The Báb declares his mission in Shiraz (1844)

The Báb, an Iranian religious leader from Shiraz, declared his mission on the evening of 22 May 1844. Mullá Husayn, a former Shaykhi follower, became the first to accept the Báb as the Mahdi, founding Bábism. The Báb, previously a merchant, had begun writing religious texts prior to this declaration, identifying himself initially as a gate.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. The Báb, born in Shiraz, was a merchant who married in 1842. His wife reported his first spiritual experience in April 1844. He began writing a Tafsir in late 1843, completing the first half before his declaration. In early writings, he identified himself as a gate, referencing the Four Deputies of the Hidden Imam.

Mullá Husayn. Mullá Husayn studied under Siyyid Kázim until 1843. After Kázim's death, followers expected Husayn to lead or declare himself as the Mahdi. Husayn received veiled instructions for a journey. Upon arriving in Shiraz, he went to the Vakil Mosque for evening prayers, where he encountered the Báb.

Declaration. On the evening of 22 May 1844, the Báb declared his mission as the bearer of a new divine revelation. Mullá Husayn became the first person to profess belief in the Báb as the Mahdi. The first chapter of the Qayyúmu'l-Asmáʼ was written that evening. The Báb's wife had already believed in his revelation in April.

People involved

Sources

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