Awakening: A History of the Babi and Bahai Faiths in Nayriz is an inspiring account of the brutal religious persecutions that took place in 1850, 1853, and 1909 in the town of Nayriz, Iran, against its Babi and Bahai residents. During this time, the town s citizens, spurred on by a corrupt Muslim clergy and government, launched several waves of bloodshed against the Babis and later Bahais who lived there. This type of persecution continues today in present-day Iran toward the Bahai's on a more subtle level and the history of the Babi and Bahai Faiths in Nayriz serves as a reminder of what can happen when religious fanaticism and paranoia are allowed to replace rational thinking and tolerance. The book gives accounts from survivors, attempts to explain the motives of the persecutors, and tries to provide a context if any can be found for the level of brutality that occurred. To any unbiased reader, the accounts of betrayals, tortures, and massacres will be shocking, yet sadly similar to other mass killings that have taken place around the globe.
Awakening: A History of the Bábi and Bahá'í Faiths in Nayriz by Dr. Hussein Ahdieh and Hillary Chapman is an inspiring chronicle of the bloody birth of the Bábi movement in Nayriz and its trying evolution into that city's Bahá'í community—a community that has planted Bahá'ís in six continents. The book recounts in detail the heroic struggles of the Bábis in 1850 and 1853 against the overwhelming forces of the Persian Empire and the horrific treatment of the survivors. It includes an in-depth of study of Vahíd as a spiritual and military leader and bringer of a new way of life to the people of Nayriz. It also provides an account of the less-known but dramatic upheaval of 1909. Aside from the battles, skirmishes and executions, Awakening brings to light the daily trials and occasional triumphs of the Nayriz Bahá'ís and their families as they endured the hostility of their Muslim neighbors. One of Dr. Ahdieh's goals in writing Awakening has been to ensure that the early generations of Bábis and Bahá'ís and their sacrifices are not forgotten. It is a story of everyday people transformed into heroes and heroines by personal dedication and the power of the Word brought by the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh.
In the 19th century, countless individuals believed a new Revelation was imminent. In Persia, the Báb fulfilled the prediction by several clerics of the appearance of the Promised Qa'im. Tahirih of Qazvin, a gifted teacher, was at the vanguard of spreading the Báb's teachings. She unceasingly proclaimed the Bábí Faith and brought a deeper understanding of its teachings to the rapidly growing numbers of its converts. Her vibrant poetry gave voice to her spiritual longing and passion, and its freshness reflected the vitality of the new spiritual teachings. She emerged as the most outspoken of the Baacute;biacute; leaders. The authorities responded by having her murdered in the dead of night. The memory of her life survives in her poems. At the same time, many Americans believed the Second Coming of Christ was imminent. Several churches and movements emerged, some founded by women. Among them were Ellen G. White, a theological thinker who shaped the beliefs of the Adventist movement, Sojourner Truth, who came up from slavery to electrify audiences with her salvation preaching, and Mary Baker Eddy, founder of the Church of Christ Science; these women leaders were prefigured in the 18th century by 'Mother' Ann Lee, founder of the Shakers, and the long forgotten female 'exhorters'. The Calling by Hussein Ahdieh and Hillary Chapman describes Tahirih in a fresh, new manner, juxtaposing and interweaving her life and work with that of her American contemporaries women whose existence she was probably not aware of, but who shared with her a spiritual bond and vision of progress and justice.
In 19th century Persia, women were wretchedly oppressed. Left uneducated, confined to menial tasks, expected to obey the demands and whims of their husbands, offered almost no choices in life, even wealthy women were little better than slaves. But in this darkness, one woman stood out and stood up as a force of things to come.Tahirih of Qazvin, was an educated woman and gifted teacher of religion and philosophy and an accomplished poet. In the vanguard of the new Babi Faith, she brought a deeper understanding of its teachings to a rapidly growing number of followers. Her vibrant poetry gave voice to her spiritual longing and passion, and its freshness reflected the vitality of the new spiritual teachings revealed by the Bab. She emerged as the most outspoken of the Babi leaders. The authorities responded by having her murdered in the dead of night. At the moment of her martyrdom, Tahirih proclaimed "You can kill me..., but you cannot stop the emancipation of women." Tahirih's example has inspired countless women to extraordinary feats.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Taha Hussein's classic autobiographical novel The Days helped usher in the era of modern Arabic writing and remains one of the most influential and best-known works of Arabic literature For the first time, the three-part autobiography of one of modern Egypt's greatest writers and thinkers is available in a single paperback volume. The first part, An Egyptian Childhood (1929), is full of the sounds and smells of rural Egypt. It tells of Hussein's childhood and early education in a small village in Upper Egypt, as he learns not only to come to terms with his blindness but to excel in spite of it and win a place at the prestigious Azhar University in Cairo. The second part, The Stream of Days: A Student at the Azhar (1939), is an enthralling picture of student life in Egypt in the early 1900s, and the record of the growth of an unusually gifted personality. More than forty years later, Hussein published A Passage to France (1973), carrying the story on to his final attainment of a doctorate at the Sorbonne, a saga of perseverance in the face of daunting odds.
In the 19th century, countless individuals believed a new Revelation was imminent. In Persia, the Báb fulfilled the prediction by several clerics of the appearance of the Promised Qa'im. Tahirih of Qazvin, a gifted teacher, was at the vanguard of spreading the Báb's teachings. She unceasingly proclaimed the Bábí Faith and brought a deeper understanding of its teachings to the rapidly growing numbers of its converts. Her vibrant poetry gave voice to her spiritual longing and passion, and its freshness reflected the vitality of the new spiritual teachings. She emerged as the most outspoken of the Baacute;biacute; leaders. The authorities responded by having her murdered in the dead of night. The memory of her life survives in her poems. At the same time, many Americans believed the Second Coming of Christ was imminent. Several churches and movements emerged, some founded by women. Among them were Ellen G. White, a theological thinker who shaped the beliefs of the Adventist movement, Sojourner Truth, who came up from slavery to electrify audiences with her salvation preaching, and Mary Baker Eddy, founder of the Church of Christ Science; these women leaders were prefigured in the 18th century by 'Mother' Ann Lee, founder of the Shakers, and the long forgotten female 'exhorters'. The Calling by Hussein Ahdieh and Hillary Chapman describes Tahirih in a fresh, new manner, juxtaposing and interweaving her life and work with that of her American contemporaries women whose existence she was probably not aware of, but who shared with her a spiritual bond and vision of progress and justice.
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.