Jump to content

User:Lizzie1988/Sandbox: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
m Remove cat.s from user space
Lizzie1988 (talk | contribs)
580 edits
Line 23: Line 23:
In the 1870s Munírih and `Abdu'l-Bahá lived in the [[House of `Abbúd]] in the prison city of [[Akko]] as political prisoners. Though technically not a prisoner under the [[Ottoman Empire]], she nevertheless was married to one which put her safety in risk. She grew a close attachment with the mother of `Abdu'l-Bahá, [[Navváb]] and with his sister [[Bahíyyih Khánum]] who became her closest friend. The four, along with their brood of children all lived together in the house of `Abbúd. The imprisonment was trying times for Munírih Khánum. She witnessed the machinations of her husband's enemies and the death of five of her nine children. The death of her most beloved child, a son named Husayn, caused her unbearable grief and anguish. To console her [[Bahá'u'lláh]] wrote a number of prayers for her to read in times of sadness. The death of [[Bahá'u'lláh]] in 1892 caused hardship for `Abdu'l-Bahá again and his family, after all of his half-siblings turned against him and Munírih too.
In the 1870s Munírih and `Abdu'l-Bahá lived in the [[House of `Abbúd]] in the prison city of [[Akko]] as political prisoners. Though technically not a prisoner under the [[Ottoman Empire]], she nevertheless was married to one which put her safety in risk. She grew a close attachment with the mother of `Abdu'l-Bahá, [[Navváb]] and with his sister [[Bahíyyih Khánum]] who became her closest friend. The four, along with their brood of children all lived together in the house of `Abbúd. The imprisonment was trying times for Munírih Khánum. She witnessed the machinations of her husband's enemies and the death of five of her nine children. The death of her most beloved child, a son named Husayn, caused her unbearable grief and anguish. To console her [[Bahá'u'lláh]] wrote a number of prayers for her to read in times of sadness. The death of [[Bahá'u'lláh]] in 1892 caused hardship for `Abdu'l-Bahá again and his family, after all of his half-siblings turned against him and Munírih too.


===Western Pilgrims===
However, there were happy times for the family too. In 1898 the first pilgrims from the West arrived in Akko to visit `Abdu'l-Bahá. Munírih Khánum also became acquainted with them, and she mostly spent her time with the female pilgrims (though Bahá'í teachings are on the equality of the sexes, the Bahá'ís of the time had to uphold local customs for the sake of harmony). The pilgrimage bought happiness into the family's life after the harsh previous years. The years followed with a flood of pilgrims from both the East and West, of which Munírih and [[Bahíyyih Khánum]] looked after.
However, there were happy times for the family too. In 1898 the first pilgrims from the West arrived in Akko to visit `Abdu'l-Bahá. Munírih Khánum also became acquainted with them, and she mostly spent her time with the female pilgrims (though Bahá'í teachings are on the equality of the sexes, the Bahá'ís of the time had to uphold local customs for the sake of harmony). The pilgrimage bought happiness into the family's life after the harsh previous years. The years followed with a flood of pilgrims from both the East and West, of which Munírih and [[Bahíyyih Khánum]] looked after.


Revision as of 14:03, 25 September 2010

Munírih Khánum (1847-April 28, 1938[1]) (Template:Lang-fa‎‎) was the wife of `Abdu'l-Bahá, the son of the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, Bahá'u'lláh. She was entitled the Holy Mother. Her memoirs, first published in 1924, are regarded as one of the first published memoirs by a Persian woman in the 20th century.

Early life

Munírih Khánum was born Fáṭimih Nahrí, the eldest child of Muhammad `Alí Nahrí and his wife, Zahrá of Isfahán in Isfahan.[2] The Nahrí family were a prominent family in the city,[3] and her family were one of the first Bábís of Isfahan who later became eminent Bahá'ís of Persia.[4] The family were also highly connected with high-ranking nobles and clerics of the city.[5] Her maternal uncle was killed at the age of fourteen in Persia because of his religion. Munírih's birth came as a surprise to her parents. Her father was previously married and had no issue and upon his wives death, he remarried Zahrá Khánum. Munírih's birth in 1847 did not occur until some ten years after the parents marriage, when the couple had assumed they would never have children.

Her father was one the first Bábís in her city of birth, and Munírih was bought up as a devout Bábí and later Bahá'í under her parents care. Though it was customery not to educate girls, even of noble birth, her father educated had his daughter educated and she was a fine writer and poet. Her poetry was reported to be beautiful and she wrote many during her marriage and later years. According to her later memoirs her father died shortly after her eleventh birthday and she was left to the care of both her maternal and paternal extended families.[6]

As a young woman, Munírih was regarded as a suitable match for marriage to Bahá’í families throughout Persia.[7] However, in her infancy as was the Persian custom her parents had betrothed her to a young man. Some time after the death of her father, her family thought she had come of age for a marriage.[8] They arranged that be wedded to the young Mírzá Kázim, the youngest brother of King and Beloved of Martyrs. Munírih was reluctant at first, but due to familiar pressure she begrudgingly consented to the marriage despite her misgivings.[9]

The two were married in a extravagant wedding with the crescendo being the young couple lead to the bedchamber.[2] However, Mírzá Kázim fell ill during the wedding ceremony and avoided his bride.[10] The same night he left the house to the horror and consternation of his family.[2][8] After six months his maid found him dead in the home of the young couple.[7][10] Munírih was humiliated and overwhelmed.[10] Perplexed, she resolved she would never marry again, instead she spent her days in prayer and meditation.[7][8][10]

Marriage

`Abdu'l-Bahá as a young man

In 1871, Bahá'u'lláh and Navváb expressed interest in Munírih to become the wife of `Abdu'l-Bahá[11] and she made a wearisome journey to Acre, Israel.[12] The sister of `Abdu'l-Bahá says that her parents wanted Munírih because she was "very beautiful and amiable, and in every way a suitable match".[13] The parents of `Abdu'l-Bahá had believed that it was time for him to marry, and though several young women were thought of as potential brides `Abdu'l-Bahá explained that he did not want to marry. She arrived in mid 1872 and lived in the house of Mírzá Músá for the time of the betrothal. Munírih later reminisced how she fell instantly in love with the young `Abdu'l-Bahá when they met one another.[14] `Abdu'l-Bahá had showed little inclination of marriage until he met twenty-four year old Munírih Khánum in 1872.[15][16] After five months betrothal the couple were finally married.[17] Bahá'u'lláh entitled Fáṭimih with the name Munírih (Illumined).

The couple married on March 8, 1873 in the house of `Abbúd.[18] Munírih Khánum was twenty-five, `Abdu'l-Bahá was twenty-eight. The marriage was a a happy union.[19][20] They had nine children: Ḥusayn Effendi (d. 1305/1887, aged five)[21], Mihdí (died aged two-and-a-half), Ṭúbá (died sometime in Akka), Fu'ádíyyih (died in infancy), and Ruḥangíz (died in 1893, she was the favorite grandchild of Bahá'u'lláh)[22] "five of my children died in the poisonous climate of 'Akká" she later bitterly reflected.[23] Four children survived adulthood all daughters; Ḍiyá'iyyih Khánum (mother of Shoghi Effendi) (d. 1951) Túbá Khánum (1880-1959) Rúḥá Khánum and Munavvar Khánum (d. 1971).[24] Munírih Khánum was very emotionally attached to her children and devoted to her husband.[2]

The oldest of these was Ḍiyá'iyyih, who married Mírzá Hádí Shírází (1864-1955) in 1895;[25] their children were Shoghi Effendi, Rúḥangíz, Mihrangíz, Ḥusayn, and Riyáḍ, who all took the surname Rabbání.[26] The second daughter, Ṭúbá Khánum , married Mírzá Muḥsin Afnán (1863-1927); their children were Rúḥí (1899-1971), Thurayyá, Suhayl, and Fu'ád (d. 1943), who all took the surname Afnán.[27] The third daughter of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Rúḥá, married Mírzá Jalál, the son of Mírzá Muḥammad Ḥasan, King of Martyrs; their children were Maryam (d.1933), Muníb, Zahrá and Ḥasan, who all took the surname Shahíd.[28] The fourth daughter, Munavvar , married Mírzá Aḥmad, the son of Mírzá 'Abdu'r-Raḥím Yazdí; they were childless.[29] In the 1930s and 1940s a series of marriages linked the sons of Sayyid 'Alí Afnán and Furúghíyyih, who had been supporters of Mírzá Muhammad `Alí, with the grandchildren of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. As a result of these marriages, other inappropriate marriages, or refusal to break ties with Covenant-breakers in the family, Shoghi Effendi, in the 1940s and early 1950s, reluctantly declared all the surviving grandchildren of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (except himself) Covenant-breakers.[2]

Life in the Prison City

In the 1870s Munírih and `Abdu'l-Bahá lived in the House of `Abbúd in the prison city of Akko as political prisoners. Though technically not a prisoner under the Ottoman Empire, she nevertheless was married to one which put her safety in risk. She grew a close attachment with the mother of `Abdu'l-Bahá, Navváb and with his sister Bahíyyih Khánum who became her closest friend. The four, along with their brood of children all lived together in the house of `Abbúd. The imprisonment was trying times for Munírih Khánum. She witnessed the machinations of her husband's enemies and the death of five of her nine children. The death of her most beloved child, a son named Husayn, caused her unbearable grief and anguish. To console her Bahá'u'lláh wrote a number of prayers for her to read in times of sadness. The death of Bahá'u'lláh in 1892 caused hardship for `Abdu'l-Bahá again and his family, after all of his half-siblings turned against him and Munírih too.

Western Pilgrims

However, there were happy times for the family too. In 1898 the first pilgrims from the West arrived in Akko to visit `Abdu'l-Bahá. Munírih Khánum also became acquainted with them, and she mostly spent her time with the female pilgrims (though Bahá'í teachings are on the equality of the sexes, the Bahá'ís of the time had to uphold local customs for the sake of harmony). The pilgrimage bought happiness into the family's life after the harsh previous years. The years followed with a flood of pilgrims from both the East and West, of which Munírih and Bahíyyih Khánum looked after.

Death

Munírih Khánum died in April of 1938 aged 91 and is buried near the vicinity of the Shrine of the Báb in the Monument Gardens at the Bahá'í World Centre.[30]

Notes

  1. ^ Effendi, Shoghi (1981). The Unfolding Destiny of the British Baha'i Community. London: Baha'i Publishing Trust. pp. pg. 119. ISBN 9780900125430. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  2. ^ a b c d e Ma'ani 2008, p. 310 Cite error: The named reference "lotdt" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  3. ^ Esslemont 1980, p. 54
  4. ^ Taherzadeh 1977, p. 202
  5. ^ Bayluzi 2000, p. 342
  6. ^ Khanum 1987, p. 20
  7. ^ a b c Khanum 1987, p. 18
  8. ^ a b c Bayluzi 2000, p. 343
  9. ^ Khanum 1987, p. 22
  10. ^ a b c d Phelps 1912, pp. 85–94
  11. ^ Esslemont 1980, p. 55
  12. ^ Smith 2000, p. 255
  13. ^ Phelps 1912, p. 110
  14. ^ Gail 1987, p. 281
  15. ^ Esslemont 1980, p. 54
  16. ^ Phelps 1912, p. 111
  17. ^ Taherzadeh 1977, p. 206
  18. ^ Smith 2000, p. 255
  19. ^ Esslemont 1980, p. 54
  20. ^ Khan 1998, p. 157
  21. ^ Gail 1987, p. 260
  22. ^ Blomfield 1975, p. 203
  23. ^ Blomfield 1975, p. 90
  24. ^ Family tree of Mirza Buzurg Nuri
  25. ^ Ma'ani 2008, p. 360
  26. ^ Smith 2000, p. 262
  27. ^ Taherzadeh 2000, p. 358
  28. ^ Taherzadeh 2000, p. 358
  29. ^ Ma'ani 2008, p. 362
  30. ^ Taherzadeh, A. (1972). The Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. pp. p. 357. ISBN 0853983445. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)

References

Category:Bahá'í holy family Category:Burials in Haifa, Israel Category:People from Acre, Israel Category:Iranian prisoners and detainees

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=User:Lizzie1988/Sandbox&oldid=386937057"