• The first Trustee of the Huqúqu'lláh was Hájí Sháh-Muhammad-i-Manshádí, or Jináb-i-Sháh Muhammad from Manshád, Yazd who had become a believer in Baghdad. [Message from the Universal House of Justice dated 25 March, 1985]
• His title was Amínu'l-Bayán (Trustee of the Bayán).
• He made many journeys between Iran and the Holy Land carrying donations and petitions from the friends and returning with Tablets and news.
• See SABF47-48 for the story of the lost coin given as a donation by a very poor woman.
• He was tasked with receiving the casket of the Báb after the location had been discovered by a number of believers. He transferred it to the Mosque of Imámzádih Zayd in Tehran where it was buried beneath the floor of the inner sanctuary of the shrine. It was consequently discovered and moved to a series of private homes in Tehran until 'Abdu'l-Bahá sent for it for the internment. [ISC-1963p32]
• Hájí Sháh-Muhammad was in 'Akká when Áqá Buzurg, entitled Badí', came to confer with Bahá'u'lláh. He and Badí met on Mount Carmel as directed by Bahá'u'lláh.
• He was killed as a result of wounds incurred during an attack during a Kurdish revolt. [RoB3p73]

See History of Information.

The wife of Ḥakím Áqá Ján, Ṭúṭí Khánum, was a deeply faithful believer and his son, Mírzá Mihdí Khán, a doctor of medicine like his father, became the personal physician of Náṣiri'd-Dín Sháh.

In 1881, on his deathbed, Ḥakím Áqá Ján was reported to have seen Bahá'u'lláh standing in his room although He was in the Holy Land. In a tablet addressed to his son after his passing, Bahá'u'lláh said that He was with him at the moment of his ascension. [An Account of the Life of Ḥakím Áqá Ján translated by Adobe Masumian]

For more information on the enrolment of Persian Jews see Jewish Identities in Iran: Resistance and Conversion to Islam and the Baha'i Faith by Mehrdad Amanat as well as Arsalan Geula's Iranian Bahá'ís from Jewish Background: A Portrait of an Emerging Bahá'í Community.]

Among those attracted was the personal court physician during the Qájár Dynasty, Hakím Masíh, who first learned about the Faith when he was accompanying Muhammad Sháh to Karbila. While en route he encountered Tahirih in Baghdad, who was giving a lecture. He also met with her personally and observed her interactions with the divines. Years later he was called upon to treat a child, Ibn -I-Asdaq, who, with his father Ismu'lláhu'l-Asdaq, were chained together in the Siyáh-Chál for two years and four months. For a period of two months he visited the child regularly and learned more of the Faith from his father. Hakím Masíh taught the Faith to his family and this was the start of the Jewish conversion in Hamadán and Káshan. He was favoured by a number of tablets from Bahá'u'llah and his youngest grandson, Dr Lutfu'lláh h Hakím served the Master as well as Shoghi Effendi and was elected to the first Universal House of Justice in 1963. [Rob3p265-268]

Two hours and eleven minutes after sunset Siyyid `Alí-Muhammad made His declaration to Mullá Husayn-i-Bushrú'í in the upper room of His House. [DB52-65]

"I am, I am, I am, the promised One! I am the One whose name you have for a thousand years invoked, at whose mention you have risen, whose advent you have longed to witness, and the hour of whose Revelation you have prayed God to hasten. Verily I say, it is incumbent upon the peoples of both the East and the West to obey My word and to pledge allegiance to My person." [DB315-316]

• See MBBA146-152 for a description of how arrangements were made to accommodate the Western visitors in a relatively new city with no hotels and few houses. The city was built to accommodate the construction of the Suez Canal which had been completed in 1869. Other sources indicate that the pilgrims were accommodated in Cairo.
• 'Abdu'l-Bahá expressed His appreciation to Mírzá Áqá Nuri'd-Din for his service in accommodating the Western pilgrims. His Tablet seems to indicate that he was kept in place for that purpose. [MBBA152]
• They divided themselves into three parties, using Cairo as a staging post. [AB68; BFA1:143; SBBH1:93]
• See AB68–72; BFA2:9; DH61; GPB257, 259 for those included in the pilgrimage group.
• Included were Mrs Hearst's nieces, a few American friends and, joining in London, Mrs Mary Thornburgh-Cropper and her mother. [SCU13. CH234-236; LDNW15]
• In Paris the group was joined by two nieces of Mrs Hearst, Mrs Thornburgh, her daughter Miriam Thornburgh-Cropper and May Bolles. [AB68]
• LDNW15 says that Ella Goodall and Nell Hillyer and May Bolles joined the party in Paris.
• There were further additions in Egypt. [AB68]
• See BFA1:143–4 for those included in the first group.
• Among the group was Robert Turner, the first member of the Black race to become a Bahá'í. For 35 years, Turner faithfully served as butler to Phoebe Apperson Hearst and Senator George Hearst, parents of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. [AB72; BBD227; BFA1:139; GPB259]
• `Abdu'l-Bahá received the pilgrims in the House of `Abdu'lláh Páshá. [BBD13, 108; DH61]
• See AB68–71; BW16:104–5; CH235–6 and GPB257–9 for the pilgrims' responses to the pilgrimage.
• Edward Getsinger made a recording of `Abdu'l-Bahá chanting a prayer. [BFA1:160]
• Getsinger also took photographs that he later tinted and published as an album. [LDNW16]
• On the 18th of January, 1899, Lua received her first Tablet from 'Abdu'l-Bahá, in fact, it was the first Tablet addressed to a North American believer. [LGHC23]
• See TF31-52 for details of Lua Getsinger's pilgrim experience and TF44-46 for 'Abdu'l-Bahá's parting remarks to the pilgrims.
• The Getsingers returned from the pilgrimage with an Arabic copy of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas which was later translated by Anton Haddad. They departed on the 23rd of March, 1899. [BFA2:11; LGHC30]
• See Star of the West, vol. VII, No. 4 or "Lua Getsinger - Herald of the Covenant" By Amine DeMille for a description of how 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave Lua the power to speak eloquently. [LDNW15] iiiii

• See BKG168, GPB149, RB1:260–1 and SA234–5 for details of His walk.
• For the first time, He wore a tall táj as a symbol of His station. [BBD221; BKG176; GPB152]
• Bahá'u'lláh entered the Garden just as the call to afternoon prayer was being made. [GPB149; RB1:261]
• On this day Bahá'u'lláh declared His mission to a few of His disciples. [RB1:260, 262]
• On the afternoon of Bahá'u'lláh's arrival at the Garden He revealed the Lawh-i-Ayyúb (Tablet of Job) (also known as the Súriy-i-Sabr (Súrat of Patience), Madínatu's-Sabr (City of Patience) and Súrat Ayyúb for Hájí Muhammad-i-Taqíy-i-Nayrízí whom He surnamed Ayyúb (Job). He was a veteran of the battle of Nayríz. The Tablet praised Vahíd and the believers of Nayríz. [SA239; Tablet of Patience (Surih Íabr): Declaration of Bahá'u'lláh and Selected Topics by Foad Seddigh]
• He also revealed the Tablet of Ridván, an Arabic tablet beginning with "He is seated upon this luminous throne.... [SA239]
• ...and Húr-i-'Ujáb (The Wondrous Maiden). [SA239]
• ...as well as Qad atá Rabí'u'l-Bayán, ...The Divine Springtime is come.... [SA240]
• and an Arabic Tablet that begins...When the gladness of God seized all else. [SA240]
• 'Of the exact circumstances … we, alas, are but scantily informed.' [BKG173; GPB153]
• For such details as are known, see BKG173–5 and GPB153. iiiii
• For the import of the event, see BKG169–73; G27–35; GBP153–5.
• This initiated the holy day of the First Day of Ridván, to be celebrated on 21 April. [BBD196]
• This marked the end of the dispensation of the Báb and of the first epoch of the Heroic or Apostolic Age of the Bahá'í dispensation. [BBD72, 79]
On the same day Bahá'u'lláh made three important statements to His followers:
1. He forbade the use of the sword.
2. He stated that no other Manifestations will appear before one thousand years. This was later reiterated in the Kitáb-i-Badí' and in The Kitáb-i-Aqdas.
3. He stated that, as from that moment, all the names and attributes of God were manifested within all created things, implying the advent of a new Day. [RB1:278–80]

During the 12 days in the Ridván Garden Bahá'u'lláh confided to 'Abdu'l-Bahá that He was 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'. [CH82]

• See CH82–3 for the effect of this announcement on 'Abdu'l-Bahá.

"In the city of 'Ishqábád the newly established Shí'ah community, envious of the rising prestige of the followers of Bahá'u'lláh who were living in their midst, instigated two ruffians to assault the seventy-year old Hájí Muhammad-Ridáy-i-Isfáhání, whom, in broad day and in the midst of the bazaar, they stabbed in no less than thirty-two places, exposing his liver, lacerating his stomach and tearing open his breast. A military court dispatched by the Czar to 'Ishqábád established, after prolonged investigation, the guilt of the Shí'ahs, sentencing two to death and banishing six others - a sentence which neither Násir'd-Dín Sháh, nor the 'ulamás of Tihrán, of Mashad and of Tabríz, who were appealed to, could mitigate, but which the representatives of the aggrieved community, through their magnanimous intercession which greatly surprised the Russian authorities, succeeded in having commuted to a lighter punishment." [GPB202-203]

Vahíd traveled from Yazd towards Shíráz, eventually coming to Nayríz. He went to the Mosque of Jum'ih where he ascended the pulpit and proclaimed the Cause of God. The governor moved against him and Vahíd ordered his companions to occupy the fort of Khájih. The siege that followed lasted a month. [B178, 204–5; BBR109–13; BW18:381; For23]

Mirza Asadu'llah was the first to undertake the organization of a local House of Justice in Iran. He took the initiative to invite eight other prominent believers to form a body, responding to the laws of the Kitáb-i Aqdas , which they referred to as bayt al-'adl (House of Justice) or bayt al-a'zam (the Most Great House).

The organization of this first House of Justice was kept a secret, even from the believers. However, it met sporadically in the home of Mirza Asadu'llah for a couple of years. After consulting with this body, the prominent Bahá'í men who had been invited to attend its meetings would seek to take action as individual Bahá'í teachers that would implement its decisions.

Around 1881, the Tehran House of Justice was reorganized and more members were added. The House adopted a written constitution and pursued its activities with more organization and vigour than before. The constitution mandated, however, that the meetings remain strictly confidential, hidden from the body of the believers. [The Service of Women on the Institutions of the Baha'i Faith]

In 1862 he had been appointed physician to the diplomatic delegation sent to Persia to establish relations between the newly created Kingdom of Italy and the Persian government. There in Tabriz, Lessona met Daud Khan, who told him about the new Revelation. He met often with Gobineau, who had then become the French Ambassador to Persia and the two became lifelong friends. Most of Lessona's information on the Bábi Faith came from these two sources, especially the latter. He found it difficult to get any first-hand information about the Babis, but did recognize, in 1962, that the successor to the Báb was living in Baghdad.

Lessona organized two-part conference on the Bábi movement that was held in December of 1880. The following year he published the proceedings of the conference in a small monograph called I Bábi. It was the first Italian historical testimony on the Bábí - Bahá'í Faith. [Bahá'í Tributes; Bahá'í Teachings; BW12p900]

See more details at 1868 May 26.

"spot that art situate on the shores of the two seas" [KA217]

Upon arrival He and His family were driven to the residence of Shamsi Big near the Sharif Mosque. They stayed here about one month. His companions were given accommodation elsewhere in the city. [BKG197, 204; GPB157–61, HDBFXXVIII]

For the story of Mullá ‘Alí Ján and his wife ‘Alavíyyih Khánum and their work in the village of Máhfurúzak of Mazandaran province see Bahá'í Chronicles and Alavíyyih Khánum and Mullá 'Alí by Mehraeen Mottahedin-Mavaddat and Moojan Momen.

Their school was a precursor for the Tabbiyat School system that started in Tehran in 1898 and operated until 1934. These schools were distinctive for their approach, integrating moral and academic education while emphasizing the principle of equality between women and men. Dr. Yazdani noted various examples of how these schools were progressive in their approaches: “Physical punishment in schools… was ordinary at that time, …but Bahá’í schools did not do that. And then, co-ed schools were almost non-existent. For some time, wherever possible, they were co-ed schools.”

‘Abdul-Bahá was directly involved in the promotion of agricultural activity in Iran. The efforts drew inspiration from the Bahá’í teachings, which emphasize the role of the farmer as “the first active agent in human society.” He encouraged the Bahá’ís of Iran to begin cultivating tea, so that the country would not need to rely so heavily on imported tea. “He very clearly wanted the Bahá’ís of Iran to do their best for the betterment of the country in every aspect,” she noted.

Noteworthy also are the innovative efforts of the Bahá’ís related to public health matters and hygiene initiatives. These endeavours not only attended to the immediate material needs of individuals, but introduced ideas that were novel at that time, such as installing showers in traditional Iranian bath houses. Previously, these places had been sources of infection and disease, because the water would not be changed frequently. In contrast to other bath houses, the new, clean bath houses founded by Bahá’ís were open to everyone, irrespective of denomination—an initiative that benefitted all members of society. Other examples of the provision of health services were the Sehat Hospital and the Misaghieh Hospital, both established in Tehran.

The principle of the equality of women and men has challenged prevailing social norms. She gave an example of the capability of women in both private and public spheres. “From very early on, Bahá’ís have applied the principle of the equality of rights for men and women to their private, social, and administrative lives. The rights that women have, for example, in marriage, are all based on the equality of women and men.”

Another contribution of the Bahá’í community was to introduce the practice of consultation and collective decision-making. In spite of the difficulties for the Bahá'ís in modern day Iran due to the relentless persecution, they continue to serve the needs of their society with constructive resilience, a term often used by the Universal House of Justice to describe stalwart spirit of the Bahá'ís of Iran in the face of the unjust situation. [BWNS1756]

Anton Haddad was the first Bahá'í to arrive in the New World. [BFA1p26]

In Epistle to the Son of the Wolf (p174-176) Bahá'u'lláh mentions Mírzá 'Alí-Akbar, a relative of the Báb and Abu'l-Qásim-i-Káshí and states "several other suffered martyrdom through the decree pronounced by Mírzá Yahyá."

"Many of the laws of the Báb...are carefully designed in a way that testifies that the advent of Him Whom God shall make manifest was impending....The Báb never revealed the words of the (obligatory) prayer itself, thus making the implementation of this law dependent on the arrival of the Promised One." [GH366]

The original Bahá'í obligatory prayer, mentioned in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, involved nine cycles of movement starting with a bow (rak`ah) and was to be said morning, noon, and afternoon. It probably called for three rak`ahs at each time. Bahá'u'lláh revealed the text but did not release it in order to avoid provoking conflict with Muslims. (This prayer was one of the documents in the cases taken by `Abdu'l-Bahá's brothers shortly after the passing of Bahá'u'lláh.) Some time later, after the writing of the Kitab-i-Aqdas but before that of its supplement Questions and Answers, Bahá'u'lláh wrote a second set of obligatory prayers which are in use today. Three alternative forms were provided: a very short prayer to be said between noon and sunset; a somewhat longer prayer to be said in the morning, the afternoon, and the evening; and a long prayer to be said once during twenty-four hours. [Prayer and Worship by John Walbridge]

Originally, Fáṭimih Bagum did not accept her Son's cause unlike her brother, however she kept an open mind. She was devastated on hearing the news of the treatment of her Son, and after His martyrdom her family kept it a secret from her for nearly a whole year. After hearing the news, the distraught Fáṭimih Bagum moved to Karbilá with her closest companions in December of 1851. She did not become a believer until some time later when Bahá'u'lláh instructed two of His faithful followers, Hájí Siyyid Javád-i-Karbilá'í and the wife of Hájí 'Abdu'l-Majíd-i-Shírázi to instruct her in the principles of the Faith

During this time He revealed the following:

Mírzá Yahyá's henceman, Siyyíd Muhammad, convinced Yahyá to challenge Bahá'u'lláh to to face-to-face encounter in the mosque of Sultán Salím in a distant part of the city, believing that Bahá'u'lláh would not show. Bahá'u'lláh immediately set out to walk to the appointed mosque. Upon learning this Mírzá Yahyá postponed the interview for a day or two. Bahá'u'llah returned to His home and revealed a Tablet to be delivered to Siyyíd Muhammad when he produced a sealed note stating that should Mírzá Yahyá fail to appear at the trysting-place, he would produce a document refuting Yahyá's claims. Neither were forthcoming and the Tablet to Siyyid Muhammad remained undelivered.

Prior to this the community had been divided however this incident firmly established His ascendency. The Covenant of the Báb had prevailed [GPB168-170]

• He published the first series of Bahá'í books in Egypt, including the first compilation of `Abdu'l-Bahá's Tablets, which the Master entitled Makatib-i-`Abdu'l- Bahá.
• See as well'Abdu'l-Baha's First Thousand-Verse Tablet: History and Provisional Translation by Ahang Rabbani Khazeh Fananapazir pg 107-108.

On the subject of the successor to the Báb the Guardian states:

A successor or vicegerent the Báb never named, an interpreter of His teachings He refrained from appointing. So transparently clear were His references to the Promised One, so brief was to be the duration of His own Dispensation, that neither the one nor the other was deemed necessary. All He did was, according to the testimony of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in "A Traveller's Narrative," to nominate, on the advice of Bahá'u'lláh and of another disciple, Mírzá Ya˙yá, who would act solely as a figure-head pending the manifestation of the Promised One, thus enabling Bahá'u'lláh to promote, in relative security, the Cause so dear to His heart. [GPB28—29]

.He has also referred to him as "titular head" and "a mere figurehead". [GPB90]

In the Tablet He described how He had suffered from the activities of both "the waverers and the rebellious" from among the family and associates. They had deployed others to undermine the authority of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Persia (where Jamál-i- Burújirdí was foremost among the Covenant-breakers.) and in other lands and even used the name of steadfast believers to disseminate their messages to undermine His authority. Up until this time 'Abdu'l-Bahá had spent considerable effort in trying to contain the news of their activities and had amassed considerable debt in trying to appease their demands.

To compound 'Abdu'l-Bahá's woes and difficulties, in addition to opposition from within the Faith, the Azalis were active, particularly in Persia. Opposition also came from the Ottoman government in Istanbul, the local authorities and from the Islam and possibly the Christian communities in Akka. iiiii

Also during this period the decline and breakdown of the Ottoman Empire continued. It was often referred to as the "Sick Man of Europe." This decline was characterized by administrative inefficiency, territorial losses, and the rise of nationalist movements in many of its provinces.

Prins, himself a trained minister having studied at the Seminar of Mennonites, also championed the cause of reconciliation between science and religion and was what has been termed "a radical pacificist".

The first edition, while not containing a separate lemma for the Faith, mentions the "Babis" in passing in the article on Persia. From the second edition in 1884, there was mention of the term "Babi" in a quarter-page article. With the publication of each edition, the articles became more informed and for the general public, the Winkler Prins Encyclopedia was probably the most used source of information about the Bahá'í Faith until well after World War II. [Bahaigeschiedenis.nl; Wikipedia]

"The Bab states that the first one to believe in a Manifestation of God is the essence of the achievement of the preceding dispensation; and so, 'Abdu'l-Baha, the first to believe with His whole being in the Mission of His Father, was the most eminent representative of the virtues called forth by the Bab." [AB13]

• There is a tradition in Islam quoted by Shoghi Effendi in his Persian writings which sets forth the difficulties and perils encountered by man on his journey to God. It describes how all men will perish and die except the believers; all the believers will perish and die except those who are tested, all who are tested will perish and die except those who are sincere, and those who are sincere will be in great danger. [CoCp35]

"Mirza Aqa Jan himself has testified: 'That Blessed Beauty evinced such sadness that the limbs of my body trembled.' He has, likewise, related, as reported by Nabil in his narrative, that, shortly before Baha'u'llah's retirement, he had on one occasion seen Him, between dawn and sunrise, suddenly come out from His house, His night-cap still on His head, showing such signs of perturbation that he was powerless to gaze into His face, and while walking, angrily remark: 'These creatures are the same creatures who for three thousand years have worshipped idols, and bowed down before the Golden Calf: Now, too, they are fit for nothing better. What relation can there be between this people and Him Who is the Countenance of Glory? What ties can bind them to the One Who is the supreme embodiment of all that is lovable?' 'I stood,' declared Mirza Aqa Jan, 'rooted to the spot, lifeless, dried up as a dead tree, ready to fall under the impact of the stunning power of His words. Finally, He said: "Bid them recite: 'Is there any Remover of difficulties save God? Say: Praised be God! He is God! All are His servants, and all abide by His bidding!' Tell them to repeat it five hundred times, nay, a thousand times, by day and by night, sleeping and waking, that haply the Countenance of Glory may be unveiled to their eyes, and tiers of light descend upon them." He Himself, I was subsequently informed, recited this same verse, His face betraying the utmost sadness." [BKG114]

The Tablet of Glad-Tidings is a selective compendium of Bahaullah's laws and principles, sequentially presented in a series of 15 Glad-Tidings. As the Arabic term Bisharat suggests, these Glad-Tidings were a public announcement of some of the essential teachings of the new Bahá'í religion. The Glad-Tidings is the most extensive of several tablets by Bahá'u'lláh that present key teachings in a numbered structure. The Glad-Tidings may, in part, be regarded as serially articulated world reforms intermixed with religious reforms emanating from Bahá'u'lláh in his professed role as World Reformer. The Glad-Tidings also functioned analogously (albeit anachronistically) to a press release, serving not only as a public proclamation but to rectify the inaccuracies and gross misrepresentations that had previously circulated in print. Intended for widespread translation and publication, the Glad-Tidings was sent to scholars notably Russian orientalist, Baron Viktor Rosen (1849-1908) and Cambridge orientalist, Edward Granville Browne (1862-1926) and possibly pre-revolutionary Russian statesmen as well. As a Proclamatory Aqdas, the Tablet of Glad-Tidings was part of a much broader proclamation by Bahaullah, who proclaimed his mission to the political and religious leaders of the world.

In this Tablet the Maiden appears as the personification of the spirit of God. The Maiden has emerged from her hidden chamber symbolizes the appearance of Bahá'u'lláh's revelation in the world, and her afflictions mirror that of Bahá'u'lláh's. In the Surah of the Bayan Bahá'u'lláh identifies with Himself a passage in the Qayyumu'l-Asma in which the Báb had referred to "the Maid of Heaven begotten by the Spirit of Baha" (SWB:54).

"Ranked as 'one of Bahá'u'lláh's most challenging works', The Surih of the Temple was composed... during the turbulent period which saw the formation of a schism within the rank and file of the Bábí community,. This eloquent and incisive Arabic epistle combines a mystical and proclamatory style to enunciate Bahá'u'lláh's Mission to those among the Báb's followers who had failed to recognize His Revelation. " [BBS132] [Tablet of the Temple (Suratu'l-Haykal) by John Balbridge]

Another comet seemed to reappear at significant times in history. The first recorded sighting for the comet that came to be known as Biela's Comet was made in 1772 with a second appearance in 1805. In 1826 Wilhelm von Biela and others contributed to work to determine that it was indeed the same comet making reappearances in elliptical orbit with an orbital period of 6.6 years.

In the 1845-1846 appearance astronomers were surprised to see that the comet had split into two pieces. By 1852 only one nucleus remained visible. The 1859 apparition was very unfavourable but that of 1865-1866 was more visible. Astronomers believed that the comet had broken up and accounted for an unusual number of meteor showers. At the comet's next return in 1872 a major meteor storm occurred on the 27th of November with hourly rates of 3,000 per hour. Intense meteor displays were also noted in 1885 (15,000/hr), and 1892 (6,000/hr). [Cometography; Thief in the Night p195-196; Release the Sun p217-219]

He always travelled on foot and ate noting but bread and onions. He earned the title "The Bábí's Angel Gabriel". After the passing of Bahá'u'lláh he continued to provide courier service between Persia and the Holy Land.

Parts of this Tablet has been translated in Gleanings XXI, CXLVIII, and CLIV, and one paragraph was translated in Promised Day is Come 115-16. [RoB2p281-290; Uplifting Words; Wilmette Institute notes on the Tablets of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh ]

Note that The Bahá'í Encyclopedia Project dates his passing 1874-1875.

• For details of the life of this man see RoB2p274.

In it the urges him to live a pious life, to cleanse his heart from the defilement of the world, and to become detached from his own self and all created things. Bahá'u'lláh extols His own Essence, and states that for many years He had revealed the Words of God in great profusion while hiding His glory behind many veils of concealment. When the appointed hour had struck, however, He unveiled His exalted station and shed an infinitesimal measure of the light of His countenance upon all created things. As a result of this outpouring, the Concourse on high and the chosen ones of God were awestruck and dumbfounded. [RoB2p274]

One possible trigger was the conspicuous arrival of two American women and their retinue. One of these women, Margaret Bloodgood Peeke, had altered their travel plans by adding Akka so that she could meet 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [LWS151]

At about this time, there erupted in Iran a general persecution of the Baha'is that affected most of the country, in particular Tehran, Yazd, Isfahan, Sabzivar, Fars and Rasht. With the approval of Bahá'u'lláh the Bahá'ís began to settle in Ishqabad.

In about 1884, the first four Baha'is to settle permanently in Ashkhabad arrived there. Two of these arrived from Sabzivar, Aqa 'Abdu'r-Rasul Yazdi and Aqa Muhammad Rida Arbab Isfahani. On 3 April 1884, two other Bahá'ís arrived, Ustad `Ali Akbar and Ustad Muhammad Rida, both builders from Yazd. [The Baha'i Community Of Ashkhabad; Its Social Basis And Importance In Baha'i History by Mojan Momen p281-282]

The Bahá'í community of Ishqabad, because of the continuous influx of pioneers from Iran (most from Yazd), soon grew to the point of saturation resulting in the friends choosing to pioneer to other parts of Turkestan. They first settled in larger cities, such as Marv, Chardzhou, Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent and later when to smaller places. Soon there were Bahá'ís all over Turkestand, from Tashkent to the far corners of the Caspian Sea [YS pg.xvi]

Included in the Tablet of Ishraqát is a quotation from a Tablet Bahá'u'lláh had earlier revealed in honour of Haji Muhammad-Ibrahim concerning some of the Islamic prophecies about the Day of God. He explains to Jalil-i-Khu'i that

These are verses We sent down previously, and We have sent them unto thee, that thou mayest be acquainted with what their lying tongues have spoken, when God came unto them with might and sovereignty. [TB117-120]

The passage on Trustworthiness in the Tablet of Ishraqát is also found in the Tablet of Tarazat and in a Tablet addressed to Haji Mirza Buzurg-i-Afnan (and perhaps in other Tablets as well). [TBp121-122] This is the passage in which Bahá'u'lláh states:

One day of days We repaired unto Our Green Island.

In a Tablet addressed to Haji Amin, Bahá'u'lláh indicates that a "Tablet of Trustworthiness" had been revealed in A.H. 1296 (around 1879). [RoB4p16-17] The date of the revelation of the Tablet of Tarazat was Dhi'l-Hajjih 1305 (approximately 1888). - Bahá'u'lláh responds to Jalil-i-Khu'i's question concerning "interest and profit on gold and silver" by quoting from a Tablet that had been previously revealed in honour of Zaynu'l-Muqarrabin.[TB132-133] In a commentary on the Tablet written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice it was written, "We have not, so far, been able to determine the date on which this Tablet was revealed." [Ishraqát, Tablet of, Date of Revelation]

The following is an example of one such concession: The Telegraph Concession in Iran in 1862 was a significant agreement that allowed a British company to construct and operate a telegraph line in Persain territory. This concession played a crucial role in the development of telecommunication infrastructure and British influence in Iran during the 19th century.

The concession was granted to a British entrepreneur named Charles Morrison by, Nasir al-Din Shah. The agreement gave Morrison the exclusive rights to build a telegraph line across Persia. This line was intended to connect the Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea with branches extending to Tehran and other important cities.

The British government supported Morrison in securing the concession as it served British interests in the region. It was not only a means of communication but also had strategic importance as it facilitated the transmission of information and news across the vast Iranian territory and contributed to British control over their interests.

Construction began in 1864 and was completed in several stages over the following years. The concession allowed Morrison's company to operate for 70 years. The telegraph line facilitated communication between Persia and British India, which was also under British control at the time, and it played a role in the coordination of British interests in the region.