Núri’d-Dín Fath-‘Azam

Núri’d-Dín Fath-‘Azam
Born	1895 Ardistán, Iran
Died	August 26, 1952
NSA member	Iran 1940 - 1952
Children	Hushmand, Shidan, and 2 more.
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Núri’d-Dín Fath-‘Azam (1895 - August 26, 1952) was a Persian Bahá’í who served on the National Spiritual Assembly of Iran.

Biography

Fath-‘Azam was born in Ardistán in 1895 into a prominent Bahá’í family. His father was Áqá Siyyid Shahab who was the son of Mírzá Fath-‘Alí who was granted the title Fath-‘Azam by Bahá’u’lláh and his mother was the daughter of Mullá ‘Alí-Akbar-i-Ardistání who became a Bábí in Shíraz in the 1840's. He had a younger sister, Rúhangíz.

In approximately 1905 Fath-‘Azam's family moved from Ardistán to Tehran to flee persecution of the Bahá’í community with the permission of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and he studied at the Bahá’í run Tarbíyat School. In 1919 he began working in the government service becoming the chief of the Kirmánsháh Post Office and he eventually became the Shah's chief accountant serving in the role for eleven years. He was also an active Bahá’í serving on the Local Spiritual Assembly of Tehran and the National Spiritual Assembly of Iran as of 1940.

In 1942 he was among the first Bahá’ís from the East to be able to go on pilgrimage after a long period of turmoil in the Holy Land prevented pilgrimages from taking place. He had intended to pioneer to Afghanistan but while on pilgrimage Shoghi Effendi advised him to remain in Tehran and he instead served on the Emigration Committee assisting others to pioneer. He also oversaw the restoration of the House of Bahá’u’lláh in Tehran and compiled a collection of talks by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá which he had published as Khatabat.

At some point Fath-‘Azam retired and he purchased a small village and began undertaking efforts to improve the economy of the area, however as he was a Bahá’í the locals in the area were prejudiced against him and in 1952 he was martyred by a mob of farmers who tore his body into pieces. After his martyrdom Shoghi Effendi instructed that a tomb should be erected in his honor and conveyed the following message:

"Deeply saddened sudden great loss outstanding promoter Faith assure friends relatives loving fervent prayers progress soul Kingdom advise hold befitting memorial gathering his unforgettable services bountifully rewarded."