Muḥammad-‘Abdu’lláh
Muḥammad-‘Abdu’lláh |
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Muḥammad-‘Abdu’lláh was an early Bábí. He led several small armed uprisings in Persia prior to becoming a Bábí and he was involved in the escalation of violence between the Bábís of Yazd and the authorities against the advice of Vahíd leading to increased persecution of the Bábí community.
Background[edit]
‘Abdu’lláh initially worked as the custodian of a caravanserai but he became a rebel and lead small armed uprisings in various locations across Persia with government forces being deployed against him.[1]
At some point ‘Abdu’lláh settled in Kirmán where he became a follower of Hájí Mírzá Karím Khán in the 1840's however due to conflict with the authorities he moved to Yazd and shortly after arriving the governor imprisoned one of his men and executed them in an attempt to intimidate him which prompted him to raise an armed force to overthrow the governor.[1] His rebellion damaged the economy of Yazd resulting in him losing the support of the populace and he fled to the nearby town of Dihshír where his rebellion was defeated by a government regiment however he escaped with a small amount of his followers and went into hiding in Yazd.[2]
In early 1850 the prominent Bábí leader Vahíd came to Yazd and a large amount of people began gathering in his home to learn about the religion. This resulted in a government regiment being sent to besiege his home at the urging of Navváb-i-Radaví, a prominent Shaykhí scholar who was opposed to Vahíd.[3] ‘Abdu’lláh came out of hiding with his men and broke the siege by attacking the regiment,[4] and then met with Vahíd declaring himself a Bábí and shared his plans to overthrow the governor of the city by assaulting the fort of Narin where the regiment had fortified itself.[2] Vahíd felt that his conversion was only an attempt to validate his rebellion and instructed him not to pursue his plan and to instead leave Yazd advising him that it would only result in increased persecution of the Bábís.[5][6]
‘Abdu’lláh ignored Vahíd and besieged the fort of Narin however his forces were routed by a mob assembled by Navváb-i-Radaví. ‘Abdu’lláh was shot in the foot during the battle and fled to the house of Vahíd which was then besieged by the mob and the government regiment. The siege was broken by an attack Vahíd coordinated and ‘Abdu’lláh went into hiding again however after recovering from his wounds he was captured and executed.[7]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ahang Rabbani, The Babis of Nayriz: History and Documents, self-published, 1999, p 81
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Ahang Rabbani, The Babis of Nayriz: History and Documents, self-published, 1999, p 82
- ↑ Nabil, The Dawn-Breakers, US Publishing Trust, 1932, pp 468
- ↑ Nabil, The Dawn-Breakers, US Publishing Trust, 1932, pp 469-70
- ↑ Ahang Rabbani, The Babis of Nayriz: History and Documents, self-published, 1999, p 83
- ↑ Nabil, The Dawn-Breakers, US Publishing Trust, 1932, pp 471
- ↑ Nabil, The Dawn-Breakers, US Publishing Trust, 1932, pp 472-73
