September 1867-August 1868: the most momentous Tablet of Baha’u’llah, The Suriy-i-Mulúk (the Surih of the Kings) was revealed in Adrianople

The first full translation of this Tablet is included in the Summons of the Lord of Hosts. In the Introduction section of that book the Universal House of Justice explains that:

Included in this collection, as well, is the first full translation of the Súriy-i-Mulúk or Súrih of the Kings, which Shoghi Effendi described as “the most momentous Tablet revealed by Bahá’u’lláh in which He, for the first time, directs His words collectively to the entire company of the monarchs of East and West”. It sets forth both the character of His mission and the standard of justice that must govern the exercise of their rule in this Day of God:

“Lay not aside the fear of God, O kings of the earth, and beware that ye transgress not the bounds which the Almighty hath fixed. Observe the injunctions laid upon you in His Book, and take good heed not to overstep their limits. Be vigilant, that ye may not do injustice to anyone, be it to the iii extent of a grain of mustard seed. Tread ye the path of justice, for this, verily, is the straight path.” (Baha’u’llah)

First Photo of Baha'is in Japan

July 1915 - The first photograph of Baha'is of Japan with Martha Root and Agnes Alexander. Mr Fukuta, the first Japanese to accept the Faith in Japan, is seated front row, far left, next to Martha Root. Agnes Alexander is second from left in the back row.

Baha’i Summer Schools Originated in America

The Bahá'í summer schools were originated in America to meet the requirements of the friends. They have been adopted by other Bahá'í Communities the world over, but there is no reason why they should be called "summer schools". There is nothing rigid about the term, it is purely descriptive. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 26 December 1941 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia and New Zealand; The Compilation of Compilations vol. 1)

Amazing growth with respect to the administrative order of the Faith

In 1953 there were only 12 National Spiritual Assemblies.

In Ridvan 1964, there were 69 National Spiritual Assemblies!!

In 1953 there were “slightly more than six hundred Local Spiritual Assemblies, the greater part of which were situated in Persia, North America and Europe ..”

In Ridvan 1964, there were “nearly four thousand six hundred Local Spiritual Assemblies scattered throughout the continents and islands of the world.”!! 

(Adapted from the 1964 Ridvan message of the Universal House of Justice)

Queen Marie of Romania visits America in 1926

Queen Marie of Romania (second from left) and her royal family with U.S. Secretary of State Frank Kellog (with cane) and her government officials during the Queen's visit to America in 1926 
(Baha'i News, November, 1973)

Places visited by the Báb

One of the places Baha'u'llah stayed during His period of retirement

Takyiy-i-Mawlana Khalid in Sulaymaniyyih, Iraq. 
(The Baha'i World 1932-1934)

1933: Martha Root and Marion Jack with Governor and Mayor of Adrianople

29 October 1933: Martha Root (front, third from the left) and Marion Jack (front, far right) with Governor and Mayor of Adrianople, Turkey.

The Tomb of Baha'u'llah in the years immediately following His ascension

(The Baha'i World 1932-1934)

Akka: May, 1967

'Akka from the air, looking west over the Mediterranean. Most Great Prison shown in center, Mosque to lower left. Photo taken in May, 1967.

The Guardian’s first letter inserted in the first issue of the Baha’i News, December 1924 (then called Baha’i News Letter)

To my dearly-beloved brothers and sisters in ‘Abdu'l-Baha: care of the American National Spiritual Assembly.

Dearest Friends:

The day is drawing near when, for the third time, we shall commemorate the world over the passing of our well-beloved ‘Abdu’l-Baha. May we not pause for a moment, and gather our thoughts? How has it fared with His little band of followers, since that day? Whither are we marching? What has been our achievement?

We have but to turn our eyes to the world without to realize the fierceness and the magnitude of the forces of darkness that are struggling with the dawning light of the Abha Revelation. Nations, though exhausted and disillusioned, have seemingly begun to cherish anew the spirit of revenge, of domination, and strife. Peoples, convulsed by economic upheavals, are slowly drifting into two great opposite camps with all their menace of social chaos, class hatreds, and world- wide ruin. Races, alienated more than ever before, are filled with mistrust, humiliation and fear, and seem to prepare themselves for a fresh and fateful encounter. Creeds and religions, caught in this whirlpool of conflict and passion, appear to gaze with impotence and despair at this spectacle of unceasing turmoil.

…Read more

First NSA of Iran was elected in 1934

May 1st, 1912 -- ‘Abdu’l-Baha lays the cornerstone of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar in Wilmette

May 1st was a remarkable day, a day of very high distinction: 'Abdu'l-Baha laid the foundation-stone of the Mother Temple of the West. At Wilmette on the shores of Lake Michigan ample land had been purchased. On the site chosen for the construction of the Temple, a large tent had been raised and here, after inspecting the grounds, 'Abdu'l-Baha took His place to speak. He said:

“The power which has gathered you here today notwithstanding the cold and windy weather is indeed mighty and wonderful. It is the power of God, the divine favour of Baha'u'llah which has drawn you together. We praise God that through His constraining love human souls are assembled and associated in this way.

Thousands of Mashriqu’l-Aadhkars, dawning-points of praise and mentionings of God for all religionists will be built in the Orient and Occident, but this being the first one erected in the Occident has great importance. In the future there will be many here and elsewhere; in Asia, Europe, even in Africa, New Zealand and Australia;* but this edifice in Chicago is of especial significance ..." 
(you can see the entire talk at : http://centerofcovenanttalks.blogspot.com/2010/05/holiest-mashriqul-adhkar-of-bahai-world.html)

Next, Irene Holmes handed 'Abdu'l-Baha a small, gold trowel which she had ordered for this very purpose, and He dug the earth to lay the corner-stone, having chosen for this a fragment of rock brought by Mrs Nettie Tobin as her offering. Having done so, He invited the delegates of various American communities to do likewise. Following them, 'Abdu'l-Baha asked a number of oriental Baha'is present to step forth and take part: Mihtar Ardishir Bahrarn Surush represented Baha'is of Zoroastrian background, Siyyid Asadu’llah stood in for Baha’is of Muslim origin, Dr. Zia Baghdadi represented Arab Baha’is, and Ghodsieh Khanum-i-Ashraf the Baha’I women of the orient. Then the corner-stone was laid in place. 
- Balyuzi  (‘Abdu’l-Baha, pp. 186-87) 
(Some pictures are shown at: http://abdulbahawest.blogspot.com/2010/04/abdul-baha-speaking-at-plymouth.html)

Baha'i Faith on Singapore’s stamps

In commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of Singapore's Inter-Religious Organization, a body formed to promote peace, understanding and good will among people of different faiths, three specially-designed stamps were issued in January 1999, depicting nine of the major religions in Singapore. The Baha'i Faith was honored through its inclusion.

(The Baha'i World, 1998-99)

The First Baha’i Center in Europe was formed in 1898

The first Baha'i center in Europe was established by May Maxwell (nee Bolles). Born in 1870 in the United States, Mrs. Maxwell spent many years resident in Paris with her mother and brother. In February 1899, she was among the first group of western pilgrims to go to Acre (in what was then Palestine) to visit 'Abdu'l-Baha, the son of Baha'u'llah and leader of the Baha’i Faith, who was still being held as a prisoner of the Ottoman Empire On her return to the French capital, she began to tell others of the new religious movement she had discovered. A significant group of Baha'is emerged around her, among them a number of artists and artisans, and believers of various nationalities, including the early English Baha'i Thomas Breakwell. To mark the centenary of these momentous events, the Baha'i community of France held an ambitious conference in Paris from 27 to 29 November 1998. The celebrations began when more than one thousand Baha'is gathered beneath the Eiffel Tower for a photograph, on the same spot where 'Abdu'l-Baha had been photographed during His historic visit to Paris in 1913. Later, the conference opened with the participation of two thousand people, including more than two hundred guests of the Baha'is and six hundred Baha'is from outside France. The structure of the program, which was modeled on the Second Baha'i World Congress held in New York in 1992, included talks, film and video presentations and theatrical and musical segments. A high point of the conference was the colorful public concert "La Nuit de l'espoir" ("The Night of Hope"), held at the Salle de la MutualitC, one of the largest halls in Paris. Before the event, more than two hundred and fifty special guests, including ambassadors, politicians, religious and civil dignitaries, journalists, and representatives of major non-governmental organizations attended a reception and expressed great interest in and admiration for the work of the Baha’i community. Another highlight of the event was a dedication and reception held immediately after the conference at the Paris apartment where ‘Abdu’l-Baha had stayed.

(The Baha’i World, 1998-99)

Some prominent western non-Baha’is who hosted receptions for ‘Abdu’l-Baha

From 1911 to 1913 'Abdu'l-Baha journeyed through Europe and North America, visiting the local Baha'i communities, addressing public audiences in peace societies, universities, churches, Negro conferences and synagogues, meeting distinguished personages in government, clerical and educational life and promulgating by example and eloquent speech the principles of universal peace. The roster of these distinguished persons is too extensive to include here, but the character of 'Abdu'l-Baha's reception in the West may be indicated by naming, among many others, Archdeacon Wilberforce, Reverend R. J. Campbell, Lord Lamington, Sir Michael Sadler, the Maharajahs of Jalawar and Rajputana, Professor E. G. Browne, and Professor Patrick Geddes, in London; the Persian Minister, the Turkish Ambassador, "Church dignitaries of various branches of the Christian Tree," in Paris; Professor Arminius Vambery, several members of Parliament, Count Albert Apponyi, Prelate Alexander Giesswein and Professor Ignatius Goldziher, in Vienna; and in America, Dr. David Starr Jordan, Rabbi Stephen Wise, Alexander Graham Bell, Hon. Franklin K. Lane, Mrs. William Jennings Bryan, Andrew Carnegie, Hon. Franklin MacVeagh, Admiral Peary, Rabindranath Tagore.

- Horace Holley  (Introduction to The Secret of Divine Civilization)

Mount Carmel as it appeared to the first American pilgrims in 1898

Mount Carmel as it appeared to the first American pilgrims to visit 'Abdu'l-Baha in 1898. The building at the foot and on the left marks the place where Elijah, the Prophet, found shelter. On the summit is a convent. 

(Baha'i News, December 1971)

Geographic Distribution of Local Spiritual Assemblies by Continent -- as of 2003

(Source: The Baha'i World 2002-2003)

First Photograph of the Master after World War I

This photograph was taken by Lieut. H. E. Eckersley in the Garden of Bahji in the latter part of the month of October, 1918. It is the first photograph of the Master after the war.

November 1849: The Báb sends His representative to make a pilgrimage on His behalf to the graves of Quddus and Mulla Husayn

“The Báb was heart-broken," His amanuensis, Siyyid Husayn-i-'Aziz, subsequently related, "at the receipt of this unexpected intelligence. [the news of the tragic fate which had befallen the heroes of Tabarsi] He was crushed with grief, a grief that stilled His voice and silenced His pen. For nine days He refused to meet any of His friends. I myself, though His close and constant attendant, was refused admittance. Whatever meat or drink we offered Him, He was disinclined to touch. Tears rained continually from His eyes, and expressions of anguish dropped unceasingly from His lips. I could hear Him, from behind the curtain, give vent to His feelings of sadness as He communed, in the privacy of His cell, with His Beloved. I attempted to jot down the effusions of His sorrow as they poured forth from His wounded heart. Suspecting that I was attempting to preserve the lamentations He uttered, He bade me destroy whatever I had recorded. Nothing remains of the moans and cries with which that heavy-laden heart sought to relieve itself of the pangs that had seized it. For a period of five months He languished, immersed in an ocean of despondency and sorrow.” …Read more

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

Sarah Farmer and the Green Acre

Named by Shoghi Effendi as a Disciple of 'Abdu'l-Baha, she will also be known to posterity as the originator of the concept of the first universal platform in America, which, during its first 33 years, developed into the Green Acre school and conference center (comprising some 200 acres along the banks of the Piscataqua River in Eliot, Maine, four miles up from the sea and opposite the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire). One writer said of her in 1928, "She stands as the actual fulfiller of Emerson in terms of applied influence" and "The roll of speakers who have taken part in the Green Acre Conferences represent well-nigh the flower of modem liberal thought." It was typical of her vision that when opening the center on 4 July 1894 she raised, at the end of the ceremony, a flag of world peace. Two years after the opening, she found and embraced the Faith. She went immediately to see 'Abdu'l-Baha in 'Akka to offer her services to Him. The letters He addressed to her during subsequent years continued to guide her in her work. When He came to America in 1912, He spent a week in August at Green Acre (although Sarah herself was by this time confined to a sanitarium in Portsmouth, which she left for a few hours to welcome Him). Green Acre continues to flourish and develop as a Baha'i school, thereby fulfilling the vision of this remarkable woman and in accordance with the guidance given by 'Abdu'l-Baha in its earliest days. …Read more

(Adapted from ‘Historical Dictionary of the Baha’i Faith’ by Hugh Adamson, and ‘William Henry Randall, Disciple of ‘Abdu'l-Baha’, Bahiyyih Randall Winckler in collaboration with M. R. Garis)

1934: First National Convention of the Baha'is of Iran

Women in Nineteenth-Century Iran

Women in nineteenth-century Iran were regarded as being much inferior to men, both in regard to their intellectual capacity and their spiritual worth. The religiously devout men looked on them with suspicion and disdain as a potential cause of the loss of their religious purity; women were regarded as having been placed on earth to lead men astray. The less religious would merely think of women as a source of sexual pleasure and domestic management. They were not much above chattels and slaves, certainly not worthy of being consulted about family affairs or entrusted with making any decisions for themselves. Indeed, a woman's temperament was felt to be totally unsuitable for any serious deliberation or rational thought.

As a result, few women received any education, and there were almost no opportunities to make any meaningful contribution to society outside of domestic commitments. A woman's social contacts were limited to her own husband, her immediate male relatives, and a circle of other women. She was strictly and jealously guarded from contacts with other men. She might be killed by her husband with impunity on the mere suspicion of infidelity. Although Islam granted women certain strictly defined rights, few of them were able to exercise these rights, since there was no mechanism whereby they could act in society independently of men. Nor did wealth lead to any improvement in a woman's lot; the women of the upper classes were caged in the vacuous monotony of harem life. Thus for most women, the only way to exert any influence over their own lives was to dominate their husbands by teasing, cajoling, and intriguing. Many women achieved a degree of power in this way -- but this provoked more distrust and disdain on the part of men and, not suprisingly, often led to divorce.

Nettie Tobin & the "corner stone" for Chicago Temple

 Nettie Tobin kneeling by the stone which she carried as her contribution to the Chicago Temple in the very early days. 'Abdu'l-Baha chose it as the "corner stone" when He visited the site in 1912. The stone is now incorporated into the building, and serves as a special place for prayer and meditation.
(The Baha'i World 1932-1934)

“The first proclamation of emancipation for the blacks was made by the whites of America”

The first proclamation of emancipation for the blacks was made by the whites of America. How they fought and sacrificed until they freed the blacks! Then it spread to other places. The blacks of Africa were in complete bondage, but your emancipation led to their freedom also -- that is, the European states emulated the Americans, and the emancipation proclamation became universal. It was for your sake that the whites of America made such an effort. Were it not for this effort, universal emancipation would not have been proclaimed. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha  (Excerpt from a talk given at Howard University on 23 April 1912; ‘The Promulgation of Universal Peace’) To read the entire talk please visit Talks of ‘Abdu’l-Baha)

The Mashriqu’l-Adhkar (the Baha’i Temple) in Chicago “marks the inception of the Kingdom of God on earth."

"A most wonderful and thrilling motion will appear in the world of existence," are 'Abdu'l-Bahá's own words, predicting the release of spiritual forces that must accompany the completion of this most hallowed House of Worship. "From that point of light," He, further glorifying that edifice, has written, "the spirit of teaching ... will permeate to all parts of the world." And again: "Out of this Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, without doubt, thousands of Mashriqu'l-Adhkars will be born." "It marks the inception of the Kingdom of God on earth." 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘Citadel of Faith’)

1910: Baha'is in Oakland California at the home of Helen S. Goodall

Martha Root writes to ‘Abdu’l-Baha about her desire to travel the world on behalf of the Faith

Martha committed her thoughts to paper as easily as most humans breathe and frequently sent them off to 'Abdu'l-Baha in Haifa. On 7 November 1918 she wrote to Him of her desire to travel the world on behalf of the Faith. This was a source of joy to 'Abdu'l-Baha. In His response He replied, "My hope from the blessings of His Holiness Baha'u'llah is that thou mayest forget rest and composure and like unto a swift-flying bird, thou mayest reproduce the melody of the Kingdom and engage in songs and music in the best of tunes." If Martha needed incitement or additional stimulus for her already strong desires to travel and teach, the Master provided it with His colorful directives. It was like a clarion call, a trumpet blast, for He added: "All ears are alert for the summons to the Most Great Peace. It is therefore better for thee to travel now around the world, if this is conveniently possible, and roar out the call of the Divine Kingdom. Thou shalt witness great results and extraordinary confirmations." 

(Adapted from ‘Martha Root Lioness at the Threshold’, by Garis)

November 2004: The passing of Hand of the Cause ‘Ali Akbar Furutan

He was an educator, author and, in the words of Shoghi Effendi, the "establisher and promoter" of the Baha'i Administrative Order in the Cradle of the Faith. Born in Sabzivar, Khurusan, Persia, in 1905, when he was but five years old his father became the first Baha'i in the family, followed immediately by his mother and grandmother. In 1914 he moved with his family to 'Ishqabad, Russia, and attended the elementary Baha'i boys' school, where, on his graduation at age 14, he was asked to teach the children of the first grade. He did this until 1922, when he began his secondary education. This was completed in 1925, and he went to work as principal of the Baha'i schools for a year prior to going on to the University of Moscow (where he graduated in psychology and education). Always active in the Faith, he traveled widely throughout the Caucasus region even while young and also taught in Leningrad and other Russian cities. In 1930 he was expelled from the Soviet Union for his participation in Baha'i activities, an event which seems only to have strengthened his resolve, because from that time forward he immersed himself totally in the administrative affairs of the Faith.

A year (1931) after his return to Iran he married Ata'iyyih Aziz-Khurasani. Together they settled in the remote village of Saysan and established a Baha'i school for girls and another for boys; this was the first access to modem education available to these children (eventually the schools had an attendance of about 700 students). In 1933 he was offered the position of principal of the Tarbiyat School for boys in Tihran but declined in order to remain in Saysan. …Read more

(Adapted from ‘Historical Dictionary of the Baha’i Faith’ by Hugh Adamson)

The doors to the Shrine of the Báb – named after eminent believers

The main floor of the Shrine of the Báb is made of nine rooms, six of which were created at the time of ‘Abdu’l-Baha and three during the early years of the Guardian’s ministry between 1928 and 1930. Beneath the central room of these nine rooms are precious remains of the Bab and in an adjacent room those of ‘Abdu’l-Baha.

The exterior doors to the eight rooms surrounding the central room were named by both ‘Abdu’l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi after certain eminent believers:

Named by ‘Abdu’l-Baha:

• Báb [door]-i-Amin: named after Hand of the Cause Haji Amin
• Báb-i-Fadl: named after Mirza Abu’l-Fadl
• Báb-i-Bala: named after Ustad Aqa Bala (a Baha’i mason who contributed to the Shrine’s construction)
• Báb-i-Ashraf: named after Ustad Aqa Ali-Ashraf (a Baha’i mason who contributed to the Shrine’s construction)
• Báb-i-Karim: named after Ustad ‘Abdu’-Karim (a Baha’i mason who contributed to the Shrine’s construction)

1939: The National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada

Seven future Hands of the Cause served on this Assembly!

From left: Louis Gregory, Harlan Obar, Dorothy Baker, Leroy Ioas, Fred Schopflocker, Horace Holley, Amelia Collins, Roy Wilhelm, Allen McDaniel