Family of Bahá’u’lláh

The Family of Bahá’u’lláh are the biological relations of Bahá’u’lláh, the Founder of the Bahá’í Faith and a Manifestation of God.

One of the symbolic terms used by Bahá’u’lláh to refer to Himself was Sadratu’l-Muntahá, meaning the Tree beyond which there is no passing, and He referred to His male descendants as the Aghsán, meaning Branches, and His female descendants as the Leaves.

Regarding His descendants Bahá’u’lláh revealed the following in a Tablet:

The Will of the divine Testator is this: It is incumbent upon the Aghṣán, the Afnán and My kindred to turn, one and all, their faces towards the Most Mighty Branch. Consider that which We have revealed in Our Most Holy Book: “When the ocean of My presence hath ebbed and the Book of My Revelation is ended, turn your faces towards Him Whom God hath purposed, Who hath branched from this Ancient Root.” The object of this sacred verse is none except the Most Mighty Branch [‘Abdu’l‑Bahá].

After the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh in 1892 all of His children save for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahíyyih Khánum, and Mírzá Mihdí broke the Covenant and by the end of the Ministry of Shoghi Effendi all living descendants of Bahá’u’lláh save for Shoghi Effendi had broken the Covenant.

Parents and Siblings

Bahá’u’lláh's father was Mírzá Buzurg and his mother was Khadíjih Khánum. He had half siblings through both his parents as His father had several wives and His mother had a husband before marrying Buzurg. His full siblings were:

• Sárih Khánum
• Mirza Mihdi, passed away before 1839.
• Bahá’u’lláh
• Mírzá Músá
• Nisá’ Khánum

His half siblings through His mother were:

• Sakínih Khánum
• Mírzá Muhammad-‘Alí
• Sughrá Khánum

His half siblings through His father were:

• Mírzá Aqa, passed away before 1839.
• Mírzá Muḥammad-Ḥasan
• Shah-Sultan Khanum
• Mírzá Taqi Parishan, became a Shaykhi but was opposed to Bahá’u’lláh and the Bahá’í Faith.
• Hají Mírzá Riḍa-Quli
• Mírzá Ibrahim, passed away before 1839.
• Fatimih-Sultan Khanum
• Mírzá Yaḥyá
• Husniyyih Khanum
• Mírzá Muḥammad-Quli

Children

Bahá’u’lláh married three times. His children by each wife were:

• Ásíyih Khánum, granted the title Navváb by Bahá’u’lláh, who He married in 1835.
  • ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
  • Bahíyyih Khánum
  • Mírzá Mihdí
  • Sádiq, who passed at the age of three or four.
  • `Alí Muhammad, who passed at the age of seven.
  • `Alí Muhammad, who passed at the age of two.
• Mahd-i-‘Ulya, who He married in 1849.
  • Mírzá Muhammad ‘Alí
  • Sadhijiyyih Khanum, who passed in infancy.
  • Mírzá Ḍíyá’u’lláh
  • Mírzá Badi’u’lláh
  • Samadiyyih Khanum, who married Majdu’d-Din.
• Gawhar Khánum, who He married in either the early 1860's or early 1870's.
  • Furúghiyyih Khánum