__NOTOC__ The following is a basic timeline of the Bábí and Baháʼí religions emphasizing dates that are relatively well known. For a more comprehensive chronology of the timeline, see the references at the bottom.

1795

* (1210 AH), Shaykhi sect is started by

Shaykh Ahmad Sheikh (pronounced or ; ar, شيخ ' , mostly pronounced , plural ' )—also transliterated sheekh, sheyikh, shaykh, shayk, shekh, shaik and Shaikh, shak—is an honorific title in the Arabic language. It commonly designates a chief of a ...

1817

* November 12 / Muharram 2 1233 AH. Baháʼu'lláh is born. See also

Twin Holy Birthdays The Festivals of the Twin Birthdays or the Twin Holy Birthdays refers to two successive holy days in the Baháʼí calendar that celebrate the births of two central figures of the Baháʼí Faith. The two holy days are the birth of the Báb on ...

1819

* October 20 / Muharram 1 1235 AH. 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 ...

is born. See also

1826

*Shaykh Ahmad dies and

Siyyid Kázim Sayyid Kāẓim bin Qāsim al-Ḥusaynī ar-Rashtī (1793–1843) ( ar, سيد كاظم بن قاسم الحسيني الرﺷتي), mostly known as Siyyid Kázim Rashtí ( fa, سید کاظم رشتی), was the son of Siyyid Qasim of Rasht, a to ...

is appointed leader of the Shaykhi sect.

1828

*Mírzá Muhammad Ridá, the Father of the Báb, dies. The Báb is placed in the care of his maternal uncle, Hají Mirzá Siyyid 'Alí

1835

*September 24 - October 22, Baháʼu'lláh marries Navváb.

1843

dies. Before his death he instructs his students, including Mulla Husayn, to find the Promised One, the

Mahdi The Mahdi ( ar, ٱلْمَهْدِيّ, al-Mahdī, lit=the Guided) is a messianic figure in Islamic eschatology who is believed to appear at the end of times to rid the world of evil and injustice. He is said to be a descendant of Muhammad w ...

1844 AD / 1 BE

* The Báb's first religious experience, witnessed by his wife, is dated to about the evening of April 3. * (1260 AH), May 22, evening, the

declares his mission to Mulla Husayn in

Shiraz, Iran Shiraz (; fa, شیراز, Širâz ) is the fifth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars Province, which has been historically known as Pars () and Persis. As of the 2016 national census, the population of the city was 1,565,572 p ...

. * May 22–23, overnight,

ʻAbdu'l-Bahá ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (; 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 canonized as the ...

is born to Navváb and Baháʼu'lláh. * By late September Baháʼu'lláh accepts the Bábí religion.

1845 AD / 2 BE

*September, restrictions are enforced on the

's movement within

Shiraz Shiraz (; fa, شیراز, Širâz ) is the fifth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars Province, which has been historically known as Pars () and Persis. As of the 2016 national census, the population of the city was 1,565,572 p ...

after he declares himself to be the

publicly. * Government reports initiate coverage in the West first mentions the arrest and imprisonment of Mullá 'Alíy-i-Bastámí of the Bábí religion. It was published in ''The Times'' of London November 1 and several times thereafter.

1846 / 3 BE

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 "Greate ...

is born to Navváb and Baháʼu'lláh. *September, the Báb leaves Shiraz for Isfahan.

1847 / 4 BE

*July, The Báb is imprisoned at Maku and writes the

Bayán In Bábism, Bayán ( ar, بیان), or exposition, denotes the whole body of the works 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 ...

1848 / 5 BE

* Mírzá Mihdí is born to Navváb and Baháʼu'lláh. * Munirih Khánum, wife of

is born in Isfahan to prominent Bábís of the city. *March 20,

Mullá Husayn Mullá Husayn (1813 – 2 February 1849) ( fa, ملا حسين بشروئي Mulláh Hossein Boshru'i), also known by the honorific ''Jináb-i Bábu'l-Báb'' ("Gate of the Gate"), was a Persian religious figure in 19th century Persia and the fir ...

visits the

in Maku *April 10, the Báb is moved to the prison of Chihriq, due to his growing influence in Maku. He was largely kept there until a few days before his execution. *June - July, the

Conference of Badasht The Conference of Badasht (Persian: گردهمایی بدشت) was an instrumental meeting of the leading Bábís in Iran during June–July 1848. In June–July 1848 over a period of 3 weeks, a number of Bábí leaders met in the village of Bad ...

was held. *July, during public interrogation at

Tabriz Tabriz ( fa, تبریز ; ) is a city in northwestern Iran, serving as the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. It is the List of largest cities of Iran, sixth-most-populous city in Iran. In the Quri Chay, Quru River valley in Iran's historic Aze ...

the Báb makes a dramatic public declaration. He is returned to Chihriq. *July 21, Mullá Husayn hoists the

Black Standard The Black Banner or Black Standard ( ar, الراية السوداء, ar-rāyat as-sawdāʾ, also known as (, "banner of the eagle" or simply as , , "the banner") is one of the flags flown by the Islamic prophet Muhammad according to Muslim tr ...

and marches with 202 other Bábís to Mashhad. *October 10, Mullá Husayn and a host of other Bábís are besieged at fort Tabarsi. *October 20,

Quddús Jináb-i-Quddús ( ar, قدوس)(c.1820–1849), is the title of Mullá Muḥammad ʻAlí-i-Bárfurúshi, who was the most prominent disciple of the Báb. He was the eighteenth and final Letter of the Living. Background Quddús was born some ...

arrives at fort Tabarsí.

1849 AD / 6 BE

* Baháʼu'lláh marries Fátimih in Tihrán. *February 2,

dies in battle at fort at the Shrine of Shaykh Tabarsí. *May 10, Battle of Fort Tabarsi ends after a negotiated surrender in which the victors promise to let the Bábís go. Immediately afterward, the victors break their oath and kill many of the defenders. *May 16,

is tortured and executed.

1850 AD / 7 BE

*July 9, the

is publicly executed in

. * Brief newspaper coverage of the Bábí religion reaches several newspapers in Britain and the United States in the autumn.

1851 AD / 7-8 BE

Dr. Rev. Austin Wright sent materials of the Báb and a letter/paper about events related to the religion to the

American Oriental Society The American Oriental Society was chartered under the laws of Massachusetts on September 7, 1842. It is one of the oldest learned societies in America, and is the oldest devoted to a particular field of scholarship. The Society encourages basi ...

- he wrote the letter February 1851 and it was published June. The letter/paper was published in June a Vermont newspaper as well. Some of it was also translated into German by his supervisor, Rev. Justin Perkins, and was thought for many years to have not been published in English though even in its German form Wright had been named as the first person to write a paper on the Bábí-Baháʼí period.

1852 AD / 9 BE

*August 15, angry Bábís (acting on their own volition) make a failed attempt to kill Nasser al-Din Shah, who retaliates by imprisoning Baháʼu'lláh and executing several thousands of Bábís, including

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 ...

and Siyyid Husayn-i-Yazdi. *September to December, while imprisoned for four months in the

Síyáh-Chál The Síyáh-Chál ( fa, سیاه چال literally "black pit") was a subterrenean dungeon southeast of the palace of the Sháh in Tehran. It carries a significant role in the history of the Baháʼí Faith, because its founder, Baháʼu'lláh w ...

in Tehran, Baháʼu'lláh receives the first intimations that he is the promised one foretold by the Báb. *

Mírzá Muhammad ʻAlí Mírzá Muhammad ʻAlí ( fa, 1853–1937) was one of the sons of Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. He was the eldest son of his father's second wife, Fatimih Khanum, later known as Mahd-i-'Ulya, whom Baháʼu'lláh ...

is born to Fátimih and Baháʼu'lláh 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. I ...

1853 / 9 BE

*January 12, Baháʼu'lláh is exiled from Tehran to Baghdad.

1854 / 11 BE

*April 10, Baháʼu'lláh retreats to the

Sulaymaniyah Sulaymaniyah, also spelled as Slemani ( ku, سلێمانی, Silêmanî, ar, السليمانية, as-Sulaymāniyyah), is a city in the east of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, not far from the Iran–Iraq border. It is surrounded by the Azmar, G ...

mountains within Kurdistan due to a rising tensions between Mírzá Yahyá and himself. *

Henry Aaron Stern Henry Aaron Stern ( Unterreichenbach, near Gelnhausen, 11 April 1820 – Hackney, 13 May 1885) was an Anglican missionary and captive in Abyssinia. He was the youngest son of Aaron Stern, a Jew, and his wife Hannah, was born in the Duchy of Hess ...

(1820-1885) published a book that mentions "Baba, the Persian socialist" for a couple pages.

1856 / 13 BE

*After being discovered in Kurdistan, Baháʼu'lláh returns to Baghdad, at the request of

. * Mary Sheil and Sir Justin Sheil publish ''Glimpses of the Life and Manners in Persia'' which has a section on Bábísm of some 14 pages.

1857 / 14 BE

*The Hidden Words and the Four Valleys are written by Baháʼu'lláh

1860 / 17 BE

Seven Valleys ''The Seven Valleys'' ( fa, ''Haft-Vádí'') is a book written in Persian language, Persian by Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. ''The Seven Valleys'' follows the structure of the Persian poem ''The Conference of the Birds''. ...

are written by Baháʼu'lláh

1861 / 18 BE

*The Book of Certitude is written in late 1861 or early 1862 in two days and nights

1862 / 19 BE

*May 10, the Persian ambassador requests that the Ottomans move the Bábís farther from Persia.

1863 / 20 BE

*April 21, Baháʼu'lláh declares himself to be

He whom God shall make manifest He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...

in the Garden of Ridván in Baghdad on the eve of his exile to Constantinople (

Istanbul ) , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 34000 to 34990 , area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side) , registration_plate = 34 , blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD , blank_i ...

). (13 Jalal 20 BE) *December 12, Baháʼu'lláh is exiled into formal confinement in Adrianople (

Edirne 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 ...

) after four months in Constantinople. (1 Masa'il 20 BE)

1865 / 22 BE

*The Tablet of Ahmad is written by Baháʼu'lláh *

Arthur de Gobineau Joseph Arthur de Gobineau (; 14 July 1816 – 13 October 1882) was a French aristocrat who is best known for helping to legitimise racism by the use of scientific racist theory and "racial demography", and for developing the theory of the Ary ...

publishes book describing the Babí religion in French.

1867 / 24 BE

* 53 Baháʼís in Baghdad on March 16, 1867 petitioned the United States Congress for assistance for Baháʼu'lláh's release and for assistance for the Baháʼís in general. *Baháʼu'lláh begins writing and sending his '' Tablets to the Kings''.

1868 / 25 BE

*August 5, Baháʼu'lláh and a large group of followers are sent from Edirne to the penal colony of Akká, Palestine (now Acre, Israel). *August 31, Baháʼu'lláh arrives in ʻAkká.

1869 / 26 BE

* Baháʼu'lláh sends a letter to the Shah of Persia, Nasser al-Din Shah, and the messenger,

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 ...

, is put to death.

1870 / 27 BE

*June 23, Mirzá Mihdí dies after falling through a skylight.

1873 / 30 BE

*Baháʼu'lláh writes 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 ...

1886 / 43 BE

* Navváb dies. * Abdu'l-Bahá writes the original Arabic text of ''Traveller's Narrative'' later translated and published in 1891.

1889 / 46 BE

*February 25,

E.G. Browne Edward Granville Browne FBA (7 February 1862 – 5 January 1926) was a British Iranologist. He published numerous articles and books, mainly in the areas of history and literature. Life Browne was born in Stouts Hill, Uley, Gloucestershire, En ...

mentions the Baháʼí Faith as part of a series academic talks and papers through 1889 in England.

1890 / 47 BE

E. G. Browne, a famed Cambridge orientalist interviewed Baháʼu'lláh and was His guest at Bahjí from 15 April to 20 April 1890. Browne was the only Westerner to meet Baháʼu'lláh and leave an account of his experience. In Browne's 1893 publication entitled ''A Year Among the Persians'', he wrote a sympathetic portrayal of Persian society. After his death in 1926 it was reprinted and became a classic in English travel literature. Browne described Baha'u'llah as, "The face of Him on Whom I gazed, I can never forget, though I cannot describe it. Those piercing eyes seemed to read one's very soul; power and authority sat on that ample brow… No need to ask in whose presence I stood, as I bowed myself before one who is the object of a devotion and love which kings might envy and emperors sigh for in vain..."

1892 / 49 BE

*May 29, Baháʼu'lláh dies, his mortal remains are placed in a

Shrine A shrine ( la, scrinium "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred or holy space dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon, or similar figure of respect, wherein they ...

dedicated to him next 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 la ...

where he spent his final years. In his will he appointed ʻAbdu'l-Bahá to be his successor and head of the Baháʼí Faith.

1893 / 50 BE

*September 23, the

Baháʼí Faith The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people. Established by Baháʼu'lláh in the 19th century, it initially developed in Iran and parts of the ...

is mentioned publicly for the first time in America in an address by Dr. Henry H. Jessup at the

World Parliament of Religions There have been several meetings referred to as a Parliament of the World's Religions, the first being the World's Parliament of Religions of 1893, which was an attempt to create a global dialogue of faiths. The event was celebrated by another c ...

in Chicago.

1894 / 51 BE

* Thornton Chase is the first of five Baháʼís in the United States this year

1897 / 54 BE

*March 1,

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 ...

, the great-grandson of Baháʼu'lláh, is born.

1898 / 55 BE

*The first Western pilgrims arrive in ʻAkká, including

Phoebe Hearst Phoebe Elizabeth Apperson Hearst (December 3, 1842 – April 13, 1919) was an American philanthropist, feminist and suffragist. Hearst was the founder of the University of California Museum of Anthropology, now called the Phoebe A. Hearst Mu ...

and the first African-American believer, Robert Turner.

1900 / 58 BE

Sarah Farmer, founder of Green Acre Baháʼí School, meets ʻAbdu'l-Bahá and converts.

1901 / 59 BE

*The cornerstone of first Baháʼí House of Worship, in Ashgabat, ʻIshqábád (Ashgabat), Turkmenistan, is laid. *Thomas Breakwell becomes the first Englishman Baháʼí. * The first talks on the religion are held at Green Acre.

1903 / 60 BE

*More than 100 Baháʼís are killed in the first significant Persecution of Baháʼís#Early 20th century and the Pahlavi Dynasty, persecution of Baháʼís of the century in Yazd, Iran.

1908 / 65 BE

*September,

is released from a lifetime of exile and imprisonment at 64 years of age.

1909 / 66 BE

*March 21, the mortal remains of the Báb are laid to rest in the Shrine of the Báb after 59 years in hiding.

1910 / 67 BE

*August ʻAbdu'l-Bahá arrives in Egypt. See ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's journeys to the West *Mary Maxwell, later to be known as Rúhíyyih Khanum, is born in New York City

1911 / 68 BE

*August–December, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá travels across Europe visiting cities such as London, Bristol, and Paris. See ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's journeys to the West * September 10, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá gives his first address to a Western audience in City Temple, London. English translation spoken by Wellesley Tudor Pole.

1912 / 69 BE

*April 11,

arrives in New York City for his visit to North America. See ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's journeys to the West. *ʻAbdu'l-Bahá dedicates the cornerstone Nettie Tobin brought for the planned North American Baháʼí House of Worship in Wilmette, IL. *December 5, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá sets sail away from North America, heading back to Europe.

1916 / 73 BE

*ʻAbdu'l-Bahá writes the first eight of the fourteen Tablets of the Divine Plan.

1917 / 74 BE

*ʻAbdu'l-Bahá writes six more Tablets of the Divine Plan.

1918 / 75 BE

*September 19,

is threatened with death just before the Ottoman military is destroyed at the Battle of Megiddo (1918), Battle of Megiddo.

1920 / 76 BE

*April 27, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá is knighted by the British Empire in recognition of his humanitarian work during WWI.

1921 / 77 BE

*November 28, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá dies in Haifa and appoints

as the Guardian in his Will and Testament of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, Will and Testament.

1932

*July 15, Baháʼu'lláh's daughter

dies.

1935

*Shoghi Effendi translates the Gleanings from the Writings of Baháʼu'lláh from Persian language, Persian and Arabic languages, Arabic into English language, English.

1937

, labeled the ''arch-Covenant breaker'' by

, dies. *Shoghi Effendi launches the "Divine Plan" for the diffusion the

across the globe. *Shoghi Effendi marries Mary Maxwell, later known as Rúhíyyih Khanum, the daughter of a prominent Canadian Baháʼí.

1944 AD / 101 BE

releases ''God Passes By'' to mark the 100th anniversary of the Baháʼí dispensation, which commenced with the Declaration of the Bab in 1844 AD / 1 BE.

1951

*Eleven functioning National Spiritual Assembly, Spiritual Assemblies exist in the world. *32 additional "Hand of the Cause of God, Hands of the Cause of God" are appointed by Shoghi Effendi. *The International Baháʼí Council, first multi-national Baháʼí body, is appointed by Shoghi Effendi.

1953

launches the Ten Year Crusade. * The North American Baháʼí House of Worship is dedicated in Wilmette, IL. * The superstructure of the Shrine of the Báb is completed.

1957

*November 4, Shoghi Effendi dies without children and without appointing a successor Guardian. The temporary role of 'Head of the Faith' is taken up by 27 Hands of the Cause with plans to complete the Ten Year Crusade and elect the Universal House of Justice.

1960

*Hand-of-the-Cause Mason Remey claims to be Effendi's successor Guardian. The other living Hands of the Cause and almost all of the Baha'i community reject his claim.

1963

*A wave of Persecution of Baháʼís#Other countries, persecution of Baháʼís in Baháʼí Faith in Morocco, Morocco ends in mid April with a royal pardon against death sentences for being Baháʼí in Morocco after months of diplomatic newspaper. and television coverage in the United States. *April 21, the first Baháʼí World Congress takes place in London. The first Universal House of Justice is elected by representatives of 56 National Spiritual Assemblies gathered in Haifa, in synchronization with the end of the Ten Year Crusade and the centenary of the Declaration of Baháʼu'lláh in the Garden of Ridván.

1968

* Second election of the Universal House of Justice

1973

* Third election of the Universal House of Justice

1978

* Fourth election of the Universal House of Justice

1979

*Iran's Islamic Revolution begins multi-generation Persecution of Baháʼís with over 200 killed by 2006.

1983

*January 31, the Universal House of Justice takes up its permanent Baháʼí World Centre buildings#Seat of the Universal House of Justice, seat on the slopes of Mt Carmel. * Fifth election of the Universal House of Justice

1985

*October, the Universal House of Justice publishes ''The Promise of World Peace''

1986

*December 24, the Indian Baháʼí House of Worship (aka the "Lotus Temple") is dedicated.

1987

* Sixth election of the Universal House of Justice

1992

*April 21, a Holy year begins marking the centenary of the death of Baháʼu'lláh. *November 22 - 26th, the second Baháʼí World Congress takes place in New York City, New York. *The Ruhi Institute reaches a milestone in development as a formal organization, although its efforts have been evolving since the 1970s by the FUNDAEC Foundation.

1993 AD / 150 BE

*March 21, the

is released in English with notes, question and answers, supplementary materials and synopsis and codification. (1 Baha 150 BE) * Seventh election of the Universal House of Justice

1998

* Eighth election of the Universal House of Justice

2000

*January 19, Rúhíyyih Khanum dies, representing the last remnant of the family of Baháʼu'lláh who remained loyal to Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice.

2001

*The Terraces (Baháʼí), terraces on Mount Carmel are completed, surrounding the Shrine of the Báb and Arc (Baháʼí), the Arc. *there are 182 National Spiritual assemblies representing most of the countries of the planet (see Baháʼí statistics#Worldwide figures, Worldwide Baháʼí statistics)

2003

* Ninth election of the Universal House of Justice

2006

* March 20 Iranian Islamic Revolution government documents are released by the Special Rapporteur (UN), Special Rapporteur of the United Nations. The Anti-defamation League notes these government policies signify steps towards ''Nuremberg Laws, Nuremberg-type laws'' (see Persecution of Baháʼís#Monitoring of activities, monitoring activities of Baháʼís) *the Supreme Constitutional Court (Egypt), Supreme Constitutional Court on December 16 rules against the Baháʼís, a key event of the Egyptian identification card controversy.

2008

* The Universal House of Justice announced the convocation in October of a series of 41 regional conferences around the world which finished by March 2009. * Tenth election of the Universal House of Justice

2013

* Eleventh election of the Universal House of Justice

Citations

References

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

External links

Baháʼí Library: Chronology of the Bábí and Baháʼí Faiths and related historyVisual overview of the Baha'i Cycle, Era, Ages, Epochs and PlansBibliography for the Tablets of Baha'u'llah: List of citations and resources for Tablets revealed 1853-1863

Newspaper Collections and the Bahá'í Faith
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baha'i timeline History of the Bahá'í Faith, Timeline Religion timelines