Amínu’l-Bayán
Hájí Sháh-Muhammad-i-Manshádí (d. 1881) was a Persian Bahá'í in the time of Baha’u’llah and the first trustee of Ḥuqúqu’lláh. Bahá’u’lláh granted him the title Amínu’l-Bayán (Trusted of the Bayán).
Life[edit]
Sháh-Muhammad was born in the province of Yazd, and traded cattle between Fárs and Yazd. He became a Babi in his youth and in the 1850’s he traveled to Baghdad to meet Baha’u’llah. He remained in the presence of Baha’u’llah for a few days before being sent back to Iran to teach the Faith.
He later travelled to ‘Akka to attain the presence of Baha’u’llah with his assistant Hájí Amín during the time when the authorities did not allow pilgrims to see the Holy Family, and they were able to meet Baha’u’llah at a public bathhouse. Baha’u’llah gave Sháh-Muhammad several Tablets and instructed him to deliver them to the Bahá'ís in Persia, and Sháh-Muhammad became the messenger between Baha’u’llah and the Persian Bahá'í community, often travelling between Iran and the Holy Land to transport Tablets, letters and donations.
In 1867 he assisted in hiding the remains of the Bab in Tehran, burying them in the shrine of the Imam-Zadih Zayd. In 1869 he delivered the Lawh-i-Sultán directly from Baha’u’llah to Badí‘ at Mount Carmel, who delivered it to Násiri'd-Dín Shah. In 1878 Sháh-Muhammad divided his estate among his daughters and sold the majority of his properties, donating the proceeds to the Faith. Baha’u’llah refused to accept his donation, and named him the first trustee of Huqúqu'lláh.
In 1881 Sháh-Muhammad travelled to Ádhirbáyján with Haji Amin in order to provide support for the local Bahá'í community. They were attacked by Kurdish rebels and Haji Amin was shot in the leg. Haji Amin managed to escape but Sháh-Muhammad was taken prisoner and martyred. Baha’u’llah revealed a Tablet, the Lawh-i-Amínu’l-Bayán, to honour him.
References[edit]
- Adib Taherzadeh, Revelation of Baha'u'llah Vol. 3, pp. 73-75
- Ahang Rabbani, The Remains of the Bab in Tehran, 1997: https://bahai-library.com/rabbani_remains_bab_tehran
- http://bahaichronicles.org/shah-mu%E1%B8%A5ammad-amin/
- https://bahai-library.com/tags/Shah-Muhammad-i-Manshadi_(Aminul-Bayan)
