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As the bicentenary of the Birth of the Bab approaches, we thought it might be helpful to gather all the posts we’ve published over the years relating to the Bab, the Prophet-herald of the Baha’i Faith.
The list below is not in any particular order and there may be some we’ve missed, but among the Baha’i Blog posts listed below, you’ll find contemplative articles, news items, tributes, Baha’i Blog Studio Sessions, talks, videos and image galleries relating to the Bab, His Mission, and His early followers. We hope you find this consolidated list helpful, especially in the coming days.
To capture the jubilant celebrations occurring all over the planet, the Baha’i World Centre has released a special website dedicated to the Bicentenary anniversary of the Birth of Bab, Prophet-Herald of the Baha’i Faith. This official website, bicentenary.bahai.org, aims to inspire and encourage and it will be featuring more and more content in the days surrounding the Birth of Bab –- so it’s definitely worth visiting over and over again! Continue to post…
The Universal House of Justice has commissioned a feature film for the joyous and historic bicentenary anniversary of the Birth of Bab, Prophet-herald of the Baha’i Faith. “Dawn of the Light” can be downloaded or watched online from the official bicentennial website: bicentenary.bahai.org Continue to post…
The Universal House of Justice has just released a message marking the occasion of the bicentenary of the Birth of the Bab, Prophet-herald of the Baha’i Faith. The letter can be found on the Baha’i International Community’s website dedicated to the bicentenary of the Birth of the Bab and is available in several languages. Continue to post…
This is an audio reading of the message from the Universal House of Justice dated October 2019, marking the occasion of the bicentenary of the Birth of the Bab, Prophet-herald of the Baha’i Faith. The letter can be found on the Baha’i International Community’s website dedicated to the bicentenary of the Birth of the Bab and is available in several languages. Continue to post…
In a recent Baha’i World News Service article, we learned that three graphics that can be used for celebrations of the bicentenary of the Birth of the Bab were recently shared on the Baha’i Media Bank. Continue to post…
Yas shares some tributes to the Bab as well as some of His titles to help us gain an understanding of this Harbinger of the Most Great Light. Continue to post…
You can hear Yas read the above mentioned article featuring tributes to the Bab and His titles in this audio recording of her article. Continue to post…
In honor of the bicentenary anniversary of the Birth of the Bab, Prophet-herald of the Baha’i Faith, we thought we’d showcase all of our Baha’i Blog Studio Sessions whose lyrics are based on His Writings. To date, we’ve shared 30 songs! Continue to post…
Five new video clips of aerial footage of the Shrine of the Bab, located in Haifa, Israel, have recently been added to the Baha’i Media Bank. Continue to post…
This video shows aerial footage put to music of the Shrine of the Bab located in Haifa, Israel, and this year marks the bicentennial of the Birth of the Bab. Continue to post…
Immortal Youth: A Tribute to the Life and Station of the Bab is a new volume released in honor of this year’s bicentennial anniversary of His Birth. Initiated and compiled by the editorial department of the US Baha’i Publishing Trust, this softcover book offers some sacred and authoritative texts of the Baha’i Faith that pertain to the life and station of the Bab. Continue to post…
The Irish Baha’i Community is creating a series of 19 short animated videos in honor of the bicentenary anniversary of the Birth of the Bab, Prophet-herald of the Baha’i Faith. These charming and succinct videos share warmly-told stories about the early days of the Baha’i Faith and about some qualities of the Bab. Continue to post…
The Primal Point is a significant and timely paperback volume recently published by George Ronald that contains testimonials and tributes to the Bab and some of His early followers. The anthology was put together in honor of the bicentennial anniversary of the Birth of the Bab and rather than capture a comprehensive chronological account of His life, it focuses on the importance of His station and the impact of His Revelation. Continue to post…
In this two-part talk given at the Baha’i Winter School, December 2018 in Malaysia, Mr. Hooper Dunbar shares some quotations from the Baha’i Writings and personal reflections to assist us in recognizing the Bab. Mr. Dunbar asks questions such as: How can we summarize the Bab’s Mission? What was He like? What is an overview of His Ministry? What is His Position and Rank? Continue to post…
“Arise,” a Baha’i Blog Studio Session by Ethan Crofts, is based on the words of the Bab as quoted in various passages of The Dawn-Breakers. Some of the quotations that inspired the lyrics of Ethan’s song are words the Bab spoke to Anis Zunuzi, a devoted and steadfast youth who was executed by His side. Two of the quotations relate to the Bab’s farewell address to the Letters of the Living, the first 18 people who found the Bab and believed in His Station, which you can read in this Baha’i Blog article. Continue to post…
In a recent Baha’i World News Service article, we learned that 43 images associated with the life and mission of the Bab have been published online for the first time on the Baha’i Media Bank. From these new photographs now on the Baha’i Media Bank, we thought we’d showcase six photos of personal objects that belonged to the Bab. Continue to post…
“Personal Reflections on the Baha’i Faith from Around the World” is a Baha’i Blog initiative in honor of the bicentenary anniversaries of the Births of Baha’u’llah and the Bab, Prophet-founders of the Baha’i Faith. As the bicentennial celebrations for the Birth of the Bab draw nearer, we wanted to showcase 10 portraits that have shared so far in which the participants speak about the Bab and His Revelation. Continue to post…
From the collection of photographs now on the Baha’i Media Bank, we thought we’d showcase eight photos of the House of the Bab in Shiraz, which was designated by Baha’u’llah as a place of pilgrimage. Unfortunately, the House was destroyed in 1979 as part of ongoing persecution against the Baha’is, making these photos priceless. Continue to post…
Kamelia writes about how, with the birth of the Baha’i Faith, the realization of two related but independent religions arising within one age was actualized. Continue to post…
In this article, Sam offers some thoughts on the extraordinary historical bond between the Bab and Baha’u’llah. Continue to post…
“This Newborn Child” is a moving single by Ramine Yazhari. It features the words of Baha’u’llah from a recently translated tablet in honour of the Twin Holy Days. Continue to post…
In this article, we joyously share the news of the release of three newly translated tablets about the Birth of the Bab and the Birth of Baha’u’llah that were revealed by Baha’u’llah. Continue to post…
In this article, Naysan explores what happened during the Declaration of the Bab and he quotes from Shoghi Effendi’s The World Order of Baha’u’llah in order to help us understand this Holy Day and its significance to the world. Continue to post…
Roya offers a historical perspective on what occurred on “one of the greatest and most significant of all festivals” and she draws on quotations from Nabil’s The Dawn-Breakers. Continue to post…
In this article, Sonjel provides a brief introduction to both the Persian Bayan and the Arabic Bayan, volumes of the Bab’s prolific and powerful Revelation. The Persian Bayan is considered the Mother Book of the Bab’s Dispensation and it is a book of laws, teachings and traditions. Continue to post…
The Letters of the Living is the title given by the Bab to His first 18 followers. The Bab was a merchant from Shiraz, Persia. His name was Siyyid Ali-Muhammad Shirazi, but He is known to the world as the Bab, which means “the Gate” in Arabic, and Baha’is believe that He was the symbolic gate between past ages of prophecy and a new age of fulfilment for humanity. When the Bab was 25, He proclaimed to be both a new Prophet, and the herald to “Him Whom God Shall Make Manifest”, Baha’u’llah. Continue to post…
Sonjel reflects and shares historical accounts of the astounding speed at which the Bab revealed Sacred Writings, a speed that was constrained only by the capacity of His ananuencis (or secretary). Continue to post…
This is the audio reading of the above article about the swiftness and prolific nature of the Bab’s Revelation here on Baha’i Blog’s YouTube channel. Continue to post…
Layli ponders on the significance of the Declaration of the Bab by sharing quotations from the recently-translated volume of Baha’u’llah’s Writings on Holy Days, Days of Remembrance. Continue to post…
The Bab proclaimed His Message to Mulla Husayn, the first Letter of the Living. In this article, Sonjel shares three outstanding qualities that Mulla Husayn demonstrated in the moments leading to and immediately following the birth of the Bab’s Revelation. Continue to post…
Michael looks at some quotations that historically document impressions of those who were able to be in the Bab’s presence. Continue to post…
Naysan offers a short list of books about the life of the Bab, from The Dawn-Breakers to Release the Sun. These books all explore the short, dramatic and powerful life of the Prophet-Herald of the Baha’i Faith. Continue to post…
This short 10 part quiz includes introductory questions about the Bab and His Revelation. Continue to post…
Further test your knowledge — or that of you friends and family — with this second quiz about the Bab. Continue to post…
Many Baha’is have a copy of The Dawn-Breakers: Nabil’s Narrative of the Early Days of the Baha’i Revelation on their bookshelf. What is this book, and what is its purpose? Why is it important to Baha’is? Who was Nabil? When did he write his narrative, and when was it translated into English? This article provides basic answers to these questions, drawing primarily from Shoghi Effendi’s introduction to the English translation. Continue to post…
In this audio recording of a talk by Dr. Nader Saiedi, a scholar on the Bab and His Revelation, we learn about a Tablet revealed by the Bab in which He proclaims to be the Promised Qa’im. Continue to post…
In this Studio Session, Carl Brehmer from Phoenix (USA) sings the words of an address by the Bab as it was recorded in The Dawn-Breakers. You can listen to, and watch the recording of this song as a part of Baha’i Blog’s Studio Sessions song from Baha’i Blog’s Studio Sessions series. Continue to post…
This article by Layli explores how Khadijih Bagum, the wife of the Bab, and Haki Mubarak, His faithful servant, became aware of the Bab’s station. Continue to post…
This is the audio version of the article by Layli which explores how Khadijih Bagum, the wife of the Bab, and Haki Mubarak, His faithful servant, became aware of the Bab’s station. Continue to post…
In this Baha’i Blog Studio Session, we’re in Frankfurt, Germany with Naim Zabihi, Naim Schmidt and Negin Zabihi who sing “The Bab” based on a quotation from His Writings. You can listen to, and watch the recording of this song as a part of Baha’i Blog’s Studio Sessions song from Baha’i Blog’s Studio Sessions series. Continue to post…
In this Studio Session, we’re with Naim Zabihi, Naim Schmidt and Negin Zabihi again. This time they sing “The Gate of God”, a song also based on a quotation from the Bab. You can listen to, and watch the recording of this song as a part of Baha’i Blog’s Studio Sessions song from Baha’i Blog’s Studio Sessions series. Continue to post…
There are only two Manifestations that we know of in recorded history who have suffered martyrdom: Jesus Christ and the Bab. In this article, Shamim explores numerous other similarities between Them, with regards to Their lives, Their ministries and the events surrounding Their martyrdoms. Continue to post…
He was frail of form and slender with a fragile frame. He appeared before the great clerics and the learned of his time “an insignificant and negligible figure.” His hand trembled and shook as he wrote. His childhood friend declared him as one not in possession of strength or bodily endurance.Contemporary reports indicate he had been sickly as a child and suffered from epilepsy and heart palpitations. And yet. Continue to post…
You can listen to the article mentioned above here on Baha’i Blog’s YouTube channel. Continue to post…
Naysan offers an introductory explanation to the commemoration of the Martyrdom of the Bab and some history about the construction of the Shrine of the Bab and its terraced gardens on Mount Carmel. Continue to post…
In this tribute to Anis Zunizi, the youth who was executed alongside the Bab, Sonjel shares some details about Anis’ character, his steadfastness and the extraordinary events surrounding his martyrdom at the side of his beloved. Continue to post…
Some say that the Shrine of the Bab and its surrounding gardens are so beautiful that it is difficult to take a poor photo of them but Negeen’s photos uniquely capture the serenity, the vibrancy and the elegance of this special place. The physical beauty of the Shrine of the Bab and its terraced gardens are a physical representation, or a hint, of the spiritual beauty of the Bab’s revelation. Continue to post…
The women of Zanjan, a city in north-west Persia, who recognised the truth of the claim of the Bab, shone as brilliant stars through the darkness of the “most violent and devastating” of “the great conflagrations” which consumed the followers of the Bab in the East, South, West, and capital of Persia in the middle of the 19th century. Continue to post…
In this interview with Michael Day, we learn about a new trilogy that describes the construction of the Shrine of the Bab. Volume one tells for the first time in detail the thrilling story of how the sacred remains of the Bab were taken from Tabriz to Tehran and hidden for nearly 50 years. It then moves on to describe how Abdu’l-Baha achieved the impossible. Although a prisoner of the Ottoman Empire until 1908, He managed to fulfil Baha’u’llah’s directive to bring the casket to Mount Carmel to build a Shrine in the place indicated by His Father, and to inter the sacred remains. Continue to post…
In this Studio Session recorded in Hluboka nad Vltavou, in the Czech Republic, Ethan Crofts sings “Arise” based on the words of the Bab as quoted in The Dawn-Breakers. Some of these quotations are words the Bab spoke to Anis Zunizi about His Martyrdom and some of the quotations are from the soul-stirring farewell address the Bab shared with the Letters of the Living. Continue to post…
Born in Qazvin, Persia in 1817, Tahirih lived at a time the Empire had sunk deep into dark savagery and callous brutality. It was against such a dismal and wretched backdrop that our heroine stood apart and stood out. Continue to post…
Zoe Meyer originally wrote Stories from the Dawn-Breakers and William Sears’ reading of it is warm, captivating and charming — which makes it a fantastic resource for children and junior youth. Restored and remastered in honor of the upcoming bicentenary of the Birth of the Bab, the the four disc set is now available for purchase. Continue to post…
Many Baha’is are familiar with the events described in the book The Dawnbreakers, where followers of the Bab were under attack and siege by the Persian army, but aside from these descriptions in the Dawnbreakers, very little is known about the many events which took place during this turbulent period of our Faith’s early history. That is why the new book Awakening: A History of the Babi and Baha’i Faiths in Nayriz by Dr. Hussein Ahdieh and Hillary Chapman is so important. Continue to post…
The Gate: Dawn of the Baha’i Faith is a visually stunning documentary, rich with interviews and reenactments. It tells the story of the life of the Bab and describes some of His Teachings. Engaging, captivating and creatively put together, this film will be of interest both to those who have heard of the Bab and His Teachings, and those who have never heard of Him. Continue to post…
Tom Lysaght is an accomplished playwright with some 30 plays in both English and Spanish to his name. He also founded “El Teatro de Pan y Paz” in rural Peru, where he wrote circus drama plays about economic and health challenges, utilizing masks, stilts, and 15-foot high puppets for open-air performances, and he’s travelled extensively to help launch similar community development theatre projects. While his latest project is not a play, it is nevertheless dramatic. 35 years in the making, his novel, Persian Passion: Of Gods and Gargoyles, is a work of creative non-fiction set in Persia during the time of the Bab. Continue to post…
In this article, Shamim provides a brief description of the Bab’s Life and His Dispensation. Continue to post…
Shastri offers some personal reflections on what he has been studying and reflecting on in this historic year. Continue to post…
After a successful Kickstarter campaign, Elika Mahony has released an album in honor of the bicentenary of the Birth of the Bab and it’s befittingly titled The Exalted One. The 11 songs on the album set the prayers and Writings of the Bab to music with piano, cello, guitar, tiple, cuatro (South American instruments) and soaring voice. Continue to post…
Della offers from of the though processes she and members of her community underwent in decided what to do to celebrate the bicentenary anniversary of the Birth of the Bab. Continue to post…
Ravi Purushotma has created a unique artistic resource for communities producing dramas or plays about Baha’i history — particularly in the days and weeks leading up to, during and after celebrations for the bicentenary anniversary of the Birth of the Bab, Prophet-Herald of the Baha’i Faith. Continue to post…
The Baha’is of the United Kingdom have created five beautiful exhibition panels designed for use during activities commemorating the bicentenary of the Birth of the Bab, Prophet-Herald of the Baha’i Faith. The panels offer a historical overview of the Bab’s Revelation, share quotations about His Station, describe His teachings, and offer from excerpts from His Writings. Eye-catching photographs are also included. Continue to post…
Dr Will van den Hoonaard recently published a children’s book about the Bab when He was a child. The book is titled Did You Ever Wonder: A Story About the Bab as a Child. Children love to hear stories about other children and I think the approach Will has taken is brilliant. Continue to post…
That concludes our list of 62 Baha’i Blog posts and resources related to the Bab and His early followers! We hope you’ve found this list useful, and it helps you in your preparations to celebrate the bicentenary of the Birth of the Bab!
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