotion and intellect. Táhirih was stoned as she left for Baghdad. There she started giving public statements teaching the new faith, and challenging and debating issues with the Shi'a clergy. Táhirih’s behaviour was regarded as unbecoming of a woman especially because of her family background and she was received negatively by the clergy. Despite this, many women admired her lessons and she gained a great number of women followers. At some point the authorities in Baghdad argued with the governor that since Táhirih was Persian she should instead be arguing her case in Iran, and in 1847, on instructions from the Ottoman authorities she, along with a number other Bábís, was deported to the Persian border.
American Martha Root
writes about Táhirih: "Picture in your mind one of the most beautiful young women in Iran, a genius, a poet, the
most learned scholar of the Quran and the traditions; think of her as the daughter of a jurist family of letters, daughter of the greatest high priest of her province and very rich, enjoying high rank, living in an artistic palace, and distinguished among her...friends for her boundless, immeasurable courage. Picture what it must mean for a young woman like this, still in her twenties, to arise as the first woman disciple of [the Báb]".
recalls that when he was aged five Táhirih would chant her poetry to him in her beautiful voice. Edward Granville Browne
procured her poems from Bábí
, Bahá'í and Azali sources and published them in his book A Year Amongst the Persians. Recently some scholars have claimed to have found new poems attributed to Táhirih, but these have not gone without controversy about the authorship. Some Islamic scholars have tried to discredit her writings as her views were controversial, since they consider her suspiciously intelligent for a woman, as the following poem demonstrates.
All the world has been illuminated; every horizon; every people
No more sits the Shaykh in the seat of hypocrisy
No more becomes the mosque a shop dispensing holiness
The tie of the turban will be cut at its source
No Shaykh will remain, neither glitter nor secrecy
The world will be free from superstitions and vain imaginings
The people free from deception and temptation
Tyranny is destined for the arm of justice
Ignorance will be defeated by perception
The carpet of justice will be outspread everywhere
And the seeds of friendship and unity will be spread throughout
The false commands eradicated from the earth
The principle of opposition changed to that of unity."
~ Noghabai, Táhirih, 152 http://bahaistudies.net/susanmaneck/paradigm.pdf http://www.bahai-studies.ca/journal/files/jbs/2.2%20Maneck.pdf
, Iran, she openly taught the Bábí faith, including on stops in Kirand and Kermanshah
, where she debated with the leading clergy of the town, Aqa `Abdu'llah-i-Bihbihani. Aqa `Abdu'llah-i-Bihbihani, at this point, wrote to Táhirih's father asking his relatives to remove her from Kermanshah. She then travelled to the small town of Sahneh
and then to Hamedan, where she met her brothers who had been sent to ask for her return to Qazvin. She agreed to return with her brothers after making a public statement in Hamedan regarding the Báb. Her father and uncle were particularly distressed at Táhirih’s behaviour regarding it as bringing the Baraghani family to disgrace. Upon returning to Qazvin in July 1847 she refused to live with her husband who she considered an infidel, and instead stayed with her brother.
After arriving at the family home, her uncle and father endeavoured to convert her away from the Bábí
faith, but Táhirih argued and presented religious "proofs" for the validity of the Báb
's claims. A few weeks later her husband quickly divorced her, and her uncle Muhammad Taqi Baraghani began publicly denouncing his niece. This was very controversial in Qazvin and further undermined the Baraghani family. Rumours circulated in the court of Táhirih’s immorality, but these were most likely hearsay concocted to undermine her position and ruin her reputation. A Qajar chronicler wrote that he was stunned by her beauty describing her "body like a peacock of Paradise", and that she had nine husbands (later changed to ninety). He also wrote she engaged in deviant behaviour with "wandering Bábís".
Such rumours were damaging to the Baraghani families reputation and Táhirih wrote a letter to her father claiming they were merely lies.
To her father she alludes to "slanderous defamation" and denies "worldly love". Her father was reportedly convinced about his daughter's chastity. He remained constantly devoted to the memory of her. After the slander and abuse from the clergy in Qazvin he retired to Karbala
, where he died in 1866. Her father may have remained unconvinced about the rumours but her uncle Mulla Muhammad Taqi Baraghani was horrified and resentful to the Báb, whom he blamed for having bought his family to ill repute.
While she was in Qazvin, her uncle, Mulla Muhammad Taqi Baraghani, was murdered, and the blame for this placed on her by her husband, even though she denied any involvement. Baraghani had been an inveterate enemy of Shaykh Ahmad al-Ahsa'i. During Táhirih's stay in Qazvin, Baraghani had embarked on a series of sermons in which he attacked the Báb and his followers. There is no hard evidence as to the identity of the murderer, nor any proof as to Táhirih's involvement or lack of it. With her arrest Táhirih’s powerful father convinced the authorities that rather than kill Táhirih, she would be imprisoned in her home. Táhirih’s father kept her under house-arrest in his cellar, appointing her maids to act as spies. Though interpreted as a cruel act in Root’s interviews with family members of Táhirih one claimed this was done out of genuine fear for her safety. Her father was convinced of his daughters’ innocence, but her husband was violently against her. He argued that Táhirih be put on trial for the murder of her uncle. Her father positively refused citing Táhirih would never leave her home. Nevertheless, authorities forcefully arrested Táhirih and one of her maids in the hope that she would testify against her.
In her trial Táhirih was questioned hour after hour about the murder of her uncle, in which she denied any involvement. To excert pressure on her, Táhirih was threatened to be branded as was her maid who was almost tortured to procure evidence from Táhirih. However, it fell through after the confession of the murderer himself. Táhirih returned to her father's home, still a prisoner, and was kept under close watch.
This accusation led to her life being in danger, and through the help of Bahá'u'lláh
, she escaped to Tehran
. Táhirih stayed at the home of Bahá'u'lláh in the private parlour of his wife Ásíyih Khánum
. Ásíyih personally looked after Táhirih whilst she was hiding in their house. It was there that she first met `Abdu'l-Bahá
and grew very attached the boy of about three or four. To Bahá’u’lláh, Táhirih had asked if she could go to Máh-Kú as a pilgrim to see the Báb, who was then still a prisoner, but Bahá’u’lláh explained the impossibility of the trek.
made arrangements for Táhirih to leave Tehran and attend the conference
. She was one of the principals at the conference and was assigned one of three reserved gardens (the other two being assigned to Bahá’u’lláh and Quddus
).
Many of the Bábís participating in the conference supported a rather conservative view on Bábism, viewing it as an offshoot of the Shaykhí school of thought not a religion in its own right. Táhirih, however, advocated for a radical break with Islam. As an act of symbolism, she took off her traditional veil in front of an assemblage of men. The unveiling caused shock and consternation amongst the males present. Prior to this, many had regarded Táhirih as the epitome of purity and the spiritual return of Fatima Zahra, the daughter of the prophet Muhammad
. Many screamed in horror at the sight, and one man was so horrified that he cut his own throat and, with blood pouring from his neck, fled the scene. Táhirih then arose and began a speech on the break from Islam. She quoted from the Quran, "verily, amid gardens and rivers shall the pious dwell in the seat of truth, in the presence of the potent King".
The unveiling caused great controversy that even led some of the Bábís to abandon their new faith. Quddus himself was repulsed at the idea of an unveiled woman in a religious meeting, and rushed to Bahá’u’lláh saying how he would refuse to see her. Despite this, and to the dismay of many of the attendants, Táhirih and Quddus reconciled their differences and the two departed from Badasht riding in the same howdah. When they neared the village of Níyálá, the local mullá, outraged at seeing an unveiled woman sitting next a group of males and chanting poems aloud, led a mob against them. Several people died in the resulting clash and the Bábís were forced to disperse in different directions.
The conference of Badasht is considered by Bábís and Bahá'ís as a signal moment that demonstrated that Islamic Sharia
law had been abrogated and superseded by Bábí law. Although the unveiling led to accusations of immorality, the Báb responded by supporting her position and naming her the Pure (Táhirih). Suggestions that Táhirih was immoral are now largely regarded as part of the defamation campaign orchestrated to destroy Táhirih's reputation and influence.
, and that if she did so then she would be given an exalted position in his harem. Táhirih rejected his advances through a poem which she composed. The Shah was reportedly gratified by her intelligence. Despite the Kings request for her to be left alone, she was placed under house arrest. The day before her martyrdom she was again presented to the King, who questioned her again about her beliefs. It was for four years that Táhirih remained a prisoner.
, the veil and other restraints put upon women. Her words soon made her an influential character and women flocked to see Táhirih, including one princess of the Qajar family who converted. The clergy and members of the court, however, feared that she had grown too influential, and they organized seven conferences with Táhirih to convince her to recant her faith in the Báb
. Instead, Táhirih presented religious "proofs" for the Báb's cause and--at the last of these conferences--exclaimed "when will you lift your eyes toward the Sun of Truth?". Her actions horrified the delegation and were regarded as unbecoming of a woman, no less one from her social background.
After the final conference, the delegation returned and began composing an edict denouncing Táhirih as a heretic, and implying that she should be sentenced to death. Táhirih was then confined to one room in the home of the mayor. She spent her last days in prayer, mediation and fasting. "Weep not," she told the mayor's wife, "the hour when I shall be condemned to suffer martyrdom is fast approaching."
, three Bábís, acting on their own initiative, attempted to assassinate Nasser-al-Din Shah as he was returning from the chase to his palace at Niyávarfin. The attempt failed, but was the cause of a fresh persecution of the Bábís and Táhirih was blamed due to her Bábí faith. She was told shortly beforehand about her execution. Táhirih kissed the hands of the messenger, dressed herself in bridal attire, adorned herself in perfume and said her prayers. To the wife of Mahmud Khan she made one supplication: that she be left in peace to continue her prayers in peace. The young son of Mahmud Khan accompanied Táhirih to the garden. To him she gave a silk white handkerchief in which she had chosen to be strangled with.
In the dead of the night in secret, Táhirih was taken to the nearby garden Ilkhani in Tehran, and with her own veil was strangled to death. Her body was thrown into a shallow well and stones thrown upon it. A prominent Bábí, and subsequently Bahá'í, historian cites the wife of an officer who had the chance to know her that she was strangled by a drunken officer of the government with her own veil which she had chosen for her anticipated martyrdom. One of her most notable quotes is her final utterance, "You can kill me as soon as you like, but you cannot stop the emancipation of women." She was then aged about 35, and was the mother of three children. Dr Jakob Eduard Polak
, the Shah's physician, was an eye-witness to the execution and described it as: "I was witness to the execution of Qurret el ayn, who was executed by the war minister and his adjutants; the beautiful woman endured her slow death with superhuman fortitude". `Abdu'l-Bahá
eulogized Táhirih writing that she was a "woman chaste and holy, a sign and token of surpassing beauty, a burning brand of the love of God". The Times on the 13th of October 1852 reports the death of Táhirih, describing her as the "Fair Prophetess of Kazoeen", and the "Bab's Lieutenant".
, who consider her one of the leading women figures of their religion, Táhirih's influence has extended beyond the Bahá'í community as her life has come to inspire later generations of feminists. Azar Nafisi
, a notable Iranian academic and author, has referred to her influence, saying that "the first woman to unveil and to question both political and religious orthodoxy was a woman named Táhirih who lived in [the] early 1800s... And we carry this tradition."
published her La femme qui lisait trop (The Woman Who Reads Too Much) in 2007. It tells the story of Táhirih. The writer adopts the revolving points of view, of mother, sister, daughter and wife respectively, to trace the impact of this woman's actions on her contemporaries and read her prophetic insights regarding her times, and perhaps ours too.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. Her life, influence and execution made her a key figure of the religion. The daughter of Muhammad-Salih Baraghani, she was born into one of the most prominent families of her time.
As a young girl she was educated privately by her father, Mulla Muhammad Salih Baraghani
Mulla Muhammad Salih Baraghani
Mulla Muhammad Salehi Baraghani was the father of Fatemeh Baraghani, also known as Táhirih, the great Bábí heroine and early figurine of women's emancipation. He was an Usuli mujtahid in Qazvin, Iran, one of three or four brothers from Baraghan who all established themselves as leading mujtahids...
, – a phenomenon of a girl at the time – and showed herself a proficient writer. Whilst in her teens she married the son of her uncle with whom she had a difficult marriage. In the early 1840s she became familiar with 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 began a secret correspondence with his successor Sayyid Kazim Rashti. Táhirih travelled to the Shi'i holy city of Karbala
Karbala
Karbala is a city in Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 572,300 people ....
to meet Kazim Rashti, but he died a number of days before her arrival. In 1844 aged about 27, she became acquainted with the teachings of 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"...
and accepted his religious claims. She soon won renown and infamy for her zealous teachings of his faith and "fearless devotion". Subsequently exiled back to Iran, Táhirih taught her faith at almost every opportunity. The Persian clergy grew resentful of her and endeavoured to have her imprisoned and stopped. She battled with her family throughout her life who wanted her to return back to the traditional beliefs of her family. Táhirih was accused of immorality by clerics and courtiers, but it is generally believed that these allegations were unconvincing and created to undermine her position and influence.
Táhirih was probably best remembered for unveiling herself in an assemblage of men during the Conference of Badasht
Conference of Badasht
The Conference of Badasht was an instrumental meeting of the leading Bábís in June-July 1848 that set in motion the radicalisation of the movement...
. The unveiling caused a great deal of controversy and the Báb named her Táhirih (meaning "the Pure One") to show his support for her. She was soon arrested and placed under house arrest in 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...
. A few years later in mid-1852 she was executed in secret on account of her Bábí faith. Since her death Bábí and Bahá’í
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....
literature venerated her to the stage of martyr, being described as "the first woman suffrage martyr". As a prominent Bábí (she was the seventeenth disciple or "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 Báb) she is highly regarded by Bahá'ís and Azalis, and often mentioned in Bahá'í literature
Bahá'í literature
Bahá'í literature, like much religious text, covers a variety of topics and forms, including scripture and inspiration, interpretation, history and biography, introduction and study materials, and apologia...
as an example of courage in the struggle for women's rights. Her date of birth is uncertain, as birth records were destroyed at her execution.
Early life (birth–1844)
Táhirih was born Fátimih Baraghání in QazvinQazvin
Qazvin is the largest city and capital of the Province of Qazvin in Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 349,821, in 96,420 families....
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
(near 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...
), the oldest of four daughters of Mulla Muhammad Salih Baraghani
Mulla Muhammad Salih Baraghani
Mulla Muhammad Salehi Baraghani was the father of Fatemeh Baraghani, also known as Táhirih, the great Bábí heroine and early figurine of women's emancipation. He was an Usuli mujtahid in Qazvin, Iran, one of three or four brothers from Baraghan who all established themselves as leading mujtahids...
, an Usuli mujtahid who was remembered for his interpretations of the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
, his eulogies
Eulogy
A eulogy is a speech or writing in praise of a person or thing, especially one recently deceased or retired. Eulogies may be given as part of funeral services. However, some denominations either discourage or do not permit eulogies at services to maintain respect for traditions...
of the tragedies of Karbala
Karbala
Karbala is a city in Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 572,300 people ....
, his zeal for the execution of punishments, and his active opposition to the consumption of wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
. Her mother was from a Persian noble family, whose brother was the imam of the Shah Mosque of Qazvin. Her mother as well as Tahiri and all her sisters all studied in the Salehiyya, the Salehi madrasa her father had established in 1817, which included a women's section. Tahirih's uncle, Mulla Muhammad-Taqi Baraghani, was also a mujtahid whose power and influence dominated the court of Fat′h-Ali Shah Qajar. The lack of contemporary evidence makes it impossible to determine her exact date of birth. Historian and contemporary 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...
cites that it was in 1817, whilst others claim an earlier date of 1814. Her grandson suggests a much later date of 1819, whilst some modern historians claim she was born about 1815. Shoghi Effendi
Shoghi 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...
and William Sears
William Sears (Bahá'í)
William Sears was a Hand of the Cause of God, writer and a popular television and radio personality. In 2010, he was honored at the Dawn Breakers International Film Festival for achieving excellence as a professional media personality.-Personal life:Sears was married twice and had two children...
suggest the date of 1817, and other writers agree. This is supported by claims by a chronicler from the 19th century, who wrote that Táhirih was "thirty-six years of age" when she was killed in accordance to the lunar calendar
Lunar calendar
A lunar calendar is a calendar that is based on cycles of the lunar phase. A common purely lunar calendar is the Islamic calendar or Hijri calendar. A feature of the Islamic calendar is that a year is always 12 months, so the months are not linked with the seasons and drift each solar year by 11 to...
. After interviewing Táhirih's family and the families of contemporaries as well as reading documents about her life Martha Root
Martha Root
Martha Louise Root was a prominent traveling teacher of the Bahá'í Faith in the late 19th and early 20th century. Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith called her "the foremost travel teacher in the first Bahá'í Century", and named her a Hand of the Cause posthumously...
believed that the most accurate date of birth was between 1817-1819. These findings are contested in several books and articles, but the evidence does not conclusively support either date.
The Baraghani brothers had migrated from an obscure village near Qazvin
Qazvin
Qazvin is the largest city and capital of the Province of Qazvin in Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 349,821, in 96,420 families....
to the city where they made their fortunes in ecclesiastical schools. They soon rose to the ranks of high ranking clerics in the court of the Shah of Persia and even running religious sections of Qazvin. The brothers also involved themselves in the mercantile business accumulating great wealth and royal favour. Her father was himself a noted and respected cleric, as was her older uncle who married a daughter of the monarch. Táhirih’s two younger uncles were not as elevated as the older ones but still had reasonable power in the court. Her aunt was a renowned poetess and calligrapher in royal circles and wrote government decrees in her "beautiful hand". At the time of her birth, the Baraghani's were one of the most respected and powerful families in Persia.
Education
Táhirih was educated particularly well for a girl of her era. A literate woman was itself a rare phenomenon and surprisingly her father decided to break from protocol and personally tutor his daughter. Though still living in a strict religious home, Táhirih was educated in theology, jurisprudence, Persian literature, and poetry. She was allowed to undertake Islamic studies, and was known for her ability to memorize the Qur'an as well as being able to grasp hard to understand points of religious law. Her father was reported to have lamented at the fact that she was not a son. Táhirih was said to have surpassed her father’s male students which further convinced him of her literary talents. Her father even allowed her to listen to his lessons which he gave male pupils, on the account that she hide behind a curtain and not let anybody know her presence. Her father affectionately knew her as "Zarrín Táj" ("Crown of Gold").Under the education of her father and uncle, the young Táhirih was able to grasp a better understanding of theological and educational matters compared to her contemporaries. Girls were expected to remain docile and reticent and many were reluctant to allow their daughters to pursue an education of some sort. Her father Muhammad-Salih Baraghani was a writer in his own right and his writings laud the martyrdom of the Imam Husayn and discuss Persian literature. He was reported to devout much of his time to scholarship rather than involving himself in the court, unlike his elder brother. Amanat cites that Táhirih was also known for her esoteric interpretation of Quranic verses. Táhirih’s education in Qazvin proved itself in later years, inspiring many new trends among women in her social-circle and may have been instrumental in pressing Táhirih towards the more radical Shaykhi and Bábí
Babi
Babi may refer to:* Babı, a municipality in Azerbaijan* Babi Dynasty, founded in 1735 by Muhammed Sher Khan Babi , Nawabs of this dynasty went on to rule over Junagadh in Gujarat, from the 18th to the 20th century....
teachings.
Táhrih exerted a powerful charm and charisma on those who met her, and she was generally praised for her beauty. Contemporaries and modern historians comment on Táhirih’s rare physical beauty. A courtier described her as "moonfaced", "with hair like musk" whilst one of her fathers pupils wondered how a woman of her beauty could be so intelligent. Historian Nabil-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...
reports the "highest terms of [her] beauty", Lord Curzon writes "beauty and the female sex also lent their consecration to the new creed and the heroism… the lovely but ill-fated poetess of Qazvín". British Professor Edward Granville Browne
Edward Granville Browne
Edward 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...
who spoke to a great number of her contemporaries wrote she was renowned for her "marvellous beauty". The Shah's Austrian physician also cited her beauty. `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 Bahíyyih Khánum
Bahiyyih Khánum
Bahíyyih Khánum the only daughter of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and Ásíyih Khánum. She was born in 1846 with the given name Fatimih Sultan, and was entitled "Varaqiy-i-'Ulyá" or "Greatest Holy Leaf"...
noted her beauty in several talks and writings. Táhirih's education with her father lead her to become a devoutly religious and she upheld these beliefs for the rest of her life. It also made her hungry for knowledge and she busied herself with reading and writing religious and other forms of literature. Her formal education ended when she was about thirteen or fourteen, when she was summoned by her father to consent to a betrothal arranged by her uncle and father.
Marriage and developments
Though showing herself a capable writer and poetess, Táhirih was forced to comply with familiar pressure and at the age of fourteen she was married to her cousin Muhammad Baraghani the son of her uncle. The marriage resulted in three children, two sons: Ibrahim and Isma’il and one daughter. The marriage however, was an unhappy one from the start and Muhammad Baraghani seemed to have been reluctant to allow his wife to further her literary pursuits. In QazvinQazvin
Qazvin is the largest city and capital of the Province of Qazvin in Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 349,821, in 96,420 families....
Táhirih reportedly won renown for her beauty and respect for her knowledge, however the latter was a quality regarded as undesirable in a daughter and wife. Her husband eventually became the leader of the Friday prayers
Jumu'ah
Jumu'ah is a congregational prayer that Muslims hold every Friday, just after noon in lieu of dhuhr...
. Her two sons fled from their father after their mothers death to Najaf
Najaf
Najaf is a city in Iraq about 160 km south of Baghdad. Its estimated population in 2008 is 560,000 people. It is the capital of Najaf Governorate...
and 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...
whilst the daughter died shortly after her mothers passing. It was in the home of her cousin that Táhirih first became acquainted with and started correspondence with leaders of the Shaykhi
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...
movement, including Siyyid Kazim, which flourished in the Shi`ah shrine cities in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.
Táhirih was introduced to the radical new Shaykhi teachings in the library of her cousin, Javad Valiyani. At first Valiyani was reluctant to allow his cousin to read the literature citing the fact her father and uncle were great enemies of the movement. Táhirih however was greatly attracted to the teachings and was on regular correspondence with Siyyid Kazim, whom she regularly wrote asking theological questions. Siyyid Kazim was gratified with her devotion and pleased that he had another supporter amongst the powerful Baraghani family. He wrote to her describing her as his "Solace of the Eyes" and "the soul of my heart". Initially Táhirih kept her new religious beliefs secret from her family. However with her new found faith Táhirih found it difficult to comply with her family’s rigid religious doctrine and began openly battling with them. The religious tension resulted in Táhirih imploring her father, uncle and husband to allow her to make a pilgrimage to the holy shrines of Karbala
Karbala
Karbala is a city in Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 572,300 people ....
. At the age of about 26 in 1843, Táhirih separated from her husband and accompanied by her sister made a sojourn to Karabala. Her real motive for the pilgrimage however was to meet her teacher Siyyid Kazim. To her dismay, by the time she had arrived, Siyyid Kazim had died. With his widow's approval, she set up in Siyyid Kazim's house and continued teaching his followers from behind a curtain.
In Karbala
Karbala
Karbala is a city in Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 572,300 people ....
Táhirih was a now teaching the pupils of Siyyid Kazim. His widow had allowed her to gain access to much of Siyyid Kazim’s unpublished works, and Táhirih made a bond with other women of his household. She was however forced to follow protocol and taught her pupils from behind a curtain, as it was regarded as unbecoming for a woman’s face to be seen in public. It was equally considered unsuitable for a woman to be in the presence of men let alone teach, and it caused much controversy in Karbala. She did nevertheless gain a wide and popular following including many women such as Kurshid Bagum (the future wife of the King of Martyrs
Núrayn-i-Nayyirayn
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...
) and the sister of Mulla Husayn
Mullá Husayn
Mullá Husayn-i Bushru'i , titled Jináb-i-Bábu'l-Báb , 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...
. Another notable follower was the mother of Kazim-i-Samandar
Kázim-i-Samandar
Shaykh Káẓim-i-Samandar known as Samandar was an eminent follower of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, a global religion of Persian origin. He was born to a prominent Bahá'í family of Qazvin of Bábí and Shaykhi background...
. Her teaching was received negatively by the male clergy and other male Shaykhi’s forced her to retreat to Kazimayn for a short period.
Conversion
In 1844, she, through correspondence, found and accepted `Ali Muhammad of Shiraz (known as the BábBáb
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"...
) as the Mahdi
Mahdi
In Islamic eschatology, the Mahdi is the prophesied redeemer of Islam who will stay on Earth for seven, nine or nineteen years- before the Day of Judgment and, alongside Jesus, will rid the world of wrongdoing, injustice and tyranny.In Shia Islam, the belief in the Mahdi is a "central religious...
. She became the seventeenth disciple or "Letter of the Living" of the Báb, and rapidly become known as one of his most renowned followers. Táhirih asked the husband of her sister to send the Báb a message saying: "The effulgence of Thy face flashed forth, and the rays of Thy visage arose on high. Then speak the word, "Am I not your Lord?" and 'Thou art, Thou art!' we will all reply." As the only woman in this initial group of disciples, she is often compared to Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus' most celebrated disciples, and the most important woman disciple in the movement of Jesus. Jesus cleansed her of "seven demons", conventionally interpreted as referring to complex illnesses...
who, in turn, is likewise often considered to be a Christian antecedent of Tahirih. Unlike the other Letters of the Living, Táhirih never met the Báb. Continuing to reside in Siyyid Kazim's home, she started to promulgate the new religion of the Báb, Bábism
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...
, and attracted many Shakhis to Karbala. English Orientalist Edward Granville Browne
Edward Granville Browne
Edward 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...
described Táhirih as "the appearance of such a woman as Qurratu'l-'Ayn is in any country and any age a rare phenomenon, but in such a country as Persia it is a prodigy-nay, almost a miracle. Alike in virtue of her marvelous beauty, her rare intellectual gifts, her fervid eloquence, her fearless devotion and her glorious martyrdom, she stands forth incomparable and immortal amidst her country-women. Had the Bábí religion no other claim to greatness, this were sufficient-that it produced a heroine like Qurratu'l-'Ayn."
As a Bábí (1844–1848)
While in KarbalaKarbala
Karbala is a city in Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 572,300 people ....
in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Táhirih continued teaching her new faith. After some of the Shi`ah clergy complained, the government moved her to 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 she resided at the home of the mufti
Mufti
A mufti is a Sunni Islamic scholar who is an interpreter or expounder of Islamic law . In religious administrative terms, a mufti is roughly equivalent to a deacon to a Sunni population...
of Baghdad, Shaykh Mahmud Alusi, who was impressed by her devotion and intellect. Táhirih was stoned as she left for Baghdad. There she started giving public statements teaching the new faith, and challenging and debating issues with the Shi'a clergy. Táhirih’s behaviour was regarded as unbecoming of a woman especially because of her family background and she was received negatively by the clergy. Despite this, many women admired her lessons and she gained a great number of women followers. At some point the authorities in Baghdad argued with the governor that since Táhirih was Persian she should instead be arguing her case in Iran, and in 1847, on instructions from the Ottoman authorities she, along with a number other Bábís, was deported to the Persian border.
American Martha Root
Martha Root
Martha Louise Root was a prominent traveling teacher of the Bahá'í Faith in the late 19th and early 20th century. Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith called her "the foremost travel teacher in the first Bahá'í Century", and named her a Hand of the Cause posthumously...
writes about Táhirih: "Picture in your mind one of the most beautiful young women in Iran, a genius, a poet, the
most learned scholar of the Quran and the traditions; think of her as the daughter of a jurist family of letters, daughter of the greatest high priest of her province and very rich, enjoying high rank, living in an artistic palace, and distinguished among her...friends for her boundless, immeasurable courage. Picture what it must mean for a young woman like this, still in her twenties, to arise as the first woman disciple of [the Báb]".
Poetry
After her conversion to the Bábí faith, the poems of Táhirih flourished. In most she talks about her longing to meet the Báb. Her poetry illustrates an impressive knowledge of Persian and Arabic literature which Táhirih possessed, seldom seen in a woman in mid-nineteenth Iran. One of her most famous poems is named Point by Point. In it, Táhirih ponders what it would be like to meet the Báb, and is widely considered her signature poem and a masterpiece. When Táhirih was killed, hostile family members suppressed or destroyed her remaining poems, whilst her others were spread across Iran. It has been suggested that Táhirih had little interest in putting her poems in print. `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...
recalls that when he was aged five Táhirih would chant her poetry to him in her beautiful voice. Edward Granville Browne
Edward Granville Browne
Edward 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...
procured her poems from Bábí
Babi
Babi may refer to:* Babı, a municipality in Azerbaijan* Babi Dynasty, founded in 1735 by Muhammed Sher Khan Babi , Nawabs of this dynasty went on to rule over Junagadh in Gujarat, from the 18th to the 20th century....
, Bahá'í and Azali sources and published them in his book A Year Amongst the Persians. Recently some scholars have claimed to have found new poems attributed to Táhirih, but these have not gone without controversy about the authorship. Some Islamic scholars have tried to discredit her writings as her views were controversial, since they consider her suspiciously intelligent for a woman, as the following poem demonstrates.
The Morn of Guidance
"Truly, the Morn of Guidance commands the breeze to beginAll the world has been illuminated; every horizon; every people
No more sits the Shaykh in the seat of hypocrisy
No more becomes the mosque a shop dispensing holiness
The tie of the turban will be cut at its source
No Shaykh will remain, neither glitter nor secrecy
The world will be free from superstitions and vain imaginings
The people free from deception and temptation
Tyranny is destined for the arm of justice
Ignorance will be defeated by perception
The carpet of justice will be outspread everywhere
And the seeds of friendship and unity will be spread throughout
The false commands eradicated from the earth
The principle of opposition changed to that of unity."
~ Noghabai, Táhirih, 152 http://bahaistudies.net/susanmaneck/paradigm.pdf http://www.bahai-studies.ca/journal/files/jbs/2.2%20Maneck.pdf
Return to Iran
During her journey back to QazvinQazvin
Qazvin is the largest city and capital of the Province of Qazvin in Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 349,821, in 96,420 families....
, Iran, she openly taught the Bábí faith, including on stops in Kirand and Kermanshah
Kermanshah
Kermanshah is a city in and the capital of Kermanshah Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 784,602, in 198,117 families.The overwhelming majority of Kermanshahi people are Shi'a Muslims...
, where she debated with the leading clergy of the town, Aqa `Abdu'llah-i-Bihbihani. Aqa `Abdu'llah-i-Bihbihani, at this point, wrote to Táhirih's father asking his relatives to remove her from Kermanshah. She then travelled to the small town of Sahneh
Sahneh
Sahneh is a city in and the capital of Sahneh County, Kermanshah Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 34,133, in 8,861 families....
and then to Hamedan, where she met her brothers who had been sent to ask for her return to Qazvin. She agreed to return with her brothers after making a public statement in Hamedan regarding the Báb. Her father and uncle were particularly distressed at Táhirih’s behaviour regarding it as bringing the Baraghani family to disgrace. Upon returning to Qazvin in July 1847 she refused to live with her husband who she considered an infidel, and instead stayed with her brother.
Arriving in Qazvin and escape to Tehran
Babi
Babi may refer to:* Babı, a municipality in Azerbaijan* Babi Dynasty, founded in 1735 by Muhammed Sher Khan Babi , Nawabs of this dynasty went on to rule over Junagadh in Gujarat, from the 18th to the 20th century....
faith, but Táhirih argued and presented religious "proofs" for the validity of 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"...
's claims. A few weeks later her husband quickly divorced her, and her uncle Muhammad Taqi Baraghani began publicly denouncing his niece. This was very controversial in Qazvin and further undermined the Baraghani family. Rumours circulated in the court of Táhirih’s immorality, but these were most likely hearsay concocted to undermine her position and ruin her reputation. A Qajar chronicler wrote that he was stunned by her beauty describing her "body like a peacock of Paradise", and that she had nine husbands (later changed to ninety). He also wrote she engaged in deviant behaviour with "wandering Bábís".
Such rumours were damaging to the Baraghani families reputation and Táhirih wrote a letter to her father claiming they were merely lies.
To her father she alludes to "slanderous defamation" and denies "worldly love". Her father was reportedly convinced about his daughter's chastity. He remained constantly devoted to the memory of her. After the slander and abuse from the clergy in Qazvin he retired to Karbala
Karbala
Karbala is a city in Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 572,300 people ....
, where he died in 1866. Her father may have remained unconvinced about the rumours but her uncle Mulla Muhammad Taqi Baraghani was horrified and resentful to the Báb, whom he blamed for having bought his family to ill repute.
While she was in Qazvin, her uncle, Mulla Muhammad Taqi Baraghani, was murdered, and the blame for this placed on her by her husband, even though she denied any involvement. Baraghani had been an inveterate enemy of Shaykh Ahmad al-Ahsa'i. During Táhirih's stay in Qazvin, Baraghani had embarked on a series of sermons in which he attacked the Báb and his followers. There is no hard evidence as to the identity of the murderer, nor any proof as to Táhirih's involvement or lack of it. With her arrest Táhirih’s powerful father convinced the authorities that rather than kill Táhirih, she would be imprisoned in her home. Táhirih’s father kept her under house-arrest in his cellar, appointing her maids to act as spies. Though interpreted as a cruel act in Root’s interviews with family members of Táhirih one claimed this was done out of genuine fear for her safety. Her father was convinced of his daughters’ innocence, but her husband was violently against her. He argued that Táhirih be put on trial for the murder of her uncle. Her father positively refused citing Táhirih would never leave her home. Nevertheless, authorities forcefully arrested Táhirih and one of her maids in the hope that she would testify against her.
In her trial Táhirih was questioned hour after hour about the murder of her uncle, in which she denied any involvement. To excert pressure on her, Táhirih was threatened to be branded as was her maid who was almost tortured to procure evidence from Táhirih. However, it fell through after the confession of the murderer himself. Táhirih returned to her father's home, still a prisoner, and was kept under close watch.
This accusation led to her life being in danger, and through the help of 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...
, she escaped 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...
. Táhirih stayed at the home of Bahá'u'lláh in the private parlour of his wife Ásíyih Khánum
Ásíyih Khánum
Ásíyih Khánum was the wife of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. She is viewed by Bahá’ís as the paragon of a devoted mother and wife. She is also known by her titles of Navváb, the Most Exalted Leaf, Búyúk Khánum or Hadrat-i-Khánum. Khánum, is a title usually given to a Persian lady...
. Ásíyih personally looked after Táhirih whilst she was hiding in their house. It was there that she first met `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 grew very attached the boy of about three or four. To Bahá’u’lláh, Táhirih had asked if she could go to Máh-Kú as a pilgrim to see the Báb, who was then still a prisoner, but Bahá’u’lláh explained the impossibility of the trek.
Conference of Badasht
In June-July 1848, a number of Bábí leaders met in the hamlet of Badasht at a conference, organized in part and financed by Bahá'u'lláh, that set in motion the radicalization of the Bábí movement. Around eighty men attended the conference. After the Báb's arrest in 1848, Táhirih had expressed an interest in making a pilgrimage to the fortress of Máh-Kú in the province of Azarbaijan (close to the Turkish border) where he was being held. Under the circumstances, it would have been impossible for a young woman to make such a journey. Instead, Bahá'u'lláhBahá'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...
made arrangements for Táhirih to leave Tehran and attend the conference
Conference of Badasht
The Conference of Badasht was an instrumental meeting of the leading Bábís in June-July 1848 that set in motion the radicalisation of the movement...
. She was one of the principals at the conference and was assigned one of three reserved gardens (the other two being assigned to Bahá’u’lláh and Quddus
Quddus
Quddus is one of the 99 Names of God in the Quran, it may refer to:*Abdul Quddus, Male theophoric given name*Quddus , the VJ and sometimes host of Total Request Live-People:*Quddús, the title of the most prominent disciple of the Báb...
).
Many of the Bábís participating in the conference supported a rather conservative view on Bábism, viewing it as an offshoot of the Shaykhí school of thought not a religion in its own right. Táhirih, however, advocated for a radical break with Islam. As an act of symbolism, she took off her traditional veil in front of an assemblage of men. The unveiling caused shock and consternation amongst the males present. Prior to this, many had regarded Táhirih as the epitome of purity and the spiritual return of Fatima Zahra, the daughter of the prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
. Many screamed in horror at the sight, and one man was so horrified that he cut his own throat and, with blood pouring from his neck, fled the scene. Táhirih then arose and began a speech on the break from Islam. She quoted from the Quran, "verily, amid gardens and rivers shall the pious dwell in the seat of truth, in the presence of the potent King".
The unveiling caused great controversy that even led some of the Bábís to abandon their new faith. Quddus himself was repulsed at the idea of an unveiled woman in a religious meeting, and rushed to Bahá’u’lláh saying how he would refuse to see her. Despite this, and to the dismay of many of the attendants, Táhirih and Quddus reconciled their differences and the two departed from Badasht riding in the same howdah. When they neared the village of Níyálá, the local mullá, outraged at seeing an unveiled woman sitting next a group of males and chanting poems aloud, led a mob against them. Several people died in the resulting clash and the Bábís were forced to disperse in different directions.
The conference of Badasht is considered by Bábís and Bahá'ís as a signal moment that demonstrated that Islamic Sharia
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
law had been abrogated and superseded by Bábí law. Although the unveiling led to accusations of immorality, the Báb responded by supporting her position and naming her the Pure (Táhirih). Suggestions that Táhirih was immoral are now largely regarded as part of the defamation campaign orchestrated to destroy Táhirih's reputation and influence.
Imprisonment and Death (1848–1852)
Nearby villagers attacked the Bábís and during that time Táhirih was captured, and put under house arrest in Tehran in the home of the Mahmud Khan. Whilst in the house of Mahmud Khan she earned respect from women around Tehran who flocked to see her and even the Mahmud Khan himself. Táhirih seemed to have gained the respect of Mahmud Khan and his family members.Presentation at Court
After her capture and arrest, Táhirih was escorted to Tehran. It was in Tehran that Táhirih was presented in the court to the young monarch Nasser-al-Din Shah. He was reported to have remarked "I like her looks, leave her, and let her be". She was then taken to the home of the chief Mahmud Khan. The Shah then wrote her a letter in which he explained that she should deny the teachings of the BábBáb
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 that if she did so then she would be given an exalted position in his harem. Táhirih rejected his advances through a poem which she composed. The Shah was reportedly gratified by her intelligence. Despite the Kings request for her to be left alone, she was placed under house arrest. The day before her martyrdom she was again presented to the King, who questioned her again about her beliefs. It was for four years that Táhirih remained a prisoner.
Final Sentence
Though a prisoner, Táhirih still had relative freedom in the sense that she still taught her religion to people in the mayor's house. She openly denounced polygamyPolygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
, the veil and other restraints put upon women. Her words soon made her an influential character and women flocked to see Táhirih, including one princess of the Qajar family who converted. The clergy and members of the court, however, feared that she had grown too influential, and they organized seven conferences with Táhirih to convince her to recant her faith in 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"...
. Instead, Táhirih presented religious "proofs" for the Báb's cause and--at the last of these conferences--exclaimed "when will you lift your eyes toward the Sun of Truth?". Her actions horrified the delegation and were regarded as unbecoming of a woman, no less one from her social background.
After the final conference, the delegation returned and began composing an edict denouncing Táhirih as a heretic, and implying that she should be sentenced to death. Táhirih was then confined to one room in the home of the mayor. She spent her last days in prayer, mediation and fasting. "Weep not," she told the mayor's wife, "the hour when I shall be condemned to suffer martyrdom is fast approaching."
Execution
Two years after the execution of the BábBáb
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"...
, three Bábís, acting on their own initiative, attempted to assassinate Nasser-al-Din Shah as he was returning from the chase to his palace at Niyávarfin. The attempt failed, but was the cause of a fresh persecution of the Bábís and Táhirih was blamed due to her Bábí faith. She was told shortly beforehand about her execution. Táhirih kissed the hands of the messenger, dressed herself in bridal attire, adorned herself in perfume and said her prayers. To the wife of Mahmud Khan she made one supplication: that she be left in peace to continue her prayers in peace. The young son of Mahmud Khan accompanied Táhirih to the garden. To him she gave a silk white handkerchief in which she had chosen to be strangled with.
In the dead of the night in secret, Táhirih was taken to the nearby garden Ilkhani in Tehran, and with her own veil was strangled to death. Her body was thrown into a shallow well and stones thrown upon it. A prominent Bábí, and subsequently Bahá'í, historian cites the wife of an officer who had the chance to know her that she was strangled by a drunken officer of the government with her own veil which she had chosen for her anticipated martyrdom. One of her most notable quotes is her final utterance, "You can kill me as soon as you like, but you cannot stop the emancipation of women." She was then aged about 35, and was the mother of three children. Dr Jakob Eduard Polak
Jakob Eduard Polak
thumbnail|200px|Jakob Eduard PolakJakob Eduard Polak was an Austrian physician who played an important role in introducing modern medicine in Iran....
, the Shah's physician, was an eye-witness to the execution and described it as: "I was witness to the execution of Qurret el ayn, who was executed by the war minister and his adjutants; the beautiful woman endured her slow death with superhuman fortitude". `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...
eulogized Táhirih writing that she was a "woman chaste and holy, a sign and token of surpassing beauty, a burning brand of the love of God". The Times on the 13th of October 1852 reports the death of Táhirih, describing her as the "Fair Prophetess of Kazoeen", and the "Bab's Lieutenant".
Legacy
Táhirih is considered one of the foremost women of the Bábí religion and an important figure in its development. As a charismatic individual, she was able to transcend the restrictions normally placed on women in traditional society where she lived, and thus attracted attention to the Cause. While she wrote extensively on Bábí matters, few of her writings have survived other than her poems, which are regarded highly in Persian culture. In addition to being well-known among Bahá'ísBahá'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....
, who consider her one of the leading women figures of their religion, Táhirih's influence has extended beyond the Bahá'í community as her life has come to inspire later generations of feminists. Azar Nafisi
Azar Nafisi
Azar Nafisi, born ca. 1947, is an Iranian academic and bestselling writer who has resided in the United States since 1997 when she emigrated from Iran. Her field is English language literature....
, a notable Iranian academic and author, has referred to her influence, saying that "the first woman to unveil and to question both political and religious orthodoxy was a woman named Táhirih who lived in [the] early 1800s... And we carry this tradition."
In fiction
Bahiyyih NakhjavaniBahiyyih Nakhjavani
Bahiyyih Nakhjavani is a Persian writer who grew up in Uganda and was educated in the United Kingdom and the United States. She now lives in France where she teaches. She taught European and American literature in Belgium....
published her La femme qui lisait trop (The Woman Who Reads Too Much) in 2007. It tells the story of Táhirih. The writer adopts the revolving points of view, of mother, sister, daughter and wife respectively, to trace the impact of this woman's actions on her contemporaries and read her prophetic insights regarding her times, and perhaps ours too.
External links
- Directory of Táhirih's Arabic and Persian writings at h-net
- Translation of Táhirih's poetry to English by Martha Root
- Táhirih - Táhirih's biographical entry from Memorials of the Faithful by `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...
- Collected English Accounts of Táhirih's Life - Primary and Secondary Biographical Accounts