The Apostles of Baháʼu'lláh were nineteen prominent early followers of

Baháʼu'lláh Baháʼu'lláh (born Ḥusayn-ʻAlí; 12 November 1817 – 29 May 1892) was the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. He was born to an aristocratic family in Persia, and was exiled due to his adherence to the messianic Bábí Faith. In 1863, in I ...

, the founder of the

Baháʼí Faith The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the Baháʼí Faith and the unity of religion, essential worth of all religions and Baháʼí Faith and the unity of humanity, the unity of all people. Established by ...

. The apostles were designated as such by

Shoghi Effendi Shoghí Effendi (; 1 March 1897 – 4 November 1957) was the grandson and successor of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, appointed to the role of Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957. He created a series of teaching plans that over ...

, head of the religion in the earlier half of the 20th century, and the list was included in ''The Baháʼí World'', Vol. III (pp. 80–81). These individuals played a vital role in the development of the Baháʼí Faith, consolidating its adherents and bringing its teachings around the world. To Baháʼís, they filled a similar role as the

sons of Jacob Jacob (; ; ar, يَعْقُوب, Yaʿqūb; gr, Ἰακώβ, Iakṓb), later given the name Israel, is regarded as a patriarch of the Israelites and is an important figure in Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Jac ...

, the

apostles of Jesus In Christian theology and ecclesiology, the apostles, particularly the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Twelve Disciples or simply the Twelve), were the primary disciples of Jesus according to the New Testament. During the life and ministry ...

Muhammad's companions The Companions of the Prophet ( ar, اَلصَّحَابَةُ; ''aṣ-ṣaḥāba'' meaning "the companions", from the verb meaning "accompany", "keep company with", "associate with") were the disciples and followers of Muhammad who saw or m ...

, or the Báb's

Letters of the Living The Letters of the Living ( ar, حروف الحي) was a title provided by the Báb to the first eighteen disciples of the Bábí Religion. In some understandings the Báb places himself at the head of this list (as the first letter). In this ar ...

List of Apostles

Many of the stories of the Apostles are well known to Baháʼís. The names of the apostles were: #

Mírzá Músá Mírzá Músá ( fa, ‎; d. 1887) was the only full brother of Baháʼu'lláh, meaning that they shared the same mother and father. He was later named by Shoghi Effendi as one of the nineteen Apostles of Baháʼu'lláh. The life of Mírzá M ...

- a.k.a. Kalím, the brother of Baháʼu'lláh #

Badíʻ Badíʻ (18521869) was an eminent early follower of Baháʼu'lláh, founder of the Baháʼí Faith, and considered one of his chief apostles. At the age of 17 he delivered a letter from Baháʼu'lláh to Náṣiri'd-Dín S͟háh, for which he was ...

- a.k.a. Mirza Buzurg, the 17-year-old who delivered Baháʼu'lláh's tablet to Nassiru'd-Din Shah and was subsequently killed. # Siyyid Hasan - the 'King of Martyrs' of Isfahan who was beheaded with his brother. # Hájí Amín - a.k.a. Mulla Abdu'l-Hasan, the trustee of

Huqúqu'lláh Ḥuqúqu'lláh ( ar, ﺣﻘﻮﻕ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ, "Right of God") is a voluntary wealth tax paid by adherents of the Baháʼí Faith to support the work of the religion. Individuals following the practice calculate 19% of their discretionary income ...

. #

Mírzá Abu'l-Faḍl Mírzá Muḥammad ( fa, ميرزا أبوالفضل), or Mírzá Abu'l-Faḍl-i-Gulpáygání (1844–1914), was the foremost Baháʼí scholar who helped spread the Baháʼí Faith in Egypt, Turkmenistan, and the United States. He is one of ...

- The scholar who travelled as far as America and wrote several notable books about the Baháʼí Faith. #

Varqá Varqá ( ar, , born Mírzá ʻAlí-Muhammad ( fa, ); died 1896) was an eminent follower of Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. Varqá was referred to by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (; Persian: ‎, 23 May 1844 – 28 No ...

- a.k.a. Mírzá ʻAlí Muhammad, the father of Rúhu'lláh. The two were killed at the same time for their adherence. # Mírzá Mahmúd - a.k.a. Maḥmúd-i-Furúg͟hí, he was a well known teacher of the Baháʼí Faith, often dedicating himself to the welfare of the youth. #

Hají Ákhúnd Ḥají Mullá ʻAlí-Akbar S͟hahmírzádí ( fa, ‎ 18421910), known as Ḥají Ák͟húnd, was an eminent follower of Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. He was appointed a Hand of the Cause, and identified as one of the ni ...

- a.k.a. Mullá ʻAlí-Akbar S͟hahmírzádí, he was given the task of transferring the remains of the

Báb The Báb (b. ʿAlí Muḥammad; 20 October 1819 – 9 July 1850), was the messianic founder of Bábism, and one of the central figures of the Baháʼí Faith. He was a merchant from Shiraz in Qajar Iran who, in 1844 at the age of 25, claimed ...

from various secret locations to ʻAkká. He was responsible for much of the Baháʼí activity in Iran until his death. #

Nabíl-i-Akbar Áqá Muḥammad-i-Qá'iní (also known as Fadil-i-Qa'ini ("Learned One of Qa'ín") and surnamed Nabíl-i-Akbar ( ar, ); ‎ 1829–1892) was a distinguished Baháʼí from the town of Qá'in. He is one of 19 Apostles of Baháʼu'lláh, and re ...

- a.k.a. Mulla Muhammad, teacher, and recipient of several tablets from Baháʼu'lláh. # Vakílu'd-Dawlih - a.k.a. Ḥájí Mírzá Muḥammad-Taqí, a cousin of the Báb and the chief builder of the first

Baháʼí House of Worship A Baháʼí House of Worship or Baháʼí temple is a place of worship of the Baháʼí Faith. It is also referred to by the name ''Mashriqu'l-Adhkár'', which is Arabic for "Dawning-place of the remembrance of God". Baháʼí Houses of Worship ...

in Ishqábád which was initiated by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá in or about 1902. # Ibn-i-Abhar - a.k.a. Ḥájí Mírzá Muḥammad-Taqí, he traveled and taught about the religion in countries and regions of Iran, Caucasus, Turkmenistan and India. #

Nabíl-i-Aʻzam Mullá Muḥammad-i-Zarandí (29 July 1831 – 1892), more commonly known as Nabíl-i-Aẓam ( fa, نبيل أعظم "the Great Nabíl") or Nabíl-i-Zarandí ( fa, نبيل زرندي "Nabíl of Zarand"), was an eminent Baháʼí historian ...

- a.k.a. Mulla Muhammad, the author of the historical narrative

The Dawn-breakers ''The Dawn-Breakers: Nabíl's Narrative of the Early Days of the Baháʼí Revelation'' (''Maṭāle al-anwār'') or ''Nabíl's Narrative'' (''Táríkh-i-Nabíl'') is an account of the early Bábí and Baháʼí Faiths written in Persian by Nab ...

. # Kázim-i-Samandar - a.k.a. Shaykh Kázim, the favourite Apostle of Baháʼu'lláh. He travelled teaching the religion in Persia, the Lawh-i-Fu'ád is addressed to him. # Muhammad Mustafá Baghdádí - Served the Baha'is travelling to Akká while living in Beirut on instructions of Baháʼu'lláh. He also met some of the Bab's

. #

Mishkín-Qalam Mírzá Ḥusayn-i-Isfahání (surnamed Mis͟hkín-Qalam () meaning "jet-black pen"; 18261912) was a prominent Baháʼí and one of the nineteen Apostles of Baháʼu'lláh, as well as a famous calligrapher of 19th-century Persia. He is the autho ...

- a.k.a. Mirza Husayn, noteworthy calligrapher of his time and designer of the

Greatest Name Greatest may refer to: * ''Greatest!'', a 1959 album by Johnny Cash * ''Bee Gees Greatest'', a 1979 album by Bee Gees * Greatest (The Go-Go's album), ''Greatest'' (The Go-Go's album), 1990 * Greatest (Duran Duran album), ''Greatest'' (Duran Duran ...

. #

Adíb Hájí Mírzá Ḥasan-i-Adíbu'l-ʻUlamá ( ar, ‎; September 1848–2 September 1919), known as Mírzá Ḥasan or Adíb, was an eminent follower of Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. He was appointed a Hand of the Ca ...

- a.k.a. Mirza Hasan, after the passing of Baháʼu'lláh, he became instrumental in dealing with the activities of Covenant-breakers in Iran. Chairman of the first National Spiritual Assembly of Iran. He travelled to India and Burma to help spread the Baháʼí Faith in those areas. # Shaykh Muhammad-'Alí - Nephew of Nabíl-i-Akbar. Traveled to India and later Haifa and taught about the Baháʼí Faith. He was later sent to Ishqábád by Abdu'l-Bahá to take care of the education of children there. Along with other followers he helped in completing the unfinished writings of Mírzá Abu'l-Faḍl. #

Zaynu'l-Muqarrabín Mullá Zaynul-ʻÁbidín (May 1818 − 1903) was a prominent Iranian Baháʼí who served as a secretary to Baháʼu'lláh, was listed by Shoghi Effendi as one of nineteen Apostles of Baháʼu'lláh, and biographied by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá in ''Memorial ...

- a.k.a. Mullá Zaynul-ʻÁbidín, doctor of Islamic law. He submitted questions to Baháʼu'lláh regarding the

Kitáb-i-Aqdas The Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Arabic: The Most Holy Book) is the central religious text of the Baháʼí Faith, written by Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the religion, in 1873. Though it is the main source of Baháʼí laws and practices, much of the co ...

, the Baháʼí book of laws, which have been published in an appendix to the book. #

Ibn-i-Asdaq Mírzá ʻAlí-Muḥammad-i-K͟hurásání ( ar, ; died 1928), known as Ibn-i-Aṣdaq, was an eminent follower of Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. He was appointed a Hand of the Cause and identified as one of the nineteen Ap ...

- a.k.a. Mírzá ʻAlí-Muḥammad-i-K͟hurásání, was addressed by Baháʼu'lláh as Shahíd Ibn-i-Shahíd (Martyr, son of the Martyr). He was the son of Mullá Sádiq, a martyr of the Bábí movement. Along with Ahmad Yazdani, brought the

Tablet to The Hague The ''Tablet to The Hague'' is a letter which ʻAbdu'l-Bahá wrote to the Central Organisation for Durable Peace in The Hague, The Netherlands on 17 December 1919. Historical background When the Central Organization for Durable Peace came toge ...

from ʻAbdu'l-Bahá to the

Central Organisation for Durable Peace The Central Organization for a Durable Peace was established at The Hague, The Netherlands, in April 1915. Its members were individuals from ten European states, Germany, Belgium, England, Austria-Hungary, Italy, Holland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, ...

in The Hague.

Tablets of the Divine Plan

ʻAbdu'l-Bahá ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (; Persian language, Persian: ‎, 23 May 1844 – 28 November 1921), born ʻAbbás ( fa, عباس), was the eldest son of Baháʼu'lláh and served as head of the Baháʼí Faith from 1892 until 1921. ʻAbdu'l-Bahá was later C ...

addresses the Baháʼís of the United States and Canada in the

Tablets of the Divine Plan The ''Tablets of the Divine Plan'' collectively refers to 14 letters ( tablets) written between March 1916 and March 1917 by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá to Baháʼís in the United States and Canada. Included in multiple books, the first five tablets were ...

with the phrase: "O ye Apostles of Baháʼu'lláh!" He goes on to encourage them to "strive ye with heart and soul so that ye may reach this lofty and exalted position". He outlines certain conditions for this attainment, namely firmness in the Covenant of God, fellowship and love amongst the believers, and continually travelling to all parts of the continent, "nay, rather, to all parts of the world". Shoghi Effendi referred to

Martha Root Martha Louise Root (August 10, 1872 – September 28, 1939) was an American traveling teacher of the Baháʼí Faith in the early 20th century. From the declaration of her belief in 1909 until her death thirty years later, she went around the ...

as "that unique and great-hearted apostle of Baháʼu'lláh", but she is not considered one of the nineteen Apostles designated as such by Shoghi Effendi. (Baha'i Administration, p. 112)

Notes

References

* * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Apostles Of Baha'u'Llah

List of Apostles

Tablets of the Divine Plan

See also

Notes

References