| Hájí Mírzá Ḥasan-i-Adíbu'l-`Ulamá | |
|---|---|
 Mirza Hasan, entitled Adib | |
| Born | September 1848 Talaqán |
| Died | September 2, 1919 Tehran |
| Title(s) | Hand of the Cause Apostle of Bahá’u’lláh |
| Appointed by | Bahá’u’lláh |
Hájí Mírzá Ḥasan-i-Adíbu'l-`Ulamá (Arabic: حج مرزا حسن أديب العلماء, (September, 1848 - September 2, 1919), also known as Mírzá Ḥasan or Adíb, was a Persian Bahá’í who was appointed a Hand of the Cause by Bahá’u’lláh and named an Apostle of Bahá’u’lláh by Shoghi Effendi.
Biography[edit]
Hasan was born in Talaqan in 1848 into a Muslim family with his father being a prominent member of the clergy who tutored a daughter of Fath-Ali Shah in Tehran and Talaqan. In his youth he undertook religious studies in Tehran and Isfahan and in 1874 he began working for the Persian minister for education and science, Prince I'tidadu's-Saltanih Qajar, assisting him with the composition of a biographical dictionary. After the ministers death he began working at the Daru'l-Funun which was Iran's first modernized school. In 1886 he began assisting another Qajar Prince, Mu'tamidu'd-Dawlih, in composing a book. As a result of his literary efforts he was granted the title Adíbu'l-`Ulamá.[1][2]
Hasan had an interest in Sufism and began investigating the Bahá’í Faith when a friend noted his religious interests were similar to the Bahá’í religion and he studied the Kitab-i-Iqan.[2] After lengthy conversations with Nabíl-i-Akbar he became a Bahá’í in 1889 resulting in him being dismissed from his professional positions. He was active in teaching the Faith and participating in the Tehran Bahá’í community, establishing contact with many prominent individuals in the city to proclaim the religion and communicating with the Russian and French embassies. Bahá’u’lláh appointed him as a Hand of the Cause of God and he was the last Hand to be appointed by Him.[1]
In 1892 the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh took place with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá succeeding Him as Head of the Bahá’í community and Hasan assisted ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in managing the activities of Mírzá Muhammad ‘Alí and his supporters who sought to usurp leadership of the community.[1] He delivered a letter of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to the Prime Minister of Iran personally in 1892 which distinguished the Bahá’í Faith from the followers of Mírzá Yaḥyá.[3]
From 1897 to 1898 Hasan was involved in consultations with the other Hands of the Cause over an extended period which lead to the establishment of the Central Spiritual Assembly of Tehran which he served on as Chairman. This body eventually evolved into the National Spiritual Assembly of Iran. He also assisted with the establishment of the Tarbiyat School in Tehran and was involved in its administration.[1]
In 1903 Hasan departed Tehran intending to conduct a travel teaching trip to India, however he stopped in Isfahan on the way where he was arrested when a period of violent persecution of the Bahá’í community of Iran broke out.[4] After being released he traveled to Ábádih, then Shiraz, and then Mumbai, India,[5] before going on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. While on pilgrimage ‘Abdu’l-Bahá directed him to undertake a travel teaching trip across India and Burma and he did so accompanied by American Bahá’í Sydney Sprague. After returning to Iran he settled in Tehran which remained his residence until his passing in 1919.[6]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 H.M. Balyuzi, Eminent Baha'is in the Time of Baha'u'llah, George Ronald: Oxford, 1985, p 272
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Moojan Momen, The Baha’i Communities of Iran 1851-1921, Volume 1: The North of Iran, George Ronald: Oxford, 2015, p 116
- ↑ Moojan Momen, The Baha’i Communities of Iran 1851-1921, Volume 1: The North of Iran, George Ronald: Oxford, 2015, p 67
- ↑ H.M. Balyuzi, Eminent Baha'is in the Time of Baha'u'llah, George Ronald: Oxford, 1985, p 274
- ↑ Moojan Momen, The Baha’i Communities of Iran 1851-1921, Volume 1: The North of Iran, George Ronald: Oxford, 2015, p 117
- ↑ H.M. Balyuzi, Eminent Baha'is in the Time of Baha'u'llah, George Ronald: Oxford, 1985, p 273
