Arastú Khán Hakím
Dr. Arastú Khán Hakím (1877 - 1934) was a Persian Baháʼí who assisted in translating Tablets from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to the Western Bahá’ís in the 1900's and served the Faith in Europe and Iran. In his career he was a medical doctor.
Life[edit]
Arastú was born in 1877. He studied at the American School in Tihran, graduating in 1897 and then working in the American Hospital. He went to the Holy Land in the early 1900's and assisted ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's secretary Dr. Youness Afroukhteh in translating Tablets for a time before returning to Iran where he completed his medical diploma and became known in Tihran for his generosity.
He traveled to Europe in the early 1910's, defending the Faith against Azali activity in London in 1911, and accompanying 'Abdu'l-Baha in Switzerland. In 1925 he went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, meeting Shoghi Effendi.
He became ill in the 1930's, but continued to see patients, and he frequently met with Keith Ransom-Kehler in 1934 before his passing. When he passed his funeral was attended by many Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís in Tihran. Shoghi Effendi cabled the following after his passing:
"Beloved Arasțú joined Immortals (of) Supreme Concourse. Fully share your grief earthly separation. Praying fervently."
Family[edit]
Arastú's father was Hakim Sulayman, who was the only son of Hakím Masíh, the first Jew to become a Bahá’í.
Arastú had an elder brother, Aflatun, who passed away in 1900. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá addressed him as Aflatun when he arrived in the Holy Land, stating that He wished for Aflatun's truth and spirituality to reappear in him. He also had a younger brother, Luṭfu’lláh Ḥakím, who served on the first Universal House of Justice. His father passed away when he was young and he assumed responsibility for caring for Luṭfu’lláh.[1]
Arastú's children included Dr. Qulam-Husayn Khan and Manúchihr Hakím.
References[edit]
- Obituary published in Bahá’í World, Vol. 5, pp 414-415
- ↑ Baha'i World, Vol. 15, p 430
