Declaration of the Bab... May 23rd

[arthra]

Later this month are two Baha'i Holy Days.. One is on Monday May 23rd and called the Declaration of the Bab.

I'm providing here a brief historical background...

The Bab is a title meaning "Gate" and was a term used in Shiah Islam in the early centuries of Islam meaning a "Gate" of communication to the Twelfth Imam. The Twelfth Imam was a figure a Shiah Islam that represented the last known descendent of Imams who were believed to be perfect representatives of true Islam and were descendants of the daughter of Muhammad known as Fatima and Ali ibn abi Talib and renowned believer and cousin of the Prophet.

The Bab was known as Siyyid Ali Muhammad of Shiraz (Persia-Iran). Being a descendent of the Imams He was a "Siyyid" and wore a green turban.

He was born in 1819 and was a Mercer by trade in Shiraz. He also was close to the school of Shaykh Ahmad ... The school known as Shaykhi Islam.. Early in the 18th century there was an expectation among the people that the Twelfth Imam would reappear and in other circles an expectation that the Mahdi or Promised One would appear and correct the religion and introduce peace...

I'll continue this introduction later.

 

[arthra]

The above photo was the room where the Bab declared His Mission to Mulla Husayn on the evening of May23rd 1844. On that occasion Mulla Husayn had been seeking the Promised One and had all his questions answered before he asked them. That room and the house it was in was destroyed by fanatics in 1979 and was paved over and a mosque was built nearby: See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Houseofthebab2008.jpg The House of the Bab was one of two sites that were designated for pilgrimage for Baha'is.