1844: A New Manifestation of God in Persia

In 1844, when Bahá'u'lláh had almost reached the age of 27, a new Messenger of God (Manifestation of God) by the name of the Báb (the Gate) declared His Mission to humanity in Shiraz, Persia. The Báb announced that He was the Gate and Forerunner to an even greater revelation, Whose advent was close at hand, by Whose will He moved, and in Whose path He longed to sacrifice His life. He also announced that He was the Qa'im - the Messenger of God promised in the Qur’an Who would usher in a new age of righteousness. In the late summer of that year Bahá'u'lláh received the news of the Báb’s Declaration through Mulla Husayn - the Báb’s very first disciple. 

(Adapted from ‘Call to Remembrance’, by Geoffry Marks)

Bahá'u'lláh took responsibility over His father’s large family

Shortly before Bahá'u'lláh’s father passed away he was forced to go through an exceptionally unfair treatment due to the machinations of Mirza Aqasi, the Prime Minister, during which time he basically lost all of his wealth in the capital city Tihran. Mirza Buzurg also had the added misfortune of losing the better part of the palatial mansion which he had built and richly furnished in the village of Takur, by the descent of floods upon the town. As a result of all these Bahá'u'lláh’s father had moved in with his third wife in a house that she had inherited from her father close to the entrance of Masjid-i-Shah in Tihran. Baha’u’llah, on the other hand, rented the house 'near the Gate' of Shimran, and took His mother, His wife, His other step-mothers and the rest of His brothers and sisters to live with Him. This rented house remained His residence for the remaining years He spent in Iran. It was near the Madrisiy-i-Mirza Salih, the theological college where Mulla Husayn would stay when bearing the message of the Báb to Tihran. The children of Bahá'u'lláh and Asiyih Khanum - 'Abdu'l-Bahá (the Most Great Branch), Bahá'íyyih Khanum (the Greatest Holy Leaf) and Mirza Mihdi (the Purest Branch) - were all born in this rented house. 

(Adapted from ‘Bahá'u'lláh the King of Glory’, by H.M. Balyuzi)

Bahá’u’lláh recounts about His father

The late Vazír, My father, enjoyed a most enviable position among his countrymen. His vast wealth, his noble ancestry, his artistic attainments, his unrivalled prestige and exalted rank made him the object of the admiration of all who knew him. For a period of over twenty years, no one among the wide circle of his family and kindred, which extended over Núr and Ṭihrán, suffered distress, injury, or illness. They enjoyed, during a long and uninterrupted period, rich and manifold blessings. Quite suddenly, however, this prosperity and glory gave way to a series of calamities which severely shook the foundations of his material prosperity. The first loss he suffered was occasioned by a great flood which, rising in the mountains of Mázindarán, swept with great violence over the village of Tákúr, and utterly destroyed half the mansion of the Vazír, situated above the fortress of that village. The best part of that house, which had been known for the solidity of its foundations, was utterly wiped away by the fury of the roaring torrent. Its precious articles of furniture were destroyed, and its elaborate ornamentation irretrievably ruined. This was shortly followed by the loss of various State positions which the Vazír occupied, and by the repeated assaults directed against him by his envious adversaries. Despite this sudden change of fortune, the Vazír maintained his dignity and calm, and continued, within the restricted limits of his means, his acts of benevolence and charity. He continued to exercise towards his faithless associates that same courtesy and kindness that had characterised his dealings with his fellow-men. With splendid fortitude he grappled, until the last hour of his life, with the adversities that weighed so heavily upon him. 
- Bahá’u’lláh  (Quoted by Nabil in ‘The Dawn-Breakers’, translated and edited by Shoghi Effendi))

After the death of Bahá'u'lláh’s father the Prime Minister of Persia schemed ways to possess a village that belonged to the family of Baha’u’llah

After the death of the Vazir [Mirza Buzurg], Haji Mirza Aqasi [the Persian Prime Minister] continued to show the utmost consideration to Bahá'u'lláh. He would visit Him in His home, and would address Him as though He were his own son. The sincerity of his devotion, however, was very soon put to the test. One day, as he was passing through the village of Quch-Hisar, which belonged to Bahá'u'lláh, he was so impressed by the charm and beauty of that place and the abundance of its water that he conceived the idea of becoming its owner. Bahá'u'lláh, Whom he had summoned to effect the immediate purchase of that village, observed: 'Had this property been exclusively my own, I would willingly have complied with your desire. This transitory life, with all its sordid possessions, is worthy of no attachment in my eyes, how much less this small and insignificant estate. As a number of other people, both rich and poor, some of full age and some still minors, share with me the ownership of this property, I would request you to refer this matter to them, and to seek their consent.'

Unsatisfied with this reply, Haji Mirza Aqasi sought to achieve his ends through fraudulent means. As soon as Bahá'u'lláh was informed of his evil designs, He, with the consent of all concerned, immediately transferred the title of the property to the name of the sister of Muhammad Shah, who had repeatedly expressed the desire to become its owner. The Haji, furious at this transaction, ordered that the estate should be forcibly seized, claiming that he already had purchased it from its original possessor. The representatives of Haji Mirza Aqasi were severely rebuked by the agents of the sister of the Shah, and were requested to inform their master of the determination of that lady to assert her rights. The Haji referred the case to Muhammad Shah, and complained of the unjust treatment to which he had been subjected. 

Families of Bahá'u'lláh and Ásiyih Khanum possessed great wealth – their daughter recalls

I remember dimly very happy days with my beloved father and mother, and my brother 'Abbas, who was two years my senior.

My father was Mirza Husayn-'Ali of Nur, [Bahá'u'lláh] who married my beautiful mother, Ásiyih Khanum, when she was very young. She was the only daughter of a Persian Vizier, of high degree, Mirza Isma'il. He, as well as Mirza 'Abbas Buzurg, my paternal grandfather, possessed great wealth.

When the brother of my mother married my father's sister, the double alliance of the two noble families roused much interest throughout the land. "It is adding wealth to wealth," the people said. Ásiyih Khanum's wedding treasures were extensive, in accordance with the usual custom in families of their standing; forty mules were loaded with her possessions when she came to her husband's home.

For six months before the marriage a jeweller worked at her home, preparing jewellry -- even the buttons of her garments were of gold, set with precious stones. (These buttons were destined to be exchanged for bread, on the terrible exile journey from Tihran to Baghdad.) 

- Bahiyyih Khanum  ([Bahá'u'lláh’s daughter] quoted by Lady Blomfield in ‘The Chosen Highway’)

Ásiyih Khanum: Bahá'u'lláh’s wife – their daughter recalls many years later

I wish you could have seen her as I first remember her, tall, slender, graceful, eyes of dark blue -- a pearl, a flower amongst women.

I have been told that even when very young, her wisdom and intelligence were remarkable. I always think of her in those earliest days of my memory as queenly in her dignity and loveliness, full of consideration for everybody, gentle, of a marvelous unselfishness, no action of hers ever failed to show the loving-kindness of her pure heart; her very presence seemed to make an atmosphere of love and happiness wherever she came, enfolding all comers in the fragrance of gentle courtesy. 

- Bahiyyih Khanum  (Quoted by Lady Blomfield in ‘The Chosen Highway’)

Baha’u’llah sought neither government position nor prominence and gave abundantly to the poor

He was most generous, giving abundantly to the poor. None who came to Him were turned away. The doors of His house were open to all. He always had many guests. This unbounded generosity was conducive to greater astonishment from the fact that He sought neither position nor prominence. In commenting upon this His friends said He would become impoverished, for His expenses were many and His wealth becoming more and more limited. "Why is he not thinking of his own affairs?" they inquired of each other; but some who were wise declared, "This personage is connected with another world; he has something sublime within him that is not evident now; the day is coming when it will be manifested." In truth, the Blessed Perfection was a refuge for every weak one, a shelter for every fearing one, kind to every indigent one, lenient and loving to all creatures.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a talk, 18 April 1912; ‘The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912’)

1839: Bahá'u'lláh’s father passed away when He was twenty-two years old

When Bahá'u'lláh was twenty-two years old, His father died, and the Government wished Him to succeed to His father's position in the Ministry, as was customary in Persia, but Bahá'u'lláh did not accept the offer. Then the Prime Minister said ‘Leave him to himself. Such a position is unworthy of him. He has some higher aim in view. I cannot understand him, but I am convinced that he is destined for some lofty career. His thoughts are not like ours. Let him alone.’

- 'Abdu'l-Baha  (Quoted by Esslemont in ‘Bahá'u'lláh and New Era’)

Bahá'u'lláh’s father experienced extreme difficulties towards the concluding years of his life

About the time of Bahá'u'lláh’s marriage, His father, Mirza Buzurg, fell upon hard times. A year earlier, the King of Persia, Fath-'Ali Shah had died and been succeeded by his grandson, Muhammad Shah. Muhammad Shah’s Prime Minister, Haji Mirza Aqasi, was a vain and vengeful man whose later outrages against the Bab caused Shoghi Effendi to denounce him as "the Antichrist of the Babi Revelation." When Haji Mirza Aqasi learned that Mirza Buzurg was horrified at the Haji's role in murdering his predecessor, he retaliated by stripping Mirza Buzurg of his governorships, cutting off his annual allowance, and engineering his divorce from Fath-‘Ali Shda's daughter, whom he had married a few years earlier. Thus, in addition to losing his income, Mirza Buzurg faced a costly divorce settlement. When his ex-wife sent thugs who beat him daily in an effort to extract the money, he was forced to sell his complex of homes in Tihran and many valuable furnishings hurriedly and at a very low price. A few years later he passed away. Despite Haji Mirza Aqasi's antagonism toward Mirza Buzurg, he held Bahá'u'lláh in high regard, extended to Him every consideration, and spoke to Him as if He were his own son. 

- Geoffry Marks  (‘Call to Remembrance’)

Marriage Certificate of Bahá'u'lláh