Shaykh Muhammad-i-Shibl
Shaykh Muhammad-i-Shibl (d. July 11, 1850) was an Arabian Bábí who helped support the teaching efforts of Ṭáhirih in Arabia.
Background[edit]
Shibl was from Baghdad and he became a prominent Islamic cleric in the city and a member of the Shaykhí school under Siyyid Káẓim. He was a prominent member of the movement serving as the personal representative of Káẓim himself in Baghdad.[1]
Shibl was still residing in Baghdad in 1844 when Mullá 'Alíy-i-Bastámí visited what is now Iraq shortly after being appointed a Letter of the Living and announced the Báb's claims. He met with Bastámí while he was imprisoned in Baghdad as a result of his proclamations and became a Bábí.[1] He helped Bastámí promote the Báb's claims among the Shaykhí community in Iraq leading to a large number becoming Bábí's. When Bastámí was put on trial in Baghdad in 1845 Shibl was one of the Islamic clerics summoned to assist in sentencing him.[2]
Shibl became a supporter of Ṭáhirih in the mid 1840's and assisted her in teaching the Bábí Faith in Iraq.[3] When she moved from Karbila to Baghdad she initially lived in Shibl's home for ten weeks before securing other living arrangements.[4][2] In March 1847 the Ottoman authorities exiled Ṭáhirih to Iran,[5] and Shibl and his son Muhammad Mustafá were part of the group that accompanied her on her journey to Qazvin.[6] He organized the logistics of the journey and personally paid for all travel expenses of the group as far as Kirmanshah.[7]
Shibl remained in Qazvin for one month before Ṭáhirih instructed him to move to Tehran to meet with Mullá Ḥusayn and after doing so he returned to Baghdad where he actively taught the Bábí Faith, notably discussing the new religion with members of the Christian and Jewish clergy. He passed away in Baghdad two days after receiving news of the Martyrdom of the Báb.[2]
Shibl's son Muhammad Mustafá became a prominent Bahá’í and was honored by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Memorials of the Faithful,[8] and his grandson Zia Bagdadi was also a prominent Bahá’í.[9]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 H.M. Balyuzi, Eminent Baha'is in the Time of Baha'u'llah, George Ronald: Oxford, 1985, p 270
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/bagdadi-family
- ↑ Nabil-i-Zarandi, The Dawn-Breakers, US Baha'i Publishing Trust: Wilmette, 1932, p 271
- ↑ Nabil-i-Zarandi, The Dawn-Breakers, US Baha'i Publishing Trust: Wilmette, 1932, p 81, footnote 35.
- ↑ Abbas Amanat, Resurrection and Renewal, Kalimat Press: Los Angeles, 2005, p 312
- ↑ Nabil-i-Zarandi, The Dawn-Breakers, US Baha'i Publishing Trust: Wilmette, 1932, p 273
- ↑ Hussein Ahdieh & Hillary Chapman, The Calling, Ibex Publishers, Inc.: Bethesda, 2017, p 125
- ↑ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Memorials of the Faithful, Official Bahá’í Reference Library pdf edition, p 71
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1939). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. New York City, NY. Volume 7 (1936-1938), Pg(s) 535. View as PDF.
