Mulla Zaynu’l-‘Abidin

Mulla Zaynu’l-‘Abidin was a Persian Bahá’í who was a paternal Uncle of Bahá’u’lláh.

Background

Zaynu’l-‘Abidin was the son of Mirza Rida-Quli Big of the Nuri family of nobility and a brother of Mírzá Buzurg. He was introduced to the Bábí religion by his nephew Bahá’u’lláh in 1844 when Bahá’u’lláh proclaimed the new Faith to His extended family in Mazindaran. He tutored Shaykh Káẓim-i-Samandar, a youth from a Bábí family, in Qazvin in the 1840's.

Zaynu’l-‘Abidin accompanied Bahá’u’lláh to Amul at some point and Bahá’u’lláh was to be bastinadoed, Abidin shielded Bahá’u’lláh and was beaten unconscious as a result. At some point Abidin accepted Bahá’u’lláh's claim to be the figure Prophesized by the Báb, becoming a Bahá’í, and he had a son, Mirza Hasan-i-Mazindarani, who also became a devoted Bahá’í.