Mírzá Mahmúd
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Mírzá Maḥmúd-i-Furúghí (Arabic: مرزا محمود) (d.1927-8) also known by the appelation Fádil-i-Furúghí, was an eminent follower of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, a global religion of Persian origin. He was the only Iranian Bahá'í teacher who was given the chance to meet face to face with a Qajar Shah, was later identified as one of the nineteen Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh.
[edit] Background
Mírzá Mahmúd came from a remote village in Khurasan named Dúghábád. His father was Mullá Mírzá Muhammad, one of the few survivors of the battle of fort Tabarsi, who was an influential Shi'a divine prior to becoming a Bábí. Mullá Mírzá Muhammad, who had never before used a weapon, was wounded five times by bullets or swords; but in the end he survived and made his way back home, where he faced persecution for his new faith.
Mullá Mírzá Muhammad was taken in chains to Mashhad, and after a long interim in the prison was released again, only to become a devoted follower of Bahá'u'lláh. He travelled often to Ishqabad with his son Mírzá Mahmúd, where many persecuted Bahá'ís settled. In Ishqabad, Mírzá Mahmúd became a well known teacher of the Bahá'í Faith, often dedicating himself to the welfare of the youth. One biographer described his time there:
- "He was never impatient, never autocratic. Kind and considerate, he led the youth gently to better manners, better understanding, better conduct. And he was exceedingly modest."
- (Eminent Bahá'ís, pg. 160)
[edit] Travels
The Islamic divines of Dúghábád caused the governor of the district to have Mírzá Mahmúd arrested for being a Bahá'í. He was sent in chains to Mashhad. From his prison-cell, he managed to secretly send a letter to Nasiri'd-Din Shah, who issued an order for the release of Mírzá Mahmúd. The clerics of Mashhad managed to have him exiled, rather than set free, to a remote corner of Khurasan named Kalát.
In Kalát the governor soon became good friends with Mírzá Mahmúd, and informed him of the death of Bahá'u'lláh. In his grief, Mírzá Mahmúd began a three-day fast. On the fourth night, Bahá'u'lláh appeared to him in a dream, which he claimed gave him new life.
Mírzá Mahmúd was poisoned by one of his enemies, and died in AH 1346 (CE 1927-1928).
[edit] References
- Balyuzi, H.M. (1985). Eminent Bahá'ís in the time of Bahá'u'lláh. The Camelot Press Ltd, Southampton. ISBN 0853981523.
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