This is a list of converts to 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 ...

organised by former religion.

Converted from Abrahamic religions

From Islam

Most of the early followers of Baháʼu'lláh came from an Islamic background. *

Mírzá Abu'l-Faḍl Mírzá Muḥammad (), or Mírzá Abu'l-Faḍl-i-Gulpáygání (1844–1914), was the foremost Baháʼí Faith, Baháʼí scholar who helped spread the Baháʼí Faith in Baháʼí Faith in Egypt, Egypt, Baháʼí Faith in Turkmenistan, Turkmen ...

(1844–1914) – foremost Baháʼí scholar who helped spread the Baháʼí Faith in Egypt,

Turkmenistan Turkmenistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest and the Caspian Sea to the west. Ash ...

, and the United States. * Mishkín-Qalam (1826–1912) – prominent Baháʼí and one of the nineteen

Apostles of Baháʼu'lláh The Apostles of Baháʼu'lláh were nineteen prominent followers of Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. The apostles were designated as such by Shoghi Effendi, head of the religion in the earlier half of the 20th century, and the ...

, as well as a famous

calligrapher Calligraphy () is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instruments. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "the art of giving form to signs in an exp ...

of 19th-century

Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

. *

Nabíl-i-Aʻzam Mullá Yár-Muḥammad-i-Zarandí (29 July 1831 – 1892), more commonly known as Nabíl-i-Aẓam ( "the Great Nabíl") or Nabíl-i-Zarandí ( "Nabíl of Zarand"), was an eminent Baháʼí historian during the time of Baháʼu'lláh, and one of ...

(1831–1892) – Baháʼí historian and one of the nineteen Apostles of Baháʼu'lláh *

Hají Ákhúnd Ḥají Mullá ʻAlí-Akbar S͟hahmírzádí (‎ 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 nineteen ...

(1842–1910) – eminent follower of

Baháʼu'lláh Baháʼu'lláh (, born Ḥusayn-ʻAlí; 12 November 1817 – 29 May 1892) was an Iranian religious leader who founded the Baháʼí Faith. He was born to an aristocratic family in Iran and was exiled due to his adherence to the messianic Báb ...

. He was appointed a

Hand of the Cause Hand of the Cause was a title given to prominent early members of the Baháʼí Faith, appointed for life by the religion's founders. Of the fifty individuals given the title, the last living was ʻAlí-Muhammad Varqá, who died in 2007. Hands of ...

, and identified as one of the nineteen Apostles of Baháʼu'lláh. * Ibn-i-Abhar (died 1917) – appointed a Hand of the Cause, and identified as one of the nineteen Apostles of Baháʼu'lláh. *

Mírzá Mahmúd Mírzá Maḥmúd-i-Furúg͟hí (‎ ; died Hijri year, AH 1346 ), also known as Fádil-i-Furúg͟hí, was an eminent follower of Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. He was the only Iranian Baháʼí teacher who was giv ...

(died 1927/1928) – eminent follower of Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. *

Núrayn-i-Nayyirayn Núrayn-i-Nayyirayn (, meaning "twin shining lights") are two brothers who were followers of Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, a global religion of Persian origin. They were beheaded in 1879 as a result of being Baháʼís. Numer ...

– two brothers who were beheaded in the city of

Isfahan Isfahan or Esfahan ( ) is a city in the Central District (Isfahan County), Central District of Isfahan County, Isfahan province, Iran. It is the capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is located south of Tehran. The city ...

in 1879. * Somaya Ramadan (born 1951) – 2001 winner of the

Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature The Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature () is a literary award for Arabic literature.Hasan M. Balyuzi Hasan M. Balyuzi (7 September 1908 – 12 February 1980) was a prominent Iranian member of the Baháʼí Faith.Shoghi Effendi Shoghí Effendi (; ;1896 or 1897 – 4 November 1957) was Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith from 1922 until his death in 1957. As the grandson and successor of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, he was charged with guiding the development of the Baháʼí Faith, in ...

circa 1925, and eventually was named a

Hand of the Cause of God Hand of the Cause was a title given to prominent early members of the Baháʼí Faith, appointed for life by the religion's founders. Of the fifty individuals given the title, the last living was ʻAlí-Muhammad Varqá, who died in 2007. Hands o ...

From Judaism

Lidia Zamenhof Lidia Zamenhof (; 29 January 1904–1942) was a Jewish Polish writer, publisher, translator and the youngest daughter of Klara (Silbernik) and L. L. Zamenhof, the creator of Esperanto. She was an active promoter of Esperanto as well as of ...

(1904–1942) – Polish writer, translator, active promoter of

Esperanto Esperanto (, ) is the world's most widely spoken Constructed language, constructed international auxiliary language. Created by L. L. Zamenhof in 1887 to be 'the International Language' (), it is intended to be a universal second language for ...

(daughter of

L. L. Zamenhof L. L. Zamenhof (15 December 185914 April 1917) was the creator of Esperanto, the most widely used constructed language, constructed international auxiliary language. Zamenhof published Esperanto in 1887, although his initial ideas date back as ...

, the creator of Esperanto), killed by Germans during the

Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...

. * John Ferraby (1914–1973) – British, Baháʼí Hand of the Cause *

Flora Purim Flora Purim (born March 6, 1942) is a Brazilian jazz singer known primarily for her work in the jazz fusion style. She became prominent for her part in Return to Forever with Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke. She has recorded and performed with ...

(born 1942) – Brazilian jazz singer * Ethel Jenner Rosenberg (1858–1930) – painter, the first English Baháʼí, secretary and publisher of Baháʼí books. *

Steve Sarowitz Steve Sarowitz (born 1965/1966) is an American billionaire businessman, and the founder of Paylocity Corporation, Paylocity. Early life Sarowitz earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. Career Sarowitz ow ...

(born 1965/1966) – American billionaire businessman, the founder of Paylocity.

From Christianity

* Russell Garcia (1916–2011) – motion picture composer * David Krummenacker (born 1975) – Track & Field indoor World Champion in 800m in 2003, NCAA Champion (Georgia Tech) 1997, 1998 * Jacqueline Left Hand Bull (born 1943) – American Indian Health care policy administrator (from Catholicism)Jacqueline Left Hand Bull
A Baha'i Perspective (Podcast and radio), August 14, 2010 *

Queen Marie of Romania Marie (born Princess Marie Alexandra Victoria of Edinburgh; 29 October 1875 – 18 July 1938) was the last queen of Romania from 10 October 1914 to 20 July 1927 as the wife of King Ferdinand I. Marie was born into the British royal fa ...

(1875–1938) – final Queen of Romania as the wife of

Ferdinand I of Romania Ferdinand I (Ferdinand Viktor Albert Meinrad; 24 August 1865 – 20 July 1927), nicknamed ''Întregitorul'' ("the Unifier"), was King of Romania from 10 October 1914 until his death in 1927. Ferdinand was the second son of Leopold, Prince of Hoh ...

. *

Jesse O. McCarthy Jesse O. McCarthy (November 10, 1867 — 1937) was a Toronto insurance executive and politician and an early member of Canada's Baháʼí Faith community. McCarthy was born in Walpole, Haldimand County, Ontario to Charles Callahan McCarthy and Mar ...

(1867–1937) Toronto municipal politician and social reformer. Previously a

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...

. *

Luke McPharlin Luke McPharlin (born 1 December 1981) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League (AFL) for the Fremantle Football Club between 2002 and 2015, after two seasons with the Hawthorn Football C ...

(born 1981) – Australian footballer for the Fremantle Dockers *

Julia Lynch Olin Julia Lynch Olin (October 21, 1882 – March 11, 1961) was an American author and Baháʼí who co-founded the New History Society in New York City, and was later expelled from the religion by Shoghi Effendi around 1939. Through marriage, she ...

(1882–1961) – American author and Baháʼí who co-founded the New History Society in New York City. * Enoch Olinga (1926–1979) – born to an

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

earned the title Hand of the Cause of God. *

Mason Remey Charles Mason Remey (15 May 1874 – 4 February 1974) was a prominent member of the early American Baháʼí community, and served in several important administrative capacities. He is well-known for an attempted schism of 1960, in which he cla ...

(1874–1974) – prominent American Baháʼí.

Converted from unknown religions

* Arvid Nelson – American comic book writer, best known for Rex Mundi *

Zhang Xin Zhang Xin (, also known as Xin Zhang and Xin "Shynn" Zhang, born 1965) is a Chinese billionaire businesswoman, having primarily earned her fortune in the real estate industry. With her husband Pan Shiyi, she is the co-founder and former CEO o ...

(born 1965) – Chinese businesswoman. * David Kelly (1944–2003) – former employee of the British Ministry of Defence and a United Nations weapons inspector in Iraq who was an authority on biological warfare."Profile: Dr David Kelly"

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:List of converts to the Baha'i Faith B