Mullá Muhammad-i-Ridáy-i-Muhammmad-Ábádí

Mullá Muhammad-i-Ridáy-i-Muhammmad-Ábádí
Mulla Rida
Born	Muhammad-Riday-i-Muhammad-Abadi 1814 Muhammadábád, Yazd
Died	1897 Tihran

Mullá Muhammad-i-Ridáy-i-Muhammmad-Ábádí was an early Persian Bahá’í popularly thought to be the Shaykh Muhammad-Riday-i-Yazdi referred to as a Hand of the Cause by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

Background

Mullá Muhammad-i-Ridáy-i-Muhammmad-Ábádí was a Babi living in Yazd. He accepted Bahá'u'lláh in 1863, prior to His declaration, after reading His tablet, the Qaṣídiy-i-Varqá'íyyih, saying "I can see the Promised One of the Bayán made manifest and seated upon the throne of the words which have been revealed in this Tablet."

The Babi who had delivered the Qasidiy-i-Varqa'iyyih to him strongly disagreed with his assumption, stating that Bahá'u'lláh had not claimed to be 'He whom God shall make manifest', however Bahá'u'lláh did declare that He was the One foretold by the Báb later that year.

Service to the Cause

He began teaching the Faith in Yazd at every opportunity, for example at a business meeting of Merchants in Yazd he suggested that in order to improve trade in the province, every merchant should follow Bahá'u'lláh's teachings. He converted a member of the ulama, Zaynu'l-Muqarrabín, to the Faith with the help of Haji Mirza Haydar Ali and Varqá. He was eventually arrested and bastinadoed at seven intersections in one day, and onlookers noted he did not cry out once while being tortured, he was then expelled from his city.

He attempted to build an irrigation system in Kirman and purchased tools to undertake the project, however he was arrested because he was a Baha'i and the tools were stolen while he was imprisoned.

Rida was arrested in Tihran in 1883, along with several other prominent Baha'is including Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl. The Baha'is were interrogated by Farhad Mirza, Uncle of the Shah, and Rida told him that he should consult with the religious leaders and send a telegram to 'Akka asking Bahá'u'lláh to perform a miracle of their choosing. He stated that he would denounce the Faith if Bahá'u'lláh was unable to do so. While imprisoned he refused to stop teaching the Faith, and was punished by being flogged. He suffered this torture in silence, and a Muslim prisoner who became a Baha'i later said that he was convinced of the Faith by the calmness of Rida while being whipped.

He was released after Mirzayih Shirazi, a prominent Muslim cleric who had met the Bab, petitioned the Shah on the prisoners behalf. After being released he traveled throughout Iran to teach the Faith and visited 'Akka where he attained the presence of Bahá'u'lláh.

Later Life

In 1896 when the Shah was assassinated, many claimed the Baha'is were responsible. Rida challenged a preacher who publicly made this claim, and when he was accused of defending the Baha'is because he was one, he proudly admitted that he was. He was imprisoned and sent to Tihran where he was flogged before being chained in a cell.

The Baha'is managed to secure the release of Baha'i prisoners in Tihran, and they were taken from their prison to a government building where they were to be held for one night before being released. A Muslim Siyyid was also staying in the government building, and sent an attendant to request a meeting with Rida, against the advice of the other Baha'i prisoners Rida agreed. He attempted to correct the Siyyid's misconceptions about the Faith, but the Siyyid became angry and convinced the government not to release him.

He passed away in 1897 while imprisoned.

Notes

https://bahai-library.com/wttp/PDF/MULLA%20RIDA%20THE%20INDESTRUCTIBLE.pdf