Mírzá Nuru’d-Din-i-Zayn

Áqá Mírzá Núru’d-Dín-i-Zayn was a Bahá’í who served as a Secretary for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi.

Background

Zayn was a son of the Apostle of Bahá’u’lláh Zaynu’l-Muqarrabín. His family moved to Akka in 1886.

At some point after his fathers passing in 1903 Zayn began serving as a secretary for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. He and his brother also studied English under Youness Afrukhtih on the instructions of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, allowing them to serve as interpreters for Western pilgrims to the Holy Land. Zayn was also responsible for teaching Persian to Bahá’í children in the Holy Land.

Zayn transcribed many Tablets by taking dictation from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá whenever ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had time available. Supporters of Mírzá Muhammad ‘Alí's campaign of opposition against ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's position began spreading false rumors about political links between Zayn and the West due to his prominent role in transcribing for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Due to the actions of ‘Alí's supporters, which included forging Tablets, Zayn was asked to gather copies of Bahá’í Scripture at some point prior to 1905. His son, Zeine N. Zeine, was born in Haifa in 1908 and also became an active Bahá’í and a notable academic in Beirut.

In 1910 Zayn traveled to Egypt to assist ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as an attendant during His stay in the country. He was to have been one of two Bahá’ís to accompany ‘Abdu’l-Bahá during his journey to Egypt from the Holy Land but was unable to travel at the time of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's departure so his brother Mírzá Munir-i-Zayn made the initial journey instead. At some point after 1921 he served as a secretary for Shoghi Effendi as Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

In late 1935 he provided some of his memories of service to Youness Afrukhtih to assist him in composing his memoir Memories of Nine Years in Akka. He passed away in Beirut.