Tahereh Sabet ‘Alá’í
Tahereh Sabet ‘Alá’í | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | May 6, 1906 Tehran, Iran |
| Died | September 26, 1992 Le Cannet, France |
| NSA member | Kenya |
| Spouse(s) | ‘Aynu’d-Dín ‘Alá’í, m. 1932 |
Tahereh Sabet ‘Alá’í (May 6, 1906 - September 26, 1992) was a Persian Baháʼí who pioneered to Africa, being named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for Zimbabwe and serving on the National Spiritual Assembly of Kenya. Her family helped fund the establishment of many local Baháʼí centers in Kenya.
Background[edit]
Tahereh was born in Tihran and attended the Tarbiyat School for Girls. Her parents were 'Abdu'llah and Kishvar Sabet, and she had a brother named Habib. In 1923 she went on pilgrimage with Habib and they met Shoghi Effendi and the Greatest Holy Leaf. At the age of twenty-six Tahereh married ‘Aynu’d-Dín ‘Alá’í.
In 1952 Tahereh and ‘Aynu’d-Dín went on pilgrimage and were informed that Shoghi Effendi wanted Baháʼís to pioneer to Africa, and they traveled to Kampala, Uganda, for the Intercontinental Teaching Conference in 1953. They then pioneered to Mozambique, but their visas were not renewed so in December the same year they pioneered to Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, for which they were named Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, however their visas in that country were also not renewed so they finally pioneered to Kenya, settling in Nairobi, in August 1954.[1] They were able to secure long-term residency in Kenya and Tahereh would often drive travel teachers across the country. She was elected to the first National Spiritual Assembly of Kenya in 1964.
In 1972 she and her husband returned to Tihran and taught the Faith until 1979 when they moved to Le Cannet in France, where they helped establish a Local Spiritual Assembly which Tahereh was elected to. In 1982 'Aynu'd-Din passed due to being struck by a car.
Tahereh continued to host firesides and meetings into her old age. In 1986 her mobility was limited as knee trouble caused her to require crutches, however she was able to go on pilgrimage in 1989. She passed away in her sleep in 1992.
References[edit]
- Obituary published in Baháʼí World: In Memoriam, 1992-1997, pp 15-16
- ↑ Redman, E. The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press, London. pp 100
