The áʼíBaháʼí Faith is a world religion that was founded in the 19th century Middle East. Its founders and the majority of its early followers were of Iranian heritage, and it is widely regarded as the second-largest religion in Iran after Islam. Though most Baháʼís in Iran are of a Muslim background, the 19th century conversions of sizeable numbers of individuals from Judaism and Zoroastrianism in the country are also well documented.
The early history of the Baháʼí Faith in Iran covers the lives of these founders, their families, and their earliest prominent followers known by honorific designations such as the Letters of the Living and the Apostles of Baháʼu'lláh.
Since its inception the Baháʼí Faith has promoted democratically elected councils; the promotion of modern education as a priority within families (with emphasis on female education) and specific encouragement of women's equality with men. Iranian Baháʼís have created schools, agricultural cooperatives, and medical clinics across the country for themselves and others. Iran is also where the greatest persecution of Baháʼís has taken place—including the denial of education, arbitrary arrest, and killing. Iran's long history of state-sponsored persecution against Bábís and Baháʼís is well documented. The website "Archives of Baháʼí Persecution in Iran" has compiled thousands of documents, reports, testimonials, photos, and videos revealing proof of efforts to suppress and eliminate Baháʼís, particularly since the Iranian revolution of 1979.
Origins and early years
Central figures
The Báb
Baháʼís trace the origin of their faith to 1844, when Siyyid 'Alí-Muhammad of Shiraz taught that he was a divine messenger with a mission to prepare for the imminent appearance of the "Promised One" of all religions. 'Alí-Muhammad was a direct descendant of Muhammad, born on 20 October 1819, and referred to himself as the "Báb", a religious title meaning "the Gate", indicating his position as a spiritual “gate to divine knowledge”, and to a still greater God-sent educator whose imminent appearance he was preparing the way for. The bedrock of his theology was that a new era in human history had dawned, during which the oneness of all religions and their progressive nature as successive stages of guidance from the same Creator would become clear.
As the Báb's teachings spread thousands soon became followers. Islamic clergy began to stir up hostility towards the Báb and violence against his adherents (called Bábís). Insisting divine revelation had ended with Muhammad, Muslim clerics denounced the Báb's ideas as heretical, and also portrayed them as destabilizing for the best interests of the Shah of Persia. By manipulating support from fearful authorities, such clergy initiated a frenzy of persecution fueled by fanatical hatred rooted in religious prejudice. As killings began to spread around the country they ultimately resulted in wanton massacres of an estimated 20,000 Bábís. In a desperate bid to eradicate his faith, Persia's prime minister ordered the public execution of the Báb; it took place in Tabriz on 9 July 1850 before an estimated crowd of 10,000, in circumstances reported as miraculous by both Iranian eyewitnesses and foreign diplomats. Oppression against the faith in Iran has continued unabated ever since, up through the present day.
The Báb proclaimed he was the first of two "twin" manifestations of God sent by the Creator to prepare humanity for, and to usher in, its age of maturity when the human race as a whole will finally realize global unity. Baháʼís hold that the Báb's teachings lay the groundwork "for the eventual establishment of a society characterized by the unity of nations, fellowship of religions, equal rights of all people, and a compassionate, consultative, tolerant, democratic, moral world order". Woven throughout the Báb's teachings are references to "Him whom God shall make manifest", the great Promised One for whom he was preparing the way. In numerous prophesies the Báb stated that next divine educator would appear soon after the Báb's own passing. In one of his major works, the Báb stated: "Well is it with him who fixeth his gaze upon the Order of Baháʼu'lláh, and rendereth thanks unto his Lord."