Munírih Khánum
Munírih Khánum | |
|---|---|
 Munírih Khánum. | |
| Native name | منیره خانم |
| Born | Fátimih Nahrí June-July? 1848 |
| Died | April 28, 1938 |
| Spouse(s) | Mírzá Kázim Nahrí (1868) (not consummated) ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (1873-1921) |
| Children | Ḍiyá'iyyih Khánum, Túbá Khánum, Rúhá Khánum, Munavvar Khánum, (amongst others) |
| Parent(s) | Father: Mírzá Muhammad `Alíy-i-Nahrí Mother: Zahrá-i-Nafaqih-Furush |
Holy Mother Munírih Khánum (1848 - April 28, 1938) was the wife of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and grandmother of Shoghi Effendi.
Coming from the renowned Bábí-Bahá'í Nahrí Family, she was born in Iṣfahán. She was chosen at the age of 23 to be the wife of the Master, to whom she bore nine children. During her fifty or so years of marriage to 'Abdu'l-Bahá she became His beloved confidante. The ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá devastated her. Known by the friends as Holy Mother, Munírih Khánum served as the matriarch type figure after the passing of the Greatest Holy Leaf. Her diligent efforts of shielding her family from the Covenant Breakers helped her grandson. Shoghi Effendi had a monument built in her honour, where she is currently buried.
Early Life[edit]
Born Fátimih Nahrí, she was called Fátimih Khánum (Persian: فاطمه خانم). Although she has sometimes been incorrectly said to be born in 1846 or 1847, she was born while her father and her uncle Mírzá Hadi Nahrí were present at the Conference of Badasht, putting her birthdate roughly between June and July of 1848,[1] or 5 BE.
Fátimih Khánum's maternal family were devout Bábís.[2] Her own maternal uncle, Muhammad-i-Báqir-Naqsh, was martyred at the age of just fourteen after defending Fort Ṭabarsí. [3] Her father was Mírzá Muhammad `Alíy-i-Nahrí. He became a Bábí not long after the Declaration of the Báb, and spent time in the company of the Báb during His time in Iṣfahán. On one occasion, the Báb was informed that ‘Alí wanted to have children but his wife had been unable to conceive. This prompted the Báb to set aside some of His food, giving instructions for it to be delivered to Nahrí and his wife, and stating that after eating it they would be able to have children. Nahrí's wife ultimately became pregnant with Fátimih, who was born eight months and nine days later.[4][5][6] Three more siblings were born after her: Hájí Siyyid Yahyá Nahrí (b.1851), Rádíyyih Bagum (b.1854) and Gawhar Bagum (b.1859).
Fátimih spent her childhood and early youth in Isfahan. As a young woman, Fátimih Khánum was considered a suitable match for marriage into Bahá’í families throughout Persia.[7]
Betrothal[edit]
During the 19th century, arranged marriages were common in Persia and Europe, with betrothals often being made during childhood; marriage between cousins was also common.[8] Before they were married, both ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Fátimih Khánum had been betrothed to cousins, with both relationships ending in tragedy.
From the age of ten, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, had been betrothed to His cousin, the very pretty and young Shahr-Bánú Khánum.[9][10] When the time came for His marriage at the age of twenty-four, Bahá’u’lláh summoned Shahr-Bánú to come to Adrianople for the wedding. Before the wedding could take place, Bahá’u’lláh's sister Sháh Khánum (Khánum Buzurg) maliciously intervened, forcing Shahr-Bánú to cancel her engagement and marry a son of the Prime minister instead.[11] Grief-stricken by this, Shahr-Bánú died of consumption shortly thereafter.[12]
At the same time in Persia, Fátimih Khánum was to marry. After the death of her father, her family arranged that she should marry her cousin Mírzá Kázim, a brother of the King and Beloved of Martyrs (Núrayn-i-Nayyirayn) who would later be martyred. Mírzá Kázim seemed to have taken a liking to Fátimih, and pressed for their marriage quickly, even purchasing a house for the couple to occupy.[13][14] Fátimih did not want to marry him, but she reluctantly agreed to the marriage.[15] Amazingly, although Mírzá Kázim had been in perfect health, he unexpectedly fell ill straight after the wedding party and refused to see Fátimih on their wedding night. He died six months later with their marriage unconsummated.[16] The Greatest Holy Leaf recalled that Fátimih "remained in her husband's house until his death; but she never saw him after entering it".[17] Widowed and humiliated, Fátimih became a recluse, praying, meditating, and asking God for guidance.[18][19] All the same, the Holy Mother would later recall this time in her memoirs, writing, “In reality, that youth was an escort who delivered me to my true goal and ultimate destination.”[20]
Marriage to the Mystery of God[edit]
In late 1871, Bahá’u’lláh and Ásíyih Khánum expressed interest in the beautiful Fátimih to marry ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. [21] The Desire of the World[22] says that He had a dream and Shahr-Bánú's face was fading away and that another beautiful girl appeared who was pure of heart. Certain that "liminuous" girl was Fátimih, her aunt (Shamsu'd-Duhá) travalled to Isfahan and told Fátimih of the glad-tidings. In her memoirs, she writes " Far be it, For I am not worthy of such bounty!". [23] Shortly after this occurrence, Bahá’u’lláh personally asked for twenty-three year old Fátimih Khánum to come to ‘Akká accompanied by her brother. Subsequently, she travelled to ‘Akká, a journey which took her around six months. While on her journey she stayed with Khadíjih-Bagum, the wife of the Báb in Shiráz for a while too. [24] The trip in Shiráz greatly delighted Fátimih. As requested by Bahá’u’lláh, she and her brother Siyyid Yahyá Nahrí made a pilgrimage to Mecca. [25]
Once arriving in ‘Akká, Fátimih had bestowed upon her the new name of "Munírih" (Persian: منیره ) meaning Illumined from Bahá’u’lláh. The wedding had been postponed for a while due to the lack of a room. [26] For the time of the betrothal Munírih Khánum stayed with Mírzá Músa, and watched the Master swim from the window. Finally, a suitable room was found for the young couple. Ásíyih Khánum made a white dress for Munírih Khánum to wear. Munírih Khánum married ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on 8 March 1873 (29 BE) in the House of ‘Abbúd. Munírih Khánum was twenty-four, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was twenty-eight.
Speaking of her marriage, the Holy Mother said; "At the wedding there was no cake, only cups of tea; there were no decorations, and no choir, but the blessing of Jamál-i-Mubarak[27]; the glory and beauty of love and happiness were beyond and above all luxury and ceremony and circumstance." This marriage, although arranged, was an extremly happy and long one, and the couple seldom were seperated from one another apart from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's travels. [28]
Family Life and Ascension[edit]
They had 9 children together; Ḥusayn Effendi (d. 1305/1887, aged five), Mihdí (died aged two-and-a-half), Ṭúbá, Fu'ádiyyih, and Ruḥangíz (the favorite grandchild of the Blessed Perfection, she died in the same year as Him). [29] "Five of my children died in the poisonous climate of ‘Akká," the Holy Mother later lamented. Four daughters survived to adulthood; Ḍiyá'iyyih (mother of Shoghi Effendi) (d. 1951) Túbá Khánum (1880-1959) Rúḥá and Munavvar (d. 1971). Lady Blomfield described the Holy Mother as; "She has a most beautiful voice, and her eyes are large, dark, still, with a serenity in their depths that holiness alone can give." and "She is a majestic woman, stately yet simple, with an innate dignity and strength of character." The death of her favourite child, a son named Husayn, was especially hard for the Holy Mother to bear.
Munírih Khánum spent most of her life devoted to piety and the Holy Family. She was very close to her sister-in-law Bahíyyih Khánum. The Holy Mother wrote many letters to the friends, encouraging them to include women in Bahá’í activities and to understand the equality of the sexes. She stayed faithful to her grandson Shoghi Effendi around the time of great covenant-breaking until her passing a year after his marriage to Rúhiyyih Khánum at the age of ninety. Interestingly, it was not until her passing that the relatives of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's own household turned covenant breakers, first with her grandson and soon with all her relatives save Shoghi Effendi. Munírih Khánum ascended on April 28, 1938 at the age of 90 and her resting place is in the Monument Gardens at the World Centre.
| “ | In His Name, the Glory of the Most Glorious! O Divine Providence! Thou seest and art a witness that all my limbs, my members, my heart, my soul, and my conscience bear testimony to the inexhaustible bounties which Thou hast showered upon this unworthy handmaiden at the Threshold from the beginning of her life | ” |
| “ | By the grace and favor of God, 'Abdu'l-Bahá has elevated the station of women in this radiant age. He has altered the quranic verse" "Men are the custodians of women." He has taught that men and women are like the two wings of a bird, and neither is superior to the other. Girls should be educated in the same way as boys, perhaps even given preference. | ” |
Notes[edit]
- ↑ H.M. Balyuzi, Baha'u'llah - The King of Glory, p. 340
- ↑ Munirih Khanum - Memoirs and Letters, p. 13
- ↑ Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 421
- ↑ Munirih Khanum, Munirih - Memoirs and Letters, p. 2
- ↑ Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah: Volume 2, George Ronald: Oxford, 1974, p 204
- ↑ Nabíl, Nabíl's Narrative
- ↑ Munirih Khanum - Memoirs and Letters, p. 18
- ↑ Couples would probably never have met until their wedding day. The custom of the day was to arrange the marriage for wealth, land or titles. Although, if one was to marry a cousin, they likely would have met before the wedding.
- ↑ H.M. Balyuzi, Baha'u'llah - The King of Glory, p. 341
- ↑ Myron H. Phelps The Master in 'Akka p. 116
- ↑ H.M. Balyuzi, Baha'u'llah - The King of Glory, p. 341
- ↑ Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v2, p. 205
- ↑ Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 2, p. 205
- ↑ The King and Beloved of Martyrs (Mír Hasan Nahrí and Mír Husayn Nahrí) were both martyred in Isfahán in 1879. Their martyrdom was particularly shocking, tortured and killed in public. At this time Munírih Khánum would have been in 'Akká.
- ↑ Munirih Khanum - Memoirs and Letters, p. 20
- ↑ Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 2, p. 205
- ↑ Myron H. Phelps The Master in 'Akka, p.112
- ↑ Munirih Khanum - Memoirs and Letters, p. 22
- ↑ Myron H. Phleps The Master in 'Akka, p.116
- ↑ Memoirs and Letters, p. 23
- ↑ Lady Blomfield, The Chosen Highway, p. 85
- ↑ Bahá'u'lláh
- ↑ Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 2, p. 207
- ↑ H.M. Balyuzi, Eminent Baha'is in the Time of Baha'u'llah, p. 231
- ↑ Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 2, p. 386
- ↑ Druzelle Cederquist The Story of Baháʼuʼlláh, Promised One of All Religions p. 231
- ↑ Persian term for Blessed Beauty, Bahá'u'lláh
- ↑ Janet Adrienne Khan Advancement of Women p. 157
- ↑ Dr. J.E. Esslemont, Baha'u'llah and the New Era, p. 54
References[edit]
- "Munirih Khánum". Wikipedia. 2008-07-19. Retrieved 2008-07-19.
- Episodes in the Life of Munirih Khanum
- The Chosen Highway, by Sitárih Khánum
- Bahai Encyclopedia
- Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh by Adib Taherzadeh
- Bahá’u’lláh, King of Glory, by Balyuzi
