10 Personal Reflections that Refer to the Bab (Part 2)

“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. 

In this initiative, we share portraits of Baha’is and their friends from different countries and territories all over the world, and a few of their words about what the Baha’i Faith means to them or how it has touched their lives. 

We shared 200 portraits in 2017 to celebrate the Birth of Baha’u’llah, and we’ve been sharing another 200 portraits this year in honor of the Birth of the Bab. Our hope is that by sharing these pictures and excerpts, we will answer the call from the Universal House of Justice to communicate “a sense of what it means for humanity that these two Luminaries [the Bab and Baha’u’llah] rose successively above the horizon of the world.” (from a letter dated 18 May 2016 to all National Spiritual Assemblies)

Stay up to date by following the “Personal Reflections” social media pages on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

As the bicentennial celebrations for the Birth of the Bab draw nearer, we wanted to showcase another 10 portraits that have shared so far in which the participants speak about the Bab and His Revelation. 

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"The Bab and Baha’u’llah never met. Tahirih never met the Bab. It’s just astounding to me how all these people were so moved by His message without even meeting Him. And just pure faith alone managed to create this huge [revolution]. It’s just very inspiring to me actually." #Bahai #BahaiFaith #BicentenaryBirthoftheBab #Bahaipeople #Bahaiphoto #Bahaiphotographer

A post shared by Personal Reflections Baha'i (@personalreflectionsbahai) on May 29, 2019 at 5:06pm PDT

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"If I had to think of one word to describe the Bab's Dispensation it would be 'sacrifice'. The Bab fully sacrificed Himself as did His followers. It was all such a big sacrifice on all parts, from Mulla Husayn, to the Bab, to everyone in between." #Bahai #BahaiFaith #BicentenaryBirthoftheBab #Bahaipeople #Bahaiphotographer

A post shared by Personal Reflections Baha'i (@personalreflectionsbahai) on Apr 30, 2019 at 4:10pm PDT

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"I come from a Christian background, where my parents were Catholic, and we sort of refer to the Bab as being like John the Baptist, who came to prepare the way for the coming of Baha'u'llah." #Bahai #BahaiFaith #BicentenaryBirthoftheBab #bahaipeople #bahaiphoto #bahaiphotographer

A post shared by Personal Reflections Baha'i (@personalreflectionsbahai) on Apr 12, 2019 at 5:18pm PDT

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“Without the Bab we would not be here. We could not be able to stand, speak and understand as a world-wide Baha'i community.” #bahai #bahaifaith #bahaipeople #bahaiphotos #bahaiphotographer #bicentenaryoftheBirthoftheBab

A post shared by Personal Reflections Baha'i (@personalreflectionsbahai) on Mar 14, 2019 at 6:40pm PDT

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“I would say [the Bab was] more of a rebel of His day. I think that to against the populace is incredible. It takes strength of character, a certain power that only a Manifestation can possess, to go against the grain so much. That’s what resonates with me the most.” #bahai #bahaifaith #bahaipeople #bahaiphotos #bahaiphotographer

A post shared by Personal Reflections Baha'i (@personalreflectionsbahai) on Feb 7, 2019 at 4:01pm PST

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"How do we imbue ourselves with this revolutionary spirit? That’s what I think the Dispensation of the Bab shows us: that a small band of people with this fiery love in their hearts can transform the world. And I think this generation needs it. And I think the stories of the Dawn-Breakers can set that fire in your heart." #bahai #bahaifaith #bahaipeople #bahaiphotos #bahaipgotographer

A post shared by Personal Reflections Baha'i (@personalreflectionsbahai) on Jan 28, 2019 at 5:15pm PST

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"It's timely to discuss the Bab and His life as a merchant and how just He was in that field. Especially in this current day, as with the past, where our whole society is governed by commerce and to have someone who worked within commerce but has brought more altruistic viewpoints, and altruistic practices and tendencies to that space could lend so much insight by having that example. He wasn't taken advantage of but He understood the dynamics of commerce and interpersonal interactions and also how to bring the Teachings of God towards the oneness of humanity." #bahai #bahaifaith #bahaipeople #bahaiphotos

A post shared by Personal Reflections Baha'i (@personalreflectionsbahai) on Dec 9, 2018 at 5:16pm PST

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"What has always baffled me was that even in turmoil and persecution, a great Shiite leader and scholar was sent by the King of Iran to attest to the falsehood or legitimacy of the claims of the Bab. After only three meetings with Him, this scholar accepted the Bab." #Bahai #Bahaifaith #Bahaiphotos #Bahaiphoyographer #Bahaipeople

A post shared by Personal Reflections Baha'i (@personalreflectionsbahai) on Mar 20, 2019 at 3:17am PDT

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"I think what can be learned from the time of the Bab is devotion to a cause that you know is greater than yourself; to see, to understand that, and to continue moving forward with that devotion in your heart and that sort of sacredness." #bahai #bahaifaith #bahaipeople

A post shared by Personal Reflections Baha'i (@personalreflectionsbahai) on Nov 27, 2018 at 3:36pm PST

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"When I think of the Bab and Babis, certainly courage comes to mind, a different kind of courage… It's only from the example of the early Babis that we can recognize just the level we have to strive for in terms of our steadfastness, courage and perseverance." #Bahai #BahaiFaith #BicentenaryBirthoftheBab #Bahaiphoto #Bahaiphotographer

A post shared by Personal Reflections Baha'i (@personalreflectionsbahai) on May 17, 2019 at 5:21pm PDT

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Sonjel Vreeland

In her innermost heart, Sonjel is a stay-at-home parent and a bookworm with a maxed out library card but professionally she is a museologist with a background in English Literature. She currently lives on Prince Edward Island, an isle in the shape of a smile on the eastern Canadian coast. Sonjel is a writer who loves to listen to jazz when she's driving at night.