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Chronology of the Bahá'í Faith

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Date 1866, ascending sort latest first

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1866 22 Feb
186-
Nabil Zarandi received a letter from Bahá'u'lláh giving him permission to proclaim the new religion openly and to reveal what he had witnessed in Baghdad of the actions of Azal and Siyyid Muhammad Isfahani. Prior to this time he had been asked to conceal this information. Almost all of the Bábís in Tehran became Bahá'ís upon hearing this news. [BCI1p14]
  • At this time number of Bahá'ís in Tehran was constantly being supplemented by those who had fled the persecution in their home towns. [BC1p15]
  • * Bahaullah (chronology); Nabil-i-Azam; Mírzá Yahya (Subh-i-Azal); Siyyid Muhammad-i-Isfahani; Tehran, Iran; Iran
    1866 c. Mar
    186-
    The Most Great Separation

    Mírzá Yáhyá's behaviour could no longer be tolerated or concealed. Bahá'u'lláh revealed the Súriy-i-Amr (Súrih of Command) as a direct order to him. [CH60, 83, CB84; GBP166; BKG223-245]

  • This was the formal announcement to the nominee of the Báb of the station of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest' and a summons for him to pay allegiance to His Cause. [CB83–4; RB2:161]
    • It should be noted that the Báb never appointed a successor or an interpreter. Shoghi Effendi refers to him as the "titular head" and "a mere figurehead". [GPB90]
    • Bahá'u'lláh Himself conceived of the plan to elevate Yáhyá's status in the eyes of the public to divert attention from Himself. [TN37; RoB1p53-54]
    • See [RoB2p241-242] for the story of the nightingale and the crow.
    • See [UD631n] for information in his titles.
    • See as well the memorandum from the Research Department to the Uniververal House of Justice regarding the appointment of Azal and his titles.
  • Bahá'u'lláh directed his amanuensis to take the Tablet to Mírzá Yáhyá. Upon receipt he became very angry and a "jealous fire consumed him". He responded, after a requested day's respite, by claiming that he was the recipient of a divine revelation and all must turn to him. [CH60, BKG230; CB84; GPB166–7; RB2:162]
  • Shoghi Effendi described this event as "one of the darkest dates in Bahá'í history and was the signal for the open and final rupture between Bahá'u'lláh and Mírzá Yahyá. [GPB167]
  • The announcement that Bahá'u'lláh was the Promised One spread quickly to Iraq and to Persia. The followers were happy for the clarification and glad to be rid of Yáhyá. Only the express command of Bahá'u'lláh prevented them from ridding the world of such nefarious traitor. [CH61]
  • It is believed that Yáhyá's conduct and accusations precipitated the next exile. [CH61]
  • * Bahaullah (chronology); Bahá'u'lláh, Banishment of; Suriy-i-Amr (Surih of Command); Gul va Bulbul (Tablet of the Nightingale and the Owl); Mírzá Yahya (Subh-i-Azal); Most Great Separation; Firsts, other; * Bahá'u'lláh, Writings of; * Bahá'u'lláh, Basic timeline; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Edirne, Turkey; Turkey
    1866 Mar
    186-
    Khurshíd Páshá took up the governorship of Adrianople. [BBR487; BKG233] Khurshid Páshá; - Governors; Edirne, Turkey; Turkey
    1866 c. Mar
    186-
    Bahá'u'lláh revealed the Lawh-i-Bahá in honour of Khátún Ján, a believer and close friend of Táhirih. [RB2:171, 179]
  • It was probably revealed just before He took up residence in the house of Ridá Big. [RB2:171]
  • This was the first Tablet in which Bahá'u'lláh used the term 'people of Bahá' to refer to His followers, to distinguish them from the 'people of the Bayán'. [RB2:179]
  • Lawh-i-Bahá; Khatun Jan; Rida Big; Firsts, other; * Bahá'u'lláh, Writings of; Edirne, Turkey; Turkey; Most Great Separation first Tablet in which Bahá'u'lláh uses the term ‘people of Bahá' to refer to His followers
    1866 10 Mar
    186-
    Bahá'u'lláh and His family withdrew from the house of Amru'lláh, the residence shared with the exiles, and went to the house of Ridá Big. [BKG230; GPB167; RB2:162]
  • He stayed in this house for about one year. [GPB168]
  • See BKG235 for a description of the house of Ridá Big.
  • Bahá'u'lláh went into isolation for two months. He ordered that all of the family's goods should be divided. He even hed delivered to him certain relics he had long coveted such as the seals, rings and manuscripts in the handwriting of the Báb. The companions were to choose between Himself and Azal. This has become known as the 'Most Great Separation'. [BBRSM67; BKG230–2; GPB167–8; RB2:162]
  • See BKG231–2, GPB167 and RB2:163 for the effect of this.
  • See BBRSM59–60 for a description of Azal's leadership.
  • The continued efforts of Mírzá Yahyá and Siyyid Muhammad sullied the reputation of Bahá'u'lláh in Adrianople and in the capital. In addition, temporary beach had been made in the ranks of the supporters. [GPB170]
  • Mírzá Yahyá sent messengers to Persia with false accounts of the events. He sent one of his wives to the authorities claiming that Bahá'u'lláh had deprived him of his fair share of the allowances. [BKG233]
  • Photos of the ruins of the House of Ridá Big and the House of Amru'lláh. [BW5p587]
  • * Bahaullah (chronology); Bahá'u'lláh, Banishment of; House of Amrullah (Edirne); Rida Big; Mírzá Yahya (Subh-i-Azal); Most Great Separation; Edirne, Turkey; Turkey
    1866 - 1867
    186-
    Lawh-i Nasir (The Tablet to Nasir). This Arabic and Persian scriptural Tablet was written around 1866-7 after the Azali-Baha'i `Most Great Separation'. It is a reply to a question of Hajji Muhammad Nasir Qazvini (d. Rasht, 1300/1883) about the position of Mirza Yahya Nuri who had challenged the claimed theophanic claims of Bahá'u'lláh. Therein Bahá'u'lláh maintains that "The origins [genesis] of this [Babi-Baha'i] Cause were concealed from all. No one was adequately aware thereof save two souls; one of these two being named Ahmad who suffered the martyrdom in the path of his Lord and returned unto the ultimate abode, while the other was he who was named [Mirza Musa Nuri] al-Kalim "the Speaker" ("He who [like Moses] conversed", with God) who at this moment can be found in our presence" (Majmu`a-yi Alwah-i Mubaraka, 174)". The largely Persian text of the Lawh-i Nasir can be found in MAM (Cairo : 1333/1920. Rep. 1978: 166-202). [UofCal MERCED] * Bahá'u'lláh, Writings of; Tablet to Nasir; Lawh-i Nasir; Edirne, Turkey
    1866 14 Nov
    186-
    The 'star-fall' of 1866. [RB2:270, 422–6]
  • The falling of stars was predicted in Matthew 24:29.
  • For Bahá'u'lláh's reference to this see ESW131–2.
  • For the symbolism of falling stars see KI41.
  • See The Delight of Hearts pg87 for an account.
  • The spectacular shower of meteors in the early hours of the morning of 14 November 1866 was observed all over Europe. It was an extraordinary event exciting comment from professional astronomers and laymen alike. The following sample account is from The Times Saturday, 17 November 1866:

    The Rev. Robert Main, the Radcliffe Observer at Oxford, gave the following account of the meteorological phenomenon of Tuesday night last: --

    '...This great display began about 13h. (or 1 o'clock in the morning), and reached its maximum at about 13h.24m., after which time it gradually began to slacken. The watch, however, was kept up till 18h., though after 15h., there were not many meteors seen. In all there were observed not fewer than 3,000 during the night, of which about 2,000 fell between 13h. and 14h., or between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. As to the general appearance of the meteors, it was noticed that the majority of them were of a whitish or yellowish colour. Some, however, were reddish or orange-coloured, and one meteor was noticed to be bluish. The brightest left generally a train behind them, which was to be seen for a few seconds after the meteor disappeared.' (Adapted from 'The Revelation of Baha'u'llah', by Adib Taherzadeh, vol. 2)

  • See Thief in the Night p198 for a list of astronomical events that occurred coincident to Bahá'í history.
  • Falling stars; Signs; Prophecies; Lawh-i-Ibn-i-Dhib (Epistle to the Son of the Wolf); Bible; - Christianity
    1866 Dec
    186-
    About a hundred Bahá'ís were arrested in Tabríz following a disturbance in which a Bábí is killed. [BBR251–3; BW18:382] * Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution; Tabríz, Iran; Iran
    1866 1 Dec
    186-
    Birth of Marion Jack, prominent Bahá'í travel teacher, pioneer and artist, known affectionately as 'General jack' for her services to the Bahá'í community, in Saint John, New Brunswick.
  • LDG1:217 for information on her pioneer work.
  • Marion Jack; - Births and deaths; Saint John, NB; New Brunswick, Canada; Canada
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