The Báb's schoolmaster

The principal of the school that the Báb attended when He was almost five years old has left the following description about Shaykh ‘Abid, the Báb’s schoolmaster. It should be noted that in those years in Persia, the schools basically taught students how to read and write passages from the Qur’an.

“The honored Shaykh ‘Abid, a man of many qualities, was the schoolmaster and taught the children of the noblemen, the affluent, the merchants and other distinguished citizens. He was tall, ever-dignified man with a long beard. A follower of the late Shaykh Ahmad Ahsa’i and Siyyid Kazim Rashti, he ranked among the leading figures and divines in Shiraz. …. Those wishing for their youngster to receive tuition from him, had to come beforehand and meet with him in person. They would ask the Shaykh for a place either through a letter or through a distinguished intermediary. This was because the Shaykh did not accept the children of just anyone and was particularly reluctant to accept lads from the bazzari shopkeepers, because of all their ill manners and dirty clothing.”

- ‘Mirza Habibu’llah Afnan  (‘Tarikh Amr-i-Fars va Shiraz’, translated and annotated as ‘The Genesis of the Bábi-Baha’i Faiths in Shiraz and Fars’, by Ahang Rabbani)   

Calligraphic exercise of the Báb written before He was 10 years old

(The Báb – The Herald of the Day of Days, by Hand of the Cause Balyuzi)

The Báb's first day at school

The principal of the school that the Báb attended when He was almost five years old has left an account concerning His first day at school:

On the promised morning the Child arrived followed by a servant carrying a small [copper-tray] filled with sweets and a student’s version of the Qur’an, which is customary for the new pupil to read from in schools in Shiraz.

Because of Aqa Mirza Muhammad-Rida’s [the father of the Báb] descriptions of Him, the Shaykh, several of students who had reached the age of maturity, and I were thoroughly enthralled in watching Him. He came in, greeted [every one] and sat before Shaykh Anam [His teacher]. Soon after, His maternal uncle, Haji Mirza Siyyid Ali, arrived as well and sat next to the Shaykh. After the exchange of formal pleasantries, the Shaykh took the Qur’an from the tray of sweet-meats, opened it, and said [to the young Pupil], “Come Aqa, read.” He smiled and said, “As you please.” As was customary, the Shaykh told Him to read, “He is the Deliverer, the All-Knowing.” His Holiness remained silent. The Shaykh repeated the verse, but He kept His silence. The Shaykh persisted. He [the Bab] asked, “Who is ‘He’. Can you explain?” The Shaykh responded, “’He’ is God. You are still a child, and what concern of Yours is the meaning of ‘He’?” The Pupil responded, “I am the Deliverer, the All-Knowing!” The Shaykh was deeply enraged and picked up his stick and said to Him, “Do not utter such things here!” His Holiness commenced reading, and His maternal uncle smiled and ordered certain arrangements and then left.

- ‘Mirza Habibu’llah Afnan  (‘Tarikh Amr-i-Fars va Shiraz’, translated and annotated as ‘The Genesis of the Bábi-Baha’i Faiths in Shiraz and Fars’, by Ahang Rabbani)  

Two accounts of the Bab’s childhood days at school

There are some accounts left for posterity concerning the time that the Báb attended school in Shiraz, Persia. Such accounts are priceless because they help us understand how each Manifestation of God exhibits very special God given qualities even in their childhood.

First Account:

A fellow student who was then twelve years old related the following account many years later concerning the Báb’s first day at school.

“The Báb had taken a seat, with great courtesy, in between this boy and another pupil who was also much older than Himself. His head was bowed over the primer put in front of Him, the first lines of which He had been taught to repeat. But He would not utter a word. When asked why He did not read aloud as other boys were doing He made no reply. Just then two boys, sitting near them, were heard to recite a couplet from Hafiz (a well-known Persian poet), which runs thus:

From the pinnacles of Heaven they call out unto thee;

I know not what hath thee here entrapped.

'That is your answer,' said the Báb, turning to …” the older boy who recalled this incident. (The Bab, 'The Herald of the Day of Days', by Hand of the Cause Balyuzi)

The thing remarkable about this account is that not only the Báb who was then only about five years old understood fully the meaning of this couplet, but that he equated himself with the phrase “thee”. To posses such keen understanding of such issues at such a young age is another proof of His innate and God given knowledge.

Outskirts of Shiraz where the Báb often walked

(The Baha'i World 1930-1932)

Some impressions about the Báb by His schoolmaster Shaykh ‘Abid

There are left for posterity some overall recollections about the Báb’s personality by His schoolmaster many years after he became aware that the Báb was the Founder of a new religion for humanity. These impressions were in addition to his shock and amazement concerning the Báb’s depth of intelligence and knowledge at such a young age.

One of the qualities that he noticed about the Báb was the nobility of His character and the charm of His personality. He recalled that the Báb was always very dignified, serene and calm. Although He was very handsome He did not show much interest in pursuing those activities that were common to boys His age.

Shaykh ‘Abid also remembered that every now and then the Báb used to come late to the school. When asked why He was late, the Báb would typically remain silent. On some occasions he would become worried about His absence and would end up sending some of His classmates to go and check on His whereabouts. They would come back and tell him that they had found the Báb at His own home engaged in prayers. This wasn’t commonly expected of children his age – He was about ten years old then.

The Báb’s father passed away early during His childhood

According to Mirza Abu'l-Fadl-i-Gulpaygani, Siyyid Muhammad-Rida, the Báb's father, died when his only child was an infant, unweaned. Then the care of the child devolved upon a maternal uncle, Haji Mirza Siyyid 'Ali. He was the only relative of the Bab to espouse His Cause openly during His lifetime and, as will be seen, to accept martyrdom for His sake. But according to a manuscript history of the Babi-Baha'i Faith in Shiraz by Haji Mirza Habibu'llah-i-Afnan, [1] Siyyid Muhammad-Rida passed away when his son was nine years old, and 'Abdu'l-Baha appears to confirm this account. [2] 

- Balyuzi  (‘The Báb, Herald of the Day of Days’)

[1] Haji Mirza Habibu'llah's father, Aqa Mirza-Aqa, was a nephew of the wife of the Bab, and his paternal grandfather, Aqa Mirza Zaynu'l-'Abidin, was a paternal cousin of the father of the Báb

[2] ‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘A Traveller's Narrative’

The Báb was a young merchant of the Pure Lineage. He was born in the year one thousand two hundred and thirty-five [A.H.] on the first day of Muharram, [October 20, 1819] and when after a few years His father Siyyid Muḥammad-Riḍá died, He was brought up in Shíráz in the arms of His maternal uncle Mírzá Siyyid ‘Alí the merchant. 
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘A Traveler’s Narrative’)

Interior view of the bath the Báb went to when a Child

(The Baha'i World 1934-1936)

Father of the Báb describes some extraordinary qualities of his Son during his childhood

The principal of the school that the Báb attended when He was almost five years old has left an account concerning the meeting that took place between the father of the Bab, Aqa Mirza Muhammad Rida and His teacher, Shaykh Anam, before the Báb started His first day at school.

“‘After forty years, the Exalted Lord has graced me with a Child who has caused me to wonder over His behavior.’ The Shaykh asked him to explain further, but he only replied. ‘It is hard to say.’ [The Shaykh] insisted, to which [the father] offered:

O venerable Shaykh! Which of His amazing conditions should I recount? Such peculiar characteristics are manifest in Him that the people are astonished. Now, when He is five years old, He sometimes raises His hands to the threshold of the One God, and recites prayers. He wakes in the middle of the night and stands to offer His obligatory prayers, in the midst of which He weeps. Sometimes He is sad, on other occasions He is happy, or immersed in rapture, or preoccupied with the imaginary world. My astonishment and bewilderment prevents me from describing further. Were I to recount all that I have observed from the time of His birth until the present, it would make a thick book.

From His childhood the Báb was unlike other children

Even as a very young child the Bab was unlike other children. Those who visited His parents' home were struck by the purity and sweetness of His character, by His serenity and His extreme courtesy. He cared little for the pastimes of other children and chanted His prayers in a melodious, enraptured voice. He was handsome and dignified and his extraordinary knowledge and wisdom astounded all who met Him, yet He was humble and gentle and tender-hearted. He was in every way a remarkable child. 

- Mary Perkins  (‘The Hour of Dawn, The Life of the Báb’, based on works of Nabil-i-A’zam, and H.M. Balyuzi)

The Báb's early childhood recalled by His mother

The following story which was narrated by the mother of the Báb, is recorded by Mirza Habibu’llah Afnan, a relative of the Bab, who was born in the House of the Bab in Shiraz and reared by Khadijih Khanum, the widow of the Báb:

From the moment of birth, it was evident that, unlike other children, He was not rapacious in drinking milk. Normally, He was serene and made no noise. During the twenty-four-hour period, He would desire milk only four times. While nursing He would be most gentle, and no movement was discerned from His mouth. Often I would become anxious and ask myself, ‘Why is this Child not like other children? Perhaps He has some illness that prevents His desiring milk.’ Then I would console myself, saying, ‘If He really had some unknown illness, He would manifest signs of agitation and restlessness.’

Unlike other children, He did not complain or behave in an unseemly manner during the weaning period. I was most thankful that now that the Exalted Lord had granted me this Child, He was gentle and agreeable. 

- ‘Mirza Habibu’llah Afnan  (‘Tarikh Amr-i-Fars va Shiraz’, translated and annotated as ‘The Genesis of the Bábi-Baha’i Faiths in Shiraz and Fars’, by Ahang Rabbani)

The date of the Báb’s birth fulfilled a saying attributed to Imám ‘Alí

The date of His birth confirmed the truth of the saying attributed to the Imám ‘Alí, the Commander of the Faithful: “I am two years younger than my Lord.” The mystery of this utterance, however, remained unrevealed except to those who sought and recognised the truth of the new Revelation. It was He, the Báb, who, in His first, His most weighty and exalted Book, revealed this passage concerning Bahá’u’lláh: “O Thou Remnant of God! I have sacrificed Myself wholly for Thee; I have consented to be cursed for Thy sake; and have yearned for naught but martyrdom in the path of Thy love. Sufficient witness unto Me is God, the Exalted, the Protector, the Ancient of Days!” 

- Nabil  (‘The Dawn-Breakers’, translated and edited by Shoghi Effendi)

Condition of Persia at the time of the appearance of the Báb

Entrance to ancient city of Saveh, circa 1900

Persia, the birthplace of the Bahá’í Revelation, has occupied a unique place in the history of the world. In the days of her early greatness she was a veritable queen among nations, unrivaled in civilization, in power and in splendor. She gave to the world great kings and statesmen, prophets and poets, philosophers and artists. Zoroaster, Cyrus and Darius, Háfiz and Firdawsí, Sa‘dí and ‘Umar Khayyám are but a few of her many famous sons. Her craftsmen were unsurpassed in skill; her carpets were matchless, her steel blades unequaled, her pottery world famous. In all parts of the Near and Middle East she has left traces of her former greatness.

1819 - The Birth of the Báb

Siyyid 'Ali-Muhammad, known to history as the Báb, was the son of Siyyid Muhammad-Rida, a mercer of Shiraz, Persia. He was born on October 20th 1819 (1st of Muharram, 1235 A.H.). Through both His father and His mother He was descended from Imam Husayn, the third Imam. Thus He stood in direct line of descent from the Prophet Muhammad. 

(Adapted from ‘The Bab, Herald of the Day of Days’, by Balyuzi)

Shiraz, Persia, circa 1910

The Báb’s paternal and maternal ancestors and their reputation

The names of the paternal and maternal ancestors of the Báb are as follows: The blessed name of the Báb was Aqa Mirza 'Ali-Muhammad, son of Mirza Muhammad-Rida, the son of Aqa Mirza Nasru'llah, the son of Aqa Mirza Fathullah, the son of Aqa Mirza Ibrahim [Abraham]. He was born into a highly regarded family of Husayni Siyyids [1] to whose nobility, integrity, trustworthiness, piety, devotion, and detachment everyone in the province of Fars would testify. Merchants by profession, they were all considered exemplary in integrity and purity in the entire region of Fars. The mother of the Báb was Fatimih Bagum, the daughter of Haji Mirza Muhammad-Husayn, who was the son of Aqa Mirza 'Abid, [2] the son of Aqa Mirza Siyyid Muhammad. This family also ranked among the renowned and trustworthy merchants of Fars. 
- ‘Mirza Habibu’llah Afnan  (‘Tarikh Amr-i-Fars va Shiraz’, translated and annotated as ‘The Genesis of the Bábi-Baha’i Faiths in Shiraz and Fars’, by Ahang Rabbani)
[1] That is, this family traced its ancestry to Imam Husayn.

[2] Fayzi gives his name as Zaynu'l-'Abidin in ‘Hadrat Nuqtih Ula’).

The Báb’s parents

In His early childhood He lost His father, Siyyid Muhammad-Riḍá, a man who was known throughout the province of Fárs for his piety and virtue, and was held in high esteem and honour. Both His father and His mother were descendants of the Prophet, both were loved and respected by the people. 

- Nabil  (‘The Dawn-Breakers’; translated and edited by Shoghi Effendi)