Mirza MIHDI - The Purest Branch

1848 (In the year

The birth of Mírzá Mihdí, `the Purest Branch', the son of Bahá'u'lláh and His wife Ásíyih Khánum (Navváb

in the family’s rented house near the Shemiran Gate (Darvázih Shimrán) in northern Tehran. He was named after Mihdí, Bahá’u’lláh’s elder full brother, who was dear to Him and who had recently died. In later years Bahá’u’lláh gave Mírzá Mihdí the title "the Purest Branch."

He  resembled ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in appearance and character and was noted for his piety, gentleness, dignity, courtesy, and patience.

 Throughout his brief adult life, Mírzá Mihdí was Bahá’u’lláh’s companion and served as one of His secretaries, recording the sacred tablets that He revealed.

 Many such manuscripts in Mírzá Mihdí’s excellent handwriting are extant." 

Despite his youth, Mírzá Mihdí was accustomed to hardship and was recognized as "a pillar of strength" among the exiles during the difficult period

In January of 1953 

Bahá'u'lláh and His family left Tehran on the first stage of their exile. Mírzá Mihdí, who was unwell at the time and unfit to undertake three months of hard travel across the Iranian Plateau and the Zagros Mountains in severe winter weather, had to be left behind in the care of relatives. 

The Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, which has no definitive information on the topic, suggests that it is possible that more than one relative may have cared for Mírzá Mihdí relative may have cared for Mírzá Mihdí over the seven years before he rejoined his parents in Baghdad. RoL165 says that he was left with his maternal grandmother, CH45 says it was his maternal great-grandmother, BKG13 says it was his paternal aunt, Hadrat-i-Ukht, identified as Sárih Khánum.

He was reunited with his parents in 1860 after Bahá’u’lláh’s return from the mountains of Sulaymaniyah and the family remained in Baghdad for another three years, until April 1863.

Mírzá Mihdí accompanied Bahá’u’lláh in His successive exiles to Istanbul, Edirne, and, finally, to Akka.

[Bahá'í Encyclopedia]

See also Mírzá Mihdí: The Purest Branch by Boris Handel published by George Ronald Publisher, 2017

See 22 June 1870 and 23 June 1870

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        1853 12 Jan

Bahá'u'lláh and His family departed for Baghdád after a one month respite in the home of his half-brother Mírzá Ridá-Qulí. During the three-month journey Bahá'u'lláh was accompanied by His wife Navváb, (Who was six weeks from giving birth upon departure.) His eldest son ‘Abdu'l-Bahá (9), Bahíyyih Khánum (7) and two of His brothers, Mírzá Músá and Mírzá Muhammad-Qulí. Mírzá Mihdí (2), was very delicate and so was left behind with the grandmother of Àsíyih Khánum. They were escorted by an officer of the Persian imperial bodyguard and an official representing the Russian legation. [BKG102–5; GPB108]

CH44–5 says the family had ten days after Bahá'u'lláh's release to prepare for the journey to Iraq.

‘Never had the fortunes of the Faith proclaimed by the Báb sunk to a lower ebb'. [DB651]

This exile compares to the migration of Muhammad, the exodus of Moses and the banishment of Abraham. [GPB107–8]

See BKG104 and GPB108–9 for conditions on the journey.

Bahá'u'lláh's black servant, Isfandíyár, who had managed to evade capture during this dark period, after he had paid all the debts to various merchants, went to Mazandaran where he was engaged by the Governor. Years later when his master made a pilgrimage to Iraq Isfandíyár met Bahá'u'lláh and stated his preference to return to His service. Bahá'u'lláh said that he owed his master a debt of gratitude and could not leave his employ without his permission. It was not granted and Isfandíyár returned to Mazandaran and stayed with the Governor until his passing. [PUP428; SoW IX 28 April, 1918 p38-39]

Also see A Gift of Love Offered to the Greatest Holy Leaf (compiled and edited by Gloria Faizi, 1982), by Hand of the Cause Abu'l-Qasim Faizi, which includes a brief summary of the character of Isfandiyar and his services to the Holy Family on pages 14-16.

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1860

Mírzá Mihdí, the son of Bahá'u'lláh, was taken from Tihrán to join his family in Baghdád. He was about 12 years old. [RB3:205]

He traveled with the second wife of Bahá'u'lláh, Mahd-i-‘Ulyá. [MMNF]

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1868 26 - 27 Aug

The steamer carrying Bahá'u'lláh docked at Alexandria, early in the morning. [BKG265; RB3:6]

The exiles changed ships, again onto an Austrian-Lloyd ship. [BKG265]

Several exiles go ashore to make purchases. One passes by the prison house where Nabíl was detained. Nabíl, watching from the roof of his prison cell, recognized him. [CH65, BKG265, 267; RB3:6]

Nabíl and Fáris Effendi write letters to Bahá'u'lláh which were delivered by a Christian youth. The youth returned with a Tablet from Bahá'u'lláh and gifts from `Abdu'l-Bahá and Mírzá Mihdí. [BKG267–8; RB3:6–7]

The ship bearing Bahá'u'lláh and the exiles left Alexandria for Port Said. [BKG268]

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1870 22 Jun

Mírzá Mihdí, the Purest Branch, fell through the skylight in the roof of the prison in `Akká onto a crate lying on the floor below. [BKG311–12; GBP188; RB3:205]

It was a normal practice for prisoners to go onto the roof in the summer evenings for fresh air. [RB3:205]

He was chanting the verses of Bahá'u'lláh's Qasídiy-i-Varqá'íyyih. [RB3:206]

He was so badly injured that his clothes have to be torn from him. [RB206]

Bahá'u'lláh came to him at His bedside and asked His son whether he wished to live; the Purest Branch begged Bahá'u'lláh to accept his life as a ransom for the opening of the gates of the prison to pilgrims. Bahá'u'lláh accepted this sacrifice. [BKG311–12; GPB188; RB3:208] [key]

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1870 23 Jun

Mírzá Mihdí died from his injuries 22 hours after his fall. [BKG311–12; GPB188; RB3:208]

See BKG313, GPB188 and RB3:210 for the prayer of Bahá'u'lláh for His son.

Shoghi Effendi equate his death with the acts of atonement associated with Abraham's intended sacrifice of His son, with the crucifixion of Christ and with the martyrdom of Imám Husayn. [GPB188]

He was interred in the cemetery next to the shrine of Nabí Sálih in `Akká. [GBP188; RB3:209]

Also see BBD155, BKG311–14, RB3:204–20.

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1902 (In the year)

Shanghai was re-opened to the Bahá'í Faith by the arrival of two Bahá'ís from`Ishqábád, Áqá Mírzá Mihdí Rashtí and Áqá Mírz `Abdu'l-Baqí Yazdí, who opened a branch of the Ummi'd company, an import-export firm. [PH25] [key=

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1939 (In the year)

Shoghi Effendi ordered twin monuments from Italy similar in style to that of the Greatest Holy Leaf and sought permission from the British authorities to reintere the remains of Navváb and the Purest Branch on Mount Carmel near those of Bahíyyih Khánum and the Holy Mother. [DH162; PP259] [key]

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1939 3 Dec

Shoghi Effendi obtained permission from the British authorities in Palestine to reinter the bodies of Navváb and the Purest Branch on Mount Carmel. [DH162; PP260]

For the report of the Haifa District Commissioner see BBR460–1.

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1939 5 Dec

Shoghi Effendi disintered the remains of Navváb and the Purest Branch. [DH162; PP260]

He went to the 'Akká cemetery at daybreak to and removed the remains of Navváb to a new coffin. [DH162; PP260]

He then went to the Nabí Sálib cemetery and transfered the remains of the Purest Branch to a second new coffin. [DH162; PP260]

He transported them both to Mount Carmel, near the grave of the Greatest Holy Leaf. [DH162; PP260]

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1939 24 Dec

Shoghi Effendi reintered the remains of Navváb and the Purest Branch. [DH162; GBF116; GPB347–8]

Two vaults were cut into the solid rock in the garden area near the monument of the Greatest Holy Leaf. [DH162]

For Shoghi Effendi’s cable announcing this see DH162 and PP262.

For Shoghi Effendi’s letters and cables concerning this see BW8:245–53, DH162 and PP261.

For a description of the reinterment see BW8:253–8.

For the prayer of visitation to the resting place of Navváb see BW8:251 and DH166.

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1940 9 Feb

The monuments of Navváb and the Purest Branch were dedicated at a ceremony in Haifa. [ZK293]

For details of the ceremony, see ZK293–6.

Marble for the Monument Gardens came from Chiampo, Italy as did marble for the Archives Building, the Resting Place of Shoghi Effendi, the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, the Terraces Project, and the Houses of Worship in India and Samoa. [BWNS1223] [key]

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1950 1 Nov

Mírzá Badí‘u’lláh, the youngest son of Bahá’u’lláh, (b.1867 in Adrianople) described by Shoghi Effendi as the ‘chief lieutenant’ of the ‘archbreaker’ of the ‘divine Covenant’ died. [CB340, 355–6; CF89, BIC162, MSBR63, BBR460, RoB3pg230, CH209, SoB92, CoB340, 355-6, CoF89]

A close companion of Mírzá Muhammad-'Alí. [CoB165]

All his family became Covenant-breakers. [CoB362]

He had a short-lived repentance. [CoB152-3, GPB263, Historical Dictionary of the Bahá'í Faith p321, Interview with Badi'u'llah by Howard MacNutt]

He opposed both 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi. [CoB165] As an example, in 1939 when Shoghi Effendi proposed to relocate the remains of Mirza Mihdí and Ásíyih Khánum from 'Akka to Haifa, it was Mírzá Badí‘u’lláh who led the dissenting faction claiming that as he was more closely related to Mirza Mihdí, it was he, under Moslem law, who had the right to decide as to the disposal of the remains. [BBR460-461]

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1970 23 Jun

The centenary of the death of Mírzá Mihdí was commemorated with a day of prayer by Bahá’ís around the world and in the Holy Land with a pilgrimage to the barracks in ‘Akká, Bahjí and to his monument. [BW15:162–3] [key]