Ásíyih Khánum
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Ásíyih K͟hánum ( fa, ‎ 18201886) was the wife 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 ...
. She is also known by her titles of Navváb, the Most Exalted Leaf, Búyúk K͟hánum or Hadrat-i-K͟hánum. K͟hánum is a title usually given to a Persian lady and is equivalent to madam. Baháʼu'lláh and Ásíyih Khánum were known as the ''Father of the Poor'' and the ''Mother of Consolation'' for their extraordinary generosity and regard for the impoverished. Baháʼu'lláh, along with Ásíyih Khánum and her children, are regarded as the Baháʼí holy family.


Background

Ásíyih Khánum was born Ásíyih Yalrúdí the only daughter of Mírzá Ismáʼíl Yalrúdí, an aristocrat and minister in the
Qajar Qajar Iran (), also referred to as Qajar Persia, the Qajar Empire, '. Sublime State of Persia, officially the Sublime State of Iran ( fa, دولت علیّه ایران ') and also known then as the Guarded Domains of Iran ( fa, ممالک م ...
court in the village of Yal Rud in Mazandaran. She had one brother Mírzá Mahmúd who did not become a follower of
Bábism Bábism (a.k.a. the Bábí Faith; fa, بابیه, translit=Babiyye) is a religion founded in 1844 by the Báb (b. ʻAli Muhammad), an Iranian merchant turned prophet who taught that there is one incomprehensible God who manifests his will in ...
nor 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 Yalrúdí family were high-ranking nobility, and Ásíyih was raised in extraordinary privilege. As a girl she was well-educated and was able to read and write in her native Persian as well Arabic.


Marriage

1832 her eldest brother, Mírzá Mahmúd, married an elder sister of Baháʼu'lláh; Sarah. Sarah was very close to Baháʼu'lláh and was gratified with evidence of young Ásíyih’s beauty, piety and kindness. She quickly devised a plan to marry the two together.
Mírzá ʻAbbás Núrí Mírzá ʻAbbás-i-Núrí ( fa, ميرزا عباس نوري, d. 1839), more commonly known as Mírzá Buzurg, was the father of Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. Mírzá Buzurg was a nobleman from the Persian province of Núr ...
accepted – perhaps enticed by the huge dowry which included three servants, large piece of land, property and a sum of money. The betrothal was then made official, but was delayed until Ásíyih came of age. In October 1835, the fifteen-year-old Ásíyih Khánum married Baháʼu'lláh in a grand and sumptuous ceremony with the buttons on Ásíyih Khánum's clothes as jewels. These jewels were later sold to provide for food for the family during the persecution of Bábís in 1852. According to Baháʼí sources, Ásíyih and Baháʼu'lláh occupied themselves with philanthropy. She was known as the “Mother of Consolation” for her charity work among the destitute of Tehran. The marriage resulted in seven children: Kázim, Sádiq, ʻAbbás, ʻAlí-Muhammad, Bahíyyih, Mihdí, and ʻAlí-Muhammad. Only three survived to adulthood all of whom were deeply loyal to their mother. Ásíyih Khánum was very close to her children, and took active participation in their upbringing especially that of
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 ...
. The Núrí family lived in the capital
Tehran Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...
and Mazandaran in the summer months – the norm of upper-class Persian families.


As a Bábí

In 1844,
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 ...
heard of a new faith
Bábism Bábism (a.k.a. the Bábí Faith; fa, بابیه, translit=Babiyye) is a religion founded in 1844 by the Báb (b. ʻAli Muhammad), an Iranian merchant turned prophet who taught that there is one incomprehensible God who manifests his will in ...
and accepted. Ásíyih soon joined to the new faith and became a fervent convert. She helped hide the Bábí leader
Táhirih Táhirih (Ṭāhira) ( fa, طاهره, "The Pure One," also called Qurrat al-ʿAyn ( "Solace/Consolation of the Eyes") are both titles of Fatimah Baraghani/Umm-i Salmih (1814 or 1817 – August 16–27, 1852), an influential poet, women's rights ...
in her private parlour whilst she was hiding from government forces. On 15 August 1852, a radical group of Bábís attempted the assassination of the Shah and failed. The group of Bábís linked with the plan were rounded up and killed, and, notwithstanding the assassins' claim that they were working alone, the entire Bábí community was blamed and a general pogrom of the Bábí community was started by the Shah. Bahá’u’lláh was arrested. Ásíyih’s home was looted, its possessions were taken away and she was left in practical poverty. She fled with her children and at times struggled to find enough money to feed them. They recall being given a handful of flour to satiate their hunger.


Baghdad

Bahá’u’lláh was eventually released, but banished from his homeland to Baghdad. Though both Bahá’u’lláh and Ásíyih were well-connected through their families, many distanced themselves from the couple during this time. On leaving, no-one came to say goodbye save the "grandmother of Ásíyih Khánum". She reluctantly left her youngest child, Mihdí, in her care. In the freezing winter of January 1853, the family began their journey to Baghdad. Ásíyih Khánum accompanied
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 ...
, who was weak and ill from his months in the dungeon, becoming his closest companion and confidante. She was also pregnant during the journey – causing her much difficulty. In 1854
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 ...
decided to retreat to
Kurdistan Kurdistan ( ku, کوردستان ,Kurdistan ; lit. "land of the Kurds") or Greater Kurdistan is a roughly defined geo-cultural territory in Western Asia wherein the Kurds form a prominent majority population and the Kurdish culture, Kurdish la ...
and left his two brothers
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 ...
and
Subh-i-Azal Ṣubḥ-i-Azal (1831–1912, born Mírzá Yaḥyá) was an Iranian religious leader of Azali, Azali Bábism, known for his conflict with his half-brother Baháʼu'lláh over leadership of the Bábí community after 1853. In 1850, when he was ju ...
to care for the family. According to her children’s recollections, Azal curtailed the family’s freedom. When Ásíyih's baby needed a doctor he forbade her from getting one. This child, born in
Baghdad Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...
was named ʻAlí-Muhammad after 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 ...
. He died around 1855 at the age of two. Her
daughter A daughter is a female offspring; a girl or a woman in relation to her parents. Daughterhood is the state of being someone's daughter. The male counterpart is a son. Analogously the name is used in several areas to show relations between groups ...
explains: "the sweet body of our beautiful baby was given to a man, who took it away, and we never knew even where he was laid. I remember so clearly the sorrow of those days". Bahá’u’lláh eventually returned, resulting in some stability for the family.


Constantinople and Adrianople

The family were subsequently exiled again to
Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
in 1863. Shortly after the arrival in Constantinople they were exiled to the remote
Adrianople Edirne (, ), formerly known as Adrianople or Hadrianopolis (Greek: Άδριανούπολις), is a city in Turkey, in the northwestern part of the province of Edirne in Eastern Thrace. Situated from the Greek and from the Bulgarian borders, ...
. The journey was an exhausting and wearisome one during the winter. The cold took its toll on Ásíyih and she fell gravely ill. The five years in Adrianople were also unhappy. Bahá’u’lláh almost died in 1866 and she was threatened with being separated from her husband in 1868. It was, according to Baháʼís, through the intercession of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá that this was scrapped and the family all exiled together.


Acre

A royal command was issued in July 1868 condemning the Bábís/Baháʼís to perpetual imprisonment and isolation in far-flung outposts of the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
Famagusta Famagusta ( , ; el, Αμμόχωστος, Ammóchostos, ; tr, Gazimağusa or ) is a city on the east coast of Geography of Cyprus, Cyprus. It is located east of Nicosia District, Nicosia and possesses the deepest harbour of the island. Duri ...
,
Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...
for
Mirza Yahya Ṣubḥ-i-Azal (1831–1912, born Mírzá Yaḥyá) was an Iranian religious leader of Azali Bábism, known for his conflict with his half-brother Baháʼu'lláh over leadership of the Bábí community after 1853. In 1850, when he was just 19 ...
and his followers, and ʻAkká, in Ottoman
Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...
, for Baháʼu'lláh and his followers. Again and for the last time the family were exiled to the prison city of
Acre, Israel Acre ( ), known locally as Akko ( he, עַכּוֹ, ''ʻAkō'') or Akka ( ar, عكّا, ''ʻAkkā''), is a city in the coastal plain region of the Northern District of Israel. The city occupies an important location, sitting in a natural harb ...
. This was by far the hardest place the family had been to. Accompanying her was her twenty-four-year-old
son A son is a male offspring; a boy or a man in relation to his parents. The female counterpart is a daughter. From a biological perspective, a son constitutes a first degree relative. Social issues In pre-industrial societies and some current c ...
,> her twenty-one-year-old
daughter A daughter is a female offspring; a girl or a woman in relation to her parents. Daughterhood is the state of being someone's daughter. The male counterpart is a son. Analogously the name is used in several areas to show relations between groups ...
, her twenty-year-old son
Mírzá Mihdí Mírzá Mihdí ( fa, ‎ 1848 – June 23, 1870) was the youngest child of Baháʼí Faith founder Baháʼu'lláh and his wife Ásíyih Khánum. He was given the title ''G͟husn-i-Athar'' ("Purest Branch" or "Purer Branch").The elative is a ...
and her husband. The Baháʼís arrived in August at the height of the summer. The inhabitants of Acre were told that the new prisoners were enemies of the state, of God and his religion, and that association with them was strictly forbidden. The aggressive public was jeering and throwing abuse. Almost all of the exiles fell dangerously ill. The period was distressing for Ásíyih Khánum, as it was for many of the Baháʼís, due to the death of three Baháʼís and hostile behavior of the surrounding population. The Baháʼís were imprisoned under horrendous conditions in a cluster of cells covered in dirt and sewage and not given sufficient food for three days. The most trying circumstance for Ásíyih was probably the sudden and accidental death of her youngest son; twenty-two-year-old Mihdí. His death caused her much pain – so much so that her family feared for her sanity. According to Baháʼís, the disconsolate Ásíyih was comforted by
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 ...
who assured his wife their child was in heaven.


Easing of restrictions

In 1870, restrictions were eased for the family and they were moved from the prison. As the people of Acre started to respect the Baháʼís and in particular, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, he was able to arrange for houses to be rented for the family, and the family finally moved to the
Mansion of Bahjí A mansion is a large dwelling house. The word itself derives through Old French from the Latin word ''mansio'' "dwelling", an abstract noun derived from the verb ''manere'' "to dwell". The English word '' manse'' originally defined a property l ...
around 1879 when an epidemic caused the inhabitants to flee. Ásíyih was able to continue her nursing work she had started in Tehran. She was known in the city for helping the sick and developing remedies. Suffering from ill-health herself for most of her life, the climate of Acre exacerbated an already delicate constitution. As pilgrims began trickling in from Persia, Ásyih received them as “head of the household”. She was greatly respected and revered by Baháʼís and even by her own children. Baháʼu'lláh called her “Navváb”. She was also affectionately known as Búyúk Khánum. He also named her ''Varaqiyih-'Ulyá'' (meaning "Most Exalted Leaf") and his "perpetual consort in the worlds of God". Baháʼu'lláh appointed her son
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 ...
as his successor.


Death

Ásíyih died in 1886, aged 66, from a fall with Baháʼu'lláh by her side. Her death was mourned by the populace of Acre; her funeral was attended by
Muslims Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abraha ...
,
Christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
and
Druze The Druze (; ar, دَرْزِيٌّ, ' or ', , ') are an Arabic-speaking esoteric ethnoreligious group from Western Asia who adhere to the Druze faith, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, syncretic, and ethnic religion based on the teachings of ...
people. Baháʼu'lláh remarked that after Ásíyih, his light had been turned to darkness, his joy to sadness and calmness into agitation. Her death was followed by several other deaths which hurt the family: a year later the death of
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 ...
, the brother of Baháʼu'lláh, followed by that of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's son and Baháʼu'lláh grandson (five-year-old Husayn) only increased Baháʼu'lláh's mourning.


Reburial

After Ásíyih died in 1886, she was buried in a Muslim cemetery in Acre. Western and Eastern pilgrims would travel to the cemetery to visit her grave and the grave of Mírzá Mihdí. In 1932 her
daughter A daughter is a female offspring; a girl or a woman in relation to her parents. Daughterhood is the state of being someone's daughter. The male counterpart is a son. Analogously the name is used in several areas to show relations between groups ...
died and her wish was to be buried beside her mother and
brother A brother is a man or boy who shares one or more parents with another; a male sibling. The female counterpart is a sister. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to refer to non-familia ...
.
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 ...
thought the gravesite of Ásíyih in this cemetery was unbefitting for her and her son. After fifty-three years since her death, he arranged to secretly transfer her remains and that of her son to be buried near her daughter in Mount Carmel. They were removed from their previous resting places and the bodies were temporarily left in the
Shrine of the Báb The Shrine of the Báb is a structure on the slopes of Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel, where the remains of the Báb, founder of the Bábí Faith and forerunner of Baháʼu'lláh in the Baháʼí Faith, are buried; it is considered to be the seco ...
till the burial arrangements were finished. He then cabled the Baháʼís: He commissioned two marble monuments to be built made in Corinthian style from
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
. After successfully transferring the remains, Shoghi Effendi reburied the two next to each other in a ceremony on Christmas Day of 1939. The burial ground is now called the Monument Gardens, the burial ground of the Baháʼí "holy family", namely the wife,
son A son is a male offspring; a boy or a man in relation to his parents. The female counterpart is a daughter. From a biological perspective, a son constitutes a first degree relative. Social issues In pre-industrial societies and some current c ...
,
daughter A daughter is a female offspring; a girl or a woman in relation to her parents. Daughterhood is the state of being someone's daughter. The male counterpart is a son. Analogously the name is used in several areas to show relations between groups ...
and
daughter-in-law In law and in cultural anthropology, affinity is the kinship relationship created or that exists between two people as a result of someone's marriage. It is the relationship which each party to a marriage has to the relations of the other part ...
of Baháʼu'lláh.


Appearance and personality

Tall (relative to nineteenth century Persian standards) with a fair complexion, dark hair, deep blue eyes and regular features, Ásíyih was a noted beauty. Her daughter described her as a "pearl…amongst women." Historical accounts write that she was "slender, stately…with white skin and blue eyes and dark hair" and "winsome, vivacious and exceedingly beautiful". All her children inherited her physical features. Ásíyih was aristocratic in her bearing, and at times struggled with life as an exile. Unaccustomed to labour, during the exile of Baghdad Ásíyih’s hands cut and bled from blisters caused by washing clothes. She was also remembered as having a strong character. Her son `Abdu’l-Bahá reflected “she was patient, God-fearing, calm, humble and contented.”
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 ...
has described her as having "continued to evince a fortitude, a piety, a devotion and a nobility of soul". Ásíyih was extremely religious. After the unexpected death of her son
Mírzá Mihdí Mírzá Mihdí ( fa, ‎ 1848 – June 23, 1870) was the youngest child of Baháʼí Faith founder Baháʼu'lláh and his wife Ásíyih Khánum. He was given the title ''G͟husn-i-Athar'' ("Purest Branch" or "Purer Branch").The elative is a ...
, Ásíyih consoled herself with her strongly held belief that he was in heaven. Her granddaughter recalled “my eyes will always see her in her blue dress…her sweet, smiling face…as she chanted prayers in her musical voice.” Even as a young woman in Tehran, Ásíyih was known for her work with the poor. This carried on during her imprisonment in Acre. During the period when the exiled Bahá’í community had been granted relative freedom, Ásíyih helped nurse the sick of Acre.


See also

* Baháʼu'lláh's family Others buried in the Monument Gardens: * Mirzá Mihdí, Baháʼu'lláh's youngest son by Ásíyih to survive infancy. *
Bahíyyih Khánum Bahíyyih Khánum (1846 – July 15, 1932) was the only daughter of Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, and Ásíyih Khánum. She was born in 1846 with the given name Fatimih Sultan, and was entitled "Varaqiy-i-'Ulyá" or "Great ...
, Baháʼu'lláh's daughter by Ásíyih. * Munirih Khánum, daughter-in-law by Ásíyih and wife of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, Ásíyih's eldest son. Baháʼí Holy Family: *
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 ...
, eldest son of Ásíyih and Baháʼu'lláh. *
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 ...
, grandson of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, great-grandson of Ásíyih and Baháʼu'lláh, and the ''Guardian'', or head, of the Baháʼí Faith. *
Rúhíyyih Khánum Rúhíyyih Rabbání (8 August 1910 – 19 January 2000), born as Mary Sutherland Maxwell and best known by the title Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum, was the wife of Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith, from 1937 to 1957. In 19 ...
, wife of Shoghi Effendi. * Khadíjih-Bagum, wife of
The Báb ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
.


Notes


Citations


References

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Asiyih Khanum Family of Baháʼu'lláh 1820 births 1886 deaths People from Tehran Iranian emigrants to the Ottoman Empire Burials at Monument Gardens, Haifa People from Acre, Israel Iranian prisoners and detainees Female religious leaders 19th-century Iranian people Women mystics