circa 1920: Ridvan Garden near Akka

The Ridván Garden, located outside the city of ‘Akká, was rented by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in 1875 and prepared for Bahá’u’lláh's use. Bahá’u’lláh visited this garden many times during the latter part of his life, c. 1920. 

(Baha’i Media Bank)

Bahá'u'lláh's Father's House in Tihran

 

April 1971: First National Spiritual Assembly of Sudan

Elected members of the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Sudan. Seated, left to right: Mr. Merghani Osman, Mr. Shakey Hassan Marrei, Mrs. Nawal Marrei, Mr. Hassan El-Said, Mr. Mosa Osman. Standing: Mr. Rashid Ali Hassib, Mr. Said El-Said, Mr. Said Ahmed Shalabi, and Mr. Mohamed Hassan.

April 1954: First Auxiliary Board members appointed

In the unfoldment of the Institution of the Hands of the Cause the Guardian instructed the fifteen Hands of the Cause outside the Holy Land to appoint, during Ridvan 1954, "by virtue of their supreme function as chosen instruments for the propagation of the Faith," five auxiliary Boards, one for each of the five continents. This body of the Hands of the Cause was, in the Guardian's words, "now entering (the) second phase (of) its evolution signalized (by) forging (of) ties (with the) National Spiritual Assemblies (of the) Baha'i world (for the) purpose (of) lending them assistance (in) attaining (the) objectives (of the) Ten Year Plan."

The task of the auxiliary Boards was to "increasingly lend (their) assistance (for the) promotion (of the) interests (of the) Ten-Year Crusade." Their function was to act "as deputies, assistants and advisers of the Hands," "working in conjunction" with the National Spiritual Assemblies on each continent. Their duties had been defined by the Guardian in his cablegram of October 8, 1952, launching the World Crusade: to "assist, through periodic systematic visits (to) Baha'i centers (in the) efficient, prompt execution" of the twelve projected National teaching plans.

The five auxiliary Boards appointed by the fifteen Hands of the Cause were announced as follows:

Mrs. Agnes Parsons with 'Abdu'l-Baha

Mrs. Parsons was the Master's hostess during His stay in Washington DC

December 1924: First issue of US Baha’i News

In December 1924 a publication came into being which was originally conceived by Horace Holley as a means of communications between the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States and Canada and its local communities. The first issue of the “Baha’i News” appeared on December 24, 1924 as the “Baha’i News Letter”. It was published in New York with Horace Holley as the editor. 

(Adapted from the Baha’i World, vol. 10 and from ‘Some Baha’is to Remember’, by Whitehead)

April 26-30, 1919: Unveiling of the Divine Plan for the Northeastern States

Delegates and friends attending the Eleventh Annual Mashriqu'l-Adhkar Convention and Baha'i Congress in New York City (Star of the West, vol.10, no.4, May 17, 1919) The first Tablet of Divine Plan was read at this gathering.

Ethel Rosenberg - England’s Outstanding Baha’i Pioneer-Worker

She was born in Bath England, and spent her early childhood there and came to London to study art under Legros at the Slade School. Her specialty was portrait painting, and her red chalk heads were quite remarkable, of which several were in academy; also portraits in the style of Dowman. Although she had painted many beautiful landscapes she practically abandomed this side of her art when she specialized particularly in miniatures. She came into the movement [the Baha’i Faith] in the summer of 1899 and went to ‘Akka soon after.

Miss Ethel J. Rosenberg was one of the pioneers of the Baha’i Faith in the western world in the early days of the Cause. ‘Abdu’l-Baha knew and loved so well this devoted servant of His and had often paid priceless tribute by voice and pen concerning her devotion and untiring labours. …Read more

(The Baha’i World 1930-1932)

April 1970: First National Convention of the Baha'is of Uganda

(Baha'i News, February 1971)

Quddus: Mullá Muhammad-‘Alí Bárfurúshí (circa 1822–49), a Letter of the Living

He was the last Letter of the Living. The Bab gave him the title of Quddús, which means the Most Holy. He, accompanied the Báb on His pilgrimage to Mecca during 1844 to 1845). He was present at the Conference of Badasht and played a very active role. He was subsequently arrested and detained in Sárí for more than three months but was eventually released through the efforts of Mullá Husayn. Quddus joined the Bábí forces at Shaykh Tabarsí in late 1848 and played a leading role in the Bábí defense. He was taken prisoner on 10 May 1849, following the final siege at Shaykh Tabarsí, savagely tortured, and killed on 16 May 1849 in Barfurush (Babul), the town of his birth. According to Bahá’u’lláh he ranked second only to the Báb, and is described by Shoghi Effendi as the first in rank among the Letters of the Living.  

(Adapted from The Baha’i Encyclopedia Project site)

1923: First Local Spiritual Assembly is formed in Australia

The first Local Spiritual Assembly in Australia is formed in Melbourne during December 1923. 

('A Basic Baha'i Chronology', by Glenn Cameron)

1970: First National Baha'i Youth Institute in Uganda

First National Baha'i Youth Institute held at Kikaaya Hill, Kampala, Uganda August 6-12, 1970. Shown are youth with: Moses Senoga, member of National Spiritual Assembly of Uganda, seated second from left; Zylpha Mapp, American pioneer and secretary of National Education Committee of Uganda, seated fourth from left. Holding the symbol of the Greatest Name is Justine Serunjogi, the first girl to attend the institute. 

(Baha'i News, November 1970)

December 1921: Shoghi Effendi arrives in Haifa from England a month after the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Baha

Owing to passport difficulties Shoghi Effendi cabled Haifa he could not arrive until the end of the month. He sailed from England on 16 December, accompanied by Lady Blomfield and Rouhangeze, and arrived in Haifa by train at 5.20 P.M. on 29 December from Egypt where his boat from England had docked. Many friends went to the station to bring him home; it is reported he was so overcome on his arrival that he had to be assisted up the steps. Awaiting him in the house was the only person who could in any measure assuage his suffering - his beloved great-aunt, the sister of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. She had already - so frail, so quiet, so modest at all times - shown herself in these past weeks to be a strong rock to which the believers clung in the midst of the tempest that had so suddenly burst upon them. The calibre of her soul, her breeding, her station, fitted her for the role she played in the Cause and in Shoghi Effendi's life during this extremely difficult and dangerous period. 

- Ruhiyyih Khanum  (‘The Priceless Pearl’)

1898: First Western Pilgrims

Winter of 1898-99. Ibrahim Kheiralla is in the middle of the front row. Lua Getsinger is second from right.

Táhirih (c. 1814–1852) (the Pure One) – A Letter of the Living

The title given to Fátimih (Fatima) Baraghání, also known as Umm-Salamih. She is also known by the titles Qurratu’l-‘Ayn (Solace of the Eyes) and Zarrín-Táj (Crown of Gold). She was a prominent Shaykhí and an accomplished poet, who became the only woman among the Letters of the Living. She is the only Letter of the Living who didn’t meet the Báb personally and was accorded the distinction of becoming a Letter of the Living on the basis of a message she sent via her brother-in-law to the Báb. She was a very active participant at the Conference of Badasht, appearing there without her veil to signal the dawn of a new era in religion and humanity. During the persecutions that decimated the Bábí ranks after the unsuccessful attempt to assassinate the shah she was executed in September 1852. 

(Adapted from The Baha’i Encyclopedia Project site)

‘Abdu’l-Baha in Canada

‘Abdu’l-Baha stayed in Montreal, Canada, from 30 August to 8 September 1912. 

(Source: footnote to a message from the Universal House of Justice to the friends gathered at the Baha'i International Conference in Montreal, 5 September 1982; Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986)

Bahá'u'lláh’s father - Mirza Buzurg

Specimen of the calligraphy of Mirza Buzurg, 

Baha'u'llah's father

Bahá'u'lláh's father was renowned as a calligrapher. Indeed his real name was 'Abbas and he had been given the designation Buzurg (meaning "great") by the king because of his calligraphic prowess. He became the minister to a royal prince who was the commander of the royal guards. He was later a vizier (minister), an official responsible for the collection of taxes, in a province. As was customary among Iran's nobility, Mirza Buzurg had an extensive family.

Bahá'u'lláh’s father was a close associate of Qa'im-M'aqam, the Prime Minister to Muhammad Shah. Qa'im-Maqam was one of the few Iranians who had woken up to the fact that the world was passing Iran by and that the country needed to modernize if it was not to be swallowed up by the colonialist forces that threatened it: Russia from the north and Britain from the south. But in 1835, Muhammad Shah turned against Qa'im-Maqam and had him executed, a not uncommon fate for Qajar Prime Ministers. As a result, Bahá'u'lláh's father fell into disfavour also, particularly as he was at odds with the new Prime Minister, Haji Mirza Aqasi. He lost his position and much of his wealth, and even his mansion in Takur was all but destroyed in a flood. He fell ill and eventually died in the spring of 1839.

(Adapted from ‘Bahá'u'lláh, a Short Biography’, by Moojan Momen)

‘Abdu’l-Baha riding up Mount Carmel

Shoghi Effendi: A unique figure in history who has had an impact on the entire planet over a third of a century

Shoghi Effendi's divine and indefeasible right to assume the helm of the Cause of God had been fully vindicated through thirty-six years of unremitting, heartbreaking toil. It would be hard indeed to find a comparable figure in history who, in a little over a third of a century, set so many different operations in motion, who found the time to devote his attention to minute details on one hand and on the other to cover the range of an entire planet with his plans, his instructions, his guidance and his leadership. He had laid the foundations of that future society Bahá'u'lláh had fathered upon the mind of the Master, and which He in turn had gestated to a point of perfection, passing it upon His death into the safe hands of His successor. 

- Ruhiyyih Khanum  (‘The Guardian of the Baha'i Faith’)