Mahd-i-‘Ulya

Mahd-i-‘Ulya

Fatimih Khanum (c. 1828 - 1904), better known by the title Mahd-i-‘Ulya, was a wife of Bahá’u’lláh. She accompanied her Husband on His exiles and they had five children.

During the lifetime of Bahá’u’lláh tensions arose between Fatimih and her children and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and after the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh in 1892 she opposed ‘Abdu’l-Bahá who had been appointed as Bahá’u’lláh's successor ultimately breaking the Covenant and supporting her son Mírzá Muhammad ‘Alí who attempted to usurp leadership of the Bahá’í community.

Biography

Fatimih was born in Nur in approximately 1828. Her father was Mirza Karim-i Namadsab of Nur and her mother was Malik Nisa’ Khanum, the sister of Mírzá Buzurg. She had two siblings, a sister, Maryam, and a brother, Mirza Muhammad-i-Vazir.

In 1842 Fatimih was married to Mulla Muhammad-Taqi, a Mujtahid in Nur, who was several decades older than her and passed in 1843 leaving her widowed. They had not had any children. In 1844 her cousin Bahá’u’lláh visited Nur shortly after becoming a Bábí and taught the religion in the area particularly to His family and Fatimih became a Bábí. As she was widowed at such a young age Fatimih's mother reportedly repeatedly requested that Bahá’u’lláh marry her in order to ensure her security and stability and they were married in 1849.

In 1853 Fatimih accompanied her husband on His exile to Baghdad and in 1854 they had their first child, Mírzá Muhammad ‘Alí. She returned to Iran after a short time and remained there until 1858 when she returned to Baghdad accompanying Mírzá Mihdí, Bahá’u’lláh's son with His first wife who had been too young to undertake the 1853 journey. She remained with Bahá’u’lláh on His subsequent exiles to Constantinople and Adrianople in 1863 and to ‘Akká in the Holy Land in 1868. They had a daughter, Sadhijiyyih Khanum, who passed in Constantinople as an infant. They had two sons while in Adrianople, Mírzá Ḍíyá’u’lláh and Mírzá Badi’u’lláh, and at some point they had another daughter, Samadiyyih Khanum, who eventually married Majdu’d-Din.

Fatimih's eldest son, Mírzá Muhammad ‘Alí, behaved ambitiously and attempted to claim Divine Revelation when he was a teenager which prompted a rebuke from Bahá’u’lláh and tensions arose between ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’u’lláh's son with His first wife, and Fatimih and her children. In 1877 Bahá’u’lláh moved His residence from the city of ‘Akká to the Mansion of Mazra'ih in the surrouding countryside and Mahd-i-‘Ulya and her children accompanied Him, with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá remaining in ‘Akká with His mother Ásíyih Khánum to preserve unity within the family. In 1879 Bahá’u’lláh moved to the Mansion of Bahjí with Fatimih and her children moving with Him.

In 1892 the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh took place. In His Will and Testament He appointed ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as His successor as head of the Bahá’í Faith, however Fatimih's son Mírzá Muhammad ‘Alí almost immediately opposed Him and attempted to establish himself as a leader of the community. Fatimih supported her sons campaign advising people who visited the Mansion of Bahjí to offer their condolences that ‘Alí had been appointed Bahá’u’lláh's successor until ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had Bahá’u’lláh's Will and Testament read publicly.

Despite her opposition ‘Abdu’l-Bahá behaved respectfully towards Fatimih hosting her when she visited the city of ‘Akka and arranging the construction of a litter for her to use when she visited Tiberias on one occasion. Despite ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's efforts to maintain unity Fatimih and her sons remained hostile and were ultimately expelled from the Bahá’í community. In the early 1900's Fatimih's son Badi‘u’llah fell into financial debt and decided to denounce his brother Muhammad ‘Alí in order to secure financial support from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Fatimih contacted ‘Abdu’l-Bahá acting as the intermediary for their reconciliation, however Badi‘u’llah returned to supporting ‘Alí after three months.

In 1904 Fatimih passed away in ‘Akka and she was buried in a cemetery near Bahjí which had been established for family members of Bahá’u’lláh.