تاريخ ظُهور الحق (Tarikh-i Zuhur Al-Haqq)
"The History of the Manifestation of Truth"

Foreword:

The complete 9 volume transcription of Zuhur al-Haqq, referred to as Tarikh-i Zuhur Al-Haqq (The History of Truth Manifest) written by Hand of the Cause of God Mirzā Asadu’lláh Fadil Mazandarani is a complete chronology and periodization of the rise of the Shaykhi Movement in Iran and its implications vis-à-vis the development of the forthcoming Bábí-Baha’i Movement until the Ministry of the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith.

These nine volumes are accompanied by an encyclopedic dictionary of elaborated concepts as defined in the Writings and their relevant meanings, which is referred to as Asrar'ul-Athar. The range of the described events range from the early nineteenth century covered in the first volume which concludes in the ninth volume with events ranging as far as 1943. While initially the sources for this esteemed compilation were collected by various Local Spiritual Assemblies in Iran and nascent Baha’i institutions among various provinces in Iran, these sources are then expanded to other National Spiritual Assemblies as the volumes progress to encompass a wider collection of relevant events in Baha’i History.

The precise date of publication of the collected volumes are contested among various scholars of the Faith, but it seems that there is a range of publication between 1932 – 1943 with the collection of the source material ranging from the early 1800’s until its completion in 1943.

The first volume gives a detailed background of the rise of the Shaykhi School of Islamic Theology founded by Shaykh Ahmad al-Ahsá'í detailing his successor as Siyyid Kázim Rashtí ending before the inception of the Bábí Faith in 1844. The second volume contains information about times periods, which run concurrently within the first volume, details the Birth of Baha’u’llah and the Bab, chronicles the endeavors of various eminent believers and significant local and regional events of the Bábí community in Iran 1840’s until the Martyrdom of the Bab in 1850.

The second volume also enumerates various Writings of the Bab with some brief descriptions and interpretations of their meanings and the significance within the Bábí Logos.

The third volume gives a detailed dictionary of relevant meanings of the Writings of the Bab with attention to relevant primary sources gathered from the time-period by various institutions at the time.

The fourth volume gives additional sources of the detailed time in the middle of the Bábí dispensation until the Ministry of Baha’u’llah, specifically from 1851 to 1867. This volume includes a biography of Bahá'u'lláh with sources from primary documents detailing events in notable villages and cities, including of the Narrative of Nabil Muḥammad-i-Zarandi in the original Persian, referred to as The Dawn-breakers. [This is the only volume not hand-typed. This PDF was received from — and posted with permission of — the publisher.]

The fifth volume continues the description of the events of the ministry of Baha’u’llah from 1867 to 1892, continuing a history of Bahá'u'lláh life until his Ascension. While including sources from Nabil’s Narrative, additional sources present in this volume include a Diary of Aqa Husayn-i-Ashchi and Mirza Reza Qannad Shírází, along with documents and letters left by early emanate Baha’is.

The sixth volume while detailing events transpire concurrently with the previous volume, which delineates a catalog of various meanings and definitions of relevant concepts within the Writings of the Bab and Baha’u’llah. This volume presents a framework of events between eminent Bahá'ís and prominent non-Bahá'ís such as Ulamá and governmental dignitaries is recounted, giving particular attention to the challenges faced by local and regional communities throughout the Ministry of Baha’u’llah.

The seventh volume expounds on the Ministry of 'Abdu'l-Bahá from 1892 until his Ascension in 1921, with specific annual accounts of Bahá'í History with a plethora of primary sources, including the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.

The eighth volume following the pattern of the previous volumes details a biographical dictionary of prominent Bahá'ís, and events of local communities of the Bahá'ís of Iran, the Americas, Europe and others relevant localities which simultaneously occur during the Ministry of 'Abdu'l-Bahá from the previous volume.

The compilation is culminated with the ninth volume which gives a detailed account of local histories and prominent events which occurred during the Ministry of Shoghi Effendi until 1943. The progression of the Administrative Order of the Faith and the diaspora of the Bahai’s in Iran to spread the Faith in each nation on Earth. The volume also describes the formation of the activities in the nascent Baha’i World Center led by the Guardian with accounts of Europe, the Americas, and Asiatic Baha’i History.

The transcription of Tarikh-i Zuhur Al-Haqq has been a labor of utmost love for the History of the Baha’i and Babi Faiths. The various interpretations of this text as an incomplete or skewed History of the Faith which focuses on specific events in the unfoldment of Baha’i History do not account for the origin of the existing primary sources. This practice of the retention of local histories as a means of developing the capacity of the nascent institutions of the Faith is necessary to chronicle and categorize relevant events for the benefit of future generations. This capacity, namely, to retain and collect knowledge in the form of stories which are accompanied by primary sources and documentation is one which is still being developed within Baha’i pedagogy, detailed in the new series of Global Plans.

The description and detailed catalog of biographical dictionaries contained in these nine volumes give a glimpse into the spiritual insight held by the believers into the significance of this time in History. In an effort to combine both the logos of the origins of Baha’i thought with the pedagogy of its application and diffusion in the world the Tarikh-i Zuhur Al-Haqq presents a foundational contextualization of relevant events in throughout the development of the Baha’i Dispensation.

To view the Word documents below, first download and install the Zar font: font_ZAR2.ttf and font_ZAR2b.ttf. The Word documents have been locked as read-only, but copying is allowed. [-A.S. 2021]