On November 12, 1817, Mirza Husayn ‘Ali was born. He would go on to found the world’s youngest monotheistic faith, Baha’i. Today, every November 12, His followers remember Him with the holiday the Birth of Baha’u’llah.
Before He would adopt the name Baha’u’llah and found the world’s youngest monotheistic faith, Baha’i, Mirza Husayn ‘Ali started as a child of an elite Persian family with ties to the royal families of Persia (now Iran). Unlike the other children of His elite status, Mirza Husayn ‘Ali received relatively little schooling; although He was commonly regarded as being intelligent as well as compassionate. Although He came from a position that perfectly paved a path for Him to go into court to further His status and wealth, He instead opted to live a life of charity and followed the way of the Báb. After announcing His belief in the Báb, He was punished as the Bábis were in that time after the Báb’s execution with His possessions taken, forced imprisonment, torture, and banishment.
During the first time He was banished to Baghdad, Mirza Husayn ‘Ali declared He was the next coming of God that the Báb had prophesied. At this time, He took on the name “Baha’u’llah” which means “Glory of God.” His desire was to unify the entire human race in peace, and, although He was imprisoned for much of His life, He wrote many letters and documents preaching to that end.
Today, Baha’is celebrate the Birth of Baha’u’llah as one of nine yearly holidays on which they take the day off and focus on their faith and worship. Believers often celebrate in their homes or at public worship centers with friends and family. To Baha’is, Baha’u’llah not only preached the unity of all the world’s peoples but also was the living embodiment of that unity as the coming of the Jewish Lord of Hosts, the Hindu god Krishna, the fifth Buddha, Jesus Christ, Imam Husayn for Shi’a Muslims, and the descent of the “Spirit of God” for Sunni Muslims.
Resources
- Bahai.us – Cheryll Schuette
- info.Bahai.org
- Huffington Post
- Bahai.us
- BahaiTeachings.org